South Africa: Dtic to host African trade workshop

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Trade, Industry, and Competition Deputy Minister, Nomalungelo Gina, will on Thursday host a business seminar in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. The interactive business seminar will be attended by local business operators and is aimed at exposing them to various support programmes of government. The seminar is part... See more
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Surgeons remove pig heart from special device and prepare to transplant it into patient. Credit: University of Maryland School of Medicine

A new study published today in The Lancet has revealed the most extensive analysis to date on what led to the eventual heart failure in the world's first successful transplant of a genetically modified pig heart into a human patient. This groundbreaking procedure was conducted by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) physician-scientists in January 2022 and marked an important milestone for medical science.

The patient, 57-year-old David Bennett, Sr., was treated at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He experienced strong cardiac function with no obvious signs of acute rejection for nearly seven weeks after the surgery. A sudden onset of heart failure led to his death two months after the transplant. Since then, the transplant team has been conducting extensive studies into the physiologic processes that led to the heart failure to identify factors that can be prevented in future transplants to improve the odds of longer-term success.

"Our paper provides crucial insight into how a multitude of factors likely played a role in the functional decline of the transplanted heart," said study lead author Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, MD, Professor of Surgery and Scientific/Program Director of the Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program at UMSOM. "Our goal is to continue moving this field forward as we prepare for clinical trials of xenotransplants involving pig organs."

Mr. Bennett, who was in end-stage heart failure and nearing the end of his life, did not qualify for a traditional heart transplant. The procedure was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under its expanded access (compassionate use) provision.

"We were determined to shed light on what led to the heart transplant dysfunction in Mr. Bennett, who performed a heroic act by volunteering to be the first in the world," said study co-author Bartley Griffith, MD, Professor of Surgery and The Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professor in Transplantation at UMSOM. "We want our next patient to not only survive longer with a xenotransplant but to return to normal life and thrive for months or even years."

To better understand the processes that led to dysfunction of the pig heart transplant, the research team performed extensive testing on the limited available tissues in the patient. They carefully mapped out the sequence of events that led to the heart failure demonstrating that the heart functioned well on imaging tests like echocardiography until day 47 after surgery.

The new study confirms that no signs of acute rejection occurred during the first several weeks after the transplant. Likely, several overlapping factors led to heart failure in Mr. Bennett, including his poor state of health prior to the transplant that led him to become severely immunocompromised. This limited the use of an effective anti-rejection regimen used in preclinical studies for xenotransplantation. As a result, the researchers found, the patient was likely more vulnerable to rejection of the organ from antibodies made by the immune system. The researchers found indirect evidence of antibody-mediated rejection based on histology, immunohistochemical staining and single cell RNA analysis.

The use of an intravenous immunoglobulin, IVIG, a drug that contains antibodies, may also have contributed to damage to the heart muscle cells. It was given to the patient twice during the second month after the transplant to help prevent infection, likely also triggering an anti-pig immune response. The research team found evidence of immunoglobulin antibodies targeting the pig vascular endothelium layer of the heart.

Lastly, the new study investigated the presence of a latent virus, called porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), in the pig heart, which may have contributed to the dysfunction of the transplant. Activation of the virus may have occurred after the patient's anti-viral treatment regimen was reduced to address other health issues. This may have initiated an inflammatory response causing cell damage. However, there is no evidence that the virus infected the patient or spread to organs beyond the heart. Improved PCMV testing protocols have been developed for sensitive detection and exclusion of latent viruses for future xenotransplants.

"Valuable lessons can be learned from this groundbreaking surgery and the courageous first patient, Mr. Bennett, that will better inform us for future xenotransplants," said UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. "In the future, our team of surgeon-scientists will utilize newly designed immune cell assays to monitor the patient more precisely in the days, weeks, and months following the xenotransplant. This will provide stricter control of the earliest signs of rejection and the promise of a truly lifesaving innovation."
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Workers in primary industries such as forestry are exposed to the highest number of carcinogens. Credit: Shutterstock/Lakeview Images

A recent survey suggests that 58% of workers in New Zealand are exposed to at least one cancer-causing agent at work. Almost one in three are exposed at a high level, at or above the standards set by WorkSafe New Zealand, and almost one in four are exposed to five or more carcinogens at any level.

The New Zealand Carcinogens Survey (NZCS), commissioned by WorkSafe New Zealand, was the first to examine the prevalence of occupational carcinogens in the working population.

It identified the ten most common cancer-causing substances and exposures across all industries as benzene (30%), solar UV (27%), UV exposure to the eye (26%), diesel engine exhaust (24%), second-hand tobacco smoke (15%), styrene (12%), crystalline silica (10%), shift work (9%), wood dust (8%) and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (8%).

The main tasks associated with benzene exposure are fuelling vehicles and equipment with petrol, using petrol or other solvents to clean hands and using solvent-based paints. The industries with the highest exposure to at least one carcinogen are mining, electricity and gas, water and waste services, construction, transport, postal and warehousing, and primary industries (agriculture, forestry, fishing).

Workers in primary industries are exposed to the highest number of carcinogens at any level. Specific occupations with the highest exposures include construction workers, farmers and emergency responders.

The distribution of carcinogen exposure differs by gender and ethnicity. Maori and Pacific workers and men are the most likely to be exposed to at least one carcinogen.

Work-related exposures

Work-related disease is estimated to account for 750-900 deaths a year in New Zealand. Cancer contributes to about half of these deaths and at least a third of work-related hospitalisations. These figures are largely based on overseas estimates applied to Aotearoa New Zealand health data.

Establishing the number of workplace injuries is relatively straightforward but investigation of work-related cancers is much more difficult because:

there is often a long latency period between work exposure and the onset of disease

it is difficult to attribute a particular cancer to a specific exposure

very few cancers are the result of a single occupational exposure (asbestosis in asbestos-exposed workers is an exception)

hazardous exposures often cluster in work environments

lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking) also contribute to cancer risk.

Therefore, understanding the prevalence, frequency and distribution of exposure to work-related carcinogens is crucial.

Which exposures matter?

How do we know which workplace exposures contribute to cancer risk?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regularly undertakes expert reviews of the relevant scientific literature to identify cancer-causing substances and practices. They classify exposures on the basis of the quality of evidence as:

Group 1: sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans

Group 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans

Group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans

Group 3: not classifiable.

Until the NZCS report, New Zealand-specific data on work exposures to carcinogens have been lacking.

The survey did not measure exposure directly. It used a web-based exposure-assessment programme to estimate the likelihood of exposures and probable level based on questions to workers about substances, jobs and specific tasks.

Maori and Pasifika are under-represented in the survey compared to their population numbers. It seems likely the sample does not reflect the occupational distribution of Maori and therefore we must be cautious when extrapolating to the wider population for these groups.

What is to be done?

There are some limitations to the NZCS report. This means we cannot easily generalise its findings to the wider working population. However, it is important to concentrate on the unmistakable evidence that a large number of people are exposed to high levels of workplace carcinogens.

The NZCS is an important step in improving data collection. But data alone are not sufficient; they need to inform action. There are too many examples of Aotearoa being slower than other countries to act when sufficient evidence exists.

New Zealand was the last country in the world to halt the production of the toxic dioxin-contaminated herbicide 2,4,5-T, in 1987. As late as 1986, it was still being declared harmless.

The importation of asbestos-containing products was banned only in 2016. New Zealand still has not limited widespread use of the weed killer glyphosate.

Protective efforts should start with the most common carcinogens and high-risk industries and occupations. Others have recommended an integrated system for exposure surveillance in the past.

Ideally, this would be combined with surveillance of health outcomes and actual exposure measurements. These recommendations are not new; indeed, they have been ignored for decades.

The NZCS report reinforces findings from previous studies that occupational exposures are not distributed equally across men and women and Maori and non-Maori. It is increasingly clear that high-exposure work is more commonly done by Maori.

Kia manawaroa (a call to action) is key to improving prevention and protection. As an immediate step, we suggest the Maori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora is brought into the conversation about Maori-led solutions to reducing risk.

A lack of dedicated health services for occupational health hampers progress in addressing work-related diseases in New Zealand. We strongly recommend setting up an occupational health service to improve access to screening and healthcare for those at high risk of exposure over their whole lifetime, not just while they are in employment.

"We acknowledge the contribution of Jim McLeod, an independent occupational health physician who was employed by WorkSafe New Zealand and was involved in discussions about the NZCS. An earlier commentary was published by the Public Health Communication Centre."

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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University of Canterbury Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Daniel Holland and his team are refining a new way of testing illicit drugs more easily and accurately with the goal of reducing harm. Credit: University of Canterbury

University of Canterbury Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Daniel Holland and his team are refining a technique called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and plan to use it to measure the content and concentration of illicit drugs more easily and accurately.

Most drug-related harm is caused by people taking new substances in unknown concentrations and Holland says the new approach to NMR analysis would allow for highly accurate, fast and accessible drug testing.

"These measurements would assist policing and health agencies to track which substances are available on the street, and determine their exact concentrations, helping to reduce the harm caused by people taking them," he says.

NMR is a leading technique in analytical chemistry but at present it is only used in universities due to its high cost and complexity. Holland says compact, benchtop NMR systems have been developed but are not yet widely used.

"We're analyzing data using machine learning so that we get the same accuracy and precision from a benchtop tool as you would from a full-size system. We're hoping to be able to extend this analysis to new and emerging substances using the world's first fully-automated quantitative analysis of NMR data."

Harm caused by illicit drugs costs Aotearoa New Zealand an estimated $1.8 billion a year, and in the United States illicit drug related deaths are increasing at a rate of 10,000 each year.

Holland says quick identification of new substances, coupled with public health messaging, has the potential to save lives. "Research shows that up to 60% of New Zealand university students admit to taking illicit drugs and about 15% of the general population are regular users of such substances."

He says the illicit drugs market is completely unregulated and 50 new illicit substances are reported each year. On the street these substances are sold as "synthetic" or "designer" drugs. "At the moment we often can't identify exactly what these new drugs are, and we can't quantify the amount of the active substance. With our new NMR technique, we can make this process faster and more accurate, while also keeping it relatively cheap and accessible."

Holland says there have been recent instances in Aotearoa New Zealand where a substance that was sold to people as MDMA (Ecstasy) was actually eutylone, a synthetic drug often referred to as "bath salts," which can cause dangerous side effects and even overdose.

Aotearoa New Zealand has been world-leading in terms of legalizing drug checking services, making it the ideal place to develop this new testing technology, he says. The 2021 Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Act aims to create a safer environment for people to get drugs tested.

Holland has been working closely with ESR (the Institute of Environmental Science and Research) and says the new testing approach could be used by law enforcement, drug testing centers and in forensic testing labs.

He believes drug testing using benchtop NMR is unlikely to be carried out on site at festivals unless they have a mobile lab-type environment, but it could have a place in drug checking centers where people can check illicit drugs before going to a festival or party.

Holland's research project also has a social science and health component, and he plans to work with social scientists at UC to investigate the reasons behind drug use, how potential harm can be reduced and current barriers to drug checking.

In the future, the methods the team is developing could be adapted for a variety of other analytical chemistry applications, such as in food quality control, chemical or polymer manufacturing, or pharmaceutical manufacturing. The eventual commercial market for analysis across these sectors could be worth US$2 billion, Holland says.
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Quantitative real-time PCR detection of Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella/EIEC, and Yersinia species in different age groups, from 0 to 80+ years. The bacterial pathogens were detected in 341,330 fecal samples from patients with gastroenteritis. The detection rates are presented as the number of positive results per 10,000 samples. (A) Three peaks of Aeromonas enteric infections were observed, in patients aged 0 to 4 years, 20 to 29 years, and over 50 years old. (B) Positive Campylobacter results peaked in young adults aged 20 to 29 years. (C) Detection rates for Salmonella species peaked in young children aged 0 to 4 years. (D and E) Detection rates for Shigella/EIEC (D) and Yersinia (E) species were found to peak in young adults aged 20 to 29 years. A positive association between the detection rate and patient age was observed for Aeromonas, Campylobacter, and Yersinia (P Microbiology Spectrum (2023). DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00286-23

A group of scientists at UNSW Sydney have discovered that a type of bacteria known as Aeromonas are the second most prevalent bacterial pathogen found in patients with gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritiscommonly known as gastrois a contagious short-term illness triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system that causes vomiting and diarrhea.

In a recent study led by Associate Professor Li Zhang, from the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, surprising results have provided new information on the types of enteric bacteriabacteria in the intestinethat can cause the stomach bug.

Until now, it has been believed that after Campylobacter, the most common cause of bacterial gastro is Salmonella infection.

"Our results have found that Aeromonas are the second most prevalent enteric bacterial pathogens across all age groups, and are in fact the most common enteric bacterial pathogens in children under 18 months," says Zhang.

The latest findings, published June 28 in Microbiology Spectrum, could have an impact on the diagnostic process for gastroenteritis and ultimately lead to more targeted treatment.

"With further research, once we're able to figure out the source of infection, we may eventually be equipped with the knowledge of how best to prevent Aeromonas infection."

A distinct infection pattern

"Historically, Aeromonas species have been largely overlooked and understudied, but they are increasingly recognized as emerging enteric pathogens globally," says Zhang.

The team, which included Ph.D. student Christopher Yuwono, analyzed data from 341,330 patients with gastroenteritis in Australia between 2015 and 2019.

Using a method known as quantitative real-time PCR, fecal samples from these patients were tested to detect the presence of bacterial pathogens. To gain further insights into the factors influencing gastroenteritis infection, patient samples were grouped based on age groups.

On their analysis, the research team identified a unique infection pattern, characterized by three distinct infection peaks associated with patient age.

"The occurrence of Aeromonas enteric infections was predominately observed in young children and individuals over 50 years old, suggesting a higher susceptibility to these infections during stages where the immune system tends to be weaker," says Zhang.

Additionally, there was an increase in Aeromonas enteric infections among patients aged 2029 years, which could possibly be attributed to increased exposure to the pathogen at this age.

"These findings suggest that both human host and microbial factors contribute to the development of Aeromonas enteric infections."

A change to diagnostic processes

Currently, when stool samples from gastro patients are sent to diagnostic laboratories Aeromonas enteric pathogens are not routinely detected.

"But the high rate of Aeromonas infection discovered in our study, and significantly, how they are impacting different patient age groups, suggest that Aeromonas species should be included on the common enteric bacterial pathogen examination list," says Zhang.

The next step for Zhang and her team is to identify Aeromonas pathogens at a more detailed level. "We already know of at least five different species of Aeromonas cause gastrointestinal infections in Australia," says Zhang. "And we know that they have different virulent geneswith that some are more virulent than others. So if Aeromonas bacteria are identified to species level, it could lead to even more targeted treatment."

The second challenge that faces Zhang is to identify the source of the pathogen. Previous research from the Zhang team demonstrated that the majority of Aeromonas enteric infections in Australia were locally acquired, with no history of overseas travel.

"Future research is needed to identify the sources of Aeromonas infections in Australia, so that effective strategies can then be implemented to reduce these infections."

More information: Christopher Yuwono et al, Enteric Aeromonas Infection: a Common Enteric Bacterial Infection with a Novel Infection Pattern Detected in an Australian Population with Gastroenteritis, Microbiology Spectrum (2023). DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00286-23
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New research has found that people who are transgender are far more prone to suicide than their peers.

The new study, using Denmark's centralized data repository, found that transgender people had 7.7 times the rate of suicide attempts compared to others, the study found. They also had 3.5 times the rate of suicide deaths.

Suicide rates in all groups did decrease over time, the study noted.

Still, transgender people died at younger ages than others, whether by suicide or from other causes, researchers said.

"This is beyond doubt a huge problem that needs to be looked at," study co-author Dr. Morten Frisch, a sexual health epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, told the New York Times.

To study the issue, his team identified nearly 3,800 transgender people in Denmark through hospital records and applications for legal gender changes. The study found 92 suicide attempts and 12 suicide deaths in the transgender group between 1980 and 2021.

The U.S. and Denmark have similar suicide rates, so the findings may also apply in America, the researchers noted.

Yet it's also possible the data don't capture all suicides among transgender people or contain information on all transgender people, the Times noted.

"These surveys tend to include much broader spectrums of trans individuals, and we cannot be as certain that our results are as problematic in the broader group," Frisch said.

The findings could suggest an even higher risk of suicide by LGBTQ people in other places, such as the United States, where transgender people and others have been targeted by laws restricting bathroom use for transgender people, gender-related medical care and drag performances.

"This offers a stark rebuttal to some of those political arguments suggesting suicide risk in these groups are exaggerated," Ann Haas, an emeritus professor at the City University of New York who has studied suicide risk among LGBTQ people for two decades, told the Times.

The Danish study found that among people who were transgender, 43% had a psychiatric diagnosis compared to 7% of the non-transgender group.

"Trans people face widespread poverty, widespread discrimination, they're more likely to experience homelessness, they're overrepresented in our nation's prison system, our nation's foster care system," Gillian Branstetter, a communications strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union who focuses on transgender rights, told the Times. "That material lack has very real consequences on their lives, up to and including early deaths."

The researchers cautioned against drawing broad conclusions and noted that the raw number of suicides and attempts among transgender people was still small.

The findings were published June 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More information: The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers help to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and mental health crises and can be reached by dialing 988. Annette Erlangsen et al, Transgender Identity and Suicide Attempts and Mortality in Denmark, JAMA (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.8627 Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association

Copyright  2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Its 2020. The pandemic has struck. Everyone is staying at home.

In Missoula, one such resident was Jeff Ament, a native of Big Sandy and bassist for Pearl Jam. So was John Wicks, who at the time was the drummer for pop act Fitz and the Tantrums.

The two had a connection through a Seattle coffee shop decades ago. Ament frequented there, and Wicks pulled shots.

Now both living in Missoula, they both had studio set-ups. Live shows were dead.

They started trading tracks online. Their new band, Deaf Charlie, which doesnt sound like either of their other projects, took off.

There's no distractions, there was no deadline, Ament said. The only thing to do, he thought, was make art.

Catastrophic Metamorphic, is the groups debut album, out on June 30.

It was just a super-fun exercise, back and forth, Ament said, "to pitch these ideas and see how far we could go with them and still keep them songs."

He said the lyrics are representative of the beginning of the pandemic, when the world seemed to be falling apart, politically and otherwise.

Because we were disconnected from each other, it was easy to go to that place where you felt like it was end times, he said. The songs would get delivered to Wicks, who would add this buoyancy, this positivity that pulls the music into a different place.

The nature of the project ultimately made it liberating, according to Wicks.

Whenever I would start to try to box it in, or be concerned from tune to tune that it was very different, I would just tell myself, theres no rules,  Wicks said. No matter what, youre going to have a through-line, because its Jeff and its me.

Ament initially set that tone of freedom, Wicks said. Thats the polar opposite from what I had been doing. There were so many rules.

On the other hand, he noted, having carte blanche may mean so much freedom you dont get anything done.

In this case, it was just so refreshing not to have any sort of expectations, he said. And the other cool thing is that Jeffs not precious about anything. Like if theres something Im not feeling, hes like Cool, what else you got? 

As the pandemic restrictions lightened, theyd both go on tour again and things would get busy, so they decided the project would set its own schedule.

The 12 tracks cover a lot of stylistic ground, sometimes in a single track. Various moods and genres include shades of electronic-tinged gospel and reggae; and some tracks where a stadium-caliber rhythm section just goes for it. Some tracks have their seeds in pandemic frustration, while the opener, Too Great, is a sunny, hopeful tune with roots in gospel. (It has a lyric hes particularly fond of: the energy we see is too great for any god to deny.)

The band name, meanwhile, comes from a member of Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch.

O.C. Camilla Hanks, who allegedly was given the nickname "Deaf Charlie" for his singing voice, was held in a Deer Lodge jail at one point.

How it started

Back in 1990s Seattle, Wicks played in the out-there jazz, experimental and hip-hop scenes and worked at Uptown Espresso, a shop on Queen Anne Boulevard. It was a regular haunt for Ament. He called it his safe spot after Pearl Jams celebrity became overwhelming.

I used to make Jeffs coffee, Wicks said.

After Wicks, his wife Jenna and their children moved to her hometown of Missoula, he met Ament through mutual friends.

Initially, this project was born of a tribute. In 2018, Uptowns owner, Dow Lucurell, died suddenly. Ament wrote a song, Comeback Player of the Year, in his memory. Since Wicks also knew Lucurell, Ament asked him to help expand it into a full arrangement.

He brought a bunch of crazy drums up to my house and laid down an incredible track of percussion and drums, Ament said.

Youre hearing the seeds, he said.

They made a limited number of 45s of the song to give to friends  it was originally a personal project, not a plan.

Sittin Round At Home

Since he was a kid, Ament said hes often had little song-phrases that would come to mind in particular situations. One such phrase was Sittin Round At Home.

When he was younger, he was taught that one of the worst things you could feel is boredom, a self-inflicted situation thats on you.

If you have a pencil and paper, or a rock, or a ball, theres just no room for it, he said.

It occurred to him again when he returned to Missoula in March 2020 to hunker down, just as the virus reached the county. Stuck at his house, with the little tune coming to mind, he decided to lay down a version.

Wicks said hed be remiss not to say that I wanted to do some rock shit with Jeff, I mean that was like a dream, Wicks said.

The final collaboration boasts a stomping track with heavy bass and drumming, alongside distorted, dissonant synth and guitar on the high end. The music and lyrics reflect the anxiousness of that time period, when screens and information became overwhelming.

I watch the news all day/they always find some way/to take my time away, one verse goes.

Initially, they wanted to release it quickly, Ament said, just a song representing a moment in time.

And then the pandemic dragged on. Ament began writing lyrics first thing in the morning, even before a cup of tea. Later, hed work on the music, drawing on the catalog of words to see where theyd fit.

It began to feel liberating, especially for someone who often makes music in a high-pressure environment. He wrote primarily on piano, familiar to him from lessons as a kid, and then translated them to bass and guitar.

He wrote his own songs going back to the early 80s, but as the bands got bigger (with lead vocalists with big voices), it became more intimidating. It took him years before hed bring completed songs to Pearl Jam. With so many members in the band, an idea has to track with everyone. Wicks felt the same about his group  it can be rough once a band is at that level.

For this project, Wicks could add or pull out instruments, change keys and in some instances, they recorded live together. Earlier in the pandemic, theyd meet outside Drum Coffees back lawn to rehearse from a distance.

One of the surprises may be the high-end singing, on tracks like Something Real.

I didnt even know Jeff could sing at all when we started this, Wicks said. Then I found out hes got this falsetto thats almost too good, because thats all I wanted to hear, Wicks said.

Working remotely, they were able to bring in one of Wicks friends, Marlon Grace, a musician, improv comic and comedy writer, to emcee on three tracks.

Aments parts might have been cut into loops, but they decided not to lock them into a grid, to give it a human feel. Other parts added live in the studio were like glue that really makes it feel personal, Wicks said.

Another cameo comes from the Tantrums saxophonist, James King.

Ament said, "tell him to be like John Lurie from the Lounge Lizards meets Albert Ayler.

Wicks, meanwhile, had spent the pandemic finishing a music degree online and setting up a recording studio. He left the Tantrums last year and began teaching at the University of Montana School of Music, including a course of the history of hip-hop, and playing with jazz groups around town, some with faculty, some not.

Other projects with local collaborators are duo operations as well. Theres one with Jesse Phillips, a Montana native and bassist for St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and another with Bryan Kostors, a UM music professor who composes classical music and also produces synth-based music.

A wide-eared music fan, hes also been listening to drummers like Paul Motian and Andrew Cyrille, and at the far end of the spectrum, the aggro-industrial stylings drummer Zach Hill of Death Grips and Hella.

Hes also a serious reggae collector: See the Deaf Charlie track, Not the Same, which started off a simple track Wicks sent to Ament.

He just sent a loop of a beat. And then I wrote that whole tune around just to the beat, Ament said.

Wicks had also been listening to Serge Gainsbourg, leading to a bright, earthy but synthesized feel. (They also worked with producer Josh Evans of Seattle, who has a Space Echo delay unit for extra dub feeling. Matt Bainton of Missoula, and John Burton also recorded with them.

Some of his UM connections show up on the record: On Something Real, youll hear horns from Cade Chastain, Andrew Kagerer and Mitchell Bailey, plus keys by Connor Racicot.

Whats ahead

Theyre looking for opportunities for unannounced gigs around Montana in the near future.

Their first official date is Oct. 1 at Ohana Festival in Orange County, California, which draws thousands of people.

To flesh out the live experience, theyre assembling a whole crew: Grace, the vocalist from the album; Kostors, a composer and keyboardist from UM, yet another UM Jazz faculty member; Tommy Sciple on bass; Jolene Green, a saxophonist and recent UM jazz graduate on tenor and vocals.

The pressures on, man, Ament said. We got to deliver.
Two minutes away, the Uber app promises at one point in "Past Lives." And if you're like me, you may find yourself  perhaps for the first time in your Uber-riding life  hoping that promise is a bald-faced lie.

Because you'll want more minutes, many more, for the couple presumably about to be separated by that Uber, even though they're simply staring at each other on the street, saying absolutely nothing.

'Past Lives' ***  Run time: 106 min. MPAA rating: PG-13. Opening Friday at the Roxy Theater.

This is but one small moment of playwright Celine Song's gorgeous, achingly wistful feature debut. But it highlights her striking confidence as a filmmaker. Time and again, Song, who both writes and directs here, makes the unflashy, understated choice  and in so doing, darned near breaks our hearts, with a tale that feels universal yet rich in detail, urgent yet unrushed. And if, also like me, you suddenly feel tears forming, they may surprise you, precisely because nobody's been trying to force them.

We begin with a trio chatting in a New York bar  a woman flanked by two men. We're too far away to hear what they're saying or understand how they're connected, and we hear distant voices speculating: "Maybe they're tourists, and he's the tour guide?"

Flashback 24 years to Seoul, where Nora (then called Na Young) and close friend Hae Sung, both 12, are walking home from school. Nora, her hair in long braids, is crying because she lost first place on a school assignment to Hae Sung. (She's an ambitious sort.) The friendship  too early for romance  is about to be sadly interrupted, because Nora's family is moving to Canada.

Twelve years pass. Nora (Greta Lee, terrific in a smart, restrained performance that echoes her director's style) has now moved to New York as an aspiring playwright (yes, much of this story is autobiographical.) On a lark one day, she tries to look up figures from her past. Searching for Hae Sung, she learns he was recently looking for her, too.

They schedule a video chat  at first halting, but soon they're chatting day and night. Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is still living at home, common for young Koreans, and studying at university. He has plans to go to China. Nora is moving ahead with her own dreams (her goal has shifted from a Nobel to a Pulitzer.)

When the distance becomes too painful, Nora calls for a break. Not long after, she attends a writing residency and meets Arthur (John Magaro), a fellow writer. And 12 years pass again. The two live in Brooklyn and have been married seven years.

Suddenly, Nora hears from Hae Sung. He's coming from Seoul and wants to see her. Their meeting in a city park is nothing like the rom-com encounter it could be in another film. Song knows that in real life, there's often an inability to react quickly or cleverly or even at all, for awhile. The director lets awkward silences stand.

Over the next few days the couple gets to know each other. Not surprisingly, Arthur feels somewhat threatened. Late at night he quietly tells Nora that she dreams in Korean, a language and world he does not know. He wonders if he's "the guy you leave in the story when your ex comes to take you away."

And suddenly we're back at that restaurant bar scene, and now we understand. The three characters try to navigate the unusual circumstances. They discuss what-ifs, and zoom in on a Korean concept of fate, explained by Nora earlier as the connection between two people that has been influenced or determined by connections in past lives  hence the film's title.

Without giving away the ending, it's worth noting that Song has drawn much from her own life  down to that bar scene, and a similar visit from a long-ago connection from Korea.

She raises a number of lessons here, but one seems to be that choices, which seem so limitless in our youth, have consequences, even (or most especially) when we're not noticing. No one choice seems irreversible, perhaps, but eventually they coalesce into a life path.

But the playwright also tells us that versions of one life can co-exist. Nora notes at one point that even if her older New York version is different, the younger Korean version is still real, and still exists on some other plane.

"This is my life, I'm living it with you," she tells Arthur early on, trying to reassure him (and perhaps herself.) But one of the beauties of this film is how it allows for such an expansive, generous view of what one life can actually be.
The occasional rusty nail embedded in the dirt at the new Skyline Ridge Trailhead parking lot harks back to a past life for the dusty three-way intersection of Skyline and Lower Skyline roads atop a mile-high timbered ridge southeast of Missoula.

The intersection, located on former industrial timber lands, was once a local party spot illuminated by pallet fires  hence the errant nails. The dirt expanse on the backside of Mount Dean Stone and Mitten Mountain straddles the divide between West Fork Deer Creek to the north and Bear Run Creek, a tributary to Miller Creek, to the south.

These days the party is more often on two wheels or feet, as mountain bikers and trail runners whiz by on the new and popular House of Sky Trail, which runs 3 miles from the spruced-up trailhead to the top of Mount Dean Stone, where it connects to a trail down to Pattee Canyon Road. The trails are open to non-motorized use only.

But on Wednesday night, the party was under pop-up tents on a nearby trailside overlook above Miller Creek, complete with drinks, snacks and a string trio playing classical music. The cause for celebration: Five Valleys Land Trust, the evening's host, had just purchased about 2,400 acres of ridgeline around House of Sky and the drainage down to Miller Creek with the vision of protecting public access and making sure the land is stewarded in perpetuity for wildlife habitat and recreation.

At the trailhead, before a group of about three-dozen people hiked to the overlook, Five Valleys Land Trust Executive Director Whitney Schwab told the group that the purchase marked "a really exciting turning point." She noted that House of Sky, designed and built by MTB Missoula, opened just last summer "and has already become a beloved institution."

"We're at the dawn of a new era here," Schwab said, noting that "we've worked diligently as a community to get up to this ridgeline."

Long-planned connectivity

The work toward the ridgeline was in part a reference to a separate land trust project on adjacent land nearby: the Mount Dean Stone Preserve, which connects the top of Dean Stone to the Barmeyer Trailhead in the Pattee Creek neighborhood. The land trust worked with more than a dozen landowners to acquire a 580-acre strip of property up the north face of the mountain, where the popular trails Barmeyer, Sousa, Woodsy Spur and High, Wide and Handsome now run. The property was then transferred to the city of Missoula's open space inventory.

Ben Horan, associate director of Five Valleys Land Trust, said in an interview Thursday that the preserve project was the type of "complex and ultimately wildly successful project that the city and Five Valleys and other partners have tried to bring forward." That project began in earnest around 2016, he told the Missoulian last year.

But the latest, much larger acquisition has been in the works even longer, according to Schwab, Horan and others who spoke Wednesday night.

The nonprofit land trust closed on the property on June 23, Horan said Thursday. Before last week, the land had been owned for 15 years by The Nature Conservancy. That nonprofit had in turn purchased it from Plum Creek Timber Company as part of the Montana Legacy Project. Because of the parcel's proximity to Missoula and other trails  and a legacy of public access, if not ownership  the land trust began discussing about a decade ago how to acquire and manage the land for public enjoyment and wildlife habitat.

"That conversation grew from a community desire to maintain public access and community use of the landscape," he said. "The property had been managed for many decades for public use through an open lands policy that was maintained by The Nature Conservancy, and before that Plum Creek, and before that Champion, and before that the Anaconda Company. But it was never truly public land."

The land in the latest acquisition connects the city's preserve and areas of the Lolo National Forest around Deer Creek, Allen Creek and the Miller Divide  and even deeper into the northern Sapphire Mountains, which lead into the Bitterroot National Forest and Welcome Creek Wilderness.

But years ago as Plum Creek shifted from timber harvest to real estate, Horan said, the specter of lost public access and connectivity loomed over the area. And "that's when conversations between Five Valleys and The Nature Conservancy really began." The Nature Conservancy stewarded the land and preserved public access for the past decade and a half. But The Nature Conservancy is focused on acquiring hundreds of thousands of acres statewide and even more across the country, Horan said, and the land trust is able to give more focused attention to local "front country" plots like Dean Stone.

Horan said Thursday that the land trust may not hold the property forever, but that the organization's mission entails that the property be managed for public access and wildlife habitat forever: "Our commitment is to continue working with the community partners to find the best outcome for the landscape and the community." The Nature Conservancy also seeded an ongoing "stewardship fund" to help pay for maintaining the land, Schwab said Wednesday, which she described as an uncommon benefit for such transfers.

"We really recognized the importance of this to the community of Missoula," Chris Bryant, The Nature Conservancy's Montana conservation director, said Wednesday. "Having more space to get out on the ground is really important to the community of Missoula."

John Stegmaier, executive director of MTB Missoula, said in an interview Thursday, "Having anything outside of Missoula's urban area  that open-space buffer, the donut, as sometimes it's called  brought into conservation is a huge win. As Missoula grows, it grows with residents, it grows with tourist visitors, it becomes so clear how much we need close connectivity, good access on all sides of Missoula."

He also noted, "The huge value with Dean Stone is, on the south side of town there's not nearly as much access as the north side," but Dean Stone helps provide trails for the south side.

(Horan preceded Stegmaier as executive director of MTB Missoula, which is part of the Mount Dean Stone Committee of stakeholders planning the area's future.)

'Amazing feat'

On Thursday, Horan declined to share the final purchase price Five Valleys Land Trust paid for the 2,400 acres, but he wrote in a follow-up email that "the landscape appraised for $3.6 million and came as a bargain sale from The Nature Conservancy."

According to Melany Glossa, a deputy regional forester at the U.S. Forest Service Region 1 office in Missoula, about half the funding for the purchase came in the form of a competitive Community Forest Program grant. Five Valleys Land Trust was awarded a $600,000 Community Forest Program grant last year. Glossa said Wednesday that "it's an amazing feat" for the land trust to have raised the remaining half of the money.

On Thursday, Horan said that the grant was crucial to the acquisition's success, along with The Nature Conservancy's generosity and the land trust's fundraising and large contributions from other organizations.

"It was a steep discount sale," he said. "The Nature Conservancy brought a huge amount of value in kind. Between the Community Forest Program, Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust  as well as contributions from many or all of the community partners on the Mount Dean Stone Committee, we were able to get it done."

According to a statement from the land trust, entities that helped plan or fund the purchase included Missoula city and county, along with "REI, Run Wild Missoula, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, MTB Missoula, Summit Independent Living, Hellgate Hunters and Anglers, Montana Trout Unlimited, Providence-St. Patrick Healthcare, Montana Conservation Corps, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Montana State Parks and Big Sky Brewing Company."

Glossa, who helps oversee the Forest Service's state and private programs, noted Wednesday that about half the nation's forested lands are under state or private management, but that the Forest Service's mission is to promote positive stewardship of all forested lands, not just those under direct agency management. Grants like those disbursed from the Community Forest Program help other entities, like Five Valleys Land Trust, carry out that mission, she said.

"Many thanks to the work that you all have done," she said, joking that the 15-year project was "pretty fast" by government standards.

Horan said Thursday, "The Community Forest Program is the kind of funding tool that seems tailor-made for a community like Missoula. It has a strong emphasis in protecting community use on landscapes that are at risk of losing it."

Stegmaier said that while "there's definitely opportunity for some additional trails out there," MTB Missoula is currently focused on Marshall Mountain and possible trail building around Fish Creek State Park. He also recognized the area's importance to wildlife and other user groups, like hunters.

"Dean Stone is a really awesome anchor for conservation land, habitat land and recreation  it's tremendous," he said. "There's a lot of, I wouldn't say competing interest, but there's a lot of strong interest in it as far as wildlife habitat, hunting access, hunting security. We'd love to do a lot with trails but we recognize that there's only so much that particular landscape can really sustain."
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  A gang rampaged through the Cite Soleil slum, killing and raping and setting fire to hundreds of wood-and-tin homes. Forced out of the neighborhood, one family of four lived on the streets of Port-au-Prince until they were struck by a truck as they slept.

Two brothers, 2 and 9, died in the November accident. Jean-Kere Almicar opened his home to their distraught parents, then another family, then another, until there were nearly 200 people camped out in his front yard and nearby.

They are among more than 165,000 Haitians who have fled their homes amid a surge in gang violence, with nowhere to turn in this capital of nearly 3 million people.

Almicar, who once lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but moved back to Haiti in 2007, uses his own money.

There was nothing I could do except tell them to come in, Almicar said. Their home doesnt exist anymore. If they go back, theyre going to be killed.

Some 79,000 people are temporarily staying with friends or family, but another 48,000 have crowded into dozens of makeshift shelters like Almicars or sought refuge in parks, churches, schools and abandoned buildings in Port-au-Prince and beyond. The situation is overwhelming nonprofits and non-governmental organizations.

The government is not relocating anyone, said Joseph Wilfred, one of several volunteers in charge of an abandoned government building in Port-au-Prince that houses nearly 1,000 people, including him and his family.

Tens of thousands of Haitians have languished in these makeshift shelters for almost a year.

They sleep on the hard floor or on flattened cardboard boxes. Belongings are stuffed into big rice bags pushed up against the walls of packed rooms. The gangs that chased them out of their homes and control up to 80% of the capital, by most estimates, are now recruiting children as young as 8 at shelters.

One woman staying at Almicars place, Lenlen Desir Fondala, said someone snatched her 5-year-old son while they were living in an outdoors park in November. Her face crinkled and she began to cry, whispering that she still dreams of him.

Rapes also are common at the shelters and in the neighborhoods that gangs are razing.

Lovely Benjamin, 26, has scars on her torso and arm after being shot by gangs and attacked with a machete. Her 4-year-old son bears a machete scar on his head. They are homeless, and Benjamin struggles to find work. The gangs torched the items that she used to sell, including rice and oil, and she doesnt have the money to buy more. She and her little boy survived the attack but gang members killed her partner and set his body on fire.

Everybody was running, she recalled. The gangs burst into everyone's home.

Those living alongside Benjamin include Januelle Dafka and her 15-year-old daughter, Titi Paul, who were both raped and impregnated by gang members. Another neighbor, Rose Dupont, confided that she was nine months pregnant when four gang members shot her in the shoulder then beat and raped her, causing her to miscarry. The Associated Press does not identify people who say they are the victims of sexual assault unless they agree to be named, as Dafka, Paul and Dupont did.

The women carry envelopes with detailed medical records of the horrors they endured and hope that someone will help them find a safe place to live.

For now, they take refuge in the yard of Almicar, who is known as Big Papa."

He has been investing his time, his money, not to mention his strength to keep us safe, said Dovenald Cetoute, 33, who lives there.

But few are benevolent like Almicar. Police have been evicting people from makeshift shelters, and neighbors have threatened to kick out people left homeless because of fears that gang members might be hiding among them.

The United Nations' International Organization for Migration has helped more than 3,400 people find homes in safer areas and gives families some $350 to cover one year of rent. But a growing number of those families are returning to shelters as gangs continue to invade communities once considered safe. Even makeshift shelters are closing and moving elsewhere because of the ongoing violence, said Philippe Branchat, head of the IOM in Haiti.

We are hearing these terrible stories very often, Branchat said, adding that the agency doesnt have access to about half of the makeshift shelters because of gang violence. The situation is really, really bad.

People at the shelters sometimes can only afford to eat one mango a day. Many young children are malnourished.

On a recent morning at the abandoned government building that Wilfred helps manage as a makeshift shelter, a woman wailed against the wall as the tiny body of her 1-year-old goddaughter lay on the floor, wrapped in a towel. She had died just hours ago of suspected cholera.

The night before, a 6-year-old boy died under similar circumstances, with health workers who visited the next morning suspecting cholera.

Hours later, an ambulance came by to pick up two other children fighting cholera. The bacteria, which sickens people who swallow contaminated food or water, has been spreading at the shelter that has no power or running water, and just two makeshift holes in the ground that serve as a bathroom for nearly 1,000 people.

The worsening situation is a regular topic at the biweekly meetings that leaders of the shelter hold for those living there.

Sony Pierre, a spokesman for the committee that runs the shelter where he lives, said he is greatly concerned about the living conditions.

Look at this catastrophe, Pierre said as he waved his arms at the scene behind him, where flies buzzed around aggressively in the oppressive heat. This is an emergency.  We are looking for help to live with dignity.
Helena Public Schools is working to expand real-world training capacity for its students, and $100,000 in grants from Boeing is helping that along.

With the support of a $25,000 grant from Boeing, a HAAS Toolroom Mill has been purchased by the district for Helena High School to help prepare students for high-paying jobs in the manufacturing industry. The sophisticated Computer Numerical Control (CNC) capability of the tool is guided by software, which allows for high-precision cutting, routing, grinding and other functions.

Boeing is proud to help bring training to Helena students that reflects real-world experiences, said Gina Breukelman, senior manager at Northwest Region Boeing Global Engagement. Growing a robust talent pipeline locally is key to the Helena regions economic growth and supports workforce development opportunities in the aerospace and manufacturing industries and beyond.

The machine's total cost was about $43,000 and was supplemented by additional grant monies, such as funds at Helena Education Foundation (HEF) and Montana Advanced Opportunity Act. Officials said it's the first step in a plan to create a comprehensive manufacturing training center at Helena High School. Executive Director of HEF Lisa Cordingley called the HAAS Toolroom Mill equalizing for the two high schools.

Boeing began its first paid internship program last summer for high school students at Capital High School with a partnership with CHS machining and welding teacher Jim Weber. Four 2022 CHS grads are now working full time at Boeings Helena-based aviation component manufacturing plant.

At the announcement ceremony Wednesday, Boeing surprised HEF with an additional $75,000 donation to be used in Helena's public schools. HEF plans to use these funds to purchase more equipment to complete the manufacturing training center at HHS and to update the equipment available for C.R. Anderson Middle School and Helena Middle School students such as 3D printers and MakerBot Replicators.

HEF sought Boeings support as part of its workforce development initiative called Manufacturing a Strong Future for Helena. Cordingley thanked Boeing and HHS career and technology education teachers.

Education and workforce development go hand-in-hand, said Cordingley. This new equipment is an investment not only in our students but in our Helena community.

HHS students will begin using the new HAAS Toolroom Mill this coming school year. Seniors at HHS Jackson Cosgrove and Tithen Fitzgerald are possibly looking at going into welding and metal fabrication after high school, and they said theyre eager to use HHS new tool. Cosgrove got into welding his sophomore year and is now the president of HHS American Welding Society, and Fitzgerald has been welding since eighth grade; he runs his business Montana Metalworks and is the president of HHS SkillsUSA.

This will be huge and open a lot of doors for us to learn and see if we want to go into that field, said Cosgrove.

Former Public School students who now work for Boeing in Helena spoke at Wednesdays ceremony about their experiences. Kyle Beto was a 2008 CHS graduate. His senior year, his team won the state competition for SkillsUSA, which awarded him a year of free tuition at Helena College. Beto now works as a CNC programmer in the engineering department at Boeing in Helena.

Theres not many places in the world that do what we do here (at Boeing) in Helena, Montana, Beto said. ... I truly believe programs like this install that work ethic into kids way more than a traditional classroom can do for certain individuals, myself included.

Were accelerating our work with Boeing and other business partners to expand our training capacity, Helena Public Schools Superintendent Rex Weltz said. In addition to building futures for these students, our schools play a leading role in attracting new employers to Helena. Thats part of our responsibility as our communitys public school district. Were going to keep looking for innovative ways to develop our future workforce and build our communitys economic future.
When I was leading groups into the Wyoming wilderness in the 1990s, once we left a trailhead we were on our own.

If somebody got hurt, we could walk or carry the injured person out or send runners to the road to call for support. In the case of a life- or limb-threatening emergency, we could use a transponder to try to send a coded message to a passing aircraft, pleading for help.

Things have definitely changed.

People expect to be rescued, said Tod Schimelfenig, who has been on the search and rescue team for Fremont County, Wyoming, since the 1970s. Maybe its that a whole generation has grown up with instant communication, and that drives what they do when they go into the wilderness.

What they do, according to Schimelfenig, is go farther and attempt more difficult objectives, which means demands on search and rescue teams have increased sharply over the last decade.

The United States has a patchwork of search and rescue organizations charged with responding to backcountry emergencies. Who comes to your aid depends on where you are and what land management agency is responsible. Most have volunteer teams that report to a local law enforcement officer, although some national parks, like Yosemite or Grand Teton, have paid crews on call.

In the 1930s, The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based climbing group, came up with what they called the Ten Essentials to help prepare people for outdoor emergencies. The checklist became ubiquitous. But its longer now, says Maura Longden, a member of the Teton County Idaho Search and Rescue, who trains teams across the country.

In addition to practical things like water, food, a map and layers of clothing, the essentials list now includes cellphones, personal locating beacons and GPS devices. Communication is critical.

Carol Viau, whos been with Teton County, Wyoming, Search and Rescue for 23 years, says that many people choose climbing routes, ski descents and remote peaks just by surfing the Internet.

This past winter Viau helped rescue a skier whod been injured in a fall while deep in the Tetons a place hed chosen online. He used his phone to call for assistance, and Teton Countys SAR team brought him out.

Jim Webster has been involved in search and rescue since the 1970s and leads the Grand County, Utah, SAR team. He says todays outdoor recreationalists arent as self-sufficient as they used to be.

This spring, Websters team helped rescue a canyoneer who realized  midway down a rappel into a slot canyon  that her rope failed to reach the ground. She hung suspended in the air until rescuers were able to find her and haul her back out of the canyon.

Another spring rescue involved a solo boater who decided he wanted out from descending a flood-stage river. He couldnt  or wouldnt  go farther. Webster said he called for help and a rescue boat went to his aid.

Both of those calls had happy endings. But Websters team has experienced the opposite, including recovering the body of a BASE jumper last fall.

Webster says his team of 30 to 35 people responds to around 120 calls per year, an average of two a week. But teams often get two or three calls in a single day. Most teams are made up of volunteers, though in the case of Grand County, volunteers get paid when theyre on a call. Many have to take time off from work to respond.

This past winter in Wyoming, Viau says she was called out every day for a week  usually just as she was getting off her job as a guide at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. That stretched her eight-hour days into 12-plus-hour days. Shes so busy, she says, she doesnt think she should own a dog.

Its undeniable that the volunteer search and rescue system is feeling the strain. Last October, Christopher Boyer, executive director of the National Search and Rescue Association, told the PBS NewsHour the current system was broke.

Whats the solution? In Colorado, you can buy an inexpensive SAR card that reimburses a county for the cost of your rescue. Or what about diverting some tax revenue to equip and pay teams?

For now, these unsung heroes keep bringing a victim back alive. They do it even when the desperate caller has gone somewhere they probably shouldnt have  somewhere they couldnt leave without help.
Watch out for China. This nuclearized, troop-laden, threatening, ultra-aggressive military monster has just come up with another warning of evil intent. It is negotiating with Cuba about a joint military training and enhanced intelligence center 100 miles from Florida. The center would no doubt host vast numbers of Chinas 2 million-plus active troops as combat readiness grows and U.S. military secrets become a reading pleasure.

Another worry is that Cuba will at some point sacrifice its sovereignty as it becomes a part and not just a partner of the Peoples Republic of China, this nation of a billion-plus population wanting to rule the world. China desires more than just a squatting place next door to America. While Cuba does seem to have some doubts about the military center, that may be washed away as China pours billions of dollars into its economy.

This next-door gym for killing skills is scary in a variety of ways, considering how it could be a means of China going beyond trade tricks to security tricks and control of Latin America. All the best to decent free-world leaders who must resolve this conflict and take note of the news to become aware of still more Chinese bellicosity requiring unified responses.

Consider, for instance, sparkling Taiwan and how it wants to retain its independence and how China recently as much as pretended it was in a full-scale war with this comparative smidgen in the sea. The barrage of warships, jets and live-fire pretty much summed up how a real war would end with no cheers from humane voices. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he does not support a Taiwanese declaration of independence, and President Joe Biden said the United States would intervene if China attacks. Compromise?

Quote China cheats in trade, spies like crazy, takes economic control over smaller nations around the world, has lately been buying up American farmland, has taken over much of the Middle East and is enjoying a virtual marriage with Russia.

The trouble is the Chinese just wont stop. Next, as reported by The New York Times, ponder how China has taken its old-style coast guard with relatively restrained safeguard responsibilities and made it into a collection of destroyers bullying other ships around Asia with collision or whatever device is needed. Its the biggest coast guard in the world and now part of a naval fleet that has more battle ships than any other country, a foremost advantage in a world war, an expert says.

Its not just with martial means that China is fulfilling its aspirations for conquest. At one point the United States was investigating 1,000 cases of China stealing our technology. It cheats in trade, spies like crazy, takes economic control over smaller nations around the world, has lately been buying up American farmland, has taken over much of the Middle East and is enjoying a virtual marriage with Russia.

Watching out for China especially means watching out for the ultra-powerful, authoritarian President Xi Jinping who thinks human rights are human wrongs, has happily slaughtered Chinese Muslims, is devoted to Communist Party management, has modernized the military that could exterminate millions and has kept some capitalist notions in a still closely directed economy now in trouble.

Recently, trying to repair U.S.-China relationships, Blinken met with Xi in China and said the half-hour included some banging of heads, that he did mention issues of human rights, that tensions lessened, that there were some small agreements and that Xi decided to continue such cease-fire conversations.

Biden then butted in from long distance, absurdly saying the Chinese spy balloon that carefully hovered over U.S. military sites last February had been blown off course. Maybe he was trying to appease Xi even though Biden then described him as a dictator and said he didnt know what was going on.

The word dictator outraged Xi, leading a spokesman to make that known and maybe some Americans to wonder about Bidens diplomatic acuity. Biden still must oppose the training center.
Burke Countys Pet of the Month program has been recognized with an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

Since the creation of the county Animal Services Department in 2019, the Animal Services Center is always bursting at the seams with dogs and cats. Increasing the live outcome rate for shelter pets takes constant creativity, tenacity and, most importantly, teamwork.

Working together, the clerk to the board, the commissioner chairman and Animal Services director devised a plan to keep the animal shelter, its activities as well as its inhabitants in the hearts and minds of elected officials as well as the entire community. The Pet of the Month program is the product of their teamwork.

Animal Services Director Kaitlin Settlemyre brings a shelter dog and presentation slide for the cat of the month to the Burke County Board of Commissioners business meeting each month. She formally presents them to the board and public by highlighting the pets individual personalities to increase their chances of being adopted or fostered. The Pet of the Month presentation is a multifaceted program geared toward raising public awareness about the many shelter animals in need of their forever homes.

It allows pets to spend time outside their kennels, it educates staff on the animals behavior in different settings to better facilitate adoption, encourages citizens to spay or neuter their pets, and to inform the public of the shelters current activities or promotions. This no-cost public awareness program is easily replicated in any county or municipality across the state.

Pet of the Month is my favorite part of the entire meeting. The dog puts a smile on our faces, and this program is a perfect example of how elected officials can use a public meeting to make a difference in a pets life, reduce the stress and strain on our staff as well as the animal shelter, and reduce the surplus pet population by encouraging citizens to spay or neuter their pets, said Chairman Scott Mulwee. I am extremely proud that our Burke County team has earned a National Achievement Award for this innovative and heartwarming program.

This program would not have been possible without the support of the Burke County Board of Commissioners and the Burke County Manager. I applaud their willingness to include this program in their monthly agenda, which clearly demonstrates their commitment to finding homes for adoptable pets and supporting the Animal Services Department in fun and unique ways, said Kay Honeycutt Draughn, clerk to the Board of Commissioners. They are innovative, dedicated leaders and as far as I know, were the only local government in North Carolina or the United States that uses county commissioners meetings to advance positive outcomes of shelter pets. To me, thats All About Advancing at its finest and I am elated that the National Association of Counties sees the worthiness of this public awareness program.

Animal Services Director Kaitlin Settlemyre said, Animals are such a big part of every community and often get overlooked. This program has been so beneficial in every aspect. Our animals enjoy some time out of the kennel setting to explore and meet new people. Our staff gets a break from the busy hustle and bustle of shelter life to learn what is going on in our community by attending the commissioners meetings. The community gets to see what programs and resources we can offer them, and the Pet of the Month program has led to several successful adoptions for pets looking for their second chance in life. We are so appreciative of the support we have from our Board of Commissioners and for the recognition of this program.

Each year, NACos Achievement Awards are given in 18 categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and more. Launched in 1970, the program is designed to recognize innovation in county government. Each nominated program is judged on its own merits and not against other applications.

The Achievement Awards demonstrate excellence in county government and the commitment to serve our residents every day, said NACo President Denise Winfrey. This years winners represent some of the most innovative and collaborative efforts we have seen in over 50 years of presenting these awards.

To see Burke Countys pet of the month in person, come down to the Burke County Services Building, at 110 N. Green St., Entrance E, in Morganton, or watch it live via YouTube on BurkeCountyNC every third Tuesday at 6 p.m.

For more information about NACos Achievement Awards, visit www.naco.org.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) represents nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees. Founded in 1935, NACo unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policymaking; promote exemplary county policies and practices; nurture leadership skills and expand knowledge networks; optimize county and taxpayer resources and cost savings; and enrich the publics understanding of county government.
A man wound up in handcuffs after police say he led them on a wild ride through Burke and Catawba counties in a Honda Odyssey minivan Wednesday afternoon.

Nohsher Chiah, 38, had an outstanding indictment for possession of a firearm by felon from Burke County when deputies in Catawba County attempted to stop him driving a Honda Odyssey on N.C. 16 North at Compass Street around 4:36 p.m., said Capt. Aaron Turk with the Catawba County Sheriffs Office.

Turk said Chiah took off from that stop and led them on a chase that ended up on Interstate 40 westbound, headed toward Burke County.

Deputies with the Burke County Sheriffs Office were called around 5:41 p.m. to assist with the chase near Exit 119 westbound, BCSO officials told The News Herald.

The chase continued on, eventually jumping off the Interstate, making its way through some of Burke Countys back roads and ending on Byrd Road near Williams Place where the minivan came to a stop in the road, the sheriffs office said.

Chiah surrendered peacefully from there, the sheriffs office said. The chase reached speeds in excess of 105 mph, deputies said.

Sitting handcuffed in the back of a patrol vehicle, Chiah told The News Herald he didnt believe officers actually had a warrant for his arrest, so he took off.

I asked them to show it (the warrant) to me, they said I would find out when I got to Burke County, so I came to Burke County, Chiah said.

When asked why he didnt want to stay with the deputies and wait on them to serve the warrant, he said it would take like 10 years.

I dont know why they couldnt just show it to me, Chiah said. If Ive got a warrant, show me my warrant. They can print out a ticket but they cant print a warrant.

He said was just released from probation. Records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections show he was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon in Catawba County in 2019, and convicted in 2021 in Henderson County of discharging a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear and possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance.

Chiah was charged with discharging a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear after an incident in March 2018 in Fletcher, where his wife was shot, according to a 2018 story from BlueRidgeNow.

I just got off probation and they just hit me with this indictment or firearm by a felon, Chiah said. I dont know what thats for. It sounds like BS to me.

Chiahs bond was set at $20,000 secured, according to records from the Burke County Jail.
Two rather famous (Perhaps one might be considered infamous!) generals served in the Union army during the American Civil War. Both were West Point Military Academy graduates  Ulysses Grant and George Custer. But their similarity stops there.

Grant had a great deal of military field experience in war as well as a natural sense of tactics. Though he often was required to make difficult even momentous decisions quickly, he was known to maintain an open ear to his advisors who were free to express their opinions and, possibly just as important, he had a reputation of being a soldiers general (He valued their lives and sacrifice as opposed to presuming their losses as mere statistics.).

While most every student of American history knows that Grant received the surrendering Robert E. Lees sabre at Appomattox, few people are aware that for the occasion he wore a muddy privates uniform with his generals insignias sewn on the shoulders. He was at heart a humble man, who knew leadership by setting an example and valued those under his command because he knew from experience the life of one who works.

At Appomattox, he came not as a swaggering conqueror, but as a worker ready to get on with the reunifying of the nation.

Custer, who happened to have been promoted to Brigadier General on todays date of June 29 in 1866, graduated at the bottom of his cadet class, and refused advice from his subordinates because he always knew best. His uniform was black velveteen adorned with gold braid from his elbows to the sleeves cuffs along with a gold feather in his hat band. One newspaper columnist described him as having the personality of a childish upstart.

But, as the saying goes, The proof is in the pudding! And the real difference between the two men was more than sufficiently displayed between Appomattox and Little Big Horn.

This distinction evokes many estimates in my mind of the failures of faith and spirituality throughout the history of mankind. From small, clapboard churches in unknown rustic environs to the greatest architectural wonders with steeples reaching hundreds of feet into the clouds one can always find plenty of living examples of those who purpose is to put their own selves on exhibition and, over against them, are those who purpose to love, forgive, understand and manifest grace in their living.

The journalist Tony Snow wrote back in 2005 of such a transformation in his own life of a sharpening of his perspective of life that he saw as a mystical power. He had just received news of a cancer diagnosis that would eventually end in his death. But he wrote how he had begun to appreciate the little things in life as well as the people around him. You feel the gravitational pull of faith...you receive a field of vision about the power of hope. And you realize there are things worse than illness, for instance, soullessness.

That word soullessness describes so well the vain religiosity of the lifestyles which prophets of the Old Testament railed against with, Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God. It echoes the many statements of Jesus teaching His listeners then and us now, Be on guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist of the abundance of possessions.

Personally I like the wisdom of the 93-year-old layman on a work Saturday at their little rural church. Along with the much younger men of the congregation, he labored with saws and shovels until when one of them protested that at his advanced age he ought to sit in the shade.

Replied the senior, Son, in this life there are only two choices for every man. You can either rust out or you can wear out. One of these days Im going to stand before my maker and have to give an account of myself. When I do, Is rather be standing there in these here overalls, brogans and work gloves so Hell know I wore out!

Custer came so that everyone could admire him.

Grant came to work.

What is your spiritual choice?
When asked why hes retiring now, Tom Powers, clerk of the District Court for Butte-Silver Bow, gave a concise answer.

Its time, he said.

Hard to argue that logic  the Butte man has been with Butte-Silver Bow for nearly 36 years, first as a deputy clerk of court and since January 2017, heading up that department.

Powers turned 65 last week, and hes ready for some downtime. He began working for the county on Oct. 1, 1987, and that was all thanks to his predecessor, Lori Maloney, who was sorely in need of a deputy clerk.

In late September 1987, Maloney offered him the job. He didnt have to think too hard before saying yes. Powers has never questioned his decision.

None, he emphasized. I enjoyed the process of a jury trial.

As a college student, Powers majored in history, and he felt right at home working at the courthouse and in particular, the clerks office.

Dedicated in 1912, the courthouse, with its stained glass dome, is located at 155 W. Granite St. Decades-old case files remain within the confines of his office.

The room I am in is full of history, with its old documents, said Powers. The cases tell the stories.

Some cases stand out more than others.

Powers said memories of a 1994 murder trial recently resurfaced thanks to phone call from a man who had served on the jury 29 years ago.

Butte resident Tony Leyba was tried for the slaying of James Charlie Miller and was found guilty of the crime on June 23, 1994.

Apparently, this long-ago jurist recently received a jury duty notice and called Powers to see if he could be excused from this obligation as he had already done his time.

We ended up talking about it for 20 minutes, said Powers, who described the murder trial as horrendous.

Powers also remembered the very early proceedings of a class action suit Butte residents took against Dennis Washington and the Butte Water Co. In particular, he recalled seeing a mason jar of Butte water in the courtroom with sludge at the bottom.

The lead plaintiff was Sister Mary Jo McDonald, he said, with several other plaintiffs.

Powers was right. According to a court document published June 5, 1994, in The Montana Standard, there were 37 more plaintiffs.

According to Powers, assisting the public was a vital component to his job and one he took seriously and relished as well. The department head enjoyed the daily interactions  most times.

Because when theyre good, they can be very, very good, laughed Powers, but, they can be bothersome, too.

No matter if they were good, bad or indifferent, the Butte man will miss those day-to-day connections he made with the people of the community.

People come into our office who dont understand the legal system, many times anxious, sometimes angry, and our office is the interface between the public and the court, said Powers. Ill miss that.

When it comes to retirement, Powers game plan still needs a little work and despite the many revisions he will probably be making, he knows what will remain at the top of his list.

I plan to first turn off my alarm clock, he said.

Powers said his wife, Cindy, plans to teach for one more year and then the couple can do whatever they want when they want.

That gives me a year to get the house in order, he said with a smile.

Friday is Powers last day and he will miss the camaraderie only an office atmosphere can offer.

They are a pretty good crew, said Powers. I think Im leaving the place in good hands.

So, suffice to say, Powers has put in his time and now its time to reap the benefits.

Those benefits include spending more time with his two adult children, Conor and Kerry, and granddaughter, Collins.

He will also continue to entertain audiences as a member of Dublin Gulch, a popular Irish band he helped found 32 years ago.

The timing is perfect, said Powers, who has no regrets about his decision. Its enough.
A bridge collapse on BNSFs southern Montana route is unlikely to disrupt commodity shipments significantly, a rail analyst said this week.

The collapse that sent rail cars hauling sulfur and asphalt into the Yellowstone River early Saturday will block the route between Billings and Missoula for the next several months. But there is a serviceable BNSF route between Laurel and Shelby, which will put commodity shipments on the High-Line enroute to ports in the Pacific Northwest.

A spokesman for Montana Rail Link indicated that the BNSF track would be the detour for the near future. Questions remain unanswered about what the reroute means for Rail Link crews, which only travel the short line route between Huntley and Sandpoint, Idaho.

MRL employs nearly 1,100 people. At this time, we are still assessing crew needs, is what MRL spokesman Andy Garland offered Tuesday.

For commodities, the transition should be manageable, said Lochiel Edwards a rail analyst for Montana Grain Growers. As it happens, train activity across Montanas busiest routes hasnt been at full steam, mostly because there isnt strong export demand for the two primary Midwest crops, soybeans and corn.

Things have really tanked as far as exports go. Theyve got a bunch of trains parked at BNSF because business is so low, Edwards said. If youre going to lose a line, this is about as good a time as Ive seen in quite some time.

Midwest corn and soybeans bound for shipping terminals in Oregon and Washington have always accounted for more traffic than Montana wheat. In some years, surplus shipments of Midwestern commodities have put Montana wheat on a waiting list for terminal space.

But not this year. U.S. soybean exports to China were down 47% in May compared to the same period in 2022. Brazils exports to China were up 40%. The data comes from Chinas General Administration of Customs.

Similarly, Brazil has usurped the United States for corn exports to China.

What the decline in exports means for Montana wheat is that rail demand is soft at times when winter wheat harvest is a few weeks out. Wheat exports are challenged, too. A strong dollar relative to other currencies makes wheat less competitive. Wheat exports have been on a decline in the United States since 2021, according to U.S. Wheat Associates. Montana exports most if wheat it produces to buyers in the Asian Pacific. The state ranks third nationally for wheat production.

Coal shipped out of Montana will be increasing during the remainder of 2003 because of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board ordering BNSF to haul at least 28 trainloads a month from Spring Creek, this after the mines owner Navajo Transition Energy Company won a preliminary injunction against BNSF.

NTEC is accusing the railroad of underserving the Spring Creek mine in 2022, which the mining company said cost it $150 million in revenue.

Through March, Montana coal production was down about 871,000 tons year over year. Signal Peak Energys Bull Mountains mine, which is primarily a coal exporter, is having its highest production year since 2014.

Coal ships out of Westshore Terminal in British Columbia.
Snowmelt-swollen Racetrack Creek typically plunges fierce and frigid out of the Flint Creek Range as spring takes hold.

When conditions allow, the creek is an important tributary to the upper Clark Fork River. It adds clean, cold water to the beleaguered river and provides thermal refuge for trout when river temperatures warm.

Summer brings heat and demand for water.

In years past, the withdrawal of water to irrigate ranches in the Deer Lodge Valley nearly always caused the creek to go bone dry before reaching the Clark Fork.

Since the early 1900s, damming at Racetrack Lake has created a reservoir to store water during high spring flows. A few enterprising irrigators built a dam at the outlet of Racetrack Lake to raise the natural water level and capture snowmelt and spring flows that would have been lost during runoff.

Predictably, that storage caused controversy. The Montana Supreme Court ultimately ruled that storing water for beneficial users that might otherwise go to waste is of very high public importance to the state.

Years later, the Clark Fork Coalition, a nonprofit advocate for the river, decided to explore whether stored water rights could bolster instream flows and increase the odds of Racetrack Creek actually reaching the Clark Fork.

The effort is likely to be replicated elsewhere in the years to come as climate forecasters predict a continuing warming trend. Low flows in the Big Hole River have been cited, among other likely factors, as a contributor to declining trout populations. And the Big Hole Watershed Committee is considering ways to bolster late-season flows with natural or constructed storage.

The Clark Fork Coalitions instream flow effort began in 2012, when it purchased from a willing landowner a water right equal to two-thirds of the stored water in Racetrack Lake. It then set about trying to get state approval to use the water for instream flow.

The path toward realizing that goal proved to be long and bumpy. Ranchers concerned about losing access to lifeblood water from Racetrack Creek for irrigation opposed the plan.

Getting approval from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation required nearly a decade of what the Clark Fork Coalition has described as bureaucratic and legal wrangling that has far surpassed any of CFCs other restoration projects.

In May 2022, the DNRC found that the coalitions plan to dedicate its water rights to instream flow would not adversely affect other water users.

Andy Fischer, a project manager for the Clark Fork Coalition, has been closely involved with the instream flow project.

He said 2022 was the first time the coalition was able to release and legally protect the water as instream flow.

Overall, the release was successful in boosting flows in the creek for nearly 27 days longer than usual, and CFC measured connected flows all the way to the Clark Fork River, Fischer said.

But the creek still went dry before reaching the Clark Fork River.

He said release of water from the Racetrack Lake storage reservoir is managed and measured by the Racetrack Creek water commissioner.

Like many large tributaries to the upper Clark Fork, Racetrack Creek was historically over-appropriated, meaning that the total amount of water claimed by water users exceeds the physically available flow in the creek, Fischer said.

Now that the Clark Fork Coalition owns part of the stored water in Racetrack, we can extend the amount of time Racetrack Creek is flowing by releasing stored water that is protected from diversion by other users in the lower reaches of the creek, he said.

The numerous ranchers who depend on water from Racetrack Creek for irrigating hayfields include Martin Dippold, 87. He said a dry 2022 required him to buy $40,000 worth of hay to get through the winter.

Everybody does their own thing to survive and always there are conflicts, he said. Everybody is trying to make a living. Im willing to work every way I can with everybody.

Just dont go after his water.

Ive had these water rights for a long time and I wouldnt want to see somebody to get hurt trying to take them away from me, Dippold said.

Another rancher who requested anonymity said he opposed the Clark Fork River Coalitions instream flow initiative.

He said a big question was how the coalitions water for instream flow was going to be distinguished by a water commissioner from the water intended for irrigators.

A lot of unknowns remain, he said.

There are still people grumbling, he said. We really dont know how it is going to work out. Last two years were a drought. This year is looking a lot better. Its the unknowns thats got people nervous.
The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.
An air quality advisory was issued for the State of Iowa by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) due to smoke from Canadian wildfires moving through the state.

According to a press release from the National Weather Service, fine particulate levels were expected to increase Wednesday and to be an issue for several additional days as smoke continues to move through the area. At the Quad Cities National Weather Service, meteorologist Tom Philip said the air quality should increase in the area late Thursday.

The Canadian wildfires in Ontario have been burning a lot of forest, he said. We are in this pattern where it is bringing the smoke down to the surface here. There is a high pressure system in Canada and a low pressure system moving across the Great Lakes. It has since moved off to the northeast. The flow pattern of those two systems ushered the smoke down into our area  more so in Illinois.

He said the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which gives the air quality alerts for the entire area, including Muscatine, has extended the alert through Thursday evening.

Philip said the air quality Thursday would be considered unhealthy for people more susceptible to respiratory issues.

The DNR recommends that people reduce long or intense activities, and take more breaks during outdoor activities until air quality conditions improve. The recommendation is especially pertinent to individuals with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, and outdoor workers. People in these categories should consider rescheduling or moving outdoor activities indoors.

According to Reuters, Canada is being impacted by an ongoing and record setting series of destructive wildfires that began in March. It has been named the worst wildfire season in Canadas history with large fires currently impacting Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. So far 11 provinces and territories have been affected. Smoke emitted from the wildfires has caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada, the United States and Europe. On Wednesday, Canada had 480 wildfires.

In the US, more than 80 million people are under an air quality alert.

With smoke from the fires entering the Midwest, Chicago reportedly suffered the worst air quality in the world. Smoke from the fires has also reached western Europe, but because it is higher in the atmosphere, it is not causing air quality alerts as it is in the United States.

Earlier in June, in New York and Philadelphia the Air Quality Index passed 400 and schools had to implement virtual learning due to the poor air quality.
NEW YORK  President Joe Biden closed out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz Thursday with a pair of Manhattan fundraisers hosted by Wall Street power brokers, a funding push designed to put Biden on strong financial footing for a 2024 White House contest expected to set spending records.

The pair of evening events are Bidens ninth and 10th fundraising receptions of the past two weeks, numbers matched by Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The Biden campaign has been mum before the July 15 reporting date about how much he has raised at the often freewheeling gatherings but is confident about the size.

The reason Im standing here is in large part because of you all, Biden said to a small crowd gathered in a high rise overlooking Central Park. Im not the essential man, but I represent the essential country.

The president is also marshaling the whole of the Democratic Party to dial for dollars, enlisting help from Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois as well as former President Barack Obama, among others.

Obama is featured in a new campaign video to encourage small-dollar online donations before Friday's donation deadline. Biden allies insist that despite polls showing lagging enthusiasm among the Democratic base for the 80-year-old president, his party is solidly behind him.

Ive been doing this for a really long time for a number of presidents and presidential candidates, said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul, major Democratic donor and co-chair of Bidens campaign. Ive never seen from top to bottom, the Democratic enterprise kick into gear this way, from President Obama, governors, senators, congressmen, just across the board  hes gotten outstanding support.

Aides say they are trying to motivate donors, especially small-dollar contributors, to dig deeper early on.

The recent blitz was also a function of Bidens official duties, Katzenberg said, adding that his first, second and third job is to run the country. Biden had foreign trips in April and May, and the weekslong showdown over raising the nations debt limit kept him in Washington. He is set to travel to Europe next month, giving the campaign a narrow window before the historically slow summer season to fit in donor events.

While the first quarter is widely viewed as a benchmark of campaign strength, Katzenberg said there is "no urgency right now for Biden to raise or spend vast sums because he lacks a credible primary threat and the election is 16 months away. Still, Biden is aiming to make a statement with the early totals.

Katzenberg said there were very optimistic signals for the Biden campaigns ability to comfortably exceed its 2020 fundraising levels, including strong numbers of first-time Biden donors. Other campaign aides and allies have grown more bullish about the soon-to-be-reported total.

The president's fundraising events, closed to cameras and with limited media access, feature a far less guarded Biden than the public often sees. He sometimes uses them to test a new campaign line or dish out more candid remarks than in formal events.

On Thursday, he started as he often does, behind the lectern then shifting to a preferred handheld microphone. He talked about his climate agenda, leaning on the lectern as he talked about how he's brought both unions and environmentalists together to talk about climate change.

Did you ever think that would happen? he asked.

Other times, he roams the room and speaks more directly to guests. And he makes a personal nod to the hosts. On Thursday, he talked a lot about climate change  his host, Mark Gallogly, is a former hedge fund investor and climate activist.

During a May fundraiser at the New York home of Greek American shipping magnate George Logothetis, Biden noted that the lessons he learned from his family as a child werent any different than if my mom had been Bidenopoulos instead of Finnegan.

Though his aides make it a point not to engage with prospective 2024 opponents, Biden often does not shy away at these events from criticizing the Republican candidates, from Donald Trump on down.

Biden's sometimes rambling remarks are full of anecdotes about his lengthy time in public office, peppered with references to issues such as tougher gun restrictions and abortion rights that animate Democrats. In more intimate settings, where cameras are barred, the president can open up. For example, he made a rare reference to his personal views on abortion when speaking about the issue at a separate Chevy Chase fundraiser on Tuesday.

Im a practicing Catholic, Biden said. Im not big on abortion, but guess what? Roe vs. Wade got it right. At the same event, he misspoke when talking about the Ukraine war, referring instead to Iraq.

At a fundraiser last week, Biden caused a diplomatic dust-up after calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator  a comment coming hours after Secretary of State Antony Blinken had met Xi as part of a bid to thaw tensions between the countries.

He wants to shake every hand and chat with everyone, Katzenberg said. When theres something that is on his mind, hell say it  and you know, thats what makes him authentic.
WASHINGTON  Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine, is believed to have been detained days after mercenaries staged a revolt inside Russia, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday, citing U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence assessments.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

It's not clear whether Surovikin faces any charges or where he is being held, reflecting the opaque world of the Kremlin's politics and uncertainty after the revolt.

His reported detention comes days after Wagner Group mercenaries took over the military headquarters in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and were heading toward Moscow in what appears to have been an aborted insurrection.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin has spoken positively of Surovikin while criticizing the country's military brass and suggested that he should be appointed the General Staff chief to replace Gen. Valery Gerasimov.

The New York Times reported this week that U.S. officials believe Surovikin had advance knowledge of Prigozhin's plan to stage the revolt.

The White House and the Kremlin declined to comment.

Surovikin, who has longtime links to Prigozhin, hasn't been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to it.

A Russian military blogger, the Moscow Times, and the Financial Times reported that Surovikin, who is also the commander of the Russian air force, was arrested.

There has been intense speculation that some top military officers may have colluded with Prigozhin and may now face punishment for the mutiny that briefly sent a virtually unchallenged march toward Moscow that Putin labeled treason and a "stab in the back."

Alexei Venediktov, former head of the Ekho Moskvy, a prominent independent radio station that was shut down by authorities after Moscow invaded Ukraine, said Surovikin and his close lieutenants haven't been in contact with their families for three days, but stopped short of saying that he was detained.

Another prominent military messaging channel, Rybar, which is run by a former Defense Ministry press officer, reported a purge in the ranks was underway as authorities looked into allegations that some could have sided with Prigozhin.

Surovikin has been linked to Prigozhin since both were active in Syria, where Russia has waged a military action since 2015 to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and help him reclaim territory after a civil war.

While Prigozhin had unleashed expletive-ridden insults at Shoigu and chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov before last week's mutiny in which he demanded their ouster, he has continually praised Surovikin and suggested naming him to replace Gerasimov.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on whether Surovikin had been arrested.

Asked by the AP if the president still trusts Surovikin, he replied that Putin works with the defense minister and the chief of the General Staff and referred questions about officers to the Defense Ministry. He also referred all other questions about Surovikin and his status to the ministry.

As to whether Putin considers it necessary to dismiss military officials who had links with Prigozhin, Peskov said "the issue isn't my prerogative, and I have nothing to say on that."

The bald, fierce-looking Surovikin, who was nicknamed "General Armageddon" by Western media for his brutal tactics in Syria and Ukraine, was credited with shoring up Russian defenses after Moscow's retreat from broad areas of Ukrainian territory last fall amid a swift counteroffensive by Kyiv.

Named by Putin in the fall to lead Russian forces in Ukraine, Surovikin presided over the bombing campaign that targeted Ukraine's power plants and other vital infrastructure but failed to knock out power supplies.

In January, Putin replaced him with Gerasimov, putting the General Staff chief in charge of the Russian battle in Ukraine. Surovikin was demoted to the position of Gerasimov's deputy.

Gerasimov's own fate also is unclear after the abortive mutiny. While Shoigu showed up at several events attended by Putin, Gerasimov was mysteriously absent.

If a purge is indeed underway, it could destabilize the military chain of command and erode troop morale amid the early stage of Ukraine's latest counteroffensive and offer Kyiv a chance to reclaim more ground.
State nursing home inspectors left residents of an eastern Iowa care facility in immediate jeopardy after they visited the facility several weeks ago, according to state records.

In May, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals published a 172-page report documenting 31 state and federal violations inspectors found at The Ivy at Davenport, a Scott County nursing home. At the time, DIA cited the home for rodents, medication errors, horrible staffing levels, illicit drug use and other issues.

A few weeks later, DIA removed that report from its website and issued an amended report in its place. The new report is 48 pages longer and cites 35, rather than 31, state and federal violations.

As a result of those changes, the state fines against the home  all of which have been suspended to give federal officials the opportunity to impose fines of their own  increased from $12,750 to $37,250.

On June 20, the Iowa Capital Dispatch asked DIA why the agency had amended the inspection report and increased the number of violations and fines. The agencys spokesperson, Stefanie Bond, declined to say, and referred the Capital Dispatch to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which contracts with DIA to enforce federal nursing home regulations in Iowa. Officials at CMS, however, said only that after a discussion with CMS, DIA continued its investigation of The Ivy at Davenport.

The revised report appears to be the result of whats called a federal look-back. Periodically, CMS officials will check the work of state regulators immediately after the state inspectors have completed their visit to a facility. In some instances, that will trigger a new inspection report that details additional violations state inspectors failed to either uncover, correct or disclose.

The newly revised inspection report for The Ivy at Davenport suggests it is the result of such a look-back.

The report states there was a CMS review that on May 28 prompted DIA to inform The Ivys owner that additional failures had been uncovered and, contrary to what DIA had previously said, residents of the home remained in immediate jeopardy.

According to the report, those additional failures were related to unlocked medication cabinets; a failure to assess residents who had undergone a significant weight loss; and a failure to store, prepare and serve food under sanitary conditions.

The report says that while state inspectors had assured the facility in April that one of those failures had been corrected as far back as September 2022, the CMS review had led to a conclusion that residents were still in immediate jeopardy as of May 28.

Inspectors report trash, rodents and short-staffing

The Ivy at Davenport is a 75-bed facility that promotes itself as a premier health care center that offers well-appointed, semi-private rooms, free cable and wi-fi, gourmet meals and snacks, housekeeping and more.

When state inspectors visited the nursing home in April, regulators had already compiled a backlog of 17 uninvestigated complaints against the home. Those complaints dated back to July 2022.

Among the issues that state inspectors reported in their initial inspection report were staffing shortages, garbage and rodents in the facility, and illicit drug use by one of the residents.

A licensed practical nurse told inspectors staffing levels in the home were absolutely horrible and that she could not express how bad it was. The home had failed to maintain clean floors, empty trash (and) clean resident equipment, inspectors said, leaving some areas of the facility with strong odors smelling of urine, body odor and garbage.

The home also failed to provide bed sheets or pillowcases to seven of 26 residents whose cases were reviewed. Inspectors observed residents lying in beds that had no sheets on them and were told by the staff the home was really short on bed linens. One resident had no nightstand, so their food was being placed directly on the floor.

Trash was overflowing onto the floor of a kitchenette in the home, and a nurse told inspectors rodents were seen recently throughout the hallways and in resident rooms.

The home was also cited for two-hour delays in answering residents call lights, for failing to investigate incidents of physical abuse, and for failing to provide adequate assistance in showering, bathing and personal grooming.

In the past three years, CMS has fined the facilitys owners 11 times. Those fines total $358,866. The Ivy at Davenport has a one-star overall rating from CMS on the agencys five-star scale.

The home is managed by Ivy Healthcare of Surfside, Florida. The companys president and CEO, Ryan Coane, told the Capital Dispatch last year that his companys top priority is our residents health and well-being. He said the Davenport facilitys workers, and the love they have for every resident at the center, is unsurpassable.

Counties with the most farmland in Iowa Counties with the most farmland in Iowa #25. O'Brien #24. Lyon #23. Calhoun #22. Pocahontas #21. Buena Vista #20. Wright #19. Greene #18. Grundy #17. Monona #16. Carroll #15. Ringgold #14. Shelby #13. Winneshiek #12. Clinton #11. Harrison #10. Jasper #9. Fayette #8. Tama #7. Webster #6. Benton #5. Crawford #4. Sioux #3. Woodbury #2. Plymouth #1. Kossuth
Iowa state officials have reversed course and will apply for federal assistance to provide food for Iowa school children from low-income families during summer break, following weeks of lobbying by anti-hunger advocates.

Alex Carfrae, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, told The Gazette late Tuesday the state will participate in the U.S. Department of Agricultures summer program this year. The deadline for states to apply is July 14.

Earlier this month, a department official told a member of the Iowa Hunger Coalition that Iowa was not going to participate in the summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer  or P-EBT  program this year, according to an email obtained by The Gazette.

That would have meant forgoing a potential $28.2 million, or $120 per eligible child, in federal food aid for an estimated 235,000 children who would have received free or reduced-price school meals this past school year, Carfrae responded in an email.

HHS understands many Iowa families continue to face food insecurity challenges, Carfrae wrote. After having conversations with federal partners expressing concern about the administrative burden associated with the Summer 2023 Pandemic EBT program, we have been assured they will provide guidance and support throughout the process.

He said Health and Human Services will continue to work toward a more sustainable food security program for Iowa families that is focused on supporting children and families rather than the burdensome administrative processes required to implement it. The state plans to have this in place for summer 2024.

Carfrae said the department still needs to apply to USDAs Food and Nutrition Service and await approval. He did not have a timeline for when the state would be notified if its application is approved or when benefits will be issued.

The program provides families with children extra benefits for groceries when their kids arent receiving meals from school. Created as part of federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools and child care centers were closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance, families with children receiving free or reduced-price meals could apply for a debit-type card to purchase food to make up for missing school meals.

Iowa participated in the P-EBT program last year, providing food assistance benefits to school children in grades K-12 who were eligible to receive free or reduced price meals during the 2021-22 school year, and to school children who were newly determined eligible for meal benefits during the summer months.

With the ending of the public health emergency, children in child care enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  or SNAP  no longer qualify for the extra benefit.

Tuesdays announcement comes after Iowa Democratic lawmakers last week implored Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to apply for the federal assistance, and after weeks of lobbying by members of the Iowa Hunger Coalition.

State Sens. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, and Izaah Knox, D-Des Moines, and state Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, sent a letter to Reynolds last Thursday urging the governor to take advantage of the USDA program.

A total of 41 organizations and more than 100 Iowa faith leaders had also signed letters to Reynolds and Iowa Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia that were to be publicly released Wednesday, urging them to reconsider their decision, said Luke Elzinga, chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition and communications and advocacy manager at the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network.

The groups wrote that the funds will not only feed hungry children at a time when food banks and food pantries across the state continue to assist record-high numbers of Iowans, but provide an estimated more than $43 million economic boon to Iowas farmers, grocery stores and local communities.

At a time when our neighbors need our help now more than ever, we cannot lean on private charities alone to address the issue of food insecurity, Iowa interfaith leaders wrote. Since other pandemic assistance programs ended, feeding agencies across our state have been struggling to keep up with rising need.  Iowa needs to use every available resource to reduce food insecurity in our communities, especially for our youngest neighbors.

In Iowa, one in every 11 children faces hunger, with 40% of households receiving SNAP benefits, according to Feeding America.

Trone Garriott, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, thanked state officials for listening to Iowans and agreeing to apply for this program.

This is the right thing to do for our families and communities, she said in a statement. We should never leave resources on the table when it comes to caring for our kids.

Beginning in 2024, states will provide summer benefits for school-age children through a new, permanent nationwide program, which will continue to provide benefits to help families overcome summer hunger.

Canadian wildfires continue to affect air quality 062723-qc-nws-hazyweather-020a.JPG 062723-qc-nws-hazyweather-007a.JPG 062723-qc-nws-hazyweather-024a.JPG
The death of a pregnant woman can only be a tragedy. But the loss of 2016 Olympic medalist Tori Bowie, a Mississippi native who died in May from childbirth complications, also serves as a reminder that Americas maternal mortality rate is far too high.

Bowie was eight months pregnant and in labor when she died alone in her Florida residence. The medical examiner said she suffered from eclampsia, a condition related to high blood pressure that for a pregnant woman can lead to seizures, a coma or respiratory distress.

The Washington Post reported that the number of American women who die while giving birth or shortly afterward has been increasing since 2018, when 658 mothers lost their lives. By 2021, that figure had risen to 1,205. It makes America the riskiest nation among high-income countries to give birth.

Much more common but often overlooked are the near misses, the life-threatening complications experienced before, during and after childbirth, the Post reported. Research shows that for every maternal death, about 100 women experience severe maternal morbidity, meaning childbirth would have been nearly lethal for about 120,500 women in 2021.

Health statistics say Black women are twice as likely to suffer serious complications during pregnancy and three times as likely to die, regardless of their income or education.

A California study has shown that up to 80% of that states maternity deaths are preventable, and the Post said that number is aligned with national studies that say the same thing.

Black mothers interviewed by the Post say that too many medical care providers dismiss concerns of young Black mothers or those without a college education. And a 2022 federal report says that mental health conditions have become a driving factor in maternal health. Too many women may skip prenatal care.

This issue is particularly relevant for Mississippi, where maternal mortality is one of our many worst-in-the-nation health indicators. According to the latest data, for every 100,000 live births, 50 Mississippi mothers will die, a rate that is more than 50% higher than the national average.

There are unanswered questions about Bowies death. Despite being eight months pregnant, she weighed only 96 pounds. Her agent assumed Bowie was receiving proper prenatal care but didnt know for sure. The agent also said Bowie was determined not to have her baby in a hospital, but had not mentioned any complications with her pregnancy.

Hopefully Bowie will be remembered for her achievements in life rather than by the way she died. Raised by her grandmother, Bowie became an NCAA long jump champion at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2011. Five years later, she won three medals at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

But The death of Bowie and her unborn child is a signal that the country must do more to address maternal mortality rates. We do not value life if we ignore this problem.
WASHINGTON (AP)  As a Black student who was raised by a single mother, Makia Green believes she benefited from a program that gave preference to students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds when she was admitted over a decade ago to the University of Rochester.

As a borrower who still owes just over $20,000 on her undergraduate student loans, she had been counting on President Joe Biden's promised debt relief to wipe nearly all of that away.

Now, the student loan cancellation plan has been dismantled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions. Both policies disproportionately help Black students. To Green and many other people of color, the efforts to roll them back reflect a larger backlash to racial progress in higher education.

I feel like working people have been through enough  I have been through enough, said Green, a community organizer. From a pandemic, an uprising, a recession, the cost of living price going up. I deserved some relief.

The rulings could also have political consequences among a generation of young voters of color who took Biden at his word when he campaigned on canceling debt.

Despite todays upsetting ruling, we demand that the Biden Administration delivers on the promise of student loan debt relief, said NAACP President Derrick Johnson, in a statement. Education has long been regarded as a path toward generational wealth, economic liberation, and securing the American dream. Lets be clear  student debt is killing that dream.

The president's plan forgave up to $10,000 in federal student debt for borrowers, and doubled the debt relief to $20,000 for borrowers who also received Pell Grants. About half of the average debt held by Black and Hispanic borrowers would have been wiped out, according to the White House.

Six Republican-led states filed a legal challenge questioning whether the president, a Democrat, had authority to forgive the debt. On Friday, the Supreme Court held the administration needed Congress endorsement before undertaking so costly a program.

Biden later Friday announced a new plan to cancel student debt, using a different justification from the one struck down earlier in the day. It uses a provision of the Higher Education Act allowing the education secretary to waive student loans. The plan would likely face another legal challenge.

In the affirmative action cases, the court was considering the use of race-conscious admissions policies that many selective colleges have used for decades to help build diversity on their campuses. The cases were brought by a conservative activist who argues the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions.

Together, the cases are crushing to Black Americans, the Rev. Al Sharpton said.

The reality is race plays a factor in admissions, from pre-K to post-doctorate, and institutions just saw their best tool for fairness outlawed, Sharpton said.

On student loans, Sharpton said: Generations of Black youth were sold a bill of goods that higher education was a pathway out of poverty  only to be saddled with crushing debt that never lets them see their dreams fully realized.

Both cases focused on policies that address historic racial disparities in access to higher education, as Black borrowers tend to take on disproportionately more debt to afford college, said Dominique Baker, an education policy professor at Southern Methodist University.

Backlash to racial progress tends to follow periods of social change and advancement, Baker said. In a study published in 2019, Baker found states were more likely to adopt bans on affirmative action when white enrollment at public flagship universities dropped.

These are policy tools that have an explicit aim around reducing the power of white supremacy, Baker said. The two court challenges, she said, can be seen as linked backlash to two attempts towards racial justice.

Green, who grew up in a low-income household in Harlem, New York, graduated from Rochester with about $40,000 in federal loan debt. Some of that was erased under a public service forgiveness program when she completed two terms with Americorps, and she whittled it down further with monthly installments until the government paused repayment due to the pandemic. Payments will restart Oct. 1.

Green said she sees both court cases as connected to conservative attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Critics say opposition to such programs is rooted in questions of fairness and in white grievances over the advancement of nonwhite people.

This is white supremacy at work, Green said. This is a long tactic of conservative, white supremacist-leaning groups to use education and limit Black peoples access to education, as a way to further control and oppress us.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many colleges developed affirmative action plans to address the fact that many predominantly white schools struggled to attract people from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. Policies were also created to promote greater inclusion of women.

Since the late 1970s, the Supreme Court had three times upheld affirmative action in college admissions on grounds that institutions have a compelling interest to address past discrimination that shut nonwhite students out of higher learning. Justices had also agreed with arguments that more diverse student bodies promoted cross-racial understanding.

Some students and advocates worried about how the ruling would affect diversity on campuses.

Tarina Ahuja, a rising senior at Harvard College, said being part of a diverse student body has been a crucial part of her undergraduate experience. She recalled classes where students discussed their lived experiences on topics such as police violence, colonialism and labor movements  discussions that would have fallen flat without a diverse range of student perspectives.

In anticipation of a ruling against race-conscious admissions, some colleges have been considering adding more essays to get a better picture of an applicants background  an approach seemingly endorsed by Thursday's Supreme Court ruling. Others have been planning to boost recruiting in racially diverse areas. But in states that have already banned affirmative action, similar efforts at selective colleges have largely failed to maintain diversity gains.

Jonathan Loc, a graduate student at Harvard who helped organize teach-ins in support of affirmative action, said that for students of color, it's impossible to speak about their lives without mentioning race, whether through hardships faced or simply their pride in their cultural heritage.

I grew up as the son of refugees in a low-income community and a single-parent family burdened with the model minority myth, he said. But I think that that kind of narrative also helps me to be an Asian American focused on racial justice, focused on making sure that everyone who has a unique story related to their racial background or any background has that story heard.

It will be important for colleges to find ways to show they see the students as more than a number on paper, said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

We need the schools to say, 'Look, the court says we cant consider race, but we still see you,' said Hewitt, whose organization defended affirmative action before the Supreme Court in October.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated the restart of student loan payments. They start on Oct. 1.

The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Annie Ma and Aaron Morrison are members of AP's Race and Ethnicity team. Follow Ma on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/anniema15. Follow Morrison on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison.
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a special committee on pending bills.

The Pending Bills Verification Committee will be tasked with the auditing of liabilities for the period between 2005 and 2022.

In a meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House, the Cabinet noted that pending bills remain a sticky issue.

The National Government pending bills since June 2005 to June 2022 stand at Ksh 481 billion while counties owe Ksh 159.9 billion.

The Committee will consist the Attorney General, the State Department of Roads, the State Department of Public Works, the State Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.

Representatives of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Engineers of Kenya and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya will also be part of the team.

The Committee will examine and submit interim reports to the Treasury Cabinet Secretary upon verification. The Government will honour the obligation in question.

The move is aimed at establishing the integrity of all bills and cushioning small enterprises against liquidity inadequacies.

Crucially, the committee will propose a mechanism to stop future pending bills.

It was agreed that the Committee will present its final report within a year.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved the establishment of decentralised offices of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice.

This will ensure that services are accessible to the people at the grassroots at a minimal cost.

It also consented to the transmission and introduction of Tribunals Bill, 2023, to Parliament.

If enacted, the Bill will rationalise and regulate the administration and functions of Tribunals, establish the Tribunals Registry and ensure independence and impartiality in their operations.

The Cabinet also confirmed the hosting of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Kenya, furthering Governments commitment to affordable and quality healthcare.

The importance of working with the private sector in the areas of Universal Healthcare informed the decision to host the Gates Foundation.

The Cabinet was also apprised on the status of the Digital Superhighway and digitalization of Government services ahead of the launch of over 5000 fully digitized services on Friday June 30th.

Further, the meeting was briefed on the drought and food situation in the country, with the forecast indicating an improved situation.

In line with getting women issues at the centre of his administration, President Ruto cleared the Advisor on Women Rights Harriette Chiggai to be attending the meeting.

Advisors Monica Juma (National Security Advisor), David Ndii (chairperson of Council of Economic Advisors) and UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala will also attend.

By PSC
A suspect accused of robbing a pedestrian of mobile phones and cash on Outering Road in Nairobi has been charged with violent robbery.

Sammy Odhiambo stands accused of stealing two mobile phones from the victima Nokia 315 worth Sh12,000 and a Tecno T313 worth Sh1,500on June 25th.

Odhiambo is accused of carrying out the offense with an accomplice who is still at large. Both individuals were allegedly armed with knives during the mugging.

The victim was walking home after work at around 7 pm when he was accosted by two knife-wielding individuals who forcefully grabbed and searched him. They allegedly threatened to stab him and made away with his two phones and Sh2,000 cash.

Shortly after the incident, police officers on patrol stopped Odhiambo because he looked suspicious. Coincidentally, the victim happened to be present at the scene and informed the police that the suspect had robbed him just moments before.

The officers conducted a search on Odhiambo and found two mobile phones and a knife stashed in his socks.

The cops escorted the suspect to Buruburu police station, where the victim provided a statement. The seized phones and knife were retained as crucial pieces of evidence for the case.

Appearing at the Makadara Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the suspect faced a second charge of handling stolen property contrary to Section 322 (1) (2) of the Penal Code after he was found in possession of the two phones.

Odhiambo denied the charges, with Senior Principal Magistrate Gerald Mutiso granting him Sh100,000 bail for is release with a surety in the same amount.

The case has been scheduled for pre-trial proceedings and trial dates, which are set to take place on the 26th of July.
Students in public secondary schools will not be allowed to transfer schools mid-year, the Education Ministry has said.

Director of Secondary Education Paul Kibet said parents must wait until the end of the year before they can transfer their children to other public schools.

Speaking during the ongoing Kenya Secondary School Heads Association conference in Mombasa, Kibet urged Principals to adhere to the directive.

Kibet explained that transferring a student mid-year poses challenges for principals in reconciling school fee amounts. He also noted that some parents request refunds for school fees after moving their children to other schools during the academic year.

This is Term Two but sadly I still see transfer letters lying around. The guideline on the transfer of learners is that it must be done at the end of the year, but if you are still signing, please desist from that. If a parent wants to transfer their son or daughter to your school, let them wait until the end of the year, he said.

Kibet also told the Nation that the rule is contained in the transfer and admissions form.
Local officials, representatives of nonprofit Caritas Corp., and others who worked to bring the Caritas Village affordable housing complex to Napa gathered Wednesday to celebrate its official opening following about two years of construction.

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.

Soon-to-be renters of the 20 homes  split across two three-story buildings at 2375 Old Sonoma Road, with a tot lot play center, outdoor barbecue area and a 1,400-square-foot clubhouse  were chosen through a lottery system, and will begin moving in Saturday, according to Caritas spokesperson Janet Haney. The apartments include a mix of one- and two-bedroom units among three different floor plans, with one-bedroom units starting as low as $1,050 a month.

Randy Redwitz, chief executive of Caritas, said there were 384 applicants for the apartments, which he said shows the great need for affordable housing in Napa. The demand is there for sure, he said.

Redwitz described the complex as a landmark project for Caritas, given that it represents the first apartment project the nonprofit has developed in its 27 years of existence. The organization manages 32 affordable housing projects in total, he noted, but almost all of them are mobile housing communities scattered around California and the company has only one other apartment complex in its portfolio.

Primarily our properties are mobile home communities, and thats been our history and kind of our claim to fame, Redwitz said. But this project here today really launched us into a new direction, and thats why its so incredibly important to us.

COVID-19 pandemic-caused supply chain delays led Caritas to shift from a modular construction to conventional construction  leading to a delay in the time frame  but Caritas Village has cost around what was budgeted and close to the original schedule, Redwitz added.

Redwitz said that the mission of Caritas has always been providing affordable housing in a vibrant community, but the companys experience in Napa had led the organization to want to work more in cooperation and collaboration with cities and counties  and to build as many affordable developments as possible.

Napa has just been outstanding to work with, Redwitz said. It has been a dream come true to be a solution to the city. Everybody has won in this occasion.

Napa Mayor Scott Sedgley said during the ribbon-cutting that the citys of the development had gone smoothly, enough to inspire talk about other potential future projects with Caritas in Napa.

Sedgley noted that the new homes, particularly with recent and upcoming changes coming to the Old Sonoma Road area  including renovation of the Food City shopping center and plans for the 160-home Crescent project at Napa Countys former health department campus across the street  will be perfect for the people moving in there.

We have 20 new homes in a perfect area, Sedgley said. The revitalized Food City will be very convenient for people and theres shopping on the other side of the bridge, so its just a perfect spot for something like this.

Caritas Village came about as a deal the Napa City Council struck with hotel developer Pacific Hospitality Group in 2018. Creating new housing was a condition of approval attached to the citys approval of a 253-room Marriott hotel Project in the Napa Valley Commons.

Tony Zand, general counsel of Pacific Hospitality Group, said at the ribbon-cutting the seed of Caritas Village sprouted for him in June 2018, when he was discussing the hotel proposal with the city. During a breakfast meeting with then-mayor Jill Techel, Jill did not want to hear about our project, Zand said. She was like, I dont want to talk about hotels; I want to talk about housing.

Zand recalled that he tried to contact everyone he could to figure out how to tack on an affordable housing project. Nine days before the City Council meeting that would decide the hotels fate  late at night, and at a point where Zand had nothing  he took the wrong exit home and almost crashed into the For Sale sign in front of the Old Sonoma Road site. He had the land under contract to buy three days later, Zand said.

Redwitz said Caritas part in the process started on a day when Id had 50 or 100 phone calls, when he received a call from Pacific Hospitality Group founder and chief executive officer Tim Busch. He didnt want to take the call, Redwitz said, but hed known Busch for quite some time.

Tim immediately asked me, Randy, if you and Caritas had an opportunity to build an affordable housing project in Napa, would you want to do that? Redwitz said. And, my goodness, my lights went on and I said, Absolutely.

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The Napa Valley Unified School District and the developers of American Canyons Watson Ranch project are ending a legal dispute potentially involving millions of dollars in future developer fees to build schools.

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The district announced the settlement on June 22. Watson Ranch developers will pay school fees as homes are built in a way that the parties have deemed acceptable.

This agreement positively impacts the educational experience of current and future American Canyon students by providing the funds mandated by California law to support safe facilities, the district said in a statement.

American Canyon I LLC is developing Watson Ranch, which is to have more than 1,000 homes, a hotel and a town center incorporating the ruins of a cement plant.

The settlement is what I had proposed to the district two years ago, before the lawsuit, said Terrence McGrath of American Canyon I on Wednesday.

Also involved in the settlement is Pacific West Communities Inc., builder of the Lemos Pointe apartments in Watson Ranch. The settlement accepts a March 2 check for $736,000 from the company to the district as fees for that project.

But American Canyon is not involved in the settlement, though the district sued the city for issuing Watson Ranch building permits before collecting school development fees. City Manager Jason Holley said the continued litigation against the city defies logic.

Bottom line  a 2016 agreement between Watson Ranch developers and the school district that was the root of the dispute will be no more.

A schools vision revised

Under the 2016 pact, Watson Ranch developers went beyond the usual school fees. The development would provide 10 acres ready for building that the district would buy for an elementary school. It would ultimately pay about $20 million in school fees as homes were built.

In return, the school district was to build an elementary school within Watson Ranch and a second middle school elsewhere in American Canyon.

But falling enrollment changed the districts plans. In September 2019, the district canceled the middle school. In January 2021, the district dropped the elementary school.

American Canyon I filed a lawsuit against the district in September 2022, even as Watson Ranch homes were being built. Fees paid under the 2016 agreement must be used exclusively for the middle school and elementary school, the lawsuit said.

The developers in the lawsuit said they would pay school fees when Napa Valley Unified School District built schools to serve Watson Ranch.

School district officials at the time answered in a statement to the Napa Valley Register.

The developer now appears to take the position that it is not required to comply with the 2016 agreement, the district said. At a bare minimum, the developer is legally required to pay its statutory developer fees. Under the Education Code, developers must pay their statutory developer fees prior to issuance of building permits for the square footage on which the fees are imposed.

The school board, at a Feb. 23 closed session, decided to file a cross-complaint against the developer and Pacific West.

That legal fight between Watson Ranch and the district now seems finished. The outcome calls for the termination of the 2016 agreement. Developers will pay standard school fees and agree not to take out building permits in advance of fee payments.

The settlement resolves concerns raised by the district in the lawsuit regarding the appropriate payment of developer fees, a district statement said.

American Canyon ended up involved in the dispute between Watson Ranch builders and the school district. In February, the district announced it would sue the city for issuing building permits before the developer paid school fees.

First and foremost, the City of American Canyon is clearly violating the law and prioritizing the needs of developers over needs of children in the community, school district Superintendent Rosanna Mucetti said at the time.

American Canyon officials said the 2016 agreement between the district and developer and separate development agreement between the city and developer gave the developer certain vested rights.

The city prominently featured the lawsuit news on its website in March.

Although American Canyon is not party to the school agreement and has done everything it can do to resolve the dispute, we are deeply saddened to now begin preparing to defend ourselves against the district, the website message said.

American Canyon is not a party to the settlement. The agreement said the district reserves all rights or claims it has or may have against the city regarding the Watson Ranch matter.

Contacted on Wednesday, Holley, in an email, talked about the outcome.

The news of a settlement is bittersweet  while we are pleased to finally have clarity regarding termination of the school agreement, it is disheartening for our community to re-live the broken promises of new school facilities that will never come to fruition, he said.

American Canyon and school district staffs met recently to fine-tune existing protocols and practices regarding school fee payments, he said.

While the day-to-day coordination between our staffs is fine, sadly, the relationship between the city council and the school board is non-existent, Holley said. The councils attempts to settle prior to litigation were rebuffed in late February; since then, its been all posturing with lawyers. And now the boards decision to continue to sue American Canyon even after the other settlements defies logic.

The school district gave the Napa Valley Register a response on Thursday.

The Napa Valley Unified School District looks forward to continuing to work with the City of American Canyon towards an amicable agreement, an agreement that ensures building permits are issued only after developer fees are paid, the statement said.

This positively impacts the educational experience of current and future students by providing the funds mandated by California law to provide safe and adequate school facilities, the statement said.

One question left unanswered is what will happen to the 10-acre site in Watson Ranch, now that it is no longer set aside for an elementary school.

That is in discussion with the city and will be addressed in our updated Watson Ranch specific plan, McGrath said.

PHOTOS: Napa County's 2023 Rock the Ride Rock the Ride 2 Rock the Ride 1 Rock the Ride 3 Rock the Ride 4 Rock the Ride 5 Rock the Ride 6 Rock the Ride 7 Rock the Ride 8 Rock the Ride 9 Rock the Ride 10 Rock the Ride 11 Rock the Ride 12 Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride Rock the Ride
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Iraqi Kurdistan leader visits Azerbaijan

In support of Karabakh demonstration participants march to US Embassy in Yerevan
I still don't know how to shout to make them realize the situation is grave. Ombudsman of Artsakh

We are ready to recognize Azerbaijans 86,600 square km, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh. Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Russian Federation reaffirms its intention to contribute to the restoration of normal life in Nagorno-Karabakh

Artsakh President assures: All decisions will be made jointly

A handcuffed man threw himself from the 5th floor of the Investigation Department of SRC and died

Ambassador of Poland was presented with the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

EU Council extends Toivo Klaar's mandate for one year

Turkey slows pace of rate hikes, jeopardizing the lira

EU Mission at the OSCE Council meeting: Brussels calls on Baku to ensure movement along the Lachin corridor

Zakharova evades question on sending Arstakh aid by Russian planes

Stores in Artsakh no longer sell bread

Russian MFA Spox: Artsakh is not in area of CSTO responsibility

State Revenue Committee head: Armenia cooperates with partners transparently

Armenia requests OSCE Permanent Council speacial meeting: Mirzoyan made a speech

Armenian Health Minister: Transport of medicine to Artsakh is disrupted

Russia MFA spox on organizing Mirzoyan, Bayramov meeting in Moscow: Chances are good

Russian MFA: Stability in South Caucasus should be in Turkey's interests

We should specify the cartographic basis of demarcation activities in the near future. Pashinyan

Brussels meeting brought no concrete results in opening Lachin Corridor, resolving humanitarian crisis in NK.Pashinyan

Armenian Foreign Ministry welcomes Canadas initiative to join European monitoring mission

Artsakh residents hold a protest near the UN office in Yerevan

EU foreign ministers to discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement in Brussels

Armenian-French cooperation will continue to strengthen. Nikol Pashinyan received French Ambassador

The process of the program of formation of Digital Society and Economy discussed at Government

State minister: We may have situation when we cant wait for the 7 days noted by Karabakh President

The Prime Minister hosts Aram Arzumanyan, disabled as a result of the 44-day war

Nikol Pashinyan, Mikhail Mishustin hold phone talk

Nersisyan. The more Armenia lowers bar on Karabakh issue, the harder it will be for people of Artsakh to raise it

Karabakh official: Armenia has only one thing to do in discussions with Azerbaijan

Artsakh state minister: Many illogical things are happening on European platform; is it serious conversation?

Karabakh minister of state: We managed to make our voice heard by all to which nationwide movement was directed

Lachin corridor has no alternative: Several Armenia NGOs issue joint statement on Charles Michel statement

Karabakh state minister: We are in disaster but we will never surrender

Karabakh ex-official Vitaly Balasanyan is charged on 4 counts

Analyst: Armenia has not recognized Azerbaijan territorial integrity with Karabakhs inclusion

Armenia PM is briefed on plan to establish EHL Hospitality Business School branch in Gyumri

Our link should be with Armenia only: Karabakh residents comment on their blocking of Askeran-Aghdam road

Missing servicemens parents reopen Yerevan major intersection, but on condition

Armenia army General Staff chief meets with US Air Force chief of staff (PHOTOS)

Parents of missing soldiers close off major avenue in Yerevan

Edmon Marukyan: Azerbaijan has no plan to integrate Christian Armenians

Azerbaijan MFA responds to Armenia FM with series of absurd accusations

Livestock sector is in much worse situation in besieged Karabakh, agriculture minister says

Agriculture minister: Scheduled power outages, lack of diesel fuel also cause problems in Karabakh irrigation system

Karabakh MoD: Defense Army did not carry out fortification work in Askeran Region

Newspaper: What 'tougher actions' Karabakh will take?

MoD: Armenia army did not fire at Azerbaijan positions

Worlds most expensive iPhone is sold in US

US returns 105 antiquities illegally exported from India to latter

David Babayan: Karabakh grandpa who fought at Stalingrad, took Berlin never imagined he could die of hunger

Russia, Iran FMs interested in consultations with participation of Armenia, Azerbaijan

Austria FM: Lachin corridor blockade must be stopped immediately

Deputy PM Grigoryan's office: Armenia, Azerbaijan have not made decision on any map

Armenia FM briefs OSCE Secretary General on situation in Karabakh

Armenian Foreign Minister expresses Yerevan's readiness to hold talks with Turkey in Vienna

Armenia is not going to become a space where sanctions could be bypassed: Ararat Mirzoyan

Dollar, euro increase in Armenia

Armenia FM: Regrettable that instead of engaging in dialogue, Azerbaijan pursues policy of ethnic cleansing in Karabakh

FMs sign protocol on implementation of Armenia-EU readmission agreement between Armenia, Austria (PHOTOS)

Karabakh residents block Askeran-Aghdam motorway, with concrete barriers (PHOTOS)

Armenias Pashinyan receives ex-MP Francois Rochebloine of France

Yerevan municipal election events schedule announced

Karabakh NGOs: Support being provided to Artsakh people cannot be at cost of trampling on their dignity

American University of Armenia has new president

Hyundai releases first photos of new generation Santa Fe crossover

Public Television to present dire situation in Karabakh every day live from capital Stepanakert's Renaissance Square

Teen found dead in Armenia river

European Parliament committee calls on Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide

Armenia FM visit to Vienna kicks of with private talk with Austria colleague

Karabakh operational headquarters chief: Presidents sit-in could be beneficial

European Parliament accuses Azerbaijan of bribing PACE lawmakers, some other offenses

Karabakh presidential advisor warns of taking extreme measures

Iraqi Kurdistan leader visits Azerbaijan

In support of Karabakh demonstration participants march to US Embassy in Yerevan

US embassy: Passengers are denied entry to Armenia for possession of drugs

Azerbaijan continues to settle occupied Berdzor-Lachin town of Karabakh

Armenia army chief attends US National Guard State Partnership Program 30th Anniversary conference (PHOTOS)

Public transport to not operate in Karabakh capital Stepanakert as of today

Karabakh interior ministry: No vehicle passed through Askeran police checkpoint to Akna-Aghdam

Azerbaijan FM repeats proposal to use Aghdam road to Karabakh

Protests in support of Karabakh continue in Yerevan

Grigory Karasin responds to accusations against Russia from Azerbaijan

Armenia PM: It will be very good if we do European track and field tournament in Artashat

Newspaper: More Armenia military commanders to be arrested soon

Karabakh minister of state: Today nationwide movement will continue awareness actions started in Yerevan

Karabakh parliament speaker joins Presidents sit-in

Armenia MoD: Azerbaijan again disseminated disinformation

MFA spox: Armenia demands lifting of illegal blockade of Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan

Karabakh President: People of Artsakh are facing real threat of physical destruction

Russia MFA confirms readiness to hold Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs meeting in Moscow

Karabakh presidential adviser on Azerbaijan proposal to transport humanitarian goods to Artsakh: This is greatest danger

Armen Grigoryan presents humanitarian crisis in Karabakh to Matthias Luttenberg

Karabakh capital Stepanakert public transport to operate in very limited capacity

Armenia ex-ruling party official Armen Ashotyan to remain in custody

Armenias Matenadaran museum and institute of ancient manuscripts has new director

Armenia PM follows road construction work in Ararat Province

MFA spox: Armenia calls on other international players to follow ICJ, ECtHR

Son dies on the spot, father hospitalized after car overturns in Armenias Gegharkunik Province

Armenia parliament vice-speaker briefs Germany MFA official on South Caucasus security situation

Zangi company launches 'ArtsakhX' project in Karabakh, which will operate even when internet is cut off
At its Cabinet session Thursday, the government made a decision to apply a temporary ban on the export of a number of goods from Armenia to countries that are not members of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The respective draft decision bans the export of a number of agricultural productsincluding wheat, meslin, barley, corn, buckwheat, sunflower seed, and vegetable oilfor a period of six months.

The decision is aimed at ensuring the food security and economic stabilization of Armenia.

The domestic production in terms of the aforementioned products does not meet the demand of the Armenian market, which is ensured mainly by imports.

The ban set by this decision, however, will not apply to goods imported to Armenia and exported from the country under the "re-export" customs procedure.

According to the decision of December 22, 2022, a six-month export ban was set, which will end on Sunday. According to the draft of this decision, it is proposed to extend this export ban for another six months.

The exports from Armenia to third countries are either absent or insignificant in term of the aforesaid products, and the adoption of this decision will not have a considerable impact on the agricultural producers of Armenia.
Under the conditions of the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh due to the closure of the Lachin corridor, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched artillery and drone aviation strikes on June 27, in the direction of Martuni and Martakert positions of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, as a result of which four Defense Army soldiers were killed. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this at Thursdays Cabinet meeting of the Armenian government.

"Expressing my condolences to the relatives and friends of the fallen, I must emphasize that this military provocation was being prepared for a long time, with the information attacks of Azerbaijan that as if the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army is violating the ceasefire regime in various parts of the line of contact," Pashinyan said.

"The Azerbaijani media publications being fictitious has been consistently demonstrated by the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, under the conditions of which it becomes obvious that Azerbaijan is pursuing a consistent policy of escalating the situation and de-Armenianizing Nagorno-Karabakh," the Armenian PM noted.

"Azerbaijan's [aforesaid] practices are more and more visibly perceived as such by the international community as well, the latest proof of which is Resolution 22/56 adopted by the PACE [(Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)] last week," he said.

Pashinyan added that in paragraph 15 of the aforesaid resolution, the PACE states that it is extremely concerned about the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians at the highest levels of Azerbaijan's leadership, and calls on Azerbaijan to reject such rhetoric and take steps against both hate speech, including public and used by high-ranking officials, as well as to fight against hate and crimes.

According to him, in point 8 of the same resolution, PACE notes that the current unstable situation may lead to the fact that the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh will have to leave their homes and communities. In this context, PACE urgently calls to resolve the rights and security issues of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through neutral international engagement in any peace implementation mechanism between Baku and Stepanakert.

"The Assembly emphasized that the blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan is a violation of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, noted the fact of the blocking of electricity and natural gas supplies being supplied to Nagorno-Karabakh, called on Azerbaijan to immediately restore these supplies and to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice to unblock the Lachin corridor," the Armenian premier announced.

Also, Pashinyan considered it important to record that the aforementioned PACE resolution assesses the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh as a humanitarian and human rights crisis.

"The need to organize fact-finding as quickly as possible in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor was emphasized. The resolution adopted in the PACE is a very important document in terms of increasing international attention to the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the foreign ministry of Armenia will be consistent in terms of keeping the provisions of the resolution on the agenda of the [PACE] ministerial committee; that is, the PACE executive body," Nikol Pashinyan stated.
The 4th Meeting of the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement (CEPA) took place in Brussels Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Armenian delegation, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan, participated in the meeting, informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

And as a result of the discussions, the following Joint Press Statement was adopted:

On 27-28 June 2023, the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee, established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), met for the fourth time in Brussels. This meeting gave the opportunity to the EU and Armenia to discuss the implementation of the CEPA and touch upon other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Armenia and the EU agreed to strengthen their cooperation, emphasising the EUs active engagement in the South Caucasus, and to pursue their efforts for the implementation of the CEPA, recognising the progress made so far. The EU welcomed Armenias continued commitment to reforms in line with common values, in spite of the difficult security context of the region. The EU stands ready to continue assisting Armenia on the path of the CEPA implementation and in addressing socio-economic challenges, including through the substantial Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) as well as its flagship initiatives.

The Partnership Committee reviewed developments related to the rule of law, in the fields of justice sector, law enforcement, fight against corruption, and the respect for human rights. The EU appreciated the progress in these fields. Yet, the EU recalled the importance of continuous improvement of the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, in order to increase citizens trust in public institutions. The EU emphasised the need to make additional efforts in eliminating discrimination on all grounds and encouraged Armenia to involve civil society in public consultations on legislative proposals.

The Partnership Committee also reviewed the progress on issues related to transport, energy, environment, climate action and disaster risk management. Armenia and the EU will continue their cooperation to enhance safety at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. While acknowledging Armenias efforts on renewable energies, energy efficiency and environmental protection, the EU encouraged Armenia to set more ambitious emission reduction targets as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution.

The meeting was also an opportunity to review the cooperation in the field of customs and economic development. The EU underlined the importance of customs cooperation to prevent the circumvention of the EU sanctions on Russia through the territory of Armenia. The discussion also took stock of developments in employment and social policies. As regards education, the EU welcomed the adoption of Armenias comprehensive Strategy covering the whole education spectrum, as well as its ratification of the Creative Europe Agreement.

The Partnership Committee also touched upon the possibility of launching a visa liberalization dialogue (VLD). In this regard, the EU noted that while the technical requirements for the VLD launch have been sufficiently met, this also requires a political decision. The EU continues encouraging Armenia to bilaterally engage actively with Member States on this topic.

The partners also discussed the regional dynamics and the state of play of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process that takes place in the context of increasingly challenging security situation. The Armenian side provided an update on the blockage of the Lachin Corridor. Armenia and the EU shared concerns on the risks of a humanitarian crisis. The EU and Armenia welcomed the establishment of the EU Mission in Armenia.

Finally, the discussions highlighted the constructive engagement of Armenia in the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service and Mr Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
A regular meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE) took place Wednesday, at which the delegation of Armenia raised the issue of the illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Arman Khachatryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the CoE, first presented the gross violations of the ceasefire and provocative actions by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday, as a result of which four Karabakh soldiers were killed.

He emphasized that the ongoing blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, the latters installation of concrete barriers there, the disruption of natural gas and electricity supply to Karabakh, the intimidation of its civilian population through hate speech and threats clearly prove that Azerbaijan is consistently trying to carry out Armenian ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Also, Ambassador Khachatryan presented to the CoE Committee of Ministers the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution, entitled "Ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor," adopted on June 22, by which PACE warns that the current situation is not stable and may lead to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh being forced to leave their homes. and communities. He stressed that PACE calls for urgent addressing of the rights and security issues of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, and demands to set up a CoE fact-finding mission as soon as possible.

The permanent representative of Armenia to the CoE noted that with the PACE consultation addressed to the CoE Committee of Ministers on the Lachin corridor, PACE draws the attention of the Committee of Ministers to the humanitarian and human rights crisis related to Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakhand as a result of Azerbaijan's unilateral actions.

Also, Ambassador Khachatryan urged the CoE Committee of Ministers to take clear steps to address the issues raised by the PACE consultation and to respond to this deliberate human rights crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

At the meeting of the CoE Committee of Ministers, there was also an exchange of ideas with PACE President Tiny Kox and CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic. The Armenian delegation emphasized the importance of the engagement of the PACE and the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights in addressing the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of the blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan.
The diamond industry is booming in Armenia, with several companies engaged in negotiations on opening production plants in the country. An Indian diamond producer recently opened a plant in Armenia, Armenpress reported.

Precious and semi-precious stones, precious metals and related products were the most exported goods in the past few months in Armenia (508 million 61.2 thousand USD  a 3.9% growth compared to the previous years same period).

Ministry of Economy Head of the Strategic Sector Division Arevik Margaryan told Armenpress that the growth in exports is mostly associated with diamonds and jewelry products. The growth is related with both the geopolitical situation and the activities of the diamond producers in Armenia.

The Indian VDA Diamonds company registered in Armenia in July 2022, and they began production in July this year in Abovyan [city], she said, adding that the company has invested 10 million dollars in the Armenian city.

Seven to eight companies are actively engaged in diamond production in the country.

ADM Diamonds, an Armenian producer, is working with innovative technologies and is considered a regional leader in making fancy-cut diamonds.

Diamonds are mostly exported to CIS and EEU countries, with some volumes also to other countries. In 2022 Armenia exported over 34,8 billion drams of diamonds to EEU countries compared to the 2021 figure of 17,3 billion. Exports to other countries amounted to 727 million drams, which is close to the 2021 number.

The economy ministry official says that Armenias high-quality professionals ensure high-quality product. Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Patek Philippe, Hermes and other brands are buying diamonds cut in Armenia. For example, the Armenian Arevak and Shoghakn companies are the official suppliers of diamonds to Tiffany & Co and other leading brands. They ensure quality, Margaryan said.

New investments will be made in the sector soon, according to the official. Other Indian companies are now conducting negotiations on opening plants.

They take into account our professional potential. For example, one of the companies has plants also in Russia and they noticed that there are highly qualified Armenians among the workers. So they decided that Armenia would be more convenient for opening a new plant. Our economic situation is also beneficial for them, as well as the governments support programs such as the infrastructure-for investments, the economic modernization project and the customs duty exemption for imports of equipment, which await new investments, Margaryan said. In addition, jewelry and diamond production is officially a strategic direction in the governments list of primary areas of industrial development.

Most of the gold jewelry is exported to Russia, Kazakhstan, other CIS countries, as well as the U.S., the UAE, Turkey, Belgium, and some other countries.

In 2022, Armenia exported 2.1 billion dram worth of gold jewelry to EEU countries. Exports to other countries stood at 1.5 billion drams.
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Space telescope to target universe's dark mysteries

The Euclid telescope, which is 4.7 metres tall and 3.5 metres wide, will use two scientific instruments to map the sky. File photo: AFP

Europe's Euclid space telescope is scheduled to blast off on Saturday on the first-ever mission aiming to shed light on two of the universe's greatest mysteries: dark energy and dark matter.



The launch is planned from Cape Canaveral in Florida in the late morning on a Falcon 9 rocket of the US company SpaceX.



The European Space Agency was forced to turn to the rival firm of billionaire Elon Musk to launch the mission after Russia pulled its Soyuz rockets in response to sanctions over the war in Ukraine.



After a month-long journey through space, Euclid will join its fellow space telescope James Webb at a stable hovering spot around 1.5 million kilometres from Earth called the second Lagrangian Point.



From there, Euclid will chart the largest-ever map of the universe, encompassing up to two billion galaxies across more than a third of the sky.



By capturing light that has taken 10 billion years to reach Earth, the map will also offer a new view of the 13.8-billion-year-old universe's history.



Scientists hope to use this information to address what the Euclid project manager Giuseppe Racca calls a "cosmic embarrassment": that 95 percent of the universe remains unknown to humanity.



Around 70 percent is thought to be dark energy, the name given to the unknown force that is causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate. And 25 percent is dark matter, thought to bind the universe together and make up around 80 percent of its mass.



Euclid consortium member Guadalupe Canas told a press conference that the two-tonne space telescope was a "dark detective" which can reveal more about both elements.



Euclid, which is 4.7 metres tall and 3.5 metres wide, will use two scientific instruments to map the sky. Its visible light camera will let it measure the shape of galaxies, while its near infrared spectrometer and photometer will allow it to measure how far away they are. (AFP)
NewsVoir New Delhi [India], June 29: Innov8, a leading co-working startup in India, has clocked average occupancy rate of 90% across all its centres in India, with cities such as Mumbai clocking 100% occupancy as of May 2023. This growth stands in stark contrast to early 2022 when return to office had just gathered momentum. In January 2022, Innov8 recorded an average occupancy of 65%. Innov8 currently has over 7000 seats across its co-working facilities in India. As work from office returns even in startups, which form a significant part of Innov8's customer base, access and ease of public commute is emerging as a major draw. Employees are preferring proximity to key transit hubs such as metro stations and companies choosing their flex-office spaces accordingly. Innov8 recently announced pivot to a '5 mins to a metro station' strategy, where it will open new co- working centres near metro stations and key arterial roads across top business cities in India. It is witnessing high occupancy, demand and healthy rentals in its co-working centres within five minutes to metro stations and plans to expand to other key transit hubs across the country. Centres in Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi clocked an occupancy of over 95%, owing to Innov8's pivot to 5 minutes to station strategy. Guindy in Chennai has become the most sought-after area for coworking spaces due to excellent connectivity with rail, buses, and Chennai Metro. All Innov8's centres in Mumbai are in the Andheri East and are now operating at near full capacity with 100% occupancy for most centres. Emerging business cities such as Pune are also clocking over 95% occupancy and Innov8 centre in Hyderabad's HiTech City, is also clocking similar occupancy levels. Innov8 currently has seven centres in Delhi-NCR that have great connectivity with the Delhi Metro and Transit Metro, making it seamless for customers to travel across Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon. In Delhi, CP has seen both of Innov8's centres reach maximum occupancy while the two Innov8 centres in Saket, are operating at an occupancy rate of over 95%. Opening of new co-working centres near metro stations and key arterial roads across top business cities has resulted in a 10% growth in occupancy in just Q1 2023 vs same period in 2022. Metro stations across major cities in India boasts of ample parking space, connectivity to suburban railway & bus service or for last mile connectivity & to encourage commuters to use the metro. Bridges and travelators to important hubs such as commercial spaces, workspaces and apartments nearby will further improve footfall and attract more commuters in the metro stations. Innov8 provides premium co-working spaces with uninterrupted connectivity, easy access & proximity to key transit hubs such as metro stations, airport, railway station & more and flexible working arrangement, all this at an affordable price. Talking about their renewed approach and expansion, Dr. Ritesh Malik, Founder of Innov8 said, "As start-ups and businesses return to office, we have seen an increase in the number of inquiries for co- working spaces which has improved our overall occupancy. Our recent pivot to a '5 minutes to a metro station' strategy has also created a clear path of growth for us, and we have seen consistent improvement across parameters. A mindset shift to a hybrid and flexible workspace is evident across all major business cities in India as we have seen a growing preference for cost effective, managed spaces." Pankhuri Sakhuja, Business Head of Innov8 added, "Individuals and businesses increasingly embrace collaborative and flexible spaces to enhance productivity and foster professional connections. The demand for coworking spaces is a testament to the changing landscape of work, where individuals seek a sense of community and a conducive environment that fosters collaboration and innovation." Founded in 2015 by Dr Ritesh Malik, Innov8 is currently spread across 9 cities-Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad & Indore, with over 20 centres hosting brands like Tata Digital, IndusInd Bank, Jio Saavn, Phone Pe, Nykaa & Mobi Kwik. Innov8 is a leading provider of premium co-working spaces, offering a vibrant and productive work environment with excellent connectivity, access, and flexibility. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Ritesh Malik, Innov8 has quickly established itself as a leader in the co-working space industry in India, with centres in key business cities across the country. For more information, please visit www.innov8.work. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PRNewswire Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 29: Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., one of India's leading pharmaceutical companies with operations across the globe has launched TOFATAS - a DCGI-approved, Tofacitinib Ointment 2 per cent w/w for the treatment of mild to moderate Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in patients 18 years and above having flare-ups of the disease. Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory, non-communicable, and relapsing skin disease that most often develops in all age groups. Atopic Dermatitis is a multifactorial disease arising from a complex interaction between genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Despite unmet needs, approximately 15 years have passed since a topical therapy with a new mechanism of action for atopic dermatitis (AD) has been introduced in India. The quality of life of the patients suffering from Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is compromised due to factors like consistent itching, sleep disturbances, poor performance at school/work, and disturbed social, mental, and emotional functioning. Safety issues with existing therapies (Topical Corticosteroids/Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors) in the management of AD have always been a challenge in the long run as they are accompanied by increased risks of side effects which impact the patient's quality of life. Furthermore, due to the distinct characteristics of Atopic Dermatitis, its management remains a challenge. "There have been no approved Topical JAK inhibitors in India available to date and the approval of TOFATAS OINTMENT 2 per cent, therefore, would help in patients who desire a steroid-free topical agent for Atopic Dermatitis, and we hope that real-world data mirrors the approvals given to this agent in India," said Dr Kabir Sardana, MD, DNB, MNAMS, Professor (Dermatology) at the RML Hospital, Delhi. "Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic relapsing condition leading to poor quality of life and psychosocial complications. Current therapy has unmet needs. We welcome the DCGI-approved new topical Tofacitinib 2 per cent, which will give new hope to these sufferers," said Dr Satish Udare, Senior Consultant Dermatologist, Thane/Navi Mumbai. Dr Alok Chaturvedi (Associate Executive Vice President & Head-Medical Affairs, Intas) said "Intas being a frontrunner in dermatology therapy, boldly and successfully endeavoured to bridge this critical treatment gap by investing in extensive research efforts to develop and formulate TOFATAS Ointment - a drug that delivers the desired outcome and the clinical benefits for Atopic Dermatitis patients. A Phase III clinical study of TOFATAS (Tofacitinib Ointment 2 per cent w/w) in Atopic Dermatitis patients in India showed remarkable safety and efficacy." Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is a leading, vertically integrated, multinational pharmaceutical company based in Ahmedabad, India, having end-to-end capabilities of formulation development, manufacturing, and marketing along with backward integration of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API). The organization has more than 19,000 employees, 14 highly advanced manufacturing sites worldwide and sells products in more than 85 countries. Intas' revenue amounted to USD 2.5 bn in FY 2021-22 and the compounded annual growth rate of revenue has been 22 per cent in the past 5 years. For more information, please visit www.intaspharma.com. Media Contact: Vibhuti BhattDirectorOne Advertising & Communication Services Ltd.Mobile: +91-9824079734Email: vibhutibhatt@oneadvt.com (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Delhi police have beefed up security amid the ongoing celebration of Eid-al-Adha on Thursday and said that the security of the people is their top priority. DCP Central, Sanjay Kumar Sain said, "Security of the people is our top priority and with the help of MCD, we are ensuring that the area is clean and hygienic." He also said that around 1000 district police personnel are present and outside force is also supporting them. "Around 1,000 district police personnel are present here. An outside force is also supporting us," he said. Delhi Police Special CP Deepender Pathak also ensured the deployment of security forces and said that the top most law and arrangements are made on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. "Topmost security and law and order arrangements have been made on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. Adequate deployment of security forces have been done, seniors officials are on the field," he said. Further, Former Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi extended his wishes on the occasion of Eid and said that India will be the only country where followers of all religions live and celebrate festivals together. "Eid greetings to all the countrymen. India will be the only country where followers of all religions live and we all celebrate festivals related to all religions together, that's why it is called 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat', he said while talking to the reporters. Naqvi also prayed for the peace and progress of the people of the country. "May the country be successful in taking forward peace, progress and empowerment of the people, this is our prayer," he said. Earlier in the day, Naqvi offered namaz at Panja Sharif Dargah, Kashmere Gate, on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. Eid-al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, holds significant religious and cultural importance for Muslims worldwide. It falls on the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be arriving in Bihar on Thursday where he will address a mega-rally at Lakhisarai in Munger Lok Sabha constituency which is the home turf of JDU President and Lok Sabha MP Lalan Singh. Speaking to ANI, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that Shah, after the rally will go to the residence of Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha where a meeting of the Lok Sabha Core Committee will be held. The minister further said that Amit Shah will reach Patna where party leaders will welcome him at the airport then he will go to Lakhisarai by Chopper. "He will offer Puja in historic Ashok Dham temple and meet with trustees of Mandir as part of the party's 'Sampark Se Samarthan' Abhiyan then the Home Minister will directly reach Gandhi Maidan rally venue where he will address a public meeting on the completion of nine years of the Modi government," Rai added. Rai further said that this is going to be a historic visit like his earlier visits to the state. "Every visit of Amit Shah to Bihar has been historic and successful... This time also the same thing is going to happen and Lakhs of people will join the rally to listen to Amit Bhai. BJP is not only preparing for Amit Shah's rally but also the people of Munger are busy preparing for the grand rally with equal enthusiasm. There is great enthusiasm among the people of Munger to make Narendra Modi ji the Prime Minister again in 2024," the minister said. However, speaking on Shah's visit, JDU President Lalan Singh said, "Amit Shah is the Home Minister, he can go anywhere in the country and hold a rally anywhere. I have nothing more to say about his Bihar Visit." Notably, this is Shah's fifth visit to the state in nine months since his party was ousted from power in the state in August 2022 after Nitish Kumar snapped ties with the BJP, bringing an end to the coalition government in the state. Last year, Amit Shah visited Punia, which is considered to be the capital of the Seemanchal region. Later, in October, he visited Sitab Diara, the birthplace of late socialist stalwart Jai Prakash Narayan. In February this year, he visited Valmakinagar and Patna the same day (Feb 25) and addressed Kisan Samagam organised on the birth anniversary of peasant leader Sahajanand Saraswati in Patna, in a bid to woo the Bhumihar community. In April, Shah addressed a public meeting in Nawada. However, Shah will be visiting Bihar for the first time since the meeting of opposition leaders in Patna, hosted by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last week. (ANI)
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha lauded the e-Committee of the Supreme Court and the Department of Law and Justice for their efforts to use future technologies and said that millions of hits to e-Court Services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts. L-G Sinha was addressing an event organised to mark the foundation stone laying for the new High Court complex of J-K and Ladakh at Raika on Wednesday. Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, the Chief Justice of India laid the foundation stone for the new High Court complex of J-K and Ladakh, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor of J-K, Manoj Sinha; Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.) and Judges of the Supreme Court and High Court. Document Management System (DMS) for the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and National Service and Tracking of Electronic Process (N-STEP) for District Courts were also launched. The Chief Justice of India, Y. Chandrachud, in his address, described the Judicial Officers as front-line warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man who is seeking justice. "It is our endeavour that every section of the society, poor or underprivileged have access to Justice. The foundation of the new High Court complex and the newly launched IT initiatives are pioneer steps in bringing reforms in the Justice delivery system," he said. He also stressed encouraging the productive participation of women in the delivery of Justice. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha congratulated all the Judiciary, and legal fraternity members and expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its support for the mega project. "The new High Court complex of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be an integrated complex with state-of-the-art physical infrastructure and modern amenities," he said. "Million of hits to e-Court Services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts, ease of justice and digital empowerment," the Lt Governor said. "75 years journey of India's independence is witness to democratic institutions fulfilling hope and aspiration of common citizens. Our Constitution as guiding light has ensured prosperity, socio-economic progress and dignity for all," he added. The Lt Governor said the two important IT initiatives for the High Court and all District Courts launched today will make the legal system inclusive and accessible to all. The Lt Governor highlighted various initiatives taken recently in J-K for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) enablement of courts. The Lt Governor also shared the IT initiatives of the UT Government to make the governance process transparent, accountable and responsive. Lt Governor of Ladakh, B. D. Mishra gave a detailed discourse on fundamental duties and highlighted that democracy has to be defended by ensuring that the tenet of justice is upheld. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union MoS for Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, who joined through virtual mode, expressed hope that the DMS and N-STEP facilities would be milestones in the technology sector and would accelerate the pace of development and progress. He assured all possible financial support and an adequate budget to the Government of J-K for the Judicial infrastructural development. An overview of the functionality of DMS was displayed by a video presentation and the mobile phones for the N-STEP application were distributed to the process servers to mark the launch of the initiative. Judges of the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of J-K and Ladakh; members of the Judiciary and legal fraternity, senior officials of Police and Civil administration were also present. (ANI)
The 24th meeting of the Central Zonal Council will be held on July 15 in Narendranagar, Uttarakhand. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will preside over this meeting, said the state officials. The 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 22 August 2022. The 23rd meeting of the Central Zonal Council discussed the progress made towards the expansion of banking facilities within 5 kms of all villages as per the vision given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the expansion of the banking network in rural areas, an official statement from Ministry of Home Affairs had said. In the 23rd meeting, the Union Home Minister had asked the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of the States included in the Central Zonal Council to regularly monitor the issues raised in the Council meeting every month so that these issues can be resolved expeditiously. (ANI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday left from Delhi airport for a two-day visit to violence-hit Manipur The Congress leader will be in Manipur on June 29 and 30 during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur. "Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and meet people displaced by the ethnic clashes and also interact with representatives of civil society in Imphal and Churachandpur during the visit," Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a tweet. Ethnic clashes broke out in the State nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). "Rahul Gandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit. Manipur has been burning for nearly two months and desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate," said KC Venugopal in a tweet. Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has "left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation" while appealing for peace and harmony in the state. Notably, the BJP is under fire from the Opposition and other quarters over the continuing violence in Manipur. The Congress has been making scathing attacks against the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the state of Manipur, over their handling of the violence. The party has already demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Earlier on June 24, Home Minister Shah held an all-party meeting in Delhi and gave an assurance of restoring peace in the state, while the opposition parties questioned PM Narendra Modi's 'silence' on the matter at the all-party meeting on the violence in Manipur. BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and CPI (M) MP John Brittas, among other leaders, were present in the meeting. However, BJP hit out at Gandhi over his visit to the state with Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slamming him. "I expect Rahul to do the same type of vulture politics he is famous for. He will either go abroad five times in a month and tear down Indian democracy or he will go to where people are suffering and use that as a photo opportunity for his vulture politics," Chandrasekhar said. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow Eidgah Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali on Thursday appealed to people not to do 'Qurbani' in public places on the occasion of Eid-Al-Adha. He further appealed to people to offer Namaz only in Eidgahs and Mosques and not on the streets. "I appeal to all to offer Namaz only in Eidgahs and Mosques and not on the streets. Don't do 'Qurbani' (sacrifice of goat or sheep) in public places and don't throw the waste in public places," Firangi Mahali said. On the auspicious occasion of Eid-Al-Adha on Thursday, devotees from all over the country offered their prayers. Devotees were seen exchanging greetings after offering Eid-Al-Adha namaz in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. In Rajasthan's capital, Jaipur large congregations of devotees offered namaz in the open ground on the auspicious day. Meanwhile, in Delhi, Security beefed up near Jama Masjid on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. DCP Central, Sanjay Kumar Sain, said: "Security of the people is our top priority and with the help of MCD, we are ensuring that the area is clean and hygienic. Around 1,000 district police personnel are present here. An outside force is also supporting us." Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Eid-al-Adha greetings to the people of the country and wished for a spirit of togetherness and harmony in the society. On the occasion of the festival, the PM took to Twitter to say, "Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!" Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also extended his greetings to the people of the country. "Eid Mubarak! May this auspicious occasion bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all," the Congress leader said in a tweet. Eid Al-Adha or Bakra Eid, which is being observed on June 29 this year, is a holy occasion also called the 'festival of sacrifice' and is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic or lunar calendar. It marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Every year, the date changes as it's based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Western 365-day Gregorian calendar. The festival is an occasion of joy and peace, where people celebrate with their families, let go of past grudges and make meaningful connections with one another. It is celebrated as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice everything for God. Around the world, Eid traditions and festivities vary and different countries have unique cultural approaches to this important festival. (ANI)
According to Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi, " BJP's national president JP Nadda will be on a tour of the Bharatpur district on June 29. He will also inaugurate the party's new office building here and then address a public meeting in the Nadbai assembly constituency."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also reach Rajasthan's Udaipur Dabok Airport at around 11 am on June 30 and address a public meeting at Sawai Sthal Gandhi Ground and then leave for Jaipur at 2:30 pm.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a meeting of BJP workers in Rajasthan's Jodhpur Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday.

These visits of top BJP leaders are aimed at gaining momentum for the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan.

On the completion of 9 years of the Modi government at the Center, such programs are being organized across the country at the Lok Sabha level, considering assembly elections in Rajasthan later this year.

"All prominent leaders associated with the party are now turning towards Rajasthan and accordingly, these programs have been planned," said Joshi.

BJP will try to improve its tally in Mewar, Marwar, and Braj regions and the programmes of Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and party president JP Nadda have been organized in these Congress stronghold regions. (ANI)
Manipur Pradesh Congress President on Thursday said there was complete failure of the law and order in the State where normalcy has not yet been restored and pointed that the "double-engine government has become the triple-problem." Keisham Meghachandra Singh, President of Manipur Pradesh Congress, said: "The present situation is that normalcy has still not been established in Manipur. The double-engine government has not been able to control the situation here. We do not have any expectations from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chief minister N Biren Singh. There is a complete failure of law and order." BJP has however said that the visit by the Congress leader is merely political opportunism.BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya in a tweet said that Rahul Gandhi is "no messiah of peace just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling." "Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govt's decision to pass three Bills - the Protection of Manipur People's Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as 'anti-Tribal', and a 'conspiracy' by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land," the tweet read. Malviya said that nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. "Why didn't Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then? He is no messiah of peace just a political opportunist who wants to keep the pot boiling. His visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for people but his own selfish political agenda. There is a reason no one trusts either him or the Congress," Malviya alleged. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Incharge North East, Ajoy Kumar today said that the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take a lesson from Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur. Rahul Gandhi arrived in Imphal today on a two-day visit during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur. Ajoy Kumar said that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party has always been raising the Manipur issue. Talking to the reporters here, the AICC In-charge said, "Rahul Gandhi and Congress party has always been raising the Manipur issue. Rahul Gandhi believes that the country needs to know about the plight of Manipur." He also said that law and order have failed in the state and the double-engine government has become the triple-problem government. "There is total law and order failure in the state right now. The double-engine government has become the triple problem government. Rahul Gandhi will be meeting the people of the state and I think the government should take a lesson from his visit," Ajoy Kumar said. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal had earlier tweeted giving details of Rahul Gandhi's visit. "Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and meet people displaced by the ethnic clashes and also interact with representatives of civil society in Imphal and Churachandpur during the visit" He tweeted that the Manipur had been "burning for nearly two months" and "desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace". This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate," said Venugopal. Congress leader and Working President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Kh Debabrata said that "Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Churachandpur, about 65 km from Imphal and will meet people staying in the relief camps and spend time with the affected families." Debabrata said that Rahul will also have lunch with the affected people and later in the afternoon, Rahul will visit Moirang and will interact with the affected families in the relief camps and Civil Society Organisations, women's groups, and other stakeholders, Debabrata.He will return to Imphal and stay overnight and next morning he will meet leaders and CSO leaders. "Ordinary people , both sides are tired, they are really tired and they want normalcy to return," the MPCC leader said. Ethnic clashes broke out in the State nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state. It has been making scathing attacks against the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the state of Manipur, over their handling of the violence. (ANI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appealed to Union Minister Amit Shah to ensure justice for the family of tailor Kanhaiyalal Teli, who was beheaded on June 28, 2022, for supporting sacked BJP leader Nupur Sharma, read an official statement. Union Home Minister Shah is scheduled to visit Udaipur on Friday and during this time he will also address a public meeting in the city. CM Gehlot on Wednesday said that this is an 'open and shut' case, in which there is clear evidence of the sequence of events. It is sad that even in such a case, the culprits are not punished for one year. "The state government has conducted fast trials in many rape and murder cases and got the accused hanged from the court within a month, but in this case, the culprits have not been punished yet," he said. The Chief Minister noted that after this heinous incident, the Rajasthan Police took prompt action and arrested both criminals within four hours and maintained normalcy in the law and order situation in the entire state. "The same night the Central Government's National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case as they might have got inputs about an international conspiracy behind the development. The Rajasthan Police had made preliminary inquiries about these criminals after their arrest," he said. He mentioned that Union Minister Shah should direct the NIA to ensure the punishment of the accused as early as possible. "The state government agencies have extended full cooperation to the NIA. NIA is the premier institution of the country. Home Minister Amit Shah should direct the NIA to punish the accused as soon as possible. In such a case, strict punishment within the ambit of the law will increase public confidence in justice," he said. Earlier, CM Gehlot met the victim's family on various occasions and expressed his condolences and consoled them. It was on Gehlot's initiative that both the sons of the late Kanhaiyalal were given government jobs by the state government. "The cabinet has decided to appoint Yash Teli and Tarun Teli--the sons of Kanhaiya Lal Teli who died in terrorist incident of Udaipur-- in the government service," the chief minister informed in a tweet. (Tweet roughly translated from Hindi). The brutal killing took place on June 28 (Tuesday) between 3 pm and 3.30 pm, and the information was received at National Investigation Agency (NIA) through an order issued by the MHA's Counter-Terrorism and Counter Radicalization Division (CTCR) on June 29. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Bihar's capital Patna on Thursday for a one-day visit to Lakhisarai. Amit Shah on Thursday morning left from Delhi airport for Patna. Shah will address a mega-rally at Lakhisarai in Munger Lok Sabha constituency which is the home turf of JDU President and Lok Sabha MP Lalan Singh. Speaking to ANI, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that Shah, after the rally will go to the residence of Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha where a meeting of the Lok Sabha Core Committee will be held. The minister further said that Amit Shah will go to Lakhisarai by Chopper from Patna. "He will offer Puja in historic Ashok Dham temple and meet with trustees of Mandir as part of the party's 'Sampark Se Samarthan' Abhiyan then the Home Minister will directly reach Gandhi Maidan rally venue where he will address a public meeting on the completion of nine years of the Modi government," Rai added. Rai further said that this is going to be a historic visit like his earlier visits to the state. "Every visit of Amit Shah to Bihar has been historic and successful... This time also the same thing is going to happen and Lakhs of people will join the rally to listen to Amit Bhai. BJP is not only preparing for Amit Shah's rally but also the people of Munger are busy preparing for the grand rally with equal enthusiasm. There is great enthusiasm among the people of Munger to make Narendra Modi ji the Prime Minister again in 2024," the minister said. Notably, this is Shah's fifth visit to the state in nine months since his party was ousted from power in the state in August 2022 after Nitish Kumar snapped ties with the BJP, bringing an end to the coalition government in the state. (ANI)
National Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the Centre before bringing the Uniform Civil Code should consider that the country is diverse. Farooq Abdullah also extended his greetings on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. He got emotional while explaining the significance of the day, which recognises Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice everything, including his son Ismail for Allah. Meanwhile, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir extended his wishes to the pilgrims embarking on the Amarnath Yatra, commencing on July 1. "They (Central Government) should consider that the country is diverse. People of all religions, languages, and ideologies live here, and as for Muslims, they have their Shariat laws too. The Government should think about any possible storm that would come if they take a step in this direction (implement UCC)" he said. "I send my best wishes to the (Amarnath) Yatra. It is starting tomorrow, may Allah bless them with success in taking blessings from here," he said. "I wish everyone on the occasion of Eid ul-Adha and pray to Allah to accept our sacrifices, forgive our sins, and free Jammu and Kashmir from the difficult times it is facing now," said the PDP chief. "Today is the day when we make sacrifices in the name of Allah. We hope Allah accepts our offerings and relieves us of some of our problems, thus allowing us to live peacefully," he added. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief, Mehbooba Mufti, also extended her greetings to everyone on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Eid Al-Adha or Bakra Eid, which is being observed on June 29 this year, is a holy occasion also called the 'festival of sacrifice' and is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic or lunar calendar. It marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Every year, the date changes as it's based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Western 365-day Gregorian calendar. The festival is an occasion of joy and peace, where people celebrate with their families, let go of past grudges and make meaningful connections with one another. It is celebrated as a commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice everything for God. Eid traditions and festivities vary around the world, and different countries have unique cultural approaches to this important festival. (ANI)
Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday praised Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur and said it's a good thing. The Congress leader is in Manipur for two days during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur. Raut also hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the Manipur violence and said that nothing happened with the visit of Home Minister Amit Shah to the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not even said a word about Manipur till now. Talking to the reporters, Raut said, "It's a good thing that Rahul Gandhi is going to Manipur. Union Home Minister went there but nothing happened. PM Modi has not said even a word about Manipur till now". He also alleged the involvement of China in the situation in Manipur and said, "The situation in Manipur is deteriorating as China is involved in it." Amit Shah went on a four-day visit to Manipur from May 29 to June 1 and took stock of the situation. He also reviewed the security situation with senior officials of the Manipur Police, Central Armed Police Forces and the Indian Army. Ethnic clashes broke out in the State nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs). Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state. Notably, the BJP is under fire from the Opposition and other quarters over the continuing violence in Manipur. The Congress has been making scathing attacks against the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the state of Manipur, over their handling of the violence. (ANI)
The newly-appointed Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo on Thursday said that the Congress government in the state will work together as a family for the welfare of the people. When asked about any differences in the party, he said, "World wars took place and large numbers of people lost their lives but the problem was eventually resolved with talk. If something comes to mind, then the solution available to human beings is to resolve it by having a mutual conversation. There is no such issue here (in the party) and even if it happens, we can discuss it and move ahead." He further said that he doesn't have specific responsibility as Deputy CM gets a protocol and designation while the responsibility remains the same as the minister along with departments. On being asked that opposition and political analysts consider the development as a damage control move to deal with differences within the party, Singh Deo said, "It is their (opposition's) analysis and they are free to do so. We are working together, we are doing it and will continue to do so." TS Singh Deo further said that he is grateful for being given the responsibility. "Our priority will be to work together for the development of the state. I will fulfil the responsibilities given to me. The biggest responsibility is to take everyone along. We will fight together and that is how Congress works." In response to a query about the pendency of a few poll promises that include a ban on liquor sales and related to housing facilities for the poor, Singh Deo said that it will be difficult to implement (a ban on liquor) while initiative regarding the housing is underway and works will start after obtaining a loan from the bank. "The work will start after the monsoon," he added. Speaking about the issues to be focussed during the coming elections, Singh Deo said that the priority will be to work extensively in (department he is having) health department, GST and the 20-points programme and complete the pending works. "Efforts are on to start four medical colleges and a new hospital in Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital Raipur. Moreover, several units of the health department in the districts have to be started. The biggest responsibility that I feel is reaching out to the people and sharing the achievements of the government and gaining their trust for the coming five years," he added. Notably, ahead of the big Lok Sabha election next year, five states -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram -- will go to the polls in 2023. (ANI)
The Naxals have killed two villagers in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, informed Sukma police on Thursday. According to the District Sukma Police, the Naxals killed two villagers named Madvi Ganga (Deputy Sarpanch of Tadmetla) and Kawasi Sukka (Shikshadoot) by holding 'Jan Adalat' (people's court) on June 28. "Deputy Sarpanch Madvi was making villagers & rural children aware of the benefits of public welfare schemes like the Aadhaar Card, Ration Card, Food Scheme, and Ayushman Card. Kawasi Sukka was teaching the children in sensitive areas like Tadmetla so that they could contribute to the development of society and the area", the police said. The police further said, "As naxals were losing their ground because people are getting aware and educated, they killed Sukka out of frustration." The officers informed that all the Naxals involved in this incident are being traced. "Further investigation will be carried out after conducting the postmortem", they added. The police further said that the villagers of Tadmetla and surrounding areas had gone to the Naxals demanding Deputy Sarpanch's release but failed. They added that the villagers returned safely. About two years ago, the Naxals called Madvi Ganga in a similar way and released him after a few days. "This time, thinking the situation as normal, the family members did not inform the police, thinking that Madvi Ganga would be released this time too which did not happen", the police added. A body of a Naxal was recovered following an encounter between Naxals and security forces under the Bhejji PS limit in Chhattisgarh earlier on Tuesday, officials said. "Body of a naxal recovered in a search operation after an exchange of fire between naxals and security forces under Bhejji PS limit," Kiran Chauhan, Sukhma SP said. (ANI)
Taking cognizance of the difficulties faced by the general public and foodgrains vehicles in reaching government ration shops due to narrow streets, CM Yogi Government has issued an order to shift these to accessible locations. The Government in its order has suggested setting up of shops on the basis of the module developed by Divisional Commissioner Bareilly to facilitate access to the fair price shops. The order is also in line with Section 24(2)(a) of the National Food Security Act, 2013, which says that the State Government will procure foodgrains at subsidized rates from Central Government's godowns through authorized agencies and deliver them to the doorstep of the fair price shops. Under the single-stage system of doorstep delivery of food grains, it is important for the vehicles carrying food grains to reach the fair-price shops easily. However, because of its location on narrow streets, both people and foodgrains vehicles find it difficult to reach fair-price shops. An order was issued earlier also in this regard which said that Gram Sabhas in rural areas and Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations in urban areas will build ration shops from their financial sources, MGNREGA etc. schemes. These constructions should be done on the basis of the availability of space near Panchayat buildings in rural areas and community buildings in urban areas as much as possible. Furthermore, the order says that the Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, have informed that the construction of foodgrains storage for the implementation of the National Food Security Act 2013, is permissible under MGNREGA. Therefore, the State Government can build foodgrain storage under MGNREGA and use them as fair-price shops. Such buildings will be constructed only on government land. In order to increase the viability of fair-price shops, the State Government has granted the permission to make payment of electricity bills, provide CSC services, and broadband service under PM Wani, as well as sale of items of daily need to the common man through fair-price shops. As per the order sent by Joint Secretary Sant Lal to all the Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates, due to the non-fixation of the standard of fair price shops to be constructed, their construction is not being ensured by the concerned authorities in the districts. In such a situation, the construction of fair price shops of the public distribution system can take place on the basis of the module developed by the Divisional Commissioner, Bareilly and the Divisional Food Controller, Bareilly Division. The concerned District Magistrate will take necessary decisions at its own level regarding the selection of the proposed design, layout and location of the shops. The total area of the fair price shop constructed as per the module will be approximately 484 sq ft. The fair price shop will be constructed in a large room, which will have separate spaces for the shop and CSC. There will also be a 24 ft x 04 ft verandah in front of the shop, which will serve as a waiting hall for fair-price vendors. The verandah includes notice boards at three places and space for micro plantation at one place. New fair-price shops will first be constructed in all the blocks of the state. After this, as per the instructions of the Government of India, 75 shops will be constructed in each district. (ANI)
Without opening his cards on the Uniform Civil Code, Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that the stand of the Sikh, Jain and Christian communities should also be cleared before talking about the implementation of UCC. Pawar said that the stand of the Sikh, Jain and Christian communities should be made clear. He said that the Sikh Community has a different stand on it perhaps. "The stand of Sikh, Jains and Christian communities should be cleared. I am worried about one thing, I heard that the Sikh community has a different stand. I am collecting more information but I have listened to that the Sikh community is not in favour of UCC. The stand of this community can not be ignored," he stated. "After getting complete information about Uniform Civil Code, our party's stand will be cleared," Pawar added. He said that this is an attempt to divert the mind of the people and that the central government should first introduce reservations for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies before talking about the implementation of UCC. "Central government has given this issue (Uniform Civil Code) to the Law Commission and the Commission has sought proposals from various organisations. As of now, the Commission has received 900 proposals. I have no idea what is mentioned in those proposals, they did not make it public. Law Commissions, like responsible institutions, should study and work on the proposal/suggestion given to them," said the NCP chief. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Wednesday said that the implementation of UCC will affect the civil rights of minorities and unrest and tension will start in the country. Cheema, while talking to ANI, said that the 21st Law Commission has already opined in its consultation report that UCC is neither desirable nor feasible. "SAD is of the firm view that implementation of UCC is not in the interests of the minorities in the country. The 21st Law Commission has already opined in its consultation report that UCC is neither desirable nor feasible. Implementation of UCC will affect the civil rights of minorities and unrest and tension will start in the country," Cheema said on Wednesday. The concept of UCC has been a topic of discussion for the past four years, and it has once again come into focus following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks ahead of the elections in Madhya Pradesh. On Tuesday, PM Modi, while batting for the UCC in Bhopal said that the country cannot run on two laws and that Uniform Civil Code was part of the Constitution. "Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," he said. Referring to the failure of succeeding governments to "secure" the UCC for its citizens despite the codification of the Hindu law in 1956, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court in 2019 had told the state to "endeavour" and bring the common code. The court had said that "despite the exhortations of this court in the case of Shah Bano in 1985, the government has done nothing to bring the Uniform Civil Code". PM's statement triggered a nationwide debate as several opposition leaders have accused PM Modi of raising the UCC issue for political gains ahead of the upcoming elections. (ANI)
Visuals from the spot showed police using tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday in Delhi and expressed his government's commitment to maintaining peace and restoring normalcy in the state.

Singh briefed the Home Minister on the situation in Manipur.

"He guided us to take all sections of society together and engage civil society and ethnic groups to maintain peace in the state. There is no loss of life since June 13. He also emphasised that peace should be maintained and there should be no loss of lives. We are trying our best to maintain peace and restore normalcy. We will make more efforts," Biren Singh had said.

The Centre also held an all-party meeting on the Manipur situation on Saturday.

The state has been seeing sporadic incidents of violence.

Amit Shah visited the state following ethnic violence and announced a series of measures for restoring peace. (ANI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met violence-affected people in Manipur's Churachandpur on the first day of his two-day visit to the state that has seen ethnic violence. Congress leaders, who earlier alleged that the authorities were preventing him from meeting victims, later said the administration did not permit him to come to Moirang. BJP leaders accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to derive political benefit from his visit to the state. Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra said Rahul Gandhi's visit to Moirang had been cancelled. "The administration did not permit him to come to Moirang - neither by road nor by air. He could meet the violence-affected people only in Churachandpur. He is returning to Imphal and will stay the night there. There is no clarity on if he will be able to continue with his visits scheduled for tomorrow," he said. Rahul Gandhi in a tweet earlier said Manipur needs healing and peace has to be the only priority. "I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," he said. He also visited a relief camp near the state capital. The Congress said that despite "attempts and hurdles by the government", Rahul Gandhi met victims of violence. "He assured them that he is always with them. He assured them that situation will return to normal, the fire of enmity will get doused, there will love among people," Congress said in a tweet. Rahul Gandhi, who landed in Imphal on Thursday, returned to the state capital after local police prevented his convoy from proceeding to Churachandpur. Police said it had been done for "security" reasons and the Congress leader could go by air. "Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is the possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, we're not allowed him," Bishnupur Superintendent of Police (SP) Heisnam Balram Singh told ANI. The Congress leader's convoy was stopped at a checkpost near Bishnupur, which is about 20 kilometres from Imphal. Police, party workers and locals staged a protest and later, police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Congress leaders accused the government of "stopping" Rahul Gandhi. "We don't know why the government stopped us. Rahul Gandhi's visit will strengthen the peace efforts... The condition is pathetic in all areas. We have to listen to them, Rahul Gandhi listens to everyone's stories. He has given the message that peace will come, that they should not worry and that everyone is with them," party leader KC Venugopal said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also questioned the government over police stopping Rahul Gandhi "He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself", Kharge said in a tweet. Former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh rejected criticism that Rahul Gandhi was trying to politicise the situation. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said that it is the duty of every patriot to make efforts for peace and brotherhood in the country. "It is the duty of every patriot to make efforts for peace and brotherhood in the country. Rahul Gandhi has gone to share the pain of the citizens of Manipur and spread the message of peace. The BJP government should also do the same. Why does the government want to stop Rahul Gandhi?" she asked in a tweet. Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed Rahul Gandhi for his visit. "Rahul and responsibility never travel together. Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur is irresponsible. It is with sadness that I have to say that his adamancy is not correct," Patra said. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said no one should try to derive political benefit from the situation. "Considering the situation in Manipur, the central & state government are responsible to bring the situation there under control...There is no need for any political leader to go there, they won't be bringing any resolution to the situation, if there's any positive output of their visit, then it is another thing otherwise there will be just a media episode...we should not get any political benefit out of the sad situation of a state," he said. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has decided to keep the dismissal order of the jailed DMK leader and state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being, sources said. "Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi keeps the dismissal order of Minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance. He will take the advice of the Attorney General on this matter," they said. Earlier, the Governor had dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said the state government would challenge the governor's decision legally. Speaking to reporters, Stalin said, "Governor doesn't have the right (to dismiss a sitting minister) and we will face this legally." In an official release, Raj Bhavan had said,"Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of corruption cases including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect." Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam. He was later admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pains. He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice. Earlier, The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy on Thursday said that by dismissing DMK leader Senthil Balaji from the State Council of Ministers, Governor RN Ravi has taken the right decision morally. Former Union minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari, too, slammed the dismissal of the jailed minister, tweeting, "Article 164 of COI" The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister... Since Ministers are appointed on the advice of the CM they can be removed ONLY on the advice of CM Unconstitutional Gov." (ANI)
Announcing the discharge of the President, the office also informed that the ailing head of state's health condition is 'normal'.

The 78-year-old President of Nepal underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker in his chest on June 20, three days after being rushed to the hospital following a slowdown in his heartbeat.

After staying at the government hospital for 11 days, the President returned to the Sheetal Niwas following his treatment, the office of the President announced.

Earlier on June 13, the septuagenarian President was admitted at the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center inside Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) after suffering from a 'heart attack'.

Upon admission, he underwent angioplasty. After the examination, the doctors concluded the President of having 'myocardial infarction' colloquially known as a 'heart attack'

Four days after returning from hospital, the President on June 17, was again taken to TUTH, which is less than one kilometre from the President's official residence, the 'Sheetal Niwas'.

The ailing president was previously taken to New Delhi on a Shree Airlines flight on April 19 for treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He returned back on April 30. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden in a verbal slip on Wednesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin "is clearly losing the war in Iraq," instead of saying Ukraine. Vladimir Putin "is clearly losing the war in Iraq. He's losing the war at home. And he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And it's not just NATO; it's not just the European Union. It's Japan. It's, it's, you know, it's 40 nations," Biden said during a press briefing. Recently, the US Department of Defence has announced an additional security assistance package, valued at up to USD 500 million, for Ukraine to meet its "critical security and defence needs." The security package includes crucial capabilities to aid Ukraine's counteroffensive operations in its ongoing conflict with Russia and to strengthen its air defences. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US has condemned all acts by Moscow and has shown firm support to Ukraine, and its people. A week back, Blinken also noted the US commitment to working with the private sector to enable Ukraine's modernization and revitalization. On Tuesday, at least four people, including a child, were killed and several others were injured when a Russian missile struck a bustling location in the middle of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, reported CNN citing local authorities. According to Pavlo Kyrylenko, chief of the military administration for the Donetsk area, the attacks occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday. "We are now working in the city to establish the number of wounded and possibly dead. This is the city centre. These were public eating places crowded with civilians," he said. (ANI)
The gunman who attacked the American Consulate building in Jeddah on Wednesday was killed in an exchange of fire, an official spokesman said.

A Nepali worker in the consulate's security guards also died after suffering a serious injury during the exchange of fire, the spokesman said.

Makkah Police said that security investigations are still underway to ascertain the circumstances of the incident.

"On Wednesday evening at 6:45 p.m., a person in a car stopped near the American Consulate building in Jeddah and got out carrying a firearm in his hand. Security authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required by the situation," the Makkah Police said in a statement, as per the Saudi Gazette. (ANI)
The September 11 terrorist attack in the US has declined the production of sports, surgical and leather goods manufacturing factories of export-oriented Sialkot city to 45 per cent, reported Dawn. The office bearers of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) told Dawn that in spite of peak autumn and winter seasons for leather jackets, no new orders were received from Europe and the United States. The citizens, in Germany and European countries, were directed not to travel to Sialkot which led to the cancellation of several orders. Many buyers had also returned from Karachi, as per Dawn. Dawn is a Pakistan-based English-daily. The traders said that the companies in Sialkot were required to operate around-the-clock to satisfy the demand of overseas customers because the sale of leather jackets increased in September in Europe and the USA. Instead, they said that leather manufacturers were only operating at 50 per cent of their capacity and that a widespread layoff of labourers and expert personnel was anticipated. In light of the looming prospect of war, they claimed that exports of leather clothing for the winter and spring seasons would also suffer significantly. Similar to other industries, there was a severe downturn in the surgical equipment sector because there were no export orders coming in from overseas customers. To address their customers' worries about war in Pakistan, exporters have agreed to meet their foreign clients, as per Dawn. They claimed that the suspension of international flights had a negative impact on Sialkot's exports. Additionally, the exporters had been heavily impacted by the USD 100 per container levy that shipping companies demand as a war risk premium. They said that it was strange that India had been excluded despite being in the conflict area and that the war risk premium only applied to Pakistan and Iran. Exporters also appealed to the EPB to take up the matter with the government so that the war risk levy either be withdrawn or reduced to a reasonable level, Dawn reported. (ANI)
Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) raised concerns and miseries of religious minorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at a symposium organised here. Interfaith International organised a symposium on Freedom of Religion, Human Rights and Politics on Wednesday. At the outset of the symposium, Kashmiri expressed his gratitude towards Dr Charles Grave, Secretary General of Interfaith International, for providing space to highlight the plight of suffering minorities. "Some governments are not ready to give space for religious minorities. Every government has their own agenda but only the democratic countries recognised our basic rights but all those countries where there is no democracy are not ready to give us a taste to human rights," he said. The rights activist further noted the floating problems of the PoK. "And we are the unfortunate as we are divided forcefully and now our area which is under Pakistani occupation used as a launching pad for the terrorist activities and nobody is ready to open their eyes to see what happened," he added. Kashmiri recalled a recent incident where 22 children hardly 17-18 years old were kidnapped following which their parents protested but were threatened and asked to not say anything regarding these missing children. He said, "It is one of the prescribed organisations who kidnap them and now they are in that prescribed organisation for study. And the government of Pakistan is saying then it has dismantled all the terroristic infrastructure and all the organisations out there, but it is an open secret that still the terrorist activities are going on in our areas and the people are protesting." Kashmiri then spoke about the oppression of Muslim minorities who live in China. "It is a very sad story regarding the Muslims who lived in China, their miseries, their freedom of expression, their freedom of religion is totally compromised," he said. In China, Muslims have no right to practice their religious beliefs and become a victim of personal liking and disliking of the systems as they are not pro-people they are not pro-democracy and they do not believe in religious harmony," exiled chairman of UKPNP concluded. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, called the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting with Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo "productive and comprehensive". Jaishankar and visiting Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo co-chaired the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) here in the national capital. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Just concluded a productive and comprehensive meeting of the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation with @SecManalo. Our talks covered enhancing contacts and broadening cooperation as we head towards the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties". He said that the agenda of the discussion covered issues related to defence, maritime security, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes. "Our agenda today covered defence, maritime security, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes. As also our growing economic ties, including in trade and investments; development cooperation; health and pharma; tourism; air services; agriculture; fintech; S&T and space cooperation," he said. Jaishankar said that during the meeting, the strong collaboration between the two nations in ASEAN and in multilateral forums was also recognised. "Noted the importance of greater people-to-people ties, specifically in tourism and education sectors. Recognized our strong collaboration in ASEAN and in multilateral forums. As Indo-Pacific countries, underlined our strong convergence on key issues," he further said. https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1674368762923962368?s=20 The visiting Philippines Foreign Secretary announced that his country has ratified the updated Air Services Agreement with India. During the delegation-level talks, the External Affairs Minister highlighted the necessity to stabilize the Indo-Pacific and the importance of the rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism. "The importance of our defence cooperation, the need to stabilize the Indo-Pacific, the importance of respecting rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism and the fact that we are both democratic Asian republics. I think all these messages really resonate very strongly with us from our perspective," said Jaishankar. He added, "I would also like to express my appreciation for your participation in the Voice of Global South Summit. And I truly believe today that we are two countries who share so much, who look at global developments and continental developments with so much convergence and who have so many economic complementarities that our commission will surely be very productive". Meanwhile, Manalo in his address thanked Jaishankar and the Government of India for the warm hospitality and welcome accorded to him and his delegation. The Philippines Foreign Secretary also noted the various areas of cooperation with India. "We attach great importance to our relationship with India. Since the first JCBC, a number of key areas of cooperation have already been discussed and in fact, action is taken, and we hope that we can extend it further to our discussions today. India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, including space cooperation. Areas cooperation and trade and investment, defence, health, medicine, agriculture, tourism, financial, technology, just to name some," he said. Manalo also said that India was ranked as the Philippines' 15th trading partner and that the two countries are working further to cement these ties. "With the expected growth in economies of both countries, we are committed to even extending this, increasing this by creating an environment which will foster greater business partnerships and relationships in a way that mutually benefits both our countries," the Philippines Foreign Secretary said. "And finally, I'd like to note that we have also progressed since we both opened Consulates General in each other's countries not long after our gaining independence. And my delegation here with me today is even more optimistic in the future of our cooperation relationship," he said. Jaishankar and Manalo had last met in Cambodia on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, in November last year. India and the Philippines will this year celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. (ANI)
Photo: Pixabay

Digging through my files today, I came across an old invitation to a joint application design (JAD) session.

Many loops back on my very wiggly career path, I worked for a software design company. They often held JAD sessions with the stakeholders of their clients.

A JAD session is a useful tool that allows everyone involved a say in how a process (or a piece of software) is designed, so it meets everyones needs. It got me thinking about how we could use JAD sessions for volunteer programs.

Currently, most volunteer programs are developed in an ad hoc fashion. Someone sees a need and throws together a program to fill it. Then someone else sees a different need, and tacks their solution onto the current program. Then someone else sees another need and so on  you get where Im going with this. The end result is a hodgepodge of pieces that kinda sorta work together. It isnt integrated, and its usually inefficient and time-consuming.

Programs that use up time and resources limit your missions impact.

What would it look like if, instead, everyone affected got together in a single room (virtual or otherwise) to develop a comprehensive list of needs, and brainstormed ideas that will meet them? All the needs in one integrated, smoothly functioning program. In other words, a JAD session for volunteer programs.

How does it work?

Start with identifying who your stakeholders arevolunteers, of course, and the leader of volunteers as well as any staff members who supervise, train or are otherwise responsible for tasks and outcomes from the volunteers. There are executive directors or board members who are responsible for providing funding and other resources and clients or community members who are impacted by the program. Anyone else?

Once you have the list of stakeholders, pick a roughly equal number of representatives from each group. The total should be about eight to 12 people to ensure you get a wide range of ideas and perspectives. If you have more than that, it can become too difficult to manage and will break up into side conversations.

Select at least one person from each stakeholder group who is comfortable speaking up in discussions, otherwise certain points of view might not get heard. It's not necessary to have an agenda, but it is vital to have a specific goal for the meeting.

JADs are designed to be loose and collaborative, so a strict meeting agenda can be counter-productive. Knowing what you need to accomplish during the session, though, is imperative.

If your goal is fairly small (ie: improve the recruitment process), the entire thing can be done in a single meeting. If, on the other hand, its large, like rebuilding the entire volunteer program, it is better to break it into a few different sessions, and work on one aspect at a time, with a final meeting to tie it all together.

Set specific rules of engagement

One could be that people must leave the hierarchy at the door. If a senior management person comes in and rides on their authority, it will be hard for others to speak up and the result will suffer. Other rules could be that everyone must be engaged, everyone must listen and respect other viewpoints and phones must be turned off ,or at least ignored.

Allow disagreements, but keep them objective and fact-based

When people have needs, emotions can run high. Respectful disagreements allow groups to objectively evaluate ideas. Determine what parts of an idea are strong and what parts need to be worked on. If things turn personal, though, ideas get forgotten as people take sides or become defensive. If you keep to observable facts, the ideas  and solutions  remain the focus.

Still cant picture how JAD sessions for volunteer programs would work? Heres a simple example.

A volunteer mentions hes finding the tasks he does boring and wishes he could learn skills he could add to his resume. Is it possible to allow volunteers to take training?

A board member says the organization only have a set amount of funding for training, and she feels it would be better spent on staff members.

The volunteer coordinator asks if its possible to raise more money and a staff member says hes already swamped and just doesnt have time for more fundraising.

The volunteer suggests they train him to do grant-writing and he can raise the funds not only for his own training but for the organization as a whole.

This scenario shows how easy it can be to solve challenging problems when everyone comes together.

Separately, the volunteer might ask for training and be turned down. Hed become frustrated and might quit, without understanding the reasons behind why he was denied. The staff member might be asked to raise more money but, already overworked, he simply wouldnt have the ability to make it happen. Everyone would be doing their best, but with limited perspectives, the problem would continue.

Thats the power of a JAD session. When discussions happen in real time, and with input from everyone, good solutions become much easier and faster.

Imagine the process applied to your entire volunteer program. Try it.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Kharge took to Twitter to state that during the meeting with Ackerman the two discussed ways to deepen the relationship between India and Germany. Sharing photos of the meeting with Ackermann, Kharge said that the two "deliberated upon the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries founded upon common democratic principles and marked by a high degree of trust and mutual respect".

"India was amongst the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the Federal Republic of Germany. Today, Germany is amongst India's most valued partners, both bilaterally and in the global context," Kharge tweeted.

Germany is India's largest trade partner in the European Union and has also been one of India's largest sources of foreign direct investment.

Earlier, the outgoing Australian envoy met Kharge at the latter's residence.

"India and Australia have several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer cooperation and multifaceted interaction. Our strategic partnership has grown in strength and in importance. Australia's High Commissioner to India, The Hon. Barry O'Farrell met me, as we discussed ways to deepen the relationship between the two countries, Kharge posted on twitter.

https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1674312322775408640

Australia has announced Philip Green as the country's next High Commissioner to India. (ANI)
The second edition of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting between India and Tanzania was held in Arusha on June 28 and 29 where the two sides discussed enhancing security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad, included senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces. The High Commissioner of India to Tanzania Binay S Pradhan also attended the meeting. During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities for collaboration with a view to enhancing security in the Indian Ocean Region. The Indian delegation highlighted the growing prowess of Indian Defence manufacturing to export to friendly countries. A five-year roadmap for defence cooperation was also agreed to between the two sides, which covers initiatives ranging from customised training and capacity building to maritime cooperation, infrastructure building and collaboration in defence equipment and technology. Representatives from Defence PSUs also accompanied the Indian delegation. They held extensive meetings with the stakeholders from the Tanzanian Forces on the sidelines of the JDCC meeting. India shares close, warm and friendly relations with Tanzania which is bolstered by robust capacity building and avenues for development partnership. The visit of the Indian delegation for the JDCC meeting is expected to further strengthen defence relations with Tanzania. (ANI)
Pakistan government is mulling raising the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) on petrol and diesel from Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 50 to PKR 55 per litre with effect from July 1, 2023, Pakistan-based The News International reported. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ministry of Finance has informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that the petroleum development levy was worked at PKR 60 per litre for accomplishing its target of PKR 879 billion in the next fiscal year, against the revised target of PKR 542 billion for the outgoing financial year 2022-23 which is due to end on June 30, The News International reported. The Pakistan government's consideration of increasing the PDL on petrol and diesel raises questions on whether the government has received the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) for the fresh bailout package under the Standby Arrangement (SBA) programme for the next six to nine months. The staff-level agreement could not be signed without a broader agreement on MEFP. Pakistani authorities have said that the two sides exchanged draft MEFP several times. However, it was not yet clear whether it was regarding the ninth review of the expiring Extended Fund Facility or the fresh SBA programme, according to The News International report. Through the Finance Act 2023-24, Pakistan's government sought powers for amendment of the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance, 1961 (XXV of 1961) in the Fifth Schedule, in column (1). Earlier, the Pakistan government needed the parliament's consent to fix the maximum limit of petroleum level, The News International reported. The development comes amid the Pakistan government's hope of clinching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement on a fresh Standby Arrangement (SBA) for six to nine months. On Tuesday, Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF) held consultations to take a final decision on two options. With diminishing chances for achieving the ninth review under the USD 6.5 billion EFF program scheduled to end on Friday, Pakistan and the IMF will have to enter a fresh bailout package under the SBA programme of USD 2.5 billion for the next six to nine months. Earlier on Tuesday, Shahbaz Sharif spoke to the IMF chief over the phone after meeting her thrice from Thursday to Saturday. During the telephonic conversation, the IMF chief acknowledged Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his team's efforts for attempting to revive the loan after policy matters were discussed in Paris, The News International reported. Furthermore, the Pakistan PM's Office released a statement that the IMF chief and Shehbaz Sharif discussed matters related to the stalled bailout programme, the report said. Pakistan's PM expressed hope that coordination on the points of the bailout programme would result in the IMF's decision in a day or two. (ANI)
Refuting the allegations of Taliban authorities, the UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan, Markus Potzel said that the issue of human rights in the country is not about interference in its domestic affairs, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported. Afghanistan is reeling under the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with over 28 million people relying on aid for survival. "Human rights is not an issue of interference (in) domestic affairs...there's a human rights declaration dating back to 1948 which Afghanistan also is a party to. So it's internationally recognized and accepted rules and regulations, principles and values and as I said if you want to become a member of this club, then you have to play by the rules, it's as simple as that," Tolo News quoted Potzel from an interview to the platform. He said that they will repeatedly bring up the demands till the rights of women are not "respected". "As long as these rights are not respected and guaranteed, we will repeatedly bring these demands up, but of course, the Taliban have their demands as well towards the international community, that is why we have to talk to each other. That is what we are doing here on the ground and to bring -- instead of widening the gap, we have to narrow the gap but it takes two to tango," Potzel said. The issue of human rights is one of the main conditions of the international community for recognition of the Islamic Emirate. Notably, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also expressed concerns about the violation of human rights and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan in its May report. The report mentioned that the Taliban authorities silence the voices of their opponent through arbitrary detentions, death threats and harassment, reported Khaama Press. Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on Afghanistan's de facto authorities to release unconditionally Matiullah Wesa, an Afghan educationalist and the founder of 'Pen Path', a supporter of girl's education, reported Khaama Press. The education rights activist was arrested on March 27 by the Taliban Intelligence Unit when he was on his way back home from the mosque located in Khushhaal Khan, the fifth provincial district in Kabul city, according to Khaama Press. The UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Irene Khan, at the 53rd regular session of the Human Rights Council, said that women's public presence has been totally erased by the 'Taliban', Tolo News reported. Previously, the UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan Richard Bennett, said that between September 2021 and May 2023, more than 50 edicts were issued regarding women and girls by the Islamic Emirate, which has "deprived Afghan women of the right to education, work, and participation in social and political life", Tolo News reported. According to the UN, fifty anti-women decrees have been implemented since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. Taliban has restricted media freedoms and banned women from public places like parks and gyms. The actions have sparked a harsh international backlash, further isolating the country at a time when its economy is in free fall and escalating a humanitarian crisis. Notably, ever since the takeover, Taliban leadership has consistently issued severe decrees restricting Afghan women and girls' access to education and employment. Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021 after the US exit from the country, women are not allowed to work in the fields of education with domestic and international organisations, in gyms, or in public spaces. (ANI)
Women who became unemployed after the Taliban's decree banning women from working in non-governmental organizations (NGO) have called on the Taliban to remove the restrictions at the earliest, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported. These women stressed that providing work opportunities for women is the responsibility of the Taliban. Mashhoda, who worked to support her family financially, said that knowledge and work are the basic right of every person. Mashhoda said, "Most of the family's breadwinners are women in Afghanistan because they don't have brothers and fathers. Instead of depriving women of the right to work, the government should provide them with the opportunity to work," according to Tolo News report. Sema, an employee of an organization, urged the Taliban to "cancel the ban on work for girls and women for Eid" and allow the women and girls to participate in the development of Afghanistan as members of society. Meanwhile, the Taliban has said that work is being conducted to allow women to return to work if there is on Sharia problem. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Work is underway in this regard. In the section that does not have any Sharia problem, God willing, the situation will be favourable," according to Tolo News report. Earlier, Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan, said that the Taliban in the past 21 months has issued more than 50 orders against Afghan women and girls. Bennett made the remarks at the 50th meeting of the Human Rights Council. More than six months back, Taliban barred women from working in non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan. Earlier this month, UNICEF expressed concerns that if international non-governmental organisations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate in Afghanistan, it will affect highly affect the education of the children in the war-torn nation, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported. Reiterating once again that every child has the right to learn, UNICEF in a statement that Afghanistan could lose out on quality learning through community-based education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to work. "As the lead agency for the education cluster in Afghanistan, UNICEF is deeply concerned about reports that over 500,000 children, including over 300,000 girls, could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate and if handovers to national NGOs are done without comprehensive assessment and capacity building," the UNICEF said. Fazal Saberi, the head of an NGO, expressed fear that if these NGOs stopped operating, Afghan children's access to education would be permanently gone." Suraya Paikan, a women's rights activist, said, "Such suspension of (NGOs) operations will damage the education of Afghanistan and the Afghan children will be vulnerable." Afghanistan, under the Taliban, is facing its worst humanitarian crisis and the women of the country are denied fundamental rights. According to a World Food Programme assessment, Afghanistan is one of the nations with extreme food insecurity, with nine million people affected by severe economic difficulties and hunger. (ANI)
The World Bank has approved USD 700 million for two operations to help Sri Lanka implement foundational reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and sustainability and support an inclusive, private-sector-led recovery and growth path. "The World Bank Board of Directors also approved USD 700 million in financing for two operations to help Sri Lanka implement foundational reforms that restore macroeconomic stability and sustainability, mitigate the impact of current and future shocks on the poor and vulnerable, and support an inclusive and private-sector-led recovery and growth path," World Bank announced in a press release. About USD 500 million will be allocated to support reforms that help improve economic governance, enhance growth and competitiveness, and protect the poor and vulnerable. Furthermore, USD 200 million has been approved to support Sri Lanka in providing better-targeted income and livelihood opportunities to the poor and vulnerable and improving the responsiveness of the social protection system. "The Sri Lanka Resilience, Stability and Economic Turnaround (RESET) Development Policy Operation (USD 500 million) will support reforms that help improve economic governance, enhance growth and competitiveness, and protect the poor and vulnerable. It will provide budget support in two equal tranches against agreed prior actions," World Bank announced in a press release. It further said, "The Social Protection Project (USD 200 million) seeks to support Sri Lanka in providing better-targeted income and livelihood opportunities to the poor and vulnerable and improving the responsiveness of the social protection system." On Wednesday, the World Bank Group's Board of Executive Directors discussed the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Sri Lanka, which aims to help restore economic and financial sector stability and build a strong foundation for a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery. The Country Partnership Framework comes at a time when Sri Lanka is facing an economic crisis that is affecting people's lives and livelihoods. According to World Bank's press release, Sri Lanka's poverty rate is estimated to have doubled from 13.1 to 25 per cent between 2021 and 2022. "The extent of the crisis in Sri Lanka is unprecedented, but offers a historic opportunity for deep reforms to reset the country's economic storyline," said Faris H Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka. He further said, "The CPF supports this shift. Through a phased approach, the World Bank Group strategy focuses on early economic stabilization, structural reforms, and protection of the poor and vulnerable. If sustained, these reforms can put the country back on the path towards a green, resilient and inclusive development." Earlier in March, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 48-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 per cent of quota or about USD 3 billion) for Sri Lanka. (ANI)
1 arrested as Sacramento home search turns up illegal fireworks, drugs and guns, police say

A suspect was arrested this week in Sacramento for allegedly selling illegal fireworks out of his vehicle, authorities said, after a search that also uncovered unregistered guns, drugs and tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

Officers with the Sacramento Police Departments explosive disposal team served a residential search warrant to a suspect allegedly selling the illegal fireworks, the department announced in a social media post Wednesday.

During the investigation, police said they located more than 100 pounds of illegal fireworks, two unregistered firearms, $34,000 in cash and narcotics.

The suspect was arrested on related charges, law enforcement officials said.

Police said the arrest was part of a partnership with the Sacramento Fire Department to address illegal fireworks.

As Independence Day approaches, authorities said community members can report the illicit use, sale and distribution of illegal fireworks by using the Fire Departments community app or by calling the department at 916-808-3473.
The 1 Thing Divorce Lawyers (Almost) Never Do In Their Marriages

Given their profession, divorce attorneys have a unique point of view when it comes to marriage. (Though its not as cynical as you might think.)

Theyve seen the good, the bad and the ugly of relationships, and learned what to steer clear of in their own marriages.

Below, they share the bad habits they personally try to avoid with their spouses.

They dont check their partners phone.

New York divorce attorney Marilyn Chinitz, a partner at the firm Blank Rome, said she would never go through her husbands emails or text messages  or his pockets.

If you find yourself in a position where you want to do that, it already tells you theres a problem in the marriage, she told HuffPost. If I was suspicious enough to start snooping around, thats a big issue.

Plus, checking your partners phone without permission just establishes (or perpetuates) a pattern of secretive behavior in the relationship.

If you want a lasting marriage, you need to have trust, Chinitz said. Your partner should also always be earning that trust. If they arent, well, thats a red flag.

They dont make jokes or empty threats about divorce.

Atlanta divorce lawyerRandy Kessler said clients often threaten to end their relationship thinking that will make their spouse change their behavior.

Unfortunately it usually has the opposite effect of making the spouse start to prepare for a divorce and plan for it, making it more likely, he told HuffPost. So I try very hard to be sure to not even joke about getting a divorce. Especially considering my day job as a divorce lawyer.

They dont blame their partner.

The relationship conflict is almost never one persons fault, said North Carolina divorce attorney Nicole Sodoma.

In a healthy dynamic, both partners can recognize their mistakes and each take accountability for their part, rather than wasting time pointing fingers at each other.

If I was suspicious enough to start snooping around, thats a big issue.Marilyn Chinitz, divorce attorney

Unless there is actual evidence  outside of your emotional damage  the blame game is almost always going to create additional conflict, Sodoma, author of Please Dont Say Youre Sorry, told HuffPost. The more conflict there is, the less likely you are able to compromise and find resolution.

They dont hide their finances.

Many of Kesslers clients feel like they dont have a clear picture of their marital finances. If someone is being cagey or withholding when it comes to money, it doesnt bode well for the future of the relationship.

If its a true partnership, why not be aboveboard about finances? he said. Whether there is a prenup or not, Im a believer in spouses knowing their full family financial situation. Not to share that information is tantamount to saying, I dont trust you.

They dont argue over text or email.

Digital communication can easily be misconstrued, especially in tone, and is ill-advised for any substantive message, said New York divorce lawyer Dana Stutman, partner at Alter Wolff Foley & Stutman.

Youre better off having more serious conversations in person, when you can convey your message through facial expressions, body language and tone of voice in addition to your words.

Plus, when things are heated, it is all too easy to type things that you would likely not say to someone in person, Stutman told HuffPost. Just dont hit the send button  an obvious rule, but harder to live by when youre angry or upset.

They dont say things they cant take back.

As Kessler said, Its very hard to unring the bell. So he tries to steer clear of name-calling and cursing in his marriage.

Even if its totally warranted, calling your spouse an a-hole or similar will resonate and they will remember that above any other part of your conversation, he told HuffPost.

Chinitz offered a similar observation: Once it comes out of your mouth, its never forgotten.

Thats why its important for couples to learn how to resolve conflict in a healthy way.

This means avoiding below-the-belt insults, or going after insecurities or their family, for example, Chinitz said. Arguments should come from a solution-oriented place.

She tries to infuse her words with humor when she can, as it often takes the sting out of an argument.

If I can make my husband laugh during the most heated argument, it helps us come back down to earth and have a conversation that ultimately yields a solution, Chinitz said.

They dont stop their partner from pursuing their own hobbies and friendships.

Chinitz said she wouldnt tell her husband that he couldnt do something or go somewhere that piques his interest. She doesnt restrict her husbands freedom, because she knows its important to the health of a partnership to maintain independence.

You should not be threatened by your spouse having friends, traveling or having interests that you do not share, she said. Independence enhances a marriage.

For Chinitz, that means traveling to Europe for weeks with her kids and going on bike rides with her friends.

When I come back, my husband and I are excited to see each other, she said.

We discuss it all  the people I met, the things I saw  and it brings a dialogue to our relationship. After 38 years together, that dialogue is very important.

Related...
These are the 10 most dangerous SC cities, FBI statistics show. Do you live in one?

Orangeburg is South Carolinas most dangerous city for 2023, according to an analysis by Southwest Journal, based on FBI statistics.

West Columbia was ranked 10th.

Author Michael Rivera said he has spent some time in South Carolina and sees an underbelly beyond nature preserves, beach vacations and NASCAR racing.

I can tell you that its not all sweet tea and Southern hospitality. Theres a darker side to the Palmetto State thats worth discussing, he wrote.

He said the reasons are many, but drug use plays a role.

The dangers in these areas are serious and life-threatening, he wrote.

Orangeburg ranked first in violent crimes per 100,000 with 1,731 crimes among its 12,500 residents. Property crimes were 6,560, the fourth most dangerous in the state.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler could not be reached immediately for comment.

According to recent news reports from various outlets, Orangeburg experienced a crime spree in which three men were arrested after a carjacking, a mother was arrested for sex trafficking her daughter and a 15-year old was shot and killed on Easter morning.

Rivera detailed the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre as the most horrific crime.

Highway patrolmen fired on about 200 unarmed civil rights protesters at South Carolina State University, killing three and wounding 28.

The History Channel called it one of the most violent episodes of the civil rights movement, yet it remains one of the least recognized.

West Columbia was listed as having 777 violent crimes and 8,014 property crimes among 18,143 residents.

Violence doesnt reach scary levels, but property crime represents a major problem, Rivera wrote. West Columbia suffers the number 2 highest level of property crime in South Carolina.

Six of the 10 cities on Southwest Journals list were in the Pee Dee  Darlington (2), Florence (3), Myrtle Beach (5), Georgetown, (7), Hartsville (8), and Marion (9).

Of Myrtle Beach, Rivera wrote, While the city has seen a decline in violent crime, its the property crime rates that are a cause for concern. In 2020, residents had a 1 in 11 chance of being a victim of theft or damage, making Myrtle Beach the city with the highest overall crime rate in South Carolina, a staggering 365% above the national average.

Spartanburg (4) and Greenwood (6) round out the Top 10. Rivera noted Greenwood suffers an average of a violent crime a day, most notably rape.
10-Year-Old Prodigy Makes History As Youngest Student Attending SNHU: I Love To Learn | Jose Luis Pelaez Inc

At 10 years old, most of us couldnt fathom life past elementary school, but for David Balogun, hes light-years past that.

The child prodigy initially garnered attention for earning his high school diploma just a year ago at 9 years old, wowing those around him with his big aspirations to become an astrophysicist.

This is amazing! 9-yo David Balogun recently became one of the youngest people to graduate HS in Pennsylvania. David is a true prodigy who Im certain will leave a LASTING mark on this world through his quest for knowledge and dreams for the future!  pic.twitter.com/YKiOx0FhKq  Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) April 5, 2023

From attending elementary school at the beginning of the pandemic to finishing high school just three years later with a 4.0 GPA, David was reportedly one of the youngest people to graduate from high school, per The Guardian. From there began the complicated search for his next endeavor: college.

Whats happened in the year since we checked in? Well, the Pennsylvania native is taking a full courseload online at Southern New Hampshire University, where, according to the school, he is the youngest enrollee the school has encountered.

I love to learn, David told the university. If a person is saying that my parents are pushing me too hard, I would type in two words if I had to respond to them, Meet me.'

David Balogun, a 9-year-old, has already completed high school and enrolled in college.  https://t.co/tkuh2gKWbg  BlavityU (@BlavityU) June 15, 2023

The 10-year-old received a full ride to pursue both his bachelors and masters degrees in computer science and IT.

We are thrilled to welcome David to the diverse SNHU community, the university president said in a statement. David is an amazing young man filled with so much personality. We are dedicated to ensuring that he receives an education that aligns with his remarkable abilities and empowers him to reach his full potential.

The college search ended up being tricky due to what parents Ronya Balogun and Henry Balogun described as the dichotomy of being that young and that smart, per Insider. As a child that is many years younger than his teenage and adult peers, online courses at SNHU ended up being the perfect solution.

David is learning based on his capabilities. Its his civil right, Ronya said, according to the school. Not based on his age or not based on what the education system tells him, and Im grateful that SNHU took this step to take a risk on my son.

That risk is already paying off, an SNHU spokesperson told Insider, as David is set to complete his undergraduate degree by 2025.

Unlike the black holes David hopes to study in his dream career as an astrophysicist, his future certainly is bright.
Photo: Rob Kruyt, BIV. The B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver

A range of claimants that include residents and businesses residing in the Village of Lytton filed suit late last week against a host of organizations in response to a devastating wildfire that burned more than 90 per cent of the small B.C. community and killed two people in 2021.



More than 100 individuals and businesses filed a lawsuit naming two rail companies as well various other firms and government agencies, including both the federal and B.C. attorneys general, Transport Canada and the Ministry of Forests.



The Village of Lytton also filed a lawsuit the same day (June 23) as its residents, taking aim at the Municipal Insurance Agency of British Columbia. This comes after the village and the surrounding district filed suit against CP Railway Ltd. and CN Railway (TSX:CNR) on June 16.



Both lawsuits against the rail companies claim the defendants were responsible for allowing a train to pass through the village during record-high temperatures in June 2021. The suit filed by businesses and individuals alleges the wildfire in question was caused by either the heat, sparks and diesel exhaust particulate or some combination thereof generated by the train.



These lawsuits are seeking damages for not only the loss of property, but the loss of business and rental income as well as insurance deductibles, reconstruction costs and the cost of alternative accommodations.



Both the rail companies and the various government agencies are being sued for negligence and breaching their duty of care. The suit filed by the municipality against the Municipal Insurance Agency of British Columbia claims that while the agency has paid for some of the debris removal and some of the content destroyed in the municipalitys museum, it has not fulfilled its obligations. The village of Lytton claims that under its policy, the insurer is responsible to cover the outstanding debris removal work, the loss of rental or lease income, and extra expenses incurred in carrying out its operations at alternative locations.



The allegations have not been proven in court and the defendants have not filed a response as of press time.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks during a meeting with farmers, meat processors and business owners, Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Smaller meat and poultry operators in 17 states will receive $115 million in grants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Smaller meat and poultry operators in 17 states will receive $115 million in grants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday, as the agency continues efforts to shift a decadeslong trend on consolidation in food production.

The USDA grants are the latest in a series of awards President Joe Biden's administration has made that are intended to increase meat and poultry processing, benefiting farmers and providing more job opportunities in largely rural areas.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grants at an event in Des Moines with farmers, meat processors and business owners who have benefited from the USDA's emphasis on helping small farmers find new markets and adding smaller processors to a meat industry now dominated by a handful of giant companies.

Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, noted that 7.5% of farms now receive 89% of all farming income. While Vilsack said those big operations are important, it is vital for small farmers to receive a greater share of the income in order to reverse population and wealth declines in rural communities.

Changing consolidation trends will take time, Vilsack acknowledged, but he said without that change the U.S. would see fewer farm families, fewer customers for small town businesses and fewer kids in rural schools.

The worst thing of all is, parents and grandparents at the coffee table having to hear their children and grandchildren explaining why they are leaving, Vilsack said.

The funding announced Thursday includes 10 awards to recipients in 12 states totaling $77 million through a program that finances the startup or expansion of meat and poultry processing plants. The awards include $15 million to Mountain West Economic Development in Montana to expand slaughterhouse operations in the state's Flathead Valley, and $800,000 to the Farmers Union Foundation for smaller processors in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The USDA made five awards totaling $38 million through a slaughterhouse expansion program that will help independent producers in five states.

Projects receiving funding are in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
More than 400 arrested as third night of violent protest sweeps France after 17-year-old shot dead by police

More than 400 people were arrested across France on Thursday as a wave of protests swept the country for a third night following the fatal police shooting of a teenage boy that was captured on video.

Frances elite police force, the RAID, were deployed to the cities of Bordeaux, Lyon, Roubaix, Marseille and Lille, to help contain the protests.

Confrontations flared up between protesters and police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre  where the 17-year-old named Nahel was killed days before  and in the southern port city of Marseille.

Amid burning debris, vengeance pour Nael appeared to be spray painted on a wall in Nanterre, which translates to revenge for Nael in reference to the slain teenager and using an alternative spelling of his name, according to footage from the suburb.

A bank was set on fire in Nanterre, according to photographs from the scene, and 15 people have been taken in for questioning by police after a march held in memory of the teenager turned violent.

Protesters threw fireworks at police officers in Marseille, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV, while footage from the northern city of Lille showed fires burning on streets and running riot police officers. Six people were taken in for questioning after participating in a protest banned by authorities in Lille, the regional authority said in a Facebook post.

At least 421 people were arrested in the protests across France from Thursday night into Friday morning, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told BFMTV.

More than half of those arrests took place in the Paris region, in the departments of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne, BFMTV reported, citing Paris police.

Earlier, Darmanin said police were instructed to intervene systematically and expressed support for the police officers and firefighters who are doing a courageous job.

President Emmanuel Macron will hold a crisis meeting Friday for the second day in a row following Thursday nights violence, BFMTV reported.

Authorities had hoped to avoid a repeat of the scenes that played out Wednesday night, when police stations, town halls and schools were set alight in various cities and about 150 people were arrested. The Interior Ministry earlier said it planned on deploying 40,000 police officers across the country Thursday  including 5,000 in Paris  to quell any potential unrest.

The unrest broke out Tuesday, hours after a police traffic stop in Nanterre resulted in the killing of Nahel. Over the course of a chaotic night, 40 cars were burned and 24 police officers injured, French authorities claimed. The police officer was put under formal investigation for voluntary homicide and placed in preliminary detention, BFMTV reported Thursday.

On Thursday, an estimated 6,000 people, according to BFMTV, joined a march to honor Nahel led by his mother in Nanterre.

Many wore shirts emblazoned with justice for Nahel, while others shouted the slogan. Some were seen holding signs saying the police kill. A lawyer for the family on Thursday confirmed the spelling of the boys name as Nahel; he was initially identified as Nael.

Buses and tramways in Lille shut down after 8 p.m. local time, according to BFMTV, and a couple of Parisian suburbs have installed curfews.

The mother of 17-year-old Nahel, seen at left on a truck, gestures during a march on Thursday. - Michel Euler/AP

Bus and tram services were also suspended in the Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris, from Thursday night, the local transport authority said. Government ministers were asked to postpone non-urgent travel and remain in Paris due to the protests, a government source told CNN on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity citing French professional norms.

The violent scenes seen over the past two days have raised concerns that Nahels death could lead to a level of unrest and rioting not seen since 2005, when the deaths of two teenage boys hiding from police sparked three weeks of rioting and prompted the government to call a state of emergency.

Anger at police brutality

The video of Nahels killing has sparked a similar level of shock and anger across France, touching a particular nerve among young men and women of color who feel that they have been discriminated against by police. A 2017 study by the Rights Defenders, an independent human rights watchdog in France, found that young men perceived to be Black or Arab were 20 times more likely to be stopped by police than their peers.

Many of these individuals are simply tired, journalist and racial equality activist Rokhaya Diallo told CNN.

People know and have been speaking about police brutality and have not been heard, she said.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry on Thursday extended its condolences to Nahels family, saying in a statement their grief and sorrow are widely shared in our country and that it will closely follow the developments of this tragic case.

The ministry said it trusts the French government to carry out their duty to protect, assure peace of mind and security which Algerian nationals are entitled to in their host country.

French media have reported that the teenager was of Algerian descent.

Video of the shooting in Nanterre surfaced on social media shortly after the incident took place Tuesday morning. The clip shows two police officers standing on the drivers side of a yellow Mercedes AMG, one near the door and another near the left front fender. As the car attempts to drive away, one officer is seen firing his sidearm.

The bullet that hit Nahel pierced his arm and chest. After fleeing the scene, the car crashed into a stationary object at a nearby plaza. Nahel was in the car with two others at the time of the incident. One passenger in the vehicle was taken into custody and later released, while another, who is believed to have fled the scene, is missing, authorities said.

This screengrab from video posted on Twitter shows the moment when police interacted with a 17-year-old teen during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb. - From @Ohana_Fgn/Twitter

The local Nanterre prosecutor, Pascal Prache, said Thursday that the officers testified both drew their weapons and pointed them at the driver to dissuade him from restarting the engine. The officer who fired his weapon said, according to the prosecutor, that he was scared the boy would run someone over with the car. However, Prache said it is believed the officer accused of shooting and killing Nahel may have acted illegally in doing so.

Lawyers for Nahels family slammed the decision not to pursue charges over alleged false statements, claiming the officer said in his initial declaration that young Nahel had tried to run him over with the vehicle. CNN has asked the French national police for a response to the allegations against the unnamed officer.

Police officers face protesters during clashes that broke out in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre on June 29. - Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images

Prache said that Nahel had been known to authorities for a previous breach of rules, but it is not clear what law or orders that pertains to. The teen was expected to appear before a juvenile court in September.

Laurent-Franck Lienard, the lawyer of the officer accused of shooting Nahel, told French radio station RTL that his client acted in compliance of the law.

In another interview with BFMTV, he said that any accusations his client lied in a statement were false as he had never made a written statement and that his verbal testimony did not contradict the facts.

He claimed his clients prosecution was political and being used as a way to calm the violent tensions.

As to the deadly incident, Lienard said police officers had struggled for 30 seconds to detain the driver while the car had stopped. He added that his client feared for the safety of the public as the car had nearly hit pedestrians before the start of the video.

Lienard said his client was not the person in the video who shouted, Ill put a bullet in your head, while also suggesting that might not have been what was said.

He added that his client was devastated by Nahels death and he did not want to kill him. He committed an act in a second, in a fraction of a second. Perhaps he made a mistake, justice will tell, Lienard said.

Protesters burn garbage bins and block a street during a protest in Paris on June 29. - Fiachra GIBBONS/AFP/Getty Images

Questions of racism

Macron and other government officials, including Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, have called for patience to allow the criminal justice system to run its course.

We need calm for justice to carry out its work, Macron said Wednesday. We cant allow the situation to worsen.

Rallying public support and goodwill, however, is likely to be difficult for Macrons government given how much political capital it spent in the first half of 2023 pushing through unpopular pension reforms, which sparked months of mostly peaceful mass protests.

Acknowledging the governments massive unpopularity, Macron gave himself 100 days to heal and unite the country. That deadline is up on July 14, Frances national day.

Firefighters extinguish a fire at an office of French bank Credit Mutuel in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre on June 29, 2023. - Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images

Addressing allegations of institutional racism in France is particularly challenging given the countrys unique brand of secularism, which seeks to ensure equality for all by removing markers of difference, rendering all citizens French first. In practice, however, the vigorous adherence to French Republicanism often prevents the government from doing anything that would appear to differentiate French citizens on the basis of race, including collecting statistics.

Racial and religious data, where available, typically comes from private institutions, and extra care is typically taken by politicians to avoid circumscribing racial motives to state institutions.

A protester climbs on a building during clashes that broke out in Nanterre. - Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images

On a general level, people tend to think there is no racism in France. And its one of the reasons people are so angry, because they feel and experience racism on a daily basis, said Diallo, the anti-racism activist. Despite that, they still face institutions, public discourse, and media which still say that there is no racism and that the race debate does not belong in France. And thats the reason people are so angry and so outraged.

Government officials have so far not broached questions of racism in the police. Leaders of opposition left-wing parties have focused their criticisms on police violence rather than racism. Government spokesman Olivier Veran told BFMTV that anger against the state itself, however, is unjustified.

It is not the republic that killed this young man, Veran said. It is one man who must be judged if the justice system deems it necessary.

CNNs Aurore Laborie, Teele Rebane, Isaac Yee, Hira Humayun and Helen Regan contributed reporting.

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18-year-old drowns as campers and staff rush to help at Michigan campground, cops say

An 18-year-old drowned in a lake at a KOA campground, Michigan authorities say.

Monroe County deputies received a call at around 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, about an 18-year-old who had disappeared in the water at the Summerfield Township campground. As deputies were dispatched, several people at the campground continued the search.

Ten minutes later, campers and KOA staff pulled the 18-year-olds body out of the water.

The victim, from Pickerington, Ohio, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff.

Its unclear what led to the drowning. The Monroe County Sheriffs Office is investigating the incident.

The KOA campgrounds features a swimming lake and fishing lake.

Summerfield Township is about 70 miles southwest of Detroit.

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Paris  Almost 200 people were arrested in France Wednesday night as angry crowds attacked police stations, town halls, schools and public transport in several towns across the country. It was the second night of violence following the fatal shooting by police of a 17-year-old who allegedly refused to comply with an order to stop his car.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Thursday that 170 officers were injured in Wednesday night's clashes and 180 people were arrested.

"This wasn't about small protest. It was about a small group of people deciding to attack the symbols of the republic," Darmanin said, vowing to restore "justice, calm and freedom." He said 40,000 police would be deployed around the country Thursday night amid fears of more violence.

Cars burn in the aftermath of clashes between protesters and police following the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police in Nanterre during a traffic stop, in Toulouse, France, June 28, 2023. / Credit: Timothee Forget/via REUTERS

"The professionals of disorder must go home," Darmanin warned. "I want everyone to know that, tonight, public order will be restored."

In a tweet, the U.S. Embassy in Paris urged Americans in the French capital region to "avoid mass gatherings and areas of significant police activity as they can turn violent and result in clashes," and to keep friends or family aware of their whereabouts.

The police chief in Nanterre, where the shooting happened, said Thursday that the use of a weapon in the incident had not been justified. The officer involved in the fatal encounter has been placed under formal investigation for murder and is being held in custody.

The chaos overnight left debris on the streets of a number of towns and cities, and three storeys of an apartment building were burned in Villeurbanne, near Lyon. All seven police cars in the town of Neuilly sur Marne, near Paris, were torched, along with a tramway in Clamart and part of the city hall building in Evreux.

A separate investigation was underway to determine the circumstances of the teen, who has been identified as Nahel, refusing to comply with the police's order to halt his vehicle.

French lawmakers held a minute's silence Wednesday, "in memory of Nahel, in support of his parents, and loved ones," according to the parliament's speaker, while Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne condemned the officer's decision to open fire.

Borne told parliament "justice will be done" with regard to the shooting, which she said clearly "did not conform to the rules of engagement" of the French police.

In this grab taken from video provided by @Ohana_FNG, two police officers question a driver, with one seen pointing a gun toward the window of a yellow car, in Nanterre, France, June 27, 2023. / Credit: AP

French news agency AFP said it had authenticated video showing two police officers standing by the car, which is not moving, as one is seen pointing a weapon at the driver. The police officer then appears to fire as the car quickly drives away. The vehicle then rolls to a stop just a few yards away.

Nahel was shot in the chest, police have confirmed.

The officer who opened fire performed CPR on Nahel, but failed to revive the teen. There were two other people in the vehicle, one of whom was arrested while the other fled and remains wanted in connection with the incident.

No weapons or narcotics were found in the vehicle, police said.

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Columbus police announced on Thursday afternoon that they have stopped their active search for Amina Alhaj-Omar, an Ohio State University student who was reported missing June 10.

Police lauched a missing person investigation into Alhaj-Omar's disappearance when her sister reported the 25-year-old graduate student missing.

'A soft, kind soul.' Missing Ohio State student's sisters aren't giving up hope

The investigation is ongoing, but detectives have ended their two and a half week-long search, according to a release from the division.

"Detectives have worked closely with numerous other units and agencies and conducted a thorough search of the area," according to the police. "Despite their efforts, the investigation has slowed and they have exhausted all leads to this point. While the investigation is still ongoing, the active search for Miss Omar has concluded."

Where was Alhaj-Omar last seen?

Alhaj-Omar was last seen on the Olen Corporation's property on Columbus' Far South Side near Interstate 270 and State Route 23 around 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 10. The company's Columbus plant and quarry at 4755 S. High St. supplies sand, gravel, and limestone.

Two hours earlier, she had been seen leaving a BP gas station at 1091 S. High St., where she had been for nearly two hours.

Amina Alhaj-Omar at BP station on Columbus' South Side, several hours before she was reported missing on June 10.

Columbus police previously said her behavior was "very unusual" and that she was seen with two kitchen-type knives.

On June 12, Columbus police found Alhaj-Omar's vehicle on I-270 between the State Route 23 exit and the Interstate 71 exit. The vehicle showed signs of possibly being involved in a minor collision, however, the air bags did not deploy and there was no evidence Alhaj-Omar was injured in the collision.

What we know: Search continues for Ohio State University student.

How did police search for Alhaj-Omar?

After Alhaj-Omar disappeared, police used helicopters, drones, horses, ATVs and foot searches to search for her. They also deployed a boat with sonar and divers at the quarry.

On June 13, police received a possible sighting of Alhaj-Omar in the area behind the Wal-Mart located at 3579 S. High St., but it has not been confirmed whether that was her.

Earlier search efforts: Columbus police to continue seach Thursday for missing Ohio State student

Detectives are asking anyone who has information, or might have seen Alhaj-Omar in the area of S. High St. & Rathmell Rd. since Saturday, June 10, 2023, to call 614-645-2358.

Central Ohio Crimestoppers is also offering a cash reward for any information leading to her location. Tips can be made by calling (614) 461-TIPS.

dking@dispatch.com

@DanaeKing

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police cease search for missing Ohio State student
A federal judge has sentenced two South Carolina men to more than 20 years in prison after their convictions for involvement in a scheme that brought drugs from California to North Carolina and South Carolina, according to prosecutors and court records.

On Tuesday, Gabriel LAmbiance Ingram, 34, of Lancaster, was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison, and Carl Michael Mann II, 41, of Rock Hill was sentenced to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Ingram and Mann were convicted in a 2022 trial, federal court records show.

Mann was convicted of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and a quantity of heroin, prosecutors said in a written release. Mann also was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine found during a search of his home, according to prosecutors.

Ingram was convicted of conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of cocaine, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, prosecutors said. Ingram also was convicted of three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and four counts of possession with the intent to distribute illegal substances to include heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and crack cocaine, according to prosecutors.

Eighteen people were convicted in the case after arrests in 2018, federal court records show.

Fifteen others charged in the case pleaded guilty previously and were sentenced. One other defendant was sentenced last week after being found guilty at trial, officials said.

The York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit along with the Rock Hill Police Department, FBI, ATF, and other law enforcement, investigated a group of people who received cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana from California, according to a written statement released by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The group then brought in fentanyl from California to put in pills that were sold in Charlotte, Rock Hill, Atlanta, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors said law enforcement showed this group shipped more than 255 packages from California and distributed more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and more than 1000 grams of marijuana.
The News

President Biden is in New York City on Thursday to continue his new economic pitch in an MSNBC interview as his 2024 campaign heats up. But Democrats in the area are facing a more immediate political threat that runs straight through his administration: Immigration.

In the past year, more than 60,000 migrant people have been bused in or flown to New York, which is legally committed to supplying them with housing. The citys mayor, Eric Adams, sent some displaced migrants to the states more red-leaning suburbs, prompting a fierce response from Republican members of Congress whose seats are critical to the current House majority. And while some elected officials are working together across party lines on the issue, Biden and the Democratic-led states performance are likely to be major targets in election ads next year.

Top New York Democrats are pressing the Biden administration to extend work permits to some migrants faster as the politics of immigration in the Northeast intensify. The hope is that by getting them working and living independently more quickly, theyll be able to relieve some of the burden on the state.

Reps. Gregory Meeks and Jerry Nadler have written to President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas asking that asylum-seekers be able to obtain work permits before the 180 days theyre required to wait before applying to work in the States. The letter also calls for United States Citizen and Immigration Services personnel and judges to quickly adjudicate work authorization applications.

If you have to wait two to three years for a hearing, you should have the ability to work because that would ease the pressure on the city of New York, Meeks told Semafor before the letter was publicized. It would give these individuals a chance to earn a living and live a decent life.

The remaining Democratic members of the New York delegation signed onto the letter, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led a similar letter in May, signaling Democrats are taking the citys recent migrant crisis seriously  because they have to.

Kadia's view

Migration is shaping up to replace crime as the central issue in the New York State suburbs that could determine control of the House of Representatives in 2024.

It wasnt an issue campaign-wise in 22 but it certainly is one governmentally in 23. Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., told Semafor. Mayor Adams wasnt talking about displacing migrants from the five boroughs and putting them into Nassau or Suffolk, so it wasnt on our doorstep per se, he added.

Mayor Adams has sharply criticized the Biden Administration on immigration, and his words reflect a rising fear among Democrats that they need to get ahead of the issue. Rep. Pat Ryan, a Hudson Valley Democrat, joined Republican Congressmen Marc Molinaro and Mike Lawler last month to demand Biden declare a state of emergency over the migrant influx.

Folks have public safety concerns, Ryan told Semafor. And right now, we don't have the resources coming from the federal government to address it.

Molinaro told Semafor hed consulted repeatedly with Governor Kathy Hochul about how to address the issue, who has led bipartisan talks with the delegation.

The people I represent see a crisis at the border, a lack of concern for the human souls that are being shuffled along by both the administration, states, and the city of New York, he said.

But Republicans want localities to pressure Biden into backing their border bill, which recently passed the House and would severely limit asylum claims and complete the border wall, something Democrats are not expected to consider.

Our colleagues across the aisle wont join us in supporting border security, Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., told Semafor. They voted against our border bill. Theyre claiming every one of these people is an asylum seeker. Thats poppycock.

A Quinnipiac poll in February found that 70% of New Yorkers consider the influx of migrants to the state a crisis, and 63% of New Yorkers do not believe the city has the ability to house migrant people seeking sanctuary in the city.

Room for Disagreement

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents Brooklyn, told Semafor earlier this month he was working to secure funding for New York communities dealing with newly arrived migrants, but that he had no concern about Democrats 2024 prospects in New York or anywhere else.

Democrats are not going to be restrained or constrained in our ability to draw a contrast with the people on the other side of the aisle, he said. Were team normal. Were team reasonable. Were team gets stuff done. Republicans are team chaos, team dysfunction, and team extreme.

Notable

New York Citys Democratic mayor is already seeing a slight dip in polling amid the migrant crisis. According to a Siena College survey conducted between June 20 and June 25, Eric Adams favorability rating landed at 46%, down from 49% a month earlier.

A federal district court judge ruled against two Hudson County localities that tried to ban New York City from sending migrant people to the area, citing a discriminatory motive.




Three men were arrested Thursday on insider trading charges related to a proposed business merger with the company that owns former President Trumps Truth Social platform, the Justice Department announced.

The three Floridians are accused of making $22 million by buying stock in a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that was to acquire Trump Media & Technology Group to take the company public.

The charges were outlined in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that did not implicate Trump or his media company in any way.

SPACs are business entities created to serve as a method of turning a private company public through acquisition.

Once it was announced that Trump Media & Technology Group would merge with the SPAC, Digital World Acquisition Corporation, the three men dumped their stock for a massive profit, according to the indictment, as well as a complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

One of the men, Bruce Garelick, was a board member of Digital World. He is accused of sharing confidential merger information with his boss, Michael Shvartsman, who in turn shared it with his brother, Gerald Shvartsman, according to the SEC.

Insider trading is not easy money, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release. Its cheating. Its a bad bet. Because my Office, the Southern District of New York, is watching. And were working quickly to investigate and prosecute anyone who corrupts our financial markets. And well keep at it as long as it takes. You can bet on that.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
30-mile chase ends in Burke County, authorities say

Authorities in Burke County arrested someone late Wednesday afternoon who led them on a 30-mile chase.

Sheriff: Man found dead after report of shots in Burke County

Sheriff deputies say they were looking for Nohsher Chiah because he was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon.

But investigators say he took off after being spotted near Conover in a minivan.

The chase reached of speeds more than 100 mph along Interstate 40 before ending on Byrd Road in Burke County.

Channel 9s Dave Faherty asked suspect Chiah why he didnt stop for the police.

I just needed to come to Burke County, Chiah said.

You just wanted to come to Burke County? Faherty asked.

Thats where they say the charges were from, Chiah answered.

Deputies say said an indictment was from Burke County.

They dont believe anyone was hurt in that pursuit.

This is a developing story, check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

VIDEO: Burke County firefighter saved by crew after he collapsed while fighting fire
5 popular waterfalls to check out in WNC, plus tips to stay safe

Sign warn of the waterfall's dangers at Looking Glass Falls in the Pisgah National Forest on Thursday, July 19, 2018.

Waterfalls are a beloved staple of Western North Carolina recreation, but without exercising proper caution they can become deadly for visitors; Transylvania County provides safety guidelines for enjoying its 250 waterfall locations this summer.

The county, appropriately nicknamed Land of Waterfalls, launched the "Be Waterfall Wise" safety campaign in 2016 to keep visitors safe. A recent news release from the Transylvania County tourism board reminding the public of these guidelines claimed the campaign began in 2016 following a string of six waterfall-related deaths in a single year.

Clark Lovelace, executive director of the Transylvania County Tourism Board, told the Citizen Times that he believes underestimating the danger of waterfalls is perhaps the most common reason for deaths and injuries at these sites.

Waterfalls are not amusement park rides that were designed for your safety, Lovelace said. We're so used to things being designed for our safety that we're just not thinking. And if you look at all of our wonderful safety tips, none of them are really complicated or surprising, but simple things like keeping your eyes on your kids and pets at all times."

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The Be Waterfall Wise campaigns simple guidelines come as a list of seven easy rules for waterfall visitors to follow:

Observe all posted signs leading to waterfall areas.

Do not swim or wade upstream near a waterfall.

Watch for slick rocks around waterfalls.

Do not jump off waterfalls or dive into pools.

Do not climb on rocks above waist height.

Watch your children and pets at all times.

Stay on marked trails and observation areas.

Lovelace said land managers and emergency services representatives have all given positive feedback on the impact the campaign has made.

The land managers at Pisgah, Dupont and Gorges State Parks have all three said there is no doubt this has made a difference, Lovelace said.

While the primary focus of the campaign is to keep visitors safe, it is more than just preventing death and injury. Lovelace said that other benefits have become obvious since it began.

It's a pretty darn big strain on the very limited resources of emergency personnel, Lovelace said. It costs thousands of dollars every time there's a rescue. These are difficult to get to places  there's no cellphone coverage, there's limited trail access  and so getting in and getting out is a drain on local resources.

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Waterfalls to check out

Lovelace suggested some Transylvania County waterfalls to visit this summer.

People wade into the water and swim at Looking Glass Falls in the Pisgah National Forest July 3, 2019.

Short hike  Looking Glass Falls. For the waterfall experience without the hike, Lovelace suggests Looking Glass Falls. Visitors can view this waterfall from an observation deck near the parking area on U.S. 276, a little less than 6 miles north of the intersection with U.S. 64 and N.C. 280 in Pisgah Forest.

Multiple waterfalls  Dupont State Forest, Transylvania and Henderson counties. Hikers who visit this forest can visit three different waterfalls over the course of a single day, beginning at Hooker Falls and walking only a few miles to view both Triple Falls and High Falls. The tourism board suggests parking at the Hooker Falls lot on Staton Road in for easy access to these trails.

Less populated  Gorges State Park. Lovelace suggested planning a hike through Gorges if youre looking to view more remote waterfalls with fewer visitors. The park features multiple waterfalls including Rainbow Falls, and offers a variety of hike lengths to access the various sites. Plan to park at their visitor center located at 976 Grassy Ridge Rd, Sapphire, NC 28774.

We also suggest:

Bridal Veil Falls: The hike to this unusual waterfall is about 1.5 miles from the Hooker Falls parking lot in DuPont State Forest. Named for the veil formation created by the sheets of water that cascade down the rockface, this waterfall is so picturesque that it was featured in the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans.

Sliding Rock: Technically, Sliding Rock is not a waterfall. However, the all-natural water slide rock formation provides the beautiful view and soothing sounds of a waterfall with the added opportunity for a unique day in nature. Sliding Rock features an 8-foot deep plunge pool at the bottom of the 60-foot natural slides, and employs lifeguards during open season to ensure visitor safety. Park at the Sliding Rock Recreation Area on U.S. 276 a little less than 8 miles north of the intersection with U.S. 64 and N.C. 280 in Pisgah Forest.

For more details, planning and exact locations, visit the Transylvania County website.

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Iris Seaton is a news intern for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 5 popular waterfalls to check out in WNC, plus tips to stay safe
Photo: Photo via Google Maps. A man is accused of assaulting a 24-year-old woman near a busy Vancouver intersection.

Vancouver police say a woman was assaulted while she was walking near a busy intersection in broad daylight.

On Tuesday, June 27 around 1 p.m., a 24-year-old woman was walking near Kingsway and Nanaimo when she was assaulted by a stranger, according to a Vancouver Police Department (VPD) tweet.

The woman called 911 after the assault and is expected to recover physically.

With the assistance of two witnesses, the suspect was arrested by the VPD within minutes of the call.

VPD Sgt. Steve Addison told V.I.A. that the "victim was struck from behind with a bottle that was allegedly thrown by the suspect." The attack appears to have been unprovoked and police do not know if there was a specific motive.

The victim did not require hospitalization, Addison added.

Steven Raymond Edwards, 42, was charged with assault with a weapon. Hes currently in custody.

Edwards was sentenced to three counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of assault with a weapon in May.

In 2022, he was sentenced to one year for injury or damage to a person or property. In 2004, he was charged with one count of theft under $5,000, according to the provincial court registry.
When it comes to summer vacation spots, homes in the South of France are the stuff of legend. After all the region is dotted with charming villages and striking coastlines, making it a favorite destination for a reason. For years the area has gained a reputation as a respite among artist, writers, and other creative types, making it no surprise that its been the location of more than a few AD tours over the decades. Below we revisit six stunning homes in the South of France, from Elton Johns villa in Nice to Tina Turners manse in the hills above the French Riviera.

Photo: Jerome Galland

Jean-Eric Gnuva is as well-traveled as a worn-in passport. For years, the French businessman has crisscrossed the world in his role as a high-end residential property developer, becoming familiar with Paris, Monaco, New York, and more in the process. So when he decided to renovate his seaside home in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France, Gnuvas first request for the interior designer seemed appropriate: He wanted the space to feel luxurious, almost as if it were an ultra high-end hotel, explains Jean-Charles Tomas, founder of his eponymous design firm and the designer tapped to spearhead the project.

Jean-Eric had been living in the home for over a decade and decided it was time for a change, Tomas says. After spotting the designers talent in various magazines, the homeowner reached out through Instagram. And yet, being the level-headed businessman he was, Gnuva decided to start small. Initially, the task was simply to renovate the kitchen, Tomas says. Nonetheless, Gnuva was impressed with the workso much so that he wanted more. After the kitchen was done, Tomas continues, he asked me to redesign the rest of his interiors.Nick Mafi

Tower room overlooking the Mediterranean Photo: Scott Frances

Elton John and the late Gianni Versace agreed on the subject of minimalism. Less is less, and more is more, Versace would say. And more is good, John would add. A lot more is very good.

Its not a bad philosophy for the pop star, who canand doesshop often, shop well, and shop with the same uninhibited enthusiasm that he gives his performances. Theres nothing more relaxing than an afternoon of shopping, the musician explains. Its the only addiction I have left. Im compulsivein the past I could never have just one drink; now I have none. I could never have just one car or just one pair of glasses, so I have lots. I shop, and my decorators make sense of it; I give them the pieces, then they put the puzzle together.Elizabeth Lambert

Photo: Mary E. Nichols

Its a day before the last solar eclipse of the millennium, and France, like most of Europe, is a little crazy. Everyone is watching the weather channel, listening to kooks predicting an apocalypse and frantically trying to find a pharmacy that hasn't sold out its stock of protective glasses.

In the hills above the Riviera, the serpentine lanes that lead to the great villas are clogged with catering vans and limos as last-minute guests arrive from the Nice airport for parties. In one of the most fabulous of those villas, commanding a hilltop, Tina Turnerradiant in white muslinis setting up her telescope on the terrace. She happens to know a thing or two about eclipses, celestial and personal. And she knows from experience that the sun comes out again.

Turner has herself just driven south from her primary residence in Switzerland and is expecting friends from London, Paris, and New York. Its a somewhat inopportune moment for a leisurely house tour, though not only because of the eclipse. She is preparing to launch her first new album in three yearsTina Twenty Four Sevenand shes been playing the sound track with a critical ear while steeling herself for the rigors of a world tour. As soon as the king of the heavens has finished his star turn, the queen of rock will start hers: posing for photographers and rehearsing her new music video. But Turner is a grande dame in every respect, and her native southern warmth coincides with an acquired European politesse. Despite the presence of an entourage and the impending invasion of a film crew, shes relaxed and gracious.Judith Thurman

Photo: Julio Piatti

As the owner of this alluring house tucked away in a leafy corner of Provence tells it, discovering the propertywhile on a springtime holiday with his family in 2005was simple fate. We had been looking at another home [in the area] to buy for some time, and after much back and forth, the owner finally called and said we could have it. Almost without thinking, he told the seller they had found something else, which we hadnt, but it just didnt feel right. The very next week in Provence, his wife saw an ad at the local bakery for their current house. We came, fell in love, and bought itthe place chose us.

An 18th-century bastide, it is a sizable country house, neither chateau nor castle. And when they first discovered it, it comprised three rather awkward staircases, nine bedrooms, and seven bathrooms. We wanted to keep things as they were, the owner says of the residence, which had previously been in the same family for a few centuries. The house had lost some of its original spirit over time, and the current owner sought to bring it back to its earlier state. We didnt change any of the room dispositions, but we wanted to find the original 18th-century colors, he says. That meant a highly specific gray-blue for the shuttersbased on the color of the front doorbeige-pink exterior walls, and a deep blue for all of the interior doors. Furthermore, he wanted to add red, so he applied a wall of wide stripes in the hue. Though it wasnt part of the master plan, all of the shades he selected are present in the entrance hall's original terrazzo floor.Gay Gassmann

Photo: Ambroise Tezenas

Although his career has spanned more than half a century, artist Guy de Rougemont remains something of an enigma. Aristocratic in bearing and by birth, he cuts a dashing figure in Parisian society. Yet he is not what the French would call a mondain, a worldly, fashionable socialite. Guy is made up of opposites, says his gallerist and friend Diane de Polignac. He is a man of grand culture, but also a free spirit.

Colorful and vibrant, his work in both two and three dimensions embodies an exuberant joie de vivre. His sculptures, which are like line drawings in space, can be found across the globe, from the Hakone museum in Japan to the French Embassy in Washington, DC. Over the past several decades, he has produced a significant amount of public work, including sculptures that stand alongside a motorway in France and the pavement in front of the Musee dOrsay in Paris. De Rougemont has long straddled the line between the fine and decorative arts, and pieces like his luminous Nuage (Cloud) table, first produced in 1970, and serpentine Pop lamp, a design that echoes his sculptures, are coveted by design aficionados.Gay Gassmann

Photo: Henry Bourne

Thirty years ago, Isabel and Joseph Ettedguithe London couple behind the iconic Joseph and Connolly fashion labelswere vacationing on the French Riviera when they came across the seaside village of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The ports Belle Epoque architecture reminded Joseph of Casablanca, his childhood home, while Isabel adored the destinations small-town vibe. This was before Cap Ferrat was about new money, she recalls, and there was still a lot of charm. Soon the Ettedguis bought a house there and called on India Mahdavi, then a young freelance designer, who had worked on the couples London residence under the direction of French tastemaker Christian Liaigre. This time around, the Ettedguis asked if shed like to redesign the Riviera place by herself.

As debut assignments go, nothing could have been more perfect. I have a strong connection to the South of France because I used to live near Saint-Paul-de-Vence when I was young, Mahdavi explains, adding that Joseph, who died in 2010, became her mentor. He encouraged me to go my own way. The Ettedguis were so pleased with how the Cap Ferrat place turned out that when they eventually sold it and purchased another village property, they hired Mahdavi again. Her work is very human, Isabel says. Shes really into how you feel in your living space.Dana Thomas

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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7 of the most baffling optical-illusion outfits celebrities have worn in 2023

Beyonce performs onstage during the opening night of the Renaissance World Tour on May 10, 2023, in Stockholm, Sweden. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood

Experimenting with optical illusions is turning into one of the biggest style trends of 2023.

From the red carpet to film festivals, celebrities are hopping onto the playful fashion trend.

From Emma Watson to Elsa Hosk, here are the most baffling celebrity style illusion moments so far.

Noah Cyrus wore a quilted gown that featured a mind-bending geometric illusion to a Paris Fashion Week event in January.

Noah Cyrus attends the Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 25, 2023, in Paris, France. Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Besides the trippy pattern woven into the center, the dress that Cyrus, 23, wore to the Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture show had several other quirky features, including a shaggy-like trim at the bottom and an off-the-shoulder-style neckline.

Emily Ratajkowski stepped out in Paris that same week wearing what looked like a pond leaf as a top.

Emily Ratajkowski at Paris Fashion Week on March 3, 2023. Jacopo Raule/Getty Images

Ratajkowski's laceleaf-inspired look for Paris Fashion Week was designed by Loewe's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, according to Vogue. The publication also reported that it was inspired by an anthurium plant.

At the time, the 32-year-old model made headlines for her outfit, as many thought the shape of the top was phallic.

Elsa Hosk's sculptural Viktor & Rolf couture gown at Cannes Film Festival in May looked like it was falling off her body.

Elsa Hosk attends the "La Passion De Dodin Bouffant" red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2023, in Cannes, France. Lionel Hahn/Getty Images

The powder-blue gown, which featured a tulle skirt, appeared to fall off her to reveal a light-pink bustier corset beneath.

According to a post by Viktor & Rolf on Instagram, Hosk was styled in the brand's Late Stage Capitalist Waltz dress for Cannes by celebrity stylist Dani Michelle, who has previously worked with Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner.

Beyonce opened her Renaissance Tour show in London in May wearing a catsuit that might've tricked an unsuspecting viewer into believing hands were wrapped around her body.

Beyonce performs onstage during the Renaissance World Tour at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 30, 2023, in London, England. Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

The optical-illusion-style ensemble is just one of the many looks custom-made for Beyonce's Renaissance Tour by Loewe in collaboration with costume designer Shiona Turini.

The surrealist black handprints with red painted nails were a motif used in the brand's Fall 2022 collection, according to Loewe. They added an extra element of drama to Beyonce's already eye-catching crystal-encrusted catsuit.

While vacationing on the French Riviera in May, Kendall Jenner wore an illusion dress that looked like it had no top.

Kendall Jenner attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 12, 2023, in Beverly Hills, California. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Jenner, 27, shared videos and photos of herself on a yacht in the French Riviera on Instagram at the end of May.

In the posts, Jenner posed in a David Koma minidress, which Dani Michelle styled for her. Koma also shared a photo of Jenner wearing his design on his own Instagram.

The mind-bending look consisted of a form-fitting black tube skirt, which gave way to a top made from a totally sheer fabric. The little coverage Jenner had on the upper half of the dress consisted of two ruby-red floral rosettes.

In June, Jennifer Lawrence wore a strapless dress to the "No Hard Feelings" premiere in Madrid that looked 2D  until she turned to the side.

Jennifer Lawrence attends the premiere of "No Hard Feelings" on June 14, 2023, in Madrid, Spain. Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images

The star of "The Hunger Games" walked the red carpet wearing the Loewe-designed beige midi dress, part of the brand's Fall/Winter 2023 womenswear collection.

While the overall aesthetic was minimalist, the sculptural design of the dress made it unforgettable. When she was photographed facing forward, Lawrence's ensemble appeared as flat as a board. However, as soon as she turned sideways, it revealed a noticeable gap between the dress and her body, showing that it was not, in fact, 2D.

In a photo she posted to Instagram in June, Emma Watson wore a tent-like dress that people said was "defying physics" and compared to a Harry Potter spell.

Alex Watson and Emma Watson co-founded gin-brand Renais. Courtesy of Gypsy Westwood and Loewe

In an Instagram post promoting her and her brother Alex Watson's new gin brand, Renais, the "Harry Potter" actor wore a tent-like minidress from Loewe's spring/summer 2023 women's collection that looked as if it was hovering off her body.

According to Rachel Zoe's fashion blog, The Zoe Report, it's likely the architectural shape was created using a wired bodice hidden by the blue material draped over it.

Social-media users were quick to share their reactions to the unique fashion statement in the comment section of Watson's Instagram post. One wrote that it was "defying physics" while another of the top comments was from a user who wrote, "The dress said wingardium leviosa."

Read the original article on Insider
80-year-old California man assaulted, robbed by pair who followed him home from 99 Ranch Market

[Source]

An 80-year-old Asian man was assaulted, pepper-sprayed and robbed in his home in Rowland Heights, California, in what police say was a follow-home robbery.

What happened: On June 4, the man, identified only as Steve, had reportedly just returned from a local 99 Ranch Market to buy carrots for his dog at around 1:30 p.m. when a pair of thieves attacked him in his garage in the 2000 block of Ravenfall Ave.

The suspects pushed him, pepper-sprayed him and demanded his $2,500 watch.

"My watch is difficult to take off, so I say, All right, I'll do it for you, Steve told NBC Los Angeles.

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The robbers then fled in a gray, four-door sedan with no front plate, KTLA reported.

About the suspects: The attack was caught on surveillance video. Police believe the men were part of a robbery crew that has been operating in the Rowland Heights neighborhood.

No arrests have yet been made.

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This article was originally published in Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

Thousands of students in Pennsylvania have reached out for help to address their mental health during the 2022-2023 school year, according to a new report.

Kooth, a web-based provider of mental health services for school-aged children, had 92,184 students access their services in Pennsylvania over five months.

Nearly 65% of students felt they needed professional support, but they did not feel comfortable speaking to friends or a family member about their mental well-being.

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I feel like they [family and friends] wouldnt quite get how I was feeling and why I would be feeling that way, a student said in the report. I know they would be able to sympathize, but I dont want sympathy, I want to be understood.

Seventy-nine percent of students said their mental health was the main reason they reached out to Kooth. Among other prevalent issues that concerned students, 75% said they were dealing with anxiety, 43% had problems at home, 36% had thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation and 32% of students felt dejected.

The report also stated that one in five students who registered for the platform presented a severe level of psychological distress.

Data from the report was collected from students in Pennsylvania who registered on Kooth between Nov. 7, 2022 through March 31, 2023. The survey was advertised via Kooth and email communications.

Of the users that provided feedback, 93% said they felt heard, understood or respected, 91% found the sessions helpful and 86% would recommend the service to a friend. The report is based on Kooths first year of operation in Pennsylvania.

People with social anxiety or [people who] are ashamed of them being depressed or anxious may have trouble talking to a therapist in real life and having anonymous or just online chats with somebody who can help them get through it, or just being there for them to show someone cares can help wonders, a student said in the report.

Kooth provides students with confidential access to professional support, self-help content, moderated forums, journaling, goal-setting and therapeutic activities from their smartphones and computers.

The online platform offers three tiers of support for students including self-help, forums and articles and professional counseling. Kooth is available for all district high schoolers at no cost.

Students can also receive professional counseling through asynchronous messaging as well as ongoing live-chat based counseling. All messages will be responded to within 24 hours.

Last June, Kooth was awarded a $3 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to offer its app to any school district in the state. The app is free of charge for school districts, students and their parents.

The high prevalence of mental health difficulties for young people across the United States and indeed beyond is well documented, and at the same time, access to care for these difficulties can be challenging, said Bob McCullough, vice president of clinical strategy for Kooth U.S. While the COVID-19 pandemic not only exacerbated mental health issues, it has also decreased access to care.

It is clear that many of the difficulties in care access, in particular for mental health and well-being, have been around for some time before the COVID-19 pandemic, including long wait lists with limited appointment availability, geographical clinician shortages, social determinants of care barriers, high entry thresholds, accessibility difficulties, and inflexible approaches that may not match what young people want, he said.

At Kooth, we specialize in developing products and services designed with young people, to support young peoples mental health and well-being and that directly address many of the challenges to care access, he added.

The School District of Philadelphia partnered with Kooth in February. Since then, hundreds of Philadelphia students have accessed the online counseling, used the peer-to-peer support features, shared the digital resources and more.

The district recently unveiled its new summer wellness campaign with Kooth. The campaign encourages students to continue caring for their mental health and well-being throughout the summer months.

Schools earn points for each new individual registration, completed activities and ongoing usage. The school with the most student engagement throughout the summer will receive a visit in the fall from Kooth ambassador and Philadelphia Eagle Lane Johnson.

We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Kooth to provide students with more consistent access to mental health services, said School District of Philadelphia superintendent Tony Watlington Sr. in a statement.

Improving and supporting students well-being is one of the priority areas of the Districts new five-year strategic plan, Accelerate Philly, he said. Collaborative partnerships like this help us provide these opportunities and access for our students.

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John Micek for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. Follow Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Facebook and Twitter.
920 million people could face conflict over the world's rivers by 2050: what our study found in Africa

The Blue Nile river passes through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Eduardo Soteras/AFP via Getty Images

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project on the Nile River started operating in February 2022. It reinforced tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The three countries rely most heavily on the Niles water. Sudan and Egypt consider the US.6 billion dam a threat to vital water supplies. Ethiopia sees it as essential for its development.

This is just one example of how conflicts can arise between states that share river basins. And theres a real risk that such conflicts will become more common as global temperatures rise.

Hundreds of rivers are shared between two or more countries. Sharing waters can be a source of cooperation or conflict. This depends on economic, cultural and institutional conditions. It also depends on historical relations between countries.

Although cooperation historically prevails over conflict and large-scale violent international conflicts havent happened so far, tensions over water have long existed. They are also rising in several river basins.

Africa has 66 transboundary river basins. These include the Nile basin, and the JubaShebelle and Lake Turkana basins in the Horn of Africa. Conflict risk can rise as populations grow, water use intensifies and the climate changes.

Theres no consensus on the precise mechanisms that fuel conflict in such basins. It is, however, possible to identify basins where risks are projected to compound. This can be done by combining data on conflict risk conditions identified in existing literature.

In a recent study I conducted with three water system researchers from IHE Delft, Utrecht University and Wageningen University & Research, we came up with three possible futures regarding conflict risk in global transboundary river basins.

Our study projects that if nothing substantially changes in how transboundary river basins are managed and with climate change worsening, 920 million people will live in very high to high conflict-risk basins by 2050.

If nations improve water use, strengthen cooperation and do more to prevent or mitigate conflict, this number drops to 536 million.

Water treaties and strong river basin organisations increase the likelihood of long-term, stable cooperation between states.

Our research

Our study combined projections on the construction of mega-dams and institutional resilience. It looked at hydroclimatic, governance and socio-economic risk factors. Combining these factors provided an idea of the overall conflict risk per transboundary river basin.

We used a broad interpretation of conflict over transboundary water resources. This ranged from accusations and diplomatic tensions to economic sanctions and violent disputes.

A lack of cooperation between countries can lead to a loss of benefits that could arise from joint activities. These include adapting to climate change, protecting the environment and developing socio-economically. Tensions between states over such issues can also spill over into other sectors, compromising regional political or economic relations.

Our findings

Our results show that under a business-as-usual scenario  where no major changes are made  920 million people out of the 4.4 billion people living in transboundary river basins will live in very high to high conflict-risk basins by 2050. In Africa, this number includes people living in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger. It also includes those in Mozambique, Malawi, Benin and Togo.

In the high ambition scenario  which implies improved water use practices and rising institutional resilience  this number decreases to 536 million. The low-ambition scenario implies some improvement in water use efficiency, institutional capacity and governance quality. Under this scenario, 724 million people would be living in very high to high conflict-risk basins by 2050.

Basins in Africa and Asia especially are projected to face high overall risks, since several risks collide here. In Africa, several basins face extra risks like high variability of water flows and limited water availability. There is also a dependence of downstream countries on upstream ones.

The current tensions in the Nile over Ethiopias Grand Renaissance Dam, for instance, could escalate when Ethiopia decides to develop several new mega-hydropower dams. Egypt and to a lesser extent Sudan are highly dependent on basin-related water resources.

What it means

Our study shows that potentially, 11 more large hydropower dams could be built in the Nile basin. This is based on physical feasibility, energy yield and construction costs. The projection takes into account some restrictions, such as protected natural reserves.

Seven of these dams would be in Ethiopia, and the other four would be in South Sudan. The construction of these dams would be happening alongside rising water shortages, high water dependencies and limited economic resources to deal with water-related risks.

These new dams could worsen regional climate change impacts and water demands, especially when the population and economy are both growing. Although scholars cannot predict when this will occur, a multi-year drought in the Nile basin is inevitable. This would have severe impacts on water allocation.

The prospect of a multi-year drought in parts of the Nile basin requires preparations today. And even if the impact of new dams will be moderate, the perception of risk could affect how Egypt, for instance, makes decisions over shared river cooperation.

Two other large basins  the JubaShebelle in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, and the Lake Turkana basin in Kenya and Ethiopia  are projected to face high conflict risk levels. In these two basins, multiple issues, such as local conflict, low human development and limited water availability already collide today.

This may be worsened without additional efforts towards 2050 due to relatively high population growth and climate change impacts  without sufficient resources to adapt.

Even in our high ambition scenario  which implies substantial improvements in water management, overall domestic governance and institutional resilience  the JubaShebelle and Lake Turkana basins still face high risks.

The challenges and risks these basins face must be explicitly included in wider plans. For example, when large hydropower dams are built, their operation must not hinder the climate adaptation goals of the wider region.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters.

It was written by: Sophie de Bruin, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

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Sophie de Bruin 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.
Authorities arrested two suspects in connection with a targeted shooting in Hyannis over the weekend.

Chrystian Anderson, 20, of Rockland, is charged with assault to murder with a firearm, assault, and battery with a firearm, and several other firearm-related offenses.

A 16-year-old boy is charged for his role in the attempted murder. Similarly, he was also charged and arraigned in Barnstable Juvenile Court for his role in a shooting at Craigville Beach last month.

Officers responding to the area of Main Street and High School Road around 4:30 p.m. on June 25 found a man that had been shot in the legs, according to Barnstable Police. He was flown to a Boston area hospital where officials say he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

A follow-up investigation determined the suspects car fled the scene of the shooting and crashed into two uninvolved cars nearby. Anderson and the 16-year-old allegedly fled that scene on foot.

Police say video surveillance played a big part in identifying the shooting suspects.

Anderson was arrested Wednesday afternoon while the juvenile was arrested on Tuesday.

Anderson was arraigned in Barnstable District Court Thursday morning.

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[Source]

Aespa's Karina has apologized after receiving backlash for recommending My Hero Academia'' to her fans on a social media app last week without knowing the controversy surrounding the original name of one of its villains.

Latest development: The 23-year-old girl group member issued her apology on the social media app Bubble on Tuesday, in which she explained that she only learned about the controversy after making the recommendation.

I dont think I knew what kind of issue there was before because the characters name was different, Karina wrote.

What happened: Karina took to Bubble last week to recommend My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), an anime about a group of students who are studying and training to become heroes in a world where superpowers known as quirks are common.

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Soon after, the K-pop star found herself in the middle of a backlash as many Chinese social media users reportedly called her out for the controversial anime that is also banned in China.

The controversy: The controversy started after Chapter 259 of the My Hero Academia manga revealed that the villainous Dr. Daruma Ujikos full name was Maruta Shiga.

The characters name, Maruta, is reportedly the code name used for the test subjects under the Imperial Japanese Army's Unit 731. The unit was responsible for several horrific experiments on human subjects between 1935 and 1945 during World War II.

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Initial backlash: After the introduction, many manga readers immediately expressed outrage at the name, forcing the author Kohei Horikoshi to issue an apology and change the villains real name to Kyudai Garaki.

Other details: Since My Hero Academia has been banned in China due to the controversy, Karina also took to her official Weibo account to apologize to some of her Chinese fans.

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Hybe issues statement on who will front the bill for upcoming free BTS concert in Busan
(Bloomberg) -- (This story was originally published Oct. 30. On Thursday, the US Supreme Court effectively barred universities from using race as a factor in admissions, voting 6-3 along ideological lines.)

Most Read from Bloomberg

The warning signs are out there: In the absence of affirmative action, Black, Hispanic and Native American students are largely and disproportionately kept out of the best US schools  and the best jobs.

When the practice ended in California, the states most selective campuses saw minority enrollment drop more than 50%, and earnings fall for Black and Hispanic graduates. University of Michigan still hasnt fully regained its share of Black students, despite millions of dollars spent over 15 years. And at the University of Oklahomas largest campus, the number of Indigenous freshmen fell 11% in one year, despite the state being home to one of the largest Native American populations.

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Should the US Supreme Court do away with affirmative action, as its considering in two cases Monday, the most elite institutions in the US will almost certainly become Whiter in a country where social mobility for some racial and ethnic groups is already a challenge.

Minority college enrollment has overall grown, and will continue to do so as the countrys demographics shift. But banning race-conscious admissions will alter who gets into the most selective schools that not only set young adults up for future success, but often determine who fills C-suites, the halls of Congress, and even the Supreme Court bench itself.

Nearly 70 major US companies, including Alphabet Inc.s Google, General Electric Co., and JetBlue Airways Corp. warned in a brief to the court that without affirmative action theyll lose access to a pipeline of highly qualified future workers and business leaders  and will struggle to meet diversity hiring goals theyve set.

This matters a great deal for access in the persistently White institutions that generally control the pathways to power in our society, said Ed Wingenbach, president of Hampshire College, a liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The cases  one centered on Harvard and another on the University of North Carolina  could scrap the decades-old precedents that maintain the rights of public and private universities to consider race in admissions to ensure campus diversity. The challenger, an interest group set up to abolish race-conscious admissions, argues that Asian Americans are discriminated against due to such policies.

Institutions of higher education in the US first adopted affirmative action during the civil rights era to remedy racial discrimination and bias that kept non-White people, particularly African Americans, out of positions of power and well-paying jobs. In the decades since, the court has put guardrails on the ways in which schools can consider race in admissions, but has continued to allow schools to do so.

Read more: Supreme Court Will End the Era of College Diversity

The vast majority of colleges and universities in the US now use whats called a holistic admissions process. Schools consider a number of factors like extracurriculars and life circumstances, including racial background and socioeconomic status, in addition to academic performance, when deciding who to admit.

Under that current system, most schools have improved representation of admits and graduates. In a McKinsey & Co. analysis of 840 four-year institutions, almost two-thirds increased representation of minorities within their student bodies between 2013 to 2020. More than 50% had also improved graduation rates for minorities.

But nine US states currently ban affirmative action in public school admissions. In those places, the racial makeup at the top-rated schools has changed dramatically.

After Californias ballot measure banning affirmative action went into effect for the freshman class of 1998, freshmen enrollees from underrepresented minority groups dropped by 50% or more at the the University of California's most selective campuses, the school's president and chancellors said in a brief to the Supreme Court.

At UCLA, the share of Black freshmen halved from 7.1% in 1995 to 3.4% in 1998, the chancellors said. Latinx students accounted for 22% of the freshman class in 1995 but only 10% in 1998. The share of African American freshman at UCLA, at 6%, is still below its pre-ban level.

UC Berkeley saw a similar drop: Black students comprised 3.4% of the freshman class in 1998, down from 6.3% in 1995. The share of Latinx freshman dropped to 7.3% from 16% in that time.

Black and Hispanic populations in the selective universities collapsed, said Zachary Bleemer, an assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Management whos studied the impact the affirmative action ban had on minority students.

Bleemers research found that the change hurt long-term earnings for Black and Hispanic graduates, too. A decade after the University of California system ended the practice, minority Californians earning over $100,000 declined by at least 3%, according to his analysis of 10,000 UC freshman applicants. And overall, Black and Hispanic college applicants were earning about 5% lower wages than they would have absent the ban. White and Asian graduates earnings during that time, on the other hand, saw little benefit from getting rid of race-based admissions, the research found.

Opponents of affirmative action point out that both UC Berkeley and UCLA admitted their most ethnically diverse classes in recent years. But the campuses demographics do not reflect that of the states high school graduates. Just 19% of Berkeleys student body identifies as Latinx, while the numbers of Hispanic or Latino public high school students in California has soared to more than half. For Black students, the numbers are slightly better: 5.2% of high school students are Black, compared to 3.8% of UC Berkeleys students.

Meanwhile, the Asian student makeup at Berkeley hasnt changed much since the ban, continuing to hover around 40%. The share of White Berkeley students has gone down, but in line with the overall decline in White high school graduates in the state.

Halfway across the country, the University of Michigan has been employing a large swath of tactics to stop minority enrollment from backsliding since a 2006 affirmative-action ban went into effect. These include considering socioeconomic status in admissions, maintaining an office in Detroit to recruit local high school students and encouraging current attendees to reach out to admitted minority students. The school has also reduced the number of kids it admits early and tried to minimize tuition increases.

But despite spending over 15 years working on these efforts, race-neutral admissions policies have not significantly increased enrollment of underrepresented minorities, the school wrote in a 36-page filing to the Supreme Court.

In 2006, the last year before the ban of race-based admissions went into effect, 13% of the schools undergrads were underrepresented minorities. By 2014, minorities made up 11% of students. It wasnt until 2021 when the share of non-White students reached 13% again.

The change has been particularly bad for Black and Native American student enrollment, according to the school. In 2006, Black students made up 7% of the student body; that has since declined to 4%  in a state where 17% of public high school students are Black. At its largest campus, there were 240 Native American students enrolled in the fall of 2006. By this fall, there were just 40.

These institutions that arent able to carefully consider race in admissions are falling short even as the country becomes more diverse, said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

Some schools say they dont need affirmative action at all. In a court filing in the UNC Supreme Court case, the University of Oklahoma argued schools that don't consider race are no less diverse than comparable universities that do. The university said there has been no long-term severe decline in minority admissions since Oklahomans voted for an affirmative action ban in 2012. Enrollments in the University of Oklahoma system for Black, Hispanic and Native American freshman were up overall.

At Norman Campus, the states most prestigious and largest campus, though, the picture was more mixed. The number of Black and Indigenous freshmen students fell right after the ban, and Hispanic freshman saw a drop the following year. Percentages of Black and Hispanic freshmen have rebounded, but figures for Native American students remain below where they were. None of the groups have kept up with the states increasingly diverse pool of high-school graduates.

Over the years, colleges in these states have adopted other tactics hoping to boost campus diversity. Some have tried targeting lower-income students given that studies find White Americans have six times more wealth than Black ones, or stepped up recruiting at more racially diverse high schools.

Others have ditched standardized-test requirements, as students from wealthier backgrounds tend to perform better on the exams. Others have made it optional, which a 2021 Vanderbilt University study found contributed to a 10 to 12% increase in first-time students from underrepresented racial backgrounds.

Another popular strategy, used by public schools in both California and Texas, is admitting the top performers from every high school in the state. That system, while race-neutral on the surface, guarantees slots to students at predominantly Hispanic and Black schools and those from low-income neighborhoods. (In 2016 the Supreme Court ruled that the University of Texas could use race-conscious admissions to supplement its automatic-admissions rule.)

Read more: The Supreme Court Will Make It Harder to Hire a Diverse Team

Schools can also consider dropping legacy admissions, like Amherst College announced it would do last year. A recent study by the American Sociological Association found that legacy admits are not more qualified or better students and tend to be less racially diverse than non-legacies. Their parents tend to be wealthier and in a better position to donate to the institution.

Going to an elite school isnt the only route to economic security in the US, and increasingly employers are looking outside the most selective institutions for hiring. But its still a common pathway to power.

Take the US Supreme Court  the nation's most powerful judicial body  as an example. Of the nine justices, seven received undergraduate degrees from Ivy League schools, and only one got a law degree from somewhere other than Harvard or Yale.

(Republishes story following Supreme Court decision on June 29.)

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Here is some background information about affirmative action as well as a few notable court cases.

Affirmative action policies focus on improving opportunities for groups of people, like women and minorities, who have been historically excluded in United States society. The initial emphasis was on education and employment. President John F. Kennedy was the first president to use the term in an executive order.

Facts

Supporters argue that affirmative action is necessary to ensure racial and gender diversity in education and employment. Critics state that it is unfair and causes reverse discrimination.

Racial quotas are considered unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court.

The state of Texas replaced its affirmative action plan with a percentage plan that guarantees the top 10% of high-school graduates a spot in any state university in Texas. California and Florida have similar programs.

Timeline (selected cases)

1954 - The US Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education, rules that the separate but equal doctrine violates the Constitution.

1961 - President Kennedy creates the Council on Equal Opportunity in an executive order. This ensures that federal contractors hire people regardless of race, creed, color or national origin.

1964 - The Civil Rights Act renders discrimination illegal in the workplace.

1978 - In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, a notable reverse discrimination case, the Supreme Court rules that colleges cannot use racial quotas because it violates the Equal Protection Clause. As one factor for admission, however, race can be used.

1995 - The University of Michigan rejects the college application of Jennifer Gratz, a top high school student in suburban Detroit who is white.

October 14, 1997 - Gratz v. Bollinger, et al., is filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan. The University of Michigan is sued by white students, including Gratz and Patrick Hamacher, who claim the undergraduate and law school affirmative action policies using race and/or gender as a factor in admissions is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

December 3, 1997 - A similar case, Grutter v. Bollinger, is filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan. Barbara Grutter, denied admission to the University of Michigan Law School, claims that other applicants, with lower test scores and grades, were given an unfair advantage due to race.

December 2000 - The judge in the Gratz v. Bollinger case rules that the University of Michigans undergraduate admissions policy does not violate the standards set by the Supreme Court.

March 2001 - The judge in the Grutter v. Bollinger case rules the University of Michigan Law Schools admissions policy is unconstitutional.

December 2001 - The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals hears appeals in both University of Michigan cases.

May 14, 2002 - The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reverses the district courts decision in Grutter v. Bollinger.

January 17, 2003 - The administration of President George W. Bush files a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court, opposing the University of Michigans affirmative action program.

April 1, 2003 - The US Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the two cases. US Solicitor General Theodore Olson offers arguments in support of the plaintiffs.

June 23, 2003 - The Supreme Court rules on Grutter v. Bollinger that the University of Michigan Law School may give preferential treatment to minorities during the admissions process. The Court upholds the law school policy by a vote of five to four.

June 23, 2003 - In Gratz v. Bollinger, the undergraduate policy in which a point system gave specific weight to minority applicants is overturned six to three.

December 22, 2003 - The Supreme Court rules that race can be a factor in universities admission programs but it cannot be an overriding factor. This decision affects the Grutter and Gratz cases.

November 7, 2006 - The Michigan electorate strikes down affirmative action by approving a proposition barring affirmative action in public education, employment, or contracting.

January 31, 2007 - After the Supreme Court sends the case back to district court; the case is dismissed. Gratz and Hamacher settle for $10,000 in administrative costs, but do not receive damages.

2008 - Abigail Noel Fisher, a white woman, sues the University of Texas. She argues that the university should not use race as a factor in admission policies that favor African-American and Hispanic applicants over whites and Asian-Americans.

July 1, 2011 - An appeals court overturns Michigans 2006 ban on the use of race and/or gender as a factor in admissions or hiring practices.

November 15, 2012 - The US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals throws out Michigans 2006 ban on affirmative action in college admissions and public hiring, declaring it unconstitutional.

June 24, 2013 - The Supreme Court sends the University of Texas case back to the lower court for further review without ruling.

October 15, 2013 - The US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a case concerning Michigans 2006 law on affirmative action.

April 22, 2014 - In a six to two ruling, the Supreme Court upholds Michigans ban of using racial criteria in college admissions.

July 15, 2014 - The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upholds the use of race by the University of Texas as a factor in undergraduate admissions to promote diversity on campus. The vote is two to one.

November 17, 2014 - Students for Fair Admissions sues Harvard University, alleging Harvard intentionally discriminates against Asian-Americans. Students for Fair Admissions is run by Edward Blum, a conservative advocate, who sought Asian-Americans rejected by Harvard.

December 9, 2015 - The US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the University of Texas case regarding race as a factor in admissions policies.

June 23, 2016 - The US Supreme Court upholds the Affirmative Action program by a vote of four to three with Justice Elena Kagan taking no part in the consideration. The ruling allows the limited use of affirmative action policies by schools.

October 15, 2018 - The lawsuit against Harvard filed in 2014 by Students for Fair Admissions goes to trial.

February 2019 - Texas Tech University enters an agreement with the Department of Education to stop considering race and/or national origin as a factor in its admissions process, concluding a 14-year-long investigation into the schools use of affirmative action.

October 1, 2019 - US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs upholds Harvards admissions process in the Students for Fair Admissions case, ruling that while Harvards admissions process is not perfect, she would not dismantle a very fine admissions program that passes constitutional muster, solely because it could do better.

November 12, 2020 - A Boston-based US appeals court rejects an appeal brought by the Students for Fair Admissions group.

January 24, 2022 - The US Supreme Court announces it will reconsider race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The justices will hear challenges to policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina that use students race among many criteria to decide who should gain a coveted place in an entering class. On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court says colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission.

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Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

Affirmative action was a promise to deliver economic justice to Black America that fell short. It was envisioned as an array of helping hand policies for the descendants of slaves designed by the authorities that had enslaved them. It offered a slow walk to restitution based on fair access to schools, loans, jobs, and housing.

The Supreme Court decision on college admissions upends the promise. By a vote of 6 to 3, the Court rejected the programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina as unlawful.

Supreme Court Deals Death Blow to College Affirmative Action

The decision involves the admissions processes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the flagship institutions of private and public education. The cases share a common petitioner: Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a group whose members believe that the consideration of race in college admissionseven to correct historical wrongs of racismis unconstitutional.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, agreed that the admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.

The court decision puts a roadblock at the start of the journey to economic restitution, with consequences that can extend from education to employment and contracting.

The decision returns Black America to a crossroads of restitution for the wrongs of slavery and Jim Crow. Since the decades after the Civil War, the challenge has been to find pathways to economic justice. One strategy has looked to individual and class-action claims for reparations, another to the promise of affirmative action and inclusion.

1244504509 Taylor Dumpson, 26, left, and her mother, Kimberly Dumpson, 53, right, listen to oral arguments for Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina outside the Supreme Court last year. Eric Lee for The Washington Post via Getty Images

The Shrinking of Affirmative Action

Since the 1930s, Black leadership has embraced government and company employment tools to break down historic barriers of race. Such policies worked to open doors in government offices, defense factories, and the armed services during World War II and afterward. By the 1960s, civil rights leaders expressed confidence that affirmative action policies could deliver a measure of economic justice.

The leaders promoted the policies with confidence in the support of two presidential administrations: On March 6, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, which called on government contractors to take affirmative action to hire inclusively. The commitment was deepened in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 to require fair employment practices by contractors.

From the start, however, the reliance on administrative tools as a primary means of restitution was stifled by persistent legal challenges, political opposition, and negative court decisions. Critics have promoted the alternative policy of a colorblind approachthough it has failed to address the historic and systemic inequities.

By 1996, California voters amended the state constitution to curtail affirmative action. When the University of California adopted the mandate in its admission policies, the result was a drop in Black American student enrollment at the upper-tier campuses.

The Supreme Court decision on the Harvard and UNC admissions programs will affect the way students apply to colleges and universities, and ultimately to the number of Black students enrolled in the schools with the most resources.

The Court decision noted that nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected the applicants life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.

The Quest for Reparations

Since the Civil War, Black Americans have initiated claims for restitution for the unjust enrichment from slavery. Understand that more than 90 percent of Black Americans are related to the original 400,000 Africans brought to America as commodities of labor. The pool grew to more than 4 million by the Civil War and their bodies made America great.

America became an economic powerhouse from the institution of slavery, according to authors Sven Beckert and Seth Rockman in Slaverys Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development. Africans were the primary assets of national wealth as commodities for work, sale, rent, and childbirth. They helped to build the industries of agriculture, shipping, manufacturing, railroads, publishing, finance, and insurance.

Among the early claims for restitution was for 400,000 acres of coastal land between South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The region was awarded in reparation to emancipated Blacks in January 1865, under Special Field Order No. 15 by the Union Army Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.

The order specified that The islands from Charleston, south, the abandoned rice fields along the rivers for thirty miles back from the sea, and the country bordering the St. Johns River, Florida, are reserved and set apart for the settlement of the negroes now made free by the acts of war and the proclamation of the President of the United States.

The reparations were reversed with the assassination of President Lincoln in April 1865, and Black settlers were either evicted or reduced to peonage with the return of white supremacy governments.

Another early claim was for state and federal pensions on behalf of the freedmen. In 1899, for example, The National Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association called on Congress to allocate pensions to the aged class. The appeal was ignored.

In addition to slavery, people have initiated claims for restitution for the unjust enrichment from Jim Crow, the laws and practices of racial subjugation. The loss of wages, farmland, family wealth, and markets for business stretched nearly a century from the close of the Civil War to the 1960s. Under Jim Crow, Black Americans were excluded from the transformational government programs of the 20th century, such as Social Security.

Among the notable claims for restitution in recent years was the 2002 lawsuit by attorney Deadria Farmer-Paellman. She filed a class action in federal court against financial institutions with ties to slavery. The claim received a degree of validation in the proceedings.

Attorney Patricia Muhammad explored appeals to the International Criminal Court in the book, The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: A Forgotten Crime against Humanity as Defined by International Law. In 2019, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights concluded that the U.S. was among the states that owe reparations to the descendants of slaves.

In recent years, private actors have tried to find ways to wrest back stolen wealth, as documented by Ta-Nehisi Coates in his famous Atlantic essay, The Case for Reparations. Family claims have been made to recover the value of lost farmland, business, and homes through the instruments of deceit and violence, and the takings by eminent domain.

State and local institutions have also explored pathways to restitution, such as a California task force on reparations.

1437918182 Students from Harvard College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and other HBCUs joined fellow proponents of affirmative action in higher education in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last year. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Days Ahead

As the dust from the Supreme Court decision settles, Black political leaders would be prudent to explore a new agenda of restitution for the unjust enrichment from slavery and Jim Crow.

Any agenda should encourage reliable structures for filing claims. And it should prioritize the distribution of awards in the areas of pensions, workforce development, affordable housing, debt relief, health insurance, and youth recovery.

In 1972, Yale Law Professor Boris Bittker estimated the cost of reparations for slavery at about $1 trillion in the book, The Case for Black Reparations. Certainly, the debt has grown since then?

The agenda should also seek new ways to gain access to the resourceseducational, employment, and contractingof the upper-tier schools, most of which were enriched under slavery and Jim Crow. One approach is the reparation initiative by students at Georgetown University.

To be clear, the number of Black American students admitted to elite schools was modest even with affirmative action, but valuable to the formation of a middle class. The community probably will gain more from an agenda that directs investments to HBCUs and programs at community colleges and urban public colleges that serve large numbers of Black students.

Beyond the question of financial wholeness, the demand for reparations for slavery and Jim Crow has cultural merit as well. Randall Robinson, in The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks, argued that the debate helps America better understand the divergent pathways of race in the countrys history. The legacy of demands for reparations, the late Pan-African activist concluded, has roots in the dignity of Black America.

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Photo: The Canadian Press A Waterloo Regional Police vehicle is seen at the scene of a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ont., Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Waterloo Regional Police said three victims were stabbed inside the university's Hagey Hall, with one person was taken into custody. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

Three people were taken to hospital Wednesday with non-life-threatening injuries and a suspect was in custody after a stabbing during a philosophy class at the University of Waterloo.

Waterloo Regional Police told reporters the motive for the attack was not immediately clear but the suspect was being questioned by investigators.

"I cant speak to motive at this time. Obviously, we are under investigation currently, but we do have investigators with our person under arrest determining that right now, Waterloo Regional Police Service Supt. Shaena Morris said at a news conference.

"There is no further threat to public safety either on campus or outside in the broader community at this time, Morris said, confirming that the victims' injuries were not life-threatening.

The three injured included two students and a professor, said Nick Manning, associate vice-president of communications for the University of Waterloo.

Morris, at the same news conference, identified the suspect as a member of "the university community" but declined to confirm the individual is a student.

There was increased security presence on campus in the hours following the afternoon attack but the situation returned to normal later in the evening.

Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe said "there is no further threat to our community."

"This was a very troubling and disturbing incident. I'm relieved that the individual involved was quickly apprehended," McCabe said in a tweet.

Manning said the stabbing occurred in Philosophy 202, which, according to the university website, focuses on "gender issues."

"Our entire community is really concerned that this would happen here. Its a big shock, Manning told reporters.

Our first thoughts, of course, go to the students who are in the class and have turned immediately to making sure in addition to supporting the police inquiry. Weve been there to support the mental health of our students and of our staff, Manning said.

Asked about security at the building before the attack, Manning noted the university does not typically have a heavy security presence on campus.

"We are blessed to be in an area of the world where these kinds of things happen very, very rarely."

Manning added the university would look at its "emergency notifications systems," following the stabbing.

The attack occurred in Hagey Hall, where classes were cancelled following the incident, the university had said earlier.
As affirmative action is struck down, KY schools say they remain committed to diversity

The Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions Thursday, saying race can no longer be a factor when deciding to admit a student.

The conservative majority of the Supreme Court overturned the use of race in admissions in two cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice. However, Roberts added that college applicants are still allowed to discuss how race affected their lives through the application process.

In states that previously ended affirmative action, studies have found fewer minority students enrolling. In California, Proposition 209 was passed in 1996, ending race-based admissions. As a result, the admission of underrepresented and minority groups at all University of California campuses declined, a study from the university found. Those in favor of keeping affirmative action have warned that similar effects could now be felt across the country.

In Kentucky, the two largest public universities said they will continue to be committed to and focused on the diversity of their communities.

The University of Kentucky, the largest university in the state, boasted increasing numbers of diverse students enrolled last year.

We will continue to review this decision as we prepare to fully comply with the law as described in todays rulings, UK President Eli Capilouto said in a statement. At the same time, we will remain focused on our priority as an institution  to be a community of care, compassion and belonging for everyone, regardless of who they are and regardless of how someone defines their humanity and identity. That is the right thing to do for our university. This is a special place  made even more special because we are filled with people committed to being an inclusive and welcoming community.

Enrollment numbers from the 2022-23 school year at UK showed a 7% increase of students of color and underrepresented minorities over the previous school year. More than 16% of the UK student body were underrepresented minorities or students of color. Nearly 25% of the freshmen class were first-generation students, and 18% were students of color.

Speaking about the diversity of UK students, Capilouto said the university is equipping them with the tools they need to compete in a complex, global economy amid a very diverse country and world.

Our work in the classroom  and all that we are doing in every facet of our mission  is undergirded and strengthened by a commitment to being welcoming and inclusive, defined in the broadest possible terms as we seek to educate, accept, heal and serve the broadest range of people possible, Capilouto said.

The University of Louisville said it will continue to be committed to diversity among our students, faculty and staff.

Celebrating our differences and learning from one another only makes our university and our society stronger, the university said in a statement. Through legally permissible means, we will continue to foster and sustain an environment of inclusiveness that empowers all to achieve their highest potential.

At UofL, Black students made up 13.7% of the student population in the fall 2022 semester, and other minorities made up 17.6% of the student population, according to the universitys website.

Kentucky politicians react

Two Kentucky politicians praised the Supreme Courts decision on Thursday.

The Supreme Courts decisions on college admissions are a long-overdue step toward ensuring equal protection under the law, Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a statement. For decades, the Court turned a blind eye as higher education prioritized illegal social engineering over merit. Todays rulings make clear that colleges may not continue discriminating against bright and ambitious students based on the color of their skin.

The Supreme Court was exactly right to hold that eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it, Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor Daniel Cameron said in a statement. Universities are not somehow exempt from this core American value. Todays decision is a huge step toward a more perfect union.

This story may be updated.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a scathing dissent

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution prohibits American universities from considering the race of applicants as part of its admissions process.

The court once again has divided sharply on ideological lines. The six conservative justices in the majority heralded the decision as a step toward a more colourblind society, where students will be measured by their accomplishments, not their race. The three liberals condemned the ruling, arguing that it ignored the ongoing reality of discrimination in America.

The sweeping decision applies to every university, public and private, across the US. But it is the prestigious Ivy League institutions like Harvard, where tens of thousands of applicants compete for hundreds of spots a year, that could be affected the most by the ruling.

The court did not say it was directly overruling a 20-year-old legal precedent that universities could consider race as a factor in a holistic effort to create a diverse student body. But University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck says the effect will be just as significant.

"The decision goes a lot farther than the court really wants you to believe," he says. "For all intents and purposes, it makes it virtually impossible for colleges and universities to continue to take race into account."

Why was affirmative action ruled discriminatory?

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts drew a direct line from the landmark court 1954 case Brown v Board of Education, which ended segregation in education, to this opinion on college admissions.

"Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it," the chief justice wrote.

He said that universities could not have an open-ended timeline for addressing past discrimination, and dismissed the explanations that Harvard and the University of North Carolina used to justify their policies as unfocused, discriminatory and tied to racial stereotypes.

The lawsuit against Harvard had been brought by a group of Asian-American students that claimed the university's admissions policy discriminated against them by downplaying their academic achievement and high test scores.

The chief justice agreed, writing that college decisions must be granted based on an applicant's experiences and qualifications as an individual.

"Many universities have for too long done just the opposite," he wrote. "And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the colour of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

It is yet another reflection of a court that is flexing its muscle on major social and political issues that had been addressed by previous court precedent. Last year, the court struck down long-standing protections for abortion and the environment. Now, the conservative justices targeted university admissions.

What did liberal justices say in scathing dissents?

The three justices appointed by Democratic presidents condemned the rulings in two separate dissents that spanned nearly 100 pages in total.

The ruling, wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor, "cements a superficial rule of colourblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter". She warned it "rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress".

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson - the first black woman ever to sit on the court - went further: "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colourblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

"And having so detached itself from this country's actual past and present experiences," she added, "the court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that [the University of North Carolina] and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve America's real-world problems."

What happens next?

While the court's decision applies to universities across America, nine states have already taken steps to prohibit the consideration of race in their public college admissions process. Their results may give an indication of the sweeping changes that are to come.

California, for example, prohibited "preferential treatment" on the basis of race in all government programmes, including public education, a quarter of a century ago.

Although there was an immediate drop in minority representation across the University of California system, efforts to increase diversity through other means have been effective. UCLA currently admits a higher percentage of black and Hispanic students than it did before the affirmative-action ban went into effect.

The Supreme Court, in its opinion, said that applicants can still cite their race and discuss how it "affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise". And universities could find proxies for race - such as economic disadvantage or geographic origin - to build a diverse student body.

How universities may go about doing that, however, could vary from state to state, based on local politics and conservative laws that are being passed in Republican "red states" to prohibit university diversity outreach and engagement programmes that schools in California have utilised.

"The reality is this guts affirmative action as we've known it," Mr Vladeck says. "But it leaves open a crack in the door for universities, especially in blue [liberal] states, to try to find other means of promoting diversity and achieving diversity in their income classes."

As of today, however, any policies with a tinge of racial consideration could prompt a new lawsuit and more headaches for university officials. The court's opinion in this case makes that much very clear.
Afghan men pray at a mosque on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Shahidan Square, Kandahar (Sanaullah SEIAM)

Afghanistan's Taliban government reacted angrily Thursday to Swedish authorities allowing a man to burn a copy of the Koran outside a mosque in Stockholm, calling it "utter contempt towards this noble religion".

Taliban authorities enforce a strict interpretation of the Koran and Islamic law, and blasphemous acts are punishable by death.

Swedish police granted permission Wednesday for a man to set fire to pages of the Koran outside Stockholm's main mosque, drawing condemnation from many Muslims around the world.

Police had allowed the protest in line with free-speech protections, but also opened an investigation into the man, originally from Iraq, for "agitation against an ethnic group".

Afghanistan's foreign ministry said it condemned the act "in the strongest terms".

"Permission for such despicable acts in front of a mosque on one of the holiest days of Islam shows nothing more than the utter contempt towards this noble religion and its close to two billion adherents by the Swedish authorities," it said in a statement.

"We call on all Muslim states and organisations... to take all appropriate measures in response to such odious acts across the world."

Since seizing power in August 2021, Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have imposed an austere version of Islam on the country, largely excluding women from public life.

Stockholm is a major aid contributor to Kabul through its Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, which has been present in the country for more than 40 years.

bur-fox/dva/aha
Air Force officials are changing the way the service deploys airmen, offering more time at home after a tour and more training by sending units on long-term assignments instead of individual deployments.

It's the most substantial change to Air Force deployments in two decades, the service said in a press release Tuesday evening. Dubbed the "Air Force Force Generation model," the new deployment cycle will apply to all airmen by Oct. 1.

"While today's Airmen are used to operating from main operating bases in uncontested environments, future conflicts will present radically different challenges that make this hard-earned experience less applicable," the Air Force said in the press release.

Read Next: Soldier Crashed Helicopter Before Running to and Crashing a Second in 2022 Suicide, Investigators Find

Under the new model, airmen will have 18 months between six-month deployments allowing for more "focused time for individual and unit training and certification," according to the service. Groups of airmen set to deploy will get the chance to work and train together for several months prior to shipping out, unlike under existing policy.

The new model will be a 24-month rotational cycle broken into four six-month phases -- Prepare, Certify, Available and Reset -- the service said.

For decades, the Air Force has had airmen deploy for around at least six months, followed by around 12 or so months back at their home base. That rotation relied on bringing airmen from various installations across the country together for deployments, and forced them to cram in pre-deployment training and classes in a shorter period of time.

Air Force officials have talked publicly in recent years about their desire to change the old cycle, most recently at the Air and Space Forces Association's conference this past March in Colorado.

"We have been able to get away with taking three Airmen from this base, five Airmen from this base and two Airmen from that base, deploying them and expecting them to come together on Day 1 and be a team," Lt. Gen. James Slife, headquarters Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, said during a March 8 panel at the Air Warfare Symposium. "We don't actually think that's the way the future operating environment is going to permit us to operate."

The first phase of the new plan, prepare, involves advanced and multi-unit training exercises for six months. The second phase, certify, involves major joint exercises and certification events with a focus on maintaining peak readiness. The third phase, available to commit, is the six-month rotational deployment or Pentagon assignment. The fourth phase, reset, is where units return back to base for routine training, leave, time with families and aircraft readiness recovery.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who has been nominated as the next chairman of the joint chiefs, has supported the change in the deployment cycle for several years and said in a 2022 speech at the Air Force Association's conference that changing it was crucial to the service's identity.

"We need an approach that serves our national security and defense strategies, our joint warfighting concept and recognizes the changing threats and tendencies in the character of warfare," Brown said during his speech. "Adoption is making the concepts part of our DNA, part of our culture."

The Air Force has already been testing out the model. This past April, airmen with the 62d Airlift Wing returned from a deployment under the new cycle and were assisting with U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command operations, according to the service.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: Air Force Ends BEAST Week Mock Deployment at Boot Camp
AIR QUALITY: Warning issued for RI as smoke from Canada flows into Southern New England

Smoke from Canadian wildfires is again flowing into Rhode Island and has prompted the state Department of Environmental Management to issue an Air Quality Alert.

"The fine particles in smoke are so small that they can get past the bodys natural defenses and get deep into the lungs," the DEM said. "Breathing particle pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath.

"Some people are more likely to experience health effects from poor air quality, including people with asthma or other lung disease, people with heart disease, older adults, and children and babies," the DEM said.

More: Wandering wildfire smoke from afar shows Rhode Island can't escape climate reality

These satellite images from June 6, from top left, June 7, June 25, and June 27, 2023, show the wind movement from wildfire smoke in Quebec, Canada. Smoke from wildfires in Canada is again flowing into Southern New England. (NASA Worldview, (EOSDIS) via AP) (Credit: AP)

The problem is expected to worsen through the day and is likely to linger into Friday as smoke plumes to the west and northwest of Rhode Island move into the state, the DEM said.

"Expect periods of wood burning odors, haze, and unhealthy fine particles readings on local air quality monitors throughout the state," the DEM said.

The Rhode Island Department of Health recommends people who are sensitive to particle pollution should take the following actions to protect their health:

 Stay indoors with windows closed during the times significant smoke is affecting your area.

 For people outdoors, N95 masks can reduce exposure to pollutants in smoke plumes. Choose less strenuous outdoor activities and shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.

More: Smoke from fires in Canada spreads into Southern New England

 Air quality can change throughout the day. Use AirNow.gov or download the AirNOW application for smartphones to check the current air quality and decide if it is a good time to be active outdoors.

 Particle pollution can make asthma and lung disease symptoms worse. People with asthma should carefully follow their asthma management plan on days when pollution levels are high.

This image from Wednesday shows the heavy smoke that prompted the DEM to issue an Air Quality Alert for Thursday.

 For people with heart disease, breathing in particle pollution can increase their risk of heart attack. Be on the lookout for symptoms like chest pain or tightness, fast heartbeat, feeling out of breath, or being more tired than usual, and contact a doctor.

More information is available at the DEM's air quality forecast page.

The Environmental Protection Agency's fire and smoke map shows air quality across the country.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI issues air quality alert as smoke from Canadian fires flows south
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified the affected ship. It was the Abraham Lincoln.

WASHINGTON  Sailors from the crew of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln extinguished an electrical fire that broke out on the ship around 2 p.m. on June 28, according to the service.

Nonessential personnel were evacuated from the ship for a short period, but no one was injured during the event, Cmdr. Zach Harrell, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces, told Defense News.

According to a statement from Harrell, the in-port emergency team aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) responded to an electrical fire in the forward emergency diesel generator compartment.

He said the fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes.

Harrell noted that no foul play is suspected, and an assessment is underway to determine the extent of the damage to the ship.

The ship was conducting planned maintenance, otherwise known as a planned incremental availability, while pier-side at Naval Air Station North Island when the fire occurred, Harrell said.
Civil rights activist and television pundit Al Sharpton expressed outrage at the Supreme Courts decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions.

This is tantamount to sticking a dagger in our back, Sharpton said during an appearance on MSNBC Thursday. Because what they have said now is that it is unconstitutional to even consider race, and given the racial history of the country, lets not act like Blacks are behind because there is something in our genes  It was against the law for us to even read and write until 160 years ago.

Five things to know about Supreme Courts decision to curtail college affirmative action

The courts six conservative justices ruled in a blockbuster decision that the admissions practices set up by two institutions of higher learning, Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

The courts decision has been widely panned by Democrats and advocates for racial justice.

This is a tremendous set back that must be resisted by every corner, including the Department of Justice and including states, Sharpton said.

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Alex Soros, son of billionaire financier George Soros, huddled with high-ranking Democrats shortly after taking the reins of the powerful Open Society Foundations (OSF), continuing his long-running trend of privately meeting with influential politicians and publicly posting the encounters.

The meeting appears to be his first with federal lawmakers since he's taken control of his father's robust multibillion-dollar nonprofit network that injects vast sums into left-wing endeavors.

On June 11, OSF announced Alex would take over the network after the elder Soros did not want to hand it to any of his children. George, however, ultimately said, "He's earned it."

Days after the announcement, Alex hosted a New York event featuring House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other top Empire State Democrats, including Reps. Jerry Nadler and Gregory Meeks, according to an Instagram post.

GEORGE SOROS' SON BECOMES KINGMAKER WITH TOP DEMS AS HE MAKES MULTIPLE WH VISITS, MEETS WITH LAWMAKERS

"Back in a New York minute to host distinct members of the New York for hmp with [Rep. Hakeem Jeffries] and members of the New York house delegation, [Rep. Pat Ryan, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Ritchie Torres] on their quest to take the back [sic] the 2024 majority! And always supporting the sneaker caucus!" Alex wrote June 17.

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Alex's social media profiles have dozens of pictures of him and leading House and Senate Democrats since 2018. The two who appear the most are Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. Alex had at least nine meetings with Schumer, whom he referred to as his "good friend."

Alex had at least eight visits with Pelosi, calling her the "greatest Speaker of the House in American History!"

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Alex Soros, son of George Soros, pose for a photo in an undisclosed location.

Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California poses with liberal billionaire donor George Soros, left, and his son, Alexander.

Weeks ago, he publicized a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris, writing, "Great to recently catch up with Madame Vice President, [Kamala Harris]!"

Alex has enjoyed extensive access to the Biden White House and seems to be maintaining the direct line as he now steers one of the most prominent liberal foundations in America. After handing over control, George said they "think alike," but Alex noted he is "more political."

Alex has visited the White House at least 17 times since 2021, according to a previous Fox News Digital review of visitor logs. His most recent visits included three meetings between Feb. 8-10, and the logs list Jon Finer, the principal deputy national security adviser; Jordan Finkelstein, special assistant to the president and the chief of staff for senior Biden adviser Anita Dunn; and Mariana Adame, the adviser to the counselor of the president, as those greeting Alex.

GEORGE SOROS NONPROFITS GAVE TENS OF MILLIONS TO ANTI-POLICE GROUPS AND INITIATIVES IN 2021, TAX FORMS SHOW

While those individuals are listed in the records, it remains unclear who he may have met with for the sessions. The documents can contain White House staff who book appointments, meet the guests and take them to other personnel, ultimately concealing the intended meeting host.

Alex Soros, founder of the Alexander Soros Foundation, attends a dinner speech event hosted by George Soros, billionaire and founder of Soros Fund Management LLC, on day two of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, May 24, 2022.

For instance, a White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital in January that two of Alex's past visits were with Ron Klain, Biden's former chief of staff, who was not listed in the records. OSF did not answer previous questions on the nature of his meetings, and the White House did not respond to an inquiry.

Alex has also donated millions to Democrats over the past several years, albeit far less than his father. Since the 2018 elections, Alex has poured more than $5 million into federal political coffers. Records show that his largest contribution was $2 million to the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC during this time.

WHITE HOUSE-LINKED GROUP BACKED BY GEORGE SOROS WAGES BEHIND-THE-SCENES WAR ON GASOLINE

Alex pushed over $700,000 into the Biden Victory Fund in 2020, putting him among its top donors. He's provided hundreds of thousands in additional cash to the Nancy Pelosi Victory Fund, Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). He's also given tens of thousands more to state Democratic parties and individual campaigns, many of which were maximum contributions.

Alex, now 37 years old, attempted to differentiate himself from his father while in his 20s as a Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley by launching the Alexander Soros Foundation.

"If I don't succeed, then I'm just another lazy deadbeat trust fund kid," he told The New York Times in 2012. The nonprofit has appeared to be more of an afterthought.

An OSF spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Alex's meetings with Democratic lawmakers.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ripped his 2024 GOP presidential rival Ron DeSantis on Wednesday after the Florida governor ducked a question about the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.

During a campaign event in New Hampshire on Tuesday, DeSantis was asked by a high schooler whether former President Donald Trump violated the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 6, 2021, by seeking to overturn his loss in the most recent presidential election. DeSantis avoided giving a direct answer, saying only that he didnt enjoy seeing what happened at the Capitol.

I wasnt anywhere near Washington that day. I have nothing to do with what happened that day, he said. Obviously, I didnt enjoy seeing what happened. But weve got to go forward on this stuff. We cannot be looking backwards and be mired in the past.

Five people died and around 140 officers were injured after hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to prevent Joe Bidens certification as president, in one of the most shocking events in U.S. history.

Speaking to CNNs Kaitlan Collins, Christie reacted incredulously to DeSantis comments.

He wasnt anywhere near Washington, Christie sneered, quoting the Floridian. Did he have a TV? Was he alive that day? Did he see what was going on? I mean, thats one of the most ridiculous answers Ive heard in this race so far.

Chris Christie on Ron DeSantis's Jan. 6 answer: 'He wasnt anywhere near Washington'? Did he have a TV? Was he alive that day? Did he see what was going on? I mean, that's one of the most ridiculous answers I've heard in this race so far." pic.twitter.com/q3N04RWb7T  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 29, 2023

Unlike many of his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination, Christie has called out Trump over his actions in office, including his role in the Capitol insurrection. The former governor had been an early supporter of Trump but has since said that he made a fundamental judgment error.

Last week, Christie was booed at a social conservative conference in Washington after criticizing Trump for being unwilling to take responsibility for ... any of the things that hes done.

You can boo all you want, but heres the thing: Our faith teaches us that people have to take responsibility for what they do, he told attendees.

Christie currently trails both Trump and DeSantis in the 2024 race by a large margin, according to recent national- and state-level polls of GOP primary voters.
Almost 80% of Ukrainians have close relatives or friends injured or killed since Russian invasion  poll

Sociologists say that Ukraine is going through a tragic collective experience

An absolute majority of Ukrainians  78%  have close relatives or friends who have been injured or killed due to the Russian invasion of the country, according to a Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) survey released on June 29.

Among those who have such close relatives or friends, the average number (the median value was used) was seven, i.e. on average, such respondents have seven close relatives or friends who were injured or killed, KIIS said.

At the same time, 64% of Ukrainians have at least one close relative or friend who was injured (on average, each person knew five close connections) and 63% have at least one close relative or friend who died (on average they knew three deceased close connections).

In all regions of Ukraine, the vast majority of the population have close relatives or friends who have been injured or killed by the Russian invasion. The indicator ranges from 70% in the east to 80% in the west.

Commenting on the survey results, sociologists claim that Russias war against Ukraine formed a tragic collective experience for the absolute majority of Ukrainians and both the residents of western and eastern Ukraine are experiencing the same terrible losses caused by Russia.

We can talk about the pain of Ukrainians for losses and maddened anger at enemies, said Anton Hrushetskyi, executive director of KIIS.

The strong emotional coloring of this experience acts as a factor that, on the one hand, brings different Ukrainians closer together and allows them to better understand each other. On the other hand, it contributes to the unity of Ukrainians to work together to expel the enemy and achieve justice  punishment for the wrongs caused.

Read also: UN confirms 9,083 civilians killed since Russias invasion of Ukraine

The survey was conducted from May 26 to June 5.

Some 2,013 people were interviewed by phone in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the Russian-occupied territories. Those who went abroad after Feb. 24 were also not interviewed.

Since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the occupying forces have been launching missile and air strikes at civilian infrastructure, resulting in the deaths of civilians.

A total of 9,083 civilians have been killed and 15,779 have been injured since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report on June 19.

The 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, reads the report.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities do not disclose military losses. In May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained it as a general decision of the military command.

In early 2023, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced the daily losses of the Ukrainian and Russian military. He claimed that Russia was losing about 500-600 soldiers in Ukraine every day, while the Armed Forces of Ukraine were losing ten times less people.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Photo: The Canadian Press President Joe Biden speaks with members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Chicago. Biden has started using a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine at night to help with sleep apnea, the White House said Wednesday after indents from the mask were visible on his face. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Joe Biden's youngest brother said in a radio interview Wednesday that the president has been very open-minded in conversations the two have had about the benefits of psychedelics as a form of medical treatment.

Frank Biden made the comments during a call into The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM. The host had just interviewed a Wall Street Journal reporter who recently wrote about powerful Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and employees who believe the use of psychedelics and similar substances can help lead to business breakthroughs.

He is very open-minded," Frank Biden said when asked by Smerconish about conversations he's had with the president on the topic. "Put it that way. I dont want to speak, Im talking brother-to-brother. Brother-to-brother," the younger Biden said. "The question is, is the world, is the U.S. ready for this? My opinion is that we are on the cusp of a consciousness that needs to be brought about to solve a lot of the problems in and around addiction, but as importantly, to make us aware of the fact that were all one people and weve got to come together.

Frank Biden added that he had done a great deal of research on the issue because Im a recovering alcoholic for many, many years.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Some researchers believe psilocybin, the compound in psychedelic mushrooms, changes the way the brain organizes itself and can help users overcome things like depression, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder. A drug thats related to the anesthetic ketamine was cleared by the FDA to help people with hard-to-treat depression.

But medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs efficacy and the extent of the risks of psychedelics, which can cause hallucinations.

The American Psychiatric Association has not endorsed the use of psychedelics in treatment, noting the Food and Drug Administration has yet to offer a final determination. The FDA designated psilocybin as a breakthrough therapy in 2018, a label thats designed to speed the development and review of drugs to treat a serious condition. MDMA, also known as ecstasy, also has that designation for PTSD treatment.

The FDA last week released draft guidance for researchers designing clinical trials testing psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for a variety of medical conditions. The Biden administration has also provided to the National Institutes of Health and other agencies funding for dozens of projects studying psychedelic drugs with potential benefit for mental and behavioral health.

Earlier this year, Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize the adult use of psilocybin. Colorados voters last year voted to decriminalize psilocybin.

Republican strongholds, including Utah and Missouri, have or are considering commissioning studies into the drugs, partly inspired by veterans who have used psilocybin to help with PTSD.

Former Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry spoke at a conference last week in Colorado about helping get a bill passed in the Texas legislature in 2021 to fund a study of psilocybin for veterans. He doesnt support recreational use.

In Congress, similar veteran-focused proposals brought progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida into an unlikely alignment.
Its almost time to resume student loan payments. Not doing so could cost you

After three years, the pandemic-era freeze on federal student loan payments will end this fall.

It might seem tempting to just keep not making payments, but the consequences can be severe, including a hit to your credit score and exclusion from future aid and benefits.

More than 40 million Americans will have to start making payments again under the terms of a debt ceiling deal approved by Congress, though many could see their balances reduced or erased if the Supreme Court allows President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness plan to go ahead. A decision is expected this week, though the court appeared ready to reject the plan.

Student loan interest will start accruing on September 1 and payments will restart in October. That means tough decisions for many borrowers, especially those in already-difficult financial situations.

Experts say that delinquency and bankruptcy should be options of last resort and that deferment and forbearance  which pause payments, though interest may continue to accrue  are often better in the short term.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DONT MAKE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS?

Once the moratorium ends, borrowers who cant or dont pay risk delinquency and eventually default. That can badly hurt your credit rating and make you ineligible for additional aid and government benefits.

If youre struggling to pay, advisers first encourage you to check if you qualify for an income-driven repayment plan, which determines your payments by looking at your expenses. You can determine this by visiting the Federal Student Aid website. If youve worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives student debt after 10 years.

Carolina Rodriguez, Director of the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program at the Community Service Society of New York, emphasizes that anyone temporarily unemployed should be able to qualify for a $0 payment plan. And many others qualify based on income and family size.

The repercussions of falling into delinquency can be pretty severe, Rodriguez said. The federal government can administratively intercept tax refunds and garnish wages. And it can affect Social Security, retirement, and disability benefits. Does it make financial sense at that point? Probably not.

Rodriguez says her organization always advises against deferment or forbearance except once a borrower has exhausted all other options. In the long term, those financial choices offer little benefit, as some loans will continue to accrue interest while deferred.

Abby Shafroth, senior attorney and director of the Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project at the National Consumer Law Center, said that, of the two, deferment is generally a better option.

Thats because interest generally does not accrue on Direct Subsidized Loans, the subsidized portion of Direct Consolidation Loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, the subsidized portion of FFEL Consolidation Loans, and Federal Perkins Loans. All other federal student loans that are deferred will continue to accrue interest.

Forbearance allows you to postpone payments without it being held against you, but interest does accrue. So youre going to see your balance increase every month.

WHAT ABOUT DECLARING BANKRUPTCY?

For most student loan borrowers, its still very difficult to have your loans discharged, or canceled, through bankruptcy. Borrowers must prove a very hard standard of financial circumstances, called undue hardship.

That doesnt mean people shouldnt look into it, Rodriguez said. But they may not be successful at discharging their loans.

For borrowers who show that level of financial strain, chances are they have other options, Rodriguez said.

She advises that borrowers make sure they are speaking to a bankruptcy attorney who understands student loan bankruptcy, which requires a different proceeding than other types of bankruptcy.

Shafroth, of the NCLC, says that new guidance on student loan bankruptcy has been coming out in recent years.

Though it is difficult to get your loans discharged through the bankruptcy process, an increasing number of borrowers are eligible to get their loans discharged that way, she said. A lot of people write that off as theres no way, its impossible. But its increasingly possible.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LOAN GOES INTO DEFAULT?

When you fall behind on a loan by 270 days  roughly 9 months  the loan appears on your credit report as being in default.

At that point, its not just behind, its in collections, Shafroth said. Thats when you become ineligible to take out new federal student aid. A lot of people go into default because they werent able to complete their degree the first time. This prevents them from going back to school.

Once a loan is in default, its subject to the collection processes mentioned above. That means the government can garnish wages (without a court order) to go towards paying back the loan, intercept tax refunds, and seize portions of Social Security checks and other benefit payments.

WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS IF I CANT MAKE PAYMENTS?

Shafroth said that many borrowers may still be eligible to have loans canceled via a patchwork of programs outside of the Biden administrations proposed debt relief program.

If your school closed before you could complete your program, youre eligible for relief. If your school lied to you or misrepresented the outcome of what your enrolling would be, you can file a borrower defense application, and request your loan be canceled on that basis, she said. If you have a disability, you can sometimes have your loans canceled on that basis.

Shafroth encourages borrowers to look at the Student Aid website to see what their options might be before missing payments.

WHAT IF MY LOANS WERE IN DEFAULT BEFORE MARCH 2020?

Under the Biden administrations Fresh Start program, borrowers with federal student loans who were in default before the pause have a chance to become current.

Borrowers who were in default will not be subject to collection processes or have wages garnished through about August 2024, or roughly one year after the payment freeze ends. These borrowers have also been granted permission to apply for federal student loans again, to complete degrees. Lastly, these defaulted loans are now being reported to credit bureaus as current.

That said, borrowers must take action if they want to stay out of default after this year-long leniency period ends.

To eliminate your record of default, you should contact the Education Departments Default Resolution Group online, by phone, or by mail, and ask the group to take the loans out of default via the Fresh Start policy. In four to six weeks, any record of default will be removed from your credit report, and the loans will be placed with a loan servicer. This will also give you access to income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, if applicable.

WHAT IF I WAS BEHIND ON PAYMENTS OR DELINQUENT BEFORE MARCH 2020?

The Fresh Start program also applies to borrowers who were delinquent prior to the payment pause. Those accounts will be considered current, and borrowers will have the option to enroll in income-driven repayment plans that can lower bills to as little as $0 or to apply for deferment, forbearance, or bankruptcy.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. (fourth from left), A. Philip Randolph (second from right), and other civil rights and religious leaders walk with thousands of protesters for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (fourth from left), A. Philip Randolph (second from right), and other civil rights and religious leaders walk with thousands of protesters for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. Credit - MPI/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Supreme Courts elimination of affirmative action is undeniably a setback for racial justiceone that will lead to a substantial decline in Black and perhaps Hispanic enrollments in universities and professional schools. It will lead as well to a narrowing of the pipeline that supplies much of the nations leadership. But it is also an opportunitya moment to reconsider far more ambitious and effective strategies for achieving racial justice.

Affirmative action was never the true goal of the civil rights movement; the ultimate prize was full racial equality. At best a consolation prize, affirmative action was a modest concession granted by the Establishment in a time of turbulent racial upheaval. To be sure, the vast majority of civil rights leaders favored affirmative action: as Martin Luther King Jr wrote, A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for him. But the demands of the civil rights movement went far beyond affirmative actiona policy that was effective in altering the racial composition of the elite, but left the conditions of most African-Americans unchanged.

At the height of the civil rights movement, five organizations dominated the struggle for racial justice: Martin Luther Kings Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the NAACP, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the Urban League, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Following the great legal victories of the movementthe passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights of 1965the leaders of the Big Five came together to support an ambitious 1966 program, analogous to a domestic Marshall Plan, named A Freedom Budget for All Americans. Coauthored by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, and supported by the presidents of key labor unions including the United Auto Workers and the United Steelworkers of America, prominent Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish leaders, and eminent intellectuals such as John Kenneth Galbraith, David Riesman, and Daniel Bell, it brought together a broad coalition in support of a plan calling for the total elimination of poverty by 1975.

But the Freedom Budget was far more than a plan to help the poor. Alongside its assault on poverty, it proposed a multi-pronged program, including full employment, a massive public housing initiative, expanded investment in education job training, a nationwide and universal system of health insurance, and a guaranteed minimum income for all Americans. Well aware that a program of this magnitude would disproportionately help black Americans who were concentrated in the lower runs of Americas social structure, the authors of the Freedom Budget emphasized that a clear majority of Americas poor and unemployed were white. In his introduction to a summary version of the Freedom Budget, A. Philip Randolph, the great elder statesman of the civil rights movement who had inspired the 1963 March on Washington, wrote of the tragedythat the workings of our economy so often pitted the white poor and the black poor against each other at the bottom of society. Only a coalition bringing together all races, argued Randolph and Martin Luther King, who wrote the Foreword to A Freedom Budget for All Americans, could generate the political pressure necessary to make the Freedom Budget a reality.

Read More: How the SCOTUS Decisions Fails the AAPI Community

The Freedom Budget marked the next stage of the civil rights movement; having won civil and political rights, the movement was now demanding social and economic rights. Had it been adopted, the Freedom Budget would have moved the United States several steps towards a Scandinavian-type social welfare state; in so doing, it would have massively improved the life conditions of not only black Americans, but poor and working-class Americans of all races. But, the Freedom Budget was expensive; costing 185 billion dollars over ten years (the equivalent of over 1.7 trillion dollars today), it fell victim to both the escalating cost of the war in Vietnam, where nearly 400,000 American troops were stationed by the end of 1966, and a rising white backlash.

From left, Morris B. Abram, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, John Lewis and William T. Coleman take part the White House Conference on Civil Rights with a call for $100 billion "Freedom Budget". Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

The Freedom Budget was by no means the only African-American voice calling for fundamental change. In the same month that the Freedom Budget was published, the newly formed Black Panther Party issued its Ten-Point Program. Far more radical than the Big Five civil rights organizations, the Panthers demanded reparations in the form of currency reflecting the overdue debt of forty acres and a mule, an immediate end to police brutality and the murder of black people, that all black menbe exempt from military service, freedom for all black men held in federal, state, county, and city prisons and jails, and land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. Taken together, the demands of the Panther Party platform constituted a call for an end to capitalism and the initiation of a vaguely defined revolution.

In the wake of the violent racial rebellion in Newark, Detroit and other cities in the summer of 1967, even Establishment voices issued calls for drastic change. On July 28, 1967, while Detroit was still in flames, President Johnson formed the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder (later widely known as the Kerner Commission) to understand the cause of the riots that had shaken American cities and to suggest policies that would prevent such riots from occurring in the future. But The Kerner Report was not what President Johnson had expected. Reflecting the sense of crisis then gripping the nation, the report declared, in a passage that has echoed through time, that what White Americans have never fully understoodbut what the Negro can never forgetis that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintained it, and white society condones it.

For an Establishment panel, the Kerner Commissions recommendations were surprisingly bold: the creation of two million jobs, the establishment of uniform national standards of assistance at least as high as the single poverty level of income, bringing six million new and existing units of decent housing within the reach of low and moderate income families within the next five years, and a transformation in the organization and functioning of policing. Like the Freedom Budget, the cost of the programs proposed by the Kerner Commission would run into the tens of billions of dollars. And like the Freedom Budget, after an initial wave of enthusiasm (selling three quarters of a million copies in the first two weeks alone), the escalating cost of the Vietnam War and a rising racial backlash would mean that the Commissions ambitious proposals would never be implemented.

Martin Luther King Jr praised the Kerner Commission Report when it was released on March 1, 1968, calling it a physicians warning of approaching death, with a prescription for life. At the time the Kerner Report was published, however, King was deeply absorbed in planning his Poor Peoples Campaignan effort to bring poor people of all races together in an effort at mass mobilization, using civil disobedience if necessary. The Poor Peoples Campaign, as King envisioned it, would culminate in a giant and sustained demonstration in Washington DC, demanding that the nations politicians finally act to end the scandal of poverty in the worlds richest nation. Over the past several years, King had become increasingly militant, telling journalist David Halberstam that after laboring with the idea of reforming the existing institutions of the society, a little change here, a little change there, he had come to believe that what was needed was a reconstruction of the entire society. At a staff retreat of the SCLC, King went even further, privately telling those present that it was time to disrupt business as usual in earthquake proportions, that something is wrongwith capitalism and that America must move towards a democratic socialism. But on April 7, 1968, Kings plans for the Poor Peoples Campaignand any elaboration of his increasingly radical worldviewcame to a tragic end with his assassination in Memphis.

More than half a century later, what is striking about revisiting the aspirations of the 1960s civil rights movement is how peripheral affirmative action was to its deepest aspirations. In place for two generations, affirmative action has undeniably produced considerable achievements: the diversification of the nations leading colleges and universities, the massive expansion of the black middle class, and the creation of a leadership stratum more representative of the American people. One should not, however, exaggerate the magnitude of the changes it produced. As Richard L. Zweigenhaft and G. William Domhoff, who have written several influential books on diversity in the American elite, observe, minorities selected into the elite share the prevailing perspectives and values of those already in power. Their ethos is not multicultural in any full sense of the concept, but only in terms of ethnic or racial origins.

Yet however one judges the ultimate impact of affirmative action, it is now a policy of the past. For those who remain committed to the cause of racial equality, the ideas of the mainstream of the civil rights movement of the 1960samong them, a concerted assault on poverty, the adoption of a nationwide guaranteed income, universal healthcare, the creation of the European-style welfare state, and the formation of the multiracial coalition of poor and working class people as the vehicle most likely to lead to its adoptionremain relevant. In a society in which the wealth gap between white and black households remains yawning $188,2000 for whites compared to $24,100 for blackssomething far more powerful than affirmative action is still needed. In searching for solutions, we would do well to return to the vision of such giants of the civil rights movement as A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
CORRECTS TO THURSDAY, JUNE 15, NOT FRIDAY, JUNE 16 - This handout provided by The Ocean Race shows the 11th Hour Racing team boat, left, being T-boned by Guyot environnement  Team Europe during the last leg of The Ocean Race around-the-world sailing competition near Aarhus, Denmark, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (The Ocean Race via AP)

The U.S.-based 11th Hour Racing Team won the around-the-world Ocean Race on Thursday, thanks to a jury that awarded the hobbled sloop the equivalent of a second-place finish in a leg it couldnt complete because of a crash that wasnt its fault.

The World Sailing International Jury awarded the Newport, Rhode Island, team four points for the final leg  enough for a three-point lead in the standings over second-place Team Holcim-PRB. 11th Hour Skipper Charlie Enright and his crew learned of the decision via satellite phone call a few hours before arriving with their patched-up boat in Genoa, Italy, for the traditional champagne-spraying trophy presentation.

The circumstances of this win are a little bizarre, navigator Simon Fisher said after the decision was announced on Thursday morning. But the news coming in this morning was a huge relief, and it is slowly sinking in that we have won the race.

Its the first victory for an American boat in The Ocean Race's 50-year history. It was the third attempt for Enright, a Rhode Island native and Brown University alum who finished fifth in two previous tries.

This race takes everything out of you  emotionally, mentally, and physically, Enright said. Im incredibly proud of our whole team who have worked tirelessly for three years to get to this point. There have been highs, some incredible highs, but also lows that have knocked us all, but they were all worth it to hear this news today.

11th Hour led by two points in the race standings when it left The Hague for Genoa on June 15 for the seventh and final leg of the six-month, 32,000-nautical mile (37,000-mile, 59,000-km) circumnavigation of the globe. Just 17 minutes after the start, the 60-foot foiling sloop Malama was T-boned by GUYOT environment - Team Europe, puncturing the Americans carbon-fiber hull.

Guyot skipper Benjamin Dutreux admitted the collision was his fault.

11th Hour protested to the international authorities while making a frantic effort to resume the race; although the team eventually conceded the leg, it was able to repair the gaping hole in its hull sufficiently to set sail off for Genoa.

The Holcim - PRB boat arrived in the Italian port on Tuesday in third place, about two hours behind the leg winners, for three points; a boat that fails to complete the leg receives zero points. But the jury found that the Americans were not at fault in the collision and were left in a significantly worse position.

11th Hour was compensated with second-place points, leaving it with 37 points in the final standings, three more than the Swiss.

Its a standard procedure, which is to award average points based on 11th Hours performance in the previous legs of the race, World Sailing International Jury Chairman Andres Perez said.

Swiss skipper Benjamin Schwartz accepted the outcome and congratulated the winners.

They made a great race around the world and they deserve it," he said. "Unfortunately we had to play the race out in front of the jury here, but it doesnt remove anything from their win.

Since leaving Alicante, Spain, in January, the boats in The Ocean Race's IMOCA 60 Class division have overcome physical breakdowns, giant flotillas of seaweed and even encroaching killer whales. After the second leg, 11th Hour had to replace cracked racing foils that allow the boat itself to rise above the water and travel at high speeds; it also sounded its hazard alarm off the coast of Newfoundland after hitting what was presumed to be a whale, a collision that injured two crew members.

But nothing jeopardized their goal like the accident outside The Hague, when Guyot rammed its bowsprit into the American boat. 11th Hour arrived in Genoa on Thursday with the hole covered by a patch that obscured the team name that had been painted on the port side of the hull.

11th Hour Racing co-founder Wendy Schmidt said the victory is also a win for the organization's goals of restoring ocean health. The race ties the sailing community to environmental concerns, with boats conducting science experiments en route and spreading the message of ocean health.

There is no life on earth without a healthy ocean," she said. "I am extraordinarily proud of the entire 11th Hour Racing Team and all they have overcome. They did more than sail around the world. They carried the message of sustainability, with the singular focus of restoring ocean health. Today, the real winner of this race is the ocean.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The rail line that carries Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner affords stunning views of the Pacific. But coastal erosion has made the track location more treacherous. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune)

It's among the nation's most iconic and heavily utilized passenger rail lines, linking Southern California's cities via a stunning coastal route. From the grassy headlands of San Luis Obispo to Orange County's wide-open beaches and San Diego's oceanside bluffs, the so-called Lossan rail corridor is famous for its breathtaking views of the pounding Pacific.

But can it last?

Between crumbling bluffs and relentless beach erosion, regular passenger service along the Lossan (short for Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo) corridor has been shut down in southern Orange County for all but a few weeks since last September. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner train has shifted to replacement buses that ferry passengers through traffic and sprawl further inland, while Metrolink has simply stopped serving key tourist destinations such as San Clemente.

A growing chorus of Orange County elected officials and transportation leaders are asking whether it's time to abandon portions of the coastal route for good, moving the tracks inland to areas that are less scenic but far more reliable. San Diego County is already pursuing a similar course in Del Mar, where the Lossan tracks snake atop eroding sandstone cliffs.

Transportation planners say moving portions of the Orange County route inland would probably cost upward of $5 billion. But advocates for the plan note the county has already invested tens of millions on short-term solutions and is poised to throw millions more into efforts that won't solve the ultimate problem: geologic instability that will only accelerate with climate change.

The only alternative to moving the tracks is to spend endlessly on a losing protect in place strategy, said state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, a Democrat whose district encompasses southern Orange County and northern San Diego County.

Blakespear chaired an informational hearing in May on the future of the rail line, where much of the discussion focused on the potential for track relocation in south Orange County and Del Mar.

In Orange County, San Clemente is the current focal point for the Lossan corridor troubles. The tracks there wind along a relatively narrow beachfront, close against unstable sandstone cliffs. Passenger service was suspended in April and again in June after landslides beneath historic Casa Romantica, a cultural landmark and prized wedding destination. The April slide came just two weeks after passenger service had been fully restored after a six-month, $13.7-million effort to stabilize the sand beneath the tracks that had shifted because of a landslide and tidal erosion two miles south.

A landslide damaged the historic Casa Romantica in San Clemente and sent dirt and debris cascading down a bluff onto the scenic rail line that hugs the coast in southern Orange County. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The Orange County Transportation Authoritys Board of Directors has declared an emergency effort to protect the tracks from future landslides beneath Casa Romantica. A temporary wall to shield the railway from falling rock and debris will be fast-tracked, at a cost of about $6 million. County Supervisor Katrina Foley, who sits on the transportation board, said the state will fund $3 million of the cost for a barrier that could span 15 feet tall and 300 feet long.

Weve got to secure the railroad tracks from the falling debris, because its going to take too long to secure the hillside, she said. We cannot keep the tracks closed while were waiting for that to happen.

Read more: After landslide, an Orange County beach town finds itself between a bluff and a hard place

In recent months, the county has invested in other costly stabilization efforts, including drilling massive steel anchors into the bedrock of the bluffs in San Clemente and bringing in more than 18,000 tons of boulders to counter beach erosion. The federal government recently pledged $9.3 million to fund the first phase of a decades-long sand replenishment project aimed at restoring San Clemente's narrowing beaches.

Last winter's drenching storms exacerbated the coastal instability. In Orange County, fractures in the saturated cliffs caused an estimated $26 million in damage to public and private property. Statewide, more than 700 landslides were reported in January alone, according to the California Geological Survey.

Bluff failures and beach loss are going to become more chronic, said Patrick Barnard, research director of the USGS Climate Impacts and Coastal Processes Team. The rate of sea level rise has tripled since the 20th century. The pressures put on property and infrastructure arent just going to go away.

The Lossan track closures have proved an economic drain. Winding 351 miles from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, the corridor is the second-busiest passenger route in the nation. Passenger trains, operated by Amtrak and a mix of local jurisdictions, carry nearly 8 million passengers annually, bringing in tourists and weekend beachgoers, as well as the shop clerks and restaurant workers who serve them.

Between landslides and beach erosion, the coastal rail line that runs through southern Orange County has been shut repeatedly to passenger service in recent months. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Lossan is also a substantial freight corridor, moving a billion dollars a year in goods. It links major military bases in the state, including Vandenberg Space Force Base and Camp Pendleton, and is the sole route to transport potentially hazardous waste from the shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant.

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railways freight trains recently resumed travel along the route, but they haul steel, potash and other cargo at a slow crawl through San Clemente as a safety precaution.

And passengers have traded Orange County's scenic ocean views for a bus bridge that shuttles them inland from Irvine to Oceanside along featureless, often heavily congested freeways.

For San Clemente business owner Mikii Rathmann, the track closures have been as gloomy as the marine layer that stubbornly hangs over the beach town at the start of summer. Passenger trains havent passed through the city since June 5.

Mikiis on Del Mar, a party supply store and gift shop, has seen a sales decline without the influx of visitors who typically exit the trains near the pier and roam downtowns eclectic mosaic of restaurants, pubs and shops. Rathmann said she has seen far fewer takers for beach towels, coasters and other San Clemente-emblazoned souvenirs.

When the tracks restarted, we immediately saw customers back in the store," she said. "We were excited, but then that other landslide happened, and its been a real bummer.

Before San Clemente became a hot spot along the corridor, Del Mar experienced seven slope failures that affected rail service from 2018 to 2021. Repair work has totaled nearly $100 million. And the bluffs continue to retreat 6 inches a year.

The San Diego Assn. of Governments, which oversees transportation projects in the county, has drafted a blueprint to move a 1.7-mile stretch of tracks in Del Mar away from the coastal bluffs, where the rail line has run for more than a century. Preliminary plans include laying a portion of the route in an underground tunnel, a first for the corridor.

The project is expected to cost upward of $3 billion. But San Diego County officials said, in the long term, leaving the tracks where they are would prove far more costly.

Were looking at the potential economic impact, especially if were not able to use the corridor to move goods, said Coleen Clementson, deputy chief executive of the San Diego Assn. of Governments. We think the losses could be billions of dollars. We use that rail corridor to bring goods from the Port of San Diego up to Los Angeles.

The agency has secured $300 million in state funding, which has gone to securing engineering and environmental clearance for construction. Clementson said the county also hopes to get substantial funding from the $1-trillion federal infrastructure bill signed into law in late 2021. The goal is to have trains operating on the realigned tracks by 2035.

While Del Mar pushes forward on track relocation, the Orange County Transportation Authority has just launched a study, funded by a $5-million state grant, of the costs and implications of relocating an 11-mile stretch of track around San Clemente.

At Blakespear's informational hearing, Darrell Johnson, the county transportation authority's CEO, said he is opting to wait for the findings before committing to track realignment. We are uncomfortable with claiming that relocation is the answer until its looked at by all parties, he said.

Blakespear, seemingly exasperated by the hesitancy, pressed county officials for bolder action. There isnt really an option for Orange County not to move those tracks, she told The Times after the hearing.

Read more: Orange County looks to redeem its fabled 'Road to Summer,' one seedy motel at a time

The Rail Passenger Assn. of California & Nevada, which advocates for modern passenger rail, has long backed moving the train tracks inland  trading scenery for reliability  and well before global warming turned the conversation into a crisis.

It takes three hours between L.A. and San Diego by train, said Paul Dyson, RailPACs vice president of government affairs. Right now, the Surfliner carries about 8,000 to 10,000 people a day. Thats a tiny fraction of the total market. It could do so much more.

Dyson argued that track realignment would not only move the trains out of harms way but also make for a faster and more competitive passenger rail service. But the difficulty in getting multiple agencies to act in tandem for big projects also has RailPAC advocating for a political reroute.

The corridor is governed by an 11-member board, drawn from nine separate transportation and planning agencies.

It's a board that doesnt have a lot of power or the means to do these major projects, Dyson said. There are too many different agencies involved in trying to make a decision and then applying for the various funds that will be needed. The corridor should be under a unified agency."

Back in San Clemente, Rathmann reasons that the future of the tracks will ultimately involve some sort of compromise. For now, shes just hoping the temporary wall going in below Casa Romantica will be enough to get the trains back on schedule before summer's end.

Im a cup half-full kind of gal, even though this has been a tough year so far, she said. June gloom will end, and the Surfliner will ride again.

Sign up for Essential California, your daily guide to news, views and life in the Golden State.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Amy Duggar King says Josh Duggar told her 'he knew better' than to try to sexually abuse her after she confronted him over molesting his sisters

Amy Duggar King (left) and Josh Duggar (right). Handout/ NBC NewsWire/Getty Images

Amy Duggar King said her cousin Josh Duggar once told her "he knew better" than to abuse her.

She told Vanity Fair she thinks he intentionally chose his sisters as victims because he knew they wouldn't expose him.

"He thought he could get away with anything," she said.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Amy Duggar King recalled confronting her cousin Josh Duggar in person for the first time after she learned in 2015 that the "19 Kids and Counting" star had been accused of molesting several of his younger sisters.

The alleged abuse occurred between March 2002 and March 2003 when Josh Duggar was 14 and 15 years old, court documents stated. At the time, his sisters ranged in age from five to 11 years old. King was 15 in 2002.

"He was staying in a trailer and I went in there and I said, 'How could you do this?'" King told Vanity Fair reporter Kait Hanson of her "very bold" confrontation with her cousin. She also said Duggar told her "he knew better" than to target her.

Amy Duggar King in 2018. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for WE tv

King told Vanity Fair she believes Duggar intentionally preyed on girls he knew would keep the abuse secret.

Duggar and the sisters who eventually came forward as his victims  Jill Dillard, Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo, and Joy-Anna Forsyth  grew up following the strict teachings of the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), which preaches that men have authority over women and should obey them. King didn't follow this lifestyle.

"The IBLP prizes the first child, it doesn't get much better than if it's a son," King told Vanity Fair, noting that Duggar's position as the first-born son of the family meant that people would "cover up things" for him.

She added that she thinks the fact that he could do no wrong made Duggar become "numb" to the law. "He thought he could get away with anything," she said.

Josh Duggar, former Executive Director of the Family Research Council Action, speaking at the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa August 9, 2014. Brian Frank/Reuters

King found out about Duggar's molestation allegations along with the rest of the world in 2015, when InTouch Weekly released its bombshell report on the scandal. She admitted that she was "pissed" she hadn't learned about it earlier.

"They didn't want to protect me," she said of her uncle and his family.

In May 2022, Duggar was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison on charges related to receiving child pornography.

In a recent interview with Insider, King, who has been outspoken about Duggar's child pornography charges in the past, said she had "no words" left for her cousin. "Anyone that can hurt a child like that... In the Bible, it says it's better to hang a millstone around your neck and to be thrown into the depths of the sea," she told Insider.

The TLC show "19 Kids and Counting" aired from 2008 to 2015 and chronicled the Duggar family's life in rural Arkansas. The show was canceled amid Josh Duggar's abuse scandal.

King participated in "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets," a three-part documentary series exposing the IBLP. "Shiny Happy People" is now streaming on Amazon.

Read the original article on Insider
Anheuser-Busch boss says no regrets over Dylan Mulvaneys Bud Light ad despite uproar on right

The CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, said the beer should be about bringing people together after it faced months of backlash following its brief partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

In an appearance Wednesday on the programme CBS This Morning, CEO Brendan Whitworth said the company has become entangled in divisive conversations it should not be a part of.

I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive, Mr Whitworth said. And Bud Light really doesnt belong there. Bud Light should be all about bringing people together.

At the moment, that is not whats happening. Bud Light last month lost its spot at the top of the beer sales charts to Modelo as some conservative customers continue to boycott the beer following the advertisements featuring Ms Mulvaney.

.@AnheuserBusch CEO Brendan Whitworth says his company has begun sending financial assistance wholesalers, who he says have been impacted by the recent controversy surrounding a Bud Light promotion with Dylan Mulvaney. pic.twitter.com/fpEzyBWuFW  CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) June 28, 2023

Mr Whitworth declined to answer directly when asked whether the campaign featuring Ms Mulvaney was a mistake.

Theres a big social conversation taking place right now, and big brands are right in the middle of it and its not just our industry or Bud Light, Mr Whitworth said. Its happening in retail, happening in fast food. And so for us what we need to understand  deeply understand and appreciate  is the consumer and what they want, what they care about, and what they expect from big brands.

Despite being given ample opportunity to do so, Mr Whitworth did not directly defend the corporations decision to partner with a trans influencer or to support the trans community more broadly at a time when that community is facing a barrage of legislation targeting its rights in states across the country.

Bud Light has supported LGBTQ since 1998, so thats 25 years, Mr Whitworth said. And as weve said from the beginning, well continue to support the communities and organisations weve supported for decades. But as we move forward, we want to focus on what we do best: which is brewing great beer for everyone.

The controversy over corporations politics is not limited to Bud Light. Disney, Target, Nike and a number of other brands have also been the target of the rights ire in recent years for taking stances on social issues at odds with conservatives.

Target recently announced its decision to remove some Pride month merchandise from its stores after facing criticism from conservatives for its relative support of the LGBTQ+ community. The Starbucks Workers Union, meanwhile, accused Starbucks of restricting Pride decorations from certain stores.
The owner of an Ohio home where 146 dogs were found dead is now facing 26 misdemeanor charges.

Barbara Wible, president and co-founder of nonprofit animal rescue organization Canine Lifeline, was charged with 25 counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals on Monday, with an additional charge filed Tuesday.

The first-degree misdemeanor charges stem from the lack of care and deaths of the 146 dogs discovered earlier this month inside her Portage County, Ohio, home, according to the Portage Animal Protective League. Portage County is in northeast Ohio.

The Animal Protective League said it has "strategically elected to prosecute these offenses as the highest level of misdemeanor in the hopes of obtaining justice for these dogs in an expedited manner." Misdemeanors are generally processed faster than felonies.

Wible, 68, is hospitalized with terminal cancer, so "any conviction or punishment obtained in this case against Wible will likely be symbolic only," the Animal Protective League stated.

Canine Lifeline also has been charged with 25 counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals, also first-degree misdemeanors.

The Animal Protective League said the charged are related to "the nonprofits substantial lapse of due care, its negligence, that caused the neglect and ultimate deaths of the 146 rescue dogs."

Canine Lifeline has released a statement denying knowledge about the situation and indicating it is cooperating with authorities. But the Portage Animal Protective League said it hasn't received any communication from the organization's remaining board members.

The needless suffering that these dogs endured is beyond comprehension," Portage Animal Protective League Executive Director Chalan Lowry said. "They deserve justice and the Portage Animal Protective League believes that even symbolic justice is justice. We will pursue Barbara Wibles case expeditiously in an attempt to ensure that these dogs get their day in court.

Portage Animal Protective League had been investigating the property since July 2022

The Animal Protective League stated its Humane Investigations Department has been investigating the property, which is in Mantua Township, since July 2022, when the agency received a tip about dogs being kept in a van.

Portage APL logo

The humane agent visited the property and found a van containing numerous dogs, according to the Animal Protective League. The agent talked to Wible, who said the dogs were Canine Lifeline Inc. dogs that were "pulled from Kentucky."

Wible told the agent that she has cancer and no longer planned to operate the rescue after October, according to the Animal Protective League. She supplied veterinary and other records for the dogs, and the dogs appeared to be healthy and up to date on their medical care.

Wible did not allow the agent inside the home, stating that there were four dogs inside and her mother lived in the home. The agent, the statement said, could see the dogs in the upstairs window of the home, and they also appeared to be healthy.

The agent told Wible that the dogs in the van must have water in their crates and that she would return the next day to evaluate the situation. The next day, Wible said she had moved the four dogs out of the house and into pens. She immediately offered to surrender the four dogs to the Animal Protective League, and the agent could not see or hear any other dogs in the home.

She ultimately surrendered 39 dogs to the Animal Protective League through early August 2022.

'This could have been avoided': Complaint filed year before 146 dead dogs found in Portage

In early August 2022, the agent returned to the her home for a follow-up visit. Wible told the agent that she had potential adopters for the remaining dogs and was unwilling to surrender any more dogs.

The agent visited the property more than 10 times between August 2022 and June 2023 to attempt to connect with Wible and ensure that the dogs had been adopted, the Animal Protective League stated.

She never responded to any of the agent's notices after the August 2022 meeting, according to the agency. The van was removed, and the home appeared to be vacant and in disarray. No further tips were received about the Mantua Township home.

'Horrific discovery' inside Portage County, Ohio home

The Animal Protective League stated that the agent's most recent visit to the property was June 5.

The follow-up visit was unrelated to an investigation in Parma, Ohio, where an animal control officer found a total of 36 dogs, included 12 that were dead and two others that later needed to be euthanized at an emergency veterinary clinic. Wible is facing a fifth-degree felony animal cruelty in Cuyahoga County.

Because the Portage County humane agent did not have probable cause to believe that there were dogs inside the home, or even that anyone was living there, the agent was unable to obtain a search warrant until June 15, when the tip was received about the animal cruelty charge in Parma.

At that time, the agent made the "horrific discovery" of the 146 "deceased, decomposed dogs," according to the Animal Protective League.

"Although the dogs individual causes of death remain to be determined by necropsy (animal autopsy), it is clear that the dogs did not die humanely or as a result of euthanasia," the Animal Protective League's statement reads.

Happy ending for Wren: Dog rescued in animal cruelty case with Portage ties gets new home

Lowry said the Animal Protective League has received many tips since the story first broke.

This is also a good time to remind folks to report abuse or cruelty immediately to local law enforcement or humane society agent if you suspect someone. Lowry said.

The investigation remains active and additional charges may be pursued.

Anyone with knowledge or details about the investigation is asked to contact Humane Agent Holly Ebner at humaneofficer@portageapl.org.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Owner of Ohio home where 146 dogs found dead faces 26 charges
Anthony Mackie has responded to the abuse allegations facing fellow Marvel star Jonathan Majors.

Majors, who plays the villain Kang in the popular MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) film franchise, was arrested on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment over an alleged incident involving an ex-partner.

The Creed III star, 33, has maintained his innocence, with his lawyers alleging in a statement: Jonathan Majors is innocent and has not abused anyone. We have provided irrefutable evidence to the District Attorney that the charges are false. We are confident that he will be fully exonerated.

After news of the allegations broke, Majors was dropped by his management team, while the US Army pulled a number of advertisements featuring the actor from circulation. He was also reportedly dropped from a forthcoming adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel The Man in My Basement.

After first playing Kang in the 2021 Marvel series Loki, and reprising the role in this years Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Majors had been lined up as the main franchise villain throughout the next few years, culminating in a two-film arc in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Mackie, 44, became the first MCU actor to comment on the allegations surrounding Majors in an interview with Inverse this week.

Asked about Majorss future involvment in the MCU, the Captain America star responded: Were a country that was built on everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Thats one of the staples of this country.

Nothing has been proven about this dude. Nothing. So everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Thats all I can say. Its crazy where we are as a society. But as a country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Jonathan Majors (Getty Images)

Mackies quotes prompted some criticism on social media, with many questioning the actors choice of words.

He [probably] shouldve said something like, I dont know the full details on whether the allegations were true, so I dont think I should comment on the situation, one person suggested.

Theres definitely a lot of stuff we dont know about this situation its a bit nuts but Innocent until proven guilty only applies to the justice system and the legal process, wrote another.

Majors is expected to return to court in New York on 3 August for trial. He has reportedly filed a complaint against his accuser, alleging that it was he who was the victim of abuse at her hands.

In April, Variety reported that multiple other women were co-operating with the Manhattan District Attorney, alleging other instances of abuse by Majors.

Mackie has played the role of Sam Wilson  now Captain America  in several MCU films and TV series.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated mens advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
Arlington nun is accused of having sex with a priest. Heres what weve learned about him

The priest identified in a recorded interview as the man with whom a nun from Arlington broke her chastity vow is from North Carolina and recently spent time in Montana contemplating his vocation, according to Catholic officials.

The interview where the priest was identified was with the Rev. Mother Teresa Gerlach of the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington. It was played Tuesday during a hearing in a lawsuit Gerlach filed against Bishop Michael Olson and the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese, alleging that Olson defamed her, took information from her personal devices and invaded her privacy.

In an audio recording played during the hearing, Gerlach reluctantly told Olson that the priests name is Bernard Marie.

But the Diocese of Raleigh issued a statement Wednesday identifying him as Philip Johnson.

According to the statement, Johnson was granted leave from the diocese to serve as chaplain to a religious community in 2020 and later joined the Transalpine Redemptorist Monastery in Montana in 2022.

The diocese also said in the statement that Johnson recently returned to North Carolina after he resigned from the Redemptorist community, where he served under the chosen name of Father Bernard Marie. Johnson is not currently exercising public ministry. Upon returning to N.C. , Fr. Philip Johnsons priestly faculties were restricted by Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama as a precautionary measure until more clarity regarding his status can be ascertained, the statement read.

In Montana, Chancellor Darren Eultgen, of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, said during an interview with the Star-Telegram that it isnt unusual for a priest to choose to go by a different name. We knew him as Brother Bernard, Eultgen said.

Eultgen also said when Johnson was living at the monastery, he wasnt in any sort of public ministry, and he did not say Mass publicly.

In April of 2022, Johnson came to the Transalpine Redemptorists, a religious community of men near Forsyth, Montana, where he was contemplating a vocation, according to the statement from the diocese in Montana.

Eultgen said that on April 26, the diocese in Montana got a call from Fort Worth diocesan officials investigating an incident involving the priest and a religious sister.

According to a statement from the diocese in Great Falls-Billings, on April 27, Bishop Michael Warfel removed the priests faculties of ministry.

Johnson returned to North Carolina on May 1.

According to testimony during Tuesdays hearing, Gerlach said the priest contacted the Carmelites in Arlington asking for prayers, and that is how they met.

The legal battle between Gerlach and the diocese centers on whether a secular court has jurisdiction in matters involving church investigations. The diocese, which is also conducting a canonical investigation into Gerlachs actions, argues that courts cannot get entangled in ecclesiastical matters.

Gerlachs lawsuit states that the diocese and Bishop Olson violated her privacy rights when he took information from electronic devices and that Olson defamed her by posting information about a private confidential matter on the diocese web site.
A male Asda employee wins sex discrimination case - Chris Radburn/PA

A supermarket worker has won a sex discrimination case after he was kicked by a female colleague.

Choon Seng Goh, a checkout worker at Asda, told an employment tribunal he was left humiliated by the woman, who kicked and kneed him twice, and that if a man had done the same they would have been sacked on the spot.

Bosses took months to start investigating his claims before eventually finding Mercy Asante, the woman who kicked him from behind, had no case to answer, the hearing was told.

Now Mr Goh is in line to receive compensation after a judge ruled Asdas investigation had been seriously flawed and that the supermarket had discriminated against him on the grounds of his gender.

Mr Goh had started working at a Croydon branch of the supermarket in December 2010.

The tribunal heard that while at his checkout in January 2019, Ms Asante kicked him in the backside, although Mr Goh did not report it at the time as he thought it was a one-off.

However, in February, Ms Asante then kneed him in the backside with enough force that he jolted forward and later needed to see his GP.

Angry and humiliated

The tribunal, held in south London, was told the incident left him feeling angry and humiliated.

He reported it to his manager, but the panel heard nothing was done over the following months.

When Mr Goh overheard colleagues in June talking about him being kicked, he was upset and approached the store manager, who told him to re-submit his complaint.

When interviewed by managers and asked about his relationship with Ms Asante, Mr Goh said they joked and laughed but were never close.

He recounted the first incident where Ms Asante smirked at him as she walked away from kicking his backside and said he had no idea why she had done it.

Telling bosses about being kneed, he said it had been eight out of 10 on the pain scale and he had problems with his bowel since.

Ms Asante was interviewed by a different manager and said she did not remember hitting Mr Goh, claiming the pair always hit and punch each other as a joke. She was told she shouldnt take these jokes to another level and be aggressive.

At a mediation hearing that December, Ms Asante then claimed Mr Goh had touched her breasts  something he strongly refuted and said was completely untrue.

The tribunal heard that following this, Mr Goh took out a formal grievance and was furious it had taken nearly a year for the complaint to be acknowledged.

Formal grievance

At a formal grievance meeting, he claimed the matter would have been dealt with quicker had he not been male  and that a man would have been sacked on the spot if guilty of the same allegation.

The investigation concluded that Ms Asante had a very playful/banter relationship with Mr Goh and said of their investigation that gender had not come into it.

In May 2020, Mr Goh appealed against the rejection of his grievance, and took Asda to court after his appeal was rejected.

The tribunal panel ruled the sex of the perpetrator was a relevant circumstance.

Addressing Asdas handling of his complaint, Employment Judge Stephen Heath said: We have little difficulty accepting Mr Gohs complaints were not taken seriously.

There was no proper attempt to grapple with the core part of his complaint, namely, that had he been a woman his complaints would have been dealt with differently.

We conclude that the appeal hearing and its outcome was mismanaged. The focus was not on addressing his complaints ... the outcome was significantly flawed in that it did not address a crucial element of the complaint.

Mr Goh won claims of direct sex discrimination. A remedy hearing to decide on how much compensation he receives will take place at a later date.

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Photo: Colin Dacre / BCHP

July 1 isnt just Canada Day in British Columbia, it also marks the start of the Summer Impaired Driving Campaign.

Police agencies throughout the province will be focused on getting and keeping impaired drivers off our roads and highways during one of the busiest times of the year.

You can expect to see an enhanced level of enforcement by our officers. And that can include more road checks and visible enforcement activities both day and night, Cpl. Mike Moore with the BC Highway Patrol told Castanet.

He says they will be increasing their number of road checks, starting this weekend, watching for drivers who may be drunk or drug-impaired. That could entail members working overtime, more specific road check duties seeking impaired drivers over the long weekend.

We dont want anyone having their long weekend ruined by an impaired driver. This is a completely preventable activity. Just drive safe, drive sober, said Moore.

Hes also cautions motorists heading out this summer to slow down and pay attention.

Regarding the cell phoneeither put it away or pull over in a safe location. If you have a passenger available, get them to take care of any texting that might occur. Have a dedicated texter.

Its also a good idea to ensure your vehicle is summer road-ready.

Fuel is a big component of it because your air conditioning wont run unless your engine is running. So make sure your bring enough fuel, said Josh Smythe with BCAA, who also says to pack plenty of water. Even if youre sitting in a car that is moving and youre keeping cool from the air, theres still direct sunlight and stuff like this that pulls moisture out of you. You want to make sure that you stay hydrated. A well hydrated mind is a well functioning mind.

So far this summer there are no major wildfires in the Southern Interior and most of the repairs from the 2021 atmospheric river have been completed. Still, both Smythe and Moore say travellers should be prepared for delays or road closures.

When youre planning for that trip, you want to make sure that youve explored those opportunities. So that youre familiar with them in the event you do need to take an alternate path, you are comfortable with where you need to turn off and get to where you need to get to, said Smythe.
IceCube Collaboration/U.S. National Science Foundation (Lily Le & Shawn Johnson)/ESO (S. Brunier)

Weve learned to observe the Milky Way in a lot of different ways. Of course, traditional telescopes use visible lightbut those only allow us to see so far out. Eventually, objects are too far away and obstacles like gas and dust obstruct our views. Thats why we use different, more powerful instruments.

For example, the James Webb Space Telescope uses infrared to peer into the vast cosmosto powerful effect. However, even the JWST has its limits. At a certain point, theres only so much we can see using light alone.

However, theres a subatomic particle out there born out of some of the most chaotic and extreme astronomical events out there that scientists believe could open the doors for a whole new way of looking at space: the neutrino, or more colloquially known as the ghost particle. Its called such because its small. In fact, neutrinos are so small and so ubiquitous that, without you realizing it, 100 trillion neutrinos are passing through your body right now.

Scientists May Have Finally Heard the Hum of the Big Bang

Neutrinos are created by natural radioactive decay from phenomena like the nuclear reactions occurring constantly on the sun, and even the more banal processes breakdown of potassium in an old banana. However, astrophysicists have been able to detect powerful, high-energy neutrinos that they believe come from violent astrophysical events like supernovas and stars colliding. These can be used to peer even further into our galaxy than ever before.

That is, if we can sort them out from all the other neutrinos already bombarding Earth.

The lowest energy of this particle we have detected is already higher than the most energetic particle that we expect to see from the sun, Nahee Park, a particle astrophysicist at Queens University in Kingston, Canada, told The Daily Beast. She added that its more than a billion times more energetic than the ones produced by stars.

The above-ground portion of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory along with the first-ever neutrino-based image of the Milky Way. The detected neutrinos are shown positioned in their approximate location relative to the more familiar optical view of the Milky Way galaxy. IceCube Collaboration (Yuya Makino)/U.S. National Science Foundation

Park recently helped lead an astronomy group using the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (located in Antarctica) with fellow astrophysicist Michael Larson, a postdoc at the University of Maryland, as part of an international group of more than 350 scientists who have been studying the ways we can use neutrinos to observe the galaxy.

The team announced that theyve successfully used IceCube to detect high-energy neutrinos in the Milky Way on Thursday. The discovery paves the way for an entirely new way to observe the universe around us. The group published a paper of their findings in the journal Science on June 29and it even includes the first ever image of the Milky Way captured as observed via ghost particles.

This is a big step for neutrino astronomy, Larson told The Daily Beast. We've known about nutrients from astrophysical sources for decades now. We've seen neutrinos from the sun going back ages. And this is the first time that we've actually been able to identify the source of neutrinos from our galaxy.

An artist's composite image of a photo of the Milky Way captured with visual light along with the first-ever neutrino-based image of the Milky Way. The detected neutrinos, depicted in blue, are shown positioned in their approximate location relative to the more familiar optical view of the Milky Way galaxy. IceCube Collaboration/U.S. National Science Foundation (Lily Le & Shawn Johnson)/ESO (S. Brunier)

Ghosts in the Machine

Imagine a box sitting in front of you. Its taped shut, so if you want to know whats in the box, youll have to dig out the box cutter or scissors to rip the tape and open it up.

However, if you had an X-ray machine, seeing inside the box is much easier. The wavelengths that pass through the relatively small density of the box allows you to get a picture of whats inside almost as if youre seeing right through it.

Put that box in a bigger box made of lead, though, and that machine wont be able to do a single thing. Thats because lead is very dense and absorbs the X-rays as it attempts to pass through it. So its much harder to see through the box.

But, if theres a source of neutrinos in the box, then all bets are off.

Neutrinos are actually much more powerful than even X-rays, because they go basically through everything, Lisa Schumacher, an experimental physicist and cosmic particles researcher at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and was involved in the research, told The Daily Beast. It would take a light-year worth of lead to block a neutrino with certainty.

Two images of the Milky Way galaxy. The top is captured with visible light and the bottom is the first-ever captured with neutrinos. IceCube Collaboration/U.S. National Science Foundation (Lily Le & Shawn Johnson)/ESO (S. Brunier)

And thats just with low-energy neutrinos like the ones from our sun. If neutrinos are coming from even more powerful sources like colliding neutron stars or black holes, they become high-energyand thus even harder to obscure.

Thats what makes the particle so intriguing to astronomers. Theyll be able to point their sensors such as the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the sky and pick up on neutrino signals from some of the most wildly powerful events in the galaxy that shoot out cosmic rays with the ghost particles for scientists to pick up.

But keep in mind: There are a lot of neutrinos hitting everything, everywhere, all at onceso it effectively becomes searching for a needle in a stack of needles.

Earth is constantly bombarded by these cosmic rays producing what's what's called an air shower, Larson explained. It's effectively the cosmic ray hitting our atmosphere and producing a shower of particles that can reach and really penetrate the ground. Theyre difficult to get rid of, because there's so many of them.

Behold the Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy

The IceCube team turned to machine learning in order to separate the signal from the noise. This algorithm allowed them to discern what exactly was a high-energy particle coming from the galaxy from everything else.

I remember that when this algorithm was [first developed and presented], everyone was like, No, that can't be right. It's too good, Schumacher recalls. And so that's actually one reason why it took so long to get to the result and get it published. We wanted to be really sure that this is right.

While this discovery is momentous and marks a new way of studying the universe, the team is quick to point out that its just the beginning. More work needs to be done to understand the signals that astronomers can now observe from the galaxy and one day nail down its source. That requires not only refining the science behind it, but also upgrading and expanding technologies like the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.

This means building new observatories throughout the world to be able to encapsulate larger swaths of the sky above us. It also means building better ways to separate the signal from the noise via artificial intelligence.

If nothing else, the new discovery is a good reason to look up at the night sky every once in a whileand think about how were trying to see it in a new light.

This is really exciting, Park said. It's really opening the door for us to understand how the high energy particle is created, and how they're interacting and moving around our galaxy.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Attacking bees swarm man flying model airplanes in field, California firefighters say

A man flying remote-control model airplanes with friends in a Petaluma field collapsed after being attacked by a swarm of bees, California authorities told news outlets.

Friends performed CPR on the man until rescuers arrived, KGO reported.

Bees from a commercial hive swarmed the man Wednesday, June 28, after he went to pick up a downed airplane, North Bay Fire officials told KNTV.

The man staggered away from the bee swarm but could not escape, friends told KRON.

They picked on him and when he came back here the bees followed him, so they attacked all of us, Victor Barbieri, another model airplane hobbyist, told KPIX.

Kelly Bradley of the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District said rescuers arrived to find bees still swarming around the mans head, neck and chest, KGO reported.

Barbieri told KPIX the man was reportedly doing fine at a hospital.

Petaluma is a city of 58,000 people about 40 miles north of San Francisco.

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LANSING  The Michigan Department of Education has done a poor job of ensuring contracted school employees are fingerprinted and monitored for criminal convictions, resulting in a potential threat to child safety, according to an audit released Tuesday.

The audit's findings led state Sen. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, to call for "immediate action."

Bellino

The departments failure to make sure schools are protecting kids is absolutely despicable and completely unacceptable, Bellino said in a news release. The safety and security of students should always be a top priority, and immediate action is needed to ensure the state meets its oversight responsibility to protect Michigan students as schools prepare for the next school year.

Michigan school districts employ thousands of workers under contract. Many work as substitute teachers or as custodians, maintenance workers, or food service workers. All require FBI background checks through the Michigan State Police prior to hiring, plus ongoing monitoring of new criminal convictions post-hiring. School districts are prohibited from hiring sex offenders and must get written approval from school boards to hire anyone with any other type of felony conviction.

The report from Auditor General Doug Ringler says the department:

Did a poor job of monitoring what school districts were doing to ensure compliance;

Used sometimes unreliable information to determine whether someone was employed with a school district;

Didn't always notify school districts when it learned of convictions, and

Sometimes removed employees from criminal monitoring prematurely.

The department agreed with some of the findings and recommendations, while pushing back on others.

The auditor general looked at 5,010 contracted employees in 41 sampled school districts and estimated that 220, or 4%, were never fingerprinted prior to hiring.

The department did not always inform school districts when it was notified a contracted employee had been convicted of a crime, as required by law, the audit found. In a sample of 16 contracted staff for which the department received notice of a criminal conviction, the department did not notify the school district in two, or 13%, of those cases, the report said.

In its response, the Department of Education said it would step up oversight "in the interest of ensuring the safety of students," while at the same time denying it is responsible for overseeing fingerprinting and monitoring. The department pointed to wording in the fingerprinting law that said the process "requires coordination among the applicant, the district's school board, and the department of state police," with no involvement by the department.

But the auditor pointed out that another section of state law instructs the department to "require each school district to observe the laws relating to schools."

Although the audit focused solely on contracted school workers, the auditor said the same problems likely exist with respect to fingerprinting and criminal monitoring of employees who work directly for school districts. Laws surrounding school fingerprinting may need to be improved, the auditor added. For example, criminal background checks conducted prior to hiring include federal and out-of-state convictions, but post-hiring updates include only Michigan state court convictions.

Martin Ackley, a spokesman for the department, said officials will discuss with the Legislature the auditor general's recommendation that local school districts report employment changes more frequently.

"It is the utmost priority of the Michigan Department of Education that students are safe and secure, and it relies on its partners to achieve that goal," Ackley said in an email.

"School districts should not be hiring individuals whose criminal history demonstrates the potential to jeopardize the safety of children and other school staff."

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Audit: Michigan Department of Ed poorly monitored background checks
(Bloomberg) -- The European Union has failed to offer Australia satisfactory terms to seal a free-trade accord, Trade Minister Don Farrell said, as small but important sticking points threaten to derail plans to sign by the end of August.

Most Read from Bloomberg

EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Wednesday evening in Brussels that its possible the agreement could be signed at a NATO summit in Lithuania in mid-July, the Australian Financial Review reported. The five-year negotiations between the bloc and Canberra are in their end-game, he told reporters, adding there is still certain ground to be covered.

Australia remains dissatisfied with the level of market access being offered for agricultural products and isnt prepared to sign a deal without meaningful commercial market access, Farrell said Thursday in a statement. At this stage we havent had a good enough offer from the Europeans, he said.

Behind the scenes, European negotiators believe the FTA could be agreed in coming weeks if differences over the last major sticking point  market access for Australian beef  are bridged, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

But Australia is signaling its unhappy with the access on offer across a range of agricultural products, including beef, sugar and mutton. It needs to decide then whether to take whats on the table or walk away.

Australia is believed to want a deal similar to the FTA struck between the EU and Canada in 2014.

There are also disagreements over the EUs insistence on geographical indication protection for hundreds of products that could affect the branding of Australias exports such as prosecco and feta. EU negotiators consider these to be non-negotiables while Farrell has previously said it was an emotional issue for Australian farmers.

Resolving these are likely to be easier if the key issue of beef is resolved.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the NATO summit in Vilnius starting July 11, while Farrell may return to the EU for further negotiations in early July, both potential opportunities to further or finalize the trade agreement.

--With assistance from Alberto Nardelli.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's defence minister said on Thursday during a visit to the Solomon Islands that a review of a security treaty between the two nations was "an opportunity to revitalise the security relationship".

Canberra's relationship with its Pacific Islands neighbour was strained last year when the Solomon Islands signed a security pact with China, prompting concern from Washington about Beijing's naval ambitions in the strategically located region.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called for a review of the 2017 security treaty with Australia in a meeting with Marles on Wednesday.

Marles told reporters the review was an "opportunity to revitalise the security relationship."

"It really does need to be reviewed to take into account the contemporary security environment and the contemporary assistance that has been provided by Australia in support of the [Royal Solomon Islands Police Force] and the security of Solomon Islands," he said.

Australia is willing to extend the presence of Australian police and defence personnel in the Solomon Islands beyond 2023, including to provide security for next year's national elections, which Australia will financially support, he said.

Sogavare has not said whether he would accept the offer.

The Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIAF), composed of Australian, Fijian and New Zealand police, deployed in 2021 at Sogavare's request to quell anti-government riots.

Chinese police have taken an increasing role in training and equipping the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force in recent months.

The Solomon Islands is hosting the Pacific Games in Honiara in November, for which China has funded seven stadiums and other venues. Chinese police have pledged to "continuously support" the Solomon's police "throughout and after" the event.

Australia is a major aid donor and has a decades-long security relationship with the Solomon Islands.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
FILE - Israeli-born Australian Malka Leifer, right, is brought to a courtroom in Jerusalem on Feb. 27, 2018. Two victims of Leifer, convicted of their sexual abuse as children, told a court in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, of the pain she had caused them. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  A former principal of an Australian Jewish school feigned mental illness in a seven-year battle to avoid extradition on child sex abuse charges, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Malka Leifer fought her extradition in Jerusalem courts from 2014 until 2021, when she was flown from Israel with her ankles and wrists shackled.

Leifer appeared Thursday in the Victoria state County Court for the second day of a sentencing hearing after she was convicted in April of sexually abusing two students between 2003 and 2007 while she was principal of Melbournes ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School for girls.

Prosecutor Justin Lewis told Judge Mark Gamble that Leifer deserved less credit in her sentence for time she spent in custody and under house arrest in her native Israel because she had improperly frustrated and delayed the extradition proceedings.

The District Court of Jerusalem ruled she was fit to stand trial and had been pretending to be mentally ill in order to avoid extradition, he said, and three judges of the Supreme Court of Israel unanimously agreed she could be prosecuted.

Two psychiatrists appointed by the Jerusalem District Psychiatrist reported to the District Court in February 2018 that Leifer did not suffer from a mental illness in the legal sense and was feigning her psychiatric condition in order to prevent her extradition to Australia.

A second assessment, which included a third psychiatrist appointed by the Jerusalem District Psychiatrist, also concluded that Leifer was feigning mental illness.

The District Court then ordered the Tel Aviv District Psychiatrist to appoint a panel of experts to assess her. That panel unanimously concluded in January 2020 that she was mentally fit to stand trial and that she had unquestionably been feigning her inability to function and comprehend her situation, Lewis said.

Before any legal hearing, some psychiatric experts and Leifer's lawyers said she experienced a psychotic breakdown, and her hospitalizations were almost always a few days before her case was due in court.

Three panels of psychiatrists conclude that the accused is feigning mental illness in circumstances where the mental illness essentially constitutes some sort of allergy to the legal proceedings themselves, Lewis said. The proceeding had been extended by the acts of the accused in feigning mental illness for that very purpose."

Gamble adjourned the sentencing hearing to a third day. The date has yet to be decided.

He said he had yet to read documents in both sides submissions, including Israeli court records. He was also awaiting an affidavit from Leifers lawyer in Israel about the conditions of her home detention there.

Leifer spent 608 days in home detention and 51 days in custody in Israel before her extradition after a legal battle that strained relations between the Australian and Israeli governments while antagonizing Australias Jewish community.

Leifer, who was born in Tel Aviv, came to Australia in 2000 as the schools head of religion and became principal the following year.

She returned to Israel in 2008 as allegations against her first emerged.

Sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper told the court Wednesday that being sexually abused by Leifer broke their ability to trust and was painful to remember.

The Associated Press does not usually identify victims of sexual abuse, but the sisters have chosen to identify themselves in the media.

Leifer watched proceedings via a video link from a maximum security womens prison in Melbourne.

She is convicted of six charges of rape, each carrying up to 25 years in prison. She was convicted of three charges of sexual penetration of a child, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence, and six charges of indecent assault, which also carries a 10-year sentence. She was convicted of three charges of committing an indecent act with a child, which is punishable by 5 years in prison. There are no minimum sentences.
The flag of Austria

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer suggested that his country, along with other neutral EU states, would not endorse a proposition to offer security guarantees to Ukraine on behalf of the EU, German broadcaster DW reported on June 29.

Nehammer asserted that Austria would resist a proposal to offer joint post-war security guarantees to Ukraine from the EU, noting that Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta share this viewpoint.

Read also: EU to discuss additional military aid for Ukraine after Wagner mutiny

"As neutral states, it is clear to us that security guarantees in this form (on behalf of the EU) cannot exist," said Nehammer.

Read also: EU approves massive expansion of artillery shell production

The proposal in question aims to craft EU security guarantees for Ukraine, potentially including a pledge of military aid should the country face another attack. Such commitments would be incumbent upon all EU nations, including those adhering to a policy of neutrality and not part of NATO.

Read also: Nuclear security specialist on potential terrorist attack at ZNPP

Earlier on June 29, the Financial Times reported plans by the European Union to propose security agreements to Ukraine with the intention to ensure long-term security of the country.

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 race to replace the late representative Lamin Swann is going to be contested  both behind closed doors among Democrats and in a general election this year.

Emma Curtis officially launched her bid to become the Democratic nominee for House District 93 in South Lexington, left vacant by Swann after he suffered a stroke and died in May, but other Democrats are also vying for the seat.

Adrielle Camuel, an adminstrative assistant at Fayette County Public Schools, confirmed to the Herald-Leader that she is seeking the Democratic nomination in that district. Chris Couch, a former candidate for Lexingtons House District 75, told the Herald-Leader that he has applied as well.

Unlike Curtis, Camuel and Couch have yet to file statements of spending intent for the seat or raise money to pursue the seat.

Curtis, a 26 year-old activist who was one of the leading protesters against the GOP-led Senate Bill 150, would be Kentuckys first transgender state legislator if selected by her party and eventually elected.

She also has the backing of Swanns mother, Pam Dixon, and Swanns campaign team. In a joint statement shared by Curtis campaign, the group urged the Democratic nominating committee to support Curtis.

(We) know without any doubt whatsoever that (Swann) would want his work in life and in office to go forth with people that are not only genuine, good, passionate, loyal, trustworthy, honest, compassionate, fearless, strong, highly intelligent, and bravebut also people who believe in TOTAL equality for ALL people in Kentucky and beyond, the group wrote in a statement. One of those people is Emma.

Meanwhile, area Republicans have settled on Kyle Whalen, a construction entrepreneur who ran and lost by about eight percentage points against Swann. Whalen officially filed to run again earlier this month. In 2022, Whalen ran on a platform focusing on limited government and raising Kentuckys workforce participation rate, among other things.

A release from the Curtis campaign also touted the endorsements of three different Louisville Democratic representatives in Lisa Willner, Nima Kulkarni and Daniel Grossberg.

The Democratic nominating committee is set to interview all candidates for the seat on Thursday and will make a selection that night.

Curtis campaign also went on the offense against its potential Democratic opponent.

The nominating committee is comprised of members of each Democratic Precinct Committee in the district, and, according to Curtis campaign spokesperson Rebecca Blankenship, Camuel is a member of that committee. Blankenship called on Camuel to recuse from the vote.

The Democratic Party is constantly accused of corruption and of unfairly opposing minority candidates. When members of the Party engage in blatant self-dealing, these accusations are given credence. Our opponent, who is a member of the nominating committee, must recuse herself from the voting on a nominee to preserve the integrity of the elections process, Blankenship said.

Camuel was unavailable for a full interview about her candidacy on Wednesday.

Couch was arrested on a fourth degree domestic violence charge during his 2022 campaign for House District 75, but that charge was later dropped down to misdemeanor harassment.

I have no worries that the case, which is well behind me now, will influence the voters of the 93rd. So many people struggle with mental health issues, so I hope my experience can shed some light on the topic and help end the stigma around getting the help you need  especially before its too late, Couch said.

Couch said he would focus a potential campaign on a litany of issues like school safety as well as healthcare and higher education affordability. He also mentioned bread-and-butter progressive priorities like raising the states minimum wage, protecting LGBTQ rights and expanding access to abortion.

Young people should be free to pursue higher education without being haunted by student loan debt for the rest of their lives, and everyone should have the freedom of bodily autonomy, in whatever way that manifests... Id like to see more funding for public education and public health. Kentucky is facing a shortage in both of those spheres, and weve got to do something to stop the bleed and attract new talent, Couch said.

House District 93 is a rare Democratic stronghold on a state House map that most recently produced an 80-20 majority for the GOP. In 2020, the district swung for Democratic President Joe Biden by 17 points over former GOP president Donald Trump, according to election website CNAlysis.
A bill modernizing how Florida buys state vehicles, a change that would have saved a ton of money and likely led to more electric cars and trucks, came with rare bipartisan backing from the Florida Legislature.

It was sponsored by a Republican and passed with a nearly unanimous vote in the majority Republican legislature. It was endorsed by two groups often at odds, the Sierra Club and the Florida Natural Gas Association. Estimates suggest it could have saved hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars and cut down on the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

But late Wednesday night, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it in a surprise decision that also seemed to go against his past history of support for electric cars.

This veto is a baffling decision that will cost Florida taxpayers millions of dollars, Michael Weiss, Florida state lead at Advanced Energy United, a trade group promoting clean transportation that supported the bill, said in a statement. The Florida Legislature saw the clear economic and taxpayer benefits of a modern and efficient state fleet, but Gov. DeSantis somehow didnt get the memo.

Advanced Energy United estimated that the bill could have saved Floridians $277 million over 15 years if the entire fleet of cars were converted to electric vehicles. The bill would not have mandated a switch to electric cars but instead switched the states method of choosing new ones to favor whatever car was cheapest over a total lifetime cost.

Florida, No. 2 in nation for electric cars, about to get a boost to its charger network

This veto is out of step with the interests of Florida families and the leaders they sent to the Legislature. Its perplexing why the governor would drop the ball on this opportunity to save taxpayers money, said Weiss, whose group represents an array of tech, alternative energy and utility companies.

DeSantis normally offers explanations for his vetoes, but his veto transmittal letter for this bill did not include one. The governors veto came days after former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump gave a speech in Michigan railing against electric vehicles and criticizing DeSantis, who is also running for president. Recent polling in Michigan shows Biden tied with Trump and DeSantis, the Detroit Free Press reported.

DeSantis press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Tesla SUV its parked by the new charging stations for electric vehicles on Miami-Dade County property at the countys West Lot Garage on 220 NW 3rd Street, as part of its transition to low carbon transportation to combat climate change in Miami, Florida, Thursday, September 30, 2021

The veto appears to go against the governors previous record supporting the expansion of electric cars in Florida.

In a 2022 statement about the states plan to use $166 million to buy 227 electric buses and 218 electric school buses to replace diesel buses, as well as install more electric vehicle charging stations statewide, Desantis called the move a win-win.

This funding will help lower emissions while also bringing our transit bus fleets to more modern standards, he said. This is a win-win for air quality and advancing the states efforts to bolster growing electric vehicle usage.

The bill, SB284, would have changed Floridas process for buying cars from a requirement to choose the most fuel-efficient car to choosing a car with the lowest lifetime ownership cost. Research shows electric vehicles, which often have a higher upfront cost, have fewer maintenance and fuel costs over time than gas-powered cars. They also dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change, compared to cars powered by fossil fuels.

If an agency chose to buy a car with an internal combustion engine, they would have been directed to use gasoline blended with ethanol or biodiesel or use natural gas fuels when possible. There was an exception for emergency vehicles.

Similar bills have been signed by Republican governors in Nevada and Virginia.

Electric vehicle makers bank on plugging into Miamis love affair with flashy cars

Sen Jason Brodeur, a Republican representing the Sanford area, sponsored the bill. He did not respond to an immediate request for comment, but in an April op-ed published in the Orlando Sentinel about the bill, he said his bill would address an outdated and ineffective way of evaluating vehicle performance and financial benefits.

This legislation doesnt establish any mandates or consumer obligations, but it certainly does create opportunity, he said. Conservatives have always been solutions-oriented and savings-focused, and this legislation will give public officials the freedom to make investments in vehicles that are in the best long-term interests of taxpayers.

Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director of the Environmental Defense Fund, said in a statement that they are disappointed in the veto.

Electric vehicles cost less over the life of the vehicle; they cost less to maintain, less to operate and last longer than other vehicles. When governments purchase vehicles, Florida taxpayers deserve the most cost-effective solution, she wrote.
What was the banging noise picked up in search for Titanic sub?

An implosion that killed five crew onboard the Titan submersible is now the focus of investigations by agencies from four countries.

The sub was destroyed less than two hours into a dive to the Titanic shipwreck on 18 June, claiming the lives of OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Secret US Navy listening devices detected an anomaly near the Titanic shipwreck soon after the Titan departed from its support ship the Polar Prince, which is believed to be the moment sub suffered a catastrophic implosion of its carbon fibre hull.

Follow the latest updates on the missing Titanic submarine here

A desperate search for survivors continued for four days until a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) found a debris field that was later identified to be parts of the missing submersible.

Hopes had been raised when the US Coast Guard revealed that sonar devices had detected banging sounds coming from the search zone, a vast area of the North Atlantic Ocean twice the size of Connecticut.

The source of the banging sounds has not been identified, but experts have put forward several theories about their possible origin.

What were the banging noises?

On Tuesday 20 June, buoys detected tapping sounds coming from the search area, raising slim hopes that survivors could yet be found.

We dont know the source of that noise, but weve shared that information with Navy experts to classify it, US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger told CBS This Morning.

The sound was detected at 2am local time by a Canadian P-3 aircraft.

It first came every 30 minutes and was heard again four hours later, the internal government memo obtained by CNN states.

The noises were picked up again on Wednesday 21 June.

Officials admitted that the noises were inconclusive and were being analysed by Navy experts as the search and rescue operation was still in full swing.

With respect to the noises specifically, we dont know what they are, to be frank with you, Captain Jamie Frederick of the First Coast Guard District told reporters on Wednesday.

Mystery banging sounds were detected during the search for the Titan sub (OceanGate Expeditions)

On 22 June, Carl Hartsfield, an expert with the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution, told CBS News there were many possible explanations for the sounds.

The ocean is a very complex place, obviously  human sounds, nature sounds, and its very difficult to discern what the sources of those noises are at times, he told the news site.

The large number of vessels that were in the area would also emit noises picked up by sensors.

Some experts suggested that the banging sound was the noise of debris  from either the Titanic or the Titan  in the ocean.

Jeff Karson, professor emeritus of earth and environmental sciences at Syracuse University, told Mail Online while the search was underway that the noise could be a complicated echo coming from sounds bouncing around the Titanic debris field.

Its just not bouncing off of one thing. Its bouncing off a bunch of things. And its like, you know, dropping up a marble into a tin can. Its rattling around and that would confuse the location, he told the publication.

He said the suggestion that the banging sounds may have been linked to survivors was wishful thinking.

Is it really banging or just some unidentified sound? I think that is a more accurate description right now, he said last Wednesday.

Stefan Williams, a professor of marine robotics at the University of Sydney, told Insider the sounds may have been created by marine wildlife such as whales.

He said there had been reports of marooned submarine crews banging on the vessels hull to signal their location, and that acoustic noise will travel.

Chris Parry, a former British Royal Navy commander, told TalkTV the sounds could have come from any number of underwater sources.

You get a lot of mechanical noise in the ocean. Trying to differentiate it from tapping noises is a fools errand.
Photo: The Canadian Press Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Tony Avelar

Digital giant Meta is terminating the contract for a fellowship program that supports the hiring of a limited number of emerging journalists at newswire service The Canadian Press

The move comes amid fallout from the federal government's Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, which became law last week.

The law requires tech companies such as Facebook parent Meta and Google to negotiate deals compensating media outlets for news content they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms.

Meta has threatened to block access to Canadian news on their sites in retaliation.

Canadian Press president Malcolm Kirk says Meta told the newswire agency that the Online News Act has a negative affect on Metas position in Canada to operate some products.

The Liberal government's Online News Act is intended to help preserve Canadian journalism at a time when newsrooms are struggling to compete for online advertising dollars.
Bankrate Posts AI-Generated Article, Deletes It When We Point Out It's Full of Errors

The finance site Bankrate has started publishing AI-generated articles again, and it insists that this time they've been meticulously fact-checked by a human journalist before being published.

"This article was generated using automation technology and thoroughly edited and fact-checked by an editor on our editorial staff," reads a message at the bottom of the new AI articles, while a separate assurance claims that a "dedicated team of Bankrate editors" work to "thoroughly edit and fact-check the content, ensuring that the information is accurate, authoritative and helpful to our audience."

It would make sense for the site's leadership to be deeply concerned with getting every detail right.

After Bankrate and its sister site CNET first started publishing AI-generated articles late last year, Futurism found that the articles were riddled with factual errors and even seemingly plagiarized material. The Washington Post called the affair a "journalistic disaster," and the LA Times quipped that the AI's behavior would "get a human student expelled or a journalist fired." CNET and Bankrate  both owned by a media company called Red Ventures, reportedly worth billions of dollars  paused the publication of AI content indefinitely following the dustup.

Until now, at least. With no fanfare, last week Bankrate quietly started posting new AI-generated articles once again  which it described in a disclaimer as "maintained by an in-house natural language generation platform using industry-standard databases"  suggesting that CNET could soon restart the program as well.

The new articles' topics are mundane and clearly designed to capture readers searching Google for information, with titles like "Documents needed for mortgage preapproval" and "Best places to live in Colorado in 2023."

With so many eyes on the company's use of AI, you would expect that these first few new AI articles  at the very least  would be thoroughly scrutinized internally before publication. Instead, a basic examination reveals that the company's AI is still making rudimentary mistakes, and that its human staff, nevermind the executives pushing the use of AI, are still not catching them before they end up in front of unsuspecting readers.

For example, consider that article about the best places to live in Colorado. It's extremely easy to fact-check the AI's claims, because the piece prominently features a link to a "methodology" page  evidently intended to bolster the site's position in search engine results by signaling to entities like Google's web crawler that its information is accurate  that documents precisely where the site is supposedly sourcing the data in its "Best places to live" articles.

Comparing the AI's claims to that publicly-available data, here are some of the mistakes it made:

-It claimed that Boulder's median home price is $1,075,000. In reality, according to the Redfin data that Bankrate cites, the actual figure is more than a quarter million dollars lower, at around $764,000.

-It claimed that Boulder's average salary is $79,649. In reality, the Department of Commerce data it cites shows that the most recent figure is ten thousand dollars higher, at $89,593.

-It claimed that Boulder's unemployment rate is 3.1 percent. In actuality, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data it cites, the actual figure is 2.5 percent.

-It claimed that Boulder's total workers year-over-year had increased by 5.3 percent. The real figure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data it cites, is 0.6 percent.

-It claimed that Boulder's "well-being" score, as evaluated by a company called Sharecare, is 67.6. According to Sharecare's actual data, the score it assigned is 74.

In total, a surface-level fact-check shows that an overwhelming proportion of claims that Bankrate's AI made about Colorado were false.

In response to questions about the errors, Bankrate deleted the article  though it's archived here  and issued a statement in which a spokesperson defended the AI and blamed the errors on out-of-date data.

"While some of the text in this article was created using an AI-assist tool, the errors noted were at the point of data collection and retrieval, not the generative AI-assist tooling," she said. "That data was pulled from a non-AI internal database last year."

Remember, the same data they're now blaming is what they described in the article's disclaimer as an "industry-standard database."

"Our editor confirmed the data points against the source material that was provided," she continued. "The editor is not at fault for the publishing error. The issue was with an out of date dataset that was pulled for this article."

It's worth pointing out that the spokesperson's timeline  that the article data was "pulled" last year  doesn't make very much sense. According to a backup of the "Best places to live in Colorado" article on the Internet Archive, as recently as last month the piece still carried a human byline and didn't contain a single one of the errors we identified. In fact, it didn't even include Boulder as one of its recommended places to live, suggesting that its inclusion was based on inaccurate data.

The spokesperson's response to a followup question about that discrepancy did little to clarify the situation.

"We often update existing articles to ensure the information is relevant to our audience," she wrote. "In this particular example, as we were updating the article, we wanted to take a more data-driven approach to our list, but we unfortunately pulled from an outdated data set."

Asked why the site would be running articles in June of 2023 based on data from the previous year, the spokesperson had no reply.

Regardless, the spokesperson pledged that the company would soon continue publishing similar content.

"We have removed the article and will update it with the most recent data," she said. "Going forward, we will ensure that all data studies include the date range of when the data was gathered."

Overall, it feels like one more installment in a familiar pattern: publishers push their newsrooms to post hastily AI-generated articles with no serious fact-checking, in a bid to attract readers from Google without making sure they're being provided with accurate information. Called out for easily-avoidable mistakes, the company mumbles an excuse, waits for the outrage to die down, and then tries again.

Asked whether anyone from the leadership at Red Ventures was willing to go on record to defend the company's track record publishing AI-generated content, the spokesperson had no response.

More on AI: Leaked Messages Show How CNET's Parent Company Really Sees AI-Generated Content
Baptist Health South Florida, the regions largest healthcare provider, intends to trim its executive ranks through voluntary buyouts in order to reduce the nonprofit organizations expenses during a challenging post-pandemic operating climate.

Albert Bo Boulenger, Baptist Healths CEO, revealed to employees in an internal email that the Coral Gables-based company was going to offer company leaders at the director level and above a one-time opportunity to apply for voluntary separation.

Baptist Health employs 27,000 people and operates 12 hospitals, 200 outpatient centers, urgent care centers and physician practice offices in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.

Boulengers message to employees didnt reveal any of the key terms of the voluntary separation program, including financial inducements that would be offered to eligible workers, the specific number of employees Baptist Health hopes will depart and when they will start leaving. Also, the CEOs email didnt mention the expected cost-cutting financial benefit, meaning the amount of money the company wants to save in salaries and benefits through the buyouts.

With financial headwinds stemming from rising costs, decreased reimbursement, staffing shortages and other industry factors, we must continue to focus on being a more efficient organization, Boulenger said in his Wednesday email.

A Baptist Health spokeswoman said Thursday the organization hasnt yet determined the specific number of employees it hopes will accept a voluntary exit. Decisions on buyout applications will be made during the summer and departure dates will vary, she said.

Boulenger, who was promoted in 2022 from chief operating officer to the top executive post, said in his email message Baptist Health would continue assessing ways to improve coordination and collaboration across the organization with a regional management approach to better serve patients.

While this time of change is difficult, we know that it is necessary to position Baptist Health to be able to continue carrying out our important mission of caring for our communities for many years to come, he said.

Baptist Health generates a little more than $5 billion of revenue annually. On its website, the healthcare company said last year it provided $487.9 million worth of charity care, which is free medical care to the uninsured and indigent in the South Florida community.

It appears the last time Baptist Health offered voluntary buyouts to employees was in July 2016, when it employed 11,350 people. Money saved from that round of staff reductions enabled the company to reinvest capital into growth areas such as the Miami Cancer Institute, enhanced technology and an expansion of primary care and outpatient services, a spokesperson told the Miami Herald at the time.

In April of this year, Baptist Health and Florida International University announced they agreed to become medical partners. The partnership will enable Baptist to tap a pipeline of medical students from FIUs Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine that got its start in 2006. New doctors and other medical professionals will gain clinical training and research experience at Baptist hospitals and health centers.

Baptist and FIU plan to build a clinic on the universitys main campus in West Miami-Dade, and the alliance of the two institutions would help Baptist become a certified teaching hospital, Boulenger said in April.

Teaching hospitals, such as Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, work with medical schools and other academic medical programs to train doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals through residencies, internships, fellowships and post-doctoral programs. There are more than 1,000 U.S. teaching hospitals, according to the American Hospital Association.
Belarus leader welcomes Wagner forces, but others see them as a threat

As life in Russia returned to normal after an armed rebellion by a mercenary group, tensions were rising in and around its neighbor Belarus, where the exiled leader of the force and some of its fighters were settling in.

Moving to Belarus was part of the deal the Kremlin struck with Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private military company, to end last weekends rebellion that rattled Russias leadership.

Prigozhin and his fighters escaped prosecution and were offered refuge in Belarus by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who said his country could use their experience and expertise.

That doesnt sit well with the Belarusian opposition and guerrilla activists, who called Wagner fighters a threat to the Belarusian people and (the countrys) independence, and promised action.

Were categorically against stationing Russian mercenaries in Belarus and are preparing a warm welcome to Wagnerites in Belarus, said Aliaksandr Azarau, leader of the BYPOL guerrilla group of former military members, speaking in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from outside the country.

Russian general believed to be detained in aftermath of Wagner mutiny

Neighboring Baltic countries also expressed concerns about how this would affect regional security. In a joint statement Wednesday, parliament speakers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania urged the European Union to label Wagner a terrorist organization.

The emergence of the Wagner mercenary group in Belarus could make the security situation on the eastern borders of NATO and the EU even more precarious, the statement read.

Lukashenko said those Wagner fighters who dont want to come under the command of the Russian Defense Ministry - one of the options offered to them by Russian President Vladimir Putin - can stay in Belarus for some time at their own expense.

He said he had offered them an abandoned military unit to set up camp, and promised to help with whatever we can.

Were looking at it pragmatically - if their commanders come to us and help us, (we get their) experience, Lukashenko said.

He didnt specify the facilitys location, but Azarau said construction of a site for Wagner mercenaries was underway in Osipovichi, a city 230 kilometers (142 miles) north of the border with Ukraine, with Belarusian soldiers involved.

Residents of the city of 30,000 told AP they were rattled by the developments.

Theres military equipment in the streets and Belarusian servicemen  all residents are discussing the arrival of Wagnerites and, frankly speaking, were panicking and are not happy about being neighbors with them, Inga, a 43-year-old doctor in Osipovichi, said by phone.

I have teenage daughters.  How will we live next to thugs, pardoned murderers and rapists? said the woman, who spoke on condition of that she not be fully identified out of safety concerns.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company, right, sits inside a military vehicle posing for a selfie photo with a local civilian on a street in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023, prior to leaving an area of the headquarters of the Southern Military District. (AP Photo)

The Kremlin promised not to prosecute Prigozhin for the rebellion after reaching an agreement that he would halt the uprising and go to Belarus. That came even though Putin vowed to punish those behind what he called treason and a stab in the back.

Lukashenko has been Putins closest ally, allowing Russia to use Belarus to send troops and weapons into Ukraine,. He has welcomed a continued Russian military presence in the country and the deployment there of some of Russias tactical nuclear weapons.

But he has stressed that Prigozhins fighters will not be guarding any nuclear weapons.

Prigozhin himself arrived in Belarus on Monday, Lukashenko said, but his exact whereabouts are unknown.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has played down concerns that Wagner would pose a threat from Belarus. He said the mercenaries probably wouldnt go there in significant numbers and added that Ukraines military believes security along their border will remain unchanged and controllable.

According to an independent Belarusian military monitoring group, Belaruski Hajun, Prigozhin met with Lukashenko several times this week to discuss his force in Belarus.

Prigozhins private jet is based at the Machulishchy Air Base near Minsk. In February, Belarusian guerrillas attacked a Russian warplane parked there, infuriating Lukashenko.

Belaruski Hajun confirmed Lukashenko met with Prigozhin in a residence on the shore of the Zaslavskoye reservoir, where nonpublic negotiations are taking place with the participation of the entire Lukashenko family, said Anton Matolka, coordinator of the group. He did not elaborate but Lukashenkos sons are known to take a role in some government activities.

Guerrillas from BYPOL told AP they will resist Wagner fighters being stationed in Belarus and stage acts of sabotage at sites where mercenaries are housed.

We will actively resist this, using all possible means, Azarau said.

NATO members Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, who share a 1,250-kilometer (775-mile) border with Belarus, said they will enhance security along the frontier because of the Wagner forces.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhnaouskaya, who is in exile abroad, said having Wagner fighters in Belarus threatens the countrys sovereignty. She noted it is taking place in the run-up to the NATO summit in Vilnius next month.

The presence of criminal Prigozhin in Belarus is an illustration of how our country turned into a refuge for tyrants and nuclear threats, Tsikhanouskaya said.

Analysts believe that Lukahsenko is using the situation as leverage to get more loans and funding from the Kremlin in return for his role as a savior of Russia from the mutiny.

Lukashenko is a very experienced player, and he will ask Putin to pay for a favor he did for the Kremlin with new loans and economic concessions, Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich told AP.

The Kremlin and Prigozhin  used Belarus as part of their deal, and painlessly exiled the troublemaker there, Karbalevich said.

He believes that Lukashenko might use Prigozhins presence in Belarus to tickle Putins nerves, but a long-term alliance between them is unlikely.

Prigozhin showed that he is hard to control, and Lukashenko doesnt like risks and surprises, Karbalevich said.

Lukashenko has been careful throughout the Ukraine war, so the moving and housing of Wagner fighters will be happening in small batches, with lots of caution and under strict control from Belarusian security services, Karbalevich said.

Associated Press writer Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko at the Kremlin

The days when we regarded Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko as nothing more than a tinpot dictator, who heeded Vladimir Putins every beck and call, can be consigned to history now that he has both a nuclear arsenal and an army of Wagner mercenaries at his disposal. While Lukashenko, a former manager of a Soviet farm collective, is clearly relishing his new-found celebrity as the man who saved Russia from a bitter civil war, the implications of his involvement could have far-reaching consequences for the security of Natos eastern flank.

According to Lukashenkos version of events, it was down to his personal intervention with Putin that the Russian leader was persuaded not to wipe out Yevgeny Prigozhin as the latters self-styled army of Wagner mercenaries advanced to within 120 miles of Moscow. The key moment in the crisis supposedly came when Lukashenko managed to make contact with Prigozhin, whom he quickly realised was suffering some form of psychological breakdown, and offered him a safe haven in Belarus in return for abandoning his mutiny.

The ploy worked, to the extent that Prigozhin and some of his mercenaries have now gone into exile in Belarus, allowing Putin to make the somewhat specious claim that Russias security forces had succeeded in defending their motherland, de facto stopping a civil war in its tracks.

While Prigozhins arrival in Belarus draws to a close a tumultuous few days in modern Russian history, it also has potentially wide-reaching security implications, especially for neighbouring Nato countries such as Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

For the moment, it is unclear just how many of the 25,000 Wagner mercenaries Prigozhin claimed were backing his mutiny have travelled to Belarus: Putin has offered those who have remained in Russia the option of joining the established Russian military and security forces, or returning home. Lukashenko, meanwhile, has offered the Wagner veterans who have arrived in his country an abandoned military base for their use. There is a fence, everything is available, erect your tents, was his less-than-enticing offer.

Wagners presence in Belarus, which Putin used as the launchpad for his original invasion to capture Kyiv last year, has inevitably raised concerns that the mercenaries might utilise the country as a base to launch a fresh assault on Ukraine. This is unlikely, however, given Lukashenkos reluctance to become directly involved in the conflict, not least because of the strong anti-war sentiment among the Belarusian population.

A far more worrying outcome, from Natos perspective, would be if the Wagner remnants were integrated into the regular Belarusian ranks, thereby giving the countrys military an upgrade in its war-fighting capabilities.

This possibility has already prompted several Nato leaders to flag up the potential fall-out from Belaruss role in the recent Russian tumult. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has warned that if Wagners serial killers are allowed to operate from Belarus, neighbouring countries could face even greater danger of instability. Meanwhile, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was ready to defend itself against any threat from Moscow or Minsk and would agree to strengthen its defences at next weeks meeting of Nato leaders in Vilnius next week  focusing particularly on nations bordering Belarus. We have sent a clear message to Moscow and to Minsk that Nato is there to protect every ally and every inch of Nato territory, he said.

Concerns about the impact Prigozhin and his Wagner cut-throats could have on Lukashenkos ability to threaten Nato have been strengthened by the recent arrival of Russian tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus. Their deployment was originally intended as a crude threatening gesture by Putin to Nato leaders attending the Vilnius summit, reminding them that Russia, for all its recent difficulties, retains the worlds largest nuclear arsenal.

But combined with the toxic presence of Wagner mercenaries, these developments mean Nato can no longer dismiss Belarus as a puppet state of the Kremlin: it now has potential to threaten eastern Europe and the Baltics in its own right.

The dramatic changes taking place in Europes military landscape certainly need to be taken seriously by countries like Britain, which are still wedded to the notion that they can persist with cutting the strength of their war-fighting capabilities. As General Sir Patrick Sanders, the Chief of the General Staff, warned earlier this week, Britain needs more troops and more investment if it is to deter potential aggressors like Russia.

To date Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who presided over the original decision to cut the strength of the Army to its lowest level since the Napoleonic era, has resisted calls to reverse the trend. Perhaps now that his quest to become the next Nato chief has ended, this might be a propitious moment for him to review the decision, and provide our Armed Forces with the resources they require to be a credible fighting force in Europe.

Con Coughlin recently gave an extended interview to the Telegraphs daily podcast Ukraine: The Latest about his new book Assad: The Triumph of Tyranny and the war in Ukraine. You can listen to it here.

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Belgian Foreign Minister Lahbib appears before the External Relations committee at the Belgian Parliament, in Brussels

By Marine Strauss and Charlotte Van Campenhout

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian foreign affairs minister Hadja Lahbib on Thursday survived a vote of no-confidence in Parliament after granting visas to delegations from Iranian and Russian cities to attend a mayors' convention in Brussels earlier this month.

When in Brussels, the Iranian delegation filmed Belgian-Iranian lawmaker Darya Safai and Iranian opposition members.

The opposition had called for Lahbib's resignation over the scandal, but 79 MPs voted in support of the minister while 50 voted against and four abstained.

Lahbib's MR party had threatened to leave the government if she had to resign, which would have made the government collapse.

Two members of coalition parties Ecolo-Groen and PS abstained symbolically to voice that Lahbib will have to regain their parties' trust.

(Reporting by Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Caroline Ouko, mother of Irvo Otieno, holds a portrait of her son at the Dinwiddie Courthouse in Dinwiddie, Va., March 16, 2023.

Attorneys for the family of Irvo Otieno, a man who died in police custody during a mental crisis, asked the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into his death, according to The Associated Press. The request comes right behind the resignation of the countys prosecuting attorney.



In a letter from Ben Crump Law, PLLC, the civil rights attorney requested for the DOJ to lend their resources to prosecute the seven deputies and one hospital worker criminally charged in the March incident. Otienos mother called the police to report a mental crisis but the officers who responded to the area were looking for a burglary suspect. Otieno was taken into custody and transported to a psychiatric hospital days later. During intake, he was restrained on the ground for 12 minutes by the weight of the seven deputies. The chief medical examiner ruled his death as a homicide.

Read more

The story about the incident blew up only after the deputies and three hospital workers were slammed with second-degree murder. However, two of the workers had their charges dropped amidst major changes to the prosecutors office. Now, Crump called in reinforcements to make sure everyone else is still held accountable.

Unless the Department of Justice prosecutes this matter in federal court, the four-day cycle of violence brought to bear upon a young man in mental health crisis will not be fully and ably addressed, wrote Crump.

Read more from Crumps letter:

The resources of the U.S. Department of Justice are necessary to ably and properly prosecute the defendants. Seven Henrico County deputies and three Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) employees were indicted by a Dinwiddie County grand jury for murdering Mr. Otieno. Subsequently, Dinwiddie County Commonwealths Attorney Ann Baskervill nolle prossed charges against two of the three indicted DBHDS employees. Then, Ms. Baskervill resigned her position, On June 21, 2023, the three Circuit Court judges who preside in Dinwiddie County selected an attorney with no prosecutorial experience and minimal jury trial experience to assume the role of interim Commonwealths Attorney. In our opinion, the newly appointed CA and his similarly new, small staff  with an ample caseload apart from the indictment of Mr. Otienos killers  are not adequately prepared to prosecute the eight defendants, all of whom have separate, experienced counsel.

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Biden admits hes not big on abortion, says terminations in last 3 months have to be negotiated

Biden admits hes not big on abortion, says terminations in last 3 months have to be negotiated

President Biden told a crowd that he is personally not a supporter of abortion and that termination procedures in the last three months are not clear-cut.

Biden, speaking to a crowd in Maryland on Tuesday, claimed that his relationship to Catholicism makes him personally uncomfortable with abortion  but that Roe v. Wade "got it right."

"So Im, you know, I happen to be a practicing Catholic. Im not big on abortion. But guess what? Roe v. Wade got it right," Biden said.

BIDEN ENDORSED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD, EMILY'S LIST AND NARAL - PRO CHOICE AMERICA AHEAD OF DOBBS ANNIVERSARY

President Biden arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on June 28, 2023.

"Roe v. Wade cut in a place where the vast majority of religions have reached an agreement. Historically, the first three months or thereabouts, in all major religions, was: Thats between a woman and her doctor," Biden said.

However, the president strayed from the hard-line pro-choice movement with a rare assertion that the universal right to terminate the unborn child ends in "the last three months."

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"The next three months is between, I mean, just a woman and her family," Biden continued. "Next three months is between a woman and her doctor. The last three months have to be negotiated, because you cant  unless you are in a position where your physical health is at stake you cant do it."

POPE DERIDES BIDEN'S ABORTION VIEWS, CATHOLIC SELF-IDENTITY AS 'INCOHERENCE'

President Biden speaks to reporters outside the White House.

Biden has repeatedly tried to square the circle of his Catholic faith and political endorsement of abortion rights.

The president has claimed for years that his political support for legalized abortion, coupled with his personal disagreement with the practice, is in line with Catholic moral teaching.

He has been refuted by Catholic laity and leadership at every rung of the hierarchy  including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and even the pontiff himself.

Last year, Pope Francis was interviewed by Univision and was questioned about Biden's seemingly contradictory beliefs.

WHITE HOUSE ACKNOWLEDGES BIDEN AND POPE ON DIFFERENT PAGE ON ABORTION

When asked about Biden's abortion policy, the Pope dismissed the president as incomprehensible.

"I leave it to [President Biden's] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence," the pope said in the 2022 interview.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life."

DC ARCHDIOCESE SILENT ON PELOSI COMMUNION BAN, EMAIL SAYS MEDIA REQUESTS 'WILL BE IGNORED'

President Biden leaves St. Edmund's Roman Catholic Church after attending Mass in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, June 17, 2023.

The church's doctrine continues, "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law."

Biden picked up endorsements from three major abortion rights groups last week, a day before the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY'S List are throwing their support behind Biden, as Democrats nationally have claimed several victories for abortion rights on ballot referendums or in courts and will press forward on the issue into the 2024 election.

Planned Parenthood clinic in Inglewood, California

"There is so much at stake," Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said in a statement to media outlets. "We know, clear as day, that if anti-abortion politicians gain control of the White House, they will exploit their power toward their ultimate goal: a national abortion ban."

Among the top four contenders thus far in the 2024 presidential election, three claim to follow the Catholic faith  Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Biden was seen with marks on his face before officials disclosed his use of a CPAP machine

President Joe Biden is using a medical device to treat sleep apnoea, a common disorder in which breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep.

Mr Biden, 80, the oldest president in US history, is using a CPAP machine, according to the White House.

The medical announcement came on Wednesday after reporters spotted marks on his face - from the mask used to help him breathe at night.

About 30 million Americans have sleep apnoea, doctors say.

A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device gently pumps air into a mask over the mouth and nose during sleep, holding the airways open.

"Since 2008, the President has disclosed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement.

"He used a CPAP machine last night, which is common for people with that history," he said.

White House officials later acknowledged that he had been using the CPAP machine for the last several weeks.

Sleep apnoea is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders in the world, with up to one billion people affected worldwide. Studies suggest that the condition increases with age, but sleep apnoea can also occur in young adults.

Its symptoms include episodes in which one temporarily stops breathing during sleep, gasping for air during sleep, loud snoring, and fatigue even after a full night's rest.

Doctors say this can result in poor memory and concentration, and the exhaustion causes a significantly higher risk of accidents.

People should consult their doctor if they have loud snoring, pauses in breathing at night, excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue and sudden awakening at night, experts say.

How to control sleep apnoea

Try to lose weight if you are overweight

Sleep on your side - try a special pillow to help

Give up smoking

Do not drink too much alcohol, especially before bed

Don't take sleeping pills unless recommended

More serious sleep apnoea may need treatment from a sleep clinic. This can include using a CPAP machine, which gently pumps air into a mask over the mouth and nose during sleep, holding the airways open.

Source: NHS UK
President Biden on Thursday weighed in on the Supreme Court following its decision to upend affirmative action in college admissions, calling it not normal.

This is not a normal court, the president said at the White House when asked whether thought the institution had gone rogue.

The president later explained what he meant, saying in an interview with MSNBC that the Court has done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any Court in recent history.

Take a look at how its ruled on a number of issues that have been precedent for 50, 60 years sometimes. And thats what I meant by not normal, the president added. Across the board the vast majority of the American people dont agree with majority of decisions the court is making.

The president opted not to respond to a question about whether there should be term limits for Supreme Court justices, an idea floated earlier in the week by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former longtime House Speaker. Biden strongly disagreed with the courts decision to strike affirmative action, which limited the use of race as a factor in college admissions.

He later told MSNBC that there may be too much harm if they start the process of expanding the court, arguing that it could politicize it in a way that is not healthy.

Earlier on Thursday, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said the courts legitimacy is now in question, calling the decision radical.

In the opinion that broke along ideological lines, conservative justices invalidated admissions practices at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas read his concurring opinion from the bench, a rare occurrence for him, and advocated for a colorblind view of the Constitution. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, meanwhile, read a blistering dissent from the bench.

The president, meanwhile, urged colleges and universities in the U.S. to maintain a commitment to ensuring diverse student bodies

Were not going to let this break us, Biden said on Thursday, vowing to discuss the decision and next steps further.

Updated at 4:15 pm.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration has formally rebuffed a bid by environmental activists to phase down oil and gas production on federal lands and waters, marking its latest nod to the endurance of fossil fuels in a warming world.

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Laura Daniel-Davis, the principal deputy assistant secretary of land and mineral management at the Interior Department, said in a letter released Thursday that the agency couldnt dedicate its limited resources to establishing a phase down program, given competing priorities, including implementing lease sales mandated by last years sweeping climate law.

Daniel-Davis did not address the substance of the legal and scientific arguments advanced by more than 300 environmental, community and climate groups in their 85-page rulemaking petition last year, saying only that she appreciated the thought and effort behind their push. This administration shares your concerns regarding the urgency of the climate crisis and is directing its limited resources in an effort to address them, she said.

The move drew a swift condemnation from activists who cited mounting evidence the world must stop developing new oil and gas fields to avert the most catastrophic consequences of global warming and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

To claim that the Biden administration doesnt have the resources to take real climate action on federal fossil fuels is vacuous and beyond hypocritical, said Taylor McKinnon of the Center for Biological Diversity. This is the definition of lip service. The administration acknowledges the urgency to address climate change and meanwhile avoids every opportunity to take meaningful action on the fossil fuels under its control.

The decision follows administration approvals of the ConocoPhillipss Willow oil development in Alaska and LNG exports from Alaska, as well as its support for provisions in the debt-ceiling deal that accelerate construction of Equitrans Midstream Corp.s Mountain Valley gas pipeline.

On the campaign trail, President Joe Biden vowed to block new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters, and said he would not only end the federal leasing programs, but also wind down existing federal oil and gas production. The activists petition asked Interior to manage a steady decline in that production, ultimately reducing output by 98% as of 2035.

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As the sun sets over Penticton, tents and makeshift shelters begin to dot the landscape of the once idyllic town situated in the heart of the beautiful Okanagan Valley.

Homelessness has become a growing problem in Penticton over the past few years, and it's not just the locals who are feeling the impact.

The divide the issue has created within the community has become increasingly palpable. Residents and business owners alike are growing frustrated with the lack of action from local officials, while the homeless population feels abandoned and forgotten.

According to the Penticton Salvation Army, the demand for their services has increased by 50% over the past year alone. This rise in homelessness is attributed to a variety of factors, including the lack of affordable housing, mental illness, addiction, and job losses.

However, the influx of homeless individuals in Penticton is not just a local issue. It's starting to impact tourism in the Okanagan Valley, which serves as a major economic driver for the region. As the number of homeless individuals grows, so do the concerns of potential visitors to the area.

While some may argue that homelessness is an issue impacting many cities across North America, the situation in Penticton seems particularly dire. Tensions have been mounting between residents as well, as certain neighbourhoods have become inundated with tents set up on public property.

The situation is reaching a boiling point, with community activists and politicians calling for immediate action to address the growing homelessness problem in Penticton. As winter approaches, the urgency to get individuals off the streets and into safe, warm housing is more important than ever.

The division within the community has left many feeling helpless, not knowing how to address the issue in a constructive and compassionate way. Some argue that providing more affordable housing and mental health services will alleviate the problem in the long run, while others call for harsher measures to remove the tents and force the homeless population out of the area.

One local business owner stated, "We need to find a way to help the homeless, but we also need to protect our community and our businesses. We can't have people camping out on the sidewalks in front of our stores."

Our businesses are suffering, the neighbourhoods in the residential areas are suffering, crime has risen substantially,

City council has requested a review of the supportive housing facilities in Penticton to be submitted prior to a development application for additional supportive housing. However, BC Housing says it has already submitted a development permit application to the city so construction can begin, with the permit granted in 2021, but now sitting unused.

Its unknown if the requested review is underway, but any results have not yet been submitted to city hall.

Meanwhile, the citys safety and security advisory committee is drafting guidelines for shelter and supportive housing locations, including the release of a draft map of no-go zones. The committee will make a recommendation to city council which has the ultimate authority to accept and adopt the guidelines.

The city is embroiled in a dispute with the provincial government after BC Housing invoked paramountcy powers to keep a downtown emergency winter shelter open, against the citys wishes.

The city is considering filing for an injunction against the province in court, which could cost taxpayers up to $300,000 in legal fees. The shelter is currently operating without a municipal permit.

Then housing minister (now B.C. Premier) David Eby said the shelter would remain open until the Skaha Lake Road supportive housing facility was built, much to the dismay of local business owners, and those who fear their safety is in jeopardy as altercations with the homeless population become increasingly more hostile.

The reality is homelessness is not going away any time soon, and it's starting to impact the local economy as well.

Penticton, which relies heavily on tourism, risks losing potential visitors if the issue is not addressed in a meaningful way.

Jeremy Piesinger, Penticton
Biden: It would be a mistake to expand the U.S. Supreme Court

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden said it would be a mistake to expand the membership of the U.S. Supreme Court after it struck down race-conscious admission considerations on Thursday but thinks the institution is out of touch with basic American values.

The president's comments came hours after the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, in a sharp setback to affirmative action policies often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.

Biden told MSNBC in New York that the court "may do too much harm but I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, we are going to politicize it maybe forever, in a way that is not healthy."

Biden also said the court's value system is different and it's not as embracing.

The affirmative action ruling is the latest in a string of setbacks on issues that were once considered settled, such as abortion rights, delivered by the conservative-leaning court.

Liberal Democratic lawmakers have proposed expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, possibly ending its conservative majority, but the plan has not been embraced by the White House and other Democrats.

Earlier on Thursday at the White House, Biden said he "strongly" disagrees with the court's decision and urged colleges to take into account challenges that applicants face, including racial discrimination, during the admissions process.

He directed the U.S. Department of Education to analyze what practices will help build more inclusive and diverse student bodies and what practices impede that goal. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the agency will provide resources to colleges and universities addressing lawful admissions in the next 45 days.

The president also proposed that applicants first have to qualify under a college's academic standards, but then admissions officials would take into account "adversity" criteria, such as financial means, living situations and whether or not the applicant faced racial discrimination.

"The truth is - we all know it - discrimination still exists in America," Biden said.

Asked at the White House whether the Supreme Court was a rogue court, Biden paused, then responded, "this is not a normal court." Explaining his comment, Biden later said this Supreme Court has done more to "unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history."

The White House has been meeting with civil rights organizations, universities, and legal organizations to come up with a contingency plan if the court struck down affirmative action, Jean-Pierre said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Jarrett Renshaw; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)
President Biden has targeted blue strongholds ahead of his first fundraising deadline, raking in cash from reliable Democratic donors to give his reelection bid an early boost.

The president has fundraised in high-income ZIP codes in Chicago, Maryland, San Francisco, Connecticut and New York City just in the last month  all friendly places for Democrats.

The sprint to connect with donors and bring in cash comes as the Biden campaign hopes for a strong showing in its first fundraising report, for the quarter that ends Friday. He announced his reelection bid in April.

First things first, he needs to secure his base and get the funding he needs. It makes sense to go do this in friendly territory, said Ivan Zapien, a former Democratic National Committee (DNC) official.

The results of Bidens fundraising swing will be released in his first 2024 campaign finance report in July.

A Biden campaign spokesperson would not disclose any specific fundraising tallies but said they have been encouraged by the initial response from donors, adding that there have been a significant number of new donors since 2020.

The official added that the unified effort from the Biden campaign and the DNC is in stark contrast to the GOP, where Republican presidential candidates are dividing resources.

Bidens fundraising blitz is part of a broader campaign strategy to connect with donors and build momentum that can be sustained over the next 16 months.

The Hills 2024 campaign coverage

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Bidens campaign manager, has been traveling in recent weeks with officials from the DNC to Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and St. Louis to speak with supporters, local officials and donors.

The meetings are meant as a way for donors to meet directly with campaign and DNC leaders to discuss the campaigns path to victory in 2024 and how early support from bundlers and local officials can help build early momentum.

Ahead of the end of the fundraising quarter, Biden, Vice President Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff have fanned across the country to attend campaign receptions in the hopes of supercharging the first public finance report.

Biden, in particular, has been meeting with groups of big money donors.

The minimum donation for a campaign reception Wednesday in Chicago was $3,300, and donors could pay $25,000 to get a picture with the president.

Meanwhile, Republicans bashed Biden for visiting these areas, many of which are some of the wealthiest towns in the United States.

Instead of fixing the multiple crises he created or visiting East Palestine, Ohio like he promised, Biden chooses to mingle with liberal elites inside the beltway. Biden has had time for political fundraisers, celebrities, and vacations, but not serving hard-working Americans and families who are suffering because of his failed agenda, Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.

During the closed-door fundraisers, which are generally groups of about 120 people or fewer, Biden gives remarks and focuses on issues from foreign policy to reproductive rights. He also tends to talk about LGBTQ rights, gun violence, the infrastructure law and the economy  a window into issues he will highlight on the trail.

The presidents visits to fundraisers have typically been paired with official events. In Connecticut, he spoke about gun violence in Hartford before heading to Greenwich to fundraise. In the San Francisco area, he spoke about climate and had a meeting on artificial intelligence before heading to Silicon Valley and other towns in the Bay Area to meet with donors.

In Chicago, he spoke about his economic agenda  what the White House has deemed Bidenomics  and then headed to the campaign reception in the city hosted by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D).

Bidens focus on certain issues during campaign receptions reminds donors about his priorities for the country.

It also serves the dual goal of giving a refresher course of what is at stake and the fight ahead so that no one gets complacent. He is taking the urgency of now and this election to the base before turning to a different set of challenges. Shows he and the campaign are taking nothing for granted, Zapien said.

Biden tends to talk more candidly when fundraising. And that has recently led to attention-getting remarks.

While in the Bay Area, he called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator, leading to an angry response from Beijing. In Chevy Chase, Md., he mistakenly said Iraq while referring to Ukraine in remarks.

One Democratic official noted Bidens reelection announcement in late April was likely timed to give the president enough runway to rack up a strong fundraising haul through the end of the second quarter of the year.

The official noted that the president is also likely to receive a boost once his general election opponent becomes clear, when grassroots donors are likely to feel a greater sense of urgency about defeating the Republican nominee.

The hosts of the fundraisers reflect that deep-pocketed donors are opening up their homes and their wallets early in the campaign cycle to help boost the president.

Biden last week was hosted in Los Gatos, Calif., by LinkedIns Reid Hoffman and Microsofts Kevin Scott, and in Atherton, Calif., by venture capitalist Steve Westly. In Chevy Chase, Md., on Tuesday, the fundraiser was at the home of Susie Gelman, whose grandfather owned Levi Strauss.

In Greenwich, Conn., earlier this month, he was hosted at the home of hedge fund manager Stephen Mandel. And, Biden is reportedly receiving counsel from Jeffrey Katzenberg, a co-founder of DreamWorks SKG and longtime Democratic donor.

Im here today to ask you to help me finish the job, he told donors in Chicago on Wednesday. We need you. Its not hyperbole. We need you. And our democracy needs you.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Biden dismisses bad polling numbers: They were the same when I ran and won

President Biden dismissed his bad polling numbers Thursday, saying he won the 2020 presidential election despite poor polling during the Democratic primary.

I know the polling numbers are not good, but they were the same way when I ran and won. Everybody thought I was gonna get clobbered in the primary. I got 80 million votes in the last election, Biden said in a MSNBC interview with host Nicolle Wallace.

Bidens 80 million votes in the 2020 election set the record for the most votes cast for any presidential candidate, in part because more votes were cast in 2020 than in any other U.S. election.

During the Democratic primary, Bidens bid seemed all but over after disappointing results in Iowa and New Hampshire. But it was turned around when he won the South Carolina primary, largely due to Rep. Jim Clyburns (D-S.C.) endorsement.

Now, Biden is campaigning for his reelection as recent polls have shown the president struggling to reach much above a 40 percent approval rating.

A poll this week showed 34 percent of U.S. adults approve of the presidents handling of the economy, while another poll showed that 68 percent of Americans are concerned about the presidents mental and physical health.

He noted in the interview with MSNBC the better-than-expected results Democrats had in the midterm elections, which he claimed he predicted.

I remember I was saying that I thought the Democratic Party was going to do extremely well in the off-year election, he said.

Were gonna lose 40 seats and all that, he recalled people predicting at the time.

Democrats in 2022 held on to the Senate, increasing their margin by one seat, and were able to hold on to more seats in the House than expected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Bidens doctors say hes fine. But is he really?

Biden's personal physician, Dr Kevin OConnor, issued the president with a clean bill of health as recently as February. But what are the health concerns that have beset him?

Was it the way President Joe Biden confused the Ukraine and Iraq wars twice in 24 hours, claiming Putin is losing the war in Iraq, that had the world worrying about his health again?

Or the horizontal indentations on both sides of the 80-year-old presidents face, on show as he left the White House this week, which revealed he had slept wearing an air mask - a device to ease sleep apnea?

Either way, the wellbeing of octogenarian Biden is an inevitable source of interest and worry given his knowledge of the nuclear codes. Indeed he is the oldest person ever to hold the office, and, if his bid for a second term in 2024 is successful, Biden will be 86 at the end of his time at the White House.

President Joe Biden falls to the ground after riding up to members of the public during a bike ride in Delaware - Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

To be fair, Biden has revealed his history of sleep apnea before, and his personal physician, Dr Kevin OConnor, issued the president with a clean bill of health as recently as February.

But what are the health concerns that have beset him?

Sleep apnea

The sleep disorder, while common, can potentially be serious. Sleep apnea is when breathing can stop and start in the night. Left untreated it may cause symptoms including forgetfulness, fatigue and sleepiness.

Age is one of several factors that increases the risk of developing sleep apnea. It can ultimately lead to cardiovascular disease because of the significant strain it can put on the heart, according to studies.

A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine pumps air through a tube to a mask strapped on to the users nose. The pressure of the air being delivered keeps their airway open.

Geneticist and longevity expert Tony Pemberton says: Sleep apnea is certainly a risk factor for cognitive decline. This is through two pathways; firstly your brain is starved of oxygen during your sleep, but on top of that typically its harder to get restorative sleep.

This is due to the body secreting cortisol into your system, simply to avoid suffocating in your sleep! Sleep deprivation is one of the strongest causes of cognitive decline.

President Joe Biden carries visible marks left by the straps of a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or CPAP, as he talks to reporters at the White House - Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Frequent coughing

Pronounced throat-clearing has become a hallmark of Bidens public speaking. The cause according to his team is gastroesophageal reflux that is often brought about after he eats.

The acid reflux was first reported after Bidens November 2021 physical examination. It was added that an examination of Mr Bidens lungs, a chest X-ray and a measurement of his oxygen saturation showed normal results, and noted that the president will continue to take Pepcid to treat the acid reflux.

The main issues from acid reflux, if not controlled, is risk of gastric irritation and ulcers  if hes on anti-reflux medication this reduces likelihood of ulcers, says private GP Dr Suhail Hussain, who covers the Herts and greater London area (drsuhailhussain.com). Acid reflux is not necessarily age related.

Skin cancer

The president was recently treated for basal cell carcinoma, a common and slow-growing skin cancer. Doctors conducted a routine removal of a lesion from his chest that will be checked for skin cancer, according to a six-page summary of his examination.

This is a non-malignant cancer which normally does not cause any problems with spreading elsewhere and is easily removed with no long term adverse sequelae, says Dr Hussain.

President Joe Biden speaks about the economy in Chicago on June 28, 2023 - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Cancer is strongly linked to ageing. This is why scientists now describe ageing as a disease, as around 90 per cent of diseases are age-related, says Pemberton. In future our leaders might be judged more on their biological age rather than their chronological age!

Arthritis

Bidens mobility issues are attributed to degenerative wear and tear on his spine and the stiffness in his walk is a combination of arthritis in his back, a neuropathy in his feet and the long-term effects of breaking his foot in November 2020 while playing with his former dog Major.

He has confirmed osteoarthritis of the foot and spine which impacts his mobility due to stiffness (and potentially pain), says Dr Hussain. If this worsens this could require increased pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication or even operative intervention in the worst case scenario.

This would necessitate time off work and long recuperation given his advanced age. And could require hip or knee replacements, if these joints are affected.

High cholesterol

Bidens high cholesterol was also noted in his latest health summary, which is a risk factor for a heart attack, a stroke or kidney disease. According to the physicians report Joe Biden has atrial fibrillation which is a condition that causes an irregular heart rate.

This is controlled by blood-thinning medications, says Dr Hussain. High cholesterol is not inevitable with age but age is a factor in raised cholesterol.

His lipid level  lipids are fat-like substances found in your blood and body tissues  is controlled by statin tablets so there is no issue with his cholesterol profile.

The 78-year-old had some trouble making his way up the steps of Air Force One - News Scans

Frequent gaffes

Mixing up the wars in Ukraine and Iraq are not the first time hes made such gaffes.

Biden has been open about having a stutter, which some say his adversaries mistakenly label as Alzheimers, says Pemberton. However, he adds: The increase in stumbles is certainly an indicator that his verbal fluency is on the decline, which can be an early sign of dementia, memory lapses being the strongest indicator.

The saying age is just a number is true to a level in meritocracy, but when the signs of a mental and physical decline are becoming more apparent, is it ageism?

Dr Hussain agrees: From the videos weve all seen of him on stage giving speeches, his cognitive functioning is below par and in my opinion he has some level of cognitive decline, possibly early stage dementia  thats absolutely clear from his clinical situation.

Frequent stumbles

In February, Biden stumbled up the stairs of Air Force One as he headed back to the United States after a three-day visit to Europe.

He fell up the same stairs just two months into his presidency in March 2021. In June, he also fell off his bike while spending a weekend away in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Ageing is a physiological process and as we age our functioning both physically and mentally diminishes. It is impossible to avoid. We become less able both physically and mentally. Our ability to move and function at the level we did when we were younger diminishes. Equally, our cognitive abilities will decline, says Dr Hussain.

The aforementioned arthritis and foot issues of course contribute to the reduction in his mobility. Theres no doubt his health is deteriorating, says Dr Hussain. From a clinical point of view, I would not be advising him to run for re-election because the enormity of the role at his age and level of ability is likely to be too great  and his health from this point could deteriorate rapidly.

It doesnt mean ageism doesnt exist and older people should be treated with respect  but older people also need to understand [that], while they should be treated with respect, they should gracefully step down from such high profile roles.

Do you think it would be ageist to advise President Joe Biden not to run for presidency in 2024? Tell us in the comments below.

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President Biden expressed his opposition Thursday to expanding the Supreme Court in the wake of its latest controversial decision, warning that it would risk further politicizing the institution.

Biden, in an interview with MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace, was asked if the 6-3 conservative majority on the high court is too young and too conservative and could do too much harm to the country with its rulings.

I think they may do too much harm, Biden said. But I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, were going to politicize it maybe forever in a way thats not healthy.

Maybe its just the optimist in me  I think that some of the court are beginning to realize their legitimacy is being questioned in ways that it hadnt been questioned in the past, Biden added, suggesting Chief Justice John Roberts is among those weighing that.

The White House previously indicated that Biden was opposed to expanding the Supreme Court in the wake of its ruling in June 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Some progressive Democrats have called for reform of the Supreme Court in recent years as its conservative majority has hardened and handed down controversial rulings on abortion, gun rights and, most recently, affirmative action.

Biden has condemned several of those decisions, and earlier Thursday he said the Supreme Court was not a normal court and was unraveling the rights of millions of Americans.

Biden upon taking office appointed a commission of experts to explore potential ideas for court reform. The commission adopted a report in 2021 that warned that drastic changes could threaten the institution, but it stopped short of endorsing any specific changes.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure to answer questions  in detail  about his son Hunter Biden and a concerning text message that has been unearthed as the questions surrounding the latters business activities are growing more serious.

And on Wednesday, the president bristled at a reporter who asked him about it, just days after Karine Jean-Pierre, his press secretary, was inundated with questions on the topic at her daily news briefing.

Mr Biden was boarding Marine One as he began a trip to Chicago to tout his administrations economic record when a reporter questioned him about one message in which the younger Biden appears to directly put pressure on an individual named Henry Zhao to resolve an unknown matter  while explicitly naming his father as an interested party.

I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge, that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father, reads the text in part.

The president was asked as he boarded the craft [h]ow involved were you in your sons Chinese shakedown text message, as well as whether he was actually sitting next to his son when the 30, July 2017 message was sent. The White House has not provided the presidents whereabouts for the date in question, as part of the total refusal of the presidents team to engage with questions on the issue.

No, I wasnt, the president responded.

The reporter tried again: Were you involved?

No! responded Mr Biden, sternly.

"No!" President Joe Biden snapped after being asked by a reporter at the White House on Wednesday if he was involved with Hunter Biden's "shake down" text message of a Chinese businessman. pic.twitter.com/pjYzjZ7gur  Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 28, 2023

It was a moment that underscored Mr Bidens increasing frustration with questions over the personal activities of his son, who is not involved in politics but nevertheless has drawn the president into his storm of controversy thanks to persistent allegations of his fathers involvement in supposed illicit international business schemes.

On the face of it, the text is a serious problem for the president given that Mr Biden has long denied any involvement or even having discussions with his son about his foreign business ventures. The younger Bidens service on the board of a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, in particular has drawn allegations of influence peddling.

Hunters lawyers have addressed the specific text in question, explaining that it was supposedly sent amidst the haze of drug addiction and should not be taken as factually sound.

The DOJ investigation covered a period which was a time of turmoil and addiction for my client. Any verifiable words or actions of my client, in the midst of a horrible addiction, are solely his own and have no connection to anyone in his family, said Hunter Bidens attorney.

The presidents son is currently charged with making a false statement on an application for a firearm as well as not paying more than $1m in taxes; an official with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Americas tax agency, has come forward to allege that the Justice Department declined or refused to consider more serious charges.
Biden groans when asked if Trump would have tipped Putin off to coup attempt

U.S. President Joe Biden walk across the South Lawn back to the White House after returning from a day trip to Chicago on June 28, 2023 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

President Biden on Thursday said he tries not to consider the national security issues that wouldve been in play had Donald Trump defeated him in the 2020 election and remained in the White House during Russias war on Ukraine.

Specifically, Mr Biden told MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace that he actively attempts to keep such thoughts out of his head when Wallace asked if he thought Mr Trump would have tipped off Russian President Vladimir Putin to the abortive coup attempt waged by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin over the weekend.

Oh God, I try not to think about that, Mr Biden said.

The president added that Mr Putin, who according to multiple investigations by the US Intelligence Community and the Senate Intelligence Committee, ordered what former special counsel Robert Mueller described as a sweeping and systematic campaign to interfere in the 2016 election on Mr Trumps behalf, had believed he could break up the solidarity of the west.

But Mr Biden added that he and other Nato leaders have been able to hold everything together with the aim of ensuring that Mr Putins war on Ukraine does not succeed.
Biden isn't extending the student-loan payment pause  but borrowers might not have to immediately start repayment in October

US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. MANDEL NGAN / Getty Images

The Education Department finalized a three-month grace period after payments resume, per Politico.

It's intended to help borrowers who might miss payments after the resumption in October.

The Supreme Court will issue a decision on Biden's broad debt relief plan on Friday.

President Joe Biden's Education Department is moving ahead with its plans to give student-loan borrowers a smooth transition back into repayment this fall.

On Thursday, Politico first reported that the department in recent weeks has finalized its plan to implement a three-month grace period after payments resume in October for any missed payments. This is something the department had been working on as early as 2021, known as the "safety net period," in which borrowers who fall behind on payments within the first 90 days of repayment would immediately be placed on forbearance and would not experience negative credit reporting.

The Biden administration has reiterated that payments are scheduled to resume again in October after a more-than-three-year pause, and interest will begin accruing again on borrowers' loans in September. And another extension is not in the cards, as the debt-ceiling bill that Biden recently signed into law codified the end of the payment pause. While it left the door open for another extension in the event of another national emergency, the president cannot implement further relief in connection with COVID-19.

In addition to the grace period, Politico also reported that the Education Department will unveil its new income-driven repayment plan in the coming weeks, with implementation soon after. The plan  introduced in detail alongside Biden's August announcement of up to $20,000 in broad student-debt relief  would cut undergraduate monthly payments in half, which the department recently coined as "the most affordable repayment plan ever."

The Education Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on its forthcoming plans.

In light of the new report, though, top Republican on the House education committee Virginia Foxx said in a statement that the debt-ceiling bill "was clear that the Department needed to restart the repayment of federal student loans. This deferment proposal is not that."

She continued: "The Department has had over two years to prepare for restart yet done everything it can to avoid doing so, instead spending its time and energy on illegal and blatantly political forgiveness schemes. This administration needs to obey the law and give clarity to borrowers and servicers."

Foxx joined Sen. Bill Cassidy, top Republican on the Senate education committee, on Wednesday in sending a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona asking for "tangible proof" on its strategy to resume repayment.

Amid the repayment debate, the most pressing issue for borrowers right now is whether the Supreme Court will uphold Biden's broad student-loan forgiveness. The high court will issue its decision on the relief on Friday, the last day of its term  and Democratic lawmakers want to ensure that whatever the justices decide, borrowers will get relief one way or another.

"We are prepared in the event of any outcome in this ruling," Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez previously said. "We are here to fight, and we are here to make sure, and encourage, and have the president's back, in making sure that this cancellation goes through for the millions of people in the United States."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Biden says he met with China's Xi '68 times' and 'turned in all my notes' during tenure as VP

Biden says he met with China's Xi '68 times' and 'turned in all my notes' during tenure as VP

President Biden says he "spent a lot of time with" Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tenure as vice president, sometimes alone.

The remarks from Biden about his encounters with the top Chinese politician came during a speech he delivered from Chicago on Wednesday about "Bidenomics," a term pushed by the White House that pertains to the president's economic agenda.

"I've long said, and I mean this, I was on the Tibetan Plateau with Xi Jinping," Biden said. "I've traveled 17,000 miles with him. I've spoke with him more than any other head of state because it started when I was vice president and President Hu was the president and he was the vice president. We knew he was gonna be the successor."

"It was inappropriate for Barack to spend that time but I spent a lot of time with him," he continued. "I met alone with him  just he and I and a simultaneous interpreter  68 times, 68 hours, 68 times, more than 68 hours."

CHINA FIRES BACK AT BIDEN FOR CALLING PRESIDENT XI JINPING A DICTATOR: 'EXTREMELY ABSURD AND IRRESPONSIBLE'

President Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 14, 2022.

"By the way, I turned in all my notes," he added.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Responding to Biden's comments, Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wrote in a tweet: "Of course President Biden met with Xi Jinping 68 times."

"CCP-linked companies were the Bidens best clients," added Republicans on the committee.

Earlier this month, Biden faced criticism from China after he called Xi a dictator during a fundraiser in California.

Biden said Xi was embarrassed after the U.S. Air Force shot down the Chinese spy balloon. "The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it was he didn't know it was there. Thats a great embarrassment for dictators when they didnt know what happened," he said at the time.

But the president defended his comment about the Chinese president, insisting that it has not interfered with the working relationship between China and the United States.

Asked earlier this month whether referring to Xi as a dictator complicates the U.S. relationship with the People's Republic of China, Biden said, "The answer to your [question] is no."

BIDEN STANDS BY CALLING XI A 'DICTATOR' AFTER COMMENT ANGERS CHINA

Biden called President Xi a dictator earlier this month and faced criticism from China, which said the comment was "extremely absurd and irresponsible."

"When we're talking to our allies and partners around the world, including India, we let the idea of my choosing and avoiding saying what I think is the facts with regard to the relationship with India, with China, is just not something I'm going to change very much," Biden said.

The president went on to claim that the U.S. and China continue to maintain a good relationship, citing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the country this month.

"I believe that, and I've said this for some time, that the hysteria about the relationship with China is collapsing and moving, etc., etc. We had an incident that caused some confusion, you might say," Biden said. "But Secretary Blinken had a great trip to China. I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, in the near term. And I don't think it's had any real consequence."

But China has criticized Biden for his remarks about Xi being a dictator, saying the comment is "extremely absurd and irresponsible."

"The U.S. remarks are extremely absurd and irresponsible. It is a blatant political provocation," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded at a daily briefing on Wednesday. "China expresses strong dissatisfaction and opposition."

Mao said Bidens comments at the fundraiser "go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on Chinas political dignity."

During the private campaign reception in Kentfield, Biden also emphasized cooperation with China and Xi, although he admitted, "Its going to take time."

Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
As a policy remedy to the Supreme Courts decisions, the president proposed a new standard for higher institutions when considering admissions focused on a students adversity.

President Joe Biden said he strongly disagreed with the Supreme Courts rulings on affirmative action, effectively ending race as a consideration for college admissions.

While giving remarks inside the White House Roosevelt Room, the president defended the higher education program as a tool used for decades to advance diversity, which he called one of the greatest strengths of America. He said affirmative action was a needed program because Discrimination still exists in America.

U.S. President Joe Biden makes a statement about the Supreme Courts decision on affirmative action in higher education in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on June 29, 2023, in Washington, D.C. In deciding Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court held that affirmative action programs in college admissions processes violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

As a policy remedy to the Supreme Courts decisions in the pair of cases against Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, Biden proposed a new standard for higher institutions when considering admissions focused on a students adversity.

After a student meets the same standards as affirmative action did before Thursdays ruling, such as required GPA and test scores, the presidents new standard would consider measures of adversity, including a students lack of financial means, because we know too few students of low-income families, whether in big cities or rural communities, are getting an opportunity to go to college.

Biden said he is also directing the Department of Education to analyze what practices help build a more inclusive and diverse student body and what practices hold that back, such as legacy admissions and other systems to expand privilege instead of opportunity.

The president also sent a message to U.S. companies who are already realizing the value of diversity to not use this decision as an excuse to turn away from diversity.

Rakim Brooks, president of Alliance for Justice, praised President Bidens remarks as pitch perfect. He told theGrio that what he saw was the president trying to describethe important role that diversity plays in the American experiment as a whole and that our diversity makes us stronger.

During a White House press call hours after the Supreme Court rulings, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called on universities to continue upholding diversity in their admissions process.

Now is not the time to lessen your commitment to campus communities that reflect the rich and beautiful diversity of this nation, said Cardona. That diversity, he noted, enhances the college experience in a myriad of ways and prepares students from all walks of life to live, work and lead our democracy together.

Secretary Cardona noted that a diverse learning environment brings different perspectives that we need in this country, especially now where we see a lot of division.

But while the ruling from the conservative majority does strike down the affirmative action programs at Harvard and UNC, Brooks noted that the decision does not outright ban race from being a consideration. Instead, as Justice John Roberts notes, race can be discussed in an applicants college admissions as a way of demonstrating qualities about their character.

Though it is more limiting than affirmative action, Brooks said President Bidens new standard will be helpful as universities and students navigate what the Supreme Courts ruling means moving forward.

Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, told theGrio that she was extremely angry by the courts decision.

There is an election coming up, and we will remember this, said the civil rights activist, referring to the 2024 presidential election. She noted that of the many responsibilities of a president is the power to appoint a Supreme Court justice to the bench.

Members of the Supreme Court sit for a new group portrait following the addition of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Theres a higher level of understanding from that and we need to pay attention, she said.

Campbell said that the public must look at the makeup of that court and how it is being used as a weapon to reverse too many cases that have been set precedent in this country.

As President Biden walked out of the Roosevelt Room on Thursday, he was asked by a reporter if the Supreme Court was a rogue court. In response, he said, This is not a normal court.

Brooks agreed with the president, telling theGrio, Hes so right, and weve got to do something to return normalcy to our third branch of government.

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.

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The post Biden slams Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action: Discrimination still exists appeared first on TheGrio.
President Biden urged colleges and universities in the U.S. to maintain a commitment to cultivating diverse student bodies in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that struck down affirmative action measures in admissions.

We cannot let this decision be the last word, Biden said in remarks from the White House just hours after the ruling was released Thursday. While the court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for. America is an idea  an idea  unique in the world. An idea of hope and opportunity. Of possibilities. Of giving everyone a fair shot.

We will not walk away from it now, he added. We should never allow the country to walk away from the dream upon which it was founded.

Biden on affirmative action decision: This is not a normal court

Biden called for a new path forward that is consistent with the law in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling but that protects diversity in college admissions. He offered guidance to colleges as they review their admissions systems, including that they should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America.

He suggested a new standard consistent with the law where colleges take into account the adversity a student has overcome when selecting among qualified applicants.

READ: Supreme Courts affirmative action majority opinion

Biden stressed that applicants would first have to qualify for admission through requisite test scores, grades, or other factors. Then, he argued, colleges should take into account additional considerations like financial means, if a student would be the first in their family to attend college, where they grew up, and hardships theyve faced, including racial discrimination.

The truth is, we all know it, discrimination still exists in America. Discrimination still exists in America, Biden said. Todays decision does not change that. Its a simple fact. If a student  had to overcome adversity on their path to education, colleges should recognize and value that.

Biden said he would direct the Department of Education to analyze how best to build inclusive and diverse student bodies under the precedent set by the court Thursday.

The Supreme Court earlier Thursday handed down a pair of rulings that severely limited the use of race as a factor in college admissions, upending decades of affirmative action programs that U.S. institutions have used to select students from their applicant pools.

In rulings that broke along ideological lines, the courts six conservative justices invalidated the admissions practices of Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

The Biden administration had backed the two schools before the justices.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.

Two of the courts liberal justices  Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor  wrote scathing dissenting opinions that argued the rulings set the country back and ignored the reality that race plays a role for millions of Americans in shaping their lives.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden has made it clear to his closest aides in no uncertain terms that he not only will reject any political advice that he try to limit his son Hunters public visibility but that he also doesnt want to hear such suggestions, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

His message, as one of the sources described it, was: Hands off my family.

The blunt directive helps explain why in recent months the father-and-son public appearances seem to have increased in tandem with intensified scrutiny of Hunter Bidens legal troubles.

But the public displays of parental support, to the dismay of some Democrats, arent just about a loving father or a stubborn presidents defiance. For Biden, keeping his son  a recovering drug addict  close means keeping him safe, people close to the president say. Behind the Hunter Biden photo-ops and the state dinner invitations, they say, is an existential concern that weighs on the president daily: If he loosens his grip on his son, who or what will replace it  and to what end?

Its consumed him, a person close to the president said.

For months as Hunter Bidens legal woes persisted and he prepared to mount a public defense against Republican attacks after several years largely staying silent, Bidens closest political and legal advisers have had to balance their instincts to protect their boss with his parental desire to protect his son, according to the people familiar with the dynamic. That has resulted in tensions between legal teams for the president and Hunter Biden and very delicate attempts by the presidents advisers to explain to him how his sons elevated public profile may not be in his best interest when it comes to political goals  specifically winning re-election in what could be a rematch of the 2020 race against Donald Trump, these people said.

Some of Bidens most senior aides have tried in the past to discuss the various potential dynamics with the president where his son is concerned, people familiar with the discussions said. But the presidents responses to those sorts of entreaties have run from defensive to outright angry, these sources said, and he resents that anyone would suggest that he distance himself from his son because of what he views as unfair and outrageous GOP attacks.

Those close to the president have given up trying, even in the most gingerly of ways, to explain to him the potential political fallout, accepting that he and the first ladys family-first approach to public office wont change.

This is the reality of their family ethos, a person close to the president said.

Another summed up the mood of the presidents aides when it comes to political concerns about Hunter Biden as it is what it is, and were dealing with it.

White House spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement that the President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life.

In recent weeks, Hunter Biden has appeared alongside his father regularly, including accompanying him to and from the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, last weekend on Marine One.

President Joe Biden boards Marine One with Hunter Biden (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP)

The younger Biden, 53, is often a fixture by his fathers side at family-focused events, like the White House Easter Egg Roll. But he has also accompanied the president on official government trips, such as when Biden went to Ireland in April.

The White House says Hunter Biden paid his own way to Ireland, consistent with practices in previous administrations when family members accompanied the president for foreign travel.

And, most notably, Hunter Biden was a guest at a White House state dinner for the leader of India just two days after the public learned of a plea agreement he reached with the Justice Department over tax evasion and gun charges. Hunter Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland were among the 400 guests at the dinner as Republicans accused the presidents son of having gotten a sweetheart plea deal. Some Democrats privately cringed at the decision.

Hunter Biden attends the state dinner at the White House (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images )

A Democratic member of Congress, who didnt want to be named criticizing the White House, urged the president to consider the optics in the wake of GOP allegations that his son got preferential treatment in the Justice Departments investigation.

Hes a loving a father whose son has had a real drug problem, and hes got to use some common sense, the lawmaker said. Hes got to become more sensitive to the optics. Hes up for re-election."

Others defended Biden for having invited his son to the state dinner.

Hes the presidents son, said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. Its normal for the president to invite family members to one of the biggest events in his presidency.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., a close ally of the president, said it was absolutely not a mistake for Biden to have invited his son to the state dinner.

It may be a problem for some people, but for me it was not a problem, Clyburn said on NBCs Meet the Press Now. It was him being a dad.

It wasnt a question for the president and the first lady that Hunter Biden would be invited to the state dinner last week, because hes family, people familiar with the matter said.

As for whether Hunter Biden could decide to step back from the spotlight or decline state dinner invitations, a longtime associate of the president said, Hes doing this with a father who is deeply afraid, as he should be, of what happens to many people struggling with addiction, as any father of any person who has struggled with addiction would be, about relapse.

The president and White House officials have chosen not to comment on the federal case against Hunter Biden or push back against Republican accusations that he got special treatment from the Justice Department. But White House officials quietly solicited help from outside allies to deliver messages about the plea deal, specifically to counter the GOP criticism that he got off easy because of who his father is.

There is a sentiment that Hunter should basically not be talked about and that hes a liability, said a person familiar with the White House dynamics involving the president's son. And theres another view from those closer into the Biden family that a vigorous defense is necessary, and they welcome that coming from the outside.

Politically, Bidens view is that Americans will find his relationship with his son relatable from a family perspective and that sticking by someone in recovery is just as important as the recovery itself, people close to the president said. The president also views Hunter Bidens expected guilty plea to tax evasion and gun charges as his sons taking responsibility for his actions, they said.

A White House official pointed, unprompted, to a Reuters/Ipsos poll last week that found that 60% of Americans believe Biden is being a good father by supporting his son as he navigates legal troubles.

But the poll also found that half of respondents believe Hunter Biden is receiving favorable treatment from the Justice Department because hes the presidents son. And 58% said his plea deal wont have any impact on the likelihood of their voting for his father in the 2024 presidential election.

John McLaughlin, one of Trumps pollsters, said the former presidents 2024 campaign plans to continue focusing on Hunter Biden and his business dealings.

I can tell you the Trump campaign is going to keep pressing the Biden corruption issue, McLaughlin said. Its our job to get that out there.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
biden broadband plan Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

President Biden this week announced a $42 billion push to expand high-speed internet access to 8.3 million homes and businesses across the country that lack broadband connections. Biden said the project is as important as the federal effort to connect isolated farming communities to electricity in the late 1930s. "It's the biggest investment in high-speed internet ever, because for today's economy to work for everyone, internet access is just as important as electricity or water or other basic services," Biden said.

The money for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, known as BEAD, was included in the huge infrastructure spending package Congress approved in 2021. The Commerce Department has now officially decided how it will distribute the funding over the next two years, with grants ranging from $27 million for the U.S. Virgin Islands to $3.3 billion for Texas. Every state will be getting at least $107 million, according to Reuters. "For so long, we have clutched pearls and wrung our hands out over there not being broadband in rural communities," said Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel in The Washington Post. "Now we finally have the data and dollars to do something about it."

Supporters of the plan say the coronavirus pandemic, which forced Americans to work, play, and study online, demonstrated the need to expand fast internet connections to all, in the interest of fairness. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of lower-income broadband users reported that slow connections sometimes made it hard for them to use online services during the pandemic. The plan is to ensure universal access by 2030. Is that possible, and is it worth the price?

'One of the most vital tools of modern living'

"Stop! Hold the phone. We have bipartisan agreement," said the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in an editorial. Biden says broadband is "not a luxury anymore," and Arkansas' Republican governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, says closing the gap between rural and urban communities will be "transformational." They're both right. Arkansas, a state of 3 million, has 215,000 homes and businesses that "fall short" of the administration's goal to get reliable service of 25 megabits per second or more for downloads and 3 megabits per second for uploads. "That's a significant chunk of affected people and businesses." Building out the network to include them is the only way to keep up with "the pace of business in the 21st century."

You can't put a price on fairness, said the Springfield, Massachusetts, Republican in an editorial. One study found that 54% of Springfield residents lack reliable internet. "That puts individuals and families on an uneven, and unfair, playing field, when it comes to seeking and performing jobs. It also disadvantages city residents who are unable to access telehealth care." This project is money well spent from the point of view of people facing barriers because they don't have the connections or devices to get online. "The expanding federal commitment ensures that more and more" Americans who have been left behind "will be able to take advantage of one of the most vital tools of modern living."

'An obscene amount of money'

This "is an obscene amount of money to invest in technology that will be obsolete by the time it's built," said Ronald Bailey at Reason. BEAD defines high-speed internet service as 25 Mbps download speeds. But 90.5% of U.S. households already have speeds of at least 100 Mbps, and America's Communication Association, which lobbies for small internet providers, expects 95% of U.S. households to have connections at least that fast by 2025, if current trends hold. That means that "private broadband companies are already providing access to faster and increasingly cheaper internet services." They can probably "finish the job well before Biden's BEAD boondoggle gets off the ground."

Delivering on the promise of universal broadband won't be easy, said Kavish Harjai at The Associated Press. States have been counting on "mostly new broadband offices" to assess their needs ahead of BEAD's official launch. And they still "must complete a multi-step process before they can use the funds." They have to "identify unserved locations that aren't already receiving money from other broadband programs," "outline plans to hire skilled workers," and figure out how the physical infrastructure can endure climate threats. They also have to make sure the new connections will be affordable. That's key, Kathryn de Wit, director of the Pew Charitable Trust's broadband access initiative, told ABC. "It's only useful if people can get online and use it," she said.

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Biden's Iran envoy placed on unpaid leave pending a review of his handling of classified documents

FILE - Robert Malley, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, is shown on June 20, 2021, in Vienna, Austria. The Biden administrations special envoy for Iran has stepped aside from his duties pending a review of his security clearance by U.S. authorities. Malley has led administration efforts to revive the faltering Iran nuclear deal and resolve issues related to detained Americans in Iran, but has not been active in his job for weeks. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administrations special envoy for Iran has been placed on unpaid leave and had his security clearance suspended pending a review of allegations he may have mishandled classified information, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Rob Malley has led administration efforts to revive the faltering Iran nuclear deal and resolve issues related to detained Americans in Iran, but has not been active in his main job for weeks. He told colleagues he was taking extended personal leave for unspecified family reasons.

Two State Department officials said the agencys Bureau of Diplomatic Security was leading the inquiry, which revolves around Malley's handling of classified documents. The officials said they learned of Malley's change in status from paid to unpaid leave on Thursday, shortly after questions about his status were raised at the State Department's regular afternoon briefing.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to privacy reasons.

Malley did not immediately respond to a query about the situation from The Associated Press but said in a short statement to several other news outlets that he had been informed that my security clearance is under review.

I have not been provided any further information, but I expect the investigation to be resolved favorably and soon. In the meantime, I am on leave, he said in that statement.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said earlier Thursday that Malley officially remains in his post but is on leave and that his deputy, Abram Paley, is currently leading the Iran portfolio as the acting special envoy.

Malleys whereabouts have raised questions since he skipped a classified congressional briefing on Iran on May 16. At the time, State Department officials told lawmakers that Malley was on extended personal leave and suggested that his absence might be related to a family health issue.

Malley, a close personal friend of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had worked for the International Crisis Group during the Trump administration. In that job he met on several occasions with Iranians and Palestinian officials with whom U.S. officials are barred from having contact.

During the Obama administration, Malley served as a National Security Council aide and was closely involved in the negotiations over the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
The Scoop

Billionaire Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has been bunkered down in Dubai as French prosecutors investigate the worlds largest crypto exchange for alleged money laundering, according to several colleagues who have been in touch with him.

Zhao, commonly known as CZ, had traditionally split his time between Dubai, Paris, and other global cities including in Southeast Asia, but he has avoided traveling to France since the investigation was reported by French media about two weeks ago. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission has sued Binance and CZ, accusing them of misleading investors and diverting customer funds.

The U.S. and the United Arab Emirates do not have an extradition treaty, but France and the UAE have had an agreement since 2007. Dubai has ramped up enforcement of extradition pacts following a downgrade from global watchdog Financial Action Task Force last year.

A Binance spokesperson disputed the characterization, saying CZ has a home in France that he uses frequently and that he is still traveling for business. The exchange also said we abide by all laws in France, just as we do in every other market.

The company does not claim a set location for its headquarters, with CZ claiming in the past that the firm is based wherever he is at any moment.

Know More

Binance invested a lot of money and political clout in the French capital to make Paris a burgeoning crypto hot spot  with a clear top dog. The exchange has created conferences, staffed up its local office, and even partnered with Burger King in the city to let customers use crypto to buy burgers and fries.

While Andreessen Horowitz chose London as Europes digital assets hub, Binance was betting big on Paris. France also approved Binance to do business in the country while the United Kingdom did not.

Bradley's view

France turning from friend to foe hurts the billionaire more than the probe in the U.S., where he had been viewed as the Darth Vader to Sam Bankman-Frieds Luke Skywalker, before the latters legal troubles (Bankman-Fried is no longer an investor in Semafor). France accepted CZ and Binance as the company that would turn Paris into a crypto hotspot. He personally spent a lot of time in the city, several people close to him say, making it as much his home as Dubai.

Now, hes staying put in the Gulf and needs to stay on the right side of the ruling family in the UAE, who will be happy to have someone bringing crypto industry conferences and high-profile executives to town, as CZ already has.

Room for Disagreement

Dubai doesnt want to be the Bahamas, where Bankman-Frieds FTX was based. After the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission charged Binance in late March, the Emirates crypto regulatory body asked for more information on governance and auditing procedures for all foreign exchanges in the country, including Binance.

The View From Brusssels

A pair of European Parliament members, including one from France, raised concerns about Binances approval to operate in Paris last summer. MP Aurore Lalucq specifically mentioned the alleged money laundering activity on the exchange.

Notable
Bitwise Industries files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. What could it mean for employees, creditors?

Embattled Fresno technology company Bitwise Industries and several of its affiliated businesses have filed for bankruptcy in the wake of a financial collapse in late May.

Bitwises parent company, BW Industries Inc. filed the Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition Wednesday with the U.S. District bankruptcy court in Delaware, where the company was incorporated. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is intended to liquidate a companys assets in order to pay creditors.

In addition to BW Industries Inc., the filing notes four other associated cases: Bitwise Industries Inc.; BWRD LLC.; AlphaWorks Technologies LLC, and Bruces Bagels, Beverages and Bites LLC.

The petition was signed by interim Bitwise Industries President Ollen Douglass and board members Mitchell Kapor and Paula Pretlow.

Bitwise was founded in 2013 as a hub for training students in software coding and website design, technology services for local companies, and providing leased space to budding technology entrepreneurs and other businesses.

In recent years, the companys co-founders and co-CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., embarked on an ambitious program of expanding Bitwises geographic footprint  first within California to sites in Oakland, Merced and Bakersfield, and within the past two years to other states including Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Texas.

However, Bitwise was upended by financial upheaval even in the wake of announcing an $80 million venture capital infusion earlier this year, and on May 29 abruptly announced to its 900 employees nationwide  including about 400 in the Fresno area  that they were being furloughed immediately.

Within days of that announcement, Soberal and Olguin were terminated by the Bitwise board of directors.

Since May 29, the company has been beset with a litany of lawsuits in both state and federal courts, alleging violations of state and federal labor laws and fraudulent business practices. On June 14, Douglass notified Bitwise employees by email that their jobs were being permanently terminated in a mass layoff.

Court documents indicate that Bitwise estimates the number of secured and unsecured creditors to which it owes money at about 470.

The filings also report that the company has an estimated $253.6 million in assets, including tens of millions in what are described as intercompany receivable amounts owed by internal companies to BW Industries. That stacks up to liabilities estimated at $189.4 million.

But the court documents also name an array of other creditors for whom the amounts owed are stated as undetermined.

In a separate court document filed along with the bankruptcy petition Wednesday, Douglass reported to the court that an internal analysis of the companys finances since May 28 revealed that the books and records of the Company are substandard and materially incomplete because of substantial irregularities in Bitwises accounting practices.

The lack of organized and well-kept books and records, as well as obstacles resulting from an inability to access and verify certain financial information such as bank accounts, has hindered the Companys ability to make a true estimation of the amounts owed to some creditors.

An apparent scramble for 11th-hour cash

Some of the financial information contained in the bankruptcy documents suggests that for two months prior to the sudden furlough or layoff of all Bitwise employees, the companys leadership was engaged in a scramble to round up cash to cover operating expenses or repay previous loans.

From early April through May 17, less than two weeks before the furlough announcement by Soberal and Olguin, Bitwise incurred more than $29.3 million in debt in the form of unsecured loans from various investors, including many in the Fresno area.

The court filings indicate that Bitwise owes more than $73.4 million in unsecured loans dating to 2020. That includes more than $20 million for which the internal financial analysis could not even determine who the creditor is.

Among the creditors is the city of Fresno, which had paid Bitwise $500,000 last year to develop a digital empowerment center to aid small businesses with technology issues to improve their opportunities for commerce.

That money was the first installment on a $1 million contract funded by the citys share of federal COVID pandemic recovery funds. But the city canceled the rest of the Bitwise contract in the wake of the furlough and the companys financial tumult.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said Bitwise had accounted for work using about $120,000 of the first payment. But he said Thursday that odds are slim for the city to recover the remaining $380,000.

Well be in a long line with a lot of other people who are owed a lot more money than we are, Dyer said. Although we hate to lose any money, were fortunate that the amount wasnt much more.

Dyer added that as he scanned the list of creditors listed in the bankruptcy petition, it was interesting. I knew some of the names, many of the names on there, friends who were investors.

But the bankruptcy filing did not come as a surprise to the city; such a move had been anticipated, Dyer said. I thought that was going to be coming sooner or later, and it came sooner, he said. I was shocked to see how many assets that Bitwise claimed. ... So it seems like theres a lot of assets, but theres a lot of liabilities as well.

What is a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, anyway?

According to information from the federal court system, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy does not involve preparation of a repayment plan by a company, but instead provides for a bankruptcy trustee to gather and sell the debtors assets and use that money to pay creditors.

Bankruptcy law allows a company undergoing Chapter 7 to keep certain exempt assets, but all remaining assets will be liquidated.

In addition to the existence of a federal criminal investigation into Bitwises activities amid its financial collapse, the company also faces a slew of civil lawsuits by employees who allege violations of state and federal labor laws and from investors who claim that they were victims of fraud and bad-faith dealing by Bitwise and its leaders.

The criminal investigation wont be affected by the bankruptcy filing, however, according to information from the Cornell University Law School.

But the civil cases may be put on hold. Filing a petition under Chapter 7 automatically stays (stops) most collection actions against the debtor or the debtors property, according the the U.S. Courts website. As long as the stay is in effect, creditors generally may not initiate or continue lawsuits, wage garnishments, or even telephone calls demanding payments.
Black Caucus says Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy with affirmative action ruling

The Congressional Black Caucus in a scathing statement Thursday said the Supreme Court called its legitimacy into question with a ruling upending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

The CBC called that decision radical and argued it could hurt the chances of minority students from getting opportunities to advance themselves.

By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy, the statement said.

Unfortunately, we have seen backlash to progress many times throughout our nations history.  We didnt stop fighting for equality then and we wont stop now because too much is at stake to allow extremists to turn back the clock on progress, it continued.

The court, in a pair of decisions, struck down admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, arguing the policies did not comply with the 14th Amendment.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

The courts six conservatives were in the majority. The courts liberals dissented, though Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself from the case involving Harvard because she served on the schools board of overseers.

The CBC argued in its statement that the 1978 University of California v. Bakke decision gave students an opportunity at advancement knocked down by subsequent court actions, culminating in Thursdays decision.

Precedents set decades ago in the landmark Bakke decision have given students  regardless of their race or ethnicity  a better chance at equal admissions to our nations top schools, and our country has been made better for it, the group said in its statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Black educator named Rosa Higgs has made reading easier for Black students in America. She created the Phonics workbook series Read in 40 to teach Black students to read at or above grade level. According to Black News, the program teaches students to read in just 40 hours.

Everyone that I teach learns to read above grade level in 40 hours or less, and that is why I chose the name, Higgs said. When my kids complete Read in 40, they can read over 90% of the words in the American English Dictionary. And reading is like riding a bike.

The longtime educator and her series have received support from many, including actor Danny Glover.

The Read in 40 workbooks will surely jostle the foundation of education and cognitive sciences. Theyre an educational triumph in language arts of the first order, Glover said.

Higgs goal was to continue promoting literacy in the Black community; therefore, she obtained financial support through a grant from Donald White of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc., and the former mayor of Oakland mayor Elihu Harris.

Awarded for Service

According to Black Enterprise, the Berkely president of the NAACP, Mansour-Id Deen, awarded Higgs The Most Valuable Teacher Award for Excellence in Literacy Instruction.

Ms. Higgs was the only volunteer educator who taught scores of students at our offices during this pandemic, said Deen. Transitioning from in-person to online teaching was smooth with her supplementary YouTube lessons.

Deen added that Higgs program produced the most outstanding reading materials with the greatest and fastest results.

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FILE - A Star of David hangs from a fence outside the dormant landmark Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood, Apr. 19, 2023. Robert Bowers. Bowers, the gunman who massacred 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, has a very serious mental health history" from childhood and a markedly abnormal brain, a defense expert testified Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in the penalty phase of the Bowers' trial. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

PITTSBURGH (AP)  The man who gunned down 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue thought he deserved medals and a parade for perpetrating the nation's deadliest antisemitic attack, a psychologist testified Thursday, calling the killer blatantly psychotic.

Testifying for the defense, Dr. Richard Rogers, a University of North Texas forensic psychologist, said Robert Bowers was pleased with the 2018 rampage at Tree of Life synagogue but expressed regret that he didn't kill more people.

He was proud of it," said Rogers, who evaluated Bowers for nearly 20 hours over four days last year and took the stand Thursday in the penalty phase of Bowers' trial.

He said Bowers has schizophrenia, a serious brain disorder whose symptoms include delusions.

Bowers, 50, a truck driver from suburban Baldwin, was convicted this month of killing members of three congregations who had gathered at Tree of Life on on Oct. 27, 2018, for Sabbath services and Torah study. He also wounded two worshippers and five police officers.

Defense lawyers are trying to persuade a jury to spare his life, while federal prosecutors are seeking a death sentence.

Bowers lawyers are trying to show that his ability to form intent to kill was impaired by mental illness and his delusional view that he could stop a genocide of white people by killing Jews.

Prosecutors say Bowers rampage was clearly motivated by antisemitism.

Under cross examination Thursday, Rogers said Bowers was goal-oriented, started planning an attack on Jewish people six months before he stormed the synagogue, and had also considered attacking a Jewish Community Center and an unnamed, high-level Jewish figure in Cleveland.
Hunter Bidens ex-business associate Tony Bobulinski and his lawyers contacted the U.S. attorney leading the investigation into President Bidens son, offering to testify before the federal grand jury, but "never heard back" from prosecutors, Fox News Digital has learned.

Bobulinski, who worked with Hunter Biden to create the joint-venture SinoHawk Holdings with Chinese energy company CEFC, was interested in providing testimony to the federal grand jury collecting evidence as part of the years-long investigation into the president's son, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

EXCLUSIVE: HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE'S TEXT MESSAGES INDICATE MEETING WITH JOE BIDEN

But Bobulinski never got that chance.

The source told Fox News that Bobulinskis lawyers "reached out" to U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss, and said Bobulinski "was available." The source told Fox News Digital that Bobulinski and his lawyers "never heard back from them."

The source said the lawyers were baffled by the fact that prosecutors never sought Bobulinski's testimony.

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Hunter Biden disembarks from Air Force One at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York, on Feb. 4, 2023.

Bobulinski would have been able to provide information about Hunter Biden's business dealings  specifically related to the joint-venture with CEFC, and whether President Biden, himself, was involved.

The information comes after IRS whistleblowers testified that the federal investigation into Hunter Biden was "influenced by politics," and that prosecutorial decisions were made that would benefit the subject  the president's son.

IRS whistleblowers alleged that federal prosecutors avoided questioning certain witnesses, and even sought to limit questioning related to President Biden.

Fox News Digital exclusively reported on text messages dating back to May 2017, showing Bobulinski, a retired lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and the former CEO of SinoHawk Holdings, discussing a meeting with Joe Biden.

The messages seem to indicate that a meeting took place.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

"Mrng plse let me knw if we will do early dinner w your Uncle & dad and where, also for document translation do you want it simple Chinese or traditional?" Bobulinski texted Hunter Biden on May 2, 2017.

Hunter replied: "Dad not in now until 11- lets me I and Jim meet at 10 at Beverly Hilton where hes staying."

Later, Bobulinski sent a text to Jim Biden, Joe Biden's brother, on the same day, May 2, 2017, saying: "Great to meet u and spend some time together, please thank Joe for his time, was great to talk thx Tony b."

The following day, May 3, 2017, Bobulinski sent another text to Jim Biden, saying: "Morning, please let me know all set for things this mrng. I don't have credentials to get into Milken so just want to make sure not an issue to get me in, where should we meet this mrng?"

"Milken" was in reference to the 2017 Global Conference, which, in part, was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, according to the program directory.

Joe Biden, on May 3, 2017, spoke at the conference, hosting "A Conversation with the 47th Vice President of the United States Joe Biden."

The alleged meeting between Biden and Bobulinski on May 2, 2017, would have taken place 11 days before a May 13, 2017, email, obtained by Fox News Digital in 2020 and referenced by Shapley in testimony, which included a discussion of "remuneration packages" for six people in a business deal with CEFC. The email appeared to identify Hunter Biden as "Chair / Vice Chair depending on agreement with CEFC," in an apparent reference to now-bankrupt CEFC China Energy Co.

The email includes a note that "Hunter [Biden] has some office expectations he will elaborate." A proposed equity split references "20" for "H" and "10 held by H for the big guy?" with no further details. Bobulinski has repeatedly said "the big guy" was Joe.

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testified before the House Ways and Means Committee and referred to that email in testimony. Fox News Digital had first reported on the email in October 2020.

President Biden, left, waves alongside his son Hunter Biden after attending mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Johns Island, South Carolina, on Aug. 13, 2022.

Shapley, during that point in his testimony, noted that in December 2020, investigators were preparing to interview Hunter Biden business associate Rob Walker.

"Among other things, we wanted to question Walker about an email that said: Ten held by H for the big guy," Shapley said. "We had obvious questions like who was H, who the big guy was, and why this percentage was to be held separately with the association hidden."

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

But Shapley said Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf "interjected and said she did not want to ask about the big guy and stated she did not want to ask questions about dad."

It has been reported that Joe Biden was "the big guy"  a term that popped up repeatedly in the context of Hunter's business dealings and the ensuing investigation.

"When multiple people in the room spoke up and objected that we had to ask, she responded, theres no specific criminality to that line of questioning," Shapley said. "This upset the FBI, too."

Shapley said that "basically everyone in the room except for the prosecutors had a big problem with" not asking questions about President Biden. Shapley said Justice Department investigators were "trying to limit" any questions related to President Biden.

The White House says Biden was "never in business" with his son.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Sonny Zavata, right, leads a protest by people who make deliveries for Walmart outside a Walmart in Cicero on June 29, 2023. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago-area gig workers who make deliveries for Walmart say the companys delivery app is being targeted by scammers who use bots to hoard orders on the platform, making it difficult for them to make a living.

The drivers are independent contractors who make deliveries for Walmart using the companys delivery platform, called Spark. Drivers who make deliveries out of the companys Bedford Park, Cicero and Forest Park locations allege scammers have used bots to hoard orders.

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Walmart says the use of bots on Spark violates its terms of use and that it investigates reports of bot usage and deactivates drivers who misuse the platform.

Some Spark drivers have been harassed and threatened by the alleged scammers while waiting in the parking lots for orders, advocates and drivers said. Drivers who say theyve been harmed by the use of bots rallied Thursday morning outside the Cicero Supercenter to call attention to the issue.

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Guadalupe Castillo, who has been driving for Spark for about two years, said she has to work much longer hours than she used to and still cant make as much money  she no longer makes enough to pay her bills, she said. She attributes the drop-off in business to the drivers who are allegedly using bots, which she first started noticing in January.

Castillo, who lives in Chicagos Back of the Yards neighborhood, said she used to be able to make about $1,000 a week driving for Spark six days a week, working from the morning to early afternoon.

Now, I have to work 12 hours every single day, no days off, Castillo said; sometimes, she cant make half as much as she used to in a week, she said.

Now, I dont spend that much time with my kids, said Castillo, who has a 16-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. I always seem tired. I always seem exhausted.

Some Spark drivers have been threatened, intimidated and harassed by the alleged scammers while working, said Lenny Sanchez, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild, a workers group that organizes with gig workers.

Many of these workers are undocumented, Sanchez said. And they do fear that if they were to go to police and report these incidents that they would face some sort of repercussions and problems themselves.

Nancy Marcos, another Spark driver, said she used to make between $100 and $150 or so a day driving on the app, but now usually nets between $50 and $80 a day.

I need to work, I need the money, said Marcos, 41, who has been driving for Spark for a year. I just need fairness in the app.

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Marcos, who makes deliveries with her two young children in the car, said she and her fellow drivers are primarily concerned about safety because of threats from the alleged bot-using drivers. She said she had a run-in with a driver she suspected was using bots last week.

He stopped in front of me and pulled his window down and started screaming all kinds of crazy stuff to me while I was working with my two babies, Marcos said. Marcos said she couldnt hear what he was yelling because she kept her windows rolled up.

Eric Guzman, 41, who has been driving for Spark for a year and a half, said he was approached by a bot user in the Cicero Walmart parking lot who asked if he wanted to buy access to the bot. It would have cost $150, he said, with additional payments each week to keep using it.

He said no because he was scared his account would get deactivated.

Guzman, who lives in Cicero, said he used to be able to make about $1,500 a week driving but now makes only about $200.

Castillo said she has been reporting problems accessing orders to Spark support over a period of several months. Castillo provided the Tribune with a series of responses she had received from Walmart driver support since February.

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We apologize and know (its) frustrating and unfair for other Driver not using Bots. We are investigating these issues, read one message from Walmart support in late May.

The use of bots or apps does violate the terms of service and I can certainly report it. We have heard of this before. Unfortunately, we cannot tell the drivers what apps or websites you can or cannot have on your phones as you are not employees, a message from early June read.

Castillo and Marcos said they and other workers had raised concerns about the alleged bot users to local store management in Bedford Park and Cicero but had not seen the company take any lasting action.

The use of bots is an industry-wide issue and something we take seriously. Using bots on the Spark Driver platform is against the terms of use, and we investigate reports of specific driver bot use and deactivate drivers who are misusing the platform in this way, Walmart said in a statement. We take a proactive and comprehensive approach to identifying and preventing the use of bots on the platform.

Walmart said it had been in touch with area stores including Cicero, Bedford Park and Forest Park stores about the bot issue and had investigated specific reports of bot usage.

We have and will continue to take appropriate action when drivers violate our terms of use, including deactivating certain drivers, the company said. We encourage drivers on the Spark Driver platform to report any suspicious activity, including the use of bots.

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The use of bots on gig work platforms has been a known issue within the industry over the last few years, said Marshini Chetty, a computer science professor at the University of Chicago who studies privacy and security.

It is contract work. There arent regular hours, there arent benefits, Chetty said. People feel pressured to try to get what they need to try to make the money that they need.

A January report by researchers with the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign noted that new technology has allowed for growth in platform-based work, with much of that work involving driving.

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People who make deliveries for Walmart protest outside the store in Cicero on June 29, 2023. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

In a survey of about 500 Chicago-area drivers, researchers found drivers average $30,700 a year in net income from app-based driving after accounting for expenses, with the average driver earning $54,800 in total wage and salary income.

Sanchez said that late last year, drivers who worked for Amazon Flex in the Chicago area reported other independent contractors were using bots to hoard the most lucrative orders on the platform.

After raising the issue with Amazon, Sanchez said, drivers saw their situation improve. Amazon said that earlier this year, it started using CAPTCHAs in the Amazon Flex app to prevent the use of automated services to sign up for deliveries. It has used a photo verification process in the app since 2019.

We have established safeguards and monitoring to ensure blocks are scheduled by humans and not automated services, Amazon said. Additionally, Amazon Flexs Terms of Service make clear that the use of third-party applications or technology to schedule blocks is prohibited.

Grubhub, which responded to questions from the Tribune about how it identifies potential fraud related to bots, said it looks for drivers who may be fraudulently accepting an exorbitant amount of orders during a specific time period.

Instacart said it used a variety of authentication measures, such as periodically prompting shoppers to take photos of themselves to verify their identities, periodically logging shoppers out of accounts and requiring them to log back in and requiring the completion of RECAPTCHA to log into accounts.

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Our efforts also include removing and banning bad actors from the platform, taking legal action where necessary, and deactivating shoppers found to be misusing the platform, the company said in a statement. As a result of these measures, weve seen a dramatic reduction in the use of unauthorized third-party apps on the platform.

V.S. Subrahmanian, a professor of computer science at Northwestern University who studies bots, said companies like Walmart could try to address the issue by identifying users that are consistently able to secure disproportionate numbers of orders, he said. They could also try to identify bots by looking at response time.

If some person is consistently hitting the sort of analogue of that Jeopardy buzzer faster than everybody else, in a sub-second, or very, very short time intervals, that suggests that theres something going on here, Subrahmanian said.

Chetty compared companies efforts to curb the use of bots to a game of cat-and-mouse.

You can take down people who are developing these apps or bots, but theres always going to be more, she said.
Idaho man died after he was burned in a hot bath. Now his caretaker will serve time

A caregiver prosecutors accused of scalding a disabled Boise man so severely that he died was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Omar Hamadi, 28, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm or death. A 4th Judicial District judge in Ada County sentenced him to half the jail time prosecutors requested  and gave him flexibility for serving that time.

On May 16, 2019, Hamadi gave his patient, Benjamin Reed, a scalding hot bath at Reeds Boise home after he soiled himself. Reed, 38, of Boise, had Huntingtons disease. Hamadi had been hired to act as his caregiver.

Eleven days later, Reed died in the burn unit of a hospital in Salt Lake City. Boise police found that Reed had severe burns on 30% of his body, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.

Hamadi delayed calling 911, prosecutors say

Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Tanner Stellmon said that Hamadi ran colder water once he realized Reed was being burned. But Stellmon said Hamadi also delayed calling emergency medical services and was more concerned with the impact this might have on him personally than with the impact on Reed.

Prosecutors also played a recording of the incident, during which Hamadi could be heard saying, You smell like sh--, and telling Reed to get in the shower, while Reed cried and moaned. Defense attorney Jon Cox explained during the hearing that there had been a nanny cam in the home.

Ben was burned so badly that, in conjunction with his condition of Huntingtons Disease, he did not recover, Stellmon said. He asked Judge Peter Barton to impose a jail sentence of at least six months.

Roommate caused terrible accident, defense says

Cox said the incident was a terrible accident. He blamed Reeds roommate, Joseph Ribich  who has since been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a child  for turning up the hot water heater the night before Reed was burned. Hamadi did not know how hot the water was, Cox said. Ribich had told Hamadi not to call 911 before calling him because he had a house of ill repute, Cox added.

Cox asked Barton to consider a sentence of withheld judgment, which means that once a sentence is complete, it could be removed from a persons record. He said Hamadi, who now lives in California, has a family and a full-time job.

Barton rejected that idea but gave Hamadi a shorter sentence than Stellmon wanted. He ordered Hamadi to serve 90 days in jail, but over six months in increments as short as 48 hours. He also sentenced him to 10 years probation, with three years fixed and seven indeterminate. And he forbade Hamadi from working as a caretaker, guardian, or health care industry worker during that probation.

Just before he read the sentence, Barton gave Hamadi an opportunity to say something. Hamadis reply was very brief: I just want to issue an apology to the family, and thats all I have for now.
How Micron says Chinas restrictions on its memory-chip products will hurt the company

Chinas partial ban on Micron products could cut a sizable chunk of the Boise companys revenue and slow its recovery from three consecutive quarters of net losses.

Micron reported better-than-expected sales for the third quarter in its latest earnings report, but said a recent decision from Chinas cyberspace regulator marks a significant headwind as the chip industry appears to reach the end of a global slump in demand.

The Cyberspace Administration said in May that Microns products failed to pass a cybersecurity review and that it would bar operators of key Chinese companies from buying the companys goods.

Many analysts viewed the move as retaliation for Washingtons efforts to cut off Chinas access to high-end chips, The New York Times reported.

The Idaho memory-chip manufacturer estimated Wednesday that Chinas ban could slash its revenue by one-eighth  half of its total sales to companies headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, which account for one-fourth of all Micron revenue.

Microns chips are used in phones, server farms, computers, cars and other products.

This significant headwind is impacting our outlook and slowing our recovery, President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said during an earnings call with investors. Micron is working to mitigate this impact over time and expects increased quarter-to-quarter revenue variability.

Still, the chip maker continues to invest in its manufacturing capabilities inside China.

Micron said it plans to invest about $600 million in its assembly, packaging and test operations in Xian over the next several years. It also intends to construct a new building at its Xian site.

This will allow us, over time, to serve more of the demand from our customers in China ... , Mehrotra said.

The company said it would expand further into India as well. Micron said it has the support of the Indian government to build a new assembly and test plant in Gujarat to address chip demand in the latter half of the decade.

Its also increasing its investments in high-bandwidth memory products in Taiwan. It expects demand for those goods to pick up thanks to the rapid growth in the artificial intelligence industry, spurred by the popularity of OpenAIs chatbot, ChatGPT.

Micron reported a revenue of $3.75 billion for the quarter ended June 1, compared with $8.64 billion for the same quarter a year ago. It reported a net loss of $1.9 billion  its third consecutive quarterly loss  versus a profit of $2.63 billion a year ago.

The company said it had a loss of $1.73 per share for the third quarter. Its share price has been trending up for months, despite weakened demand for memory products. It ended the day Thursday at $64.33, down $2.74, or 4.1%, over its closing price Wednesday of $67.07.

On Sept. 1, 2022, after Micron announced its plans to expand in Boise with a new multibillion-dollar fab for memory manufacturing, its stock was trading at $57.31. The stock reached its highest closing price ever on Jan. 14, 2022, at $97.36.

Micron is Idahos largest for-profit employer.

As of December, the company had about 6,000 workers in the Treasure Valley and 49,000 employees worldwide, but Micron began laying off workers in February, with plans to reduce its global headcount by about 10% over the next year, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting. Its unclear how many workers in Boise and Meridian, where Micron also has a facility, have been affected.

Planning for growth, high-wage jobs, Boises Micron works to build employee pipeline

Chinas restrictions on Micron, criticized as political, cloud its recovery path

Boise memory-chip maker Micron reports another revenue drop amid workforce reductions
Boise National Guard could get new military jets. What would the new planes be?

Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, in Boise, is on path to host different war planes later this decade.

The U.S. Air Force announced plans Monday for Gowen Field, which now stocks A-10 Thunderbolt II planes, to transition to F-16 Fighting Falcons in the spring of 2027.

The airport is home base for the Idaho Air National Guard.

The decision to host the F-16 mission at Gowen Field (Air National Guard Base) came after assessing the areas ability to facilitate the mission and infrastructure capacity, while accounting for community support, environmental factors and cost, according to a news release.

The new fighter planes, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., a military contractor, are designed for air-to-air combat and air-to-surface missions, according to the Air Force. Their mobility in the air and flying radius exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. The planes cost over $14 million a piece.

By contrast, the A-10 Thunderbolt planes are low-altitude fighter planes often armed with machine guns and incendiary rounds, according to Military.com.

The planes hosted in Boise, which fly from the Boise Airport, have raised concerns about the noise effects on nearby homes in the past.

In 2015, people who lived near the airport said the noise from louder planes taking off disrupted their lives.

The A-10 Thunderbolts travel up to speeds of 420 mph, which is much lower than the F-16s, which can reach 1,500 mph, according to the Air Force.

A few years ago, the Air Force considered stationing a set of F-35s in Boise, which can reach speeds of up to 1,200 mph, according to the Air Force. In 2020, a draft environmental impact statement found that stationing the louder planes could make hundreds of nearby homes unlivable, according to previous Statesman reporting. The Air Force instead moved to station the planes in Wisconsin and Alabama.

The new proposal will undergo a similar environmental analysis, due to be completed in 2025, according to the news release.

Rep. John Gannon, a Boise Democrat who represents residents of the Hillcrest and Sunrise Rim neighborhoods north of the airport, said he is concerned about the potential noise.

We need to be very careful about implementing any kind of change like this, Gannon told the Statesman by phone.

He said the Federal Aviation Administration would help purchase homes if studies determine them to be exposed to a certain decibel level and therefore not suitable for residential use. That would mean that some residents near the airport would either have to move out or relocate their homes.

Gannon added that many homes in those neighborhoods are affordable.

We have an affordable housing crisis in this city, and preserving what affordable housing we have would seem to be a top priority, he said.

In the past, the Air Force has also proposed consolidating the Idaho Air National Guards Boise mission with the Mountain Home Air Force Base. Former Mayor David Bieter and Idahos congressional representatives objected to that, and it didnt happen.

Gannon said he could understand why the Air Force may want to consolidate its plane fleets, given the realities of modern warfare, as seen in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine has showed us that warfare has changed dramatically, and air warfare in particular is much more complicated, he said.

In an email, Boise mayoral spokesperson Maria Weeg said that Weve known of the efforts to find a new mission for Gowen Field since the Air Force announced the retirement of the A-10. We learned more about the F-16 mission yesterday and look forward to continuing the conversation about the impact the planes will have on our neighborhoods and their plans to engage the community.
Its been nearly a week since a Boise police officer shot and killed a man in the early morning hours of June 24 in downtown Boise, and we still know very little about what happened.

Too little.

The Boise Police Department has released very few facts.

Too few.

The shooting took place shortly after 2 a.m. on June 24 near 5th and Main streets after Boise police officers approached a suspicious vehicle as part of an ongoing investigation, according to previous Statesman reporting.

After officers attempted to make contact with the vehicle occupants, one person fled on foot toward Idaho Street holding a firearm, according to a news release from the Boise Police Department.

Officers chased the suspect and gave commands for the suspect to stop, which were disregarded, according to the release. One BPD officer fired his duty weapon. ... A firearm was recovered next to the suspect.

Officers began life-saving care while others secured the scene. Ada County paramedics took the suspect to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. On June 26, the police department sent out another release saying that the victim died.

Thats it. No other information has been released since.

The Ada County Coroners Office, as is standard practice, released the name of the victim: Payton Wasson, 22, of Nampa.

What we still dont know: the name of the officer who shot Wasson; how many years of experience that officer has; how many shots were fired; why the vehicle was considered suspicious; the nature of the ongoing investigation, even in broad terms; whether there were any other people on the street when Wasson was shot; whether anyone was in danger; whether officers felt threatened or thought others were under threat.

Being tight-lipped about the circumstances only creates a vacuum of information that gets filled by rumor, unverified statements  and doubts. Secrecy breeds suspicion.

A reasonable person might suspect that the department is withholding information not to protect the integrity of any investigation, including the Critical Incident Task Forces work, but to keep the department from looking bad.

Already, a rally is scheduled for Friday evening at Boise City Hall. If the Boise Police Department were the least bit open and transparent, maybe there would be no need for such a rally, or maybe it would have a different tone.

By staying so silent, police create problems that dont need to be there.

This is not about the media getting details in order to sensationalize this tragic event. Were talking about basics. Certainly, general information beyond 15-word sentences could be shared about what police were investigating that night, what happened at the vehicle and what transpired as Wasson fled. That hardly would compromise any investigations.

And this is not even about the media. The family of Payton Wasson deserves answers. The community that police serve on a daily basis deserves answers to maintain trust in the department.

Compare how the Boise Police Department has handled the Wasson shooting with how the San Antonio Police Department handled a fatal police shooting just a day earlier.

At 2 a.m. Friday, June 23, in that Texas city, three police officers shot at a suspect who died.

In less than 16 hours, the San Antonio police chief held a press conference with details about the shooting, including the sequence of events that led up to it, the number of officers involved, the officers actions, the name and age of the suspect who was shot and killed, the names of the officers who fired their weapons, the years of experience of each officer and the number of times the suspect was shot.

Its worth noting that the three officers in San Antonio were arrested and charged with murder, which might provide even greater reason to withhold information, as criminal charges are pending.

The police chief offered his condolences to the victims family and made a special assurance to the victims daughter that a thorough investigation would be made.

And the department released bodycam footage that day  just hours after the shooting.

The police chief made it clear that he wouldnt be taking any questions because this is an ongoing investigation, and reporters respected that statement. The information he provided was enough.

It can be done.

If the San Antonio Police Department can be that transparent, the Boise Police Department certainly could strive for more than suspicious vehicle and officers ... gave commands for the suspect to stop.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community member Mary Rohlfing.
This years rankings of the top restaurant chains in the nation include two North Carolina companies.

Charlotte-born Bojangles landed at No. 45 on the list, while Raleighs Golden Corral came in at No. 47. Both brands ranked higher last year, at Nos. 43 and 46, respectively.

READ: Bojangles CEO steering restaurant chain out of the chicken business

The list, compiled by Nations Restaurant News, ranks brands based on domestic systemwide sales. Bojangles, a popular fast-food chain known for its chicken and biscuits, reported $1.6 billion in sales with 8.5% year-over-year growth.

Read more here.

VIDEO: Bojangles CEO steering restaurant chain out of the chicken business




Prosecutors have linked Bolsonaro's statements to his supporters invading the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court on January 8, a week after the inauguration of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (MAURO PIMENTEL)

Far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's political future hangs in the balance as a panel of seven judges weigh barring him from public office for years over attacks on Brazil's electoral system.

The Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) is trying the former president on charges he abused his office and state media in making unfounded allegations of security flaws in Brazil's electronic voting system.

By Thursday, three judges had ruled against the president and one in his favor before the proceedings were postponed to Friday morning.

Prosecutors have linked Bolsonaro's statements to his supporters invading the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court on January 8, a week after the inauguration of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Lula had defeated Bolsonaro, 68, in elections last October.

After hearing evidence in the case, the judges started delivering their verdicts one by one on Tuesday.

A majority is needed for a conviction, which could see Bolsonaro barred from public office for eight years, meaning he would not be able to contest elections in 2026.

Bolsonaro was not in court in Brasilia, traveling instead to Rio de Janeiro, where he told reporters that "unfortunately, talking about vaccines, voting, ballot boxes... has become a crime."

Hours before, he again insisted he was innocent and proclaimed: "Wanting to take away my political rights for abuse of political power is inexplicable."

- 'Not a normal ex-president' -

The charges arise from a televised meeting Bolsonaro held with foreign diplomats at the presidential residence in July 2022, three months before his election defeat to Lula.

Bolsonaro spent nearly an hour making his argument to the assembled ambassadors, armed with a PowerPoint presentation but no hard evidence to back his claims that electronic voting machines in use since 1996 compromised election transparency.

The lead judge on the case, Benedito Goncalves, ruled Tuesday to convict Bolsonaro, saying he had used "violent speech and lies" that "endangered the credibility" of Brazil's electoral system.

Goncalves said the briefing "served to incite a state of collective paranoia" about elections at a time Brazil was deeply polarized.

"He instigated a belief that there was a real threat the results of the 2022 election would be adulterated," said the judge.

"It was extremely harmful to the democratic environment."

On Thursday, judge Floriano Marques also voted for conviction and posed the question: "What could be more serious (than) a head of state who, with electoral objectives, mobilizes the apparatus of the Republic to intentionally convey the idea that Brazilian elections are not clean?"

Colleague Raul Araujo, however, voted for acquittal. He said the "gravity of the comportment was not sufficient to justify the extreme measure" of electoral ineligibility.

In Rio, Bolsonaro proclaimed: "I am not a normal ex-president, I am an ex-president for whom the people are already nostalgic. We have the potential to win elections in 2026."

Nearly half the electorate voted for Bolsonaro in last October's second round, but it was not enough for a win.

Insiders say the court is almost certain to convict Bolsonaro, whose lawyer Tarcisio Vieira has said they would appeal any guilty verdict to the Supreme Court.

- Tropical Trump -

Bolsonaro's unsubstantiated talk of election fraud and the January 8 riots drew comparisons to his political role model, Donald Trump and his bid to hang onto power after losing the 2020 US presidential election.

Nicknamed the "Tropical Trump," his presidency was controversial: at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that claimed more than 700,000 lives in Brazil, he mocked face masks, social distancing and vaccines, warning the jab could "turn you into an alligator."

He also faced an international outcry over destruction of the Amazon rainforest, which surged on his watch.

Bolsonaro spent three months in the United States after his term came to an end, and has kept an uncharacteristically low profile since returning to Brazil in March to serve as honorary president of his Liberal Party.

He faces a raft of legal woes. Any one of five Supreme Court investigations could send him to jail -- including over the January 8 attacks.

The police is also investigating claims of a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate and diamond jewelry snuck into the country from Saudi Arabia.

bur-mis/app/mlr/des
Book says RuPaul could have been on Fresh Prince, but Will Smith said no

. At the time, RuPaul was making it big with his dance track Supermodel (You Better Work).

A former producer on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air claims Will Smith once rejected an opportunity for RuPaul to cameo on the hit 90s comedy series, People reports.

According to the new book, Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawsons Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Television, producer David Steven Simon said he pitched the idea to have the up-and-coming drag star make a guest appearance on the show. At the time, RuPaul was making it big with his dance track Supermodel (You Better Work).

According to a new book, Will Smith (right) did not want RuPaul (left), to make a cameo appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smiths hit 90s television series. (Photos: Getty Images)

I remember him saying that would be a really bad idea, Simon recalls in the book from journalist Thea Glassman, People reports.

According to the book, Simon said that from his perspective, The reason he would say no is because of his image. Period. The End, he said.

People noted that a representative for Smith had not yet responded to its request for comment on Simons remarks.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuted on NBC in 1990 and marked Smiths acting breakout. The cast included Alfonso Ribeiro, James Avery, Janet Hubert, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. The series had numerous celebrity guests throughout its six-season run, including Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Quincy Jones, B.B. King and Oprah Winfrey.

Though RuPaul was never a guest on Fresh Prince, he had a show on VH1 as well as a radio program before launching RuPauls Drag Race in 2009. The reality competition show, now in its 15th season, has won 27 Emmy Awards and spawned several international versions, according to People.

In November 2020, several Fresh Prince cast members reunited to tape a 30th-anniversary special, now available on HBO Max. The emotional gathering saw Smith and Avery unpack their 27-year feud. The actress claims Smith forced her off the series for not laughing at his jokes, theGrio reported. During their decades-long beef, she repeatedly explained how her career suffered when Smith had her blacklisted in Hollywood.

When Hubert and Smith sat down for a one-on-one during a November 2020 episode of Red Table Talk, she recalled being told that he had her banished from the Fresh Prince set, theGrio reported. She also claims she was ordered to stay in her dressing room.

I couldnt come out on the stage, and I wasnt unprofessional on the set, Hubert said on RTT. I just stopped talking to everybody because I didnt know who to trust, she continued.

Smith replied, I just swear [that] my 21-year-old eyes could only see that I felt like you hated me.

Smith serves as producer on a dramatized Fresh Prince reboot titled Bel-Air on Peacock. NBC announced in March that the show received a third-season renewal.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today!

The post Book says RuPaul could have been on Fresh Prince, but Will Smith said no appeared first on TheGrio.
Ukrainian border guards have posted a video of the killing of the Russian occupiers near Bakhmut and the ammunition they had accumulated in the destroyed building.

Source: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Details: Using UAV surveillance, the border guards established the front edge of the Russians' order of battle, places of shelter and movement of their personnel. Mortar crews started a fire mission to destroy the scouted targets of the support point.

The area of the concentration of Russians on this front was covered by mortar attack  three Russians were killed, and four more were wounded. In addition to the killing of manpower, the invaders' ammunition, which they had accumulated in the destroyed building, was detonated. After the barrage of fire, the remnants of the Russian force retreated from their positions.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
(Bloomberg) -- Brazils electoral court is on the cusp of ruling Jair Bolsonaro ineligible to seek political office for eight years in a trial over the former right-wing presidents false claims about last years election.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Three members of the seven-judge panel have so far voted to convict Bolsonaro of abusing the powers of the presidency when he called foreign ambassadors for a meeting to raise doubts about the security of Brazils electronic voting machines in July 2022. One judge voted against Bolsonaros conviction during the third session of the trial on Thursday.

A fourth vote to convict would result in Bolsonaros ban from office until 2030, quashing his hopes of a quick political comeback and potentially ruling him out of the next two presidential elections. The courts chief justice temporarily paused the trial Thursday afternoon. It is scheduled to resume Friday at 12 p.m. in Brasilia.

Read more: Bolsonaro Election Trial Puts His Political Future at Risk

A guilty verdict would amount to a major rebuke for Bolsonaro, 68, and his brash style of politics. The right-wing leader spent much of his career spreading conspiracies about voter fraud. And while he denies any wrongdoing, such efforts fanned the rage of supporters who stormed the capital on Jan. 8 in protest of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas victory and what they claimed was a stolen vote.

Its an injustice for me, my God in heaven, Bolsonaro, who could appeal the ruling to Brazils Supreme Court, told reporters in Brasilia before Thursdays session began. Theyre looking for a needle in a haystack. Where did I go wrong with a meeting with ambassadors?

--With assistance from Guilherme Bento.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
A structural crack on the I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis, Tenn., required an emergency repair in 2021. Tennessee DOT via Getty Images

Twelve days after a portion of Interstate 95 collapsed in north Philadelphia during a truck fire, officials opened a temporary six-lane roadway to serve motorists while a permanent overpass is rebuilt. This was a major success after the June 11, 2023, disaster was predicted to snarl traffic for months.

U.S. cities often face similar challenges when routine wear and tear or natural disasters damage roads and bridges. Transportation engineer Lee D. Han explains how planners, transit agencies and city governments anticipate and manage these disruptions.

How do agencies plan for disruptions like this?

Planning is a central mission for state and metropolitan transportation agencies.

Traditional long-term planning focuses on anticipating and preparing for growing and shifting transportation demand patterns. These changes are driven by regional and national economic and population trends.

Shorter-term planning is about ensuring mobility and safety during service disruptions. These events can include construction, major scheduled events like music festivals, traffic incidents such as crashes and hazardous material spills, emergency evacuations, and events like the I-95 bridge collapse in Philadelphia.

Agencies have limited resources, so they typically set priorities based on how likely a given scenario is, its potential adverse effects and the countermeasures that officials have available.

For bridges, the Federal Highway Administration sets standards and requires states to carry out periodic inspections. In addition, agencies develop a detouring plan for each bridge in case of a structural failure or service disruption.

Major bridges, such as those at Mississippi River crossings, are crucial to the nations economy and security. They require significant planning, commitment and coordination between multiple agencies. There usually are multiple contingency plans in place to deal with immediate traffic control, incident response and field operations during longer-term bridge repair or reconstruction projects.

What are some major challenges of rerouting traffic?

Bridges are potential choke points in highway networks. When a bridge fails, traffic immediately stops and begins to flow elsewhere, even without a formal detouring plan. Transportation agencies need to build or find excess capacity before a bridge fails, so that the disrupted traffic has alternative routes.

This is usually manageable in major urban areas that have many parallel routes and bridges and built-in redundancy in their road networks. But for rural areas, failure of a major bridge can mean extra hours or even days of travel.

When traffic has to be rerouted off an interstate highway, it can cause safety and access problems. If large trucks are diverted to local streets that were not designed for such vehicles, they may get stuck on railroad tracks or in spaces too small for them to turn around. Heavy trucks can damage roads and bridges with low weight limits, and tall trucks may be too large to fit through low-clearance underpasses.

A police officer directs traffic away from a closed road as fast-moving wildfires force evacuations on Dec. 30, 2021, in Louisville, Colorado. Marc Piscotty/Getty Images

Successful rerouting requires a lot of coordination between agencies and jurisdictions. They may have to adjust road signal timing to deal with extra cars and changed traffic patterns. Local drivers may need to be directed away from these alternative routes to prevent major congestion.

Its also important to communicate with navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze, which every driver has access to. Route choices that speed up individual trips may cause serious congestion if everyone decides to take the same alternate route and it doesnt have enough capacity to handle the extra traffic.

Can these events permanently change commuting and traffic patterns?

In some cases, yes. Some repairs take months, such as the 2022 I-40 Hernando De Soto Bridge crack across the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tennessee. Others can stretch over years, such as the 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. Some structures are rebuilt elsewhere, like the I-880 Cypress Street viaduct in Oakland, California, which collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

While traffic is disrupted, motorists change their commute patterns or may even switch to other modes, such as buses or commuter rail. But after repairs are completed, even if some commuters dont return to their old routes, new traffic soon will take advantage of the restored capacity. In the end, its hard to tell just by looking at usage whether commuters have changed their travel patterns permanently.

Will money from the 2021 infrastructure bill reduce the risk of these kinds of events?

Unfortunately, things do fall apart. U.S. infrastructure has been deteriorating for decades. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association estimated that 1 in 3 U.S. bridges need repair.

At the current rate, we are unlikely to catch up to a state of good repair any time soon. But strategic investments like the 2021 infrastructure bill can likely help repair and address critical deterioration concerns for some high-risk bridges, roads, dams and other structures.

Can public transit fill part of the gap?

Public transit may be able to fill the gap in several ways when key roadway links are destroyed or damaged.

Fixed-route rail transit services, such as Washington, D.C.s Metro and commuter rail services in Chicago, typically have exclusive rights of way, which let them travel at higher speed than buses on surface streets. They also have high capacity that can be increased by adding more cars to each train or running trains more frequently.

If those systems routes are not disrupted due to something like a bridge collapse, they may be able to operate above their normal loads. Drivers can shift to transit as long as their trip origins and destinations are conveniently located near transit stations.

Bus transit services dont usually have exclusive rights of way or means to add extra carrying capacity per vehicle. But they have more flexibility to extend the service areas that they cover and connect otherwise non-walkable locales.

Coordinating use of various transit services and creatively adjusting bus lines could address some local travel needs, such as daily commutes and school and shopping trips. But local public transit services struggle to fill longer-distance gaps that extend beyond their service areas.

In major urban areas like Philadelphia that have large populations and have invested a lot in their transit systems, public transit could carry as much as 25% of daily commute trips. But for disruptions outside of major cities, such as a bridge collapse on an interstate highway in a rural area, public transit probably wont have much of a role.

Its also important to note that public transit services are for moving people. Freight shipments, which rely on trucks and other specialized vehicles, also need to get through or around disrupted zones. This often requires large commercial trucks either to use nearby local streets that werent designed for such big, heavy vehicles, or to make long-distance detours. That increases delays, pollution, safety risks and transportation costs that will eventually be passed on to consumers.

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: Lee D. Han, University of Tennessee.

Read more:



Lee D. Han receives funding from National Science Foundation and the Department of Transportation.
After three years of canceled parties, the Chicago area is ready to mark Independence Day with big celebrations including fireworks, parades and festivals.

These 29 bars and restaurants offer their own ways to enjoy the holiday weekend, whether its supplying meats, sides and desserts for your backyard barbecue, hosting parties with live music and plenty of refreshing drinks, or putting the red, white & blue into everything from cocktails to cake.

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All events happen Tuesday, unless otherwise stated.

The Loop and Near North Side

Boleo

The rooftop restaurant at the Kimpton Gray Hotel serves up red, white & blue pina coladas ($17). 122 W. Monroe St., 312-750-9007, boleochicago.com

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Chicago Burger Company

The restaurant at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk hosts a party on their dog-friendly patio from 1-3 p.m. Saturday with games, food and drink specials, and giveaways. 301 E. North Water St., 312-464-1000, marriott.com

Jaleo by Jose Andres

Tapas and sangria at Jaleo by Jose Andres. (Jose Andres Group)

Throughout July you can take advantage of the restaurants Summer of Sangria featuring three versions of the refreshing drink offered by the glass ($11-$13) or pitcher ($52-$60) and a glass of red sangria paired with a trio of tapas for $22. 500 N. Clark St., 312-820-7771, jaleo.com/location/chicago

Lirica

Drop by Saturday to Tuesday to try a $26 grilled Spanish sausage platter including housemade pickles, cheese and assorted sauces. 900 E. Grand Ave., 872-710-5750, liricarestaurant.com

LIVA at Chicago Winery

Pick up a Red, White and Bubbles Party Pack featuring one bottle each of cuvee noir, unoaked chardonnay and blanc de blancs plus a chefs whim charcuterie board for $125 from noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Tuesday. 739 N. Clark St., 312-763-3674, chiwinery.com

Offshore Rooftop

Take in the views of Lake Michigan with a cookout offered Saturday to Tuesday featuring Jell-O shots and a build-your-own hot dog bar with sauerkraut, caramelized onions and spicy mustard. 1000 E. Grand Ave., 312-535-6660, offshorerooftop.com

Yardbird

The All-American Burger and heirloom tomato salad at Yardbird. (Yardbird )

Celebrate with the All-American Burger made with American cheese, pork belly and fried pickles, and heirloom tomato salad with charred corn and Humboldt Fog cheese. 530 N. Wabash Ave., 312-999-9760, runchickenrun.com/chicago

North Side & Northwest Side

80 Proof

Feast on a special all-you-can-eat brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and add on a $20 mimosa kit. 1500 N. Wells St., 773-966-0404, 80proofchi.com

Bamboo Club

A DJ spins party tunes and pop at a bash running from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday. Tickets are $16-$28 and include two vodka cocktails before 11 p.m. 3505 N. Clark St., 833-466-3758, eventbrite.com

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Kirkwood

DJs play all day Friday through Sunday and specials running through Tuesday include $6 Bud Light and Miller Lite stadium cups and $8 green tea shots. 2934 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-770-0700, kirkwoodbar.com

Old Crow Smokehouse

Come for a cookout buffet from 1-3 p.m. Monday and stick around for live country music from 3-6 p.m. Admission is $16-$28 and includes three drink tickets good for select beers, seltzers and vodka lemonades. 3506 N. Clark St., 773-537-4452, oldcrowsmokehouse.com

Tonys Fresh Market

Visit the Portage Park location of this family-owned grocery for demos on all the July Fourth food youll be grilling up. Sundays events from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. feature giveaways and tips on everything from hot dogs and house-made Italian sausage, to margaritas. 4608 W. Belmont Ave., 773-828-5777, tonysfreshmarket.com

West Side & Near West Side

Cabana Club

Chill out poolside and get a great view of the fireworks while enjoying barbecue cheeseburgers with garlic mayo, cheddar and crispy fried onions, and boozy lemonade garnished with a Bomb Pop. 2018 W. North Ave., 872-315-3050, therobey.com

Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar

The Humboldt Park restaurant teams up with Lowcountry Chicago on Monday to offer a $45 special featuring snow crab, shrimp and crayfish boiled with housemade andouille sausage, sweet corn and potatoes and served with garlic butter rolls and Pilsner Urquell. Add on a caviar bao ($45) or crispy duck wings in black garlic and maple hot sauce ($16). 2700 W. Chicago Ave., 773-661-9577, heritage-chicago.com

Ina Mae Tavern

Chef Brian Jupiter's shrimp boil, a July Fourth special at Ina Mae Tavern. (Ina Mae Tavern)

A Red, White, Blues & Booze bash running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. features $10 frozen cocktails, $39 plates of boiled shrimp with corn and potatoes, and live music from 1-4 p.m. The Wicker Park spot will also be grilling oysters on their dog-friendly patio. 1415 N. Wood St., 773-360-8320, inamaetavern.com

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Lotties Pub

Bring your best friend to a Patio Pooch Party from noon to 4 p.m. featuring $3 Chicago hot dogs, $Titos drinks and $25 Truly vodka soda buckets. Sample some Sam Adams brews and youll have the chance to win a cooler. 1925 W. Cortland St., 773-489-0738, lottiespub.com

Macs Wood Grilled

Deals offered from Friday to Tuesday include $5 cans of Revolution Brewing Freedom Lemonade, $13 buffalo chicken sliders, $5 Smirnoff Red, White & Berry lemonades, and $7 Smirnoff Red, White & Berry bombs. 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, macswoodgrilled.com

South Side & Near South Side

Beefys

Get your cookout order in before the holiday, as the Garfield Ridge restaurant will be closed Monday and Independence Day. Call in advance to order from a choice of four heat-and-serve takeout packages offering Italian beef or sausage, loaves of bread, meatballs in red sauce, mostaccioli pasta, trays of salad, pints of giardiniera and sweet peppers. Prices and packages vary. 5749 S. Harlem Ave., 773-229-8430, beefyschicago.com

Chicago Firehouse Restaurant

Holiday specials at this South Loop steakhouse celebrate both July Fourth and the NASCAR race taking place in the Loop over the weekend. From Thursday through Saturday, Chicago Firehouse will be whipping up Szechuan hot wings with a side of togarashi ranch ($16), a half-rack of barbecue baby back ribs ($27), and special cocktails such as the Checkered Flag ($16), made with habanero- and lemongrass-spiked vodka, ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. 1401 S. Michigan Ave., 312-786-1401, chicagofirehouse.com

African/Caribbean International Festival of Life

This summer, the 30th annual African/Caribbean International Festival of Life has joined forces with the Jerk, Seafood and Vegan Festival for a combined fest Saturday through Tuesday. The self-described Carnival of the Nations will complement its food component with live performances spanning a wealth of genres that act as fixtures in Black and African culture, including hip-hop, R&B, reggae and Afro beats. $20 general admission ticket. Washington Park, 55th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue, 312-427-0266, internationalfestivaloflife.com

The Park Supper Club

An Independence Day-themed party kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday at this Washington Park restaurant and event space. Enjoy breezy patio vibes, music by DJ Mark Flava, and a kitchen thatll stay open late. Tickets are required, but free for those who arrive before 5 p.m. Otherwise, early bird prices include $30 tables for two people, and $50 tables for four. 65 E. Garfield Blvd., 773-420-3661, theparksupperclub.com

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Suburban and multiple locations

The Goddess and Grocer

Flag cake at The Goddess and Grocer. (The Goddess and Grocer )

Find everything you need for a backyard feast by picking up an $85 summer barbecue grill box for two including crispy potato skins, grilled peach salad, flank steak with shishito salsa, mac & cheese and peach cobbler. Add on beer, wine or American-flag themed cake, cookies and cupcakes. Multiple locations, goddessandgrocer.com

The Hampton Social

Cool off with a glass of blue frose made with Titos vodka, peach puree and rose wine ($17). Multiple locations, thehamptonsocial.com

Hewn

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Get supplies for your barbecue Saturday and Sunday when the bakery offers a pack of four burger buns ($7.50), lemon pound cake with raspberry jam ($29) and blueberry kuchen ($30). 1733 Central St., Evanston; 847-869-4396; hewnbread.com

One Allegiance Brewing

Head to this Chicago Ridge brewery for a full weekend of Independence Day fun. Events kick off Thursday with the release of Watermelon Daze Wheat ale and free bingo, followed by a visit from the popular Happy Lobster food truck Friday evening. Live music and pasta are on the docket for Saturday, with $5 off growler fills Sunday perfect for July Fourth prep. The brewery will be closed Monday and Tuesday. 10215 S. Harlem Ave., Chicago Ridge; 708-529-7067; oneallegiance.com

Ranallis

Drink specials offered Friday to Tuesday include $22 select pitchers, $6 hard seltzers and $9 vodka soda stadium cups. 1925 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-642-4700; 1326 W. Madison St., 312-981-7100; ranallislincolnpark.com

Soul & Smoke

Let someone else take care of the barbecue and place a takeout or delivery order for a prime brisket slider kit, smoked rib tips, buttermilk brined chicken wings, smoked chicken gumbo, collard greens and sweet potato pie. Multiple locations, soulandsmoke.com

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Stans Donuts & Coffee

All 16 Stans locations offer a patriotic version of their classic rainbow sprinkled doughnut from June 28 to July 2. Multiple locations, stansdonuts.com

Sweet Mandy Bs

Festive treats available Friday to Tuesday include a 6-inch red, white and blue vanilla cake, iced sugar cookies, and confetti cookies. 1208 W. Webster Ave., 773-244-1174; 254 E. Ontario St., 312-255-1632; sweetmandybs.com

Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.
Marion printing company celebrates 50 years

Laipplys Printing & Marketing Solutions Inc. is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to mark the 50th anniversary of Laipplys Printing & Marketing Solutions Inc.

Laipplys Printing & Marketing Solutions began as a fast copy shop franchise of Big Red Q Quickprint on Main Street in 1973. Within the franchise, they quickly gained recognition winning both the Presidents and Directors awards for nearly every year within the franchise. They created sales that ranked in the top five of the over 450 national franchises.

In 1982, founders Ron & Effie Laipply, moved their growing business to its current location at 270 E. Center St., Marion. Eventually, they left the franchise and became a more full-service graphic design and print production company known as Laipplys Quickprint & Graphics. In 2008, their daughter, Jacqueline (Laipply) Psyhogios, chose to buy out the company and continue the tradition of the local family business. With that change came another name change to their current identity as Laipplys Printing & Marketing Solutions, Inc.

In celebration and thanks to the community for 50 great years of partnership, Laipplys purchased over $500 worth of local gift cards to area businesses. One lucky customers name was drawn from a hat and the gift bag was awarded to Marena Dutton of Cardington Yutaka Technologies.

The company is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday thru Thursday and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday. For more information, call 740-387-9282, email info@laipplyqprint.com, or visit laipplyqprint.com.

Health Department closed Tuesday

In observance of the Independence Day holiday, all divisions of Marion Public Health will be closed on Tuesday. The closing will include the WIC, environmental health, public health nursing, vital statistics and administrative divisions of the Health Department.

Additional information about Marion Public Health can be found at marionpublichealth.org.

Second public hearing set for Bowling Green Township 2024 budget

BOWLING GREEN TWP.  Bowling Green Township Board of Trustees will hold public hearing on the 2024 township budget during special public meeting at 6 p.m. on July 13 in the Township Building, Ohio 37 and Guthery Road. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection before its adoption by contacting Township Fiscal Officer Robin Anderson at 740-499-3986.

KCH launches new cancer support group

MOUNT VERNON  Knox Community Hospital is proud to begin offering a Womens Cancer Support Group to women of Knox and surrounding counties. The Center for Cancer Care at KCH is hosting this new support group on the second Wednesday of each month, starting July 12, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Wright Family Medical Pavilion, second floor meeting room. There is no cost to attend.

Meeting topics could include managing life challenges, stressors, financial concerns, what to expect during their cancer treatment, and more. It is encouraged that topic ideas are brought to the first meeting on July 12.

RSVP by calling 740-393-5551 or sign up online.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Laipply Printing 50th anniversary, Marion Public Health closed Tuesday
Jasity Jas Strong was supposed to be getting ready for a Caribbean cruise.

She helped her cousins learn a tricky line dance they were planning to do after the ship set sail. It was just one part of the weeklong voyage that they were looking forward to.

Instead, dozens of her family members and friends gathered Wednesday at Longview Lake to remember Strong after her life was cut short by another act of relentless Kansas City violence. Donning T-shirts with her photograph, they let a sea of balloons  pink, purple and yellow  out over the water, calling out I love you, Jas as they flew away.

Strong, a mother of two young children, was among the three killed in a Kansas City mass shooting that left six others wounded early Sunday morning at 57th Street and Prospect Avenue.

Jasity Jas Strong was celebrating her 28th birthday in Kansas City when she was shot and killed along with two other people at 57th Street and Prospect Avenue. She was a mother of two and worked as a certified nursing assistant in senior living facilties. Trish Mitchell

Authorities have said 26-year-old Keivon Greene, now facing three counts of murder, opened fire on crowds gathered outside a business on Prospect known to host after-hours weekend gatherings. Also killed in the shooting were Nikko Manning, 22 and Camden Brown, 27.

Family and friends remembered Strong on Wednesday as a bright, beautiful and fun-loving young woman. She was out celebrating her 28th birthday when she died.

I just wish it was me other than her, Tamika Jenkins, her mother, said Wednesday.

I just lost my mom five months ago, she added. And now I gotta bury my daughter.

Trish Mitchell, Strongs aunt, said Strong was like a daughter to her. As Strong leaves behind a one-year-old son and six-year-old daughter, Mitchell said the family has only begun trying to explain the loss to Strongs eldest.

I really dont think that she understands the magnitude of what has happened just yet, Mitchell said of her grandniece.

Miesha Ross, Strongs cousin, said she last saw Strong two days before she was killed. They were supposed to go out for a family birthday dinner.

Birthday dinner never came, Ross said.

Its just senseless. Jas was a good mom. She would light up any room. She was friendly. If you met Jas, you would love her. She had a bright spirit. And its just unfortunate that shes gone at the age of 28.

Its just not fair. She needs to be here, Ross added.

Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the shooting around 4:30 a.m. Sunday. All three of those fatally shot were found unresponsive in the parking lot of an auto repair shop on Prospect where partygoers were.

Police and crime scene investigators were on the scene collecting evidence where three people died and six were injured following a shooting early Sunday near 57th Street and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City. Tammy Ljungblad/tljungblad@kcstar.com

Authorities have said the shooting apparently started over an argument about a woman being hugged.

Greene, an alleged shooter and the only person facing criminal charges, was first interviewed by police after he showed up at an area hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand. He was later charged with assault and gun crimes.

On Tuesday, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced additional charges filed against Greene. He faces two counts of second-degree murder in the killings of Brown and Manning.

Greene is accused of felony murder  a charge prosecutors bring when a separate, underlying felony crime leads to a persons death for allegedly creating the situation where Strong was fatally shot.

Whether he fired the fatal shot or not, (Greene) is the individual that set off this chain event that led to shooting by others, Baker said during briefing Tuesday, adding that he is certainly  responsible for the death of this young woman.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announces criminal charges Tuesday against Keivon M. Greene in the shooting Sunday at 57th and Prospect Avenue. Greene is being charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action, three counts of second-degree murder, and two additional counts of armed criminal action. Zachary Linhares/zlinhares@kcstar.com

He is being held without bond in Jackson County jail.

The mass shooting touched off responses from Kansas City leaders, including Police Chief Stacey Graves, as the city approaches historically high rates of gun violence even as homicides have dropped in other major cities. During a Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Graves expressed concern that many young people are growing up surrounded by trauma.

As of Wednesday, there had been 99 killings in Kansas City in 2023  a figure on pace with the year 2020, when the city saw its highest number of homicides in history with 182.

As members of Strongs family cope with the sudden loss, they also want to raise awareness about how gun violence has impacted their family and bring change to Kansas City.

Mitchell, Strongs aunt, is organizing a petition seeking to put restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms in large gathering places  something she hopes will help address the growing problem.

We need more than prayers and condolences, Mitchell told The Star on Wednesday. Its time for us as a community to band together, rally around the victims of these senseless crimes and shootings and do something about it.

Ross, Strongs cousin, said the family intends to still take their vacation this weekend and hold a funeral for Strong when they return. She said it was a tough decision, and the trip will not be the same without her, but they knew Strong would want them to go.

Jas loved to have fun. Every time you looked up, she was dancing, Ross said.

The Stars Andrea Klick contributed to this report.
There was a striking exception to the conservative Supreme Court majoritys decision ending race-based affirmative action in higher education on Thursday: military academies.

The U.S. government said using race as a factor in admissions to military academies can further compelling interests, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a footnote to his opinion. This opinion does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present.

The distinction suggests that there could be value in using race to diversify at least some American institutions  namely, the U.S. militarys officer corps  but Roberts overall decision says that it would be unconstitutional to do so at public and private colleges and universities.

Two liberal justices on the court criticized that approach.

The Court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom, wrote Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in her dissent.

She called that position a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor highlighted the exception in her dissent as evidence that her conservative colleagues see a constitutional basis for considering race in college admissions.

To the extent, the Court suggests national security interests are distinct, those interests cannot explain the Courts narrow exemption, as national security interests are also implicated at civilian universities, Sotomayor continued.

Roberts called the exemption justified because no military academies were involved in the cases in question. Yet Sotomayor pointed out that he and his five conservative colleagues did not exempt other institutions that were not parties to the cases, like religious universities.

The 6-3 decision risks perpetuating the perception that the U.S. military preys on BIPOC communities.

Die for us, but dont enroll in our schools. The most disturbing part of the decision is that it exempts military academies, activist and Georgetown Law adjunct professor Arjun Sethi tweeted after the ruling. It shows the stranglehold that war [and] defense have over American life; how the military always gets deference; and how America devalues diverse lives.

Broadly, studies show that affirmative action policies help students from historically marginalized groups secure more spots on campuses. Advocates for the policies say they are vital to assisting Americans from those backgrounds get higher-paying jobs and better educations than they otherwise would, given Americas history of reserving the path to those opportunities for white men from privileged backgrounds.

In addition to evening the playing field, the policies promoted diversity in private and government institutions, their supporters say, making such organizations better reflect Americas population and making them more effective.

Placing a diverse Armed Forces under the command of homogenous leadership is a recipe for internal resentment, discord, and violence, 35 retired admirals and generals, including four former joint chiefs of staff, wrote in a brief they filed with the Supreme Court as judges considered the affirmative action cases.

By contrast, units that are diverse across all levels are more cohesive, collaborative, and effective, the former military leaders contended. The importance of diverse leadership has risen to new heights in recent years, as international conflicts and humanitarian crises require the military to perform civil functions that call for heightened cultural awareness and sensitivity to ethnic and religious issues. All service members  minority or otherwise  are better equipped to meet these challenges if they are educated in a racially diverse environment and guided by diverse leadership in the field.

The U.S. has ramped up diversity at officers academies in recent decades under Republican and Democratic administrations.

It is a critical national security imperative to attain diversity within the officer corps. And, at present, its not possible to achieve that diversity without race-conscious admissions, including at the nations service academies, solicitor general Elizabeth Prelogar told the Supreme Court in October.

Justice Samuel Alito, an ultraconservative, responded that he and his colleagues would have to take that point very seriously.

Thursdays rulings suggested that the Court only partially did so.

Related...
California Democrats condemned the Supreme Courts restriction of race-conscious admissions at colleges and universities Thursday. But the states voters banned race-aware admissions in public higher education in the late 1990s.

The Supreme Courts conservative majority has yet again upended longstanding precedent, changing the law just because they now have the votes to do so, without any care for the costs to society and students around the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

Prop. 209, passed by voters in 1996, barred weighing race, gender and other factors in hiring, contracting and admissions. The measure covers virtually all public institutions, including governmental bodies and the University of California and California State University systems. Efforts to repeal at least parts of the measure repeatedly failed.

Asked about a response plan for the Supreme Court ruling Thursday, Newsom said, Its more difficult because of Prop. 209. The governor added that the impacts of Prop. 209 were profound and consequential.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, who argued against Prop. 209, said Thursday that since the policy went into effect, the share of Black, Latino, and Native American students has fallen significantly. This structural racism has deprived brilliant students of color of the chance to study at some of the greatest academic institutions in the world.

California was the first state to ban race-conscious considerations for entry in public institutions, leaving minimal exceptions as a way to meet previous federal standards. Washington state followed suit in 1998, but eradicated the policy in 2022. Seven other states now similarly restrict considering race in hiring or education.

California has long recognized the value of diversity in institutions of higher learning, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. While the ruling narrows the scope of permissible consideration of race in admissions, it does not diminish our resolve to pursue policies and practices that ensure equal access and opportunities for all students.

A Supreme Court decision from two separate cases released Thursday affects private universities and colleges in California, such as Stanford University, Caltech and the Claremont colleges near Pomona. Prop. 209 still governs public universities and colleges.

Rather than considering an applicants race as a part of admissions, the Court ruled, school officials can weigh an individuals experience with race and discrimination through essays, interviews or other methods.

The court ruled 6-3 in a case against the University of North Carolina and 6-2 against Harvard University along ideological lines. It decided admissions based on affirmative action violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and, thus, Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, altering decades of precedent.

UNC, a public university, must follow both the equal protection clause, which prevents civil bodies from denying people equal protection under the law, and the 1964 Civil Rights Acts Title VI. As a private university, Harvard is only bound by Title VI, which outlaws racial discrimination by institutions that receive federal money.

Republicans applaud the ruling

A group representing students and current and future applicants claimed that race-conscious admissions at the universities discriminated against Asian and white students. Students for Fair Admissions, Inc., claimed that schools should not employ affirmative action policies over race-neutral rules because of potential changes to campus demographics if theres no proof that it would harm the schools academic quality.

The universities contended that diversity improves academic experiences.

Still, Chief Justice John G. Roberts in the majority opinion wrote that nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

Public universities started applying affirmative action in the late 1960s as a means to correct historical hindrances to students from minority backgrounds, improve campus diversity and reduce inequality. The practice originated with former President John F. Kennedy, who issued a 1961 executive order directing government agencies to ensure equal opportunity in employment.

I remember when I was a student at San Fernando High School wondering if I would have the same opportunities in higher education because of who I was and where I grew up, Sen. Alex Padilla said in a statement Thursday.

Limiting colleges and universities ability to consider race in the admissions process will reduce access and opportunities for students of color who are just as smart, qualified, and deserving, but who havent benefited from the same resources or support, the California Democrat added, pointing to the effects of Prop. 209.

California Republicans applauded the Courts ruling Thursday, pointing to Californias current ban.

Hiring and college admissions decisions should be based on each individuals qualifications, not their race, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City, said in a statement. California has led the way by rejecting affirmative action and the Supreme Court has rightfully given everyone an equal opportunity at higher education.

The White House said colleges should consider the financial means of a student or their family; where a student grew up and went to high school; and personal experiences of hardship or discrimination, including racial discrimination, that a student may have faced.

President Joe Biden condemned the Courts decision from the White House Thursday. In response to one reporters question, he said, This is not a normal Court.

I know todays Court decision is a severe disappointment to so many people, including me. But we cannot let the decision be a permanent setback for the country, he said from the podium.

The Sacramento Bees Lindsey Holden contributed to this story.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  A California task force Thursday presented its first-in-the-nation attempt to address the legacy of slavery to lawmakers who must decide whether to pursue a wide range of proposed remedies, including payments to descendants of enslaved people.

The recommendations of the reparations task force, the product of months of research and public hearings, face an uncertain fate even in a Legislature with a Democratic supermajority and a governor supportive of the commissions work.

State Sen. Steven Bradford, a member of the task force, has repeatedly said he expected a lengthy and difficult struggle to enact recommendations, especially payments.

The final report is not the end of the work; its really just the beginning, Bradford said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has avoided publicly committing to specific recommendations  a position he maintained as the final report was presented to the Legislature.

I am very mindful of our past, Newsom told reporters, as he shifted the focus to the Supreme Court decision striking down the use of affirmative action in higher education.

We have a Supreme Court that wants to take us back to a pre-1960s world, he said. This reparations report, and the context of that decision today, only reinforced the seriousness of purpose with which well review it.

Newsom signed legislation setting up the task force in 2020 as the nation seethed with civil justice protests following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. The final report is a comprehensive analysis of the corrosive and persistent legacy of slavery and racism in California  which wasnt a slave state but where enslaved people were brought to the state and the fugitive slave laws were enforced in the 19th century.

After spending months studying how slavery created enduring disparities in areas like wealth, life expectancy and criminal justice, the nine-member task force embraced a set of prescriptions that include establishing a California American Freedmen Affairs Agency to analyze claims from descendants of slaves, repealing the states ban on affirmative action  which voters upheld in 2020  and issuing a formal apology.

It also examined numerous past instances of cash reparations, including money paid to Japanese Americans in recompense for internment.

Even before the panel forwarded its final report, both Newsom and Democratic lawmakers had conceded the immense obstacles to some of the reports preliminary ideas  particularly cash payments that could amount to more than $1 million for some people.

That work will now fall to the Democratically controlled Legislature. Bradford, who sits on the task force, has been blunt about the fact that cash payments would struggle to attract enough votes, instead floating a broader vision that could include assistance for purchasing homes or securing higher education.

This will be the most impactful public service and policy work I will do in my career, he said.
Jesse Watters was named to replace Tucker Carlson in Fox News' flagship time slot starting July 17. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press)

Jesse Watters didnt eat the pizza Tuesday night.

Was Watters, the 44-year-old lightweight named a day earlier to replace Tucker Carlson at the helm of Fox News flagship prime-time program, recalling that Carlsons last on-air act at the network was eating a slice of pizza? Even as Carlson masticated that bite back in April, he naively signed off, And well be back on Monday. Except he didnt come back; he was fired.

Whether or not Watters was seeing pizza as a bad omen, he merely held up a limp slice during Jesse Watters Primetime, which moves to Carlson's 8 p.m. time slot July 17. The cheese slid off into a box below. Like Carlson in his pizza episode, Watters was hosting an unknown Everyman, a right-wing activist whod gone viral on social media for throwing pizza slices at New Yorks City Hall to protest new city regulations for coal- and gas-fired pizza ovens.

The segment was typical of Watters' act. He mocked and mischaracterized a progressive government action (New York isnt banning the ovens; its requiring old ones to install devices to minimize emissions, as new versions do) by way of lampooning Democratic officials larger purpose  addressing the existential threat of climate change. And as usual, he featured a white guy to personify the grievance.

Theres worse in Watters journalism career. With his ever-present smirk, he has trafficked, for laughs, in racist stereotyping and slurs of Asian Americans. Not long after one such episode  featuring Watters man-on-the-street encounters in New Yorks Chinatown, for former Fox News host Bill OReillys show in late 2016  the network rewarded Watters with a weekly show and a chair at the popular daytime round table The Five. The nightly Jesse Watters Primetime first aired in 2022.

Read more: Calmes: Tucker Carlson shills for Putin while his colleagues are killed in Ukraine

Watters has promoted QAnon conspiracies and election deniers. He once urged conservatives to fire a rhetorical kill shot at Dr. Anthony Fauci, already a target of death threats for his leadership of the nations pandemic response. This year, he chided the bumbling Republican-controlled House weaponization of government committee: Make me feel better, guys. Tell me this is going somewhere. Can I throw someone in prison?

And he has repeatedly shown a misogynist side. Hes gone after Hillary Clinton (natch), Vice President Kamala Harris (almost daily, it seems) and even former First Daughter Ivanka Trump. Hes dismissed the indictments of former President Trump, with their mountains of evidence, even as he has obsessed about the travails of Hunter Biden. And of course he spreads falsehoods routinely, about everything from pizza ovens to presidential elections.

In short, by promoting Watters to its most coveted seat, Fox News has telegraphed that it learned nothing positive, and regrets nothing, after its humiliating $787.5-million settlement in April of Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit. The company alleged that the network defamed it with false reports of voting fraud that cost Trump reelection.

What Fox does regret, apparently, is that its prime-time ratings have suffered since it fired Carlson, especially in the 8 p.m. time slot he once dominated. The network remained No. 1 for cable news in the second quarter of 2023, but its audience was down 25% from a year ago.

Read more: Calmes: No, Tucker Carlson, armed IRS agents won't be coming for Americans' money

With Watters elevation, Fox seems to have decided it needed a younger version of the noxious Carlson to win back the viewers so angered by his defenestration that they turned to the even-more-deplorable Newsmax in protest.

The parallels between Carlson and Watters are a bit uncanny, from their preppy smarm and good hair to the fact that both graduated as history majors from Trinity College in Connecticut. (Shouldnt those degrees be rescinded for the mens regular falsification of the news, the first draft of history?) These guys have elite pedigrees that belie their performative maligning of the nations elites. Carlson, pre-Fox, at least had some serious journalism chops; Watters came to Fox straight from college, hired as a production assistant.

He has, therefore, learned his business from the worst, rising by dishing out the toxic mix of racism, misogyny, anti-LGBTQ+ phobias and nut-case conspiracies that Fox News has long given its viewers, and that they crave. Its a mix that has polluted our politics, the Republican Party in particular.

Read more: Op-Ed: Fox News' COVID-19 superspreader host

For those of us who abhor Watters shtick, theres good company. "WHAT R U TALKING ABOUT!!!???" his mother once texted him.

Perhaps this week she cant help but be proud of her sons success. Yet even ratings didnt save Watters predecessors in the flagship hour  OReilly from allegations of sexual harassment, and Carlson from the fallout of the Dominion lawsuit and others pending.

Maybe it was a good thing Watters avoided the pizza on Tuesday. It didnt look at all appetizing anyway. The rest of us, however, are stuck with his poison.

@jackiekcalmes

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has stopped using Facebook to communicate with the public in favour of Telegram, switching to what he called a "better" application amid an ongoing case over whether he violated Meta Platforms' rules.

The self-styled strongman, who has led Cambodia for nearly four decades, has been accused by human rights groups of using Meta's Facebook to intimidate political opponents and discourage criticism of his government, which his administration denies.

Meta's independent oversight board took on a case in March centred on allegations that Hun Sen violated Meta's community standards on violence and incitement.

Hun Sen has a following of 14 million on Facebook, a figure close to the size of Cambodia's population.

"It is better compared to Facebook," he said of Telegram in a post on Wednesday.

"So from now on I will publish information including live streaming only on Telegram channel," he said, adding that he would still use YouTube and Instagram and was creating a TikTok profile.

The Meta case came after several users reported a January video where Hun Sen said those who accused his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of buying votes in a 2022 local election should file a legal case, or face a beating from CPP's supporters.

Hun Sen has made no comment on the Meta case. Government spokesperson Phay Siphan on Thursday denied knowledge of the case and said the switch to Telegram was made because it was easier to use and could reach more people.

It comes as the country prepares for an election next month in which Hun Sen's ruling CPP faces virtually no opposition, with its main rival dissolved in 2017 over an alleged coup attempt and scores of its members given jail terms or fleeing into exile.

A party formed by its remnants was last month disqualified from running over a paperwork discrepancy, prompting condemnation from activists, who say Hun Sen has systematically weakened independent institutions and has used them to crush his opponents and preserve CPP's political monopoly.

The CPP government has denied that and says its opponents have broken the law.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
Editors note: This story originally incorrectly identified which ship was affected. It was the Abraham Lincoln.

WASHINGTON  Sailors from the crew of aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln extinguished an electrical fire that broke out on the ship around 2 p.m. on June 28, according to the Navy.

Non-essential personnel were evacuated from the ship for a short period, but no one was injured during the event, Cmdr. Zach Harrell, the spokesman for Naval Air Forces, told Defense News.

According to a statement from Harrell, the in-port emergency team aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) responded to an electrical fire in the forward emergency diesel generator compartment.

He said the fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes.

Harrell noted that no foul play is suspected, and an assessment is underway to determine the extent of the damage to the ship.
In case of disaster at ZNPP: training close to reality held in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

A large-scale special civil protection training close to real-case conditions has been held in Zaporizhzhia Oblast to prepare for a possible disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Source: Yurii Malashko, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Details: Herman Halushchenko, the Minister of Energy; Ihor Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; and Serhii Kruk, Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, coordinated the training.

The employees of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, local authorities, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, members of law enforcement agencies and special services were involved in the training.

During the training, they worked out a joint algorithm of actions to quickly contain the possible consequences of the accident at ZNPP and countermeasures to protect civilians.

Malashko reported that a two-stage tactical and practical training gave every participant the opportunity to practise an algorithm of actions. The succession of actions, including the evacuation of vulnerable categories of people, has been coordinated.

Quote: "A precise mechanism for informing the population about the threat and its actions in the case of a real threat has been exercised.

Every institution has shown a high level of preparation and well-coordinated interaction, so we are ready to quickly respond to possible challenges."

Background:

Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Defence Intelligence, is convinced that the plan to blow up the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) by the Russians has been fully developed and approved, and the threat has never been as great as it is now.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russians have developed and approved the scenario of a terrorist attack on the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), and the world attention is insufficient.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Case of Ohio teen strangled to death in a Myrtle Beach area hotel gets national attention

The alleged killer of an Ohio teen who was found strangled to death in a hotel room earlier this month was in court on Thursday.

Natalie Jane Martin, 18, of Roseville, was found dead by Horry County police officers on June 6. Tributes to the 18-year-old and news coverage of her death have flooded social media.

National outlets such as People magazine, Fox News, Daily Mail, Oxygen True Crime and NY Post have all written about the alleged killer  Blake William Linkous, 18, of Blue Rock, Ohio. He was arrested on June 8 by officers and is facing one murder charge.

An Horry County judge granted Linkous a $150,000 surety bond with the condition that he signs a waiver of extradition, remain with his parents on house arrest and have no contact with the victims family according to Horry County Solicitors Office.

Linkous also will have to undergo a mental evaluation before being released on bond.

They were a couple for years

Martin graduated from Philo High School in May. She and Linkous had been a couple for several years until recently, according to a friend.

She was strangled to death at her hotel room on Maison Drive during a senior trip with Linkous.

Ohio teen murdered in SC, and her alleged killer, had just graduated from high school

Jesse Martin and Megan Dingy are listed as Martins parents on an online obituary. Efforts to contact them were unsuccessful.

Natalie lived her life to the fullest with joy, laughter, and love, her obituary says. She brought true happiness to all that knew her.
Makia Green stands outside her Washington home on June 12, 2023. As a Black student who was raised by a single mother, Green believes she benefited from a program that gave preference to students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds when she was admitted over a decade ago to the University of Rochester. (Kevin Wolf/AP)

WASHINGTON  As a Black student who was raised by a single mother, Makia Green believes she benefited from a program that gave preference to students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds when she was admitted over a decade ago to the University of Rochester.

As a borrower who still owes just over $20,000 on her undergraduate student loans, she has been counting on President Joe Bidens promised debt relief to wipe nearly all of that away.

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Now, the student loan cancellation plan could be dismantled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions. Both policies disproportionately help Black students. To Green and many other people of color, the efforts to roll them back reflect a larger backlash to racial progress in higher education.

I feel like working people have been through enough  I have been through enough, said Green, a community organizer. From a pandemic, an uprising, a recession, the cost of living price going up. I deserved some relief.

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The rulings could also have political consequences among a generation of young voters of color who took Biden at his word when he promised to cancel debt, said Wisdom Cole, director of NAACPs youth and college program.

Year after year, we have elected officials, we have advocates, we have different politicos coming to our communities making promises. But now its time to deliver on those promises, he said.

The presidents plan forgives up to $10,000 in federal student debt for borrowers, and doubles the debt relief to $20,000 for borrowers who also received Pell Grants. About half of the average debt held by Black and Hispanic borrowers would be wiped out, according to the White House. Six Republican-led states filed a legal challenge questioning whether the president, a Democrat, has authority to forgive the debt.

In the affirmative action cases, the court was considering the use of race-conscious admissions policies that many selective colleges have used for decades to help build diversity on their campuses. The cases were brought by a conservative activist who argues the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions.

The Rev. Al Sharpton called the ruling against affirmative action a dagger in the back of Black America.

The reality is race plays a factor in admissions, from pre-K to post-doctorate, and institutions just saw their best tool for fairness outlawed, Sharpton said.

The high court is expected to rule in the student loan case on Friday.

Both cases focus on policies that address historic racial disparities in access to higher education, as Black borrowers tend to take on disproportionately more debt to afford college, said Dominique Baker, an education policy professor at Southern Methodist University.

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Backlash to racial progress tends to follow periods of social change and advancement, Baker said. In a study published in 2019, Baker found states were more likely to adopt bans on affirmative action when white enrollment at public flagship universities dropped.

These are policy tools that have an explicit aim around reducing the power of white supremacy, Baker said. The two court challenges, she said, can be seen as linked backlash to two attempts towards racial justice.

Green, who grew up in a low-income household in Harlem, New York, graduated from Rochester with about $40,000 in federal loan debt. Some of that was erased under a public service forgiveness program when she completed two terms with Americorps, and she whittled it down further with monthly installments until the government paused repayment due to the pandemic.

Green said she sees both court cases as connected to conservative attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Critics say opposition to such programs is rooted in questions of fairness and in white grievances over the advancement of nonwhite people.

This is white supremacy at work, Green said. This is a long tactic of conservative, white supremacist-leaning groups to use education and limit Black peoples access to education, as a way to further control and oppress us.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many colleges developed affirmative action plans to address the fact that many predominantly white schools struggled to attract people from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities. Policies were also created to promote greater inclusion of women.

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Since the late 1970s, the Supreme Court has three times upheld affirmative action in college admissions on grounds that institutions have a compelling interest to address past discrimination that shut nonwhite students out of higher learning. Justices have also agreed with arguments that more diverse student bodies promoted cross-racial understanding.

Affirmative action exists because Black people and people of color historically have not been able to rely on colleges, universities, and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, said Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP.

In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality, he said.

Some students and advocates worried how the ruling would affect diversity on campuses.

Tarina Ahuja, a rising senior at Harvard College, said being part of a diverse student body has been a crucial part of her undergraduate experience. She recalled classes where students discussed their lived experiences on topics such as police violence, colonialism and labor movements  discussions that would have fallen flat without a diverse range of student perspectives.

In anticipation of a ruling against race-conscious admissions, some colleges have been considering adding more essays to get a better picture of an applicants background. Others have been planning to boost recruiting in racially diverse areas. But in states that have already banned affirmative action, similar efforts at selective colleges have largely failed to maintain diversity gains.

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Jonathan Loc, a graduate student at Harvard who helped organize teach-ins in support of affirmative action, said that for students of color, its impossible to speak about their lives without mentioning race, whether through hardships faced or simply their pride in their cultural heritage.

I grew up as the son of refugees in a low-income community and a single parent family burdened with the model minority myth, he said. But I think that that kind of narrative also helps me to be an Asian American focused on racial justice, focused on making sure that everyone who has a unique story related to their racial background or any background has that story heard.

It will be important for colleges to find ways to show they see the students as more than a number on paper, said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

We need the schools to say, Look, the court says we cant consider race, but we still see you, said Hewitt, whose organization defended affirmative action before the Supreme Court in October.
Cases of malaria reported in the U.S. from local mosquitoes for 1st time in 20 years

Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District biologist Nadja Reissen examines a mosquito in Salt Lake City, Aug. 26, 2019. | Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

At least five people in the U.S. have become infected with malaria in the last two months  marking the first time people acquired the disease locally in 20 years.

In Florida, at least four people were infected with malaria, while at least one person reported a case of malaria in Texas.

Malaria is caused by several species of parasites transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Those infected with malaria often report experiencing flulike symptoms like nausea, headache fever and chills, and malaria can lead to serious disease and death when left untreated, The New York Times reported.

Malaria is a medical emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alert said.

Health officials have warned doctors to be on the lookout for the infection, especially if they are working in southern states. The five individuals who were diagnosed with the infection have received treatment and are improving, according to The Associated Press.

Florida has called for a mosquito-born illness alert and recommended residents drain standing pools of water, make sure window screens do not have holes in them and use insecticides that contain DEET to repel mosquitoes, Reuters reported.

The state of Texas has also called for a health alert, telling medical professionals to routinely obtain travel history to determine if a patient with symptoms of malaria has spent significant time outside or if they were in a vicinity where they were bitten by mosquitoes, per Reuters.

There are around 2,000 cases of malaria in the U.S. each year, but a large majority of the cases are travelers returning from other countries where malaria is common, per AP News.
Americans age 60 and older can get a single dose of an RSV vaccine following a conversation with their doctor, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Thursday.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, in one of her final acts before leaving her position at the end of the month, officially endorsed the recommendation that an outside advisory panel made last week.

After decades without any RSV shots, there are now two that were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in May one from Pfizer, and one from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The new vaccines are expected to be available this fall, the CDC said.

These vaccines provide an opportunity to help protect older adults against severe RSV illness at a time when multiple respiratory infections are likely to circulate, according to a CDC statement.

RSV circulation is seasonal, typically starting during fall and peaking in winter. The vaccine is expected to be available before the start of the next RSV season.

Both companies last week presented data to a CDC panel showing the single dose remained effective through at least one RSV season. GSK said a single dose worked through two full seasons, explicitly adding that a second dose did not appear to confer any additional efficacy.

In healthy adults and older children, RSV typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms that go away with moderate rest and self-care.

But older adults, including those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and chronic heart and lung disease, are at increased risk of severe RSV illness and drive the majority of RSV hospitalizations.

RSV causes between 60,000 and 160,000 hospitalizations annually for adults older than 65 in the U.S. and 6,000 to 13,000 deaths, according to federal statistics.

Once the vaccines hit the market, accessibility will be a major factor in uptake. GSK said earlier this month it would price its RSV shot within a range of $200 to $295. Pfizer said it could price its shot between $180 to $270, though that was not guaranteed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Wall Street power brokers are hosting a pair of fundraisers for Joe Biden on Thursday in New York, according to people familiar with the plans, as the presidents reelection campaign races to raise as much as it can ahead of a key deadline.

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One event will be co-hosted by Jon Gray, president and COO of the Blackstone Group, and Blair Effron, co-founder of Centerview Partners. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gray has an estimated net worth of $5.4 billion.

Also hosting at the Gray event: Deven Parekh, managing director of Insight Venture Partners; Peter Orszag, who joined Lazard Ltd. after stints at Citigroup Inc. and in government; and Roger Altman, founder of Evercore and a former deputy Treasury secretary.

The other fundraiser, at the Central Park West home of Mark Gallogly and his wife, Lise Strickler, was organized by donors focused on investments and support for actions to address climate change.

Gallogly has White House ties, having served as an adviser to Bidens climate team and as a member of President Barack Obamas economic recovery advisory board. He has worked at Blackstone Group and co-founded the investment firm Centerbridge Partners. In 2015, Gallogly and Strickler co-founded Three Cairns Group.

Dana Wechsler Linden, a journalist and author, is also one of the co-hosts for the Gallogoly event.

Biden, who formally announced in April that he would seek reelection in 2024, has picked up the pace this month on attracting campaign money as the end of the fundraising quarter approaches Friday. Campaign aides have declined to say how much he has raised at recent fundraisers, which included events in Chicago, the Washington suburbs, and California.

Advisers hope Bidens fundraising haul will provide a boost for the campaign, strengthening their argument that there is deep enthusiasm for his reelection bid.

Polling has shown lukewarm support for Biden seeking a second term, with voters concerned about his age and fitness. At 80, he is already the oldest president in US history.

Biden has begun using a machine for continuous positive airway pressure therapy, or CPAP, Bloomberg first reported Wednesday. The White House later confirmed the president has been using the device to address sleep apnea.

Read more: Biden Has Begun Using CPAP Machine to Aid With Sleep Apnea

Biden also made headlines this week when he slipped up twice in a 24-hour period by confusing the US war in Iraq with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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Chance to challenge 2020 census numbers is ending, with funding for states and cities at stake

FILE - People recite an oath during a naturalization ceremony Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in San Diego. Population estimates released Thursday, June 22, 2023, by the U.S. Census Bureau show what drove changes in different race and ethnic groups last year, as well as since the start of COVID-19's spread in the U.S. in April 2020. The United States had grown to 333.2 million people by the middle of last year, a 0.4% increase over the previous year, according to the 2022 population estimates. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The window for local, state and tribal governments to challenge their 2020 census figures closes after Friday, and with it the opportunity to correct mistakes in population totals that could cost them millions of dollars in federal funding.

As of this week, almost 160 challenges had been filed through two programs the U.S. Census Bureau started to give governments opportunities to appeal their population totals. Those 2020 census figures help determine how $2.8 trillion in federal government spending is distributed each year.

Some cities like Brookhaven, Georgia, found out this month that their challenge was successful. Officials in the city of more than 57,000 residents in metro Atlanta said new parcels were annexed in late 2019 but the 1,200 residents living in them weren't counted toward the city's figures during the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident, which started three months later.

The U.S. Census Bureau conceded the error, a victory Brookhaven city officials estimate will be worth $10 million in funding streams over this decade.

"This final action ensures that all of Brookhavens residents were indeed counted as our own, Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst said two weeks ago after receiving a letter from Census Bureau Director Robert Santos confirming the numbers were being revised.

Dozens of other cities like Las Vegas still have their cases pending. Officials in Nevada's largest city, with more than 656,000 residents, believe the census missed two homeless shelters with under 1,000 residents during the count.

Group quarters  including homeless shelters, dorms and prisons  were among the most difficult to count as campuses closed and prisons and nursing homes were locked down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincided with the start of the 2020 census. The Census Bureau created a separate program to handle these challenges.

Other cities, like Milwaukee, are still awaiting an answer despite filing their challenges many months ago. Milwaukee officials in a challenge filed last December said 16,500 residents were overlooked in houses and apartments, primarily in communities of color. The 2020 census put Wisconsin's largest city at 577,222 residents, down about 3% from 2010.

City spokesperson Jonathan Fera said in an email that there was no frustration" surrounding the delay and that Milwaukee will continue to await a response from the U.S. Census Bureau."

Milwaukee succeeded with another, separate claim that more than 800 jail inmates were missed, part of a challenge organized with other Wisconsin municipalities.

While any changes to the numbers after a successful challenge will be applied to population estimates used for the rest of the decade in determining federal funding, they can't be used to change how many congressional seats each state was allotted during the apportionment process nor for the data used for redrawing political districts.

A final tally on the success of challenges won't be known for several months because of the pending cases. The 2020 census put the U.S. population at 331.4 million residents.

It will take several months to complete processing and to notify those who have submitted a challenge, the Census Bureau said Wednesday.

Challenges to 2020 census numbers were less frequent than the nearly 250 requests made for 2010 census figures  a surprise given the hurdles the most recent count faced.

The 2020 census was one of the most difficult in recent memory. Its start coincided with the U.S. spread of the coronavirus in spring 2020, but census-takers during the home-visits phase also contended with wildfires in the West and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast. Some advocates also believe the Trump administration's failed efforts to add a citizenship question and keep people in the U.S. illegally from being counted for apportionment dissuaded some from participating.

Some cities waited until the last minute to ask for a review of their numbers. Marquette, Michigan, located on the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula, filed a challenge that only was received by the Census Bureau on Monday. Officials in the city of more than 20,700 residents believe 1,000 students living in dorms and other student housing at Northern Michigan University were missed, an oversight that could cost the city $70,000 in state revenue sharing.

We watched the process play out in other places and chose to take advantage of it when we did, said Sean Hobbins, assistant city manager. It wasnt like we were trying to run up against the deadline.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP
The more we learn about the war in Ukraine, the more we come to know that drones will play an increasingly important role on the modern battlefield. But how is the U.S. military thinking about what role these aircraft might play in future wars? When paired with modern sensors, could they offer an asymmetric advantage in future competitions?

To help answer these questions and many others, we spoke to Clint Hinote, a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force. For the last several years, Hinote has led a team of Air Force officers with the goal of solving the problem of projecting air power in the Pacific. Early in our conversation, Hinote summarized more than a decades worth of experiences in trying to fight against Chinas military in the Western Pacific: Not only were we losing the wargames, we were losing the wargames faster.

He has, he told us, made it his mission to bring the losing to an end.

Hinote described for us the breakthrough thinking on ways in which old and new technology can be brought together to frustrate any attempts China might make to invade nearby territory, especially Taiwan. He described the need for a truly joint command-and-control system  not as a system with separate nodes for Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps forces, but one that uses a mixture of air and naval forces, including submarines. Drones  relatively inexpensive drones  are an important new element that could complicate Chinas invasion plans. In the simulations that Hinote has conducted, drones play an especially important role.

If fielded at low cost and in high numbers, drones present China with a dilemma that Hinote and other specialists believe Beijing could not effectively counter. Swarmed with such drones, China might be forced to ignore the cheapest, smallest ones, which would let them operate in a contested battlespace, providing surveillance and targeting solutions for other weapons-delivery platforms  both air and sea  in the vicinity. Or China could engage the relatively inexpensive and numerous drones with relatively more expensive  and limited  defense systems to try to destroy them.

Either way, as Hinote put it, they either have to expend very expensive missiles to shoot them down, or they have to suffer the consequences of whatever theyre doing. This is a problem U.S. military planners know all too well: If it takes expensive weapons to destroy inexpensive targets, you are on the losing end of the cost curve with every target that is exchanged.

For decades, American military strategists have worried that U.S. adversaries were far better at imposing costs on us than we were on them. For over two decades, insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan used improvised roadside bombs to kill and maim U.S. forces. Countering these efforts came at considerable cost, and still does: In 2021, in the final days of U.S. troop involvement in Afghanistan, 13 American service members were killed by a bomb  an extraordinary loss.

Thinking about cost-imposing strategies is a favorite pursuit of Hinotes. A centerpiece of one of his ideas is what the Air Force calls low-cost attritable aircraft technology, or LCAAT. These are relatively small, cheap and expendable drones. Hinote has been running simulations with researchers at Rand Corp. that deploy LCAATs in a mesh network, which can be used to identify and destroy targets while they saturate the airspace. Even when a link the chain is broken  an LCAAT is destroyed  the network remains.

One idea out of these simulations is to use LCAATs to watch shipping traffic in the Taiwan Strait. We might think of these drones  laden as they are with off-the-shelf, mass-produced sensors  as flying iPhones. An invasion of Taiwan would have to come via ships  warships  and the best way to know if an invasion is coming is to see the ships on the move. The best way to do that is to have lots of small, inexpensive drones flying over the strait, talking to each other and sending signals back to aircraft, submarines and ships that have the weapons needed to destroy the warships.

A figure of a soldier stands in a historic fort in Lieyu, an outlying island of Kinmen that is the closest point between Taiwan and China. Kinmen is located in the Taiwan Strait and is part of the country's territory. (An Rong Xu/Getty Images)

The drones would be so small and light that they could be sent aloft with bottle rockets and cost around $500,000 apiece. The missiles China would need to use to destroy them cost a few million dollars each  a viable cost-imposing strategy.

When we talked to Hinote about what it would take to put a system of LCAATs into place, he was more circumspect. He gave us the sense that there was momentum moving in the right direction, but he was not sure change would come fast enough. This type of change, he told us, is going to be pretty radical, certainly from the military point of view, and there is not yet a sense of urgency at all levels to align around that level of change.

What Hinote wants is a plan. While we wont know for some time whether Hinote and his many colleagues in the Air Force have seized on exactly the right idea, what we do know is this: He wants to bring the losing to an end, and LCAATs might well be part of the way to do that.

Andrew Hoehn, the senior vice president for research and analysis at the think tank Rand, formerly served as a strategist for the U.S. Defense Department. Thom Shanker, the director of the Project for Media and National Security at George Washington University, previously reported and edited for The New York Times. This commentary was adapted from their book Age of Danger: Keeping America Safe in an Era of New Superpowers, New Weapons, and New Threats.
DONETSK OBLAST  Moscow has fought bitterly to avoid giving up control over the lands it conquered over the centuries  and made many enemies in the process.

Now, as Russia is leading yet another war of conquest, in Ukraine, many of those enemies have joined Ukrainians on the battlefield to fight their common foe, Russia.

Many came from the region where Russia had fought its most recent wars before Ukraine  the Caucasus. Hence the presence of units like the Georgian Legion, as well as the Chechen battalion named after 18th century Chechen warlord and folk hero, Sheikh Mansur.

Aslan Ocherkhadzhiev, 43, a Chechen veteran who lives in Norway, says he came to Ukraine to get a shot at the old enemy that crushed his people in the Chechen wars, and denied them an independent state.

We lost our independence as a result of this battle, he said. And this dream of independence lived on in me, as it lived on in many Chechen people who ended up in Europe and other countries.

Ocherkhadzhiev welcomes the Kyiv Independent at a mosque near one of the front-line towns in Donetsk Oblast. Some of his fellows from the Sheikh Mansur battalion are around as well. Their vehicles, including armored ones, are parked outside. They appear well equipped, with high-quality, well-maintained weapons.

Ocherkhadzhiev is tall and broad-framed, sporting a long beard with traces of graying. Hes missing the middle finger on his right hand, something that doesnt seem to affect the strong grip of his handshake.

The battalion, which may be closer in strength to a regiment, gets its name from a religious and military leader who sought to prevent Russian Empress Catherine the Great's imperial expansion into the Caucasus during the late 1700s. Mansur is remembered for uniting the Caucasus against Russians growing presence.

When Russia sent troops after him, he declared holy war against the empire. After fighting the Russians for years, he was captured and taken to Russia where he died in prison.

Russia subsequently fought the peoples of the Caucasus over more than 60 years. It eventually annexed the regions that would become Chechnya and Ingushetia, a territory over which the Soviet Union would retain control. In 1991, a push towards more independence in part of this region began under the helm of Dzhokhar Dudayev. Another Chechen battalion fighting in Ukraine is named after him.

Russia comes to the brink of civil war: How we got here and what it means Visually, the scene was a familiar one. Russian armored vehicles emblazoned with the Z logo in the central streets of a once peaceful city, masked soldiers standing at key intersections, and confrontational conversations with bemused local civilians. But this wasnt a Ukrainian city in the first da The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Ocherkhadzhiev has seen some prison time as well, along with a litany of tribulations in Chechnya. He speaks in a clear but low, almost melancholic Russian as he recounts his past. He first joined an Islamic battalion as a young man after the first Chechen war began in 1994.



He was more active in the second war that hit the lawless area in 1999, the year Vladimir Putin became president of Russia. An incursion by Chechen fighters into Dagestan and a series of apartment bombings in Russia were used as Moscows casus belli.

The Russian government blamed Chechens for the bombings, but some blamed Russias FSB, the secret service, which used to be headed by Putin. His strongman reaction to the bombings as prime minister won him the presidency months later.

"Unfortunately I had to experience a lot," Ocherkhadzhiev said of his years in Chechnya. "A lot of death, a lot of mutilated people. I was wounded too.

He says he lost his finger in the year 2000, when he was trying to take down Russian armor in a gorge known locally as the Maw of the Wolf.

I saw prisons, he continues. When I was in Grozny, I was very ill and they arrested me."

He says he was tortured and forced to confess to terrorism, which he denies engaging in. After spending three years in prison, he was released, then arrested and re-imprisoned shortly, for a total of over five years behind bars.

Ocherkhadzhiev escaped Chechnya a few years after getting out of prison. Since then, Russia has put out new accusations against him, alleging that he was involved in the murders of police officers and military personnel, which he denies.

Eventually, he made his way to Norway, where his family, including his five sons, now lives. Though hes built a livelihood in Norway, he came to Ukraine at the invitation of the Sheikh Mansur Battalion, he says. While his arrival was much more recent, the battalion's been around since 2014, fighting Russian invasion of Ukraine since its beginning.

The Sheikh Mansur Battalion consists mostly of veterans from both Chechen wars against Russia, mainly ethnic Chechens, but there are other nationalities. Most are Muslim but Ocherkhadzhiev said there are people of other faiths as well.

We dont divide people by religion and nationality, thats one of our principles, he said. The units many muslims follow the ordinary traditions like prayer, but there is nothing radical involved, according to Ocherkhadzhiev.

A group of volunteer fighters from the Sheikh Mansur Battalion pose in Donetsk Oblast in June 2023. (Courtesy)

Aslan said the battalion doesn't get any financial support from the Ukrainian government, relying instead on volunteers and donors, who include Ukrainians and Chechens. While the unit coordinates with Ukraines regular military, it does not take orders from it.

One of the reasons the unit works well is because the fighters know each other and have come to work well together like a well-oiled machine. It contains several companies and special tactical groups for special operations. Besides training Ukrainians, these formations participated in some of the hottest spots in the war, such as the outskirts of Bakhmut.

The Ukrainian military had envisioned Bakhmut as a choke to inflict severe attrition on Russian forces, primarily composed of Wagner mercenaries backed by airborne troops along that axis. Ocherkhadzhiev described how the shrinking city territory controlled by Ukrainians allowed Russian Wagner Group to bring more and more overwhelming artillery to bear.

"Even though (Wagner leader Yevgeny) Prigozhin acted out, yelling give me ammo, give me ammo, there was no actual ammo hunger," says Ocherkhadzhiev. "The problem was, they used six times more ammo than is tactically and academically called for. They just buried the Ukrainians in shells. And in these conditions, the Ukrainians still defended."



"Now, everythings changed," he says. "Now, the territory has opened up again and they have to defend the whole front, they have to defend the flanks, they have to defend Luhansk Oblast  to control this huge line will be a very difficult challenge for Russia."



He echoes the words of other soldiers that artillery fire between Russians and Ukrainians is approaching parity, especially given that Ukrainians are more likely to strike at individual targets while Russians tend to try to saturate an entire grid square.

But the one enemy the Sheikh Mansur Battalion hasnt faced in battle is other Chechens, the ones working for Russia and loyal to Putins pocket warlord Ramzan Kadyrov. Throughout the full-scale invasion, they became infamous for being more active on social media than the battlefield.

We havent run into them, Ocherkhadzhiev says. We were on the zero line, the first and second lines, while they were somewhere on the third or fifth, far away, he said. Instawarriors. Sometimes they got lost and blundered into capture or died under artillery.

Still, the brutality towards civilians and mass looting allegedly committed by Kadyrovs fighters earned them a foul reputation.



It doesnt feel good for the pro-Ukrainian fighters to know that when many people in the world open the news and read the word Chechen, they probably picture Kadyrovites or the Akhmat force, which are both fighting or pretending to fight for Russia.

Well, yes, Ocherkhadzhiev says. A huge government propaganda machine of the Russian empire works to create this image of these radical Chechen evildoers who attacked Ukraine, create the image that theyre some kind of independent allies for Russia.



We all understand that theyre military service members of Russia. Russias police. These are not independent people.

How do we see it? Yeah, its unpleasant for us, but from our side, we stand against it, he continues. We are volunteers who get no paycheck, no material motivation. We came here from quiet, measured lives, to risk our lives and I think that this must show the world that when Chechens are truly independent, they pick this side.



Note from the author:

Hi, this is Igor Kossov, I hope you enjoyed reading my article.

I consider it a privilege to keep you informed about one of this century's greatest tragedies, Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. With the help of my colleagues, I will continue to bring you in-depth insights into Ukraine's war effort, its international impacts, and the economic, social, and human cost of this war. But I cannot do it without your help. To support independent Ukrainian journalists, please consider becoming our patron. Thank you very much.
Illustration by Ryan Olbrysh

Illustration by Ryan Olbrysh

I was 18, fresh out of high school working at one of the most exciting jobs a teenager could geta lot porter at a Chevrolet dealership. This was post-bailout, new GM, which was in full swing circa 2011. The crappy Cobalts and Cavaliers of yore gave way to the mighty fine and very competent Cruze and Sonic. The Camaro was out, and the Ferrari-chasing C7 was just over the horizonit seemed like GM was finally firing on all cylinders here. It had a nifty little new car on the market, the Chevrolet Volt, that promised to out Prius the Prius. It was a plug-in hybrid marketed as compromise-free EV, in an era where the Model S was pie-in-the-sky vaporware, and the Nissan Leaf was a city-only affair.



But, as much as GM seemed to hit all the right notes, it didnt feel like its clientele understood what the hell was going on. I remember a customer that came in for a mild mechanical issue with his Chevy Volt, and I was assigned to truck him back to work, in the company courtesy shuttle. Excitedly, I asked him, Oh, do you charge your volt? How far can you go on a charge?



Oh, I dont really charge that thing. Its not worth it, I dont think. So, aside from his initial charge from the vehicles first purchase, he drove the Volt like a regular hybrid car, and its theoretical near-infinite 230 MPG (that got GM terrible press) was never realized. I was dumbfounded that someone had paid $40,000 in 2011-era dollars for such a high-tech piece of transportation and still couldnt be bothered to use it correctly. I shrugged it off, figuring it was just one dumb guy. Surely the trend of plug-ins not being plugged in wouldnt stick.

Kevin Williams

Unfortunately, I didnt realize how prescient that Volt owner was until more than a decade later when I fell into a used Chevy Volt of my own.

I stumbled upon my derelict 2015 Chevy Volt the same way I do all my other unloved and misunderstood cars: Facebook Marketplace. The car was non-running, yet in good physical shape suggesting an owner who probably cared at least a little.

The Volt was such a cutting-edge vehicle. A complicated hybrid system with a trick transmission produced for it (and its overpriced but stylish twin the Cadillac ELR) allowed the compact sedan to get 38 miles of full-electric power. Once depleted, it still returned 40 mpg. Given that the average American only drives 37 miles per day, the Volts range should have been enough to placate the vast majority of drivers. Even 10 years after the Volts contentious introduction, automakers havent been able to better the Volts all-electric range when compared to the Volts battery size.

Kevin Williams

But, outside of the electric range, the Volts real trump card was how easy it was to drive. It had an ace up its sleeve. The Volt's primary large electric motor (MGB) can be assisted by the electric motor generator (MGA). The MGA is connected to the internal combustion engine via a clutch, and the computer can easily alter the power input split between MGB and MGA, or MGA when completely clutched to the ICE. Therefore, the ICE could generate electricity, or directly drive the wheels if needed. The result was a powertrain that had nearly identical performance numbers whether it was in EV or hybrid mode. Switching from one mode to another was seamless, automatic, and unnoticeable. It flew in the face of comparable PHEVs of the time. A similar vintage BMW i3 REx is positively hateful to drive when its gas engine is running. The vehicle will be limited to however fast its onboard scooter-derived two-cylinder engine can sustain the vehicles (now limited) rate of electric draw.

Chevy really had something here. But, I suspect that the Volts biggest strength was also a curse. The Volt was so easy to use in hybrid mode that for many there was no real incentive to plug the thing in. The Volt was perfectly usable like any other regular car when not plugged in.

When I finally got my broken Volt to power on, its lifetime fuel economy rating showed a dismal 25.6 MPG. It had driven at least 1,200 miles on gas power since its last charge. Two different developer tools, an OBDII dongle, and an old Google Pixel Phone informed me that my Volt had only done a mere 50 charge cycles in its 138,000-mile lifetime. Even if we generously round up to 40 miles average per EV charge, that would mean only 2,000 of the Volts 138,000 miles had been done on full electric power. The low average fuel economy told me that the Volt had been driven hard, solely in hybrid mode.

Kevin Williams

Still, PHEVs and EVs have become far more mainstream since the Volts introduction in 2011. The idea that a vehicle can, should, or needs to be plugged in isnt much of a novelty anymore. Public charging stations are more common now than ever, and parts stores have started selling cheap EVSE car chargers that cost about as much as a pair of Birkenstocks.

But, have people learned their lesson? Uh, the jury is kind of out, depending on who you ask.

In January, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) published a study that PHEV buyers arent using their cars like theyre advertised. They collected data from Fuelly.com and the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) to examine how far PHEVs were driving with the engine off.

Kevin Williams

The study found that drivers use electric mode 26 to 56 percent less often than assumed in EPA calculation. Thus, because these cars are driving in gas or hybrid mode more often, real-world fuel consumption will be 42 to 67 percent higher.



The study goes on to cite that until recently, lots of PHEVs and EVs were purchased by well-to-do early adopters and, essentially, tech geeks who were invested in using the car as advertised. They wanted to plug the car in, they made sure they had the infrastructure at home, and theyd get the maximum use out of the cars fully electric abilities.



Now, these cars are making their way to second owners and folks who arent necessarily all that interested in the tech. For someone on a budget, a PHEV may seem indistinguishable from a regular hybrid car and has more utility than a low-range EV of the same price. A cheap EV, like a Leaf or i-MiEV, may go further on electric power, but the Volt has a larger range in total and doesnt necessarily need to be plugged in for it to function as a vehicle.

Kevin Williams

By comparison, the Strong Plug-In Hybrid EV Coalition (SPHEV) , cites a UC Davis study and insists that PHEV owners who dont plug in are just a myth. The study says that on average most PHEV drivers are plugging in, yet the UC Davis study did not install loggers in vehicles that were used as hybrids or charged less than 4 times per month. UC Davis said that about 6 percent of Volt owners surveyed didnt plug in at all, but UC Davis also admits that a selection bias inherent in the surveys criteria is likely severely underrepresenting the amount of PHEV owners who regularly plug in. Drivers like the ones who nearly never plugged in my Volt, for instance, were totally absent.



Theres no really good way to fix PHEV utilization, but there are a few theories. Many in Europe suggest canceling PHEVs entirely and instead focusing on selling and driving full EVs. That seems drastic, especially since the EV war hasnt yielded the mythical 300-mile $25,000 car yet. For now, PHEVs will likely be a great solution to reduce consumption, while still having the utility afforded by a regular car.



At the end of ICCTs study, the group insisted that there are a few ways that manufacturers and regulators can work together to get people to use their PHEVs correctly. Studies in Europe and some evidence from Chevy Volt usage in the United States indicate that reducing engine power can reduce fuel consumption and increase [the number of miles driven on electric power], remarked the study. Essentially, manufacturers should refocus the vehicle so that its electric assist is the primary focus of the vehicles motivation. Like, making the electric motor bigger than the gas motor, so the gas engine would act more as a range extender rather than a primary motivator for the car. This was the whole concept behind the BMW i3, although its terrible performance in range-extending mode is unfortunate. Balance is key.

Kevin Williams

Or, legislating PHEV range minimums so buyers dont feel like theyre wasting their money by paying extra for a car that has minimal electric range. The SPHEV supports legislation mandating the minimum PHEV range be at least 50 miles. Thats supported by the UC Davis study; PHEVs that can go further are more often used in EV range mode.



Another option is just making it easy to charge up every day. Because the Volt is now at a home that has access to charging, the Volts engine is used sparingly. The lifetime fuel economy has increased to 26.3 MPG and Ive averaged more than 81 MPG over 2000 miles. It's paying off. At my current electricity rates the Volt only costs about $0.90 to recharge at home.

Whatever the case, we should have given the Chevy Volt its flowers. It was so good that people didnt even use it as it was intended, and drivers didnt notice. It got the idea of PHEVs into the mainstream, and now everyone wants one. Even if they dont know how to use them.

Hearst Owned

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Chicago Board of Ed renews CPD contract for school resource officers, but that doesnt account for all the police in CPS schools

The Chicago Board of Education approved a $10.3 million contract with the Police Department Wednesday to post school resource officers in about a quarter of district high schools in the coming school year. The vote came amid renewed scrutiny over the presence of law enforcement in schools and over who should decide if the cops are welcome.

But the 57 school resource officers funded by the new contract dont encompass the full scope of the Police Departments footprint in Chicago Public Schools.

Active law enforcement officers have been hired as part-time CPS school security officers since at least 2018, according to the districts contract with Service Employees International Union Local 73. The contract, which expires Friday, stipulates that new part-time security hires must have the legal authority to effectuate an arrest.

Both parties will be working to address this in ongoing contract negotiations, SEIU spokesperson Eric Bailey told the Tribune.

But, as of Wednesday, being an active, sworn Chicago Police Officer remained a requirement of a job listing for a part-time security officer (off-duty police) thats been posted on CPS website since January. The position is described as the first line of defense to defuse and de-escalate student misconduct and/or serious incidents.

CPS currently employs 62 part-time security officers and maintains an additional pool of people who have been vetted and trained to fill in as part-time security officers, the district told the Tribune in emailed statements Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

Ahead of Wednesdays vote renewing the CPD agreement, Board of Education member Elizabeth Todd-Breland asked CPS Security Chief Jadine Chou about the districts use of sworn CPD officers as part-time security personnel. That eligibility requirement will be removed, Chou said, though a new SEIU contract has not been finalized.

Cassie Creswell is a CPS parent and former chair of the Jones College Prep Local School Council, which voted to remove its school resource officers.

Thats really worrisome, to potentially have someone whos essentially CPD working in the building and the school community doesnt necessarily even know, Creswell told the Tribune. We have definitely seen off-duty officers do some dangerous and harmful things.

In April 2022, federal court records show, CPS paid a $50,000 settlement to the mother of a McCutcheon Elementary School student who alleged her son was dragged down a hallway in 2020, when he was 4, by an off-duty CPD officer working as a CPS security guard. In December 2022, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability sustained a complaint that a CPD officer working as a security guard at Ashe Elementary School in 2018 used egregious force without justification against a student who was 8, resulting in a yearlong suspension of the officer by the Police Board.

Aside from school resource officers, CPS said its full-time security officers are civilian staff members (non-law enforcement). And though the Tribune found six full-time security officers in CPS employee roster whose first names, middle initials and last names match those of CPD officers listed in the city worker database, CPS said none of the six security officers are employed by the Police Department.

The district also said in a statement that CPS prioritizes the safety of its students and staff and remains committed to continuing to authentically engage with students, parents, staff and community members to design school safety plans that promote physical and emotional safety for all students and staff.

Following racial justice protests prompted by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020, vocal groups of CPS students demanded the district nullify its then-$33 million CPD contract. CPS instead reduced the contract by half and granted Local School Councils the ability to vote to keep or remove resource officers. The district has since partnered with five community-based organizations in its Whole School Safety planning process to guide Local School Councils through the annual voting process.

Among the 72 schools that voted in 2020, 17 opted to remove their school resource officers and 55 voted to keep them. The number of schools with school resource officers has slowly dwindled with annual voting in the years since.

The local councils of 40 schools, with either one or two school resource officers, voted this year. The LSC at Marshall High School voted to remove both officers and the Austin College and Career Academy LSC voted to remove one.

We are continuing to reduce or remove police presence in our schools, continuing our relationship with the Chicago Police Department, which were very thankful for, but also most importantly, were continuing to partner with the five community-based organizations, Chou said at board committee meeting last week.

Among schools that have voted to keep SROs, Chou said shes received feedback that they have played a role in helping to stabilize the safety of the community that theyre serving, without perpetuating racial disparities. Data of school-based arrests CPS released in 2020 showed the overwhelming majority, 73%, involved Black students, who accounted for only 36% of students.

Chou and Mayor Brandon Johnson have both recently cited the need for SRO decisions to stem from engagement of local school communities. Other advocates, including Creswell, whos the director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, have pressed CPS to make a centralized decision, as some other large school systems have done.

Its not really something that should be left up to the schools to decide, because its clear what the good and supported policy is: Its not to have armed officers in schools, said Creswell, citing the lack of evidence that police improve school safety. I would like to see this new administration give up on that bad strategy, especially because financially, schools are not being given one-to-one resources. The average funding for a single school resource officer, in the newly approved $10.3 million contract, surpasses the amount of trade-in funds to hire alternative safety personnel, such as restorative justice coordinators, she said.

As a mayoral candidate, Johnson responded to a Sun-Times/WBEZ questionnaire that armed officers have no place in schools in communities already struggling with over-incarceration, criminalization, profiling and mistrust. But last week he said the placement of an SRO is a budgetary decision that ultimately will come down to whether or not a Local School Council believes thats the best pathway forward for students development.

The boards new honorary student member Katelynn Shaw, a rising junior at Kenwood Academy High School, spoke up on the issue at her first board meeting Wednesday. We do see a lot of abuse when it comes to SROs, Shaw said. Going to an 86% Black school, I see the relationship between SROs and students and where we can have those changes.

A couple other CPS students, affiliated with the districts community-based organization partners, also spoke alongside Chou at the board meeting Wednesday, encouraging the district to continue involving students in the decision-making process.

smacaraeg@chicagotribune.com
The city of Chicago has spent more than $100 million to provide help and services to the thousands of migrants who have arrived in Chicago from south of the U.S. border since last August, mostly on personnel costs, officials said Wednesday.

The cost breakdown came during a hearing run by the City Council Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which also voted to hold monthly meetings on the topic moving forward. Of the $101.3 million, $72.6 million was spent on staffing the migrant shelters that are run by the city but rely on outside nonprofits for day-to-day operations.

The next biggest buckets of migrant services funding: The city spent $10.6 million to house asylum-seekers outside of the shelters, $9.1 million on food, $4.1 million on facility maintenance, $4 million on rental assistance, $600,000 on legal services and $250,000 on transportation of the new arrivals.

Wednesdays committee meeting was the first time such specific numbers were released by the city since Chicagos migrant crisis began 10 months ago, when the first busload of asylum-seekers departed from Texas under the direction of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Since then, more than 10,500 new arrivals have come to the city, prompting tense debates among local officials and communities over how to best help the migrants while working with limited resources.

Mayor Brandon Johnsons deputy chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, spoke on behalf of his administration during the hearing, where she attempted to cast their efforts as an extension of the citys ethos as a sanctuary city that welcomes all.

Chicago is where its at. Were leading the nation in this work, Pacione-Zayas told aldermen. Granted, we dont have the numbers like New York, but were not shutting our doors. Were doubling down. And so I think we have an opportunity to demonstrate that if Chicago gets it right, it can happen anywhere in the world. Thats our objective.

Currently, almost 5,000 new arrivals are living inside city-run shelters, with 650 more waiting inside Chicago police stations for new spots to open up. That is a substantial increase from the 400 migrants who were inside police stations last week, but still down by hundreds compared with earlier last month, when alarm over their living conditions reached a fever pitch. Less than 200 of the asylum-seekers have found permanent housing, with more than 400 awaiting move-in after signing leases.

There are currently a dozen shelters operating in buildings spanning the city: Wright College in Dunning, the former Wadsworth Elementary in Woodlawn, The Standard Club in the Loop, Inn of Chicago on the Near North Side, Leone Beach field house in Rogers Park, Piotrowski Park in South Lawndale, Brands Park in Avondale, North Park Village in North Park, the YMCA in West Ridge, Young Womens Leadership Charter School in Douglas, Daley College in Ford City and the Gage Park field house in Gage Park. Some of those buildings were shuttered until being converted to migrant housing; others were not.

Johnsons administration is considering five more shelters, according to a memo distributed Friday. The Community Justice Center in Burnside, operated by the Cook County states attorney, is slated to see up to 200 migrants move in as early as mid-July pending repairs. The former Marine Corps Reserve Center in Budlong Woods is awaiting appraisal & environmental assessment amid plans to host up to 1,000 people there, and a former CVS in Little Village will tentatively open its doors to up to 270 migrants in mid-July.

Meanwhile, Johnsons team is in discussion with Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, for Taylor Park in Bronzeville as a potential site housing up to 500 new arrivals. The same goes for Broadway Armory in Uptown, which falls in Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworths ward, for up to 500 migrants.

Previous plans for migrant facilities  at South Shore High School, Calumet High School, Dett Elementary School and Hope House  are on hold, the memo says.

The document also notes the 30-day limit for migrants staying at city shelters has been paused until a new policy can be put in place that aligns with resettlement resources we are working to bring online.

However, Chicago continues to struggle with how it will find the money required to continue temporarily housing and then resettling the migrants. The bulk of the $101.3 million spent so far comes from the citys own coffers, mostly via a $51 million appropriation last month from a previous years budget surplus.

The city also designated $12 million in its 2023 budget toward migrant services and diverted another $4 million from its emergency rental assistance program. The non-city funding sources were $30 million from the state and $4.3 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but Chicago recently was awarded another $20 million from the state and $10.6 million from FEMA.

Amid the money woes, Johnsons administration has also contended with reports of moldy food and other poor living conditions at the city shelters, which he responded to by blaming Abbott and other Republican governors of border states, as well as his predecessor Lori Lightfoot, for allowing the need in Chicago to become this acute.

Im certainly aware of the challenges that I inherited, and this is why Ive made it a part of my everyday focus to make sure that we are decompressing the police stations and that we are providing a pathway to sustainable existence and living in the city of Chicago, Johnson said at an unrelated news conference last week.

Lightfoot did catch flak from aldermen throughout the final months of her tenure over what they said were communication mishaps regarding the placement of shelters in their ward, but strife over the government response has continued to bubble with Johnson running City Hall. That has lately included more pointed criticism at Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Joe Biden over shortchanging the city on funding and more.

Pritzker on Tuesday answered a question about the Biden administrations slow pace of processing asylum applications by also blaming inhumane governors in Florida and Texas while contrasting Johnsons early leadership of the situation with that of Lightfoots.

Look, I think the city of Chicago is today doing a great deal more than it was several months ago even to address the migrant crisis, Pritzker said. There are many more people who are getting shelter through the city of Chicago as a result of the work being done under this new administration than had been done before.
As China crests second Covid wave, families still mourn victims of the first one

Even as China declares its second Covid wave over, families both inside and outside China are still grappling with the trauma from the first one.

The governments abrupt lifting of zero-Covid restrictions in December unleashed the coronavirus on a population that had barely been exposed to it, with cases peaking in the days before Christmas. After three years of minimal infections, everyone seemed to be getting Covid at once.

For a woman who lives in the U.S., Christmas Eve was interrupted by the news that her mother  who, along with her father, had been stranded in China since the start of the pandemic  had tested positive for Covid. Her mother, 87, died at a hospital in a northern Chinese city as the U.S. was waking up on Christmas morning.

It was totally surreal, said the woman, who requested anonymity for fear of repercussions for herself and for relatives both inside and outside China. The government has jailed or silenced critics of its coronavirus response, and international criticism of Chinas handling of Covid has contributed to its declining relations with the U.S. and other countries.

Though her mothers death came at the height of Chinas worst outbreak of the pandemic, it does not appear to have been counted as being related to Covid.

China's Hospitals Under Pressure Due To COVID-19 (Kevin Frayer / Getty Images file)

According to the World Health Organization, China has reported fewer than 122,000 Covid-related deaths among its 1.4 billion population, most of them in the two months after the government ended its zero-Covid restrictions on Dec. 7 following rare mass unrest. The U.S., by comparison, has reported more than 1.1 million Covid deaths in a population of about 330 million.

Estimates of Chinas Covid deaths by researchers in the U.S. and elsewhere are vastly higher. According to modeling by Zhanwei Du of the University of Hong Kong and Lauren Ancel Meyers of the University of Texas at Austin, Covid may have killed more than 1.4 million people in China from Dec. 16 to Jan. 19  or more deaths in a single month than the U.S. has recorded throughout the pandemic.

The official figures may be lower for a number of reasons, Du said, including Chinas relatively narrow definition of Covid deaths and the fact that only deaths in hospitals were counted. The explosion in cases, which Chinese officials say peaked around Dec. 22 with more than 7 million new infections a day, also coincided with a steep drop-off in testing.

If people die without testing positive, they will not be counted as Covid-19 deaths  especially in villages, because they have limited ways to do that, Du said.

Chinese social media users questioned the official numbers, pointing to a series of reported celebrity deaths and a spike in obituaries of prominent academics. Though the causes of death for such high-profile figures were rarely specified, public suspicions were raised by the timing, as well as personal experiences.

Almost everybody we talked to knew somebody who passed away from Covid, the woman who lost her mother said.

China Covid Wuhan (Hector Retamal / AFP via Getty Images file)

Chinese officials say the country is past the peak of its second wave, which began this spring and was much smaller than the first one. In a report on June 11, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that from May 1 to 31, there were almost 2,800 severe cases and 164 deaths, mostly among older people with underlying conditions. It did not provide overall case numbers.

Airfinity, an independent forecaster based in Britain, had estimated that Chinas second wave would peak in early June at 11 million cases per week, with 112 million people infected overall and 629,000 deaths. That is far lower than an earlier prediction by Chinese respiratory health specialist Zhong Nanshan that cases would peak in late June at 65 million a week; Airfinity said that unlike its estimate, Zhongs probably included asymptomatic cases.

The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry denies accusations by the WHO, the U.S. and others that Beijing has withheld Covid data from the international community, accusing them of politicizing the pandemic. Chinese officials say they are still analyzing excess deaths and will have a more complete picture of the Covid death toll later.

We dont want to throw all the raw data directly out there without doing any proper analysis, said Gao Fu, a former director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

We are professionals, we are scientists, and we are always scientific and cautious, Gao, who appeared at an international business forum in China in March, was quoted as saying in the Chinese state newspaper Global Times.

No Covid mentioned

The womans parents, both U.S. permanent residents, had been splitting their time between the U.S. and China for years. They traveled to northern China just before the Lunar New Year holiday in early 2020, shortly after the virus was first detected in the city of Wuhan. Worried about traveling before vaccines were available and later that the Chinese vaccines they received were ineffective, they decided to stay where they were.

With Chinas strict zero-Covid policies keeping cases to a minimum, the womans parents did not have to worry much about contracting the virus for the first couple of years. But the pandemic only enhanced the role of smartphones in Chinese daily life, and they struggled to use WeChat and other apps to buy groceries and make doctors appointments.

Wuhan Covid China (AP file)

Things got better in 2021, when they moved into a retirement community with staff members on hand to help. But by late 2022, Chinas anti-Covid strategy was being strained by public fatigue and the highly transmissible omicron variant, and the government announced its end. Suddenly, life in China went from zero-Covid to almost zero restrictions  and not everyone was prepared.

The zero-Covid policy, I think, really made people numb about how dangerous this virus is, said the couples daughter, a U.S. citizen who lives on the East Coast.

Staff members at the retirement community were still testing residents regularly, going door to door. The mothers PCR test on Dec. 23 came back positive, but the family was not informed, the daughter said. If they had been, she said, they would have told her to immediately take the Paxlovid antiviral medication they had sent from abroad.

On Christmas morning in China, the mother suddenly fell unconscious, and an ambulance was called. A rapid test administered by paramedics came back positive, and she was taken to the hospital, where her condition quickly deteriorated as the daughter and other family members watched over video.

She died about 16 hours after the positive rapid test.

She never opened her eyes to see us, her daughter said. She didnt say anything to us.

The mothers death certificate, her daughter said, lists her cause of death as community transmitted pneumonia, followed by a question mark in brackets. She had tested positive again at the hospital, but still on her death certificate theres no Covid mentioned, her daughter said.

Cremation facilities in the city and nearby smaller cities were all full, the daughter said, and the family had to use connections to find one a three-hour drive away. The familys experience is consistent with satellite images at the time that showed heightened activity at Chinese crematoriums and funeral homes.

Days later, the daughter met her father in another Asian country before she took him back to the U.S.  without his wife of more than 60 years.

My 90-year-old dad was crying, she said. He couldnt believe Mom passed away like that. Mom didnt say a final word to him, either.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Chicago Board of Education approved a $10.3 million contract with the Police Department Wednesday to post school resource officers in about a quarter of district high schools in the coming school year. The vote came amid renewed scrutiny over the presence of law enforcement in schools and over who should decide if the cops are welcome.

But the 57 school resource officers funded by the new contract dont encompass the full scope of the Police Departments footprint in Chicago Public Schools.

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Active law enforcement officers have been hired as part-time CPS school security officers since at least 2018, according to the districts contract with Service Employees International Union Local 73. The contract, which expires Friday, stipulates that new part-time security hires must have the legal authority to effectuate an arrest.

Both parties will be working to address this in ongoing contract negotiations, SEIU spokesperson Eric Bailey told the Tribune.

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But, as of Wednesday, being an active, sworn Chicago Police Officer remained a requirement of a job listing for a part-time security officer (off-duty police) thats been posted on CPS website since January. The position is described as the first line of defense to defuse and de-escalate student misconduct and/or serious incidents.

CPS currently employs 62 part-time security officers and maintains an additional pool of people who have been vetted and trained to fill in as part-time security officers, the district told the Tribune in emailed statements Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

Ahead of Wednesdays vote renewing the CPD agreement, Board of Education member Elizabeth Todd-Breland asked CPS Security Chief Jadine Chou about the districts use of sworn CPD officers as part-time security personnel. That eligibility requirement will be removed, Chou said, though a new SEIU contract has not been finalized.

Cassie Creswell is a CPS parent and former chair of the Jones College Prep Local School Council, which voted to remove its school resource officers.

Thats really worrisome, to potentially have someone whos essentially CPD working in the building and the school community doesnt necessarily even know, Creswell told the Tribune. We have definitely seen off-duty officers do some dangerous and harmful things.

In April 2022, federal court records show, CPS paid a $50,000 settlement to the mother of a McCutcheon Elementary School student who alleged her son was dragged down a hallway in 2020, when he was 4, by an off-duty CPD officer working as a CPS security guard. In December 2022, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability sustained a complaint that a CPD officer working as a security guard at Ashe Elementary School in 2018 used egregious force without justification against a student who was 8, resulting in a yearlong suspension of the officer by the Police Board.

Aside from school resource officers, CPS said its full-time security officers are civilian staff members (non-law enforcement). And though the Tribune found six full-time security officers in CPS employee roster whose first names, middle initials and last names match those of CPD officers listed in the city worker database, CPS said none of the six security officers are employed by the Police Department.

The district also said in a statement that CPS prioritizes the safety of its students and staff and remains committed to continuing to authentically engage with students, parents, staff and community members to design school safety plans that promote physical and emotional safety for all students and staff.

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Following racial justice protests prompted by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020, vocal groups of CPS students demanded the district nullify its then-$33 million CPD contract. CPS instead reduced the contract by half and granted Local School Councils the ability to vote to keep or remove resource officers. The district has since partnered with five community-based organizations in its Whole School Safety planning process to guide Local School Councils through the annual voting process.

Among the 72 schools that voted in 2020, 17 opted to remove their school resource officers and 55 voted to keep them. The number of schools with school resource officers has slowly dwindled with annual voting in the years since.

The local councils of 40 schools, with either one or two school resource officers, voted this year. The LSC at Marshall High School voted to remove both officers and the Austin College and Career Academy LSC voted to remove one.

We are continuing to reduce or remove police presence in our schools, continuing our relationship with the Chicago Police Department, which were very thankful for, but also most importantly, were continuing to partner with the five community-based organizations, Chou said at board committee meeting last week.

Among schools that have voted to keep SROs, Chou said shes received feedback that they have played a role in helping to stabilize the safety of the community that theyre serving, without perpetuating racial disparities. Data of school-based arrests CPS released in 2020 showed the overwhelming majority, 73%, involved Black students, who accounted for only 36% of students.

Chou and Mayor Brandon Johnson have both recently cited the need for SRO decisions to stem from engagement of local school communities. Other advocates, including Creswell, whos the director of Illinois Families for Public Schools, have pressed CPS to make a centralized decision, as some other large school systems have done.

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Its not really something that should be left up to the schools to decide, because its clear what the good and supported policy is: Its not to have armed officers in schools, said Creswell, citing the lack of evidence that police improve school safety. I would like to see this new administration give up on that bad strategy, especially because financially, schools are not being given one-to-one resources. The average funding for a single school resource officer, in the newly approved $10.3 million contract, surpasses the amount of trade-in funds to hire alternative safety personnel, such as restorative justice coordinators, she said.

As a mayoral candidate, Johnson responded to a Sun-Times/WBEZ questionnaire that armed officers have no place in schools in communities already struggling with over-incarceration, criminalization, profiling and mistrust. But last week he said the placement of an SRO is a budgetary decision that ultimately will come down to whether or not a Local School Council believes thats the best pathway forward for students development.

The boards new honorary student member Katelynn Shaw, a rising junior at Kenwood Academy High School, spoke up on the issue at her first board meeting Wednesday. We do see a lot of abuse when it comes to SROs, Shaw said. Going to an 86% Black school, I see the relationship between SROs and students and where we can have those changes.

A couple other CPS students, affiliated with the districts community-based organization partners, also spoke alongside Chou at the board meeting Wednesday, encouraging the district to continue involving students in the decision-making process.

smacaraeg@chicagotribune.com
An official with the Chinese embassy called on the U.S. on Wednesday to lift sanctions against Beijing in order to reopen high-level military talks between the two superpowers.

The US side knows the reason for difficulties in its military-to-military relations with China, spokesperson Liu Pengyu said at a briefing, according to Bloomberg. It actually imposed unilateral sanctions on China.

Such obstacles should be removed before any exchange and cooperation could take place between the two countries, Liu added.

Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected Secretary of State Antony Blinkens offer to set up a crisis communications line between the two countries during his visit to Beijing. In May, China also refused a meeting between the nations defense chiefs.

While it wasnt immediately clear which sanctions Liu was referring to at Wednesdays briefing, Chinese officials have previously pointed to sanctions against Chinese Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu for their refusal to engage with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Li has been the target of U.S. sanctions since 2018 over his purchase of warplanes and equipment from a Russian defense firm.

The U.S. has repeatedly pushed for open lines of military-to-military communication amid increasingly tense relations with China over issues like trade, Taiwans independence and a Chinese spy balloon that wandered into American airspace earlier this year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Signs point to the first flight of a J-20 stealth fighter with two WS-15 engines.

There are signs that a Chinese J-20 stealth fighter has flown for the first time with two new indigenously developed WS-15 jet engines installed. If true, this would be a significant milestone in the continued development of the J-20 design and the WS-15 turbofan.

Pictures and videos reportedly from the test flight have been increasingly circulating on social media. The flight is said to have taken place yesterday and looks to have been conducted from the manufacturer Chengdu's main test airfield, which is co-located with its production plant in its namesake city.

https://twitter.com/kt396/status/1674440606310100994?s=20 https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/status/1674420777263992833?s=20

The quality of the imagery makes it difficult to independently determine conclusively if the J-20 in question indeed has WS-15s in place of the WS-10-series turbofans that now generally power these jets. The original J-20 prototypes and initial production examples were powered by Russian-made AL-31 turbofans. The easiest way to tell for sure that the reportedly re-engined J-20 has WS-15s would be to get a close look at the exhaust nozzles.

A WS-10-powered J-20 seen from the rear. YouTube screen capture

"What I find interesting is, when I saw that video it was one of my first impressions, the sound is different to a WS-10C, more of a dull, deep rumble," Andreas Rupprecht, a Chinese military aviation expert and contributor to The War Zone, wrote on Twitter after watching a clip of the reported test flight.

Pictures of the reportedly WS-15-powered jet after the conclusion of its flight do show it receiving special attention. One image also shows a banner where the number 15 is visible, as well.

https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1674472540335480834?s=20

Hard details about the WS-15, the development of which reportedly traces its roots back to the 1990s, are limited. No images of a prototype or full-scale mockup appear to have emerged publicly to date. Media reports over the years have said that prototypes of the engine have been capable of producing at least 36,000 pounds of thrust using an afterburner and that the ultimate goal is to achieve a thrust rating of 40,000 pounds.

The most powerful afterburning WS-10 variants known to exist now are reportedly in the 32,000 to 35,000-pound maximum thrust class. Variants of the WS-10 with thrust vectoring capabilities have been developed, as well, and could be a feature on future versions of the WS-15, too.

https://twitter.com/intel1osint100/status/1589170930722701314

There have certainly been rumors that a WS-15-powered J-20 is coming for some time now. At the same time, there have been a number of indications in the past year or so that this has indeed getting closer to becoming a reality.

https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1674392422082641921

In March 2022, reports said that a WS-15-powered J-20 had flown, although only one of these engines was believed to have been fitted at that stage of testing. Then, in December 2022, images appeared online showing what looked to be an example of an improved J-20 variant. It would make sense that the new version would include upgraded engines, among other features. The new J-20 variant is often referred to as the J-20B, though this appears to be at best semi-official. It should not be confused with the two-seat version of the baseline J-20, which appeared publicly for the first time in 2021 and is also often called the J-20B.

"The mass production of WS-10 and WS-15 [engines] delivery has been achieved," Zhang Yong, a project director at the Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, part of the state-owned Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), said at an event in March 2023, according to a report from Janes. Zhang added that WS-15 serial production came after his institute "tackled all bottlenecks" from "a technical point of view."

FlightGlobal separately reported at that time that Zhang's comments had also hinted at progress in integrating the WS-15 onto the J-20 specifically.

With 4,000 pounds more thrust or more each than the J-20's existing WS-10s, WS-15s could give these already quite capable jets a significant boost in performance. At least on paper, this could make the J-20 more powerful thrust-wise than either of the other two fifth-generation fighters in widespread service today, the U.S. F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The F-22's two Pratt & Whitney F119s each have a thrust rating of around 35,000 pounds at full afterburner. The afterburning versions of Pratt & Whitney F135 used on the F-35A and C variants are rated up to 43,000 pounds, but those aircraft only have one engine. The F-22 is particularly well known for its speed, including its ability to 'supercruise' at supersonic speeds without the need to use its afterburners, as you can read more about here.

An F-22 with its afterburners engaged. USAF

It isn't clear how the WS-15's fuel efficiency may compare to the WS-10 series. If the new engines offer an improvement in this regard, this could be another boon for the J-20 and the longer-range missions it was clearly designed to execute.

For the U.S. military, at least, the J-20 represents one of the top air combat threats driving planning today. American officials have said that they're not worried, necessarily, about the J-20 and its growing capabilities so long as modernization efforts continue apace. The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy are both working to acquire new sixth-generation stealth combat jets, as well as a slew of other advanced air warfare capabilities through their separate, but heavily intertwined Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiatives.

Its [the J-20] not anything to lose a lot of sleep over," U.S. Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, head of Pacific Air Forces, the service's top command in the Indo-Pacific region, told reporters in September 2022. "Certainly, we're watching them closely and seeing how they felt and how they operate them.

"So, we dont lose sleep about the J-20," but "if we dont modernize, then theres probably the potential to lose sleep," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown said separately soon thereafter when asked about his views on the matter in light of the PACAF commander's remarks.

PLAAF

For China, progress with the WS-15 is important in its own right. Though the Chinese aviation industry, as a whole, has made impressive strides in its capacity to produce stealthy and other advanced crewed and uncrewed aircraft in the past few decades, it has continued to lag behind the West in the development of modern high-performance jet engines to go with them.

The recent integration of new domestically-developed high-bypass WS-20 turbofans on an improved variant of the Y-20 cargo plane has been another example of a possible shift in this regard.

New jet engine developments, including variants or derivatives of the WS-10 with stealthy-looking two-dimensional thrust vectoring exhausts, were a major part of what was on display at China's 2022 Zhuhai Airshow.

https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/status/1589316692831772672?s=20

All told, while it remains to be conclusively confirmed, the first flight of a J-20 with a pair of WS-15 engines would be a major, long-awaited, step forward for the Chinese military and the country's aviation industry.

Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com
Chinese Automaker GAC Is Working on an Engine That Runs on Ammonia photo

Hydrogen has long been touted as a fuel of the future, but as an ultralight gas that ruins steel, it still poses some practicality issues. One Chinese automaker is looking to use hydrogen in an altogether different way, by using ammonia as a liquid fuel.

As covered by Bloomberg, China's GAC has been developing a combustion engine capable of running on ammonia. The foul-smelling liquid found in urine is seen as an attractive fuel by the company for both environmental and practical reasons. Containing hydrogen but no carbon, it offers tantalizing benefits for combustion with less greenhouse gas emissions.

Ammonia is readily transportable in liquid form at ambient temperatures under mild pressure, unlike hydrogen, and is far less flammable than existing fuels, making it easier to store. And, by virtue of its chemical composition, burning it produces fewer emissions than conventional fossil fuels like gasoline or diesel. It also bears noting that pure ammonia is unlike the ammonia used as a cleaning fluid in the home, which is in solution with water.

At a recent presentation, GAC revealed a 2.0-liter engine that burns liquid ammonia, with a peak power output of 161 horsepower. It claims the engine cuts carbon emissions by 90% compared to conventional engines. That's a curious number, as ammonia itself is made up solely of hydrogen and nitrogen atoms. It suggests that GAC may be running the engine on a mixture of ammonia with some level of hydrocarbon content.

GAC isn't the first to strike out in this area, despite talk of it being a "world first." South Korean researchers experimented with engines running 70:30 ammonia-gasoline blend in the early 2010s, with a goal to eventually convert conventional cars to run on pure ammonia. Including some gasoline makes sense, as it aids combustion under conditions where the low flame propagation speed in ammonia causes problems. This is particularly an issue at high rpm, where there is less time available for combustion to take place.

Ammonia comes with a bunch of drawbacks that may prevent it from catching on. It has the same infrastructure problems as most other unconventional fuels. Companies are always reluctant to build out fuel stations until there's a mass fleet, but customers are reluctant to buy cars without stations in place. It also boils at -28 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes it impractical to feed through conventional gas station pumps, as the forecourts would forever stink due to trace dribbles boiling off after filling. It also poses an inhalation hazard, meaning the whole thing is a non-starter. Instead, a sealed refueling system would be required.

Burning pure ammonia isn't completely clean, either. As with hydrogen combustion engines, even if you eliminate the carbon dioxide output, you still get emissions of nitrogen oxides produced via the heat of combustion in the engine. And, while there are ways to produce ammonia in a relatively clean fashion, most industrial production relies on the heavily-polluting Haber-Bosch process. Ammonia has also been touted as a way to store and transport hydrogen for fuel cell use, but those plans are yet to scale in any meaningful way.

Hydrogen combustion or fuel-cell vehicles seem far more likely to catch on than ammonia cars, and even they're an outside chance if we're honest. Still, GAC's engineers are getting paid and staying busy, and we're sure they're glad to be putting food on the table and beer in the fridge. That's something, at least.

Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com
The large Chinese spy balloon that floated over half the U.S. before being shot down by a fighters jet in February was reportedly made in part with off-the-shelf U.S. equipment.

Its unclear if materials used to make the balloon were acquired legally, according to ABC News, which is a cause for concern since the U.S. restricts what can be sold to certain countries. The nature of the American-made materials found in the balloon is also not clear.

U.S. officials said in February the balloon contained technology that would allow it to intercept secret communications. However, ABC News reports that the object doesnt appear to have transmitted data it observed during its flight.

The balloon drifted over the U.S. on Jan. 28, slowly making its way east before an F-22 took it down with a sidewinder missile off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. Its remains were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean in a joint effort by the Navy, Coast Guard and FBI, and were then transported to the latters headquarters in Virginia.

Military aircraft tracked and studied the balloon as it made its way across the country. Assistant defense secretary for the Indo-Pacific region Jedidiah Royal said intelligence officers have some very good guesses on what the balloon was surveilling.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing Monday, where the pair agreed on a need to stabilize relations between the U.S. and China.

President Joe Biden raised eyebrows last week by calling Xi a dictator facing unenviable economic troubles. Chinas foreign ministry condemned that characterization as absurd and called Bidens verbiage a blatant political provocation.

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The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. early this year used American equipment to take photos and videos intended to be sent to Beijing, officials confirmed to Fox News.

An investigation conducted by intelligence agencies found that the balloon was used for spying, not weather-related issues as claimed by China. The Wall Street Journal first reported that finding, citing U.S. officials, and a senior defense official confirmed the accuracy of that report.

These preliminary findings are backed by an analysis of the spy balloon's contents, which included commercially available American equipment paired with more advanced Chinese equipment used to capture and send information to Beijing, the Journal reported.

CHINA FIRES BACK AT BIDEN FOR CALLING PRESIDENT XI JINPING A DICTATOR: 'EXTREMELY ABSURD AND IRRESPONSIBLE'

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. early this year used American equipment to take photos and videos intended to be sent to Beijing, according to a report.

Information captured by the spy balloon is not believed to have been successfully sent back to Beijing. The officials did not specify as to why the spy mission seemed to fail, but they said intelligence agencies used countermeasures to prevent data collection.

The report, confirmed by Fox News, contrasts an NBC News story in April that cited senior government officials who claimed the Chinese spy balloon collected data from sensitive military sites and transmitted it to Beijing in real time.

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The investigation was conducted by several intelligence agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Journal reported.

BIDEN STANDS BY CALLING XI A 'DICTATOR' AFTER COMMENT ANGERS CHINA

The captured information by the spy balloon is not believed to have been successfully sent back to Beijing.

The Chinese spy balloon flew from Alaska to the East Coast, where it was shot down by the military over the Atlantic Ocean Feb. 4.

The contrast between Beijing's claims of a weather balloon and the U.S. investigation over spy concerns comes amid historic tensions between the two nations.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to China in June to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

BIDEN SAYS HE MET WITH CHINA'S XI '68 TIMES' AND 'TURNED IN ALL MY NOTES' DURING TENURE AS VP

President Biden in June expressed a willingness to put the balloon incident in the past and said he hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Biden in June expressed a willingness to put the balloon incident in the past and said he hopes to meet with President Xi.

"I dont think the leadership knew where it was and knew what was in it and knew what was going on," Biden told reporters as Blinken traveled to China. "It was, I think it was more embarrassing than it was intentional."

"And so, Im hoping that, over the next several months, Ill be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have but also how theres areas we can get along," he continued.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie attacked rival Donald Trumps grifting family on Wednesday, giving special mention to Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, who made trips to the Middle East as a White House adviser and then cashed in on them after Trump left office.

The former New Jersey governor, a former Trump ally who turned against him following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, took aim at Kushner in an interview with CNNs Kaitlan Collins.

Jared Kushner, six months after he leaves the White House, gets $2 billion from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund when Donald Trump had put him in a position to be in the Middle East, Christie said.

What was Jared Kushner doing in the Middle East? he asked. We had Rex Tillerson and Mike Pompeo as secretaries of state. We didnt need Jared Kushner. He was put there to make those relationships, and then he cashed in on those relationships when he left the office.

Christie: What was Jared Kushner doing in the Middle East? We had Tillerson and Pompeo We didn't need Kushner. He was put there to make those relationships and he cashed in on the relationships when he left the office. pic.twitter.com/0N9k7GffBD  Acyn (@Acyn) June 29, 2023

Christie was referring to the Saudi governments investment in Kushners investment firm in 2021, which sparked a House Oversight Committee probe in 2022. Kushner incorporated the firm one day after Trump left office.

Your close relationship with Crown Prince bin Salman [and] your pro-Saudi positions during the Trump Administration ... create the appearance of a quid pro quo for your foreign policy work during the Trump Administration, then-Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair, wrote in a letter to Kushner.

A Kushner spokesperson told The New York Times last year that he fully abided by all legal and ethical guidelines both during and after his government service.

Related...
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he suspects Donald Trumps reasons for holding onto secret government documents were probably a lot more stupid and childish than people expect.

People are like, is he going to give them to a foreign government, or sell them to somebody, or blackmail people? You dont understand Donald Trump. Its just to show off, Christie, who is challenging Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said during an interview on CNN Wednesday evening.

He wants to continue to act like hes president. He cant live with the fact that hes not. So, thats why he kept those documents. It seems childish and stupid, and it is, but thats the reason why, in my view.

Trump was indicted on 37 criminal counts this month over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. Federal prosecutors accuse him of retaining secret information and obstructing government efforts to retrieve it, putting national security at risk.

Trump initially argued that everything he took was automatically declassified. However, CNN on Monday obtained a July 2021 tape  reportedly key evidence in the Justice Departments case  in which Trump told book researchers he possessed highly confidential, secret materials that he did not declassify as president.

Trump has since argued he wasnt actually holding any secret documents, he was just pretending to for the sake of bravado.

Related...
Chrissy Teigen just welcomed her fourth child via surrogacy. 4 families in different stages of the process share their highs and lows.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend in 2022. Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend welcome baby number four via surrogacy.

Teigen announced the news on Instagram and talked about her relationship with their surrogate.

Four families shared their surrogacy experiences with Insider.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend just welcomed their fourth child, Wren Alexander Stephens, on June 19. This may come as a surprise to Teigen and Legend fans because Teigen just had her third child on January 13. Their fourth child was born via surrogacy.

On Instagram, Teigen shared that because of the traumatic miscarriage they suffered with their son Jack, though they wanted to continue to grow their family, she was initially scared to try again, so they looked into surrogacy. At the same time, they also tried IVF to complete their family, not knowing if it would work out.

And their plans definitely worked out two-fold.

"We want to say thank you for this incredible gift you have given us, Alexandra," Teigen wrote of their surrogate on Instagram. "And we are so happy to tell the world he is here, with a name forever connected to you." Indicating that the child's middle name, Alexander was after the woman who helped bring him to life.

More people are choosing surrogacy for their path to parenthood. Four people shared their story of how they became a family via a surrogate  or how they were a surrogate themselves  the process, and the outcome of this incredible way to grow a family.

Joe and his partner Sean have always wanted to be parents

"My partner Sean and I have been together going on 25 years, we met when he was a senior in high school, and I was a freshman in college," Joe Adelantar said. "We both come from big families  he and I are both the oldest. We knew we always wanted to be parents."

They were researching both adoption and surrogacy at the same time when one of Sean's best friends offered to be their surrogate. But there was an issue from the get-go, they had to move to New Jersey since the law in New York did not allow for compassionate surrogacy at the time.

Adelantar says the best thing about being a surrogate with their friend was that they were part of the entire journey. "From all the doctors' appointments to hearing the first heartbeat, to my husband being the first one in the delivery room to hold our daughter," he said.

Joe Adelantar and his partner with their surrogate (middle). Courtesy of Joe Adelantar

The hardest parts of surrogacy were the financial aspects and all of the legal loopholes and other considerations they had to go through as a gay couple, says Adelantar.

"We had to hire a lawyer to create a contract between us and our surrogate. We went to therapy to ensure we were doing a temperature check throughout the process. We had to speak with the hospital administrator to allow two people, plus the surrogate, in the room and also get an extra band for my husband to have access to our daughter," he said.

Kristin Marquet and her husband are currently in the process of using a surrogate, and their transfer is scheduled to happen this summer

Kristin Marquet says she's wanted children for as long as she can remember. She and her husband had three failed IVF rounds before they turned to surrogacy.

They hired an agency that best aligned with their goals and values, and they were relieved that the agency would be responsible for finding and matching them to a surrogate who shared their vision for this journey. "The agency's expertise in the matching process gave us confidence that we would find a surrogate that not only met our medical requirements but also shared a connection with us on a personal level," said Marquet.

Gennifer Rose not only worked for a surrogacy agency, but she also is a surrogate herself

Gennifer Rose is currently on her first journey with a single "intended mother" who cannot carry her own baby, she says. "I officially started the process in January this year, but I had to go on a brief hold to get my iron levels up. I will be having an embryo transfer at the end of this summer," Rose said.

She says she decided to become a surrogate after being inspired by Phoebe on "Friends." " The way surrogacy was portrayed on that show gave it a lot of levity and loving energy," she said.

For Rose, the best part of being a surrogate is having a connection with the intended parents. She says that while people voice concerns about surrogates growing attached  and potentially wanting to keep  the baby, she says it's not about her and more about wanting to see the parents be able to have a baby of their own.

"You really commit yourself to the process, and you become a dynamic duo having a baby together," Rose said.

Alexandra French was advised to try surrogacy after finding out she had cancer

In 2019, Alexandra French was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Initially, she and her husband thought they'd be able to expand their family naturally after treatment, but during her surgery, they found a second form of cancer, so her doctors advised her to look into using a surrogate.

Alexandra French and her family. Courtesy of Alexandra French

"We immediately started talking to agencies and signed with an agency in Atlanta in February 2020. We matched sooner than expected due to Covid, but because of it our process was different than how we had planned," French said. "We FaceTimed in for the appointments and were not able to be present for the transfer."

Even though it was different than they planned, French says they still had a great journey.

"We are still in contact with our surrogate, and our older son refers to the surrogate's children as his kids," she said.

Because they had such a wonderful journey, she and her husband wanted to give back after going through the process, so they created a 501c3 charity called Gift of Surrogacy Foundation.

"We actually have our first grant open right now that covers the major components of surrogacy up to $1000,000," she said.

Read the original article on Insider
FILE - Christine King Farris, sister of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at the King holiday commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the church where King preached, Jan. 19, 2015, in Atlanta. Farris, the last living sibling of Martin Luther King Jr., has died Thursday, June 29, 2023, according to her niece, the Rev. Bernice King. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

ATLANTA (AP)  Christine King Farris, the last living sibling of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has died.

Her niece, the Rev. Bernice King, tweeted that her beloved aunt died Thursday. She was 95.

For decades after her brother's assassination in 1968, Farris worked along with his widow, Coretta Scott King, to preserve and promote his legacy. But unlike her high-profile sister-in-law, Farris' activism  and grief  was often behind the scenes.

She may not have always been on the line of the march, but that was true with a lot of the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, said Marcellus Barksdale, a history professor at Morehouse College, of Farris in a 2009 interview with The Associated Press. Because of the luminescence of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, Christine kind of got dimmed by that, but she was no less important.

Farris was born Willie Christine King on Sept. 11, 1927, in Atlanta. She was the first child of the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Christine Williams King.

Farris helped Coretta Scott King build The King Center and helped to teach Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy of nonviolent resistance. For years, her regal, dignified presence was a mainstay at the ecumenical service celebrating her brother's birthday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where her grandfather and father also preached and where Farris remained a member.

The King Center tweeted Thursday that it mourns the loss of Farris, a founding board member, former vice-chair and treasurer, along with a photo of her.

Bernice King tweeted a photo of herself with Farris, writing, I love you and will miss you, Aunt Christine.

Martin Luther King III tweeted that he, his wife and his daughter had been able to spend time with his aunt in her final days.

Aunt Christine embodied what it meant to be a public servant. Like my dad, she spent her life fighting for equality and against racism in America, he tweeted. She defied the odds that held back too many marginalized communities  going on to become a civil rights leader and acclaimed author. No stranger to adversity, Aunt Christine used the tragedies of the assassinations of her mother and brother to fight for change in America.

Farris outlived many of the people she loved, including her parents, her two brothers, her sister-in-law and her niece, Yolanda. She graduated from Spelman College in 1948 with a degree in economics on the same day Martin Luther King Jr. earned his degree in sociology from Morehouse College.

A decade later, Farris returned to Spelman, where she worked for more than 50 years. In 1960, she married Isaac Newton Farris. The couple had two children, Angela Christine Farris Watkins and Isaac Newton Farris Jr.

Our hearts are heavy in Atlanta today, with the news that Christine King Farris has died, Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement.

Mrs. Farris was a force in her own right," Dickens said. A champion of literacy and education, she taught at her alma mater, Spelman College, for nearly 50 years. As the last of the King siblings, she spent much of her life advocating for equality. She once said that her brother Martin simply gave us the blueprint, but it was our duty to carry it out.

Farris wrote two children's books about her life, My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up With the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World. In 2009, she wrote a memoir, Through It All: Reflections on My Life, My Family and My Faith.

Farris often shared stories about her brother as a normal child and young man to make him and his achievements more accessible to people.

They think he simply happened, that he appeared fully formed, without context, ready to change the world, she said.
The Eras Tour by Taylor Swifts kicks off in Cincinnati Friday night. The city estimates that Swifts shows could generate more than $90 million for the region.

People from the Miami Valley will be contributing to that number.

News Center 7s Kayla McDermott talked to some local Swift fans who are incredibly excited. Fans said there is nothing that is going to keep them from attending this concert.

Katelyn Hoover, from Dayton, said, This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing,

And each one has a song they hope Swift will surprise them by performing in Cincinnati.

I think Right Where You Left Me, Hoover said. I really want Long Live as a surprise song.

One of those fans plans to buy merchandise in Cincinnati for the show tonight. And Hoover said shes driving back home right after the concert where she expects heavy traffic, but said Swift is worth it.
Actress Judy Greer on the set of her new play at Steppenwolf Theatre on June 27, 2023. Greer is starring in a Steppenwolf Theatre world premiere, "Another Marriage," and has a new film, "Eric LaRue. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Lots of actors work hard at their craft, and appear to work as constantly as possible.

Then theres Judy Greer, in a class by herself. Her performances in TV (Arrested Development to Archer, and thats only the As), film (The Descendants, the recent Halloween movies, dozens and dozens more) and, currently, on stage in the world premiere of Another Marriage at Steppenwolf Theatre add up to nearly 200 gigs across a quarter century of what she calls luck, and hard work.

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Widely admired for her wily comic timing and stealth dramatic versatility, Greer turns 48 in July. She was born outside Detroit and attended DePaul Universitys Theatre School before landing in Los Angeles.

Recently extended through July 30, Another Marriage, Kate Arringtons affecting comedy-drama, is about a lot of things: work, writing, marriage, divorce and paths diverging onto other, unforeseen paths. Last month at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, Greer won strong notices for the film version of the Chicago-launched Brett Neveu play Eric LaRue, in which Greer plays Janice, the shaken mother of the boy behind a fatal school shooting of three classmates.

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Watching it  Michael Shannons feature directorial debut is currently seeking distribution  Greers work in low, medium and high comedy seems worlds away. Her career has careened from the killer-in-the-woods movie she made the year she graduated DePaul (Stricken, 1997) to massively budgeted franchise products with words such as Jurassic in them. Everybody seems to enjoy and admire her work, and working with her. For the next few weeks, with the Screen Actors Guild strike looming, shes fulfilling a college dream.

When I got to Chicago, she says, I zeroed in on Steppenwolf pretty immediately. Its hard not to, if youre studying acting. It seemed like where the cool kids did theater. And now Im here, and it only took me 25 years!

Our interview is edited for clarity and length.

Q: What was your first year or two out of DePaul like? How soon did you move to LA?

A: A weird thing happened when I was still in Chicago. I did Molieres School for Wives at the Court Theatre, and my memory is that I had to sort of re-audition for my role. The director (Laszlo Marton) was from Hungary, and the production was cast without him by the artistic director. And when he got there, he wasnt exactly super-sold on me.

Q: But then you super-sold him?

A: I super-sold him, right. It all worked out fine. I mean, Id already auditioned and gotten the role. It was a bit of a bummer, I guess. But I thought: This is going to be my whole career. Proving myself to people. If youre not down to do that, pretty much every day, dont be an actor.

After that, less than a year after graduation, I was sofa-surfing and auditioning in LA. I got Kissing a Fool with David Schwimmer, which shot here. Also got an episode of Early Edition, which at the time was like Law & Order for Chicago actors. The Kissing a Fool LA premiere coincided with TV pilot season  I dont know if we even have a pilot season anymore  so I went out, met an agent at the DePaul graduation showcase, auditioned like crazy for two weeks, got a movie and a TV pilot. And decided to stay.

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I admittedly was lucky. I also worked really hard, and I saved a lot of my money, so I didnt have to get other jobs. I was careful. I wish they would teach artists about money. We need so much help in that department, and you have so much more freedom when youre not broke.

Actress Judy Greer at Steppenwolf Theatre on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Q: So the Screen Actors Guild strike looks like its happening 

A: I know! I had to work today. I had to record some (voice tracks) for Archer. I hate the idea of the strike, but I think its necessary. And Ill be picketing here in Chicago.

Q: The work on Eric LaRue mustve been intense. Youd worked with Michael (Shannon, the first-time director and prolific Oscar-nominated actor). I think you and he have racked up the most credits in a quarter century in the history of the Internet Movie Database.

A: I know! Next time I see him, we need to just look at each other and practice saying the word no (laughs). On Eric LaRue, I drove him to work every day. We were shooting in Wilmington, North Carolina. We all stayed at the same Marriott. It felt like making movies when I was younger. Nowadays everyone scatters and gets their own Airbnbs. But there, wed all go get coffee in the morning, and Mike and I would talk through what we were shooting that day. I really enjoyed it when Beyonce's Renaissance dropped, because I think I was the first person to have the pleasure of forcing Michael Shannon to listen to Beyonce before hed had his coffee. Its a highlight of my career.

On set, directing a scene, hed come and sort of talk to us quietly on our own, Cmere, cmere, and just talk through the emotions and some ideas about leaning in harder, or maybe not so hard. He always claims he didnt really do anything. But he did everything. Hes tenacious, and once hes happy with a scene, hes not going to move on until youre happy.

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Ian Barford and Judy Greer in Steppenwolf Theatre Companys world premiere of "Another Marriage." (Michael Brosilow/HANDOUT)

Q: And you worked with Shannons wife, Kate Arrington, who wrote Another Marriage, on that shoot.

A: Right. Kate did a staged reading of her play in Chicago right after filming. Mike emailed me and said Kate wanted to send me her play.

Q: Watching Another Marriage and seeing Eric LaRue, it hit me that both roles, different as they are, are all about watching and listening. Theyre central roles but not flashy.

A: They feel like real people to me. Different as they are, theyre challenging to play because in some ways they can be unlikable. And in some ways, theyre heroic. I feel like I know them.

Janice in Eric LaRue, shes going through so much and tries so hard to find some salvation. Its heartbreaking. And at the end, we dont know what shes going to do next. We watch her walk away. Its the middle of her story, not the end.

Another Marriage continues through July 30 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N. Halsted St.; www.steppenwolf.org

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The film version of Eric LaRue premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and is seeking distribution.

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @phillipstribune
Citizens can still enter Ukrainian controlled territory if documents taken by Russians

Vereshchuk told how to return to Ukraine if the occupiers took away the passport

Ukrainian citizens whose identity documents have been taken from them by Russian invaders can still freely enter Ukrainian controlled territory, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said on June 29.

Today, the border service is letting people enter (Ukrainian controlled territory) without passports, the Ukrainian official told Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys program Donbas.Realii.

Read also: Invaders escalate repression in occupied territories amidst resistance to Russian passportization

We know what the enemy is doing: they deliberately deprive our people of Ukrainian passports so that they cannot enter Ukraine, Vereshchuk said.

However, they can enter even with (just) a birth certificate, even with a copy of the birth certificate. You should inform us, if there are problems  call 1548. But please pass on the information to our citizens as theyre very worried that they wont enter without passport documents: they will, were waiting for everyone.

Read also: Ukraine demands that Russia open humanitarian corridors for Ukrainians to leave occupied territories

At the same time, Ukrainian citizens should turn to Ukrainian border guards with these questions, but not to the representatives of other authorities, Vereshchuk said.

Not to the customs officials, not to everyone who is at the crossing point, but just to the border guards, she said.

They will provide information and give us a signal. We and the UNHCR (the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) have developed a whole algorithm for (dealing with) people who have no money, no place to live, and who need to get a new passport.

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
Your city could get millions to create jobs under a new Biden plan to put Americans back to work

California power lines tktktktktktk iStock / Getty Images Plus

Cities and regions left behind by bygone industries can now apply for funding to revitalize jobs.

The Biden administration is opening up applications for its Recompete Pilot Program.

Under that program, a handful of "distressed communities" can receive at least $20 million.

The Biden administration wants to help inject life back into parts of the US that are struggling to attract enough jobs.

Starting today, communities can apply for $200 million in funding, the first tranche of $1 billion that will roll out over the next five years.

It's called the Recompete Pilot Program, and it's meant to pump funds into economically distressed areas. Those are regions that, according to the Economic Development Administration, have gaping prime age employment gaps  meaning that employment among 25- to 54-year-olds lags behind the national average, leaving one of the workforce's most important demographics behind. For instance, all indigenous tribal lands are eligible, as are cities like Scranton, Pennsylvania; EDA has created a comprehensive map of eligibility.

"This funding will deliver on President Biden's commitment to making sure every worker and every community have a fair shot to realize their full economic potential," Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement to Insider, adding that it is a not "one-size-fits-all program."

"What these grants will do is set Americans up for success based on their communities' own unique needs, and input from leaders in their own neighborhoods, whether in the form of job training, investments in workforce development, technology, and infrastructure improvements."

The new funding  which is purposefully broad  is meant to help get that prime age group working again. According to research from Timothy J. Bartik for the Brookings Institute, nearly a sixth of the country's population lives in distressed communities.

"I grew up in a community that, when I was a kid, exported wood products all over the world, and now there's real fears that their main export is going to be young people," Rep. Derek Kilmer, a Democrat from Washington, told Insider. "There's a real desire to figure out what local economy 2.0 looks like."

The pilot program is based on Rep. Kilmer's Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere to Excel Act, known as the RECOMPETE Act, and was passed as part of last summer's bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. The program will dole out $1 billion over five years.

It's reminiscent of the push that some areas are making to lure younger workers back in, like offering student loan relief, and it's tied to what the Biden administration calls Bidenomics: Policies targeted at blue-collar and middle-class workers, aimed at promoting the president's goal of building from the bottom up. Part of that push, according to a memo the White House shared with reporters, is over $40 billion in broadband funding, which will be doled out over two years.

While the funding for the recompete program is just a fraction of what's being poured into broadband, its proponents say that even smaller-scale investments are substantive for distressed areas. Bartik's research on the potential of block grants  his proposal would allocate $12.8 billion every year for a decade  found that low-income groups would disproportionately benefit from higher employment rates.

"There's going to be a handful of communities that get somewhere between 25 and 75 million dollars," Kilmer said. "If you're a rural community on the Olympic Peninsula, 25 to 75 million could be a real game changer."

Local governments, nonprofits, and economic development districts can begin applying for what's called planning grants now, which will give them funding to develop potential proposals, and outright plan approval. Out of those communities that receive planning grants or have plans approved, a handful will be chosen to have their programs actually implemented. Those grants cannot be less than $20 million.

"The big story here is making sure that no community is left behind, but also helping create the jobs so that people can have the choice to stay in their communities," Alejandra Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, told Insider. "Too often we've seen workers have to be displaced because their opportunities are not close by. In a nutshell, there's a lot of excitement in making sure that people have that option."

Are you planning on applying, or want your community to get funding? Reach out to this reporter at jkaplan@insider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
COMBO-US-TECHNOLOGY-META-TWITTER

Mark Zuckerberg, left, and Elon Musk Credit - Mandel Ngan and Alain JOCARDAFP via Getty Images

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

Earlier in my career, a wise editor had a hard-and-fast rule against using violent language to jazz up political copy: dont do it.

No mentions of candidates administering body blows, placing rivals in the crosshairs, or any such language. That was the inviolable edict AP Political Editor Donna Cassata circulated in 2006 to her team which included me, an editorial assistant. As Americans were risking and sacrificing their lives on actual battlefields, attempts to liken the civil practice of democracy to combat was unseemly.

This is a way of explaining why I cant believe Im writing this column.

In three independent but not entirely unrelated circus rings, a pair of chest-puffing rivals is moving well beyond the typical name calling and drive-by dings. Two of those duos are mulling open physical violence against each other masked as sport; the remaining match-upthe all-female oneis more civilized only in comparison.

The first one could be viewed as not overtly political, except both players have a lot of power over our political speech. Tech billionairesand TIME Persons of the YearMark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are poised to enter a cage match amid their companies fight for social media dominance. Its a contest that, frankly, no one wins. Its an absolutely bananas moment in tech-bro culture that could see two of the most socially awkward people running our lives in the background clash in a way no one asked for. Meta and Twitter are their purview, and yet these billionaires are going to test if their fortunes can summon physical might, while Silicon Valley and the world gawks.

Independently, Sen. Markwayne Mullin says he will put his Oklahoma Republican fierceness on the line against Teamster chief Sean OBrien. Mullin, a former CEO who is heralded as an undefeated Mixed-Martial-Arts champ through all three contests hes joined, has been a braggart on social media about it after the union boss called him a fraud in a tweet. Oklahoma is just an off-center place that this wildcat rogueness could be rewarded.

In the third arena, two seemingly like-minded Republican lawmakers, both of whom have an unrelenting fetishization of firearms, have seen their relationship devolve only into an ugly war of words, at least for now. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have tried to downplay the fact that they were calling each other slurs from the House floor, Fox News studios, and in corridors. It culminated in a clash that no writers room in Hollywood would have dared to suggest. For all of their problems, Speakers Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi never used little bitch to describe each other in public. Greene and Boebert? Their competition to be the Most MAGA Member seems to have brought us here.

Each of three cases is resplendent in its own quirks. If players on the public stage cant win an argument based on facts, logic and the bare minimum of emotional manipulation, none of them should be reaching for mouthguards as the next step. And keep in mind, the biggest loser in each is the same group: Americans who just want their institutions to chug along without drama, with competence, and, above all, demonstrating civility.

Donna, who moved to The Washington Post and is retiring at the end of this week, was right about the dangers of confusing battleground coverage with battlefields. At least at the time. Sadly, her warning against analogies with real violence is less operable today than almost two decades ago. Decency is not the norm. The glorification of violence is workable. The sideshow of politics has won.

Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter.
Only 30,000 okapi are left in the wild, say conservationists. Pictured: a baby named Mbuti, born in a zoo in Beauvais, France, in 2013 (ALAIN JOCARD)

A ranger at a DR Congo wildlife reserve was killed and a second wounded when their team came under attack near an illegal mine, the park said on Thursday.

The incident happened on Tuesday at the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (RFO) in the country's northeast.

A 26-year-old guard died "following an attack carried out by armed men against a team of eco-rangers who were on a surveillance missions near the 'Mondial', an illegal mining area" in the centre of the park, the RFO said in a statement.

Another ranger was wounded and an assailant was captured, it said.

The RFO, located in Ituri province, is a World Heritage site and haven for the okapi, an endangered deer-like animal that is related to the giraffe.

Only 30,000 okapi are left in the wild, of which around 5,000 live in the RFO.

The biggest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo has world famous wildlife reserves.

But those located in its troubled east struggle with illicit mining, deforestation and poaching, abetted by armed groups which plague the region.

In May, five guards and a civilian employee of the Virunga National Park, a biodiversity hotspot and sanctuary for the mountain gorilla, were killed by armed groups.

sm-at/blb/ri/bp
Cleveland has become an unlikely hotspot for millennials in search of affordability

A mother and her child in Cleveland. The city is a new hotspot for millennials because of its jobs and affordable housing, according to the BofA Institute. Jamie De Pould/Getty Images

Cleveland's millennial population rose 6% since early 2020, the same as Tampa and Dallas.

Affordability and good jobs are giving the Midwestern city a boost with the generation, per BofA.

With income growth outpacing rent there, these 27 to 42 year-olds have more disposable income.

Over the past three years, Cleveland has become an unlikely mecca for millennials searching for affordability.

The total number of people living in the city born between 1981 and 1996  currently aged 27 to 42  grew 6% in the three years through March 2023, matching the increases in Tampa, Florida, and Dallas, according to the Bank of America Institute. Austin, Texas, was the only city in the US that saw more growth over this period.

Cleveland's status may be surprising. It was startling to even some analysts hearing the data for the first time at a recent BofA housing symposium, a bank research report showed.

After all, the city was being mentioned in the same breath as Sunbelt metros that have been long celebrated as pandemic and post-pandemic boomtowns. But while Cleveland may not be a technology hub or have mild winters, it does have two very important things going for it that millennials can't get enough of: good jobs, and affordable housing.

"The cities in the Midwest are getting some traction," BofA Institute economist Anna Zhou told Insider, pointing out that Columbus, Ohio has seen growth as well. "The relative affordability does play a factor."

In order to come up with the ranking, the BofA Institute used home address data from 46 million of adults who've been customers of the bank since 2018. To be sure, it's not as comprehensive as public data, but it is fresher in some respects because it covers more recent periods.

Pay is growing faster than the cost of housing in Cleveland

Cleveland is a star when it comes to affordability.

It's one of only four cities where wage growth outpaced rents from 2009 to 2021 as population and jobs continue to grow, according to a new report from Clever Real Estate. During that period, incomes grew 3% more than the average rent there, the data show. Cleveland residents now pay just over 17% of their income on rent, while the average American pays 20%.

"The economy's fairly diverse," Zhou said. Indeed, the city of Cleveland  with a population of 361,607  and its surrounding area have robust and growing healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, and construction industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Only Providence, Rhode Island, which where income grew 18% more than rent, and Buffalo, New York, where income grew 7% more than rent, were better off than Cleveland when it comes to improvements in their income-to-rent ratios, according to Clever. Pittsburgh income growth exceeded rents by 1%. The end result is that residents have more pocket cash, which supports the local economy.

"We are also seeing in terms of the current spending in that region, they're also doing pretty well," Zhou said.

Renters now will become homebuyers later

The influx of millennials to the area doesn't seem to have had a material impact on the homebuying market, though.

The median price of homes in Cleveland was actually down 9% May, year-over-year, according to Redfin. Homes are also lingering on the market for 7% longer and nearly 12% less homes were sold during this period.

Indeed, the BofA Institute found that millennials are by-and-large staying out of the housing market this cycle, but still are window shopping for the future.

"In the longer term, it is likely that cities with a large inflow of millennial residents will see a meaningful boost to the local housing market," the BofA economists said in the report.

Are you a millennial who has recently moved to Cleveland? Do you want to share why you did so? Reach out to the reporter of this story at kneubauer@insider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Volodymyr Zelenskyy with members of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in Kyiv on June 29, to join the International Working Group on the ecological damage from the war and assess the environmental impact of military actions, including from the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP and reservoir.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office reported the president met with Thunberg. She expressed gratitude for the invitation and pledged to engage representatives from environmental NGOs in discussions to highlight the ecological ramifications of the ongoing Russian invasion.

Read also: Shocking photos of shallowed Kakhovka Reservoir published online

On June 15, Thunberg stood alongside Ukrainians at a demonstration in Bonn, Germany, under the local UN office, protesting Russias apparent terrorist attack on the Kakhovka HPP in Kherson Oblast.

On June 6, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka HPP, which they had controlled for over a year. The subsequent flooding severely affected cities and villages downstream.

Read also: 20,000 animals may have died due to Kakhovka dam destruction, Ukraine says

In response to the crisis, Zelenskyy held an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council. He ordered the evacuation of residents from high-risk areas and the assurance of water supply to all locations that relied on drinking water from the Kakhovka Reservoir.

Read also: Odesa Zoo rescues animals displaced by Kakhovka Dam catastrophe

Zelensky referred to the attack on Kakhovka HPP as the most severe man-made ecological disaster in Europe in recent decades.

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
[Source]

Rising temperatures caused by climate change has been linked to the substantial rise in domestic violence against women in South Asia, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry on Wednesday.

About the study: An international team of researchers collected emotional, physical and sexual violence data reported by 194,871 girls and women aged 15 to 49 from India, Pakistan and Nepal between October 2010 to April 2018.

The results: The researchers found that with each 1C (33.8F) increase in temperature, there was an 8% increase in physical violence and 7.3% rise in sexual violence. With every 1C increase in the annual mean temperature, they found a mean increase in intimate partner violence (IPV) prevalence of 4.49%.

Researchers also noted that the IPV prevalence would increase by 21% by the end of the century under the unlimited emissions scenarios, with India being most likely to experience the highest IPV prevalence increase (23.5%) in the 2090s, followed by Nepal (14.8%) and Pakistan (5.9%).

More from NextShark: Indian airline removes disabled teenager from flight after claiming he was uncontrollable

Although the increase in violence against women was found present across all income groups, researchers note that the largest increases were among lower-income and rural households.

The correlation: As the extreme heat can cause crop failure, affect income and force people to stay home, families are placed under increased stress and pressure, giving rise to violence against women.

[High temperatures] cause tremendous economic stress in families, Indian activist Suniti Gargi explained, according to The Guardian. If a man can migrate to another state to get work, it can help keep the home fires burning but when he cannot for whatever reason, his wife is at the receiving end of his anger and feelings of uselessness.

More from NextShark: Cats can recognize names and faces of their feline friends, says new Japanese study

Previous research: The study supports previous research that shows how climate change can fuel violence against women, including research from Madrid that found the risk of intimate partner femicide rose by 40% when a heatwave hit. In Kenya, women also had higher rates of reporting IPV during severe weather conditions.

There is growing evidence that extreme heat can affect stress, lower inhibitions, increase aggression, and exacerbate mental illness, said Michelle Bell, co-author of the study. The true public health impact of climate change is likely underestimated due to many other less well-studied health risks, such as that described in this study.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with domestic violence, please contact the domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. For a list of international helplines, visit www.befriends.org.

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Parched earth

Global temperatures are rising as a result of human activity.

People around the world are already experiencing the consequences, from more intense heatwaves to rising sea levels.

Things are likely to worsen in the coming decades, but scientists argue that urgent action can still avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change.

What is climate change?

Climate is the average weather in a place over many years. Climate change is a shift in those average conditions.

The climate has fluctuated naturally throughout the world's history.

But scientists say that there is no doubt that the particularly rapid climate change seen over the past century is caused by humans.

In particular they say it is due to the widespread use of fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas - in homes, factories and transport.

When fossil fuels burn, they release greenhouse gases - mostly carbon dioxide (CO2). These gases trap the Sun's heat in the atmosphere, causing the planet's temperature to rise.

Over the last 800,000 years, CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere have fluctuated between about 180 and 300 parts per million in a sawtooth like pattern. Today, CO2 levels are over 420 parts per million and have risen sharply over the last century - a near vertical line on the graph.

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution - when humans started burning large amounts of these fuels - the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by over 50%, and is still growing.

As a result of the increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases like methane, the world is now about 1.1C warmer than it was in the late 19th century.

Change in global temperature compared to the pre-industrial average. Temperatures were around average until about 1950, but have increased since, regularly exceeding 1C of warming in the last decade.

What are the effects of climate change so far?

A global average temperature increase of 1.1C might not sound much, but it has already had a huge effect on the environment. Impacts so far include:

People's lives are already changing as a result. For example, the ongoing East African drought has put more than 20 million people at risk of severe hunger. The 2022 European heatwaves led to an abnormal increase in deaths.

Extreme weather events have caused trillions of dollars of economic damage in recent decades, but the death toll has actually fallen as early warning systems have improved, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.

How will future climate change affect the world?

Scientists say limiting temperature rise to 1.5C is crucial to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change - although these increase with every extra increment of warming.

The 1.5C warming limit was partly designed to avoid crossing so-called "tipping points".

These are thresholds beyond which changes could accelerate and become irreversible in different parts of the Earth's climate system, such as the collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

But it's not clear precisely where these thresholds sit. Some may have already been crossed; some may be further away than first thought.

Infographic showing how different parts of the world will warm at 1C, 1.5C, 2C and 4C of warming. The Arctic and high mountain areas warm much more than the global average.

The science is not completely certain, but the impacts of 2C global warming versus 1.5C could include:

extreme hot days would be on average 4C warmer at mid-latitudes (regions outside the poles and tropics), versus 3C at 1.5C

sea-level rise would be 0.1m higher than at 1.5C, exposing up to 10 million more people

more than 99% of coral reefs would be lost, compared with 70-90% at 1.5C

several hundred million more people may be exposed to climate-related risks and susceptible to poverty by 2050 than at 1.5C.

About 3.3 to 3.6 billion people are classed as being highly vulnerable to climate change, according to the UN's climate body, the IPCC.

People living in developing countries are expected to suffer the most as they have fewer resources to adapt.

This has led to questions about fairness, because these places have typically contributed only a small percentage of the greenhouse gases which caused climate change in the first place.

However, impacts in one place can have knock-on effects for all regions. For instance, people being displaced from one area could lead to mass migrations, and crop failures linked to extreme weather could raise global food prices.

Infographic showing much greater loss of species at higher levels of global warming

What are governments doing about climate change?

In a landmark agreement signed in Paris in 2015, almost 200 countries pledged to try to keep global warming to 1.5C.

To achieve this, scientists said that countries should achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Net zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and removing any remaining emissions from the atmosphere.

Most countries have, or are considering, net zero targets, but many of these are dated after 2050.

Real-world action has been slow, and the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are still rising.

As a result, UN scientists believe the world is "likely" to warm beyond 1.5C based on current government targets.

Chart showing projected trends in emissions and levels of warming. According to current policies, the world is heading for around 2.7C warming by 2100.

World leaders meet every year to discuss their climate commitments. The next summit (COP28) will be held in the UAE in November and December 2023.

What can individuals do?

Major changes need to come from governments and businesses, but scientists say small changes from individuals can also make a difference:

More on Climate Change bottom strapline

Top image from Getty Images. Climate stripes visualisation courtesy of Prof Ed Hawkins and University of Reading.
Animals attacked, and at least one employee was seriously hurt, all because dogs are being doubled up in kennels at Central Floridas largest public shelter.

9 Investigates Karla Ray first exposed concerns inside Orange County Animal Services aging building seven years ago, leading to plays for a new facility that still has not been built.

Now, shes learned that without a larger building, co-kenneling is the only viable option.

The photos are too gruesome to show without a blur of an Orange County Animal Services employees leg torn open after they tried to break up a dog fight in May. The two dogs involved were co-kenneled due to space.

Its a survival instinct environment for the animals, Christina Chaix, an animal advocate, said.

Read: Book buddies: Orange County shelter launches program for kids to read to adoptable pets

The dog that did the biting was euthanized the same day, and its not the only time that shelter leaders have had to make that choice due to fights caused by overcrowding.

In fact, the shelter has been on notice for at least 10 months about the dangers of co-kenneling, after a senior dog named Art was mauled by two younger dogs in their shared kennel overnight last August.

By the time he was found, he had multiple puncture wounds, significant swelling, and his entire coat was stained red with blood.

Kennel notes show there was a previous medical request for single-dog housing, which wasnt adhered to by staff.

The complacency, the lack of urgency to address this, thats on them. And they need to fix that, Melissa McGee said.

Read: Brevard Zoo rats celebrate their 2nd birthday with teeny-tiny cakes, even smaller candles

McGee is a former OCAS Advisory Board member who said she is concerned about the well-being of the animals.

Since Arts death, shelter staff has been questioned by the public at Advisory Board meetings and via records requests about continued fights.

9 Investigates obtained records showing dozens of dogs being involved in fights, and on a visit in early June, we saw almost every kennel doubled up.

No one from the publicly funded shelter would go on camera with us, so we took the safety concerns to current Advisory Board members.

Read: WHO to name aspartame, food and drink sweetener, as possible human carcinogen

Unfortunately, theres nothing we can do that we havent already tried to do, board member Lindsey Dodds said. Realistically, were dealing with a government-run shelter, and I think that the public has to be realistic about what a government-funded shelter is capable of.

Lindsey Dodds and Rosina McVicker pointed out that as a government-run shelter, OCAS cannot stop accepting surrenders or picking up strays. The only other option to free up space would be mass euthanasia.

I dont believe that theres another option. I dont think we have a choice other than to do the co-housing in the best way possible, to take the time to prepare the dogs in a manner that ideally is putting friendly dogs together, McVicker said.

Read: Florida teen charged with alligator abuse after video goes viral

Demolishing the old Pet Alliance shelter was the first step to building a new Orange County Animal Services facility, but even with that step out of the way, there is no timeline for the new shelter to be built.

We checked with the two most comparable shelters in the state; in Broward County, a spokesperson confirmed that no dogs were being co-kenneled, but in Palm Beach County, they have been forced to double up dogs.

An OCAS spokesperson told 9 Investigates in a statement that with the current shelter, cohousing is necessary and saves lives.

You can help the situation by fostering, and more information on that process can be found here.

Read: Coyotes in Florida: 9 tips to protect yourself, children & pets

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.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday that presumed human remains have been recovered from the site of the Titan submersible that imploded earlier this month on its way to view the wreck of the Titanic.

United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Titan submersible went missing June 18 after it lost communication less than two hours into its dive to visit the Titanic, which lies more than 2 miles beneath the oceans surface. OceanGate, the company that owned the submersible, said last week that all five of the passengers the vessel was carrying were believed to be dead.

Coast Guard authorities said at the time that the debris field of the Titan found near the wreck of the Titanic was consistent with catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber. The Coast Guard announced Sunday that it would open a Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) into the submersible, noting that debris and salvage operations were already underway.

The Coast Guard said Wednesday that one of its cutter boats will be used to transport the evidence to a U.S. port where the MBI can further investigate the evidence and debris. The Coast Guard also noted that the board will continue to collect evidence and conduct witness interviews for a public hearing about the incident.

I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths, MBI Chair Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement.

The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Few contest that a centuries-old violin will be more coveted than its newer counterparts, assuming it was well-made to begin with. Thats how luthiers like Stradivari and Guarneri have become household names, regardless of whether you know the difference between Prokofiev and Smirnoff.

But old brass instruments of comparable pedigrees dont enjoy such hagiographies, outside a niche set of brass enthusiasts. Their repair needs can be esoteric, their intonation spotty, the necessary breath support challenging. Thats assuming such instruments have been maintained enough over the years to remain usable and are not dented, oxidized messes.

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Even so, a select few brass players swear by century-old instruments, especially by German makers. And the most spirited acolytes of those instruments on this side of the Atlantic are right here, in the Chicago Symphonys brass section.

Principal trombone Jay Friedman, who has collected vintage instruments since his student days, boasts a collection that wowed even conductor Christian Thielemann, when he conducted here last October. (He was like a kid in a candy store, Friedman remembers.) Principal trumpet Esteban Batallan is newer to collecting, but hes already amassed about 10 such instruments since joining the CSO in 2019. Second trumpet John Hagstrom puts both of them to shame: He tells the Tribune his grand total was classified but concedes he owns more than 100 trumpets which he rates as performable, plus hundreds more hes amassed as historical curios.

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Its like being a cat person: theres a point where it becomes a little weird, Hagstrom jokes. But like a cat, each instrument has a different personality.

Instruments once played by top-shelf brass players, in the CSO and elsewhere, have made their way into Hagstrom, Friedman and Batallans collections. Some have even been happily donated, knowing theyd be in good hands  the very best, in fact. The honor of playing them, Hagstrom says, feels like bringing a voice back to life, on an instrument that was played 50 years ago, or 100 years ago.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal trombonist Jay Friedman shows off one of his antique trombones from his collection. (Troy Stolt/for the Chicago Tribune)

But other, more obscure acquisitions require more detective work. Theyll go sniffing around when abroad on tour, or trawl the web for hits at home. (German eBay has been a winner for Friedman and Batallan.)

Friedman mostly struck out on his decades of searching for a vintage German trombone  until about 20 years ago, when he went to a cluttered secondhand shop just around the corner from his then-house in Oak Park. Hed hoped to buy a used instrument for his grandson to try out, but instead spotted a trombone on the wall so grimy it was absolutely black.

When the shopkeep pulled it down so he could take a closer look, Friedman, astonished, recognized it as a rare, German-made tenor trombone made around the turn of the century. He could make out an engraving near the bell declaring the horn as the property of one O. Isserstedt  possibly a relative, hes since learned, of the esteemed conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt.

It sat in somebodys garage for 50 years, Friedman says. If it was in great shape, I would be playing it all the time. I had to get work done on it in Germany because it had holes in it and the slide doesnt work. But its still the best-playing horn that I have  it has the best sound.

That sound varies dramatically from instrument to instrument, and can vary even more depending on the mouthpiece and, obviously, the player. Generally, late 19th- and early 20th-century instruments sound more rounded and blooming than their more direct, denser modern counterparts. The instruments are handmade; their metal is thinner and more pliant, made from alloys which use more lead than modern makers would dare venture. And, much like an old violin, the sound changes with age, vibrations gradually tempering the metal even further over years of use.

They have something that the new brands cannot have, which is the soul in the sound, Batallan says.

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Those instruments wouldnt shine in a solo or recital context, and you definitely wont be seeing them at Ravinia this summer  per Friedman, the sound would just get lost. But theyre first on-call for any indoor ensemble work which requires delicacy and blend rather than pyrotechnic showmanship. In last years performances of Beethovens Symphony No. 4, Batallan and Hagstrom were seated right behind a very apprehensive woodwind section, their earplugs at the ready. To their surprise, the softer sound  from two pre-World War I B-flat rotary trumpets from Hagstroms collection  was a nonissue.

We were creating energy without pain, Hagstrom says.

The silver piston C trumpets most often used by the section emulate the sound of an iconic model by Austro-American maker Vincent Bach, who made four such trumpets especially for the orchestra in 1955 and are still played. Those trumpets are prized by brass players the world over as a compromise between the clarion, juiced-up French piston trumpet, which ascended as the dominant style in the U.S. in the early 20th century, and the broadness associated with German horns.

But the rotary valve instruments the trumpet section usually will play for pre-20th century German repertoire are immediately recognizable: They will look like the usual piston trumpet has been tilted 90 degrees, and players press levers at the instruments side rather than buttons on top of the instrument. For those performances, Batallan and Hagstrom will raid their own collections to use rotary trumpets most similar to the models the composer was writing for.

Friedman, Hagstrom and Batallan all use old German instruments for composers like Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn. Music by later composers, like Dvorak and Wagner, might require some internal discussion about whether to go old or modern. When they dont have enough appropriate period instruments to loan to colleagues, the section will often play with a mix of antique instruments and modern reproductions of those models.

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal trumpeter Esteban Batallan looks through a few of his antique trumpets at colleague Jay Friedman's home. (Troy Stolt/for the Chicago Tribune)

Those modern reproductions can only go so far. Even instruments by German makers who claim to source their metals from the same quarries as their 19th-century predecessors just dont sound the same. Nor can todays economy nurture a super-specialist industry around bespoke horns, whose manufacture is prohibitively expensive. And orchestras have also changed and homogenized, making it hard to carve a niche for those instruments in ensembles which arent already obsessive about tradition, like the Vienna Philharmonic.

Its the prejudice of technology. People wonder, Why do we play these instruments at all? Whats the point? Havent we figured out something better? But the answer is no, says Hagstrom.

As a young player, you think the old players are just stuck in the past and that these modern instruments are so much better. But when I play a restored older German instrument in the orchestra, it hits like a ton of bricks: This is what they were doing, this is the sound. Once you experience that, its humbling, frankly.

The story of why the CSO nurtures so many brass history buffs is, in many ways, a story of the CSO brass itself. Its distinctive brass tradition has been incubated by principal players with preternaturally long tenures: legendary trumpeter Adolph Bud Herseth for 53 years, former principal horn Dale Clevenger for 47 and principal tuba Arnold Jacobs for 44. Friedman just completed an astonishing 61 seasons with the CSO, making him and harpist Lynne Turner the longest-serving musicians in the orchestras history.

A 1954 Vincent Bach model 45 trombone owned by Jay Friedman is seen in his home in Oak Brook. (Troy Stolt/for the Chicago Tribune)

That influence has been augmented even further by what Hagstrom calls a longer conduit of legacy transfer via the Civic Orchestra: CSO members have mentored those young musicians since 1919, and for its first several decades, playing in Civic could be a direct pipeline into the CSO. (It was for Friedman and, more recently, hornists Jim Smelser, Daniel Gingrich and Oto Carrillo.) In that way, the preference for a German brass sound remained largely unbroken, unlike many other American orchestras when Germans were uprooted from their posts during World War I.

If you got rid of the Germans in Chicago, you wouldnt have an orchestra, Hagstrom says.

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In the 1960s, the CSO became the first modern American orchestra to go back to its roots and play German repertoire with German-style rotary trumpets, a change inspired by Herseth in the 1960s. Hagstrom sees the CSOs historicist bent as an extension of that original attention to detail.

What were inheriting is the reverence of our predecessors for this, he says.

That reverence never forecloses experimentation. Once in a while Batallan and Hagstrom arrange shoot outs, when they bring selections from their collection together to test different instrument combinations. In preparation for the CSOs recent concerts of Schubert 9 and Missa solemnis, Hagstrom says he and Batallan experimented with eleven German trumpets to find the perfect pairing for each piece.

A good analogy is matching a tie with a suit. You can have a beautiful tie, but is it going to go with this outfit? You dont really know until you really try it out with the outfit. A piston trumpet could sound like a million bucks, but it might not be a good complement with the orchestra, Hagstrom says.

Musicians in major symphony orchestras are typically compensated extra if they play more than one instrument on the same program: trumpet and cornet, for example, or trumpet and fluegelhorn. Some orchestras include German-style rotary valve instruments of any age in that distinction.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal trumpeter Esteban Batallan holds his 1925 F.A. Heckel B-Flat rotary trumpet, as principal trombonist Jay Friedman holds his F.A Heckel, Penzel model tenor trombone, which was made between 1910-1920, as the two are surrounded with the rest of their collection of antique instruments in Friedman's Oak Brook home. (Troy Stolt/for the Chicago Tribune)

The CSOs contracts, however, do not account for German doublings. These players do it only for the love of the music  and the opportunity to champion sounds that are swiftly vanishing.

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No one ever asked us to do it. Were doing it of our own volition, and were happy to do it, because theres wisdom in the voices of the past, Hagstrom says. This is what the Chicago Symphony is all about: going the extra mile to find a connection with the music and with the composers vision.

Hannah Edgar is a freelance critic.

The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains editorial control over assignments and content.
Colombia to send note of protest to Russia over attack on civilians in Kramatorsk, Russia claims they owe it to themselves

Colombia will send a note of protest to Russia over the 27 June strike on the city of Kramatorsk, which injured three Colombians; the Russian embassy responded by claiming that the people who arrived in Ukraine owe it to themselves.

Source: Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Twitter; Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti

Quote: "Russia has attacked three innocent Colombians, thus violating the rules of war. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should send a diplomatic note of protest.

We are waiting for Sergio, Hector and Catalina to come back home."

Details: Instead, the Russian Embassy in Colombia claimed, "We believe that a frontline city turned into an operational military and logistics centre is not a good place to taste Ukrainian cuisine."

Background:

On the evening of 27 June, the Russians attacked Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast, hitting a catering establishment. 12 people were reportedly killed and 65 wounded, as of the morning of 29 June.

Among the victims are Colombian lawmaker Sergio Jaramillo, writer Hector Abad, and journalist Catalina Gomez. The Colombians were gathering information for a project in support of Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Texas is changing. When will its politics catch up? (LM Otero / Associated Press)

Four of the nations 10 largest cities are in Texas: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott would like you to think thats because of the economic policies of the Lone Star State.

Theres a reason people want to live in Texas, he tweeted. Our low taxes and business-friendly environment give businesses, workers, and families the opportunity to thrive.

The effect Abbotts policies have had on his states population growth is debatable. Texas grew 20.68% from 2010 to 2023  a surge that began before he took office. As far as giving families the opportunity to thrive  well, his administrations harsh positions on immigration, reproductive health, LGBTQ+ issues and guns call into question his definition of thriving.

Actually, they answer the question. Abbotts ideal Texas household is white, Anglo, cisgender and straight. The three-term governor has made that clear through the policies he pursues.

Which is why we should all be disturbed that 30 million people live under his leadership.

Read more: Granderson: Texas gerrymandering is all about keeping a grip on white power

Texas governors have no term limits. Both chambers of the state legislature are Republican, and conservatives have held that trifecta since 2003. The Supreme Court, where Abbott once served, is all Republican. If a vacancy arises, he appoints. Abbott was the longest-serving attorney general in the state, and the current one is a loyal Republican. And despite all of that tailwind, the governor has yet to win a county where any of those four biggest cities are located. His braggy tweet is akin to getting an I love L.A. tattoo while living in Huntington Beach.

But this isnt just about egg on a politicians face. The Republican govenor-Democratic mayor power struggle has been a thing in this country since long before Abbott took office. Whats concerning is his approach to that battle and the scope of his impact. Days before he bragged about the size of those four diverse, progressive cities, he signed a law specifically targeting their city councils, limiting their power.

Read more: Granderson: With each horrific shooting, Texas' governor looks more inept

Its a tug of war that resulted in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin losing the ability to do things like mandate water breaks for construction workers  a 10-minute break once every four hours in a state that just had its second-hottest year on record. A state that was already leading the country in heat-related work deaths before the legislation was introduced in February. What was that line the governor used about allowing workers to thrive?

Roughly 60% of Texas construction workers are Latino, many undocumented. Blocking protections for these vulnerable people is just cruel. But then again, so is using desperate migrants for political stunts or dismissing victims of mass shootings because of their immigration status .

Im not saying its all about race. Im just saying the last state to free the enslaved is currently home to the largest Black population in the country, and the congressional map the governor signed in 2021 did not include even one predominantly Black district.

Read more: Granderson: Texas keeps trying to make slavery sound less slaveryish

Latinos now outnumber non-Hispanic white residents , and yet dominate only seven of the 38 congressional districts. The population increase to which Abbott alludes also included international migration from China and India, and those immigrants too are building communities in counties that lean blue. These are the counties under Republican attack.

Texas gained two seats in the U.S. House because of population growth, 95% of which is attributable to people of color. Republicans used that growth to increase the number of districts with white majorities, while intentionally diminishing the power of people of color. The Department of Justice sued, of course, stating that the Republican congressional redistricting plan has the discriminatory result of leading to an inequality in the opportunities for minority voters to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice.

Read more: Op-Ed: Are Californians fleeing en masse to Texas? The reality is complicated

Without the threat of term limits and bolstered by immense consolidated power, Abbott has now outlawed critical race theory in universities, stopped mandated water breaks for construction workers and banned public drag shows. He also signed a congressional map that curtails voting power for people of color, the very people who boosted the population of the four cities he likes to brag about.

Abbott has spent most of his life in office serving Texas. I do believe he is proud of his states growth. But his policies suggest a man who tossed out the memo that read yall means all." He's one reason people who live outside of Texas generally dont know just how beautiful and diverse much of the state is. Instead of using his office to celebrate diversity, hes legislating to minimize it. And here I thought everything was bigger in Texas.

@LZGranderson

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Companies Are Posting Fake 'Ghost Jobs' To Gather Resumes And Experts Say This Is Why Job-Hunting Is Now A Nightmare

tiktoker discussing how companies are posting fake ghost jobs

Job-hunting has always been... well, a bit of a nightmare. It's tedious, nerve-wracking, and an opaque process at best. But a recent survey of hiring managers reveals that it's far more opaque than most of us realize. You're not imagining things  the job search process really is getting harder and harder.

A survey reveals companies are posting fake 'ghost jobs' on job search boards.

It's not your imagination and you're not necessarily doing anything wrong in your job search. There is a reason there have been so many stories recently, for instance, about people applying to hundreds of jobs and getting nowhere.

As veteran recruiter and job search consultant Bryan Creely explains in the video below, several factors are converging to make the job-hunting process more of a nightmare than ever before, but one of them is perhaps far more shocking than the others.

RELATED: Worker Walks Out In Middle Of Shift After Boss Tells Her She Needs To Go Home And Change Her Outfit  'I Wear These Shorts To Work Often'

In a recent survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers done by investment and wealth management firm Clarity Capital, tons of companies openly admitted to a practice that will confirm the suspicions of many job applicantsa lot of those jobs you're applying to are completely fake.

RELATED: Worker Deletes Thousands Of Files He Created After Finding Out That The Company That Fired Him For Being Incompetent Is Still Using His Work

Companies are posting fake ghost jobs to gather resumes for the future, give the illusion of growth and manipulate employee morale.

Fifty percent of the companies said they post fake ghost jobs, including leaving up ads for expired or already filled jobs, simply because they're "always open to new people," while 37% said they do so to gather resumes in case of future turnover.

In a TikTok, Creely likened these practices to window shopping for employees.

RELATED: Job Seeker Gives Recruiter A Piece Of Her Mind After Being Asked To Complete A 1-Hour Assessment Before Finding Out Salary

But the other reasons are unsettling. Forty-three percent said they post fake ghost jobs to "keep employees motivated." It's hard to imagine how posting fake jobs would result in motivation unless it's explicitly negative motivation  like, say, manipulating people into thinking their jobs are about to be made redundant and they'll soon be facing a layoff.

Creely also theorized that it's a means of keeping overworked employees from quitting  fake ghost ads give the impression that the company is growing and relief is on the horizon as more staff will soon be on-board to take the extra workload.

And speaking of growth, another 43% said their companies are posting fake ghost jobs to give the overall impression that the company is growing  which seems like it has to be ethically and legally dubious at best. Companies run aground of the law and leaders end up in jail for misrepresenting a company's value, after all.

RELATED: Woman Gives Advice On How To Get 'Lazy Girl Jobs' So You Can Quiet Quit Right Away Without Anyone Noticing

Technology, the rise of AI and recruiting staffing shortages are making a mess of things too.

As a recent report in Time revealed, many pandemic-related changes, like "one-way interviews" in which candidates create videos of themselves answering questions, have stuck around now that the pandemic has abated.

But rather than streamline the process, they produce an inordinate amount of content that recruiting and hiring staff then have to sift through  staffs that were subject to major lay-offs during the height of the pandemic and which in some cases have only deepened as new software developments and the integration of artificial intelligence have been making recruiting staff less necessary.

Except that they don't really  as Time reports, those staffing shortages mean there are not only fewer people to sift through all the extra content these innovations create but that hiring and interviewing now often fall to managers with no experience in the process.

RELATED: Top-Performing Employee Tells Boss That Because His Pay Is 'Below Average' His Work Will Be Too After Getting Denied A Raise For Two Years

Roll this all together, and it creates a perfect storm of a wildly impersonal and demoralizing job search experience  your resume really is going into an often AI-generated black hole  and a hiring process that has now reached an all-time high of 44 days for those applicants do actually make it in front of a decision maker.

So how do we deal with this hellish scenario? The old-fashioned answer nobody wants to hear  Creely recommends leveraging networking and social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, as much as possible as a way of cutting through all this mess. That's probably cold comfort to anyone currently circling the drain of the job-hunting process, but hey, at least you know you're not the only one!

RELATED: 4 Rare Signs Of Superior Intelligence To Look For In Yourself

John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice and human interest topics.

This article originally appeared on YourTango
The controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline could carry natural gas as soon as this winter, the company behind it said after the pipeline secured federal approval.

On Wednesday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order stating Mountain Valley is authorized to proceed with all remaining construction associated with the project.

Natalie Cox, a spokesperson for Equitrans Midstream, one of the companies behind the pipeline, sent an emailed statement to The Hill on Thursday that said the vessels construction could be completed by the end of the year.

Mountain Valley looks forward to flowing domestic natural gas this winter, the statement said.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline would stretch across 303 miles and carry gas from West Virginia to Virginia.

The latest order comes after the passage of a bill to lift the debt limit that also included language to approve all authorizations, permits  and any other approvals or orders needed for the pipelines construction, effectively ensuring that it will be okayed.

The commission cited the law in its order, stating that all issued Federal authorizations for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project have been ratified by Congress.

The vessel was backed by lawmakers from West Virginia including Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who was a key swing vote in the evenly divided Senate last year.

Manchin, who could face a tough reelection fight in the state if he chooses to run again, last year made a deal with Democratic leaders to pass legislation approving the pipeline in exchange for his vote on the Democrats climate, tax and health care bill.

Last year, his effort ultimately flopped as most Senate Republicans and some left-wing Democrats pushed back against the pipelines passage. But its approval was included in the bill raising the debt ceiling that President Biden signed earlier this month.

Proponents of the pipeline say it would bolster the nations energy by transporting natural gas. Opponents have objected to the completion of more fossil fuel infrastructure, which they say will contribute to climate change, and have also raised concerns about local environmental impacts.

Manchin, on Twitter, celebrated the latest development.

GOOD NEWS: @FERC gave final approval to resume construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, he wrote. MVP is vital to Americas energy and national security and will benefit not only [West] Virginia, but the entire nation.

Environmentalists expressed disappointment in the outcome.

The unnecessary project has repeatedly been unable to comply with bedrock environmental laws and should never have been used as a tool in must-pass legislation to hold our country hostage or capitulate to special interests willing to destroy the planet for their own profits, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous said in a written statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
An officer with the Concord Police Department is under internal investigation after the department learned he was accused of assault and false imprisonment.

CPD Lt. Kevin Berg was placed on administrative duty after charges were filed against him on June 21, according to the Concord Police Department.

SEE MORE: Concord police sergeant cited for passing stopped school bus, department confirms

Channel 9 obtained a criminal summons from investigators in Cabarrus County saying that Berg is being charged with injury to personal property, assault and battery, and false imprisonment.

According to the court documents, the incident happened on April 28. Berg, 44, allegedly pulled the victim out of a truck, grabbed his phone, and then restrained him while on the ground.

No other details were given. Its not clear what led to the alleged fight. The case is under investigation by the Union County Sheriffs Office.

ALSO READ: Concord police officer fired after shooting investigation sues for wrongful termination

We asked a CPD spokesperson if this incident happened while Berg was on duty.

The city of Concords website says Berg was hired by CPD in 2004.

CPD didnt provide any additional details, but did send the following statement to Channel 9: The Concord Police Department is aware of criminal charges filed on June 21, 2023, pertaining to an incident at Lieutenant Kevin Bergs residence in Cabarrus County. Lieutenant Berg was placed on administrative duty as soon as the department learned charges were filed against him. An internal administrative investigation is underway, which is standard practice for any employee accused of misconduct. Lieutenant Berg will remain on administrative duty pending the outcome of the criminal case and administrative investigation.

(WATCH: Concord police investigating fatal shooting at bus stop)
Wild mushroom hunters may have the police on their backs for overpicking if the Department of Natural Resources follows through on a plan to place a first-ever bag limit on fungi foraging inside state parks.

DNR Parks and Trails Director Ann Pierce confirmed that collection limits are under consideration out of concern that the resource could be hurt by unchecked increases in mushroom harvesting for personal use. The agency also is considering limits on berry picking inside state parks. Pierce likened the potential regulations to the daily limits and possession limits in place on fish and game.

"We want to make sure there's not overcollecting of those resources," Pierce said in an interview. "We want to make sure we are doing it in a sustainable manner."

Peter Martignacco, president of the Minnesota Mycological Society, said he fears that DNR is on a path to making unnecessary changes that could functionally ban mushroom foraging in state parks. He acknowledged that COVID-19 sparked an increase in the number of people who hunt mushrooms on public land, but not to the extent of putting the wild delicacies in jeopardy.

"Foraging is not about picking a few mushrooms to put on your steak tonight," he said.

Instead of clamping down on the collection of morels, chanterelles, hen of the woods and other edible species, the DNR should be asking itself how to expand mushroom-picking opportunities and encourage the growing interest, Martignacco said. The agency won historic new funding from the Legislature this year on the premise of engaging more Minnesotans in the outdoors.

"Our footprint is pretty light on the environment compared to other land uses," Martignacco said.

As leader of the state's oldest and largest group of mushroom hunters, he caught wind of the proposed changes through back channels. He sought a meeting with DNR officials, but said he was told the agency wasn't interested in dialogue on the issue before proposed rules are published for public comment.

Earlier this month, he complained in a letter to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan about the DNR's exclusion of early input from an organization that has been using state parks for more than 70 years to educate the public about mushrooms and other fungi. In recent years, the society  now with about 1,000 members  has obtained research permits from the DNR in conjunction with field trips it guides to a variety of state parks, including several within the greater metropolitan area.

"Minnesota foragers value this activity for many reasons," Martignacco wrote. "It is thrilling to be out on a scavenger hunt when the prize is something delicious that you can cook."

Pierce said she had a phone conversation with Martignacco on Tuesday, agreeing to meet with him on the issue. "Maybe they have some ideas that make sense," she said.

Pierce said any new regulations would apply only to state parks, not other state-owned lands. State parks have their own rules to preserve and perpetuate natural features, she said. Any proposed rule changes on mushroom foraging and berry collecting would be put out for public comment before enacted. Pierce said the process likely will take until next year, including a governor's review.

The issue has been raised inside the DNR by state park staff members who have seen an increase in large groups of mushroom foragers entering the woods together. They've seen vegetation trampled and have raised concern about foragers spreading invasive species, Pierce said.

"We're not saying the majority of mushroom collectors are doing that.  We need to think about that broad spectrum," Pierce said. "We want to make sure we are protecting the resources of our state parks for everybody."

Martignacco said the mycological society brings large groups on some of its educational forays to state parks, but they break into smaller subgroups before foraging. He confirmed that the DNR has agreed to meet with him, but said he was told the meeting "would not likely have any impact on the proposed regulations."

He said the society's position is that the state's current regulation allowing harvest of edible fruit and mushrooms for personal, noncommercial use doesn't need harvest limits for mushrooms. The activity is sustainable and doesn't harm regrowth, he said. Because mushrooms in the wild are short-lived and not easily discovered, it's not like they'll be there for someone else if you leave a portion of them, he said.

"It shows a lack of understanding," he said.

Martignacco said there's been a discussion inside the DNR about possibly limiting foragers to a gallon bag of mushrooms. That's an especially unreasonable amount for people who travel significant distances to forage in state parks for a resource that's fleeting in its availability, he said. For many mushroom hunters, the activity includes customs around freezing, drying, storing and sharing the resource, Martignacco said.

He's also concerned that any changes adopted by state parks would later become a standard for state forests and state wildlife management areas.

Pierce said the DNR's attempt to define a limit for "personal use" of mushrooms and berries inside state parks is part of a larger review of park regulations. It's been 15 or 20 years since the book has changed, she said.

"I am hoping we can get this out to the public at the beginning of next year," she said. "With consumable resources, whether it's fish or deer or berries and mushrooms, you need to look at what you can logically harvest without hurting the resource."
Donald TrumpPhoto illustration by Salon/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump last month demanded the return of "my documents" and "my boxes"  even asking his lawyers if they could reclaim them from the federal government  after they informed him that he would soon be indicted, a source with direct knowledge of the matter and two other people briefed on it told Rolling Stone.

The request came in one of several similar conversations the former president has had in recent months, the sources said. In another exchange, Trump asserted that those materials belong to "me" and claimed that it was "illegal" for him to no longer have access to the documents seized in the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago last August. He has also asked about what other legal tactics or court filings his team could employ to get them back that they may not have thought of.

According to the source with direct knowledge, Trump has said that he will get the seized materials back in 2025 because he believes he will be re-elected and have unchallenged access to them and a host of other government information again.

Trump was indicted on 37 charges, including willful retention of national security documents and obstruction of justice, earlier this month in special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into his handling of classified documents after leaving office. The former president and his campaign have argued that the Presidential Records Act, which was passed after the Watergate scandal to define the scope of and limit claims to official materials after leaving office, actually exonerates him of any wrongdoing.

Related

"No one believes this": Legal experts say Trump is "digging himself deeper" with "bravado" defense

Several attorneys in Trump's wheelhouse have told him that, in their opinions, he is entitled to the return of documents under the PRA, namely 44 USC 2205(3), which states that "Presidential records of a former President shall be available to such former President or the former President's designated representative," two sources familiar with the matter told Rolling Stone. But many legal experts have disputed that argument.

"Whatever one might say about his Presidential Records Act argument, there's no argument that it immunizes him from criminal prosecution under the Espionage Act," attorney Brian Greer, who served in the CIA's office of general counsel from 2010 to 2018, told Rolling Stone. He added that the law also doesn't permit former presidents to defy a lawful subpoena or obstruct government efforts to retrieve materials, as the indictment accuses Trump of doing.

Former U.S. attorney and University of Michigan law professor Barb McQuade also previously told Salon that "the records Trump is alleged to have illegally retained are agency records, such as records of the CIA, NSA, and Department of Defense, not presidential records," adding that they're covered by the Espionage Act "because of their content  information about the national defense, which information could be used to the injury of the United States or advantage of a foreign nation."

Related

"DOJ really had no choice": Experts say non-lawyer Tom Fitton's advice horribly backfired on Trump

Despite disagreements among his own legal advisers, Trump has continued to tout his claims about the PRA.

"Whatever documents a president decides to take with him, he has the absolute right to take them," he told the audience of the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference last week. "He has the absolute right to keep them, or he can give them back [to the government], if he wantsThat's the law, and it couldn't be more clear."

He also repeated them during an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier last week, telling the host that he has "every right to have those boxes" that the FBI seized. "This is purely a Presidential Records Act. This is not a criminal thing," Trump added.

On Wednesday afternoon, his campaign also sent out an email blast to the media Wednesday that read, "TRUMP IS RIGHT! The Presidential Records Act Allows Presidents To Take Whatever Documents They Want."

Conservative legal nonprofit Judicial Watch, which is closely aligned with Trump, published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, arguing that the classified materials Trump had taken were not "agency records" as outlined by the PRA, and that "his decision to maintain the records can't be second-guessed."

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

A Trump spokesperson asked to comment on Trump's desire to have "my documents" back did not disclose any specifics, but instead reiterated the former president's line: "This is a Presidential Records Act issue, and it's ridiculous that the government is trying this under the Espionage Act."

Trump's revitalized campaign to regain access to the documents follows an earlier attempt to do so through a Rule 41 motion, which allows those "aggrieved by an unlawful search and seizure of property" to request that a judge return the property.

Though Judge Aileen Cannon granted Trump attorneys' request to appoint a special master to review the evidence seized in the FBI's court-ordered search, the third-party review was ultimately smacked down by a federal appeals court on the grounds that the move would "defy our nation's foundational principle that our law applies 'to all, without regard to numbers, wealth or rank.'"

Read more

about the Trump indictment
Connecticut state Rep. Maryam Khan on Wednesday was attacked after attending an Eid al-Adha service with members of her family, police and state officials confirmed.

Khan, a Democrat serving Hartford, Windsor and South Windsor who made history by becoming the first Muslim member of the Connecticut House, has not commented on the incident.

Its disturbing to me that this happened on a holy day meant to be marked with peaceful prayer, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. The details of the assault are still unfolding but I know our law enforcement personnel will conduct a thorough investigation into what happened.

Please keep @khanforconn in your prayers.



See my full statement below  https://t.co/HECaX5Pb7Dpic.twitter.com/Bg6LmOv99W  Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) June 29, 2023

Eid al-Adha, meaning Feast of Sacrifice, is an Islamic holiday when many Muslims attend prayer services.

The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged local and federal authorities to launch a probe into the attack, while sharing more details about how the incident unfolded.

Khan was attending the service with a friend, her sister and her three children at the XL Center, an arena in Hartford, when a man allegedly approached the group and began making obscene comments, according to a press release from CAIR-CT.

Khan told CAIR-CT the attacker grabbed and hit her and threw her to the ground. Another worshipper intervened, chased and held the suspect until police arrived, the advocacy organization wrote. Rep. Khan, her sister, and her older daughter wear religious head scarves, or hijab.

The Hartford Police Department confirmed that 30-year-old Andrey Desmond was arrested in connection with the attack. Desmond is charged with third-degree assault, as well as unlawful restraint, breach of peace and interfering with police.

Authorities said they were called to respond to an incident Wednesday morning in downtown Hartford, where they found a man restrained by civilian bystanders after he allegedly made unwanted advances toward Khan. The state representative suffered minor injuries and was examined by medical professionals, police said.

CAIR-CT Chair Farhan Memon said more officers should have been assigned to safeguard the religious service.

Given the size and prominence of the event more officers should have been present, Memon said. Other cities and towns in Connecticut have proactively assigned officers to mosques to protect against such attacks.

Hartfords Democratic mayor, Luke Bronin, said that he was also present at the service with Khan, writing in a statement that he was deeply troubled by the assault that she endured.
Hartford, Connecticut police arrested a man for assaulting the state's first Muslim state representative, Rep. Maryam Khan, on Wednesday morning while she was leaving an Eid al-Adha prayer service with her children and sister at the XL Center in the downtown area of the city.

Police said the suspect, 30-year-old Andrew Desmond of New Britain, was arrested Wednesday when responding officers found civilians detaining Desmond after they chased him down near the XL Center.

"The suspect approached a female, later determined to be a public official, and began to make unwanted advances. The suspect also attempted to prevent her from leaving and assaulted the female. The suspect then fled on foot and was chased by civilians," police said in a statement.

Khan received minor injuries and was treated by EMS at the scene, police said.

Maryam Khan

The motive behind the attack is not known yet.

Eid al-Adha marks the end of the annual pilgrimage Hajj and commemorates Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at Gods command. The holiday is celebrated with prayers, animal sacrifice and distribution of meat amongst the needy, small gifts for children and social gatherings.

"My heart is with Rep. Maryam Khan who was attacked today after attending Eid al-Adha services with her family," said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont in a statement shared on Twitter. "It's disturbing to me that this happened on a holy day meant to be marked with peaceful prayer."

Please keep @khanforconn in your prayers.



See my full statement below  https://t.co/HECaX5Pb7D pic.twitter.com/Bg6LmOv99W  Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) June 29, 2023

Council on American-Islamic Relations condemns incident

Meanwhile, the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT), the nations largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, has condemned the incident and has called on the state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident.

According to a statement on their website, Khan, her sister, a female friend and Khans three pre-teen children were reportedly approached by a man, who made vulgar and obscene remarks before hitting and grabbing Khan pushing her to the ground. Khan was treated for injuries at the scene, police said.

We urge local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this attack and to ensure the safety of the Connecticut Muslim community during the ongoing Eid al-Adha celebrations, said CAIR-Connecticut Chair Farhan Memon. All too often we have seen American Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim, targeted by hate because of their attire, race or ethnicity.

Memon further said that the Eid al-Adha prayer service in Hartford was the largest gathering of Muslims in recent years and required heightened police presence, adding that the Muslim community had to hire two off-duty officers at their own expense.

Given the size and prominence of the event, more officers should have been present. Other cities and towns in Connecticut have proactively assigned officers to mosques to protect against such attacks," said Memon.

Maryam, who immigrated to the United States from Pakistan in 1994, was elected during a 2022 special election in March to represent the 5th District, serving Hartford and Windsor. She is the first Muslim member of the Connecticut House, according to her official bio. Last November, she was re-elected to serve her first full legislative term which now includes South Windsor. For the 2023 legislative session, she was appointed Vice Chair of the Housing Committee and a member of the Aging, Education, and Judiciary Committees.

Maryam lives in Windsor with her husband and three children.

More: See pictures 2 million Muslims take part in 2023 Hajj pilgrimage

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maryam Khan, Muslim Rep, assaulted at Connecticut Eid-ul-Adha prayers
(Bloomberg) -- Rishi Sunak suffered a major blow Thursday after London judges ruled his attempt to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful, a decision that undermines his key pledge to show his Conservative government as being tough on immigration.

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The Court of Appeal ruled against the governments controversial plan that involves flying refugees who arrive in Britain on small boats some 4,000 miles (6,437.4 kilometers) to the central African nation for processing. Sending asylum seekers to Rwanda would violate the European Convention on Human Rights, which the government must comply with, the judges said in the split decision.

The result is that the high courts decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful, they said.

Asylum seekers, backed by non-governmental organizations, challenged the policy in London condemning the move as authoritarian. A High Court judge backed the government program as lawful in December.

The planned flights to Rwanda  which were slated to take off from a military base in Wiltshire  were thwarted in June of last year after a last-minute intervention from the European Court of Human Rights.

The government is planning to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions, Sunak said in an emailed statement. Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda.

Sunaks contentious Illegal Migration Bill to stop the flow of small boats crossing the English Channel was voted through by politicians in the House of Commons in April and is now under scrutiny by the House of Lords. According to a government estimate earlier this week, the UK would have to spend 169,000 ($214,450) per person to deport the almost 11,000 people who have made the crossing so far this year.

The Rwanda scheme is unworkable, unethical and extortionate, a costly and damaging distraction from the urgent action the government should be taking, Yvette Cooper, the opposition Labour Partys shadow home secretary, said .

The ruling implicitly criticizes the government for not taking steps to ensure that the Rwandan immigration and judicial system is compliant with conditions necessary to make it a safe third country. That is likely to fuel the sense that the governments political ambitions are served just as much by the legal tussle as actual deportations. That has been a longrunning theme on the rightwing of the Conservative Party since the battles over Brexit.

The number of pending asylum application in the UK mounted to 133,607 as of March end. Three of every four pending applications have been awaiting an initial decision for more than six months.

The deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda are such that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they faced persecution, the judges said.

Disagreeing with the majority decision, one of the judges concluded that the rules under the agreement and the assurances given by the Rwandan government are sufficient to ensure that asylum seekers are at no real risk.

--With assistance from Alex Morales.

(Updates throughout)

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Thousands of Illinois students a year are receiving tickets at school for conduct that violates local laws, an investigation by the Tribune and ProPublica has found. The tickets often involve behavior as minor as littering, vaping, using offensive words or gestures, or getting into a hallway scuffle.

Ticketing students violates the intent of an Illinois law that prohibits schools from fining students as a form of discipline. Instead of issuing fines directly, school officials refer students to police, who write the tickets. The fines attached can be hundreds of dollars, an impossible burden for many families. An analysis also found Black students were ticketed at higher rates than their white peers.

Part 1: Schools and police punish students with costly fines

Blake, age 17, and his mother Jennifer Fee, left, attend a hearing at the Tazewell County Courthouse in March. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Reporters found more than 11,800 tickets were issued to students during the last three school years, even though the COVID-19 pandemic kept children out of school for much of that period.

One boy who had shoved his friend in the school cafeteria got ticketed for violating East Peorias municipal code forbidding assault, battery, and affray. He didnt know what that phrase meant; he was only 12.

He was wrong for what he did, but this is a bit extreme for the first time being in trouble. He isnt even a teenager yet, his mother said.

>>> Read the full story here

>>> Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui

Part 2: Black students far more likely to be ticketed

Students walk outside Bloom Trail High School in April. Black students received nearly all of the tickets written recently at the school. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

This investigation also identified a pattern of racial disparities in ticketing. In the schools and districts where racial data was available, an analysis found that Black students were twice as likely to be ticketed than white students.

One school with a huge disparity in ticketing is Bloom Trail High School in south suburban Steger, where about 60% of the student body is Black but Black students got nearly all the tickets.

A mom of two boys who were ticketed there said her sons were treated too harshly. Theyre young Black men, she said. They stereotyped them.

>>> Read the full story here

>>> Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui

Part 3: A teen was ticketed at Naperville North for theft. Shes still fighting to clear her name.

Amara Harris, shown at her Naperville home in June, is fighting a theft ticket issued to her while she was attending Naperville North High School. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

From the moment Amara Harris was accused of stealing another students AirPods at Naperville North High School, she has insisted that it was a mix-up, not a theft.

Still, the school resource officer wrote Amara a ticket in 2019 for violating a municipal ordinance against theft. Paying a fine would have made the matter go away, but Amara says she wont admit to something she didnt do.

In a rare and dramatic example of the impact of school ticketing, the case is headed for a jury trial, with the next court date on Tuesday. As Naperville continues to prosecute the case, Amara and her mother have racked up far more in legal bills than the citys highest fine would have cost them.

>>> Read the full story here

Part 4: Calling police on students every other day

An officer walks outside the Garrison School in Jacksonville, Illinois, in November. A school administrator had called the police after an incident with a student. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

On the last street before leaving Jacksonville, theres a dark brick one-story building that the locals know as the school for bad kids. Its actually a tiny public school for children with disabilities. It sits across the street from farmland and is 2 miles from the Illinois citys police department, which makes for a short trip when the school calls 911.

Administrators at the Garrison School call the police to report student misbehavior every other school day, on average. And because staff members regularly press charges against the children  some as young as 9  officers have arrested students more than 100 times in the last five school years, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica found. That is an astounding number given that Garrison, the only school that is part of the Four Rivers Special Education District, has fewer than 65 students in most years.

No other school district  not just in Illinois, but in the entire country  had a higher student arrest rate than Four Rivers the last time data was collected nationwide. That school year, 2017-18, more than half of all Garrison students were arrested.

>>> Read the full story here

Do police give students tickets in your Illinois school district?

Reporters documented ticketing in 141 high school districts and large K-12 districts. For some districts and schools, they also were able to analyze how many tickets went to different racial and ethnic groups.

>>> Search for a public school or district to see if reporters identified ticketing there

Impact: Bill would prohibit schools from using police to ticket students

A new bill in the Illinois House aims to stop schools from working with police to issue students tickets for minor misbehavior, a harmful and sometimes costly practice that many districts have continued despite pleas to stop from the states top education officials.

A 2015 Illinois law prohibits schools from fining students as a form of discipline; school officials instead have been referring students to police, who then ticket the students for fighting, littering, theft, possessing vaping devices and other violations of local ordinances.

The new legislation, introduced in February, would amend the states school code to make it illegal for school personnel to involve police to issue students citations for incidents that can be addressed through a schools disciplinary process.

We have to close that loophole and end school-based ticketing, said Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Democrat from Chicago who is sponsoring the legislation. There is no place for this type of system to be in our schools.

>>> Read the full story here

Impact: The states top education official responds

State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Hours after the first part of this investigation was published, Illinois top education official urged schools to stop working with police to ticket students for misbehavior.

In a strongly worded plea, State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala said the costly fines associated with the tickets can be immensely harmful to families and theres no evidence they improve students behavior. School officials who refer students to police for ticketing have abdicated their responsibility for student discipline to local law enforcement, she wrote.

>>> Read the full story here

Impact: An end to truancy debt collections

Illinois top financial official has banned local governments from using a state program to collect debt from students who have been ticketed for truancy, eliminating a burden for families struggling to pay steep fines.

A number of school districts around the state, meanwhile, have begun to scale back and reevaluate when to involve law enforcement in student discipline, among them a suburban Chicago high school where Black students have been disproportionately ticketed. That school, Bloom Trail High School in Steger, said it would stop asking police to ticket students and move to other methods of discipline.

>>> Read the full story here

Impact: Illinois AG opens civil rights investigation on District 211

The Illinois attorney generals office is investigating whether Township High School District 211, one of the states largest school districts, violated civil rights laws when police issued tickets to students accused of minor misbehavior.

The nearly 12,000-student district operates five high schools and two alternative schools in Palatine, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg.

The attorney generals office decided to investigate District 211 after reading about racial disparities in ticketing documented by the Tribune and ProPublica as part of the investigation The Price Kids Pay.

>>> Read the full story here

Update: Ticketing data update shows racial disparity at Naperville North

(Giles Bruce / Naperville Sun)

Newly obtained police records from five Chicago suburbs offer additional details about students getting ticketed at school for minor offenses, a widespread practice documented in a Tribune-ProPublica investigation this year.

In Naperville, police provided updated records that include information about the race of students ticketed in the citys two high schools for violating municipal ordinances. At Naperville North High School, only 120 students are Black, or 4.5% of enrollment, but Black students received nearly 27% of the 67 tickets police have issued there since fall 2018.

Black students at Naperville North were nearly five times more likely than their white peers to receive a ticket. At the citys other high school, Naperville Central, police wrote 44 tickets to young people, most of them white students. The ticketing of Black students there was proportionate to school enrollment.

>>> Read the full story here

Update: Racial disparities revealed at suburban high school District 211

At Illinois largest high school district, Black and Latino students were suspended more often than white students, disciplined more often for subjective reasons such as dress code violations, and referred more frequently to the local police, who in many cases then issued costly tickets for misbehavior, data submitted as part of a state investigation shows.

The data, obtained through a public records request, shows that Black and Latino students together received about 65% of the roughly 470 tickets police have issued to high school students since the start of the 2018-19 school year. Those groups make up just 32% of district enrollment. White students, meanwhile, make up nearly 43% of enrollment but received about 28% of the tickets.

>>> Read the full story here

Update: Federal government investigating school with high arrest rate

The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into a tiny Illinois school district for students with disabilities to determine whether children enrolled there have been denied an appropriate education because of the practice of referring students to law enforcement for misbehaviors.

The investigation was initiated Feb. 13, two months after the Tribune and ProPublica reported how the district, which operates a therapeutic day school for students with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities, turned to police to arrest students with stunning frequency.

>>> Read the full story here

Update: Naperville still pushing AirPods case to trial

In the three years since Amara Harris was ticketed for theft over a pair of missing AirPods at her high school, she has graduated, earned an associate degree and moved from Naperville to Atlanta to attend Spelman College.

At the same time, amid a statewide reckoning over the harm caused by ticketing students, Naperville police have not ticketed any students this school year.

But the city of Naperville is still committed to prosecuting Harris and her case is headed toward a jury trial, an extraordinarily rare outcome for such a low-level civil infraction.

>>> Read the full story here

Update: Ticketing bill suffers setback; supporters vow to keep pushing

Top Illinois officials agreed last year that police shouldnt ticket students for minor misbehavior at school. But a bill to end the widespread practice fizzled this spring because of disagreement over whether it would accomplish its goal and confusion about whether police would still be able to respond to crime on campus.

Now, legislators and activists are regrouping with a goal of rewriting the bill and passing it in the next legislative session. They say they are committed to changing state law because not all school districts have stopped working with police to ticket students  tickets that can lead to fines of up to $750.

>>> Read the full story here

How we reported on student ticketing

Neither the state of Illinois nor the federal government tracks how often police give tickets to students in public schools for violations of municipal ordinances.

To understand how frequently and for what reasons police cited students, reporters from the Tribune and ProPublica filed more than 500 requests for public records with schools and law enforcement agencies under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

>>> Read the full story here
Convenience at a cost: Mother warns about crooks using payment apps to drain your accounts

A grieving mother has a warning for anyone who uses payment apps like Venmo and PayPal on their cellphone: criminals are using deadly tactics to steal your money

Channel 2s Karyn Greer spoke to the woman whose son was drugged and murdered, and his accounts were emptied all with his cellphone.

We have probably all sent a text and seen it has been read but received no response. For mother Linda Clary, getting no response from her son John was a clear sign something was not right.

Like, you would send a text message and it would say, Read. And you kept doing this. But then John never responded. I mean, never answered the phone, Clary said.

John Umberger, a political consultant with ties to Atlanta, disappeared in May 2022 during Memorial Day weekend after a night out at a gay nightclub in New Yorks Hells Kitchen.

[HAVE A STORY FOR 2 INVESTIGATES?: Submit your tip here]

He, unfortunately, went out on his own, and thats where he encountered these bad people, Clary said.

When his body was found days later, his cellphone and credit cards were missing and more than $22,000 had been transferred out of his accounts through apps like Venmo and PayPal.

A combination of fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs were the cause of death given by the medical examiner.

So, this concept was presented that John had gone to a club and he had been robbed at the club and had been so depressed and distraught that he came back and took a bunch of drugs. And you know that that just would not have been Johns reaction to someone taking those things from him on any level, Clary said.

And as a mother, you knew that, and you were determined that is not the story we are sticking with. And youre going to search? Greer asked Clary.

For the truth and find out what happened, Clary said.

MORE STORIES FROM 2 INVESTIGATES:

Eventually, it was discovered a second man, Julio Ramirez, was also a victim of whats being called the Roofie Murders. Three known gang members have been indicted for murder in the second degree.

The evidence supporting the conspiracy counts demonstrates that the defendants engaged in a concerted and deliberate scheme to harm innocent individuals. Their motive, we allege, was simple: to make money, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.

Clary wants Johns story to be a cautionary tale to others who store everything on their cellphone.

If you use Face ID, it allows you to become an easier target, Clary said.

Atlanta FBI supervisory special agent Joseph Zadik told Greet that convenience oftentimes comes at a cost.

The biggest thing you can do is limit what you can do through biometrics, Zadik said. So, while its very convenient for you it will also make it very convenient for the criminal if someone gets your phone or if your phone is lost.

He said limiting what Face ID or thumbprint enables is key.

For example, you just access your phone and then you cant access your banking application. For that, you enter a password, Zadik said.

And make sure your settings require attention for Face ID. Next, he says to switch from a PIN code to a complex password.

A lot of times people will shoulder surf you, so if youre out in a public place, they may look over your shoulder and watch you type in that six-digit passcode, and then when theres a time when youre not paying attention, swipe your phone, Zadik said.

Clary said she will continue to spread awareness

If I did not do something, John would be haunting me every day until I die, Clary said.

I know thats inconvenient, but whats more inconvenient, losing everything and having to deal with it, or just having to deal with another device? Zadik said.

Another way to keep your phone secure is to get a hardware key or token to log into the accounts on your phone.

Channel 2 consumer adviser Clark Howard spoke with a security expert about those devices earlier this year. CLICK HERE to see his report.

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Sometimes its hard to wrap your mind around the experiences and lifestyle differences from one generation to the next. Other times, the differences are so acute its a wonder people of different generations can even have conversations.

One of those tough topics revolves around the LGBTQ+ community. While queer people have existed for millennia, with references to gender and sexuality in some of the earliest available texts, the acceptance and understanding of them has been a controversial topic in the United States.

As a young queer person who grew up in a highly religious family, Ive seen my fair share of conversations between generations about the LGBTQ+ community. While they werent all pleasant, I learned from each of them. Ive come to a fairly good understanding of different generations general understanding of queer folk. The misconceptions, the propaganda, the arguments and preconceived notions vary from generation to generation, and each person is going to be different. But addressing the different perspectives is the best way to move forward.

When I can, I like to use my learned understanding to engage in healthy, proactive conversations with those who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding. Ive found that there are many people with genuine questions about but very little exposure to queer communities. Some people just dont know how to navigate their questions respectfully, or are too hesitant to even try asking.

Floridas Gov. Ron DeSantis is waging war on LGBTQ+ rights.

My editor is a straight woman in her mid-40s who says shes observed this hesitance to ask questions for fear of creating bigger misunderstandings, even in herself. So, we decided to have a conversation and record it for the benefit of others in her position.

We prefaced the conversation with the mutual understanding that queer people do not exist to answer cishet (cisgender and heterosexual) questions and engaged on the basis of professional respect. I regularly bring up queer issues, inclusion and topics, which helped to lead to the idea of a question and answer. Its important not to assume you can ask any question you have to the queer people in your life.

Also, I am only one individual and do not represent the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. While I tried to answer my editors questions using general statements, every queer individual is different and should be treated as such. Someone could disagree with every answer I gave, it doesnt make them less queer.

That said, here is the conversation between myself, Karlee Van De Venter, McClatchys Service Journalism Reporter at the Tri-City Herald, and my editor, Genevieve Belmaker.

Note: This conversation has been edited for publication and for clarity.

A discussion on Pride Month

Genevieve Belmaker: My first question is actually how long has Pride month been around? I feel like Ive just really been hearing about it in the last few years. Is it actually a longer tradition?

Karlee Van De Venter: Oh yeah! Its been a tradition in queer communities for a long time. In the last few years its been more commercialized and normalized. It was started in 1970, following the Stonewall riots, which started in June 1969.

GB: But is it only for people who identify with that community? Or can everyone celebrate and support?

KV: That honestly depends on who you ask. In general, only people who are accepting and proud of the community should attend, not protesters or anyone with ulterior motives. But of course thats not something you can see, so there isnt any real you can come in and you cant. Its just meant to be a place without hate. If you want to attend a Pride event and show your support, celebrate queer inclusion, you should be just fine.

GB: As someone who has never been to a party or an event celebrating Pride month, what could one expect to encounter? If I were to believe Hollywoods depiction, they are incredible opportunities for everyone to get insanely creative with their clothes, hair, makeup, jewelry and shoes. How accurate is that perception?

KV: Yes for creativity! Whatever you want to wear, look like, dress as, basically anything goes. Whatever pride means to you. Each Pride event will be different, but in general theyre pretty high energy. Music, drag performances and rainbows everywhere, all generally at most Pride fests. In my experience, everyone is really outgoing and friendly, no matter how decked out and crazy or toned down and under-dressed you are. A lot of people consider it an opportunity to meet people, make friends and connections with folks they know accept them. But like I said, each event is different, so theres likely to be surprises and unique aspects.

Haley Hayes, of the Zombie Club, waits for the Sacramento Pride March and Parade to start Sunday, June 11, 2023, in Southside Park.

GB: I feel like we hear about Pride parades a lot during Pride month, but what other types of activities are there?

KV: Tons of stuff! There are be Pride bar crawls, drag shows and all sorts of activities for queer people. This doesnt mean it doesnt allow cishet people to attend, just that all queer people are welcome. Ive seen LGBTQ+ karaoke nights, pop up markets, laser tag, you name it. A lot of businesses will even do specials for the month revolving around queer themes.

GB: So if I wanted to join an activity to show support and solidarity, it would be okay to attend one of those events?

KV: Totally. As long as youre respectful, youll be welcomed.

LGBTQ+ allyship

GB: Speaking of showing solidarity, as a journalist I often see news reports of someone from the LGBTQ+ community being physically attacked or otherwise targeted. Is personal safety a top-of-mind concern within the community?

KV: Definitely. Especially with the scare in Idaho last year, when a group of Proud Boys was preparing to ambush a pride event but were arrested before entering. People from across the country had traveled to Couer dAlene and dozens were arrested for conspiracy to riot. The pictures from that day honestly terrified me. I think its pretty common among queer folk right now to worry some about mass gatherings for pride, because it unfortunately is a target. While weve made a lot of progress in the country regarding LGBTQ+ rights, there is still the lurking threat of violence. Mass gatherings tend to amplify that, but its always a possibility, which is frightening.

GB: So how can people be supportive in more typical environments, like the workplace?

KV: Its the little things that go a long way. First, offering the same respect toward LGBTQ+ coworkers as anyone else in the workplace.

Second, try to actively consider queer aspects. Make sure youre thinking about pronouns in conversations, about possible queer perspectives. Consider what is and isnt appropriate to discuss with them, especially in the workplace. For example, before having this conversation, you and I agreed we would discuss these topics. Queer folk are often bombarded with these types of questions, and even more intense questions. Topic matter should be carefully considered and language should be double-checked when youre talking about LGBTQ+ subjects, whether for work purposes or personal curiosity. Queer coworkers will notice who doesnt approach them this way, who refrains from prejudiced conversations, that sort of thing.

Those two steps may seem obvious, but they are not common. The last thing Id suggest is always be ready to learn, to ask questions when theyre appropriate and be receptive to the answers you receive. Its okay to not know how to use someones pronouns, how to address a transition, and so on. Just ask kindly, correct any slip-ups and do your best. Thats a huge gesture for sure.

Pronoun stickers are laid out for students and staff in the Academic Center at Clovis Community College in Clovis following a ceremony to recognize June as Pride Month at the campus on Thursday, June 1, 2023.

GB: Are there any websites or books you recommend that have good information that people can read up on?

KV: The Harvard Business Review released a great article in April revolving around the idea of how to be a better ally. But in general, campaigns, nonprofits and foundations for queer people are a great resource. They often have pointers for allies and those learning about queer topics for the first time, and theres almost always a list of articles and resources for further research. They are great starting points for anyone wanting to dive in without stumbling across a less-than-adequate resource.

The Human Rights Campaign has a large compilation of resources across various topics, as does the Trevor Project. Also, GLAAD continuously updates its stories and links other relevant articles and resources.

As far as books go, Queer Intentions by Amelia Abraham is well-received, and The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle by Lillian Faderman has more of the historical background. I personally recommend Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman by Leslie Feinberg.

A lot of libraries are including LGBTQ+ sections as well, and can likely recommend books for beginners.
A copycat Zodiac Killer terrorised New York years after the California original. This is how he got caught

Heriberto Seda is led out of the NYPDs 75th precinct stationhouse following his arrest in 1994 (NY Daily News via Getty)

It was the summer of 1990  16 years after the last-known written communication from the Zodiac Killer  and this time New Yorkers all the way across the country were blanketed in fear.

City residents were being shot in 21-day cycles; an alleged perpetrator, calling himself the Zodiac, was not only claiming responsibility but also displaying eerie similarities to the now-infamous West Coast serial killer.

Like his Californian namesake, the New York murderer used riddles and ciphers. He also goaded police and the media.

By 1990, the metro area  along with the rest of the country  was already all too familiar with the hair-raising stories from the late 1960s about the Zodiacs taunts and torture. The killers nickname had already entered the pop culture lexicon, with 1971s Dirty Harry being loosely based on the case. Any mention of or association with the long-dormant killer was terrifying.

Five murders had been confirmed as Zodiac victims in California between 1968 and 1969, and the killer claimed at least 37 more in communication with police and the media. With puzzles and codes  some still to be cracked to this day  Zodiac issued threats and rambled about how those he murdered would be his slaves in the afterlife. David Arthur Faraday, 17 and Betty Lou Jensen, 16; Michael Renault, 19, and Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin, 22; Bryan Calvin Hartnell, 20, and Cecelia Shepard, 22; and Paul Lee Stine, 29, were all victims of the Zodiac. All were couples except for Mr Stine.

Then, after sending a final letter to the San Francisco Chronicle in 1974, the Zodiac Killer seemed to go silent.

Until 16 years later, his name popped up at an unlikely crime scene 3,000 miles away in New York.

NYPD Detective Michael Ciravolo, the commanding officer of the Senior Citizens Robbery Unit, was responding to the shooting of an elderly Queens man, Joseph Proce, who was shot in the back as he walked near his home around 2am on 31 May 1990. He survived and was rushed to the hospital.

Det Ciravolo surveyed the scene  and one very jarring piece of evidence left behind by the shooter.

This note was there, this cryptic, eerie note. At the top is a circle with three symbols, Det Ciravolo says in Night Terror: New York Zodiac Killer, a newly-released episode of the third season of Netflix series Catching Killers.

The retired officer reads the rest of the note: This is the Zodiac the twelve sign will die when the belts in the heaven are seen.

He says: I thought, Who the f*** are we dealing with?

The mystery was only starting  and so was the fear.

New York police sent the note to their counterparts in San Francisco, and for more than two weeks they had little to go on. There was no useful fingerprints or ballistics, as the killer had used a makeshift and untraceable zip gun.

Mr Proce, still in the hospital, could also offer little helpful information. Eighteen days after his shooting, however, Det Ciravolo received a call from a detective in Brooklyn: Theres a note here, and it looks like the note we found at the Proce scene a couple weeks ago.

The purported Zodiac Killer sent letters to the San Francisco Chronicle (AP)

There it was: This is the Zodiac  another note, Det. Ciravolo says in the series.

The note had been mailed to a The New York Post reporter who turned it in to the police, and the handwriting was spot on. There was also mention of the fact no grooves would be found on the bullet  a true detail and only something the shooter knows.

And then I noticed on May 31, white old man with cane shoot in front of house, the detective says. This is Joe Proce. But there's also two other shootings preceding Joe Proce that were totally unaware of.

The shooter listed dates and times for the previous attacks, and officers combed through incident reports until they found two matches: Mario Orozco, who survived being shot in the back on 8 March 1990; and German Montenegro, who survived an attack on 29 March 1990.

We then realise his drawings on the pie slice coincides with the three correct astrological signs of the first three victims, the detective says. Orozco, Montenegro, Proce: he had the Taurus, he had the Scorpio, and he had the Gemini. He was three for the three. Now, I'm thinking, Theres twelve signs. He's got a game plan, and his intent is to carry it out. How do we get this guy before there are more?

The new note was brought down to the lab to try to get latent fingerprints, he says. Were there prints on this? Answer, no. So he probably wore gloves. At that point, I got a call from ... detectives in San Francisco, and they let us know this is a copycat. This is not our zodiac. The handwriting didn't match up at all. This didn't help us one bit.

Scratching their heads with little to go on  and keenly aware that, if their hunch was right, they were up against a ticking clock  detectives zeroed in on the notes.

He writes about Orion, the Seven Sisters, the belts in the heaven, he says. So there's an aspect of this investigation that required some thought outside the proverbial box.

That included exploration of the occult, with one detective hunting for a text by a dead English witch while consulting with a New York-based warlock  the investigators earning nicknames like devil desk. They pored over the astrological aspect, charting out the dates and details.

What we could see was a 21-day cycle being followed here, Det Larry Milanesi says in Catching Killers. We found that the parks department had a very prestigious astronomer. He laid it out. We found that on March 8, three specific constellations were visible at the time of the shooting: Seven Sisters, Taurus and Orion. March 29, all three were visible at the time of the shooting. The next two 21-day periods, the stars were not in the sky at the same time. No shooting. On May 31, the third shooting, at 2.04am, all the stars were in the sky.

They asked the astronomer to outline the next 21 days  and were told that, on 21 June 1990, the same three constellations would be visible between 1am and 4am.

Its never been done before, where you were able to actually predict when a shooting was going to take place within a couple of hours, Det Milanesi says.

New York Daily News article about the copycat killer in the city (NY Daily News via Getty)

The detectives convinced the chief of police to allocate the resources for Operation Watchdog, blanketing the streets of Brooklyn and Queens with officers hunting, as one retired cop puts it in Catching Killers, for anyone who looked like they could be the killer prowling the streets on the night of 21 June. They were dogged and optimistic, but the night came and went with no incidents or related arrests. The detectives were crestfallen that they hadnt nabbed the New York Zodiac  but were soon informed that the shooter had attacked a new victim in a different district: Central Park.

Larry Parham, whose sign was Cancer, was shot while sleeping but survived. A task force was formed, with the NYPD throwing all of its resources at the Empire States homegrown code-loving killer. But cycle upon cycle came and went, and an anxious New York woke up without another shooting. The city slowly calmed, and the task force was wound down. Lead investigators, including Det Milanesi and Ciravolo, retired.

The Zodiac Killer, like the murderer who inspired him, fell silent.

That was until he sent a letter to a newspaper in 1994.

Police seized upon the new morsel of evidence, searching to connect crimes he took credit for with reported incidents. They identified victim Patricia Fonte, a Leo who died after being shot twice and stabbed more than 100 times on 10 August 1992. There was also Jim Weber, a Gemini who survived a 4 June 1993 attack; John DiAcone, a Leo who died after a 20 July 1993 shooting; and Diane Ballard, a Libra who survived injuries that included a gunshot wound to the neck on 2 October 1993. The killer also listed a fifth victim for 11 June 1994, but police never found that individual, despite a thorough search of the park with cadaver dogs and helicopters.

Looking at the evidence, the handwriting, the victims, we know we were dealing with the same killer as the 1990 New York Zodiac, Det Joseph Herbert says in Catching Killers.

But his MO changed, he adds. He got away from the pie signs with the zodiac symbols and included hand-drawn flags.

The flags put me off a little bit, but military people, Navy people who recognized these flags to be maritime flags ... they were able to break the code fairly quickly, Det Herbert says.

When its decoded, it says, This is the Zodiac speaking. I am in control. There will be more, Yours truly.

A second taskforce was convened, and it seemed that history was repeating itself in a case already involving a copycat. A partial fingerprint had been lifted from a Zodiac letter around the Larry Parham shooting, and police cast a net miles around what they believed to be the Zodiacs comfort zones. They tried the prints of 4500 people against the partial print. For the second time in less than five years, the search turned up empty. And again, for a second time, the task force was disbanded.

Det Herbert, whod been one of the taskforce supervisors, trained as a hostage negotiator  and successfully completed his first task in the role on 18 June 1996, talking down a man named Eddie whod shot his sister and taken her boyfriend hostage.

[I] proud as a peacock ... that I didnt blow it, because, you know, they dont always go good, he says, and had returned to the scene when he was handed Eddies written confession to the events.

Im reading it, and Im reading ... I actually had a physical reaction, Det Herbert says.

He had recognised the lettering and style. My blood pressure went down like 40, 50 points, he says.

New York Department of Correctional Services mugshot of Heriberto Seda (New York Department of Correctional Services)

I knew it was the handwriting from all the letters I studied for the last two years working the Zodiac case.

Eddie was a nickname; the arrested gunman was Heriberto Seda, a 26-year-old high school dropout from Brooklyn who seemed obsessed with good and evil and wanted to talk about the Bible, detectives describe in Catching Killers. He initially denied he was New Yorks Zodiac before confessing.

One mystery however remained. Police never learned how Seda had known his victims Zodiac signs.

The serial killer was sentenced to life for killing three people and attempting to kill five more, and he will not be eligible for parole until he turns 264. He told New York magazine in 2004  in a piece that largely chronicled his romance with a fellow inmate as they both served time for murder in Attica  that he didnt actually know anything about astrology.

He also told the magazine that, if hed been armed with weapons stronger than a zip gun, his body count might have been higher.

Lucky for them, it wasnt a real gun, Seda said. I would have shot them twenty times if Id had an automatic.

It was a statement that upheld the detectives worst fears about the New York Zodiac  and the relief that they, and the rest of the population, felt upon Sedas apprehension.

As Det Herbert says in Catching Killers, before Sedas arrest he felt in my heart that the Zodiac will come back and that he would shoot again and kill again.

It's in his blood. Its the way he is.
A 36-year-old man found dead in a car with multiple gunshot wounds late Tuesday night has been identified as St. Helena resident Brandon Lee Simmons, the Beaufort County Coroners Office announced Thursday morning.

Simmons manner of death was ruled as homicide while an official cause of death is pending further results, said Deputy Coroner Andrew McNece. An autopsy will be completed Thursday at the countys facilities.

The number of gunshot wounds is currently unknown, McNece said.

Police arrived to the area of Harbor Breeze Drive on southeastern St. Helena around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of shots being fired. There, they found Simmons body with multiple gunshot wounds in the drivers seat of a car parked in the middle of the street, said Sheriffs Office spokesperson Maj. Angela Viens. No other passengers were inside the car.

The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office is investigating the shooting death as a murder. A suspect has not been identified as of Thursday morning.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been scheduled but will be held at Marshels Wright-Donaldson Home for Funerals in Beaufort. Simmons was a native of the Grays Hill community in unincorporated Beaufort County, according to his obituary.
Costco CFO says that only a 'really small percent' of members misuse their cards, 'but when you're dealing with millions of transactions' it adds up

Costco has gained a loyal following by Gene J. Puskar/AP

Costco is increasingly asking shoppers at self-checkout lanes to show a member ID with their photo.

Its CFO told The WSJ that only a "really small percent" misuse their cards but this can quickly build up.

Membership fees make up almost 2% of Costco's total revenues.

Only a "really small percent" of Costco members share their cards with non-members, but because the company is so big the impact of this can quickly build up, CFO Richard Galanti told The Wall Street Journal.

The retailer is increasingly asking shoppers using its self-checkout lanes to show a member ID with their photo. "We don't feel it's right that non members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members," the company previously told Insider.

The crackdown comes amid a rise in shoppers using cards that aren't theirs to stock up on items at the membership-only warehouse chain, which has close to 600 stores across the US and Puerto Rico.

"It's a really small percent of members who are doing it," Galanti told The Journal. "But when you're dealing with millions of transactions, even a very small percentage is something you would want to correct."

Costco offers a Gold Star membership, priced at $60 a year, and an Executive membership, for $120, which both come with cards for two individuals at the same address. Costco says the membership format has a "significant effect" on its profitability and is designed to "reinforce member loyalty and provide continuing fee revenue."

Membership fees made up almost 2% of Costco's total revenues in the three months to May 7. The retailer brought in just over $1 billion in membership fees that quarter, a 6% year-over-year increase which it attributed to new member sign-ups, upgrades to Executive Membership, and a higher renewal rate. As of early May, Costco had 124.7 million total cardholders, with 69.1 million paid members, nearly half of which were Executive members.

Galanti told investors last month that Costco isn't planning an imminent increase in membership fees. The retailer last raised its membership fees in 2017, when they went up by around 10%.

Did you previously borrow a friend or relative's Costco card? Do you now plan to buy your membership? Email this reporter at gdean@insider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Costco confirms it is cracking down on membership sharing

[Source]

Costco is now cracking down on its membership program after noticing an increase in non-members using cards that do not belong to them.

Key details: The warehouse club retailer said on Friday that non-members have been using cards that belong to paying members at Costcos newly expanded self-checkout counters.

In the statement, Costco noted that it did not feel right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members.

What theyre doing about it: To address the issue, Costco announced that it will now implement an identification routine at the self-checkout counters. Staffers will ask shoppers to show them their membership card and a photo ID, similar to whats being done at Costcos regular checkout lanes.

More from NextShark: Woman arrested in South Korea for murder of two children found in suitcases in New Zealand

The importance of membership fees: Costco explained in its statement that annual memberships  Gold Star for $60 and Executive for $120  help offset its operational expenses, which in turn enables it to keep its prices as low as possible.

Membership fee increase: Although no specific dates have been announced yet, Costco has on several occasions addressed the idea of increasing its membership fees.

Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti spoke about the matter during the companys earnings call on May 25 and noted that the membership fee increase will happen at some point.

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It's not a matter of a big time, but we'll let you know as soon as we know, he said.

Earnings: Costco reportedly made $4.2 billion in global membership fees alone in 2022. Back in 2021, the multinational corporation made $3.88 billion in global membership fees alone.

More from NextShark: 'Chi Com,' 'Go Home': Thai American Home in Kentucky Vandalized With Anti-Asian Slurs

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Vietnam's 'Startup Queen' Passes Away at 35 After Lung Cancer Battle
Hillsborough could get too hot to grow its famed strawberries

Hillsborough County is famous for being the nations winter strawberry capital, where every year it hosts one of the largest festivals to honor the harvest of its iconic crop.

But the regions dominance as the primary producer of strawberries in Florida could be at risk because of climate change.

By 2050, Hillsborough will be too hot to grow strawberries, according to a report from the Environmental Defense Fund published in May. The report says ideal conditions for farming the fruit could shift north into Marion County, home of Ocala.

Based on the current market conditions, its a pretty significant hit for an industry thats struggling under land development pressure and narrow profit margins, said Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director for the Environment Defense Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group studying how to combat climate change.

Rising heat and more dangerous days

Strawberries are the states most prominent crop after oranges.

Nationally, California dominates. But Floridas $400 million berry industry has a short window when its the countrys primary grower in the wintertime.

Much of the farming is done in Hillsborough County outside of Tampa, in and around Plant City. Hillsborough has the most strawberry farms in the state and holds nearly 88% of farming land in Florida devoted to growing the fruit, according to federal data. Its been an ideal region because it currently sits in whats known as the goldilocks zone, where precipitation and temperature conditions are neither too hot nor too cold for farming strawberries.

But that is changing.

Average temperatures in Hillsborough County are trending to rise 4% by 2050 during the states strawberry season that runs between October and April, the report found.

Highs of 78 degrees going up to 80 on average will make it more difficult for strawberries to survive. If trends continue this way, the report said, Hillsborough farmers would produce 11% fewer strawberries.

The chance of dangerous days for strawberries will also be higher. Temperatures exceeding 85 degrees can kill the fruit. Days with harmful conditions in Hillsborough during the growing season are set to jump 50% in 27 years, the report found.

Therell be much more frequent and dangerous days over 85 degrees to where growing is just not going to be profitable, Shirreffs said.

The region will also have a 7% higher vapor pressure deficit, which is how much water the atmosphere can hold, meaning that strawberries will require more watering. All these factors could push Hillsborough out of the goldilocks zone.

Instead, the conditions to grow strawberries would be just right more than 100 miles north.

Halfway into the century, Marion Countys average temperatures will rise closer to what Hillsboroughs have been this decade.

Solutions to growing pressures?

Berry farmers need to start planning for rising temperatures, Shirreffs said.

That may mean expanding north into Marion County, though that can be expensive and it can be difficult to find land. Even then, the risk of dangerous days for strawberries are also expected to rise further north.

More severe hurricanes will also be more likely because of climate change, which can delay crop planting like with Hurricane Ian last year.

But there are other ways to limit impacts.

Wish Farms in Plant City is working on new strawberry varieties like the Sweet Sensation that can grow faster and are more resistant to diseases. They could be planted later to avoid the hottest days.

We work closely with the University of Floridas Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to develop new berry varieties that not only taste great, but that are also suitable to our growing conditions here in Florida, said Wish Farms public relations manager Nick Wishnatzki in an emailed statement. Farmers are always adapting, and we will continue to do so for the next 100 years.

The report also mentions investing in shading, cooling, automation and aquifer recharging technologies.

The budding problem of climate change adds to the myriad of issues local strawberry farmers have to deal with, Shirreffs said.

Matt Parkes, a fourth generation farmer at Parkesdale Farms, said many strawberry farmers arent worried about climate change driving them out of Hillsborough County  theyre more worried about rapid development. As the regions housing market has boomed, there may not be enough space to grow more strawberries, he said, and they also face stiff competition from Mexican imports.

If were going to continue to grow, were gonna have to find somewhere that is not a desirable area to be, Parkes said.

He added that Parkesdale Farms, which has been in Hillsborough since 1956, has no intention of selling. Rather, theyll have to make use of what space they have and wait for some climate controlling technologies to become more economical.

One thing were doing right now is trying to figure out how to maximize the use for the future, Parkes said. But until power gets more affordable or it makes enough sense to be able to do climate control, were going to depend on Mother Nature to give us the sun and the temperatures that we need.
Court docket reveals how Delphi teens died, as well as witnesses' names

DELPHI, Ind.  The world learned June 15 that Richard Allen supposedly admitted killing Delphi teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams during a hearing. On Wednesday, the world learned that Allen admitted to the killings during an April 3 phone call to his wife.

That's just one of many details about the girls' killings and the state's case against Allen released Wednesday in the 118 court documents unsealed by Special Judge Frances Gull.

Allen is incarcerated in the segregation unit at the Westville Correctional Facility, a prison for men convicted of crimes. It was there that Allen has admitted to the Feb. 13, 2017, killings of Libby and Abby, according to Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland.

Richard Allen's attorneys took this photo April 4, 2023, of the man accused of the Delphi killings of teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams. He appears to have lost a significant amount of weight in his five months in prison segregation. He appears to have spittle on his shirt under his chin. Allen exhibits what his attorneys describe as "schizophrenic and delusional."

Delphi court documents: Here's where to find Richard Allen's court docket available for public inspection

"On April 3, 2023, Richard M. Allen made a phone call to his wife ... . In that phone call, Richard M. Allen admitted several times that he killed Abby and Libby," McLeland wrote in an April 20 motion for leave of court to subpoena third-party records.

"Investigators had the phone call transcribed and the transcription confirms that Richard M. Allen admits that he committed the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German," McLeland wrote in the motion. "

He admits several times within the phone call that he committed the offenses as charged. His wife ... ends the phone call abruptly."

During the June 15 hearing on whether to modify Allen's safe-keeping order, Allen's attorney, Brad Rozzi, said that Allen's admissions were caused by Allen's drastic decline in his mental health.

Richard Allen's defense: Attorneys attribute admission in Delphi murders to mental health

Gull has not yet ruled on whether to move Allen, a man not convicted of a crime, to a more traditional pretrial detention center such as a county jail.

The documents include McLeland's June 13 response to Allen's attorney's motion to suppress evidence gathered in a search warrant of Allen's house.

In McLeland's response, the state published exhibits that included the unredacted probable cause affidavit, adding insight into the crime, including the first revelation of how the girls were killed.

"Autopsies of the girls ruled their deaths as homicides and their wounds were caused by a sharp object," the affidavit for a search warrant states.

For years, the public knew that Libby video recorded the girls' killer as he walked on the Monon High Bridge, but police never said how or where they found Libby's phone.

"Investigators located Liberty German's iPhone 6S under her body at the scene and were able to recover a video of approximately 43 seconds in length captured at 2:13 p.m. on February 13, 2017," according to the affidavit for the search warrant.

Allen's prison conditions: Westville inmate claims 'corrupt officers' have mistreated Richard Allen

Some articles of clothing from the girls were missing from the scene, including a pair of underwear and a sock, and other clothing was found in the Deer Creek south of the girls' bodies.

Between the girls' bodies, police found a .40-caliber semiautomatic cartridge that had been cycled through Allen's Glock pistol, according to the opinion of a tool-mark expert at the Indiana State Police Laboratory, which was released in Wednesday's cache of documents.

About the same time as McLeland filed the state's objection to suppressing the search warrant's evidence, Allen's attorneys filed a motion to keep jurors from hearing the evidence from the Indiana State Police Laboratory.

"The items analyzed and the conclusions drawn by the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division are irrelevant and therefore inadmissible ..., " the motion states.

Publishing Wednesday's cache of documents did not come without a glitch.

"Counsel agree that the original, unredacted Affidavit for Probable Cause shall remained sealed as it lists names of juvenile witnesses," Gull wrote in her June 28 order.

But an exhibit in the state's objection to defendant's motion to suppress filed June 13 included an unredacted copy of the original probable cause, including the names of witnesses who were on the trail on Feb. 13, 2017, and what they specifically told investigators.

The Journal & Courier is not naming those witnesses out of respect for the intent of Gull's order.

The Journal & Courier did not call McLeland or Allen's attorneys to comment about this report because they are barred from publicly commenting about the case.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Court docket reveals how Delphi teens died, as well as witnesses' names
The Maryland Supreme Court will review the reinstatement of Adnan Syeds murder conviction this fall to determine whether the conviction should be upheld.

State Supreme Court Senior Justice Shirley Watts issued the ruling Wednesday, setting arguments to be scheduled for Oct. 5.

Briefs from Syeds attorney and the attorney for the family of Hae Min Lee, the 18-year-old who Syed was convicted of killing in 2000, are due in August. Responses are then due in September.

After Syeds conviction, his case received renewed attention with the popular podcast Serial in 2014. Prosecutors reviewing his case eventually filed a motion saying they uncovered new evidence that called Syeds conviction into question, and a Baltimore judge overturned the conviction in September after Syed spent more than 20 years in prison.

The judge ruled the state did not comply with its obligation to share evidence with Syed that could have helped his defense. Prosecutors were given 30 days to decide whether to request a new trial or dismiss the case, and they decided the next month to dismiss the case.

But his conviction was reinstated in March by the Maryland appellate court after it ruled that the Baltimore judge did not give Lees family enough notice to appear at the hearing.

The top court in the state decided last month to pause the reinstatement of his conviction and not order Syed back to prison immediately while it considered whether to take up the case.

Erica Suter, an assistant public defender representing Syed, said in a statement that they are pleased with the courts ruling and hopeful about their chances of the conviction being struck down again.

We are very pleased that the Supreme Court recognized the importance of reviewing the legal issues raised by the Appellate Courts decision, and we are optimistic that we will prevail, Suter said. The legal team and Adnans family are also grateful that the Court extended the stay so we can be assured that Adnan will remain free while this appeal is pending.

David Sanford, an attorney for Lees brother, told The Hill that the state Supreme Court should allow his client and their family the ability to challenge the evidence that has called Syeds conviction into question.

The State of Maryland supports victims and their families with rights acknowledged by Marylands own state constitution and statutory scheme, he said. We will urge the Maryland Supreme Court to recognize those rights by allowing Young Lee and his family the opportunity to challenge the states evidence, to the extent it has any evidence, suggesting Adnan Syed did not murder Young Lees sister 23 years ago.

This story was updated at 6:31 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
'Coward': Asencio sentenced to life after declining to sit in courtroom for sentencing

WORCESTER - Carlos Asencio was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for the public murder of Amanda Dabrowski after a hearing in which he declined to be present in court as her family members read their victim-impact statements.

Edward and Beth Dabrowski hug their daughter Victoria after the conclusion of the trial of Carlos Asencio who was convicted of first degree murder in the death of their daughter Amanda.

Youre a coward, Victoria Dabrowski, Dabrowskis younger sister, said of Asencio during her statement.

The former New Hampshire man, after asking Worcester Superior Court Judge Janet Kenton-Walker to not be present in the courtroom for the sentencing, was placed in a separate room where he could hear the proceedings over Zoom.

Asencio, 32, was convicted of first-degree murder on two theories - premeditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty - last week in the 2019 stabbing death of Dabrowski at OConnors Restaurant & Bar in Worcester.

The crime was caught on video and Asencio restrained by bystanders. Jurors, who watched surveillance video of Asencio stabbing Dabrowski 58 times in 15 seconds and heard evidence that he tracked her by taping a cellphone under her SUV, took less than three hours of deliberations to reject his insanity defense.

Life, with no parole

The sentence Asencio was to receive Thursday was not in doubt, as all adults convicted of first-degree murder in Massachusetts receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But such hearings give victims of the person convicted a chance to address them in court - as well as a chance for the convict to make a statement - and must be conducted under the law.

Carlos Asencio is sworn in court before sentencing.

The courtroom was nearly full with observers at the 9 a.m. start time Thursday, including members of Dabrowskis family, who attended each day of a trial, including graphic medical examiner testimony that coincided with the dismissal of two jurors.

Asencio did not emerge as the case was called and, after nearly an hour of waiting in which his defense lawyers conferred with the judge and prosecution, finally was led into the courtroom.

Victoria Dabrowski gives a victim-impact statement at the sentencing of Carlos Asencio, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of her sister Amanda.

Five court officers flanked a handcuffed Asencio, and three more guarded the courtroom exit, as he, in halting conversation with the judge, informed her he wished to exercise his right to waive his physical presence at sentencing.

Kenton-Walker asked Asencio - who wore a suit and tie like at trial, but was no longer clean-shaven - multiple times to confirm he understood what he was doing and why he was being sentenced.

Asencio generally gave short, direct answers, often with a slight delay, and asked multiple times to talk with his lawyer.

'Normal right now'

Asked whether he was of sound mind, Asencio said he believed he was normal right now. Asked about any mental conditions or medications, he listed several.

Included in the conditions were borderline personality disorder - which a psychiatrist for prosecutors at trial had opined he did have - and schizoaffective disorder, which the psychiatrist opined he did not have.

The psychiatrist testified that Asencio, whod claimed hearing voices in his head, was likely not hearing voices but did show signs of faking mental illness.

Carlos Asencio writes his statement after waiving his presence in court during sentencing.

After the judge Thursday informed Asencio that he had a constitutional right to address the court before sentencing, he wrote out a note on a yellow legal pad for several minutes, grasping a pen through his handcuffs as the courtroom was silent.

After informing Kenton-Walker he authorized his lawyer to read his statement, Asencio was led to another area of the courthouse where, under her instructions, audio of the proceedings was played over Zoom.

Family members of Dabrowski, a 31-year-old microbiologist prosecutors said Asencio murdered as revenge for ending their brief relationship, then spoke of their loss.

I could count on her for absolutely everything, Victoria Dabrowski said of her sister, whose ashes she brought to the microphone in a small purple urn.

Victoria Dabrowski, lamenting she would be eclipsing the age of her older sister soon, said she could speak all day about her virtues, or about how the loss has devastated her personally.

'A pathetic human being'

But she reserved many of her comments for Asencio, calling him a coward who stole the life of an amazing person who still had much to contribute to the world.

I hope you feel alone while you spend the rest of your life in prison, she said. Youre a pathetic human being.

Both Victoria Dabrowski and her father, Edward Dabrowski, gave thanks Thursday to the many restaurant patrons who restrained Asencio during the attack and gave Amanda medical aid.

Edward Dabrowski gives a victim-impact statement at the sentencing of Carlos Asencio, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his daughter Amanda.

In addition to the mandatory life sentence, Asencio was also sentenced Thursday to 9-10 years in prison for stabbing one of the patrons, Allen Corson Jr., who was in the gallery Thursday but declined to give an impact statement.

Corson, who was not seriously injured, was previously given a Carnegie Medal for his efforts to restrain Asencio.

Also present Thursday was former Lt. Gov. and city mayor Timothy Murray, who also helped restrain Asencio that evening and testified at trial.

Edward Dabrowski described his first-born daughter Thursday as a beautiful, intelligent woman of whom he was proud.

A prestigious Deans Scholarship recipient at Northeastern University who graduated with a degree in biology and a minor in criminal justice, Dabrowski interned at the Massachusetts State Police, her father said, and was on the universitys deans list.

Dabrowski was equal parts smart, confident, funny and caring, he said, doing anything for friends and family and giving her love and support while expecting nothing in return.

Dabrowski volunteered her time as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, he said, and wanted to get married, have kids and contribute much to the world.

The lives of many of her friends would be very different today had she not been part of their lives, he said as he described a passion for life that was palpable to everyone near her.

Her perspective on life was just that you had to enjoy it, plain and simple, he said, adding that Dabrowski never judged others and helped them be themselves.

Dabrowski said there are no words to describe the heartache of his daughters murder, the fourth anniversary of which will be next Monday, July 3.

A sad time of year

There are no more July 4 cookouts, he said. Its now merely a remembrance of a sad and devastating time.

Dabrowski recalled his daughters love of wine and her humorous blog about it, which had amassed thousands of followers on social media, as well as sponsors.

Amanda, please have a glass ready as we join you in heaven one day, he said, his voice breaking, adding that each passing day is closer to when they will be together again.

Dabrowski thanked the judge, jury and prosecutors on the case - Edward Karcasinas Jr., Tiffany Scanlon and Donna-Marie Haran - for their work.

Amanda, you may now rest in peace knowing the monster cannot hurt anyone ever again.

Dabrowski noted that despite the emptiness of his daughters loss, her memory is still alive and doing good in the world. Amandas Army has led to support of Abbys House, a Worcester nonprofit that supports victims of domestic violence, and a formerly drab park in the family's Webster town has been beautified in her name.

We will continue to fulfill her legacy of goodness, kindness and love, said Dabrowski, who is asking lawmakers to pass legislation that would extend workplace protections to contract employees who experience domestic violence.

Dabrowski was terminated, her family has said, after an initial attack prosecutors say Asencio launched at her Ayer home months before the murder. She was a contract employee for Bristol Myers Squibb, where she'd met Asencio, at the time.

Asencio still faces charges in Middlesex Superior Court regarding that attack. His lawyer, Robert Griffin, declined to comment on that case last week after the verdict.

Standing without his client Thursday morning after impact statements, Griffin read into the record the statement Asencio had written about 45 minutes prior.

My thoughts and prayers go out to any victims of this incident, began the brief statement, which did not mention Dabrowski or her family members by name.

Asencio went on to write that despite what the court may have said, this is a mental health tragedy.

I will spend the rest of my days trying to atone for this by helping others with similar illnesses, such as schizoaffective disorder, PTSD, borderline personality disorder and depression, the statement concluded.

Asencio will serve his sentence at the maximum-security Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster.

His lawyer did not say in court whether anyone had come to support him Thursday, and he did not appear to acknowledge anyone in the courtroom gallery.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Carlos Asencio sentenced to life in slaying of Amanda Dabrowski
NEW YORK  Former President Donald Trumps criminal indictment on charges of mishandling government secrets appears to have dented his popularity among Republicans  but only slightly  according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Sixty percent of Republicans now have a favorable view of Trump, down slightly from April, when 68% of Republicans said they had a favorable view of the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner. The poll found 38% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, an uptick from 30% in April.

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The dip suggests some Republicans could be growing weary of Trumps never-ending legal drama after he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on federal criminal charges. Trump, who was also indicted on separate charges in New York this spring, pleaded not guilty this month to 37 felony counts accusing him of improperly storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, concealing them from investigators and refusing to turn them over when subpoenaed.

Overall, Americans are more likely to have an unfavorable view of Trump than a favorable one, 63% to 33%, similar to April. The poll was conducted June 22-26, after the full indictment became public and after Trumps not guilty plea.

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The poll also finds that U.S. adults overall are slightly more likely than they were earlier in the year to believe the former president acted illegally in his handling of classified documents stashed at Mar-a-Lago. Just over half, 53%, now say he broke the law, compared with 47% in the April AP-NORC poll. But most of that increase is attributable to Democrats.

An overwhelming majority of Democratic voters, 84%, now say they think Trump broke the law in connection to the documents, compared with 75% who said so in April.

When it comes to Republicans, however, only about a quarter say Trump acted illegally in the Mar-a-Lago case, about the same as in April. An additional 29% said he acted unethically but did not do anything illegal, while 26% said they believe he did nothing wrong, with the rest saying they didnt know enough to say.

They include Patty Faber, a registered Republican who lives north of Phoenix and was dismissive of the charges.

Its a bunch of hooey, said Faber, 62, who runs an RV park. Should he have taken all that stuff home? No. But other presidents have also taken things home. She noted that President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence were also found to have classified documents in their possession  though neither has been accused of trying to conceal the documents from or lying to investigators.

Still, Faber, who has supported Trump in the past, said that while she would be ecstatic to see him return to the White House, she would much prefer the party nominate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently a distant second in the polls.

He has a better chance of winning the general election. Trump is carrying too much baggage now, she said.

Others feelings were more complicated. Nancy Tobeck, 74, a Republican in Crossville, Tennessee, believes Trump may have potentially broken the law. But if he did, she said, I dont think it was deliberate.

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Its a hard one because I think he might have done something wrong by not giving them all over. But I also understand that he had things in there. So its kind of half and half on that, she said. I do believe that it is politically motivated, though.

Tobeck, who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said the indictment had not changed her feelings about Trump because she had already soured on the former president after he refused to accept the results of the 2020 election.

Still, the numbers make clear the challenges faced by Trumps GOP rivals, who have struggled to respond to charges that would, in any other era, spell a candidates demise. While former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley called Trumps alleged actions reckless and Pence has said he cant defend the very serious allegations, the candidates have also criticized the Justice Department, reflecting GOP voters deep skepticism of federal law enforcement.

Besides the charges he faces in Florida, Trump was indicted in New York in March in connection to hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to women who alleged sexual encounters with him. And he faces additional potential charges in other jurisdictions.

In Georgia, a prosecutor is investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. And in Washington, special counsel Jack Smith continues to investigate Trumps election lies and their aftermath, including the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The poll finds half of U.S. adults believe Trump broke the law in his alleged attempt to interfere in Georgias vote count during the 2020 presidential election. Slightly fewer, 45%, say his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection were unlawful.

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Just 35% of U.S. adults say he acted illegally in allegedly covering up the hush money payments  a slight decrease from the 41% who said he had in April, just after the indictment in that case. In particular, 57% of Democrats now say Trump acted illegally in that case, down from 68% in April. Just 13% of Republicans say Trump acted illegally in that case, the same as in April.

Nearly all U.S. adults have read or heard at least a little about Trumps federal indictment, with Democrats being slightly more likely than Republicans to say they have heard a lot.

All that attention has proved a challenge for Trumps GOP rivals, who have been grappling with how to break into the spotlight.

Some voters are already sick of the drama.

Paul Schwartz, 38, a truck driver from Pocatello, Idaho, identifies as an independent but voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 because he saw him as the better of bad options.

While he says hes no fan of Trump  Ive always disdained the man, he said  Schwartz sees the indictment as nothing but a witch hunt and mudslinging that has no point.

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I believe people are trying to swing opinions on things that are completely irrelevant to how someone governs the country, he said, arguing that what matters are candidates positions on issues like abortion and immigration.

Plus, he said: We know these are detestable human beings. Theyre politicians. Thats a job requirement.
Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty

Former Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resource officer Scot Peterson collapsed on the defense table and cried Thursday as he was found not guilty on all counts after he failed to confront the teenage gunman responsible for the horrific 2018 school shooting.

The 60-year-old, who had been labeled the coward of Broward for his response during the massacre in Parkland, Florida, continued to cry and raise his hands in thankful prayer as Florida Judge Martin Fein read out 11 not guilty verdicts to a crowded Broward County courtroom. Others in the room gasped as the verdict, which arrived after jurors deliberated for 19 hours, was delivered.

In the end, Peterson was acquitted of all charges, including child neglect and perjury, in a case that raised questions about a police officers level of responsibility during an active shooting situation.

I got my life back, Peterson told reporters outside the courtroom, describing the last few years as an emotional roller coaster.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Peterson stressed that the case was a malicious prosecution that put me and my wife in a living hell for four years. During the shooting, I did everything I could with the limited information I had. My heart goes out to all the families whose loved ones were killed or injured as a result of this tragedy, Peterson added.

WATCH: The emotional reaction to the NOT GUILTY verdicts from the defendant #ScotPeterson and his attorney @MarkEiglarsh #ParklandSchoolCopTrial pic.twitter.com/1MGkSZucE7  Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) June 29, 2023

Parents of the massacre victims, however, expressed their outrage at the verdict, insisting that it didnt erase what Peterson did five years ago.

I am truly unhappy with the result, Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old-daughter Jaime was killed by Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, told The Daily Beast.

Linda Beigel Schulman, the mother of Scott Beigel, a geography teacher who was killed while trying to usher students back into his classroom, also expressed her anger.

Scot Peterson may have been found legally not guilty, but he is morally guilty for the death of my son, Schulman told The Daily Beast via text message. My son saved the lives of 31 of his students. Petersons inaction is one of the reasons I will never see my son again. Peterson said after the verdict that he got his life back. Where do I go to get my sons life back?

Tony Montalto, father of 14-year-old victim Gina, told reporters outside the courthouse that the verdict does not change the fact that Peterson was an insurance policy that didnt pay off.

All I can say to the members of the jury is, I think your school should hire him to protect your children, he said. You think you did the right thing? Please, reach out. He is probably looking for work and hell be happy to come to your school.

(1,6) My wife and I returned home today from the most wonderful vacation in Greece. While there, I was taken by the reality that gun violence does not happen in Greece. There are no tourists, shoppers, or worshipers getting shot. There is no work place gun violence. There are  Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) June 29, 2023

Throughout the three-week trial, prosecutors alleged that Peterson failed to follow his active shooting training when he remained outside the three-story high school building for about 48 minutes. During that time, Cruz, a former student, carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history with an AR-15-style rifle. In addition to the 17 deaths, Cruz also injured three staff members and 14 students. (Last year, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)

[Peterson] was the only hope for those victims, Broward Assistant State Attorney Kristen Gomes said during closing arguments on Monday.

Prosecutors argued that Peterson was among the first to arrive at the high school, about 73 seconds before Cruz reached the buildings third floor, where the shooting took place. Instead of confronting Cruz, however, prosecutors said he stepped back as the gunfire beganand directed other officers away from the incident.

Several teachers, former students, and other officers testified on behalf of the prosecution, detailing the initial moments of the massacre and the response.

The sound was unmistakable, Danielle Gilbert, a junior who was in her fourth period class when the shooting began, told jurors. Gilbert said her classmates sat and ducked and huddled as closely as we could before Cruz ultimately opened fire into her classroom door. One of those classmates, Carmen Schentrup, was fatally shot.

I was just waiting for the police, it was the longest 20 minutes of my life, Gilbert said. It felt like an eternity and the whole time, we were just waiting for the police to come. For someone to knock on the door and take us out of that horror.

Defense attorneys for Peterson, however, insisted that the career law enforcement officer did everything he couldand honestly believed that the shots were coming from outside the building. Mark Eiglarsh, Petersons lawyer, called several witnesses to discuss the hectic nature of the shooting, including teachers and students who also believed the gunfire was coming from somewhere else.

Peterson took a tactical position of cover, Eiglarsh said, insisting to jurors that Peterson was being wrongly scapegoated for the law enforcement failings of the Parkland shooting and that his client has already faced enough punishment. While Peterson has maintained his innocence, he declined to testify on his own behalf.

Scot Peterson was sacrificed. He was thrown under the bus and that continues right now, Eiglarsh added.

Eiglarsh reiterated a similar sentiment in a statement to The Daily Beast, adding that the acquittal is not just a victory for my innocent client who dedicated his life to public service for 32 years, but also to every law enforcement officer around this county who shows up every day and does the best they can under challenging circumstances.

In a statement after the verdict, Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor said that for the first time in our nations history, prosecutors in this case have tried to hold an armed school resource officer responsible for not doing his job.

We did so because we think its important not only to our community but to the country as a whole, Pryor said. Sadly, we know all too well that there is an acute need for safety in our schools. Our children are vulnerable to armed individuals who target them in a place where they should be safe.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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CPAP machines are the most common aide for dealing with obstructive sleep apnea.

Over 25 million adults in the US suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. The disorder is due to airways being chronically blocked by heavy, weakened, or relaxed soft tissues in the mouth and throat. Millions are estimated to remain undiagnosed, and it can be hard to diagnose on your ownbut one of the first symptoms you'll notice is being extra sleepy.

"Some people will notice that they wake up during the night feeling like theyre gasping or choking or even have to go to the bathroom at a lot at night," Ilene Rosen, a medical doctor and associate professor of medicine at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania said in an AMA post.

Men are around two to three times likelier to experience sleep apnea, and often appears in older adults. One patient has known about their apnea issues since at least 2008President Joe Biden.

According to publicly available medical records, prior nasal passage and sinus surgeries improved upon many of Bidens sleep apnea symptoms. This week, however, White House officials confirmed that the President recently adopted the nightly use of a CPAP machine to help with the chronic issue. But what are CPAP machines, and why are they such a ubiquitous treatment for apnea patients?

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the most commonly prescribed aide for someone suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, and offers a relatively simple solution to blocked airways. As the name might imply, CPAP machines provide a continuous flow of air through tubing into a mask worn across the nose and often mouth. Wearing one often feels like leaning your head outside a car window while traveling at a moderate speeda bit intense at first, but eventually easier to handle. For some, it is even enjoyable.

[Related: In the latest State of the Union, Biden highlights infrastructure, chips, and healthcare.]

A CPAP machines air flow is generated by the base units internal compressor, and usually passed through a small, replaceable fabric filter before traveling along the tubing connected to a face mask. Importantly, the CPAP machine doesnt induce or maintain your breathingusers breathe as they normally would with the machines sustained pressure keeping their airways from otherwise collapsing.

Todays CPAP machines are as much as 2-to-3 times smaller and lighter than many older models, as well as considerably quieter as compressor advancements continued over the years. Many include the addition of a heated water basin to act as a humidifier for the air, which is often uncomfortably dry without it. The integration of internet connectivity has also allowed for real time data monitoring and review by both CPAP users, as well as their doctors.

[Related: Six health conditions a smartwatch can detect before you can.]

Regular CPAP machine usage frequently ensures individuals can stay asleep longer without their obstructive apnea cutting their oxygen intake and waking them up repeatedly throughout the night. This allows patients to actually achieve the necessary deep sleep needed for a healthy physical and mental life.

Similar devices are often used for other related respiratory issues, including automatic positive airflow pressure (APAP) and bi-level positive airflow pressure (BiPAP) machines. APAPs, for example, monitors users breathing throughout the evening, and alternates pressure strength to adjust for medications and changes in sleep position. Meanwhile, BiPAPs rely on two separate pressure settingshigh for inhalation, and low for exhalation. These are most often used by patients suffering from COPD and other chronic respiratory issues that affect overall oxygen intake.
Cut low-cost broadband VAT to help more online, peers say

A stock photo of a young woman looking at a phone

Special internet deals for those on benefits should be free of VAT to get more people online, peers have urged.

Those without internet are at a disadvantage when looking for jobs, for example, a report by a Lords committee said.

"The government does not have a credible strategy to tackle digital exclusion," the report said.

But the government said it is committed to ensuring no one is left behind in the digital age.

It says it has worked "to bring a range of social broadband and mobile tariffs, available across 99% of the UK and starting from as low as 10 per month".

Social tariffs are discounted deals offered by firms to people on benefits.

But 1.7 million households have no mobile or broadband internet at home, and up to a million people have cut back or cancelled internet packages in the past year, the House of Lords communications and digital committee said.

Services from benefits to banking are increasingly moving online and 90% of jobs are only advertised online.

Bella, who is 18, grew up in a single parent household which struggled for money, "especially during this cost-of-living crisis and Covid".

She told the BBC that for some of her time in school she didn't have a laptop of her own to do homework on - "so I had to spend a lot of time in the library at the weekends".

She said cost-of-living increases meant many of her friends had cut back on their phone packages and were being careful about how they used data - using public wifi and turning off data-hungry features.

"Public wifi can be really bad and slow in a public space, so some of us hot spot when we are in a big group when we go out," she said.

"So it's not even just impacting education. It's impacting social life."

Matt, who spent time in care, and now divides his time between work and helping raise awareness of the issues care-leavers face, told the BBC he had never lived in a home with broadband internet.

Katherine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of children-in-care charity Become, said many care-leavers face "a real struggle".

Many can't afford wi-fi "or they can't buy the data on their phone, because they're having to pay for other things like feeding themselves, like keeping the electricity on," she said.

People who can't afford data have told the BBC of difficulties managing benefits claims, or having to juggle work hours with library opening hours to fill in forms or print things out.

Lewa had to make savings after her husband passed away.

She decided to "cut back on the wi-fi to focus on gas and electricity and water costs," but she didn't realise how data-dependent her family had become.

"Life is a struggle. If you want data for four people it costs a lot and I was always overdrawn," she said.

"There were times when I was literally crying because it was a struggle, especially when your doctor says fill in the form online.

"You need that data. It's vital. I have days when I can't go out and I need to do shopping online. How do you get by if you can't access the internet? It's hard.

"I had to send my kids to my neighbour so they could do their homework. I felt embarrassed."

Eventually the Good Things Foundation, which works to end digital exclusion, provided the family with a tablet and data.

The chair of the committee, Baroness Stowell, told the BBC that people without internet often missed out on online deals "so in a cost-of-living type situation, they are also not getting the full advantage of any savings", she said.

'Political lethargy'

The report accused the government of taking its "eye off the ball".

It said the government's ambition to make the UK a "technology superpower" and boost economic growth was being undermined by high levels of digital exclusion.

That includes people who can't afford internet, who can't access it, or lack key digital skills.

It said the scale of the problem was a "direct consequence of political lethargy".

The increasing use of AI in the delivery of public services may also mean that digitally excluded people may face bias.

People who do not post online often may be poorly represented in the datasets - often drawn from material on the internet - used to train such systems, the report said.

Peers want to see more use of social tariffs. At the moment just 5% of the 4.3 million households who are eligible use them.

The committee also called for the chancellor to remove VAT from social tariffs "straight away", Baroness Stowell said, adding that she wanted Ofcom to do better in forcing companies to advertise these tariffs.

The report comes as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt met with regulators including Ofcom about the cost-of-living crisis.

Following that meeting Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom's chief executive, said it would be "urging telecoms firms to take immediate steps to raise awareness of social tariffs".

Till Sommer from the Internet Service Providers Association agreed with the committee that a new digital inclusion strategy was "long overdue".

He said there was a "real commitment" across the broadband sector to help more people get online through social tariffs and support for people struggling.

But he said there were areas where "only the government can move the dial - including reviewing VAT on broadband".
Cyprus court to rule in July on Briton's killing of terminally ill wife

David Hunter, British pensioner facing murder charges over the death of his wife, enters a courthouse in Paphos

Cyprus court to rule in July on Briton's killing of terminally ill wife David Hunter, British pensioner facing murder charges over the death of his wife, enters a courthouse in Paphos

PAPHOS, Cyprus (Reuters) - A Cyprus court will rule on July 21 whether a British pensioner who killed his terminally ill wife is guilty of premeditated murder, after final submissions in the case on Thursday.

The court will decide whether retired miner David Hunter, 75, plotted to kill his wife who was suffering from terminal blood cancer. Hunter denies the charge, with his lawyers arguing it was a mercy killing after Janice, his wife of more than 50 years, begged him to end her torment.

The case marks the first time a Cypriot court has had to grapple with whether such actions amount to premeditated murder, which carries a life sentence in Cyprus.

Janice died from suffocation after Hunter placed his hands over her nose and mouth at their Paphos home in December 2021. He then attempted to take his own life with pills and alcohol.

The court in the western Cypriot city, where the couple retired two decades ago, heard that her illness caused a marked deterioration in Janice's quality of life and she was in constant pain.

Hunter previously told the court that she had repeatedly begged him to help end her life.

Hunter, who had a long, loving relationship with Janice, refused her requests numerous times, said Michael Polak, a barrister heading advocacy group Justice Abroad which is assisting a team of Cypriot lawyers in Hunter's defence.

"On the last occasion, he acted because of the pain she was under," he said, adding there was no premeditation.

Prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou said Janice suffered a terrible death and struggled for some minutes before dying.

"How did Janice even consent, without telling anyone... how could she have agreed to such a terrible death?" he said.

Cyprus does not have laws permitting assisted dying.

The island's parliament is due to discuss euthanasia under medical supervision after its summer recess.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Emma Rumney)
Prosecutors have refiled a criminal case against a 29-year-old man accused of carrying on an illegal sexual relationship with a physically and intellectually disabled woman at the Wichita facility where he worked.

The woman, who lived at the facility, was an adult at the time of the assaults but has the mental capacity and maturity of an 8- to 12-year-old, according to court records. She also has several health conditions that prevent her from walking, using the bathroom, bathing and otherwise caring for herself independently, the records say.

Salvador Loga Taylor, of Wichita, on Wednesday was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of having unlawful sexual relations with the woman and on Thursday made a first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court on the charge. The count alleges the unlawful sexual relations involved a DCF employee with (a) DCF patient who is 16 years of age or older, court records show.

Kansas law prohibits employees of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Kansas Department for Children and Families, as well as employees of their contractors, from having sexual contact with patients who are in institutions or in the custody of either department  even if they could legally consent to sex in other circumstances.

The Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office previously charged Taylor in February with rape of a mentally deficient victim for the womans assaults, according to court records. But it dismissed the case without prejudice two months later after a legal issue was discovered that required additional investigation, DA Marc Bennett said in an email.

Taylor remained in the jail on Thursday in lieu of $100,000 bond. His next court date is July 10.

Taylor wrote on an application for a court-appointed lawyer that he is currently unemployed and has no money to help pay for his defense costs. A lawyer listed for him in court records Thursday did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

ResCare, where the sexual assaults reportedly occurred, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday. ResCare provides services to people with intellectual disabilities, including group home living arrangements, day programs and activities and home- and community-based services, according to its website and social media pages.

According to an arrest affidavit released in Taylors dismissed case, staff at ResCare discovered the woman was pregnant in October 2022 when she was checked at a hospital for abdominal swelling and missing several menstrual periods. A pregnancy test came back positive.

The woman disclosed that she had been having sex in her bed with a ResCare staff member she identified as Taylor almost every weekend since April of 2022, when he was scheduled to work, the affidavit says.

She told authorities she agreed to the sex, but when asked to define consent, she said that it was when you put your name on a piece of paper saying its ok to do something, the affidavit says.

A doctor who conducted a psychological assessment of the woman concluded that she lacks the capacity to consent to sexual relations and that her ability to understand the nature of consequences of (a) proposed sex act are impaired.

The doctor also concluded that the womans conditions put her at a very high risk for undue influence, coercion, and malfeasance, according to the affidavit.

The woman also told authorities that she lives with roommates but has her own room at ResCare and that she cant move her legs without help from others. She described a number of sex acts with Taylor, and said she was scared that she is going to have her baby taken away from her, the affidavit says.

In an interview with police, Taylor said his job at ResCare included cooking for patients, taking them to the bathroom and helping them shower. He told police he was friendly with clients at the house where the woman lived and that he and the woman listen to music together.

He said he helped the woman with her hygiene needs, including using the restroom and bathing, and that he thought part of the reason she was living at ResCare is because she has some mental illness, the affidavit says.

Taylor told police he didnt know if ResCare has a policy on relationships but thought he remembered slideshows during orientation.

When police asked why the woman would say he was her babys father, he said that she has delusions, according to the affidavit.

Paternity testing after the baby boys Jan. 9 birth showed Taylor cannot be excluded as the biological father, with a probability of 99.9%, the affidavit says.
A 71-year-old husband and father fell off of a boat and drowned while celebrating his wedding anniversary in Virginia, law enforcement and loved ones say.

McDaniel Rucker IV went missing the evening Sunday, June 25, in Swift Creek Reservoir after he went into the water and never resurfaced, according to a news release from Chesterfield County Police Department. Ruckers body was recovered Tuesday, June 27, after it was spotted by a boater.

Ruckers daughter, Meghan Williams, told WWBT that her father was the kind of man that will take a piece of your heart with him.

This tragic incident happened at one of his favorite spots in the whole entire world, but at the same time, I feel like hes where he kind of should have been, Williams told the news outlet.

Rucker was celebrating his 28th wedding anniversary at the reservoir, his wife, Joan Rucker, wrote in a Facebook post.

Dan, the love of my life, passed away on Sunday, she wrote. On the day he left us, we were reminiscing about our 28 years of marriage and all of the wonderful memories we created together. I love him dearly and will miss him every day.

Before he retired, Rucker spent most of his career as an educator, according to his LinkedIn. He was the headmaster at Stony Point Private Schools and a history teacher at Robious Middle School, WWBT reported.

Former students and loved ones shared tributes to Rucker on social media.

Words cannot express the love I have for this man and his entire family, Sarah Parsons wrote in a Facebook post. Dan has been a steady and constant father figure to me since 2003 and my heart is broken. I wish I could say more to honor this amazing human but words simply cannot express how I feel.

Im so thankful a man as wonderful as Dan had a woman as wonderful as you, another person commented on Joan Ruckers Facebook post. My prayers go out to you and your family because I loved Dan and cant imagine how hard this nightmare is for you all.

I am lost for words. Danny was one of a kind and a dear friend, a third person commented on the post.

Dan was truly a wonderful teacher, one of the best Ive had the luck to work with, another person said. He will be greatly missed by so many people.

Swift Creek Reservoir is about 20 miles southwest of downtown Richmond.

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Daughter cashed in on dead moms benefits for years in Pennsylvania, feds say

A 70-year-old woman accused of taking her dead mothers Social Security benefits for years has been indicted in federal court, authorities said.

In the indictment filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, prosecutors said the woman stole about $21,483 in Supplemental Security Income from June 2018 to March 2020.

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits, according to the Social Security Administration. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications.

The stolen money had been deposited into her mothers bank account after she died, according to a June 28 news release.

The daughter, of Pittsburgh, is charged with theft of government funds, records show.

If convicted, shell face up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

The woman does not have a defense attorney listed in court records as of June 29.

Son hides moms death for 33 years  and steals $830,000 in benefits, feds say

Her mom died in 2016, but she kept collecting her retirement benefits, feds say

Her dad died in 2006, but she kept collecting his benefits in Pennsylvania, feds say
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Jr. will begin a series of neighborhood visits across the city.

>>RELATED: Dayton mayor declares May 31 Dayton Made Cheez-It Day; the tasty crackers ties to the Gem City

His first one will be this evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Five Oaks neighborhood at the Five Oaks Shelter in the 300 block of Five Oaks Avenue, the City of Dayton announced.

I am looking forward to meeting with Dayton residents and having conversations about our neighborhoods and sharing information on how we are moving Dayton forward, said Mayor Mims.

Six additional events are scheduled on Thursday evenings through September.

The next one is scheduled for July 13 in the Edgemont neighborhood at the 900 block of Miami Chapel Road.

The rest of the schedule includes July 27, August 10 and 29, September 14, and September 28.

The remaining tour locations will be announced on this website.
Rescue operation at the site of the Russian missile strike in Kramatorsk has been completed

The body of another person has been recovered from the rubble of a cafe in Kramatorsk in frontline Donetsk Oblast that was destroyed in a Russian missile attack on June 27, bringing the death toll to 12, the State Emergency Service reported on June 29.

The search and rescue operation has been completed, the service said. A total of 11 people were rescued from the rubble.

There are three children among the dead  a 17-year-old girl, and 14-year-old twin girls.

As a result of the attack, 60 people were injured, including an 8-month-old infant, who received head injuries. Three Columbian citizens were also among the injured. Ukrainian novelist and activist Victoria Amelina, who was with the Columbians at the time of the Russian attack, was reported to have been seriously injured.

Russian invasion forces launched two attacks with the Iskander missile system on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on the evening of June 27.

One of the missiles hit a cafe in the city center that was at nearly total capacity.

Read also: Russia ups production of Kinzhal, Iskander missiles despite Western sanctions, Ukraines air force says

The Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile can carry conventional warheads of up to 700 kilograms of high explosive. It has an accuracy of 5-7 meters Circular Error Probable, which means over 90% of missiles hit between 10 and 14 meters of their programmed target.

Ukraines SBU security service said on June 28 that it had detained an agent of Russian military intelligence in Kramatorsk, who had reconnoitered the trade center and restaurant targeted by the Russians, and sent the enemy information about it.

Prosecutors in Donetsk Oblast have opened a war crimes case on the incident.

The Russian atrocity in Kramatorsk came on the one-year-anniversary of another mass-civilian-casualty incident  on June 27, 2022 a Russian Kh-22 anti-ship missile slammed into a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, in the south of Poltava Oblast.

Read also: Survivors of Amstor shopping mall attack in Kremenchuk share their stories

Twenty-one people were killed and 59 injured when a Russian missile hit the citys Amstor shopping mall, which was destroyed in the subsequent blaze.

Speaking in his evening address to the nation on June 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Everyone who helps Russian terrorists destroy lives deserves the maximum punishment.

He said that such people were without humanity, and could face sentences of up to life in prison.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
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HARRISBURG  The debate over funding private school vouchers for students in underperforming Pennsylvania public schools has taken over state budget talks just days before the June 30 deadline.

While the Republicans who control the state Senate and Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, have backed a voucher proposal known as the lifeline scholarship program, the measure has received a cool reception among state House Democrats, who have a one-seat majority in the lower chamber.

From the rank and file to leadership, caucus members reactions to a potential compromise that includes state funding for private school tuition ranged this week from guarded skepticism to open hostility.

Ill never vote for a voucher, state Rep. Maureen Madden, D-Monroe, told Spotlight PA.

The proposal was thrown on the table last week when Shapiros administration sent a letter to the Republican-controlled state Senate Education Committee backing a voucher program.

Shapiro supported vouchers during his election campaign last fall and has reiterated that support during budget talks, appearing on Fox News last week to say he is on board with such programs as long as they dont take a dollar out of public schools.

State Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, said Tuesday that a deal is pretty close and that she thinks the new voucher program will be in the final package.

But state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery, reiterated his opposition to vouchers in an interview with Spotlight PA, calling lifeline scholarships a distraction as Pennsylvania grapples with a February court ruling that found the state unlawfully underfunds poorer districts.

I believe that we have a constitutional obligation to provide for public schools, Bradford told Spotlight PA Tuesday. And it has already been found by our Commonwealth Court that were not meeting that obligation. We need to get about doing that.

This is the second legislative session in which lifeline scholarships have been pitched by lawmakers.

As of Thursday morning, the state Senate had yet to introduce a budget bill or advance any language regarding lifeline scholarships. A separate piece of voucher legislation pending in the upper chamber could be rolled into the budget package, and offers some insight into the programs potential structure, though sources close to negotiations cautioned the exact language isnt finalized.

As written, the bill would give between $2,500 and $15,000 per year in vouchers to eligible students, depending on grade and whether the student needed special education services.

That money could be used only for tuition at a nonpublic school, or on associated or special education fees. Students would be eligible if they attend public schools categorized as low-achieving  that is, in the bottom 15% in reading and math scores among schools of their kind.

The scholarships would be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible students who applied.

The bill does not specify how much money would be available annually, or precisely where it would come from. However, unlike a previous iteration of the lifeline bill that took the funding out of a school districts share of state money, this years version would draw the money from the state budget.

Vouchers, as with school choice measures generally, split both parties.

When state House lawmakers considered the previous iteration of the lifeline scholarship bill last fall, the measure got affirmative votes from some Black Democrats seeking an immediate fix for struggling schools, but turned off some suburban, labor-aligned Republicans.

This session, the proposals odds in the state House, where Democrats control the agenda, appear slim.

State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, acknowledged that there is no single position on the topic among the groups 37 members.

Last year, state Rep. Amen Brown, D-Philadelphia, voted with state House Republicans in favor of lifeline scholarships, though he soon after asked to have his vote changed to no. And earlier this week, state Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia, came out in support of the scholarships, co-sponsoring the state Senate proposal.

I think that this is an issue that members of the Black Caucus are divided on for different reasons. But we also recognize the decisions that families are making in our district, Bullock told Spotlight PA. And we are trying to take that into consideration and balancing that with our responsibility to fund our public schools.

The dispute over vouchers is part of the wider debate in Harrisburg over how to use the states roughly $12 billion surplus. The eventual budget deal must thread the needle between state Senate Republicans, who want to spend little and make few far-reaching changes to avoid future fiscal strains, and state House Democrats, who have sought to put billions of new dollars toward education and social programs.

Between them is Shapiro. His initial $44.4 billion budget proposal included a nearly $1 billion increase for K-12 funding, school construction, mental health programs, and other education items. But it didnt include other Democratic priorities such as earmarking funding specifically for the commonwealths poorest school districts.

Earlier this month, state House Democrats passed a modified version of Shapiros proposal that added about $1.4 billion in spending, including $900 million more for education and $200 million for a state housing repair program. The increases were partially in line with requests made by the chambers Progressive Caucus in a letter sent to their leadership team this month, which was viewed by Spotlight PA.

After state House Democrats passed their budget, state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said it was an impossible number.

The state Senate announced it would be in session Thursday afternoon, signaling that leadership may be close to a budget deal and could vote and send it over to the lower chamber for consideration soon. State House Democrats told Spotlight PA the exact content of the package, including the voucher program, will matter.

State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, said she opposes vouchers, but added that a big Easter basket of Democratic priorities, such as a minimum wage hike, more state money for underfunded school districts, and tax credits for child care and low-income working families could pique her interest.

Id like to see what we traded, Shusterman told Spotlight PA.

State Rep. Manny Guzman, D-Berks, also said that the contents matter. As currently written, the voucher bill does not have any language ensuring Black and brown students have access to scholarships, or ensuring that they would be admitted to the school of their choice. Such provisions, Guzman said, would make it easier to vote for a voucher bill.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Shapiro said the governor believes an on-time budget is possible. We continue having productive conversations and making progress toward delivering a commonsense budget that addresses the most pressing issues facing our Commonwealth, the spokesperson said.

Still, leaders in both the state House and state Senate have indicated that they are willing to blow past the June 30 deadline to ensure a good deal.

In the short term, a late budget does not have many repercussions; funding for state services such as public schools and state prisons will continue. But if the impasse lasts for months  as it has in the past  state-funded programs would be forced to make decisions on how to spend their dwindling funds.

The test of any budget isnt when its done. Last year, I believe, we were a week, 10 days after the June 30 date, Bradford said. And its probably one of the best budgets weve passed in the last decade.

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.
Cook County prosecutors intend to pursue a criminal contempt case against a former Cook County judge who has been accused in civil filings and an attorney discipline complaint of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bank accounts of an elderly man, an assistant states attorney told a judge Thursday morning.

Patricia Martin, who stepped down as presiding judge in the child protection division in 2020, was the subject of a fraud complaint filed May 31 by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, which handles allegations of lawyer misconduct. It alleged that she stole from Oscar Wilkerson, an elderly man she was tasked with assisting financially and using the funds for her own purposes, including buying cryptocurrency.

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Lawyers for Wilkerson also filed a lawsuit against Martin last year, which remains pending, though Cook County Judge Anna Demacopoulos in May ordered a default judgment of more than $1.1 million due to Martins continued unresponsiveness to court orders after Martin failed to appear in court after being warned that noncompliance with the case could result in sanctions, including a default judgment.

Martin, though, appeared in court Thursday via Zoom with her lawyer, Matthew Chivari.

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Chivari told the Tribune he expects Martin will be vindicated. He said he is moving to get the default judgment against her dismissed.

We dont see any basis for her being held in contempt let alone charged with that, Chivari said.

Attorneys for Wilkerson, a Tuskegee Airman who died in February, in May filed a petition seeking to hold Martin in criminal contempt of court orders that mandated that she participate in the case filed against her and not move any more of Wilkersons funds.

The petition for indirect criminal contempt alleged that Martin has failed to appear in court and moved more money after she was ordered not to by the judge.

At Thursdays hearing, Assistant States Attorney Jeremy Bergstrom told Demacopoulos the office intends to prosecute Martin on the criminal contempt matter, which could come with criminal penalties.

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It would be a separate proceeding from the lawsuit, and Bergstrom said the office needs a few weeks to file the petition.

In a motion filed Monday, Wilkersons attorneys wrote they have made efforts to engage law enforcement in this matter. In January, the lawyers sent letters to the Illinois attorney generals office, the FBI and other agencies, according to the motion.

They received calls from the attorney generals office and the Cook County states attorneys office to discuss the next steps, the motion said. The FBI informed the lawyers it would not be pursuing the matter.

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Also on Monday, Martin responded to the attorney discipline complaint, requesting that the Illinois Supreme Court strike her name from the states roll of attorneys, meaning she would no longer be able to practice law in Illinois.

The issue dates back to November 2020, when a doctor who held a power of attorney for Wilkerson recommended the man move to an elder care facility and asked Martin, the niece of the mans former spouse, to help the doctor manage the mans financial affairs, according to the attorney discipline complaint.

Martin said yes and agreed to use the mans funds only for his own benefit, but then proceeded to transfer large amounts of money out of his accounts and use the funds for her own purposes.

mabuckley@chicagotribune.com
UPDATE: Eric Shawn Fetzer, 25, of Chesnee, S.C., has been charged with destruction, desecration or removal of human remains regarding the body being placed in a barrel and dumped into Lake Thicketty, the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office said in a June 30 update. Investigators expect to make additional arrests regarding this incident in Cherokee County in coming days, officials said.

The original story is below.

A decomposing human body was found stuffed in a barrel at Lake Thicketty in Upstate South Carolina, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler.

The body was found shortly before noon Thursday, June 29, in the Macedonia Community near Gaffney, officials said in a news release. Gaffney is about 55 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Deputies found the barrel near the shore and upon opening it found human remains. It appears the body had been in the container for a number of days, Fowler said.

Since the discovery, investigators were able to confirm late Thursday that the death occurred in Spartanburg County. ... I transferred the remains to Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger who will assume the death investigation as is protocol.

An autopsy is planned to help with identification of the body and to find a cause of death, officials said.

Details of how the barrel was discovered and who reported it to authorities were not released.

The Cherokee County Sheriffs Office reports it was located near the boat ramp off Trout View Road, a two-lane road that reaches a dead end at the lake.

An interview with a person of interest led county investigators to conclude the death happened in Spartanburg County, the sheriffs office said.

As a result, the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office has assumed control of the death investigation, while Cherokee County detectives intend to pursue charges for the disposal of the body in Cherokee County, officials said.

Lake Thicketty is a 100-acre public fishing lake that is open 24 hours a day, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. It is largely surrounded by forest land, maps show.

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Delaware braces for impact as Supreme Court blocks use of race in university admissions

Thursday the Supreme Court moved to invalidate race-conscious admissions policies used by Harvard College and the University of North Carolina to diversify their campuses. The historic decision will roll back affirmative action, sending reverberations throughout both higher education and the workplace.

A 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts held that such policies violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. It echoed long-signaled skepticism about affirmative action from the court's conservative majority. Votes came at 6-2 in the Harvard case as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself.

The admissions cases were part of a broader conservative push to reimagine the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, USA TODAY reported Thursday  the amendment intended to protect the rights of former slaves under discriminatory state laws, particularly in the South.

Wider debate concerns whether the post-Civil War clause requires colorblind policies or instead, to curb discrimination, race can be considered. This particular legal battle in academia has unfurled over decades.

MORE ON DECISION: Supreme Court blocks use of affirmative action at Harvard, UNC in blow to diversity efforts

"We have time and again forcefully rejected the notion that government actors may intentionally allocate preference to those 'who may have little in common with one another but the color of their skin,'" Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

The justice went on to write that both programs lacked "sufficiently focused and measurable objectives" that warranted considering race  but he left open the idea that schools could consider a candidate's discussion of how race or discrimination affected their life.

Nine states already ban the consideration of race in higher education. Now, this decision will trigger consequences for schools across the nation, in a major blow to many institutions' diversity efforts.

Delaware is no exception.

The First State braces for affirmative action rollback

Graduates stand for the conclusion of ceremonies during the University of Delaware's 2023 Commencement at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, May 27, 2023.

The University of Delaware issued a letter to its university community by Thursday afternoon.

"We recognize this as one of the most significant cases for American higher education in over a quarter century, and we are assessing the impact of this decision on our current practices," the university writes. "This is an appropriate moment for us to reaffirm our commitment to attracting, welcoming and supporting diverse student populations on our campus."

The Common App  the portal most prospective students use to apply to the university  has already edited its application materials, removing criteria like race and ethnicity.

UD stressed it will continue working with local and national partners to "introduce future diverse Blue Hens" to the school. A university spokesperson said more is expected on this in the coming weeks.

"Put simply," the university writes in closing, "diversity makes the University of Delaware stronger."

Earlier that morning, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester also reacted to the decision  calling it "profoundly damaging."

The court "continues to demonstrate that it is out-of-step with the American public and is operating well outside of the judicial mainstream," the Democrat said in a statement. "The Courts decisions continue to have incredibly harmful effects on millions of people across the country."

Her words echoed Thursday's scathing dissent.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the decision peeled back "decades of precedent and momentous progress."

The court, she went on to write, "cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

Related: 'Racial and class assault': How a war on free NY tuition presaged the student debt crisis

Another perspective down in Dover

Graduating students walk with their diplomas during the Delaware State University 2023 commencement ceremony at Alumni Stadium in Dover, Friday, May 12, 2023.

Delaware State University might tell you it's always been in the diversity business.

As Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Antonio Boyle likes to put it: "Everyone is welcome. We are open for business." And, if anything, Thursday's decision just put the mission in sharper focus.

"We're an HBCU," said Carlos Holmes, director of news services. "This doesn't change anything for us. We have never used race in our admissions."

More: Colleges are shrinking. But HBCUs like Delaware State are riding a wave of their own

Like over 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the U.S., the Dover institution was established to foster African American students before the Civil Rights Act.

Today, administrators say that spirit continues across racial groups. The university has marked a 40% expansion in the last decade alone, while several HBCUs have seen new enrollment tides in the U.S., though total student bodies are still down across all of higher education.

Dr. Tony Allen, CEO at Delaware State University, was the keynote speaker for Dover High School's commencement ceremony.

President Tony Allen shared his own thoughts with the university community Thursday.

"I dont need to explain to members of the Historically Black College and University community  or anyone whos made even an informal study of the separate but equal circumstances that predicated our founding  that race is most certainly a 'plus factor' in admissions," Allen wrote, "admission to higher ed institutions, entrance to prisons, consideration in courts, treatment in medical settings, and on and on."

He said the decision will have a "chilling effect" on college matriculation and workplace advancement for people of color. Meaningful racial equality remains a distant dream in the U.S., Allen said, quoting Justice Thurgood Marshall from 1978.

"I believe, as I hope you will, too, that our distinct role as an HBCU is to draw it ever closer," Allen said. "And we do."

Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Goodbye affirmative action? Delaware will feel Supreme Court decision
The Delta Air Lines plane made an emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina on June 28. Jeff Siner/The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

A Delta Air Lines plane with 96 passengers made an emergency landing in North Carolina on Wednesday.

The aircraft was unable to deploy its front landing gear and hit the runway with its underside.

One passenger said getting off the plane using an inflatable slide was "one of the coolest things."

A Delta Air Lines flight made an emergency landing in North Carolina on Wednesday after its front landing gear failed to deploy.

The Boeing 717 departed from Atlanta and was approaching Charlotte Douglas International Airport when it experienced an issue with its landing gear, WCNC Charlotte reported.

The pilot notified the air traffic control of the problem, saying that the plane had an unsafe nosewheel with "104 souls on board," including 96 passengers and five crew members, per air-traffic communications that WCNC Charlotte obtained.

One passenger on board told WCNC: "Initially, we were going down to land, and we got 30, maybe 50 feet from the runway, and the pilot sped up and kind of took off again, he didn't want to land."

"That was kind of the first sign of, 'Oh, something must be pretty wrong.'"

A plane landed nose-first because it was missing its front landing gear. Jeff Siner/The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

After circling the airport several times, the pilot managed to land the plane safely on the runway without its front landing gear.

Airport officials told WCNC Charlotte that no injuries were reported.

A video that was taken by a passenger was uploaded to WCNC Charlotte's Instagram page and showed the situation inside the plane during the landing. Everyone on board was seen silently bracing for impact while holding on to the seats in front of them.

"That was not bad at all," a man could be heard saying in the video as the plane skidded to a halt on the runway.

Another passenger, Chris Skotarczak, told AP News that the landing was much smoother than he expected.

"The pilot told us, we're going to land, we're going to hear a big thud, and we're going to hear a lot of grinding," Skotarczak said. "But it was almost smoother than a regular landing."

Photos of the plane circulating on Twitter show the aircraft tilted to the front, with its nose touching the runway on its underside. An inflatable slide was deployed at the front entrance of the aircraft to allow passengers to get off.

"I've been traveling for work over the past 10 years  going down that slide is one of the coolest things," Skotarczak told AP News.

Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 28, 2023

Delta Air Lines issued an apology to its customers in a statement published on its website.

"We appreciate that they left behind their luggage and personal items to enable a quick and safe evacuation and we've been working to reunite customers with those items. We continue to extend our personalized support to these customers," the statement read.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian also wrote on his LinkedIn account to express his gratitude to the crew members while apologizing to the passengers.

"Our crews train extensively for situations like this and I'm proud of their professionalism in landing the aircraft safely. To our customers onboard, please know that your safety is our No. 1 priority  always," Bastian said.

The cause of the landing-gear failure is still under investigation, WCNC Charlotte reported.

A representative from Delta Air Lines did not provide any additional comments but told Insider that the company would keep its website updated when more information becomes available.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Delta Air Lines flight headed to Florida was diverted to Atlanta after an incident with an unruly passenger, according to the airline.

Delta Flight 1378 departed from Detroit Metro Wayne Airport on Wednesday morning and was flying to Fort Lauderdale International Airport before it was diverted due to a reported passenger disturbance to Atlanta International Airport, where it landed about 11:30 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

While Delta Air Lines did not detail what happened during the incident, a spokesperson said in a statement that the airline does not tolerate threats and abuse of any kind towards our people.

At Delta, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is, and will always be, our number one priority. We are in contact with our flight attendant to provide support and are cooperating with authorities in their investigation. Delta has long been a leading advocate on behalf of our people and our customers to ensure the aggressive and timely prosecution of unruly passengers, the spokesperson said in a statement.

The FAA also said it will be investigating the incident.

The FAA has reported an increase in the number of unruly passengers in recent years. The highest number of reported incidents involving such passengers occurred in 2021, when the agency saw 4,973. In 2022, 2,455 incidents of the kind were reported, and 2023 has seen 857 so far.

From June 11-18, the FAA said there were 1.7 unruly passengers for every 10,000 flights.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unconstitutional. Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-N.Y.), a former public school teacher and principal, calls the decision infuriating, exhausting, and another body blow to our continued fight for justice and equality in America.

The Supreme Court just upheld white supremacy, Bowman says.

The ruling was 6-3, with every Republican-appointed justice voting to reject affirmative action. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote separate dissents, with the former writing the devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated.

Without affirmative action policies in place, the number of Black and brown students admitted to elite universities like Harvard is expected to decrease. Meanwhile legacy admission policies  alternatively known as affirmative action for privileged white kids  remain stubbornly in place.

Admission data made public during the course of litigation in the case, Students for Fair Admissions v. The President and Fellows of Harvard University, illustrated the massive advantage that a certain subset of predominantly white applicants have when it comes to college admissions, a group that includes the relatives of Harvard graduates (also known as legacy students), children of the universitys faculty and staff, recruited athletes, and individuals whose names appear on the deans interest list  often because of a close relationship with a top donor.

Joshua Kinsler is an associate professor of economics at the University of Georgia. He is the co-author, with Duke professor Peter Arcidiacono and Tyler Ransom of the University of Oklahoma, of a number of research papers that analyzed Harvard admissions data released during the case. (Arcidiacono has acted as an expert witness on behalf of SFFA, and Kinsler was at one point employed as a consultant by the organization; they say the organization did not fund their research.)

Among other findings, Kinsler and his associates showed that, of white applicants admitted to Harvard during the period examined, nearly half (43 percent) were legacies, athletes, children of faculty and staff, or deans list  a group they call ALDC for short. The researchers found that roughly three quarters of white ALDC admits would have been rejected if they were not given special consideration because of their status. If the university stopped giving preferential treatment to those students in the admissions process, they also found, the share of white students admitted to Harvard would drop significantly, while the admissions rates of all other groups would either go up or remain unchanged. (Among admits who were Black, Asian or Hispanic, data showed less than 16 percent of each were ALDC.)

The preferences for these groups are enormous, Kinsler tells Rolling Stone. If you took two students who looked identical in every other dimension, except one was a legacy and one wasnt, the legacy has a vastly higher likelihood of being admitted than the non-legacy.

And the advantage those students enjoy is only growing: As the number of total applicants to Harvard has dramatically increased in the past several decades, the share of those applicants characterized as ALDC has shrunk. But the same team of researchers showed in a separate paper, the percentage of ALDC admitted has remained the same  meaning it has actually gotten easier to be admitted to Harvard in recent years if youre a legacy student. The only way that you can maintain that is if you continue to give bigger and bigger and bigger preferences over time to these special categories [of applicants]  which is precisely what we see, Kinsler explains.

Ending affirmative action, Bowman says, is going to have a devastating impact on equity, equality, diversity, and all of the things that matter in a healthy, thriving democracy  If you want to end something, end legacy admissions.

Last year, the congressman from New York partnered with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Wash.) to introduce the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, in an effort to end legacy and donor admissions at schools that receive federal funding. (In 2021, Colorado became the first state to ban the practice at public universities.)

Bowman says legacy admission policies allow big donors, the wealthy elite, and those who were able to attend certain higher education institutions to secure admission spots for their family members, while simultaneously shutting poor people and people of color out of the most prestigious institutions.  That is un-American. That is undemocratic. And that is unacceptable, Bowman says. Merkley, for his part, tells Rolling Stone he was not surprised by the decision, but profoundly disturbed.

In a statement, Merkley says he and Bowman plan to reintroduce their plan before the August recess.

More from Rolling Stone

Best of Rolling Stone

Click here to read the full article.
Democrats on Thursday condemned the Supreme Courts extremist decision to eliminate affirmative action in education, with some saying that its break from another decades-old precedent is the latest sign that the nations highest court is facing a legitimacy crisis.

In a decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts and backed by the other five conservative justices, the court put an end to systems designed to help minority students access higher education after centuries of racial discrimination. Studies show ending affirmative action policies will disproportionately hurt Black and Latino students.

Todays decision deals a needless blow to Americas promise of equal and fair opportunity, reads a joint statement from Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chair Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Congressional Black Caucus chair Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) and Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.).

Casting aside decades of precedent, the Courts anti-opportunity majority further undermines its own legitimacy by gutting race-conscious university admissions, which will benefit the wealthy and well-connected most, said the caucus chairs. This extremist Supreme Court does not get to decide our values. We will always fight for diversity and representation in politics, business, culture, and beyond.

Horsford said separately that the court has gone rogue by breaking from a precedent thats been in place since 1978. For more than 40 years, the court has repeatedly held that race-based admissions policies in colleges and universities are consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, he said.

By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy, Horsford said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the courts ruling a giant roadblock in our countrys march toward racial justice.

The consequences of this decision will be felt immediately and across the country, as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities to attend the same colleges and universities than their parents and older siblings, the senator said.

Some Black lawmakers said the decision reflects a broader pattern of the court routinely rolling back protections for people in marginalized communities.

For some reason, every time people of color take a step forward, this nation finds a way to make them take three steps back, said Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), who is the ranking member on the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee.

The Supreme Courts decision on affirmative action is unconscionable, out of touch, and a significant setback, she said.

Ending affirmative action in higher educationwhich the Court had already held to be legalwill have devastating impacts on our communities, said Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.). Universities have historically denied Black, brown, and Indigenous people from accessing institutions of higher education.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) had some stronger words, calling the courts decision just the latest in the white supremacist assault on equity in education.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmation action in education.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmation action in education.

Democrats anger over the courts decision comes amid a growing sentiment that the court itself has become delegitimized, extremist and badly in need of reform.

Theres the problem with the courts two stolen seats, a reference to Republicans helping former President Donald Trump confirm two of his picks by blocking confirmation of then-President Barack Obamas nominee Merrick Garland and then ramming through Justice Amy Coney Barrett just days before the 2020 presidential election, while millions of people were casting votes for Joe Biden.

Then there was the courts break from long-standing precedent last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, once again carried out by the courts 6-3 conservative supermajority. Its two most conservative justices  Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito  hinted that theyd like to revisit other landmark decisions to potentially revoke more rights, including the 2015 decision that granted same-sex couples the constitutional right to marry.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said the courts decision on affirmative action is just the latest example of the activist conservative Justices willingness to overturn settled precedents and discount democratic values in pursuit of their ideological policy agenda.

Once again, this extreme Supreme Court has taken our country backwards, said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), also a member of the Judiciary Committee. She called Thursdays decision shortsighted and detached from reality.

Beyond concerns about the courts extremist turn, Thomas and Alito have been mired in ethics scandals. A bombshell report from ProPublica revealed that Thomas has been accepting luxury trips almost every year for more than 20 years from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow and not disclosing them. Thomas also sold his ancestral home to Crow without disclosing it. Crow, meanwhile, has had financial interests before the court.

Alito similarly accepted an undisclosed trip from a GOP megadonor who had business before the court. Justice Neil Gorsuch also failed to disclose that he sold property for more than $1 million to a top law firm executive with business before the court.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action is the latest sign of how extreme and ideological the court has become, and proof of how badly it needs reforms.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action is the latest sign of how extreme and ideological the court has become, and proof of how badly it needs reforms.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) called Thursdays decision especially striking considering that at least three justices are facing major corruption scandals and a majority of the justices were appointed by a president who lost the popular vote, referring to Trump and former President George W. Bush.

No wonder American people increasingly see this Court as corrupt and facing a legitimacy crisis, she said in a statement.

It is clearly time to move forward with court reform, said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), who is the ranking member on the House Judiciary subcommittee on the courts and a sponsor of legislation to add four more seats to the court.

Justice Harlan Crow Thomas and five other MAGAs have just slammed the college doors on Black and Brown folks after declaring that we now live in a color-blind country, Johnson said in a statement. This decision can lead to the demise of [historically Black colleges and universities]. We cannot let that happen.

He added, This judicial activism must be met with passage of my legislation to expand SCOTUS.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who called the decision to axe affirmative action a step backwards, said he plans to reintroduce a bill to stop universities from giving preferential treatment to children of alumni and donors.

The last thing we should want is a world in which underrepresented students are given less opportunity while the wealthiest and most privileged students have their own special form of affirmative action, Merkley said in a statement.

The Oregon senator said he and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) will soon unveil their legislation, the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, to ban colleges and universities from giving an unfair advantage to the kids of financial donors and legacy alumni in the admissions process.
Deputies in Chester County using new bill to put drug traffickers behind bars longer

Deputies from the Chester County Sheriffs Office are taking advantage of a new state law aimed at increasing jail time for fentanyl traffickers.

Channel 9 brought you the story earlier in June about the new law creating a minimum mandatory sentence for people convicted of drug trafficking.

ALSO READ: North Carolina woman discovered with $183,000 worth of drugs during Georgia traffic stop

On Tuesday, investigators used the law for the first time, charging Xavier Colvin with trafficking more than 20 grams of fentanyl.

That marks the first time the law has been used in Chester County and possibly in the state of South Carolina.

(WATCH BELOW: Man charged in fentanyl trafficking enterprise, Lancaster County sheriff says)
Man drowns after tractor flips near Georgia border, deputies say

Officials are investigating the death of a man who died in an accident involving a tractor near the Georgia border, deputies told Channel 2 Action News.

The Aiken County Sheriffs Office told Channel 2 Action News that a dive team was sent to search a body of water for a South Carolina man whose tractor overturned in the area.

Deputies said they responded after a caller performing a wellness check on their father found his tractor partially submerged in the water.

The man told deputies he hadnt spoken to his father since the previous night.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

WRDW said divers discovered the body at around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The body of water is along the Old Jackson Highway near Beech Island.

TRENDING STORIES:

The man will be identified once the next of kin is notified.

Channel 2 Action News has contacted the sheriffs office to learn more about this developing story.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Ron DeSantis stands on the banks of the Rio Grande during a press conference in Eagle Pass, Texas, in June (Getty Images)

The presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been accused of breaking the law after the team shared an image on Twitter of the candidate exiting a helicopter that records show is owned by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Mr DeSantis was in Eagle Pass, Texas on Monday to visit the US-Mexico border when the campaign shared the photo with the caption MISSION: Stop the invasion STATUS: Critical LEAD: @RonDeSantis.

Legal experts now say that the use of Texas government resources in a political ad is a campaign finance violation.

Other questions include how the border trip was paid for and why the campaign was given access to property owned by the state of Texas for a political campaign trip.

Texas state law also outlaws the use of public funds and resources to support a candidate for office, The Daily Beast noted.

The trip included a tour in the air of the border area, which lines up with the flight records for the helicopter.

Mr DeSantis also took a boat ride on the Rio Grande, seeing migrants attempting to cross, according to Fox News.

More illegal crossings seen from the air in helicopter tour over Eagle Pass, TX with FL Gov. @RonDeSantis pic.twitter.com/82SiWE83Im  Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 26, 2023

After the tour of the border, Mr DeSantis gave a campaign speech on immigration after being introduced by Texas Republican Representative Chip Roy, who has endorsed the governor in the presidential race.

Mr DeSantis made the speech in front of a banner telling the audience to text FREEDOM to a number to receive updates from the campaign.

It remains unclear if the campaign reimbursed the Texas government for the trip.

The director of federal campaign finance reform at the Campaign Legal Center, Saurav Ghosh, told The Daily Beast that if Mr DeSantis used tax money for the trip, his campaign has to reimburse the state of Texas for the cost, or else hes received an unreported and likely excessive in-kind contribution.

If he misuses public resources to run for president, its an abuse of his position and a likely violation of federal campaign finance laws, he added.

The communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Jordan Libowitz, told the outlet that government resources should not be used to help a candidate for partisan political office.

He added that even if the campaign reimbursed the state of Texas, it still doesnt explain how the DeSantis team was allowed to use state vehicles.

Federal political committees have made four payments to the Texas Department of Public Safety, with the largest being $10 in 2014, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

No committee seems to have paid Texas for events or fundraising in a recent election, a review of all FEC disbursements to Texas entities of at least $1,000 during the last five election cycles shows.

Mr DeSantis could clear up the situation by reimbursing the state, but Texas state law bans any use of public funds for political events. The law states that any state agency cannot use any money under its control, including appropriated money, to fund or otherwise support a candidate for office on either the federal or state level.

The ban also includes the direct or indirect employment of state employees, who may may not use a state-owned or state-leased motor vehicle for such events  seemingly like the governors boat tour.

The state law outlaws state workers from using their authority or influence in a campaign setting and it also prohibits the use of a program administered by the state agency of which the person is an officer or employee to influence an election or to achieve any other political purpose.

The photo shared on the campaign account makes it harder to argue that the Texas trip was part of Mr DeSantis work as the governor of Florida. Similarly, Mr DeSantis also held a speech in which he slammed the border policies of President Joe Biden as well as his main rival for the Republican Presidential nomination  former President Donald Trump.

The Independent has reached out to the DeSantis campaign and Texas DPS for comment.
Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis has been ridiculed for a seemingly photoshopped campaign photograph that has resurfaced as the Republican presidential primary begins to take shape.

The image was taken for Mr DeSantiss brief campaign for Senate in 2015 ahead of the 2016 election when incumbent Florida Senator Marco Rubio was running for president before campaigning for re-election to the upper chamber.

A Flickr account called DeSantis for Senate has a small number of images publically available showing Mr DeSantis speaking to voters as well as the image of Mr DeSantis walking on the beach alongside his wife.

Some users photoshopped the couple onto different backgrounds and others compared the lack of footprints in the sand to the two sets of footprints fable in which Jesus picks a man up and carries him.

Mr DeSantis was branded a plastic politician during his early pre-campaign trail endeavours when he was essentially campaigning without having declared his intention to make a White House run.

Its just an example of another plastic politician whos beholden to his donor masters thats running around the country pretending like hes governing in the State of Florida while actually, we all know he is running a Presidential campaign, Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy said before Mr DeSantis confirmed his presidential bid.

His actions also drew the ire of former president Donald Trump, who previously described his now closest rival for the Republican ticket as disloyal for considering a run.

Mr DeSantis originally posted the image to his personal Twitter account in 2015 along with a quote from his wife, calling him a man of integrity and honor.

As an Iraq veteran & current officer in the US Navy Reserve, Ron understands the needs of our vets. @CaseyDeSantis pic.twitter.com/MNpYuv1AL5  Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) August 6, 2015

After it resurfaced amidst his campaign for president, Twitter users mocked the photo for supposedly being edited.

Before it was photoshopped pic.twitter.com/pvDEcQgAxG  Freakanatcha (@Freakanatcha) June 28, 2023

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo tweeted: Oh dear heres man of integrity meatball Ron standing with his wife in a studio in front of a beach poster (hat tip to @patriottakes). Ron is so unwoke he doesnt leave footprints. Literally.

In fairness, I think its possible that Ron is the type of guy who breaks out in hives when exposed to the sun or sand or people having fun. But he still declines to release a letter from his paediatrician to clarify this.

I didnt notice this at first but if you look at MBs left hand his fingers may be even shorter and stubbier than Trumps. possible he had some sort of surgical finger shortening procedure to be more similar.

I didnt know it was possible to make a beach photo shoot creepy, but Ron DeSantis managed to do it. Is anything real about this man? Leah McElrath tweeted.
The promise of America is that all citizens should have the ability to live the American Dream. In Chicago and throughout America, the dream has become elusive for the vast majority of African Americans. Interestingly, nearly 60 years after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his celebrated I Have a Dream speech, which challenged the conscience of the nation to live up to its commitment to African Americans, progress has been stagnant. The data shows racial disparities are getting worse.

The following startling facts reveal how disparities are rising for African Americans in Chicago, Illinois and nationwide:

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 Last year, the Chicago Department of Health reported that for the first time in decades, life expectancy for African American Chicagoans fell below 70 years old. In 2020, the gap in life expectancy between African American and white residents was 10 years, an increase from 8.8 years in 2017.

 The U.S. homicide rate for African American boys ages 16 to 17 was 18 times higher than that of white boys, a study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in 2022 stated.

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 The poverty rate for Black Chicagoans in 1960 was 29.7%; today, it is about 34%.

 The median income for African American households in Chicago is less than $36,000 a year, while white households is more than $82,000 a year, the Chicago Urban Leagues annual State of Black Chicago report for 2023 shows.

 According to the Urban Leagues 2023 report, the unemployment rate for African American Chicagoans is more than 16%. For white residents, it is a little less than 11%. The jobless rate among African American teens, 16 to 19 years old, in Chicago was 87% in 2021 compared with 67% of all U.S. teens, a University of Illinois at Chicago study found.

 According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the achievement gap between Black and white students is 36 percentage points.

 The African American population in Chicago has dropped to 29.2%, but a city of Chicago disparity study from 2021 revealed that African American firms received only 7.7% of city prime contracts and subcontracts between 2015 and 2019. Hispanic- and Asian-owned businesses fared much better at 17.1% and 16.4%, respectively.

 A 2022 state report found African Americans made up only 1% of majority owners of marijuana dispensaries, while 88% of dispensaries in Illinois are white majority-owned. Illinois marijuana sales hit a record high of more than $1.5 billion last year.

 According to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, 65,611 people experienced homelessness in Chicago in 2020. The coalition reports that more than half of those experiencing homelessness are Black.

The Urban Leagues report this year underscores vast disparities in income, unemployment, housing, homeownership, homelessness, education and health care.

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in recognition of growing health disparities, created the Healthy People 2000 effort with a goal of reducing health disparities by 2000. When the agency failed to meet that goal, it created the Healthy People 2010 campaign. Health disparities persist. African Americans suffer disproportionately from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, prostate cancer for men, breast cancer for women and much more.

Elected officials should be troubled by the widening inequities. During the 1990s economic boom, African American communities on the South and West sides remained trapped in poverty, according to the 2000 census. Between 1960 and 2010, median income for Black Chicagoans rose by only $24,571, whereas for white Chicagoans, it increased by $51,052, the Chicago Reader reported in 2013.

Elected leaders have failed to fully address glaring disparities that place African Americans first in many negative socioeconomic indicators. African American progress has moved at the pace of a tortoise. This is unacceptable, given all the political influence African Americans wield in key government positions, such as Illinois House speaker, U.S. House minority leader, Illinois lieutenant governor, Cook County Board president, Cook County states attorney and chief judge, and Chicago mayor.

The government finds money to deal with emergencies. For example, the city is spending $51 million to house migrants and provide for their welfare. The widening inequality affecting African Americans is an emergency.

Here are some common sense solutions to close the racial disparity gap and improve the quality of life for African Americans:

1. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle should declare a state of emergency regarding the disparities affecting African Americans. The declaration would free up state, local and federal funding to address the widening disparities.

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2. Pritzker, Johnson, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Preckwinkle and the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus should meet to address violence in African American communities. They should develop a plan and meet weekly to ensure that citizens in Chicago are safe.

3. Pritzker, Johnson, Preckwinkle, Welch and Lightfoot should announce a Healthy Illinois campaign focused on Chicago communities with the highest levels of poverty, unemployment and health disparities. They should mobilize health care assets to reduce disparities. They must address food deserts and ensure citizens have access to fruits and vegetables.

4. Pritzker, Johnson and Preckwinkle should retool the minority contracting programs. They should provide transparent reporting of racial contracting data quarterly and remove barriers for minority businesses to compete.

It is time to close the gaps that keep African Americans from attaining the American Dream. As long as African Americans continue to struggle with disparities, our city will not realize its full potential, and African Americans will not achieve the American Dream.

Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.

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The DeSantis campaign just pissed off New York Republicans

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis irked an influential New York Republican after his presidential campaign failed to coordinate a Rockland County fundraiser with the local party leader.

The suburban countys GOP Chair Lawrence Garvey told POLITICO he got no heads up from the DeSantis campaign before it sent out a flier for a $6,600-a-person June 29 fundraiser with major business leaders at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern.

The Republican Party is a big tent and were always honored to have national figures come to Rockland County. At the same time theres courtesies and protocols involved, Garvey said.

While we understand communication can sometimes be difficult, we nevertheless think that communication is necessary, Garvey continued, adding that he was disappointed when he didnt get an apology for the slight.

A DeSantis campaign rep did not return messages. The campaign moved the fundraiser to a more private venue after Democratic groups planned to protest the event, according to a person familiar with the event.



The original venue is part of first-term Republican Rep. Mike Lawlers 17th Congressional district, which is a key target for Democrats and their plan to retake the House in 2024.

Lawler, like most of the Republican congressional delegation from New York, has not said who hell back to challenge President Joe Biden. A spokesperson for the congressman did not comment.

This weeks Siena Poll found 61 percent of New York Republicans would vote for Donald Trump if the primary happened now. If Trump wasnt the nominee, DeSantis would the next favorite pick by a wide margin.

Some people really like him, a New York Republican official said. Hes Trump-ish without the baggage, is the general feel.

That official said he wouldnt expect the states congressional Republicans to start endorsing until at least this fall. Its a tough game, he said. You want to be in early, but you dont want to be wrong.

DeSantis is also scheduled to collect donations at a Yale Club event in Manhattan on Thursday.

The luncheon, another $6,600-a-plate affair, is hosted by some GOP throwbacks like William Heyman  an executive at Travelers who was nominated to a New York Fed advisory committee by then-President George W. Bush  and Buffalo real estate executive Nick Sinatra, who was a political director at the Bush White House.

A version of this initially appeared in the June 29 edition of New York Playbook.
Drag Race Fighter video game concept





These queens are ready to fight!

www.instagram.com

Based in New York City and Montreal, a motion design studio named Rezonate created a brand-new video game concept titled Drag Race Fighter in celebration of Pride Month. This project includes fan-favorite RuPauls Drag Race queens such as Bianca Del Rio, Trixie Mattel, Katya, Jinkx Monsoon, Laganja Estranja, Sasha Velour, Marina Summers, and Xilhouete.

In an interview with Out, Rezonate shared more details about this project, as well as the studios connection to LGBTQ+ culture and RuPauls Drag Race.

Scroll through to read Outs interview with Rezonate and see visuals from the Drag Race Fighter concept video game.

Out: What is the general idea behind this video game concept?

Bianca Del Rio

Logo TV/Rezonate

Rezonate: We utilized the fighting game genre as a metaphor for the LGBTQ+ communitys ongoing battle for rights, equality, and acceptance, drawing on the common themes of struggle, resilience, and victory.

Jinkx Monsoon

Paramount+/Rezonate

In fighting games, players confront various adversaries and challenges, ultimately overcoming them with skill, strategy, and determination. Similarly, the LGBTQ+ community faces numerous societal obstacles and prejudices in their pursuit of rights, equality, and acceptance.

Out: What inspired you to do this project?

Katya

Logo TV/Rezonate

Rezonate: Weve always treated Pride Month as a chance for the team to have fun with animation and motion design. Last year we reimagined what it would look like if queer cartoon characters came together for a flag relay race.

Trixie Mattel

VH1/Rezonate

This year, we wanted to pay tribute to the art form of drag by playing with the idea of how different queens can square off in a video game. But more than that quirky concept, we also wanted to pay attention to the actual human rights fight that trans folx and drag performers are experiencing.

Out: How long have your team members been fans of RuPauls Drag Race?

Sasha Velour

VH1/Rezonate

Rezonate: Some of the members of the team have started watching Drag Race since season nine. Some have discovered it during the lockdown. And some have watched international drag shows headlined by some of the queens.

Out: Why did you pick these particular queens for the project?

Laganja Estranja

Logo TV/Rezonate

Rezonate: It was more of a collaboration between the marketing and production team as personal fans wanted to feature their favorites from the US version of RuPauls Drag Race and the Drag Race Philippines show.

Out: What is the ideal end goal for this project?

Marina Summers

World of Wonder/Rezonate

Rezonate: As an animation and motion design studio, we wanted to highlight that creativity is not mutually exclusive. Even though we work with commercial brands relying on traditional commercial creative tools and skills, the more that we welcome and open our eyes and hearts toward divergent art forms like drag, the more our creative vocabulary expands.

Xilhouete

World of Wonder/Rezonate

As artists its easy for us to recognize and relate to the high level of artistry that these queens commit to their looks and performances, we want to share that drag can teach us creatives (and the community) so much about dedication, aesthetics, and fierceness, so that we can also shine our own cunningness, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein and staff leave a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on May 11 after her return to Washington. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is recovering from a serious shingles infection, is spending the Senate's two-week Fourth of July recess in Washington.

Senators and House members usually use recesses to return to their home states and connect with their constituents. But the California Democrat has no plans to make a trip home to San Francisco, her spokesperson Adam Russell told The Times.

Feinstein turned 90 last week, and for months now the media have been scrutinizing her age, well-being and ability to carry out the duties of representing 39 million people.

The senator's office did not say whether her decision to stay put was made on the advice of a doctor, but Ron Eckstein, her press secretary, said that she would remain in Washington "while she continues to recover."

As recently as April 2022, one of Feinstein's most important Democratic allies was pointing to her travel schedule as proof that she was fit to serve.

She is constantly traveling between California and the Capitol, working relentlessly to ensure Californians needs are met and voices are heard," San Francisco's Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who was House speaker at the time, said in a statement.

Feinstein now heads into the holiday break with a growing reputation as a distant coworker. Many California lawmakers no longer expect to communicate with her, CNN reported last week.

The senator, asked about CNN's report, took issue with the idea that she no longer speaks with other members of her state's delegation.

"I don't know the issue," Feinstein told The Times in a brief interview on Capitol Hill last week. "I don't think that's true. I have conversations with all of them that I come in contact with. ... I have not turned down anyone for a visit."

She characterized the report as unfair, asserting that colleagues weren't initiating conversations with her.

"I have not received a single request," she said. "If I receive a request [to talk], I will. I have not received a single request."

Feinstein was diagnosed with shingles in late February and was hospitalized until March 6. As of her return to Congress last month, she was experiencing "temporary side effects" from the virus that warranted "a lighter schedule," her office said.

Californians' approval of Feinstein's job performance has fallen precipitously as state and national media outlets have paid more attention to her age and health problems.

Many longtime supporters still stand behind Feinstein, saying that increased scrutiny of her health and calls for her to vacate her seat are insensitive, disrespectful and sexist.

But the percentage of Californians who approve of how the senator is handling her job fell from 41% to 31% over the last eight months, according to a recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. Before this month, Feinstein's rating in the institute's surveys had never dropped below 40%.

But during Feinstein's career in the Senate, many of her constituents have reported uncertain feelings about her. At one point, more than 1 in 4 Californians said they did not know whether they approved of her, according to Public Policy Institute surveys. But that unsure group is disappearing. Just 4% of Californians now say they "don't know" whether they approve of Feinstein's work.

Feinstein's approval rating may rebound now that she has returned to Washington. The senator's hospitalization and months-long absence from Capitol Hill prompted criticism from fellow Democrats after she missed important votes.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein has an important role in confirming the president's judicial nominees. Since her return, she has been present for most votes, and aides have reported that she is returning to her normal workload.

The senator still has a close ally in Pelosi. The former House speaker continues to speak highly of Feinstein's career, and Pelosi's daughter Nancy Corinne Prowda helped Feinstein with day-to-day work on Capitol Hill after the senator returned to Washington. Pelosi's office did not address a question about Prowda's current involvement in Feinstein's daily life.

Senator Feinstein has achieved major accomplishments in her legendary career  and she is back to work in the Capitol, determined to do even more, Pelosi said in a statement to The Times. California is well-served by the commitment, experience and seniority that Senator Feinstein brings, including her leadership on the Appropriations Committee and for gun violence prevention.

Candidates seeking Feinstein's Senate seat in the 2024 election have also stopped short of criticizing her openly.

"I dont think there was a lot of House-Senate collaboration in the California delegation, period," Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) told CNN. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) reminded the network's reporter that "theres the human side of it," and Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) emphasized that his "office works with her constantly."

Feinstein could shake up the race to replace her if she changes her retirement plans and steps down before her term ends in January 2025. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom would fill the vacancy, and he has said he would choose a Black woman for the position.

Lee is the only major Democratic candidate who would fit that description.

Times staff writer Benjamin Oreskes contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

Get the best of the Los Angeles Times politics coverage with the Essential Politics newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
DIGHTON  Dighton Police Chief Shawn Cronin has been charged with insider trading and surrendered himself to authorities early Thursday morning, according to the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York.

In 2020, Rehoboth resident Joseph Dupont, Cronin and two men from New York state engaged in an insider trading scheme surrounding the announcement of a pharmaceutical companys acquisition of another, the U.S Attorneys Office said.

Cronin and the two men from New York collectively made more than $2.2 million in illegal profits by trading in stocks and options based on non-public information Dupont misappropriated from his employer, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

What is the Dighton police chief charged with

Cronin, 43, has been charged with three counts of securities fraud under Title 15 and three counts of tender offer fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and tender offer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to a written statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Dighton Police Chief Shawn Cronin, seen here in an undated photo, was charged with insider trading on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

Cronin, who has served on the Dighton Police Department since 2006, was a sergeant when the illegal trading allegedly took place in 2020. Cronin was promoted to lieutenant in September of 2021 and to chief in August of 2022.

Latest development Dighton police chief put on leave amid insider trading scandal  2nd officer also charged

How the U.S. Attorney's Office says the insider trading happened

Dupont was a vice president at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and, on Jan. 31, 2020, was informed of Alexions upcoming acquisition of Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc., according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. But before that acquisition was publicly announced, in April 2020, Dupont told his childhood friend, Cronin, about the acquisition.

Not only were Cronin and Dupont childhood friends, but Cronin supervised Dupont in Duponts capacity as a reserve officer, the statement said.

Based on the information Dupont gave Cronin, Cronin bought shares of Portola stock as well as out-of-the-money call options for Portola stock, the statement said.

In turn, Cronin shared the insider information with Jarett Mendoza, another childhood friend of both Cronins and Duponts, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. And Cronin allegedly assisted Mendoza in purchasing Portola stock in the days before the acquisition was publicly announced.

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Dighton Assistant Town Clerk Pam Tenglin swears in Shawn Cronin in September of 2021 as a Dighton police lieutenant. In August of 2022, Cronin was promoted to police chief.

Cronin also allegedly shared the same information with Slava Kaplan, also known as Stanley Kaplan, of Hopewell Junction, New York, a friend of Cronins, who was also known to Dupont, the statement said.

Cronin shared the insider information with Kaplan both so that Kaplan could trade in advance of the acquisition and so that Kaplan would assist Cronin in formulating trading strategies to maximize Cronins own insider trading profits, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Kaplan purchased Portola shares and options and, in turn, shared the insider information about the upcoming acquisition with, among others, Paul Feldman of Poughquag, New York, a friend and colleague of Kaplans, the statement said. Based on the insider information Feldman allegedly aggressively bought Portola call options, the statement said. Feldman, for his part, shared the insider information with others, including a work colleague, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Alexions acquisition of Portola was publicly announced on the morning of May 5, 2020. Portolas stock increased significantly in value.

Which Dighton workers made the most? Here are the top 10 highest earners in 2022

Cronin, Kaplan, Feldman and their tippees sold their shares of Portola and call options for Portola stock, reaping millions of dollars of illegally obtained trading profits, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Insider trading is not a quick buck. Its not easy money. Its not a sure thing. Its cheating. Its a bad bet. Its a ticket to prison, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in the written statement.

Also, unsealed Thursday were charges against Mendoza, who has pled guilty pursuant to a cooperation agreement, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

According to a written statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC also filed insider trading charges against the same five people.

How much did they make in 'illegally obtained trading profits'

According to the SECs complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the defendants approximate ill-gotten gains were as follows: Cronin - $72,000; Mendoza - $39,000, Kaplan - $472,000; and Feldman - $1.73 million.

The other traders who allegedly received nonpublic information from either Kaplan or Feldman saw profits of an additional $1.7 million, the SEC said.

After realizing their profits, Kaplan texted Feldman in Russian, Lets hope our golden goose will continue laying golden eggs! the SEC said.

Where do the cases against Joseph Dupont, Stanley Kaplan and Paul Feldman stand

Dupont, 44, who also surrendered to authorities Thursday, has been charged with one count of Title 15 securities fraud and one count of tender offer fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Kaplan, 45, who was arrested Thursday, has been charged with three counts of securities fraud under Title 15 and three counts of tender offer fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and tender offer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Feldman, 48, who was also arrested Thursday, has been charged with six counts of securities fraud under Title 15 and six counts of tender offer fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and tender offer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Where did Shawn Cronin turn himself and what's next

Cronin self-surrendered at the FBIs office in Massachusetts Thursday morning, according to a spokesperson for the U.S Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. He had his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts Thursday afternoon. He was released on an unsecured bond in the amount of $250,000. His next appearance will be in the Southern District of New York before the assigned District Judge, Judge Gregory H. Woods, but there is no scheduled appearance date as of yet.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Dighton Police Chief Shawn Cronin accused of insider trading by SEC
Doesnt Kris Kobach have more to do than attack the tiny minority of trans Kansans? | Opinion

Go after crime

Surely Kris Kobach, the very important attorney general of a very important state such as Kansas, has better things to do with his time than fishing in a big river for very small fish. (June 26, KansasCity.com, Kobach contends that trans Kansans birth certificates, licenses must revert to sex at birth)

Cmon, Kris. There are real criminals who need to be caught and prosecuted.

- Jeffrey Roitman, Overland Park

Education needed





Star reporter Katie Moores 2021 story Sex trafficking survivors need more help escaping the life, KC area advocates say, was spot-on. It emphasized the lack of resources available to the increasing number of people who have been victims of human trafficking in the Kansas City area.

These individuals who manage to escape the life have complex needs that include housing and medical and mental health care  all of which require funding programs to help the victims.

The American Medical Womens Associations Physicians Against Trafficking of Humans project aims to increase awareness of the need to educate health care providers on identifying and aiding trafficked victims. However, critical gaps exist in the literature to educate these professionals specifically on human trafficking among their patients.

As a nurse, I believe that education is key to the prevention of diseases. Human trafficking is a disease upon society that can be fought by educating health care professionals, members of law enforcement, paramedics and firefighters on the red flags associated with victims of human trafficking.

I believe that promoting education among front-line responders is key to identifying these victims and providing them potentially lifesaving resources.

- Lynn Everman, Grain Valley

Beyond debate

After reading the June 15 story Liberty mayor gets in fierce debate over Confederate statue (2A) about the controversy over a monument to Confederate dead in a Liberty cemetery, we made a visit. Without stating a preference for a side, it is understandable why the issue is so contentious.

I write, however, to congratulate the attention paid to the historic, then-segregated, section of the cemetery dedicated to African American veterans and residents of Liberty. The displays and explanations of the history, paid in respect and reverence, are impressive.

- Randy Merker, Overland Park

Pox on both

I am appalled by the behavior by members of the U.S. House of Representatives from both parties. Mutual respect and common civility have apparently gone out the window as lawmakers call one another names and generally behave like petulant children. Neither group is willing to go high when their opponents go low. Rather, they just go tit for tat.

As a constituent, I expect better. These men and women are supposed to set an example because they are in the public eye and theoretically should behave like adults. Respect other views. Stand up for decency and fairness. Be kind.

Remember, we are watching you and wont forget your behavior when you come up for reelection.

- Barbara Scott, Lenexa

KU and China





Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins is upset that the University of Kansas is planning to offer classes in China. (June 19, 1A, Republican concerned after KU announces classes in China).

Several years ago, the then-president of Fort Hays State University told those of us attending a meeting of the Olathe Rotary Club that for years, his school was second only to the Chinese government in the number of classes taught online to students in mainland China. The proceeds were instrumental in keeping in-state tuition affordable for Kansas students.

It sounds as if KU was paying attention. Too bad our speaker of the Kansas House wasnt.

- Gerald K. Gentry, Olathe
The Justice Department argued in a new court filing this week that a Florida law restricting Chinese lane ownership by U.S. military installations and major infrastructure is unconstitutional.

In a "statement of interest" filed in U. S. District Court in Tallahassee on Tuesday, the DOJ argues that SB 264  signed into law last month by GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis  violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution, as well as the Fair Housing Act of 1968 (FHA).

FHA broadly prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability and national origin.

"These unlawful provisions will cause serious harm to people simply because of their national origin, contravene federal civil rights laws, undermine constitutional rights, and will not advance the States purported goal of increasing public safety," the Justice Department wrote.

DESANTIS OUTLINES DRUG SMUGGLING POLICY: CUT THROUGH THE WALL, END UP 'STONE-COLD DEAD'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responds to a question during a press conference at the headquarters of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on April 17, 2023. DeSantis is running for president in 2024.

The state law imposes new restrictions on persons and entities from "foreign countries of concern," defined as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

It bans "foreign principals," defined as someone whose "domicile" in the People's Republic of China and not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, from owning or acquiring agricultural land or real property within ten miles of any "military installation" or "critical infrastructure facility" in Florida.

The legislation has an exception for individuals with a valid non-tourist visa or who have been granted asylum to purchase one residential real property if the property is less than two acres in size and not within five miles of a military installation.

The law also prohibits the "purchase or acquisition of real property by the Peoples Republic of China," including by Chinese political and corporate entities.

DeSantis has described the legislation as a way to "counteract the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the state of Florida."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at the Florida National Guard Robert A. Ballard Armory on June 7, 2021, in Miami, signed two bills to combat foreign influence and corporate espionage in Florida from governments like China.

BLINKEN GRILLED ON ALLEGED DISCONNECT WITH BIDEN ON TAIWAN POST-CHINA TRIP: WE ARE THERE FOR TAIWAN

"Restricting China and other hostile foreign nations from controlling Floridas agricultural land and lands near critical infrastructure facilities protects our state, provides long-term stability, and preserves our economic freedom," Floridas Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson similarly stated last month, according to the filing.

"Food security is national security, and we have a responsibility to ensure Floridians have access to a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply," Simpson added in May. "China and other hostile foreign nations control hundreds of thousands of acres of critical agricultural lands in the U.S., leaving our food supply and our national security interests at risk."

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing four Chinese citizens who live in Florida and a Florida brokerage firm suing the state, claims the legislation will "cast an undue burden of suspicion on anyone seeking to buy property whose name sounds remotely Asian, Russian, Iranian, Cuban, Venezuelan, or Syrian."

On May 22, plaintiffs Yifan Shen, Zhiming Xu, Xinxi Wang, Yongxin Liu, and Multi-Choice Realty, LLC filed a complaint seeking a preliminary injunction.

The DOJ filing seeks to support that motion. U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor scheduled a July 18 hearing on the matter.

DeSantis is not the only GOP presidential contender critical of the Biden administration's perceived inaction to curb the national security risk of Chinese influence on U.S. institutions.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis arrives for a bill signing ceremony at the Florida National Guard Robert A. Ballard Armory on June 7, 2021 in Miami. The governor signed the bills to combat foreign influence from China.

During her foreign policy speech in Washington, D.C., earlier this week, Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration, called out how Chinese investors have bought nearly 400,000 acres of land in the U.S., including miles of farms near sensitive military facilities.

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"And China has taken majority control of agricultural industries," she said. "This must end. The line between Chinese investors and the Chinese Communist Party is exceptionally thin."

"The Communist Party has abused our openness in extraordinary ways," Haley added. "It uses our economic freedom to threaten our security and food supplies  our academic freedom to corrupt our students and scholars  and our freedom of speech to spread lies and shape our laws."
[Source]

A new Florida law that restricts Chinese citizens  with a few exceptions  from purchasing land in the state is unconstitutional, the Department of Justice said in a filing Tuesday.

What the state law says: Senate Bill 264, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May, restricts nationals from certain countries of concern  China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria  from buying land or property within 10 miles of a military installation or critical infrastructure facility in Florida.

An exception is made for those with a valid non-tourist visa or those who have been granted asylum, who may buy one home if that property is under two acres and not within five miles of a military installation. Another portion of the law specifically restricts Chinese political and corporate entities, but with the same area and military distance exception.

Existing owners, as well as new buyers who fall into the exception, are required to register their property with the state if they are within 10 miles of any military installation or critical infrastructure facility.

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What the Justice Department says: The Justice Department wrote the filing in support of a suit that aims to block the new legislation.

According to the agency, the law violates the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It noted that its unlawful provisions will cause serious harm to people simply because of their national origin, contravene federal civil rights laws, undermine constitutional rights, and will not advance the States purported goal of increasing public safety.

The department said the plaintiffs  a group of four Chinese citizens  are likely to succeed in their request for an emergency preliminary injunction.

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The bigger picture: The new law is set to take effect on July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the plaintiffs, believes it will cast an undue burden of suspicion on anyone seeking to buy property whose name sounds remotely Asian, Russian, Iranian, Cuban, Venezuelan, or Syrian.

A hearing on the plaintiffs request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled on July 18.

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A new Florida law that prohibits some Chinese citizens from buying property in the state violates the federal Fair Housing Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, the Justice Department said in a filing this week.

The legislation, which Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law last month, also restricts  though it does not ban  land purchases by some citizens of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela.

Republican legislators in other states have proposed bills to ban Chinese citizens from buying or owning property, but Floridas was the first to be signed into law.

"These unlawful provisions will cause serious harm to people simply because of their national origin, contravene federal civil rights laws, undermine constitutional rights, and will not advance the States purported goal of increasing public safety," the Justice Department wrote in support of a lawsuit seeking to block the law.

The law, known as SB 264, which is set to take effect Saturday, places two sets of restrictions on land ownership in Florida, according to the filing.

The first set of restrictions prohibits non-U.S. citizens from "foreign countries of concern" from buying or owning land within 10 miles of any military installation or critical infrastructure facility in Florida.

Property buyers or sellers who violate the restriction could face up to 60 days in prison and a $500 fine.

Under the law, Chinese citizens and those selling property to them face the harshest restrictions and penalties, with the second set prohibiting people who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are "domiciled in the Peoples Republic of China" from owning or purchasing any property in Florida.

Property sellers who knowingly violate the second set could face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Chinese nationals who violate the law could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

DeSantis, who is running for the White House, said last month that the law aims to counteract what he called the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the state of Florida.

Representatives from the governor's office, the DeSantis campaign and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Critics argue that the law will worsen existing discrimination and that it could cause property owners in Florida to become hesitant to sell to members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community out of fear of violating it.

"DeSantis has said this bill is necessary to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Policy in Florida, but he is wrongly equating Chinese people with the Chinese government," Patrick Toomey and Clay Zhu, two of the plaintiffs in the suit, wrote in a recent Time magazine op-ed.

As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to worsen, "were once again seeing politicians like DeSantis lean into racism, hate, and fear for their own political gain," wrote Toomey, the deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Security Project, and Zhu, a partner at DeHeng Law in California.

Manjusha Kulkarni, the executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance and a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, compared the measure to the "alien land laws" passed in California and other states in the 20th century, which restricted Asian migrants' right to own land. The law, she said, signals to Chinese Americans "that they don't belong."

"There's no question that these bans on Chinese land ownership would have a devastating impact on Chinese immigrants in the United States, essentially preventing them from buying homes and settling their families" she said. "Measures like this appear to be solutions looking for a problem."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Fresh off two of the worst starts of his career, Domingo German delivered the definitive game of his life.

The right-hander faced the minimum on Wednesday, twirling the fourth perfect game in Yankees history in an 11-0 win over the lowly As. German did so with dazzling efficiency, requiring just 99 pitches while striking out nine in Oakland.

German, mourning the recent death of an uncle, had to overcome two lengthy delays to achieve perfection, as the Yankees six-run fifth took 24 minutes and forced German to stay loose in the bullpen. More stoppage occurred in the seventh when As reliever Yacksel Rios left with an injury.

But German, leaning heavily on his heater, a devastating curveball and Kyle Higashiokas brilliant game-calling behind the plate, waited Oakland out and etched his name into the history books. Only 23 other men have been perfect, including the Yankees David Cone in 1999, David Wells in 1998 and Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series.

The Yankees last no-hitter came on May 19, 2021, when Corey Kluber accomplished the feat against the Rangers.

While German dealt, Anthony Rizzo delivered the sparkling defensive play that perfectos and no-hitters always seem to feature. The first baseman hit the ground in the seventh inning when Seth Brown made solid contact on a ball down the line. Rizzo came up with the ball and threw to German, who covered first for the out and thus deprived the As of their best shot at a hit.

German then found himself in a rare three-ball count with two out in the eighth, but he induced a groundout from Jonah Bride before cruising through the ninth. The Yankees quickly embraced the starter and posed for pictures afterward.

Wednesdays gem put German in limited company shared by legends such as Cy Young, Sandy Koufax, Catfish Hunter and Randy Johnson, as well as pitchers who more resembled one-hit wonders, like Philip Humber and Charlie Robertson. The night also marked a spectacular turnaround for German, who allowed 15 earned runs over his previous two starts and heard boos while leaving the Yankee Stadium mound his last time out.

German wasnt guaranteed a spot in the Yankees season-opening rotation, but injuries paved a way for him. Despite his recent rough outings and a 10-game sticky stuff suspension, hes been the Yankees second-best starter this season behind staff ace Gerrit Cole.

German now owns a 4.54 ERA this season, as well as the Yankees most memorable pitching performance.

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Murray, convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011, opened the DCM Medical Institute in San Juan, 14 years following Michael Jacksons death.

Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jacksons former physician, opened his own medical institute in May. Murray served prison time over Jacksons 2009 death.

Murray opened the DCM Medical Institute in El Socorro, San Juan, according to People. He explained why he opened the institute, saying that he received pushback to practice upon returning to Trinidad and Tobago, where he grew up.

When I came back to Trinidad, most of the colleagues whom I had trained felt that I was too much of a threat to be present, when all I was willing to do was to collaborate, further educate and instill care for more and more, Murray said, adding that his colleagues had to lock the doors when noticing the kinds of cases he handled.

In this CNN screen grab, Dr. Conrad Murray listens as he sits in court during his sentencing for the involuntary manslaughter of singer Michael Jackson at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Nov. 29, 2011, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Pool/Getty Images)

It was tough, Murray continued. I dealt with the country locking its borders for two years but I did not give up. I felt that I had to be relentless.

Murray launched the opening of the DCM Medical Institute nearly 14 years since Jacksons death. In 2011, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors stated that Murray was committing malpractice and neglect for inadequately monitoring the equipment and devices that administered heavy anesthesia and sedatives to Jackson for insomnia, including propofol.

The doctor was sentenced to four years imprisonment, but only served two. His medical licenses in California, Nevada, and Texas were suspended after his conviction. After his release from prison, Murray returned to Trinidad and Tobago, where he is still able to practice as a physician.

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The campaign against affirmative action has reduced the complicated process of college admissions to a simple and highly inaccurate sound bite: Black and brown students are being admitted over higher-achieving white and Asian American applicants. Ascribed a flawed essence, affirmative action has become easier to reject.

In recent years, there has been an increase in state-level ballot initiatives to prohibit the consideration of race in the college application review process. And, of course, there have been the legal challenges with judicial decisions more closely tracking with the shift in public opinion away from inclusion. On Thursday, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision held that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills efforts to create a diverse class violates the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. In short, a majority of the court determined that it was time for affirmative action to end.

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Affirmative action, at its core, encourages steps (actions) to positively (affirmatively) enable a culture in which talented folks with great potential will not be denied educational or employment opportunities because of their race, religion, gender or national origin. It is corrective  by saying that past practices of exclusion are no longer tolerable or justifiable.

A long and unfortunate history of exclusion exists within the American educational system. Simply walk across certain university campuses during summer reunion season, and you will be able to ascertain by looking at attendees assembled by class year when that school began in earnest to admit women, nonwhite racial minorities and/or international students. This was something that I realized when I attended my first Yale reunion more than 20 years ago.

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College admissions is a complex endeavor. It is sufficiently challenging when misinformed narratives  the idea that a person was rejected or accepted solely because of self-identified race or gender  gain traction. The reality is that a lot of people apply to college, and depending on the school, some or most or nearly all applicants will not receive an offer of admission.

To take an extreme example: Yale admitted only 2,275 out of 52,250 applicants this past school year. Although the demographics of the incoming class, beyond their geographic origin, have not yet been posted, history tells us that probably less than 7% or fewer than 150 these students will self-identify as Black or African American. To put this in perspective, the self-identified Black population of the United States is a bit less than 14%; 33% of the residents in New Haven, Connecticut, where Yale is located, identify as Black.

Clearly, the 150 Black students who will constitute the Class of 2027 are not the reason 50,000 people did not receive offers of admission. To assert otherwise is a convenient lie and poor math. Such a contention also willfully overlooks the qualifications and aptitude of the students, of all backgrounds, who received offers of admission.

There are many factors that inform an admission decision within a holistic review of an application. How would you compare an Olympic gold medalist with mostly As and a straight-A student with distinguished service as a community volunteer? How would you evaluate the potential of an applicant who was elected student body president in high school and aims to be the first person in their family to attend college in comparison with a legacy applicant, whose family members have attended the college for generations always with great distinction?

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The admissions review process is even more complex than these scenarios. Indeed, there are scores of variables. Geographic origin can be one. Yales incoming class includes students hailing from all 50 states in addition to four U.S. territories and more than 70 countries.

This geographic diversity is a reminder that one of the many benefits of a college education is the opportunity to be introduced to a diversity of ideas. And this exposure works only if there is a diversity of people. To bring together talented folks with great potential from various backgrounds and allow them to spend four years together is exceptional training to live and, perhaps, lead in an increasingly interconnected world.

The challenge, which prompts the various lawsuits, is a question of how to think about the value ascribed to self-identified race, gender, religion and national origin among these many other variables. For whatever reason, people seem more willing to understand that it is a good thing for a person from North Dakota to be roommates with someone from California, but they struggle to comprehend why it would be a good thing for two people with varying experiences as a result of their gender, ethnicity or national identities to be in conversation.

For much of the past 20 years, I have held leadership roles at selective universities. Although the undergraduate admissions process has always existed outside of my purview, I have witnessed firsthand the good that occurs when students with great potential who possess varying experiences and contrasting beliefs come together. They learn as much from one another as they do from their professors in the classroom.

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Although the death knell of affirmative action has sounded, it is difficult to imagine universities and colleges closing their doors to the populations they deliberately excluded in the past. One of the lessons of recent efforts toward inclusion has been that excellence emerges not from a uniformity of look and thought but rather through a diversity of ideas and people.

Harvey Young is dean of the College of Fine Arts at Boston University and the author of Embodying Black Experience.

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Dreaming about being kidnapped? Here's what it means.

Have you ever had a dream where you found yourself trapped, helpless, and taken against your will? Dont worry, weve been there too. Dreams have an interesting way of presenting us with scenarios that can be both perplexing and emotionally charged. One common dream scenario most people have that evokes fear and vulnerability is the fear of being kidnapped. No matter how the dream plays out, kidnapping dreams are in fact extremely scary and can result in feelings of anxiety and PTSD once they end.

Dreams have fascinated humanity for centuries, and their interpretations have been the subject of study and analysis in various cultures. Psychologists believe that dreams serve as a window into our unconscious mind, offering a glimpse into our deepest thoughts, emotions, and desires. While dreams can be influenced by personal experiences, they also contain universal symbols and archetypes that carry collective meanings. In context, when we can better understand these symbols and their interpretation, we can gain valuable insights into our inner world.

Among the vast array of dream scenarios, dreams about being kidnapped are surely a common theme, which is why weve gathered expert insights for why we have kidnapping dreams and what they can mean for us internally. Ahead, we dive into the meaning behind why we have dreams about being kidnapped, exploring their symbolism, psychological significance, common themes, and their variations. By understanding the messages hidden within these dreams, we can gain valuable insights into our subconscious desires, fears, and unresolved issues that might be bothering us unconsciously.

You May Fear Losing Control

Dreams about being kidnapped encompass a rich tapestry of symbolism that holds significant interpretations. If you have a dream about being kidnapped, kidnapping dreams symbolize a loss of control and powerlessness, evoking a sense of being overpowered by external forces. They represent a fear of losing autonomy or being manipulated in waking life. The specific elements within the dream, including the kidnappers identity, the location, and the dreamers response, offer deeper insights into the dreams meaning.

Kidnapping dreams can elicit intense emotions that leave a lasting impact on the dreamer. Dreams about being kidnapped can occur in various contexts, such as being taken by strangers, abducted by known individuals, or even being held captive in an unknown location. The prevalence of this dream suggests its significance in the dreamers subconscious mind.

What was The Kidnappers Identity?

The identity of the kidnapper in the dream can carry symbolic meaning. If the kidnapper is a known person, such as a family member, friend, or colleague, it may indicate a sense of betrayal, mistrust, or feeling controlled by someone close. On the other hand, if the kidnapper is an unfamiliar figure or a masked individual, it can represent fears of the unknown, hidden threats, or external influences that the dreamer perceives as oppressive.

Where Was The Location?

The setting of the kidnapping holds its own symbolism. For example, being kidnapped in a familiar place, such as ones home or workplace, can reflect a feeling of vulnerability or intrusion within familiar surroundings, whereas being kidnapped in a public space may signify a fear of judgment or exposure, suggesting that the dreamer feels exposed and vulnerable in their waking life.

What Was The Dreamers Response To Being Kidnapped?

The dreamers response to being kidnapped also contributes to the dreams interpretation. If the dreamer remains passive or compliant, it may suggest feelings of powerlessness, submissiveness, or an inclination to avoid confrontation in waking life. Conversely and actively resisting or attempting to escape from the kidnappers, can indicate a desire for control, asserting boundaries, or seeking liberation from oppressive situations.

Analyzing the different interpretations associated with these symbolic elements requires a nuanced understanding of the dreamers personal experiences, emotions, and underlying issues. Dreams are highly subjective, and interpretations can vary based on individual circumstances. Consulting with a psychologist or dream analyst can provide valuable insights tailored to the specific dreamer.

Psychological and Emotional Significance of Dreams About Being Kidnapped According To Experts

According to Dr. Amanda Jenkins, a psychologist specializing in dream analysis, dreams about being kidnapped can reflect a variety of psychological and emotional implications. She explains, Dreams of being kidnapped often emerge when we feel a lack of control in our lives, whether it be in our relationships, career, or personal circumstances. These dreams can signify a fear of losing ones identity or being taken advantage of by others, says Jenkins. Essentially, dreamers who experience such dreams may have underlying feelings of vulnerability, powerlessness, or a need for assertiveness in their waking life.

Dr. Sarah Thompson, another psychologist specializing in dream analysis, explains, Dreams about being kidnapped often represent the dreamers struggle with power dynamics, boundaries, and feelings of vulnerability. By exploring the specific elements within the dream, we can uncover the underlying fears, desires, or unresolved conflicts that are influencing the dreamers subconscious mind.

Common Themes and Variations in Dreams About Being Kidnapped

While the core theme of being kidnapped remains consistent, dreams about this scenario can present various themes and variations. Common themes include being trapped, restrained, or pursued by kidnappers, or witnessing others being kidnapped. Each variation holds its own interpretive nuances, reflecting different aspects of the dreamers emotions, fears, or concerns.

Escape attempts and rescue

In some dreams, the dreamer may attempt to escape or be rescued from the kidnappers. This theme suggests a desire for liberation, empowerment, or seeking assistance to overcome challenging circumstances.

Stockholm Syndrome

A unique variation involves developing an emotional bond or empathy with the kidnappers. This theme signifies a complex psychological response and may reflect the dreamers struggle with conflicting emotions or a need for connection, even in adverse situations.

Repeated kidnappings

Some individuals experience recurring dreams of being kidnapped. This variation suggests a persistent feeling of vulnerability or a recurring threat in the dreamers waking life. It may indicate unresolved traumas or ongoing challenges that need to be addressed.

In context, dreams about being kidnapped exhibit a loss of control, powerlessness, and fear of manipulation. The kidnappers identity, the location of the kidnapping, and the dreamers response all contribute to the dreams interpretation. Analyzing these elements provides insight into the dreamers personal experiences, emotions, and underlying issues. By understanding the symbolism and interpretations associated with dreams about being kidnapped, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their fears, assertiveness, and the need to establish healthy boundaries in their waking lives.

Personal Reflection and Self-Analysis

Dreams about being kidnapped offer an opportunity for self-reflection and analysis. By exploring the emotions, symbols, and themes within these dreams, individuals can gain valuable insights into their subconscious thoughts and fears.

Dreams about being kidnapped carry profound psychological and emotional significance. They invite us to explore our fears, desires for control, and struggles with vulnerability. By diving into the symbolism, interpretations, common themes, and variations of these dreams, we can unravel the messages hidden within our unconscious minds. Through self-reflection and analysis, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and navigate our waking lives with increased awareness, resilience, and empowerment.

The post Dreaming About Being Kidnapped? Heres What It Means appeared first on 21Ninety.
What can drivers do when the Sumner Tunnel shuts down? Heres a guide with alternate routes

Tens of thousands of drivers who use the Sumner Tunnel every day are bracing for impact with less than a week to go until the tunnel closes for nearly two months.

The 88-year-old tunnel, situated between East Boston and the North End, will close 24/7 beginning July 5th through the end of August.

How will you be affected? Summer traffic nightmare looms as full closure of Boston tunnel approaches

MassDOT officials expect about half of the Sumner Tunnels normal traffic will be detoured through the Ted Williams Tunnel and the other half over the Tobin Bridge.

The closure is expected to have the biggest impact on drivers coming from Logan Airport and East Boston to Boston and points north.

Those traveling from parts of the North Shore to downtown Boston are also being cautioned about the upcoming headache.

Its crazy! What do they expect people to do?, questioned Barbara Grab, who lives in Swampscott. Theres so much traffic. Its absurd.

The most disruptive construction project Boston has seen in years is predicted to cause multi-mile backups as drivers scramble for alternate routes.

If youre driving from Logan Airport and East Boston to points South, you can take I-90 West through the Ted Williams Tunnel to I-93 South.

To points West, you can take I-90 West through the Ted Williams Tunnel.

Those headed to points North, including Maine, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Newburyport, can take 1A North to US-1 North.

Highway officials are urging commuters to ditch their cars and instead ride on public transportation into downtown Boston and Logan Airport.

Ditch the Drive: MassDOT urging commuters to use public transportation amid Sumner Tunnel shutdown

Blue line service will be free during the closure.

Nobody wants to take public transportation. Its already affecting us, said Camila Acuna, General Manager at Pazza on Porter.

Acuna, who serves as the GM at Pazza on Porter and a speakeasy called Next Door, told Boston 25 News that ride-share drivers have already been avoiding East Boston during weekend closures.

He anticipates those ride-share drivers will be even more scarce during the full shutdown starting next week.

They have a nice experience, a high-end experience. They dont want to take the train. They want to take Uber, and Uber doesnt want to come here so its complicated, he said.

MassDOT officials say those traveling to and from Logan should plan for an extra two hours of travel time and should avoid driving whenever possible.

Sumner Tunnel closure means tough months ahead for Logan Airport passengers

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Drugs approved a decade ago can cure hepatitis C, but most infected Americans still cant get them, study shows

For a decade now, the world has had highly effective medications for hepatitis C infections. In the United States, theyve mostly been sitting on the shelf, according to a new study.

These drugs, called direct-acting antivirals because they block proteins the virus needs to copy itself, have been hailed as one of the greatest achievements in modern medicine.

Sold as pills, these drugs are easy to take with almost no side effects and cure an astonishing 95% of the patients who take them.

They are so effective that when the first of these therapies was approved in 2013, doctors looked forward to the day that hepatitis C - then the leading cause of liver transplants in the US - might be relegated to the medical history books. Indeed, one country - Egypt, which had one of the highest rates of hepatitis C in the world - has already eradicated the disease, which can also lead to liver cancer, liver failure and death.

Instead, these therapies - which debuted with list prices of around $90,000 for a course of treatment and once topped the list of the most expensive drugs sold in this country - have become stark examples of one of the worst inequities of this nations health care system: Though the U.S. is a world leader in developing new medicines, American patients, who pay more than twice as much for prescription drugs as patients in 32 other wealthy countries, are often unable to afford them.

Today nearly 15,000 Americans die annually from hepatitis C, said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These deaths could have been prevented. Thousands of people are dying every year in our country and many more are suffering from an infection that has been curable for over 10 years, Mermin said in a news briefing.

Study shows hurdles to care

A study published Thursday in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reveals how deep the disparities in access to hepatitis C therapies have become.

Using testing data from Quest Diagnostics, a large commercial laboratory, researchers were able to track the fates of 1 million Americans diagnosed with hepatitis C infections in the decade since the most effective drugs were introduced.

Overall, just 1 in 3 were cured over that time period.

Cure rates differed by age and insurance coverage. Younger patients and those with little or no insurance coverage were less likely to be cured compared with older patients and those with more generous benefits.

Only 25% of people under age 40 were cured compared with 42% of adults over age 60.

Less than 1 in 4 (23%) of people without insurance were classified as cured in the study compared with almost 2 in 5 (40%) of people with commercial insurance and nearly half (45%) of people on Medicare.

Patients who were both younger and uninsured were the least likely to be cured: Just 1 in 6 under 40 without insurance reached this target.

Dr. Frances Collins, a special adviser to President Biden and former director of the National Institutes of Health, called the new numbers truly discouraging after all these years where the cure has been available.

This is not something that a technologically advanced country should be able to just look at and say thats fine, Collins said. Its not fine.

Most new infections in adults 40 and under

These low cure rates come at a time when theres been a significant shift in the ages of people being diagnosed with new hepatitis C infections.

Hepatitis C is transmitted through exposure to infected blood or body fluids.

Before it became possible to screen blood products for the virus, most people were infected through contaminated blood transfusions.

Baby boomers - people born from 1945 to 1965 - early on represented the most amount of cases, said Dr. Carolyn Wester, lead author of the new study and director of the CDCs Division of Viral Hepatitis.

Now, however, adults age 40 and under are the group most likely to get it, driven mostly by increases in injected drug use, Wester said.

Riley Kirkpatrick received treatment for hepatitis C in his 30s. - Courtesy Riley Kirkpatrick

Thats how Riley Kirkpatrick, 43, thinks he was infected. Kirkpatrick began using injected opioids when he was around 14, he said. Hes now sober and works as the executive director of Access Point of Georgia, program that helps people who are addicted to opioids get medical treatment.

His older brother was HIV positive, which made him ultra careful about not sharing needles, but he didnt know you could catch hepatitis C just by sharing other kinds of supplies.

It can also be passed through sex, contaminated tattoo needles, and during pregnancy  from mother to child.

Kirkpatrick said he didnt find out he was infected until he was in his early 20s, around the year 2000. The only treatment available at the time was a drug called interferon, which only cured the infection around a third of the time and came with significant side effects.

I knew all about it, how horrible it was. I watched friends do it, Kirkpatrick said, referring to the treatment.

His doctor told him new and more effective drugs were on the way, so he waited.

Cases going up and undetected

But over the last decade, rates of new hepatitis C cases doubled in the United States, according to the CDC.

As those new cases come in, if theyre not accessing treatment at the same rate as the existing cases, thats where we see a shift in epidemiology, Wester said.

Those are just the cases that are identified. Studies estimate nearly half of people who have hepatitis C dont know it because it causes damage to the body silently until the late stages of disease.

Alarmed by the trends, the CDC and US Preventive Services Task Force updated their guidelines, directing that all adults be screened for hepatitis C infection, regardless of risk, and that people who are pregnant get tested during each pregnancy.

Many doctors and patients still arent aware of the new recommendations, however, because they were released in early 2020.

They were launched right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, so theres still a lot of work to getting them implemented, Wester said.

The World Health Organization has issued a challenge to member countries to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030. Studies show only 11 are on track to make that target. The United States is not one of them.

President Biden tapped Collins to spearhead the national effort to eliminate the infection in the US by 2030, a goal first set by the Trump administration in 2021.

2.5 million people who are currently carrying this virus in their liver are not getting easy access to the cure. And we need to do something to try to accelerate that process or they will face downstream the consequences of this viral illness, which are liver failure, the need for a transplant and liver cancer, Collins said.

Crushing costs of a cure

The cost of the drugs has been out of reach for many.

In 2013, when he was in his early 30s, Kirkpatrick caught a news report about Sovaldi, a new hepatitis C medication that was soon to be FDA approved. Used in combination with another drug, it could cure more than 95% of people who took it.

I got so excited - like so excited - listening to this thing. And they were talking about how amazing it was, Kirkpatrick said.

And then he heard the price - more than $1,000 per pill, $84,000 for a full course of treatment.

Im getting so excited and like, like bawling. Just being like Oh my God. Its here! I can get treated! This is amazing! and then Oh my god, Im never gonna get treated. Theres no way. It was a very fast roller coaster, Kirkpatrick said.

While cost continues to be a big barrier to access, patients face hurdles at every part of the process to getting care, Collins said, starting with get a diagnosis in the first place.

The testing process is pretty complicated, Collins said. It takes three visits to the clinic before you actually get an answer and get started on the cure, and if youre feeling pretty good, you just might not follow through.

The cost of a course of treatment has come down to around $24,000 in this country, which is still too steep for many insurance plans and individuals. Egypt reduced the cost of the cure to $85 per person by authorizing generic versions of the drugs.

If youre on Medicaid, for instance, in many states, the state budget doesnt really quite cover that effectively, so they put up barriers like, well, youve got to first show you have liver damage, that seems pretty upside down, Collins said. The whole goal of the drugs is to prevent liver damage, he points out. Or, Medicaid plans may require people seeking treatment to see a specialist, and it may take a long time to get for an appointment.

Other plans require patients to prove theyve been sober for a certain amount of time before theyll cover the drugs.

None of those are consistent with the national treatment recommendations and go against the evidence, Wester said.

Kirkpatrick said, It is 100% morality and stigma and judgment.

Kirkpatrick said he spent the next five years looking for a way to get the treatment. He tried to get into clinical trials and finally found a program, sponsored by a church, that promised to pay for his medications if he would go through their process, which required him to be sober for at least six months to qualify for the medication.

He said they screened for drugs at every visit, and made him meet with doctors, social workers and nutritionists. They wanted to pray with him at every visit. Ultimately, after months of waiting, he didnt get treatment from the program.

Finally, Kirkpatrick was able to find a program that got him the treatment. He was cured at age 38, after waiting for almost a decade.

It was amazing, absolutely amazing. I couldnt believe it was gone, he said.

Quick care is key

Not only is fast treatment important to prevent liver damage, Wester said, its also critical to prevent further transmission of the infection.

Some states, such as Washington and Louisiana, have been able to cover more patients by negotiating with drug companies to set up subscription services for the drugs. These programs have also been called the Netflix model.

Wester said these states calculated all the money they would have spent treating patients with hepatitis C and offered companies a lump sum if they would then cover everyone who needed treatment.

Collins said that approach has been very successful, and the government wants to replicate it on a national scale. He says it will cost $5 to $6 billion dollars up front but saves an estimated $13.3 billion in treatment costs within 10 years.

A big part of his job will be convincing Congress to make the investment.

I think we got plenty of lessons of how to do this successfully. Its frankly finding the political will to get it done, Wester said.

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New drugs show great promise for treating dementia. But can we afford them? | Opinion

Dementia is devastating. It robs us of things so dear to us  relationships, cognition and our quality of life. It levies a heavy tax on family members who endure a long goodbye to a loved one requiring several layers of assistance.

Six million Americans suffer from dementia, and the costs associated with moderate to advanced disease average about $50,000 a year per patient. A recent Food and Drug Administration report declared: The need for treatment is urgent.

A few drug makers recently received FDA approval to sell a new type of anti-dementia medication. It targets a protein that builds up in the brains of dementia patients, and the treatments are showing some promise.

That could be good news.

In a couple of studies, these meds decreased disease progression as much as 27%. That means a longer and better quality of life.

But there were some downsides.

In one study there was no significant improvement, and in all studies about 20% of patients suffered from brain swelling. It was a mostly asymptomatic, but potentially serious nonetheless.

The drugs come in a liquid form that must be infused through an IV. Medicare will require physicians and patients to be part of a special registry, making the treatment just a little more difficult to obtain.

FILE - This image provided by Biogen shows a vial and packaging for the drug Aduhelm. (Biogen via AP, File)

One of the drugs, Aduhelm, will cost $26,000 a year. If just one-third of Americans with dementia take it, the annual tab for taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries could exceed $52 billion.

In perspective, the total Medicare budget in 2021 was $689 billion. So, one drug  treating one disease out of hundreds patients suffer  would increase spending by nearly 8%.

And the numbers would increase as the Baby Boom bubble continues to age. The youngest Boomers will reach age 65 in 2030.

Remember, federal general revenues  not payroll taxes  fund the Medicare drug benefit. To keep up, our government will have to either borrow more money, increase taxes or cut spending elsewhere.

Consider this one pricey prescription as a micro-example of our federal spending problem. Though government by the people is the best way to organize ourselves, it hasnt been able to check federal spending.

Why is that? The answer is that we are all in favor of cutting government spending until it affects us personally.

Billions of federal dollars flow into Fort Worth each year through Lockheed-Martin federal contracts. Anyone within earshot want to cut back on F-35 production? Of course not.

The same principle applies to electric vehicle subsidies in Detroit and government support for ethanol in Iowa. Physicians and hospitals push for higher Medicare payments, while Medicare beneficiaries lobby for lower co-payments. There are many examples.

We humans love getting more and paying less. And once we step on the government gravy train, we dont react well when someone tells us to get off.

Eventually, the cost of financing the federal debt will force us into difficult spending cuts. I pity the elected officials who will carry that responsibility. In the meantime, our human tendency toward self-protection  and the democratic system that forms our government structure  makes meaningful federal spending cuts nearly impossible, politically speaking.

Back to those bougie dementia meds. Like looking ahead at a slippery, curvy road, we should proceed with caution.

They could represent a major breakthrough  or they might be duds. Plus, we dont understand the extent of their side effects well enough.

Medicare should approve these treatments for ongoing study purposes only, thus curbing the cost and potential side effects. It can expand coverage once more data is available. That is a reasonable trade-off.

We desperately need dementia treatment; anyone taking care of a stricken family member can tell you that. But like all the government cheese that has created our $32 trillion debt, if we buy it all now, we must acknowledge that for decades our children and grandchildren will pay for it  plus interest.

Brian Byrd, a former City Council member, is a physician in Fort Worth.
How early do you need to be at DFW Airport this July Fourth weekend? Heres what to know

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport expects more passengers this Fourth of July travel season compared to last year.

Independence Day is on Tuesday and DFW Airport expects 1.4 million travelers to pass through between June 30 to July 5.

Last year, checkpoint travel numbers nationwide reached over 13 million between June 30 to July 5, according to U.S. Transportation Security Agency data.

What can travelers at DFW Airport expect this holiday weekend?

Passengers should expect the terminals and parking garages to be busy and should arrive at least two hours ahead of their flight.

The garages for Terminals C and D at DFW Airport tend to fill up first. Airport representatives recommend travelers book their parking online ahead of time for the best rates.

Real-time parking availability can be seen on the airports website under the park page.

Travelers can also get a real-time look at security wait times to know which check point has the shortest line.

Will there be flight delays at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport?
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg arrived in Ukraine to discuss the ecological consequences of the Kakhovka dam destruction with President Volodymyr Zelensky, the President's Office informed on June 29.

Zelensky hosted a meeting of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War, which, along with Thunberg, included Swedish former foreign minister Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Gautala, and former Irish President Mary Robinson.

Zelensky said the Working Group should study the consequences of the Kakhovka dam destruction, including civilian deaths and damage to agriculture and biodiversity in southern Ukraine.

"It is important to propose a set of concrete measures to help Ukrainians from temporarily occupied settlements. These are our people, who should receive the necessary support at such a difficult moment," Zelensky said.

He emphasized that Russia should bear full responsibility for the crime of ecocide in Ukraine.

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg arrives in Ukraine together with the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War, on June 29, 2023. (Photo credit: President's Office)

Thunberg thanked for the invitation and said she will involve representatives of environmental organizations in the tasks of the Working Group in Ukraine in order to draw attention to the consequences of the war.

Zelensky addressed the world's environmental protection community on June 8, stressing that Russia needs to bear responsibility for the ecocide it caused through the Kakhovka dam destruction.

On June 15, Thunberg attended a rally against ecocide in Ukraine held in Bonn, Germany.

"All I can say (to Ukrainians): We support you, peace is near, we see everything that is happening. The attention of the whole world is now focused on Ukraine and Russia. We will not stand idly by. Be strong, we are with you," the eco-activist said at the rally.

After Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka dam on June 6, Ukraine's south has suffered massive floods and a large-scale humanitarian and environmental crisis. This included pollution of water and soil, death of animal and plant life, and drying of the Kakhovka Reservoir.
Newspapers and broadcasts teem with stories about teens and young adults committing crimes  many of them horrible and violent. Justice demands a fair trial, and if juries convict, then the appropriate sentence must be meted out. If the crime is heinous enough to warrant a longer sentence, so be it.

But we all know that teens and young adults are prone to making rash, irrational choices. There has to be a balance between a punishment that fits the crime and a sentence that takes into account a young persons immaturity. Are there times when circumstances surrounding a young persons crime warrant a second chance, an opportunity for an inmate to make a case for an earlier release?

State Sen. Seth Lewis, a Republican from northwest suburban Bartlett, thinks that, indeed, second chances have their place in Illinois justice system.

Legislation introduced by Lewis builds on previous sentencing reforms that abolished natural life sentences for people convicted of first-degree murder while they were under the age of 21, if their sentences were handed down on or after June 1, 2019. They would be allowed to seek parole after serving 40 years or more. Any convict who committed first-degree murder before the age of 21 but received a sentence less than natural life could seek parole after serving 20 years. And any convict who was under 21 when they committed crimes other than first-degree murder would be eligible for parole after serving 10 years.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law those reforms, some of which had been proposed by Lewis and his House colleague Rita Mayfield, a Democrat from Waukegan. Lewis new proposal would make that previous legislation retroactive to anyone who was under 21 during the commission of the crimes and sentenced before June 1, 2019.

Second chances inherently carry risk. Someone guilty of a crime who gets a second chance may embrace the right path moving forward, or may sink back into old habits. The rights and feelings of victims must be weighed too. So must the safety of the broader community. Society must decide whether the risk is worth it, whether redemption is possible.

But the value of Lewis legislation is its specific focus on teens and young adults, whose brains are still developing. That has to be taken into account, as the justice system assesses inmates potential to relapse into criminal behavior as older adults. Many people convicted of crimes as children and young adults will age out of crime and not commit crimes later in life, the Rev. Lindsey Hammond, policy director for a criminal justice reform advocacy group called Restore Justice, told a state Senate hearing in March.

Just as important in that calculus is the environment in which those teens and young adults grew up. We made our advocacy for second chance legislation clear in a 2017 editorial when we wrote:

A second chance can be a lifeline, especially on South and West side streets where many youths feel they have no chance at all  particularly after an early brush with the law. For so many teens and young adults in Englewood and South Shore, Austin and Roseland, the decks appear to be stacked skyscraper-high against them. Broken families; gunfire as commonplace as honking horns; underfunded, underperforming schools; the toxic ubiquity of drugs and gangs  all factors that conspire against a youths bid for a better life.

Lewis legislation does not mean more avoidance of jail time, let alone of prosecution itself. Even a 10-year sentence before parole eligibility means many lost years behind bars, in the prime of a young convicts life, as payment to society for the crime. But the bill offers a sense of hope that there still will be time to pursue a different path, as the wisdom of older years approaches.

Lewis bill did not advance during the spring legislative session, but its not dead yet and state lawmakers should give it a much closer look when the General Assembly reconvenes. The Bartlett Republican still needs to fine-tune the bill to allay concerns from victims rights groups, who justifiably want assurances that victims or their relatives will be made aware when an inmate involved in their case is seeking early release.

Thats not a big ask from victims rights advocates, and Lewis should make those changes to his bill. Then, when this legislation returns to the General Assembly for consideration, lawmakers should send it to Pritzker for his signature. Justice, after all, isnt only about meting out punishment  it must embrace rehabilitation.

Inherent in that rehabilitation is the prospect of a second chance. We know many examples of errant young lives not only that were turned around in later years, but were then put in service of helping other young people avoid a self-destructive path.

*Editors note: An earlier version misidentified state Sen. Seth Lewis.

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No, state legislatures do not have almost unchecked authority regarding federal elections; state courts are empowered to decide whether the district lines legislators draw and the voting laws they write are consistent with state constitutions and legally created independent commissions and other entities having legitimate roles as well. That was the refreshingly sane ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. It effectively upholds last years rejection right up through the New York Court of Appeals of the Legislatures obnoxious partisan gerrymander last year on the ground that it flagrantly violated our state Constitution.

Unlike the landmark 2019 case in which the Supreme Court wrongly ruled federal courts had no place in regulating partisan gerrymandering, Tuesdays decision was not a case in which the bench fractured along traditional conservative-liberal lines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion of the court, joined by conservatives Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett and liberals Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Only Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch subscribed to a watered-down version of the cockamamie notion, called the independent state legislature theory, that under the U.S. Constitutions Elections Clause, state courts have no business preventing state legislatures from violating their own states constitutions.

The key U.S. constitutional provision here states that The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations. To those who consider themselves the purest textualist interpreters of the literal words of the nations founding document, thats an assertion that legislators in state capitals can run roughshod over their own states highest legal code without being called on it by the judicial branch.

Nonsense. State courts retain the authority to apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures act under the power conferred upon them by the Elections Clause, wrote Roberts. We only wish such legal common sense prevailed over the distorted readings of blinkered so-called originalists in every other realm.

___
This article was originally published in Arkansas Advocate.

The Arkansas Department of Education began accepting applications for a new school voucher program last week after the state Supreme Court lifted a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of the LEARNS Act.

The department opened the application window with little fanfare and has declined to answer the Advocates questions about the program or the application process amid the continuing litigation.

A legislative priority of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the LEARNS Act created the Educational Freedom Account program that will provide up to 90% of the annual per-student public school funding rate for use on allowable expenses, including private school tuition. Thats roughly $6,600 per account for the 2023-24 school year, according to the ADE.

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The program will be phased in over three years and absorbs the Succeed Scholarship Program, which provides about $7,400 for private school tuition for students with disabilities, foster children and military families.

Mary Catherine Paulus of Little Rock was told her seven-year-old son would be grandfathered into the new program as a current Succeed Scholarship recipient, but said theres been a lot of confusion and uncertainty surrounding next steps.

Since the law was passed in March, Paulus said shes reached out to the Arkansas Department of Education and The Reform Alliance, the nonprofit organization that administered the Succeed Scholarship, with questions about the process.

More recently, shes learned information about enrolling her son in the program by communicating with other parents who are in a similar situation.

Its really confusing and for me, if I didnt know any other parents in this world, I would be lost, Paulus said. Even with the help of The Reform Alliance, I mean theyre one organization and theyre helping a lot of families. So you really need a network of other moms and dads because different people are going to know different things.

A lawsuit challenging the LEARNS Acts effective date has added to the confusion of navigating a new application process. According to an affidavit from Education Secretary Jacob Oliva, the EFA program was set to launch June 1, but that was put on hold when a judge issued a temporary restraining order that paused implementation of the law on May 26.

The Arkansas Supreme Court vacated the order on June 15. When asked on June 16 when ADE would launch the EFA program, a spokeswoman told the Advocate to refer questions about the LEARNS Act to the attorney generals office because we are currently engaged in an active lawsuit.

On June 19, an attorney general spokesperson responded to emailed questions saying, Following the Arkansas Supreme Courts vacating of the Temporary Restraining Order, we reaffirm what we previously said: The Department of Education can get back to implementing LEARNS. Please see the LEARNS website at learns.ADE.arkansas.gov for the latest updates.

Paulus received an email from the Reform Alliance on June 20 that the EFA portal was open. The email contained a link to the portal, but that same link wasnt added to the homepage of the LEARNS website until Tuesday morning.

The email was confusing to Paulus, who said she had reapplied for her son through the old Succeed Scholarship process in the spring, per The Reform Alliances instructions. She later received clarification that her sons application needed to be resubmitted through the new portal.

When Paulus completed the new application process last week and received confirmation, she said it was really a great feeling.

Paulus also decided to apply for her daughter whos entering kindergarten this year once a father with a special needs child told her new applicants could apply, not just former Succeed Scholarship recipients.

In the first year of the program, eligible participants include students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, foster children, children of active duty military members, students enrolled in an F-rated school or school in need of Level 5 support, and students enrolling in kindergarten for the first time.

According to the application, students will be accepted on a rolling basis until Aug. 1. After that, students may be accepted on a one-off basis pending program funding availability.

ADE is also accepting applications for private schools interested in becoming EFA participants. Schools that did not previously participate in the Succeed Scholarship Program must apply by Friday, June 30. Schools will be accepted on a rolling basis, and private schools will be immediately deemed as eligible once approved by ADE.

Student EFA participation in the 2023-24 school year will be capped at 1.5% of the current public school enrollment in the state, or 7,148 students. As of April, 760 students were enrolled in the Succeed Scholarship program, according to ADE.

Paulus son received the Succeed Scholarship for the first time during the 2022-23 academic year. When he started public school in 2021, he needed a higher level of support than the school could provide, Paulus said, so they switched to private school, where she said hes thriving.

Raising children is expensive, Paulus said, especially children with special needs, and the Succeed Scholarship can alleviate some of the financial burden of families taking steps to support their children.

Were always in the car going to therapy and thats time and thats money for gas and babysitters to watch younger siblings if they cant go, she said.

Even though there has been confusion about the application process and glitches with the portal, Paulus said ADE and The Reform Alliance have done a decent job answering questions, considering the circumstances.

Because of the lawsuit, something that was already kind of a tight timeframe, it just further truncated that and so everybodys sort of scrambling to do their part, but theres a lot of information to get out, she said.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herbert Wright on June 20 heard oral arguments in the lawsuit challenging the validity of the LEARNS Acts emergency clause, which would allow it to go into effect immediately, instead of 91 days after the legislative session ends.

Wright said he would issue a ruling within two weeks. If the emergency clause is ruled invalid, the law wouldnt go into effect until Aug. 1, again delaying implementation of LEARNS Act provisions like the EFA program.

The ruling could be appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court, which has a vacancy following the death of Associate Justice Robin Wynne last week. Gov. Sanders will be responsible for appointing a justice to fill Wynnes seat until an election can be held.

Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com. Follow Arkansas Advocate on Facebook and Twitter.
Electrify America

Electrify America has announced that it will be adding Teslas North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector to its Electrify America and Electrify Canada fast charging stations at all existing and future locations by 2025. The announcement comes as many of the auto industry's largest players have announced similar plans to adopt the NACS port designed and utilized by Tesla moving forward.

The Electrify America fast charging network currently consists of more than 850 stations across North America, which house more than 4000 individual charge points. The stations are currently equipped with chargers on the Combined Charging System (CCS-1) standard, which is utilized by almost every EV that isnt a Tesla. That said, a wave of manufacturer announcements throughout this month has signified an industry shift towards the NACS port. Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Volvo and Polestar have all announced deals with Tesla to utilize the port design, with Stellantis previously announcing that it's currently evaluating the charging standard internally. It is also important to note that Electrify America itself is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, founded as part of the brands penance for Dieselgate.

Sean Gallup - Getty Images

The adoption of the NACS port at Electrify America and Electrify Canada will not see the company discontinue support of the CCS-1 charger. The company simply foresees the addition of these ports as an effective way to alleviate some charging network related frustrations as more vehicles move over to the NACS standard. The announcement should also help to calm the nerves of Tesla owners who have been growing concerned about owners from other brands utilizing their dedicated NACS chargers. With both Tesla and Electrify America supporting the NACS standard at their locations by 2025, the usable network available to consumers will be dramatically larger than at present. That in itself is worth getting excited about, as charging is only going to become a more regular part of our automotive lives.

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People protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, June 29, 2023, after the court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that Harvard University and the University of North Carolinas use of race in admissions decisions violates the 14th Amendment came as no surprise. Not to us, and not to most anyone who works in or around colleges and universities, which long have known that this decision was going to fall this way and have been preparing accordingly.

Admissions offices, committed to enrolling a diverse classes of students, have been brainstorming on how to achieve those goals in light of a new pending reality. We believe universities will figure out how to do it, and do it right.

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The argument in favor of continuing to use race as an explicit factor  as, for example, in assigning bonus points for a candidates race or accepting a lower class rank  is that years of racial discrimination demand no less. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote Thursday in her 67-page dissent: Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.

In essence, this is a similar statement to one made by Ibram X. Kendi in his book How to Be an Antiracist. The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination, he wrote.

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And the argument against? In order to form a more perfect union, America must prohibit all forms of discrimination based on race, regardless of its past, and treat everyone the same.

Only that promise can allow us to look past our differing skin colors and identities and see each other for what we truly are: individuals with unique thoughts, perspectives and goals, but with equal dignity and equal rights under the law, wrote Justice Clarence Thomas, who long has argued that affirmative action stamps its beneficiaries with an undeserving mark of inferiority.

Most Americans have made their decision on where they stand on this issue and, as you might expect, race, background and socioeconomic status all play a part in how they are likely to think. These two polar-opposite positions crystallize competing views for how America should progress. Liberals, of course, dominate in academic settings, which explains the institutional furor over this decision, but its not as simple as some say.

Take, for example, the indisputable truth that current admissions policies have harmed and continue to harm high-achieving Asian Americans, who (the Harvard data clearly has shown) are much less likely to be admitted than an applicant of a different race with similar test scores. College admission, after all, is a zero-sum matter at highly selective institutions. One applicants elevation means a rejection for someone else.

America has become a much more diverse place than when these policies were put in place. The dissenting justices had no answer for the inconvenient truth that Asian Americans surely have suffered past discrimination, and yet are still being harmed in admissions decisions by colleges that want to limit the number of Asian Americans in their classes.

Similarly, some racially diverse students now have the kind of economic and social advantages that allow their parents to hire tutors, chat up influential friends and participate in costly sports.

The reality of schools competing for high-achieving minority students from private schools and wealthy families surely is less helpful to society than lifting up a student, regardless of race, who has escaped a tough, impoverished background. Schools should now focus on that, and since such students are less likely to be white, that will also help their diversity goals.

In advance of this decision, many student journalists asked their admissions offices what the impact would be. Once you got past the political posturing, the most frequent comment was: We will find other ways to build a diverse class.

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At the University of South Carolina, the Daily Gamecock reported that Julian Williams, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion doesnt think this change will create difficulties in recruiting a diverse student body. Good.

At Tufts University, professor Natasha Warikoo told the Tufts Daily: I think, like all selective college campuses, Tufts will need to do more recruiting in predominantly minority schools and areas. Exactly.

Chicago Tribune Opinion Weekdays Read the latest editorials and commentary curated by the Tribune Opinion team. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our Subscriber Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy >

At Brown University, the Brown Daily Herald reported that Browns office of college admission was considering changing its supplemental essay questions in response to the Supreme Courts coming rulings on race-conscious admissions.

Any new questions would serve to offer applicants opportunities to share more information about their identity to try to get a better sense of the lived experiences of discrimination or overcoming hardship that our students may face, the paper reported Associate Provost for Enrollment Logan Powell as saying. Good idea.

And at Dartmouth College, government professor John Carey told the Daily Dartmouth that he had found through his research that a hidden consensus exists in support of holistic admissions  meaning people generally support race-conscious admissions when the concept is framed as an evaluation of multidimensional applicants.

We agree. College admissions have been moving to a more holistic form of evaluation, and this decision wont stop schools from asking revealing essay questions and evaluating all their applicants in greater depth, all with the goal of achieving the best and most diverse class possible. Thats a good way forward and one that all Americans can and should get behind.

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Employees of a Moscow company were handed weapons as Wagner fighters approached the capital, report says

Police and the military check vehicles going in and out of the city in the Yasenevo district in southern Moscow. Vlad Karkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

A Moscow company handed employees weapons during the Wagner rebellion, a report said.

Fighters from the mercenary group approached Moscow Saturday, prompting panic.

But the rebellion was ultimately called off after a deal was brokered with the Kremlin.

A Moscow company handed employees weapons as fighters from the Wagner private army approached the Russian capital on Saturday, The Moscow Times reported.

The outlet said that rich Muscovites fled the city on private planes, while other armed themselves to fight, as soldiers bore down on the capital seeking to oust Russian military leaders.

After a televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he branded the mutineers traitors and vowed to defeat them, one state-owned company handed out guns to employees, the outlet reported.

"Our office is a secure facility in the center of Moscow. After Putin's address, we were called in for a meeting and those of us with combat experience or who served in the military were asked to patrol the street and alley where the office is located," a top manager of the state-owned company told The Moscow times.

"Those who agreed were given weapons. The security services organized everything, but they weren't the only ones who went on patrol."

Russian military and security services put up hasty barriers and dug up roads as they prepared to defend the capital from the fighters on Saturday.

Moscow's mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, declared a counter-terrorism operation was underway, Reuters reported, ordering residents to stay in their homes.

The Wagner Group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed the armed rebellion was aimed at getting rid of the military's top brass, which he blamed for the failings in Ukraine.

As his fighters got to around 120 miles from Moscow on Saturday, Prigozhin that night called off the rebellion after negotiations with the Kremlin. He has since gone into exile in Belarus.

By Sunday, scenes of normality had returned to Moscow, and the counter-terrorism order was cancelled. Analysts, however, believe Putin's authority has been badly damaged by the uprising, which followed nearly a year-and-a-half of war in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: "Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Whoever throws hundreds of thousands into the war, eventually must barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Columbia nightclub will no longer be allowed to sell alcohol after police reported making an enormous amount of service calls to Social Bar and Lounge at 918 Gervais St.

CPD has responded to this location in reference to gun crimes, individuals shot, intoxication, larcenies, domestic violence, fighting and drug possession, read a July 7, 2022, letter from the Columbia Police Department to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.

Police last year asked the state agency to deny Social Bar and Lounge new alcohol permits, which the venue must apply for every two years in order to continue selling liquor. Social Bar and Lounge has operated in Columbia since mid-2012.

As of June 29, the club has surrendered its liquor permit. The establishment can stay open but wont be able to sell beer or liquor, a Columbia Police Department spokesperson confirmed.

Since sending the July 2022 letter, Columbia police have responded to more than 50 calls for service to the bar, according to an updated affidavit to the state Department of Revenue from a Columbia Police Department inspector.

In March, the Department of Revenue responded by declaring it would not renew the clubs alcohol permits, which Socials owners challenged at the time.

Then late this month, following a shooting at the bar June 25, the agency motioned for an emergency suspension of the bars permits, according to documents provided by the Department of Revenue. The department was asking for an expedited hearing in South Carolina Administrative Court for a determination on the liquor permits.

Now, that court date wont happen as Social has voluntarily surrendered its permit.

Beyond the safety issues raised by Columbia police, Social has also allegedly violated state tax law by serving alcohol on Sundays without a permit, according to the motion from the Department of Revenue.

Social Bar and Lounge requires so many resources that other areas of the city are certainly being under served, the Columbia Police Departments letter read.

On June 25, police reported that a man had been shot and hospitalized with a gunshot wound to a lower extremity after an altercation at the bar.

Last July, police responded to a shooting at the club in which a 21-year-old man was shot in the arm or hand area.

On several occasions, CPD officers have been on scene because of the large crowd exiting this location when gunshots rang out, the letter said.

The University of South Carolina and Benedict College police departments have also been called numerous times to assist Columbia police with problems at the club, according to the letter.

The police department also claims that security guards at Social Bar have pepper sprayed club patrons at least 11 times and that those security employees gave little cooperation during incidents at the club.

Columbia police command staff met with the bars principal owner, Meyer Moore of Next Ventures, LLC, in June 2022, according to the letter to the Department of Revenue.

Police leadership shared that they were concerned with the amount of resources needed at his businesses and about the lack of cooperation from security staff, according to the letter. The letter says Moore advised he would do what was necessary and make changes where needed to solve this problem.

Police continued to receive numerous calls to the venue after that meeting. Nearby businesses have also complained about safety, the letter adds.

Social Bar and Lounge has failed to operate in a responsible manner and has been given ample time to change its practices, therefore, we protest the reissuance of an alcohol license to Next Ventures, LLC, the police departments letter concluded.

The State has attempted to contact Moore and other management of Social Bar and Lounge but did not receive a response by press time. Documents from the Department of Revenue also name Ulster Hams, LLC as an owner of the bar. That LLC filed articles of termination in March and is now listed as dissolved by the South Carolina Secretary of State.
Norway's petroleum and energy ministry gave its green light Wednesday to 19 fossil fuel projects worth more than 200 billion kroner ($18.6 billion) (Tom LITTLE)

Two environmental groups said Thursday they were suing the Norwegian state for violating the country's human rights commitments and constitution by planning new oil and gas projects worth nearly $19 billion.

The Nordic branch of Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom, which previously lost a similar lawsuit brought against the state, objected to the planned development of three new oil fields approved by the government.

"The Norwegian government is hellbent on opening new oil fields that will produce fossil fuels decades into the future," the head of Greenpeace Norway, Frode Pleym, said in a statement.

"It is blatantly disregarding the climate, the science, and even our own Supreme Court in its effort to please the oil industry," he added.

Norway's petroleum and energy ministry gave its green light Wednesday to 19 fossil fuel projects worth more than 200 billion kroner ($18.6 billion).

They include the extension of existing oil and gas fields and investments to increase the rate of hydrocarbon recovery in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea, as well as the opening of new fields, including Yggdrasil, which belongs to Norwegian group Aker BP.

The two other fields -- Tyrving, also controlled by Aker BP, and Breidablikk, operated by Norway's Equinor -- had previously received government authorisation.

- 'Inadequate' impact studies -

The government said the projects would boost employment and hone skills, and cited the need for Norway -- which became Europe's biggest gas supplier last year following the war in Ukraine -- to continue supplying energy to the continent.

In December 2020, Norway's Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom calling for the cancellation of exploration licenses granted in May 2016 to 13 oil companies in the fragile Arctic region.

The court argued that Article 112 of Norway's constitution which guarantees the right to a healthy environment could only be invoked if the state failed to shoulder responsibility for the environment and climate, which it said was not the case.

This time, the two organisations argue climate impact studies on the future oil fields are "either non-existent or highly inadequate".

They also claim the state is violating its obligation to take children's best interests into account, which they say is a violation of both Norway's constitution and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The petroleum and energy ministry disagreed.

"The government is respecting its commitments in the Paris (climate) treaty", state secretary Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said.

"At the same time, we need to contribute to energy security during the transition... The authorisations we have granted ensure that Europe will continue to have access to energy in the future as well".

phy/po/lth
(Photo/Levi Rickert for Native News Online)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday announced that over $278 million in funding to improve access to safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services has been granted to Indian Country.

The announcement was made at an event at the Lummi Nation in Bellingham, Washington by (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox.

For too long, Tribes have struggled without access to basic water servicesimpacting their health and economic well-being. Todays funding announcement is a generational investment that moves us closer to achieving a future where all Tribes have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services, Fox said.

The water funds were made possible through the bipartisan infrastructure law. Fox told Native News Online in an interview that President Biden made a commitment to maintain a nation to nation relationship with tribes.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

He's made a commitment of this administration to focus on strengthening the nation to nation relationship with tribes. And that's happened in several ways, including receiving the historic amount of dedicated funding for tribal water for American Indians and Alaska Natives, Fox said.

The funding will help Tribes and Alaska Native Villages make significant investments in water infrastructure improvements to advance public health protections by improving compliance with existing water regulations, identifying, and replacing lead service lines, and addressing harmful emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).

The funding will be administered through the following programs:

$64 million in FY 2023 Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds;

$130.3 million in FY 2023 Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds;

$38.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds;

$5.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Tribal Grant Program through annual appropriation funds, and

$39.6 million in FY 2023 Alaska Rural and Native Villages (ANV) Grant Program through annual appropriation funds.

The EPA works in collaboration with Indian Health Service (IHS) in water management in Indian Country.

Fox said the EPA is focused on providing technical assistance to tribal communities to build their technical, financial, and managerial capacity.

So we're also investing in a range of technical assistance to support tribal communities to not only access these funds, but also to be able to access state revolving loan fund dollars and other investment vehicles as well, Fox said.

Earlier this year, EPA released a survey of drinking water needs in Indian Country. The results indicate that in excess of $4 billion is needed over the course of the next 20 years to bring adequate drinking water to Indian Country.

"We know that today's announcement has an important step. But our work won't stop there. We are going to continue to push for additional funding," Fox said.

About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net."

Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net
(Bloomberg) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Sweden for allowing someone to burn a Koran in central Stockholm, risking a repeat of tensions between the countries that previously derailed Swedens bid to join NATO.

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Those who allow these under the pretext of freedom of expression and turn a blind eye to this viciousness, as well as those who have committed this crime, will not reach their goals, Erdogan said in video message marking the Muslim Eid holiday, without specifying which goals he meant.

We will teach the arrogant Western people that it is not freedom of expression to insult the sacred values of Muslims.

Erdogan previously ruled out supporting Swedens application to join the military alliance after a similar Koran burning in Stockholm in January. Hes since said that a new Swedish anti-terror law is failing to crack down on Kurdish militants that Ankara views as terrorists.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking to reporters in Brussels, said that while the Koran burning was offensive and objectionable, protests like that and others against Turkey arent illegal, and that the most important thing is to finalize the accession of Sweden into the alliance.

My message continues to be that Sweden has delivered on all its obligations, Stoltenberg said.

Read More: Why Turkey Is Still Blocking Swedens NATO Accession: QuickTake

The incident comes days after Sweden and Turkey agreed to meet to discuss the membership bid before NATOs July leaders summit.

Since a January Koran burning that derailed talks between Turkey and Sweden, Swedish police have sought to prevent similar events, citing security reasons, but decisions to deny permits have been dismissed by administrative courts arguing that public gatherings and demonstrations must be given permission unless they pose an immediate threat to public safety.

Read more: Sweden Police Give Permit to Koran Burning Near Stockholm Mosque

The Koran burning that took place on Wednesday near the main mosque in central Stockholm was done by an Iraqi man who has won court appeals after his previous applications for permission to burn the book were denied by police. Hes now under investigation for hate crimes and breaching a local prohibition on open fires.

(Updates with Stoltenberg comments from fifth paragraph.)

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Photo: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx (AP)

On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams participated in a Talk with Eric discussion at Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics in Washington Heights. One person in the audiencean older white womantook hold of the microphone that was being passed around and gave Adams a piece of her mind about rent prices.

Last week, Adams administration faced intense scrutiny when the Rent Guidelines Board voted to allow rent increases of up to 6 percent on the New Yorks one million rent-stabilized apartments. During the town hall, the angry and elderly participant asked Adams why New Yorkers had experienced horrible rent increases last year and this year.

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.@NYCMayor went off on a woman during his town hall tonight: "I'm the mayor of this city and treat me with the respect that would deserve to be treated. I'm speaking to you as an adult. Don't stand in front like you treated someone that's on the plantation that you own." pic.twitter.com/Qwn8TgYFD1  Myles Miller (@MylesMill) June 29, 2023

You said before and after that you supported those rent increases! the woman commented while constantly and aggressively pointing at him. Adams reaction to her behavior was swift and direct. First if youre going to ask a question dont point at me and dont be disrespectful to me. Im the mayor of this city and treat me with the respect [which] I deserve to be treated. Im speaking to you as an adult, he stated.

Adams didnt stop there. Dont stand in front like you treated someone thats on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect I deserve and engage in a conversationtreat me with the same level of respect I treat you. So dont be pointing at me, dont be disrespectful to me, speak to me as an adult because Im a grown man. I walked into this room as a grown man and Im going to walk out of this room as a grown man.

Some believed that Adams deflected and attempted to avoid accountability with his response while others thought he handled the womans conduct appropriately. One thing remains certain, though: New York City rent prices are out of control.

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By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will push senior officials on Thursday to find legal ways to funnel proceeds from billions of dollars of frozen Russian assets into projects helping rebuild Ukraine, papers showed.

The bloc has said it froze more than 200 billion euros ($218.2 billion) of Russian central bank assets in reaction to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Another 30 billion euros of Russian oligarchs' private assets were also immobilised.

Leaders of member states meeting in Brussels will ask the EU's executive Commission and other bodies to press on with research into how they can put the Russian money to work for Ukraine, draft conclusions of the summit showed.

During months of debate on the issue, lawyers have said there is no legal precedent to simply take the money, and the Kremlin warned in November it would do everything it could to stop the West "plundering" its assets.

EU officials say they have been looking at alternatives, for example taking accrued interest or bond coupons or taxing such profits.

"The European Council took stock of the work done regarding Russias immobilised assets, and invites the Council, the High Representative and the Commission to take work forward, in accordance with EU and international law, and in coordination with partners," the draft conclusion read.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said Russia and its oligarchs had a legitimate claim on the frozen assets, but Ukraine also had a legitimate claim against Russia over the damage it had caused.

"It's fundamentally wrong that our taxpayers get to pay for something that we haven't caused. It has to be on Russia, it has to be on their assets," she said. Russia has not made any public

Against the background of possible legal challenges, the EU has been working to coordinate closely with the United States, Canada, Britain and Japan - the G7 - to build international consensus.

The EU also needs to establish where to keep any proceeds from the Russian assets and how to disburse them.

The sums are substantial. Belgium's Euroclear, which settles transactions and safeguards assets, said blocked coupon payments and redemptions boosted its balance sheet by 88 billion euros year-on-year by the end of March to 140 billion euros.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said last week the EU executive would come up with a proposal before August on how to use the assets for Ukraine .

($1 = 0.9164 euros)

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; editing by Philip Blenkinsop and Andrew Heavens)
(Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders are trying to agree on steps to support Ukraine militarily over the longer term amid pressure to provide the government in Kyiv with additional security commitments and a clearer path on joining NATO.

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Arriving at Thursdays EU summit, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins called for the nation to be given full NATO membership as soon as Russias war on its neighbor ends, but others are more cautious. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who joined the talks in Brussels, said members of the military alliance will agree on a multiyear program to help Ukraine move towards NATO at their July 11-12 summit.

All sorts of other guarantees, theyre probably interesting, but what Ukraine needs, and what the rest of Europe needs, is full-fledged NATO membership once the war ends, Karins told reporters.

EU leaders are set to declare that they stand ready to contribute, together with partners, to future security commitments to Ukraine, according to a draft of the summit conclusions seen by Bloomberg, which could still change. Those commitments will help Ukraine defend itself in the long term, deter acts of aggression and resist destabilization efforts.

The statement is meant to highlight the EUs support for Ukraine, including a training mission for its troops and plans to send the country 1 million artillery shells. Member states are looking for more clarity from France about what it will entail, an EU diplomat said, after the government in Paris inserted the wording on security commitments into the draft in late-stage negotiations.

Poland and the Baltics may try to offer more precise wording to clarify that the commitment should include arming and training Ukrainian forces until the war is over, according to a senior EU diplomat. The countries fear some nations, including France, may try to link the commitments to peace negotiations, the diplomat said.

The discussion comes as the US, UK, France and Germany are in talks about bilateral security assurances for Ukraine, which are expected to include commitments on continued weapons supplies, training and financing. They could be presented on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

Stoltenberg told reporters that he expects allies to make announcements at the gathering in Vilnius of additional military support for Ukraine and said that hes absolutely confident that the NATO allies will send a very strong message of support.

Separate to the discussions on security commitments, NATO allies are seeking a unified position on Ukraines membership ahead of the summit, when they are due to sign off on a broader package of long-term support of non-lethal aid.

NATO officials are trying to balance the need to deepen ties without making Ukraine a member straight away, given that the alliances mutual defense clause could draw it into conflict with Russia.

While they agree that Ukraine wont become a member as long as the war continues, they also want to provide Kyiv with a pledge that goes beyond what the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed in 2008  that Ukraine will join eventually.

That will likely include a commitment not to issue Ukraine a so-called Membership Action Plan, which typically details the steps a country needs to take to join the alliance but is often used to slow down the process, according to people familiar with the planning, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are ongoing.

Allies may agree in the statement to issue Ukraine an invitation when conditions allow, one of the people said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was due to address leaders meeting in Brussels by video link, on Wednesday urged NATO to stop worrying about how the Kremlin and Russian leader Vladimir Putin would react as they consider letting his nation into the alliance.

In a speech to parliament, he outlined his vision for Ukraine to join both NATO and the EU as a modern and digitalized nation, with no Russian forces on its territory.

Josep Borrell, the EUs foreign policy chief, said that the EU and NATO need to provide security commitments that will guarantee military support for Ukraine for the long haul.

The training has to continue, the modernization of the army has to continue, Borrell told reporters. Ukraine needs our commitment to continue ensuring their security during the war and after the war.

--With assistance from Stephanie Bodoni, Niclas Rolander, Jasmina Kuzmanovic, Jorge Valero, Alberto Nardelli, Katharina Rosskopf, Jan Bratanic, Arne Delfs, Ania Nussbaum, Slav Okov and Piotr Skolimowski.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Dinamam Tuxa, coordinator of Brazil's largest umbrella Indigenous organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), speaks in an interview, in Brussels

EU-Mercosur trade deal threatens Indigenous lands, activist says Dinamam Tuxa, coordinator of Brazil's largest umbrella Indigenous organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), speaks in an interview, in Brussels

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A planned free trade deal between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur risks increasing demand for farm produce from Brazil at the expense of Indigenous people's land and rights, a leading activist said on Thursday.

"We are against this agreement," Dinamam Tuxa, the coordinator of Brazil's largest umbrella Indigenous organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) told Reuters in an interview.

"It may be very difficult to stop but we want to make our proposals on prior consent and territorial rights of Indigenous people."

The European Commission struck a trade deal with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in 2019. Now the Commission and some EU member states have raised the possibility of reviving it after it was put on hold largely because of EU concerns over Amazon deforestation.

Tuxa, who will meet EU officials and lawmakers over the coming days, said the deal, even with a possible annex on deforestation and sustainable development, did not guarantee protection of Indigenous people's rights, despite them being enshrined in an International Labour Organization convention.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples also requires them to be consulted to obtain free, prior and informed consent on policies or projects affecting them.

Tuxa said there was no mechanism of monitoring and oversight to protect ecosystems, saying the trade agreement was based on an economic model that inherently damaged them.

"When it comes to money, all the COP (UN climate talks) and other sustainability targets are forgotten," he said.

The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, has said there is an opportunity for talks after last year's electoral defeat of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro whose policies contributed to a peak in Amazon deforestation.

However, there is no guarantee talks with successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will succeed.

Lula has promised fully to recognise Indigenous land, but faces a backlash in Congress from Bolsonaro allies.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Barbara Lewis)
EU should not 'lower the bar' to take in Ukraine, says Denmark - FT

(Reuters) - Denmark supports EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the western Balkans but "geopolitical circumstances" did not justify skating over governance reforms, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told the Financial Times on Thursday.

The EU risks "importing instability" if it relaxes its standards on democracy and corruption to hasten the accession of Ukraine and other candidate countries, Rasmussen said in an interview with the newspaper.

To join the EU, a country has to align its laws with many EU standards ranging from climate to labour. That process usually takes many years.

When asked about Ukraine's membership in the EU, Rasmussen said that EU shouldn't "lower the bar" but instead help Ukraine with investments and assistance, the FT reported.

Although Ukraine met 2 of 7 conditions to launch the EU membership process, an EU official familiar with the bloc's recommendations to Ukraine said that some key judicial reforms were needed.

In 2019, The European Commission proposed changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, after countries including France and Denmark objected to the expansion of the EU to include six countries in the Balkans.

Rasmussen told FT that Denmark had reversed its position and was even open to internal EU reform, including more majority voting, to accommodate new members. (This story has been corrected to say foreign minister instead of finance minister in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Lavanya Ahire in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing & Simon Cameron-Moore)
9 terrorists arrested in intelligence-based operations in Pakistan's Punjab

Xinhua) 17:00, June 28, 2023

ISLAMABAD, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province foiled a major terror bid and arrested nine terrorists during search and combing operations, CTD officials said.

The CTD in Punjab said on Tuesday that a major terrorism plot was averted on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha festival after nine terrorists, including a woman, were apprehended in multiple intelligence-based operations conducted in three districts of the province.

The arrests were made in Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan districts of Punjab, the CTD officials said, adding that the arrested terrorists belonged to a banned outfit.

The department said the terrorists were planning to target important installations and religious places on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

A huge cache of arms, explosives, and material used in the manufacturing of suicide vests were also seized from the possession of the militants, the CTD said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The state of Illinois will offer credit monitoring and a call center for hundreds of thousands of people whose private data was compromised in a cyberattack by a global ransomware group last month.

The state will send out notices this week to people eligible to sign up for the credit monitoring, according to the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology. Only people whose data was part of the breach will get the call center phone number, the state said.

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The move comes in response to a late May attack by a global ransomware gang called CL0P that is thought to have exploited a vulnerability in the states MOVEit Transfer file-sharing software. The state estimates data for 390,000 people was affected.

The state will offer credit monitoring services for 12 months with Experian. Its designed to provide identity theft detection, identity restoration and identity theft insurance for those whose data was compromised, according to the state.

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There is no indication anyones compromised information has been used fraudulently, the state said in announcing the credit monitoring and call center.

[ Illinois government among victims of attack by global ransomware group, state IT agency says ]

Other victims of the May 31 attack included the BBC, British Airways and Nova Scotias government, according to The Associated Press.

The attack on Illinois computer systems was contained within three hours, according to the state.

The Department of Innovation & Technology removed the hackers out of the states systems by securing the servers that were compromised and immediately implementing steps to protect against future attacks, the state said.

Ransomware is malicious software that infects a computer system. Those behind ransomware then demand money to allow the system to work properly again or threaten to post sensitive information online if they dont receive payment. A spokesperson with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office earlier this month said the hackers did not seek a ransom from the state.

This is not the first time Illinois state government has been hit by a ransomware group.

In early 2021, the state attorney generals office was infiltrated by another Russian cybergang. That attack came after an audit warned that weaknesses in cybersecurity potentially left sensitive information on the agencys computer network susceptible to cyberattacks and unauthorized disclosure.

Chicago Tribunes Dan Petrella contributed.

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The Euclid spacecraft, pictured before being sent to Florida, will blast off on a mission to find out more about the 'dark universe' (Valery HACHE)

Europe's Euclid space telescope is scheduled to blast off Saturday on the first-ever mission aiming to shed light on two of the universe's greatest mysteries: dark energy and dark matter.

The launch is planned from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 11:11 am local time (1511 GMT) on a Falcon 9 rocket of the US company SpaceX.

The European Space Agency was forced to turn to the rival firm of billionaire Elon Musk to launch the mission after Russia pulled its Soyuz rockets in response to sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

After a month-long journey through space, Euclid will join its fellow space telescope James Webb at a stable hovering spot around 1.5 million kilometres (more than 930,000 miles) from Earth called the second Lagrangian Point.

From there, Euclid will chart the largest-ever map of the universe, encompassing up to two billion galaxies across more than a third of the sky.

By capturing light that has taken 10 billion years to reach Earth, the map will also offer a new view of the 13.8-billion-year-old universe's history.

Scientists hope to use this information to address what the Euclid project manager Giuseppe Racca calls a "cosmic embarrassment": that 95 percent of the universe remains unknown to humanity.

Around 70 percent is thought to be dark energy, the name given to the unknown force that is causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate.

And 25 percent is dark matter, thought to bind the universe together and make up around 80 percent of its mass.

- 'Dark detective' -

Euclid consortium member Guadalupe Canas told a press conference that the two-tonne space telescope was a "dark detective" which can reveal more about both elements.

Euclid, which is 4.7 metres (15 feet) tall and 3.5 metres (11 feet) wide, will use two scientific instruments to map the sky.

Its visible light camera will let it measure the shape of galaxies, while its near infrared spectrometer and photometer will allow it to measure how far away they are.

So how will Euclid try to spot things that cannot be seen? By searching for their absence.

The light coming from billions of light years away is slightly distorted by the mass of visible and dark matter along the way, a phenomenon known as weak gravitational lensing.

"By subtracting the visible matter, we can calculate the presence of the dark matter which is in between," Racca told AFP.

While this may not reveal the true nature of dark matter, scientists hope it will throw up new clues that will help track it down in the future.

For dark energy, French astrophysicist David Elbaz compared the expansion of the universe to blowing up a balloon with lines drawn on it.

By "seeing how fast it inflates," scientists hope to measure the breath -- or dark energy -- making it expand.

- 'Goldmine' -

A major difference between Euclid and other space telescopes is its wide field of view, which takes in an area equivalent to two full moons.

Project scientist Rene Laureijs said that this wider view means Euclid will be able to "surf the sky and find exotic objects" like black holes that the Webb telescope can then investigate in greater detail.

Beyond dark energy and matter, Euclid's map of the universe is expected to be a "goldmine for the whole field of astronomy," said Yannick Mellier, head of the Euclid consortium.

Scientists hope that Euclid's data will help them learn more about the evolution of galaxies, black holes and more.

The first images are expected once scientific operations start in October, with major data releases planned for 2025, 2027 and 2030.

The 1.4-billion-euro ($1.5-billion) mission is intended to run until 2029, but could last a little longer if all goes well.

The launch comes as Europe finds itself with few ways to independently send its missions into space, due to Russia ending cooperation last year and long delays to the next-generation Ariane 6 rocket.

dl-juc/kjm
Ohio House speaker Larry Householder speaks before Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's Ohio State of the State address at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, March 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

CINCINNATI (AP)  Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for his role in the largest corruption scandal in state history and taken immediately into custody, a judge declaring that the court and the community's patience with Larry Householder has expired.

The 64-year-old Republican tensed only slightly as U.S. District Judge Timothy Black meted out the punishment, the maximum under the law, and appeared somewhat disoriented as U.S. Marshals placed him in handcuffs. He glanced back briefly at his wife, Taundra, who exited the courtroom with his Perry County Ducks Unlimited ball cap folded in her hands.

Ahead of his sentencing, Householder stood before Black to make a personal appeal for leniency, saying it was not himself that a harsh prison sentence would hurt most but his spouse of 40 years, his sons, grandchildren and friends.

I wasn't power hungry. I went home, he said of his departure from the Ohio House between speakerships. Householder told the judge that he and his wife had given every ounce of energy we have to make life better for others.

In a blistering rebuke, Black threw back at Householder evidence counter to the family man image he had presented. He quoted Householder's own statements, presented at trial, saying: If youre going to f- with me, Im going to f- with your kids, we can f with him later and f- him til hes dead.

Black called Householder a bully with a lust for power whose scheme marked an assault on democracy, the betrayal of everyone in Ohio. That included the Ohioans who donated to, campaigned for and voted for Householder, the judge said.

That wasn't their way of just saying I like you or I support you. What they were saying is I'm choosing to trust you, said Black. They trusted you to do right by them, and you betrayed their trust.

Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges, a former chair of the Ohio Republican Party, were both convicted in March of a single racketeering charge each, after a six-week trial. Borges is set to be sentenced Friday.

Jurors found that Householder orchestrated and Borges participated in a $60 million bribery scheme secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. to secure Householders power, elect his allies, pass legislation containing a $1 billion bailout for two aging nuclear power plants owned by a FirstEnergy affiliate and then to use a dirty tricks campaign to stifle a ballot effort to overturn the bill.

Federal prosecutors had recommended Householder receive 16 to 20 years, holding in a sentencing memo that he acted as the quintessential mob boss, directing the criminal enterprise from the shadows and using his casket carriers to execute the scheme. That strategy, they said, gave Householder plausible deniability.

His own attorneys had recommended just 12 to 18 months, reporting to the judge that he is a broken man who has been humiliated and disgraced by the ordeal of his widely reported arrest, high-profile prosecution and seven-week trial by jury.

Outside the courthouse Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Ken Parker said the government was grateful for the judge's sentence.

We heard Mr. Householder indicate that he keeps close his faith, his family and his friends. I would have added one more: He needs to keep close the Ohioans, if he is going to serve this state. That's what he left out, Parker said. That's why he was here today and that's why the judge imposed the highest level of accountability under the statute.

Rachel Belz, CEO of the government watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action, expressed hope that Householders sentence would help restore public trust and allow the voice of the people to be heard and valued by decision makers.

Democracy does not allow our leaders to wield power without the opportunity for the people to exercise a check on that power, she said in a statement.

Householder was one of Ohios most powerful politicians, a historically twice-elected speaker, before his indictment. After his July 2020 arrest, the Republican-controlled House ousted him from his leadership post, but he refused to resign for nearly a year on grounds he was innocent until proven guilty. In a bipartisan vote, representatives ultimately ousted him from the chamber in 2021  the first such expulsion in Ohio in 150 years.

All told, five people and a dark money group have been charged so far for their roles in the scheme. A federal investigation remains ongoing.

During the trial, the prosecution called two of the people arrested  Juan Cespedes and Jeff Longstreth, who both pleaded guilty and are cooperating  to testify about political contributions they said were not ordinary, but rather bribes intended to secure passage of the bailout legislation. Generation Now, the 501(c) nonprofit through which much of the money flowed, also has pleaded guilty to racketeering.

Cespedes and Longstreth face up to six months in prison each under their plea deals. Neither has been sentenced.

The last person arrested, the late Statehouse superlobbyist Neil Clark, was heard on tape in the courtroom. Clark had pleaded not guilty before dying by suicide in March 2021.

All the alleged members of the conspiracy benefited personally from the scheme, using sums that an FBI agent described colloquially as bags of cash from FirstEnergy. Householder spent around $500,000 of FirstEnergy money to settle a business lawsuit, pay attorneys, deal with expenses at his Florida home and pay off credit card debt. Another $97,000 was used to pay staff and expenses for his 2018 reelection campaign.
Ex-Ohio House Speaker sentenced in one of the largest corruption cases in state history

Ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder walks into the Potter Stewart Federal Courthouse in Cincinnati where he is being sentenced after being convicted of corruption charges on Thursday

In one of the largest corruption cases in Ohio history, former state House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced Thursday to the maximum 20 years in prison for orchestrating a nearly $60 million illegal bribery scheme that fueled his return to political power.

Once one of the most powerful politicians in Ohio, Householder is now a convicted felon, guilty of racketeering conspiracy and breaking the public's trust. He was immediately taken into custody in federal court in Cincinnati.

Beyond financial greed, I think you just liked power," U.S. District Judge Timothy Black said before sentencing Householder. "You weren't serving the people. You were serving yourself."

Householder expressed no remorse for leading an extensive bribery scheme at the Ohio Statehouse but instead focused on the harm a prison sentence would impose on his relatives and loved ones. "I would give my life in a heartbeat for my wife and any of my sons," he said.

When Householder's attorney Steven Bradley made a similar argument right before the sentencing, Black interrupted: The harm to his family was caused by him, not by the court."

Householder, former Ohio Republican Party chairman Matt Borges and three other men were charged with participating in a pay-to-play scheme that helped Householder win control of the Ohio House of Representatives in 2018, pass a $1.3 billion bailout for two nuclear plants in House Bill 6 and defend that law against a ballot initiative to block it.

"You know better than most people how much that money could have meant to the people of Ohio, Black said of the $1.3 billion bailout. How many lives could you have improved but you took that from the people of Ohio."

Federal prosecutors had asked Black to impose a prison sentence between 16 and 20 years. Householder's attorneys requested between a year and a year-and-a-half in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Glatfelter emphasized the importance of deterring future politicians from repeating Householder's actions. "Sentencing will communicate to the public that the rule of law applies to everyone in this country, including politicians."

Bradley argued that the damage to Householder's reputation would deter plenty of politicians.

"He is a disgraced politician and has been dragged through the mud in the media for three years," Bradley said. "The subject of ridicule, hatred in many respects."

Ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder walks into the Potter Stewart Federal Courthouse in Cincinnati where he is being sentenced after being convicted of corruption charges on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

A jury found Householder and Borges guilty in early March. Householder's former political strategist Jeff Longstreth and lobbyist Juan Cespedes pleaded guilty three months after they were arrested in July 2020. Both testified against their former associates in the federal corruption trial earlier this year and face up to six months in prison as part of their plea deals.

Former lobbyist Neil Clark, who had pleaded not guilty, died by suicide in March 2021.

Akron-based FirstEnergy, which bankrolled much of the operation along with its subsidiary FirstEnergy Solutions, admitted in July 2021 that it bribed Householder and another public official: ex-Public Utilities Commission of Ohio leader Sam Randazzo. The company agreed to a $230 million fine. Randazzo, who has not been charged, says he did nothing wrong.

It's not clear whether federal prosecutors will file charges against anyone else in this case.

Then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder sits at the head of a legislative session at the Statehouse on Oct. 30, 2019.

Who is Larry Householder?

Householder, 64, of Glenford, twice led the Ohio House of Representatives with charisma and careful calculation. The insurance agent, county auditor and commissioner grew up on his family farm in Perry County, which he represented along with Licking and Coshocton counties east of Columbus.

Householder was the underdog both times he sought the top position in the Ohio House of Representatives, ousting politicians who were better connected and better funded. The FBI investigated Householder during the tail end of his first stint as speaker in 2004 for suspected kickbacks, but he was never charged.

Householder returned to the Ohio House in 2016 with his eye on the speaker's gavel. He flew on a FirstEnergy jet to former President Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C., in January 2017 and shortly after, the corporate checks started flowing to Householder's dark money group called Generation Now.

Generation Now helped elect GOP candidates loyal to Householder, pitch the nuclear bailout in House Bill 6 and bankroll a sophisticated campaign to defend the law against a ballot initiative to block it in 2019. Householder and his allies also collected dark money checks to pay for a term-limit effort that could have given Householder another 16 years in control of the Ohio House.

"(Householder) acted as the quintessential mob boss, directing the criminal enterprise from the shadows and using his casket carriers to execute the scheme," federal prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo. "This allowed him what he thought was plausible deniability for the crimes committed at his direction."

During the trial, witnesses detailed Householder's vengeful behavior. In secretly recorded conversations, Householder promised retribution on two GOP lawmakers: "If you're going to f--k with me, I'm going to f--k with your kids."

When people disagreed with you, which is par for the course in politics, you didnt try to compromise or reach resolutions or build bridges, you took it as a declaration of war, Black said when sentencing Householder Thursday. Bottom line: You were a bully with a lust for power who thought he was above everyone else.

During sentencing, Black said that Householder lied on the witness stand about his whereabouts during the Washington, D.C., trip, his interactions with FirstEnergy executives and his control over the dark money group Generation Now.

You conned the people of Ohio, and you tried to con the jury too, Black said.

Householder's predecessor, former Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, wanted to address the judge as a crime victim harmed by Householder's quest for power. But Black rejected that request, saying there was no evidence that Householder's scheme directly harmed Rosenberger and led to Rosenberger's 2018 resignation amid an FBI probe into his conduct.

What comes next?

Householder's attorneys plan to appeal his conviction, raising concerns about whether their client was given a fair shake in Black's courtroom. Householder's attorneys accused Black of harboring a longstanding grudge against Householder from when Black ran unsuccessfully for Ohio Supreme Court as a Democrat.

Borges is scheduled to be sentenced Friday morning. No date has been set for the sentencing of the remaining two collaborators: Longstreth and Cespedes.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Ex-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder sentenced to maximum 20 years
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Pictures of the Year: For Trump, a year of high drama at home and abroad

By Steve Holland and Nathan Layne

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump, a longtime admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on Thursday Putin has been "somewhat weakened" by an aborted mutiny and that now is the time for the United States to try to broker a negotiated peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

"I want people to stop dying over this ridiculous war," Trump told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Speaking expansively about foreign policy, the front-runner in opinion polls for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination also said China should be given a 48-hour deadline to get out of what sources familiar with the matter say is a Chinese spy capability on the island of Cuba 90 miles (145 km) off the U.S. coast.

On Ukraine, Trump did not rule out that the Kyiv government might have to concede some territory to Russia in order to stop the war, which began with Russian forces invading Ukraine 16 months ago. He said everything would be "subject to negotiation", if he were president, but that Ukrainians who have waged a vigorous fight to defend their land have "earned a lot of credit."

"I think they would be entitled to keep much of what they've earned and I think that Russia likewise would agree to that. You need the right mediator, or negotiator, and we don't have that right now," he said.

U.S. President Joe Biden and NATO allies want Russia out of territory it has seized in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive that has made small gains in driving out Russian forces.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last year proposed a 10-point peace plan, which calls on Russia to withdraw all of its troops.

"I think the biggest thing that the U.S. should be doing right now is making peace - getting Russia and Ukraine together and making peace. You can do it," Trump said. "This is the time to do it, to get the two parties together to force peace."

As president, Trump developed friendly relations with Putin, who Biden said on Wednesday has "become a bit of pariah around the world" for invading Ukraine.

Trump said Putin had been damaged by an uprising by the Russian mercenary force, the Wagner Group, and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, last weekend.

"You could say that he's (Putin) still there, he's still strong, but he certainly has been I would say somewhat weakened at least in the minds of a lot of people," he said.

If Putin were no longer in power, however, "you don't know what the alternative is. It could be better, but it could be far worse," Trump said.

As for war crime charges levied against Putin by the International Criminal Court last March, Trump said Putin's fate should be discussed when the war is over "because right now if you bring that topic up you'll never make peace, you'll never make a settlement."

Trump was adamantly opposed to China's spy base on Cuba and said if Beijing refused to accept his 48-hour demand for shutting it down, a Trump administration would impose new tariffs on Chinese goods.

As president, Trump adopted a tougher stance on China while claiming a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping that soured over the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'd give them 48 hours to get out. And if they didn't get out, I'd charge them a 100% tariff on everything they sell to the United States, and they'd be gone within two days. They'd be gone within one hour," Trump said.

Trump was mum on whether the United States would support Taiwan militarily if China invaded the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

"I don't talk about that. And the reason I don't is because it would hurt my negotiating position," he said. "All I can tell you is for four years, there was no threat. And it wouldn't happen if I were president."

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Nathan Layne, additional reporting by Kanishka Singh, editing by Ross Colvin and Grant McCool)
AAA predicts 50.7 million people will travel this Independence Day, setting a record for the holiday. The FAA says Thursday will be the heaviest travel day over the weekend.

At Pittsburgh International Airport, travelers made their way through TSA checkpoints bright and early.

Little anxious, just because its a holiday weekend travel. Feeling pretty good. Just retired yesterday, so heading out to Arizona to see my sister said Kelly Worhatch.

This Independence Day vacation is special for Worhatch.

First vacation in 43 years. I am not going to be opening a laptop or checking an email. It feels good, said Worhatch.

Check-in lines kept a steady pace in Pittsburgh. Across the country, travelers faced delays and cancellations at East Coast airports, due to severe summer weather along with staffing shortages.

Even though Pittsburgh hasnt seen those issues, the situation is on a lot of minds.

We use TSA pre-check and checked in online, and just got to hope for the best, said Jennifer Martindale

Officials say the peak hours are typically 5 to 8 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Thats when most travelers come through the airport.

Friday through Wednesday, were gonna have about 185,000 total seats on airplanes in Pittsburgh departing and arriving, which is a significant increase, said Public Affairs Manager Matt Neistein.

From the skies to the highways and roads, AAA says lower gas prices mean more Americans are taking the roads.

Our top emergency road service calls are battery service, lockout service, tire changes, and, of course, when all that fails, towing. So you want to be sure to check your vehicle, said Tiffany Stanley, AAA East Central spokesperson.

Whether you plan to drive or fly, AAA advises you to leave early to give yourself enough time for any delays or unexpected issues.

If youre driving to the airport, reserve parking online ahead of time because parking fills up quickly over holiday weekends.

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(Reuters) -Violence has been surging in the West Bank, including deadly clashes in Jenin, a fatal shooting by Palestinians near a Jewish settlement, attacks on Palestinian villages by rampaging settlers, and rare use of Israeli air power against militants.

Here is a primer on conflict in the West Bank:

HISTORIC STRUGGLE

The West Bank including the Old City of Jerusalem was part of British Mandatory Palestine until 1948 when it was occupied by Transjordan during a war between the newly declared state of Israel and Arab countries.

Israel captured the territory during another Arab-Israeli war in 1967. Israel annexed Jerusalem and a surrounding belt of the West Bank - a step that has never won international recognition.

In 1994, the Palestinian Authority was established under interim peace deals, granting Palestinians limited self-rule while Israel continued to occupy the West Bank.

The PA runs civilian and security affairs in the main Palestinian towns and cities. The PA-run patches of the West Bank are surrounded by areas of full Israeli control amounting to over 60% of the territory and known as Area C.

TWO POPULATIONS

Not including Israeli areas of East Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to some 3 million Palestinians. About one third of them are refugees because they or their ancestors were forced to flee their homes in the 1948 war.

The number of Jewish settlers has grown to about 465,400, living in 132 government-sanctioned settlements and 146 outposts that don't have official approval, the Peace Now watchdog group says. Israel's nationalist-religious government has approved thousands of additional housing units for settlers this year.

Palestinians face numerous restrictions on movement and construction. In 2022, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says 781 Palestinian structures were demolished in Area C, typically due to a lack of Israeli permits which it says are nearly impossible to obtain.

CONFLICTING VISIONS

The West Bank is central to Palestinian aspirations for a state that would include the Gaza Strip and have East Jerusalem as its capital. But the peace process has long been moribund.

To Israel, the West Bank is of strategic and religious importance. It is known in Israel as Judea and Samaria and home to many biblical sites - a factor that has drawn settlers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019 announced plans to annex parts of the West Bank. But Israel suspended such steps under a 2020 deal normalising ties with the United Arab Emirates.

Palestinians say Jewish settlements undermine the two-state solution.

VIOLENCE

The West Bank was an arena of the first Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, which erupted in 1987 and was defined by confrontations between stone-throwing Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. It was also a battleground in a second Intifada, which began in 2000 and spiralled into armed conflict.

Israel began building high concrete walls cutting off parts of the West Bank in 2002, saying it aimed to stop suicide bombings. To Palestinians, the barrier - most of which is in the West Bank - amounts to a land grab.

Violence pitting Jewish settlers against Palestinians has featured prominently in the latest phase of the conflict. Settler attacks on Palestinians have been on the rise.

A settler rampage in a Palestinian village in February prompted international condemnation. It followed a Palestinian gun attack that killed two Israeli brothers.

There have been several similar incidents since then, most recently this month when settler mobs attacked towns and villages following the killing of four Israelis by gunmen of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

INTERNATIONAL VIEW

Most countries regard the West Bank including East Jerusalem as occupied territory.

A 2016 Security Council resolution reaffirmed that the establishment of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 constitutes "a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution".

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a June 5 speech any move toward annexing the West Bank, de facto or de jure, would damage prospects for the two-state solution.

This week he said turmoil in the West Bank would make it more difficult to achieve Netanyahus aim of normalizing relations with Arab countries including Saudi Arabia.

(Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by William Maclean)
SAYREVILLE - The 29-year-old Virginia man charged with the murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour will remain in his home state for at least another month after an extradition hearing Thursday was continued to late August, according to Virginia court records.

Rashid Ali Bynum's extradition hearing was continued to Aug. 25. Bynum remains in custody.

WAVY TV 10 in Portsmouth, Virginia reported during Bynum's bond court appearance earlier this month that the public defender mentioned the possibility of opposing extradition and if that happened, New Jersey authorities would need to seek a special warrant from Virginia's governor to have Bynum brought to New Jersey.

This undated photo, provided by the Sayreville Borough Council, shows Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. The 30-year-old councilwoman was found shot to death in an SUV outside of her home, authorities said, Thursday, Feb, 2, 2023. She had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. (Courtesy Sayreville Borough Council via AP) ORG XMIT: NYRD408

Erik Mussoni, the Chesapeake Public Defender's Office's senior trial attorney, is listed on court records as Bynum's lawyer.

John Wisniewski, attorney for Dwumfour's family, hopes the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office would have started the process to have New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy formally request Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to extradite Bynum to New Jersey as soon as he was arrested. Wisniewski believes Youngkin has a 90-day window to act from the day Bynum was arrested.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has not yet responded to a request for comment.

"But it underscores a vestige of states rights. New Jersey shouldn't need the permission of the Virginia governor to have him come to New Jersey and stand trial. You've got probable cause, you've got all these police agencies involved, it should just be a matter of course, but unfortunately we have this very cumbersome process," said Wisniewski, adding that anything happening in New Jersey will now have to wait until Bynum is physically here.

Earlier: Cops say man accused of killing Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour Googled church, guns

Wisniewski said he has not yet had a chance to speak with Dwumfour's family about the extradition hearing.

"I think it's a fair assumption that this will be just be a source of frustration (for the family) that there is this archaic process that has to be gone through when someone has been identified as a murderer," said Wisniewski.

On Feb. 1, 2023 Dwumfour, 30, a Republican and Sayreville's first Black elected official, suffered multiple gunshots inside her car outside her home in Sayreville in the area of Check Avenue in the Parlin section of the borough. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Surveillance video captured a suspect fleeing the scene in the area of Ernston Road, and witnesses reported seeing a thin man, about 6 feet tall with ear-length braids or dreadlocks, and a suspicious white Hyundai on Gondek Drive minutes before the shooting. Video footage showed a person walking from the vehicle on Gondek Drive toward Check Avenue just before the shooting.

More: Arrest made in shooting death of Sayreville Councilwoman

Court papers indicate that as part of a extensive police investigation, it was determined a cellphone associated with Bynum traveled from Virginia to New Jersey and then back to Virginia on Feb. 1, and the phone was in the area of Gondek Drive and Ernston Road just before the shooting.

In Dwumfour's cellphone, investigators found a listing for "King Rah FCF," with the acronym believed to stand for Fire Congress Fellowship, a church the councilwoman had previously been associated with, which is also associated with Champion Royal Assembly, her latest church, the criminal complaint says.

The investigation also revealed that on the day of the slaying, Bynum allegedly searched the internet for information about Sayreville, Champion Royal Assembly Church, and the types of magazines compatible with a certain handgun.

Records also showed Bynum's cellphone traveled through E-ZPass locations in Newark, Woodbridge and Linden at the same time as a white Hyundai Elantra with a Virginia license plate. Police learned one of the registered owners of the vehicle had listed it online for rent, and Bynum's cellphone records indicate he contacted the vehicle owner the day before the slaying, according to the criminal complaint

A handgun was recovered at a Smithfield, Virginia address that Bynam apparently returned to after the shooting, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

A warrant for Bynum's arrest was authorized May 29 by a Superior Court judge in Middlesex County, according to the criminal complaint.

Bynum was arrested May 30 in Chesapeake City, Virginia and charged with Dwumfour's murder, as well as unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Eunice Dwumfour murder: Extradition delayed for suspect in murder of Sayreville councilwoman
FILE PHOTO: Students sit on the steps of Wilson Library on the campus of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina

By Gabriella Borter

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, a practice called affirmative action employed by a majority of selective schools.

Here is a look at some of the key players in the cases.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Harvard University is a private Ivy League school of global prestige located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the oldest U.S. university. Harvard was sued in 2014 by anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions, which accused Harvard of unlawful discrimination against Asian American applicants in its admissions practices. Harvard has called the lawsuit politically motivated and has defended its admissions process, which takes race into consideration alongside dozens of other factors. The lawsuit accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal funding.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a prestigious public research university. It is the flagship school of the 16-campus UNC system and the oldest U.S. public university. Students for Fair Admissions sued UNC in 2014, alleging that the Chapel Hill campus unlawfully discriminated against white and Asian American applicants. The school denies the allegations and, like Harvard, has defended its admissions objective of enrolling a diverse student body. The lawsuit accused the university of violating the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment promise of equal protection under the law.

STUDENTS FOR FAIR ADMISSIONS

Students for Fair Admissions is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by conservative activist Edward Blum, who has waged a legal war against affirmative action policies. The group takes on the cases of college applicants who contend they were wrongfully rejected by a college or university on the basis of race.

EDWARD BLUM

The founder of Students for Fair Admissions, Blum has said he is on a mission to erase racial preferences intended to boost diversity in American life. He began his campaign to legally challenge race-conscious admissions in 2008, when he took on the case of Abigail Fisher, a white student who felt she had been discriminated against in her rejection by the University of Texas. The Supreme Court upheld the University of Texas admissions policy in that case, but the court's makeup has since changed, moving it ideologically to the right.

LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW

The Lawyers' Committee is a nonprofit organization founded in 1963 with the mission of fighting for equity for U.S. racial minorities. The group has represented students, prospective students and alumni at Harvard and UNC for nearly a decade as they defend the school admissions policies.

(Compiled by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Will Dunham, Donna Bryson, William Maclean)
Families sue Harvard over theft of body parts from morgue, saying loved ones were picked over like trinkets at a flea market

Three Massachusetts families accused Harvard Medical School of abandoning the donated bodies of their loved ones in a "place of freakish-desecration" where, they said, body parts were picked over "like trinkets at a flea market," according to a class action lawsuit filed Wednesday.

Glenn Wilder, Jeanine Cunningham and Pamela Bishop said they trusted Harvard to care for their relatives but were "shocked and devastated" when they learned this month that cadavers had allegedly been stolen in a theft ring at the school's morgue in Boston and then chopped up and illegally sold.

Morgue manager Cedric Lodge, his wife and several other people have been indicted and accused of trafficking stolen human remains.

The lawsuit says that instead of caring for the remains, Harvard abandoned them in a facility that was a place of freakish-desecration, where, according to the indictments, criminals were allowed to roam and pick over loved ones remains for bits like trinkets at a flea market.

It also accuses the school of having lax policies and failing to properly screen and supervise its staff.

Attorneys John Morgan and Kathryn Barnett said in a joint statement: When these individuals and their families made the generous and selfless decision to donate their bodies, they trusted their remains would be treated with utmost care, dignity, and respect and that their donations would be used to educate the future generation of doctors and ease the suffering of others. Now, these families are left to relive the trauma of losing their loved ones and wonder what happened to their remains.

Cedric Lodge, former manager of the morgue at Harvard Medical School, leaves federal court in Boston, on June 14, 2023. (NBC Boston)

Harvard Medical School said in a statement Thursday that it does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation. In a statement June 14, the dean said the school was "appalled to learn that something so disturbing could happen on our campus  a community dedicated to healing and serving others."

Wilder's father, Glenn Wilder Sr., had told his family he wanted his remains donated to the school's Anatomical Gift Program "for the greater good," the suit says. The family upheld his wish after he died on June 1, 2019.

"As he was dying of lung cancer, Glenn, Sr. told the family that, through this gift, he hoped he could save someone else from the kind of suffering he was enduring," the suit says. "Glenn, Sr. believed that Harvard was the bastion of excellence, and that defendants would treat his remains with the utmost respect, while maximizing the educational, medical and scientific benefit his remains could bestow."

Harvard had the remains for nearly two years before it returned what it said were his ashes, according to the lawsuit.

Cunningham and her four siblings said they donated the remains of their father, Marshall Jolotta, after he died on Nov. 25, 2017, the suit says.

Jolotta "felt that, through this generous gift, he could help others, and he wanted to help make young doctors better," it said.

Harvard had the remains for nearly two years before it returned the ashes to the family.

Bishop donated the remains of her father, Joseph Gagne, after he died on June 4, 2018. She and her sister say in the suit that Gagne wanted to be given to the program "for the betterment of all."

"It was important to him that he be able, with his last, generous, act, to help new doctors, to be part of educating medical students and to provide what help he could for the good of all," the lawsuit said.

His remains were kept at the school for about a year before his ashes were returned to the family.

Lodge, the morgue manager, is accused of stealing organs and other body parts before their scheduled cremations and transporting them to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire, federal prosecutors said in a statement. Lodge and his wife, Denise Lodge, allegedly sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor and others, the statement said. They are all included in the federal indictment, along with another man, Mathew Lampi.

A sixth person, Jeremy Pauley, was charged with criminal information, prosecutors said. Another woman accused of being involved in the scheme, Candace Chapman Scott, was previously indicted in Arkansas.

Prosecutors said that, at times, Cedric Lodge would allow Maclean and Taylor to come to the morgue and "examine cadavers to choose what to purchase." He and his wife also allegedly shipped remains to Taylor and others out of state.

Taylor allegedly took some of the stolen remains back to Pennsylvania, where he lives, prosecutors said. He and Maclean resold the remains for profit, prosecutors said. Pauley allegedly purchased remains from Taylor, Maclean and Scott, who is accused of stealing remains from an Arkansas mortuary and crematorium where she worked, the statement said.

Prosecutors also accused Pauley of reselling remains he purchased to Lampi and others.

An attorney for Taylor previously declined to comment on the allegations. Attorneys for the other defendants have not responded to repeated requests for comment. All of the defendants pleaded not guilty except Pauley, who is expected to plead guilty under a plea deal.

The 15-page indictment does not go into extended detail about what the body parts were purchased for, but it does allege that Maclean shipped human skin to a man in Pennsylvania "and engaged in his services to tan the skin to create leather." It also mentions a payment from Taylor that had the memo "head number 7" and a separate transaction for "braiiiiiins."

The attorneys for the affected families said in their joint statement that they want to "hold everyone responsible for this disgrace accountable."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The family of Irvo Otieno is requesting a federal investigation into his death at a Virginia mental health facility

The family of Irvo Otieno  who died in March while being admitted to a Virginia mental health facility  is asking the Department of Justice for a federal investigation into his death, their attorneys announced Wednesday.

Seven sheriffs deputies and one hospital worker are facing second-degree murder charges in 28-year-old Otienos death, which the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.

The workers smothered him to death during the facilitys intake process, former Dinwiddie County Commonwealths Attorney Ann Baskervill has said.

The resources of the U.S. Department of Justice are necessary to ably and properly prosecute the defendants, Otieno family attorneys Ben Crump and Mark Krudys wrote in a letter to the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

The request for a federal criminal investigation comes after Baskervill  who filed the charges in the case  resigned her position last week.

One day before her resignation took effect, Baskervill dropped charges against two of the original 10 defendants in the case.

The decision to drop charges against two hospital employees was heavy but it was not difficult, Baskervill told CNN affiliate WTVR. Her resignation was due to personal health issues and is unrelated to the Otieno case, Baskervill told the station.

The attorneys for Otienos family told the Justice Department that her replacement, interim Commonwealths Attorney Jonathan Bourlier, has no prosecutorial experience and minimal trial experience.

Irvo Otieno was 28 when he died during intake at a state mental health facility in Dinwiddie County. - Ben Crump Law

In a statement Thursday, Bourlier said, Our focus in this tragedy is ensuring that justice prevails and accountability is had. That pursuit will be undertaken vigorously and diligently by all involved.

He quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and said, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Otienos family has said he was in the midst of a mental health crisis when he was being processed at the hospital.

Henrico County police officers first encountered Otieno on March 3 after they responded to a possible burglary and placed him under an emergency custody order. Under Virginia law, a person may be placed under an emergency custody order if there are concerns they may harm themselves or others as a result of mental illness.

The officers took Otieno to a hospital where authorities say he became physically assaultive towards officers. Police took him to Henrico County Jail and he was booked.

Three days later, Otieno was transferred to the mental health facility in Dinwiddie County where he died during the intake process. State police investigators were later told Otieno became combative and was physically restrained, the attorneys office said in a statement on March 14.

Surveillance video showed Otieno was held on the ground in handcuffs and leg irons for 12 minutes. Additional video showed he had previously been kept in a holding cell at the Henrico County Jail, where he was naked and pepper-sprayed by deputies, according to prosecutors.

The federal civil rights laws outlawing the application of excessive force by law enforcement officers are the appropriate vehicle to address the eight defendants conduct, attorneys Crump and Krudys wrote.

The defendants were released on bond, with the next hearings in their cases set for August. The Henrico Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4 has said it stands behind the deputies charged.

CNN reached out Wednesday to the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department for comment.

CNNs Sara Smart, Steve Almasy and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.

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Republican Will County Board member Dan Butler, of Frankfort, said he is in favor of saving the courthouse and believes it would be the more fiscally responsible choice. (Michelle Mullins/Daily Southtown)

Will County and Joliet officials should look northwest to the city of Rockford, which took historic, boarded up and abandoned buildings and revitalized them into thriving regional destinations, according to developers interested in transforming the vacant Will County courthouse into a centerpiece for downtown Joliet.

In Rockfords case, developers took advantage of tax incentives to convert buildings that had been abandoned for decades into banquet centers, riverfront and upscale restaurants, breweries, wood fire pizzerias and new housing, said architect Gary Anderson of Studio GWA.

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In one instance, Rockford officials wanted to spend $3 million to tear down the vacant Amerock factory, which they called the ugliest building, before citizens and business owners convinced the City Council to explore other possibilities. The building was renovated into the Embassy Suites hotel and convention center and has become a popular venue, Anderson said.

These are people spaces, Anderson said. We are not just talking about renovating a building. We are talking about places in which people can live, work and play.

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Architect Gary Anderson speaks about revitalizing the Rockford downtown from vacant businesses to thriving new opportunities. Joliet has similar characteristics to Rockford, he said. (Michelle Mullins/Daily Southtown)

Anderson said the developments were building blocks for revitalizing the downtown.

All of these projects have all been catalysts for the next project, he said.

Likewise, there has been support for repurposing the former Will County Courthouse, which some people have dubbed the Worlds Ugliest Courthouse.

Developers, preservationists, Will County residents and some County Board members offered their support Wednesday to the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission, which continued until July its discussion on whether to recommend landmark status for the building, which was used from 1969 to 2020 and has since sat vacant.

County officials plan to demolish the Brutalist-style concrete courthouse at, 14 W. Jefferson St., this fall.

Earlier this week, County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and Joliet Mayor Terry DArcy said they would like to build a joint Will County and city of Joliet government complex on that property. The cost of the complex is still to be determined.

The Joliet City Council has the final say over landmark status. DArcy said earlier this week he does not support landmark status, and it is up to the county to decide what to do with its building.

Democratic Will County Board member Janet Diaz, of Joliet, speaks in favor of preservation. (Michelle Mullins/Daily Southtown)

The County Board voted in 2019 to demolish it, but there has been a lot of turnover since then, and preserving the courthouse now has bipartisan support, said board member Dan Butler, a Frankfort Republican.

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The current conditions here in Will County around the courthouse are not atypical, said Ron Clewer, Illinois and Indiana market president with Gorman and Company, a national developer that also concentrates in historic, adaptive reuse projects. As a society we tend to look at buildings as disposable and we think that the best thing that could be done is tear down and rebuild.

Clewer said if a community collectively agrees its worth saving, there will be a significant number developers interested in working to build out the area. The courthouse could be renovated into housing, a hotel or office space for the county, he said.

Its not just about restoring the building, he said. Its also about creating a sense of place and creating experiences that people cannot have anywhere else.

It could take about $60 million to renovate the courthouse into a new county office building, and they could take advantage of federal and state tax credits, Clewer said.

When we talk about spending public money and investing in your downtown to create new opportunities, I think that is the real public benefit, he said. The decisions about making this a landmark property will create opportunities for you to redevelop the rest of your downtown.

Sharon Merwin, a historic preservation commission member, said while Joliet is the county seat, the issue affects all Will County residents.

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Naperville Preservation Inc. supports saving the courthouse, said Jane Burke, the groups vice president.

Democratic Will County Board member Sherry Williams, of Crest Hill, speaks in favor preserving the former courthouse. (Michelle Mullins/Daily Southtown)

County Board members, including Democrats Janet Diaz of Joliet and Sherry Williams of Crest Hill, also spoke in favor of preservation.

Theres so much potential, and we need to think about the potential Diaz said. Why would we not save our taxpayers money?

Preservationists said the county and city can either convert the courthouse into a new government campus or build that joint campus on a different site in Joliet while renovating the courthouse into something that would be complementary, such as a conference center and a rooftop restaurant.

Some Joliet residents said the courthouse should stay as it is, the soul of the community.

The citys past is reflected in its architectural history, said Victor Judd, of Joliet. As we look back it really doesnt matter whether the building is viewed as ugly or not. But  the 1969 courthouse reflects the values of Joliet in the mid-60s. Preserving the vision of the citizens of the mid-60s is just as important as preserving the vision of the people who built the Rialto (Theatre) in the 20s and the old prison 150 years ago.

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Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Lane Rozin wakes up every day in fear.

As SB 180  a new Kansas law that is among the most sweeping measures targeting transgender rights in the country  goes into effect on Saturday, Rozin is preparing to live a life that is more cautious.

Now when I go out in public I will be concerned of am I safe enough to use this restroom? Is the staff in this building going to support that I use this restroom? If something bad happens, what do I do? said Rozin, a 20-year-old trans man who lives in Lawrence and attends the University of Kansas.

My number one concern is I will go into a mens bathroom and I will be targeted physically, negatively.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly took steps to aggressively push back against the law on Thursday, setting up a showdown with Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach. State agencies will retain their current policies allowing trans residents to change the gender markers on their birth certificates and drivers licenses, Kellys office said, in direct conflict with Kobachs interpretation of the law.

Kobach says SB 180 prohibits state officials from any further changes to documents, and requires them over time to reverse previous updates.

Shortly after Kellys announcement, Kobach promised to sue.

The Governor has stated that SB 180 changes nothing with respect to drivers licenses and birth certificates. That is nonsense. The Legislature passed SB 180 and overrode Governor Kellys veto specifically to ensure that those documents reflect biological sex at birth, Kobach said in the second of two statements released by his office. The Governor doesnt get to veto a bill and then ignore the Legislatures override. She is violating her oath of office to uphold Kansas law. We will see her in court.

The fight between Kelly and Kobach holds important consequences for hundreds of trans residents who have obtained new birth certificates and drivers licenses in recent years.

Kansas was the first state to pass such a law, which defines man and woman based solely on sex at birth and is based on model legislation written by the Independent Womens Forum, a nonprofit policy organization critical of trans rights. The statute goes into effect July 1 along with a similar new law in Tennessee. Montanas own measure will take effect in October. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure this spring over Kellys veto.

The Kelly administration and Kobach both said the law only impacts state agencies and will not affect access to public accommodations because there is no enforcement mechanism included.

Still, the law is spurring a new era of fear and confusion in Kansas among trans and nonbinary residents, as well as the broader LGBTQ community, who see in SB 180 the start of an aggressive campaign to erase their identities from the public square and force them back into the shadows. Many worry the law will greenlight harassment and discrimination by members of the public. Rallies to protest SB 180 are planned across the state for Saturday.

I understand their anxiety. We obviously are taking a look at the implications of this and what, if anything, we need to do, Kelly told reporters Thursday before the governors office said it would continue to follow its current policies.

The laws proponents have spoken of a broad need to protect public spaces designated for women, such as restrooms, locker rooms and domestic violence shelters. Those spaces, they say, should only be open to women as defined under the bill. Some proponents dismiss the idea transgender identity as invalid.

The purpose of SB 180 was to provide a definition of what a woman is and that anywhere that exists in current statute that that definition is based on biological sex at birth. So that was the purpose, Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican, said at a press conference Monday. Truth matters, biology matters. You can choose whatever name you want, you can choose to live however you want. That does not make you a woman, hence, SB 180.

But days ahead of enactment the enforcement of the policy remains unclear.

Kobachs advisory opinion says any trans residents who had changed the gender marker on their state issued drivers licenses or birth certificates would need to revert that ID back to their sex assigned at birth. But Kobach did not address the question of public accommodations and whether the new law would govern who can use bathrooms in public buildings or access other single-sex accommodations that earn state funding.

Kellys administration said Thursday it was directing state agencies to follow their own legal counsels interpretation of the law. Access to single-sex public accommodations, the office said, would not be impacted at the private or public level because the bill contains no enforcement mechanism.

I have directed the agencies to follow SB 180 according to their legal counsels interpretation of the law. While my administration and the Attorney Generals Office have had many conversations about the law, KDHE and KDOR disagree about its impacts on their operations and will instead keep in place their policies regarding gender markers on birth certificates and drivers licenses, Kelly said in a statement.

Kyle Velte, a University of Kansas law professor who studies gender and the law, said the scope of Kansas law is broader than anti-trans policies that have been enacted across other states because it forces all state actors to use SB 180 when making services available specifically to men or women.

Theres not a lot of contexts it will come up in, but it will still be deeply harmful in those contexts, Velte said, mentioning prisons as one place that could be especially dangerous for trans individuals.

In some sense it is an attempt of erasure of trans people from public spaces.

Ted Eytan/Creative Commons

Will the law affect drivers licenses and birth certificates?

In 2019 Kellys administration struck a consent agreement that allowed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to change the gender marker on birth certificates, following a federal lawsuit from trans Kansans.

After Kobach asked a federal court to reopen that case last week and block birth certificate changes because of the new law, he said Monday that state agencies should no longer allow Kansans to change gender markers on their drivers licenses or birth certificates and documents previously changed should revert back to sex assigned at birth.

Kara Ingelhart, an Lambda Legal attorney who represented plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to the consent judgment, said she agreed with the Kelly administrations decision to continue allowing gender marker changes. The consent judgment, she said, applies regardless of SB 180.

SB 180 is badly crafted and doesnt require what Attorney General Kobach says it does, she said.

Ellen Bertels, a former attorney at Kansas Legal Services who helped residents change their official documents, said advocates for trans Kansans do not believe Kobach actually holds that power to wind back the clock on documents.

We have not seen any other state successfully argue that they have the power to unwind gender marker changes, Bertels said.

If you look at the law, theres no retroactive relief under SB 180. The Vital Statistics Office is still bound by the consent decree and unless Kobach succeeds on his motion for relief from the consent decree, they will continue to be bound, basically eternally, by that consent decree.

The possibility of no longer being able to change a gender marker sparked anxiety for several transgender Kansans.

Rozin has not yet changed his gender marker and said he has avoided considering what the process would entail after SB 180.

If I try to make that step it makes it more into a reality that this is a right thats being taken away from me, Rozin said.

Rozin said changing his name on his official documents still stood out to him as one of the most affirming actions hes ever taken. He had seen potentially changing his gender marking as an additional step that could prevent officials at the DMV from misgendering him.

Aidan Campbell, a 22-year-old transgender man from Lawrence, said he wasnt ready to take the step of changing his gender marker when SB 180 passed. At this point, he said, he will wait until he leaves Kansas, something he plans to do after finishing top surgery in the next two years.

I was forced to have to think about it before I was emotionally ready, Campbell said.

The situation is even more unclear for Kansas residents who have identification from other states. Adam Kellogg, a transgender man who attends KU, was born in Illinois. His drivers license and social security card identifies him as a man.

Im curious to see what Kobachs office wants to do with out of state birth certificates and how they compare to drivers licenses because the only way you would know I was born female was if I told you or had access to my medical records, he said.

Senate President Ty Masterson criticized Kellys decision.

The clear intent of the supermajority of the peoples representatives was to stop the indefensible and unscientific practice of changing vital statistics and legal identification, Masterson said. Accordingly, I support aggressive action by our attorney general to uphold the law and hold this administration accountable. Their oaths were to the Kansas Constitution, not the radical ideology of the extreme left.

Though Masterson said the intent of the Legislature was focused on vital statistics, the majority of legislative debate on the bill focused on who should be able to access female designated spaces like restrooms and locker rooms.

A demonstrator listens to speakers at a rally last week held in support of transgender youth in Kansas. It comes amid a raft of anti-transgender legislation in the Sunflower State. En1 1667 Andrew Bahl/The Topeka Capital-Journal/Andrew Bahl/The Topeka Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Public accommodations

Throughout legislative debate on the policy Kansas Republican lawmakers spoke consistently of a need to keep biological men out of female designated spaces. But it remains unclear exactly how the law will accomplish that.

The policy creates no direct enforcement mechanism for separating genders based upon reproductive capabilities but it does appear to lay a legal groundwork to protect future local ordinances or state laws that more directly bar transgender and nonbinary people from spaces that do not align with their sex assigned at birth.

The bill could clear a path for individuals to sue if they are made uncomfortable by sharing a single-sex space with a transgender or nonbinary individual.

Kellys administration and Kobach have said they do not believe public accommodations are impacted because of the lack of enforcement mechanism.

Kobach said the University of Kansas would not have to change any internal policies affecting student life.

SB 180 requires the University of Kansas to record its students as male or female based on the students sex at birth. That would affect a students eligibility for a scholarship that is only available to women. But it is unlikely to significantly affect the daily activities of students, he said in a statement to The Star. During his press conference, he criticized localities that declared themselves sanctuary cities stating that SB 180 doesnt create any criminal penalties and doesnt impose any obligations on any private individuals.

A spokeswoman for Kansas State University similarly said the university was under no obligation to change policies impacting the lives of transgender and nonbinary students.

School districts in Kansas did not immediately respond to questions from The Star about whether their policies for gender non-conforming students would change to comply with the law and local governments across the Kansas City area largely said they didnt expect an impact or were still evaluating the process.

Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Eudora Republican, said the Legislature didnt intend to include an enforcement mechanism for public spaces. Instead, she said, the bill was meant to empower women who may feel unsafe to speak up.

The whole idea was saying, Hey I have the right to say that Im uncomfortable with that person being in the bathroom with me. This is obviously a male and Im uncomfortable with that, Gossage said. They have the right to say that.

Earlier this month Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez announced she would not prosecute anyone under SB 180. Her office said they believed some portions of Kansas law could be applied in a discriminatory manner because of the law but could not provide any details. The Lawrence Police Department made a similar pledge to residents.

In Roeland Park, the city council added new guidance to the employee handbook specifically stating that transgender employees can use whichever facilities match their gender identity.

Iridescent Riffel, a trans woman who lives in Lawrence and works at the University of Kansas, said these steps made her comfortable to live in Lawrence but that sense of safety does not extend statewide.

Even though the enforcement of SB 180 on private individuals is unclear, she said, it really just pushes that we are not welcome here.

Kansans rally in support of trans rights outside the Kansas statehouse on March 31. Sherman Smith/The Kansas Reflector

She said she expects the enactment of SB 180 to open the door to more scrutiny of transgender individuals and cisgender individuals who may not have an conventionally accepted feminine or masculine appearance.

Its creating an environment of hostility, she said.

Recently, Riffel said, she went on a trip that pulled her outside the Douglas County limits. During the trip, she said, she was concerned about being attacked when she went to the restroom.

It really sets the tone that now I have to look over my shoulder. I have to look over my shoulder because my government will not stand up for my rights and protect me, she said.
PATERSON  They go by nicknames like Fat Cat, June Bug, Swaggy and Pork Chop.

Federal authorities say those alleged members of the Up Top street gang have engaged in a lucrative drug business in the 4th Ward streets around the Incca Village apartment complex for the past two years.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that 11 reputed members of the gang were arrested Thursday on drug conspiracy charges, while four suspects  two already in jail and two at-large  also were charged in the probe.

Not only did they deal these dangerous drugs in Paterson, certain gang members are alleged to have had guns to solidify their control of the drug trade, Sellinger said in a press release. We have no higher priority than taking apart these gangs and addressing the drivers of violence.

Sellingers office released a 48-page criminal complaint that included a series of wiretapped phone conversations that took place in April, May and June among alleged Up Top members engaged in drug deals.

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In a June 4 conversation, one of the accused leaders of the gang told another Up Top member that he found a tracking device used by law enforcement under his Malibu.

Thats what I was trying to tell you, the accused gang member said. Thats why I left that [expletive] over there. Word is bond.

One of the tapped phone calls came from a federal prison, the criminal complaint said.

Based on my training and experience, I know that drug dealers and others participating in illegal activity often support their close associates when their close associates are in prison and once their close associates are released from prison, wrote Special Agent Thomas Gilbride of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in the criminal complaint.

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Based on my training and experience, this includes giving money to a close associate upon his or her release from prison as a means of allowing the individual to re-enter the illegal drug trade more easily, Gilbride added.

The complaint did not identify the prison caller by name. Eight members of Up Top are in prison after being convicted of various drug crimes in a previous federal crackdown against the gang that culminated with arrests in April 2021.

The gang operates on the block bounded by Rosa Parks Boulevard and Governor, Carroll and Harrison streets, according to federal authorities.

All 15 alleged members named in the case were charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Several reputed Up Top members also were charged with gun possession crimes.

ATF is dedicated to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling gangs and criminal organizations, said Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the ATFs Newark Field Division, said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Up Top gang members in Paterson NJ arrested on drug charges
I fell for another patient in my psych ward, but he rejected me. The short relationship taught me about love and connection.

Edson Montenegro became infatuated with a fellow patient during their stay in a psych ward. Sam Brooks

In 2016, I was admitted to a psych ward, where I fell for another patient.

We connected quickly and were honest with each other about why we were there.

When he rejected me, I realized I'd just been reaching out for a connection.

Romantic comedies are always set in cinematic places: Hawaii, Singapore, and even Mykonos  with Meryl Streep in overalls. But I found the Chicago Behavioral Hospital to be the most luxurious place for romance.

In 2016, I was admitted to the hospital. I had to wear white, grippy socks and eat mashed potatoes. I was there to get better, but I accidentally became infatuated with a patient named Ezra.

Years later, I now see that it wasn't love at all, but that it was me reaching out for connection when I needed it the most.

I arrived at Chicago Behavioral Hospital in a white limousine with the word 'ambulance' emblazoned on it

The chauffeurs, who were adorably dressed as paramedics, must've thought, "Oh, brother. Edson is such an exhausted ingenue. We should find a way to carry them into Chicago Behavioral Hospital without making them walk." So, they decided to roll me in on a horse-drawn carriage, which some refer to as a "gurney." They led me into a brown, sterile office.

After speaking to the owner of "Chateau Behavioral," he let me know that my stay would be for at least six days until I showed signs of stability. He asked me to put all my belongings into a green trash bag, and I exchanged my clothes for a cyan smock.

He showed me to my room. It was one of the only front-facing rooms, with a window that overlooked a parking lot and a single oak tree. I had to share my suite with a man I called Walker, since he walked around with a CPAP machine. The bathroom had no door; the mirror was fused into the wall; and the showerhead was just a spout that came out of the ceiling.

That night, the staff asked us to gather in the grand ballroom for oysters  I mean, "group therapy." As I made my way down the hall, I passed the activity room, which contained a bookshelf, crayons, and a single TV. It was then that I locked eyes with one of the sexiest men I'd ever seen. He was around my age. Lean muscles kissed the seams of his smock. His beard was just starting to come in; I loved beards.

He smiled. I turned red.

His name was Ezra, and we connected quickly

He had been at Chicago Behavioral Hospital for about a week, and he liked video games. He didn't share why he was there, but I presumed it was to find someone like me.

"I'm glad another young person is here," he said. "Everyone is so weird and old."

"So weird and old," I responded. One point for Edson. "So what're you doing tonight?"

"Probably going to watch 'The Green Mile' in the activity room."

"No way. I was going to go hang out in the activity room."

"Right on."

That night, I showered in my spa-grade bath, said goodnight to Walker, and sashayed to the activity room.

Ezra wasn't there yet, so I had to find a way to make myself look mysterious, yet approachable. I looked at the bookshelf and immediately eyed the books of word-search puzzles. I grabbed one and tried to find a good place for him to see me; the drab chairs weren't cutting it. Like a woman in a Renaissance painting or Katherine Heigl sprawled across Danny's hospital bed, I sat on the ground, with my back against the door frame. For at least an hour, I worked on these word searches. Eventually, I heard footsteps.

"Hey, Edson," said Ezra. "Can I sit with you?"

We proceeded to talk for hours. I noticed the giant scar on his arm, and he confided that he'd tried setting himself on fire in his car.

I paused.

He didn't have to be honest with me, but he did. I'd never been honest with anyone about my drinking up until then. All I wanted was to feel something other than shame for the fact that I was a 20-year-old in the psych ward. But something about disclosing the darkest parts of ourselves made me feel like we could fall in love.

I told him the reason I was there: The night before, I had woken up from a blackout to an email from a woman whose apartment I'd tried breaking into, and I wanted to die. He thanked me for sharing that. That made me smile. So I asked the logical follow-up question: "Want to come spend the night with me?"

Ezra got up and walked to his room. For the rest of my time there, we never spoke. What I had thought was a magnetic moment of intimacy had turned out to be a total dud.

I now know that I was just confusing love for connection

This all happened in 2016 and, looking back, I was living in delusion du jour. I mistook honesty for love. As a young gay alcoholic, I was desperate to connect with another person  frankly, I would word vomit until one forcibly liked me.

I've since learned that honesty is not a tool for people-pleasing; it is an invitation. Expectations cannot arise from it and, much like an invitation, not everyone has to accept. Sharing a part of me means that you have permission to share a part of you. And there are many parts to see: romantic, platonic, creative, and so on. In my experience, if someone closes the door after I bare it all, that doesn't mean that those parts of me are unlovable. It just means that someone else is waiting to keep the door open.

Editor's Note: The names in this essay have been changed to protect those people's identities.

Read the original article on Insider
UPDATE: Joshua Alexander Farmer was charged with murder on July 5. The Hamilton County Coroner's Office identified the woman killed in this case as 33-year-old Kaylah Ann Farmer, "a mother of three, a daughter and a friend to many," Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart said in a statement released Friday. "Our focus will be to bring resolution and justice to Kaylah's family." No other information about the case would be released by the police department, the chief said.

Original article: Fishers police are asking the publics help finding a man following the fatal shooting of a woman at a gas station Wednesday night.

Joshua Alexander Farmer, 32, of Noblesville has been named a person of interest in the shooting thats believed to have stemmed from a domestic-related conflict. Police have not announced details about how Farmer is believed to be involved in the shooting, saying Thursday morning that investigators "believe that he has information that would be helpful in solving this case."

Police said Farmer was last seen driving a 2020 maroon Kia Soul, which they later found in Indianapolis.

The shooting was reported shortly after 5 p.m. at a Speedway gas station in the 7200 block of East 116th Street, near Allisonville Road. Responding officers found the woman with multiple gunshot wounds inside a red Chrysler van. Police identified the woman as Kaylah Farmer, who had three children.

Anyone with information about Farmer is asked to call 317-595-3254. Police said Farmer is wanted on several warrants out of Hamilton County and considered armed and dangerous.

Contact the reporter at 317-503-7514.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fishers gas station killing: Kaylah Ann Farmer identified
Five things to know about the Texas heat wave

A scorching heat wave thats been sweeping over Texas since early June is spreading to surrounding states in the southern U.S., bringing with it record-high temperatures and heightened risks for heat-related injuries and deaths.

Here are five things to know about the heat wave:

Record heat sweeps Texas

Texas has been facing the brutal heat wave for three straight weeks, resulting in record-setting temperatures across the state.

Rio Grande Village has consistently had the highest temperature in the country in recent days, reaching a scorching 119 degrees Friday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Del Rio reached an all-time high temperature of 115 degrees last Wednesday and has seen 10 straight days of daily records, NWS Austin/San Antonio reported.

Much of Texas remained under some form of heat warning or advisory Wednesday, with the northeastern portion of the state facing an excessive heat warning.

The intense heat has placed increased pressure on Texass electric grid, with preliminary data Tuesday showing that power usage reached an all-time high of 80,828 megawatts, according to Reuters.

Texans have remained wary of the capacity of the states isolated electric grid after it failed amid a deadly winter storm in 2021 that claimed more than 200 lives.

Heat drives a wave of injuries, deaths

At least 13 deaths in Texas and another in Louisiana have been attributed to the punishing temperatures, the Associated Press reports.

In just one county, nine Texans have been lost to the heat, according to Webb County Medical Examiner Dr. Corinne Stern, who said at a meeting that residents have been caught off-guard by unprecedented temperatures.

The heat wave has also reportedly been behind hundreds of injuries and emergency room admissions. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows 847 heat-related illnesses per 100,000 emergency department visits logged for the week of June 18-24 in the region including Texas  compared to 639 logged for the region that week last year, and 328 the year prior.

Tuesday alone saw 1,039 heat-related illnesses per 100,000 emergency visits, according to the data.

Increased heat-related danger persists this week due to the longevity of this ongoing heatwave, NWS said Tuesday.

Several state attorneys general called on the federal government in February to create national standards to protect workers from deadly heat. A report released last month estimated that as many as 2,000 workers die every year from excessive heat exposure, and up to 170,000 suffer heat stress injuries annually.

However, in Texas, recent legislation stripped authority from the states largely Democratic-run cities, nullifying many existing ordinances, including those in Austin and Dallas, that established heat protections for construction workers.

Heat dome is driving record temperatures

Driving the record temperatures is a heat dome, a lid that forms when high-pressure circulation in the atmosphere traps hot air off the ocean.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers have found that the main cause of a heat dome is a strong change (or gradient) in ocean temperatures from west to east in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the preceding winter.

With heat trapped in the dome, theres little chance of rain, and the end result is a continual build-up of heat at the surface that we experience as a heat wave, according to NOAA.

A heat dome hit the Pacific Northwest in summer 2021, bringing temperatures in Portland, Ore., to a record 116 degrees. Some 800 people died in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia during the punishing weather event.

Oregons Multnomah County last week sued 17 oil companies and other institutions, alleging fossil fuel pollution drove the heat dome.

High temperatures are spreading to other states

Heat advisories and excessive heat warnings have already spread to at least seven states around Texas in the southern U.S. as the high temperatures expand, and are expected to remain in effect through the end of this week.

The record high temperatures that have been mostly over Texas and far southeast New Mexico over the past week will now be expanding into portions of the Central Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and central Gulf coastal region over the next few days, the NWS said in its Wednesday update.

The NWS predicts numerous record-high max temperatures are possible over the next few days in the affected areas, with high temperatures slated to reach eastward to cities like Little Rock and Nashville.

This will continue to produce life threatening heat wave conditions across a large portion of the nation from southeast New Mexico, through much of the Southern Plains, eastern Kansas, into the Lower Mississippi Valley, Lower Ohio Valley, Lower Tennessee Valley and the central Gulf coastal region, forecasters said.

The NWS said Sunday afternoon that oppressive heat across the southern U.S. is not going anywhere soon.

Climate change behind extreme weather, scientists say

The heat dome now smothering Texas comes as wildfires raging in Canada waft dangerous levels of smoke into parts of the Northern Plains, the Great Lakes region, Ohio Valley, and Mid-Atlantic, prompting air quality alerts in more than a dozen states.

The NWS notes heat is also building in California on the west coast, and severe thunderstorms are possible along the northern edge of the southern heat wave, across the Central Plains into the Mid-Mississippi Valley and Lower Ohio Valley regions.

Heat dome. Fire season. These words were never part of our vernacular. Now theyre an increasingly common challenge. Were living in a #climatechanged, wrote Princeton University professor Jesse D. Jenkins on Twitter.

University of California Santa Barbaras Dr. Leah Stokes said, climate change is driving extreme heat across the Southern US right now. And its killing peoplein this case a teenager and his stepfather out on a hike in a national park in Texas.

Record-breaking heat wave in Texas. NYC & Chicago recording the worst air quality of major cities in the world due to wildfire smoke. First US cases of malaria in decades. Climate change is the biggest public health threat humanity faces, and its happening now, said Columbia University public health communicator Lucky Tran.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Cracker Barrel and lots of flies lowlight this weeks Sick and Shut Down List of South Florida restaurants that failed state inspection.

After last weeks multi-county representation, only Broward County makes an appearance this week. But, the same rules remain:

What follows comes from Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation restaurant inspections of restaurants in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. These are the restaurants that fail inspection. A restaurant that fails inspection remains closed until passing a re-inspection.

We dont do the inspections. We dont control who gets inspected. We dont control how strictly the inspector inspects. If restaurants in your part of South Florida are not included, we have nothing to do with that. If you see a problem and want a place inspected, contact the DBPR.

We dont include all violations, just the most moving, whether internally or literally moving (because its alive or once was alive). Some violations get corrected immediately after the inspector points them out. But in those situations, ask yourself, why did the violations exist in the first place? And, how long would they have remained if not for the inspection?

We report without passion or prejudice, but with sauce made of of humor (and, dashes of indignation and exasperation).

In alphabetical order...

Black Rock Bar & Grill, 2554 N. University Dr., Sunrise: Complaint inspection, 14 total violations, 4 High Priority violations.

The dishwasher machine should clean and sanitize. Hard to do when the sanitizer in the sanitation solution measures zero.

The fish in a vacuum-sealed, reduced-oxygen package had a label saying it should be kept frozen until used. Therefore, it shouldnt be found thawed in the refrigerator.

Cooler doors blocked a handwash sink, so you know thats a low traffic area.

Observed two open containers with flour and sugar in the kitchen area.

Maybe somebody shouldve slapped a top on those containers, seeing as how flies collected in this joint the way people congregate in Costco on a Saturday, including 20 live flying insects in the kitchen landing on flour and sugar containers.

Two flies alighted on a working cookline food prep table. Six flies landed on food prep shelves. Seven flies played on the dining area walls and tables. Another 15 landed on not-clean-any-longer utensils and surfaces in the dishwashing area.

When the inspector returned the next day, 30 flies were counted in the kitchen and dining room.

Black Rock had to wait until the next day to pass a re-re-inspection.

Cracker Barrel, 1250 SW 11th Way, Deerfield Beach: Complaint inspection, two total violations, one High Priority violation

This is all about the roaches and not the dead one on the ground next to the prep area handwashing sink.

The inspector spotted 10 live roaches inside a cookline reach-in cooler that wasnt in use.

Cracker Barrel passed a same day re-inspection.

Piman, 1560 NE Fourth Ave., Fort Lauderdale: Routine inspection, five total violations, three High Priority violations.

Above it all, the ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents were soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance.

Down in the kitchen, five flies landed on a food prep table.

And the front cashier accepted cash then engaged in filling food containers without washing hands or wearing gloves. But, in fairness, the inspector noted, she was unable to wash hands due to the lack of water.

There it is. Thats what got Piman shuttered for the day. Establishment operating with no potable running water. No running water at the handwash sinks, bathroom, kitchen, the three-compartment sink or mop sink.

Thatll get you closed. Piman came correct and wet during the next days re-inspection.
Was your flight canceled due to bad weather? What you need to know about rebooking, refunds and more

A traveler checks the departures flight board at the United Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International airport, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

WASHINGTON (AP)  Hundreds of thousands of air travelers are facing potential flight cancellations and delays this weekend, the peak of summer travel, as thunderstorms threaten the East Coast, West Coast and points in between.

Nearly 270 U.S. flights were canceled early Friday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware, and more than 1,100 U.S. flights were delayed. It's been a terrible week for United Airlines and it is leading all major domestic carriers again Friday both canceled and delayed flights.

Staying calm  and knowing your rights  can go a long way if your flight is canceled, experts say. Heres some of their advice for dealing with a flight cancellation:

MY FLIGHT WAS CANCELED. WHAT NEXT?

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the DOT and Federal Aviation Administration were working closely with airlines to help minimize flight disruptions resulting from extreme weather heading into the July Fourth holiday.

But if your flight is cancelled, most airlines will rebook you for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

If you want to cancel the trip, you are entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. Youre also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.

Kurt Ebenhoch, a consumer travel advocate and former airline spokesperson, has stressed that travelers are eligible for a refund, not just vouchers for future travel. If you do take a voucher, make sure you inquire about blackout dates and other restrictions on its use.

CAN I ASK TO BE BOOKED ON ANOTHER AIRLINES FLIGHT?

Yes. Airlines arent required to put you on another airlines flight, but they can, and sometimes do, according to the DOT. Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir.com, previously recommended researching alternate flights while youre waiting to talk to an agent. Agents are typically under a lot of pressure when a flight is canceled, so giving them some options helps.

Ebenhoch also suggested looking for alternative airports that are close to your original destination.

IS THE AIRLINE REQUIRED TO GIVE ME A HOTEL ROOM, OR OTHER COMPENSATION?

No. As announced last month, the Biden adminstration is seeking to require that airlines compensate travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the carrier's control  but, as of now, each airline still has its own policies about providing for customers whose flights are canceled, according to the DOT.

Many airlines do offer accommodations, so you should check with their staff. The DOT also has an online dashboard that allows travelers to compare cancelation and delay policies of major carriers.

IM FACING A LONG WAIT TO REBOOK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If someone in your traveling party is at a higher level in a frequent flier program, use the number reserved for that level to call the airline, Ebenhoch said. You can also try calling an international help desk for the airline, since those agents have the ability to make changes.

HOW CAN I AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE?

Ebenhoch said nonstop flights and morning flights are generally the most reliable if you can book them. If youre worried about making it to the airport in time for a morning flight, he said, consider staying at a hotel connected to the airport the night before. And consider flying outside of busy dates.

Klee recommended comparing airlines policies on the DOTs service dashboard. He also suggests reserving multiple flights and then canceling the ones you dont use, as long as the airline will refund your money or convert it into a credit for a future flight.

ARE FLIGHT CANCELATIONS TRENDING LOWER IN 2023?

Flight cancellations trended lower throughout the spring of 2023 than last year, according to data from the FAA.

Industry officials argue that carriers have fixed problems that contributed to a surge in flight cancellations and delays last summer, when 52,000 flights were nixed from June through August. Airlines have hired about 30,000 workers since then, including thousands of pilots, and they are using bigger planes to reduce flights but not the number of seats.

Still, officials warn of lingering staffing shortages, notably among key air traffic controllers. The FAA is training about 3,000 more controllers, but they wont be ready for this summer's travel. The agency resorted to nudging airlines to reduce flights in the New York City area this summer, and it opened 169 new flight paths over the East Coast to reduce bottlenecks.

In a government audit published last week, the Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General found that the FAA has made limited efforts" to have adequate staffing at critical air traffic control facilities, noting that the agency continues to face staffing challenges and lacks a plan to address them, which in turn poses a risk to the continuity of air traffic operations.
Two Florida police officers are under investigation after one of the cops admitted to putting their 3-year-old son in jail over potty training issues last year, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Daytona Beach Shores Lt. Michael Schoenbrod told a Department of Children and Families caseworker that his son was having difficulty with toilet training and was jailed on successive days in October.

He was crying. I was getting the response I expected from him, said Schoenbrod, as captured on body camera footage by a Volusia County Sheriffs Office deputy.

The officers son was reportedly handcuffed the second time he was jailed.

Schoenbrod said hed also put his other child in jail. He told the caseworker that he did something similar with his then-4-year-old son after he hit a girl and was misbehaving at preschool, the News-Journal reported.

He was crying and everything, and to this day, if you mention, like, that incident, hes just like, I would never do that again. It was effective, Schoenbrod said.

EXCLUSIVE: A Daytona Beach Shores police lieutenant and sergeant on successive days put a 3-year-old behind bars as a potty-training lesson. City is not saying whether they faced discipline. https://t.co/x6Q8iGIyvj  Mark Harper (@MarkHarper36) June 28, 2023

Schoenbrod, who said his son vowed to never again poop his pants, co-parents the child with Det. Sgt. Jessica Long of the Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department.

The department launched an internal investigation of the two, but findings have not been released. It remains unclear whether the city has or will discipline the officers.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal noted that the two officers had 20 hours of unpaid leave last month.

Neither the Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department nor an attorney for Schoenbrod and Long responded to a HuffPosts request for comment.

Read the full story in The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Related...
The former CEO of a technology education company was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit program of nearly $105 million, the largest fraud case for the program, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.

Michael Bostock, 54, of Nampa, Idaho, pleaded not guilty in September 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bostock founded California Technical Academy, or CTA, a VA-approved school that offered technical training programs.

Investigators said the school received more than $32 million in tuition payments for nearly 1,800 veterans from 2012 to 2022. Over that same time, veterans enrolled in VA-approved courses at CTA collectively received more than $72 million in education-related government benefits.

Investigators said Bostock and his co-conspirators made false and fraudulent representations to the VA regarding, among other things, veterans enrollment in approved courses of study, class attendance, and grades, according to the release.

Bostock also falsified veterans contact information by using phone numbers he and his co-conspirators controlled to keep investigators from contacting the veterans and, along with his accused accomplices, impersonated students when regulators called the numbers to get information about the school, according to the Department of Justice.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was enacted to aid our military veterans and their families on behalf of a nation grateful for their service, Kenneth Polite Jr., assistant attorney general for the DOJs criminal division, said in a release last September announcing Bostocks guilty plea. These frauds drain funds from a vital veterans program and undermine public faith in the administration of government.

This is not the first major case of financial fraud related to GI education benefits. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey, a company called Ed4Mil would target veterans and recruit them to enroll in courses that they thought were through a private liberal arts college. But the organization would charge the federal government for courses through Ed4Mil. The leader of the fraud scheme, David Alvey, pocketed more than $20 million from the effort.

The VA Office of Inspector General, aided by the Veterans Benefits Administration-Education Service, investigated the case.

Military Times could not find a name for Bostocks attorney to reach for comment.

Bostocks co-defendants, Eric Bostock and Philip Abod, will have their sentences handed down in October.

Eric Bostock, 47, of Riverside, California, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in September.
A former Google executive has launched a campaign for California Sen. Dianne Feinsteins (D) seat, which the longtime lawmaker is vacating following the 2024 elections, adding to a race already featuring three prominent House Democrats.

Lexi Reese, who also previously worked for Facebook, announced her bid Thursday as an outsider to politics running for office for the first time. She joins Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in the contest.

Reese said in her campaign launch video that she is running on issues including ensuring equal pay for equal work for women, protecting reproductive and LGBTQ rights and reducing gun violence. She said the California dream is dying for people seeking to have a more secure life.

But we are going to have to work together. Because thats what the California dream is supposed to be about, she said.

And Im dreaming of a better future for families, for women, for all of us. Together, Reese continued.

She filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission earlier this month and designated a committee to raise funds for her candidacy. She also indicated that she planned to spend some of her personal funds on the campaign.

With Feinsteins impending retirement from her seat after three decades, the race for her successor will be hotly contested.

Much of Reeses website introduces her to voters and outlines her background. She served as vice president for global programmatic platforms for Google and also worked for American Express.

Californias open primary system means the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election next November regardless of party identification.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers MVP Steve Garvey is reportedly considering a run for the seat as a Republican. GOP attorney Eric Early, who unsuccessfully ran for state attorney general twice and for Congress once, has already jumped in the race.

In a heavily Democratic-leaning state, the seat will likely remain occupied by a Democrat. A Republican has not won a race to the U.S. Senate in California since 1988.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A free concert by Northside Brass will be presented at noon Monday at Lords Park Zoo in Elgin. (Northside Brass/HANDOUT)

Elgin distributing free Fourth of July fireworks signs

Elgin is providing free yard signs urging people to respect their neighbors, veterans and pets by not setting off fireworks before or on the Fourth of July holiday.

There are three versions of the signs, available in both English and Spanish. One reads: No Fireworks, Please. Celebrate Independence Day in a Neighborly Sort of Way. The other two say, Please respect veterans. No Fireworks and For the love of pets. No Fireworks.

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Signs can be picked up between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. daily in the lobby of the Elgin Police Department, 151 Douglas Ave., or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 30, and Monday, July 3, at Elgin City Hall, 150 Dexter Court.

Northside Brass performing free concert at Lords Park Zoo

Geneva-based Northside Brass will present a free concert at noon Monday, July 3, in Lords Park Zoo in Elgin hosted by Chamber Music on the Fox.

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No tickets are required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic lunches.

The park is located at 207 Grand Blvd. For more information, go to chambermusiconthefox.org or www.northsidebrass.com.

Anderson Humane seeking donations to fix air conditioner

Anderson Humane is holding an emergency fundraiser to replace a broken air conditioner at its South Elgin shelter.

The shelter posted about the breakdown on its Facebook page Tuesday evening, June 27 Early Wednesday morning, June 28

The equipment broke down overnight June 27-28 and repairs will cost more than $5,000, Anderson CEO Dean Daubert said in a Facebook post. They have raised more than $3,030 so far.

For more information on making a donation, go to www.facebook.com/AndersonHumaneConnects or call 847-697-2880.
A former KCTV5 television anchor has alleged she was denied opportunities due to her race and sex during her final three years working for the station in a Kansas District Court discrimination lawsuit.

She also accused her employers of punishing her for taking time off to attend to an anxiety-related disability that she developed while working for the news channel, according to the lawsuit petition filed Monday.

Kelli Taylor, who is Black, joined the Kansas City television station in 2017 as a reporter and went on to secure a position as an anchor three years later. But when a new company, Gray Media Group, purchased the station and instated a news director from another market in 2022  Taylor was demoted.

The lawsuit contends Taylor was not given the same opportunities as her white counterparts, many of whom were men who were allegedly chosen to fill vacant positions which Taylor believes the company did not consider her for due to her race and sex. Then, she alleges, the company retaliated after she took a leave of absence to seek treatment for her disability.

A lawsuit filed in 2017 by another former KCTV5 news anchor also accused the news station owners of discrimination. In that case the previous owners of the station, Meredith Corporation, were being sued for age and gender-related discrimination. The case was settled about a year later.

Gray Media Group and the current General Manager of KCTV5, Curtis Miles, were not immediately available to respond to requests for comment.

New management

According to the lawsuit, Taylor was promoted to the coveted position of third anchor on KCTV5s daily morning news show in 2020.

The new title made her responsible for breaking news each morning. She would arrive at the Fairway, Kansas studio as early as 4:30 a.m. for the morning show and leave by 1 p.m., after helping anchor the channels noon broadcast, court documents said.

By December 2021, the owners of the station, Meredith Corporation, had sold the enterprise to Gray Media Group. The incoming leadership allegedly brought in new employees to KCTV5, including hiring a new station general manager and news director.

Kate Glover, the news director, allegedly demoted Taylor as one of her first acts on the job, which started Feb. 7, 2022.

About a month prior, Taylor was diagnosed with Shiftwork Sleep Disorder which caused a loss of appetite, concentration and severe fluctuations in energy. The symptoms allegedly were connected to the uncommon hours and amount of anxiety Taylor experienced at work.

Glover also told Taylor the approved vacation time she had requested in Sept. 2021 would no longer be honored since she had called in sick, court documents said.

But, Taylor alleges, Glover did not penalize other employees for calling in sick.

She believes this was the first instance of discriminatory treatment.

So many obstacles

At the direction of Glover following her demotion, Taylor was made to work in a new role as a part-time anchor and part-time field reporter.

The new schedule allotted less time for Taylor to complete critical tasks like preparing for live reports, court documents said.

She was scheduled to arrive at the studio by 4:30 a.m. to prepare for the 5 a.m. morning broadcast, giving her only 30 minutes to prepare for live shots. Other field reporters, however, were told to arrive by 3:30 a.m.

When Taylor allegedly told Glover she needed more time to prepare to report live on the news channel, like other reporters, and requested to instead report for the 6 a.m. broadcast  she was denied.

A therapist suggested Taylor take time four weeks off work to address symptoms of her disability that had grown unmanageable. Glovers reaction was hostile and frustrated, according to court documents.

Taylors time off was ultimately approved.

But, she alleges, Glover discussed Taylors leave improperly with colleagues and said to the channels executive producer Taylor would never be on the desk again.

When another position on the morning news desk became vacant, Taylor was neither notified nor considered for the role, court documents said.

On April 4, 2022, Taylor returned from her FMLA leave and found another news anchor, who is described in court documents as white and not disabled, had been placed in her anchor slot.

Taylor allegedly was demoted to full-time field reporter.

Shortly after, she determined Gray was placing so many obstacles in her way that it became impossible for her to continue working at the company. Taylor believes she was made victim to race, sex and disability related discrimination and subsequent retaliation.

She is seeking at least $75,000 in damages as a preliminary amount so that the lawsuit can be filed in federal court.
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

GOOGLE ALUMNA LEXI REESE ANNOUNCES SENATE RUN, WILL RUN AS A DEM

Via Jenavieve Hatch...

Lexi Reese announced this morning that she will join the crowded race to succeed Sen. Dianne Feinstein and launch her bid for U.S. Senate. The San Mateo Democrat will run as a political outsider and progressive business leader to fix Californias economy, she said in her campaign launch video.

To build a California where women and working moms get equal pay for equal work, freedom to choose when and whether to have kids, freedom from senseless gun violence that just has to stop, and the freedom to be who we are and love who we love.

Reese is a first-time candidate with a background in tech and finance; she held senior positions at American Express, Google, and Facebook. She was the Chief Operating Officer at human resources platform Gusto, and served as Executive in Residence at General Catalyst, a responsible innovation venture capital firm.

As a working mom, Ive spent my career in nonprofits and at technology and financial services businesses  working to help create economic opportunity for women and small businesses, Reese said.

Reese formed an exploratory committee earlier this month; polls for the committee showed that 47% of voters across party lines are still undecided about who theyll vote for in the March 2024 primary, and that the major Democratic candidates  Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee, and Katie Porter  are not well-known to most voters. Lake Research Partners, which also polls for President Joe Biden, found that Reps. Barbara Lee and Katie Porter especially have lower name recognition across the state (66% of poll respondents either have no opinion or have not heard of Rep. Lee, and 58% said the same about Porter).

Reese said her own experience suffering from financial insecurity is a major reason she is running. Her familys trajectory changed when her father lost his job unexpectedly, resulting in her mom working full-time to provide for the family. Reeses siblings battled addiction; she lost her brother, Peter, to the disease.

So yeah, she said. I understand what financial uncertainty can do to a family.

AS HIS TIME AS SPEAKER DRAWS NIGH, RENDON OFFERS SOME PARTING THOUGHTS

Via Lindsey Holden...

Outgoing Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon was in a reflective mood Wednesday at one of his last public appearances as a legislative leader.

The Lakewood Democrat looked back on his speakership in conversation with former California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye at a Public Policy Institute of California event.

Assemblyman Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, is set to be sworn in as the bodys new speaker on Friday, ending Rendons more than seven-year tenure in the role.

Rendon struck a professorial tone while talking with Cantil-Sakauye, who currently serves as CEO of the PPIC. He repeatedly referenced literature and philosophy while sharing existential concerns about climate change and the state of the country.

I have a four-year-old daughter  will she live to be 25? I dont know. The way the planet is trending, Im not sure, Rendon said. Will we have Democracy in this country in two to three years? I dont know. I think this question is unanswered.

Here are a few highlights from Rendons hour-long conversation.

On his proudest accomplishment as speaker: A very local issue: my work on the redevelopment of the Los Angeles River  the lower Los Angeles River, in particular  its transformative, but its an analogy for the larger state. We seem to have incredible pockets of development and redevelopment throughout the state. And you see that all over the state where theres uneven or unequal distribution of resources and those types of things.

On eating lunch in the Capitol rotunda when the Legislature left the building during the COVID-19 pandemic: Id take my sack lunch and Id put the music on  it sounds great in the rotunda  it was just these sort of moments of, like, freedom. When you break from what you normally do, and you can do interesting things.

On his regrets as a leader: I put up with a lot of s--t, like any manager. We can be overly forgiving at times  I removed some (Assembly committee) chairs from people and those types of things  But I think to a large extent, I always wanted to kind of be, like, forgiving and kind of provide people with opportunities for redemption. I dont always know that I was as quick to punish as I should have.

On running for state Treasurer: Im incredibly proud of the work we have done as a state. Our rainy day fund is larger than the budget of 30-some states. That has real consequences for people. For me, being in that role is an opportunity to continue to work on the states fiscal future. As unsexy as that sounds, the fiscal future of the state has direct impacts on the programs and services that we all want to see as a state.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Im grateful the CA Supreme Court will take up the Constitutionality of Prop 22. The corporate gig companies have attempted to silence the voices of all the those who have challenged them: their drivers, worker advocates & legislators. We wont give up.

- California Labor Federation head, former Assemblywoman and AB 5 author Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, via Twitter.

Best of The Bee:
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine Thursday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a crucial moment in the war with Russia.

Pence, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, arrived in the country just after the Wagner mercenary group's rebellion that advanced toward Moscow and the deadly Russian missile strike on a crowded pizza restaurant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk.

Pence's trip marks the first visit to Ukraine by a Republican presidential candidate since announcing a bid for the White House. The former vice president has been one of the most outspoken candidates calling for continued U.S. support for Ukraine, breaking with current front-runners including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

"I believe Americas the leader of the free world," Pence told NBC News. "But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies."

So far during his visit, Pence has received a briefing by Ukrainian officials on the county's current security situation and laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St. Michael's Cathedral, according to a statement from Pence's campaign.

Pence traveled to Ukraine with Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Christian humanitarian organization, which he previously traveled with to Ukraine in March 2022 and toured the Poland-Ukrainian border.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP hopeful Mike Pence meets with Zelenskyy in surprise Ukraine trip
French riots spread in third night of unrest over police shooting

French riots spread in third night of unrest over police shooting

By Layli Foroudi and Noemie Olive

NANTERRE, France (Reuters) -France saw unrest spread to major cities in a third night of riots on Thursday as President Emmanuel Macron fought to contain a mounting crisis triggered by the deadly police shooting of a teenager of Algerian and Moroccan descent during a traffic stop.

Forty thousand police officers were deployed across France - nearly four times the numbers mobilised on Wednesday - but there were few signs that government appeals to de-escalate the violence would quell the widespread anger.

In Nanterre, the working-class town on the western outskirts of Paris where 17-year-old Nahel M. was shot dead on Tuesday, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets and hurled projectiles at police following a peaceful vigil.

Protesters scrawled "Vengeance for Nahel" across buildings and as night set a bank was lit on fire before firefighters put it out and an elite police unit deployed an armoured vehicle.

In central Paris, a Nike shoe store was broken into, and 14 people were arrested and 16 more were arrested with stolen objects after store windows were smashed along the rue de Rivoli shopping street, Paris police said.

National police said on Thursday night that officers faced new incidents in Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse and Lille, including fires and fireworks.

Videos on social media showed numerous fires across the country, including at a bus depot in a suburb north of Paris and a tram in the eastern city of Lyon.

In Marseille, France's second city, police fired tear gas grenades during clashes with youths in the tourist hot-spot of Le Vieux Port, the city's main paper La Provence reported.

The incident has fed longstanding complaints of police violence and systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies from rights groups and within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs around major cities in France.

The local prosecutor said the officer involved had been put under formal investigation over voluntary homicide and would be held in prison in preventive detention.

Under France's legal system, being placed under formal investigation is akin to being charged in Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions.

"The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met," Pascal Prache, the prosecutor, told a news conference.

SINGLE BULLET

The teenager was shot during Tuesday's morning rush hour. He initially failed to stop after the Mercedes AMG he was driving was spotted in a bus lane. Two police officers caught up with the car in a traffic jam.

When the car tried to get away, one officer fired at close range through the driver's window. Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

The officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a car chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt after the teenager allegedly committed several traffic violations.

The officer's lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, said his client had asked for the victim's family to forgive him. He said the officer had aimed down towards the driver's leg but was bumped, causing him to shoot towards his chest.

"He had to be stopped, but obviously (the officer) didn't want to kill the driver," Lienard said on BFM TV, adding that his client's detention was being used to try to calm rioters.

Nahel was known to police for previously failing to comply with traffic stop orders, Prache said.

Macron on Wednesday said the shooting was unforgivable. As he convened his emergency meeting he also condemned the unrest.

VIGIL MARCH

At a march in Nanterre in memory of Nahel, participants railed against what they perceived as a culture of police impunity and a failure to reform law enforcement in a country that has experienced waves of rioting and protests over police conduct.

Thousands thronged the streets. Riding atop a flatbed lorry, the teenager's mother waved to the crowd wearing a white T-shirt reading "Justice for Nahel" and the date of his death.

"I have nothing against the police. I have something against one person, he who killed my son. He did not have to kill my son," Nahel's mother told France 5 television after the march.

The unrest has revived memories of riots in 2005 that convulsed France for three weeks and forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police.

Two officers were acquitted in a trial 10 years later.

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

Karima Khatim, a local councillor in Blanc Mesnil north east of Paris, said people's patience was running thin.

"We've experienced this injustice many times before," she said.

(Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Layli Foroudi, Noemie Olive, Leigh Thomas and Michel Rose; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by John Stonestreet, Frank Jack Daniel, Alexandra Hudson, Daniel Wallis and Gerry Doyle)
Macron called the violence 'unjustifiable' (Geoffroy Van der Hasselt)

France's leadership said all options were open on Friday, including a state of emergency, to clamp down on three nights of violent and fiery protests over a policeman's killing of a teen.

After a night of car torching and shops being ransacked as well as hundreds of arrests, calls have grown from the conservative and far-right opposition to give authorities increased powers.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the government is "looking at all options" when asked about a possible state of emergency, although some ministers are known to oppose the step.

Declaring an emergency would give authorities more powers to enact localised curfews, ban demonstrations, and give police more freedom in restraining suspected rioters and searching homes.

The hardening tone came after police sources said Thursday night was marked by pillaging of shops, reportedly including flagship branches of Nike and Zara in Paris.

Public buildings across the country were also targeted, including police stations, schools and town halls.

President Emmanuel Macron rushed back to France from a Brussels summit to helm a crisis meeting -- the second in as many day.

He said that a total of 492 structures were damaged, 2,000 vehicles burned and 3,880 fires started nationwide.

The unrest has come in response to the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel, whose death has revived longstanding grievances about policing and racial profiling in France's low-income and multi-ethnic suburbs.

Around 40,000 police and gendarmes -- along with elite Raid and GIGN units -- were deployed in several cities overnight, with curfews issued in municipalities around Paris and bans on public gatherings in Lille and Tourcoing in the country's north.

Despite the massive security deployment, violence and damage were reported in multiple areas.

Latest interior ministry figures on Friday afternoon showed 875 arrests overnight, while 249 police officers were injured -- none of them seriously.

Rioting apparently linked to the Paris police shooting had even followed Macron to the Belgian capital, with Brussels police reporting 63 people detained late Thursday for setting fires and erecting barricades.

- 'Severely disrupted' -

France has been rocked by successive nights of protests since Nahel was shot point-blank on Tuesday during a traffic stop captured on video.

In her first media interview since the shooting, Nahel's mother, Mounia, told the France 5 channel: "I don't blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son."

She said the 38-year-old officer responsible, who was detained and charged with voluntary manslaughter on Thursday, "saw an Arab face, a little kid, and wanted to take his life".

Heightened security appeared to do little to deter unrest Thursday night.

In the city centre of Marseille, a library was vandalised, according to local officials, and scuffles broke out nearby when police used tear gas to disperse a group of 100 to 150 people who allegedly tried to set up barricades.

In Nanterre, the epicentre of the unrest, tensions rose around midnight, with fireworks and explosives set off in the Pablo Picasso district, where Nahel had lived, according to an AFP journalist.

The Paris region's bus and tram lines remained "severely disrupted" on Friday, the RATP transport operator said, after a dozen vehicles were torched overnight in a depot and some routes were blocked or damaged.

Services will be closed from 9 pm each night until further notice "for the safety of our workers and passengers", the IDFM regional transport authority said.

The government is desperate to avoid a repeat of 2005 urban riots, sparked by the death of two boys of African origin in a police chase, during which 6,000 people were arrested.

- 'Bullet in the head' -

There have long been concerns over allegations of systemic racism in the French police and the UN rights office said Friday the killing of the teen of North African descent was "a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement."

Nahel was killed as he pulled away from police who were trying to stop him for a traffic infraction.

A video, authenticated by AFP, showed two police officers standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

A voice is heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head."

The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

The officer's lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, told BFMTV late Thursday that his client had apologised as he was taken into custody.

"The first words he pronounced were to say sorry, and the last words he said were to say sorry to the family," Lienard said.

bur-sjw/tgb/
All three volunteer members of an important Franklin County commission just resigned.

The move comes after months of strife, with civil service commission members apparently unable to work together to get lists of recommendations ready quickly enough for the county to hire new jailers and sheriffs office employees.

The regular members indicated the commissions chairwoman was the reason they left.

Franklin County Civil Service Commission members Mark Jansen and Reynaldo Gomez sent resignation letters to County Administrator Mike Gonzalez on Monday, and the commissions chairwoman, Michelle Andres, announced her resignation at Tuesdays county commission meeting.

Civil service commissioners are appointed by city or county leaders to test and recommend candidates for police departments, sheriffs offices, jails and fire departments.

Typically they arrange and administer the civil service tests for candidates, then send a list of the top candidate recommendations to be hired.

There has been tension in Franklin County since at least the beginning of the year regarding civil service exam testing. Sheriff Jim Raymond even asked commissioners to move the chief examiner post out of the Human Resources Department into its own role, in order to get candidates through more quickly.

That role was made an independent position, but had not yet been filled.

Most recently, Gonzalez was overseeing testing process.

Andres apparently took exception to Gonzalez administering the test, but Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant said last week that Gonzalez had the proper authority because he oversees the manager of the Human Resources Department.

Franklin County Sheriff badge

Why did they quit?

In her letter of resignation, Andres cited her personal health and the countys toxicity.

She said at recent county commission meetings that she had been recovering from some surgery but meeting minutes show she had continued to attend recent civil service meetings online over Zoom.

Effective immediately due to my personal health and the environment of toxicity (specifically the lack of will to work together to resolve issues that arise as opposed to blaming and blame shifting) and the high turnover from qualified county employees who grasp Civil Service to those who do not  I am resigning as Civil Service Commissioner and Chair, Andres wrote.

Andres said she will remain available until Aug. 1 to assist the county.

Gomez wrote that he was resigning because he had not expected it would be so difficult to conduct business during their meetings due to discord and dissention between the commission and sheriffs office.

Jansen also pointed to difficulties conducting business, laying the blame on Andres.

I feel the commission chairwoman is overbearing with a smothering attitude, which is causing dissention within the Commission, Sheriffs Department and other support staff, Jansen wrote.

Mike Gonzalez

Gonzalez told the Herald that growing frustration ultimately led to a deadlocked commission that wasnt getting recommendations to the sheriffs office quickly enough for hiring to be done.

Civil Service has been a challenge for quite some time at Franklin County. It predates my appointment. Ive been working with all the board members to right the ship since the day I walked in the door. As was expressed in their resignation letters, there was real frustration in how the board chair was operating the commission, Gonzalez wrote in an email to the Herald.

Ive always had a great relationship with Michelle Andres and I think she gave 1,000 percent to the position. There were many things she did really well but other things that were creating friction between the Sheriffs Dept. and Civil Service Board members. I think for her it was the right move to resign. I will always appreciate her efforts, he said.

As for the other members, they felt like there wasnt any other option other than to resign based on how things were going. Im an optimist and was encouraged that both have expressed to me their willingness to come back onto the commission without the former board chair. We can do that as early as July 5th. Ultimately its up to the (county commissioners) to reappoint them, Gonzalez said.

Raymond told the Herald that the corrections officer positions are particularly hard to hire for because other counties can pay more, or candidates for jailers can move to patrol positions and make significantly more.

The Franklin County Jail control room in Pasco.

The Franklin County jail currently has 20 openings, with only a handful of candidates in the process for hiring.

Raymond said the sheriffs office has been forced to advertise positions and try to recruit on their own because Andres allegedly was withholding documents and interfering with appointments and promotions.

Its a short supply for a low-paying job for what we have currently going on in the jail, and if we dont figure out how to ride it, were probably going to have to look at limiting booking or canceling contracts, Raymond said.

Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond

What happens now?

According to Washington state law, the county commissioners can remove or appoint members without the need for confirmation. They should be able to reappoint members if they are interested in coming back, or bring in new members.

The appointments would need to come during a county commission meeting, and be approved by a formal resolution. That could be done at a regular meeting or a special called meeting.

Gonzalez said the sheriffs office will be able to proceed with new hires in the interim, as they already werent receiving regular lists and sheriffs command staff was having to step in.

Civil service commissioners must be residents of the county for at least two years prior, and cannot be employed by the county or serve on any other boards.

The commission must also limit members of the same political party to a maximum of two of the three seats.

The Municipal Research Service Council, a nonprofit that provides legal and policy guidance in Washington, notes that this rule may not be enforceable, and is often ignored.

Its unclear if new commissioners would fill the remainder of the previous members terms or if the county would have to treat the commission as a new body with staggered terms for the initial members.
How fraudsters can pose as your bank for just 7.50

Some of Britains biggest banks have been accused of failing to protect their customers by using text messages as part of security measures - Yui Mok/PA

Criminal gangs are able to assume the identity of Britains biggest banks when sending scam texts for as little as 7.50, despite a crackdown on SMS fraud.

Fraudsters can sign up to legal websites and apps which hide their numbers in scam text messages and adopt the name of a big bank or other trusted organisations.

Criminals are able to spoof the identity of banks in this way, spending just 7.50 for 50 text messages that show up in inboxes carrying the name of trusted brands, experts have warned.

To the recipient, it will look as though the text is coming from their bank and appear in the same text message chain as authentic texts.

It comes despite the Governments new fraud strategy outlined last month, which praised the telecoms industry for its voluntary efforts to filter out scam texts. However tests for The Telegraph by cyber security firm The AntiSocial Engineer showed many scam messages are still not being blocked.

The Governments fraud tsar said text message filtering needed to be strengthened, while experts called on banks to do more.

Anthony Browne, the Prime Ministers new anti-fraud champion, said the research showed that text message filtering clearly needs to become a lot more robust.

He said: That shouldnt be happening. We do need to do more about spoofing.

Barclays, Santander, NatWest, HSBC, TSB, Nationwide and Lloyds were accused of failing to protect their customers by using text messages as part of their security measures, despite how easily they can be manipulated by scammers.

Richard De Vere, of The AntiSocial Engineer, claimed banks were aware SMS-based security is flawed but continue to use it.

He said: Consumers need to stop using text messages, but that would be quite easy if corporations didnt use them in the first place.

They cant continue to use these broken mediums knowing theyre broken and then take a step back when there are victims of frauds.

Richard Emery, of fraud investigation firm 4Keys, called on Ofcom, the regulator, to impose rules on telecoms companies to ensure that scam texts that impersonate banks and other trusted organisations are blocked.

Currently, mobile operators police themselves via a voluntary agreement and Ofcom is not involved.

Mr Emery said: Voluntary agreements that require investment rarely work.

Black Friday holiday scams advice #1

According to the mobile industry, there are more than 130 bank and government brands protected by its initiative, known as SMS PhishGuard, but the names on the list are not disclosed.

Last month the Home Secretary pledged to crack down on text scammers, saying spies would be brought in to track them down.

As part of its fraud strategy the Government will also ban so-called sim farms  devices that can be loaded with hundreds of sim cards to send out thousands of scam texts simultaneously.

The use of mass texting services will be reviewed in an attempt to prevent the technology from helping criminals.

Barclays said it advised its customers to never reveal personal information, while NatWest said it worked closely with regulators to ensure its phone numbers are robustly protected.

HSBC said protecting its customers was an absolute priority but added number spoofing is an issue that provides a significant risk to consumers and needs a cross-industry approach, including telcos, mobile network operators, internet service providers and social media firms, to tackle this issue.

Santander said it was part of an industry initiative set up to prevent number spoofing.

TSB declined to comment. Nationwide and Lloyds did not respond to a request for comment.

Have you been targeted by scammers? The Telegraph wants to hear from you. Please email alexa.phillips@telegraph.co.uk

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Funeral arrangements have been made for Shreveport K9

Shreveport Police Department will be laying to rest one of its own Friday morning.

On Thursday, June 29, Shreveport Police Department announced it would hold a funeral for K9 Harrie.

Harrie will be laid to rest at 10 a.m. Friday, June 30, at the Shreveport Police K9 Cemetery, 6440 Greenwood Rd. Harrie, 7, suffered a heat-related injury that resulted in his death Saturday, June 24.

About 4:15 p.m., K9 handler Sergeant Jeff Hammer and Harrie responded to assist a patrol officer in locating a suspect who fled from a stolen vehicle following a pursuit.

Shreveport Police is mourning the death of K9 Harrie, who died on June 24.

Harrie tracked the suspects and sustained his injury during the pursuit. Harrie was rushed to the Animal Emergency Clinic and efforts were made to save him, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Harrie served the citizens of Shreveport since Jan. 1, 2018.

"Please keep Sergeant Hammer, the K9 team, and everyone who loved Harrie in your thoughts and prayers," the Shreveport Police Department said.

According to the Shreveport Police Department, all community members are invited to attend his funeral.

More: Shreveport Police Department loses one of its own

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Funeral arrangements have been made for Shreveport K9
California Gov. Gavin Newsom typically has a lightning response to conservative critics or national decisions with consequences for the state.

By the time the Supreme Court gutted federal abortion protections last year, Newsom, a Democrat, had already proclaimed California a reproductive freedom state.

In the following weeks, Newsom and California Democrats doubled down, passing a slew of other measures and an amendment eventually approved by voters to cement the right to an abortion in the state constitution. In preparation for another court decision this year on access to medication abortions, he had the state stockpile 2 million units of the pill, misoprostol.

And in the wake of federal court rulings that rolled back gun safety laws, Newsom called for another amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would tighten gun access.

But on Thursday, hours after the Court invalidated decades-old race-conscious college admission policies, Newsom was uncharacteristically stymied.

There is no California response to the end of affirmative action in public education because the state banned the practice a quarter-century ago.

Responding to the Supreme Court ruling is more difficult because of Prop. 209. California is Americas coming attraction on this, Newsom said at a press conference Thursday, adding that most people probably did not know about the states prohibition.

Prop. 209, passed by voters in 1996, barred using race, gender and other factors in hiring, contracting and admissions. The measure covers public institutions, including governmental bodies and the University of California and California State University systems. Efforts to repeal at least parts of the measure, including through a 2020 ballot initiative, have failed.

Once the ban went into effect, the proportion of students from minority backgrounds plummeted at UC schools.

Newsom, who is on the Board of Regents for the University of California, the UCs governing body, said the public education system has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to mitigate the effects of Prop. 209.

Weve barely moved the needle, Newsom said Thursday. He called Prop. 209s impact profound and consequential.

UC regents voted in favor of ending affirmative action in admissions in 1995 before Prop. 209 passed, ultimately ushering the ban into fruition. In 2020, the regents unanimously voted to repeal it. But to amend the state constitution as Prop. 209 did, voters must concur. And they resoundingly rejected the idea in 2020.

California was the first state to ban race-conscious considerations for entry in public institutions, leaving minimal exceptions for schools that accepted federal funds (an exception that longer exists due to the new Supreme Court ruling). Washington state followed in 1998, but eradicated the policy in 2022. Seven other states now similarly restrict considering race in hiring or education.

The Supreme Court decision released Thursday affects Californias private schools, which were exempt from Prop. 209. Colleges and universities can still consider an applicants experience based on their race through their essays or interviews, but schools cannot consider race itself as a factor for creating a diverse student body, according to the ruling.

Now the impacts will be felt in private universities, not just public universities, Newsom said. The governor added that schools like Stanford University and the University of Southern California will have to struggle like UCs and California State Universities did to try to welcome diverse student bodies.

Still, Newsom said that Californias public higher education has a lot to share with others on how to operate without affirmative action in admissions. He remained positive on continued efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Were a majority-minority state, he said. We celebrate our diversity, we dont tolerate it.
People with multiple sclerosis who inherited the genetic variant from both parents needed a walking aid almost four times faster, the study said (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)

Scientists have discovered a genetic variant linked with multiple sclerosis becoming more debilitating over time, in research hailed as a first step towards a new drug.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong condition in which a person's body is attacked by its own immune system, causing a range of symptoms including problems with vision, movement and balance.

For some people, the symptoms can come and go in phases called relapses, while in others they become progressively worse.

There are treatments that can help control the symptoms, but there is no cure or way to slow down the disease from getting worse.

In a study published in the journal Nature Wednesday, researchers from more than 70 institutes around the world said they had found the first-ever genetic variant linked to MS severity.

First, the researchers combined the genetic data of 12,000 people with MS to study what variants they shared and how quickly their disease advanced.

Out of seven million variants, they found a single one associated with the disease progressing faster.

The variant sits between two genes called DYSF and ZNF638, which had never before been linked to MS, according to the study.

The first gene works to repair damaged cells, while the other helps control viral infections.

The genes are much more active in the brain and spinal cord than the immune system, where drug research has previously focused, the study said.

To confirm what they found, the researchers then looked at the genetics of nearly 10,000 more patients, finding similar results.

"Inheriting this genetic variant from both parents accelerates the time to needing a walking aid by almost four years," US researcher and study co-author Sergio Baranzini said in a statement.

Ruth Dobson, a neurologist at the Queen Mary University of London who was not involved in the research, told AFP there was "a lot of excitement about this study" in MS circles.

"It's the first step towards treatments that work in a different way," she said, emphasising that any such drug was a long way from being available.

That the research points to the nervous system, rather than the immune system, "opens up a new potential pathway for treatments, which is really exciting", she added.

More than 2.8 million people worldwide live with multiple sclerosis.

dl/jj
Three Evanston schools avoided potentially dangerous situations this 2022-23 school year after guns found a way into academic hallways. Months later, City Council on June 26 unanimously approved Mayor Daniel Biss Safe Storage Act.

Biss ordinance will impose restrictions on how guns are stored and provide avenues to discipline gun owners whose firearm is used to inflict harm.

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We are doing something seriously wrong in this country (when it comes to gun violence). Its insane. Its shameful, Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma said. Im glad we can do a small part here in Evanston to address this issue, which goes well beyond our borders and purview of the City Council.

The legislation will require gun owners to lock their guns in a box, special gun room or with a cable lock, the ordinance states. Keys to access guns must be inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Guns cannot be left unattended in an unsupervised vehicle under the new ordinance.

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Violators will be fined $1,000 for their first violation, $1,500 for the second and $2,000 for each subsequent violation. The ordinance also provides further avenues to hold gun owners accountable for not securing their firearms by allowing those injured by an unsecured gun to bring civil action upon its owner within two years of the violation.

The Safe Storage Act comes after a 13-year-old Chute Middle School student got ahold of a firearm stolen from a vehicle and brought it to school on Feb. 6. The Evanston Police Department says the firearm was stolen sometime after 11 p.m. on Feb. 5. Police said the student was charged with unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds and referred to juvenile court.

An 18-year-old Evanston Township High School student brought a Taurus G3 9 mm handgun loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition to school on Nov. 9, according to the EPD. When ETHS staff walked the student to the deans office for questioning, the school resource officer was met with noncompliant behavior and found the handgun inside of (the students) upper pant leg area. A November EPD investigation didnt uncover plans for a school shooting or harmful acts against students or staff, EPD said.

The ETHS student was charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without a FOID card and felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a person under 21, according to police.

An eight-year-old Lincolnwood School student on April 18 informed a teacher they had a loaded handgun magazine in their backpack, police said. An EPD investigation discovered the magazine was from a handgun belonging to a family member and there were no threats or intent to harm school community members. Immediate legal action was not taken against the student, EPD said.

City Council was quick to approve the ordinance with roughly two minutes passing from its first motion to the unanimous yes vote. The two minutes were filled by Nieuwsma discussing mass shootings in the United States. He said the U.S. had 30 mass shootings since the City Council met two weeks prior. There have been more than 330 U.S. mass shootings in 2023 so far, according to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive.

Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
Gen Sergei Surovikin earned his nickname and reputation for brutality by flattening Syrias Aleppo during Russias air campaign in support of the Assad regime in 2016 - AP

A top Russian general has reportedly been detained after Vladimir Putin launched a purge targeting supporters of the Wagner mutiny at the weekend.

Sergei Surovikin, the former commander of Russias forces in Ukraine, nicknamed General Armageddon, has not been seen since early on Saturday when he released a brief video calling on the mercenaries to end their rebellion.

The Financial Times on Thursday reported that the general had been detained, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

It was not clear whether Gen Surovikin was detained as part of a formal investigation but Bloomberg on Thursday reported that he has been questioned by military prosecutors over his links to Wagner. The general, it said, is not in prison but is being kept in one place.

US intelligence sources told the New York Times earlier this week that he may have had prior knowledge of the mutiny.

Reports about Gen Surovikins arrest first surfaced on Wednesday night when a pro-war Russian blogger said the general had been taken to the FSBs notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow.

But later on Thursday, a media outlet with close links to Russias FSB security service published an interview with an unnamed daughter of Gen Surovikin who insisted he was not arrested.

Nothing happened to him. Hes at work, the woman told Baza.

A Kremlin spokesman refused to comment on the whereabouts of Gen Surovikin, seen here with Vladimir Putin last year - Mikhail Klimentyev/Reuters

It came as satellite imagery appeared to show rapid building activity at a military base in southern Belarus, prompting speculation that Wagner troops would relocate to the country.

Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian president, invited Wagner to set up operations in his country as part of a deal that ended the mutiny on Saturday.

The images appeared to show rows of tents being built at the previously vacant military facility near the town of Asipovichy, about 50 miles from Minsk.

The FSB earlier this week dropped the criminal investigation into the mutiny but it was unclear if Gen Surovikin and others might be questioned as part of another probe.

Josep Borrel, the EUs foreign policy chief, appeared to confirm the reports on Thursday, saying Putin had launched a crackdown targeting those with ties to the mutineers.

Some generals have been arrested so I suppose that Putin will be in a cleaning mode internally, he said.

Gen Surovikin, who earned his nickname and reputation for brutality by flattening Syrias Aleppo during Russias air campaign in support of the Assad regime in 2016, was replaced as commander of Russian forces in Ukraine in January by Gen Valery Gerasimov after only three months in the post.

He remained an influential figure, however, and played an important role liaising with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and acting as an informal handler of the Wagner forces, which draw all their supplies, weapons and ammunition from the Russian military.

Gen Sergei Surovikin with Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, in December 2022 - Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/Kremlin pool photo/AP

Meanwhile, Gen Surovikins deputy, Colonel-General Andrei Yudin, has now been fired from the Russian army in the fallout from the weekends aborted mutiny, according to Aleksey Venediktov, the former editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow.

Col-Gen Yudin told the Ura.ru website on Thursday that he was at home on leave.

Not a single general or senior public official publicly backed the rebellion over the weekend, but the Wagner boss has won a number of supporters through his groups exploits in the war, including the capture of Bakhmut after a long and bloody siege.

Several governors and other officials openly sided with Prigozhin during his feud with the defence ministry and Gen Gerasimov, the army chief.

A Kremlin spokesman on Thursday refused to comment on the whereabouts of Gen Surovikin or reports that he has been detained.

Asked by reporters if the Kremlin could clarify the situation with Gen Surovikin, Dmitry Peskov said: No, unfortunately not.

Sergei Markov, a former member of parliament and a Kremlin-linked political scientist, on Thursday said the authorities should show Surovikin to everyone or Russians might think of large-scale, secret arrests.

Mr Markov also said the general is likely to be questioned not as a suspect but as a very informed source.

Surovikin was the main in-between for the defence ministry and Wagner so he knows more than anyone else, he said.

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Georgia civil rights leaders and organizations are reacting to news that the Supreme Court has thrown out longstanding affirmative action policies at universities, ruling that race cannot be a factor in college admissions.

The conservative majority of the nations highest court announced the ruling Thursday morning.

The Supreme Court had repeatedly ruled since 1978 that schools may consider the race of applicants in pursuing educational benefits from a diverse student body, so long as they did not use a quota system.

Channel 2s Ashley Lincoln spoke with the head of the Georgia chapter of the NAACP on Thursday, Gerald Griggs, who said the ruling is a major step backward.

Griggs said getting rid of affirmative action programs will significantly eliminate the number of minority students accepted into colleges and universities.

Its a dark day in American history, 60 years of work was just gutted, Griggs said. The first thought that went to my mind was my daughter, who is a 9th grader, she will not be taken into account for the person she is, and the racial disparities that have concurred in this county for at least 100 years, and so for the Supreme Court to make this decision, its a very bad decision. It sets us back in the civil rights generation.

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Groups like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference are also very critical of the decision, saying the decision will lead to less diversity in key industries such as law and medicine.

First of all, I think its an attack on African Americans and the Black community, SCLC president Charles Steele said.

Steele pulled no punches in his criticism of the supreme court decision.

He insists many qualified Black students needed affirmative action to get into schools like Harvard because he said some just dont have the family or business connections to get in any other way.

How do you get to Harvard, and then people who went to school with certain individuals applied and didnt get into Harvard, because of relationships, Steele told Channel 2s Richard Elliot.

Alba Villarreal is the communications director for Galeo, an organization that represents the Latinx community.

She worries that without affirmative action, many qualified Hispanics and Latinx wont be able to get into top schools, which down the road, means less minority lawyers and doctors -- something she thinks is critical.

I know a lot of people who need affirmative action as a way to justify applying because it provided an opportunity, Villarreal said. Were going to have less diversity in the fields that require it. Diversity saves lives in such fields as law and medical fields.

Heres what other metro leaders and politicians had to say:

Dr. Bernice King:

We should not need affirmative action. But we do. Because racism, particularly anti-Black racism, persists in this nations systems, policies, and institutions.

Until we change that, decision-makers must be made to make equitable decisions. This ruling prevents that mandate.

Rep. Hank Johnson:

Justice Harlan Crow Thomas and five other MAGAs have just slammed the college doors on Black and Brown folks after declaring that we now live in a color-blind country. This judicial activism must be met with passage of my legislation to expand SCOTUS. This decision can lead to the demise of HBCUs. We cannot let that happen. Supreme Court Reform Now!

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens:

Todays decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action programs at colleges and universities will have disastrous effects on families of color who are already grappling with upward economic mobility.

Plainly put, they got it wrong and I am gravely concerned on what this means for a diverse workforce like ours in the city of Atlanta.

A quality education is a powerful tool, and my Administration will continue to do its part to ensure every child in Atlanta has the support from their village needed to thriveregardless of who they are. "

Stay with WSBTV.com and tune into Channel 2 Action News RIGHT NOW for the latest on this developing story.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Its getting hot in Charlotte. Use these city resources to keep cool in steamy weather

Melinda Chavez, 9, and Kendra Colorado, 6, splash in the water to beat the summer heat at the Forest Hills Sprayground in Durham, N.C. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. (Angelina Katsanis/akatsanis@newsobserver.com)

Summer weather is officially here in Charlotte, with steamy temperatures rolling into the region.

Daytime highs in Charlotte will approach the mid-90s through the rest of the week and into the holiday weekend, the National Weather Service forecasts as of Thursday morning.

With temperatures like that, its especially important to take precautions to stay cool, public health officials say. More than 360 people in North Carolina have already had to go to an emergency room for heat-related illness this summer, the Department of Health and Human Services said in its Heat Report.

In Mecklenburg County, there are services available to help you and your family beat the heat without breaking the bank.

Heres what to know about places to cool down amid summer heat in the Charlotte area:

Are cooling stations open in Charlotte?

There are no plans to open cooling stations in Charlotte as of Thursday morning, Chelsea Helton, a planner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office, said.

But, she told The Charlotte Observer, the team is in constant communication with the county, the city and homeless service providers to address any potential needs in the community.

CMEMO, Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte and our partners will continue to monitor the weather and community needs and act accordingly, Helton said.

Public pools and spraygrounds in Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation offers multiple indoor and outdoor pools and water activities, including:

Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center

Eastway Regional Recreation Center

Marion Diehl Recreation Center and Indoor Pool

Northern Regional Recreation Center

Rays Splash Planet

Cordelia Pool

Double Oaks Family Aquatic Center

Ramsey Creek Beach

For location-specific details on hours and pool pass prices where applicable, visit parkandrec.mecknc.gov/Places-to-Visit/Pools-Beaches-Spraygrounds.

Multiple spraygrounds are open across the city from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Labor Day: Parks with spraygrounds are:

Cordelia Park

Nevin Park

Clarks Creek Park

Elizabeth Park

First Ward Park

Latta Park

Romare Bearden Park

Veterans Park

West Charlotte Park

Free fan giveaway

The parks department is also giving away free box fans to some residents to help them stay cool this summer, the county announced in June.

Mecklenburg County residents 60 years and older and adults ages 18 to 59 who receive disability income are eligible for the program.

You must register ahead of time to get a fan, and you will have to show a valid drivers license or state ID providing proof of age and a current Mecklenburg County address when you pick up the fan.

Register online for a fan here or call one of the distribution locations. Distribution locations are:
Chicago-area gig workers who make deliveries for Walmart say the companys delivery app is being targeted by scammers who use bots to hoard orders on the platform, making it difficult for them to make a living.

The drivers are independent contractors who make deliveries for Walmart using the companys delivery platform, called Spark. Drivers who make deliveries out of the companys Bedford Park, Cicero and Forest Park locations allege scammers have used bots to hoard orders.

Walmart says the use of bots on Spark violates its terms of use and that it investigates reports of bot usage and deactivates drivers who misuse the platform.

Some Spark drivers have been harassed and threatened by the alleged scammers while waiting in the parking lots for orders, advocates and drivers said. Drivers who say theyve been harmed by the use of bots rallied Thursday morning outside the Cicero Supercenter to call attention to the issue.

Guadalupe Castillo, who has been driving for Spark for about two years, said she has to work much longer hours than she used to and still cant make as much money  she no longer makes enough to pay her bills, she said. She attributes the drop-off in business to the drivers who are allegedly using bots, which she first started noticing in January.

Castillo, who lives in Chicagos Back of the Yards neighborhood, said she used to be able to make about $1,000 a week driving for Spark six days a week, working from the morning to early afternoon.

Now, I have to work 12 hours every single day, no days off, Castillo said; sometimes, she cant make half as much as she used to in a week, she said.

Now, I dont spend that much time with my kids, said Castillo, who has a 16-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. I always seem tired. I always seem exhausted.

Some Spark drivers have been threatened, intimidated and harassed by the alleged scammers while working, said Lenny Sanchez, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild, a workers group that organizes with gig workers.

Many of these workers are undocumented, Sanchez said. And they do fear that if they were to go to police and report these incidents that they would face some sort of repercussions and problems themselves.

Nancy Marcos, another Spark driver, said she used to make between $100 and $150 or so a day driving on the app, but now usually nets between $50 and $80 a day.

I need to work, I need the money, said Marcos, 41, who has been driving for Spark for a year. I just need fairness in the app.

Marcos, who makes deliveries with her two young children in the car, said she and her fellow drivers are primarily concerned about safety because of threats from the alleged bot-using drivers. She said she had a run-in with a driver she suspected was using bots last week.

He stopped in front of me and pulled his window down and started screaming all kinds of crazy stuff to me while I was working with my two babies, Marcos said. Marcos said she couldnt hear what he was yelling because she kept her windows rolled up.

Eric Guzman, 41, who has been driving for Spark for a year and a half, said he was approached by a bot user in the Cicero Walmart parking lot who asked if he wanted to buy access to the bot. It would have cost $150, he said, with additional payments each week to keep using it.

He said no because he was scared his account would get deactivated.

Guzman, who lives in Cicero, said he used to be able to make about $1,500 a week driving but now makes only about $200.

Castillo said she has been reporting problems accessing orders to Spark support over a period of several months. Castillo provided the Tribune with a series of responses she had received from Walmart driver support since February.

We apologize and know (its) frustrating and unfair for other Driver not using Bots. We are investigating these issues, read one message from Walmart support in late May.

The use of bots or apps does violate the terms of service and I can certainly report it. We have heard of this before. Unfortunately, we cannot tell the drivers what apps or websites you can or cannot have on your phones as you are not employees, a message from early June read.

Castillo and Marcos said they and other workers had raised concerns about the alleged bot users to local store management in Bedford Park and Cicero but had not seen the company take any lasting action.

The use of bots is an industry-wide issue and something we take seriously. Using bots on the Spark Driver platform is against the terms of use, and we investigate reports of specific driver bot use and deactivate drivers who are misusing the platform in this way, Walmart said in a statement. We take a proactive and comprehensive approach to identifying and preventing the use of bots on the platform.

Walmart said it had been in touch with area stores including Cicero, Bedford Park and Forest Park stores about the bot issue and had investigated specific reports of bot usage.

We have and will continue to take appropriate action when drivers violate our terms of use, including deactivating certain drivers, the company said. We encourage drivers on the Spark Driver platform to report any suspicious activity, including the use of bots.

The use of bots on gig work platforms has been a known issue within the industry over the last few years, said Marshini Chetty, a computer science professor at the University of Chicago who studies privacy and security.

It is contract work. There arent regular hours, there arent benefits, Chetty said. People feel pressured to try to get what they need to try to make the money that they need.

A January report by researchers with the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign noted that new technology has allowed for growth in platform-based work, with much of that work involving driving.

In a survey of about 500 Chicago-area drivers, researchers found drivers average $30,700 a year in net income from app-based driving after accounting for expenses, with the average driver earning $54,800 in total wage and salary income.

Sanchez said that late last year, drivers who worked for Amazon Flex in the Chicago area reported other independent contractors were using bots to hoard the most lucrative orders on the platform.

After raising the issue with Amazon, Sanchez said, drivers saw their situation improve. Amazon said that earlier this year, it started using CAPTCHAs in the Amazon Flex app to prevent the use of automated services to sign up for deliveries. It has used a photo verification process in the app since 2019.

We have established safeguards and monitoring to ensure blocks are scheduled by humans and not automated services, Amazon said. Additionally, Amazon Flexs Terms of Service make clear that the use of third-party applications or technology to schedule blocks is prohibited.

Grubhub, which responded to questions from the Tribune about how it identifies potential fraud related to bots, said it looks for drivers who may be fraudulently accepting an exorbitant amount of orders during a specific time period.

Instacart said it used a variety of authentication measures, such as periodically prompting shoppers to take photos of themselves to verify their identities, periodically logging shoppers out of accounts and requiring them to log back in and requiring the completion of RECAPTCHA to log into accounts.

Our efforts also include removing and banning bad actors from the platform, taking legal action where necessary, and deactivating shoppers found to be misusing the platform, the company said in a statement. As a result of these measures, weve seen a dramatic reduction in the use of unauthorized third-party apps on the platform.

V.S. Subrahmanian, a professor of computer science at Northwestern University who studies bots, said companies like Walmart could try to address the issue by identifying users that are consistently able to secure disproportionate numbers of orders, he said. They could also try to identify bots by looking at response time.

If some person is consistently hitting the sort of analogue of that Jeopardy buzzer faster than everybody else, in a sub-second, or very, very short time intervals, that suggests that theres something going on here, Subrahmanian said.

Chetty compared companies efforts to curb the use of bots to a game of cat-and-mouse.

You can take down people who are developing these apps or bots, but theres always going to be more, she said.
We need a global task force to get AI under control  before AI controls us | Opinion

When the Mindfest Conference, sponsored by FAUs Center for the Future Mind opened, organizers were busy setting up Sophia the robot and mobilizing a robot dog to prance around the floor before the speaking began.

These machines were designed to interact with humans and gave an eerie air to the event, where speakers and attendees had come from around the world to discuss the interaction between mind and machine.

Back in the 1930s, British mathematician Alan Turing famously suggested a test for AI intelligence. This test, now referred to as the Turing Test, said that an AI is intelligent if it can convince human judges in a computer chat that they are conversing with a human.

The 2014 movie The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, popularized that idea. The latest chatbots such as ChatGPT and Bard from tech giants like Microsoft and Google have gained worldwide attention and are being used and discussed by a wide range of commentators.

These chatbots, arguably, also are capable of passing the Turing Test. This rapidly advancing technology has sparked the publics imagination by making clear the myriad applications and risks of these tools and has also intensified an already fierce, and possibly destructive, competition between AI providers.

AI already is being used in a vast number of human enterprises, from medicine, agriculture, energy, science, art, literature and cyber security to military applications where life-and-death decisions must be made in short time windows.

But AI also has the potential to cause rising unemployment and the spread of disinformation; unleash a new generation of scams; direct harmful and biased information to targeted groups; and amplify hate and massive political destabilization.

What do the rapidly increasing applications of AI systems that surpass classes of human abilities mean for the future of humanity? What sort of guidelines are needed to prevent harmful outcomes of AI that could result in public demand to severely limit AI development and use, slow-walking the range of benefits that are possible?

The possibility of a cultural misunderstanding of what the chatbots really are was of particular concern at the Mindfest Conference. Google engineer Blake Lemoine, who subsequently left the company, claimed a case can be made that such systems are sentient or conscious, that is, they actually may have feelings. Such developments indicate that the matter of machine sentience should be approached with great care. Intelligence is not the same thing as sentience. AI could surpass human intelligence in many endeavors while lacking any kind of feeling or empathy.

All this points to the need for an international organization to encourage and promote the beneficial use and understanding of AI  AI that will augment human productivity instead of replace humans in the workforce, help prevent its misuse; and provide a clearinghouse of trusted information.

Such an organization would develop policy proposals, create and enforce standards, and be an association in which members would benefit from good behavior.

The need is urgent. Not only are companies competing for AI uses; our nations potential adversaries also are in a mad rush to out-compete the United States and other democracies by developing AI applications that will dominate international commerce and provide military superiority.

We dont yet know if AI will surpass general human intelligence, or ever gain consciousness. But as stakeholders from around the world are learning, we must develop a clear understanding of the advantages and risks of AI and, based on this understanding, identify appropriate guardrails and standards that will benefit everyone.

It would be a grave mistake for humanity to stumble into a situation driven by competition that we can neither understand nor control, or a situation in which we face grave moral questions about AI without thought, preparation or consensus.

Some technologists recently issued a proclamation calling for a moratorium on AI development. This may sound appealing, but is not in any way realistic. Take for example military competition: Unlike nuclear weapons, which take a significant infrastructure to develop, AI tools can be developed quietly. Would the United States trust potential adversaries to abide by agreements that we could not possibly monitor? The excitement and thrill of developing paradigm-changing technology would keep competition alive no matter what our government said.

On the other hand, the creation of an international AI trade organization that develops policies and standards to look out for human interests is a realistic approach to ensure that AI serves humanity  and not the other way around.

Gerald McNerney is a former Democratic representative in the U.S. House. He chaired the AI Caucus.
Going to an NC beach with your dog this summer? Here are rules you should know

Looking to take your canine out on the beach during the dog days of summer? Well, North Carolina beaches have some rules to abide by and advice for protecting your pup.

Not cleaning up after your dog presents health hazards to humans and is detrimental to our beach and oceans, according to Sunset Beach officials on its website.

Sunset Beach is located 3 hours and 25 minutes east of Charlotte, near Wilmington, NC.

While you share the beach with vehicles and fishing activities, Shackleford Banks in Cape Lookout is home to more than 100 wild horses which could injure or kill a dog that is harassing the herd, according to the National Park Service.

NPS says it is important to respect the rights of others who may be uneasy, as some visitors may fear your pet.

Unleashed pets can also chase birds and other wildlife, which can harm wildlife protection.

Here are pet rules for North Carolina beaches:

Cape Lookout

Pets are allowed on the beaches of Cape Lookout National Seashore, but pets must always be controlled on a 6-foot leash. This is required for all islands, including Shackleford banks. The leash requirement is for all pets - pet size, breed, or training does not matter, NPS states.

On Cape Lookout, you could be court summoned or fined $150 for breach of rules.

Things to remember:

Some ferries will carry pets to the islands, but ferry operators have the right to refuse to carry a pet.

There is not very much shade on the island.

Bring fresh water for your pet because there is little available on the island.

Pick up after yourself and your pet.

Dont leave pets tied up and unattended.

With the exception of The Great Island Cabins, pets are not permitted inside any buildings in Cape Lookout.

Cape Hatteras





Pets are welcome but must be on a 6-foot leash at all times. Dogs are prohibited within any resource closure and not allowed on designated swim beaches or buildings.

Things to remember:

Never leave a pet unattended.

Clean up after your pet.

If your pet is a horse, you can ride them anywhere vehicles are permitted to drive, except in campgrounds.

Kitty Hawk





Dogs must be kept on that doesnt exceed 12 feet in public. If you decide to keep your dog on private property, it must be restrained to prevent them from entering public property or others property.

In Kitty Hawk, dogs are allowed on the beach. However, from Memorial Day weekend until the day after Labor Day, dogs must be kept on leashes up to 6 feet between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

At other times, dogs can be restrained on leashes as long as 12 feet. Your pet is also permitted to be taken off a leash only if they will not disturb other people on the beach. Unleashed dogs must be controlled by the handler, who must always remain within 30 feet of the dog. A leash must always be with the owner/handles, Kitty Hawk officials wrote on its website.

You could receive a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $50 upon violating these rules.

All dogs, whether you are a tourist or a local, you need to have a current rabies tag.

Things to remember:

The owner/handler is responsible for and must remove all feces.

Dogs are prohibited in The Woods Road fenced-in playgrounds.

If youre a Dare County resident, register to use the Dare County Dog Park at 900 W Kitty Hawk Rd.

Sunset Beach





Owners must properly leash their dogs at all times and pick up after them. Not doing so will result in citations, Sunset Beach officials said.

Owners are not allowed to bring dogs on the beach between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. between Memorial Day through Labor Day, whether or not your dog is leashed.

Between those hours, during the summer months, dogs are permitted as long as they are on a leash and under control; the same goes for after Labor Day and before Memorial Day.

Not picking up after your pet could result in a misdemeanor punishable by up to $100 for each offense which youll have 72 hours to pay.

Things to remember:
Google to block local news in Canada in response to media law

Canada's Online News Act requires digital giants like Google to make fair commercial deals with Canadian outlets for the news and information that is shared on their platforms (Ludovic MARIN)

Google on Thursday became the latest Silicon Valley giant to block Canadian users from seeing local news on its platform after Ottawa passed a bill requiring tech companies to pay for such content.

The Online News Act became law last week, aiming to support a struggling Canadian news sector that has seen hundreds of publications close in the last decade.

It requires digital giants to make fair commercial deals with Canadian outlets for the news and information that is shared on their platforms, or face binding arbitration.

In a statement, Google said the new law is "unworkable" and that the government has not given it reason to believe "structural issues with the legislation" would be resolved during its implementation.

In a blog post, Google added that it will be "harder for Canadians to find news online" and "for journalists to reach their audiences."

People in the country will, however, still be able to access news from Canadian sites by typing their respective web address directly into a browser or through apps.

Google's announcement comes after the failure of last-ditch talks with the government aimed at bringing the company onboard.

Tech giant Meta announced last Thursday that it too would block Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram.

The two companies, who dominate online advertising, have been accused of draining cash away from traditional news organizations while using their content for free.

"We have informed the government that we have made the difficult decision that... we will be removing links to Canadian news from our Search, News, and Discover products and will no longer be able to operate Google News Showcase in Canada," Google said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist, said "the loss of revenues flowing out of newsrooms in Canada is not just a problem for the journalists who are affected, it's a problem for the whole country."

"To have a strong culture, to have a healthy society, to have healthy politics, we need great, well-paid journalists," she said.

An October 2022 report by Canada's parliamentary budget watchdog estimated the Online News Act would see Canadian newspapers receive about Can$330 million per year from digital platforms.

Canada's measure builds on Australia's New Media Bargaining Code, a world first, that made Google and Meta pay for news content on their platforms.

AFP signed a five-year agreement on neighboring rights with Google at the end of 2021 for the internet giant to pay for content from the news agency.

It also signed two commercial deals with the platform.

amc/bfm/acb
Meta isn't the only internet heavyweight removing news content in response to Canada's newly enacted Bill C-18 (aka the Online News Act), which requires that tech companies negotiate compensation with publishers for linked material. Google now says it will pull links to Canadian news stories from its search, News and Discover services in the country. It will also stop operating its News Showcase in Canada when C-18 takes effect in six months.

Google's government affairs VP Cris Turner claims C-18 remains "unworkable legislation," and that Canada's soon-to-be law is unduly harsh. The European Union allows free use of links and short extracts, for example, while the Czech Republic's stricter interpretation of the EU still allowed headlines and links. In Australia, where the law requires that some online services pay for news, Google has negotiated deals that keep its news features available and avoid falling under the law's requirements.

The company maintains that it believes a "vibrant journalism industry" is crucial, and has floated policy ideas it believes will help. These include consultation with experts, investing in newsroom progress and support for conventional news outlets as they transition to digital. The approach dictated by C-18 purportedly leads to "uncertainty" for product strategy and "uncapped" financial penalties.

The move comes just days after Meta said it would remove access to all news content from Facebook and Instagram in Canada. When it balked at similar moves by Australia and New Zealand, it claimed that such legislation lets the government unfairly decide who has to pay, and how much publishers get paid.

As with Meta, Google is using the threat of blocking news as a bargaining tool. Turner says the company still plans to "participate in the regulatory process," and wants the government to develop a "viable path forward." The tech firm is hoping for at least a partial change of heart, to put it simply.

There's no guarantee of a compromise. Politicians drafted Bill C-18 after concerns about a steep drop in ad revenue for publications over the past two decades. Google and other companies have invested in newsroom projects, offered free tools and highlighted news in a bid to support publishers, but legislators clearly aren't convinced these efforts go far enough.
The Republican chairs of two House committees accused Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan on Wednesday of misleading Congress about her decision to reject ethics advice in a case against Meta.

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) said in a letter to Khan that a recent report on her decision in the Meta case raised serious questions about your commitment to the fair and impartial administration of the FTCs authorities.

Khan decided not to recuse herself from the FTC case challenging Metas merger with a virtual reality company, despite receiving a memo from the agencys ethics official last August recommending that she step back from the proceedings to avoid an appearance of partiality.

In my opinion, there is a reasonable appearance concern with her participation in this matter, Lorielle Pankey, the FTCs ethics official, said in the memo first reported by Bloomberg earlier this month. I also recognize that reasonable minds may disagree.

Pankey also noted that she did not believe Khans participation would constitute a per se federal ethics violation.

Jordan and McMorris Rodgers specifically accused Khan of providing misleading testimony at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing in April.

When asked at the hearing whether there were any cases in which she did not follow the advice of the FTCs ethics official, Khan said no, explaining that she had consulted with the official and taken actions that are consistent with the legal statements the official had made.

Khan is the subject of three separate investigations by Republican-led House committees, including the Oversight, Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce panels.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The growing zeal among House Republicans to launch impeachment proceedings has hit an early snag: Theres no agreement on which Biden administration figure to target.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) this week threw his support behind a possible impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Merrick Garland  just days after the GOP conference sparred internally over a resolution from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to impeach President Biden.

And a possible Biden impeachment came on the heels of an announcement from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) that the panel would kick off the formal investigation of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas needed to proceed with an impeachment inquiry.

Since the GOP takeover of the House, much of the impeachment energy has been focused on Mayorkas, with disagreements over the border fueling several impeachment resolutions in the weeks after lawmakers were sworn in.

But a drop in border crossings in recent months has largely taken the issue out of the national headlines, while at the same time, new accusations surrounding the Justice Departments handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden have heightened the GOPs outrage at Garland. It was the latter issue that prompted this weeks surprise statement from McCarthy.

If the whistleblowers allegations are true, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into Merrick Garlands weaponization of DOJ, McCarthy wrote on Twitter.

In May and June alone, lawmakers introduced 11 different impeachment resolutions for top Biden officials, five of them sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Aside from Biden, Garland and Mayorkas, Greene also has her sights on FBI Director Christopher Wray and Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

But until recently, McCarthy in many respects had pumped the brakes on some of the conferences loudest impeachment cheerleaders.

Hes repeatedly said impeachment cant be seen as a political endeavor and, as recently as Friday, said that any efforts have got to reach the constitutional level of impeachment.

Mayorkas targeted initially

In a trip to the border late last year, widely expected to be a warning shot that Republicans would kick off an impeachment of Mayorkas, McCarthy instead called for his resignation and signaled any plans to boot the secretary would be part of a lengthy process.

If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate; every order, every action and every failure will determine whether we can begin impeachment inquiry, McCarthy said last November.

But hes facing impatience from far-right members of the conference, many with hopes of playing a central role in any impeachment efforts, which would quickly devour the political oxygen in Washington and command the national media spotlight.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) who introduced the first Mayorkas impeachment resolution last year but trailed another such bill this year, said its not clear when such a measure would move forward or whose name would be on it.

I introduced mine first  and then I introduced it forth again.  Ive probably ticked off the leadership too much for them to allow mine to be the one, to be the vehicle. But I still think mine is most comprehensive, he said.

I dont know if well introduce a new one or just try to amend this one as it moves forward. But I just think that more and more people are starting to come around to the necessity to impeach the guy.

Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), who introduced the first Mayorkas impeachment articles this year, would also like to be involved.

I was the first one out of the gate, but I dont really care. You know, success has 1,000 fathers, he said.

Id like to lead the effort, but even if I could just be a lieutenant of someone who does if its not me, Im perfectly content with that as well. Because we are a team  were supposed to be, the 222 of us  and I definitely think he needs to be replaced.

Border issues draw attention to Biden

The Mayorkas bills have been complicated by Boeberts resolution, which House Republicans voted to refer to the House Homeland Security Committee, as well as House Judiciary, for consideration.

Green has been steadfastly focused on Mayorkas, earlier this month laying out a five-phase plan for an investigation into the secretary. Those findings would be turned over to leaders of the Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who would then decide how to move forward.

Though Boeberts resolution, like those focused on Mayorkas, deems impeachment a fitting response for what Republicans see as a mishandling the border, Democrats have dismissed the plan as trying to boot someone from office over a policy disagreement rather than high crimes and misdemeanors.

It also means a shift for the House Homeland Security Committee, which must now wrap Biden into an investigation that had been squarely focused on the effects of specific border policies carried out by Mayorkass department.

We kicked off this five-phase investigation digging into what I believe is Mayorkass failures. We just started the dereliction of duty phase a week ago. Weve had a committee hearing, weve had two subcommittee hearings, were doing our transcribed interviews with all the sector chiefs and things like this, Green told The Hill.

Now, the House has obviously asked us to add Bidens actions to the stuff that were looking into. Well do that for sure.

Boeberts resolution is just one of five pertaining to Biden, and its not clear how quickly it may advance, if at all.

I would hope that it would be this year  and very soon, Boebert told reporters last week.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), who also has a resolution to impeach Mayorkas, stressed that the founders intentionally set a high bar for its usage.

I believe they should go through thorough and proper, vigorous debate to assigned committees, he said.

The founders established the highest thresholds for impeachment, and intended it to be almost impossible to impeach a president and very difficult to impeach a secretary.

Hunter Bidens case takes over

The border issues that would serve as the basis for either a Mayorkas or Biden impeachment have taken a back seat recently to news that Hunter Biden agreed to a plea deal in connection with an investigation into his failure to pay taxes.

The crux of the matter for the GOP is a whistleblower complaint to the House Ways and Means Committee, where IRS investigator Gary Shapley claimed the investigation was slow-walked by the office of U.S. Attorney David Weiss, a Trump appointee assigned to the matter under the former president.

Shapley said Weisss office relayed they were told they could not bring charges in D.C., where he believes the strongest case could be had regarding Hunter Bidens tax evasion. He alleged that Graves, the U.S. attorney for D.C., would not allow Weiss to bring charges in his district.

Hunter Biden IRS whistleblower defends claims that counter DOJ statements

Weiss, Garland and Graves have all countered Shapleys testimony.

I want to make clear that, as the Attorney General has stated, I have been granted ultimate authority over this matter, including responsibility for deciding where, when, and whether to file charges, Weiss told House Judiciary members in a June letter.

Garland went further, saying critiques on the Hunter Biden investigation undermined faith in the department.

I certainly understand that some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department, and its components, and its employees, by claiming that we do not treat like cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy and essential to the safety of the American people. Nothing could be further from the truth, Garland said Friday.

Youve all heard me say many times that we make our cases based on the facts and the law. These are not just words. These are what we live by.

Mike Lillis contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 will be without a contract for school resource officers from the Waukegan police department effective Saturday, but Board of Education members plan to have a pact in place when classes start Aug. 14.

Unable to agree on the on the length of the contract, the board agreed by consensus without a vote Tuesday at the Lincoln Center administration center to let the current contract expire Friday and continue its discussions at a special meeting in July.

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No date was set for the July meeting. LeBaron Moten, the districts deputy superintendent for operations support and programs, said there must be enough time to approve the contract and the Waukegan City Council can do the same before school starts.

As the discussion began to approve a five-year extension of the current contract with the police department, with a potential annual cost of more than $181,000 per year, board member Anita Hanna balked at the length. The current pact has a five-year term.

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This is another multiyear contract and we dont know what position were going to be in (then), but well be stuck into a contract for five years, Hanna said, indicating she also wants a say in who is selected. I dont just want the chief of police to pick.

Board member Adriana Gonzalez said she agreed with Hannas reasoning. She has additional concerns about having resource officers at the schools at all. She wants better communication between the department and the district.

To avoid some of the egregious incidents weve had between students and law enforcement in the past in our schools, I have to vote my conscience, Gonzalez said.

Jeff McBride, another board member, expressed some reservations but said he would put the safety of the students above economic and procedural concerns. He worries about what could happen without the police presence.

If something should go wrong in that school, our kids dont have anything to protect themselves, McBride said. So, somebody should be in there if somebody comes in doing something they dont have (any) business doing.

Recognizing the district will be without a contract for resource officers in a few days, Superintendent Theresa Plascencia said the board must find an alternative in a world where violence is on the increase.

Plascencia said the board needs to discuss how to replace the function of the police officers assigned to the Washington and Brookside campuses of Waukegan High School. There will be nothing in place unless something is done before school starts in August

This is a board decision and not one to take lightly with whats happening across the nation, and whats happening not too far down the street, and could potentially happen in our own district, Plascencia said. God forbid that would ever happen here or at any school.

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Board President Brandon Ewing said he opposes a five-year contract extension. He also recognizes when a survey was taken among the district community three years ago about eliminating the position, the majority wanted to keep the police on campus.

Ewing suggested a one-year extension to maintain the status quo while the administration and board consider alternatives, from a shorter contract  possibly with one-year extensions  to what would replace the police at the high school campuses.

This is something were grappling with, he said. Lets commit to a year. You dont want to rip off a Band Aid with nothing to replace it.

Moten said he can discuss the time frame of the contract with the police officials. They agreed on the five-year term because that was what was done in the past.

Darryl Wilson, the districts director of security, said he has worked with police resource officers in Waukegans schools for the past 19 years. He said they take their direction from school leadership.

Wilson said ending the practice of resource officers on the two high school campuses is going against a national trend. Their presence means a reduction in response time in a crisis, which can help save lives.

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I think we would be remiss removing SROs from the building when the rest of the country is taking the lead and adding, he said. If you look at our surrounding communities  Highland Park, Lake Forest, Warren  theyve all asked for directors of security.

Gonzalez said there will still be police protection when needed if the district chooses to eliminate the use of police on campus. The schools are part of the Waukegan community the police protect.

I think were creating a narrative of safety going out the window, Gonzalez said. If something were to happen, this doesnt prevent us from calling on them to support our personnel. That doesnt stop just because you dont have an agreement.
The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has released evidence that casts significant doubt on GOP claims that the FBI ignored evidence that President Joe Biden accepted a bribe from a Ukrainian energy mogul during his time as vice president.

In a letter to House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin reminded his GOP counterpart that Congress has had evidence that directly contradicts the allegations levied against Mr Biden in an FBI form which Republicans have claimed to be proof of alleged corruption on the part of the president.

As part of the impeachment inquiry against then-President Trump, Congress learned that ... the Ukrainian oligarch and the owner of Burisma, whom Republican Committee Members appear to have identified as the source of the allegations memorialized in the Form FD-1023, squarely rebutted these allegations in 2019, Mr Raskin said.

The Republican accusations against Mr Biden have largely been based around similar claims floated nearly four years ago by Rudolph Giuliani, the disgraced former New York City mayor who in 2019 traveled to Ukraine to help then-president Donald Trump dig up dirt on Mr Biden, who was then preparing to launch his candidacy in the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Giuliani and his allies met with FBI officials to accuse Mr Biden of having accepted millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for pushing Ukraines then-president, Petro Poroshenko, to fire his countrys top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, in the waning months of the Obama administration.

Mr Shokin later claimed that this was the reason he was fired, and Republicans  most notoriously Mr Giuliani  have said Mr Bidens work urging Mr Poroshenko to sack Mr Shokin was a personal errand, even though Mr Biden was expressing the wishes of the US government, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and other Western entities when he communicated the Obama administrations demand that Mr Shokin be shown the door.

An FBI informant, who The Independent previously identified as most likely being Mr Giuliani, alleged that Mykola Zlochevsky, the founder of Burisma  the Ukrainian energy firm which employed Mr Bidens son Hunter as a board member  paid the then-vice president $5m to push for Mr Shokins firing.

But according to a transcript of an interview with Mr Zlochevsky which Giuliani associate Lev Parnas provided to Congress during the first impeachment of Mr Trump, the Burisma founder said years ago that his company never had any contact with the elder Mr Biden.

In his letter, Mr Raskin wrote that the Ukrainian executive explicitly and unequivocally denied the allegations of bribery. He said Mr Zlochevsky also denied (1) that anyone at Burisma had any contacts with then former Vice President Biden or his representatives while Hunter Biden served on the Burisma board, and (2) that former Vice President Biden or his staff in any way assisted Mr. Zlochevsky or Burisma.

Mr Raskin added that the full factual context surrounding the [FBI form] including Mr. Zlochevskys statements contradicting the reported information  is crucial to properly understanding these allegations.

In this case, that context includes not just repeated and failed efforts in 2019 and 2020 by Mr. Giuliani, Senate Republicans, and Trumps Justice Department to find support for these allegations, but also clear evidence that then-Vice President Bidens actions carried out the policy of the United States, its allies, and its international partners to combat corruption in Ukraine, he said.
Republican lawmakers cheered a landmark ruling U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday that the use of race as a factor in college admissions is a violation of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, with some calling the decision a "victory" in the civil rights movement and for America's students.

Students for Fair Admissions brought cases against both Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The group initially sued Harvard College in 2014 for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance."

The North Carolina case raised the issue of whether the university could reject the use of non-race-based practices without showing that they would bring down the school's academic quality or negatively impact the benefits gained from campus diversity.

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that, "A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination."

SUPREME COURT REJECTS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN RULING ON UNIVERSITIES USING RACE IN ADMISSIONS DECISIONS

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif, applauded the ruling on Twitter, saying, "Now students will be able to compete based on equal standards and individual merit."

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"This will make the college admissions process fairer and uphold equality under the law," McCarthy wrote.

Asian-American lawmakers Reps. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., and Young Kim, R-Calif., celebrated the Supreme Court's ruling, with both representatives emphasizing the importance for all students to have the opportunity to achieve their American dream.

Steel lauded the "brave young men and women" involved in the case who spoke up about their experience with racial discrimination in a statement to Fox News Digital. Steel, who immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea at the age of 19, went on to emphasize that one's actions determine one's success, not their race and ethnicity.

"I am living my American dream because, in this country, your actions determine your success - not your race and ethnicity. For 40 years, American colleges and universities have stacked the deck against Asian Americans in the name of diversity," Steel said. "As a nation, we believe, as taught by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that every human should be judged 'not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Thanks to the brave young men and women who spoke up about their experiences with racial discrimination, todays victory marks a new chapter in the fight for equality in education."

Asian-American lawmakers Reps. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., pictured here, and Young Kim, R-Calif., celebrated the Supreme Court's ruling, with both representatives emphasizing the importance for all students to have the opportunity to achieve their American dream.

Kim called out "race-based education policies," calling them divisive while also preventing students from reaching their full potential.

"These out-of-touch policies make the American dream out of reach," Kim told Fox News Digital in a statement after the decision was handed down. "We should not hold students back and send a dangerous message that ones race and background matters more than ones merits and character. Todays decision is a huge victory for students of all backgrounds. I respect the Supreme Courts decision as always and hope higher education institutions do the same."

Kim, a vocal Asian American leader in Congress on the topic, had previously told Fox News Digital Harvard's "unfair" admissions processes were crushing the American dream.

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kent., called the decision "a long overdue step" in an effort to ensure equal protection under the law.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CASE: JUSTICES ALITO, ROBERTS SNAP AT HARVARD LAWYER

"For decades, the Court turned a blind eye as higher education prioritized illegal social engineering over merit. Todays rulings make clear that colleges may not continue discriminating against bright and ambitious students based on the color of their skin," McConnell said in a statement. "Now that the Court has reaffirmed that commonsense position, students can get a fair shot at college and the American dream on their merits."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., left, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., applauded the Supreme Court's rejection of affirmative action in college admissions.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., called out both Harvard and UNC for their "ugly traditions of discrimination" as he applauded the Court in its ruling that would "restore" students being judged on merit during the admissions process.

"Today the Supreme Court has ended our countrys long and failed experiment with racial quotas and government-sanctioned racial discrimination, and, in the process, restored some measure of objectivity and fairness to the college admissions process," Cruz said in a statement. "This is a great day for all Americans."

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON CLASHES WITH ANTI-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION LAWYER DURING SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on the other hand, slammed the Supreme Court ruling, calling it a "giant roadblock" in the country's efforts to achieve racial justice.

"The Supreme Court's ruling put a giant roadblock in Americas march toward racial justice," Schumer wrote. "The consequences will be felt immediately as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities. These negative consequences could continue for generations."

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra shared similar sentiments, stating the ruling "weakens efforts" to make education more accessible "to members of historically underrepresented groups."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. slammed the Supreme Court ruling, calling it a "giant roadblock" in the country's efforts to achieve racial justice.

"The opinion issued today by the United States Supreme Court marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation," Edward Blum, founder and president of Students for Fair Admissions, who was a party in the case, said in a statement following the decision.

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a students race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our countrys civil rights laws."

The University of North Carolina released a statement in response to the ruling, clarifying the university would "take any steps necessary to comply with the law" despite not receiving its expected outcome.

JUSTICES HEAR ARGUMENTS OVER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN HARVARD, UNC SUPREME COURT CASES

"Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond," said Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz. "While not the outcome we hoped for, we will carefully review the Supreme Courts decision and take any steps necessary to comply with the law."

UNC'S Board of Trustees Chair David L. Boliek Jr. also stated the university was ready to comply with the Court's ruling ensuring America's "oldest public university to keep leading."

Harvard University released a similar statement to its community, ensuring the university would also comply with the law following the Court's decision.

"We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday," the statement read.

Fox News' Brianna Herlihy, Anders Hagstrom, and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
The Supreme Court Thursday struck down affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, creating a seismic shift in the landscape of higher education and racial equity.

The decision, hailed by conservatives and slammed by Democrats, will have long-standing implications over the racial makeup of colleges and universities and the types of opportunities students of color are afforded.

The 2024 Republican presidential candidates were largely unified in praising the decision. Heres a look at what theyve said so far.

Former President Trump

Former President Trump called the ruling a great day for America, while his allies credited him for the decision.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA, Inc. gave Trump credit for the ruling. Trump appointed three justices to the Supreme Court, and all three were in Thursdays majority.

President Donald Trump made todays historic decision to end the racist college admissions process possible because he delivered on his promise to appoint constitutionalist justices, said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the PAC. America is a better nation as a result of the historic rulings led by Donald Trumps three Supreme Court nominees.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the decision, but separately took a shot at Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

College admissions should be based on merit and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity, DeSantis said in tweet. The Supreme Court has correctly upheld the Constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities.

Separately, the governors campaign team posted a clip from a 2015 NBC interview with Trump in which he said he was fine with affirmative action.

Im fine with affirmative action. Weve lived with it for a long time. And I lived with it for a long time. And Ive had great relationships with lots of people, then-candidate Trump tells host Chuck Todd in the interview.

When asked by Todd whether it should be expanded, Trump said: You have to also go free market. You have to do capability. You have to do a lot things.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley

Haley was one of the first candidates to hail the decision, saying it would give students a better shot at achieving the American dream. Haley, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants, is one of several GOP candidates of color running in the GOP primary.

The world admires America because we value freedom and opportunity. The Supreme Court reaffirmed those values today. Picking winners and losers based on race is fundamentally wrong, Haley said in a statement.

This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American Dream, she added.

Former Vice President Pence

Pence in a tweet said he was pleased by the decision, adding that he played a role in appointing three of the Justices that were part of the majority opinion.

There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism, Pence tweeted. He included photos in the tweet showing him with conservative Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch.

I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured todays welcomed decision, and as President I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends, he added.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Scott in an interview on Fox News hailed the decision.

We will not be judged solely by the color of our skin. Thats what the ruling said today, but that is the story of America. That is the story of American progress, and we can all celebrate that today, he said.

Im running for president because I know America can do for anyone what shes done for me, but sending the message that somehow the color of your skin means that you will not be able to achieve your goals from an educational perspective, from an income perspective, or family formation, that is a lie from the pit of hell, he said.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said in a tweet with a corresponding video that race-based admission is the single greatest form of institutional racism in America today.

Ramaswamy vowed he would go further on ending affirmative action if he were elected president.

As President, I will end it in every sphere of American life. Meritocracy and equity are fundamentally incompatible. Mark my words: elite universities will now start to play complex games to achieve the same results using shadow tactics like deprioritizing test scores. This is unlawful and I will instruct the Justice Department to end these illegal practices, he said.

Former Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas)

Hurd did not say whether he agreed with the decision in a tweet Thursday but suggested the country was failing to prepare too many of our black and brown students for higher education.

With or without affirmative action, we are failing to prepare too many of our black and brown students for higher education. Thats the problem. We have income inequality because we have education inequality. Our elementary, middle, and high schools need the right support from state governments and the federal government  otherwise this is going to continue to plague our kids for generations to come, he tweeted.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
House Republicans are seeking interviews with more than a dozen figures involved in the Hunter Biden investigation as part of a probe into whether there was equal enforcement of the law.

Biden, the presidents son, agreed to a plea deal yet to be approved by a judge that charges him with failure to pay taxes and would also require him to enter a diversion program on a separate gun charge.

The news of the agreement was followed the next day by the release of a transcript from an interview with IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, who alleged Biden was given preferential treatment and that the investigation was slow-walked.

The request from a trio of committee leaders seeks to speak with David Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware who led the investigation, as well as a deputy, Lesley Wolf. It also requests an interview with U.S. Attorney for D.C. Matthew Graves; Shapley alleged Graves opposed Biden being charged in D.C.

The request also seeks interviews with numerous other FBI, IRS and Department of Justice employees.

Recent startling testimony from Internal Revenue Service whistleblowers raises serious questions about the Departments commitment to evenhanded justice and the veracity of assertions made to the Committee on the Judiciary, lawmakers wrote in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The letter was sent by Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.).

Specifically, the Committees seek to examine whistleblower claims that the Departments investigation of Hunter Biden was purposely slow-walked and subjected to improper and politically motivated interference, the men wrote.

Bidens lawyer has refuted that investigators were anything other than diligent in their five-year investigation into the matter.

This was a five year, very diligent investigation pursued by incredibly professional prosecutors, some of whom have been career prosecutors, one of whom at least was appointed by President Trump, Chris Clark said during an appearance on MSNBC with Katy Tur last week.

Clark later said hes unsure whether someone who was not as high-profile as Biden would have been prosecuted for the crime.

Its very clear he didnt timely pay the taxes he was supposed to pay at the time. He subsequently has paid them, but he didnt timely pay them. I think its a very hard question whether I would have been prosecuted for that or not. And I think I could have been, but I think thats a hard question, and its one I cant answer, he said.

Garlands office acknowledged receipt but declined to comment further. Neither Wiesss nor Gravess offices responded to request for comment.

Shapley said Weisss office relayed it was told it could not bring charges in D.C., where he believed the strongest case could be had regarding Bidens tax evasion. He alleged that Graves, the U.S. attorney for D.C., would not allow Weiss to bring charges in his district.

Justice Department officials have sharply denied that.

Garland has maintained before lawmakers and under questioning from reporters that Weiss had the authority under both the Trump and Biden administrations to handle the case as he saw fit.

I certainly understand that some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department, and its components, and its employees, by claiming that we do not treat like cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy and essential to the safety of the American people. Nothing could be further from the truth, Garland said Friday.

Youve all heard me say many times that we make our cases based on the facts and the law. These are not just words. These are what we live by.

Weiss has also told lawmakers that he had total authority.

I want to make clear that, as the Attorney General has stated, I have been granted ultimate authority over this matter, including responsibility for deciding where, when, and whether to file charges, Weiss told House Judiciary Committee members in a June letter.

Graves has also contested Shapleys assertion.

As the Attorney General has said, U.S. Attorney Weiss was given full authority to bring charges in any jurisdiction he deemed appropriate. He did not need approval from this office or the U.S. Attorney to bring charges in the District of Columbia, Gravess office previously said in a statement about Shapleys testimony.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Last-minute revisions to North Carolinas new abortion restrictions that take effect this weekend were signed into law on Thursday by Gov. Roy Cooper.

The Democratic governors decision to act quickly on changes from the Republican-controlled legislature should minimize the immediate results from a pending legal challenge. Still, a federal judge might temporarily block parts of the law that before it goes into effect Saturday.

A lawsuit by a physician and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic claims that sections in the restrictions were so vague and confusing that doctors feared unintentionally breaking the law, affecting their ability to care for women seeking abortions.

PREVIOUS: Revisions to NC abortion law that could scuttle lawsuit get final legislative OK

Enactment of the clean-up language appears to make moot arguments about several provisions cited in the lawsuit. Thats according to lawyers for abortion providers, legislative leaders and the state, who spoke before U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles during a Wednesday hearing.

Cooper vehemently opposed the underlying abortion law, which creates a ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, replacing the current ban on most abortions after 20 weeks. He vetoed that measure in May, but veto-proof GOP majorities in both chambers completed an override.

While the clean-up bill was important to clarify the rules and provide some certainty, Cooper said Thursday in a written statement, we will continue fighting on all fronts the Republican assault on womens reproductive freedom.

The latest bill signed, described by Republicans as containing technical and clarifying language, attempted to make clear medication abortions are permitted through 12 weeks just like procedural abortions  often referred to as surgical abortions  and not through 10 weeks. It also changes a numerical reference to a law to ensure that a lawful abortion is an exception to North Carolinas fetal homicide statute. And a provision that raised questions whether the states 72-hour waiting period to obtain an abortion had to restart if certain information wasnt available was repealed.

The legal parties meeting Wednesday differed on whether changes to a couple other provisions addressed the plaintiffs challenges.

Eagles, who was nominated to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama, said Wednesday she hadnt decided whether she would grant a temporary restraining order as the plaintiffs asked for in a motion last week. Her decision was expected on Friday.

But in any case, the judge said she would not issue a broad order that would block most of the new law  including the 12-week near ban  from taking effect as scheduled as the plaintiffs had sought. She said such action would be overly broad. The restrictions also include new exceptions extending the limit through 20 weeks for rape and incest and through 24 weeks for life-limiting fetal anomalies.

Cooper had until next week to decide what to do with the proposed revisions, which were attached to a state health agency measure and approved by strong bipartisan majorities. Some Democrats felt it was better to make the new abortion rules less onerous by backing the alterations. Any order from Eagles likely would have been more complicated had Cooper waited until Saturday or later to act on the measure.

(PREVIOUS: Revisions to NC abortion law that could scuttle lawsuit get final legislative OK)
Gov. Jay Inslee called for more speed cameras across Washington state in response to a rise in fatal traffic collisions.

Theres too many people not coming home to their families without taking a commonsense measure like this, Inslee said.

Inslee shared his support for the cameras and law enforcement during a meeting with agency leaders Wednesday morning. The leaders reviewed data that showed a concerning lack of progress for Target Zero, a state safety plan that aims to eliminate fatal and serious injury collisions by 2030.

Traffic fatalities in Washington state increased about 39% from 538 in 2019 to 750 in 2022, according to data presented by Shelly Baldwin, director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. However, she cautioned that 2022 data was preliminary.

We have not seen such a rapid increase since back in the 70s, Baldwin said. We want to keep in mind that these are not just numbers. These are families and friends and co-workers whose lives have been lost and left the people around them grieving.

Baldwin said traffic fatalities declined starting around 2008 and dropped to a low of 436 in 2013 before stabilizing in the 500s from 2015 to 2019.

The data show eight counties account for about 60% of all fatalities. The top three are in the states population center  King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Thurston County ranks seventh in fatalities, but is sixth in population.

The states traffic fatality rate per 100 vehicle miles traveled reached 1.16 in 2021 compared to 1.37 at the national level, Baldwin shared. She said impaired driving, followed by speeding and distracted driving, were key risk factors in traffic fatalities.

State officials struggled to understand why fatalities increased during the pandemic when traffic volumes and miles traveled were down, Baldwin said.

Thats not how its supposed to work, Baldwin said. I think well be puzzling over that for a while, but one of the things that happened when volumes went down on our roadways, people were able to drive faster than they were able to drive at various times.

Baldwin said the state also has seen an increase in substance use in the past few years, including alcohol and marijuana use. Meanwhile, she said traffic enforcement substantially decreased during that time.

Speed cameras

On a recent trip to Europe, Inslee said he saw first-hand how speed cameras help slow traffic. These devices typically work by taking pictures of a vehicles license plate so the driver can be sent a ticket in the mail.

If they say speed camera ahead, people slow down, Inslee said. They dont just work by catching people speeding, they prevent people from speeding.

The state authorized the use of speed cameras in highway work zones with the passage of Senate Bill 5272 earlier this year. However, Inslees proposal would go further.

I believe Washingtonians now understand that cameras are almost ubiquitous in our lives, Inslee said. It shouldnt be a concern if you have one on I-5 when youve got one in every store you walk into, every bank you walk into and every sidewalk you walk on.

John Milton, the transportation safety director at the Washington State Department of Transportation, said speed cameras could potentially reduce fatal and serious injuries by about a third.

When considering the number of fatalities, Inslee said speed cameras could save hundreds of lives.

The fact, were not doing that, frankly, is a little frustrating right now, Inslee said. Im glad weve taken the first step in construction zones, but we cant allow this carnage to continue when we have a technology that works.

Inslee said he would direct the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to work with his staff to develop a plan for increasing the use of speed cameras.

Additionally, Inslee said he supports recruiting more law enforcement personnel to enforce traffic laws.

Im glad our state is not defunding the police, Inslee said. Were trying to train and hire more officers in multiple jurisdictions, including State Patrol.

Washington State Patrol had 212 trooper vacancies as of Wednesday, WSP Chief John Batiste said. He said 43 troopers graduated from training and were put to work about three weeks ago, and a class of 60 starts on Monday.

Bonuses are associated with these hires, which makes it more attractive for folks to come on board, Batiste said. So, we think things are trending in the right direction.
A Waterloo Regional Police vehicle is parked near the scene of a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (AP)

A recently graduated student has been charged with a stabbing attack in a Canadian universitys gender studies class that left three people injured.

Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, 24, is an international student who recently finished studying at the University of Waterloo, Regional Police Service Chief Mark Crowell said on Thursday.

The accused targeted a gender-studies class and investigators believe this was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity, the service said in a statement.

The suspect has now been charged with three counts of aggravated assault; four counts of assault with a weapon; two counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose; and mischief under $5,000.

It is both sad and disturbing that this incident has occurred during Pride month, Chief Crowell said. We hope this incident does not diminish from these celebrations but, instead, encourages us all to come together.

Investigators say that he walked into a university lecture classroom on Wednesday afternoon and stabbed a 38-year-old professor, a 20-year-old female student and a 19-year-old male student with a knife.

Around 40 students were inside the classroom at the time of the attack and fled for safety, police said.

Authorities say that Mr Villalba-Aleman was not a member of the class but spoke with the professor of the class before attacking her with two large knives without provocation.

He then tried to pose as a victim of the attack before officers identified and arrested him.

The victims injuries are serious but not life-threatening, and all were being treated at hospitals, said officials.
PRESCOTT  A new mural honoring the Granite Mountain Hotshots was unveiled Wednesday on the side of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, two days before the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 tragedy that killed 19 firefighters.

Designed by Arizona artist Katia Von Kral, the collage-style mural is broken up into three sections featuring portraits of the men in addition to telling the story of what they did as hotshots, ranging from the tools they used for firefighting to the creed they lived by.

Von Kral also presented each family with multiple portraits of their hotshot to take home with them.

"It was really important to me that the families understood the sense of giving" at the core of her intentions for the project, Von Kral said.

The photo chosen for the portrait of fallen hotshot Wade Parker is one of his sister Carrie's favorites. The shot is a close-up of her brother in a grey Boston Red Sox hat, pulled from a group shot of all of the Parker siblings celebrating their father's birthday  the last time she saw her brother in person.

Parker lives in New York but said that the outpouring of community support after the tragedy has helped her family immensely. Coming up on the 10-year anniversary, she said the emotions are intense but the community backing is just as strong as ever.

"It's just nice to know what they did  they laid their lives down and they died with their boots on," Parker said. "It's a beautiful thing that everyone still supports them."

Prescott Mayor Phil Goode, Arizona Sen. Ken Bennett and Prescott Fire Chief Holger Durre all spoke ahead of the unveiling as various state and local officials were scattered throughout the audience.

"We mourn, we recognize and we commemorate," Goode said. "And we always remember."

Von Kral initially brought the mural idea to Prescott more than a year ago. By the time the project was approved by various city boards and the City Council, the 10th anniversary was rapidly approaching.

She originally planned artwork about one-third of the size of the current mural when she pitched the idea, but city leaders jumped at the opportunity and eventually offered her a large space on the side of the Chamber of Commerce.

Because the building is historic and the adjacent lot could be developed in the future, the mural was actually painted on large metal sheets that will be affixed to the wall while limiting alterations to the original structure.

"There were definitely days where I was like, 'I don't know if this is going to happen,'" she said.

A view of a mural honoring the Granite Mountain Hotshots who died in the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire at the Chamber of Commerce in Prescott on June 28, 2023.

Before starting, Von Kral made several trips to the Granite Mountain Interagency Crew Learning and Tribute Center to learn as much as she could about the men, their work and their importance to the community. She also emphasized the importance of fire education and fire safety, something many of the hotshots' families have advocated for in the decade since their loss.

"I wanted to make sure I encompassed what seemed to be the most important aspects about the hotshots," she said.

The mural also provides an educational opportunity through scannable QR codes that explain what visitors see on the wall, from descriptions of their tools and vehicles to the iconic alligator juniper tree that the crew saved in the Doce Fire a week before they died.

"We hope that as visitors come by and read and view the mural that they will be touched in a way that they will remember that as I stand, there are hundreds and hundreds of hotshots out there at this very moment on the fire line," John Marsh, father of Eric Marsh, superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots said before the reveal.

While anything revolving around the Granite Mountain Hotshots will always be tinged with sadness, Von Kral hopes this artwork will honor and continue their legacy.

"I want there to be some level of healing," she said.

Perhaps more than anything, Von Kral hopes people will take away a lesson from the words of Eric Marsh, superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, when he was first seeking to establish his crew:

"Be a hotshot in everything that you do."

Reach the reporter at LLatch@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mural honoring Granite Mountain Hotshots unveiled in Prescott
FILE - Opposition leader Alexis Tsipras, head of the left-wing Syriza party, leaves after voting at a polling station in Athens, Greece, Sunday, June 25, 2023. Greeces left-wing opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras has announced his decision to step down after a crushing election defeat. Tsipras made the announcement on Thursday, June 29, 2023. The 48 year-old politician served as Greeces prime minister from 2015 to 2019 during politically tumultuous years as the country struggled to remain in the euro zone and end a series of international bailouts. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas, File)

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greeces firebrand opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, announced his decision Thursday to step down as leader of the left-wing Syriza party, days after a crushing general election defeat.

Tsipras, 48, served as Greece's prime minister from 2015 to 2019 during politically tumultuous years as the country struggled to remain in the euro zone and end a series of international bailouts.

I have therefore decided to propose the election of a new leadership by the members of the party ... Of course I will not be a candidate, Tsipras said in a televised address.

I make no secret of the fact that this is a painful decision ... I don't take hasty decisions. I put them under my pillow and torture myself with them first, he added.

In Sundays general election, Tsipras left-wing Syriza party received just under 18% of the vote  losing almost half its support over the past four years  while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis winning New Democracy party topped 40%.

The party must take difficult and courageous decisions, which are called upon to serve a new vision. This obviously concerns me too, Tsipras said.

Heading the Syriza since 2012, Tsipras forged a more cohesive party, taking it from a small political group to general election victory in 2015 on a pledge to push back on harsh austerity measures demanded by bailout lenders from other euro zone members and the International Monetary Fund. The effort proved unsuccessful and Greece was given a third bailout later that year to avoid bankruptcy and an exit from the shared euro currency. He eased his combative stance toward the European Commission and eventually forged closed ties with European leaders, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He was widely praised by Western allies for finalizing an agreement with North Macedonia that ushered Greece's neighbor into NATO and advanced its effort to join the European Union.

Although regarded as a skillful politician, Tsipras' main opponent said he hoped the opposition leader's departure would improve the quality of political debate.

I think decision was to be expected, Greece's conservative Prime Minister Mitsotakis said while attending a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. Syriza, both in government and in opposition, was a party characterized by toxicity, divisive rhetoric and with striking inefficiency," Mitsotakis said. "Political parties must unite citizens and propose realistic, cost-effective and workable solutions to people's problems  a road Syriza has never taken. I sincerely hope it does now."

Tsipras is expected to stay on as leader for several weeks until his successor is elected by the party's rank-an-file membership. No prominent members of the party has publicly called on Tsipras to step down after the election defeat, though Euclid Tsakalotos, a former Syriza finance minister, had urged him to reflect on the results and take the necessary actions. Effie Achtsioglou, a 38-year-old former social security minister, has received support from a section of the party to seek a leadership role but has not publicly discussed her plans. Commentators blamed Syriza's poor election result on the party's largely-negative campaign, the resurgence of the traditionally-strong Socialist party Pasok, and the appearance of splinter parties headed by Tsipras's former allies, including former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. Largely rooted in fierce political confrontations during the 2010-2018 international bailouts, Syriza and the Socialists have been unable reach any agreement on potential collaboration, despite support from some senior members in both parties.
(Bloomberg) -- Greeces ex-Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who once riled European leaders and put in danger the countrys participation in the euro area, resigned from his party after its share of the vote in Sundays general election fell below the already low May result.

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I have decided to proceed with the election of a new leadership by directly resorting to the procedures in which I will not be a candidate, Tsipras said.

In Mays balloting, Tsipras won 20.1% of the vote, down from 31.5% in 2019. In this weeks election, he saw Syriza dropping to 17.8%, prompting him to step down after being its leader for 15 years since the age of 34.

The president of the leftist Syriza party became prime minister in early 2015, promising to get rid of the international bailouts that started in 2010 and ushered in a period of severe austerity. Almost a third of the work force couldnt find a job at the peak of the decade-long debt crisis.

Tsipras tried to re-negotiate the terms of the programs that kept the country afloat and even held a referendum in the summer of the same year. He then ignored the results, which overwhelmingly rejected austerity amid the closure of the countrys banks for about a month, and agreed to a new third bailout.

Right after this, Tsipras called for snap elections in September, asking people to mandate him to implement the new bailout, and he won. During this term, Greece followed all the provisions of the program agreed with its official creditors.

In the foreign policy field, Tsipras was the leader who struck a deal with Greeces northern neighbor that led it being renamed the Republic of North Macedonia. The issue was pending for decades and the move helped North Macedonia win membership in the NATO alliance. Tsipras he won international praise for the deal, but he suffered criticism internally that cost him votes in the 2019 election when he lost power.

Im proud of what we achieved, Tsipras said, mentioning the debt relief deal and the agreement on North Macedonia among others. The negative election result must and should be the beginning of a new cycle.

(Updates with more context from seventh paragraph.)

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A logo proposed by a marketing firm for the City of Park Ridge. (Courtesy of Park Ridge/Pioneer Press)

Park Ridges attempts to rebrand itself met with some consternation from aldermen and members of the public who blasted a proposed logo for the city as generic and questioned the purpose and scope of the project as a whole.

The city has moved to update its branding and marketing as part of its strategic plan. 6th Ward Alderman Rick Biagi recalled that the initial steps in the project came alongside the citys outdoor dining program during the height of the pandemic as officials sought a productive use of fees for the outdoor dining program.

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In December 2022, the city engaged an Evanston-based marketing firm called All Together for a contract worth just under $50,000. All Together representatives recently presented to aldermen on the story they had come up with to help market Park Ridge and a set of options for a new city logo.

But Mayor Marty Maloney brought the topic back to City Council members June 5 because he said hed gotten feedback from some council members that suggested they werent supportive of the specific changes the firm had floated  or the effort as a whole.

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The city will continue to use its official seal, City Manager Joe Gilmore assured aldermen. Up for replacement are the historic symbols of a gas lamp and cupola. All Together has pitched a new logo featuring leaflike shapes set into the four corners of a set of intersecting crossroads.

The reception from council members was mixed, and mostly lukewarm.

After 3rd Ward Alderman Kelly Lawrence and 2nd Ward Alderman Fred Sanchez said they didnt feel the proposed logo and slogan of Wholeheartedly Park Ridge captured the feel of the city, 1st Ward Alderman John Moran piped up to ask what the goal of the entire exercise was.

I dont think a crossroads emblem of some type with fancy font on a public works snowplow is a good use of our resources, Moran said. I think weve asked staff a few times for an answer (about the use of the mark) and we havent gotten a straight answer.

5th Ward Alderman Joseph Steinfels said he wasnt in love with the proposed logo and said the entire process struck him as being cart before the horse.

I dont see the need to do this, he said. The brand that we have for what is currently Park Ridge I think is adequate.

4th Ward Alderman Harmony Harrington said she supported the project and the pursuit of a cleaner, more modern logo for Park Ridge.

A proposed logo for the city of Park Ridge. - Original Credit: Handout (Courtesy of Park Ridge/HANDOUT)

When we first started discussing this, it was really around (wanting) to update the strategic vision for our city; we recognize that were at a crossroads of sorts. As a previous council we spent some really good time outlining our goals and priorities.

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Branding was part of that effort, she said.

Harrington also said shed be happy to let staff decide if the new logo/brand went on emergency services or public vehicles as long as the city did update its mark.

Its about time we had one  we need to get with the modern ages, she said.

Administrative Services Manager Leisa Niemotka said she understood the attachment to the citys historic logos but that those images wouldnt speak to people who didnt already live in the city.

Rachael Aziz of All Together also defended the move away from the historic logos, saying her firm had sought input from residents and businesses and hadnt heard any real love for the gas lamp or the cupola.

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Change is hard, Aziz said. Its impossible to capture the character of an entire city in a logo.

Frequent public commenter Joan Sandrik wasnt convinced. She likened the logo to a manhole cover or a piece of floor tile, said it was generic and there was absolutely nothing Park Ridge-specific about it.

She suggested asking students at Maine South and Maine East High Schools to come up with a design and said if she were giving it a letter grade, shed go with D for disappointing.

Another commenter, Mike Riordan, agreed with Sandriks generic characterization. Its innocuous enough, but you could easily enough see that on the corner of Skokie Boulevard and Old Orchard Road, he said, referring to the location of the Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie.

After about an hour of discussion, aldermen agreed that theyd continue to pursue a new mark for the city and ask All Together to return to the drawing board for the logo.
'I do not think that the world reaction to this ecocide is sufficient,' said Thunberg during her visit to Kyiv (Sergei SUPINSKY)

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg on Thursday denounced the ecological havoc caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the lack of international reaction to the disaster.

"Ecocide and environmental destruction is a form of warfare... as Ukrainians by this point know all too well -- and so does Russia," said Thunberg, during a visit to Kyiv as part of an international delegation investigating the environmental consequences of the conflict.

"And that's why they are deliberately targeting the environment and people's livelihoods and homes and therefore also destroying lives...".

Thunberg was speaking at a news conference along with Ukrainian presidential aide Andriy Yermak.

She and the rest of the delegation also met President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the southern region of Kherson on June 6 flooded huge swathes of the Kherson region. The disaster killed dozens of people and forced thousands of others to flee.

Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up the dam, which was under Moscow's control, while the Kremlin insists that it was Kyiv that shelled the Soviet-era structure. Each side has blamed the other for the disaster.

Zelensky has criticised what he says is the lack of an adequate international response to the disaster.

"I do not think that the world reaction to this ecocide is sufficient," said Thunberg. "I don't think any reaction could be sufficient.

"So I guess we need to make more room for people who are affected by these catastrophes to tell their stories and to share information about what's happening on the ground."

"We must do everything we can to speak out about this and to try to spread awareness and share information about what is happening."

There are also fears over the risk of a disaster at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power station, Europe's largest nuclear plant, which is currently under Russian control.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly warned of the dangers of a major accident there.

bur/jj/ach
Member of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War hold a press conference in Kyiv

Greta Thunberg slams world response to dam collapse 'ecocide' during Kyiv visit Member of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War hold a press conference in Kyiv

(Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg visited Kyiv on Thursday to draw attention to environmental damage caused by war in Ukraine and criticized the world's response to the June 6 collapse of the vast hydro-electric Kakhovka dam.

Ukraine is investigating the dam blast, which unleashed floods across southern Ukraine and Russian-occupied areas of the Kherson region, as a war crime and possible criminal environmental destruction, or "ecocide". It has estimated the cost of the dam's collapse at 1.2 billion euros.

Kyiv and Russia have blamed each other for the dam's destruction.

"I do not think that the world reaction to this ecocide was enough," said Thunberg, who was in Kyiv for the inaugural meeting of a new environmental group that also includes senior European political figures.

"We have to talk louder about it, we have to raise awareness about what is going on," she said, according to a Ukrainian translation of her comments.

The group is tasked with assessing the damage to Ukraine's environment and developing mechanisms to hold Russia accountable, said Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential staff and co-chair of the group along with former Swedish deputy prime minister Margot Wallstrom.

The environment risks becoming the "silent victim of war" with about 30% of Ukraine's territory contaminated with explosive objects and over 2.4 million hectares of forests damaged, Ukraine's prosecutor general Andriy Kostin said in a Twitter post to mark the meeting.

"We call for strengthening international efforts to investigate and prosecute Russia's war crimes against the environment and to ensure that the aggressor pays," he said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attended the meeting and thanked members of the group for their visit as an "extremely important signal of support."

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka)
Guard, gunman die in attack at US consulate in Jeddah: police

No Americans were harmed in the shooting outside the consulate in Jeddah, which was put under lockdown, the State Department said (MANDEL NGAN)

A security guard and a gunman were killed in an exchange of gunfire in front of the US consulate in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on Wednesday, officials said.

No Americans were harmed in the shooting outside the consulate, which was put under lockdown, the State Department said.

"At 6:45 pm (1545 GMT), a man stopped in a car in front of the consulate building and got out with a weapon in his hand," the official Saudi Press Agency quoted a police spokesman as saying.

"Security forces reacted... resulting in an exchange of fire that killed the assailant," it said.

A Nepalese security officer was wounded and later died, it said.

"We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guards member," the State Department said in a statement in Washington.

The State Department said that Saudi forces killed the assailant and that the United States was in touch with the kingdom as it starts an investigation.

"The consulate was appropriately locked down and no Americans were harmed in the attack," it said.

The attack occurred as Saudi Arabia welcomed some 1.8 million Muslim faithful for the annual hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, some 70 kilometres (44 miles) from Jeddah.

The US consulate in the coastal city of Jeddah on the Red Sea has been the target of previous attacks, one on July 4, 2016, American Independence Day, when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

In December 2004, another attack left five people dead.

Jeddah has recently been a hub of US diplomatic activity as the United States and Saudi Arabia together try to mediate between warring generals in Sudan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Jeddah earlier in June when he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

ht-saa-sct/yad
A recent US guerrilla warfare exercise shows signs of influences from the conflict in Ukraine.

Special operators and other personnel from across the U.S. military recently concluded an exercise focused heavily on preparing them to conduct guerrilla warfare and other tasks deep behind enemy lines. Some of the scenarios featured what looked to be a mock Russian S-300 or S-400 surface-to-air missile system and what might be stand-ins for kamikaze drones, pointing to direct influences from the fighting that is happening right now in Ukraine.

The exercise in question, Ridge Runner Exercise 23-01, concluded on June 16, according to a release from the West Virginia National Guard. The West Virginia National Guard manages the Ridge Runner training program out of Camp Dawson in the northern end of the state and conducts multiple iterations of the exercise every year.

Personnel taking part in Ridge Runner 23-01 in a position along a road. Army National Guard

"Ridge Runner... is designed to create a dynamic and realistic training environment for people to actually come and operate in scenarios where you're not confined to traditional military training environments," an anonymous member of the Ohio Army National Guard assigned to the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) explains in a video overview of the exercise, seen below. "It really allows us to immerse a team or a unit in a very realistic military training environment where they're operating as if they would in a foreign country."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J8SVq6lhsw

Units that sent personnel to take part in Ridge Runner 23-01 included:

Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom are all NATO members. Australia, Canada, Georgia, Moldova, Qatar, Hungary, Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Australia, all sent personnel to observe the exercise, as well. Members of the famed British Special Air Service (SAS) were also among the observers, according to the West Virginia National Guard.

"Exercise participants assimilated into communities in two simulated nations in northern and southern West Virginia. Participants met with actual local government officials, law enforcement and emergency services personnel," the West Virginia National Guard's release about Ridge Runner 23-01 press explains. "They monitored simulated economic and political situations in each 'nation' through simulated newscasts and media engagements, mirroring procedures and operations they would conduct during actual deployments."

"Information from these engagements drove additional training and missions, eventually countering a simulated invasion by hostile forces from neighboring nations," the release adds.

A Ridge Runner 23-01 participant, notably in plain clothes, conducts a mock detention of two individuals outside a civilian house. Army National Guard

More specific information about the training scenarios included in Ridge Runner 23-01 is limited. However, pictures and videos the West Virginia National Guard released from the exercise do show a number of interesting details. Some of the set pieces appear to have been inspired, at least in part, by the current conflict in Ukraine  not to mention the overall exercise involving a mock invasion of one state by its neighbors.

One of the Ridge Runner pictures looks to show a relatively crude trailer-based mockup intended to represent one of the transporter-erector-launcher types associated with Russian-made S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. The side of the mockup that is visible in the image has a section with orange and black stripes painted on it, as well as a star in the center. This design is virtually identical to the one the Russian military routinely applies to military vehicles taking part in parades. It has now also been observed on Russian vehicles in Ukraine.

An apparent S-300 or S-400 SAM system transporter-erector-launcher mockup used during Ridge Runner 23-01. Army National Guard

A Russian 5P85SM2-01 transporter-erector-launcher used with S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Note the parade stripe on one of the missile tubes. Vitaly Kuzmin

https://twitter.com/CollinFisher/status/1653904125451735040?s=20

Helping to locate and neutralize high-priority enemy targets, including air defense assets, is something U.S. special operations forces could very well be tasked with in a future conflict, especially a higher-end one against a near-peer opponent, such as Russia or China. This is something The War Zone has highlighted with regard to other U.S. exercises in the past.

In the background of another image from Ridge Runner 23-01 there are what appear to be two faux drones on stands. These look to have a general outward look that is reminiscent of Iranian delta-winged kamikaze drones like the Shahed-136, which Russian forces have been using for months now to conduct stand-off strikes against targets in Ukraine.

Personnel participating in Ridge Runner 23-01 advance through an area with members of the opposing force seen hiding behind a trailer. What appears to be two mock drones on stands are seen ion the background to the left. Army National Guard

Army National Guard

The remains of an Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drone recovered in Ukraine. Kyiv City State Administration

With drones already being a common feature in many modern conflicts, and their use only increasing, finding launch sites and taking them out are missions that U.S. special operations units, among other forces, could easily find themselves called to carry out in the future. We have already seen the U.S. military specifically target sites operated by Iranian-backed militias and associated with the fabrication and employment of drones in the past in Syria after attacks on American forces.

"These simulations are critical to ensuring America and our allies are prepared and ready to handle the destabilizing tactics were seeing Russia and China employ through organizations like the Wagner Group, Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said about Ridge Runner 23-01.

Forces from the private military company known as Wagner, which the Russian government has now admitted is state-sponsored and has strong ties to that country's military and intelligence apparatus, have been an important component of the country's war effort in Ukraine. Wagner has, of course, been in the news lately after its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, led some of its units in an abortive putsch over the weekend. The full extent of the fallout from that failed revolt remains to be seen, as you can read more about here.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, in the center, and two Wagner members in Ukraine. via Russian social media

It is important to note that no matter how much this particular iteration of Ridge Runner was directly influenced by the war in Ukraine, what has been disclosed so far is very much in line with a typical one of these exercises. The Ridge Runner program traces back to the 1990s when it started as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training event, but has since evolved to incorporate much more diverse irregular warfare scenarios.

Irregular warfare has long been something of a nebulous term. A summary of a classified irregular warfare annex to the 2020 National Defense Strategy defined it broadly as "a struggle among state and non-state actors to influence populations and affect legitimacy."

Within irregular warfare, there are multiple mission sets, including unconventional warfare. The U.S. military has defined that in the past as "activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area."

In general, Ridge Runner offers U.S. special operations and convention units, as well as those from ally and partner nations, to practice conducting these kinds of operations in a real-world setting. Though staged from Camp Dawson, the exercises take place across actual communities in West Virginia with the cooperation of local authorities and citizens, some of whom act as roleplayers in various scenarios. Altogether, around 500,000 acres of public and private land are available for exercise planners to work with.

An annotated map from a past Ridge Runner exercise with areas of West Virginia blocked out as permissive, semi-permissive, and non-permissive for exercise purposes. West Virginia National Guard

As has already been made clear, the overarching scenarios for Ridge Runner exercises can be quite involved and are set in the context of the interactions between the governments of and other actors in multiple fictitious countries. After another Ridge Runner exercise in 2017 that also involved various forces from multiple NATO members situation the alliance's eastern flank, The War Zone had highlighted its relevance in the context of what was then a much more limited conflict in Ukraine and other concerns about Russian aggression.

The timeline from another Ridge Runner exercise that culminated with individuals from one of the simulated nations attempting to set off a weapon of mass destruction. West Virginia National Guard

Ridge Runner is not the only exercise like this that the U.S. military conducts on a routine basis. The capstone event for Army soldiers training to become Green Berets is an exercise called Robin Sage that also focuses heavily on irregular and unconventional warfare skills and takes place in communities across parts of North and South Carolina.

Another example is U.S. Special Operations Commands (SOCOM) Jade Helm exercises. The 2015 iteration, which took place across multiple states in the American southwest, infamously prompted a number of unfounded conspiracy theories and led to authorities in Texas deploying state military forces to monitor federal troops.

Smaller realistic urban training exercises, generally led by U.S. special operations forces, take place on a regular basis in major cities across the United States. In many cases, these cause concern among local citizens, who may get little advance warning about the sudden appearance of military forces, often in the dead of night. These kinds of exercises received particularly negative attention in April after Army Green Berets and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accidentally detained an innocent civilian in a botched raid in a Boston hotel.

With this in mind, the extent of the agreements with local authorities and private individuals across West Virginia in support of Ridge Runner highlights the value of that particular exercise. In general, being able to train in real-world environments, especially urban settings where the U.S. military sees future conflicts occurring, is extremely important for U.S. special operations and conventional forces. Even very realistic purpose-built training areas, like the one seen in the video below, simply cannot fully replicate the nuances that troops can expect to encounter in the field to the same degree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ_vXdJdqSI

Conducting irregular warfare training in real-world environments is also particularly valuable given that many of the relevant scenarios involve contexts short of war or otherwise outside of traditional conflicts, or where U.S. forces may not be directly involved in the fighting.

According to the unclassified summary of the irregular warfare annex, the 2020 National Defense Strategy put significant new emphasis on irregular warfare as a potential component of future great power competition against countries like Russia and China.

"State adversaries and their proxies increasingly seek to prevail through their own use of irregular warfare, pursuing national objectives in the competitive space deliberately below the threshold likely to provoke a U.S. conventional response," it explained. "China, Russia, and Iran are willing practitioners of campaigns of disinformation, deception, sabotage, and economic coercion, as well as proxy, guerrilla, and covert operations.

"It is in this competitive space that the Department [of Defense] must innovate. We must creatively mix our traditional combat power with proactive, dynamic, and unorthodox approaches to IW [irregular warfare] that can shape, prevent, and prevail against our nations adversaries and maintain favorable regional balances of power alongside our key partners and allies."

Altogether, no matter how much the fighting in Ukraine impacted the planning for Ridge Runner 23-01, the conflict there has underscored the importance of exercises like this and of irregular warfare, in general.

Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com
The UAE funded a solar farm next to Vanuatu's parliament (Ben BOHANE)

Gulf oil states are using their vast wealth to build influence across the far-flung South Pacific, experts have told AFP, tearing a page straight out of China's Belt and Road playbook.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- two of the world's biggest crude oil producers -- have been ramping up efforts to shed their reputations as global climate laggards.

Both have been lavishing money and attention on small, isolated and often indebted Pacific nations, where rising sea levels are already creeping up on low-lying coastal communities.

Businessman Milroy Cainton, who was recently appointed as Vanuatu's special envoy to the Emirates, said it was clear the Gulf states wanted friends in the Pacific.

"There are some good things they see in the South Pacific," he told AFP. "We are getting big help from them, as well as from China."

Since 2015, the UAE says it has spent at least $50 million on infrastructure projects throughout the Pacific islands, typically focused on renewable energy.

Emirati petrodollars have funded a wind farm in Samoa, water storage facilities in the Marshall Islands, and solar power projects in Kiribati, Tuvalu and Solomon Islands.

One of the most conspicuous examples sits smack in the middle of Vanuatu's leafy capital Port Vila, where a UAE-funded solar farm keeps the lights on inside the country's parliament.

"It's one of the largest-scale renewable energy projects in Vanuatu," said Cainton.

"The relationship is progressing big time with clean energy."

- Pacific Belt and Road -

Saudi Arabia has sought to establish diplomatic relations with a clutch of its own Pacific partners, including Tuvalu and Fiji in 2015, Tonga in 2020, Vanuatu in 2022, and the Cook Islands in April this year.

It has built a particularly warm relationship with Solomon Islands -- pledging $8 million in June to help it prepare for the Pacific Games in the capital Honiara.

A host of Pacific dignitaries travelled to the Saudi capital Riyadh earlier this year, where they discussed issues such as climate financing with counterparts from the Arab League.

Over the past decade Saudi Arabia and the UAE have become increasingly prominent players on the international stage.

They have snapped up high-profile sporting franchises, lured the biggest entertainers to perform in their cities, and become more assertive in their foreign policy.

Both have made headline-grabbing commitments to renewable energy, and the UAE pulled off a major coup when it secured the rights to host the COP28 climate conference in Dubai later this year.

"It reflects the new ambitions of these Gulf states, which were traditionally passive actors in international relations," said Jean-Loup Samaan from the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore.

"In the last decade they have gradually moved into the Persian Gulf, into the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific. They use what they have -- financial assets," he said.

"The UAE is more advanced than the Saudis. They tend to go into these countries, establish strong diplomatic relations, and then come with investments in local infrastructure."

Samaan compared the strategy to a pared-back version of China's Belt and Road initiative -- spending money in developing countries to grow their global reach.

"It's like a smaller, Gulf version of the Belt and Road," he told AFP.

- Securing partners -

Samaan said profit was far from the most important consideration when dishing out these investments.

"They want to secure diplomatic partners that align with their interests later on."

Although they have a small collective population and limited economic clout, the Pacific islands can be immensely valuable diplomatic partners.

The Pacific bloc represents 12 of 55 votes in the United Nations' Asia-Pacific region, which also includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Pacific affairs expert Stewart Firth said "influence comes at a cheap price" in the small, developing economies that make up the Pacific.

"Small amounts of assistance have large effects," said Firth, a fellow at the Australian National University.

Author and Middle East analyst Matthew Hedges said such relationships also helped the Gulf states burnish their climate credentials, which have been historically weak because of their role as major fossil fuel producers.

"It's about emboldening their reputation and trying to align with what's happening internationally," said Hedges, who in 2018 was jailed in the UAE on spying charges before being pardoned and released.

"They are deliberate and smart about how they communicate what they do.

"It's pragmatic, and it's for the long term."

sft/arb/ser
The gutting of affirmative action is a clear and present danger to equal education, critics say

The Supreme Courts landmark decision to bar colleges and universities from considering race as a specific basis for admission will make it more difficult for schools to achieve a diverse student population, civil rights leaders and education advocates say.

The gutting of affirmative action upends a long-standing precedent that has benefited disadvantaged Black and Latino students in higher education.

The practice has been in place since the 1960s as a tool to prevent discrimination at selective institutions, many of which historically only admitted White students.

Now universities across the country seeking diversity will be charged with finding other ways to reach Black and Latino students. The task, researchers and education officials say, will not be easy.

Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division, called the rollback of affirmative action a dark day in America.

Affirmative action has been a beacon of hope for generations of Black students, Cole said in a statement Thursday. It stood as a powerful force against the insidious poison of racism and sexism, aiming to level the playing field and provide a fair shot at a high-quality education for all. Students across the country are wide-awake to the clear and present danger encroaching on their classrooms.

The Supreme Court case was sparked by conservative activist Edward Blum, who filed lawsuits in 2014 against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill challenging their use of race-conscious admissions. Blum and other critics of affirmative action have said college admissions should be based on equal standards and merit.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion on affirmative action for the conservative majority, saying the Harvard and University of North Carolina admissions programs violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment because they failed to offer measurable objectives to justify the use of race. He said the programs involve racial stereotyping and had no specific endpoint.

The playing field is not leveled

Civil rights leaders and experts say the Supreme Court ruling is a setback for equality in education.

Racial diversity at colleges and universities  particularly at competitive and Ivy League schools  may suffer, they say. A study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that colleges and universities are less likely to meet or exceed their current levels of racial diversity in the absence of race-conscious admissions. They are also less likely to reflect the racial makeup of the population graduating from the nations high schools.

Zack Mabel, a researcher for Georgetowns Center for Education and the Workforce, said he expects the number of Black and brown students attending selective colleges nationwide will drop from the current 20% to about 16% without affirmative action in place. Mabel said race-neutral practices have not driven the diversity many colleges hoped for and some students are simply not applying.

The only thing its going to do is further discourage students from underrepresented groups from applying for these institutions, Mabel said. And its going to be harder for admissions officers to admit them because they have one eye blind when they are trying to admit these students.

The Harvard campus is pictured in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 15, 2022. - Kayana Szymczak/The New York Times/Redux

Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, said the decision only opens the door for more people with privilege to be admitted into selective colleges. Robinson described those applicants as athletes, legacies, students with access to test preparation services and applicants who come from wealthy families.

He challenged colleges to prevent this disparity by giving applicants a holistic review that includes their socioeconomic background and the challenges they have overcome.

We are pushing universities to make a plan and be transparent about those plans, Robinson said. Privilege-based admissions  will only lead to a country where who you were born to and what opportunities were afforded to you at birth, that had nothing to do with your merit, determines where you get to go.

Marshall Anthony Jr., a research director for The Institute for College Access & Success, urged President Joe Bidens administration to take action to eliminate the barriers to college access for people of color such as standardized testing mandates, application fees, legacy admission and merit-based aid.

All of these disproportionately, negatively impact the access and success of Black and Latinx students, Anthony said.

The challenges to achieving diversity

Affirmative action was already banned in nine states, including in Michigan and California, and these states could be case studies of what is to come for the entire country, some experts say.

Colleges in Michigan, which banned affirmative action in 2006, and California, which banned the practice in 1996, have tried race-neutral approaches to affirmative action including more consideration of high school class rank and socioeconomic status in the admissions process. Still, Black student enrollment dropped at flagship schools such as the University of Michigan and the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA after affirmative action ended.

Black undergraduate enrollment at the University of Michigan fell from 7% in the fall of 2006 to 4.4% in the fall of 2022. In recent years, the University of Michigan has launched programs aimed at diversifying the student body including Go Blue Guarantee which targets low and moderate-income students; Kessler Scholars which targets first-generation students; and Wolverine Pathways for students from under-resourced communities.

Santa Ono - Carlos Osorio/AP

University of Michigan President Santa Ono said while the university is slowly regaining more Black students, the programs have taken time to implement and the results wont come overnight. Ono said affirmative action provides the most immediate impact on diverse student enrollment.

I just think about the number of students who could have gone to Michigan between 2006 and today who could not, Ono told CNN. Its part of the American dream, equal opportunity requires equal access to education as a foundation.

Ono said diversity is important on college campuses because students can grow and learn from each other, hear different perspectives, and experience an environment that is a reflection of the real world.

Across the University of California system, Black enrollment fell dramatically after the state outlawed affirmative action in 1996.

According to school data, the University of California, Berkeleys Black student enrollment was 5.9% in 1995, compared to 3.8% in 2022.

Olufemi Ogundele - Marlena Sloss/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Olufemi Ogundele, associate vice chancellor of admissions & enrollment at UC Berkeley, said the university has struggled to achieve the same level of diversity it saw before affirmative action ended. University officials have spent more than $500 million on outreach efforts to low-income communities, according to a Supreme Court brief filed last year by university lawyers. Still, Ogundele said its been difficult to reach more Black students due to demographic shifts in underserved neighborhoods.

His office, he said, has found the most success with holistic review practices where they consider factors such as the academic environment of the K-12 school system the applicant attended.

For a student who goes to a school that does not have AP Physics or AP Calculus, we dont hold that against that student, Ogundele said.

But more Black students could be admitted to the highly ranked UC Berkeley if affirmative action was legal in the state, he said.

I do think that if we were able to consider (race) we would absolutely see a more much diverse class, Ogundele said.

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Americas largest Fourth of July weekend returns to Boston this weekend for the 41st year. From June 30 to July 4, Boston will party like its 1776 as celebrations and activities stretch from the Boston Common to the harbor.

Mayor Michelle Wu will deliver help kick off the week-long celebration with a ceremony at the Steps at the Downtown Crossing Friday at noon. Revolutionary War-era reenactors and staff from the USS Constitution will mingle with visitors while the Massachusetts 215th Army Band strike up some tunes. Several other musical performers will perform on The Steps every afternoon and evening.

Summer Street Plaza will also be bustling Friday. The DTX Arts and Crafts Market will showcase local artists and craftsmen.

The following day, The Steps at Downtown Crossing will again allow families to hang out and enjoy a wide array of music genres. Visitors can also turn back the clock to colonial times as living historians reenact what life was like before America was the United States.

The Steps at Downtown Crossing will turn into a pop-up runway for Macys Great American Show. Amateur models will show off the latest fashions and accessories from Macys.

Saturday night, Christopher Columbus Park will host a concert and a fireworks show. An array of musical performances will perform for audiences on the lawn before the fireworks display lights up Boston Harbor.

Boston will go to the dogs on Sunday when Patriotic Poochapalooza. Dogs and their owners can compete in categories such as Most Patriotic Pooch. There will also be a Doggie Marketplace and free trees for every man, woman and canine.

On July 4th, Bostons Independence Day Parade will begin at 9:00 a.m. The parade will begin at City Hall Plaza, briefly stopping at the Granary Burial Ground, where wreaths will be laid on the graves of patriots, before ending at the Old State House. The Declaration of Independence will be read from the buildings balcony.

The USS Constitution will then set sail from the Charlestown Navy Yard and cruise through Boston Harbor before stopping near Fort of Independence for a 21-gun salute.

Back at the Steps, the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums repertoire will play music from the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Downtown Boston BID will then host a community-led reading of Frederick Douglasss abolitionist speech What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will put a cap on the holiday with the world-renowned Fireworks Spectacular.

The full schedule of events and performances can be found at www.bostonharborfest.com.

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Harvard Medical School sued by families of loved ones whose body parts were stolen and sold by morgue manager

Three families have sued Harvard Universitys medical school over a scandal involving the sale of body parts, saying their relatives bodies were dumped in a place of freakish desecration.

Glenn Wilder, Jeanine Cunningham, and Pamela Bishop filed the lawsuit in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston and claim the bodies of their loved ones were treated like trinkets at a flea market.

Federal prosecutors say that cadavers were stolen from the universitys morgue, then chopped up and sold.

Morgue manager Cedric Lodge, his wife and several others have been indicted for trafficking stolen human remains.

Mr Lodge is accused of allowing customers into the morgue to select the body parts, which included bones, skin, decapitated heads and brains.

He and his wife are accused of preparing those parts for sale and shipping them from their home in New Hampshire, according to a federal criminal indictment.

When these individuals and their families made the generous and selfless decision to donate their bodies, they trusted their remains would be treated with utmost care, dignity, and respect and that their donations would be used to educate the future generation of doctors and ease the suffering of others, attorneys John Morgan and Kathryn Barnett said in a joint statement. Now, these families are left to relive the trauma of losing their loved ones and wonder what happened to their remains.

Harvard Medical School said in a statement on Thursday that it does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation.

Earlier this month, the university said that it was appalled to learn that something so disturbing could happen on our campus  a community dedicated to healing and serving others.

Buyers identified in the federal criminal indictment include Katrina MacLean, of Salem, Massachusetts, and Joshua Taylor, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania. Mr MacLean is accused of selling the stolen remains to buyers in multiple states, the indictment said.
Harvard, UNC say they will comply with Supreme Courts affirmative action decision

Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) released statements Thursday saying they will comply after the Supreme Court struck down their race-based admissions processes, severely limiting affirmative action in university admissions.

UNC emphasized it will work with the administration to ensure that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill complies fully with todays ruling from the nations highest court, said David L. Boliek Jr., chairman of the schools Board of Trustees.

Although Harvard said it will certainly comply with the Courts decision, the universitys statement mainly highlighted its dedication to diversity on campus.

We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday, Harvard wrote.

The universitys statement asserted diversity is essential to academic excellence and the student body must prepare leaders for a complex world, Harvard must admit and educate a student body whose members reflect, and have lived, multiple facets of human experience.

UNC also emphasized it will continue its commitment to diversity after the ruling.

Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond, UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

Edward Blum, who founded Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) and initiated the lawsuits against the two schools, said eliminating racial preferences was long overdue.

Ending racial preferences in college admissions is an outcome that the vast majority of all Americans of all races will celebrate, Blum said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

He declined to preview future plans for any new lawsuits following the decision.

In the 6-3 decision, the conservative justices ruled admissions practices at Harvard and UNC violated the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today, he added.

Harvard took a swipe at the court, pointing out it won its case in the lower courts.

For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent, the university stated.

Harvard did not disclose what changes it would be making to its admissions process in response to the decision, only saying in the weeks and months ahead the schools will be drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Courts new precedent, our essential values.

Zach Schonfeld contributed. Updated at 2:34 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hey TeAIch

Starting this fall, a popular intro-level coding course at Harvard University, CS50, will be taught by an AI instructor. You know, because Harvard probably can't afford to pay human teachers.

"Our own hope is that, through AI, we can eventually approximate a 1:1 teacher:student ratio for every student in CS50, as by providing them with software-based tools that, 24/7, can support their learning at a pace and in a style that works best for them individually," CS50 professor David Malan told the university's student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson.

Per the Crimson, Malan further clarified to the paper that course staff are "currently experimenting with both GPT 3.5 and GPT 4 models," and said the course has always incorporated new software, meaning that employing an AI teacher is just an "evolution of that tradition."

All fine and good, and a healthy student-teacher ratio is certainly important. But considering that neither GPT-3.5 nor GPT-4 is terribly reliable at spitting out structurally-sound code each and every time, the decision to provide students with an AI-powered coding prof is more than experimental  and paying students, it seems, will be the experimentees.

Bit Iffy

As the Crimson points out, CS50 is notably one of the most popular classes featured on edX, an online learning platform that was built in collaboration between MIT and Harvard and sold for a cool $800 million last year.

Speaking to the student paper, Malan did admit that "early incarnations" of AI programs are likely to "occasionally underperform or even err." Still, he reiterated his hope that the AI will help alleviate some course staff's busy work, thus freeing up time to interact with students one-on-one.

[A]ssessing, more qualitatively, the design of students' code has remained human-intensive," Malan told the paper. "Through AI, we hope to reduce that time spent, so as to reallocate [teaching fellows'] time toward more meaningful, interpersonal time with their students, akin to an apprenticeship model."

Again, though, we can't stress enough how experimental this is, and while a pinch of healthy skepticism rarely hurts, it's not every day that you hear a professor basically tell you to take everything a different instructor says with a grain of salt.

"We'll make clear to students that they should always think critically when taking in information as input," Malan told the Crimson, "be it from humans or software."

More on AI and education: Bill Gates Says AI Will Be Teaching Kids to Read in 18 Months
Former Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson speaks during an unveiling ceremony for her mayoral portrait on Friday, February 19, 2021 (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)

Former Gary mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, the daughter of a steelworker and homemaker, didnt have the luxury of attending an elite private school or a family member who could provide a legacy admission to an Ivy League school.

She did make good grades and scored well on tests.

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Without affirmative action in place, she doubts she would have graduated from Harvard University with undergrad and law degrees in 1985.

Race wasnt only determining factor, but the fact that it was a consideration resulted in me and a lot of us able to go to college, Freeman-Wilson said Thursday after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cant be a factor.

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At Harvard, Freeman-Wilson became friends with classmate Loretta Lynch who served as attorney general under former president Barack Obama.

We all benefited from the fact that race was a consideration Could I compete with someone coming out of Andover (a private Massachusetts boarding school) who went to private school their whole life?

But did I compete when I got there. Absolutely.

Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain speaks from the sidewalk in front of the shuttered Nobel Elementary as demolition continues on the school on Monday, May 1, 2023. (Kyle Telechan for the Post-Tribune) (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)

Freeman-Wilson pointed out Justice Clarence Thomas attended Yale University because of affirmative action, yet he voted to strike it down.

His vote wasnt a surprise, she said.

We did see it coming. Im hoping people understand how consequential elections are  particularly presidential elections, she said.

Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain said despite the high court ruling, racial discrimination exists in America.

The Courts 6-3 opinion does not follow 50-plus years of jurisprudence and is not grounded in the factual reality of our nation today, he said.

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I graduated from a historically Black college and university, Florida A&M. Ironically, HBCUs were founded because Black students were not allowed to attend white institutions. When I graduated from Valpo Law 21 years ago, there were only four black students out of a class of over 100.

U.S. Rep Frank Mrvan (IN-01), speaks during a Hispanic community roundtable at Purdue University Northwest on Wednesday, August 16, 2022. (Kyle Telechan for the Post-Tribune) (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said the decision hampers the ability for the U.S. to build a diverse workforce.

The precedent of affirmative action has allowed our nation to create a thriving workforce and be a leader in the global economy, and I have no doubt that this decision will negatively impact our economic competitiveness. Indianas First Congressional District is home to an incredible community of talent and diversity, and I am grateful that our regions institutions of higher education have been leaders in uplifting all students, including those from historically marginalized backgrounds, who wish to better themselves through education. Todays decision by the Supreme Court is yet another reflection of the very real consequences of our elections, and as a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I will continue to work to remedy this situation and promote educational opportunities for everyone.

Indiana University Northwest, in Gary, is IUs most diverse campus with 52% of its enrollment students of color. IU President Pamela Whitten released a statement on the decision:

While we review todays ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Indiana University reaffirms our commitment to fostering a learning environment that is enriched by students, faculty and staff with a broad range of backgrounds and by robust discourse that draws on various perspectives and beliefs. In creating this experience, we reflect the fullness of our state, nation and world and prepare IU students for lifelong success as citizens and contributors to a global economy.

Elizabeth Babcock Depew, Purdue Northwests vice chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, said in a statement the campus does not consider race as a factor in admissions at the undergraduate level.

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Purdue University Northwests greatest strengths are its diversity of people, perspectives and lived experiences. PNW has never considered race as a factor in undergraduate admissions. Our student body reflects our long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Our diverse population of students includes 25% Hispanic, 11% African American and 2.5% Asian, which reflects our commitment to being accessible and welcoming. While we will always remain compliant with the law, our mission, vision and values remain unchanged as a metropolitan university that serves the region, state and beyond.

Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann of Ivy Tech Community College, clarified that the decision will not impact its admissions.

Ivy Tech is an open admissions institution, Ellspermann said in a statement. This decision will not affect our admissions process. Ivy Tech will continue our commitment to ensuring all Hoosiers have high value post-secondary and career opportunities.

Valparaiso University spokesman Michael Fenton said the university was still reviewing the ruling and had no comment at this time.
NEWARK, N.J.  Sean Caddle, a former Democratic political operative who hired hitmen to kill his friend and former employee, was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 24 years in prison.

This is one of the most unusual and certainly one of the most heinous crimes Ive encountered as a judge, U.S. District Court Judge John Michael Vazquez said before delivering his sentence, which far exceeded the requests of both prosecutors and Caddles attorneys.

The sentencing draws to a close one of the more shocking and bewildering recent New Jersey political scandals. It had elements of intrigue  murder, politics and government cooperation  that led to months of speculation in political circles.

Prosecutors had requested 15 years in prison for Caddle, who pleaded guilty to murder for hire, due to his cooperation with them on numerous investigations. Caddles attorneys had asked for a nine-year sentence.

Caddle, prosecutors said, told them he had Michael Galdieri killed because he feared might expose his wrongdoing on campaigns.

Vazquez further called Caddles crime depraved, debased and vile and remanded him to federal custody despite Caddles request to turn himself in at a later date. U.S. Marshals led Caddle  who came to the federal courthouse in Newark in a plaid shirt and khakis after a year and a half of home confinement  out of the courthouse in handcuffs.

Caddle declined to make any remarks at the hearing.

Galdieris sister, Virginia, said the 2014 murder of her brother changed her life, causing overwhelming grief and sadness and suggesting that news of her brothers murder may have contributed to her mothers death three years later.

Standing next to her brother Richard and holding back tears, Virginia Galdieri recalled a feeling of stupidity, betrayal and regret that comes after learning that this person you cried and embraced at your brothers funeral was the one solely responsible for your brothers death. Following the hearing, Richard Galdieri said his family was satisfied with the sentence.

Cooperation that was 'not actionable'

Caddle, 45, made his name as a campaign worker for powerful former state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union). Later, he set up a network of nonprofit groups and super PACs, some intended to spread Lesniaks influence around the state through spending large sums in local races. The network effectively hid donations to the super PACs by channeling them through nonprofit groups that are not required to publicly disclose their donors.

Galdieri, the son of a late state senator, in 2014 was found stabbed to death in his Jersey City apartment, which was also lit on fire.

In January 2022, Caddle pleaded guilty to hiring career criminals George Bratsenis, who along with Galdieri had worked for Caddles campaign consultant business, and Bomani Africa to kill Galdieri. Caddle paid the pair $15,000 at an Elizabeth diner the day after the murder.

Bratsenis and Africa, who both also pleaded guilty, were sentenced to 16 and 20 years in prison, respectively. Vazquez said Caddle is more responsible for Galdieris death and that the two hitmen were his blunt instruments in carrying it out.

Hes a cold-hearted killer. He killed a friend, Vazquez said.

Because Caddle was allowed to remain in home confinement despite the gravity of his crime, many New Jersey political observers and journalists reasoned that a big corruption bust was imminent through his cooperation. But the only prosecution to come out of the case was the wire fraud and tax evasion guilty plea of Democratic operative Tony Teixeira, who served as chief of staff to Lesniak and Senate President Nick Scutari.

Teixeira admitted to scheming with Caddle to inflate invoices of campaigns, super PACs and dark money nonprofits to skim more than $100,000 from them. He awaits sentencing.

Prosecutors acknowledged that Caddle cooperated with other investigations but did not go into specifics. Caddle held seven in-person meetings with FBI agents; had many more phone calls with investigators; turned over documents and recordings of conversations with unnamed people made prior to being contacted by authorities; and later recorded conversations at investigators behest, prosecutors said. They did not say whether the investigations bore any fruit, but Vazquez later said the government determined it was not actionable.

Vazquez also said Caddle had told prosecutors two versions of his motive to kill Galdieri. In one version, Caddle said that Galdieri was extorting him for cash, threatening that he would go public about certain things he had seen, done and heard while working for Caddle on campaigns. In another version, Vazquez said, Caddle decided to act after being told by Bratsenis that Galdieri said he would would attempt to implicate high-level political figures" through unspecified allegations.

Vazquez said he believed the first explanation.

Mr. Caddle did this to save his own skin. He didnt do this to have any of his high-end political figures, he said. He had no problem cooperating with the government when he thought it would help him.

Vazquez also said Caddles response to prosecutors questions about what he would have done differently was "disturbing. Prosecutors said Caddle told them I should have surrounded myself with a different class of people with higher moral character, without criminal histories or substance abuse issues.

He just focuses on himself and how he apparently is the victim in this case, Vazquez said.
'We're really worried': What do colleges do now after affirmative action ruling?

In anticipation of the end of affirmative action, officials at Occidental College, above, have partnered with more community organizations to recruit from high schools with large numbers of students underrepresented in higher education. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision Thursday striking down affirmative action has intensified angst among many higher education leaders who say extending access to a diversity of students could become a challenging, high-cost and labor-intensive effort steeped in uncertainties.

Many also fear that applications from Black, Latino and other students of color will drop, and say a key priority will be to assure those students that they matter and that campus commitment to diversity remains strong.

"We're really worried about private colleges and universities and what it means for representation," said Christopher Nellum, executive director of the Education Trust-West, a nonprofit organization focused on education equity. "Young people, particularly young people of color  are going receive this as a message that they don't belong."

The sweeping decision eliminated the use of race in admissions decisions nationwide for the first time since the high court allowed the practice in 1978 to promote diversity. Students for Fair Admissions, a nonprofit opposed to racial preferences, alleged that Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate constitutional guarantees of equal protection by considering race in admissions decisions  and that the Ivy League campus specifically discriminates against Asian Americans.

Read more: Supreme Court strikes down race-based affirmative action in college admissions

The high court agreed in a majority opinion written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. The ruling noted that the appellate court found Harvard's affirmative action program resulted in fewer admissions of Asian American students and that the Ivy League campus' assertion that race was never used as a negative factor in selections "cannot withstand scrutiny."

But Roberts also wrote that "nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected the applicants life," which will continue to allow students to write about their backgrounds in college essays. Roberts added, however, that institutions must consider that background in the context of applicants' "quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university" and treat them based on experiences as individuals, not on the basis of race.

The decision won't directly affect the University of California or California State University. State voters banned affirmative action at public campuses by approving Proposition 209 in 1996.

Many campus leaders at public and private universities expressed disappointment with the decision, saying the court ruling had removed an essential tool to help create diverse classes. But they assured students of color that they had earned their place in college and vowed to continuing building a welcoming culture for all.

"USC has long understood that excellence and diversity are inextricably intertwined," USC President Carol Folt said in an Instagram statement. "This decision will not impact our commitment to creating a campus that is welcoming, diverse, and inclusive ... where differing backgrounds and points of view are embraced, where ideas collide, beliefs are challenged and innovation thrives."

Some college officials worry about the cost of such efforts  or whether their state leaders have the political will to carry them out.

The ruling comes at a time of deep financial pressures in higher education, with decreasing enrollment and family questions over the value of a high-cost college education during economically tough times.

UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo said the UC system exemplifies how to build diversity without using race as a factor in admission, and noted other campuses also can do so using geography, income or other factors. He supported the court decision, saying past rulings that allowed race to be considered "caused disaster"  such as those affirming school segregation, denying citizenship to people of African descent and justifying the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

"It restores the fundamental promise of a colorblind Constitution," Yoo said.

But more than 80 private institutions in the state have been free to consider race in admissions decisions, and many have watched the growing challenges to diversity initiatives with alarm.

"All of us are very frustrated that narrow political considerations are threatening to change the way that we teach and learn and the conditions under which our students learn  and that's a tragedy," said Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr. "I feel like we're being driven by a political environment that increasingly feels that race is a dividing force in our country."

Starr and other college leaders pointed out that only a small number of highly sought-after institutions consider race as a factor in apportioning seats.

Read more: A lot of what you've heard about affirmative action is wrong

Among 1,364 four-year institutions, according to a 2019 Pew Research study, only 17 admitted fewer than 10% of applicants  including Stanford, Harvard and Yale  and 29 accepted between 10% and 20%, including USC.

In reality, most institutions accept the majority of students who apply  looking primarily at grades and transcripts to evaluate whether they have a good chance of succeeding, said Martin Van Der Werf of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

But he and others said the high court decision still carries a powerful punch because of how it will be perceived.

"Symbolically it ... sends a signal of what's important and whether people are being treated fairly across the board," Van Der Werf said. "What they will take away from it is that we no longer have a commitment in this country to try to use college admissions as a way to right centuries of wrongs against people from different racial and ethnic groups that have never really had as fair a shake in this country."

Another potential effect, he said, would be perpetuating the advantages of those from privileged backgrounds. Students at more selective colleges have higher graduation rates and powerful alumni networks that often result in enhanced careers and earnings. If fewer disadvantaged students have access to them, they could lose out on those lifelong benefits, he said.

"Are we reserving our most selective colleges for the people who are most likely to succeed anyway?" Van Der Werf said. "That goes against the ideals that the higher education system of this country sets for itself."

Read more: The most lucrative majors? Some community college grads can outearn elite university peers

Some Black and Latino students fear that axing affirmative action will decrease their numbers and make college life even more alienating.

Kailyn Wilkerson, a Cal State Long Beach senior, said she is often one of just a few Black students in her political science courses and feels extra pressure to maintain high grades so others don't question her place at the university.

"Just because I am there, I don't always feel like I'm supposed to be there," she said. Wilkerson plans to apply for doctorate and law school programs. The ruling is already shaping her calculus on where she applies  she's now considering historically Black universities, where she will be welcome.

Maggie De Leon, an Asian American rising senior at Downtown Magnets High School, said she thinks all students will get a fairer shot at college admissions without race as a consideration. De Leon, whose college resume features a 4.3 GPA, seven Advanced Placement classes and election as class president two years running, said she hopes her achievements will be evaluated on an equal basis as other applicants'.

With affirmative action in place, she said, "People will look and see you're part of a demographic that historically has been in college so they won't want to take you because they're looking for a different kind of applicant. It takes away from my educational opportunities."

Jennifer Zeller, a 55-year-old Korean American college admissions counselor in Beverly Grove, believes the ruling will help Asian American students and lift aspirations in the college admissions process.

Were seeing Asian Americans who are stellar in so many other spheres. Theyre leaders, stellar musicians, athletes, doing tons of community service. They are doing everything right, and theyre still not getting in, she said. If they werent Asian, you just have this instinct that they would have gotten in with the same credentials.

The California experience

The University of California has long been a laboratory for experimentation in how to build diverse college classes without using race. In 1998, the first admission year after the passage of Proposition 209, the number of California Black and Latino first-year students plunged by nearly half at UCLA and UC Berkeley.

Since then, UC campuses have made notable strides. Black and Latino students increased to 43% of the admitted first-year class of Californians for fall 2022 compared with about 20% before Proposition 209. For the third straight year, Latinos were the largest ethnic group of admitted students at 37%, followed by Asian Americans at 35%, white students at 19% and Black students at 6%.

UC enrollment still does not fully reflect the states racial and ethnic makeup, however, falling particularly short with Latinos.

At UCLA, the number and share of California first-year Black and Latino students fully rebounded by 2021 from the precipitous fall after Proposition 209. Black students grew to number 346, or 7.6%, compared with 259, or 7.3%, in 1995. Latino numbers grew to 1,185, or 26%, from 790, or 22.4%, during that same period.

But the progress has taken substantial time, effort and resources. UCLA devotes up to $2 million annually to recruit applicants in diverse communities and convince them to accept their admission offers.

Read more: California banned affirmative action in 1996. Inside the UC struggle for diversity

Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, the chief architect of UCLA's rebound effort who recently retired as vice provost of enrollment management, said the university worked with Black churches and L.A. Unified schools in underserved neighborhoods, created early academic outreach programs, offered more scholarships for low-income students and sent top-level officials to visit schools.

Overall, the UC system has spent an estimated half a billion dollars on its diversity efforts. The work has included two major reforms: an admission guarantee to top-performing students at most high schools and a comprehensive review process that uses several factors  including special talents and location of home and high school  in addition to grades and coursework to evaluate applicants.

But moving from an admissions process based on quantitative metrics such as grades to a holistic evaluation of multiple factors takes time and resources. UC Riverside, for instance, is in a transition process that will have taken a few years to complete and entail hiring additional application readers, said Veronica Zendejas, director of undergraduate admissions.

One Oakland-based nonprofit, College Track, begins working with promising students in middle school and provides them with tutoring, test prep, college advising, leadership development and other services to help them graduate from college. But the cost over a decade can amount to $100,000 per student, said Shirley M. Collado, the nonprofit's president.

Such efforts deliver clear results  but their cost and complexity are daunting, said Angel B. Perez, chief executive of the National Assn. for College Admission Counseling.

"If we learned anything from California, state institutions have to invest a lot of money to meet some of their diversity goals," he said. "But California is an outlier. There's just not the same kind of resources or political will in other places that there is in California. The admissions officers are feeling like, 'Well, what resources will I be given to do this work?' There's a lot of nervousness with a lot of unknowns."

Many institutions may not be able to afford to use income as a proxy for race in the way UC and other campuses with large public budgets or private endowments have, Perez said. Although enrolling more low-income students increases racial and ethnic diversity, that strategy also requires more financial aid. California has a large financial aid program, but most other states are less generous, he said.

The challenge ahead

Some college officials also are questioning whether the ban on affirmative action will go beyond admissions to affect race-based financial aid, academic support programs, campus resource centers or ethnic-themed housing.

In anticipation of the Supreme Court decision, the Assn. of Independent California Colleges and Universities sent resources to member campuses to help them prepare for the end of affirmative action. Colleges and universities were advised to take an inventory of programs or policies that deal with race and ethnicity, including scholarships, and encouraged to conduct legal reviews of how any programs might have to change.

Copeland-Morgan, however, advised institutions not to overreact to the ruling by pulling back from anything that involves race or ethnicity, as many California campuses did immediately after passage of Proposition 209. Targeted recruitment is still allowed in the state, she said.

But UCLA makes a point to not only connect with students from underepresented racial and ethnic groups but also those from rural areas, low-income and immigrant family backgrounds, former foster youth, first-generation scholars and others who may need more information about how to prepare for competitive college admissions.

Race-based financial aid or other campus programs might eventually be subject to challenge, some experts said, but admissions is likely to remain the main focus for now.

As for admissions, campuses already are considering how to move forward after affirmative action.

Starr said Pomona will probably expand its recruiting outreach to focus more heavily on local high schoolers as well as student-athletes and military veterans. The campus also will work even more closely with community colleges to attract transfer students and enhance pipeline programs that help prepare high school students for competitive college admissions, she said.

At Occidental College, campus officials have partnered with more community organizations to recruit from high schools with large numbers of students underrepresented in higher education, said Maricela Martinez, vice president of enrollment. But she worries that such students will no longer feel welcome.

To what extent it will impact our work on our campus, its hard to know, she said. My biggest fear is that itll discourage students from applying.

Kristen Soares, president of the Assn. of Independent California Colleges and Universities, expressed similar concerns. Although 60 of the association's 80-plus campuses are designated "Hispanic-Serving Institutions" with Latino students making up at least a quarter of their enrollment, she said the court ruling could create a "chilling effect" that would discourage more underrepresented students from applying.

A lot of work just goes into ensuring that we recruit and retain diverse undergraduates, she said. Its going to make our work more difficult.

The impact of the decision could be felt as early as this summer at campuses that admit students on a rolling basis, and as graduate schools finalize their rosters for the fall.

Theyll have to immediately make some changes, Soares said.

Times staff writer Jeong Park contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An elevated law enforcement presence stopped traffic on I-65 southbound through Montgomery on Thursday afternoon. The cause was a high-speed police pursuit that resulted in three car crashes.

At approximately 2:26 p.m., state troopers initiated a traffic stop on a stolen 2018 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck on Interstate 65 southbound at the 185 mile marker in Autauga County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The driver of the Dodge Ram attempted to escape the troopers, and subsequently, a pursuit ensued.

A statement from ALEA said the driver of the Dodge truck caused two traffic crashes while speeding away from law enforcement. The truck eventually crashed and overturned near the 173 mile marker in Montgomery County at approximately 2:38 p.m., about 12 minutes after the chase began.

A screen capture of the ALDOT traffic livestream shows law enforcement gathered on I-65 near the Northern Boulevard exit at 2:55 p.m.

Traffic cameras from the Alabama Department of Transportation showed cars backed up going south and north near the Northern Boulevard exit. Local police and state troopers were on the scene, as well as an ambulance where a vehicle appeared to have crashed.

Officials shut down a portion of the interstate indefinitely, starting at exit 179 on Cobbs Ford Road, Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser around 3p.m. He said southbound traffic was being redirected to Highway 31 or across the toll bridge in Montgomery.

By 4:30 p.m., law enforcement opened one lane of southbound traffic on I-65. Two lanes remain closed. ALEA advised drivers "to use caution when traveling in the area."

Maj. Saba Coleman, the Montgomery Police Department's public information officer, did not comment on the situation, deferring to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Law enforcement shuts down traffic on I-65 through Montgomery
The spill of highly radioactive waste beneath a building on the Hanford nuclear reservation north of Richland and near the Columbia River is both deeper and broader than anticipated.

In a statement Thursday, the Department of Energy said the contamination in the soil at the Hanford 324 Building 1,000 feet from the Columbia River and a mile north of Richland is much larger than previously identified.

Now the Department of Energy is rethinking the cleanup plan for the spill discovered 13 years ago, with work crews making preparations for the excavation of the radioactive material over the past six years.

The spill of cesium and strontium in the soil beneath the 324 Building is so radioactively hot that it would be lethal to a worker on direct contact within two minutes, DOE has said previously.

Radioactivity in the contaminated soil has been measured at 8,900 rad per hour.

The plan has been to leave the 324 Building standing to act as a barrier to prevent precipitation from reaching the underground contamination and driving it closer to the groundwater, which moves toward the Columbia River.

Workers started preparing to clean up a highly radioactive spill beneath the Hanford site 324 Building near Richland and the Columbia River in 2017. The spill was recently found to be much larger than expected.

Work began in 2017 to stabilize the building and the soil beneath it so a remotely-controlled excavator could be used within the building to dig up the highly contaminated soil beneath it.

Now DOE is considering a more costly and time-consuming cleanup plan that calls for tearing down the approximately 58-year-old building and building a containment superstructure over the waste site and then digging up the contaminated soil. Details of the new plan have not been worked out.

DOE is discussing the possible new cleanup plan with its regulator on the project, the Environmental Protection Agency.

The spill has not reached the groundwater, where it would travel underground the short distance to the Columbia River, based on data from monitoring wells, DOE said Thursday.

324 Building used for research

The building at the south edge of the 580-square-mile Hanford nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington is in the sites 300 Area, where uranium fuel was fabricated for Hanford reactors that produced plutonium for the nations nuclear weapons program from World War II through the Cold War.

The Hanford 300 Area also was used for research, and the 102,000-square-foot 324 Building was used for research and other projects with highly radioactive material from 1966 to 1996.

The 324 Building is one of the last structures still standing in the Hanford nuclear reservations 300 Area just north of Richland.

It was scheduled to be demolished by a legal deadline of September 2015, but as preparations were being made for demolition in 2010 the spill beneath the building was discovered.

In the 1980s one of the buildings six hot cells was being used to prepare concentrated radioactive cesium and strontium from Hanford plutonium-production waste for Germany to use for testing of a repository for radioactive waste.

Hanford workers stood outside the hot cell and used controls to operate manipulators within the 30-foot-tall hot cell with 5-foot thick walls as they watched through leaded-glass windows.

At the time of the work for Germany the stainless steel liner on the floor of the hot cell was damaged, allowing the concentrated high level waste to leak into the soil beneath the building.

The bottom of the cell is about 42 feet above groundwater.

Hanford was used to produce plutonium for the nations nuclear weapons program during World War II and the Cold War. Environmental cleanup is underway now.

DOE planned to call the hot cell back into service to mount an excavator arm within it. The floor of the hot cell would be cut away with a remotely operated saw and then the excavator would bring up the contaminated soil through the hot cell.

Using the hot cell was planned to would shield Hanford workers on the project from the radiation in the waste.

Excavating contaminated soil with the building standing required 13 structural supports, called micropiles, to be installed in the soil beneath the building to stabilize its foundation.

Radioactive spill discovered

After that was completed in the fall of 2022, the next step for DOE contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Co. was to install underground horizontal supports into the soil outside the footprint of the building by injecting concrete-like grout into the soil to form blocks. The intent was to help prevent the sloughing of soil during excavation of contamination.

As that work began, contaminated soil was discovered in a wider area beneath the building, where it was not expected.

DOE paused work in April, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the DOE national laboratory in Richland, was called upon to help Hanford officials understand the extent of the underground contamination.

PNNL confirmed the findings of the Hanford contractors that the spill was both broader and deeper than thought when the plan to excavate it from within the hot cell was developed.

Work on that plan was initially done by previous DOE contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. before its contract expired. Central Plateau Cleanup Co. took over work near the start of 2021.

A much larger volume of contaminated soil would need to be removed than originally planned, PNNL concluded. The excavator arm to be mounted in the hot cell for excavation could not reach all the contaminated soil, with some of it deeper than it could reach.

Workers at Hanford have been preparing to clean up a highly radioactive spill under the 324 Building for six years. The spills contamination recently was discovered to be significantly larger than expected.

DOE began to rethink its cleanup plan for the spill not only because of the larger excavation required, but also because of concerns about the aging building.

Equipment failures there have highlighted the condition of the building and the cost to continue to maintain and do repairs there while using one of its hot cells to excavate waste.

However, DOE said the building currently is in a safe and stable configuration. The contaminated soils at it have remained stable for decades, it said.

New plan for Hanford spill

The new plan DOE is considering is intended to be safer for the workforce, protective of the environment and effective in completing the mission, Hanford workers were told in an employee message Thursday.

While this change in approach will take longer to complete, it represents a safer path to remediation and aligns with current budget profiles through fiscal year 2025, the message said.

As a precaution, two new monitoring wells will be installed to continue to check for any underground spread of the cesium and strontium.

Workers have been practicing using remote-operated equipment at a mock-up of the 324 Building to prepare to dig up highly radioactive waste.

The proposed new cleanup plan would start with deactivating the 324 Building, including fogging ventilation systems to stabilize contamination, filling the buildings hot cells with grout and turning off heat and power.

Then the building would be torn down to its foundation and the slab of the foundation possibly extended.

The extended slab would serve as a larger barrier to protect it from rain and snowmelt that could drive the radioactive contamination deeper toward groundwater.

Then a containment superstructure would be built over the waste site. The design of the superstructure has not started.

With it in place, contaminated soil then would be dug up.
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President Biden ascribes to a West Wing adage handed down through the ages that good policy is good politics. And repetition helps.

Its too soon for legacy building (reelection is required). But persuasion takes time, and Bidenomics, the presidents most recent summation of his governing agenda, is meant to encapsulate long-term help for middle-class families, many of whom feel economically stressed and unsure about crediting Biden or about giving him a second term.

Weve got a record to run on, Biden told campaign supporters Wednesday in Chicago. And most importantly, were not only changing the country, were transforming the country.

To embrace that idea  that Democrats vision of change is positive and realistic amid daily turmoil and toxic headlines  Americans either need to experience it or be so fearful they wont see improvements, they decide to stick with the incumbent to finish the job, as Biden puts it.

Most Americans and many Democrats say theyre pessimistic about the economy and about the job the president is doing. The economy is a weak point for Biden within his own party, especially among young Democrats. Just 47 percent of Democrats under age 45 approve of his handling of the economy, according to the latest AP-NORC poll released Wednesday. Bidens overall job approval is 41 percent in the survey of adults, about where it was a month ago. His stewardship of the economy garners approval from 60 percent of Democrats, and from 10 percent of Republicans.

The Wall Street Journal: Biden is in a race to reverse voters pessimism about the economy.

The president and his surrogates are traveling the country early this summer to contrast GOP leadership with Democrats agenda and a record Biden says hes running on. He ribbed Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) Wednesday for celebrating federal broadband funding that benefits his state, even though Tuberville voted against a bipartisan infrastructure measure in 2021 that made it possible (The Hill).

Bidenomics, according to top administration officials, encompasses an economy that in effect could have been worse after the pandemic: The U.S. is not in recession; the labor market remains strong; job creation is measurable; and price inflation has eased somewhat.

I dont believe we need to see any very significant weakening of the labor market, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told MSNBC Wednesday. Theres a path for inflation to come down in the context of the strong labor market, and I think were seeing that. Were on that path. But it will take time.

Republicans, in contrast, argue that Bidens policies produced inflation, rising debt and unsustainable spending.

Its the narrative Democrats want to rebut by spring, if it hasnt already taken root.

 The Hill: Biden is digging for dollars in wealthy Democratic enclaves. Hell fund-raise in New York City this evening.

 The New York Times: The Biden administration is weighing additional curbs on Chinas ability to access critical technology, including restricting the sale of high-end chips used to power artificial intelligence. Restrictions would affect sales to China of advanced chips made by companies such as Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Intel, which are needed for the data centers that power artificial intelligence.

 Supreme Court watch: At the end of the term and ahead of the Fourth of July, blockbuster opinions remain pending from the justices, including on affirmative action. The Hills Lexi Lonas and Zack Schonfeld gauge how the 6-3 conservative court may rule on another controversy: Bidens student loan debt forgiveness policy, which carries a price tag estimated at $500 billion, with 22 million applicants waiting in the wings.

Related Articles

 Bloomberg News: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and central bankers see more tightening as economies withstand interest rate hikes.

 The Hill: UPS Teamsters said late Wednesday that a nationwide strike is imminent if a Friday deadline is not met for a last, best and final offer. A strike, perhaps the largest in the U.S. in decades, would thrust the commerce industry into chaos.

 MSNBC: Yellen, who will travel to China early next month for meetings, said contact is key to thwart misunderstandings. The United States is taking actions and will continue to take actions  that are targeted and intended to protect our national security interest, and well do that even if it has  imposes some economic costs on us, she told MSNBCs Stephanie Ruhle during a Wednesday interview.

 Bloomberg News: Biden has begun to use a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine to aid with sleep apnea.

 MSNBC: Biden today will be interviewed live at 4 p.m. ET by MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace.

 Government Executive: An estimated 33,000 federal employees will see a bigger pay raise next year.

LEADING THE DAY

 MORE POLITICS

 NewsNation | Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Chicago Wednesday during a NewsNation live town hall with moderator Elizabeth Vargas.

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday wouldnt commit to supporting Biden if the incumbent beats him in the partys 2024 primary. When asked at a NewsNation town hall event by moderator Elizabeth Vargas whether hed pledge to support whoever wins the Democratic nomination, Kennedy, a long-shot candidate, said of course Im not gonna do that.

So if you dont get the nomination, you wont support President Biden? Vargas asked.

I dont know what Ill do, Kennedy said. Lets see what happens in this campaign. Lets see what  if people are living up to democratic values and having debates and having discussions and, you know, talking to each other, but Im not going to bite.

Kennedy, the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, launched his primary bid in April. Biden has polled well ahead of his Democratic challengers, though some in the party have expressed concern about the rising profile of the controversial anti-vaccine activist. During the town hall, he claimed that vaccines are not safety tested and that the Food and Drug Administration is a corrupt federal agency (The Hill and NewsNation).

When presented with FDA information about its testing regimen, Kennedy replied: What Im saying is the FDA does lie.

NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar Media Group.

Despite chatter about Kennedy, Biden is holding a strong lead in New Hampshire over both his long-shot 2024 primary challengers  Kennedy and Marianne Williamson. The survey conducted by Saint Anselm College and released Tuesday found Biden has 68 percent support among Democratic primary voters in the early-voting state, well ahead of Kennedy, who is polling at 9 percent, and Williamson, at 8 percent (The Hill).

 The Hill: RFK Jr. says US role in war terrible for the Ukrainian people.

 The New York Times: His family name, libertarian bent and support from the tech world, along with his views on censorship and vaccines, have given Kennedy a foothold in the 2024 contest.

 The Hill: RFK Jr.: Im proud that [former] President Trump likes me.

The growing zeal among House Republicans to launch impeachment proceedings has hit an early snag, The Hills Emily Brooks and Rebecca Beitsch report. Theres no agreement on which member of the Biden administration to target.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) this week threw his support behind a possible impeachment inquiry into Attorney General Merrick Garland  a stance that came just days after the GOP conference sparred internally over a resolution from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to impeach Biden. The possible Biden impeachment came on the heels of an announcement from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) that the panel would kick off the formal investigation of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas needed to proceed with an impeachment inquiry.

In May and June alone, lawmakers introduced 11 different impeachment resolutions for top Biden officials, five of them sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Aside from Biden, Garland and Mayorkas, Greene also has her sights on FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves.

But until recently, McCarthy had pumped the brakes on some of the conferences loudest impeachment cheerleaders. Separately, the Speaker is dealing with a challenge of his own: racing to mend fences with Trump after McCarthy questioned his strength as a 2024 presidential contender  a comment he quickly walked back amid blowback from Trump world.

As The Hills Mychael Schnell and Mike Lillis report, the Speakers cleanup effort  which has so far included a direct call to Trump, a subsequent media interview declaring Trump to be the strongest candidate, and an email blast to would-be donors amplifying that message  has illustrated the political dangers facing GOP leaders as they seek to balance Trumps vast popularity against the baggage of his legal and ethical travails heading into the elections.

 The Washington Post: Twice-indicted Trump dominates the GOP race as support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stalls.

 Politico: Trump World fumes over McCarthys 2024 slight.

 The Hill: DeSantis told Fox News on Wednesday that if elected president, he would favor eliminating the departments of Education, Commerce and Energy as well as the IRS.

 NBC News: Trump, DeSantis and Nikki Haley are expected to address Moms for Liberty members gathered in Philadelphia for a four-day summit starting today, although the conservative group does not plan to endorse a candidate. Moms for Liberty, or M4L, founded in 2021, has opposed pandemic precautions and backed book bans and classroom limitations on discussions about race, sexuality and gender identity.

2024 roundup: DeSantis vetoed a GOP-backed criminal justice reform bill that cleared both houses of the legislature with almost unanimous support Wednesday. The governor did not indicate his reasoning (The Hill).  His plan is my plan: Trump said DeSantis copied his immigration strategy when the governor unveiled his plan earlier this week (Semafor).  A DeSantis agency sent $92 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to a donor-backed project (The Washington Post).  The Hills Niall Stanage untangles the real and troubling questions from the hype amid the controversy over an IRS whistleblowers allegations about the Hunter Biden investigation.  The whistleblower himself said Tuesday he was stopped from pursuing investigative leads into dad or the big guy (CBS News).  All kidding aside, the president, 80, favors humor when questioned about his age (NBC News).  Trump is suing writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation after a jury found he sexually abused the former magazine columnist and defamed her (CNN).  Rudy Giuliani, Trumps onetime personal lawyer, this week answered questions from federal prosecutors about Trumps efforts to remain in power after his 2020 election loss (The New York Times).

IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES

 INTERNATIONAL

 The Associated Press / Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool | Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on June 15.

Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin cultivated his status as a public champion of the legions of pro-war voices who were disillusioned with Russias military leadership. But now, after a fast-aborted rebellion, Prigozhin has fueled fury of his own. Some who backed the mutiny were dismayed at his decision to turn back before his fighters reached Moscow, while others were outraged at the apparent deal the Kremlin reached to end the crisis, which exiled Prigozhin to Belarus. While his fate and that of his fighters remains uncertain, there are signs that his hold has been weakened by the saga. And Russian President Vladimir Putin  eager to restore his authority and undermine his challenger  has sought to exploit this growing divide, according to analysts (NBC News).

Western officials said Prigozhin planned to capture two of Russias top military leaders  Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top army general Valery Gerasimov  as part of last weekends mutiny, and he accelerated his plans after the countrys domestic intelligence agency became aware of the plot (The Wall Street Journal). Officials told The New York Times they are trying to learn if Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the former top Russian commander in Ukraine, helped plan Prigozhins actions last weekend.

Meanwhile, at a news conference with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believed the presence of Wagner mercenaries in the countrys east did not pose a threat and that the situation is under control (BBC). Polish officials are increasing their security around the nations border with Belarus due to concerns that the presence of the Wagner Group may intensify conflict between the two countries (Bloomberg News).

 The New York Times: Who is Surovikin, the Russian general who knew of the revolt in advance?

 Reuters: Where are Russian generals Gerasimov and Surovikin after Wagner rebellion?

 Politico: Inside Bidens dramatic backchannel to Russia as a near-coup unfolded.

 Politico EU: Gaming out Russias future. A succession fight involving nukes, a private military up for grabs, an ascendant Belarus  its all on the table in a post-Wagner mutiny world.

 The Washington Post: After the Wagner mutiny, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny asks why he, not Prigozhin, is jailed.

 The New York Times: The Ukrainian counteroffensive faces an enemy nearly as daunting as the Russians: the terrain.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address a joint meeting of Congress July 19, Punchbowl News reports. Herzog is expected to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Israels founding. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasnt been issued an invitation to come to Washington; as president, Herzog is mostly a symbolic leader, while Netanyahu runs the government and is in charge of domestic and foreign policy.

The Wall Street Journal: Netanyahu revives his plan for judicial overhaul  stripped of its most controversial piece. In an interview, the Israeli prime minister says he wants to find middle ground on court-system changes and Ukraine.

Paraguays Aquidaban has long attracted colorful characters as the only ferry in one of South Americas most remote stretches. For 44 years, the 130-foot white, wooden vessel has been the only regular ferry service to reach this deep into the Pantanal, traveling 500 miles up and down the Paraguay River Tuesdays to Sundays, delivering everything from dirt bikes to newborns. Now it may disappear (The New York Times).

OPINION

 U.S. risks a rerun of that 1920s show, by Adrian Wooldridge, columnist, Bloomberg Opinion.

 Bidenomics in one lesson, by The Wall Street Journal editorial board.

 RFK Jr. is a walking, talking conspiracy theory, by Gail Collins, opinion columnist, The New York Times.

WHERE AND WHEN

 Ask The Hill: Share a news query tied to an expert journalists insights: The Hill launched something new and (we hope) engaging via text with Editor-in-Chief Bob Cusack. Learn more and sign up HERE.

The House will meet on Friday at 2 p.m. for a pro forma session; lawmakers return July 11 to the Capitol.

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. for a pro forma session. Members return to Washington on July 10.

The president will receive the Presidents Daily Brief at 10 a.m. Biden will travel to New York City, arriving at 2 p.m., to be interviewed live on MSNBC at 4 p.m. He will address supporters during two campaign fundraisers, one at 5:30 p.m. and another at 7:45 p.m. The president will return to the White House by 10:50 p.m.

Vice President Harris will fly to New Orleans to participate in a moderated conversation about small businesses at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Harris will speak at a campaign fundraiser in New Orleans. She will travel from Louisiana to Los Angeles.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet at 11:15 a.m. with Le Hoai Trung, head of Vietnams Party Central Committee Commission for External Relations, at the State Department. The secretary at 2:30 p.m.will participate in a closing plenary session with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center. Blinken at 5 p.m. will host a Pride Month reception at the department and make remarks.

First lady Jill Biden will travel this afternoon to Beaufort, S.C., arriving at 5:30 p.m., ahead of a Friday speech in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the nations all-volunteer force, to be delivered during a graduation ceremony held at U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island (Island Packet).

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will travel to New York City to visit the New York Academy of Medicine at 10 a.m. for a roundtable discussion about enacted federal provisions, now in law, to lower some prescription drug costs. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) will participate. Becerra and the congressman will hold a press conference at 10:45 a.m. Becerra at 12:30 p.m. will speak at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx about behavioral health during a town hall with Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). They will speak to the news media at 1:45 p.m.

White House National Economic Director Lael Brainard will take questions from journalists at 8:30 a.m. at a breakfast event organized in Washington by the Christian Science Monitor.

Economic indicator: The Labor Department will report at 8:30 a.m on claims for unemployment benefits filed in the week ending June 24.

ELSEWHERE

 STATE WATCH

 The Associated Press / Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Dangerous air quality and hazy skies persist this morning from Des Moines, Iowa, to Washington, D.C., as smoke from Canadas raging wildfires drifts south  with more than 120 million under air quality alerts within the US.

Chicago and Detroit had the worst air quality in the world as of Wednesday night, according to IQAir, while Cleveland, Detroit, Washington, DC, and Minneapolis all ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world. Authorities in Canada  which is seeing its worst fire season on record  have also issued air quality alerts across several provinces.

A channel of thick surface smoke was draped across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, drifting toward the Mid-Atlantic. Many Midwestern cities with high air quality indexes for much of the week are expected to see relief moving into the weekend, but for those in the East and New England, air quality could worsen (The Washington Post and CNN).

 The New York Times: New wave of smoke from Canadian fires blankets Midwest. Residents in the region were urged to remain indoors, weeks after similarly dangerous air choked the Northeast.

 ABC News: Wildfire smoke map: Heres which U.S. cities are forecast to be impacted by wildfires in Canada.

 The Associated Press: Expect a hot, smoky summer in much of America. Heres why youd better get used to it.

Worker safety: A Texas heat wave this week revived calls for improved protections from deadly temperatures for workers, writes The Hills Rachel Frazin. A federal rule to accomplish that could be years away, and the Lone Star State recently passed a bill that could remove existing local protections.

USA Today: Human remains likely recovered from wreckage of Titan submersible, Coast Guard says.

THE CLOSER

 The Associated Press / Julia Nikhinson | The New York City 2022 Fourth of July fireworks.

Take Our Morning Report Quiz

And finally   Its Thursday, which means its time for this weeks Morning Report Quiz! Inspired by the upcoming holiday, were eager for some smart guesses about the Fourth of July. 

Be sure to email your responses to asimendinger@thehill.com and kkarisch@thehill.com  please add Quiz to your subject line. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some richly deserved newsletter fame on Friday.

Independence Day is celebrated on July 4, but the Continental Congress officially voted for independence on which day?

July 1 June 30 July 2 June 15

Which president died on July 4?

John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Monroe All of the above

Approximately how much money did American consumers spend on Fourth of July fireworks in 2022?

$2 billion $500 million $1 billion $750 million

Which other country celebrates its independence on July 4?

Canada The Philippines France Algeria

Stay Engaged

We want to hear from you! Email: Alexis Simendinger and Kristina Karisch. Follow us on Twitter (@asimendinger and @kristinakarisch) and suggest this newsletter to friends!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PORTSMOUTH  Military flyovers, including one that began and ended at the New Hampshire Air National Guard Base at Pease, were conducted nationally Tuesday, a coordinated Air Force mission marking a century since the dawn of refueling missions.

Members of the Pease-based 157th Air Refueling Wing took flight for several hours Tuesday, participating in a northern New England refueling mission with active Air Force members stationed in Maine.

Aerial refueling was first done June 27, 1923  exactly a century ago Tuesday  by the U.S. Army Air Service. Using a hose, the mission included a De Haviland DH-4B transferring 75 gallons of gasoline to another DH-4B flying underneath it  the first instance of mid-air refueling using a gravity-flow hose, according to the military.

The technique has since become a crucial component of military and civilian aviation operations around the world. Air refueling enables aircraft to extend their range and endurance, allowing them to complete missions that would otherwise be impossible or require multiple stops, according to a statement from the 157th Refueling Wing. As a result, this capability has become essential for strategic and tactical operations, as well as humanitarian relief efforts.

The Air Forces mission on Tuesday  dubbed Operation Centennial  saw a total of 152 aircrafts, including KC-10, C-130, C-17, F-15, F-22, A-10, F-16, F-35, B-52 and C-5 jets. The 157th Air Refueling Wing used one of its dozen KC-46A Pegasus tankers.

Its special to be able to take part in a historic flight like this and to know how far weve come as a nation, as a country, as a military from 100 years ago where it started off, said Col. Nelson Perron, commander of the 157th Air Refueling Wing, during the flight.

The Spirit of Portsmouth, emblazoned on the side with the states motto of Live Free or Die, was the Pegasus selected to carry unit members and a small group of journalists on Tuesday. The tanker, painted with the American stars and stripes and a minuteman on its tail, is the only KC-46A in the United States with a painted tail and is the refueling wings heritage jet.

Tech. Sgt. Connor Cunio, a heavy equipment mechanic with the 157th Maintenance Group, inspects the KC-46 Pegasus after its flight Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

What is was like during Tuesday's mission

The refueling crew aboard the Pegasus included Col. Brian Carloni, commander of the 157ths operations group; Lt. Col. Gregg Van Splunder, the 157ths air traffic control squadron commander; 1st Lt. Tim Guinee, a pilot with the 157th Air Refueling Wing; Tech. Sgt. Matt Rogers, boom operator with the 157th; and Airman 1st Class Abby Stroup, also a boom operator with the 157th.

Tuesdays mission occurred amid cloudy conditions and rain passing through New York and Vermont, in addition to rain moving through Massachusetts and Rhode Island that blew out to sea.

The journey included flying over Mount Washington, Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Augusta, Portland, down the Maine coastline and traveling as far east as 20 miles over the Atlantic Ocean.

Airman 1st Class Abby Stroup, boom operator with the 157th Operations Group keeps her eye on controls to assist pilot Col. Brian Carloni, commander of the 157th Operations Group in a KC- 46 Pegasus before takeoff Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

The weather front prevented the crew from traveling over landmarks throughout southern New England, including Boston and past Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

More local news: Torrington envisions 'vibrant mixed-use center' at Mall at Fox Run and Newington Park

The 157th Air Refueling Wing reported each of the Pegasus tankers, which are replacing the Eisenhower-era KC-135 Stratotankers, can hold 208,000 pounds of fuel and carry a cargo load of up to 65,000 pounds.

The tankers, according to Carloni, can both receive and distribute upwards of 100,000 pounds of fuel during a refueling mission.

We are very lucky to operate these things and employ them the way they need to be employed, he said.

Swapping out pilots multiple times during the mission in order for each to train, the 157ths flight Tuesday involved a refueling from a MAINEiac KC-135 tanker within the Maine Air National Guards 101st Air Refueling Wing.

Inside the Maine-based Stratotanker, a member of the 101st Air Refueling Wing controlled the refueling drogue by laying on his chest, looking down at the KC-46A tanker about 100 feet below by peering out a small window. As the 101st Air Refueling Wing member directed the mechanism, referred to as the boom, down into the receptacle located on top of the Pegasus to provide the roughly 1,000 pounds of fuel, Van Splunder operated the KC-46A to position it correctly.

By comparison, boom operators inside the KC-46A tanker use a computer-controlled system to operate the drogue from inside the plane, not by looking at the plane like those working in a KC-135.

The mission occurred mid-air at higher than 20,000 feet.

For us, we get to see the progression and the history, Van Splunder stated. Tankers are important.

157th Air Refueling Wing ready to go anywhere in world at all times

Col. Brian Carloni, commander of the 157th Operations Group, gives a thumbs up after Col. Nelson Perron, commander of the 157th Air Refueling Wing, makes successful contact with a KC-135 tanker for refueling in the air while flying over New England Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

Any given day, six of the 157th Air Refueling Wings tankers are on mission, with another two on alert status. On a moments notice, Carloni added, those jets can begin their trek to anywhere in the world.

What you guys saw out there, that is how we move planes around the world, he remarked following the flight. Theres no stopping in between. You will fuel multiple times, whether its over the Atlantic or the Pacific.

Carloni and Rogers were part of the teams 36-hour mission that took place less than a year ago. On board were four crews from the 157th Air Refueling Wing, creating a rotation to keep the flight active and prevent crews from tiring out during the mission.

Im lucky to be a part of it, said Rogers, a member of the unit since 2014. You cant deliver fighters to the fight without fuel. You cant fight without this aircraft. It has to be in the air to help out those fighters.

The Spirit of Portsmouth, a KC-46 Pegasus is the 157th Air Refueling Wings heritage jet and is participating in aerial refueling mission the to celebrate 100 years of refueling in the air of military aircraft Tuesday, June 27, 2023.

Stationed at Pease, the 157th was the first wing in the nation to have its full fleet of KC-46A tankers delivered. In March 2019, two months after the first completed KC-46A was brought to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, the 157th Air Refueling Wing received its first tanker. The final tanker in its fleet of 12 was flown to Pease in February 2021.

Boeing manufactured the military refueling jets, beginning so in 2011, and modeled them off its own Boeing 767 commercial aircraft.

The Pegasus tankers stationed at Pease each have a different name. Ten are named after New Hampshires counties, and the other two were named in honor of Portsmouth and Newington.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 157th Air Refueling Wing of Pease's Operation Centennial flight
Dr. Alissa Deming, left, and veterinarian assistant Malena Berndt give medicine to sea lion Patsy at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach in June. Patsy was ill due to toxic algae blooms. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

As Southern Californians prepare to flood local beaches in anticipation of the Fourth of July holiday and an oncoming heat wave, experts are warning beachgoers to be vigilant about a surprising hazard: biting sea lions.

As of Tuesday, sea lions had injured at least two people at beaches in Orange County. Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, which serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, has recorded five recent incidents of animals biting beachgoers, including a surfer, paddle boarder, diver and two people on the beach, according to the facility's executive director, Sam Dover.

So what is behind this unusual behavior  and what should you do if you're bitten?

The marine mammals have been experiencing seizures or sickness by the hundreds because of an ongoing bloom of toxic algae, experts say.

But "it's not like this is a rabid sea lion running down the beach chasing people and biting them," said Dr. Alissa Deming of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.

Read more: What's killing hundreds of sea lions and dozens of dolphins along the Southern California coast?

Theyre either running into surfers if theyre seizing erratically and accidentally biting them, she said. If someone touches them, they can be hyper-reactive and reflexively fly their head back. Its not like theyre attacking  theyre in a comatose state and if theyre spooked or bump into something, they may bite.

High concentrations of domoic acid  a neurotoxin produced by the marine algae Pseudo-nitzschia  were first found in waters near Santa Barbara and Ventura counties before making their way south to Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to Deming, the vice president of conservation medicine and science at the mammal center, which serves Orange County.

This algae bloom is one of the largest ever seen in the county, resulting in the most stranded sea lions the facility has dealt with, Deming said.

This is the worst domoic acid event Ive ever seen," she said, "and Ive worked here for over 10 years.

Domoic acid events were first documented in the 1990s and have become increasingly common, more severe and longer-lasting in recent years. Algae blooms have historically been driven by climate change and ocean warming, particularly in El Nino years, when the ocean is warmer, and during years with a lot of rainfall, which results in the runoff of fertilizer, feeding the algae.

The algae, which grow during the spring and fall when the upwelling of water results in nutrients from deeper water rising to the surface, builds up in the food chain. Sea lions and dolphins eat the fish that consume the algae, resulting in brain damage, seizures and even death in the marine animals. The toxin doesn't usually affect humans unless they eat contaminated food.

Sea lions are penned in as they recuperate at the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Deming recommends that, going into the holiday, the public be vigilant at beaches and try to stay at least 50 feet  the length of about four to six cars  from sea lions and other marine mammals. She also urged beachgoers to leash their dogs in case they were to approach any sickened sea lions and to follow the instructions of lifeguards.

"If people give that animal space," Deming noted, "the chances of them getting bitten is very low."

But some people frolicking in the water might not be aware of a sickened animal nearby. "Swimmers and surfers are more at risk," she said.

If you're bitten, Deming said to seek medical attention immediately. Bites can become infected with bacteria from the sea lion's mouth or the ocean, and antibiotics could be necessary.

Humans aren't at risk of getting sickened from domoic acid from a sea lion bite  they would have to consume it to be affected. This can happen through the seafood that is captured in areas during blooms. The California Department of Public Health routinely monitors the coast to sample shellfish such as clams, mussels and scallops to test for domoic acid toxins. Commercial shellfish harvesters are required to provide samples every week to the department for analysis.

Among the recent documented incidents was a boy who was bitten Monday by a sea lion at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. The child, who has not been publicly identified, was wading in the water about 20 feet from shore, according to Danielle Kennedy, a spokesperson for O.C. Parks. He was treated by lifeguards, released to a guardian and referred to urgent care for treatment. Lifeguards closed the beach out of caution.

Another injury caused by a sea lion was reported at Strands Beach at Salt Creek later that day, Kennedy said. The person declined to be treated; lifeguards then closed the water.

Salt Creek Beach was reopened Tuesday morning, and Strands Beach was reopened Wednesday morning. The public has been advised to contact a lifeguard if they see any sea lion, seal or other "aggressive marine mammals" in the area.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that more than 1,000 marine mammals in Southern California have gotten sick or died this month due to the toxic algae.

The Los Angeles Unified School District has teamed up with the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, which serves Los Angeles County, to set up a triage space in the center's parking lot that will allow the organization to care for an additional 20 animals at a time.

John Warner, the chief executive of the mammal care center, said during a Tuesday news conference that L.A. County had seen "high numbers" of sea lions stranded on its beaches because of domoic acid since the beginning of June.

The Marine Mammal Care Center is at capacity, with 113 animals  about 70 of them are sea lions with domoic acid toxicity. The rest of the animals are from pup season and aren't ready to be released.

Team members unload a California sea lion named Lainey from a truck at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center after it was found having seizures in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

"That's put additional strain on our capacity," he said, "which in regular years is enough to care for the marine mammals stranded here."

To care for the animals still stranded on beaches, Warner said the mammal center had partnered with city and county officials to set up a sea lion resting zone on Venice Beach to keep the animals sequestered from beachgoers.

L.A. Tri Club, a triathlon training organization, canceled its Friday Ocean Swim due to sea lions being affected by domoic acid. The club said it's hosting a run instead.

Our first priority is the safest of our swimmers, according to a news release. We will continue to monitor the reports of seal attacks closely alongside the L.A. County Lifeguards and provide an update for next week as soon as we have more information.

West Hollywood Aquatics also canceled its ocean workout Thursday "out of an abundance of caution related to domoic acid/sea lion encounters." The club will resume as expected starting July 6.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center has rescued four to six sea lions a day, and it is approaching capacity, Deming said. There are about 70 animals there now, with more than half of them sickened sea lions; there's space for about 10 to 15 more.

The center is working on setting up pens to accommodate 10 to 15 more animals with the hope that that would be enough for the Fourth of July weekend.

Dolphins have also been affected by the bloom of toxic algae, Deming said, but the poisoning is usually so severe that by the time rescuers get to the beach, the dolphins have died or are unresponsive to seizure medication and have to be euthanized.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center has euthanized one dolphin and has responded to about eight to 10 dolphins that were already deceased or died while rescuers tended to the mammals.

Read more: Altered Oceans: Part Two: Sentinels Under Attack

When people come across a beached dolphin, Deming urges them to leave it alone even though their instinct may be to push it into the water. The dolphins beach themselves, she said, so they don't drown during seizures.

Deming said the Pacific Marine Mammal Center had asked the city's public works department and lifeguards to call the organization about deceased dolphins. The center has only three trucks and often is unable to pick up all of the animals about which they are alerted. In those cases, the center instructs public works employees to remove the dolphins from the beaches.

"We're prioritizing live animals," she added, "which is understandable."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Holistic cancer care in Mexico

The word holistic comes from the Greek word holos which means everything; in philosophy, it means that reality is not fragmentary, but a totality, where each part is related to each other.

As a therapeutic application, this concept covers the patients physical totality and the environment where they develop. Its method consists in recovering the bodys complete stability, regardless of the affected part; with this stability, the bodys natural functions, like the ones in the immune system, can take place and have an optimal result.

Specialists in the medical field recommend the application of holistic therapies to avoid side effects caused by conventional medicine in cancer treatments. The best option to treat cancer ailments is to make them a part of prepared alternatives.

One of them is in Tijuana, a few minutes away from the San Ysidro border. This is Immunity Therapy Center (ITC), a specialized and certified medical center in cancer treatments that has a wide range of minimally invasive therapies that combine the benefits of holistic medicine with the benefits of conventional medicine.

The ITC medical specialists adapt treatments based on several different factors, mainly derived from the patient themselves. These variations include the physical state of patients, initial diagnosis, previous treatments, and their physical and mental health.

Learn more about personalized cancer treatments by calling MedBaja at (619) 333-6066 or fill in the following form.

Each of their treatments and possible variations are part of the holistic therapy offered by ITC. That is why, since the moment a patient enters these medical facilities, steps are designed to provide wellbeing from the first instance. This ranges from how the staff serves you to the application of these therapies. Everything inside ITC is part of the holistic concept that works at every turn regarding patients.

These diverse therapies that cover things from the psyche to the epidermis are looking to heal each part of the individuals body, while also applying non-invasive or minimally invasive treatments to get a quicker recovery and reduce agony in patients.

Immunity Therapy Center offers a series of variants to provide patients with a different perspective to their life situation.

These variants are determined by the patients health status and analysis of their medical history. Based on the results of this analysis, the necessary treatments are modified or implemented, among which there is intratumoral immunotherapy, which is used as an alternative therapy and is based on using the nervous system to attack cancerous cells in order to prevent the growth of malignant tumors.

Learn more about personalized cancer treatments by calling MedBaja at (619) 333-6066 or fill in the following form.

Virtual reality meditation therapy, whose goal is to reduce stress and anxiety on the patient to lead to a greater recovery and improved treatment absorption.

Bioemotional balance therapy, that incorporates physical health with the patients spiritual wellbeing. These studies reveal that a person maintains optimal physical health when they have a greater knowledge of themselves.

When it comes to the physical side, there are vitamin and mineral supplementary treatments that directly act on strengthening the immune system and provide physical stability to help eliminate cancerous cells.

These are some of the therapies by Immunity Therapy Center that are used to treat cancer ailments. Each of them can be personalized depending on the patients needs.

If you want to schedule an appointment to get personalized cancer treatments, call MedBaja at (619) 333-6066 or fill in the following form.

Learn More about Immunity Therapy Center

Types of alternative cancer treatments

More than 21 alternative therapies and natural treatments for cancer are combined with traditional treatments. Some of the options are:

 Enzyme therapy

 Vitamin and mineral therapies

 Oxygen therapy

 biomagnetic therapy

 Laser therapy

 HALO therapy

 Hyperthermia



It is important to note that most stays are for six weeks, but depending on the patient and the progress of their condition, this period may be longer or shorter. Instructions are provided so that the patient can continue their treatment at home after leaving the center.



This type of treatment is unique because of its use of alternative therapy, and therefore not covered by medical insurance, so each patient must pay for his or her own expenses. Patients can contact the center for help finding the best payment option.



Most patients come to the center accompanied by a loved one, so that they have the support and company of someone they trust, which is crucial when undergoing treatment for disease.



To learn more about the center and its therapies, visit the following link. This could be the life opportunity youve been looking for.

Get in contact with a specialist and learn about Alternative Cancer Treatments in Tijuana, fill-out the contact form below:

Alternative Cancer Treatment in Mexico | Survivor Testimonials

Call us at MedBaja Services on (619)333-6066 to find out more about this cheap, revolutionary, and holistic approach to cancer treatment, or fill out the form below so we may contact you immediately.

INDEX: CANCER TREATMENTS IN MEXICO

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Nathaniel Prenters, 44, gathers his belongings before an L.A. sanitation crew arrives at an encampment in the 200 block of South Venice Boulevard. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Homelessness continues to rise dramatically, increasing by 9% in Los Angeles County and 10% in the city of Los Angeles last year, a stark illustration of the challenges faced by officials trying to reduce the number of people living on the streets.

Efforts to house people, which include hundreds of millions of dollars spent on shelter, permanent housing and outreach, have failed to stem the growth of street encampments, as reflected in the annual point-in-time count released Thursday by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The count, conducted by thousands of volunteers during three days in January, projected that 75,518 people were living in interim housing or a tent, car, van, RV, tent or makeshift shelter in Los Angeles County, compared with 69,144 the previous year.

Since the 2015 count, homelessness has increased by 70% in the county and 80% in the city.

Read more: Here's what parts of L.A. County saw biggest rise in homelessness

"The results are definitely disappointing with all the hard work and all the investment, but they're not surprising," LAHSA's new chief executive, Va Lecia Adams Kellum, said in a pre-release briefing Tuesday. "We thought with last year's numbers that we were flattening the curve. However, what we see in this trajectory is that people remain in a situation of vulnerability where they're falling into homelessness faster than we can house them.

"There's much more needed to right the ship."

Billy Jones, who is unhoused, speaks with canvasser Ari Hamilton in Echo Park on Jan. 26 during the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. Jones has been living on the streets since 2019. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

In struggling to explain the continued growth of homelessness, Adams Kellum acknowledged that the reasons are not fully known, but she pointed to economics as the underlying cause. She cited a recent study by UC San Francisco that found that among people who had leases before becoming homeless, a decrease in income was the most common reason for losing their housing.

Almost all the growth came from the Westside and Harbor areas of Los Angeles, with each seeing increases of just over 2,000 people, or about 45%.

South L.A., which has the second-highest number of homeless people in the region behind central Los Angeles, countered the trend with a modest 10% decrease of about 1,600 people. The remainder of the county was statistically unchanged.

Read more: L.A. strongly approves of Mayor Bass but skeptical about fixing homelessness, poll shows

The increase was entirely made up of people living on the street, as opposed to those in shelters. Countywide, the unsheltered population jumped 14% to more than 55,000, while the count of people in shelters declined slightly to just over 20,000.

The annual count showed an 18% increase in chronic homelessness, with an even sharper rise among those living outdoors. Just over 27,000 people were living on the street who had been homeless more than a year and had a disabling health, mental health or substance use condition, according to the count  nearly 5,000 more than the year before. Another 5,000 chronically homeless people were counted in shelters, for an increase of 7%.

As in previous years, Black people were over-represented, making up 31% of homeless residents, or more than four times greater than their overall share of the county population. The Latino portion leveled off at nearly 43% after increasing substantially in last year's count. The count of Asians more than doubled, though at 1,212 it was less than 2% of the whole.

A demographic survey conducted after the count found that 25% of homeless people self-reported experiencing severe mental illness and 30% reported substance use disorder.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed frustration over the latest numbers and concern that the increases would continue as more people fall into homelessness with the end of protections put in place during the pandemic.

"The challenge before us is vast, but we will continue to work with urgency to bring Angelenos inside," Bass said. "We must sustain our momentum by locking arms with leaders at every level of government as we confront this crisis as the emergency that it is. Lives depend on it.

Mario Lopez sleeps on a bus stop bench in Echo Park and was included in the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

This year's increase continued an almost unbroken trend that has seen Los Angeles County's homeless population rise every year except one since 2015, the year before the city and county began pumping funds into homeless housing and services.

Los Angeles city voters adopted Proposition HHH, a $1.2-billion bond measure to build new homeless housing, in 2016. County voters followed the next year with Measure H, a quarter-percent sales tax that generates more than $350 million annually for a variety of initiatives, including shelter beds, housing vouchers and services for permanent housing.

City and county leaders credited those initiatives for a modest 4% decrease in the 2018 count, but that was followed by two years of double-digit increases. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the 2021 count, two more years of increases followed.

During the tenure of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the city's spending on homelessness grew from a few million to about $1 billion, a large chunk of it HHH funds. In her first budget, Bass allotted $1.3 billion to homeless programs.

Earlier this month, Bass reported that more than 14,000 people experiencing homelessness had been moved off the streets during the first six months of her administration. About 30%, or 4,332, acquired permanent housing, and an additional 10,049 were placed in interim housing through city and county programs from December through May, she said.

Read more: L.A. mayor reports that 14,000 homeless people have moved off the streets

Bass said the housing placements resulted from executive directives she issued upon taking office, including a state of emergency on homelessness and the launching of the Inside Safe program, which is designed to clear street encampments by moving unhoused people indoors.

Margaret Gillespie, executive vice president of the nonprofit West L.A. Homeless, said she was not surprised to see the number of unhoused people jump on the Westside. She said residents are still recovering from the pandemic.

"I deal with folks pretty regularly, folks who were employed before COVID and lost their jobs and have struggled to get back on their feet," she said. "People don't realize that once you fall into the pit of homelessness, it's very hard to dig out of it."

Adams Kellum, who was appointed chief executive of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority in January, said the city and county are now working with "coordination, collaboration and strategic focus."

The new strategy has led officials to make some gains in addressing homelessness over the last few months.

For the third consecutive year, Adams Kellum said, the housing system has made more than 20,000 placements. Though little permanent housing was produced during the early years of Proposition HHH, thousands of new units are now being completed, she said.

She also praised Bass' Inside Safe program as an overwhelming success, noting that emergency directives put into place by the city and county have reduced the time it takes for outreach workers to bring someone into interim housing.

Read more: In downtown L.A., Bass' plan to clear encampments faces crime, addiction and resistance

For the first time, LAHSA provided a limited view into the imprecision inherent in its methodology. In the pre-release briefing on Tuesday, a researcher with the agency's statistical contractor explained how the canvassers' observations were converted into numbers.

After the street count, researchers survey thousands of homeless people to gather demographic information and calculate averages for the number of people who occupy each type of dwelling, said Benjamin Henwood, a professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

Those averages are then used to estimate the total number of people living on the street. By contrast, the shelter count is a head count gathered directly from the shelters.

While letting its topline numbers for the city and county stand without qualification, LAHSA's report provided a confidence interval for the total count in its administrative area covering all of L.A. County except Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena, which conduct their own counts.

With 95% certainty, it said, the number of unsheltered people in that area would be within 1,558 above or below the estimate of 71,320, which doesn't include the three cities that do their own tallies.

After connectivity breakdowns in a new mobile phone app marred last year's count and raised doubts about its accuracy, redundancies were introduced this year to ensure that every area was counted, said Paul Rubenstein, LAHSA's deputy chief of external relations.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Homeowner hears strange sounds in CA chimney. See the fluffy creature rescuers found

When firefighters responded to a California home about strange sounds coming from a chimney, they found a fluffy, feathered creature trapped inside.

After arriving at the Chino Hills home and determining the odd noises to be from an owl, a firefighter safely removed it from the chimney, the Chino Valley Fire District said in a June 28 Instagram post.

A video posted by fire officials shows a firefighter holding the young owl, which turns its head and almost appears to throw him a smile.

The countys humane society took over caring for the owl, which will be released to the wild after rehabilitation, according to fire officials.

Chino Hills is about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

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The upcoming 17th EU-China Business and Technology Cooperation Fair is expected to create more growth points for companies on both sides amid multiple challenges facing the global economy, market watchers and business executives said on Wednesday.

The fair will be held in Chengdu, the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, from Friday to Saturday.

More than 2,000 representatives, including officials, experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from China and Europe, will engage in discussions and business activities through a blend of online and offline events.

Their interactions will focus on topics like the economic landscape, business trends in China and Europe, vocational education, the green transition and the digital economy, according to the fair's organizers.

The event will be co-hosted by the China Chamber of International Commerce and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and co-organized by the Chengdu sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Management Committee of Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone and the Chengdu International Chamber of Commerce.

As China and European countries have taken a number of measures to boost their job markets, foreign trade and their ability to attract foreign investment, the fair will provide a comprehensive platform for discussions on promoting in-depth cooperation in trade and investment between the two sides, said Gao Lingyun, director of the international investment division at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, which is part of the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The EU-China fair will host many events, including the Summit on EU-China Cooperation in the Era of Digital Economy and the Second China-EU Geographical Indications Cooperative Conference.

Gao said these activities will facilitate constructive discussions between government officials and business leaders from both sides. The aim is to identify practical strategies for exploring new opportunities in economic and trade cooperation, particularly in light of the global supply chain dilemmas and challenges encountered by multinational companies when investing in different countries.

"While some investments have been shifted to Southeast Asia due to lower labor costs, this does not conflict with European businesses' investment strategies in China. Rather, these strategies focus on cooperation in high-tech and services sectors, matching China's vision for high-quality development," said Bai Ming, deputy director of international market research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Seeing big opportunities in areas like carbon neutrality, high-end manufacturing and innovation-driven development, foreign direct investment from France and the United Kingdom in the Chinese mainland jumped by 429.7 percent and 179.2 percent year-on-year, respectively, in the first five months of this year, the Ministry of Commerce said.

French tire and mobility company Michelin Group has been heading into such areas. The company will add more transportation-related digital solutions and services in China this year, given the country's soaring demand for smart mobility solutions and their strategic importance.

Gary Guthrie, Michelin's senior vice-president for automotive global brands, said China's automobile market is currently witnessing a noticeable trend toward electrification and high-end vehicles. Consumer demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable options is increasing. In this era of transformation, the market requires products and services that are more competitive.

Echoing that sentiment, John Wang, president of North East Asia and senior vice-president of Signify NV, a Dutch multinational lighting company, said China is one of the fastest-growing markets in the global light-emitting diode or LED lighting industry and serves as a vital production hub with abundant talent and resource advantages.

"Our factory in Chengdu can leverage the China-Europe freight train service to facilitate efficient logistics across multiple countries and regions related to the Belt and Road Initiative. This enables us to better serve the European and global markets," said Wang.
Before he became Acting Director of National Intelligence and Ambassador to Germany under former President Donald Trump, Ric Grenell tried to sound the alarm about him on Twitter in 2016: Trump is dangerous. Wake up. Hes reckless.

Grenell was right, of course. Then, like so many other, um, ideologically flexible Republicans, Grenell signed on with Trump after he became the GOP nominee. Grenell then deleted all his negative tweets about Trump, started sucking up to him and never looked back.

On Monday, California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Santee, and Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Riverside, paraded Grenell around on the Senate floor as a great American and hero for being the first openly gay member of the cabinet.

Woohoo.

Opinion

This stirring gesture by the legislatures GOP caucus was somewhat mitigated by their walkout a few weeks back on a vote declaring June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and honoring drag queen Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Oh, well, gestures are everything in the shattered hulk of the imploded Republican Party.

Sen Scott Weiner, D- San Francisco, noted acidly that the GOP is honoring Richard Grenell on our Senate floor, after having protested our actual Pride celebration. Grenell is a self-hating gay man. Hes a scam artist pink-washer for Trump & spreads anti-LGBTQ, anti-vax, election-denier conspiracy theories.

For his part, Grenell would be rather low on my list of LGBTQ+ role models, given that many members of his Republican party have crafted hundreds of proposed laws targeting LGBTQ+ people in various states.

And then there is Grenells preposterous professional record of playing footsie with extremists, taking money from despots and spreading false conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. And those are only the lowlights. As Americas ambassador to Germany, Grennell was lambasted by German officials.

Grenell isnt behaving like a diplomat but instead like a right-wing extremist colonial governor, Martin Schulz, the former leader of the SPD party in Germany, said in the Los Angeles Times. This was around the time Grenell told Breitbart News that he wanted to empower conservatives throughout Europe, comments that were seen by some in Berlin as a rallying cry for parties like the ostracized far-right Alternative for Germany.

Oh, but theres more. ProPublica reported that Grenells political consultancy was paid $103,750 to help out noted Friend of Democracy and Gay Rights Victor Orban, the leader of Hungary and the latest poster child of the U.S. Foxosphere. Memo to Ric Grenell: Orban thinks being gay is a woke conspiracy.

Grenell even went to Nevada after the 2020 election to stand before a bank of microphones and assert, falsely of course, that the election outcome was rigged in that state.

Senate President Toni Atkins, an actual LGBTQ+ heroine, walked out with other Democrats as Grenell was being touted as a pathfinder.

Grenell is just another Trumpie narcissist and he wouldnt last three seconds with Atkins. But perhaps he could tell the legislature something else: Trump is dangerous. Wake up.

Hes reckless.

Oh. He already did. He and his followers just forgot.
The 2015 Anime Expo attracted large crowds to the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year's expo is one of the events likely to be disrupted if thousands of hotel workers strike Saturday in Los Angeles and Orange counties. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

For the record:

7:25 p.m. July 3, 2023: An earlier version of this story said employees at 62 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties were scheduled to walk off the job as early as Saturday after their contracts expire. Sixty-one contracts between workers represented by Unite Here Local 11 and Southern California hotel sites expired Friday at midnight.





The largest U.S. hotel workers' strike in recent memory and the largest anime convention in North America are both set to kick off this weekend in the same downtown Los Angeles spot  with all the attendant agitation playing out on social media.



More than 15,000 union employees at 61 hotel sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties are scheduled to walk off the job as early as Saturday after their contracts expire. They are seeking higher pay, which might allow them to live in more expensive areas closer to their jobs, as well as improved benefits and working conditions. On Thursday, the largest hotel, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, announced it had reached a tentative deal with the union representing its more than 600 employees. The deal is the first among many that would be needed to avert the planned strike.

Meanwhile, thousands of fans of Japanese pop culture will gather Saturday for the start of Anime Expo, a four-day convocation of people interested in manga art, cosplay and video games with exhibitions and panels at the Los Angeles Convention Center and nearby hotels. Many have spent months hoarding vacation days and cash to trek to Southern California and commune with like-minded people.

The two passionate interest groups met up virtually in recent days, and the results weren't pretty.

On Reddit, a union organizer with hotel workers' Unite Here Local 11 kicked off the Ask-Me-Anything discussion by asking, "Did you know hotel workers at many of the properties you might be staying at for AX, such as the JW Marriott Downtown LA, Westin Bonaventure, Downtown Los Angeles Courtyard, Residence Inn Downtown LA, the Ritz Carlton and more, might be on strike?

Read more: Thousands of Southern California workers authorize the largest hotel strike in modern U.S. history

"This could mean pickets, protests and other actions at hotels that could impact and potentially disrupt the Anime Expo," wrote AnimeJustice11, the unnamed organizer.

"When workers go on strike, they stop work and walk off the job. If workers go on strike, there might not be anybody taking out the trash, cooking the food or cleaning the rooms. There also may be loud 24-hour picket lines right outside the property. How do you think this would affect the quality of the Anime Expo if you are attending / planning?"

AnimeJustice11 wrapped up with a plea: "I hope most/all of you will stand in solidarity with the potential striking workers and don't cross picket lines!" The poster also asked those planning to attend Anime Expo to "contact the management and ask if they would negotiate a new contract that meets what workers are asking for."

Unite Here Local 11 also has reached out to Anime Expo attendees, as well as other groups, with a targeted anime-style advertisement featuring a pink-haired worker carrying a sign reading: "Anime is cool! Disrespecting workers is not!"

Reddit users had many thoughts, including anger at the union for disrupting an expensive and cherished tradition, anger at hotel owners for not giving raises, and anger at one another for attacking the union organizer. Others debated what it meant to cross the picket line.

The Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles has said a strike would hurt the workers by harming the citys tourism appeal while the industry is getting back on its feet after pandemic shutdowns.

Anaheim resident Jon Montes said he found out about the potential hotel workers' strike via the union organizer's Reddit AMA discussion. Although he didn't call the hotel, he told his friends to be prepared.

Read more: 'Do y'all think tipping culture has gotten out of control?' Inside our evolving tipping dilemma

Montes and friends may have to stay at someones house and commute, he said, but he is grateful that he has an option close by.

You have a lot of people that will come in internationally, who don't have like a house 45 minutes away to go to. They're kind of out of luck," Montes said. The Japanese pop culture expo attracts about 100,000 people from around the world.

Montes booked a room with two beds and a couch at Hotel Indigo with three of his friends in January, when Anime Expo opened the hotel-room allocation system. The blocks opened at noon one day in a rat race style, with discounted rates, as Montes scrambled to get his $1,700 rate for five nights. He has attended Anime Expo since 2018 but began staying at a hotel only last year.

We used to not stay at a hotel because we would go from my buddy's house in Long Beach and just go to the con every day, but now we're getting a hotel because it's a convenience factor, Montes said.

Hotel Indigo is one of the inns with union contracts, according to Unite Here Local 11. The JW Marriott Downtown LA near the Convention Center also has an expiring contract.

Nola Watson, right, directs a hotel worker toward ballot boxes during a strike authorization vote June 8 at Unite Here Local 11's office in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Montes said he looks forward to the annual convention because it serves as a social gathering with friends from out of town and a citadel for a lot of people from a lot of places to come and hang out.

Cosplay is a rigorously planned process, Montes said, requiring multiple suitcases for regular clothes and costumes. Before staying at a hotel, Montes and his friends would get ready by 4 a.m. to drive, park and line up at the Los Angeles Convention Center by 6:30 a.m.

If you're not in line early in the morning, you will be out there for at least two hours, Montes said.

I don't want to be out in the California sun and just baking in my own outfits. The sooner I'm inside that convention center the much better. With a hotel, we dont have to worry about getting up super early, he said.

Montes, who works in security, had sick days saved up and had been working overtime for two months.

Read more: Pregnant workers have new federal protections. What are your rights in California?

Denis Martinez felt particularly conflicted: He plans to attend Anime Expo but also works as a server at an IHG hotel in Charlotte, N.C. This would be his first convention, and he hopes to meet others who build model kits.

Although going to the convention would mean crossing the picket line, Martinez said that he has saved up for months for this vacation. In addition to Anime Expo, he also planned to go to Hololive Connect, a virtual idol concert at YouTube Theatre on Sunday.

My initial reaction was a selfish one: I got angry that they decided to do this in my first ever vacation in years, Martinez said. He started selling things on EBay to prepare an emergency budget for places to stay.

But Martinez said that although he isn't in a union, he understands the workers' plight as someone who also works in the hospitality industry.

It takes so long to get a wage increase of just a few cents, Martinez said during an interview via Reddit chat. As a server, he said his earnings depend on tips.

Amine Expo 2022 attracted about 100,000 people to the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year's convention could be disrupted by a hotel workers' strike. (Calvin B. Alagot / Los Angeles Times)

The anime expo website offered the housing. I guess many attendees really didn't think about the brand or company hotel they're staying at."

Merchandise by exhibitors is also a huge selling point at the expo, with attendees spending heavily and bringing extra suitcases to transport their purchases. In particular, Artist Alley features local and international vendors who sell their prints.

Toby Holland is an artist behind California-based Barrett Creative, a small woodworking business focused on mechanical keyboards and desk accessories. Holland said Anime Expo is an opportunity to promote his brand and share his craft with other U.S. and international artists. After finding out about the strike via the Reddit thread, he was not sure what options would be available to him so close to the event.

"As a solo traveler, I just have to go with the flow and see what happens with the situation," said Holland, who booked his stay at Westin Bonaventure.

Times staff writer Jeong Park contributed to this report.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) blasted the Supreme Courts decision to exempt military academies from its ruling on affirmative action as outright grotesque.

This decision is deeply upsetting but outright grotesque for exempting military academies. The court is saying diversity shouldnt matter, EXCEPT when deciding who can fight and die for our countryreinforcing the notion that these communities can sacrifice for America but not be full participants in every other way, Crow, a former Army Ranger, wrote on Twitter.

Justice Jackson is right: deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life, he added.

In dual rulings Thursday, the Supreme Courts six conservative justices invalidated admissions practices from Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, saying that both Harvard and UNC lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.

In a footnote, Roberts wrote that military academies are exempted from the courts opinion.

No military academy is a party to these cases, however, and none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context. This opinion also does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present, the footnote states.

More coverage of the Supreme Courts affirmative action ruling

Justice Sonia Sotomayor ripped the majority opinions exemption for military academies in a dissenting opinion, questioning how the militarys interests at academies are different from those at civilian universities.

She also pointed out that like military academies, religious universities were not a party in the case and questioned why those universities were not exempt, like military academies were.

To the extent the Court suggests national security interests are distinct, those interests cannot explain the Courts narrow exemption, as national security interests are also implicated at civilian universities, Sotomayor wrote.

The Courts carveout only highlights the arbitrariness of its decision and further proves that the Fourteenth Amendment does not categorically prohibit the use of race in college admissions, she added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) referred to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as Justice Harlan Crow Thomas on Thursday, as he called for the expansion of the court in the wake of its decision restricting the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

Thomas has faced public scrutiny in recent months over his close relationship with Crow, a Republican megadonor.

Justice Harlan Crow Thomas and five other MAGAs have just slammed the college doors on Black and Brown folks after declaring that we now live in a color-blind country, Johnson said in a statement.

Crow funded several luxury vacations for the Supreme Court justice, paid for his great-nephews private school tuition and purchased properties owned by Thomas and his family, according to reporting by ProPublica.

On Thursday, the six conservative justices on the Supreme Court ruled that Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills use of race in their admissions processes violate the 14th Amendment.

This judicial activism must be met with passage of my legislation to expand [the Supreme Court], Johnson said. This decision can lead to the demise of [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. We cannot let that happen. Supreme Court Reform Now!

The Georgia Democrat reintroduced legislation in May to add four seats on the court, which would expand the bench from its current nine justices to 13.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans are demanding more than a dozen federal officials, including the U.S. attorney in charge of the investigation into Hunter Biden, appear before multiple congressional committees for transcribed interviews regarding allegations of politicization and misconduct at their agencies throughout the years-long probe into the presidents son.

The House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee, and House Ways and Means Committee are conducting a joint- investigation into the federal probe into Hunter Biden, and whether prosecutorial decisions were influenced by politics.

Hunter Biden disembarks from Air Force One at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York, U.S., February 4, 2023.

HUNTER BIDEN TAX PROBE BEGAN AS OFFSHOOT IRS INVESTIGATION INTO AMATEUR PORNOGRAPHY SHOP: WHISTLEBLOWER

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained letters sent by Oversight Chairman James Comer, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith sent letters to the Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service and the Secret Service Thursday.

UNITED STATES - May 20: Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

From the Justice Department, the committees are requesting transcribed interviews with U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss, who led the Justice Departments investigation into Hunter Biden; Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, who allegedly blocked lines of questioning in the investigation related to President Biden; U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, who allegedly blocked Weiss from charging Hunter Biden in his district; Jack Morgan and Mark Daly of the DOJs Tax Division; U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California E. Martin Estrada; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division Stuart Goldberg; Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Hanson in Delaware; and Assistant U.S. attorney Shawn Weede.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT 'DAD,' 'BIG GUY' DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER

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From the FBI, the committees are calling for Tom Sobocinski, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Baltimore Field Office; and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley to appear for transcribed interviews.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer

From the IRS, the committees are requesting Michael Batdorf, a director within the IRS Criminal Investigation division; and Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office Darrell J. Waldon of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division to appear before the panels for transcribed interviews.

WASHINGTON - MARCH 9: House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith

From the U.S. Secret Service, the committees are calling on any Secret Service employees who received the alleged Dec. 7, 2020 "tip-off" from the FBI. An IRS whistleblower alleged that on Dec. 7, 2020, FBI headquarters notified the Secret Service and the Biden transition team about the IRS criminal investigative teams plan to interview Hunter Biden. The whistleblower said that "tipped off" a group of people "close to Hunter Biden" and gave those individuals the "opportunity to obstruct" their approach to the witness.

WHISTLEBLOWER: 'NO WAY OF KNOWING' IF EVIDENCE OF 'OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY' EXISTED ABOUT BIDENS ON LAPTOP

"The federal government is supposed to work for the American people, but whistleblower evidence shows that several federal employees were working overtime to cover up for the Bidens," Comer, Jordan, and Smith said in a joint-statement provided to Fox News Digital. "We need to hear from these federal employees and other witnesses about this weaponization of federal law enforcement power."

They added: "Americans are counting on us to ensure actors are held accountable and restore the equal enforcement of the law."

Attorney General Merrick Garland attends a news conference to announce recent law enforcement action in transnational security threats case, at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters on Jan. 27, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee will take the lead on the Justice Department and FBI portion of the investigation; with Comer and the House Oversight Committee taking lead on the Secret Service and Smith at the House Ways and Means Committee taking the lead on the IRS.

The joint-investigation comes after IRS whistleblowers came forward with allegations that the entire investigation into Hunter Biden, which began in 2018 as an "offshoot" of an existing IRS probe into a foreign pornography platform, was "influenced by politics," and that the U.S. attorney in charge--David Weiss-- was "constantly hamstrung, limited, and marginalized" by DOJ officials as he sought to make prosecutorial decisions. They also testified that Weiss had requested to have special counsel authority, but was denied.

The Justice Department has denied the whistleblowers claims, with Attorney General Merrick Garland saying Weiss was "given complete authority to make all decisions on his own behalf."

Those whistleblowers also that decisions were made "at every stage" of the probe, that "had the effect of benefiting" Hunter Biden.

Those whistleblower allegations became public just days after the Justice Department announced Hunter Biden had entered a plea agreement that would likely keep him out of prison. As part of the deal, the president's son will plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, and to one charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware

But whistleblower Gary Shapley, who led the IRS' portion of the probe, said that "the most substantive felony charges were left off the table."

Shapley said that Hunter Biden should have been charged with tax evasion for 2014, and false tax returns for 2018 and 2019. With regard to the 2014 tax returns, Shapley said Hunter Biden did not report income from Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings.

Fox News Digital first reported in December 2020 that Hunter Biden did not report "approximately $400,000" in income he collected from his position on the board of Burisma Holdings when he joined in 2014.

DOJ KNEW HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP WAS 'NOT MANIPULATED,' CONTAINED 'RELIABLE EVIDENCE' IN 2019: WHISTLEBLOWER

Congressional Republicans are opposing a special counsel to investigate the matter, warning that the House of Representatives, where the GOP has subpoena power, will be blocked from obtaining critical records for their investigations. Lawmakers, like Comer, have also warned that Garland is not to be trusted to have the "sole authority" to appoint a special counselspecifically in light of the whistleblower allegations.
US-INDIA-DIPLOMACY-POLITICS-MODI-BIDEN

Hunter Biden attends an official State Dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023 Credit - Stefani ReynoldsAFP via Getty Images

A week after Hunter Biden reached a plea deal on misdemeanor tax charges, Republicans in Congress are making clear they are not done with the Presidents son. Fresh off an Internal Revenue Service whistleblower alleging that Biden received special treatment from the Justice Department, House Republicans are planning a new chapter in their investigation, which could possibly stretch into 2024 as the presidential campaign ramps up.

According to sources familiar with the matter, House GOP leadership is waiting for Hunter Bidens arraignment, scheduled for July 26, as it prepares for a multi-pronged investigatory effort spearheaded by three committees: the Judiciary Committee, the Oversight Committee, and the Ways and Means Committee.

The panels are pursuing a thorough investigation into this misconduct to deliver the transparency and accountability that the American people demand and deserve, its three chairsReps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, James Comer of Kentucky, and Jason Smith of Missourisaid in a statement Wednesday.

The new phase of the inquiry stems from testimony provided last week to the Ways and Means Committee by Gary Shapley, an IRS official who supervised the agencys role in the investigation. Asserting whistleblower protections, he claimed that Attorney General Merrick Garland prevented the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney overseeing the probe from bringing more charges against the Presidents son. Both Garland and the prosecutor, David Weiss, have strenuously denied the allegations, and the DOJ said when announcing the agreement, without elaboration, that the investigation is ongoing. Sources say that House Republicans are likely to call Weiss to testify on the matter in the coming months.

Shapley, a 14-year IRS employee, also told lawmakers the Justice Department denied requests from prosecutors to examine text messages in which Hunter Biden allegedly used his father as leverage to pressure a Chinese company to pay him. I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled, Hunter Biden texted the CEO of a Chinese fund management company in 2017, according to testimony from Shapley. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden told reporters he wasnt with his son during the exchange six years ago, when the elder Biden was no longer Vice President and not yet elected President.

Be that as it may, many Hill Republicans see the latest revelations as an opportunity to expand and accelerate an investigation that has been at the center of the conferences agenda since assuming a slim majority in January but that has so far failed to deliver anything that incriminates the President. At the very least, they can hunt for evidence to determine whether Garlands or Shapleys account is true.

Read more: How Hunter Bidens Scandals Compare to Those of Trumps Family Members

Democrats argue that the latest iteration of the Hunter Biden probe is a cynical attempt to damage the Presidents reputation going into his reelection bid. This is just typical presidential year political theater and not serious oversight work, a former Democratic congressional investigative counsel tells TIME, who requested anonymity because they still do work with the government. The more media attention that a whistleblower seeks, in my experience, the less credible theyve typically been.

Its an argument shared by other veterans of official Washington, including Ronald Weich, former assistant attorney general for legislative affairs and chief counsel to former Senators Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy. I do not think this is an appropriate subject for congressional oversight, at least at this time, he tells TIME.

Weich, now the dean of the University of Baltimore Law School, emphasizes that an IRS whistleblower could turn to the inspector general of either the Treasury Department or the Justice Department. Running to Congress should not be the first avenue for a whistleblower, he says. And Congress should not be interfering in ongoing criminal investigations or prosecutions. I think the fact that he went to Congress suggests that this has more of a political motive.

Another former high-level government official expressed skepticism over the complaints. Whistleblowers frequently have agendas that explain their coming forwardsometimes the agendas are personal; in this day and age, they are increasingly political, Michael Bromwich, a former federal prosecutor and Department of Justice Inspector General during the Clinton Administration, emails TIME. Whistleblowers should not be dismissed out of hand, but their allegations also shouldnt be treated as the gospel truth until fully vetted and tested.

In the days since they released Shapleys testimony, House Republicans have cited it as further material to pursue impeachment proceedings against Garlandan idea promoted by the likes of right-wing firebrands Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. On Monday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy signaled a willingness to consider the measure. If the whistleblowers allegations are true, he tweeted, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into Merrick Garlands weaponization of DOJ.

But for Democrats, the forthcoming proceedings, however they may play out, are poised to amount to more of a stunt than a serious investigation into alleged wrongdoing. Merrick Garland has a pretty long track record, says the former congressional counsel. I find it pretty implausible that he would stake his career on trying to protect Hunter Biden.
Hundreds of new homes are coming to these sought-after Sacramento suburbs. See where

Despite an overall slowdown in the real estate market, demand for new homes in the Sacramento region remains strong.

Much of that demand is playing out in some of the regions most sought-after suburbs. More than 550 new homes were sold in the region in May, according to the North State Building Industry Association, led by robust sales in Roseville, Folsom and Elk Grove.

The New Home Co., an Irvine-based homebuilder, is seeking to take advantage of that demand by building more than 800 homes in the region in the coming months.

The company plans to open its 121-home Valley Oak neighborhood in Roseville in July. The neighborhood, near Blue Oaks Park, will have homes up to 4,410 square feet in size, with prices ranging from the high-$600,000s to the mid-$700,000s, New Home Co. said.

Another 44 large, single-family homes are available in El Dorado Hills on lots of up to 19,000 square feet. Prices for those homes, in a development called Ridgeview, will start around $1.5 million.

And in Elk Grove, the New Home Co. is planning to open a new community of 122 single-family homes in August, with prices starting in the mid-$600,000s. The company also said it is in the early planning stages for a 525-home subdivision in Elk Grove near Big Horn Boulevard.

Take this survey to help decide how we plan the Sacramento regions future

Kevin Carson, president of New Home Co. Northern California, said historically low inventory in the traditional home market has led many potential buyers to new home communities. The number of overall home sales and available inventory in the Sacramento region have plummeted this spring, as many homeowners decide to remain in homes financed by mortgages with rates far below whats being offered now.

If youre holding onto a 3% mortgage, youre less inclined to sell, Carson said. There really isnt the inventory (of existing homes) for people that are moving up or having life changes. They always had the resale market, but that is very limited.

Carson said new home prices have also declined since last year and there is more sanity in the pricing of new homes. Nearly half the new homes sold in the Sacramento region in May went for between $450,000 and $600,000, according to the North State Building Industry Association, a range that is considered affordable throughout much of the area.

The promising May sales figure in the region was well above the months average total and close to the highest number of sales for a May in the past decade, the BIA reported. Those figures mirror the national trends. The Census Bureau reported last week that construction began on more than 1.6 million new homes across the nation in May, a 22% increase over April and a 6% increase over May 2022.
By Krisztina Than and Boldizsar Gyori

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary's parliament will not hold a vote on Sweden's NATO membership next week, according to its schedule released on Thursday, further delaying ratification of the move by the Western alliance.

Sweden, dropping a longtime policy of military non-alignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has set its sights on formal accession at NATO's July 11-12 summit but, while it has strong support from other members including the United States, both Turkey and Hungary have so far blocked ratification.

Earlier on Thursday, a lawmaker of the opposition Democratic Coalition party, Agnes Vadai, told Reuters that lawmakers of the ruling Fidesz and Christian Democrat parties at a committee meeting did not support putting the vote on the agenda for next week's plenary session of parliament.

"The House committee has rejected putting the vote on the agenda for next week," Vadai said, adding that her party would again propose a vote on Monday at a full session of parliament.

Vadai said it was "obvious" Fidesz would decide when to schedule the vote depending on Turkey's stance.

"(Prime Minister) Viktor Orban moves in tandem with (Turkish President Tayyip) Erdogan...ignoring Hungarian sovereignty and... breaking the unity of NATO," she said. "As it stands today, there won't be a ratification before the NATO summit."

Sweden's prime minister said he aimed to speak with Orban later on Thursday over media reports that Hungary's parliament would delay ratification of Sweden's NATO bid.

A Hungarian government spokesman and the Foreign Ministry did not reply to emailed Reuters questions.

Hungary's parliament will sit on Monday, Tuesday and Friday next week, voting on several bills including the 2024 budget.

The ratification process has been stranded in parliament since last July, but Orban aired concerns about Sweden and Finland's NATO membership quest for the first time in February.

Among other criticisms, he has accused both countries of spreading "outright lies" about the health of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary, although Hungarian lawmakers approved Finland's bid in late March.

Reiterating Turkey's position, Erdogan told NATO's secretary general in a phone call on Sunday that Sweden must stop protests by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Stockholm to obtain a green light to join the alliance.

On Wednesday, a Western official told Reuters that NATO allies have accelerated efforts to convince Turkey to lift its opposition to Sweden's accession but whether they would succeed before the Lithuania summit is unclear.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Boldizsar Gyori, editing by Mark Heinrich)
Hunter Biden arrived to be deposed Thursday as part of a lawsuit filed against him by a Delaware laptop repair shop owner.

A pair of black SUVs pulled up to the building where the interview is set to take place at roughly 8:54 a.m. on Thursday. Biden exited the first vehicle and walked brusquely into the building while being followed by what appeared to be a female bodyguard.

John Paul Mac Isaac filed a lawsuit against Biden in October 2022 in Delaware for defamation. Biden filed a countersuit in March, alleging Mac Isaac illicitly distributed Biden's personal data and accused him of six counts of invasion of privacy.

Mac Isaac claims a man who he believed to be Biden dropped off three laptops at his store in 2019

HUNTER BIDEN FILES COUNTERSUIT AGAINST LAPTOP REPAIRMAN JOHN PAUL MAC ISAAC, ALLEGING PRIVACY VIOLATIONS

The customer did not return for the laptop within 90 days, and Mac Isaac could not get in touch with him.Mac Isaac said he first searched the emails by keyword in June or July 2019.

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DOJ KNEW HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP WAS 'NOT MANIPULATED,' CONTAINED 'RELIABLE EVIDENCE' IN 2019: WHISTLEBLOWER

Mac Isaac's lawsuit is only one of a series of legal issues facing both Hunter and President Biden. The president denied being involved with his son's business dealings in China on Wednesday following reports that his son's text messages indicated the president had been in the room with him while he was negotiating with a Chinese businessman.

The denial relates to a text message from Hunter to Harvest Fund Management CEO Henry Zhao showing Hunter alleging he was with his father to pressure Zhao to satisfy a pledge.

"I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Hunter wrote in the WhatsApp message to Zhao, according to the documents. "Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight," Hunter wrote.

"And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction," he continued.

WHISTLEBLOWER: 'NO WAY OF KNOWING' IF EVIDENCE OF 'OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY' EXISTED ABOUT BIDENS ON LAPTOP

Hunter Biden, son of President Biden at Carlingford Castle, Co Louth, during his trip to the island of Ireland.

It is not known how long Hunter's Thursday deposition will last.

The Justice Department announced earlier this month that Hunter would plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a deal expected to keep him out of prison in an unrelated case.

The president's son also agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement concerning a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Fox News' Brooke Singman and Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, walks from Marine One upon arrival at Fort McNair, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Washington. The Bidens were returning from Camp David. Hunter Biden is set to be deposed on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in a defamation lawsuit. | Andrew Harnik, Associated Press

Hunter Biden, the presidents son, will reportedly be deposed on Thursday in a defamation lawsuit filed by the Delaware computer repair shop owner to whom Biden gave his infamous laptop, according to The Washington Examiner.

The shop owner, John Paul Mac Issac, claimed that he had legal access to the hard drive of the computer after Biden failed to pick up the laptop from the store within 90 days. Mac Isaac sued Hunter Biden for defamation in 2022, according to Politico.

Biden filed a countersuit in March alleging invasion of privacy.

The laptop contained emails, documents and photos that belonged to Biden that led to controversy during the 2020 presidential election. Contents of the laptop were first published by the New York Post.

Mac Isaac wrote a column in the Post last year where he said that Biden came to his store in 2019 with three MacBook Pros that needed to be repaired because of water damage. He turned the laptop over to the FBI a year later.

Bidens deposition comes a week after he reached a deal with federal prosecutors and will plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges. He was also charged with a felony related to possession of a firearm, but entered a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid prosecution.

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A day after the plea deal, the House Ways and Means Committee released the testimony of an Internal Revenue Service whistleblower who alleged that the Department of Justice slow-walked the investigation on Biden.

The whistleblower alleges that federal investigators tipped off Bidens attorneys, and that U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who launched the investigation in 2018, struggled to bring the charges forward while being denied special counsel status last year.

The testimony also revealed text exchanges between Biden and a Chinese businessman, where he references his father, the president.

I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled, Hunter Bidens message to Henry Zhao from 2017 read. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight.

A reporter asked President Joe Biden Monday if he lied about not speaking with his son about his business deals, according to the Deseret News. Biden replied, No. Meanwhile, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has refused to answer questions about Hunter Biden.

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Participants discuss Asia's manufacturing resurgence at the Summer Davos Forum in Tianjin. [Photo/Xinhua]



Manufacturing is playing an increasingly important role in bolstering economic recovery in Asia, creating a wide range of jobs and ensuring the stability and prosperity of society, said speakers at the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in Tianjin on Wednesday.

Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of consumer electronics maker TCL Technology Group Corp, said Asia's manufacturing sector covers several categories with complete industrial systems, and has gained an upper hand in terms of production capacity, efficiency and cost control.

China's manufacturers should transition from exporting products to exporting industrial capacities, establish supply and industrial chains abroad and accelerate their layouts in overseas markets, so as to cope with changes in the global economic landscape and rising trade protectionism, Li said.

"Global operation is becoming the main approach for enterprises to connect with the world, and their go-global approach will inject new impetus into the global economic recovery," Li said, adding more and more Chinese manufacturers should adopt the approach as their strategic development direction in the future.

According to him, TCL is ramping up efforts to strengthen its capacity globally, with a focus on three core business segments  intelligent terminals, semiconductor displays and new energy photovoltaics. Li said he is confident the company will achieve double-digit growth in revenue this year.

China has maintained its position as the world's largest manufacturing hub for 13 straight years, accounting for nearly 30 percent of global manufacturing output in 2022, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The country has attached great importance to manufacturing and emphasized the need to accelerate modernization of the industrial system, with the real economy as its key pillar.

Manufacturing is playing an irreplaceable part in promoting economic development, enhancing the utilization of resources and providing a large number of jobs, said Liu Young-way, chairman and CEO of Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest contract manufacturer in electronics.

Manufacturing helps safeguard social stability and improves people's well-being, Liu said, adding "China has become the world's largest manufacturing base, and Asia has the potential to build a regional manufacturing system."

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, is a key supplier of Apple Inc. It has major production bases in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Zhengzhou, Henan province. Liu denied that Apple Inc planned to move its supply chains out of the Chinese mainland.

Looking ahead, Liu said Foxconn will focus on three emerging industries  electric vehicles, digital health and robotics. They are underpinned by three core technologies  artificial intelligence, semiconductors and next-generation communications.

Furthermore, although the level of automation at Foxconn's factories is high, the number of workers has also increased slightly, driven by the expansion of production volume, Liu said.

Zhang Kunyu, CEO of Tianjin Troila Technology Development Co Ltd, a supplier of virtualization and cloud infrastructure software, said the fundamental advantages of manufacturing in China and Asia lie in efficiency. China owns sound digital infrastructure, and digital technologies have found a wide range of applications in the manufacturing sector in the past few years, Zhang said.
Hunter Biden settled a child support case in Arkansas on Thursday with Lunden Roberts, the mother of one of his daughters, according to a filing in Arkansas state court.

Biden was ordered in 2020 to pay child support, though he sought to lower the payments to Roberts, who had his daughter Aug. 28, 2018. The child support amount was redacted from Thursday's agreement.

Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, also will have to continue reimbursing Roberts for the cost of health insurance for the child. He also will have to give the child multiple paintings, and the proceeds of any sales of his paintings will be wired to an account designated by Roberts, among other provisions in the settlement.

Hunter Biden How the Biden family name became latest wrinkle in paternity battle

Roberts had sought to give the girl Bidens last name, but she dropped the push as part of Thursday's order. She wanted the girl to have Bidens last name because of the familys political prominence and business success. Biden opposed the measure over the political backlash she could have faced, he said.

Roberts said in April court filings that Biden has "never seen or contacted" the child. She also said Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden "remain estranged" from her, CNN reported.

Roberts originally filed in May 2019 to determine Biden's paternity and obtain child support. Biden first resisted, but his paternity was established in 2020.

Before Thursday's agreement, Biden was nearing a trial in the Roberts case. He faces several legal challenges, including House Republicans investigating whether he was rewarded for influencing the administration through business deals, allegations the White House has denied.

Earlier this month, Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of tax evasion in federal court in Delaware, in addition to participating in a pretrial program for a firearms offense. The plea came after a multiyear federal investigation.

Contributing: Bart Jansen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hunter Biden child support case: Settlement includes his paintings
Hunter Biden's child will get some of his art as part of support settlement

Hunter Biden has settled his child support case in Arkansas, according toa court filing released Thursday.

The settlement, announced in Arkansas state court, ends a bitter dispute between President Joe Bidens younger son and Lunden Roberts, the mother of their 4-year-old child, over reducing his child support payments.

The settlement ends the yearslong dispute between the younger Biden and Roberts, which started when Roberts filed a lawsuit in 2019 seeking child support and health care for her child, who she claimed was Bidens. After a paternity test proved Biden was the childs father, he agreed in 2020 to pay $20,000 a month in child support.

Though it was unclear from the filing what the new payments will be, the presidents son will assign to the child some of his paintings, which shall vary in size with a minimum size of 24x24. The number of paintings along with the new amount for the child support payments were both redacted from the filing.

Additionally, the child shall select the painting which shall either be sent to the child or to a gallery designated by Roberts, the filing says.

The New York City gallery exhibiting Hunter Bidens work in 2021 estimated his paintings to be worth between $75,000 and $500,000 apiece  numbers that previously raised concerns about the possibility that someone would buy the art as a way to curry favor with the Biden family. The younger Biden took up painting while recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Hunter Biden's daughter with ex-stripper will receive some of his paintings, but not his last name: settlement

Hunter Biden's daughter with ex-stripper will receive some of his paintings, but not his last name: settlement

Hunter Biden has settled his child support case in Arkansas and reached an agreement with the mother of one of his children, who will receive an undisclosed number of paintings from Biden.

Announced in a court filing on Thursday, the settlement between Biden and Lunden Alexis Roberts ended a years-long paternity dispute over the pair's 4-year-old daughter, who the first son refuses to engage with and whom both President Biden and the first lady refuse to acknowledge as their seventh grandchild.

A former stripper at the Mpire Gentlemen's Club in Washington, D.C., Roberts had a brief affair with Hunter Biden about five years ago that resulted in a pregnancy, not long after he ended a torrid affair with Hallie Biden, the widow of his brother, Beau Biden.

The girl was born in August 2018. A paternity suit was filed in May 2019  the same month Hunter Biden married his second wife, Melissa Cohen, with whom he now shares a young son named Beau after his late brother, who died in 2015 from brain cancer.

HUNTER BIDEN CHILD SUPPORT CASE: WHO IS LUNDEN ROBERTS?

Hunter Biden has settled his child support case in Arkansas and reached an agreement with the mother of one of his children, who will receive an undisclosed number of paintings from Biden.

As part of the agreement, court records revealed that Hunter Biden will give his estranged daughter some of his paintings, which she can sell or keep for herself. The artwork  which Hunter took up as he recovered from alcohol and drug addiction  "shall vary in size with a minimum size of 24x24," the records stated.

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"The child shall select the painting which shall either be sent to the child or sent to a gallery designated by Lunden Roberts," the court document reads. "The net proceeds of any sales of paintings shall be wired to an account designated by Lunden Roberts."

It is unclear how much Hunter Biden will pay Roberts as the information is redacted in the court document, but the payments will take place "monthly beginning July 1, 2023, and the same due on the first day of every month thereafter until" the child reaches the age of 18, marries, or passes away.

The document also noted that Biden and Roberts, within the next five years, "shall discuss providing a college education fund for the child."

Additionally, the records revealed that Roberts had withdrawn her counterclaim to change the child's last name to "Biden."

HUNTER BIDEN APPEARS IN ARKANSAS COURT FOR HEARING IN CHILD SUPPORT CASE OF 4-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

Lunden Roberts arrives at the Independence County Courthouse in Batesville, Arkansas, on May 1, 2023.

In a January 2020 order, Independence County Circuit Judge Holly Meyer declared following a DNA test "with near scientific certainty" that Hunter Biden is the biological father of the girl, referred to in documents as "Baby Doe."

Roberts and Hunter Biden reached an agreement in 2020 over the childs paternity and child support, but the case was reopened when the presidents son requested adjustments to the payments. In December, Roberts requested her daughters last name be changed to Biden, with her attorneys writing in a motion, "The Biden name is now synonymous with being well-educated, successful, financially acute, and politically powerful." Bidens team demanded an explanation into why a name change would be in the childs best interests.

According to Page Six, Roberts graduated from Arkansas State University in 2014 and enrolled at George Washington University, where she attended classes during the summer and fall semesters of 2015 in pursuit of a certificate program in forensic investigation but never graduated. At Mpire, she reportedly danced under the stage name "Dallas."

Around the time Roberts became pregnant with his child, Hunter Biden was reportedly making at least $83,000 per month while sitting on the board of Burisma Holdings, one of Ukraines largest natural gas companies. Hunter Bidens ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, to whom he was married from 1993 to 2017, detailed years of his alleged alcoholism, drug addiction and infidelity in a memoir published last year.

Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
An Idaho man took $105M in largest fraud scheme in GI Bill history. Prison is up next

A federal judge has sentenced a Nampa man for his involvement in a fraud scheme that stole nearly $105 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was the largest such case in the Post-9/11 GI Bill programs history, the government said.

Michael Bostock, 54, founded the California Technical Academy, a for-profit school offering technical training programs at three locations near Los Angeles and San Diego, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Between January 2012 and June 2022, Bostock worked with two co-defendants to enroll unknowing veterans in courses, and also falsified records to make it look as if the courses had been completed.

The scheme involved using phone numbers controlled by Bostock in these records, according to court documents. When regulators called numbers to verify information, Bostock and his co-conspirators would impersonate veterans.

District of Columbia Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced Bostock to five years in prison on Monday, followed by three years of supervised release, and also ordered him to pay the amount stolen as restitution. Bostock signed an agreement forfeiting bank accounts containing nearly $2 million to the government.

Bostock and his co-defendants, Eric Bostock and Philip Abodwill, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in September. The other two men are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 19.

California Technical Academy received more than $32 million in tuition payments, according to the Department of Justice. The Bostocks and Abodwill also took more than $72 million in education-related government benefits that were supposed to go to 1,793 enrolled veterans. Altogether, the defendants received $104,682,860 from the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, the government said.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides educational funding for those who have served on active duty or in the Reserves for 90 or more days after Sep. 10, 2001, according to Military.com.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was enacted to aid our military veterans and their families on behalf of a nation grateful for their service, said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. in a news release. These frauds drain funds from a vital veterans program and undermine public faith in the administration of government.
IMF

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Executive Board has reviewed Ukraine's Extended Fund Facility program and decided to allocate a new tranche of approximately $890 million to Kyiv, the IMF said in a press release on June 29.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted to express his gratitude towards the IMF's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and the IMF Executive Board for their support.

Read also: IMF upgrades forecast, NV exclusive with Fukuyama, Belarus accused in child abductions

According to the fund's press service, despite the ongoing conflict, Ukraine's economy has shown a greater degree of resilience than anticipated following a steep drop in 2022, leading to an increased GDP growth forecast of 1-3% for 2023.

The IMF also commended the Ukrainian government for its significant strides in meeting its obligations under the Extended Fund Facility program, stating that all structural benchmarks were achieved by the end of June.

Read also: Mike Pence arrives in Ukraine, meets with Zelenskyy

The IMF Board completed today the first review of the extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility for Ukraine, allowing the authorities to draw the equivalent of about $890 million, which will be channeled for budget support, the message said.

Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak explained in a Telegram post that the IMF's decision implies Ukraine will soon receive a new tranche of $890 million, and that an updated memorandum detailing Ukraine's commitments and terms will be released shortly.

Read also: IMF approves next $900 million tranche for Ukraine

In late May, an agreement at the staff level was reached between Ukraine and the IMF concerning the review of the fund's four-year program. The total size of the IMF program is $15.6 billion, of which Ukraine has already received the initial tranche of $2.7 billion.

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
STUART  Before an Indiantown man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to murder, state prosecutors played a deputy's body camera video that captured the moment he was pulled off of a woman he was stabbing to death on a bedroom floor. Their young daughter cried out in a hallway.

The chilling video, recorded by a Martin County sheriffs deputy who was responding to a 911 call on March 27, showed deputies kicking down a bedroom door to find Pedro Mateo-Andres, 39 standing over Dominga Gaspar Francisco, who was covered in blood from the frenzied attack.

MCSO: Man suspected of fatally stabbing wife arrested in Indiantown

Pedro Mateo-Andres, 39, of Indiantown, is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder with a weapon in the stabbing death of his wife, Dominga Gaspar Francisco, 39, in Circuit Judge William Roby's courtroom, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at the Martin County Courthouse in downtown Stuart.

The body cam worn by Deputy Samuel Kimmel showed him performing CPR on the 39-year-old woman as other deputies secured Mateo-Andres in another room. Their toddler-aged girl was lifted up and removed from the scene, the video showed.

Francisco, who suffered multiple stab wounds to her face, head and upper body, died of her injuries en route to a hospital, according to arrest records.

Mateo-Andres was taken into custody by deputies responding to a 911 call that came from a three-bedroom boardinghouse in the 14000 block of Southwest Cherokee Drive, where the couple lived with their daughter and several other families.

At the time, Chief Deputy John Budensiek said Mateo-Andres had multiple cuts to his hands and a puncture wound to his left leg. He said Mateo-Andres told investigators he stabbed Francisco because he believed she was cheating on him.

Martin County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to a house in the 14000 block of Southwest Cherokee Drive, in Indiantown on March 27, 2023 and found that Pedro Mateo-Andres, 39, had stabbed his wife multiple times. She died on the way to a hospital, according to Chief Deputy John Budensiek.

I am guilty

In court Wednesday, Mateo-Andres, who is from Guatemala, avoided a trial by pleading guilty to first-degree murder with a weapon before Circuit Judge William Roby, who asked him questions aided by an interpreter fluent in the Mayan language Q'anjob'al.

My understanding is at this time you wish to plead guilty to the charge of first-degree murder with a weapon. Is that what you want to do?" Roby asked.

Yes, said Mateo-Andres, standing at a podium with the interpreter and his attorney Guillermo Flores Jr.

You're doing that because you are guilty, correct? Roby pressed.

Yes, sir, he replied. I am guilty.

Dressed in orange jail garb and chained at his hands, waist and ankles, Mateo-Andres kept his answers short and offered no explanation for his actions. Three of his family members, which included his parents, attended the hearing and remained in the courtroom as prosecutors played the graphic body cam video.

After determining Mateo-Andres was "knowingly and freely" volunteering to plead guilty, Roby sentenced him to a mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Pedro Mateo-Andres, 39, of Indiantown, is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder with a weapon in the stabbing death of his wife, Dominga Gaspar Francisco, 39, in Circuit Judge William Roby's courtroom, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at the Martin County Courthouse in downtown Stuart.

Stabbing confession

Court filings show after his arrest Mateo-Andres made incriminating statements to investigators. He said as he wielded the knife, Francisco asked him why are you doing this?

Mateo-Andres stated that he replied, You dont love me detectives reported.

I didnt want to do it; I just couldnt handle it, he said. I dont know what happened. I didnt feel nothing.

He reported that he and Francisco had argued for about 20 minutes before he went to his kitchen, retrieved a knife, entered the bedroom and stabbed her in the abdomen.

(He) stated he was so angry he doesnt remember how many times he stabbed the victim, a report stated.

Investigators also spoke to Franciscos son, Alex Pedro-Miguel, who rented a bedroom in the same house and said his mother and Mateo-Andres had been together for seven years and married in 2020.

He told investigators prior to the murder, Mateo-Andres had grown jealous and suspected she was having an affair after finding a voicemail on a phone the couple shared.

Some of the insecurities in the marriage were from Francisco joining social media, Pedro-Miguel reported to investigators.

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After court, Assistant State Attorney David Lustgarten said Mateo-Andres and his attorney knew that if he were tried and convicted of capital murder, a possible punishment was the death penalty.

But because Mateo-Andres agreed early on to plead guilty, Lustgarten said that cut short the deliberations prosecutors undergo when determining whether to seek the death penalty.

When the defense reached out to us in anticipation of us having that (death penalty) discussion  they came to us, indicating that they would be willing to plead to life without the possibility of parole, he said. The State Attorney (Tom Bakkedahl) instructed us to offer life without parole.

Franciscos relatives, who Lustgarten said opted not to attend Wednesdays hearing, were also consulted.

Defense attorney Flores Jr., after the hearing said, Its a difficult situation for everybody involved.

He noted Mateo-Andres quickly accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty a mere 94 days after killing Francisco.

The judge asked a lot of questions, and the state presented a lot of questions to make sure that he was clear what he was accepting, Flores Jr. said. Many times he said, I'm guilty. But again, there's just no winners in this scenario.

Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers and is writer and co-host of Uncertain Terms, a true crime podcast. Reach her at melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com. If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Indiantown man pleads guilty to brutal murder of his wife in March
World Resources Institute

Indonesia and Malaysia have cut deforestation by more than half in recent years, a new report shows.

Indonesia and Malaysia have managed to keep rates of primary forest loss near record-low levels, according to an analysis from the World Resources Institute. Across both countries, average yearly forest loss fell dramatically between the years 2015-2017 and 2020-2022, with Indonesia seeing a 64 percent decline and Malaysia a 57 percent decline.

Indonesia is aiming for its forests to absorb more carbon than they release by 2030 and has taken steps toward that goal, including ramping up efforts to suppress forest fires. Both nations have also moved to curb logging and limit the clearing of land for palm oil plantations.

World Resources Institute

The two countries are a rare bright spot in a report that details rising levels of deforestation in tropical rainforests worldwide, from the Amazon to the Congo Basin. In Bolivia, deforestation rose 59 percent over the last half-decade, while in Ghana it shot up 71 percent.

While some countries have shown promising results to reduce forest loss, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, others have seen continued activities and policies that are causing acceleration of deforestation in critical areas, the report said. Protecting forests remains one of the most effective ways to mitigate global climate change and protect the people and biodiversity that depend on them  but time is running out.

ALSO ON YALE E360

As Africa Loses Forest, Its Small Farmers Are Bringing Back Trees
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Reuters/Getty

With Republicans in Congress fixated on bloodying up the Biden administration with investigations and impeachment efforts, its perhaps fitting that the White House has commandeered a group of rooms in the Executive Office Building that was once reserved for the Secretary of War.

Anticipating a protracted battle with the GOP, the White House has made a number of key hires to help combat Republican efforts to go after key figures like Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, even President Joe Biden himself.

But it's not just the official White House that's providing cover for Biden and his Cabinet officials.

Unlike with the Obama administration, which was constantly at war with House Republicans, Bidens White House has outside allies, as Democratic groups have sprung up to protect Biden and make a mockery of GOP efforts to sink his administration. And as Republicans finally make good on their promises to force impeachment votes on these White House officials, Democrats think theyre ready for the fight.

Lauren Boebert Takes Another Crack at Impeaching Joe Biden

Lefty groups like the Congressional Integrity Project and Facts First USA were first formed in 2020 and are doing much of the heavy lifting for the White House, as Biden and his staff attempt to stay out of the political frayat least publicly.

The impeachment efforts are not legitimate, said David Brock, a longtime Democratic operative who launched Facts First USA. Theyre basically 100 percent driven by the idea that the Republicans believe that the impeachment of Trump hurt him politically. So the fact that they have the power to do it, theyre gonna do it, whether they have the facts on their side or not.

Brock, who was famously a right-wing reporter in the 1990s before converting to the Democratic side, said hed seen this as a long time cominga sort of slow onramp of Republican ire against the Biden administration that he only expects to grow ahead of next years elections.

House Democrats have been sharpening their knives as well, dissecting GOP arguments on immigration and the investigation into Hunter Biden.

Garland will also testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee in September, while Mayorkas will testify before the committee in July, after going before the panel multiple times this year.

Garland took a shot at the GOP efforts to impeach him at a press conference last week, saying, I certainly understand that some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department, and its components, and its employees, by claiming that we do not treat like cases alike.

This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy and essential to the safety of the American people. Nothing could be further from the truth, he added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security also told The Daily Beast that, instead of pointing fingers and pursuing a baseless impeachment against Mayorkas, Congress should work with the Department and pass comprehensive legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in decades.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls Boebert a Little Bitch on the House Floor

Its not the first time in history GOP members of the House have pushed for an impeachment spree. During Barack Obamas presidency, House Republicans targeted a number of officials: Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, IRS official Lois Lerner, and, of course, Obama himself.

But whats different now is that Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) appears much more amenable to the far-right efforts to pursue these impeachment effortsand force the GOP conference to actually vote on impeaching these officials. Conservatives have recently proved theyre willing to hold the House floor hostage if they dont get their way. And conservatives have shown deep interest in going after the Biden administration.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) have competing impeachment articles against Biden. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has introduced impeachment articles against Mayorkas. And McCarthy himself is floating impeachment against Garland over IRS whistleblower claims.

But again, Democrats dont appear all that worried. Their new firepowerboth inside and outside the White Househas given them tools to push back against GOP messaging. And Democratic operatives say the impeachment efforts are just setting up an advantageous split-screen between House Republicans and House Democrats ahead of 2024, when Biden will be running for re-election.

Democratic strategist Eric Schultz, the former deputy White House press secretary who was largely in charge of fighting GOP messaging in Congress during the Obama administration, told The Daily Beast he sees the White House putting points on the board while House Republicans look like theyre in a playpen.

He compared it to the situation of the Obama years.

The contrast with Democrats could not be more clear and the same Republican buffoonery upon taking control of the House in 2011, was a key factor in President Obamas resounding re-election, Schultz said. Republicans dont appear to have learned any lessons.

The outside groups say they're constantly looking for opportunities to message on the impeachment efforts. Brock said he expects his group to conduct research on the impeachment pushes in an effort to rebuke their merits to voters. The Congressional Integrity Project has been regularly compiling and publicizing roundups of what they call political stunts from House Republicans in a desperate attempt to overshadow Bidens record.

Kyle Herrig, the Congressional Integrity Projects executive director, told The Daily Beast that McCarthys charade of attempting to impeach every cabinet member in the Biden administration proves his only agenda is to detract from Trump and his alleged crimes.

Inside the Democratic SWAT Team Combating the GOPs Biden Probes

While these groups grandstand on the impeachment pushes, the targets respective agencies have remained careful to not say too much. The White House declined comment for this story, and officials generally resisted the opportunity to discuss Biden administration efforts to combat Republicans even when they were given the opportunity to talk anonymously.

Brock suggested thats probably the right route for the executive branch to take, arguing that, for the White House, itd be a waste of time to get into the mud.

Ian Sams, the White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, did tell The Daily Beast that, Speaker McCarthy and the extreme House Republicans are proving they have no positive agenda to actually help the American people on the issues most important to them and their families.

Sams was one of the hires brought on during the sweep last year intended to beef up pushback efforts from the White House. Anita Dunn, a veteran Biden aide, also returned to the White House in May to help tackle the White Houses response efforts to the GOP-controlled House, along with Richard Sauber, a longtime attorney with experience in white-collar crime.

As time goes on, and momentum for the pushes grows, the White House might very need those bona fides. But still, many Democrats are scoffing at the efforts as childs play.

Schultz, alluding to a quote from the television show Succession, told The Daily Beast, To borrow a phrase, these are not serious people.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The News

At least 150 people have been arrested in protests following the police shooting of a teenager in Nanterre, a Paris suburb.

The teen, nameed as Nahel M, is reportedly of Algerian descent. He was shot at close range by an officer after he refused to pull over for a traffic stop. Government buildings and other institutions, including schools, have been targeted by protesters.

Insights

French police are among some of the most heavily armed in Europe. An increasing use of force by officers against demonstrators at recent protests has been described by policing expert Sebastian Roche as an escalation doctrine. The extensive police use of weapons during unrest has also been responsible for dozens of injuries since 2018. 

In a Twitter thread, historian Emile Chabal outlines the social factors that led to the recent unrest. The polices history of violent policing tactics, and targeting of ethnic minorities, has triggered conflicts in the past, Chabal notes, and in 2005 a similar case sparked 20 days of protest.

France officially operates as a color-blind society, and does not keep formal records on data surrounding race or religion. Officially, it only counts two classes of person  citizens and immigrants  and has been largely resistant to efforts to collect race-based data on its citizens. 

Know More

The officer who shot Nahel initially claimed that the teen tried to run him over with his car, but there is no evidence of this in witness video from the scene that has circulated on social media. Prosecutors have placed the officer under a formal investigation for voluntary homicide, a process similar to being charged.

French President Emmanuel Macron decried the shooting as unforgivable, calling for calm from protesters.

In recent years, France has expanded firearm availability for police officers, and in 2017 broadened the legal framework under which police are able to discharge their weapons. French newspaper Le Monde notes that police shootings at moving vehicles peaked after the change.
The News

The Gates Foundation has announced plans to begin phase 3 trials of a new vaccine for tuberculosis, a disease which kills more than 1.5 million people each year. If it is successful, the vaccine would be the first developed to prevent TB in more than a century. The trial is set to start next year, and will be carried out over approximately six years at more than 50 locations in Asia and Africa.

We've curated interesting insights into how COVID impacted TB  a disease that was considered "fashionable" for the elite.

Insights

TB diagnosis and treatment fell to the wayside at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic , with progress made up to 2019 slowing or reversing, a 2022 WHO report found. In 2021, there were roughly 6.4 million new TB cases reported. The WHO urged increased funding and efforts to address the impact of COVID on TB, warning that the war in Ukraine and ongoing energy crisis were likely to worsen some of the broader determinants of TB.

Commonly referred to as consumption in the 19th century, TB infections at that time were seen as fashionable among Englands upper classes, Londons Science Museum notes. Famously, the poet Lord Byron hoped to die of the disease, thinking women would find him interesting for it. Among upper class women, suffering from TB was seen as emphasizing fragility and sexual attractiveness with the desirable appearance of dramatically pale skin, an ethereal thinness, with red cheeks and a feverish glow.

Know More

TB is among the leading causes of death in South Africa, Nomathamsanqa Majozi of the Africa Health Research Institute said in a statement about the Gates Foundations vaccine funding.

In the area where I live and work, more than half of all people have had, or will have, TB at some point in their lives. The consequences are devastating, both at a personal and a community level, Majozi added.

The existing vaccination for TB, called BCG, is about a 100 years old, but is only considered partially effective against the bacterium, which asymptomatically infects approximately a quarter of the worlds population. It is estimated that a new vaccine which is at least 50% effective could save 8.5 million lives over the next 25 years.

The charity is funneling $550 million in funding to the vaccines development.
An employee carries goods at the intelligent warehouse and logistics center of Heihe cross-border e-commerce industrial park in the Heihe Area of China (Heilongjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 11, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's logistics industry continued to expand in the first five months of the year amid growing market demand, industry data showed Thursday.

During the January-May period, social logistics rose 4.5 percent year on year to 129.9 trillion yuan (about 17.99 trillion U.S. dollars), according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).

In May alone, social logistics climbed 4.8 percent from a year ago, the CFLP said.

Logistics for industrial products went up 3.6 percent year on year in the January-May period, flat with that of the first four months and contributing about 70 percent to total social logistics, the data showed.

Despite the challenges lying ahead, the federation remained confident about the growth prospects of the sector, saying that Chinese logistics enterprises boast strong resilience and have become more responsive to market demand.

The industry federation expected the sector to improve further as the economy gradually gets back to normal. Total social logistics will increase 4.5 percent in the first half of the year, it said.
At Harford Countys Fiore Winery, a plush toy version of the spotted lanternfly greets patrons entering the tasting room.

Its bright red, polka-dot wings are a beautiful display. But a flyer beneath it warns of the sinister truth about the invasive bug, which feeds on grapevines and other crops voraciously.

Located close to Pennsylvania, where the lanternfly began its U.S. invasion in 2014, Fiore has contended with them for a few years. And their incursion has taken a toll, said Tony Fiore, the vineyards operations manager.

Some of our vines this year arent as strong as they normally would be, Fiore said. Its probably going to take longer to ripen, because theres less leaves, and less fruit.

For some vineyards  and residents  in the Baltimore area, this season could be their first true battle with the insects native to eastern Asia, which are spreading south. They are known to feed on over 70 plant species, including black walnut, red maple and tree of heaven. And when they do pierce trunks and stems to sip on sap, they leave behind damage and stunt growth.

But many wineries are cautiously optimistic that preparations for the siege will lessen the blow.

Over the winter, the Maryland Department of Agriculture eliminated over 40,000 lanternfly egg masses close to vineyards, said Jessica Boyles, who coordinates field operations at the state agriculture department. Nearly half of those egg masses came from Baltimore Countys Boordy Vineyards, which adds up to more than 600,000 eradicated insects.

That was pretty shocking: To know that they were in there in much greater numbers than we really thought, said Phineas Deford, vice president of the winery in Hydes. But we all knew that wouldnt be the end.

Local residents will likely start seeing adult spotted lanternflies with their telltale colors  the forewings are pinkish tan with black spots, and the hind wings are mainly red with black spots  in July.

But the bugs are already out there in their nymph stage. Small and wingless, the nymphs are initially black with white dots before they molt, and turn red with white specks.

So far this year, the jurisdictions with the most sighting reports are Baltimore City and Baltimore County, followed by Washington County, said Kenton Sumpter, entomologist with the state agriculture department. There have been about 700 reports from around the state. Last year, the tally reached 11,500.

The sighting reports are far from scientific, since theyre submitted voluntarily, but the reports indicate the bugs are likely present.

The infestation was building in the county last year, and the city had some, but it wasnt awful, Sumpter said. But this year ... theyve really taken off.

The guidance is fairly simple: If you see one, smush one. But for the average homeowner, the bugs will be more nuisance than harm. Theres no evidence of them killing trees and plants that populate yards, though they will certainly make themselves at home.

Theyve spread so widely because local predators are unfamiliar with them, but also because the adult bugs are talented hitchhikers, attaching themselves and their eggs to cars, trains and just about anything else they can find. Theyve been detected in states as distant as North Carolina, Ohio and Connecticut.

Scientists have found that praying mantises, birds, spiders and other predators are willing to feed on the lanternfly, and an array of pesticides kill them, though those chemicals also harm good insects, as well. Physical barriers like sticky traps and netting can protect vulnerable plants.

Ideally, as predators and humans attack the lanternfly, their numbers will ebb, similar to the population of invasive brown marmorated stink bugs in the early 2000s, said Mike Raupp, a University of Maryland entomologist who is conducting research on a naturally occurring fungi for use against lanternfly.

Im optimistic that Mother Nature has a plan here, as she does with many of these infestations, Raupp said. Now, we have the knowledge and the tools. Its going to be manageable.

Invasive lanternflies were first spotted in Marylands Cecil County in 2018.

In March, the Maryland Department of Agriculture extended the spotted lanternfly quarantine zone to include all but six of the states 24 jurisdictions. Under the quarantine order, about 1,100 businesses that transport plants, yard waste, outdoor construction equipment and other items voluntarily had at least one employee to attend training to spot lanternflies and receive a permit.

The Baltimore metropolitan area has been included in the zone since early 2022, as the bugs expanded farther from Marylands neighbor to the north.

We should offer like a penny or two pennies or something, a bounty,  Sumpter joked. Bring us left wings or something like that. It would really get the bugs getting murdered.

Though the bugs are becoming widespread, the state asks residents in most of the state to submit reports when they see lanternflies, Sumpter said. According to the agriculture departments website, residents in Cecil and Harford counties, where the insects are already numerous, dont need to report.

The agency requires a photo these days with a report, after one too many lengthy trips to the fringes of the state that turned up nothing  or native impostors such as giant leopard moths.

Its still valuable, Sumpter said of the reports. Its how we typically go and find outliers  we call them satellite populations  but any lanternflies that pop up in far-reaching areas.

The most dramatic example of a satellite so far, Sumpter said, was in the town of Tyaskin, about 20 miles southwest of Salisbury in Wicomico County during a prior season.

But Sumpters small team of lanternfly trackers also works in less remote areas where the insects are spreading, like Prince Georges County, which was added to the quarantine zone this spring. The goal is to investigate the bugs invasion into new territory, and try to hold the line against its continued march southward, Sumpter said. At the end of the day, it can feel like an endless game of whack-a-mole.

Fiore said he still tries to squish the insects when he finds them in the vineyard, though its unlikely to stop their incursion. They can be a nuisance for customers, he said.

We had a picnic table under a tree they were inhabiting, Fiore said. And the table was just covered in this black, moldy, sticky substance. Known as honeydew, that substance is the lanternflies excrement, the byproduct of all the sugary sap they consume.

Aaron Garver, district manager for the Baltimore office of Ohio-based Davey Tree, said that at its worst, the honeydew can feel like a heavy rain. Hoping to prevent that for his customers, Garver said his team is applying carefully targeted amounts of insecticide by injecting it into trees, drenching the soil or spraying bark.

Were not at a point where we can eradicate this insect, he said. So what were doing is were treating specific trees that have been identified by us or by the customer as something they want to protect.

Often, that will be a tree over a driveway or a patio, Garver said, where honeydew residue is the most inconvenient.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture recommends that residents limit their use of pesticides, because the chemicals impact native bugs. If needed, the agency recommends applying a contact insecticide directly to lanternflies only when they appear in large numbers, and only applying pesticides to trees of heaven, one of the bugs preferred hosts.

Garver, who frequently works in Roland Park, said he started seeing some lanternflies last year, but this year, they are far more apparent. His workers in places like Catonsville and Federal Hill are noticing large numbers, too, he said.

The fact that were seeing at least one on every property, when we start going through the bushes and stuff  then we know theres more up in the canopy that we cant even see, Garver said.

At Boordy, vineyard employees are seeing some young nymphs, though not an alarming amount, Deford said.

The vineyard on Long Green Pike saw its first round of adult lanternflies late last year, but it wasnt until the years grape crop already had been harvested, Deford said.

Based on conversations with embattled vineyards in Pennsylvania and Harford County, the vineyard plans to use the same pesticide it already uses to fight Japanese beetles and grape berry moths.

Deford said hes also heard that the state is experimenting with a Ghostbusters-esque backpack vacuum, capable of sucking up the flies when they become more numerous. If the population of adult lanternflies at Boordy becomes overwhelming, it could be a next step.

Thats going to be our first call, Deford said.
Iowa woman wins lottery more than 20 years after tornado wiped out her home

A winning lottery ticket worth nearly $2 million found its way into the hands of an Iowa woman whose home was wiped out in tornadoes 20 years ago, officials said Thursday.

Tammy Gordy, 56, a dietary aide from Ottumwa, bought the life-changing Powerball ticket at a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh store Saturday, Iowa Lottery Vice President Mary Neubauer said.

Gordy had just finished breakfast Sunday when she began cleaning out her purse and going through a few weeks' worth of lottery tickets with the Iowa Lottery's mobile app.

Amid the losing tickets, the app told her the Powerball ticket she picked up Saturday was worth $2 million.

Tammy Gordy (Iowa Lottery)

"I fell into my chair, Gordy said in an interview with Iowa Lottery. I couldnt see! There were all those zeroes! I was like, Maybe I need my glasses. So yeah, we screamed.

Steve Gordy, who owns an auto repair shop, said his wife suddenly lost command of the English language at that moment.

"I wasn't sure what to think when first she looked at it and she jumped up and was saying, well, not English, just other words I couldn't understand," he recalled. "Then I looked over, and it was a lot of zeroes."

The couple's stroke of luck came a little more than 22 years after their home in Agency was destroyed when a series of tornadoes ravaged communities across Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas on April 10 and 11, 2001.

We were in the process of building a home, and it kind of got put on hold for a few years, so now this is going to speed it up, Tammy Gordy said.

And its going to go into better details! Im talking a walk-in closet and a Jacuzzi tub! Thats what Im talking about!

The couple have been renting since the loss of their home, and the $2 million prize will go toward their new house under construction in Ottumwa, Neubauer said.

Gordy took home $1.42 million this week: the $2 million prize minus $480,000 in a 24% federal withholding and short $100,000 for a 5% Iowa tax.

She bought just one ticket Saturday with randomly selected numbers and hit the five regular numbers but not the final Powerball.

Had Gordy gone 6-for-6, the ticket would have been worth $424 million.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
IRS whistleblower says 'most substantive felony charges were left off the table' in Hunter Biden probe

IRS whistleblower says 'most substantive felony charges were left off the table' in Hunter Biden probe

An IRS whistleblower said critical steps in the federal investigation into Hunter Biden were put "on the back burner" as the 2020 presidential election approached and stressed that "the most substantive felony charges were left off the table," while doubling down on his claim that that the entirety of the Justice Departments probe into the presidents son was influenced by politics.

Whistleblower Gary Shapley Jr., who was the supervisor of the Hunter Biden investigation at the IRS, sat for an interview with Fox News Bret Baier. The interview aired Wednesday on "Special Report" on Fox News Channel.

DOJ, FBI, IRS INTERFERED WITH HUNTER BIDEN PROBE, ACCORDING TO WHISTLEBLOWER TESTIMONY RELEASED BY GOP

Shapley alleged during the interview, and in testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, that DOJ prosecutors directed investigators to avoid asking witnesses questions about President Biden; chose not to collect search warrants related to the presidents son; and more.

"We werent allowed to ask questions about dad. We werent allowed to ask about the big guy. We werent allowed to include certain names in document requests and search warrants," Shapley said. "So, you know, we were precluded from following that line of questioning."

Hunter Biden disembarks from Air Force One at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York, U.S., February 4, 2023.

Shapley said investigators were "trying to follow the normal process," and were "trying to get to the bottom" of the probe.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Ultimately, you know, if it was going to lead to another individual, you know, we should follow that to determine what was actually happening," Shapley said. "But, you know, there were definitely hinderances that Ive never seen before in my 14 years concerning this investigation that didnt allow us to follow through on an investigation of any other individual to include President Biden."

Shapley had testified before the House Ways and Means Committee that assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf repeatedly worked to "limit" questioning related to Joe Biden.

HUNTER BIDEN SCHEDULED TO MAKE FIRST COURT APPEARANCE ON FEDERAL TAX CHARGES IN JULY

With regard to investigative steps related to Hunter Bidens laptop, Shapley testified that "based on guidance provided by the prosecutors on a recurring basis to not look into anything related to President Biden, there is no way of knowing if evidence of other criminal activity existed concerning Hunter Biden or President Biden."

IRS Criminal Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley Jr., defended his claims that the Justice Department interfered with U.S. Attorney David Weiss' Hunter Biden investigation in an interview with Fox News' "Special Report."

As for charges, Shapley told Fox News Wednesday that "the most substantive felony charges were left off the table."

Shapley said that Hunter Biden should have been charged with tax evasion for 2014, and false tax returns for 2018 and 2019. With regard to the 2014 tax returns, Shapley said Hunter Biden did not report income from Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings.

Fox News Digital first reported in December 2020 that Hunter Biden did not report "approximately $400,000" in income he collected from his position on the board of Burisma Holdings when he joined in 2014.

HUNTER BIDEN TAX PROBE BEGAN AS OFFSHOOT IRS INVESTIGATION INTO AMATEUR PORNOGRAPHY SHOP: WHISTLEBLOWER

The interview comes just days after the Justice Department announced that Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax as part of a deal that is expected to keep him out of prison. The president's son also agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement with regard to a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

As for investigative steps, Shapley also said investigators sought to obtain and execute search warrants in several different locations between April and June 2020.

President Biden, left, and his son Hunter Biden, right.

"The prosecutors at the time stated that probable cause had been achieved," he said. "But as we moved closer to the election, it just seemed like they kept putting it on the back burner and they eventually didnt allow us to do that search warrant, even though the legal requirements to execute that search warrant were met."



Shapley also said DOJ prosecutors informed Hunter Bidens defense counsel of potential evidence existing in a storage unit and warned of the possibility of a search warrant, which " completely ruined our chance to access those unfettered."

GARLAND DENIES INTERFERING WITH HUNTER BIDEN PROBE IN FIRST COMMENTS SINCE WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS RELEASED

Shapley also had alleged that Weiss, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Delaware who was leading to investigation, was "constantly hamstrung, limited, and marginalized" by DOJ officials as he sought to make prosecutorial decisions.

Shapley told Fox News Wednesday that he "witnessed" Weiss explaining that he was "not the deciding person on whether or not charges are filed or not."

Shapley said Weiss wanted to charge Hunter Biden in March 2022 in the district led by the U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C. Matthew Graves, but said Graves would not allow him to charge.

Meanwhile, Shapley told Baier this is "kind of in an unprecedented place."

"I mean, I'm not frustrated about the outcome, right, because that's out of my control," Shapley said. "But what I am frustrated about is that we were hindered when we were conducting this investigation."

He added: "And I think that it really hid the true scope of what happened in this investigation."

The Justice Department has denied any improper interference in the investigation.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19, congressional leaders announced Thursday.

Herzog is set to visit the U.S. next month to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel. He will be the second Israeli president to address Congress after his father, Chaim Herzog, in November 1987.

This invitation to speak at a joint meeting of Congress is a testament to the decades of bipartisan and bicameral support for Israel that transcends party politics and I look forward to welcoming him to the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.

The world is better off when America and Israel work together. Eleven minutes after declaring independence in 1948, the United States was the first to recognize the state of Israel, and today, we continue to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two democracies, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in his announcement of the visit.

The news comes amid increased violence between Israel and Palestinians. Further, a slate of constitutional judicial reforms pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked mass protest from Israelis in May and rebuke from the Biden administration.

Netanyahu announced Thursday that a pared-back version of the reforms would go forward.

Netanyahu was elected to a sixth term last year but has not been invited to the White House since returning to power. A Reuters analysis found that only two of Israels 13 prime ministers had not visited the U.S. at this point in their terms.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON  The Ukrainian oligarch Republicans claim bribed Joe Biden said he never actually talked to Biden, according to an interview transcript made public Thursday by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).

Mykola Zlochevsky is a co-founder of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma that employed Bidens son Hunter for several years. Zlochevsky served as Ukraines energy minister, but has been in hiding since fleeing corruption charges.

Republicans claim theres evidence a Burisma executive  apparently Zlochevsky  paid Joe Biden a $5 million bribe when he was vice president in exchange for an official favor. Theyve demanded the FBI hand over a document reflecting a confidential sources conversation with Zlochevsky.

Raskin has now countered with a document of his own  a three-page transcript of a 2019 interview between Zlochevsky and an acquaintance of Rudy Giuliani, who at the time was publicly seeking dirt on Biden on behalf of then-President Donald Trump.

No one from Burisma ever had any contacts with VP Biden or people working for him during Hunter Bidens engagement with Burisma, Zlochevsky says in the transcript.

When asked if the vice president had assisted him or his company in any way, Zlochevsky says no.

In 2015, however, a Burisma executive named Vadym Pozharskyi thanked Hunter Biden in an email for having had the chance to meet his father at a charity dinner, though other guests told The New York Times they didnt recall the elder Biden having a substantive conversation with Pozharskyi.

Politico in 2020 reported the contents of the Zlochevsky transcript, and Democrats have repeatedly referred to it in response to Republican claims that the FBI is withholding derogatory material against Biden. Democrats obtained the transcript in 2019 in their impeachment inquiry into Trump for pressuring Ukraine to announce a sham investigation of the Bidens.

Raskin has said FBI officials told him the Justice Department assessed the derogatory material on Biden and found it wasnt worth formally investigating, but the bureau has declined to make any public statements to that effect. So Raskin has turned to what lawmakers already have on hand from Zlochevsky.

Despite being interviewed as part of a campaign by Mr. Giuliani and his proxies in 2019 and 2020 to procure damaging information about the Biden family, Mr. Zlochevsky explicitly and unequivocally denied those allegations, Raskin said in a letter to House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday.

Mr. Zlochevskys statements are just one of the many that have debunked the corruption allegations against President Biden that were first leveled by Rudy Giuliani and have been reviewed by former President Trumps own Justice Department, Raskin said.

In response, Comer insisted the FBIs tip from a confidential human source who spoke to the Burisma executive has nothing to do with Giuliani. (He has not explicitly said the source is Zlochevsky, but has noted the source is in hiding. Other Republicans, including Giuliani, have named Zlochevsky.)

The Burisma executive claims then-Vice President Biden solicited and received a $5 million bribe in exchange for certain actions, Comer said in a statement on Thursday. The executive also claims he didnt pay the big guy directly but used so many bank accounts that it would take ten years to unravel.

State Department officials have said they considered Hunter Bidens role on Burismas board during his fathers vice presidency awkward because it looked like a conflict of interest. Joe Biden at the time was the face of the U.S. governments Ukraine policy and urged the country to root out corruption, including by firing its top prosecutor.

Trump dispatched Giuliani to find evidence that Bidens action was designed to protect his son, but Republicans have been unable to substantiate claims that the elder Biden bent U.S. foreign policy in his familys favor. An investigation by Senate Republicans in 2020 concluded it was not clear that Hunter Bidens position with Burisma affected the U.S. governments stance toward Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have kept the story alive this year, seizing on the FBIs refusal to hand over unverified raw material to argue the bureau is protecting the Bidens.

They have stepped up their efforts following this months federal indictment of Donald Trump on Espionage Act charges.

On Wednesday, Comer asked the Treasury Department to hand over any suspicious activity reports filed by banks on accounts related to Zlochevsky and other Burisma executives. In his letter to Treasury, Comer claimed his committee has reviewed government documents that allege President Biden, while serving as Vice President, solicited and received a bribe from a foreign source in return for certain actions.

Other Republicans have suggested that Zlochevksy might not be a credible source. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), for instance, said earlier this month that the bribery allegation could be coming from a very corrupt oligarch who could be making this stuff up.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Thursday criticized the Supreme Courts ruling banning colleges from considering race when deciding whether to admit applicants.

The court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions, and I strongly disagree with that decision, Biden said in remarks from the White House. Today, the court once again walked away from decades of precedents.

Biden said the U.S. military  the finest fighting force in the history of the world  was proof that diversity brought strength, and that principle held true in other areas as well.

I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse, he said, urging private businesses not to use Thursday mornings decision to roll back their own diversity programs.

We cannot let this decision be a permanent setback for the country, he said. Were not going to let this break us.

Asked by a reporter if he believed the Supreme Court  which also overturned decades of precedent by eliminating Roe v. Wades protection of abortion rights last year  was a rogue court, Biden responded: This is not a normal court.

Biden urged colleges to maintain diversity in their student bodies by looking at students backgrounds in addition to their grades and test scores.

When a poor kid, maybe the first in their family to go to college, gets the same grades and test scores as a wealthy kid, whose whole family has gone to the most elite colleges in the country and whose path has been a lot easier, well, the kid who faced tougher challenges has demonstrated more grit, more determination, and that should be a factor that colleges should take into account in admissions, Biden said.

In a pair of rulings, the Republican-appointed majority of the Supreme Court found that colleges cannot use race as a basis for admissions decisions, although it allowed applicants to discuss how race shaped their individual experience.

It remains unclear what actions Biden could take to undo the Supreme Courts decision.

He said he is asking the Department of Education to look for ways to maintain diversity in student bodies and identify policies that enhance diversity and those that likely hurt it  like legacy admissions that give preference to children of alumni.

Biden said the country was founded on the ideals of giving every citizen a chance to succeed.

Weve never fully lived up to it, but weve never walked away from it, either, he said. We will not walk away from it now.

In an interview with MSNBC later on Thursday, Biden expanded on what he meant when he called the court not normal, a remark that drew widespread attention.

What I meant by that is its done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history, Biden said. Its gone out of its way to  I mean, for example, take a look at overruling Roe v. Wade, take a look at the decision today. Take a look at how its ruled on a number of issues that have been precedent for 50, 60 years sometimes.

Arthur Delaney contributed reporting.

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Joe Lycett has told Suella Braverman to ignore the haters as the home secretarys Rwanda deportation deal was ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal.

The British comedian is known for trolling Tory politicians, after infamously saying he was very right wing and a big supporter of then prime minister Liz Truss during an appearance on Laura Kuenssbergs BBC politics show in September.

On Thursday (29 June), Lycett resurrected his right-wing persona in response to news that the Court of Appeal had blocked the governments plan to forcibly deport small boat migrants to Rwanda.

Judges concluded that the African nation is not a safe country to receive asylum seekers from the UK. You can keep up with updates on The Independents live blog here.

Following the announcement, Lycett humorously offered some words of support to home secretary Braverman, a champion of the policy that has now been ruled unlawful.

@SuellaBraverman ignore the haters babe [heart emojis], he tweeted, adding: (By haters I mean the royal court of justice.)

Lycetts right-wing persona began last year, when he appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in the same episode as then-prime ministerial hopeful Liz Truss.

After Kuenssbergs interview with Truss came to an end, Lycett could be heard cheering off-screen, shouting: You smashed it, Liz!

. @SuellaBraverman ignore the haters babe  (by haters I mean the royal court of justice)  Joe Lycett (@joelycett) June 29, 2023

Lycett then proceeded to sarcastically share his candid thoughts about Truss and the Tory government, but joked they were not his own sentiments as he is extremely right-wing.

I think the haters will say weve had 12 years of the Tories, and that were sort of at the dregs of what theyve got available, and that Liz Truss is sort of like the backwash of the available MPs, he said. I wouldnt say that, because Im incredibly right-wing, but some people might say that.

The Birmingham-born comedian later explained that hed mocked Truss due to anger over the Partygate scandal, as his best friend died at the start of lockdown and wasnt able to have a proper funeral.

Lycett continued this character during his acceptance speech at the National Comedy Awards in February, when he shouted out Truss, saying: Liz Truss! Couldnt do it without you, girl.

The following month, he published an open letter to Truss by way of a full-page advertisement in her local paper, in which he referred to himself as right-wing comedian and passionate Liz Truss supporter Joe Lycett.

Babe!!! I hope youre not too surprised to see my popping my head out from between the sheets (of your local regional newspaper tehe)!! the advert read, before asking the Tory politician to appear on his Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett.
Ask Sen. Josh Hawley about tech regulation and the Missouri Republican usually has a ready answer: Let people sue.

It was Hawleys answer when he first came to Congress in 2019 with the aim of taking on large tech companies. It was his answer during a February Senate Judiciary Committee meeting when experts talked about the need for more safety for children online. And its his answer to how Congress should address the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.

I think that giving people the right, that individual right to sue, is a powerful way to check the companys power, Hawley said. I think that is a more effective way, in general, than giving a bunch of administrative agencies authority, who then get immediately captured by the industry.

Hawley and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, co-sponsored a bill this month that would exempt generative artificial intelligence  the type of A.I. that powers popular new tools like Chat GPT  from Section 230, a law that prevents online companies from being sued over content others post to their website.

The pairs bill comes amid an increased sense of urgency to create comprehensive regulations on technology, as lawmakers and the public have grown aware of the powerful potential of artificial intelligence  both in innovation and promoting misinformation. Already some campaigns have used the technology to craft text for fundraising emails, people have produced images that duped the public and a Congressman has delivered an A.I. written speech on the House floor.

Hawley and Blumenthal chaired a hearing specifically focused on the oversight of A.I. in May. But their first piece of legislation, which is unlikely to make it through Congress on its own, may be more about sending a bipartisan message than crafting substantive policy.

Experts question whether the exemption is needed  generative AI is a new tool that wouldnt necessarily fall under the traditional auspices of Section 230, a law Hawley has pushed to eliminate for years. The law shields websites and apps from being sued for content that is posted to their site by users.

Josh Hawley has strong incentives to preen and grandstand about Section 230, said Berin Szoka, a lawyer at Tech Freedom, a think tank that specializes in technology policy. So I would not infer anything at all about the state of the law from the fact that he sees an opportunity to promote himself.

The widespread use of generative AI is still relatively new. And while people have been able to explore publicly available tools to make images or generate text, legal cases have yet to work their way through the system.

Jeff Kosseff, a cybersecurity law professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, said peoples ability to sue over content generated by AI will largely be shaped by the facts of the case, particularly if the content produced by AI is defamatory.

I think that well have a lot more clarity in the next few years, Kosseff said. Because I think were gonna see, some of this AI has really been spewing out some pretty difficult stuff. So I think that its only a matter of time before we start to see judges ruling on it.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who helped write Section 230, said the law would not cover apps like Chat GPT, which allows a user to hold a conversation with an A.I. powered chat bot, because it creates content, rather than just pulling it from existing sources.

The idea of generative A.I. is that it is generating, or creating, something. Even if it is building on existing content, when a user asks the tool to create something, it becomes something new. Szoka said that true generative AI, the type that is creating something, wouldnt fall under Section 230 because the law is intended to protect sites that host content created by other people. But if the artificial intelligence were to operate more like a search engine, pulling information that already exists, then it would be covered by the law.

While both Hawley and Blumenthal have found common ground on some areas, like requiring A.I. generated content to contain a watermark to help people determine whether something is fake, they are still far apart on larger issues, like whether there should be an agency created that would focus specifically on technologies like A.I.

Hawley is against administrative agencies  he said they often get captured, or overly influenced by the companies theyre supposed to be regulating. Blumenthal, on the other hand, said there is still a need for an agency thats focused directly on the issue.

I agree with him, first of all, that agencies are often captured, Blumenthal said. That is not a responsive argument against agency regulation, but its certainly a strong consideration. And thats why I have favored private rights of action so that individuals can be, in effect, private attorneys general.

Hawley and Blumenthal arent the only senators looking to pass a bill dealing with tech policy. For years, lawmakers, like Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, have been working on data privacy legislation to start to reign in companies enjoying an online Wild West, where there are few rules about how much personal information companies can collect and sell.

Anna Lenhart, a policy fellow at George Washington Universitys Institute for Data, Democracy & Politics, said she believes its a misconception that lawmakers are just now learning about the complexities of technology. She said a bill sponsored last year called the American Data Privacy Protection Act would have been able to handle some of then issues that will arise from generative A.I.

The issues, the problems, the concerns, the things that were worried about with this technology, are not actually new to Congress, Lenhart said.

Szoka, too, said that there are other, more serious efforts to address tech policy in Congress.

Its important to note that this is really a just a messaging bill, Szoka said.

He said the reason the bill cant pass is because of the way it handles a provision in Section 230 that deals with content moderation. While the bill includes one exemption for moderation, Szoka said the majority of case law surrounding content moderation centers around a part of the law that wasnt exempted.

While theres bipartisan support for regulations on technology, the debate over content moderation has largely fallen under partisan lines. Republicans have criticized sites like Facebook and Twitter, who have suspended or banned political figures over posts about issues like transgender rights or, in the case of former President Donald Trump, the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Kosseff said there are two separate visions for what the internet should look like  whether platforms should have to carry all constitutionally protected speech or whether there should be more moderation.

I think thats where a lot of the difficulties come in sort of finding compromise, Kosseff said. Because I dont think theres a tremendous amount of agreement as to what they want the internet to look like.

Any stalemate over regulations could become a challenge, where innovation and profits for technology companies are prioritized over consumer protections and conflicts are left to the courts.

Lenhart said the problem with letting the courts decide, as Hawley has suggested, is that it takes a long time. She said the same policy laws that were needed when she was working on Capitol Hill as a staffer  competition reform, comprehensive data protection and transparency  are still needed today, only with some tweaked definitions.

Chris Lewis, the president and CEO of Public Knowledge, a nonprofit that advocates for an open internet said Congress shouldnt rush and in the process put out policy that isnt comprehensive. But he also added that they need to act.

Taking their time to understand the technology and find that balance is important, Lewis said. And I wouldnt say that if youre clocking the efforts to regulate AI back to nine months ago or so when generative AI became widely known, I wouldnt say that weve been waiting too long.

Now, do we need to move quickly? Yes, we do.
A federal judge has denied Fleet Farms motion to dismiss Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellisons lawsuit that accuses the retailer of selling guns to straw purchasers, including a man who bought one that was used in the deadly mass shooting at the Seventh Street Truck Park in St. Paul in 2021.

U.S. District Judge John Tunheim rejected Fleet Farms argument that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act shields the Wisconsin-based retailer from responsibility.

The state has plausibly alleged that Fleet Farm knew or should have known that it was selling firearms to straw purchasers, Tunheim wrote Tuesday in his 37-page ruling.

Tunheim wrote that the states allegations against Fleet Farm in last years lawsuit were clear examples of how illegally obtained firearms endanger the public in a way that legal firearms typically do not.

Tunheim also found that it was appropriate for the lawsuit to proceed in federal court.

In a statement this week, Ellison said Tunheims decision is an important step toward ensuring gun dealers are held accountable when they look the other way while selling to straw buyers. It also sends a clear message that federal law should not  and does not  shield gun dealers from liability if they ignore obvious red flags and sell to straw purchasers.

Jon Austin, a Fleet Farm spokesperson, declined to comment Wednesday.

37 guns in 16 months

The states lawsuit, filed in October in Hennepin County District Court, alleges Fleet Farm repeatedly sold handguns to straw purchasers  people who illegally buy guns for others who cannot legally buy guns themselves, such as those convicted of felonies or with a record of committing domestic violence.

Straw buyers often falsely certify that they are purchasing guns for themselves. However, according to the lawsuit, they do raise red flags, such as many purchases in a single transaction or separate one-gun transactions in short periods of time, particularly of multiple firearms of similar make, model and caliber.

The lawsuit alleges Fleet Farm sold at least 37 firearms to straw purchasers Jerome Fletcher Horton Jr. and Sarah Jean Elwood over 16 months, often selling multiple guns either in single transactions or over short time periods. Theyve both been convicted in U.S. District Court of related crimes.

One of the guns the retailer sold to Horton was fired at Seventh Street Truck Park, a shooting at the West Seventh Street bar that killed 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley of South St. Paul and injured 14 others on Oct. 10, 2021.

ATF investigators traced the handgun found at the scene back to the Blaine Fleet Farm, where it was purchased about three months earlier by Horton, according to federal charges against him.

The lawsuit asserts claims against Fleet Farm for negligence, negligence per se, negligent entrustment, aiding and abetting and public nuisance. It seeks injunctive relief, including strengthened oversight of Fleet Farms operations and increased training to prevent sales to straw purchasers, as well as monetary relief, including disgorgement of the retailers profits from its alleged sales to straw buyers.

Ellison said the lawsuit now moves to the discovery phase to uncover everything that Fleet Farm knew about these straw purchasers and what Fleet Farm did  if anything  to keep the public from being harmed by these purchases.

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A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Kentucky state bill that would ban transgender care for minors, ruling that it violates the plaintiffs' constitutional rights.

Kentucky Senate Bill 150, passed into law by Republican lawmakers in March over Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's veto, aims to regulate some of the most personal aspects of life for transgender young people, from restricting the bathrooms they can use, to banning access to gender-affirming health care  including the use of puberty blockers and hormones.

Seven transgender minors and their parents sued the state for relief from the law, arguing that it violates the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th Amendment. The challenge was filed by the ACLU and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky found that the treatments barred by SB 150 are medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children under evidence-based standards of care accepted by "all major medical organizations" in the country, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Medical Association.

"These drugs have a long history of safe use in minors for various conditions. It is undisputed that puberty-blockers and hormones are not given to prepubertal children with gender dysphoria," U.S. District Judge David Hale's ruling read.

BREAKING: A federal judge granted our motion, filed w/ @NCLR & Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, for a preliminary injunction blocking Section 4 of Senate Bill 150, the health care ban portion of the anti-trans law passed this year.



Full release here: https://t.co/ZoVHDDhGJi  ACLU of Kentucky (@ACLUofKY) June 28, 2023

Hale also found that "regardless of its stated purpose," the law "would have the effect of enforcing gender conformity," which violates the equal protection clause.

The court sided with the plaintiffs' arguments that gender-affirming treatments had significantly improved the minor plaintiffs' conditions, and that elimination of those treatments would cause serious consequences, "including severe psychological distress and the need to move out of state," the ruling read.

"It should go without saying that" that the court's decision "will not result in any child being forced to take puberty-blockers or hormones; rather, the treatments will continue to be limited to those patients whose parents and healthcare providers decide, in accordance with the applicable standard of care, that such treatment is appropriate," the ruling said.

"This is a win, but it is only the first step. We're prepared to fight for families' right to make their own private medical decisions in court, and to continue doing everything in our power to ensure access to medical care is permanently secured in Kentucky," Corey Shapiro, ACLU-KY's legal director, said in a statement.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron criticized the ruling as "misguided."

"Senate Bill 150 is a commonsense law that protects Kentucky children from unnecessary medical experimentation with powerful drugs and hormone treatments," Cameron said. "There is nothing 'affirming' about this dangerous approach to mental health, and my office will continue to do everything in our power to defend this law passed by our elected representatives."

In a written veto message in March, Beshear said the bill allows "too much government interference in personal healthcare issues and rips away the freedom of parents to make medical decisions for their children."

Beshear also warned that the bill's repercussions could include an increase in youth suicide.

"My faith teaches me that all children are children of God and Senate Bill 150 will endanger the children of Kentucky," the governor said.

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People-to-people exchanges key to US ties, Xi says

08:09, June 29, 2023 By Zhang Yunbi and Hu Meidong in Fuzhou ( China Daily

Guo Gonghong, a native of Kuliang, shows a photograph of his father, Guo Maolu, and Elizabeth Gardner during her 1992 visit to Kuliang, at the forum on people-to-people friendship between China and the United States in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Wednesday. [HU MEIDONG/CHINA DAILY]

President sends congratulations as friends of China gather at Kuliang forum

More than a century ago, some United States citizens began living in Kuliang, a famous summer retreat in Fuzhou, Fujian province, joining thousands of other foreigners. They later became part of the China-US friendship, working and living in harmony with local Chinese.

On Wednesday, a group of descendants and associates of those Kuliang residents held their first major reunion with Chinese friends since the COVID-19 outbreak. Gathering at a forum in Fuzhou, they were amazed to receive a letter from President Xi Jinping extending his congratulations to the event.

In his letter to the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-US People-to-People Friendship Forum, Xi emphasized that the friendship of the two countries lies in the amity between their people. "The root of the development of country-to-country relations lies in the people of the two countries," he wrote.

In his message, Xi said that some "Friends of Kuliang" wrote him letters, helping him learn more about their touching stories regarding Kuliang.

Xi noted that Donald MacInnis, a member of the Flying Tigers  a formidable group of US volunteer fighter pilots who from 1941 to 1942 helped China fight the Japanese invasion  had decided to have his ashes scattered after cremation into the Minjiang River, which flows through Fuzhou.

"The experiences of 'Friends of Kuliang' once again testify that the people of China and the US can develop deep friendship by transcending differences in (social) systems, cultures and languages," Xi said.

Elyn MacInnis, daughter-in-law of Donald MacInnis and an expert on Kuliang cultural studies, said: "I really understand when we talk about building mutual understanding and building deep friendship between our countries. Because from my family... I know that this is possible."

In his letter, Xi also shared his personal experience in advancing China-US friendly exchanges and his interactions with the "Kuliang Friends".

One of the stories of friendship is about Milton Gardner, a US citizen who came to Fuzhou in 1901 as an infant with his parents and stayed until his family moved back to the US in 1911.

Gardner, later a professor of physics at the University of California, had always dreamed of going back to Kuliang but was unable to fulfill his wish, and his last words before passing away in 1986 reportedly were "Kuliang, Kuliang".

With the help of a Chinese student then studying in the US, Gardner's wife finally identified that her husband's childhood home had been Kuliang in the suburbs of Fuzhou.

In 1992, Xi, then secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, learned about this touching story and invited Milton Gardner's widow, Elizabeth Gardner, to visit China.

When Xi was visiting the US as Chinese vice-president in 2012, he told the story of Kuliang at a welcoming luncheon held by US friendly groups, and the story resonated with people from all walks of life in the two countries.

"More than 30 years have passed (since Elizabeth Gardner's visit to Fuzhou), and 'Friends of Kuliang' and friendly people from all walks of life in the two countries have been tapping into the history of Kuliang, actively spreading Kuliang culture, and making unremitting efforts to deepen mutual understanding and friendly exchanges between the people of China and the US," Xi said in his letter.

"It is hoped that everyone can pass along and carry forward the story of Kuliang and the love of Kuliang, so that the friendship between China and the US can thrive and live like the 1,000-year-old cedar in Kuliang," he said.

Gail Harris, granddaughter of Harry Russell Caldwell, a missionary known for managing and building schools in China, noted that both sets of her grandparents came to the country at the turn of the 20th century.

"I have been welcomed by more than hospitality. It's like coming home. And really, it is home for me, because everyone in my family was born in China," she said.

Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said that Xi's letter showcases his great bond with old US friends, his great hope regarding the development of two-way ties, his emphasis on securing the ties' growth and his kindness and sincerity for China-US people-to-people amity.

Zhou Zuyi, Party secretary of Fujian and director of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress, said the US is Fujian's second-largest trading partner, and that last year, Fujian's trade with the US totaled 263.1 billion yuan ($36.3 billion).

Xie Feng, Chinese ambassador to the US, said in a prerecorded video speech that "the vast Pacific Ocean has never managed to block the mutual understanding and mutual assistance between the Chinese and American peoples".

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
This aerial photo taken on June 15, 2023 shows a view of the home to the tallest tree in Asia in Bome County, Nyingchi City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's top legislature on Wednesday voted to designate Aug. 15 as National Ecology Day.

The decision was made at the three-day session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, which ended on Wednesday.

The move is aimed at enhancing public awareness and actions to protect the ecological environment.

The decision also underscored the importance of enhancing publicity and education on ecological conservation through various forms.

It said that China has emphasized the importance of ecological progress in sustaining the development of the Chinese nation.

China has made historic, transformative and comprehensive changes in protecting its ecological environment and secured world-renowned achievements since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, bringing a strong sense of fulfillment and happiness to the Chinese people, the decision highlighted.

The concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets has evolved into a collective belief among all Chinese people, and green, circular and low-carbon development has become a joint endeavor embraced by all regions and authorities in the country, the decision noted.

China's commitment to ecological conservation has led to groundbreaking initiatives with long-term significance over the past decade.

Red lines for the protection of ecosystems, the quality of the environment, and rational resource utilization have been drawn for ecological conservation.

China has established and improved the systems in areas including property rights for natural resource assets, performance evaluation and accountability for ecological conservation, and compensation for ecological conservation. Corresponding laws and regulations have been formulated or revised.

In parallel, the country has redoubled its endeavors in multiple domains, such as protecting and improving the ecosystems of major rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastlines, safeguarding biodiversity and combating air, water and soil pollution.

Spatial layouts, industrial structures, and ways of production and living that help conserve resources and protect the environment have been developed in China.

Additionally, the country has played an active role in global environmental and climate governance, pledging to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

The efforts over the past decade to diversify the energy mix have yielded positive results, with a decreased share of coal consumption and an increased share of clean energy consumption within total energy consumption. By 2022, the installed capacity of renewable power had exceeded the impressive milestone of 1.2 billion kilowatts.

These endeavors have paid off, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese people, who are enjoying blue skies, clear waters and lush mountains.

In Chinese cities, air quality was good or excellent on 86.5 percent of days in 2022, marking an improvement of 20.8 percentage points from 2013.

The proportion of surface water at or above Grade III in the country's five-tier water quality system reached 87.9 percent last year, up by 26.3 percentage points from 2012.

Forest coverage has risen to 24 percent in 2022, with a forest stock volume of 19.5 billion cubic meters, representing increases of 2.39 percentage points and 4.36 billion cubic meters, respectively, from 2012.
FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks with supporters at the Westside Conservative Breakfast, June 1, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Trumps claims that absolute presidential immunity and free speech rights shield him from the defamation claims of E. Jean Carroll, a New York columnist, were rejected Thursday, June 29, by a federal judge. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

NEW YORK (AP)  Former President Donald Trumps claims that absolute presidential immunity and free speech rights shield him from the defamation claims of a New York columnist were rejected Thursday by a federal judge.

The writer, E. Jean Carroll, can continue to press claims that Trump owes her at least $10 million in damages for comments he made before and after she won a $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict against him last month, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said in a written opinion.

Trump tried to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds that he is entitled to absolute presidential immunity, his statements were not defamatory and that his statements were opinion protected by free speech rights.

Kaplan said Trump surrendered absolute presidential immunity as a defense by failing to assert it years ago when the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit was delayed until recently as appeals courts considered legal issues surrounding it.

Trump countersued Carroll this week, claiming that she has libeled him by continuing to insist that he raped her even after a jury found otherwise.

After a jury returned its verdict last month in Manhattan federal court, Trump made comments on a CNN town hall that prompted Carroll to assert new defamation claims in a 2020 defamation lawsuit.

The jury award resulted from a sexual abuse and defamation lawsuit filed last November after New York state temporarily enacted a law allowing sexual assault victims to sue for damages resulting from attacks that occurred even decades earlier.

Trump's claims in the CNN broadcast mirrored statements he made while president in 2019 when Carroll published a memoir in which she claimed Trump raped her in the dressing room of a luxury midtown Manhattan department store in spring 1996.

Within hours of excerpts from the book being published in a magazine, Trump denied a rape occurred or that he ever knew Carroll.

Mr. Trump did not merely deny Ms. Carrolls accusation of sexual assault, Kaplan wrote. Instead, he accused Ms. Carroll of lying about him sexually assaulting her in order to increase sales of her book, gain publicity, and/or carry out a political agenda.

The judge said the main purpose of presidential immunity was to avoid diverting the president from public duties, but it was not a get-out-of-damages-liability-free card that permits the president to say or do anything he or she desires even if that conduct is disconnected entirely from an official function."

Kaplan said he took into consideration that Carroll is now 79 years old and has pursued claims against Trump for 3 1/2 years.

There is no basis to risk prolonging the resolution of this litigation further by permitting Mr. Trump to raise his absolute immunity defense now at the eleventh hour when he could have done so years ago, he said.

In rejecting claims that Carroll's lawsuit was about protected speech, Kaplan explained how libel and slander are handled in the courts and why Trump's statements could be construed to fit the legal definition for defamation, including that a jury had already found it so.

Trump's lawyers did not immediately comment.

Attorney Robbie Kaplan, who represents Carroll and is unrelated to the judge, said in a statement that the judge's ruling confirms that once again, Donald Trumps supposed defenses to E. Jean Carrolls defamation claims dont work."

She added: "Todays decision removes one more impediment to the January 15 trial on E Jeans defamation damages in this case.

The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.
NEW YORK  A federal judge on Thursday sharply rejected Donald Trumps claim of presidential immunity to fend off a defamation lawsuit from the writer E. Jean Carroll, ruling that Trumps disparaging comments about Carroll in 2019 had no legitimate connection to his duties as president.

The 46-page opinion all but ensures that Carrolls second lawsuit against the former president will go to trial. And its the latest setback in Trumps repeated bid to use the muscular protections of the presidency to shield him from civil litigation.

Trumps personal attacks against Carroll, who accused him of raping her in the mid-1990s, were separate from any official responsibility of the president, wrote Manhattan-based U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan.

Last month, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation in a trial over another lawsuit brought by Carroll, who says that Trump attacked her in the dressing room of a luxury department store. Trump is appealing that verdict.

The defamation claim in Carolls first trial involved a comment that Trump made in 2022, in which he called Carrolls allegation a hoax. Carrolls other lawsuit  the case in which Kaplan ruled Thursday  centers on comments Trump made in 2019, while he occupied the White House.

At the time, Trump called Carrolls claim a totally false accusation. He also said in an interview with The Hill newspaper: Ill say it with great respect: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?

Trump had pressed Kaplan to find that his response to Carrolls allegations in 2019 were connected to his official presidential responsibilities because it related to his ability to govern. Typically, presidents are immune from any lawsuits related to their official conduct, and courts have interpreted that immunity broadly, even to actions they say are on the outer perimeter of a presidents duties.

But Trump crossed the line with his attacks on Carroll, Kaplan ruled. A trial is scheduled for Jan. 15 .



An attorney for Carroll, Roberta Kaplan (who is not related to the judge), said Thursday: Trump chose to waive presidential immunity and now he must live with the results of that decision. Todays decision removes one more impediment to the January 15 trial on E Jeans defamation damages in this case.

An attorney for Trump, Alina Habba, said: "We disagree with the courts decision and will be taking the appropriate steps to preserve all viable defenses."

Its not the first time a federal judge has ruled that Trumps commentary as president fell outside the boundaries of his immunity from suit.

In February 2021, in a 112-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta concluded that Trumps speech to supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, was similarly disconnected from his presidential responsibilities. Kaplan approvingly cited Mehtas reasoning , particularly his determination that the context of a presidents words determines whether they pertain to his official duties.

In some ways, Kaplans analysis of Trumps immunity was beside the point. He also ruled that Trump raised the immunity defense far too late to be considered  nearly three years after Carroll first filed suit. Trump contended in recent filings that he wasnt required to raise the defense because presidential immunity should automatically cover his actions. But Kaplan sharply rejected that notion, noting that presidents and others with legal immunities are often required to raise them affirmatively in order for courts to consider them.

Such a requirement would contradict the results in many of the other civil lawsuits filed against Mr. Trump for actions during his presidency, in at least one of which  Mr. Trump agreed with the plaintiff that absolute presidential immunity was not a threshold issue that must be decided before reaching the merits, Kaplan noted.

Besides, Kaplan said, Carroll has been litigating for years, and applying presidential immunity now would delay her pursuit of justice.

She now is 79 years old and, as just mentioned, has been litigating this case for more than three and a half years, Kaplan wrote. There is no basis to risk prolonging the resolution of this litigation further by permitting Mr. Trump to raise his absolute immunity defense now at the eleventh hour when he could have done so years ago.

Trump has, for years, made a particularly sweeping argument in support of presidential immunity, contending that anytime a president speaks on matters of public concern he is immune from civil suit.


Doctor and teen patient

Federal judges have temporarily blocked most provisions of the Tennessee and Kentucky bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The preliminary injunctions against these laws mean that trans youth in both states will be able to receive puberty blockers and hormone therapy while lawsuits against them are heard. The Tennessee injunction, issued Wednesday, let the ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors stand, as those surgeries are not recommended for people under 18 anyway. The Kentucky suit dealt only with the portions of the law banning puberty blockers and hormones, so the surgery ban also was excluded from the injunction, which came down Monday.

The respective judges found that those who brought the suits, including families with trans children as well as doctors, were likely to succeed in proving their cases. There have been multiple federal court rulings blocking similar laws. The laws permit use of the medications to treat minors for conditions other than gender dysphoria, such as early-onset puberty  in other words, for cisgender minors but not trans ones.

Plaintiffs have met their burden of demonstrating that [Tennessees Senate Bill 1] is most likely unconstitutional on its face  and a state-wide injunction is typically an appropriate remedy in such circumstances, wrote Judge Eli Richardson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

In the Tennessee suit, L.W. v. Skrmetti, the plaintiffs contend that the law violates the due process clause of the U.S. Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment because it interferes with parents ability to control their childrens health care and violates that amendments equal protection clause because it imposes disparate treatment on the bases of transgender status and sex and is not substantially related to an important state interest, Richardson noted in his ruling.

The plaintiffs have not only demonstrated the likelihood that the law is unconstitutional but also have shown that denial of care would cause irreparable harm to trans youth, he continued. He added, The Court acknowledges that the state feels strongly that the medical procedures banned by SB1 are harmful to minors. The medical evidence on the record, however, indicates otherwise.

The plaintiffs are Samantha and Brian Williams and their trans daughter, two anonymous families with trans children, and Dr. Susan N. Lacy. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and its Tennessee affiliate, Lambda Legal, and the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. The defendants are Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, and various other state officials.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the ban into law in March. His state has been a leader in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including a law restricting drag performances, which has been struck down by a federal court.

In Kentucky, the ban on gender-transition procedures for minors was part of Senate Bill 150, which also includes restrictions on public schools instruction on LGBTQ+ topics. Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, had vetoed the bill, but the Republican-majority legislature overrode his veto in March, so the bill became law.

Seven trans minors and their parents sued over the parts of the law blocking trans youths access to puberty blockers and hormones, naming several state officials as defendants. The suit is known as Doe v. Thornbury.

However, some of the defendants did not oppose the preliminary injunction. They are William C. Thornbury Jr., president of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure; Audria Denker, president of the Kentucky Board of Nursing; and Eric Friedlander, secretary for the Cabinet of Health and Family Services.

Indeed, Denker and Thornbury note that it would behoove KBML/KBN-licensees and their patients for the Court to grant the injunction and maintain the status quo pending final ruling on the merits of the suit, to avoid potentially unnecessary cost, time, and harmful exposure should Plaintiffs be successful, Judge David Hale of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky wrote in approving the injunction. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron opposed the injunction.

Like the Tennessee judge, Hale found that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in proving that the ban would violate the constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process, and that trans minors would suffer serious consequences if the ban is allowed to stand.

It should go without saying that enjoining enforcement of SB 150 will not result in any child being forced to take puberty-blockers or hormones; rather, the treatments will continue to be limited to those patients whose parents and healthcare providers decide, in accordance with the applicable standard of care, that such treatment is appropriate, Hale added.

The plaintiffs in the Kentucky suit are represented by the ACLU of Kentucky, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

Lawyers in both cases praised the rulings. This is a critical victory for transgender youth, their families, and their medical providers across the state, Joshua Block, senior staff attorney for the ACLUs LGBTQ & HIV Project, said in a press release announcing the Tennessee decision. Across the country, were seeing a clear and unanimous rejection of these laws as unconstitutional, openly discriminatory, and a danger to the very youth they claim to protect.

Todays ruling tells transgender youth in Tennessee that they are seen, their lives matter, and that they have the right to access this lifesaving care, added Sruti Swaminathan, Lambda Legal staff attorney for youth. We are so grateful for our brave Plaintiff families and provider for standing up against this harmful law.

Of the other injunction, ACLU of Kentucky Legal Director Corey Shapiro issued a statement saying, We are grateful to the Court for enjoining this egregious ban on medically necessary care, which would have caused harm for countless young Kentuckians. This is a win, but it is only the first step. Were prepared to fight for families right to make their own private medical decisions in court, and to continue doing everything in our power to ensure access to medical care is permanently secured in Kentucky.

This decision is a huge relief for the families targeted by this unnecessary and harmful law, which prevents doctors from doing their jobs and parents from making medical decisions for their own children, added NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. We are grateful that the court carefully considered all of the evidence and recognized that there is no support for this dangerous and unprecedented law.

Federal courts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Indiana have also issued injunctions against bans on gender-affirming care, and the court in Arkansas has gone a step further by striking down that states law, the first ruling on such a laws merits. The Arkansas attorney general plans to appeal. In Oklahoma, the ACLU and its state affiliate reached an agreement with the Oklahoma attorney general that the states ban would not be enforced while a lawsuit proceeds.
Federal judges in Kentucky and Tennessee blocked parts of state laws that ban gender-affirming care for minors on Wednesday.

In both states, bans on hormone therapy and providing puberty-blocking medication were stopped. In Tennessee, a ban on gender-affirming surgery for minors will be allowed to go into effect, while surgery was not considered in the Kentucky case.

These drugs have a long history of safe use in minors for various conditions. It is undisputed that puberty-blockers and hormones are not given to prepubertal children with gender dysphoria, said Kentucky U.S. District Judge David Hale in his ruling.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was involved in both lawsuits.

This is a critical victory for transgender youth, their families, and their medical providers across the state, ACLU attorney Joshua Block said in a statement. Across the country, were seeing a clear and unanimous rejection of these laws as unconstitutional, openly discriminatory, and a danger to the very youth they claim to protect.

Bans on gender-affirming care have already been stopped by courts in Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana and Florida. The Arkansas ruling this month is the first to strike down a gender-affirming care ban on the merits.

Both rulings Wednesday found bans on the procedures interfered with a parents rights to pursue necessary medical assistance for their children.

The Kentucky law was set to go into effect Thursday, and the Tennessee law Saturday.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vetoed his states measure in March, but the veto was overturned by the states GOP-controlled legislature. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican who has endorsed the measure and is running against Beshear for the governorship this year, criticized the decision.

Todays misguided decision by a federal judge tramples the right of the General Assembly to make public policy for the Commonwealth, Cameron said in a Wednesday statement.

There is nothing affirming about this dangerous approach to mental health, and my office will do everything in its power to defend this law passed by our elected representatives, he added.

Gender-affirming care like hormone therapy and puberty blockers are generally considered safe and have been endorsed by major medical groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society.

More than 20 states have passed laws restricting access or banning the procedures. On Wednesday, a similar ban cleared the North Carolina legislature.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Will July arrive with triple digits? The heat is on in Boise for extended July 4 weekend

Its about to get really hot in Boise.

After a wetter-than-normal couple of months, a high-pressure ridge will settle over the area, bringing temperatures into the upper 90s and maybe even 100s over the weekend and through July 4, which is Tuesday.

These will be by far the highest temperatures Boise has seen this year, and theres a 48% chance that temperatures will hit triple digits on Saturday, National Weather Service meteorologist Jackson MacFarland told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday.

Were going to see some clear skies, warm temperatures and lower relative humidity, MacFarland said.

Saturdays and Sundays high temperatures are forecast to be 97, about 9 degrees hotter than average. Things will cool off slightly by July 4, but not by much. Tuesdays forecast calls for clear skies and a high of 94, what most in Idaho would expect for Independence Day celebrations.

The city of Boise is hosting its fireworks display at Ann Morrison Park, as usual, on the Fourth of July, starting at 10:15 p.m. Food and drink vendors, including alcohol, will be on-site at 6 p.m.

A ridge will build into the region this weekend, kicking off a warming and drying trend. We are forecasting HOT temperatures, so ensure you are ready if you are spending time outdoors!



Check out the probability local cities will exceed 95F and some safety tips! #idwx #orwx pic.twitter.com/sAXcYcz3gc  NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) June 28, 2023

As warm as it will be this weekend, it could have been even hotter if not for low-pressure sitting in the Gulf of Alaska. The northerly low-pressure system  often associated with colder temperatures and stormier weather  is providing the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain region with a cooler westerly flow as opposed to warmer air from the southwest, MacFarland said.

Instead of pulling up very warm air, its sort of moderating those temperatures, MacFarland said. So they might not reach quite as high as we were initially forecasting or last into the July 4 period. We are going to see that peak over the weekend right now.

The effect of the low-pressure system can be seen farther west. While areas east of the Cascade Mountain Range will see temperatures soar this weekend, west of the Cascades, such as around Seattle, will have temperatures in the 70s.
FILE PHOTO: Former Broward County Sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson leaves Broward County Jail with his attorneys Joseph DiRuzzo (R) and David Sobel after his release in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

(Reuters) -A Florida jury on Thursday acquitted a former sheriff's deputy accused of failing to protect students during the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Scot Peterson, the school resource officer on duty when a gunman entered a building in Feb. 14, 2018 and opened fire, killing 17 and wounding another 17, had been charged with 11 counts of child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury.

Peterson, 60, put his head on the table in front of him and sobbed with relief as the judge read aloud the "not guilty" verdict to each count. The jury's verdict spared him what could have been a prison sentence of 97 years.

After the verdict, Peterson told reporters at the courthouse that he would like to talk to the parents of students who lost their lives in the shooting.

"If they need to really know the truth of what occurred... I'll be there for them," he said, choking back tears.

In a statement, the Broward State Attorneys Office, which brought the case, repeated its argument that Peterson could have done more to protect members of the school community, and that his inaction "had a dire impact" on the victims.

"For the first time in our nation's history, prosecutors in this case have tried to hold an armed school resource officer responsible for not doing his job," the statement said.

Some parents of victims who attended the trial were also disappointed by the outcome.

"All I can say to the members of the jury is, I think your school should hire him to protect your children," said Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was one of the students killed in the shooting. Montalto rejected Peterson's offer to talk.

Peterson was armed but never went inside while the shooting was underway, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office and surveillance video.

He is one of few law enforcement officers ever prosecuted for failing to take action or provide care. The outcome of the highly unusual case could set a legal precedent and induce prosecutors around the country to refrain charging similar officials with negligence after other shootings.

Peterson did not testify in his trial, which lasted two and a half weeks.

A jury in October spared Nikolas Cruz, the gunman in the Parkland shooting, from the death penalty, instead calling for life in prison without possibility of parole.

In May, the United States marked the one-year anniversary of the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade, in which a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers and injured 17 others.

Police waited more than an hour to enter and confront the shooter in that case, prompting widespread criticism.

A report by the Texas Department of Public Safety found an Uvalde police officer could have shot the gunman before he entered the school but hesitated while awaiting permission from a supervisor.

(Reporting by Julia Harte, editing by Deepa Babington)
Stolen benefits: State says scammers have stolen $1.3 million in SNAP money from NC families

Money that a college student relies on to eat was stolen but she says her EBT card never left her possession. She believes scammers planted a skimming device at a Huntersville store and were able to steal her money from hundreds of miles away.

Shes not alone. Channel 9s Genevieve Curtis uncovered that scammers have stolen nearly $500,000 in SNAP benefits in Mecklenburg County just this year.

ALSO READ: Over $400K in food benefits stolen from Mecklenburg County residents

Im a college student, so sometimes I need the money just to go grocery shopping because groceries have gotten high, said Debreia Washington, who is studying to be a nurse.

Washington says earlier this month, her EBT card had $433 on it, but when she went to use it, the money wasnt there.

It was just a shocker. I thought for a few months I would have that money and I would be good, she said.

Her last transaction was at a Walmart in Huntersville.

Records show that two days later, her card was used almost 3,000 miles away at a Target in Olympia, Washington.

More than $400 was gone.

Channel 9 learned this is happening to people across the country with a rise in thieves targeting EBT cards.

In North Carolina, state officials say it lost approximately $338,000 due to EBT card skimming last year.

So far this year, $1,342,000 has been reported stolen.

>> See a county-by-county breakdown of how much money has been lost to EBT scams here

The spike has prompted the North Carolina Attorney Generals Office to issue a warning showing how to spot a skimmer.

Washington recently learned that she would not get her money back.

The government doesnt have anything in place to refund the money, she told Curtis.

But that is changing soon.

In December, Congress passed a law for the federal government to reimburse stolen SNAP benefits..

Each state had to submit a plan for how to do it.

The USDAs website shows it approved plans for North Carolina and South Carolina.

ALSO READ: Shelby Police looking for 2 men accused of using skimmer at Walmart

As of last week, South Carolina residents can apply to have stolen benefits replaced. Click here to apply.

North Carolina residents will have to wait until August.

To better protect your card, the state encourages people to:

- Download the EBT Edge app.

- Lock your card when you arent using it.

- Turn off online and out-of-state use.

Washington hopes these suggestions will help someone else.

I didnt know these ways to prevent it and if I would have, maybe that would have saved me from getting my money taken, she said.

Channel 9 has reached out to Walmart to see if it found a skimming device at its location and whether it was reported to the police.

VIDEO: BBB says job scams cost victims $840,000 in three months
Justice Gorsuch rants against 'bureaucrats' for the race-identification section of college applications, calling it a 'scheme of classifications'

Justice Gorsuch rants against 'bureaucrats' for the race-identification section of college applications, calling it a 'scheme of classifications'

Justice Gorsuch blamed "bureaucrats" for race-identification sections of college applications.

In his opinion, Gorsuch called the option to identify your race a "scheme of classifications."

SCOTUS ruled 6-3 Thursday that considering race in admissions was unconstitutional.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch slammed the race-identification section of college applications, saying it was created by "bureaucrats" and became a "scheme of classifications."

In his opinion concurring with SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts that affirmative action is unconstitutional, Gorsuch said the race-identification boxes on college applications  such as the Common Application  were created by government bureaucrats for data collection.

"A federal interagency commission devised this scheme of classifications in the 1970s to facilitate data collection," Gorsuch wrote, adding that the commission didn't receive input from "anthropologists, sociologists, ethnologists, or other experts" when creating these sections.

"Recognizing the limitations of their work, federal regulators cautioned that their classifications 'should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature, nor should they be viewed as determinants of eligibility for participation in any Federal program,'" Gorsuch said, citing regulations.

Gorsuch also pushed back against the "incoherent stereotypes" created by racial categories on college applications, questioning why the "Asian" selection includes "East Asians (e.g., Chinese, Korean, Japanese) and South Asians (e.g., Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi), even though together they constitute about 60% of the world's population."

He added: "This agglomeration of so many peoples paves over counterless differences in 'language,' 'culture,' and historical experiences."

Gorsuch's opinion aligned with Justice Roberts' majority opinion, as the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to strike down affirmative action on Thursday.

The court majority called the consideration of race in college admissions unconstitutional and discriminatory, effectively ending the practice.

Both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina were involved in the court decision, presenting cases to SCOTUS. Gorsuch criticized the schools for their handling of applicants' racial identities, writing: "Just as there is no question Harvard and UNC consider race in their admissions processes, there is no question both schools intentionally treat some applicants worse than others because of their race."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson blasted the Supreme Courts decision on affirmative action Thursday, warning that its decision makes things worse, not better for race relations.

The best that can be said of the majoritys perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism, Jackson wrote in a dissenting opinion. But if that is its motivation, the majority proceeds in vain. If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us.

The court invalidated Harvards and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills (UNC) admissions policies by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Supreme Court upends affirmative action in college admissions

Sotomayors biting dissent: Ruling rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress

Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, saying that both Harvard and UNC lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.

The ruling delivered a blow to supporters of affirmative action, which the Supreme Court laid the groundwork for in 1978 when it decided a challenge to the University of Californias system that reserved 16 out of 100 seats for members of certain minority groups.

Jackson previously served on Harvards Board of Overseers until last spring and agreed to recuse herself from the schools case during her confirmation hearing. She also argued that ignoring race just makes it matter more, noting that taking away the consideration of race in college admissions will not translate to life experiences.

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat, Jackson wrote. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life. And having so detached itself from this countrys actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve Americas real-world problems.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ketanji Brown Jackson called out "let-them-eat-cake" obliviousness to racism by her Supreme Court colleagues.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled to end affirmative action, saying it was discriminatory.

"Deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life," Jackson wrote in her harsh dissent.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson called out the Supreme Court's "let-them-eat-cake" obliviousness to racism in a blistering 29-page dissent of the court's decision to overturn affirmative action in US colleges Thursday.

"With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat," Jackson wrote in response to the 6-3 decision along party lines.

"But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life," Jackson wrote. "And having so detached itself from this country's actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve America's real-world problems."

"No one benefits from ignorance," Jackson wrote, adding that race matters in the "lived experience" of Americans even if "legal barriers are gone."

The case, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, asked whether it was discriminatory to consider race in the college admissions process.

It comes after two cases were brought to the high court by the group Students for Fair Admissions against both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. The group claimed the universities discriminated against white and Asian American students in the college admissions process.

The Thursday majority opinion was penned by Chief Justice John Roberts. All six conservative justices concurred, saying affirmative action was unconstitutional and discriminatory.

"Today's ruling makes things worse, not better," Jackson wrote. "If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A set of provisional regulations for drones, issued by the State Council and the Central Military Commission, will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The regulations regulate the design, production, operation and application of drones, and are aimed at establishing a science-based, rule-based and efficient management system for all activities involving drones, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The regulations are expected to prevent security risks related to drones, and provide legal supports for the healthy development of the industry, the statement said.

According to the regulations, owners of drones will be asked to present a form of identification when registering with authorities, and those who use and operate drones should have certain qualifications.

No-fly zones and airspaces that are open to drones will be set, and application processes will be required for activities involving drones. Emergency response and supervision systems will be enhanced.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor says Supreme Court is 'entrenching racial inequality in education' by striking down affirmative action

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor sits during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on April 23, 2021. Erin Schaff/AFP/Getty Images

The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education on Thursday.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor led other liberal justices in denouncing the decision.

In her 68-page dissent, she argued that the court is "entrenching racial inequality in education."

The United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admission on Thursday, blocking higher educational institutions from considering race in admissions decisions.

In a dissenting opinion on the decision spanning nearly 70 pages, Justice Sonia Sotomayor  joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson  argued that the court's conservative majority was "entrenching racial inequality in education."

Citing the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, Sotomayor argued that the amendment's guarantee of racial equality "can be enforced through race-conscious means in a society that is not, and has never been, colorblind."

In striking down affirmative action, Sotomayor argued, the court is cementing "a superficial rule of colorblindness" in an "endemically segregated society."

"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits," wrote Sotomayor. "In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

Much of Sotomayor's dissent details the history of race-conscious policies in America the following the abolition of slavery, ranging from laws enacted immediately after the end of the Civil War to the Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

She goes on to argue that the court's decision is "grounded in the illusion that racial inequality was a problem of a different generation."

"Entrenched racial inequality remains a reality today," wrote Sotomayor. "Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality."

Thursday's decision was the result of two different cases brought by group called Students for Fair Admissions overseen by the right-wing legal strategist Robert Blum, who has for decades brought lawsuits seeking to end affirmative action.

Both cases, brought against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, alleged discrimination in admissions against against both white and Asian-American students.

The decision was long-expected ever since former President Donald Trump cemented the court's conservative supermajority with three new appointments during his presidency.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ketanji Brown JacksonTom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the affirmative action programs of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in a ruling that will likely bring the systemic consideration of race in college admissions to an end, NBC News reports.

The court found the university programs to be unlawful and in violation of the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause. The justices voted 6-3 in favor of the conservative opinion in the UNC case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, in which Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who graduated from Harvard and Harvard Law and has other ties to the university, recused herself.

The decision effectively overturned the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger ruling that allowed race to be factored into admissions considerations and cited universities' interests in developing and maintaining diverse campuses. Thursday's ruling discarded decades of legal precedent, including a 1978 decision that allowed for a limited consideration of race in college admissions in an effort to assuage the historic discrimination against Black people and other marginalized groups in the university processes.

Though Chief Justice John Roberts did not explicitly state that the former decisions were overturned in the majority opinion, he explained that Harvard and UNC's programs "lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points."

In the concurring opinion, however, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, the second Black Supreme Court Justice in the court's history, said the Grutter case was "for all intents and purposes, overruled."

Related

Moore v. Harper: Law professors warn SCOTUS just set itself up to "meddle in future elections"

"In a nutshell: The majority does not expressly overrule Grutter or formally bar *all* race-based affirmative action, but the Court reconstrues the test in a way that will make it virtually impossible for any university to satisfy going forward," Steve Vladeck, a Supreme Court expert at the University of Texas School of Law, tweeted. "It's ending it without ending it."

In a nutshell: The majority does not expressly overrule Grutter or formally bar *all* race-based affirmative action, but the Court reconstrues the test in a way that will make it virtually impossible for any university to satisfy going forward.



It's ending it without ending it. https://t.co/TYXvmQuHec  Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) June 29, 2023

Roberts also noted that the decision does not apply to the consideration of race in admissions for military programs. The Biden administration had previously cautioned that a limit on affirmative action would negatively impact the U.S. military, which relies on "well-qualified and diverse officer corps" trained in military academies.

In a dissenting opinion, Jackson, who appeared "visibly angry" and stared straight ahead without making eye contact as Thomas read his concurring opinion, according to NBC News, directly called out the conservative justice's argument in her dissent.

"Justice Thomas ignites too many more straw men to list, or fully extinguish, here," she wrote.

KBJ: "Justice Thomas ignites too many more straw men to list, or fully extinguish, here." pic.twitter.com/UI9J2wL2h8  Mike Sacks (@MikeSacksEsq) June 29, 2023

Jackson, the first Black woman to serve in the high court, wrote that the ruling was "truly a tragedy for us all."

"With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life," she wrote.

"No one benefits from ignorance," she continued. "Although formal race-linked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and today's ruling makes things worse, not better. The best that can be said of the majority's perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism. But if that is its motivation, the majority proceeds in vain. If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more."

WOW from KBJ's dissent in the affirmative action cases: pic.twitter.com/DGSJ5DvtsY  Leah Litman - @leahlitman.bsky.social (@LeahLitman) June 29, 2023

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina justice and a fellow liberal, said in her dissenting opinion that the court's decision "stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."

"[T]he Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter," she wrote. "The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society. Because the Court's opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent."

Justice Sotomayor, dissenting: "Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."



"[T]he Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always https://t.co/AUQlw5fR0o  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 29, 2023

The Congressional Black Caucus also rang out against the court's decision in a statement:

"By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy," it said.

Congressional Black Caucus: By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy.  Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 29, 2023

The ruling marks a major victory for conservative legal activists who have argued that affirmative action undercuts the meaning of racial equality. It also provides another example of the conservative-majority court's decisions in those activists' and advocacy groups' favor. Thursday's strike down comes days after the anniversary of the court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the right to abortion, in 2022.

"This is of a piece w/ Dobbs, a complete conservative victory that could only have been imagined, or discussed at Federalist Society meetings, 15 years ago and now is the law of the land, with huge and immediate social impact," former U.S. attorney Harry Litman, a former law clerk to former Justices Thurgood Marshall and Anthony Kennedy, tweeted Thursday.

This is of a piece w/ Dobbs, a complete conservative victory that could only have been imagined, or discussed at Federalist Society meetings, 15 years ago and now is the law of the land, with huge and immediate social impact.  Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 29, 2023

These most recent challenges to affirmative procedures were brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions which argued that any consideration of race in university admissions was unlawful under Title VI and the Constitution. They claimed that UNC's policy discriminated against white and Asian applicants while Harvard's discriminated against Asian students. But lower courts ruled in favor of the universities in both cases.

In defense of the admissions policies, the universities and their supporters countered by saying that excluding someone based on race is different from seeking diversity on campus. They explained that race is only one factor of many that admissions officers consider when analyzing each application.

The decision will mostly affect the few universities with highly competitive admissions rates  like Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, the University of Chicago and Dartmouth College  who say that some consideration of race is essential to diversifying their student bodies and that the ruling will cause a decrease in minority student enrollment on their campuses. A majority of colleges across the country, however, accept nearly all applicants.

Roberts did allow for colleges to consider discussing race in an individual student application, using an example of someone personally experiencing racial discrimination and adding that the student "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race."

Read more

about the Supreme Court
It seems fans just cant get enough of TikTok food critic, Keith Lee and his wife, Ronni Lee. And it seems Keith also cant get enough of his wife. In a new video shared on his page, the influencer spoke all about his admiration for his wife in their latest endeavors.

Keith Lees Storytime

Due to his rapid growth and popularity on TikTok, Lee has been able to take his family to heights they have never seen before. In addition to a partnership with Chipotle, working with Kevin Hart and a recurring series on Good Morning America, Lee was invited to the 2023 BET Awards. In his five-minute recap video of the event, his wife Ronni was a main topic of discussion.

Lee began by explaining how he had to advocate for his wife to attend. He says he risked the possibility of not even attending the show on her behalf.

We got invited to the BET Awards through Instagram. When they first called us, they said they only had one ticket, he explains. I said I wasnt going if my wife wasnt going, and I meant it. We had a conversation about it, I stood ten toes down on it. They came back to me within a few hours and they had two tickets.

He continued to share how Instagram offered a stylist for Lee and his family, however, he politely declined. He instead chose to work with his cousin who is a stylist.

We found Ronnis whole outfit at Christian Dior. Her dress was a Christian Dior kimono dress, her bag was Christian Dior, her shoes were Christian Dior, he shared. She looked like a fairy princess. Like I was staring at her the whole time. I was crying before we left. I couldnt even look at her before we left.

Lee then proceeded to share a video of him the day of the show crying in the hotel room before they left due to how beautiful she looked.

She was just mind-blowingly beautiful to me, he gushed.

The two share a mutual fascination with each other. In an interview with 21Ninety, Ronni Lee gushed over her husband as well. She says her postpartum journey after her second child almost made her lose herself but he was there for her through thick and thin.

Its such a scary place to be in and Im just so grateful and thankful for him because he is the best communicator, Ronni Lee said.

The post Keith Lee Gushes Over Wife In Review Of Their First BET Awards appeared first on 21Ninety.
Kentucky has a higher skin cancer rate than Texas, Arizona or even Florida. Heres why

When it comes to skin cancer, the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the U.S., Kentucky has one of the highest rates in the country.

At a rate of 28.2 cases per 100,000 people annually, Kentucky has a higher melanoma skin cancer rate than sunny Texas, California, Arizona or even Florida, according to data from the National Cancer Institute.

One thing those states have going for them: Their populations are a lot more diverse.

We are a state that has a large population of fair-skinned people in it, said Dr. John A. DOrazio, an oncologist and cancer researcher with University of Kentucky HealthCare. Other factors include Kentuckys outdoorsy population, DOrazio added.

While its true people with more melanated skin have a lower risk of developing skin cancer, its worth noting anyone can get it, and research shows 1 in 5 people in the U.S. will by age 70.

Effectively, more than two people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour, and having just five or more sunburns during your life doubles your risk for developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Heres a look at some of the most common types of skin cancer and how to know if they might be cancerous.

How does skin cancer develop?

The Skin Cancer Foundation defines the disease as an out-of-control growth of abnormal cells in the epidermis, the outermost layer of your skin.

Unrepaired DNA damaged by ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds triggers mutations, and its these mutations that prompt affected skin cells to multiply rapidly and form tumors or growths.

What are the most common types of skin cancers?

The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) most often form on skin areas exposed to the sun, like the face, ears, neck and scalp, among others, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. It is the most common type of skin cancer with millions of diagnoses each year. Luckily, its rarely fatal.

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are common in places that also get plenty of sun: the tip of an ear or the hands, among other places. It is the second most common skin cancer, and can spread rapidly if not detected and treated early.

Melanoma is the most dangerous of the three varieties. Its estimated more than 186,000 new cases will occur in 2023 alone, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Of those cases, more than 97,000 are expected to be invasive, and this year, melanoma will kill about 8,000 people. Luckily, melanomas can be treated and cured when detected early.

What to look for during a skin check

Skin cancer can look different on different types of skin.

For example, skin cancer on black skin often goes undiagnosed, growing to a more advanced and potentially deadly stage. Because of this, Black people are more likely to die from skin cancer, even though theyre less likely to get it, research has shown.

People with darker skin tend to develop BCC that is darker and less pearly in appearance, while the much more dangerous melanoma develops on areas not exposed to the sun: the eyes, mouth, genitals, under the nails or even the soles of the feet or between the toes.

In general, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the most common sign of skin cancer is a change on your skin.

General symptoms to watch for include:

A new mole that changes in size, shape or color, or that bleeds

A pearly or waxy bump on your face, ears or neck

A flat patch that is pink, red or brownish in color

Areas on your skin that resemble scars

Sores that look crusty or have a depression in the middle or bleed often

A wound or sore that will not heal or that heals but returns again

A rough or scaly lesion that may itch, bleed and become crusty

When checking your skin, think of the ABCDE rule. A is for asymmetry, B is for blurry borders, C is for a mole with color, D is for a large diameter lesion and E is for evolution  changing in shape, size or color, which is the most important sign.

What to know about skin cancer prevention

When it comes to preventing skin cancer, UK oncologist Orazios personal strategy is to start with sun-protective clothing like hats, sunglasses and long sleeves, and then think about sunscreen.

When it comes to which sunscreen to use, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends a sun protection factor (or SPF) of at least 30, which blocks 97% of the suns UVB rays.

Its also advised to limit your sun exposure during peak UV hours. Those hours are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to the American Cancer Society. It doesnt have to be sunny either. Believe it or not, sunburns are still possible on cloudy days.

If you do spend a lot of time outdoors, you should conduct regular skin checks. Use these tips from the American Academy of Dermatology to do so:

Examine your body in a full-length mirror in good light. Look yourself over front to back, then look at the right and left sides with your arms raised. Look at your underarms and forearms. Also, your fingernails and palms. Look at your legs, between the toes, the toenails and the soles of your feet. Invest in a hand mirror and use it to examine your neck, scalp , back and butt, too.

Do this at least once a month.

Do you have a question about health in Kentucky for our service journalism team? Wed like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
Ketanji Brown Jackson accuses Clarence Thomas of having 'an obsession with race consciousness' and relying on 'many more straw men' than can be listed in his affirmative action opinion

Ketanji Brown Jackson and Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Courts two Black justices. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images; Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images.

The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions in a 6-3 decision on Thursday.

The court's two Black justices sharply criticized each other's arguments in their opinions.

Ketanji Brown Jackson said Clarence Thomas's opinion showed "an obsession with race consciousness."

The United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions in a 6-3 decision on Thursday, blocking higher educational institutions from considering race in admissions decisions.

The centrality of race to the case prompted a war of words between the Court's two Black justices in their respective opinions, with each offering starkly different views of the role that race should play in decision-making by policymakers writ large.

In his own 57 page long concurring opinion, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas  a staunch conservative appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush  argued that "all forms of discrimination based on race  including so-called affirmative action" are prohibited under the US Constitution, offering a full-throated defense "colorblindness" in the founding document.

At times, he also made direct criticisms' of the dissenting opinion put forward by Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a liberal justice appointed to the court by President Joe Biden last year.

"As she sees things, we are all inexorably trapped in a fundamentally racist society, with the original sin of slavery and the historical subjugation of black Americans still determining our lives today," wrote Thomas.

"Worse still, Justice Jackson uses her broad observations about statistical relationships between race and select measures of health, wealth, and well-being to label all blacks as victims. Her desire to do so is unfathomable to me," Thomas later wrote. "I cannot deny the great accomplishments of black Americans, including those who succeeded despite long odds."

Thomas went on to argue that Jackson's "race-infused worldview falls flat at each step" and is "siloing us all into racial castes and pitting those castes against each other."

'An obsession with race consciousness'

Jackson's own 29-page dissent is dedicated to explaining the "universal benefits of considering race" in higher education, arguing that such considerations are important due to the "intergenerational transmission of inequality" that originated with slavery and continued through subsequent government policies in the decades since then.

"Given our history, the origin of persistent race-linked gaps should be no mystery," Jackson wrote. "History speaks. In some form, it can be heard forever. The race-based gaps that first developed centuries ago are echoes from the past that still exist today. By all accounts, they are still stark."

She also defended the admissions process at the University of North Carolina, noting that applicants' disclosure of their race on admissions forms is voluntary while lauding the institution for embracing "its constitutional obligation to afford genuine equal protection to applicants."

And in a footnote to her dissent, Jackson responded to Thomas' lengthy arguments against her own opinion.

She accused Thomas of demonstrating in his opinion an "obsession with race consciousness that far outstrips my or UNC's holistic understanding that race can be a factor that affects applicants' unique life experiences."

"Justice Thomas ignites too many more straw men to list, or fully extinguish, here," Jackson wrote. "The takeaway is that those who demand that no one think about race (a classic pink-elephant paradox) refuse to see, much less solve for, the elephant in the room the race-linked disparities that continue to impede achievement of our great Nation's full potential."

She concluded by arguing that proponents of colorblindness "prevent our problem-solving institutions from directly addressing the real import and impact" of racism and are "deterring our collective progression toward becoming a society where race no longer matters."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, pulled no punches when criticizing her conservative counterparts Thursday for ruling to ban affirmative action in American universities, saying they acted with let-them-eat-cake obliviousness.

Jackson did not hide her rage that the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, believed the University of North Carolinas affirmative action admission policies were unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.

Our country has never been so colorblind, Jackson wrote. Given the lengthy history of state-sponsored, race-based preferences in America, to say that anyone is now victimized if a college considers whether that legacy of discrimination has unequally advantaged its applicants fails to acknowledge the well-documented intergenerational transmission of inequality that still plagues our citizenry.

The court also ruled against Harvard, saying it can no longer enact stricter admission standards for Asian American studentsan effort to help maintain diversity on campus. Jackson, who serves on Harvards Board of Overseers, recused herself from that ruling.

Affirmative Action Is Gutted. Nows the Time for Reparations

She was poignant in her dissent to Thursdays ruling, writing that no one benefits from ignorance.

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat, she wrote. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life. And having so detached itself from this countrys actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve Americas real-world problems.

Read Jacksons full dissent below, from page 209.

Also apparently enraged was Justice Sonia Sotomayorthe only justice remaining from the courts landmark decision in 2016 that briefly upheld affirmative actions legality in American universities.

In her own dissent, Sotomayor wrote, entrenched racial inequality remains a reality today. She also criticized the courts majority for concluding that indifference to race is the only constitutionally permissible means to achieving racial equality in admissions.

That interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is not only contrary to precedent and the entire teachings of our history, she wrote, but is also grounded in the illusion that racial inequality was a problem of a different generation.

She added, Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgement of inequality.

Sotomayor and Jacksons opinions werent enough to trump the courts 6-3 majority, which has recently upended several long-standing rulings, like abortion protections enacted by the courts decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973.

1431389414 Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts. Alex Wong/Getty

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the courts majority felt universities must accept the most-qualified applicant without taking race into consideration, a potentially crucial blow to diversity in higher education.

The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race, Roberts wrote. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

While Jackson criticized the ruling and its ability to erase race from admission decisions, conservative justices leaned into the notion of making the country more colorblind. Justice Clarence Thomas, who is Black, indicated in a concurring opinion that colorblindness was the whole point.

Thomas wrote that the majority decision sees the universities admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.

He added, Those policies fly in the face of our colorblind Constitution and our Nations equality ideal.

Jackson wrote that she couldnt disagree more, saying affirmative action leveled the playing field for aspiring college students whove faced generational inequality.

It is that inequality that admissions programs such as UNCs help to address, to the benefit of us all, she wrote. Because the majoritys judgment stunts that progress without any basis in law, history, logic, or justice, I dissent.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Kevin Costner's estranged wife agrees to move out of his compound, but only if he OKs her six figure monthly support request: court docs

Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are divorcing after nearly 20 years of marriage. Getty Images

Kevin Costner and his ex are in the midst of an increasingly bitter divorce.

Costner has demanded his wife of nearly two decades move out of his compound.

Christine Baumgartner has agreed, but only if he ponies up nearly $250,000 a month in child support.

The estranged spouse of veteran actor Kevin Costner said she is willing to move out of their palatial California marital compound  but on one condition.

Christine Baumgartner, 49, filed court papers June 28 in their increasingly acrimonious divorce to OK the "Dances With Wolves" star's demand that she move out of the Santa Barbara compound by the end of the summer, but only if he agrees to pay her $248,000 a month in child support, according to court papers obtained by Insider.

"Kevin's statementthat I have 'refused' to move out is simply not true," Baumgartner said in her most recent divorce declaration. "Since the initiation of this divorce, I have repeatedly told Kevin (both directly and through counsel) that I would move out once a child support order or agreement was in place. And I have taken steps to demonstrate my commitment to doing so by investigating available housing options."

The filing comes just a week before the pair  parents to Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14 and Grace 13  are set to meet face to face in front of a judge over whether Baumgartner has the legal right to remain in the home, which Costner disputes.

Costner said he has offered Baumgartner $30,000 in monthly child support payments, but Baumgartner said she needs $248,000 a month to maintain the lifestyle the children grew up in, their court papers state. Baumgartner, a handbag designer, said she is unemployed and has no assets besides the $50,000 in her checking account.

Costner, meanwhile, made $19 million in 2022 and paid all of their family's $6.6 million in expenses, according to Baumgartner's court filings.

A judge has yet to rule in the case.

Baumgartner filed for divorce last month, citing "irreconcilable differences." Costner then filed a motion to evict his wife from their marital home, arguing that she agreed in their prenuptial agreement to vacate the property within 30 days if they split.

Kevin Costner wants Christine Baumgartner to move out of his California compound. Getty Images

Costner said that in addition to his $30,000 monthly support offer, he has proposed paying Baumgartner $1 million towards a new house, and paying the mortgage, insurance and taxes on the place for a year, according to his court papers.

Baumgartner responded with legal documents accusing the "Yellowstone" actor of trying to illegally turf both her and their three teenagers out of the home they grew up in  an allegation that Costner denied.

"Kevin wants me to rent a place without a financial plan in place," Baumgartner said in the June 28 declaration. "However, I have our three children to think about. It is contrary to their best interests to commit to a rental that I may not be able to afford, particularly as that would ultimately lead to multiple relocations."

Lawyers for Baumgartner and Costner did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
The Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action leaves the door open to giving college applicants extra consideration if they have suffered bias, discrimination or hardships. (Associated Press)

The Supreme Court's opinion about affirmative action rejects the use of race as an admissions factor at colleges and universities.

But it does not close to door to giving applicants extra consideration if they have suffered bias, discrimination or hardships.

It means that efforts to diversify will need to change at many colleges and universities, and admissions offices will need to rely on what is often described as "race-neutral" policy that focuses on the hardships and experiences of individual applicants.

Read more: Supreme Court strikes down race-based affirmative action in college admissions

Here are some key quotes from the opinion by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the dissents from Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson:

Roberts:

"The entire point of the Equal Protection Clause is that treating someone differently because of their skin color is not like treating them differently because they are from a city or from a suburb, or because they play the violin poorly or well."

That means "race may never be used as a 'negative' and that it may not operate as a stereotype. ... Our cases have stressed that an individuals race may never be used against him in the admissions process."

The admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina may have been "well-intentioned and implemented in good faith," but they use race "as a stereotype" for giving preferences to some students over others.

Admissions officers may consider an individual student's full story, even if it includes their race, he said.

"Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. ... A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that students unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race."

Many universities have focused too much on race, he said.

"They have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

Sotomayor:

"Today, this court overrules decades of precedent and imposes a superficial rule of race blindness on the Nation. The devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated. The majoritys vision of race neutrality will entrench racial segregation in higher education because racial inequality will persist so long as it is ignored."

Read more: 'We're really worried': What do colleges do now after affirmative action ruling?

"This supposed recognition that universities can, in some situations, consider race in application essays is nothing but an attempt to put lipstick on a pig. The courts opinion circumscribes universities ability to consider race in any form by meticulously gutting respondents asserted diversity interests."

Jackson:

"Gulf-sized race-based gaps exist with respect to the health, wealth, and well-being of American citizens. They were created in the distant past, but have indisputably been passed down to the present day through the generations. Every moment these gaps persist is a moment in which this great country falls short of actualizing one of its foundational principles  the 'self-evident' truth that all of us are created equal."

"Our country has never been colorblind. Given the lengthy history of state-sponsored race-based preferences in America, to say that anyone is now victimized if a college considers whether that legacy of discrimination has unequally advantaged its applicants fails to acknowledge the well-documented 'intergenerational transmission of inequality' that still plagues our citizenry."





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kids in Gastonia are getting their hands dirty with local farmers to learn more about nutrition this summer.

As part of the communitys Farm to Table initiative, kids will learn about and prepare healthy meals with local farmers and culinary experts. The program is being led by Keep Gastonia Beautiful, with funding from Dominion Energy.

ALSO READ: What are we going to do? Mooresville farmers market must find new location

The program also connects farmers with local families struggling with food insecurity while teaching the children in those communities the importance of healthy eating. More than 500 kids will meet with farmers at the Gastonia Farmers Market for hands-on cooking lessons during 18 different events happening over the summer.

Channel 9s Gina Esposito joined one of the events on Thursday morning. She met Mark Scronce, a third-generation farmer who will be working with teachers and community leaders to explain the importance of farming

Most of these kids have never been on a farmthey dont know where a tomato comes from or a green bean, Scronce told Esposito They think it comes from the grocery store.

Tammie Lindsay works with R.A.M.S. Kitchen and runs the tasting part of the camp. The kitchen serves up healthy, affordable meals to the community daily, each one only costs $5.

Its really helping the community, you know keeping them healthy and also keeping it affordable, Lindsay said.

To keep healthy food affordable and accessible, communities need farmers. For Scronce, seeing the kids interest grow gives him hope for the next generation of farmers.

Somebodys going to have to grow it, Scronce said, so I hope to see these kids.

For more information about the events, click here.

(WATCH BELOW: Uptown Farmers Market reopens for fourth season)
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leaves the opening of his campaign headquaters in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Reba Saldanha (Reba Saldanha / reuters)

The political network established by conservative industrialists Charles and David Koch has raised more than $70 million for political races as it looks to help Republicans move past Donald Trump, according to an official with the group.

With some of this large sum to start, the network, Americans for Prosperity Action, plans to throw its weight into the GOP presidential nominating contest for the first time in its nearly 20-year history. The network spent nearly $500 million supporting Republican candidates and conservative policies in the 2020 election cycle alone.

Two groups closely affiliated with Charles Koch contributed $50 million of the more than $70 million that has been raised. (David Koch died of cancer in 2019.) Koch is a major shareholder in Koch Industries, which contributed $25 million to Americans for Prosperity Action, according to a preliminary draft of Federal Election Commission filings. Another $25 million was donated by Stand Together, a nonprofit he founded.

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The Koch networks goal in the 2024 presidential primaries, which has been described only indirectly in written internal communications, is to stop Trump from winning the Republican nomination. In February, a top political official in the network, Emily Seidel, wrote a memo to donors and activists saying it was time to have a president in 2025 who represents a new chapter.

Since then, Republican voters have rallied around the former president, with his support in polls strengthening his front-runner status after his two indictments. Some of the biggest donors in Republican politics, including some in the Koch network, had been hanging their hopes on Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida as Trumps most promising rival. But DeSantis has disconcerted many donors with his early campaign stumbles and a slip in his poll numbers.

With seven months until the primaries, the Koch coalition of conservatives is still searching for who its influential and wealthy donors believe can take down the former president, a reflection of a broader paralysis among anti-Trump Republican donors who have watched in shock as Trumps poll numbers have held despite two indictments. A memo that circulated inside the Koch network this month made the case that Trumps renomination was not inevitable, arguing that the issue of electability could still weaken him.

Some top Republican donors, who routinely write seven- or eight-figure checks to support candidates, are keeping their checkbooks closed as they wait to see whether DeSantis can improve or whether another candidate, like Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, pops during the summer debates. Their paralysis has benefited Trump, who is begrudgingly viewed by many top party donors as the inevitable nominee.

Yet officials in the Koch network profess optimism that 2024 will not be a repeat of 2016, when Trump began winning statewide races with roughly one-third of the partys Republican base behind him in a fractured, crowded field.

The notion of Trumps inevitability is being pushed by left-leaning media outlets, political operatives and the Trump campaign itself, Michael Palmer, president of the Koch-affiliated voter data group i360, wrote in a memo this month.

Palmer sought to dispel that narrative: The country is in a much different place than it was eight years ago. Voters of all stripes (including GOP primary voters) have a changed base of knowledge regarding the former president, and other candidates will most certainly treat him differently in the primary this time around.

Yet save for a handful of rivals, most have walked fairly gingerly around Trump or have defended him over his two criminal indictments.

Palmer argued that Trump was weaker than he appeared. He noted how much time was left in the campaign; the fact that early polling often doesnt predict the winner; that many voters express concern about Trumps general-election viability; and that a chunk of the former presidents voters have signaled openness to another, more electable candidate.

Palmer wrote that support for DeSantis at this time likely represents a generic Republican as his policy positions are not well known outside of Florida.

The group is expected to make a new round of digital advertising on the issue of electability in the presidential race, in addition to sending out its first piece of direct mail in the coming days.

The group has also made a series of endorsements in down-ballot races, where it plans to spend significant sums. Americans for Prosperity has 300 full-time employees within states and 800 part-timers, officials said. It is about to make its first round of congressional endorsements.

Its not clear how soon before the Iowa caucuses early next year the group will decide on the best candidate to back against Trump.

According to the preliminary draft of the FEC filings for Americans for Prosperity Action, its major donors include Art Pope, a North Carolina businessperson who attended a policy retreat hosted by former Vice President Mike Pence before he joined the presidential race; Craig Duchossois, a Chicago businessperson; Jim and Rob Walton, brothers and heirs to the Walmart fortune; and Ron Cameron, an Arkansas poultry magnate.

DeSantis in particular has taken several positions that are ideologically at odds with the Koch network, including his promise to repeal the First Step Act  a criminal justice reform bill that was passed during the Trump presidency with the strong backing of the network. Yet the groups officials may ultimately choose pragmatism over strict agreement on key issues if it looks as if a candidate could win.

As they wait for the Republican field to winnow, top network officials are trying to pull off a difficult feat: changing who votes in Republican primaries. The network has a vast army of door-knockers, backed by tens of millions of dollars, who fan out across competitive states each election cycle to support candidates.

During these early months of the Republican presidential primaries, the network is dispatching these same activists to engage voters who are open to supporting somebody other than Trump. They are beginning a conversation with those voters, collecting data on them and raising doubts about Trumps chances of winning a general election. They intend to return to these voters doors closer to the primaries to try to persuade them to vote for the networks preferred candidate.

A key part of our strategy to elect better leaders is to empower more peoples voices in the primaries, Seidel said in a statement. Were asking general election voters to show up in the primaries to support better candidates  and in speaking to tens of thousands of those voters already, they are enthusiastic to get engaged earlier to support a candidate who can win.

This well-funded effort to defeat Trump represents something of a do-over. Before the 2016 Republican primaries, Marc Short, a senior Koch official at the time, argued internally that the network should spend heavily to stop Trump and support a rival with a more conservative policy record, such as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas or Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

Top officials and donors killed the idea, but some in the network regretted it. Short has come full circle. He went on to join the Trump-Pence campaign and served in the Trump administration as legislative affairs director and then chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence. Short is now advising Pence as he runs for president against his former boss.

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You are here: China

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its third session Wednesday in Beijing.

At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt the law on developing barrier-free environments and the law on foreign relations.

President Xi Jinping signed two presidential orders to promulgate the laws.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting.

Lawmakers adopted a decision to establish a deputies affairs commission of the NPC Standing Committee and a decision to designate Aug. 15 as National Ecology Day.

They also ratified the Ninth Additional Protocol to the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union, and the Protocol Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft.

The session also approved the State Council's final accounts for 2022 and adopted personnel-related bills.

Addressing the closing meeting, Zhao said the foreign relations law is of great significance to enhancing the rule of law in foreign-related work, better safeguarding China's sovereignty, national security and development interests, providing support for building a strong country and national rejuvenation, and building a human community with a shared future.

Lauding the law on developing barrier-free environments, Zhao said the law will help address the concerns of people with disabilities and the elderly.

He praised the decision on designating National Ecology Day, noting that it will raise public awareness on promoting the harmony between humanity and nature.

Zhao also called for efforts to use the establishment of the deputies affairs commission as an opportunity to support lawmakers in better fulfilling duties.

Zhao chaired a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting and presided over a lecture for lawmakers after the closing meeting.

After the closing meeting, Zhao also granted letters of appointment to members of the sixth-term Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the NPC Standing Committee and new members of the fifth-term Committee for the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the NPC Standing Committee.
Protesters gather at the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad

By Ahmed Saad

BAGHDAD (Reuters) -Dozens of Iraqis protested on Thursday in front of the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad after a man burned a Koran outside a mosque in Stockholm.

Some of the protesters set fire to a rainbow-coloured flag representing the LGBT community and many held the Koran and portraits of populist Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and chanted "yes, yes to the Koran".

Iraq's Foreign Ministry summoned Sweden's ambassador.

In its permit for Wednesday's demonstration, Swedish police said that while it "may have foreign policy consequences", the security risks and consequences linked to a Koran burning were not of such a nature that the application should be rejected.

Swedish police charged the man who burned the holy book with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

In a newspaper interview, he described himself as an Iraqi refugee seeking to ban it.

The Iraqi ministry said he was Iraqi and urged the Swedish government to hand him over so he could be tried in accordance with Iraqi law.

The government of several Muslim countries, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco have also issued protests about the incident. The United States also condemned it, but added that issuing the permit supported freedom of expression and was not an endorsement of the action.

Sadr had called on his followers to hold the protest and demand the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador, the cutting ties with Sweden and to keep burning the LGBT flag until the eighth day of the lunar month of Muharram because "it is what irritates them the most", he said in a statement.

"The ambassador should go and ... the embassy should not stay in Iraq at all ..., protester Moamal Abbas said.

(Reporting by Ahmed Saad and Maher Nazih; Writing by Amina Ismail; Editing by William Maclean and Alison Williams)
Your slice of the headlines in Ukraine. Daily. Thursday, June 29, 2023.

The body of another person has been recovered from the rubble of a cafe in Kramatorsk in frontline Donetsk Oblast that was destroyed in a Russian missile attack on June 27, bringing the death toll to 12, the State Emergency Service reported on June 29.

The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is not the only dangerous facility where the Russian invaders have prepared to cause another man-made ecological catastrophe.

Russian occupation authorities in the occupied territories of southern Ukraine have informed parents that if they do not obtain Russian passports, their children will be banned from enrolling in school, Ukraines National Resistance Center (NRC) reported on June 27.

Ukraine celebrates the 27th anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution on June 28.

The Wagner mercenary company is fully funded by the Russian state, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin admitted during a meeting with military officials on June 27.

Direct damage to housing and other real estate in Ukraine exceeded over $54 billion as of May 2023, according to research published by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute on June 26.

Yuriy Husyev has been dismissed as CEO of Ukraines state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyys decree published on June 27.

Dmytro Humenyuk, head of the safety analysis department of the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, details how exactly the enemy could damage the Zaporizhzhya NPP and the main dangers it would pose.

What civil partnerships are, who can enter into them, and why this bill is not just for the LGBT community  NV explains Ukraines new moves to-wards marriage equality.

The UN demonstrates mournful callousness and a single-minded obsession on the grain deal. But if a disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) happens, Ukraine's grain will have to be forgotten for centuries.

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
Moscow has insisted that President Vladimir Putin has not been weakened by the Wagner armed rebellion (Gavriil GRIGOROV)

The Kremlin said Thursday that footage, which could not be verified, apparently showing President Vladimir Putin greeting adoring supporters proved that he has "astounding" support after quelling an armed insurrection.

Moscow has insisted that Putin's long rule has not been weakened after Wagner mercenaries marched hundreds of kilometres -- almost reaching Moscow -- and captured military facilities in southern Russia, appearing to gain some support.

Putin is rarely seen meeting ordinary Russians, especially since the Covid pandemic, which saw him observe strict isolation rules, with some of those restrictions still in place.

Moscow late on Wednesday released footage of Putin walking up to a cheering group of mostly women in Derbent, an ancient city in the Dagestan region of southern Russia.

"In Derbent, there was an astounding demonstration of support and happiness of the local population," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

He said Putin "could not refuse" greeting the crowd.

Surrounded by men in suits and a cameraman, the 70-year-old leader reached out over a barrier to shake people's hands.

Then, with his jacket off, he waved goodbye and blew a kiss to the crowd, before getting in a car.

The Kremlin, which has not mentioned Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin by name since his mutiny, has insisted that Putin has not been weakened by the rebellion.

"The data we have show the prevailing and dominating support of the president and the special military operation," Peskov said Thursday using Moscow's official term for the conflict in Ukraine.

Putin has insisted that the mutineers did not galvanise support during their rebellion.

He initially condemned the rebelling Wagner fighters as traitors and vowed tough punishment but after the mutiny was halted, Putin allowed the fighters to go back to their homes, join the regular army or go into exile in Belarus.

bur/lcm
Putin is freezing out and arresting people deemed to be traitors after the Wagner mutiny: reports

Russian President Vladimir Putin talks on the phone as part of a nationwide charity campaign, in Moscow on January 3, 2023. MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

The Kremlin is searching for traitors in the Russian military, a report said.

It comes after the Wagner mercenary group launched a mutiny aimed at toppling military chiefs.

The Kremlin believes the rebellion may've had broader military backing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a hunt for traitors in the wake of the Wagner Group's mutiny against military leaders, reports say.

According to Washington DC-based think tank The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a well-sourced Russian military blogger claimed that "large-scale purges" had been launched of Russian military commanders and that the Russian Ministry of Defence is currently undergoing a "crash test" for loyalty.

Sources also told The Financial Times that Putin is seeking to re-establish his authority over the Russian military in the wake of the rebellion, and is freezing out suspected traitors or sympathizers to repair his "tough guy" reputation.

A source described as an acquaintance of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, told the outlet that Russian security services "have started shaking down sympathizers and those who violated their oath."

Meanwhile, loyalists are being rewarded. The Financial Times said that Viktor Zolotov, a former bodyguard to the president, has received a promotion for his police force.

According to reports, Russian Army General Sergei Surovokin, formerly the commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, was arrested in the wake of the mutiny over allegations he supported it.

It came after US intelligence officials told the New York Times that Surovikin had advanced knowledge of Prigozhin's plot.

Surovikin in a video message Saturday denounced the rebellion, but both the Financial Times and the ISW report he may have been compelled to make the film because of his good relations with Prigozhin.

The Russian military responded poorly to last Saturday's rebellion, with Wagner fighters seizing control of parts of southern Russia and the city of Rostov-on-Don, where the military's Ukraine war command centre is based, before advancing on Moscow.

The rebellion was called off Saturday night after negotiations between Wagner leaders and the Kremlin resulted in Prigozhin going into exile in Belarus, and charges against Wagner fighters being dropped.

But according to the ISW, Putin will likely be keen to find scapegoats for the rebellion and assert his dominance, given its leader has evaded punishment.

"It's real tough guy stuff," a sanctioned figure in the Russian elite told the FT. "It's like when you go into the prison cell for the first time and punch the biggest guy you can find in the face to show nobody can mess with you."

The rebellion was launched after months of infighting between key figures behind Russia's Ukraine invasion.

Prigozhin had released a series of increasingly aggressive video messages from the front line accusing military leaders, including defense minister Sergei Shoigu, of botching the invasion and being part of a pampered elite.

Prigozhin claimed to have extensive backing for his mutiny among Russian military members, but wider backing for the rebellion did not materialize on Saturday.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Kremlin gives no detail on fate of 'General Armageddon' Surovikin after mercenary mutiny

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Putin visits the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin declined on Thursday to give any details about the fate of Russian General Sergei Surovikin, whose status and location have not been made public since an abortive armed mutiny by mercenaries on Saturday.

Nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in Syria's war, Surovikin - who is a deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine - has been absent from view since Saturday, when he appeared in a video appealing to mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to call off his mutiny.

Surovikin had looked exhausted in that video and it was unclear if he was speaking under duress. There have since been unconfirmed reports that he is being questioned by the security services.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred questions about Surovikin to the defence ministry, which has so far made no statement about him.

Asked by reporters if the Kremlin could clarify the situation with Surovikin, Peskov said: "No, unfortunately not.

"So I recommend that you contact the defence ministry; this is its prerogative."

When a reporter asked if President Vladimir Putin still trusted Surovikin, Peskov said: "He (Putin) is the supreme commander-in-chief and he works with the defence minister and with the chief of the General Staff."

Questions about "structural units within the ministry," Peskov said, should be addressed to the defence ministry.

The ministry did not reply to a Reuters request for clarity on the fate of Surovikin, one of Russia's most respected generals who previously commanded Russian forces in Ukraine for several months.

Russia's most senior generals have dropped out of public view in the wake of the mutiny aimed at toppling the top military brass, amid a drive by Putin to reassert his authority.

The mutiny, which Putin said could have tipped Russia into civil war, amounts to the biggest challenge to the Russian state since the 1991 hardline coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev as the Soviet Union crumbled.

Putin, Russia's paramount leader since 1999, thanked the army and law enforcement agencies for preventing what he said would have been devastating turmoil of the kind last seen after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.

PUTIN, PRIGOZHIN

The 70-year-old former KGB spy was shown on Wednesday visiting a mosque at the ancient, pre-Arab Naryn-Kala citadel in the Derbent fortress on the shores of the Caspian Sea, around 2,000 km (1,240 miles) south of Moscow.

The Kremlin said Putin also chaired a meeting about the development of tourism in the region. Putin, pictured in sunglasses and without a tie, was shown speaking to local residents who took selfies with him.

The fate of Prigozhin, who rose to become Russia's most powerful mercenary, remains unclear.

A private jet linked to Prigozhin flew from St Petersburg, the former imperial capital of Russia, to Moscow on Thursday, though it was unclear who was on the aircraft.

The Kremlin's Peskov said he did not have information about Prigozhin's current location.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said this week that he had persuaded Putin not to "wipe out" Prigozhin, adding that the mercenary chief had flown to Belarus.

Speaking about the causes of the mutiny, Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential lawmaker who chairs the lower house of parliament's defence committee, said Prigozhin had refused to sign contracts for his mercenaries to serve under the defence ministry.

As a result, Kartapolov said, Prigozhin had been told his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine and no longer receive money from the Russian state.

Putin said on Tuesday that Prigozhin, Wagner and his Concord catering company had received at least $2 billion from the Russian state over the past year.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Alexander MarrowEditing by Andrew Osborn, Gareth Jones and Mark Heinrich)
Kris Jenner doesnt know how much fast food costs, gives Khloe Kardashian $300 for In-N-Out

Kris Jenner doesnt know how much fast food costs, gives Khloe Kardashian $300 for In-N-Out

Kris Jenner clearly doesn't know her way around  In-N-Out, up and down  fast-food establishments.

In Season Three, Episode Six of "The Kardashians," Jenner famously showed how wealthy she is when she tried to pay for a couple of cheeseburgers at In-N-Out Burger with three hundred-dollar bills.

In the episode, Jenner went to the fast-food joint with Kim and Khloe Kardashian and their friends after their Vegas plans for Kim's birthday fell through.

But once everyone ordered their food, Jenner tried to pay by giving Khloe a few hundred dollars.

Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala - Arrivals (John Shearer / Getty Images for The Hollywood R)

Mom, I dont know how the f--- you have never been to a fast-food restaurant. We dont need hundreds of dollars, the Good American co-founder said.

Khloe then turned toward the cameramen and showed them that her mom had indeed given her a $100 bill to pay for cheeseburgers.

"She tried to give me $300," she said with a laugh. "I dont think she realized how much fast-food restaurants are."

Although this was surely a memorable moment for Jenner, the momager isn't the only person in the family who might be a little out of touch with reality.

In May 2022, Kendall Jenner made headlines when she showed that she doesn't know how to cut a cucumber on "The Kardashians" and was even startled at how many seeds are inside them.

Watching Kendall Jenner cut a cucumber was the best part of the newest Kardashians episode, one person tweeted at the time.

Due to all the comments she was getting on social media, Kendall Jenner decided to address her lackluster kitchen skills at a screening event and Q&A panel she attended in Los Angeles in June 2022.

Khloe was right, watching it back sometimes can be therapy and I know this is actually silly. Like this isnt a real big deal to me. Its hysterical, she joked. But watching it back, because I was like, Why did I cut it? Like, I dont even know why I cut it like that.

Kendall Jenner noted that she talked to one of their chefs and asked them for a lesson.

I was like, Can you help me? Can you teach me? Like, what did I do wrong? How can I do better? she said. I really took it seriously. I think its hysterical and I love it. Honestly, its because it couldnt be more me! Like, I am like a noodle that does weird things.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A homeless encampment forms on Venice Beach in Los Angeles on June 8, 2021.

A homeless encampment forms on Venice Beach in Los Angeles on June 8, 2021.

The Los Angeles Police Department has postponed a sweep of an encampment of unhoused people after a controversial email from a high-ranking officer was leaked on the internet.

In the email sent June 14, Senior Lead Officer Brittney Gutierrez alerted multiple people that there would be a mass arrest Thursday during a cleanup of an encampment in the West Hills neighborhood and that peoples belongings would be confiscated by the Los Angeles Sanitation Department.

Everyone will be arrested and all their belongings will be taken away by sanitation, the LAPD officer wrote.

She suggested that the operation would be executed covertly, calling the effort a hush hush task force so police could arrest everyone there.

As always, do not approach these individuals experiencing homelessness. I want to make sure all are there at the encampment on the 29th so I can arrest them, her email said. This is a hush hush task force.

If this email is legit, the LAPD is planning to arrest homeless on Thursday June 29th in Woodland Hills by a hush hush task force.



This language sounds like theyre trying to herd & trap homeless. Wild language. pic.twitter.com/U8ZZkKPzNX  Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) June 27, 2023

Encampment sweeps forcibly push unhoused people out of their makeshift shelters in an effort to clean up the city. Community organizers have pushed back against the sweeps and the ordinances that permit them, policies that many refer to as a citywide effort to criminalize being unhoused rather than addressing core issues such as the citys affordable housing crisis.

William Gude, who runs a popular Twitter account that tracks reports of police misconduct, @FilmThePoliceLA, posted a screenshot of the email from Gutierrez on Twitter on Tuesday.

Community activist Katherine Tattersfield told HuffPost that she obtained a copy of the email through a network of sources who remain anonymous, then sent the screenshot to Gude.

The LAPD frequently harasses and arrests people experiencing homelessness, Tattersfield, a frequent critic of the LAPD, said.

Its disheartening, but I am very glad that this came to light because the LAPD statement says that this is out of protocol, and we know that thats not true, Tattersfield added. We know that this is protocol.

The LAPD called the email highly inappropriate and announced that it would be postponing the sweep in a statement.

When enforcement becomes necessary it is in response to a criminal action. Enforcement will not be used as a means of creating a quick fix to a complicated situation, nor will it be based solely on the persons homeless status, the statement continued.

LAPD also said that the officer who authored the email will undergo extensive training by the departments Homeless Coordinators Office.

An officer by the name of Brittney Gutierrez, along with another officer, Jaime Mejia, shot and killed 34-year-old Michael Cano on Nov. 9, 2015, according to a document from the Los Angeles district attorney. The officers, responding to a report of a man acting strangely in the middle of a street, said that Cano got a hold of an officers beanbag weapon amid the confrontation and that they then shot him with their service weapons. The district attorney concluded in a 2018 report that both officers had acted in lawful self-defense.

The badge number in Gutierrezs email aligns with the one listed in the district attorneys document.

The LAPD declined HuffPosts request for comment on the possible connection and the email.

Related...
Ron DeSantis presidential campaign has the formal backing of five U.S. representatives, one governor, and exactly zero U.S. senators  a grand total of six endorsements from the nations top elected officials.

Hes also won the support of at least 259 state lawmakers.

The discrepancy is no accident.

As he tries to build support for his GOP primary campaign, DeSantis and his political team have undertaken a calculated and sustained effort to court the endorsement of state lawmakers, hopeful that politicians with little national profile but close ties to grassroots voters can best bolster the Florida governors candidacy.

The strategy  one that top campaign officials say is suited to DeSantis background and strengths as a politician  has yielded tangible results, particularly in key early states, and especially in comparison with his lack of support from better-known federal officials who have flocked to Donald Trumps campaign.

To DeSantis officials, these state lawmakers serve as a rebuttal to the perception theyre losing the endorsement battle to Trump  and offer an important group of allies to help appeal to rank-and-file Republican voters across the country.

These folks are people who are closest to our voters day to day, said Sam Cooper, the DeSantis campaigns political director. So you talk about a presidential campaign and the scale at which we operate, we cant talk to everybody. So you go out and get these lawmakers, theyre not congressmen, theyre not senators. Theyre going to local Chamber meetings, theyre going to county fairs. Thats a way for us to reach our folks.

Asked about the criticism over losing out on endorsements, including the vast majority of U.S representatives from Florida, Cooper scoffed.

Weve got the workers and the movers and shakers in these states, Cooper added. Were running against Washington, not to be a part of Washington. So if thats the biggest knock on us, well take that all day long.

The latest round of state-lawmaker endorsements came Wednesday, when the DeSantis campaign announced the support of 18 legislators from North Carolina. That followed an announcement last week of endorsements from 15 South Carolina state legislators.

RELATED CONTENT: Ron DeSantis says hell end birthright citizenship as president

ENDORSEMENTS

In statements announcing their support, lawmakers offer a standard rationale for their endorsement, saying they think DeSantis is an impressive leader and represents the best choice for president.

In interviews, however, many of them offer a more detailed explanation, citing the governors electoral track record, his campaigns diligent outreach efforts, even the presence of DeSantis wife, Casey DeSantis.

They also cite his record in Florida  one many of them are familiar with as state-based policy makers themselves  and the governors own understanding of the issues as reasons for their support, arguing they share a vision for conservative governance that they dont necessarily see from DeSantis Republican rivals.

We need somebody who isnt just one tweet away from the next topic, said Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair. He knows what hes talking about. He has a deep understanding of the things hes working on.

Sinclair was one of 37 Iowa state GOP lawmakers to endorse DeSantis in May, more than one-third of all the states 98 total Republican state legislators. The Senate president said she was absolutely shocked so many of the states GOP members were ready to back the governor, especially at such an early juncture of the race.

DeSantis has still struggled to rack up endorsements compared to Trump, whom the governor trails by significant margins in polls of the 2024 GOP primary. According to an 2024 endorsement tracker from FiveThirtyEight.com, Trump has the formal support of 10 U.S. senators, two governors, and dozens of members of the U.S. House, in addition to his own plethora of state House endorsements.

The former president undercut DeSantis in April, when most of Floridas GOP congressional delegation backed Trump in the governors backyard. In interviews, some of those U.S representatives cited their personal relationship with Trump as a reason for their support of him, comments that underscored concerns within the Republican Party that DeSantis hadnt done enough personal outreach with fellow GOP officials.

But even before he officially launched his campaign in May, DeSantis and his political aides have made a concerted effort to show a personal touch to state lawmakers. In interviews, many of them said they had received at least one phone call from the governor to talk, been asked to greet him ahead of stops on the campaign trail, or been invited to attend small gatherings with him.

DeSantis also made a point of visiting state capitals this year, including in Des Moines, Atlanta and Harrisburg, often visiting the Capitol buildings to meet with lawmakers. During one such meeting, in Atlanta in March, DeSantis and his wife met with Georgia lawmakers in the Capitol for two hours, according to GOP Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch.

About two dozen Georgia Republican senators gather in the state Capitol to greet Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is in town for a book tour stop thats seen as a prelude to a 2024 run. #gapol pic.twitter.com/Fk7RQvLxM6  Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) March 30, 2023

About 25 to 35 GOP members attended, Gooch said, a number that impressed him given that the states legislative session had just ended and most lawmakers normally cant wait to leave town.

He really just opened up and was very sincere and genuine, said Gooch, who noted that DeSantis didnt need notes or the help of an aide to talk policy with them. And I think everyone in the room left there somewhat surprised he was so easy to approach.

Gooch has not endorsed DeSantis presidential campaign, saying in an interview that he was mindful that the states sitting governor, Brian Kemp, might enter the presidential race at a later time. But he was not the only GOP lawmaker who said DeSantis reputation for aloofness and curtness was belied by their own experience.

We had heard this legend of Ron DeSantis and what an impersonal kind of a--hole he is, said Jason Osborne, the GOP House Majority Leader in New Hampshire. Hes awkward around people, doesnt know how to talk, etc 

So he shows up, gives a great speech, lots of standing ovations, and hangs out and talks to the crowd for an hour, Osborne continued. And everyone says, Hey, what a cool dude.

READ MORE: When is DeSantis governing vs. campaigning? The line  and the ethics  can be blurry

KINDRED SPIRITS

Osborne, who backed Rand Pauls presidential campaign in 2016, is one of 50 New Hampshire legislators who have backed DeSantis. (The number is high in part because New Hampshire has 424 state lawmakers total, the most of any state.)

Osborne said about 20 to 30 Republicans met with the governor in May, a group the majority leader described as fanboys and girls of the way DeSantis managed the state during the coronavirus pandemic.

Among many of the state lawmakers who endorsed him, DeSantis response to the pandemic was the first time they learned about the governor, impressed with what they saw as a principled fight against many public health experts and federal officials.

When DeSantis meets with state lawmakers now, they say, the governor often tries to win them over not with offers of friendship or personal anecdotes but deep dives on key policies, offering advice about how to approach different issues and relating the discussion to what he did as governor  an approach lawmakers said was relatable to the challenges they themselves face in their own elected positions.

He had real answers, real nuts and bolts solutions to real problems that were facing every day, said Bill Gustoff, a GOP lawmaker from Iowa who endorsed DeSantis after the governor visited Des Moines in March. And he had a blueprint for how to take that to the nation.

DeSantis campaign officials say they recognized early on that the governor was good at talking public policy, liked to do so, and would naturally find an audience of kindred spirits with state lawmakers engaged in their own legislative fights. According to Cooper, the campaigns political director, simply telling DeSantis that a certain lawmaker sits on a health care committee can prompt a 30- to 45-minute discussion between the lawmaker and governor on that topic alone.

He is happy sitting and talking to state lawmakers about public policy in their states, Cooper said. He really enjoys it and is good at it.

In June, DeSantis participated in a call with 100 or so state lawmakers who were members of the State Freedom Caucus Network, a group modeled after the Freedom Caucus DeSantis helped found in the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers quizzed him on a range of policy subjects, according to a source listening to the call, with the governor impressing many of them with a pledge to use executive authority as president to fire any member of the federal bureaucracy whom he thought was not doing his or her job.

The governors interest in talking policy comes across, to say the least.

I get the sense thats literally the only thing he likes to do, Osborne. Or if he doesnt, I dont know where he finds the time to do anything else.

READ MORE: Beyond fighting wokeism. Understanding Ron DeSantis conservative policy agenda

ELECTIONS

Osborne said he also backed DeSantis because he thought the governor was best positioned to help the GOP win in next Novembers elections, citing his nearly 20-point re-election win in Florida last year.

Other lawmakers said Casey DeSantis, a regular presence on the campaign trail, also encouraged their support.

A lot of it is the fact that his wife is a strong voice, said Ashley Trantham, a GOP state lawmaker from South Carolina. And I feel like shes going to be a strong first lady, and be more effective than President Trumps wife, not to discount anything she did. But I just believe Casey is just going to be able to hit the ground running and demand the respect that position deserves.

How much support from state lawmakers  or any endorsement from a politician  can ultimately move the needle with voters is a matter of debate. DeSantis, for his part, hasnt been shy about touting their endorsements on the campaign trail: When he began his campaign in Iowa in May, DeSantis was often introduced at events by a state lawmaker, signaling to the audience that he had local support. At a press conference with reporters near Des Moines, he was also flanked by more than a dozen of them.

Sinclair, who said she is only volunteering to help the governor, said she plans to let people in her own political circles know which candidate she is backing.

As a state lawmaker, Sinclair said, seeing him do that in his state, I want that for my nation as well.
Larry Fink at World Economic Forum in 2023

Larry Fink, chief executive officer of Blackrock Inc., speaks an event on the sidelines on day three of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January. Credit - Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Larry Fink doesnt want to use the term ESG anymore, and the longtime BlackRock CEO said he is ashamed to have been drawn into the political debate over the term. At a quick glance, those comments from Fink made at Aspen Ideas on June 25 might sound like a moment for right wing culture warriors to celebrate. After all, Fink is one of the worlds most influential investors and his very public embrace of ESG in 2018 helped make the term mainstream.

But if you only read the headlines you would be missing the point. In his comments, Fink went on to say that he still believes in conscientious capitalism and that instead of talking in vague terms about ESG he now prefers to talk a lot about decarbonization, we talk a lot about governance  or social issues, if thats something we need to address. In other words, Fink isnt changing the firms practices, hes just changing the way he talks about them.

Fink is not alone. As the backlash to ESG has grown over the last year, business leaders have changed the way they talk about their climate work to tiptoe around the political faultlines. Some have used different language that avoids phrases like ESG; others have avoided even talking about it in public venues. But in operational plans and corporate-strategy sessions investors and business executives in most industries say they havent backtracked at all, particularly on environment- and climate-related issues.

You might call this an inflection point. Companies and investors are increasingly building climate into their strategies; theyre also rethinking how and whether they talk about it. RIP to ESG, Anne Simpson, global head of sustainability at the asset manager Franklin Templeton, told me earlier this year. Not because we think this is an end to this, but because its a beginning.

If this is indeed a beginning, what comes next?

Its clear that climate change and the energy transition are irreversibly remaking sectors. An EY survey of C-suite leaders at large U.S. companies last year found that 82% had set emissions-reduction goals and an even greater percentage said that they view sustainability as important to their business. And thats reflected in the trillions of dollars companies have committed to adjust their operations to thrive in a low-carbon world, from the EV manufacturing facilities popping up around the world to the billions flowing into clean hydrogen projects.

Whats unknown is what fits and starts will occur along the way. The backtracking from climate commitments in the oil-and-gas industry as fossil fuel prices have risen is a prime example. And, surely, many companies will avoid thinking about decarbonization until they are forced to do so. But the reality is that stakeholdersgovernments, investors, consumers, and employeesare increasingly putting that pressure on companies.

Despite all this, the ESG backlash does matter, and businesses are terrified about the consequences of speaking out. BlackRock, to point to an obvious example, has lost billions in business from the states of Texas and Florida after being targeted by conservative politicians in those states.

For that reason, companies increasingly seem inclined to follow a version of Finks approach: pursue climate efforts and explain them in clear language as a business objective. Talk about the work that is happening, Whitney Dailey, executive vice president at Allison+Partners, which advises on ESG communications, said during a panel I spoke on earlier this week. It is about being specific and exacting in our communication, understanding our stakeholders, what they care about, what theyre going to want to hear from us, and, again, tying it back to the business.
The Hunter Biden saga has taken a new twist with the emergence of an IRS whistleblower, Gary Shapley.

Shapleys testimony to lawyers from the House Ways and Means Committee became public last week.

Everything that revolves around President Bidens son tends to get pulled into partisan dogfights, with Republicans alleging grave and nefarious deeds and Democrats complaining that the controversies are being grossly exaggerated for political reasons.

Here are the key points in the latest development.

What is the core allegation?

Shapley alleges that there was serious interference in the investigation of Hunter Biden that began in late 2018.

This interference, he alleges, blunted the force of that investigation, left key questions unanswered and, at crucial moments, gave the younger Bidens team advance warning of what was about to happen.

Shapleys testimony was extensive. The transcript runs to 180 pages. The interview was conducted May 26 but remained under wraps until last week.

A central  but contested  claim is that the lead prosecutor and U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, David Weiss, shocked Shapley and others by ultimately saying he was not the deciding official on whether charges are filed.

This revelation was followed, according to Shapley, by Weisss statement that he subsequently asked for special counsel authority from Main [Department of Justice] at that time and was denied that authority.

Why does this matter?

If Shapley is right, the ultimate decision on charging Hunter Biden in many serious matters fell not to Weiss, who had been appointed by former President Trump, but to two U.S. Attorneys who were appointed by President Biden: Matthew Graves in the District of Columbia, and Martin Estrada in the Central District of California.

No charges were forthcoming in either jurisdiction.

Is there anything else?

There is a lot more.

One element of Shapleys testimony that has received enormous publicity is a reference to a 2017 WhatsApp message allegedly sent by Hunter Biden to a Chinese business associate.

The message shows Biden saying he is sitting here with my father and pressuring the associate to fulfill a commitment  or risk incurring the wrath of both Bidens.

However, it has not been shown that Joe Biden, then out of office, was physically present, and the president Wednesday told a reporter he was not.

Nor has it been shown that President Biden had any knowledge of his sons message. A lawyer for Hunter Biden has implied the younger Biden was lying at a time when he was in the grip of serious addiction.

That message aside, Shapley is especially withering about Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, whose interventions he considers to have hindered the investigation.

For example, he cites a 2020 meeting in which Wolf allegedly acknowledged that investigators could establish probable cause to obtain a search warrant for a guest house on President Bidens Delaware property where Hunter stayed.

But, according to Shapley, Wolf worried whether the juice was worth the squeeze and was concerned about the optics of such a search.

On another occasion, Shapley alleges that there were plans to search a storage unit in northern Virginia where documents from Hunter Bidens office had been moved.

He describes a call to discuss that search and alleges:

No sooner had we gotten off the call [than] we heard AUSA Wolf had simply reached out to Hunter Bidens defense counsel and told him about the storage unit, once again ruining our chance to get to evidence before being destroyed, manipulated, or concealed.

Wolf does not appear to have commented publicly on the allegations.

Is the whistleblower credible?

Based upon what we know so far: Yes.

Shapley has been with the IRS since 2009 and is a supervisory special agent.

In his interview with the committee, he says that he has absolutely no political activities in my past and has never given a dollar to any campaign.

Buttressing those claims of political disinterest, he notably declined to bite on some of the more damaging suggestions that were dangled in front of him by counsel for the GOP majority on the committee.

To take one example, a lawyer asked Shapley if he believed Wolf was angling for some sort of position in the [Biden] administration in the Justice Department.

Shapley answered, I have no idea.

Asked whether he had heard chatter to that effect, Shapley again demurred.

No, Ive never heard that, he said.

What is the counterargument?

Attorney General Merrick Garland has pushed back hard at any suggestion that Weiss was thwarted by others or lacked the authority to bring charges.

He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own, Garland said at a press conference late last week.

Garland said that Weiss had the power to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to.

I dont know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution given that he has this authority, Garland also claimed.

Crucially, in a June 7 letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Weiss wrote that he did indeed have ultimate authority over this matter, including responsibility for deciding where, when and whether to file charges.

This does not disqualify all of Shapleys allegations by any means. But it is a sizable challenge for those who want those allegations to be taken at face value.

Basically, a Trump-appointed prosecutor is denying Shapleys narrative of pro-Biden political interference. Thats clearly important.

Anything else?

Shapleys testimony includes other details that raise further questions about law enforcements conduct or are personally embarrassing for Hunter Biden.

In the first category, Shapleys testimony includes details about the now-infamous Hunter Biden laptop.

When the laptops existence became public in October 2020  weeks before the presidential election  doubts were raised about its veracity. Twitter, in its pre-Elon Musk era, controversially blocked users from sharing a New York Post story on the laptop.

But, according to Shapley, the FBI had determined long before that  in November 2019  that the laptop was authentic.

Other details from his testimony are more lurid and personal.

He states that the whole investigation into Hunter Biden began as an offshoot of an investigation the IRS was conducting into a foreign-based amateur online pornography platform.

Part of the possible case for misconduct regarding tax affairs, he testified, involved multiple examples of Hunter Biden paying for flights for prostitutes and filing the costs as a business expense.

What happens next?

The controversy is not going to disappear quickly, thats for sure.

Jordan, the Judiciary Committee chairman, has written to Weiss asking him to clarify his previous claim that he had ultimate authority over the matter.

Garland has said that he would have no problem with Weiss testifying to Congress.

The matter seems, at this stage, unlikely to have any effect on Hunter Bidens legal case. In a plea deal revealed last week, the presidents son agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a diversion agreement over a gun charge.

Politically, the battle is heating up, however.

The conflict between Shapleys account and Garlands version of events  and the questions raised by that conflict  will fuel more controversy for a long time to come.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The following is the Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China:

The Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China

(Adopted at the Third Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on June 28, 2023)

Table of Contents

Chapter I General Principles

Chapter II Functions and Powers for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Chapter III Goals and Mission of Conducting Foreign Relations

Chapter IV The System of Foreign Relations

Chapter V Support for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Chapter VI Supplementary Provision

Chapter I

General Principles

Article 1 This Law is enacted pursuant to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China to conduct foreign relations to:

-- safeguard China's sovereignty, national security and development interests;

-- protect and promote the interests of the Chinese people;

-- build China into a great modernized socialist country;

-- realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation;

-- promote world peace and development; and

-- build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Article 2 This Law shall apply to the conduct by the People's Republic of China of diplomatic relations with other countries, its exchanges and cooperation with them in the economic, cultural and other areas, and its relations with the United Nations and other international organizations.

Article 3 The People's Republic of China conducts foreign relations and promotes friendly exchanges under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Important Thinking of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Article 4 The People's Republic of China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and observes the five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

The People's Republic of China keeps to a path of peaceful development and adheres to the fundamental policy of opening to the outside world and a strategy of opening-up for mutual benefit.

The People's Republic of China observes the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and endeavors to safeguard world peace and security, promote global common development, and build a new type of international relations. It is committed to settling international disputes by peaceful means and opposes the use of force or threat of force in international relations, hegemonism and power politics. It remains true to the principle that all countries are equal regardless of size, strength or level of development and respects the development paths and social systems decided upon independently by the people of all countries.

Article 5 The conduct of foreign relations by the People's Republic of China is under the centralized and overall leadership of the Communist Party of China.

Article 6 The State institutions, armed forces, political parties, people's organizations, enterprises, public institutions, other social organizations, and citizens have the responsibility and obligation to safeguard China's sovereignty, national security, dignity, honor and interests in the course of international exchanges and cooperation.

Article 7 The State encourages friendly people-to-people exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries.

Those who make outstanding contribution to international exchanges and cooperation shall be honored and awarded pursuant to applicable regulations of the State.

Article 8 Any organization or individual who commits acts that are detrimental to China's national interests in violation of this Law and other applicable laws in the course of engaging in international exchanges shall be held accountable by law.

Chapter II

Functions and Powers for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Article 9 The central leading body for foreign affairs is responsible for policy making, deliberation and coordination relating to the conduct of foreign relations. It considers and formulates the State's foreign relations strategy and related major principles and policies, and provides guidance for their implementation. It is responsible for top-level design, coordination and holistic advancement of work concerning foreign relations, and supervises its implementation.

Article 10 The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee ratify or denounce treaties and important agreements concluded with other countries, and exercise functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee actively conduct international exchanges, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with parliaments of foreign countries as well as international and regional parliamentary organizations.

Article 11 The President of the People's Republic of China represents the People's Republic of China, conducts affairs of state, and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 12 The State Council manages foreign affairs, concludes treaties and agreements with foreign countries, and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 13 The Central Military Commission organizes and conducts international military exchanges and cooperation and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 14 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China conducts foreign affairs in accordance with the law and undertakes matters relating to diplomatic exchanges of Party and State leaders with foreign leaders. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs enhances guidance, coordination, management and service for international exchanges and cooperation conducted by other government departments and localities.

Other central and government departments conduct international exchanges and cooperation according to their respective scope of responsibilities.

Article 15 Diplomatic missions of the People's Republic of China abroad, including embassies and consulates in foreign countries as well as permanent missions to the United Nations and other international intergovernmental organizations, represent the People's Republic of China abroad.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs exercises overall leadership over the work of Chinese diplomatic missions abroad.

Article 16 Provinces, autonomous regions and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall carry out international exchanges and cooperation within the specific scope of mandate authorized by the central authorities.

People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall manage matters relating to international exchanges and cooperation in areas under their administration in accordance with their functions and powers.

Chapter III

Goals and Mission of Conducting Foreign Relations

Article 17 The People's Republic of China conducts foreign relations to uphold its system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, safeguard its sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, and promote its economic and social development.

Article 18 The People's Republic of China calls for putting into action the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and endeavors to advance a foreign affairs agenda on multiple fronts, at different levels, in various areas and of multiple dimensions.

The People's Republic of China works to promote coordination and sound interaction with other major countries and grow relations with its neighboring countries in accordance with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of enhancing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. Guided by the principle of sincerity, delivering outcomes, affinity and good faith and the vision of promoting common good and shared interests, it works to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries. The People's Republic of China upholds and practices multilateralism and participates in the reform and development of the global governance system.

Article 19 The People's Republic of China upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the fundamental norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits. It participates in the development of international rules, promotes democracy in international relations, and works for economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

Article 20 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable global security, and endeavors to strengthen international security cooperation and its participation in mechanisms of global security governance.

The People's Republic of China fulfills its responsibilities as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; it is committed to safeguarding international peace and security and upholding the authority and stature of the United Nations Security Council.

The People's Republic of China supports and participates in peacekeeping operations mandated by the United Nations Security Council, observes the basic principles of the peacekeeping operations, respects the territorial integrity and political independence of sovereign countries concerned, and maintains a position of fairness.

The People's Republic of China is committed to upholding international regimes of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. It is against arms race; it opposes and prohibits proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in any form, fulfills relevant international obligations, and is engaged in international cooperation on non-proliferation.

Article 21 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of global development which is equitable, inclusive, open, cooperative, comprehensive, well-coordinated, innovation-driven and interconnected. It endeavors to promote coordinated and sustainable development of the economy, the society and the environment and well-rounded human development.

Article 22 The People's Republic of China respects and protects human rights; it is committed to the principle of universality of human rights and its observance in light of the realities of countries. The People's Republic of China promotes comprehensive and coordinated development of all human rights, carries out international exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and works for the sound development of the global cause of human rights.

Article 23 The People's Republic of China calls on all countries to rise above national, ethnic and cultural differences and uphold peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity.

Article 24 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, respects diversity of civilizations, and promotes exchanges and dialogue among civilizations.

Article 25 The People's Republic of China plays an active part in global environmental and climate governance and endeavors to strengthen international cooperation on green and low-carbon development; it is committed to jointly enhancing global ecological conservation and building a global system of environmental and climate governance that is fair, equitable, cooperative and beneficial to all.

Article 26 The People's Republic of China is committed to advancing high-standard opening-up. It develops foreign trade, actively promotes and protects, in accordance with the law, inbound foreign investment, encourages external economic cooperation including outbound investment, and promotes high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is committed to upholding the multilateral trading system, opposes unilateralism and protectionism, and works to build an open global economy.

Article 27 The People's Republic of China provides foreign aid in the form of economic, technical, material, human resources, management, and other assistance to boost economic development and social advances of other developing countries, build up their capacity for sustainable development, and promote international development cooperation.

The People's Republic of China carries out international humanitarian cooperation and assistance, strengthens international cooperation on disaster prevention, mitigation and relief and helps recipient countries respond to humanitarian emergencies.

In providing foreign aid, the People's Republic of China respects the sovereignty of recipient countries and does not interfere in their internal affairs or attach any political conditions to its aid.

Article 28 The People's Republic of China carries out, as needed in the conduct of foreign relations, exchanges and cooperation in educational, science and technology, cultural, public health, sports, social, ecological, military, security, the rule of law and other fields.

Chapter IV

The System of Foreign Relations

Article 29 The State advances the rule of law in both domestic and foreign affairs and strengthens foreign-related legislative work and the system of rule of law in foreign affairs.

Article 30 The State concludes or accedes to treaties and agreements in accordance with the Constitution and other laws and fulfills in good faith obligations stipulated in such treaties and agreements.

Treaties and agreements that the State concludes or accedes to shall not contravene the Constitution.

Article 31 The State takes due measures to implement and apply treaties and agreements to which it is a Party.

The implementation and application of treaties and agreements shall not undermine the sovereignty of the State, national security and public interests.

Article 32 The State shall strengthen the implementation and application of its laws and regulations in foreign-related fields in conformity with the fundamental principles of international law and fundamental norms governing international relations. The State shall take law enforcement, judicial or other measures in accordance with the law to safeguard its sovereignty, national security and development interests and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations.

Article 33 The People's Republic of China has the right to take, as called for, measures to counter or take restrictive measures against acts that endanger its sovereignty, national security and development interests in violation of international law or fundamental norms governing international relations.

The State Council and its departments adopt administrative regulations and departmental rules as necessary, establish related working institutions and mechanisms, and strengthen inter-departmental coordination and cooperation to adopt and enforce measures mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Decisions made pursuant to the first and second paragraphs of this Article are final.

Article 34 The People's Republic of China, on the basis of the one-China principle, establishes and develops diplomatic relations with other countries in accordance with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

The People's Republic of China, in accordance with treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to as well as the fundamental principles of international law and fundamental norms governing international relations, may take diplomatic actions as necessary including changing or terminating diplomatic or consular relations with a foreign country.

Article 35 The State takes steps to implement sanction resolutions and relevant measures with binding force adopted by the United Nations Security Council in accordance with Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues notices to release the sanction resolutions and measures mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The government departments concerned and the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall take actions to implement such sanction resolutions and measures within the scope of their respective functions and powers.

Organizations and individuals in the Chinese territory shall comply with the notices issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related actions taken by government departments and localities, and shall not engage in any activity in violation of the above-mentioned sanction resolutions and measures.

Article 36 The People's Republic of China confers privileges and immunities to diplomatic institutions and officials of other countries, and to international organizations and their officials in accordance with relevant laws as well as treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to.

The People's Republic of China confers immunities to foreign states and their properties in accordance with relevant laws as well as treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to.

Article 37 The State shall take measures as necessary in accordance with the law to protect the safety, security, and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations overseas and safeguard China's overseas interests against any threat or infringement.

The State shall strengthen the systems and working mechanisms and build the capacity to protect its overseas interests.

Article 38 The People's Republic of China protects the lawful rights and interests of foreign nationals and foreign organizations in its territory in accordance with the law.

The State has the power to permit or deny a foreign national entry, stay or residence in its territory, and regulates, in accordance with the law, activities carried out in its territory by foreign organizations.

Foreign nationals and foreign organizations in the territory of China shall abide by its laws, and shall not endanger China's national security, undermine social and public interests or disrupt social and public order.

Article 39 The People's Republic of China strengthens multilateral and bilateral dialogue on the rule of law and promotes international exchanges and cooperation on the rule of law.

The People's Republic of China shall engage in international cooperation in law enforcement and judicial fields with other countries and international organizations in accordance with treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to or in line with the principles of equality and reciprocity.

The State strengthens and expands its working mechanisms for international cooperation in law enforcement, improves its systems and mechanisms for judicial assistance, and promotes international cooperation in law enforcement and judicial fields. The State strengthens international cooperation in areas such as combating transnational crimes and corruption.

Chapter V

Support for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Article 40 The State shall improve its system of integrated support for conducting foreign relations and strengthen its capacity to conduct foreign relations and safeguard national interests.

Article 41 The State shall provide funding required for conducting foreign relations and establish a funding mechanism that meets the need of conducting foreign relations and is commensurate with China's economic development.

Article 42 The State shall strengthen capacity building of personnel working in foreign relations and take effective steps in related work such as training, employment, management, service and support.

Article 43 The State shall promote public understanding of and support for its conduct of foreign relations through various forms.

Article 44 The State shall strengthen capacity building for international communication, enable the world to learn more about and better understand China, and promote exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations.

Chapter VI

Supplementary Provision

Article 45 This Law shall come into force on July 1, 2023.
Lawmakers, legal experts, presidential candidates -- past and present -- and others are reacting on Thursday to a landmark ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court setting new limits on the use of affirmative action in college and university admissions.

In a speech from the White House, President Joe Biden tore into the decision, casting it as a step backward.

The court held, in a 6-3 opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina's admissions programs violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

While the court's conservative wing ruled against affirmative action, the three liberal-leaning justices dissented.

The Supreme Court had repeatedly ruled since 1978 schools may consider the race of applicants in pursuing educational benefits from a diverse student body, so long as they did not use a quota system.

But on Thursday, Roberts, writing for the majority, found that Harvard and UNC's "programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today."

"At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise," Roberts continued.

Below are reactions from notable figures to the ruling.

This story will be updated.

Joe Biden

"The court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions, and I strongly, strongly disagree with the court's decision," the president said in his White House speech Thursday afternoon.

He added that "I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation."

He also said he is ordering the U.S. Education Department to examine legacy admissions and "other systems that expand privilege."

After delivering his remarks, Biden was asked by a reporter if the Supreme Court -- governed by a 6-3 conservative majority -- is a "rogue court," to which he responded that it is not a "normal court."

Universities in the ruling

UNC in a statement said that it was disappointed in the decision but reiterated its commitment to diversity in its student body.

"Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond. While not the outcome we hoped for, we will carefully review the Supreme Court's decision and take any steps necessary to comply with the law," UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement.

Harvard, too, released a statement insisting it would not take its eye off the goal of maintaining a diverse institution.

"We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday," the school's leadership said in a statement.

Political candidates

Republican presidential hopeful Mike Pence hailed the decision, saying in a statement: "There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism. I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured today's welcomed decision, and as President I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends."

Vivek Ramaswamy, another GOP 2024 candidate and a biotech entrepreneur, wrote on social media that "affirmative action is a badly failed experiment: time to put a nail in the coffin & restore colorblind meritocracy."

PHOTO: The U.S. Supreme Court, June 27, 2023, in Washington. (Mariam Zuhaib/AP)

A spokesperson for a political group supporting former President Donald Trump's own reelection bid tied the ruling to Trump's own record in the White House, because three of the justices in the majority were nominated by him to the high court.

"President Donald Trump made today's historic decision to end the racist college admissions process possible because he delivered on his promise to appoint constitutionalist justices," the spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said. "America is a better nation as a result of the historic rulings led by Donald Trump's three Supreme Court nominees."

Trump himself later said the ruling marked "a great day for America."

"This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!" he said in a statement to ABC News' Rachel Scott.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump's nearest primary competitor, tweeted that the Supreme Court "correctly upheld the Constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities."

"College admissions should be based on merit and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity," he wrote.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, also lauded the ruling, casting it as a sign of the progress that the country is making on race.

"This is a good day for America. Honestly, this is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin is what our constitution wants. We are continuing to work on forming this more perfect union. Today is better than yesterday, this year better than last year, this decade better than last decade. The progress that we're seeing in this nation is palpable," he said on Fox News.

Members of Congress

Various lawmakers in Washington quickly flooded Twitter with reactions, with Republicans celebrating the ruling as, in their words, a victory for fairness.

"Today's decision by the Supreme Court is a welcome victory for countless students across the country -- academia's ivory towers should not divide and promote preferences based on the color of one's skin. In America, fairness is the key to educational opportunity, where one's success is judged by merit rather than arbitrary quotas," North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx, the chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said in a statement.

"Affirmative action forces colleges to put students into a box. It discredits the hard work and diverse backgrounds that countless applicants have, and requires colleges to value one single characteristic above others. This is wrong and un-American," tweeted Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn.

And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said, in part, "For decades, the Court turned a blind eye as higher education prioritized illegal social engineering over merit. Todays rulings make clear that colleges may not continue discriminating against bright and ambitious students based on the color of their skin."

Democrats, meanwhile, lamented the decision as a blow to equity.

"The Supreme Court's decision to strike down affirmative action is a devastating blow to our education system across the country. Affirmative action has been a tool to break down systemic barriers and we must continue to advance our ideals of inclusivity & opportunity for all," New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, one of three Black senators, tweeted.

"The Court's decision to overturn long-standing precedent of Affirmative Action is a fatal blow to equitable & accessible education for all. Failing to consider race as a factor in admissions turns a blind eye to systemic failures of academic institutions to pursue equity," added Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the majority's "misguided" ruling a "giant roadblock in our countrys march toward racial justice. ... Nevertheless, we will not be daunted or deterred by this decision and we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal educational opportunities for all."

Outside experts, observers and students

Affirmative action has contributed to the rise in students of color attending colleges and universities, experts told ABC News.

Researchers fear the progress made in racial equity in higher education will be reversed, even though they say affirmative action has not been a perfect solution.

"Historically, some of these places like [the University of North Carolina], you literally couldn't go to UNC if you're Black," said Natasha Warikoo, a sociologist at Tufts University and researcher of racial inequity in education.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Thursday that "the Department of Justice remains committed to promoting student diversity in higher education using all available legal tools. In the coming weeks, we will work with the Department of Education to provide resources to college and universities on what admissions practices and programs remain lawful following the Courts decision."

Bunmi Omisore, a student attending Duke University and UNC, told ABC News anchor David Muir during a special report on the network that the decision would not only force students to relive "trauma" in their college applications but would actually define them more by their race.

"The one thing that really is making me sad, I'll just say today, is that my identity has to be my race, the struggles that I've gone through, the trauma I've gone through as an African American woman in the United States. If I were applying for college today, I would have to write about those traumas in my common app essay. I would have to write about those traumas and those very hard experiences for admissions officers to accept the overwhelming truth that we all know, which is that it is hard to be a Black person in America. And I don't think that's fair," Omisore said.

"I think that now that students are forced to talk about racial discrimination and their experiences and their obstacles in their college essays, they're now being known by their race first and by their academics and otherwise, other experiences second because they have to put that in the forefront to prove their experiences through racism in the United States."

Alex Shieh, a prospective Brown University student, disagreed, telling Muir that the decision could help students be judged on their individual merits while recognizing the different ways racial identities are experienced.

"I think that by getting rid of affirmative action, now we look at the individual student and what they've accomplished, and we can look at what barriers they've overcome, but we view them as an individual first and foremost as opposed to just viewing them as a blob in an amorphous, larger racial group," Shieh said.

"For most people, race is just a characteristic, it's sort of the way that your body manifests," Shieh said. "And I think for some students that does play a role in how they experience the world, but for some students it doesn't. And I think that allowing them that option to express that in an essay, for instance, affords much more freedom, because race doesn't affect everybody the same way."

Edward Blum, the conservative activist who has led the legal battle against affirmative action for years and organized the group of Asian American students who brought the cases in Thursday's ruling, similarly celebrated the decision.

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a students race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our countrys civil rights laws," he said. "Ending racial preferences in college admissions is an outcome that the vast majority of all races and ethnicities will celebrate. A university doesnt have real diversity when it simply assembles students who look different but come from similar backgrounds and act, talk, and think alike."

Civil rights activists

Civil rights activists expressed disappointment with the ruling but said it would not stop their work to address societal inequities.

"No matter what this court says, we will continue to fight. No matter what this court says, nothing can deprive us of what we call a race conscious future. The future that we deserve, the future that students deserve. Because affirmative action and holistic admissions is not a handout. It's not even really a hand up. It is what students deserve when they bring their whole selves to the table," said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

David Hinojosa, the director of the committee's educational opportunities project, added: "We're gonna challenge them, so they can make it easy and do the changes by themselves or we can do it the hard way. And we are prepared to do whatever it takes, because history is on our side, justice is on our side, the majority is on our side, ensuring equal educational opportunity for all. And, the director of t that goes also, not just to colleges, but K-12 schools, as well."

The Obamas

Former first lady Michelle Obama wrote about her own experience as one of the few Black students on her college campus and said in a statement that "today, my heart breaks for any young person out there who's wondering what their future holds  and what kinds of chances will be open to them."

"Today is a reminder that we've got to do the work not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighborhood," she said.

Former President Barack Obama, in a shorter statement, said: "Like any policy, affirmative action wasn't perfect. But it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it's up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives."

ABC News' Kiara Alfonseca, Adam Carlson, Nakylah Carter, Hannah Demissie, Devin Dwyer, Ben Gittleson, Will McDuffie, Isabella Murray and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.

Biden, Obamas, Trump and more react to Supreme Court restricting affirmative action originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Screenshot: WTTW News, Twitter

A Chicago mother accused of instructing her son to shoot a man at a food stand, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of her and her son, according to ABC7 News. The two previously faced murder counts until the Cook County States Attorneys Office dropped the charges.



While the internet is still reeling about whether Carlishia Hood and her son were justified in the actions that took place June 18, the mother has decided to take justice into her own hands. Hood was seen being punched multiple times in the head by a man while waiting at a food stand. Authorities say Hood instructed her 14-year-old son to bring a firearm. Surveillance videos show the teen firing a shot toward the man and chasing him from the food stand, firing more shots.

Read more

Expert Disputes Self-Defense Claim

Illinois self-defense laws allow a person to use force to defend not only themselves but other people as well. However, former prosecutor and civil rights attorney Chance D. Lynch says the statute lost validity in this case when the boy continued after the man.

At that moment, from prosecutorial standpoint, the son was no longer the victim. He became the defendant. The threat to the mother was done. Lynch said. I would think that would be enough to charge him - I dont think first-degree murder but maybe manslaughter. And then to charge the mother with contributing to the delinquency [of a minor] or maybe even accessory because she told him to keep shooting.

The Attorneys office said they dropped the case upon the failure to find probable cause to prosecute them. Now, the city must answer a suit filed by Hood arguing that she was falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted. Lynch said the fact the two were charged was not surprising their arrest alone suggests there was a crime committed, debunking Hoods wrongful arrest claim.

Read more from ABC7 Chicago:

When a woman is violently attacked by a man, an unarmed woman, then she shouldnt be arrested, Hoods attorney Brandon Brown said. If your mother or sister or daughter were attacked in a restaurant when she is trying to order a cheeseburger, would you expect that she would be arrested?



Another Expert Supports Hoods Claim

On the other hand, former Cook County prosecutor and trial attorney Shay T. Allen says dropping the charges was the right thing to do, despite the unusual speed at which the decision was made. He said he just won a case where his client was charged for shooting another person in self-defense. From the prosecutorial point of view, Hoods case isnt any different but would have been a tough fight for the state.

What you have to think about is, If this case went to trial, can I meet my burden? Can I win the case, generically? In a case like this, there was a very good self-defense claim and with that claim and justification in the shooting, I dont think a trial would have went [the states attorneys] way, he said.

Allen also said the Second Amendment isnt viewed the same with Black people as opposed to white people once we exercise our right to bear arms.

Lynch said its still possible for the prosecutors to come back with lesser charges if they have a change of heart regardless of Hoods lawsuit. Allen said personally, he doesnt think any lesser charges apply.



Meanwhile, Twitter and TikTok are still reeling about the incident and majority are falling behind the mother and son in support.

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Off-duty LAX cop harassed woman in bar, brandished gun at her, then fired it outside, police say

A plane arrives at Los Angeles International Airport. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A veteran Los Angeles International Airport police officer was arrested while off duty on suspicion of sexually battering a woman in a bar, brandishing a gun and then shooting it on a nearby street.

Officers responded to a call about 1 a.m. Sunday about a man brandishing a gun in a threatening manner at the Jade Restaurant on East Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, police said in a statement.

Robert Mosquera, 47, was arrested a short time later in a visibly drunken state, police said.

A woman told officers she was sitting at a bar when a man, later identified as Mosquera, "repeatedly touched her arm inappropriately," the department said in a statement.

When the woman told him "she did not want to be touched, the suspect displayed a firearm and then put it back into his waistband," police said of the incident. Mosquera then left the restaurant.

Read more: Off-duty LAPD officer arrested in stabbing of fellow bar patron

About 10 minutes later, officers received a call of gunshots in the 7100 block of nearby Marina Pacifica Drive, police said. Officers discovered a man under the influence of alcohol, matching the description of the woman's assailant from the restaurant, and arrested him, according to Long Beach Police.

As officers examined the scene, they found evidence of a shooting, including strike marks and casings, police said. No one was injured during the shooting.

Mosquera was booked into the Long Beach City Jail for exhibiting a firearm in a threatening manner, sexual battery, public intoxication, and negligently discharging a firearm, police said. He bailed out 12 hours later.

Mosquera is an officer with the police division of Los Angeles World Airports, which patrols LAX. Officials did not return messages seeking information on Mosquera's status with the department.

He is a decorated 15-year member of the airport police department who once saved a woman's life at LAX. He previously worked as a Los Angeles police jailer for two years.

Sign up for Essential California, your daily guide to news, views and life in the Golden State.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NEW YOR, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2023/05/12: US Marine veteran Daniel Penny, 24, is escorted in handcuffs by the NYPD (New York City Police Department)

Daniel Penny pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court in a case that has captured national attention. The former marine was caught on camera choking Jordan Neely, a Black unhoused man, to death on a Manhattan subway car. While many news stories have focused on Penny pleading not guilty, there was a separate development in the case.

On Wednesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg officially announced Neelys indictment, ending any speculation about the current charges. So what does the information inside of the grand jury indictment tell us about the case?

Read more

What Was Inside The Indictment?

Although the indictment is only two pages (which is standard), former San Francisco Prosecutor Paul Henderson says there are things we can learn from it about the case. Namely, Henderson points to the grand jurys decision to charge Penny with manslaughter in the second degree and criminally negligent homicide, which carry sentences of up to 15 and 4 years, respectively.

You typically get charges like that with an imperfect self-defense, explains Henderson. So in self-defense cases, youre allowed to defend yourself, but youre only allowed to defend yourself to meet the aggression or the action of the [other] party, and you cannot exceed it.

In a public statement announcing the indictment, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office contends (based on court documents and on-the record statements) that Penny continued to choke Neely minutes after he passed out. In New York criminal law, there is no stand-your-ground law when it comes to self-defense, which means that Penny had a duty to retreat, he says. From all accounts, theres no evidence that Neely actually physically assaulted anyone on the train. The notion that he posed a threat is still an open question. But even if Neely was a threat, Henderson says what really matters is what Penny, an ex-marine trained in lethal force, did after Neely passed out.

At some point, Jordan passes out. In the moment that he passed out, he is no longer a threat, presuming that the threat was real in the first place, says Henderson. What happened between then and the time that Jordan [died] is an imperfect defense to self-defense, and thats the [second-degree] manslaughter.

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At least 12 have drowned at Florida beaches as rip current continues to plague Panhandle

Deadly rip currents are to blame for a dozen apparent drownings over the past two weeks on Florida's Panhandle, where there aren't enough lifeguards to keep beachgoers from venturing out into the water  despite red flag warnings, experts said Wednesday.

The combination of southwest waves and the strengthening sea breeze will increase wave heights and heighten the rip current risk, NBC meteorologist Kathryn Prociv warned. The outgoing tide from midday through early afternoon today will also add to the rip current risk.

Adding to the danger is the chronic shortage of qualified lifeguards, said Tom Gill, a spokesman for the nonprofit United States Lifesaving Association.

Swimming on an actively guarded beach is always the safest option, Gill said. But not every beach is patrolled by a lifeguard and the high heat has been pushing a lot of people into the water.

The result is that some of Americas most beautiful beaches, stretching across the panhandle to the Alabama border, are now the deadliest as well, according to data from the National Weather Service.

Seven of the 12 deaths were reported in Panama City Beach, which now has the highest number of apparent drownings in any single locale in the U.S. this year, according to the NWSs Surf Zone Fatalities database. All the fatalities were men ranging in age from 39 to 68.

By comparison, as of Wednesday there have been a total 60 apparent drownings in the entire country, according to the NWS website.

Panama City Beach spokeswoman Debbie Ingram said they just dont have enough lifeguards to patrol the nine miles of beach in their resort community, which is a favorite destination for spring break partiers.

Hiring is a struggle, Ingram said in a text exchange. We are competing with other beach communities, some of whom offer higher wages. Many times we get college kids who go back to school.

Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, whose jurisdiction includes Panama City Beach, said on the department's Facebook page Sunday that beachgoers who flout the law and have to be rescued by his deputies are partially to blame for the "tragic and unnecessary deaths" in the Gulf of Mexico.

"These same heroes, who have risked it all to save others, have been cursed and given the finger, while trying to warn visitors of the life-threatening dangers," Ford wrote on Sunday.

While this many reported drownings in such a short period of time is unusual, the NWS has recorded 195 rip current deaths since 2002 on Panhandle beaches.

"Contrary to popular belief, the Gulf isnt always 'flat' (calm with no surf)," the agency said in a recent update. "There are a variety of conditions that can bring big waves to the area and an increased threat for rip currents."

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett became the latest apparent drowning victim Tuesday, when he was pulled unconscious from the water in Destin, in nearby Okaloosa County.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that at the time Mallett was in the water, there were yellow beach safety flags flying and no indications of any rip currents.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Ryan Mallett stands on the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Baltimore. (Nick Wass / AP file)

Its a deadly combination of very hot weather and rough water conditions, said Gill. There have been red flag conditions on many of those beaches for days.

A red flag condition occurs when the surf is deemed extremely dangerous as a result of big waves or strong rip currents that could drag even the strongest swimmer out to sea or, in the most recent cases, out into the Gulf of Mexico.

And for the last three weeks, Florida and a large swath of the South has been baking in a brutal early-season heat wave, with some areas recording triple-digit temperatures.

While lifeguard staffing levels this year are better than they were last year, Gill said the staffing agencies are still having to fight for every prospect they can get because there are still more jobs than available lifeguards.

Panama City Beach has 10 permanent lifeguards, eight of whom work full time, Ingram said. They also have a dozen more lifeguards who were hired to work six months.

But its not enough, the spokeswoman said, which is why money to hire an additional lifeguard has been built into the city budget every year for the past three years.

Last year, beach attendance across the U.S. was over 262 million and 53,387 people had to be rescued, according to statistics from 110 agencies compiled by USLA, the lifesavers association.

That was actually a decline from 2021, when beach attendance was nearly 343 million  more than the population of the U.S.  with 77,702 rescues reported by 120 agencies, according to the USLA.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Sue Johanson on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2011

Sex educator, Sue Johanson, who provided candid advice normalising sex to Canadian and US audiences for decades, has died.

The 93-year-old passed away in a long-term care home outside of Toronto on Thursday, her family said.

Her programme, Sunday Night Sex Show, found success in her home country and she eventually hosted a US spinoff.

She often helped fill the gaps in sex education for her North American audience.

Johanson, who was a registered nurse, opened one of Toronto's first birth control clinics in 1970 at her daughter's high school, Don Mills Collegiate Institute. She ran it for two decades.

It was at the clinic that she realised her love of teaching sex education.

In 1984, she snagged a spot on Toronto rock station Q107 with a weekly two-hour call-in show.

From radio, she leapt to television and began hosting the Sunday Night Sex Show programme, which ran from from 1996 to 2005.

It was so popular that from 2002 to 2008 she hosted the US spinoff, Talk Sex With Sue Johanson. It also aired in 23 other countries, including Europe and Brazil.

Johanson became a beloved host who welcomed all questions on sex - with no question too taboo to ask.

She once declared "horny is a beautiful thing".

Johanson authored three books and spoke to thousands of teens and young adults in Canadian schools about sex education.

In 2000, she was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honours, for being "a strong, successful advocate for sex education in Canada over the last three decades".

Johanson's daughter, Jane, told CBC on Thursday that "everybody felt like they had another mother or another grandmother with Sue".

"My mom was amazing," Jane Johanson said. "She was never judgmental, nor was she condescending or disapproving of any question that came her way."

Lisa Rideout, director of the 2022 documentary Sex With Sue, paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing: "Sue was an incredible, unstoppable force".

"She paved the way for how we talk about sex and sexuality today, unafraid of shattering taboos and toppling conservative viewpoints.

"Canada has lost a national treasure but Sue's legacy will continue to make positive change for decades to come."
ADRIAN  A Lenawee County sheriff's deputy who shot and wounded a man in April 2022 will resign from the sheriff's office as part of a plea agreement with the Michigan Attorney General's Office.

Kirk June, 54, pleaded no contest last week in Lenawee County Circuit Court to one count of willful neglect of duty after he accidentally shot an unarmed suspect with his firearm, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated like a guilty plea at sentencing.

A condition of Junes plea requires him to resign from the sheriffs office. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4. He faces up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.

A man is seen in this still image from body camera video moments after being shot by Lenawee County Sheriff's Deputy Kirk June on April 3, 2022, in a vacant lot in the 500 block of Erie Street in Adrian.

Officers who harm the community members they are sworn to protect must be held to account, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in her office's news release. The reckless or negligent shooting of an unarmed suspect is a serious offense, not a workplace accident. Im grateful to my departments staff for their work on this matter. Not everyone is cut out to wear a badge and this plea will ensure this defendant no longer serves as a Lenawee County Deputy.

"The Lenawee County Sheriffs Office recognizes that this has been a very difficult time for those involved in this extremely unfortunate situation," Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier said in his own news release. "Our hope is that the agreement brings everyone affected one step closer to closure. The Sheriffs Office will continue to work with the parties involved accordingly."

June originally was charged in August 2022 with a single count of careless discharge of a firearm causing injury after an investigation by Michigan State Police. The original charge was punishable by up to 2 years in prison or 1 year and jail or a fine of up to $1,000. That charge is to be dismissed at sentencing.

The sheriff's office asked the state police to investigate the shooting.

More: Attorney: Man shot by Lenawee County sheriff's deputy was not suspect

Early on the morning of April 3, 2022, June and the sheriffs office's K9, Duke, helped Adrian police in a search for a suspect in a vacant lot on Erie Street in Adrian. Police had been called to the area after a shot was fired in the air at an adjoining residence on Frank Street. The dog found the victim in the dark, lying on the ground and unarmed. June pulled out his weapon and accidentally discharged it, hitting the victim in the shoulder.

The shooting was captured by June's body-worn camera. In the video, hes first seen next to Parish Park getting Duke ready to search and asking another officer where to look. He eventually reached the first of two vacant residential lots. June is holding Dukes lead and a flashlight. While working along a wooden fence at the back of the lots they come up to a chain-link fence separating the two vacant lots. June helps Duke squeeze through a gap between the chain-link and wooden fences, then he squeezes past. Duke heads off into the darkness and shortly after a man exclaims, Ow!, as Duke bites him on the leg.

M----------, let me see your hands! June yells out as he switches Dukes lead from his right to left hand, then draws his pistol and a single shot rings out as a flashlight from an Adrian officer, who was several feet to Junes left, illuminates the man on the ground. Then June shines a light on the man, who is still on the ground. He has his head up and his hands out, with a cellphone in his right hand. His left hand was empty.

The victim was hit in the back near his left shoulder, and the bullet traveled down his body, eventually causing a collapsed lung. He had half of his liver removed during a second surgery.

Police searched the lot and found a handgun, but it was not within the victim's reach. His DNA was not found on the gun, and he had no gunshot residue on him.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County sheriff's deputy who shot man to resign in plea deal
Letters to the Editor: Community colleges are a beacon of hope and opportunity for returning students

Students walk on the campus of Moorpark College, a community college in Moorpark, Calif., on May 2. (Al Seib / For The Times)

To the editor: Thank you for the article about community college and California State University graduates being able to out-earn, depending on their major, those who attended universities considered highly prestigious.

As a returning student at age 30, I nervously enrolled at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa. I continued my bachelor's degree and then my master's at Cal State San Bernardino. The skills I obtained there allowed me to secure a full-time position as a community college counselor six months after my graduation.

I spent 25 years as a counselor at San Bernardino Valley College and Santa Monica College assisting people whose lives would be forever changed because of the great programs in the CSU and community college systems.

Kathy Flynn, Redlands

..

To the editor: It distresses me that the major focus of a college degree is still income. Yes, income is important, but it should not define the value of one's major.

Unfortunately, states have steadily decreased their portion of funding for public universities over the last few decades, and the result has been exactly what we have today. If students are forced to pay the bill, theyre going to focus on return rather than what they are truly meant to be.

Regardless of major, a college education is meant to enrich a person intellectually and to provide the critical thinking skills that are developed in every major. An educated people are a better people. I hope our states will come to realize this and adjust their education budgets accordingly.

Denise Aubuchon, Moorpark

..

To the editor: There's little question that a degree in ethnic studies will earn you far less than majoring in a field that, say, contributes to developing artificial intelligence.

But this is only one way to assess the value of a person. And Bill Gates, LeBron James and Pablo Picasso could argue that a college education doesn't necessarily foster wealth or power.

This article, however, reinforces the desperate attempt by the political right to further dumb down America. Banning books, propaganda masquerading as news and the ongoing damage done by social media are targeted at curtailing education and enlightenment.

It's way past time for us to speak up for our individuality, passions and God-given opportunity to become all we can be.

Hal Rothberg, Calabasas

..

To the editor: It should come as no surprise that majoring in computer science at, say, the University of Mississippi will result in a higher-paying job than majoring in gender studies at, say, Harvard.

Yet too many high school seniors continue to buy into the myth about the value of marquee-name colleges.

Walt Gardner, Los Angeles

The writer taught for 28 years in the L.A. Unified School District.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Rosary and Supreme Court building

The U.S. Supreme Courts Thursday ruling on religious accommodations in the workplace appears to be something both liberals and conservatives can get behind.

In Groff v. DeJoy, postal worker Gerald Groff had sued the U.S. Postal Service because of a requirement that he deliver packages on Sundays, when he declined to work because of his Christian beliefs. He had joined the postal service in 2012, partly because it then required no Sunday work, but soon afterward the service began doing the Sunday package deliveries under a contract with Amazon. He still refused to work Sundays.

His absences on Sundays led co-workers to quit, transfer or cover for him, The Washington Post reports. After being disciplined, he resigned and sued the postal service for religious discrimination. He lost at the trial and appeals court levels, but the Supreme Court delivered a more favorable ruling Thursday, although it did not weigh in on the specifics of his case.

In the unanimous ruling, the court held that employers should accommodate workers religious practices unless doing so would impose a substantial hardship on the employers business. It did not rule on the merits of Groffs case but sent it back to a lower court to decide according to that standard instead of one in a 1977 case, TWA v. Hardison, that said employers could reject accommodations if they imposed even a minimal cost.

This highly flexible new rule might potentially be used by far-right judges to give religious conservatives an unfair upper hand in disputes with their employers human resources department. Such is the price of vague legal rules, legal scholar Ian Millhiser wrote at Vox.

That said, the actual holding of Groff  that most requests for religious accommodations should be granted, and that an employer cannot dodge this obligation because it might impose minimal costs on the employer  is largely benign. Indeed, it is likely to benefit many employees who make reasonable requests for accommodations that might have been denied under an earlier, less employee-friendly rule.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote the opinion, but he didnt take sides in Americas culture wars in the same way that he did in Hobby Lobby and similar cases, Millhiser wrote. In 2014s Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision, Alito wrote for the courts majority that even a for-profit business such as Hobby Lobby could ignore the Affordable Care Acts mandate for contraceptive coverage in employee health plans if the employer objected on a religious basis.

Lambda Legal, which handles cases involving the rights of LGBTQ+ people and those living with HIV, praised the Groff ruling, albeit with some caveats.

It is gratifying that the Supreme Court today recognized that employers may consider the effect a requested accommodation has on others in the workplace in assessing whether the accommodation would substantially burden the conduct of its business, Karen Loewy, senior counsel and director of constitutional law practice at Lambda Legal, said in a press release. While antidiscrimination laws absolutely require accommodation of religion, some requested accommodations unfairly burden coworkers, impact workplace morale, and expose coworkers to dignitary harms in ways that impose costs and harm the business itself. We must remain vigilant as lower courts apply this standard, particularly where a requested accommodation would result in coworkers facing hostile, discriminatory statements or conduct at work.

Title VII [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964] clearly requires that employees, whenever practical, should be exempt from general workplace rules when those rules conflict with their religious practice, added Gregory Nevins, senior counsel and employment fairness project director at Lambda Legal. However, that requirement cannot be read to extend to situations where granting an exemption causes hardship for the conduct of the employers business, and clearly that must include the impact on other workers. Todays ruling will make the workplace more hospitable for workers whose religious practice and observance varies from the majority. At the same time, employers should be able to say no to employees who insist on berating, proselytizing, condemning, or misgendering their coworkers.

Lambda Legal and Americans United for Separation of Church and State had filed a friend-of-the-court brief saying the Supreme Court should revisit the minimal cost standard and offering a framework for evaluating whether an employees religious accommodations impose an undue burden on the business or coworkers. Such briefs are filed by parties that are not directly involved in a case but have an interest in the issues being addressed.

At bottom, while co-workers are not entitled to a hecklers veto over religious accommodations, Title VII allows employers to consider the many respects in which accommodations may burden co-workers (and customers) as part of the undue hardship analysis, they wrote.

Americans United issued a statement expressing relief at the Groff ruling. Were facing an aggressive movement working to weaponize religious freedom, but religious freedom must never be a license to harm others, and that remains true in the workplace, said President and CEO Rachel Laser. Today, in a unanimous opinion, the court clarified the standard for granting religious accommodations without overturning precedent.

Religious accommodations that dont burden or harm others, like wearing a hijab or having a beard, or praying privately, are exactly what the law was designed to permit. In this case, however, Groff was hired as a part-time, flexible carrier at a 4-person post office, and he refused to show up for 24 Sundays of work. He refused to work the same flexible schedule for which he was hired. This created huge burdens for the remaining (mostly Christian) employees and led them to resign, transfer, file grievances, and cover for him while he, as he admitted, watched NASCAR on Sundays.

We argued that whatever standard the court adopted for workers seeking religious accommodations, the only way to ensure equality was to ensure that workers obeying the rules of their own religion do not harm others. If anything else were true, one religion would be superior to others. The courts clarified standard correctly allows employers to continue to consider the burdens an employees requested accommodation could impose on co-workers. Importantly, Groff has not won this case. The court refused to decide the specifics of Groffs case and is leaving that to the lower courts, which got this case right the first time around. We live to fight another day.

On the right, the legal nonprofits Becket and the First Liberty Institute also praised the Groff ruling, Catholic News Agency reports. They largely represent Christians and are known for taking anti-LGBTQ+ cases. However, at least one group representing a minority faith lauded it as well  the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Todays Supreme Court ruling is an important victory for all people of faith, including American Muslims, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a press release. For too long, American Muslims have been denied the right to perform daily prayers at work, wear hijab or kufi, or attend prayers on Fridays. Today marks a new era.

Friday is the last day for the Supreme Court to issue rulings this year, so that will be the day it rules on whether a business can turn away LGBTQ+ customers. That case is 303 Creative v. Elenis.
List of candidates for new Chicago police superintendent narrowed to six semifinalists

Six people have been selected as semifinalists in the search for the citys next permanent police superintendent, sources familiar with the process told the Tribune Thursday.

Five of the six have direct ties to the Chicago Police Department. The sixth is the chief of police in Madison, Wisconsin, who was previously an employee of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability has until July 14 to narrow the finalists down to three and submit those names to Mayor Brandon Johnson. Johnson then will either make his selection, pending full City Council approval, or he can order the CCPSA to start the process over again.

The six semifinalists are:

 Larry Snelling, chief of the CPDs Bureau of Counterterrorism whos widely considered to be the Police Departments top expert on use of force training and constitutional policing. He is a former commander of the Englewood District on the South Side.

 Migdalia Bulnes, a CPD deputy chief who was recently a finalist to become the next police chief in Evanston.

 Ernest Cato III, former chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism. Cato, a longtime CPD supervisor on the West Side, was a finalist for the superintendent job in 2020 and abruptly retired from the department last year.

 Angel Novalez, chief of the CPDs Office of Constitutional Policing and Reform.

 Donna Rowling, an attorney and commander of the CPD Labor Relations Division.

 Shon Barnes, the chief of police in Madison, who previously worked for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

The CCPSA hosted seven community forums across the city earlier this year to solicit residents feedback on what traits they want in the citys next police superintendent. Of the several hundred speakers, most agreed that the next leader of the department should have deep ties to the city and Police Department.

The commission faced criticism last week when 19 aldermen released a letter declaring their disappointment and dismay over its decision to eliminate police Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott from consideration. Sources told the Tribune the commission has concerns about how the department has been operating, including 11,000 complaints since the consent decree went into effect and a recent lawsuit by the ACLU alleging the department targets people of color for stops.

The permanent superintendent position was vacated in March when David Brown submitted his resignation just a day after then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot failed to qualify for the runoff election.

After Brown returned to his native Texas, Johnson selected Fred Waller  the former CPD chief of patrol who retired in 2020  to lead the department through the summer on an interim basis.
As high school graduates begin to consider which universities and majors they should choose, experts have cautioned that they shouldn't simply go after the current trendy courses.

With students who took the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, already learning their scores, parents and students are racking their brains to plan their futures.

Zhang Xuefeng, founder of education company Fengxue Weilai, advised students to choose majors with high barriers to entry. Before that, he triggered a heated debate on microblogging platform Sina Weibo about whether journalism is a good major or not after he said he would beat his child if the child decided to study journalism at college.

Some netizens have even labeled bioengineering, chemical engineering, environment and materials majors as being poor because they said it is difficult for graduates with bachelor's degrees in these fields to find a good job.

Some also suggested students avoid liberal arts because such graduates are easily replaced in the job market.

According to the Ministry of Education, the country will adjust around 20 percent of its university majors by 2025, setting up new majors suitable for new technologies and industries, and weeding out outdated majors.

Jin Baijiang, director of the student admission office of Nankai University in Tianjin, said new majors are being created to meet new demand, and it can't easily be said if they will be good or not.

Traditional majors usually have sophisticated student cultivation plans and their graduates have stood the test of the job market, especially majors such as math, physics and chemistry, he told Guangming Daily.

Whether the new majors can become popular hinges on their ability to meet the needs of industry and the overall strength of universities that have offered the majors, he said.

However, industries fluctuate, so some new majors might also become unwanted in the future, he added.

He Zhiwei, a director of the undergraduate school of China Agricultural University, said: "Unpopular majors might not stay unpopular forever. For example, as the country puts more focus on food security, agricultural majors are becoming more popular and the threshold scores for the university's agricultural majors have increased for three consecutive years."

Jin added that whether a major is hot or not has much to do with the salary, working environment and societal demand for graduates, yet it overlooks the major's prospects and the university's strength. More importantly, students' interests and preferences are not considered, he said.

"One can easily find that there is no popular or unpopular major in the long term, and there is no popular major that is suited for all students."
Loose Ends Brewing in Centerville will be hosting a Crab Rangoon Eating Contest next week.

100 people are expected to participate in the contest on July 3, according to a social media post from the brewery.

>> Costco customer says interrogation triggered by new ID policy offended her

The brewery said there will be two sessions. One will be at 2 p.m. and one at 4 p.m.

The contestants will be challenged to eat as many Crab Rangoon as they can in five minutes to claim the title of Crab Rangoon Eating Champion.

For updates on the contest, you can visit the brewerys Facebook page.

Crab Rangoon Eating Contest Update!  There are now two sessions, one at 2 pm and one at 4 pm. Each session will be... Posted by Loose Ends Brewing on Monday, June 26, 2023




In a landmark decision Thursday, the Supreme found that affirmative action policies at two universities violate the Fourteenth Amendment, prompting the nations highest court to restrict the role of race in the college admissions process.

The 6-3 decision ruled against policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina that gave preference to some applicants based on their race.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey denounced the decision but reinforced the states commitment to ensuring minority communities find themselves represented on campuses across the Bay State.

We want to make sure that students of color, LGBTQ+ students, first generation students, and all students historically underrepresented in higher education feel welcomed and valued at our colleges and universities, said Healey. Todays decision, while disappointing, will not change our commitment to these students. We have an imperative to make sure our schools reflect our communities. Our academic competitiveness, the future of our workforce, and our commitment to equity demand we take action.

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley cited the Supreme Courts ruling as the latest in the white supremacist assault on equity in education.

For decades, affirmative action has been a critical tool for confronting the legacy of anti-Black racism and discrimination still present in higher education. However, todays decision by the far-right extreme Supreme Court will only exacerbate the systemic oppression that has barred Black, brown, and other marginalized students from equitable opportunities, stated Pressley. With this extremist Supreme Court demonstrating time and again its contempt for our most vulnerable, we must expand the court to build its integrity and bring balance to the bench.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell said the ruling ignores the dark and traumatic parts of our history.

In the face of these decisions, we will press forward in the fight for equity and inclusion, break down arbitrary and unnecessary barriers to education and keep Massachusetts thriving.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey similarly decried the ruling.

An extremist Supreme Court has once again reversed decades of settled law, rolled back the march toward racial justice, and narrowed educational opportunity for all. I won't stop fighting for young people with big dreams who deserve an equal chance to pursue their future.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 29, 2023

The far-right, extremist majority on the Supreme Court just struck down affirmative actiona critical tool for colleges and universities to advance racial justice, equity, and diversity across the United States. Well be live in Boston at 1pm to respond.  Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) June 29, 2023

Harvard responded to the ruling by reinforcing their commitment to the educational benefits of diversity.

"The Supreme Court decision on college and university admissions will change how we pursue the educational benefits of diversitybut our commitment to that work remains steadfast." pic.twitter.com/XacKygEyii  Harvard University (@Harvard) June 29, 2023

Although the University of Massachusetts was not named in the case, school officials say they are working to understand how the schools admission process will be affected.

The University of Massachusetts will continue to follow the law, and will do so while sustaining its deep and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe this is essential to the advancement of academic excellence and critical to the preparation of our students to succeed in a global economy, the school said in a statement.

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Local Malaria Cases Just Popped Up In The U.S. Here's What You Need To Know.

Five cases of locally transmitted malaria were recently confirmed in the U.S., which generally eliminated the disease in the 1950s.

Five cases of locally transmitted malaria were recently confirmed in the U.S., which generally eliminated the disease in the 1950s.

The first local cases of malaria in decades have cropped up in the U.S. and are being actively monitored by health officials, according to a new health advisory issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Four cases of locally acquired malaria were recently identified in Floridas Sarasota County, and health officials say they are unrelated to a fifth case confirmed in Texas. All five patients have been treated and are currently improving, the agency said.

Its the first time since 2003 that any cases of locally transmitted malaria have been documented, with the disease having been considered eliminated in the U.S. by 1951.Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, about 2,000 Americans were diagnosed with malaria each year, but all of those cases were linked to international travel to a malaria-endemic country.

When people who contract malaria abroad return to the U.S., local Anopheles mosquitoes canbitethemand become infected with the malaria-causing parasites. The new cases were transmitted within U.S. borders by mosquitoes carrying such a parasite.

With climate change and rapid travel, Anopheles mosquitoes with the malaria causing parasites are expected to be a bit more common, especially in parts of the U.S. that are warmer, like Florida and Texas, said Dr. Megan Coffee, an assistant professor of population and family health at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health.

The cases are unusual, and officials say the risk of widespread malaria transmission in the U.S. is still relatively low. However, theres still a threat of more cases, as the CDC and other statewide organizations have issued public health alerts warning physicians, public health authorities and the general public about the risk.

How Malaria Spreads  And How You Can Limit Your Risk

Malaria is a vector-borne disease, which means it spreads through another organism  in this case, an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

There are five parasite species that are known to infect humans. Of these, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax (both are human-only species), are responsible for most of the disease worldwide, said Dr. Michelle Hsiang, a pediatric infectious diseases physician and the director of research at the University of California, San Franciscos Malaria Elimination Initiative.

Malaria can also be transmitted person-to-person through blood transfusions or from an infected pregnant person to their baby via the placenta, added Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeleys school of public health.

In order to limit your risk, take precautions not to be bitten by mosquitoes: Sleep in rooms with screened windows, wear long protective clothing and use insect repellents on your skin, recommended Hsiang. The CDC recommends sticking with EPA-registered insect repellents, which includes options with proven, safe ingredients like DEET and Picaridin.

The CDC expressed concern about a possible rise in imported cases, too, because of increased international travel this summer. If you have plans to visit a malaria-endemic country, take preventative drugs prior to or during your trip under the guidance of a medical professional. Because of the risk of counterfeit medicines, the CDC says they should be bought in your home country before you travel. (A vaccine is not recommended for U.S. travelers at this time.)

Malaria Symptoms And Treatment

According to Hsiang, an infection may cause flulike illness symptoms. Infected people can have fever, chills, night sweats, headache, body aches or fatigue. They may also experience cough and diarrhea.

If you traveled abroad recently and are experiencing these symptoms, its critical to seek medical attention right away. For a diagnosis of malaria, you may need to undergo a blood test, Coffee said, with samples analyzed for the parasite under a microscope.

When it comes to treating malaria of any origin, there are many different types of drugs that are tailored to the type of parasite, severity of the illness and drug resistance, said Hsiang.

The species P. vivax, detected in the Florida and Texas cases, can remain dormant in the liver following treatment of the acute infection, leading to relapsing symptoms weeks to months later. It is important that antimalarial drugs are started immediately as malaria left untreated can cause severe illness, said Dr. Michael Cappello, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Yale Medicine.

In 2020, an estimated 627,000 people worldwide died of malaria, with most of those living in sub-Saharan Africa, an area with high transmission. Fortunately, if malaria is detected and treated early on and appropriately, the symptoms canimprove in about three days and be completely resolved in a matter of weeks.

While public health officials and clinicians are preparing for a possible increase in locally transmitted cases, dont panic. But if you are traveling to a malaria-endemic country, take preventative measures and watch out for symptoms when you return to keep yourself and others around you safe.

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A shooting outside the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, left a local security guard dead, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday. The assailant was killed by Saudi security forces.

"The Consulate was appropriately locked down and no Americans were harmed in the attack. Accountability of all official American and locally employed staff has been achieved," the spokesperson said. The incident remains under investigation.

A spokesperson for the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Police said that the assailant stopped his car near the port city's American consulate on Wednesday evening, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He got out carrying a firearm, and there was an exchange of gunfire with the consulate's security authorities. A Nepalese security guard employed by the consulate and the assailant were killed in the exchange, the police spokesman said.

"We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guard member," the State Department spokesperson said.

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Longtime Mississippi Coast broadcaster announces she will leave journalism for new role

Longtime Mississippi Coast broadcaster Meggan Gray announced Thursday that she will leave WXXV-TV for a new role at St. Patrick High School.

It has been an absolute honor and privilege, Gray said about working in television in Mississippi.

She will leave the station on July 7, Gray said in a video posted to the WXXV-TV Facebook page.

Gray will serve as Director of Advancement at St. Patrick High. She is a 1999 graduate of St. John Catholic High School in Gulfport, which later became St. Patrick High. In the role, she will oversee alumni and fundraising, according to a release from the high school.

Gray, who was born and raised in South Mississippi, has spent 20 years in broadcast journalism and started at WLOX-TV in Biloxi.

At WXXV-TV, Gray appeared as a co-anchor weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and also anchored the noon newscast. Before that, she co-anchored WLOX-TVs Good Morning Mississippi from 2007 to 2021.

She moved to WXXV-TV after a dispute with WLOX-TV, where she had worked since 2003, because she refused to comply with the stations policy that employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Gray had said she rejected the shot because she had already survived COVID-19, and because of other powerful reasons that she did not specify.

WLOX-TVs parent company, like many others across the country, required employees to be vaccinated to protect communities from deadly surges of the virus.

As supportive comments poured in for the longtime anchor, Gray announced in October 2021 she would join WXXV-TV, a WLOX-TV competitor.

And on Thursday, she announced she will switch roles again.

Its going to be a difficult transition, Gray said. Ive been doing this for so long and Ive loved it.

Gray grew up in Gulfport and attended Auburn University. Her family has owned and operated a business in Gulfport for decades and her husband works in Ocean Springs, according to an old WLOX profile.

Support rolled in on Facebook on Thursday for the anchor. Some viewers said they followed Gray on her switch to WXXV-TV, and others said they were sorry to see her go and wished her well on her next step.

Working in TV news, Gray said, has been a true blessing.
Lost nocturnal creature seen flying outside homes in Singapore. See rare sighting

A lost creature soared through the dimly lit street in Singapore. It landed skillfully on a slim tree trunk and scampered into the night  seemingly unaware that its rare visit had been captured on video.

Kinho Tang and his kids were visiting family at an apartment building near the Bukit Batok Nature Park when they spotted the animal, Tang said in a June 20 Facebook post.

The animal was identified as a Sunda colugo, also known as a Sunda flying lemur, The Independent, a Singaporean outlet, reported.

Video shows the Sunda colugo launch itself off a tall, skinny tree and glide in front of the homes. With its body stretched out in flight, it appears to have a square shape. The colugo smoothly lands on another tree and quickly climbs upward.

We were very excited to see it glide! he said.

The video zooms in on the colugo as it hangs from the tree and scans the area. The animal begins climbing again as the video ends.

The Sunda flying lemur is not a lemur and does not fly, according to Thai National Parks. Instead, the animal is a colugo, a type of mammal known for its gliding abilities.

Sunda colugos have a skin membrane stretching from their head to tail and outward to their fingers, according to Singapore National Parks. This membrane enables colugos to smoothly glide between trees in the forested areas they inhabit.

In Singapore, colugos are known to live in Bukit Batok Nature Park, and their range is typically restricted to this park, wildlife officials said.

Singapores urban environment makes it an unlikely habitat for this species, making sightings of the Sunda Colugo exceedingly rare, The Independent reported.

Tang commented that the colugo might have lost its way because of construction outside the park.

Some were worried that the animals are losing their natural habitat, the Singaporean outlet Must Share News reported, sharing the video on TikTok and YouTube.

Tang did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment.

Singapore is an Asian island country composed of one city-state. It is located south of Malaysia and northwest of Indonesia.

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A student walks through a passageway on UCLA campus. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action in college admissions is certain to ripple across higher education for years. Debate in the lead-up to the court's decision has ignited passions about accessibility, fairness and merit in the complex admissions process  and stirred up some misconceptions about affirmative action.

Educators worry about how they will continue to bring in a racially diverse student body  and how to pay for the costly measures to do so  now that it is illegal to consider race in admissions decisions.

Read more: Supreme Court strikes down race-based affirmative action in college admissions

Common misunderstandings about the role and practice of affirmative action include:

Affirmative action uses racial quotas

Not correct. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of racial quotas in a 1978 ruling involving Allan Bakke, a white man who was rejected twice for admission to UC Davis medical school even though he had higher grades and test scores than students of color who were admitted. The court also ruled, however, that race could be used as one of several factors in college admissions to create a diverse class.

Affirmative action only benefits students of color

Not according to research. Affirmative action helps create diverse classes, and years of research have shown that students of all races and ethnicities benefit from that diversity with higher levels of social, emotional and cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving. Experiences with diversity also help careers: In one study of major employers, 96% said it is important that employees be comfortable working with colleagues, customers, and/or clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Affirmative action keeps qualified Asian students out of top schools

It's hard to know why students are accepted or rejected by top colleges because their admissions process is usually shrouded in secrecy. But Asian Americans make up the largest share of students of color at most selective institutions  disproportionately so  including those that use affirmative action. At Harvard University, for instance, Asian Americans make up 20% of undergraduates, followed by Latinos at 12% and Black students at 9%, according to the federal College Scorecards latest update, in April 2023.

At USC, Asian Americans make up 24% of undergraduates, with Latino students at 17% and Black students at 6%.

Read more: Are Asian American college applicants at a disadvantage? Supreme Court debate stirs fear

Asian Americans also make up the largest demographic group at the University of California, and that share has not appreciably changed since the 1996 passage of Proposition 209, which outlawed the use of race and gender in public education, employment and contracting. Asian Americans made up 35% of first-year UC students in 1995, before the ban, and also in 1998, the first admission year after it took effect. That figure grew to 38% in fall 2022, UC data show. At UC, the number of Black and Latino students declined after the Proposition 209 ban but has since risen to exceed the previous levels.

Highly qualified students of all backgrounds are routinely rejected by elite institutions because of the scarcity of seats. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has often said her campus could fill every seat with straight-A students but simply doesn't have room for all of them.

Most colleges and universities across the country use affirmative action

Not true. Higher-education experts say a small number of highly selective institutions consider race in admissions.

Among 1,364 four-year institutions in the country, only 17 admitted fewer than 10% of applicants  including Stanford, Harvard and Yale  and 29 accepted between 10% and 20%, including USC, UCLA and UC Berkeley, according to a 2019 Pew Research study.

These elite schools do not reflect higher education as a whole: They account for just 3.4% of colleges and 4.1% of students. They use affirmative action to advance their missions valuing diversity and opportunity for students of all backgrounds.

In reality, experts say, most institutions accept most students who apply  which means they don't need to use race as a factor to apportion seats. Rather, they mostly look at grades and transcripts to evaluate whether the applicants have a good chance of succeeding, experts said.

Affirmative action is the main competitive edge, the 'hook' for college admissions

Not true. Academic performance  grades, test scores, rigor of high school transcript  is by far the most important criterion in college admissions. Among other factors, admission preferences for "legacies"  children of alumni  are widely used, with 787 colleges and universities reporting in 2020 that they provided these applicant preferences, according to a fall 2022 report by Education Reform Now, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank. The practice is most common among private colleges in the Northeast, the report found.

In anticipation of the Supreme Court ban on affirmative action, such birthright preferences have come under increasing scrutiny as an unfair advantage that rewards predominately white applicants. Experts predict it will be harder for colleges to defend legacy admissions after the affirmative action ban.

Read more: 'We're really worried': What do colleges do now after affirmative action ruling?

The Pew survey showed that nearly three-quarters of Americans believe that whether a relative attended the school should not factor into admissions decisions.

In California, Caltech and Pomona College have ended legacy preferences. The University of California does not consider family relations in admissions.

Without affirmative action, the numbers of Black and Latino students will plunge

That could happen, but it doesn't have to.

Colleges have had a long time to prepare for the Supreme Court decision. Many campus leaders, bracing for this outcome, say robust recruitment and academic preparation programs in underserved communities of color could help bolster enrollment numbers. Such work is costly and it's unclear whether there is the financial and political will to sustain such admissions programs.

The California experience is instructive.

The number of Black and Latino first-year students plunged by nearly half at UCLA and UC Berkeley during the first admission year under Proposition 209.

Since then, UC campuses have made strides. Black and Latino students increased to more than 43% of the admitted first-year class of Californians for fall 2022, compared with about 20% before Proposition 209. For the third straight year, Latinos were the largest ethnic group of admitted students at around 37%, followed by Asian Americans at 35%, white students at about 19% and Black students at a little under 6%.

UC increased diversity using such race-neutral measures as outreach to communities with lower income and parental education levels  spending a half-billion dollars over two decades on the efforts. It has not entirely succeeded in enrolling students who fully reflect the state's ethnic and racial makeup, but has made meaningful progress toward that goal.

California voters support affirmative action

Even in blue California, as recently as November 2020 voters said no in big numbers to affirmative action. Proposition 16  placed on the ballot by the Democratic-controlled California Legislature  would have repealed Propostion 209. But it was rejected by more than 1 million votes.

Proposition 16 was endorsed by the UC Board of Regents, all 10 campus chancellors and major student organizations, which blamed the 27-year statewide ban on affirmative action for particularly hurting Black and Latino enrollment.

Read more: Why affirmative action measure failed in California

But polls by UC Berkeleys Institute of Governmental Studies and the Public Policy Institute of California showed that Latino voters in California  who account for roughly a quarter of the electorate  were evenly split. White voters were firmly against the measure, while Black voters were strongly in favor.

The Supreme Court ruling will bring big changes in California

Admission preferences based on race already are illegal in California for public universities. So nothing will change there  except that there could be no future efforts to restore these preferences at the ballot box.

However, more than 80 private institutions in the state had been free to consider race in admission decisions prior to the Supreme Court ruling. That will no longer be possible.

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lottery numbers finally paid off for 67-year-old man who has played game for years

Its about time!

Thats what Steven Frederick said he shouted when he realized he had won $25,000 a year for life, according to a June 29 news release from the Michigan Lottery.

Frederick, of Belmont, said he has played Lucky For Life for several years  and he uses the same set of special numbers: 10-17-26-28-30.

Those numbers were finally drawn during the $2 games June 20 drawing, lottery officials said. He realized he won when checking his numbers online the next morning.

When I showed my wife how much wed won, she also started hollering with excitement, the 67-year-old from Kent County said when claiming his prize. I have been playing these numbers for years, and I am thrilled they finally paid off!

Frederick was given two options: $25,000 a year for 20 years or life, whichever is greater, or a one-time payment of $390,000.

He chose the lump sum, officials said, and plans to buy a home.

Belmont is 12 miles north of downtown Grand Rapids.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Son gifts his mom a North Carolina lottery ticket  then her dream becomes a reality

Lottery player in middle of manicure checks Maryland winning numbers. I was shaking

Lottery player starts day with big jackpot win. Woke me up way faster than my coffee
Lottery player bummed when someone won the jackpot  but it was him. Blew me away

When a Maryland lottery player went to check the 20 tickets he picked up while swinging by a food mart after grabbing his medication, he got disheartened as the jackpot printed on the tickets dipped.

No longer was the jackpot $30,000 but instead was less than half at $14,000, Maryland Lottery officials said in a June 28 news release.

Though disappointed, the Baltimore player scanned through his tickets at the food mart in Catonsville and soon realized why the jackpot had reset  he was holding the winning SLINGO ticket, worth $30,028, in his hand.

I thought someone else hit, the avid angler told lottery officials, adding that the win blew me away!

This wasnt the mans first big lottery win, officials said.

In 2017, he won $100,000 and used the winnings to move, buy a truck, make a donation to his church and take a trip to Las Vegas, officials said.

Though his current truck is generally fine for fishing trips, there is one problem  it has no backseat for his dog to lounge.

She needs her space, the angler said.

With the pairs frequent trips to tidewater locations across Maryland in pursuit of flounder, white perch and, especially, rockfish, space is crucial, lottery officials said.

So, with his most recent win, lottery officials said the angler plans to buy a new car with a backseat where his pooch can sprawl and have the backseat to herself.

Catonsville is less than 10 miles southwest of Baltimore.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Lottery numbers finally paid off for 67-year-old man who has played game for years

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A Lufthansa plane was delayed 8 hours after it diverted twice  first due to a medical emergency and then the crew reached their time limit

A Lufthansa Airbus A319. Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A Lufthansa flight from Argentina to Germany took nearly a whole day after delays.

One passenger required medical attention after falling ill about 5 hours into the flight.

Then after crossing the Atlantic, the crew reached their maximum duty time, forcing a stop in France.

A Lufthansa flight was delayed by eight hours on Tuesday because it was twice diverted following a medical emergency, Simple Flying first reported.

The Boeing 747 had to make two extra landings while traveling from Buenos Aires in Argentina to Frankfurt, Germany  a journey that took 21 hours instead of 13 hours, data from flight tracking site Flightradar24 showed.

Just off the northern coast of Brazil near the equator  nearly 5 hours into the flight  a medical emergency on board forced the plane to turn around and land at Natal in Brazil, a Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed to Insider.

The plane then carried on across the Atlantic Ocean, before safety requirements meant that the Lufthansa crew were nearing the maximum time limit on duty, Simple Flying reported.

Less than an hour away from Frankfurt, the plane had to land at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport in order to replace the crew.

Then, after the already prolonged flight was nearing 24 hours, the Lufthansa jet finally landed in Frankfurt.

If you include the 5-hour time difference, passengers took more than a whole day traveling from South America to Europe.

Read the original article on Insider
Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on NATO to "shape" Ukraine's future accession and put it on a "concrete" path to post-war membership in the alliance, pan-European news website Euractiv reported on June 29.

"We will have to define a path to give shape to Ukraines prospects of joining NATO, which we opened up in 2008 in Bucharest," Macron said during talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Paris on June 28.

Macron also said that the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on July 1112 should be used to make decisions that will demonstrate long-term commitment to Ukraine.

"The decisions we take (in Vilnius) will commit us (to action) for years to come  I am thinking first and foremost of support for Ukraine, to which we must make a long-term commitment," Macron said.

Read also: Duda calls for Ukraine to join NATO, Germany and France favor security guarantees

In addition to the institutional perspective of NATO membership, Macron said that the Western allies would help Ukraine reform its armed forces, facilitate interaction with the alliance's forces, and provide support beyond military supplies.

Ukraine's accession to NATO  What is known

In 2008, the Bucharest Declaration was signed, in which NATO members promised that Ukraine and Georgia would join the military alliance.

In September 2022, Ukraine applied for NATO membership, with several alliance member states backing Ukraine's candidacy, but with others hesitating or refusing to take a position.

The next NATO summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12,. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy has said Ukraine expects to receive a clear signal of the alliances readiness to invite Ukraine to join.

Read also: Ukraine wants security guarantees, accession timeline at NATO Summit in Vilnius, Zelenskyy advisor

Previously, Stoltenberg said that such a signal would be forthcoming, but without a formal invitation to Kyiv to join the alliance.

At the same time, U.S. news website Politico wrote that five weeks before the summit, the Western allies still do not have a unified position on the security guarantees requested by Ukraine.

According to U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal, prior to joining NATO, the Western partners will offer Ukraine a security model similar to that of Israel. It will facilitate the transfer of weapons and advanced technologies to Kyiv, and will be a step towards membership of the alliance.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that he sees no point in participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius if Ukraine does not receive a clear signal about its membership prospects.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A search for a missing 11-year-old girl that made national headlines last year may have been prompted by a school policy put in place to protect kids just like her.

The FBI shared video of Madalina Cojocari getting off a school bus in November 2022, but court documents obtained by Channel 9 show her mother didnt report Madalina missing until 22 days later.

9 FOCUS STORIES: Find Madalina

Authorities eventually charged her mother, Diana Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, with failure to report the disappearance of a child.

In an exclusive interview with Channel 9, Madalinas school resource officer explained more about the policy executed by school officials.

Madalina Cojocari vanished 7 months ago, prompting a massive search. Now, were hearing from her school resource officer who helped launch the effort. The policies to protect kids & his message as Madalinas classmates prepare for another school year without her. @wsoctv at 5p. pic.twitter.com/5cRGzSuDj6  Anthony Kustura (@AnthonyWSOC9) June 29, 2023

We have kids that miss a bunch of days all the time, said Officer John Nobles, the school resource officer at Bailey. I dont normally get pulled in until I can articulate a safety reason or welfare of the child.

When Madalina got off her school bus on Nov. 21, 2022, investigators say it was the last time anyone saw her at Bailey Middle School in Cornelius. But long before flyers and yellow bows for her went up across town, Madalinas school raised the red flag to begin the search for her.

PREVIOUS STORIES:

To me, a school resource officer is the most important position in law enforcement, Nobles said. The responsibility of taking care of other peoples kids, and keeping them safe.

He cant speak directly to Madalinas case. However, court documents show he and the school counselor went to Madalinas home on Dec. 12 to check on her, but no one answered the door.

According to court documents, Madalinas mom then called the counselor to set up a meeting about her daughter, promising to bring Madalina to school. When her mom showed up for that meeting on Dec. 15, she reported her daughter missing, according to those court documents. Thats 22 days after Madalina was last seen.

The home visit is part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools truancy policy, which requires intervention and notifications to parents if a student misses at least 10 days of school.

Officer Nobles said on those visits, hes looking for signs of neglect, abuse, or anything suspicious.

Thats part of keeping them safe and protecting them, he said.

Madalina was just three months into the school year as a sixth grader when she vanished. Out of roughly 1,300 kids, Officer Nobles said he didnt know her well, but many of his students did.

I imagine there was probably some hard conversations, Channel 9s Anthony Kustura said.

You can imagine the whirlwind of emotions, Nobles said.

Everyone at Bailey Middle wrapped up the last year with little to no answers in the search for Madalina, and then the holidays came. Not long afterward, Madalinas birthday passed.

Still, investigators say theyre following up on hundreds of leads and are hopeful for a break in the case. Officer Nobles is holding on to that hope too as he prepares for another school year -- not just for him, or even for Madalina, but for all of her young classmates.

I have hope so I lead with hope, he said. Theyre going to follow that naturally.

I think we all want it to be resolved in a good way and to move forward as a community, he added.

Madalinas mother and stepfather, Diana Cojocari and Christopher Palmiter, are both in the Mecklenburg County jail accused of failing to report a missing child. Investigators searched the home repeatedly, combed Lake Cornelius, and asked residents of Madison County to come forward who saw Diana or her car around the dates Madalina vanished.

(PREVIOUS: Witnesses say private investigator has been asking about Madalina Cojocari case)
Undead Clippit

Clippy's back, y'all  and more powerful than ever.

The former Microsoft Office mascot  technically named Clippit, though pretty much everyone calls him Clippy  has had a rough go of it. First introduced back in 1997, the anthropomorphic paperclip was first retired from its hate-it-or-love-it "office assistant" role back in 2001. Then, years later in 2019, Microsoft momentarily resurrected Clippy  only to murder him once again on that very same day.

Now, per PC World, Clippy has once again been resurrected, albeit not by Microsoft. A developer called FireCube has brought the Groucho-eyebrowed paperclip back, and this time it's powered by OpenAI's red-hot GPT-3.5 large language model (LLM).

"Clippy by FireCube (Not by Microsoft) brings back the infamous Clippit into your desktop powered by the OpenAI GPT 3.5 model," reads the product description for the newly-undead mascot. "Clippy can be pinned to the screen for quick access to chat or just be left for nostalgia."

There you have it, folks. It's not just Clippy. It's SuperClippy, powered by the same technology that its original maker-slash-unaliver paid gazillions of dollars for a major stake in. The "brand police"  as a Microsoft insider characterized Clippy's killers to The Verge back in 2019  can suck it.

Clipheads Rise

Well, maybe. There's always the chance that this ClippyGPT could grow so popular  and thus so powerful, at least in its financial prospects  that Microsoft could be moved to kill the digital assistant for the third time on copyright grounds. Although, if that happens, Microsoft might face another wave of Cliphead furor, just as the firm did the last time that Clippy was shut down, as the Verge reported at the time.

Of course, the copyright thing would be somewhat understandable, if a wildly dark new turn in Clippy's character arc. Seriously, right now we're at: inception, murder, resurrection and same-day murder, and now super-charged resurrection featuring an AI integration. That's starting to sound like the plot of "The Mummy," and with that in mind, perhaps we should refrain from killing off the newly AI-embedded version of the iconic office helper. Call it AI threat mitigation, if you will.

Anyway. We don't really think that AI Clippy would or could seek revenge on its maker, should it be sent back to the digital underworld once more. All we're saying is that maybe, just maybe, there's a different Paperclip Problem that we should all be worried about.

More on Clippy's former employer: OpenAI Warned Microsoft That Its AI Is Absolutely Terrible at Telling the Truth
Seven-time Grammy winner Madonna arrives for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 2015 (Valerie MACON)

Madonna has gone home after a several-day stay in the hospital and was "feeling better," a source close to the matter told AFP Thursday.

The 64-year-old pop superstar had fallen ill with a "serious bacterial infection" that landed her in an intensive care unit, her manager Guy Oseary had said in a statement on Wednesday.

She is expected to make a full recovery, he said, but had to delay her 84-date "Celebrations" tour due to start on July 15.

Her global, nearly sold-out tour was billed as paying homage to Madonna's more than four-decade long career.

Stops in the United States were to include Detroit, Chicago, Miami and New York, the city where her storied rise to superstardom began.

She was then slated to continue in Europe, with dates in London, Barcelona and Paris, as well as four dates in Mexico City.

The Grammy-winning icon behind classics including "Like A Virgin" and "Material Girl" has asserted incalculable influence over her stellar career as one of music's top stars.

Her manager had vowed to provide more information when available, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows.

In 2020 Madonna underwent hip replacement surgery following an injury sustained on her "Madame X" tour.

mdo/md
Madonna, 64, is delaying her upcoming tour as she recovers from a "serious bacterial infection" that had her hospitalized, her manager said Wednesday.

The pop star had a "several day stay" in the intensive care unit after she developed the infection Saturday, her manager Guy Oseary said in an Instagram post.

A source close to Madonna told NBC News Thursday that she has returned home and is "feeling better."

Madonna speaks onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images file)

Madonna is expected to make a full recovery but remains under medical care as she improves, her manager said.

"At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour," he said. "We will share more details with you as soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows."

It's unclear what Madonna's diagnosis is or if she was still in the intensive care unit as of Wednesday.

Madonna was scheduled to kick off "The Celebration Tour" with guest Bob the Drag Queen in Canada on July 15, concluding in Mexico at the end of January. The show, meant to honor her four decades in music, was going to span North America and Europe, according to her website.

Live Nation, the tour's promoter, sent Madonna its well wishes.

We are thinking of Madonna at this time and wishing her a quick recovery," it said in a statement. "We look forward to picking the tour back up soon."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A major pole-dancing convention no longer plans to head to Orlando in 2024 after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a flurry of laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community, including one that targets drag shows.

The International Pole Convention, known as PoleCon for short, has decided to relocate the annual event because attendees will include people of various genders and ages, including youth performers and children attending with their parents, and some attendees will be in drag.

Its just too risky to go to Florida, Colleen Jolly, the CEO of the International Pole Convention, told HuffPost. At this point, Im signing [event-related] contracts one year in advance. What kind of shenanigans are going to be happening there by then?

One of the Florida laws purports to bar business from admitting minors to sexually explicit drag shows, but critics say its written in such a way that it could apply to all drag events. The text says that such shows include those that are patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community of this state as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for the age of the child present.

Any establishment that violates the law could be fined $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for a subsequent violation, as well as having its liquor license revoked.

Last week, a federal judge temporarily halted the drag ban after Hamburger Marys, a chain restaurant that hosts drag performances for all ages, sued Florida, saying the laws broad language has a chilling effect on the right to free speech.

But the legal uncertainty still has Jolly concerned about holding an inclusive event in Florida. Even before DeSantis signed the drag law, right-wing extremists and other protesters had shown up to drag events at restaurants and other venues.

I wouldnt want my attendees to have people standing outside picketing, Jolly said. This is their time to get away, relax and have fun. They shouldnt have to worry about getting hassled.

PoleCon was held in Orlando in 2018, and Jolly said that many attendees  professional and hobbyist pole-dancers alike  visited local theme parks, participating in Floridas large tourist economy. But now there is a real danger to any organization holding drag events.

Last year, DeSantis threatened a Miami restaurants liquor license over drag shows, alleging that the popular events were targeting minors with lewd performances. Then in February, DeSantis filed a complaint against the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation after it hosted a family-friendly drag show, similarly accusing the nonprofit of putting on sexually explicit performances for children.

DeSantis signed the raft of anti-LGBTQ laws right before announcing last month that he was running for the White House, signaling what his priorities could be as president. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.

Floridas drag ban is a part of a conservative moral panic about children being exposed to the LGBTQ+ community. While it has spread across the country in GOP-led states, Florida remains at the forefront.

Conservative culture warriors in the Sunshine State have sought to clamp down onthe books that children can access and what teachers can say at school. And in addition to restricting drag shows, theyve worked to prohibit transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming care.

Its not really about protecting children, Jolly said. Its about control.

Jolly is now searching for a new location for PoleCon 2024.

I wont go to any state with a drag ban, she said. So, Ive had to block out a third of the country.

However, Jolly is not concerned about where the convention will be held. She said the real issue is how drag bans affect anyone looking for a safe and inclusive space.

PoleCon will find another place, Jolly said. But real people are being hurt by this. And even if youre straight and cisgender, you need to be paying attention.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that the defenders are advancing on the Bakhmut front and showed the destruction of a mortar and an occupier's ammunition storage point.

Source: Syrskyi on Telegram

Quote from Syrskyi: "The 45th Airborne Brigade and 57th Separate Mechanised Brigade are at work. In the Bakhmut front, a Vasiliok mortar and an ammunition storage point were destroyed."

Details: According to him, the defence forces are making progress on the Bakhmut front, which is underway. "We are moving," the commander stressed.

Background:

Earlier, Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Malyar said that Ukraines defence forces were making gains in southern and eastern Ukraine, advancing by 1,300 metres on the Berdiansk front, 1,200 metres on the Klishchiivka front, and 1,500 metres on the Kurdiumivka front.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine states that on the Bakhmut front, Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, and Bila Hora. They launched an airstrike near New-York (Donetsk Oblast). More than 15 settlements, including Vasyukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Khromove, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Ozarianivka and Pivdenne were affected by Russian artillery fire.

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The News

One of the U.K.'s top courts ruled Thursday that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.

The Court of Appeal said Rwanda is not a safe place to send the migrants, prolonging the legal battle over the controversial immigration plan.

We've curated insightful analysis and opinions on what the court's decision means for the future of the plan.

Insights

The court's decision deals a major blow to Sunak, given that the Rwanda plan has become a centerpiece of his government's immigration strategy which aims to stop small boat crossings from France to the U.K. But Sunak is seeking to appeal Thursday's ruling to the country's Supreme Court. 

In ruling against the government's plan, the court feared that refugees could have their asylum claims wrongly refused in Rwanda, citing the lack of safeguards and independence in the country's asylum and legal system. It also cited opposition to the plan from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which said that the majority of refugees in Rwanda "live in camps with limited access to economic opportunities." 

There was "always something odd" about the idea and how it was pitched , Jay Elwes writes in The New European. On one hand, it was promoted as a way to deter migrants from coming to the U.K. At the same time, the government built up Rwanda as a safe and welcoming place where asylum seekers would thrive.

Many members of Sunak's own party "have poo-pooed the Rwanda plan from the start," leading to an incoherent message and strategy, Patrick OFlynn writes in The Spectator. "The stench of a more general political death suddenly surrounds Sunak."

Rwanda was on board with the plan in which the U.K. would pay the country about $152 million to fund development and to process the migrants. During a Semafor summit last year, Rwanda President Paul Kagame said the "U.K. is the one that approached us. ... When that [court case] is sorted out, we shall have them, we will process them, and these people will go wherever they want to go."

Know More

Under the plan, which was first announced in April 2022, the U.K. would pay over $100 million to fly tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda, where they would have their asylum claims processed and receive access to opportunities including education and training, officials said.

A court ruled late last year that the plan was lawful. U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said at the time that being sent to Rwanda is "not a punishment" for the refugees, "but an innovative way of addressing a major problem."
Man with 12 DUI charges gets 131 years in crash that killed dad of 2, officials say

A driver charged in a hit-and-run that killed an Alabama father was sentenced to 131 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Brett Amerson was convicted on multiple charges, including driving under the influence and murder, in connection with the fatal 2018 crash, according to Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker. Amerson had been arrested and charged with driving under the influence 11 times in the past, according to a statement from Crockers office.

On Dec. 18, 2018, Amerson was driving a box truck in Cullman County when officials say he crashed into a motorcycle being operated by Bradley Ray Patterson. Patterson was killed.

On a memorial site for Patterson, loved ones described him as a wonderful father of two.

He was the most caring, big-hearted man I knew and Im so thankful for the life and friendship we got to share, wrote Michelle Caples. He will be missed immensely.

One of Pattersons children wrote that her dad died doing what he loved.

Hes taught me so much and that was his last lesson, wrote Baylee Patterson. ... we all have to remember he was a great man that did not deserve this.

Crocker said in a statement that he asked a judge for the maximum sentence for Amerson in part because of his lengthy criminal history.

I have gotten to know the Patterson family very well these past few months and I am so proud we achieved justice for their family, the statement says.

Amersons attorney could not be reached for comment.

Amerson was found guilty on April 20 of murder  reckless by vehicle; manslaughter; leaving the scene of an accident; driving under the influence; driving while license revoked or suspended; and failure to yield right of way, according to court documents.

Cullman County is in north-central Alabama. The county seat is Cullman.

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Man accused of killing daughter had been convicted of child abuse, investigated in infant death

The 51-year-old Wichita father charged this week in the killing of his 8-year-old daughter has multiple domestic violence-related cases in Wichita and an Oklahoma conviction of child abuse, according to court records.

Thomas Ross Gatewood and his wife also were investigated but not charged in the June 2006 death of an infant while living in Minneapolis, court records show.

In Wichita, Gatewood was arrested Tuesday in connection with the May 8 death of 8-year-old Jeanetta Y. Gatewood.

He has been charged with 11 counts: first-degree murder in the commission of a felony, four counts of aggravated kidnapping, three counts of abuse of a child, two counts of aggravated endangering of a child and one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness/victim.

Court records show some of the charges, including the intimidation charge, are related to a 9-year-old victim.

Police have released few details about the death of Gatewoods daughter: Police were called just before 7 p.m. A person reported the girl fell during a fight. She was pronounced dead at 7:36 p.m.

Court records available so far in the case say that between December 8 and May 8 Gatewood did then and there unlawfully and knowingly torture, cruelly beat, cruelly strike or cruelly kick the girl.

Gatewood had a first appearance Wednesday and remained jailed in lieu of a $250,000 bond.

A neighbor, who asked not to be named, said Gatewood told them that his daughters were bickering when the older daughter hit the younger one with a book, causing the younger to hit her head on a metal desk.

The neighbor said they had lived next to each other for years in the 600 block of North Oliver, but had only seen Gatewood regularly. The neighbor remembers seeing one of the daughters once.

Still, the neighbor said Gatewood had been friendly, always checking on them when something suspicious happened in the neighborhood.

Court records show Gatewood has had domestic violence-related allegations in at least three cities. Some ended in convictions; others did not.

In Minnesota, a Minneapolis homicide sergeant, John Holthusen, investigated the 2006 death of a child. The child had died of meningitis but had bruises, skull fractures, and cracks or fractures of the ribs found by the medical examiner, according to an affidavit in a 2009 child abuse case in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The child had not been taken to the hospital.

Sad case down in Wichita, Holthusen, now retired, said in a text message to The Eagle.

Holthusen also said in a text that he had asked the DAs office to charge the Gatewood couple with medical neglect in the Minnesota case. The DAs office declined.

On Friday, Hennepin County district attorney spokesperson Nicholas Kimball returned messages left earlier in the week. He said there was insufficient evidence to convict Gatewood or his wife.

Insufficient evident to get a conviction, including a lack of conclusive medical evidence that could be used to show what he knew about the childs condition and when he knew it, he said.

The Gatewood family had moved around a lot. They had lived in Tennessee and Arkansas before landing in Oklahoma, the wife told police in Oklahoma, adding they moved after being evicted from their homes. The Eagle is not naming the wife because she has not been arrested in the Wichita case.

During his investigation, Holthusen followed the Gatewoods to Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

In early 2009 in Bartlesville, officials ended up taking two Gatewood children  a newborn boy and 19-month-old girl  after finding that the girl was unable to walk and talk.

Here is what the affidavit in that case says:

The girl was underweight at 16 pounds. Officials also later discovered bruises all over her body, consistent with the injuries of the child who died in 2006.

The toddler had bruises on her legs, back, buttocks and small red dots on the outside of both eyes, the affidavit says. The bruises looked to be different ages. One on the thigh looked like a handprint.

The toddler in the Oklahoma case also hadnt been taken to the hospital for her injuries. Gatewoods wife said the girl wasnt taken to the hospital because she did not think the injuries were that bad, the affidavit says.

She also told police that doctors always suspect abuse but she protects her children, the affidavit says. Additionally, she feared them being taken away.

She told police she believed the injuries came from falling off the couch a lot, the affidavit says.

Thomas Ross Gatewood told police he knew he had bruised the toddler from spanking her. He also admitted to spanking too hard, the affidavit says.He told police that his wife knew he spanked the toddler but did not say anything to him.

About why they also hadnt sought help for the toddlers inability to walk and talk, Gatewoods wife said she and her husband believed she will develop in her own time and dont want any assistance, the affidavit says.

Thomas Ross Gatewood was sentenced to a year in jail, probation and court costs in the Bartlesville case, court records show.

His wife was convicted of enabling child abuse by injury and sentenced to 180 days in jail, probation and court costs, records show.

The document also lists seven criminal cases against Thomas Ross Gatewood from the 1990s  all of them for aggravated battery, aggravated assault and battery and in either Wichita or Riley County.

In Wichita, municipal court records show Thomas Ross Gatewood has several cases for domestic violence battery, battery and sexual battery unlawful touching. Most of the cases have been dismissed, but he has been found guilty on two incidents of domestic violence battery.

Contributing: Amy Renee Leiker with The Eagle
Mans death awaiting trial on charges he killed his mother at sea was not suspicious, autopsy says

Mans death awaiting trial on charges he killed his mother at sea was not suspicious, autopsy says

CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  An autopsy has determined that the death of a man awaiting trial on charges of killing his mother off the coast of New England in a scheme to inherit millions of dollars was not suspicious, the New Hampshire attorney generals office said Wednesday.

Nathan Carman, 29, of Vernon, Vermont, was found dead in his cell in a county jail in New Hampshire on June 15. The attorney generals office does not release the cause and manner in deaths that are not suspicious, according to spokesperson Michael Garrity. The U.S. Marshals Service in Vermont said it will not be releasing the cause of Carmans death at the request of family.

The attorney generals office confirmed that authorities consider a death to be not suspicious when theyve determined no one else was involved, or if no crime was committed.

Carman pleaded not guilty last year to fraud and first-degree murder in the 2016 death of his mother, Linda Carman, and was scheduled to go on trial in October.

An eight-count indictment also said Carman shot and killed his wealthy grandfather John Chakalos in 2013 as he slept, in order to obtain money and property from his grandfathers estate. But the indictment did not charge Carman with his grandfathers killing, and he had consistently denied any involvement in the two deaths.

In September 2016, Carman organized a fishing trip with his mother, who lived in Middletown, Connecticut, during which prosecutors say he planned to kill her and report that his boat sank and his mother disappeared in the accident.

He was found floating on an inflatable raft eight days after leaving a Rhode Island marina with his mother, whose body was never recovered. Prosecutors allege he altered the boat to make it more likely to sink. Carman denied that allegation.

His lawyers Martin Minnella and David Sullivan criticized the indictment  including allegations Carman killed his grandfather, saying he was never charged with that crime.

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An inmate sweats in a cell at the Lopez State Jail in Edinburg, Texas, Aug. 19, 2022. (Veronica G. Cardenas/The New York Times)

HOUSTON  On the third day of 100-degree temperatures last week, locked without air-conditioning in a Texas prison north of Houston, Joseph Martire said he began to feel overwhelmed. His breathing grew heavy.

An inmate for nearly 16 years, Martire was expecting to be released in a few weeks. But it was so hot that day, he recalled, that he wondered if he would make it that long. He was covered in sweat and felt so lightheaded that he had to brace himself against a wall. At some point, he passed out.

Its kind of weird getting woken up with fingers in your eyes and not knowing how you got there, Martire, 35, said of the efforts to revive him by pressing on pressure points around his eyes. He was eventually moved to an air-conditioned emergency medical area. They kept me there for two hours, drinking ice water, salt water, taking my temperature, making sure I was still alive, he said.

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The weekslong June heat wave scorching Texas has been particularly brutal and dangerous inside the states sprawling prison system, where a majority of those incarcerated, and the guards who watch over them, have been struggling without air conditioning.

In more than a dozen interviews this week, current and former inmates, as well as their relatives and friends, described an elemental effort at survival going on inside the prisons, with inmates relying on warm water, wet towels and fans that push hot air. Some flooded their cells with water from their combination sink-toilets, lying on the wet concrete for relief. Others, desperate for the guards attention, lit fires or took to screaming in unison for water or for help with an inmate who had passed out.

If somebody goes down, we start beating on the lockers and doors yelling, Man down! said Luke King, 41, an inmate who, along with Martire, is in a prison in Huntsville, Texas. With the heat, he said, that has been happening at least daily.

The superheated conditions inside many prisons  where temperatures can reach 110 degrees or above  have been a well-known problem for years, and not just in Texas. Across the South, prisons in habitually hot states like Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi also do not provide centralized air conditioning in most cases, according to a 2019 report. And the heat dome that has settled in recent weeks over Texas has been increasingly shifting to the east, bringing extreme temperatures into those Southern states.

In Texas, the Republican-controlled House this year proposed spending $545 million to install air conditioning in the majority of state prisons that do not have it. The House also overwhelmingly approved a bill to require that the temperature in prisons be no higher than 85 degrees and no lower than 65. State law in Texas already requires county jails to keep the temperature within that range.

The bill to require cooling died in the state Senate. And despite a record surplus, the final state budget did not include money specifically for prison air conditioning, though state prison officials have been slowly expanding cooling facilities within their existing budgets.

State Rep. Terry Canales, a Democrat from South Texas, blamed the lack of action on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a conservative Republican who leads the Senate. Patricks office did not respond to a request for comment.

The narrative comes from the 1980s that we need to be tough on crime, and installing AC in prisons seems soft on inmates, said Canales, who sponsored the temperature legislation and has brought bills to address prison heat in each of the last two legislative sessions.

The truth is the state is paying millions of dollars a year in heat-related lawsuits and were facing chronic corrections-officer shortages, he added. Its not conservative. Being in prison in and of itself is a punishment. But nobody is signed up to be tortured.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which runs the prisons, has not attributed any of the 32 inmate deaths recorded this month to excessive heat, and has not reported a heat-related death since 2012. Inmate advocates have questioned those statistics. A 2022 study of Texas prisoner deaths found that on average, more than 10 a year could be attributed to the heat in prisons without air conditioning.

We take numerous precautions to lessen the effects of hot temperatures for those incarcerated within our facilities, Amanda Hernandez, a department spokesperson, said in a statement. These efforts work. So far in June, she said, there have been five inmates with heat-related injuries who required medical care beyond first aid. Last June, there were three such cases.

She added: Much like those Texans who do not have access to air conditioning in their homes, inmates are able to keep themselves cool by other means: ice water, fans and access to air-conditioned respite areas when needed. She said the department had taken steps to identify inmates who were potentially more vulnerable to the heat and given them priority placement in areas with air conditioning.

The department operates 98 facilities, of which 31 are fully air-conditioned and 14 have no cooling at all. The rest have air conditioning only in certain areas. The department has been adding air conditioning each year and now has more than 43,000 cool beds  about a third of those in the system  according to Hernandez. The department has discussed plans to eventually air-condition all prisons at a projected cost of more than $1 billion, but still needs the funding.

In the meantime, several current inmates and their families said prisoners were suffering through the heat and had often been unable access the promised respite areas, either because of staffing shortages or because they were denied permission. Others said there were few fans available, or that the water in their prison showers  meant as a means of cooling  offered little relief.

He says, I feel terrible, I have to go take a shower,' said Cynthia Anguiano, 41, describing a conversation with her fiance, who has been serving a long sentence for a fatal shooting. And then the water comes out like almost hot.

She said two of her brothers, also in Texas prisons, had been sharing their struggles with her via text messages. Hey sis, whats up? Its been hot as hell over here, read one of their messages, shared with The New York Times. I get shortness of breath because theres no air circulation.

Hope Thommen, 40, said her boyfriend was serving a sentence for armed robbery in a prison in Central Texas, which he described to her as feeling like a chicken coop in the heat with no shade. He told her that other inmates had set fire to sheets and mattresses, trying to get the guards attention because theyre hot, she said.

From the minute he wakes up he says, I feel like Im dying, Thommen said.

One of the most vocal groups advocating for inmates in Texas grew out of concern over the heat in past years. The way to solve this problem would be to simply put the air conditioners in, said Amite Dominick, one of the authors of the 2022 heat death study and the founder of the group, Texas Prisons Community Advocates. People are desperate. Theyre tired of it.

Excessive temperatures inside prisons have also been a problem for employees and guards, said Jeff Ormsby, the executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Texas Corrections, a union representing prison workers.

Its been really bad. Weve had several people call and say theyre quitting because of the heat, Ormsby said. Its a messed-up situation. The working conditions are horrific. The assaults go up in the summer because of the heat. Its just a stress factor.

An employee at one prison said the heat was so intense that his work clothes were often soaked through with sweat and that he occasionally felt overwhelmed enough to need to sit down. The employee, who requested anonymity because he feared reprisal for complaining about his work conditions, said he had seen a colleague taken away in an ambulance this month.

Inmates described similar experiences of watching those around them succumb to the extreme temperatures. Ive seen a lot of old people go down from this heat. Theres just no relief here, there aint none, said King in Huntsville, who was imprisoned for crimes including theft and burglary. Id hate to lose my life behind this. Id hate to die because Im in a hot cell.

He added: I understand that were inmates and we make mistakes. Paying for your mistakes is one thing. But living like this is wrong.

Martire, who has been serving a sentence for burglary, said that when he passed out from the heat this month there were two others in the emergency area, also recovering from being overheated.

Its like sitting inside of a convection oven, he said in a telephone interview. It heats up and it keeps on heating up when the sun goes down. He has tried to stay focused on his impending release and said his plans for coping with the summer heat on the outside were relatively simple.

Swimming as much as possible, he said.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
A man entered a Canada university gender studies class and asked what it was about. Then he stabbed three people

Police are pictured at the scene of the University of Waterloo stabbing (The Canadian Press)

Yo, theres someone running around with two blades going around and attacking people, one student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, reportedly alerted their friend via text message on Wednesday afternoon.

The person was studying with a group of students in Hagey Hall when he received this terrifying notification, and explained that they decided to barricade the door of the room where they were studying.

Eventually, CTV News reported, he waited in the room where he was studying until the student saw officers of the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) arresting a person, believed to be responsible for stabbing three people during a gender studies class earlier that afternoon.

Heres everything we know about the incident that, WRPS superintendent Shaena Morris said, remains under investigation:

Motive remains unclear

At a news briefing on Wednesday, Ms Morris said officers responded to a stabbing incident at the University of Waterloo at 3.30pm on Wednesday. She said the attack took place in a classroom inside Hagey Hall.

Speaking alongside her, the universitys associate vice president of communications, Nick Manning, told reporters a second-year philosophy lecture Phil 202 was underway at the time. According to the universitys website, Phil 202 is a gender issues class for second-year students at the university.

Both Ms Morris and Mr Manning confirmed the suspected attacker was a member of the University of Waterloo community, without elaborating how the male suspect was connected to the institution.

According to the University of Waterloos student newspaper, an eye-witness who was present in the class, student Jinming Li said the attacker looked like he was in his 20s or 30s.

I cant speak to motive at this time. Obviously, we are under investigation currently, but we do have investigators with our person under arrest determining that right now, Ms Morris said.

Three people  including two students and the professor  were injured in the stabbing attack. They were sent to hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries.

She added that no charges have been filed yet, and declined to comment on any evidence in the ongoing investigation.

A file photo shows students on the University of Waterloo (The Canadian Press)

How the attack unfolded

According to Li, the attacker entered the room on the first floor of Hagey Hall and asked the professor  who has not been identified  what the class was about. He then closed the door, took out two knives from his backpack, and attacked the professor, as around 40 students scrambled to exit the single-entrance classroom.

Another student who was in the class when the attack occurred, Yusuf Kaymak told CTV News: I ran out, and after we went outside, there was a kid that was stabbed. He was bleeding [from] his arm. I dont know what happened to the professor.

An hour and a half after police arrived on the scene, the university announced there was no further threat to our campus community on Twitter. Hagey Hall was vacated and closed for the rest of the day, reopening for classes on Thursday at 7am.

Please note Hagey Hall is now reopened following yesterday's incident inside the building. @uwaterlooARTS  University of Waterloo (@UWaterloo) June 29, 2023

Mr Manning told reporters at the press conference, the universitys priority  in addition to supporting the ongoing police inquiry  is supporting the mental health of students and staff members.

Mental health counsellors were reportedly on the scene at Hagey Hall and other areas on-campus to assist those impacted by the attack.

Our entire community is really concerned that this would happen here. Its a big shock, Mr Manning told reporters.

Emergency alert failures

The universitys emergency notification system WatSAFE, was tested on Wednesday, before the attack occurred. According to the student newspaper, one of WatSafes intended purposes is to alert community members about campus emergencies. However, several people complained that they didnt receive an extremey delayed notification about the security breach.

Canada University Stabbing (The Canadian Press)

A staff member, James M Skidmore shared a screenshot of a WatSAFE notification on Twitter, and captioned it: The WatSAFE apps first alert about the University of Waterloo #uwaterloo stabbing incident  about 90 minutes after I saw SWAT police run by me on campus.

Emergency communications @UWaterloo in the immediate aftermath of this horrific knife attack was a disaster. We received no messaging on the WatSAFE app - which was apparently tested *earlier today* before the attack, another professor, Emmett Macfarlane tweeted.

He also decried the lack of coordinated communication from the university in the aftermath of the attack, reporting that several graduate students said that they never received *any* notification that there was an attack on campus.

Had they not been on Twitter, theyd still not know anything had even happened, Mr Macfarlane wrote.

It may seem early to criticize, and we don't yet know all the details on the attack or the motives, but none of what was supposed to happen in terms of communications during and immediately after the attack happened. They need to seriously look at this. 4/4  Emmett Macfarlane   (@EmmMacfarlane) June 28, 2023

When asked about the emergency notification system failures, Mr Manning told reporters: We need to take a look again at our emergency notifications systems, of course.

In any incident, the first thought for anybody involved is the immediate preservation of life and the security response, which is where the focus was today.

Everything feels very unsafe

While police have not commented on the attackers motive, academics and faculty members at the University of Waterloo have expressed their concerns that the gender issues class was targeted.

Politics professor at Arcadia University tweeted: Earlier today, a man burst into a classroom at the University of Waterloo and demanded to know what the course was about. He then drew two knives from his jacket and began to stab the prof. The course was Philosophy of Gender.

An associate professor at the University of Waterloo, Aimee Morrison tweeted that, if it is true the class was singled out because of its topic, then this is an ideologically driven hate crime. And it will need to be addressed as such.
Man fleeing cops started forest fires to avoid capture, feds say. Hes going to prison

A Missouri man was sentenced to prison after he started multiple forest fires to avoid being captured by police, federal officials said.

The man, a 37-year-old from Iron County, went on a crime spree in October 2022, stealing vehicles and weapons, according to a June 28 news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

An attorney for the man could not immediately be reached for comment by McClatchy News.

The man reportedly stole a truck and pointed a gun at the owner on Oct. 23, at which point law enforcement began chasing him.

He later crashed the truck in the Mark Twain National Forest and lit a fire to burn the items he stole, officials said. He then fled into the woods on foot.

Law enforcement began tracking the man with dogs, but when they got close, he ignited a fire to avoid being found, officials said.

He started a second fire when they approached him again, officials said. Later, he pointed the crossbow at a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer, as well as other officers, before fleeing again.

The man was eventually apprehended near the Black River, which cuts through the forest.

The fires he started proved difficult to contain and burned more than seven acres of land, officials said.

The man pleaded guilty to arson and other charges in March, and on June 28, he was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison.

He was also ordered to pay the U.S. Forest Service around $7,200, roughly the cost of fighting the fires he lit.

The Mark Twain National Forest, located in southern Missouri, encompasses 1.5 million acres of land, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Man firebombed home over parking dispute in Missouri, feds say

Dad died a hero saving 8-year-old son from drowning, Indiana family says

18-year-old playing video games at home is killed in drive-by shooting, Texas cops say
Tim Smith is one of hundreds of outreach workers on Chicago's west side

More police or more gun control? In debates about violence in America, the same solutions tend to get brought up over and over again. But Chicago is going all-in on a different strategy. Will it work?

Tim Smith knew trouble was brewing. Word on the street was that beef was developing between two rivals from different gangs in his neighbourhood on Chicago's west side.

It was his job to diffuse the tension, and he saw an opportunity in an approaching community event, complete with food, music and a bouncy castle.

"I met them earlier that day, and I told them they could come to talk," he recalls, "and I also said everyone has to come 'palms up'" - unarmed and non-violent.

The rivals - their territory separated by one of the city's main roads - came to chat on that neutral ground, and Tim says that they quickly found that they had family in common. The sharp anger that seemed important just a few hours before started to melt away.

There's no way to be entirely sure, but Tim, who works as a street outreach worker in one of the most violent communities in America, says the encounter prevented a shooting, which could have led to more bloodshed down the line.

"It was smooth after that," he says. "People were eating together. It wasn't like they were friendly and kicking it together, but there was respect."

These kinds of ground-level encounters are at the front line of a trend in crime prevention called community violence intervention (CVI).

At its core, CVI turns civilians with knowledge of the streets into crime-prevention workers, with the hope that they can do what police have tried and mostly failed to do for years in Chicago's toughest neighbourhoods: break the cycle of violence.

Highly concentrated murder

With more murders a year than New York City - despite having just a third of the population - Chicago saw violent crime increase over the past several decades even as it fell in other major US cities.

Things intensified in 2014, when 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was murdered by police. City officials blocked the release of footage of the shooting for more than a year, widening distrust between police and residents. Arrests went down and crime went up.

Then came the Covid pandemic and unrest following the murder of George Floyd. The year after, 2021, Chicago hit a high of nearly 800 murders - a rate not seen for nearly 30 years.

The violence is heavily concentrated in specific areas. Two-thirds of murders occur in just a handful of neighbourhoods, mostly on the city's west and south sides, according to the University of Chicago's Crime Lab.

By 2020, the murder rate in Austin and Garfield Park - poor, mostly African-American neighbourhoods on the city's west side - climbed to more than 1 in 1,000, making them some of the most dangerous urban neighbourhoods in the country.

People working to stop the violence talk not only of specific high-crime neighbourhoods but of even more concentrated hotspots - measuring just a few dozen blocks.

Boarded up buildings line the streets in Austin, one of Chicago's most dangerous neighbourhoods

Teny Gross founded the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, a CVI programme, in 2015. It's located in a former school in Austin. Lockers and chalkboards still line the walls and the surrounding streets are dotted with boarded-up businesses and crumbling houses, legacies of decades of under-investment.

Mr Gross says police can't be expected to deal with the enormous scale of violent crime on their own. Civilian organisations, he says, can help quell problems before they blow up into murder, especially when combined with programmes delivering job training, psychological support and more.

"You cannot change an American city without CVI," he says.

Training academy

There are dozens of groups now working in the city, and they're becoming increasingly co-ordinated.

Earlier this year at the Metropolitan Peace Academy, a city-wide training institute for CVI workers, sessions included role-playing workshops, trauma lessons, job skills, community organising and more - underscoring the broad range of activities that fall under the CVI banner.

But the most dramatic part of outreach workers' jobs comes when they're asked to get involved when tensions are at their highest - right after a killing. One worker showed a text message from a system that sends alerts about shootings around the city.

"This is our call to action," he says.

In many cases the information is sketchy - for instance, a message from a hospital giving the age, sex and time of admission of a gunshot victim. Often there's no context, or even a name.

Workers then flip through their contacts, find out if there are plans for retaliation, and talk to gang members itching for revenge.

They don't pass information to the police. Any hint that they are working with cops would not only make people reluctant to talk, but also potentially put everyone involved in danger.

Police van

Trying to stop murders in real time is incredibly stressful, several outreach workers say, but also something they're familiar with. The vast majority of workers have been shooting victims, violent criminals, or both.

Tim Smith, the outreach worker on the west side, spent 13 years in prison for his involvement in a gang fight that left a man dead.

He credits older inmates for educating him about black history, and encouraging him to look for a future outside of prison and crime.

Now he's found a job where his past is an asset, rather than a liability. He's a natural communicator, and he knows how to relate to the neighbourhood "shorties" - young men getting caught up in gangs and violence.

"You have to meet people where they are," he says during a break in the training. "I know how to talk to them because I've been there."

Is it working?

CVI supporters point to evidence that it works, although the range of tactics and settings means it's unclear where and when it can really make a difference.

Research out of Northwestern University says one CVI programme stopped nearly 400 shootings over a recent five-year period. The study compared areas where one project was operating to similar neighbourhoods without an equivalent CVI project.

Andrew Papachristos, who led the research, says there are still some big unanswered questions, like how murder rates are impacted by the overall ebb and flow of crime rates. While murders appear to be down in certain neighbourhoods, car-jackings, muggings and crime on the city's public transport system are still stubbornly high.

"Often times these initiatives work, sometimes they don't," he says. "But we can't yet tell what causes them to work and what causes them not to work."

But CVI has one key public policy advantage beyond the crime numbers - it sidesteps America's divisive debates over policing and gun control, potentially making it more politically palatable.

US President Joe Biden has championed it. Last year the US Justice Department promised $100 million to CVI groups, on top of billions of Covid relief funds that can be used for such initiatives.

Private foundations and local governments have also given large sums.

But recent violence has shown how difficult progress can be.

Overall, murders are down slightly so far this year. A recent statement by Chicago Police specifically praised the role of workers who "spent time connecting with the city's young people".

On the other hand, when the city's new mayor, Brandon Johnson, promised $2.5 million in funding and 30 peacekeepers over the recent Memorial Day weekend, that effort failed. There were more than 50 shootings and 11 deaths, making it one of the bloodiest Memorial Day holidays in the city for years.

That leads to a major question: Will politicians and private institutions have the will - and the funds - to keep backing community programmes, even if crime rates increase again? Or will CVI join the long list of other crime-prevention trends

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged support for CVI programs

Just the start

For now, experts and outreach workers also have something that's been rare in recent years: a glimmer of hope. Tim Smith says he's trying to keep a shaky peace together in his neighbourhood.

"Youth feel a lot more comfortable coming to us," he says, before going out and committing violence. "We're getting the word out, letting them know they have a safe space and someone just to talk to."

But he's aware of the massive challenges that lie ahead, and says that the truce he hammered out earlier this year represent just the tip of his work.

"When I think of a true success story, I think of one of my participants getting a job," he says. "Getting people to put down their guns? That's just another day, where hopefully I stop someone from getting shot or going to jail."
Man shot, killed by Phoenix police after pulling out replica gun during chase

Phoenix police car

A man was shot and killed by Phoenix police officers on Wednesday night in south Phoenix after he pulled a replica gun while he was fleeing from officers, according to police.

The man who died was identified by police as Juan Reynoso, 26.

Just before 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to a domestic dispute between Reynoso and a woman near 19th Avenue and Yavapai Street. Police tried to detain Reynoso during the initial investigation, but he ran away, police said.

Shortly after running away from officers, Reynoso stopped and pulled out what police believed was a gun. Reynoso was shot by two police officers after they commanded him to drop the gun, police said. Police did not say whether Reynoso obeyed police orders.

During a later investigation, police found Reynoso was carrying a replica firearm.

Reynoso had multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital where he later died, police said.

Police said no other members of the community were injured.

The investigations about the initial domestic dispute and the following shooting were ongoing.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police shoot, kill man carrying replica gun
Man Wants His Girlfriend To Leave Job She's Still Working Out Of Guilt After Boss Ignored Her 2-Week Notice

woman working at a cafe

A man posted to Reddit because he was concerned about his girlfriends mental health in relation to her job.

He wrote into the subreddit r/antiwork, describing his girlfriends struggle to leave her toxic work environment.

He is concerned that his girlfriend is still working a job she quit because her boss ignored her two-week notice.

His girlfriend works at a fast food restaurant thats painfully understaffed, because her boss, who he called M, decided it was a good idea to fire a bunch of employees for having [a] bad work ethic before hiring any new ones.

While her boss claimed she would fix the situation, months have passed, and she has yet to actually do so. According to the mans account, some employees are working over 60 hours a week.

He explained that his girlfriend had previously been working reasonable hours; now, shes overworked to the point that it affects her mental health. He described his girlfriend as a morning person but working [from] 4pm-2am, usually with one day off a week.

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The man was extremely concerned about the toll that overworking had on his girlfriends mental health and encouraged her to quit.

It's so bad that I've texted her during shifts to talk her out of hurting herself more than once, he said. She's depressed, tired every single day from overwork, and often gets called in on her days off.

restaurant worker cleaning table

Photo: Antonius Ferret / Pexels

He said that his girlfriend is a very kind and empathetic person, sometimes to her own detriment. She can't say no. She has a guilt problem. She has episodes when people are mad at her, and it's very difficult for her to put herself before anyone. Naturally, I feel like her coworkers use this to their advantage.

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His girlfriend put in her two-week notice, lining up an interview for another job once those two weeks are over  but her boss ignored it.

He explained that the boss paid it no mind, and scheduled her to work past her designated stop date. The man said that his girlfriend is grappling with guilt because the restaurant will still be understaffed and she feels that she will be screwing people over.

She says she feels bad because it could be worse and M has been nice and patient with her, he said. I've told her she doesn't need to return after the next week is up, but I fear that she will get called in anyways and give in because that's the way she is.

He ended by explaining he asked his girlfriend for her consent to post about her predicament and asked for words of advice [or] encouragement that will let her know she can do this and that shes making the right choice.

After his post received a number of harmful comments, his girlfriend gave her own explanation, stating that she made the decision to not go back to work past her two-week notice and her boyfriends post was more about feeling more confident in [her] decision.

She felt unsure about leaving her job because a number of coworkers, some of whom I consider friends, have tried discouraging me from quitting, which made me doubt my decision. She said,  I've been at this job for a long time and have grown close to the people I've worked with including M, so this hasn't been an easy out situation.

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restaurant worker cleaning a table

Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels

She illustrated her plan to attend therapy, as shes struggled with anxiety, people-pleasing, and self-worth since childhood. I'm hoping to be able to discuss and improve them with the help of a professional, she said.

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The comments on her post were completely supportive of her quitting.

One person argued that for M to keep the restaurant understaffed while ignoring her two-week notice was a deliberate, manipulative act. According to their point of view, M has already ignored the need to hire more staff because exploiting the few remaining ones is working well for M.

Someone else made the entirely valid point that a resignation isn't a discussion or something the boss can agree or disagree with. A resignation is an employee informing the boss when they will be leaving Regardless of what your boss thinks of it or how they handle it.

Another person attempted to assuage the girlfriends feelings of guilt, telling her If your workplace is short staffed, it is not you screwing over your coworkers by leaving. Your boss is the one screwing people over.

Jobs come and go, they wisely stated. Your mental health is more important than producing profit for some ahole who cant respect you enough to acknowledge your resignation.

RELATED: Top-Performing Employee Tells Boss That Because His Pay Is 'Below Average' His Work Will Be Too After Getting Denied A Raise For Two Years

Leaving a job is a difficult decision, even when the job has proven toxic to one's mental health.

It's an entirely common experience to feel guilty for quitting; as the BBC noted in a 2021 article on the stigma of quitting work, there are often "negative connotations, both from the people around us and from ourselves, even if we have good cause" for leaving a job.

Prioritizing the ways we take care of ourselves holds value in itself. Often, moving on means letting something go, especially when it no longer serves us.

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Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers relationship issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.

This article originally appeared on YourTango
India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has met people affected by the violence that has engulfed the north-eastern state of Manipur.

On Friday, the Congress leader visited relief camps in Moirang town and met displaced families, the party said.

Mr Gandhi, who is on a two-day trip to the state, also visited a relief camp in Churachandpur district on Thursday.

He travelled there by helicopter after his convoy was stopped by the police, who cited security concerns.

Mr Gandhi is scheduled to meet leaders of civil society groups on Friday in the state capital, Imphal.

For the past two months, Manipur has been convulsed by clashes between the majority Meitei and Kuki communities.

More than 100 people have been killed and 400 wounded in the violence. Tens of thousands have fled their homes.

Clashes broke out after the state's main ethnic group, the Meiteis, demanded tribal status which gives access to benefits such as forest land and government job and education quotas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met top government officials to review the situation in Manipur but he has been criticised for not visiting the state or commenting on the situation there.

Almost a month after violence began, Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state to put in place a plan to restore normalcy, but fresh incidents of violence continue to be reported almost daily.

After arriving in Imphal on Thursday morning, Mr Gandhi shared a Facebook post saying that "restoration of peace is the top priority. Manipur needs healing, and only together we can bring harmony".

But soon after, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal told reporters that Mr Gandhi's convoy had been stopped by police near Bishnupur district while he was on his way to Churachandpur town to visit relief camps.

"Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us?" Mr Venugopal said.

Police said the convoy had been stopped for Mr Gandhi's security. "Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via a helicopter," Heisnam Balram Singh, a senior Bishnupur police official, told ANI news agency.

Mr Gandhi's convoy was stopped by the police

Congress Party president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of "using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach" by Mr Gandhi.

"This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms. Manipur needs peace, not confrontation," he tweeted.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said Mr Gandhi's two-day visit to the state was in the spirit of his Bharat Jodo Yatra - a five-month long unity march across the country.

"The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?" he said.

However, some BJP leaders have criticised the timing of Mr Gandhi's visit, calling it politically motivated.

Nearly 60,000 people have been displaced due to violence in Manipur and are taking shelter in some 350 camps.

Mr Gandhi's visit comes amid the opposition's demand for the resignation of the state's chief minister, N Biren Singh, who is from the BJP.

Congress leaders have criticised Mr Singh for not being able to "restore peace and normalcy" in the state and have asked for federal rule to be imposed.

Mr Venugopal tweeted about Mr Gandhi's visit on Tuesday, and said that the state had been "burning for nearly two months" and "desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace".

Since the clashes began early in May, many homes, churches and temples have been destroyed by mobs while the homes of some state ministers and legislators have been attacked and set on fire.

Close to 40,000 security forces have been deployed to quell the violence.

But the situation continues to remain tense. Normal life has been thrown completely out of gear for the locals who are facing curfews, internet shutdowns and sporadic killings and arson.

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Women participating in a night protest with flaming torches, demanding peace in Manipur

A recently shared video by the Indian army from the violence-wracked north-eastern state of Manipur captured a dramatic sequence of scenes.

The two-minute 14-second footage shows unarmed women confronting soldiers on a busy street. Aerial shots show women gathering around an excavator on a disrupted road, a bustling mix of SUVs, cars, an ambulance speeding along a scenic valley route and glimpses of agitated women.

Ethnic violence continues to roil Manipur, nearly two months after clashes between the majority Meitei and tribal Kuki communities left more than 100 dead and displaced some 60,000. This despite the presence of tens of thousands of security forces in the valley, inhabited primarily by the Meitei community, as well as in the hills, home to the Kukis.

But, as the video shows restoring peace is a slow and difficult journey in a climate of deep divisions and distrust. Titled 'Demystifying myth of peaceful blockade led by Manipur women', the video makes some pretty incriminating allegations.

For one, it alleged that women protesters were "helping rioters flee" and accompanying them in vehicles and ambulances. They were also "coming in the way" of security operations and movement of logistics, and digging up a route to a paramilitary base to "cause delay", it added. The video ended with an appeal to residents to cooperate with security forces who were "working day and night to bring peace and stability".

In 2004, the Meira Paibis stunned the world by stripping naked outside a military camp in the capital, Imphal

A second video shows a tense encounter between a group of agitated women and a patient soldier. "It doesn't matter. You go away," a woman tells the soldier, while other women gather around her. The army also tweeted last week that they had freed 12 local insurgents during a combing operation after they were "surrounded" by a 1,500-strong "mob" of women in the state capital Imphal's East district, where 16% of Manipur's estimated 3.3 million people live.

Many of the women challenging the security forces in the turbulent valley are believed to be Meira Paibis - 'women torchbearers' - also known as Imas or 'mothers of Manipur'. In 2004, they stunned the world by stripping naked outside a military camp in the capital, Imphal, while waving a banner that read 'Indian Army Rape Us', in a startling protest against the alleged gangrape and murder of a 32-year-old local woman by paramilitary soldiers.

Belonging to the majority Meitei community, the Meira Paibis are typically married women, aged between 30 and 65, with or without any official position. Loosely affiliated with the group, they are like a disciplined cadre, according to historian Laishram Jitendrajit Singh. Researchers trace their origins to the early 1900s when like-minded women initiated a successful protest against forced labour, wherein men in Manipur between the ages of 17 and 60 were obliged to provide free labour to the British ruler for a specified number of days each month.

A woman sits in a relief camp in Manipur - some 60,000 people have fled their homes after the violence

Since Manipur's merger with India in 1949, the Meira Paibis have gained prominence for their relentless campaign against drug and alcohol abuse. "Being flexible and not having a rigid structure means they are able to take up any issue pertaining to their community. This also makes the Meira Paibis a group not confined to agitating strictly on women's issues," notes Shruti Mukherjee who's researching women's activism in Manipur at Stony Brook University.

When Manipur plunged into ethnic conflict and insurgency in 1980, these activist-vigilante women took on an expanded role. In 1958, India enacted the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), which protects security forces who may kill a civilian by mistake or in unavoidable circumstances. It has been partly blamed for the "perpetual immunity" enjoyed by the forces.

Rights groups allege that as many as 1,528 people were unlawfully executed - also known as fake encounters - by security forces in Manipur between 1979 and 2012. In 1980, the Meira Paibis marched to a police station and secured the release of a Meitei man who had been picked up by the security forces on suspicion of insurgency. The women "held night vigils with flaming torches or stood guard against the army taking away their boys by banging electric poles or beat a gong or banging bamboo poles on the ground," says Mr Singh.

In a state simmering with insurgency for over four decades, the deep-rooted mistrust between the people and security forces persists. Following the violent clashes in early May, three policemen from the local police's Rapid Action Force were accused of home burning and arson and suspended. There were allegations that some paramilitary soldiers owing allegiance to one community looked the other way when militants attacked some villages.

In Imphal, Manipur's women run the biggest all-women's market in South Asia

Thongam Joymala, a Meira Paibi leader, says the women are "not happy with the role of army". "They are unable to stop armed Kuki miscreants [in the hills]. So there are sporadic protests against army movements in the valley. We believe the violence should be stopped, and operations [to flush out miscreants] conducted both in the hills and valley. Otherwise we will not support [army] operations," she says. Binalakshmi Nepram of Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace echoes a similar sentiment. "The 'mothers of Manipur' feel that certain sections of security forces were deliberately creating further division and hate. Hence, they have come out in thousands to protect Manipur," she says.

Ms Nepram says rather than sharing the video on social media, the army should have "shown the courage" to engage with Meira Paibi leaders and worked with them and Kuki women to help restore peace. "Without the inclusion of the women of Manipur, sustainable peace cannot return to the state."

Few will deny that. Though not a matrilineal society, women participate actively in public affairs in Manipur. In Imphal, they run the biggest all-women's market in South Asia. To protest atrocities by armed forces, an activist named Irom Sharmila went on a hunger strike for 16 years, cloistered in a hospital room in Imphal, surrounded by armed guards and nurses. In conflict-ridden neighbourhoods, local women now patrol the militarised buffer zones.

Women in Manipur have participated in two major mass movements - called 'Nupi Lan' or women's war - against British rulers in 1904 and 1939. For the "torch bearers of Manipur this is the third non-violent, courageous war of women," says Ms Nepram. The Meira Paibis seek peace, says Ms Joymala. "Our farmers are not able to go to their fields. Our 'mothers' are not able to go to the market and make a living. We are living in a siege."

With additional reporting by Dhiren A Sadokpam in Imphal

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Wednesdays decision gave rise to hope that Syed  whose case was covered on the Serial podcast  would again have his conviction overturned.

Marylands highest court will review an appeals court panels ruling to uphold Adnan Syeds murder conviction.

The decision by the Maryland Supreme Court on Wednesday gave rise to hope that Syed  whose case was covered on the Serial podcast  would once more have his conviction overturned, according to The Washington Post.

Syeds attorney Erica Suter, an assistant public defender, expressed her gratitude to the Maryland Supreme Court for recognizing the significance of examining the legal questions brought up by the appellate courts ruling.

Adnan Syed (center right) leaves court in Baltimore after the hearing last September that overturned his murder conviction. An appeals court panel in March reinstated the conviction and now Marylands Supreme Court will take up the case. (Photo: Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP, File)

We are optimistic that we will prevail, Suter said, The Post reported. The legal team and Adnans family are also grateful that the Court extended the stay so we can be assured that Adnan will remain free while this appeal is pending.

Senior Justice Shirley Watts ordered Wednesday that she would hear arguments on Oct. 5, and briefs outlining each sides arguments were due in the months prior.

Syed was arrested at 17 and charged with the murder of a young woman he had dated, 18-year-old Hae Min Lee. He was found guilty of murder in 2000 and given a life sentence.

In September, Syed was freed: A Maryland circuit court judge overturned his conviction after discovering issues with how defense lawyers received evidence decades earlier. However, the appellate court panel reinstated the conviction in a 2-1 decision after concluding that a hearing was conducted in a manner that infringed on the rights of Lees brother, Young Lee.

Syed might still be able to live in freedom if he loses before the Maryland Supreme Court. The appellate court panel only ordered a redo of the hearing at which Syeds conviction was overturned, with more consideration given to Young Lees rights. The outcome of a second hearing could be the same.

Young Lee claimed in his appeal of the circuit court judges ruling that vacated the conviction that he did not have enough notice to attend that hearing and spoke via Zoom. While the appeals court agreed, he also argued against a part of the ruling hed lost, maintaining that he should have more freedom to object to the prosecutions case in a rehearing. Likewise, the Supreme Court consented to examine that element.

The State of Maryland supports victims and their families with rights acknowledged by Marylands own state constitution and statutory scheme, said Lee family attorney David Sanford, according to The Post.

We will urge the Maryland Supreme Court to recognize those rights, he added, by allowing Young Lee and his family the opportunity to challenge the states evidence, to the extent it has any evidence, suggesting Adnan Syed did not murder Young Lees sister 23 years ago.

Prosecutors had sought to vacate Syeds conviction under the tenure of then-Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who has since departed the role. Ivan Bates, her replacement, has not yet shared what stance he will take regarding Syeds conviction.

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The post Maryland Supreme Court to review ruling that reinstated Adnan Syeds murder conviction appeared first on TheGrio.
 Flash

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]



Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday met with visiting Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene in Beijing, pledging further efforts to deepen political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Noting that China and Mongolia are important neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, Li said the development of long-term and steady good-neighborliness serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Mongolia to faithfully implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue to enrich the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation, and accelerate the construction of a China-Mongolia community with a shared future to better benefit the two peoples.

Li said China is ready to offer mutual support on issues related to the two countries' core interests and major concerns. As China is advancing Chinese modernization, Li said it is willing to deepen cooperation of various fields with Mongolia, and welcomes the Mongolian side to share the new opportunities brought by China's development.

He urged efforts to synergize strategies in an improved manner, jointly build a high-quality Belt and Road, facilitate trade and investment, and expand cooperation in the mining and energy sectors. He said efforts should also be made to enhance the connectivity of borders and ports, intensify cooperation on desertification control, enhance exchanges in such areas as tourism and education, and promote amity between the two peoples.

China will continue providing assistance to Mongolia to the best of its capacity for the latter's economic and social development, Li added.

For his part, Oyun-Erdene said that strengthening cooperation with China is a priority in Mongolia's foreign policy. Mongolia adheres to the one-China principle, and thanks China for providing valuable support for Mongolia's efforts to fight COVID-19, he said.

Mongolia is willing to deepen cooperation with China in such fields as ports, energy and mining, science and technology, tourism, anti-corruption work, desertification control, urban planning and youth affairs to bring bilateral ties to new heights, Oyun-Erdene said.

After the conclusion of the meeting, Li and Oyun-Erdene witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents on issues such as transportation, finance, quarantine, media, and wildlife conservation.
MBTA announces slew of July service changes on multiple subway and commuter rail lines

MBTA announces slew of July service changes on multiple subway and commuter rail lines

A slew of service changes will be implemented in July on multiple subway and commuter rail lines to allow for the completion of critical work, the MBTA announced Thursday.

Service changes are now coming to three subway lines and five commuter rail lines, in addition to the anticipated traffic nightmare that the nearly two-month shutdown of the Sumner Tunnel is expected to create starting July 5.

What can drivers do when the Sumner Tunnel shuts down? Heres a guide with alternate routes

SUBWAY SERVICE CHANGES

Red Line

Red Line service changes will allow MBTA crews to perform critical rail and tie replacement work that will alleviate speed restrictions:

Accessible shuttle bus service will replace evening trains between JFK/UMass and North Quincy Stations beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. on July 11-13 and July 20.

Accessible shuttle bus service will replace evening weekday trains between JFK/UMass and Braintree Stations beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. on July 21 and during the weekend of July 22-23.

Green Line

Green Line service will experience changes during the weekend of July 15-16 in order for crews to perform comprehensive inspections of the structural, electrical, mechanical, and fire, life, and safety systems of the sub-surface Green Line tunnel:

On the B Branch, trolley service will be suspended between Boston University East and Haymarket Stations. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between Boston University East and Back Bay Station on the Orange Line for continued parallel service.

On the C Branch, trolley service will be suspended between Saint Marys Street and Haymarket Stations. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between St. Marys Street and Back Bay Station on the Orange Line for continued parallel service.

On the D Branch, trolley service will be suspended between Fenway and North Stations. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between Brookline Hills and Back Bay Station on the Orange Line for continued parallel service.

On the E Branch, trolley service will be suspended between Heath Street and North Stations. Riders are instead encouraged to utilize Route 39 bus service.

As previously announced, accessible shuttle bus service will replace the entire Green Line B Branch between Kenmore and Boston College Stations for 12 days from July 17-28.

Commuter alert: Full closure of Green Line B branch will coincide with shutdown of Sumner Tunnel

This service change will allow crews to complete critical track upgrades and additional work on the B Branch, including over 2,000 feet of full-depth track replacement at Packards Corner and between Harvard Avenue and Allston Street; the replacement of duct banks and underground conduits that provide power to trains; and the repainting of pedestrian crossings, bike lanes, and platform edges along the B Branch.

Green Line train service between Lechmere and Union Square Stations will also be suspended for 42 days from July 18-August 28.

This service change is due to critical repair work by MassDOT on the Squire Bridge, which crosses over tracks near Union Square Station. Alternate travel options include the following:

Riders headed from Union Square Station can instead utilize Route 86 (boarding at Somerville Ave. opp Stone Ave. and alighting at Washington St. at New Washington St.) and Route 91 (boarding at Prospect St. at Bennett Ct. and alighting at Washington St. at New Washington St.) bus service from the Union Square to East Somerville Station areas for continued service on the Medford/Tufts branch.

Riders headed to Union Square Station can instead board Medford/Tufts Branch service to East Somerville Station and then utilize Routes 86 and 91 bus service (boarding at Washington St. at Tufts St. and alighting at Somerville Ave. at Stone Ave.) to the Union Square area.

Riders may also utilize Route 87 bus service by boarding at Lechmere Station and alighting in the Union Square area at Somerville Ave. at Stone Ave.

Green and Orange lines

Due to the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction, Orange and Green Line service changes will take place in the downtown Boston area all day for 12 days from July 29- August 9:

Orange Line trains will bypass Haymarket Station. Orange Line riders should instead exit at North Station or State, which are less than a half-mile from Haymarket (or a four- to eight-minute walk), and travel to the Haymarket area.

Green Line service will be suspended between North Station and Government Center Station with riders instead asked to walk above ground between these stations  Government Center, Haymarket, and North Station are each less than a half mile from each other (about a five- to 10-minute walk), and the distance between Government Center to North Station is about three-quarters of a mile (about a 13-minute walk).

Riders are also reminded that Orange Line / Green Line connections can also be made via the Winter Street Concourse, which connects Park Street and Downtown Crossing Stations.

Accessibility vans will also be available for on-demand transportation  Orange and Green Line riders should ask MBTA personnel for information and assistance.

COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE CHANGES

Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush lines (Run adjacent to the Red Line)

Accessible shuttle bus service will replace evening weekday trains between South Station and Braintree after 7:30 p.m. on July 10-14 and July 17-21 and during the weekend of July 22-23.

Accessible express shuttle bus service will also operate directly between South Station and Braintree Station.

Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Kingston, Middleborough, Greenbush, and Braintree Stations. Keolis Customer Service Agents, MBTA staff, and Transit Ambassadors will be on-site at impacted stations to support riders.

The diversion schedule will be available online soon at mbta.com/CommuterRail.

Framingham/Worcester lines

Weekend trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Worcester and Grafton Stations from July 29-30. This service change is in place to accommodate construction as part of the Worcester Union Station Improvements Project.

The MBTA apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled service changes and appreciates the understanding and patience of riders as this critical and necessary work to maintain, upgrade, and modernize the system takes place, the T said in a news release.

Service changes in June affected Red, Green, Orange, Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, Middleborough/Lakeville, Lowell, and Fairmount lines.

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New mental health hospital in Olathe will have 72 beds, reducing strain on Kansas system

A new mental health hospital under construction in Olathe will provide care for dozens of patients at a time, eventually providing a substantial boost to Kansas strained mental health care system.

Health care leaders and politicians symbolically broke ground Thursday on a mental wellness campus that will feature 72 inpatient beds  24 for adults and 48 for children in crisis. The center, projected to open in late 2024, will help get individuals into treatment sooner and reduce the pressure on medical hospitals and law enforcement agencies that are often on the front line of care.

The campus is a partnership of Camber Mental Health and Childrens Mercy, and will be partially funded by $12.7 million in federal pandemic aid. Officials estimate it will eventually treat 4,300 people a year.

Like many areas, the demand for mental health services outstrips supply in Kansas, a situation exacerbated by COVID-era disruptions and isolation. Kansas state-run mental health hospital system has also long struggled to recruit and retain workers at some facilities.

The pressure for care and the lack of available beds in recent years has funneled some people in mental health crisis into emergency rooms and, sometimes, jails as they wait for an open bed. That has in turn placed additional stress on the health care and correctional facilities, which are not equipped to provide the kind of intensive care often required.

The need to strengthen mental health services is a nonpartisan issue that affects all Kansans, rural and urban alikeand addressing the need pays dividends for everyone, Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said.

A lack of psychiatric beds has been one of the largest barriers to providing mental health care in our state. When completed, this state-of-the-art hospital will take significant pressure off our health care systems.

Kelly also used the groundbreaking to reiterate her support for Medicaid expansion, saying it would help Kansans access mental health care. Republican legislative leaders oppose expanding eligibility for the program, which could provide coverage to upwards of an additional 100,000 residents.

State officials have recently begun reviewing the eligibility of Medicaid recipients, a process that had been suspended during the pandemic. As many as 125,000 residents could lose coverage during the process, the Kelly administration estimates.

The hospital will be built on six acres near the Olathe Medical Center Emergency Room just south of 151st Street. Camber Mental Health is a subsidiary of KVC Health Systems, which has described the new hospital as a $53 million project in total.

While the hospital had been announced previously, KVC President and CEO Jason Hooper said Thursday that Camber was partnering with Childrens Mercy on the project. Hooper, Kelly and others celebrated the future hospital at an event near the site on Thursday that ended with politicians and dignitaries clutching shovels for a photo op.

Ive seen the fear of families that are struggling to find services and access services for their loved ones. That ultimately is what brings us here today, Hooper said.

Underscoring the support the hospital will offer individuals facing mental health challenges and their families, Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat, invited those at the groundbreaking to close their eyes and imagine the person next to them putting a hand on their shoulder. That, she said, is what its like to know someone is there to help.

What were talking about today is supporting our community and the people that we know and love, Davids said.

Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, said the hospital will offer hope.

The people who struggle with mental health and the people who have suicidal ideation, wouldnt it be nice for them to know theres hope, Moran said. Theres hope today, but today represents theres more hope coming.
Angela Merkel continues to use a stylist for her public appearances around Europe - AFP/BERTRAND GUAY

Angela Merkels hair and make-up are still being paid for by German taxpayers more than 18 months after she left office, according to a Freedom of Information request.

The ex-chancellor frequently travels with a personal stylist in tow during trips across Europe for public appearances and closed-door meetings.

But some of her requests have raised eyebrows in the chancellery, which has to authorise the payments.

Ahead of a stay by Ms Merkel in the Netherlands last year, a chancellery official reacted sarcastically to a request that her stylist receive a 500 (430) hotel room, calling the price a real deal.

A more senior official acknowledged that the sum was princely but approved it regardless, according to the Tagesspiegel newspaper, which obtained the communications based on a Freedom of Information request.

Angela Merkel on a commercial flight from Paris to Berlin - ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock/ Sean Smuda

Before a separate trip to Geneva, Ms Merkels office requested that her stylist receive a room priced at 340 a night.

An official at the chancellery reminded her that the budget was limited to rooms under 200, but again an exception was made.

A spokesman for Ms Merkel confirmed to the Telegraph that she continues to employ a freelance stylist at the public expense, saying that the assumption of costs by the chancellery is linked to the fulfilment of the former chancellors continuing official duties at public and non-public appointments in the interest of the Federal Government.

Ms Merkels office and the chancellery have refused to divulge how much has been spent on her personal stylist since she left office.

It is unclear if the stylist accompanies the former chancellor on all her publicly announced engagements.

In recent weeks, Ms Merkel has travelled to Dusseldorf, Munich and Paris to be honoured with awards in recognition of her public service.

Annalena Baerbock employs a stylist on a yearly salary of 137,000 - POOL/REUTERS

With a permanent staff of nine, the 68-year-old already has a larger team in her public role as former chancellor than any of her predecessors.

Gerhard Schroder, a former chancellor of Germany, had a staff of four before his office was taken away from him last year over his business links to the Russian state.

While the news is likely to damage Ms Merkels reputation as a politician who doesnt set much store by appearances, the public costs for stylists and photographers have skyrocketed since she left office.

Figures released earlier this year show that payments to stylists and photographers leapt by 80 per cent to 1.5 million in the first year that Olaf Scholz government was in power.

The biggest spender was foreign minister Annalena Baerbock of The Greens Party. Known for her colourful dress sense, Ms Baerbock employs a personal stylist on a yearly salary of 137,000.

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Metas oversight board has recommended the social media giant suspend the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen after he posted a speech that called for violence against political opponents.

The boards report, released Thursday, advises Meta to take down a January speech when the authoritarian leader said those who do not support his party would be beat up and that he would send gangsters to their homes.

There are only two options. One is to use legal means and the other is to use a bat, Hun Sen said.

The video was reported to Facebook moderators at the time, but the platform decided to keep it up saying that it was too newsworthy to remove. The oversight board disagreed, saying the violent rhetoric outweighed any newsworthiness.

The next Cambodian general election is in late July, and Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party cleared the way for victory, barring the main opposition from competing.

The oversight boards report also notes that Hun Sen has artificially increased the newsworthiness of his own statements by limiting press freedoms in Cambodia. He has also been accusing of using bot farms to boost his popularity.

A former Khmer Rouge military officer who fled to Vietnam, which then installed him in power, Hun Sen has led Cambodia since 1985 through halting its transition to a democracy.

The board recommended that his Facebook and Instagram accounts be suspended for six months, a nonbinding recommendation that Meta has two months to consider.

His Facebook page was not accessible Thursday, though it wasnt clear why. A Meta representative told The Hill the company did not remove his page.

The Hill has reached out to Meta to clarify if it had made a final decision on the account.

The board cited Hun Sens history of committing human rights violations and intimidating political opponents, as well as his strategic use of social media to amplify such threats.

The longtime leader has been accused of killing political opponents, torturing prisoners and government dissenters, and silencing an independent media that thrived throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

An avid Facebook user, Hun Sen has leveraged the platform to connect with a new generation of voters in one of the youngest countries in Asia. Social media sites including Facebook are closely monitored by government censors in Cambodia, and legal cases often frequently follow posts critical of the prime minister and his government.

This week, Hun Sen preemptively announced that he would stop using his Facebook page and instead begin posting exclusively to Telegram.

Updated: 2:19 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- The two frontrunners to represent the party of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in 2024 general elections are in a statistical tie, according to a local poll.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and former Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard are within one percentage point of difference when it comes to the question of who should be Morenas candidate, according to a poll by the Grupo de Economistas y Asociados (GEA) and Investigaciones Sociales Aplicadas (ISA).

Ruling party Morena is holding a three-month internal race to pick a successor for the charismatic president, in a pivot from a historical process in which a sitting president would handpick his partys candidate. The Morena race will include a series of polls to determine who voters would prefer.

Read More: AMLOs Party Kicks Off Succession Fight in Run-Up to 2024 Vote

Sheinbaum has 39% of intention and Ebrard has 38% in an in-person poll of 1,070 people held between June 12 and 22, with a margin of error at plus or minus 3%.

The poll also showed approval for AMLO, as the president is known, stable at 57%. His party Morena had 48% of voter intention, far ahead of other parties PAN with 20%, PRI with 18%, PRD with 7% and MC with 1%.

Other key points from the poll:

Among contenders for the opposition nomination, Enrique de la Madrid and Santiago Creel were tied with 26%, with Xochitl Galvez following with 17%

When asked whether it was best for Morena to hold another six-year term, only 50% of voters said yes compared to 48% of voters calling for a different party and 2% undecided

55% of those surveyed say security is the countrys main problem, followed by the economy at 25%

7 out of 10 participants consider that criminal organizations grew and became more violent; 53% call for a change in strategy

68% of participants believe the Supreme Court adequately performs its task

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Miami-Dade cops tried to arrest a suspect on the street  then came chaos and a crash

Two people were hospitalized after a police pursuit ended in a crash in Pinecrest on Wednesday night, according to Miami-Dade police.

The crash just after 7 p.m. in the area of Southwest 132nd Street and South Dixie Highway.

Miami-Dade police spokesman Angel Rodriguez said the events started with a narcotics investigation.

The detectives were in the process of taking a suspect into custody when the individual intentionally rammed one of the officers vehicles and attempted to run over some of the detectives as he was trying to flee the scene, he said.. A pursuit ensued which ended at this intersection when the subject rear-ended a civilian vehicle and crashed into a marked police vehicle.

Rodriguez said officers recover a firearm from the suspects vehicle.

WATCH: VIDEO FROM THE SCENE

After the crash, the driver of a white vehicle was taken to Jackson Memorial Health South and is in stable condition. The suspect was also transported to the hospital, and his condition is unknown. Charges are pending.

A pregnant woman and a 2-year-old girl were treated on the scene, but did not require hospitalization, Rodriguez said.

No police officers were injured in the crash, Rodriguez said.

This report was produced by Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.
Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke out about the Supreme Courts Thursday ruling against affirmative action, recalling her own struggle to feel a sense of belonging as one of the few Black students at her university.

So often, we just accept that money, power, and privilege are perfectly justifiable forms of affirmative action, while kids growing up like I did are expected to compete when the ground is anything but level, Michelle Obama wrote in her statement. So today, my heart breaks for any young person out there whos wondering what their future holds  and what kinds of chances will be open to them.

On Thursday, the court ruled that affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violate the Fourteenth Amendment, hindering the ability of public and private institutions to consider race in their admissions policies. In a joint press release hours after the decision, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama emphasized their support for affirmative action, while former President Donald Trump celebrated the courts decision.



The former first lady recalled her experience as one of the few Black students on campus during her undergraduate years at Princeton University, explaining that she sometimes questioned if people assumed she had only been accepted because of affirmative action policies. But over time, she said, she and other students of color showed that they, too, belonged in elite academic environments. While the policy of affirmative action wasnt perfect, she wrote, it helped provide new ladders of opportunity for those who, throughout our history, have too often been denied a chance to show how fast they can climb.

The courts gutting of affirmative action programs, Michelle Obama wrote, was a reminder of not only the importance of policies that reflect principles of equity and fairness, but also the importance of making those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

Barack Obama echoed this sentiment in a briefer statement, writing that while the policy of affirmative action had its flaws, it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged.



Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives, the former president wrote.

By contrast, Obamas successor, Trump, expressed his support for the conservative-majority courts decision to overturn affirmative action, calling Thursday a great day for America.

This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing, Trump wrote in a Thursday statement. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

With one day left in the Supreme Courts 2022-2023 session, the court still has two major cases  on student loan forgiveness and LGBTQ civil liberties  remaining to announce decisions on.
A 19-year-old Michigan man who was arrested earlier this month on allegations that he used social media to discuss plans to attack a synagogue was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury.

Seann Patrick Pietila was indicted on two counts of threatening communications in interstate commerce, and one count of threat to kill or injure by means of fire, according to court documents.

The suspect used Instagram to discuss his plans to "commit acts of violence to kill other people," the Justice Department said in a news release, adding that he posted Instagram messages which were antisemitic, expressed neo-Nazi ideology and praised mass shooters.

Pietila was arrested by FBI agents on June 16, three days after federal investigators were alerted to his online activity. According to previous court documents, following his arrest, investigators searched his phone and found a note referencing Shaarey Zedek, a synagogue in East Lansing, Michigan.

They also found the date, March 15, 2024, which was an apparent reference to the deadly New Zealand mass shooting that occurred on March 15, 2019, court documents said. Also discovered on the phone was a list of equipment, including pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails and firearms.

When investigators searched his home, they found a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, several knives, tactical vests and a Nazi flag, court documents stated.

If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the charge of threatening communications in interstate commerce, and five years for the charge of threat to kill or injure by means of fire.

"No one should face violent threats because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other status," Mark Totten, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Michigan, said in a statement. "We have seen a rise in antisemitism across the nation and here in Michigan, and my office is committed to using all our powers to protect the public and ensure accountability."

In a report released in March, the Anti-Defamation League found that the number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. rose 36% in 2022 compared to the year before.

Earlier this month, a 50-year-old man was found guilty on 63 criminal counts in a 2018 shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue which killed 11 people, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

 Cara Tabachnick, Robert Legare and Jordan Freiman contributed to this report.

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Elissa Slotkin Holds Press Conference In East Lansing One Day After Election Win

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks to reporters on November 09, 2022, in East Lansing, Michigan, after winning re-election. Credit - Brandon BellGetty Images

When Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan announced her retirement six months ago, some expected a rush of candidates to join the fight for a rare open seat in a state that President Joe Biden won by 3 points. Instead, the field has grown at a glacial pace, with Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin having it largely to herself for months.

Theres not a race, says Adrian Hemond, a Michigan Democratic strategist who sees no serious competition keeping Slotkin from securing her partys nomination.

And on the Republican side? The state GOP is in shambles, both the field for the Senate race and the state party itself, Hemond says.

Yet the race could be on the verge of a serious shake up, as multiple contenders may be poised to jump in.

John Tuttle, the vice chair of the New York Stock Exchange, is likely to enter the race and could make an announcement as early as mid-July, according to a source clued into Michigan politics and familiar with Tuttles thinking. Tuttle, who hails from Milford, Michigan, is seen as a favorite of party leadership, with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines calling him a strong potential recruit in a Politico story last month about his mulling a bid.

Former Rep. Peter Meijer, the same source said, is also seriously looking at the race, and has begun to initiate phone calls with consultants, although may wait months before making a final decision. Meijer served in the House representing part of West Michigan for two years before angering conservatives by voting to impeach President Donald Trump weeks after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He lost his GOP primary last year.

I appreciate your tenacity and I will let you know when I have comment there, Meijer said this week on the Julie Mason Show on SiriusXM when asked about the race.

Democrats swept Michigans elections in last years midterms, enabling them to enact numerous liberal priorities, like becoming the first state to repeal a right-to-work law in more than half a century and expanding LGBTQ protections. Yet a more moderate candidate from either party with crossover appeal could still potentially perform well there, Michigan insiders say. Thats largely why Slotkin, a member of the Houses bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, is seen as the one to beat.

Democrats and Republicans alike also consider Meijer, an army veteran descended from the founder of the Meijer supermarket chain, a strong general election candidate, given his political brand and ability to self-fund. But they consider it all but impossible for Meijer to win a Republican primary.

Former Rep. Fred Upton, another Michigan Republican who also voted to impeach Trump before retiring, says Meijer would be formidable if he could just get his partys nomination.

The Meijer name is so well known and so respected. They do so much for every community, Upton says. Peter would have a leg up on a lot of folks. But again, the Trump people would kneecap him.

Read more: Why Fred Upton Called It Quits

But there may be yet another middle-of-the-road contender for the GOP to pin its hopes on. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who has spoken openly about a possible presidential bid in recent months, is also considering jumping into the Senate race instead, according to a Republican strategist with knowledge of his thinking. Rogers did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

Another name Republicans are talking about, though with less enthusiasm, is that of former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who told the Detroit News earlier this year he was considering a run. Craig was regarded as a top candidate for governor last year until he failed to submit enough valid signatures to make the ballot.

That setback hurt his credibility, says Republican strategist Dennis Lennox. I have a hard time believing somebody who couldnt even get on the ballot for governor and then ran in an embarrassing write-in campaign  is going to put in the type of work thats required for a successful Senate bid, he says.

Lennox was also skeptical of Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder, the most prominent Republican already in the race: On paper, sure, shes a state board of education member, but for all practical purposes, shes a nobody.

Michigan Republicans have won only two Senate races in the last half century, making many of the partys best prospects skittish about vying for Stabenows seat. Some may be particularly wary of running on a ballot that could have Trump at the top of the ticket.

And potential candidates are especially concerned about how the competition across the aisle is shaping up.

Every Republican who spoke with TIME expects that Slotkin will be the Democratic nominee. While some Republicans still hope a primary could damage her standing, Stabenow and Democratic Party leaders have worked to help Slotkin avoid a messy primary. Prominent Democrats like Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist have bowed out.

That doesnt mean the congresswoman is running unopposed. Pamela Pugh, President of the Michigan State Board of Education, is already in the race.

And then theres perhaps the biggest wild card of all for Democrats: Hill Harper. For months, the actor and author, who currently is part of the cast of ABCs The Good Doctor, has been talked about as a potential candidate, and has been the subject of buzz among Michigan progressives. Harper declined to comment for this story but is widely expected to launch his bid for Senate as early as next month.

With Slotkin already running, some dont see a viable path for any other Democrat, not even a prominent actor like Harper with strong ties to Detroits Black communities. Slotkins campaign appears to be in a dominant position, having raised $3 million in the first quarter. Slotkin this month earned the endorsement of fellow Rep. Haley Stevens, who represents the 11th District, north of Detroit.

In the four months since launching, our campaign earned diverse support from community and business leaders, elected officials, and labor unions across the state, said Slotkin spokesperson Austin Cook in a statement to TIME. The path to holding the Senate majority runs through Michigan, and Elissa is a tested leader and lifelong public servant who is working hard to meet voters where they are.

Upton says the prospects of Slotkin as the nominee makes becoming her Republican opponent an unappealing proposition for many contenders.

You wake up tired and broke and youre facing a pretty strong challenger in an open seat, Upton says. Shell have many millions in the bank.
A handbag bearing Louis Vuitton's signature monogram has sold for thousands of dollars  and you can barely even see it with the naked eye.

The bag, dubbed the "microscopic handbag" by its maker, the Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF, measures at just micrometers. It was sold in a Joopiter auction this week for $63,750  a high escalation after the initial bid of $15,000  and comes with a microscope that has a digital display so that its buyer can enjoy the bag's design.

"Smaller than a grain of sea salt and narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle, this is a purse so small you'll need a microscope to see it," MSCHF said in a post about the bag. "There are big handbags, normal handbags, and small handbags, but this is the final word in bag miniaturization."

The bag is made of photopolymer resin and was created with a 2-photon polymerization, a form of 3D printing, and appears to be a knockoff of luxury designer Louis Vuitton. The microscopic bag is a fluorescent green tote and features the iconic LV in its center and a design similar to that of the luxury label's OnTheGo bags, which retail for between $3,100 and $4,300.

"As a once-functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller its object status becomes steadily more abstracted until it is purely a brand signifier," MSCHF said.

Kevin Wiesner, MSCHF's chief creative officer, told The New York Times earlier this month that the group did not seek permission from Louis Vuitton to mimic its brand.

"We are big in the 'ask forgiveness, not permission' school," he said.

That rule applied even in this auction. The house hosting it was founded by Louis Vuitton men's designer Pharell Williams.

"Pharrell loves big hats, so we made him an incredibly small bag," Wiesner said.

CBS News has reached out to Louis Vuitton for comment and is awaiting response.

Tiny purses and bags have emerged as a star in the fashion world, with celebrities showing them off on red carpets. In 2019, Lizzo famously arrived at the American Music Awards with a tiny Valentino purse.

"Previous small leather handbags have still required a hand to carry them  they become dysfunctional, inconveniences to their 'wearer,'" MSCHF says in its auction listing. "Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewelry, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, useability is the angels' share."

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with his Polish and Lithuanian counterparts in Kiev on Wednesday on security issues, Zelensky's press service reported.

Zelensky informed Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuranian President Gitanas Nauseda of the "active actions" of the Ukrainian military at the front and thanked the two countries for their military, political, economic and humanitarian support.

In particular, Zelensky welcomed Lithuania's decision to purchase two NASAMS air defense systems for Ukraine.

They also discussed preparations for the upcoming summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which is set to be held on July 11-12 in Vilnius.

Zelensky voiced his hope that decisions aimed at inviting Ukraine to join NATO would be made at the summit.

Nauseda said Lithuania supports Ukraine's membership in NATO, noting that the Vilnius summit should speed up the accession.

For his part, Duda said that the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine on its way to full NATO membership is one of the most important tasks of the summit.

Ukraine's European integration and its peace formula were also discussed at the talks.

Duda and Nauseda arrived in Kiev earlier in the day.
Mike Pence

Mike Pence, former Vice President of the United States, made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, CNN reported on June 29.

According to the report, Pence conveyed to the Ukrainian leader that the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine is more resolute than ever before. He then visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin, and Moschun, which have been subjected to Russian occupation and war crimes. While in Irpin, he reassured locals by stating, "the American people pray with you."

Read also: Russia sending first responders to northern Crime for training

In June, Pence officially announced his candidacy for the United States presidency in the 2024 elections, representing the Republican Party. He had previously criticized Donald Trump for his admiration of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Read also: Zelenskyy visits Frontline troops in Donetsk Oblast

NBC News notes that Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with Zelenskyy as part of the election campaign.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
By Steve Holland and Tim Reid

(Reuters) -Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is running for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election, made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"Freedom is winning in Ukraine, and now more than ever, we need to keep faith with the courageous fighters here in Ukraine who are standing for freedom and pushing back on Russian aggression," Pence told reporters after meeting with Zelenskiy.

Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet Zelenskiy during the campaign.

Pence has been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and full-throated supporter of Ukraine, as he takes on his former boss Donald Trump for their party's nomination.

Trump has declined to say he wants Ukraine to win the war, instead saying he wants a negotiated solution between Russia and Ukraine.

Pence trails Trump by over 30 points in most opinion polls among Republican voters who will chose the candidate to take on Democratic President Joe Biden.

Pence laid flowers at The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine in Kyiv. He traveled to Ukraine with Samaritan's Purse, a U.S.-based charity that has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians, a Pence adviser said.

The U.S. government has provided more than $40 billion in weaponry and other military aid to Ukraine. Solid majorities of Americans support providing weaponry to Ukraine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey.

Pence also received a briefing from Ukrainian officials about Russian human rights violations since Russian forces invaded Ukraine 16 months ago.

The Ukraine war issue has divided Republican presidential candidates.

Former President Trump's closest rival for the nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has questioned the amount of aid that should be provided for Ukraine, while Nikki Haley, Trump's former U.N. ambassador, and U.S. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, back continuing support.

"American support for Ukraine is vital - from all Americans, every American family, all US civil society, all political leaders, Congress - both parties and of course, from U.S. President Biden," Zelenskiy said in his nightly address, thanking Americans. He and Pence "talked about arms, our soldiers' capabilities, and our common values," Zelenskiy said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Rami Ayyub and Tim Reid; Editing by Alison Williams and Grant McCool)
KYIV, Ukraine  Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the campaign.

The visit comes at a crucial moment in the war, just after the Wagner mercenary groups rebellion and the deadly Russian missile strike on a pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Pence has been outspoken about his support for Ukraine, and the move sends a resounding message that he believes the U.S. should play a leading role in the countrys fight against Russia. It also puts Pence in a unique position within the GOP  a party once dominated by hawks who advocated against growing Russian influence but is now led by a man who has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and whose base is largely uninterested in supporting Ukraine.

Mike Pence meets with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine. (NBC News)

"I believe Americas the leader of the free world," Pence told NBC News. "But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies."

Pence is spending the day getting a firsthand look at the atrocities Ukrainians have experienced over the last 16 months and visiting Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin  three cities the Russian forces occupied and ravaged  in addition to meeting with Zelenskyy.

One of Zelenskyys top advisers, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Pence understands absolutely clearly what Russia is.

Pence rests his hands on a woman's shoulder as he speaks with her in Irpin, Ukraine (David Gladstone / NBC News)

He deeply understands Russia and deeply understands the nature of this conflict, that it is not about territories, not about any businesses, not about anything except the main thing  those values for which the United States were created, Podolyak said, naming freedom, competition and democracy.

This is about helping a country that is willing to defend the fundamental, core values on which the United States as a whole is built, he added.

The future of U.S. support for the Ukrainian war effort is in question, and the voters Pence is trying to woo in the Republican primary arent eager to aid the country. In the latest NBC News national poll, 52% of GOP primary voters said they would be less likely to back a candidate who supports sending more funding and weapons to Ukraine, while just 28% said they would be more likely.

"Im here because its important that the American people understand the progress that weve made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest," Pence said when asked by NBC News about the poll results. "I truly do believe that now, more than ever, we need leaders in our country who will articulate the importance of American leadership in the world."

"Well let the polls and the politics take care of themselves, but for me it was important to be here to better understand what the people of Ukraine have endured, the mindless violence that was perpetrated on them in an unprovoked invasion by the Russian military and the progress that theyve made in pushing back that military," he added. "Its steeled my resolve, and its made me better equipped to be able to go home as I speak to the American people about the vital importance of American support to repel Russian aggression."

Mike Pence in Irpin, Ukraine (David Gladstone / NBC News)

Pence criticized President Joe Biden's administration for being "slow" in providing military support to Ukraine. He also said that he did not support sending U.S. troops to the country to assist in the war.

"We should never send American troops into Ukraine, and we don't need to," Pence said.

Pences continued support for Ukraine sets him apart from some of his Republican rivals. And when talking about his views on foreign policy Thursday, he looked back to President Ronald Reagan as his guiding star.

"Ever since the days of Ronald Reagan, the American people have always stood with those who fought back to defend their own freedom," he said. "We actually called it the Reagan doctrine  the idea that if you were willing to fight the Communists back in the day in your country, well give you the means to fight them there so that we dont ever have to fight them on our soil. Its part and parcel of what brought down the Soviet Union and made it possible for Ukraine to live in freedom to begin with. But I do believe that the majority of Republicans and the majority of Americans still hold to that cause of freedom."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initially stumbled in his response to the war, getting criticism from within the party for calling it a territorial dispute and saying backing Ukraine isnt a vital U.S. interest. He later changed course and called Putin a war criminal.

And the GOP front-runner in the polls, former President Donald Trump, initially praised Putin when he invaded Ukraine, saying he was very savvy. Trump has also claimed that he would be able to end the war in just 24 hours.

Anyone can express their vision of how things should develop in a historical sense, Podolyak said, but we live in the real world.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Mike Pence raked in $1.4 million for book divulging his pushback against Trump on January 6

Former President elect Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Mike Pence acknowledge the crowd during the first stop of his post-election tour, in Cincinnati on December 1, 2016. John Minchillo, File/AP Photo

Mike Pence wrote a memoir called "So Help Me God."

Simon & Schuster paid him a $1.4 million advance for the book, new documents show.

Pence is now running to unseat his former boss.

Former Vice President Mike Pence received a $1.4 million advance for his book that detailed his dramatic escape on January 6, 2021, when he stood up to former President Donald Trump, new financial disclosures show.

In the Simon & Schuster-published book, "So Help Me God," Pence vividly described how Trump tried to pressure him against certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 victory. When Pence pushed back, Trump told him, "You'll go down as a whimp."

In much of the book  which goes all the way back to his childhood and also talks about his time in the US House and as governor of Indiana  Pence was otherwise loyal and deferential to Trump.

Pence entered the 2024 race on May 31 to challenge his former boss. He has been far more assertive against Trump since, saying he "should never again be president."

Financial records from other presidential prospects indicate book advances to politicians can be significant and greatly increase their net worth. Hillary Clinton received an $8 million advance for her memoir "Living History," about her time as First Lady.

GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, another 2024 presidential candidate, earned a $184,167 advance for his book. When Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, she received a $730,350 advance for her book.

In his financial disclosure, Pence wrote that the full value of the book was "not readily ascertainable." The campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry seeking clarification, but he could be referring to book royalties that are still being collected, or another part of the advance to be paid out at a later date.

CNN previously reported that the book advance was estimated at being somewhere between $3 million to $4 million, though that reportedly included a contract to write a second book.

Other than promises of a big payday, writing a book can help politicians tell voters about who they are as people and why they decided to run for public office.

Everyone running for the White House must file a financial disclosure showing their sources of income 30 days after announcing a presidential run, though they're allowed to ask for a 45-day extension two times.

Documents are submitted to the Federal Elections Commission before getting transferred to the Office of Government Ethics.



OGE guidance requires that presidential candidates disclose the exact amount of their book advances, and that reported assets encompass the full prior year, up to the time the candidate filed to run for office. Candidates can provide broad ranges, rather than specific figures, for how much they received in book royalties.

An Insider analysis of financial disclosures found that members of Congress together raked in $1.8 million in 2020 from book advances and royalties. The total was uncovered as part of the exhaustive Conflicted Congress project, in which Insider reviewed nearly 9,000 financial-disclosure reports for every sitting lawmaker and their top-ranking staffers.

Pence's disclosure contains other details about his finances. For instance, he received $1.8 million for speaking, consulting, and writing fees in Hoosier Heartland, an Indiana Bank. He holds stock in Apple, Pfizer, Meta (which used to be called Facebook), health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group, and Netflix, among others. Each is valued at less than $1,001.

Read the original article on Business Insider
An astronomical detector buried in Antarctic ice has provided a view of our Galaxy that has never been seen before.

The blurry, extraordinary image is of the Milky Way, but it is composed of the "ghostly" particles that are emitted by the reactions that power stars.

The particles are neutrinos, which are extremely difficult to detect on Earth.

To find them, scientists turned a vast block of Antarctic ice into a detector.

"This is the first time we're seeing our Galaxy using particles rather than photons [of light]," Prof Subir Sarkar from the University of Oxford told BBC News. This, he explained, provides a view of "high energy processes that shape our Galaxy".

Neutrinos can be thought of as astronomical messengers that point to those fundamental processes. They are created when particles called cosmic rays - that are rattling around at near light speed - smash into other matter.

Capturing those collisions basically means capturing neutrinos. And that is not easy.

"The neutrino is a ghostly particle; it's basically almost without mass," explained Prof Sarkar. "They're essentially moving at the speed of light and might pass through the Galaxy and not interact with anything. That is why, in order to see them, you need a massive detector."

The detector that scientists and engineers designed is called IceCube. It is composed of thousands of sensors on long cables that are drilled and frozen into a 1km cubic block of ice. The whole array is buried close to the South Pole.

Whenever a neutrino interacts with one of the billions of ice molecules, that interaction is captured.

"Essentially, by knowing which sensor is triggered and at what time, we can reconstruct the direction [that neutrino came from]."

The scientists say the discovery, published in the journal Science, is an entirely new window on our Galaxy.

Mapping the Milky Way

It is a century since astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the Milky Way was just one of millions of galaxies - that it was our place in a vast Universe.

Prof Naoko Kurahashi Neilson, a physicist at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and another member of the IceCube team, said that humans had been studying it for millennia. "We've seen it in many wavelengths of light - like radio waves and gamma rays - but since the dawn of time it was always in electromagnetic radiation. In all wavelengths of light or photons."

"This is the first 'map' of our Galaxy in something [other than light], and it's in high-energy neutrinos," she told BBC News. "[It will mean] we can start understanding the physical processes in the Milky Way better."

Prof Kurahashi Neilson added that the team would spend the next 5-10 years trying to answer questions that "we can finally ask".
Millions of Illinois residents get their drinking water from municipal and private wells contaminated with toxic forever chemicals

Testing during the past three years revealed nearly a million Illinoisans get their drinking water from municipal wells contaminated with toxic forever chemicals at levels exceeding state health guidelines.

Another 1.4 million people in the state depend on private wells, including scores in the Chicago suburbs. But there has been no systematic approach to determine if any of them are unknowingly ingesting chemicals that build up in human blood, cause cancer and other diseases and take years to leave the body.

As far as the state is concerned, it is up to individual well owners to decide if its worth spending $500 or so to test their water for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.

In one of only three instances when local and state health officials have stepped in, they found it difficult to persuade well owners on the south side of Rockford to get their water tested for free, even after being told some of the highest PFAS concentrations in the state had been detected nearby.

These are huge challenges we face in the modern world, said Dr. Sandra Martell, administrator of the Winnebago County Health Department. How do we ensure our communities have access to safe drinking water, and how do we get people to take steps to protect themselves?

Nearly every American has PFAS in their bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Babies are born with the chemicals in their blood.

Scientists are finding that tiny concentrations of some forever chemicals can trigger testicular and kidney cancer, birth defects, liver damage, impaired fertility, immune system disorders, high cholesterol and obesity. Links to breast cancer and other diseases are suspected.

Yet PFAS remain largely unregulated. Manufacturers, users and sewage treatment agencies are fighting to keep it that way.

Corporations and government agencies potentially responsible for contaminating water sources have spent the past year and a half lobbying against state regulations that would impose the first limits on six PFAS in groundwater throughout Illinois.

If enacted, the standards would open the door to legal action by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and private lawsuits intended to force the cleanup of contaminated sites and steps to ensure well owners have safe water.

Bad news

Besides the Rockford neighborhood, several private wells are known to be contaminated in nearby Rockton, where PFAS-laden firefighting foam was sprayed after a 2021 explosion leveled a Chemtool lubricant factory.

Mike and Kacy Krause are among the Chemtool neighbors who were evacuated. Late last year, officials from the Illinois EPA and county health department knocked on the couples door and asked if they could collect water samples from their well.

The request wasnt unusual, Mike Krause said. Shortly after moving in 20 years ago, he said, the Krauses discovered they had bought a house within a federal Superfund site, the governments designation for the nations most polluted industrial properties.

State officials have routinely tested wells in the Wright Kiles Blackhawk subdivision since the early 1980s after finding cancer-causing solvents in groundwater near a former Beloit Corp. factory that manufactured papermaking equipment. But last year was the first time the state came looking for PFAS.

The Krauses and their neighbors got the results in April. For many, the news wasnt good.

It was just ridiculous, said Mike Krause, a construction contractor.

Levels of one forever chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were as high as 130 parts per trillion  65 times higher than the 2 ppt limit proposed by the state.

The states proposed limit for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is 7.7 ppt. Testing in the Blackhawk subdivision found levels nearly four times higher.

PFOS once was used widely in firefighting foam and PFOA sometimes was an unintentional byproduct of foam manufacturing. Levels of both chemicals were generally highest at homes on Watts Avenue close to the Chemtool site.

Mike Krause blames the company for the 12 ppt of PFOS and 5.5 ppt of PFOA the state found in his well. It doesnt take a genius to figure out where it came from, he said, noting his family has sued Chemtool and has been drinking bottled water since being notified of the test results.

State and local officials arent so sure. The now-destroyed Chemtool factory was built on the site of the former Beloit Corp. facility, and groundwater in the area generally moves to the southwest, toward the Rock River and away from nearby homes, said Kyle Rominger, chief of the Illinois EPAs land bureau.

No clearly identifiable (PFAS) plume, Rominger said. No smoking gun.

Unknown sources of PFAS

There could be other, still unknown sources. For decades, PFOA, PFOS and hundreds of related chemicals were (and some still are) used in industrial processes and in products such as carpets, clothing, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fast-food wrappers, food packaging, microwave popcorn bags, paper plates, pizza boxes, rain jackets and ski wax.

Results from testing in the Sandy Hollow area of Rockford were just as confounding.

The local health department asked state officials for assistance after the Illinois EPA found high levels of PFOA and PFOS in wells dug for the Family Manufactured Home Community near U.S. Route 20 and Illinois Route 251. As the health department went door to door reaching out to more than 50 nearby homes on private wells, the Illinois EPA sampled monitoring wells from the Southeast Rockford Groundwater Plume, another Superfund site.

Like the Beloit Corp. site in Rockton, the one in Rockford has been in the Superfund program for decades. In 1990, about 200 homes and businesses accepted bottled water provided by the U.S. EPA to protect them from harmful solvents dumped by industries in the area, and the city later hooked up several hundred homes to the municipal water supply.

When the state tested for PFAS last year in the Superfund monitoring wells and in several remaining private wells, they found the highest levels were outside the plume of solvents. It is unclear at this point how forever chemicals seeped into the wells.

It would be great to find a source and stop it right there, said Martell, the Winnebago County health administrator. For now we are going to have to deal with immediate action people can take, in particular when it comes to protecting young children who are more vulnerable because their bodies are still developing.

That means more people using water filters, Martell added, and eventually getting them connected to municipal sources of water.

State officials said there are no plans to test for PFAS in private wells near the 43 other Superfund sites in Illinois or near communities where forever chemicals have been detected in municipal wells. Without PFAS-specific regulations directing them to look for the chemicals in groundwater, state officials said, they have no legal authority to do so.

By contrast, Michigan had tested more than 6,000 private wells at least once by the end of last year. Officials in that state were among the first in the nation to address PFAS contamination after high levels of the chemicals were found near a former Air Force base and in residential wells close to a former tannery.

The Illinois Department of Public Health encouraged the states well owners to check its website to learn more about water filters certified to remove PFAS. The department also provides a list of laboratories approved to test for the chemicals.

Companies reach settlements

Government action to protect Americans from PFAS has been slow-coming in part because chemical manufacturers kept secret what they knew about the dangers.

Documents unearthed during lawsuits show top executives at Minnesota-based 3M knew as early as the 1950s about the harmful effects of forever chemicals the conglomerate pioneered after World War II. 3M didnt begin telling the U.S. EPA what it knew about PFOA and PFOS until 1998  more than two decades after Congress approved the nations first chemical safety law.

Until this year the chief manufacturers, 3M and DuPont, had paid nearly $2 billion combined to settle PFAS-related lawsuits without accepting responsibility for contaminated drinking water or diseases suffered by people exposed to the chemicals. 3M has long maintained the chemicals are not harmful at levels typically found in people.

Last Thursday, 3M announced the company will pay at least another $10.3 billion to settle thousands of other claims accusing the company of contaminating public water systems with forever chemicals. DuPont and two other companies earlier said they had brokered a $1.19 billion settlement in the same cases, filed by cities and water systems across the nation and consolidated in a South Carolina federal court.

The money is expected to be paid out over time to test for and treat PFAS-contaminated water. 3M said earlier this year it will stop making the chemicals by 2025.

3M agreed in November to test private wells and public water systems near one of its PFAS manufacturing plants in Cordova, Illinois, where for decades it discharged the chemicals into the Mississippi River without limits about 15 miles upstream from the Quad Cities.

A Chicago Tribune investigation found the Illinois EPA knew more than a decade ago about PFAS-contaminated wells in and around the 3M plant. The state agency allowed 3M to enter a voluntary cleanup program and later signed off when the company said it was powerless to reduce its PFAS pollution, according to records and emails obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

The Tribune also identified more than 1,600 other potential sources of PFAS in Illinois through a national analysis of industry codes designating the type of products manufactured or used. Only California, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida have more facilities on the list of suspected polluters.

More than 60% of the Illinois facilities are in Chicago and its suburbs, the Tribune found. There is at least one potential industrial source in 85 of the states 102 counties, yet there are still no limits on the amount of PFAS pollution released into the air or discharged into sewers.

Back in Rockton, the state found two PFAS in a municipal well but at concentrations well below health guidelines. Low concentrations of arsenic and radium also have been detected over the years.

The results prompted Dan Enderle, a teacher at the local high school, to install a reverse osmosis system in his home to remove any contaminants that pass through the municipal treatment plant.

While the levels have been below legal requirements ... we decided to invest in a filtration system, said Enderle, who has lived in Rockton for 20 years and plans to stay.

Closer to Chicago, several residents on private wells in southwest suburban Homer Glen said they feel fortunate they installed reverse osmosis systems years ago at the same time their wells were dug into the local aquifer.

Joe Turrise, a retired Nabisco machinist, has had his own water treatment system since 1997. Back then the chief concern was taste, he said, but the system is even more appreciated since the dangers of PFAS and other contaminants became more widely understood.

It is a little expensive when you consider you need to replace the filters at proper intervals, Turrise said. But you cant put a price tag on good, clean water.
Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via Reuters

The daughter of a top Russian general thought to have been detained after he was implicated in mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhins attempted insurrection over the weekend is denying reports hes in trouble with the Kremlin.

Nothing happened to him, no one arrested him, and hes in his office, Veronika Surovikina was quoted as telling the Baza Telegram channel, known for its contacts in the Russian security services.

The Financial Times cited several sources earlier Thursday who said General Sergei Surovikin had been detained, though it wasnt clear if he was facing any charges or just being questioned. The independent Russian outlet iStories, meanwhile, cited sources who said Surovikin had been detained for questioning but has since been released.

Questions over his whereabouts and current standing with the Kremlin have run rampant in recent days as the fallout over Prigozhins armed uprising is expected to lead to a crackdown on any members of the security services who supported him. An arrest would signal that the mercenary boss so-called justice march was not simply a rogue rebellion but a sign of deeper rifts among the Russian elite.

Why Did Putin Let Prigozhin Walk Away?

Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russias military operations in Ukraine, vanished from public view after issuing a video appeal for Prigozhin and his men to stand down from their mutiny on Saturday.

The New York Times later reported that Surovikin, who was known to be close to the Wagner founder, knew about the armed uprising in advance and may have supported it.

Dubbed the butcher of Syria for his brutal tactics in that country when he led Russias military campaign there, he has reportedly been an honorary member of Wagner since he worked closely with Prigozhin in Syria in 2017.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Emergency lights on a US police car

Five Mississippi deputy sheriffs alleged to have been involved in the assault of two men have been fired or have resigned, officials have said.

Michael Corey Jenkins, 32, and Eddie Terrell Parker, 35, say Rankin County Sheriff Department officers entered a home without a warrant in January.

They allege they then tased them, assaulted them and shot one of them in the mouth.

Attorneys for the men have called for charges against the officers.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, their attorneys and relatives said the fact the five officers were no longer with the department was a sign of progress, but that more needs to be done.

"They treated our children as if they weren't even human," said Mary Jenkins, the mother of Mr Jenkins, who was shot in the incident.

"It's not enough to fire those deputies because all they will do is go on to another police department and do the same thing."

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey announced on Tuesday that deputies involved in the encounter were terminated last week following findings from an internal investigation.

He said the deputies - whose names he declined to provide - had previously been placed on administrative leave.

"We understand that the alleged actions of these deputies have eroded the trust of the public in our department. Rest assured that we will work diligently to restore that trust," Mr Bailey said.

The Rankin County Sheriff Department later told the BBC that some of the five deputies involved in the incident had already resigned before this week's announcement and the remaining ones fired.

Earlier this year, the US Department of Justice announced it was conducting an investigation into the sheriff's department over civil rights violations, including the incident with Mr Parker and Mr Jenkins and other violent encounters with black men.

Attorneys for Mr Jenkins and Mr Parker, who are both black, have said six white deputies were involved in the incident. They say a sixth officer from another agency may have been involved.

They have called on the sheriff department to release the names.

Mr Jenkins and Mr Parker have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit seeking $400m (316.9m) in damages.

Deputies claim that on 24 January, they carried out a raid in response to a report of drug activity at the home in Braxton, Mississippi.

Mr Jenkins and Mr Parker allege that the deputies entered the home without a warrant and after turning off their body cameras.

They say that during a 90-minute encounter, the deputies brutally abused them, used stun guns on them, hurled racist slurs, and waterboarded them.

Mr Jenkins said one of the deputies also put a gun in his mouth and fired it, leaving him with serious facial injuries.

He was taken to the hospital only later, after deputies refused to assist him, the lawsuit alleges.

Mr Parker was taken to the Rankin County Jail where he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, though prosecutors did not move forward with charges, according to his attorney.

According to court documents, Mr Jenkins has suffered permanent nerve damage as a result of the incident.
Michael Corey Jenkins stands outside Taylor Hill Church in Braxton, Miss., March 18, 2023. (AP)

A Mississippi sheriff fired deputies accused by two Black men of entering their home where they allegedly tortured and attempted to sexually assault them.

The firing of the white Rankin County deputies came two weeks after Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker made the shocking claims and filed a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that the deputies entered the home in Braxton in January, handcuffed the men then kicked, waterboarded and used Tasers on them. It also claims that one deputy placed his gun in Mr Jenkinss mouth and shot him, lacerating his tongue and dislocating his jaw.

Throughout the nearly two-hour ordeal, the six deputies would punch and beat two handcuffed men at will, hurting and humiliating both Jenkins and Parker. Deputies also repeatedly and gratuitously kicked the men as if they were animals while they lay subdued and handcuffed, the lawsuit states.

And it added: In their repeated use of racial slurs in the course of their violent acts, (the deputies) were oppressive and hateful against their African- American victims. Defendants were motivated on the basis of race and the color of the skin of the persons they assaulted.

It is claimed the deputies tried to use a sexual device against the two men and forced them to shower together.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court in Mississippi on 12 June, names Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey and the six deputies as defendants and seeks $400m in damages.Due to recent developments, including findings during our internal investigation, those deputies that were still employed by this department have all been terminated, Sheriff Bailey told reporters on Tuesday.

We understand that the alleged actions of these deputies has eroded the publics trust department. Rest assured that we will work diligently to restore that trust.

The sheriff would not say how many deputies had been fired or provide their names to the media. He would also not answer any additional questions about the incident.

He has previously said that his deputies went to the home for drug enforcement activities, reported WAPT.

There is no body cam footage of the incident, according to The Clarion-Ledger, and the Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.

Unfortunately, Jenkins has suffered permanent physical injuries, permanent cognitive damage, long-term psychological damage, permanent disfigurement, and impairment, the suit states.

Mr Parker also needed medical attention for injuries suffered during the incident, according to the lawsuit.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Thursday demanded that colleges and local governments in the state immediately end all affirmative action policies after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

The Republican attorney general directed the demand to dozens of universities and local government leaders, including the University of Missouri System, Missouri State University, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the mayors of St. Louis and Columbia.

Missouri institutions must identify all policies that give preference to individuals on the basis of race and immediately halt the implementation of such policies, he wrote in the letter.

The Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority, on Thursday overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, declaring that race could not be a factor in admissions. The ruling was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that for too long universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

The rulings come as the University of Missouris main campus in Columbia has had a fraught relationship with race, including student-led protests in 2015 that criticized inaction by university leaders after a string of racist incidents.

The university, founded in 1839, didnt allow its first Black student until 1950. Black students now make up only 5.45% of the student population while white students make up 76.4%, according to the most recent data online.

UM System President Mun Choi, who is also chancellor of the University of Missouri-Columbia, told reporters during a news conference Thursday that the UM System, which covers four campuses in Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis and Rolla, does not use race-based admission at the undergraduate level.

However, at the University of Missouri-Columbia, about 20 of the universitys 150 graduate-level programs use race as part of a holistic approach for admissions. This year, the university used $12.3 million or 6.4% of its financial aid budget to pay for financial aid with a race or ethnicity component, according to UM System spokesperson Christian Basi.

We will be stopping all race-based admissions and race-based scholarships moving forward, Choi said.

However, the university will continue to honor current scholarships that had a racial component.

So, in that sense, were going to follow the law and were going to honor the commitments that we have made to our students, he said.

Bailey, in his letter, appeared to go further than just college admission standards, calling for Missouri institutions to end all decisions, including employment, with racial components.

All Missouri programs that make admitting decisions by disfavoring individuals based on racenot just college admissions, but also scholarships, employment, law reviews, etc.must immediately adopt race-blind standards, he wrote.

Asked about this on Thursday, Choi said he had not read that detail in Baileys letter.

I will look into it more carefully. Ive been in meetings all day, he said. Ill have a discussion with the board and the general counsel. So, Im not disputing anything because I have not read it in detail yet.

In March, the university system quietly scrapped the use of diversity statements in its hiring processes as Republican lawmakers considered legislation that would ban public colleges from asking job candidates questions about diversity and race.

A spokesperson for Lucas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bailey, in his Thursday letter, floated potential legal action against colleges that continued affirmative action policies, saying he intends to ensure that the constitutional rights of all Missourians are protected, including those who would be harmed by race-based policies that are unlawful under the rulings issued today.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona criticized the ruling in a Thursday statement, warning that it takes our country decades backward. But he also urged higher education leaders nationwide to maintain their commitment to diversity in the face of the ruling.

To our higher education leaders reviewing the decision: now is not the time to lessen your commitment to campus communities that reflect the rich diversity of this nation, which enhance the college experience in myriad ways and prepare students from all walks of life to live, work, and lead our democracy together, Cardona said. Your leadership and commitment to ensuring our educational institutions reflect the vast and rich diversity of our people are needed now more than ever.

The pair of rulings immediately sparked criticism from some Missouri leaders and the NAACP, who argued that the Supreme Court was rolling back years of progress for minority students.

In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality, NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, a Missouri Democrat, said ending affirmative action will be devastating, pointing to colleges that have historically denied admission to minorities.

Affirmative action helped level the racist and uneven playing field, the St. Louis congresswoman said in a statement. Colleges and universities must ensure students benefit from the diverse perspectives and experiences of qualified students from all backgrounds.

State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, a St. Louis Democrat, said that the Supreme Court was ignoring the historic rationale for affirmative action, which was to integrate minorities into an American society that had largely sought to keep them divorced from the rest of the country.

An attitude, Bosley said, that still persists in America.

By undermining one of our best tools to disestablish systemic racism in our institutions of higher education, these six justices have opened a path for racism to further prosper, she said.

This story was updated after the University of Missouri-Columbia clarified how much money it paid in financial aid with race as a factor.
 Flash

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Wednesday met in Changsha, Hunan province, with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera and Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, who are there to attend the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, who is to attend the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

When meeting with Chakwera, Han said that China and Malawi are development partners who support and trust each other. Under the care and guidance of the two heads of state, China-Malawi relations have enjoyed sustained, steady, and sound development with fruitful cooperation.

China supports Malawi in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions and stands ready to work with Malawi to continuously consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and jointly push China-Malawi friendly and cooperative relations to a higher level, Han said.

Malawian enterprises are welcome to actively use the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and other platforms to deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Han added.

Chakwera thanked China for its strong support for Malawi's economic development and improvement of people's livelihood. Malawi attaches great importance to developing relations with China, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to carry out exchanges with China in governing the country and strengthening pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Tanzania's Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi, who is to attend the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

When meeting with Mwinyi, Han said that China and Tanzania are good friends, brothers, and partners. The friendly cooperative relations between China and Zanzibar are an important part of China-Tanzania relations. China-Tanzania cooperation enjoys a sound momentum, which has enriched the connotation of the China-Tanzania comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The two sides should take the implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state as an opportunity to strengthen communication and exchanges, tap the potential of cooperation, and push forward bilateral relations, Han said.

Han stressed that China is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African countries, including Tanzania, to open up new prospects for China-Africa cooperation.

Mwinyi thanked China for its long-term support for Tanzania's economic and social development. Tanzania has always given China firm support on issues involving China's core interests. It is hoped that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the two sides will continue to deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Missouri on the hook for $240,000 after open records violation under Josh Hawley

A Cole County judge on Wednesday ordered Missouri to pay more than $240,000 in legal fees and costs as part of a ruling that found the attorney generals office violated the states open records law under Republican Josh Hawley.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sued the attorney generals office in 2019, alleging that it purposely concealed emails between the office and Hawleys political consultants during his successful run for U.S. Senate in 2018.

Cole County Judge Jon Beetem sided with the DSCC in November, agreeing that the attorney generals office hid the emails and ordered the office to pay the maximum amount allowed by state law, $12,000 in civil penalties as well as additional attorneys fees.

The DSCC in January requested they be awarded $306,000 in attorneys fees. Beetem on Wednesday awarded the plaintiffs $242,385.

A big win for transparency, election fairness, and the rule of law, Mark Pedroli, an attorney for the DSCC and a government transparency advocate, wrote on Twitter Thursday.

The Missouri attorney generals office, now under Republican Andrew Bailey, will be on the hook for that money as Hawley is now in the Senate.

Pedroli called on Hawley to step up and apologize to Missouri residents and cover the bill with proceeds from his new book Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs.

Hawleys campaign spokesperson Kyle Plotkin, in a statement to The Star, attacked the DSCC for pursuing the lawsuit and called for the group to return the money.

Its a shame that Democrat Party bosses kept a lawsuit going even after the witch hunt was dismissed by investigators and after all documents were voluntarily made public, Plotkin said. The only purpose seems to have been to bilk Missouri taxpayers out of thousands and thousands of dollars. They should return whatever money they get to the people of Missouri and apologize.

A spokesperson for the attorney generals office, under Bailey, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beetem, in his November decision, said that the attorney generals office prevented an opposing party committee from accessing documents potentially damaging to then-Attorney General Hawleys political campaign.

During his tenure as attorney general, Hawleys staff used private email rather than government accounts to communicate with his out-of-state political consultants. Hawleys campaign consultants gave direct guidance and tasks to his taxpayer-funded staff and led meetings during work hours in the state Supreme Court building, where the attorney generals official office is located.

The DSCC had sought emails and other records in 2017 and 2018 to show the role Hawleys political consultants played in the office. Hawley mounted a successful campaign against Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018.

The attorney generals office initially told the DSCC it found no records, but The Star later revealed in October of 2018 that his staff had used private email.

Beetem wrote in his November decision that being able to store public information offsite and conduct public business in private emails would leave the Sunshine Law toothless.

It is the public policy of this state that meetings, records, votes, actions and deliberations of public governmental bodies be open to the public unless otherwise provided by law, he wrote.

Though the case is regarding Hawleys time as attorney general, the November decision came down when fellow Republican Eric Schmitt was in the position. Bailey was appointed by Gov. Mike Parson in January after Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate in November.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican, investigated whether Hawley illegally used public resources for his campaign in 2019, but cleared him of any misconduct.

Then-State Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat, also investigated Hawleys use of public resources and concluded it was unclear whether his actions were illegal. Hawley criticized Galloway at the time, alleging that the Democratic auditor was altering the audit to seem more critical of him.
Mom finds three kids unconscious after babysitter taught them to snort pills, cops say

A babysitter allegedly taught three children how to snort drugs before they were found unconscious in her home, Indiana police said.

An Evansville mother reportedly arrived at her babysitters house to pick her kids up on June 28 and found her seated on the front porch, seemingly impaired, according to a news release from local police.

The mother entered the house and called out her kids names but was met with silence.

Worried, she ran further into the home and found her three children  aged 8, 9 and 15  unconscious.

Officers were dispatched to the scene after she called 911 and, upon arrival, began providing medical assistance to the children.

The two younger children regained consciousness at the home, although they were stumbling and falling down, police said.

The 15-year-old, who was found next to broken pill capsules and a powdery substance, remained unconscious, but later awoke after being taken to a hospital.

The children told officers that the babysitter handed them pills and taught them how to break and snort them, according to investigators.

The children also told detectives that they each ingested about 3-4 pills each of the three different types of pills, police said.

After obtaining a search warrant, detectives searched the babysitters home and found prescription bottles for Klonopin, Adderall and Lyrica, along with loose pills. All of the bottles of the controlled substances had been prescribed to people other than the babysitter.

While slurring her words, the babysitter told police that she was not sure what happened, but said it was possible the children had gotten access to her drugs.

She has been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury among other charges, police said.

Evansville is about 170 miles southwest of Indianapolis.

Man with 12 DUI charges gets 131 years in crash that killed dad of 2, officials say

Dad drowns while celebrating 28th wedding anniversary, reports say. Love of my life

Mom turns in 14-year-old son wanted in deadly shooting, Louisiana police say
8-year-old and teen brother stole vapes from store  with moms help, Georgia cops say

A mother supervised her young sons as they robbed a convenience store of vapes and other products, Georgia deputies say.

Deputies were called at about 4 p.m. Monday, June 26, about a burglary in Plainville, according to the Gordon County Sheriffs Office.

The stores owner said the front door had been smashed with a rock, and the suspects took vaping devices and tobacco products, deputies said in a news release.

Investigators learned two boys, an 8-year-old and a 15-year-old, were involved after viewing the stores surveillance video.

During the burglary, they were overheard talking to someone, later identified as their 33-year-old mother, deputies said.

As difficult as it is to imagine a mother aiding and abetting her two minor children in a commercial burglary, this was the case, Sheriff Mitch Ralston said in a statement.

Investigators found dozens of stolen vape products in the womans car and believe she was selling them at an apartment complex, according to the release.

The woman acknowledged getting the items from her kids, who she said had broken into the store multiple times that weekend, according to deputies. The boys werent arrested, but the 15-year-old will be charged with burglary, deputies said.

Their mother was arrested and charged with theft by receiving stolen property and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child, according to authorities.

She remained in jail on a $15,000 bond as of June 29, online records show.

Plainville is about 70 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.

Cashier defended herself against man robbing store, then was fired, Colorado suit says

Babysitter tried to hide shooting after 2 young kids played with gun, Louisiana cops say

Dad shoots and kills home intruder holding teen son at gunpoint, Tennessee police say
A 14-year-old accused of murder was arrested after his mother turned him in, Louisiana police say.

The teen faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder after the June 26 shooting in New Orleans, according to the citys police department.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting and found an 18-year-old who was shot, they said in a news release. He was taken to a hospital where he died.

Investigators identified the 14-year-old as being involved and got a warrant for his arrest, police said.

On June 28, the teens mom turned him in to authorities at the Fifth District Station, according to the release. He was booked into juvenile detention.

Police didnt release additional details about the case or what led to the shooting.

8-year-old and teen brother stole vapes from store  with moms help, Georgia cops say

18-year-old playing video games at home is killed in drive-by shooting, Texas cops say

Dad kills newborn baby girl with crossbow while aiming for his wife, NY sheriff says
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) threw his support behind former Navy SEAL officer Tim Sheehy on Thursday in the race to take on Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) next year.

Tim Sheehy is a good friend, and Im glad he decided to run for the U.S. Senate. Tims business experience and commitment to public service is what we need in Washington, Gianforte said in a statement shared by Sheehys campaign.

I know Tim Sheehy will serve Montana well in the U.S. Senate, and he has my full support, he added.

The endorsement comes two days after Sheehy formally announced a run for Testers seat. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the chairman of the Senate GOPs campaign arm, expressed his enthusiasm over Sheehys entry following the announcement.

Tim Sheehy is a decorated veteran, successful businessman, and a great Montanan. I could not be happier that he has decided to enter the Montana Senate race, Daines said in a statement.

But Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), who lost to Tester by single digits in 2018, has hinted hes likely to enter the GOP primary, too.

Congratulations to Mitch McConnell and the party bosses on getting their chosen candidate. Now Washington has two candidates  Tim Sheehy and Jon Tester -who will protect the DC cartel, Rosendale tweeted following Sheehys announcement.

The Hill Elections 2024 coverage

Unfortunately for them, Montanans dont take orders from Washington. I believe that Montanans are tired of business as usual and will reject the McConnell-Biden Establishment, he added in a follow-up tweet.

The nonpartisan election handicapper has rated Testers seat lean Democrat.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
More than 20 human rights groups call for Pentagon to make amends after deadly Syrian strike

Twenty-one human rights organizations sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Thursday urging a transparent and robust investigation into a deadly strike in Syria last month that allegedly killed a Syrian civilian.

The letter, spearheaded by the Center for Civilians in Conflict, expresses continued and serious concern about Pentagon policies after a May 3 strike in northwest Syria targeting a top al-Qaeda leader may have killed a civilian who was tending to his sheep.

Civilian deaths are not unfortunate anomalies, but rather a systemic problem requiring

committed leadership and accountability, they wrote. The May 3 strike in Idlib, Syria, demonstrates that more must be done to address years of systematic misidentification of targets, confirmation bias in the targeting process, and a widespread absence of transparency and accountability.

The Defense Department opened an investigation into the strike around the same time a Washington Post article detailed how the strike may have killed Lotfi Hassan Misto, 56, a father of 10, instead of a senior al-Qaeda leader, as Pentagon officials originally claimed.

U.S. officials now doubt whether the intended target was killed, but the investigation is ongoing to confirm the events of the missile strike.

The organizations in the letter  including Human Rights Watch and Win Without War  are calling for a thorough investigation that involves proactively consulting, and giving significant weight to, external reporting, including media reports and witnesses.

Human rights groups also want the results of the investigation publicly released and are calling for the Pentagon to provide acknowledgement and amends in consultation with his family or representatives if Misto is found to have been killed by the U.S. strike.

The U.S. has come under frequent scrutiny for carrying out lethal strikes that have killed civilians instead of intended targets since launching global counterterrorism operations more than 20 years ago.

But rarely has the Defense Department held any official accountable for the fatal incidents.

The human rights groups said if Misto was killed, the victims family should be reimbursed and individuals responsible should be held accountable.

Accountability should also involve the steps the Department will take to learn from this tragic incident and ensure non-repetition in the future, they said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The majority of California State Universities have failed to returned any Native American remains and cultural items to their tribes of origin despite a decades-long legal mandate to do so, according to a state audit released Thursday.

The 23-school system repatriated just 6% of nearly 700,000 collected human remains and cultural items, the report found. More than half of campuses havent even reviewed their collections for inventories they were ordered to complete by 1995.

Campuses lack the policies, funding, and staffing necessary to follow the law and repatriate their collections. Factors such as these have contributed to the CSU system making little progress in the timely return of human remains and cultural items to tribes, said California state auditor Grant Parks.

Some of Californias most prestigious universities continue to hold vast stores of Indigenous human remains, funeral objects and cultural items. Tucked away in basements of university anthropology and archaeology departments, tribes consider them a legacy of state-sponsored genocide against Native Americans that peaked during the Gold Rush.

The 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, required institutions to return objects and human remains, including bones. But those efforts have dragged on for decades as universities question the links between tribes and artifacts.

CSU campuses have generally not prioritized the repatriation of their collections, and lack the policies, funding, and staffing necessary to follow NAGPRA and Californias own version of the law, CalNAGPRA, the report found.

After surveying all 23 campuses and conducting four on-site reviews, the office said the university system is risking financial penalties and reputational damage for not following the laws.

Data from a report by the state auditors office showing the number of Indigenous remains at California State University campuses that have not been repatriated to tribes despite federal and state law. June 29, 2023.

According to the audit, Sonoma State University has the largest collection of Native remains and cultural items in the CSU system, with 185,3000 items, but has not completed a review of its collection. Chico State is close behind with 150,200 items and zero repatriated.

Long Beach is the only campus that has returned a majority of its human remains and cultural artifacts, though many campuses that returned items did not properly consult with tribes. Sacramento State reported returning about 5% of its collection.

The audit recommended that all campuses complete a review of inventories by December 2024 and make sure that schools properly consult with tribes. The CSU chancellor said she will adopt all of the auditors counsel.

The system will enforce appropriate oversight that will be vetted through Tribal consultation, require annual campus reporting of NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA activity and progress, and ensure adequate funding and resources, said interim chancellor Jolene Koester.

In November, the auditor released its evaluation of the University of Californias compliance with Native repatriation laws and concluded that the UC has not yet taken adequate action to ensure the timely return of remains and artifacts.

Large institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, have also received national attention for unrepatriated remains because. After leading the fields of anthropology and archeology over decades, they have enormous collections.

But smaller universities in the CSU system are seeing the same issues and delays, said Kerri Malloy, an enrolled member of the Yurok Tribe and assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous studies at San Jose State University.

The California State University is a state agency, yet no additional funding came with this mandate. So each campus is having to move money and reallocate funds to do this, said Malloy. Thats getting harder as these budget situations get tighter.

Earlier this week, a San Jose State anthropology professor who opposed repatriation posted a photo of herself in 2021 holding the skull of a Native American, agreed to resign.

For Malloy, the audit confirmed his belief that the CSU system hasnt prioritized repatriation by giving it the funding and staffing required.

You have to have somebody whos dedicated to doing this and is able to build relationships with tribes, Malloy said. If you dont have those individuals, youre not going to complete the process.
Most Ukrainians have relatives or friends injured or killed in Russian invasion of Ukraine

The vast majority of Ukrainians (78%) have close relatives or friends who have been injured or killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Source: results of a sociological survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on 26 May  5 June 2023

Details: The average number of those with such close relatives or friends (the median value was used) was 7. Therefore, these respondents have seven close relatives or friends who were injured or killed on average.

Meanwhile, 64% of Ukrainians have at least one close relative or friend who was wounded (they have 5 injured close people on average), and 63% have at least one close relative or friend who was killed (they have 3 killed close people on average).

Median number among those who have:

Yes

No

Hard to say

lose relatives or friends who were injured

Close relatives or friends who were killed

lose relatives or friends who were injured or killed

Commenting on the survey results, KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetskyi said that Russia's war against Ukraine had shaped a tragic collective experience for the vast majority of Ukrainians. Most citizens in all parts of Ukraine have relatives or friends who were injured or killed in the Russian invasion.

Both people in the countrys west and the east face the same terrible losses caused by Russia.

Quote: "We can talk about the pain of Ukrainians over their losses and their fierce anger at the enemy.

The intense emotional impact of this experience is a factor that, on the one hand, brings many Ukrainians together and gives them a better understanding of each other. On the other hand, it helps to unite Ukrainians to work together to expel the enemy and achieve justice  punishment [for the Russian invaders] for the crimes committed

This background makes it clear why Russian propaganda regarding 'common history' / 'common culture' is so futile in Ukraine. ...The current emotions have been imprinting the "away from Moscow" motto for a long time. Moreover, this experience adds resilience and uncompromisingness to possible concessions to Russia because if you have so many relatives and friends who have been injured or killed, how can you talk about concessions?"

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
We landlubbers have gotten it all wrong: Kraken aren't terrible monsters from the sea who destroy our sailing ships and munch on our sailors. They're kind and helpful. It's the mermaids who are the real demons.

That's the upside-down premise to DreamWorks Animation's sweet Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, a tale of generational sisterhood with the message to not hide your difference. (Oh, and slaughtering mermaids is perfectly OK.)

The movie centers on Ruby Gillman, a young kraken hiding in plain sight in the human town of Oceanside. She's blue, likes math, has a retainer and four long fingers that look like hot dogs. But she and her family have been passing. If anyone asks questions, they say they're Canadian and that seems to work. Let's all have a very human day, is their morning mantra.

But 15-year-old Ruby (voiced with real tenderness by Lana Condor) is on a collision course with her mom (Toni Collette) when the subject of prom is debated. This year, it will be held on a party boat and any kind of water splashed on Ruby will turn her into a massive iridescent Kraken. Mom (Toni Collette) says she can't go, despite Ruby's pleas. (Even kraken parents just don't understand.)

Prom soon becomes the least of Ruby's problems when she connects with her heritage and learns she's a royal kraken, one of the last of her kind. Her estranged and formidable grandmother (voiced nicely by a real human queen, Jane Fonda) urges her to ditch the humans and reclaim her crown. You can never outswim your destiny.

Ruby, who likes wearing turtlenecks but has no nose, is torn between the humans above  a potential cute boyfriend, her slightly weird friends and social media  and her heritage and power. Watching her swim, unfurling her arms and legs, glowing with bioluminescence and testing her strength, is a joy. Being in the ocean is better than I ever could have imagined, she says.

Director Kirk DeMicco keeps things moving at a hectic, pressurized pace on land and lets things float and swoosh in the sea. The animation really shines when it comes to water, whether the roiling ocean or a puddle-filled pier.

A fun soundtrack includes songs by BLACKPINK, Sigrid, The Linda Lindas, Mimi Webb, Fitz and The Tantrums, RAYE and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. There's even Christopher Cross' Ride Like the Wind for the old folks.

The script by Pam Brady, Brian C. Brown and Elliott DiGuiseppi isn't airtight, with some bits that make little sense  why does Ruby become a giant Kraken in the library? Does she later become one just being angry, like the Hulk?  but its heart is in the right place and their story of generations being truthful to each other is a good one.

The arrival in Oceanside of a mermaid  gorgeous, sweet and popular  complicates Ruby's life even more. Mermaids, she's been told for years, are selfish, narcissistic and dishonest, but this mermaid, Chelsea, (Annie Murphy) takes a liking to Ruby  Super-seagirl bestie!  and they share their woes of hiding among humans. Maybe they can team up to stop the kraken-mermaid feud once and for all?

At the film's heart is the push-pull of mothers and daughters  the elder sometimes lying to be protective, the younger rebelling at all the rules. In one of the film's most touching moments, Ruby as a giant Kraken towers over her mother, who gently soothes this massive creature. The final message  no more lying, no more hiding  is well earned.

There's also a push-pull in the script  between a small story of belonging and embracing outsiders, and an outsized war between sea creatures that includes Godzilla-like stomping around and eye lasers. It's a hard balance to find but the filmmakers have done enough.

Ruby Gillman has echoes of last years Turning Red, also a coming-of-age story of a girl coming to terms with her familial and personal history. There's also a whiff of Luca, an Italian-set animated fairy tale about two young sea monsters exploring an unknown surface world as humans. So Ruby Gillman gets some points docked for originality, but gets full marks for prompting young ones to go home and battle their Little Mermaid dolls.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, a DreamWorks Animation release in theaters Friday, is rated PG for some action, rude humor and mature thematic elements. Running time: 91 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

___

MPAA Definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested.

___

Online: https://www.teenagekrakenmovie.com

___

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Iraqi security forces guard the graffiti-covered entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after protesters breached the building briefly over the burning of the Koran by an Iraqi living in Sweden (Ahmad AL-RUBAYE)

Iraqi protesters breached Sweden's embassy in Baghdad on Thursday, angered by a Koran burning outside a Stockholm mosque that sparked condemnation across the Muslim world.

A crowd of supporters of firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr stayed inside the compound for about 15 minutes, then left as security forces deployed, an AFP photographer said.

"Our constitution is the Koran," read a message on leaflets carried by the protesters, and a message sprayed on the compound's gate said "Yes, yes to the Koran".

The protest came a day after an Iraqi citizen living in Sweden, Salwan Momika, 37, stomped on the Islamic holy book and set several pages alight in front of the capital's largest mosque.

Swedish police had granted him a permit in line with free-speech protections, but authorities later also said they had opened an investigation over "agitation".

The Koran burning sparked anger across and beyond the Middle East at a time Muslims have observed the Eid al-Adha holiday and the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia was drawing to a close.

Iraq's foreign ministry condemned Sweden's decision to grant an "extremist" permission to burn the Koran and said such acts "inflame the feelings of Muslims around the world and represent a dangerous provocation."

Sadr had called for the demonstration at the Swedish embassy to demand the removal of the ambassador, charging that his state is "hostile to Islam".

Protester Hussein Ali Zeidan, 32, told AFP he came out to "support the noble Koran" and called to revoke Momika's citizenship as "he does not represent Iraq".

Saudi Arabia, which hosted around 1.8 million Muslim pilgrims for the hajj that ended on Wednesday, also denounced the Koran burning.

"These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification," its foreign ministry said.

- 'Assault on faith' -

Iran joined in the condemnation, calling the Koran burning "provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable".

"The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran... do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it," said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani.

"The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also denounced Sweden for allowing a protest, further clouding the Nordic nation's chances of quickly joining NATO.

"We will eventually teach the arrogant Westerners that insulting Muslims is not freedom of thought," Erdogan said in televised remarks.

"We will show our reaction in the strongest possible terms, until a determined victory against terrorist organisations and Islamophobia is achieved."

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, called the Koran burning a "disgraceful act provoking the feelings of Muslims" as they mark Eid.

The Cairo-based Arab League branded it an "assault on the core of our Islamic faith", and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned it.

The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called for "effective measures to prevent a recurrence".

- Sweden 'complacent' -

United Arab Emirates presidential adviser Anwar Gargash tweeted that the West "must realise that its value system... cannot be imposed on the world".

The foreign ministry in Abu Dhabi summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest the free-speech protections given to "such heinous acts", it said on Thursday.

Kuwait said perpetrators of "hostile acts" must be brought to justice and "prevented from using the principle of freedoms as a ploy to justify hostility against Islam or any holy faith".

"This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims," the emirate said.

Bahrain said that "insulting religions is inconsistent with religious freedom... and generates hatred, extremism and violence".

Morocco summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat Wednesday and recalled its ambassador over "these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government".

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it said was a "flagrant attack on human rights, values of tolerance, acceptance of others, democracy and peaceful coexistence".

Syria also slammed the "disgraceful act", and Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed movement Hezbollah charged the Swedish authorities were "complicit in the crime".

Further afield, Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs said it "strongly condemns the despicable act".

"Such wilful incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence cannot be justified under pretext of freedom of expression and protest," it said.

Afghanistan's Taliban government, which enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law, also reacted angrily, labelling the Koran burning an act of "utter contempt towards this noble religion".

burs-dv/fz/ami
Multinationals committed to China

08:16, June 29, 2023 By CHENG YU,MA SI and OUYANG SHIJIA in Tianjin ( China Daily

Entrepreneurs and industry experts exchange ideas at the Summer Davos Forum in Tianjin. [PHOTO/XINHUA]

Beefing up their presence in China will only move multinationals forward with stronger growth over the long term, despite rising uncertainties over decoupling and supply chain disruptions, said global business leaders and industry experts on the sidelines of the Summer Davos Forum in Tianjin.

They made the remarks as Premier Li Qiang said at the forum on Tuesday that China has full confidence and the ability to achieve steady economic growth and high-quality development for a long time to come.

The country's economy shows clear rebound and improvement momentum with the first-quarter GDP growing 4.5 percent year-on-year, and is expected to expand faster in the second quarter, Li emphasized, adding that it will offer "a consistent source of dynamism" to global economic recovery and growth.

Joe Ngai, chairman of management consultancy McKinsey China, said: "After looking at the global context we are in right now, there is no other place in the world that has the size and is still growing at the same rates we're seeing in China. The Chinese market has also been a major growth segment for multinational companies. I still believe the next China is China."

Bruce Cameron, chairman of Zespri, a cooperative of kiwi fruit growers in New Zealand, said the economic growth rates in China are still very "impressive" when compared to the rest of the world.

The latest estimates from Boston Consulting Group show that China is projected to contribute at least 25 percent of global economic growth by 2030.

"We are very confident about the Chinese economy and its ability to continue to have a strong presence here. We believe that our company and our presence here take us forward over the foreseeable future with strong growth," he said.

Such a long-term potential for economic growth is inspiring multinationals to ramp up investment, expand their talent lines and chalk up medium-to-long-term plans in the country.

Wang Rui, senior vice-president of US tech company Intel and chair of Intel China, said many international companies attach great importance to the Chinese market, and "Intel will firmly adhere to its development strategy in China".

"The Chinese market has vast opportunities and provides an open business environment. Intel's innovative technology is also in line with the high-quality development demands of the Chinese economy. This is a mutually beneficial relationship," Wang said.

George Xu, CEO of Airbus China, said: "Airbus China plans to expand its recruitment of new energy talent to support its green transformation and sustainable development."

Xu said that in China, even faced with challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the company increased its headcount by 15 to 20 percent on a yearly basis.

Faced with external propositions on decoupling and de-risking, Premier Li emphasized at the forum on Tuesday that the world should not and cannot return to a state of seclusion or isolation, and should oppose the politicization of economic issues and work together to keep global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth.

Such a stance was shared by company executives and industry experts at the forum.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, said during a panel discussion that decoupling and fragmentation are something that the world simply cannot afford to have.

Even with rising decoupling challenges, Wu Chun, managing partner of Boston Consulting Group Greater China, said that the country has demonstrated its resolution to join hands with all other stakeholders to tackle challenges and seek win-win outcomes, thus providing confidence and stability in an uncertain world.

It gives an extra vote of confidence for multinationals to grow in the country over the long term.

"We see China as a very long-term global market. We have no intentions of backtracking or leaving China," Cameron from Zespri said. "We are embedded here."

Fan Feifeiand Liu Yukuncontributed to this story.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
 Flash

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks on Wednesday with Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in Beijing.

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago, China-New Zealand relations have been built up as a model of win-win cooperation between countries with different social systems, histories and cultures, development stages, and economic sizes.

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand.

Li said China stands ready to work with New Zealand to further deepen the traditional friendship and jointly push cooperation in various fields to a higher level to better benefit the two peoples, the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Noting the significance of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results in resolving the challenges faced by mankind, Li said that, as China advances its modernization drive, it will only open its door wider and wider.

China is ready to share with New Zealand the new opportunities brought by China's development and tap the potential of cooperation for greater mutual benefit, said Li, calling on the two sides to give full play to the protocol on upgrading the free trade agreement (FTA) to push trade and investment to a new level.

He called on the two sides to tap the potential of the digital economy, the green economy and creative industries to create new driving forces for cooperation in emerging areas. Efforts should be made to jointly advocate free trade, support Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and expand the new space of regional economic cooperation, Li said, adding that the two sides should also promote cooperation in education, tourism and other fields, and strengthen the new bond of people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Hipkins said that New Zealand and China are committed to strengthening communication, enhancing understanding and properly handling differences, and have carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation covering all levels and all fields.

New Zealand firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is excited about the opportunities brought about by China's opening up, said Hipkins, adding that New Zealand is willing to work with China to implement the consensus, deepen cooperation on economy and trade, science and technology, education, renewable energy and local-level relations to jointly promote economic recovery and tackle climate change and other global challenges.

Hipkins also welcomed more Chinese entrepreneurs, tourists and students to New Zealand.

After the talks, Li and Hipkins witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents on science and technology, education, agriculture, forestry, quarantine, food safety and intellectual property rights.
Muslim pilgrims take part in symbolic stoning of the devil as Hajj pilgrimage winds down

Pilgrims cast stones at a pillar in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Mina near the holly city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP)  Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars representing the devil on Thursday in the final days of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

This year's pilgrimage was the first in three years to be held without coronavirus restrictions and drew over 1.8 million Muslims from all corners of the Earth.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam, required of all Muslims at least once in their lives if they are able to undertake it. For the pilgrims, it is a deeply spiritual journey that wipes away sins and affirms the unity of the worldwide Muslim community.

It began with pilgrims circling the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque, the cube-shaped structure to which Muslims face during their five daily prayers. The spiritual high point came on Tuesday. That's when pilgrims flocked to Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.

During the final three days of the Hajj, pilgrims cast stones at pillars representing the devil, a reenactment of the temptation of the Prophet Ibrahim as related in Muslim traditions. Christian and Jewish traditions refer to him as Abraham.

Thank God, we completed the Hajj successfully and we came here for the second day of stoning, said Ahmed Emret, a Turkish pilgrim.

He was among hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who made their way to the Jamarat complex, where wide pedestrian walkways and bridges carry them past three widened pillars.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the stoning ceremony was marred by deadly stampedes that killed hundreds of pilgrims. Since then, Saudi authorities have expanded the infrastructure at the site and imposed strict crowd controls.

Stoning the devil makes you feel satisfied, because you get the blessing of the merciful (God) and ask God to accept your pilgrimage," said Fahd Abdullah, a Syrian pilgrim.

The last three days of the Hajj also coincide with Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, when Muslims the world over slaughter sheep and cattle and share the meat with the poor.

This year the Hajj was held in intense heat, with daytime temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). Most rituals are held outdoors in the desert.

The Saudi Health Ministry said it had treated over 1,700 cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke on Thursday alone, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pilgrimage to over 8,400. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, a Health Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday that some 4,000 pilgrims had been hospitalized.

The Health Ministry warned pilgrims to carry umbrellas and avoid direct sunlight at all times, and to drink plenty of water. Tens of thousands of health workers have been mobilized for the pilgrimage, and water and free drinks were being handed out to the pilgrims.
Tiffany Reid, 27, of Greensboro, N.C., pleaded guilty Thursday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 strangulation death of Jenay Crawley.

A North Carolina woman involved in the 2021 strangulation death and burning of Columbus woman took a plea deal from prosecutors Thursday and now faces up to 21  years in prison.

Tiffany Reid, 27, of Greensboro, N.C., pleaded guilty Thursday in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court to four charges  involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. In exchange for guilty pleas, prosecutors dropped a murder charge.

A mother of three, Jenay Crawley, 23, of the West Side, was strangled to death the evening of June 14, 2021, in her Station Road apartment and suffered other injuries before she died, according to Franklin County officials. Local firefighters responding to reports of a bush fire around 10:45 p.m. that day found her remains being burned in a grassy field near Urbancrest.

Higle Mire, 24, of Urbancrest, also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. His sentencing is pending.

Authorities also recently arrested a third codefendant, Yussuf Yussuf, 27, who prosecutors said lived at the same address as Crawley, and charged him with aggravated murder, murder, tampering with evidence, abuse of a course and having weapons while under disability. His arraignment is scheduled for July 7.

Reid, who was staying with Crawley, was told to leave the apartment with Crawley's 1-year-old child and to not return until she was called to do so, Assistant Prosecutor Cory Helffrich said Thursday in court. During that time, Helffrich alleged, Reid went to several local shops and bought items for the disposal of Crawley's body.

Helffrich alleged Reid admitted to knowing when the homicide would take place and to being part of the planning process, including luring the victim.

Reid's sentencing is currently pending.

Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird contributed to this report.

LCarey@dispatch.com

@LilyLCarey

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: N.C. woman pleads guilty in 2021 strangulation death of Columbus woman
The NAACP lashed out at the U.S. Supreme Court for its Thursday ruling that banned U.S. colleges and universities from applying affirmative action in their admissions.

The organization dismissed the court's six-member majority as "hate-inspired people in power," and argues that race plays an "undeniable role" in determining the quality of life of Black Americans.

"Today the Supreme Court has bowed to the personally held beliefs of an extremist minority. We will not allow hate-inspired people in power to turn back the clock and undermine our hard-won victories. The tricks of America's dark past will not be tolerated," NAACP President Derrick Johnson wrote in a statement.

"Let me be clear - affirmative action exists because we cannot rely on colleges, universities, and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion," he continued. "Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality. The NAACP will not be deterred nor silenced in our fight to hold leaders and institutions accountable for their role in embracing diversity no matter what."

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTER TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN INSTITUTIONS HITS ROCK-BOTTOM

Derrick Johnson, right, president and CEO of the NAACP, had harsh words for the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling.

"This is a dark day in America. Affirmative action has been a beacon of hope for generations of Black students," he added.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The NAACP statement echoed the sentiment from Harvard, which vowed to protect its "essential values" in the wake of Thursday's ruling.

SUPREME COURT HANDS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WIN TO POSTAL WORKER WHO REFUSED TO WORK ON SUNDAY

Harvard's leadership declared that "diversity and difference are essential to academic excellence," and vowed to "preserve" the university's essential values. Their statement also highlighted a potential route by which Harvard could continue to account for race in admissions in some form.

JUSTICES HEAR ARGUMENTS OVER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN HARVARD, UNC SUPREME COURT CASES

"The Court held that Harvard Colleges admissions system does not comply with the principles of the equal protection clause embodied in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act," the statement read. "The Court also ruled that colleges and universities may consider in admissions decisions 'an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.' We will certainly comply with the Courts decision."

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 to end affirmative action in U.S. colleges and universities.

Student activist group Students for Fair Admissions brought cases against both Harvard and University of North Carolina. The group initially sued Harvard College in 2014 for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance."

The complaint against Harvard alleged that the school's practices penalized Asian American students, and that they failed to employ race-neutral practices. The North Carolina case raised the issue of whether the university could reject the use of non-race-based practices without showing that they would bring down the school's academic quality or negatively impact the benefits gained from campus diversity.

SCOTUS ruled for the student activist group in both cases.
Volodymyr Mahda

At the age of 19, National Guard soldier Volodymyr Mahda has already managed to destroy two enemy tanks and save the life of a comrade, the National Guard of Ukraine has said, sharing the story of the young defender on June 28.

Mahda began his studies at a military lyceum, as he always wanted to become a soldier.

After graduating from the lyceum, the young man joined began his military service at unit 3005 of the National Guard of Ukraine, and thats how his journey began.

National Guard of Ukraine

Read also: Ukrainian military storming enemy positions, says aerial reconnaissance soldier

One day, an officer of the National Guard of Ukraine came to us and was recruiting personnel for a unit that was supposed to advance to positions in Luhansk Oblast, Mahda said.

I immediately agreed and signed my combat contract.

National Guard of Ukraine

The soldier saw his first action in Popasna. His platoon, which consisted of 20-24 soldiers, was attacked by a column of Russian invaders.

Using the NLAW anti-tank system, Mahda destroyed one of enemy vehicles. In turn, the Russian military fired back, and of Volodymyrs comrades-in-arms received a shrapnel wound to the head.

Read also: Ukrainian military destroys Russian infantry group in Kreminna  video

With an accurate shot, I neutralized the second tank, provided my comrade with first aid and dragged him to the evacuation site, Mahda said.

National Guard of Ukraine

After that, Mahdas unit defended the road to Bakhmut for three months, as well as evacuating local residents from the settlements of Komyshuvakha, Popasna, and Zolote-1. But due to significant losses, they had to return to base to regroup.

And after four months of participation in hostilities, I became the commander of a BTR-4 (amphibious infantry fighting vehicle) crew, and by order, as part of the unit, we advanced to the village of Sosnivka, Kharkiv Oblast, which was later liberated from the invaders, Mahda said.

Read also: Ukrainian Armed Forces showcase efforts to destroy Russian artillery system  video

National Guard of Ukraine

When Mahda went to serve on the contract, his mother did not know about it. He initially assured her that he had remained in the unit and was just on duty.

However, when the soldier posted a photo on Instagram against the background of a destroyed tank, his mother understood everything.

Read also: Ukrainian defenders strike Russian positions, destroy three aircraft bombs

Of course, she was very worried, although I tried not to make her nervous, Mahda said.

But now everything is fine, I think she is not so worried about me.

By order of the president of Ukraine, Mahda was awarded a For Military Service to Ukraine medal. He also has a wristwatch from the Interior Ministry and a book personally signed by the late Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, which he has gifted to a museum.

National Guard of Ukraine

When asked what victory means for him, Mahda was clear: (Victory will be) when the armed aggression ends, when Russia stops killing our children, and missiles stop flying at Ukraine, and when every Russian criminal is held to acount for his actions.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
National University of Singapore becomes first Asian university to reach top 10 of QS World University Rankings

[Source]

A renowned university in Singapore has recently been named one of the top 10 universities in the world and the best institution in Asia.

Key details: On Wednesday, leading higher education specialist Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released its annual list of the worlds best universities, widely known as the QS World University Rankings.

A total of 1,500 institutions were featured this year, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology claiming the top spot for the 12th year in a row with an overall score of 100. The University of Cambridge placed second with an overall score of 99.2, while the University of Oxford reached third place with an overall score of 98.9.

Harvard, Stanford, Imperial College London and ETH Zurich took the lists fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh places, respectively, while University College London and the University of California, Berkeley placed ninth and 10th.

More from NextShark: Japan's World Cup victory brings 'Blue Lock' aspirations to life

Making history: The National University of Singapore, which placed eighth, is notably the only Asian university on the list and reportedly the first institution from Asia to ever reach the top 10.

For the past five years, the Southeast Asian institution, which was founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, placed 11th in the QS World University Rankings.

How theyre scored: Several metrics are taken into account when scoring the institutions, including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio, international faculty ratio and sustainability.

More from NextShark: First Ever Indian American U.S. Surgeon General Gets Reappointed By Biden

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Olympic diver Tom Daley receives inaugural George Takei Advocate Award
Ben Wallace

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace believes that NATO should consider simplifying the procedure for Ukraine's entry into the alliance, Sky News reported on June 29.

In particular, Wallace suggested Ukraine should be able to skip the Membership Action Plan (MAP) step in the process of joining the alliance, given that the Ukrainian military has clearly demonstrated its effectives in fighting and using modern Western equipment.

Read also: Shmyhal and Wallace visit Ukrainian troops training in UK

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the Membership Action Plan, said Wallace.

At the same time, the minister acknowledged that all matters relating to the country's entry into the alliance won't be settled promptly. He also considers it improbable that all security guarantee issues for Ukraine will be sorted before the NATO summit in Vilnius this July.

Read also: An intermediate step towards NATO. What to expect from the July summit in Vilnius

The Wall Street Journal reported that Western nations are planning to propose a security model for Ukraine akin to that of Israel before joining NATO. This would expedite the transfer of advanced weapons and technology to Kyiv and act as a stepping stone towards eventual membership.

Read also: Ukraine should receive invitation to join NATO at July summit  former Secretary-General

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asserted that he sees no benefit in participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius unless Kyiv receives a clear signal regarding its potential membership.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
NATO members have reached a tentative agreement to ask Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to remain head of the 31-member transatlantic alliance for another year, according to a U.S. official familiar with the decision.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decision still needs to be finalized by alliance members. The much-anticipated decision to formally ask Stoltenberg to extend his tenure for another year is expected to happen relatively soon, the official said.

NATO members are scheduled to hold their annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. President Joe Biden conveyed to Stoltenberg during their recent meeting at the White House that it was evident there wasnt going to be consensus in the near term among NATO allies on picking a new permanent leader, the official said.

Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has been NATOs top civilian official since 2014. His term was due to expire last year but was extended for a second time to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who is leading a delegation to Vilnius next month, said in an interview Thursday that it was her expectation that Stoltenbergs term would be extended and called it very good news for NATO and for the allies.

I think Stoltenberg has proved to be critical as the challenges to NATO have unfolded over the last couple of years, Shaheen said. Hes been very adept at working with all the NATO countries and I think any time were in the middle of a crisis  as we are now with whats happening in the war in Ukraine  being able to maintain that kind of stability and leadership that hes provided is really critical.

Biden made it clear to Stoltenberg that he would welcome him sticking around longer  particularly with no end in sight to the war in Ukraine and with the challenge of getting Sweden approved as a member of the alliance. NATO leaders largely agreed with Biden that maintaining continuity at this delicate moment for the alliance is essential, the official said.

Douglas Lute, who served as U.S. ambassador to NATO under President Barack Obama, said extending Stoltenbergs tenure offers NATO the path of least resistance.

What the alliance does not need right now is a lack of solidarity over who to succeed him, Lute said. The simplest thing is for him to be extended.

Biden had spoken highly of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. NATO is keen to name a woman to the top post, and Denmarks prime minister was thought to be a favorite after a meeting with Biden earlier this month, but she has publicly said that she was not seeking the job. British Prime Rishi Sunak also lobbied Biden on behalf of British Defense Minister Ben Wallace.

Frederiksen faced stiff headwinds. Poland opposes the next secretary-general coming from a Nordic state after Stoltenbergs long tenure, according to the U.S. official.

Stoltenbergs predecessor, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is from Denmark. Polish officials are pushing for the next secretary-general to come from a Baltic state, according to the U.S. official. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has emerged as their preferred candidate.

Some members are also insistent that the next secretary-general be a former head of state, which made the path difficult for Wallace, the U.S. official said.

Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed reporting.
The Navy's tough recruiting year means that its recruiters will be working more days, and the service is considering longer tours of duty as it struggles to put more sailors into uniform.

A Navy spokesman confirmed that Rear Adm. Alexis Walker -- the head of recruiting command -- has ordered all recruiters to work a six-day workweek after Navy emails announcing the change began to surface on social media. In an email that was sent to the whole of Navy Recruiting Command, Walker said the command couldn't "wait a minute longer" to make the change.

Lt. Cmdr. Rich Parker, a spokesman for the recruiting command, told Military.com in an email that the change will take effect on July 8 and "it is expected to affect staff from the top down."

Read Next: Gender Neutral Standards, Return to Old Fitness Test: Congress' Dueling Ideas for the Army

The move comes as the Navy, like most of the other military branches, struggles to meet its recruiting goals for the year. In April, the Navy's second-highest officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, told Congress that the sea service expected to miss its recruiting goals by 6,000 sailors. The 2023 goal is about 37,000 sailors.

Last year, the Navy made its annual active-duty enlistment goal by just 42 sailors, recruiting a total of 33,442. It missed all of the other active-duty and reserve targets, including active-duty officers -- coming up just over 200 short. In order to make that goal, the Navy dipped into its pool of delayed-entry applicants. As a result, there is less of a reserve of recruits waiting to ship out, making this year's targets harder to meet.

Given the challenges facing the Navy's recruiting command, the service appears to be considering measures that go beyond longer workweeks. Other screenshots posted to social media suggested that the chief of naval personnel was going to order sailors slated for recruiting duty to report to their new posts six months early and keep recruiters already serving in place for an extra year.

Lt. Rachel Maul, a spokeswoman for the Navy's personnel command, told Military.com that while "there have been no official policy changes to recruiting duty orders, early transfers, or extensions," she said that "the Navy is considering all available options in order to fully man our recruiting stations as we continue to address the projected recruiting shortfalls for 2023."

While Navy leaders acknowledge that the longer hours "may be met with some hesitation," Parker stressed in his email that "our duty is to bring the best and most qualified recruits into the Navy."

Aside from the extra effort by recruiters, the Navy has also taken to offering some of the largest bonuses in recent memory to get recruits into the door. Sailors willing to ship out before the fall can get $35,000 before any extra money for choosing an in-demand job.

In all, the Navy's recruiting website says that sailors could earn $140,000.

Last year, Navy recruiting officials told Military.com that the massive sums of money were necessary "to be competitive with the strong civilian labor market, recognizing that we are in competition for the best and the brightest young Americans from all walks of life."

However, in the civilian sector, the concept of cutting back to a four-day workweek has been gaining traction. A handful of countries in Europe have tested the idea with trial runs with positive results. While the idea has yet to take off in the U.S., it is gaining popularity and discussion.

"I am not being dramatic when I say that our inability to bring in the right numbers and types of people...impacts our ability to fight and win," Walker wrote in his email to recruiters.

The service has recently raised the maximum enlistment age to 41, loosened entry exam rules, and spent millions on high-profile advertisements at events like the Super Bowl.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Biggest Enlistment Bonus in Marine Corps Is Aimed at Cyber Warfare
North Carolina labor department officials are fining two subcontractors $130,000 for serious safety violations at a construction site where a scaffolding collapse killed three workers in January.

On the morning of Jan. 2, a construction crew was working on a residential tower near Charlottes Dilworth neighborhood when a mast climber scaffold collapsed. Three workers  Jose Canaca Bonilla, Gilberto Monico Fernandez and Jesus Chuy Olivares  fell 70 feet to their deaths. Two other workers were injured.

Old North State Masonry LLC, the Matthews-based company that erected the scaffolding, was fined more than $87,000 for six serious violations, according to state records.

Friends Masonry Construction LLC, a Charlotte-based subcontractor, was fined more than $43,500 for three serious violations.

Violations issued to Friends Masonry Construction included:

 Using and failing to immediately repair a scaffold that was damaged or weakened. Parts of the structure were heavily rusted and deteriorated, affecting both the structural integrity and strength of the scaffold, the citation said.

 Using a scaffold and/or a component that was not capable of supporting its own weight and at least four times the maximum intended load. The bridge section was used by the employer and loaded with approximately 1,756 lbs, the report read.

 Failing to inspect the scaffold and components for visible defects prior to each shift.

Old North State Masonry was issued the same three violations, plus three violations for using a scaffold that was not constructed in accordance with the design by a qualified person.

Each violation carried a fine of $14,502, records show.

Iris Bonilla, left and her husband Osman Reyes, right, kneel at a memorial for their son, Jose Bonilla Canaca, and two other men who died when a scaffolding collapsed on a Charlotte construction site on Jan. 2. A month later, family and friends gathered at Marshall Park for a candlelight vigil in memory of the three men.

Ashley Hawkins, president of the Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council, said the fines arent high enough.

If these are just a standard fine for a catastrophic safety violation, but the result is the loss of someones life, the fine is still not a deterrent for an employer who is so intent on saving money that they wont properly maintain equipment, Hawkins said.

Erin Wilson, a spokesperson for the state labor department, said the penalties are in no way designed to make up for the loss of life.

She stressed that her department doesnt receive civil penalty fines. Instead, state law sends them to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund, which gives the money to public schools.

Five Charlotte construction workers killed in 2023

It has been a deadly year for Charlotte construction workers. In May, two men  Demonte Sherrill and Reuben Holmes  were killed in the massive fire that consumed an apartment building under construction near SouthPark Mall.

Under state law, the companies cited in the scaffolding collapse can contest the penalties within 15 days and request an informal conference to argue for a penalty reduction. Companies can also contest citations through the state Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, an independent board appointed by the governor to hear such appeals.

Reached by phone Thursday, Alejandro Sanchez, one of the owners of Friends Masonry, declined to comment on the citations. Officials for Old North State Masonry could not immediately be reached for comment.

In an interview with the Observer earlier this year, Bonillas parents say they want stronger efforts to keep construction workers safe.

I want there to be more safety so this will never happen again to Latino families, Joses mother, Iris Bonilla, said through an interpreter at her east Charlotte home. Because their parents, mothers, sons  theyre waiting for them to come back home.

None of the three victims were wearing safety harnesses when they died, family members said. When working at heights, construction workers sometimes wear harnesses that are tied to the building  a precaution that prevents them from falling long distances.

But federal rules generally dont require such safety harnesses when workers are standing on scaffolds that are surrounded by guardrails  the type that collapsed on Jan. 2.

At this construction site, near Uptown Charlotte, three construction workers died on Jan. 2, 2023 after falling about 70 feet when scaffolding collapsed.

The site of the tragedy  a rising 16-story apartment complex on East Morehead Street  was one of more than 200 commercial and multifamily construction projects underway at that time in Mecklenburg County. The builder is Hanover Company, a Houston-based general contractor. Bonilla worked for Friends Masonry Construction.

Mast climber scaffolds, which are attached to the sides of buildings under construction, carry equipment and people up and down the structure, much like an elevator.

Osman Reyes, Bonillas stepfather, said he was concerned about the safety of scaffolding on the East Morehead Street construction site before the three men died because it appeared to be unstable.

He approached an employee with Old North State Masonry, the company that erected the scaffolding, to ask about that, he said. He was told it had been put up properly.
Kentucky State Police have released body camera footage of a June 19 incident in which an undercover Louisville Metro Police Department officer fatally shoots a man in Louisvilles Portland neighborhood after an apparent carjacking attempt.

Video footage released Thursday morning shows the 21-year-old white male, who appears to be wearing a black balaclava, walking in front of the unmarked car before approaching the driver's-side door. In the video, the door opens, and the man can be seen pointing a handgun at the LMPD officer, who was identified on Thursday as Matt Hayden, a 10-year veteran of the force.

"Police!" yells Hayden as the door opens. He then fires several shots at the man, who falls to the ground.

KSP, which is conducting the investigation into the shooting, identified the man who approached the officer's vehicle as Mark Jaggers Jr.

In a statement released alongside the body camera footage, KSP Capt. Paul Blanton said Jaggers opened the driver's-side door before Hayden fired.

Jaggers appears to be alert initially, telling Hayden "I wasn't going to rob you" after the officer radios in that he just experienced an attempted robbery.

Despite initially communicating with Hayden, Jaggers soon appears unresponsive.

Speaking to the media after the shooting on June 19, LMPD Interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said a man tried to carjack LMPD Fugitive Unit "officers" who were in the area on an unrelated investigation. She said officers "immediately" rendered aid after the shooting.

In the video released on Thursday, it was not clear if there was anybody else in the car with Hayden at the time of the shooting. Immediately after Jaggers was shot, a woman approaches him yelling about the shooting. In the video, Hayden can be heard calling for backup, saying, "I've got people showing up" about the woman.

Other officers can be seen beginning to arrive in the alley, located near Griffiths Avenue and North 22nd Street, by car about a minute after the shooting.

Body camera footage also shows it took several minutes before officers began rendering aid to Jaggers.

On Thursday afternoon, an LMPD spokesperson told The Courier Journal it was determined Hayden was alone in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

In 2020, then-Mayor Greg Fischer said KSP would investigate shootings involving LMPD officers in a move aimed at building public trust following the police killing of Breonna Taylor earlier that year.

While KSP is handling the investigation of the Jaggers shooting, LMPD has at times continued to lead investigations on shootings involving its own officers.

In his statement on Thursday, Blanton of the KSP said the investigation into the shooting was ongoing and that timelines for investigations vary "based on the complexity of the case."

Reach reporter Josh Wood at jwood@courier-journal.com or on Twitter @JWoodJourno

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Body camera footage shows fatal June 19 Louisville police shooting
Ron DeSantis finally gets some good news thanks to a new Wisconsin poll

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Ron DeSantis got some good news thanks to a new poll of Wisconsin Republicans.

According to the Marquette University Law School Poll, DeSantis is in a dead heat with Trump.

Still: it's just one poll, and we'll want to see a pattern before getting too bullish on DeSantis' prospects.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received some good news from a poll on Wednesday, with a Marquette University Law School Poll finding DeSantis and Trump are in a statistical dead heat among Wisconsin Republicans.

The finding is a strong showing for the Florida governor in a state that will be critical in the 2024 general election, but the fact this is even slightly newsworthy underlines how disastrous DeSantis' campaign has been thus far.

The poll surveyed 913 Wisconsin registered voters, including 419 Republicans and independents who lean Republican.

The poll found that among those Republicans and independents who lean Republicans in the state, Trump is at 31%, and DeSantis is at 30%. Given the poll's margin of error among Republicans of 6.5 percentage points, that puts the two in a statistical dead heat.

The even better news for DeSantis? The Florida governor has staked his campaign on the notion that he is more electable in a general election than Trump. In the early general election polling from Marquette, he's closer to President Joe Biden than Trump is: as of now, Biden holds a 2-percentage point lead over DeSantis, while the president has a 9-point lead over Trump in a hypothetical rematch in the state.

As for the rest of the 2024 GOP primary race, a chunk of Republicans (21%) have yet to decide whom they will support. As for the rest of the field, Vice President Mike Pence is at 6%, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is at 5%. Former UN Ambassador Nikkie Haley and conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are tied at 3%. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was the only other candidate to register support at 1%.

The good news for DeSantis comes after a series of struggles for Trump's best-positioned challenger.

Before he entered the field, Trump successfully garnered more endorsements from Florida's GOP delegation in Congress. DeSantis' announcement was a bit of a mess. He has angered a key GOP group in New Hampshire, a headache that comes as his polling in the state grows worse there even as he stumps around more often. DeSantis' slipping has caught the attention of other hopefuls who aren't yet even in the expanding field, including Sen. Rick Scott, who would be the fourth Floridian to run for the Republican nomination.

Worst of all for DeSantis, Trump has maintained his gigantic lead in national polling even after becoming the first former president to be criminally indicted.

The Marquette University Law School Poll was conducted from June 8-13, 2023. The 913 respondents were a mix of 715 respondents selected from the Wisconsin voter registration list and 198 selected from the SSRS Opinion Panel. The overall margin of error is +/-4.3 percentage points. The Republican subsample margin of error is +/-6.5 percentage points.

Read the original article on Business Insider
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) predicted that the country would see a significant decline in admissions of Black and Latino students, following the Supreme Courts decision Thursday restricting the use of race in college admissions.

He pointed to Californias own experience with affirmative action, which was banned by a state ballot initiative in 1996.

The impact that had on Black and brown communities was profound, Newsom said at a press conference Thursday.

For those that are wondering whats going to happen in their states, they only have to look to California to know exactly whats going to happen, he continued. Youre going to see a significant decline in African American and Latino admissions in institutions of higher learning.

The most selective public universities in the state  University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles; and University of California, San Diego  saw a nearly 40 percent drop in admissions of underrepresented minorities in 1998 when the affirmative action ban went into effect, according to a 2020 report.

Newsom added Thursday that he was frankly unsurprised by the Supreme Courts decision, suggesting that the current court wants to bring us back to a pre-1960s world.

In the ruling, the six conservative justices on the bench found that Harvard Universitys and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills use of race in their admissions processes violated the Fourteenth Amendment, delivering a major blow to affirmative action programs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Affirmative action is done. Heres what else might change for school admissions.

The Supreme Courts gutting of affirmative action on Thursday has sparked a new drive among education groups, lawmakers and civil rights advocates who want to unravel other common practices for how applicants are admitted.

Education and civil rights organizations could challenge standardized tests, which they say are barriers for underrepresented students. The leader of the anti-affirmative action movement, Edward Blum, has urged elite colleges to reconsider legacy admissions policies. And Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Education Committee, has called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to start investigating schools that use admissions requirements that he believes have discriminatory impact.

There are paths forward to ensure racial equity in higher education, said David Hinojosa, an attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law who argued on behalf of a group of students opposed to the suit against University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And we will pursue every avenue to hold universities accountable under federal civil rights laws, to reinstate a fair admissions process, where students identities are celebrated, not shunned."



The high courts decision to end race-conscious admissions practices at Harvard University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gives way to a number of legal targets and admissions hurdles that institutions will have to navigate as they aim to diversify campuses. Here are three:

Legal battles over admissions might not be over

Blum, the head of Students for Fair Admissions which successfully sued Harvard and UNC, says hes ready to challenge any school that may try to skirt the law.

He threatened to initiate litigation should universities defiantly flout this clear ruling and the dictates of Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause.

The administrators of higher education must note: The law will not tolerate direct proxies for racial classifications, Blum said in a statement. For those in leadership positions at public and private universities, you have a legal obligation to follow the letter and the spirit of the law.

While Harvard and UNC expressed their disappointment with the Supreme Courts decision, they recommitted to ensuring students with different backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences are admitted to their campuses. Both institutions said they will be reviewing the high courts opinion to ensure their admissions policies comply with the law.

For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent, outgoing President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement. In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Courts new precedent, our essential values.

The chancellor of UNC shared a similar message on Thursday. Carolina is committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and to making an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond, Kevin M. Guskiewicz said in a statement.

Legacy admissions and standardized tests under scrutiny

Bobby Scott, a graduate of Harvard, called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate colleges that use racially biased admissions tests, and developmental and legacy admissions. He said lawmakers must review other college admissions requirements that could be racially discriminatory or have disparate impact on underrepresented students.

Race-conscious admissions policies provided a counterbalance to these discriminatory factors  such as inequitable K-12 schools, racially biased admissions tests, and developmental and legacy admissions  that all marginalize students of color, Scott said in a statement. Now that the Court has invalidated that balance, I call on the Attorney General to start filing cases now against any current school practices that violate the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act because they have discriminatory impact.



This isnt the first time Scott has scrutinized legacy admissions, which gives admissions advantages to children of alumni, or standardized tests that have long been part of college applications. Scott has said a key problem with the oral arguments in the affirmative action cases was that the justices didn't consider how the use of these requirements would affect underrepresented students.

Blum, an unlikely ally, also urged elite universities to end policies that give preference to legacy admits.

For decades, our nations most elite universities have given preferences to the children of alumni, faculty and staff, athletes, and notably, substantial donors, Blum said in a statement. The elimination of these preferences is long overdue and SFFA hopes that these opinions will compel higher education institutions to end these practices.

Blum stopped short of saying he intends to pursue a lawsuit on these factors. At a press conference, in response to a POLITICO question, Blum said that legacy preferences are not actionable in court, adding that he wont be challenging standardized tests either.

Race-neutral admissions policies at high schools could be next

The future of race-neutral admissions policies at competitive public schools could also be decided by the Supreme Court as a case involving a highly selective Virginia magnet high school makes its way through the courts.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision in May, ruled that the Fairfax County School Boards admissions policy for the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology did not disparately impact Asian American applicants. It reversed a lower court ruling that had found in favor of the parents suing over the policy that revised the schools rigorous admissions process to improve the potential for underrepresented students to attend.

Asra Nomani, the co-founder of Coalition for TJ, which was founded by parents to fight the schools new policy, said their case is the next step in eliminating racial preferences in admissions and found the Supreme Courts ruling to be encouraging for their cause.

It is such an important message to the country that racism is not acceptable, and we can't use Asian Americans as a scapegoat, Nomani said. Race-neutral admissions is just another word for racism.  That's the next frontier for legal challenges.

Nomani said the group is expecting to file its appeal in August and hopes to get to their case in front of the Supreme Court.

Kierra Frazier contributed to this report.
Why Nicki Minajs Monster Verse Will Forever Be A Revolutionary Pop Culture Moment

Nicki Minaj is advocating for a teen who shot and killed a man who was attacking his mother. The rapper is offering tuition money to the fourteen year old.

According to the Associated Press cellphone video posted on social media showed a man yelling at Carlishia Hood on June 18 to get your food before threatening to knock her out. The man then punches Hood in the face and head several times.

Prosecutors said Hood texted her 14-year-old son, who was outside the restaurant, to come inside.

The AP reports, Jeremy Brown, 32, was shot in the back by the teen and then ran from the restaurant. Hood and her son, whose name was not released due to his age, followed Brown as Hood told the teen to continue shooting, prosecutors said. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both Hood and her son were charged with first-degree murder and turned themselves in. Hood was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Her son was held without bail at a juvenile detention hall. After public outrage, Cook County prosecutors dropped the charges, saying new evidence had come to light and the burden of proof could not be met.

Nicki Minajs Advocacy

As the video circulated online, many people had their own opinions on the turn of events. Nicki Minaj is one of them. This week, she took to her Instagram story to share her thoughts on the ordeal.

That 14 year old boy that backed that hammer out when that grown a** man was punching his mother in the face as if she were a MAN; is a true hero, Minaj wrote in her story. If he wants to go to college, Id love to help. Its what ANY son shouldve done for their MOTHER,

Minaj continued calling the teen dope.

God knew b4 she knew; that shed be attacked that day & made sure they had protection on DECK. God is GOOD, the rapper wrote.

Hood accepted the money Nicki Minaj offered, in a comment under a post by the The Shaderoom on Instagram. She says that her son will be attending college and the family can use any help they can get.

Hood has now filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago and five police officers according to ABC 7. The suit claims Hood was falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted and that she has also suffered emotional distress.

The post Nicki Minaj Offers Tuition Money To Teen After Fatal Shooting appeared first on 21Ninety.
The Nigerian with a mission to see a bagpipe revival

Chukwu Oba Kalu (C) has been recruiting people in Nigeria to play the bagpipes

Pipe Major Chukwu Oba Kalu is trying to turn a teenage dream into a national revival of playing the bagpipes in Nigeria.

The 46-year-old first saw the instrument played by a member of a police marching band when he was 18, and a trumpeter for the Boys' Brigade in Abia state, south-east Nigeria.

He was captivated, and told himself that one day he would learn how to play.

"It doesn't sound like any other instrument. It simply has an evocative sound It touches the mind," he told BBC World Service Outlook programme.

Chukwu's first thought was to see if he could enrol at the prestigious National Piping Centre in Scotland, but lacked the funds to secure his place and get a visa.

His next idea was to get the instrument sent to Nigeria through mail order, but this too proved challenging.

He sent out emails to bagpipe sellers in the UK and US to see if he could buy a practice chanter, the introductory instrument for aspiring bagpipe players, but says he did not hear anything back for a long time.

The pipe major leads his band at a wedding in Nigeria

Eventually, he got his first reply and only then understood why people might have been avoiding him.

The seller from California told him that people thought he was a scammer looking for their bank details.

To prove he was genuine, Chukwu posted US dollars in cash to California, and then waited for his first chanter to arrive.

"I was excited when it arrived in the post. As I touched it, I simply knelt down and prayed and I said: 'God, this is finally coming to me.'"

The chanter arrived in 2009, several years after he sent out his first emails.

The practice chanter has a delicate reed - essential for the mouthpiece of the instrument - which Chukwu had been warned to be very careful not to break.

"So I was handling the reed as if it was a new-born baby, like something so sensitive that I don't even want anybody to come close to me when I'm carrying it."

Part of Chukwu's interest in the bagpipes comes from his family.

His grandfather worked with British soldiers during the colonial period when Nigeria was under British rule and was known as Sagin, or Sergeant, to his friends and family.

He would sing war songs from his bedroom and Chukwu was fascinated to find out what they meant.

"This is more like a gene coming back again," Chukwu explained.

"I want to believe that the passion that my grandfather had working very closely with the British soldiers, the missionaries that came the thing is still running."

Chukwu believes there is a musical connection between the bagpipes and traditional Nigerian instruments

After he started to play the practice chanter, Chukwu soon upgraded to a full set of Great Highland Bagpipes.

He also set out to find other bagpipe players in the country, in the hope of forming a marching band.

During the colonial era, Scottish soldiers had taught Nigerians to play, and after independence in 1960 bands in the army and police maintained the tradition.

But things faded as the instruments got old and the musicians retired.

Chukwu tracked down some of the old musicians who could still play and together they began to recruit others and teach them the basics.

His band, Scottish Power Nigeria, now gets hired out for weddings, funerals and other events.

But his ambition did not stop there.

"My passion and my dream went beyond just playing the pipe as an artist, to seeking a return and revival of bagpipe music in Nigeria."

Chukwu wrote a proposal to train marching bands in the army, navy and air force.

The chief of air staff took a chance on him, and he organised a three-month training course for a band. The graduation ceremony was in early 2019.

Chukwu Oba Kalu was pivotal in the formation of a pipe band in Nigeria's air force

During the ceremony, the leaders of other military agencies were invited, and the head of the navy asked Chukwu to organise a similar course.

He also recommended a revamp in the army, suggesting a special presidential piping unit, which was welcomed as the president of the time Muhammadu Buhari had already shown interest in the instrument.

Some might question why Chukwu is so passionate about an instrument and culture whose origins lie in another part of the world, and was associated with Britain's colonisation of Nigeria.

But in his mind the music and culture of Scotland and Nigeria are closer than might be thought.

"This particular instrument is not actually alien to Nigeria and Africa. In Nigeria there is a flute-like instrument [the oja], which through my study I saw that it is the ancestor of [the bagpipes]. So this instrument has been here with us."

Chukwu is hoping to continue training pipe bands in other military and security agencies.

"I'm so happy that it is actually moving and it's going to move more," says Chukwu.

And he still has his eyes on a visit to the heartland of the Great Highland Bagpipes.

"I intend to visit Scotland this year by the grace of God, once the resources come to me, [because] I've not been to Scotland before."
NJ murder-for-hire mastermind had friend killed because he was extorting money, docs say

Sean Caddle, the political consultant and mastermind behind a bizarre New Jersey murder-for-hire scheme, had his colleague Michael Galdieri killed because he repeatedly extorted money from Caddle, who worried that Galdieri might go public about things he had seen while working for Caddle on campaigns and ruin his career, according to newly released sentencing documents.

According to Caddle, in his final months Galdieri "had become increasingly erratic due to drug use and regularly asked Caddle for money," according to the documents filed by U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger in U.S. District Court.

"Fearing that Galdieri's revelations would ruin him as a political consultant and cause his clients to abandon him, Caddle made the fateful decision to have Galdieri killed," the document says.

Large sections of the document are redacted. But a sentencing document filed by Caddle's lawyers, Edwin J. Jacobs and Jordan Barbone, provide clues about why federal prosecutors have allowed Caddle to live at home wearing an ankle monitor since his guilty plea on Jan. 24, 2022.

Sean Caddle in Landlord/Tenant Court to negotiate the eviction notice by his landlord for back rent owed by Caddle. The case was in court in Newton, NJ on March 28, 2023.

That was a show of leniency that stunned legal experts and led many to predict Caddle, a political consultant, possessed information that would lead to significant arrests or bring down powerful people.

Instead, his cooperation has so far led to the indictment of one man, the former chief of staff to the Senate president, for tax evasion and wire fraud.

Caddle faced up to life in prison, but the prosecutors have asked for a term of 15 years, largely because of his role as a cooperating witness in other investigations. His sentencing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

More: Will any of NJ's powerful fall after murder-for-hire ringleader's aid to feds?

More: Complete coverage, timeline for murder-for-hire case that has NJ political world abuzz

Jacobs notes "the government's glowing recitation" of Caddle's "substantial assistance," and that the government acknowledged his cooperation "made the case" against Tony Teixeira, the former chief of staff to Senate President Nicholas Scutari and former state Sen. Raymond Lesniak. Teixeira is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24.

Teixeira pleaded guilty to one charge of tax evasion and one charge of wire fraud, confirming in court he conspired with Caddle to overcharge campaigns, political action committees and nonprofits for work done by Caddle's consulting firms and split the difference.

'Additional assistance in other matters'

Jacobs notes in his document the government confirms that Caddle also "provided additional assistance in other matters" and "provided 'other assistance' which for unknown reasons, 'did not prove actionable.'"

Caddle met with federal law enforcement officials at least seven times in person, according to Jacobs.

Caddle also spoke with agents by telephone at least 50 times, and collected information and documents and provided them to the agents. And he made "numerous recordings of his conversations with individuals he provided incriminating information on," according to the Jacobs filing.

Caddle also recorded over 30 conversations with people, including in-person meetings and telephone calls that were recorded, according to Jacobs.

Jacobs argues for a more lenient sentence for Caddle of nine years, noting that because of his cooperation as a witness he and his family "were placed in danger and at risk of injury," and because his cooperation "caused serious financial damage to him and his family."

Caddle's wife and children "will continue to live in poverty because of" Caddle's cooperation, Jacobs argues.

The murder plot

Prosecutors chronicled in sentencing memos the plot they say led to the death of Galdieri.

George Bratsenis, one of the hitmen Caddle hired to kill Galdieri, began working for Caddle in 2013 on a state Senate campaign, shortly after Bratsenis was released from prison. Caddle met Bratsenis through Caddles brother, James, who was serving time for kidnapping, burglary and robbery in the same New Jersey prison as Bratsenis.

Bratsenis and Caddle lived together during the campaign, but Bratsenis returned to Connecticut after the November election.

At a dinner at Caddles home in March or April 2014, Caddle told Bratsenis he was aware of Bratsenis extensive criminal history and a murder he committed in 1984.

On May 22, 2014, Michael Galdieri was stabbed to death, his body left in his burning Jersey City apartment.

Caddle told Bratsenis he wanted to have someone killed, and asked if he knew whether someone would commit the murder for $15,000.

Bratsenis then recruited Bomani Africa, a longtime accomplice he met in prison. Caddle gave Bratsenis between $2,000 and $4,000 up front, and told him the target he wanted dead within the month: Michael Galdieri.

Bratsenis and Africa staked out Galdieris apartment several times. On May 22, Bratsenis drove from Connecticut to a Newark bus station, where he picked up Africa, who had traveled from Pennsylvania.

That evening, not long after Galdieri let them into his building, the pair stabbed him to death. Bratsenis doused the apartment in gasoline and set the apartment on fire.

A day later, Bratsenis met Caddle in an Elizabeth diner parking lot. As they sat in Caddles car, Caddle paid Bratsenis the remaining share of the money, which he shared with Africa.

"This was not just a fleeting crime of passion," the prosecutors write in their sentencing document. "It was a carefully planned, premeditated crime.

"And after it was done, Caddle in cold-hearted turn attended the repast for Galdieri," the prosecutors write.

In explaining the motive, the prosecutors note that Caddle told them he was concerned about Galdieri's drug use "but felt compelled to help him; he had known Galdieri for years, and Galdieri reminded Caddle in some ways of his younger brother, who had also struggled with drug addiction."

Galdieri regularly asked Caddle for money, the prosecutors write, and Galdieri eventually started extorting him, "threatening that if Caddle did not continue to funnel money to Galdieri, he would go public about certain things he had seen, done, and heard while working for Caddle on campaigns."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ murder-for-hire mastermind had friend killed over extortion
Sean Caddle was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 24 years in prison for his role in the baffling murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the death of his former friend nearly a decade ago.

It was far more punitive than the 15 years prosecutors requested for the man who admitted hiring two hit men to kill Michael Galdieri.

Ostensibly because he had agreed to cooperate with federal investigators on unrelated cases, Caddle awaited his sentencing for a year and a half at home wearing an ankle monitor, a show of leniency that stunned legal experts and led many to predict Caddle, a political consultant, possessed information that would lead to significant arrests or bring down powerful people.

Instead, his cooperation led to the indictment of one man, the former chief of staff to the Senate president, for tax evasion and wire fraud.

And his cooperation didn't appear to impress U.S. District Judge John Vazquez, who imposed a far lengthier sentence than the prosecutors had requested.

Sean Caddle walking to the Federal Courthouse in Newark where was sentenced.

"This was one of the most unusual and most heinous crimes I have encountered as a judge," Vazquez said in the courtroom. "It was a depraved, debased and vile crime."

Both Vazquez and the prosecutors mentioned a comment made by Caddle in his statement to probation before sentencing to the effect that he should have surrounded himself with a class of people with better moral character.

Vazquez said it was disturbing that Caddle's remarks made it sound like he was a victim in the case.

Caddle worked for a long list of high-profile clients over his two decades as a political operative, including U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and former state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, and was one of the first in New Jersey to take advantage of newly sanctioned, largely unregulated political groups that could raise and spend unlimited amounts of money without disclosing their donors, many of which were linked to Lesniak.

Caddle, 45, faced the potential of a life sentence and a $250,000 fine for his guilty plea to the federal murder-for-hire charge. Richard Galdieri, Michael's brother, said the family was pleased with the sentence. In addition to the prison term, Vazquez sentenced Caddle to five years of supervised release.

Victim's sister cried in Caddle's arms at repast

Virginia Galdieri, Michael's sister, spoke in the courtroom about sitting outside the home of her mother, Marie, trying to find the words to tell her that her son had been murdered. She said Marie Galdieri "had a complete look of anguish on her face," became a shell of who she was and died three years after the killing.

Virginia Galdieri noted that Caddle even showed up at Michael's repast, and that she cried in his arms, only to find out later that he was responsible for her brothers death. "It was an unimaginable, horrific event," she said.

More: Complete coverage, timeline for murder-for-hire case that has NJ political world abuzz

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said Caddle's sentence was "a just punishment for a heinous crime and provides some measure of justice for the victim and his family."

Vazquez said Caddle paid two men $15,000 to kill Galdieri, a onetime Jersey City council candidate and the son of a state senator. The hit men, George Bratsenis and Bomani Africa, stabbed Galdieri to death on May 22, 2014, and set his second-floor apartment on fire.

Caddle had Galdieri killed because he repeatedly extorted money from Caddle, who worried that Galdieri might go public about things he had seen while working for Caddle on campaigns and ruin his career, sentencing documents showed.

According to Caddle, in his final months, Galdieri "had become increasingly erratic due to drug use and regularly asked Caddle for money," according to the documents.

"Fearing that Galdieri's revelations would ruin him as a political consultant and cause his clients to abandon him, Caddle made the fateful decision to have Galdieri killed," the document says.

Vazquez gave Bratsenis 16 years in prison, more than the prosecutors recommended 12 to 15 years, and gave 20 years in prison to Africa, above the 15 to 18 years prosecutors put forward.

More: Will any of NJ's powerful fall after murder-for-hire ringleader's aid to feds?

Murder for $15,000?

Prosecutors chronicled in sentencing memos the plot they say led to the death of Galdieri.

Bratsenis began working for Caddle in 2013 on a state Senate campaign, shortly after Bratsenis was released from prison. Caddle met Bratsenis through Caddles brother, James, who was serving time for kidnapping, burglary and robbery in the same New Jersey prison as Bratsenis.

Bratsenis and Caddle lived together during the campaign, but Bratsenis returned to Connecticut after the November election.

This 2014 photo provided by the Connecticut Department of Correction, shows George Bratsenis. The 73-year-old hit man who recently pleaded guilty to the contract killing of a political consultant in New Jersey says he's finally through living a life of crime. Bratsenis was sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday for a Connecticut bank robbery.

At a dinner at Caddles home in March or April 2014, Caddle told Bratsenis he was aware of Bratsenis extensive criminal history and a murder he committed in 1984.

More: Former state Sen. Ray Lesniak loves being the center of attention. Just not this kind

Caddle told Bratsenis he wanted to have someone killed, and asked if he knew whether someone would commit the murder for $15,000.

Bratsenis then recruited Africa, a longtime accomplice he had met in prison. Caddle gave Bratsenis between $2,000 and $4,000 up front and told him the target he wanted dead within the month: Michael Galdieri. Caddle was angry that Galdieri had been stealing money from him.

"I just got caught between two people that I thought were friends and everything, and one turned against the other, and disaster struck," Bratsenis said during his March sentencing. He called Galdieri "a real nice guy," having known him for a couple of years before the murder and having worked with him on a 2013 state Senate race.

More: Early leads in NJ murder for hire case included Russian mafia, art deco painting and meth

Bratsenis and Africa staked out Galdieris apartment several times. On May 22, Bratsenis drove from Connecticut to a Newark bus station, where he picked up Africa, who had traveled from Pennsylvania.

That evening, not long after Galdieri let them into his building, the pair stabbed him to death. Galdieri's body had multiple stab wounds to the neck, head and upper torso, and he lay on the floor in a large pool of blood.

On May 22, 2014, Michael Galdieri was stabbed to death, his body left in his burning Jersey City apartment.

Galdieri was expecting Bratsenis' visit "because they had discussed Bratsenis robbing money from drug dealers in Jersey City who Galdieri had identified," according to court documents.

Bratsenis doused the apartment in gasoline and set the apartment on fire.

"It was a vicious killing ... It was so violent that Mr. Africa was stabbed in the frenzy," said Lee Cortes, the executive assistant U.S. attorney.

A day later, Bratsenis met Caddle in an Elizabeth diner parking lot. As they sat in Caddles car, Caddle paid Bratsenis the remaining share of the money, which he shared with Africa. Caddle had to go to the bank to withdraw more funds, because he didnt have all of the cash on hand, according to Vazquez.

That same day, Hudson County investigators interviewed Caddle about Galdieri's death. He discussed Galdieri's drug use and aspects of his personal life, but "did not disclose his role in the murder," court documents say.

More: 'This is so bizarre': Why this NJ political murder-for-hire scandal may just be starting

"This was not just a fleeting crime of passion," the prosecutors write in their sentencing document. "It was a carefully planned, premeditated crime.

"And after it was done, Caddle in cold-hearted turn attended the repast for Galdieri," the prosecutors write.

Initially after the killing, the Hudson County Prosecutors Office pursued a whole host of lurid and wild theories that apparently never bore fruit, from an art deco painting to Galdieris drug use and sexual encounters to connections to supposed members of the Russian mafia and a Brooklyn gang. Caddle did not appear to be their focus.

The case was cold until Bratsenis admitted to the murder sometime in 2016, Vazquez said. He was in prison after being arrested for a string of armed bank robberies in Connecticut, and offered up information on the Galdieri murder presumably to get a better deal on the Connecticut case, Vazquez said. After authorities presented Africa with Bratsenis story, Africa started cooperating as well.

The earliest public connection between the hit men, Caddle and Galdieri, appears in a January 2019 federal search warrant obtained by NorthJersey.com. Federal agents raided Caddles house, searching for records linking Caddle to Galdieri, Africa and Bratsenis  such as emails, texts, notes, diary logs, call logs or other notes  as well as records for more than 50 super PACs, political parties, unions and corporations that pumped millions of dollars into elections throughout the state.

Africas attorney signed a plea agreement on his behalf in December 2020, and Bratsenis signed a deal in August 2021.

After proffering with federal authorities in September 2021 on a separate investigation, Caddle signed a plea agreement in November 2021.

Tax evasion and wire fraud

Former prosecutors and defense attorneys expressed surprise that Caddles cooperation has led to only one indictment that the public knows about  at least so far given that he was allowed to remain at home for the past year and a half, despite pleading guilty to murder-for-hire.

Caddles name appears in court filings for Tony Teixeira, the former chief of staff to Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Lesniak. Teixeira is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, after the hearing was rescheduled twice.

Senate President Nick Scutari (right) speaks with his chief of staff Tony Teixeira in the Assembly Chamber at the State House in Trenton Tuesday, March 8, 2022, before Governor Phil Murphy delivered his Budget Address.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of tax evasion and one charge of wire fraud, confirming in court that he conspired with Caddle to overcharge campaigns, political action committees and nonprofits for work done by Caddle's consulting firms and split the difference.

More: Why are NJ investigators looking at checks from man at center of murder-for-hire to Dem aide?

Teixeira and Caddle inflated invoices and defrauded the groups out of more than $100,000 between 2014 and 2018, according to the charges by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The two men split the proceeds, concealing the kickbacks to Teixeira through cash and checks made out to Teixeiras relatives, according to court filings. Teixeira didnt report the gains to the IRS, underpaying taxes by more than $47,000, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

'Additional assistance in other matters'

A sentencing document filed by Caddle's lawyers, Edwin J. Jacobs and Jordan Barbone, provides clues about why federal prosecutors have allowed Caddle to live at home wearing an ankle monitor since his guilty plea on Jan. 24, 2022.

Jacobs notes "the government's glowing recitation" of Caddle's "substantial assistance," and that the government acknowledged that his cooperation "made the case" against Teixeira.

Jacobs notes in his document that the government confirms that Caddle also "provided additional assistance in other matters" and "provided 'other assistance' which for unknown reasons, 'did not prove actionable.'"

Caddle met with federal law enforcement officials at least seven times in person, according to Jacobs.

Caddle also spoke with agents by telephone at least 50 times, collected information and documents., and provided them to the agents. And he made "numerous recordings of his conversations with individuals he provided incriminating information on," according to the Jacobs filing.

Caddle also recorded over 30 conversations with people, including in-person meetings and telephone calls, according to Jacobs.

Jacobs and Barbone argued for a more lenient sentence for Caddle, nine years, noting that because of his cooperation as a witness, he and his family "were placed in danger and at risk of injury," and because his cooperation "caused serious financial damage to him and his family."

Caddle's wife and children "will continue to live in poverty because of" Caddle's cooperation, Jacobs argued.

But during sentencing Thursday, Vazquez said Caddle was already recording people even before the government approached him to be a cooperating witness and that Caddle had no problem cooperating when he thought it would be helpful to himself.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ murder-for-hire mastermind Sean Caddle sentenced to prison
This is what appears when a user clicks on documents in a Volusia Circuit Court petition filed by Jessica Long and Michael Schoenbrod, two Daytona Beach Shores police officers who placed their 3-year-old child in a jail cell as a potty-training lesson. A government accountability nonprofit is attempting to intervene in an attempt to get records, including the original petition, opened.

A nonprofit government watchdog is seeking to shed some light on a confidential court petition filed by two Daytona Beach Shores police officers embroiled in investigations into their use of a city holding cell to potty train their 3-year-old son.

In May, Lt. Michael Schoenbrod and Sgt. Jessica Long filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, essentially asking a judge to order State Attorney R.J. Larizza to do something. What that is, exactly, is unknown because the Volusia County Clerk's Office, citing a court rule, has marked much of the case file confidential.

The Florida Center for Government Accountability Inc. is asking Volusia Circuit Judge Mary Jolley to hold a hearing on the motion to make the petition to the court confidential.

Schoenbrod and Long have a child together. Last Oct. 5 and 6, they confined the boy in the jail, once for 3 to 5 minutes and the second time for "13 minutes or something like that," Schoenbrod told a Florida Department of Children and Families case worker in a bodycam video provided by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. On the second occasion, Schoenbrod said he handcuffed the boy, who cried and promised not to poop his pants again.

Whether what's contained in the sealed court filings is relevant to the DCF interview is not entirely certain.

The Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety conducted a professional standards investigation but has not released the findings, citing the court order.

Daytona Beach Shores police Sgt. Jessica Long and Lt. Michael Schoenbrod faced an internal investigation last fall. The city has not made public the result of that investigation, citing litigation filed by the pair.

Antonio Jaimes, an attorney for the Volusia County Clerk's Office, wrote in an email that the petitioners' motion for confidentiality must remain confidential "pending the court's ruling on the motion."

Jaimes sent that email this week in response to Michael Barfield, director of public access initiatives for the Florida Center for Government Accountability. Jaimes also wrote: "Producing the contents of this court file would subject the Clerk to potential liability."

One of the government accountability organization's arguments, made in the filing by attorney Lonnie Groot, a Daytona Beach Shores resident and the former city attorney, is that the petitioners' motion is required by rule to be acted upon by a judge within 30 days of its filing. The petitioners' "notice for confidentiality" was made on May 18, the same date as the original filing.

Groot's motion cites a court rule allowing any party to request expedited consideration of and ruling on a motion for confidentiality.

"A heightened interest exists with regard to the disclosure of records involving a public agency and its employees," the motion states. "The Florida Supreme Court has described the right of access to public records as 'the cornerstone of our political culture.'"

An attorney representing Schoenbrod and Long, Michael Lambert, hasn't responded to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said his agency released the bodycam footage to activist Mark Dickinson, aka James Madison Audits, who posted it to a YouTube page prior to the petition by Schoenbrod and Long.

The spokesman, Andrew Gant, said his agency should not have provided it to The News-Journal this week because of a court order and asked that the News-Journal delete its copy of the video. The newspaper has not done so.

Opinion: Time to celebrate our freedom to speak out

Lonnie Groot: Volusia, Flagler residents have a right to transparency | LETTERS

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Government watchdog asks for open records in Shores officers' petition
These North Carolina burger joints rank among nations best. Why fans cant get enough

Whether you like your burgers oozing with cheese or stacked with toppings, you may just find your new favorite in North Carolina.

Thats because the state is home to five of the nations best burger joints, according to the restaurant review website Yelp. The website gave each of the beloved locations a spot on its recent list of Top 100 Burgers in America.

Heres how the North Carolina restaurants fared:

To create the list, Yelp said it studied U.S. restaurants that garnered several burger-related comments from customers over time. The website ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews, considering only the highest-ranking restaurant for businesses that have more than one location, according to results published in May.

Why customers love the burgers

Among the North Carolina restaurants that landed on the national list, The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar in Charlotte ranked the highest at No. 6. The SouthPark dining spot was praised for serving more than a dozen specialty burgers, sushi and a combination called burgushi, CharlotteFive reported.

Yelp said one of the favorites is the All-American Bacon Double Cheeseburgooshi, which includes classic hamburger ingredients (beef, cheddar, applewood bacon) wrapped in rice, soy paper, and potato strings, and then flash-fried and topped with ketchup, mustard, and chopped tomato and dill pickle.

Also ranking toward the top of the list was Sister Lius Kitchen in Durham, which serves Chinese-style burgers. The takeout restaurant on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard said it fills them with beef, pork or vegan ingredients  and some Yelp users couldnt get enough.

These flavor-packed buns are a traditional staple of northeastern Chinese cuisine, lovingly replicated from a family recipe by co-owner and chef Culying Liu Blythe, Yelp wrote. Growing up, her mom fried the soft, spongy pockets to a crispy texture, then stuffed them with cooked veggies and spiced meat.

Also making it onto the list of best burger joints was Living Kitchen in Charlottes South End neighborhood, which had Yelp users raving about its plant-based options.

The North Carolina restaurants that rounded out Yelps list included Juicy Lucys Burger Bar and Grill in the mountain town of Asheville  praised for serving patties stuffed with melting cheese. Also receiving a nod in the national rankings was Blue Moon Beach Grill, an Outer Banks spot where fans say burgers have a punch of flavor.

Overall, Yelp said the nations top place to go for burgers is Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q in Atlanta.

This barbecue joint was named the best in North Carolina. What makes it so special?

Five North Carolina doughnut shops rank among the nations best. Why fans crave them
A district judge sentenced a 64-year-old North Texas man to life in prison plus 10 years on Wednesday for child sexual exploitation, officials said.

David Earl Boyd of Granbury was arrested in 2022 after his son found images of nude children on his fathers phone and reported him to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release.

A federal jury convicted Boyd in February on one count of possession of child pornography, two counts of producing child pornography and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders.

U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton of the Northern District of Texas thanked Boyds son for reporting him and said the life sentence will protect more children from becoming victims.

It cannot have been easy, but it likely prevented further harm, she said in the release. We hope the families of the children already victimized will rest a little easier knowing Mr. Boyd will remain behind bars for the rest of his life.

Boyd, a registered sex offender since 2003, took sexually explicit images of a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, according to the release. After his sons tip led to his arrest, authorities found thousands of additional images of child pornography on his smartphone.

The child pornography was found in the directory of an app used to hide images and videos. Boyd had deleted the app from his phone but the pornographic content remained in the directory, the release said.

Boyd was sentenced to three years for possession of child pornography in Taylor County in 2003. He was required to register as a sex offender at that time, according to the release.
A call about an injured animal in the middle of a Kansas City area highway was not your typical animal control call.

You have some questions about our kangaroo? asked Capt. Mike Krauze with the Bonner Springs Police Department when he returned The Stars call Thursday.

Indeed we did.

Authorities first became aware of the unusual animal Wednesday night when a person called Edwardsville police about 9 p.m., Krauze said.

The caller was driving on Interstate 435 and had spotted a baby kangaroo in the median near Kansas 32 highway, he said.

Edwardsville officers along with Bonner Springs Animal Control responded and once there noticed what they initially thought was an injured wallaby, Krauze said.

It was in the middle of the night when my officers got out there, he said as a way to explain the mix up. Theyre not exactly experts. So we were dealing with what we thought. But it is a kangaroo joey. Its a baby kangaroo.

Using a net, Bonner Springs animal control officer Kendra Anthony was able to trap the animal and then assist Edwardsville Police officers in getting it to safety. They brought the joey to the Bonner Springs animal control facility were it was being cared for until its owner could pick it up.

It is believed that the animal escaped from the Thorni Ridge Exotics mobile petting zoo out of Smithton, Missouri, which is is about 100 miles southeast of the Kansas city area, Krauze said.

In an effort to find the animals owner, Edwardsville police posted photos on Facebook, Edwardsville Police Chief Mark Mathies said in an email.

A tip came in via Facebook Messenger detailing an event at the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library which included a mobile exotic petting zoo. A kangaroo was part of the experience.

Unbeknownst to the vehicles driver, during transport back to their facility, the kangaroo escaped the vehicle through an open window, Mathies said.

Detectives located the owner and returned the kangaroo. The owner agreed to seek veterinary car for the joeys injuries, he said.

The injuries were minor, such as scrapes and scratches, Mathies said. It is believed the animal sustained the injures when falling from the vehicle.

Because the animal was from a petting zoo and had been around people, it wasnt too difficult to catch, Krauze said. It did take them a little bit.

Krauze started to compare the animal to what he thought would be normal for a kangaroo. He abruptly halted his sentence.

There is nothing normal about a kangaroo in the middle of 435, he said. This isnt Australia, so random kangaroos in the middle of the highway arent normal.

While unusual, dealing with exotic animals is not something unheard of for that part of the metro. In late 2021, a camel was seen roaming free on the streets of Bonner Springs and running down a highway before they were able to lasso it and end its grand adventure.

We had the camel  now we have the kangaroo, Krauze said. Lord only knows whats next.
It's 'nothing short of miraculous' that a Royal Caribbean passenger was saved after going overboard off the 10th deck, water rescue experts say

Passengers onboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Sea watch as crew successfully rescued a woman who went overboard on Sunday. Courtesy of Matthew Kuhn

Rescue experts called it "miraculous" that the woman who went overboard on a Royal Caribbean cruise was saved.

The 42-year-old woman fell overboard from the 10th deck of the liner into the ocean on Sunday.

The experts said it was a "miracle" that she even survived the extremely high fall.

When a passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship plummeted overboard from the 10th deck of the liner into the ocean below this weekend, the odds were stacked against her, water rescue experts said.

So it was a "miracle" that the 42-year-old woman managed to even survive the extremely high fall  comparable to the height of a 10-story apartment building  from the Mariner of the Seas vessel on Sunday.

She was even luckier to be rescued over the course of a tense, nearly hour-long ordeal, the experts told Insider on Thursday.

"For her to have survived the fall, let alone the immersion [in the water], let alone [rescuers] being able to find her and complete the rescue in 45 minutes  it's nothing short of miraculous," Gerald Dworkin, the founder of the Maine-based aquatics safety training company Lifesaving Resources, told Insider.

The woman  whose identity hasn't been revealed  went overboard at around 5 p.m. as the cruise ship was more than 30 miles off the coast of the Dominican Republic. The ship made a turn and Royal Caribbean crew members quickly launched a high-stakes rescue operation in a small yellow lifeboat.

Crowds of shouting passengers on board the ship rallied together on their balconies and tried to guide the lifeboat to where she was, a witness said.

A US Coast Guards spokesperson told Insider that the woman, a US resident, was reported to be in "good health" after the fall.

Dworkin said a number of factors normally lead to death if you fall overboard, like trauma from the fall, the shock of cold water, and being out in the open ocean with no landmarks around.

The woman "overcame the odds and survived  it's just absolutely miraculous," said Dworkin, a firefighter who has trained first responders in water rescue and ice rescue situations nationally for nearly four decades through his firm.

Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas and a Carnival Cruise ship anchored off the shore of Grand Cayman Island. MyLoupe/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Most people who go overboard on cruise ships usually aren't so lucky.

According to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association, there were 212 overboard incidents from 2009 to 2019, and only 48  or 28.2%  of those who fell overboard were successfully rescued.

Retired US Coast Guard commander Dave Smith applauded the cruise ship's crew for being "really on the ball" to save the woman.

"If you've got trained crew on the vessel  like evidently these people are really top drawer  that's going to help," said Smith, who founded the Michigan-based Smith Aquatic Safety Service in 1981.

Had the woman fallen off the ship in the nighttime while no one was around, "forget it," Smith said.

"The ship's crew deserves a big, big, well-done because that was remarkable," said Smith. "Usually what happens, both commercially and recreationally, is when somebody goes over the side, nobody knows about it. And that's the big problem."

He called the woman one "lucky lady."

Dworkin echoed those remarks, saying, "The fact that she went overboard, and they're able to quickly establish the last seen point, they're able to turn the boat and then launch the rescue boat  absolutely miraculous and absolutely lucky that she's survived."

Raimund Gschaider, Royal Caribbean International's vice president for hotel operations, told Insider that the company's "teams on board every ship are truly extraordinary."

"There's a relationship built with our guests that comes from a place of friendliness, commitment and passion," Gschaider said. "In fact, many become lasting friendships. For example, we receive 15-20 wedding invites a week from our guests who want to make us a part of that special day."

Read the original article on Insider
FILE - Robert Mason, a 56-year-old homeless man, warms up a piece of doughnut over a bonfire he set to keep himself warm on Skid Row in Los Angeles, on Feb. 14, 2023. The number of homeless residents counted in Los Angeles County spiked again, increasing by 9% since last year in the latest marker of how deep the crisis is of people sleeping in cars, encampments or shelters in California. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

The number of homeless residents counted in Los Angeles County has spiked again, increasing by 9% since last year in the latest marker of how deep the crisis is of people sleeping in cars, encampments or shelters in California.

Results released Thursday from a federally required tally conducted in January found 75,518 people were homeless on any given night across the county, compared with 69,144 in 2022. About 46,260 were within the city of Los Angeles, where public frustration has grown as tents have proliferated on sidewalks and in parks.

The increase was made up entirely of residents living on the streets, as opposed to those in shelters. The countywide unsheltered population increased 14% to more than 55,000, while the number of people in shelters declined slightly to just over 20,000.

Since 2015, homelessness has increased by 70% in the county and 80% in the city.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a homelessness state of emergency on her first day in office last December. She has allotted what she called a record $1.3 billion in the city budget to get unhoused people into shelter and treatment programs.

Bass, a Democrat, said Thursday that the grim results of the count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA, emphasizes the need to treat homelessness as a crisis.

The challenge before us is vast, but we will continue to work with urgency to bring Angelenos inside but also to protect Angelenos from falling into homelessness. If we dont do both, we will continue this cycle, she said in a statement. "Lives depend on it.

Her signature program, dubbed Inside Safe, offers homeless people motel rooms and a path to permanent housing with services. It has more than 14,000 enrollees so far, Bass said earlier this month.

LA County is the nations most populous, with about 10 million people. More than 1 in 5 of all homeless people in the U.S. live in the county, based on a 2022 federal tally.

The problem is most apparent in downtown Los Angeles, where thousands of people live in makeshift shanties that line entire blocks in the notorious neighborhood known as Skid Row. Tents regularly pop up on the pavement and parks outside City Hall, and encampments increasingly are found in suburban areas and under freeway overpasses.

Volunteers with LAHSA fanned out across the county in January for the efforts main component, the unsheltered street tally. The so-called point-in-time count took place over three days but results werent released until they were validated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Among other findings, about 31% of homeless people in the count were Black, which is more than four times than their overall share of the county population. Nearly 43% identified as Latino.

About 30% of unhoused people reported experiencing substance abuse problems, up slightly from the previous year.

Congress requires the tallies every two years and uses the information to distribute resources for homeless services.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has budgeted record sums to combat homelessness that pervades the states major cities and many smaller communities.
Elder Don Lai, from Provo, and Elder Ethan Chang, from Greenwood Village, Colo., study Mandarin Chinese as they prepare to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City, at the Missionary Training Center in Provo on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Even as the number of young people drops worldwide, the number of missionaries is on the rise, Elder Quentin L. Cook says. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

The number of missionaries representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has increased significantly over the past year, with numbers expected to top 72,000 by the end of 2023.

The announcement about the influx of young missionaries was made by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Provo Missionary Training Center last week as he and other church leaders unveiled an updated version of Preach My Gospel, a manual used by missionaries and church members to help them share information about the church.

Fewer children are being born today in most countries. And yet, even with fewer available, more are going out, Cook said. If you look at the youth, their activity rate is higher than it has been.

Convert baptisms have also increased, Cook said, up 25% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to last year.

The number of missionaries serving has increased steadily since church President Russell M. Nelson asked young people to go on missions at the April General Conference in 2022  from 56,000 at the end of 2021 to 68,000 by June 14 of this year.

And we really do feel like well exceed 72,000 by the end of the year, Cook said.

The influx of missionary applications led to a need for more members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to make mission assignments. Typically two Apostles assign mission calls weekly, but in recent months as many as four Apostles have been making up to 300 calls a week, Cook said.

Much of this runs counter to the popular narrative that young people are less religious today, yet new data tracking attitudes across generations shows an uptick in religiosity among the religious members of the millennial and Gen Z generations compared to baby boomers and Gen X.

Religious views of young people across generations.

Overall, religiosity is down among all Americans over the past few decades, and yet compared with earlier generations there are signs that young people are even more committed to their faith.

The University of Michigans Monitoring the Futures database tracks attitudes across generations, with high school seniors asked the same questions each year. It is a major reference point for youth researchers in America.

When asked about the importance of religion in their lives and how frequently they attend worship services, there are meaningful differences in responses between generations.

According to research by professor Justin Dyer at Brigham Young University, the most recent generation, overall, places less importance on religion and attends religious services less frequently than previous generations. However, this does not hold for youth of some denominations, including Latter-day Saints, where attitudes among the recent generations  millennials and Gen Z  are on par with or actually more favorable to religion than some earlier generations.

When asked how often they attend religious services, and how important religion is in their lives, Latter-day Saints who are part of millennial or Gen Z generations were just as likely and sometimes more likely than prior generations to say they go to church or that religion is an important part of their lives.

This contradicts the popular notion of young people being less beholden to faith. In comparing the generations when they were high school seniors, millennial Latter-day Saint youth feel religion is more important than all other generations. And even though Gen Z declines somewhat, they are at least as religious as baby boomers were when they were high school seniors, Dyer said.

He acknowledged the possibility of an influence in the data from disaffiliation  namely, that as those who are less faithful step away from religion entirely, those who remain are more religiously inclined.

However, given the regular growth in the number of Latter-day Saints in the U.S., including the growing number of congregations, or wards, disaffiliation is less likely the cause of the trend, he said.

Even with qualifications, he said, the trend is notable and significant.

The phenomenon church leaders are seeing among young people who are signing up to go on missions is that they are responding in higher numbers, and higher percentages, than previous generations, Elder Cook said.

As Elder Marcus B. Nash, a General Authority Seventy and the executive director of the churchs missionary department, said at the Missionary Training Center, Theres just something going on, and I dont know how to explain it other than the prophet spoke in April 2022, and this rising generation  that he teaches us was held in reserve  are responding. He continued, This new manual, Preach My Gospel second edition, is attuned to this generation. And it will help them rise to the great and noble call.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams accused a white woman of speaking to him like he was on a plantation after being asked a question about his housing politics in an appearance at a town hall event in Washington Heights.

Mr Adams was seated along with a number of other officials at a table in the front of a gymnasium when a woman got up to ask him about rent increases at rent-stabilised apartments that are set to affect millions of New Yorkers.

Why in New York City, where real estate is controlling you, Mr Mayor, why are we having these horrible rent increases this year and last year? the woman asked.

.@NYCMayor went off on a woman during his town hall tonight: "I'm the mayor of this city and treat me with the respect that would deserve to be treated. I'm speaking to you as an adult. Don't stand in front like you treated someone that's on the plantation that you own." pic.twitter.com/Qwn8TgYFD1  Myles Miller (@MylesMill) June 29, 2023

Mr Adams approach to the direct question was to focus not on the substance of the womans question, but rather the style in which she asked it.

Ok first, if youre going to ask a question, dont point at me and dont be disrespectful to me, Mr Adams replied. Im the mayor of this city. And treat me with the respect I deserve to be treated. Im speaking to you as an adult  dont stand in front like you treating someone thats on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect you deserve and engage in the conversation.

Some members of the audience applauded Mr Adams response.

Up in here in Washington Heights, treat me with the same level of respect I treat you, Mr Adams continued. So dont be pointing at me, dont be disrespectful to me  speak with me as an adult, because Im a grown man. I walked into this room as a grown man, and Im going to walk out of this room a grown man. I answered your question.

A number of observers criticised Mr Adams for using racial identity politics to apparently try to insulate himself from a legitimate question about his policie.

1) Eric Adams, you didn't come anywhere close to answering that woman's question.



2) That woman had every right to be upset when she was on the mic.



3) Every second you were running your mouth about how you're a "grown man" who deserves respect just made you sound like this. https://t.co/M4ZAKPwzfE pic.twitter.com/m3o4eyyUU5  hellresidentNY  (@hellresidentNY) June 29, 2023

Mr Adams, who won a closely-contested race to follow Bill de Blasio as mayor in 2021, has sharply divided opinion during his first term in office. Hes routinely criticised by progressives for his pro-corporate, pro-police policies, and his approval rating has dropped over the last year.

This is not about inflation and this is not about small landlords struggling to make ends meet. This is a systematic campaign by Eric Adams and his real estate cronies to destroy rent stabilization. https://t.co/zpKUo7j7VX  Shahana Hanif  (@ShahanaFromBK) June 22, 2023

Last week, Mr Adams vetoed a package of housing bills passed by the New York City Council  angering housing activists and a number of fellow Democrats. New York City is currently one of the least affordable cities in the United States for working people.
FILE - Eric Goldstein, Chief Executive, Office of School Support Services, New York City Department of Education, speaks during a discussion with other school leaders and experts surrounding school nutrition in an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, May 27, 2014. Goldstein, who oversaw food service for New York City schools, was convicted Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in a bribery case that picked apart how chicken tenders riddled with bone and bits of metal were served for months in the nation's biggest public school system. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

NEW YORK (AP)  A man who oversaw food service for New York City schools was convicted Wednesday in a bribery case that picked apart how chicken tenders riddled with bone and bits of metal were served for months in the nation's biggest public school system.

Former city Department of Education official Eric Goldstein and three men who founded a school food vendor  Blaine Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey  were found guilty of bribery, conspiracy and other charges after a monthlong trial.

It delved into school menus, from yogurt parfait to ravioli. And the trial gave jurors a stomach-churning look at what some students and school staffers encountered when a brand called Chickentopia turned up on their plates in 2016 and 2017.

Our children depended on nutritious meals served in schools and, instead, got substandard food products containing pieces of plastic, metal and bones, Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement Wednesday. He called the case a textbook example of choosing greed" over children's well-being.

Goldstein's attorney, Kannan Sundaram, declined to comment. Messages seeking comment were sent to the city Education Department and to attorneys for Iler and Twomey, both from Dallas, and Turley, of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The charges carry the potential for 20 years in prison. No date has yet been set for sentencing.

As head of the school system's Office of School Support Services from 2008 to 2018, Goldstein oversaw functions including the food service operation, known as SchoolFood. Iler, Twomey and Turley had a company, SOMMA Food Group, with its eye on the New York City school system.

Around the same time, the three men and Goldstein formed another company to import grass-fed beef. Prosecutors argued that the venture amounted to a conduit for paying Goldstein off.

The SOMMA founders made sure that they got the key decision-maker at SchoolFood in their pocket so that he would make sure that the D.O.E. served a lot of their food products, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Zuckerwise said in a closing argument this week. Eric Goldstein got what he wanted, too. He cashed in the power and the resources and the influence of his office to enrich himself.

According to prosecutors, Iler, Turley and Twomey paid thousands of dollars to Goldstein and his divorce lawyer. Meanwhile, Goldstein helped ensure that the school system bought Chickentopia items and other SOMMA products, sometimes on a fast track.

Then, in September 2016, SOMMA hit a snag: A school system employee choked on a bone in a supposedly boneless Chickentopia chicken tender and needed the Heimlich maneuver, according to documents presented at the trial. For a time, the schools stopped serving the company's chicken tenders.

They were allowed back two months later  a day after the SOMMA founders agreed to pay Goldstein $66,670 and gave him their shares of the beef business. Goldstein then signed off on reintroducing Chickentopia products, prosecutors said.

The tenders reappeared. So did complaints about foreign objects in them. SchoolFood ultimately ditched SOMMA products in April 2017, according to prosecutors.

Goldstein testified that he couldn't singlehandedly get a product purchased, saying that the heavily gated process could involve a dozen decision-makers. Fast-tracking didn't mean skipping steps, he said.

He insisted that he was careful to separate his personal business from his city work.

"I always made sure that my D.O.E. responsibilities came first, he told jurors.

His defense rebuffed the argument that the payments from his beef business partners were bribes, saying the sums were for such things as reimbursing travel expenses.
Noon Friday, June 30 is the deadline to appear in next weeks Around Town listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Submissions will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.

Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: OFallon Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.

Friday, June 30





 OFallon Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary Fish Fry  11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 402 E. U.S. 50, OFallon. Traditional menu of cod, tilapia, catfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks and several side dishes. Dine-in and carryout. Credit cards accepted. Orders can be called in at 618-632-6229. facebook.com/KnightsOfColumbus4239

 Shiloh Eagles Fish Fry  5-7 p.m. Shiloh Eagles 545, 100 Eagle Drive, Shiloh. Cod, walleye, catfish, shrimp and sides. Full menu. Dine-in or carryout available. For carryout, call 618-624-5412. facebook.com/shiloheagles545

Saturday, July 1

 Vine Street Market at OFallon Station  8 a.m. to noon. OFallon Station, 212 E. 1st St., OFallon. Locally grown vegetables, flowers, fruits, eggs, cheese and meats. A selection of bakers and sweet treats along with coffee, craft brew beverages and artisans. Live music, patio seating, food truck on site. Bicycle and pet friendly. 618-624-0139 or ofallonvinestreetmarket.com.

Monday, July 3

 Fireworks Over OFallon  Dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). The fireworks will be launched near the west entrance of the OFallon Family Sports Park. Spectators are asked to park only in designated parking areas. There will be no parking in the grass or side of roadways in the Sports Park. Once all the parking spots are filled, no other vehicles will be allowed in the Sports Park. People may still access the park on foot and watch the fireworks from grass areas. The turf fields and baseball restrooms will be closed. Restrooms near the Splash Pad and north side of the park will be open. There will also be parking restrictions on the north side of West Nixon and West Madison. Parking will be prohibited on Venita Drive and Taylor Road. Venita Drive and the west entrance of the Family Sports Park will be closed to traffic approximately five minutes before the firework show begins and reopened immediately following the completion of the show. At the end of the show, signs and police officers will direct vehicles towards either the East or West exit of the Sports Park (depending on where you parked). Please be patient and expect delays leaving the Sports Park.

Wednesday, July 5

 National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group  6:30-8 p.m. Online via Zoom. Free peer-to-peer support group for adults with a mental health condition working towards recovery. Every Wednesday. Open the Zoom app and enter 3914844542. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.

Thursday, July 6

 St. Clair County Genealogical Society  7 p.m. Online via Zoom. Program: Deeds and Patents in Genealogical Research presented by John Barr, a genealogist for Old Northwest Genealogy. The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited. Reservation information is at stclair-ilgs.org/events or facebook.com/STCCGSIL.

Other area events

 Great Illinois River Raft Race  3 p.m. Saturday, July 8. Hardin. Two raft races and a kayak race will highlight a full day of river-focused activities starting at 3 p.m. and ending at midnight. The raft races  featuring two separate classes of homemade rafts  begin at 4 p.m. Entry fees are $20 per person before July 8 and $30 the day of the race. Registration is on-going through July 8. Participants can register online at illinoisriverraftrace.com. Day includes a bags competition, a kayak raffle, a basket drop, live music, bounce houses, food, beer garden, vendors and games. Radio station 92.3 will also do a live remote from the Hardin riverfront from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be a fireworks show taking place at dark. The event is free and open to the public.

 OFallon Township Senior Committee  5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Township Building, 801 E. State St., OFallon. Dinner and entertainment. For Township residents only. Cost: $3. Reservation deadline is Friday, July 14.

* * *

10 Fireworks safety recommendations to keep your Fourth of July fun

HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital wants to remind community members that while fireworks can be fun, they can also be dangerous. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, there were an estimated 10,163 fireworks-related injuries in America in 2022.

According to medical experts at HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital, most injuries from fireworks occur to the hands or fingers, legs, face and eyes. Fireworks should be left to experts trained and certified so everyone can have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Some safe firework and sparkler alternatives are party poppers, bubbles, silly string or glowsticks. These options provide the same amount of fun, but with less risk of harm for all involved.

If you do decide to use fireworks, here are 10 tips from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before purchasing. Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks and watch them closely while playing with sparklers. Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of fire or other mishap. Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Dont forget about your pets. Fireworks can cause extreme stress to animals. Keep your pets indoors. Never place a part of your body directly over a firework or hold a firework in your hand while lighting. Light fireworks one at a time and move back to a safe distance quickly. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully. Soak all spent and unused fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing away in a trash can. Never discard fireworks in a fire pit. Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from houses, dry leaves and flammable materials. Avoid buying fireworks packaged in brown paper. This is often a sign they were made for professional use only.

For any minor fireworks-related injuries, HSHS St. Elizabeths Convenient Care is available without an appointment. It is located in the OFallon Medical Building at 1512 N. Green Mount Road in OFallon and is open seven days a week. Patients can seek care for minor illnesses, sprains and strains, minor lacerations, and more.

For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital, visit steliz.org.

* * *

Students from area high schools, including Belleville East, Belleville West, OFallon Township, Highland, Civic Memorial, Althoff Catholic and First Baptist Academy, participated in a Healthcare Bootcamp at HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital. The first-time event was offered to juniors and seniors interested in the health care field and provided a hands-on look into various health care roles and an opportunity to network with clinical professionals.

HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital welcomes high school students from the area to a summer Healthcare Bootcamp

HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital recently welcomed high school students from across southwestern Illinois for its first Healthcare Bootcamp event of the year. The bootcamp for juniors and seniors interested in a career in health care is designed to give students a realistic look into various health care roles while also allowing an opportunity to make connections in the field.

Through these job shadowing opportunities, students are able to understand the roles and responsibilities of a healthcare career by allowing them a deeper look, which in turn will provide motivation to learn the role of the career, type of education that is required, skills that are performed, and network with our health care professionals, says Gavin Halpin, community sourcing strategist at HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital and organizer of the Healthcare Bootcamp. These students were able to experience hands-on skill sessions, and network with health care professionals from 11 departments.

Twenty-three students took part in HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospitals Healthcare Bootcamp on Tuesday, June 20. It included experiences in eleven different departments, which engaged students in a variety of ways and solidified their interest in health care. Students also shared that they enjoyed the positive and caring environment that HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospital provided them as guests. Interested students were able to talk directly to HSHS employment specialists about opportunities available to them in the field, opening a door in the healthcare industry before they graduate high school.

Funding for the bootcamp was provided by the HSHS St. Elizabeths Hospitals Foundation. The Foundation is proud to support the next generation of potential health care workers, says David Garris, the Foundations director. This community supports our hospitals in so many tangible ways, including the work we do to equip our colleagues to be the best in their field. This community outreach is key to inspiring young people to choose career paths in caring for our community.

Students from area high schools, including Belleville East, Belleville West, OFallon Township, Highland, Civic Memorial, Althoff Catholic and First Baptist Academy, participated in the bootcamp.

For those who did not take part in the bootcamp but are still interested in a job shadow opportunity with HSHS, future opportunities can be found at: hshs.org/careers/job-shadowing.
Former President Obama said affirmative action policies allowed generations of students like Michelle [Obama] and me to prove we belonged, after the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the use of such policies at two universities.

Like any policy, affirmative action wasnt perfect. But it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives, Obama said in a statement.

The high court on Thursday ruled against the use of affirmative action policies  in which an applicants race is taken into account in the admissions process  at both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The decision was hailed by conservatives and slammed by Democrats.

Former first lady Michelle Obama said in a separate statement that my heart breaks for any young person out there whos wondering what their future holds  and what kinds of chances will be open to them.

And while I know the strength and grit that lies inside kids who have always had to sweat a little more to climb the same ladders, I hope and I pray that the rest of us are willing to sweat a little, too, she added. Today is a reminder that weve got to do the work not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
OceanGate website is still featuring trips to the Titanic wreckage after deadly sub implosion

The company that operated the doomed submersible that imploded in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean is still advertising expeditions to the Titanic wreckage on its website.

Reports emerged last week that OceanGate Expeditions closed its doors indefinitely after its CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diving expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old Suleman died when the companys Titan sub imploded while on a tour to the Titanics wreck.

But more than 10 days after the tragedy - and a week after it was confirmed, the OceanGate website still features available dates for two separate eight-day expeditions next year.

One pilot, one content expert and three mission specialists  or passengers without any previous experience needed who pay $250,000 participate in every dive. OceanGate not only hosted tours to the famed shipwreck, but also to the Azores Archipelago in Portugal and to the Bahamas.

Expeditions to the Titanic began in Newfoundland, Canada, where a ship set sail from St Johns port on a 400-nautical-mile journey to the wreck site. The doomed expedition last week was on its third day when the Titan was launched onto the sea and lost contact with its mothership just one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.

The companys future is now uncertain, as industry experts have told the New York Post that all planned expeditions to the Titanic have been called off.

The Explorers Club said it knows of no plans still in place for scientific exploratory trips to the Titanics wreck 12,500 feet below the oceans surface. Commercial expeditions have also been reportedly grounded. The Independent has reached out to OceanGate for comment.

The company previously faced backlash over a since-deleted job advert for a sub pilot position.

The post, which was featured on Indeed and OceanGates website, remained visible four days into the frantic search for the missing passengers. It was removed sometime on 23 June, a day after the US Coast Guard announced that debris from the Titan had been found 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.

Large pieces of debris from Titan were transported to St Johns harbour on Wednesday by the Horizon Arctic ship, where they were seen being unloaded by a crane. The Coast Guard announced just hours later that medical professionals will formally analyse presumed human remains found on the debris.

Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic (The Canadian Press via AP)

(The Canadian Press via AP)

Speaking after the evidence was recovered, the Marine Board of Investigations (MBI) chairman, Captain Jason Neubauer, said: I am grateful for the coordinated international and inter-agency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths.

The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy.

There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

The USCG said the MBI intends to transport the evidence to a port in the US where they will be able to facilitate further analysis and testing.

The MBI will continue evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing about the incident, the USCG added.

This photo provided by OceanGate Expeditions shows a submersible vessel named Titan used to visit the wreckage site of the Titanic (AP)

Safety investigators from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada made inquiries on Titans main support ship, the Polar Prince, after it docked in St Johns harbour on Saturday. The TSB said it has inspected, documented, and catalogued the materials from the debris of Titan for its safety investigation.

The safety body said its investigation team has taken possession of the deep-sea vessels voyage data recorder, which has been sent to its engineering laboratory in Ottawa for further analysis.

The TSB said it will continue to cooperate with the US, UK, and France in accordance with international agreements, as they are substantially interested states under the International Maritime Organisation Casualty Investigation Code.
Oceanographers share serious concerns about changes in ocean current: These changes are a big deal

Melting Antarctic ice has slowed an important ocean current that helps regulate the Earths climate, and scientists are worried about the consequences, including rising sea levels and changing weather patterns.

Whats happening?

A recent study revealed that a deep ocean current called the Southern Ocean overturning circulation has slowed down by about 30% since the 1990s. According to the Guardian, this current is important in regulating the Earths climate, including rainfall and warming patterns, along with how much heat and carbon dioxide the oceans store. Whats more, scientists expect a 40% slow down by 2050.

The circulation starts in the frigid and dense waters located deep off of Antarcticas continental shelf. It spreads to other oceans from there, carrying oxygen to the deep ocean and bringing much-needed nutrients to the surface.

The Guardian reports that researchers say the slowing trend is due to global heating, which is causing Antarctic glacial ice to melt at a faster rate. This, in turn, adds freshwater, making the seas increasingly buoyant.

Why is the slowing ocean current concerning?

The slowing circulation could have cascading negative impacts, including rising sea levels and changing weather patterns, and it could deprive underwater ecosystems of nutrients.

Changes in the overturning circulation are a big deal, the studys co-author, oceanographer Steve Rintoul, told the Guardian. Its something that is a concern because it touches on so many aspects of the Earth, including climate, sea level, and marine life.

For one thing, it could cause miserable weather for places like the United Kingdom and Western Europe, Shenjie Zhou, a physical oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, told Wired.

It could also accelerate global warming because of the slowing absorption of heat and carbon dioxide in the worlds oceans. Plus, it could impact food security and threaten marine animals.

What can I do?

Unless we act soon we will commit ourselves to changes that wed really rather avoid, Rintoul told the Guardian. We need to act to reduce emissions, and we need to do everything we can as fast as we can.

For ordinary citizens, that means taking actions to reduce environmental impact. Simple ways to do this include switching off lights when theyre not in use, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, riding a bike or mass transportation instead of driving, doing full loads of laundry, and maintaining a moderate room temperature.

But thats not enough. Government policy is an important piece of the climate puzzle, and according to Yale School of the Environment, Strong public demand increases the likelihood that governments will prioritize climate change action.

That means its time to put pressure on government officials. You can do this by contacting them directly or by joining an environmental organization campaigning for climate policy, such as the Sierra Club.

With drastic action, we could probably stop that slowdown from being a full collapse, oceanographer and climate scientist Matthew England told Wired. But its pretty tight.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Ohio man charged with attempted murder of officer after uproar at OIA Spirit Airlines ticket counter

A man from Ohio was arrested in Orlando Wednesday after police say he tried to strangle an officer responding to a disturbance at Orlando International Airport.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

According to an incident report, police were called to the Spirit Airlines ticket counter at the airport just after 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The responding officers arrived to find there was already a large group of people who were becoming aggressive with the Spirit staff and threatening them.

READ: Supreme Court rejects affirmative action, limits race as factor in college admissions

The officers noted some of the people were yelling at the staff at various ticket counters with some actually entering the space behind the counters.

According to the report, as officers attempted to calm the crowd, another Spirit employee requested assistance with a particularly aggressive customer, later identified as 41-year-old Edward Hariston of Parma, Ohio.

The ticket agent said Hariston had assaulted him.

Edward Hariston, 41, charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly conduct.

As the officers approached Hariston, he was leaning over the counter arguing with a staff member as a woman who was with him stood behind the counter on the baggage scales while also yelling at the staff.

READ: Sheriff: 9 online predators arrested for traveling to meet with minors in Osceola County

According to the report, when Hariston reached behind the counter and grabbed a computer keyboard, one of the responding officers grabbed his arm. Police say Hariston then grabbed the officers arms, lowered his body, and tackled the officer to the ground.

While on the ground, the report says Hariston put the officer in a chokehold and began to squeeze.

I began to get dizzy and immediately spotty as my airflow was restricted and I was beginning to lose consciousness, the officer said in the report.

The officer was able to break free as other officers arrived to help restrain Hariston, the report states.

READ: Former Parkland school resource officer who failed to confront gunman in 2018 found not guilty

According to the report, the officer says Hariston later made comments that he let me live and he couldve killed me.

Hariston was booked into the Orange County jail Wednesday on charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly conduct.

Hes being held there with no bond set.

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.




Older Americans can get RSV vaccine this fall after consulting their doctor, CDC says

FILE - This electron microscope image provided by the National Institutes of Health shows human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) virions, colorized blue, and anti-RSV F protein/gold antibodies, colorized yellow, shedding from the surface of human lung cells. Americans 60 and older can get a new RSV vaccine but should discuss it with their doctor first, U.S. health officials recommended Thursday, June 29, 2023. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Americans 60 and older can get a new RSV vaccine but should discuss it with their doctor first, U.S. health officials recommended Thursday.

The newly approved vaccines are expected to be ready in the fall, a time when flu shots and updated COVID-19 shots also will be available. Those eligible for the RSV vaccine should talk with their doctor to see if it is right for them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

The CDC said adults with chronic heart or lung disease, weakened immune systems and those living in long-term care facilities are at higher risk for the respiratory infection.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common cause of cold-like symptoms but it can be dangerous for infants and the elderly. A surge last year filled hospitals with wheezing children. There's no vaccine yet for kids, but one for pregnant women to prevent illness in infants may be coming too, pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the outgoing CDC director, signed off on a recommendation made last week by an advisory panel of outside experts for a single dose of the vaccines made by Pfizer and GSK. The FDA approved the shots last month for adults 60 and older.

The CDC panel initially considered a stronger recommendation that everyone 65 and older get the shot. But they weakened their endorsement after several members had questions about how well it works in the feeblest of patients, whether boosters will be needed and be effective, and the cost.

Drugmaker GSK told the panel that its RSV vaccine would be between $200 and $295. Pfizer has not disclosed a price. The vaccines may hold up over multiple seasons and its not yet clear whether boosters will be recommended.

Others wanted a stronger endorsement for those 65 and older. Asking people to consult their doctor is an absolute impediment" to getting more people vaccinated and an extra burden on health care providers, Robert Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, said Thursday.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The U.S. Coast Guard found one person dead when it stopped a Cuban migrant boat in Bahamian waters earlier this week, the agency said in a statement Wednesday night.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Legare stopped the boat around 8:30 Monday night, the Coast Guard said. The cutter is based in Portsmouth, Virginia, and on patrol off South Florida as part of a migrant task force following a recent surge in maritime journeys from Cuba and Haiti.

Fifteen people were on board the boat. One of them, a man, was unconscious and unresponsive when crew members stopped the vessel, according to the statement.

Crew members attempted to resuscitate and administered CPR for approximately 30 minutes, after which the Coast Guard flight surgeon pronounced the person deceased, the statement reads.

The Legare transferred the 14 others and the mans body to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Estrada, a Coast Guard spokesman, told the Miami Herald there were no children on the boat. It will be up to Bahamian officials to transfer the mans body back to Cuba, Estrada said.

An official with the Defense Force did not immediately respond to questions about the next steps for the migrants or the deceased man.

This incident serves as a solemn reminder that unlawful maritime migration is always dangerous and very often deadly, Capt. Joanna K. Hiigel, Coast Guard deputy incident commander for the migrant task force, said in a statement. We implore anyone considering irregular migration to prioritize their own safety and the safety of their family by instead seeking to use the legal pathways available to them. We express our sincere condolences to anyone impacted by this tragic loss of life.

The task forces mission, dubbed Operation Vigilant Sentry, was launched in the beginning of the calendar year after maritime migrant stops and landings  mostly in the Florida Keys  reached levels not seen in nearly a decade. The surge culminated with the closing of Dry Tortugas National Park off Key West because so many people landed there, and with the skeleton crew of park rangers overwhelmed.

The federal response, combined with the DeSantis administration issuing an executive order in January, which has since been extended, sending National Guard and state police air and maritime assets and personnel to the Keys to help patrol for incoming migrants, has significantly slowed the amount of people arriving in South Florida.

Since Oct. 1, the Coast Guard has stopped 6,800 people from Cuba and around 4,500 people from Haiti trying to enter the U.S. by boat, the agency said.
One of the worlds largest festivals of Black culture is devoting a day to Nollywood for the first time

For the first time, Essence Fest  which has been celebrating African American culture in the United States for more than two decades  is devoting a day to Nigerias Nollywood film industry  the most prolific in Africa.

Started in the mid 1990s, the Essence Festival of Culture has evolved into one of the worlds largest celebrations of Black music and culture, bringing tens of thousands of attendees to New Orleans each year.

Toyosi Etim-Effiong is leading a delegation of Nigerian actors and filmmakers to the festival, set to run from June 29 to July 3.

This year is nothing like (what) has ever been seen before at Essence, says Etim-Effiong, who runs a talent management and content creation and distribution company in Lagos.

Nigeria will have its own day in terms of the film and TV industry, where we are front and center. Were going there to show the world how they can collaborate with the film and TV industry in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Day will be held on July 1 featuring movie screenings and panel discussions on topics such as Creating and Promoting Globally Relatable Content, and How to Partner with Nollywood, organizers say.

Toyosi Etim-Effiong - That Good Media

Expectations are high, other attendees tell CNN.

The Nigeria Day is definitely the best part of the entire event, says Nigerian actor Shawn Faqua. Its such an honor to be part of this inaugural official Nollywood delegation to the Essence Festival. The joy of connecting with other amazing Black creatives from other parts of the globe and what possibilities it promises.

As the world continues to explore more African stories, I believe the time is right for Nollywood to make a push for global recognition, says actor and film director Daniel Etim Effiong, who is Toyosis husband. Its time to reach out to our cousins across the Atlantic for more collaborations and opportunities for partnerships.

A booming creative industry

Nigerias creative economy has witnessed a boom in recent years with the rise of Afrobeats, a West African music genre popularized internationally by Nigerian entertainers. However, the filmmaking component of the industry has yet to catch up.

Afrobeats and Nollywood are from the same father and the same mother, and we refuse to let Nollywood be the child that did not make it, Toyosi Etim-Effiong tells CNN of her quest to get Nigerias film industry globally respected and financially rewarded.

Over the years, we have seen how Afrobeats has grown in leaps and bounds and how it has become mainstream. So, you see now theres an Afrobeats category in the Grammys and other awards worldwide (and there are) monetary rewards. These things are lacking right now in Nollywood, she said.

The rewards and recognition are trickling in with streaming giants discovering new growth opportunities in Nollywood. Last year, Amazon Prime Video secured exclusive streaming agreements with two Nollywood film studios in its hunt for African content.

The Amazon deal followed earlier investments by US streaming giant Netflix, which began distributing Nollywood films in 2015 and also announced its presence in Nigeria three years ago.

The Nigerian filmmaking hub currently sits second among the worlds most prolific film industries, producing thousands of movies every year and contributing millions of dollars to the countrys GDP.

Toyosi Etim Effiong says shes grateful for Nollywoods streaming deals but wants its productions showcased better to the world.

Im really super thankful for the streamers who are here because theyve given us a platform to show our content to the rest of the world. (But) we have to take our stories out  by participating in international events like the Essence Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.

Go to the American Film Market, go to the rest of the world. Push your content out. That way youre whetting the appetite of those people more when they watch a story that they can identify with.

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Only one-third of Russians would reverse Putins decision to invade Ukraine, survey shows

Two-thirds of Russians would support fresh assault on Ukrainian capital Kyiv

Only 35% of Russian citizens would reverse Russian dictator Vladimir Putins decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the results of a new survey conducted by the Russian Field sociological company on June 16-19.

Nearly half  49%  of Russians would not reverse course, and would still support the launch of the invasion  despite the events unleashed since, which have included war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, and ecocide via the destruction of the Kakhovka dam and reservoir.

Moreover, nearly two-thirds of Russians would support a fresh assault by the Russian military on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Read also: Global disapproval of Putin's actions reaches a 15-year high, survey shows

Present opposition to the war, though still low, is at its highest since Putin announced the launch of his Special Military Operation (Kremlin propaganda terminology for Russias war on Ukraine) to carry out regime change in Ukraine.

During the first months of the full-scale war, between 26% to 28% of respondents said they opposed the decision to attack Ukraine, compared to 33% in December 2022.

The Russian sociologists said they believed that such indicators demonstrate the greatest ambiguity of respondents opinions on this issue for the whole period of observation.

Anti-war sentiment in Russia mostly prevails among young people aged 18 to 24, while support for the war is most popular among men aged 45 and older, the survey shows.

Read also: Over 80% of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions, even at risk of protracted war  poll

At the same time, the level of support for Putins possible decision to launch a new offensive against Kyiv is the highest among Russians since July 2022, at 64%. Among them, almost three-quarters (74%) consider the course of the full-scale war against Ukraine to be successful.

The poll was conducted by phone, with 1,604 Russian citizens being quizzed on their views.

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Rio Tinto employees walk past a battery-operated underground mining load haul dump loader at the Kennecott Copper Mine near Herriman on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

I grew up in a small blue-collar community in eastern Ohio with a single public high school. Needless to say, the educational opportunities were limited. Its one of the reasons I believe in the concept of equalizing options and opportunities for students regardless of ZIP code. And thanks to advances in technology, we can.

Here in Utah, if were serious about keeping our economy first in the nation, we must diversify our education system to match current and future opportunities with the right options for all students. I joined the board of the Career Academy of Utah for this very reason. In partnership with Todd Bingham, president of Utah Manufacturers Association; Kelvyn Cullimore, president of BioUtah; and Brian Somers, president of Utah Mining Association, we are working to create a flexible online school with students graduating with Career Readiness Education certifications.

Schools like ours are part of the solution in creating educational pathways to encourage students to experience career options through the exploration of applied skills used in a variety of STEM careers. Select schools like ours across the state are working to fulfill the essential role of getting students into the pipeline by introducing them to the fundamentals of industry at early ages, followed by real world application of those fundamentals. This is a path toward sustained prosperity, economic vitality and personal fulfillment not only for these students, but with benefits applied across the state, as well.

Utah is a hub for natural resources and consistently reports some of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Utahs most current unemployment rate is 2.3% compared to 3.4% nationally. While this is ultimately a good thing, low unemployment results in worker shortages in key areas. Industries like manufacturing, construction, natural resources and health services showed impressive growth, but finding enough people to sustain that growth remains challenging.

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Trade schools and technical colleges have served as the backbone for many of our key industries for decades. But if we want to keep pace, we must reach students earlier. Charter schools have begun to implement hands-on training and industry-aligned skill development for K-12 students as well. Over the past 10 years, Utah charter school enrollment has increased by approximately 40,000 students  a 98% increase. Yet less than 17% of these charter schools are located in rural areas, which limits the choices and access these families have, and speaks to the need for a school like Career Academy of Utah.

For the future of our nation, our citizens, and yes, even our national security, it behooves us to champion industries like mining, oil and gas, or manufacturing domestically. While not as outwardly sexy as say, the tech industry nestled in Silicon Slopes, mining, oil and natural gas development and manufacturing are at the forefront of technological breakthroughs. In our industry alone, we can drill a mile and a half underground, turn that path 90 degrees, drill for another two miles horizontally, and hit a target the size of a refrigerator utilizing some of the most sophisticated technology the world has ever seen.

Our kids deserve to see that up close, experience it firsthand and discover what weve known for a long time: This is an incredibly exciting industry to be a part of. And opportunity is there to be seized. According to the American Petroleum Institute, nearly 1.3 million job opportunities by 2025 and close to 1.9 million job opportunities by 2035 will be in the oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries. Oil and natural gas has tens of thousands of uses beyond transportation fuel  including lubricant for wind turbines, creation of fertilizers, manufacturing of vital medical equipment, and many others  which means oil and gas is here to stay for a very long time.

I know firsthand what its like to grow up in a town with limited educational opportunities. I now champion an industry thats a key part of our daily lives. I encourage everyone to consider schools like Career Academy of Utah. If we want to prioritize a bright future and strong economy, schools like ours are a key part of how we get there.

Rikki Hrenko-Browning is president of the Utah Petroleum Association and serves on the board of directors for Career Academy of Utah.
Activists outside the Supreme Court supported affirmative action in admissions, now banned at both public and private universities. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

For decades, conservatives have railed against judicial activism, but Thursday's decision striking down affirmative action by colleges and universities in admissions was the height of conservative judicial activism. The court rejected almost half a century of precedents, overturned decisions made by public and private universities across the country, and ignored the history of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.

The experience of California  where affirmative action was eliminated by Proposition 209 in 1996  shows that it still will be possible to have diversity in higher education, but it will take sustained effort and it will be difficult.

In 1978, in University of California vs. Bakke, Justice Lewis Powell wrote the pivotal opinion and explained that colleges and universities have a compelling interest in having a diverse student body and may use race as one of many factors in admissions decisions to benefit minorities and enhance diversity. The Supreme Court reaffirmed this in 2003 in Grutter vs. Bollinger and again, most recently, in 2016, in Fisher vs. University of Texas, Austin. For decades, universities across the country have based their admissions policies on these holdings.

Read more: Opinion: Why today's Supreme Court decision on voting rights is such a shock

What changed in a mere seven years? Donald Trump appointed three justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. They joined the three conservative dissenters in the Fisher case  John G. Roberts Jr., Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito  to overturn 45 years of precedents allowing affirmative action. As they did last year in overruling Roe vs. Wade, the conservatives on the court paid no attention to the principle of stare decisis and following precedent.

Nor did the conservatives on the court pay attention to the judgment of university educators that diversity in the classroom matters in education. I have been a law professor for 43 years and have taught classes that are overwhelmingly white and those with a significant number of minority students. The discussions in the classrooms are vastly different and the educational experience for all students is enhanced when there is diversity.

As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor explained in the Grutter decision, preparing students for our diverse society requires that they experience diversity. But the six conservative justices have now substituted their views and flatly rejected decades of experience of those in higher education.

And nor did the conservative justices who profess to be originalists, and are committed to following the original meaning of the Constitution, pay attention to the history of the 14th Amendment. The Congress that ratified it in 1868 also adopted race conscious programs, like the Freedman's Bureau that today undoubtedly would be considered affirmative action.

Read more: Opinion: The Supreme Court says California can regulate pork. That's big, even if you're not a pig

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a powerful dissent, cuts straight to the status of race in this country and explains why the Supreme Court itself has affirmed over and over again that affirmative action is constitutional. She wrote: The Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter. The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society.

The court's decision on Thursday will have an enormous impact because it applies to all colleges and universities, public and private. There were two cases, one against a public university, University of North Carolina, and one against Harvard College, a private institution. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Roberts, said that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment outlaws affirmative action for public universities and that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating based on race, prohibits it in private colleges.

The experience in California shows what could happen at universities all over this country. Proposition 209 had an immediate and devastating effect on diversity in the University of California. The number of Black and Latino first-year students fell by 50% in the years immediately after the ballot measure was passed. It took UCLA 19 years, until 2015, to reach its pre-Proposition 209 levels of diversity.

But the UC system  and state institutions in states like Michigan and Washington that also abolished affirmative action  have found ways to achieve diversity through concerted efforts. There still can be aggressive outreach and recruitment of students to form a diverse campus community.

Read more: Editorial: Supreme Court's affirmative action ban is a catastrophic blow to the American dream

Also, Roberts explicitly wrote, "Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise."

This appears to allow admissions decisions to examine the diversity of experience, which includes the importance of race, in the applicant's life. And as Sotomayor wrote, universities may consider other factors  like socioeconomic status  that may yield diversity. But the court left unclear whether any factors used in admissions decisions to achieve diversity are constitutional if they are done with the purpose and effect of increasing access for minority applicants.

The immediate impact of Thursday's decision cannot be overstated. At least in the short term, there will be a dramatic change in admissions decisions and students of color will be harmed. It is crucial to remember that this decision is not about following legal principles as they have stood and been tested over and over for a generation. It is entirely about the ideology of six conservatives on the court again moving the law far to the right.

Erwin Chemerinsky is a contributing writer to Opinion and the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law. His latest book is Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism.

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Opinion: The Taliban took everything from me. Now many lives are in legal limbo

Crystal Bayat, an Afghan social activist, human rights advocate and founder of the Crystal Bayat Foundation, poses for a portrait at home in West Jordan on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Almost a year and a half have passed since my story of protest was covered, and in response, the Taliban robbed me of the country I love. For 15 days, I watched from my window as they changed my beloved city. I went and talked to them face to face, but they would not listen. They put a gun to me and said, She should not be coming out of her home. But I defied them and took to the streets along with other young Afghans to raise my voice in support of womens rights and the thriving Afghan civil society we had built together over the last 20 years.

I built my life in Afghanistan, I worked for Afghanistan, my goals were set in Afghanistan, and through my foundation, I was helping orphans in Afghanistan. Yet because I raised my voice against the Taliban, I became a target. They raided my home and threatened my family. Fearing for our lives, I left my family behind and joined over 76,000 other desperate Afghans on military planes, carrying the dreams from our country.

Crystal Bayat protests against the Taliban in Afghanistan. | Meraj Bayat

We evacuated to the misery in Qatar where we faced rigorous vetting and torturous waiting, then on to more vetting in military bases in the United States. I eventually relocated to Salt Lake City, where people are kind and treat me like family. There is so much beauty here, and I am slowly finding inner peace as I try to recover from the deep pain and loss I have suffered.

Some people think coming here is an opportunity, but despite the warm welcome I have received, for me it is not an opportunity. I have lost everything. The reason I came was to keep this voice, to show the Taliban that we women will not give up on fighting for our rights.

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I began my life here with a job driving a bus, but now have received a scholarship to earn a second graduate degree at Carnegie Mellon, while supporting womens rights in Afghanistan through my foundation, and working remotely with the Department of Defense to recruit Afghan evacuees to become skilled manufacturing workers.

Though I have been approved for asylum status, many Afghan evacuees like me only have temporary humanitarian parole legal status that expires after two years. And if we go back to Afghanistan, the Taliban will kill us. We must accept that we cannot go. Living in this legal uncertainty makes important tasks, such as securing housing and car loans, close to impossible. We need permanency in order to fully find peace.

Crystal Bayat talks to a Talib soldier while protesting against the Taliban in Afghanistan. | Khaled Nora

This is an issue only Congress can fix. In August 2022, bipartisan groups in the House and Senate introduced a solution in the Afghan Adjustment Act. Modeled on historical legislation for other wartime evacuees, it paves the way to permanent legal residency for thousands of newly arrived Afghans like myself. It would allow us to gain full access to the promise America made. The bill had strong bipartisan support, including cosponsors Sens. Moran, R-Kan., Shaheen, D-N.H., Wicker, R-Miss., and Leahy, D-Vt. Among the bills champions are the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and multiple veterans and faith organizations. We must reintroduce the bill in the current Congress and pass it as soon as possible.

I was raised in a democratic era during the U.S. occupation. We stood alongside the United States in the mission to create a prosperous and thriving democracy. Afghan women were the warriors, the fighters for democracy. We earned university degrees, built businesses, served as civil servants, and believed in the promise of democracy. I never felt what it feels like to not be allowed to go to school, but the Talibans arrival changed all that. Now I join my tears with those girls as they are weeping and crying at the doors of their schools, asking for the basic right of education.

America made us a promise that if we stood by them, they would stand by us. While Americas military involvement in Afghanistan is over, the job is not done. America must keep its promise and pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, allowing us to feel fully welcome and secure in our new homes. Otherwise, we will continue to suffer with uncertainty, and at worst, have to go back to a country where the rulers are dedicated to making the country hell on earth for us. Please do not forget my people and my beloved country. We deserve better. We deserve the passage of an Afghan Adjustment Act.

Crystal Bayat is an Afghan social activist and human rights advocate known for her protests against the Taliban takeover. She is now living in Utah.
Editors Note: Abdullah Shihipar is a writer and public health researcher at the People, Place and Health Collective at the Brown University School of Public Health. The views expressed in this commentary are the authors own. Read more opinion on CNN.

When the Biden administration declared the end of the Covid-19 public health emergency this spring, the last mask mandate holdouts began to jettison the requirement. Unconscionably, this has included many hospitals and health care facilities.

Abdullah Shihipar - Courtesy Abdullah Shihipar

Theres no question that masks are annoying and add to hospitals costs, but that in no way justifies adopting policies that could endanger the very populations health care centers are supposed to serve. Those at highest risk for severe disease and death from Covid also happen to be the ones who generally need to access health care the most.

And while Covid hospitalizations and deaths may be lower, hospitals could still be risky for many since they are places where sick people congregate  and those who come there often have no option of skipping care to protect themselves, lest their health deteriorate from something else.

Indeed, hospitals that are removing masking measures are applying the wrong lesson from combating Covid: Our success doesnt mean we can get rid of all the measures that kept the vulnerable safe, but that we have identified new tools to use in maintaining health. Masks are one of them, and they dont just help against Covid, but against other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu, for which immunocompromised groups are at high risk as well.

Hospital-acquired infections have long been a problem in the United States  according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 1 in every 31 patients acquires at least one infection from a health care setting. This amounts to about 1.7 million infected patients and 98,000 deaths a year and results in at least $28.4 billion in additional health care costs.

We should be trying to reduce these numbers, not add to them. And, in other ways, hospitals are trying to do just that, such as by encouraging frequent handwashing, collecting data about infections and maintaining a hygienic facility. Handwashing, for instance, can prevent 50% of avoidable infections obtained during health care delivery, according to the World Health Organization.

Covid can also be a hospital-acquired infection  and when so, it can pose more of a threat than elsewhere. Scientists in the UK reported in the journal Frontiers in Immunology that between January 2020 and September 2021, the risk of death was 1.3 times higher for those who get Covid after arriving in the hospital rather than those who contracted it in the community, as this group had a high number of cancer and transplant patients.

Even after the rollout of vaccines, the risk from Covid has remained. A study during the Omicron wave in the UK showed that 5.4% of patients who got Covid in the hospital died because of the virus or because it contributed to their cause of death. This risk undoubtedly persists because vaccinations for certain cancer patients and other immunocompromised people cant always create the same immunity that vaccines confer on others.

The numbers could have been even worse, since this data was mostly gathered at a time when masking and other precautions were in place. And while this demonstrates that masking cant prevent all infections, things can get worse in their absense.

During the first Omicron wave, Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston reported an increase in hospital-acquired Covid cases. Though a mask mandate existed, the cases decreased dramatically after staff in the affected units were required to wear the more effective N95 masks and patients began being tested daily  with no new cases in each of the outbreak units after the changes were instituted.

Similarly, in the UK, a study found that the use of respirator masks during the Delta wave was associated with a 33% reduction in the likelihood of getting a hospital-acquired Covid infection and a 21% reduction during the Alpha wave. Given this, hospitals should provide free N95s for patients and staff to use.

With Covid being a leading cause of death in the United States last year (stats for 2023 are not yet available) and the vast majority of people who are dying being elderly, immunocompromised or otherwise high risk, having people wear masks in health care settings, in order to prevent even a handful of deaths, seems like a good and necessary tradeoff (tacitly acknowledged by the many hospitals that have been maintaining masking requirements in places with more vulnerable patients, such as emergency departments and cancer clinics).

No doubt there are people, particularly staff working long shifts, who find masks uncomfortable, especially after three years. The chief nursing officer at Nebraska Medicine, for example, told The Wall Street Journal that maintaining the mandate would not be good for business, given the pressure they received from patients to end the mandate after other facilities dropped theirs.

So, the Peoples CDC, an advocacy group that aims to raise awareness and change policy around the pandemic, is pushing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to incorporate Covid into its Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which curbs funding if hospitals fail to adequately maintain standards of prevention. This would help create an expectation of masking across hospitals.

Even after the pandemic recedes further, masks should continue to be encouraged, if not required, in medical settings. In the late 1800s, handwashing was adopted to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. After the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, health care workers started to wear gloves outside of the operating room to protect patients and providers. Covid has taught us we should now employ masks more widely.

No one wants to go to the hospital and come away with a new illness  so when were there, lets mask up.

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The Russian army focuses its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut and Marinka fronts. During the day, there were about 22 combat clashes recorded.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 29 June

Details: According to the General Staff, on Thursday, the Russians used six S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles at civilian infrastructure facilities in the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Chuhuiv. In addition, during the day, they inflicted 23 airstrikes and carried out about 46 attacks from multiple-launch missile systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

The probability of missile and air strikes throughout Ukraine remains very high.

On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, the operational situation is without significant changes.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians carried out mortar and artillery shelling of more than 10 settlements.

On the Kupiansk front, the occupying units launched an airstrike in the Klislivka area. Kyslivka and Berestove in Kharkiv Oblast were subjected to artillery and mortar shelling.

On the Lyman front, the Russians carried out unsuccessful offensive operations in the areas of Rozdolivka and Bilohorivka. They inflicted airstrikes near Bilohorovka, Luhansk Oblast, and Lyman and Razdolivka in Donetsk Oblast. More than five settlements were shelled.

On the Bakhmut front, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the Bakhmut area. He inflicted air strikes near Bila Hora and Dyliivka, Donetsk Oblast. About 10 settlements suffered from artillery shelling by the Russians.

On the Avdiivka front, with the support of aviation, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the Avdiivka area. They carried out artillery shelling of more than five settlements.

On the Marinka front, our defenders repelled all Russian attacks in the area of the city of Marinka, as well as Pobeda and Novomykhailivka. At the same time, the Russians launched airstrikes near Krasnohorivka and Nevelske and carried out artillery shelling of more than 10 settlements.

On the Shakhtarsk front, the Russian occupation forces carried out unsuccessful offensive operations in the Novomykhailivka area. The Russians inflicted airstrikes in the areas of Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva, Makarivka and Rivnopil, Donetsk Oblast. Over 10 settlements were shelled.

On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, the Russians focused their main efforts on preventing the advance of our troops. They inflicted airstrikes in the areas of Molodizhne and Antonivka in Kherson Oblast. In addition, they carried out artillery shelling of more than 25 settlements.

According to the General Staff, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine inflicted 11 attacks on clusters of Russian personnel.

Units of Rocket Forces and Artillery hit two command posts, a radar station and an artillery unit in combat position.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Over 200 individuals charged with sharing videos, photos of military positions  SBU

SBU emphasizes that in fact these people helped the Russians prepare, carry out and adjust the strikes

Ukraines SBU security service has charged more than 200 people for illegally disseminating information about the work of air defense and other military units since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, the SBU press service reported on June 29.

The agency said that those charged had helped the Russians prepare, carry out, and adjust the accuracy of strikes on Ukrainian territory.

Read also: SBU detains Kharkiv-based top Russian spy monitoring Ukrainian military

They are charged with unauthorized dissemination of information about the direction and movement of weapons, the armed forces or other military formations.

If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison.

According to the investigation, most of the suspects deliberately passed information to Russia about the locations and movements of Ukrainian defense forces.

Read also: SBU charges three former Party of Regions MPs with treason

The SBU also reports that it has identified six residents of the capital who illegally disseminated information about the work of air defense forces during the massive Russian attack on Kyiv in the early hours of May 16.

"Charges have been issued against four of the suspects," the SBU press service said.

"Indictments have been submitted to court for two of the suspects. The investigation into the remaining suspects continues."

Read also: Traitor enlisted in Ukrainian army to send military secrets to Russias GRU Special Services

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A beloved east Fort Worth restaurant was damaged in an overnight fire Thursday, officials said.

When crews arrived at Nanas Kitchen, located at 7403 John T White Road, heavy fire was already coming out the windows, according to Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV.

The fire was mostly confined to the storage area, officials told WFAA, and there was some smoke and water damage to the building. The restaurant was closed at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.

The restaurant did not burn down. There was a small fire in storage, spokesperson Avery Smith posted on social media. They are well insured. Thanks for all the prayers and wishes.

No GoFundMe will be established for Nanas Kitchen, Smith said.

Fort Worth native Toshia Ramsey opened the serving-line restaurant, known for its meatloaf and smothered pork chops, in 2018.

Lovefood.com recently ranked Nanas Kitchen as the best soul food restaurant in Texas.
Photo: Omar Havana (Getty Images)

The Meta Oversight Board, the Supreme Court-like content moderation authority for Facebook and Instagram, announced Thursday it had overruled a decision by the company. Facebook had allowed a video to remain viewable in which authoritarian Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called on political opponents to choose between the legal system and a bat. Now, the Oversight Board says Meta should go a step further and immediately suspend Hun Sens Facebook and Instagram pages for six months due to the severity of the violation and his long history of using social media to amplify threats of violence against political opponents.

This decision goes far beyond Prime Minister Hun Sen, an Oversight Board spokesperson told Gizmodo. Its about Metas policies and processes for ensuring its platforms arent exploited by political leaders who threaten violence. We look forward to Metas response to our recommendations. Meta did not immediately offer comment on the boards decision.

Read more

In a major 26-page ruling today shared with Gizmodo, the Oversight Board said Hun Sens statements made in the video Metas Violence and Incitement Community Standard. Hun Sens speech included unequivocal statements intended to incite violence that could have led to severe injury or death to the leaders political opponents, the board noted. The leaders long history of violence and repression, they said, made those threats all the more credible. In the past, Hun Sen has referred to his political opponents as dogs worthy of being beaten and stuffed in cages. Incredibly, Hun Sen actually attempted to defuse his own statement in the same video by telling his audience his remarks werent an incitement to violence. The Oversight Board refuted the leaders callous attempt at real-time gaslighting in its ruling.

In the Boards view, Hun Sens perfunctory assurance that we dont incite people and encourage people to use force contradicts the clear message of the speech and is not credible, the ruling states. The Board is concerned and perplexed that the initial reviewers concluded otherwise, but notes that Metas country experts, on review, recognized that the post violated the Violence and Incitement Standard.

In a statement Thursday Meta said it welcomed the Oversight Boards decision and plans to implement it once it has finished deliberating. The company says it will also begin a broader review of  identical content with parallel context. Meta was less committal, however, when it came to the Boards recommendation to suspend Hun Sen accounts. To that end, Meta said it will conduct a review of all the recommendations provided by the board in addition to its decision.

What are the details of Hun Sens video and the Meta Oversight Boards decision?

The case revolves around a 41-minute video recorded in January where Hun Sen threatened to take legal actions against political opponents who accuse his party of stealing votes in the upcoming election. Hun Sen has ruled in Cambodia for 38 years and has been accused by human rights organizations of engaging in brutal violence, massive corruption, and manipulated elections. The prime minister explicitly threatened his opposition during the speech.

Either you face legal action in court, or I rally [the Cambodian] Peoples Party people for a demonstration and beat you up, Hun Sen said during the speech.

The video was uploaded to Hun Sens Facebook page, where it was viewed around 600,000 times. Three different users, the Oversight Board notes, reported the video between January 9 and January 26, 2023. Moderators initially kept the video under the justification that it was newsworthy.

Meta told the Oversight Board it initially opted to keep the video up because threats to use the legal system against opponents, in isolation, dont violate the companys policies since they dont involve a physical threat of violence. The Oversight Board refuted that reasoning and said Hun Sens extensive authoritarian control over the countrys courts means threats to pursue opponents through the legal system are tantamount to a threat of violence.

The Oversight Board similarly said Metas decision to apply a newsworthiness allowance to this case were unjustified because the harms of keeping the content online outweighed the public interest benefit. Meta uses this newsworthiness allowance in many contexts to keep up posts that would ordinarily violate its terms but which it believes are important for the public. This carve-out often applied to former President Trumps incendiary, policy-violating posts.

The ruling acknowledged a need to strike a careful balance when deciding when to limit political leaders speech but found that Hun Sens massive reach on social media enabled his threats to spread like wildfire, allowing Metas platform to be exploited for real-world harm.

Rather than informing debate, applying the newsworthiness allowance in this case would further chill the public discourse in favor of Hun Sens domination of the media landscape, the board noted. Such behavior should not be rewarded.

Oversight Board calls on Meta to suspend Hun Sens account

In addition to its ruling, the Oversight Board recommended Meta immediately suspend Hun Sens Facebook and Instagram accounts for six months to give the company time to review the situation and set a permanent suspension time. Before lifting a suspension, the Oversight Board said Meta should carry out an assessment to determine if the risk to public safety has receded.

If any of that sounds familiar, its because its remarkably similar to the guidance the Oversight Board gave to Meta on how to handle former president Donald Trumps account. In that case, Trumps account was suspended for nearly two years before eventually coming back online earlier this year. Unlike the ruling, the Oversight Boards recommendations to Meta are non-binding. That said, the company is required to respond to the recommendation within 60 days.

Where regimes with a history of following through on threats of violence against its opposition use Metas platforms, the company must rely on its regional teams and expertise to assess whether threats to use the legal system against political opponents amount to threatening or intimidating with violence, The Oversight Board said in its ruling.

Cambodias ruling could have wide-reaching effects on how Meta moderates political leaders dangerous speech

The Oversight Board only rules on a handful of cases every year despite receiving a new appeal every 24 seconds. Any one of Facebook or Instagrams combined four billion users can appeal a content moderation decision and petition to have it climb up the appeal ladder. The Oversight Board has made efforts to fast-track urgent cases, but the sheer scale of Metas user base means its high court will only ever hear a small sliver of cases. Because of that, the Oversight Board says it chooses cases carefully, and, much like the US Supreme Court, picks borderline cases where a ruling one way or another could set a precedent and offer guidance to many other similar cases.

In this case, the Oversight Board says it focused on the Cambodian prime ministers video because it provided the opportunity to examine whether political leaders are using Metas platforms to incite violence and shut down political opposition. Oversight Board members wrote that they ultimately made their decision by analyzing Metas content policies, values, human rights.

It is vital that Metas platforms not be used as an instrument to amplify threats of violence and retaliation, aimed at suppressing political opposition, especially during an election, as in this case, the board said.

Update 8:42: A.M. EST: Added statement from Meta.

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A Ukrainian oligarch who ran the energy company that hired Hunter Biden to serve on its board told associates of Rudy Giuliani that Burisma never had any contacts with then-Vice President Biden while his son worked at the company.

The conversation with Mykola Zlochevsky, part of the package of information received by lawmakers during former President Trumps first impeachment, was highlighted by the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee as evidence undercutting a GOP-led probe into an alleged bribery scheme.

Mr. Zlochevskys statements are just one of the many that have debunked the corruption allegations against President Biden that were first leveled by Rudy Giuliani and have been reviewed by former President Trumps own Justice Department, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wrote in a letter to House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.).

The clash between the panels two parties rests on a series of unverified tips.

Under the Trump administration, the FBI and Justice Department were unable to corroborate a tip from a confidential source relaying a conversation heard secondhand that alleged Biden, while vice president, accepted a bribe. Comer has based much of his investigation on this tip, memorized in a FD-1023 form used by the FBI to document such interactions.

Raskins letter resurfaces a conversation with Zlochevsky  one arranged through a series of Giuliani associates in which the oligarch speaks of his decision to hire Hunter Biden.

No one from Burisma ever had any contacts with VP Biden or people working for him during Hunter Bidens engagement, Zlochevsky says in the exchange, which appears to be with Vitaly Pruss, whom the letter describes as another long-time associate of Mr. Giuliani who was a close friend of Mr. Zlochevsky.

However, the conversation was turned over to Giuliani by Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian who was later convicted of making illegal campaign contributions to former President Trump.

Zlochevsky also answered no when asked if then-Vice President Biden or his staff assisted you or your company in any way with business deals or meetings with world leaders or any other assistance.

Raskin argues the information shows that Zlochevsky squarely rebutted allegations that are at the core of the GOP probe.

As part of the impeachment inquiry against then-President Trump, Congress learned that Mr. Zlochevsky, the Ukrainian oligarch and the owner of Burisma, whom Republican Committee Members appear to have identified as the source of the allegations memorialized in the Form FD-1023, squarely rebutted these allegations in 2019, he wrote.

Despite being interviewed as part of a campaign by Mr. Giuliani and his proxies in 2019 and 2020 to procure damaging information about the Biden family, Mr. Zlochevsky explicitly and unequivocally denied those allegations.

Raskin, however, also pointed to comments from Trump-era Attorney General Bill Barr that there are a lot of agendas in the Ukraine, there are a lot of cross-currents, and we cant take anything we receive from the Ukraine at face value.

Comer has called on the FBI to release the form that lawmakers reviewed in a secure location weeks ago.

If Ranking Member Raskin thinks there is nothing to the FD-1023 form, then he should join us in calling on the FBI to make it public, Comer said.

This unclassified record stands on its own and memorializes a confidential human sources conversations with a Burisma executive dating back to 2015. The Burisma executive claims then-Vice President Biden solicited and received a $5 million bribe in exchange for certain actions.

In the conversation, Zlochevsky also says that they never asked Hunter Biden to make any outreach to the State Department.

We never approved or asked him to conduct those meetings on behalf of Burisma, he says.

Still, he makes clear that Hunter Bidens hiring, as well as that of his former business partner Devon Archer, was part of an effort to help strengthen ties between Burisma and the international community.

We wanted to [b]uild Burisma as international company. It was very important to have strong board. So when we review resumes of biden and archer they both had great resumes. We also thought it would help in Ukraine to have strong international board figures with great relationships in the United States and Europe, Zlochevsky says.

We believe it was worth it. It had it own advantages and disadvantages. But it general we believe our company benefited greatly from this relationship.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
For $19.5 million, you can own half of the legendary Lake Tahoe waterfront estate built by casino founder William F. Harrah.

I believe the historical nature of this home sets it apart from any Lake Tahoe property and its orientation on the lake is one of a kind, David Bellings of Compass, co-listing agent with Jamison Blair, said in a statement. Given that, statistically, second-home owners only use their luxury homes 30% or less during the year, this is truly a rare opportunity to own a stunning turnkey home for half the cost.

A buyer would have access to the house 50% of the time, Bellings said in an email.

The mega-mansion was listed for sale in 2019 for $25.7 million, The Sacramento Bee reported. Built in 1963, the residence has undergone extensive renovation to bring it up to date for a new era of luxury homebuyers.

Harrah designed the home to entertain celebrities who performed at his casino. The great room alone could accommodate 100 people during a party.

Back in its heyday, William F. Harrah, founder of Harrahs Lake Tahoe Hotel and Harrahs Casino, invited world-famous entertainers to his house  including Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. and Judy Garland  all of whom could utilize the secret tunnel that runs the length of the property to conceal their arrival, party the night away and then relax and refresh in the luxury accommodations that Harrah meticulously oversaw, according to the official property listing.

Villa Harrah offers 20,000 square feet of living space, eight bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and the best view of the lake, the property listing says.

Bunkroom sleeps 12

One of the seven ensuite bedrooms is a bunk-room that sleeps 12 people. Each bedroom takes in views of the lake.

The homes large glass walls frame panoramic views of the lake and mountains. Inside, there is an expansive seating area, floating fireplace, large dining area, a billiards room, custom bar and a great room, which is the ultimate centerpiece for Tahoe glamour and unforgettable entertaining, according to the listing.

Filled with resort-style amenities, the home has a full spa with a steam room, sauna, jetted bath, cold plunge, Himalayan Salt Cave and a hair/nail salon. Also, theres a home theater, retro-style wet bar, oversized terraces and a lakeside pool.

High-end details abound and are stunning. Theres walnut and gray elm cabinetry, custom concrete sinks, stone slabs imported from Brazil, dark and richly colored European fumed oak flooring, hardwood floor inlays, leather and steel railings and horse hair murals.

Villa Harrah, located at 1028 Skyland Drive in Zephyr Cove, Nevada, is secluded yet quite close to South Lakes top casinos, restaurants, ski resorts and nightlife. Its only 50 miles from Reno-Tahoe International Airport and 12 miles from Lake Tahoe Airport.

Influential casino owner

The homes ownership is listed in a trust under Arden Companies LLC, according to property records. The home last sold in December 2012 for $8.5 million.

Bill Harrah is considered one of the most influential figures in gaming history. He opened Harrahs Reno in the 1940s, and helped create the Nevada Gaming Control Board. In the late 1950s, Harrah purchased purchased Sahatis Stateline Country Club, which became Harrahs Lake Tahoe. Harrah died in 1978.
Parents were killed in a wrong-way crash that also left three of their four children injured, Illinois cops say.

Now these kids dont have a parent. My four grandchildren do not have a parent anymore, Ron Dube Sr. told WMAQ after his son and daughter-in-law were killed in the crash.

Illinois State Police said the crash happened around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, on Interstate 55 in Will County. A Ford F-150 traveling the wrong direction struck a GMC Yukon, which was then struck by a semi, according to state police.

The driver and front-seat passenger of the Yukon, identified as Ron Dube, 35, and Kelly Dube, 34, were pronounced dead at the scene, the Will County Coroners Office and state police said. Three of their children were in the car and received non-life threatening injuries.

State police said the wrong-way driver was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. According to a GoFundMe for the Dubes, the F-150 driver was under the influence of alcohol.

Charges have not been filed as of June 29.

The Dubes, of Emington, recently moved into their dream home, according to WLS. The parents had just dropped off their oldest child at a sleepover, the TV station reported.

It was a beautiful family. Four beautiful kids. I love those kids so much, the childrens aunt, Melissa Allen, told WLS. But their parents were just ripped away from them by a senseless act and for the rest of their lives, their lives are completely changed.

Allen told WMAQ, It is a miracle the kids are OK.

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Protesters clashed with police on Thursday evening causing a tourist hotspot in the city to be evacuated.

The citys man paper, La Provence, reported that police fired tear gas grenades and that emergency services had asked people to leave the popular Le Vieux Port.

It comes as the country was rocked by a third day of violence, after the boy, named Nahel, was killed during a traffic stop by police in Nanterre, in the western suburbs of Paris, on Tuesday.

A march in the area on Thursday afternoon descended into violence as police officers fired tear gas at protesters, who then smashed buildings and set fire to cars.

In other developments, a police officer has been charged with voluntary homicide and remanded in custody after a 17-year-old was killed.

The investigating magistrate has placed the man in provisional detention over Tuesdays incident, the regional prosecutors said in a statement.

Meanwhile, authorities in the country said they are mobilising a police force of 40,000 across the country to stem further riots.

Police arrested 150 people overnight, with French president Emmanuel Macron condemning the violence as unjustifiable.

Key points

France police arrest 150 rioters as unrest spreads

Police officer who fatally shot teenager placed under investigation for homicide

French interior minister declares mobilising 40,000 police across France

Macron calls crisis meeting after second night of rioting

Why riots are breaking out in Paris

Tourist hotspot evacuated as police clash with protesters in Marseille

21:09 , Joe Middleton

Protesters clashed with police on Thursday evening causing a tourist hotspot in the city to be evacuated.

The citys man paper, La Provence, reported that police fired tear gas grenades and that emergency services had asked people to leave the popular Le Vieux Port.

A number of bins and containers have also been set on fire by demonstrators who have been chanting No justice, no peace as they marched through the city.

Paris riots: Is it safe to visit the French capital?

20:30 , Joe Middleton

Paris has seen two nights of unrest following the killing of a 17-year-old by police officers on 27 June.

The death of the teenager, known only as Nahel, was captured on video and has shocked France, stirring long-simmering tensions between young people and the police in disadvantaged neighbourhoods around the country.

But as the French capital is gearing up for its annual influx of summer holidaymakers, is it safe to travel to Paris?

Paris riots: Is it safe to visit the French capital?

Riots in Paris: Where are the French riots and why are they happening?

19:56 , Joe Middleton

Frances President Emmanuel Macron is chairing a crisis meeting of senior ministers in the wake of a second night of rioting following the police killing of a 17-year-old boy, identified as Nahel, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

There were 150 arrests across the country into Thursday. Police and firefighters struggled to contain protesters and extinguish numerous blazes through the night that damaged schools, police stations and town halls or other public buildings, according to a spokesperson for the national police.

Authorities also re fires or skirmishes in multiple cities overnight, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north  although the nexus remained Nanterre and the surrounding areas.

Where are the French riots and why are they happening?

Paris riots: Video shows police interacting with teen during fatal traffic stop

19:13 , Joe Middleton

French National Assembly observes minutes silence for teenager fatally shot by police

18:24 , Joe Middleton

The French National Assembly held a minutes silence on Wednesday, 28 June, in tribute to a 17-year-old delivery driver who was fatally shot by a police officer in a Paris suburb this week.

Footage circulating on social media of the incident shows two policemen by the window of a yellow car and the sound of a gunshot before the vehicle drives off on Tuesday.

Protests have erupted in the two days following the shooting, with fireworks thrown at police and cars set on fire while officers fired tear gas.

The officer has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter.

French National Assembly observes minutes silence for teen fatally shot by police

Town near Paris imposes overnight curfew

17:33 , Joe Middleton

A Paris region town of 54,000 people says its putting an overnight curfew in place, stretching through the weekend, in response to rioting triggered by the deadly police shooting of a suburban teenager.

The town of Clamart, in the French capitals southwest suburbs, announced the extraordinary measure Thursday in a statement on its website.

It said the overnight curfew would start at 9 p.m. and last until 6 a.m. - from Thursday night through to Monday.

It cited the risk of new public order disturbances for the decision, after two nights of urban unrest. Clamart is a safe and calm town, we are determined that it stay that way, it said.

Protesters march in Paris after fatal police shooting of 17-year-old

17:30 , Joe Middleton

Amelia Loulli: Emotional, desperate, full of rage  I joined the Paris protests with my teenage daughter

17:05 , Joe Middleton

Sophia came to the French capital to celebrate her 18th birthday  instead, we were caught up in carnage in the suburbs, writes Amelia Loulli. She will never forget what she witnessed:

Emotional, full of rage: I joined the Paris protests with my teenager | Amelia Loulli

Police officer charged with voluntary homicide after teenager killed

16:45 , Joe Middleton

A French policeman has been charged and remanded in custody ahead of trial over the killing of a teenager at point blank range which has sparked nationwide protests and riots.

The investigating magistrate has charged the policeman with voluntary homicide and placed him in provisional detention over Tuesdays incident, the regional prosecutors said in a statement.

Pictured: Violence erupts in Nanterre, near Paris, for the third day

16:36 , Joe Middleton

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AP)

(EPA)

Police fire tear gas at protesters in Nanterre

16:13 , Joe Middleton

Anthony Cuthbertson reports for The Independent from Nanterre:

The march for Nahel had only just finished when the police suddenly appeared, sprinting out in lines from behind the high-rises, clashing with protesters on the fringes of the procession.

For an hour and a half, as the marche blanche in the memory of 17-year-old Nahel proceeded through the streets of Nanterre, there hadnt been a single uniformed police in sight.

The chants were directed at them: No justice, no peace. The mother of the killed teen led the crowd from the roof of a rented van. I was a few feet from her as the march finished and the sudden appearance of the police brought with it canisters of tear gas.She had to scramble down the front of the van to get away from it.

Within minutes buildings were being smashed and diggers set on fire as the crowds anger finally had a target.

The clashes are showing no signs of ending, with one protestor telling me, Its like a war zone, the whole sky is black, the police caused this mess

(EPA)

Bus and tram services shut down by authorities in Paris

15:54 , Joe Middleton

Bus and tram services are to shut down early so they are not targets for thugs and vandals, a Paris region official has said.

It comes as thousands of protesters are marching the streets near the capital city after the killing of 17-year-old Nahel by police.

Who is Nahel? The teen shot dead by police in France

15:11 , Joe Middleton

French president Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting as Francewas gripped by violence for a second day on Thursday over the police killing of a teenager of North African descent.

Clashes first erupted on Tuesday night in and around the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the teen, identified as Nahel M, 17, was shot during a traffic check.

Nahels last name has not been released by authorities or his family. His mother has called for a silent march on Thursday in his honour in the square where the teenager was killed.

Who is Nahel? The teen shot dead by police in France

Thousands chant justice pour Nahel at Nanterre protest

14:36 , Joe Middleton

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Nanterre this afternoon and are chanting justice pour Nahel, at a rally against what is perceived to be a culture of police impunity.

At the march in Nanterre, a town on the outskirts of Paris, on a flatbed lorry the teenagers mother waved to the crowd wearing a white t-shirt reading Justice for Nahel with the date of his death below.

Karima Khartim, a local councillor in Blanc Mesnil north east of Paris said peoples patience was running thin. Weve experienced this injustice many times before, he said.

Amelia Loulli, 37, who is at the protest with her daughter Sophia, 18, said the rally is extremely emotional and that people are angry.

We demand that the judiciary does its job, otherwise well do it our way, a neighbour of Nahels family told Reuters at the march.

(Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Its very powerful. Extremely emotional. It feels desperate. People here are angry'

14:22 , Joe Middleton

A protester has described the rage and emotional scenes at the rally for 17-year-old Nahel, who was killed by police during a traffic stop.

Amelia Loulli, 37, from Cumbria, is at the protest in Nanterre, a town in the western outskirts of Paris, with her daughter Sophia, 18.

Ms Loulli said: Were right in the middle of it. Its guttural. So much rage. Its absolutely immense, its taking the whole place up. Ive never seen anything like it.

Its extremely emotional. I assume its his family or friends on top of the van leading the protest Just so, so many people screaming justice pour Nahel. And it is being screamed.

Its very powerful. Extremely emotional. It feels desperate. People here are angry.

(Amelia Loulli)

(Amelia Loulli)

Mother of teenager fatally shot by French police shares last words she exchanged with son

13:55 , Joe Middleton

The mother of a 17-year-old who was fatally shot by a French police officer in a Paris suburb has shared the last words she exchanged with her son before he died.

Footage taken by activist Assa Traore shows the mother of the teenager, who has been named as Nahel, describing how she told her baby to be careful the morning of the day he was shot.

They took away my baby, he was still a child, he needed his mother, she said.

The officer has been placed under formal investigation for voluntary homicide.

Mother of teenager fatally shot by French police shares her last words with son

Watch: Video shows police interacting with teenager during fatal traffic stop

13:30 , Namita Singh

Who is Nahel - teen shot dead by police in France

13:15 , Namita Singh

French president Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting as France was gripped by violence for a second day on Thursday over the police killing of a teenager of North African descent.

Clashes first erupted on Tuesday night in and around the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the teen, identified as Nahel, 17, was shot during a traffic check.

Read more about him in this report:

Who is Nahel - teen shot dead by police in France

Why are riots breaking out in France?

13:00 , Namita Singh

Police arrested 150 people overnight in France as the unrest over the killing of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic check spread across the country.

The violence also drew sharp reaction from French president Emmanuel Macron who condemned it as unjustifiable, while speaking at the start of a crisis meeting with senior ministers.

The Interior Ministry said dozens of police officers were injured during the clashes.

But why is there a growing unrest in France? Report:

Second night of riots erupt around Paris over police killing of teenager

Nanterre prosecutor says officers drawing gun at Nahel felt threatened

12:37 , Namita Singh

The two officers involved in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old teen said they drew their gun to prevent Nahel from starting the car, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

Three persons were in the car when police tried to stop it Tuesday.

Nahel managed to avoid a traffic stop by running a red light. He later got stuck in a traffic jam.

The officer who fired a single shot said he wanted to prevent the car from leaving and because he feared someone may be hit by the car, including himself or his colleague, according to Mr Prache.Both officers said they felt threatened by seeing the car drive off, he added.

However, Mr Prache concluded that the conditions for the legal use of the weapon were not met. Two magistrates have been named to lead the investigation, he said.

Police is shielded from accountability in France

12:26 , Namita Singh

A civil rights activist lashed out at the French authorities over the killing of Nahel.

What does not surprise us at all is the speed at which the talking points of the police were immediately relayed by the mainstream media in France, Yasser Louati, a local activist told Al Jazeera.

Thank God there was a video that emerged online contradicting the official version of the police, pushing the government to react.

Police forces clash with youths in Nanterre, outside Paris, Thursday, 29 June 2023 (AP)

At the same time, we should not forget to note how Macron was quick to react to the outburst of violence last night  he called the anger unjustifiable.

The police is shielded from accountability in France  there is no transparency.

170 police officers injured in violence following deadly police shooting

12:13 , Namita Singh

At least 170 officers have been injured in an effort to quell the violence following the deadly police shooting of a teen in Paris suburbs, said interior minister Gerald Darmanin.

None of the injuries were life-threatening, he added.

Protesters set cars and public buildings ablaze in Paris suburbs and unrest spread to some other French cities and towns. The professionals of disorder must go home, Mr Darmanin said. There will be a lot more police and gendarmes present tonight.

Breaking: French interior minister declares mobilising 40,000 police across France

11:45 , Namita Singh

French interior declares mobilising 40,000 police officers across France, including 5,000 in Paris, this evening.

French riot police stand in line during protests in Nanterre, west of Paris, on 28 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Clash revives riot memories of 2005

11:41 , Namita Singh

The unrest across France, set off by the deadly police shooting of a teenager of North African descent during a traffic stop, has revived memories of riots in 2005 that gripped France for three weeks.

It forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police.

Two officers were acquitted in a trial ten years later.

Tuesdays killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

In video: Mother of teenager fatally shot by French police shares last words she exchanged with son

11:38 , Namita Singh

French footballer Mbappe says 'hurting for my France'

11:29 , Namita Singh

French footballer Kylian Mbappe joined several teammates in expressing anger over the killing of a 17-year-old teen.

Im hurting for my France, Mbappe tweeted. An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the family and loved ones of Nael, this little angel gone far too soon.

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde expressed his disbelief at the killing, while lashing out at the coverage by the media.

As if this latest police blunder wasnt enough, the nonstop news outlets are taking advantage of it by making a big fuss, Kounde wrote.

Disconnected from reality, journalists ask questions with the sole aim of distorting the truth, criminalizing the victim and finding extenuating circumstances where there are none. An age-old method for masking the real problem.

A bullet in the headIts always for the same people that being in the wrong leads to death, France goalkeeper Mike Maignan tweeted in response to Koundes post.

In pictures: Riots break out in France

11:11 , Namita Singh

This photograph taken 29 June 2023 in Brest, western of France shows a Biocoop, an organic supermarket partly burnt, two days after a 17-year-old boy was shot in the chest by police at point-blank range in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

This photograph taken June 29, 2023 in Brest, western of France shows burnt cars at the private parking lot of an organic supermarket partly burnt (AFP via Getty Images)

This photograph taken on 29 June 2023 in Brest, western of France shows shopping carts at a Biocoop, an organic supermarket partly burnt (AFP via Getty Images)

Aftermath after clashes break out between protesters and police in Mons-en-Baroeul northern France (Reuters)

Aftermath after clashes break out between protesters and police in Mons-en-Baroeul northern France (Reuters)

French PM criticises use of fire arms

11:06 , Namita Singh

Frances prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, has criticised the use of firearms by the police in the incident involving fatal shooting of a 17-year-old driver during a traffic stop.

The shocking images broadcast yesterday show an intervention that appears clearly not to comply with the rules of engagement of our police forces, she said in parliament.

French riot police stand in line during protests in Nanterre, west of Paris, on 28 June 2023, a day after a 17-year-old boy was shot in the chest by police at point-blank range in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

Several people have died or sustained injuries at the hands of French police in recent years, prompting demands for more accountability.

France also saw protests against racial profiling and other injustices in the wake of George Floyds killing by police in Minnesota.

Prosecutor says use of weapon not lawful

10:54 , Namita Singh

French prosecutor said magistrates will investigate a police officer for voluntary homicide after he shot and killed a 17-year-old driver.

Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said that based on an initial investigation, he concluded that the conditions for the legal use of the weapon were not met in the shooting.

RATP Transport workers dismantle a burnt tram destroyed during protests the previous night in Clamart, southwest of Paris, on 29 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Two magistrates have been named to lead the investigation, he said.

Mr Prache said he requested that the police officer be held in custody. That decision is to be made by another magistrate.

France in grip of riots over fatal shooting of teenager

10:53 , Namita Singh

Police and firefighters struggled to contain protesters and extinguish numerous blazes through the night that damaged schools, police stations, town halls and other public buildings, according to a spokesperson for the national police.

The national police today reported fires or skirmishes in multiple cities overnight, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north, though the nexus of tensions was Nanterre and other Paris suburbs.

Fireworks explode during protests in Nanterre, west of Paris, on 28 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Police arrested 150 people around the country, more than half of them in the Paris region, the spokesperson, who was not authorised to be publicly named according to police rules, said.

The number of people injured was not immediately released.

Breaking: Police officer who fatally shot teenager placed under investigation for homicide

10:26 , Namita Singh

The French police officer who fatally shot a 17-year-old boy in a Paris suburb on Tuesday has been placed under formal investigation for voluntary homicide, a French prosecutor said on Thursday.

The deadly shooting of the teenager of North African descent during a traffic stop has triggered two nights of rioting across France, prompting president Emmanuel Macron to convene a crisis meeting with senior ministers earlier in the day.

Watch: French National Assembly observes minute silence for teenager fatally shot by police

09:58 , Namita Singh

Macron calls fatal shooting of teenager by police inexcusable

09:52 , Namita Singh

Frances president Emmanuel Macron has described the death of a 17-year-old driver shot by police during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb as inexplicable and inexcusable  saying nothing justifies a young person being killed.

The remarks came in the wake of unrest and protests overnight into Wednesday, mainly in the Paris suburb of Nanterre where the victim  named as Nahel by lawyers representing his family  lived. Cars were burned and some protesters threw fireworks at the police, who sprayed people with tear gas.

People photograph a burnt tram destroyed during protests the previous night, in Clamart, southwestern Paris, on 29 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

In pictures: Riots break out in France

09:50 , Namita Singh

Youths clash with Police forces in Nanterre, outside Paris, Thursday, 29 June 2023 (AP)

Police forces clash with youths in Nanterre, outside Paris, Thursday, 29 June 2023 (AP)

A man walks past a bonfire in a residential area during clashes in Toulouse, southwestern France on 28 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Smoke rises from a bonfire in a residential area during clashes in Toulouse, southwestern France on 28 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Seven burnt out vehicles are seen outside the municipal police building following violence in Neuilly-sur-Marne on 29 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Why riots are breaking out in Paris

09:44 , Namita Singh

The killing of a 17-year-old  known only as Nahel  on Tuesday during a traffic check in Nanterre, captured on video, shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between young people and the police in housing projects and other disadvantaged neighbourhoods around France.

The purported clip of the incident showed two police officers leaning into the driver-side window of a yellow car. One officer fired into the window before the vehicle pulled. The car then crashed into a post nearby.

The victim, who was driving the car, sustained a gunshot wound and died at the scene, the prosecutors office said in a statement.A passenger in the car was briefly detained and released, and police are searching for another passenger who fled.

Clashes first erupted on Tuesday night in Nanterre, a town west of Paris, and nearby, with violence resuming on Wednesday after nightfall, as the police and firefighters struggled to contain protesters and extinguish numerous blazes.

More in this report:

Second night of riots erupt in Paris over police shooting of teenager as 150 arrested

Watch: Video shows police interacting with teenager during fatal traffic stop

09:33 , Namita Singh

Paris riots: Video shows police interacting with teen during fatal traffic stop

Macron calls crisis meeting after second night of rioting

09:32 , Namita Singh

President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting with senior ministers today after riots spread across France overnight over the deadly police shooting of a teenager of North African descent during a traffic stop.

The last few hours have been marked by scenes of violence against police stations but also schools and town halls, and thus institutions of the Republic and these scenes are wholly unjustifiable.

Emmanuel Macron

A man walks past burnt out vehicles stationed in the carpark of a supermarket following violence in Schiltigheim, eastern France on 29 June 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

The fatal shooting has fed into longstanding complaints of police violence from within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major cities in France.

France police arrest 150 rioters as unrest spreads

09:16 , Namita Singh

Police arrested 150 people overnight in France as the unrest over the killing of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic check spread across the country.

The Interior Ministry said dozens of police officers were injured during the clashes. A night of unbearable violence against symbols of the Republic: town halls, schools and police stations put ablaze or attacked. 150 arrests, said interior minister Gerald Darmanin on his Twitter account.

The killing of a 17-year-old  identified as Nahel on Tuesday during a traffic check in Nanterre, captured on video, shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between young people and the police in housing projects and other disadvantaged neighbourhoods around France.

More in this report:

Second night of riots erupt in Paris over police shooting of teenager as 150 arrested

09:13 , Namita Singh

Welcome to The Independents liveblog for Thursday, 29 June 2023, where we provide the latest unrest in France following the killing of the teen.
Scot Peterson, a sheriff's deputy who was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School but didn't confront the gunman during the deadly Parkland shooting in 2018, was found not guilty of child neglect and other charges Thursday. Peterson, now 60, was charged in connection with the deaths and injuries on an upper floor of the building attacked by gunman Nikolas Cruz.

Peterson was sobbing as the 11 not guilty verdicts were read in court. The jury had been deliberating since Monday.

Speaking to reporters after the proceedings, Peterson said he "got my life back."

"Don't anybody ever forget this was a massacre on February 14," Peterson said. "Only person to blame was that monster. ... We did the best we could with the information we had, and God knows we wish we had more."

Asked what he had to say to the victims' families, some of whom praised authorities following his arrest, Peterson said he was open to meeting with them.

"I would love to talk to them," Peterson said. "...I know that's maybe not what they're feeling at this point. Maybe now, maybe they'll get a little understanding, but I'll be there for them."

Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was killed on the first floor, said in a statement he had hoped for "some measure of accountability" from the jury.

"Peterson's failure to act during the shooting was a grave dereliction of duty, and we believe justice has not been served in this case," said Montalto, president of the school-safety reform group Stand with Parkland.

Peterson's attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, called the verdict a victory for every law enforcement officer in the country.

"How dare prosecutors try to second-guess the actions of honorable, decent police officers," Eiglarsh told reporters.

Scot Peterson, a former Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School school resource officer, reacts as he learns of his acquittal at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on June 29, 2023. / Credit: Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP

Cameron Kasky, a Parkland student who has advocated for stricter gun control measures following the shooting, posted a headline about Peterson's acquittal on Instagram with his reaction to the verdict.

"Cops run away from shootings. They get away with it. There is no accountability for cops," Kasky wrote.

Peterson, the only armed school resource officer on campus when the shooting started, was charged in 2019, more than a year after the gunman killed 17 people in the Valentine's Day attack. The gunman is serving a life sentence without parole after a different jury in November couldn't unanimously agree to give him the death penalty.

Surveillance video showed Peterson didn't confront the gunman, and a public safety commission said he hid for about 48 minutes. Peterson wasn't charged in connection with the 11 people who were killed on the first floor before he arrived on the scene. Prosecutors argued Peterson could have tried to stop the gunman.

Thursday's verdict came more than a year after a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, went into an elementary school and killed 19 children and two teachers. Authorities were criticized for not acting sooner in response to that attack.

Peterson's lawyer rejected comparisons between his client and the response in Uvalde.

"In this case, he 100% didn't know precisely where the shots were coming from  you can't plausibly analogize his case to the others," Eiglarsh told reporters.

In the wake of Parkland shooting, Peterson retired from the Broward County Sheriff's Office, and he was retroactively fired in 2019.

Amid protests in France, Macron calls cabinets crisis meeting

Ruth Simmons on impact of affirmative action ruling and how schools can work towards diversity

A lesson in compassion, learned hard
Parties still agreeing on details of agreement regarding Wagnerites  ISW

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), after the rebellion of the Wagner Group, the parties involved are still negotiating an agreement proposed by the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Source: ISW

Details: Continued reports of a deal with the mediation of Belarusian dictator Lukashenko to end the Wagner Group's armed insurgency suggest the parties may still be in talks to clarify the details of the deal, according to analysts.

Russian sources continued to speculate on the details of this agreement on 28 June. Therefore, experts note, the widespread speculations about Wagner's position in Belarus indicate that certain aspects of the deal are still being finalised.

In addition, Russian sources suggest that Wagner's rebellion is already having a powerful effect on the Russian command structure.

The report notes that the sources publishing these assumptions have been mostly accurate in previous reports of changes in the Russian command, although the lingering and serious potential consequences associated with Prigozhin's armed rebellion may affect the accuracy of those sources. ISW cannot currently confirm any of these assumptions about a change in command, but it is clear that the armed insurgency continues to have significant implications for the information space.

The review also mentions reports in the Russian media about the arrest of Russian general Sergei Surovikin.

According to experts, if the Russian authorities do arrest Surovikin, the Kremlin is likely to use him and his henchmen as scapegoats to publicly explain why the Russian military and internal security agencies reacted poorly to the rebellion, and to justify a potential change in the Russian military leadership.

ISW previously reported on Surovikin's prominent ties to the Wagner Group, which makes the general a prime candidate for the role of scapegoat, regardless of the actual level of support he provided to the insurgency.

Analysts suggest that the Kremlin may try to assuage disdain for the defence chiefs by reducing the role of General Valery Gerasimov, overall theatre commander, in Ukraine operations, although he is likely to retain, at least nominally, the post.

The review also suggests that the Kremlin may have chosen deputy theatre commander Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky as the effective commander of military operations, as he is reportedly widely popular among Russians, including the ultra-nationalist community.

It is noted that the Kremlin will probably try to balance between appeasing the Ministry of Defences discontent and cleaning it of disloyal figures, without contradicting its rhetoric and actions. If this balance is too difficult for it to achieve, it may choose to pursue only one of the goals. In such a case, the Kremlin will almost certainly make a choice in favour of clearing disloyal figures, despite continued anger at the leadership of the Ministry of Defence.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways for 28 June:

Continued reporting about the deal mediated by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko to end the Wagner Groups armed rebellion suggests that involved parties may still be negotiating the specifics of the agreement.

Russian sources speculated that Wagners rebellion is already having widespread impacts on the Russian command structure.

Russian authorities reportedly arrested Army General Sergei Surovikin on 28 June, possibly indicating that the Kremlin intends to purge the MoD of figures viewed as disloyal.

The Kremlin will likely attempt to balance a desire to mitigate the widespread disdain for MoD establishment figures that fueled Wagners rebellion while also trying to disempower those who may have sympathised with the rebellion.

The Russian Duma is considering additional measures to increase control over the information space and promote self-censorship within broad internet communities.

Belarus formally ratified an agreement on the establishment of joint Russian-Belarusian training centres in Belarus on 28 June.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held a phone conversation with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri on 28 June.

Unconfirmed reports claim that Russian military police allegedly detained Wagner Group commanders in Syria.

Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations in at least four sectors of the front.

Russian and Ukrainian forces conducted ground attacks near Kreminna, Bakhmut, and in western Donetsk Oblast.

Russian forces conducted a strike on civilian infrastructure in Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on the night of 27 June.

Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in western Zaporizhia Oblast and conducted limited probing attacks on the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River near the Antonivsky Bridge in Kherson Oblast on 27 and 28 June.

Russian sources reported on continued Russian efforts to clarify terms and conditions for military service.

Russian and occupation officials continue efforts to deconflict legal discrepancies as part of the incorporation of occupied territories.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Parts of the metro-east in severe drought. What should you do to conserve water?

A climatologist at the University of Illinois recommends metro-east residents conserve water as much of the metro east region experiences severe drought.

Portions of metro-east counties St. Clair, Monroe, Clinton, Washington and Randolph reached the severe drought range this week, according to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Most of the metro-east has a deficit of about 4 to 10 inches compared to normal rainfall, Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford said. The highest deficits are in Monroe and Calhoun counties.

Severe drought typically hurts agriculture and leads to dormant lawns, and outdoor burn bans are often implemented, the U.S. Drought Monitor reports. Additionally, water levels may be low in rivers, lakes, ponds and wells.

Even moderate drought conditions can lead to ecological or agricultural stress, Ford said, and the U.S. Drought Monitor chart says firework bans are usually implemented at this stage.

Heres what to know about drought effects in southwestern Illinois.

How can you help conserve water in the metro-east?

Though water restrictions havent been formally enacted, Ford recommended residents take action to help mitigate the drought effects.

We should be conserving water for sure, even if were not asked to do so by our towns and villages, Ford said.

He says residents should limit watering their grass, and try to water before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. to minimize the loss of moisture through evaporation. Its more beneficial to water deeply and infrequently than it is to water lightly daily, Ford said, so consider watering once or twice each week.

Grass will go dormant as a form of defense against drought, but trees, especially young or immature ones, may not come back. Its important to keep an eye out for signs of stress on young trees, Ford said.

What burn bans and water restrictions are in place in the metro-east

Terry Mackin, director of communications for Illinois American Water Company in Belleville, said Thursday afternoon, There are no water restrictions or conservation measures in place by Illinois American Water due to weather or drought.

Mackin explained at what point the company possibly would implement such restrictions.

Our focus is that all customers have reliable water service and high quality water, he said in an email. If we would reach a situation in which customer service or community fire protection was compromised, we might ask our customers to reduce water usage or conserve water temporarily.

Herb Simmons, director of St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, also said the county has not implemented water restrictions at this time. With the Fourth of July around the corner, however, the county is weighing a possible burn ban, he said.

The only thing we talked about this morning, depending on how much rain we get from the thunderstorms being forecast, is a possible burn ban, Simmons said Thursday afternoon. The fire department said theyve been seeing a lot of brush fires. We have not decided (on a burn ban) yet and will wait for 24-48 hours. But we are keeping an eye on it. With the 4th of July coming up, its starting to raise the eyebrows.

Other nearby counties, including Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington, have implemented burn bans until further notice. Burn also bans have been enacted in southern Illinois counties Franklin and Jefferson, WISL reported Tuesday.

Monroe County Emergency Management Agency said due to extremely dry conditions, any open burning constitutes a danger to life and properties. The fire ban includes the following:

No outdoor burning of any brush piles, leaves, branches, wood, trash, etc.

No personal Fireworks of any sort. No shooting of personal fireworks.

No Sky Lanterns are allowed to be ignited and released.

No fires are allowed except for Fire pits that have a safety containment fire ring AND screen/protective top for fire ring. All fire rings with screen/protective tops MUST be always supervised. Fire rings must be extinguished when unsupervised.

Municipalities and/or organizations that already have approved firework display permits are allowed to continue with displays/shows with fire department presence on site during the event, it said.

Even if your locality has not enacted a burn ban at this time, Ford advised residents to take caution when burning, avoid burning frivolously.

There is the hope drought conditions may be relieved to some degree soon, Ford said.

The forecast is looking a bit more optimistic for rain over the next few days. Seven-day forecasts show totals of over an inch for much of the metro-east area, now there may be some places that get a little bit more than that, there may be places that get a little less than that, but that is a good sign, Ford said.

A cold front will break the heat SAT but also provide the area with a chance of showers/storms. Likely dry SUN/MON but storm chances return on the 4th. #stlwx #mowx #ilwx #midmowx pic.twitter.com/3fld0ecM5F  NWS St. Louis (@NWSStLouis) June 26, 2023

The two-week outlook shows high chances of above normal precipitation in southwestern Illinois, Ford added.

We have a good chance of at least improving conditions a little bit, or maybe stopping the slide, so thats really good news, Ford said. Lets just hope it actually comes to fruition, but it at least is an optimistic outlook. It wont stop the drought entirely, we wont not have drought in places because it does take a little while to climb out of it but at least its a start.
My party of 3 spent $120 at Disney World's Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, and the massive $36 sundae is worth every penny

Beach & Cream is known for its Kitchen Sink sundae. Jenna Clark

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is a restaurant and ice-cream parlor inside Disney's Beach Club Resort.

My party of three spent about $120 on our meal, but we received a 10% annual-passholder discount

The $36 Kitchen Sink is one of the best ice-cream sundaes I've ever had at Disney World.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is located in Disney's Beach Club Resort.

Disney's Beach Club is in the Epcot resort area. Jenna Clark

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is a retro soda fountain and casual table-service dining location at Disney's Beach Club, a deluxe resort in the Epcot area.

Anyone can visit the resort restaurant  even if you're not staying on the property or visiting the theme parks  and it serves lunch and dinner.

I made an advanced reservation to dine here as the restaurant is quite popular and smaller than some of the other spots at Disney World.

After checking in, you can take a look at Stormalong Bay outside.

Disney's Yacht and Beach Club resorts share the Stormalong Bay pool. Jenna Clark

I was greeted by a friendly employee who checked my party in for our reservation.

While we waited for our table to be ready, we peeked outside at Stormalong Bay, the Yacht and Beach Club resorts' 3-acre pool area containing a lazy river, a waterslide, and a sand-bottomed pool.

I was in awe of the beautiful artwork hung all around the restaurant.

There were paintings of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy around the restaurant. Jenna Clark

When I walked into the restaurant, I was amazed by all of the paintings of Mickey Mouse and the rest of his friends.

It felt as though I was perusing the Art of Disney store, which I loved. I'm a big fan of Disney artwork.

The retro theme of the restaurant was fun and beachy.

Beaches & Cream's decor had a retro vibe. Jenna Clark

It was like I was transported back in time. I particularly liked the jukebox and thought it added to the vintage aesthetic of the restaurant.

Even the employees' uniforms were themed, which I appreciated.

If you like sandwiches, Beaches & Cream has a plethora of options for you.

There are only a few food options on the menu. Jenna Clark

The food menu was extremely limited with mostly sandwiches and sides. But if you like sandwiches, it's the perfect spot for you.

Some of the sandwich offerings include a French dip ($19), cheddar-bacon-ranch chicken ($19), and Reuben ($19).

I started my meal with the chili-and-cheese tots.

There are tots with and without toppings on the menu. Jenna Clark

Although the restaurant is largely known for its sweet treats and ice cream, my party wanted to have the full experience, so we started with some savory menu items.

We ordered the chili-and-cheese tots ($9), which were topped with chili, cheese, sour cream, and green onions. I thought they were delicious, and the ratio of toppings to tots was perfect.

There's also a plant-based version of the chili-and-cheese tots ($9), cheese-and-bacon tots ($9), and plain potato tots ($6).

For my entree, I ordered a grilled cheese.

The grilled-cheese sandwich came with tomato soup. Jenna Clark

My sandwich ($14) was delicious and extremely filling. If you're a cheese lover like I am, this is definitely an excellent option.

The tomato soup served on the side was great for dipping. It complemented the sandwich well.

I thought it was a bit pricey for a grilled-cheese sandwich, but it was really tasty, and I knew it'd only be a once-in-a-while treat.

I also tried a French-dip sandwich for the first time.

The French-dip sandwich was fantastic. Jenna Clark

Someone else in my party ordered the French dip, so I was able to try it.

The sandwich had thinly-sliced roast beef, Swiss cheese, and crispy fried onions on a toasted French roll, and it was served with au jus.

This was my first time eating this kind of sandwich, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the roast beef was. I'm not typically the biggest fan, but it was extremely flavorful.

Of course, we had to save room for the Kitchen Sink sundae for dessert.

We opted for the Chocolate Lover's version of the famous sundae. Jenna Clark

The Kitchen Sink sundae ($36) was the main event of the meal. We ordered the Chocolate Lover's version, which featured chocolate ice cream, cookies-and-cream ice cream, vanilla ice cream, brownies, Milky Way pieces, Oreos, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, and chocolate chips.

This was worth the price as it was huge and designed to serve four people. There are also original and Neapolitan versions with different ice-cream flavors and toppings.

I didn't mind spending the money because it was a whole experience. It was really fun having the server announce to the entire restaurant that our table was trying to defeat the Kitchen Sink while the lights in the restaurant flashed.

My party of three couldn't quite finish it, but we made a decent dent.

The Kitchen Sink is definitely one of my favorite ice-cream sundaes on the property.

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop is a must-try the next time you're at Disney World.

We'll be back at Beaches & Cream. Jenna Clark

For three adults, with my 10% annual-passholder discount, the bill came out to $118 after tip.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Beaches & Cream, but I'd probably only visit again for the Kitchen Sink sundae or another ice-cream dish. The entree prices were a little too high for classic diner sandwiches.

If you've never dined here, I think it's worth making a reservation during your next trip to Disney World to try the Kitchen Sink.

Read the original article on Insider
Pat Sajak doesnt think Wheel of Fortune will be going bankrupt when Ryan Seacrest takes over.

The dinnertime television fixture responded to the confirmation of his replacement with a tweet Wednesday morning.

Im looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024, Sajak wrote.

On June 12, Sajak announced that hed be departing Wheel after the upcoming season, which begins this September. Sajak, 76, will have hosted the show for 41 seasons when hes done.

Its been a wonderful ride, and Ill have more to say in the coming months, he tweeted. Many thanks to you all.

Seacrest, 48, was almost immediately rumored as Sajaks replacement, despite already being known as the hardest working man in Hollywood. However, Seacrest did free up a little time in his busy schedule when he left Live with Kelly and Ryan in April.

On Tuesday, Wheel of Fortune producers confirmed that Seacrest would be stepping behind the wheel as Sajaks replacement.

Im truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak, Seacrest wrote on Twitter Tuesday. I can say, along with the rest of America, that its been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them.

Sajak initially joined Wheel in 1981 as a replacement for Chuck Woolery. While NBC executives thought the then-Chicago radio host was too small-time for primetime, Sajak quickly proved perfect for the role.


Delegate Eugenia Charles-Newton, Utah State Representative Phil Lyman (R), Delegate Shaandiin Parrish, Utah Representative Doug Owens (D), Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Delegate Shawna Ann Claw, and Delegate Herman Daniels Jr. (courtesy photo)

The 25th Navajo Nation Nation Council convened last week during the 17th Annual Governors Native American Summit in Orem, Utah, to discuss advancing ongoing efforts to connect two communities in the nation with a paved roadway.

The two communities, Navajo Mountain and Oljato, are located in the western portion of the Navajo Nation and are approximately 30 miles apart. The only paved route to get from one community to another requires residents and other commuters to travel over 100 miles through rough terrain that often involves the use of four-wheel drive vehicles.

The meeting focused on two possible routes that would improve transportation efficiency, drive economic growth and tourism opportunities, improve emergency response time and access to services, and significantly improve the quality of life for many locals.



Many residents, including elders, commute through these rough roads for long hours each day for basic services and necessities, hauling water for their families and livestock, and going to school and work, Navajo Nation Council Delegate Herman M. Daniels said in a statement. If we pave a roadway, it would also increase tourism in the area and create jobs and revenue for the Navajo Nation, the counties, and the entire state of Utah. This project will require significant investments, but it will create additional benefits in the long-term.

According to a statement from the Navajo Nation Council, emergency response time for the impacted region is anywhere from two hours to three days, depending on the weather and road conditions.

The committee is continuing to gather data on loss of life due to slow emergency response times  with an emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic  to underscore the need for the paved road.

According to a statement from Navajo Division of Transportation Roads Manager Joe Peterman, the Navajo Nation receives approximately $52 million annually from federal highway funding, with $36 million allocated for road construction for the entire Navajo Nation, which spans more than 27,000 square miles.

Paving the roadway between Navajo Mountain and Oljato could range from approximately $161 million to $186 million, according to a statement from the Navajo Nation Council. At last weeks council meeting, delegates determined that funding needs to be identified for a development plan and environmental impact study.

Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley said securing funds and completing the project will require buy-in from multiple levels of government.

The Navajo Nation Council will continue working closely with the stakeholders to secure funds and other resources, Curley said in a statement. To move the project forward, it will be challenging and will require support and input from many of our county, state, and federal partners.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine Thursday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support for the country as it fights against invading Russian forces.

Pence, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, was expected to make stops in Irpin, Bucha and Moshchun during his visit. He is the first GOP presidential candidate to visit Ukraine since announcing a campaign for the White House.

The former vice president made the trip with Samaritans Purse, an evangelical humanitarian organization. He received a briefing on human rights violations happening in Ukraine, background from Ukrainian officials on efforts to defend Moshchun from Russian attacks and on the current security situation in the country, according to a Pence adviser.

Pence also laid flowers at a Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St. Michaels Cathedral in Kyiv, the adviser said.

The former vice president has been among the most outspoken Republican candidates in urging continued U.S. support for Ukraine, notably breaking with front-runners like former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who have suggested it is not in Americas interest to provide military aid to Ukraine.

I believe Americas the leader of the free world, Pence told NBC News in an interview about the trip. But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies.

Pence has made clear since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 that U.S. support for Ukraine is vital. He has argued that while it is not Americas war, the fight in Ukraine is part of a broader struggle for freedom abroad that is in U.S. interests.

He has been critical of the Biden administration for the pace of providing military equipment to Ukraine to fight Russian forces, and he has swiped at Trump for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pence in March 2022 met with refugees who had spilled over the Ukrainian border into Poland.

Updated at 11:57 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former Vice President Mike Pence met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday in a surprise trip to Kyiv, marking the first time that a Republican presidential candidate has made such a visit since the Russian invasion.

"I believe Americas the leader of the free world," Pence told NBC News, which was first to report the trip. "But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies."

The trip comes as Ukraine is in the midst of a crucial counteroffensive against Russian forces that have had ample time to solidify their defenses, while Moscow continues to manage the fallout of the Wagner Groups rebellion.

Pence has been a vocal supporter of arming Ukraine, separating himself from other GOP presidential hopefuls and lawmakers who are calling for a halt in additional military support. Hes also argued that Washington should fast-track aid to Kyiv and has been critical of the Biden administrations pace of approving weapons drawdowns.
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine Thursday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and tour Russian attack sites, bringing the message that he would stand by Ukraine.

"I have every confidence that the day will come when Ukraine's sovereignty is restored, their territorial integrity is restored," Pence told reporters.

"We need to make sure we provide the Ukrainian military with what they need to push back on and defeat Russian aggression here," Pence said.

After their closed-door meeting, Pence, the first GOP presidential candidate to visit Zelenskyy, expressed his unwavering support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy thanked the American people for their support and thanked Pence for visiting sites of some of the worst Russian attacks on Ukraine. Pence was also briefed on the current situation in Ukraine by officials, according to an adviser to the vice president.

The former vice president visited Bucha, one of the towns that has seen some of the most brutal attacks of the war. He laid flowers at a memorial and saw the trenches. Pence was told the trenches would be left in their current condition as a reminder of the price paid by Ukrainians to defend their homes. "We are with you," Pence told one soldier, a message he reiterated throughout his trip.

"We are with you," he said to Ukraine Foreign Ministry Rep. Denys Ludchak upon his arrival.

Pence also toured sites in Irpin that were destroyed by Russian forces and met with families before traveling to Kyiv.

An adviser to the former vice president said that he traveled to Ukraine with Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Christian relief organization. Edward Graham, the leader of the group, was with Pence when they were briefed at the Center for Protection of Children's rights on human rights violations in Ukraine over the course of the war.

Ukraine recently began its long-anticipated counteroffensive against Russia, and U.S. officials have told CBS News that progress has been slow and uneven along the 600-mile front line that stretches all the way from the country's northern to southern borders. Ukrainian forces are facing stiffer Russian resistance than expected.

The former vice president believes Ukraine must have U.S. support in its defense against Russia's invasion.

"The fastest path to peace is to help Ukraine win the war," Pence said in February.

Pence and his wife Karen traveled to Ukraine in March 2022, also with Samaritan's Purse, and toured the Poland-Ukraine border, in the third week of Russia's invasion into Ukraine. At the time, he said that the Russian military had unleashed "unspeakable violence on the people of Ukraine."

Fernando Suarez contributed to this report.

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Pete Davidson checks into rehab weeks after he was charged with reckless driving over LA collision

Pete Davidson has checked himself into rehab for a tune-up (AFP via Getty Images)

Pete Davidson has checked into rehab after struggling with borderline personality disorder and PTSD  two weeks after he was arrested for reckless driving.

The 29-year-old has been open about his mental health ever since he was diagnosed with a personality disorderin 2017 after years of experiencing bouts of depression and anxiety.

According to PageSix, the former SNL star is receiving in-patient therapy in a Pennsylvania facility.

A source said: Pete regularly goes to rehab for tune-ups and to take a mental break, so thats whats happening.

The comedian, pictured with his sister and family dogs, was recently charged with reckless driving (Instagram)

An insider told People: Pete will often check himself into rehab to work on these issues. His friends and family have been supportive during this time.

They added that the star should be getting out pretty soon.

The Standard has reached out to Davidsons rep for comment.

News of his treatment comes as he was charged with reckless driving three months after crashing into a Beverly Hills home.

The King of Staten Island actor was with actress girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders, 27, when his Mercedes hit the house in March.

No one was seriously injured but the car flattened a fire hydrant before crashing through the homeowners living room. The property had be demolished.

We believe that Mr Davidson engaged in reckless driving, which ultimately resulted in his involvement in a serious collision into a home, the DAs office said in a statement.

In 2022, traffic fatalities in Los Angeles have reached the highest levels seen in 20 years. This is an alarming trend that we cannot ignore.

As a result, its crucial that we take all allegations of reckless driving seriously and hold those responsible accountable.

Davidson is due to appear in court over the incident on July 27.

As well as SNL, the comedian is also known for his appearances in films including Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Suicide Squad, and Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts.
Comedian Pete Davidson has made the decision to enter rehab for mental health reasons, according to sources familiar with the situation who spoke with TMZ.

Its been disclosed that Davidson continues to battle borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A close friend of Davidsons shared that his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, and other friends are providing him with full support during this time. They also said that the development is not rare for Davidson, who regularly seeks professional help to address his issues and better himself.

Davidson has been known for his candidness regarding his mental health journey, often discussing it openly during his segments on the Weekend Update portion of Saturday Night Live.

In a 2021 interview with Glenn Close as part of the Actors on Actors Variety series, he expressed the relief he felt when he received his BPD diagnosis.

I got diagnosed with a BPD a few years ago and I was always just so confused all the time, and just like thought something was wrong and didnt know how to deal with it, Davidson said during the interview. And then when somebody finally tells you that, the weight of the world just feels lifted off your shoulders.

Davidson has been in the news recently, after facing criticism from PETA for acquiring a dog from a pet store instead of adopting from a shelter. The actor responded with a profanity-ridden voicemail in which he lashed out at Daphna Nachminovitch, PETAs senior VP of cruelty investigations.

Hes also facing legal charges related to reckless driving after a crash into a Beverly Hills, California, home back in March.


A former Pflugerville school district police officer has been charged with online solicitation of a minor and tampering with physical evidence.

A Pflugerville school district police officer was arrested this month after he was found to have messaged three middle school girls on Snapchat and had inappropriate conversations with each of them, according to arrest affidavits.

Estavan "Steve" Soliz is the former officer at Kelly Lane Middle School. Records say he'd been an officer for 26 years, 14 of which were with the Pflugerville school district. The middle school only has one officer, the affidavit said.

Police charged Soliz, who also is referred to as Estevan in the affidavit, with online solicitation of a minor and tampering with physical evidence.

Pflugerville ISD: Officer arrested for 'possible inappropriate interactions' with students

The arrest affidavit said the first victim made an "outcry" to a school counselor on May 9 that she was "nervous" because Soliz messaged her on Snapchat asking if she "had room for friends with benefits." It said she asked Soliz what he meant by benefits, to which he responded by saying he would tell her in person the next day.

The affidavit says that message caused the first victim to have a panic attack and that she was worried that if she was alone with Soliz, he would try to "initiate sexual contact with her."

Other recorded parts of the conversation show that Soliz asked her to delete the messages and to not "tell people our business or that we talk," the affidavit said.

As the first victim was telling the counselor about these messages, video camera footage shows Soliz "lurking" near the office door in an attempt to eavesdrop and peer into the window, according to court records. That prompted staff members to cover the window on the door.

In a written statement, Soliz's lawyer said he's been "transparent and cooperative" throughout the investigation and that he's "steadfastly protected the students under his care" as an officer.

"The messages highlighted in the probable cause affidavit are not only taken out of context but do not accurately reflect the intent and nature of the conversations that occurred," said Soliz's lawyer, Stephen Toland. "In other instances, the allegations in the probable cause affidavit are simply not true. Mr. Soliz did not ever engage in inappropriate relations with any students, and we look forward to presenting the complete story."

During the course of the conversation with the first victim, she told the counselor she was worried about a friend who she believed also was being contacted by Soliz, the document said. School officials located the second victim and she said Soliz had messaged her on Snapchat saying her appearance was "fine," and when talking about a male love interest of the victim, commented that if he "were him (he'd) be trying to hit that."

The affidavit says that Soliz also asked the second victim to delete the messages, which she was able to capture using another phone.

During an interview with detectives on May 17, the document said, the second victim said there was a potential third girl Soliz had similar interactions with. It said the school counselor made contact with that victim two days later, when it was discovered that Soliz had given her a used phone after her parents had taken hers away. Soliz had already downloaded Snapchat on the phone and added himself as a friend before giving it to her, the affidavit says.

The third victim repeatedly tried to refuse the phone and give it back three separate times, with Soliz saying that it would make him "sad" and that he'd be "hurt" if she didn't accept it, according to the affidavit. The third victim felt "compelled" to keep the phone and turned it over to investigators. She said Soliz would message her things like "hi" and send her heart emojis, it said.

During an interview with police, Soliz said the term "benefits" came from a conversation that a couple of male students had near him where they said there were "benefits" to being Soliz's friend. He said the term meant things like "snacks and sleepovers and other privileges," the affidavit said. Investigators said that both of the male students denied that the conversation happened.

Soliz also told police that he deleted Snapchat after the outcry, which he said was done because students were still messaging him and he "was done with it."

District officials have told the Statesman that they are committed to "fostering a safe learning environment" and commended school officials, parents and law enforcement for their part in the investigation.

"The work to maintain this safe environment is everyones responsibility," the statement said. "We are proud of the courage and maturity these students showed in sharing their concerns with trusted adults."

The school district police placed Soliz on leave on May 9 after hearing of the accusations and he was fired on May 26, officials said. Police arrested him on June 15.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas school officer sent 'inappropriate' messages to 3 girls: Affidavit
MANILA, Philippines  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that a request for his country to temporarily host a U.S. immigrant visa processing center for thousands of Afghan nationals faces security and other concerns but is still being considered by his administration.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken first relayed the request to his Philippine counterpart last year, and President Joe Biden discussed the request when Marcos visited the United States in May, Philippine officials said.

The full details of the request, which remains under negotiations between the treaty allies, have not been made public, but Marcos said he was told by American officials that only a maximum of 1,000 Afghan nationals would be allowed to stay in the Philippines at any one time while their special immigrant visas are being processed.

A Philippine official said an initial 600 Afghan nationals would be allowed in a pilot phase if the U.S. proposal gets approved. The proposal was still being discussed by national security, law enforcement, foreign affairs and other Philippine agencies before submitting a recommendation to Marcos, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

The Afghan nationals to be considered for resettlement primarily worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan or were deemed eligible for U.S. special immigrant visas but were left behind when Washington withdrew from the country as Taliban militants took back power in a chaotic period in August 2021.

We want to help, Marcos said in answer to a question at a news conference. But, he said, there are security concerns and even more difficult legal and logistical issues because if the plan as it stands runs exactly as its planned, thats nice, we wont have any problem. But what plan ever ran exactly as you had hoped?

Its entirely possible that we will not find a way to make it happen, he added.

Some Filipino officials have expressed fears the Afghan nationals could become targets of attacks while in the Philippines. Others raised legal questions about an arrangement where U.S. authorities would have a say in vetting who could enter the Philippines.

One prospective problem is what to do with Afghan nationals whose U.S. special visa immigrant application is indefinitely stalled or rejected, Marcos said.

Well continue to study it and see if there is a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines, Marcos said, expressing concern that thousands of Afghan nationals could be stranded in the country while awaiting relocation to the U.S.

While its been stated that the Americans will pay for everything, who will handle all of that? Marcos asked.

Marcos has rekindled relations with the U.S. since taking power in June last year. In February, he allowed an expansion of the American military presence under a 2014 defense agreement in a decision that China warned would allow American forces to gain a staging ground to intervene in the South China Sea and Taiwan issues, and threaten regional stability.

Marcos predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, was one of the most vocal critics of U.S. security policies in his time, while nurturing relations with China and Russia. Duterte took steps, which he later withdrew, to abrogate a key security agreement with the U.S. that allowed large numbers of American forces to enter the Philippines for combat exercises.
A Placer County man was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday on two counts of sex crimes, court officials said.

Ryan Davidek, 39, of Lincoln was charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Sacramento said 2016 court documents alleged he began a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old victim whom he had met online.

Over the course of several years, court officials said Davidek allegedly booked hotel rooms, traveled across state lines and transported the victim from another state to the Sacramento area to commit the alleged crimes. The indictment comes after an FBI investigation, the court said.

If convicted, Davidek faces up to 40 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006 to stop child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Wagnerites

Poland will reinforce its eastern border in response to the arrival of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group in Belarus, Polish weekly Wprost quoted Deputy Prime Minister Jarosaw Kaczynski as saying on June 28.

Read also: Poland fortifies its border with Belarus

We have, at least potentially, a new situation in Belarus (caused) by the presence of the Wagner Group, he said.

About 8,000 Wagner mercenaries are expected to arrive in Belarus, Kaczynski said.

This is an element that is dangerous for Ukraine, Kaczynski said.

It is also potentially dangerous for Lithuania and can be dangerous for us. It could mean a new phase of hybrid warfare, a phase far more complex than the one weve dealt with so far.

Poland will bolster its defenses on the eastern border, including temporary and long-term projects, Kaczynski added.

The Wagner mutiny: What we know

Russian mercenary company Wagners leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced the beginning of an armed conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry on the evening of June 23, claiming that he wanted to restore justice in Russia.

He said that the Russian army struck the mercenaries rear camp. However, the conflict between Prigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu had started months earlier.

For the past few months, the Wagner leader has been persistently demanding the resignation of the Russian defense minister, accusing him of poor management of the Russian armed forces and of not supplying enough ammunition to Wagner forces.

The next day, Wagner forces seized control over the main military facilities in the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. They also shot down seven Russian Air Force aircraft.

Prigozhin then demanded meetings with Russias top military leadership and threatened to advance towards Moscow in a video address shot in Rostov-on-Don.

Putin, in turn, posted a video address saying that the Russian Armed Forces had ordered to eliminate those who led the rebellion.

The Wagnerites convoys nevertheless moved towards Moscow in a march for justice, as Prigozhin called it.

The FSB charged Prigozhin with inciting insurrection, while the security forces were preparing to defend Moscow. Putin is believed to have fled the capital to his residence in Valdai, northwest of Moscow.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin as his mercenaries closed in on Moscow, Lukashenkos press office stated, culminating in a deal where Prigozhin agreed to halt his forces advance on the Russian capital  in exchange for dropping charges and changes at the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Soon after, Prigozhin ordered Wagner mercenaries to turn back from Moscow and return to their combat positions.

The Kremlin soon announced that the criminal case against Prigozhin for munity would be closed, and he himself would go to Belarus.

Prigozhin arrivedin Belarus after the Wagner mercenary company mutiny, Lukashenko confirmed on June 27.

In a video address on June 26, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin offered three options to the fighters of the Wagner mercenary company who had participated in the mutiny attempt: to continue their service by signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense, return to their homes in Russia, or go to Belarus.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- Countries on NATOs eastern flank warned of new dangers linked to Russia as elements of the Wagner mercenary group prepare to arrive in Belarus.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Latvias prime minister, Krisjanis Karins, said the presence of Wagner in neighboring Belarus posed an urgent threat of infiltration into the European Union and called on the bloc to intensify security measures.

His warning came a day after Poland said it would bolster security on its frontier with Belarus amid fears that the presence of the forces may intensify what it calls hybrid warfare with its eastern neighbor. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was preparing to present a Polish plan to boost security on the EUs eastern fringe in Brussels on Thursday.

The threat will probably not be a frontal military threat, but the threat of infiltration into Europe for unknown purposes, Karins said in Brussels as EU leaders met. That means we need to heighten our border awareness and make sure we can control that.

The new risks emerged after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal Saturday between Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the revolt that came within 200 kilometers (124 miles) of Moscow.

The deal will reportedly allow Wagner troops to move to Belarus as an option. Poland estimates that about 8,000 members of the group will be shifted to Belarus, which may mean a new phase of hybrid warfare, a phase that is much more difficult than we observe now, Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said at a press conference in Warsaw on Wednesday.

The government in Warsaw has reported an increase in attempts by migrants from Africa and the Middle East to cross into the country from Belarus. It has accused Lukashenkos government of ferrying migrants to the border to increase pressure on eastern EU governments and fuel anti-immigrant sentiment among voters.

The Belarusian monitoring group Hajun, which uses open-source data and information from local informants, hasnt yet reported any preparations for hosting Wagner along the border with Poland or other NATO neighbors of Belarus.

The only place where a camp appears to be set up is an abandoned military base in the countrys center, some 75 kilometers south-east of Minsk, Hajun said on Telegram.

Even as the Wagner leaders jet was detected landing in Belarus, his mercenary troops havent been arriving in the country as of evening of June 28, the group said.

Belaruss assistance for migrants crossing the border is part of the Russian plan to attack Europe, Morawiecki said on Thursday before leaving for the European Union summit in the Belgian capital.

The Polish ruling Law & Justice party has recently raised the subject of migration in its campaign before the parliamentary election in the fall as it criticizes the EUs plan to spread the burden of hosting immigrants among the member countries. The party plans to hold a referendum around the time of the general vote to ask Poles about the issue.

--With assistance from Piotr Bujnicki.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Poland says EU should help pay for border security amid Wagner fears

Construction site of a barrier at the border between Poland and Belarus

Poland says EU should help pay for border security amid Wagner fears Construction site of a barrier at the border between Poland and Belarus

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland expects the European Union to help it fund measures to strengthen its eastern border, a deputy minister said on Thursday, after Warsaw announced a tightening of security due to concerns over the presence of the Wagner group in Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to offer troops from the private military company the choice of relocating to Belarus has led to fears among eastern NATO members that their presence will cause greater instability in the region.

On Wednesday the leader of Poland's ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said Poland believed that there could be around 8,000 Wagner troops already in Belarus.

He said Poland would take both temporary and permanent steps to strengthen the border, including boosting the presence of security forces and increasing fortifications.

Asked on Thursday whether Brussels should help Warsaw pay for such measures, Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski said "Poland expects it".

"European solidarity means supporting countries threatened with destabilization," he told public radio. "These safeguards need to be increased."

Poland accuses Belarus of artificially creating a migrant crisis on the border by flying in people from the Middle East and Africa and attempting to push them across the frontier. Minsk has denied the accusation.

Kaczynski said on Wednesday that Wagner's presence in Belarus could mean "a new phase of hybrid warfare, a phase much more difficult than the one we have dealt with so far."

Kaczynski, who is widely viewed as Poland's de-facto ruler, appeared to take a stronger line on border security than President Andrzej Duda, who had spoken earlier in the day in Kyiv.

Duda said Poland would strengthen security on its border with Belarus if it needs to, but that the frontier is already tightly secured.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Marek Strzelecki, Pawel Florkiewicz, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Polestar

Polestar has become the latest brand to announce plans to adopt Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging port. The announcement claims that new Polestar vehicles will be equipped with the ports starting in 2025, with adapters for existing Polestars available by mid-2024.

The Polestar decision is the latest in the rapidly-expanding push to turn NACS from an optimistic name into a reality. Polestar joins Ford, General Motors, Rivian, and Volvo in announcing plans to integrate the charging ports into their cars going forward. Yesterday, Volvo became the first European brand to announce plans for NACS. Now, Polestar becomes the second European brand and second all-electric brand to switch from CCS to NACS. Both Volvo and Polestar are subsidiaries of Geely, which also owns Lotus.

Automakers are making the move to NACS in order to join Tesla's Supercharger network, the brand's greatest current strength in North America. While the deceptively-named ADAS systems and long-delayed pick-ups that may or may not float have drawn the headlines, the combination of successful expansion of the charging network and struggles in Electrify America's own competing network have given Tesla a distinct strength over its competition. By giving other OEMs the option to join what the brand now calls NACS, and by extent its charging network, Tesla has shifted from marketing that as a strong feature exclusive to Tesla owners to monetizing it as a major part of electrification infrastructure going forward.

It is a simple compromise: by ceding the exclusivity of its network, Tesla can generate revenue off its existing strengths. By agreeing to partner with a competing automaker on charging ports, brands like Polestar can allow customers to charge their cars on a more reliable fast charging ecosystem. The biggest loser is the old CCS charging standard, which is falling by the wayside as even the Society of Automotive Engineers plans standards around the NACS port.

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Police identify Wichita man, 30, who died in one of two shootings overnight

Wichita police identified a man who died in a shooting Wednesday night as 30-year-old Kurel Hayes of Wichita.

Officers responded to a shooting call around 10:36 p.m. in the 500 block of N. Gordon. They found Hayes, who had been shot in his upper torso, police spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said in a news release.

Hayes was unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, Gupilan said.

This was not a random incident, the release said. And it is believed that the suspect of this violent crime is known to Kurel.

Hayes was one of two people who died in unrelated overnight shootings in Wichita. The other shooting was reported around 12:47 a.m. in the 200 block of South Minnesota.

Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to call investigators at 316-268-4407 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

The two deaths bring the citys homicide count to 17 so far this year, according to records kept based on homicides reported by Wichita police. There were 23 at this time last year.
The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is investigating a reported shooting in a Woodland Acres neighborhood at 8600 Galveston Ave.

According to JSO, at approximately 7:00 p.m., officers arrived at 8600 Galveston Ave in response to reports of a shooting.

Upon arrival, they discovered a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was described as having non-life-threatening injuries. He was swiftly transported to a local hospital for medical attention.

Authorities report that the suspect fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction following the shooting. Investigators from the Robbery and Violent Crimes units are actively involved in the ongoing investigation. They are currently speaking with the victim and witnesses to gather more information about the incident.

Although the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, JSO has stated that this incident is not believed to be a robbery.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call us at 630-0500 or they can contact Crimestoppers if they would like to remain anonymous at 1-866-845-TIPS.

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The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has launched an investigation into an undetermined death in the Edgewood Manor area at 6700 Roth Dr. West Wednesday afternoon.

At approximately 3:30 PM, officers received a dispatch call regarding a death investigation at the aforementioned location.

Upon arrival, officers discovered the lifeless body of an adult male in the nearby Ribault River. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were called to the scene and sadly pronounced the man dead.

In order to recover the deceased from the river, the JSO Dive Team was summoned and mobilized to the area. Meanwhile, both the Homicide and Crime Scene Detectives initiated their investigations to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

Preliminary findings indicate that JSO does not suspect foul play in connection with the mans death. However, the exact cause of death remains unknown at this time. The medical examiners office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death and make efforts to identify the deceased individual.

Authorities have not yet determined how the man ended up in the river, leaving investigators with a crucial task to piece together the events leading up to the incident. The JSO is working to gather any available information that may provide insight into the circumstances surrounding the case.

As this is an ongoing investigation, updates are expected to follow as more details emerge. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office is urging anyone with relevant information to come forward and assist with their inquiries.

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Police release bodycam footage of officer rushing to confront Allen mall mass shooter who killed eight people

Law enforcement officials have released the bodycam footage of an officer gunning down a shooter who killed eight people, including three children, at a Dallas-area shopping mall.

The edited five-minute video shows the final moments of the 33-year-old gunman Mauricio Garcia, after he rained bullets from an AR-15-style rifle at the Allen Premium Outlets on 6 May.

The footage from the body camera worn by an Allen cop shows the officer telling two children outside the mall to wear their seatbelts and be good.

Seconds later, the sound of rapid gunfire erupts from the mall. The children and a woman, whose face have been blurred, run away as the officer radios in the report, grabs his rifle from his car and dashes toward the gunfire.

As he runs, the panting officer shouts at people to move and get out. He then tells the dispatcher, I believe we've got a mass shooter and shouts at the gunman to drop his weapon.

"I'm passing injured (people)," he adds.

The officer continues to run through the outside galleries of the outlet. About four minutes into the video, the officer opens fire with at least a half-dozen shots.

An instant later, the officer shouts: "Drop the gun!" and then reports: "I've got him down!"

Another officer then confirms the gunman is dead.

"This video shows how quickly a routine interaction with the public turned into a life-and-death situation," Allen Police chief Brian Harvey shared in a news release.

"The officer recognised the danger, ran toward the gunfire and neutralized the threat  and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful."

The video was released a day after a grand jury cleared the officer of wrongdoing, indicating that the use of force was justified under Texas law".

Three members of a Korean American family - Kyu Song Cho, Cindy Cho, and their 3-year-old son, James Cho, were killed by the mass shooter last month.

Also killed were Aishwarya Thatikonda, 27, sisters Daniela Mendoza, 11, and Sofia Mendoza, 8; security guard Christian LaCour, 20; and Elio Cumana-Rivas, 32.

Hundreds of shoppers fled from Allen Premium Outlets, a large outdoor shopping centre, after gunfire erupted at about 3.30pm local time.

The gunman drove to the mall with several weapons and opened fire as soon as he stepped out of his vehicle, police said, without revealing a motive for the attack.

Garcia used one of eight legally purchased guns he had brought to the mall, authorities said.

The killer had no criminal record, but investigators are looking into his possible neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs.

Garcia was wearing black body armour and a patch on his chest that suggested he may have harboured extremist ideologies, law enforcement sources told The Washington Post.

The gunman reportedly left a long trail of online posts describing his white supremacist and misogynistic views. He described mass shootings as sport and posted photos showing his large Nazi tattoos and a favorite passage in the Hunger Games books marked with a swastika drawn in green highlighter.
Youths gather on Concorde square during a protest in Paris, France, Friday, June 30, 2023. French President Emmanuel Macron urged parents Friday to keep teenagers at home and proposed restrictions on social media to quell rioting spreading across France over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. Writing on poster reads in French Nahel deserves to live, Rayana deserved to live, Camara deserved to live, Amine deserved to live, I havent forgotten Shaina burnt alive. Neither forgot nor forgive. | Lewis Joly, Associated Press

Protests have continued for six nights following a police shooting that started as a traffic stop and ended in the death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk in a Paris suburb. More than 2,000 people have been arrested throughout the demonstrations, as some of the protests turned violent, with protesters torching cars and throwing items at police.

Some 45,000 security forces were deployed to address the rioting, CNN reported. And Merzouks grandmother called for an end to the unrest.

Im tired, his grandmother, Nadia, said, per CNN affiliate BFMTV, who only disclosed her first name. She continued, They should not damage the schools, not break the buses, it was the moms who take the buses.

Demonstrations escalated to a fever pitch Sunday morning, when some attacked the home of Vincent Jeanbrun, the mayor of LHay-les-Roses. He was working at the time, but his wife and two young children were sleeping and were injured as they escaped the fire, The Guardian reported.

On Sunday night, 49 people were arrested, compared to 1,300 on Friday night.

What led to the police shooting of the French teen?

On the morning of Tuesday, June 27, police sources initially reported that a teenager was shot and killed after plowing into two police officers in a yellow Mercedes who had stopped him for a traffic stop. But video released on Twitter revealed that the teenager appeared to have been driving away from police when one of the officers drew his gun and fired at Merzouk within point-blank range in broad daylight, according to The New York Times.

The incident drew ire with thousands of French citizens, who demonstrated for six straight nights, marching and protesting. The Times reported that protesters have said that the shooting is emblematic of a deep-rooted racism within Frances law enforcement agencies and its history of disproportionately targeting Black people and immigrants of Arab descent, particularly in Frances poor urban suburbs.

This absolutely needs to stop. The government is completely disconnected from our reality, Marie, who was only identified by her first name and has lived in Nanterre for 50 years, told Reuters.

A funeral to honor Merzouks life was held Saturday in Nanterres grand mosque, and several hundred people showed up to pay tribute to the teenager, per Reuters.

Friday, June 30

More than 800 people were arrested Thursday night during the third straight night of protests following a police shooting of 17-year-old Nahel in a Paris suburb during a traffic check on Tuesday.

At least 200 police officers were injured as the protests escalated  The Associated Press reported, Protesters erected barricades, lit fires and shot fireworks at police who responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Cars were set on fire and flipped as tensions rose. Unrest over the situation grew out from Paris to other cities in France all the way to Brussels, the capital of Belgium, per AP.

Theres a feeling of injustice in many residents minds, whether its about school achievement, getting a job, access to culture, housing and other life issues  I believe we are in that moment when we need to face the urgency (of the situation), said Nanterre Mayor Patrick Jarry, the mayor of the suburb where Nahel was killed.

Nahels last name has not yet been released, and a relative says he comes from Algerian descent, per AP.

According to CBS News, His death has revived longstanding grievances about policing and racial profiling in Frances low-income and multiethnic suburbs.

What happened in police shooting of 17-year-old Nahel?

Videos from the incident show two police officers leaning into the driver-side window of a yellow car, and as the car drives away, one of the officers shoots into the window. Later on, the car appears crashed into a nearby post. The victim, 17-year-old Nahel (last name not yet released), was wounded by a gunshot and ultimately died at the scene, according to The Associated Press.

He was still a child. He needed his mother, his mother, Mounia, said, per BBC. He kissed me goodbye in the morning and said, I love you mum. An hour later, I was told that someone shot my son. What shall I do? He was my life. He was everything to me.

Riot police officers patrol as smoke billows from burnt vehicles on the third night of protests sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France, Friday, June 30, 2023. The June 27 shooting of the teen, identified as Nahel, triggered urban violence and stirred up tensions between police and young people in housing projects and other neighborhoods. | Aurelien Morissard, Associated Press

How have French police, authorities responded to the shooting and protests?

The officer who fired and shot Nahel is facing a formal investigation for voluntary homicide, CNN reported.

CNN reported that the officer explained his actions by the desire to prevent the vehicle from fleeing again, and by the dangerous road behavior of the driver, according to Nanterre Prosecutor Pascal Prache in a press conference.

Authorities deployed 40,000 law enforcement officers across the country Thursday night to address the tensions, according to ABC News.

A group called France Police published a tweet that has since been deleted that said bravo to the police who opened fire on a young criminal. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says he will be taking legal action against the group after the tweet, per BBC.

President Emmanuel Macron called an emergency security meeting on Thursday and said, These acts are totally unjustifiable. He also recommended taking time for remembrance and respect during this time of grief. Nahels mother called for a silent march Thursday on the square where he was killed to honor his life, NPR reported.

French activists urged authorities to address what they see as systemic police abuse. Government officials did condemn the killing and sought to distance themselves from the police officers actions, according to NPR.

Its not the Republic that was in custody. It is not the Republic that killed this young man. Nor is it the police of the Republic who is responsible for this (the killing). It is one man, who must be judged if the justice system deems it necessary, Olivier Veran, French government spokesperson, told CNN affiliate BFMTV.

Macron called for calm as investigations into the teens death continue, per ABC News.

Earlier media reports identified the 17-year-old as Nael. This story has been updated to change the spelling to Nahel.
Police showed up at a 2 a.m. bank alarm in riot gear. They found no suspects, but saw this

The Santander Bank branch on Atwells Avenue, Providence.

PROVIDENCE  The police are investigating after someone broke into the vault overnight at the Santander Bank branch on Atwells Avenue, according to Providence Deputy Chief Kevin Lanni.

The police were called by Santander security at 2:02 a.m. and made a "tactical entry," with rifles, shields and other special gear, into the branch, where they found no suspects, Lanni said.

Investigators found the vault had been breached and a "substantial" amount of money taken, according to Lanni.

"It looks like a well-planned criminal act," he said.

The police were still at the branch late Thursday morning gathering "intelligence and information," Lanni said.

Off-hour bank breaks are rare, according to Lanni, who said he couldn't remember the last time Providence had one. The police made a tactical entry into the branch because such crimes often involve guns, he said. About a dozen Providence police officers were at the scene early Thursday morning, he said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Vault breached in Providence bank burglary
Pope's envoy meets with Russia's Ombudsman for Children's Rights, wanted by The Hague

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis' special envoy, met with Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Ombudsman for Children's Rights, who is accused of forcibly deporting Ukrainian children.

Source: Lvova-Belova on Telegram, posting a photo with Matteo Zuppi, as European Pravda reports

Details: According to Lvova-Belova, they discussed humanitarian issues related to military operations and the protection of children's rights.

Quote: "I am sure that Christian love and mercy will help in dialogue and mutual understanding," Lvova-Belova said.

Background:

On 6 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Special Envoy of Pope Francis, in Kyiv.

In March, the pre-trial proceedings Chamber of the II International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, who is the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and who is also accused of war crimes related to the illegal deportation and illegal relocation of Ukrainian children.

According to some estimates, Russia abducted 700,000 children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities claim that only 307 of them have been brought back.

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FILE PHOTO: Students walk in the courtyard of the law school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

By Karen Sloan

(Reuters) - The experience of two highly selective public U.S. law schools offers a guide for other schools to admitting diverse students now that the U.S. Supreme Court has banned colleges and universities from considering race as a factor in their admissions decisions.

The court ruled on Thursday that race-conscious admissions at both public and private colleges and universities is unconstitutional.

Enrollment at the University of Michigan Law School and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law among Black, Hispanic and Native American first-year students plummeted after both states banned affirmative action in public university admissions.

But over time each school found new ways to boost their percentages of those diverse groups beyond pre-ban levels by adopting strategies that other institutions likely will mirror now that the Supreme Court has prohibited public and private colleges and universities from considering race when admitting students. Those range from participating in pipeline programs that introduce college students to legal careers to looking at applicants' family income and whether they are the first in their families to attend college.

The total percentage of Black, Hispanic and Native American first-year students at Berkeley Law fell from 19% in 1996 to less than 6% in 1997the year after the state banned affirmative actionAmerican Bar Association data show. Enrollment of those groups among Michigan Law's first-year classes declined from 17% in 2005 to 9% by 2008, when the school felt the full impact of the state's 2006 prohibition on considering race in admissions, according to the ABA. Those percentages have since rebounded.

It really dealt us a powerful blow, Sarah Zearfoss, Michigan Laws senior assistant dean said of the state's affirmative action ban. The story of these intervening 16 years has been slowly, slowly trying to come back to where we were before we had to go race blind.

First-year Asian American enrollment held steady before and immediately after the affirmative action bans14% for Berkeley Law and 13% for Michigan Law, according to ABA data. Those figures are now 20% at Berkeley Law and 15% at Michigan Law.

Prior to the Supreme Court's new ruling, nine states prohibited affirmative action, and law school administrators there said they are fielding requests from out-of-state colleagues on how to enroll diverse classes when race cannot be taken into account. The Association of American Law Schools on July 10 is convening a virtual conference focused on admissions in a post-affirmative action landscape, chaired by Berkeley Law dean Erwin Chemerinsky.

Anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions sued both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina over admissions policies it alleges discriminate against Asian Americans by giving preference to Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants.

Students for Fair Admissions president Edward Blum did not respond to requests for comment on the potential impact of the suits on law student and lawyer diversity.

The stakes are high for the legal profession, which remains significantly less diverse than the U.S. population. ABA data shows that 19% of the country's lawyers are people of color, compared with 40% of the overall population. By contrast, 36% of physicians are minorities, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and 30% of dentists are minorities, according to the American Dental Association.

Banning affirmative action will likely reduce the number of minority undergraduate students and subsequently narrow the pipeline of diverse students considering legal careers, law school admissions officials said. And if minority law student enrollment falls off, the slow but steady progress in the number of racially diverse attorneys is expected to reverse.

If the undergraduate population becomes very white, thats the only thing we have to work with, said Michigans Zearfoss.

Alongside strategies to recruit and admit diverse students, Zearfoss said the changing demographics of the law school applicant pool have helped Michigan Law bolster student diversitygood news for law schools now facing an affirmative action ban. The percentage of minority applicants this year now stands at more than 46%, up from 44% the previous year, according to the latest figures from the Law School Admission Council.

Without the ability to consider an applicants race, Michigan Law, which last year accepted fewer than 14% of its applicants, looks to other factors including whether applicants are the first in their families to attend college; where they attended high school; and family income in an effort of admit diverse classes. Application essays can also provide a window, Zearfoss said.

The law school also prioritizes recruiting at events geared toward minority applicants and at college and universities with significant minority enrollment, Zearfoss added.

Michigan Law and Berkeley Law both voluntarily withhold information about each applicant's race to ensure they comply with their state laws, admissions officials said.

Recovering from Californias affirmative action ban took Berkeley Law years as the school slowly learned to draw a diverse pool of applicants, admit diverse students without considering their race, and convince them to enroll at Berkeley Law, Chemerinsky said. The school, which has an acceptance rate of under 13%, collects detailed financial data from accepted students through need-based scholarship applications in order to direct financial aid to them in hopes they will enroll. But bolstering economic diversity does not yield the same level of racial diversity as considering race directly, Chemerinsky said.

Like Michigan, Berkeley Law prioritizes pipeline programs that encourage minority students to consider legal careers early on. And it has students, alumni and faculty with similar backgrounds reach out to accepted students during the admissions process, Chemerinsky said.

Both Zearfoss and Chemerinsky said achieving diversity without affirmative action requires extra institutional effort.

My great fear is that after the Supreme Court decision, college and universities will give up on diversity, Chemerinsky said.

Read more:

Law student diversity hits new high as schools await affirmative action ruling

Legal industry groups ask U.S. Supreme Court to protect affirmative action (This story has been refiled to correct the date in dateline and fix a spelling error in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Karen Sloan; editing by Leigh Jones)
Potential US presidential candidate comes to Ukraine and meets with Zelenskyy

Mike Pence, former US Vice President and presidential candidate from the Republican Party, came on an unannounced visit to Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, referring to NBC News

Details: During his trip to Ukraine, Pence met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Quote: "Coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies," he said.

WATCH: Mike Pence makes surprise visit to Ukraine, tells @DashaBurns that American support for Ukraine "is bigger than politics."



Mike Pence: If Russia wins, the second half of the 21st century could look an awful lot more like the first half of the 20th century. pic.twitter.com/pX4OiD2HJL  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 29, 2023

Details: Pence also visited the cities of Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin in Kyiv Oblast, which were badly damaged during the Russian occupation at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Quote:"Im here because its important that the American people understand the progress that weve made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest," Pence added.

Background:

At the beginning of June, Pence announced that he would run for Presidential office, starting to compete for the nomination from the Republican Party.

He also stated that he supports US aid for Ukraine and criticised former US President Donald Trump, who called Putin "genius".

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Navys amphibious ships are as much of a Swiss Army knife as the Marine expeditionary units that deploy aboard them. They function as miniature aircraft carriers, launchers for small watercraft, and global transports for thousands of personnel and their accompanying vehicles and weapons.

But fears that these ships must do more to justify their sustainment costs are driving a new directive in the latest update to the Marine Corps strategy.

A June update to Force Design 2030 calls, in part, for a holistic mothership experimentation campaign plan that addresses how the Corps prized amphibious ships might house and launch unmanned aircraft and vessels, along with an undefined array of other warfighting technology.

Amphibious warfare ships are the cornerstone of maritime crisis response, deterring adversaries, and building partnerships, the document states. In the future, amphibious warfare ships will offer even more capability, serving as motherships for a variety of manned, unmanned, and human-machine teamed systems.

By Oct. 1, the document directs, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory will develop that mothership experimentation in order to investigate new gear configurations that further the services goals.

Given the exponential growth of anti-access and area-denial capabilities, coupled with the increasing range of sensors, and expanding weapons-engagement zones, we will begin experimenting with amphibious platforms as motherships to distribute and extend the range of our capabilities, the updated document explains. These platforms will host a variety of manned, minimally-manned, and unmanned systems  air, surface, and subsurface  to sense and enable our forces with the aim of confounding adversaries and complicating their ability to target the joint force.

Shon Brodie, director of the Corps Maritime Expeditionary Warfare Division, told Defense News this exploration of new missions and configurations for amphibious ships is in part an expansion of a longtime tradition. The amphibious transport dock Portland, for example, was used to recover the Artemis I missions Orion spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean following its successful NASA mission.

But he also acknowledged ongoing efforts of Marine Corps leadership to communicate why the service still needs the ships.

By leaning into [the mothership concept], youre demonstrating the increased value of the amphibious warfare ship, Brodie said. And youre recognizing that you have to equip the force in it in a different way, in a modern way.

Hiding in plain sight

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger has said the service needs no fewer than 31 amphibious ships, a statement members of the Expeditionary Warfare Division vigorously defended. That minimum requirement is down, under budget duress, from the 38 ships the service said it needed until 2019.

The last two Defense Department budget requests have pushed for the early decommissioning of several Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships, while throwing the brakes on plans to invest in new San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks to replace them. Rather than defending amphibious ships, the Navy has backed funding for newer ship classes and long-range weapons.

For its part, the shipbuilder HII in June 2022 demonstrated what a mothership role for amphibious ships might look like when it launched, operated and then recovered a large-diameter unmanned underwater vehicle from the waterline-level well deck of a San Antonio-class amphibious ship.

As the unmanned community examines the range and depth of support platforms that are out there, theres a lot of assets that are hiding in plain sight that can be put to use now in their current form to support tests and demonstrations, said Jim Strock, an independent consultant specializing in naval expeditionary capabilities and requirements, and the former director of the Marine Corps Seabasing Integration Division.

Strock supports the Corps pursuit of a mothership role for amphibious ships, but contends the service should increase the aperture. While amphibious vessels remain in high demand for training and deployments, which competes with experimentation needs, he noted the service also has access to a variety of expeditionary sea-basing ships built to serve as lily pads for launching missions and storing equipment.

I would hope that senior leadership would be looking at innovative uses of alternative platforms to help compensate for shortfalls in amphibious ships in the near term, Strock said.

The next steps in developing mothership tasks for amphibious ships involve reviewing literature on concepts and experimentation, then assessing how many Marines and sailors are needed onboard to monitor and operate additional systems, Brodie said. While drones of various kinds are the most likely add-ons to amphibious ships, Brodie noted, these additions are likely to prompt corresponding upgrades to make the platforms more survivable, more lethal and more self-sustaining.

In a distributed environment, the more I can have that ship operate independently and not be dependent upon other assets, the better it is, he said. But then theres the cost. Its a balance.  Youre almost building an ecosystem. Anytime you make a change to a ship, it has a corresponding change to the whole system.
An undated image courtesy of OceanGate Expeditions, shows their Titan submersible launching from a platform (Handout)

Experts have recovered presumed human remains from what is left of the Titan sub that imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck, with the death of five people, the US Coast Guard said Wednesday.

"United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered," the agency said.

On board were British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush, CEO of the sub's operator OceanGate Expeditions.

They presumably died instantly when the Titan sub, about the size of an SUV car, imploded under the crushing pressure of the North Atlantic at a depth of more than two miles.

Mangled debris recovered from the small submersible was offloaded earlier in the day in eastern Canada, bringing to an end a difficult search-and-recovery operation.

That debris will now be taken aboard a US Coast Guard cutter to a US port for further analysis, the organization said.

"There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again," said the leader of the US probe into the tragedy, Captain Jason Neubauer.

Television images showed what appeared to be the Titan sub's nose cone and a side panel with electronics and wires hanging out being hoisted from a ship onto a flatbed truck at a Canadian Coast Guard terminal in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Pelagic Research, the New York company that owns the Odysseus remote-operated vehicle used in the search for the ill-fated submersible, said its offshore search-and-recovery operation has wrapped up.

Canadian officials declined to comment on the recovery of the sub debris.

Titan was reported missing on June 18 and the US Coast Guard said last Thursday that all five people aboard the submersible had died after the vessel suffered a catastrophic implosion.

A debris field was found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The announcement of the implosion ended a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captured the world's attention since the tourist craft went missing.

The Coast Guard has launched its highest level of probe, called a Marine Board of Investigation, into this accident.

amc/dw/md
Presumed human remains from the Titan submersible wreck will be analyzed as investigators try to unravel how the disaster unfolded

US medical experts will analyze presumed human remains found within the Titan submersibles wreckage as mystery still surrounds the vessels catastrophic implosion last week in the North Atlantic.

There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again, US Coast Guard Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement Wednesday, nearly a week after the calamity was confirmed.

The OceanGate Expeditions submersible  which hosted $250,000-a-ticket tourist excursions to the 111-year-old remains of the Titanic  lost contact June 18 with its mother ship, the Polar Prince. The Titans failure to resurface sparked a massive, international search  from the oceans swelling surface to its cold, blind depths  that captured the worlds attention for days.

The arduous hunt ended when US authorities delivered the most tragic news: The submersible had imploded, and all five men onboard had presumably died.

The US Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation  its highest level of inquiry  to examine what caused the tragedy and offer possible recommendations to the proper authorities to pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary, said Neubauer, who heads the board and leads the team investigating the Titan disaster.

Investigators will analyze debris from the vessels wreckage, collect evidence, interview witnesses and hold a public hearing for more witness testimony.

Workers guide Titan debris from the ocean floor Wednesday onto a Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John's. - Paul Daly/The Canadian Press/AP

Meanwhile, evidence from the Titan wreckage site has arrived in the Canadian coastal city of St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, the US Coast Guard said Wednesday. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed its arrival and that the US Coast Guard had it.

The evidence  including the presumed human remains  will be taken to a US port for analysis and testing, the Coast Guard said. The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy, Neubauer said Wednesday.

A white panel-like piece  taller than the two men guiding it onto land  and another similarly sized part with cords and wires draped with white tarp were taken off the anchor handling vessel Horizon Arctic on Wednesday at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. Johns, photos by The Canadian Press Paul Daly show. It was not immediately clear what those pieces were.

The company that owns the remotely operated vehicles that brought Titans remains to the surface, Pelagic Research Services, for now has successfully completed its offshore work, it told CNN.

The Canadian safety board is conducting its own safety investigation into the operation of the Polar Prince, which the board called a Canadian-flagged cargo vessel.

Those investigators have collected all documents and conducted preliminary interviews with those aboard the Polar Prince, the agency said. They have also sent the vessels voyage data recorder, which stores audio from the ships bridge, to an Ottawa laboratory for analysis.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will continue to cooperate with the United States, United Kingdom, and France, in accordance with international agreements, as they are substantially interested states under the International Maritime Organization Casualty Investigation Code, it said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is also investigating and looking into whether criminal, federal, or provincial laws may possibly have been broken.

Titan debris brought up from the ocean floor is unloaded Wednesday from the Horizon Arctic ship. - Paul Daly/The Canadian Press/AP

Mourning the 5 men lost

While investigators hunt for answers, friends and relatives of the five men on board are overcome with grief.

Pakastani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman Dawood; British businessman Hamish Harding; French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet; and Stockton Rush, the OceanGate CEO, were all on board.

Christine Dawood, the wife of 48-year-old Shahzada and mother of 19-year-old Suleman, had intended to take part of the expedition but decided to step aside so her son could go instead, shes said.

They really, really wanted to do that for a very long time, she told the BBC.

Her son was a Rubiks Cube obsessive who took the puzzle block  which he could solve in 12 seconds  with him on the Titan, where hed planned to solve it 3,700 meters below sea at the Titanic, she recalled him saying.

Harding, a 58-year-old British businessman, had been part of other extreme expeditions, including as a member of the flight crew that broke the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe via both poles. In 2020, he became one of the first people to dive to Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean, widely believed to be the deepest point in the worlds oceans.

He was a passionate explorer-whatever the terrain-who lived his life for his family, his business and for the next adventure, said a statement on behalf of his family released by Dubai-based Action Aviation, which Harding owned.

Nargeolet, a 77-year-old French diver, was a former commander who served in the French navy for 25 years. He had decades of experience exploring the Titanic and served as the director of underwater research at RMS Titanic Inc., the company that has exclusive rights to salvage artifacts from the ship.

When you think of the Titanic and all we know about the ship today, you will think of Paul-Henri Nargeolet and his legendary work, his family said in a statement. But what we will remember him most for is his big heart, his incredible sense of humor and how much he loved his family.

Rush, 61, founded OceanGate in 2009, with a stated mission of increasing access to the deep ocean through innovation.

Throughout his life, he cultivated a reputation as a nature lover, an adventurer and a visionary and was described by OceanGate as a true explorer with a distinct spirit of adventure.

CNNs Paul P. Murphy, Paula Newton and Michelle Krupa contributed to this report.

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Police Seek Help Identifying Suspect Caught on Video in Pride Fireworks Attack

Police in southern California are asking for the publics help in bringing to justice a person captured on video throwing fireworks into a crowd of revelers celebrating Pride earlier this month. Video of the incident was posted to social media by the Hermosa Beach Police Department.

The incident took place during a silent disco ball in Hermosa Beach on Saturday, June 17. The male suspect can be seen lighting a string of firecrackers, tossing the lit pyrotechnics into the unsuspecting crowd of revelers, then escaping on a gasoline-powered beach cruiser bicycle. Multiple people were injured in the attack, and the incident was quickly reported to police.

Officers spoke with the 911 caller who reported that a subject threw a lit firework into a crowd of people at Vista, who were participating in a silent disco event, HBPD posted to social media. The 911 caller told officers the firework exploded in the middle of the crowd and fragments of the firework hit multiple people.

Police describe the subject as a male between the ages of 18 to 25 years old and wearing dark pants, and a red, white, and blue helmet. A better description of the suspects black sweatshirt with yellow lining would be that he was wearing what is known as a beach or Baja hoodie with a black background and yellow stripes. The Baja hoodie is popular with surfers and the local beach communities.

Police describe the getaway bike as beach cruiser with an attached gas-powered motor, a fuel tank attached under the handlebars, and an American Flag to the rear of the bicycle.

The community was quick to comment on the post, with many expressing anger or outrage at the attack on the LGBTQ+ community.

OMG, thats terrible! wrote one user. Why would anyone do that???

I hope you find these punks and they are held accountable for their actions! wrote another. So frigging destructive and disgusting!

Other users thanked the police for posting the video and their investigative efforts on the case.

Police provided no possible motives for the crime but have asked for the publics help in identifying the suspect. Anyone with information about the suspect or case is encouraged to contact detectives at the Hermosa Beach Police Department at 310-318-0360.
Prigozhin May Be Gone, but Not the Failings He Ranted About

An image released by Yevgeny V. Prigozhins press service purporting to show him in Bakhmut, Ukraine, in May.

The Russian warlord whose 24-hour mutiny provoked the worst crisis to roil the country in three decades has been packed off to an uncertain exile  along with the foul-mouthed critiques of the Russian military that won him legions of followers, especially within the ranks.

Yet the problems identified by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, did not disappear with him, military analysts say, and are likely to continue to fester, enraging troops and further lowering already sickly morale.

These include an overall lack of command and control, rigid hierarchy, corruption, tangled logistics, equipment shortages and the absence of an honest, public assessment of the war in Ukraine. The emergence of several other private military companies like Wagner promises to further complicate matters.

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If Prigozhin is gone, the problems will not go with him, said Dmitry Kuznets, a military analyst for Meduza, an independent Russian news website. They are here to stay. This is a bigger problem than Prigozhin himself.

During the uprising, the Telegram messaging app erupted with comments from those who supported Prigozhins diatribes against the military leadership  particularly those aimed at Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff  while also condemning his mutiny.

Do you think that guys who ask for scopes, for example, are very flattering about big generals? Of course not, wrote a military blogger who uses the name Z-War Geeks and has more than 760,000 followers on Telegram. However, he said, most soldiers distinguish between their country and the state. The motherland is unconditional, he wrote. You cant betray it, or lose it.

The reaction overall revealed an opposition bloc among soldiers, the volunteers who supply them and the Telegram community cheering on the war. We knew that before, but we did not understand the scale of it, Kuznets said. The uprising, he added, highlighted the gap between the commanders and the soldiers fighting the war, who generally endorse the idea that the army is badly run and headed for defeat.

We can see that they agree with Prigozhin in general, but they dont agree with his methods, he added.

In some ways, the problems with the war go beyond the people involved and lie within the structure and culture of the Russian military.

Reforms begun more than a decade ago were meant to create a smaller, leaner, more flexible army. It was not built to conquer a large European country, so from that perspective President Vladimir Putin assigned the military a task beyond its grasp, said Alexander Golts, a Russian military analyst.

Russia had forces that can win a short, local conflict, he said. Thats it.

But the reformers fell short of achieving greater flexibility, which requires giving decision-making power to commanders in the field. That ran up against deep-seated cultural norms, particularly a penchant for rigid, hierarchical command structure and a callousness about soldiers casualties that some say is a legacy of Soviet times.

This month, the Ministry of Defense moved to assert control over the proliferating number of private military groups, insisting that they all sign contracts by July 1. That helped spark Prigozhin to mutiny, but it also highlighted an issue that to date has been discussed mostly among military bloggers and some Russian news outlets.

The crackdown was a step in the right direction, from a military perspective, said Golts, whose report for the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies on the potential for civil war in Russia had predicted a similar uprising just days before it happened.

The number of private armies remains small. Gennady Timchenko, a wealthy Putin crony, started one called Redoubt. It was initially intended to protect his Stroytransgaz energy facility in Syria, but it began recruiting people for Ukraine after the war began, according to Russian news reports.

Prigozhin himself brought attention to the fact that Gazprom, the state energy company, had started three private armed groups: Potok, Fakel and Plamya, or Stream, Torch and Flame. Their independence from the Defense Ministry remains murky.

Those people who have money think that its an awesome topic now  to collect PMCs, Prigozhin said in an interview broadcast on Telegram in April, referring to private military companies.

Although private militias remain technically illegal in Russia, and the government is now trying to rein them in, the fact that Wagner was paid nearly $1 billion for roughly the first year of the war offers an incentive to create such groups. And as Wagner just showed, they carry enormous potential to create havoc.

After the rebellion, all people with arms in their hands understood that they can use those arms in their own interests, not in the interests of the state, Golts said. It was a very dramatic pivot. Prigozhin crossed the Rubicon.

In Washington, senior Pentagon officials said the Kremlins response to the mutiny underscored the weaknesses in the Russian militarys command-and-control structure  its inability to react quickly to unexpected developments, and poor coordination between the military and other security services.

U.S. military officials were stunned that an armored column of Wagner forces advanced within 125 miles of Moscow. The mercenaries met no resistance on the ground, but shot down half a dozen Russian military helicopters and an Il-22 airborne command post that engaged the column.

Pentagon officials said that this reflected once again the lack of coordination between Russian air and ground forces. But the muted reaction might also have been a sign that many officers and soldiers were sympathetic to the mutineers, military analysts said.

Still, Prigozhin overplayed his hand, possibly thinking that months of phone calls from officers grousing about the Defense Ministry meant that some would join the rebellion. I think Prigozhin overestimated his support  disdain for Gerasimov does not equal support for Prigozhin, said Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at the Rand Corp.

Gerasimov replaced Gen. Sergei Surovikin in January as commander of Russian forces fighting Ukraine. Surovikin and Prigozhin are allies since working together on Russias military operations in Syria.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that U.S. officials said that Surovikin had advance knowledge of the uprising, and they were trying to determine if he helped with the planning and if any other senior officers were involved.

U.S. military officials said there were no indications that the mutiny had caused Moscow to pull military units off the front lines in Ukraine. But it could adversely impact Russias battlefield performance, analysts and Pentagon officials said.

In Ukraine, the Russian military has been holding its own in recent weeks against the long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Strategic defenses  the minefields, trench networks and tank traps that the Russians have spent months building  have thus far blunted the Ukrainian effort.

Offense is another matter. Russia has never addressed the command, communications and logistical failures that undermined what was supposed to be its initial lightning assault to seize Ukraine.

Top military posts have been a revolving door, with Putin sidelining Gerasimov for a time in favor of Surovikin and then reversing himself in January  even though Surovikin had earned praise for his professional handling of the Russian retreat from Kherson.

A pervading sense that high-level commanders arent held accountable can pose a substantive challenge to any militarys ability to command and control forces on the battlefield. Analysts say the lack of accountability undermined the authority of Shoigu and Gerasimov in the ranks.

It made both of them look weak, said Rob Lee, a senior fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Clearly there are a lot of systemic issues in the Russian military that are attributable to the leadership, he added. The reason Prigozhin had any support at all is that his criticisms of the Russian Ministry of Defense  many of them are reasonable.

In the days after the rebellion, Shoigu appeared multiple times in public  a sign that he would stay in his position  while reports of a widespread purge in the military began to emerge from Russias military bloggers.

The lagging morale among the rank-and-file will only be worsened by the infighting and Putins response to the mutiny, if the early reports are accurate. It did not give added morale to the mostly demoralized army, said Pavel Luzin, a Russian military analyst.

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Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

The long-running saga over the occupancy of Frogmore Cottage came to end on Thursday as a royal official confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally vacated the Windsor property.

Speculation about the future of the house emerged in January after a spokesperson for the Sussexes said the couple had been asked to leave Frogmore shortly after the publication of Harrys royal-bashing memoir, Spare. The duke and duchess rarely used the propertydespite spending over $3 million on renovationsafter it was gifted to them by Harrys late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

Harry and Meghan: Yes, We Are Getting The Boot From Frogmore Cottage

The couple kept the house as a base in the U.K. even after their move to California in 2020 following their decision to step back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family.

Sir Michael Stevens, the Keeper of the Privy Purse responsible for royal finances, announced at an annual Sovereign Grant meeting that Harry and Meghans tenure in the house was over. We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage, he said, according to Sky News.

We will not be going into any detail on those arrangements here, Sir Michael added. Safe to say that, as has previously been stated, the duke and duchess have paid for the expenditure incurred by the Sovereign Grant in relation to the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, thus leaving the Crown with a greatly enhanced asset.

Sir Michael would not comment on previous reports that Prince Andrew could be given the cottage instead, saying only that any future occupancy will be determined and communicated in next years report.

The disgraced Duke of York currently lives with ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, in the larger Royal Lodge less than three miles away from Frogmore. A source previously told The Daily Beast: Andrew cant continue living in a 30-room stately home at taxpayers expense. I wouldnt be at all surprised if the king is making changes.

King Charles Isnt Going to Kick Prince Andrew Out of Royal Lodge. Yet.

Frogmore has been at the heart of controversy involving Harry and Meghan after it was given to them as a wedding gift by the late queen in 2018. Their decision to spend millions in taxpayers money renovating the building before the birth of their first child, Archie, in 2019, was criticized as extravagant in Britain.

In 2020, Harrys spokesperson confirmed that he had repaid the cost of the renovations to the Sovereign Grant amid reports suggesting that the prince was able to cover the funds thanks to a multimillion-dollar deal signed with Netflix. A story in the U.K. press last week claimed that the Sussexes have only received half of their $103 million agreement with the streaming giant and wont get the remaining cash until they come up with new shows.

Harry and Meghan also mutually agreed to end a separate $20 million deal with Spotfiy after producing just one podcast, Archetypes, prompting one Spotify executive to say the show shouldve been called The Fucking Grifters.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A leading academic is warning that the Supreme Courts Thursday decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions could lead to segregated classrooms at universities across the country.

We will return to elite institutions most specifically being the space for particular populations, for predominantly white and Asian students, said Eddie Glaude Jr., a professor at Princeton University who is a regular contributor to MSNBC, during the networks breaking news coverage of the SCOTUS ruling.

We will begin to see a kind of segregated higher education landscape, Glaude Jr. said. The irony of course  this was just one remedy to the legacy of discrimination in admissions in American higher education. Only one remedy, and so here theyve taken it away.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

In a decision that broke along ideological lines, the courts six conservative justices ruled against the admission schemes set up by Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, determining they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

The decision sparked an instant backlash from Democrats and cheers from Republicans.

In a statement issued shortly after the ruling came down, former President Barack Obama wrote his heart breaks for any young person out there whos wondering what their future holds  and what kinds of chances will be open to them.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The progressive organization MoveOn is asking secretaries of state across the country to investigate No Labels, a group pushing for a third-party presidential candidate.

We are writing to inform you about our grave concern about the activities of a political organization called No Labels that may be operating in your state and has been flagged by another state election official for potentially misleading voters, wrote MoveOn Political Actions executive director, Rahna Epting, in a letter to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias (D), as shared with The Hill. The Messenger first reported the story.

The letter asks the secretary to investigate the work and practices of No Labels staff and canvassers, as they may be actively working to get on the ballot in your state and to ensure that No Labels electoral activity in your state is legal and above board.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) alerted voters in her state back in May that some may be unaware that they have enrolled in the No Labels Party, which is seeking party status in Maine. She said voters were told they were signing a petition, rather than a registration form that would change their party affiliation.

Bellows sent a letter to No Labelss director of ballot access to raise serious concerns about the campaigns apparent conduct to enroll Maine voters in the No Labels Party for purposes of qualifying that party for the 2024 election. New parties need 5,000 enrolled voters to get ballot access for 2024 primaries in Maine, according to the secretarys office.

Registering as a member of the No Labels party would prohibit voters from participating in Republican or Democratic primaries in the state. No Labels is a bipartisan group that has been looking to run a unity ticket in the 2024 presidential election, which would include a Republican and a Democrat.

We want to ensure these same practices cited in the Maine secretary of states letter are not happening in your state, MoveOn said in its letter.

No Labels has reportedly already snagged a spot on the ballot in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado and Oregon.

Many on the left have raised concerns that third-party candidate could pull President Biden down in his reelection bid if he goes against the current Republican front-runner, former President Trump. No Labels has promised to end its efforts if polling shows Biden way, way out ahead against Trump next spring.

No Labels chief strategist, Ryan Clancy, said in response to the letter that In every state where No Labels is active, we are crystal clear about what we are doing and why. We are offering Americans a choice they so obviously want in 2024 and we are following both the letter and spirit of all applicable election laws, per a statement published in The Messenger.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Prosecutor's office to investigate Odesa military commissar that bought a villa in Spain, and his relatives

The prosecutor's office has started an investigation of the recently-dismissed Odesa military commissar, Yevhen Borysov, regarding possible illegal enrichment, evasion of military service, and exceeding official powers.

Source: The press service of the Prosecutor General's Office

Quote: "The specialised prosecutor's office in the field of defence of the southern region [of Ukraine] is carrying out procedural management in criminal proceedings on the facts of possible illegal enrichment, evasion of military service and exceeding official powers by the former head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Centre for Recruitment and Social Support."

Details: It is reported that the information published in mass media regarding the overseas property of the family members of the official is being checked. In particular, during the period of martial law, they have purchased premium cars and real estate in the Kingdom of Spain for a total amount of over UAH196 million [about US$5.3 million  ed.], although the family's official joint income does not cover these expenses.

Currently, investigative and procedural actions are being taken to confirm this information. Requests for international legal assistance were also sent to Spain, Moldova, Romania, and Turkiye.

In addition, separate facts of possible evasion by the head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Centre of Recruitment and Social Support from military service are being investigated  his stay abroad, supposedly for treatment.

Law enforcement officers are investigating whether there are legal grounds for a military official responsible for mobilisation in the region to leave the country during martial law.

More than 30 witnesses have been questioned; 11 searches, 17 inspections and temporary accesses have been conducted, more than 100 requests have been sent to state authorities, enterprises, institutions, and organisations, and 3 tax audits of the economic activities of the official's family members have been conducted.

Background:

In the investigation of Ukrainska Pravda Spain Battalion, it was reported that during the full-scale war, the family of the head of the Odesa Regional Military Committee, Yevhen Borysov, bought real estate and cars worth millions of dollars on the Spanish coast.

Later it became known that an official inspection was conducted in relation to Borysov, but no grounds for dismissal from the position were found.

After that, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, to fire the military commissar.

The State Bureau of Investigation initiated proceedings regarding the facts of Borysov's abuse of power.

Currently, Yevhen Borysov has been dismissed from the post of head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.

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Proud mama cow cant help but show off newborn calf to owner. See the adorable TikTok

A farm owner in Georgia missed the birth of her newest calf  but the mama was eager to show off her newborn.

BreeAnne Clowdus, known as @Thegoodplacefarm on TikTok, had left the farm in Chattahoochee Hills for a mere 24 hours when her cow Milkshake gave birth, according to a TikTok posted on June 27.

The baby was born in a blame creek bed and had gotten stuck in the mud, the TikTok showed.

Fortunately, the farm sitter carried her out to safety.

Ive never missed a farm birth until now but I rushed home as fast as I could in a storm to get to her, Clowdus wrote in a TikTok posted June 28. When Milkshake saw me she started running to show me the baby and of course I was a mess.

Milkshake was excited to show the TikToker her new little girl, the video showed.

She is beautiful, the TikToker can be heard saying in the video that has garnered more than 13 million views as of June 29. Its unclear if the calf has a name yet  or if itll be frozen treat-based like her parents, Milkshake and Dippin Dot.

In pure Disney movie fashion, as the baby cow was getting up to stand, Clowdus noticed a rainbow, the video later showed.

In a video posted on June 28, the farm owner showed viewers the baby, now running around.

This little girl is the cutest ... thing ever!!! Truly the Gigi Hadid of cows, she wrote in the video captioned, referencing the model. Living her best 2 day old calf life.

Commenters were in agreement that the videos were cuteness overload.

Theyre all so precious, one person said.

Ive never seen cows play. Im literally crying I love them so much the whole little fam, another user said.

Chattahoochee Hills is about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta.

Puppy warms hearts on TikTok as he waits to take girlfriend on dates. See him greet her

27-year-old TikToker faces cancer treatment with hilarious outlook. See inspiring videos

Best last day on Earth. Dog owner documents pets final day in heartwarming TikTok
Purina says claim of 10-pack of dog food for less than $2 is online scam | Fact check

The claim: Purina is offering a 10-pack of dog food for $1.95

A June 27 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims a major brand is offering pet food at a fraction of the normal price.

Purina warehouses are overflowing, reads the post. To free up warehouse space, Purina is selling a 10-pack of dog food to every willing dog owner for just $1.95.

A similar post was shared nearly 75 times in two days before it was deleted.

Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks

Our rating: False

Purina said it is not offering such a promotion. The post is a scam that directs users to a website unaffiliated with the brand, then asks for personal information in order to claim the offer.

Purina offers coupons, rebates on website or app, but not multiple bags for less than $2

Lorie Westhoff, a spokesperson for Purina, said the claim is false.

This is definitely a scam and a classic example of the adage, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, said Westhoff.

She said the simplest way to access legitimate offers is through the company's app. As of June 28, its website also has several offers, including $5 off Purina ONE Dog Food, $2 back on Puppy Chow Dry Food and $3 back on Purina Puppy Food. There is no offer that matches the one in the Facebook post.

Fact check: Scammers use viral photo from 2020 for copy-and-paste social media scheme

There are several other signs that indicate the post is a scam. The page doesn't have a blue verified checkmark that Facebook uses to identify legitimate brand accounts, and the page was made shortly before the post itself.

The post directs users to click on a link that takes them to a website that is unaffiliated with Purina. Users are then asked a series of questions in order to determine eligibility and later prompted to enter personal information, including a street address and email address, in order to claim the offer.

A class-action lawsuit references at least 3,000 online complaints of dogs becoming sick or dying after eating Beneful dog food, which is owned by Purina.

USA TODAY has previously debunked claims of similar offers from brands such as Dairy Queen, Delta Air Lines and Amtrak.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

Dog Food Facebook page, accessed June 26, Page transparency

Purina, accessed June 26, Rebates

Lorie Westhoff, June 25, Email exchange with USA TODAY

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Facebook claim of $2 Purina dog food is social media scam | Fact check
He put pythons in his pants and headed to US by bus  and could go to prison, feds say

A man stepped on a bus in Montreal, Canada, destined for New York City with three reptilian passengers  Burmese pythons  hidden inside his pants, according to court documents.

Once the bus crossed the U.S.-Canada border at the Champlain Port of Entry in upstate New York on July 15, 2018, he broke federal law, McClatchy News previously reported.

Now the 37-year-old, of Queens, New York, is facing up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, according to federal prosecutors.

A review of the mans passport at the border crossing led to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer finding the young adult pythons near the mans inner thigh inside of a bag, court documents show. The bag was tied to his pants drawstring, according to a plea agreement.

On June 28, the man pleaded guilty to smuggling the creatures into the U.S., the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of New York announced in a news release.

McClatchy News contacted a federal public defender representing the man for comment on June 29 and didnt immediately receive a response. Although prosecutors have publicly identified him, McClatchy News isnt naming him since hes not a accused of a crime thats caused direct physical harm to another person.

When the man was caught with the snakes worth over $2,500, he initially tried lying about what kind of species they were, according to the plea agreement, which says the bag they were hidden in listed the name of a Canadian reptile store he bought them from.

Burmese pythons are considered injurious to human beings by the Secretary of the Interior and can grow up to 16 feet in length, according to the plea agreement. Its illegal to bring these invasive pythons into the U.S. unless a person obtains a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After the man admitted he did not have the proper paperwork or permits for the snakes, he wrote a statement acknowledging he was stopped with 3 baby Burmese pythons that he didnt declare, according to the plea agreement.

He is accused of violating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Treaty and other federal regulations involving importing wild animals into the country, the plea agreement says.

Under the CITES Treaty, Burmese pythons are considered creatures not presently threatened with extinction but may become so if their trade was not regulated, according to the plea agreement.

To bring Burmese pythons into the U.S., he shouldve had a CITES document issued by Canada, the plea agreement says.

The mans sentencing hearing is set for Oct. 26, prosecutors said.

Burmese pythons are native to southern and southeastern Asia. The longest python of the species recorded grew up to 16.8 feet and was found in Florida, according to the Florida Museum.

Man tries selling venomous creature on Craigslist  and now must pay a fine, MD cops say

Snakes slither out of luggage as passenger tries smuggling 22 into India, officials say

Reptile dealers smuggled thousands of creatures worth $5 million from the US, feds say
Russian propagandists have shown video footage of dictator Vladimir Putin greeting a stunned crowd on a walkabout in a square in Derbent during his visit to Dagestan. The president of the aggressor country was not deterred by the sanitary restrictions that he has been adhering to since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Meduza; Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti

Details: Propaganda media distributed a video in which Putin is enthusiastically greeted by the crowd, with people wishing him "good health and 100 years of life".

Putin has avoided personal contact since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Journalists were quarantined before meeting the Russian president, and a four-metre-long table was set up for Putin's talks with the French president.

Dmitry Peskov, the Russian presidents press secretary, explained that Putin himself wanted to greet the crowd up close, despite doctors advice. "On the one hand, there is advice from specialists, but on the other hand, there is the presidents firm decision that he could not refuse to greet these people," he explained.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Vladimir Putin drawing on an electronic board at an exhibition in Moscow - clash report/clash report

Vladimir Putin drew a cartoon smiley face with big ears for the cameras in his first public outing since the aborted Wagner coup.

The odd moment came after a rare meet-and-greet with Russians in an apparent charm offensive aimed at projecting support for his rule.

The 70-year-old, who became almost invisible to the public during the Covid pandemic, greeted a crowd of supporters on Wednesday evening during a surprise walkabout in the North Caucasus region of Dagestan.

He later visited a hi-tech exhibition in Moscow and drew a crude sketch of a smiley head on an electronic board, bearing a similarity to Sponge Bob Squarepants or 7-Ups FidoDido.

There was no official explanation for his drawing. The Russian leader was seen walking up to the white electronic board with some maths equations written on it, took a pen and drew the sketch of a head with wavy hair and massive ears after a company executive asked him to leave an autograph.

"Vladimir Putin draws a cat's bottom during school visit" - Old video from 2013 pic.twitter.com/wrPYk8CZOs  Russian Market (@runews) June 29, 2023

The executive reminded Mr Putin of a Siberian school visit ten years earlier when the Russian leader ended up leaving an odd drawing on the electronic board. When asked by the students what it was, Mr Putin said: Its a cat - from the rear.

Russian president Vladimir Putin kisses a girl as he poses for selfies in Dagestan - Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik Kremlin

Residents of the city of Derbent were seen reaching out to shake the presidents hand from behind security barriers on his walkabout in Dagestan.and he had a selfie taken with a 13-year-old girl who popped up next to him.

The event marked Putins first public outing since an aborted coup led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group.

State TV reporter Pavel Zarubin has just posted this clip of Putin 'meeting the people of Derbent' after he held a meeting on tourism there with local officials



The message his trip to Dagestan is meant to send out is clear: Things are back to normal and the people are with me pic.twitter.com/qKeNvvussQ  Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) June 28, 2023

In footage aired by Russian state media, Putin said he was sure he had the support of his people despite the recent unrest.

I did not doubt the reaction in Dagestan and in all of the country, Putin said as he met Sergei Melikov, the head of the region.

Prighozins failed rebellion saw Wagner mercenaries march from the Ukrainian border to within 125 miles of Moscow before the uprising was abruptly called off on Saturday evening.

State television channels have touted footage of Putins visit to the Muslim majority region as proof of his popularity.

The president got such a welcome that even rock stars would nervously smoke in the corner with envy, TV anchor Olga Skabeyeva said on the Rossiya 1 flagship news show on Thursday.

Where else would any nations leader get a welcome like this?

Significant location

But Kremlin observers said Putins choice of location was significant as he lacks widespread support in Moscow and his native St Petersburg.

Itd be impossible to organise a rapturous welcome for him in Moscow or any other central Russian region, Abbas Gallyamov, a former Kremlin speechwriter, said in a Telegram post.

Unlike his predecessors, Putin typically shuns crowds and has famously hosted foreign dignitaries at the Kremlin behind a 20ft table.

Long after Russia and other countries dropped all remaining Covid restrictions, Putins office has maintained that anyone coming into close contact with him must be regularly tested for the virus and spend at least one week in self-isolation prior to a meeting.

Earlier this month, several Russian pro-war bloggers said they had been ordered to observe the isolation protocol before they were allowed to hold face-to-face talks with Putin.

Pro-Kremlin 'correspondents' published a video of Putin ('Putin'?) communicating with the public in Dagestan republic.



Using all kinds of methods for a desperately needed reputation boost? pic.twitter.com/xtp7jjtQCK  Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 28, 2023

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Vladimir Putin Illustrated | Gettyimages

The head of the Wagner mercenary army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, recently led his forces to capture the military headquarters in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don before turning his convoy toward Moscow, only to abruptly halt the advance. He then reportedly agreed to go to Belarus in exchange for all charges against him stemming from the rebellion being dropped. The bizarre series of events shook Russian strongman Vladimir Putin's hold on power, which is thought to have been weakened by the country's barbaric and increasingly disastrous invasion of Ukraine.

Today, Putin remains in power, but Prigozhin's aborted coup was a reminder that his reign can't last forever. "Here's the bottom line: even if it is now snuffed out, an alternative was allowed to arise," historian Stephen Kotkin told Foreign Affairs. Who are the leading alternatives to replace Putin as president of the Russian Federation?

Dmitry Medyedev

Medyedev served four years as Russia's president from 2008 to 2012 before stepping aside for Putin as part of what was later revealed to be a prearranged agreement. The Leningrad native and former law professor is perhaps Putin's longest-standing ally, and he stepped into the subordinate role of Prime Minister from 2012 to 2020. Now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Medyedev has struck a belligerent tone about the war in Ukraine. He recently said of the Ukraine conflict that "this conflict will last for a very long time. For decades, probably," and has threatened a preemptive nuclear strike if Ukraine were to try to acquire its own nuclear stockpile. Questions, however, remain about whether someone who has been so subservient to Putin for so long could take or consolidate power. The Spectator's Mark Galeotti recounts a joke purportedly making the rounds in Moscow, about Medyedev looking for the steering wheel in a car and Putin pulling out a remote control from the passenger seat and announcing he'll be the one driving.

Sergei Kiriyenko

Putin's 60-year-old first deputy chief of staff is a jack-of-all-trades who was most recently given the job of managing the sham referenda in the regions Russia seized from Ukraine in 2022. In the 1990s, Kiriyenko was known as a liberal reformer, so much so that then-President Boris Yeltsin made him the country's youngest-ever prime minister in 1998. Unfortunately, Kiriyenko's tenure coincided with the country's worst post-Soviet financial crisis and he was forced to step down after four months. During his brief turn in office, Kiriyenko made the fateful decision to appoint Putin as the head of the FSB, the successor institution to the KGB. As a Putin inner-circler, Kiriyenko would likely only get the top job if the succession process was managed by Putin or his allies.

Alexei Dyumin

Dyumin, 50, cut his teeth as Putin's bodyguard in the 1990s, before rising to play various roles inside the Russian state, including deputy director of the military intelligence bureau GRU and now governor of Tula Oblast. Dyumin was instrumental in spiriting pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych out of the country in 2014 after a pro-democracy uprising in Kyiv, and then served as a special forces commander in the successful operation to seize Crimea from Ukraine. Once a deputy to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Dyumin has been the subject of extensive rumors in recent days that he will take his former boss's place. Dyumin's rise to power is emblematic of how Putin operates, identifying allies and then shuffling them from one position of authority to another inside the sprawling Russian state. In 2016 Galeotti described "a creeping process" in which Putin's allies, including bodyguards, "start getting appointed to key positions."

Nikolai Petrushev

The secretary of Russia's Security Council, Petrushev is a leading proponent of the idea that there is a Western conspiracy to weaken or possibly break up the Russian Federation. The 71-year-old has known Putin since they worked together in the KGB, and was a major strategist in both the 2014 and 2022 invasions of Ukraine. Last year Tatiana Stanovaya told The Washington Post that "His ideas form the foundations of decisions taken by Putin. He is one of the few figures Putin listens to." In a March 2023 interview with Rossiskaya Gazetta, Petrushev said that "Washington and London are again conniving with Nazism and fascism. They have no qualms about using Ukraine to set Europe or the entire world ablaze in a belief that they can get away with anything." Over the past year, Petrushev has traveled widely seeking to shore up Russia's diplomatic position, and has played a critical role in managing the alliance with China. Petrushev's 45-year-old son Dmitry, currently the agriculture minister, has also been a rumored Putin successor.

Mikhail Mishustin

Russia's 57-year-old prime minister would be a logical choice as successor, and not only because he would become the interim president should Putin step away before his term ends. An economist by training, Mishustin spent a decade as head of the country's tax bureau before his appointment as prime minister in 2020. Mishustin has been muted about the Ukraine war, and focused largely on containing the fallout from Western sanctions placed on Russia since the February 2022 war began, but he was reportedly opposed to Putin's decision to invade. That might make him well-placed to keep the basic structures of the Russian authoritarian regime intact while making a strategic retreat or settling on less favorable terms than Putin has been willing to countenance.

Other possibilities

Given the humiliating trajectory of the Ukraine war, Shoigu is an unlikely but not impossible choice to lead Russia. There is, of course, Prigozhin himself, although the odd denouement to last weekend's putsch may have dimmed his star as much as it did Putin's. Moscow's long-time Mayor Sergei Sobyanan has long been a rumored successor. There is also Dmitry Kozak, a former deputy prime minister and now Kremlin chief of staff who reportedly had worked out an agreement with Ukraine prior to the war that Putin rejected. In the event of a full rupture of the regime itself, of course, the list of possibilities would not be limited to Putin loyalists and other Kremlin insiders. Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny would be the most prominent politician who might seek to lead a post-Putin Russia. Putin has had other opposition leaders, like Boris Nemtsov, assassinated, but others, like tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, live in exile.

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Amid the chaos of Russias brief uprising, an unlikely figure emerged to take credit for calming the spiraling situation. Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus and often called Europes last dictator, has been ruling one of the worlds most authoritarian regimes since the mid 1990s.

This weekend  as Yevgeny Prigozhins Wagner mercenaries were marching on Moscow, and President Vladimir Putin scrambled to defend the city  Lukashenko sought to portray himself as peacemaker and savior of Russia.

To hear him tell it, he was responsible for talking Putin down from his threats to kill Prigozhin, instead persuading the Russian president to allow the Wagner leader and his fighters to leave Russia for Belarus, according to reports in the countrys state media.

In this modern Russian drama, it was surprising casting for the role of rational mediator and Kremlin counterweight. Lukashenko is widely seen in the West as a Putin puppet of a Russian satellite state, particularly since 2020 when the Russian president helped him stay in power during weeks of demonstrations against his rule and the violent crackdown that followed.

Without Russia, Lukashenko will not survive a single day, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenkos main rival in that years internationally condemned presidential election, told NBC News on Thursday.

Alexander Lukashenko, left, and Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Sochi, Russia (Pavel Bednyakov / Sputnik via AP file )

Lukashenkos part in the Putin-Prigozhin deal was all about self-preservation, she said. Lets be clear, Lukashenko was saving himself, not Putin. He realizes that if Putins regime starts crumbling, his own regime will fall down first.

Tsikhanouskaya was forced to flee with her children to neighboring Lithuania after Lukashenko claimed a landslide in the 2020 vote and crushed protesters who, backed by international election monitors, said the ballot was rigged. Her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, a political blogger, was jailed for 18 years in December 2021 for organizing riots, following a trial condemned as a sham.

Responding to the weekends events in Russia, Tsikhanouskaya believes Lukashenkos role in the Putin-Prigozhin truce had been inflated. He was just a messenger for Putin in this situation, not a broker, she said. She added that the presence of Wagner fighters on Belarusian soil threatens not only its people, but also the European Union countries that border it: It escalates Russias domestic conflict to our territory, makes Belarusians hostages of Russia, and creates a threat to Belarusian sovereignty and to our neighbors.

Lukashenkos spotlight moment came about amid a feud between Prigozhin and the Russian Defense Ministry. Wagner has led the fighting for several key Ukrainian cities, including Bakhmut, an eastern city that became a key symbolic prize for Putin when he claimed to have seized it last month at the cost of thousands of men.

But its leader has been heavily critical of the countrys military commanders, using his well-oiled social media machine to launch repeated diatribes against Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, whom he accused of downplaying Wagners role and not supplying his fighters with sufficient ammunition

It came to a head this weekend, resulting in a standoff between Prigozhin and the Kremlin that many experts said was the biggest challenge of Putins 23 years in power. Just as the crisis threatened to boil over into an internal Russian conflict, Prigozhin announced he was turning around  thanks, according to Lukashenko, to a deal he brokered.

Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks inside the headquarters of the Russian southern military district in Rostov-on-Don, Russia (@concordgroup_official via Telegram / AFP via Getty Images)

Belarus watchers in the West are now debating how much to believe this version of events, and what this means for his former Soviet republic.

Putin was really, really humiliated, said Rosemary Thomas, Britains ambassador to Belarus between 2009 and 2012. Its very humiliating to have to cave into Prigozhin; its super humiliating to have to rely on Aleksandr Lukashenko, of all people.

Its pretty well known Putin and Lukashenko loathe each other, Thomas added. But the deal has given Lukashenko a bit of the moral ascendancy  at least for the time being.

With Putin and Prigozhin seemingly weakened, the only Russia ally to benefit from this situation is Lukashenko, said Maryna Rakhlei, a Belarusian national and former journalist, who is a senior officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a nonpartisan think tank. He has the symbolic capital of being able to portray himself as an independent actor and a regional peace broker, she said.

But that doesnt answer the question of why Lukashenko? added Rakhlei, who is now based in Berlin, adding that it remains unclear why it took a relative outsider to arrange a truce between the warring factions of the Russian state.

Belarus will likely remain a pariah in the eyes of the West, accused by human rights groups of silencing political opposition with rigged trials, unfair punishments and torture. Lukashenko has clung to power following a string of elections widely regarded as rigged, so much so that the United States and European Union no longer recognize him as the countrys legitimate leader.

Despite a wealth of documentary evidence and witness testimony, Lukashenko denies the allegations of human rights abuses and being a Putin stooge. In October, he told NBC News that he occasionally quarreled with his Russian counterpart but they remained utmost close friends and reliable partners who had absolute trust in each other.

NBC News has contacted Lukashenkos office for comment on his role in the Putin-Prigozhin deal, as well as Belarus human rights record and relationship with the Kremlin.

In recent years, Belarus has been drawn closer and closer into Russias orbit and, in June, it allowed the Kremlins tactical nuclear weapons to be deployed on its soil.

Now its unclear what the future holds for Lukashenko, or indeed Putin and Prigozhin.

The Belarusian leader is basically a laughing stock in large parts of the West, but hes been able to play this role and I think hes going to play it for all its worth, Thomas said, noting that the danger for all three men is not over.

Lukashenko, she said, is still going to have this nervousness and anxiety about what would happen if Putin was to fall  because hes still so reliant on him.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Questions are mounting regarding the whereabouts and potential involvement of top Russian general Sergei Surovikin in the failed Wagner Group uprising last weekend as Moscow interviews military brass and regular soldiers amid the fallout.

Several Russian military bloggers have reported an ongoing investigation into the military following the rebellion, which comes amid swirling questions around how much support Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had within the military when he marched toward Moscow with thousands of troops.

Other questions include whether any Russian commanders had advanced knowledge of the rebellion.

The New York Times on Tuesday reported that Surovikin, known as General Armageddon for his brutal bombing campaigns in Syria, knew of the rebellion ahead of time.

Both Surovikin and Prigozhin have reportedly maintained a close relationship with each other after campaigns in Syria.

Surovikin oversaw Moscows war in Ukraine from October to January, when he was replaced by Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russias general staff who was a frequent target of Prigozhins rage.

The Moscow Times and CBS News have reported Surovikin was detained by Russian authorities, but the claim is not verified. Surovkin has not been since a Saturday video urging Prigozhin to stand down.

The Kremlin has denied reports of Surovikins involvement with Prigozhin in the uprising.

Still, a shakeup may be coming in Russia. Widely read Russian military blogger Rybar wrote this week there were large-scale purges in the military and a crash test for loyalty in the armed forces.

But these cleansings concern not only the leadership  it also touched ordinary fighters with officers, Rybar wrote. The pilots who refused to strike at mixed convoys  are now facing criminal prosecution.  Such cases are an example of bureaucratic delirium and inertia of the system.

Another account, Colonelcassad, wrote in a Telegram post that at least 500 Russian service members were interviewed, though the post said many of them were considered witnesses.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted many of these Russian bloggers have accurately reported on command structures in the Russian military before.

ISW Russia analyst Karolina Hird told The Hill that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be trying to realign and balance away from Prigozhins views and influence.

Its very much a matter of loyalty and maintaining the kind of inner circle of those who are close to him and who have served him well, she said. And very much pushing against the officers who have aligned with Prigozhin and Prigozhins very direct and pointed questioning of the Kremlins line.

The Wagner march on Saturday was halted more than 100 miles from Moscow after Prigozhin reached a deal with Putin in which the mercenary commander entered exile in Belarus and terrorism charges against him were dropped.

During the rebellion, Prigozhin easily captured Rostov-on-Don, a city in southern Russia with a major military base, and was seen conversing with military leaders in photos. Prigozhin also marched on Moscow with little resistance, though about seven aircraft were shot down.

The Wagner Group leader said 60 to 70 Russian military members joined him during the march, though the claim is not verified. According to Hird from ISW, a small number of Russian soldiers may have joined the rebellion, but its unlikely to be anywhere near the number Prigozhin claimed.

Ahead of the attempted insurrection, Prigozhin railed for months against what he called corruption and ineffectiveness in the war in Ukraine among top Russian leadership in the military.

In his rants, Prigozhin particularly singled out Gerasimov and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Gerasimov has not been seen in public since the rebellion, though Shoigu appeared in a video this week.

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who brokered the deal between Prigozhin and Putin, said the Wagner boss told him he wanted Shoigu and Gerasimov.

That supports reports that Prigozhin may have sought to capture the defense leaders in Ukraine but was forced to hasten his plans on Friday after Russian authorities caught wind of the plot.

Several analysts told The Hill this week that Prigozhin miscalculated how much support he had for the uprising and may have counted on a wider range of defections.

While Wagner fighters were not charged, Putin has raged against the organizers of the rebellion and appears to be moving to break up the mercenary company.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE - Travis Scott performs at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Nov. 5, 2021. A Texas grand jury has declined to indict Travis Scott in the criminal investigation into a massive crowd surge that killed 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston, the rappers attorney said Thursday. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

HOUSTON (AP)  A Texas grand jury declined to indict rap superstar Travis Scott in a criminal investigation of a deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld festival, where some spectators were packed so tightly they could not move their arms or even breathe, his attorney and prosecutors said Thursday.

Lawyer Kent Schaffer confirmed that the Harris County grand jury had met and decided not to indict his client on any criminal charges stemming from the concert.

He never encouraged people to do anything that resulted in other people being hurt, Schaffer said, adding that the decision is a great relief.

Circumstances of the deaths limited what charges prosecutors were able to present before the grand jury, eliminating potential counts such as murder, manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, said Alycia Harvey, an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorneys Office.

That left prosecutors to focus on possible counts of endangering a child in connection with the deaths of the two youngest concertgoers, ages 9 and 14, she added.

""The grand jury ... found that no crime did occur, that no single individual was criminally responsible," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said.

The Nov. 5, 2021, crowd surge in Houston killed 10 young festivalgoers who ranged in age from 9 to 27. The official cause of death was compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.

Roughly 300 people were injured and treated at the scene, and 25 were taken to hospitals.

Houston police and federal officials have been investigating whether Scott, concert promoter Live Nation and others had sufficient safety measures in place.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon after the grand jury's decision, police presented various details from their investigation including a timeline of events during Scott's performance, the location at the concert site where the deaths occurred and video showing areas where crowds of people collapsed on each other.

But Police Chief Troy Finner declined to say what the overall conclusion of his agency's investigation was or whether police should have stopped the concert sooner. Finner said police plan to make the more than 1,000-page report in the case public so people can read all the information investigators reviewed.

The chief of police is not going to get up here and point fingers at anybody. I respect the grand jurys decision. I simply want people to read (the offense report), read the entire investigation and everybody will see, very, very complicated, Finner said.

Schaffer said he feels sympathy for those who were killed at the festival and their families.

But Travis is not responsible," Schaffer said. "Bringing criminal charges against him will not ease their pain.

The grand jury declined to indict five other people, including festival manager Brent Silberstein. An attorney for Silberstein did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

More than 500 lawsuits were filed over the deaths and injuries at the concert, including many against Live Nation and Scott. Some have since been settled.

Kevin Haynes, a Houston attorney whose firm is representing hundreds of people injured at the concert, said he was disappointed by the grand jurys decision but the civil cases will continue to ensure responsible parties are held accountable in the ongoing pursuit of justice.

About 50,000 people attended the festival.

A 56-page event operations plan for the event had detailed protocols for various dangerous scenarios including a shooting, bomb or terrorist threats and severe weather. But it did not include information on what to do in the event of a crowd surge.

In November, a task force unveiled a new agreement that local officials, public safety agencies and promoters said will clearly outline the responsibilities of all parties involved in such events to ensure they are safe.

Finner said Thursday that elevated platforms are now mandatory at such shows and they will be staffed by Houston police, firefighters and others who will all have authority to halt an event if they see problems.

Similar crushes have happened all over the world, from a soccer stadium in England to the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia to Halloween festivities in the South Korean capital. Most people who who die in crowd surges suffocate.

___

Find the APs coverage of the Astroworld festival: https://apnews.com/hub/astroworld-festival-deaths
Rare earless dragon seen for first time in decades in Australia. Story of the year

A reptile species that eluded Australian researchers for more than 50 years has been rediscovered, but its location is being kept under wraps.

Australian officials announced Sunday, June 25, the rediscovery of the Victorian grassland earless dragon, which had gone unseen since 1969. The population was found in grasslands west of Melbourne.

The earless dragon, according to the Australian government, was the most at-risk lizard and snake species in the country. It was considered critically endangered.

If it went extinct, it would have been the first reptile species to have been lost in mainland Australia, Dr. Jane Melville said in 2019.

A little video I made with @museumsvictoria in 2019. I am so happy that, as I had hoped the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon has been found. Now to save it. https://t.co/PnBD4PqjVs  Jane Melville AM (@MVLizards) June 25, 2023

The 6-inch long reptile earned its name because it lacks an ear opening and a functional ear drum, the Yale School of the Environment said. Its numbers declined due to the loss of its habitat and because of predators like foxes and cats, government officials said.

Government officials are working with Zoos Victoria to ensure the recovery of the species. This means they cannot reveal the location of the reptile to protect its habitat.

Melville, the senior curator of reptiles and frogs at Museums Victoria, never gave up hope the species would be found again. She called the rediscovery one of the best moments in my career.

Government and zoo officials will use detection dogs to sniff out additional dragons. Then, a breeding program will be initiated to ensure the survival of the species.

Some good news for your Sunday. This little guy is a Victorian grassland earless dragon.



One hasnt been seen in Victoria for over 50 years and was thought to be extinct in the wild - until now. pic.twitter.com/jtOyTe2JHx  Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) June 25, 2023

Researchers believe they need at least six independent, self-sustaining populations for the species to survive another half-century.

The dragons long-term fate depends on managing the site where it was found and any areas nearby where dragons are living, researchers said in an article in The Conversation. We also need substantial new areas of suitable plains grasslands as conservation reserves where captive-bred animals can be released.

Dr. Marissa Parrott, a reproductive biologist at Zoos Victoria, referred to the rediscovery as the story of the year.

Rediscovered & the focus of a huge effort, the tiny Victorian grassland earless dragon may be the worlds most endangered lizard, Parrott said.

Secretive creature fell from treetops near scientists in Vietnam. Its a new species

Horned creature  a new species of dragonfish  pulled from watery depths off Brazil

Unique spiky creature found perched on bamboo in Thai forest. Its a new species
The U.S. Supreme Court Poses For Official Group Photo

United States Supreme Court (front row L-R) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (back row L-R) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pose for their official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on October 7, 2022 in Washington, DC. Credit - Alex WongGetty Images

In a 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Courts conservative majority said that admissions policies that consider race as a factor are unconstitutional, overturning about 45 years of precedent.

At issue was whether Harvard University discriminated against Asian American applicants in its admissions process, and whether the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gave preference to Black, Hispanic, and Native American applicants over white and Asian applicants. Conservative activist Edward Blum brought the cases on behalf of Students for Fair Admissions.

Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. This Nations constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice and a vocal proponent of race-based affirmative action, wrote the dissenting opinion joined by the courts two other liberal justices. Ketanji Brown Jackson, the courts newest and first Black female justice, recused herself from the Harvard case because she has served on the universitys Board of Overseers, but issued a separate scathing dissenting opinion in the North Carolina case.

The devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated, Sotomayor wrote.

Below are several highlights from Sotomayor and Jacksons dissenting opinions. You can read the full text of the opinions here.

Sonia Sotomayor

Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society.

At its core, todays decision exacerbates segregation and diminishes the inclusivity of our Nations institutions in service of superficial neutrality that promotes indifference to inequality and ignores the reality of race. 

Today, this Court overrules decades of precedent and imposes a superficial rule of race blindness on the Nation.

The majoritys vision of race neutrality will entrench racial segregation in higher education because racial inequality will persist so long as it is ignored.

Despite the Courts unjustified exercise of power, the opinion today will serve only to highlight the Courts own impotence in the face of an America whose cries for equality resound.

Ketanji Brown Jackson

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

No one benefits from ignorance.

The best that can be said of the majoritys perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism.

The Court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom (a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore).

The takeaway is that those who demand that no one think about race (a classic pink-elephant paradox) refuse to see, much less solve for, the elephant in the room the race-linked disparities that continue to impede achievement of our great Nations full potential.

It would be deeply unfortunate if the Equal Protection Clause actually demanded this perverse, ahistorical, and counterproductive outcome. To impose this result in that Clauses name when it requires no such thing, and to thereby obstruct our collective progress toward the full realization of the Clauses promise, is truly a tragedy for us all.
taylor armstrong

Theres another queer Real Housewife!

Taylor Armstrong of, The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame, has come out as bisexual in the latest episode of RHOC, revealing she was in a five-year relationship with another woman before she got married to her first husband Russell Armstrong.

www.instagram.com

It all happened because newcomer Jennifer Pendantri asked Armstrong if she was bisexual while the ladies were on a girls' trip to Montana.

Now are you nervous about me being in the bunkhouse with you? Armstrong joked.

She then explained that before she met her late husband Russell, she was in a relationship with a woman for five years.

Hell, I know marriages that dont last that long, she laughed.

Most people are surprised to find out that Im bisexual probably just because of stereotypes, she explained. I mean, its not something I broadcast, but I'm open to all people who have great souls that you can love.

Armstrong isnt the first out Real Housewife. In 2020, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, also of RHOC, came out as a lesbian while she was married to husband Sean Burke.

"I like women, I'm gay. You know, I'm a member of the LGBTQIA+ community," Windham said in an interview with GLAAD at the time. "I'm a lesbian and it has taken me 42 years to say that but I am so proud of where I am right now. I'm so happy where I am. To be able to be comfortable in my own skin after so long is just so nice."

Other queer housewives have included Julia Lemigova, Jenna Lyons, and Noella Bergener.

The Real Housewives of Orange County is currently airing on Bravo.

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 17 trailer has arrived! Tamra Judge is back as friendships and romantic ...

Your First Look at The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 17 | RHOC Sneak Peek Trailer | Bravo
An Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighter looks at Iraqi army positions near the Green Line in northern Iraq on March 20, 2003. BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images

In March 2003, US and allied forces invaded Iraq.

US special-operations forces wanted to infiltrate northern Iraq to tied down Iraqi forces there.

But doing that required a risky low-level nighttime flight through enemy-held territory.

Special-operations forces often rely on surprise and violence of action to defeat larger forces. During the opening hours of the invasion of Iraq 20 years ago, the US special operators gambled that those traits could pave the way for the fall of Saddam Hussein.

As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, US military planners decided to invade Iraq from the south and push north toward Baghdad. But US commanders also wanted to open a second front, and Iraq's vast northwestern border presented an enticing opportunity to US special operators.

US commandos decided to feint a strike in the north to keep Iraqi military units in the area from reorienting to meet the invasion force in the south.

In an ambitious effort reminiscent of the Allies' long-range commando raids during World War II, US special-operations troops launched Operation Ugly Baby, a daring attempt to outmaneuver Iraqi forces and pave the way to a US victory.

Operation Ugly Baby

A map of the Ugly Baby mission route along Iraq's western border on March 22, 2003. US Army

As the US military was getting ready for Operation Iraqi Freedom, there was a question of whether Turkey would allow US forces to cross its territory to reach northern Iraq.

US special-operations forces intended to work with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters to keep 13 Iraqi divisions in the north. Although a NATO member, Turkey was wary of anything that could strengthen or embolden Kurdish forces. The Turkish military ultimately refused to allow US forces to fly through Turkish airspace for the invasion, which was launched on March 20, 2002.

"It was about three days of us trying to get into northern Iraq by flying over Turkish airspace, and each time they would deny our flight," Army Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jefferey Elwell said of the initial operations on the 20th anniversary of the invasion.

During those operations, Turkish fighter jets even intercepted the MC-130 Combat Talon special-operations aircraft carrying US troops and forced them to fly back to base.

US Green Berets in an MC-130H heading to Iraq during Operation Ugly Baby on March 22, 2003. US Army

In the end, US special operators took off from Romania and flew through Jordan to reach Iraq, which forced them to cross over heavily defended Iraqi territory to reach their destination.

On the night of March 21, six MC-130s from the Air Force's 352nd Special Operations Squadron took off with about 300 Green Berets. Over Iraq, the MC-130 pilots flew 250 feet above the ground at speeds of almost 350 mph, relying on night-vision goggles and terrain-following radar to guide them. In conditions where a small mistake could be fatal, the pilots expertly flew the planes through Syria and Iraq.

The low altitude allowed the aircraft to evade air-defense radars and anti-aircraft missiles, but it increased the risk they faced from small-arms fire, which could be just as deadly.

When they finally encountered Iraqi troops, the aircraft were flying so low that the surprised Iraqis initially overshot their targets, but the staggered formation of the US aircraft gave the Iraqis time to adjust their fire. As the fire intensified, the pilots maneuvered their aircraft, which carried dozens of troops, sharply to evade.

A US special-operations aircraft that was forced land by enemy fire during Operation Ugly Baby in March 2003. US Army

"We passed over a small convoy, and they started firing everything from shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems to pistols and everything in between," Elwell, then an Operational Detachment Alpha team sergeant, recalled.

One of the MC-130 took so many hits from Iraqi ground fire that it had to abort, declaring an emergency and landing in Turkey. "As the ramp came down, everyone started running as they realized aviation fluid was spilling over the tarmac," Elwell said.

The rest of the aircraft continued and landed safely in the desert, completing the infiltration and allowing the Green Berets to link up with their Peshmerga partners. The detour extended the infiltration route to more than 1,000 miles, making it what the Air Force said was the longest low-level infiltration since World War II.

Task Force Viking

A US Army 173rd Airborne Brigade convoy in Kurdish-controlled territory north of Erbil on March 29, 2003. JOSEPH BARRAK/AFP via Getty Images

Two years after leading the US invasion of Afghanistan, US commandos had successfully returned to Iraq, but Operation Ugly Baby was only the beginning of the US special-operations campaign in northern Iraq.

In all, Task Force Viking numbered about 400 special operators, including elite Delta Force commandos, Green Berets from the 10th Special Forces Group, and frogmen from the UK's Special Boat Service. CIA officers also provided intelligence and specialized support to the commandos.

But what it lacked in numbers, it made up in partners. Task Force Viking led some 50,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, conducting raids and other operations, including close-air-support coordination, that tied down about 150,000 Iraqi soldiers and elite Republication Guard troops, preventing them from putting up more resistance to the US-led invasion force in the south.

In Iraq, US special operators proved again that they were a reliable tool for US policymakers. The invasion lasted only a few weeks, but the insurgency that soon emerged dominated the Pentagon's attention for seven years.

US special operators led the years-long counterinsurgency and counterterrorism campaign that followed and played a key role in destroying Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. He is working toward a master's degree in strategy and cybersecurity at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies.

Read the original article on Business Insider
FILE - Caroline Ouko, mother of Irvo Otieno, holds a portrait of her son at the Dinwiddie Courthouse in Dinwiddie, Va., March 16, 2023. In a letter dated Monday, June 26, 2023, but was released publicly on Wednesday, June 28, lawyers for the family of Otieno, a Virginia man who died of asphyxiation after he was pinned to the floor for about 11 minutes while being admitted to a psychiatric hospital, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. (Daniel Sangjib Min/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Lawyers for the family of a Virginia man who died of asphyxiation after he was pinned to the floor for about 11 minutes while being admitted to a psychiatric hospital have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

In letter to federal officials that was dated June 26 and made public Wednesday, prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Virginia attorney Mark Krudys said the state prosecutor's office that brought second-degree murder charges against sheriff's deputies and hospital workers does not have the staff or resources to prosecute the case adequately.

Irvo Otieno, 28, died March 6 as he was being admitted to Central State Hospital. Video from the hospital showed Henrico County sheriff's deputies and hospital staff attempting to restrain Otieno  who was in handcuffs and leg shackles  for about 20 minutes. For most of that time, Otieno was on the floor being held down by a group that at one point appeared to include 10 people.

Seven deputies and three hospital workers were charged with second-degree murder in Otieno's death. Former Dinwiddie Commonwealth's Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill, whose resignation became effective last week, dropped charges against two of the workers just before her departure.

The family of Otieno, who was Black, has said he was brutally mistreated during a mental health crisis, both at the hospital and while in law enforcement custody for several days before that.

In their letter, lawyers for Otieno's family said Baskervill's resignation leaves just two recently hired prosecutors to handle the case as well as all other state prosecutions in the county.

In our opinion, the newly appointed (Commonwealth's Attorney) and his similarly new, small staff  with an ample caseload apart from the indictment of Mr. Otienos killers  are not adequately prepared to prosecute the eight defendants, all of whom have separate, experienced counsel, Crump and Krudys wrote.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment. The Justice Department and the Dinwiddie County Commonwealth Attorneys Office did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

Crump and Krudys also said in their letter that federal civil rights laws prohibiting the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers are the appropriate vehicle" to address the defendants' conduct.

This matter, which implicates important concerns regarding the treatment of the mentally ill, has garnered significant community attention and deserves the thoroughness and competence that can only be dispatched by DOJ agents, AUSAs, and other DOJ employees, the lawyers wrote.

Krudys said in a phone interview that they are not asking state prosecutors to step aside from the case completely. They want the Dinwiddie Commonwealth Attorney's Office to prosecute the state murder charges and the Justice Department to bring an excessive force claim, he said.

An autopsy conducted by the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was asphyxia, while the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

During court hearings and in statements, attorneys for several of the defendants have said Otieno was combative and the deputies were trying to restrain him.
Homeless people sit or walk around small campsites in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

As total numbers of people experiencing homelessness slightly increased from a year ago, Utah is making headway in developing deeply affordable housing, according to a new state report on homelessness.

The new 2023 Annual Data Report on Homelessness also reflects the success of supporting permanent housing developments but at the same time, reveals a concerning increase in the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

Wayne Niederhauser, state homelessness coordinator, points to $55 million in grants appropriated by the Utah Legislature that will fund 17 projects, creating more than 1,100 income-restricted affordable units.

Housing is the answer and were making progress with that like we probably have never done before, he said. We still have a long way to go with supportive services.

The report shows 8,637 experienced homelessness for the first time in 2022, an increase of 821 people compared to federal fiscal year 2021. This measure counts the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time in the reporting period, including people entering emergency shelters, transitional housing and all permanent housing projects.

This 10% rise indicates a slower growth rate compared to the preceding years 14% increase, aligning with the national trend of rising homelessness since 2017, the report states.

However, the report also shows the average duration of homelessness in Utahs emergency shelters decreased to about 65 days, a continuation of a downward trend. The decrease was largely driven by a rise in the number of people who stay in a shelter for 30 days or less, accounting for 57% of all sheltered individuals in Utah. Meanwhile, the percentage of people staying in shelters for nine months or longer increased to about 6% of all individuals served, according to the report.

Overall, Utahs rate of homelessness remains below the national average, with approximately 11 individuals experiencing homelessness per 10,000 people, compared to the national rate of 18 per 10,000 people.

The annual 2023 Point-in-Time count, conducted in January as a statewide one-night count, revealed a 3.7% increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness compared to the previous year.

The states annual data report, prepared by the Utah Department of Workforce Services Utah Office of Homeless Services, also showed a 96% increase in the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness in Utah since 2019.

Chronic homelessness refers to people who have experienced homelessness for at least a year, either continuously or in four or more separate instances within the past three years, while also experiencing a disabling condition such as a physical disability, severe mental illness or substance use disorder.

Some of the increase in the numbers of chronically homeless individuals may be attributed to improvements in data collections but also the dearth of deeply affordable housing in Utah and support for people struggling with issues that can contribute to homelessness.

Housing instability is a pressing issue that often leads to homelessness and a rising demand for crisis response services, said Tricia Davis, assistant director of the Office of Homeless Services.

With the conclusion of pandemic-era funding resources and the increase in living costs, service providers are facing an increased demand for their services, as highlighted in the 2023 Annual Data Report, she said.

The report points to the efficacy of permanent supportive housing, as 93% of individuals enrolled in permanent housing, excluding rapid rehousing, successfully exited to or maintained their permanent housing. This high success rate underscores the effectiveness of these projects, especially when compared to crisis response initiatives like street outreach and emergency shelter alone, which have a higher percentage of individuals returning to homelessness.

The Magnolia, a newer supportive housing complex near downtown Salt Lake City, houses single men and women in studio apartments and offers an array of supportive services for residents.

Opened in 2021, it was developed in a public-private partnership and owned by the nonprofit organization Shelter the Homeless.

The Road Home, which operates the facility, recently launched a program to provide on-site mental health care in a partnership with Fourth Street Clinic and the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Mental health care providers meet residents where they live, respond to mental health crises, prescribe medications and work to bring treatment-resistant residents into care.

Michelle Flynn, executive director of The Road Home, said the significant increase in people experiencing chronic homelessness may be attributed to better data collection but is likely also tied to several years passing without developing additional permanent supportive housing.

Case worker Abby Coleman and service supervisor Tyler Greer pose for photos at the Magnolia building, a Road Home facility in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

We had a big burst of permanent supportive housing for a few years, and then, really not much for quite some time. Weve been really, really struggling to find the kind of housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness with the supports that they need, she said.

Some of the current residents of the Magnolia had been housed but really struggled and were evicted, a lot because of mental health issues and substance use issues, but primarily mental health issues. The population of people we have living there are really even higher needs than we had anticipated, Flynn said.

The Point-In-Time count found the subpopulation of adults with mental illness increased significantly year over year, increasing from 979 in 2022 to 1,500 in 2023, sheltered and unsheltered individuals combined.

Despite the successes of the model, developing permanent supportive housing is challenging because it costs more than other approaches and its not something that can be developed without some kind of government funding, Flynn said.

The Magnolia was developed by Cowboy Partners. While developer Dan Lofgren has considerable experience in the affordable housing space, this was the first time he had ventured into developing supportive housing.

It was really valuable to have them as a partner, Flynn said.

The Magnolia operates at capacity and any time a unit comes open, the vacancy is shared with other homeless services providers via the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.

People are prioritized based on their needs, their vulnerabilities and theyre matched with whatever units might be coming open. Theres certainly more needs as are units, Flynn said.
Report gives new details about ex-undersheriff who killed KS man with faulty bean bag round

A former Kansas undersheriff who killed a man when he fired a faulty bean bag round from his personally owned shotgun has had his Kansas law certification revoked, according to an investigative report released in June.

The report provides new details into a widely reported Oct. 6, 2017, fatal shooting and into Virgil Brewers career and reflection of what he would have done differently  he said he wouldnt have changed pulling the trigger and aiming where he did.

Other new information includes that Brewer used excessive physical force on multiple occasions, including in 2017 when he pointed a shotgun at an unruly inmate at the Barber County Jail and threatened to shoot him, according to the Kansas Commission of Peace Officers Standards and Training (KSCPOST) report, which says this caused fear and concern amongst the inmates.

Brewer, who worked for the Barber County Sheriffs Office from January 2017 to January 2021, could not be reached for comment about the report.

KSCPOST, which oversees officer certifications, often wont do its investigation until after a criminal investigation. In November, a jury found Brewer not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Steven Myers. And in 2020, Barber County agreed to a $3.5 million settlement after the Myers family brought a lawsuit against Brewer and then-Barber County Sheriff Lonnie Small.

Here is what what happened in the fatal shooting, according to the report and other sources:

Brewer and two other officers responded to a call about a suspect leaving a bar with a long gun. One of the deputies was identified in the report as Suchy. Sheriff Small was the other officer, the Associated Press reported.

Police were called after an altercation at Sun City bar, the AP reported, adding that Myers was drunk, told to leave and left before officers arrived.

Just before officers found Myers, body cam caught Small saying: A little luck and hell just pass out and die, the AP reported.

Myers, the report says, was found near a shed. AP said he was in a shed.

Officers gave conflicting commands to the victim. Myers was not told he was under arrest or that he was about to be shot.

While giving (Myers) Commands, (Brewer) shot (Myers) with a bean bag round from his personally owned 12-gauge shotgun, the report says, adding the round penetrated Myers chest and he died at the scene. (Brewer) later stated that he did not see  a weapon and that his intent in shooting (Myers) was to gain compliance.

Deputy Suchy, who was holding a rifle with the safety on, did not believe Myers behavior warranted a lethal response, the report says, adding that he had considered using a Taser or baton instead.

Body cam footage from the time of the shooting showed Myers standing and not making an aggressive movement prior to being shot in the chest.

The less-lethal rounds are not meant to be aimed at the chest unless the intent is to deliver deadly force. Brewers range and target of center mass are inconsistent with training standards for bean bag ammunition. Brewer had no prior training but did have training after the shooting, the report said.

Brewer received the round from a former coworker when he worked in Texas. There were concerns and warnings when he received it.

Travis Martin, a deputy at Freestone County Sheriffs Office, testified at Brewers trial that he told him to test the round before using it, but the first time Brewer shot it was at Myers, the AP reported.

Other concerns were also brought up about the bean bag:

For one, it was a rectangular round, which had been discontinued for several years due to the likelihood of causing penetrating injuries, the report says. Balloon-shaped bean bag rounds are used instead.

Martins family was considering selling the bean bag rounds at their tactical supply store and had Texas deputies test them out. Deputies said they did not think it looked professionally made and discovered the rounds were made from reloaded shells, the report says. Martins family decided that it should not be fired at a person or used on duty by law enforcement, the report says.

Martin believed he told Brewer that the round should not be fired at a person, the report says.

The report says that after getting training, Brewer said he would not have changed his actions regarding the range or targeted body area in which he shot.

In its report, KSCPOST cited a lack of good moral character and unprofessional conduct in revoking Brewers license.
Washington's addiction to sanctions is backfiring: Washington Post

Xinhua) 08:22, June 29, 2023

This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2023 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Nearly 12,000 entities were under U.S. sanctions as of the beginning of this year.

NEW YORK, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States' addiction to sanctions has gotten out of control and is hurting itself, reported The Washington Post earlier this month.

The Treasury Department estimated in late 2021 that it had sanctions on 9,421 organizations and individuals, a roughly 900 percent increase over the past 20 years. In 2022, the Treasury Department added 2,549 new designations while delisting only 225. That means nearly 12,000 entities were under U.S. sanctions as of the beginning of this year, said the report.

"And looking only at Treasury Department designations substantially understates the pervasiveness of sanctions," it noted. "The U.S. government now increasingly uses export controls, tariffs and foreign investment reviews as a de facto form of commercial sanctions."

The Commerce Department, for example, recently imposed tighter controls on exports of advanced microchips to China. This move might be justified by the need to limit China's military threat, but the backlash it has provoked in China is heightened by all other sanctions and tariffs Washington has imposed on China in recent years, according to the report.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Supreme Court US 1502423207Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The supposed author of the inquiry for a same-sex couple's wedding website cited in the filing for 303 Creative v. Elenis  a Supreme Court case regarding Colorado web designer Lorie Smith, who refuses to create wedding sites for same-sex couples and seeks an exemption from anti-discrimination laws  told New Republic that he never made the request.

According to court filings, Stewart contacted Smith in September 2016 through her website regarding his wedding to his partner, Mike, slated for "early next year." He wrote that they "would love some design work done for our invites, placenames etc. We might also stretch to a website." Stewart also listed his number, email address and a link to his own website, which indicated that he was also a graphic designer, in the inquiry.

When the New Republic's Melissa Gira Grant contacted Stewart, whose information except for his last name was included in the filing, about the website creation request, he told her it was "the very first time I've heard of it."

Stewart confirmed that the contact information on the inquiry form was correct, but said he never sent the form and was married to a woman at the time of its creation.

"If somebody's pulled my information, as some kind of supporting information or documentation, somebody's falsified that," Stewart said.

"I wouldn't want anybody to  make me a wedding website?" he continued. "I'm married, I have a childI'm not really sure where that came from? But somebody's using false information in a Supreme Court filing document."

Related

KBJ rips "let-them-eat-cake obliviousness" of affirmative action ruling  calls out Clarence Thomas

The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its opinion on the case, in which the Stewart contact form plays a minute role, by the end of its session this summer. The case could be, as stated in a question from Justice Sonia Sotomayor at a December oral argument, "the first time in the Court's history  [that] a commercial business open to the public, serving the public, that it could refuse to serve a customer based on race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation."

Smith and her attorneys first brought the case before the U.S. District Court in Colorado in 2016, asking the court to exempt her from the state's anti-discrimination law so she could legally offer her wedding website design services to straight couples only. Smith had previously never designed any wedding websites, and she and her attorneys ultimately lost the case.

She received the "Stewart" inquiry on Sept. 21, a day after she filed the lawsuit, according to the date-stamp shown in later court filings. It is unclear when or if the inquiry from "Stewart" was ever verified over the course of the initial legal battle.

The defense filed a motion to dismiss the case on Oct. 19, 2016, citing Smith's lack of inquiries for the services she wants to deny. Smith's legal team, the Christian right group Alliance Defending Freedom, issued a response the following month, notably not mentioning the September inquiry from Stewart but arguing that Smith did not need to have received a request in order to challenge the law over fears of consequences she could face if she denied services to a same-sex couple.

ADF did not make mention of the "Stewart" inquiry or argue its relevance until February 2017.

"Notably, any claim that Lorie will never receive a request to create a custom website celebrating a same-sex ceremony is no longer legitimate because Lorie has received such a request," the group wrote. "Even though she is not currently in the wedding industry, Lorie received an email inquiry on September 21, 2016."

In a sworn statement, Smith further explained that she "received a request through the 'contact' webpage on my website from a person named, 'Stewart,' reference number 9741406, to create graphic designs for invitations and other materials for a same-sex wedding ('same-sex wedding request')."

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The federal court ruled on the case in September 2017, stating that the evidence provided did not allow it to "determine the imminent likelihood that anyone, much less a same-sex couple, will request Plaintiff's services." The court also said that the "Stewart" inquiry was "too imprecise" and that "assuming it indicates a market for Plaintiff's services, it is not clear that Stewart and Mike are a same-sex couple (as such names can be used by members of both sexes)."

ADF fired off in defiance of the ruling at a press release, claiming that "a federal judge ruled that Smith and her studio can't sue to challenge a portion of Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act because a request sent to Smith by a couple, self-identified as 'Stewart' and 'Mike,' isn't formal enough to prove that a same-sex couple has asked her to help them celebrate their wedding."

The group's later appeal expanded those arguments: "according to Social Security Administration (SSA) data, only a nanoscopic number of women have been named Stewart or Mike since 1880. Lorie faces a 16 times greater chance of being struck by lightning than either name being female," it read.

Stewart, who said he was never contacted in connection to the case, later told New Republic via text message that the situation didn't make sense to him. He questioned why a web designer living in San Francisco would endeavor to hire someone from a different state who has never constructed a wedding website to build one for him.

He had also told the outlet that he first learned of Smith when her case was brought before the Supreme Court and the design community began discussing its potential results.

"I disagree with this, in the strongest possible terms," Stewart told Grant of Smith's desire to circumvent laws protecting people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. "I couldn't disagree with her stance more."

During their arguments before the Supreme Court this session, ADF did not bring up the "Stewart" inquiry or refer to Stewart and Mike specifically, but Grant writes, "they don't need to."

"Their entire case, after all, is built around the idea of gay people doing something that they have not yet done, nor ever will do," she continued.

Read more

about the Supreme Court
Report uncovers disturbing danger flowing in underground pipes: Where you live should not determine whether you get sick

In Alabamas Lowndes County, hookworm, a gastrointestinal parasite that thrives in extreme poverty, has been creeping up in backyards and bathtubs via sewage for years without any meaningful remediation from the state or county. Now, the federal government is holding local agencies accountable in this environmental justice issue.

What happened?

In 2017, about one out of every three people tested in Alabamas majority-Black Lowndes County were positive for traces of hookworm, a disease typically associated with countries in the developing world, the Guardian reported. This gastrointestinal parasite was thought to be eradicated in the United States decades ago.

A perfect storm made this public health crisis possible. First off, the clay-like soil in that area makes it unsuitable for water drainage. Most homes are not hooked up to municipal sewer lines and instead use septic systems or pipes that can be overwhelmed during heavy rain and floods. This is how raw sewage  including the fecal waste that carries hookworm parasites  is creeping up into peoples backyards, bathtubs, toilets, and kitchen sinks, leaving them at risk for infection.

Though officials have known about the issue since at least 2017, they apparently did not take appropriate action to remediate the situation. In November 2021, the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) launched an investigation into the matter, and in May declared that the state and county dropped the ball.

Because the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Lowndes County Health Department (collectively known as ADPH) receives government funding, they are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin in their federal-funded programs and activities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation found ADPH to be in violation of this.

The investigation revealed that despite ADPHs awareness of the issues and the disproportionate burden and impact placed on Black residents in Lowndes County, it failed to take meaningful actions to remedy these conditions, HHS stated in a press release.

Why is this concerning?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, hookworm first presents itself as a localized rash and itching. A heavy infection can result in abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and anemia. Hookworm can also impact the physical and cognitive growth of children.

More than 70% of Lowndes County residents are Black, and more than 28% of them live in poverty, making this an environmental justice issue. And its nothing new: Statistically, people of color and the poor live, work, and play in Americas most polluted environments, and many people say thats no accident.

Communities of color, which are often poor, are routinely targeted to host facilities that have negative environmental impacts  say, a landfill, dirty industrial plant, or truck depot, according to NRDC. The statistics provide clear evidence of what the movement rightly calls environmental racism.

Whats being done to improve public health in Lowndes County?

Environmental justice is a public health issue, and where you live should not determine whether you get sick from basic environmental hazards not faced in other affluent and white communities, Melanie Fontes Rainer, director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, said in a press release.

As such, the federal government is holding Alabama and Lowndes County accountable with an interim resolution that will suspend fines, fees, and penalties on residents who lack the means to purchase functioning septic systems; measure the level of health risks that residents face; increase public health awareness about raw sewage exposure; and carry out a comprehensive assessment of what septic and wastewater management will look like in the county, as the Guardian reported.

Moving forward, ADPH has agreed to follow the CDCs public health recommendations. If it fails to establish a long-term plan for addressing sewage concerns by May 2024, the DOJ will reopen the investigation.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Rescue workers have recovered the body of another person from under the rubble in Kramatorsk on the morning of 29 June, bringing the number of people killed by the Russians to 12.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Details: Rescue workers have confirmed that a total of 12 people had been killed (including 3 children), and 11 people rescued.

"Emergency and rescue operations have been completed," the State Emergency Service added.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that 65 people had been injured after the two strikes.

Background: Russian invaders attacked Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast with missiles on the evening of 27 June, hitting a catering establishment.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Psychedelic drugs and marijuana could be evaluated as treatments for post-traumatic disorder and other conditions afflicting veterans under bills advancing through Congress.

The version of the annual defense policy bill approved by the House Armed Services Committee last week would require the Pentagon to conduct a clinical trial on treating service members' PTSD, traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy with drugs including MDMA, commonly called ecstasy, and psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.

The defense bill, called the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, would also require the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to study the effects of marijuana use in service members and veterans with PTSD, depression, anxiety or chronic pain.

Read Next: Gender Neutral Standards, Return to Old Fitness Test: Congress' Dueling Ideas for the Army

Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee is using its annual VA spending bill to encourage, but not require, the VA to help with privately funded research on the use of psychedelics to treat PTSD and depression.

Including the measures in the must-pass bills signals a growing interest from both parties in finding alternative treatments for conditions that have been seen as signature injuries in the 9/11-era wars. But the bills still have several hurdles to overcome before passing into law, including continued skepticism in the wider GOP conference about legislation that could lead to easing restrictions on currently illegal substances.

The marijuana and psychedelic provisions in the NDAA were added to the bill with no debate last week as part of a bipartisan vote to add a package of amendments considered noncontroversial to the bill. Both were sponsored by Republicans, with Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina proposing the marijuana amendment and Navy SEAL veteran Rep. Morgan Luttrell of Texas proposing the psychedelics one.

At a news conference earlier this month, Luttrell said he underwent psychedelic-assisted therapy in a foreign country after his marriage and personal relationships suffered from anger issues he developed when he left the military. Luttrell said his treatment included ibogaine and DMT, which would both be studied by his amendment in addition to ecstasy and mushrooms.

"I can honestly stand in front of all of you and the American public and say I was reborn," Luttrell said. "This changed my life. It saved my marriage. It is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me."

But despite the backing from veterans in Congress, legislation to research marijuana and psychedelics has still struggled to get across the finish line in recent years.

Last year's House-passed NDAA included a similar proposal to research marijuana and psychedelics, but it was taken out of the final bill that became law after negotiations with the Senate.

And earlier this year, a bill to require the VA to conduct a study of veterans who use marijuana and have chronic pain or PTSD to see how the drug affects their health failed in the Senate. Despite the bill unanimously advancing out of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Republican senators outside the committee derided the idea of treating veterans with marijuana.

Now Senate appropriators are also trying again to allow the VA to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it is legal.

Currently, the VA is prohibited from recommending, prescribing or paying for marijuana, though department policy allows for discussion about marijuana use between VA providers and patients. Still, advocates say the drug's ambiguous legal status leaves veterans feeling stigmatized and uncomfortable discussing it with their doctors.

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to the 2024 VA spending bill to allow a "health care provider of the department to make appropriate recommendations, fill out forms or take steps to comply" with state medical marijuana programs. Similar amendments have been approved by the committee in previous years but have not made it into the final appropriations bills that became law.

"Outdated laws should never censor veterans' doctor-patient relationships," Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., the amendment's sponsor, said in a statement last week. "Thirty-seven states now have legal cannabis programs, and it is unacceptable to treat veterans as second-class citizens and force them to find a different doctor to simply ask questions and seek treatment if they choose to access state legal medical cannabis programs."

The Senate Appropriations Committee also expressed interest in studying psychedelic drugs but did not go as far as the NDAA in mandating a study. A VA official testified to Congress last year that the department was "very, very closely" monitoring private research on psychedelics but stressed that the VA is not funding the research.

"The committee recognizes the increased interest in studying psychedelic therapies and their potential therapeutic effects for veterans," the Appropriations Committee wrote in the nonbinding report accompanying the spending bill. "The committee encourages VA to explore opportunities to assist with privately-funded research programs to evaluate the efficacy of psychedelic therapies in treating PTSD, major depressive disorder, and other serious mental health conditions."

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: VA Marijuana Research Bill, Other Vets Measures 'May All Be Dead' After Failed Senate Vote, Chairman Says
These retired teachers started with a little bird guide, and ended with a magnum opus

Big Pine, Calif., residents Tom and Joanne Heindel scan for birds from an overlook at Tinemaha Reservoir in the Owens Valley in 2009. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Retired high school teachers Tom and Joanne Heindel had spent decades pursuing a daunting challenge in bird science: A survey of every species in Inyo Countys otherworldly tableau of lofty peaks glazed with snow, desert plains, spiky lava fields, rivers and canyonlands.

Armed with notebooks and matching Questar telescopes, they prowled every remote dirt road as far as they could in a 4-wheel-drive truck. They also made a point of visiting sewer ponds, alfalfa fields and fish hatcheries that are footholds for bird life.

Along the way, there was much to learn from each species. Whether it was a great blue heron perched on top of a sand dune or a cactus wren in full song at 10,500 feet in a bristlecone pine forest, they all provided lessons on adaptation to changing ecological conditions in the area southeast of Yosemite National Park, where the eastern Sierra Nevada range and the Mojave Desert collide.

Tom Heindel watches as his wife, Joanne Heindel, returns a vintage book into its protective bag at their home in Big Pine. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The hope of adding one more rarity or migrant to their book is what attracted them to the wilderness day after day, year after year, and carried them through 69 years of marriage.

Finally, Tom, 87, and his wife, Joanne, 85, have reached the end of a long journey.

Their 500-page book, "Birds of Inyo County, California, including Death Valley National Park," is expected to be published later this summer by the donor-funded nonprofit Western Field Ornithologists.

Friends were beginning to wonder if we would ever get it done  and we wondered, too, because were getting so damn old! Tom said with a big toothy smile.

Read more: Why are killer whales going 'Moby-Dick' on yachts lately? Experts doubt it's revenge

But deciding when to put the brakes on this project wasnt easy, he added, because we kept finding new species.

The Heindels feat is an unusual accomplishment and a definitive work of its kind, say scientists specializing in Californias avian fauna.

"Birds of Inyo County, California, including Death Valley National Park," the 500-page book created by Joanne and Tom Heindel, shown at their home, is expected to be published later this summer by the donor-funded nonprofit Western Field Ornithologists. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

It contains a staggering 500,000 data entries culled from the field, museum archives, scientific studies and the records of government expeditions 150 years ago.

They document the first recorded sightings of 441 species and subspecies, their highest recorded elevation, population densities, relationships, habitats and whether they were residents, migrants, summer visitors or stragglers blown in by a storm. In some cases, they note the date, time, temperature, wind direction and even the make and power of the binoculars and telescopes used by observers.

Yet, to hear Joanne tell it: Theres so much we didnt put in the book because there wasnt enough space.

The production expenses were paid for through advanced donations from naturalists across the nation.

This is not a book for weekend birders  it contains tons and tons of astonishingly fine-grained information, said Kenneth Able, an ornithologist and the books primary editor. But it is important and should be published as a service to ornithology.

"Editing the minutiae in its pages, however, was enough to fry your brain in 10 minutes, he added, only half kidding. I had a big glass of wine after I finished and sent the whole thing over for publication.

Read more: Central Valley flooding offers birds bountiful water. Will it also poison them?

The art design on the cover by the Heindels daughter, Kelli, 62, features watercolor illustrations by local artist Nancy Overholtz of several species set against a silhouette of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. with an elevation of 14,505 feet.

Jon L. Dunn, co-author of the "National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America," shared his hand-written field notes with the Heindels.

Against a backdrop of Sierra Nevada peaks, Joanne Heindel leads a tour during the Owens Lake Bird Festival in April 2018. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Exhaustively researched, every ornithological record ever published about Inyo County has been uncovered by the Heindels, Dunn said. Their book will be a benchmark that every scientist and resource manager working in the region is going to want to keep within arm's reach."

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which acquired much of the land and water rights in Inyo County to build an aqueduct system for the city, about 200 miles to the south, would not argue with any of that.

The DWP donated $1,500 to help fund publication of the book it considers a valuable resource for managing and protecting avian species in one of the largest counties in the state.

Read more: California condors barely escaped extinction decades ago. Avian flu could change that

With an area of 10,227 square miles and a population of only 18,000, Inyo County encompasses a landscape flanked to the west by the Sierra Nevada range and to the east by the buckled slopes of the White Mountains and the Inyo Mountains, and the forbidding badlands of Death Valley.

If its in Inyo County, Tom and Joanne Heindel like to say, weve been there.

The Heindels  like many of the birds they stalk  are a rarity, the embodiment of the naturalists of another era.

Joanne Heindel checks a hummingbird feeder in the backyard of the Heindels' home. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The pair once spent a week combing brushy hills and mesas in the Grapevine Mountains on the eastern edges of Death Valley in hopes of spotting an elusive and rarely seen gray vireo.

No luck. Late one evening, after Tom had fallen asleep in their tent, Joanne played a recording of the birds song, a distinctive series of musical chu-wee chu-weet notes.

Moments later, a live bird responded to the call.

Joanne was pounding on my back and shouting, We found one! Tom recalled. I wondered what the hell was going on.

The next morning, they found two gray vireos only a few hundred yards apart: One on the Nevada side of the border, the other within Inyo County, making it eligible for entry in their book.

Their enduring love affair with birds and each other began one spring day in 1953, while out on their first date: bird-watching in the Santa Monica Mountains.

They left at 6 a.m. and were home by noon.

The first species they identified  a rufous-sided towhee with a velvety black head, bright red and white breast, and ruby eyes  was the first bird Joanne ticked off on her life list.

Tom and Joanne Heindel, shown in their book-filled home, have been married nearly seven decades. Their first date was spent bird-watching in the Santa Monica Mountains. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

They were still in high school when they married a year later.

After graduation, Tom served in the Air Force until 1958. Both earned teaching credentials at Cal State Long Beach, then moved to the Inyo County community of Big Pine, where they worked as high school teachers from 1972 to 1978.

Six years later, they began landing teaching jobs in South America and Saudi Arabia, where they explored remote oases that were rest stops for migrating birds.

The Heindels moved back to Big Pine in 1990. They have four children  a daughter and three sons  all avid bird-watchers.

Read more: This dirt parking lot in the San Gabriel Mountains is a magnet for migrating birds

They might be unknown to the general public, but their modest home in the Owens Valley community of Big Pine has for years been a gathering place for premier ornithologists and dedicated bird-watchers, many of them trained by the Heindels.

But their most significant contribution began in 1972 as a plan to produce a little guide to the birds of the eastern Sierra Nevada.

Leaning back on a living room sofa, with a pair of binoculars sitting on the armrest, Tom said: All authors eventually reach a point where they say, This is it. No more. Done.'"

Joanne agreed, up to a point.

We tried to keep the book as short as we could, she said. But a day doesnt go by that I dont think, Damn, we should have put this, that or the other in it.'

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. deviated from much of the Democratic Party during a town hall with NewsNation on Wednesday, saying there is nothing policymakers can meaningfully do through gun control to reduce the gun violence epidemic in America.

Kennedy, who is rivaling President Biden for the 2024 Democratic nomination, was asked by an audience member how he would use federal resources to slow gun violence.

I do not believe that there is, within that second amendment, that theres anything we can meaningfully do to reduce the trade in the ownership of guns, he said, and Im not going to take peoples guns away.

Anybody who tells you that theyre going to be able to reduce gun violence through gun control at this point I dont think is being realistic, Kennedy added.

His emphasis on refusing to infringe on Americans constitutional rights echoes a common Republican position on the limitations of responding to gun violence through gun control.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn) said theres no way to fix gun violence, after a shooter killed three children and three adults at an elementary school in his home state earlier this year.

Its a horrible, horrible situation, Burchett told reporters at the time. And were not gonna fix it. Criminals are gonna be criminals.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said that he believes lawmakers have gone about as far as were going to on gun control legislation following that same shooting.

The Democratic presidential candidate did, however, express a position that is more in lockstep with the party whose nomination hes seeking.

Kennedy said that he would get behind a bipartisan assault weapons ban, which the overwhelming majority of Democrats support, but has little chance of getting through Capitol Hill given widespread GOP opposition.

If we can get a consensus on it, if Republicans and Democrats agree to it and it passes Congress, I would sign it, he said.

Voters who attended the Chicago-based forum asked Kennedy about issues ranging from his vaccine skepticism to US policy toward Ukraine and China.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media, which also owns The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would resist attacking both President Biden and former President Trump personally during his campaign.

During a live town hall at NewsNation's headquarters in Chicago Wednesday, moderator Elizabeth Vargas asked Kennedy, "What type of man do you think Donald Trump is?"

"Heres what Im not going to do in this race. Im not going to attack other people personally. I dont think its good for our country. And what Im trying to do in this race is bring people together, is try to bridge to divide between Americans," said Kennedy, who is challenging Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024.

"Im proud that President Trump likes me even though I dont agree with him on most of his issues," Kennedy added. "Because I dont want to alienate people. I want to bring people together. Im proud that all these people like me and that I have independent supporters and Democratic supporters, and that Im able to  you know, every Democrat says I want to end the polarization.' But how do you do that without talking to people that dont agree with you? How do you do that without appealing to people? My purpose is to find the issues, values we have in common."

TRUMP PRAISES RFK JR AS 'COMMON SENSE GUY,' AS GOP REPORTEDLY STRATEGIZES THE KENNEDY THREAT AGAINST BIDEN

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits "The Faulkner Focus" at Fox News Channel Studios on June 2, 2023, in New York City.

During a brief appearance on "The Howie Carr Show" Monday, Trump himself gave a somewhat positive nod toward Kennedy.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Just hang in," Trump advised Kennedy. "Hes been very nice to me, Ive actually had a very nice relationship with him over the years. Hes a very smart guy, and a good guy."

"Hes a common sense guy and so am I. So, whether youre conservative or liberal, common sense is common sense," Trump said of his potential rival.

As the Democratic establishment has ostracized Kennedy as a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer, some view recent praise for the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy coming from Trump and other Republicans as a GOP strategy to sway support away from Biden.

Others have speculated whether Kennedy will run as an independent, effectively funneling votes from Biden and boosting Trump's chance at the White House.

"Ive never been anti-vaccine. And Ive said that hundreds and hundreds of times, but it doesnt matter because that is a way of silencing me. Using that pejorative to describe me is a way of silencing or marginalizing me," Kennedy said during Monday's town hall.

Then-Vice President Joe Biden speaks onstage at the RFK Human Rights Ripple of Hope Awards in New York City. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024.

PEROT 2.0? DEBATE ARISES OVER RFK JR'S VIABILITY IF HE LEFT THE DEMOCRATIC CONTEST

Vargas also pressed Kennedy, a lifelong Democrat, on whether he would pledge to support whoever the Democratic presidential nominee is in 2024, including if it is incumbent President Biden.

"Of course Im not going to do that," Kennedy said. "I dont know what Ill do. Lets see what happens in this campaign. Lets see if people are living up to Democratic values and having debates and having discussion, and you know, talking to each other but "

"Well in thats not happening would you then support a Republican or run as an independent?" Vargas pressed.

To that, Kennedy said, "My plan is to win this election. And I dont have a plan B."

Former President Trump seen during the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women's Lilac Luncheon on June 27, 2023, in Concord, New Hampshire. Trump recently praised potential 2024 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for "common sense."

"Im for deescalating all of the poison and the hatred and the vitriol. Whoever it is. Whether its against President Trump or President Biden. You wont hear me saying like bad things about President Biden. I like President Biden. Ive known him for probably 40 years, and this campaign is not, you know, about criticizing him. And I tried not to do that," Kennedy continued. "If theres a policy I disagree with  like the war, like censorship, the lockdowns, Im going to criticize those, but Im not going to attack him as a man."

"And Im not going to attack President Trump because we had enough of that. We need to figure out a way to start talking to each other and to start healing each other. And stop, you know, just hating on each other," RFK Jr. added. "This polarization is more dangerous, and its been in this country since the Civil War. And we need to figure out, you know, ways to start talking to Americans with whom we disagree."
RFK Jr. says US role in war terrible for the Ukrainian people

RFK Jr. says US role in war terrible for the Ukrainian people

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday said the United States role in the Russia-Ukraine war is terrible for the Ukrainian people.

We have neglected many, many opportunities to settle this war peacefully, Kennedy said in a live town hall event with NewsNation, moderated by Elizabeth Vargas. I think the way that we have conducted the war is bad  is terrible for the Ukrainian people.

The 2024 presidential candidate said he doesnt know exactly what a negotiated peace would look like, or whether it would mean ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia. But he blamed decades of U.S. and NATO policy toward Ukraine and Russia for creating conditions for the war.

Weve turned that nation into a proxy war between  a pawn in a proxy war between Russia and the United States, Kennedy said.

We were told this was a humanitarian exercise.  But when President Biden was asked why are we over there, he said for regime change of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, Kennedy said.

Early last year, Biden remarked that Putin cannot remain in power, but later said he was not calling for a regime change.

Kennedy also referenced comments from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that among the U.S.s goals in aiding Ukraine is to see Russia weakened.

That is the opposite of a humanitarian mission, that is a mission about a war of attrition in which the people dying are Ukrainians, Kennedy said at the NewsNation event.

NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar Media Group.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Risks of Wagner Group's escape to Belarus will be discussed at next Supreme Commander-in-Chief meeting  National Security and Defence Secretary

The placement of mercenaries of the Wagner Group in Belarus will be discussed at the next Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

Source: Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC), on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: Danilov emphasised that at first it is necessary to see where the Wagnerites will end up, what their number will be, what threats they will pose, and whether 8-8,500 mercenaries will appear in Belarus.

According to the Secretary of the National Security Council, there are not so many of Yevgeny Prigozhins fighters there now.

However, in a short period of time, a camp of summer tents was set up for the members of the Wagner Group.

Quote from Danilov: "We will be watching very closely what the purpose of all this is. Either to annoy Lithuania or Poland or to keep our troops on the border under tension.

We will be watching this issue very closely tomorrow. I can say that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to consider this issue, taking into account information from the intelligence community and the Commander-in-Chief. At the next meeting of the Staff, this issue will be discussed."

Details: Danilov emphasised that the members of the Wagner Group are terrorists who travel around the world on planes. In his opinion, the world should react more strongly to this.

Previously: General Richard Dannatt, Former Chief of the General Staff of the UK, believes that Ukraine should beware of a possible attack on Kyiv by the Wagner Group mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who left for Belarus after the rebellion attempt.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed the opinion that the fact that Wagner Group fighters are now being transferred to Belarus does not pose a threat to Ukraine.

Background:

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Candidates seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination will be prompted by the Republican National Committee to sign a loyalty pledge backing the partys eventual nominee as the final step to qualify in this summers first debate, according to news reports.

Republican contenders will now be required to meet polling and donor thresholds before being presented with the pledge, which they must sign to qualify for the debate hosted by Fox News in Milwaukee on Aug. 23.

The change would effectively prevent candidates from using the pledge as an excuse for not participating in the debate and shows that the RNC is determined to pressure contenders into backing the Republican who will challenge President Joe Biden next year. It was first reported by ABC News.

Earlier this month, the RNC announced the minimum requirements for debate participants. Candidates should have at least 1% support in three polls, have at least 40,000 unique donors with at least 200 unique donors per state, and sign the pledge, the party said.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel last week defended the controversial requirement, telling Fox News Kayleigh McEnany that the pledge is staying.

Anybody who wants to seek the nomination of our party should pledge to support the voters, McDaniel said. If you go through this process and take time on the debate stage and youre going to be there, the number one pledge should be beat Biden. Its called the Beat Biden Pledge for a reason.

And if we cant commit that were going to support who the voters choose as the nominee then you dont deserve to be on the Republican primary party debate stage, she continued.

Trump critics, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, have objected to the pledge.

Christie, who has called it a bad idea, said last week that he would still do whats necessary to be up on the stage to try to save my party and save my country from going down the road of being led by three-time loser Donald Trump. He added in a CNN interview that he would take the pledge in 2024 just as seriously as Donald Trump took it in 2016.

Trump, during a 2015 debate, floated the possibility of a third-party run. He eventually signed a pledge to back the partys pick in 2016, but later said he was abandoning it.

The former president, who remains the GOP front-runner despite two criminal indictments, hasnt committed to signing the 2024 pledge or to debating other candidates.

NBC News, citing unnamed sources, on Wednesday reported Trump is exploring options for counterprogramming during the first debate.

Earlier this week, Trump complained on Truth Social that Fox News didnt cover his events and then wants me to show up and get them ratings for their Presidential Debate, where Im leading the field by 40 points.

All they do is promote, against all hope, Ron DeSanctimonious, and hes dropping like a rock. Sorry FoxNews, life doesnt work that way!!! he added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is second after Trump in most polls, also has dodged questions about signing the pledge.

Hutchinson earlier this month called on the RNC to amend the pledge after Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury over his handling of top secret documents. The RNC rejected his request.

Hutchinson will meet the RNCs requirements to qualify for the debate, his campaign manager told ABC News.

In an interview with CNN last week, Hurd ruled out signing the pledge.

I dont think that parties should be trying to rig who should be on a debate stage, Hurd said, adding that he doesnt expect Trump to sign it either.

I am not in the business of lying to the American people in order to get a microphone. And Im not going to support Donald Trump. And so I cant honestly say Im going to sign something even he may or may not be the nominee, he said.

Will Hurd was unlikely to qualify for the debate stage anyway, but he tells @kaitlancollins he wont sign any debate pledge from the RNC and notes that Trump likely wont sign it either.



pic.twitter.com/ufPaPjiiyN  Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) June 23, 2023

The debate will be moderated by Fox News Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Five people had overdosed. Drug Enforcement agents were closing in. And the alleged dealers selling narcotics at the Economy Inn in Bay St. Louis? The managers, records say.

But in the undercover investigation that revealed a deadly saga at the U.S. 90 motel, the players include not only the agents, dealers and users, but unsuspecting visitors who sought rest but instead endured leaks, roaches and bloodstained sheets, according to online reviews from sites including Google and Trip Advisor.

Its literally a roach motel, one said.

And for all the one-star ratings and horrid reviews, others had no complaints. Sure, they said, it was no Hilton. But the staff was nice, the rooms were clean and there was a pool. Some gave it five stars.

The managers  who one reviewer called outstanding people and another called inhumane  are in custody this week after authorities arrested and charged them in early June in connection with a drug operation that records say ran out of the Mississippi Coast motel. A grand jury later indicted both managers of federal charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Authorities arrested the managers, identified in court papers as Pernell Robert Galloway and Cassie Louise McKenzie, after undercover agents bought drugs from the pair and found meth, fentanyl, digital scales and a firearm at the motel.

Normal visitors  at least those who took to the Internet to praise or condemn their stays  seemed unaware. Some reviewers appeared to refer to McKenzie as a genuine, great person. Shes one of the few nice people, one person said.

Others raised concern. Among their claims: unexplained holes in the walls, mold, collapsing roofs, drugs in the parking lot, needles in the trash and evictions.

Reviewers also alleged someone slept in a dumpster outside the motel for three nights and said they witnessed people use drugs on the property.

The Economy Inn motel on Highway 90 in Bay St. Louis.

The place, one reviewer wrote, is a dump.

No customer reviews seem to suspect the managers as involved in illegal activity.

The case is headed to federal court. The verdict on Google reviews: 2.8 stars.

Not the best place to stay for a family vacation, another wrote. But does well as a last resort.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, who aims to challenge incumbent Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary, scrambled to change a merchandise photo after the original appeared to have been taken in Russia.

On Wednesday, Mr Kennedy's campaign posted a photo of a young woman in a Kennedy 2024 hoodie walking down the sidewalk holding a coffee.

"Join the movement to save our nation! Get the incredible Kennedy Collection today and proudly stand with Robert F Kennedy, Jr. Every purchase fuels his fight for our families and a brighter future. Let's unite America," Mr Kennedy Jr said in a Twitter post alongside the photo.

All the talk of saving and uniting the nation was blunted when Mr Kennedy and his team learned the photos were not only not from the US, but were likely taken in Russia.

A number of signs appear in the photo behind the woman in the hoodie. One appears to be a collapsible sidewalk chalkboard cafe sign, the second is a typical above-door shop sign, and a third, seen in the reflection of the windows behind the woman, is a blue and white rectangle. Each sign is covered in Cyrillic letters.

Which nation is Robert F. Kennedy Jr saving with that street in Russia? pic.twitter.com/U0iQATPYyo  Sergey Mohov  (@krides) June 28, 2023

The original photo is from a fashion photography and mockup service provided by a Russian artist.

Deborah Muller, a publicist who uses the same software in her work, tweeted a layman's explanation of the program used to create the image  and to chide Mr Kennedy's team.

"It's made with a mockup generator called PlaceIt. It is used by businesses to mock up designs without using real models. Of course, there are hundreds of other choices he could've gone for instead of this one if his campaign bothered checking," she wrote.

It's made with a mockup generator called PlaceIt. It is used by businesses to mock up designs without using real models. Of course, there are hundreds of other choices he could've gone for instead of this one if his campaign bothered checking. pic.twitter.com/4dR0ntodCO  Deborah Muller (@DeborahMullerAZ) June 28, 2023

Mr Kennedy's team later took the photo with the Cyrillic text down and replaced it with one of another young woman, holding a melon and wearing a Kennedy 2024 t-shirt.

The new image still didnt quite hit the mark; the young woman holding the melon in the photo was not in Russia, but was she also not in the US; she was in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The replacement photo appears to show the back of the Ibrahim Nobre statue in Sao Paulos Ibirapuera Park. The model is standing on a white ramp that can be seen in photos taken from in front of the statue.

The Independent has reached out to the Kennedy campaign for comment.

Left - RFK Jrs first attempt at this campaign ad using a stock photo from Russia.



Right - cleanup on aisle 5. pic.twitter.com/S5LcPKAcEy  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) June 28, 2023

Mr Kennedy is not the first politician to try to pass off Russian locations as depictions of the US in official campaign media.

Last October, just before she lost her gubernatorial race in Arizona, Republican Kari Lake made a campaign video including a stock video of Russian soldiers. The context of the video suggests they were supposed to portray the US National Guard, according to HuffPost.

Doug Mastriano, another failed Republican gubernatorial candidate, also used footage from a Russian propaganda video in his campaign materials, Insider reported at the time.

Just before the end of the year the House Republicans also released a "Commitment to America" video filled with stock footage from Ukraine and Russia.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he's 'proud' Trump likes him, doesn't want to alienate any 2024 voters

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a NewsNation town hall Wednesday night with Democratic and independent voters from the first primary states, said he didn't want to alienate potential 2024 voters by attacking anyone personally.

That included former President Donald Trump, who Kennedy previously described as a "demagogue" during a May interview with USA TODAY.

Trump earlier this week on "The Howie Carr Show" said Kennedy has been "very nice" to him and has had a "nice relationship" with him through the years.

"He's a very smart guy and a good guy," Trump said of Kennedy during the radio show.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as Michael Smerconish hosts a SiriusXM Town Hall at The Centre Theater on June 5, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

When town hall moderator Elizabeth Vargas asked Kennedy during the Wednesday evening town hall what he thinks of Trump, the Democratic candidate punted.

"I'm not going to attack other people personally," Kennedy said.

"I'm proud that President Trump likes me," he added.

Later in the town hall, Kennedy said he "likes" President Joe Biden, though he's running against him and has no reservations about saying when he disagrees with him on policy decisions.

"We've got to stop hating on each other," he said.

During an interview with USA TODAY in May, Kennedy described Trump as a demagogue, which is defined as a political leader who manipulates voters by playing on their prejudices and exploiting them.

"We have this middle class in our country that has sustained democracy which now feels abandoned and is migrating to demagogues like Donald Trump," he said last month.

In a statement to USA TODAY Wednesday, Kennedy said:

"'Demagogue' is only one lens through which to understand a man like Donald Trump. He does arouse people's baser instincts. However, I don't want to reduce him to that epithet. Dehumanization of one's opponents is one reason why this country is so divided; it is also a precursor to war and violence.

"In a similar vein, I do not want to imply that people ONLY supported Donald Trump out of base instincts. He also tapped into legitimate feelings of alienation and dispossession and the understanding that America was on the wrong path."

Kennedy, who has faced scrutiny for his anti-vaccine views that conflict with the nation's public health advice, has recently attracted praise and support from a mix of Trump allies and supporters, independents and celebrities.

Although Kennedy doesn't trust U.S. agencies tasked with protecting health, such as the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said during the town hall one of his motivations to win the White House is to restore trust in the country's institutions.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. town hall: Kennedy said he's 'proud' Trump likes him
Fresh off hosting his league of health misinformation superstars, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dropped by NewsNations town hall Wednesday night and refused to criticize former President Trump.

When asked by moderator Elizabeth Vargas what he thought about the first president to become indicted, arrested, and arraigned, Kennedy said: Im not going to attack other people personally.

He added, Im proud that President Trump likes me.

Not one to alienate potential 2024 voters, Kennedy also said he likes President Joe Biden, but insisted he wouldnt hesitate to disagree with him on policy decisions. When asked whether he will pledge to support whoever the Democratic nominee is, Kennedy responded, Oh, of course Im not gonna do that.

My plan is to win this election and I dont have a Plan B, Kennedy said.

During a roundtable discussion on Tuesday aired on Rumble, a video streaming site favored by far-right extremists and conspiracy theorists, Kennedy falsely suggested that millions of deaths in the Great Influenza (or Spanish flu) epidemic of 1918 could be attributed to vaccine experiments.

As previously reported by Rolling Stone, Kennedys bid is backed in support from Donald Trumps allies in MAGA World, conservative media, and some of the Republican-donor elite. Broadly, theyre hoping the Democrat will weaken Biden in the primary, hurting his chances against Trump  or whichever candidate emerges from the GOP primary.

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Multiple federal court decisions have frozen key portions of Ron DeSantis campaign against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in recent weeks, complicating the Florida governors efforts to present himself as a conservative champion with a track record of winning cultural battles over LGBTQ causes.

In the last week alone, the DeSantis administration faced setbacks in three legal battles over LGBTQ rights. Judges rejected state efforts to block transgender adults access to gender-affirming care under Medicaid, bar transgender children from accessing puberty blockers, and ban minors from certain types of live entertainment at restaurants  legislation widely interpreted as a proposal to target drag shows.

DeSantis agenda has hit other roadblocks, with judges blocking portions of his plans to control teaching and training on gender identity in schools and workplaces. The governor also faces ongoing litigation over his efforts to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams of their declared gender and to restrict access to school books, including those with LGBTQ themes.

His pressure on private industry has faced challenges, as well, with Disney  one of the states largest employers  suing the governor claiming he overstepped his power in taking punitive action against the company over its opposition to policies the company viewed as hostile to the LGBTQ community. DeSantis is pushing for the federal trial to start after the 2024 presidential election. In the meantime, Disney will host a major LGBTQ conference in Florida this September that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Were seeing a momentum shift that is heavily supported by these court wins, said Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director at Equality Florida. The courts and the public are recognizing that Governor DeSantis isnt putting forward good policy. Hes playing politics, and leaving taxpayers to foot the legal bills for it.

A spokesperson for DeSantis did not respond to a request for comment.

DeSantis setbacks have been delivered by lower courts, giving the governor an opportunity to reclaim victory at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a conservative majority rules. On Thursday, for example, the DeSantis administration appealed the federal ruling blocking the new state law that aims to prohibit children from attending drag shows.

Throughout his time in office, lower court rulings that were not in his favor rarely spelled the end of the governors legal fights. DeSantis, a lawyer himself, has advocated for the selection of conservative judges who are willing to reverse bad precedent, and his campaign has recently dismissed his setbacks in court as the tactics of activists who seek to impose their will on people by judicial fiat.

Last year, the 11th circuits Republican-appointed judges upheld that a Florida public school could bar a transgender student identifying as male from using the mens bathroom. But the conservative judges also said that states must demonstrate a clear government interest when passing laws targeting trans people, providing advocates for LGBTQ rights with a strong legal argument in future cases on the topic that reach the court.

The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to weigh in substantively on transgender rights. But in April, the highest court allowed a transgender girl in West Virginia to continue to play on a girls sports team, denying the states attempt to ban her.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference proposing anti-crime legislation at the Miami Police Benevolent in Miami on Thursday, January 26, 2023. Al Diaz/adiaz@miamiherald.com

DeSantis view

In emails and text messages to supporters in recent days, DeSantis has placed his campaign against LGBTQ Americans at the center of his 2024 presidential bid, claiming he already succeeded in rolling back gay and transgender rights in his home state.In Florida, we got it done and beat the woke agenda, he said in a recent email. Its time we do it for all of America.

Across the country, the Left has taken advantage of a weak executive and lit the fire of cultural Marxism. The fire has smoldered in our schools; it has smoldered in corporate boardrooms; it has smoldered in the halls of government, he said. Why do Joe Biden and the Left think its common sense to salute the Pride Flag?

In a recent Fox News interview, DeSantis said he would continue the fight at the federal level by asking Congress to eliminate several federal agencies, including the Department of Education  or else use those agencies to fight against wokism in American life. (For 50 years, the Department of Education has prohibited any school that receives federal funding from discriminating on the basis of sex.)

We reversed [state] policies trying to inject the curriculum in our schools, he said in the interview, pivoting to what he would do as president. That will all be gone.

The governor has had some unequivocal political victories, implementing and expanding a law known to its critics as Dont Say Gay that restricts the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms. A UCLA study recently showed the law has had a chilling effect on LGBTQ school employees and students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Another bill that is set to go into effect on July 1 will limit school employees ability to refer to students or staff members with pronouns that differ from those assigned to them at birth  even in cases when a parent consents to it. That same bill will require every public school to have a policy that says it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to their assigned sex, which under the law would be defined as an immutable, or unchanging, biological trait.

Regardless of its setbacks in the courts, the DeSantis administration has been effective at stifling the LGBTQ community across the state. Several communities have canceled Pride events this month out of fear that the governor had fostered an unsafe environment. High school events featuring discussions with drag queens have been shut down. And across the state, conservative groups have been successful at restricting access to LGBTQ content in school libraries, including a childrens book based on a true story about a penguin family with two fathers.

Demonstrators gather on the steps of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum in front of the Florida State Capitol, Monday, March 7, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. Wilfredo Lee/AP

But recent court decisions show the challenges DeSantis will face in taking his campaign nationwide. While other Republican-controlled states have followed Florida in passing laws against drag shows and gender-affirming care, they have also followed Florida in legal defeats, with Arkansas, Utah and Indiana also facing setbacks in the courts in recent weeks over similar state legislation.

Ill start off by saying, I told you so, said Shevrin Jones, the first openly gay person elected to the Florida Senate, representing the 35th District. At every step during the process of this legislation, I made it clear that what were doing is unconstitutional  interfering with the rights of individuals, with the rights of parents and what they want to do with their children.

This puts DeSantis hate and bigotry on full display, Jones said. Id suggest the governor read the room and the amount of losses hes experiencing right now.

DeSantis continues to lean into his fight against wokeness and gender ideology as he attempts to court conservative voters, including members of politically influential groups, such as Moms for Liberty, a Florida group that has hundreds of chapters across the country.

Moms for Liberty has been at the forefront of battles that have drawn pushback from the LGBTQ community, including restricting access to books in school libraries and efforts to limit how school employees support transgender children who want to socially transition.

DeSantis, former President Donald Trump and other 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls are expected to attend the groups Joyful Warrior annual conference this weekend.

Last summer, DeSantis was a keynote speaker at the groups summit, where hundreds of members commiserated over concerns that students were being exposed to lessons of race and gender identity they found to be inappropriate.

It was there that the groups leaders presented DeSantis with a Liberty Sword, which they said was modeled after the type given to gladiators  an idea DeSantis has very much embraced as he vows to continue fighting the culture wars if elected president.
Photo: Getty (Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faces many obstacles in his effort to prevail over Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nominationand one main one is that hes not known for being a likable guy. In fact, ABC News obtained a video from his 2018 debate prep sessions in which an advisor told him to write the word LIKABLE in all caps at the top of his notepad for his debate with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum. I do the same thing, cause I have the same personality, were both aggressive, the advisor said.

EXCLUSIVE: Dont "piss off his voters." Footage of Ron DeSantis' 2018 debate prep sessions reveal his thoughts on dealing with Donald Trump. https://t.co/ibDeDWaKKQ pic.twitter.com/aZSXmdumBo  ABC News (@ABC) May 7, 2023

Its possible that people dont like DeSantis because he does things like ban abortion, bark at reporters, attack LGBTQ people, and restrict educators ability to accurately teach history. Its also possible that people do not like him because he acts like a robot doing a poor impression of a human. Or...is DeSantis actually a robot? Or maybe a pull-string doll? A tiny alien wearing a human skin suit like in Men in Black? An android planted here to spy on us?

Read more

Are we looking at a human in this video or a doll with a string in its back that, once pulled, makes the doll say WOKE BAD six times in 20 seconds? (Meanwhile, Casey DeSantis dutifully claps in her gaudy pageant dress.)

DeSantis Attempts a Wave

Presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to a crowd at a campaign event on June 2, 2023 in Gilbert, South Carolina.



DeSantis waves (???) to a crowd at a campaign event on June 2, 2023, in Gilbert, South Carolina.

This has the exact energy as the How do you, fellow kids? memeexcept, instead of being an old, DeSantis is an android.

DeSantis Attempts a Smile

DeSantis greets attendees after his remarks at the Heritage Foundations 50th Anniversary Leadership Summit on April 21, 2023



DeSantis greets attendees after his remarks at the Heritage Foundations 50th Anniversary Leadership Summit on April 21, 2023

It looks like his Smile 3000" program booted up and then quickly crashed. Someone needs to unplug him and try again in 15 seconds.

DeSantis Attempts to Be Delighted By a Baby

DeSantis holds a baby during a campaign event at Sun Valley Barn in Pella, Iowa, US, on May 31, 2023.



DeSantis holds a baby during a campaign event at Sun Valley Barn in Pella, Iowa, US, on May 31, 2023.

Even his security guard seems extremely alarmed by how this entity is interacting with a human baby. (The baby clearly knows something, too.)

DeSantis or Sophia?

Presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to a crowd on June 2, 2023 in Gilbert, South Carolina.



DeSantis speaks to a crowd on June 2, 2023, in Gilbert, South Carolina.

This genuinely looks like the pained, confused expressions Sophia the Robot makes. And shes famously not a human!

DeSantis Attempts Another Smile

From left, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Congressman Randy Feenstra flip meat on the grill for a photo op during the annual Feenstra Family Picnic in Sioux Center, Iowa, on May 13, 2023.



From left, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, DeSantis, and Congressman Randy Feenstra flip meat on the grill for a photo op during the annual Feenstra Family Picnic in Sioux Center, Iowa, on May 13, 2023.

Someone somewhere definitely pressed a button to try to contort DeSantis face into something that kind of resembles an expression meant to convey enjoyment.

DeSantis Tries to Answer a Question

"I'm not a candidate, so we'll see if and when that changes," Gov. DeSantis, who is in Japan right now, says when asked about polls that show him falling behind Trump. pic.twitter.com/nDVeyBoVHN  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 24, 2023

In April, before he officially announced his run, DeSantis practically short-circuited in response to a question about Trump. His head bobbled in a this-robot-is-malfunctioning kind of way as he insisted, Im not a candidate, with huge bug eyes. It was weird! Quick follow-up, Governor: Are you a homo sapien?

DeSantis Discovers He Has a Mouth

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis departs an event Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Washington.



DeSantis departs an event on April 18, 2023, in Washington.

Human skin suit theory.

DeSantis Accidentally Lets Slip That He Has Robot Eyesight

DeSantis: Dont tell me it doesnt affect peoples lives. I was just in San Francisco. In 20 minutes on the ground, I saw people defecating on the sidewalk. I saw people using Fentanyl. pic.twitter.com/Tlwi6Wbonl  Acyn (@Acyn) June 23, 2023

At the recent Faith & Freedom Coalition, DeSantis said he just got back from San Francisco, where he immediately saw people using fentanyl upon landing. Riddle me this: Can a human identify someone that has fentanyl from afar with the naked eye?

DeSantis Tries Out Moving His Eyebrows

DeSantis visits Red Arrow Diner, a traditional campaign stop for presidential candidates visiting the Manchester, New Hampshire, area on May 19, 2023.



DeSantis visits Red Arrow Diner, a traditional campaign stop for presidential candidates visiting the Manchester, New Hampshire, area on May 19, 2023.

New theory: All photos of DeSantis talking to voters are AI-generated.

DeSantis Enters Low-Power Mode

Casey DeSantis speaks during an Iowa GOP reception on May 13, 2023, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.



Casey DeSantis speaks during an Iowa GOP reception on May 13, 2023, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Casey speak. Ronbot rest.

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Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Reuters/Getty

Rudy Giuliani has had a lot of titles before his name but the one he wants to avoid is defendant. He is the former Associate Attorney General of the United States (the number three at the Justice Department), U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mayor of New York City, and personal lawyer to Donald Trump.

But now, following reports that he met with Special Counsel Jack Smiths team in their criminal investigation of the Jan 6 uprising, Giuliani finds himself the focus of speculation whether he will flip on Donald Trump.

Much of that speculation is hype over the reporting by The New York Times and CNN that Giuliani met with prosecutors under conditions known as a proffer. But proffers do not always lead to a cooperation agreement. Rather they are a method by which white-collar defense lawyers seek to probe what the prosecutors interest is in the client and to see if they can assuage any suspicions by the prosecution that the client has committed crimes.

Why Trump Refused to Make Giuliani His Secretary of State

An old adage in white-collar defense is the distinction between these categories of crimes versus violent crimes. In violent crimes its a whodunit. In white-collar crimes, its often the question of whether anything was criminally done at all.

From the reporting, it appears that interest and questioning of Giuliani focused on a wide variety of topics all related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Prosecutors asked him about the role of John Eastmanthe mastermind who theorized how Trump could overturn the election through Vice President Mike Pence rejecting the electoral college vote, Sidney Powellwho had made baseless claims about foreign entities' mass hacking of voting machines, and the meeting at the Willard Hotel days before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Giuliani was at the center of all of this, so if any of those people and actions may be subject to criminal charges, then his own exposure must be alarming to him as well as to his legal team.

But it is too early and we dont know enough to say whether DOJ is looking to charge him. The proffer conditions can vary from case to case and fall into two categories. The first type is where the client does not speak or even show up and it is merely the defense counsel who meet with agents and prosecutors to explain what their client would say in the hope that it will lessen interest in charging the client.

In such a preliminary meeting, the defense counsel will want to know if their client is a target, subject, or witness. The hope is that they are a witness. The fear is that they are a target or a subject. The anxiety is that none of those terms are binding on the government. It can all slide south for the client depending on the evidence developed in the case.

The second type of profferand the one it sounds like Giuliani didis where the actual client is offered up to speak to the prosecutors. But in order to give the client some type of protection the conditions of the interview will be that nothing the client says will be directly used against them unless they lie.

This is commonly called the Queen for a Day letter because it is usually formalized for the clients protection via a letter from the prosecutors. But being Queen for a Day offers limited protections since evidence developed from independent sources could still be used against the client and his statements could validate and even lead to other evidence against them. The real protection offered by this proffer condition for the client is that prosecutors know that if they use the statements to charge the Queen then they will likely face litigation over whether the evidence used to charge was truly independent or not.

It is likely that the very first question from Giulianis legal team was whether he was a target and just as likely that DOJ would be coy about answering that question. The reason for the coyness is that telling the lawyers that Giuliani is a target likely would trigger the lawyers to demand some form of immunity in return for Giuliani being questioned, which is a road prosecutors do not like to go down unless absolutely necessary.

In this dance of questioning, Giuliani and his team would seek to appear as believable and cooperative as possible while hoping to convince DOJ that Giuliani did nothing wrong. Somewhere along the way, both sides have to cross the Rubicon of whether Giuliani wants to assert attorney-client privilege protections in his interviews.

Normally, that would be a strong shield for Giuliani, but one of Trumps lawyersEvan Corcoranhas already been compelled to give notes and testimony under the doctrine of the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege. That court result might make Giuliani shy away from leaning too heavily on privilege as his only shield.

As a former number 3 at DOJ and former U.S. Attorney, Giuliani likely knows all too well that fighting to shield information only whets prosecutors appetites for pursuit, and that it is much more effective to assuage that appetite through measured cooperation spun to put Giuliani in the best light possible.

Giuliani is an absolutely necessary building block for DOJs investigation. Remember that he was subpoenaed some six months ago for documents and is only now being interviewedthorough investigations take time and this one is exceedingly complex. This means we should all manage the hype about whether Giuliani will flip. Too often flippingmeaning that a person will cooperate with the government in exchange for immunity or a lesser convictionis treated in public perception as a magic bullet in any case. But cooperators present prosecutions with tough challenges involving attacks on the cooperators own culpability, motives, and character.

There are no magic bullets in the universe of Trump investigations and cases. Like any other criminal case, these cases must be built on a methodically laid foundation of evidence from documents and witnesses. The years that have passed since the January 6, 2021 attack and efforts by Trump to overturn the 2020 election remind us of just how late was DOJ to the starting line. Whether they were too late remains to be seen.

Shan Wu is a former federal prosecutor who served as counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Corporate diversity efforts could be on the chopping block following the Supreme Courts decision barring the use of race as a direct factor in college admissions.

The courts six conservative justices ruled that two colleges admissions practices discriminated against white and Asian American applicants through race-based policies that benefited applicants from other backgrounds.

Though the decision does not outright implicate so-called diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, attorneys and some business groups say that it provides fresh ammunition to critics seeking to upend these workplace programs. Conservative Republicans, including state and federal lawmakers and, notably, GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, have harshly criticized such policies.

It will cause employers to take a closer look at how they are executing their diversity strategies, Tim Bartl, the CEO of the HR Policy Association, told POLITICO shortly after the decision was handed down. And it really creates an impetus for employers to reaffirm their commitment to diversity, but to do so in a way that mitigates the potential of challenge down the line.

Federal civil rights law already bars discrimination based on race or skin color in employment decisions, among a list of other protected characteristics like age and a persons sex or gender.

But for decades the court had extended greater leeway to colleges and universities, on the grounds that bolstering student body diversity enriches the learning experience. Thursdays decision departs from that thinking, instead ruling that such race-based decisions run afoul of the Constitutions equal-protection clause.

Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it, Chief Justice John Roberts stated in the majority opinion.

That could also be extended to challenge DEI and other workplace diversity efforts on the grounds that they tacitly benefit certain workers over others. Some civil rights groups have also raised concerns that further restricting race-based affirmative action could lay a path to similarly limiting gender-focused programs.

Affirmative action has been a hot-button issue since at least the Civil Rights era, with periodic flare ups over things like racial quotas and other policies designed to diversify the workplace and other parts of society.

A wide constellation of things fall under the umbrella of DEI, which was pitched in part as a way to foster and promote a more equal work environment without resorting to the type of prescriptive measures that have inflamed tensions in the past.

DEI took off particularly in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minnesota. Companies latched onto these policies as a way to attract and retain talent, particularly women and younger workers who have regularly cited diversity as an important value to them in surveys and public opinion polls.

A Pew Research Center survey from May found that 56 percent of workers said that focusing on DEI was a good thing, compared to 16 percent who said it was bad.

But the proliferation of these polices have also provoked a conservative backlash, with detractors scorning DEI as woke and divisive.

"While todays decision is an important step, racial bias of all types must be eliminated from all institutions in our society, whether they go by the name of affirmative action or fall under the newest Leftist moniker of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)," Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition, said in a statement.

Republican lawmakers have moved to crack down on DEI initiatives on college campuses and other areas.

America First Legal, a group headed by Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller, in recent months has filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seeking investigations into corporate diversity and hiring practices at major companies like Unilever, McDonalds and candy maker Mars.

Corporations have already expressed some unease about being placed in the center of these competing pressures, and Thursdays ruling will likely spur some to consider overhauling their diversity practices or back off on them to avoid potential legal headaches.

I think that there will be a greater attention paid to exactly how employers are looking at representation and how they're looking at inclusion, Bartl said. Because at the end of the day, what employers really want out of their diversity programs is to identify a pool of diverse, qualified candidates that can be under consideration and then allow that process to work its way out.
Andriy Chernyak

The ongoing conflict between two of Russia's main security forces  the FSB security service and the Defense Ministry  has escalated and is now in an active phase, Ukrainian Military Intelligence spokesman Andrii Chernyak said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine on June 29.

Read also: Some suspect footage of Putin in Dagestan to be of body double

Our assessments indicate that this has become an open conflict between the competing factions within the Kremlin, said Chernyak.

It's likely to result in physical eliminations of representatives from the competing side.

Chernyak added that high-ranking Russian officials recognize that Russian dictator Vladimir Putins hold on power is slipping, and they are attempting to leverage this to increase their own influence.

"Putin is no longer able to maintain control or balance these factions; both the FSB and the Ministry of Defense recognize this as an opportunity to secure a political victory," he said.

Additionally, the intelligence official noted that the recent relocation of some Wagner mercenaries to Belarus does not currently pose a military threat to Ukraine.

Read also: What happened between Putin and Prigozhin

These forces are not under the control of the Russian Defense Ministry, Chernyak concludes.

Read also: Poland to bolster border security after Wagner mercenaries arrival in Belarus

The camps being set up in Belarus are for training of these Wagner mercenaries. However, we have no information suggesting any plans for an attack on Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- A top Russian general was questioned over his links to the mercenary group that carried out a failed revolt against the Kremlins military leadership as Vladimir Putin pressed ahead with a string of public appearances.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Investigators questioned General Sergei Surovikin over several days about his connections to Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the matter is sensitive. Brigadier General Pat Ryder, a spokesman for the Pentagon, told reporters that some elements of the Wagner Group remain in Ukraine.

Putin returned to Moscow overnight from a trip to the south of Russia as he continued efforts to project a sense of business-as-usual days after the mercenary rebellion marked the most serious threat to his nearly quarter-century rule.

Latest Coverage

US Green-Lights $5.62 Billion Sale of F-35s to Czech Republic

Top Russian General Quizzed Over Mutiny Challenging Putins Rule

Russians Support for Peace Talks Up After Unrest, Poll Shows

Wagners Exit Wont Radically Alter Course of War in Ukraine

Putin Seeks to Project Strong Image as Military Questions Linger

Where Did All That Russian Gas Go?

All times CET

Surovikin Was Registered With Wagner, CNN Reports (4:10 a.m.)

Surovikin had personal registration with the Wagner Group, CNN reported on Thursday night, citing documents the network said it had obtained from the Dossier Center, which investigates the Russian leadership and its associates.

CNN added that more than two dozen other Russian intelligence and military figures had the same status with Wagner. Although the report could not be independently verified, it does raise questions about Surovikins relationship with Prigozhin and Wagner.

The Dossier Center was established by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an exiled Russian businessman and Putin opponent.

Drones Attack Wagner-Linked Base in Libya, Report Says (4:10 a.m.)

A military base in eastern Libya that has been used by mercenaries from the Wagner Group came under attack by drones, Agence France-Presse reported on Thursday night, citing an anonymous military source.

It could not be determined who was behind the assault at the al-Kharrouba air base, or if it had anything to do with last weekends attempted Prigozhins attempted rebellion in Russia. No one was hurt in the attack, the military source told AFP. Wagner has long had a presence in Libya, which has been riven by conflicts among various factions since the fall of the dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

Poll Shows Rising Support for Peace Talks (2:10 a.m.)

Russians support for peace talks with Ukraine has grown after Prigozhins revolt, according to a new opinion poll from the independent Levada Center.

The share of respondents backing negotiations increased by eight percentage points to 53% from a month earlier. Following the march by Prigozhin and Wagner fighters toward Moscow last weekend, the share of those favoring a continuation of fighting fell to 39%, according to the survey, to be published Friday.

While Putins ratings remained largely unchanged in the aftermath of the upheaval, Prigozhins fell, the poll showed. On the eve of the mutiny, 19% of respondents were ready to consider voting for him in presidential elections due in 2024, while after June 24 the number fell to 6%.

US Weighs Providing Long-Range Missiles, WSJ Says (9:07 p.m.)

The U.S. is considering providing a long-range missile system for Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal said, citing American and European officials it didnt identify. Despite concern that the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, with a range of about 190 miles (300 kilometers), could reach into Russian territory, theres increased interest in providing it, the Journal said.

But Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, told reporters hes not aware of any imminent decision on ATACMS.

Top Russian General Quizzed Over Mutiny Challenging Putin (1:14 p.m.)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment Thursday when asked by reporters on a conference call whether Surovikin had been dismissed or detained, saying they should contact the Defense Ministry, according to the Interfax news service.

Latvian Premier Warns on Wagner in Belarus (12:12 p.m.)

Latvias prime minister, Krisjanis Karins, said the presence of Wagner mercenaries in neighboring Belarus poses an urgent threat of infiltration into the European Union, calling on the bloc to intensify security measures.

The threat will probably not be a frontal military threat, but the threat of infiltration into Europe for unknown purposes, Karins said in Brussels as EU leaders met. That means we need to heighten our border awareness and make sure we can control that.

Poland to Raise Belarus Border Security Amid Wagner Presence (11:04 a.m.)

Poland will bolster security on its border with Belarus amid fears that the presence of Wagner mercenary forces may intensify what it calls hybrid warfare with its neighbor.

We potentially have a new situation in Belarus with the Wagner presence, Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said at a press conference in Warsaw on Wednesday. The situation is dangerous for Ukraine and its also potentially dangerous for Lithuania and us.

Read More: Poland to Raise Belarus Border Security Amid Wagner Presence

Putin to Speak at Strong Ideas Forum (9:30 a.m.)

Putin is due to speak Thursday at a forum titled Strong Ideas for a New Time in Moscow, an annual event whose title has taken on unexpected symbolism.

Any remarks on the events of last weekend, or the absence of such comments, will be closely watched. The appearance comes a day after Putin traveled to southern Russia for an event focused on tourism development, and was seen on state television mixing with local residents.

Despite the effort to portray the crisis as at an end, questions continued to hang over the extent to which elements within the military and the security services were aware of Prigozhins plan to march on Moscow.

EU Leaders to Discuss Ukraine Security Commitments (8 a.m.)

EU leaders will discuss security commitments for Ukraine when they gather in Brussels on Thursday. France recently added the wording to a draft of the leaders conclusions.

The statement is meant to highlight the EUs support for Kyiv with its training mission for Ukrainian soldiers and plans to send the country 1 million artillery shells. Member states want more clarity from France about what it will entail, an EU diplomat said.

Separately, the US, UK, France and Germany are in talks about bilateral security assurances for Ukraine, expected to include commitments on continued weapons supplies, training and financing for its defense against Russia. The assurances could be presented on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius in July.

UK Terms Russian Aircraft Losses Psychological Shock (7 a.m.)

During last weeks short-lived mutiny, Wagner air defense forces reportedly shot down Russian military helicopters and an Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post aircraft, the UK defense ministry said in a Twitter thread.

While the loss of the aircraft is likely to have a negative impact on Russian air and land operations, the psychological shock will almost certainly damage morale within the Russian Aerospace Force, the UK said.

Deaths From Tuesdays Russian Strike on Kramatorsk at 12 (6 a.m.)

The final death toll from a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk in Ukraines east on Tuesday is 12, Ukraines interior ministry said. At least other 60 people were wounded when a popular pizza restaurant was hit.

Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday arrested a man they accused of helping Russia direct the strike, the Associated Press reported. Three teenagers were among those killed.

German Defense Chief Discusses Ukraines NATO Prospects (1:08 a.m.)

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said there wasnt a clear date regarding Ukraines possible membership in NATO, adding that there is the view that the future of Ukraine is in NATO is enough.

Pistorius, on a visit to Washington Wednesday, also commented on the aftermath of Prigozhins attempted revolt. What happened in Russia and whats still going on has to concern us. We had very good meetings with Lloyd Austin and Jake Sullivan, he said, referring to the US Defense secretary and Bidens national security advisor.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Russia loses 680 soldiers, aircraft and 27 artillery systems in one day

Over the past day, Ukraines defence forces destroyed 680 Russians, one aircraft, 27 artillery systems and other Russian equipment.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces from 24 February 2022 to 29 June 2023 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses  ed.]:

approximately 227,780 (+680) military personnel

4,038 (+2) tanks

7,857 (+10) armoured combat vehicles

4,116 (+27) artillery systems

627 (+0) multiple-launch rocket systems

388 (+1) air defence systems

315 (+1) fixed-wing aircraft

308 (+0) helicopters,

3513 (+14) tactical UAVs

1,261 (+0) cruise missiles

18 (+0) ships/boats

6,780 (+6) vehicles and tankers

569 (+6) special vehicles

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Budanov

Early this morning, just days after Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) leader launched, then aborted a mutiny against Moscow, The War Zone caught up with the head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) for his assessment of the situation and more.

Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, in his second interview with us since November, told The War Zone when Ukraine became aware of Yevgeny Prigozhins mutiny operation and how it affected operations on the battlefield. Budanov disclosed there is an ongoing assassination plot against the former close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and that Wagner will no longer be a threat in Ukraine. Budanov also talked about Putins future in the wake of Prigozhins march towards Moscow. And of course he discussed a host of other issues in a teleconference meeting from his office in Kyiv. Budanov spoke through a translator. This conversation has been very slightly edited for clarity:

TWZ: What was the mood when you first heard Prigozhin was marching on Moscow?

KB: The mood was very good because any actions that go towards the destabilization inside Russia are beneficial for Ukraine. That is why the mood was good.

TWZ: At any point were you aware that Prigozhin was plotting a mutiny? Had you been in touch with him? There was some speculation about that.

KB: So rumors are rumors and I wont be doing any comment about that. If the question is did we know about the plans to conduct such actions? Yes, I can confirm that we knew that there was an intent to do something similar. And we knew about it for quite a while.

TWZ: How did you know?

KB: From our HUMINT (human intelligence) sources.

Budanov talking to us from his office in Kyiv.

TWZ: How did Prigozhins incursion into Russia affect Russian military operations in Ukraine as it was unfolding?

KB: Due to the fact that all of those developments were continuing for a very short period of time, we cannot speak of any serious impact those actions had. But at the same time, there has been some damage done to the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation. The second point is we are not expecting an emergence of PMC Wagner in Ukraine as a separate entity fulfilling its own operations. And I believe that factor is quite important for us. Because regretfully we have to admit that Private Military Company Wagner showed themselves as quite a powerful fighting force. Unlike the regular Russian military units. And also we need to admit that unlike the Russian Armed Forces again they are able to fight in a right way properly and they're ready to take sacrifices in order to achieve the task.

Prigozhin during an address while at the Russia's seized Southern Military District headquarters.

TWZ: You mentioned damage to the Russian Aerospace forces, can you go into more detail?

KB: If I remember it right, there were eight aircraft completely down - both rotary wing and fixed wing. Some of them were attack helicopters. And also there was one airborne command post - also called a transmitter [IL-22M radio relay] aircraft that was downed. Those eight aircraft were completely destroyed. But there were others which managed to return to their home bases but have taken certain damage.

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1673047914724065281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1673047914724065281%7Ctwgr%5E2e1ea103ef89eb599c4d278f539f968a082b62c6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_\u0026ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Fprigozhin-is-back-on-his-soapbox-two-days-after-outright-mutiny

TWZ: Do you know the status of Gen. Sergei Surovikin, head of the Russian Aerospace Forces and erstwhile Prigozhin ally? Has he been arrested?

KB: Currently, we don't have the complete knowledge of what's going on. I cannot say directly what happened to him personally. There was unconfirmed information that he was taken into custody on Saturday, the very day when Prigozhins actions started. But we were yet unable to confirm or disprove that information.

https://twitter.com/JohnH105/status/1674404999680471041

TWZ: Do you know if Surovikin was providing information to Prigozhin as he was planning his mutiny, as The New York Times reported?

KB: I will refrain from answering this question.

TWZ: How badly has this incident damaged Russias ability to conduct the war? Why?

KB: We're actually going back to the point I made at the beginning of our conversation that any destabilization inside the Russian Federation is beneficial for Ukraine. The main consequence that most likely you won't see anymore PMC Wagner as a separate unit. And in truth, they could have created quite significant problems for us.

TWZ: Do you see Prigozhin creating any problems for Ukraine while he is in Belarus? Are you worried about that? (Yesterday, Polish officials announced they were beefing up fortifications out of concern about Prigozhin and Wagner).

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1674112484901257218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1674112484901257218%7Ctwgr%5E4ef0b8cd7d3c4db25f28c812ed4d00000f832d4b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_\u0026ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Fpurges-underway-in-russian-security-apparatus-after-prigozhins-mutiny

KB: Nyet. No.

TWZ: Why?

KB: Because a massive restationing of the PMC to Belarus is not planned. And because the hub that they're creating in Belarus is for logistic purposes. Also they will have some office premises and a recruiting center. And that hub is being created for Wagner operations overseas, mostly in Africa.

TWZ: So those operations overseas will continue?

KB: Yes, their operations overseas are continuing mostly in Africa. And what is going to happen next is that the majority of personnel which was previously engaged in fighting in Ukraine will be step-by-step moved to Africa to build up operations there.

https://twitter.com/vtchakarova/status/1673262961366900736

TWZ: How many troops does Prigozhin have in Belarus right now?

KB: No one, just a few people from his forward-ranking group.

TWZ: Do you think he will be assassinated by Putin?

KB: We are aware that the FSB was charged with a task to assassinate him. Will they be successful in doing that? We'll see with time. So in any case, all of such potential assassination attempts will not be fast. It will take them some time to have the proper approaches and to reach the stage when they're ready to add a huge operation. But once again, I'd like to underline that it's a big open question. Would they be successful in fulfilling that? Will they dare to to execute that order?

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1673693209346670593

TWZ: Back in November, you told me that you didnt think Putin would survive the war. Has this situation changed your thinking at all? Does he survive?

KB: Had Mr. Prigozhin fulfilled his initial plan, Russia would have been divided into at least two parts by now but as he didn't, we're still about to see. Because had Prigozhin entered an empty Kremlin that day, he would have shown to the public that the Kremlin is empty. There are no ministers. There are no real high-ranking officials there. They all have escaped, and he would demonstrate that there's no authority in power currently in Russia. But on the other hand, some officials from St. Petersburg or elsewhere would start claiming that they're the legitimate power which makes a situation of two powers in the country, which immediately would be split.

But given the fact that they've managed to come to an agreement, which they did, it bought some time for the Russian leadership, for the Russian authorities. But still, their stance as all-controlling a pillar of power was greatly undermined by Prigozhins actions and it will never be the same again.

TWZ: Will Putin be overthrown?

KB: They will demonstrate the change of power in more or less a legal way. The precise way how it will happen, we're about to see.

TWZ: I want to shift to the counteroffensive. How is that going from your point of view?

KB: I am not authorized to comment on the activities of the General Staff whose responsibility this counter offensive is. That is why I ask to be excused, I will not be answering this question. I can say in general, that it's ongoing. We have certain successes, but it's yet too soon to speak of any results.

Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR), gave us his take on Saturday's mutiny attempt by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. (Zoom screencap)

TWZ: I want to follow up on two responses you gave me to questions I asked you in November. One was about retaking Crimea sometime this year and the other was about returning to the 1991 borders by this year. Do you still hold to those projections?

KB: Our position is unchanged in that we will reach the administrative borders of Ukraine as of 1991 anyway.

TWZ: This year?

KB: So we'll do everything possible to make it this year.

TWZ: But thats not a guarantee, right? Obviously the Russians have a lot to say about this.

KB: In such issues it is only God who can provide such guarantees.

TWZ: Are you concerned the U.S. will cut off the supply of aid to Ukraine if the counteroffensive is not successful?

KB: I have no concerns about that. Because I am sure that Ukraine is to get a certain degree of success in this counter offensive operation.

TWZ: Do you still believe the Russians are going to create a disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?

KB: Russia on the technical side has set everything ready for orchestration of a technological disaster on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Theyve prepared everything necessary to create an artificial technological, man-made disaster. The part of the station - which if the decision is taken - they are most likely to blow up, is the artificial pond on the territory of the station that ensures cooling. So what they're about to do is to damage a link in the system, which will subsequently cause this technological disaster situation which no one will be able to stop or mitigate. Because search and rescue operations in a combat zone are impossible.

TWZ: Will they carry through on that?

KB: They are completely ready for it.

https://twitter.com/Reevellp/status/1674354529301671939

TWZ: Lets talk about the attacks by so-called anti-Putin Russian partisan groups inside Russia. In May one of your staff said there was a level of cooperation with those groups. Are you cooperating at all with those forces?

KB: Being a special service, it's understood that we are familiar with multiple organizations across the world. But the fighting of Russian volunteers against the Russian regime on the territory of the Russian Federation is exclusively a Russian internal issue.

TWZ: Are you helping them in any way?

KB: We just know them, thats it.

TWZ: So theres no cooperation?

KB: Our cooperation, if there is some, it doesn't step beyond their assistance to us In defense of Ukraine on the territory of Ukraine. Everything they do outside Ukraine in the Russian Federation is none of our business.

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1664178016266727426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1664178016266727426%7Ctwgr%5E0c37f4e226203785770e56bc94797feba3aa0247%7Ctwcon%5Es1_\u0026ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Frussia-claims-it-foiled-tank-backed-incursion-across-its-border

TWZ: The leak of classified documents included information that the U.S. had to talk you out of attacking Moscow on the anniversary of the all-out invasion. Did that happen?

KB: These are your leaks. Why are you asking me?

TWZ: Given those leaks, are you concerned about sharing secrets with the U.S.?

KB: Im not the person to comment about rumors or some leaks of unknown sources.

TWZ: Any concern about the U.S. ability to keep secrets?

KB: I have no concerns. The U.S. is a reliable partner of Ukraine and likewise Ukraine is a reliable partner of the United States of America.

https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1650469693659009027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1650469693659009027%7Ctwgr%5E076cadb8e658692f4e7cbe7cf184eefa45de6c2c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_\u0026ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Fukraine-situation-report-explosive-drones-are-getting-very-close-to-moscow

TWZ: What else can the U.S. provide Ukraine to help?

KB: It's nothing new. We're looking forward to intensification and enlargement and scale of arms provision to Ukraine.

TWZ: When do you anticipate pilot training on F-16s will begin?

KB: Look, the F-16 question is a long-term question. What I'm asking about is stuff that is needed here. And now. It's armored combat vehicles, tanks, long-range artillery, long-range missile systems. There's nothing new in that list.

TWZ: And do you know when the pilot training might start? Do you have any sense of that?

KB: Excuse me, I just don't possess that information. They might have already started. Im not the unit operating F-16s, I have no F-16s, so I dont know.

https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1661828111346835457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1661829429549473803%7Ctwgr%5Ee8c77f7b9e33505b270cebcf916fca96ac43f97d%7Ctwcon%5Es2_\u0026ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Fthe-war-zone%2Fukraine-situation-report-denmark-netherlands-to-lead-f-16-pilot-training-coalition

TWZ: The last time we talked, you said that Russia was on the verge of receiving short-range ballistic missiles from Iran as well as more drones. Is that still the case?

KB: As of today, there are no Iranian ballistic missiles in Russia or in Ukraine. Speaking of drones, they are used at large scale.

TWZ: Do you anticipate Russia getting more drones from Iran?

KB: New batches of drones from Iran are coming constantly to the Russian Federation.

TWZ: How many?

KB: Usually one batch is 50 to 70 drone per time. And it happens quite regularly, once every two weeks, sometimes every three weeks.

TWZ: Do the Russians have enough missiles to continue barrages against Ukraine?

KB: As you see from the recent strikes, they've reduced the numbers of missiles they're using first strike each time. So the answer is no. They are no longer able to conduct the same attacks which they did last fall. So if you excuse us, we have to go.

TWZ: Thank you very much as always.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Mutinous Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told his mercenaries would no longer be fighting in Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine after he snubbed Russian defence ministry contracts for his fighters, a senior Moscow politician has said.

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, chair of the Russian Dumas defence committee, claimed that, as a result of this, Mr Prigozhin then committed treason with his shortlived mutiny last weekend, driven by his exorbitant ambitions and greed.

While Mr Prigozhin is now in Belarus after an 11th-hour deal brokered by president Alexander Lukashenko, Moscow is still reeling from his armed rebellion  as rumours swirl that former Ukraine war commander Sergei Surovikin has been arrested for having advance knowledge of the mutiny.

Doing little to douse the flames of speculation, the Kremlin admitted on Thursday that it did not know Mr Surovikins whereabouts, and failed to say that the so-called General Armageddon retained the trust of Mr Putin, instead diverting questions about him to a tight-lipped defence ministry.

Key Points

Yevgeny Prigozhin was told Wagner would no longer be fighting in Ukraine'

Russian general Sergei Surovikin arrested after Wagner rebellion - report

Death toll rises to 12 in Ukraine's Kramatorsk after Russian strike

Vladimir Putin fears martyring Prigozhin and will seek to shatter his support

Countdown has begun for end of Putin, claims Volodymyr Zelensky aide

Prigozhin to be investigated after being paid $2bn in a year, says Putin

Satellite images of Belarus military base chime with reports of new facilities for Wagner

14:30 , Andy Gregory

Satellite images of a military base southeast of the Belarus capital Minsk appear to show new facilities have been set up in recent days  suggesting that a base for Wagner is being swiftly constructed.

Russian outlets have reported that Wagner could set up a new base at a vacant military facility near the town of Asipovichi, about 50 miles from Minsk.

Images captured by the European Space Agencys Sentinel 2 satellites on Tuesday show rows of long structures in the nearby village of Tsel, in a field which had appeared empty just a fortnight prior.

A satellite image appears to show new facilities set up recently, at a military base in Tse (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2/Handout via REUTERS)

(via REUTERS)

EU security assurances would be in addition to military support, says Dutch PM

14:09 , Andy Gregory

The European Union still needs to decide the shape and form of the security assurances it wishes to give Ukraine, Dutch premier Mark Rutte has said, as he arrived at todays meeting in Brussels.

This European track would be additional [to military support], Mr Rutte said.

We will have to discuss how far it goes, and if it would be lethal or non-lethal support. And we have to take into account that several EU countries are not a member of Nato.

Neutral EU states object to security assurances for Ukraine, says Austrian chancellor

13:48 , Andy Gregory

EU countries with a neutral foreign policy object to giving Ukraine outright security assurances, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer has said, ahead of a meeting with EU leaders in Brussels.

For us as neutral states it is clear we cant give security guarantees like that. Austria, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus have made it clear they have objections, Mr Nehammer told reporters.

The role of the neutral states needs to be explicitly taken into account. We will certainly discuss this and we will find formulations that will be acceptable for us as well.

BRICS summit to go ahead in South Africa despite Putin arrest warrant

13:29 , Andy Gregory

South Africa has announced it will host the BRICS bloc summit in August as planned, amid speculation that it may move to China so that Vladimir Putin can attend in a nation not obliged to arrest him on war crimes accusations.

South Africa has a duty as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Mr Putin if he attends the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, due to an arrest warrant over the deportation of children from Ukraine  which he denies.

Just 12 days after president Cyril Ramaphosa met with Mr Putin in Moscow, South Africas international relations department has now confirmed the summit will go ahead in South Africa from 22 to 24 August.

A spokesperson for the international relations department declined to comment to Reuters on whether or not Mr Putin will attend, with the departments minister revealing on Tuesday that the Russian president had not yet replied to an invitation sent prior to the ICCs charges in March.

Chinese president Xi Jinping, Indias prime minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are all said to be planning to attend.

British satirical newspaper takes aim at Putin-Prigozhin tensions

13:11 , Andy Gregory

Seizing the chance for a rare moment of levity in coverage of Ukraine, British fortnightly Private Eye has taken aim at the aborted coup by Putins chef, Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Satirising an oft-used picture of Mr Prigozhin serving Mr Putin dinner, the magazine shows the Wagner chief serving up coup of the day, as the president complains of terrible feud.

I wondered which Putin pics would be the Eyes choice of cover this week - all of them ! pic.twitter.com/fCBuL9Bs03  MichaelWhite (@michaelwhite) June 29, 2023

Russia claims generals killed in Kramatorsk strike which left four children dead'

12:55 , Andy Gregory

Russia claims to have killed two Ukrainian generals and 50 military officers in the attack on a Kramatorsk restaurant, which Kyiv authorities said had killed 12 people, including four children, two of them 14-year-old twin sisters.

Officials initially blamed the strike on an S-300 missile, a surface-to-air weapon that Russias forces have repurposed for loosely targeted strikes on cities, but the National Police later said Iskander short-range ballistic missiles were used  raising the prospect of a war crime under the principle of proportionality.

Yulia and Anna Aksenchenko, who were 14 years old, are said to have been among those killed in the Russian strike (Kramatorsk City Council)

Kramatorsk is a front-line city which houses the Ukrainian army's regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as locals.

At least 61 people were wounded in the attack, which also damaged 18 multi-story buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, according to the regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Despite these reports, Russias defence ministry sought to claim on Thursday that two Ukrainian generals and up to 50 Ukrainian military officers had been killed in the strike, insisting that a temporary Ukrainian army command post had been hit in Kramatorsk.

Top EU diplomat suggests long-term Ukraine Defence Fund

12:29 , Andy Gregory

The European Union needs to consider turning the European Peace Facility that has been used to fund weapons for Kyiv into a more permanent tool to arm the country in the long term, the EUs foreign policy chief has suggested.

We talk about security commitments. From my side, it means military support for Ukraine has to have a long haul ... during the war and after the war, Josep Borrell told reporters as he arrived for an EU summit in Brussels.

So the European Peace Facility for Ukraine maybe has to become a Ukraine Defence Fund  the training has to continue, the modernisation of the army has to continue.

Prigozhin told Wagner will no longer fight in Ukraine, Russian MP claims

12:11 , Andy Gregory

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has been told that he will be deprived of financing if his mercenaries do not sign contracts with the defence ministry, state news agencies have cited a senior parliamentarian as saying.

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential politician who chairs the lower house of parliament's defence committee, said Mr Prigozhin had refused to sign the contracts and was subsequently told that his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine, Tass reported.

Ukraine conducting nuclear disaster drills near Zaporizhzhia plant, says regional governor

11:54 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has started nuclear disaster response drills in the vicinity of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, regional officials said, where Kyiv has accused Moscow of planning a terrorist attack  which the Kremlin denies.

Yuriy Malashko, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region which includes the plant, which is Europes largest, said the drills had begun in the city of Zaporizhzhia and the district around it.

Similar exercises started in the neighbouring Kherson region, Kherson region governor Oleksander Prokudin said.

The purpose of the event is to coordinate the actions of all services in case of a real threat of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he said Telegram, urging residents to remain calm.

Mr Prokudin said various officials and civil defence forces were working jointly on scenarios that might follow a nuclear disaster, and on how to inform and evacuate the population. Authorities were testing alert systems.

Kremlin says it does not know whereabouts of General Armageddon'

11:25 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has declined to answer questions about General Sergei Surovikin, who is claimed in reports to have been arrested for having knowledge of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhins weekend rebellion.

The former commander in Ukraine, nicknamed General Armageddon for his wanton tactics during the Syrian war, has been absent from view since Saturday, when he appeared in a video appealing to Mr Prigozhin to halt his mutiny.

He had looked exhausted in that video and it was unclear if he was speaking under duress. There have since been unconfirmed reports that he is being questioned by the security services.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred questions about Surovikin to the defence ministry, which has so far not made any statement about him.

Asked if Mr Surovikin still had Vladimir Putins trust, Mr Peskov said that, as commander-in-chief of Russias armed forces, Mr Putin worked with the defence minister and the chief of the general staff.

Mr Peskov said he did not have information about Mr Prigozhins whereabouts at the present time.

Strong support for Putin remains among Russians, Kremlin insists

11:06 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has insisted that there is continued strong support among Russians for its war in Ukraine and for Vladimir Putin.

Asked by reporters about a survey suggesting there was an equal number of people who supported negotiations to end the 16-month military operation in Ukraine and those who favoured continuing the conflict, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: The data we have show something quite different - dominant support for the special military operation and for the president.

The main thing for Russians is achieving the goals before us which were formulated by the president, he added.

Full report: Russia arrests General Armageddon over knowledge of Wagner mutiny

10:35 , Andy Gregory

A top Russian general has reportedly been arrested for having knowledge of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhins weekend rebellion.

General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, has been missing since Saturday when Wagners troops launched an armed revolt.

The 56-year-old second-in-command of the Russian armed forces is said to be under interrogation. Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhins side during the uprising and they have gotten ahold of him, the Moscow Times quoted a source as saying.

My colleague Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full report:

Russia arrests General Armageddon over knowledge of Wagner mutiny

Aircraft shot down by Wagner played key role in orchestrating Russian troops in Ukraine, says UK

10:24 , Andy Gregory

A command and control aircraft reportedly shot down by Wagner during its aborted mutiny played a key role in orchestrating Russian forces in Ukraine and will undermine Moscows ability to coordinate its troops, Britains Ministry of Defence has claimed.

In its latest update, the ministry said: On 24 June, air defence forces of the Wagner private military company reportedly shot down Russian military helicopters and an Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post aircraft.

The Il-22M is part of a relatively small fleet of up to 12 aircraft, heavily utilised for both airborne command and control, and radio relay tasks. These special mission aircraft have played a key role in orchestrating Russian forces in their war against Ukraine.

As high value assets they have operated within the safety of Russian airspace, far beyond the range of Ukrainian air defence systems.

The loss of this aircraft is likely to have a negative impact on Russian air and land operations. In the short term the psychological shock of losing a large number of aircrew in this manner will almost certainly damage morale within the Russian Aerospace Force.

In the longer term, there is a possibility that current tasking levels may have to be reduced to safely manage the remaining fleet. This will likely undermine Russia's ability to command and coordinate its forces, particularly during periods of high tempo operations.

Kyiv advancing slowly but surely on frontlines as Russia bringing in best reserves'

10:03 , Andy Gregory

Kyivs forces are advancing slowly but surely on the front lines in Ukraines east and southeast  and around Bakhmut  senior military officials have said.

Ukrainian commander-in-chief General Valery Zaluzhniy told top US general Mark Milley that his forces had succeeded in seizing the strategic initiative, and told him about weapons and demining equipment required by Kyivs forces.

Ukraines defence forces are proceeding with their offensive action and we have made advances. The enemy is offering strong resistance, while sustaining considerable losses, Zaluzhniy wrote on Telegram.

Defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov told the Financial Times that the liberation of a group of villages was not the main event in the offensive.

His deputy Hanna Maliar noted advances towards the occupied cities of Berdiansk and Mariupol, telling a national broadcaster: Every day, there is an advance. Yes, the advances are slow, but they are sure.

She cited the recapture this week of the village of Rivnopol in the southeast, saying mopping up operations were complete and that the army was now well dug in  with the Russian military now diverting forces to both Bakhmut and the southern front.

They are redirected their paratroops and assault brigades to both the south and the east, she said. They are bringing in their best reserves now.

A Ukrainian service member fire a machine gun at a training ground near a frontline in Donetsk (REUTERS)

Watch: Footage shows of scale destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

09:45 , Andy Gregory

Kramatorsk death toll rises to 12

09:22 , Andy Gregory

Rescuers have pulled another body from the ruins of a restaurant in Kramatorsk, taking to 12 the death toll following a Russian missile strike, Ukraines emergency services said.

Three children were among the dead, while 60 more people were wounded, the authorities said.

(National Police of Ukraine via AP)

EU shouldnt lower the bar to accommodate Ukraine, says Danish finance minister

08:54 , Andy Gregory

Denmark supports EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the western Balkans but geopolitical circumstances did not justify skating over governance reforms, finance minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has said.

The EU risks importing instability if it relaxes its standards on democracy and corruption to hasten the accession of Ukraine and other candidate countries, Mr Rasmussen told the Financial Times.

Asked about Ukraines membership in the EU, Mr Rasmussen said that EU shouldnt lower the bar but instead help Ukraine with investments and assistance to help it align with the blocs standards, the FT reported.

Although Ukraine met two of seven conditions to launch the EU membership process, an EU official familiar with the blocs recommendations to Ukraine told Reuters that some key judicial reforms were needed.

In 2019, the European Commission proposed changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, after countries including France and Denmark objected to the expansion of the EU to include six countries in the Balkans.

Mr Rasmussen said Denmark had reversed its position and was even open to internal EU reform, including more majority voting, to accommodate new members.

Papal envoy to meet Patriarch Kirill in Moscow, say reports

08:27 , Andy Gregory

Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, will meet in Moscow on Thursday, the state-backed RIA news agency reported.

It comes a day after Mr Zuppi discussed humanitarian issues with Vladimir Putins foreign policy adviser, according to the Kremlin.

EU leaders to debate Russia mutiny today

08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

EU leaders will debate today the repercussions of the aborted mutiny in Russia as they pledge further support for Ukraine in its war against Moscows invasion.

At a summit in Brussels, the leaders will also talk with Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg and discuss what role the EU could play in Western commitments to bolster Ukraines security.

Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas said the leaders were certain to discuss Saturdays dramatic abandoned mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, even though it is not on the agenda of the summit or mentioned in drafts of its written conclusions.

It will definitely come up, she told reporters in Brussels on the eve of the two-day summit.

The West should not be swayed and continue to support Ukraine and bolster its own defences, Ms Kallas said.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council of EU leaders, struck a similar note.

Ever more in these circumstances, we will reassert our commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through sustainable financial and military assistance, he wrote in a letter inviting leaders to the summit.

Footage shows aftermath of Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Residents in Ukraines eastern city of Kramatorsk are dealing with the aftermath of a Russian missile attack on a crowded pizza restaurant.

Footage shows the destruction on the streets of the city, which are covered in debris following the deadly attack on Tuesday evening.

The strike killed at least nine people, including three children, authorities said Wednesday, as rescue workers continued searching in the destroyed buildings rubble.

Another 56 people were injured, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

Footage shows scale of destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

US sanctions gold companies suspected of supporting Wagner mercenaries

07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The US moved on Tuesday to punish companies accused of doing business with the infamous Russian mercenary army known as the Wagner Group, following the groups insurrection attempt within Russias borders.

The move is not thought to be specifically related to the coup, however, instead being a response to Wagners participation in some of the bloodiest fighting taking place within Ukraine, where Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion last year.

A statement from the Treasury Department faulted companies in Africa and the Middle East for participating in a gold-selling scheme in violation of US sanctions to fund the Wagner Groups ongoing activities. One executive at Wagner, Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, was also slapped with individual sanctions on his financial dealings.

John Bowden has more.

Switzerland expands list of sanctions on Russia

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Switzerland is expanding its sanctions against Russia in line with the EUs 11th package of sanctions.

Following todays amendments, Switzerlands sanctions list in connection with Russias military aggression against Ukraine corresponds to that of the EU, the Swiss government said in a statement.

The EU further tightened existing sanctions against Russia and introduced new measures on 23 June, applying financial and travel restrictions on 71 individuals and 33 legal entities.

Comment: Putin will cling on to power until people inside the Kremlin are up for the fight

06:00 , Joe Middleton

Prigozhins march on Moscow will have frightened Putin  but the Russian leader survived because no other senior figures joined the call for change, writes historian Peter Frankopan

What the coup that never was tells us about Putins grip on power | Peter Frankopan

Death toll rises to 12 in Ukraine's Kramatorsk after Russian strike

05:59 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Rescuers have pulled another body from the ruins of a restaurant in eastern Ukraines city of Kramatorsk, taking to 12 the death toll following a Russian missile strike, Ukraines emergency services said today.

Three children were among the dead, while 60 more people were wounded, the authorities said.

Russia to be blocked from accessing UK legal advice

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The UK in its fresh bout of sanctions against Russia has banned Kremlin-linked individuals and businesses from accessing British legal expertise.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said a new law would be introduced today preventing UK lawyers from advising Russian companies on certain business deals in a move designed to thwart Moscows war machine in Ukraine.

Officials said the sanction could impact Russias ability to obtain legal advice on everything from trade deals between global corporations to international money lending.

Russia is highly dependent on western countries for legal expertise, according to the MoJ, with the UK previously exporting 56m in legal services to Russian businesses every year.

More here.

Russia to be blocked from accessing UK legal advice in latest sanction

Russian general Sergei Surovikin arrested after Wagner rebellion - report

05:29 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Russian General Sergei Surovikin has been arrested following the Wager Groups rebellion, the Moscow Times reported, citing defence ministry sources.

The defence ministry is yet to officially comment on the alleged arrest of the general, who has not been seen in public since last Saturday, when Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an armed rebellion against Vladimir Putin.

The situation with him was not OK. For the authorities. I cant say anything more, one of the sources told the outlet.

A second source said the arrest was carried out in the context of Prigozhin.

Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhins side during the uprising and they have gotten ahold of him, the source added.

Putins two-faced tirades over the Wagner mutiny could still be his undoing

05:00 , Joe Middleton

Claiming treachery one minute, then praising Wagners role in Ukraine the next, may have allowed the Russian leader to steer out of an immediate storm, writes Mary Dejevsky. But such mixed messages expose cracks in his authority that will be hard to repair

Opinion: Putins two-faced tirades over the Wagner mutiny could still be his undoing

Twin sisters among at least 11 dead in Russian missile strike

04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Fourteen-year-old twin sisters were among at least 11 people killed in a Russian missile strike on a popular pizza restaurant in eastern Ukraine.

Another girl, aged 17, was among the bodies pulled from the rubble following the attack on the eastern city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, which turned the restaurant into pile of twisted beams.

Around 60 people were wounded, with an eight-month-old baby suffering head wounds.

The strike, along with others across Ukraine into yesterday, show that the Kremlin is not easing up on its aerial bombardment of the country, despite the armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group that shook Russia over the weekend.

Sisters Anna and Yulia Aksenchenko would have turned 15 in September, Kramatorsk city councils education department said in a Facebook post under a picture of the two girls smiling for the camera.

Russian missiles stopped the beating of the hearts of two angels, it said in a Telegram post. We share the grief of your family and together with you we bow our heads in deep sorrow.

Chris Stevenson reports.

Twin sisters, aged 14, among at least 11 dead in Russian missile strike in Ukraine

Russian spy to be charged over Kramatorsk strike

04:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

An alleged Russian agent involved in the attack on the city of Kramatorsk will be charged with treason, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Three teenagers were among the 11 people killed in a missile strike on a popular restaurant. Those helping Russia destroy lives deserve the maximum penalty, the president said.

Ukrainian authorities said the man allegedly sent video footage of the restaurant to the Russian military hours before it was destroyed.

According to reports, at least 60 others, including Colombian nationals and a leading Ukrainian writer, suffered injuries in the blast.

The attack also damaged 18 multistory buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping centre, an administrative building and a recreational building, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

UN report finds Russia tortured, executed civilians in Ukraine; Kyiv also abused detainees

04:00 , Joe Middleton

Russian forces carried out widespread and systematic torture of civilians who were detained in connection with its attack on Ukraine, summarily executing dozens of them, the United Nations human rights office said Tuesday.

The global body interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses for a report detailing more than 900 cases of civilians, including children and elderly people, being arbitrarily detained in the conflict, most of them by Russia.

The vast majority of those interviewed said they were tortured and in some cases subjected to sexual violence during detention by Russian forces, the head of the U.N. human rights office in Ukraine said.

UN report finds Russia tortured, executed civilians in Ukraine; Kyiv also abused detainees

Wagner chief walks free after armed revolt. Other Russians defying the Kremlin arent so lucky

03:00 , Joe Middleton

Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion against the Russian military  and walked free. Others who merely voiced criticism against the Kremlin werent so lucky.

On Tuesday, Russias main domestic security agency, the FSB, said it had dropped the criminal investigation into last weeks revolt, with no charges against Prigozhin or any of the other participants, even though about a dozen Russian troops were killed in clashes.

The Kremlin had promised not to prosecute Prigozhin after reaching an agreement with him that he would halt the uprising and retreat to neighboring Belarus. That came even though President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish those behind the rebellion.

Wagner chief walks free after armed revolt. Other Russians defying the Kremlin arent so lucky

NATO warns not to underestimate Russian forces, and tells Moscow it has increased preparedness

02:00 , Joe Middleton

NATOs chief said Tuesday that the power of Russias military shouldnt be underestimated following the weekend mutiny against it by Wagner Group mercenaries, and said the alliance has increased its readiness to confront Russia in recent days.

Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance may decide to further boost its strength and readiness to face Russia and its ally Belarus when NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on July 11-12.

So, no misunderstanding and no room for misunderstanding in Moscow or Minsk about our ability to defend our allies against any potential threat, Stoltenberg said.

NATO warns not to underestimate Russian forces, and tells Moscow it has increased preparedness

US sanctions gold companies suspected of supporting Wagner mercenaries in Russia

01:00 , Joe Middleton

The United States moved on Tuesday to punish companies accused of doing business with the infamous Russian mercenary army known as the Wagner Group, following the groups insurrection attempt within Russias borders.

The move is not thought to be specifically related to the coup, however, instead being a response to Wagners participation in some of the bloodiest fighting taking place within Ukraine, where Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion last year.

A statement from the Treasury Department faulted companies in Africa and the Middle East for participating in a gold-selling scheme in violation of US sanctions to fund the Wagner Groups ongoing activities. One executive at Wagner, Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, was also slapped with individual sanctions on his financial dealings.

US sanctions gold companies suspected of supporting Wagner mercenaries in Russia

Mapped: Has Ukraine made advances against Russia?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 23:59 , Joe Middleton

With Russias invasion of Ukraine raging for 16 months, Ukraine is now pushing back with its long-awaited counteroffensive that has already recorded a number of gains.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Ukrainian troops for advancing in all sectors, having spent the day presenting awards to front-line soldiers in the east and south.

Today in all sectors, our soldiers made advances. It is a happy day, Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, which was delivered from a train after visiting two frontline areas.

Mapped: Has Ukraine made advances against Russia?

Joe Biden says Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq

Wednesday 28 June 2023 22:45 , Joe Middleton

Joe Biden told reporters that Vladimir Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq in his latest blunder.

The US president on the South Lawn of the White House when he was asked how damaged Mr Putin was in the aftermath of Wagner Groups aborted uprising.

Hes clearly losing the war in Iraq. Hes losing the war at home and has become a bit of a pariah around the world, Mr Biden said, clearly referencing the war in Ukraine.

He was heading to Chicago to deliver an address on the economy when he made the gaffe.

Joe Biden says Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq

Footage shows of scale destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

Wednesday 28 June 2023 21:45 , Joe Middleton

Twin sisters, aged 14, among at least 11 dead in Russian missile strike on pizza restaurant in Ukraine

Wednesday 28 June 2023 20:24 , Joe Middleton

Fourteen-year-old twin sisters were among at least 11 people killed in a Russian missile strike on a popular pizza restaurant in eastern Ukraine.

Another girl, aged 17, was among the bodies pulled from the rubble following the attack on the eastern city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, which turned the restaurant into pile of twisted beams. Around 60 people were wounded, with an eight-month old baby suffering head wounds.

The strike, along with others across Ukraine into early on Wednesday, show that the Kremlin is not easing up on its aerial bombardment of the country, despite the armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group that shook Russia over the weekend.

Chris Stevenson reports.

Failed mutiny has weakened Putin, says German chancellor Scholz

Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:21 , Joe Middleton

German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday the failed mutiny in Russia last weekend had weakened Vladimir Putin but it was unclear if it would make the Kremlin any more likely to withdraw its troops from Ukraine to allow for peace talks.

I do believe he is weakened as this shows that the autocratic power structures have cracks in them and he is not as firmly in the saddle as he always asserts, Scholz said in an hour-long interview with German broadcaster ARD.

Asked about the impact of the failed mutiny on the Ukraine war, the German chancellor said the pre-condition for successful peace talks was Russia accepting it needed to withdraw its troops from the country.

Whether this has become easier or harder through these events is not really clear, he said in the interview recorded on Wednesday afternoon for airing later in the evening.

Scholz said he did not want to participate in speculation about how long Putin would likely remain in office, saying the Wests aim in supporting Ukraine was to help it defend itself, not to bring about regime change.

Reuters

Mapped: Has Ukraine made advances against Russia?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 18:51 , Joe Middleton

With Russias invasion of Ukraine raging for 16 months, Ukraine is now pushing back with its long-awaited counteroffensive that has already recorded a number of gains.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Ukrainian troops for advancing in all sectors, having spent the day presenting awards to front-line soldiers in the east and south.

Today in all sectors, our soldiers made advances. It is a happy day, Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, which was delivered from a train after visiting two frontline areas.

Mapped: Has Ukraine made advances against Russia?

Comment: Putins two-faced tirades over the Wagner mutiny could still be his undoing

Wednesday 28 June 2023 18:07 , Joe Middleton

Claiming treachery one minute, then praising Wagners role in Ukraine the next, may have allowed the Russian leader to steer out of an immediate storm, writes Mary Dejevsky. But such mixed messages expose cracks in his authority that will be hard to repair.

Opinion: Putins two-faced tirades over the Wagner mutiny could still be his undoing

Footage shows scale destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

Wednesday 28 June 2023 17:15 , Joe Middleton

Putin has become a pariah around the world, says Biden

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:31 , Joe Middleton

US president Joe Biden said Wednesday that Vladimir Putin has become a pariah around the world but it is hard to say if he has been weakened by recent events involving the head of the militant Wagner Group.

Biden, speaking to reporters at the White House prior to departing on a trip to Chicago, made a gaffe when he told reporters that Putin was clearly losing the war in Iraq.

Hes losing the war at home and has become a bit of a pariah around the world, Mr Biden said, clearly referencing the war in Ukraine.

Joe Biden says Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq

Latest pictures from the scene of a Russian strike on the city of Kramatorsk that killed 10 people

Wednesday 28 June 2023 16:01 , Joe Middleton

(AP)

(AP)

(AP)

(AP)

Ukraine wants signal it can join NATO after war is over, says Zelensky

Wednesday 28 June 2023 15:33 , Joe Middleton

Volodymyr Zelensky said today that Ukraine understood it could not join NATO while the war with Russia was ongoing, but that Kyiv wanted to receive a signal that it can join the military alliance after the war ends.

We understand that we cannot be a member of NATO during the war, but we need to be sure that after the war we will be, Zelensky told a press conference with the visiting Polish and Lithuanian presidents.

That is the signal we want to get - that after the war Ukraine will be a member of NATO.

Reiterating Kyivs stance before a NATO summit in Lithuania next month, he said Ukraine also wanted security guarantees for the period until it can join the alliance.

We would want a third signal at the NATO summit that Ukraine will get security guarantees - not instead of NATO but for the time until we are in the alliance, he said.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Lukashenko says he persuaded Putin not to wipe out' Wagner mercenary chief Prigozhin

Wednesday 28 June 2023 15:06 , Joe Middleton

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said he persuaded Vladimir Putin not to wipe out Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, in response to what the Kremlin cast as a mutiny.

Putin initially vowed to crush the mutiny, comparing it to the wartime turmoil that ushered in the revolution of 1917 and then a civil war, but hours later a deal was clinched to allow Prigozhin and some of his fighters to go to Belarus. Prigozhin flew to Belarus from Russia on Tuesday.

While describing his Saturday conversation with Putin, Lukashenko used the Russian criminal slang phrase for killing someone, equivalent to the English phrase to wipe out.

I also understood: a brutal decision had been made (and it was the undertone of Putins address) to wipe out the mutineers, Lukashenko told a meeting of his army officials and journalists on Tuesday, according to Belarusian state media.

I suggested to Putin not to rush. Come on, I said, Lets talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders. To which he told me: Listen, Sasha, its useless. He doesnt even pick up the phone, he doesnt want to talk to anyone.

Switzerland expands sanctions against Russia

Wednesday 28 June 2023 14:34 , Andy Gregory

Switzerland has expanded financial and travel sanctions against Russian entities and persons in step with the most recent sanctions imposed by the European Union.

Among those targeted are people, companies and organisations that support the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, a statement said.

They also include members of the Russian armed forces, leading representatives of state-controlled Russian media and members of the Wagner mercenary group. The sanctions include asset freezes and a ban to travel to and transit through Switzerland.

However, the Swiss Federal Council also said it had rejected a request by Swiss defence firm Ruag for the trade of 96 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks for use in Ukraine, with the cabinet warning that such a sale would be contrary to the war material act and would entail an adjustment of Switzerland's neutrality policy.

Full report: Kramatorsk pizza restaurant missile strike kills 10 including twin sisters aged 14

Wednesday 28 June 2023 14:11 , Andy Gregory

My colleague Chris Stevenson has this extensive report on the strike on a restaurant in Kramatorsk:

Twins, aged 14, among 10 dead in missile strike on Ukraine restaurant

What happened in the Kramatorsk attack?

Wednesday 28 June 2023 13:53 , Chris Stevenson

The Pizza RIA restaurant was popular with both locals, as well as aid workers and journalists  and was said to be crowded when it was hit on Tuesday evening.

I ran here after the explosion because I rented a cafe here.... Everything has been blown out there, said Valentyna, a 64-year-old woman who declined to give her surname. None of the glass, windows or doors are left. All I see is destruction, fear and horror. This is the 21st century, she told Reuters.

Police said at least 61 people were injured in the strike, which turned the restaurant into a pile of twisted beams. Emergency services posted pictures online of rescue teams sifting through the site with cranes and other equipment.

The Donetsk regional governor  the area where Kramatorsk is located  Pavlo Kyrylenko told national television that people were visible under the rubble. Their condition was unknown, he said, but we are experienced in removing rubble.

Video footage on military Telegram channels showed one man, his head bleeding, receiving first aid on the pavement.

Eight people had been rescued alive from the rubble and at least three more were believed to be trapped, Md Bakhal, the spokeswoman for the Donetsk region emergency services said.

The attack also damaged 18 multi-story buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, the regional governor, Mr Kyrylenko, said.

Zelensky says Russian bandit leaders should not escape justice

Wednesday 28 June 2023 13:34 , Andy Gregory

Volodymyr Zelensky has described Russias political and military leaders as bandits, as he ruled out any peace plan that would turn the war on Ukraine into a frozen conflict.

The Ukrainian president made his remarks in a speech to parliament on Ukraines Constitution Day, and warned that Russias leaders must not escape justice for waging war on his country, which he declared was on the way to victory.

The political and military leadership of the Russian Federation should not escape justice due to the fact that they supposedly have immunity, like state leaders, Mr Zelensky said.

They are not the leaders of the state  they are bandits who seized control of the state institutions of Russia ... and began to terrorise the whole world.

Kramatorsk strike now blamed on supersonic missiles

Wednesday 28 June 2023 13:21 , Andy Gregory

While Urkainian officials initially blamed the strike in Kramatorsk on an S-300 missile, a surface-to-air weapon that Russias forces have repurposed for loosely targeted strikes on cities, the National Police later said Iskander short-range ballistic missiles were used.

Zelensky rules out any frozen conflict peace proposals

Wednesday 28 June 2023 13:04 , Andy Gregory

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will not accept any peace proposal that turns Russias war on Ukraine into a frozen conflict.

The presidents remarks, made in a speech to parliament on Ukraines Constitution Day, signalled that he remains opposed to any peace plan that would freeze any territorial gains made by Russia.

Ukraine will not agree to any of the variants for a frozen conflict, he said.

Mr Zelensky has drawn up a 10-point peace formula that includes restoring Ukraines territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraines state borders.

Twin sisters among 10 killed in Kramatorsk restaurant strike

Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:48 , Andy Gregory

Here are more details on the twin sisters reported to have been killed in the Kramatorsk restaurant strike.

Yulia and Anna Aksenchenko were due to celebrate their 15th birthdays in September, according to Kramatorsk City Council.

A 17-year-old and a boy of an unknown age are also reported to be among the 10 people officials say were killed in the Russian strikes.

Teenage twin sisters were among those killed in a Russian missile strike in Ukraine's eastern city of Kramatorsk on Tuesday, the local city council confirmed.

Yulia and Anna Aksenchenko, who were 14 years old, had graduated from 8th grade and would have celebrated their 15th pic.twitter.com/PztFuzkJCE  Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) June 28, 2023

Kremlin asked if General Armaggedon knew of Prigozhins mutiny in advance

Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:44 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has dismissed gossip and speculation around the shortlived mutiny last weekend.

Asked on Wednesday about a New York Times report suggesting top Russian general Sergei Surovikin had known in advance about Yevgeny Prigozhins armed rebellion, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there would be a lot of speculation in the aftermath of the events.

There will now be a lot of speculation, gossip and so on around these events. I think this is one such example, said Mr Peskov.

Mr Surovikin, who has not been seen in public since Saturday when he made an appeal for the mutiny to be called off, has often been praised by Mr Prigozhin , and the New York Times cited US officials who were trying to learn if ... the former top Russian commander in Ukraine helped plan Mr Prigozhins actions last weekend.

Ukraine arrest man accused of helping Russia with Kramatorsk restaurant strike

Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:34 , Andy Gregory

Ukrainian authorities have arrested a man they accused of helping Russia direct the missile strikes which killed at least 10 people, including four children, at a popular pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk.

The Tuesday evening attack on Kramatorsk wounded another 61 people, Ukraines National Police said, with two sisters, both aged 14, and a 17-year-old said by officials to be among the dead, as rescuers continue to search the rubble.

The attack also damaged 18 multi-story buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, according to regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Kramatorsk is a frontline city which houses the Ukrainian armys regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as locals.

The Security Service of Ukraine said it had detained a man whom it suspects directed the strike on the restaurant, who is an employee of the local gas transportation company. He filmed the restaurant for the Russians and informed them about its popularity, the service claimed, providing no evidence.

Putin trying to shatter populist appeal of potential martyr Prigozhin

Wednesday 28 June 2023 12:04 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin has likely decided that he is unable right now to directly eliminate [Yevgeny] Prigozhin without making him a martyr and has instead decided to break his popular support by branding him corrupt and a liar, a Western think-tank has suggested.

For the first time, the Russian president has now claimed that the Kremlin fully funds and fully supplies the Wagner mercenary group, as he tries to ensure that the mercenaries  and wider Russian society  become disillusioned with Mr Prigozhin, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

In his statements, Mr Putin deliberately attempted to separate Mr Prigozhin from the Wagner Group so that the Kremlin can accuse Prigozhin of corruption or conspiring with Ukraine or the West and alienate Prigozhin from Wagner personnel, the analysts said.

Prigozhin had built his personal brand on criticising the Russian military command and bureaucrats for corruption and ties to Western countries, and Putin is likely attempting to shatter Prigozhins populist appeal by accusing him of the same sins.

Kremlin says papal envoy in Moscow for talks on Ukraine

Wednesday 28 June 2023 11:49 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin appreciates the efforts of the Vatican to help resolve the Ukraine crisis, Vladimir Putins spokesperson has said, as he claimed that papal envoy had arrived in Moscow for peace talks.

We highly value the efforts and initiatives of the Vatican and welcome the aspiration of the pope to contribution to ending the armed conflict, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a regular briefing.

He said Mr Putins foreign affairs adviser would hold talks with the envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, at the Russia presidents request.

Large majority of Americans support military aid for Ukraine, poll suggests

Wednesday 28 June 2023 11:34 , Andy Gregory

Around two thirds of Americans support providing weaponry to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia  rising from 46 per cent just a month ago, new Ipsos polling for Reuters has found.

Eighty-one percent of Democrats, 56 per cent of Republicans and 57 per cent of independents favour supplying US weapons to Ukraine, suggests the two-day poll of 1,004 adults, conducted just days after Yevgeny Prigozhins shortlived mutiny.

This definitely reinforces Bidens decision to be all-in on this, William Taylor, a former US ambassador to Ukraine, told Reuters. The Republican leadership of the House and Senate will also take heart from this.

The poll also found that 76 per cent of Americans believe that providing aid to Ukraine demonstrates to China and other rivals that the United States has the will and capability to protect our interests, our allies and ourselves.

In other findings, the survey said large majorities of Americans  67 and 73 per cent respectively  are more likely to support a candidate in next years US presidential election who will continue military aid to Ukraine and who backs Nato.

Three civilians in Kharkiv village killed by Russian shelling, says governor

Wednesday 28 June 2023 11:27 , Andy Gregory

At least three people have been killed in the Kharkiv region by Russian shelling, the regional governor has alleged.

Unfortunately, as a result of this shelling, three civilians in the village of Vovchanski Khutory were killed near their homes, governor Oleh Synehubov wrote Telegram.

He said the victims were men aged 45, 48 and 57.

Germany and France missing in action over European defence, report claims

Wednesday 28 June 2023 10:52 , Andy Gregory

A lack of leadership by countries such as Germany and France and narrow industrial interests keep Europe from boosting defence cooperation as warranted by Russias war on Ukraine, a report by the Munich Security Conference has claimed.

The crucial capability gap in European defence is still political leadership, the Munich Security Report on European Defence said. Acknowledging that European defence has come a long way since Russias invasion, the report said Europeans were still far from living up to a darkening global security environment.

The report said Germany and France in particular were missing in action at a time when European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and EU top diplomat Josep Borrell are driving EU support for Kyiv and joint procurement initiatives.

Under the Scholz government, Germany has faced recurrent criticism for its absence in EU defence questions, it said. Meanwhile, France is seen as pursuing narrow industrial rather than collective European interests.

Both countries initial dithering on supplying arms to Ukraine, on top of a history of neglecting eastern European fears of Russia, has caused lasting damage to their credibility in eastern Europe and to that of joint defence initiatives, the report said, adding: The onus is on Germany and France to win back trust.

Putin holds call with Bahrains king, Kremlin says

Wednesday 28 June 2023 10:25 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin has held a phone call with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The king expressed support for measures taken by the Russian president to end an armed mutiny by mercenary fighters on Saturday, it claimed.

Body of boy pulled from rubble in Kramatorsk, says mayor

Wednesday 28 June 2023 09:59 , Andy Gregory

The body of a boy has been pulled out of the rubble of a building in Kramatorsk on Wednesday, taking the death toll from a Russian missile strike on a restaurant to nine, the citys mayor said.

Rescuers pulled a boys body from the rubble, mayor Oleksandr Goncharenko said, as search and rescue operations continued. He did not give the boys age.

Three girls aged between 14 and 17 are also among the nine people killed, authorities said.

Lithuanian president to meet with Zelensky to discuss Nato

Wednesday 28 June 2023 09:44 , Andy Gregory

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda is set to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Wednesday to discuss Nato, his office has said, as Ukraine seeks to enter the alliance.

Mr Zelensky has stepped up calls for Ukraine to receive a political invitation to join Nato at the summit in Vilnius next month, with Nato members reportedly close to agreeing incremental steps to strengthen ties with Kyiv.

Lithuania has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in Nato and the EU, and is buying Nasams air defence systems for Ukraine from a Norwegian company.

The presidents will discuss the Nato summit agenda, Ukraines European Union membership negotiations, and European support for Ukraine, Nausedas office said in a statement.

Nauseda will then head to a European Union leaders summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

(AP)

Sweden will become a Nato member, PM insists

Wednesday 28 June 2023 09:21 , Andy Gregory

Sweden still wants to join Nato no later than the alliances summit in Vilnius next month, prime minister Ulf Kristersson has said, as he conceded it was not certain this would be possible.

Sweden will become a Nato member, Mr Kristersson told public service broadcaster SVT. Nobody can promise it will happen specifically in Vilnius or right ahead of Vilnius, even if that has been our ambition all along. And that is an ambition we share with every other Nato country as well.

Turkey has blocked Swedens accession, accusing Stockholm of harbouring members of what it considers terrorist groups and expressing outrage over anti-Turkish demonstrations in the Nordic country. Sweden has said freedom of speech is firmly enshrined in its constitution and that it has lived up to all the requirements set out in an agreement struck in Madrid last year with Turkey and Finland.

Swedish and Turkish officials met on 14 June for what Swedens chief negotiator characterised as good talks, and are due to hold another high level meeting in Brussels organised by Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg before the Vilnius summit.

Weve also said that we respect that it is Turkey that makes Turkish decisions and it is good we now have another meeting ... and maybe we can address the odd question mark ahead of the Vilnius summit in that kind of conversation, Mr Kristersson said.

Lukashenko claims he persuaded Putin not to wipe out Prigozhin

Wednesday 28 June 2023 09:13 , Andy Gregory

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has claimed he persuaded Vladimir Putin not to wipe out mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin during the shortlived mutiny last weekend.

Mr Putin initially vowed to crush the mutiny, but hours later a deal was clinched to allow the Wagner boss and some of his fighters to go to Belarus, where he arrived by plane on Tuesday.

Describing his conversation with Mr Putin, Mr Lukashenko used the criminal slang phrase for killing someone, equivalent to the English phrase to wipe out, echoing Mr Putins vow in 1999 to wipe out [Chechen militants] in the s***house, which became widely quoted and emblematic for some of his severe tendencies.

I also understood: a brutal decision had been made (and it was the undertone of Putins address) to wipe out the mutineers, Mr Lukashenko told a meeting of his army officials and journalists, according to Belarusian state media.

I suggested to Putin not to rush. Come on, I said, Lets talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders. To which he told me: Listen, Sasha, its useless. He doesnt even pick up the phone, he doesnt want to talk to anyone.

Mr Lukashenko, both an old acquaintance of Mr Prigozhin and close ally of Mr Putin, claimed he had advised the Russian president to think beyond our own noses and warned that Mr Prigozhins elimination could lead to a widespread revolt by his fighters, adding that his own army could benefit from the experience of Wagner troops.

This is the most trained unit in the army, BelTA state agency quoted Lukashenko as saying. Who will argue with this? My military also understand this, and we dont have such people in Belarus.

Later, Mr Lukashenko told his military that people fail to understand that we are approaching this in a pragmatic way, adding: Theyve been through it, theyll tell us about the weaponry  what worked well, which worked badly.

Three teenagers among eight dead in Kramatorsk restaurant bombing, say officials

Wednesday 28 June 2023 08:41 , Andy Gregory

Three children are among eight people killed in a Russian missile attack on a restaurant and several houses in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, authorities have said, as they continue to clear rubble and search for survivors.

At least 56 people were also wounded in the attack at a restaurant frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers who use Kramatorsk as a base of operations, with the city lying only a few miles from the front line.

The shelling occurred when people had returned from work, said prosecutor general Andrii Kostin, adding that the three dead children were aged between 14 and 17.

Ukraines State Emergency Service said that rescuers continued to clear rubble from the site and search for more survivors.

Rescuers and volunteers work to rescue people from under the rubble (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia still likely to withdraw from Black Sea grain deal, state media reports

Wednesday 28 June 2023 08:35 , Andy Gregory

The probability of Russia withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal in July remains high, although talks continue, according to the state-backed RIA news agency, which cited an anonymous source.

Moscow has repeatedly complained it is not getting what it wanted from the deal brokered by the UN in a bid to ease global hunger, which has allowed grain to be shipped out of Ukrainian ports and expires on 18 July.

Ukrainian officials have cited Russias repeated threats to withdraw from the deal as among reasons why they feel they would be unable to trust Vladimir Putin in negotiations.
Russian diplomats flew to Mali and Syria hours after Prigozhin announced his failed Wagner rebellion, assuring leaders the Kremlin was in charge

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, Russia, February 23, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS

Kremlin diplomats flew abroad hours after Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin announced a rebellion.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the diplomats flew to Mali and Syria, and phoned into the Central African Republic.

Their message was uniform: the Kremlin's missions abroad would remain unchanged, and Wagner reports to the Kremlin now.

Russian diplomats jetted to Africa and the Middle East hours after Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted an armed rebellion to reassure allied leaders that the Russian government was in control.

According to the Wall Street Journal, diplomats with Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations flew to Mali and Syria after Prigozhin announced a mutiny on Moscow last week. The diplomats made their way to countries where Russia has relied on Wagner mercenaries to fight their proxy wars  telling the leaders that Wagner would report to the Kremlin now.

Kremlin diplomats personally reassured Syrian president Bashar al-Assad that Wagner would continue operating in the country, but not independently, according to the Journal. The Journal sourced the update through Wagner defectors, anonymous diplomats and intelligence officials close to the conversations, and through tracking international flight data.

And in Mali, leaders were reassured that they could continue to rely on Wagner mercenaries, who would be under the Kremlin's direct command, the Journal reported.

Members of the Kremlin's foreign ministry also called the leader of the Central African Republic  who employs Wagner mercenaries as his bodyguards  assuring that the Kremlin's mission would remain unchanged.

Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed that since last year, his government has paid Wagner close to $1 billion. Prigozhin, whose background was as a caterer for the military, was seen as a crucial Putin ally prior to his failed rebellion.

Wagner forces played a key role in capturing the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, and many of the 30,000 mercenaries employed by the company have fought for Kremlin interests in Syria and Africa.

Last week, Prigozhin accused Russia's defense ministry of carrying out a missile strike against Wagner positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, which he claimed had killed a "huge amount" of mercenaries.

In the tirade, Prigozhin said Russia's defense ministry "must be stopped" and the individuals responsible for the death of Wagner fighters must be punished. Moscow's security services quickly responded by announcing a criminal case against Prigozhin, charging him with inciting an armed rebellion.

Within a day, Wagner fighters captured the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and headed towards Moscow. By Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had brokered a peace deal, forcing Prigozhin to call off the coup in exchange for immunity in Belarus.

During the days of tension, Wagner fighters shot down several Russian aircraft, killing the pilots. The mutiny was unsuccessful in part because Prigozhin's plans were leaked ahead of time, the Journal reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sergey Surovikin

Russian General Sergey Surovikin has been interrogated over several days regarding his ties to Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group, Bloomberg reported on June 29, citing informed sources.

According to the report, Surovikin is being held "in one place," though not in a prison. He was last seen in a video on June 24, pleading with Prigozhin to halt his mutiny and "obey the orders" of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Between October 2022 and January 2023, Surovikin commanded Russian invasion forces in Ukraine. He is believed to have initiated the strategy of launching massive missile attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure in late 2022. He was subsequently removed from this post and assumed the role of the commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Read also: Prigozhin says Surovikin mediating between mercenaries and Russian Defense Ministry

Bloomberg notes that Surovikin was succeeded by Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov  one of the two individuals (along with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu) whom Prigozhin intended to "overthrow." Prigozhin frequently praised Surovikin while criticizing other Russian defense ministry officials.

The Financial Times previously reported that Surovikin was arrested after Prigozhin's attempted coup failed, indicating a purge of the security forces by the Kremlin regime. The general's daughter, however, denied his arrest in a statement to the Russian Telegram channel Baza.

Read also: A castling of generals: Why Putin appointed Gerasimov in place of Surovikin

Russian newspaper the Moscow Times, citing two sources close to Russia's defense ministry, had previously reported that Surovikin was arrested.

Read also: Russian General Surovikin reportedly arrested after Wagner mutiny

According to multiple sources cited by The New York Times, U.S. intelligence agencies believe Surovikin had prior knowledge of Prigozhin's mutiny.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
According to one of the versions in the Russian media, Sergei Surovikin, Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation and Deputy Commander of the Russian Forces in Ukraine, was not arrested; he was interrogated and released.

Source: Vazhnye Istorii (Important stories); Bloomberg; Mediazone

Details: Sources of the Vazhnye Istorii media outlet do not confirm the arrest of General Surovikin in connection with his involvement in the rebellion of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Two sources close to the General Staff and the FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia) said that Surovikin was not arrested and he is not in Lefortovo Prison; he was interrogated but then released.

Bloomberg also wrote that Surovikin was questioned about Prigozhin's rebellion. According to the source of this media outlet, the general "is being kept in one place but isnt in prison, and investigators are treating him cautiously to avoid antagonizing others within the military who admire Surovikins record of achievements with the army."

Z-channels wrote that on 29 June, Surovikin allegedly attended a meeting in the city of Rostov-on-Don, but journalist Dmitry Kolezev denies this. According to the journalist, Sergei Shoigu accused Surovikin of treason, but they are afraid to arrest the general because the officers are for him. Shoigu will try to "blacken" Surrovikin as much as possible.

Background:

Earlier, the Russian media outlets wrote that on 25 June, Surovikin was detained and sent to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention centre, controlled by the FSB. Financial Times also wrote about the detention of the general.

The American media outlets The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, quoting information from intelligence services, wrote that Prigozhin informed Surovikin about the preparation of the rebellion and that some Russian generals could sympathise with the rebels. NYT sources believed Prigozhin survived the rebellion because of his friendship with Surovikin.

Surovikin's daughter said that nothing happened, and Surovikin's wife refused to comment.

Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, advised asking the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation about Surovikin's fate.

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Sergei Surovikin

Russian General Sergei Surovikin, often referred to as General Armaggedon, has been arrested following the Wagner mercenary company mutiny, the Moscow Times reported on June 28, citing two sources close to the Russian Defense Ministry.

So-called Russian war correspondents on Telegram  right-wing nationalists with informal links to the state  were the first to spread information about Surovikins alleged arrest.

One of the sources claimed that the Kremlin regime did not like the story with Surovikin.

Another source said the arrest was related to Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhins rebellion, as Surovikin may have initially sided with the mercenary leader.

Information about the current whereabouts of the general is not commented on even through internal channels, English-language newspaper the Moscow Times reported.

He didnt behave submissively enough when he was set the task of reading the text on camera and sorting out (the situation), he was too rude to the management (the Putin regime), the newspaper reported, citing its sources.

Read also: A castling of generals: Why Putin appointed Gerasimov in place of Surovikin

Prior to that, U.S. newspaper the New York Times reported that, according to U.S. intelligence, Surovikin knew about the preparations for Prigozhins mutiny in advance

Moreover, investigative journalism outlet the Dossier Center reported on June 28 that Surovikin had become an honorary member of Wagner mercenary company back in 2017.

Surovikin was appointed as the commander of Russian occupation forces in Ukraine in October 2022. He is credited with the idea of launching massive missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.

The campaign to attack Ukrainian infrastructure failed, as Ukraine was finally given advanced air defense systems, including the U.S. Patriot system, by its military allies.

In January 2023, Surovikin was removed from his post and tapped as the commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

The Wagner mutiny: What we know

Prigozhin announced the beginning of an armed conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry on the evening of June 23, claiming that he wanted to restore justice in Russia.

Read also: Shoigus role in question as Tula governor emerges as potential defense minister, writes Meduza

He said that the Russian army struck the mercenaries rear camp. However, the conflict betweenPrigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu had started months earlier.

For the past few months, the Wagner leader has been persistently demanding the resignation of the Russian defense minister, accusing him of poor management of the Russian armed forces and of not supplying enough ammunition to Wagner forces.

The next day, Wagner forces seized control over the main military facilities in the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. They also shot down seven Russian Air Force aircraft.

Prigozhin then demanded meetings with Russias top military leadership and threatened to advance towards Moscow in a video address shot in Rostov-on-Don.

Putin, in turn, posted a video address saying that the Russian Armed Forces had ordered to eliminate those who led the rebellion.

The Wagnerites convoys nevertheless moved towards Moscow in a march for justice, as Prigozhin called it.

The FSB charged Prigozhin with inciting insurrection, while the security forces were preparing to defend Moscow. Putin is believed to have fled the capital to hisresidence in Valdai, northwest of Moscow.

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin as his mercenaries closed in on Moscow, Lukashenkos press office stated, culminating in a deal where Prigozhin agreed to halt his forces advance on the Russian capital  in exchange for dropping charges and changes at the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Soon after, Prigozhin ordered Wagner mercenaries to turn back from Moscow and return to their combat positions.

The Kremlin soon announced that the criminal case against Prigozhin would be closed, and he himself would go to Belarus.

Prigozhin arrived in Belarus after the Wagner mercenary company mutiny, Lukashenko confirmed on June 27.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The National Resistance Center has reported that Russians are detaining children in the temporarily occupied territories to put pressure on their parents.

Source: National Resistance Center

Quote: "The reason for the detentions, in fact, is the fight against children who show their Ukrainian position.

In particular, young people on the temporarily occupied territories are constantly visiting Ukrainian Internet portals, and arguing with teachers in schools about the actions of the Russian Federation."

Details: The National Resistance Center notes that the detainees' parents are threatened with deprivation of parental rights and the deportation of their children to Russia.

The opposition emphasises that such cynical detentions are one of the elements of pressure on parents who do not want to obtain a Russian "passport".

The NRC also adds that the informants of the Russian security forces are ideological advisers to school directors. Such a position has been introduced on the temporarily occupied territories.

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On the afternoon of 29 June, the Russians attacked a residential area in the city of Kherson; two civilians were injured.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote from Prokudin: "The Russian army once again set fire to a residential area of the city. Residential buildings, a medical facility, an official car, as well as a city school where an invincibility centre was deployed were hit by the enemy."

Details: The official reported that two civilians, 34 and 51 years old, were injured in the shelling. The men were hospitalised with burns on their limbs and faces.

Updated at 15:57: The Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that two people have died in the Russian strike on Kherson.

Quote: "According to the investigation, on 29 June 2023, at about 13:00, the Russian military carried out artillery shelling of the city of Kherson. As a result of aimed strikes, two people have died. Two more civilians have been hospitalised with burns."

Details: The fire destroyed buildings used for storage, other civilian infrastructure was damaged by debris.

Background: Over the past day, the Russians launched 64 attacks (342 shells) on Kherson Oblast, including 3 attacks (12 shells) on the city of Kherson. The Russians targeted the districts of 23 settlements in the region. In the day, three people have been injured due to Russian aggression.

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(Bloomberg) -- Russians support for peace talks with Ukraine has grown after an abortive mutiny led by Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to a new opinion poll from the independent Levada Center.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The share of respondents backing negotiations increased by eight percentage points to 53% from a month earlier. Following the march by Prigozhin and Wagner fighters toward Moscow over the weekend, the share of those favoring a continuation of fighting fell to 39%, according to the survey, due to be published Friday.

Russians became scared that the mutiny could lead to bigger setbacks in Ukraine for Russian troops, Denis Volkov, Levadas director, said in a phone interview. And, in general, a lot of people just want this war to be over as soon as possible.

The survey of 1,634 respondents across 50 Russian regions was conducted from June 22-28. After the mutiny on June 23-24, support for talks grew further, Levada said.

The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of being unwilling to negotiate. Kyiv says it wont consider talks until Russias troops leave its territory. Public support for a diplomatic solution in Russia has ebbed and flowed over the 17 months of the war, peaking in the fall after Putins order mobilizing men for the front fueled public fears. In May, signs of progress in the long-running battle for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine boosted Russian public backing of a military solution.

Prigozhin, the mercenary chief, had demanded the removal of the defense minister and chief of the general staff, who he blamed for Russias struggles in the war effort. But he called off the uprising after accepting a deal with Putin brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that allowed him to go to Russias neighbor in return for criminal charges being dropped against him and his fighters.

While Putins ratings remained largely unchanged in the aftermath of the upheaval, Prigozhins fell, the poll showed. On the eve of the mutiny, 19% of respondents were ready to consider voting for him in presidential elections due in 2024, while after June 24 the number fell to 6%.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Matvienko claims that the USA is behind Ukrainian

What with its troops losing ground on the front, attack drones swooping deep into Russian territory, and Russian generals suspected of supporting last weekends mutiny, youd think Russias upper house of parliament would have more to worry about than conspiracy theories.

Read also: Russia squeezes out one dirty bomb after another to waste the UNs time

Youd be wrong.

Despite international snickering, the Kremlin regime keeps promoting crackpot nonsense about Ukraine (in conspiracy with the United States, of course) genetically developing animals and insects as "biological weapons" against Mother Russia.

This time, ticks and head lice have been added to the previously mentioned birds, mosquitoes and locusts, according to a far-fetched report sent to all parliaments in the world by head of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko.

The report claims that development of these "bioweapons" started when Uncle Sam tried to introduce viruses into Soviet crops during the Second World War  when the two nations were actually allies, fighting Nazi Germany.

Read also: Ukrainian spy chief Budanov names the most outrageous Russian fake hes seen yet

"Naturally, this type of weapon could be unleashed on humans and animals," note the report's authors.

The Russians insist that about 50 of 400 secret genetic modification labs scattered around the globe are located in Ukraine  but have never provided any evidence to back up their bizarre claims.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Russia's 'high-value' command aircraft have been staying out of Ukraine's reach to keep them safe  only to have Wagner shoot one down at home

Fighters from the Wagner private-mercenary group pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District, in the city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia, to return to base on June 24. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Wagner forces downed several Russian military aircraft during their short-lived armed rebellion.

Among those losses was a valuable Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command-post aircraft.

British intel said the Il-22M is a "high-value asset" because it can avoid Kyiv's air defenses.

The Wagner Group's armed rebellion last weekend may have been short-lived, but the mercenary organization still managed to inflict significant damage on Russia's military, Western intelligence sources said.

Before the mutiny was called off, Wagner Group fighters closed in on Moscow and shot down several Russian military aircraft, including an Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command-post aircraft. Photos and videos shared to social media showed the plane engulfed in a fireball as it plummeted from the sky, before ultimately crashing into a field and leaving behind a huge pile of debris.

All 10 crewmembers aboard the aircraft were reportedly killed.

The Il-22M is a valuable special-mission aircraft that Russia's military has relied on heavily for aerial command and control during its invasion of Ukraine. Britain's defense ministry wrote in a Thursday intelligence update that Moscow operates a small fleet of 12 Il-22Ms, but they are "high-value assets" because they can fly safely within Russia's airspace and out of reach of Ukraine's air-defense network while coordinating air and ground operations.

Russia has demonstrated that it can outperform Ukraine above the battlefield, boasting an edge in several categories, including the overall size of its air force, missile and radar capabilities, technical attributes, and electronic equipment. But airspace still remains contested, and losing an important aircraft like the Il-22M is a blow to Moscow's forces, making Wagner's reported actions deeply problematic.

"The loss of this aircraft is likely to have a negative impact on Russian air and land operations. In the short term, the psychological shock of losing a large number of aircrew in this manner will almost certainly damage morale within" Russia's air force, Britain's defense ministry wrote.

"In the longer term, there is a possibility that current tasking levels may have to be reduced to safely manage the remaining fleet," the intelligence update said. "This will likely undermine Russia's ability to command and coordinate its forces, particularly during periods of high tempo operations."

A Wagner military column passes Russian city of Voronezh. Reuters

Losing one of its limited supply of Il-22M aircraft comes at a critical time for Russian forces, who are currently tasked with defending against a Ukrainian counteroffensive in several directions along the front lines. Kyiv's forces have mobilized a large influx of advanced weaponry from the US and its NATO allies  including tanks and armored fighting vehicles  to make small territorial gains in the eastern and southern regions.

The Il-22M is not the only aircraft that Russia's military lost during the historic and chaotic armed rebellion over the weekend. Wagner Group fighters also managed to shoot down several electronic-warfare and attack helicopters, eventually leading Yevgeny Prigozhin, who founded the notorious mercenary organization, to express remorse.

"We regret that we had to hit air assets, but those assets were dropping bombs and launching missile strikes," Prigozhin said on Monday in his first public statement since calling off the mutiny. The Wagner chief has since been cast into exile in neighboring Belarus thanks to negotiations with the Kremlin that were brokered by Belarus' president, Alexander Lukashenko.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that Prigozhin's fighters can either return to their homes, sign contracts with Russia's defense ministry, or leave the country and go to Belarus.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russia's Prigozhin was told he would no longer fight in Ukraine -lawmaker

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told that his Wagner group would no longer fight in Ukraine as he had refused to sign contracts to bring his mercenaries under the sway of the defence ministry, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential lawmaker who chairs the lower house of parliament's defence committee, said the trigger for Saturday's mutiny was Prigozhin's disagreement with a demand by the defence ministry that his mercenary group sign contracts.

"As you know, a few days before the attempted mutiny, the defence ministry said that all formations performing combat tasks must sign contracts with the defence ministry," said Kartapolov.

"Everyone started to implement this decision... everyone except Mr Prigozhin."

Prigozhin said on June 11 that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contract with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, adding that Shoigu was unable to manage military units.

Kartapolov said that after Prigozhin's refusal to sign the contracts he had been told that his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine and thus would not receive state money.

As a result, the lawmaker said, Prigozhin, committed treason due to "exorbitant ambitions", money and what he cast as an "excited state".

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Gareth Jones)
More than 45,000 people arrived in the UK across the English Channel last year

The Rwanda result at the Court of Appeal is the worst possible world for the government in both legal and political terms.

Two judges have declared the government has broken the law on claiming Rwanda is safe.

This ruling came down to the strength of arguments presented by the UNHCR, the United Nations' refugee agency, which intervened in the case as the acknowledged experts.

The court did not rule against the principle of off-shoring asylum claims to a third country.

But politically, even that raises a very difficult question: where is the government proposing to send people, if not to Rwanda?

And that's why this saga has become a quagmire which may run up against a ticking general election clock, a point I will come back to.

The central question for the Court of Appeal was this: is Rwanda a safe and reliable place that would give asylum seekers a fair hearing?

There was a mountain of evidence from the UNHCR, and even the government's own officials, that Rwanda's record on handling asylum applications was poor.

On the other hand, ministers said Rwanda had given copper-bottomed guarantees and diplomatic assurances of fair treatment.

It's the reliability of those assurances - given in good faith, it was heard - that has crashed and burned at the Court of Appeal.

By two to one, a majority of the court's three judges found Rwanda's asylum system was so poor that sending someone there would amount to breaching their right not to be tortured or subjected to inhuman treatment. They could be sent back to their home countries, potentially to their deaths.

The soon-to-retire Lord Chief Justice disagreed, concluding that it was unlikely this would ever happen. Rwanda, he said, had no agreements in place to send asylum seekers back to their home countries - and the UK had a monitoring plan.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman says the "system is rigged against the British people" and the government would be appealing the decision "very swiftly"

So that's why the government wants to appeal to the Supreme Court - but it must first convince the judges to give it permission.

Ministers must show there is a "point of law of general public importance."

The split ruling means a Supreme Court appeal looks likely - but there could also be counter-appeals from the claimants who lost on some of their important points.

One of these could come from the charity Asylum Aid.

It had argued that it simply wasn't lawful to give asylum seekers just seven days to make representations against their transportation to Rwanda - potentially without the help of an expert lawyer while they're in prison-like conditions.

The Court of Appeal's 161-page judgment shows it had genuine reservations about whether this was fair.

But it decided it could be lawful, providing the Home Office had proper safeguards in place.

The claimants say there's no evidence these exist - such as proper guidelines for the officials deciding a migrants' fate.

"There are clear deficiencies in the process, some of which have been recognised by the court," says Tessa Gregory, the charity's lawyer.

"Asylum Aid will consider whether it is necessary to appeal."

The ruling also has implications for Parliament.

The Illegal Migration Bill is at a critical stage in the House of Lords.

That controversial legislation would require the home secretary to send most of the people who cross the English Channel to claim asylum to third countries.

But which countries?

"Even with a Rwanda deal in place, it has never been clear how easy this would be," says Dr Peter William Walsh of Oxford University's independent Migration Observatory.

"If there are no safe third countries accepting the UK's asylum seekers, the core idea behind the policy can't be implemented.

"In essence, all the eggs are in one basket and this basket is looking fragile."

What's clear is that time is running out.

Assuming judges grant the government's wish and send the case to the Supreme Court, the case probably won't be considered before September or October.

And that means its judgment might not come until the end of the year, or early in 2024.

If the government won, each person allocated to a proposed new flight, perhaps in February or March, may be able to challenge their inclusion.

There could still be individual claims to the European Court of Human Rights.

And all of this in a countdown to a General Election.
The government is committed to ending cross-Channel migrant boats despite a court ruling its Rwanda policy is unlawful, the home secretary has said.

Suella Braverman told MPs she would do "whatever it takes to stop the boats."

Her comments came after judges at the Court of Appeal ruled that the plan to send asylum seekers to the African country could also breach human rights. The government says it will appeal.

Labour says the plan is "unethical" and Ms Braverman is "ramping up rhetoric".

Asylum Aid, the charity which brought the legal challenge, said the decision taken by the court on Thursday was a "vindication of the importance of the rule of law and basic fairness".

The plan to send people who arrive in the UK illegally to Rwanda was first unveiled in April 2022 in an attempt to deter crossings on the English Channel on small boats.

It has been subject to several legal challenges, including the latest at the Court of Appeal where judges ruled that Rwanda had not provided enough safeguards to prove it is a "safe third country".

Two out of the three judges found that there was a risk that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda could then be forced back to the country from where they were originally fleeing. This means the UK government's immigration policy contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects against torture.

However Ms Braverman said this did not mean that Rwanda itself was not safe.

The home secretary told MPs she respected the judgement, but added it was "disappointing" and that the government would be challenging it.

Ms Braverman said that the "abuse" of the asylum system was "unfair" on local communities, taxpayers and "those who play by the rules".

She added that it "incentivises mass flows of economic migration into Europe, lining the pockets of people smugglers and turning our seas into graveyards, all in the name of a phoney humanitarianism".

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government's Rwanda scheme was "completely unravelling" and described it as "unworkable, unethical and extortionately expensive."

"This is their chaos, their Tory chaos, their boats chaos and their broken asylum system," she said.

She also accused the home secretary of "wasting everybody's time" on "ramping up the rhetoric rather than coming up with a serious plan".

The Rwandan government insisted it was "one of the safest countries in the world" and had been recognised for its "exemplary treatment of refugees".

The case was brought by Asylum Aid, which argued the policy was unlawful, as well as 10 people from countries including Syria, Iraq and Albania, who arrived in the UK in small boats.

The High Court had backed the government's policy at an earlier hearing, but that decision was scrutinised by Appeal Court judges Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill in this latest stage of the process.

While Lord Burnett sided with the UK government, the others concluded that the assurances from the Rwandan government were not "sufficient to ensure that there is no real risk that asylum seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy will be wrongly returned to countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment".

They said that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful "unless and until the deficiencies in [its government's] asylum processes are corrected".

The judges stressed that they all agreed that the Rwandan government's assurances of the policy had been made "in good faith".

Tessa Gregory, a partner at law firm Leigh Day which represented Asylum Aid in the case, said: "We are delighted that the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Rwanda removals process is unlawful on grounds of safety."

It acknowledged that not all of the charity's challenges had been accepted by the court, but said the ruling had affirmed there are "clear deficiencies" with the policy.

Other human rights groups have welcomed the court's decision, with Freedom From Torture describing it as a "victory for reason and compassion".

The PM has made "stopping the boats" a key government priority

The Rwanda policy has hit several roadblocks since it was first announced last April.

The first deportation flight was halted minutes before it was due to take off after a legal challenge was granted in June 2022.

In December, the High Court decided that the plan did not breach the UN's Refugee Convention - which sets out the human rights of anyone seeking asylum - and ruled that it was legal.

But the following month it was decided that some of the parties in that case should be allowed to appeal against elements of that decision - and have the case heard by the Court of Appeal.

This week the Home Office said it expects it to cost 169,000 for every person deported and processed under the Rwanda scheme - more than it currently costs to house an asylum seeker in the UK.

But the same analysis warned rising accommodation costs could mean the cost of housing an asylum claimant in the UK could be 165,000 per person within four years.

The Home Office says it currently spends almost 7m a day on hotel accommodation to house asylum seekers.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he respects the court's decision but he will do "whatever is necessary" to disrupt criminal gangs operating small boat crossings.

Asked after the ruling if the government was confident the first deportation flight would take off before the next general election, a Downing Street spokesman said it could not "put a timetable on that".

A line chart, where each line represents a year from 2019 up to 2023, showing the cumulative number of people detected crossing the English Channel on small boats between January and December. The total gets progressively higher year-on-year, with nearly 46,000 people detected by the end of 2022. The 2023 data goes up to 28 June and is about 11,300, slightly below the levels seen at the same time in 2022.

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KIGALI, Rwanda - Two of Africas biggest fintech players are expanding their operations in Rwanda, which is pushing to position itself as a strategically important hub for the fintech sector by revamping its business laws and tax code.

Chipper Cash, the pan-African money transfer company, opened in Kigali last week with a launch party on the sidelines of a three-day government-organized fintech conference. Chipper's opening came two months after Flutterwave, the online payments processor, said it received two new licenses to offer cross-border money transfers in Rwanda. Flutterwave first launched there in 2019.

"Its one of the few markets where we have every license you can think about," Olugbenga Agboola, Flutterwaves chief executive, told Semafor Africa. "Its not about market size but readiness. They are ready here." Jovani Ntabgoba, who leads Chippers presence in Rwanda, described it as a forward-thinking market that embraces technology."

Know More

Beyond having companies set up outposts, Rwanda says it wants to be Africas "proof of concept country" where startups test services before rolling out elsewhere.

For fintech companies, it has reduced its licensing timeline, cut corporate income tax to 15% for fintechs instead of 28% paid in other sectors, and exempts them from paying 15% withholding tax on dividends, Jean-Marie Kananura, chief investment officer of Rwanda Finance, a government company overseeing the fintech drive, told Semafor Africa. "What were offering is ease of operation and to promote you when you are licensed," he said.

Alexander's view

Rwanda, with 13 million people and a $10 billion GDP, is considerably smaller than sub Saharan Africas main economies (Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya) with more mature innovation cultures and the bulk share of tech investment dollars. But industry observers point to a clear structure, responsive government partners, and safe surroundings as factors that could see the East African country punch above its weight in the long run. Numbers could become relative as people see a better environment to work in, Babatunde Obrimah, chief operating officer of the Fintech Association of Nigeria, told Semafor Africa.

Entrepreneurs running startups in Lagos, Nairobi and other epicenters of tech activity continue to seek out flexible, stable regulatory environments with minimal friction. Nigeria, for one, has been a case study in how erratic monetary policy hampers companies that need to report and repatriate earnings in dollars. Similarly-sized alternatives are either just opening up (Ethiopia) or have their prospects undermined by political instability (DR Congo).

Among the smaller markets, Rwandas push to stand out appears to have less competition. By offering operational incentives through the Kigali International Financial Centre set up in 2020 to mirror similar initiatives in Dubai, Doha, and Hong Kong, it casts itself as a mainland Africa alternative to Mauritius, which serves company offshoring interests, and Casablanca, which is more a route into North Africa. For Rwanda, it could significantly boost the amount of funds moving through its financial system every year by becoming a strategically important hub for these valuable and increasingly influential young fintech companies. International investors have thrown their weight behind Africas fintech startups.

This positioning of Rwanda as a Singapore of Africa (as the project is sometimes described) is not new from Rwanda and a timeline for the influx of truly global financial giants could take many years. But there is one example of a company starting there and growing wings abroad. In 2016, the autonomous drone startup Zipline started its health products delivery in Rwanda, using lessons there as the basis to offer the service to state and federal governments in Ghana and Nigeria. Now valued at over $4 billion, Zipline positions itself as a general-purpose on-demand delivery company in competition with Amazon and FedEx.

When trying to be a financial center, it helps to be "safe, sound and well-run," Jochen Biedermann, managing director of the nonprofit World Alliance of International Financial Centers, told Semafor Africa. But talent development and retention are also crucial, he said.

Room for Disagreement

There would be a stronger incentive to set up in a small country like Rwanda if licenses obtained there can be passported elsewhere in Africa, said Dare Okoudjou, founder and chief executive of MFS Africa, a company that connects money transfer providers to enable customer transactions across platforms within and outside of Africa. Theres simply not space to have a billion-dollar revenue fintech company in Rwanda, Okoudjou said. Its just not possible. So, it has to be possible for these businesses to be multi-market.

The View From ZAMBIA

Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema, chair of the 21-state Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa with a combined 600 million population, agreed with the view that African government policies aimed at enabling fintechs to scale cannot be based on singular jurisdictions. But he cautioned businesses that governments will only respond to specific demands. You cant have a generic wish list for regulators, he told the conference audience in Kigali.

Notable
Sacramento leaders unveiled the first sister city partnership with a Ukrainian city this week, coming together Thursday with local Ukrainian community leaders at City Hall to recognize Sumy, Ukraine, as Sacramentos 13th international relationship.

California has 60,000 Ukrainian immigrants, the second-most of any U.S. state, and about one-third of those reside in Sacramento, giving the capital city the largest population share of Ukrainian immigrants in the country, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Councilmember Caity Maple introduced the creation of a sister city relationship with Sumy to Mayor Darrell Steinberg through the request of a constituent from her district, Max McSlavkin. McSlavkin introduced both Maple and Steinberg to Brian Mayer, the executive director of Ukraine Aid International, who began the program at the start of the Russian invasion in 2022.

Mayer had simultaneously cultivated Ukrainian Sister City relationships with smaller American cities on the East Coast, and McSlavkin said it seemed like a great opportunity for Sacramento, as both a state capital and the major city with the largest per capita Ukrainian population in the country.

This is an important day for Sacramento because it symbolizes our commitment to the people of Ukraine, Steinberg said in a news conference. There could not be a more important statement here in June of 2023 than to say loudly and clearly we stand with the people of Ukraine.

The announcement of the sister city relationship came just days after a rebellion effort against the Russian government late last week by the Wagner private military company, which ended Saturday. Vlad Skots, a chairman on the executive board for Ukrainian American House, said the new sister city partnership established an important, personal direct line of communication with the people in Ukraine as important developments unfold in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

The Ukrainian people are very well-connected between each other, Skots said. In this relationship we will be able to connect more with the American people and to bring the real story from Sumy.

The Ukrainian city that threw off Russian invasion

Sumy is the capital of the Sumy Oblast, settled in the northeastern part of Ukraine about 30 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukrainian civilians in the city were left to arm and defend themselves from trespassing Russian soldiers, with no army troops available to protect them.

The city of Sumy was one of the first cities to be attacked and sieged by Russian forces, said Consul General Dmytro Kushneruk during Thursdays news conference. But even though it was sieged, it was never captured.

A 2022 Reuters interview with Dmytro Zhivitskyi, the head of Sumys regional military, revealed that the Russian soldiers who traveled through Sumy to reach the capital, Kyiv, also planned to overtake the city. In the interview, Zhivitskyi said Russia planned to capture the city in three to five days because they were allegedly aware of the lack of Ukrainian forces.

But the Sumy people put up a hard fight.

An alleged phone call released by Ukrainian intelligence services March 16, 2022, between a Russian soldier to his mother showed the soldier crying after he told her about the road through Sumy, according to an article by The Guardian, where columns of Russian soldiers perished. By April 8 of that year, Ukrainian forces reclaimed the Sumy region, when Russian soldiers were forced to pull out.

The territorial defense of the Sumy people fought off Russian captivity, Kushneruk said, but the citys close proximity to Russia continues to make it a target of Russian long-range missiles aimed for their infrastructure.

Ukrainian support in Sacramento

With 20,000 Ukrainian immigrants residing in Sacramento, the fourth largest population in a U.S. metropolitan city, several established programs within the city provide continuous support during the ongoing Russia invasion of Ukraine. More than 13,000 Ukrainian refugees have been resettled by World Relief Sacramento since 2004, including 3,000 resettled in Sacramento within the last decade.

Ukrainian American House has provided relief and resources to Ukrainian refugees both immediately and post-arrival, offering human assistance programs, ID or drivers license, employment, etc.

When the war started, I received thousands of calls that people want to help, Skots said, referring to the Americans who wanted to offer a place for the Ukrainian refugees.

Ukrainian immigrants can also find refuge in Spring of Life Church, a Ukrainian Baptist church in Orangevale, with currently around 1,200 Ukrainian immigrants, which supports 25 missionary families working in Ukraine.

Maple said there are many Ukrainian support aid organizations within the Sacramento region.

This is the important work, Maple said. The real work is happening every day on the ground, and thats why its so important that the people of Sacramento and the people of the United States of America are aware of whats going on.
Jorge A. Aguilar, the superintendent of Sacramento City Unified School District since 2017, will leave the position at the end of this week, the K-12 district announced Wednesday afternoon.

Aguilar will depart the role Friday, the end of this month and the current fiscal year. The district will begin a search for a new superintendent immediately, Sacramento City Unified said in a news release announcing Aguilars departure.

The Sac City Unified Board and Superintendent Aguilar have mutually agreed to a leadership transition for our District, Chinua Rhodes, president of the school board, said in a prepared statement. As one of the longest-serving superintendents at Sac City Unified, we appreciate Superintendent Aguilars six years of service and his dedication to SCUSD students and families.

Deputy Superintendent Lisa Allen will serve as acting superintendent while the search for a full-time replacement is underway, according to the news release.

I applaud the Sac City Board of Trustees for committing to make student-outcome focused governance a priority, Aguilar said in a prepared statement released by the school district. Additionally, I have appreciated the dedication of each of the 15 Sac City Board members with whom I have collaborated during my tenure as superintendent.

Every day as Sac Citys superintendent, I was motivated to change the life trajectories of our students, especially our youth least well served who are from low-income families and have low achievement levels, low graduation rates, and low college and career readiness rates

Aguilar became the districts 28th superintendent on July 1, 2017, according to the Sacramento City Unified website. The district serves more than 40,000 students at more than 70 campuses.

Aguilars tenure came with tumult.

Late last decade, the district faced the possibility of a state takeover amid a deep budget crisis that had set in by 2018. That fall, Sacramento County education officials for the first time ever rejected the school districts budget due to projected deficits.

Budget woes led an independent state fiscal adviser in 2019 to say he had no confidence in the school districts business staff or its data. Sacramento City Unified laid off more than 100 people, including 77 teachers, in spring 2019.

Aguilar often served as the face of the school district during labor disputes between administrators and the teachers union. Sacramento City Unified teachers and staff went on strike for eight school days in spring 2022. That followed a one-day strike in March 2019.

In fall 2017, Mayor Darrell Steinberg brokered a deal between Aguilar and the teachers union to avert a strike during stalled contract negotiations.

SEIU Local 1021, which represents maintenance workers, bus drivers, instructional aides and other staff members, also authorized a two-day strike in April 2021 over disagreements regarding reopening from COVID-19 closures; the Sacramento City Teachers Association pledged a sympathy strike. That strike was ultimately called off, but served as another dust-up in years of clashing between district workers and administration.

On Thursday, Steinberg lauded Aguilar for his commitment to racial equity.

He served with integrity during some of the most challenging times in Sacramento history. Jorge, may you go forward with good health and great contributions to come, the mayor said on social media.

In his departing statement, Aguilar said he remains proud of Sacramento City Unified and its educational leaders.

I am grateful to our community for the respectful interactions that I have experienced over the past six years, including as a parent of our four children who were students in Sac City Unified, Aguilar continued in Wednesdays statement. I will remain the biggest supporter of Sac City and its continued efforts to actualize an equity, access, and social justice vision that supports success for all students.
Sunil Babu Pant, an openly gay former parliamentarian and leading sexual minority rights activist in Nepal, speaks with the Associated Press during an interview in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, June 29, 2023. Gay rights activists and couples in Nepal on Thursday were celebrating an interim order issued by the country's Supreme Court enabling them to register same-sex marriages for the first time. At personal level, for those who are living together it is a huge victory. Practically, they can register their marriage and their rights can be immediately exercised, said Pant. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP)  LGBTQ+ rights activists and couples in Nepal on Thursday were celebrating an interim order issued by the country's Supreme Court enabling the registration of same-sex marriages for the first time.

The Supreme Court issued the order on Wednesday allowing for the temporary registration of marriages for same-sex and non-traditional couples.

The decision represented a leap forward for activists and others who have long sought to amend the laws to permit same-sex marriage and end provisions that limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

At a personal level, for those who are living together it is a huge victory. Practically, they can register their marriage and their rights can be immediately exercised, said Sunil Babu Pant, an openly gay former parliamentarian and leading LGBTQ+ rights activist in Nepal.

"This is very important because it allows the couple to go and register their marriage and start living as a couple legally," Pant said.

Since a court decision in 2007 asking the government to make changes in favor of LGBTQ+ people, Nepal has undergone major changes. People who do not identify as female or male are now able to choose third gender on their passports and other government documents. The new constitution also explicitly states there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The Supreme Court ordered the government to establish a separate register of marriages for same-sex couples. It was not clear when the court would make its final decision on the case.

Same-sex couples were celebrating the court order.

Surendra Pandey and his partner Maya Gurung said they were relieved to be able to finally register their marriage with the authorities.

The couple got married six years ago at a temple following Hindu tradition with a priest conducting the rituals among friends and family. They have not received any certificate to show their marriage is legal.

I am overwhelmed with joy because of this decision and it is a day of commemoration for our community, Gurung said. This court ruling has established that we are equal citizens of this country.

The couple said they would likely have to wait a few more days to register with the government, but would continue to campaign until the laws are permanently changed in the country.
Starting Saturday, most Florida hospitals will start collecting data on patients immigration status, bucking advice from clinicians who warn this could deter sick people from seeking care.

A new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May, SB 1718, requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to inquire about immigration status on patient admission forms. The hospitals are required to then de-identify this data and submit quarterly reports to the Agency for Healthcare Administration, which will calculate Floridas annual cost of uncompensated care for people who live in the state illegally.

Health care providers from across the state have spoken out against this law, arguing it may deter people here illegally from seeking care until a condition is life-threatening, ultimately increasing emergency room visits and health care costs for the state.

Deterring any segment of our population from seeking healthcare is not only dangerous and life threatening for individuals, but negatively impacts public health and undermines our efforts to improve the health of all We should be doing all we can to encourage use of primary and preventive care, a far more efficient use of our overtaxed healthcare system, reads a public letter signed by 80 health care providers prior to the laws passage.

These providers also point out that Florida is facing widespread understaffing and burnout among medical professionals, like most states, and argue that this laws administrative requirements will exacerbate that.

Despite outcries from advocates and individuals, however, hospital leaders have stayed silent. Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew did not respond to a request for comment from the Orlando Sentinel, nor did representatives from Orlando Health or AdventHealth, the Central Florida regions two largest hospital chains.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also declined to comment on Floridas new requirements. Federal guidelines for states Medicaid programs are broad, giving Florida the freedom to make its own requirements for hospitals.

The law does not require people to answer the immigration section of their patient form in order to receive care.

It instructs hospitals to ensure their admission forms clarify immediately after asking patients immigration status that their answer will not impact their care or be shared with immigration authorities, who are generally not allowed to enforce immigration laws in health care facilities and other sensitive areas.

Even with these caveats, some worry that simply asking the question will drive patients away.

Alongside its requirements for hospitals, SB 1718 includes sweeping changes to the states immigration system, with measures labeled draconian by pastors, activists, health care providers and immigration experts.

These restrictions are creating a climate of fear in the state, said Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

She said she is not aware of any other states with a law that requires hospitals to collect patients status.

Increased fears among immigrants  will have some blood-chilling effects by leading immigrant families to avoid seeking health care not only for themselves, but also for their children who may include U.S.-born citizens, just out of fear of drawing attention to their immigration status, Pillai said.

This is DeSantis second attempt to calculate the cost of providing health care to Floridas undocumented immigrants.

In late 2021, he signed an executive order directing the state Agency for Health Care Administration to determine how much taxpayer money was spent on health care for illegal aliens in the state of Florida.

Unlike this new law, his initial order did not explicitly require hospitals to ask about immigration status on admission forms.

Most health care facilities didnt collect the requested information, and were unable to produce the requested data, The Gainesville Sun reported last year.

____
Saying strike is "imminent," UPS gets a Friday deadline from union to come up with a better contract

FILE - A United Parcel Service driver loads his truck, adjacent to a UPS Store, in New York, Thursday, May 11, 2023. Frustrated by what he called an "appalling counterproposal" earlier this week, the head of the union representing 340,000 UPS workers said a strike now appears inevitable and gave the shipping giant a Friday deadline to improve its offer. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Frustrated by an appalling counterproposal earlier this week, the head of the union representing 340,000 UPS workers said a strike is imminent and gave the shipping giant a Friday deadline to improve its offer.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters walked away from negotiations Wednesday, demanding that UPS give its last, best, and final offer no later than June 30.

Teamsters officials did not say what time the Friday deadline was or what actions it might take if it is not met.

The largest single-employer strike in American history now appears inevitable, said Teamsters General President Sean OBrien, who accused UPS executives of hoarding profits instead of sharing them with workers.

Executives at UPS, some of whom get tens of millions of dollars a year, do not care about the hundreds of thousands of American workers who make this company run, OBrien said.

In a brief statement, United Parcel Service said it has offered significant changes to its initial financial proposal and that Reaching consensus requires time and serious, detailed discussion, but it also requires give-and-take from both sides.

Negotiations on the national contract began in April. The current contract expires July 31.

Earlier this month, the Teamsters said 97% of unionized workers voted for a strike authorization, which the union urged to give it more leverage during negotiations with the company.

The Teamsters represent more than half of the companys workforce in the largest private-sector contract in North America. If a strike occurs, it would be the first since a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago.

UPS has pushed back on those claims by boasting that is provides workers with industry-leading pay and benefits.

Unionized UPS workers are still upset about the current contract, which they feel was forced on them by prior union leadership in 2018 based on a technicality. The contract created two hierarchies of workers with different pay scales, hours and benefits. The union wants it eliminated.

Two weeks ago, the union and the company announced they reached a tentative agreement to equip more trucks with air conditioning equipment, a major sticking point. UPS said it would add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024.

UPS delivers around 25 million packages a day, representing about a quarter of all U.S. parcel volume, according to the global shipping and logistics firm Pitney Bowes. Thats about 10 million parcels more than it delivered each day in the years leading up to the pandemic.

UPS profits have soared since the pandemic began in 2020 as millions of Americans grew to rely on delivery to their doorstops.

Annual profits at UPS in the past two years are close to three times what they were pre-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.



AP Business Reporter Haleluya Hadero contributed to this report from New York.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes last weekend's failed rebellion in Russia has weakened President Vladimir Putin, but the aftermath for Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains unclear.

Source: Scholz in an interview with ARD, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "This shows that there are cracks in autocratic structures and power structures; and that he is not sitting so firmly in the chair now. I believe that he is weakened," Scholz said.

Details: The chancellor said that the situation in Russia is tense and that Germany would proceed cautiously.

"Russia is a nuclear power. That's why we always have to watch carefully when dangerous situations arise  and this situation is dangerous," he said.

In this context, the chancellor added that Germany supports Ukraine so that it can defend itself, but noted that "the goal of our support for Ukraine is not to change the regime in Russia".

Scholz refused to comment on how long Putin would be able to stay in power after the Wagner Group rebellion.

"I don't want to get involved in any speculation connected with how long he will be in power. It could be long or it could be short, we don't know," he said.

Scholz added that a change of leadership in the Kremlin may not be the best option, "We don't know if someone better or worse will come after Putin".

Background: Last weekend, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group Private Military Company, launched and then called off a rebellion over criticism of the Russian military leadership.

According to media reports, US intelligence officers were able to gather an extremely detailed and accurate picture of Yevgeny Prigozhins plans for his rebellion, but the intelligence was shared only with selected allies.

US President Joe Biden believes that Vladimir Putin has "absolutely" become weaker after the attempted coup by the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC).

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Scorching heat and Canada wildfires could be tied to wavy, blocky jet stream

Scientists say a closely watched atmospheric pattern  the jet stream  is behind both the Canadian wildfires and the scorching heat in Texas, raising questions about how it shapes extreme weather events and whether climate change is disrupting its flow.

The jet stream, a ribbon of air that encircles the Northern Hemisphere at high altitudes, drives pressure changes that determine weather across North America. The jet streams wavy pattern creates areas of high and low pressure.

In recent months, the jet streams patterns trapped and stalled a ridge of high pressure over northern Canada, which caused a heat wave and primed the landscape for the wildfires that later sent smoke pouring into the Midwest and the eastern U.S. Earlier this month, another ridge of high pressure centered over Texas, sending temperatures soaring.

More than 100 million people in the U.S. faced either blistering heat or unhealthy air quality Wednesday.

In recent weeks, the jet stream has appeared unusual and disjointed, scientists say. Some researchers think climate change is disrupting its flow and causing it to bake regions in heat longer. They are concerned that changes in the patterns could cause extremes to increase more rapidly than climate models have projected as the world warms.

Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, likened visualizations of the jet streams appearance in recent weeks to the swirling brushstrokes of a post-impressionist painter.

Im honestly at a loss to even characterize the current large-scale planetary wave pattern, Mann tweeted this month. Frankly, it looks like a Van Gogh.

Those weather patterns are of particular interest to climate scientists because they add to research that suggests alterations in jet stream patterns could play a significant role in driving extreme conditions.

Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist with the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts, said the recent weather patterns fit that theory.

Climate change is pushing heat waves into more extreme territory every year, Francis said. In a warming world, she added, these kinds of wavy, blocky patterns in the jet stream are certainly consistent with what we expect to see more often.

Whether a warmer atmosphere is monkeying with the jet stream is difficult to prove. Researchers are still investigating whether theres a link between climate change and the jet stream and how those specific weather events fit.

Some scientists, like Francis, think global warming is causing the jet stream to grow increasingly wavy.

But Kai Kornhuber, an associate research scientist at Columbia University and a senior scientist at Climate Analytics, a nonprofit policy institute, said the theory is not yet proven and difficult to evaluate. Trends dont stick out neatly in the available data, he said.

Kornhuber and Francis agree, though, that there is evidence that warming global temperatures are causing the jet stream to slow down and trap high pressure systems like the ones in Canada and Texas.

We do see more persistent weather patterns, and persistence translates to higher impacts, Kornhuber said.

Longer heat waves challenge peoples heat tolerances, and they also dry out soils and heat up the land, which can reinforce the jet stream pattern and create a self-fulfilling cycle.

Once the heat wave gets established over land and the land heats up, thats warm air that causes the atmosphere to bulge, said John Walsh, the chief scientist at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. There is a positive feedback loop that contributes to the persistence and intensity of the heat wave.

Scientists are still unspooling how global warming could affect the jet stream and what mechanisms could be responsible for the most significant changes. Francis said warming ocean temperatures and the melting of sea ice in polar regions could be contributing.

There is little doubt that heat waves are increasing in severity and frequency.

Heat extremes do scale with mean temperature, Kornhuber said.

Changes in the nature of atmospheric circulation and the jet stream could intensify those trends even further and more rapidly than scientists once thought.

We need to consider if climate models are more conservative when it comes to extreme weather, Kornhuber said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Scot Peterson did not confront the Parkland school shooting. Should he be jailed?

Scot Peterson in court

The case of a former sheriff's deputy on trial for failing to confront the Parkland gunman in 2018 could set a new bar for how police are expected to respond to a school mass shooting.

A Florida jury is currently deliberating whether Scot Peterson, 60, is guilty of 11 counts that include felony child neglect and culpable negligence. He has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Peterson's case has added a legal and moral dimension to a fraught national debate over law enforcement's responsibility to protect students during school shootings, which are a common occurrence in the United States.

His trial comes a year after the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where authorities faced outrage and investigations after they waited over an hour to enter the school while a gunman murdered small children inside.

Police officers are not legally obligated to sacrifice their lives on the job. But these recurring tragedies frequently place law enforcement in the position of having to defend students and engage directly with armed assailants.

"The entire country is watching this trial," said Bob Jarvis, a legal expert at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. "It is precedent setting. It will tell us, in the form of the jury, what average people expect of cops.

"It is either going to open the door to a floodgate of claims against cops for not rushing in in the future," Mr Jarvis said, "Or it will slam the door pretty tight on the possibility of future prosecutions like this."

The caregiver question

Mr Peterson did not rush inside as 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz rampaged through Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on 14 February, 2018. Seventeen students and staff were killed, and 17 more were injured.

Mr Peterson arrived at the building with his gun drawn 73 seconds before Cruz reached the third floor of the 1200 classroom building. He took shelter in an alcove outside and waited for help to arrive. He and his attorneys say he did so because he did not know where the shots were coming from.

Florida prosecutors say Mr Peterson, then an officer for the Broward Sheriff's Office, neglected his training and his duty by failing to enter that building while the gunman fired on students. They are seeking to hold him legally responsible for not confronting Cruz, in a case believed to be the first of its kind.

There is no law that requires a police officer to put themselves in the line of fire, or risk their lives during a shooting.

Instead, prosecutors charged Mr Peterson with seven felony child neglect counts for the four student deaths and three injuries that took place on the third floor - once Mr Peterson was on the scene - as well as misdemeanour culpable negligence for three adults who were shot there.

Successfully persuading the jury that Mr Peterson was a caregiver for the children, and therefore obligated to protect them, is key to securing a conviction.

Mr Peterson's lawyer has argued that he was not, in fact, a caregiver.

"He's not a teacher, he's not a parent, he's not a kidnapper who's responsible for the well-being of a child. He's not hired by the school system," attorney Mark Eiglarsh told CNN as the trial began.

Mr Jarvis said that the caregiver case was legally shaky, given its novel application. And even if a jury agreed with prosecutors, he added, the trial judge or an appeals court could decide that Mr Peterson did not actually qualify as a caregiver under the law and overrule the jury's decision.

A new legal frontier

A conviction in the Peterson case opens up an entirely new field of legal quandaries for not just police officers, but other school staffers who find themselves caught up in a mass shooting.

Some states have adopted a controversial rule that allows teachers to carry guns at school. Should Mr Peterson be found guilty of felony child neglect, it could have implications for educators, not just police, one expert said.

"What does that mean for all the teachers who have guns in schools?" said Ron Astor of the University of California Los Angeles and an expert on school violence. "Are they going to be held responsible if they choose not to [confront a shooter]?"

Mr Astor noted that even professional police officers will routinely call for backup in situations they feel they cannot handle alone. He added that not all school resource officers or security guards receive the level of training that would prepare them to confront a shooter with an assault-style weapon.

People are seen being brought out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the shooting on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida.

"Is it a reasonable thing to do for somebody who's not a swat team member, or trained in the military?" he asked.

A "moral obligation"

Legal arguments aside, the case has raised questions about whether a school resource officer, police officer, or other member of law enforcement has a moral requirement to run toward gunfire.

Parkland parents and members of the school resource officer community have criticised Mr Peterson's response.

"Our role in that situation, our obligation, is to go after the threat and do everything we can to stop it," said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers.

Mr Canady could not speak to Mr Peterson's training or experience, but told the BBC: "I do know I've seen many school resource officers respond in the proper way, which is to attack the problem, not to sit back and wait for the cavalry."

"It is your moral obligation," he said. "When you are sworn in, you're swearing to protect and serve."

While Mr Peterson's case will not end the debate over how to stop school shooters, it will likely serve as a teaching moment for officers who may have to respond to a shooting in the future.

But Mr Jarvis was more sceptical that convicting Mr Peterson would accomplish much reform.

"It is human nature to find someone to blame, and Scot Peterson is an easy punching bag," Mr Jarvis said. It was easier to try Mr Peterson, he argued, than it was to solve the larger, thornier issue of wide access to guns in the US and a lack of mental health resources, particularly for young men and boys.

"There are many, many failures," Mr Jarvis said, "that led to Nikolas Cruz being able to do what he did."
A former sheriff's deputy has been found not guilty of failing to protect students when a gunman opened fire at a Florida high school in 2018.

Scot Peterson stayed outside during the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, near Miami.

Mr Peterson, the school's resource officer, was found not guilty of 11 charges including felony child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury.

The attack, among the deadliest at a US school, saw 17 killed and 17 injured.

Mr Peterson, 60, put his head in his hands and began sobbing as the verdicts were read out in court in Fort Lauderdale.

After the verdict, Mr Peterson told reporters that he would like to talk to the parents of the students who were killed.

"If they need to really know the truth of what occurred... I'll be there for them," he said.

But Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was one of the students murdered, said he continued to blame Mr Peterson for not trying to stop the shooting.

"His inaction contributed to the shock, the devastation of students and teachers at that school," Mr Montalto told reporters. "We don't understand how this jury looked at the evidence that was presented and found him not guilty."

"All I can say to the members of the jury is: 'I think your school should hire him to protect your children,'" he said.

Tony Montalto spoke outside the courtroom after the verdict

The jury heard testimony that when the attack occurred on 14 February 2018, Mr Peterson, who was armed but was not wearing body armour, stayed in an alcove adjacent to the school building for 30 or 40 minutes until the shooting stopped.

A Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation found he "did absolutely nothing to mitigate" the shooting. Critics, including then-President Donald Trump, branded him a coward.

Mr Peterson is believed to be the first US officer charged with failing to respond to a school shooting, according to the National Association of School Resource Officers. He could have faced a sentence of up to 97 years in prison if he had been convicted.

There is no law that requires a police officer to put themselves in the line of fire, or risk their lives during a shooting, so prosecutors chose to charge him with felony child negligence. The case hinged on whether Mr Peterson had a legal obligation to try to stop the killer.

But the defence focused on Mr Peterson's long career, said that he was confused about the where the shots were coming from, and argued that he could not be considered a "caregiver" under a law typically used to prosecute parents or day care providers when children are hurt while under their care.

In a statement, the Broward County State Attorney's Office repeated its contention that Mr Peterson could have done more to save the victims.

"For the first time in our nation's history, prosecutors in this case have tried to hold an armed school resource officer responsible for not doing his job," the attorney's office said.

"As parents, we have an expectation that armed school resource officers - who are under contract to be caregivers to our children - will do their jobs when we entrust our children to them and the schools they guard."

But Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, said it was a "ridiculous" to attempt to legally designate Mr Peterson a caregiver for hundreds of students.

Mr Jarvis said the case had the potential to set precedent for whether law enforcement - or even civilian school officials - will face prosecution for failing to confront a gunman.

"The government's case always was a long shot at best, and clearly the jury saw that Peterson was merely a scapegoat," Mr Jarvis said.

"This will make it very unlikely for other prosecutors to bring such a case" in the future, he said.

Gunman Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the school, was sentenced in November to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the Parkland attack.

Students being led out of the school on the day of the attack

Mr Peterson's trial came after police officers in Uvalde, Texas also faced criticism for failing to confront a killer.

A report by the Texas Department of Public Safety found a Uvalde police officer could have stopped the attack on Robb Elementary School by shooting the killer before he entered, but hesitated while awaiting permission from a supervisor.

More than an hour later, a team of US border patrol agents stormed the school, by which time the gunman had killed 19 children and two teachers and injured 17 others.

With reporting by Kayla Epstein
Demonstrators gather in support of affirmative action at the Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned decades of legal precedent that allowed colleges and universities to consider race during the admissions process.

The 6-3 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and 6-2 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College found that race-based admissions practices violate the 14th Amendment. The outcome has sparked nationwide concerns around racial equity and diversity in higher education.

In a release issued after the decision, Students for Fair Admissions denounced race-conscious admissions as a colorblind legal covenant. But Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the courts only Black female justice, described the decision as colorblindness for all in her dissent. (Brown, a Harvard alum, recused herself from the Harvard case.)

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson at the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 7. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Civil rights leaders and advocates say this decision is a step backward for minorities, and that colleges and universities must ensure diversity more now than ever before.

Today has proven what we already knew  we are dealing with a rogue Supreme Court that has bowed a knee to an extremist minority. Now, its up to every institution in this country, from colleges to corporations, to embrace diversity, no matter what, Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, said in a tweet.

During his remarks about the decision Thursday at the White House, President Biden said, This is not a normal court when asked if it had gone rogue.

At least eight states have bans on using race in the college admissions process. California and Michigan are the most restrictive and oldest, Marie Bigham, founder and executive director of ACCEPT, a nonprofit that focuses on removing racialized barriers in higher education, told Yahoo News. A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that over 60% of Americans are in favor of affirmative action in college admissions and dont support banning the practice.

Liliana Garces, professor of educational leadership and policy at the University of Texas at Austin, says the decision will cause a ripple effect. Its a potential outcome that will have repercussions not just within institutions of higher education, but across all these other sectors of society, she told Yahoo News ahead of the ruling.

Garces and other experts in education and employment policy spoke to Yahoo News ahead of and after the Supreme Court decision. (Some responses have been lightly edited for length or clarity.)

Advocates for affirmative action at the Supreme Court. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

What is affirmative action?

What race-conscious admissions does [is take] into account all of the factors that add to a persons life story, including their racialized experiences. If the court goes ballistic and says theyre going to end all opportunities to utilize race-aware, race-conscious admissions like this, it changes dramatically what could happen in that path to college, Bigham said ahead of the decision.

Its an approach to admissions that takes a holistic perspective and understanding of students who are applying  they look at all their backgrounds and experiences, including how race or ethnicity may have shaped their educational trajectory or other life experiences. So its really a very commonsensical approach to admissions that both public and private institutions across the country employ, Garces said.

A person protests against affirmative action outside the Supreme Court on Thursday. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

How will the college admissions process be impacted?

My biggest fears are that it will be such an overreach that colleges not only wouldnt be able to ask applicants questions regarding their racialized identity, but that students and counselors and others speaking on their behalf wouldnt be allowed to even disclose or discuss that, Bigham said.

If colleges cant consider race, are there so many parts of a persons story that tip their hand to their racial identity? And will all of that information then be stripped out of a students story or out of their application? Will only factors, activities, addresses, all of that, that are completely without a racial identity? Will that be the only information thats allowed in this process? If so, to me, that is the worst-case scenario, because then that truly denies people like me their story, their identity, their opportunity to speak on their behalf, she said.

Beginning today, Americas colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts opinion, Edward Blum, founder and president of the Students for Fair Admissions conservative advocacy group, said in a statement Thursday. These obligations compel the removal of all racial and ethnic classification boxes from undergraduate and postgraduate application forms.

Ishika Vyas, a student at Harvard University, chants at a rally in support of affirmative action outside the Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022. (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Is the future of minorities at risk?

We know from the evidence in states where state ballot initiatives have passed that end up banning affirmative action policies for public institutions in employment and in education. We know that those policies end up causing significant declines in the representation of students of color, across all those educational sectors, sectors that are really important for providing those pathways for the training of our future lawyers and doctors, scientists, Garces said.

This has long-run implications for the employment outcomes of young Black and Hispanic workers; on average, Black and Hispanic applicants to the University of California earned about 5% lower wages throughout their 20s and 30s after that states affirmative action ban was implemented in 1998. Selective universities arent the only way to labor market success, though; I find that the overall number of high-earning young Black and Hispanic workers in California fell by about 3 percent in the years after the ban, Zach Bleemer, assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Management, told Yahoo News.

A young adult design professional brainstorms project ideas. (Getty Images)

How will schools respond?

There are [over 200,000] four-year colleges in this country. Many of them are open-enrollment, anyone can sign up to go; a handful of them are hyper-, hyper-, hyper-selective, [and] how they slice that pie is incredibly difficult. So were already in a place where that pathway is different across the board, by state, by size, by so many different things, Bigham said.

The impacts of this decision will be very different at different colleges. It will likely be most impactful at the selective public universities where affirmative action is currently implemented  places like UNC, UVA, Georgia Tech, SUNY Binghamton, etc.  and at highly selective private universities, Bleemer said. Most university students in the U.S. attend generally nonselective institutions, and those schools are unlikely to be directly impacted by the policy, though some of their Black and Hispanic enrollments might rise [among students no longer about to get into more selective schools].

People rally in support of affirmative action in college admissions as arguments start on the cases at the Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Whats next?

Looking ahead to the upcoming admissions cycle, SFFA and its counsel have been closely monitoring potential changes in admissions procedures. ... We remain vigilant and intend to initiate litigation should universities defiantly flout this clear ruling and the dictates of Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause, Blum said in his statement.

These cases are really going to challenge institutions of higher education to make sure that they address whatever the consequences of the ruling are, in ways that really dont undermine their educational mission. And I hope that institutions can rise to that challenge, Garces said.
Seattle police arrested three people who allegedly threatened to shoot a Yesler Terrace gas station clerk on Wednesday.

The Seattle Police Department said just after 1 p.m., officers went to the 400 block of 12th Avenue after the employee reported that three people threatened to shoot him.

Police said they found the people, two women and one man, a few blocks from the store. After a foot chase, police took them into custody.

Officers said they found a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, 150 fentanyl pills, and 0.6 grams of believed methamphetamine in a backpack the man was carrying. Police also confirmed that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from having a gun.

Police also found a semi-automatic handgun in the waistband of one of the women. The guns serial number was altered and not readable.

Police said they booked the 25-year-old man into the King County Jail for harassment, unlawfully possessing a gun, and possessing drugs. The 22-year-old woman was booked for harassment and altering a gun. The 20-year-old woman was booked for harassment.




Police arrested an 18-year-old man accused of armed robbery of a dispensary in May in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, along with four juveniles.

According to the Seattle Police Department, officers found the 18-year-old in a hotel in the 16700 block of International Boulevard in SeaTac around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

The SPD SWAT team found the 18-year-old and four other juveniles at the hotel. At first, the 18-year-old refused to come out, but the Hostage Negotian Team talked him down and he was taken into custody.

Police said they searched the hotel room and found six handguns, two rifles, a lot of cash, and marijuana.

The 18-year-old was booked into the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. The juveniles were booked into the King County Child and Family Justice Center.

Detectives and officers from the Major Crime Task Force, Gun Violence Reduction Unit, SPDs patrol, King County Sheriffs Office, and Federal Bureau Investigation worked together to find the suspects.




See SpaceX's new Starship fire up in these stunning engine test photos

The silhouette of SpaceX's Starship centers the image as an orange glow of fire ignites from its engines.

SpaceX recently completed a static fire test of its next Starship prototype, the upper-stage component of the company's giant new deep-space transportation system.

All six Raptor engines at the base of the Starship test vehicle, known as Ship 25, were ignited for about five seconds on Monday evening (June 26).

Ship 25 is being prepped for the second test flight of a fully stacked Starship vehicle. During the first flight, which occurred on April 20, Starship flew nearly 25 miles (40 kilometers) high from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas, but its two stages failed to separate as planned. SpaceX sent a self-destruct command to the vehicle, which took effect about four minutes into flight.

Mondays test firing of Ship 25 seems to have gone resoundingly well. On Tuesday afternoon (June 27), SpaceX tweeted images from the previous days proceedings, and they highlight the sheer power generated by Starship's engines. The smoke and dust from ignition managed to stay low enough to the ground, and diffuse enough, for Starship to remain perfectly in frame, engine fire imparting an orange glow to the black tiles of the vehicle's heat shield.

Related: SpaceX fires up Starship spacecraft ahead of 2nd test flight (video)

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk also tweeted an image from the static-fire test early on Tuesday morning. This one, from an upward perspective, shows the extreme bright light emanating from the flames, with Starship centered in the shine.

top-down view of shiny silver starship vehicle conducting an engine test, with orange flames and dust billowing around it

A successful engine test is a promising sign for SpaceX, as the company has implemented "well over 1,000" changes to the rocket since the April 20 attempt. Musk recently estimated that Ship 25 might be ready to fly as soon as six weeks from now.

The static fire was also good news for NASA. The space agency's Artemis program is relying on Starship to be ready to fly astronauts to the surface of the moon in just a few years.

side-on view of shiny silver starship vehicle conducting an engine test, with orange flames and dust billowing around it

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Starship will fly on Artemis 3, a crewed flight to the lunar south polar region that's currently scheduled for late 2025. That mission will see four astronauts launch aboard an Orion spacecraft atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket. Orion will rendezvous with Starship in orbit around the moon; the SpaceX vehicle will then ferry astronauts down to the lunar surface. So, no lunar landing for NASA until Starship is ready.

A recent assessment of Starship's progress has caused NASA officials to speculate that Artemis 3 might be pushed to 2026, though a number of other factors were already contributing to the mission's likely delay.
Senate GOP leaders got their dream recruit in Montana. Now they have to work to keep their 2018 loser out.

The race to take on Sen. Jon Tester, one of the most vulnerable Democrats on the ballot next year, kicked off Tuesday with a campaign launch by Tim Sheehy, a Navy SEAL-turned-aerial firefighter.

Within a day he had secured the support of the chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm and endorsements from three other senators  a clear show of force aimed at spooking Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), a likely primary rival, out of running.

Its great to see so many conservative senators rallying around Tims candidacy, Montana Sen. Steve Daines told POLITICO, taking the unusual step of trying to gently but publicly nudge the congressmember out of the way. I really like Matt Rosendale, which is why I am encouraging him to build seniority for the great state of Montana in the House and help Republicans hold their majority.

That move by Daines, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, indicates just how eager top Republicans are to ward off Rosendale and a messy primary. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) threw their support behind Sheehy on Tuesday. A day later, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) endorsed him, praising his courage and integrity and his remarkable career. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte joined them on Thursday with a statement backing Sheehy as well.

A member of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, Rosendale has privately told lawmakers he plans to make another run against Tester after failing to beat the incumbent five years ago. His lackluster fundraising and bruising past loss have left party strategists and donors nervous that Rosendale would struggle to win a general election in a state that is crucial to the GOPs path to the majority.

Rosendale has taken no formal steps toward a campaign. But on Tuesday he appeared undeterred, taking a shot at Sheehy and yoking him to the Senate minority leader.

Congratulations to Mitch McConnell and the party bosses on getting their chosen candidate, he tweeted. Now Washington has two candidates  Tim Sheehy and Jon Tester  who will protect the DC cartel.

Conservatives in the Senate, including Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, have encouraged Rosendale to enter. And the anti-tax Club for Growth, an influential GOP outside group, has signaled it would likely back Rosendale again. The Clubs thinking has not changed since Sheehys entrance, according to a person close to the group, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal planning.

Rosendale lost to Tester by more than 3 points in 2018 after struggling to match the senators fundraising and brush off questions about his Montana roots. He raised just $6 million that cycle compared with Testers $23.3 million.

Some Montana donors allied with Sheehy are urging Rosendale not to challenge him. Their message has often taken the same tone as Daines: They like Rosendale and hope he will continue his work in the House. They dont want him to complicate their ability to win a Senate seat.

I think the path forward to be effective across all elections is with Tim in the Senate seat, said Eugene Graf IV, an influential donor in Montana who supported Rosendale in 2018 but is backing Sheehy this cycle. He said he thought Sheehys candidacy would cause Matt to pause and think about that future.

Unfortunately, theres some personalities that see a path for them instead of maybe the big picture for the state or for the country, Graf said.

In response to those urging Rosendale to remain in the House, a Rosendale spokesperson, Aashka Varma, also pointed to a February poll commissioned by the congressmembers campaign that showed him up 5 points over Tester and a Public Policy Polling survey that showed him with a 54-point lead over Sheehy in the primary.

This is an attempt by McConnell and the DC cartel to dismiss the voters of Montana, Varma said in a statement. Rep. Rosendale has the trust and overwhelming support of Montana voters.

Still, some supporters of Sheehy, who want to see Rosendale remain in Congress, are wary of donating to the congressmember out of concern that he would spend those funds against other Republicans.

I personally wont give Matt money until I know that my money is not going to be used to battle Tim, said Brian Cebull, a Montana donor and businessman involved in the oil and gas industry.

When asked in a Wednesday morning TV interview, Sheehy also addressed Rosendales prospective candidacy.

Matts obviously our House representative, and I hope he continues to do his good work there, Sheehy said, I hope it stays that way, but I cant predict whats going to happen.

Sheehy is personally wealthy and is expected to invest heavily in his own campaign. He has seen some donor enthusiasm since his launch Tuesday. He easily outraised Rosendales first-quarter haul of $127,000, without self-funding, in less than 24 hours after announcing a run, according to a person close to the Sheehy campaign who was not authorized to disclose fundraising details.

But if Sheehy can outpace Rosendales finances, he may not escape carpetbagging attacks from Tester allies. Sheehy moved to Montana after leaving the Navy to start a business. He will also have work to become known among voters in the state. He is a political neophyte, which means he has no record to attack but also no base of support among the electorate.

Rosendale served for years in the Montana Legislature and as the states auditor before waging campaigns for the House and the Senate. His multiple statewide runs will likely give him a head start in any primary campaign.
The leader of the Dutch 'Farmers Defense Force', Mark van den Oever, spoke during the protest in The Hague (Robin van Lonkhuijsen)

Dutch police arrested seven people and two officers were injured on Thursday as angry farmers renewed their protest campaign against the government's environmental plans.

Several hundred farmers and their supporters gathered on a square in The Hague, an AFP journalist said, far less than the 10,000 that organisers the Farmers Defence League had predicted.

Previous protests against plans to cut livestock numbers and possibly close farms to meet emissions targets have attracted global attention, and the support of former US president Donald Trump.

"We have now arrested seven people, including for non-compliance with orders and assault. Two officers suffered minor injuries during an arrest," police said on Twitter.

Riot police with shields and batons at one point stopped a group of farmers from walking to the Dutch parliament, where lawmakers were debating the farm plans.

Talks between the government and farmers' organisations that began in 2022 broke down last week.

"We just think it's a shame that we want to follow our passion here in the Netherlands and that we are simply chased away," farmer Henkjan Maas, 19, told AFP.

The Hague authorities meanwhile banned farmers from bringing their tractors into the city for the protest. Farmers later blocked a provincial road in the central Netherlands, local media said.

The leader of the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging) or BBB, which won the most seats in the upper house of parliament in elections in March, meanwhile cancelled plans to speak at the rally.

Caroline van der Plas said she would not attend after pro-farmer activists released the phone numbers of several lawmakers.

Dutch farmers are protesting against plans to cut livestock numbers and possibly close some farms in order to cut emissions of nitrogen to within EU rules.

Nitrogen, a greenhouse gas, is emitted in particular by fertilisers and livestock effluents and damages the environment.

The Dutch farmers have held several protests in recent years, with farmers blockading highways, dumping manure and garbage on roads and rallying noisily outside politicians' houses.

jcp/dk/pvh
Ben White Photography/Wikimedia Commons

A security guard outside a United States consulate in Saudi Arabia was shot dead when a gunman opened fire on Wednesday night, officials said. The gunman was also killed in the incident.

The attack unfolded near the American building in Jeddah, the Red Sea port city in the west of the country. The consulate was put into lockdown as Saudi security forces exchanged gunfire with the suspect, killing him, a State Department spokesperson told The Washington Post.

Mohammed bin Salman Says Hes the Real Victim of Jamal Khashoggi Killing

No American personnel were injured, the spokesperson said, adding that Saudi authorities are now investigating the incident. The shooter has not yet been identified and no motive has yet been established.

A person in a car stopped near the American consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand, a spokesperson for Meccas regional police said, according to Al Jazeera. So security authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required and the exchange of fire resulted in his death.

An official Saudi Press Agency report did not name the security guard killed in the incident but said they were Nepalese. The State Department has expressed condolences to the guards family and loved ones.

The consulate in Jeddah has previously been targeted with deadly violence. In 2004, five militants armed with guns and explosives stormed the consulate and killed nine people including four Saudi security personnel and five staff inside. Three of the attackers were killed during the raid and two others were captured. One of the assailants was sentenced to 19 years in jail while another was sentenced to death, according to Reuters, with the attack linked to al Qaeda.

More recently, on July 4, 2016, a suicide bomber detonated a device close to the parking lot of a hospital opposite the consulate. The bomber, identified by the Saudi Interior Ministry as a Pakistani national, died in the blast, which also injured policemen. The bombing occurred in the same 24-hour window of two other suicide attacks across the country, one of which took place in Medinaone of the holiest sites in Islamwhere four people were killed.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Shopper stunned to discover actual value of mug purchased for $1: The Rolls-Royce of everyday ceramics

Searching for used items may not seem like the best way to find the perfect accessory for your kitchen, but one Redditor is proving that to be false with a great find  a beautiful, handcrafted mug for an unbeatable price.

The post was featured on the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls and featured a gorgeous brown mug with a caramel-colored inside and a unique handle  an oval shape extending from the lower half of the mug instead of spanning the length of the mug like it normally would.

Photo Credit: u/emdelgrosso / Reddit

Photo Credit: u/emdelgrosso / Reddit

Got home, looked it up, and it turns out its a vintage Heath Ceramics mug that goes for $80! said the original poster.

Heath Ceramics is a company that creates high-quality, ceramic dinnerware with a focus on using human craftsmanship when possible instead of relying on machines.

Finding great deals at secondhand sales or thrift stores like this Redditor did is pretty common.

One thrifter found a Dutch oven for just $13, while another Reddior found rattan bar stools for $6 each, and these deals arent just limited to household items. A TikToker found a $12 vintage Versace dress that could be worth up to $10,000!

Deals like these that come from shopping second hand can save your wallet (or allow you to get more out of your shopping budget.) Plus, they make shopping more fun  having to worry less about how much youre spending means you can enjoy the process and find unique items.

On top of that, reusing items, whether its clothes, kitchenware, books, or anything else, helps out the environment immensely. All together, American households produce around 300 million tons of trash per year  thats about 5 pounds per person each day. Shopping for used items or selling your unwanted items instead of throwing them out helps to cut down on those numbers  and it might even get you a deal like it did for this Redditor.

Commenters on the post were thrilled by the idea of finding a Heath item for such a low price.

Great find! I love Heath and have a bunch now, wrote one.

Heath is the Rolls-Royce of everyday ceramics. Good for you, added another.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
One is known as General Armageddon, the other as Putins chef. Both have a checkered past and a reputation for brutality. One launched the insurrection, the other reportedly knew about it in advance. And right now, both are nowhere to be found.

The commander of the Russian air force Sergey Surovikin and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin have not been seen in public in days as questions swirl about the role Surovikin may have played in Prigozhins short-lived mutiny.

Kremlin has remained silent on the topic, embarking instead on an aggressive campaign to reassert the authority of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Heres what we know about the two men in the spotlight.

What is happening?

On Wednesday, the Russian-language version of the independent Moscow Times cited two anonymous defense sources as saying that Surovikin had been arrested in relation to the failed mutiny. CNN has been unable to independently verify that claim.

A popular blogger going by the name Rybar noted on Wednesday that Surovikin has not been seen since Saturday and said nobody knew for certain where he was. There is a version that he is under interrogation, he added.

A well-known Russian journalist Alexey Venediktov  former editor of the now-shuttered Echo of Moscow radio station  also claimed Wednesday Surovikin had not been in contact with his family for three days.

But other Russian commentators suggested the general was not in custody. A former Russian member of Parliament Sergey Markov said on Telegram that Surovikin had attended a meeting in Rostov on Thursday, but did not say how he knew this.

The rumors about the arrest of Surovikin are dispersing the topic of rebellion in order to promote political instability in Russia, he said.

Adding further to the speculation, Russian Telegram channel Baza has posted what it says is a brief interview with Surovikins daughter, in which she claimed to be in contact with her father and insists that he has not been detained. CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the recording.

The Russian air force commander Sergey Surovikin (left) and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin - AP

Why is everyone talking about Surovikin?

Surovikin has been the subject of intense speculation over his role in the mutiny after the New York Times reported on Wednesday that the general had advance knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhins plans to rebel against Russias military leadership. The paper cited US officials who it said were briefed on US intelligence.

Surovikin released a video Friday, just as the rebellion was starting, appealing to Prigozhin to halt the mutiny soon after it began. The video message made it clear he sided with Putin. But the footage raised more questions than answers about Surovikins whereabouts and his state of mind  he appeared unshaven and with a halting delivery, as if reading from a script.

Asked about the New York Times story, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: There will be now a lot of speculation and rumors surrounding these events. I believe this is just another example of it.

One European intelligence official told CNN there were indications that top Russian security officials had some knowledge of Prigozhins plans, and may not have passed on information about them, preferring instead to see how they played out.

They might have known, and might have not told about it, [or] known about it and decided to help it succeed. There are some hints. There might have been prior knowledge, the official said.

Documents shared exclusively with CNN suggest that Surovikin was a VIP member of the Wagner private military company.

The documents, obtained by the Russian investigative Dossier Center, showed that Surovikin had a personal registration number with Wagner.

In the documents, VIP is written next to Surovikins number, and analysts at the Dossier Center say there are at least 30 other senior Russian military and intelligence officials also listed as VIP.

It is unclear what Wagners VIP membership entails, including whether there is a financial benefit. Wagner has not answered CNNs request for a response.

And what about Prigozhin?

Prigozhin meanwhile, played the central role in the short-lived insurrection  it was he who ordered Wagner troops to take over two military bases and then march on Moscow.

Why he did so depends on who you ask.

The Wagner chief himself claimed the whole thing was a protest, rather than a real attempt to topple the government. In a voice message released Monday, he explained the purpose of the march was to prevent the destruction of PMC Wagner. The comment seemed to be a reference to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense that it would employ Wagners contractors directly, essentially forcing Prigozhins lucrative operations to shutter.

He also said he wanted to bring to justice those who, through their unprofessional actions, made a huge number of mistakes during the special military operation, referring to Russias war on Ukraine with the Kremlin-preferred term special military operation.

It is clear the Kremlin sees the events of last weekend differently. Putin assembled Russian security personnel in Moscow Tuesday, telling them they virtually stopped a civil war in responding to the insurrection.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Western officials believe Prigozhin planned to capture Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top army general Valery Gerasimov. When asked about the WSJ report, two European security sources told CNN that while it was likely Prigozhin would have expressed a desire to capture Russian military leaders, there was no assessment as to whether he had a credible plan to do so.

Where are they now?

Nobody knows. Prigozhin was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops march on Moscow.

He released an audio message Monday, explaining his decision to turn his troops back. The Kremlin and the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Saturday that Prigozhin agreed to leave Russia for Belarus.

Lukashenko said he brokered a deal that would see Prigozhin exiled in Belarus without facing criminal charges. According to Lukashenko, the Wagner chief arrived in Belarus Tuesday. While there are no videos or photos showing Prigozhin in Belarus, satellite imagery of an airbase outside Minsk showed two planes linked to Prigozhin landed there on Tuesday morning.

As for Surovikin, the commander of the Russian air force has not been seen in public since overnight on Friday when he issued the video.

What is the Kremlin saying?

Not much. CNN has reached out to the Kremlin and Russian Ministry of Defense for comment on Surovikins whereabouts. The Kremlin said on Wednesday, no comment, and a defense ministry spokesperson said: I cant say anything.

When questioned whether Putin continued to trust Surovikin, Peskov said during his daily phone call with reporters: He [Putin] is the supreme commander-in-chief and he works with the defense minister, [and] with the chief of the General Staff. As for the structural divisions within the ministry, I would ask you to contact the [Defense] Ministry.

Peskov also told journalists that he did not have information about the whereabouts of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.

One Russian official has said that Surovikin is not being held in a pre-trial detention center in Moscow, as some independent media and blogs have suggested.

He is not in Lefortovo or any other pre-trial detention facility. I dont even want to comment on the nonsense about an underground detention facility in Serebryany Bor, Alexei Melnikov, executive secretary of the Public Monitoring Commission in Russia, said on his Telegram channel.

The Lefortovo facility is where suspects accused of espionage or other crimes against the state are often held.

What else is known about the pair?

Prigozhin was once a close ally of Putin. Both grew up in St. Petersburg and have known each other since the 1990s. Prigozhin made millions by winning lucrative catering contracts with the Kremlin, earning him the moniker Putins chef.

He then cast his net wider, becoming a shadowy figure tasked with advancing Putins foreign policy goals. He bankrolled the notorious troll farm that the US government sanctioned for interference in the 2016 US presidential election; created a substantial mercenary force that played a key role in conflicts from Ukraines Donbas region to the Syrian civil war; and helped Moscow make a play for influence on the African continent.

He gained notoriety after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022. The private military chief seemingly built influence with Putin over the course of the conflict, with his Wagner forces taking a leading role in the labored but ultimately successful assault on Bakhmut earlier this year. The capture of that city was a rare Russian gain in Ukraine in recent months, boosting Prigozhins profile further.

His forces are known for their brutal tactics and little regard for human life and have been accused of several war crimes and other atrocities. Several former Wagner fighters have spoken of the brutality of the force. Prigozhin himself has previously told CNN that Wagner was an exemplary military organization that complies with all the necessary laws and rules of modern wars.

Using his new-found fame, Prigozhin criticized Russias military leadership and its handling of the war in Ukraine  with few consequences. But he crossed numerous red lines with Putin over the weekend.

Surovikin is known in Russia as General Armageddon, a reference to his alleged brutality.

He first served in Afghanistan in the 1980s before commanding a unit in the Second Chechen War in 2004.

That year, according to Russian media accounts and at least two think tanks, he berated a subordinate so severely that the subordinate took his own life.

A book by the Washington DC-based Jamestown Foundation, a think tank, said that during the unsuccessful coup attempt against former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in August 1991, soldiers under Surovikins command killed three protesters, leading to Surovikin spending at least six months in prison.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces during Russias operations in Syria, he oversaw Russian combat aircraft causing widespread devastation in rebel-held areas.

In a 2020 report, Human Rights Watch named him as someone who may bear command responsibility for the dozens of air and ground attacks on civilian objects and infrastructure in violation of the laws of war during the 2019-2020 Idlib offensive in Syria. 

The attacks killed at least 1,600 civilians and forced the displacement of an estimated 1.4 million people, according to HRW, which cites UN figures.

Where does this leave Putin?

The general consensus among western officials and analysts is clear: in his entire 23 years in power, the Russian president has never looked weaker.

US President Joe Biden told CNN on Wednesday that Putin has absolutely been weakened by the short-lived mutiny and said Putin was clearly losing the war.

The European Unions High Representative for Foreign Affairs said the Wagner rebellion showed Putin was not the only master in town and has lost the monopoly of force.

Speaking to journalists in Brussels on Thursday, Josep Borrell cautioned that the global community has to be very much aware of the consequences adding that a weaker Putin is a greater danger.

As for his domestic image, Putin appears to have embarked on a charm offensive, trying to reassert his authority.

He has attended an unusually high number of meetings in the past few days and was even seen greeting members of public. That is a stark reversal of tactic. Putin has stayed in near-seclusion for the past three years.

On Wednesday though, he flew for an official visit to Dagestan, meeting local officials and supporters in the streets of the city of Derbent, according to video posted by the Kremlin. On Thursday, he attended  once again in person  a business event in Moscow.

CNNs James Frater, Nathan Hodge, Matthew Chance, Josh Pennington and Caolan Magee contributed reporting.

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In our tech-driven world, the right to privacy  once the cornerstone of democracy  is disappearing at an alarming rate. But not everyone is keen on having Big Tech companies and nation-states surveilling every digital communication. This may be one reason why Signal, the end-to-end encrypted messaging app, has been downloaded more than 100 million times to date.

Signal Foundation, the apps nonprofit developer, is a staunch defender of privacy and security. Indeed, it said it would leave the United Kingdom rather than weaken its encryption. The organizations principles  based on retaining as little user data as possible  are a real rarity in security.

This is why were thrilled that Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal Foundation, will join us for a session called Signal and the Future of Encrypted Messaging. Youll find it on the Security Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, which takes place on September 1921 in San Francisco.

We cant wait to talk with Whittaker about what it takes to run one of the world's most ubiquitous security startups. Well focus on Signal  both the organization and the product  and how it's become trusted and widely seen as the gold standard of end-to-end encrypted messaging apps.

Can Signals stellar reputation spur other startups to follow a similar path? If not, how do we protect that data so it cant be stolen or misused? Well also circle back to how governments justify their attempts to backdoor encryption and why fighting to protect encryption, and thus privacy, is essential.

Well also discuss Whittakers take on the harmful social consequences of artificial intelligence. At a recent conference in San Francisco, Whittaker spoke about the way big corporations use AI to wield technological power, and how these huge datasets can be used to surveil populations, calling AI a surveillance technology.

Join us for whats sure to be a reality check from an acclaimed expert who understands the real-world issues of privacy, security and AI.

Learn more about our speaker  and her extensive qualifications for tackling these challenging topics  below.

Meredith Whittaker: Signal Foundation president

Meredith Whittaker, president of Signal, has more than 17 years of tech experience across industry, academia and government. Before joining Signal, she was the Minderoo Research Professor at NYU and served as the faculty director of the AI Now Institute, which she co-founded.

Whittakers research and scholarly work helped shape global AI policy and shift the public narrative on AI to better recognize the surveillance business practices and the concentration of industrial resources that modern AI requires. Prior to NYU, she worked at Google for over a decade, where she led product and engineering teams and founded Googles Open Research Group. She also co-founded M-Lab, a globally distributed network measurement platform that now provides the worlds largest source of open data on internet performance.

Whittaker was one of the core organizers pushing back against Googles insufficient response to concerns about AI and its dangers, and she was a central organizer of the Google Walkout. Whittaker has advised the White House, the FCC, the city of New York, the European Parliament  and many other governments and civil society organizations  on privacy, security, artificial intelligence, internet policy and measurement. She recently completed a term as senior advisor on AI to the chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Join us at the Security Stage

Hear more conversations with leading experts on the Security Stage, which features topics like data protection, privacy regulations, information sharing, risk management and more. Its just one of the six new stages for six breakthrough sectors at Disrupt. Book your pass today!

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Snake in your southwest Illinois home? What to do if you come across one this summer

If youre planning a hike at a nature reserve or youre simply taking a trip to a local park this summer, you may want to brush up on venomous snake species in the metro-east and what to do if you come across one.

In the U.S., most snake bites occur between May and October, according to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Snakes are often active during the day, and some species tend to blend into their surroundings.

An estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by snakes each year across the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, and roughly five of the people bitten die. Timely medical care may be lifesaving.

While snake bites can be life-threatening, snakes are unlikely to attack humans unprovoked, and there are steps you can take to try to mitigate your chances of being bitten.

What should you do if you come across a snake?

If you stumble upon a snake out in the wild, the best thing you can do is to give it space and let it be, Dan Zarlenga, St. Louis region spokesperson with the Missouri Department of Conservation, told the News-Democrat.

Dont try to corner it, dont try to pick it up, Zarlenga said.

Unless you accidentally step on a snake or you intentionally try to pick it up, hurt it or kill it, snakes are unlikely to try to bite you, Zarlenga added.

Snake venom is used primarily to immobilize prey such as rodents, not to injure humans. Snake bites to humans are often out of self-defense, according to Zarlenga.

As snakes will generally seek cover, you should avoid standing between them and bushes or other cover, according to UIUC.

If a snake somehow enters your home, its best to avoid picking it up and to instead call a qualified wildlife professional to remove it.

You should not try to handle a snake directly, Zarlenga said.

If you have a recurring problem with snakes getting into your house, you might consider evaluating possible entry points.

Prevention is always the best measure though, and a lot of times snakes will get in through any kind of compromised area, in the foundation or through an open door or a screen that may have a hole in it or something like that, Zarlenga said.

Snakes may seek shelter from the elements when its excessively cold or hot outside, but if you find snakes in your home in more mild temperatures, they may be finding a food source inside.

Taking measures to control any rodents or insects in your home could help reduce the likelihood of snakes stopping by, Zarlenga continued.

What snake species are common in southwest Illinois?

Some of the most common snake species in the metro-east and the St. Louis region are western ratsnakes, garter snakes and ring-necked snakes, Zarlenga said. None of these species are venomous.

The majority of snakes, probably at least four out of five, are not venomous, Zarlenga said.

It is technically unlawful to kill any native snake in Missouri, according to the states conservation department.

There is a realistic exception, however: when a venomous snake is in close association with people, which could result in someone being bitten, the Missouri Department of Conservation website reads. We hope that more people realize that snakes are interesting, valuable, and, for the most part, harmless.

Snakes are also protected in Illinois, according to the states department of natural resources, though you may be able to collect or hunt non-endangered species with a valid permit.

While most local snake species are not venomous, there are two venomous snake species native to the metro-east, Zarlenga said: the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake. These species are considered venomous, not poisonous. Venom is injected into a victim, while poison is swallowed, inhaled or absorbed, according to the National Park Service.

Metro-east residents are more likely to come across a copperhead than a timber rattlesnake, Zarlenga added.

Copperheads can occasionally be found in suburbs, parks or backyards, Zarlenga said, while timber rattlesnakes are more reclusive. You could come across a timber rattlesnake when hiking or camping out in the woods.

While unexpectedly seeing a snake might be frightening, the reptiles provide a very beneficial service to the ecosystem, Zarlenga said.

Snakes keep rodent populations in check by preying on mice and rats and simultaneously provide a food source to birds of prey, coyotes and foxes, Zarlenga said. Snakes also contribute to biodiversity.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for mental health information was and still is staggeringly high, especially among young adults struggling with anxiety.

But a pilot study conducted by Florida International University shows many may be seeking anxiety information in the wrong place: social media.

Researchers found that, among those surveyed, only 18% reported their go-to social media accounts for anxiety information were run by health professionals.

It didnt align with my original hypothesis, but its not shocking, said FIU Ph.D student and a lead researcher Rebecca Wolenski. Because I was feeling hopeful, I thought folks using social media as an information source would be positive, and the more you use the information source, the better your understanding would be. But it was just the opposite.

The study not only showed young adults were receiving unreliable information, but it also suggested social media users are unable to discern the difference between useful and harmful strategies for managing their anxiety.

Social media isnt a therapist, Wolenski said. And previous studies have shown that folks who dont have proper training can spread misinformation easily.

The research team surveyed 250 young adults between 18 and 28 years old about where they receive information about anxiety, their current knowledge, their past experiences with anxiety and how they cope.

Seeking out information and attempting to understand a problem is itself a coping strategy, Wolenski said. But the benefits of that strategy depend on the quality of the information.

For example, the study found that participants who researched anxiety on the internet were actually more knowledgeable, which is the opposite finding for those who heavily rely on social media.

On social media, the platforms themselves dont allow enough space and room to give you complete information, Wolenski said. While theres misinformation, which is inaccurate or a lie, theres also incomplete information.

But this doesnt mean social media should be ruled out altogether.

Lead researcher and FIU Center for Children and Families professor Jeremy Pettit understands the majority of young people are on social media, and he wants to help them on their terms.

Theres clearly a high demand for information, Pettit said. I think theres a real opportunity for us in the mental health field to rise up and meet their needs in the space where people are looking for it.

Because there arent enough mental health care professionals to meet the demand, psychologists need to consider multiple avenues of care, he said. And that includes social media.

To ensure people are receiving accurate information, one idea the researchers proposed would be to establish guidelines for social media that help users determine primary and reputable sources.

Although theres still much to learn about the intersection of social media and mental health.

We as humans crave simplicity. We want an answer like, social media: good or bad? Pettit said. Its likely much, much, much more nuanced than that. There needs to be so much more research.

In the meantime while researchers like Pettit and Wolenski learn more about social media and how it can be used for good, they urge anyone seeking help to visit reputable resources like the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association and National Institute of Mental Health.

And for those with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, consult the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.

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Sofia Vergara says she feels her best when she's 'done an hour and a half of hair and makeup'

Sofia Vergara in Pasadena, California, on April 13, 2023. BG026/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Sofia Vergara believes "more is more" when it comes to hair and makeup, as she recently told People.

She said she feels her best when she's spent an hour doing both, and is "always done up."

The actor also said she didn't protect her skin as a young girl in Colombia, which impacts her now.

Sofia Vergara takes her beauty routine seriously, even if it takes an hour to finish each day.

While promoting her new beauty brand Toty, the 50-year-old model and actor spoke with People about her history with makeup, days spent in the sun, and the times when she feels her best.

According to Vergara, "more is more" when it comes to the latter.

"I wish I could tell you, 'Oh I like it when I just wake up, and my hair is this.' No! I like it when I've done an hour and a half of hair and makeup," she said.

Sofia Vergara attends an Anastasia Beverly Hills event on May 13, 2023. Phillip Faraone/Stringer/Getty Images

Vergara added that she's "always very put together" and has been doing her makeup regularly since she was 15 years old.

"I've never really loved a lot of foundation or contouring, but I always have eyeliner on, and lashes and lipstick," she told People. "Even in the morning, I put it on. That's my thing, and of course my sunscreen with the color."

Sunscreen is especially important to the Colombia native, as she said she's now seeing the effects of countless days spent on the beach.

"We did it the wrong way. We didn't know about protecting ourselves  we [applied] coconut oil," she said. "It was like frying a chicken."

While Vergara said she's now "paying for" her childhood days in the sun, she also noted that she eventually learned about the benefits of sunscreen in the '90s. So today, she's not too hung up on beauty mistakes she made in her past.

"I do see changes that I don't like, but I try not to focus on them," she said. "I'm also now very grateful that I understood to use sun protection when I was younger, because I think that's why I feel good now with the way I look."

Read the original article on Insider
Soil analysis reveals Kristin Smarts body may have been buried in backyard of killerss mother

Murdered student Kristin Smarts body may have been buried in the backyard of Paul Floress mother, according to soil tests done by a group of California engineers.

Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life for the 1996 murder of Smart, who was attending Cal Poly University when she disappeared. Her body has never been found.

Tim Nelligan is an engineer and Cal Poly graduate who met Smart weeks before she went missing and is now working to locate her remains.

Kristin Smart, then 19, was last seen on her college campus in 1996 (FBI)

The intent here was not to solve a crime but rather to help a family find their daughter, he told CBS News Sacramento.

The team of engineers have carried out soil tests that show a heat map identifying a possible decomposing body.

He says that the location of the tests was the back fence line of Susan Floress home in Arroyo Grande, the same location that investigators served a search warrant in 2020.

A neighbour allowed the team to take samples capturing the soil gases in a test that is certified by the government Environmental Protection Agency but it is not used by law enforcement.

Heat map of soil tests carried out by engineers looking for remains of Kristin Smart (CBS News Sacramento/Tim Nelligan)

What that shows are very high concentrations of the total VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, associated with human decomposition, Mr Nelligan said.

The group has shared its findings with law enforcement and Smarts family.

Prosecutors said that Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart while trying to rape her in his dorm room (San Luis Obispo Sheriffs Office)

I cant answer specifically about Kristins body but I think that the test shows we have a significant number of compounds that have a clear indication that there is some type of decomposition of a body going on in this location, said engineer Steve Hoyt said.

And Mr Nelligan added: As far as the investigation goes, thats really not our scope.

The San Luis Obispo sheriffs office issued a statement saying it could not make a comment.

Until the appeals process in the Smart murder case is finished, they arent able to make any comments at this time.

Smart disappeared in May 1996 after attending an off-campus party, and witnesses told investigators that Flores was the last person seen with her.

Prosecutors said that Flores killed her while trying to rape her in his dorm room. His father, Ruben, was found not guilty by a jury of being an accessory to the crime.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor blasted the Supreme Court majority decision Thursday that gutted the use of affirmative action on college admissions.

In a fiery dissent that Sotomayor read from the bench to underscore its historic significance, the liberal justice wrote that the ruling rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter, Sotomayor said in the 69-page dissent.

The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society, she added.

Sotomayors six conservative colleagues on the high court ruled Thursday that Harvard Universitys and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills use of race in admissions violates the 14th Amendment.

The liberal justice slammed the majoritys use of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in their ruling, describing it as nothing but revisionist history and an affront to the legacy of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall, who argued the case before the Supreme Court.

Marshall was also the first African American to sit on the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor added that the rulings interpretation of the 14th Amendment is grounded in the illusion that racial inequality was a problem of a different generation.

Entrenched racial inequality remains a reality today, Sotomayor said. That is true for society writ large and, more specifically, for Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), two institutions with a long history of racial exclusion.

Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal, she continued. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.

Sotomayor also noted that her conservative colleagues relied on arguments found in the dissenting opinions of previous rulings, suggesting that these lost arguments are not grounds for overturning precedent and further degrade confidence in the court.

When proponents of those arguments, greater now in number on the Court, return to fight old battles anew, it betrays an unrestrained disregard for precedent, the justice said.

It fosters the Peoples suspicions that bedrock principles are founded  in the proclivities of individuals on this Court, not in the law, and it degrades the integrity of our constitutional system of government, she added.

This story was updated at 12:21 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson accused their conservative colleagues on the Supreme Court of ignoring the persistent presence of racism in the United States in striking down affirmative action in college admissions on Thursday.

Sotomayor, in a 69-page dissent in a case against Harvard, characterized the court's ruling as one that rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

In deciding that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions, the court effectively cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter, Sotomayor wrote.

Sotomayor, the third woman and the first Latina member of the court, has described herself as a perfect affirmative action baby. Jackson is the first Black woman on the court.

"The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society," Sotomayor added. "Because the Courts opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent."

The court ruled Thursday that the University of North Carolina and Harvard violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution by considering race as a factor in the admissions process.

The vote was 6-3 in the UNC case, and 6-2 in the Harvard case.

Sotomayor dissented in both cases, while Jackson dissented in the UNC case and recused herself from the Harvard case. Jackson was on Harvards board of overseers until last year. Justice Elena Kagan joined both dissenting opinions.

The ruling stands to end the systematic consideration of race in the admissions process.

A society that 'has never been colorblind'

The equal protection clause was designed to preserve "a guarantee of racial equality," Sotomayor wrote, stating that previous cases have "concluded that this guarantee can be enforced through race-conscious means in a society that is not, and has never been, colorblind."

She then went in deep detail through the history of school segregation and the court precedents that have helped end such practice in K-12 education and extend that "transformative legacy to the context of higher education."

Allowing colleges and universities to consider race as one of multiple factors in the admissions process "has helped equalize educational opportunities for all students of every race and background and has improved racial diversity on college campuses," Sotomayor wrote. "Although progress has been slow and imperfect, race-conscious college admissions policies have advanced the Constitutions guarantee of equality."

Born to a Puerto Rican family, Sotomayor grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx. Her mother instilled in her a belief in the power of education, the justice has said.

As Sotomayor has detailed in her memoir, she excelled in school as a child while also managing a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes and other challenges. After graduating high school as valedictorian, she attended Princeton University and Yale Law School.

She eventually moved up the ranks of the judicial system until joining the Supreme Court in 2009.

Studies show students of color have higher graduation rates when they attend selective colleges, earn more after graduation and build more robust career networks.

Yet, the number of Black and Latino yearly graduates from 100 highly selective colleges that presumably use race as a factor in admissions represent only 1% of all students in four-year colleges, according to an estimate by Stanford University sociologist Sean Reardon for The New York Times.

Sotomayor concluded her dissent with the following remarks.

"The majoritys vision of race neutrality will entrench racial segregation in higher education because racial inequality will persist so long as it is ignored," she wrote. "Despite the Courts unjustified exercise of power, the opinion today will serve only to highlight the Courts own impotence in the face of an America whose cries for equality resound."

In a separate 29-page dissent in the UNC case, Jackson echoed some of Sotomayor's arguments, writing, "Our country has never been colorblind.

Both justices blasted Justice Clarence Thomas for relying "on unreliable data" to inform his decision to strike down affirmative action, partly based on an assumption that Black and Latino students at elite universities underperform.

In a rather contentious and lengthy footnote from her dissent, Jackson said the Thomas opinion asks American society to continue to ignore "the elephant in the room  the race-linked disparities that continue to impede achievement of our great Nations full potential."

By insisting that obvious truths about racial inequality be ignored, Jackson said, the court's majority is preventing "our problem-solving institutions from directly addressing the real import and impact of 'social racism' and 'government-imposed racism,'" using phrases from Thomas' opinion.

Like Sotomayor, Jackson excelled in high school and went on to attend elite schools known to be highly selective in the admissions process.

Jackson graduated from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and Harvard Law School.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
These South Carolina burger joints rank among the nations best. Why fans crave them

South Carolina is home to two of the nations best burger joints  but dont always expect beef on your bun, a new report finds.

Thats because one of the winning restaurants serves a tuna burger that fans cant get enough of, according to the review website Yelp.

The restaurant  167 Raw Oyster Bar in Charleston  joins Pawleys Front Porch in Columbia on a recent list of Top 100 Burgers in America. The restaurants landed in the No. 41 and No. 89 spots, respectively.

To create the list of favorite burger spots, Yelp said it studied U.S. restaurants that garnered several burger-related comments from customers over time. The website ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews, according to results published in May.

Why customers crave the burgers

Of the two South Carolina restaurants that earned national recognition, 167 Raw Oyster Bar ranked closest to the top at No. 41. The restaurant calls itself a New England style oyster bar in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, a popular vacation spot.

On Yelp, fans raved about the tuna burgers, which many said were fresh and well-cooked. The latest accolade might not come as a big surprise, as the seafood restaurant ranked as the states best place to go for sandwiches in August.

Charleston also has been named one of the nations top travel destinations for food lovers due to its highly-rated dining tours and restaurants, McClatchy News reported.

On the more recent Yelp list, the other favorite burger place in South Carolina was Pawleys Front Porch. The restaurant in the Five Points neighborhood of Columbia said it grinds its beef daily from the highest quality Angus chuck roast, seasoned with a secret blend of special spices and patties the 8 oz. burgers by hand.

While the beef-topped burgers bear the same names as Palmetto State landmarks, an online menu shows the restaurant also allows customers to order chicken and veggie options. Several customers flocked to Yelp to say they were fans of burgers served with a range of toppings and tasty fries.

Overall, Yelp said the nations best place to eat burgers is Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q in Atlanta.

This barbecue joint was named the best in South Carolina. What makes it so special?

The best beer in South Carolina? This brewery ranks No. 1 in the state, Yelp says
(Bloomberg) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has stepped up his pressure campaign against North Korea by appointing a hawk who called for the destruction of Kim Jong Uns regime to lead his ministry charged with engaging Pyongyang.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Yoon on Thursday appointed political science professor Kim Yung-ho as the head of the Unification Ministry. This steps up an assertive approach to North Korea that includes tit-for-tat responses to military provocations, closer cooperation with its sworn enemies the US and Japan, and condemning Pyongyangs record on human rights.

I will do my best to create a plan for peaceful unification based on the basic order of liberal democracy and to form a national consensus with it, Kim Yung-ho told reporters after he was named to the post. Outgoing minister, Kwon Young-se, is leaving the post ahead of a likely bid to run for Yoons ruling party in parliamentary elections next year, Yonhap News reported.

Yoon, a conservative who took office about a year ago, has pushed for a tougher line against North Korea and stepped up joint military exercises with the US. The previous president, Moon Jae-in, was a progressive who sought rapprochement with Pyongyang and avoided topics such as human rights abuses that could hurt chances for talks with Kim Jong Un.

Since talks broke down in 2019 between the North Korean leader and then US President Donald Trump, Pyongyang has largely frozen out Seoul, branding Moon a meddlesome mediator while it steadily built up its arsenal of weapons to attack South Korea. North Korea called Moons successor Yoon a puppet traitor, while ignoring calls from both over the past four years to hold talks.

The new unification minister wrote in a column in 2019 that: The only solution to the North Korean nuclear issue is the destruction of Kim Jong Uns totalitarian regime.

South Koreas progressive opposition has said the comments should disqualify Kim Yung-ho from his post and is set to give him a tough time in his nomination process. Yoon can still appoint him, even if he doesnt win parliamentary approval.

The Unification Ministry in March for the first time publicly released its government assessment of North Koreas human rights record. The report said Pyongyang, which has bristled for years over global criticism of its rights record, uses public executions to strike fear into its public and tramples over the freedom of its people.

It appears Yoon wanted someone who can carry out his unification policy based on the protection of liberal democratic values, said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow in Seoul at the Center for a New American Security.

Kims appointment signals that Seoul will remain principled when dealing with North Korea, she said, adding that Kim Yung-ho has argued for tackling North Koreas human rights head on and has experience in a previous South Korean government.

--With assistance from Seyoon Kim.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
A premature lamb fetus is seen inside an artificial womb developed by researchers from BCNatal in Barcelona

By Horaci Garcia

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Researchers in Barcelona are trying to "trick nature" by creating an artificial womb for extremely premature babies after tests on animals kept foetuses alive for 12 days.

Their artificial placenta prototype recreates a protective environment with a translucent container made of biocompatible material inside which the foetus' lungs, intestines and brain can continue to develop.

It is connected to an amniotic fluid circulation system that maintains the foetus isolated from external stimuli but accessible for ultrasound controls and monitoring.

Babies born after six months of pregnancy or less are considered extremely premature with a high risk of death or disability. The World Health Organization's latest figures show that around 900,000 such babies died worldwide in 2019.

"We try to develop a system that allows us to keep a foetus outside its mother but still in the foetal conditions: that it continues to breathe through the umbilical cord ... that we can feed it through the umbilical cord, that it lives surrounded by fluid at a constant temperature," project head Eduard Gratacos told Reuters.

He leads a team of 35 from BCNatal medical research centre - a fusion of the maternal-fetal medicine and obstetrics departments of two Barcelona hospitals - and Fundacion La Caixa, a private organisation funded by Caixabank.

'EXTREMELY DELICATE'

The team has conducted pre-clinical studies with lambs, where they achieved 12-day foetus survival, and plans to also test with pigs before proposing a human trial in a few years.

"The highly-complex project spans many different specialties of medicine and requires engineers of different types. It's a challenge, it's extremely delicate to achieve this, to trick nature to make this possible," Gratacos said.

Among a few such projects worldwide, one group of scientists at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia managed to keep animal foetuses alive for 28 days.

Kelly Werner, assistant professor of paediatrics at Columbia University, told the Science Media Centre the Spanish team's positive results must be rigorously tested in clinical trials on humans to check for safety and side effects.

"Although it is an exciting development, the artificial placenta is not intended to replace a natural placenta," Werner said. "That is, despite these advancements, we still should make every effort to support maternal health and decrease risk factors that lead to preterm birth."

(Reporting by Horaci Garcia; Writing by Emma Pinedo; Editing by David Latona and Andrew Cawthorne)
FILE - San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte' Graham runs with the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, March 26, 2023, in Boston. Graham had pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge stemming from a July 2022 speeding stop, according to the Wake County (N.C.) District Attorney's office Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte' Graham has pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge stemming from a July 2022 speeding stop.

The Wake County (N.C.) District Attorney's office confirmed the deal Thursday, adding the speeding charge was dismissed. A spokeswoman at the DA's office said the deal was made earlier in the week but she did not know the exact day.

Graham faces sentencing on July 27.

The plea deal was first reported by TMZ.

According to the police report, Graham was pulled over at 2:39 a.m. on July 7, 2022 for driving 63 mph in a 40 mph zone. During the traffic stop, Graham displayed signs of impairment and was taken into custody and transported to the Wake County Detention Center.

Graham submitted to a breath test for alcohol and results indicated a 0.11 BAC (breath alcohol concentration), above the state limit of .08.

The DWI charge is a misdemeanor.

Graham, 28 and a Raleigh native, was playing for the New Orleans Pelicans at the time of his arrest. He was traded to the Spurs and averaged 5.3 points in 53 games with New Orleans this season and 13.0 points in 20 appearances with the Spurs.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press via AP

Police in Waterloo, Canada are investigating a stabbing attack during a university class as a hate crime.

Three people were hospitalized on Wednesday, after a man burst into a classroom at the University of Waterloo with two knives, stabbing a professor and two students. On Thursday, police named the suspect as 24-year-old Geovanny Villalba Aleman. University administrators say Villalba Aleman was a recent graduate from the school. The class he allegedly targeted was part of a philosophy course on gender.

The accused targeted a gender studies class and investigators believe this was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity, police announced in a statement.

University course listings describe the Philosophy 202 course that Villalba Aleman attacked as a course that will examine the construction of gender in the history of philosophy through contemporary discussions. What is gender? How do we do gender? How can we undo genderand do we want to?

Gender studies have been the subject of growing international ire on the right, particularly from anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ activists and politicians. Hungary (often held as a model for the international right) has banned gender studies courses in colleges, while Florida mulls a similar law under Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Villalba Alemans publicly available social media reveals him to be a recent University of Waterloo graduate. On June 16, he posted photos of himself holding a diploma from the school and wearing graduation robes. #uwaterloograd, he posted.

On LinkedIn, he wrote that he graduated with a physics degree, and that he worked at an on-campus Tim Hortons.

In a Thursday afternoon press conference, Waterloo Regional Police Chief Mark Crowell said Villalba Aleman asked the classs title before lunging at the professor with knives. The professor, as well as a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old student were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police said some of the classs approximately 40 students rushed to intervene, while others escaped and called 911.

Jackson Yan, who was studying in a nearby room at the time of the attack, told the student paper the Imprint that a student ran from the classroom and screamed for nearby students to run.

When police arrived on the scene Villalba Aleman unsuccessfully attempted to blend in, to hide in plain sight among other students, Crowell said, but officers quickly identified him and placed him under arrest once he was identified based on the description provided.

Villalba Aleman was charged on Thursday with three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and mischief under $5,000. Villalba Aleman was an international student from Ecuador. Police said there is currently no evidence that he planned the attack with anyone else.

The attack has drawn comparisons to a 1989 university massacre in Canada, in which a gunman systematically killed 14 women and himself at Montreals Polytechnique engineering school. In a suicide note, the killer wrote that he hated and wanted to kill feminists.

In a statement, the University of Waterloo said it was committed to continuing its courses on gender and social justice.

We are horrified, saddened, and outraged by the attack on our campus community yesterday, in which a professor and two students were stabbed during a Gender Issues class, the university said in a Thursday statement

Gender Issues is a cross-listed class in Philosophy and in the Gender and Social Justice (GSJ) program. Our thoughts are with our colleague and students who were injured, the students in the class who witnessed the attack, our students in Gender and Social Justice and Philosophy, and the entire University of Waterloo community. We stand in solidarity with the many teachers and scholars across the world whose ideas expose them to violence and hate. We are committed to continuing to teach and research topics in gender, social justice, and beyond.

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The quake's epicentre was in Tean, Staffordshire, confirmed the British Geological Survey

Residents reported "rumbling" and rattling windows and doors after a 3.3 magnitude earthquake hit Staffordshire on Wednesday evening.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said the tremor's focus was 7.3km (4.5 miles) below Tean.

People as far away as Yorkshire took to social media to describe the effects.

The BGS said people had reported "an initial rumbling, then a bang" with what "felt more like a shunt, like something had hit something".

It is the largest of 21 earthquakes to strike the UK in the past two months.

SEISMIC ALERT: TEAN, STAFFORDSHIRE 28 JUNE 2023 20:21 UTC 3.3 ML



ORIGIN TIME: 20:21 14.1s UTC



LAT/LONG: 52.922 North / 1.950 West



GRID REF: 403.4 kmE / 336.1 kmN



DEPTH: 7.3 km



MAGNITUDE: 3.3 ML



LOCALITY: Tean, Staffordshire



INTENSITY: 3 EMS pic.twitter.com/S3ihZN9w5R  British Geological Survey (@BritGeoSurvey) June 28, 2023

Kelvin Evans, in Upper Tean, said he heard a "very loud, weird, spooky noise, that seemed to vibrate the front of the house."

Another Tean resident, Jenni Brown, said she thought a vehicle had veered off the road and bumped the side of her house.

'A very large shake'

Carol Heather, from Hilderstone, said she felt an impact and noise so loud she thought it was a bomb.

"My hair stood on end, I was jolted out of my seat. I was just watching a film and it was really frightening, terrifying. It was such a bang."

Mark Begg, 30, said he was at home in Uttoxeter when he felt "a very large shake".

After checking the house and finding no signs of damage he concluded "it was most likely a mini-earthquake".

Tom, 38, in Cheadle said: "I was sitting watching an episode of Only Connect with my wife on YouTube and as we opened another bottle of wine the whole house shook.

"I thought either one of the children had fallen out of bed or something else had happened."

Several people in Derbyshire also reported feeling the quake which included Gurj Sanghera who tweeted to ask if anyone else felt it in Derby while Andy Savage posted "there was deffo something it was brief".

I felt the Stoke earthquake in Hilton, Derbyshire strange sensation! #earthquake #stoke  Claire Tipping (@Back2tiptop) June 28, 2023

In Sheffield, 67km (42 miles) from the epicentre, people tweeted they had felt the tremor clearly in High Storrs, with a "slight rumble" in the Ranmoor area.

Dr Ian Stimpson, a senior lecturer in geophysics at Keele University, said the area had not historically been hit by earth tremors.

"With this location and depth it is likely to be a natural earthquake rather than anything to do with former mines," he added.

David Hawthorn, from the British Geological Survey, said the earthquake was unlikely to have been caused by disused mine shafts

David Hawthorn, a seismologist from the BGS, agreed the quake was unlikely to have been caused by disused mine shafts.

"We think it was about 7-8 km (4.3-4.9 miles) deep and that would be very deep for old mine workings," he said.

The quake was "reasonably big" in a UK context, he added, but about 39,000 times less powerful that the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey in February.

An aftershock could not be ruled out, he said, but was likely to be smaller.

The BGS records and locates between 200 and 300 earthquakes in the UK each year with the majority only detected by sensitive instruments.

The largest earthquake ever recorded in the UK was in the North Sea on 7 June 1931, with a magnitude of 6.1.

The epicentre was in the Dogger Bank area, 75 miles (120km) north-east of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

What causes an earthquake?

The Earth's surface is made up of about 15 huge slabs called tectonic plates.

They form the lithosphere which is made up of the crust and the upper part of the mantle, an area made of dense silicate rocks.

The plates move very slowly, typically a few centimetres annually but this can still result in huge deformations at their boundaries which cause earthquakes.

Such events happen when there is a sudden movement of the rocks and, as they pass each other, they send seismic waves through the Earth.

Earthquakes are mostly concentrated in several distinct earthquake "belts" such as the edge of the Pacific Ocean or the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Ones in the UK happen as stresses in the crust within the tectonic plates are relieved by movement on pre-existing fault planes.

(Source: BGS)

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WASHINGTON  Hours after the Supreme Court declared affirmative action admissions policies used by Harvard College and the University of North Carolina unconstitutional, supporters and opponents of affirmative action staged dueling rallies at the court Thursday.

The court ruled along ideological lines that the universities' race-conscious admissions practices violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution's 14th Amendment. The decision, which was denounced by the court's liberal justices, could have a profound influence on the diversity of university student bodies and in American workplaces.

What to know: A breakdown of the Supreme Court's affirmative action decision

Outside the Supreme Court, members of anti-affirmative action groups celebrated the court's ruling as bringing the country closer to a race-neutral society. Affirmative action supporters, however, said the decision will further decrease diversity in higher education.

Just a short walk from the Supreme Court, dozens of college students chanted in protest of the court's decision: "When diversity is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!"

What can university administrators do after the Supreme Court's decision?

Harvard University President-elect Claudine Gay acknowledged Thursday that the ruling will "change how we pursue the educational benefits of diversity."

"We will comply with the court's decision, but it does not change our values," Gay said. "We continue to believe deeply that a thriving, diverse intellectual community is essential to academic excellence and critical to shaping the next generation of leaders."

Protestors gathered outside as the U.S. Supreme Courts heard oral arguments in two affirmative action college admission cases in October.

Some supporters of affirmative action, however, expressed concern that university leaders will be constrained in efforts to foster a diverse student body.

Aram Sinnreich, a professor of communications at American University, joined a protest outside the Supreme Court because it is "important to have members of those institutions showing up to support social justice rather than leaving it to the students to do all the work for us."

Sinnreich said he's also concerned about how the court's ruling on affirmative action will affect his own classroom in the coming years.

"I am confident that the president of my university will do everything she can," Sinnreich said. "I'm not confident that it will be enough to make up for the staggering loss that the Supreme Court has dealt us today."

What will colleges do now? What students can expect after Supreme Courts ruling on affirmative action

Christopher Banks, director of education and workforce development at the Urban League of Portland, said the Supreme Courts decision was a disaster.

Banks, a guest lecturer at Washington Adventist University, spoke outside the court as a group of students waited behind him.

Even if you cannot convince anyone in the United States of the social aspects (of affirmative action), economically if this country is to remain the most powerful, richest country on Earth, do not set limitations on your citizenry, Banks said. And certainly not on your younger citizens that are your future and that are key to maintaining our power status in the United States.

What's next for the anti-affirmative action movement?

The Supreme Court ruling was the culmination of nearly nine years of litigation against affirmative action policies at universities, an effort spearheaded by Edward Blum, president of the anti-affirmative action organization Students for Fair Admissions.

Blum said at a news conference late Thursday that "beginning today, Americas colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts opinions."

Blum said his group will continue to monitor "direct proxies for race."

"If we feel that a college or university is using something that basically mirrors racial classifications," Blum said, "that's something that we would object to."

Yukong Mike Zhao, founding president of the Asian American Coalition for Education, said in an interview in front of the Supreme Court that the ruling was a historic victory for Asian and all Americans.

After fighting for equal education rights for college admissions for 35 years, we finally see the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court provide equal protections in law to all communities, he said. Today is historic for Asian communities because our children will no longer be treated as a second-class citizens in college admission.

Ed Blum, a long-time opponent of affirmative action in higher education and founder of Students for Fair Admissions, leaves the U.S. Supreme Court after oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina in October.

He also called for reforms to the American education system to help improve the K-12 education for Black and Hispanic children, which is the real root cause of the lack of diversity in higher education.

How are affirmative action supporters responding?

Hana O'Looney, a rising sophomore at Harvard College, rallied with several of her classmates a short walk from the Supreme Court.

"I benefit from affirmative action because our classrooms are diverse, I benefit from our affirmative action because our schools are diverse, and I benefit from affirmative action because that helps our country be diverse," O'Looney said.

O'Looney, who is Asian American, also took aim at Blum's Student for Fair Admissions for promoting the "narrative that Asian Americans are being discriminated against" in affirmative action.

"At the end of the day, I will not let my racial identity be used as a tool for furthering white supremacy," O'Looney said.

Sarah Zhang, a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founder of the Affirmative Action Coalition, said in an interview at the rally that the ruling was "really frustrating" after working for months to advocate on behalf of affirmative action.

"To have affirmative action overturned, especially when so many student groups on campus support it, it's just such a blow in the face to all of us who have been organizing for these efforts," Zhang said.

Jeannie Park, director of the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard, said the decision will certainly set back the efforts to increase diversity and racial equity in higher education. The Coalition for a Diverse Harvard is an advocacy group that has supported race-conscious admissions policies at the university.

Affirmative action has been an incredibly useful tool for decades, Park said. There was no reason to overturn the use of race as one of many factors in the holistic admissions process.

Now it's even more imperative for colleges and universities to double and triple down on their efforts to increase campus diversity to support students of color.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court rules on Harvard, UNC affirmative action: What's next?
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of State has failed to create a system for tracking carbon emissions of its diplomats as President Joe Biden ordered in 2021, according to a report released Thursday by a federal watchdog.

The report, assembled by the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO), concluded that the State Department does "not have a systematic way to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. delegation travel." The determination came in response to a request from lawmakers led by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, for the watchdog to calculate the carbon footprint of official travel to the United Nations climate summit in Egypt.

"The gas is always greener when youre burning fossil fuels in the name of saving the planet," Ernst told Fox News Digital in a statement. "While giving lip service to greenies, Biden bureaucrats are blatantly emitting the greenhouse gases they demonize."

"The double standard is clear, and Americans have had enough of this hot air," Ernst continued. "Its time for Biden bureaucrats to face the facts: according to their own actions, American-made fossil fuels are not the enemy. I am committed to exposing this hypocrisy."

WATCHDOG HITS JOHN KERRY WITH SCIENCE ETHICS COMPLAINT OVER CLIMATE CHANGE DEATHS CLAIM

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks during a press conference after the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon in the Russell Senate Office Building on Jan. 19, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

In November, a delegation of U.S. diplomats led by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry flew to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for COP27, the United Nations' latest annual climate change conference. Overall, 259 federal government officials from 17 different agencies and offices were part of the delegation.

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Following the summit, Ernst and fellow Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., asked the GAO to determine and disclose the total carbon footprint of the trip. However, the report Thursday stated the watchdog was unable to do so because the State Department, which houses Kerry's climate office, hasn't created a mechanism for tracking such information.

In December 2021, Biden signed an executive order to require federal agencies to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from travel.

TWO DOZEN REPUBLICANS CALL ON BIDEN TO DISAVOW JOHN KERRY'S REMARKS TARGETING FOOD PRODUCTION

"Joe Biden and his officials say they are addressing an existential crisis by participating in climate conferences, all while traveling on private jets to and from the conferences," Cotton said. "The Biden administration should instead focus its efforts on American energy production  or at the very least, let American taxpayers know about the private travel they are paying for."

Meanwhile, during the COP27 conference, the White House helped launch the "Net-Zero Government Initiative" alongside 18 other nations. The effort calls upon governments to "lead by example" and achieve net-zero emissions from national government operations.

Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry

"Americans are tired of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. who dont practice what they preach when it comes to protecting the environment," Capito said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. "In the Biden administration, the same people who are closing down power plants across the country and forcing Americans to buy electric vehicles are also the ones flying to climate conferences and using fossil fuels without apology."

"Im proud to join Senator Ernst in continuing our push for accountability and stand up for those who are understandably frustrated by the hypocrisy weve seen time and time again."

Also on Thursday, Ernst is introducing the Executive Branch Emissions Transparency Act, which, if passed, would mandate the federal government to calculate the total greenhouse gas emissions created from Biden administration officials, including the president himself and Kerry.

In his role as special presidential envoy for climate, Kerry regularly travels around the world , attending high-profile climate summits and diplomatic engagements in an effort to push a global transition from fossil fuels to green energy alternatives.

Kerry's office didn't respond to a request for comment.
A state agency was investigating an earlier incident at the Darling Ingredient plant before a deadly explosion killed Joseph Mauldin Thursday night.

The North Carolina Department of Labor said in December 2022 it opened an inspection after an employee reportedly fell 10 feet from a machine inside the plant.

PAST COVERAGE:

The department said it issued two serious citations -- one for fall protection and the other for aerial lift training.

Darling Ingredient paid $20,000 in penalties.

The Department of Labor said it got three complaints about the plant from 2021 through 2023 and said the company responded appropriately.

Two of those complaints were filed when the plant was owned by another company called Valley Proteins.

Channel 9 also learned that in 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Darling Ingredients $75,000 for a plant explosion that killed two workers in Mississippi.

(PREVIOUS: Plant explosion victim said it was a matter of time before someone got hurt, friend says)
CHANGSHA/NAIROBI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Earlier this week, the first batch of Kenya's dried anchovies arrived at the Changsha Huanghua International Airport in central China's Hunan Province, adding to a long list of African products that were granted access to the Chinese market.

The small dried fish has become the latest epitome of prospering China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. And as the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo kicked off in Changsha on Thursday, a further boost is widely expected in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

COOPERATION BOOMING

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in September 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the decision to establish the China-Africa economic and trade expo.

Over the years, the biennial expo has become an important platform for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

The current edition of the expo has witnessed remarkable growth, with the main exhibition hall occupying a larger area and over 1,500 exhibitors participating, a 70 percent increase compared to the previous event.

Grace Njapau, director of Kakanga Food Suppliers in Zambia, is attending the expo for the second time. This time, she treats Chinese customers to organic honey and moringa seeds.

"Every time we come to China, we discover new business opportunities. The Chinese market is a land of opportunity, and we are also willing to bring higher quality African goods to China," said Njapau, who has been doing business with her Chinese partners since 2001.

Over the past more than 20 years, Njapau has witnessed and experienced the progress of China-Africa economic cooperation towards prosperity.

In a congratulatory letter to the expo in 2019, Xi said it is hoped that the two sides will actively explore new paths for cooperation, open up new points of growth for collaboration, and promote China-Africa economic and trade cooperation to a new level.

Over the years, the expo has become a booster for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. The previous two editions have witnessed the signing of 216 cooperative projects or agreements worth a total of 43.02 billion U.S. dollars.

From the trading and processing center for African non-resource products to the China-Africa cross-border RMB center, the expo is expanding the scope of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

BROADENING PROSPECT

A day before the expo opened, South African Ambassador to China Siyabonga C. Cwele arrived in Changsha and showcased in a live stream a variety of African specialties to Chinese consumers, including South African white wine, Ethiopian coffee beans, and Guinean drums, which attracted a large audience, hence a flurry of orders.

In recent years, an increasing number of African products have entered the Chinese market and gained popularity among consumers. China now has become the second-largest destination for African agricultural exports.

Such an achievement was made as a visible result of the nine programs in deepening China-Africa cooperation put forward by Xi at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2021.

As the scale and scope of trade between China and Africa continue to expand, bilateral cooperation is extending into emerging fields such as digital and green industries.

During a meeting with President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May this year, Xi said that China is ready to provide new opportunities for African countries with its new development.

Under the spotlight at the expo are Chinese companies engaged in Africa's new energy industries, including Hunan Hyliess New Energy Technology Co., Ltd, a company from Changsha, which has already declared cooperative intentions with over 100 African customers.

"The new energy industry in Africa is developing rapidly," Li Zhenchao, sales manager of the company, told Xinhua. Currently, business from the African region accounts for nearly half of the company's total, Li added.

Cooperation with China is a win-win process with positive results, Cwele told Xinhua after finishing his live stream. "We see a lot of opportunities from our cooperation."

MOVING FORWARD

China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years. In 2022, the total trade volume between China and Africa reached 282 billion dollars, representing an 11.1 percent year-on-year growth.

Specifically, China's exports to Africa amounted to 164.5 billion dollars, increasing by 11.2 percent, while imports from Africa reached 117.5 billion dollars, growing by 11 percent.

An ever-closer trade and economic relationship is a testament to the success of building a China-Africa community with a shared future.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Xi's proposal of the concept of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and the right approach to justice and interests, the guiding principles of China's Africa policy.

Over the past decade, under those principles, China-Africa relations have been propelled into the fast lane of development.

In his message to the 36th African Union Summit in February, Xi said that cooperation between China and Africa is moving steadily forward in an all-round, multi-tiered and high-quality fashion, which takes the lead in international collaboration with Africa.

Xi added that he stands ready to work with leaders of African countries to build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Echoing Xi's remarks, Costantinos Berhutesfa, a professor of public policy at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said that it's the political justice, mutual economic benefit, win-win cooperation, and common development that laid the basis for a shared future of Africa and China.

Africans are already benefiting from such a shared future.

For Kenyan fisherman Abdi Bakari Dura, whose source of livelihood has been anchovy fishing for over a decade, the opening-up of the Chinese market means a steady and sustained income for him.

"Thanks to the vast Chinese market, we no longer have to worry that our fish may go unsold," said the 30-year-old fisherman. 
A Connecticut state lawmaker was assaulted after attending an Eid al-Adha service in Hartford Wednesday, local police said.

Hartford police arrested 30-year-old Andrey Desmond in connection to the incident involving Democratic state Rep. Maryam Khan, according to a police press release.

Desmond allegedly made unwanted advances on Khan, attempted to prevent the state lawmaker from leaving and assaulted her, resulting in minor injuries, police said.

Civilians chased after and detained Desmond, who has been charged with unlawful restraint, assault, breach of the peace and interfering with police.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) called the incident disturbing in a statement Wednesday night.

My heart is with Rep. Maryam Khan who was attacked today after attending Eid al-Adha services with her family, Lamont said. Its disturbing to me that this happened on a holy day meant to be marked with peaceful prayer.

Rep. Khan is a dedicated public servant who cares deeply about passing legislation that uplifts her constituents in Hartford and Windsor, he added. Im keeping her and her loved ones in my thoughts.

Khan was the first Muslim to be elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives after winning a special election last year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Canine influenza is suspected of infecting nearly 300 dogs in Minnesota since April, when the outbreak  the largest in the state of the highly contagious virus  was first reported. It's also the largest canine disease outbreak in decades.

"For dog disease in Minnesota, it's the biggest news for the past 40 years at least," said Graham Brayshaw, director of veterinarian medicine at the Animal Humane Society.

That's why the state Board of Animal Health this month encouraged dog owners to talk to their vet about vaccinating their pup to protect them and stop the spread of the virus, which causes similar symptoms as the flu in humans.

While supply of the vaccine has increased, however, there's still a widespread shortage of shots in the state and nationwide. Last week, a canine influenza vaccine clinic at the Animal Humane Society sold out immediately.

At the St. Paul Pet Hospital, the canine flu vaccine sold out as soon as appointments were announced. Dr. Abigail Maynard said it's pretty difficult for clinics and pet hospitals to get supplies of the vaccine since only one company makes it and the demand is high.

The outbreak began in Minnesota when the Humane Society reported that a dog transported from Oklahoma had infected all of its 200 dogs. The nonprofit shut down its three shelters in Golden Valley, Woodbury and Coon Rapids and paused all pet adoptions until May, making it the Humane Society's longest closure due to an animal-related outbreak.

Since then, Brayshaw said, the Humane Society has had zero cases of canine flu and has implemented stricter protocols, testing and isolating any dog with respiratory symptoms for seven days.

"We've doubled down the best we can to make sure we're not importing anything that's contagious," he said.

Of the nearly 300 suspected canine flu cases in Minnesota, 90 are confirmed infections and most of them are in Hennepin County, according to the state Board of Animal Health. It's likely there are many more infected dogs who haven't been tested or visited a veterinarian to confirm the disease.

The number of infections is still low, given that there's an estimated half-million dogs in the metro area. Plus, Minnesota is reporting far fewer cases of canine influenza than other states, including Texas and Oklahoma.

"It's at least not exploding in numbers," Brayshaw said.

It takes six to eight weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective. Since most dogs stay at the Humane Society's shelters for an average of a few weeks, the nonprofit is focusing its supply of 1,000 vaccine shots on dogs in the community that go to its clinics, Brayshaw said.

He encouraged people who take their dogs to boarding facilities, doggy day care or dog parks to consider vaccinating their pup. "This is a disease I would worry about, based on the social activity of my dog," he said.

Canine flu is more serious than kennel cough, a respiratory dog disease that's akin to a mild cold. Puppies, elderly dogs and those with weakened immune symptoms are more susceptible to complications, so vaccinating those dogs can help reduce the severity of symptoms, according to the Board of Animal Health.

As with humans and COVID-19, all pups play a role in slowing the spread of the disease, said Holly Rudolf, a Mankato veterinarian who owns Halo Pet Care.

"The community helping to practice avoidance, vaccinating and using good hygiene practices, is going to be helpful in keeping our pet population in the state protected," she said.

At the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Medical Center, some dogs with canine influenza had to be hospitalized to receive oxygen. But most dogs have mild cases and recover quickly, said Lindsay Merkel, a veterinarian and associate professor. Canine flu has a low mortality rate; according to the Board of Animal Health, two dogs have been euthanized due to complications from the disease.

Canine influenza will likely continue to spread to other dogs before the virus eventually dies out, Merkel said. However, with so many animal rescues in Minnesota, it's likely that dogs transported from other states and countries will bring other new infectious diseases to the state's canine community, she said.

"We are going to see more and more infectious diseases," Merkel said. "It is a concern."

Five things dog owners should know about canine fluKnow the symptoms, which include cough, fever, runny eyes and nose, and shortness of breath. Isolate your dog from other pups if they're symptomatic: If your dog shows signs of a respiratory illness, isolate them from other dogs for 30 days, regardless of whether your pet is vaccinated. Consider vaccinating your dog, especially if they are high-risk or around a lot of other pups. The Board of Animal Health says to consider the dog's age, if they are boarded often or attend community events. Dogs must receive an initial shot followed by a booster in three to four weeks, and the vaccine can cost $40 to $85 per shot, according to the agency. Talk to your veterinarian.Avoid social settings to reduce risk, such as dog parks, doggy daycares or other places dogs may have direct contact with other dogs  especially if your dog isn't vaccinated.It's not transmittable to most other pets or humans, though sometimes it can be transmitted to cats.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon had harsh words for Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) over what he viewed as a poor interview performance Thursday on Fox News.

You have to be prepared! Bannon said on his online show, chastising the House Oversight and Accountability Committee chairman. You are not serious. Its all performative.

Comer went on Fox & Friends Thursday morning to discuss his committees investigations into Hunter Biden, the presidents son, and allegations that he took money illegally from foreign companies.

He also claimed that President Biden changed U.S. policy because of the money his son allegedly received from foreign sources. Comer, however, was unable to give specific details on those allegations.

Were gonna get into that, Comer responded when asked to expound upon his claims.

His answer drew the ire of Bannon, a right-wing pundit who has been very critical of the Biden family. Bannon said that Comer should have been better prepared and been able to list specific instances of crimes and policy changes during the interview.

Its simple, take your No. 2 pencil out and write it down, Bannon quipped. How about this? Get a staff. Hire some outside people. Lets see some of these great people in town that know this stuff backwards and forwards. Why are they not on your staff?

Dont think just because you are going on Fox that its going to be a friendly interview. Theyre part of the problem, he added.

Hunter Biden reached a deal to plead guilty with federal prosecutors earlier this month on tax crimes. Comer pledged to continue his congressional investigation despite that deal.

These charges against Hunter Biden and sweetheart plea deal have no impact on the Oversight Committees investigation, Comer said in a statement. We will not rest until the full extent of President Bidens involvement in the familys schemes are revealed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  Former Broward Sheriffs Deputy Scot Peterson, the school resource officer accused of failing the children in his care by running from the building instead of confronting the Parkland mass shooter in 2018, was found not guilty on all charges Thursday.

After the first not guilty verdict was read, Peterson placed his head on the table and sobbed while being consoled by his attorney Mark Eiglarsh. Petersons wife, Lydia Rodriguez, also wept in the courtroom gallery.

I got my life back after 4 1/2 years, a relieved Peterson said outside the courtroom. Its been an emotional roller coaster for so long.

Friends and family members embraced Peterson and his lawyer, who saw the verdict as a vindication not only of Petersons actions that day, but of the defendants decision not to take the stand during his trial.

Peterson, 60, was charged with six counts of child neglect with great harm, one count of child neglect without great harm, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury for allegedly downplaying the number of shots he heard in order to minimize his failure to act.

Ever since the shooting, Peterson had been painted alternately as a coward and a scapegoat, an emblem of the systems failure to protect the 17 murdered and 17 wounded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and a representative of the confusion that reigned on campus while the shooting was taking place.

Prosecutors contrasted his decision to run from the east entrance of the building, armed and trained to deal with mass shootings, with the decision made by unarmed football coach Aaron Feis, who was told shots were coming from the 1200 building and raced to the west entrance.

Feis never made it inside the building. He was shot to death after he opened the door.

Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor in a prepared statement said the case was one-of-a-kind in the nations history and countered those who have made Petersons case a political debate.

Scot Petersons inaction and the misinformation he provided to law enforcement officers had a dire impact on the children and adults who died or were injured on the third floor of the 1200 Building, Pryor wrote. He stood by, leaving an unrestricted killer to spend 4 minutes and 15 seconds wandering the halls at leisure  firing close to 70 rounds and killing or injuring ten of the 34 children and educators who bore the brunt of the massacre. The evidence showed he stood in one safe spot for more than 40 minutes while the victims on the third floor were killed and injured and while other law enforcement officers took action.

The case was closely watched  Peterson is the only person other than gunman Nikolas Cruz charged in the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting. He is also the first law enforcement officer charged with child neglect as a caregiver, a role that legally applies to parents, babysitters, teachers and even a kidnapper in one unusual case.

Police officers have not been listed among caregivers, but Peterson was not a first responder summoned to the scene to deal with the unfolding crisis. Prosecutors say he was a caregiver because he was the school resource officer assigned specifically to protect the students of the Parkland high school.

We are extremely pleased with the outcome today, defense attorney Eiglarsh said. Its not just a victory for Scot, but its a victory for every law enforcement officer in the country. How dare prosecutors try to second-guess the actions of honorable, decent police officers?

Its extremely important to remember how we got here  former Sheriff Scott Israel held a press conference without ever speaking to my client, Eiglarsh said about how Israel portrayed Petersons role on campus. Because of Israels reckless, selfish, political actions, (Peterson) had to endure four years of heartache and misery.

But jurors made it clear from their verdict  the system works, Eiglarsh said. If youre falsely accused, the system works and they will eventually get it right.

After the trial ended, Peterson said, it was a massacre on Feb. 14, and the only person to blame is that monster, referring to Cruz, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Cruz pleaded guilty in 2021 and was tried last year in front of a jury tasked with deciding whether he should be executed for the crimes. From jury selection to verdict, the trial lasted 61/2 months. Family members were disappointed when the jury failed to reach unanimous agreement to impose death, sparing the gunmans life.

And the Peterson verdict left a bitter taste in the mouths of Parkland victims families and others connected to the high school and the community.

The good guy with the gun didnt do his job, U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Stoneman Douglas alum, said in a tweet. He failed. Kids died. The message this sends to parents around the country is if the people you depend on to keep your kid safe fail, nothing happens.

Tony Montalto, father of Gina, 14, who was killed that day, was in the courtroom for the verdict. We still feel he should be haunted every day by his failure to act, Montalto said. And to the jurors: I think your school should hire him to protect your children.

Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa was one of the victims, has dedicated the years since her daughters murder to making schools safer by the work of a nonprofit called Make Our Schools Safe, joining the Broward School Board and calling on lawmakers across the country to pass Alyssas Law in honor of her daughter, which requires all public and charter schools to have an alert system linked directly to law enforcement.

Im completely disappointed, Alhadeff said by phone after the verdict Thursday. Today the jurors actually made schools less safer  They could have set a precedent today Unfortunately that didnt occur today and so school resources officers might now be thinking twice before they go in to take down a shooter in school. So Im completely disappointed.

Max Schachter, whose son Alex, 14, died, simply said, Its not right.

The shots that killed Feis were the first that Peterson heard, and according to his lawyer, he could not tell whether those shots came from inside the building or outside.

The sound of gunfire echoing off nearby buildings created confusion among other responding officers and witnesses, some of whom appeared to believe the shots came from as far away as the football field on the other side of the campus.

Prosecutors say if Peterson had run into the building, he would have seen the chaos on the first floor and been in a better position to find and confront, engage or distract the shooter. While its impossible to speculate about what would have happened, the allegations of neglect came, according to prosecutors, because he didnt even try.

Fred Guttenberg, who lost his 14-year-old daughter Jaime in the shooting, noted that she was literally one step away from safety when she was gunned down on the third floor.

I get my life back. Thats what he said, said Guttenberg, who returned to South Florida from a vacation in Greece one hour before the verdict was read. My daughter needed one second. If he did anything that day, she has that second, and my daughter lives today. He gets his life back. My daughters is forever gone.

Peterson has also been named in numerous lawsuits filed by the families of the victims and chastised publicly by everyone from former Sheriff Israel to former President Donald Trump, who all labeled him a coward who failed to do his job.

Peterson thanked the jury of three men and three women for seeing past those characterizations, which shaped the narrative about what he did for years. He and his attorney also rejected any comparison between his actions on Feb. 14, 2018, with those of the police officers in Uvalde, Texas, who failed to enter an elementary school to stop a gunman who was murdering students. In that case, Eiglarsh said, there was no mystery about where the shots were coming from and no confusion caused by police radios that werent working properly.

I never want any law enforcement officer anywhere to go through what I went through last four years, Peterson said.

If convicted, Peterson had faced the possibility of decades in prison, though such a sentence is unlikely for someone who spent 32 unblemished years as a law enforcement officer with no previous criminal record. He also faced the loss of his $104,000 annual pension.

Deliberations in his trial began late Monday and ran through Tuesday and Wednesday before resuming Thursday morning. The jury signaled just before 3 p.m. Thursday, after about 19 hours of deliberations, that they had reached their decision.

(Staff writer Kathy Laskowski contributed to this report.)
Stockton Rush's friend who took a dive in the Titan sub warned him paying customers could 'panic' if they heard the same 'breaking sounds 2 miles under water' that he did

OceanGate Expeditions' Titan submersible imploded while on a trip to the wreck of the Titanic. OceanGate Expeditions via AP, File

Karl Stanley, a submersible expert, said he heard cracking noises while on a Titan dive in 2019.

He told OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush in an email that such noises could panic passengers.

Stanley said the submersible should be tested more before bringing paying passengers on board.

Karl Stanley, a submersibles expert who was a friend of Stockton Rush, told the OceanGate CEO that paying passengers could "panic" if they heard the same cracking sounds he heard on a Titan dive in 2019, according to an email exchange obtained by Insider.

Rush was among the five people aboard the Titan when it went missing on a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck on June 18. Last week, the US Coast Guard announced that pieces of the Titan had been found, suggesting that everyone on board died after the submersible catastrophically imploded. "Presumed human remains" were recovered Wednesday, the Coast Guard said.

Rush and his company previously came under scrutiny when Stanley and other industry experts accused OceanGate of ignoring safety warnings.

Stanley rode on the Titan in a dive off the coast of the Bahamas in 2019, during which the submersible was making a cracking noise that alarmed him, according to the emails.

In emails to Rush, Stanley expressed concern about the noise and the integrity of the hull, saying that the submersible needed much more testing before Rush considered bringing on paying passengers for six-figure tickets.

"As a mental exercise, let's assume that by monitoring the noises the hull makes you can know the hull was going to fail in time to react," Stanley told Rush, "and let's also assume that your customers will all be OK with the kinds of sounds we were hearing and accept your explanations and be able to quell their sense of panic that will result from hearing breaking sounds 2 miles under water."

"Do you think that the entire system is dialed in enough, the bugs worked out, that you have a fair chance of even 3 consecutive dives without loosing major systems?" Stanley asked, adding, "you are not there yet."

Stanley did not immediately respond to an email for comment.

It's unclear whether the Titan passengers heard any noises before the submersible catastrophically imploded. The vessel lost contact with its surface ship less than two hours into the 13,000-foot dive to the Titanic.

OceanGate did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

James Cameron, the diving expert who directed the "Titanic," said the passengers probably knew the hull was "starting to crack" because OceanGate installed sensors to detect such incidents.

"And I think, if that's your idea of safety, then you're doing it wrong," Cameron said.

Read the original article on Insider
A massive strike has been averted after labor unions that represent workers at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett struck an agreement on a new contract with Wynn Resorts, officials announced Thursday.

Workers who are members of UNITE HERE Local 26 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 25 reached a tentative deal Wednesday on a new union contract after an hours-long bargaining session and agreed to suspend their impending strike, which was slated to go into effect Friday at midnight.

The agreement meets and even exceeds the union standard in the hospitality industry, and it achieves all of the unions goals for a five-star contract, with five-star wages, excellent benefits, and job security, according to Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo.

We congratulate Encore Boston Harbor for showing leadership in the hospitality industry and bargaining a contract that guarantees workers at the resort will have excellent wages and benefits, Aramayo said in a statement. We are glad that a strike will be avoided and that a spirit of partnership has prevailed. Our members are excited to continue providing five-star service to the resorts guests with a five-star contract.

Last week, the unions voted to authorize a strike, demanding more respect in contract negotiations that had been ongoing for four months.

The strike would have impacted an array of workers at the resort casino, including room attendants, cocktail servers, bar porters, cooks, dishwashers, public area cleaners, and drivers

Encore opened its doors in June 2019 with the first contract for union workers expiring in April 2023.

The new agreement is subject to ratification by the union membership on Friday. Additional details on the terms of the contract are expected to be released when this happens.

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The occupiers reported an attack on the Chonhar Bridge on June 22

The strike on the Chonhar bridge between Ukraines Russian-occupied Crimea and the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast is a prerequisite for good news, Natalia Humeniuk, head of the Joint Press Center of the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, said on June 29.

"These are the prerequisites for creating the good news that we are approaching," she said. We need a little patience so that we can make the results public.

Humeniuk said that after the Chonhar bridge was damaged, Russian forces built a pontoon crossing, but it is not a proper alternative or a full-fledged replacement.

"This is sort of an extreme way to replace a bridge," Humeniuk said.

Read also: Could Ukrainian forces cut off Russian supply lines in the south?

We learned from the experience of the Antonivskyi Bridge, along with (bridge on the dam of) the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. In principle, we understand the tactics of the occupiers. We know what they will do and how they will try to arrange an alternative. In principle, they are also aware that we will work quite methodically on this crossing. It is clear that this complicates their logistics.

The situation of the Russian troops is further complicated by the events at the front, she said.

"They take place directly on land, and this bridge is in the deep rear of the occupiers themselves," concluded Humeniuk.

Therefore, they will suffer again and again because it is not fully operational. Because the alternative route through Armyansk is much closer to the positions of the Ukrainian army, the occupiers realize that (our) fire control there is also strong.

Read also: Chonhar bridge attacks will impede Russian logistics  expert opinion

The Russian military reported a strike on the bridge on the administrative border between Kherson Oblast and Crimea near Chonhar on the night of June 22.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraines Defense Intelligence, responded succinctly to the attack on the Chonhar Bridge, saying that "more will come."

In turn, the Kremlin refused to comment on the attack on the bridge: Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov referred the issue to the Russian Defense Ministry.

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
WELLS, Maine  York County Community College is pursuing two proposals that, if approved by voters, eventually could lead to dorms on campus.

Chris Burbank, the colleges director of strategic initiatives and partnerships, presented two asks to the Wells Planning Board on June 26.

The first one: Burbank said YCCC is hoping that an overlay district could be established on the College Drive campus, enabling the school to build dormitories at some point in the coming years. The second one: Burbank added that the college is hoping the town could amend its ordinance that limits the stays of transient guests at local lodging facilities to 28 days, so that students may stay at them for longer periods while YCCC does not have on-campus housing.

in Wells, Maine, York County Community College is currently exploring the feasibility of having dormitories on its campus.

Burbank told the board that YCCC is currently conducting a housing feasibility study that has included reaching out to students, local businesses, and other colleges and universities. He said YCCC believes the study likely will show evidence supporting dorms on campus.

Currently, YCCC is partnering with the local Hampton Inn on Post Road to provide housing for some students. Due to the towns 28-day limit for transient guests, the college has had to be creative and schedule field trips and other circumstances to get students moved out of their hotel rooms, according to Burbank.

Burbank said 23 YCCC students stayed at the inn during the last fall semester, and 22 did so during the recent spring one.

It was a tremendous success, from the schools standpoint, establishing a need, Burbank said. The students liked it. We were able to recruit from a wider base, a wider geographic region. It brought people to this area and expanded our footprint.

Planning Board member Steve Koeninger expressed concerns that students could take advantage of the arrangement with the Hampton Inn  say, enroll in a single class, but skip it, all the while enjoying living at the hotel. Burbank said YCCC has criteria, related to matriculation, course load, grade-point average, and other factors, that students have to meet to stay at off-campus lodging.

Im very happy to report  we actually didnt have to deal with one complaint, nor did the police department, knock on wood, ever have to respond to a report over there, Burbank said.

More: Marks Organix eyes deal to open shop in Wells despite new cap on marijuana dispensaries

Town engineer: Select Board split on off-campus housing

Town Engineer Mike Livingston said the local Select Board fully supported creating the overlay district but was split on the colleges proposal for off-campus lodging.

The Planning Board scheduled a public hearing on YCCCs twin proposals for Monday, July 10. The hearing will take place during the board's meeting at the Wells Town Hall on Sanford Road at 7 p.m.

After the hearing, the Planning Board will report back to the Select Board with its decision on whether to recommend one or both of the colleges requests. Ultimately, voters would determine the fate of the two issues at the polls.

During the discussion, Planning Board Chair Charles Millian said he thought the idea of housing on campus is fantastic, adding, a school should have dormitories on it.

However, Millian expressed wariness about the relationship between YCCC and the town. Specifically, he mentioned the towns efforts years ago to build an access road leading from Route 1, at the intersection with Mile Road, to the campus. Such a road would have eased traffic congestion on Route 1, he noted.

The school ixnayed everything and wouldnt allow us to do anything because it was hooray-for-the-school and screw-the-town, Millian said.

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Burbank, who was not a member of the YCCC staff at that time, noted to the board that the school had been under a completely different administration then.

Some people are like elephants, Millian responded. They dont forget.

Burbank told the Planning Board that on-campus dorms would not happen overnight, if voters were to approve the colleges two requests.

Were just trying to lay the plans in place as we build our next comprehensive plan, our next strategic plan, he said.

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York County Community College wants to work with town

Burbank expressed hopes this week that the college and town could work together.

We want to be good community partners and stewards, he said.

Burbank said YCCC is preparing to hold social events and tours for residents who want to learn about President Michael Fischers vision for the college, including plans related to housing.

We truly want to be 100% transparent with this, he said. We strongly encourage the community to contact YCCC. We will make ourselves available.

Burbank said that dorms at YCCC could help bring younger people to a state known for having the oldest population in the nation. Dorms would allow the college to recruit students from New Hampshire and Massachusetts and beyond  something that, ultimately, could bode well for the states workforce if such students decide to make their lives here in Maine.

We can only do that if we have the opportunity for housing, Burbank said. We see this as a great opportunity to bring a skilled, educated workforce to the state of Maine.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York County Community College eyes student dorms on campus in Wells
The Supreme Court is set to rule on two cases seeking to block Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Supreme Court will decide on Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan on Friday.

The relief has been paused since November due to two conservative-backed lawsuits.

Regardless of the outcome, Biden is preparing to restart student-loan payments in October.

Friday is the last day of the Supreme Court's term before summer recess  and it means a student-loan forgiveness decision is finally upon us.

Americans will finally learn the outcomes of the three remaining cases, two of which are seeking to block Biden's student-debt relief plan: Biden v. Nebraska and US Department of Education v. Brown.

Biden v. Nebraska was brought on by six Republican-led states that argued the president's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers will hurt their states' tax revenues, along with the revenue of Missouri-based student-loan company MOHELA. US Department of Education v. Brown was filed on behalf of two student-loan borrowers who sued because they did not qualify for the full $20,000 amount of relief.

Both cases are seeking to permanently block the debt relief from reaching millions of borrowers. It's now up to the Supreme Court to decide if the loan forgiveness is legal, or if it cannot move forward. Regardless of the outcome, the Education Department is still preparing to restart payments in October, with interest beginning to accrue again in September after an over three-year pause.

It's unclear how the court will rule, but as Insider previously reported, two of the high court's prior decisions could offer a glimpse into how justices are handling the student debt cases. Before a court can even determine if a policy is legal, it must confirm the plaintiffs have standing to appear before the court in the first place. To do so, plaintiffs have to show that the policy would injure them, that the injury directly traces back to the defendant, and that the relief they're seeking would address those injuries.

Rulings on two separate cases this term, Haaland v. Brackeen and United States v. Texas  authored by conservatives Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, respectively  said the named states in each case did not have standing to sue the federal government because they could not sufficiently show harm suffered from the policies and laws they were challenging. It's an issue justices highly scrutinized during oral arguments for the student-debt relief cases in February.

Of course, past rulings are not a clear indicator of what the court will decide on student-loan forgiveness  and the issue remains highly controversial. Many Republican lawmakers have blasted the plan as costly and unfair to people who already paid off their student loans, and Biden even had to veto a GOP-led bill that passed Congress to overturn the plan.

Some Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, have vowed to do whatever it takes to ensure student-loan borrowers can get relief  and the White House continues to maintain confidence in the legality of Biden's plan.

"This President, the DOJ, Solicitor General went to the court and fought hard to protect this program," Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton said during a Tuesday press briefing. "Now, we are confident in the legal arguments that we've made. We certainly hope the Supreme Court agrees, because we know all too well what the stakes are for millions of students."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Students have mixed reaction to Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in school admissions

Students in Georgias colleges and universities have had mixed reactions to Thursdays ruling by the US Supreme Court saying affirmative action policies at a pair of universities violate the Fourteenth Amendment, prompting the nations highest court to restrict the use of race in the college admissions process.

In a 6-3 decision, the court struck down policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina that gave preference to some applicants based on their race.

Channel 2s Ashli Lincoln found that some students who are represented in smaller groups like African Americans say the decision will only allow this number to decrease.

But others in larger represented populations, like the Asian community, feel their race makes it more difficult to get into colleges.

Nia Thompson, who attends Georgia Tech where 7.6% of the student body is African American, is studying aerospace engineering.

I do find community with people who look like me, Thompson said.

She told Lincoln that the Supreme Courts decision is disheartening.

Its already a fairly small population of Black people at this school, so knowing that getting rid of it, it could get smaller, is a bit frightening to me, Thompson said.

But not all college students feel the same way.

Brown University student Alex Shay said he agrees with the courts decision.

RELATED NEWS:

Race doesnt affect everyone the same way, Shay said. Under this new system, we get to view students for who they are, as individuals, and I think thats a much better way to go forward on this topic.

Shay said he doesnt want admissions officers to consider his race.

As an Asian American, Im not exactly sure how that works for me because its much more difficult for Asian Americans to gain admittance to schools than white students, Shay said.

Lincoln also spoke with several HBCU presidents on Thursday about the ruling. Dr. William Boone with Clark Atlanta University said this could have a direct impact on HBCUs.

Anything that tries to say that no longer exist is a problem, Boone said. Should HBCUs be concerned? They should always be concerned whenever a court moves in a way that attempts to downplay the racialized nature of Americas society.

And while the Supreme Court ruling address affirmative action regarding school admissions, Boone said many HBCUs received funding through affirmative action-based programs and some HBCUs use supplemental applications that speak to an applicants background.

Both are practices that can now be challenged with this ruling.

So, the history of the 14th Amendment is being used in a rather corrupt way, that I would argue, Boone said.

Spelman Colleges president Helene Gayle sent a statement, saying:

We are deeply disappointed by the United States Supreme Courts decision today to strike down affirmative action, which allowed colleges to consider race as a factor in their admissions policies. This ruling reverses generations of progress that opened the doors for Black and brown communities to have equal access to higher education at institutions of their choice. It also goes against the growing diversity of our nation and the importance of diversity for our democracy.

The impact of the Courts decision does not end with college campuses. There are far-reaching implications that will also affect diversity across all sectors of our society. I look forward to working with my colleagues across HBCUs and MSIs to continue our legacies of providing access to quality education to Black and brown students.

We are reviewing the Supreme Courts decision to determine the impact on our College.

We need to point out that the University System of Georgia does not use race as a determining factor at all 26 public colleges and universities, and hasnt for more than 20 years.

RELATED NEWS:
TEHRAN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Thursday strongly condemned Sweden for permitting the burning of Quran that desecrated the Islamic holy book.

The move authorized by a Swedish court is "provocative, unwise and unacceptable," especially during the Hajj pilgrimage and Muslim Eid al-Adha festival, Nasser Kanaani said in a statement published on the ministry's website.

He called on the Swedish government to prevent the recurrence of such events, noting insulting holy books is an instance of inciting violence and hatemongering and contradicts the original human rights values.

In Sweden's capital Stockholm on Wednesday, a person said to be an Iraqi national burned a copy of Quran outside the central mosque of Stockholm.

In a similar incident in January, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line, burned a copy of Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, and repeated the move in front of a mosque in Denmark's capital Copenhagen a week later. 
Former President Donald Trump is joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Jan. 28 at a presidential campaign event in Columbia, South Carolina. The Republican Party is relying on fearmongering to gain political advantage.

Former President Donald Trump is joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Jan. 28 at a presidential campaign event in Columbia, South Carolina. The Republican Party is relying on fearmongering to gain political advantage.

Were nearly a year and a half from the 2024 election, but you dont have to look far to see how ugly things will be. We got a sneak preview from the Commonwealth of Virginia, which held a primary on June 20. Political wonks and election watchers followed the day closely since both parties had to contend with brand-new legislative maps based on the 2020 census. Two years ago, Republicans won control of the House of Delegates and the governorship; Democrats still hold a slight majority in the Senate. Both chambers of the General Assembly are up for grabs in November.



The campaigning was vile, repulsive and shameless, especially by the Republicans. A friend in Fairfax, who requested anonymity since he works for a government agency, told me of the depraved rhetoric, the phone calls, the television and radio ads, and his mailbox being bombarded daily with political ads.



Not one Republican ad spelled out a policy position, he said. It was mostly name-calling, even saying that the opposition stands with Hillary Clinton. They are going after their RINO opponents with no mention of why they would be a better choice, and theyre calling Democrats communists and Marxists. I thought that went out with the 1950s.



Well, if youre still bringing up Hillary Clinton, who hasnt held elected office since 2009, why not bring up something dating back to the Red Scare days of the 1950s?



So add communist and Marxist to the lexicon of tiresome name-calling, fearmongering hyperbole of labels, tirades and talking points.



How To Speak GOP

This is what the Republican Party has morphed into over the last 30 years. Insults, ad hominems and diatribes that are just inflammatory enough to elicit an emotional response, like fear, hatred, anger or that good old own the libs. Its funny how all these Republican lawmakers repeat these vituperations starting right around the same time as if theres a little room at the Republican National Committee headquarters where some evil scientist rubs his hands with glee every time he conjures up a new menace, hits send and it lands in the email box of vacuous blowhards everywhere. And then you hear them everywhere, all at once, like a coded in-group language all its own, all of it too silly to be believed, but thats the point: They dont need to be believed to work.



It is excessive to the point of preposterous.

They want to take your pickup truck. They want to rebuild your home. They want to take away your hamburgers, screechedSebastian Gorka at the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which has always been an event more about venting and fomenting than conferencing.



Imagine that: Democrats want to take away your hamburgers. You thought of it, didnt you? Hamburglars? No doubt the CPAC crowd ate it up, pun intended. Funny, Gorka didnt say, They want to take away your Prius.



They dont use the take away your guns blurb anymore since no one ever came to anyones house to take anyones guns despite guarantees that Barack Obama was going to. Well, of course he didnt do it. How can you trust someone who wasnt born here? Unless that army of IRS stormtroopers comes marching down Main Street, taking away your guns as well as your money, and maybe even your firstborn.



I can vouch for my friends account of the political ads flooding everyones mailboxes since I work for the U.S. Postal Service. The rhetoric here in California has been no different. Kevin Kiley, a Republican congressman from Sacramento, might be a good husband and father, but I couldnt vote for him last year, not with mailers shrieking nonsense like this:



I wont let Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi destroy our economy, open our borders and dismantle our freedoms without a fight.



Oh, please!



Every mailer was a relentless repeat of the last, with one bogus claim after another promising to protect you from those evil Democrats.



Ive yet to meet a postal customer who appreciates the bombast, let alone the day-in, day-out assault on their mailboxes. Ive yet to hear from other mail carriers about any of their customers who like getting the mailers.



STT, they tell you. Straight To Trash.



I wont even bring it into the house, a customer once told me.



It was the same story in Arizona last year.



Arizona was ground zero for sleazy campaigning in the 2022 midterms, even down to school board candidates. I was in Phoenix just weeks ahead of the election and spoke with several mail carriers at a post office, a very large one. The language was the same, and the story of customer resentment was the same. Even worse, with so many types of elections, people there were receiving as many as a dozen pieces of political mail every day.



Somebody please steal my hamburger already and be done with it!



One carrier explained that his route included a large condo complex and a large apartment complex. Every day, he told me, Ive been peeking into the dumpsters at both stops just to see.



And?



Filled with all the campaign mailers I delivered the day before. Nobody wants them.



What you hear is that its not as much about the number of mailers, its the language, the tone and the mean-spirited name-calling. Its exhausting.



Just as a sidebar here, its funny how the Postal Service is always complaining about revenue shortfalls, but if the agency was smart, it would charge higher rates for all that paper. Each piece should cost at least the price of a first-class stamp, since all political mail arriving at any post office must be delivered the day it arrives, just like first-class mail. Instead, on average, each piece costs not even half that.



But unlike radio and television ad rates, which are governed by the Federal Election Commission, Congress approves postal rate hikes. Does anyone think lawmakers are going to increase the price they pay to pummel you with their propaganda?

Id have far more respect for candidates who passed on the fearmongering and focused instead on practical solutions  not only what theyd like to do but ways to implement them; how they intended to do it. You never see it. It would mean theyd have to treat the electorate like grown-ups, which presents us with a chicken-and-egg scenario: Either the candidates think were too stupid to have an intelligent conversation about issues  why would you vote for such a candidate?  or the electorate really is that stupid.



The Red-Baiting Tradition

Calling people communists and Marxists just adds to the belching conservatives panoply of stupidity. What is that, a political version of Throwback Thursday? An outgrowth of the socialism pablum theyve never stopped using? What next, the anachronistic anarchism branding that was conveniently bandied about a century ago?



The return of communist and Marxist has surfaced occasionally in recent years, but it got new life courtesy of Dear Leader Donald Trump.



Lashing out after his arraignment on federal charges, The Associated Press reported, Donald Trump took aim at President Joe Biden and Democrats with language that seemed to evoke another era: He was being persecuted, he said, by Marxists and communists.



Id bet money neither Trump nor his followers could tell you what either a Marxist or a communist is or the difference between them. In fact, I would bet most of them would try to tell you they were the same thing. Or that theyre both the same thing as socialism.



This is an area worth exploring.



Karl Marx wasnt a politician or a political figure of any sort. He was a German philosopher and economist. He saw communism as a global movement of working-class individuals  wed call them middle class today  rebelling against horrendous working conditions and the rapacious capitalists who fostered them.

Such a revolution was underway in 1848 before Marx and his co-author, Friedrich Engels, published A Communist Manifesto. Though the worker protest in France that year failed, the ideas and goals of Marxs manifesto appealed strongly to an urban working class in both Europe and the United States, which had tired of their life of squalor while upper-class citizens (the bourgeois, as Marx labeled them in the Manifesto) lived lives of luxury.



You can trace such rebellions throughout the latter half of the 19th century, particularly in this country. Those efforts led to the reforms of the Progressive era under President Theodore Roosevelt and formed the basis of what would become the modern labor movement, a movement enormously strengthened by the passage of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.



From the 1920s into the 1940s, the Communist Party of the United States entirely supported those reforms. It championed inclusiveness for women and minorities. It railed against racism and Jim Crow laws. It was the only party that fully supported unions, the common worker, women, minorities and the poor.



When Franklin Roosevelt adopted some of those same ideals, he was branded a socialist, and yet those ideals resonated so much with the public that he kept getting reelected. Look at how todaysvotersfeelaboutany number of issues  abortion, gun control, marriage equality, climate change, the nations tax structure  and see how out of step one particular party is with those voters.



Under FDR, the nation saw the creation of Social Security, farm price supports (the Agricultural Adjustment Act), work relief programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), federal aid programs like the National Recovery Administration, publicly owned power companies (the Tennessee Valley Authority), bank deposit insurance (the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.), oversight of stock trading (the Securities and Exchange Commission) and the growth of independent labor organizations.



All of these developments were supported by liberals, liberal Democrats and members of the American Communist Party. They would surely have been supported by Karl Marx. They would never have seen the light of day, nor did they, in regimes that conservatives and Republicans have called communist. To wit, conservatives attacked FDRs programs as socialism, which was used interchangeably with communism and Marxism, no doubt because Russia had become this transcontinental country called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (see? Socialists!) and Marx wrote a book with the word communist in the title.



Republicans and conservatives have goneso far as to tie Democratsto Nazis because Democrats = socialism, and the official name of the Nazi party was the National Socialist German Workers Party. No greater an intellectual giant than Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has said, You know Nazis were the National Socialist Party. Just like the Democrats are now a national socialist party.



And there you have it: The early conflating of an economic philosophy with tyranny, fascism, dictatorships, historical illiteracy and political smears still has a voice a century later.



Ms. Greene and her many Republican colleagues prove that there is a fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse: Ignorance.

Meanwhile, an Indiana chapter of the group Moms for Liberty published its first newsletter, and it features this quote: He alone who owns the youth gains the future. Who said that?

Adolf Hitler.

You cant make this stuff up.

Moms for Liberty is the nationwide nonprofit opposed to school curriculums that mention race, critical race theory, LGBTQ rights and discrimination against white Christian America. (OK, I added that last part, but cmon: whos kidding whom here?) Then again, Hitler was no fan of any race other than the master one, and Nazis persecuted gays and lesbians just as they had those of the Jewish faith. So, good job, moms!

Theyve since apologized. Would they have done so had they not gotten caught? Funny how they call themselves Moms for Liberty but support taking freedom out of Americans hands and letting bureaucrats make family decisions for them. Dont the countries that conservatives call communist do that?

There may be no greater fearmongering word in the conservative lexicon than socialism and its interchangeable cousins, Marxism and communism. Its the word used, improperly mind you, to strike fear into the hearts and minds of those who are too clueless to know better. Theyre quick to point to failures  Russia, Venezuela or Cuba  while ignoring its successes in stable democracies like Denmark, Finland, Sweden and most of Europe.

There is a big difference between authoritarian socialism, which denies basic liberties, and democratic socialism, which does not. Its easy to tell the difference. Unless you are a conservative.

Comprehension of these philosophies and their application is blurred, even obliterated by binary thinking, an either/or mentality.

Republicans, in particular, viewed socialism and capitalism in zero-sum terms, a Pew survey found. A large majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (68%) had both a positive impression of capitalism and a negative view of socialism. However, Democrats and Democratic leaners were more likely to view both terms positively; a plurality (38%) had a positive impression of both socialism and capitalism.

Interestingly, and not surprisingly, nearly a third of participants labeled socialism or capitalism as either good or bad, without explanation, or that one is better than the other, without explaining why.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the respondents provided no explanation because they cant. They cant offer any clear definition of either system, and they probably havent given much thought to the reality that the American system is a blended economy featuring countless examples of socialism. Or, I suppose, what some hard-liners would call communism.

Police and firefighters? Theyre socialist programs. You may never have to call the fire department to extinguish a blaze threatening your home, but your tax dollars pay for them when someone else in your community needs their services. Youre paying for something that will benefit someone else? Thats socialism. Imagine being required to use your PayPal account before the police come to your door. Thats capitalism in its purest sense.

Your tax dollars support the local public library. When was the last time you borrowed a book? But someone did, and you helped pay for that. Socialism! Gasp! The same with public parks, public landfills, and state and federal highways.

The United States military protects every soul in the nation, from billionaires who dont pay their fair share in taxes to the homeless who have no means to pay taxes. Everyone is protected whether they pay taxes or not. That is complete socialism.

Ive lost track of how many times Republicans have tried to repeal Obamacare, calling it socialism. Theyre right to call it a government-run health care system, but what the Republicans dont tell you is that the health care for members of Congress is largely free, and what they pay for they pay very little. You and I pay for the rest through our tax dollars for care far better than what most of us can afford. And, yes, that includes Marjorie Taylor Greene, a socialist who doesnt know shes a socialist.

You get the idea. We all pay in and enjoy the benefits from countless public facilities, government agencies and organizations whether we use them or not. Its either that or youre hiring your own police force and fire department, and building your own roads.

I doubt many Americans support the kind of regimes that exist in North Korea, Russia or China, though Republicans might have you think differently when they scream communist or socialist. Except those arent communist countries; theyre authoritarian states to a greater or lesser degree. They were never the communist societies Marx envisioned. He would have turned over in his grave to see what Lenin, Stalin, Mao and so forth did in the name of his manifesto, and he never would have approved of the oppression that nations behind the so-called Iron Curtain had to endure under the Soviet Union.

All the good things the Communist Party USA supported during the first half of the 20th century  worker rights, a fair wage, equal treatment of women and minorities, and civil rights (it was one of the earliest political organizations in the U.S. to fight for civil rights)  conservatives opposed throughout their history and continue to oppose under the banner of a now-extremist Republican Party. Whos the real demon?

If directing public policy toward the benefit of regular working folks instead of the billionaires and mega-corporations is Marxist, if expanding the rights of the disenfranchised and marginalized is Marxist, communist or socialist  whatever you wanna call it, I dont care  sign me up.

This is not about advocacy. It doesnt need advocacy. Rather, its the need for a better understanding of reality, or at least the acceptance of it, while dismissing the labels so often used by conservatives as jeremiads. When someone tosses out such labels to denigrate, our response should be: Shut your pie hole, go back to school and learn something about history.

That is, if the local government hasnt removed that content from your history textbooks.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion striking down affirmative action. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in a 6-3 decision on Thursday.

But the court exempted military academies from the decision, citing "potentially distinct interests."

Justice Sotomayor noted the exemption in her dissent, arguing it "highlights the arbitrariness" of the decision.

In a 6-3 decision issued on Thursday, the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, preventing higher educational institutions from considering race in admissions decisions.

But there's one key exception: the nation's military academies.

In a footnote to the majority opinion authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Court made clear that the sweeping decision will not be applied to federally funded service academies  such as West Point and the Air Force Academy  noting that those institutions were not involved in the two cases brought before the Court, which targeted Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

"None of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context," reads the footnote on page 30 of the decision. "This opinion also does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present."

The court also cited the amicus curae filed by the federal government in the case, which argued that affirmative action "further compelling interests at our Nation's military academies."

"The United States Armed Forces have long recognized that the Nation's military strength and readiness depend on a pipeline of officers who are both highly qualified and racially diverse  and who have been educated in diverse environments that prepare them to lead increasingly diverse forces," reads the amicus curae submitted by the federal government. "The United States thus has a vital interest in ensuring that the Nation's service academies and civilian universities retain the ability to achieve those educational benefits by considering race."

The government's argument, notably, argued that this dimension of affirmative action applied not just to the nation's federal military academies, but to military training that produces the majority of commissioned officers at public as well as private universities like Harvard, and whose administrations will now be barred from considering race in admissions decisions.

"The military also depends on the benefits of diversity at civilian universities, including Harvard, that host Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs and educate students who go on to become officers," the government argued.

Military exemption 'highlights the arbitrariness' of the decision, Sotomayor says

The conservative majority's exemption for service academies was noted in liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent on the decision, which argued that the exemption undermines the conservative majority's argument and "highlights the arbitrariness" of the decision.

"The majority does not dispute that some uses of race are constitutionally permissible," Sotomayor wrote. "Indeed, it agrees that a limited use of race is permissible in some college admissions programs."

She noted that "national security interests are also implicated at civilian universities" and pointed out that the court's decision will nonetheless apply to plenty of higher education institutions that weren't party to the case.

"The Court's carveout only highlights the arbitrariness of its decision and further proves that the Fourteenth Amendment does not categorically prohibit the use of race in college admissions," she wrote.

"The majority recognizes the compelling need for diversity in the military and the national security implications at stake," she later continued, "but it ends race-conscious college admissions at civilian universities implicating those interests anyway."

The service academies have long been a battleground for alumni and critics who argue that admissions favor minority applicants as the schools' leadership has implemented policies to make their cadres of cadets and midshipmen more representative of the forces they will lead after graduation. Officers continue to be more likely to be white than the enlisted troops they oversee, according to Defense Department statistics.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Supreme Court in a pair of cases Thursday severely limited the use of race as a factor in college admissions, upending decades of affirmative action programs that U.S. institutions have used to select students from their applicant pools.

In rulings that broke along ideological lines, the courts six conservative justices invalidated Harvards and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills (UNC) admissions practices by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.

We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today, he continued. At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

READ: Supreme Courts affirmative action majority opinion

In a rare occurrence, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas read his concurring opinion from the bench, advocating for a colorblind view of the Constitution. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor also read her dissent.

The Court today makes clear that, in the future, universities wishing to discriminate based on race in admissions must articulate and justify a compelling and measurable state interest based on concrete evidence. Given the strictures set out by the Court, I highly doubt any will be able to do so, Thomas wrote.

Sotomayors biting dissent: Ruling rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress

The courts decision adds to a legal crusade by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum, who formed Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) and separately challenged the admission policies of Harvard and UNC nearly a decade ago.

The Biden administration had backed the two schools before the justices. But after affirmative action at colleges survived multiple previous challenges at the Supreme Court, the benchs increasingly conservative makeup has now handed down a major blow.

In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race, Roberts wrote. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

More on the Supreme Courts ruling from The Hill

After Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the bench last year, the justices considered SFFAs challenges separately; Jackson served on Harvards Board of Overseers until last spring and agreed to recuse herself from that schools case during her confirmation hearing.

The court handed down a 6-3 ruling against UNC and a 6-2 ruling against Harvard, given Jacksons recusal in the latter.

The Supreme Court first laid the groundwork for affirmative action in 1978 as it decided a challenge to the University of Californias system that reserved 16 out of 100 seats for members of certain minority groups.

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The justices in a splintered decision struck down the quota system, but no opinion garnered a majority of votes. Lower courts were left grappling with whether to consider as binding precedent the opinion of Justice Lewis Powell, whose swing vote invalidated the quota while more broadly upholding race-conscious admissions.

Schools across the country modeled their affirmative action programs on Powells opinion in the years following.

Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress, Sotomayor wrote in dissent. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

A quarter-century later, a majority of justices in Grutter v. Bollinger upheld affirmative action by endorsing Powells argument. They ruled Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause allowed the narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body.

The Supreme Court left affirmative action intact in two subsequent challenges.

In a 2013 case challenging race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas at Austin, the justices sent the case back to a lower court after finding it did not apply Grutter correctly. Three years later, the case returned to the Supreme Court, and the school emerged victorious.

In all three instances, Republican-nominated justices authored the majority opinions. In Grutter, however, Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote for the majority that they expected the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary in 25 years.

Her decision marked its 20-year anniversary June 23.

UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said the school would carefully review the decision and take any steps necessary to comply with it.

Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond, Guskiewicz said.

Senior officials at Harvard similarly said, For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent. In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Courts new precedent, our essential values.

Updated at 12:529 p.m. ET.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) speaks at a rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 27 in favor of student loan debt relief. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

UPDATE: Supreme Court strikes down Biden's plan to forgive millions of student loans >>

The wait will soon be over for millions of student-loan borrowers: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to release its decision on the Biden administration's debt relief program Friday morning.

During oral arguments in February, the court's conservative majority expressed skepticism about the administration's authority to offer blanket forgiveness to an estimated 45 million people with outstanding federal loans, about 3.8 million of them in California. But the court's liberal justices suggested that the lawsuits against the program should be tossed out because the plaintiffs had not been harmed by it.

Read more: What should borrowers do now that Biden's college debt forgiveness plan is dead?

The high court indicated Thursday that it would issue its final rulings Friday, starting at 7 a.m. (Pacific). In addition to the debt forgiveness lawsuits, the court has yet to issue its decision on a web designer's challenge to a Colorado anti-discrimination law requiring her to design sites even if they express views violating her religious beliefs  in this case, websites that celebrate same-sex marriages.

If past practice is any guide, the student loan ruling should be issued by 8 a.m. Rather than releasing all the day's opinions at once, the justices do them one at a time, giving the author of the ruling and any dissents the chance to read aloud a summary of what they've written.

As soon as the opinion is announced, it will be available on the Opinions of the Court page of the Supreme Court's website.

According to the Education Data Initiative, almost 10% of California residents have student loan debt. All told, Californians owe $142 billion, or an average of $37,084 per borrower.





The administration's program would erase $10,000 in federal student loan debt for every borrower who earned less than $125,000 (or, for couples filing joint tax returns, less than $250,000 per household). The program would forgive an additional $10,000 in debt for qualified borrowers who had received Pell Grants, a form of financial aid for lower-income students.

Regardless of what happens Friday, borrowers with outstanding balances will have to resume their monthly payments in October. The Education Department's financial aid site, studentaid.gov, is telling borrowers that interest will start to accrue on their loans on Sept. 1, and payments will be due again the next month.

The Education Department says it will send borrowers a billing statement at least three weeks in advance, telling them when their payment is due and how much they owe. So if you haven't done so already, you should confirm your contact information at the Federal Student Aid website, studentaid.gov.

Sign up for Essential California, your daily guide to news, views and life in the Golden State.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Demonstrators gather in support of affirmative action as the U.S. Supreme Court weighed whether colleges may continue to use race as a factor in student admissions in two cases. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that affirmative action in college admissions was unconstitutional.

The practice allows universities to consider race among other factors in the admissions process.

The 6-3 decision struck down plans at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the practice of considering race in the college admissions process was unconstitutional, effectively ending the practice of affirmative action.

Thursday's decision is over two cases brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions, a group overseen by the right-wing legal strategist Robert Blum, who has for decades brought lawsuits seeking to end affirmative action.

Earlier Supreme Court cases have upheld affirmative action  the practice of giving additional weight to applicants who belong to groups that have historically been the subject of discrimination  for four decades. Some decisions have refined the practice, such as forbidding the use of racial quotas in admissions.

Ever since former President Donald Trump cemented a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court, legal experts have expected the Supreme Court to do away with affirmative action altogether.

Students for Fair Admissions brought two lawsuits that ended up before the Supreme Court last fall, against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, alleging they discriminated against white and Asian-American students. Lower courts rejected the challenges.

The Supreme Court's six conservative justices agreed on the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts. He said that for too long universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

According to Roberts, the methodologies employed by the schools to achieve racial diversity among the student body amounted to racial stereotyping, were too vague, and were ultimately simply unworkable.

"Some of them are plainly overbroad: by grouping together all Asian students, for instance, respondents are apparently uninterested in whether South Asian or East Asian students are adequately represented, so long as there is enough of one to compensate for a lack of the other," Roberts wrote. "Meanwhile other racial categories, such as 'Hispanic,' are arbitrary or undefined."

The court's three liberal justices opposed the decision, with the exception of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who recused herself from the Harvard University case because she served on one of the school's boards.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayer accused the majority of ignoring the reality that race does matter in society, and schools ought to take account of that.

"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits," she wrote. "In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

A group of Harvard University administrators said in a statement that the school would "continue to be a vibrant community whose members come from all walks of life, all over the world." Kevin M. Guskiewicz, the chancellor of the University of North Carolina, said the state's schools would continue to prioritize diversity while complying with the Supreme Court decision.

"Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond," he said in a statement. "While not the outcome we hoped for, we will carefully review the Supreme Court's decision and take any steps necessary to comply with the law."

States that ended affirmative action saw drops in minority enrollment

Blum's group, Students for Fair Admission, contends that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.

The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.

At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.

The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states' leading public universities.

They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.

In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.

A poll last month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students' race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants' race, while a third approve.

The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school's dean.

Every US college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.

Those schools  Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame, and Holy Cross  joined briefs in defense of Harvard's and UNC's admissions plans.

Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett's undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Supreme Court on Thursday said universities and colleges could no longer use a form of race-conscious admissions, rejecting a decades-old precedent in affirmative action policy.

Rather race should be considered in an individuals experience  conveyed through an essay, interview or otherwise  instead of their identity in composing a demographic make-up of the student body.

The court ruled 6-3 and 6-2 in two decisions along ideological lines, saying that admissions based on affirmative action violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race, Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin.

Justices sided with a group that sued Harvard University and the University of North Carolina over admission policies that take an applicants race into account as a method to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in a campus body. Military academies are exempt, per the ruling.

Roberts wrote that nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

It means that Californias private colleges and universities  including Stanford University, the University of Southern California and the California Institute of Technology, among others  must now face the same prohibition on race-conscious admissions that covered its public schools after voters approved Proposition 209 in 1996.

The decision affects the University of California and California State University system less than other states public institutions, given California has a long-standing ban on race-conscious admissions.

Prop. 209 blocked public universities and colleges, governmental bodies and other public systems from using race, gender and other factors in hiring, contracting or admissions. There were minimal exceptions to prevent breaking federal law that, at the time, required race-conscious hiring for funding, such as research grants that the UC campuses rely on.

Private institutions were exempt. Now they must face the same shift that their public counterparts experienced after Prop. 209 went into effect.

UC leaders, concerned about this outcome, filed an amicus brief in November urging the Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action policies. Amicus briefs reflect the opinions of people who are not parties to a case, but who can offer courts insights.

Blocking race-and-gender-conscious admissions is detrimental to students, UC attorneys wrote, because inclusivity policies promote greater intellectual diversity and show the next generation that all people are welcome.

In a Nation where race matters, universities must maintain campus environments that enable them to teach their students to see each other as more than mere stereotypes, they wrote. Succeeding at that endeavor is crucial to preparing the next generation to be effective citizens and leaders in an increasingly diverse Nation.

What is California Prop. 209?

California was the first state to institute a ban on race-and-gender-conscious hiring and admission in public higher education and the public workforce. Washington state followed suit in 1998 before repealing the measure last year. Now Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Idaho have similar restrictions.

Public universities started applying affirmative action in the late 1960s. The practice originated with former President John F. Kennedy, who issued a 1961 executive order directing government agencies to ensure equal opportunity in employment.

Race-conscious admissions were designed to promote campus diversity, reduce inequality and make up for historical hindrances that have prevented people of color from pursuing a college education.

It existed for about 30 years and became impactful in Black and Hispanic student admissions, said Zachary Bleemer, an expert in higher education who earned his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, in an interview the week before the Supreme Court released its ruling.

Even then, race-conscious admissions werent popular: Prop. 209 passed with a 10% margin.

When it passed, Republican Pete Wilson was governor, three-quarters of the California voting population was white and some politicians were pushing nativist policies to garner support. About two-thirds of white voters supported Prop. 209, whereas a majority of Black, Latino and Asian voters were against it, according to a Los Angeles Times exit poll.

Said Richard Thompson Ford, a Stanford Law School professor who is an expert on race relations and discrimination, affirmative action has always been controversial and many voters oppose it.

Speaking to The Bee before the Supreme Court released its decision, Ford said the U.S. Constitution allowed affirmative action under limited circumstances, but it has never required it. As such, states  as well as private institutions  have already been free to choose whether or not to use affirmative action.

Prop. 209 simply reflects Californias decision not to engage in race-based affirmative action, he said.

Proportion of minority students fell dramatically

With the Supreme Court gutting affirmative action in college admissions, Bleemer said, What youd see is a much smaller scale version of what happened after Proposition 209.

In their amicus brief, UCs attorneys wrote that the proportion of students from underrepresented groups fell dramatically with the passage of Prop. 209, forcing the system to use race-neutral measures to pursue diversity.

While that improved the UC systems overall student body diversity substantially since the precipitous drop caused by Proposition 209, it has been insufficient to make campus bodies reflect Californias diversity, particularly at more selective UCs.

Students who previously chose to attend a UC went to private systems in and out of state.

A group of high-testing Black and Hispanic students, who under affirmative action went to Berkeley and UCLA and now couldnt get into those schools, flowed into Ivy League and private universities that still had affirmative action and were getting admitted, Bleemer said.

In the wake of the Supreme Court decision, the opposite could happen. Since public universities like UCLA, Berkeley and Davis have lived by the Prop. 209 protocol for far longer and had to adjust, more Black and Latino students might switch their preferences and apply there.

Still, the impact on the average California student could be minimal, Bleemer noted: Just 15-to-20% of students in California go to private colleges, and far fewer attend elite universities.

Failed attempts to repeal Prop. 209

Affirmative action remains unpopular across racial lines, as shown by a 2020 ballot initiative to pull Prop. 209.

The Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2020 thought that voters might back Prop. 16 after the summer of civil unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minnesota, and the pandemic that highlighted racial inequity.

Lawmakers hastily got the measure on the ballot, arguing that a repeal of Prop. 209 would increase racial and gender representation in higher education and in the public workforce, particularly aiding Latino and Black residents.

Prop. 16 failed by a larger margin than Prop. 209 had passed. At the time, lawmakers and advocates for the proposition said not enough had been done to build public support and that the issue got lost on a crowded ballot.

Ford said that post-election surveys showed that many voters thought repealing Prop. 209 would also repeal basic anti-discrimination protections. This is incorrect and the misperception might have made the difference.

People against Prop. 16 said it was discriminatory and that diverse communities in California had made strides in representation.

In a state hardly seen as conservative, voters rejected a repeal of the state constitutions guarantee of equal treatment by race, Arnold Steinberg, a strategist with the No on Proposition 16 campaign who worked on Prop. 209, said following the results.

Hispanic and Latino state workers are underrepresented compared to the California population, according to a review of 2020 data by the California Department of Human Resources, the most recent year data is available. Black and white civil workers were overrepresented, while workers of different Asian descents about matched Californias population.

Most of California is Hispanic: 40% of the state identifies as Hispanic or Latino, 35% as white, 16% as Asian and 6.5% as Black, according to 2020 census data.

Supreme Court decision on affirmative action

The Court heard two cases concerning race-conscious admissions in October, brought by an organization that claims students were harmed because of affirmative action policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Students for Fair Admissions, Inc., which claims to represent 20,000 people, said in separate lawsuits that race-conscious admissions at UNC, a public university, and Harvard, a private one, discriminated against white and Asian students. Schools should not refuse a race-neutral alternative for fear of potential changes to the student body if theres no proof that it could detriment the schools academic quality, the group argued.

It called for the Supreme Court to overturn Grutter v. Bollinger, a 2003 case affirming that considering race in a holistic admissions process to promote campus diversity did not harm non-minority applicants nor violated federal law.

The 2003 precedent followed a 1978 decision in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. In this case, a white student who twice failed to get into UC Davis medical school argued that a program to admit a certain number of students from minority backgrounds blocked him from getting in.

The justices said no to racial quotas and found for Allan Bakke, who was then admitted. But they also said that considering race in admissions was allowed under federal law.

Relying on precedent, Harvard and UNC contended that diversity improves academic experiences and considering race in the admissions process does not violate a part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act or the 14th Amendment. UNC is bound by both. A private university, Harvard is only bound by the Civil Rights Act title, but the Court noted that a violation of the equal protection clause also constitutes a violation of Title VI.

The Court did not entirely gut the 2003 precedent in allowing colleges to discern an individual students perseverance or other qualifications in overcoming racial discrimination as part of their personal stories.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote, Our country has never been colorblind. Given the lengthy history of state-sponsored race-based preferences in America, to say that anyone is now victimized if a college considers whether that legacy of discrimination has unequally advantaged its applicants fails to acknowledge the well-documented intergenerational transmission of inequality that still plagues our citizenry.

Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, recused herself from the Harvard case, having served on a board of the university.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unanimously for a postal worker in Pennsylvania in an important religious liberty dispute, over how far employers should go to accommodate faith-based requests in the workplace.

Gerald Groff, a Christian mail carrier, from Pennsylvania, asked the court to decide whether the U.S. Postal Service could require him to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays, which he observes as the Sabbath. His attorney, Aaron Streett, argued in April that the court should revisit a 50-year-old precedent that established a test to determine when employers should make accommodations for their employees' religious practices.

In ruling for the government worker, the high court overturned its 1977 precedent that said employers had to "reasonably accommodate" an employee's religious beliefs and practices, so long as that would not create an "undue hardship" on the business.

The new decision tightens the "undue hardship" standard, and could make it easier for some individual employees to secure a religious accommodation in the workplace.

SUPREME COURT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CASE: HOW CALIFORNIA SEES ITS IMPACT

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires employers to accommodate employees religious practices unless doing so would be an "undue hardship" for the business. A Supreme Court case from 1977, Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, said employers could deny religious accommodations to employees when they impose "more than a de minimis cost" on the business.

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Groff's attorney argued that the court should scrap the "de minimus" test, which he suggested has been abused by lower courts to deny religious accommodations, in favor of the plain language of Title VII, which would define "undue burden" in the same way it is defined in other federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

SUPREME COURT TAKES UP RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CASE INVOLVING POSTAL WORKER WHO REFUSED TO WORK ON SUNDAY

"The government believes undue hardship arises whenever there is lost efficiency, weekly payment of premium wages, or denial of a coworker's shift preference," Streett told the justices during oral arguments. "Thus, under the government's test, a diabetic employee could receive snack breaks under the ADA but not prayer breaks under Title VII, for that might cause lost efficiency."

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar had argued against the court overturning Hardison, stressing that nearly half a century of established case law  including cases that protect religious observance  would be "up for grabs" if the court created a new "undue burden" standard. Appearing to concede the de minimus language in isolation can be unclear, she argued that the government's interpretation of the standard over more than four decades is context-based to whichever particular cases are present.

SUPREME COURT SIGNALS IT WILL MAKE IT EASER FOR WORKERS TO CLAIM RELIGIOUS ACCOMODATIONS

Gerald Groff in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on March 8, 2023. He is demonstrating how postal workers drive from the passenger seat (left hand on the wheel and left foot on the gas and brake leaving the right hand free to place mail in the boxes). A former part-time postal worker, Groff is a devout Christian, and he sued the United States Postal Service claiming religious discrimination because he was being forced to work on Sundays.

"To be sure, as the Solicitor General notes, some lower courts have understood that the protection for religious adherents is greater than more than  de minimus' might suggest when read in isolation," Justice Samuel Alito wrote. "But a bevy of diverse religious organizations has told this Court that the de minimus test has blessed the denial of even minor accomodation in many cases, making it harder for members of minority faiths to enter the job market."

"We hold that showing more than a de minimus cost, as that phrase is used in common parlance, does not suffice to establish undue hardship under Title VII. Hardison cannot be reduced to that one phrase."

Groff was a fill-in mail carrier who worked at the United States Post Office when other mail carriers were off.

In 2013, USPS contracted with Amazon to deliver packages and workers were required to take Sunday shifts for weekend deliveries.

SUPREME COURT REJECTS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN RULING ON UNIVERSITIES USING RACE IN ADMISSIONS DECISIONS

Initially, he was able to work out an arrangement with his supervisors to transfer to another branch that did not deliver on Sundays. When that branch also began Sunday deliveries, Groff was permitted to miss his shifts provided he could find someone to cover for him. However, Groff was frequently unable to do so and missed over two dozen assigned Sunday shifts.

Officials said Groffs absences created a tense environment and contributed to morale problems. It also meant other carriers had to deliver more Sunday mail than they otherwise would.

Believing that he would be fired for missing Sunday shifts, Groff resigned from his job in 2019. He then obtained representation from the conservative First Liberty Institute, Baker Botts LLP, the Church State Council and the Independence Law Center, and filed a federal lawsuit against the Postal Service.

Groff contends USPS could have accommodated his beliefs by scheduling shifts so that he didn't have to work on Sundays. But the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held in May 2022 that USPS would suffer an undue hardship if it took further action to accommodate Groff.

TIM SCOTT RESPONDS TO OBAMAS' CRITICISM OF SUPREME COURT RULING: A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL

In a statement, a Postal Service spokesperson expressed confidence USPS will ultimately win the case.

The Supreme Court vacated the Third Circuit's judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion.

"This is a landmark victory, not only for Gerald, but for every American. No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job," said Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO, and Chief Counsel for First Liberty. "The Courts decision today restores religious freedom to every American in the workplace. This decision will positively help millions and millions of Americans  those who work now and their children and grandchildren."

"I am delighted that the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed our nations commitment to providing equal opportunity and fair treatment in the workplace," Groff wrote in an op-ed for Fox News Digital. "More than that, the Justices affirmed my decision to trust God by honoring the Lords Day. I am grateful to all those who have expressed their support especially my family, community, co-workers, and neighbors."

In a statement, a Postal Service spokesperson expressed confidence USPS will ultimately win the case.

"We agree with the Supreme Courts clarification, which accepts the arguments we made before the Court, and which is fully consistent with the standard we apply when seeking to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices of our employees," the Postal Service said.

"For those reasons, and because we believe the lower court will conclude that providing the requested accommodation here would impose a substantial burden on the Postal Service, we are confident that the Postal Service will again prevail when the case is remanded."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Supreme Court just ruled 9-0 for a religious worker. But his fight is not over

Eliza Anderson, Deseret News

The Supreme Court on Thursday sided unanimously with a former postal worker seeking stronger workplace protections for people of faith.

In a decision aimed at clearing up decades of confusion, the justices said employers cannot deny religious accommodation requests  including requests to avoid working on the Sabbath  unless granting them would impose a substantial burden.

An employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business, wrote Justice Samuel Alito in the majority opinion, which was unanimous.

Related

Several faith and religious liberty advocacy groups applauded the decision, saying it was a win for religious Americans.

First Liberty Institute, part of the legal team representing the plaintiff, Gerald Groff, called it a landmark victory.

No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job, Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO and chief counsel, said. The Courts decision today restores religious freedom to every American in the workplace. This decision will positively help millions and millions of Americans  those who work now and their children and grandchildren.

Interfaith Alliance called it a win for religious freedom, and said it provides protections for both religious Americans and employers.

This ruling safeguards employees of all beliefs and backgrounds and puts religion on the same playing field as other protected groups, said Darcy Hirsh, senior director of policy and advocacy.

Religious liberty group Becket Law said on Twitter, The Courts decision is a major course correction in how lower courts and employers must think about religious accommodations in the workplace going forward.

#SCOTUS just released its latest #religiousfreedom decision, ruling unanimously that religious employees can stay true to their faith at work without fear of punishment by their employers https://t.co/jweOwHjyfl  BECKET (@BECKETlaw) June 29, 2023

But while the decision is significant, it does not go as far as some observers expected  or hoped  it would.

The justices chose not to overrule a decision from 1977, which settled a dispute between Trans World Airlines and a former airline employee who wanted Saturdays off to observe the Sabbath.

The 1977 decision in Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison still stands

In the 1977 case TWA v. Hardison, the Supreme Court said TWA had not violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which requires companies to offer reasonable religious accommodations, by refusing to adjust the mans schedule. More specifically, justices in the majority said employers did not have to grant religious accommodation requests that pose anything more than a de minimis cost.

In this years case, a former postal worker, Groff, an evangelical Christian who observes the Sabbath on Sundays, challenged the courts past ruling, arguing that the de minimis language went against the spirit of the Civil Rights Act. He said the U.S. Postal Service should have had to do more to accommodate his faith-based scheduling requests.

Many major faith groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Association of Evangelicals and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, threw their support behind Groffs claims. For decades, religious leaders have called for the 1977 ruling to be overturned by the court or weakened by Congress as they defended the rights of religious employees.

In a concurrence written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sotomayor said the courts decision not to overturn the Hardison case was a wise choice, and said the undue hardship test should apply to a religious employees co-workers as well as a businesss financial interests.

Lower courts are to stop focusing on de minimis language

During oral arguments in April, attorneys for Groff and the Postal Service seemed to agree that the de minimis language was unfortunate, as the Deseret News previously reported. But they disagreed on whether it had led to unfair outcomes in the decades since the Hardison decision was handed down.

They also disagreed on whether, if the 1977 decision had never happened, Groff would actually have had a right under Title VII to receive his requested time off.

Groff and his attorneys said the Postal Service could have found other employees to cover Sunday shifts without facing an undue hardship. Attorneys for the Postal Service, on the other hand, said Groff was putting an unfair burden on the rest of his team.

The justices, meanwhile, appeared torn between wanting to address the concerns raised by keeping the de minimis language on the books and wanting to avoid causing confusion in workplaces nationwide.

The courts new decision attempts to smooth over this tension by offering clarification rather than a brand-new approach to Title VII. It instructs lower courts to stop focusing on the de minimis language but does not throw out nearly 50 years of related case law.

The erroneous de minimis interpretation of Hardison may have had the effect of leading courts to pay insufficient attention to what the actual text of Title VII means, Alito wrote.

Moving forward, judges should dig into the various costs associated with granting a religious accommodation request to determine whether an employer would truly face undue hardship, he said.

Undue hardship is shown when a burden is substantial in the overall context of an employers business, the majority opinion said.

Although Thursdays decision affirms Groffs concerns about the de minimis standard, the former postal workers legal battle is not over.

Thursdays ruling sends the case back to the lower courts for reconsideration, where Groff is not guaranteed to win.

Without foreclosing the possibility that USPS will prevail, we think it appropriate to leave it to the lower courts to apply our clarified context-specific standard, the majority opinion said.
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a major ruling on affirmative action Thursday, rejecting the use of race as a factor in college admissions as a violation of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that, "A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination."

"Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that students unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race," the opinion reads.

"Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice," the opinion states.

SUPREME COURT HANDS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WIN TO POSTAL WORKER WHO REFUSED TO WORK ON SUNDAY

Justice Roberts was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

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Harvard banners hang outside Memorial Church on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009. The Supreme Court ruled in affirmative action cases, including one over Harvard's admissions practices.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the main dissent, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and in part by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who recused herself from the Harvard case due to her previous role on Harvard's Board of Overseers.

President Biden is expected to deliver remarks on the decision at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTER TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN INSTITUTIONS HITS ROCK-BOTTOM

The justices decided two separate legal challenges over just how Harvard University  a private institution  and the University of North Carolina  a public one  decide who fills their classrooms.

These prominent schools say their standards have a larger societal goal, one endorsed for decades by the courts: to promote a robust, intellectually diverse campus for future leaders.

But a coalition of Asian American students says the criteria discriminated with a "racial penalty"  holding them to a selectively higher standard than many Black and Hispanic students.

Student activist group Students for Fair Admissions brought cases against both Harvard and University of North Carolina. The group initially sued Harvard College in 2014 for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance."

The complaint against Harvard alleged that the school's practices penalized Asian American students, and that they failed to employ race-neutral practices. The North Carolina case raised the issue of whether the university could reject the use of non-race-based practices without showing that they would bring down the school's academic quality or negatively impact the benefits gained from campus diversity.

JUSTICES HEAR ARGUMENTS OVER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN HARVARD, UNC SUPREME COURT CASES

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit had ruled in Harvard's favor, upholding the outcome of a district court bench trial. The district court said that the evidence against Harvard was inconclusive and that "the observed discrimination" affected only a small pool of Asian American students. It ruled that SFFA did not have standing in the case.

In the UNC case, a federal district court ruled in the school's favor, saying that its admissions practices withstood strict scrutiny.

Roberts said in his majority opinion that both admissions programs at Harvard and UNC "lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points."

"We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today," he said.

Justice Clarence Thomas, while agreeing with the majority opinion, wrote a separate concurrence with his own thoughts.

The decision, he said, "sees the universities admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes. Those policies fly in the face of our colorblind Constitution and our Nations equality ideal. In short, they are plainlyand boldlyunconstitutional."

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CASE: JUSTICES ALITO, ROBERTS SNAP AT HARVARD LAWYER

"While I am painfully aware of the social and economic ravages which have befallen my race and all who suffer discrimination, I hold out enduring hope that this country will live up to its principles so clearly enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States: that all men are created equal, are equal citizens, and must be treated equally before the law," Thomas wrote.

The affirmative action cases gave rise to one of the most spirited court debates to occur within the Supreme Court building this past term, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito grilling Harvard's lawyer, Seth Waxman.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts got into a heated exchange with Harvard's lawyers regarding affirmative action.

Alito pressed Waxman on why it is that Asian American students regularly receive lower personal scores on their applications than other races. Waxman talked around the justice's questions, causing Alito to get frustrated with the lawyer.

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON CLASHES WITH ANTI-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION LAWYER DURING SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS

"I still haven't heard any explanation for the disparity between the personal scores that are given to Asians," Alito said.

Waxman then got into a tense back-and-forth with Roberts. The justice asked why Waxman was downplaying race as a factor in admissions decisions, when according to Roberts it must have some impact, or else it would not be included.

Waxman admitted that race was decisive "for some highly qualified applicants," just like "being  an oboe player in a year in which the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra needs an oboe player."

"We did not fight a civil war about oboe players," Roberts shot back. "We did fight a civil war to eliminate racial discrimination."

In 2003, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was the "swing"  or deciding  vote in a landmark Supreme Court case over race.

While upholding the University of Michigan's affirmative action policies for minority law school applicants, the court majority led by O'Connor offered this caveat: "We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today."

Fast-forward 19 years, and a 6-3 conservative court majority has now blocked colleges and universities from using race as part of the competitive admissions process.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
Washington  The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that race-conscious admission policies of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, bringing an end to affirmative action in higher education in a decision that will reverberate across campuses nationwide.

The court ruled 6-3 along ideological lines in the University of North Carolina case, and 6-2 in the Harvard dispute, as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself. Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Thomas read a concurring opinion from the bench. Justice Sonia Sotomayor also read her dissent aloud, the first time a dissenting justice has done so this term.

"The Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause," Roberts wrote. "Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today."

But Roberts wrote that universities can still consider "an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." Military academies are effectively exempt from the decision, due to the "potentially distinct interests" they present.

Students, the chief justice concluded, must be evaluated based on their experiences "as an individual  not on the basis of race."

"Many universities have for too long done just the opposite," Roberts said. "And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

In a fierce dissent, Sotomayor said the majority opinion is "not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment."

"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits," she wrote. "In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

A group of people wear face masks to protect against air pollution as they walk past the Supreme Court Building on June 29, 2023, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Joined by Justice Elena Kagan and Jackson, Sotomayor said the court's decision "subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society."

Read full text of the Supreme Court affirmative action rulingRead the full text of the dissents on affirmative action ruling by Sotomayor and Jackson

In a separate dissent penned in the University of North Carolina case, Jackson, the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court, lambasted the court's decision, writing that the majority "surges to vindicate equality, but Don Quixote style  pitifully perceiving itself as the sole vanguard of legal high ground when, in reality, its perspective is not constitutionally compelled."

"Simply put, the race-blind admissions stance the Court mandates from this day forward is unmoored from critical real-life circumstances," she wrote. "Thus, the Court's meddling not only arrests the noble generational project that America's universities are attempting, it also launches, in effect, a dismally misinformed sociological experiment."

Upending past Supreme Court decisions

Though Roberts' majority opinion did not explicitly overturn the court's precedent allowing schools to consider race when making admissions decisions  namely a 2003 case known as Grutter v. Bollinger  Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion that the 2003 decision is "for all intents and purposes, overruled," while Sotomayor accused the conservative majority of "overruling decades of precedent."

The ruling is the latest in which the Supreme Court's conservative majority has upended decades of past decisions involving issues that have shaped American life, underscoring the impact that former President Donald Trump's three appointed justices have had on the court.

In its last term, the Supreme Court reversed its landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, unwinding the constitutional right to an abortion recognized since 1973. That ruling amplified concerns that other longstanding precedents were at risk of being jettisoned, including those affirming that race-conscious admissions programs are within constitutional bounds.

The assumption that affirmative action would not withstand the Supreme Court's scrutiny has now come to fruition. While the decision will be felt most acutely at highly competitive schools, universities have warned that ending race-conscious admissions programs would lead to a significant drop in representation of Black and Hispanic students, particularly at elite institutions.

More than 40% of universities, and 60% of selective schools, consider race to some degree in admissions decisions, according to Harvard's filings with the court. Additionally, institutions such as the service academies, the U.S. military and the federal government have relied on the Supreme Court's past decisions recognizing that the educational benefits of diversity justify limited consideration of race in admissions, according to the Biden administration.

President Biden, in remarks from the White House, condemned the court's rejection of affirmative action in higher education and said racial diversity makes not only colleges but the whole nation stronger.

"We cannot let this decision be the last word," he said. "While the court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for. America is an idea, an idea unique in the world. An idea of hope and opportunity, of possibilities, of giving everyone a fair shot, of leaving no one behind. We've never fully lived up to it, but we've never walked away from it either. We will not walk away fro it now."

Asked by a reporter whether the Supreme Court is "rogue," Mr. Biden replied, "This is not a normal court."

What is affirmative action, and how did these cases get to the Supreme Court?

Affirmative action refers to policies established by schools or employers aimed at increasing the diversity of a student body or workforce through the consideration of candidates' race. The concept originated in the 1960s to address racial discrimination and has been controversial ever since, with critics saying the practice itself is tantamount to racial discrimination against non-minorities. Proponents of affirmative action policies in higher education argue that race should be considered as part of a "holistic" evaluation of candidates, and say the policies are crucial for increasing diversity and ensuring underrepresented groups have equal access to institutions.

Nine states have banned affirmative action at public universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

The cases before the court this term involved Harvard, the nation's oldest private institution, and the University of North Carolina, the oldest public university. Both disputes were brought in November 2014 by the group Students for Fair Admissions, founded by conservative activist Ed Blum, who for years has fought to end the use of racial preferences in American life.

In the Harvard case, the organization claimed the school's race-conscious admissions policies violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in any program or activity that receives federal funds, by discriminating against Asian-American applicants. Students for Fair Admissions accused Harvard of assigning Asian-American students lower ratings on personality traits than other races and limiting the number of Asian-American applicants it admits.

In the University of North Carolina fight, Students for Fair Admissions accused the university of violating the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, as it overlooks race-neutral alternatives available to achieve diversity among its student body.

Both universities denied discriminating against Asian-American applicants.

Lower courts upheld the policies at each of the schools, finding that race was one factor among many considered in the schools' holistic processes, and that they were consistent with the Supreme Court's decision in Grutter, the 2003 decision that said the narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions is allowed under the Constitution.

Writing for the majority in Grutter, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor suggested that "25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary." That proposed 2028 deadline drew questions during oral arguments in the Harvard and University of North Carolina cases of when race would no longer need to be considered in college admissions.

Roberts wrote for the majority that neither Harvard nor the University of North Carolina indicated to the court that their race-based admissions programs had end points.

"In short," he said, "there is no reason to believe that respondents will  even acting in good faith  comply with the Equal Protection Clause any time soon."

The Supreme Court last considered the lawfulness of race-conscious admissions programs in 2016, in a challenge to the policies at the University of Texas at Austin that was also backed by Blum. In that case, a divided court again said race could be considered to ensure student-body diversity.

But the composition of the court changed dramatically since then, with Sotomayor the only remaining justice who was in the majority seven years ago. (Kagan recused herself from the case.)

The Supreme Court agreed to wade into the debate over affirmative action again in January 2022. While the Harvard and University of North Carolina cases were originally consolidated, they were unlinked after Jackson joined the court and recused herself from the Harvard dispute.

How Harvard and UNC reacted to the Supreme Court's ruling

In response to the decision, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said the school will take the steps necessary to comply with the ruling.

"Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond," he said.

Top officials from Harvard reiterated a commitment to diversity in its student body, which it said is "essential to academic experience."

"For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent," school leaders wrote to members of the Harvard community. "In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Court's new precedent, our essential values."

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TEHRAN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Thursday that Iran welcomes the resumption and expansion of its ties with Egypt and Morocco.

He made the remarks at a ceremony in the capital Tehran to celebrate Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, which was attended by Muslim countries' ambassadors to Iran, according to a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website.

"Among the foreign policy priorities of the administration of the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is paying special attention to the country's relations with the Muslim world and regional states ... We welcome the expansion and normalization of relations with other regional and Muslim countries, including Egypt and Morocco," said Amir-Abdollahian.

Iran and Egypt severed diplomatic relations in 1980. In recent years, Iran has announced readiness to mend ties with Egypt by settling differences on certain issues.

In late May, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said his country welcomes the resumption of bilateral relations with Egypt and has no problem in this regard.

Morocco decided to sever relations with Iran in May 2018 over what it called Iran's support for Polisario Front, an armed group fighting for self-determination of Western Sahara claimed by Morocco. 
(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court effectively barred universities from using race as a factor in university admissions, marking the start of a new era in higher education and rolling back decades of precedents.

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Voting 6-3 along ideological lines, the justices said Thursday that programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violated the Constitutions equal protection clause. Writing for the court, Chief Justice John Roberts rejected contentions that the programs were warranted to ensure campus diversity.

Many universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin, Roberts wrote. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

The ruling could mean fewer Black and Hispanic students at the countrys top universities and force hundreds of schools to revamp their admissions policies. Studies indicate a majority of selective US universities now consider race in admissions, though nine states including California and Florida ban the practice at public institutions.

The court once again walked away from decades of precedent, President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday. The court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions and I strongly, strongly disagree with the courts decision.

The high court majority didnt explicitly say it was overturning a 2003 decision, known as Grutter v. Bollinger, that had reaffirmed the right of universities to consider race as one of many admissions factors. But in a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said that ruling is, for all intents and purposes, overruled.

Devastating Impact

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

Today, this court overrules decades of precedent and imposes a superficial rule of race blindness on the nation, said Sotomayor, who took the unusual step of reading a summary of her dissent from the bench. The devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated.

Jackson, who participated only in the North Carolina case because she previously served on the Harvard Board of Overseers, said the majority opinion ignored the lengthy history of state-sponsored race-based preferences in America. The country, she said, has never been colorblind.

Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett joined Roberts and Thomas in the majority.

Roberts said universities could consider how race affected the lives of individual applicants be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise.

But universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today, Roberts wrote.

Roberts didnt explicitly say whether universities could seek racial diversity through race-neutral means  such as preferences based on socioeconomic status. In states that have abolished racial preferences, some universities have buttressed diversity by offering automatic admission to students who graduate near the top of their high school class.

Sotomayor in her dissent said colleges could keep pursuing socioeconomic diversity and giving preferences to first-generation college applicants and people who speak multiple languages.

Universities should continue to use those tools as best they can to recruit and admit students from different backgrounds based on all the other factors the courts opinion does not, and cannot, touch, she wrote.

Thomas Statement

The ruling left open the possibility that the nations military academies might still be able to consider race. Defenders of affirmative action, including the Biden administration, argued that that the US military depends on a racially mixed officer corps to lead a diverse fighting force. Roberts said those academies had potentially distinct interests.

Read this next: Affirmative Actions End Will Crush the Diversity Talent Pipeline

Like Sotomayor, Thomas read a summary of his opinion from the bench.

Those policies fly in the face of our colorblind Constitution and our nations equality ideal, Thomas wrote. In short, they are plainly  and boldly  unconstitutional.

Thomas and Jackson are the courts only Black members, while Sotomayor is the lone Hispanic justice.

Opponents of racial preferences sought to take advantage of a court that has become more conservative since 2003. The universities were fighting lawsuits by Students for Fair Admissions, an anti-preferences organization run by former stockbroker Ed Blum that says its members include unsuccessful applicants to both schools.

The group contended that Harvard penalizes Asian Americans during the admissions process, assigning them lower ratings on leadership and likability, while automatically giving preferences to Black and Hispanic applicants.

The opinion issued today by the United States Supreme Court marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multiracial, multi-ethnic nation, Blum said in a statement.

Harvard Reaction

Harvard denied those allegations, saying it considers the race only of highly competitive candidates for admission and doesnt penalize Asian-American applicants.

The Biden administration joined the two universities in defending affirmative action programs, arguing that students of all races benefit from having diverse peers.

Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow said the school will comply with the decision.

In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the courts new precedent, our essential values, Bacow and other university officials said in a public letter to members of the Harvard community.

The Harvard case formally involved Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, not the equal protection clause, which applies to government actors. In the 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke decision, the court said Title VI and the equal protection clause impose the same legal test.

Roberts said in a footnote that, because no party was questioning that parallel, the court would scrutinize Harvards program under the equal protection clause.

Diversity Impact

The share of Black and Latino students at elite colleges initially plummeted in states that banned affirmative action at public institutions. Although the numbers have recovered at least to some degree  the University of California says its system as a whole admitted its most diverse class ever in 2021  advocates say the most selective schools are far less diverse than the state as a whole.

A comprehensive study published in 2020 found that, after California pulled back the practice, Black and Latino students enrolled in less selective institutions and were less likely to get college degrees in lucrative fields.

The University of Michigan told the court that Black enrollment has fallen from 7.03% in 2006  just before the states voters abolished race-conscious admissions at public universities  to 3.92% in 2021. Native American enrollment plummeted 90%. Overall, enrollment of underrepresented minorities has risen from 12.9% to 13.46%, the university said.

The cases are Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 20-1199, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, 21-707.

--With assistance from Emily Birnbaum, Patricia Hurtado and Kelsey Butler.

(Adds additional comments from Roberts, Sotomayor starting in third paragraph.)

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The Supreme Court revived the case of a former mail carrier, an evangelical Christian, who said the United States Postal Service violated federal law by failing to reasonably accommodate his inability to work on Sundays.

The court said unanimously that a lower court was too quick to deny the employees request for accommodation and should take another look at the impact the request would have on the Postal Service as a whole.

We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business, Justice Samuel Alito wrote, penning the courts opinion. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a concurrence joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

A lower court had ruled against the worker, Gerald Groff, holding that his request would cause an undue hardship on the Postal Service and lead to low morale at the workplace when other employees had to pick up his shifts.

The new ruling, in clarifying previous precedent for religious accommodations, will likely make it harder for an employer to refuse to accommodate the religious beliefs of an employee under Title VII of the civil rights law. The Supreme Court left the door open that the Postal Service might still prevail in the case, and the justices said they were leaving it to the lower court to revisit the case under the clarified standard.

An employer who fails to provide an accommodation has a defense only if the hardship is undue, and a hardship that is attributable to employee animosity to a particular religion, to religion in general, or to the very notion of accommodating religious practice cannot be considered undue, Alito wrote.

The opinion concluded that Title VII requires that an employer reasonably accommodate an employees practice of religion, not merely that it assess the reasonableness of a particular possible accommodation or accommodations.

Faced with an accommodation request like Groffs, it would not be enough for an employer to conclude that forcing other employees to work overtime would constitute an undue hardship, the courts opinion said. Consideration of other options, such as voluntary shift swapping, would also be necessary.

Sotomayors concurrence highlighted a distinction in the courts opinion, noting that the court had ruled that Title VII requires that an employer, in rejecting a requested accommodation, must show that the accommodation would impose undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business. Her concurrence focused on how a proposed accommodation could impose an undue hardship on a business employees.

Indeed, for many businesses, labor is more important to the conduct of the business than any other factor, she wrote.

Not all effects an accommodation places on employees will amount to such a hardship, Sotomayor said, but if there is an undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business  then such hardship is sufficient, even if it consists of hardship on employees.

Aaron Streett, Groffs attorney, said Thursday, This is an important victory for Americans of all faiths, who may now follow their religious consciences in the workplace. It is especially gratifying that the Court was unanimous in interpreting the Civil Rights Act according to its plain language, holding that employers must accommodate religious practices absent an undue hardship on the conduct of the business.

The US Postal Service, however, expressed confidence that it would ultimately prevail in the next round of proceedings.

We agree with the Supreme Courts clarification, which accepts the arguments we made before the Court, and which is fully consistent with the standard we apply when seeking to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices of our employees, USPS spokesperson Felicia Lott said in a statement. For those reasons, and because we believe the lower court will conclude that providing the requested accommodation here would impose a substantial burden on the Postal Service, we are confident that the Postal Service will again prevail when the case is remanded.

Lawsuit over Sunday work shifts

Groff, who lives in Pennsylvania, served in 2012 as a rural carrier associate at the United States Postal Service, a position that provides coverage for absent career employees who have earned the ability to take off weekends. Rural carrier associates are told they need flexibility.

In 2013, Groffs life changed when the USPS contracted with Amazon to deliver packages on Sundays. Groffs Christian religious beliefs bar him from working on Sundays.

The post office contemplated some accommodations to Groff, such as offering to adjust his schedule so he could come to work after religious services or telling him he should see if other workers could pick up his shifts. At some point, the postmaster himself did the deliveries because it was difficult to find employees willing to work on Sunday. Finally, the USPS suggested Groff choose a different day to observe the Sabbath.

The atmosphere with his co-workers was tense and Groff said he faced progressive discipline. In response, he filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is charged with enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against an employee because of religion.

Groff ultimately left his job in 2019. In a resignation letter, he said he had been unable to find an accommodating employment atmosphere with the USPS that would honor his religious beliefs.

Groff sued, arguing that the USPS violated Title VII. District Judge Jeffrey Schmehl, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, ruled against Groff, holding that that his request to not work on Sundays would cause an undue hardship for the USPS. The 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling in a 2-1 opinion.

When the case was before the Supreme Court, Groffs lawyer, Aaron Streett, told the justices that the USPS could have done more and was wrong to claim that respecting Groffs belief was too onerous. He urged the justices to cut back or invalidate precedent and allow an accommodation that would allow the worker to serve both his employer and his God.

To me, its not just about going to church, Groff said in a video posted on the website of his legal team at First Liberty. Its about obeying the Lord and putting the entire day aside to honor and glorify Him, he added.

The Biden administration had urged the high court to simply clarify the law to make clear that an employer is not required to accommodate an employees Sabbath observance by operating shorthanded or regularly paying overtime to secure replacement workers.

The Becket Fund, a religious liberty legal advocacy organization that supported Groff in a friend-of-the-court brief, praised Thursdays opinion.

Big corporations got away with firing employees for their religious practices for decades, thanks to a fundamental misreading of civil rights law, Becket Fund president and CEO Mark Rienzi said in a statement. That mistake by the Court long pushed faith out of daily life by giving employers free rein to give religious workers the boot for observing holy days and taking time to pray. Todays ruling corrects decades of rulings against religious Americans.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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A Christian U.S. Postal Service worker who requested to not work on Sundays won a unanimous victory at the Supreme Court on Thursday in a decision that makes it easier for employees to seek religious accommodations.

The decision clarifies a decades-old precedent that governed when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires businesses to accommodate their employees religious beliefs.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that businesses must provide an accommodation unless it would impose substantial increased costs.

We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business, Alito wrote.

Gerald Groff, who said working on Sundays violates his religious beliefs to rest during the Sabbath, sued the U.S. Postal Service after being disciplined for missing scheduled Sunday shifts to deliver Amazon packages.

The Postal Service originally did not require Groff to work on Sundays until it contracted with Amazon to deliver packages on that day of the week.

The postmaster accommodated Groff for some time by either skipping him in the Sunday rotation or automatically scheduling an extra person. The agency later ended the accommodation and instead asked for volunteers in Groffs place. When no one volunteered, Groff received repeated discipline for more than 24 absences over two years.

Groff was expected to soon be fired, so he instead resigned and sued the agency.

The courts decision effectively revives his attempt, but the justices sent his case back to a lower court for additional consideration based on the clarified standard.

I am grateful to have had my case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court and that they have decided to uphold religious liberty, Groff said in a statement. I hope this decision allows others to be able to maintain their convictions without living in fear of losing their jobs because of what they believe.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, businesses must reasonably accommodate an employees religious observance unless it would impose an undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business.

In 1977, the Supreme Court in Trans World Airlines Inc. v. Hardison defined undue hardship as more than a de minimis burden, the Latin term for minimal.

Both Groff and the Justice Department agreed the standard shouldnt be taken literally. But they sparred before the justices on the new verbiage the court should replace it with and whether Hardison should be outright overturned.

After turning away multiple requests to revisit the decades-old standard in the past, the court has now heightened the test  but did not overturn the Hardison decision  adding to a string of decisions that have expanded religious rights under the First Amendment and other laws.

Groff wanted the 1977 decision overturned and replaced with a significant difficulty or expense standard. Various religious groups, 10 Republican members of Congress and 22 Republican state attorneys general backed Groffs appeal before the high court.

The Justice Department urged the court to instead update and reinforce Hardison, warning that explicitly disavowing it would disrupt decades of case law that has relied upon it. The American Postal Workers Union, 11 Democratic state attorneys general and various atheist groups supported the Justice Department.

The sides also sparred over whether businesses can cite burdens on other employees when rejecting an accommodation request. The lower court had ruled that exempting Groff from working on Sundays would have imposed burdens on his coworkers by disrupting the workflow and diminishing employee morale.

The high court ruled that impacts on coworkers are relevant only to the extent those impacts go on to affect the conduct of the business.

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The Supreme Court will release its final decisions of the term Friday morning, handing down rulings on student debt relief and a free speech case involving same-sex wedding websites.

The last decisions will cap a term that has already included the gutting of affirmative action in college admissions alongside a string of victories for the left on the Voting Rights Act, a Biden-era immigration policy and federal elections.

Heres what to know with the court on the cusp of its summer recess:

When will the Supreme Court term end?

Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool, File)

After the affirmative action decision was handed down, Chief Justice John Roberts said in the courtroom that Friday will be the last day the Supreme Court hands down decisions, fitting the norm of the court finishing its work by the end of June.

The courts term technically does not end, however.

It will continue until the first Monday in October. The justices in the summer months still act on emergency applications, including requests for intervention on executions and other time-pressing matters.

When will the Supreme Court rule on student loans?

Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 29, 2023

The court will hand down its three remaining decisions on Friday: two challenges to Bidens student debt relief plan, and a free speech case that intersects with LGBTQ rights.

The fate of debt relief for more than 40 million borrowers rests with the justices consideration of two cases. The first is brought by a group of six GOP-led states, and the other is brought by two borrowers who did not qualify for the maximum relief under the plan.

The justices could hand down the ruling in one decision or release them separately. For the debt relief to go through, it must survive both lawsuits.

First, the justices will rule on whether any of the challengers have legal standing, meaning their authority to bring their challenges in the first place. At least one challenger must have standing for the justices to block the plan.

Related coverage from The Hill

The challengers promote various arguments, but Missouri  one of the six states suing Biden  received the closest attention among the justices at Februarys oral argument.

Central to the states standing argument is MOHELA, a student loan servicer and quasi-state entity. MOHELA has not challenged the debt relief plan, but Missouri argues it can sue on the loan servicers behalf and that MOHELA would face revenue losses that would ultimately cause the state harm.

If the high court finds that any of the eight challengers have standing, itll move to the merits of whether Education Secretary Miguel Cardona can forgive the hundreds of billions of dollars in debt.

The administration cites the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act, a post-9/11 law that Congress passed as the country headed to war. The law gives the Education secretary authority to waive or modify federal student financial assistance programs as the Secretary deems necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency.

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Cardona has tied the relief to the national emergency established during the pandemic, contending borrowers will be in a worse financial position once student loan payments resume in the coming months if the administration does not provide the relief.

The conservative majority appeared skeptical at oral argument that the HEROES Act authorized the plan, leading to a sense of worry among borrowers and debt relief advocates that the plan will be blocked.

Such an outcome would mark a defeat for one of the presidents major campaign promises.

Ruling expected on free speech case

Lorie Smith, a Christian graphic artist and website designer in Colorado, right, accompanied by her lawyer, Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, second from left, speaks outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, after her case was heard before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is hearing the case of Smith, who objects to designing wedding websites for gay couples, thats the latest clash of religion and gay rights to land at the highest court. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The justices have one remaining case other than student debt relief: evangelical Christian Lorie Smiths challenge to Colorados public accommodation law on free speech grounds.

Colorados law for more than a decade has prevented businesses that serve the public from discriminating against customers based on their sexual orientation.

Smith, who owns website design company 303 Creative LLC, wants to expand her business to design wedding websites. But she is opposed to gay marriage and says Colorados law would require her to design websites for same-sex couples if she wants to do so for opposite-sex marriages. So Smith filed a pre-enforcement lawsuit against Colorado state officials, seeking to block the law under the First Amendment.

The court is now set to decide how public accommodation laws in Colorado and other states apply to artists and whether they unconstitutionally compel their speech.

The case, which is being closely watched by LGBTQ advocacy groups, is the second time Colorados law has come before the Supreme Court. The justices previously disposed of a cake bakers challenge to the law on narrower grounds.

What time of day do Supreme Court decisions come out?

Associated Justice Clarence Thomas (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The justices will convene in the courtroom at 10 a.m., where they will immediately proceed to read aloud summaries of the majority opinions from the bench.

Other justices who write dissents or concurring opinions on rare occasions also read from the bench, as justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor did for the affirmative action decision.

The exact speed depends on how long the justices read the opinions  Sotomayor read aloud her blistering affirmative action dissent for about 20 minutes on Thursday  though the announcement is likely to take less than an hour in total.

Where are Supreme Court rulings posted?

The written opinions are distributed to the press as they are being read in the courtroom, and they become available online here shortly afterward.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Postal Worker Wanted a Work Schedule That Respected the Sabbath

Gerald Groff in Holtwood, Pennsylvania on March 08, 2023. A former part-time postal worker, Groff is a devout Christian and he sued the United States Postal Service claiming religious discrimination because he was being forced to work on Sundays. Credit - Michael S. WilliamsonThe Washington Post/Getty Images

Employers will have to meet a higher standard to deny religious accommodations in the workplace, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Thursday.

The court clarified a previous legal standard that only required employers demonstrate a de minimis (minimal) cost to deny a workers request for a religious accommodation; it now says that employers must show that the burden of granting an accommodation has substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.

Groff v. DeJoy rose to the Supreme Court after a Christian former postal worker living in rural southeast Pennsylvania sued the post office. Gerald Groff argued that his job did not allow him to observe Sabbath on Sundays and punished him when he did not work those days.

Read More: The Post Office Made a Christian Employee Work on Sundays. Now Hes at the Supreme Court

Now, its not just observance of the Sabbath that will be affected by the Supreme Courts ruling, but all sorts of religious accommodations tied to scheduling, dress, and even abortion. That could include the ability for a Muslim woman to wear a hijab or a Christian person to attend Sunday church or an employees decision to refuse vaccines on religious grounds. A bevy of diverse religious organizations has told this Court that the de minimis test has blessed the denial of even minor accommodation in many cases, making it harder for members of minority faiths to enter the job market, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the opinion of the court.

This decision is especially important for religious minorities, like Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs, who are predominantly the plaintiffs in these cases, says Joshua McDaniel, director of Harvard Universitys Religious Freedom Clinic, who submitted an amicus brief on behalf of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in support of Groffs position. He points out that Muslims make up less than 1% of the general population but bring more than 18% of all Title VII religious accommodation claims. This decision will give those religious minorities a fair shot in court and, one would hope, encourage more employers to adopt more inclusive workplace policies so that religious employees wont have to choose between their livelihood and their faith, McDaniel says.

Other experts argue expanding religious accommodations for employees could also be harmful. We should not overlook that the Christian conservative legal movement brought this case and what they want is to allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for contraception, teachers to misgender students, and Christians to proselytize to their co-workers, says Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin and expert on religious liberty. These cases fill the federal dockets, and so the real question is what will the lower courts do with a new standard that emphasizes that businesses must take on substantial, not minimal, costs to accommodate religious practices of employees.

Read More: Louis DeJoys Surprising Second Act

The historical standard for religious accommodations draws from Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which requires employers to show that an employees request for religious accommodations would create an undue hardship in order to deny it. But the Supreme Court undercut this standard in 1997 when it ruled in Trans World Airlines v. Hardison that employers needed to prove they face more than a de minimis (minimal) cost to deny a religious accommodation.

Legal experts pointed out that most people understand undue hardship to mean more than just a minimal cost, even as some lower courts clung to this phrase. Now, the Supreme Court says interpreting Hardison primarily through the de minimis standard interpretation is a mistake.

We hold that showing more than a de minimis cost,  does not suffice to establish undue hardship under Title VII. Hardison cannot be reduced to that one phrase, Alito wrote. We therefore, like the parties, understand Hardison to mean that undue hardship is shown when a burden is substantial in the overall context of an employers business.

Legal experts say the courts decision on Thursday sends a message to lower courts that they should no longer abide by the minimal cost standard. The decision is a long overdue correction to an error that has eroded the protections that Congress enacted to safeguard workers rights from destruction by their employers, says John Meiser, director of the Religious Liberty Clinic at Notre Dame Law School. For decades, courts have permitted even the richest or most powerful employers to deny religious needs that would have cost next to nothing to allow.

Still, the Supreme Courts ruling might not help Groff. The U.S. Postal Service did make some accommodations for himlike initially allowing him to avoid Sunday shifts before staffing shortagesand his employers may have reached even the heightened standard, experts say. The local postmaster sometimes had to deliver mail himself and his coworkers had to take on more weekend shifts to accommodate Groff.

Groff may not ultimately win. The postal service went to great lengths to attempt to accommodate him and their efforts may have been enough, Sepper says.
Kashish Bastola, right, hugs fellow Harvard student Nahla Owens outside the Supreme Court in Washington on Thursday after the court struck down race-based affirmative action in college admission decisions. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

In another major reversal, the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action policies at colleges and universities that use race as a factor in deciding who is admitted.

In a pair of decisions, the six conservative justices ruled that Harvard, the nation's oldest private college, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the oldest state university, were illegally discriminating based on race and violating the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said the Constitution forbids treating people differently based on their race.

"The entire point of the Equal Protection Clause is that treating someone differently because of their skin color is not like treating them differently because they are from a city or from a suburb, or because they play the violin poorly or well," he wrote.

Read more: A lot of what you've heard about affirmative action is wrong

In dissent, liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson accused the majority of ignoring America's history as well as continuing racism today. Our country has never been colorblind," Jackson wrote.

"Today, this court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," Sotomayor wrote, joined by Justice Elena Kagan. "The court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

While the ruling will force many universities, including their law and medical schools, to change admissions policies, it won't prevent them from pursuing diversity or giving extra consideration to students who have overcome hardships or discrimination.

Affirmative action supporters and opponents trade chants outside the Supreme Court on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

School officials are likely to focus on a passage near the end of the chief justice's 40-page opinion:

"Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise," Roberts wrote. "A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that students unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race."

The vote was 6 to 3 in the North Carolina case and 6 to 2 in the Harvard case, from which Jackson, a former member of Harvard's Board of Overseers, recused herself.

Affirmative action, like abortion, has been a target of the conservative legal movement for decades, and the court's liberal precedents on these two major issues were put in danger when President Trump and Senate Republicans succeeded in appointing three new justices.

The impact of the rulings is likely to be limited in California, however. The University of California and the California State University systems are prohibited from using race as an admissions factor under a ballot measure approved by voters in 1996. In 2020, voters rejected a measure that would have overturned the 1996 ban.

Eight other states have followed California's lead in forbidding race-conscious admissions policies at state universities, including Michigan, Florida and Washington.

But the ruling in the Harvard case extends that prohibition to private universities, including Stanford and USC.

Read more: 'We're really worried': What do colleges do now after affirmative action ruling?

President Biden joined many Democrats and progressives in slamming the majority opinion.

"I strongly, strongly disagree with the court's decision," Biden said in remarks at the White House. "Discrimination still exists in America. Today's decision does not change that."

He proposed new guidance for colleges in the wake of the decision, urging them to take into account the adversity a student has overcome in the admissions process. "We need a new path forward, a path consistent with the law that protects diversity and expands opportunity," he said.

A protester flies American flag during a rally with other members of the Asian American Coalition for Education outside of the Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

In its opinion, the high court criticized rulings dating to 1978 that held that universities had a compelling interest in seeking racial diversity on campus and could consider the race of Black and Latino students as a plus factor when choosing among well-qualified applicants.

Those precedents had remained under challenge from conservatives, who argued that the Constitution and the civil rights law prohibited discrimination based on race, even where the consideration of race was intended to increase diversity and correct past injustices.

A group called Students for Fair Admissions, created by financier Edward Blum, accused Harvard of discriminating against Asian American applicants in favor of Black and Latino applicants. He then filed a separate lawsuit against UNC for similar discrimination.

Those suits lost in the lower courts. Judges said the two universities had made careful and limited use of race in seeking a diverse class of new students.

Read more: Opinion: Affirmative action isn't hurting Asian Americans. Here's why that myth survives

But the Supreme Court, with six conservatives, voted last year to take up the appeals.

Blum hailed the outcome as a long-sought victory. The Supreme Court's opinion "marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multiracial, multiethnic nation," he said. "The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a students race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled."

Times staff writer Courtney Subramanian in Washington contributed to this report.

Get the best of the Los Angeles Times politics coverage with the Essential Politics newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Supreme Court ruled that private and public colleges and universities may not consider race as a factor in admissions, striking down the landmark case Grutter v Bollinger (2003).

For more than 20 years, colleges and universities have used affirmative action to help establish a diverse group of accepted students which contributes to a more positive education experience.

But now, higher education institutions will no longer be allowed to consider race as a factor in admissions. Instead, students who wish to have their race or culture considered in their application will have to volunteer the information in their personal essay.

The new ruling is a result of the consolidated cases Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College.

The ruling was based on a pair of cases brought forth by the anti-affirmative action organisation Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) which is headed by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum.

Since its founding in 2014, SFFA has filed over 20,000 lawsuits on behalf of students and their parents who claim students did not get accepted to a selective university due to their race.

In Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College, Mr Blum represented a group of anonymous Asian American students who were rejected from Harvard College and claim it was because of their race.

Though Harvard is a private university, it received federal funding making it subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits racial discrimination.

The students argued that Harvard places a quota on the number of Asian American students it accepts every year thus participating in racial discrimination. Harvard denies this.

In Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina, Mr Blum represented white and Asian American students rejected from the Univeristy of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill who alleged that UNC prioritised race in applications and awarded under-represented minority students.

SFFA claims UNC, a publicly-funded university, violated the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

More than 60 individuals and organisations filed briefsin support of Harvard College and North Carolina University, emphasising the detrimental effects that ruling in favor of Students for Fair Admissions would have.

The NAACP wrote that SFFAs distored understanding of one of the most, if not the most, important case in the constitution canon demeans Black Americans, and it would demean this Court to embrace it.

More follows
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard in a major victory for conservative activists, ending the systematic consideration of race in the admissions process.

The court ruled that both programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and are therefore unlawful. The vote was 6-3 in the UNC case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, in which liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was recused.

The decision was hailed by prominent conservatives, who say the Constitution should be "colorblind," with former President Donald Trump calling it "a great day for America." Liberals, however, condemned the ruling, saying affirmative action is a key tool for remedying historic race discrimination.

"It wasnt perfect, but theres no doubt that it helped offer new ladders of opportunity for those who, throughout our history, have too often been denied a chance to show how fast they can climb," said Michelle Obama, the first Black first lady.

President Joe Biden called the decision a "severe disappointment," adding that his administration would provide guidance about how colleges could maintain diversity without violating the ruling.

University of North Carolina students make their way across the campus in Chapel Hill on March 28, 2023. (Jonathan Drake / Reuters / Redux)

The court effectively overturned the 2003 ruling Grutter v. Bollinger, in which it said race could be considered as a factor in the admissions process because universities had a compelling interest in maintaining diverse campuses. In doing so, the court scrapped decades of precedent, including a ruling dating to 1978, that upheld a limited consideration of race in university admissions to combat historic discrimination against Black people and other minority groups.

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts did not explicitly say the former precedents were overruled, but in a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, only the second Black justice to be appointed to the court, said the Grutter case was, "for all intents and purposes, overruled."

Roberts wrote that both programs "lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points."

The ruling exposed stark divisions among the justices, who sit on a court that is more diverse than it has ever been.

Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, wrote in a dissenting opinion that the ruling was "truly a tragedy for us all."

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice, wrote that the court "stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."

Sotomayor, in a sign of her displeasure, read a lengthy summary of her dissenting opinion in the courtroom.

Thomas, a long-term critic of affirmative action, wrote his own 58-page opinion, in which he called the programs in question "rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in the entering classes."

Both policies "fly in the face of our colorblind Constitution and our nation's equality ideal," he added.

Jackson stared straight ahead while Thomas read his opinion from the bench.

The ruling is another example in which the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has delivered on the long-held goals of conservative legal activists. It follows the seismic ruling last year that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed a right to abortion.

The courts decision is a major blow to the most selective universities, which say some consideration of race is vital in ensuring they have diverse student bodies.

The small number of schools that have extremely competitive admissions programs are the most affected. They have predicted that rulings against the colleges will lead to a significant drop in the enrollment of minority students and require admissions officers to experiment with new race-neutral plans to counteract the impact. The vast majority of colleges accept almost all applicants and will not be as affected.

Among the dozens of institutions that take race into account are Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and Dartmouth College.

Roberts left open the possibility of colleges' considering the discussion of race in an individual student's application, citing the example of someone who personally encountered racial discrimination.

The student "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race," he added.

He also noted that the ruling does not address considering race in military academies. The Biden administration had warned that a ruling curbing affirmative action would detrimentally affect the U.S. military, which depends on a well-qualified and diverse officer corps educated at institutions like the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, as well as civilian universities.

It is unclear what flexibility colleges will have in adopting race-neutral programs to foster diverse student bodies. Those defending affirmative action said such policies will often fail, leading to declines in Black and Hispanic enrollments. The challengers point to examples in the nine states that already ban the practice as evidence that considering race is not essential.

The ruling is likely to have repercussions far beyond higher education, including on K-12 schools, and it puts increased pressure on colleges to come up with workable race-neutral programs that would foster racial diversity. The decision could also lead to future challenges to racial diversity programs used by employers, as similar arguments could be made under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment.

In the 2003 ruling, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote that affirmative action programs should no longer be needed by 2028.

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in a concurring opinion, said that Thursday's ruling would apply first to those starting college in 2028 and that the decision therefore did not conflict with the 2003 ruling.

Affirmative action, introduced to redress historic discrimination, has been a contentious issue for years, strongly supported by educational institutions and corporate America as being vital to fostering diversity and condemned by conservatives as being antithetical to the notion that racial equality means all races are treated the same.

Both challenges were brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions, led by the conservative activist Ed Blum.

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a students race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled," he said in a statement.

The legal debate that led to the latest ruling was left unresolved by a fractured 1978 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited racial quotas but left the door open to some consideration of race. That then led to the 2003 Grutter ruling, which again reluctantly allowed some affirmative action programs.

In 2016, the last time the Supreme Court ruled on affirmative action, the justices narrowly upheld the admissions policy at the University of Texas at Austin on a 4-3 vote, with conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has since retired, casting the deciding vote.

The court shifted to the right after President Donald Trump appointed three conservative justices. President Joe Bidens appointment of Jackson did not change the ideological balance of the court, as she replaced fellow liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Because Jackson served on Harvards Board of Overseers during the litigation, she stepped aside from the Harvard case and participated only in the North Carolina dispute.

Blums group argued that any consideration of race in college admissions is unlawful under both Title VI and the Constitution. It said that the UNC admissions policy discriminates against white and Asian applicants and that the Harvard policy discriminates against Asians. In both cases, lower courts ruled in favor of the universities.

In defending their policies, the universities and their supporters  including the Biden administration, civil rights groups, businesses and former military leaders  argued that excluding someone based on race is completely different from seeking diversity on campus. The universities say race is just one factor that is considered as part of broad individualized analysis of each applicant.

UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said the university "remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond."

Harvard leaders issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to "the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences."

Harvard will now "determine how to preserve, consistent with the court's new precedent, our essential values," they added.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action at U.S. colleges, presidential candidates for 2024 react

A person protests outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, June 29, 2023. The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. | Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press

On Thursday, the Supreme Court released a major ruling on affirmative action, rejecting the use of race in college admissions.

The decision struck down race-conscious policies in two separate cases  Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College in a 6-2 ruling, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina in a 6-3 ruling.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion in both decisions, with justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett in agreement.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case because of her affiliation with the school.

The Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause, Roberts wrote, per CBS News.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.

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Still, universities can take into consideration an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise, the opinion stated.

Both suits were brought forward by Students for Fair Admissions last October, and they alleged that the admissions process discriminated against white and Asian American applicants and gave preference to Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants.

Asian American Coalitions Yukong Mike Zhao told reporters outside the Supreme Court that since the case was filed six months ago, nearly 360 organizations united behind Students for Fair Admissions, the plaintiff in both decisions. He called it a historic win for Asians and all Americans.

Although the ruling points to Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, the two oldest universities in the U.S., it will affect all colleges and universities in the U.S., according to The Washington Post.

Thomas wrote a concurrence where he clarified that the precedent set by the 2003 case Grutter v. Bollinger  which upheld the use of race in admissions  will be struck down.

The Courts opinion rightly makes clear that Grutter is, for all intents and purposes, overruled, he wrote. And, it sees the universities admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.

As the University of North Carolinas newspaper noted, nine states  including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington  have banned race-conscious admissions in recent years.

Brown Jackson wrote a dissenting opinion, saying that the Supreme Courts decision will not end racism.

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The best that can be said of the majoritys perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism, she wrote. But if that is its motivation, the majority proceeds in vain. If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us.

Harvard College said in a statement it will comply with the courts decision while abiding by its values of pursuing the high calling of educating creative thinkers and bold leaders, of deepening human knowledge, and of promoting progress, justice, and human flourishing.

According to CNN, the University of North Carolina will also comply with the ruling.

Biden, Republican candidates for 2024 react to the ruling

President Joe Biden delivered remarks on the ruling hours after it was released.

I believe our colleges are stronger when theyre racially diverse. Our nation is stronger, but because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation, he said.

We cannot let the decision be the last word, Biden said.

His administration called on higher education institutions to give serious consideration to the adversities students have overcome, which includes a students means of finance and personal experiences of discrimination, as well as where they grew up and went to school, according to a White House press release.

Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidates for 2024 applauded the ruling.

Here are statements from some of the candidates.

For starters, President Donald Trump, who is leading in the GOP primary polls, called it a great day for America.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded, he said on Truth Social.

Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also said that the admissions process should be based on merit, and not race or ethnicity.

The Supreme Court has correctly upheld the Constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities, he said.

Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley said that the Supreme Courts decision reaffirms American values of freedom and opportunity.

She added: This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Vice President Mike Pence said he was pleased about the decision and said he was honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured todays welcomed decision.

If elected, he said he will continue appointing judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends, he said on Twitter.

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy in a statement said that he was glad that the U.S. Supreme Court finally laid to rest one of the worst failed experiments in American history: affirmative action.

He also made a promise: If elected President, I have committed to repealing Lyndon Johnsons ill-thought Executive Order 11246, which mandates that federal contractorsapproximately 20% of the U.S. workforceadopt race-based hiring preferences.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina also cheered it as a good day for the country as he told Fox News.

Honestly, this is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin is what our constitution wants. We are continuing to work on forming this more perfect union, he said while looking back at the palpable progress over the decade
Supreme Court hears arguments in Harvard, UNC affirmative action cases

Supporters of keeping affirmative action policies rally outside the outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 2022. Credit - The Washington PostGetty Images

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has had a complicated relationship with affirmative action, resulting in very divided reactions to the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in the Harvard and University of North Carolina (UNC) cases. For many of us in the AAPI community, we are mourning the Supreme Courts decision to throw away 40 years of legal precedent that confirms the constitutionality and legality of race-conscious admissions in higher education, as the immediate impact will undoubtedly be less diverse student bodies. We will see our marginalized AAPI students, especially from some Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian communities, struggle even more educationally than they do already.

And yet there are other AAPIs celebrating the Courts decision, as some of the most critical opponents of affirmative action have also come from the AAPI community. In the Harvard case, for instance, the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (SFFA), sued on behalf of several Asian American students, claiming Harvard deliberately discriminated against Asian American applicants because of their race and violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Alleging that race-conscious admissions practices discriminate against AAPIs has been a strategy by opponents of affirmative action to mobilize a subset of our community. Even in 2020, when California attempted to reinstitute affirmative action through a state ballot initiative called Proposition 16, groups like Asian American Coalition for Education and Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation were very vocal opponents against the law.

The reality is that the majority of Asian Americans support affirmative action, according to a 2023 study by the Pew Research Center and the 2022 Asian American Voter Survey. This is why in the Harvard case, our organization (Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California), and other AAPI and civil rights organizations, filed an amicus brief on behalf of Asian American Harvard students who, like most AAPI and other Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students, feel the benefit from racially diverse campuses that affirmative action provide. Moreover, claiming that AAPI students coveted seats at universities are being taken away by other Black and Brown students limits the progress AAPI and other BIPOC communities have made to address systemic racism within education. This mentality creates a harmful wedge by pitting AAPIs against other communities of colorwhen we should be working together.

Read More: Edward Blum on His Long Quest to End Race-Conscious College Admissions

Its true that certain subsets of the AAPI community are disproportionately well represented in higher education. According to a 2021 Pew Research Study, 54% of Asian Americans 25 and up have a bachelors degree or higher, compared to the 33% national average of all American students. But to say categorically that AAPIs will benefit from taking away affirmative action is a fallacy. It is important to remember that our community is not a monolith, and we have the highest disparities within any racial group when it comes to college attainment rates, as well as income levels. The Pew Study disaggregated ethnic data to show at the top end, Indians sat at 75% for college attainment rates while Bhutanese and Laotian were at 15% and 18%, respectively. Pacific Islanders face even greater educational challenges. In California, Marshallese and Tongans graduate at 11% and 14%, respectively, compared to 59% of Asian Americans, 47% of Whites, 28% of Blacks, and 15% of Latinx. When you penetrate the model minority myth that paints all AAPIs as academic well-achievers and you actually break down the data, you find that there are huge educational needs and barriers within some of our ethnic communities, particularly those from the Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander communities, that are improved through affirmative action.

More from TIME

For example, University of Hawaiis strategic plan commits to higher education opportunities for all, especially those historically underrepresented including Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Filipino, economically disadvantaged, first generation, LGBTQ+, rural and students with disabilities. Plans like theirs create programs for the recruitment, retention, and completions rates of target student populations. Even in Californias K-12 system, investments have been made for increased access to college readiness courses and programing across the whole state but with an equity focus on students facing opportunity gaps. Whats more, at Californias university level, the Educational Opportunity Program, as well as the creation of student leadership organizations and ethnic centers, are all part of the strategies to increase recruitment, retention, and completion.

In fact, if admissions policies were based purely on test-scores, Asian American students would lose ground. According to a 2021 report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 1 in 5 Asian Americans currently enrolled in elite colleges would not be admitted. The report shows that Asian Americans are more likely to apply to highly selective colleges compared to other racial groups. With affirmative action, they get in. However, using just test scores, 21% would no longer qualify.

But despite the Supreme Courts decision to slash race-conscious admissions practices in higher education, there are ways to mitigate some of the damage that will inevitably be done. States that will now be scrambling to identify new strategies to promote racially diverse student bodies can look to Californias playbook, as it is one of the eight states in the country that currently bans affirmative action.

In 1996, California passed through a state ballot initiative, Proposition 209, which ended affirmative action in the state. The number of underrepresented minority enrollments plummeted in all levels of higher education. Over the past 27 years, California has been able to reverse some of the effects by finding creative strategies to increase student diversity. One way schools can compensate for lower admissions is by focusing on retention through mentorship programs and affinity groups for their students of color to reduce college dropout rates.

Foundations and corporations have also mobilized to fill the gap to promote greater pathways to high education for BIPOC students by funding more scholarships, school enrichment programs, and other educational programs targeted towards underserved students of color. Community-led organizations and coalitions like Californias College for All Coalition, made up of AAPI, Latinx, Black, and white members in higher education, successfully advocates for state budget increases that especially help English language learners or foster children get into college. These students disproportionately come from Latinx and AAPI immigrant families or Black families.

Students of color need racial diversity on campuses now more than ever. Our community has been hit hard by the 11,000 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, according to STOP AAPI HATE, AAPI students have found solidarity and allyship with other students of color. Throughout our nations history, communities of color have banded together in the fight for racial justice. In 1869, Frederick Douglass spoke out on behalf of Chinese immigrants about their efforts to become U.S. citizens and their rights to vote. In 1965, Filipino farm workers reached out to Latinos to embolden the Delano Grape Strike which led to a stronger labor movement. During World War II, the NAACP openly opposed the incarceration of Japanese Americans. Without a doubt, the Black civil rights movement paved the way to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 which changed the future of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.

In the wake of the Courts tragic decision, the only way forward is for AAPIs, BIPOC communities, and our allies to continue to band together and fight educational inequality.
Global firms see big potential in China's green shift

Xinhua) 08:25, June 29, 2023

This photo shows the construction site of the world's first 16-megawatt offshore wind turbine in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

TIANJIN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- With its enormous market scale and consistent efforts on advancing its green transition, China is expected to provide more attractive opportunities for global investors.

At the ongoing 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, entrepreneurs are optimistic about China's green shift, which they expect to provide players from home and abroad with a broader platform and new opportunities.

"We are particularly optimistic about the opportunities presented by China's 'dual carbon' goals," said Yu Feng, president of Honeywell China. "Our core business aligns with China's market demands and development trends."

China has announced that it will peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

In April, the U.S. industrial conglomerate Honeywell signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone to establish a flagship sustainable aviation fuel production base in north China. The move aims to meet the growing market demand for sustainable aviation fuel, the company said.

Yu said that Honeywell remains confident in the continued growth of business in China, setting its sights on the prospects in digital technology and low-carbon development.

"We will continue to leverage our advantages in digitalization and sustainable technologies, and work with Chinese partners to help industries achieve low-carbon, smart and efficient development," Yu said.

Another multinational jumping on the bandwagon is Danfoss, a Danish equipment manufacturer that has invested in China for over 20 years. Thanks to China's pursuit of green development, its sales in the market expanded from no more than 4 billion yuan (about 554.78 million U.S. dollars) in 2015 to nearly 10 billion yuan last year.

"China's 'dual carbon' goals spurred huge market demand in green transformation and manufacturing upgrading, bringing opportunities for us," said Dai Jian, head of Danfoss Global Services, China.

"We will continue to expand our investment in green innovation and green manufacturing in China," Dai added.

From announcing "dual carbon" goals to advancing its national carbon market, Chinese authorities have introduced a raft of measures to boost the use of renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions, making remarkable progress in that direction.

"China has seen rapid growth in the new-energy sector, including solar energy and wind energy, and it is expected that the country will achieve its target for total installed solar power capacity five years ahead of schedule," said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs at the Summer Davos.

According to a report released by the World Economic Forum, China is the world's largest producer and consumer of hydrogen, a key factor enabling the country to deliver on its carbon neutrality objective.

"The emerging green hydrogen market is set to reshape the global energy map by the end of the decade, creating a 1.4 trillion-U.S. dollars market by 2050," said Patrick Tsang, Deloitte China CEO.

The burgeoning green industry has not only grabbed the attention of foreign firms, but has also helped Chinese companies to thrive by expanding their presence in the global market.

Backed by China's support on developing new-energy vehicles, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), a battery producer in China, has already become an indispensable partner for the leading automakers worldwide. It produces more than one-third of the world's batteries and aims to become a pivotal player in the transition to clean energy.

It has established 13 battery manufacturing plants worldwide, two of which are located outside of China, said the company.

"We will continue to expand our global footprint to help achieve international sustainability goals," said Ni Jun, Chief Manufacturing Officer of CATL.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
TOKYO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan's annual tax revenue in the fiscal year 2022 exceeded 71 trillion yen (492 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time, driven by a modest economic recovery, local media reported Thursday.

The fiscal 2022 total topped the previous year's 67,037.9 billion yen, hitting a record high for the third straight year, public broadcaster NHK said, citing government sources.

Corporate tax revenue grew due to an earnings recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, while higher prices and robust personal consumption are believed to have pushed up consumption tax revenue, said the report.

The finance ministry is expected to release fiscal 2022 tax revenue data in early July, it added. 
Some suspect footage of Putin in Dagestan to be of body double

Putin not only took photos with the crowd, but shook hands with locals and even kissed some of them

Is it the real thing?

Read also: "Fateful" Putin address deeply disappoints Russian public

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin reportedly visited the Republic of Dagestan in southwestern Russia on June 28  but doubts have emerged as to whether or not it truly was Putin that was captured on video, or a body double.

Footage released by Russian state media showed a man who looks like Putin walking the streets of the city of Derbent, where he was greeted by enthusiastic local residents.

Remarkably, Putin not only took photos with the crowd, but shook hands with locals and even kissed some of them.

As such, social netizens have doubted the authenticity of Putins actual presence in the video given his reputedly paranoid fears for his health and safety, leading him to keep his distance from world leaders and even his own officials.

The Russian dictator is often pictured sitting meters away from visiting dignitaries and Kremlin officials at opposite ends of comically long tables.

Screenshot/Twitter

Moreover, so-called z-war correspondents recently admitted that they had to spend two weeksin quarantine before meeting the dictator.

So Putin coming into such close contact with random members of the public seems unlikely. And in previous such meetings with the public keen-eyed Kremlin watchers have identified a regular cast of people who play members of the public in what appear to be carefully staged events.

In addition, it seems unlikely that Putin would have dared to simply go out to ordinary people following the recent Wagner mutiny, where Russian civilians in the city of Rostov-on-Don enthusiastically greeted the rebels.

Many also drew attention to the drastic change in Putins appearance, suggesting that the footage from Dagestan shows either a body double or a digital copy.

Screenshot/Twitter

Screenshot/Twitter

Screenshot/Twitter

Screenshot/Twitter

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
A suspicious package was found on the steps of the Supreme Court Thursday, causing several road closures around the building before officials later gave an all clear.

U.S. Capitol Police had announced in a tweet that it was assisting the Supreme Court Police with the package and helping to keep the area clear out of an abundance of caution. It said in an alert that it is conducting an investigation into the package on the Unit Block of First Street Southeast Washington, D.C., on the courts steps, and staff and other personnel should avoid the area until further notice.

Capitol Police said road closures were in effect on Maryland Avenue between Constitution Avenue and First Street Northeast, on First Street between Constitution Avenue Northeast and Independence Avenue Southeast and on East Capitol Street between First and Second streets.

It later said the package is all clear and roads around the area would reopen soon.

The Hill has reached out to the Supreme Courts public information office for comment and additional information.

The incident happened after the release of the Supreme Courts sweeping ruling striking down the affirmative action admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. The programs used race as a factor among several for deciding which applicants to accept to their schools, but the court ruled that this violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

Updated at 3:12 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
I asked our collective queer daddies, aka the Old Gays, how to build sustainable queer joy all year round.

I asked our collective queer daddies, aka the Old Gays, how to build sustainable queer joy all year round.

Evenduringour officially designated month of celebration, queer people are grappling with anti-trans laws in the South and essentially every form of homophobia you can name. The Human Rights Campaign recently declared a state of emergency in the U.S. for LGBTQ+ people. So, yes, parades and parties are great and theyll get us through the month, but what about the reality that many of us are trying to figure out how to survive and thrive in our daily lives?

I decided to seek out wisdom from our collective queer daddies  aka the Old Gays  on how to build sustainable queer joy.

Robert Reeves, Mick Peterson, Bill Lyons and Jessay Martin, known on social media as the Old Gays, are four queer elders living their best lives. They reside together in a gorgeous home in Palm Springs, California, and make inspiring content full of singing, dancing and drag.

It sounds idyllic, right? It really is, they assure me. But their lives havent always been this sweet. I wish they knew what we went through, Martin says of younger queer people.

The Old Gays recently appeared on No Straight Answers  a YouTube game show presented by Visible, a digital wireless service owned by Verizon  where they were pitted against a team of young queer people in a battle to see who knew the most queer history. No spoilers here, but all the Old Gays agree that one of the first steps to happiness is knowing queer history.

But because our history isnt often taught in schools, learning about the struggles of queer folks throughout time requires effort. Several queer history podcasts and books have arrived in the past few years, which has been a major help. But to really understand the nuanced experiences of our queer elders, we need to talk to them. Take our oral histories while were alive, says Peterson.

Lyons says that knowing about the struggles of the past may help us deal with current circumstances and give us more hope for the future. The Old Gays, for example, didnt just survive one of the most harrowing moments in gay history  the AIDS crisis in America  theyve gone on to become indisputable icons.

Peterson tells me that one good thing that came out of the tragedy of the AIDS crisis was the galvanization around it. The greater population started seeing us for who we were and seeing our courage, he says. The AIDS crisis was arguably the first time in history that gay people and allies were in the public eye in record numbers fighting for gay rights  and gay lives.

Its terrifying that it took the deaths of so many to turn the tide of public opinion in our favor, but it did. Talking to people who lived through that history is a reminder that no matter how bleak things seem, we can move through them into beautiful futures, says Reeves.

While the Old Gay men are horrified by the current anti-trans and anti-queer legislative shit show, they have perspective. Theyve seen this type of hate up close before.

The tactics that the right-wing movement is using are going to come back to bite them, Lyons says. They are demonstrating how ugly they are willing to be, and more and more people are going to see that for what it is. Youre going to see us get stronger when we get past this.

The truth is, no history book can give us the kind of reassurance we need right now. We need to look in each others eyes and hear each others stories. I would like young people to understand what we had to go through when we came out, Lyons says. Understanding the emotional resilience of those who came (out) before us is an honor  and its our responsibility as people who will have to pass along that knowledge in turn.

For queer people, empowerment often goes hand in hand with bodily freedom and sexual liberation. Still, some of us need to hear this: Connecting with queer elders doesnt mean just hooking up with people older than you. Peterson says that, while many of his recent sexual partners have been under 40, bonding on a physical level isnt enough. Theres a real need for the younger generations to connect beyond a sex encounter, he says.

The popularity of the Old Gays and their status as elite queer influencers suggests were all seeking a more expansive multigenerational connection. People really love when we post about looking back, Reeves says. They want to know more.

Queer people and events have largely been left out of history. Sometimes that omission has been a deliberate act of erasure, but other times the events themselves were simply happening behind the scenes or on a local level. Before Stonewall, I dont think there was any main newsworthy event, Reeves tells me. It was more what was happening locally. The gay community was being depressed by local law enforcement that would try to tap down on any kind of gay activity. It wasnt until the 70s that things started getting newsworthy.

Knowing about those smaller happenings is, in some ways, just as important as knowing the broad strokes. This is not ancient history  these are the experiences of our living queer elders, and all you have to do to know more is ask. Learning queer history is more like studying the genealogy of family than studying the rise and fall of civilizations. And that seems fitting, since for a lot of queer people, community and family go hand in hand.

Thats another gem that the Old Gays want to pass on to younger gays. What you need to do is develop friendships that are a repertoire of family, says Peterson. They may be with you for the rest of your life. Build those relationships on trust and love and recognize each other in the struggles.
A photographer said protesters stayed inside the compound for 15 minutes before leaving when security forces arrived

Dozens of people have stormed the compound of the Swedish embassy in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, after a Quran was burnt during a protest in Sweden.

Salwan Momika, said to be an Iraqi living in Sweden, set fire to a copy of Islam's holy book outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday.

The Quran burning was condemned by many Muslim-majority countries.

A crowd gathered outside the embassy in Baghdad on Thursday after a powerful cleric called for an "angry" protest.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show dozens of protesters walking inside the courtyard.

An AFP news agency photographer at the scene said the crowd briefly entered the building and remained inside for about 15 minutes before leaving when local security forces were deployed.

Muslims consider the Quran the sacred word of God and view any intentional damage or show of disrespect towards it as deeply offensive.

The Quran burning on Wednesday took place as Muslims around the world celebrated the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar.

Swedish police had given Mr Momika a permit for the protest, in accordance with free-speech laws. But later police said the incident was being investigated for incitement of hatred.

The incident has also sparked anger in other Muslim-majority nations including Turkey - a Nato member which has a say over whether Sweden also gains membership.

Turkey - which was also angered by a Quran burning protest earlier this year - said it was "unacceptable" to allow such "anti-Islamic actions" to take place "under the pretext of freedom of expression".

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "We will eventually teach the arrogant Westerners that insulting Muslims is not freedom of thought."

Police intervene as people react to a burning of a copy of the Quran in Stockholm on Wednesday

Middle Eastern nations including Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt strongly criticised the burning.

Morocco and Jordan have recalled their ambassadors to Stockholm, and Morocco has also summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat.

Iraq said the incident was "a reflection of a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression."

Iran echoed Iraq's criticism, calling the act of burning the Quran "provocative" and "unacceptable", while Egypt described it as a "shameful" act which was especially provocative as Muslims mark Eid al-Adha.

Saudi Arabia - the destination of around 1.8m worshippers on the annual Hajj pilgrimage this week - said "these hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification."

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the Quran burning was "legal but not appropriate".

Plans to burn copies of the Quran have sparked riots in Sweden in recent months.

Police had rejected similar protest applications recently, but courts then ruled that they should be allowed on freedom of expression grounds.
The Air Forces new T-7 Red Hawk training jet flew for the first time Wednesday in St. Louis, Missouri, the company said in a release.

Its flight marks the beginning of the T-7s final development phase before Boeing starts producing military-ready jets. Red Hawks will replace the Air Forces six-decade-old T-38 Talon trainers as the main platform that prepares American and foreign pilots to fly fighter and bomber aircraft.

Over the course of the hour-long trip from St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Maj. Bryce Turner, a test pilot with the 416th Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and Steve Schmidt, Boeings chief T-7 test pilot, gauged how smoothly the plane maneuvered and tested secondary systems like the auxiliary power supply, Boeing spokesperson Randy Jackson said.

The pair vetted how well the plane handled positive and negative g forces, as a pilot experiences when accelerating or flying upside down, and practiced in high-altitude airspace, Jackson said.

The stable performance of the aircraft and its advanced cockpit and systems are game-changers for U.S. Air Force student pilots and instructors alike, Turner said in the release.

As the first Air Force training jet designed in the 21st century, the T-7 offers students a digital cockpit, more realistic simulators and software that can be updated as real-world threats evolve.

The airframe that flew Wednesday is one of five test aircraft that will be delivered to the Air Force before it starts receiving fully finished jets at its schoolhouses. The Air Force plans to buy 351 Red Hawks starting in December 2025 under a $9.2 billion contract awarded in 2018.

But design problems with the escape system and ejection seat have set the production timeline back by multiple years.

Air Force officials now plan to decide in early 2025 whether to begin building operational jets, meaning the service would start receiving aircraft two years later than originally intended.

Some problems stem from an effort to make the jet more accessible to pilots of any race or sex. Earlier airframes were primarily designed to accommodate men based on body measurements from decades-old military studies. That means many womens torsos or arms are too short to safely operate the jets or to eject.

The Air Force has said that testing showed T-7 pilots could be at high risk for concussions, unsafely speeding up when their parachutes open, or losing their visor. Further tests earlier this year aimed to resolve those concerns.

Jackson said a successful high-speed test in February laid the groundwork for future rounds to ensure the escape system is safe, but did not say whether specific issues remain.

Boeing claimed in the release that the T-7s cockpit egress system is the safest of any trainer.

This first flight with the Air Force represents our teams commitment to delivering a new level of safety and training for fighter and bomber pilots, said Evelyn Moore, Boeings T-7 program manager, in the release. We remain focused on engineering ways to better prepare warfighters for changing mission demands and emerging threats.

Meanwhile, T-38 maintenance issues have slowed the training pipeline amid a longstanding fighter pilot shortage.

Air Force Times reported in March that a private contractors delays in restoring the T-38s J85 engines threatened to slow pilot production for at least another six months. The engine enterprise may not fully recover until April 2024, despite improvements in the supply of spare parts and repair rates, the service said.

Its an old engine.  Theres a lot of moving parts, Air Education and Training Command boss Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson said Feb. 16. But as a customer, I just want to produce pilots.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action policies at two major American colleges on Thursday, scrambling a decades-old effort to diversify campuses as the nation continues to grapple with race.

The ruling, decided on ideological lines, will require Harvard and the University of North Carolina to rework their admissions polices and will have reverberations across the country as other colleges come to terms with its implications. The decision may also have implications for the American workforce and the court itself.

Here's are five takeaways from the Supreme Court's major affirmative action decision.

Harvard, UNC affirmative action policies are out

Harvard and UNC considered race as one of many factors in their admissions, an approach that lower courts ruled was consistent with prior Supreme Court decisions. An anti-affirmative group challenged those polices, claiming that in the zero-sum game of high-stakes admissions, the policies discriminated against Asian Americans and white students. The Supreme Court ruled on a 6-3 vote in the Harvard case  and 6-2 in the UNC decision  that the policies violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. In a statement, Harvard said it would abide by the decision but would remain committed to encouraging diversity, likely through other means.

Many other colleges will also have to rethink their policies

Several colleges  including Harvard  and education experts focused on a specific line in Roberts' opinion. Nothing in the opinion, Roberts said, "should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." That line may leave some room for schools to consider the influence of a person's race, if not their race itself. Other experts said the court appeared to allow schools to consider race-neutral factors that may help promote diversity, such as a family's socio-economic status or where they live.

But in some states where race-conscious admissions were banned long before the ruling, creating a student body that is diverse and reflects the state's high school population has proven difficult.

Demonstrators gather outside the Supreme Court in support of Affirmative Action on Monday, October 31, 2022.

How might the Supreme Court's decision affect the workplace?

The Supreme Court's decision was limited to higher education and wont directly affect employers. But the ripple effects from the ruling could nevertheless come quickly, starting with a decline in college graduates from underrepresented backgrounds, meaning the loss of "a pipeline of highly qualified future workers and business leaders," companies from Google to General Electric warned the Supreme Court earlier in the case. Legal experts are also concerned the decision may embolden attacks on corporate diversity and equity and inclusion initiatives as tensions rise over how corporate America should address lingering workplace inequality.

President Joe Biden condemns the SCOTUS decision overturning affirmative action.

How the decision may affect public opinion of the Supreme Court

The court's majority, perhaps tellingly, was careful in how it discussed a 2003 precedent on affirmative action that Harvard and UNC claimed they were following. That decision, Grutter v. Bollinger, allowed schools to consider race as one of many factors in admissions. But while the court rejected the approach used by Harvard and UNC, the court did not explicitly say it had overruled Grutter. The high court has been under intense scrutiny since last year, when it overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 precedent that established a constitutional right to abortion. But polls suggested Americans are more divided over affirmative action, and the Harvard and UNC cases never ginned up the same degree of controversy as last year's abortion decision.

Read the decision: Supreme Court blocks use of affirmative action at Harvard, UNC

Supreme Court exempts military academies from the decision

In a footnote, the court exempted military academies, such as West Point, that use affirmative action  a distinction that raised eyebrows and drew some protest on the left. The Biden administration told the court during oral arguments last year that diversity is "vitally important to our nation's military." In the footnote, Roberts wrote that "no military academy is a party to these cases" and that lower courts never address "the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context." That sparked questions, including from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, about why the court saw national security implications for diversity in the military but not the higher education population at large.

"The Department of Defense is aware of the Supreme Court decision concerning affirmative action in college admissions," said Jade Fulce, a Pentagon spokesperson. "We are currently assessing the decision and its potential impacts on our practices."

Contributing: Alia Wong, Nirvi Shah, Tom Vanden Brook and Miles J. Herszenhorn

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Affirmative action: How the Supreme Court ruling will affect the U.S.
Lively Technical College Director Shelly Bell has been named the next vice president of workforce innovation at Tallahassee Community College.

Tallahassee Community College President Jim Murdaugh recently announced Shelly Bell  current director of Lively Technical College  as the new vice president for Workforce Innovation.

As Bell makes the transition from six years in the director role in order to start at TCC July 24, she replaces Kimberly Moore, who will be leaving TCC after serving in the vice president role for a decade to join Yavapai College in Arizona as its inaugural chief workforce innovation officer.

Shelly Bells connections in the community and her experience in career and technical education will allow her to start making an impact on her very first day, particularly as we work to strengthen the ties between the programs at TCC and Lively Technical College, Murdaugh said in a prepared statement.

Most importantly, she has a passion for helping students achieve their fullest potential by finding a meaningful career path," he added. "I am thrilled to have her join our leadership team."

Tallahassee Community College President Jim Murdaugh

Other TCC news: TCC adds 3 new bachelor's degrees, putting the college in 'new territory'

At the same time, Murdaugh expressed how much Moore will be missed following the announcement of her new position during a Board of Trustees meeting last week.

This is bittersweet, Murdaugh said at the meeting. Weve worked together for 10 years, and Im a huge fan of Dr. Kim Moore and what shes done here as well as in our community.

More: Her efforts in Tallahassee led to countless workforce opportunities. Now, Kim Moore is headed west

Bell is a Florida State University alumna with a bachelors degree in education and a masters degree in educational leadership and administration.

Before joining LTC  which serves approximately 2,000 students a year while TCC had an enrollment of over 11,000 in fall 2022  Bell served as the principal of Godby High School and spearheaded its engineering, aviation and certified nursing assistant career programs.

Beyond the role she played at Godby, Bell contributed to career options at other high schools in the Tallahassee community by collaborating to introduce welding programs at Rickards High School, an automotive program at Lincoln High School and nursing programs at Chiles, Rickards and SAIL High Schools.

Related news: At just 15 years old, this student earned a diploma from Lincoln  and a degree from TCC

She also serves on the CareerSource Capital Region Board of Directors and is active with the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, her leadership at LTC that followed her K-12 experience helped the school transition from a vocational center to a technical college.

Although TCC strongly opposed the decision to add college to the vocational center's name  with Murdaugh calling the change a "marketing effort at the time  the new title was finalized in 2019 as the two schools are situated next to each other on Appleyard Drive and offer a few programs in common, such as welding and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).

Lively Technical name change: Over objections of TCC and FSU, Lively Technical Center to become Lively Technical College

More on name opposition: Lively Technical seeks name change to include 'college,' faces pushback from neighbor TCC

In the fall, LTCs east campus will open in Tallahassee at 283 Trojan Trail with its first programs being central sterile processing technician, nursing assistant, and phlebotomy. It will also offer GED and adult ESOL courses.

Two other new programs being offered at LTC besides central sterile processing technician on its future east campus are massage therapy and plumbing.

As Bell gets ready to depart LTC during its continued growth and expansion, she looks forward to joining the TCC family and becoming an Eagle.

I am excited about this opportunity to continue to work with the business community to expand workforce opportunities and build the talent pool necessary to move our community forward, Bell said in a release.

TCC is a national leader in workforce development, and I am honored to join the team, she added. I look forward to the possibilities for collaboration with Lively Technical College and the other workforce partners in our community.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Shelly Bell to be TCC VP of workforce innovation, replaces Kim Moore
Rochester police have identified the teen shot to death while driving a stolen car in northeast Rochester earlier this week.

Ja'hod Snow, 18, of Rochester was driving the car that crashed into a pole on Laser Street, near Joseph Avenue, around 5:50 a.m. Tuesday, said Capt. Frank Umbrino of the Rochester Police Department. Before the crash, Snow was shot at least once in the torso. He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

No charges have been filed in connection with the killing.

It was not clear whether the homicide victim stole the car or whether someone else was involved in the theft.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call 911, RPD's Major Crimes Unit at (585) 428-7157 or CrimeStoppers at (585) 423-9300.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Ja'hod Snow was killed while driving stolen car in Rochester NY
A Texas grand jury determined rapper Travis Scott was not criminally responsible for the crowd crush that left 10 people dead and thousands more injured during his 2021 Astroworld music festival, authorities announced Thursday.

The Harris County grand jury weighed criminal charges against Scott and others related to fans' deaths, said District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Ten people were killed at the Nov. 5, 2021, tragedy at Houstons NRG Park, including 9-year-old Ezra Blount, when a crowd of about 50,000 attendees began pushing toward the stage. The other victims ranged in age from 14 to 27. They all died from compression asphyxia.

Nearly 2,400 people required medical treatment following the deadly crowd surge.

Scott's attorney Kent Schaffer said that the rapper and his action have been inaccurately portrayed, adding that Scott stopped the show three times and was unaware of the events as they unfolded.

"Todays decision by the Harris County District Attorney confirms what we have known all along  that Travis Scott is not responsible for the AstroWorld tragedy," Schaffer said in a statement after the decision. "This is consistent with investigative reporting by numerous media outlets and federal and state government reports that have squarely placed the onus for event safety crises on organizers, operators and contractors  not performers."

After the festival, which Scott hosted, he said in a video that he could not have imagined the severity of the situation at the Houston concert.

"Im honestly just devastated, Scott said on Instagram.

He later spoke to radio host Charlamagne Tha God, saying that he had initially realized the extentof the trouble at the festival.

At the end of the day, these fans are like family so you feel like you just lost something. You do these shows, honestly, for people to have the best experience, he told the host.

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Scott and the concerts organizer, Live Nation, accusing them of negligence. Scott issued a general denial of the claims in 2021 and asked for multiple suits to be dismissed.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
When he works at his job as a painter in Texass extreme heat, Maynor Alvarez can feel the toll the weather takes on him.

He and his colleagues have suffered symptoms from cramps to headaches, feeling like theyre going to throw up. Hes felt his heart racing and needed to take breaks.

All of us who have worked outside have experienced this heat exhaustion, he told The Hill in an interview conducted in Spanish.

Ultimately, Alvarez said, whether hes allowed a break may be up to a sites foreman. He said there have been instances where hes tried to pause and ends up getting sent home  losing a large portion of the days pay.

There are no national rules that require employers to give workers like Alvarez breaks because of the heat, and only a few states have regulations of their own.

An ongoing heat wave, which has sent temperatures in Texas into the triple digits, is fueling calls from advocates and others for worker protections, especially as climate change is expected to exacerbate such conditions in the years to come.

Exposure to extreme heat can cause heat stroke, heat exhaustion and cramps, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The institute has also said that people who work outside in industries like agriculture or construction are susceptible to severe illness or death from heat stress.

However, federal regulations could be years away, and the Lone Star State recently passed a bill that could strip what few local protections exist within its borders.

Its unconscionable that Texas would strip labor protections from workers as they face record-setting temperatures, tweeted Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) last week.

Workers deserve protection from extreme heat which is now more common due to climate change, added the congressman, who is the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee and former chairman of the Progressive Caucus.

The Biden administration has publicly endorsed national rules aimed at preventing heat-related illnesses in the workplace  saying nearly two years ago that it planned to develop a rule aimed at preventing occupational heat illness and death.

And while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an October 2021 advanced notice that it would propose a rule, that hasnt happened yet.

Juley Fulcher, a worker health and safety advocate at Public Citizen, which has pushed for national standards, said her organization had hoped that a rule could be finalized before the end of Bidens first term. But now she said she doesnt think there is enough time, and if Bidens not reelected, the next administration may not continue the process.

We have been pushing all along for them to move faster than that, she said. Anything can happen in elections, and obviously if a different administration decides to shelve this rulemaking  it could just stop in its tracks for another four to eight years.

A spokesperson for the Department of Labor, which oversees OSHA, did not respond to questions from The Hill about the timeline.

A spokesperson for the Department of Labor, which oversees OSHA, provided The Hill with a written statement after publication saying that the safety agency know[s] that extreme heat is a long-term problem and recognize[s] the urgency to address its immediate impacts.

The statement, provided by spokesperson Victoria Godinez, notes that OSHA is continuing to work toward a potential heat illness standard and plans to hold Small Business Advocacy Review Panel meetings this summer, the next step in the standard development process.

The statement did not answer The Hills questions about when a rule might be proposed or finalized. It did note that other OSHA standards, including those related to sanitation and medical services, may provide some protections for people who work in hot environments.

Meanwhile, Texas, which has so far experienced the brunt of a heat wave that could shift eastward, does not have statewide protections. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) recently signed a bill that takes power away from cities and therefore could wipe out heat protections for workers in Dallas and Austin.

The move was sharply critiqued by labor advocates.

We know that rest breaks save lives, said Daniela Hernandez, state legislative coordinator at Workers Defense Project.

We are concerned that with the rollback of these  very few protections that they have, were going to see more workers passing out at job sites from heat exhaustion and even potentially dying, Hernandez said.

But, in a written statement shared with The Hill, Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris stressed the states commitment to safety.

Ensuring the safety of Texans is a top priority as our state experiences high summer heat, he said, adding that the law will not inhibit people from taking water breaks.

Antonio De Loera-Brust, a spokesperson for the United Farm Workers union, said that Texass actions reinforce the need for the federal government to act.

The recent actions of Gov. Greg Abbott to unilaterally dismantle the protections for outdoor workers that Texas did have just shows how important it is to have a federal standard to protect workers even in places where the state governments are adopting anti-worker policies that put workers lives at risk, he said.

Meanwhile, Alvarez said the lack of government actions to protect him from the heat is evidence that the people in power lack concern for workers like him.

Its disappointing that the laws of a First-World country are so outdated for workers, he said.

 Updated at 4:33 p.m. June 29

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines continues to study the proposal of the United States to make the country a transit area for Afghan nationals being resettled in America and other regions, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos said on Thursday.

Marcos told reporters that neither side has reached a deal regarding the Afghans.

"We continue to study (the proposal). Let's see if there's a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines," Marcos said, adding that it would be possible that both sides won't find a way to make it happen.

Marcos said discussions are underway on whether the Philippines can manage the processing of Afghans' visas. Manila wants to ensure the next step if "things start to go not as planned," he added.

Marcos said multiple issues, such as security and logistics, are under scrutiny.

Although the Philippines has a long tradition of taking in refugees, as it did during World War II, Marcos said the case of the Afghan nationals involved differences.

"These are not refugees. They are an entirely different class of (people). They are Afghan nationals being resettled by the United States in the United States and other places. We are only going to be a transition area," Marcos said. 
New Texas laws favor parents in child abuse investigations as legislators try to limit number of kids in foster care

The sun sets behind the Texas Capitol in Austin in May. Lawmakers focused many of their changes to the states foster care system this year on keeping kids out of state care. Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune

Faced with a troubled foster care system and a 12-year-long lawsuit for putting children in state custody at risk, Texas legislators this year made sweeping changes to state agencies that look after vulnerable kids removed from their homes.

But legislators focus was less on conditions for children in the system and more on reducing the number of kids entering state care. The Legislature zeroed in on how child abuse investigations kick off and play out, making it harder for the Department of Family and Protective Services to remove children from homes, saying parents facing abuse accusations are entitled to more rights.

While lawmakers ironed out new policies on investigations to prevent kids from entering the system, they stuck to basic fixes for children already in the states care. In one instance, they mandated the state provide foster kids duffel bags and backpacks  instead of trash bags  to transport their belongings.

For years, the state has been entangled in a federal lawsuit for putting children in state custody at risk. The judge in the case first declared in 2015 that children age out of the system more damaged than when they enter. Since then, court watchdogs have found that caretakers misused psychotropic drugs, residential facilities housing kids were not in compliance with safety standards and that the state child welfare agency was not tracking child-on-child abuse.

Some of the biggest bills regulating the states foster care system this year focus on keeping kids with their families when possible, pointing to the trauma that comes with entering the system. As a result, caseworkers will have to document their efforts to keep a child with their family; the state abuse hotline will no longer accept anonymous tips against parents; and parents facing abuse and neglect accusations will see bolstered legal rights and legal representation.

Were in a period in history right now where things are swinging very much towards having the smallest possible system, really prioritizing parents rights, said Sarah Crockett, the director of public policy at foster kid advocacy group Texas CASA.

Its an approach supported by both social conservatives who tout family values and progressive child welfare abolitionists who want to do away with the system. At the state and federal levels, these child welfare advocates have backed policies that help children stay with their families and limit them from entering the foster care system.

The language being used is now much more uniformly centered around family preservation, which is a massive culture shift, said Andrew Brown, a policy advocate at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation. Im hearing more mainstream conversations about the trauma of removal.

The focus on parents facing investigations also aligns with a fast-burgeoning movement within the Republican Party to give parents more rights in everything from using tax dollars to subsidize private school tuition to limiting what lessons kids can receive from teachers.

But limiting when and how the state can intervene is being met with some anxiety.

This system is traumatic and stressful for children and parents. I absolutely do think that we should do everything that we can to keep the child with their family, Crockett said. And its also true that child abuse is still happening. And so how do we balance those two things? I think its not straightforward, and thats what makes it really hard.

Limiting how Texans make child abuse and neglect tips

Texans can currently file an anonymous tip about potential neglect or abuse with the state's child abuse hotline or online report tool. The anonymity can protect those afraid of retaliation. Anonymous tips can also open the door for false reports, lawmakers have said. About 1,000 of the 12,473 anonymous reports made in 2022 led to findings of abuse, according to Texans Care for Children.

House Bill 63 ends anonymous reporting of child abuse or neglect, marking a sea change in how investigations are initiated. The bill will require DFPS to obtain the callers identity, though all reports will be confidential. It takes an extreme approach to weeding out false reports.

The new law, which will go into effect in September, is expected to lower the number of tips the child abuse hotline gets and reduce the number of parents entangled in a child abuse or neglect investigation.

The bill got the governors support but faced some pushback during the legislative process. Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, raised concerns that an end to anonymous reporting would keep people from calling in reports of abuse.

None of us in this room want any child to suffer abuse or neglect. And I would hate for us to vote for a policy where the tradeoff is ... [having] a child possibly die from abuse or neglect, Menendez said on the Senate floor.

With the ban on anonymous reports, Texas joins at least 19 other states that already require mandatory reporters like teachers and day care employees to provide their names and contact information, either at the time of the initial oral report or as part of a written report, according to the federal Childrens Bureau.

Overhauling child abuse investigations

Early in a child abuse investigation, child welfare investigators will make contact with the accused parents who can then face multiple rounds of interviews, drug tests and home inspections.

Parents will face intense scrutiny throughout the investigation, the outcome of which will determine whether the child stays with family or enters the foster care system.

Under House Bill 730, caseworkers will have to notify parents accused of abuse or neglect of their legal rights, such as their right to an attorney and their right to refuse to answer questions. Its similar to how police read Miranda warnings to criminal suspects.

The foster care system is adversarial to parents accused of abuse and neglect, particularly in how caseworkers approach investigations, Julia Hatcher, a family defense lawyer in Galveston, said. Caseworkers have aligned themselves with police officers in their interactions with families, Hatcher said.

They show up and interrogate parents and they try to collect evidence like getting medical records, interviewing children, requiring drug tests, threatening them, Hatcher said. Thats what a cop does.  Were saying, OK, if youre going to act like a police officer, were going to start treating you like one and now youre going to have to give everybody their rights.

Texas lawmakers have nodded to family preservation in prior sessions. In 2021, they passed House Bill 567 that barred DFPS from removing children in nonemergencies. The bill also established a new definition of neglect that prevented parents from losing their child solely because of marijuana use.

If a parent refuses to be interviewed by an investigator or denies an investigator entry to their home, the investigator can ask a judge for a court order requiring access. Under this years HB 730, DFPS will have to show probable cause, which requires more evidence than the current standard, to get that court order.

When DFPS investigators determine theres enough evidence of abuse or neglect to remove a child from their family, the case then goes in front of a judge in court. Parents involved in DFPS cases at this stage are supposed to be appointed attorneys if they cant afford one.

Senate Bill 2120 will require attorneys appointed to represent low-income parents to have certain qualifications. It was born out of a recommendation from the Texas Judicial Council, said Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who authored the bill.

And for the judge to grant removal, the state will have to meet more checkpoints after this years session. House Bill 1087 will require the investigators to clearly document all reasonable efforts they made to keep the child with the family in court affidavits.

Elizabeth Spears, an attorney who has represented kids and parents in DFPS cases, fears that children experiencing abuse will stay in their unsafe homes for longer.

The failing in the laws is that the standard is so high now for a child to be removed, she said.

More state money for programs preventing abuse

Extra state dollars will go toward stopping child abuse and preventing families from interacting with Child Protective Services altogether.

Theres a wing of the Department of Family and Protective Services, known as prevention and early intervention programs, that is designated to prevent child abuse and neglect by investing in wraparound services for at-risk families across the state. Wraparound services can be parenting classes, home visits from nurses for pregnant moms or short-term counseling.

That wing saw historic investments this year, at a $65 million increase, according to Kate Murphy, the director of child protection policy at Texans Care for Children. That comes from a record state budget surplus.

It sends a very clear message that the Legislature is interested in keeping kids safe with their parents out of the foster care system, Murphy said.

This long-awaited funding was approved alongside a law that transfers the prevention wing from DFPS to the Health and Human Services Commission.

Senate Bill 24 is largely a governmental administrative move, but advocates say it indicates where the Legislature is headed  toward a whittling down of DFPS responsibilities to investigations and contract management. The agency is already in the process of outsourcing the management of foster kids cases to local, private providers through whats called the community-based care model.

What we are seeing a lot of is a real shift in the future of the child welfare system and the future of DFPS. DFPS is going to be just doing investigations and then overseeing community-based care, Crockett said. I think that the agency itself has been so plagued for so long in scandal and hardship and the Legislature is really looking for, How can we move beyond just a constant crisis into something different?

For foster kids, bank accounts and duffel bags

Legislators took a different approach to children already in the foster care system, opting to fill some gaps in support.

House Bill 3765 will require the state to provide every child a duffel bag or backpack once they have been removed from their homes. It cruised through the legislative process. The reality of the states most vulnerable children receiving only trash bags for their belongings was so disturbing that it was approved by a landslide.

Its the first time a bill like it has been filed, but Rep. Josey Garcia, D-San Antonio, said it was long-awaited for former foster kids like herself. When Garcia was placed in her first foster home 35 years ago, she recalled being given a trash bag to contain her few belongings: a copy of the Bible and two outfits, one in pink and the other in blue.

By showing this simple gesture of providing a cloth bag for them, you have no idea how much you are going to touch these children who have been treated like trash, said Garcia, who bounced between foster homes growing up. Youre telling them theyre worth more than the trash bag their belongings are in.

About 39% of Texas foster kids experienced three or more placements in 2021, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. They may encounter dangerous conditions at these placements. Court monitors in the federal lawsuit against Texas have compared a handful of foster homes to jail cells.

For foster kids about to age out of the system, Senate Bill 1379 directs the state to help them set up checking and savings bank accounts. The legislation aims to help kids in state custody establish financial security as they transition to adulthood.

When young adults formerly in foster care were eligible for federal pandemic relief money, many Texans could not access the stipend because they did not have bank accounts to deposit the checks.

We know that bank accounts can be a barrier to even getting certain jobs. Because if you dont have a bank account and you cant get a direct deposit, they might not be set up to pay you, Murphy, with Texans Care for Children, said. This bill is really just to help fill that basic need.

Disclosure: Texans Care for Children and the Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters 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.

Go behind the headlines with newly announced speakers at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, in downtown Austin from Sept. 21-23. Join them to get their take on whats next for Texas and the nation.
Texas opens food pantry called Feeding Our Future  with no ties to the embattled Minnesota group

A new food pantry opened in Houston this week  coincidentally called Feeding Our Future.

It's the same name as the Minnesota nonprofit at the center of a massive $250 million fraud scheme that federal prosecutors have said was one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in the country.

But there's no connection between the Texas food pantry and Minnesota's Feeding Our Future or any of the 60 people who have been charged in the case since September.

The shared name is a total coincidence, said Angelica Luna Kaufman, a spokesperson for the Houston Housing Authority, which started the food pantry.

To honor their new food pantry, the city of Houston proclaimed Wednesday "Feeding Our Future Food Pantry Day," according to the local FOX 26 station.

Minnesota's Feeding Our Future has been in the news frequently since early 2022, when FBI agents raided the nonprofit's St. Anthony offices. The organization participated in federal child nutrition programs, receiving government reimbursements for providing food to low-income children after school and during the summer.

Prosecutors have alleged that a large ring of associates inflated the number of meals they claimed to serve to children during the pandemic  or served no meals at all. Instead, prosecutors say defendants used millions of dollars in federal money to buy luxury cars, homes, trips or other expenses. The federal government has seized more than $50 million in property tied to the case.
Republican presidential candidate Trump speaks at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women Lilac Luncheon in Concord

By Jonathan Stempel and Helen Coster

NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. prosecutors on Thursday charged three Florida men with making more than $22 million through insider trading in late 2021 ahead of a proposed merger to take former U.S. President Donald Trump's social media company public.

Michael Shvartsman, his brother Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick allegedly traded illegally in Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), a so-called special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), before it announced its plan to combine with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). The merger has yet to occur.

Thursday's charges from the U.S. Department of Justice were announced by Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Neither Trump nor his company, which operates the Truth Social app, was charged.

DWAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Grant Smith, a lawyer for the defendants, declined to comment.

Michael Shvartsman led Rocket One Capital, a small Miami-based venture capital firm that employed Garelick as chief investment officer and placed all its trades in DWAC securities, court papers show. Gerald Shvartsman runs a furniture store.

Authorities said Garelick, who was also a DWAC director, provided the Shvartsmans with what he called "intelligence" about merger talks.

The defendants then allegedly began buying DWAC securities and passed tips to others, and sold their holdings within two days after the Oct. 20, 2021, merger announcement caused DWAC's share price to more than quadruple.

Each defendant faces five to seven fraud and conspiracy charges that could lead to decades in prison.

In a related civil lawsuit against the men, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission described several merger-related communications involving Garelick, including his suggesting that Michael Shvartsman buy more DWAC shares.

"FYI. I have a DWAC BOD meeting tomorrow at 12:30. I recommend starting to buy more DWACU stock," Garelick wrote on Sept. 20, 2021. "U" stands for units.

The SEC also said that on Oct. 15, 2021, five days before the merger announcement, a Rocket One employee emailed himself: "DWAC stock** BUY 10 unit gives you warrant and full share can't lose money.... bought 2m warrants b/c target is trump media."

According to the SEC, the defendants' sales resulted in illegal profit of about $18.3 million for Michael Shvartsman, $4.6 million for Gerald Shvartsman and $50,000 for Garelick.

The future of the DWAC-TMTG merger remains in doubt.

If it closes, Trump Media & Technology Group would gain access to more than $1 billion in cash from DWAC's institutional investors, such as hedge funds. According to a Feb 2, 2021 services agreement, Trump controls 90% of TMTG.

Late last year, shareholders approved extending the deadline to close the merger to September 2023.

The cases are U.S. v. Shvartsman et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 23-00307; and SEC v Garelick et al in the same court, No. 23-05567.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Helen Coster in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Beauvais is a favourite for low-cost airlines (PHILIPPE HUGUEN)

France's civil air authority said Thursday it had ordered airlines to cancel flights to and from three airports because of a strike by air traffic controllers.

The airports include Beauvais -- the main French hub for Irish carrier Ryanair and other budget airlines -- as well as Brest, in the far west of the country, and Carcassonne, in the south.

The DGAC air authority had asked Wednesday for half the Beauvais flights to be cancelled, but Thursday called for a complete grounding of planes "given the widespread support for the strike seen at air traffic controller unions in Beauvais, Brest and Carcassonne".

The strike, over working conditions, follows sporadic stoppages by air traffic controllers seen between March and May in protest against the government's reform of the French pensions system.

Thursday's strike did not affect the main French airports, the DGAC said, or carriers flying over France.

Beauvais, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Paris, is France's 10th busiest airport with 4.6 million passengers in 2022.

tq/jh/giv/rox
Three people stabbed by armed man during Gender issues class at Canadian university

Members of the Waterloo Regional Police investigate a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (AP)

Three people were stabbed by an armed man during a Gender issues class at Canadas University of Waterloo before he was taken into custody, say officials.

The incident took place inside Hagey Hall on the universitys campus in Ontario, Constable Brad Hickey of the Waterloo Regional Police Service told CBC News.

All three victims have been transported to hospital with physical injuries. The extent of the injuries are unknown at this time, Const Hickey said. One individual has been taken into police custody. Expect an increased police presence on campus as officers continue to clear buildings and ensure public safety.

An eyewitness told the universitys student newspaper that the suspect was a man aged between 20 and 30, who entered the classroom and asked the professor what the class was about.

Jinming Li says that the suspect closed the door and pulled out two knives from his backpack and attacked the professor, while students fled to safety.

It feels shocking, Mr Li said.

Yusuf Kaymak, a student at the University of Waterloo, described what had happened to CTV News.

The guy basically walked in and asked the teacher if he was the professor, he said yeah then he pulled out a knife and after that, everybody just ran out, Mr Kaymak said to CTV.

I ran out, and after we went outside, there was a kid that was stabbed. He was bleeding (from) his arm. I dont know what happened to the professor.
If you are flying for the holiday, buckle up. The FAA is predicting that today is the heaviest travel day leading into the Fourth of July. But as weve been reporting all week, there have been countless delays and cancellations due to several factors.

Even as early as 5 am, Flightaware.com reported more than 30 delays and 17 cancellations out of Logan Airport. A majority of them were coming out of JetBlue and United. So whats the reason for this recent uptick in flights getting pushed back or scrapped? Well, its complicated.

Its important to note that travel has picked up steadily since the pandemic. According to the TSA, an average of 2.6 million people have been flying a day, which is on par with pre-pandemic numbers. The FAA says this could be the busiest day so far this year, with more than 52,000 flights scheduled. But storms on along the East Coast have been grounding planes at some of the biggest travel hubs, including Boston, New York, and New Jersey.

AAA predicts record-breaking travel volume for July 4 weekend

Another issue continues to be staffing. The United Airlines CEO is blaming a shortage of air traffic controllers for disruptions at its Newark hub. Even the FAA has admitted its understaffed. Its training 3,000 new air traffic controllers, but they wont be ready any time soon.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg believes airlines are scheduling more flights than they can handle.

Obviously nobody can control the weather, but it is important for airlines to create enough cushion in resilience in the system. So, when you do have a disruption caused by weather, you can absorb that and work through that, Buttigieg said.

Another added layer to the mess: 5G wireless service will start this weekend. Some airplanes may not be able to fly in bad weather because of possible interference. Your best bet---check your flight before you get to the airport.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Tiffany's flagship store in Manhattan was ablaze after an electrical fire, authorities say

The flagship Tiffany store in Manhattan caught fire Thursday morning, the New York Fire Department said.

The fire department said that it received a report of a transformer fire at 9:38 a.m. and that no injuries were immediately reported.

Con Edison, a New York utility company, was called to the scene, fire officials said.

The iconic store, made famous in the 1961 Audrey Hepburn film "Breakfast at Tiffany's," is next to Trump Tower.

A representative for Tiffany & Co. said in a statement that an electrical fire began in the basement.

"This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The fire has since been put out and we are working with the New York Fire Department to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our employees and clients," the statement said. "The store is expected to open later today following inspection by the Fire Marshall."

Live video from the store shortly before 11:30 a.m. showed firefighters shooting a hose at the building. Smoke damage could be seen on the store's facade.

The fire was put out around noon, the fire department said.

Alfonso Quiroz, a spokesperson for Con Edison, said Thursday afternoon that no outages due to the fire were reported. Con Edison crews were working on electrical equipment that is underground and making repairs, Quiroz said.

The jewelry store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue reopened in April after renovations that took nearly three years. The luxury store touted the restorations as its first holistic renovation since it opened in 1940.

In a statement in April, Anthony Ledru, Tiffany's president and CEO, said: The reopening of the iconic Fifth Avenue Landmark is a major milestone for our House. Symbolic of a new era for Tiffany & Co., the Landmark is much more than a jewelry store  it is a cultural hub with an exquisite showcase of architecture and superior hospitality, as well as cutting-edge art and design. It sets a new bar for luxury retail on a global scale.

To celebrate the store's reopening, the company announced it would "debut a range of exclusive designs and one-of-a-kind creations." The debuts included diamond watches and a new design for "the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond," the company said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said now that the Supreme Court has limited the use of race as a factor in college admissions, colleges should eliminate legacy-based admissions next.

I think the question is how do you continue to create a culture where education is the goal for every single part of our community? One of the things that Harvard could do to make that even better is to eliminate any legacy programs where they have preferential treatment for legacy kids, not allow for the professors  their kids to come to Harvard as well, Scott said on Foxs The Faulkner Focus.

Theyre looking for a way to improve the footprint of Harvard, lets make sure that all admissions are based on academic scores, and not just eliminating affirmative action, but lets look at the legacy programs, he added. Lets look at the fact that the professors kids can go there as well.

Legacy-based admissions occur when a college or university gives a preference to applicants based on whether a family member graduated from that institution. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said in a post on Twitter Thursday that if the court was serious about their ludicrous colorblindness claims, they would have abolished legacy admissions, aka affirmative action for the privileged.

Scotts call to end legacy-based admissions came shortly after the Supreme Court invalidated Harvards and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills admissions practices by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection Thursday. The court ruled that while race cannot be a deciding factor among applicants, applicants could still mention their race in essays and interviews.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

Scott, who announced his bid for the White House earlier this year, also praised the Supreme Courts decision, saying that its ruling is something the country should celebrate.

This is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin, is what our constitution wants, he said.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that the courts decision makes things worse, not better for race relations. She also wrote that deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life, emphasizing that it will not solve the problem of racism.

Black and Latino leaders across the country also blasted the courts decision Thursday, with many sayings its ruling will reverse progress bade toward racial equity. Former President Obama said in a statement that affirmative action policies allowed generations of students like Michelle [Obama] and me to prove we belonged.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON  Republican presidential candidates  including the six candidates of color  applauded Thursdays Supreme Court ruling that declared affirmative action unconstitutional, dismantling policies meant to increase Black and Latino attainment in higher education.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, praised the decision and called it a good day for America.

This is a day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not by the color of our skin, is what our Constitution wants, Scott said during an interview on Fox News. We are continuing to form a more perfect union. The progress in our nation is palpable.

Scott added that universities like Harvard should go a step further and eliminate legacy admissions that give preference to children of alumni, who are often affluent. The Supreme Court ruling was based on challenges to affirmative action programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina.

Lets make sure all admissions are based on academic scores and not just eliminating affirmative action. Lets look at the fact that professors kids get to go there as well, Scott said.

Scott has repeatedly argued that America is not a racist country, pointing to his own experience growing up with a single mother and eventually reaching the halls of Congress. His message has drawn criticism from some Democrats, including, most recently, President Barack Obama, who said that kind of talk tends to gloss over the effects of racism.

In his opinion on Thursday, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote on behalf of the conservative majority that students must be evaluated based on their experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race. Colleges and universities will no longer be allowed to seek greater diversity in their student bodies by preferencing race. The court exempted military academies from its decision, however, due to the potentially distinct interests they present.

Democrats and civil rights groups warned the decision will adversely impact students of color in future admissions cycles, as studies have shown. But Republicans cheered and said it was long overdue.

Picking winners and losers based on race is fundamentally wrong. This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American Dream, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is Indian American and the first prominent woman of color to seek the GOP presidential nomination, said in a statement.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, another GOP presidential candidate of South Asian descent, called affirmative action the single greatest form of institutional racism in America today. He vowed to take action as president to block universities from engaging in any games he said would be designed to achieve the same results using shadow tactics like deprioritizing test scores.

Conservative commentator and former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder similarly hailed the Supreme Courts rejection of affirmative action.

Discrimination to fix historical discrimination is still discrimination. Affirmative action is divisive, undermines merit and does more harm than good, Elder, another Black 2024 contender, said in a statement.

The frontrunner in the race, former President Donald Trump, also welcomed news of the decision. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing, Trump said in a statement. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

But the campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Trumps leading rival in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, responded in part by highlighting an interview Trump did in 2015 in which he said he was fine with affirmative action.

Weve lived with it for a long time and Ive lived with it for a long time and Ive had great relationships with lots of people so Im fine with it, Trump told NBCs Chuck Todd at the time.
Congressional "hearings" only occupy a slice of what consumes the time of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

However, hearings, especially blockbuster ones, are what the public often is aware of when they think about Congress.

Watergate hearings. Iran-Contra hearings. Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh. Even the recent hearing before the House Judiciary Committee with former Special Counsel John Durham. A significant hearing looms in mid-September before the Judiciary panel with Attorney General Merrick Garland.

It is far from clear if Congress has any genuine interest in hearings or investigating what went wrong with the Titan submersible, which imploded 2.4 miles underwater on a mission to explore the Titanic.

'TITANIC' WILL RETURN TO NETFLIX ON JULY 1

However, it will be ironic if Congress were to probe the deadly Titan disaster. That is because the model for the first modern, sensational Congressional hearing was the inquest into the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Congress has always conducted hearings. Such conclaves date back to the formation of the republic. Lawmakers conducted an investigation in 1792 after the defeat of U.S. troops under the command of Gen. Arthur St. Clair by Native Americans in what was then the Northwest Territory near what is present-day Fort Recovery, Ohio.

President Washington ordered St. Clair to "execute an effective battle plan." More than 1,000 members of the Shawnee, Miami and Delaware tribes met U.S. troops at the Battle of Wabash. It is regarded as the worst defeat ever of American troops at the hands of Native Americans.

Congress wanted to investigate, but there was no precedent and the concept of Congressional oversight is only implied in the Constitution. There was even chatter of President Washington leading the inquiry. However, lawmakers rejected that idea, establishing one of the current models of Congressional oversight which persists to this day.

The House in fact called for "papers" as part of the investigation, and President Washington allowed access to the documents. Cabinet heads and various lawmakers testified before the committee. Lawmakers determined that the military failed to recruit enough troops before heading into battle. There were also delays in providing supplies to U.S. soldiers.

This file image provided by OceanGate shows the Titan submersible being towed in the Bahamas.

Congress conducted other major hearings in the succeeding decades, including some serious investigations after the Civil War.

However, the hearings investigating the Titanic established a new paradigm  made possible in part by new construction on Capitol Hill.

Congress opened the "Senate Office Building"  now the "Russell Senate Office Building  across the street from the Capitol in 1909. The Capitol itself lacked a gigantic space to hold large groups of people besides the House and Senate chambers. The "House Office Building"  now Cannon Building  featured a massive, yawning room on the third floor. The same with the new Senate facility.

Just two days after the Titanic sank, Sen. William Alden Smith, R-Mich., proposed a special investigation.

Smith acknowledged that the Titanic sailed under the flag of another nation, but he argued that "it was vital that the entire matter should be reviewed before an American tribunal if legislative action was to be taken for future guidance on international maritime safety." He noted that "many of our own countrymen had been sacrificed and the safety of many had been put in grave peril."

From left to right, Suleman Dawood, Shahzada Dawood, Stockton Rush; Paul-Henry Nargeolet and Hamish Harding were aboard the OceanGate Titan submersible.

LEGAL EXPERT SAYS FAMILIES OF SUBMERSIBLE VICTIMS HAVE NO CASE FOR SUING OCEANGATE

Smith was particularly interested in hearing from J. Bruce Ismay, the highest ranking official of the White Star line who survived the accident. Messages sent from the Carpathia (which rescued some passengers from the Titanic in the water) indicated that Ismay and others tried to scurry back to England and never set foot on U.S. soil. Thus, they would never be subject to any investigation by the U.S.

Smith issued subpoenas to Ismay and others who escaped to the Carpathia.

The hearings began just a week after the Titanic sank  not on Capitol Hill or in the new Senate office building, but at the posh Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

The hearings then moved to the gigantic hearing room in what is now the Russell Senate Office Building. That room was known for decades as the "Russell Caucus Room." The Senate named the space the "Kennedy Caucus Room" after the death of late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

The public was captivated by the tale of the Titanic. People poured into the hearing room to witness the proceedings in person. In fact, the attention focused on the Titanic through the Congressional investigation likely amplified the mythos of the accident into an iconic episode. That is to say nothing of how the hearings later drove the pop culture popularity of the Titanic - ranging from the panned 1980s movie "Raise the Titanic" to the financial juggernaut "Titanic" in the late 1990s.

Smith conducted 17 hearings in all, taking testimony from 82 witnesses, which included 34 crew members and nearly two dozen passengers. The hearings toggled back and forth between Washington and New York. The investigation revealed that the Titanic ignored ice warnings and lacked enough lifeboats. Lawmakers also learned that other vessels failed to respond to distress calls from the Titanic.

In this undated photo, Paul-Henry Nargeolet poses for a photo alongside OceanGate's Titan submersible in 2022.

The hearings helped establish an accurate record about what happened to the Titanic. It also gave a boost to maritime law. Some believe that Smiths investigation prevented the British from whitewashing the episode or conducting no inquiry at all.

The hearings shaped new laws on how many lifeboats and life jackets were required on ships. The incident is also one of the reasons Congress passed the Radio Act of 1912, which mandated ships to stay on radio alert while at sea and be prepared to respond to distress calls.

A plaque in the Kennedy Caucus Room denotes the significance of the Titanic hearings which unfolded there more than a century ago. Other big hearings followed, including: Teapot Dome, Watergate, Iran-Contra, and numerous Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

A Congressional inquiry into the Titan submersible disaster is far from clear.

"Could this have been resolved differently if leadership had acted sooner and actually put options on the table instead of just assuming, Well, it doesnt matter because theyre dead? asked Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Tex., before it was clear what happened to the Titan.



Crenshaw characterized this as "an epic failure in leadership by the U.S. military," specifically calling out the Navy and the Coast Guard.

However, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., was not as quick to blame the military.

"We are not omnipotent. We cant solve every problem that comes along," said Smith. "If theres a particular capability that someone is lacking in an emergency situation anywhere in the world and were in a position to help them, Id like us to take a look at it. [But] it is not always possible."

Congress may not get involved in the failed mission by the Titan to explore the Titanic, but the sinking of the Titanic forever changed the landscape of blockbuster Congressional hearings and how we think of them today.
KABUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,178 prisoners were released before Eid al-Adha, one of the most important festivals for Muslims, the Afghan Supreme Court said Thursday on its twitter page.

The prisoners were freed based on the decree of the caretaker government's supreme leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, the court twitted.

A total of 489 prisoners were given reduced jail period on the occasion, according to the court.

More than 2,000 prisoners were also released on the occasion of this year's Eid al-Fitr. 
The Kremlin put on a show of public support for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, but mounting questions over the fate of the countrys top generals undermined efforts to move on from the mercenary rebellion that weakened his authority.

Putin was shown being greeted by jubilant crowds in the north Caucasus region of Dagestan on Wednesday night, in a display of national unity and the latest apparent effort to showcase his solid grip on power just days after his two-decade rule was challenged by a former confidant.

It was a marked break from years of public appearances in which the Russian leader has steered clear of engaging with crowds.

The Kremlin has strained to project order since the weekends short-lived mutiny, which saw Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhins fighters march on Moscow before turning back. Some high-profile figures have been missing from the propaganda distributed in its wake, however, fueling growing speculation that a purge may have been launched.

At the center of the storm is Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russias forces in Ukraine.

The general  known to have been close to Prigozhin  has not made any appearances or statements since Saturday, when the Russian Defense Ministry released video of him urging Wagner fighters to abandon their mutiny.

Gen. Sergei Surovikin is a decorated general and a veteran of wars in Chechnya and Syria who is renowned for his ruthlessness. (Alexei Druzhinin / AP file)

A series of media reports citing U.S. officials have added fuel to the fire.

Surovikin was sympathetic to the rebellion, U.S. officials told Reuters, though the news agency added that Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped in any way. The New York Times previously cited U.S. officials as saying that Surovikin had advance knowledge of Prigozhins plans to rebel against Russias military leadership.

NBC News has not confirmed the reports, but they only added to questions about whether support from top military figures may explain the apparent lack of armed resistance to the mutiny.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports about Surovikin as speculation and gossip. He refused to answer any questions on Surovikin during his call with reporters Thursday, deferring to the Defense Ministry.

The general, who earned the nickname General Armageddon for his brutal tactics, is viewed as one of Russias most effective. He was replaced as the head of the Ukraine war by Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who has also not been seen in public since the rebellion.

The Defense Ministry has not mentioned Gerasimov since June 9, and has not said anything publicly about the two generals whereabouts despite the rampant speculation across Russian social media.

A display of unity in Dagestan

With Russia shaken by the rebellion and its fallout, the Kremlin seemed determined to display unity.

Footage distributed by Russian state media late Wednesday showed Putin stretching his arms toward a seemingly elated crowd during a scheduled event in the city of Derbent.

A group of people behind a barrier can be heard cheering and reaching for him with their hands and cellphones, as cameras roll and his guards appear to make a gap in the security cordon for him to get closer.

Its a remarkable departure for Putin, who has led a largely isolated existence since the Covid pandemic, forcing those around him to enter quarantine for weeks and meeting with officials across a very long table.

Suddenly breaking with that protocol, which has continued long since the pandemics peak, suggested a desire to project the idea that he still has the nations adoration as he seeks to resurrect his image as Russias guarantor of stability.

The Kremlin regularly holds carefully staged events for public consumption.

Putin Kisses Young Fan In Dagestan Russia (Gavriil Grigorov / AFP - Getty Images)

Putin needs a picture surrounded by people so much right now that for this he even forgot about Covid, quarantine and social distance, Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst and former Putin speechwriter, wrote on Telegram. Everyone should see that the people still love their president.

The Tsar comes down to the people, Sergey Radchenko, a historian and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, wrote on Twitter. He described the event as an attempt to re-establish the charismatic basis for his waning authority.

Peskov said Thursday that the whole city had come out to meet the president in an absolutely amazing demonstration of the support and joy of the local population, state news agency Ria reported.

While denouncing Prigozhins revolt as treason, Putin has made a point of saying that the patriotic spirit of the citizens played a decisive role in stifling the mutiny.

The display in Dagestan could also be the Russian leaders attempt to outmatch Prigozhin, who was seen being cheered on by crowds as he left the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.

Putin will hope to have boosted his battered image with the public showing that was plastered across state television as a sure sign of his hold on power. But the fate of his generals left the Kremlin shrouded in uncertainty as its military battles the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Military analysts told NBC News that if rumors of Surovikin being in on Prigozhins plans were true, it would be a significant blow to Putin, given the respect for the general within the Russian military.

The worry for Putin would be that Surovikins alienation reflects a wider sense of disenchantment within the leadership of the operations in Ukraine, said Christopher Tuck, an expert in conflict and security at Kings College London.

Speculation about his possible detention could signal that Putin is going to deal harshly with anyone he thinks was cooperating with Prigozhin, said Phillips OBrien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

That could lead to a lot of bad blood and suspicion throughout the armed forces, he added.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The News

Gen. Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russia's aerospace forces, has been detained following U.S. intelligence reports that he had prior knowledge about the Wagner mercenary group's attempted rebellion against the Kremlin, The Financial Times reported Thursday. The Moscow Times previously reported that Surovikin had been arrested.

Surovikin had reportedly not been seen since a hostage-style video recording of him denouncing the mutiny was released. Multiple experts have said that Surovikin was known to have a good relationship with Wagner's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Moscow had denied Surovikin's arrest, telling reporters that his absence was because he was "on vacation at home."

It's unclear whether Surovikin has been charged in connection to the uprising, or simply detained for interrogation, the FT reported.

The uprising and the possible involvement of a top Russian general has been widely perceived as a blow to President Vladimir Putin's grip on power as the country struggles to keep the upper hand in the war against Ukraine.

Step Back

Wagner began its insurrection against Putin after Prigozhin said Russia had shelled his forces, subsequently ordering his troops to march to Moscow and overtake the capitol.

But within 48 hours, Prigozhin called off the mutiny, saying Belarus had negotiated a treaty whereby his troops could retreat there and avoid prosecution in Russia.

It is the second time that Surovikin has been detained for allegedly assisting in an armed rebellion. He served seven months in prison for killing three protestors during the 1991 Soviet coup d'etat attempt.
The identity of an aide to Donald Trump whose voice was heard in an audio recording wherein the former president can be heard brandishing a paper he explicity claims is classified has been revealed.

Susie Wiles, CEO of the Save America PAC, was the woman identified by multiple sources familiar with the situation as PAC representative in the indictment filed by Jack Smith, the Department of Justices special counsel. Her identity was first reported on Thursday by ABC News.

Ms Wiless identity is significant given her background: she directed the Trump 2016 campaigns efforts in Florida, which Mr Trump won handily over Hillary Clinton.

Her daughter was actually hired for a White House job in the very earliest days of the Trump administration, only to leave in February 2017 after failing a background check conducted by the FBI. Her mother never joined the administration; instead, she would ironically be part of the reinforcements called in by her boss to help the struggling campaign of Ron DeSantis, then facing a tough matchup against Andrew Gillum in the Florida governors race.

Thats important because it verifies that she would not have had any sort of security clearance necessary to view the kind of document Mr Trump was at least claiming to have produced for his guests on the recording obtained by news outlets this week.

The senior Trump aide is currently in charge of the ex-presidents outside spending vessel, the Save America PAC, which has fronted the majority of costs for his ongoing legal defences. Mr Trump remains embroiled in a number of cases beyond the 37-count indictment brought by the Department of Justice over his allegedly illegal retention of classfied materials and other presidential records.

Mr Trump has claimed innocence, but on Thursday it was separately reported by The Independent that the DoJ is considering filing a superceding indictment against the former president which could lead to dozens of new criminal charges.

Ms Wiles has not been charged, and it is not a crime to be shown classified information provided that one has not committed any crimes in order to obtain access. But a spokesperson for the Trump campaign nevertheless accused the DoJ of attacking Ms Wiles in a statement to ABC.

"This sham investigation by Joe Biden and his weaponized DOJ are clearly designed to inflict maximum political damage and to prevent President Trump ... from reclaiming the White House, the spokesperson added.

President Joe Biden has remained adamant that he is not being briefed on the DoJs efforts to investigate the former president over a slew of alleged criminal activity, including whether the ex-president committed crimes during his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and no evidence has emerged to suggest that the White House has become involved indirectly or otherwise in the agencys years-long probe of January 6 and the former presidents actions.
Training to be held in Zaporizhzhia in case of explosion at ZNPP

Command and staff training is starting in Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the event of a possible Russian terrorist attack on the territory of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

Source: press service of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "The training will take place in the city of Zaporizhzhia and the Zaporizhzhia district. Temporary traffic restrictions are possible in certain areas. We ask citizens to keep calm and understand that there will be some inconvenience!

The event's purpose is to coordinate the actions of all services in the event of a real threat of an emergency situation at the ZNPP."

Details: At the same time, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration noted that the situation was under control and asked citizens to refrain from paying excessive media attention to the training.

The training is being conducted with the management bodies and civil defence forces of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Background:

Kyrylo Budanov, the Chief of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said he was convinced that the plan to blow up the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been fully prepared and approved by the Russians, and the threat has never been as great as it is now. In particular, the occupiers have additionally mined the plants cooling unit.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said that the Russians were preparing to commit a terrorist attack on the ZNPP with the release of radiation and that they had approved a scenario for mining the plant, but the world's reaction is not strong enough yet.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Transgender Kansas residents can keep updating their documents despite a new law, governor says

FILE - Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks during a rally for teachers and education funding, April 25, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas. The Democratic governor declared Thursday, June 29, that the state will keep allowing transgender residents to alter their driver's licenses and birth certificates, despite a new law aimed at preventing it. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  The Democratic governor in Kansas declared Thursday that the state will keep allowing transgender residents to alter their driver's licenses and birth certificates, despite a new law aimed at preventing it.

Gov. Laura Kelly issued a directive that allows agencies under her control to defy a legal opinion issued earlier this week by Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach, telling them to follow their lawyers narrower view of the law.

The attorney general called the Kelly administration's legal analysis nonsense and promised, "We will see her in court."

She is violating her oath of office to uphold Kansas law, Kobach said a statement.

The new law is set to take effect Saturday and legally defines a person's sex as male or female based on their biological reproductive system at birth, a standard that would apply to any law or state regulation. Kansas driver's licenses and birth certificates list a person's sex, and Kobach said they can't contradict what doctors assigned at birth.

He also said the state must undo changes in its records  more than 1,200 in the past four years. Lawyers in Kelly's administration rejected that idea, saying the law is not retroactive, according to a background memo from the governor's office.

Beyond that, it would potentially be impossible for the agencies to comply with the Attorney Generals Opinion due to a lack of complete data, the memo said.

Kelly, a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, took office in 2019 after defeating Kobach, then the Kansas secretary of state, for her first term. Kobach narrowly won the attorney general's race last year.

An attorney general's legal opinions are not binding on state agencies, and the new law does not specifically mention driver's licenses or birth certificates. Also, in 2019, a federal judge ordered the state to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates to settle a lawsuit over a Republican governor's no-changes policy, and that order remains in effect.

Kelly said in a statement that lawyers for state agencies disagree with the attorney general about the law's "impacts on their operations and will instead keep in place their policies regarding gender markers on birth certificates and drivers licenses.

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, suggested that Kelly was showing her loyalty to the radical ideology of the extreme left.

But only a few U.S. states don't allow transgender people to change their birth certificates. Oklahoma and Tennessee policies were upheld earlier this month by federal judges, and a Montana rule is expected to face a legal challenge in that state's courts. Other states allow changes only in narrow circumstances: A North Dakota law taking effect Aug. 1 allows amending a birth certificate if a medical provider certifies that a person had surgery to have anatomically correct genitalia.

The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature enacted the new law over Kelly's veto. It also includes provisions to restrict transgender people's use of restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities. At least nine other states have bathroom laws.

Kobach said in his statement: The Governor doesn't get to veto a bill and then ignore the legislature's override.

The memo from the governor's office portrayed the new law as toothless because it contains no enforcement mechanism, such as criminal penalties for transgender people who use restrooms associated with their gender identities. It also said administration attorneys don't believe its driver's license policy conflicts with the new law  contradicting what LGBTQ+ rights advocates said throughout the debate.

LGBTQ+ rights advocates said the Kansas law would legally erase transgender people's gender identities, and Kobach's opinion confirmed that it would if the law is enforced as intended. Supporters also acknowledged during a Statehouse news conference this week that they don't see transgender women and girls as women and girls.

The law says important governmental objectives of protecting peoples health, safety and privacy justify sex-segregated spaces. It applies to public schools, jails, prisons, rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters.

State Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Kansas City-area Republican who chairs a committee that handled the measure, said the goal wasnt to punish people but for women to feel protected in bathrooms and other spaces.

Its women feeling safe, she said.

Kobach also argued that the state law supersedes the 2019 federal judge's order on birth certificates, something strongly disputed by LGBTQ+ rights advocates. Kobach has asked the judge to formally rescind it.

The memo from the governor's office said the new law doesn't affect the judge's order or the policy it created.

The attorney general suggested that keeping transgender people from having state documents or records reflect their gender identities would have little practical effect for them. He said they still could present themselves publicly  and get photographed for driver's licenses  in line with their identities.

But Jenna Bellemere, a 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student, called such statements condescending. She said having an ID that conflicts with her identity has complicated getting through airport security or even using a credit card.

Ive had experiences where checking my ID is like, Oh, this doesnt look right,' said Bellemere, who changed her birth certificate and drivers license last year. I had to stop and be like, No, its just a very long story.

With the legal climate uncertain, state data shows that four times as many people made changes this year than from 2019 through 2022. The monthly average this year is 58 birth certificates and 27 driver's licenses. LGBTQ+ rights advocates encouraged people to change their documents before Saturday and held seminars to help them.

Adam Kellogg, another 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student, said Kobach's legal opinion calls for a change in his Kansas driver's license, but his birth certificate from Illinois wouldn't change.

Its going to be hard to determine what you should put on my drivers license because according to my birth certificate, I am male, he said. What, are they going to take me in for genetic testing?

___

Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
Travis Scott performs at Astroworld 2021

A grand jury in Texas has declined to charge rapper Travis Scott over a deadly crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival nearly two years ago.

The jury met Thursday as part of a criminal probe into Scott and others involved with the planning of the concert, which left 10 people dead.

Scott's lawyer Kent Schaffer said the decision comes as "a great relief" to his client.

The rapper still faces multiple civil suits stemming from the Houston show.

Scott, one of the biggest names in rap music, launched Astroworld with concert promoters Live Nation in 2018.

Thousands were injured at the 5 November 2021 event when panic broke out as the over-capacity crowd pressed towards the front of the stage during Scott's headline performance.

Ten people, ranging in age from nine to 27, were killed by compressive asphyxiation.

The rapper has said the tragedy left him "distraught" but that he was not aware of its extent until coming off stage.

Critics have accused him and fellow rapper Drake of continuing to perform despite accounts of "lifeless bodies being passed through the crowd in full view of the stage". Houston's fire chief had stated that Scott should have halted the show much earlier.

Both federal officials and Houston police have been investigating whether Scott, Live Nation and others implemented adequate safety measures for the event.

Scott's attorney, Mr Schaffer, confirmed in a statement that the jury met but chose not to indict his client, adding that he did not know what charges had been considered.

"He never encouraged people to do anything that resulted in other people being hurt," Mr Schaffer said.

While he felt sympathy for victims of the crowd surge, Mr Schaffer added: "Travis is not responsible. Bringing criminal charges against him will not ease their pain."

Lawsuits filed by multiple victims remain active in Texas state courts.

The family of one victim settled with Scott, Live Nation and others in October 2022, although the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

Robert Hilliard, the attorney representing another victim's family, said Thursday "both criminal and civil accountability are critical to ensure that those responsible for the loss of innocent lives understand the permanent devastation they caused these families".
A Texas grand jury has declined to indict rapper Travis Scott on criminal charges stemming from the 2021 Astroworld crowd surge in Houston that injured thousands and resulted in the death of 10 fans.

Since the festival, Scott has faced hundreds of civil claims, as has entertainment company Live Nation, alleging the festival ignored best practices for security and crowd control. The victims, including a 9-year-old boy, died of compressive asphyxiation, and 4,900 others reported injuries from the crush of the crowd or the chaos that followed.

Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at Houston's NRG Park on Nov. 5, 2021.

Travis Scott performs at Day 1 of the Astroworld Music Festival at Houston's NRG Park on Nov. 5, 2021.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Kim Ogg, the Harris County district attorney, called the event an absolutely disastrous, horrific event and added that after a 19-month review of the case, the grand jury determined there was not enough evidence to find probable cause that Scott or others had acted criminally.

Our investigators and prosecutors gave it everything they had to ensure the grand jury could reach the truth of the matter, Ogg said.

Investigators who reviewed the case presented reporters with heartbreaking footage and photographs, and a timeline of the events leading up to the slow-moving crowd crush.

Scott, as well as Live Nation, which he partnered with to host the event, has faced fierce criticism for not stopping the concert sooner. Viral videos from the night of the concert showed people climbing onto camera platforms to escape the crush and beg for help. Investigators on Thursday said that after reviewing evidence, they found that Scott could not have been aware of what was happening in the crowd.

I want peace for those families, whether criminal charges, whether civil liability and money damages, whether administrative help brings those families justice. I just hope they achieve some kind of resolution they can move forward with, Ogg said, noting that the grand jurys decision does not affect civil cases faces Scott.

Scott has privately settled some of the lawsuits resulting from the festival, and other claims have been consolidated into one massive suit that remains ongoing.

Scott previously said in a statement that he was distraught by what happened at the festival. But on Thursday, his attorney told Reuters that the musician had not violated any laws.

Nothing Travis did or failed to do fits within the Texas criminal code, attorney Kent Schaffer told Reuters.

Related...
Trooper slain trying to stop fleeing car saved 2 lives in 2022, served in National Guard

Trooper Aaron N. Smith was credited with saving two lives while on duty for the Indiana State Police last year.

The 33-year-old, who was killed by a fleeing driver Wednesday, had been with the state police about five years. He was also a member of the Indiana National Guard since 2011.

He was an outstanding Indiana National Guard soldier with our transportation unit in Michigan City, reads a statement from the Indiana National Guard. Judging by his membership in the Guard and State Police, he had a desire to serve his community, state and nation, and he will be missed.

Smith, of Franklin, was killed while trying to stop a stolen vehicle on Ronald Reagan Parkway in Hendricks County around 8:40 p.m. He is survived by his wife.

Trooper Smith presented with two lifesaving awards in April

Indiana State Trooper Aaron N. Smith was killed June 28, 2023 while trying to stop a fleeing vehicle.

Two months before the crash, Smith was presented with two awards by ISP Superintendent Doug Carter at a ceremony honoring several employees.

Smith along with another trooper was awarded a lifesaving award for assisting a woman who had been shot in the hip on Oct. 22, 2022. They found the woman inside a vehicle on Interstate 70 in Indianapolis.

Smith packed the wound with gauze and applied pressure. The woman survived the shooting. Smith was awarded another lifesaving award for assisting a man who was shot on Nov. 16, 2022.

Trooper Aaron Smith being escorted from Eskenazi Hospital to the Marion County Coroners Office flanked by his brothers and sisters in blue.@IMPDnews @ISPChiefPIO @ISPIndianapolis pic.twitter.com/WUdRn47Y28  Indiana State Police (@IndStatePolice) June 29, 2023

Smith pulled the man over after he ran a red light on Washington Street in Indianapolis. The trooper realized the man was suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper arm and left hand. Smith applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and the man survived.

Trooper Smith is to be commended for his extraordinary conduct in saving the life of a fellow human being, reads a press release sent out by Indiana State Police in April.

Previous coverage: Indiana trooper killed trying to stop fleeing vehicle; 2 Missouri men arrested

Smith graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in aviation management in 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile.

"Indiana State University mourns the loss of alum and Indiana State Police trooper Aaron Smith," the university wrote in a statement to IndyStar. "Trooper Smith displayed bravery and selflessness by proudly wearing the ISP badge and protecting his community."

The university also expressed its condolences to Smith's friends, family and the "brave men and women" of Indiana State Police.

"He was one of those guys that stood out," Carter said while speaking with media Wednesday night. "... He was a shining star for the state police."

Two men arrested in crash that killed Trooper Aaron Smith

Investigators work the scene Thursday, June 29, 2023, where Indiana State Trooper Aaron N. Smith was struck by a fleeing vehicle and killed on Wednesday night in Hendricks County.

Two men were arrested early Thursday in connection with the crash.

The driver of the stolen 2016 Chevrolet Traverse was 18-year-old Eddie Jones Jr. of Sikeston, Missouri. He is facing a preliminary charge of murder, according to state police.

DeMareon Curry, 19, also of Sikeston, Missouri, was a passenger in the vehicle. He has been preliminarily charged with auto theft.

The two men are detained at the Hendricks County Jail.

A 15-year-old girl, who was listed as a missing person from Missouri, will be turned over to authorities from that state later today. She was a passenger in the vehicle and is not being charged in connection with the troopers death, according to investigators.

The Hendricks County Prosecutor will make the final charging determinations in the case.

What we know about the crash

A screenshot from a traffic camera video shows emergency responders at the scene after Trooper Aaron N. Smith was struck and killed by a fleeing driver on Ronald Reagan Parkway in Hendricks County on June 28, 2023.

The crash occurred north of Interstate 70 on Ronald Reagan Parkway, just outside of Indianapolis in Plainfield. Smith was assisting in stopping the pursuit of the stolen 2016 Chevrolet Traverse.

Video from a traffic camera reviewed by IndyStar showed the Chevrolet turning toward Smith as he was throwing stop sticks onto the road.

The vehicle violently slammed into Smith, sending him into the air before he landed in a ditch, the video showed. The vehicle also ended up in the ditch after the collision.

Smith was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, where he died, according to state police.

The driver of the stolen vehicle and the two passengers were taken to hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries after the crash.

Smith is the second ISP trooper to be killed in the line of duty this year while deploying spike strips. Master Trooper James Bailey died after being struck by a car in early March while assisting Fort Wayne Police with stopping a fleeing vehicle on Interstate 69.

Memorial Fund for Trooper Aaron N. Smith

An account has been set up at Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU) under Aaron Smith Memorial Fund. Make a donation by stopping at the nearest IMCU branch or calling 800-556-9268.

Donations can also be made through the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation, 1710 S. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-431-0755.

Donations to the Fallen Heroes fund also can be made online by click here.

Contact the reporter at 463-214-7590.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana trooper killed by fleeing driver was recognized for saving lives
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Reuters/Getty

On June 27, former President Donald Trump countersued the writer E. Jean Carroll, who successfully sued him for defamation last month.

Specifically, Trump filed his Answer and Counterclaim to Carrolls Amended Complaint in federal court in New York. In this case, Carroll is seeking damages from Trump for attacking her (while he was president) as a liar for claiming that he sexually assaulted her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store in 1996.

In his counterclaim, Trump is seeking damages from Carroll for defaming him by contending that he raped her, even though the jury earlier this year found him liable for sexual assault, but not rape.

E. Jean Carrolls Lawyers Leveled a Knockout Blow on Trump

As crazy as this all sounds, I think it is possible that at least part of Trumps counterclaim will get to a jury.

On May 9, a jury in federal court in New York found Donald Trump was liable in the amount of $5 million for (1) sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll in 1996 and (2) defaming her in 2022 by falsely denying that he had done so. Trump, however, was found not liable on one countthat he had raped Carroll.

As I noted at the time for The Daily Beast: The difference between sexual assault and rape under New York law is that sexual assault required the jury to find that Donald Trump forcibly touched E. Jean Carrolls genitals without consent. Rape required proof that Donald Trumps penis penetrated E. Jean Carrolls vagina.

After the first Carroll v. Trump trial ended, a second case (which had been filed in 2020, two years before the case that was tried earlier this year) remained on the docket of Judge Lewis Kaplan.

DOJ Went Overboard With Espionage Act Charges Against Trump

Carroll moved to amend that 2020 complaint in three important ways: (1) where the original 2020 complaint alleged that Trump raped Carroll, the amended complaint substituted the term sexual assault for rape throughout; (2) where the original 2020 complaint did not demand a specific amount in damages, the amended complaint claimed $10 million in damages; and (3) the amended complaint added additional disparaging remarks made by Trump at a CNN town hall in New Hampshire, which was held immediately after the $5 million verdict was rendered against him.

Trump opposed Carrolls motion to amend. But on June 13, Judge Kaplan granted Carrolls motion to amend. On June 15, Judge Kaplan ordered that the trial will start on Jan. 15, 2024.

Collateral Estoppel Is a Fancy Way to Say That Both Parties Are Stuck With the Verdict in the First Case

In her reply brief in support of her motion to amend, Carroll noted that the doctrine of collateral estoppel would mean, in the 2024 Carroll v. Trump trial, the parties would not be able to retry issues that had already been determined by the jury in the 2023 Carroll trial.

Carroll argued that Trump should be barred from challenging the jurys verdict that Trump lied when he denied sexually assaulting Carroll in any way.

E. Jean Carroll Is a Badass

Even though the term collateral estoppel may sound complicated, the concept is simple. Once a jury verdict has been returned on a specific factual issue, the jurys verdict will be binding on both parties in further litigation between them.

That means Trump is stuck with the jurys verdict that he sexually assaulted Carroll in 1996, and defamed her when he denied it. At the same time, Carroll is stuck with the jurys verdict that Trump did not rape her in 1996.

In his counterclaim, Trump alleges that Carroll defamed him by calling him a rapist, both in her original complaint and in the aftermath of the 2023 verdict.

E. Jean Carroll now has 20 days to respond to Trumps counterclaim. She may move to dismiss or answer the counterclaim. At some point, I would expect Judge Kaplan to be asked to rule whether Trumps counterclaim can go to the jury. There are some obvious deficiencies in Trumps counterclaim, such as the failure to make particularized allegations to support his claim for damages.

However, when a person is falsely accused of a crime, that is termed defamation per se, and the law presumes that the plaintiff has suffered damage.

Trumps Failed Rape Defense Was Straight Out of the 17th Century

Ordinarily, Carrolls claims that Trump raped her would be protected by the actual malice standard, which I previously explained means that a public figure who sues for defamation has to prove that there was clear and convincing evidence that the statement was made with actual malicethat is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.

Given her testimony at the first trial, in which she said she believed that Trump put his penis inside of her after first sexually assaulting her with his fingers, but she could not actually see it, I expect that Trump will not be able to clear that bar with regard to Carrolls statements in 2020.

However, once the jury in the first trial returned its verdict that Trump was not liable for rape, Carrolls statements that Trump had, in fact, raped her (not merely sexually assaulted her with his fingers, as the jury found) could be found by a jury to be defamation.

As unlikely as it might have seemed a month ago, its possible Donald Trumps counterclaim against E. Jean Carroll could give him substantial leverage, both in negotiations with Carroll and in the minds of the jury in the second trial.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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As Trump faces criminal charges, here are 27 people he's previously said should be indicted or jailed

Not too long ago, Donald Trump said both Joe Biden and Barack Obama should "be in jail for 50 years." He also wondered why Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio hadn't faced criminal charges yet.

They are among at least 27 of Trump's apparent political foes that, since launching his 2016 campaign for president, Trump has explicitly stated or otherwise suggested should be indicted or jailed, according to an ABC News count.

Not one of them has been charged with any crimes.

MORE: What does indictment mean with Donald Trump facing federal and state charges

"It's ironic that he often called for the prosecution of political opponents and now finds himself the defendant," said Tom Dupree, a former senior Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration.

As Trump seeks another term in the White House, he is under indictment by the Justice Department for his recent handling of classified documents, and by state prosecutors in New York over his alleged role in a years-old hush-money scheme.

He is also facing another ongoing federal investigation and a state probe in Georgia tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The former president has repeatedly insisted he "did nothing wrong."

Some experts say Trump's past calls for the indictment or jailing of others underscore the political challenges he now faces in his bid for reelection, as well as his legal obstacles -- and opportunities -- as he mounts a criminal defense.

"He could win this case in the courtroom, or he could win it at the ballot box," Dupree said.

'They put you in jail'

On the campaign trail before the 2016 election, Trump energized the crowds at his rallies by calling for the criminal prosecution of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Clinton, he claimed, "should go to jail" for using a private email server as secretary of state and for allegedly deleting tens of thousands of emails after receiving a subpoena from a House panel investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.

"The big key [is] 'after.' That's the key word: 'after' receiving a congressional subpoena," Trump said at a Nov. 4, 2016, rally in Wilmington, Ohio. "She's guilty."

PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in front of his plane during a campaign event at an Air Transport Services Group Inc. airplane hanger in Wilmington, Ohio, Nov. 4, 2016. (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

"Lock her up!" Trump's supporters often chanted at his campaign events.

In the federal indictment against him, Trump is accused of refusing to return a cache of sensitive documents even after receiving a court-backed subpoena for them -- and then taking steps to hide them from the government.

And Trump has mischaracterized key pieces of what prosecutors found in Clinton's case: Clinton's lawyers had deemed the emails personal in nature before they were deleted, and it was one of Clinton's aides -- not Clinton herself -- who later deleted the emails without Clinton's knowledge, she told the FBI, according to government documents related to the case.

In 2016, as he battled Clinton for the White House, this is what Trump said about court-backed subpoenas when he inaccurately accused Clinton of defying one: "It's a court order. You have to give them. Now here's what happens if you don't give them, if you get rid of them ... and do what she did: They put you in jail. They put you in jail."

Since Trump is charged with 31 counts of "Willful Retention of National Defense Information," such past comments could demonstrate how aware Trump was of his responsibilities under the law, according to Sarah Isgur, a Republican strategist and lawyer who served as the Justice Department's top spokesperson for the first half of the Trump administration.

"He seems to know exactly what you can and can't do with subpoenas," Isgur, an ABC News contributor, said.

MORE: Trump federal indictment: How serious are obstruction charges?

Trump has claimed he didn't fully comply with the subpoena because he and his team were operating under the Presidential Records Act and that they were still "negotiating" with the National Archives -- two claims that the National Archives has strongly disputed, noting that the Presidential Records Act requires presidents to separate personal documents before leaving office and that "no history, practice, or provision in law" lets an outgoing president take official records with them.

According to the federal indictment against him, Trump, after leaving the White House, kept classified documents in a bathroom and shower, in his bedroom, and on a ballroom stage at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which "was not an authorized location." The indictment also alleges that Trump "showed and described" a document, which he called "highly confidential" and "secret," to a book writer and a publisher, and he allegedly showed someone else without a security clearance "a classified map related to a military operation."

Yet in recent years, Trump has said at different times that some of his critics should be jailed for allegedly exposing classified information -- including his own former national security adviser John Bolton, who wrote a searing book about his time in the White House. Bolton denied disclosing any classified information in the book, and though a federal judge was skeptical of that, no charges were ever filed.

Trump also claimed on Twitter in January 2018 that Clinton aide Huma Abedin should be imprisoned after "disregarding basic security protocols" by sending work-related messages to Clinton's private server.

"Jail!" he wrote.

MORE: Trump associates who have been sent to prison or faced criminal charges

Isgur said that split between rhetoric and reality is "core Donald Trump."

"Color me shocked that Donald Trump said something that now doesn't fit with his own narrative," she said.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News, but Trump has previously said he's been "unfairly treated" by a "deep state" that gives a pass to Democrats.

'Our country will continue to suffer'

In one of his final attacks on Clinton before winning the White House in 2016, Trump repeatedly warned that a president under felony indictment would "be a mess for many years to come" -- it would trigger "an unprecedented unconstitutional crisis" and "cripple the operations of our government," he said.

"Nothing will get done. Government will grind to a halt, and our country will continue to suffer," Trump declared in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Oct. 31, 2016, a week before the election.

At the time, Trump suggested that Clinton would soon face indictment for a slew of supposed crimes. She "shouldn't be allowed to run" in the first place due to her alleged crimes, he told supporters.

Clinton was never charged with any crimes.

PHOTO: Donald Trump and and Hillary Clinton during the second debate between the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates Oct. 9, 2016, at Washington University in St. Louis. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Political analysts say Trump's comments emphasize a core issue now facing his own campaign: his electability.

"If you're a Republican primary voter, this fits into a larger problem that you have," said Isgur said. "'[Trump] is a contradictory being."

But political and legal experts said Trump's comments also highlight potential ways for Trump to avoid conviction, at least in the federal case against him.

Long-standing Justice Department policy agrees with his stated concerns about an indicted president.

"The indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting president would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions," the department's Office of Legal Counsel said in a 2000 memo reaffirming the policy, which was first memorialized in 1973.

MORE: Trump could still be elected president despite 2nd indictment, experts say

The policy prohibits a sitting president from being indicted -- but it also prohibits a president from being put on trial because it would interfere with their presidential duties.

As a result, said Dupree and Isgur, if Trump is elected next year but hasn't gone to trial yet -- a completely conceivable scenario after in-court motions and appeals, they said -- then the Justice Department would almost certainly be compelled to drop its case or at least have it put on hold until the end of Trump's term.

There's also the practical reality that if Trump wins reelection, it would be a Trump-appointed attorney general deciding how to proceed, and they would likely "just abandon the prosecution," as Dupree put it.

It's unclear what would happen in the state-level case against Trump in New York.

'Thrown in jail'

As he sought the presidency in 2016, Trump accused numerous opponents of committing crimes.

While battling Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for the Republican nomination, Trump suggested Rubio should be indicted for using a state Republican Party credit card, years earlier, to pay for improvements at his home. Rubio later reimbursed the party.

When Clinton announced that Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., would be her running mate that year, Trump asked about Kaine, "Why doesn't he get indicted?" for accepting more than $160,000 in gifts while serving years earlier in the Virginia statehouse. Kaine's team defended the gifts as completely legal, and there was no evidence that Kaine performed any official act because of them.

Later, during the run-up to Trump's first impeachment in 2019, Trump said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., deserved to be "thrown into jail" for telling "lies" about Trump's phone call with Ukraine's president.

PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Deltaplex Arena, Oct. 31, 2016, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In August 2020, as controversy grew over government restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19, Trump retweeted a post saying that then-New York Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo "should be in jail" for his handling of the pandemic.

And in September 2020, Trump said at a rally that Hillary Clinton's lawyer years earlier "should go to jail with her" for her alleged crimes.

But most of Trump's calls for imprisonment or indictment have stemmed from what he's called "the greatest political crime in the history of our country" -- the FBI's probe of alleged ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia.

Trump has claimed that "100 people" should be "in jail right now" for the investigation, and among the specific people he's accused by name of committing crimes related to the probe are former special counsel Robert Mueller, former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan, former FBI deputy director Andy McCabe, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, former FBI attorneys Lisa Page and James Baker, Mueller team prosecutor Andrew Weissman, former Justice Department official Bruce Ohr and his wife, and FBI source Christopher Steele.

In late 2018, Trump suggested that former President Bill Clinton, Obama's former attorneys general Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, Trump's former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, and former Hillary Clinton aide John Podesta should be imprisoned too, retweeting a cartoonish image of them behind bars with a caption that read: "Now that Russia collusion is a proven lie, when do the trials for treason begin?"

MORE: Trump-era pardon recipients are increasingly back in legal jeopardy

Trump has also said that President Biden and former President Obama should be indicted for their roles in what he called the "Russia hoax."

"Obama was involved, and Biden was involved," Trump claimed at a rally on the eve of Election Day 2020.

In a recently issued report on the FBI's Russia probe, Trump-era special counsel John Durham concluded that at least some FBI officials working the case suffered from a politically-tinged "confirmation bias" that bordered on "negligence," leading to unnecessarily intrusive investigative steps. But, as scathing as the report was, it also said that -- other than a lower-level FBI attorney who altered an email submitted in court -- the evidence didn't support charges against anyone in the U.S. government. And it undercut claims of a massive scheme reaching into the White House and broader U.S. intelligence community.

Trump, in the meantime, faces upcoming court dates in the DOJ's classified documents case and the Manhattan's DA's hush money case.

"Politicians really need to be careful and mindful about calling for the widespread incarceration of their political opponents -- because the world changes and the shoe is on the other foot before you know it," Dupree said.

As Trump faces criminal charges, here are 27 people he's previously said should be indicted or jailed originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
STOCKHOLM, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Less than a week after a fatal accident at an amusement park in the Swedish capital Stockholm, a roller coaster in the country's second-largest city was shut down on Thursday after a crack was discovered in its foundation.

The fault in the roller coaster at Liseberg amusement park was found during routine maintenance checks, and required welding work, Andreas Andersen, the CEO of Liseberg Group, told Swedish Television (SVT).

"This is ordinary maintenance work, which has nothing to do with Jetline (the derailed rollercoaster in Stockholm)," Andersen told SVT.

On Sunday, a woman was killed and nine other passengers were injured in a roller coaster accident at the Grona Lund amusement park in Stockholm.

Rides made by the same manufacturer in two other amusement parks belonging to the same group were subsequently shut down as a precautionary measure, and Grona Lund will remain closed for at least a week.

The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) has launched an investigation into the fatal accident while police are undertaking a criminal inquiry.

SHK will also look into similarities with a 1986 accident in Canada involving a roller coaster of the same model, in which three people were killed, the Expressen newspaper reported on Thursday.

In both accidents, wheels came off a cart and fell to the ground, Expressen reported. 
Former President Trump praised Thursdays Supreme Court ruling dealing a blow to affirmative action, calling it a great day for America.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA, Inc. gave Trump credit for the ruling, citing his nomination of conservative justices to the high court.

President Donald Trump made todays historic decision to end the racist college admissions process possible because he delivered on his promise to appoint constitutionalist justices, said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the PAC. America is a better nation as a result of the historic rulings led by Donald Trumps three Supreme Court nominees.

Former Vice President Pence, who is running against Trump in the GOP presidential primary, issued his own statement praising the ruling.

There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism, Pence said. I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured todays welcomed decision, and as president I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends.

However, Trump will likely use the ruling and his record of appointing conservative judges and justices as an argument on the campaign trail. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats could use this issue to galvanize their own base going into 2024. President Biden is slated to address the ruling later on Thursday from the White House.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- A standing order that former President Donald Trump has claimed authorized him to instantly declassify documents removed from the Oval Office could not be found by either the Justice Department or Office of Director of National Intelligence.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The disclosure by the agencies was made in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed last August by Bloomberg News, which sued ODNI and the Justice Departments national security division for a copy of Trumps so-called standing order  if one existed.

Trump insisted that he had such a declassification order after the FBI found top secret materials at his Mar-a-Lago home last year. He has since been charged in the case by Special Counsel Jack Smith, making him the first former president to face federal allegations of criminal conduct.

Last month, in a court filing, government attorneys asserted to Bloomberg News that they could neither confirm nor deny whether the agencies had such a document, citing the ongoing criminal investigations against Trump.

But government attorneys have since confirmed in a letter sent Thursday to Bloomberg News that each agency possesses no records responsive to your request about the existence of a declassification standing order.

The government was compelled to make the disclosure about the standing order after a judge in a similar case in Massachusetts ordered the agencies to say whether the standing order or records referencing it exist.

Spokespeople for Trump, the Justice Department and ODNI did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

Read More: Trumps Decree on Secrets Remains a Mystery as US Stays Silent

The plausibility of such a standing order was dismissed as nonsensical last year by more than a dozen former White House officials.

While US presidents can declassify any document at will, former intelligence officials have said that such a standing order would have to be memorialized in writing and shared with the intelligence community, specifically the Office of Director of National Intelligence, as well as the agency that classified the document in the first place.

On Aug. 12, a few days after the FBIs Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, that the records taken by the FBI were all declassified. The standing order defense was promoted that evening on Fox News by John Solomon, a journalist who Trump designated to speak for him on the case.

The indictment against Trump was unsealed by a federal court in Miami June 9 and outlined 37 counts of seven charges including willful retention of national defense information, corruptly concealing documents, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements.

--With assistance from Chris Strohm and Stephanie Lai.

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Floodwaters submerge a Tulare Lake vineyard and tractors in April. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

After months of concern that Sierra Nevada snowmelt would send torrents of water into an already flooded Tulare Lake and inundate more communities and infrastructure, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has announced that the waters of the resurgent lake have finally begun to recede.

"We've turned a corner," said Alex Stack, a Newsom spokesman.

In a prepared statement released Wednesday, the governor's office said that data and inundation maps collected and prepared by state officials show that earlier estimates of potential flooding have not been met. Instead, the lake  now roughly the size of Lake Tahoe  is shrinking.

The statement credited "months of government efforts to combat flooding" and "favorable weather conditions that have slowed snowmelt," and claimed that 66,692 acre-feet of water  or 21.7 billion gallons  have been diverted from the lakebed as a result of "early and aggressive action" by officials.

Read more: 'This water needs to be protected': California tribe calls for preservation of Tulare Lake

According to Newsom's office, those measures included the declaration of a state of emergency, the issuing of executive orders and the implementation of preemptive water management strategies that were able to divert flows upstream from Tulare Lake and "put that water to use by recharging groundwater, replenishing storage, and more."

Once the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi, Tulare Lake was drained by farmers who diverted inflows to irrigate fields of cotton, pistachios, safflower and almonds in the San Joaquin Valley.

After a series of atmospheric rivers bombarded the state this winter  piling up an epic amount of snow in the Sierra Nevada, flooding rivers and saturating the ground  water from the Kaweah, Kings and Tule rivers poured into the ancient lake's basin, flooding fields and roads. The rising waters also threatening the the city of Corcoran and its massive prison complex, as well the communities of Stratford, Allensworth and Alpaugh.

Since the early 1900s, the lake had reformed only a few times  most memorably in 1968, 1983 and 1997.

But while state officials say the threat of the lake growing larger has abated, others say it's not time to relax; much more needs to be done.

"We're out of the woods for this year," said Deirdre Des Jardins, an independent water researcher and advocate. However, "next year could be a strong El Nino year, in which case there would be an elevated risk of the kind of extreme precipitation we had in the strong El Nino year of 1982-83."

"There needs to be a coordinated flood response plan for routing flows larger than the capacity of the canals... around the former Tulare Lake bed" she said. "Not having such a plan is a recipe for chaos."

Read more: Worry and suspicion reign as once-dry Tulare Lake drowns California farmland

She said protection for vulnerable communities and critical infrastructure "will come from emergency levee upgrades, and from making hard choices about where to route flood inflows to the Tulare Lake basin, something that the Department of Water Resources has delegated to the counties and local Reclamation Districts," she said, describing the state's response as a "game of hot potato."

She also dismissed the state's suggestion that their actions averted catastrophe: "What saved us was the cool weather, which delayed the snowmelt until the irrigation season started."

Joe Neves, a Kings County supervisor, said he was relieved, and agreed with Des Jardins that there was still a lot of work needed to be done before the next rain season set in.

Water flows along with longer days and higher temperatures have helped a great deal, he said. Seasonal irrigation demand and groundwater recharge has used a large amount of floodwater this spring.

But lawmakers, water managers and farmers needed to begin preparing for the next rain season, he said.

He said repairs to damaged infrastructure are critical, as is expanding the floodwater management system to accommodate higher flows. In addition, he noted that river restoration projects, focused on debris removal and erosion prevention, are already underway.

The future flood control efforts remain underway with a fresh perspective of the 2023 storm season, he said. Now with more focus on repairing the damaged waterways and a higher understanding of water flows in todays environment.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
ARKADAG, Turkmenistan (Reuters) - Turkmenistan opened a new, futuristic "smart" city on Thursday dedicated to its former president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The city is named Arkadag, or protector, an unofficial title by which Turkmen media have long referred to Berdymukhamedov, who on Thursday marked his 66th birthday by travelling to the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

A source close to the government told Reuters the new city for 73,000 residents cost $3.3 billion to build and there were plans to spend as much again in the next few years.

All the buildings in Arkadag are white and all apartment blocks are seven storeys high, a number considered lucky.

Only electric vehicles are allowed in the city, which features monuments dedicated to a horse of the Turkmen Akhal Teke breed and to Berdymukhamedov himself, and was built close to his native village in southern Turkmenistan.

His son, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 41, oversaw the opening ceremony attended by foreign officials. Some brought presents, such as an electric car from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

The elder Berdymukhamedov ran the gas-rich desert nation of six million for 15 years until 2022, becoming the centre of an elaborate personality cult where, for example, all male civil servants followed their leader's example when deciding whether or not to dye greying hair.

He passed the leadership to his son but retains many powers as the chairman of the People's Council.

(Reporting by Marat Gurt, Writing by Olzhas Auyezov, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Turkmenistan unveils Arkadag, a $5 billion city named in honour of strongman Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (Natalia KOLESNIKOVA)

Turkmenistan on Thursday inaugurated Arkadag, a $ 5-billion "smart" city built in honour of former strongman leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, cementing one of the most extraordinary personality cults in the world.

Serdar Berdymukhamedov, his son and current president, unveiled the city around 30 kilometres (18 miles) southwest of the capital Ashgabat during a grandiose ceremony attended by AFP journalists.

The ex-Soviet Central Asian nation is one of the most secretive countries in the world, and access for foreign media is extremely rare.

The new city built in the foothills of the picturesque Kopet-Dag mountains is named after Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who ruled over the country between 2006 and 2022 and now carries the title Hero Arkadag (Protector).

"Glory to Arkadag and Serdar, glory to the Turkmen leader," participants dressed in traditional Turkmen clothes chanted during the ceremony.

The former president, who turned 66 on Thursday, remains the real decision-maker in the country, observers say. The elder Berdymukhamedov was making the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and was not present at the ceremony.

Rights groups have accused Turkmenistan of channelling money from its gas profits on lavish projects promoting Berdymukhamedov's personality cult with little benefit for the broader population.

Arkadag, which is in an earthquake zone, will eventually have a population of around 73,000, authorities have said.

The city is dotted with monuments including a sculpture in honour of Berdymukhamedov atop an Akhal-Teke horse, his favourite breed.

Officials have billed Arkadag as a "city of the future", adding that "green" technologies were used in its construction.

An employee of the construction and architecture ministry said that Berdymukhamedov had closely overseen the project and provided his "valuable recommendations."

"Thanks to his efforts, a beautiful city has appeared on the land of our valiant ancestors," the employee said on condition of anonymity.

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Livestock farmer Olga Martinez, who implemented a pasture rotation system, works in San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia (Raul ARBOLEDA)

In Colombia's southern Guaviare department, on the doorstep of the Amazon, cattle ranchers are engaged in a practice that belies their jungle-wrecking reputation. They plant trees.

Under an experiment started in 2020, dozens of Guaviare farmers have moved their cattle to smaller enclosures and implemented rotational pasture, returning vast swathes of land to nature and replanting lost forest.

"The forest is cared for because we are no longer cutting down trees," milk farmer Olga Martinez, 65, told AFP.

The area was populated in the late 20th century by an influx of settlers attracted by the promise of "a land without men for men without land."

Martinez herself first arrived in Guaviare some 45 years ago, when the landscape was "mountainous jungle."

She and others soon changed that, clearing vast tracts of rainforest for pasture and cropland.

From the air, it is clear to see the human expansion taking huge bites out of the thick vegetation surrounding San Jose de Guaviare, the departmental capital.

But a change is taking root.

Martinez and 34 other Guaviare farmers have signed up to a conservation program managed by France's ONF government forest agency and its local branch, ONF Andina.

Since last year, she has planted some 1,200 trees on her 55-hectare (135 acre) property without having to give up a single head of cattle.

The benefits have been manyfold.

"The cows give more milk, they have gained weight, the calves are beautiful," she said of the new practice of feeding cows in one pen until the grass is exhausted, then move them to the next and so on while the first recovers.

"That filled me with joy. The cattle in those large pastures do nothing but run. They don't even eat" because they trample the grass, she said.

- From deforestation to reforestation -

Cattle farmers like Martinez receive trees to plant as part of the project called Terramaz, as well as advice and equipment to get the most out of their herds.

While ranches in Guaviare are used to supporting about 0.8 cattle per hectare, participants in the Terramaz program have increased the ratio to 3.5 head per hectare, according to the ONF -- still considered ample roaming space.

So far, the project has reclaimed 915 hectares of farmland.

Colombia has about 30 million head of cattle earning 1.7 percent of its GDP -- double what coffee generates, according to industry statistics.

"Extensive livestock farming is one of the main drivers of deforestation in our department," said Xismena Martinez of the Guaviare governor's office.

"The model consisted of cutting the forest to plant pasture... it is a very profitable activity," she said.

The department lost some 25,000 hectares of forest in 2021, according to official statistics.

Rainforests are often called the "lungs of the Earth," soaking up planet-warming CO2 and expelling life-giving oxygen. Their protection is crucial in the battle to combat climate change.

- 'They walk less' -

Nelcy Rodriguez, 49, is another project volunteer who has seen her herd's productivity increase.

"Because they walk less," she said, her 10 cows now give about 55-60 liters (14.5-15.8 gallons) of milk per day compared to 40 liters before.

About 15 hectares of Rodriguez's 48-hectare farm have been reforested.

The Guaviare area -- remote and largely forgotten -- has long been popular with farmers of illegal coca -- the main ingredient in cocaine of which Colombia is the world's biggest exporter.

But as the so-called war on drugs ramped up, coca plantations were targeted by an aggressive glyphosate fumigation campaign, and many farmers turned to cattle.

"I used to plant coca," said Rodriguez, and used the money to buy cows.

"When there was no more coca, I had my cows and I started farming."

She and many others have undergone a complete mind shift along the journey, said Rodriguez.

Nowadays, "one is sorry to fell a tree," she said. "On the contrary, we are working hard to reforest."

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Two deputies were hospitalized Wednesday after getting exposed to fentanyl while arresting a woman, the Saluda County Sheriffs Office said.

The deputies were taken to Lexington Medical Center for treatment and are expected to be OK, the sheriffs office said at about 5 p.m. in a news release.

They got sick from coming into contact with the drug at separate stages of the arrest, according to the release.

The incident began when deputies responded to reports of a reckless driver that almost struck several vehicles, the sheriffs office said. At the scene, deputies found the driver, Tammy Rodgers, who was unsteady on her feet, according to the release.

After a search of the vehicle, Rodgers was arrested on a charge of trafficking fentanyl, the sheriffs office said.

While driving Rodgers to the Saluda County Detention Center, the arresting deputy became ill with symptoms from exposure to fentanyl, according to the sheriffs office.

The deputy was able to stop at a safe place, administer herself with Narcan and radio for help, according to the release. Narcan, which is the name of a popular brand of the drug Naloxone, can be administered as a nasal spray or as an injection for patients suffering from an opioid overdose, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said.

More deputies responded to assist the arresting deputy, according to the release. While administering medical aid, another deputy was exposed to fentanyl, and both deputies were taken to the area hospital, the sheriffs office said.

Ultimately, Rodgers was safely transported to the county jail, according to the release.

No other injuries were reported.

These are the dangers we face everyday as law enforcement officers, Saluda County Sheriff Josh Price said in the release. Im proud of the men and women of the Sheriffs Office who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. There were many heros involved with todays incident.
Two teenagers in custody after fatal shooting at Wrens convenience store

Wrens Food Mart, the location of the fatal shooting of a clerk Wednesday, June 28.

A Wrens convenience store clerk is dead and two 15-year-old males are in custody after a shooting Wednesday, June 28.

According to the Jefferson County Coroners Office, Mandeep Singh, 36, of Rosier Road in Augusta, was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck twice by gunfire at Wrens Food Mart, also known as Jackies, located at 504 Highway 80 in East Wrens.

Wrens Police Chief John Maynard said the clerk had been working at the store for less than one month.

The two juveniles entered the store around 8:35 p.m. Wednesday evening, Maynard said.

It appeared to be an armed robbery to start with, and at some point shots were fired and the clerk was deceased, Maynard said.

The store had security cameras and Maynard said that juveniles were not wearing masks or obscuring their faces during the incident.

They walked in, maybe five seconds was spent looking at a shelf. It was clear what they came to do, Maynard said.

Within two hours we had them identified, Maynard said. Within four hours we had the first suspect picked up. And in just over eight hours we had both of them in custody. That rarely happens, but I think our citizens are sending a clear message that they are tired of this.

This is the fifth apparently unrelated shooting in Jefferson County in the last three months.

On June 2 a Louisville man was shot and killed in the 1100 block of Wren Lane just outside Louisville. The incident is still under investigation.

Thursday morning the coroners office confirmed that Singhs body was being transported to the GBI crime lab.

We are following up on other leads as to why this took place, Maynard said.

Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the Wrens Police Department at 706-547-3232 or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) at 706-595-2575. All calls may remain confidential, the spokesman said.

A convenience store clerk from Augusta had been working at Wrens Food Mart less than a month when he was fatally shot there Wednesday, June 28.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Teenagers in custody after fatal shooting at Wrens convenience store
The Biden administration is actively considering sending cluster munitions to Ukraine to help Kyivs counteroffensive punch through Russias defenses, two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the debate said.

The discussion to send dual-purpose improved conventional munitions has intensified in recent days as Ukraines effort to break through Russias frontline has stalled. The belief among some senior U.S. officials is that the munitions could be one of many tools that makes Ukraines campaign more successful.

Late last year, the administration said it had concerns about delivering the munitions to Ukraine, mainly for humanitarian reasons and also the U.S. didnt assess Ukraine needed them at that point. The administration never ruled out their delivery, but cluster munitions didnt receive a serious look as there were other priority items to give to Kyiv first.

But the internal administration debate over their use has intensified since the sputtering counteroffensive, leading some officials to say the administration is closer to yes now than at any other point in the war.

All three people said no final decision has been made and that theres no timeline for when it would come. Still, one of the U.S. officials, who like others was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive internal deliberation, said the U.S. is considering providing cluster munitions.

The Pentagon said it had nothing to announce regarding the weapon. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The cluster munitions can be launched from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and 155mm Howitzers, which the U.S. provided Ukraine as part of $41 billion in security assistance since the war began in February 2022. The munitions scatter large numbers of explosive bomblets over a wide area, potentially killing civilians alongside intended targets. The duds that dont work could later explode, harming innocent people and complicating troop movements as the war progresses.

The United States is not party to an international ban on their use, the 2010 Convention on Cluster Munitions signed by more than 100 countries. But Congress has restricted Washingtons ability to transfer cluster munitions, citing the risk to civilians. The president or the secretary of State can override these constraints if a high standard is met.

But last week, Laura Cooper, the Pentagons Europe chief, told lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the munitions would be useful, especially against dug-in Russian positions on the battlefield.

Republican lawmakers are in favor of the move, and committee Chair Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said last week that cluster munitions would be incredibly effective against the heavily fortified Russian defensive positions the Ukrainians must now breach.

Congressional Democrats, however, arent in favor. This week, in a letter obtained by POLITICO, 14 Senate Democrats wrote to national security adviser Jake Sullivan that the humanitarian costs and damage to coalition unity of providing U.S. cluster munitions would outweigh the tactical benefits, and urge the president not to approve such a transfer.

The battlefield is also littered with mines, one reason Ukraines counteroffensive hasnt gone as quickly as officials in Kyiv and Washington hoped. Russia has used cluster munitions in the war, while evidence is mounting that Ukraine is launching them, too.

According to a March report by the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Ukrainian armed forces likely used cluster munitions and rocket-delivered antipersonnel landmines to carry out attacks in Izium city, Kharkiv region, from March to September 2022, when it was controlled by Russian armed forces.
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

A U.S. attorney overseeing a federal probe into the commonwealth of Kentucky has made thousands of dollars in political contributions to two Republican candidates who, if elected, would be directly involved with that investigationthe GOP nominee for attorney general, and sitting AG and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron.

The donations raise questions of potential impropriety, government ethics experts said, because they lend the appearance of a senior Justice Department official attempting to exert political influence over his district.

Cameron, as current attorney general, has already had contact with the DOJ about the probe, which is being run out of the Western District of Kentucky and concerns state-run mental health systems. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast that the investigation is ongoing.

The donorMichael Bennett, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentuckycontributed $1,000 to Cameron on May 7, nine days ahead of the primary election, according to Kentucky campaign finance records. That same day, Bennett gave $500 to the Republican running to fill Camerons slot, Russell Coleman, on top of a previous $1,000 donation in September.

Kentucky GOP Star Daniel Cameron Offers a Tortured Defense in Cash Scandal

Coleman was Bennetts predecessor and former boss at the top of the Western District, where he was appointed by former President Donald Trump.

Both of Bennetts contributions went to support Republicans who, if elected, would be directly responsive to the probe. Legal experts told The Daily Beast that the donations lend the appearance of political interference and publicly picking sides. (This month, Cameron joined Trump allies across the country when he attacked the political weaponization of the DOJ after the former presidents federal indictment in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.)

Delaney Marsco, senior legal counsel for ethics at nonpartisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center, told The Daily Beast that voters have a right to know that Bennett is appearing to demonstrate political interference or favoritism in connection to his official duties.

The public absolutely has a right to know that DOJ employees are not avoiding even the appearance of political interference or favoritism in department activities. In this case, it certainly could raise questions about whether the donating individual is attempting to influence an investigation that would impact their office, Marsco said.

She added that this kind of transparency is critical when it comes to political donations, noting that absent those disclosure rules, we would never even be able to pose the question.

Jordan Libowitz, communications director at watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, agreed with Marscos analysis, telling The Daily Beast that Bennett appears to be publicly picking sides in who will run the state hes investigating.

At the very least, theres an optics issue, since the current governor is running for re-election and the U.S. Attorney tasked with investigating the state is publicly picking sides in who will run it, Libowitz said.

Kentucky finance records show that Camerons rival, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, received $250 in April from Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Fleming, head of the civil division in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Flemings contribution came through a fundraising event, according to campaign finance records, but AUSA-level prosecutors arent subject to strict limitations on political activity. The Daily Beast could not find public reports that would suggest a conflict of interest between Flemings office and the governor.

But Libowitz pointed back to the probe, saying that even if Bennett was legally free to make the donation, it was a very poor choice and certainly will raise questions about his investigation.

Kentucky Dems Ask Feds to Probe Daniel Cameron Donations

The Western Districts investigationa civil rights inquiry into Kentuckys mental health systemswas announced in May 2022, but the DOJ has not released findings and the University of Michigan School of Laws Civil Rights Clearinghouse database shows only that the case is ongoing.

A Western District representative would not comment on the investigation, citing internal policy. A spokesperson from the DOJs D.C. office confirmed that the probe is ongoing, but declined to comment on the donations. Spokespeople for the Cameron and Coleman campaigns did not reply to The Daily Beasts questions, and neither did the offices of the Kentucky attorney general or governor.

A DOJ press release from the time explained that the probea joint effort between the civil rights divisions in the Western District of Kentucky and main justice in D.C.centers on whether the commonwealth subjects adults with serious mental illness in the Louisville area to unnecessary institutionalization and unnecessarily segregates people with serious mental illness in psychiatric hospitals, in violation of provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Such policiesas opposed to embracing community-based servicesmay increase the risk of confrontations with law enforcement, the statement said.

The press release included a statement from Bennett, who said his office would vigorously enforce the ADA, adding that our fellow citizens with mental health disabilities deserve nothing less.

The statement noted that the DOJ had notified both Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and attorney general Cameron ahead of the announcement.

But Beshearwho preceded Cameron as AGcriticized that announcement during a press conference the next week. He claimed that investigators hadnt contacted his office until roughly an hour before publishing what he characterized as an aggressive press release that didnt match the tenor of their prior discussion. The one-term Democrat, who is seeking re-election against Cameron this year, added that he was surprised that the feds hadnt reached out to any state officials or requested documentation before publicizing the investigation.

Beshear then praised the integrity of Kentuckys mental health officials and pledged that his office would cooperate with the probe. But he added that, from his perspective as a former state AG, he would have never launched an investigation with a press release without providing some underlying documentation and discussions first.

Kentucky GOP Star Took Cash From Recovery Center Hes Investigating

"We are going to cooperate, but if they want cooperation, we need to understand how they got to where they are and where they think they're going, Beshear said.

DOJ guidance says that U.S. Attorneys, who are typically political appointees, qualify as further restricted employees whose political activity is limited under the law. While those employees may make campaign contributions, a review of campaign finance data shows that sitting U.S. Attorneys rarely do so.

A search of Kentucky filings by employer and occupation returned a total of two such donors: Bennett, and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, Halsey Frank, who gave a total $350 last yearalso to Coleman. On the federal level, records searches for donations by employer and occupation returned a total of 16 hits over the last decade.

In 2016, the DOJs Office of Inspector General found that U.S. Attorney James L. Santelle violated department and federal standards after participating in campaign and fundraising events. The report prompted Santelles resignation.

Bennett, however, is not a confirmed political appointee. He has served as acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District since January 2021, when his Trump-appointed predecessor stepped aside at the end of the previous administration. That predecessor, of course, was Russell Colemanthe current Kentucky AG candidate who now enjoys Bennetts financial support.

While its typical for DOJ political appointees to cycle out when the White House changes hands, whats not so typical about Bennetts position is that President Joe Biden still hasnt been able to advance a nominee to fill Colemans old slota congressional roadblock that bears the fingerprints of the Senates master obstructor, Minority Leader and fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell.

Last year, Coleman defended his successor in a Louisville Courier-Journal article examining the Biden-McConnell impasse, saying that Acting U.S. attorneys like career DOJ prosecutor Mike Bennett serve ably and honorably. Four months later, Bennett gave Coleman $1,000.

The Courier-Journal article was published the day after Bennett announced the mental health investigation.

While that report doesnt reference the probe, it notes that DOJ nominees are typically recommended to the sitting president by the senior senator of the presidents party. In Kentuckys case, however, both senators are Republicans, so the responsibility defaulted to the states single Democratic House memberRep. John Yarmuthwho expressed frustration about an inability to work with the man who affectionately self-identifies as the grim reaper of congressional obstructionism.

Mitch has never discussed a single appointment of any position in my 15+ years here, Yarmuth told the Courier-Journal.

It also turns out that the same person chiefly responsible for Bennetts enduring post in the Western District is also a close ally of Daniel Cameronan association that dogged the rising GOP star in the hostile primary. A former McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville, Cameron later served as McConnells legal counsel and is widely seen as a potential heir when the octogenarian retires.

McConnell, however, publicly kept his distance from Cameron during the primary, remaining neutral despite Trumps endorsement of his longtime protegeor perhaps because of it.

McConnell doesnt appear on Colemans list of endorsements, which features a slate of prominent Republicans, including former Attorney General Bill Barr, Colemans former boss at DOJ.

Coleman often cites his federal experience to support his campaign claim that he would be the most qualified Attorney General in Kentucky history. In a political moment where DOJ is synonymous with an anti-Republican deep state, Colemans campaign site boasts endorsements from several former prosecutors, who, in addition to Barr, include two former USAs along with former Trump acting attorney general and masculine toilet salesman Matt Whitaker.

Bennett, whose $1,000 contribution to Coleman came two months before Coleman officially filed his candidacy with the state, does not appear among the endorsements.

The news of Bennetts donations comes amid a bitter campaign roiling with accusations of financial impropriety.

Both parties referred the opposing gubernatorial candidate to the FBI for campaign finance allegations this month. For his part, Cameron cited a Kentucky Republican mayors bungled $200,000 bundling operation in support of Beshear. The next day, the Kentucky Democratic Party told the feds that Cameron may have violated ethics laws in connection with donations from a company his office was investigatingdonations that Cameron had personally solicited, The Daily Beast reported.

Kentuckys Risky Million-Dollar Bet to Fight the Opioid Crisis With Psychedelics

That company, Edgewater Recovery Centers, falls under jurisdiction for the Eastern District of Kentucky. But another major Cameron backer, national conglomerate BrightSpring Health, is headquartered in Louisvillein the Western District.

BrightSpring has been the subject of numerous complaints, including a BuzzFeed News expose reporting abusive and neglectful treatment of patients with disabilities. That report came out exactly one month before the Western District announced its investigation.

So far, at least 22 employees of BrightSpring, along with subsidiaries Pharmerica and ResCare, have contributed a total $15,460 to Camerons campaign, Kentucky filings show. Almost all the donations came from a February campaign fundraising event that pulled contributions from company officials in nine states.

Camerons office is currently suing KKR, BrightSprings parent company; Franklin County court records show the commonwealth has two active lawsuits against the company.

The Cameron and Beshear campaigns have so far reported receiving nearly $300,000 combined from the health industry, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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JERUSALEM, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Judges of an Israeli court have proposed that the prosecution consider dropping the bribery charge in the corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a statement from the court on Thursday.

The judges of Jerusalem District Court made the suggestion during a meeting with prosecutors and Netanyahu's lawyers on Tuesday. They said there were "difficulties in establishing the bribery offense" and that "against the backdrop of these difficulties, it was suggested that the State Attorney's Office withdraw the bribery charge."

Prosecutors disagreed with the move, saying that only "a partial picture" of the case had been presented so far.

This statement from the court confirmed a previous report by Channel 13, a local TV news channel, which had sparked controversy in the country.

Ministers in Netanyahu's ruling coalition welcomed the court's proposal, echoing the prime minister's longstanding claim that "there is nothing" to charge against him.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara clarified that no charges would be dropped at this stage. She expressed surprise at the judges' remarks, emphasizing that a substantial amount of evidence in the case has yet to be presented during the trial.

The bribery charge, dubbed "Case 4000," is the most severe allegation against Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister. The case accuses him of providing regulatory and financial advantages to Shaul Elovitch, the former owner of Walla, a news site, and Bezeq, Israel's largest telecom company, in exchange for favorable coverage on Walla.

In addition to the bribery charge, Netanyahu was accused of fraud and breach of trust in two other cases.

However, the prime minister has denied all allegations, calling the trial part of a "witch hunt." 
By Andrew Chung and John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, effectively prohibiting affirmative action policies long used to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students on American campuses.

In a blockbuster decision that will force many colleges and universities to overhaul their admissions policies, the justices ruled that affirmative action admissions programs that consider an applicant's race in ways like Harvard and UNC did violate the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law.

Powered by the conservative justices with the liberals in dissent, the court sided with a group called Students for Fair Admissions, founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, in its appeal of lower court rulings upholding programs used at the two prestigious schools to foster a diverse student population. The vote counts were 6-3 against UNC and 6-2 against Harvard.

In landmark rulings last year with far-reaching societal implications also spearheaded by the conservative justices, the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide and widened gun rights.

Speaking at the White House, Democratic President Joe Biden said he strongly disagreed with Thursday's ruling, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, and urged colleges not to abandon their commitment to student diversity. Asked by a reporter if this is "a rogue court," Biden replied, "This is not a normal court."

Roberts wrote that a student "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

According to Harvard, around 40% of U.S. colleges and universities consider race in some fashion. Blum's group in lawsuits filed in 2014 accused UNC of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard of bias against Asian American applicants.

Harvard and UNC had said they used race as only one factor in a host of individualized evaluations for admission without quotas - permissible under previous Supreme Court precedents - and that curbing its consideration would cause a significant drop in enrollment of students from under-represented groups.

"Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause," Roberts wrote, referring to the constitutional provision.

Universities, Roberts added, may still consider a student's personal essays about "how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise." But, Roberts said, "universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today."

Affirmative action had withstood Supreme Court scrutiny for decades, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white student, backed by Blum, who sued the University of Texas after being rejected for admission.

The Supreme Court has shifted rightward since 2016 and now includes three justices who dissented in that case and three appointees by Republican former President Donald Trump, who is running again in 2024. Trump on Thursday hailed Thursday's ruling as "a great day for America."

Many institutions of higher education, corporations and military leaders long have backed affirmative action on campuses not simply to remedy racial inequity and exclusion in American life but to ensure a talent pool that can bring a range of perspectives to the workplace and the U.S. armed forces.

Thursday's ruling appeared to exempt military service academies from its sweep, with Roberts highlighting "the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present," and noting that the litigation had not addressed "the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context."

Biden, seeking re-election in 2024, recommended that colleges weigh a range of factors in admitting students including their economic backgrounds or hardships they had faced including racial discrimination.

"Discrimination still exists in America. Today's decision doesn't change that," Biden said.

"I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger ... because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation," Biden added.

'LET THEM EAT CAKE'

Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, wrote in a dissent: "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the (court's) majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

Jackson did not participate in the Harvard case because of her past affiliation with the university.

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic jurist on the court, wrote that the decision subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and further entrenches racial inequality in education.

"Today, this court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," Sotomayor wrote.

Sotomayor added that the "court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

Blum's group alleged that the adoption by UNC, a public university, of an admissions policy that was not race neutral violated the constitutional equal protection provision. It contended Harvard, a private university, violated Title VI of a landmark federal law called the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin in federally funded programs or activities.

Harvard's leaders said in a statement they would "determine how to preserve, consistent with the court's new precedent, our essential values." University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans pledged to "follow the law."

AMERICAN HISTORY

The United States is a nation that long has struggled with issues of race, dating back to its history of slavery of Black people that ended only after a civil war, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and in recent years racial justice protests that followed police killings of Black people.

In a May Reuters/Ipsos U.S. poll, 49% of respondents agreed that "due to racial discrimination, programs such as affirmative action are necessary to help create equality," while 32% disagreed and 19% were unsure.

Thursday's ruling did not explicitly say it was overruling landmark precedent upholding affirmative action.

But conservative Justice Clarence Thomas in a concurring opinion wrote that the court's previous Grutter v. Bollinger ruling that colleges could consider race as one factor in admissions because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body "is, for all intents and purposes, overruled."

People on both sides of the issue demonstrated outside the court following the ruling. Various Republican presidential candidates and lawmakers lauded the decision for embracing "merit-based" admissions. Democratic lawmakers called it a roadblock in the drive for racial justice.

Blum celebrated the ruling, saying it "marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation."

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a student's race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our country's civil rights laws," Blum said.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York and John Kruzel in Washington; Aditional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Rami Ayyub, Nandita Bose and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
Students walk through the University of Texas campus. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that colleges can no longer consider race in admissions. Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the consideration of race in college admissions violates the U.S. Constitution, effectively ending the way that many universities across the country have tried to increase diversity on college campuses and reversing years of court precedent.

In a 6-3 vote, the court found the admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause.

In the decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority that the admissions programs at both schools were well intentioned and implemented in good faith.

But, he said, the Court has permitted race-based college admissions only within the confines of narrow restrictions: such admissions programs must comply with strict scrutiny, may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and must  at some point  end, adding that the admissions systems at both schools fail each of these criteria.

In Texas, the decision will largely impact the University of Texas at Austin, which was the only public university that considered race in undergraduate admissions, and multiple private universities, such as Rice University in Houston and Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

In a statement, Rice University said the university is greatly disappointed that schools will no longer be allowed to consider race as a factor in admissions.

But, as one justice observed today, Deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life, President Reginald DesRoches and Provost Amy Dittmar wrote in an email Thursday to the Rice community, quoting Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. For that reason, we are more resolute than ever that every day at Rice, we will pursue and celebrate the excellence that a richly diverse student body, filled with its manifold experiences, brings to our community of scholars.

In a statement on social media, UT-Austin said it would "make the necessary adjustments to comply with the most recent changes to the law and remains committed to offering an exceptional education to students from all backgrounds and preparing our students to succeed and change the world."

The two lawsuits were brought by the group Students for Fair Admission, which is led by legal strategist Edward Blum, a crusader against college admissions processes that consider race in any way.

Blum is the same strategist who convinced Texan Abigail Fisher to file a lawsuit over a decade ago against UT-Austin, arguing the school unfairly discriminated against her by denying her admission while accepting students of color who she argued were less academically qualified. The court narrowly sided with UT-Austin at the time.

In one lawsuit, SFFA alleged the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause  which prohibits governmental entities from discriminating based on race  by considering race in admissions when its not the only way for the school to achieve a diverse student body. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that race-conscious admissions are acceptable only if there is not a race-neutral alternative that is adequately achieving diversity.

In the second case, SFFA alleged that Harvard University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars the federal government from providing money to private entities that discriminate based on race. Blum alleged that Asian American students are less likely to be accepted into the private university than similarly qualified students of other races.

In a statement, Lily Trieu, interim executive director of Asian Texans for Justice, said the group is disappointed in the court's decision.

Eliminating affirmative action reinforces the model minority myth, which not only falsely implies that AAPIs (Asian American Pacific Islanders) as a whole do not face racial injustice, but that all AAPI communities experiences are the same, she said. Combined with Texas lawmakers recent ban on diversity, equity and inclusion offices at state universities, she added, the affirmative action ban will make it harder for Texas AAPIs to fully thrive and be represented.

In a minority dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits.

In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society, she added.

Roberts argued in the majority opinion that any consideration of race by universities must meet strict scrutiny and that they dont do a good job connecting their admissions processes and the goals they are pursuing.

The universities main response to these criticisms is trust us, Roberts wrote. They assert that universities are owed deference when using race to benefit some applicants but not others. While this Court has recognized a tradition of giving a degree of deference to a universitys academic decisions, it has made clear that deference must exist within constitutionally prescribed limits.

He also said the universities are not able to adequately prove that that a students race is never considered a negative in the admissions process, which is required under the Equal Protection Clause.

Finally, Roberts said the schools use of race did not have a logical end point, citing a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that upheld the use of race in admissions but said the court expected the practice would be unnecessary in 25 years. The justices said the ruling does not apply to military academies, citing potentially distinct interests.

But Roberts did note that nothing in the courts ruling should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. But ... universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.

Emily Berman, a constitutional law expert at the University of Houston Law Center, said that means universities can consider race in the context of an individual applicants experience with race.

What you cant do is say, because this student is Black and therefore adds to the diversity of the class, that makes them a more desirable candidate than someone who is not, she said.

Stella Flores, a higher education and public policy expert at UT-Austin, said the ruling would decimate the pool of students of color, particularly in areas like graduate school, science, technology, engineering and medical fields.

With the Texas Legislatures passage this year of a bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices at state public universities, we already dug our own hole, and this is going to make the hole deeper, she said. Were actually the second-most-diverse state in the nation, and were majority Latino. So were going to have to get really creative in educating our population and providing more resources.

A long legal history

The American public has debated whether universities should consider a students race when deciding to admit them ever since affirmative action was introduced after the Civil Rights Movement to correct racial imbalances in education and the workforce born out of a segregated society. Since then, the nations highest court has weighed in periodically on the legality of the policy and narrowed its scope but has allowed it to stand for nearly 60 years.

In the past, the Supreme Court has chipped away at particular admissions policies but ultimately has repeatedly ruled that universities can consider race in admissions if they meet certain legal tests. For example, universities must ensure that considering race is an educational benefit to the broader student body and that there isnt another way to achieve diversity that doesnt consider race.

The first major challenge came in the 1970s, when a white student who was denied admission to the University of Californias medical school twice challenged the schools policy to set aside a certain number of seats for students of color.

The Supreme Court banned the use of racial quotas in admissions in that case, but it also ruled that universities could consider race as one of many factors in a college application, including students GPA, standardized test scores, personal essays, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities.

Yet experts say the perception that universities still use racial quotas or decide to admit some students solely based on their race has persisted. Legal challenges have, too.

In 1996, opponents of race-conscious admissions saw their first legal victory  this time, in Texas.

Cheryl Hopwood, a white woman, sued UT-Austin after she was denied admission to the universitys law school, arguing the university was using a segregated application system for students based on race that violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The district court judge said that admissions policy needed to go but still allowed for the university to consider race in admissions in other ways. Hopwood, along with three white men who joined the lawsuit, appealed the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the students. The Supreme Court rejected a request to hear the case, which meant that state universities in the 5th Circuits jurisdiction could not consider race in college admissions.

A few years later, the Texas Legislature created a new plan to mitigate some of the predicted impacts of the end of affirmative action in college admissions. Lawmakers created whats known as The Top 10% Plan, which automatically admits Texas high school students who graduate in the top 10% of their class to the states public universities.

The rule was designed to promote diversity at the states top universities by pulling in students from high schools across the state. Texas public schools are largely segregated, so the thinking was that recruiting students from schools with varying racial and ethnic compositions would help build diversity on college campuses. Over time, lawmakers created a carve-out policy for UT-Austin. Because the school gets so many applicants, it is required to accept only high school students in the top 6% of their graduating classes.

The ban on affirmative action in college admissions in Texas didnt last long. In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled in the case Grutter v. Bollinger that the University of Michigan could consider race in its law school admissions, nullifying the 5th Circuits decision and allowing UT-Austin to reintroduce race-conscious admissions in some cases. Ultimately, UT-Austin became the only public university in Texas to consider race in undergraduate admissions. The University of Houston Law Center also considers race in its admissions. In a statement, University of Houston spokesperson Chris Stipes confirmed the school would stop considering race in admissions given the ruling.

In 2008, UT-Austin again found itself at the center of a legal challenge to race-based admissions when Fisher sued the university after she was denied admission, arguing she was unfairly discriminated against because of her race.

Currently, UT-Austin admits 75% of its class through The Top 10% Plan and the other 25% through a holistic process that considers multiple factors, including race. Fisher argued that The Texas Top 10% Plan was doing a good job helping the university achieve diversity and race should not be considered when UT-Austin admits the remaining 25%.

Ultimately, the court narrowly sided with UT-Austin, finding that The Top 10% Plans ability to diversify the student body was limited. But the justices did say that the school should continuously review its processes to ensure that the school is not using race beyond the strict ways set by previous court rulings, including using it only when there is a compelling educational benefit to creating a diverse student body.

The Supreme Courts rulings Thursday come at a pivotal moment in the history of how college campuses consider race and diversity. Across the country, conservative politicians and policymakers have started to push back against the growth of diversity, equity and inclusion offices on campuses, offices that were created to ensure students from underrepresented backgrounds  including but not limited to race  feel welcome.

This year, Texas became the second state in the country to ban such offices, training and programs. Experts worry that the ban on those efforts, combined with the end of race-conscious admissions, could cement the impression that students of color are not welcome in the states higher education institutions and walk back decades of efforts to build more diverse campuses.

Texas lawmakers respond

In the hours after the decision, Texas lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle weighed in on the courts ruling. The Texas Black Legislative Caucus and Mexican American Legislative Caucus released statements condemning the decision.

We acknowledge the history of our country and this decision presumes no historical barriers have been in place for the advancement of all Americans. We have a responsibility to affirmatively include those historically excluded, said Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, who chairs the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. MALC will continue to fight for our growing Latino communities, the highest share of our states population and the 49.3% of Texans under the age of 18 who are Latino, to have access to higher education.

Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, lamented in a statement that this decision coupled with the "absence of DEI practices in Texas" will hurt students of color

Institutions of higher education have a long history of discrimination against people of color and women. Although times are better, our institutions are still failing to ensure opportunities are open to everyone," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock, filed a bill that would ban using an applicants race, color, or any other protected characteristic under applicable state or federal law as a factor in making admissions decision, as well as in government hiring in the state. The legislation appears largely symbolic, as Gov. Greg Abbott has added only property taxes to the topics lawmakers can pass bills on during the second special session that began this week.

Whats next

Broadly, education policy and admissions experts across the state and country are concerned that eliminating race-conscious admissions could have larger impacts on the already slow progress many universities have made to diversify their student bodies. If schools cannot consider race in admissions and they arent allowed to create offices or programs that help students from underrepresented groups succeed, some also worry about the long-term impacts on graduation rates for students of color who might not get the support they need or even enroll in the first place.

During this years regular legislative session, in anticipation that the Supreme Court could end race-conscious college admissions this summer, Texas lawmakers passed a bill to help UT-Austin prepare for that outcome.

The bill eliminated part of the state education code that said that if a court ends race-based admissions, the cap on the percentage of students accepted through The Top 10% Plan must be lifted. Without the cap, UT-Austin would see a large influx of students and wouldnt be able to accept any students outside those who graduate in the top 10% of their high school classes, including out-of-state students or student athletes. By removing that piece of the education code, UT-Austin was allowed to keep its current method of accepting students in place, regardless of the Supreme Courts decision on race-based admissions.

While some think top 10% plans could be a model for other states to spur diversity in their college campuses, some higher education policy experts also believe percentage plans like The Top 10% Plan could be the next focus of debate in Texas college admissions.

Ever since its inception, The Top 10% Plan has faced fierce opposition from some students and parents in middle- to upper-class suburban high schools, where they argue its harder to graduate in the top 10%. In the past, Gov. Greg Abbott and some state lawmakers have signaled a willingness to adjust the plan to give schools like UT-Austin more latitude to select their freshman classes.

Flores, the UT-Austin higher education expert, said the future of college admissions for underrepresented students now depends on the courage of higher education leaders.

Theyre really going to have to lead with character and integrity, she said. Leaders are the ones that are going to provide the pipeline of who we are as a nation.

Disclosure: Rice University, Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston have been financial supporters 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.

Join us for conversations that matter with newly announced speakers at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, in downtown Austin from Sept. 21-23.
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Reuters

Like a storm that blew across the Russian steppes, Yevgeny Prigozhins abortive march on Moscow has stirred up countless vortices of rumor. Days later, the consequences for those behind the insurrectionfrom Prigozhin to potential allies he may have had in the Russian militaryare unclear.

Much of Wednesday, for example, was spent trying to determine the fate of General Sergei Surovikin, a military leader who allegedly had advance knowledge of Prigozhins assault and may have helped plan it.

The stories about Surovikin, however, may also have been a sign of a new set of consequences from the unrest: initiatives by Western and Ukrainian intelligence services to exploit the aftermath of the mutiny, and to further weaken Putin and Russias military by fueling doubt about them.

Rumors Swirl as Russian General Who Knew of Prigozhins Mutiny Goes Missing

Leaks about Surovikin preceded the rumors he had been arrested, and many feel the tips about him may well have come from the U.S. intelligence community.

Such leaksor other efforts to stir more confusion and division in Russiaare just some of the ways that Ukraine and its allies can take advantage of a series of events that have left only one thing clear: Vladimir Putin is weaker today than he was a week ago.

During the uncertainty of last weekends events, it was asserted that Washington had chosen a cautious path to avoid giving Putin the opportunity to assert the West had any role in the unrest. But, in the days since, many have called for steps to seize the opportunity created by Russias near-civil war. This includes calls for the U.S. and allies to step up even more aggressively with military aid to Ukraine so it can better attack the depleted and confused Russian forces within their borders.

Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group, including Roman Yamalutdinov (L), pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to base, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. Reuters

Though other voices have reiterated concerns about provoking Putin, watching the Russian leader seek to end the Wagner assault via negotiation has sent a clear message that he is not playing from a position of strengthand he is far from the implacable foe setting the terms of the battle in Ukraine that many had assumed he was.

The story of the war in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022 has been one of red lines (that cautious Westerners assumed existed) being repeatedly crossedwithout retribution of any sort from Moscow.

There was initially a debate about whether too much Western support for Ukraine would trigger Putins wrath. Then came the debate about providing precision weapons. Then came the debate about tanks. Then came the debate about longer-range missile systems. Then came the debate about aircraft.

Throughout, there were concerns that active assistance provided to Ukraine from Western intelligence services might also incite Putin to respond against NATO, or that he might use tactical nuclear weapons. Without ignoring the seriousness of such concerns, we are now at a point when it is clear that just as the Russian military was not the unstoppable force it was thought to be, Putins red lines have for the most part been illusory.

Russias Mutiny Shows Ukraine Can Win the War

With Russias military position in Ukraine weakened by the loss of Wagners troops there, with the insurrection serving as a blow to Russian morale, and with potential changes atop the Russian command structure (like the rumored arrest of Surovikin), Russia seems more vulnerable than before. And it's happening at precisely the moment Ukraine is about to put its foot on the gas with its counteroffensive (that has been making steady, modest progress in its first exploratory phases). Furthermore, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll makes it clear that support for Ukraine in the U.S. has not wavered and remains strong.

In other words, the moment, recent history, and good common strategic sense all suggest that now is the time to provide as much additional support to Ukraine as the West can muster because it is likely to be used to the greatest effect and because we have seen that when Putin faces a risk that he feels threatens his hold on power, he is open to negotiating.

Many thought he was immune to pressure that losses in Ukraine might cause. But that is clearly not the case.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky listens a report of Commander of the Ground Forces colonel general Oleksandr Syrskyi at a position near the front line in the Donetsk region of Ukraine June 26, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

The Prigozhin mutiny was a result of tensions within Russias military establishment that, itself, is a direct result of the bad performance in Ukraine.

Prigozhin made a high-profile public challenge to the Kremlins rationale for going into the war and the comparatively neutral response to his gambit from both military and Russian political leaders spoke volumes about the concerns that must exist within those groups.

Compounding all that with several months of substantial setbacks on the battlefield, Ukraines offensive potentially has the power to change the debate even furtherand perhaps push Russia closer to a settlement.

Further, Russias allies are shifting nervously in their seats, wondering about whether they have bet on a fading comrade in the Kremlin. Nothing illustrates this better than the relative silence from many of them in the wake of Prigozhins move. Even Chinawhich made some statements of support after the uprising falteredalso tellingly made a public statement suggesting that it thought Ukraines pre-invasion borders should be honored.

Putin Projects Nothing but Weakness

This suggests thatin addition to intelligence initiatives which will continue to fan the flames of division in Russia, and military support to help seize the moment on the battlefield in Ukrainethe U.S. and the West ought to be engaged in a quiet, but serious diplomatic push to reach out to those that previously bet on Russia.

Fortunately, it appears that the U.S. and our allies are, for the most part, attuned to the opportunities associated with this moment. And although they have smartly displayed caution in their immediate reactions to the Wagner uprising, through the actions of the intelligence community and statements like those of Secretary of State Antony Blinkenwho cited the rebellion as a sign of cracks in Putins leadershipit is clear they are shifting their stance to take advantage of the opportunities that may be signaled by the recent chaos in Russia.

The arguments to provide additional aid faster to Ukraine make sense in the new context, and need to be seriously considered by U.S. and Western leaders.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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More than five months after Miles McGlashan was taken off life support, authorities announced this week that the Uber driver who shot the 19-year-old passenger last year in Hollywood wont be charged following prosecutors invocation of Floridas Stand Your Ground law.

The law justifies the use deadly force if a person reasonably believes that using such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, or to prevent the impending commission of a forcible felony.

Christopher Bernadel, the driver, told Hollywood detectives that on the night of Nov. 9, McGlashan got out of the vehicle and slammed the door following a disagreement between them over the rides destination. Bernadel then walked toward the Barry University student, words were exchanged and the passenger punched him in the head multiple times, the driver told police.

After retrieving a firearm from his waist, Bernadel shot McGlashan one time before getting into his car, leaving and calling 911 minutes later around 7:30 p.m.

Police found McGlashan bleeding next to a Chevrolet Malibu near his grandparents home in the 3000 block of North Park Road, according to a redacted police report. The Plantation man, a freshman who was majoring in criminology, spent 71 days at Memorial Regional Hospital fighting for his life until he was disconnected from life support Jan 19.

Miles McGlashan, de 19 anos, meses despues que fue baleado por un conductor de Uber, murio por las heridas que sufrio, dijo la policia de Hollywood.

A medical examiners report obtained by the Miami Herald determined that McGlashan died as a result of complications of a gunshot wound of the chest and that the matter of death was a homicide. It also noted two bullet holes: one on the right side of his chest and the other on his right flank. But because of medical interventions during surgery and wound healing, the Broward State Attorneys office said the gunshot examination was limited.

To make matters more complicated, investigators say there were no witnesses or security cameras at the time of the shooting.

READ MORE: 19-year-old man dies months after being shot by his Uber driver, Hollywood police say

We are taking some time to absorb this grave injustice, April McGlashan, Miles mother, told the Herald in an email Wednesday. She has said that her son was likely using the Uber to get to his grandparents house or could have been headed to visit a friend.

Willard Shepard, her attorney, said Wednesday that the State Attorneys Office should review the case and present the evidence to a grand jury, which can ultimately decide whether charges will be filed. Shepard noted that while EMTs and one emergency room physician said the bullet entered through McGlashans chest, a surgeon determined that he had been shot in right posterior flank.

Once he got out of the car and pursued Mr. McGlashan, we believe he should be considered the aggressor, Shepard said.

Efforts to contact Bernadel were unsuccessful.

Miles McGlashan, 19, was medically induced into a coma shortly after he was shot by his Uber driver in Hollywood on Nov. 9, 2022.

What are prosecutors saying?

Bernadel, who was carrying a concealed weapon license for the Taurus 9mm pistol he used to shoot McGlashan, was found that night about a block away with swelling on the left side of his head, investigators say.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor justified the decision not to pursue charges against Bernadel after meeting with McGlashans family.

Floridas Stand Your Ground Law requires prosecutors to assess the facts and evidence we receive, Pryor said. While hearts and minds often struggle, prosecutors are tasked with and required by law to ensure there is not only probable cause to support a criminal charge but that there is also sufficient evidence to prove that charge beyond every reasonable doubt.

READ MORE: Uber driver shot his teen passenger after attack, Broward police say. A mom wants answers

Pryor said he would support legislation that would require all ride-share vehicles to be equipped with a video surveillance system that cannot be disabled while a customer is using the services.

We can never take away the loss of a loved one but we can certainly work to prevent a similar loss of life in the future, Pryor said.

Miles McGlashan, 19, was medically induced into a coma shortly after he was shot by his Uber driver in Hollywood on Nov. 9, 2022.

Whats next?

Shepard, the attorney for the McGlashan family, said they will request the state attorney to review the case and present it to a grand jury, so the residents of Broward County can determine with all the evidence in front of them if behavior like this is now OK.

READ MORE: A decade after Trayvon Martins death, Floridas Stand Your Ground law has only expanded

He referenced a portion of the states Stand Your Ground law, which states the aggressor must exhaust every reasonable means to escape such danger, and said Bernadel, the driver, could have run or driven away instead of approaching McGlashan.

This a tragedy for our community, Shepard said.
The historic Trust Building has been renamed UCLA Downtown following the Westwood campus' purchase of the site. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

In another milestone move to expand its reach, UCLA announced Thursday that it has purchased a landmark building in downtown Los Angeles for satellite classes, aiming to widen access at the nation's most popular university and help revitalize the city's historic core.

UCLA purchased the 11-story, Art Deco-style Trust Building on Spring Street and expects to begin classes in it later this year  initially through its large Extension program. But Chancellor Gene Block said in an interview that the university has "not precluded" eventually developing the site, renamed UCLA Downtown, to accommodate more undergraduate and graduate students with possible housing nearby.





The purchase comes nine months after UCLA bought two large properties owned by Marymount California University, a small Catholic institution in Rancho Palos Verdes that closed its doors last year. The $80-million purchase of Marymounts 24.5-acre campus and an 11-acre residential site in nearby San Pedro marked the universitys most significant expansion to help meet the burgeoning demand for seats.

UCLA, the most-applied-to university in the nation, drew nearly 150,000 first-year applications for about 6,500 spots in fall 2022 and nearly that many for fall 2023  sparking angst among growing legions of rejected Californians and pressure from state legislators to reduce the number of out-of-state students.

UCLA purchased the landmark Trust Building on Spring Street and plans to begin Extension classes in it later this year. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

But the university's 419-acre Westwood footprint is the smallest among UCs nine undergraduate campuses, leaving it no room to grow and prompting efforts to look for ways to meet its goal to add about 3,000 more undergraduates and 350 more graduate students by 2030.

Block said the 334,000-square-foot Trust Building, which will be renovated with classrooms, office space and more, can help accommodate additional students, anchor research projects, potentially host startup companies and serve the neighborhood.

"We believe deeply in Los Angeles and its future," Block said. "We couldnt be prouder to expand UCLAs presence in the beating heart of downtown, which has been a vision of ours for a full decade. The sky's the limit on what we can do."

Block declined to disclose the sales price, but UCLA appears to have scored a significant deal. Real estate experts with knowledge of the transaction, who were not authorized to speak publicly, placed it at less than $40 million, a sharp discount from the buildings assessed value of nearly $88 million.

The historic Trust Building on Spring Street features an ornate ceiling. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The sellers, Rising Realty Partners and its financial partner Lionstone Investments, bought the building in 2016 for $80.4 million, according to real estate data provider CoStar. Rising Realty, which is headquartered in the building, performed an estimated $40-million makeover that brought it up to modern earthquake safety standards and restored original features such as gilded ceiling decorations that were painted over in late 20th century renovations.

Read more: Spring Street's revival spreads to a downtown landmark: the Trust Building

Downtown L.A.s challenging commercial real estate market gave UCLA a great value for their investment, said Hal Bastian, a real estate broker and longtime downtown advocate who lives near the Trust Building. After lots of bad press for downtown L.A., this is proof that people still have confidence in our long-term success.

Mayor Karen Bass hailed UCLA's move. "Its exciting to see institutions like UCLA expanding their presence in downtown Los Angeles and committing to its future as a vibrant urban hub that draws people from all over our City and around the world, she said in a statement.

Once known as the "Queen of Spring Street," the building was designed by legendary architects John and Donald Parkinson  who also created City Hall, Union Station and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum  and is now designated a city Historic-Cultural Monument.

It was built in 1928 at the behest of Title Insurance and Trust Co., one of the citys biggest financial institutions in an era when Spring Street was hailed as the Wall Street of the West. The firm used the building as its headquarters until 1977, when the citys top white-collar firms were moving to newer office towers in downtowns financial district and elsewhere as the historic core, the citys original downtown, was going to seed.

The exterior facade of the historic Trust Building on Spring Street. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

City boosters hope UCLA's purchase of the 11-story, 334,000-square-foot Trust Building will spark downtown renewal. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In recent years the imposing structure, designed to signal prestige and power with its finishes of marble, brass and black walnut, has been used primarily as a filming location for period pieces and fantasies such as Batman.

The Trust is nearly devoid of tenants amid a contracting downtown office leasing market. As in other parts of downtown L.A., the nearby streets have a significant homeless population that increased during the pandemic. In the evening hours, however, there are often crowds of people patronizing bars and restaurants as well as residents walking their dogs.

Real estate experts expressed hope that UCLA's purchase will accelerate downtown renewal.

Read more: As high-rise offices lose their luster, can this part of downtown L.A. find a way forward?

After several years of nothing but negative news surrounding downtown Los Angeles, the UCLA acquisition of the Trust appears to be one of the first green shoots towards recovery, said real estate broker Mike Condon Jr. of Cushman & Wakefield, who represented the seller in the transaction. Such a large and prominent institution like UCLA making a big bet in the market is a much-needed boost to the historic core."

Jose Andres, a celebrated chef known for both his culinary and his humanitarian work, has agreed to open a rooftop restaurant at the Trust Building. Last year Andres and his hospitality group opened two restaurants, two cocktail bars and a poolside lounge in downtowns Conrad hotel, with steakhouse Bazaar Meat projected to open in the second half of 2023 within the $1-billion Grand complex on Bunker Hill.

Andres' restaurant group will continue as tenants in the building, along with Rising Realty and KTGY Architecture + Planning.

The Trust is nearly devoid of tenants amid a contracting downtown office leasing market. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The nearly century-old Trust Building features an Art Deco tower. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Block said UCLA has wanted to expand in downtown L.A., where it already operates health clinics, some Extension courses and a labor center in nearby MacArthur Park, for the last decade. The Trust acquisition will pay off even more in 2027, when the Purple Line is set for completion and will connect nearby Pershing Square to the Westwood main campus.

The chancellor said he first saw the building this year and was "dazzled" by its grand architecture and elegant space.

Arizona State University also saw ripe educational opportunities in the area, opening a downtown Los Angeles center in 2021 in the renovated Herald Examiner building on 11th and Broadway. The expanded presence of both universities, along with USC, is higher education's "very important statement on the confidence in the future of cities," Block said, adding that he hoped "hundreds" of people would eventually occupy UCLA Downtown.

Read more: UC and CSU deliver thousands of rejection letters. Arizona State wants to fill the void

Other UC campuses also are expanding operations in their city cores. UC Davis is building Aggie Square, an innovation hub on its Sacramento campus that will include science and technology buildings and student housing. The campus estimates a few hundred undergraduates can spend a quarter there.

Last year, UC San Diego opened a four-story, 66,750-square-foot structure downtown just steps from the Blue Line Trolley at the corner of Park Boulevard and Market Street. The building is designed as a cultural, educational and business hub to showcase creative ventures, boost economic activity and deepen ties across the border, university officials say.

"We're all coming to the same conclusion that we have cities that need to be protected and helped to thrive," Block said. "So I think we're all seeing the need to be downtown."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
UK government vows to challenge court ruling that its plan to send migrants to Rwanda is unlawful

FILE - Britain's Home Secretary Suella Braverman pauses, during a press conference in the capital Kigali, Rwanda Saturday, March 18, 2023. A British court on Thursday, June 29, 2023 has ruled that a government plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda in an attempt to deter migrants from making risky journeys across the English Channel is unlawful. Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country where migrants could be sent. (AP Photo, File)

LONDON (AP)  A British court ruled Thursday that a U.K. government plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is unlawful, delivering a blow to the Conservative administration's pledge to stop migrants making risky journeys across the English Channel.

In a split two-to-one ruling, three Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country where migrants from any country could be sent.

But the judges said that a policy of deporting asylum seekers to another country deemed safe was not in itself illegal, and the government said it would challenge the ruling at the U.K. Supreme Court. It has until July 6 to lodge an appeal.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that while I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

Sunak has pledged to stop the boats  a reference to the overcrowded dinghies and other small craft that make the journey from northern France carrying migrants who hope to live in the U.K. More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain across the Channel in 2022, and several died in the attempt.

The U.K. and Rwandan governments agreed more than a year ago that some migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in small boats would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in the East African country rather than return to Britain.

The U.K. government argues that the policy will smash the business model of criminal gangs that ferry migrants on hazardous journeys across one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who is known for her hardline rhetoric about migrants, said after the ruling that the existing asylum system incentivizes mass flows of economic migration into Europe, lining the pockets of people smugglers and turning our seas into graveyards, all in the name of a phony humanitarianism.

Human rights groups say it is immoral and inhumane to send people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to a country they dont want to live in, and argue that most Channel migrants are desperate people who have no authorized way to come to the U.K. They also cite Rwandas poor human rights record, including allegations of torture and killings of government opponents.

Yasmine Ahmed, U.K. director of Human Rights Watch, welcomed the verdict and urged Braverman to abandon this unworkable and unethical fever dream of a policy and focus her efforts on fixing our broken and neglected migration system.

Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million pounds ($170 million) under the deal, but no one has yet been deported there.

Britain's High Court ruled in December that the policy is legal and doesn't breach Britains obligations under the U.N. Refugee Convention or other international agreements.

But the court allowed a group of claimants, who include asylum-seekers from Iraq, Iran and Syria facing deportation under the government plan, to challenge that decision on issues including whether the plan is systemically unfair and whether asylum-seekers would be safe in Rwanda.

In a partial victory for the government, the appeals court ruled Thursday that the U.K.s international obligations did not rule out removing asylum-seekers to a safe third country.

But two of the three ruled Rwanda was not safe because its asylum system had serious deficiencies. They said asylum seekers would face a real risk of being returned to their countries of origin, where they could be mistreated.

Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett, the most senior judge in England and Wales, disagreed with his two colleagues. He said assurances given by the Rwandan government were enough to ensure the migrants would be safe.

Rwanda insisted the nation is one of the safest countries in the world.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans," said government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo. "Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this."

However, Rwanda opposition leader Frank Habineza said Britain should not seek to foist its responsibilities on refugees.

The U.K. is a bigger country than Rwanda, huge resources, unlike impoverished Rwanda," he said. Sending migrants to Rwanda, the U.K. will be relinquishing responsibility of protecting those running to the U.K. for safety.

Even if the plan is ultimately ruled legal, it's unclear how many people could be sent to Rwanda. The government's own assessment acknowledges it would be extremely expensive, coming in at an estimated 169,000 pounds ($214,000) per person.

But it is doubling down on the idea, drafting legislation barring anyone who arrives in the U.K. in small boats or by other unauthorized means from applying for asylum. If passed, the bill would compel the government to detain all such arrivals and deport them to their homeland or a safe third country.

Refugee law expert David Cantor said the ruling would send a ripple effect more widely through this idea of sending asylum seekers to third countries.

Any country that might wish to enter into this kind of memorandum with the U.K. government, as Rwanda did, would equally be quite likely to be a government which had weak asylum procedures, (where) there were questions about safety in the country, said Cantor, director of the Refugee Law Initiative at the University of Londons School of Advanced Study.

He said the U.K. "has had negotiations with many countries which do have robust court structures and asylum procedures, and theres very little willingness there to contemplate these sorts of schemes.

___

Associated Press writer Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda contributed to this story.

___

Follow APs coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
Legal challenges grounded a jet set to take the first deportees last year (JUSTIN TALLIS)

The UK government said it would challenge a court ruling issued Thursday that blocks its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a set-back to its controversial bid to cut migrant numbers.

Three Court of Appeal judges ruled that Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country, after a challenge to the policy by 10 migrants and a charity supporting asylum seekers.

The ruling was welcomed by human rights groups but sparked an indignant response in Kigali, which insisted it met UN standards for the treatment of refugees.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he respected the court but "fundamentally" disagreed with the judges' conclusions.

"I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries," he said.

"Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The (UN refugee agency) UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda.

"We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court."

Tackling asylum claims has become a political headache for Sunak's ruling Conservative government in London, which promised to "take back control" of the country's borders after the UK left the EU.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman lashed out at "phoney humanitarianism" standing in the way of ending Channel crossings and said the system was "rigged against the British people".

Former prime minister Boris Johnson brought in the contentious deportation proposal to try to tackle record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France by small boats.

More than 11,000 people have already crossed the Channel in small boats from northern France this year, while the backlog of asylum claims being processed has reached record levels.

- Rights breach -

Rights groups and charities protested against the deportation plan, and the first removal flights due to take off last June were successfully blocked by legal action.

Two High Court judges dismissed claims about the legality of the scheme in December last year.

That prompted the 10 asylum seekers -- from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan and Albania, plus the charity Asylum Aid -- to appeal.

At the appeal court, the judges agreed the UK government could not guarantee that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda would not be deported to the country from which they were fleeing.

"The deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda are such that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries, where they faced persecution or other inhumane treatment," the judges said.

A majority of judges were not convinced by Rwanda's assurances, saying that although made in good faith the evidence they presented "does not establish that the necessary changes had by then been reliably effected or would have been at the time of the proposed removals.

"In consequence, sending anyone to Rwanda would constitute a breach of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights" which states that no one shall be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, they added.

- 'Rare good news' -

Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch, called the verdict "some rare good news in an otherwise bleak landscape for human rights in the UK".

"Rather than treating human beings like cargo it can ship elsewhere, it (the government) should be focusing on ending the hostile environment towards refugees and asylum seekers," she added.

The UNHCR urged the UK government to "pursue other measures, including cooperation with the UK's European neighbours and fair and fast asylum procedures, that would be more humane, efficient and cost-effective".

In Kigali, government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo insisted Rwanda was "one of the safest countries in the world" and said "we have been recognised by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees".

"While this is ultimately a decision for the UK's judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees," she added.

The deportation scheme applies to anyone deemed to have entered the UK illegally since January 1.

Sunak and Braverman have both said urgent action is needed to break smuggling gangs and to prevent further tragedies in the Channel.

An impact assessment report released this week estimated the plan will cost 169,000 ($210,000) per person, but that most of those costs would be recouped by not having to accommodate the claimants.

jwp-phz/har/bp
ChatGPT creator OpenAI will open its first office outside California in London (JOEL SAGET)

The UK government on Thursday hailed a decision by ChatGPT creator OpenAI to open its first office outside the United States in London.

The California-based software firm behind the popular chatbot announced on Wednesday that it had chosen the British capital as part of its expansion plans.

UK science, innovation and technology minister Chloe Smith called it a "vote of confidence for Britain as an AI powerhouse".

"Our AI sector already employs more than 50,000 people across the country, and we will continue to foster an approach which unlocks opportunity and cements our place as a global destination for artificial intelligence," she added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the chief executives of OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic at Downing Street last month.

The meeting was designed to discuss joint action to ensure the safe and responsible development of artificial intelligence, as well as governance.

Sunak has called AI "the defining technology of our time".

On a visit to Washington earlier this month, he announced a first AI summit, seeking a leading role for the UK in limiting potential doomsday risks.

The British leader wants a future global AI regulator to be based in London, angling for a place at the table as the United States and the European Union seek to establish an AI code of conduct.

OpenAI chief Sam Altman backs long-term institutional oversight but has warned that "heavy regulation" could hamper the rapid development of the technology.

His company said "London's vibrant technology ecosystem and its exceptional talent make it the ideal location" to locate its first international office.

"The teams in London will focus on advancing OpenAI's leading-edge research and engineering capabilities while collaborating on our mission with local communities and policy makers," it added.

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LONDON (Reuters) - The British government will seek to appeal a court decision that its plan to deport tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday.

The Court of Appeal concluded by a majority of two to one that Rwanda could not be treated as a safe third country.

"While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions," Sunak said in a statement. "Rwanda is a safe country ... We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court."

(Reporting by Farouq Suleiman, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)
The UK governments plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda is unlawful, the Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday, in a major blow to ministers controversial immigration policies that have been roundly condemned by humanitarian bodies.

In a three-judge decision, the court overturned a high court decision that previously ruled that Rwanda could be considered a safe third country in which to send refugees.

By a majority, this court allows the appeal on the issue of whether Rwanda is a safe third country. It unanimously dismisses the other grounds, the ruling states. The British Home Office can now appeal to the Supreme Court.

Under the scheme proposed by the Conservative government, asylum-seekers deemed to have arrived in the UK illegally would be deported to the African nation.

The judgment summary said sending asylum-seekers to Rwanda would breach the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

But the statement added that the courts decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy.

British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been a champion of the UK government's controversial plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda, which the Court of Appeal ruled was unlawful. - Victoria Jones/PA Images/Getty Images

British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been a key proponent of the scheme, in a bid to crack down on undocumented migrants entering the UK.

The government said the program is aimed at blocking people-smuggling networks and preventing migrants from making the treacherous sea journey across the Channel to England from France.

The home secretary is part of a legacy of pro-Brexit politicians who say it is necessary for Britain to take control of its borders.

She has drawn criticism for couching her agenda in flagrant rhetoric, previously railing against what she calls an invasion of migrants.

Human rights campaigners welcomed the ruling on Thursday, having slammed the Rwanda policy as unethical and ineffective.

This is a HUGE win. The UK wants hope not hostility, tweeted Together with Refugees, a coalition of charities promoting asylum-seekers rights.

The number of undocumented people entering Europe has spiraled this year due to conflict, global inequality and the climate crisis, exacerbating a migrant crisis across the continent.

More than 36,000 people crossed the Mediterranean from January to March this year, nearly twice the number in the same period in 2022, according to figures from the UNs refugee agency.

Not a safe third country

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made controlling migration a central plank of his program for government. He has promised to stop small boats carrying refugees from France to the UK, numbers of which have risen dramatically this year.

There were 45,755 people detected arriving in Britain small boats in 2022, according to the UK government. The total in 2022 was 60% higher than in 2021.

Although the judgment on Thursday does not call the policy illegal, so much money has already been given to the Rwandan government that being unable to send migrants there is a huge political embarrassment for Sunak and his cabinet. The UK has paid the Rwandan government 140 million ($177 million) for the proposal, the BBC reported.

There is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum, the judgment said.

Enver Solomon, CEO of the charity Refugee Council, told CNN campaigners were disappointed legal actors have not concluded that the overall policy is unlawful.

The Rwandan government said it does take issue with the ruling on Thursday, adding that Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world.

However, there is a way in which this ruling could help the Conservative Party. Sunak was not elected on his own mandate by the public at a general election, but given the job by his own MPs. British politicians have a track record of using rows with courts and pan-European bodies as campaign wedge issues.

Given the Conservatives current poor poll ratings and the need for Sunak to lock in his vote on the right, it is plausible that he could use this decision as a major launching pad for his next election manifesto and even to put forward proposals for leaving the European Court of Human Rights.

I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries  something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with, Sunak said of the ruling on Thursday.

Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
WINDHOEK, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's state-owned power utility, NamPower, has issued a request for proposal for a debt sponsor to help it register a 5-billion-Namibian-dollar (about 335 million U.S. dollars) bond program on the Namibian Stock Exchange to finance its renewable energy development.

NamPower is in advanced negotiations with three institutions to secure financing for its energy program, Managing Director Kahenge Haulofu said on Wednesday.

"We plan to bring on new renewable energy sources locally to replace expensive imports and reduce the cost of supply. We are in discussions and negotiations with KfW (Development Bank), AFD (French Development Agency) and the World Bank. The entities selected came through a selection process through which they were shortlisted," Haulofu said.

NamPower aims to introduce renewable energy with a capacity of up to 250 megawatts over the next five years by developing six projects to ensure the country's electricity security. Upon completion, the energy program would reduce the country's reliance on traditional energy sources and ultimately decrease its dependence on energy imports from other countries.

Namibia currently imports about 60 percent of its electricity from neighboring countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia, making the country vulnerable to price volatility and supply disruptions. 
Groups targeted included campaigners for Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in a racist attack in London in 1993 (-)

An undercover UK policing unit that spied on hundreds of campaign groups over decades should have been shut down as its tactics were unjustified, a report concluded on Thursday.

Officers working for the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) used subterfuge to infiltrate political and campaign groups and spy on its members.

Some women were tricked into sexual relations with undercover officers, some of whom had used the names of dead children to create false identifies.

Former senior judge John Mitting concluded in a report that most left-wing and activist organisations spied upon posed no threat.

The public inquiry he is chairing is looking into 50 years of undercover policing in England and Wales, after revelations in recent years about the underhand tactics prompted public outrage.

The first report covers the years 1968 to 1982 and is based on more than 3,400 documents, files, statements and evidence from former officers, as well as members of the public directly affected.

The inquiry was set up by former prime minister Theresa May in 2015 but was delayed by the sensitive nature of the evidence, and the coronavirus pandemic.

Hearings only began in November 2020.

Further hearings will look at the impact of officers' relationships with women, and the at wider impact the double lives they led, with a final report due in 2026.

Targets included justice campaigns, including that for Stephen Lawrence, the black victim of a racist murder by a group of white youths in south London in 1993.

The SDS was set up to gather intelligence to help uniformed officers handle events where there was a risk of public disorder.

- Unjustified -

Mitting concluded that while the unit did help policing preparations, its role should not be overstated.

Had its operations been made public in the 1970s, the unit would have been "brought to a rapid end", he said, adding that little or no thought had been given to the effect of its tactics and long spells that officers spent working undercover.

"If these issues had been addressed, it is hard to see how any conclusion could legitimately have been reached which would not have resulted in the closure of the SDS," he wrote.

Only three of the groups targeted at the time was justified in the public interest -- Sinn Fein, which was the political wing of the paramilitary Irish Republican Army (IRA), and two others.

The two others have not been named publicly.

Mitting said "long-term deployments into left-wing and anarchist groups did make a real contribution" to policing but other, "less intrusive means" could have achieved the same results.

"The question is whether or not the end justified the means," he added.

"I have come to the firm conclusion that, for a unit of a police force, it did not; and that had the use of these means been publicly known at the time, the SDS would have been brought to a rapid end."

Jon Savell, from the Metropolitan Police, said regulation and oversight of undercover work had been transformed.

"The way in which undercover policing was conducted in the 1970s bears no relation to how it is conducted today," he said.

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How is the UK stopping Channel crossings and what are the legal routes to the UK?

Migrants standing in a queue waiting to be processed in Kent.

The Illegal Migration Bill has passed through Parliament ending a long stand-off between MPs and Lords.

The bill is part of the government's plan to tackle small boat crossings after record numbers arrived in the UK this way in 2022.

What is the government's plan to tackle migrants?

Under the Illegal Migration Bill, which eventually passed in July 2023:

the home secretary has a duty to detain and remove those arriving in the UK illegally either to Rwanda, or another "safe" third country

migrants will not be granted bail or able to seek judicial review for the first 28 days of detention

under-18s, those medically unfit to fly or at risk of serious harm in the country to which they are being removed, will be able to delay departure

the number of refugees the UK settles through "safe and legal routes" is capped

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper criticised the new legislation, which she said "fails to tackle the criminal smuggler gangs, and makes it easier for traffickers".

She added that the lack of returns agreements with other countries "will just increase the asylum backlog with even more people in costly hotels".

Also part of the government's plan is a new agreement with France, under which UK will pay 500m over three years to fund more patrol officers and a new detention centre.

The government also said its returns agreement with Albania had reduced small boat arrivals from the country.

Sella Braverman said the new bill was a response to the "waves of illegal migrants breaching our borders"

What are the "safe and legal" routes to claim asylum in the UK?

The Home Office insists there are a number of "safe and legal" routes to the UK.

However, some are restricted to people from specific countries such as Afghanistan and Ukraine, while other routes only accept limited numbers. Figures shown are for the year to March 2023:

UK Resettlement Scheme - prioritises those from regions in conflict (1,056 grants issued)

Community Sponsorship Scheme - for local community groups to provide accommodation and support for refugees (309 grants)

Refugee Family Reunion - for partners and children under 18 of those already granted protection in the UK (6,029 visas)

Mandate Resettlement Scheme - to resettle refugees who have a close family member in the UK who can offer a home. (Six resettled; about 430 refugees accepted since 2004)

In April 2023, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick was asked in Parliament which safe and legal routes were available to a young person wanting to flee the conflict in Sudan.

He said, "the best advice would be for individuals to present to the UNHCR [UN Refugee Agency]. We already operate safe and legal routes with them."

But the body insists "there is no mechanism through which refugees can approach UNHCR with the intention of seeking asylum in the UK".

What does international law say about refugees?

Critics of the government's asylum proposals, such as the Refugee Council, say they risk breaking international law.

The main principle of the 1951 Refugee Convention states that refugees should not be returned to countries where they faced threats to life or freedom.

Ms Braverman (centre) pictured on a visit to Rwanda in March 2023

The government insists its plan to send migrants to Rwanda for their asylum cases to be heard complies with international law.

But the Court of Appeal ruled in June 2023 that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful and risks breaching Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The government is taking the case to the Supreme Court.

What has the government said about migrant accommodation?

In March 2023, it said that three ex-military sites in Essex, Lincolnshire and East Sussex would house several thousand migrants:

Wethersfield in Essex is due to hold up to 1,700 people

Scampton in Lincolnshire is due to hold up to 2,000 people

Bexhill in East Sussex is due to hold up to 1,200 people

Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire is also due to open soon, but the government has not yet said how many people could be housed there.

Forty six asylum seekers have arrived at the Wethersfield site. The first asylum seekers are expected to arrive at Scampton in mid-August.

Local councils in Lincolnshire and Essex both initially lost legal challenges to prevent bases being used to house asylum seekers, but the High Court ruled that some of the points made by Braintree and West Lindsey District Councils needed a fresh hearing.

The Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge.

In April 2023, the government announced that a barge called the Bibby Stockholm would host up to 500 adult male asylum seekers in Dorset. The barge arrived in Portland on 18 July.

The government hopes the new measures will reduce the amount of money it spends on accommodation. There are more than 51,000 asylum seekers currently living in hotels across the UK.

A Home Office official told a committee of MPs that the department was paying to keep nearly 5,000 hotel beds empty to prevent overcrowding at detention centres.

Clarification 2 December: This article has been amended to make clear that the government's "safe and legal" routes are only available to certain groups of people who have already been recognised as refugees, or family members of refugees already in the UK.
(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is considering providing the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, to Ukraine despite concerns it could reach into Russian territory, the Wall Street Journal said, citing American and European officials it didnt identify. Brigadier General Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that he is not aware of any imminent decision.

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Ukrainian officials reported advances with forces continuing to engage in intense fighting along the front line, as European Union leaders discuss giving more military support for the war-battered nation. Kyivs military was pressing ahead in southern Ukraine toward Melitopol and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov, as well as in embattled Bakhmut in the east, in a heavy duel, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said on Telegram. Russian forces were launching counterattacks in the east, she said.

Ukraine needs more support from the US and its allies to press its counteroffensive against Russia, the countrys ambassador to Washington said Thursday, as European Union leaders gathered in Brussels. This summit is yet another opportunity for us to discuss with our European family, as a candidate country now, about what can we do together to get to just peace faster, Oksana Markarova said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

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Kyiv  Adoring supporters greeted President Vladimir Putin in southern Russia's Dagestan region Wednesday as the Kremlin continued projecting an image of a leader who's popular and in control of his country. But less than a week after Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed insurrection, a lot of questions remain about the strength of Putin's two-decade-plus grip on power.

CBS News learned Wednesday that the U.S. has intelligence suggesting a senior Russian general had advanced knowledge of the mutiny, raising the possibility that the Wagner leader believed he would have support for his putsch from within the Russian military.

Russia blows up packed Ukraine restaurant days after Wagner mutiny

The Kremlin dismissed those claims as speculation and gossip, but in his first interview since the weekend uprising, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, has told CBS News he believes Prigozhin was in league with not just one Russian military officer, but 14.

"Prigozhin is not an independent person," Danilov told CBS News. "He is owned by high-ranking people in President Putin's inner circle They are his owners."

"This is a group of people who have a goal to change the leadership of Russia," claimed Danilov.

One senior general widely reported to be involved or at least to have known about Prigozhin's attempted uprising is Sergei Surovikin, who commanded Russia's war in Ukraine for several months until he was demoted in January as Russian troops lost ground.

The former overall commander of Russia's Air Force, Surovikin  who earned the nickname "General Armageddon" for this ruthless bombing campaigns in Syria  hasn't been seen since telling the Wagner mutineers to return to their bases as Saturday's mutiny foundered. Two U.S. officials told CBS News on Thursday that Gen. Surovikin had been detained in Russia. It was not clear whether the senior Russian commander remained in custody, or had just been detained for questioning and then released.

Russian President Vladimir Putin awards Gen. Sergei Surovikin, then-commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, with the Order of St. George, Third Class, at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, December 31, 2022. / Credit: Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS

Asked about Surovikin Thursday at the Kremlin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred reporters to Russia's defense ministry.

We asked Danilov if Surovikin was one of the generals involved in the brief mutiny.

"Do you want me to name them all?" Danilov asked with a sarcastic smile. "I can't."

Many analysts say Putin has been weakened more by the revolt than any other challenge he's faced since rising to power in Russia almost a quarter of a century ago, and Danilov believes the Russian leader may face another rebellion.

"Even if he executes the generals who had some sort of part in the mutiny, this will not affect the outcome," Danilov told CBS News. "The wheels are in motion for Putin's demise."

Danilov believes the chaos brought by the failed mutiny in Russia will eventually benefit Ukraine as it wages a grinding counteroffensive against Putin's invasion.

Among America's close European allies, who have supported Ukraine alongside Washington, there was clearly apprehension Thursday about what a "weaker" Putin, or those around him, might do next.

"A weaker Putin is a greater danger," Josep Borrell, the European Union's top foreign affairs and security official, told reporters in Brussels. "Now we have to look at Russia as a risk because of internal instability."

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Key Developments on June 29:

Budanov says Wagner mercenary group will no longer fight in Ukraine

Defense Ministry says Ukrainian forces making gains in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia oblasts

Ukrainian authorities train in preparation for possible Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Eco-activist Greta Thunberg, US presidential candidate Mike Pence visit Kyiv

Poll reveals majority of Ukrainians have friends or family who were wounded or killed during war

PEN Ukraine confirms writer Victoria Amelina among injured in Kramatorsk missile strike

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, told Ukrainska Pravda on June 29 that Russia's Wagner mercenary group will no longer play an active role in the war against Ukraine.

"Wagner will no longer take part in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. And this is the most effective unit of the Russian Federation that knew how to achieve success at any cost," Budanov said.

According to Budanov, some Wagner mercenaries are still in southern Ukraine as well as at a military base in occupied Luhansk that has been in place since 2014. However, the remaining Wagner mercenaries are not actively fighting alongside the regular Russian military.

Wagner mercenaries served as the primary shock troops in Russia's efforts to take the once-prosperous industrial city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. The battle dragged on for 10 months, with Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claiming in late May that they had captured the city.

However, since Ukraine launched its counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces have been reported to be making gains around Bakhmut.

In early June, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a decree set to force Wagner mercenaries under its wing.

This led to an armed "rebellion," with Prigozhin and his forces stopping short of Moscow before agreeing to relocate to Belarus in a deal apparently brokered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

Budanov told Ukrainska Pravda that Wagner's "rebellion" effectively destroyed the "myth of the unwavering Russian regime."

Russia comes to the brink of civil war: How we got here and what it means Visually, the scene was a familiar one. Russian armored vehicles emblazoned with the Z logo in the central streets of a once peaceful city, masked soldiers standing at key intersections, and confrontational conversations with bemused local civilians. But this wasnt a Ukrainian city in the first da The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Defense Ministry says Ukrainian forces making gains in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia oblasts

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on June 29 that Ukrainian forces were making gains in Donetsk and Zaporizhzia oblasts as part of the ongoing counteroffensive.

According to Maliar, Ukrainian forces have advanced 1,200-1,500 meters in the directions of Klishchiivka and Kurdiumivka south of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast.

Fighting is ongoing around the outskirts of Bakhmut and Ukrainian forces are outmaneuvering Russian forces, Maliar added.

"The enemy is trying to hold occupied positions, carries out counterattacks, but gradually retreats after suffering losses," Maliar said.

On the southern front line, Ukrainian soldiers have managed to strengthen their positions near recently-liberated Rivnopil and inflict "serious losses" on Russian forces, according to Maliar.

Counteroffensive underway: We overestimated Russians and underestimated ourselves Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent introduces soldiers interviewed for the story by their first names or callsigns due to security reasons. DONETSK OBLAST  Islams mind was empty of thoughts and feelings as he crawled carefully towards the Russian trenches near Siversk, with grenades prepared.  The Kyiv IndependentIgor Kossov

Ukrainian authorities train in preparation for possible Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Ukraine's state nuclear energy agency Energoatom reported on June 29 that authorities have begun large-scale training exercises in the event of a Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The plant has been under Russian occupation since the start of the full-scale invasion and Russian forces have repeatedly used the plant as a military base to launch attacks on Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Energoatom reported that the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, medics, the State Emergency Service, police, medical personnel, and other essential service providers in the spheres of public safety, health, and infrastructure have been actively participating in the training sessions in the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on national television on June 28 that evacuation plans had been prepared for residents in several oblasts if such an incident occurs.

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, previously told the New Statesman on June 23 that Russia was preparing for an attack on the nuclear power plant and had mined the plant's cooler and loaded four of the six power units with explosive devices.

Both the U.S. White House and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are closely monitoring the situation and have stated that they do not currently perceive any immediate nuclear threats. Nevertheless, they acknowledge the tense nature of the situation.

Life on the front line of Russias new nuclear brinkmanship On nights when he hears them, Mykhailo Kling runs to his panoramic ninth-floor balcony in Nikopol to watch Russian rockets being fired at his hometown. See the reactor buildings there, he said, pointing across the wide expanse of the Dnipro River at the eerie shapes of the Zaporizhzhia The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Eco-activist Greta Thunberg, US presidential candidate Mike Pence make visits to Kyiv

Former U.S. vice president and current Republican presidential candidate, Mike Pence, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on June 29 and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to U.S. media, Pence visited Kyiv, Bucha, and Irpin and met with families and children impacted by the war.

Pence served as vice president in Donald Trump's presidential administration.

Trump has announced that he is running for re-election in 2024, but both he and fellow Republican candidate Ron DeSantis have spoken out against the amount of U.S. aid that has been sent to Ukraine since the start of Russia's all-out war.

"Coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers... steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies," Pence said during his visit, as quoted by U.S. media.

Separately, eco-activist Greta Thunberg visited Kyiv and met with Zelensky on June 29.

Zelensky hosted a meeting of the International Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of War, which, along with Thunberg, included Swedish former Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Gautala, and former Irish President Mary Robinson.

According to the President's Office, they discussed the environmental consequences of the Kakhovka dam's destruction. Zelensky emphasized the need to hold Russia accountable for the crime of mass ecocide in Ukraine, the President's Office said.

The Kakhovka dam collapsed early on June 6, resulting in a mass-scale humanitarian and ecological disaster in Kherson Oblast and other parts of southern Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities say the dam was blown up by Russian forces in an attempt to prevent the counteroffensive.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 11  Russias destruction of Ukrainian dam, and catastrophic flood it caused Episode #11 of our weekly video podcast This Week in Ukraine is dedicated to Russias destruction of Ukraines Kakhovka dam, and the catastrophic flood it caused. Host Anastasiia Lapatina is joined by the Kyiv Independent reporter Igor Kossov. Listen to the audio version of the podcast on Apple, The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiia Lapatina

Poll reveals majority of Ukrainians have friends or relatives who were wounded or killed during war

The findings of a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) revealed that 78% of Ukrainians have close friends or relatives who were wounded or killed since the start of Russia's all-out war.

According to the breakdown of survey results, this includes respondents in both western and eastern Ukraine.

"Against this backdrop, it becomes clear why Russian propaganda regarding 'common history' and 'common culture' is so hopeless in Ukraine The current emotions have imprinted (the message) 'away from Moscow' for a long time," Anton Hrushetskyi, the KIIS' executive director said.

On average, the survey respondents reported knowing seven family members or friends that had suffered injuries or been killed over the past year and a half.

Mothers of killed soldiers find meaning in helping war effort, refugees Stuck between a worksite frozen in time and a highway facing the Dnipro River, the volunteers center was not easy to find. The anonymous building hardly betrayed any sign of human activity from the outside. Everything was wrapped in an eerie silence until a door opened, spilling a The Kyiv IndependentAlexander Query

PEN Ukraine confirms writer Victoria Amelina among injured in Kramatork missile strike

The Ukrainian writers' association PEN Ukraine confirmed on June 29 that writer and war crimes researcher Victoria Amelina was hospitalized after being injured by the Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk on June 27.

"Now Victoria is in the hospital. She is treated by experienced doctors, supported by her family and friends, and well stocked with all the essentials. There is no need in raising extra money," PEN Ukraine wrote.

"Further updates will be given by PEN Ukraine with permission from Victoria's family," the statement added.

Kramatorsk is a city in Donetsk Oblast with a pre-war population of around 150,000. Many volunteers, journalists, and soldiers regroup there after being on the front line.

On June 27, two Iskander missiles launched by Russia hit a popular restaurant in the city center. Amelina and a delegation from Colombia were at the restaurant when the missile strike occurred.

The missile strike on Kramatorsk has killed at least 12 people and injured 60 others.

Amelina is one of Ukraine's most popular young writers. Her work has been translated into numerous languages, including English, Polish, Italian, Spanish, German, Croatian, Dutch, Czech, and Hungarian.

She also founded the New York Literature Festival in 2021, which took place in the front-line town of New York in Donetsk Oblast.

The New York Literature Festival was postponed in 2022 due to Russia's full-scale invasion.

Wanting to do more to help the war effort, Amelina became a war crimes researcher and has traveled to liberated territories in Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts to interview the survivors of Russian occupation.
Key developments on June 28:

Reznikov: 'Main event' of counteroffensive yet to come, reserves still not deployed

General: 'Partial success' over past day on the southeastern front

State Emergency Service: 11 killed, 56 wounded in Russia's June 27 missile strike on Kramatorsk

Polish and Lithuanian presidents visit Kyiv, meet Zelensky

The "main event" of Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive is yet to come, and the key NATO-trained troops have still not been deployed, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview on June 28.

Speaking to the Financial Times in Kyiv, Reznikov said that Ukraine's liberation of villages in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts was a "preview" of the bigger push expected in the future.

"When it happens, you will all see it . . . Everyone will see everything," Reznikov said in the interview, adding that many brigades which trained abroad on NATO-made tanks and armored vehicles are not fighting yet.

Three weeks into the counteroffensive, Ukrainian authorities have downplayed the liberation of several villages, saying that they are merely a preparatory step for the big offensive they are planning.

Reznikov admitted in the interview that he doesn't anticipate the ongoing counteroffensive to go as quickly as the operations last year, which include the surprise northeastern push in September 2022 that liberated the entire Kharkiv Oblast in just a few weeks.

"You can't expect a miracle in every operation," Reznikov told the Financial Times.

The defense minister's careful comments come amid increasing media reports of some discouraging assessments of the initial push.

General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the commander of Ukraine's military fighting in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, said in a Telegram post that Ukrainian forces are carrying on the counteroffensive and "there are partial successes."

Counteroffensive underway: We overestimated Russians and underestimated ourselves Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent introduces soldiers interviewed for the story by their first names or callsigns due to security reasons. DONETSK OBLAST  Islams mind was empty of thoughts and feelings as he crawled carefully towards the Russian trenches near Siversk, with grenades prepared.  The Kyiv IndependentIgor Kossov

Death toll rises in Kramatorsk strike

The death toll in Russia's missile strike on central Kramatorsk continued to rise on June 28, a day after the attack.

The State Emergency Service reported as of 5 p.m. on June 28 that at least 11 people  including three children  were killed, and 56 were wounded, including an eight-month-old baby.

The State Emergency Service said in the Telegram post that rescue operations continued, and investigations and forensics were working at the attack site to gather information about the strike.

Earlier on June 27, Russian forces fired two missiles at central Kramatorsk, hitting a popular restaurant at its peak hour and the neighboring Bilenke village.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on June 28 that it detained an alleged Russian spy suspected of coordinating the Russian strike on Kramatorsk's restaurant.

The Security Service said the man confessed to helping Russia attack the site.

Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said on June 28 that two Iskander missiles were used in the attack. Iskander is a Russian short-range ballistic missile system.

Polish, Lithuanian presidents visit Kyiv, meet Zelensky

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda made an unannounced visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The three leaders discussed the preparations for the upcoming July NATO summit in Vilnius.

Both Duda and Nauseda said that the summit should help put Ukraine on the path to membership, Zelensky's office informed.

"There is a real opportunity to make the decisions of the summit really necessary for the whole of Europe. It depends only on whether these decisions will be in the interests of the real strength of the alliance, that is, aimed at inviting Ukraine to NATO," Zelensky said.

According to the official statement, Duda said that security guarantees for Ukraine are among the most important tasks for the Vilnius summit.

"We are deeply convinced that Ukraine's security is the security of all of us. These are our common interests  to make NATO as strong as possible in our part of Europe. And very shortly  for Ukraine to become a full member of the alliance," Duda said.

On June 28, President's Office Head Andriy Yermak said that Ukraine expects strong commitments from NATO during the upcoming summit, adding that he believes this can be achieved.


The head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said that currently the Wagner Group mercenaries are still in the south of Ukraine and in occupied Luhansk, where they have a base. According to the head of the Chief Intelligence Directorate, the mercenaries are not taking part in hostilities.

Source: Budanov in a comment for Ukrainska Pravda

In particular, Budanov was asked whether the Wagnerites remain on the territory of Ukraine.

Quote: "As of now, they are on the territory of Luhansk at the base that has existed since 2014.

They are also located in some areas in the south of Ukraine. But they don't take part in hostilities."

Background:

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Large-scale special exercises have begun in Ukraine to prepare for a potential Russian attack on the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the state nuclear energy agency Energoatom reported on June 29.

Energy workers, medics, rescuers, police, and other services in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are involved in the exercises.

They will work through the algorithms for reacting to such an emergency and protecting the civilian population. Energoatom urged residents to stay calm if they see the training.

Earlier, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that evacuation headquarters had been set up in the oblasts surrounding the plant, located in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Ukraine plans to evacuate residents who live within a 30-50 kilometer radius.

On June 23, Ukraine's military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov told the New Stateman that Russia had completed preparations for an attack on the nuclear power plant, mined the plant's cooler, and placed the equipment loaded with explosives near four of the six power units.

Life near Russian-occupied nuclear plant: I dont know if tomorrow will come Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent talked to residents who are still in Russian-occupied Enerhodar and those who recently left but still have family in the city. For their safety, we do not disclose their identities. When Russian soldiers captured Enerhodar, the satellite city of the Zaporizhzhia The Kyiv IndependentAlexander Query

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that no new mines were discovered at the plant's cooler during a recent visit by its chief, Rafael Grossi. The White House has said it sees no indication that a nuclear threat in Ukraine "is imminent."

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia may be signaling its readiness to sabotage the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to prevent a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the area.

Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant's dam, followed by the draining of the Kakhovka reservoir, has also posed risks for the nuclear plant. The plant used the reservoir as a water source, especially for the ponds that cool the reactors.

The situation prompted a monitoring mission by Grossi. According to the IAEA chief, the plant is now using water from a discharge channel of the nearby Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant.

The water level in the channel was at 17 meters as of June 21 and is projected to provide cooling for the plant "for many weeks."

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Russian forces have used it as a military base to launch attacks on Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Ukrainian military

The Ukrainian army had regained control of the village of Klishchiyivka, south of Bakhmut, as of June 29, military officer Denys Yaroslavskyi has told Radio Liberty.

There is still heavy fighting in this sector of the front, but the Ukrainian army has almost completely captured Klishchiyivka, Yaroslavskyi said.

Read also: Ukraine can deploy 75% more forces for counteroffensive  retired officer

Yaroslavskyi said that Klishchiyivka is a strategically vital settlement from which an offensive will be launched targeting territory directly south of Bakhmut. From this village, the city lies within visible range.

He also said that north of Bakhmut, the 57th Brigade is enjoying operational success and the enemy is retreating from the northern streets of Bakhmut.

Ukraines counter-offensive: Latest

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their offensive on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk sections of the front and are making progress. Ukrainian forces have advanced 1.3 kilometers toward Berdyansk.

Read also: Ukrainian counteroffensive or just probing attacks for now

Over the past week, as part of the Ukrainian militarys counter-offensive, the Russian invasion army's losses exceeded Ukrainian losses by eight times, Malyar added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that progress since the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive campaign is "slower than we would like," but that Ukraine will move forward "as it sees fit."

On June 15, Malyar reported that the offensive continued on several fronts. The Ukrainian army was slowly but surely advancing and inflicting significant losses on the invaders.

Earlier, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, predicted that the Ukrainian counter-offensive would see difficult and fierce battles.

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 occupiers are constantly shelling the Sumy Oblast

Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev has called on residents of the border areas of Sumy Oblast to evacuate amid constant Russian shelling, according to a Telegram post he shared on June 29.

"The Sumy axis remains the most dangerous in the northern operational zone," he said in his message.

Read also: Russian suicide drone hits home in Sumy Oblast, killing two civilians

Almost every day, border settlements suffer from shelling by enemy forces. The Russian military is firing using artillery, mortars, and multiple launch rocket systems.

"When I was in one of the settlements, I personally convinced an elderly family to leave urgently because there was an immediate danger," he added.

Nayev urged all citizens living in the border areas of Sumy Oblast to leave.

Read also: Russian forces shell seven villages in Sumy Oblast, casualties reported

"The local authorities know the algorithms and ways of evacuation measures," he said.

Please leave to save your lives! And the defense forces will continue to defend Ukrainian land.

Russian troops are constantly shelling Sumy Oblast in northern Ukraine. In particular, on June 29, at night and in the morning, the Russians carried out three mortar attacks. Thirteen explosions were recorded.

The Znob-Novhorodska, Yunakivska, and Seredyno-Budska territorial communities were shelled.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
JAKARTA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese government's plan to discharge Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea may have a negative impact on the ecology of the Pacific Ocean, an Indonesian nuclear expert said.

Murdahayu Makmur, a marine radioecologist with Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency raised her concern about Japan's discharge plan in an interview with Xinhua recently.

The nuclear contaminated water contains the radioactive substance tritium, and with the discharge of a large amount of nuclear contaminated water, there is concern whether the content of tritium in seawater will increase significantly and whether it will have an ecological impact, she said.

In addition, the nuclear contaminated water may contain other radioactive substances besides tritium, the expert added.

Nuclear contaminated water discharged into the sea will be driven by ocean currents and continue to spread. Marine life which move with the currents and the migration of marine fish will also drive the spread of radioactive materials, she said.

The radioecologist noted that if the tritium content in seawater and marine life continues to increase, the entire Pacific coast, including Indonesia, will be affected.

Indonesia is very concerned about the environment and seafood safety in the surrounding waters, and will closely monitor the level of radioactive substances in the surrounding waters, she added. 
Aerial reconnaissance soldier Roman

The Ukrainian military continues to storm enemy positions and advance amid the ongoing counter-offensive, Ukraines Main Intelligence Directorate quoted aerial reconnaissance soldier Roman as saying on June 29.

Now is the offensive, (its) our time, he said.

Were storming and advancing.

Roman serves in the 80th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces and adjusts the actions of ground reconnaissance forces from the air.

The report describes one incident when a Mavic drone he was operating began to malfunction after being exposed to enemy radio-electronic warfare.

In this case, the aerial reconnaissance soldier, with a cigarette in his teeth, turns on all his concentration and quick wits, and eventually regains control of the drone, the report says.

But sometimes ground forces have to conduct reconnaissance missions in places where Romans birds cannot reach, the report said.

The task was to enter the red zone for three kilometers for three days, Roman said, recalling his first raid into the enemys rear.

We went with our friends from other brigades: sappers and reconnaissance soldiers. We were far from our comrades-in-arms. If something had happened, we would not have had support. I relied on myself and on God. We walked quietly, at a distance, and heard the Russians talking.

Not long ago, two groups of Ukrainian reconnaissance soldiers suffered losses in the same place, the report said. However, despite the high risk, the mission in which Roman took part was successful.

Ukraines counter-offensive: Latest

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their offensive on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk sections of the front and are making progress. Ukrainian forces have advanced 1.3 kilometers toward Berdyansk.

Read also: Ukrainian forces gain ground in Klishchiyivka, fierce fighting continues

Over the past week, as part of the Ukrainian militarys counter-offensive, the Russian invasion armys losses exceeded Ukrainian losses by eight times, Malyar added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that progress since the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive campaign is slower than we would like, but that Ukraine will move forward as it sees fit.

On June 15, Malyar reported that the offensive continued on several fronts. The Ukrainian army was slowly but surely advancing and inflicting significant losses on the invaders.

Earlier, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, predicted that the Ukrainian counter-offensive would see difficult and fierce battles.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukrainian soldier says several Russian snipers failed to hit him even after he was wounded because 'they kind of sucked'

A Ukrainian sniper with the 28th Brigade looks towards a Russian position from a frontline trench outside of Bakhmut, Ukraine, on March 5, 2023. The man in this picture is not the same man as in the 1843 story. John Moore/Getty Images

A Ukrainian sniper told 1843 magazine that he almost died in the battle of Mariupol last year.

The soldier, whose call sign is Lucky, said he was wounded in a Russian grenade attack.

Despite being wounded, Russian snipers were unable to hit him because they "sucked," he said.

A Ukrainian soldier said that several Russian snipers failed to hit him in battle even after he was wounded because "they kind of sucked."

In an interview with The Economist's 1843 magazine published last week, a 21-year-old Ukrainian sniper with the call sign Lucky said that he was able to escape death multiple times, including when he helped defend the port city of Mariupol in May 2022.

Lucky, who is a sniper in Ukraine's Rapid Operational Response Unit, told 1843 he almost lost his life in the months-long battle for Mariupol, which ended in a Russian victory.

Injured by a grenade attack one day, Lucky said he had to run past Russian snipers to get help but was not hit because "they kind of sucked."

Lucky said only his arm was wounded in the attack. But despite his good fortune, he said he lost many friends in the battle, including his sniper partner who was killed in front of him.

The bloody battle of Mariupol lasted from the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion last year until May 20, 2022.

It ended in a victory for Russia, and Lucky told 1843 that he believed almost 30,000 civilians were killed, though the United Nations said at the time it was just over 1,300 people. Mariupol is currently still under Russian occupation.

Lucky was forced to surrender and was sent to a prison camp in the Donetsk region where he was kept in a room with more than 600 people, the magazine reported.

He lost 20 kilograms after he was forced to sleep on the concrete floor and was given just a small cup of water each day. While many Ukrainian soldiers were tortured and beaten, Lucky said he escaped the worst of it.

"I guess I was lucky," he said.

After four months he was released in a prisoner exchange. Lucky said he wants to return to Mariupol and fight for its liberation. He said he thinks Ukrainian troops could reach the city this year.

"We have to go back and win this chapter, any way we can," he said. "I dream of vengeance."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Writer Victoria Amelina was injured during a rocket attack on Kramatorsk

Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina was injured and hospitalized as a result of a Russian missilestrike on Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, on June 27, PEN Ukraine, a voluntary civic organization of Ukrainian authors, confirmed on Facebook on June 29.

Local media reported on June 28 that a Ukrainian female writer had suffered injuries in the attack. However, her name was not disclosed in the interests of her family and children.

Read also: Death toll rises to 12, rescue operation complete

Today, PEN Ukraine confirmed that Amelina was injured along with the founders of the Aguanta Ucrania NGO, Colombian politician Sergio Jaramillo, writer Hector Abad Faciolince, and journalist Catalina Gomez Angel.

PEN Ukraine has not disclosed the severity of Amelinas injuries, only stating that she is currently in hospital and does not need any fundraisers for treatment.

Read also: Almost 80% of Ukrainians have close relatives or friends injured or killed since Russian invasion  poll

Dear friends, were sharing news about our dear Vika, the report says using the familiar version of Amelinas first name.

Victoria Amelina is currently in the hospital. Specialist doctors, her relatives and friends are next to her. She has everything she needs, there is no need to raise additional funds. Well definitely inform you about further news and needs with the permission of relatives. As before, today we ask everyone who knows and loves Vika to be with her in thoughts and prayers.

Victoria Amelina is a Ukrainian writer and public figure. She is a laureate of the Joseph Conrad-Kozenyovsky Literary Prize. In 2016, two of Amelinas books were finalists in the competition held by the Zaporizhzhya Book Spindle  2016 festival: the novel Autumn Syndrome, or Homo Compatiens and the childrens book Someone, or The Water Heart.

Russian invasion forces launched two missile strikes with the Iskander missile system on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on the evening of June 27. The missiles hit a cafe in the city center where many people were present.

Twelve fatalities have been confirmed, including three minors, and 60 people were injured, including an 8-month-old baby.

Read also: Kramatorsk woman recounts losing her husband in Russian missile strike  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
The name of a Ukrainian writer injured in the 27 June missile strike on a cafe in Kramatorsk has become known. Tetiana Teren, Executive Director of PEN Ukraine, reported about Victoria Amelina's injury in a post on her Facebook page.

"Victoria Amelina is currently in the hospital. Next to her are professional doctors, her family and friends. She has everything she needs, there is no need to raise additional funds," Tetiana wrote.

Victoria accompanied a delegation of writers and journalists from Colombia on a trip to eastern Ukraine, which included politician Sergio Jaramillo, writer Hector Abad and journalist Catalina Gomez. All of them were also injured during the strike.

Colombia sends Russia a note of protest due to the attack on Kramatorsk, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

Before the trip to Kramatorsk, Amelina, along with Jaramillo, Abad and Gomez, was a participant in the discussion Support for Ukraine in Latin America. The conversation with the #AguantaUcrania campaigners was organised by PEN Ukraine at the 11th Book Arsenal [an annual festival in Kyiv for the development of the book, literary and artistic scenes  ed.].

Victoria Amelina (second from the right) and representatives of Colombia at the discussion. Photo: Art Arsenal

Victoria Amelina (second from the right) and representatives of Colombia at the discussion.

Photo: Art Arsenal

Victoria Amelina is a writer and public figure, a member of PEN Ukraine, founder of the New-York Literary Festival in the village of New-York, Bakhmut district of Donetsk Oblast.

On the one year anniversary of the full-scale invasion, Amelina joined Russia's war crimes field researchers in the Truth Hounds team, an organisation that has been documenting human rights violations in Ukraine and other Eastern European and Central Asian countries for the past eight years.

Victoria Amelina on the steps of the library in the village of New-York in Donetsk Oblast, spring 2023

Victoria Amelina on the steps of the library in the village of New-York in Donetsk Oblast, spring 2023

It was Victoria who found the war diaries of Kharkiv writer Volodymyr Vakulenko killed by Russians and took care of their publication.

She participates in charity trips of PEN Ukraine writers to the de-occupied and frontline territories.

As a writer, she made her debut in literature with the novel The Fall Syndrome, or Homo Compatiens in 2014. It entered the top ten of the LitAccent-2014 rating.

Amelina is the winner of the National Coronation of the Word Award 2014 and the Joseph Conrad Award for the novels Doms Dream Kingdom and The Fall Syndrome, or Homo Compatiens. The novel Doms Dream Kingdom was included in the short list of the EU literary prize  the UNESCO City of Literature. In 2021, she was nominated for the Angelus Central European Literature Award.

Photo: Victoria Amelina / Facebook

Photo: Victoria Amelina / Facebook

On the evening of 27 June, Russian invaders attacked Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, hitting a catering establishment. Eleven people have died in the attack, including 3 children, and 61 people were wounded.

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People visit the graves of loved ones at a cemetery on the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in Syria's rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib on June 28, 2023 (Omar HAJ KADOUR)

The UN General Assembly on Thursday created an independent body to "clarify" the fate of thousands of people who remain missing in Syria since war broke out in 2011, overriding objections from Damascus.

According to non-governmental groups, some 100,000 people have disappeared since the start of a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. More than half a million people have been killed.

"After 12 years of conflict and violence in the Syrian Arab Republic, little progress has been achieved in alleviating the suffering of families by providing answers as to the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons," said the resolution, which passed with 83 votes in favor, 11 opposed and 62 abstentions.

The Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic will "clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons" in the country and "provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing."

But Syria, along with Russia, China and Iran, objected to the new body, saying it had not been consulted on the resolution.

"This draft clearly reflects flagrant interference in our internal affairs and provides new evidence of the hostile approach being pursued by certain Western States against Syria," ambassador Bassam Sabbagh said, pointing in particular to the United States.

He rejected the "bizarre mysterious mechanism with no precise definition of the concept of missing persons, a mechanism that is not time limited or geographically bound" and warned it could be used to target UN member states, particularly developing countries.

The resolution calls for the UN secretary-general, the UN high commissioner for human rights and other relevant parties to define the new organization's mandate in the next 80 days.

"A much-needed initiative! Families have right to know fate & whereabouts of loved ones, to help heal society as a whole," the UN Human Rights Office said on Twitter.

Human Rights Watch said the new organization needs to have the right tools at its disposal to do its job.

"UN member countries should ensure that this new institution has the staff and resources necessary to determine what happened to so many thousands of people who vanished during Syria's 12 years of conflict," Louis Charbonneau, the group's UN director, said in a statement.

"The people of Syria deserve no less."

Thursday's vote came after UN chief Antonio Guterres called for the formation of such a body in a report in August, saying families should not have to go through the trauma of investigating the whereabout of missing relatives themselves.

"As a family association representative said, 'Just imagine looking through leaked videos of massacres (on social media) to see if your loved one is among the decapitated, mutilated bodies over and over, desperately conducting your own search.'"

"Women-led households in particular should not have to put themselves at risk to search for their missing relatives, nor impoverish themselves in an economic environment that is already dire and where survival is precarious, in order to claim basic rights."

abd/acb/bfm
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on Friday to end a decade-long peacekeeping mission in Mali after the West African country's military junta abruptly asked two weeks ago for the 13,000-strong force to leave "without delay."

The planned end of the operation, known as MINUSMA, follows years of tensions and government restrictions that have hobbled peacekeeping air and ground operations since Mali teamed up with Russia's Wagner mercenary group in 2021.

U.N. peacekeepers are credited with playing a vital role in protecting civilians against an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands. Some experts fear the security situation could worsen when the mission departs, leaving Mali's under-equipped army alone with about 1,000 Wagner fighters to combat militants who control swaths of territory in the desert north and center.

"It's a Malian decision and we need to find the least horrible way to implement it," said a Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Mali's government has not responded to requests for comment.

When asking for MINUSMA to leave, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told the Security Council earlier this month that there was a "crisis of confidence" between the U.N. operation and the Malian authorities.

SIX MONTH WITHDRAWAL

The 15-member council is expected to adopt a French-drafted resolution that asks MINUSMA to start on Saturday "the cessation of its operations, transfer of its tasks, as well as the orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal of its personnel, with the objective of completing this process by Dec. 31, 2023."

U.N. officials have tried to show Mali that it was standard to have a longer drawdown period and that they are not resisting Mali's request, said the Security Council diplomat, noting that a six-month withdrawal was already a huge compromise.

The council will also ask U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to work with the Malian authorities on a plan to transfer MINUSMA's tasks and present it to the Security Council by Aug. 15. It also calls on Mali to cooperate fully with the United Nations during MINUSMA's drawdown and withdrawal.

The draft resolution authorizes MINUSMA to - "within its immediate vicinity" - respond to imminent threats of violence to civilians and contribute to the safe civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance until Sept. 30.

Until Dec. 31, MINUSMA will also be authorized to provide security for U.N. personnel, facilities, convoys, installations and equipment and associated personnel; execute operations to extract U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers in danger and provide medical evacuations.

Mali has struggled to stem an Islamist insurgency that took root following an uprising in 2012. MINUSMA was deployed by the U.N. Security Council in 2013 to support foreign and local efforts to restore stability. Frustrations over the growing insecurity spurred two coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Ivorian soldiers carry coffins wrapped with United Nations flags out of a UN plane on February 22, 2021 at a military base in Abidjan, at the arrival of the bodies of four Ivorian peacekeepers killed in Mali (SIA KAMBOU)

With the imminent end of the UN's Mali peacekeeping mission seemingly no longer in doubt, negotiations at the UN are still foundering over the timetable for their departure, which Bamako wants "without delay", according to diplomatic sources.

On June 16, taking everyone by surprise, Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, while denouncing the "failure" of the UN mission, suddenly demanded before the Security Council its immediate withdrawal.

The peacekeeping operation, known as Minusma, was the most expensive mission on the UN's books, costing $1.2 billion per year, now appears set to wind down, plunging Mali -- a country struggling with jihadist attacks -- into the unknown.

As recently as early June, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had deemed the continued presence of Minusma "invaluable," despite the high cost, highlighting regional fears of an expansion of extremist groups in the event of a withdrawal.

However, one of the key principles of peacekeeping is the consent of the host country.

Therefore, the latest draft resolution from France on Wednesday, seen by AFP, suggests the Security Council will "terminate Minusma's mandate under resolution 2640 (2022) as of June 30 2023."

The mission created in 2013 to help stabilize a state under a serious jihadist threat, and to protect civilians, would cease its activities on July 1 to focus on the withdrawal, "with the objective of completing this process by 31 December 2023."

"The [UN} Secretariat has begun discussions and planning for an orderly exit, identifying the multiple aspects and layers of such a massive and complex endeavour," a peacekeeping spokesman told AFP.

"Securing the constructive cooperation of the Malian authorities will be essential to facilitate the process," he added.

- Securing the Blue Helmets -

While some members of the Security Council fear the proposed six-month withdrawal period is already too short to organize the safe departure of more than 12,000 soldiers and police from the landlocked African country, several diplomats told AFP the Malian junta wants to shorten it.

"The UN will need to transport a lot of equipment out of the country by road. This cannot happen overnight," said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.

"The Malians are likely suspicious that the UN is looking for ways to cling on in Mali in the hope that Bamako will eventually reverse its decision on throwing the mission out," he said. "Trust on both sides is very low," he added.

"The hope is really that we can adopt by the end of this week a draft that is taking into account what Mali wants and really shows that there is absolutely no intention from the UN to stay one day more than what is strictly necessary," said one diplomat.

"But at the same time, we have no intention of compromising on anything related to the security of peacekeepers," he said, noting that "Russia is supporting Mali's demands."

The UN mission was created in 2013, taking over from an African-led mission as Mali was in the grip of an Islamist rebellion that continues today. It has been criticized for its inability to protect civilians from jihadist attacks.

Mali has been under military rule since an August 2020 coup. Its military rulers have increasingly imposed operational restrictions on peacekeepers, and also broken Mali's longstanding alliance with former colonial power France.

abd/cha/jh/dw
By Gram Slattery

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would seek to eliminate the Departments of Energy, Commerce and Education, as well as the Internal Revenue Service, if he were elected president, he suggested in a television interview on Wednesday.

"We would do Education, we would do Commerce, we'd do Energy, and we would do IRS," he said, when asked by Fox News host Martha MacCallum whether he would cut any agencies while in office. "And so if Congress will work with me on doing that, we'll be able to reduce the size and scope of government."

Some high-ranking Republicans have called for those departments to be eliminated in the past. The Department of Education in particular has been a target for conservatives, and former President Donald Trump has also called for its abolition.

DeSantis' embrace of eliminating major federal agencies early in the Republican presidential primary underlines the emphasis his campaign has put on radically downsizing the federal bureaucracy.

He frequently accuses broad swathes of the government of political bias against conservatives, and has promised sweeping personnel overhauls should he be elected. He had already come out in favor of abolishing the IRS.

The Florida governor has consistently trailed Trump in public opinion polls, but his level of support is higher than that of the rest of the Republican pack. About 43% of Republicans backed Trump in a June 9-12 Reuters/Ipsos poll, compared with 22% supporting DeSantis.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
After the failed rebellion in Russia, US officials suspect that Vladimir Putin's so-called "red lines" are more flexible than previously thought, including these on the issue of supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Source: Politico

Quote: "U.S. officials suspect that one motivation for Putin making the deal was to avoid widespread violence on Russian soil.

That has led some to wonder if they could push the envelope further in supplying Ukraine with more lethal, longer-range weapons  including F-16s.

Their thought: Putins red line might be softer than anticipated, and he might choose not to escalate for fear of widening the conflict, according to two people familiar with the deliberations. But they cautioned that no decision has been made".

Details: Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, answering a question on Tuesday whether chaos in the Russian army could encourage a counteroffensive by Ukraine, said: "I think theres some opportunity there."

However, he added that U.S. officials are still waiting to see how events unfold.

According to the publication, in the short term, it is evident that the NATO summit, which will be held in Lithuania in two weeks, will acquire a new relevance. Blinken hinted at a "robust package for Ukraine" that will be presented by NATO leaders in Vilnius. But it is also possible that the Alliance's plans for a possible entry of Ukraine may change, given Russia's military weakness and the genuine prospect of civil war on its borders.

Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group president believes that "Its still a high bar [for Ukraines potential NATO membership] because all 31 [NATO] countries have to say yes".

Quote: "But this will help. The West now has less reason to worry about Putins supposed red lines, and all the more reason to worry about how to prepare for a destabilised, unpredictable situation in Russia."

More details: Politico writes that some analysts assume Putin's "restraint" during the deal with Prigozhin may be a sign of his rationality, others say that a weakened dictator may become even crazier.

The fragility of the Putin regime is also forcing some U.S. officials to take a closer look at the possibility of a post-Putin Russia and a nuclear stockpile that could become an even more destabilising factor for the world order.

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US is close to providing long-range ATACMS systems to Ukraine  WSJ

The United States came close to making a decision to provide Ukraine with ATACMS long-range tactical missile systems.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, referring to US and European officials, as European Pravda reported

Details: According to European and US officials, providing ATACMS to Ukraine still needs to be approved "at the highest level".

But they have seen signs that the previously reluctant White House changed its position and came to understand "the urgent need to support Ukraine in its struggle in the coming weeks".

As a senior Ukrainian defence official told The Wall Street Journal, in recent weeks "Kyiv has received positive signs that the US has changed its position on the ATACMS system".

The armys ATACMS tactical missile systems are surface-to-surface missiles with a range of about 300 kilometres, roughly four times the range of the missiles used by the mobile HIMARS systems that the US began sending to Ukraine last year.

Background:

Earlier, Politico reported that the Biden administration explained its reluctance to hand over longer-range ATACMS missiles to the Ukrainian side to the fact that, in this case, there may be too few of them left in US Army stockpiles.

Meanwhile, the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs supported bipartisan resolution H.Res. 488, calling on the Biden administration to immediately provide Ukraine with ATACMS missiles.

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VoterGA Tells Secretary of State Raffensperger: Unseal All Ballots or Unplug System NEWS PROVIDED BY

VoterGA

June 29, 2023



ATLANTA, June 29, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- VoterGA announced today that it is calling on Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to unplug the Dominion voting system found by expert witness, Dr. Alex Halderman, to have grossly inadequate security controls. VoterGA co-founder, Garland Favorito, released a detailed statement to explain the problem and solutions: "The recently unsealed Halderman Security Analysis explains that the Dominion voting system was not designed, engineered or tested with the necessary security provisions and cannot be retrofitted to satisfactorily include them. We, at VoterGA, have whole-heartedly promoted similar viewpoints for years.



"Secretary Raffensperger has misled legislators and county election officials by touting an unsigned Mitre report that was funded by Dominion and produced without access to the voting system. It has been discredited by 29 cyber security experts and computer science professors on grounds that the entire report is based on a 'ridiculous' false assumption that all current physical access controls cannot be compromised.



"No patch will ensure our voting system is secure because the Secretary continues to fight to keep the paper ballots it produces secret. Our scanners are as unsecure as the Ballot Marking Devices and more dangerous because they control what is tabulated. The Halderman analysis shows our scanners accept photocopied ballots. Evidence shows photocopies were scanned and accepted in 2020 and 2022 elections. We also determined thousands of low-resolution Dominion ballot images were electronically altered prior to the 2020 election certification.



"The solution to this problem is to unplug Georgia from the voting system. Voters must cast hand-marked, security grade paper ballots, hand counted in public at polling locations. The Secretary refuses to do this because he purchased the system. That system is unverifiable to the voter and it was declared illegal by the U.S. District Court prior to the 2020 election.



"If Secretary Raffensperger continues refusing to unplug this system, the only other solution is to unseal all paper ballots the system has produced and will produce in the future. Publicly available ballots are necessary to verify electronic results and detect counterfeit ballots as soon as results are certified. Therefore, we call upon Secretary Raffensperger to immediately request Superior Courts statewide to unseal all paper ballots for the 2020, 2022, and 2024 elections. Georgians deserves honest proof of secure, transparent elections." VoterGA is a non-partisan, 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization created by a coalition of citizens working to restore election integrity in Georgia. We advocate for independently verifiable, auditable, recount capable, transparent and tamper proof elections.



SOURCE VoterGA



CONTACT: Sheryl Sellaway, 404-273-5133, sheryl@righteouspragency.com



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By Gabriella Borter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In 1998, the year a voter-approved measure barring the use of race-conscious admissions policies for public colleges and universities in California took effect, the percentage of Black, Hispanic and Native American students admitted at two of the state's elite public schools plummeted by more than 50%.

Those figures for UCLA and the University of California, Berkeley, offer a cautionary tale for administrators at schools around the United States after the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions policies.

The court's decision in cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina will bring new urgency to efforts by schools to maintain or increase racial and ethnic diversity in their student populations, according to interviews with senior administrators at a dozen colleges and universities in the weeks ahead of the ruling.

"We cannot afford as a nation to regress on our goals to create an educated and equitable society," said Seth Allen, head of admissions at Pomona College in California. "So it's incumbent on higher education to figure out how to work collectively together to ensure that we're not furthering the enrollment gap among different groups of students."

Many selective U.S. colleges and universities for decades have used some form of affirmative action to boost enrollment of minority students, seeing value in having a diverse student population not only to offer educational opportunity but to bring a range of perspectives onto campuses.

Affirmative action refers to policies that favor people belonging to certain groups considered disadvantaged or subject to discrimination, in areas such as hiring and student admissions.

A March 2023 study found if the U.S. Supreme Court banned the consideration of race in admissions, enrollment of minority groups at selective colleges will likely stall or decline - even if the schools give more weight to factors such as class.

So schools have been exploring numerous options on how to diversify the student body. Even before the ruling, administrators said they were drafting strategies to expand their recruitment of diverse applicants, remove application barriers and increase the rate of minority students who accept their admissions offers.

An official at Rice University in Houston said the school will lean on student essay responses to ensure it admits students from diverse backgrounds.

Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, who authored Thursday's ruling, said universities may still consider student writings in personal essays about "how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise."

The president of Skidmore College in New York said connecting with high school counselors will become "more important than ever" to broaden the school's applicant pool.

Many schools said they already have waived fees, made standardized testing optional and are looking to improve financial aid offers - steps that could help boost minority enrollment.

All of the administrators said their plans could change to comply with the Supreme Court's decision in the Harvard and UNC cases. Some acknowledged that whatever steps schools take to circumvent a ban on race-conscious admissions policies might face legal challenges of their own.

"We're likely to see a whole new generation of lawsuits arise from the new admission standards that will be adopted by colleges and universities," said Danielle Holley, current dean of Howard University School of Law in Washington and incoming president of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Lawsuits backed by an anti-affirmative action conservative activist accused Harvard and UNC of unlawful discrimination in student admissions either by violating the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law or a federal law barring discrimination based on race and other factors.

UNC was accused of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants. Harvard was accused of bias against Asian American applicants. The schools denied these allegations.

GOING LOCAL

Many of the school administrators said they plan to focus resources on recruitment.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion on Thursday that the majority opinion left intact holistic college admissions and recruitment efforts that sought to enroll diverse student bodies without using racial classifications.

Admissions officers said they were broadening their outreach to high schools and community-based organizations in neighborhoods with lower incomes and educational attainment - places often populated by racial minorities.

Yvonne Berumen, vice president of admissions at Pitzer College in California, said her team might run essay workshops at high schools in those targeted zip codes - postal regions - in hopes of generating applications.

Chris George, dean of admissions at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, said high school data from national organizations like the College Board, which offers information on neighborhood income and housing stability, will help guide which high schools the college sends representatives to visit and the recruitment events they attend.

Community-based organizations that identify local students who show academic promise and help them apply to college will be crucial partners for identifying and recruiting potential applicants from diverse backgrounds, the administrators said.

"They become extensions of our recruiting and admissions team in many ways, and we're seeing each year a bigger and bigger percentage of our students come from those community-based organizations," said Kent Devereaux, president of Goucher College in Maryland.

Administrators at schools located in or near major cities, including Pomona College near Los Angeles and Sarah Lawrence College in New York, said they would hope to draw more students from racially diverse local high schools and take more transfer students from local community colleges.

(Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Additional reporting by Donna Bryson; Editing by Will Dunham, Colleen Jenkins and Aurora Ellis)
ATACMS rockets

The United States is reportedly on the verge of approving the transfer of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), a long-range missile system, to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on June 29, citing several U.S. and EU officials.

Read also: EU approves massive expansion of artillery shell production

Launched from M270 or HIMARS rocket artillery platforms  both are in service with the Ukrainian military  ATACMS missiles can strike targets 300 kilometers away, delivering up to 560 kilograms of explosive payload.

The sources said that the issue is currently being deliberated at the highest levels of government. It's been suggested that factions within the U.S. government, including those in the White House, who had previously expressed reluctance, are now recognizing the urgent need to bolster Ukraine's capabilities.

Amid the domestic turmoil in Russia, where over the weekend the founder of the Wagner mercenary force staged an abortive mutiny, U.S. and European officials indicated that now might be the time to provide the more advanced weaponry, the article reads.

Read also: Ukraine in talks on getting long-range missiles from several countries  FM Kuleba

A high-ranking official from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has also indicated that Kyiv has been receiving positive responses from Washington concerning the transfer of ATACMS systems in recent weeks. Ukraine has expressed its need for long-range missiles, especially to target Russian military bases in occupied Crimea.

Read also: When will Ukraine have its own long-range missiles?

Previously, the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee backed a resolution urging President Joe Biden's administration to supply Ukraine with ATACMS missiles.

On June 16, a defense budget bill was presented to the U.S. Congress, which proposed the allocation of $80 million for the purchase and transfer of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine.

Read also: Norway and Denmark will donate 9,000 additional artillery rounds to Ukraine

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov previously stated that the United States is hesitant to transfer ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, out of concerns that Ukraine's Armed Forces might target Russian territory with the new weapons.

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 PHOTO: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington

By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -When liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court, she was expected to bring a different view on racial matters than Justice Clarence Thomas, its only other Black member and a staunch conservative.

That dispute was front and center on Thursday when the two justices publicly battled in sharply worded, dueling opinions as the court, in a blockbuster decision, effectively ended affirmative action policies in which colleges and universities consider race as a factor in student admissions. Such policies have been used by many schools for decades to boost their numbers of Black and Hispanic students.

Jackson and Thomas, reflecting a deep divide in the United States, diverged on how race must be treated in the law. Jackson promoted its use to reduce entrenched inequalities. Thomas contended that the U.S. Constitution is colorblind.

Thomas wrote a concurring opinion accompanying the ruling that said Jackson's "race-infused world view falls flat at each step." Thomas suggested that instead of treating people as the sum of their experiences and challenges, Jackson myopically focuses on "racial determinism."

Jackson countered that it is Thomas who "demonstrates an obsession with race consciousness."

"Our country has never been colorblind," Jackson wrote in her dissenting opinion, which was joined by the two other liberal justices.

George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin called the exchange "fascinating," noting that "they draw such different conclusions from the same history, even though both agree that Jim Crow (past segregation policies aimed at Black Americans in some states) and slavery were horrible forms of oppression at odds with Founding ideals."

"To some extent, the struggle that's going on is - who speaks for the Black community on this court?" Cornell Law School Professor Michael Dorf said. "Part of the undercurrent in his (Thomas's) response to Justice Jackson is that, 'She doesn't speak for all Black people, and she certainly doesn't speak for me.'"

The ruling - powered by the court's conservative majority and written by Chief Justice John Roberts - held that the Harvard and UNC policies violated the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which promises equal protection under the law. The provision was ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the American Civil War and the emancipation of Black people who had been enslaved by white people in Southern states.

'OSTRICH-LIKE'

Jackson, who was appointed last year by Democratic President Joe Biden, portrayed the ruling as "ostrich-like," one that would "make things worse," not better.

"The only way out of this morass - for all of us - is to stare at racial disparity unblinkingly, and then do what evidence and experts tell us is required to level the playing field and march forward together, collectively striving to achieve true equality for all Americans," Jackson wrote.

"It is no small irony that the judgment the (court's) majority hands down today will forestall the end of race-based disparities in this country, making the colorblind world the majority wistfully touts much more difficult to accomplish," Jackson added.

Jackson traced the history of racism that persisted from slavery to the present day, preventing Black Americans from gaining wealth and excluding them from opportunities in education and professional life. Jackson noted, for example, that white families' median wealth is eight times that of Black families.

Jackson, 52, said the majority's decision will widen gaps between students and "delay the day that every American has an equal opportunity to thrive, regardless of race."

Thomas, who is 75 and has served on the court since 1991, delivered a defense of colorblindness - that the Constitution prohibits actions that treat minorities differently, regardless of their intent. Much of what Thomas wrote on Thursday was directed at Jackson.

"As she sees things, we are all inexorably trapped in a fundamentally racist society, with the original sin of slavery and the historical subjugation of black Americans still determining our lives today," Thomas wrote.

"The panacea, she counsels, is to unquestioningly accede to the view of elite experts and reallocate society's riches by racial means as necessary to 'level the playing field,' all as judged by racial metrics," Thomas added.

Thomas cited his personal experience in supporting his arguments: "Even in the segregated South where I grew up, individuals were not the sum of their skin color. Then as now, not all disparities are based on race."

In a footnote to her dissent, Jackson responded to Thomas's critique, suggesting that he misconstrued her arguments.

"Justice Thomas ignited too many straw men to list, or fully extinguish," Jackson wrote.

Jackson added that Thomas refuses to see the "elephant in the room" - that race-based disparities continue to impede achievement for a great number of Americans.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
US Marshals believe fugitive wanted for stabbing may be working as tattoo artist in Las Vegas

[Source]

The U.S. Marshals are asking for the publics help to locate a fugitive known to be associated with Asian gangs who they believe is now working as a tattoo artist in Las Vegas.

Wanted poster: Authorities recently released a wanted poster for Theodore Teddy Li, 36, who has been on the run for over three years. He is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon and violating his Federal Felony Probation out of Virginia.

The U.S. Marshals describe Li as an Asian man who stands at 5-foot-8 with tattoos over most of his body, black hair and brown eyes. He is also known to have associations with Asian gangs.

More from NextShark: 25-year-old college dropout is now the worlds youngest self-made billionaire

His crimes: Li was convicted in 2010 of possessing a gun while dealing drugs despite being prohibited from having a firearm as a convicted felon, reported 8 News Now. He received a nine-year sentence followed by a five-year supervised release for the convictions.

Li went on the run after being accused of stabbing a nightclub bouncer in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, multiple times on Dec. 15, 2019. The assailant, who was charged with malicious wounding, reportedly skipped his court appearance for the incident in the following year.

Current location: The U.S. Marshals believed that Li could now be working as a tattoo artist or residing in east Las Vegas or Henderson, Nevada, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Ray Venegas told 8 News Now.

More from NextShark: Singer Sparks Outrage After Posting Xenophobic Coronavirus Video on Instagram

Those who may have information about his whereabouts are encouraged to call the U.S. Marshal Service at 1-877-926-8332.

Authorities advised the public not to approach Li as he is considered armed and dangerous with violent tendencies.

More from NextShark: South Korean man crowned champion of doing absolutely nothing at annual competition
US pointman on Iran on leave as clearance reviewed

Rob Malley, the Biden administration's special envoy for Iran, prepares to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations in May 2022 (Brendan Smialowski)

The US pointman on Iran has been placed on leave, the State Department said Thursday, as reports said that his handling of sensitive material was under review.

Special envoy Rob Malley, in a statement to several news outlets, confirmed that his security clearance was under review and said he hoped the investigation would be resolved "favorably."

CNN, quoting anonymous sources, said the review related to his handling of classified documents.

While details of the case were unclear, the review comes amid a growing spotlight on classified material after former president Donald Trump was indicted on charges of mishandling documents from his time in office.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said only that Malley was on leave and that Abram Paley, his deputy, was leading work on Iran.

Malley, who has long faced fierce criticism from hawks, was one of the negotiators of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran under former president Barack Obama that was trashed by his successor Trump.

Malley led months of indirect negotiations with Iran mediated by the European Union to restore the deal, under which Tehran was promised sanctions relief in return for sharply curtailing its nuclear program.

The talks ultimately collapsed in part over disputes on the extent of sanctions relief by the United States, with opposition also rising to a deal after major protests erupted against Iran's clerical regime.

Malley has been conspicuously absent in quiet new indirect talks between the two countries, which were brokered by Oman and focused largely on the fate of US prisoners in Iran.

He is a childhood friend of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who appointed him shortly after taking office in 2021 in defiance of warnings from the rival Republican Party.

Malley has been a bete noire for pro-Israel hawks since his time as a Middle East aide to Bill Clinton when he publicly rejected what he said were exaggerated accounts of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's responsibility for the failure of the Camp David peace summit.

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US says it's horrified by conditions in Ethiopia after theft leads to food aid pause and deaths

FILE - An Ethiopian woman scoops up portions of wheat to be allocated to each waiting family after it was distributed by the Relief Society of Tigray in the town of Agula, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia on May 8, 2021. The United States humanitarian agency told The Associated Press it is horrified by conditions in Ethiopia, where local officials have reported hundreds of hunger deaths in recent weeks after the U.S. and the United Nations paused food aid for one-sixth of the country's population over massive theft of the aid. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  The United States humanitarian agency told The Associated Press it is horrified by conditions in Ethiopia, where local officials have reported hundreds of hunger deaths in recent weeks after the U.S. and the United Nations paused food aid for one-sixth of the country's population over massive theft of the aid.

In an unusually strong statement emailed to the AP, the U.S. Agency for International Development called the aid suspension wrenching and a measure of last resort because of the extreme scale and coordination of food aid diversion identified across the country."

U.S. officials have said in private that this could be the biggest-ever theft of aid in any country.

The U.S. and U.N. have not said who was involved in the theft, which was first discovered in March in the northern Tigray region when tons of food meant for needy people were instead found for sale in sacks branded with the U.S. flag.

Aid workers said Ethiopian government officials are deeply involved. The government, which largely controls the aid delivery process, dismisses as harmful propaganda the suggestion that it bears primary responsibility for the disappearance of aid. It has agreed to a joint investigation with the U.S. while the U.N.s World Food Program carries out a separate probe.

The theft of food from this highly vulnerable population is unconscionable," the USAID email said after the AP reported this week that local officials and university researchers had recorded over 700 starvation-related deaths in Tigray since the food pause started three months ago. The officials and researchers linked the deaths to the suspension.

The U.S. and U.N. first halted food aid to Tigray in March, and in early June they extended the ban to the rest of Ethiopia, where over 20 million people rely on such assistance.

Tigray was the epicenter of a two-year war that ended in November and killed an estimated hundreds of thousands of people. Aid access to Tigray was blocked or restricted for much of the conflict, and humanitarian supplies were only just returning to the region when the U.S. and U.N. halted food assistance.

The U.S. and U.N. are demanding the removal of Ethiopian government officials from the aid distribution process and seek the introduction of biometric checks before resuming food deliveries, which they hope to do as early as July.

We are horrified by the ongoing suffering experienced by the people of Ethiopia and our focus is on resuming food assistance as quickly as possible once we can be confident it is going to the people in need, the USAID email said.

The U.S. and U.N. are still running nutrition and other programs in Ethiopia, but those are only reaching a fraction of people who need them because of funding gaps.
US school guard not guilty of failing to stop mass shooting

A former sheriff's deputy was found not guilty of failing to intervene during the February 2018 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida (JOE RAEDLE)

A guard who allegedly hid while a mass shooter killed 17 at a Florida high school in 2018 was found not guilty Thursday of charges of neglect and negligence.

In an emotionally charged trial, a jury found no fault with the actions of former sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson, 60, during the shooting at the school in the suburban city of Parkland.

On February 14, 2018, then-19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz walked into the school carrying a semiautomatic rifle and shot dead 14 students and three staff members.

Cruz, who was able to buy his powerful weapon despite having known mental health issues, wounded another 17 people.

Peterson, a guard at the school, was accused of failing to enter the school building to pursue Cruz even though he was armed and had received training in confronting an active shooter.

Peterson, believed the first law enforcement officer in the country charged for failing to take action during a school shooting, was indicted for multiple counts of felony child neglect, and culpable negligence and one count of perjury.

The jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. Peterson broke down in tears when the verdict was announced.

"I got my life back" after the four-year court saga, he said outside the court.

His attorney Mark Eiglarsh said it was "not just a victory for Scot, but a victory for all law enforcement officers."

- 'Coward' or 'scapegoat'? -

The Parkland shooting stunned the nation and reignited debate on gun control and how to protect schools from armed attacks.

Families of the dead and injured placed some of the blame for the extent of the deaths and injuries on Peterson.

During the trial, prosecutor Steven Klinger said Peterson, who had been in law enforcement for 32 years and a school resource officer, or security guard, at the school since 2009, had been trained to deal with such attacks.

Klinger said Peterson took shelter in an alcove outside the school building and remained there for 48 minutes, well after the shooting ended.

"In an active shooter situation, you go for the gunshots. You're trained to go for those shots, to find that shooter, because every shot could be a death," Klinger said.

Eiglarsh countered that his client was made a scapegoat, and denied that he was a "coward."

Peterson could not tell where the gunshots were coming from on the sprawling Parkland campus and "did everything that you possibly could with the limited information that he had," Eiglarsh contended.

Manuel Oliver, whose 17-year-old son Joaquin was killed at Parkland, expressed anger after the verdict at the reactions by Peterson and Eiglarsh after the verdict was announced.

"Tell me about that pain," he said.

Peterson "obviously made a mistake and needs to be accountable," he said.

"The honest thing to do is to walk out of that room quiet," he added.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $15 billion sale to Poland of an integrated air and missile defense system that includes the U.S. Armys 360-degree threat detection sensor, which is still in development, according to a June 28 announcement.

The sale, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, would include the RTX-made Patriot Configuration-3+ with modernized sensors and components including 48 Patriot launch stations; 644 Lockheed Martin-manufactured Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles; and 12 Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors, or LTAMDS, which RTX is developing for the U.S. Army.

Amid Russias ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Poland is clambering to buy high-end defense capabilities. It reached an agreement with the U.S. in 2018 to buy RTX-made Patriot systems bolstered by an advanced battle command system that the U.S. Army was still developing.

Polands first order, which includes two Patriot Configuration-3+ batteries, came with a $4.75 billion price tag. As part of the deal, Northrop Grumman delivered two firing batteries of its Integrated Battle Command System, which was delivered to Poland earlier this year and will be operational by the end of the summer. Poland will be the first country to operationalize IBCS, ahead of the U.S. Army, which funded and oversaw the development of the Northrop-made system.

IBCS is not included in this latest potential deal.

The possible sale marks the entrance of the second phase of Polands pursuit to establish a robust midrange air defense capability under its Wisla program. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced in May 2022 that his country would launch that second phase of the program, which would cover the acquisition of three divisions  or six batteries of the Patriot system to include the U.S. Armys LTAMDS, which is still in the prototyping phase.

The Army has struggled with the LTAMDS prototype delivery schedule. RTX ran into problems building the first radars during the pandemic, but the service still aims to deliver at least four of them by the end of 2023. An operational assessment of the sensor is expected in the latter portion of fiscal 2024.
The US supreme court, driven by its conservative supermajority, on Thursday ended race-conscious admissions at universities across the country, tossing out decades of precedent in American life and delivering a huge blow to the cause of greater student diversity on campuses.

The conservative justices concluded that admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the US constitutions equal protection clause. This effectively prohibits the use of affirmative action policies in the US that acted as a tipping point, among many other admission factors, to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students at selective US higher education colleges and universities.

The court concluded that Harvard and the University of North Carolinas race-conscious admissions programs failed to abide by the narrow restrictions laid out by the court in previous cases, noting that university programs must comply with strict scrutiny, may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and must  at some point  end.

The six conservative-leaning justices on the nine-strong court prevailed over the three liberal leaning justices, with the newest member and first Black woman on the court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, issuing a stark dissent saying the ruling meant it would take longer for racism to leave us.

Joe Biden said he was considering executive action and will ask the Department of Education to look into ways to maintain diversity in university student bodies.

The US president said this is not a normal court of the bench, which has swung far to the right with the appointment of three rightwing justices during Donald Trumps presidency, giving it a 6-3 conservative supermajority.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said: Discrimination still exists in America. Todays decision does not change that. Its a simple fact.

An analysis of student records by Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative activist group representing Asian American students in the lawsuit against Harvard, found that the institution, on average, rated Asian American applicants lower in personality and likability ratings than others. In oral arguments, Harvards attorney, Seth Waxman, argued that the university did not discriminate against Asian Americans, noting that the university weighed multiple factors in their admissions process.

Related: US students on why affirmative action is crucial: They need our voices

The court found that the universities reasons for using race as a factor as a means of improving diversity fail to articulate a meaningful connection between the means they employ and the goals they pursue.

In a majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that despite the universities commendable goals, they fell short of constitutional standards. The opaque categories universities used to measure racial composition were plainly over broad and undermines, instead of promotes, respondents goals, Roberts wrote. Roberts added that Harvards program resulted in fewer Asian American students being admitted to the university, violating the Equal Protection Clauses standard that race may never be used as a negative.

Yet by accepting race-based admissions programs in which some students may obtain preferences on the basis of race alone, respondents programs tolerate the very thing that Grutter foreswore: stereotyping, Roberts wrote.

Respondents assertion that race is never a negative factor in their admissions programs cannot withstand scrutiny, Roberts wrote. College admissions are zero-sum, and a benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former at the expense of the latter.

The courts decision against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina will limit the power of colleges and universities, particularly at selective institutions, to consider an applicants race as a factor in the admissions process. Past research shows that the end of race-consciousness in university admissions, which affects roughly a quarter of US colleges and universities, will result in declines in Black, Latino and Indigenous students admitted to highly selective universities. That may cause a cascading reshuffling of those students to other, less selective universities and is likely to make the elite institutions less diverse.

Highly selective private and state universities will now scramble to pursue race-neutral alternatives to improving diversity, a phenomenon that past research in states where affirmative action is already banned shows will not reach the same level of diversity as race-conscious admissions would.

The court noted that students could still discuss their race in their applications but that universities wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin.

The court argued that the universities underlying goal of using race-conscious admissions until meaningful representation and meaningful diversity is achieved on their campuses lacked a logical endpoint and resulted in unconstitutional racial balancing.

The courts decision on Thursday tears against the fabric of college campuses, going against decades of precedent consistently upheld by the highest court in the land. In the 1960s, after John F Kennedy first ordered government contractors to take affirmative action to combat racial discrimination, colleges and universities developed policies to further diversify who enrolled.

The idea met its first challenge in 1978, in a case involving Allan Bakke, a white man who was denied admission to the University of California at Davis medical school. The court concluded that race could be factored in the admissions process but stopped colleges from setting racial quotas.

In 2003, in the case Grutter v Bollinger, the US supreme court ruled that higher education institutions can factor in race as a means of achieving diversity at colleges and universities because it represented a compelling governmental interest.

From that moment, though, the clock ticked for race-conscious admissions: Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote in a majority opinion that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary.

In the last decade, the conservative activist Edward Blum has led challenges seeking to curtail racial preferences in different aspects of American society, mostly recently in a 2013 case gutting the Voting Rights Act.

More than a decade later, in 2016, the US supreme court narrowly voted to uphold race-conscious admissions in a Blum-backed case by Abigail Fisher, a white woman denied admission to the University of Texas at Austin.

But since then the court has shifted further to the right, with a supermajority of six conservative justices following new appointments during the Trump administration.

The entire point of the Equal Protection Clause is that treating someone differently because of their skin color is not like treating them differently because they are from a city or from a suburb, or because they play the violin poorly or well, Roberts wrote.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case but issued a blistering dissenting opinion in the UNC case, noting: Although formal race-linked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and todays ruling makes things worse, not better.

If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away, Jackson wrote. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor also issued a dissent, warning that the ruling would entrench segregation in higher education.

The results of bans on affirmative action have been devastating and long-lasting, seeing the number of Black and Latino students plummet.
US Supreme Court Rules Against Affirmative Action In College Admissions | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities cannot explicitly consider race as a factor in admissions decisions, which essentially ends affirmative action in college admissions as we know it. The ruling was long expected of the conservative-dominated court and came at a time when political debates over addressing racism and racial inequity continued throughout the country.

After months of speculation, the Supreme Court issued its long-awaited ruling on affirmative action. The court ruled in two cases brought against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina that the colleges policies regarding race as a factor in admissions lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. The majority decision held that these policies violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, one of the post-Civil War amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law professor T. Anansi Wilson noted, Without an inch of irony, the Supreme Court issued this ruling using a reconstruction amendment meant to make full citizens of African Americans and help undue the legacy of racism and chattel slavery.

1/2 Without an inch of irony, #SCOTUS has found that affirmative action, violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. A reconstruction amendment meant to make full citizens of African Americans and help undue the legacy of racism and chattel slavery. Throw the  Dr. T. Anansi Wilson JD/PhD (@blaqueerflow) June 29, 2023

The decision on the UNC case was 6-3, with the courts six conservative justices all voting to end affirmative action in college admissions and the three liberal justices voting to keep the policy. The decision for the Harvard case was 6-2 as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself due to her previous ties to Harvard.

The majority ruling issued by the court claims race could still factor into admissions decisions in other ways, such as being incorporated into students admissions essays.

Nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected the applicants life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university, the ruling states.

Nevertheless, the liberal justices noted in their dissents that the impact of this decision would be felt deeply by racial minorities.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor says that in issuing this ruling, the Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society.

Justice Brown Jackson, meanwhile, was even harsher toward her conservative colleagues: With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat, Brown Jackson wrote in her dissent. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

In October, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the cases the group Students for Fair Admissions brought against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. SFFA argued on behalf of Asian American students that they were negatively discriminated against by affirmative action policies that favored underrepresented students in the admissions process instead. SFFA is a creation of Edward Blum, a white affirmative action opponent who has engineered several cases against the policy. Blum had previously arranged several cases challenging affirmative action; as recently as 2016, the Supreme Court narrowly upheld using race in admissions decisions in a case driven by Blum involving the University of Texas.

Since 2016, three conservative justices appointed by former President Donald Trump have shifted the court toward the ideological right. Over the past decade, the conservative majority has weakened the Voting Rights Act and overturned Roe v. Wade, among other rulings. A surprise ruling last month, in which the Supreme Court sided with voting rights advocates to overturn redistricting in Alabama that was accused of being racially gerrymandered, gave progressive court watchers some hope the justices would not continuously pursue a far-right agenda. But on Thursday, the courts conservatives banded together to oppose affirmative action.

This ruling will likely have a far-reaching impact on the United States in many ways. Most immediately, experts predict the end of affirmative action policies will significantly lower the number of underrepresented minority applicants, including Black, Latino and Indigenous students admitted to college. Beyond that, however, schools like Harvard had previously argued having more diverse student bodies benefits all students and not just those from marginalized backgrounds, meaning the expected decrease in diversity will negatively affect the education and experiences of the students admitted under the changed policies.

The ruling, seen as a victory for conservatives and a defeat for liberals, will also impact politics. The White House announced it is reviewing the situation, and President Biden will likely comment on it at some point soon. Meanwhile, various Republican presidential candidates and officials have celebrated the ruling. With these strong reactions continuing and the educational impact this fall and beyond, the Supreme Courts anti-affirmative action ruling will have significant fallout for some time.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  The minute the clock strikes midnight on June 1st, it begins. It usually starts small, some salubong parties here and there. Brands and companies trade in their usual logos for a more chromatic look. The pride flag gets taken out of the closet. And then it begins to pick up. Bars release their line ups and the performers are booked and blessed. Its queer Christmas and this place finally feels safe.

But for Levis, Pride is a yearlong commitment. [We have] a long and notable history of celebrating Pride and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, says Levis Country Marketing Manager Kat Costas. From marching alongside the queer community in the San Francisco AIDS walk in 1987 to their public endorsement of the Equality Act in the United States in 2015, the beloved American denim brand has proven that allyship is in the fabric of their brand DNA.

And while its clear that Levis stands in solidarity with the queer community, they also make it a point to take care of their own. [We] became the first Fortune 500 company in 1992 to offer full medical benefits to unmarried partners of [our] employees, says Costas. In addition, the brand has implemented an extensive non-discrimination policy that also includes protection for trans employees.

And as part of their initiative to amplify the voices of queer businesses, Levis is partnering with local queer-run bakery Butterboy. Here, we catch up with co-owners Hilder Demeterio and Jayson So, and externals and marketing consultant Guia Peralta to talk about the magic of drag brunch, how they maintain their safe space, and the road to becoming the Butterboy Foundation.

Since our last conversation with the boys behind our favorite buttered bread, the bakery has sold out several more Drag Brunches. Theyve even expanded on their spin-offs like their diva-themed Concertos and drag house takeovers. If this packed schedule is an indicator of anything, its that Butterboy has carved out a space where people can celebrate unabashed self-expression  all while enjoying some pretty damn good bread.

But before Butterboy became the weekly habit of the Mary Grace titas and aging gay millennials, it was just another date night for Demeterio and So. The two arent trained bakers. The kitchen was just their refuge from their daily grind as an architect and a doctor, respectively. But after a little bit of trial and error (and a dash of homosexual audacity), the two would concoct a recipe that would serve as the impetus for their Instagram store: the most flaky, golden, and buttery croissant sans the high production cost.

In photo (L-R): Jayson So wearing Levi's Men's Rincon Button Down Vest and Levi's 501, and Hilder Demeterio wearing Levi's Pride Muscle Tank and Levi's 501. Photo by NIKKI BONUEL

Butterboys current menu  an extensive array of sweet and savory pastries with Filipino sensibilities  is a testament to their business development. It was all about the croissant. Tapos yung cafe, parang dream lang, Demeterio says. Drag wouldnt be on my mind for the first few years.

That dream soon became a reality when the two signed the contract for the 150 square meter property at 81 Basa Street. For months, the house served as a commissary for the bakery. But now that they had a place to call their own, the team was left with a decision to make: What do they do with all of that space?

Demeterio considered letting artists showcase their works on the bakerys walls. Pero ang hirap kasi i-manage ng gallery, eh (laughs). But all jokes aside, one thing was clear for the architect-cum-pastry gay. The space needed to serve a bigger purpose. All I really wanted was a place where I can give a house for a bigger community, a place where I can give other people an opportunity to be seen.

The two would eventually find the answer to their question through a video of the dancing diva of Texas, Kennedy Davenport, performing Donna Summers Last Chance in broad daylight.

In photo (L-R): Hilder Demeterio wearing Levi's Pride Muscle Tank and Levi's 501, and Jayson So wearing Levi's Men's Rincon Button Down Vest and Levi's 501. Photo by NIKKI BONUEL

Butterboy is easy to find. Sure, theres the giant rainbow flag at the entrance that screams, All are welcome here! But theres also the tantalizing smell of freshly baked bread that permeates the neighborhood (and leaves the residents in a perpetual state of want). And on the warm and languid weekend mornings, theres the sound of Pop Top 40 that echoes through the street. Once you hear the oohs and aahs of a mesmerized crowd, youll know youve found the right place.

When asked about how they conceptualized their signature Drag Brunch, the Butterboy team had two answers. One, its that they were figuring it out as they went along. We just went with what felt right. (Laughs). We winged it, So says. Parang may vision lang si Hilder na gusto [niya] ng tea set, and nag-revolve na yung idea doon, Peralta adds. Two, on the other hand, was them giving credit to where credit was due. The team had an explicit disclaimer: We didnt come up with drag brunch.

In the long and sparkly history of drag, the idea of performing over pancakes and bottomless mimosas is a recent addition. And while restaurants in America like Lips and Hamburger Marys paved the way for these events, the origin of drag brunch still cant be traced back to a specific establishment. What is clear, however, is that this new platform for drag is a significant move towards queer visibility and acceptance. Demeterio calls this the new era of drag  a time where were finally taking [drag] out of the shadows [and] into the spotlight that it deserves.

What Demeterio, So, and Peralta love about their business is how theyre attracting a wider audience: from the group of titas who had absolutely no concept of drag but was drawn in by the bread to the family of a queer birthday celebrant to even the straight dudebro who was accompanying his girlfriend. This is where the beauty of drag brunch lies. Its a safe space for the queer community to express their true authentic selves, but it also opens conversations on gender to those outside of the community. Come for the bread and performances; Stay for the lessons on gender and performativity.

In photo (L-R): Hilder Demeterio wearing Levi's Women's Kaede Cotton Prep Coat on Levi's Pride Muscle Tank, and Jayson So wearing Levi's Men's Rincon Button Down Vest. Photo by NIKKI BONUEL

Its the boring part, Demeterio jokes when asked about the next steps for Butterboy. After a flurry of brunches, meriendas, and concertos, the team is taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture: Growth.

To be able to grow you need to become more sustainable, the team says in a follow up interview via email. On top of our regular bakery operations and occasional drag brunches, weve spent the past year re-systematizing everything that fell into place, while growing from a microbakery to a MSME, from recipes to financial documentation. Its understandable that spreadsheets, meetings, and operations pale in comparison to a drag artist doing kicks and splits in six-inch stilettos, but theyre also necessary for businesses like Butterboy to thrive.

This realization can be attributed to what Peralta calls the teams giving era.

When you grow more, you can help more. Yun yung na-pick up ko from the past few years with Butterboy, Demeterio says. In a span of these two years, the bakery has made ripples in and out of the community. Kasi since Butterboy is not only a product of our hardwork, its also a product of our customers support. So parang in every aspect, every choice [we] make, part sila nun. Its only right that our choices are geared towards helping the community as much as we can.

Levi's Pride Muscle Tank and Levi's 501. Photo by NIKKI BONUEL

Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sundays, their quaint bungalow tucked in the heart of Quezon City is what Kat Costas of Levis would call a safe space, a space where individuals within the LGBTQ+ community can be true to their gender identity and sexual orientation without fear or hesitation. But what makes this safe space special is that it offers another option. Its an option for younger members of the community, introverts who want coffee and bread with their books, or queer people who just want to go to bed early.

And its not just for the customers, says So. When you expand, the business grows. More people get to be employed. From the staff to the drag artists, the growth of Butterboy means more job opportunities. The bakery has also partnered with Scholars of Sustenance - Philippines to ensure that none of their surplus food goes to waste. Sobrang blessing ng SOS PH to us because weve been having difficulties with food waste when we scaled up and having them as a partner really fills that gap and we also get to feed children and communities, the team says.

Magulat kayo, Foundation na yung nasa dulo ng Butterboy, Peralta punctuates the conversation. It may be a joke but its also indicative of the kind of community that Butterboy is a part of. More than just a safe space, the bakery is now a part of the interconnected systems of support that the queer community functions in.

Allies like Levis are also a part of this system. [We] understand that authenticity is about embracing ones true identity and being able to live openly and honestly, says Costas. With initiatives that signal boost creators and business owners, they are uplifting safe spaces like Butterboy and their efforts to support others. With systems like these, its true then that when you show up for yourself, you can show up for your community. This is how safe spaces survive and thrive.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Thursday announced major new investments to tackle the homelessness crisis among veterans as it pushes toward an ambitious goal of housing at least 38,000 veterans this year.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will soon provide $3.1 billion through its Continuum of Care (COC) program to address overall homelessness across all demographics, with part of the funding trickling down to the VA for use at its local medical centers.

U.S. officials say the new funding commitment is a historic single-year investment in the COC program, which works on the community level with nonprofits and local governments to address homelessness.

The VA on Thursday also announced more than $11 million in grants to public and nonprofit organizations for a new program focused on legal assistance for veterans facing eviction, child support cases and other legal problems.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the justice system involvement for our veterans is strongly and directly correlated with homelessness.

So our ability to help those veterans who are struggling with justice system involvement will directly impact our ability to end veteran homelessness, he told reporters during a Wednesday briefing. In fact, legal support can be the difference between coming home homeless in the first instance, or having a safe, stable house.

Another $58 million in grant funding will help veterans reintegrate into the labor force, part of an existing program seeking to more closely address the root causes of homelessness, according to the VA.

The VA housed more than 40,000 veterans last year, surpassing goals the department set for 2022. The latest tally of how many veterans are homeless across America also dropped by 11 percentage points in 2022 compared to 2020.

Still, the overall homelessness crisis, exacerbated by soaring inequality and an extreme shortage of affordable housing, reached record highs in 2022 and has been rising significantly since 2017, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Homelessness also continues to impact veterans more than the average American. Around 33,136 veterans were counted as homeless in 2022.

President Biden is working on a plan to reduce overall homelessness by about 25 percent by 2025. His proposed fiscal 2024 budget includes more than $10 billion to address overall homelessness, about a 6 percent increase from the last fiscal budget.

In his State of the Union address in February, Biden also pledged to curtail veteran suicide rates and help keep a roof over their heads.

Lets do more to keep this nations one fully sacred obligation: to equip those we send into harms way and care for them and their families when they come home, Biden told Congress.

Biden is pursuing a strategy to first place those experiencing homelessness in housing and then give them the support structure to maintain shelter.

The investments announced Thursday expand on that effort, including a new boot camp initiative, which involves employing a network of supportive services to more quickly transition those experiencing homelessness to permanent housing.

The housing first strategy, which provides housing first and recommends treatment but doesnt require it, has been the subject of intense debate.

Some poverty-fighting organizations support it, while other experts say the U.S. approach has largely failed to alleviate the crisis.

Neera Tanden, a domestic policy adviser for Biden, said that taken together, the grant funding announced Thursday will allow veterans to learn occupational skills, participate in registered apprenticeships or on-the-job training, be placed in jobs and receive supportive services.

Tanden said the administration was making incredible strides in the effort to end homelessness even as it continued to face challenges.

Everyone should have a roof over their head, she said on Wednesday, adding that the new investments mark an important next step in our urgent collective efforts to address veteran homelessness.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelas leading opposition candidate, Maria Corina Machado, will present her economic plan, including a debt restructuring proposal, to economists and bondholders in New York next month.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Machado, who is banned from traveling by Nicolas Maduros government, will virtually present a plan on July 18 at an event hosted at the headquarters of the Americas Society Council of the Americas in New York.

In her plan she hopes to reach a friendly agreement with bondholder that includes the restructuring of Venezuelas $60 billion of defaulted bonds issued by the government and state-owned oil company PDVSA, according to a copy of the events program obtained by Bloomberg.

Venezuela defaulted on debt starting in 2017, two years before the US cut ties with Maduros government and imposed a ban prohibiting US investors from buying the countrys debt, which effectively dried up the market and pushed prices to as low as 3 cents.

The initiative seems to put back on track some priority in the reconstruction of a sustainable economic development of Venezuela, which is necessary after a long isolation, said Francesco Marani, head of trading at Madrid-based Auriga Global Investors. There is no fast and sustainable recovery without an agreement with the private sector.

Machados restructuring plan includes swapping sovereign debt for ownership or stakes in state-owned enterprises that would be privatized under her tenure. But time for any negotiation is running out, as the six-year statute of limitations on the debt is close to expiring and creditors would be forced to sue to protect their rights to demand payment in court.

Seeking to buy time, the Maduro administration offered in May to unilaterally suspend the statute of limitations, but this decision is not valid while his government remains illegitimate under US law. The opposition, however, which is authorized by the US to represent Venezuela, has yet to present their plan on the matter.

Machados proposal, which is described as expansive stabilization, will also target measures to reduce the nations fiscal deficit and address Venezuelas energy sector.

Read more: Venezuela Creditors Urge Opposition to Support Bond Standstill

According to most recent polls, Machado leads a pack of 14 opposition candidates running in the Oct. 22 primaries, ahead of other popular contenders such as former governor and two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. Maduro, widely expected to run for a third term, has yet to set a date for the vote or invite foreign observers to oversee the election.

Recent polls suggest that Machados popularity has been on the rise, with voting intention toward her in the primaries growing from 35.4% in November to 46.4% in May, according to the latest survey by Caracas-based firm ORC Consultores. Machado, whos been campaigning across the country, is planning large rallies in late Hugo Chavezs hometown of Barinas this week.

(Updates starting with Maranis comments in the fifth paragraph)

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FILE PHOTO: China's Coast Guard deputy chief Wang shakes hands with Vietnam's Coast Guard deputy chief Son after signing a cooperation agreement as China's State Councilor Yang and Vietnam's DPM and FM Minh look on at ICC in Hanoi

HANOI (Reuters) - A military court in Vietnam on Thursday sentenced a former coast guard commander to 16 years in prison, after finding him guilty of embezzlement in siphoning off $2 million from military procurement deals, state media reported.

Nguyen Van Son, 59, was convicted of masterminding the theft of 50 billion dong ($2.12 million) while head of the coast guard, in what the judge described as a "particularly serious case" that hurt the image of the defence services, Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported. Six of his associates were also jailed.

They were the latest victims of a "blazing furnace" crackdown on corruption by long-serving Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, which has this year seen the jailing of several high-ranking officials, the exit of the country's president and dismissal of two former deputy prime ministers.

The six other former top coast guard officials received prison time ranging from 10 to 15 and a half years each for their involvement in the embezzlement, VOV said.

They were arrested last year, according to the defence ministry, which said Son was responsible for violations between 2015 and 2020, including "financial mismanagement" and "procurement irregularities".

($1 = 23,569 dong)

(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Martin Petty)
Two Italian air force colonels and an aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy will fly to the edge of space Thursday, if all goes as planned. The flight, called Galactic 01, is the first commercial spaceflight for Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic space company.

The trio will join one of Virgin Galactics astronaut instructors and two pilots, who will take them to 50 miles above the Earth. The launch is set for 11 a.m. ET.

Branson founded Virgin Galactic in 2004 as a space tourism company, aiming to ferry wealthy passengers to the edge of space and back. Thursdays flight comes two years after Branson and the first passengers flew on the spaceplane.

Commercial service was to begin shortly thereafter but was delayed when the company was grounded for deviating from its assigned airspace on that first mission. Following an investigation, the company was allowed to continue preparations for commercial flight. It completed one additional crewed flight in May before this latest mission.

Virgin Galactic has said it has a backlog of nearly 800 customers waiting for their ride to space, and if all goes well on this mission, the next one could take place as soon as August.

To get to space, passengers board a space plane called Unity, which is attached to a larger plane called the WhiteKnightTwo. The carrier plane takes off from the companys facilities in New Mexico and, once it reaches a certain altitude, the Unity spaceplane drops and will ignite its rocket motor that will enable its pilots to reach the edge of space.

The entire flight should take about 90 minutes, with the crew experiencing just a few minutes of weightlessness while enjoying stunning views of the blackness of space. During that time, the crew will conduct several science experiments before the craft heads back to Earth, where it will land like a glider back in New Mexico.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
For years, British billionaire Richard Branson vowed that commercial spaceflights with his firm Virgin Galactic were just around the corner.

On Thursday, that hype finally became reality when three Italian researchers boarded the VSS Unity space plane as Virgin Galactic's first paying passengers and flew about four minutes in suborbital space.

The researchers  Col. Walter Villadei and Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi of the Italian Air Force and Pantaleone Carlucci, an engineer with the National Research Council of Italy  spent their precious minutes in microgravity conducting scientific research on topics including cognitive performance and physiological responses in space.

The carrier aircraft and the attached VSS Unity space plane took off from the Spaceport America launch site around 7:30 a.m. Pacific time near Truth and Consequences, N.M., and climbed to an altitude of about 45,000 feet. By 8:30 a.m., the carrier aircraft had released the space plane, which rocketed to the edge of space.

A livestream of the flight showed the researchers strapped into their seats as they traveled at Mach 2, with one researcher puffing out his breath in visible O's. At 8:31 a.m., the space plane's motor cut off and the researchers were free to move around. Villadei was the only researcher to get out of his seat, and he propelled himself to the back of the craft, where he tended to experiments on a stationary rack. The other two researchers stayed in their seats, hurriedly looking at their tablets.

They all took a momentary break to unfurl an Italian flag and give the onboard camera a grin or thumbs-up.

Read more: Virgin Galactic will start selling tickets to space  have your $150,000 deposit ready

I was concentrating on my test, my knee board, but I had the opportunity to look out," said Carlucci, the engineer. "Speechless.

By 8:35 a.m., everyone was back in their seats. The craft touched down back in New Mexico around 8:42 a.m.

Prior to Thursday's flight, only Branson and Virgin Galactic employees had flown aboard the space plane. As of last year, the company had received reservations for nearly 800 tickets and collected $103.3 million in deposits and membership fees from "future astronauts," according to Virgin Galactic's most recent annual report.

A seat on Virgin Galactic's space plane now costs $450,000, up from the initial price of $200,000 that early enthusiasts paid.

Thursday's first commercial flight is a milestone for the company and for the space tourism market as a whole, said Alan Ladwig, a former NASA executive and author of the space travel book "See You in Orbit? Our Dream of Spaceflight." But it doesn't indicate that routine trips to space are just around the corner.

"When youre in the $450,000 price range for a suborbital flight ... youre a few years away from a mass market," he said. "The milestones ahead are when's the next flight, how often can they get a rhythm and schedule that can be predicted and counted on."

Thursday's mission high above the New Mexico desert showcased a part of the space tourism market not often discussed  research flights.

Although space tourism is more commonly associated with wealthy passengers achieving lifelong dreams of spaceflight, companies like Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin have also touted suborbital spaceflight as an opportunity for scientists to conduct their own experiments in a microgravity environment.

Read more: Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson plans to visit space before Jeff Bezos

Performing experiments in orbital space isn't really an option, with the cost and time needed to prepare for intensive spaceflight probably outweighing the benefits. Scientists can also send their experiments to the International Space Station, but they can't tend to them themselves. Flying on a parabolic, or zero-gravity, plane flight is another option, but passengers experience weightlessness for only 22 seconds at a time.

Theres nothing in between," Villadei said. The Virgin Galactic flight "was not only to try the payloads that we developed along with the international research council, but [to] even try how this new platform can really ... provide us a kind of gap filler. What I can see is, it was really beneficial to us."

The results of the onboard experiments will be analyzed in the next few weeks or months, Carlucci said.

Virgin Galactic Chief Executive Michael Colglazier nodded to the company's dual revenue streams in a statement released before the flight, noting that the company's "two dynamic products" are scientific research and private astronaut flights.

However, the flight also comes as extreme or adventure tourism is scrutinized after the implosion of the OceanGate deep-sea exploration submersible Titan, which killed all five people aboard.

Some have likened the minimal regulatory oversight for submersibles to the commercial space industry. Under federal law, the Federal Aviation Administration cannot impose safety standards on commercial craft that carry humans to space, according to Bloomberg.

It's unclear whether the OceanGate submersible disaster could have an effect on demand for other adventure tourism ventures. Ladwig notes that while tourists sometimes die trekking to Mt. Everest or driving race cars, those incidents haven't damped public interest or demand for those activities.

"Space and certainly submersibles, they seem to be a little different than that because [they are] such bigger experience[s]," he said. "It doesnt seem to have the same impact in the public psyche."

A disaster on the scale of the OceanGate submersible implosion has not happened in the commercial spaceflight industry. But there have been mishaps.

Nearly two years ago, Virgin Galactic's spacecraft went off course during Branson's flight to suborbital space. After an FAA investigation into the matter, the company was cleared to return to flight.

In 2014, an earlier version of Virgin Galactic's spacecraft broke apart in midair during a powered test flight, killing the co-pilot and injuring the pilot.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
It's taken just shy of 20 years but Sir Richard Branson has finally begun commercial operations with his Virgin Galactic rocket plane, Unity.

The vehicle soared high over the New Mexico desert on Thursday to enable three Italians to conduct science experiments in weightless conditions.

It was the first "purchased" mission, as opposed to just a test flight.

Sir Richard will now begin sending up the 800 or so individuals who've bought tickets to ride on Unity.

The 72-minute mission took off from Spaceport America at 0830 local time (1430 GMT) and was livestreamed around the world.

Just under an hour into the mission, after reaching an altitude of 44,500ft (13,600m), the carrier plane, Eve, then released Unity to ignite its engine and boost up to the edge of space. At the top of its climb, the rocket plane was at 279,00ft (85km).

Thursday's flight reached a height of 279,00ft (85km)

The Italian members of the team aboard Unity hold up their country's flag in space

US multi-millionaire Dennis Tito became the world's first ever space tourist in 2001, paying a reported $20m; and more recently Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin beat Virgin Galactic in the race to take paying passengers on short hops above the atmosphere.

The Amazon founder has a rocket and capsule system he calls New Shepard. It's a different approach to Unity but provides a similar flight experience.

Some of Virgin Galactic's ticket holders have been waiting over a decade to get their chance to visit the edge of space; and most will have a long wait still.

Unity can carry only a handful of passengers at a time, and with a mission rate of one outing per month it will take a while to work through the backlog.

The pace won't improve until Virgin Galactic introduces a new class of rocket planes that are expected to make their commercial debut in 2026. These vehicles will have a flight cadence of once per week.

After Thursday's mission, Michael Colglazier, CEO of Sir Richard's company, said: "This historic flight was our first commercial flight and our first dedicated commercial research mission - ushering in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for private passengers and researchers."

A large aeroplane called Eve was used to carry Unity to launch altitude

Their introduction will be vital also for getting Virgin Galactic to profit.

Thursday's mission was purchased for the Italian Air Force and the Italian National Research Council.

Col. Walter Villadei, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, and engineer Pantaleone Carlucci oversaw a range of experiments during their flight, including a study of how weightlessness affects the mixing of liquids and the behaviour of biological cells.

The trio were accompanied in the passenger cabin by company astronaut instructor Colin Bennett; and up front, at Unity's controls, by pilots Mike Masucci and Nicola Pecile.

Virgin Galactic was founded in 2004 to exploit the technology built into SpaceShipOne. This was a small, experimental, privately funded rocket plane that won a $10m prize for flying to space twice within two weeks.

In 2004, Sir Richard thought his spaceliner service could start in 2007

Back then, Sir Richard thought he could introduce a passenger spaceliner based on the SpaceShipOne concept by 2007.

But the engineering challenges were far greater than anyone had anticipated, and the project very nearly folded when the first prototype vehicle, called Enterprise, broke up during a test ascent in 2014, killing one of the two pilots on board.

It wasn't until December 2018 that Virgin Galactic got the successor, Unity, above 80km - the altitude regarded as "outer space" by some organisations.

Sir Richard himself finally took up a seat aboard the plane in July 2021 for a flight experience he described as "extraordinary".

Thursday's mission was designated "Galactic 01" by the California-based company. Galactic 02, which will fly the first of those patient, ticketed passengers, is scheduled for August.

The advertised price for a ride on the rocket plane has been as high as $450,000 (350,000).

Flight profile

Unity is a sub-orbital vehicle. This means it can't achieve the velocity and altitude necessary to keep it up in space to circle the globe.

The spaceship is designed to give its passengers stunning views at the top of its climb, and allow them a few minutes to experience weightlessness.

Unity is first carried by a much bigger aeroplane to an altitude of about 15km (50,000ft), where it is released. A rocket motor in the back of Unity then ignites to blast the ship skyward.

The maximum height achievable by Unity is roughly 90km (55 miles, or 295,000ft). Passengers are allowed to unbuckle to float to a window. Unity folds its tailbooms on descent to stabilise its fall, before then gliding home.
I visited Raising Cane's 8,000-square-foot flagship restaurant in New York City. Look inside the Times Square location that's filled with quirky nods to the chicken chain.

I visited the grand opening of the new Raising Cane's flagship restaurant in Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

I attended the grand opening of the new Raising Cane's flagship restaurant in Times Square.

The 8,000-square-foot space features murals, a bread-inspired seating area, and a dog statue.

The space is part of the company's plans to achieve international growth and "plant a flag" in NYC.

Caniacs, unite  a giant new Raising Cane's location just opened in Times Square, and it's seriously over-the-top.

I was invited to the grand opening of Raising Cane's new flagship restaurant in Times Square on Tuesday. The 8,000-square-foot space features murals, a bread-inspired seating area, and a dog statue that pays homage to its current mascot, Cane III.

On top of getting to meet the yellow Lab myself and trying one of the chain's meal combos, I also got to tour the space and speak to fans about why they might line up around the block to attend opening day  and line up, they did.

Here's what it was like to go to Raising Cane's in Times Square.

On Tuesday, I attended the grand opening of the brand-new Raising Cane's flagship restaurant in Times Square.

A Times Square billboard announces the opening of the new Raising Cane's flagship restaurant. Erin McDowell/Insider

Raising Cane's, a fast-food chain that is famous for its chicken fingers and beloved Cane's sauce, was founded in Louisiana in 1996 by Todd Graves and Craig Silvey, and it has been expanding rapidly over the last decade.

According to the company's 2022 year-in-review publication, it opened 82 new restaurants last year, expanding into three new states  Michigan, Florida, and Pennsylvania  and entering nine new markets, bringing its total number of restaurants to 677. The company made $3.2 billion in sales in 2022, according to the report.

There are a couple of locations on Long Island in New York already, but the Times Square location at Broadway and 44th Street is the company's first of a few New York City restaurants.

I only tried Raising Cane's for myself for the first time about two years ago, and I was impressed by the chain's crispy, yet juicy, chicken fingers and signature sauce. So, when I was invited to the grand opening of the flagship restaurant, I couldn't resist.

Surrounded by members of the press, influencers, and former "Bachelor" contestants who were also invited to the opening, I anxiously awaited the opening of the 8,000-square-foot restaurant and the arrival of its founder, Todd Graves.

Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves cut the ribbon to open the new Times Square restaurant. Erin McDowell/Insider

The building itself is multiple stories high and was first built in 1926. Graves told Insider that the construction of the 8,000-square-foot restaurant took about two years to complete and that the chain was able to capitalize on available retail spaces that closed due to the pandemic.

Lines of fans wrapped around the block to get into the new restaurant.

A line of Raising Cane's customers stretched around the block. Erin McDowell/Insider

According to a press release, over 300 customers waited for hours in line to get their hands on the chain's chicken fingers. Some of the customers I spoke to were longtime fans of the chain, and others were trying it for the first time.

One "Caniac" I spoke to wore a shirt featuring the chain's canine mascot and carried a 25th-anniversary Raising Cane's stuffed animal.

A fan waiting to get into the Raising Cane's restaurant in Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

When asked why she was there, the fan who identified herself as Selena said that she simply had to be there for the grand opening.

"I love Cane's so much and I can usually only get it if I go out to the Midwest, but I'm a big fan. I have T-shirts, merch, the little pups, I have all the collections you can probably think of," she told Insider. "I needed to be here. There was no question."

As for what sets it apart from other chicken chains like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes, Selena said that Cane's "does one thing," its chicken fingers, "really well."

This was also part of the brand messaging that founder Todd Graves told reporters inside, so it appears to be resonating with customers.

Inside, there was a gift shop of sorts where customers could pick up Raising Cane's-themed T-shirts, key chains, socks, and more.

A kiosk selling Raising Cane's apparel. Erin McDowell/Insider

For the most devoted "Caniacs," many of the items were designed specifically for the New York City location and featured homages to the city, like yellow taxi cabs and the Statue of Liberty.

Another section of the restaurant featured glass enclosures of its merchandise.

Merchandise displays. Erin McDowell/Insider

A digital billboard advertised the chain's chicken-finger meals and its slogan, "That's our one love."

A statue of the chain's mascot, a yellow Labrador named Cane, sat at the entrance to the restaurant wearing a Statue of Liberty costume.

The Cane statue at the front of the restaurant. Erin McDowell/Insider

Cane has served as a mascot for the brand since the very beginning.

Graves initially planned to call his restaurant "Sockeye's," after the salmon, but his dog, Raising Cane, ultimately became the namesake for the chain after he began visiting the construction site of the first restaurant in the 1990s.

Cane III himself was part of the action at the grand opening.

Cane III at the grand opening of Raising Cane's in Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

Before Cane III, there was also Cane II, who lived from 1999 until 2016.

Cane III, born in 2017, appeared excited to be at the bustling grand opening and was extremely friendly, running up to people to receive treats and belly rubs.

The atmosphere inside was electric, and I could see why people might resonate with this brand  the restaurant's decor and staff were warm and inviting, on top of the fact that I was about to be served some delicious chicken fingers. Not to mention, there was an adorable dog mascot there. What's not to love?

By the front of the restaurant was a booth seating area with chairs designed to look like bread buns.

The Caniac Corner seating area. Erin McDowell/Insider

Each Cane's meal comes with a bun that you can use to make your own chicken-finger sandwich.

I thought the chair and the coffee table  which looked like a tub of Cane's sauce  were quirky nods to the brand that made the space feel photo-worthy.

Signage throughout the restaurant paid homage to the chain's primary product: chicken fingers.

A neon sign. Erin McDowell/Insider

One neon sign read, "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!"

Ordering was a breeze. There were multiple stands that allowed customers to place orders with cashiers.

The ordering station at Raising Cane's in Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

Since the menu is pretty limited, it doesn't take much time to decide what to order. In addition to the front counter, there were also digital kiosks for ordering.

The restaurant is open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, with an additional hour of service from 1 to 2 a.m. for orders placed at the walk-up window for carryout only.

The dining room featured every kind of seating one could imagine.

The main dining area inside Raising Cane's. Erin McDowell/Insider

There was booth seating, barstools, individual-sized booths for two people, and large tables for groups.

A napkin station also offered ketchup.

The napkin station. Erin McDowell/Insider

I'm a personal fan of the signature Cane's sauce, but it was nice to see that ketchup was so accessible if that's what you prefer.

A large mural apparently inspired by iconic New York City artist Keith Haring took up the main wall of the restaurant.

A mural inside Raising Cane's flagship restaurant. Erin McDowell/Insider

The black-and-white mural by Timothy Goodman featured New York City icons like a taxi cab, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the phrase, "I dipped it my way," apparently inspired by the iconic Frank Sinatra tune, "My Way."

Another sign paid homage to the New York City subway system.

A subway sign inside Raising Cane's Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

It once again drove home the brand's slogan, "One love," and referenced the year its first restaurant opened: 1996.

An interactive wall featured digital french fries that moved as you walked past them.

The interactive french-fry wall in Raising Cane's Times Square. Erin McDowell/Insider

I've certainly never seen anything like this at any fast-food restaurant I've ever visited.

In the back dining room, another wall featured a mural of New York City.

The back dining room. Erin McDowell/Insider

This dining room featured even more rows of booths and tables where customers could sit and eat.

Even the tables featured images of New York City.

A table inside the back dining room of Raising Cane's. Erin McDowell/Insider

When it comes to New York, founder Todd Graves wasn't shy about the fact that he wanted to plant a flag and create more brand recognition in the Northeast.

"Our global flagship marks a monumental moment for Cane's as we continue expanding and creating 'Caniacs' across the world," Graves said in a statement. "And we did it big by planting our flag with an 8,000-square-foot restaurant  the largest within the Times Square 'bow tie.'"

"Our next set of goals is to be a top-10 restaurant company," Graves told members of the press attending the event. "Part of that involves international growth, and what better place to have a restaurant other than right in the bow tie [41st to 47th Street, along Broadway and Seventh Avenue], where millions of people from all over the world come to visit?"

"There's a lot of clout that comes with a flagship in Times Square," he continued. "People who don't even know the concept might say, 'Those chicken fingers look pretty good.' There's something special about it."

As the grand opening came to a close, of course I had to have some of the chain's iconic chicken fingers  and they were just as good as I remembered.

A chicken finger combo from Raising Cane's. Erin McDowell/Insider

There was a lot of juicy chicken meat inside the tenders, something you don't always find with fast-food chicken tenders.

Though the inside was moist, the outer shell of the chicken tenders had the perfect amount of crispiness and crunch. According to Raising Cane's, each chicken tender is cooked to order  and you have to try them with the signature sauce.

Read the original article on Insider
According to Ukraines Defence Intelligence, the consequences of the Wagner Groups attempted uprising for Ukraine include the fact that the Russian leadership has been compromised and that Yevgeny Prigozhin's subordinates will no longer fight against the Ukrainian state.

Source: Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "We see that the Russian leadership has been compromised. Once again the myth of the stability of the Russian regime has been destroyed. Losses have been inflicted on the military [Aero]space Forces of the Russian Federation. And moreover, Wagner will no longer participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. And this is the most effective Russian unit, which was able to achieve success at any cost."

Background:

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Waiting for Wagner mercenaries: Satellite images show that a tent camp is being built in Belarus

A combination of factors suggests that a military camp for Russian mercenaries is being built in Belarus.

Source: Belaruski Hajun [an independent Belarusian military monitoring media outlet], Radio Liberty, The New York Times

Details: Currently, work is underway on the territory of the former military base No 61732 in the village of Cel (Asipovicy district, Mahiliou Oblast), where the 465th Missile Brigade of the Belarusian Armed Forces was previously stationed. It is approximately 90 kilometres from Minsk.

RADIO LIBERTY

Recently, there has been a lot of information about workers from different parts of the country being brought there with their construction equipment. Various sources indicate that the work began on Sunday (25.06) or Monday (26.06), Hajun notes.

At the same time, analysts emphasise that this data is still being checked and is not fully verified.

Satellite images published by Radio Liberty and The New York Times show that Belarus is rapidly building temporary structures on the abandoned military base.

The New York Times writes that this indicates the possible location of Wagner fighters, who were allowed to relocate to the country after the group's failed rebellion against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Belaruski Hajun project, Wagner PMC units have not yet arrived in Belarus, although this does not exclude the fact that the mercenaries may be deployed soon.

The images taken by Planet Labs on 27 June show changes on the territory of the former military base and several repeating objects that could be tents.

Planet Labs

The publication notes that "the size, colour and location of the buildings are similar to other military tent camps built in Belarus and Russia since the beginning of 2022".

Comparing the photo with the data on the tents being set up, it is evident that a large tent camp is being equipped.

Earlier, several Belarusian media outlets reported about the renovation of a former military unit in the village of Cel, Asipovicy district. The journalists referenced conversations with residents concerned about the possible appearance of Wagnerites near Asipovicy.

Background:

Russian media outlet Verstka reported that camps were being built in Belarus to house Wagner PMC militants after the agreement between Alexander Lukashenko and Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine denied this information. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine stressed that the intelligence service closely monitors the situation in Belarus, which is an ally of the Russian aggressor state.

On 27 June, Alexander Lukashenko, self-proclaimed President of Belarus, said that Belarus was not building camps for the Wagner PMC but would "help with accommodation" if necessary.

" We are not building any camps yet. But if they want to (I understand they are looking at certain areas), we will accommodate them. Put up tents, if you like. But for now, they are in Luhansk in their camps. We offered them one of the abandoned camps. They are welcome  the fence is there, and everything is in place. Put up your tents. We will help them as much as we can until they decide what to get up to," the Belarusian dictator said.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Thinking of changing careers? Want a job that allows you to work from home? The state of Missouri is hiring for remote and hybrid positions that pay up to $58,000 a year.

According to a study by Stanford University and the University of Chicago, nearly a third of workers have a hybrid arrangement with their job and 12% are fully remote.

As of 2023, the state government employs more than 100,000 Missourians, and about 10% of those jobs can be remote. The majority of those remote jobs are based in Kansas City, which is home to 13% of the states remote positions, according to 2021 data from the University of Missouri-Extension.

Working for the state of Missouri can also add an extra blanket of security considering that many state jobs offer competitive benefit plans and retirement options. Heres a look at a few of Missouris open remote jobs and how much they pay.

Remote

$33,914.40

Application closes July 5

The State Department of Revenue is hiring a customer service representative to make sure each customer gets the best service possible. The position is eligible for telecommuting after the candidate is fully trained. The representative will be responsible for researching tax issues, collecting delinquent taxes and interacting with customers by phone, email and in person. Qualified candidates must have a high school diploma and six or more months of experience in general office support.

Hybrid

$46,992.73

The Department of Revenue is also hiring a regulatory auditor who will be responsible for conducting tax audits on Missouri businesses by reviewing tax returns and other financial records. The ideal candidate will need a bachelors degree in accounting. Other professional experience will be considered if a candidate does not have a relevant four year degree. The position is based in Kansas City but there is a hybrid option available.

Remote

$58,544.40

The Department of Health and Senior Services is hiring a registered nurse to serve as a facility inspector. If hired, the nurse will inspect health care facilities including hospitals, ambulances, home health care facilities and more. Qualified candidates will need to be a registered nurse and five years of clinical experience. In between on-site visits, this nurse will be able to work fully remote.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday said 49 million was spent for the development of the governments latest tourism campaign Love the Philippines.

Speaking to CNN Philippines The Source, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said the budget was used for the creation of the logo; the conduct of the global, regional, and local studies; and other components of the campaign.

As far as next year is concerned, we are truly hopeful for support as far as rolling out the campaign here and abroad, Frasco also said, adding that the DOT has submitted its proposed 2024 allocation to the Department of Budget and Management.

On June 27, the DOT unveiled its new tourism campaign Love the Philippines, replacing "It's More Fun In the Philippines" launched in 2012.

We have not yet fully told the Filipino story to the world, so this is also our love letter to the world," Frasco said, "giving them an opportunity to have the full picture of the length and breadth of the story of the Filipino."

The new tourism campaign encountered mixed reactions, with Albay Rep. Joey Salceda expressing his frustration after Mayon Volcano was not included in the promotion video.

READ: 'You failed Albay': Salceda frustrated after Mayon left out in new DOT campaign

Frasco emphasized that the promotional video is inclusive as it showed the many facets of Philippine tourism.

The very nature of an ad campaign is that there is a beginning and there is a continuation. And this is only the first of very many iterations of Love the Philippines, she noted.

According to the DOT chief, the process of coming up with the new slogan went through research to know the prevailing landscape in the tourism industry post-pandemic.

The study conducted showed that travelers are now prioritizing purposeful, substantial, immersive, and authentic experiences and interactions with communities, and truly getting to know the destination, as well as attaining a sense of purpose in ones travel, she said.

This is also evident, apparently, in the spending of tourists worldwide which would show they are now spending more on experiences and not things, she noted.

Frasco explained that the word love was chosen for the slogan because it ranked number one among the words associated with the Philippines based on a social listening survey conducted.

We really have only scratched the surface of all that there is that the Philippines has to offer to the world," she said.

She noted that beyond fun, travelers have also yet to see more of the Philippines culture and heritage, tapestry of communities and indigenous peoples and ethnic communities, foods, festivals, and sounds.

Frasco said the new slogan is also a reminder for Filipinos of how much there is to love about being Filipino and how much there is to love about the Philippines.

Its a rallying call for us to take pride in our own nation, she added.

To meet the demands of todays travelers, Frasco said they launched the first Philippine experience heritage, culture, and arts caravan in Davao City in collaboration with the local government unit.

This gives local and international tourists the opportunity to visit the tourism destinations of the city, as well as immerse with the local community, she said.

Frasco said this will be replicated in other areas, like in Bicol, which was supposed to be in July but was moved to August due to the eruption of Mayon Volcano.

The Travel Philippines app will also be launched soon to give travelers information about the tourism activities across the country, she said. This will also provide them details about the available travel agencies, operators, and tour guides of their chosen activity, she added.
The stones and fireworks flew towards the police from the hands of protesters, while it was not long before vehicles were ablaze  acrid black smoke drifting into the air and mixing with the tear gas released into the crowds by officers.

"This is war" said one protester as he loaded his pockets from a flower bed in preparation for the advancing police. These were the latest clashes in a spate of violence stretching into a third evening in the wake of a teenager shot dead by police during a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

The officer involved in the shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M is facing preliminary charges of voluntary homicide and was placed under arrest, as President Emmanuel Macron struggles to contain spiralling public anger over the killing.

A fire burns in the middle of a street during clashes between protesters and French riot police on Thursday (EPA)

There had been more than 180 arrests on Wednesday, with around 40,000 officers deployed across France, 5,000 around the Paris suburbs alone, on Thursday evening to quell any further clashes.

Local authorities in Clamart, about five miles from central Paris, imposed a nighttime curfew until Monday. Valerie Pecresse, who heads the greater Paris region, said all bus and tram services were halted after 9pm as people prepared for more violent protests.

It's millions of euros of public service gone up in smoke, it's millions of public money from working-class neighbourhoods, Ms Pecresse said of the clashes. It's irresponsible, it's wrong, and it has to stop.

The afternoon began with the largely peaceful march  with thousands participating  in honour of the French-Algerian teenager, led by his mother Mounia. That was in stark contrast to the clashes across the previous two nights, where fires were set and official buildings like town halls were attacked.

As for the march, Nahel's mother was leading the crowd from the roof of a rented van when the procession came to a halt at the Place Nelson Mandela in Nanterre  just metres away from where her son was shot  when the tear gas rolled in. She later told broadcaster France 5 that she doesn't resent the whole police force - just the officer who fired the lethal shot that killed her son.

"I don't blame the police," Mounia said, before adding that the officer "didn't have to kill my son".

A march in tribute to Nahel (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

A police presence had been notably absent throughout the 90-minute marche blanche, but the crowds chants were directed at them: No Justice, No Peace. When the lines of officers finally appeared, those mourning Nahels death finally had a target for their anger.

There had been no signs of violence before the first canisters of tear gas dropped into the crowd, but as soon as the clouds began to billow, dozens of protesters retaliated with fireworks pointed in the direction of armoured police. Loose concrete was thrown at nearby buildings, smashing their glass facades, while a nearby digger was set alight. Protesters scrawled "Vengeance for Nahel" across buildings and bus shelters.

The unrest has spread to other French cities, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north, as frustrations over police violence erupted in scenes reminiscent of the Paris riots of 2005. Then, unrest convulsed France for three weeks and forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police. Two officers were acquitted in a trial ten years later. Not since that year has there been a protracted crisis of this kind.

Burning vehicles are seen in a street in Nanterre amid clashes between protesters and police (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

This time the spark was the shooting of Nahel during Tuesday's morning rush hour. He initially failed to stop after the Mercedes AMG he was driving, with two passengers inside was spotted in a bus lane. Two police officers caught up with the car in a traffic jam.

When the car made to drive off, one officer fired at close range through the driver's window. Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

He added: "The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met".

Lawyers for Nahel's family have called the killing "an execution". A view shared by Green party leader Marine Tondelier who said that "what I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight"

Mounia, the mother of Nahel during the march in Nanterre (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

The officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a car chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt after the teenager allegedly committed several traffic violations. The lawyer for the charged officer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, told French media: "Having devoted his life to protecting people and ensuring the law is respected, he is now being detained for having had to use his firearm as part of his job."

Nahel  who was too young to own a full driving license in France  was known to police for previously failing to comply with traffic stop orders, Mr Prache said.

Police initially said one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car towards him. That version was quickly contradicted by a video circulating on social media. The video shows two police officers beside a Mercedes AMG car, with one shooting at the driver at close range as he pulled away.

Nahel was an only child raised by his single mother, who had been studying for an electricians certificate, according to French media. He had also joined a community rugby project. The lawyers for his family lawyers said he was well liked locally, while his grandmother Nadia called him a good, kind boy.

A protester in Nanterre (Anthony Cuthbertson/The Independent)

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said. A figure that was noted by some of the placards in the march. There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

President Macron had called the killing "unforgivable" on Wednesday and said at the start of emergency meeting to discuss the crisis on Thursday he called the attacks on public buildings and other violence "totally unjustifiable".

"The professionals of disorder must go home," the interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, said, speaking from the northern town of Mons-en-Baroeul where several municipal buildings were set alight. While there's no need yet to declare a state of emergency  a measure taken to quell weeks of rioting in 2005  he added: "The state's response will be extremely firm."

He also said that scores of police had been injured throughout the clashes with protesters.

Residents around Nanterre are preparing for a long night on Thursday, with parking spaces emptying around the centre as people fear their car being set alight. Several burnt-out vehicles still line the road from last night, with authorities unable to clear it in time before todays trouble broke out.

Several fires were already burning by late-evening  with one engulfing the ground floor of a building, where a bank is located  and the sound of sirens could be heard all over Nanterre.

The whole sky is black, says one protester, who asked not to be named. The police caused this mess.
It's the biggest law enforcement sweep in Warren police history.

Officers arrested 442 people from 49 cities across Michigan and three other states during a monthlong enforcement effort dubbed Operation PACT, or Preventing Acts of Community Tragedy.

Police Commissioner William Dwyer said Wednesday the effort netted:

718 criminal charges.

2,101 citations.

68 firearms and 73 vehicles seized.

24 stolen vehicles recovered.

339 people with outstanding warrants arrested.

Dwyer said the sweep was to "focus on those crimes which impact the community's sense of safety, security and overall well-being. I felt it important that the department take proactive enforcement action at the start of summer so that the community understands that the Warren Police Department will not tolerate violent crime, gun crimes or property crimes.

Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer, center, speaks at Warren Police headquarters during a June 28, 2023 press conference about a monthlong law enforcement sweep in the city.

"The Warren Police Department also took a proactive approach towards traffic enforcement, particularly in the residential areas," he said, adding that teams of 33 additional officers focused enforcement efforts on those suspected of committing criminal activity. "The results were, quite frankly, more astounding than anybody could have imagined."

'This is all about having safer neighborhoods'

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said the sweep is "sending the message to would-be felons who might decide to cause problems in the neighborhoods that we aren't going to wait for you to break into someone's home. We're not gonna wait for you to do A, B or C. We're gonna be there right away. ... This is all about having safer neighborhoods.

"When we decide to do something, we're not gonna to wait for the crime to take place, we're gonna do it ahead of time. That way, we're gonna ensure that we know whats going on in our neighborhoods more than the felons do."

Dwyer said those arrested ranged from 18 to 69 years old, as well as 17 juveniles, and many had prior felony convictions. They hailed from metro Detroit, as well as from as far as West Branch and Marquette, he said. A few examples of charges included carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a controlled substance, assault with intent to commit murder and home invasion.

More: Ford House to get up to $7M to restore natural habitats in cove, Lake St. Clair shoreline

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He said through the sweep, officers arrested a suspect accused of firing shots in the parking lot at Michigan Collegiate High School after an altercation; found a suspected chop shop operation in Detroit after officers pursued a stolen Dodge Durango in Warren, and arrested a pair suspected in robberies across Macomb County.

Lt. Matthew Dillenbeck also said officers arrested a man who was targeting and robbing vulnerable people, especially those who are elderly, in a handful of Facebook marketplace incidents in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

Dwyer said more sweeps are expected in the city, which has not yet logged a homicide this year.

Statistics from a monthlong law enforcement sweep in the city of Warren are on a poster board in the lobby of police headquarters during a press conference June 28, 2023.

Police conduct sweep, deal with fallout of jail assault

Dwyer said there wasn't one complaint or injured officer or suspect during the sweep May 29 through June 23.

The operation was going on quietly while police publicly were dealing with the fallout of former Officer Matthew Rodriguez, who assaulted 19-year-old Jaquwan Smith, of Detroit, in the city jail June 13.

Rodriguez was terminated Monday. Smith filed a $50 million federal lawsuit against Rodriguez, the city and two unnamed officers Tuesday. Dwyer reiterated that the two officers who came into the booking area as Rodriguez attacked Smith tried to deescalate the situation and reported it to supervisors.

He said the lawsuit was "filed very quickly" and Smith sustained no injuries, though the lawsuit asserts that he did. Dwyer said the city retained its own attorney to respond to the lawsuit, and he would have no additional comment on it.

Biggest, but not only sweep

This isnt the first time Dwyer has announced a large-scale law enforcement sweep spearheaded by his department. There were a handful within a year's time during 2019-20:

In September 2020, about 130 people were arrested in a three-plus week operation targeting gun violence and related crimes during Operation SNAG, or Saving Neighborhoods Against Guns. The campaign was organized in response to shootings, including the fatal shooting of a 10-year-old boy by his teenage cousin.

In January 2020, 50 fugitives were snagged in a five-day sweep by local, state and federal authorities in Operation Crucial Capture. Warren polices Special Operations Unit partnered with other metro Detroit law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service. The partnership between city police and the Marshals Service began in fall 2019.

In December 2019, 46 people were arrested in connection with a three-day human sex-trafficking and prostitution sting coined Operation Crusade II. Authorities found prostitutes being used to sell narcotics.

In September 2019, eight people were arrested in Operation Traffic Jam, when local and federal authorities executed 10 search warrants to dismantle a longtime drug organization.

In May 2019, nearly three dozen johns and prostitutes were hauled out of hotels and motels in the city during a three-day sweep during the first part of Operation Crusade.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Operation PACT: Warren police arrest 442 in massive enforcement sweep
I went on my first cruise that lasted longer than 10 nights. Now, anything less feels painfully short.

I recently sailed on the Celebrity Constellation for 10 nights. Renae Gregoire

As an avid cruiser who's only sailed up to seven nights, I decided to try out an 11-night voyage.

I had time to explore the ship, dine at all the specialty restaurants, and visit more distant ports.

The longer itinerary left me feeling relaxed. Now, I never want to go on a shorter cruise again.

All 10 of the cruises I've taken since 2012 (nine with Carnival Cruise Line and one with Celebrity Cruises) have lasted a maximum of seven nights.

I used to think that was a fine duration for a cruise  that is, until I went on an 11-night voyage aboard the Celebrity Constellation.

It was the most relaxing, transformative cruise I've ever experienced. Here's what it was like, and why it made me never want to go on a shorter cruise again.

With 11 nights on the ship, I didn't feel like my vacation was ending shortly after it started

My husband and I had taken nine Carnival cruises before this trip. Renae Gregoire

The first and last days of a cruise each usually give you about half a day of fun  at the very most.

At embarkation, I usually board the ship by noon and then spend the remainder of the day unpacking and exploring the vessel. On the final day, I usually disembark by 9 a.m., so it doesn't count as a full day at all.

When you whittle it down, an eight-day cruise only gives you about 6  days of enjoyment. And if you're like me, you start dreading the end of the cruise about halfway through the trip.

Three days into a seven-night journey, I start counting down. The dwindling number of days left at sea presses into my consciousness, threatening to spoil the remaining fun. It wasn't nearly as much of an issue on the 11-night cruise. I got 10  days of enjoyment, and I didn't start thinking about the end of the fun until the sixth day.

The extra days I spent on the Constellation were a huge blessing and made me enjoy the trip so much more. Now that I've experienced a longer adventure, I think a seven-night cruise would feel painfully short.

The longer itinerary allowed me to operate at a slower pace and relax

Cruise vacations are supposed to be relaxing (in my book, at least), yet until I took the 11-night trip, I always left them feeling exhausted. After hustling to pack, travel to the port, board the ship, and unpack in my cabin, I'd put pressure on myself to get to dinner, stay out late, and see a show. I was on vacation, after all!

I also felt like I had to take advantage of the port stops by either signing up for a land-based excursion or just walking around the port area. And if I decided to stay on the ship and catch rays by the nearly empty pool, I'd push myself to get ready for the night and make the most of the ship's offerings.

The constant movement was draining, and I was always thinking about the next thing. But I didn't feel nearly as rushed on the Constellation, which I realized while getting ready for an evening out on the sixth day of the trip.

I let myself enjoy long showers, be present, and take in the experience. I didn't worry about what happened the day before or what was coming the day after. For the first time since I started cruising, I experienced pure joy and relaxation.

I formed an onboard routine and got to try almost all of the activities I wanted

I ordered a latte every morning from the onboard cafe. Renae Gregoire

Many cruise ships are behemoths. The big ones are basically floating resorts with spas, nightclubs, theaters, games, coffee shops, gyms, art auctions, specialty restaurants, and so much more. It can be hard to settle into a routine and do everything you want, especially when you're only on board for a short period of time.

On almost every single one of the seven-night cruises I've taken, the itinerary has included only two sea days. I usually used them to lounge around the ship, and my family loved finding quiet spots to hang out, play games, and read. We stayed away from the action on the lido deck, frequenting the empty lounges that hosted comedy shows at night and the bars that were closed during the day.

But when you have 10 or more days to play and explore, it makes a difference. The 11-night cruise I took had four sea days, giving me the opportunity to do things I don't usually have time for at home, like reading several novels in a row.

I also got a taste for what it would be like to work on my laptop and earn money while cruising, something I hope to do in the future.

Even with four sea days, I didn't get to do everything I would've wanted to on board, but I did form small routines of my own. For example, at Cafe Al Bacio & Galleria, the Constellation's onboard coffeehouse, I developed a daily habit of enjoying a cafe latte.

The ship sailed to further ports of call, like Cartagena, and stayed overnight

We stopped in Cartagena, Colombia, for two days. Renae Gregoire

Most seven-night Caribbean cruises travel to the same islands, like Nassau and Aruba. When you've been on 10 cruises of roughly the same length like I have, you've likely seen repeat ports  hence my excitement for the 11-night cruise to more far-flung destinations.

The Constellation took me to South America for the first time, stopping overnight in Cartagena, Colombia. I'd never stayed at a port for longer than a day, but doing so gave me two days to explore the city.

On the first day, we stayed close to the port and walked around. Because I collect postcards and stamps, I found a local post office where I could buy unique stamps and mail a few postcards home.

On the second day, we traveled about 1  hour south of Cartagena to the National Aviary. Seeing the birds and other creatures was amazing, but what I loved most was the drive through open plains and small villages. It gave me a glimpse into a part of Colombia that I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

The Constellation also stopped in Costa Rica and Panama, where I visited Panama City and the Panama Canal.

Because we were on the Constellation for 11 nights, we were able to try every specialty restaurant

We had time to eat at all six of the Constellation's specialty restaurants, including Le Petit Chef.

The dining spot has an innovative tabletop show starring a tiny, animated chef that walks across guests' plates and explains each course. It was an elegant, unusual experience full of gastronomic delights.

As I research our next cruise, I'm only looking at itineraries for 10 or more nights

The bottom line? This 11-night cruise spoiled me.

I'm already looking for our next cruise and am considering a 17-night trip from Honolulu to Sydney or a 14-night adventure from Tampa to Barcelona.

Either way, I'm going in aware of the benefits that come with a longer journey.

Read the original article on Insider
Fire crews cut a fire line in thick brush in the burn zone of the Fairview fire, near Hemet, in September 2022. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

As California faces its first major heat wave of the summer this Fourth of July weekend, state officials are urging residents to not become complacent about the threat of wildfires this year.

Standing beneath the blistering sun at the Grass Valley Air Attack Base in Nevada County, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection chief Joe Tyler outlined the state's plans to battle blazes this year with new tools and technology, as well as increased vegetation management efforts.

He cautioned that while the wet start to 2023 may have delayed the start of fire season, it has not deterred it.

"The abundant rain has produced tall grass and other vegetation that's dried out already and is ready to burn," Tyler said. Additionally, portions of the state are expected to soar into the triple digits this weekend, including up to 110 degrees in the Sacramento Valley.

Read more: Triple-digit heat wave set to sizzle California, stoking fire fears this holiday weekend

Tyler likened this year's conditions to 2017, which started similarly wet but later saw dry vegetation and strong wind events that spurred major fires. More than 1.5 million acres burned that year, he said, killing 47 people and destroying 11,000 structures.

This year, there have already been a number of small wildfires, including a fire in Riverside County on Tuesday that grew to 55 acres and burned at least two structures.

The week prior, Cal Fire responded to more than 300 blazes statewide, Tyler said. The agency is currently fully staffed with fire engines, bulldozers and aircraft ready to respond at the first sign of sparks.

"As the Fourth of July is quickly approaching us, I'm asking each of you to be mindful of how quickly a fire can have devastating consequences," Tyler said.

He was joined by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who acknowledged that vegetation management plays a key role in reducing the state's wildfires, which are getting hotter, faster and more frequent. But Newsom also said climate change  including worsening whiplash between extreme weather conditions  has accelerated the need for advanced firefighting response.

"In the last four years, we had two of the most extreme wildfires seasons  some of the most destructive in terms of acreage and property and lives lost  and then two of the more modest fire seasons," Newsom said. "And so we live in this new reality where we can't necessarily attach ourselves to some of the more predictive models of the past because of the nature of a world that's getting a lot hotter, a lot drier, and a lot more uncertain as it relates to the issue of climate change."

Read more: Wildfire burn areas in California are growing ever larger due to greenhouse gas emissions

Indeed, recent research found that California wildfires consumed five times more area between 1996 and 2021 than in the 25 years prior, an increase chiefly attributed to climate change. Thirteen of the state's 20 largest fires on record have burned in the last decade, according to Cal Fire.

Newsom and other officials outlined a war-like strategy for responding to the worsening threat.

Among the state's latest tools is the Fire Integrated Real Time Intelligence System, or FIRIS, which includes advanced aircraft than can deliver real-time updates on fire behavior to crews on the ground.

For the second year in a row, the state will also deploy "Fire Hawks," or modified Black Hawk helicopters that can fight fires at night. At least three Fire Hawks will be staffed 24 hours a day.

"It has been a game-changer," said Benjamin Berman, chief pilot of Cal Fire's helicopter program. The Fire Hawks "can seamlessly transition from fire suppression to hoist-air rescue to vegetation management without any further configuration."

What's more, the state's firefighting portfolio now has about 1,000 mountaintop cameras that can provide real-time, 360-degree monitoring of the state's forestlands; pinpoint firestarts using artificial intelligence; and help organize resources for early suppression, Newsom said. Just a few years ago, such monitoring had to be conducted by people in towers.

The state is also working with the Biden administration, the Environmental Defense Fund and Lockheed Martin to streamline its use of existing defense technologies and satellites to provide constant monitoring and data collection. Similar tools have allowed the state to create 3-D model maps of 30 million acres of California.

"I don't think that point is made enough of how we are modernizing our approach and how we're meeting, dare I say, the moment," Newsom said, "addressing the nature of the change, and the extremes that we're now challenged with in this state."

Many of the state's most advanced firefighting efforts have been funded through federal and state investments, including $2.7 billion from the Legislature, he said.

Read more: State Farm's California freeze: Looming insurance apocalypse or political ploy?

But while significant preparations are underway, the reality of California's worsening fires is already playing out for many Californians.

Earlier this year, insurance giants State Farm and Allstate both announced that they would stop writing new policies in the state, citing worsening wildfires and other catastrophes.

Newsom said he is working with the insurance commissioner to address the market in the state, and hoped that new liability insurance grants would help accelerate vegetation management projects to reduce the risk of fire.

The grants will provide protections for practitioners of controlled burns, or intentional fires used to eliminate dry vegetation and other fuels. (California has set a goal of 400,000 acres of controlled burns per year by 2025).

However, the governor noted that only about 3% of wild lands in California are owned by the state, with the majority belonging to private owners and the federal government. He and other officials asked that residents do their part by creating a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space clearance around their homes and structures to help prevent a blaze from catching.

"Yes, we have the best mutual aid system in the world, but it's also about mutual responsibility, and the state cannot do all of that alone," he said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Whalom Park experience is going to be recreated for three days this summer where residents can experience a little bit of the magic just on a smaller scale.

The Lunenburg amusement park opened in 1893 and entertained New Englanders for more than 100 years before closing in 2000 to make way for a condo development.

But coming next month, a Whalom Park experience is popping up at Doyle Field in Leominster from July 14-16 in partnership with Manuel Amusements.

The New Whalom Cooperative is a consumer co-op dedicated to the preservation of the Whalom amusement park past, present, and future. Our organization is a combination of past grassroots efforts to keep Whalom Park from being lost. Whether on the original site before the condos or at a new location, according to the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise.

Rides will include a scrambler, swings, a carousel, a slide, and four kiddie rides with games including skeeball and balloon chance games, New Whalom Cooperative president Scott Lanciani told the newspaper.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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What the Canada wildfire smoke and Texas heat wave have in common: Climate change

Wildfire smoke obscures the view in Chicago on Thursday. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

With over 120 million U.S. residents across the Midwest and Northeast under an air quality alert and 60 million residents in the South under heat advisories on Thursday, Americans are contending with two different effects caused by climate change.

This is part of a growing pattern of extreme weather events that were seeing as a result of climate change, Olivia Dalton, the deputy White House press secretary, told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday. Dalton was accompanying President Biden on a trip to Chicago, which had some of the worlds worst air quality thanks to the smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires.

Heat contributes to wildfires

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, average global temperatures have risen 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) due to increasing atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases.

Warmer air, in turn, increases water evaporation, causing more frequent and severe droughts. Drier vegetation combined with warmer weather has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As of Thursday afternoon, 501 fires were burning in Canada, 251 of which were classified as uncontrolled by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.

A helicopter water bomber flies above a wildfire near Port Alberni, British Columbia, on June 6. (James MacDonald/Bloomberg/via Getty Images)

Scientists say that climate change is making weather conditions like heat and drought that lead to wildfires more likely, the BBC reported earlier this month. Spring in Canada has been much warmer and drier than usual, creating a tinder-dry environment for these vast fires.

In recent decades, the Western U.S. has been frequently smothered in smoke from wildfires.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, temperatures in early June reached upwards of 94F, around 18 degrees higher than normal.

"The climate signal is very strong, Robert Scheller, professor of forestry at North Carolina State University, told the BBC. We are seeing both a larger area burned, and more severe fires."

The fire season is getting longer, starting earlier in the spring, going later into the fall, Chelene C. Hanes, a fire scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, told the New York Times. Were getting more of these larger fires.

Longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves

Carlos Rodriguez drinks water while taking a break from digging fence post holes Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The rise in global average temperatures has also resulted in more extreme heat waves like the ongoing one in Texas and the southern Plains.

Heat waves are occurring more often than they used to in major cities across the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency states on its website. Their frequency has increased steadily, from an average of two heat waves per year during the 1960s to six per year during the 2010s and 2020s. The average U.S. heat wave is now four days long, a day longer than in the 1960s.

Texans are feeling the effects of that now: As Yahoo News reported on Wednesday, more than 100 daily temperature records have fallen over the last two weeks in Texas alone.

The severe conditions have caused 13 deaths in Texas and led to a spike in emergency room attendance across the state, the Independent reported on Thursday.

This summers heat has been exacerbated by El Nino, a phenomenon in which a warm band of air and water develops in the Pacific Ocean and moves eastward.

This month was unusually warm even before the current heat dome  a heat-trapping region of high pressure  settled over Texas. Temperatures around the world this month have been at their highest levels in decades for this time of year, the New York Times reported in mid-June.

According to an analysis by the research organization Climate Central, climate change made the Texas heat domes severity at least five times more likely than it otherwise would have been.

Extreme weather is becoming more common

Wildfire smoke clouds the Chicago skyline. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

There is no reason to assume that this summers climate-change-related extreme weather will be limited to heat waves and wildfires. Higher ocean surface temperatures and increased evaporation have also been shown to result in more incidence of heavy precipitation.

In one week last summer, the United States saw three 1-in-1,000-year rains: Southern Illinois was drenched by 8 to 12 inches of rain in 12 hours, the St. Louis area got a record-breaking 6 to 10 inches of rain in seven hours and parts of eastern Kentucky were flooded by up to 14 inches of rainfall.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean is up for reelection this fall, after taking office just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Seeking a second term, McLean is running on her plans for housing, public safety, parks and job growth.

A lot has happened over the past four years, including debates over where to relocate Interfaith Sanctuary, a homeless shelter; repeated antisemitic incidents and crimes against the LGBTQ+ community; efforts by Idaho lawmakers to counter Boises clean energy efforts; controversy over Lisa Sanchezs City Council seat; and questions about McLeans management of the Police Department.

Critics have said McLean shouldnt have hired former Chief Ryan Lee, or that she did not properly handle his dismissal once complaints about his leadership became public. Two months after he resigned, the police oversight director was fired.

After a Boise police officer was tied to white supremacist posts, a law firm was hired to investigate potential racism in the department and recommended some major changes.

This month, McLean talked to the Idaho Statesman about the issues facing the city. The transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean laid out her campaign priorities at her State of the City Address in May.

As Boise is growing, developers cant keep up with the boom, and housing has become very unaffordable. I know that youve pointed to the zoning code rewrite as key to making housing more affordable, and housing is a big part of your campaign. What would you do on housing in your second term that you havent done in your first?

The modern zoning code will make it possible for us to have more homes for Boise families. And it creates the opportunity to have even more incentives to advance our affordability principles in public-private partnership. Im so proud of the work weve done so far and excited to see nearly 300 homes open on the Bench this fall. We have set goals for how many homes at Boise budgets from a workforce perspective we need, and then we also have a goal to preserve existing affordable housing.

Only the Boise Rescue Mission and Interfaith have emergency shelter space in Boise. While Interfaith is building a new shelter, its usually past capacity each night, and homelessness is rising in the region. Whats your plan for homelessness going forward?

We are committed to supporting people and not turning our backs on folks. Ive said from the beginning of my term that this is an issue that matters to me, that we will come up with solutions and seek every willing partner thats willing to engage, because theres a need and we have an opportunity to stay ahead and to learn from the mistakes of other cities.

What we need is partnership in the region.

Boise has seen some homophobic and antisemitic incidents in recent years, including the destruction of Pride flags along Harrison Boulevard and Swastika graffiti on the Greenbelt. Youve been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and said that you wont tolerate extremism in Boise. But those incidents havent stopped. Do you have a tangible plan to try to counter that in the city?

We aspire to be a safe and welcoming city for everyone. And that means that we build relationships with each other, that as a city, we hold folks accountable, and were serious about accountability when these terrible, terrible incidents occur.

While the Statehouse is targeting folks, especially those most vulnerable, were going to stand up for them. And ultimately, its the connections that weve built with the Jewish community and with the LGBTQ community that allows us to maintain not only the relationships but sense of safety folks have so that when they do need help, they feel comfortable calling and will call.

Idaho lawmakers have passed bills in recent years curtailing the ability of cities like Boise to require high levels of energy efficiency in new homes or amenities like electric vehicle charging capacity. State laws have also made it tough to fund public transit improvements and bike lane projects. How will Boise meet its climate and public transit goals with that resistance?

So much of the work that were doing around energy efficiency and clean energy transition is voluntary. Its incentivized. It is unfortunate that outside of our city, I expect that this relaxing of building codes and energy codes has real effects on peoples pocketbooks. I expect the market in Boise will still require energy efficiency.

Im concerned about the impact that these laws have on everyday Idahoans because as our days get hotter and our winters get cold-hot, cold-hot, the utility bills that we have will just get more and more, and that impacts what we can afford in terms of rent for our housing.

On transit, its really the same.

We need to be able to provide transit throughout this region so that folks can spend less on a monthly basis to get to jobs or have opportunities for jobs that they cant otherwise reach if they dont have a car.

Switching gears a little bit to the City Council. What happened with Lisa Sanchez losing her seat, and then the decision to go with another candidate instead of appointing her to that seat?

It was my job to select someone who could do the job and who would be approved by City Council. I appreciate that Council Member (Latonia Haney) Keith was able to jump right in, has deep background on affordable housing, and agreed not to run so that this can work itself out in the fall.

I think that some people were surprised that someone whod been elected wasnt then appointed. Were you interested in appointing (Sanchez) and thought you didnt have the votes on City Council to necessarily get her confirmed?

She was a finalist. I wouldnt have taken anybodys time if I wasnt seriously considering that person. Ultimately, I made the decision to appoint someone that could jump in and get the job done and be approved by City Council because the City Council must approve those positions.

A law firm hired by the city to investigate racism in the Police Department recommended some major changes, including a need to recruit more diverse officers, have more rigorous training standards and improve promotion practices. Are you implementing those changes?

The recommendations they gave us were really, really valuable. And the night that we received them, I directed our staff to come up with a plan based on those recommendations, and theyll be providing that plan to City Council very soon.

Safety, justice and accountability are key values of mine and of the citys. We had a shocking incident, took quick action, learned from it, and now its absolutely imperative that we address the recommendations for the good of our officers, for the good of our community, for our ability to maintain the trust and sense of safety that we have in Boise.

What happened with the investigations funding? In his presentation, a lawyer said that he had been clear with you about how much it would likely cost and even said he would have rather not started the investigation had he known there was going to be a cap on funding.

He was clear with our city staff about the likely costs. They were clear with him that we had a limit, at which point he would need to come back to council with information to determine if we should move forward beyond that. Based on his early findings, we had to make a decision as to whether or not we wanted to spend more. I believed  as did council  that we received great recommendations, but that we could handle them in more affordable ways and create a plan with the department and others to meet the needs.

Youve received some criticism about your management of the Police Department and its oversight office. Whats your response to those criticisms?

Its really easy to criticize from the sidelines. And we have a police chief, Ron Winegar, who manages the Police Department, and I appreciate that he came in when he did, and hes trusted by the department and by the community and is providing the leadership that we needed. And accountability is key in keeping a city safe. Weve got to have independent leadership of our Office of Police Accountability, and thats what we seek in the next director. Better to make the right decision than to make a quick decision.

Looking back on what happened with Police Chief Ryan Lee, do you have any regrets about how that situation played out?

Hindsight is always 2020, and I learn from so much. With the information that I had at the time, the multiple issues that were being juggled around that, I feel like I made the best decision I could. And I made the right decision when it was time to ask him to leave.

Boise often operates in contrast to Idaho as a red state, but more conservatives are moving in. As a Democrat, how do you feel about the direction that Boise is heading?

We are a city that throughout our history has had moments of rapid growth. And weve always come together to protect what we love about Boise. And Ive always believed that thats the people, the way we care about this place, and the way we live together with a vision for what this community can be. Were doing it now as weve always done it. What I hear from Boiseans is that they love Boise deeply, want to keep seeing parks. They want to live in a safe city where their kids can walk out the door and play, and we want to do that as we grow. And thats what were all working together to do right now.
Where did all the Sriracha go? Bottles are being sold for $70 a pop

Where did all the Sriracha go? Bottles are being sold for $70 a pop

Fans may turn red in the face when they see the steep prices for bottles of Sriracha hot sauce.

Amid ongoing shortages, sellers on e-commerce sites have started selling bottles of the Huy Fong sauce for jacked up prices. While Huy Fong is not the only maker of this style of sauce, it is the most popular. Huy Fong Sriracha is the top hot sauce in 31 states based on Instacart purchase data.

On Amazon, a pack of two, 17-oz Huy Fong Sriracha bottles is retailing for $114.59. A four-pack of 28-oz bottles is selling for $200. Huy Fong's chili garlic sauce is also selling for inflated prices; a three-pack of 8-oz bottles is being sold for $129.97. A bottle at a store normally retails for about $4, depending on the size.

Over on eBay, a search shows prices for various sized bottles ranging from $39.98 for 17-ounce bottles to a 28-ounce bottle for nearly $70. It remains unclear if anyone is actually purchasing these pricey bottles of the condiment.

"Putting Sriracha on the list of things I won't get to enjoy for at least a couple years because of climate change," one user on Twitter said Thursday.

Others said their meals haven't been as good since the shortage began.

"Ever since the Sriracha shortage, my food hasn't been hitting the same," someone tweeted.

There may be some hope for customers looking to purchase more reasonably priced bottles of hot sauce. A Huy Fong spokesperson on Thursday told CBS News that limited production had recently resumed. The spokesperson did not specify how limited the production was or when it had resumed but said the company was still dealing with limited supply.

"Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material," the spokesperson said. "At this time, we have no estimations of when supply will increase."

The condiment maker has dealt with a shortage of chili pepper inventory for years. The company sent out letters to customers in July of 2020 and again in April of last year warning of shortages.

"Currently, due to weather conditions affecting the quality of chili peppers, we now face a more severe shortage of chili," Huy Fong wrote in a letter last year. "Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products."

While it's not clear where Huy Fong gets its peppers from, production of chiles has been down in a number of locations because of drought. In New Mexico, chile production for 2021 saw a 22% decrease from 2020, according to the USDA's Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Of the 51,000 tons produced in 2021, 46,500 tons were green and 4,500 tons were red. Production increased slightly in 2022 to 53,000 tons, but that still falls well short of the 65,000 tons produced in 2020.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2021 warned a rapid depletion of water reserves in Mexico, particularly in Northern Mexico, could lead to possible water shortages that would impact the country's agricultural production.

The most recent USDA weather and crop bulletin state that in Mexico, "unseasonably hot, dry weather stressed summer crops nearly nationwide."

Griffin Hammond, director of the 2013 documentary "Sriracha," told CBS News on Thursday, that years of drought conditions have caused rolling issues for Huy Fong.

"They started the year in a bad place," Hammond said about the company. "So it makes sense that halfway through this year we're already out. And if they're out of peppers, they can't make any more bottles."

Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha features a red pepper base flavored with salt, sugar, garlic and vinegar. The condiment hit the market in 1980 and has become a cult favorite.

In 2015, Sriracha production was threatened when the Irwindale City Council declared the factory a public nuisance, but the factory ultimately stayed up and running.

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Where are most vacant homes in St. Clair County and what can communities do about it?

In some places in St. Clair County, as much as 20% of the homes were sitting empty when the government took a snapshot of the community for the latest census, new data shows.

More than a dozen communities had vacancy percentages over 10%, including East St. Louis, Belleville and Caseyville.

For residents, vacant homes can be unwelcome eyesores in their neighborhood, safety hazards or a drain on property values. They can also cost local governments.

Fire, police and code enforcement officials get called to address problems at vacant homes. Governments may eventually pay to abate nuisances or demolish the buildings entirely. And while they sit empty, these homes arent generating tax revenue for the community.

Some circumstances, like a death with no estate plan or an out-of-town investor, can make a vacancy more complicated to resolve. But experts say there are steps communities can take to address problem properties .

We say the greatest cost is doing nothing and just allowing the status quo to sustain, said Tarik Abdelazim, who works for the nonprofit Center for Community Progress.

Abdelazim is the director of national technical assistance for the Center for Community Progress, which is the only national nonprofit dedicated to tackling vacant properties, according to the nonprofits website.

Its important to take action because unmaintained properties can lead to consequences for the larger community, according to Bob Palmer, policy director at Housing Action Illinois, a statewide coalition advocating for more quality, affordable housing.

Housing vacancies can contribute to a cycle of population loss and furthered disinvestment from the community, worsening of housing standards in other parts of the community, he said.

Are there vacant homes in your community?

The Belleville News-Democrat analyzed the new housing data, which was released in May, for 26 cities and villages in St. Clair County and found:

In 14 communities, over 10% of the homes were vacant during the 2020 census: Washington Park, Sauget, East St. Louis, Cahokia, Alorton, Centreville, Belleville, Caseyville, Marissa, Brooklyn, Lenzburg, East Carondelet, Lebanon and Dupo. (Cahokia, Alorton and Centreville merged to become the new city of Cahokia Heights in 2021.)

Vacancy percentages in the country and state were lower than those communities. About 10% of homes in the U.S. were vacant. In Illinois, about 8% of homes were vacant.

In St. Clair County and across the country, vacant properties are most often concentrated in poor, predominantly Black communities. One reason for that is the countrys history of discriminatory housing laws and policies, according to Abdelazim, of the Center for Community Progress.

He said those policies included redlining and racial covenants, which restricted Black residents access to mortgages and homes in suburban neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, white residents moved, shrinking the tax base needed to maintain roads, water and sewer infrastructure and other public services. That kind of disinvestment has ripple effects in private sector housing and business investments in a community, according to Abdelazim.

Heres what else to know about the new Census data:

The number of homes has decreased every decade since 2000 in nine communities: Washington Park, Sauget, East St. Louis, Cahokia, Alorton, Centreville, Marissa, Brooklyn and Lenzburg.

The number of homes has increased every decade in 11 communities: Caseyville, Lebanon, Fairview Heights, St. Libory, Swansea, Shiloh, Mascoutah, Freeburg, OFallon, Millstadt and Smithton.

This data release comes with a caveat. The U.S Census Bureau adds statistical noise  small, random additions or subtractions  to all of its data to protect citizens confidentiality. The agency says this measure ensures no one can link the data to a specific person or household with any certainty.

The Census Bureau counted properties as vacant if they were abandoned by the homeowner or the owner stopped making mortgage or tax payments, leading to foreclosure. It also counted homes tied up in legal disputes like divorce or eviction proceedings and those sitting empty during family disruptions, including homeowners who died or moved to an assisted living facility.

The agency counted homes as vacant if they were for sale or for rent. It also counted homes that were sold or rented but the new resident had not moved in yet.

New development gets classified as vacant housing, too  as soon as construction reaches the point where exterior windows and doors are installed and usable floors are in place.

The Census Bureau does not include properties in its count that are exposed to the elements because they are missing a roof, walls, windows or doors. Houses that are clearly about to be demolished or are condemned because of signage on the home are also not counted.

What communities can do  and are doing  to improve housing

Palmer, of Housing Action Illinois, said one option for communities with vacant homes is direct government investment to maintain and rehab uninhabited housing, including demolishing when deemed necessary.

In St. Clair County, the city of Belleville regularly buys residential buildings that have been forfeited to the county due to unpaid property taxes by bidding on them at auction. The city invites developers and investors to inspect salvageable buildings and submit proposals. It has also torn down more than 60 homes in the past decade.

Belleville had more vacant homes in the 2020 census than any of the other 25 communities whose data the BND analyzed.

The communities with the next highest number of vacant homes were East St. Louis and Cahokia Heights, which are getting help from the state government, an Illinois housing agency and local nonprofit to address their housing needs.

The city of East St. Louis is renovating the historic Broadview Hotel into affordable housing for veterans and residents who are 55 years old and older with $25.3 million in state tax credits and more than $10 million in state funding.

Public officials and developers celebrate the groundbreaking for the $44 million Broadview Hotel revitalization project in downtown East St. Louis in this March 2023 file photo. Construction was scheduled to launch in April 2023 and continue for a planned 18-month construction schedule.

Community nonprofit Lansdowne Up is also working to redevelop the Lansdowne neighborhood in East St. Louis by clearing lots, renovating existing homes and building new ones, including a subdivision with 20 market-rate homes.

Both East St. Louis projects are expected to be completed by next year.

This 2022 file photo shows the construction progress on one of the 20 new homes near 25th Street and Interstate 64 in East St. Louis. Landsdowne Up and Plocher Construction are building the subdivision that will have homes priced up to the mid $300,000s with approximately 1,600 to 1800 sq ft. of living space.

Meanwhile, Cahokia Heights has been working with the Illinois Housing Development Authority on a community revitalization plan focused on housing.

The state Housing Development Authority notes in a 179-page planning document that the partnership is to help Cahokia Heights strategize and is not necessarily a promise of funding.

Andrew Field, a spokesperson for the agency, said the partnership resulted in a housing stock survey through which volunteers assessed vacancies. Volunteers also surveyed residents about condition, availability and affordability of housing in their community.

Theres a lot of vacant properties that could be renovated and sold or rented for affordable housing, one survey respondent said.

Respondents also noted the city needs infrastructure improvements, including to the sewer system. Some residents in Cahokia Heights have experienced raw sewage backups and flooding in their homes, yards and streets for decades. State and federal money has been promised toward work on the infrastructure.

Another option for communities to address vacant homes is through land banks, a tool the Center for Community Progress supports.

Land banks are public entities that acquire problem properties and temporarily hold and take care of them until they can be sold to new owners, the Center for Community Progress explains on its website.

Abdelazim held up New York as an example of their success. In a 10-year impact report, the Center for Community Progress reported that the states land banks:

Acquired over 5,000 properties.

Spurred $480 million in neighborhood investments.

Returned an estimated $134 million in assessed value to the tax rolls.

Generated nearly $56 million in sales proceeds, which were rolled back into land bank interventions or shared with local and county governments to support other public services.

The nonprofit attributed the achievements to forward-thinking public officials and creative practitioners who acknowledged the traditional tax auction was no way to resolve vacant, abandoned, and dilapidated properties and that a bolder approach was possible, the report states.

Reporter Teri Maddox contributed information to this report.
White House officials are pairing new legal support and job training programs for veterans with a $3.1 billion investment in general community support grants in an effort to further reduce the number of veterans facing homelessness.

Administration officials unveiled the plans on Thursday, calling them the single largest investment in communities homelessness response systems in history. The move comes as Veterans Affairs officials said they are on pace with their goal of permanently housing 38,000 at-risk veterans this year.

Homelessness is a challenge we face as a nation, but importantly it is also a solvable one, said White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden in a press conference on the new initiatives.

According to the latest federal estimates, about 33,000 veterans across the country lack reliable, permanent housing on any given day. That figure is down about 11% since 2020 and down about 55% since 2010.

Advocates struggle to help homeless vets as COVID support disappears

Despite the progress, however, veterans advocates have warned that the expiration of a host of pandemic-era support programs and grants threatens support systems for vulnerable veterans. Officials from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans said some non-profits have seen their federal grants slashed by tens of thousands of dollars, potentially hurting their outreach efforts.

The $3.1 billion boost to the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Continuum of Care program could help offset some of those losses. The program awards funds to community groups and local governments to help provide support to families facing the threat of homelessness.

Federal officials said the new money will not be earmarked solely for veterans support efforts, but that participants will be directed to coordinate with local Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers to ensure these funds are effectively supporting veterans and their families.

Two other new programs will be aimed directly at helping veterans, however. A new $11.5 million Legal Services for Veterans grant program will give individuals help with fighting eviction orders, gaining access to financial support programs, and provisioning similar legal assistance.

Legal support can be the difference between becoming homeless in the first instance or having a safe, stable house, said VA Secretary Denis McDonough.With this, we move ever closer to that goal.

VA aims to help 38,000+ homeless veterans again this year

The Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service also plans to launch a new $58 million grant program to connect homeless veterans with job opportunities. That money will include training programs for in-demand industries and outreach to community employers to connect them with would-be veteran workers.

Department of Veterans Affairs officials will also work with HUD leaders on a series of boot camps on veterans homelessness throughout the fall, officials said. The sessions will bring together staffers to talk about best practices in reaching and helping veterans, and finding ways to better coordinate cooperation of numerous federal agencies in focusing on helping homeless veterans.

Tanden called the success in reducing the number of homeless veterans over the last decade a model for other government support efforts, but also said that more still needs to be done.

Congressional appropriators in the House and Senate have already preliminary backed plans for a 16% boost in homelessness assistance funding in the budget for fiscal 2024, which begins on Oct. 1. However, because of ongoing partisan fights on a host of budget issues, its unclear when that money may be available to VA planners.
US Congress members' provocation on Taiwan question 'may interrupt Washington's attempt' to engage China

08:36, June 29, 2023 By Yang Sheng and Liu Xuanzun ( Global Times

China-US relationship. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

After US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit earlier this month, Washington's senior diplomats and officials are keeping in touch with their Chinese counterparts to seek further engagement, including a reported trip to China in July by Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, but all these attempts might be derailed by some US politicians, as their provocations on the Taiwan question and moves to push "decoupling" will make it difficult to stabilize the China-US tension, Chinese analysts said on Wednesday.

A US bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers landed in Taiwan on Tuesday for a three-day visit, according to the American Institute in Taiwan, CNBC reported. The delegation was scheduled to meet with Tsai Ing-wen, the regional leader of the island, on Wednesday.

The visit comes at a sensitive time for China-US relations. Rogers' visit to Taipei comes as the Biden administration is taking several steps aimed at stabilizing the bilateral relationship with China, which reached a low point in February, after the balloon incident, according to CNBC.

At the same time, some Republicans are urging Blinken not to renew the "Agreement between the United States and the People's Republic of China on cooperation in science and technology" (STA), a four-decade-old agreement between the US and China that provides for scientific and technological cooperation, according to US media outlet the National Review on Tuesday.

These moves show that many hostile forces and politicians within the US are trying to damage the China-US relationship even further rather than stabilizing and managing the tense situation, but while the Biden administration is asking for further engagement with China, it does not show enough sincerity to balance these negative impacts, said experts.

According to US media, Yellen plans to visit Beijing in early July for the first high-level economic talks with her new Chinese counterpart, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the scheduling.

On Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng spoke on the phone with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, according to the website of the Chinese embassy, but no information about visits of senior officials was mentioned.

Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that "Blinken's trip was not to repair the damaged China-US ties, but to seek communication to make sure there was no loss of control over bilateral relations. So it's natural that the US is continuing its provocations and even pushing forward confrontation and decoupling in some fields."

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said that "China wants to stabilize the bilateral relations, but unfortunately, it seems like the US, whether its politicians in Congress or in the White House, wants to ensure that China-US relations continue to worsen and are muddying their efforts to stop this dangerous trend."

The US strategy on China has been finalized, so just like the past, seeking engagement with China will not affect their provocations against China, and China will not expect the US to completely stop provocations and confrontations, Ni said. "For China, we can just retaliate against them [the US] when we must, and talk to them when it's necessary."

Latest provocation

The Taiwan question is the most sensitive topic of the China-US relations, and China always fights back when the US provokes. The bipartisan delegation of US Congress members led by Rogers to the island of Taiwan, is definitely a provocation that could further destabilize the China-US tension, experts said.

The US House Armed Services Committee, chaired by Rogers, is responsible for oversight of the US' annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill that covers the operations of the Pentagon, including the annual defense budget and others, according to the committee's website.

Under Rogers, the House Armed Services Committee passed the NDAA bill for the fiscal year 2024 earlier this month that encourages joint military drills between the US and the island of Taiwan and exchanges among officials, in addition to military sales, direct commercial sales and industrial cooperation to build up the island of Taiwan's asymmetric defense capabilities, Taiwan media reported.

The delegation led by Rogers will likely promote more defense and military collusions between the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and the US, particularly arms sales, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US is looking to equip the island of Taiwan into a "porcupine," a move that attempts to make a reunification-by-force operation by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) (the last resort taken under compelling circumstances) as costly as possible, with the ultimate goal of suppressing China's development, the expert said.

Unlike Ukraine which shares land borders with NATO countries, the island of Taiwan is isolated and is only 200 to 400 kilometers away from the Chinese mainland, so it would be almost impossible for the US to deliver military aid after a potential conflict starts. It is presumed that a large number of anti-ship, anti-aircraft and land attack missiles and other systems including reconnaissance and guidance units delivered beforehand would more or less cause troubles to the Chinese mainland, the expert said.

The US delegation will also represent the interests of US arms firms, which are eyeing huge profits from such arms sales, analysts said.

PLA's response

On Wednesday morning, the defense authority on the island of Taiwan said in a press release that it spotted 11 PLA aircraft and four PLA vessels around the island over the past 24 hours, with three of the detected aircraft crossing the so-called median line of the Taiwan Straits and entering the island's self-proclaimed southwest air defense identification zone.

The PLA has been regularly holding military exercises and patrols around the island of Taiwan over the past few years.

On Saturday, eight PLA J-10 fighter jets, allegedly for the first time, approached the 24-nautical-mile line of the island, the island's defense authority reported at the time. The 24-nautical-mile line is often used to describe the contiguous zone, which can extend up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline.

The island's defense authority said on Tuesday that "if any of the PLA aircraft or vessels enter the island's 'territorial airspace or territorial sea,' the armed forces on the island will counterattack on order," media on the island reported.

Chinese mainland experts said that since Taiwan is part of China, its so-called territorial airspace and territorial sea are China's, and it is completely legitimate for the PLA to operate on Chinese lands and seas.

The PLA now not only holds an overwhelming advantage in the Taiwan Straits against the secessionist armed forces on the island of Taiwan, it also has the capability to deny potential external interference forces like the US, observers said.

This fact will not be changed by some arms sales or joint military exercises between the US and the island of Taiwan, and such salami-slicing moves will only force the Chinese mainland to take further concrete steps to safeguard national unity, analysts said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, the commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific on Wednesday expressed support for the rule of law in the region.

Speaking to CNN Philippines The Final Word, Rear Admiral Geoffroy d'Andigne said the peace and stability in the region impacts the prosperity of other countries, including France.

Theres something else at stake here. Its a place that we need to support, if not defend, the rule of law and especially the law of the sea, D'Andigne said.

Asia is now the center of the world, so we need to take that into account. The prosperity of the world and the prosperity of Europe, prosperity of France is linked directly to the peace and security in that region and of course we get involved in that, he added.

While the forces stationed in French Polynesia and New Caledonia are working to protect their overseas territory, D'Andigne said they are also patrolling other areas such as the South China Sea and the North China Sea.

He noted that the deconstruction of rule-based order and freedom of navigation is a big threat, not only in the Asia Pacific region, but to all other countries peace as well.

D'Andigne said France can offer its military and navy capabilities to offer police work in terms of maritime security in the South China Sea.

The French admiral also said they are willing to lend military assets to Manila and are happy to help if the need and opportunity arises.

The French Armed Forces arrived in the Philippines on Monday for a series of meetings with Philippine military and diplomatic officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. They are eyeing to improve defense cooperation between Paris and Manila.
White House Says Biden Using CPAP Machine to Get Better, More Sleep

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden in the past several weeks started using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea and improve his sleep, but is not suffering from broader health problems, the White House said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

It was something that was done within the last couple of weeks, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One. What it allows, which is I think really important for the president, is to make sure hes getting as much sleep as he can.

The comments shed new light on Bidens use of the machine, which is commonly used by people who have sleep apnea but nonetheless raised fresh concerns about the 80-year-old presidents health and well-being.

Read more: Biden Has Begun Using CPAP Machine to Aid With Sleep Apnea

The White House had not disclosed the treatment, and only confirmed Bidens use of it after Bloomberg reported it. Biden shared his history of sleep apnea in 2008 and has done so in subsequent medical reports. But the condition wasnt mentioned in memos from his doctor following two annual physicals since he took office.

Bidens physician reports are more comprehensive and extensive than any other president, Jean-Pierre said. Weve been pretty transparent about that.

Im not going to get into how the president is feeling, she said when asked what triggered the decision to use the CPAP. What I can say is one of the important things is getting better sleep. I think all of us can understand that, how important that can be.

Sleep apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, dry mouth, headaches, decreased libido, and frequent waking during the night to urinate, according to the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. It can lead to loud snoring and gasping for air during sleep.

Earlier: Biden Is Using a CPAP for Sleep Apnea: Heres What That Means

A CPAP machine, typically used at night, helps open airways. The face gear, which can have multiple straps, left indentations on the presidents face that have been visible at appearances this week.

Polling has shown Bidens age and fitness have been one of the biggest liabilities as he seeks reelection.

Air Force One Stairs

Biden in the last month has used a lower set of stairs to board Air Force One that are more stable and require a shorter walk to the plane than the traditional, higher staircase. Biden has stumbled on the taller stairs before, and also tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy, which led to speculation the change was to prevent more falls.

Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the switch but defended his overall health and well-being, pointing to his trip in February to Ukraine as a sign of his vigor.

You guys see the president every day, she said. When you speak to mobility, the president always says watch him.

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Whoopi Goldberg slammed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for questioning the meaning of diversity after the Supreme Courts decision on affirmative action Thursday.

Thomas was one of the six conservatives on the court who determined that admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did not comply with the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection.

Goldberg, who often takes aim at conservatives on ABCs daytime talk show The View, said Thomas doesnt get it and questioned how he could not know what diversity is  a remark that referenced comments Thomas made during oral arguments on the case.

She also said that people of color had to go out and make a change in order to secure the right to vote because the 14th Amendment didnt guarantee anything.

Could your mother and father vote in this country because had the 14th Amendment actually had us on equal footing, they would have been able to vote. And you know why that changed? Because people got out and made a change, Goldberg said.

Who wants to get hit by water from a water hose? Nobody. But thats what people did in order to get the vote. So when you say you dont know what diversity is, I say youre full of it.

Thomas, during oral arguments, pushed North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park, who represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), for a more specific definition of the term diversity.

Id like you to give us a specific definition of diversity in the context of the University of North Carolina, Thomas said.

Park said the colleges definition of diversity aligns with the Supreme Courts definition, which is a broadly diverse set of criteria that extends to all different backgrounds and perspectives, and not solely limited to race.

We value diversity of all different kinds and all the ways that people differ in our society, he continued.

In addition, Park responded to a question from Thomas about how diversity benefits the education of students at UNC.

Park said diversity without question leads to a deeper and richer learning environment in addition to more creative thinking and a better exchange of ideas. He also said it reduces bias.

But Thomas questioned Parks response.

I didnt go to racially diverse schools, but there were educational benefits, he said.

Thomas is one of two African American justices on the high court.

In a rare move, he chose to read his concurring opinion from the bench, advocating for a colorblind view of the Constitution.

Goldberg said Thomass comments make Asian, Native American and Black kids feel like they dont matter.

Like you dont understand why my struggle is hard, she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Pharmaceutical pill bottle Illustrated / Getty Images

Cancer is always a crisis. And lately, that crisis has been compounded by a shortage of two chemotherapy drugs, The New York Times reported. A shortfall of carboplatin and cisplatin is "forcing patients and their doctors to face even grimmer realities than those cancer typically presents." And there are few signs the shortage will end anytime soon. "Some companies that sell the medications are projecting that the shortage will last through the fall or later."

What's causing the shortage? The Washington Post reported the problem originated at a plant in India that was producing half of America's supply of cisplatin. It suspended production after a November inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration turned up a "cascade of failure" in quality control. The pandemic revealed the fragility of the world's supply lines, and this is just the latest case. "A disruption at a single plant can trigger widespread shortages when other manufacturers can't make up the difference."

The shortage is "forcing thousands of patients to miss life-saving treatments," the Financial Times reported. Hospitals are delaying treatments in some cases and using substitute drugs in others. "Are we potentially in some way reducing the chance for cure?" asked Julie Gralow at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. "I don't think we have solid data on that, but that is a serious concern." Why is America facing a cancer drug shortage? And what can be done about it?

What are commentators saying?

"Cancer drugs are not scarce for the same reasons that yeast, toilet paper or couches were," Ed Yong wrote at The Atlantic. The problem isn't a pandemic or a ship stuck in a canal but because the overall market for generic pharmaceuticals is "utterly dysfunctional." Generic drugs are sold cheaply, but cancer drugs are hard to make, and doing so safely usually isn't cheap. The low margins on such drugs have pushed some manufacturers out of the market, leaving a few at-capacity factories to shoulder the load. When problems arise, then, they cascade quickly. "Any disruption to production has severe consequences."

The problem is rooted in America's overreliance on foreign suppliers, Tinglong Dai and Christopher S. Tang wrote for Barron's. "Either we take steps to phase out our reliance on foreign manufacturers, or the FDA needs to step up its quality inspections." Nearly 3,000 foreign factories provide most of America's pharmaceuticals, but the FDA inspected just 6% of them in 2022. That means crises like the cancer drug shortage are always lurking. "This is a glaring failure hidden in plain sight."

"Cancer drug shortages should have patients rioting in the streets," Kristen Rice, a San Diego oncologist, wrote for STAT News. There are no "silver bullet" solutions to the shortage, but it's clear that the economics of drug manufacturing are "broken." Policymakers should put "everything on the table," including tax breaks for generic drug makers and other measures to "boost manufacturer competition and strengthen supply chains." The effort will require buy-in from both the public and private sectors. "Cancer patients' lives depend on it."

What's next

Policymakers are looking for both short-term and long-term fixes. The New York Times reported that the FDA has responded to the shortage by allowing temporary imports of cisplatin from Qilo Pharmaceutical, a Chinese drug manufacturer, and that distribution of the drug started in early June. One Florida doctor said the new shipments are not enough to fully meet the need. "It's about six days of treatment for us," he said.

Congress is also looking to intervene. The Hill reported that a House health subcommittee held a hearing on the issue in mid-June. Recommendations included incentivizing new manufacturing technology and reforming the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. "Today's shortages are the worst that I've seen in my 30-year career," Gralow told the committee.

Meanwhile, ABC News reported, Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) have introduced legislation that would require federal agencies to assess vulnerabilities in the drug supply chain and offer proposed reforms. That, Peters said, should reduce how American "overreliance on foreign nations for critical drugs threatens our military readiness and creates health risks for Americans."

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Why convicted killers wife was the center of attention at the sentencing hearing

An Atwater man was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for a murder in Turlock, but it was his wife who was the subject of ire by the victims family during a sentencing hearing last week.

She may have not pulled the trigger but she is as much to blame as he is, said Ruby Rodrigues, sister of the victim Ralph Vigil, 51 of Turlock, who was fatally shot outside the Venice Motel on Golden State Boulevard in January 2020.

Rodrigues and other family members said Isabel Pastran treated the trial as a joke, laughing and carrying on with no regard for life.

Vigils brother Carlos Rodrigues said in a statement, A permanent decision was made of temporary emotion to take a life and it is no laughing matter; Isabel Pastran seems to think so.

Pastran watched her boyfriend, Jose Andrade, shoot Vigil at the motel. She then pushed Andrade back into their vehicle, turned off the headlights and fled the scene, according to Deputy District Attorney Ahnna Reicks. Pastran later helped Andrade destroy evidence by removing decals from their vehicle and then cutting them up and disposing of them, returning the modified vehicle to the person theyd recently purchased it from, disposing of their clothing and deleting text and social media messages, Reicks said.

Pastran also turned off her phone, including on the day of their arrests a few weeks after the murder, when the couple traveled to the Bay Area, according to Reicks. They went to the Oakland Zoo and then to Pier 39, where, at the request of Turlock police, they were arrested by San Francisco police.

Following a three-week jury that ended in May, Andrade was convicted of second-degree murder with an enhancement for using a firearm. Pastran was convicted of being an accessory to murder after the fact.

In addition to laughing, smiling and being generally flippant throughout the proceedings, Pastran had to be admonished multiple times by Judge Dawna Reeves and courtroom bailiffs for her behavior with Andrade, who was in custody while Pastran was free. That behavior included standing too close to him, touching his hair and handing him something.

Pastrans attorney Willard Bakeman told the court that laughing and smiling are Pastrans involuntary responses to stress and anxiety.

To the extent that she seems like she doesnt care, shes sorry for that, Bakeman said. She is very upset by this case and very nervous about it, so to say that she takes it in a manner that is cavalier or funny would be totally wrong.

Reeves saw it differently, describing Pastrans attitude as cavalier, careless, laughing in the face of people who are hurting over the loss of a loved one.

Every single person who testified here today talked more about Pastran than the shooter, the judge said at the June 23 hearing. Thats a problem.

A near miss, a challenge to fight

During trial, evidence was presented that on Jan. 29, 2020, Pastran was driving with Andrade at North Golden State Boulevard and Almond Avenue when she nearly hit Vigil, who was on a bicycle, Reicks told The Bee.

Words were exchanged between Vigil and Andrade, who challenged Vigil to a fight at the Venice Motel, just a few hundred feet away, according to Reicks.

Andrade and Pastran arrived at the hotel first and then Vigil, who brought along a friend who witnessed the near collision. Reicks said Vigil didnt know how many people were in the car so he brought the friend in case he got jumped.

Vigil thought he was going into a fistfight, but within seconds of getting out of his vehicle, Andrade fired four rounds at Vigil, Reicks said. As Vigil was turning to run, one of the bullets entered his left lower abdomen and exited on the other side.

Andrades attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jed Harrington, argued that his client acted in self-defense and that the fight was initiated by Vigil.

The incident was captured on the hotels surveillance system, which did not have audio. Following the shooting, Andrade can be seen pointing the gun at Vigils friend before he and Pastran fled, Reicks said.

The video leans heavily against Andrade because the demeanor and mannerisms demonstrated appear to be intentional, not in self-defense, Reeves said during the sentencing.

The jury agreed but did convict Andrade of second-degree murder, not the first-degree premeditated murder he was charged with.

Judge had options because offenders were young adults

Reeves sentenced Andrade to serve 15 years to life in prison for the murder and 25 years to life for the gun enhancement, to be served consecutively.

Reeves had the discretion to strike the enhancement or lower the sentence and Harrington argued she should due to Andrade being only 19 at the time and having no prior record.

Reeves said she took into consideration that as a youthful offender, Andrade will be eligible for parole early. Under California law, he will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of his sentence.

At the time of the murder, Pastran also was 19 and was six months pregnant.

Reicks said Pastran considered changing her plea several times but wouldnt agree to a plea deal that didnt sentence her to house arrest so she could stay at home with her and Andrades baby.

She could have pled early on if she wanted to truly take responsibility for her actions, Reicks said during the sentencing. She just doesnt want to be punished and take responsibility. She, throughout the entire court process, had a smirk on her face  like she is above the law.

Many of Vigils family members asked that Pastran get the maximum sentence of three years.

While Reeves agreed with Reicks characterization of Pastran, she said she couldnt legally consider it when imposing a sentence.

She did deny Pastrans request for probation but sentenced her to the lower term of 16 months, 10 to be served in the county jail and six on supervised release.
Why does Modesto studio think podcasts help with social injustices and solutions?

Nurses working with people who are homeless. Members of the LGBTQ+ community. Counselors who help abused and neglected children.

These are among the community members whose voices and stories will be recorded in a series of podcasts by Modesto Sound, a nonprofit music studio tucked behind a fast-food restaurant on Yosemite Boulevard near the Gospel Mission.

Modesto Sound recently was awarded $255,000 for the podcast project from the Kern Dance Alliances KDA Creative Corps grant program. The studio was among 14 organizations and six individuals in the San Joaquin Valley and foothills to receive a total of $3.38 million in the alliances first Creative Corps grants.

The funding comes from the states California Creative Corps, and the alliance is one of 14 organizations across California picked by the state to issue the grants in their regions.

The goal of Modesto Sounds California Audio Roots Project includes improving the lives of people who live in the bottom fourth of the California Healthy Places Index, according to a Modesto Sound news release. The index rates neighborhoods on such factors as community health, economics, education, housing and access to health care, as well as air and water quality.

Modesto Sound Executive Director Janet Seay said that means telling the stories of the people who live in much of the 95354 ZIP code, which includes the airport neighborhood, parts of downtown and Yosemite Boulevard.

The focus is on social justice and community engagement, Seay said in an interview. Our goal is to make this little slice of our Modesto heaven better.

She said that includes the podcasters talking about the social injustices they witness, as well as about solutions.

Interested in doing a podcast? Heres where to start

Seay said she has lined up 20 people for the podcasts and wants to have as many as 80. Those interested can contact her via the Modesto Sound website by clicking on on the contact link. She said each podcaster will receive $150.

A Modesto father with a 27-year-old son will be one of the podcasters. The father, who wanted to be identified only by his first name, Phil, said his son has been homeless for nearly a decade.

Phil said its been incredibly frustrating watching and trying to help his son access services. We often feel they are homeless but were helpless, Phil said about himself and other parents of homeless children. We often feel helpless. At the end of the day, were often left feeling desperate.

Phil said he hears only his sons version of his efforts to access help and knows his son does not always give the whole story. Phil does not want to fault the service providers, he said, but hes heard similar frustrations from other parents who say their loved ones are not getting help.

There are definitely shortcomings in the system, Phil said. But its such a complicated issue and problem, adding that some homeless people are not effective advocates for themselves. Phil said he hopes the podcast spurs more conversations about homelessness and how to help those who are homeless.

Seay said the podcasts will be broadcast on the community radio stations operated by Valleymedia.org and the Modesto Peace/Life Center. The radio stations are 104.9 and 93.3 for Valley Media and 95.5 FM for the center. The podcasts also will be available on the Modesto Sound website, SoundCloud and Spotify.

Recording the podcasts will start in early July and conclude in May 2024.

Camp Taylor, which operates summer camps for children with heart disease in Grayson, was the only other Stanislaus County-based organization to receive funding. The Kern Dance Alliance awarded it $95,081 for regional artists to help the children and their families understand the healing power of art, according to an alliance news release.

Studio started in 2005

Brenda Francis started Modesto Sound in 2005, according to Seay, who has been executive director since 2015.

It felt good to see that our work is appreciated and can continue, Francis said in the news release. We know many of the podcasts we have recorded in the past have helped preserve meaningful musical and life stories that may not have been recorded and shared otherwise.

Seay said that has included podcasts of some of Modestos musicians from the 1950s and 60s. Modesto Sound also has recorded podcasts featuring average people taking about their versions of the California dream.

She said Modesto Sound started as a venue for children to learn how to record their own music and it continues to teach audio technology to young adults.

Modesto Sound holds a weeklong camp each July in the Gallo Center for the Arts Foster Family Theater where young people learn to write, record and perform their owns songs. Seay said the young people will perform their work at noon July 22 in a free community concert at the theater.

Seay said Modesto Sounds annual budget is just under $50,000, so the recent grant is a boon for the nonprofit.
The News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed outrage at an approved demonstration involving the burning of a Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm, calling the act an insult to the Muslim people.

The burning of the sacred Islamic text attracted widespread condemnation, especially from Turkey, a NATO member state which has repeatedly pushed back on Swedens bid to join the security alliance.

Those who seek to become our allies in NATO, cannot tolerate or enable destructive behaviors of Islamophobic and xenophobic terrorists, Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish governments Director of Communications said in a tweet Wednesday.

Weve curated insights and analysis on what this latest controversial demonstration means for Swedens path to NATO membership.

Insights

The prospects of Sweden's accession to NATO are close to zero, according to Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Ankara has pressured Sweden to clamp down on the burning of the Quran, deeming such protests acts of terrorism. Although Sweden altered its counterterrorism laws last year to criminalize those who engage in or support terrorism, the country has still allowed protests to take place.

In neighboring Finland, the burning of the Quran is considered a violation of religious peace and a punishable offense  a decision that lawyers made when Finland was in consideration for NATO membership. Ali Bakeer, a political analyst at the Middle East Institute, tweeted that Sweden should follow Helsinkis example. But in a separate tweet, Paul Levin, who heads the Turkish Studies program at Stockholm University, said that Turkey outlined what Sweden needed to do to attain membership to the security bloc, but did not mention anything about Quran burnings.

After a January protest in Sweden involving the burning of the Quran, the U.S. political analyst Andrew Korybko argued that the Swedish governments defense of free speech perpetuated Islamophobia. No sincere Muslim could ever support a society that praises the burning of the Quran as an integral expression of their so-called values, the same as no sincere Jew, for instance, could ever support the burning of the Torah, he wrote in his newsletter.

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Sweden had high hopes of joining NATO by the alliances annual summit on July 11. But delays in Hungarys parliamentary vote and Turkeys continued hesitancy could further hinder Stockholm's chances of joining.
Prosecutors on Wednesday charged a Wichita man accused of shooting into an SUV, killing its driver, with second-degree intentional murder and criminal possession of a weapon, Sedgwick County District Court records show.

Damion Christopher Hazelton Jr., 24, was arrested on June 24, a day after 49-year-old Chris Baker of Wichita was found with a fatal gunshot wound. Wichita police last week said Baker was in a red GMC Yukon that hit a parked car and crashed into an apartment bedroom shortly after 2:15 p.m. June 23 near Lincoln and San Pablo Lane. He died at the scene, despite efforts to save his life, police have said.

Authorities have not given a motive for the shooting.

Hazelton made a first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court on Wednesday afternoon, court records show. A judge set his bond at $600,000 and ordered Hazelton to return to court for another hearing on July 12. Hes also being held on $1 million bond for probation violations in each of two cases, Sedgwick County Jail records show.

On May 17, Hazelton was ordered to serve a year of probation, with an underlying prison term of 13 months, for an aggravated child endangerment conviction stemming from injuries that landed a 3-month-old girl in the hospital in April 2022. Medical staff determined the girl had skull and collarbone fractures and bleeding between her brain and skull likely caused by forcibly grabbing and violent shaking of the child and the child being thrown or swing or hit into a hard surface, according to a probable cause affidavit released in that case.

Hazelton was initially charged with child abuse but pleaded guilty to an amended charge, court records show.

In 2020, he was placed on probation for two years, with an underlying prison term of 22 months, after pleading guilty to making an unlawful request for emergency service assistance and interfering with law enforcement. The allegations in that case include him lying to Wichita police about being shot the prior year and wasting resources of authorities who responded to the fake emergency and investigated, according to court records. He violated the terms of his probation in that case at least twice before last weeks deadly shooting, court records show.

Hazelton wrote on an application for a court-appointed lawyer in the murder case that he lives in the 800 block of South San Pablo, which is near the crime scene.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment earlier this month charging a Wichita man with stealing more than $23,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Kansas announced Thursday.

Jack Crowder, 34, is charged with two counts of theft of government money or property and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions. He has pleaded not guilty, court records show. A public defender listed for him in court records did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday.

The indictment alleges Crowder willfully and knowingly stole, purloined and converted to his own use $17,688 from the Labor Department on Sept. 7, 2022, and another $5,412 the next day. He then withdrew approximately $18,000 from his Wheat State Credit Union account. The indictment alleges at least $10,000 of the withdrawn funds was money stolen from the government.

Details about how that happened were not included in the indictment or other available court records. Danielle Thomas, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office, said she was unable to release anything about an open case beyond whats in public documents.

The indictment was filed in federal court in Wichita on June 13, court records show. Crowder made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gwynne Birzer on Wednesday, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The U.S. Attorneys Office is seeking forfeiture of the stolen money, and Crowder faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count if he is convicted, the indictment says.
Wichita police investigating after man fatally shot by friend, official says

A 34-year-old Wichita man was fatally shot by a friend during a fight early Thursday morning at a home in the 200 block of South Minnesota, Wichita police spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said.

Nicholas Hardcastle was unresponsive when he was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The shooting was reported at roughly 1 a.m. in the 200 block of South Minnesota. Gupilan said police are still trying to determine if Hardcastle was armed and if the shooting was in self defense.

Only one shot was fired, he said.

In a news release, Gupilan said there was a verbal argument, which led to a physical altercation. During that altercation, Hardcastle was shot.

Police know who shot Hardcastle, he said. Police are investigating the case and will present the findings to the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office, which will decide if charges should be brought.

Another fatal shooting happened overnight as well. The two deaths bring the citys homicide count to 17 so far this year, according to records kept based on homicides reported by Wichita police. There were 23 at this time last year.
Wife poisons husband, then writes kids book on grief, cops say. His sister is suing

A woman accused of killing her husband and then writing a childrens book about grief is being sued by the mans sister in Utah.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Katie Richins-Benson, Eric Richins sister and the representative of his estate, accuses his wife, Kouri Richins, of stealing money from his bank accounts, illegally making herself his power of attorney, taking out life insurance policies in his name and profiting off of his death in a horrific endgame.

Kouri Richins was charged with murder in May in connection with the death of her husband, Eric Richins, who died of a fentanyl overdose on March 4, 2022, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. She appeared in court in Summit County on June 12 and did not enter a plea, according to USA Today.





Kouri Richins put a lethal dose of fentanyl in a cocktail she made for her husband, prosecutors said in court documents obtained by USA Today.

Kouri Richins attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on June 29.

Her husband, with whom she shares three children, thought she had tried to poison him once before with a fentanyl-laced sandwich on Valentines Day, according to the complaint shared by ABC4.

About one year after her husbands death, Kouri Richins wrote a book called Are You With Me? which was meant to help children cope with grief and loss, the complaint says.

The complaint accuses Kouri Richins of forging her husbands initials on a power of attorney document. She then opened a bank account in her husbands name and took out a fraudulent $250,000 loan, the complaint says.

She also obtained several life insurance policies on her husband that gave her more than $1.5 million of coverage if he died, the complaint says.

Kouri Richins took property from her husbands estate after his death, including $225,000 in cash, an electric motorcycle, a flatbed trailer and theater room furniture, the complaint says.

Her book Are You With Me? also uses Eric Richins likeness without his consent, the complaint says. She made money from selling the book and didnt share any profits with her husbands estate, the complaint says.

Richins-Benson is seeking more than $13 million in damages, according to CBS News. Richins-Bensons attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on June 29.





Kouri committed the foregoing acts in calculated, systematic fashion and for no reason other than to actualize a horrific endgameto conceal her ruinous debt, misappropriate assets for the benefit of her personal businesses, orchestrate Erics demise, and profit from his passing, the lawsuit says.

Summit County is in northern Utah, and the county seat is Coalville.

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Janitor accidentally destroys 20 years of research while cleaning lab, NY lawsuit says

Hotel owner banned workers from using their real names and speaking Spanish, feds say
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Guam is planning to hire around 10,000 to 15,000 Filipinos to help in the construction of new military bases on the island, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday following his recent working visit to the United States.

Zubiri said Guamanian Congressman James Moylan informed him of the plan to convince the US national government to hire Filipinos for the construction project.

"Many bases of the United States in Okinawa are closing shop and moving to Guam," he told a media briefing.

"And because they are moving to Guam, Congressman Moylan is insisting to the US government that they hire Filipinos to construct the new bases, and they are looking for 10,000 to 15,000 Filipino workers to go to Guam and help build the bases, because they need the bases as soon as possible."

The US Marine Corps opened its first new base in 70 years in Guam last January, which will host 5,000 Marines currently stationed in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa starting 2024.

In 2012, former US President Barack Obama and the Japanese government worked out a deal to move out the Marines from Okinawa in a bid to ease the resentment towards the presence of American troops on the island.

"They'll discuss how to get the working visa. They are trying to get from the State Department approval to hasten the proceedings para magawa itong mga bases nila sa Guam (to build their bases in Guam) by Filipino workers," said Zubiri.

He added that he is working with the Guamanian lawmaker to make the proposal possible.
Unhealthy air caused by blazes across Canada has once again blanketed much of the U.S.

An orange haze caused by wildfires in Canada blankets New York City on June 7. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)

Over 120 million people  more than a third of the U.S. population  found themselves under air quality alerts on Thursday as massive clouds of smoke from Canadian wildfires spread across a dozen states, just weeks after blanketing the Northeast in an apocalyptic orange haze.

Residents of Chicago woke up Tuesday morning to the worst air quality in the world, with hazy skies and the smell of smoke  just as people in New York City did earlier this month.

So is this the new normal? Given the changing climate and Canadas wooded landscape, a growing number of experts say it may be.

As long as those fires keep burning up there, thats going to be a problem for us, Greg Carbin, forecaster with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center, told the Associated Press.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, 501 active fires are in progress, with more than half of them, 254, considered to be burning out of control.

How much has burned?

A wildfire burning near Mistissini, Quebec, on June 12. (Marc-Andre Leclerc/Canadian Forces/Handout via Reuters)

A record 30,000 square miles, or 17.7 million acres, have burned in Canada so far this year.

The amount of smoke emitted is also a new record. About 160 megatons of carbon emissions have been released, the highest annual total estimated for Canada since such recordkeeping began in 2003. The plumes of smoke have even reached Europe.

Wildfire season in Canada usually peaks around mid-July. This year, hundreds of blazes were already burning by May, as hotter and drier air made conditions ripe for wildfires.

Read more about the wildfire smoke on Yahoo News

As Mike Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in Williams Lake, British Columbia, explained to the AP, warmer weather attributable to climate change means the atmosphere sucks more moisture out of plants, making them much more likely to catch fire  and burn faster and hotter.

And forecasters predict the rest of the summer in Canada will stay hot and mostly dry. Its been a crazy year, Flannigan said. And Im not sure where its going to end.

What are the health risks?

A bicyclist rides along the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Exposure to wildfire smoke can be harmful to human health, causing symptoms ranging from eye and respiratory tract irritation to asthma attacks and heart failure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

But there are several things you can do to help mitigate your exposure.

 Keep an eye on the AQI: The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is a color-coded numerical scale that helps people understand the health risks and exposures to airborne pollutants at any given time. It measures the presence of five major pollutants and calculates a scale from 0 to 500. You can search for your ZIP code specifically.

Smoke can move quickly, depending on wind patterns, so when theres smoke in your area, you may want to check a few times throughout the day, especially before planning any strenuous outdoor activities.

"That's our new normal now," Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer, told the Canadian Press.

 Keep your indoor air clean: During wildfire smoke events, you also need to keep the indoor air clean, which means closing windows and, if necessary, using an air-filtration system or single-room air purifier. Experts also advise running an air conditioner with the air recirculating within the house, rather than bringing in air from outside.

"Air purifiers with a HEPA [or high efficiency particulate air] filter draw in the smoke, trap the particles and blow out clean air," Dr. Raymond Casciari, a pulmonologist at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif., told Yahoo Life.

 Mask up outside: If you do go outside when the air is deemed unhealthy, experts encourage you to wear a mask, especially if youll be outdoors for a prolonged period. The same masks that work best at reducing your risk of getting COVID-19 offer the most protection against smoke.

You want to think of the two Fs  filtration and fit. When it comes to filtration, you want a high-grade mask, whether its an N95 or a KF94, Joseph Allen, associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Health. You want that mask snug on your face, so that all the air youre breathing is forced to go through the filter of the mask.
As we round out the first month of hurricane season, Winter Park city commissioners will meet Thursday to discuss storm preparedness.

Officials said they plan to share details about ways they aim to improve the citys response to hurricanes as well as recovery efforts that follow.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. inside Commission Chambers at Winter Park City Hall, located at 401 South Park Avenue.

READ: Disturbance south of Bermuda being monitored

While Thursdays work session is open to the public, no public comment will be heard.

Residents who want to join the meeting virtually can register here.

READ: Extreme Heat Day: Rain chances down as Central Florida heats up

And while Central Floridas weather has seen a hot and mostly dry trend in recent days, things can change quickly and its never too early to prepare for a hurricane.

To lend Winter Park residents a hand, the city will host a free sandbag distribution next month.

From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 13, a sandbag station will be set up at Ward Park and Showalter Field, located at 288 Perth Lane in Winter Park.

WATCH: Woman rescued after falling off cruise ship out of Port Canaveral

City residents and business owners can fill up to eight sandbags in the parking lot.

The city will provide shovels, bags and sand on a first-come, first-served basis.

City staff will be on hand to help those who are physically unable to fill sandbags themselves.

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.
A woman facing numerous misdemeanor charges in connection with 146 dogs found dead at a Mantua Township home she owns now has several dozen felony counts against her in Cuyahoga County.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Barbara A. Wible, 68, on 36 counts of fifth-degree felony cruelty to animals Wednesday, according to the indictment.

More: Happy ending for Wren: Dog rescued in animal cruelty case with Portage ties gets new home

This is in addition to 50 counts of first-degree misdemeanor prohibitions concerning companion animals that the Portage Animal Protective League filed this week against Wible in Portage County Municipal Court. Half of those charges are against Wible doing business as Canine Lifeline, Inc., a dog rescue organization of which Wible is president and co-founder.

The APL said in a written statement that the charges are largely symbolic because Wible is hospitalized with terminal cancer.

Wible housed rescue dogs in two homes she owns in Mantua Township and Parma, authorities say.

In a media release issued Wednesday, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said Parma police and the Parma Fire Department responded to a welfare check at a home near West 54th Street and West Ridgewood Drive in Parma on June 2. When officers arrived, there was a strong odor coming from the home and numerous dog cages and feces were found inside the garage. Officers observed approximately four to five dogs, who appeared deceased,through the window.

Further investigation revealed a total of 36 dogs, which appeared to be malnourished, were locked in cagesinside the residence for an extended period of time. Their cages were too small and contained their ownfeces.

All 36 dogs lacked food or water; some dogs had not been fed since March, the release said. Out of the 36 dogs found, 12 were pronounced deceased on scene, three were transferred to a local emergencyveterinary clinic  one had to be euthanized  and 21 dogs were transferred to a local animal shelter.

This woman operated to the public under the guise of helping dogs in need of a home, and then causedthe death of 13 dogs and severely harmed 23 dogs in our county alone, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. OMalley said in a written statement. I hope this truly horrific case does not deter people from adopting dogs from reputable rescue organizations. If you have any concerns about animal mistreatment or abuse, you can report them to your local animal control officers and/or police department.

The Portage APL said its humane agent had been attempting to investigate the Mantua Township home since July 2022, but was not able to obtain a search warrant until June 15. At that time, the 146 dogs, all dead, were found.

Arraignment on the Portage County charges is scheduled for Monday. A court date in the Cuyahoga County case could not immediately be determined.

An attorney for Wible could not be identified.

Anyone with knowledge or details about the investigation is asked to contact Humane Agent Holly Ebner at humaneofficer@portageapl.org.

Record-Courier reporter Diane Smith contributed to this story. Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Woman accused of leaving dogs to die in Portage facing more charges
Bill Gates' private office asked female candidates sexual questions as a part of its hiring process, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Getty Images

Some women who applied to jobs at Gates Ventures were asked sexual questions, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Questions focused on sexual histories, drug use, and issues that could lead to blackmail, WSJ said.

A Gates Ventures spokesperson denied knowledge of the contractor's alleged questions.

Bill Gates' private office had a screening process in which the firm asked some female candidates sexually explicit questions, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Some women who applied for jobs at Gates Ventures, the billionaire's private family office that handles his investments, said that the questions included queries about their past sexual experiences, if they had naked pictures of themselves on their phone, what kind of porn they liked to watch, or if they had a sexually transmitted disease, the Journal reported. Other female workers who applied to the office said they'd been asked if they had ever "danced for dollars" or had an affair, the publication said, adding that the questions were posed by a third-party security firm, called Concentric Advisors, which is known for working with family offices.

The screenings took place over the past few years, according to the Journal, and included inquiries about past drug use and other sensitive issues. A Concentric Advisors spokesperson denied asking the questions and said its screening process examined whether potential hires were truthful or had potential "vulnerability to blackmail."

It can be illegal for companies to ask potential hires sensitive questions. Employers should avoid asking candidates personal questions that involve their gender identity, race, or religion, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Concentric Advisors told the Journal that its screening process does not violate the law and is the same for male candidates.

A Gates spokesperson denied it had any knowledge of any sexually explicit questioning in a statement to the Journal.

"Our hiring process is conducted with the utmost respect for each and every candidate, with a zero-tolerance policy for any participants, including service providers, who break this principle," a Gates Ventures spokesperson told Insider in a statement. "Further, any implication of any connection between Bill Gates' personal history and an independent background check process, identical for men and women, is outrageous."

A spokesperson for Concentric Advisors did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication.

Concentric told the publication its questions are aimed at measuring a potential hires "truthfulness and vulnerability to blackmail, which often starts with voluntary statements by the candidate with follow-up questions by company interviewers." The company also told the publication that not all the data gathered in the interviews is shared with the companies it works with or used to determine whether a candidate is hired.

"We have never received information from any vendor or interviewee in our 15+ year history that inappropriate questions were asked during the screening process," a spokesperson from Gates Venture told the Journal. "We can confirm, that after a comprehensive review of our records, no employment offer has ever been rescinded based on information of this nature."

Some candidates told the Journal that they were informed by current Gates Venture staff that someone who used to work for the CIA would investigate their personal information, such as their previous sexual relationships. The publication said that it viewed a document from the hiring process that required the candidate to sign a form giving Gates Ventures access to the "highly sensitive information." Potential hires said they were told during the screening process that their results would impact whether they were offered a job, the Journal reported. The document viewed by the publication also stated that the screening interview would "assess suitability for employment."

Gates himself has come under fire in the past, including for meeting with known sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which the Microsoft cofounder has acknowledged was a mistake. The Journal reported earlier this year that Epstein appeared to threaten to expose an affair in 2010 between the billionaire and a Russian bridge player. In 2019, Microsoft's board reportedly investigated Gates after an employee said she'd had a sexual relationship with the founder. The billionaire stepped down from the Microsoft board less than a year later while the investigation was still underway. At the time, a Gates spokesperson said the relationship was unrelated to Gates' decision to step down and the affair "ended amicably."

Read the Journal's full story on its website.

Read the original article on Business Insider
This wont go well for Trump: Experts say Giuliani trying to avoid indictment by cutting a deal

Rudy GiulianiAlex Wong/Getty Images

Former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was interviewed by special counsel Jack Smith's team last week as part of its investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, sources told CNN and The New York Times.

The "voluntary interview, which took place under what is known as a proffer agreement," comes as the special counsel probe has ramped up in recent weeks, according to the Times.

Sources told the outlet that the interview "touched on some of the most important aspects" of the probe into the ways that former President Donald Trump tried to overturn his loss.

A proffer agreement is an understanding between prosecutors and subjects of a criminal investigation that can precede a formal cooperation agreement, the report noted. Subjects agree to provide information to the government in exchange for avoiding potential charges or to avoid testifying under a subpoena before a grand jury. In exchange, prosecutors agree not to use their statements against them in criminal proceedings unless they lied.

Related

"Not a legal defense": Trump Jan. 6 lawyers "appear to have criminal exposure" as DOJ hauls in Rudy

Smith's team pressed Giuliani about the fake elector scheme and the role played by Trump legal adviser John Eastman in the plot. Giuliani also discussed former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, who pushed bizarre conspiracy theories that voting machines were hacked to steal the election before she was sanctioned by a federal judge.

Prosecutors also asked Giuliani about the scene at the Willard Hotel, where he, Eastman, and Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Boris Ephsteyn, among others, gathered to discuss strategies ahead of the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Giuliani's interview came as prosecutors "appear to be nearing charging decisions" in the fake elector scheme, a source told CNN, as prosecutors have pressed attorneys to "quickly bring in other witnesses for interviews."

National security attorney Bradley Moss tweeted that the "big news is this wasn't just an interview: it was a proffer session."

"Rudy is trying to avoid indictment," he wrote, though he cautioned that "this isn't necessarily an indication he is turning on Trump."

"Those conversations are still privileged anyway," he explained. "But he could be ratting out Eastman and Powell, for example, in order to make a deal."

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Former federal prosecutor Noah Bookbinder, the head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote that Giuliani's interview is "very significant" because he had a "front row seat to Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and was himself a leading force behind that effort."

CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen pointed out that there is only "one reason" Smith's team would take a proffer from Giuliani.

"They're considering ways to move up the Jan. 6 food chain," he wrote. "That's ominous for Trump."

Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman told MSNBC that Giuliani was "smack-dab in the middle of everything."

"If he comes totally clean here, Donald Trump is in big trouble, John Eastman is in big trouble, right down the line, possibly General Flynn, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon," he said.

"I don't think they have anybody who was in place in that Willard Hotel war room, and what was going on there, and what was the connection between people in that war room and the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers," he added. "That's what we want to find out, and that's what Jack Smith is going in for. Absolutely this is it. This is the big kill."

But former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann cautioned that while it's possible Giuliani could reach a deal with prosecutors, "it also could be far less than that."

"Remember Rudy went into the GA grand jury too and testified and apparently was adjudged by one juror as credible," he tweeted.

"Whether or not the Special Counsel buys what Rudy is selling," wrote former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi, "this won't go well for Trump."

Read more

about Rudy Giuliani
For eight hours on Wednesday, Juan Pedro Munoz Olvera worked in the searing Texas heat, building new homes in the state capitol of Austin as the heat index reached 115 degrees.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a sweeping new law that will eliminate local rules mandating water breaks for construction workers like Munoz.

Though Munoz, 45, said he has successfully convinced his bosses to give him and his co-workers 10-minute water breaks every hour during extreme heat, he worries that Abbotts latest action will open the door to potentially deadly abuses.

It was super, super hot today, he told USA TODAY in Spanish. Bosses change.

Salvador Alfredo wears protective clothing as he works outside Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Houston. Meteorologists say scorching temperatures brought on by a heat dome have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state.

A spokesman for Abbott said in a statement that ensuring the safety of Texans is a top priority as our state experiences high summer heat.

This bill maintains the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) standards to keep workers safe and will not inhibit people from taking water breaks, the statement said.

Heres what you need to know about the bill Abbott signed this week and what that means for workers in Texas and beyond:

What does the law signed by Abbott do?

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference in Austin.

The law Abbott signed on Tuesday does far more than nullify requirements in Austin and Dallas to provide water breaks to workers.

Passed in April by the Texas Legislature, HB 2127 takes aim at numerous local regulations, stripping away the power of cities and towns to pass or enforce ordinances involving nine broad areas of Texas law, including:

Business and Commerce

Occupations

Property

Insurance

Agriculture

Essentially, if something is already Texas law, cities or counties can't pass or enforce anything to the contrary. If they do, the law opens them up to lawsuits.

"The purpose of this act is to provide regulatory consistency across this state and return the historic exclusive regulatory powers to the state where those powers belong," the law says.

Supporters argue that the law will eliminate a patchwork of various municipal regulations that only create confusion. Critics, who've dubbed the law "the Death Star bill," say the move was a thinly veiled attack on Texas' more liberal cities and their progressive measures.

With Abbott's signature on Tuesday, the law to go into effect on Sept. 1.

Worker protections

Nathaniel Robertson walks back to his car after fishing and braving the triple-digit warmth as the sun sets over Lake Pflugerville, Texas, on June 26, 2023. According to National weather service, temperatures in Central Texas felt like 115+ during the heat wave.

Dallas and Austin have each passed ordinances requiring employers give construction workers a minimum of 10-minute water breaks every four hours. San Antonio was considering a similar measure.

Dallas' ordinance came in 2015 following the death of 25-year-old Roendy Granillo in the Dallas area. Granillo was installing hardwood floors in a house without air conditioning on a sweltering summer day in 2015. Granillo told his co-workers that his hands were cramping up and he was filling sick; they later found him lying on a bedroom floor, and he later died at a hospital, where his body temperature was 110 degrees.

According to OSHA reports, Granillo had no water, didn't take breaks and kept working even though he wasnt feeling well. OSHA fined Granillo's employer $30,000 for failing to keep the worksite free of hazards and for not having a medical plan in place for emergencies.

There were 436 work-related heat deaths in the U.S. between 2011 and 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number is likely an undercount because of the way some deaths are classified if there are other contributing factors.

Of those deaths, 42 were in Texas, making it the state with the most heat deaths in the U.S.

Texans desperately need ordinances like the ones in Austin and Dallas to ensure worker safety, said Daniela Hernandez, state legislative coordinator with the Workers Defense Project.

"There has to be accountability and an enforceable standard," she said. "Proponents of the bill kept saying, 'Oh, it's just impossible to keep up with all of these regulations.' We're just asking you to keep workers alive. And if you're already doing that, then great; a law saying so, whether it's at the state or federal or local level, shouldn't really bother you if you're already doing it."

OSHA's current safety guidelines provide workers with plenty of protection and the vast majority of employers are looking out for workers, said Geoffrey Tahuahua, a supporter of the new law and president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas.

"Saying that our job sites are going to be less safe because of this bill is blatantly false," he said. "We would challenge that, because again, our industry is really committed to the safety of our workers. That's something we take very seriously."

Nationwide

Shane Mullen, of Austin, cools off with a towel soaked in ice water at the Southwest Softball Association for the Deaf regional tournament at Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park in Austin, Texas, on a hot afternoon Friday June 23, 2023.

California, Oregon and Washington are the only states that have passed laws requiring employers to provide shade and water when temperatures soar. California became the first after four farm workers died of heat stroke in 2005.

Similar bills have been introduced in other states, including Texas, but have not passed.

Worker advocates say they're hoping that OSHA will finalize a national standard for heat safety, though they're not optimistic it will come soon.

"They're currently trying to develop safety standards, but it takes years for OSHA to get those standards approved and passed in place," she said. "Right now it is completely up to the employer if they want to give their worker a rest break. It's great when they do but for those who don't, then what protection do those workers have?"

Heat wave

Dangerous heat is in the forecast for more than 30 million Americans who could see temperatures of 115 degrees or higher as the Fourth of July approaches.

Over 31 million people faced an excessive heat warning throughout the country on Wednesday, with temperatures over 115 degrees being recorded in parts of the U.S. by the USA TODAY Heat Index.

The highest temperatures forecast on Thursday are in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, where temperatures could hit over 115 degrees across the region.

On Friday, more states are expected to experience temperatures of over 115 degrees, including Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas.

To report a heat violation by your employer, call OSHA toll-free at 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas heat, worker deaths a concern as local authority reduced
The working from home rules that could shave 300 off your tax bill

The working from home rules that could take over 300 off your tax bill

Its no secret that Britains workforce is still feeling the effects of the pandemic; millions of people changed their working habits, and many are unwilling to return to spending all of their working hours in an office.

Many companies sold their office space, instead offering fully remote or hybrid-style jobs where employees are only expected in the office a couple of times a week.

As such, Britain is now the working from home capital of Europe. Employees may cite many benefits to this style of working, but the tax system offers surprisingly few incentives for employees, particularly compared to those who work for themselves.

Unlike employed staff, the 4.4 million self-employed workers can offset many household expenses against their tax bill. This army of self-employed workers is marching higher with 4.4 million now operating in the UK  thats 154,000 more than this time last year, according to official data.

Here, Telegraph Money explains exactly what you can claim for working from home.

If youre an employee working from both home and office

When workers were instructed, wherever possible, to work from home during the pandemic the Government opened a loophole allowing all workers to claim a 6 per week flat-rate deduction against regular employment income.

This meant that anyone who worked from home during the 2020-21 or 2021-22 tax years could claim the tax relief for the full year, even if they had only actually worked from home for a day.

The good news is that anyone who hasnt made a claim for these tax years can still make a backdated claim; you have until April 5 2025 to make claims for 2020-21, and until April 5 2026 to claim for 2021-22. You can make a claim online: www.tax.service.gov.uk/claim-tax-relief-expenses/claim-any-other-expense.

The bad news is this loophole has been closed, so you cant make the same claim for 2022-23 onwards. Employees can only make tax relief claims for working from home now if your job requires you to live a long way from your office, or if you have no office to go to.

You cant make claims if you choose to work from home some or all of the time, or if you cant go into your office every day because its too full. Its also no longer possible to claim tax relief if youre working from home due to coronavirus.

Now read: How working from home will depress house prices for good

Whats the flat-rate of tax relief?

Any employees who are eligible can get tax relief on a flat-rate of 6 per week.

Basic-rate taxpayers get 1.20 a week  which is the 20pc tax relief on 6  which totals 62.40 for the year.

Higher-rate taxpayers receive 2.40 a week, or 124.80 per tax year, while top-rate taxpayers will bank 2.70 a week, or 140.40 per tax year.

The tax relief will usually be paid via changing your tax code, and is a recognition of the extra costs youll be paying (eg energy) that you wouldnt pay if you were working in an office. You dont need to provide proof of your expenses to HMRC for this.

If you feel that this level of tax relief doesnt cover the extra youre paying from working from home, you may be able to claim your actual expenses  but the process is trickier.

In order to claim your actual business costs you will need to be able to back up your spending claims with proof, such as bank statements, bills and invoices, showing the costs incurred while working at home.

Robert Salter of accountancy firm Blick Rothenberg says: This can be reasonably difficult and can require an employee to retain receipts and invoices, for example, for a period of at least four years following the relevant tax year for bills incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the course of business at home.

Only a relatively small number of employees claim any additional home office relief each year.

Ian Goodwin, tax partner at Mazars, highlights how working out the costings can be challenging.

Using broadband as an example, he says. It is extremely difficult to claim for tax relief on home broadband given there will be a personal benefit to the home broadband and HMRC does not often accept that it is wholly exclusively and necessarily for business use, particularly for flexible home workers.

There are situations where HMRC may accept tax relief can be claimed on a second faster broadband line for business purposes only.

Its not just the taxman you can look to for help. Some companies offer financial assistance on top of your contracted salary, as they will be saving on their own costs  for instance, if theyve sold the companys office. Any such payment from your employer would be subject to income tax, however.

If youre self-employed and work from home

If you work as a sole trader and your home is your workplace, unlike those who are employed, there are plenty of tax allowances to help with increased household bills.

As with employed workers, you can either choose to go for a flat-rate of tax relief or detail your precise expenses.

The flat-rate tax relief is based on the number of hours worked from home each month, which can save you more than 300 a year in tax.

Working from home tax relief

If you want to claim specific expenses, youre allowed to take a proportion of some of your home running costs used for work purposes. This reduces your profit and therefore means youll pay less tax.

However, youll only be able to claim for the proportion of expenses based on the area you use to work, and the amount of time you spend working there. For example, if you do all of your work from a specific home office room, and you wanted to claim for the cost of heating and lighting that room while you work, youd need to work out the proportional size of the room compared to the whole property, and the proportional amount of time you spend working in the room.

The proportion you deduct comes off your total profit. For example, if your turnover is 50,000, and you claim 10,000 in allowable expenses, you only pay tax on 40,000  known as your taxable profit.

You may be able to claim a proportion of costs for outgoings such as:

Council tax

Mortgage interest

Rent

Heating

Electricity

Internet and phone use

However, some of the deductions arent quite cut and dry, warned Mr Salter. You might be able to deduct a proportion of maintenance costs of your home office, he said.

But if the home office is partly used for business and partly for the kids to do their homework then only an element of the costs would be allowed.

While it is attractive for self-employed people to claim tax relief on wider household expenditure, the reality is that such deductions are subject to quite strict conditions.

If youre unsure about what can and cant be included as expenses, it could pay to get professional tax advice to make sure you get it right.

Now read: Self-employed? Here are five (perfectly legal) ways to beat the taxman

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NEW YORK - Turnout was expectedly low for New York City's primary elections Tuesday, but Central Harlem saw thousands more voters than any other district. It resulted in a landslide victory for City Council candidate Yusef Salaam.

With more than 50% of the more than 11,000 primary votes, Salaam secured the District 9 council seat surrounded by supporters chanting his name. Facing established State Assembly members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor, the Exonerated Five member used his personal plight as a falsely convicted prisoner as a platform.

"The system that was trying to make me believe that I was my ancestors' wildest nightmare, but I am my ancestors' wildest dreams," Salaam said during his victory speech at Harlem Tavern Tuesday night.

Read more: New York Primary results: Big night for Yusef Salaam in Harlem

Political strategist Basil Smikle said the result of the race could signal a shift for the community.

"Considering now this is the second time where voters have chosen someone other than the old guard," Smikle said, referring to current seat holder Kristin Richardson Jordan, "suggests that there is a growing movement, that has been for a little while, to change course."

Watch Jessi Mitchell's extended one-on-one with Salaam

Key to the victory was mentorship from New York County Democratic leader Keith Wright, who once served Harlem alongside Salaam's opponents.

"He took the bullets for this community," Wright said, "and quite frankly I believe that he is Harlem's answer to Nelson Mandela because he was a political prisoner."

Wright lost his last election to Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who endorsed Dickens along with Mayor Eric Adams.

"I think it's a loss for them," Smikle said of Espaillat and Adams, "but I think it's a bigger victory for Keith Wright. That he was able, with those forces notwithstanding, that he was able to pull this off."

Salaam, father of ten, now plans to use his past to better Harlem's future.

"I was born for this," Salaam said in his speech. "Every single thing that happens to you happens for you."

The Muslim Community Network reports Salaam is just the fourth Muslim in history to win a council seat, although they make up 9% of the city's population.

Have a story idea or tip in Harlem? Email Jessi by CLICKING HERE.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that on 29 June, he spent a busy day in negotiations and meetings and spoke about the beginning of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union and about further support from the United States.

Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the evening address

Quote: "The European Council meeting  it is already a tradition for Ukraine to be among the members of the European Union. The agenda is obvious: our defence in this war, our path to victory, support from our partners

Ukraine influences the strength of Europe. This is a fact. And this year, it is time to use this and other similar facts to strengthen unity in Europe, including by starting negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union."

Details: Zelenskyy said it was a busy day, which ended with his meeting with Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament).

On this day, the president had a meeting with American politician Mike Pence, a conversation with the President of Guatemala, a meeting with environmental activists and representatives of the Ukrainian business community, and he participated in the Chatham House 2022 award ceremony.

Quote: "I am grateful to all those who work for Ukraine, for Ukrainians, who preserve and create new jobs, who pay taxes, and who are already preparing for our recovery, for the large-scale transformation programme of Ukraine that we will definitely implement after our victory.

And, of course, our warriors and our defence. I am grateful to each and every one of them for defending our country! I thank all those who are in combat now and who also gave us the best news today - the advancement of Ukrainian positions. Glory to you, our heroes!

I thank everyone in the world who really helps us!"

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
At the meeting with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, the representative of the Ukrainian business community proposed creating a coordination platform for communication concerning the protection of business rights and consideration of other issues.

Source: Presidents Office of Ukraine

Details: Zelenskyy acted in support of this initiative and suggested choosing the work format.

Quote: "It is important to create a platform where we would constantly talk. Because we cannot accumulate problems for years; we will simply not be able to solve them later," Zelenskyy explained.

Details: He added that reserving and creating new workplaces, especially during the war, is an issue of utmost importance for the stability of the Ukrainian economy.

The rebuilding of Ukraine is a huge project, and the participation of Ukrainian and foreign businesses that have worked and are working now in Ukraine will be a priority.

Quote: "But the doors will be open for many companies. We need hundreds and thousands of companies to come to us," the president stressed.

"During the meeting, the parties agreed on joint efforts to reduce problems for business from law enforcement agencies, discussed the situation in the tax area and prospects for its reform, touched upon tax audits, and [discussed] the issue of enhancing the efficiency of agencies that are supposed to stimulate economic development and provide investment support," the Presidents Office added.

Background: On 29 June, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the first time during the full-scale war, gathered a few tens of top entrepreneurs and members of business associations in Ukraine at the meeting.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Philippines is seen as a model when it comes to migration policies as remittances from around the world continue to grow even with the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday.

In a one-on-one interview with CNN Philippines, ILO Director General Gilbert Houngbo said Manila is doing well in addressing the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) compared to other countries.

The OFWs know their major contribution to the economy so this has been one of the take away from my visit and the government is doing fairly well I must say compared to other sending countries that we are working with, said Houngbo.

The ILO chief met with Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople and with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) team to discuss the support the Philippine government is giving to OFWs.

There are a lot of positive things that the country is doing that can help other countries, the ILO chief said.

In an interview with CNN Philippines Politics as Usual, Ople said the country is also becoming the model of other nations in terms of its migration governance.

Actually, ahead tayo of the curve eh kaya tayo nagiging modelo sa migration governance. Kasi tinitignan nila 'yung protective mechanisms natin, she said.

Maraming requests galing sa ibang bansa, gusto nila magpadala ng teams dito para malaman kung paano natin pinoproteksyunan ang ating OFWs. We should be very proud of that, she added.

[Translation: Actually, we are ahead of the curve which is why we are being viewed as a model in migration governance. They look at our protective mechanisms. There are a lot of requests from other countries, they want to send teams here to learn how we protect our OFWs. We should be very proud of that.]

Healthcare workers leaving PH a major issue

Despite the positive review, the ILO also acknowledged that more healthcare workers want to work abroad than in the Philippines due to better compensation and benefits.

Its a major issue, said Houngbo when asked on how to strike a balance between wanting to keep the healthcare workers in the country and yet cannot compete with what is being offered in other countries.

The ILO official said that there is what we call circular migration.

How do we organize economic migration in a way that migrants go to other countries not only to earn a living but we also ensure that their rights are protected, labor rights are protected and human rights are protected and their remittances will be sent back home and some of them could come back with the experience that they have acquired and contribute to the Development of their countries, Houngbo explained.

Its circular migration, some may stay abroad, some may also come back and contribute, he added.

The Philippines could also work together with countries that have existing bilateral labor agreement deals to come up with win-win solutions.

The Philippines have a Memorandum of Understanding with other countries, so the government should start considering telling the receiving countries to contribute, to step up the number of nurses being trained in education so that there is a minimum that can remain and then some will be coming back. So circular migration is balancing that gap, he added.
Zelenskyys office calls out Russia's threat to destroy Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant

There is a possibility that the Russian military will destroy the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, as the aggressor state has a "propensity for terrorist warfare," advisor to the head of the Presidents Office Mykhailo Podolyak said on June 29.

Read also: Zaporizhzhya NPP sabotage could contaminate Black Sea basin with radioactivity, expert says

Podolyak said that Russia's terrorist actions include, among other things, the mining of facilities, destruction of infrastructure in the occupied territories to prevent the advance of the defense forces, and attacks with cruise missiles to put psychological pressure on Ukrainians.

Podolyak said that Ukraine and its international partners should work on blocking Rosatom, the Russian atomic agency, and forming a summit that would outline the consequences for Russia if it talks about or uses tactical nuclear weapons or blows up the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.

Read also: No need to take iodine in case of Russian terrorist act at Zaporizhzhya NPP  scientists

"We want this to be clear to our partners, that we should no longer say that Russia is a country that is sensitive to some international rules  it ignores them, and therefore we need to prevent this through, let's say, tougher sanctions and rhetoric," the representative of Zelenskyys administration said.

Read also: Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to hold evacuation drills amid possible terrorist attack at ZNPP

Threat to Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant  What is known

The head of Ukraines Defense Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said on June 25 that the Russians had completed preparations for a possible terrorist attack at the occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Equipment with explosives was deployed near four of the six reactors.

Read also: No landmines detected at ZNPP during IAEAs Grossi visit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 22 that Russia is considering a scenario of a terrorist attack at the nuclear plant it has seized and has "prepared everything for this."

Earlier, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant threatens operations at the plant. There are alleged risks of losing the necessary water levels to cool the reactors within weeks.

Before that, on June 15, Grossi said the situation at the plant was "serious" and they are trying to "stabilize" it. The nucelar power plant relies on a steady water supply from the Kakhovka Reservoir to cool its reactors. Without adequate cooling, there are risks of a nuclear accident.

The Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam on June 6, and within days the water levels in the Kakhovka Reservoir had fallen too low to supply water from it to the reactor cooling ponds.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will personally come to Vilnius for the North Atlantic Alliance summit only if Ukraine gets a satisfactory result.

Source: Ihor Zhovkva, the deputy head of the Office of the President and Zelenskyy's diplomatic adviser, in an interview with Reuters, as European Pravda reports

Details: When asked what the minimum conditions are for Zelenskyy's presence at the NATO summit, Zhovkva referred to his speech in the parliament, where the Ukrainian leader spoke about the importance of courage in the modern world.

Quote: "The president will not travel ... to the summit if the leaders will tend to or will show a deficit of courage, while Ukraine with all its courage, will and strength and high morale is fighting against Russian aggression," he said.

Details: He added that the president of Ukraine "doesn't have the reason and time to go" to the summit in Vilnius if "there is no result".

According to Zelenskyy's advisor, Ukraine is now closer to receiving an invitation than "half a year ago."

Background:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy understands the impossibility of Ukraine joining NATO during the war, but he does not see the point of participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius if, as a result, Ukraine does not receive specific signals about when it can join the Alliance.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, in turn, expects Zelenskyy and the first lady of Ukraine to attend the NATO summit and will be very surprised if this does not happen.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Zoomies of fast little dog halt train traffic in Australia. Watch the pup go, go, go

Morning commuters in Australia encountered an unusual  and adorable  train delay: a speedy dog who had some zoomies to get out.

The dog, Heidi, escaped her owner around 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 29, at a train station in Sydney and took off down the track, 9News reported.

Train passengers and staff at another station spotted Heidi running along the tracks and alerted authorities, the outlet reported.

Video footage shared by 10 News First shows Heidi zooming along the tracks. The small, fluffy dog made two laps of the train track, the outlet reported.

As trains came to a halt, T1 Sydney Trains issued a travel warning for passengers to allow extra travel time due to animals in the rail corridor, according to a post on Twitter.

Heidi outran officials who attempted to rescue her, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Over an hour later and finally satisfied with her run, she exited the tracks near a station where officials captured her, the outlet reported.

Officials rescued the dog, Heidi, from the train tracks.

Heidi is 10-years-old so she should be slowing down by now but no, she still has the energy of 45 puppies, Heidis owner told The Sydney Morning Herald.

I also want to apologize to everyone like me who was held up by this whole incident this morning, the owner told 9News.

It was a fast little dog, Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland told The Sydney Morning Herald.

The adventurous dog, Heidi, after finishing her run.

Transport for New South Wales shared photos of the rescue on Facebook.

The rogue pupper did cause some trains to be delayed and is one lucky pooch, officials said.

Sydney Trains shared a photo on Twitter of a happy-looking Heidi after finishing her run.

I dont mind being late this morning for this wee pup, one person commented on Facebook. Thank goodness shes ok.

Dog stuck in Arizona canal cant resist ultimate lure  a pumpkin muffin. See the video

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Puppy warms hearts on TikTok as he waits to take girlfriend on dates. See him greet her
The president of the Amherst County branch of the NAACP told the county board of supervisors June 20 the organization holds steady in its request for the board to address a Confederate monument on county property.

Gloria Witt, of Madison Heights, who heads the local NAACP, was among six speakers to address the statue thats been at the Amherst courthouse since 1922 during the boards June 20 public comments session. The local NAACP in May sent a letter to the county calling the monument an anomaly and favored the noble cause language in the plaque being removed. Roughly a dozen residents spoke before the board at a June 6 meeting in fierce support of the monument and said it should stay as is.

The board held a closed session at the end of the meeting for consultation with the county attorney on the monument. Supervisors did not take any action afterward and members have yet to comment publicly on the matter.

Speaking to the board shortly before that closed discussion, Witt told members they are charged with the responsibility of tending to the well-being of all county citizens.

In 1860, the overall population was 13,742 and 6,278 were enslaved, which was 45%, according to figures Witt cited in her remarks.

The NAACP asked this board to address the monument because we feel its a throwback to the era when institutionalized racism was a painful reality, Witt said. Clearly, the noble cause on the plaque is not shared by all county residents and is offensive to me.

Scott Peyton, of Amherst, also addressed the board at the same meeting with a differing viewpoint. Peyton said a family member referred to the Civil War as the war of Northern aggression and he addressed the emotions it stirs in those opposed to the monument.

Ive heard and I respect that there are those, possibly some here tonight, who are offended by the language that refers to the Souths noble cause, Peyton said, adding he suspects the grievance is their belief the noble cause refers to the institution of slavery. I challenge that as a misinterpretation with the reality being that the cause for which the Confederate soldier took up arms was to protect their homes and families that were being devastated by the invasion of an army from the North.

Peyton said many of the Civil War battles were fought on Virginia soil and his remarks are not to minimize the issue of slavery as a compelling and contributing factor in the war.

The men in the South so bravely fought and died, Peyton said. This monument is intended to honor their sacrifice.

Peyton said on a recent trip to Maine many small towns he visited memorialized Union soldiers and to the best of his knowledge no one is clamoring to remove those statues.

The challenge before you is to devise a resolution for the controversy of people from differing opinions and sentiments, Peyton told the board. If you feel compelled to do anything, there is a fair and reasonable path forward. There is a benefit to add to and not subtract from. Add a broader context to our public space that reflects the differing perspectives about this challenging period of time in our nations history. But dont take anything away. This is an opportunity for expanded learning and understanding within our community. I say tell it all.

Witt said the larger and more critical truth in slavery was the cornerstone on which the Confederacy was built.

We advocate for teaching a more complete history in our schools and public spaces, Witt said. The good, the bad, the ugly, especially African-American history in its fullness, is not taught. And what is taught is under attack.

Witt added the NAACP is a non-partisan organization and rejects the left-wing agenda label any speaker uses to gaslight this issue.

Any future references to the NAACP as extreme or partisan organization are to be ignored, Witt said. Yes, we are woke  woke to the inequities in housing, employment, criminal justice, education, banking and health care that exists in todays America.

Amherst resident Michael Esposito said the monument was built with private funds just more than a century ago during a time when the South had finally recovered from the Civil War; and following the victory of World War I, there was a push to honor local Confederate soldiers who were dying off.

History is an interpretive discipline. We look through the dusty lens of the present to try and make some sense of the past, Esposito said. The only way we can do that is to ground that interpretation with the artifacts that were from previous generations. The monument that stands at the courthouse is an example of one of these artifacts.

The courthouse was a fitting spot for the monument because it was the gathering place they were mustered into military service.

Esposito said if artifacts from past eras arent left behind, the interpretation of history in future generations will be flawed, a first step in history being lost.

In order to prevent that from happening in Amherst County, we should leave the monument alone, Esposito said. We shouldnt alter it or deface it any way in the name of political correctness because that view of political correctness is going to change over time. We shouldnt move it in order to placate one group of citizens because were just going to antagonize another. If we create this culture of division, all were going to do is perpetuate conflict and I dont think that contributes to the future of the county.

Mark Magruder, of Amherst, said he feels the monument should be removed because, in his view, it does not serve us today or in the future.

The Confederate monument at the Amherst County courthouse shows the dominance of one people and culture over another, he said.

His wife, Ella Magruder, said her great grandfather walked home barefoot from Appomattox after serving in the Civil War to a devastated world. His younger brother had been killed in the war and she grew up with so many stories about the Souths role.

They were beloved, they were good men, Ella Magruder said, adding of her ancestor who fought for the South: He was beloved but he did fight for a cause that I believe is abhorrent. I believe that monument should be taken down and replaced.

Melodie Fletcher, a Madison Heights resident who also is part of the NAACP, said the organization is not in the business of removing monuments to make money. The organization raises money to address voter suppression and other discriminatory actions affecting marginalized groups, as well as educational initiatives, he said.

The NAACP seeks to collaborate and cooperate, not to dictate, Fletcher told the board. As the conversations continue our local chapter shares with your objective of making Amherst County a perfect slice of Virginia.
GhostStop, a resource for paranormal investigators, has announced it will be moving from its current location in St. Cloud, Florida, to downtown Lynchburg at 918 Commerce St.

Founded by Shawn Porter 16 years ago, GhostStop is a provider of ghost hunting equipment, including ghost boxes, kits, lasers, lights and cameras.

According to a news release, the decision to move to Lynchburg is a significant milestone for the company and its commitment to serving fellow investigators.

Beyond hosting GhostStops storefront and manufacturing facilities, Ghost HQ will provide investigators with access to investigative spaces, training, meeting rooms, evidence review collaboration and research offices, the release states. This high-tech and constructive environment aims to facilitate innovation, foster unity and propel the field forward.

GhostStop has always been a champion for innovation, diversity, and unity within the paranormal field and beyond, Porter said in the release. Our relocation to Lynchburg and the establishment of Ghost HQ reflects our unwavering commitment to these values. We are excited to continue driving progress alongside our fellow investigators and look forward to welcoming them to Ghost HQ in the summer of 2023.

The move to Lynchburg presents an opportunity for the paranormal research community, as GhostStop extends an open invitation to investigators from around the world to join them at Ghost HQ, the release states. The establishment is poised to become a central hub for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and advancement in the field.
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is poised to bring lower air quality and a hazy, gray look to the sky to end the way. It'll blow in from the Midwest where low visibility and harmful air quality levels were reported. Lee Weather Team's Meteorologist Joe Martucci explains how significant the
Nearly four years after pouring its first pint, Council Bluffs first craft brewery is taking its operation statewide with a new distribution deal that will see its award-winning beers available in Okoboji this summer and points further east as the year progresses.

Full Fledged Brewing Company, owned by Dessie and Marshall Redmond, announced its partnership with Doll Distributing in a news release earlier this month.

We knew Doll would be the best fit for us, and it was going to be a good partnership, Marshall Redmond said in an interview with The Nonpareil. Being out in the market for three and a half years myself, and selling the beer, Ive spent time around their sales team, whore doing the same thing I was doing, got to know a few of them out in the market, got to know their reputation. We've done our due diligence, and talked with our customers to see what sort of reputation they had in town, and it's all positive feedback. Theyre our basically next door neighbors, and we knew it would be a good fit.

Doll and Full Fledged are located less than a mile apart in the cluster of businesses near the I-29/I-80 interchange  in fact, Full Fledged makes a pale ale that is named after their location, 29 Eighty.

Doll Distributing is a family-owned business that started in Council Bluffs. The company has several distribution centers throughout western and central Iowa, and southern Minnesota, and has invested in state-of-the-art technology to provide customers with the industry's highest in-stock rate and shipping accuracy.

"Full Fledged Brewing Company is an exciting addition to the Council Bluffs community," Doll Distributings George Doll said in the news release. "For us to be a partner in their further growth and success is a real privilege and a great opportunity."

Previously available only in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, Full Fledged is excited to get its product in front of new potential customers.

It just means growth, and growth is a good thing, Redmond said. Love to get our beers out in front of more people. Weve got award-winning beers, won 10 international medals last year, and we picked up one so far this year, and we just want to keep that going.

The potential for growth was on Redmonds mind even before the brewery opened in July 2019. Full Fledged was built to have a brewing capacity of about 2,000 barrels  equivalent to 4,000 kegs  Redmond said.

We will probably do 800 to 1,000 this year, he said. We did 700 last year, so were growing.

At its local brewery, Full Fledged can have up to 18 different beers on tap at any given time, including small batch and seasonal brews. The most popular beer is Councils Kolsch, which Redmond describes as being the most approachable beer that we make, just a neutral, light, crisp, easy drinking kind of everyday beer.

Full Fledged isnt afraid to experiment either. Theres the jalapeno-infused Chili Buzz, and a small batch herbal tea-infused beer called Evening in the Bluffs. Theres even a beer made with pickles.

Some of the more interesting recipes have come from brewer Mackenzie Lander, who has worked at Full Fledged for nearly two years.

I like designing recipes and coming up with fun ideas, Lander said in an interview with The Nonpareil. I really appreciate Marshall and Dessie here. They let me kind of have a good free reign on my ideas, which is really nice. A lot of people cant say that, in any industry. Im able to be pretty creative and thats always something I really strived to find in a job.

Like with any creative endeavor, Lander knows that not everyone will enjoy everything he comes up with, but its always nice to hear when someone does.

It's just a good feeling, Lander said. You put that out there, you work your whole life to put this out there, and when someone really enjoys it, it's nice. It's like having a piece of art in an exhibit and someone walks by and they admire it. It's a good feeling, knowing that you did that and someone appreciates it.

Full Fledged will be celebrating its fourth anniversary on July 15 with four new small batch beers, new merchandise, and a full day of games, activities and music. The brewery and taproom are at 40 Arena Way, Suite 2, right across from the Mid-America Center. For more information, visit facebook.com/fullfledgedbrewingcompany.
Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand talked about Education Savings Accounts, Medicaid and access to state documents during an appearance in Council Bluffs Wednesday, June 28, as part of his fifth 100 Town Hall tour.

Sand spoke to about 25 people in a shelter house at Sunset Park (which was fortunate, since his remarks were interrupted by a sudden downpour). In response to a question from a member of the audience, Sand said 15,000 to 20,000 applications had been filed for Education Savings Accounts  more than the 14,000 estimated by the Legislative Services Agency.

As of June 9, more than 15,500 applications had already been filed, according to an article from the Lee-Gazette Des Moines Bureau. Families have until June 30 to apply for state money. The state budgeted $107.4 million for the new program, which would fund about 14,000 scholarships.

My broader concern with the voucher bill is very straightforward: Theres an absolutely astounding lack of oversight in the bill, Sand said. Once you have paid your money in as tuition to the private school, there is only a single limitation on what the private school can do with the money. The only thing that they cant do with it is offer a rebate or a refund.

He theorized that the restriction was included to prevent kickbacks but had the perhaps unintended effect of preventing students who receive ESAs from being eligible for a refund if they withdraw from a private school.

Public school supporters say private schools are less accountable because they do not have the same reporting requirements as public schools.

There does need to be a level playing field, and there isnt, Sand said.

Another attendee was concerned about limited access to medical care for Medicaid recipients because of insufficient providers and transportation.

Transportation companies are less likely to fulfill rides in rural areas, if they are like everyone else in Iowa and are experiencing a workforce shortage, Sand said. The state reimbursement rates are so low theres not much incentive for people to take the jobs or to do the work.

The same is true for direct care jobs, such as home health aides, Sand said.

State government pays so little for these jobs that are physically demanding that take a lot of bodily strength that job seekers can earn as much or more doing easier jobs, he said.

Several people then asked Sand what could be done about it.

A lot of solving any problems in governance, I think, comes down to being active and raising a stink about it  and thats sometimes the job of citizens, he said. So writing letters to the editor, contacting your legislators, getting local folks to sign a petition so legislators think oh, theres a lot of people who think this is an important issue that needs to get addressed.

Sand also spoke on legislation passed this year that could limit the state auditors office from gaining access to state records. In effect, state agencies can hide documents from the auditors office as long as they get the governor to agree, he said.

If the office has a dispute with a state agency, the matter does not go to court but rather a three-person arbitration panel composed of one person from the agency, one from the auditors office and one appointed by the governor, Sand said.

So two people who work for the governor and one person who works for us, he said.

The panels decision is final, Sand said.

We uncovered a record amount of waste, fraud and abuse in my first term, he said. Some people didnt like that. I thought it was us doing our job. If you are running state government, you cant see every single thing that is happening.

An audience member asked what Sand intended to do about it.

What we can do, we will do  and we think its going to be effective, he said. Ive never been one for picking pointless fights. If we think that theres a suit we can file that is a good suit that we have a chance of winning, we may do that.

Our general approach is going to be to continue to do the work that we think we need to do to do our job and continue to ask for the documents we think we need to have to do our job. And if, with this new statute, they start saying no and denying us access to records, well have to see when and where they deny us information and go from there.

Abraham Lincoln High School teacher Dirk Waller, who attended the event, said he was favorably impressed by Sand.

I think hes the future, he said. Hes taken a stand.

Retired elementary teacher Gail Kenkel said she thought Sand was fair.

The focus should be for the good of the people of the state of Iowa, she said.

Sands trip was to also include stops in Missouri Valley, Harlan and Audubon.
DETROIT  Smoky air from Canada's wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky on Wednesday, prompting warnings to stay inside and exacerbating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution.

The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had some of the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday, prompting the Environmental Protection Agency to warn that "everyone should stay indoors."

"The more breaths you're taking, you're inhaling, literally, a fire, camp smoke, into your lungs," said Darren Riley, who was diagnosed with asthma in 2018, a few years after arriving in Detroit.

"Many communities face this way too often," said Riley, who is Black. "And while this wildfire smoke allows, unfortunately, many people to feel this burden, this is a burden that far too long communities have faced day in and day out."

The EPA's AirNow.gov site showed cities including Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, Ohio, had "very unhealthy air" as of Wednesday afternoon. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.

Earlier this month, smoke from the wildfires blanketed the U.S. East Coast for days.

Another round of drifting smoke from the wildfires was moving through western Pennsylvania and central New York and headed toward the Mid-Atlantic, said National Weather Service meteorologist Byran Jackson. In Canada, smoke will migrate across Quebec and Ontario over the next few days, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said.

Detroit's southwest side is home to a number of sprawling refineries and manufacturing plants. It is one of the poorest parts of the city. According to a 2022 report by the American Lung Association, the city's long- and short-term particle pollution ranked among the worst in the nation.

"Being close to those refineries  that's an environmental factor that's difficult to control," said Dr. Ruma Srivastava, a pediatric pulmonologist at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. "It does increase their risk for asthma flareups. For them, it's even more important to follow the (air quality safety) recommendations."

Riley's own experiences prompted him to start JustAir, which provides air pollution monitoring.

"Just because you're born in a certain ZIP code or you're born into a certain family with a certain skin color doesn't mean that you should have an unequal go at it," he said.

Elsewhere, Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services saw a spike in calls for residents with respiratory complaints, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Office of Emergency Management data show a disproportionate amount of calls for respiratory issues  54.8%  have been for Black people in Milwaukee, according to the newspaper. Milwaukee County's population is 27.1% Black.

In Chicago, where about 29% of the population is Black, Mayor Brandon Johnson urged young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors. He pledged "swift action to ensure that vulnerable individuals have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families."

Minnesota issued a record 23rd air quality alert for the year through late Wednesday night, as smoky skies obscured the skylines of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were among other states issuing air quality alerts, and cities including Louisville also advised people to limit prolonged or intense outdoor activity.

"This is particularly thick smoke," said Jackson, with the National Weather Service.

Across Canada, 490 fires are burning, with 255 of them considered to be out of control. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported Monday that 29,393 square miles of land including forests has burned across Canada since Jan. 1. That exceeds the previous record set in 1989 of 29,187 square miles, according to the National Forestry Database.

"As long as the fires are burning and the smoke is in the atmosphere it is going to be a concern not just for Canadians but Americans as well," said Flisfeder, the Canadian meteorologist.

The small particles in wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can affect the heart and lungs, making it harder to breathe. Health officials say it's important to limit outdoor activities to avoid breathing in the particles.

The warming planet will produce hotter and longer heat waves, making for bigger, smokier fires, said Joel Thornton, professor and chair of the department of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington.

Quentin Hernandez, a 24-year-old event planner from Detroit, was out skateboarding for about an hour Wednesday at a skate park near the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the city and Windsor, Ontario.

"It just sits like this all day," said Hernandez, saying that it smelled like being at a barbecue. "Literally, the smoke just sits in the air."
A dizzying array of illegal weaponry dots market stalls across the Sahel, fueling violence and insecurity in this 6,000-km-wide belt in the middle of Africa, where smuggling networks exploit the ensuring desperation of people, leading to such deadly disasters as the recent shipwreck off the coast of Greece, according to the latest series of reports published by the United Nations.

The latest series in the UN News explores the fight against trafficking in the Sahel, focusing on the illegal arms trade that is fueling conflict and terrorism and, in turn, migrant smuggling. All the armed groups involved in inter-communal tensions, violent religious extremism and terrorism are now dealing with firearms and ammunition, according to a recent report on firearms trafficking published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). As the numbers of group members multiply, so too do business opportunities for traffickers.

The report tracks cases with a view to better understand the phenomenon and its drivers. When Nigerian authorities asked a suspect how his group had spent the $100,000 ransom paid to free the schoolgirls they had kidnapped, he said we bought more rifles, according to the report. Over the past decade, a cascade of consequences spilled across the Sahel, home to 300 million people, destabilizing nations and spreading a tide of trafficked weapons into villages, towns, and cities.

As a result of the unabated armed violence, terrorist attacks, and climate shocks in the Sahel, which have displaced three million people and triggered growing numbers of others to flee, migrant smugglers have been reaping rich dividends over the past decade, according to a new threat assessment report by the UNODC. External threats like the crisis in Sudan are creating a snowball effect on the region, Mar Dieye, the UN Secretary-Generals Special Coordinator in the Sahel said.

Not stopping this fire that started from Sudan and then spilled over in Chad and other regions could be an international disaster that will trigger a lot of more migrants, said Dieye, who also heads the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS). The latest UNODC report identified other drivers alongside solutions, pointing, for example, to corruption as both a motivator to use smugglers and a key enabler for the crime. Another key driver is the increased demand from men, women, and children seeking to escape worsening violence and the consequent rising food insecurity, according to UNODC.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government has yet to reach an agreement on whether the Philippines can take in Afghan nationals fleeing the taliban.

Marcos said he was surprised about news reports that stated the request was already granted.

We are still looking exactly at how to make it work if we can, he said during an ambush interview with reports on Thursday.

While the Philippines has a tradition of housing refugees, the president said that they have yet to iron out some issues on security, legal, and logistical issues.

Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez previously said that the Philippine government would not shell out a centavo if it agrees to assist the US in processing the special immigration visas for its former Afghan employees.

READ: Romualdez: US to shoulder costs, processing of its Afghan personnel to be housed in PH

We are only going to be a transition area, Marcos said, noting that the US government said less than a thousand Afghans would be accommodated if ever the Philippines agrees.

They are Afghans who are being resettled primarily in the United States and we are going to be the third country, that is the proposal of the United States," he said.

"We will continue to study," he added. "Lets see if there is a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines."

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed that the proposal to house Afghans was also raised during his meeting with US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland last week.

Zubiri said he personally believes granting the US request "is the right thing to do" for humanitarian reasons. He said he will mention it to Senator Imee Marcos, who has expressed concerns about the proposal.
On the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, the Charge dAffaires of Sweden in Rabat was summoned on Wednesday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Moroccos ambassador to Stockholm was recalled for indefinite consultations, after the Swedish government once again authorized a demonstration during which the Holy Quran was burned in front of a mosque in Stockholm.

The Swedish Charge dAffaires was informed of Moroccos most vigorous condemnation of this offense and rejection of this unacceptable act, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

This new offensive and irresponsible act disregard the feelings of more than a billion Muslims during this sacred period of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid Al-Adha, the statement stressed.

Regardless of the political positions or differences that may exist between countries, the Kingdom considers it unacceptable that the faith of Muslims should be disrespected in this way, nor can the principles of tolerance and the values of universalism be reduced to accommodating the views of a few, while showing so little regard for the beliefs of more than a billion Muslims, the statement added.

Swedish authorities approved a small Quran-burning demonstration outside a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday. Although a single person took part in the demonstration apart from his translator, the move triggered the anger of Muslims around the world.
The integration of migrants into Moroccos social protection systems is a perfect illustration of the Kingdoms comprehensive and inclusive approach to migration, Moroccos Permanent Representative in Geneva, Omar Zniber said on Wednesday.

Speaking during the 32nd session of the Standing Committee on Programs and Finance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the diplomat noted that Moroccos policy in this area is based on respect for the fundamental rights of migrants, with a focus on their social and economic integration, while ensuring that the needs of vulnerable populations are taken into consideration.

This approach is based on the implementation of the Marrakech Pact and of the new development model, he said, pointing out that migrant populations in Morocco have benefited and will benefit, in the same way as Moroccans, from the generalization of compulsory health insurance, family allowances, and compensation for loss of employment.

Morocco is not only making a national commitment but also an international one, as shown by the Rabat Declaration adopted on the sidelines of the 3rd Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants, the diplomat added.

In this perspective, the Kingdom has called for greater social protection for migrants and populations in vulnerable situations, particularly internally displaced persons.

It is essential to take tangible measures to guarantee fair access to basic services such as education, health, housing, drinking water, and sanitation, he said, stressing the importance of promoting decent employment opportunities and vocational training to foster the economic empowerment of migrants and vulnerable populations.

Out of a total of 258 million migrants, only 59 million enjoy full access to social protection, Zniber deplored.
Gabon is set to apply for a $52 million loan from Boston-based Santander bank to place order for a C295 military carrier from European multinational aerospace corporation Airbus.

The aircraft will beef up the operation capacities of the air forces, local media Gabon Review reports.

C295, according to experts, is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment.

The website of the corporation indicates that the aircraft is robust and reliable but also highly versatile in terms of the number of different missions it can perform. The C295 conducts multi-role operations worldwide under all weather conditions. It is fully certified and routinely operates day and night in combat missions in all weather extremes, from desert to maritime environments, from extremely hot to extremely cold temperatures, the website adds.

The new C295 version is equipped with winglets and is capable of transporting more payload over larger distances in the hot and high conditions, resulting in fuel consumption savings of around 4% and increased safety margins in mountainous regions.

C295s production takes place at Airbus facility in Spain. The aircraft has received orders from military and civil operators all over the world, from Canada and Egypt to Spain and Indonesia.
The first Vice-President of the Central African National Assembly, Evariste Ngamana indicated Wednesday June 28 that ties with Russia will not be affected whether Russian paramilitary company Wagner leaves the country or not.

Ngamanas remark came after Russian top diplomat Sergei Lavrov asserted that the paramilitary group who briefly rebelled against the Kremlin on Saturday will continue to operate in Mali and the Central African Republic, as instructors.

Wagner has been present in CAR on the side of the army to help curb rebellion wanting to bring down the regime of President Touadera. He turned to Moscow for help late 2020. Relations between the two countries since then have scaled up with the African country expressing interest to house a Russian military base.
King Mohammed VI has performed the Eid Al-Adha prayer this Thursday morning at Hassan II Mosque in Tetouan in northern Morocco.

The monarch was accompanied by his son Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, his brother Prince Moulay Rachid, and his cousin, Prince Moulay Ismail. Members of the royal family and several cabinet members, including Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, also performed the Eid special morning prayer.

The prayer was followed by King Mohammed VI performing the customary sacrifice rituals as prescribed by Islamic traditions.

After his return to the Royal Palace, King Mohammed VI received greetings from the Head of Government, the Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament, the Dean of the Islamic Diplomatic Corps in Morocco, the Ambassador of Cameroon, the Presidents of the Constitutional Authorities, and several senior civil and military figures.

Prior to the Eid celebrations, King Mohammed VI extended heartfelt congratulations to the heads of state of Muslim nations worldwide, expressing warm wishes to their people for a blessed Eid.
Members of North Plattes Community Redevelopment Authority Thursday unanimously recommended City Council approval of tax increment financing for the projected 128-lot Village Park Flats housing subdivision.

CRA members also finalized a $2.23 million TIF contract with DP Development LLC of Omaha to complete the last 120 units of their Victory Village apartment complex.

DP last July dedicated the projects first 80 units, built with $1.6 million in TIF aid. Council members approved TIF for the second and last stage May 16.

The 2021-22 construction of Victory Village, on 22 acres north and east of the intersection of West A Street and Lakeview Boulevard, launched development of a long-vacant 62-acre tract the council declared substandard and blighted in April 2016.

With Thursdays CRA vote, council members will decide Wednesday whether to grant nearly $9.7 million in TIF aid to fill the tracts remaining 40 acres with as many as 342 housing units of various types between Victory Village and North Dixie Avenue.

Blue Sky Development LLC of Roca, Nebraska, would build the $75.3 million Village Park Flats project in several phases with the councils blessing.

Phase 1 would feature 32 of an eventual 38 three-unit triplex townhomes in an H-shape anchored on West A.

Successive phases would include the remaining six triplexes, 42 two-unit duplex townhomes, 48 single-family homes and three 32-unit apartment buildings.

A public park also would be included, and limited commercial development also is possible, Planning Administrator Judy Clark said.

The citys Planning Commission Tuesday also unanimously recommended TIF for Village Park Flats, citing the ongoing need to reduce North Plattes shortage of housing stock as several major economic projects are expected to boost housing demand even more in the next few years.

Council members Wednesday also will consider the Blue Sky projects subdivision plat and a rezoning ordinance adjusting the West A tracts planned dwelling district zoning from PR-1 to PR-3. Both also won Planning Commission endorsement but dont fall under the CRAs purview.
It has been more than 72 years since Dale Dewayne Thompson of Valentine went missing in Korea.

Finally, in December, his remains were identified. He was flown back to Omaha on Tuesday and made a long and notable journey by car back home.

Everyone realizes the importance of it, said his great niece, Cindy Williams, also of Valentine. My mom (Cathy Duncan) and I rode in the procession from Atkinson to here (Valentine). Everywhere there were people lined up on the street.

They were there to witness, honor, cheer, and feel deep respect.

We had real support, Williams said.

Dale, 18, and his 17-year-old brother, Gene, both still in high school at the time, enlisted in the army together. That was on March 21, 1950, according to Dales obituary at legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/dale-thompson-obituary?id=52213541. Tensions had been brewing on the Korean Peninsula and war officially broke out on June 25.

What I can remember was that Granny Mable (their mother and Williams great-grandmother) was hesitant to let them go off to war, Williams said. Their father, Earl Thompson, had died in 1945 from a brain tumor.

Betty Schroeder, 89, of North Platte, was barely younger than Gene, and their cousin.

We lived in the country," she said. "I loved the country. We rode horses and played ball.

"One day we were playing ball and I heard them talk about going into the service. Betty was alarmed, but they said all the young men were going and they thought they should go too. They enlisted in the U.S. Army. They packed their little bags and went to town, and they were gone.

On their first leave Gene was so tickled and pleased, but Dale was apprehensive about going back.

The next leave was about three or four months later and again Gene was so full of it and Dale was apprehensive again, Schroeder said.

Private First Class Dale Thompson was reported missing on Dec. 2, 1950, during a battle near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, according to the United States Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Granny would have got the telegram, Williams said. Shortly thereafter the Army sent Gene home, not wanting to risk her losing him, too. They had a little sister, Williams grandmother, Carol, who was about 14 years old at the time.

So Gene came home, alone, and he was so sad because he realized Dale was not coming home with him, Schroeder said.

The boys mother cried for days. Days and weeks and months went by and she was so sure that he (was alive and) would be able to come home. She used to say Maybe hes in a concentration camp, or maybe something else, said Schroeder.

Recently Williams and Duncan discovered a headstone, already in place, for Dale, not far from his parents marker. It reads, In Memory, Dale D. Thompson, 1932-1950, Missing in Action in Korea. They dont know who bought and placed it. His mother?

From time to time, as DNA science advanced, Gene and Carol would be contacted by the government for updated DNA samples, Williams said. Those contacts kept hope alive, that one day Dales remains would be identified, and returned home. Gene died in 2013 and Carol in 2003.

That day finally came this week.

Following a 2018 summit between former President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his remains and 54 others were sent to Hawaii where Thompsons remains were identified on Nov. 28, 2022. On May 11 the DPAA conducted a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman, Hawaii, for Pfc. Thompson. The remains were flown to Omaha on Tuesday.

Pfc. Dale Dewayne Thompson will be honored with a service beginning at 11 a.m. Friday at New Hope Cemetery in Valentine.
If you missed Big Boy in North Platte earlier this month, your second chance on his return trip is at hand.

Union Pacific No. 4014, which last stayed in North Platte June 8-10, will arrive there about 3:30 p.m. CT Friday for another two-night layover on his way back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, from Omahas College World Series.

As with his earlier visit, Big Boy will be available for public viewing on the VIP track across from The Telegraph at East Front and Cottonwood streets.

The worlds largest operating steam locomotive is expected to head west about 9 a.m. CT Sunday and take a day and a half to reach U.P.s Cheyenne steam shop.

Hell stop from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. MT at Ogallalas South Spruce Street crossing and from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 P.M. at the Vincent Avenue crossing in Chappell.

Big Boy will pull into Sidney at 1:30 p.m. Sunday and stay until 8 a.m. Monday at the intersection of 10th and Hickory streets.

No. 4014 will stop from 9:15 to 9:30 a.m. in Kimball at East First and Walnut streets, then make one more stop in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, before returning to Cheyenne about 12:30 p.m. Monday.

Big Boy steamed down the U.P.s Panhandle branch line for the first time on the way to Omaha, passing Scotts Bluff National Monument, Chimney Rock and Lake McConaughy.
In early July, I will begin my new role as director of the Department of Economic Development for the state of Nebraska. It is an extraordinary honor to serve my home state in this capacity and I will bring with me experiences from my past career.

As chief operating officer of Nebraska Community Foundation, I like to think I learned a thing or two about community economic development. Lessons I will undoubtedly carry with me to my new appointment. I dont have any illusions or preconceived notions that I know everything required or precisely what I will aim to accomplish in my new position, but there are a few things I believe with great certainty.

Young people want what Greater Nebraska has.

During my time at Nebraska Community Foundation, I was intimately involved with statewide youth surveys (a partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omahas Center for Public Affairs Research) which aimed to measure middle and high school students perceptions about their Greater Nebraska hometowns and what they are looking for in a place to call home.

Year after year the survey results point to the same conclusion  Greater Nebraska has what young people want. Good schools, proximity to family and safety consistently rank as the top three things young people are looking for in their ideal community. Furthermore, the majority of students say they can envision a future in their rural communities, and very few report any stigma with returning to their hometown as an adult. This shift in narrative is critical to the economic health and future of our state.

People attraction and business attraction are two sides of the same coin.

During my time at Nebraska Community Foundation, I spent a great deal of time on what we refer to as people attraction  in other words, making our communities the kinds of places that people want to live, work, play and raise their families. This comes in many forms  great schools, recreation, arts and culture, quality-of-life amenities and early childhood education among them. Across the state, NCFs community-based affiliated funds are working diligently to build magnetic communities and using philanthropy as a tool to do so.

Prosperous businesses are looking for great communities. Places that they can use to attract quality workforce and retain talent. People attraction is a focus I intend to keep as the director of DED.

Nebraska is blessed with abundance and incredible assets.

It didnt take a job to teach me this lesson, but its been affirmed at every turn through my work at Nebraska Community Foundation. Nebraska is blessed with assets like our bright young people, an entrepreneurial culture and deep love of community. There is also tremendous abundance evident in our philanthropic spirit, steadfast willingness to help a neighbor in need and what NCF calls the intergenerational transfer of wealth, in other words, the money that will transfer from generation to generation, as parents pass away and leave their estates to their children.

I cant capture my entire tenure at Nebraska Community Foundation in a single column. Ive learned and experienced so much traveling our great state and working with wonderful people in communities large and small. These lessons are embedded deeply in my approach to building stronger communities, a stronger economy and ultimately, a Greater Nebraska.
Photo: Xinhua/Ting Shen via Getty Images

I have never put much stock in the Free Melania memes. While they can be amusing, I dont think the woman who responded to the family separation crisis with an offensive coat and is clearly comfortable skipping all of Donald Trumps indictment-related festivities needs or deserves our help.

But Melania Trumps latest business venture has forced me to reconsider the possibility that she is trying to send us coded messages. Today on Truth Social, the former First Lady announced the release of her new NFT collection by retruthing a video of a digital collectibles titled Yearning to Breathe Free.

I know this sentence probably makes no sense to those of you who arent down the MAGA online rabbit hole, so allow me to break it down. Melania started hawking non-fungible tokens well before her husband got into the digital trading card game late last year. This is a low-effort venture for Melania; she usually just reposts Truth Social messages from USA Memorabilia, which bills itself as the premiere NFT platform featuring United States memorabilia. (While Truth Social posts are too janky to embed, you can check out this identical Twitter post to experience the full glory of the Yearning to Breathe Free NFT being unveiled to Star and Stripes Forever.)

How do we even know this is Melanias NFT? Good question. Her name doesnt appear anywhere on the USA Memorabilia page selling the six-NFT 1776 Collection. But Melania claimed NFTs as hers in a FoxNews.com exclusive that looks an awful lot like a press release. It reads:

Mrs. Trump is rolling out The 1776 Collection, a six-piece range of NFT digital collectibles comprised of images across the United States.

The NFTs include the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and the Liberty Bell. Each piece includes a patriotic-themed music track. According to the former first ladys office, each collectible represents an aspect of Americana and was designed to acknowledge the foundations of American ideals.

The article notes that a portion of proceeds will go toward Fostering the Future, a Be Best Initiative that supports children in foster care. It does not say what portion, so it could be anywhere from 1 percent to 100 percent of the proceeds.

Melania also provided Fox News Digital with a confounding quote about her NFTs.

The 1776 Collection of artwork draws inspiration from several iconic landmarks of our nation, which I had the privilege of visiting during the time I served as first lady, Trump said. Each piece provides a view into our nations history, culture and patriotism.

While Melania lived in New York City for many years, and has undoubtedly seen Lady Liberty from afar countless times, I cant find any record of her visiting Liberty Island and reviewing the plaque featuring Emma Lazaruss poem as First Lady. A Google search reveals there are two notable connections between Melania Trump and the Statue of Liberty. First, the Trumps intentionally skipped a gala celebrating the opening of a new Statue of Liberty museum in 2019 because too many of their political nemeses were on the guest list. Second, Therese Patricia Okoumou, a woman who climbed the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2018 to protest Trumps immigration policies, mocked Melanias infamous I REALLY DONT CARE DO U? jacket during one of her subsequent court hearings.

Patricia Okoumou (@POkoumou) went to her court hearing trolling Melania Trump with a Be Best dress. WHAT AN ICON. pic.twitter.com/chHdCR8v4X  Jason Rosenberg (@mynameisjro) August 3, 2018

So what the heck is going on here? Is Melania saying that she wants to breathe free by distancing herself from her husbands legal drama? Is she telling us that five years later, she hasnt forgotten Okoumous July 4 stunt, yet her indifference to the plight of migrants is stronger than ever? Is it a sign that no one on Melanias team reviewed this social media post closely, and they dont care about the implications as long as the checks keep rolling in?

I do not know the answers to these questions, but I do know that Ill be forcing everyone at my Fourth of July barbecue to share their opinions on the classic Melania question: What is she thinking?
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday his administration would ramp up efforts to make the Philippines the biggest coconut producer.

This administration has started formulating plans on how to redevelop our coconut industry, how to help our coconut farmers, he said in his speech at the 50th Founding Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Pasay City.

Marcos said he would sit down and finalize the plans with Sen. Cynthia Villar, who heads the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Considered a major exporter of coconut oil, Marcos said he sees opportunities to make the sector one of the industries driving the local economy.

The president also wants the industry to continue developing and improving coconut products to penetrate new markets.

There is no reason why the Philippines should not be the biggest producer of exports in terms of coconut products, he said.

The PCA must intensify the implementation of the coconut farmers and industry development plan to accelerate the modernization of the coconut industry, Marcos added.

He said some of the challenges facing the coconut industry that stakeholders must attend to include climate change, as well as pests and diseases.
Photo: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Supreme Court has made clear, once again, that conservatives control the Court, and that they will continue their movements decades-long project to reverse legal precedents that they simply do not like. Last year, it was the overruling of Roe v. Wade. On Thursday, the six conservative justices held that affirmative action programs in higher education are unlawful, and in particular, that they violate the Constitutions Equal Protection Clause.

The court for decades, as recently as 2016, had upheld college admissions programs that take race into account as one factor among many. Why this sudden change? As a practical matter, two things happened. First, a conservative activist named Edward Blum, who had been trying and failing to engineer this outcome for decades, continued his effort, this time partially reframing his crusade as an effort to combat discrimination against Asian Americans in the admissions process. And second, the composition of the Court dramatically changed after Donald Trump got Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett on the bench, resulting in the majority that issued Thursdays ruling.

The decision technically involved two different cases  one involving Harvard Colleges admissions program, and the other involving the program at the University of North Carolina. UNC is a public institution  the first in the nation, in fact  while Harvard is private but receives federal funding. Both schools have (or had) elaborate selection processes that took race into account as one factor among many, but in the end, any distinctions between the two appear to have been immaterial to the conservative justices.

The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, offers an ostensibly straightforward analysis. The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted after the Civil War, prevents the government from denying to any person  the equal protection of the laws, including discrimination on the basis of race. Even though the amendment was passed in an effort to rectify the historic subjugation of African Americans, including their government-sanctioned enslavement, in Robertss account the core purpose of the clause was to prevent any sort of racial discrimination, even if it is intended to benefit a group that was historically suppressed by the American government in ways so shameful and invidious that the effects remain potent and durable to this day. The result is a maddeningly simplistic analysis that is devoid of any serious review of American history or any recognition of the countrys actual, ongoing struggle with racial equality. Eliminating racial discrimination, Roberts writes, means eliminating all of it.

Though the conservative majority does not seem to care, the legal analysis is itself built on a series of missteps and concessions to conservatives in the Courts jurisprudence in this area. The problems stretch back to 1978, when the Court considered the admissions program at the University of California and ultimately held in its Bakke decision that strict racial quotas were impermissible but that the use of race as a qualitative plus factor was acceptable. The Court splintered, failing to produce a majority opinion, but Justice Lewis Powell, who had been appointed by Richard Nixon, wrote a concurring opinion that ended up serving as the intellectual template for decades to come.

In that opinion, Powell rejected the goal of remedying  the effects of societal discrimination, which he called an amorphous concept of injury that may be ageless in its reach into the past. Instead, he concluded that the constitutionally permissible basis for race-based college admissions was, as Roberts writes, obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a racially diverse student body. In 2003, the Court issued two landmark decisions addressing the issue again. In a 5-4 decision written by Justice Sandra Day OConnor (an appointee of Ronald Reagan), the Court upheld an admissions program at the University of Michigan using race as a plus factor in law school admissions. A separate decision struck down the undergraduate schools use of a points-based admissions system. In her opinion upholding the law schools program, OConnor indicated that these programs should have temporal limits. It has been 25 years since Justice Powell first approved the use of race to further an interest in student body diversity in the context of public higher education, she wrote. We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today.

That line has since been converted into something like an unalterable edict by conservatives who opposed the decision, and Robertss opinion relies crucially on it. The importance of an end point was not just a matter of repetition, he writes. It was the reason the Court was willing to dispense temporarily with the Constitutions unambiguous guarantee of equal protection.

Thus, Roberts writes, University programs must comply with [constitutional] strict scrutiny, they may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and  at some point  they must end. Harvard and UNCs systems, he writes, however well intentioned and implemented in good faith  fail each of these criteria.

Roberts proceeds to reject the idea that a racially mixed student body enhances American higher education and trains more effective and empathetic leaders in our society. Those interests, he writes, though plainly worthy, are inescapably imponderable.

He also takes issue with the racial classifications themselves, observing that they are imprecise in many ways. For instance, he argues that by grouping together all Asian students, the schools are apparently uninterested in whether South Asian or East Asian students are adequately represented, so long as there is enough of one to compensate for a lack of the other.

The purported experience of Asian American applicants figures prominently in the decision. The race-based admissions systems, he writes, also run afoul of the Equal Protection Clause because race may never be used as a negative and may not operate as a stereotype, but according to the appellate courts ruling in the Harvard case, the colleges consideration of race led to an 11.1% decrease in the number of Asian-Americans admitted to the school. College admissions are zero-sum, he writes. A benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former group at the expense of the latter.

It is worth noting here that this was heavily contested by groups devoted to representing the interests of Asian Americans. In an amicus brief submitted to the Court, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund wrote that Blums group had not brought this case to achieve equity for Asian Americans but instead brought this case to make it easier for white students to get into the college of their choice, with the lawsuit representing a transparent effort to cling to the advantages that whites have maintained since the nations inception. Blums group, they charged, deploys harmful stereotypes of the Asian American community in service of eliminating policies that benefit Asian Americans and proposes a race-neutral admissions policy that ultimately benefits white applicants. Needless to say, the conservative justices opinion today does not meaningfully grapple with any of this, choosing instead to pit this group against Black applicants  the very thing that Blum hoped to achieve in framing his legal attack.

In the end, Robertss majority opinion concludes that both the Harvard and UNC admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, Roberts writes, and we will not do so today.

The decision closes with a final effort to make this look less dramatic than it is, with Roberts writing that nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. The connection, however, must be specific: A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination. It therefore appears that if you are a minority applicant, you will need to be able to demonstrate that you, in particular, were the victim of racial discrimination, which is of course a super-easy thing to do.

Make no mistake: The implications here, upending nearly 50 years of jurisprudence, will be dramatic, and will extend beyond college admissions. Nine states already prohibited affirmative action in admissions, including California, Michigan, and Florida, and schools in those states have since struggled to maintain a diverse student body without programs that take race into account.

Some schools in those states have instead relied on race-neutral criteria, including family income and whether applicants would be the first in their families to attend college, but progress has been slow. A dean at Michigan Law School recently told Reuters that the prohibition on affirmative action in the state had dealt us a powerful blow and that in the intervening 16 years since the states ban, they had been slowly, slowly trying to come back to where we were before we had to go race blind.

Thursdays opinion will also surely spawn more challenges to race-based programs designed to increase racial and ethnic diversity in areas entirely distinct from the context of college admissions. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Blum already has one pending lawsuit that aims to end diversity requirements on corporate boards in California and that he plans to file another soon that seeks to stop corporations from limiting internships to specific minorities. We should expect many more lawsuits in all sorts of settings, from Blum and others. We should also anticipate that their odds of success will be significantly higher given the sweeping language in Robertss decision, which could be mapped onto all sorts of other legal and social contexts.

As with the overruling of Roe, we are now sure to see a nationwide scramble to adjust to  and mitigate the fallout from  the ruling. A lot could be gained by schools ending legacy admissions either voluntarily or in response to a federal ban, but do not hold your breath: Legislative efforts in this area have recently been tried and failed, though perhaps renewed public and political attention in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision might shift the dynamics.

In the meantime, brace yourself for the aftershocks of another legal earthquake courtesy of the Courts conservative majority.

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Nixon was forced to give up the powers Trump now wants to restore. Photo: Steve Northup/Getty Images

The convoluted congressional budget process has few fans. But the 1974 legislation that created todays system did have one virtue: It reined in Richard Nixons claims that the president could simply refuse to spend congressionally appropriated money by impounding funds whenever he felt like it, as Kevin Kosar explained in Politico:

Presidents since the founding had [refused to spend funds], including Lyndon Johnson. It seldom was a big deal, so long as the amounts were small, the rationales for impoundment were sound, and appropriators were consulted. Nixon, however, didnt keep it small: He impounded tens of billions of dollars, often to gut programs he did not like. Gallingly, Caspar Weinberger, his deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, told Congress the Constitution empowered the president to decide whether to spend money. All of which precipitated a constitutional crisis, since the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse.

The 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act killed off the Nixonian abuse of impoundment, leaving future presidents with very limited power to cancel or delay funds appropriated by Congress. A besieged and distracted Tricky Dick signed the legislation shortly before the Watergate scandal forced his resignation.

But now, nearly a half-century later, Donald Trump wants to bring back impoundment in all its dictatorial glory, as RealClearPolitics explains:

Sources close to former President Trump say he has a plan for keeping Congress from ever again forcing him into disgraceful and ridiculous spending situations. If he returns to the White House, Trump will seek to resurrect authority that Congress stripped from the presidency almost a half-century ago.

What President Nixon squandered, his campaign promises, Trump will restore, namely the impoundment power.

So a second Trump administration would revive Nixons efforts to build an imperial presidency. Trump needs to be a fiscal dictator, he and his advisers suggest to RCP, if he is to slay the deep state, the bureaucratic enemies that supposedly sabotaged American greatness during his first term in office:

Impoundment, if restored, would allow a president, in theory, to simply refuse to spend appropriations by Congress. More than just an avenue to cut spending, Trump sees that kind of authority as key to starving, and thus crushing, the so-called deep state. 

[A]dvisors close to the former president tell RealClearPolitics they are drawing up plans to challenge the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act in court, and if that fails, to lean on the legislature to repeal it.

But characteristically, Trump plans to do as he wants and then let the courts and Congress try to stop him, according to his former OMB director and hard-core MAGA ideologue Russell Vought, per RCP:

The former president said he believes the 1974 law that gutted impoundment is unconstitutional, and if returned to the White House, would govern accordingly.

Yes, theres the effort to have it overturned in courts. Yes, there is the legislative effort, but when you think that a law is unconstitutional, Vought told RCP, the administration ought to look to do the bare minimum of what the courts have required, and to push the envelope.

Translation: Trump will seek to use impoundment to kill off agencies that dont suit his needs and fire personnel who wont do his bidding, restoring to the presidency the powers that Nixon foolishly gave up (Vought calls the surrender on impoundment Nixons original sin).

Probably the best way to understand this is as the fiscal equivalent to Trumps famous boast that the U.S. Constitution gives him total power. I have an Article II, where I have to the right to do whatever I want as president, he said in 2019, and on other occasions. But he may have a particular attachment to the impoundment theory since his efforts to withhold appropriated aid to Ukraine led to his first impeachment in 2019.

The former presidents broader claim that he needs to be able to screw over civil servants to save America (surely one object of his planned impoundments) has a big following among other Republicans, including his top 2024 rival, Ron DeSantis, who wants to abolish limits on a presidents power to purge top bureaucrats. At least Trump is honest in his contempt for both constitutional and statutory limits on his prerogatives. DeSantis claims he wants to reconstitutionalize the federal government, by which he means bend it to his own will. Nixon would be proud of his political and spiritual descendants.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images

Add the Trump SPAC to the list of Trump-adjacent novelty investments that have gone bad for those involved whose name isnt Trump. On Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors in New York charged three investors for allegedly inside trading ahead of the merger that would allow Trumps media company to go public in 2021.

The alleged scheme involves a SPAC, the formerly trendy way for private companies to make millions going public by merging quickly with a shell corporation. In October 2021, prosecutors claim that investors Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman, and Bruce Garelick made over $22 million by trading securities in the shell company Digital World Acquisition Corporation before it went public with Trumps media firm, which would later found Truth Social. They also allegedly tipped off family and employees of the merger. Prosecutors stated that Donald Trump was not privy to the insider trading, though he remains in plenty of legal trouble elsewhere. The three charged investors did not enter a plea.

Garelick and the Shvartsman brothers are the type of figures you might expect to find in a Trump-world investment gone sour. Both Garelick and Michael Shvartsman are reportedly involved in a company called Transact First, a cashless ATM business that mostly exists to provide a way for weed companies in states where marijuana is legal to make their transactions safer to process for banks. (It basically makes a weed purchase appear on a bank statement as an ATM withdrawal.) Earlier in his career, Shvartsman, born in Ukraine in the 70s, ran a club in Edmonton, Canada, called Kaos, which local police once claimed was financed by the Russian mafia. All three now live in  you guessed it  Florida.
When Mya Bryant held a grand opening in Opelika in late May for her Crowned Hair and Beauty Salon on Ninth Street, she didnt expect the amount of support she received.

The 20-year old businesswoman has already learned a lot in such a short time and left her mark on the community. Shes among several Black business owners in the Auburn-Opelika area who have become trailblazers for current and future generations.

Everybody came showing out support, Bryant said of her salons ribbon cutting in late May. And it was just amazing. I never knew like everybody in the city would come out as much as they did. 

Bryant has been working toward this goal ever since she earned her national styling license at age 16. In 2022, she earned her masters degree in cosmetology from the Rivertown School of Beauty, Barber, Skin Care and Nails in Columbus, Georgia. With the support of her family, Bryant was able to open the storefront in January.

The significance of opening the salon is not lost on Bryant. She sees as a major achievement in her life. She also recognizes what it represents considering the fact shes a young female Black business owner in downtown Opelika.

God always has a plan

I never knew that I would have taken it a step further, she said. I thought I was just gonna be working in and out salons, but God always has a plan for everybody that has a future.

Just up the road from Bryants salon is The Coffee Shop, a business Gleason Jones opened in 2022. Joshua Dairen and his wife Keema purchased The Coffee Shop from Jones in April. Dairen and Keema were following the dream of their own, but they took a different path than Bryant.

The Human Bean coffee shop based in Colorado inspired the married couple to open their own coffee shop, but that dream was placed on the backburner for a bit so Dairen could continued his career in media relations. The couple eventually returned to Opelika and found The Coffee Shop on the market.

We arent necessarily coffee aficionados or people who have been through the grind of coffee for years and years, but we are people, people. We love people, and we wanted to be able to bring something back to my hometown, Dairen said. So when this became available, we jumped on it, because we knew that this was our opportunity that we had kind of missed three years ago.

Dairen knows what it means to have a shop of his own in Opelika. After only a few months at the helm, he is already feeling a response from the community. In looking to leave their mark on the business and downtown Opelika, the co-owners opted for a small rebrand: a new unicorn logo to christen the front door that customers will see every day.

Thats more symbolic than anything. Because as black coffee shop owners, we are a unicorn in this space, Dairen said. You dont see it really in Alabama, but you really dont see it in the South as a whole. So coming to a place like Opelika and hoping that diversity is important. And then seeing that diversity is important, has been amazing.

Dairen remains focused on perfecting his coffee craft, though he says latte art is still a work in progress. Still inspired by the Human Bean and other shops frequented by the couple, Dairen and Keema are still looking to bring that same sense of welcome and belonging into their shop.

Minority Business Council supports entrepreneurs

As he continues to leave his mark on The Coffee Shop, Dairen sees the work done by the Minority Business Council in the Opelika Chamber of Commerce as a sign that more businesses like his, like Bryants, are coming to the Opelika area.

Programs like the Minority Business Council are important for people who look like me to see that theres movement behind making sure that theres representation. Its not just in the city, but making sure that theres representation in the amount of business owners that there are here, Dairen said. I think that its a very special thing that you dont see reflected everywhere. Thats a very thoughtful initiative.

Nicholas Armistead serves as living proof of Dairens hope and the Minority Business Councils support. He serves as the co-chair and founding member of the Minority Business Council after building his own real estate agency Armistead and Associates  from the ground up.

Keep hope alive

Like Darien, Armistead followed an unconventional path. After years as a marketing and membership manager for Sams Club, he and his wife went house hunting in the Auburn-Opelika area.

During the ensuing search, they had a really bad experience which drove Armistead to enter the real estate business and prevent others from being in the same situation. In starting from the ground up, Armistead saw a lot of problems that many Black business owners were facing at the time.

I left my last career and got into real estate to help as many people and educate as many people as I could, Armistead said. One thing that I did see when I was doing it when I went to other minority businesses was a lack of community resources.

He started his real estate business in 2018. He did not wait for the creation of the Minority Business Council to start having an impact on the community.

He operated initially on a smaller scale, in tandem with several minority businesses, to create a network and create the community that was lacking when he arrived.

Shortly after, he joined the board of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce. From there he met with President and CEO Ali Rauch and the Minority Business Council was created soon after to address a lot of the issues that Armistead and Rauch saw, including a lack of guidance for young minority business owners.

A lot of these business owners, theyre trailblazers. Theyre probably first-generation business owners. No one in their family. None of their friends are doing this. Theyre doing this on their own and they kind of feel like theyre on an island, Armistead said. So the minority business counselors are there to help you know, give them the support and kind of give them that guidance.

The Minority Business Council has done just that, and Armistead sees the early stages of the program as an immediate success, from the scholarship fund to the guidance it provides for businesses as they get started.

Outside of his work with the Minority Business Council, Armistead also recognizes the importance of what his success represents. The advice and guidance that the Minority Business Council is able to provide has helped the community, but Armistead recognizes his own role as a trailblazer in this community and the example for anyone to follow.

I can probably count on maybe two hands people that have reached out to me that feel like, Okay, I see that hes doing it and I feel like it can be done, Armistead said. If someone had an idea to be a coffee shop owner or a real estate business, theyre more prone to do that when they when they see another minority that is doing and that gives them that extra hope.
Over a time span of three years, the Oak Bowery Volunteer Fire Department has increased the amount of locally available water to fight fires from zero gallons in 2020 to over 40,000 gallons today.

Using a $10,000 grant from Coosa Valley RC&D, the volunteer fire department was able to install a 29,000-gallon water tank in front of the station on 3306 U.S. Highway 431 in Waverly. On Sunday, the OBVFD hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate.

OBVFD was started in the 1980s, but eventually dwindled to a one-man unit. After Chief Jeremy Robinson discovered that Robert Wallace was the sole firefighter at the department, he decided to join as well as encourage others to volunteer. Now OBVFD has about 17 active volunteers, plus additional supporters.

Nobodys here to save us. You better take care of your neighbor. You better learn how to operate the equipment because you might be the one putting your own house out, or you might be the one saving your neighbor, said volunteer Robert Griffith.

Before the tank was installed, Griffith said they would have to drive to LaFayette or Lee County to get water to fill their trucks. He also said the department was only running at about 5% capacity.

Each tanker truck can hold about 3,000 gallons of water and each fire engine can hold about 1,250 gallons of water. When using the hose to put out a fire, Griffith said it only takes about two minutes for the tanker to empty.

If youre operating this engine at max capacity, you need a lot of water, typically 30,000 for a house, Griffith said.

With this new water tank, the OBVFD wont need to travel to neighboring stations to fill the tankers and fire engines with water.

To fill the water tank container, Griffith said they had Toby Hughes, from AGI, help install a system that would pump water from a nearby well into the water tank to store it until its needed. The system produces about seven gallons per minute and about 15 gallons per minute when the pump is turned on.

The addition of this new tank is also another step towards their goal of improving the ISO (Insurance Services Office) fire score for the area.

Some insurance companies use ISO to set homeowners and business insurance rates. The score is based off of how well a fire department can protect the community. Level one is the best score while level 10 is the worst.

Were certified an ISO nine level. Once we get the water, thats about half of the problem, Griffith said. The other half is training and equipment. Weve got the people now, so now were working on training and weve got the second station. Its got another tanker over there thats 4,000 gallons thats coming on line. Then well hopefully be adding a third station.

OBVFD has plans to install a 20,000-gallon water tank in the fall at the second location on County Road 21 off Highway 147. This addition will give the department access to a total of 60,000 gallons of water to fight fires in the area.

Well have trucks and equipment near the three sources of water, so we can cut down on that travel time, Griffith said. Ideally we would be able to put 30,000 gallons of water or have it available to put out in the first 30 minutes. Thats kind of our goal.

Once the volunteer fire department is able to do that, Griffith said that could give them an ISO level of five, which they plan to get verified next summer.

Gerry Elam decided to volunteer with the fire department about a month ago to help out his neighbors and fill a need. Hes also using his experience to help with the financial side of the department and help with improving the ISO level for local homeowners and businesses.

Getting the water here is about half the equation, Elam said. Then we have to prove that we know what to do with it, being able to unload and offload trucks in 10 minutes, theres a test we have to do.

Board member Louise Cardoza said that across the country local volunteer fire departments are dying. She along with the Oak Bowery community have been working together to make sure that doesnt happen to their community. They have a plan to continue rebuilding and expanding the local fire and rescue department.

Cardoza has recently formed a committee with nine community members to start outlining a plan for rescue and disaster operations in the event that a tornado strikes the community.

The OBVFD not only responds to fires but also other emergencies, including motor vehicle accidents and storm damage. The department has a zone to cover, but the volunteers often respond to neighboring districts.
Chinas battery storage business is booming as the country continues to rapidly install wind and solar power generation, beating previous records and leading global investments in renewables.

China is set to spend trillions of U.S. dollars to adapt its energy system to growing shares of renewables, and battery storage will be key to integrating the constantly rising clean energy generation into the power systems.

So, battery storage is one of the latest rushes in the Chinese energy market, where the number of companies registered as energy storage firms has now reached around 109,000, more than doubling in the past three years, per data by Chinese companies information provider Aiqicha cited by the Financial Times.

Battery and other forms of energy storage will be critical for the Chinese  and the worlds  pivot to more renewable energy power generation as developed economies look to ditch coal while China aims to see a peak in its carbon emissions by 2030.

China, which has a net-zero emissions target set for 2060, isnt ditching coal.

But as its renewables investments soar and account for nearly half of the global investment in clean energy, it cannot go without battery storage to provide the backup for intermittent solar and wind power generation.

China Unmatched In Renewables Spending

China is leading the global spending on clean energy.

Last year, as global investment in the low-carbon energy transition totaled $1.1 trillion and equaled the investments in fossil fuel supply, for the first time ever, China was the leading country for attracting energy transition investment, accounting for $546 billion or nearly half of the global total, research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF) said earlier this year.

The second-largest low-carbon energy investment was in the United States, which was a distant second at $141 billion, while all such investments in the EU reached $180 billion in 2022.

Related: Exxon Expands Lithium Plans With New Arkansas Deal

China also dominated the supply chain and manufacturing investments in clean energy.

Manufacturing facilities for batteries and related components formed the largest share, at $45.4 billion, of the $78.7 billion global investments in manufacturing facilities for clean energy technologies. China alone accounted for 91% of manufacturing investments in 2022, according to BNEF, despite increased efforts from other countries to capture more of the global clean energy opportunity and diversify their supply chains away from China.

From a supply chain diversification point of view, the picture has not changed much. China is investing by far the most in building out its clean energy supply chain, and it remains to be seen if other regions can capture significant market share, said Antoine Vagneur-Jones, BNEFs Head of Trade and Supply Chains research.

Battery Storage Booming

In China, energy storage investments are surging together with solar and wind power installations. Even companies from other, completely unrelated businesses, such as the food industry, are venturing into battery storage, FT notes.

Battery storage will be part of the $7 trillion investment opportunity in power generation, batteries, and grids by 2040, per Goldman Sachs estimates cited by FT.

At the end of 2022, Chinas total installed capacity of energy storage, excluding conventional pump storage, was at 13.1 gigawatts (GW), having surged by 128% from the previous year, according to a report by China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) quoted by state news agency Xinhua in April.

To support the soaring but intermittent renewable energy installations, China will need around 520 GW of storage by 2030, Goldman Sachs Research said in a report in March.

GS Research predicts China will require about 520 gigawatts of storage, more than three-fourths of which will come from batteries 70 times higher than 2021. The remainder of the storage increases will come from pumped hydropower facilities, Goldmans analysts wrote.

China has the manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to be self-sufficient in lithium by 2024, which will drive down battery costs, Goldman Sachs analysts Nikhil Bhandari, Amber Cai, Chao Ji, and Chelsea Zhai write in the report.

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We expect the average battery prices in China to decline substantially and to fall faster than [other parts of the world] due to the severe local surplus of battery manufacturing capacity, they noted.

Boom And Bust?

Yet, the ongoing rush to battery storage in China could go through boom-and-bust cycles as various companies without energy and energy storage expertise have entered the industry in recent years.

At the end of the day, the winners in the long term would be a much smaller group compared to the hundred thousand firms currently describing themselves as energy storage companies, as scale and technology will weed out the weaker players, Bernstein analyst Neil Beveridge told FT.

Another major concern for investors in the Chinese market for clean energy manufacturing is the U.S. push to reduce Americas dependence on China in the clean energy supply chain, Beveridge said, adding that the isolation of China is among the biggest concerns for investors.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Supreme Court (SC) has refused to entertain Makati Citys second motion for reconsideration (MR) which challenged an earlier ruling that favored Taguig City in a territorial dispute.

The SC on Thursday said in a release that its Special Third Division denied on June 26 Makatis second omnibus motion where the city asked the court for permission to file a second MR, among other things.

The court noted that a second MR is generally prohibited under the Rules of Court.

Makati was appealing the SC's December 2021 decision which affirmed that the Bonifacio Military Reservation (BMR) is part of Taguig. Both Taguig and Makati claimed rights to exercise jurisdiction over the BMR.

READ: SCs final ruling: BGC is part of Taguig

The high court pointed out that in a September 2022 resolution, it already denied with finality Makatis omnibus motion seeking reconsideration of the ruling.

Makati also asked the SC to hear the case en banc, which the city said is a legal recourse provided in the SC Internal Rules.

However, the Supreme Court stressed that the court en banc is not an appellate court to which decisions or resolutions of a division may be appealed.

The same Resolution then directed that no further pleadings will be entertained in the case, and that an Entry of Judgment be issued immediately, the SC added, referring to the September verdict.

Makati's legal officer, Atty. Don Camina, earlier argued that the court decision will have far-reaching consequences on the stability of businesses in affected areas and could also prejudice the right to vote and the access to vital services of both Makati and Taguig residents.
Guyana, home to one of the most prolific and promising oil discoveries in recent years, is not interested in joining OPEC.

The small South American nation of 800,000 residents bordering OPEC founding member Venezuela wants to pump as much crude oil as soon as possible, to take advantage of the still growing global oil demand this decade and boost its economy and build infrastructure thanks to the huge oil revenues.

So it is not surprising that Guyana doesnt want to be officially a part of OPEC, where it would be strong-armed into reducing production in concert with other members of the cartel and the wider OPEC+ group to prop up oil prices.

Guyanas goal is to maximize its huge oil discoveries and open acreage to more exploration in the hope that operators would replicate ExxonMobils success of finding billions of barrels of oil equivalent offshore the country.

OPEC is looking to bring Guyana into the fold, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.

However, Guyana isnt joining the cartel, its Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo says.

Right now, the idea is to get as much of these resources out of the ground as quickly as possible given that we are not sure of the window we have in the future, Jagdeo told the Journal.

OPEC itself refuted the reports that it had invited Guyana to become a member.

While the Organization recognizes that Guyana is an emerging player in the international oil market with significant potential, OPEC has not invited Guyana to become a Member of the Organization, the cartel said.

Indeed, Guyana has a huge potential to boost its oil production this decade.

It became the newest oil-producing country in the world in 2019 after ExxonMobil and its partner Hess Corp began production from the Stabroek block, where the companies have found more than 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent to date.

Currently, Guyana produces around 380,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, all from Exxon-operated wells. And it looks to triple that production and pump 1.2 million bpd by 2027.

The government of Guyana wants to welcome more foreign operators to its already booming oil industry and economy and will hold its first-ever offshore licensing round in the middle of August as it finalizes a new model for Production and Sharing Agreements (PSA) and regulations that go with it.

Supermajors Shell and Chevron, as well as Brazils state oil firm Petrobras, are reportedly among the ten companies considering bidding in the licensing round.

Guyana, together with the United States and Brazil, is expected to lead oil production growth and capacity expansions from producers outside OPEC and the OPEC+ alliance this decade, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its annual Oil 2023 report with projections to 2028.

Medium-term capacity expansion plans are expected to lead to a 5.1 million bpd supply boost from non-OPEC+ producers by 2028, with this increase led by the United States, Brazil, and Guyana.

In comparison, all 23 current OPEC+ members will see a net capacity gain of 800,000 bpd by 2028, with capacity expansions in the biggest Middle Eastern producers  Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)  offset by declines in Russia, Africa, and Asia, the IEA said.

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As Guyanas production grows, the country will become an increasingly influential market force outside OPECs control. But the Latin American country wants to generate oil revenues while it still can and capture a larger share of the market while global oil demand is still growing.

It sounds a bit crude to say our depletion policy is to get as much oil out of the ground as quickly as possible, Vice President Jagdeo told the Journal.

We dont want to be part of OPEC at this point in time.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The U.K.s planned North Sea Rosebank oilfield development, to be led by Norwegian firm Equinor, could be key to the countrys energy security. However, environmentalists are understandably concerned about the impact a new oil project may have on the environment during a time of green transition, with many suggesting that it goes against the countrys climate pledges. Equinor is still fighting for the go-ahead and using the argument of low-carbon oil as its main motivator. New reports suggest a wind farm development in the region could be key to powering production, helping to reduce the projects carbon emissions. But in a project that would be three times bigger than the controversial Cambo oilfield development can Equinor win public favour?

Equinor acquired the operatorship of Rosebank in 2019 and is developing the field with partners. The Rosebank is located 130 kilometres west of the Shetland Islands in the North Sea, off of Scotland. Its development forms part of the UK governments North Sea Transition deal, which sees further development of North Sea oil and gas resources to ensure the U.K.s energy security, while the countrys renewable energy capacity is being expanded. Rosebank is expected to produce its first oil in 2027, to be transported to refineries via shuttle tankers, with gas being exported using the West of Shetland Pipeline system. Equinor believes Rosebank will directly contribute  8.1 billion, with 6.3 billion likely to be invested in UK-based businesses. It is also expected to provide 1,600 jobs at the height of the construction phase, in 2025.

In May, the North Sea Rosebank project was deemed very important by Equinors CFO Torgrim Reitan. He also suggested the development would be highly tax efficient and would offer major industrial benefits. If the project goes ahead, it is expected to support the U.K.s energy security during a time of greater uncertainty and rising oil and gas prices. In addition, the company says the development will provide low-carbon oil thanks to the deployment of innovative technologies. It will use a redeployed, refurbished Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) tied to a subsea production system, which will be electrification-ready to be powered from shore. This is expected to help reduce Rosebanks emissions by more than 70 percent, with a CO2 output of around 3kg a barrel once electrification begins, compared to the North Sea average of 20kg.

However, the 300-million-barrel Rosebank project has faced staunch opposition from certain politicians, as well as environmentalists. The Conservative politician Chris Skidmore stated: There is no such thing as a new net zero oilfield. Approving Rosebank would undermine UK claims to climate leadership on the world stage, undermine what the climate science tells us and undermine our efforts to achieve a net zero Britain by mid-century. To enhance our energy security, the government must say no to Rosebank, and instead give the green light to energy efficiency, rooftop solar, onshore wind and other forms of clean energy supply.

But a new plan is going ahead which could prove the potential for low-carbon oil. Electricity from a new onshore wind development in Shetland could be used to power Rosebank if it gets the go-ahead. Equinor and partners have stated of the planned development, Electrification connected to the electrical grid on Shetland has the greatest potential for [greenhouse gas] reduction with the proposed windfarms on Shetland providing a low carbon source of energy via cable.

The final approval of the oilfield is expected to reach the energy secretary, Grant Shapps, in the coming weeks. And several important politicians have already signalled the need for a local oil and gas supply chain to ensure the U.K.s mid-term energy security. The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, suggested it would be economically illiterate not to invest in UK oil and gas because the U.K. will continue to be dependent on fossil fuels for the next few decades.

But climate activists remain convinced that the U.K. does not need Rosebank to ensure its energy security and that no- or low-carbon oil cannot truly exist, because it relies on power from renewable energy operations to offset emissions. The executive director of the campaigning group Uplift, Tessa Khan, explained: Rosebank is oil for export and will do nothing to boost the UKs energy security. Khan added, If it also ends up taking vast amounts of cheap, clean energy that could be used to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, it will end up actively reducing the UKs energy security. This would be laughable if it wasnt so serious.

There continues to be a standoff between different political parties and politicians, as well as climate activists, when it comes to U.K. oil and gas. While new North Sea developments could support mid-term energy security, while demand remains strong, as well as attracting investment in the country, it could also go against the governments climate pledges and efforts at a green transition.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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This time last year, natural gas prices in Europe were shooting for the sky, and gas prices in the U.S. were beginning the climb that would bring them to $9 per million British thermal units later in the summer.

The price surge was caused by the drop in Russian gas flows to Europe and the latter's turn to U.S. LNG for its winter storage. Europe is still buying a lot of LNG from the United States this year as well. But prices are much lower than they were last year. And they're likely to remain low.

The first reason for the price drop was the decline in European natural gas demand. A warm summer led to lower energy consumption overall, and a bunch of determined governments calling for energy conservation did their part, too. Exorbitant electricity bills in most of Europe also helped keep consumptionand as a result, gas priceslow.

But even now, when Europe is once again buying gas to fill up its gas storage caverns for next winter, natural gas is less than $3 per MMBtu. The price of the commodity that ruled 2022 is less than half what it was a year ago, and that's despite higher demand in many parts of the United States, too, as summer gets into full swing.

The reason for the lower prices is, as could be expected, lower demand. It is true that Europe is buying liquefied natural gas. But it is buying a lot less than last year: because its storage caverns are not infinite, and there is still quite a lot of gas left in them from last year.

The United States itself did not use as much gas as expected because of a milder-than-expected summer. The Wall Street Journal recalls in a recent article that withdrawals from gas storage last winter were the lowest in seven heating seasons.

Production, meanwhile, remains abundant, even though drillers have been reducing the number of drilling rigs for eight weeks in a row now. By the week to June 23, the total rig count in the U.S. had fallen to the lowest since April last year. And this means that at some point, prices will begin to climb back up. Related: Oil Ticks Up After EIA Confirms Huge Crude Draw

It probably won't happen in the next couple of months, however. Unless the weather gets really hot, leading to a spike in energy demand and the resulting surge in gas-powered generationor blackouts where there is not much gas-powered generation.

"if summer temperatures spike and become more widespread, the U.S. West, Midwest, Texas and Southeast, New England and Ontario (in Canada) may experience resource shortfalls," the North American Electric Reliability Corp warned last month.

The grid reliability watchdog cited insufficient generation capacity in some parts of the country as well as "generator vulnerability to extreme weather" as Reuters put it.

The NERC also pointed toward gas pipeline capacity constraints as one of the reasons for the increased risk of electricity supply shortages this summer. These constraints will probably help keep a lid on natural gas prices. If you can't use a commodity, you wouldn't buy it.

Going forward, however, the tightening of natural gas production would lead to higher prices as demand is not really going to drop sharply any time soon, despite efforts to enforce such lower demand with gas stove bans and pipeline rejections.

It takes a few months from the cut in drilling to the fall in output to manifest, so the change in price trends is likely to begin getting visible in the autumn. This will be unfortunate because a couple of months later, Europe will probably intensify its efforts to secure natural gas supplies for the winter as it begins dipping into its storage.

Many analysts have warned that it was not last year that was the real test of Europe's resilience in natural gas. It is this yearthis heating seasonthat will be the real test because for half of last year, Europe received full Russian gas volumes and used them to fill those storage caverns. This year, the only Russian gas coming into Europe is the gas transited via Ukraine and through Turkeya small part of the former total.

The combination of lower production in the United States and higher demand ahead of the winter heating season is almost certain to push gas prices higher unless we see a repeat of last winter with its mild temperatures.

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As to how high prices could go, that remains an open question, although chances are they won't go as high as they did last year, both because of still plentiful supply and also because of the decline in industrial activity in the recession-hit eurozone, which has brought energy demand down.

Once the supply drop kicks in, however, prices could go anywhere. And the supply drop will more likely than not kick in at some point because drillers in the U.S. are not cutting just the number of gas rigs. They are also cutting the number of oil rigs, which means less associated gas from oil wellsthe same gas that ensured low gas prices last year and during the first months of this year.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Last year, U.S. unconventional oil production contributed 7.8 million barrels daily to global supply. This unconventional productionshale oilhad already turned the United States into a new swing producer and a challenger to OPEC. Now, this is changing.

Before, U.S. shale producers spent their time working to see just how much oil they could pump out of the ground if they really put their minds to it. Costs did not matter. Neither did cash returns for investors. The big prize was always around the corner.

The U.S. became the worlds largest oil producer. It could move prices the way OPEC did. And then came the pandemic, and everything fell apart, with oil prices briefly swinging below zero. Those were U.S. oil prices.

No industry could come out of such a trial without learning a lesson, and U.S. shale indeed learned a lesson. Investors helped, too. They decided they didnt want to wait for the prize around the corner any longer. They wanted their money now after years of patience.

The industry was not exactly flush with options. It had to tighten its belt and change its strategy. And thats exactly what it did. Only this time, unlike in previous downturns, it did not begin to loosen the belt the moment things began to look up.

Indeed, things began to look up perhaps more quickly than many expected. Russias invasion of Ukraine last year sent oil prices soaring, and with them, demand for U.S. oil from Europe. U.S. drillers could return to Drill, baby, drill with a clear conscience. But they didnt. Because theyd grown up.

The troubled time of the pandemic appears to have taught the U.S. shale producers that the boom-and-bust cycle does not have to be devastating at the bust stage. They could prepare for it with the money made during the boom instead of spending it on bringing the bust sooner rather than later.

Thats what the shale industry is doing right now. It has retained its capital discipline from the pandemic period, it has paid down its debt load from the profits it made last year, and it is approaching any production expansion with previously uncharacteristic caution.

Of course, there is the issue of high-quality inventory that industry executives have been warning about for a while now. The expectation is that U.S. shale oil output is nearing a natural peak due to resource depletion. Not everyone agrees, but for now, producers are clearly in no rush to challenge the peak expectations.

And why would they if they are constantly reminded that the future energy system belongs to wind, solar, and EVs, and their product is about to become obsolete? Few rational thinkers believe this will be the case, and yet the industry, with its newfound caution, is preparing, like every grownup industry would.

The E&P companies investment case is based not on growth prospects, which was what mattered in the early years of the shale boom, but on returning cash to shareholders, Wood Mackenzie Vice Chair for the Americas, Ed Crooks, wrote in a recent opinion piece.

The industry has rearranged its priorities, in other words, in a sign of reaching maturity, Crooks argued. It does not mean production growth will go away entirely. In fact, U.S. shale oil production will rise this year, next year, and the year after. It will just rise more modestly, according to both Wood Mac and other forecasters, including the EIA.

In the two last pre-pandemic years, U.S. shale boosted total oil production by over a million barrels daily annually. This year, production growth is largely seen at around 700,000 bpd. This rate of growth, according to Wood Mac, is set to remain relatively unchanged in the next two yearseven though demand projections for the period are quite bullish.

If last years prices failed to tempt shale drillers into pumping themselves into oblivion, this years prices will definitely fail, too, and nobody seems to expect Brent at $100 for next year. Even if it does rise back to $100, shale drillers will likely remain cautious. It must be that inventory they are running out of. And thats bad news for oil consumers.

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The atrophy of once-booming sweet spots has big implications for the global oil market, which years ago could count on rapidly growing U.S. oil production to blunt the effects of supply disruptions and rising demand, the Wall Street Journal wrote in March this year.

A mature U.S. shale oil industry is excellent news for investors in that industry, but its not such excellent news for oil-importing countries that can appreciate a cheap barrel that used to be made cheap by those same shale drillers rather childish ambition to see just how much oil they can pump out of the ground.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The European Union has assembled a new support package meant to mitigate the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine on Moldova and "bring the country closer" to the 27-member bloc, the European Commission has announced.

The package has five priority areas, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on June 28.

The five areas are focused on facilitating economic development and connectivity, reforms, energy, security, and strategic communication, the statement said.

Moldova has stood firmly in solidarity and in defense of European values," the statement quoted von der Leyen as saying.

The EU has already earmarked 1.2 billion euros ($1.31 billion) "to help Moldova in facing multiple crises since the autumn of 2021," it said.

One of Europe's poorest countries, Moldova, a country of 2.7 million wedged between EU and NATO member Romania and Ukraine, has been confronted with further instability by Russia's war in Ukraine. Moldova's history is deeply intertwined with Romania, the two neighbors sharing a common history, culture, and language.

Moldova has received thousands of Ukrainian refugees and has voiced fears of a potential Russian invasion aided by Russian troops stationed in its breakaway Transdniester region.

Last year in June, Moldova became a candidate for EU membership along with Ukraine in a huge boost to the pro-Western aspirations of President Maia Sandu's government, which has repeatedly accused Russia of trying to destabilize the country.

"Despite the enormous consequences Russia's war of aggression is having on the country, Moldova is taking great strides to advance on its European future. With today's package, the EU shows we stand by Moldova and we will work to accelerate your European integration and reforms. Moldova's future lies in the EU," von de Leyen said.

The European Commission statement said that following its proposal earlier this month, up to 600 million euros ($656 million) from the bloc's Neighborhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument could be reallocated to "programs to increase support for other neighborhood countries, including Moldova" between 2024-2027.

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The dust is still settling on the weekend mutiny launched by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his private Wagner mercenary group that shook Russia and exposed new cracks in Russian President Vladimir Putin's power at home.

But what does it mean for China and its leader, Xi Jinping, who has been Moscow's -- and Putin's -- strongest supporter since the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine?

Finding Perspective: As Wagner forces seized a major Russian military hub and ordered an armed march on Moscow on June 24, Chinese officials were silent. Chinese state media provided straight, factual coverage as events unfolded on the ground and, unsurprisingly, offered no sympathy for Prigozhin or Wagner, and instead largely echoed rhetoric from Putin's speech about the need for law, order, and stability.

It wasn't until Sunday, June 25 -- after the convoy to Moscow was turned around following a deal brokered by Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka between Putin and Prigozhin -- that Beijing broke its silence.

"This is a matter of Russia's domestic affairs," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "China supports Russia in safeguarding national stability and delivering development and prosperity."

That same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko flew to Beijing for what was said to be a scheduled meeting, where he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

"Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the Chinese-Russian political trust has continued to deepen," Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said following the meeting.

Why It Matters: Xi now has to balance continuing support for Putin with hedging for the possibility that the Russian leader's time in power could be cut short.

Xi's partnership with Putin is based on a cocktail of ideology and pragmatism, and several Chinese scholars have argued that Prighozin's rebellion could limit the pragmatic appeal of the Kremlin.

Yu Jianrong, a prominent Chinese public intellectual, posted a video to his more than 7 million Weibo followers of Russians in Rostov-on-Don reacting angrily to police moving into the city, where he suggested there was some level of public support for Wagner: "I really don't know what's going on in this country," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Yu Sui, a professor at the China Center for Contemporary World Studies, told the China Daily newspaper the mutiny "undoubtedly rings an alarm bell for Russia" and that the episode reminded him of "the Chinese saying about feeding a tiger and then inviting trouble."

Shen Dingli, a Shanghai-based international relations scholar, told the Guardian that he believed the events would lead to Russia's increased dependence on China and that Beijing would take "a more cautious stance on Russia."

As Minxin Pei, a professor at Claremont McKenna College, wrote in a recent piece for Bloomberg, the invasion and Putin's actions since have provided Xi with a steady stream of lessons "too precious not to learn" when it comes maintaining support of the military, the absence of private armies, and keeping less personalistic control of the state.

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When it comes to Prigohzin's rebellion, Mei writes, it's "a reminder to Xi that nationalism is a double-edged sword."

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Private U.S. oil and gas producer TRP Energy is considering selling its business in the Permian in a deal expected to fetch over $1.5 billion, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

TRP Energy, controlled by Greenbelt Capital Partners, is exploring the sale of around 15,000 net acres in the Midland part in the Permian, as a growing number of private operators have started seeking profitable exits from their operations.

One investment bank is already advising TRP Energy on a potential sale, which is not certain to happen, according to the anonymous sources who spoke to Reuters.

Most public companies are in need of inventory, and the land held by private E&Ps is where they can find it, Andrew Dittmar, director at Enverus, said last month, discussing the state of the M&A in the U.S. upstream.

The value and volume of U.S. upstream oil and gas deals fell in the first quarter of the year as companies focused on mature plays and are still watching and waiting for opportunities to snap up undeveloped acreage in the Permian.

Record cash flows in the industry and dwindling inventory of prime drilling locations for many smaller producers have set the stage for a new raft of consolidation in the U.S. oil industry. This year, the M&A activity is expected to move into a higher gear as private equity looks for the exit while public companies look for additional top-tier acreage, analysts say.

In May, Chevron signed a deal to buy shale firm PDC Energy in an all-stock transaction valued at $6.3 billion, or $72 per share. Through the acquisition of PDC Energy, Chevron will gain high-quality assets adjacent to its positions in the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) and the Permian Basins.

And just last week, Colorado-based producer Civitas Resources said it would enter the Permian basin after the signing of two definitive agreements to acquire oil producing assets in the Midland and Delaware Basins of west Texas and New Mexico for $4.7 billion.

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By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Environmental activists asked a Norwegian court on Thursday to halt the development of three offshore oil and gas fields, arguing that in approving them, Norway has violated the constitution and didnt take into account their environmental impact.

The new climate lawsuits against Norway come a day after the government approved the development of 19 offshore oil and gas projects worth more than $18.5 billion (200 billion Norwegian crowns) in investments. The projects include new developments, additional development of producing oil and gas fields, and investments to increase resource recovery in producing fields. The projects are being led by Aker BP, Equinor, Wintershall Dea, and OMV.

In the lawsuits filed with the Oslo district court today, Greenpeace Norway and Natur og Ungdom (Nature and Youth) say they believe the development of the three new oil and gas fields, Equinors Breidablikk and Aker BPs Yggdrasil and Tyrving in the North Sea, hasnt taken into account the impact on climate and future generations and violate a Supreme Court ruling from 2020 that required the government to assess global impacts on the environment from field developments. The Supreme Court issued this ruling when it dismissed a previous attempt by campaigners to halt Arctic drilling offshore Norway. The environmentalists sued Norway in 2017 for violating the constitutional rights of its citizens to a healthy environment by awarding oil drilling licenses in the Arctic.

In todays lawsuits, Greenpeace and Nature and Youth argue that the assessment of the global climate impacts of the fields has been either non-existent or extremely insufficient.

The government defies climate science and our own Supreme Court when it allows new oil fields without investigating whether these are compatible with a livable environment, Frode Pleym, head of Greenpeace Norway, said in a statement.

Following Wednesdays approval of 19 oil and gas development projects, Greenpeace Norway tweeted Listen up, Norway: There is no room for a single new oil, gas or coal field in the world. New projects violate our right to a healthy environment.

Norway pursues development on its shelf and says more oil and gas will create jobs and value for Norway and contribute to Europes energy security. Norway is now the single biggest supplier of natural gas to Europe after Russia cut off most pipeline deliveries following the invasion of Ukraine.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Canada shouldnt back Canadian pipeline company TC Energy in its lawsuit against the United States, a new report from a Canadian think tank suggested.

In the $15 billion lawsuit that TC Energy has filed against the United States for the Biden Administrations cancellation of its crude oil cross-border pipeline expansion project known as the Keystone XL pipeline, Ottawa should back the United States, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives recommended.

Though the TC Energy dispute pits a Canadian company against the U.S. state, it does not follow that it is in Canadas interest for TC Energy to prevail, the report says, adding that The Keystone XL case is a clear example of a company wanting to be compensated for making a risky bet.

That risky bet refers to former President Donald Trump getting re-elected in 2020.

TC Energy originally proposed the expansion project back in 2008 in hopes of moving more than 800,000 barrels per day of tar sands oil to Gulf Coast refineries in Texas. President Obama denied the necessary permit for the project in 2015. President Trump granted it. Then President Biden revoked that permit the first day he served in office as President. TC Energy officially mothballed the project in June 2021. But the company is looking to recoup its costs from the United States.

TC Energy is hoping to recoup the costs under the NAFTA agreement that expired in 2020, arguing that the project originally dates back to 2008. NAFTA had a three-year grace period for lodging disputes, which was up on April 30after TC Energy filed its dispute.

The United States is arguing that the Biden Administration revoked the permit after NAFTA expired.

The report suggests that Canada should actively support the United States in the case and not sit idly by, which would be tantamount to suggesting the U.S. position in the matter is not credible.

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By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Exxon has inked a deal with a chemicals producer for the development of lithium resources in Arkansas as it ventures further into the battery metal, Reuters has reported.

The news follows last months report by the Wall Street Journal that Exxon had acquired the rights to a lithium deposit in Arkansas, for which it paid $100 million.

The report quoted unnamed sources as saying the supermajor could begin drilling at the deposit in the next few months. According to the previous owner of the assets, they may contain up to 4 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent, which the WSJ said was enough for 50 million EV batteries.

According to other unnamed sources, who spoke to Reuters, the new deal concerns assets adjacent to the ones Exxon acquired earlier this year. The financial details of the new deal were not disclosed, Reuters wrote.

Several oil companies seem to be interested in diversification into lithium. Demand projections are one big reason for this and the other is the fact that lithium mining appears to require similar expertise to oil well drilling.

Its a natural evolution for oil companies. Lithium brines are an obvious one as unlike charging networks and wind farms, where they have no skills besides project management, they are skilled at subsurface pumping and fluids, according to the chief executive of a mining investment fund dubbed TechMet, which has invested in a lithium venture owned by Schlumberger.

The oilfield services major, which has renamed itself SLB, is one of the most active in lithium, betting on direct lithium extraction technology, which is seen by many to be the future of lithium production. The FT compared it to fracking and suggested DLE could do for lithium production what fracking did for oil production.

The lithium market is seen expanding to $150 billion annually by 2030.

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By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned the local government of Liloan, Cebu for purchasing lechon for various occasions in 2022.

In its report uploaded on its website on June 23, the COA said Liloan officials purchased 207 pieces of lechon amounting to 1.357 million for the municipalitys team buildings, graduation ceremonies, and general assemblies, among other activities.

The procurement of lechon for the above-mentioned activities was deemed unnecessary for it is not essential in carrying/attaining the objectives of the programs or activities at hand, state auditors noted.

They also flagged the granting of lechon to private organizations and religious groups as irregular because it violates Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code. The audit showed purchases were made during the terms of then-mayor Christina Frasco and incumbent Mayor Aljew Fernando Frasco.

The COA asked the LGU to refrain from incurring similar expenses for these activities.

And henceforth, exercise prudence in the disposition of government funds and ensure that limited government resources are spent with the end view of efficiency, economy, and effectiveness in its operations, it added.

The mayor explained the LGU did not actually purchase the lechon but simply made a cash donation for certain cultural activities.

The pertinent parties are the ones who resolved to use the donation for the purchase of lechon in consonance with the Filipino tradition of highlighting any gathering with the aforesaid viand," the official said.

Still, the mayor assured the COA that concerned offices have been instructed to prohibit the granting of any request for lechon in any activity.

In its rejoinder, the audit team insisted it was the municipalitys Bids and Awards Committee that purchased the lechon based on disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents.
Indias State-owned oil company Bharat Petroleum has approved raising up to 180 billion rupees ($2.19 billion) through an issue of equity shares as part of the governments push into green energy. The Indian government plans to inject billions of dollars into Bharat Petroleum and its state-owned peers, Indian Oil Corp. and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. to help fund their energy transition projects. The three refiners plan to invest 3.5 trillion rupees to 4 trillion rupees to achieve their net-zero emissions goals by 2040. The government has pledged to invest $350 billion rupee s($4.3B) in clean energy projects in the current year. Bharat Petroleum is Indias third-biggest refiner and the second-largest fuel retailer with a 21% slice of the market.

Indias private sector is also investing heavily in clean energy projects.

A week ago, a venture group backed by Indias second-largest solar energy company, Vikram Solar, will invest up to $1.5 billion in the U.S. solar energy supply chain, with the first investments going to a factory in Colorado next year, according to an exclusive Reuters report.

The $250 million Colorado facility will be capable of producing 2 gigawatts (GW) of modules a year initially and double the capacity over time and will also create more than 900 jobs.

Newly formed VSK Energy LLC will leverage India's extensive solar manufacturing know-how in the U.S. push to build a clean energy manufacturing sector that can compete with China. Vikram Solar Limited is one of the largest solar module manufacturers in India with 3.5 GW module manufacturing capacity annually.

"It's a great thing for us to be bringing an Indian company to the table here. You've seen a number of Indian companies get into the manufacturing space and do quite well, and Vikram is the best of them,"Sriram Das, managing director at Das & Co and chairman of the joint venture, told Reuters.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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The oil and gas industry has made almost no progress since 2021 to align itself to the Paris Agreement goals, new research by the non-profit platform CDP showed on Thursday.

No oil and gas firm in the world has plans to phase out fossil fuels, according to the World Benchmarking Alliance and CDP, which have assessed the worlds largest oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, BP, and Saudi Aramco.

The review showed a dangerous lack of progress towards global climate goals from the sector. There has been little advance  and alarmingly even some decline  in oil and gas companies progress on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, CDP said.

The companies havent invested enough in low-carbon energy, either, according to the report.

The seven major oil and gas companies made a record $380 billion profits last year but despite this, investment to reach a low-carbon economy has fallen dangerously short, CDP said.

To halve the sectors Scope 1 and 2 emissions, oil and gas firms need to invest $600 billion by 2030 into low-carbon solutions, and this is not happening, the assessment found.

Scope 1 and 2 methane emissions must be reduced by 60% by 2030, yet only 29 companies have even disclosed targets to reduce methane emissions by 2030.

Some institutional investors have already expressed disappointment at the pivot from supermajors BP and Shell who doubled down on oil and gas in their updated strategies earlier this year.

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Last week, The Church of England said it was dumping all remaining oil and gas majors from its portfolio for failing to align with the 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway. The Church of England will now exclude from its portfolio BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Eni, Equinor, Ecopetrol, Occidental Petroleum, Pemex, Repsol, and Sasol, after concluding that none are aligned with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, as assessed by the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI).

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A juvenile passenger was killed Thursday morning in a highway crash south of Bellevue.

About 8 a.m., a 2009 Hyundai Sonata, registered in Glenwood, Iowa, was driving westbound on Highway 34 just west of Harlan Lewis Road when the driver lost control and crossed into the eastbound lanes, according to the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office.

After crossing the median, the Sonata collided with an eastbound Dodge Ram pickup truck and then was hit a second time by an eastbound Freightliner semitruck, the office said.

When a deputy arrived, a juvenile male passenger was found deceased at the scene, according to a news release. The female driver and female front-seat passenger were transported to the Nebraska Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and they remained in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.

Officials said the drivers of the Freightliner and Ram were not injured.

The Sarpy County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the crash, which occurred while heavy rain moved through the area. Traffic along Highway 34 was closed during a crash scene investigation but have since reopened.
An Omaha man found guilty of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide was sentenced Thursday to 90 days in the Douglas County Jail.

Miguel Penalosa, 36, also will serve two years of probation after his release from jail. The charge stems from a crash in September 2022 that resulted in the death of 30-year-old motorcyclist Joseph Zadina.

According to police statements at the time, Penalosa was driving a Jeep Wrangler southbound on Saddle Creek Road about 7:25 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2022. The Jeep, turning east onto Hamilton Street, turned in front of Zadinas motorcycle, which was traveling northbound on Saddle Creek Road.

Zadinas 2009 Harley-Davidson struck the Jeep in the intersection of Saddle Creek Road and Hamilton Street. Zadina was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died during surgery.

Penalosa was initially charged with misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide and driving on a suspended license, also a misdemeanor. At a bench trial in April, Penalosa pleaded no contest to the motor vehicle homicide charge and the suspended license charge was dismissed.

Prosecutor Ryan Lindberg said he requested for any sentence handed down by Douglas County Court Judge Grant Forsberg to include a period of incarceration, in part because Penalosa has a history of driving under suspension.

Ray Zadina, the uncle of Joseph Zadina, said that his nephew was a helper to anyone and everyone. When he was killed, Joseph Zadina was on his way to help a friend move.

Zadinas family was struck by a bout of tragedy beginning in 2012, when his 18-year-old brother was killed in a car accident. In 2015, Zadinas mother died, leaving him to take on a larger role in caring for his younger siblings.

Ray Zadina said that despite the immense pain from the losses, his nephew took this new role in stride and took pride in putting his family first.

He never let life get him down, even after all the things he went through, Ray Zadina said. He was such a responsible person. He took care of his brothers; he bought a house. And he was just looking forward to the future.
Phillips immediately encountered Wilson in the driveway, and he began firing at her with a handgun, according to the release. Phillips returned fire using her police-issued sidearm from inside her police cruiser.

Phillips then exited the cruiser, using the cruiser as cover as Wilson continued to fire at her, the release said. Phillips continued to return fire, striking Wilson in his legs.

Wilson then ran out of ammunition and threw his handgun under the police cruiser, according to the release. The handgun was located in the driveway behind the police cruiser.

After backup arrived, Phillips provided medical care to Wilson, including applying a tourniquet to an injured leg, the release said.

Phillips sustained a minor injury to her arm while returning fire from inside her cruiser, though it's unclear what caused the injury, Lt. Neal Bonacci said.

Phillips was interviewed by the Police Department's Involved Investigations Team, and her statement was consistent with other witness statements and the evidence found at the scene, the release said. The incident also was captured on Phillips' body camera.

After the incident, Phillips' police cruiser was found to have rounds from Wilson's handgun impacting the front windshield and driver's side window and door. Phillips' K-9, Taz, was not deployed in the incident and was not injured.

Wilson has been booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony and terroristic threats, according to jail records. He was first taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries.
A 51-year-old Papillion man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for distribution of child pornography.

Jason Stoolman was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nebraska.

Stoolman plead guilty to distributing child pornography online in September 2020 and uploading child pornography online between February and April of 2021, according to court records.

In March 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Stoolman's residence in Omaha and obtained his iPad, which contained approximately 1,421 files of child pornography involving prepubescent children, according to the release.

Stoolman will also be required to pay $18,000 in restitution, the release said.
An avid volunteer with the Westside Community Schools will join its school board in July.

The district announced Wednesday that Sarah Rider will fill a vacancy on the school board following the death of member Doug Krenzer.

Rider has volunteered in a variety of roles, including serving on a bond committee, a superintendent search focus group, the Oakdale Elementary Community Club and the Westside Foundation.

We are excited to welcome Sarah to our Board of Education, said Beth Morrissette, school board president, in a media release. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table and a strong passion for the district. We are confident she will be a valuable asset to our district.

Rider is also the senior director of donor experience for the University of Nebraska Foundation. She earned a masters degree from Creighton University and bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The board opened applications for the vacancy this month. Public interviews took place Wednesday before the school board selected Rider. She will be sworn in as a member at the school boards next meeting July 17.

The World-Herald's 2023 All State Academic Team Nayera Abdessalam Sophie Cullum Louis Giacalone Justin Golus Daniel Kasparek Ina Satpathy Natalie Thompson Kevin Vuong Aden Williams
Former President Donald Trump will visit Council Bluffs on July 7 and deliver remarks at the Mid-America Center.

According to Trumps website, doors will open at 10 a.m., and the former president will speak at 1 p.m. Tickets are available on his website.

The Mid-America Center is located at 1 Arena Way.

The announcement did not give details about Trumps remarks, but the 45th president is currently running for reelection. He launched his third bid for the White House last year.

Trump is facing several GOP contenders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and others.

Trump has visited Nebraska and Iowa several times, including a 2022 visit to Greenwood, Nebraska, to campaign for gubernatorial candidate Charles W. Herbster. Herbster lost the race to current Gov. Jim Pillen.

President Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in 2020, also has announced he is seeking reelection.
Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin has delved deeply into the lives of some of the United States most high-profile presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Lyndon Baines Johnson.

She will share her insights into how the mental health struggles faced by those influential men affected their leadership as the guest speaker at Community Alliances annual Breaking the Silence event in Omaha this fall.

The annual event brings to Omaha nationally recognized figures whose lives or careers have intersected with mental illness. The aim is to foster communitywide and open discussion of mental illness and the need for access to services and support for those affected by it.

Kearns Goodwin will offer a different perspective. The author of more than a dozen books, she won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for History for No Ordinary Time: Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front During World War II.

Its important to recognize that no one is immune from the possibility of facing a mental health issue in their lifetime, Carol Boye, Community Alliances CEO, said in a statement. We look forward to discussing mental health through this unique lens.

The event is scheduled for Oct. 5 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Tickets will be available at Purchase TicketsCommunity AllianceMental Health Services (community-alliance.org)

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of June 2023
LINCOLN  Workers at a north Lincoln Starbucks store are among thousands nationwide who are seeking to unionize.

Employees at the store at 5040 N. 26th St. have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board seeking to unionize as part of the group Starbucks Workers United.

Workers at more than 300 stores nationwide have successfully unionized, and the Lincoln store is the first one in Nebraska to attempt to do so.

The workers at the store also sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan in which they listed their reasons for unionizing, which include inconsistent scheduling, being short-staffed and working with faulty and defective equipment.

These circumstances do not set partners up for success to thrive in our careers, and efficiently give guests the connections, service and products they deserve, the letter said.

We want Starbucks to recognize the value we bring to the company as the faces customers connect with every day by joining us at the bargaining table, it said.

So far, more than 330 Starbucks stores in 38 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized, although that represents only about 3% of the companys total workforce.

A Starbucks spokesperson said in an email that company officials welcome the opportunity for partners at our Lincoln store to vote in a neutral, secret ballot election conducted by the NLRB  which allows all partners to make their own informed decision regarding union representation.

The company, however, has been accused of labor law violations, including firing labor organizers and closing unionized stores.

The spokesperson also said that Starbucks believes a direct relationship with its employees is the right path forward for our company, and pointed out that it offers what it believes are industry-best pay and benefits, including a minimum wage of $15 an hour and an average wage of $17.50.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of June 2023
(CNN)  Ma Khin Hla and her five siblings didnt have time to run when a fighter jet buzzed over their village in Myanmars central Sagaing region.

We six siblings were sitting and talking at home as our brother monk was visiting us from town, said Ma Khin Hla, 67, who asked to use a pseudonym for security reasons.

We first heard the noises from a jet fighter. We didnt get to run as it immediately dropped bombs.

When she opened her eyes after the strike on Tuesday, Ma Khin Hla said she saw her siblings bodies scattered around her.

All were lying dead nearby me, she said. My entire body is shaken by rage and numb in sadness to see my siblings killed.

At least 10 civilians died in the airstrike and more than a dozen others were wounded, local officials and eyewitnesses said, the latest deadly attack in the military juntas violent campaign for control since seizing power in a coup.

Three bombs dropped by a military fighter jet on Tuesday landed close to a monastery in Nyaung Kone village, Pale township, according to Zaw Htet, head of the towns Peoples Administration.

Three women and seven men, in total 10 people were killed including a monk, while about 15 people were injured and sent to hospital, Zaw Htet told CNN.

The official also said 13 houses were destroyed in the attack.

Battles between the military and resistance groups have unfolded almost daily across Myanmar since army general Min Aung Hlaing seized power in February 2021, plunging the country into economic chaos and fresh civil war.

Airstrikes and ground attacks on what the military calls terrorist targets occur regularly and have killed thousands of civilians, including children, according to monitoring groups. Whole villages have been burned down by junta soldiers and schools, clinics and hospitals destroyed in the attacks.

The village struck Tuesday was part of a self-governed area in the Sagaing region not under junta control.

Administration official Zaw Htet said there were no resistance fighters  known as Peoples Defense Forces (PDF)  in the village and accused the junta of targeting civilians.

They (the military) just came and dropped the bombs, he said. What they did was very inhuman and cruel as if the village was the military target.

CNN cannot independently verify the incident, but eyewitness accounts match reports in local media and from Myanmars shadow National Unity Government.

CNN reached out to junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for comment on the airstrike but did not receive a response.

Images from the aftermath of the attack, obtained by CNN, show the burnt embers of destroyed houses and villagers dousing water on the smoldering remains.

Ma Khin Hla, whose five siblings were killed, said she has been forced to take shelter with relatives in another village.

My house was burned to ashes  (theres) nothing left, she said. We were farmers  just ordinary people working in the farm.

Ar Lu, another resident of Nyaung Kone village, told CNN he helped to extinguish the fires and bury those who died.

We buried the people in a pit altogether, he said.

Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the shadow National Unity Government confirmed the deadly attack.

I condemn SAC (State Administration Council) on their target against the civilians, he told CNN, using the official name of the ruling junta. They are deliberately doing this in order to instill the fear in the people.

In April, a junta air attack on Pazigyi village, also in Sagaing region, killed 186 people, including dozens of children, according to the NUG and eyewitnesses.

The military said it was targeting terrorists but eyewitnesses interviewed by CNN said those targeted were unarmed civilians enjoying a community celebration.

That attack sparked international outcry and increased calls for a ban on aviation fuel imports as well as a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.

In May, a United Nations report found the junta had imported at least $1 billion in weapons and military-related equipment since its coup, with much of the equipment coming from individuals and businesses in Russia, China and Singapore.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "My entire body is shaken by rage: Myanmar villager recounts horror of junta airstrike that killed five of her siblings."
Alhaji Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the State Government, has announced that Niger State will be hosting the inaugural National Green Summit sometimes in Q4 of 2023.

This is in efforts to boost agriculture development, youth engagement, innovation, and agroforestry towards the states green economy agenda to further improve the economic development of the state.

His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago in an effort to reposition Niger state for the sustainable socioeconomic development, has constituted a committee, the Niger State Committee on Green Economy (NSCGE) to review existing policies and aligning with state level policy, programs and project implementation within and beyond 2023-2027 governance window as well as ensuring that there is wide consultation in the process of greening the states economy.

This committee has been charged with the responsibility of organizing the upcoming summit which will serve as a pivotal platform for unveiling the Niger State Blueprint on Green Economy. This comprehensive roadmap will guide the efforts of the State Government in achieving a sustainable and prosperous Niger for all.
A former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, has said he is still the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) despite Thursdays endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari by the partys National Executive Committee.

Duke made his position known in a statement he signed personally.

For the avoidance of doubt, I, Donald Duke, remain on the ballot and the candidate of the SDP as recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The former governor described the decision of the partys NEC to adopt Buhari as unfortunate. I need not say more; suffice that I remain on the ballot and thereby still present myself as a candidate for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he added. Meanwhile, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the SDP, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, on Friday declared for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Hagher, who addressed journalists in Makurdi, distanced himself from the decision of the partys National Working Committee which endorsed the APC presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. The decision by the National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party to endorse Buhari, according to the party, was informed by the protracted legal squabbles within the party which had made the party unable to commence campaign. Hagher, a former minister said, The action negates the spirit and the motto of the SDP to support the APC in the forthcoming presidential election. The former ambassador to Mexico described the decision as extremely unpopular, largely motivated by nothing more than selfishness, greed and arrogance of the SDP leadership. He said, I, Professor Ambassador Iyorwuese Hagher, and my team, the Revolution of Hope, have received with shock, disbelief and horror, the decision of the party leaders of the SDP to support the APC in the forthcoming presidential elections! This action totally negates the spirit and the motto of the SDP which is Peace, Unity and Progress. The action amounts to one political step forward, two lock steps backwards. It is no longer the SDP of Moshood Abiola. They have systematically destroyed democracy in the SDP and put up the party for sale.

As a major stakeholder of the party, I hereby denounce the decision to sell the SDP to the APC. I will never succumb to the pressure to return the country that I loved dearly and wanted to be its president to brutal dictatorship and fascism.
The European Union has revealed that no fewer than 74 persons were reportedly killed by hoodlums during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

The EU disclosed this in its final report titled Election Observation Mission NIGERIA 2023 on Tuesday.

According to the report, at least 74 fatalities were documented in 101 violent incidents that happened during the 2023 electioneering period in Nigeria.

The union claimed that all the recorded violent incidents occurred during the campaigning period, adding that killings became more increased when the election drew nearer.

According to the report, the violence obstructed the integral parts of the election and suppressed the active participation of voters.

The statement read, The EU EOM recorded 101 violent incidents during the campaign, including at least 74 fatalities.

Assassination attempts and killings increased closer to the polls, creating a particularly insecure environment in the southern states. In several northern states, systematic attacks by political thugs on rallies and political opponents were observed. Use of violence obstructed the campaign, disturbed the elections, and suppressed voter participation.

Campaigning was also distorted by an influx of unrecorded money and despite campaign finance being comprehensively regulated the law appears largely ineffective.

EU EOM observers received reports of and saw widespread distribution of goods and vote buying. Several state agencies tried to tackle corrupt practices, yet their results were modest. This is evidencing that political will, enhanced institutional capacity, and robust enforcement synergy are needed to ensure transparency and genuine accountability.

One of the victims of this electoral violence was Samuel Arunsi Eze, who was allegedly beheaded by a political thug known as Daniel Mgba in Ndi Agwu community of Abam, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, South-East Nigeria.

Source: Vanguard

A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Buba Galadima, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu.

Galadima said Yakubu allegedly conspired with some politicians to subvert the will of Nigerians during the last presidential election.

Speaking with Channels Television on Tuesday, Galadima said what Yakubu did was less than what the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, did before he was sacked.

He stressed that the INEC boss committed more crimes than Emefiele.

According to Galadima: The INEC chairman must go, what he did is not up to what Godwin Emefiele did.

He colluded with some people to subvert the will of Nigerians. He committed the greatest crime anybody will commit.

Yakubu was accused of compromising the 2023 presidential election.

Some political stakeholders had accused the INEC chairman of manipulating the 2023 presidential election in favour of Tinubu.

Source: Daily Post
NDLEA Secretary, Shadrack Haruna stated this during an interview on Channels Televisions Sunrise Daily.

He said there was a lot of misconception about decriminalising the use of drugs.

You travel to Canada, you travel anywhere, and you say, Theyve decriminalised marijuana or cannabis and were using it, he said.

But of course, you have different species of marijuana and in those countries, they have very good policies; very good enforcement and measurement standards which they have to follow.

Haruna explained that there are different species of cannabis grown worldwide.

The species they have, which they say they have decriminalised in some of those countries, are those without Tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the active ingredient that makes one to be something else, he said.

We have cannabis that is far, far more potent, almost 45 percent, 100 percent Tetrahydrocannabinol. We cant compare it to what theyre saying they have decriminalised.

He explained that in those countries, enforcement is strict, and argued that not so many countries, including the US, have actually said we have decriminalised some of these drugs. None, including the UK.

The UK, the NDLEA secretary noted, used to allow the importation of cannabinol, which he said is used for some kinds of medical treatment.

But of late, they have also restricted it because theyve noticed the increasing content of cannabinol in that particular oil, he said.

Haruna said while some argue for its commercialisation in Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advised that the harmful impact of cannabis outweighs its benefits.

Some people are saying, We make a lot of money from it. But it is not money we are looking for. We are looking for the health of the nation. Were looking for the well-being of individuals, he said.

But they are talking about the commercialisation of drugs and all those things. To me, it is a misconception, which of course the media should come out against it because we know that its something that is wrong for this country.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that the police in Zambia have arrested the son and daughter-in-law of the former Zambian President, Edgar Lungu on suspicion of money laundering and in possession of items thought to be the proceeds of crime totaling more than $5 million.

Related
.brings 6-day global crusade to close in Port Harcourt

.as Rivers Governor receives Kumuyi

By Gabriel Ewepu, ABUJA

The General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and Convener, Global Crusade with Kumuyi, GCK, Pastor William Kumuyi, Tuesday, disclosed over 180 countries reached global crusade within two years.

Kumuyi revealed this during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, at Government House, along with his wife, Esther Kumuyi and other pastors.

He also briefed the Governor about the six-day Global Crusade with Kumuyi, GCK, which started on Thursday, June 22 to Tuesday 27,2023 at the Deeper Life Bible Church Campground at Rumuodara, Port Harcourt.

Meanwhile,he said within the days of the Crusade a lot of miracles God had wrought in the lives of the people as many gave their lives to Christ and also received unprecedented miracles even according to the theme of the Global Crusade Supernatural Freedom through Christ.

He added that the Crusade will be brought to a close today (Tuesday) evening with messages and miracle prayers.

He hinted that the Global Crusade under GCK has been held in several States in Nigeria and some African countries including Cameroon, Togo, and Ghana.

He pointed out that the GCK is held three-fold, the Crusade in the evening, where participants gather in large numbers to hear the word of God and prayers are offered to their diverse needs.

That the second fold is the session for Ministers, church workers and Professionals in the morning while the third fold of GCK provides the opportunity to impact teenagers, campus students, corps members and young adults, which is called Impact Academy, where they are also inspired with the different presentations by their peers, and to climax it, there is a ministration by the Convener of GCK, Pastor Kumuyi, which had brought about the overwhelming transformation of lives.

Related News

He also expressed deep appreciation of the church for his (Fubara) support during the six-day Global Crusade.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara with his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, warmly welcomed and received the international gospel evangelist at Government House.

The Governor in a tweet on the visit said, Today, we received the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministries (@dclmhq), Dr. @pastorwf_kumuyi and his team.

It was in keeping with our resolve to continue sustaining Christian ethos and values that have remained the foundation of our state and government..

The Governor also in his remark maintained that Rivers State is a Christian State, and anything a church is doing to add value to the lives of Rivers people is fully supported.

He also commended the Man of God for choosing Rivers State for the Global Crusade, and he was optimistic that the impact of the Crusade will change the narrative in the lives of the people.

He added that the body of Christ should work as one and continue to pray for the peace, unity, stability and progress of the State and Nigeria at large.
European Union says Nigerian police ignored thugs disrupting and wreaking havoc during the 2023 general elections but clamped down on journalists helping to report and take evidence of violence during the elections.

This was stated in the EUs final report, Election Observation Mission Nigeria 2023, released on Tuesday.

Law enforcement agencies failed to prosecute persons who attacked, intimidated, harassed, or obstructed journalists prior to, on and after both election days, the EU reported.

The EU EOM observers confirmed multiple incidents involving media. Several attacks occurred in plain sight of the police and in some cases the police detained the journalist who documented irregularities, but not the attacker. It clearly evidences the absence of actual practices for protection of media practitioners.

In a viral video on March 16, Musiliu MC Oluomo Akinsanya threatened Igbos who will not vote for his party, the All Progressives Congress, to stay indoors during March 18 governorship election.

In crude enforcement of MC Oluomos threats, APC thugs roamed freely on Lagos streets, threatening those who will it vote for the APC from coming out to exercise their civil duty, Peoples Gazette reported.

The EU also debunked claims that the Nigerian 2023 election was free and fair, saying the elections were marred by violence and bloodshed, with at least 74 persons killed in 101 violent incidents.
Politicians and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains who thronged the Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos residence of President Bola Tinubu yesterday, to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with him and continue their lobby for political appointments, were extremely disappointed.

Reason: The President has relocated to his recently refurbished White House located on No. 4, Queens Drive in Ikoyi. Although some members of his family and personal aides attended to some party members and feted some Lagosians at Bourdillon, many politicians that attempted to see him at his Queens Drive residence were turned back by security agencies.

Sources said the President cancelled many appointments to attend to some pressing national demands, and also needed more time to rest following his trip to France and the United Kingdom.

People believed to be politicians in vehicles with tinted-glass were also turned back. Also, some clergymen dressed in cassock were not allowed to enter the palatial building, just as many reporters, including Television Continental (TVC) news crew were denied entrance.

News Direct also sighted a man with a sick child on a wheelchair pleading with the security agencies to allow him to see the President. He left after several entreaties to security agents fell on deaf ears despite hours of staying at the White House gate.

One of the guests, who was denied entrance, told this news platform that he came from the mainland to present a gift to the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.

He said: The level of security here is expected. This is the residence of the President and it has to be heavily fortified. We dont know who is who. I only came to drop a gift for the First Lady, but I wasnt allowed. Maybe I will have to take it back.

It was gathered in Lagos yesterday that members of the Presidents kitchen cabinet were still debaqting on the percentage of professionals and politicians that will constitute the cabinet.

Sources said while the national secretariat of the ruling party is working to prune down a list of ministerial nominees from different states, special attention is said to be given to state chapters of APC with factions.

The source said: There are plans to ensure that the appointment is used to bring together factions in some states and ensure peace in the party.
Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth, and Advancement (YIAGA) Africa has said the report by the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission of the 2023 general election in Nigeria was a welcome development.

YIAGA also noted that the issues highlighted in the EUs report were not new to the international community, adding that Nigeria has some lessons to learn from the just concluded general election in Sierra Leone.

The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Mr. Samson Itodo, said this when he appeared in a television programme monitored in Abuja.

He also noted that the EUs observations were not intended to judge the credibility of the election process.

Itodo, however, quickly added that Nigeria has an existing bilateral relationship with the international communities thus, does not and cannot exist in isolation in its dealings.

In his words; I dont think the intent of the EUs report is to assess and make judgment as to the credibility of the elections process.

Commenting on the reports coinciding with the ongoing post-election judicial process, Itodo explained that the reports were in no way whatsoever intended to influence the cases in court.

He further said; There is nothing wrong with the timing of the European Unions post-mortem report on Nigerias 2023 elections. I dont think that the intention is to influence the current cases being handled by the court.

It is not in any way an attempt to interfere with that process. It is just part of the practice in the election observation ecosystem

The EU has a comprehensive framework for measuring and assessing elections based on certain values and principles of the country in our electoral law and constitution, Itodo said.

The European Union Election Observer Mission to Nigeria, on Monday, had presented its report on the 2023 general elections to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in which it had identified six areas for improvement in Nigerias subsequent elections.
(CNN)  Turkey condemned a decision by Swedish authorities to approve a small Quran-burning demonstration outside a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday, a move that may jeopardize Swedens bid to join NATO before the blocs key summit in July.

A single person took part in the planned Quran burning in the Swedish capital and images of the event show he was the only person apart from his translator at the demonstration, which coincided with the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha, one of the most significant in the Islamic calendar.

The decision to permit the protest was made in accordance with the right of freedom of speech, Swedish police said, adding that the demonstration does not pose an immediate security risk.

But allowing such an inflammatory protest stirred a backlash in Turkey, a NATO member state that has obstructed Swedens accession bid. Sweden and neighboring Finland both formally applied to join the bloc after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Turkeys foreign minister condemned the protest on Wednesday, calling it a heinous act.

It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression. To turn a blind eye to such heinous acts is to be complicit in them, Hakan Fidan said in a statement.

The Turkish governments Director of Communicaitons Fahrettin Altun added in a tweet: We are sick and tired of enabling of Islamophobia and continued instances of hatred for our religion on the part of European authorities especially in Sweden.

Those who seek to become our allies in NATO, cannot tolerate or enable destructive behaviors of Islamophobic and xenophobic terrorists, he said.

NATO officials are hoping to avoid the embarrassment of seeing the alliance miss its own stated aim of admitting Sweden to the alliance by July 11  the date of its next official summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Officials fear that missing this deadline will send a humiliating and potentially dangerous message to the alliances adversaries.

Turkey  a strategically important NATO member due to its geographical location in both the Middle East and Europe, and the alliances second-largest military power  has proven the greatest obstacle to Swedens NATO accession bid.

Earlier this year, Turkish-Swedish relations suffered a major blow following a rally outside Stockholms Turkish Embassy during which an anti-immigration politician set a copy of the Quran alight.

The incident sparked anger in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where protesters took to the streets and burned the Swedish flag outside the Swedish embassy in response.

At the time, the then Turkish foreign minister reportedly blamed the Swedish government, saying it had taken part in this crime by allowing this vile act to go ahead, according to state news agency Anadolu.

An Eastern European diplomat told CNN that as well as emboldening the enemies of NATO, any delay to Swedens accession risks giving the sense of Erdogans power over the alliance. The diplomat added that Erdogan will use the moment to squeeze every drop from this situation and will throw the ball to Sweden  making them hostage of their (own) anti-terrorist laws.

Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said that Sweden has fulfilled the necessary requirements set out by Turkey in order to join NATO, including introducing a new terrorism law.

New legislation has recently entered into force in Sweden that makes it illegal to participate in a terrorist organization in any way that promotes, strengthens or supports it. We are thereby delivering on the last parts of our agreement, Billstrom said.

But the decision to permit a Quran-burning protest may further damage Swedens relations with Turkey and dent the countrys hopes to join NATO.

Freedom of speech

Speaking to CNN on the phone earlier on Wednesday, the protester Salwan Momika said he came to Sweden five years ago from Iraq and has Swedish citizenship. He told CNN he identifies as an atheist.

He said he was doing this demonstration after three months of legal battles in court.

This book should be banned in the world because of the danger it causes to democracy, ethics, human values, human rights, and womens rights. It just doesnt work in this time and age, he said.

A police permit obtained by CNN states that the security risks and consequences connected to a Quran burning are not of such a nature that, according to current law, they can be the basis for a decision to reject an application for a general meeting.

The permit for the demonstration says that Quran burnings mean an increased risk of a terrorist attack and can also have foreign policy consequences.

However, it added that for security problems to be the basis for a decision to refuse a general assembly, these must have a clear connection to the planned gathering or its immediate surroundings.

Authorities granted permission for the gathering according to certain conditions, including a fire ban in place in Stockholm since June 12, which applies until further notice.

Speaking to CNN on the phone, Stockholm police spokesperson Helena Bostrom Thomas said that police had informed the applicant to find out about those restrictions but added that freedom of speech weighs heavier than if he acts against the restrictions of the fire ban.

This story was first published on CNN.com, Turkey condemns Quran burning protest in Stockholm as a heinous act"
By Olusegun Adeniyi

The Lungi International Airport in Sierra Leone is constructed across an estuary, so most passengers access the capital city of Freetown through the ocean in a journey that takes between 35 minutes to an hour. Seated by my side last Friday evening was the YIAGA Africa Executive Director, Samson Itodo, who married less than a month ago. Perhaps because it is a journey that he has undertaken several times in his sojourn across the continent, observing elections, Itodo seemed more amused than worried by what was happening around him. This despite his sensing that I was as troubled as many other passengers. Chuckling, Itodo said, I bet most of the people here are worried because they are thinking about the OceanGate tragedy, in reference to the Titan submersible that claimed the lives of all onboard while on expedition to the Titanic. But we survived!

I arrived Freetown last Friday for the 2023 general election in Sierra Leone where the presidency, 135 parliamentary seats, 22 Mayor/Chairmen of Council and 493 councilors were to be contested. Not surprisingly, attention was mostly on the presidential election where the incumbent President Julius Maada Bio of the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) was seeking a second term. Standing in his way were 12 other candidates, including Dr Samura Kamara of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC).

Five years ago, President Ernest Bai Koroma was constitutionally ineligible, having served the maximum two-terms of ten years (plus an extraconstitutional year due to delay in conducting the election) in office. He endorsed his Foreign Affairs Minister, Kamarawho had also served as Finance Minister and Central Bank Governoras candidate of the then ruling APC. No winner emerged at the end of the first round, although Bio led with 43.2 percent of the votes while Kamara secured 42.6 percent. The margin between them was just 14,734 votes. Kandeh Yumkella of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) came third with 6.86 percent of the votes. The remaining ten candidates made no significant impact at the poll. Since no candidate met the Constitutional provision of 55 percent votes to be declared elected in the first round, a runoff poll was subsequently held. Bio won with 51.8% of the votes.

With this years election pitching Bio and Kamara against each other again, it was always going to be a grudge match. And it was. Problems began when the mid-term population and housing census was conducted in December 2021. Prior to the exercise, opposition parties in the country had ganged up to challenge the motivation behind it. They alleged that the real intention of President Bio was political, essentially to redraw constituency boundaries ahead of this years general election. At the end, the outcome of the census left more questions than answers.

That was the background to the distrust of the electoral process that started long before the first ballot was cast last weekend. In his piece in the Sierra Leone Telegraph last September, Andrew Keili wrote that There is little doubt that the SLPP prefers the use of the 2021 mid-term census results for delineating boundaries and constituencies. The APC prefers the 2015 census results. Keili then explained how a tool for planning became a weapon in the hands of Sierra Leonean politicians. The census conducted during the tenure in governance of each party tends to give it an advantage in number of people in party strongholds and accusations of census fixing have now become the norm. We dont seem to agree on how we should be counted and on our numbers.

I bet one can say the same thing about Nigeria. Like our country, there is a strong ethno-regional divide in Sierra Leone. The main base of the opposition APC is in the North-west while that of the ruling SLPP is in the Southeast. Going by figures from the 2015 census when the APC was in power, the Northwest had a population of 56.2 to 43.8 for the Southeast. That gap between the two geo-political regions has been closed by the controversial 2021 census figures conducted by the current SLPP government. The Northwest now has 50.01 of the population leaving the Southeast with 49.99 of the population.

The acrimony and mutual suspicions from the census were carried to the registration of voters and eventually to the general elections last Saturday. Two weeks ago, Kamara called on the international community to intervene. Enough is enough; we need international commissioners to conduct June 24, 2023 elections, he said while calling for the resignation of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) Chairman, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh. The main grievance of Kamara and his party was that in all previous elections in Sierra Leone, ECSL used to release a comprehensive disaggregated data to all political parties and other important election stakeholders for review. Not this time.

With the slogan, NO DATA, NO ELECTION, APC supporters demanded that voting with registration slips should be allowed as against the ECSL position that only those with voter ID card could vote. The allegation was that during the distribution exercise, numerous voters in the Northwest regions (the APC stronghold) could not collect their cards, which could leave them disenfranchised. The APC protesters also called for manual counting of results by districts. Both requests were eventually granted and on the eve of the election, Kamara told protesters who were essentially his supporters: Go home and prepare to vote on Saturday but you have to protect your votes.

The election last Saturday had many of the logistical challenges we grapple with in Nigeria. It was largely peaceful, though the opposition complained about lack of transparency in the manner results were being processed by the ECSL and highhandedness by security officials. On Monday, a top Sierra Leonean official visited me and sought my opinion on the election. I knew it was a tricky question, but I refused to dissemble. If you are interested in my honest opinion, let me say straightaway that I believe the president is likely to win this election based on my projections from the people I have spoken to. I think he will secure more than half the total votes cast. But I dont believe he can make the 55 percent mark so the election will go to a runoff

There was a sharp interjection of No, no, no. We dont want a runoff and there will not be one. The president will win on the first ballot. I wasnt surprised by the reaction. On many of the campaign billboards in Freetown, the inscription was about No runoff poll. Every government official I spoke to seemed obsessed about winning the election on the first ballot. It was just not about victory for the president, he had to do it without a runoff. Yet my projections tallied with that of the National Election Watch (NEW), a coalition of hundreds of registered civil society and non-governmental organisations, established in 2002 to observe and monitor the fairness, transparency, and credibility of public elections in the country.

For the 2023 elections, NEW claimed to have deployed 6,000 observers across the country, covering every polling centre. Out of these observers, 750 were specially trained and deployed to a statistically representative sample of polling stations across all the 5 regions and 16 districts in Sierra Leone using the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology. After a disaggregation of the results data by districts from both the partial result released on Monday (which they confirmed to be credible) and the final one released on Tuesday, NEW made this point: The total valid ballots cast as announced by the ECSL for the first batch of results (representing 60% of polling stations) shows an average of 269 valid voters per polling station, while the second batch (representing 40% of polling stations) has an average of only 188 valid votes per polling station.

Using all the parameters to crunch the numbers from the data provided by the ECSL in the two instances, the projection of NEW is that President Bio could not have secured more than 53 percent of the votes while Kamara could not have secured more than 49 percent. The implication therefore is that no candidate would meet the 55 percent threshold required to avoid a runoff. In fact, shortly before the president was declared re-elected on Tuesday, NEW released a statement saying, Based on our PRVT findings and the ECSL data announced thus far, we are confident that once all votes are counted with integrity, voter turnout will be 77.3% +/- 1.7% (between 75.4% and 79%); and no candidate will reach the constitutional threshold of 55% of votes cast in the first round. But, going by the ECSL final tally, Bio secured 1,566,932 votes representing 56.17 percent of the total votes cast while Kamara secured 1,148,262 votes, representing 41.16 percent of total votes cast.



With 2,800,691 voters representing 83 percent national turnout, the total number of valid votes cast last Saturday was put at 2,789,808 while the total number of invalid votes was 10,883. But Kamara, who on Monday described the electoral process as daylight robbery, has rejected the declaration. It is a sad day for our beloved country, he tweeted after the announcement. It is a frontal attack on our fledgling democracy. These results are NOT credible, and I categorically reject the outcome so announced by the electoral commission. I will rise above this travesty, and I commit myself to continue the fight for a better Sierra Leone.

But the president has already been sworn-in for a second term. In his acceptance speech on Tuesday, he extended a hand of fellowship to his brother and foremost opposition leader, asking Kamara to join him in the task of nation-building. While responding to the partial result 24 hours earlier he had spoken to the heart of the issue. For our sakes, we must avoid all provocative and retaliatory actions, President Bio said while urging Sierra Leoneans to avoid any action capable of inciting violence. We built our democracy from the embers of war. We should each be resolved to never go back to that dark chapter of our countrys history.

Five Election Observation Missions in Sierra Leone played critical roles before, during and after the polls by meeting with stakeholders to ensure peace. President Goodluck Jonathan leads the West African Elders Forum, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo chairs the Commonwealth Group, former Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hallemariam Desalegne Boshe, is head of the African Union (AU), former Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) president, Mohammed Ibn Chambas chairs its mission and Ms Evin Incir leads that of the European Union.

Before the release of partial results on Monday, President Jonathan had led these observers to meet with Konneh who assured them that he would release to the parties all disaggregated data before making his announcement. I confirmed that the ECSL chairman was true to his word. While announcing the winner on Tuesday, Konneh also provided the breakdown of results which have been uploaded on the commissions website.

Any citizen who has lawfully voted in this election may challenge the validity of the said election of the president to the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone within seven days after the declaration of result pursuant to section 54 (1) of the Public Election Act, 2022, Konneh said. It is my hope that the aggrieved parties will take the legal path to seek redress.

Yesterday in Freetown, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, France and the European Union (EU) Delegation issued a joint statement on the outcome of the election. We note that significant logistical problems hampered voting on election day in certain areas. We share the concerns of national and international observation missions about the lack of transparency in the tabulation process, the ambassadors wrote. Despite these difficulties, we remain committed to supporting democracy and the aspirations of the Sierra Leonean people. We urge everyone to exercise restraints, respect the rule of law and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed my stay in Freetown, thanks to my brother, Anthony Navo Jr., President, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Africa Young Voices. AYV is the biggest private media conglomerate in Sierra Leone. Not only did he put some of his senior editors at my service, but he also provided me a vehicle to move around and hosted me for lunch on Monday. With the Director General of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Mr Joseph Egbenda Kapuna and an award-winning radio presenter, Ms Asmaa James joining us, I learnt a great deal about Sierra Leone and assured them that I would be back. As an aside, while ARISE Television is a baby of THISDAY newspaper, I was confronted with the power of the visuals in Freetown. Navo and his editors chose to introduce me everywhere as our friend from ARISE Television which members of the Sierra Leonean elite evidently watch. At some point, I was almost tempted to impersonate Reuben Abati!

But perhaps the real highlight of my stay in Freetown was the extensive conversation I had with Professor Osinbajo on Monday evening at his hotel, without any prior appointment. Over a plate of chicken wings which we both shared and glasses of fresh pineapple juice, Osinbajo and I spent more than an hour discussing what he had observed in the elections as well as insights into many issues in the Nigerian administration he served and his presidential aspiration.

Ordinarily, the State House is the abode of secrets in any country. But when the hour of power is over, barriers are often lowered, and barricades disappear as history prepares a yesterdays man for a new chapter. My Freetown conversations with Osinbajo were in strict confidence but as we bid each other goodbye, I could not but reflect on the fact that the encounter would not have happened just a month ago when he was still the number two man in Nigeria. Yes, Osinbajo has always been a very simple and down to earth person but a reporter eating from the same plate with the vice president is almost sacrilegious in a society where people worship power. And not when there are always overzealous security men and protocol people around to shield high public officials from being real.

That encounter also reminded me of the transient nature of political office which, given our interactions, Osinbajo understands quite clearly. Yet, this is a lesson too few imbibe and explains the desperation that makes election for public office a matter of life and death, especially on the continent.

I wish all my Muslim readers Eid Mubarak!

 You can follow me on my Twitter handle, @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com
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By Uche Nworah, Ph.D

Two popular individuals within the Anambra and wider social media communities in Nigeria,  MC I Go TUK, also known as Ogbuefi Main Market and On-Air-Personality (OAP), Huge Man (Ifeanyi Orakwue) of Onitsha -based Sapentia Radio put out viral videos recently criticizing Anambra state Governor, Professor Charles Soludo. They are of the view that the Governors recent interactive session with Ndi Anambra living in Lagos on home-bound investment drive was an exercise in futility. They point at some of the challenges Anambra state is facing at the moment, ranging from insecurity, poor road networks in and around markets in Nnewi, Awka and Onitsha. They emphatically advised Ndi Anambra not to bother coming back home to invest until the government has tackled these challenges.

These outbursts that have since gone viral suggest that the honeymoon period that new governments enjoy has finally come to an end for Governor Soludo and his team. As we draw nearer to the 2025 Anambra state gubernatorial elections, it is normal to anticipate that many of such harsh criticisms will come. Soludo governments honeymoon period lasted over a year. Thats a record I should say. During our time in the Obiano government when I served as the Managing Director and CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), we never enjoyed such long honeymoon period. The largest political propaganda known to man in these parts was unleashed on the government and its officials almost at the onset. This was occasioned by the almost immediate fall-out between Governor Obiano and his predecessor, Peter Obi.

Ndi Anambra have high expectations of their elected officials especially their Governors. As the self-styled A state, which other states in the South-East look up to, Ndi Anambra expect their state to be ahead always in all the development indices. From the perspectives shared in the two viral videos and by some others, it appears that that is not the case at the moment. This disappointment is now manifesting in the increasing criticisms against the Soludo government.

I align with the view of late Boma Erokosima of blessed memory. The 80s and 90s Radio Rivers 2 FM Stereo presenter said that, advise no be curse. It is within the rights of the citizens to criticize their government and offer advice. The governor himself has variously criticized the government of his predecessor-Willie Obiano. He also criticized former Governor Peter Obi heavily in an attempt to discourage him, when he was campaigning for the presidency under Labour Party during the 2023 Nigeria general elections.

Criticisms are part of the democratic process if they are constructive rather than malicious. Criticisms should not be misconstrued to mean that the critics are unpatriotic as some of the counter narrative from some Anambra state government officials have alleged. Government critics are also Ndi Anambra and are stakeholders in the Anambra project. They may have or may not have voted for the Governor. They may belong to his political party  All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), or to other political parties, but as long as they are Ndi Anambra, they can criticize the government, offer advice and also commend the government where necessary. The critics are no less patriotic than those on the government side who would normally see things from their own narrow prism.

Has the Soludo government done some things right? Definitely. One can point at the road projects going on all over the state, teacher recruitment and other progress the government has made in other social-economic areas in just 15 months of its life.

Are there areas for the government to fast-track its efforts? Yes. One can point at the insecurity challenge. Obviously the kinetics approach the security forces have adopted in the state has not worked. Kinetic approach which is reactionary involves putting boots on the ground, invading communities and executing active warfare using lethal force against suspected insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers. This approach comes with huge collateral damages. There is need to introduce other methods such as the use of satellite surveillance, drones and other technologies. We can take cues from what Nnewi, Oraukwu, Alor and Enugwu-Ukwu communities in Anambra state have done.

Attracting Investments to Anambra State

On the issue of attracting investments and the plea by the Governor to Ndi Anambra living outside Anambra to bring their wealth home, its a good call. Former Governor Willie Obiano actively marketed Brand Anambra to Ndi Anambra and other investors from the very first day of his administration. The Aku luo uno concept was popularized during the Obiano administration.

In 2016, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the creation of Anambra state at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the traditional ruler of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, (Obi of Onitsha/Agbogidi) was the guest speaker and he spoke on the concept of Aku Luo Uno. His presentation was well received and triggered discussions and actions on the concept. Igwe Achebe, while delivering his lecture titled, Think Nigeria, Invest in Anambra (Aku Luo Uno), observed that no people can achieve greatness and respect in the comity of nations, based solely on their prowess in the diaspora and urged them to make the region their economic power-base to underpin their business interests all over the world.

In his words, You have to be strong in your home base. Ndi-Igbo have a beautiful God-given homeland, let us develop it and be proud of it. We are not saying that you should pull out and come home, no, diversify back home and ultimately let us make Ala-Igbo the power house to support and underpin our interest all over the world. If you are strong in your home base, they cannot insult you in their land.

It is to the credit of the Willie Obiano administration, as part of the Invest in Anambra strategy that Anambra Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) was created. The pioneer Managing Director, late banker, Joe-Billy Ekwunife and his team, including the current MD of ANSIPPA, Mark Okoye, who was an Executive Director of the agency at the time did a lot of foundational work during Obianos first tenure. ANSIPPA was set-up to be a one-stop shop for everything investment in Anambra state. Its good to learn that the Soludo government plans to expand the scope of the agency. Its Managing Director, Mark Okoye, had at a media parley in June 2023 announced that ANSIPPA will transition into the Anambra Development and Investment Corporation (ADIC)  a full-fledged development corporation. The move will expand ANSIPPAs role, enabling it to undertake key phases of project development, such as conceptualization, design, bankability, structuring, and financing.

Notable investments which came into Anambra state during Obianos government included Lynden mechanized farms at Igbariam, Awka Millennium City, Roban Supermarket, Zara Stores, Radopin Stores, Coscharis Rice, Stine Industries (Anambra Rice), Joseph Agro and others. It was also during that period that international hospitality brands such as Best Western and BON birthed in Awka, Anambra state. There was a strategic attempt at marketing Brand Anambra as a favourite destination in the South-East to live, play, work and invest. Governor Obianos government built the Anambra Cargo Airport and the International Convention Centre, Awka. These facilities helped in investment promotion and attraction.

Governor Obiano did not wait for crime to reduce to zero before making his investment drives. This was because it is almost impossible to arrive at such zero-sum state in internal security. In New York, London and other developed cities in the West, crime has not reduced to zero. Governor Obiano re-doubled efforts and deployed additional state resources towards reducing crime and criminality. This approach paid off, at least in the first tenure before the politics of succession in the 2nd tenure took over and efforts went towards achieving that, leading to the neglect of security which had been the bedrock of the very successful first tenure of the administration.

I believe that what should be the discussion are suggestions how the state government can tackle some of the noted challenges, rather than calling on Governor Soludo not to ask Ndi Anambra to bring home some of their investments.

Factors That Influence In-Bound Investments

We must bear in mind that investments are made by investors for emotional and financial (return-on-investments) reasons. Investors and capital move more towards the direction where it will earn higher return-on-investment (ROI). In terms of percentage, there is no evidence to show the weighting between emotional and financial reasons in investment decision making index. Also, attracting investments to a town, state, region and country is not as simplistic as it may seem just as some of the government appointees are postulating on social media.

Several factors come into play. We can look at some of what applies in the case of nation marketing or nation branding, calibrate the ideas and localize them for states and towns. For example, the nation brand hexagon developed by the worlds leading authority on destination marketing and nation branding, Simon Anholt, lists various factors in the hexagon which interplay with each other in influencing the perception of a nation and its ability to attract investments. These are its people, culture and heritage, foreign and domestic policy, Investment and immigration, and tourism.

Anholt also introduced the concept of Competitive Identity, a model that combines the evaluation of a countrys identity (and acknowledges its strengths and weaknesses) with the possibility of re-shaping certain behaviors and actions to improve it. The notion of Competitive Identity underlines the fact that a countrys image has more to do with national identity and the politics and economics of competitiveness than with branding techniques. Through the lens of Competitive Identity, a countrys image does not depend on what the country tells the world, it depends on what its national identity stands for and its actions and behaviors in relation to the broader global community. Anholt notes that international perceptions of what a country stands for may be molded and repositioned over time as it adapts and responds strategically to new scenarios and circumstances.

Following Anholts criterion, such adaptation involves a multi-pronged approach where action is taken in a range of spheres (economic, political, legal, social and cultural). This may involve, for example, developing and implementing innovative policies and laws, building modern institutions, fostering cutting-edge science and technology, and offering innovative products and services along with a favourable investment and business environment. Like I said earlier, these nation branding and destination marketing concepts could be modified and applied at the sub-national state and local government levels.

Jian Wang writing on Shaping Chinas Global Imagination in Branding Nations notes as follows, While managing a nations image has long been an important task for nation-states, it is now more important than ever, as we move from the modern world of geopolitics and power to the postmodern world of images and influence. In this context, national image refers to the climate of opinion formed by collective expressions of perceptions and judgments of a country by its foreign publics. The underlying idea is that the international publics perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs influence and drive nation-state behaviors and cross-national interactions. National image is a multidimensional construct and its sources include both discursive and nondiscursive elements. The fast-changing global contextcharacterized by sweeping advances in information technology, expanding civic participation, and increasing economic integrationhas made the management of a nations image ever more complex and challenging. Some of these ideas can aso apply to sub-national states such as Anambra state.

The website accountlearning.com lists the factors that influence foreign direct investments (FDIs) to include stability of the government, flexibility in the government, government policies, proactive measures of the government to promote investments (infrastructure development etc), exchange rate stability, tax policies and concessions, scope of the market. Other factors listed include logistics, availability of skilled labour and finally rate of return on investment.

This compares also to the factors listed on economicshelp.org  political stability, wage rates, tax rates, transport and infrastructure, size of local market, commodities, and access to free trade areas. While these apply to nations, some of the factors listed affect sub-nationals at the state level too. The government should note these as emotional factors alone are not enough to attract investments to a state.

Following on from the efforts of the Willie Obiano administration, the Charles Soludo government in Anambra state has through some of its policies and activities moved Anambra state up in the Nigeria Ease of Doing Business Ranking. Anambra state with a rating of 6.19 out of a possible 10 points currently ranks first amongst South-Eastern states in the Federal Government of Nigeria Ease of Doing Business report published in March 2023. It ranked 7th in the whole country.

The Sub-National Ease of Doing Business Report for 2023 was published by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). In the second edition of the report, Gombe, referred to as the Jewel of the Savannah, recorded a weighted score of 7.15 to emerge as the state providing the friendliest environment for business in Nigeria. Jigawa State (6.79) came second, followed by Sokoto State (6.88) which came third.

The states were rated and ranked on six indicators, namely; Infrastructure, secure and stable environment; transparency and accessibility of Information, regulatory environment, skills and labour, and finally economic opportunity. Each state was rated on a 10-point scale across the indicators, providing the basis for calculating the 2023 weighted EoDB score for each state.

The report showed that targeted communication and continuous improvement in performance and governance are essential to ensuring that sub-nationals are successful in improving their business climates and attracting investments. This is another important point for Anambra state government to note.

Conclusion

Both the critics and those on the government side mean well. It becomes a different question when such criticisms are made for ulterior political motives. In the case of Ifeanyi Orakwue (Huge Man) and Ogbuefi Main Market, we dont know that they were influenced by any ulterior political motives. What we want, just like the critics is to see collectively a progressive Anambra state. One that as Governor Soludo always says would be a liveable and prosperous homeland.

About the Author

Uche Nworah, Ph.D, an adjunct Professor at The Continents States University, U.S.A, is Managing Partner at Woodhouse Consulting Limited, a Media, Communications and Branding consultancy. (uchenworah@yahoo.com)

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Distributes Food Items, Clothes, Cash

From Mba Nnenna- Abakaliki.

Federal lawmaker representing Ikwo/Ezza South Constituency, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, has distributed relief materials to Orphanage home, Artisans, inmates in Afikpo and Abakaliki Correctional Centers, Ebonyi state.

Ogah, accompanied by his wife, and cheering supporters visited the Destitute at Old Peoples Home, Artisans and Orphanage Home in Abakaliki, where he distributed food items, drinks, clothes, toiletries and cash to them.

Addressing the people, Ogah explained that the event is held annually, through the motivation of his wife. He thanked the people for their efforts during the election, which led to APC winning at all levels.

The lawmaker equally visited Afikpo and Abakaliki Correctional Centers, where he donated relief items to them. He urged the inmates to be courageous, not to loose hope as they will regain freedom soon. He charged them to change for the better and believe that they can still become better individuals, who will be useful to themselves, family and society.

Responding, the heads of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, (Orphanage home), Old Peoples home and Correctional Centers in their separate speech, appreciated Hon. Ogah for his benevolence and prayed for Gods blessings upon him and his family.

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The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has vowed to appeal a court ruling that ordered the release of ex-Registrar of the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had recently ordered the immediate release of the ex-JAMB boss.

Giving the order in a rights enforcement suit filed by Ojerinde, the court also ordered the Commission to pay one million naira cost to the plaintiff for unlawful arrest.

The court as well awarded the sum of N200,000 against the ICPC as cost of filing the case by the plaintiff.

READ ALSO: Why Cannabis Use In US, UK, Others Differs From Nigeria  NDLEA

Reacting to the ruling in a statement on Wednesday, the ICPC said it intends to file an appeal, saying that it had a valid warrant issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court dated 6th December, 2022.

The statement read, The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)expressed its dissatisfaction with the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja on the civil rights claim filed by the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde.

The court had fined the Commission N1 million damages and cost of N200,000 respectively for the arrest and detention of Prof Dibu Ojerinde over alleged corrupt practices.

The Commission intends to appeal the ruling of the court.

The anti-corruption agency had a valid warrant issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court dated 6th December, 2022.

Ojerinde was arrested by the ICPC in 2021and was arraigned on an 18-count charge of alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of N5.2 billion on June 6 of the same year.

He was later granted bail but was rea-arrested in the court premises in January prompting the ex-JAMB boss to sue the commission for alleged violation of his right to dignity and liberty.
The former governor of Bayelsa state, Nestor Binabo, is dead.

His death was announced by his son, Mr Binabo Momos. It was revealed the late politician died on Thursday in Abuja after a prolonged battle with an undisclosed illness.

Binabo served as acting Governor of Bayelsa from January 2012, after Timipre Sylva was ousted by the Supreme Court.

He also served as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

Binabo was a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress before his death.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olusola Oke has lashed out at people spreading rumours that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is dead.

He said such individuals are wicked and evil.

Over the past few months, there have been loads of speculation regarding the health status of Akeredolu, who is out of the country for medical care.

Recall that the governor, who embarked on a 21-day medical leave outside of Nigeria on June 7, 2023, is expected back in the country on July 6, 2023.

Reacting to the development, Oke stated that those peddling fake death rumours regarding the governor are trying to cause apprehension in the state.

He said spreading serial orchestrated rumours to harass his family, admirers and the good people of Ondo state of his death is ungodly, and also reveals the toxicity of wickedness and inhumanity in the minds and hearts of those behind the rumour mill.

The former governorship aspirant claimed that Akeredolu is rapidly responding to treatment and would be back to continue to govern the state.

He said: As mortals, we can fall ill. The governor, like any human being, can fall ill. When illness comes, we seek medical treatment and take deserving rest. This the governor has done and is rapidly responding to treatment.

Spreading serial orchestrated rumour through cloned media platforms to harass his family, admirers and the good people of Ondo state of his death is not only ungodly, it reveals the toxic of wickedness and inhumanity in the minds and hearts of those behind the rumour mill.

It is now realised that these deliberate cartels of rumour peddlers have made it a habitual trade to raise false alarm about the death of the governor to cause panic, apprehension and tension in the state and beyond.

Thank God, instead of morbid panic, the people of the state have responded with prayers and empathy. Daily, they pray for the governor and God, the giver of life, has indeed stood by him, his family and his well-wishers.

For those who took pleasure in the pains of others by deliberately manufacturing rumours of the death of others, let me remind them that God has recompense for those who assume his position. Life belongs to him and him only.
Over 150 people have been arrested after violent clashes erupted during protests across France over the killing of a 17-year-old boy identified as Nahel M by the police.

It was gathered that the unrest was triggered by the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy by police officers during a routine traffic check near Paris on Tuesday.

The incident has caused outrage and sparked violence, leading to the destruction of town halls, schools, and police stations on Wednesday, the second night of the protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence, describing it as unjustifiable while the police officer responsible for the shooting is now the subject of a formal investigation for voluntary homicide.

The victim, identified as Nahel M, was shot at close range as he attempted to drive away from the police. French prosecutors argue that the use of firearms in this situation was not legally justified.

In response to the escalating riots, President Macron held a crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin characterized the previous nights violence as unbearable and emphasized the need for a firm response from the state. He announced that 40,000 police officers would be mobilized nationwide to prevent further violence.

The clashes predominantly took place in the suburbs of Paris, with Nanterre, where the teenager was shot dead, experiencing some of the most intense confrontations.

Local authorities were compelled to partially withdraw due to the severity of the situation. Videos circulating on social media showed instances of arson and looting throughout the Paris region.

In one incident, about 20 young men attacked a prison in Fresnes, south of the capital, using fireworks as projectiles.

The Pablo Picasso district witnessed particularly concentrated violence, with young people taking to the streets and chanting slogans such as Death to cops! Numerous cars and trash bins were set on fire.

Although the violence was concentrated in that area, protests spread to other regions in Paris, with some individuals launching fireworks at police stations.

In Mons-en-Barul, a suburb of the northern city of Lille, a video shared online showed people inside the town hall setting documents and chairs on fire.

In Rennes, a western town, approximately 300 individuals gathered to pay tribute to the deceased teenager, but the gathering turned violent and was dispersed by the police after fires were lit.

President Macron initially expressed his condemnation of Nahels shooting, describing it as unforgivable.

However, his comments drew criticism from police unions, accusing him of prematurely passing judgment on the officers involved.

The Alliance Police union demanded that the officers be presumed innocent until proven guilty, while the rival Unite SGP Police claimed that political interventions encouraged anti-cop hatred.

Interior Minister Darmanin announced his intention to take legal action against France Police, a group that published a now-deleted tweet justifying the killing of the teenager. He deemed the tweet unacceptable and abject, as it applauded the officers actions and blamed the teens parents for his death.

Nahels mother, Mounia, made an emotional appeal via social media, expressing her grief and calling for a march in remembrance of her son. She emphasized that Nahel was still a child who needed his mother and spoke of the devastating loss she experienced.

The police officer accused of killing Nahel claimed he fired his weapon because he felt his life was in danger. He is currently in custody, facing charges of voluntary manslaughter.

The incident marks the second police shooting resulting in death during a traffic stop in France this year. In 2022, a record number of 13 people died in similar circumstances.

Rights groups have criticized a 2017 law change that expanded the circumstances under which officers can use firearms. According to official statistics cited by Le Monde newspaper, the annual number of police shootings involving moving vehicles has consistently increased since the change.

KanyiDaily had also reported how 35 people were killed in Iran during a protest over the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after she was arrested for breaking rules on wearing hijab.

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The Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, on Thursday, said God spoke through President Bola Tinubu when he said emi lokan meaning its my turn during the electioneering period.

Oba Adetona stated this during Tinubus visit to the palace on Thursday.

He noted that there is absolutely nothing one can do by himself except if God wants it for that person.

He said, There is nothing one can do by himself except what God wants for that person.

God spoke through you that it is your turn and may it not lead to death.

Emi lo kan is a Yoruba phrase meaning, Its my turn. It was first said by the then-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, in Ogun State, in the build-up to the primary election of the party.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 1 declared Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the poll. Tinubu has since been inaugurated as the president of Nigeria.

The declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election prompted Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and other political parties and their candidates to seek legal redress.

Obi and his LP are currently in court challenging the validity of the electoral process that resulted in Tinubus victory.

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has said he invoked the spirit of freedom during his electioneering in Ogun State.

Tinubu stated this while speaking at the palace of Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Adetona, in Ijebu Ode on Thursday.

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A former governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo state, Olusola Oke has described those peddling rumours that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has died as wicked, saying the governor is rapidly responding to treatment.

Over the past few months, there have been loads of speculation regarding the health status of Akeredolu.

Recently, the Ondo house of assembly received a medical leave letter from the governor.

The letter explained that Akeredolu embarked on a 21-day medical leave outside of Nigerias shores. The leave started on June 7, 2023 and is expected to end on July 6, 2023.

The governor directed Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, to act in his stead.

READ ALSO: Akeredolu hands over power to deputy as sickness worsens

Reacting to the development, Oke said those peddling fake death rumours regarding the governor are trying to cause apprehension in the state.

As mortals, we can fall ill. The governor, like any human being, can fall ill. When illness comes, we seek medical treatment and take deserving rest. This the governor has done and is rapidly responding to treatment, the statement reads.

Spreading serial orchestrated rumour through cloned media platforms to harass his family, admirers and the good people of Ondo state of his death is not only ungodly, it reveals the toxic of wickedness and inhumanity in the minds and hearts of those behind the rumour mill.

It is now realised that these deliberate cartels of rumour peddlers have made it a habitual trade to raise false alarm about the death of the governor to cause panic, apprehension and tension in the state and beyond.

Thank God, instead of morbid panic, the people of the state have responded with prayers and empathy. Daily, they pray for the governor and God, the giver of life, has indeed stood by him, his family and his well-wishers.

For those who took pleasure in the pains of others by deliberately manufacturing rumours of the death of others, let me remind them that God has recompense for those who assume his position. Life belongs to him and him only.
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A public commentator, Prof Chris Nwokobia, has faulted the recent Policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing all his policies as anti-people.

Nwokobia, the convener of Country First Movement and member of the defunct Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, disclosed this on Thursday in an Arise Television interview.

He noted that Tinubus policies on fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange unification and replacement of service chiefs are anti-people.

Nwokobia disagreed with public analysts who believed Tinubu had done well in the last 30 days.

According to him, there is nothing Tinubu is doing that past presidents have not done since 1999.

He noted that Peter Obi would have done better if he had emerged as President.

READ ALSO: Tinubu records one month of eventful policy decisions in office

I disagree with those who said President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration is moving so far with its policy implementations. Since 1999, several other administrations have moved faster.

What has the President done that others didnt do? We should put the Country first. We should go beyond partisanship, bigotry, and positioning of whatever one seeks from the incumbent administration.

The time has come to look at how leadership affects the masses. The bags of poverty, dependency, and wants have deepened in our Country.

Peter Obi will have done better; clearly, he understands Nigerias politics, economy and business because he is a trader, he stated.

One month after the inauguration of Tinubu as President, his policies on removing fuel subsidies, forex window unification, and replacing the service chiefs have attracted both praises and condemnations.
A former Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, has joined his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola, and his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at a reception organized by the Lagos State Government in honour of President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

This is the first time they are publicly meeting in over 4 years since Governor Sanwo-Olu took over office as the governor of Lagos State.

This disclosure is contained in a tweet post by the Media Adviser to the Lagos State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, on his official Twitter account, where he posted a video of the trio in a cheerful mood, taking pictures and exchanging pleasantries with other guests.

What the Lagos State Governors Media Aide is saying

Akosile in his tweet post said,

Breaking: Governors Fashola, Ambode and Sanwo-Olu meet at the Lagos House, Marina for the first time in over four years at a reception organized by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whos in Lagos for Sallah celebration.

In the video, they were joined by the deputy governor of Lagos state, Obafemi Hamzat and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele at the reception venue.

Tweets by gboyegaakosile

This is coming about 12 days after Governor Sanwo-Olu in a surprise move showed up at the 60th birthday celebration of Ambode.

What you should know

Recall that former Governor Ambode fell out with President Tinubus political camp which included Governor Sanwo-Olu and former Governor Fashola in the build-up to the 2019 governorship election in the state after the All Progressive Congress (APC) denied Ambode reelection.

Ambode had seriously spoken against the governorship ambition of Sanwo-Olu ahead of the primary election of the APC in Lagos.

This is a developing story
The internal wrangling within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State seems to be over as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu appeared at a public function with two of his predecessors in a spectacle rare as hens teeth.

Sanwo-Olu, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babatunde Fashola met at a reception organised in honour of President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the Lagos House in the Marina area of the state.

Sanwo-Olus spokesman, Gboyega Akosile, shared the refreshing sight in a tweet, stressing that this is the first time the trio will meet in over four years.

Breaking: Governors Fashola, Ambode and Sanwo-Olu meet at the Lagos House, Marina for the first time in over four years at a reception organized by Governor @jidesanwoolu in honour of President @officialABAT, whos in Lagos for Sallah celebration. pic.twitter.com/mXN4nZPZ4l  Gboyega Akosile (@gboyegaakosile) June 29, 2023

How It All Started

Since Nigerias return to democracy in 1999, Ambode is the only former governor of the state who was in office for a single term. Tinubu was governor between 1999 and 2007 before he handed over to Fashola who was in office from 2007 to 2015 and later Nigerias Minister of Works and Housing between 2015 and 2023.

Ambode took over in 2015 but lost his re-election at the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in the 2019 electioneering process due to intra-party squabbles as APC strongman in Lagos (Tinubu) was reported to have favoured the incumbent governor (Sanwo-Olu), over Ambode.

Since he ended his single term in 2019, Ambode has not been seen at political or social functions with his predecessors  Tinubu and Fashola. He has also not been seen at events with the incumbent governor.

The former governor has also been reticent at the few times he was pictured at APC events at the national level like in May 2021 when he was appointed the deputy chairman of the South-West sub-committee of the Contact and Strategy Committee of the ruling party.

There were reports that Ambode would contest the partys governorship ticket with Sanwo-Olu at the primary in May 2022. Rather, his ally, Wale Oluwo, threw his hat in the ring but lost to Sanwo-Olu.

Hint Of Reconciliation

Unlike Fashola and Sanwo-Olu, Ambode did not publicly endorse Tinubus 2023 presidential ambition. Ambode also did not make any comment on Tinubus victory after the polls. However, there were hints of reconciliation when Sanwo-Olu attended Ambodes 60th birthday party in Lagos on June 14, 2023.
Kashim Shettima

Vice President, Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians that the Tinubu-led administration is doing all it can to make the country better.

The Vice President who visited the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Garbai El-Kanemi, noted that the Monarch told him about poignant issues facing the society, especially with regards to the infrastructural deficit.

Shettima went on to promise Nigerians that all the challenges confronting us, we will survive it as a people.

He said;

We went with His Excellency, the Governor, to pay homage to the Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno. He raised some very poignant issues facing the society, especially with regards to the infrastructural deficit.

We conveyed to him the best wishes from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Shehu talked about issues concerning the roads that should be immediately addressed, especially the Gamboru Ngala and Dikwa roads. Certainly, it would be addressed. That of Damboa will also be addressed.

I am here to assure the Shehu of the maximum support of President Tinubu.


Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural group, has reacted to the 30-day ultimatum given by a Coalition of Northern group to the Federal Government to rescind its decision to suspend the RUGA policy.

A coalition of northern group had issued a 30-day ultimatum to all governors who are opposed to the RUGA settlement program to reconsider their decisions.

In reaction, Ohanaeze President, Chief Nnia Nwodo, on Thursday described the threat as an irresponsible unlawful and provocative outburst.

Nwodo, however, called on Ndigbo to be ready to defend themselves against any threat from any quarter.

According to PUNCH, Nwodo said in a statement:

My attention has been drawn to a broadcast by Abdul Azeez Suleman, speaking for a coalition of northern groups in which he had the audacity to give the Federal Government an ultimatum of 30 days to rescind its decision on the suspension of its RUGA settlements policy. Abdul went further to threaten the expulsion of southerners resident in the North at the expiration of his ultimatum if the Federal Government does not rescind its suspension decision. This irresponsible, unlawful and provocative outburst reminds me of the northern youths notice to quit the North to southerners two years ago.

While describing the RUGA policy as an Islamisation and a Fulanisation policy, Nwodo said that Ohanaeze would resist it. He added:
Priests protesting in Enugu today

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has summoned an emergency meeting of all heads of security agencies in the state.

A statement on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya did not, however, state the reason for the emergency meeting.

However, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting may not be unconnected to the killing of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019.

Offu, who hails from Okpatu in Udi Local Government Area of the state, until his death, was the parish priest of St. James the Greater Parish, Ugbawka in Nkanu West Local Government.

NAN further reports that the Police Command in the state and the Director of Communication, Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi confirmed the killing of the priest.

Achi said that the deceased was taken away and killed along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu Local Government Area of the state.

The director of communication said that the situation had become unbearable as another Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ikechukwu Ilo escaped assassination on June 19, 2019.

He said that Ilo was still recuperating from the gun shots he received along Numeh- Nenwe road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.

As we speak, Catholic priests in Enugu are on the streets demonstrating over these incidences, Achi said.

Meanwhile, an Enugu-based non-governmental organisation, Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiatives has described recent breakdown of security in the state as alarming.

The Executive Director of the organisation, Ms Ogechukwu Enwelum, said that it was time civil society organisations and the media were enlisted to monitor the security apparatus in the state.

Enwelum said that the state government seemed to have made elaborate plans to secure the state but the outcome of the implementation of such plans left much to be desired going by the situations on ground.

The state government has partnership with security agencies and communities in the state and these ugly incidences should not happen again, Enwelum said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu Police Command, Mr Ebere Amarizu confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing to unravel the perpetrators.
Art Trail on Route 66 set for July 7-8

BLOOMINGTON  The Art Trail on Route 66 will take place in downtown Bloomington from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 7 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 8.

Eaton Studio Gallery, 411 N. Center St., will be participating in the event where attendees can get their "art fix" and "photo pics."

The gallery will showcase local artist Herb Eaton's Route 66 designs in cards, prints, stickers and magnets along with his "Riverscapes" and "Simple Places" drawings and paintings along the route.

Patrons will be able to take photos in front of Herb's Illinois Dancer in Corn Alley and learn about the history of the 1902 two-story brick building that used to repair cars that broke down on Route 66.

The Art Trail includes 16 brick-and-mortar stops throughout Bloomington-Normal featuring the work of local artists. Each stop on the trail is participating in the free, inclusive, accessible art education and appreciation event for all ages, rain or shine.

Trail maps can be picked up at any of the locations and receive a clue during First Friday activities and throughout the day on Saturday.

Those who complete the scavenger hunt can pick up prizes at the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center at the McLean County Museum of History.

Illinois Art Station will also have accessible art activities for kids on the museum square on Friday.

On Saturday morning, the Plein Air Artists of McLean County will bring the Art Trail as they create on-site paintings during the downtown Bloomington Farmers' Market. Second Saturday Sidewalk Sales will also take place in downtown Bloomington.

From 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, guests can join local artists at The Hangar Art Company for a celebration to end the event.
BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington man faces several charges related to selling methamphetamine.

Robert E. Dodd, 55, has been charged with one count of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine between 15 and 100 grams, a Class X felony; three counts of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine between 5 and 15 grams, Class 1 felonies; and one count of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine less than 5 grams, a Class 2 felony.

Prosecutors allege that, on three separate occasions in May, Dodd sold methamphetamine to a confidential source working with Illinois State Police Task Force 6.

Prosecutors said when Dodd was arrested, he waived his Miranda rights and admitted to selling the drugs, saying he buys an ounce of methamphetamine at a time from Peoria to sell in Bloomington.

Dodd, whose drug-related criminal history spans two decades, received a bond amount of $400,000 with 10% to apply, meaning he would have to post $40,000 plus court fees to be released from the McLean County Detention Facility.

His next court date in this matter is set for 9 a.m. July 14.

Photos: Emergency crews train on air disaster readiness at Bloomington airport 061222-blm-loc-1training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-2training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-3training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-4training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-5training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-6training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-7training.JPG 061222-blm-loc-8training.jpg
BLOOMINGTON  The Supreme Courts decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions was met with adamant opposition from the Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP, which called the ruling detrimental for Black students.

America is still contending with racism, so for the majority Justices to ignore the illusion of racism and discrimination is disappointing, disenchanting and thwarting, said Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal branch, in a prepared statement. In spite of the decision, we shall remain focused on making certain we support our students college endeavors.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a 6-3 vote to overturn admissions plans in a case involving the University of North Carolina and 6-2 involving Harvard University, the nations oldest public and private colleges.

The ruling determined race cannot be a factor in college admissions, leaving higher education institutions to find other ways to ensure a diverse student body.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

However, local NAACP leaders agreed with dissenting justices, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson who wrote, With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindess for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

The local organization's leadership said striking down affirmative action essentially "minimizes African Americans opportunities to level the playing field.

Foster said the decision is an unfortunate outcome for Black students pursuing higher education, and they expect colleges and universities to see a decrease in the population of Black students and an increase in white and Asian populations.

As long as racism continues to play a critical role in the lives of African Americans, we cannot ignore the injurious impact associated with the Supreme Courts decision, she said. Other races had a 400-year head start, so African Americans are constantly playing catch-up.

In a statement, the national NAACP said the Supreme Court decision would jeopardize hard-fought progress for Black Americans.

We will not allow hate-inspired people in power to turn back the clock and undermine our hard-won victories, said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the national civil rights organization. The tricks of America's dark past will not be tolerated. Let me be clear  affirmative action exists because we cannot rely on colleges, universities, and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality. The NAACP will not be deterred nor silenced in our fight to hold leaders and institutions accountable for their role in embracing diversity no matter what.

Photos: Smoky haze hovers over American cities
China passes its first foreign relations law in key step to enrich legal toolbox against Western hegemony

08:39, June 29, 2023 By Chen Qingqing and Xing Xiaojing ( Global Times

Photo:Xinhua

China's top legislature passed the Foreign Relations Law on Wednesday, marking a milestone significance as it is the first fundamental and comprehensive foreign relations law that aims to fix the loopholes in the rule of law in foreign-related affairs amid new challenges in foreign relations, especially when China has been facing frequent external interference in its internal affairs under the Western hegemony with unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.

The law will take effect on July 1. Divided into six chapters, the legislation stipulates the guidance and basic principle of foreign relations and specific provisions on the functions and powers of foreign relations, the objectives and tasks of the development of foreign relations, the legal system of foreign relations, and the capacity building and guarantee for the development of foreign relations, according to the approved version.

Some legal experts said that the law inherited China's long-term diplomatic stance and its position on international rule of law, upgrading policies and systems for foreign affairs management to national law, legally interpreting and elaborating on a series of new ideas and initiatives in global governance. With the implementation of the law and the introduction of more legislation on foreign affairs in the future, China's ability to defend its interests and people through legislations will be continuously improved, they noted.

The National People's Congress (NPC) issued the draft of the law in December 2022, and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the NPC says the draft legislation has the support of NPC deputies; members of the advisory body - the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; legal experts and the public.

The enactment of the law also came after a report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last October called to step up legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related fields and advance the rule of law in domestic and foreign-related affairs in a coordinated manner, so that good laws are made to promote development and ensure good governance.

"In recent years, the changes of external environment have brought new conflicts and challenges for China, and the loopholes in the rule of law in foreign-related affairs are gradually revealed," Huo Zhengxin, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

On one hand, in the face of some Western hegemony frequently interfering in China's internal affairs by "law" and imposing unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction," China has not yet established a comprehensive preparedness system and an effective blocking mechanism, and the "shield" of the rule of law in foreign-related affairs has not been fully established, Huo noted.

On the other hand, in terms of safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, there is still a shortage of institutional supply in terms of law, and the "spear" of the rule of law in foreign affairs needs to be accelerated, he noted.

While China has been facing growing challenges including export control measures and sanctions, toward which international law has failed to provide adequate remedies, the Foreign Relations Law has also been considered as necessary and a major progress in domestic legal framework to regulate foreign relations, experts said.

Important, necessary step

The Foreign Relations Law stipulates that, on the basis of abiding by the basic principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, the country shall strengthen the implementation and application of laws and regulations in the field of foreign affairs, and take law enforcement, judicial and administrative measures in accordance with the law to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations.

China has the right to take necessary countermeasures in accordance with the law against acts that violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations and endanger China's sovereignty, security and development interests. The country shall formulate necessary laws, administrative regulations and departmental rules, establish corresponding working systems and mechanisms, strengthen coordination among departments, and establish and implement relevant countermeasures and restrictive measures.

"For the first time, the law states the purpose, conditions and policy orientation of the application of Chinese law in foreign relations, and stipulates principles for the measures to counter and restrictive measures against foreign countries, individuals or organizations," Huang Huikang, a professor of the Institute of International Law of Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

It also establishes corresponding working systems and mechanisms, so as to construct the basic legal system framework for Chinese law in extraterritorial application, Huang said.

The extraterritorial application of domestic law is an important part of the rule of law in foreign-related affairs, and exterritorial application of domestic law is the concrete embodiment of protective jurisdiction and universal jurisdiction recognized by international law, and is a supplement to personal jurisdiction and territorial jurisdiction, the expert noted.

"What we object to is the abuse of so-called 'long-arm jurisdiction'," he said.

The law stipulates that the goal of developing foreign relations includes developing a global partnership and promoting an all-round, multi-level, wide-ranging and three-dimensional external work layout, promoting the coordination and positive interaction among major countries.

The US is the only sanctions superpower in the world. According to the Treasury 2021 Sanctions Review by fiscal year 2021, the number of active US sanctions designations had increased to more than 9,400, according to a report released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in February on US' long-arm jurisdiction. In recent years, China has been subjected to mounting US sanctions over a series of matters such as high-tech, Xinjiang and Hong Kong as well as the Ukraine crisis.

"The formulation of the Foreign Relations Law is a major legislative measure to accelerate the construction of the rule of law in foreign-related affairs and fix the loopholes in the field, which also marks an improvement in China's ability to carry out international struggles and safeguard the interests of its country and people through the rule of law," Huo said.

The law also provides a legal basis for the diplomatic struggle against sanctions, anti-intervention and long-arm jurisdiction, and aims to constantly enrich the legal toolbox and develop the ways and means to safeguard national interests, which could also play a role of prevention, warning and deterrence against Western hegemony, experts noted.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
BLOOMINGTON  After weeks of drought, a strong line of storms moved through Central Illinois on Thursday afternoon, drenching the area in a much-needed rain and leaving moderate damage in its wake.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for southwest McLean County around 12:36 p.m., when a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was spotted near McLean and quickly moving east, bringing wind gusts up to 80 mph and hail in Stanford, Heyworth, Congerville and Farmer City.

Cathy Beck, director of the McLean County Emergency Management Agency, told The Pantagraph she had received reports of trees and power lines down throughout the county, including some trees blocking roads.

In Normal, 30-year-old Kim Barbee heard a loud commotion at her apartment at 404 E. Vernon Ave., and when she looked out the window, she wondered, "Who threw the bricks across the parking lot?"

As it turned out, the bricks on the outer wall of her apartment building had collapsed in the storm, pelting her car with bricks but only leaving a few dents. Maintenance workers from First Site responded quickly to board the hole in the building, and Barbee said the situation could have been much worse.

The Normal Police Department and Normal Fire Department both reported numerous calls for downed trees and power lines.

In Bloomington, a Pantagraph photographer arrived just in time to see crews pulling a car out of several inches of water that had accumulated at the intersection of Four Seasons Road and Maysel Street.

The Bloomington Fire Department said it had responded to 23 storm-related calls by 3 p.m., including downed power lines, flooded streets, motorists stranded in high water and a few medical calls. Two commercial buildings sustained significant roof damage, BFD stated in its Facebook post about the storms.

Starting around 1:45 p.m., eastbound Interstate 74 was blocked by an overturned semitruck between Farmer City and Mansfield. Traffic was still crawling and being diverted at mile marker 159 at press time, but Illinois State Police did confirm that no injuries were reported.

With the inclement weather and high winds, numerous incidents are unfolding at this time," ISP Trooper Joshua Robinson stated Thursday afternoon.

Nearly 6,000 Ameren customers were experiencing power outages Thursday afternoon, with the largest numbers occurring in Bloomington-Normal, McLean, Atlanta, Lincoln, Clinton and Wapella. Corn Belt Energy was also reporting significant outages in McLean, Woodford and DeWitt counties.

Stacey Shangraw, an Ameren Illinois spokesperson, told The Pantagraph that their incident management team was activated to coordinate restoration of power outages caused by a strong line of thunderstorm that moved across their entire service region.

"We're seeing things across the board," she said Thursday afternoon.

Shangraw advised customers to report outages and check a restoration status by visiting Ameren.com/outage. She also advised them to ensure their cellphone number is updated on their online account profile.

People should also stay clear of downed lined and poles, she said, noting they should report those issues by calling Ameren at 1-800-755-5000.

Frontier Communications also reported outages in the Bloomington area around 1 p.m.; however, the extent of the outage was not immediately available.

Just before 3 p.m., the National Weather Service Central Illinois stated on its Facebook page that severe weather had exited the area, with "little to no thunderstorm activity anticipated beyond 5 p.m."
BLOOMINGTON  University leaders across Illinois on Thursday pledged that their efforts to achieve diverse campus communities would not be limited by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down affirmative action.

Many said their processes would not be affected by the ruling, which declared that race cannot be a factor in college admissions. Still, they expressed concerns about the decision that the Illinois Board of Higher Education characterized as an attack on people of color, especially Black people.

The board said affirmative action was never a robust solution to inequality, but "merely a tool intended to chip away at an enormous obstacle."

Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the decision a "travesty" that reversed nearly 45 years of precedent that advanced equity in higher education.

Pritzker said the Supreme Court ruling sets us back, but in Illinois we will continue to uplift our students of color  promoting inclusion and expanding access through record-levels of funding for higher education institutions and our MAP Grant Program, so that every student has the opportunity to earn a degree.

To students of color, he said, you belong in our institutions. And no archaic ruling will ever change that.

Continued commitments

Illinois State University does not use race as a factor in admissions, said Jana Albrecht, associate vice president for enrollment management.

To fulfill its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the university visits high schools and works with community-based organizations to reach prospective students, she said. The university's goals, mission and vision will not change with the ruling, but she acknowledged the possibility that prospective students of color may be discouraged by Thursday's decision.

"I think thats a real concern and a possible outcome of this," she said, "which is why its important for our admissions office in our university, and for our faculty and staff, to reach out to students and let them know we are a welcoming environment and we absolutely want them at our institution."

Southern Illinois University also does not consider race in its admissions, but campus leaders were "deeply concerned" by the court's decision, university leaders said in a statement Thursday.

"Todays ruling coupled with similar decisions in several states across the country, may embolden critics of diversity and reverse generations of progress at colleges, universities and the nation," said the statement from the university board, President Dan Mahony, chancellors of both campuses and dean of the school of medicine.

The University of Illinois system also issued a joint statement from its president and chancellors, stressing a continued commitment to diversity. They pledged that the university would "continue to open its doors wide to all deserving students  including those for whom opportunities may have been unfairly limited."

It was unclear to what extent the university's current processes would be affected by the ruling. The leaders pledged to "carefully review the specifics" and take steps to remain in compliance with state and federal laws.

Western Illinois University President Guiyou Huang stressed that the institution would continue to "support all students' ability to secure a college degree in an environment that celebrates diversity and inclusion."

"We stand with our peer institutions of higher education who have issued statements announcing their commitment to continue striving to close equity gaps for Black, Latinx, low-income, working adults, rural students, and all marginalized communities," she said.

Doug Freed, director of undergraduate admissions, said the institution does not factor race into its admissions decisions.

Eastern Illinois University, in a statement, also emphasized its commitment to access and opportunity.

"Our longstanding mission embraces diversity and inclusion, attributes we know are fundamental to a deeper understanding of ourselves and greater respect for each other," the university said. "These commitments are foundational in EIUs vision to advance engaged citizenship through personal connections and interpersonal experiences."

'Not unexpected'

Northern Illinois University President Lisa Freeman described Thursday's decision as "not unexpected," but she said it nonetheless "deals yet another shockwave of frustration, pain and fear for marginalized communities."

She said the university does not use race as a factor in undergraduate admissions and would remain compliant with the law, but its mission would not change.

"Our student body reflects our longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and our university communitys recognition of such," she said. In fall 2022, roughly 20% of NIU students were Latinx, 17% Black, 6% Asian and 46% white.

Georgia Nugent, president of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, said she recently attended an annual meeting with the Annapolis Group, an organization of roughly 130 liberal arts colleges, where they discussed the potential consequence of the Supreme Court ruling.

The general consensus of those in attendance was that the schools at risk of being affected are the Ivy League schools where there are extremely low acceptance rates for a large pool of applicants, Nugent said.

The conclusion that we came to is that the places that are really going to be affected by this decision are the Harvards and Stanfords of the world, where they are so deluged with applications that they need to employ factors to sort those applications out, Nugent said. We dont have that.

Nugent said Wesleyan has about a 50% acceptance rate and offers programs and scholarships to foster equity and provide opportunities. It has a total enrollment of roughly 1,500, of which roughly 9% of students were Hispanic, 7% were Black and 7% were Asian as of fall 2022.

Kent Barnds, chief enrollment officer at Augustana College in Rock Island, said he suspects that the decision would have little impact on institutions like the private liberal arts college with enrollment of roughly 2,300.

I don't think that probably anyone in higher ed was especially surprised by this decision," he said Thursday. "I think probably there were many in higher ed who were disappointed by the decision."

Still, he and others in higher education are still trying to gain a full understanding of the potential implications.

I think that there is unlikely to be a big impact, he said. Because this decision is across the whole higher ed landscape, there is this thought that it will have wide ripple effects  and there is some evidence that when race is no longer a factor that's considered, sometimes the racial composition of an enrollment or a class can change.

Barnds, who oversees all enrollment management functions, said the college does not use an affirmative action program in its admissions process  nor will it need to change any policies in wake of the decision.

We've practiced what is referred to as, 'Holistic Admission,' and that's certainly what many private colleges do, he said. We're looking at multiple factors of how a student can contribute to our community.

Millikin University leaders also do not anticipate much, if any, affect on admission procedures. Stacey Hubbard, dean of admissions and financial aid, said the Decatur college does not consider race as a component when making admission decisions.

"One of Millikin's core values is inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, and we have historically attracted a diverse population of applicants due to the academic and co-curricular activities we offer," she said, adding that one initiative of the Decatur institution's strategic plan involves "nurturing a welcoming and inclusive campus environment with a goal of fostering a sense of belonging for all who engage with Millikin."

Eureka College President Jamel Wright said in a statement the school  which is the alma mater of former President Ronald Reagan  does not consider race in its admissions process but remains committed to values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

As an institution founded by abolitionists that was the first college in the state of Illinois to admit men and women on an equal basis, Eureka College values our students diverse experiences and backgrounds, Wright said in the statement.

Olivia Allen, Brendan Denison, Mateusz Janik, Les O'Dell, Kelsey Watznauer, Valerie Wells and Drew Zimmerman contributed to this story.

Photos: Pritzker sworn in for second term
Salt is an infinite resource and a commodity that would play a major role in the economy of Ghana and the entire sub-region of West Africa- Dr. Daniel McKorley, Chairman, Electrochem Ghana Limited.



On the 24th of June 2023, the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) led a delegation of capital market operators on a familiarisation visit to Electrochem Ghana Limited. During the visit it was highlighted that within the global market that currently uses 271 million metric tons of salt being produced, Ghana is about to become a significant player.



Electrochem Ghana Limited, the largest salt producing company in Ghana, with a concession size of 41,000 acres, has been actively engaging stakeholders and investors and leading the change in the salt industry.



Dzigbordi Kwaku-Dosoo, the lead consultant for Electrochem Ghana Limited, presented the immense potential of the salt industry in Ghana, emphasizing that it has the capacity to produce more salt than is currently required within the country. She said salt has over 14,000 uses and is a key raw material for many industries where it is used as a key chemical component in the pharmaceuticals, food processing, textiles industries among others. The chlor-alkali and caustic soda industries are heavily dependent on salt.



Electrochem, with its vast concession, aims to produce one million metric tons of salt annually. She also highlighted the company's milestones, including the rehabilitation and development of salt evaporators, and crystallisers previously managed by Interim Management Committees of the Songor Salt Project, restoration of the Songor Lagoon and transitioning from manual to mechanisation to increase production to large commercial volumes.



She further stated, the goal of the company is to produce and supply salt not only to local and regional markets but particularly to export to the global markets as well. The vision is to leverage the entire salt value chain and the Chairman and the leadership of Electrochem is committed to realising this vision".



Ms Abena Amoah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), commended Electrochem for its remarkable achievements, stating, "it is very impressive to see such a project in Ghana".She further said that the GSE and the capital market operators, having had a first-hand experience of Electrochems operations, are now better informed on the investment and capital raising opportunities at the company. She added that the GSE provides the platform to access capital to scale up business operations.



Nana Ama Yirrah, the Environment, Social, and Governance consultant, leading the Sustainability Programs Department of Electrochem Ghana Limited, reassured the Fund Managers and the Ghana Stock Exchange that the Sustainability Programs Department of Electrochem has intensified engagements with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive implementation of the project. She mentioned that the department was currently conducting baseline data collection in all the communities surrounding the project, and as such have a deep understandingof the dynamics of each community.



Moreover, Electrochem's sustainability focus aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming to enhance the well-being and livelihood of the Ada community. The company's efforts in this regard have been strengthened.



Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, the Queen Mother of the Adibiawe clan, stated some community projects that the company has undertaken in the past two years, including, educational scholarships, health screening in collaboration with the District Health Directorates, Community Water Supply Project among others.



In concluding remarks, Dr. Daniel McKorley expressed deep appreciation to the Ghana Stock Exchange and the Fund Managers, emphasizing the importance of investing in serious local businesses who want to make a difference not only in commercial results but creating employment opportunities for the youth and drive socio-economic development in Ghana. He highlighted the ongoing efforts in the Ada Traditional Area and significant investment he as an investor has already made to reflect his commitment to the comprehensive success of this project.



He said, Salt is an infinite resource and a commodity that would play a major role in the economy of Ghana and the entire sub-region of West Africa.



For more information, kindly reach out to the Sustainability Programs Officer for Electrochem Ghana Ltd., on 0593841956.



About Electrochem Ghana Limited



Electrochem is a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies. It is the largest salt and chlor-alkali manufacturing firm in West Africa with a concession spanning 41,000 acres at Ada Songor. The company which was granted a mining lease to mine and produce salt in the Ada Sangor, launched its operations in January 2021 with a target to produce two million (2,000,000) metric tons of salt per annum to supply to both the local and export markets

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has congratulated James Gyakye Quayson, the MP-elect for the Assin North Constituency in the recent by-election.



In an official statement released Wednesday, June 28, 2023, the NPP expressed its appreciation to all party members and supporters who contributed to the partys preparations for the by-election.



The statement highlighted the Partys profound gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President, and Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Chief of Staff, among others for their unwavering dedication and overwhelming support.



It also acknowledged the efforts of all Ministers, Members of Parliament, Chief Executive Officers, Deputy Chief Executive Officers, MMDCEs, government appointees, and Party adherents for their diverse contributions towards the partys efforts.



The NPP stated that it had diligently worked towards reclaiming the Assin North parliamentary seat but respected the decision and judgment of the people of the Constituency.



The Party commended the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on their electoral victory and added that the recent two by-elections demonstrated the strength of Ghanas democracy, with outcomes favouring different political parties.



The Party also commended the security services for their joint efforts during and after the elections, despite the conduct of some personnel of the Ghana Police Service deployed to man the elections.



It further expressed gratitude to the Electoral Commission for ensuring a successful election.



In conclusion, the New Patriotic Party promised to collaborate with other political parties, key electoral stakeholders, and the people of Ghana to further enhance the practice of democracy in the country.



It urged party supporters to submit their comments and recommendations to the national secretariat of the party for consideration and possible implementation.



The statement was signed by Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party.











Source: Daily Guide









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Another group of six persons standing trial in connection with violent demonstration in the Volta Region in calling for the separation of the region from the rest of Ghana have been handed a total of 26 years in hard labour prison term.



The six, who were members of the prohibited Western Togoland Restoration Front, an offspring of Papavis Trans Volta Togoland Group, were convicted on May 20, 2023, by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh, which found them guilty of the 19 charges levelled against them.



This bring to eleven, the total number of people jailed for their involvement in the violent acts that include the burning of two STC buses in Ho and a raid on the Aveyime and Mepe police stations where guns, a police patrol vehicle and other items were stolen.



Raymond Yao Blu alias Captain, Kennedy Awunyo, Kwame Tornyevidzi alias Abizibey, Edem Nukornu alias FBI Commander, Jerry Kpeglo and Sylvanus Sheshie, were each sentenced four years imprisonment in hard labour for attending meetings of a prohibited organisation, participating in a campaign of a prohibited organisation and being members of a prohibited organisation.



Raymond Yao, Edem Nukornu and Sylvanus Seshie were also sentenced to four years for making contributions to a prohibited organisation, while Kennedy Awunyo was again sentenced to four years in jail for accepting contributions of a prohibited organisation.



Kwame Tornyevidzi alias Abizibey, who was also found guilty for stealing an AK47 rifle from the Aveyime police station, was sentenced to six years while Raymond Yao was also sentenced for another two years for unlawful training.



The sentences are to run concurrently, all the convicts will each serve four years in prison except Kwame Tornyevidzi who would serve six years in hard labour.



Justice Yanzuh, in handing down the sentences, indicated that circumstances of the case and the evidence led by the prosecution demands that the sentence serves as deterrent to others who harbour the intention to do same.



Charges



The convicts were charged with 19 counts made up of six counts of attending meetings of a prohibited organisation, one count of participation in a campaign of a prohibited organisation, three counts of making contributions for the benefit of a prohibited organisation, a count of accepting contributions for the benefit of a prohibited organisation, six counts of being a member of a prohibited organisation, stealing and unlawful training.



Prosecuting Facts



The prosecutions facts, according to court documents, indicated that officers of the National Security Council, based on intelligence gathered, embarked on an exercise to identify and arrest members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) who, on September 25, 2020, blocked the road at Juapong and Sogakope and set fire to two STC vehicles.



It said on same day, the group of people also attacked the Aveyime and Mepe police stations respectively, freed the inmates in the cells, locked up the policemen on duty in the cells, took arms and ammunitions from the armoury of the police stations and bolted.



It indicated that investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons who admitted being members of Western Togoland Restoration Front.



The prosecution stated that, they also admitted playing active roles in its organisation and activities, such as attendance of meetings, contribution of funds and the receipt of funds for the running of the organisation.



The prosecution stated that, when a search was conducted in the room of the first accused person, Kennedy Awunyo, quantities of Western Togoland flags and stickers were found.



The first accused person also received and disbursed funds of the Western Togoland Restoration Front to ensure that the plans of the organisation materialised.



The second accused person, Kwame Tornyevidzi alias Abizibey, was found to have stolen one AK47 rifle at the Aveyime Police Station during the raid on September 25, 2020.



The facts stated that, the third accused person, Raymond Yao Blu alias Captain, admitted participating in Western Togolands gorilla military training after which he was issued with a certificate.



It further stated that, when a search was conducted in the room of the third accused person, a Western Togoland membership card and an army gorilla training certificate in his name and with his picture embossed on it, were found.



Again, the third, fourth and sixth accused persons were also found to have contributed funds for the running of the Western Togoland Restoration Front.



But for the vigilance of the security agencies, the activities of the accused persons and others at large would have led to the disruption of the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2020 in the Volta and Oti regions respectively.













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NDC Member of Parliament(MP) elect for Assin North constituency, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson has filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division challenging the daily trial order made by High Court judge, Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.



To ensure that MP-elect Gyakye Quayson gets a fair trial in the criminal case against him, his lawyers have filed an application for Stay of Proceedings pending the determination of his appeal on grounds of several errors of law committed by the trial judge which breached Quaysons right to a fair trial.



Read attached the notice of interlocutory criminal appeal and the motion on notice for stay of proceedings pending appeal:

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Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), has called on the party's rank and file not to lose hope due to their defeat in the Assin North by-election.



Acccording to him, though it is disappointing that the party's candidate, Charles Opoku, wasn't elected to represent the Assin North constituency in Parliament, the NPP is not in tatters.



He encouraged the members and supporters to remain confident in the party as they march forward into the 2024 general elections.



"I want to tell our party faithful that they shouldn't lose hope. They shouldn't be dispirited. Yes, we are pained but in the midst of the pain, let's take it as the marching orders that we need to go all out, work together and deliver 2024. It is completely possible to do so!", he appealed to the party faithfuls during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' discussion programme.



The NPP lost the Assin North parliamentary seat after their candidate polled 12,630 votes representing 42.15% while their main contender, James Gyakye Quayson of the opposition National Democratic Congress polled 17,245 votes representing 57.56% to win the election.



In hindsight, the NPP National Youth Organizer believed they could have made adequate preparations than they did prior to the by-election and blamed their inability to win the election on unavailability of time.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Atik Mohammed says the Assin North by-election should teach the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) a big lesson as they head for the 2024 general elections.



To him, the Assin North by-election is a precursor to the main national elections, thus the outcome of the election proves how unhappy Ghanaians are with the government.



He noted that the New Patriotic Party has a lot of work to do if they want to clinch victory in the 2024 elections.



"The NPP has a lot to do going forward. If the 2024 election is indeed their heart desire and they really want to win, there is a lot of work to do. First, there is internal party disappointment or disillusionment . . .and again there are all kinds of perceptions about what is happening within the NPP and so on . . . the other issue is that Ghanaians generally are unhappy at this point and let nobody kid himself into saying this is not true," he said on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show.



Atik Mohammed slammed President Nana Akufo-Addo for making Ghana's economy "hard" for Ghanaians and cautioned the ruling party stressing "when the economy is tight, nobody is excited. Nobody is happy. So, I'm happy Ghanaians showed their unhappiness on the ballot".



He also lambasted the NPP over claims of vote buying during the by-election.



"I am disgusted at this practice of buying votes and politicians are hypocritical. When they buy and lose, they blame others but when they buy and win the elections, they attribute it to hard work."





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says he is committed to bringing development to the people of Assin North following his victory in last Tuesdays parliamentary by-election.



I sought this position because of my deep commitment to the Assin North development agenda. I remain determined to mobilise resources from within and without to prosecute this agenda with all my energy, no matter the cost, he said in a statement.



The people of Assin North have spoken. They have said without equivocation that they want me to represent them in the eighth Parliament. They have told us to stop the politics and focus on solving their problems. This is a victory, not just for me and the NDC, but also for justice.



I am deeply humbled by the confidence the people have expressed in what I stand for and what I have done. I am also fully aware of the reciprocal responsibilities that this massive show of confidence imposes on me. My solemn pledge is to work as hard as I can for the people who have made tonight possible.



Addressing the media earlier, Mr Quayson said his win was a win for the conscience of right-thinking Ghanaians who could not be bought by money.



Poll



Mr Quayson polled 17, 245 votes, representing 57.56 per cent of votes cast, to beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who polled 12,630 votes, representing 42.15 per cent of votes cast.



A third contestant, Bernice Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana, polled 87 votes, representing 0.29 per cent of votes cast.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday congratulated Mr Quayson and the other candidates, the Electoral Commission and its staff, the police, political parties and the voting public on the peaceful polls in Assin North.



The General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Kwetey, said the victory was a judgement on the governance of the NPP and an indication that Ghanaians would vote the NPP out in 2024.



Declaration



The returning officer for the election, Kofi Tsibu, made the declaration close to midnight, more than six hours after the close of voting in the 99 polling stations in the constituency.



In a poll widely seen as peaceful and incident-free, with praise for general security, there were 29,962 valid votes out of the 30,418 votes cast, representing 74.23 per cent of voter turnout.



The poll had been characterised by allegations of vote-buying in the frantic efforts by the NDC and the NPP in particular to claim the seat.



But a Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr George Asekere, has called for a public discourse on monetisation in the countrys politics.



He said voters should also be educated that money is not enough to buy their conscience.



We should also tell the voter to reject politicians who come with money, he said.



We should also be looking at amending the Political Parties Act to criminalise the use of money to buy votes, he emphasised.



Dr Asekere also charged the police to prosecute persons who were arrested for engaging in illegalities and to make public the political parties they were aligned to.



That, he said, was to serve as a deterrent to those who would want to cause mayhem in the system.



Trust, transparency



Meanwhile, a Peace and Development lecturer with expertise in Security at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Patrick Osei-Kufour, said trust and transparency in the electoral systems would gradually remove vigilantism from the nation's electoral process.



While commending the police for the security measures adopted for last Tuesdays Assin North by-election, Dr Osei-Kufour said the stakes for the 2024 general election were higher and required a lot more to keep the country's peace.



Speaking with the Daily Graphic on the peaceful polls, Dr Osei-Kufour, who is also the Vice Dean of the School of Development Studies, said a lot more was needed to ensure a peaceful general election in 2024.



He observed that the unarmed policemen policy, which was the first layer of security measures, worked well, stressing that the mere presence of policemen with guns removed trust and scared people off.



He said although it was known that there were a lot of vigilante groups that bad trooped to the Assin North Constituency, the transparency and acts of trust by the police rendered the vigilantes almost useless.



Discerning citizens



He said citizens were also becoming discerning and awake, and that once there was a trusted system, the activities of the vigilantes would not be required.



He commended the Electoral Commission (EC) for conducting its work profusionally, saying it contributed to the peaceful by-election, and further urged the EC to enhance transparency through education of citizens to make the process easy for all.



Background



The by-election was triggered by the Supreme Courts declaration of Mr Quaysons victory in 2020 as null and void over his allegiance to Canada.





Source: graphiconline.com









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The Accra High Court has adopted an out-of-court settlement agreement filed by dancehall artiste, Charles Nii Armah Mensah also known as Shatta Wale, and his former Manager Lawrence Asiamah Hanson, known as Bulldog, in a defamation suit.



The lawyers from both sides informed the court about the settlement terms before the hearing of the case could start.



At the last court sitting on June 13, 2023, lawyers for Shatta Wale prayed the court to grant them a two-week adjournment to enable them to file the terms of settlement, a request, that was subsequently granted by the Court presided over by Justice Joseph Agyemang Adu Owusu On Tuesday, June 27, 2023.



Dr Justice Srem Sai, Lawyer for Lawrence Asiamah Hanson also known as Bulldog, told the court that the parties have completed the terms of settlement in the same field.



The lawyer consequently prayed the court to adopt the settlement terms, between the parties and same be adopted by the court as a consent judgement.



Meanwhile, Major Selasie Atuwo, lawyer for Shatta Wale, informed the Court of the death of Madam Cynthia Quarcoo, a managing partner at the firm.



Ms. Quarcoo is said to have passed on last Tuesday after a short illness.



Bulldog sued Shatta Wale following a publication he made on his social media page last November accusing him of the murder of Fennec Okyere who was the Manager of musician Kwaw Kese.



Shatta Wale also made other allegations against Bulldog. Bulldog claims the series of allegations against him were malicious and defamatory and sought damages against Shatta Wale.

Source: GBC









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" " People celebrate Bastille Day outside a Paris cafe on July 14, 1930. The Lost Generation referred to young people who came of age during Word War I and were disillusioned by it. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

After the dust of World War I settled and the troops came home  or didn't come home  it became evident that the world was changed forever. World War I ushered in a modern era of warfare with new fighting methods that affected an entire generation of young people.

New technology introduced during World War I shaped the way wars would be fought from then on. For the first time, tanks, airplanes and machine guns made their way onto the battlefield. These new technologies magnified the effects of war, both in terms of how war was fought, but also how war affected people. World War I had a devastating effect on the world in terms of lives lost, with over 37 million casualties [source: Infoplease].

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Countries that were hit hardest by the war lost entire villages of men. Those who came home were profoundly affected by their war experience. Feeling cynical about humanity's prospects, they rebelled against the values of their elders, seeking debauchery instead of decency, and hedonism instead of ideology.

The generation born between 1883 and 1900 that came of age during this time became known as the Lost Generation. This moniker is credited to writer Gertrude Stein, who passed on her garage mechanic's words to his employee  "You are all a lost generation"  during a conversation with writer Ernest Hemingway [source: University of Oxford]. Hemingway used this phrase in the epigraph of his book "The Sun Also Rises," and the name soon stuck.

The phrase "Lost Generation" is also used to describe the literary landscape of this era. After the war, American writers felt lost, aimless and without purpose. Many flocked to Paris during the 1920s to escape their traditions at home. These expatriates managed to capture the zeitgeist of the time.

What were the attitudes of this Lost Generation? Let's take a look at how disillusionment manifested itself in a generation of youth.
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:

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Sexual exploitation of children abroad: the Dutch government calls on its citizens to not look away from "suspicious situations" while turning a blind eye to the root causes of the problem.

Koning, who recently obtained her Ph.D. on transnational sexual exploitation of children from Leiden University, argues for a new approach.

A delicate topic

It is something most people tend to shy away from: doing in-depth research on a delicate topic, which evokes fierce reactions, and with very little available data. Koning decided to step up to the plate. Five years later, there are four datasets for fellow scientists to build on. Not only that, Koning also set herself the goal of changing the political discourse on transnational exploitation of children. She wants to get rid of stereotypes and other assumptions, because they only get in the way of effective policies.

A one-sided view

For one of her sub-studies, Koning scoured through hundreds of policy papers and Dutch Parliament documentation from the period between 1995 and 2020. She found that when it comes to transnational sexual exploitation of children, where the perpetrator comes from a different country than the victim, Dutch politicians focus almost exclusively on catching and punishing perpetrators who abuse children. They regard it strictly as a criminal law problem.

Koning has some difficulty with this narrow view. "By looking at it from this narrow perspective, politicians are in fact saying: By simply catching the perpetrators, the problem will solve itself. But: it doesn't work that way." Koning explains the one-sided view as follows: "By portraying the problem as that of evil individuals, the governments of the countries from which these perpetrators travel can steer clear from the root causes of this type of child abuse and rid themselves of their responsibility."

Looking at it from a different perspective

Koning advocates looking at the issue from a different perspective. "What solutions are available if we look at it as a public health issue, or global inequality?" The advantage of those points of view is that it focuses attention on preventing this type of sexual exploitation of children. When the focus is solely on catching and punishing the perpetrators, the harm has already been done.

Help for people with pedophilic tendencies

If the government was to regard the problem as one of public health, a preventive approach would have to be includeda precarious position, Koning notes. "Politicians won't win voters by sticking their necks out for helping people with pedophilic tendencies. In today's polarized society, it's more popular to take a tough stance and focus on catching and punishing the perpetrators." And yet, according to Koning, it is precisely at government level that a focus on "primary prevention of potential perpetrators" is required. Or rather there should be, if the government wants to prevent the sexual exploitation of children. "So, what can they do to stop potential perpetrators before they abuse children? What treatment and counseling are available for people with pedophilic tendencies?"

Sexual exploitation of children in poor countries

In another sub-study, King identified 65 countries where transnational sexual child exploitation occurs. "To be blunt, these are all poor countries." A poignant detail, "it tends to happen specifically in places where children's rights are somewhat in order."

"So, these are not the countries where children are forced to work as child soldiers, but places with a slightly better quality of education. The children may even speak a few words of English and they don't look starved, which would deter sex offenders."

Koning places part of the responsibility for creating and maintaining that poverty with the countries from which perpetrators travel, so-called "sending countries." After all, those countries have historically left their mark on poor countries. "They've played a role in creating the conditions in which children are vulnerable," Koning says, referring not only to the economic exploitation. "Other research shows that from a cultural perspective they also left behind certain norms, as a result of which children are still vulnerable to sexual exploitation today."

She gives Jamaica as an example, which was colony of the U.K., a well-known sending country, for a very long time. "The strict anti-homosexuality laws that are still in place in Jamaica today date back to British-empirical times. Because of the historical legacy, certain young people are still being stigmatized, discriminated against, isolated, or thrown out of their family. They have no other way to survive but to go out and sell themselves for sex."

In the approach advocated by Koning, governments around the world would have to work together to improve the situation of children in poor countriespotential victimsto prevent sexual exploitation and abuse.

Are public campaigns effective?

Within the current approach, where the focus is on catching and punishing perpetrators, it is also fitting for governments to encourage citizens to help report "suspicious situations" while traveling. A well-known example is the "Don't Look Away" campaign. The question is, however, if these campaigns are effective or not. Koning's research findings show that people's willingness to report possible abuse depends on the extent to which they feel connected to the cultures or countries where the abuse takes place. In short, the government cannot simply assume that citizens will actually report possible exploitation of children. "While I did expect this result from an academic perspective, I still found it shocking because it shows how far stereotypes can carry througheven in the case of a serious crime like the sexual exploitation of children."

Future policy

It was important for Koning to conduct research that has an impact on society. "That's why I invited police officers, policymakers, and people from NGOs to my defense and commissioned a Ph.D. journal in which I share my findings in an accessible manner. I hope my research and recommendations will help improve future policy on transnational sexual exploitation."
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An alpha male harvestman. Credit: Erin Powell

Long-legged arachnids called harvestmen are "trimorphic," featuring three types of males. University of Auckland research is giving some clues as to how that happens.

A male sexual hierarchy and the oversized "weaponry" of the alpha and beta males are features of New Zealand's Forsteropsalis pureora species which lives in wet native forests and caves.

Now, research by Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland graduate Dr. Erin Powell, completed for her Ph.D., has revealed clues as to why some males fall to the bottom of the hierarchy.

Females are of one type, but males are of three types, each with a different body size and shape. Alpha and beta males are large and use their big, protruding chelicerae (jaws)which may account for as much as 50% of their body weightas weapons to fight each other for females. Gamma males are up to seven times smaller and, instead of fighting, search for undefended females to sneakily mate with.

The creatures can shed legs to escape predators, like lizards detaching their tails, but never grow new ones.

Scars indicate if a harvestman lost a leg as a juvenile or an adult. Males which lost at least one leg during their development were 45 times more likely to grow up to be the smaller, weaker, gamma males, according to research led by Powell, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology. Alpha males fighting. Credit: Erin Powell

"Perhaps this is because they can't get enough food for their development because their hunting is impeded," says Powell, now a research scientist for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

"Or maybe there's no point in investing in big fighting weapons when they're already disadvantaged when it comes to fighting," she says. "So, the arachnids' resources may be invested in other things, such as testes size, sperm count, or aerobic poise, to ensure they make the most of the mating opportunities they get."

Adopting a new strategy, such as scrambling to find undefended females, is better than trying and failing in traditional, potentially dangerous, male-male contests, she says.

Trimorphism, or having three forms, is uncommon in the animal kingdom. So far, researchers think a combination of genetics and nutrition may drive so much variation within a single species.

A beta male harvestman with prey. Credit: Erin Powell

This study showed that environmental factors, like experience with predators, may be more important than previously considered in determining the final adult form of males.

There are still many questions as to why alphas and betas evolved, both with big bodies and big weaponry, but with different shaped weapons. Perhaps each has its advantages in fights, one with more power but the other with more reach in the tangled scuffles of limbs and claws?

"With their ridiculous towering weaponry and extreme male size variation, New Zealand harvestmen are both charming and puzzling," says Powell. "We still have much to learn about their fascinating biology and they have much to teach us about the evolution of mating systems across animal taxa."

A gamma male with missing legs and prey. Credit: Erin Powell

More closely related to scorpions than spiders, harvestmen are harmless critters without venom or silk and New Zealand has many native species of them.

More information: Erin C Powell et al, Juvenile leg autotomy predicts adult male morph in a New Zealand harvestman with weapon polymorphism, Behavioral Ecology (2023). DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad029 Journal information: Behavioral Ecology
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In "Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories," Marcel Danesi Ph.D., a professor of semiotics and linguistic anthropology at the University of Toronto, Canada, analyzes the speeches of dictators including Mussolini, Stalin, Putin and Hitler, as well as prominent hate groups.

His research finds there is one thing they all have in common: they all use dehumanizing metaphors to instill and propagate hatred of others.

"The intent of such speech is to attack those who do not belong to the mainstream, such as racial minorities, or people of different sexual orientations," says Danesi.

Powerful language

For example words like "pests", "reptiles" and "parasites" were used by the Nazi regime to compare outsiders and minorities to animals.

Meanwhile in August 2017, when groups of white supremacists arrived in the college town of Charlottesville to participate in a "Unite the Right" rally, the protesters used both animal and dirt metaphors when they claimed that they were fighting against the "parasitic class of anti-white vermin" and the "anti-white, anti-American filth."

With the rise of populist and far-right political movements in the 2010s, the use of dehumanizing metaphors to engender hatred of foreigners or of those who are different in some way has spread worldwide. In 2016, during a state-orchestrated public campaign against refugees and migrants in Hungary, the prime minister, Viktor Orban, characterized them as a poison.

Our brain wiring

Danesi's research shows that dehumanizing metaphors like these are so powerful because they tap into and "switch on" existing circuits in the brain that link together important and salient images and ideas. In effect, metaphors bypass higher cognitive reasoning centers, directing our thoughts to focus on certain things while ignoring others.

According to Danesi, the more these circuits are activated the more hardwired they become, until it becomes almost impossible to turn them off. The same is true of conspiracy theoriesresearch shows that people who believe them develop more rigid neural pathways, meaning they find it difficult to rethink situations.

"When we come across a big lie or a conspiracy theory, it can shape our ideas without us even being aware of it," says Danesi.

"By being exposed to particular metaphors, we may develop hostile feelings towards specific groupsthis is why hate groups use metaphors to turn the switches on, so as to motivate people to violent activism."

Entrenched ideas

Unfortunately, research into this brain wiring also shows that once people begin to believe lies, they are unlikely to change their minds even when confronted with evidence that contradicts their beliefs.

On the contrary, these people will instead seek out information that confirms their beliefs, avoid anything that is in conflict with them, or even turn the contrasting information on its head, so as to make it fit their beliefs. For this reason, it is unlikely that people with strong convictions will ever change their minds about anything.

According to Danesi, this can have devastating consequences. "When lies are used to generate hate, harmful behaviors tend to result, including violence and genocide against the target individual or groups," says Danesi.

"The spread of lies is also becoming a powerful factor in generating political and social instability worldwide, destabilizing democracies."

What can be done?

Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves from the power of lies? According to Danesi, the best thing we can do is to understand the metaphors of the other party, and to examine one's own metaphors.

However, history and science tells us that it is unlikely to workresearch shows that once a lie is accepted as believable, the brain becomes more susceptible to subsequent lying.

More information: Marcel Danesi, Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories (2023). DOI: 10.4324/9781003349143
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The photos depict the vibrant colors exhibited by a dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles when subjected to magnetic fields with varying chiral distributions, as observed through polarized lenses. Credit: Yin lab, UC Riverside.

Some molecules exist in two forms, such that their structures and their mirror images are not superimposable, like our left and right hands. Called chirality, it is a property these molecules have due to their asymmetry. Chiral molecules tend to be optically active because of how they interact with light. Oftentimes, only one form of a chiral molecule exists in nature, for example, DNA. Interestingly, if a chiral molecule works well as a drug, its mirror image could be ineffective for therapy.

In trying to produce artificial chirality in the lab, a team led by chemists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that the distribution of a magnetic field is itself chiral. The research paper titled, "A magnetic assembly approach to chiral superstructures," appears in the journal Science.

"We discovered that the magnetic field lines produced by any magnet, including a bar magnet, have chirality," said Yadong Yin, a professor of chemistry, who led the team. "Further, we were also able to use the chiral distribution of the magnetic field to coax nanoparticles into forming chiral structures."

Traditionally, researchers have used "templating" to create a chiral molecule. A chiral molecule is first used as the template. Achiral (or non-chiral) nanoparticles are then assembled on this template, allowing them to mimic the structure of the chiral molecule. The drawback to this technique is that it cannot be universally applied, being heavily dependent on the specific composition of the template molecule. Another shortcoming is the newly formed chiral structure cannot be easily positioned at a specific location on, say, an electronic device.

"But to gain an optical effect, you need a chiral molecule to occupy a particular place on the device," Yin said. "Our technique overcomes these drawbacks. We are able to rapidly form chiral structures by magnetically assembling materials of any chemical composition at scales ranging from molecules to nano- and microstructures."

Yin explained that his team's method uses permanent magnets that consistently rotate in space to generate the chirality. He said transferring chirality to achiral molecules is done by doping, that is incorporating guest species, such as metals, polymers, semiconductors, and dyes into the magnetic nanoparticles used to induce chirality.

Yin said chiral materials acquire an optical effect when they interact with polarized light. In polarized light, light waves vibrate in a single plane, reducing the overall intensity of the light. As a result, polarized lenses in sunglasses cut glare to our eyes, while non-polarized lenses do not.

"If we change the magnetic field that produces a material's chiral structure, we can change the chirality, which then creates different colors that can be observed through the polarized lenses," Yin said. "This color change is instantaneous. Chirality can also be made to disappear instantaneously with our method, allowing for rapid chirality tuning."

The findings could have applications in anti-counterfeit technology. A chiral pattern that signifies the authenticity of an object or document would be invisible to the naked eye but visible when seen through polarized lenses. Other applications of the findings are in sensing and the field of optoelectronics.

"More sophisticated optoelectronic devices can be made by taking advantage of the tunability of chirality that our method allows," said Zhiwei Li, the first author of the paper and former graduate student in Yin's lab. "Where sensing is concerned, our method can be used to rapidly detect chiral or achiral molecules linked to certain diseases, such as cancer and viral infections."

Yin and Li were joined in the research by a team of graduate students in Yin's lab, including Qingsong Fan, Zuyang Ye, Chaolumen Wu, and Zhongxiang Wang. Li is now a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois.

More information: Zhiwei Li et al, A magnetic assembly approach to chiral superstructures, Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adg2657. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg2657 Journal information: Science
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Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time, represented by the green grid, produced by accelerating bodies such as interacting supermassive black holes. These waves affect the time it takes for radio signals from pulsars to arrive at Earth. Credit: David Champion/NASA, JPL

A team of European astronomers, along with Indian and Japanese colleagues, has reported evidence that strongly suggests the detection of ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves. Such waves, which have not previously been observed, probably originate from pairs of supermassive black holes at the center of merging galaxies.

This discovery is the result of more than 25 years of observations with the most sensitive radio telescopes in Europe and India, including the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) in the Netherlands. In doing so, they have opened a new window for studying gravitational waves, which can give astronomers a glimpse into the universe's best-kept secrets. The team's research has been published in a series of articles in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

The scientists on the team collaborate within the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) and the Indian Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA). In EPTA, astronomers and theoretical physicists from more than ten institutions across Europe are using observations of very regular pulses from pulsarshighly magnetized rotating neutron starsas a gravitational wave detector that is essentially the size of our Milky Way galaxy. From the Netherlands, astronomers from ASTRON and Radboud University are involved. It was also announced today that other teams from around the world have independently reported the same observations.

Cosmological clocks

The astronomically vast gravitational wave detector, which spans 25 specifically chosen pulsars scattered across the Milky Way, enables researchers to investigate gravitational waves at ultra-low frequencies with wavelengths of several light years. Such frequencies are impossible to observe with detectors such as LIGO and Virgo, which are limited to wavelengths of several kilometers. These ultra-low (nanohertz) frequencies provide the opportunity to observe unique sources and phenomena.

Emma van der Wateren, Ph.D. student at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ASTRON and Radboud University, explains, "Pulsars are fantastically accurate cosmological clocks. We use the changes in the extreme regularity of the 'ticking' of the clocks to detect the subtle stretching and compression of spacetime caused by gravitational waves." The gravitational waves reported in the current study are probably a sum of signals from a very large number of supermassive black holes orbiting each other very slowly.

The researchers believe that the results provide a new window for exploring the universe. Astronomer Gemma Janssen (ASTRON, RU) says, "These ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves contain information about the universe's best-kept secrets. We still know little about the population of double black holes with huge massesfrom millions to billions of times the mass of the sunwhich form when galaxies merge."

Coordinated observations

"It has been quite an undertaking," added Ben Stappers of the Jodrell Bank Center for Astrophysics in the U.K. "These results are based on decades of coordinated observations with the five largest European radio telescopes: the Effelsberg radio telescope in Germany, the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory in the United Kingdom (UK), the Nancay radio telescope in France, the Sardinia radio telescope in Italy and the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope in the Netherlands."

To achieve additional sensitivity, the astronomers at the European telescopes made exactly simultaneous observations of the selected pulsars. They did this once per month, in addition to their regular observations. Observations from the EPTA were supplemented with data from the InPTA, resulting in an exceptionally sensitive dataset.

Westerbork

The Dutch contribution to the EPTA data is a dataset of pulsar observations made monthly for 16 years with the Westerbork telescope. Cees Bassa, scientist at ASTRON, explains, "The Westerbork dataset is unique because the signals were measured not only at lower frequencies, but also at the higher frequencies that are usually recorded. This dual-frequency approach enabled us to account for the effect of space weather, thus making the entire dataset more sensitive to gravitational wave signals."

Besides observing pulsars, astronomers in the Netherlands were also behind the development of a new generation of pulsar instruments. These instruments are now used for pulsar observations at all European radio telescopes.

Other teams

The EPTA results were presented simultaneously with similar results from other teams spread around the world: the Australian, Chinese and North American Pulsar Timing Array collaborations (PPTA, CPTA and NANOGrav, respectively). "The independently obtained results are in agreement with each other, which makes us even more confident that this incipient signal is really coming from gravitational waves," Janssen said.

Scientists from the main Pulsar Timing Arrays combine their datasets to generate the International Pulsar Timing Array. The aim is to expand and merge the PTA datasets, eventually creating a joint dataset. This will ultimately lead to new insights into the evolution of supermassive black holes and the enormous galaxies in which they formed.

More information: The second data release from the European Pulsar Timing Array. I. The dataset and timing analysis, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2023). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202346841 Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics
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Cryptospores from the Llandoverian (early Silurian) Kalpintag Formation, southern Xinjiang (Scale bar is 10m for all images). Credit: NIGPAS

The Middle Ordovician-early Silurian is the key period for the origin and early evolution of morphological innovations of land plants. It is widely accepted that the earliest unambiguous fossil evidence of land plants can be traced to Dapingian-Darriwilian stages of the Middle Ordovician (ca.468463Ma), which is represented by dyads and tetrahedral tetrads from the Gondwana paleo-continent.

Recently, a research group led by Prof. Xu Honghe from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) has conducted a synthetic study on palynological flora from the Llandoverian (early Silurian) Kalpintag Formation of the Tarim Basin, southern part of Xinjiang, China. The findings were published in the Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.

Land plant microfossils revealed from the Kalpintag Formation mainly consist of cryptospores, with only a few tubes and cuticle-like sheets, no trilete spores in current collection. The Kalpintag cryptospore-producing plants largely inherited, with slight variation, from their predecessors during the Late Ordovician ages.

Differing from other typical early Silurian sporomorph assemblages in China, the Kalpintag cryptospores do not lack dyads, and instead they are dominated by Dyadospora and Pseudodyadospora. Thus, it can be considered that the dyad-producing plants were once the dominant among early non-vascular land plants in the Tarim paleoterrain.

Based on taxonomic comparisons of global coeval sporomorph records and quantitative analyses (Cluster Analysis and Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling Analysis), the study found that the Kalpintag cryptospores showed a closer relation to those in northern Chad, northeastern Libya, and central Saudi Arabia.

"The biogeographical zonation of sporomorphs might emerge in the Llandovery, during which the Tarim Plate was likely proximal to western Gondwana in paleogeography," said Prof. Xu.

More information: Kai Wang et al, A palynoflora of southern Xinjiang, China, and the proximity of the Tarim Plate to western Gondwana during the Llandovery (Silurian), Journal of Asian Earth Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jseaes.2023.105769
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Approximately 415,000 African elephants live in the wild, according to the WWF. Credit: By Beks on Unsplash

Ivory from an ancient shipwreck off Spain is providing data that might aid conservation of modern elephant populations.

More than 2,500 years ago, a Phoenician ship, most likely a trader bringing luxury goods from the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, ran into trouble off the coast near Cartagena, Spain. The vessel hit the rock reef of Bajo de la Campana.

Lurking just below the surface, this huge lump of rock has been wrecking ships for millennia. The Phoenician vessel sunk and spilled its cargo, which washed into a sea cave and remained there for the next few thousand years until excavations by archaeologists from Spain and the U.S. began in 2007.

Hannibal's herd

The archaeologists have recovered ceramic and bronze artifacts, tin and copper ingots, nuggets of lead ore, amber and many elephant tusks. The tusks could help scientists unlock the secrets of an extinct elephant population.

"If the ship was sailing from North Africa, the ivory could represent the North African elephant population, which went extinct at some point during Roman times," said Patricia Pecnerova, a biologist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. "We don't really know anything at all about these elephants as there are few historical records."

The famous war elephants that Carthaginian general Hannibal led across the Alps in 218 BC during the Second Punic War were most likely North African. They probably ranged across the region north of the Sahara Desert and possibly down the east coast to Sudan and Eritrea.

But no one is sure what species they were.

"Some people think they might have been African savanna elephants, based on what is more plausible from the biological perspective," Pecnerova said. "But others say they were probably small so might have been African forest elephants."

And still others say the creatures could even have been Asian elephantsor a separate species altogether.

The ivory from the shipwreck offers a rare opportunity to generate genetic data on these extinct elephants and explore their origins.

Pecnerova was the lead researcher in the STAMPEDE project, which ended in May this year after 24 months and used genetic information on elephants across Africa to create a reference map of diversity.

This allows her to put ancient DNA extracted from the shipwreck ivory into today's map to see whether the elephants are genetically distinct or related to any of the present-day populations.

Window to the past

Trait tools developed by the project could also be used to analyze genetic diversity and monitor populations in present-day elephants, assisting with their conservation.

Information from the ancient tusks could show scientists how genetically diverse elephants were before humans started intensively hunting them and destroying their habitats.

"The shipwreck ivory is a window to the past," said Pecnerova, a Slovak postdoctoral researcher who moved to Denmark in 2019. "We are looking at elephants as they were 2,500 years ago, predating the many anthropogenic pressures of today."

Knowing this baseline of natural diversity levels could help scientists decide whether to be concerned about genetic diversity in modern elephants.

While human exploitation and linked population crashes often reduce genetic diversity in animals, some species haveand can cope withnaturally low levels of variation.

Having this information can aid conservation decisions such as whether breeding programs need to focus on increasing diversity.

Poaching and trafficking

As in Phoenician times, ivory is still sold today.

While international commercial trade in ivory was banned in 1989, many countries still allow it to be sold within their borders. These domestic markets are considered major causes of elephant poaching and ivory trafficking.

The world has approximately 415,000 African elephants and 40,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants in the wild, according to the WWF.

Every year, more than 10,000 elephants are killed for their tusks. Between 2002 and 2011, African forest elephants declined by 60%. There are now fewer than 200,000 of these critically endangered large herbivores left.

More than half of the remaining African forest elephants live in Gabon, almost 90% of which is covered by tropical forests. These wooded areas make it hard to tackle poaching by patrolling on foot or surveying from the air.

A project called ForSE hopes that the elephants themselves could alert rangers to poachers.

"The idea is to actually use the movement behavior of forest elephants to try to first understand how they react to poaching activities and, more broadly, to human activities in general, and then infer the level of poaching based on their behavior and space-use patterns," said Marie Sigaud, the project's lead researcher.

ForSE, which began in August 2021 and runs through May next year, is a collaboration with the National Agency for National Parks (ANPN) in Gabon. Their patrols have been placing GPS tracking collars on elephants and providing data on poaching activity.

Danger zones

In places where there is known poaching, Sigaud looks at how elephants behave and use the spacehow far they range and whether they venture into forest clearings, for example.

A conservation biologist at the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris, she's also analyzing differences in elephant behavior in areas with varying levels of poaching.

Sigaud said that animals tend to avoid people, using any habitat they consider risky primarily when human activity is at its lowest. For instance, species that live in urban areas are often more active at night.

"So, one of our hypotheses is that, in areas with big canopy openings, forest elephants are more likely to be there at night than during the day," Sigaud said. "We believe this will be different in areas where poaching is low or absent."

Early results suggest that elephant behavior does change in line with poaching risk. This is because elephants often know what they are facing, having previously been shot at or having seen other herd members killed.

"They are really smart," said Sigaud. "Many elephants have already experienced poaching events."

She said that the patrols sometimes capture and tag elephants with old bullet wounds.

In the future, the GPS data may be able to alert the ANPN to behavioral changes in elephants when they sense danger. That would allow patrols to be sent to the area to prevent poaching.

More information: STAMPEDE

ForSE
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One month after its launch, the Euclid space telescope will reach its destination in space. The scientific measurements in the universe will take about six years. Credit: ESA/ATG

On 1 July, the Euclid space telescope will start its journey into outer space on an important missionto seek further clues about the origin of the universe. UZH researchers are involved in the scientific preparation and evaluation of the mission as part of a project led by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Shining stars, mysterious nebulae and faraway galaxiesimages from space fire our imagination and spark fantasies about extraterrestrial life. But the visible matter known to researchers is actually only around 5% of the universe; 95% of the universe is a proverbial black box. Two invisible factorscalled dark matter and dark energyinfluence the arrangement of objects in space and the expansion of the universe.

The Euclid space telescope is now prepared to shed light on the darkness: on 1 July 2023, it will start its mission to record, in a 3D map, the large-scale structure of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away from Earth. Researchers hope that this unique recording of the cosmic web will reveal more about the nature of dark matter and dark energy as well as the laws of gravity.

Indirect observation through magnifying glass effect

"Dark matter is matter that does not emit, absorb or reflect light," explains Francesca Lepori, cosmologist at the Center for Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology at UZH. Because it is invisible, it's difficult for researchers to study it. But it seems clear that there must be something else there: "The observed arrangement of galaxies cannot be explained by general relativityunless there is more mass than we can see," says Lepori.

The only way to study dark matter is through its interaction with the gravitational force. On board Euclid, therefore, is an instrument called a VISible (VIS), which can image galaxies with tremendous precision. "From the pictures, we will measure how distorted the galaxies appear," explains Lepori. This distortion takes place because of an effect called gravitational lensing: mass that lies between the telescope and the observed galaxy deflects the light like a magnifying glass, making the galaxy behind it appear distorted. "This effect will give us information about how much dark matter lies between Euclid and the observed galaxy," says the cosmologist.

Dark energy dominates

Since 1998, researchers have been working on another invisible phenomenon that cannot be explained by Einstein's theory of general relativity. Based on measurements of exploding, extremely bright stars (supernovae), two research groups have found that the expansion of the universe is not slowing downas previously assumedbut accelerating. "This acceleration started about 5 billion years ago," Lepori says. "You would not expect this of ordinary and dark matter. We attribute the cause of the accelerated expansion to an exotic form of energy called dark energy."

The simplest description researchers currently have for dark energy is the cosmological constant: it states that the density of dark energy does not change over the entire evolution of the cosmos. As Euclid looks back to the beginnings of the universe 10 billion years ago by observing very distant galaxies, researchers can investigate whether dark energy has indeed not changed over time.

Seeing red can be instructive

The researchers hope to obtain more conclusive data about the expansion of the universe and the dark energy driving it from the second instrument on board Euclid. This is a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer (NISP), with which the researchers can evaluate a phenomenon called the red shift. Similar to the Doppler effect of light, galaxies moving away from us appear "redder" because the received wavelength gets stretched. "The farther a galaxy is away from us, the faster it is moving away from Earth," says Lepori. "From the red shift we can therefore deduce the distance to the galaxy and obtain information about the expansion of the universe."

However, Lepori is not yet ready to accept the simple model of the cosmological constant. "I hope that Euclid will give us some new input," she says. "For example, whether the density of dark energy has changed in the course of the evolution of the universe."

Euclid could also provide crucial clues about Einstein's theory of general relativity. "The laws of gravity only work at huge scales if we introduce the dark components," Lepori explains. But, she says, it is also possible that on a cosmic scale, general relativity is not yet correct. "Researchers have developed many complex models of modified theories of gravity," Lepori says. "But now we need the observations of Euclid to point us in the right direction."

Credit: ESA

Contributions from UZH

Lepori and nine other UZH researchers are participating in the scientific evaluation of the space mission. More than 2,600 researchers from 100 institutes in Europe, the U.S., Canada and Japan are part of the ESA's Euclid Consortium. They are working on a wide range of questions, from defining the scientific objectives and constructing the measuring instruments to analyzing and evaluating the data.

"As part of the Theory Working Group, I am investigating which effects of general relativity are central to Euclid and should be considered in the analysis," Lepori says about her role. She is a postdoctoral researcher under SNSF-Eccellenza Professor Julian Adamek, who contributes to the Euclid mission with his numerical simulations. Adamek has developed a code that replicates the 3D distribution of matter under general relativity as well as under modified gravitational theories.

UZH researchers are also involved in other ways. A simulation by UZH computer cosmologist Joachim Stadel and high-performance computing specialist Doug Potter maps all the galaxies that Euclid could potentially observe. Among other things, it is used to test how well the analysis tools deal with immense amounts of data. Astrophysics professor Aurel Schneider, meanwhile, is running through different dark matter scenarios and investigating what effects they have on cosmological observations. Further contributions to the Euclid Consortium are made by UZH researchers Giovanni Arico, Jeppe Mosgaard Dakin, Sebastian Schulz, Jozef Bucko and Jaiyul Yoo.

Data pipeline in the works

When Euclid starts its journey into space in July, the work of the UZH researchers will not change straight away. In addition to exploring what can be learned from Euclid, they are currently working on the methodology and tools to process and analyze Euclid's data. "As soon as the first data package reaches us, we will be fully focused on its analysis," says Lepori. The first images from Euclid are expected by the end of the year.

The Big Bang

Currently, the best proven model for the origin of the universe is the Big Bang theory. It describes the development of the universe after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago when matter, space and time came into being. "The Big Bang is not necessarily the beginning of the universe, but a point in time before which we cannot say anything scientifically because it is not accessible to our observation," explains cosmologist Francesca Lepori.

In the first phase after the Big Bang, the universe expanded rapidly. At this point, it consisted of an almost homogeneous plasma of elementary particles. Only when the universe cooled down more and more did the first atoms form and photons were able to split off. This was followed by the so-called "Dark Ages," in which there were still no galaxies and no visible light sources.

About 200 million years after the Big Bang, stars and galaxies began to form. Under the force of gravity, the individual galaxies increasingly formed a large-scale structure that resembles a network of nodes and connectionsit is therefore also called the cosmic web. In between there are almost matterless regions, known as voids.

The phase when the cosmic web formed is called the matter-dominated phase of the universe, because it was driven by gravity and dark matter. However, 5 billion years after the Big Bang, the dynamics of the universe changed: instead of slowing down further, the expansion of the universe is still accelerating today. The researchers explain this by the fact that dark energy now dominates the expansion.
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Space platforms for astrobiology and astrochemistry research. Space exposure experiments require suitable platforms for providing levels of radiation and microgravity. Platform location dictates mission duration, radiation exposure, the potential for sample return and the necessity of in situ measurements. As the distance from Earth increases, different radiation environments become available at the cost of increasingly challenging sample return. Credit: npj Microgravity (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00292-1

Although technically challenging, space experiments are a scientifically important aspect of astrobiology and astrochemistry investigations. The international space station (ISS) offers an excellent example of a long-term research platform orbiting the Earth, with highly successful advances to implement experiments in space, which has contributed to a wealth of scientific data in the past few decades. Future space platforms present additional opportunities for experiments in astrobiology and astrochemistry.

In a new report, now published in npj Microgravity, Andreas Elsaesser and a team of international, interdisciplinary scientists in physics, biology and astrobiology, the NASA Ames Research center and the German Aerospace Center examined a few key topics. These analyses included the European Space Agency (ESA) Topical Team Astrobiology and Astrochemistry community key themes, summarized by the "ESA Scispace Science Community" white paper.

The researchers emphasized recommendations to develop and implement future experiments and filled in gaps in knowledge and advance scientific concepts for future space-exposure platforms currently in development at an advanced stage of planning. Aside from the ISS, research platforms also include CubeSats and SmallSats and the Lunar orbital gateway. This work highlighted in situ experiments conducted on the moon and Mars to support the search for exoplanets and extraterrestrial biosignatures within and beyond the solar system.

The fundamentals of space exploration

Approximately two decades of experiments on the International Space Station have provided researchers with evolving insights to establish a long-lasting impact on life sciences. The fields of astrobiology and astrochemistry are fundamental to exploring the origin of life on Earth and understanding the presence of life within this universe, while exploring and colonizing extraterrestrial planets. Although in-lab facilities can simulate space environments, it is challenging to faithfully replicate such environments on land. The ISS and other satellites provide an excellent platform to conduct irradiation experiments beyond Earth's atmosphere. The navigational capacity of the platform relies on machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence for on-the-fly repair of hardware.

As identified in the 2021 ESA SciSpacE Science Community White Paper (esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/HRE/10_Biology_Astrobiology.pdf), key astrobiology and astrochemistry topics are A) understanding the origins of life, B) understanding the habitability of life and C) understanding the signs of life. Credit: npj Microgravity (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00292-1

The astrobiology and astrochemistry science community in Europe developed an up-to-date scientific roadmap in 2020 for use on current and future space platforms. To identify the best use of space platforms, they explored several top science objectives to highlight the interdisciplinarity of this field. The preliminary themes included:

(A) Understanding the origins of life

(B) Exploring the habitability of the limits of life, and

(C) Understanding the signs of life

The origins of life

Elsaesser and colleagues discussed the origins of life on Earth in the context of a comprehensive analysis to understand our search for life beyond this planet. Earth's environment maintains a stable surface liquid, presently unique to the solar system, although this was not always the case. During the origin of life on Earth, the environment was likely similar to early rocky planets such as Mars and Venus. Subsurface liquid water is also present on the icy moons of Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus, which resemble subglacial Antarctic lakes found on Earth, making them exciting candidates in the search for life.

Much of the organic matter of Earth's environment is also known to have originated from meteorites and micrometeorites that arose from carbonaceous asteroids and comets, paving investigational pathways to explore the journey of such objects before they reached Earth. The team highlighted the origin of life relative to abiogenesis, to transition from a purely chemical to a molecular prebiotic phase to arrive at a living replicative system.

Global Ocean in Saturn's Moon Enceladus. Illustration of the interior of Saturn's moon Enceladus showing a global liquid water ocean between its rocky core and icy crust. Thickness of layers shown here is not to scale. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The signs and limits of life

The team further explored the habitability and the limits of life to adapt to extreme and improbable environment on early Earth. They explored the signs of life biosignatures in and beyond this solar system by focusing on cells, biochemical molecules and biomediated structures. They explored environmental transformations underlying missions that search for evidence of life from extraterrestrial species returned to Earth. They formed methods to explore beyond the solar system and simulate potential exoplanetary conditions to decode spectral signatures to understand, and interpret their formation and evolution.

This work explored themes supporting the search for extant life, while identifying the presence of key molecules such as amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates as well as Earth organism-specific constituents such as sterols, quinones and porphyrins.

Experiments in space

Elsaesser and the team showed how space provides a unique environment to perform astrobiology and astrochemistry experiments. Planned explorations can support the search for signs of life on extraterrestrial bodies such as Mars by uncovering biomineralization and fossilization processes via diverse ground-based experiments. The distance and duration of satellite platforms to Earth supported these avenues by ensuring that the samples correlated with the type and amount of radiation and microgravity exposure to accomplish successful sample return. The team also noted how certain low Earth orbits or experiments on the moon and Mars allowed access to higher fluxes of high-energy photons, cosmic rays and solar energies compared to the terrestrial environment.

They examined the optimal timeframe of a mission to assess the productivity of the experiments. For best outcomes, space satellite lifetimes are required to last for decades. However, SmallSats, and CubeSats are currently challenging this assumption as short-term exposure experiments. It appears that miniaturizing the existing technology can lead to successful mission outcomes.

The image on the left shows a region of Europa's crust made up of blocks which are thought to have broken apart and "rafted" into new positions. These images were obtained by NASA's Galileo spacecraft in 1996 and 1997 at a distance of 417,489 miles (677,000 kilometers). Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Core concepts and experimental strategies

The researchers further explored the mode of operation of space satelliteswith a primary focus on sample-return experiments, and the potential to conduct sample analyses with quantitative PCR, high throughput sequencing and subcellular microscopic techniques.

The ISS remains a fundamental exposure platform for long-term and short-term experiments, with the capacity for sample return. The team also discussed the possibilities of repurposing additional platforms to host multiple experiments.

Outlook

These are exciting times for space exploration and space sciences with unprecedented levels of missions implemented and underway to accomplish space-exposure platforms. Andreas Elsaesser and colleagues discussed the possibilities of performing complex scientific experiments by using artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics tools to ask and answer key questions in the fields of astrobiology and astrochemistry.

The work aims to explore the origin of life and biosignatures on Earth, beyond Earth at an interplanetary level, as well as within the solar system, and within the rapidly expanding field of exoplanetary science.

More information: Andreas Elsaesser et al, Future space experiment platforms for astrobiology and astrochemistry research, npj Microgravity (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00292-1 Alexandra Witze, Space-station science ramps up, Nature (2014). DOI: 10.1038/510196a Journal information: Nature

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This photograph, taken during the second Apollo 12 extravehicular activity, shows two NASA spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. The Apollo 12 Lunar Module is in the background. The uncrewed Surveyor 3 spacecraft is in the foreground. Credit: NASA

When NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft releases a capsule with material from asteroid Bennu onto the Utah desert on Sept. 24, it will become the latest in a line of missions to gather samples from space and deliver them to Earth. Collecting material from space is a challenging feat that requires teams of dedicated scientists and engineers, innovative technology, and patience. But the scientific breakthroughs these samples unlock make the effort worthwhile as we attempt to understand the origins of our planet and the life that thrives here.

The practice of retrieving samples from space began in 1969 with NASA's Apollo 11 mission, the first to land astronauts on the moon. Many more sample-gathering missions to the moon and beyond followed, growing in ambition with each passing decade. Here is an overview of the history and future of missions, organized by NASA and its partners, to bring home pieces of space.

1969: NASA's moonwalk delivers first space samples

NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous line, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind," commemorated humanity's first footsteps on a world beyond Earth. It also launched a new era of science, engineering, and exploration. Apollo astronauts collected and returned 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of rocks and dust across six missions.

Because moon rocks are better preserved than Earth rocks, they offered unprecedented insight into how our planet and solar system formeda history largely erased on Earth by erosion, climate cycles, volcanic activity, and plate tectonics. Among many other things, Apollo samples revealed that the makeup of the moon and Earth are so similar the two likely formed from the same material. This finding led scientists to theorize that the moon formed from rock and metal that flung off a collision between a young Earth and a Mars-size object about 4.5 billion years ago.

An artists rendering of solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles continually released from the sun. Credit: NASA

2004: Genesis grabs solar wind

NASA's Genesis spacecraft delivered the first samples from beyond the orbit of the moon in 2004. Placed for more than two years in a gravitationally stable point between the Earth and sun, the spacecraft collected charged particles streaming out from the sun, called the solar wind. Scientists wanted to study these particles because they are thought to reflect the chemical composition of the solar system when it was just forming nearly 4.6 billion years ago.

After analyzing the sample scientists were surprised to see that sun particles had different versions, or isotopes, of oxygen and nitrogen compared to Earth. They had expected the sun and planets to have similar isotopic signatures since everything in the solar system formed from the same cloud of gas and dust, called the solar nebula. One reason for the difference may be that Earth and the rest of the rocky, inner planets formed from the dust of the nebula, whereas the sun formed from both gas and dust.

2006: Collecting a comet's dusty halo

In 2006, NASA's Stardust mission became the first to collect comet samples and deliver them to Earth. Like the name suggests, Stardust captured dust particles10,000 of themfrom the halo of dust and gas, called a coma, surrounding comet Wild 2.

Scientists made some key discoveries after analyzing bits of Wild 2. Among them was the first detection of glycine in a comet. Glycine is an amino acid, which is a fundamental building block of Earth life. Finding glycine in comet dust supported the theory that some of life's ingredients formed in space and were delivered to Earthand possibly other worldsby comets and asteroids.

2010 and 2020: Going to the source for history of solar system

Asteroid dustolder and better preserved than any material on Earthoffers scientists a window into the birth of the solar system. The first studies of asteroid samples were made possible by JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), when its Hayabusa spacecraft returned in 2010 with thousands of particles from asteroid Itokawa. Hayabusa2 followed with 0.2 ounces, or 5.4 grams, of asteroid Ryugu in 2020, far exceeding mission requirements.

Itokawa and Ryugu samples revealed the structure and chemical composition of "rubble pile" asteroids, which are made of rocks and boulders loosely held together by gravity. The samples also showed that some asteroids, as predicted, contain organic molecules, which could be some of the building blocks of all known life forms.

Soon, scientists will have an opportunity to compare Itokawa and Ryugu samples to pieces of asteroid Bennu, which are on their way to Earth now aboard the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Through an international agreement, NASA and JAXA are collaborating to analyze and compare samples from the three asteroids, two of whichRyugu and Bennumay have broken off the same parent asteroid billions of years ago. Captured on Oct. 20, 2020, during the OSIRIS-REx missions Touch-And-Go sample collection event, this series of two images shows the SamCam imagers field of view at the moment before and after the NASA spacecraft touched down on asteroid Bennus surface. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

2023: Cruising back to Earth with Bennu rocks

Setting out to collect at least 2 ounces, or 60 grams, of dust and rocks from Bennu, OSIRIS-REx is on its way home with an estimated 8.8 ounces, or 250 grams, of material, which is just over a cupful. OSIRIS-REx collected the sample from Bennu on Oct. 20, 2020. After the sample reaches Earth on Sept. 24, generations of scientists will get to probe dust from Bennu in their labs to address dozens of questions about the nature of asteroids, the early solar system, and the origins of life.

While at Bennu, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft detected organic carbon and signs that the material Bennu is made of had interacted with liquid water in the past. When the samples reach Earth, scientists will be able to see the complete chemical makeup of Bennu and piece together the history of water and organic matter on the asteroid.

Future Missions

2029: Martian moons get the spotlight

JAXA will launch its MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission in 2024 to study the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos up close for the first time in history. MMX also will collect surface samples from Phobos, the farthest sampling location yet. JAXA will deliver the samples to Earth in 2029.

This mission, which includes a NASA instrument, technology-demonstration sampling system and NASA-supported participating scientists from U.S. institutions, will help address questions about the evolution of Mars and the formation of its two moons. Credit: NASA

2033: The Red Planet comes to Earth

One of the big goals of space exploration is to determine whether Mars could have supported microbial life, or still does. Orbiters and rovers at the Red Planet have found intriguing evidence that early Mars had liquid water and a protective atmosphere, conditions that could have supported life as we know it. A portable lab in the belly of NASA's Curiosity rover has even detected organic molecules in Martian soil that mayor may notbe related to life. To try to settle the question of Martian habitability, scientists have dreamed for decades of bringing Martian material to Earth to analyze it with cutting-edge technologies that are too big and too complex to send to space.

Their dreams could soon come true, as NASA and ESA (the European Space Agency) are designing a multi-mission campaign to retrieve samples that NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is currently collecting from an ancient river delta in Jezero Crater. Called Mars Sample Return, the campaign is one of the most coordinated endeavors in spaceflight, involving multiple spacecraft, launches, and government agencies. The first spacecraft in a series needed to pick up Perseverance's samples and bring them to Earth is scheduled to launch in 2027.

Provided by NASA
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Botanical remains from El Gigante. Credit: Thomas Harper

The El Gigante rockshelter in western Honduras is among only a handful of archaeological sites in the Americas that contain well-preserved botanical remains spanning the last 11,000 years. Considered one of the most important archaeological sites discovered in Central America in the last 40 years, El Gigante was recently nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"No other location shows, as clearly as El Gigante," state UNESCO materials about the site's universal value, "the dynamic character of hunter-gatherer societies, and their adaptive way of life in the Central American highlands, and in Mesoamerica broadly during the early and middle Holocene."

Now, anthropologists Douglas Kennett and Amber VanDerwarker of UC Santa Barbara, UCSB postdoc Richard George and colleagues from multiple institutions have excavated and analyzed botanical macrofossilssuch as maize cobs, avocado seeds or rindsfrom El Gigante using modern technologies. Their results are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

"Our work at El Gigante demonstrates that the early use and management of tree crops like wild avocado and plums by at least 11,000 years ago," Kennett said, "set the stage for the development of later systems of aboriculture that, when combined with field cropping of maize, beans and squash, fueled human population growth, the development of settled agricultural villages and the first urban centers in Mesoamerica after 3,000 years ago."

The El Gigante rockshelter in western Honduras. Credit: Alejandro Figueroa

The study provides a major update to the chronology of tree and field crop use evident in the El Gigante with 375 radiocarbon dates, finding that tree fruits and squash appeared early, around 11,000 years ago, with most other field crops appearing later in timemaize around 4,500 years, beans around 2,200 years ago. The initial focus on tree fruits and squash, Kennett noted, is consistent with early coevolutionary partnering with humans as seed dispersers in the wake of megafaunal extinction in Central America.

Tree crops predominated through much of the Holocene, and there was an overall shift to field crops after 4,000 years ago that was largely driven by increased reliance on maize farming.

"The transition to agriculture is one of the most significant transformations of our Earth's environmental and cultural history," Kennett said. "The domestication of plants and animals in multiple independent centers worldwide resulted in a major demographic transition in human populations that fueled the transition to more intensive forms of agriculture during the last 10,000 years. Agriculture also provided the economic foundation for urbanism and the development of state institutions after 5,000 years ago in many of these same regions."

The botanical materials at El Gigante, remarkably well preserved, reflect the transition from foraging to farming, providing a rare glimpse of early foraging strategies and changes in subsistence.

Unique in its location along the southern periphery of Mesoamerica, and for its lower elevation than the dry caves of central Mexico, the authors note, El Gigante serves as a macrobotanical archive for interactions and the flow of domesticated plants between Mesoamerica, Central America and South America. Broader still, it enables researchers to examine the long term evolutionary and demographic processes involved in the domestication of multiple tree and field crops.

Archaeological excavation of El Gigante rockshelter. Credit: Tim Scheffler

"The quality of the plant preservation at El Gigante is simply unmatched, giving us a deeper understanding of how ancient Hondurans managed their forests, domesticated a variety of plant species and intensified their cultivation of key resources over millennia," said VanDerwarker. "What seems clear is that practices of forest management and field cultivation were closely linked and evolved in tandem."

And therein, Kennett added, some lessons for modern society can be inferred.

"Our work shows that different types of agricultural systems supported human populations in Central America and that some were more sustainable than others," he said. "Forest management and arboriculture persisted for thousands of years before it was eclipsed in importance by the expansion of maize farming after 4,000 years ago.

"The archaeological record provides an archive of human adaptation that should be considered in the context of anthropogenic alteration of our Earth's climate today. These ancient archives could help rural farmers in Central America adapt to changing conditions moving into the future."

More information: Douglas J. Kennett et al, TransHolocene Bayesian chronology for tree and field crop use from El Gigante rockshelter, Honduras, PLOS ONE (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287195 Journal information: PLoS ONE
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

University of Cambridge psychologists have developed the first validated "misinformation susceptibility test": a quick two-minute quiz that gives a solid indication of how vulnerable a person is to being duped by the kind of fabricated news that floods online spaces.

The test, proven to work through a series of experiments involving more than 8,000 participants taking place over two years, has been deployed by polling organization YouGov to determine how susceptible Americans are to fake headlines.

The first survey to use the new 20-point test, called "MIST" by researchers and developed using an early version of ChatGPT, has found thaton averageadult U.S. citizens correctly classified two-thirds (65%) of headlines they were shown as either real or fake.

However, the polling found that younger adults are worse than older adults at identifying false headlines, and that the more time someone spent online recreationally, the less likely they were to be able to tell real news from misinformation.

This runs counter to prevailing public attitudes regarding online misinformation spread, say researchersthat older, less digitally-savvy "boomers" are more likely to be taken in by fake news.

The study presenting the validated MIST is published in the journal Behavior Research Methods, and the polling is released today on the YouGov US website.

Researchers want the public to test themselves: https://yourmist.streamlit.app/. Selecting true or false against 20 headlines gives the user a set of scores and a "resilience" ranking that compares them to the wider U.S. population. It takes less than two minutes to complete.

"Misinformation is one of the biggest challenges facing democracies in the digital age," said Prof Sander van der Linden, senior author of the MIST study, and head of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab.

"We are seeing how online falsehoods create polarized belief systems in major nations, and the consequences, such as the attempted Capitol Hill insurrection."

"To understand where and how best to fight misinformation, we need a unified way of measuring susceptibility to fake news. That is what our test provides," said van der Linden, author of the new book Foolproof.

The Cambridge team developed assessment tools that enabled them to work out the right level and mix of fake and genuine headlines to produce the most reliable results.

Examples of real news came from outlets such as the Pew Research Center and Reuters. To create false but confusingly credible headlinessimilar to misinformation encountered "in the wild"in an unbiased way, researchers used artificial intelligence: ChatGPT version 2.

"When we needed a set of convincing but false headlines, we turned to GPT technology. The AI generated thousands of fake headlines in a matter of seconds. As researchers dedicated to fighting misinformation, it was eye-opening and alarming," said Dr. Rakoen Maertens, MIST lead author.

However, another recent study by the same team used GPT to produce useful questions for a variety of psychological surveys. "We encourage our fellow psychologists to embrace AI and help steer the technology in beneficial directions," said MIST co-author Dr. Friedrich Gotz.

For the MIST, an international committee of misinformation experts whittled down the true and false headline selections. Variations of the survey were then tested extensively in experiments involving thousands of U.K. and U.S. participants.

The latest YouGov survey saw 1,516 adult U.S. citizens take the MIST in April 2023, and also respond to questions covering demographics, politics and online behavior.

When it came to age, only 11% of 18- to 29-year-olds got a high score (more than 16 headlines correct), while 36% got a low score (10 headlines or fewer correct). By contrast, 36% of those 65 or older got a high score, while just 9% of older adults got a low score.

Additionally, the longer someone spent online for fun each day, the greater their susceptibility to misinformation, according to the MIST. Some 30% of those spending 02 recreation hours online each day got a high score, compared to just 15% of those spending 9 or more hours online.

The survey also analyzed channels through which respondents receive their news. The "legacy media" came out top. For example, over 50% of those who got their news from the Associated Press, or NPR, or newer outlets such as Axios, achieved high scores.

Social media had the news audiences most susceptible to misinformation. Some 53% of those who got news from Snapchat received low scores, with just 4% getting high scores. Truth Social was a close second, followed by WhatsApp, TikTok and Instagram.

Democrats performed better than Republicans on the MIST, with 33% of Democrats achieving high scores, compared to just 14% of Republicans. However, almost a quarter of both parties' followers were in the low-scoring bracket.

Perhaps alarmingly, half of all Americans now say they see what they believe to be misinformation online every day, according to the YouGov poll.

Dr. Maertens added, "Younger people increasingly turn to social media to find out about the world, but these channels are awash with misinformation. Approaches to media literacy, as well as algorithms and platform design, require an urgent rethink."

"The MIST will allow us to verify the effectiveness of interventions to tackle fake news. We want to explore why some people are more resilient to misinformation, and what we can learn from them."

More information: The Misinformation Susceptibility Test (MIST): A psychometrically validated measure of news veracity discernment, Behavior Research Methods (2023). DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02124-2
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Derogatory stereotypes constitute a clear form of discrimination, but an absence of information about a group in mainstream society can also communicate a lack of respect for a community. That is the case for Native Americans, who are often underrepresented in media and policy discussions. In a recent Psychological Science study, researchers found that Native American adults who identified more strongly as Native were more likely to notice group omission and discrimination, prompting increased civic engagement.

"For Native individuals who consider being Native an important aspect of themselves and care about their communities," an absence of Native representations suggests to them "that mainstream society discriminates against Native Americans as a group," said J. Doris Dai (University of Washington), lead author of the study. "In response, Native individuals leverage civic engagement to amplify their voices and address discrimination."

Dai and colleagues used a series of four studies with over 11,000 participants to examine the relationship between the strength of a person's Native American identity, perceptions of omission and discrimination, and civic engagement.

In the initial pilot study, the researchers used existing data from 500 participants in the Indigenous Futures Survey, a 15-minute online survey in which Dai and colleagues asked a total of 6,461 Native American individuals about their needs and political perspectives.

As part of this survey, participants reported if they had engaged in civic activities such as signing petitions and grassroots organizing in the past 5 years. They also rated on a scale of 1 to 5 how important being Native American was to their sense of identity and the extent to which they perceived Native Americans to be discriminated against and underrepresented in public life.

Although the pilot study did not find a strong relationship between the strength of participants' Native American identity and their civic engagement, strong Native identity was associated with perceiving greater omission of and discrimination against Native Americanswhich was in turn associated with higher civic engagement.

Dai and colleagues built upon these findings through a similar survey of 3,586 Native American participants. This time, in addition to surveying respondents on their civic engagement, they asked participants not only how much they noticed Native omission in general but also to respond to a specific instance of omission during CNN's 2020 election coverage. In that instance, graphics about voting by race highlighted White, Latino, Black, and Asian voters and lumped Native Americans into the "something else" category.

Respondents who identified more strongly as Native American were also more likely to report being involved in get-out-the-vote activities during the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, stronger Native identification was associated with recognizing more general and specific Native omission, which was in turn associated with being more engaged with the election.

Dai and colleagues replicated these findings through a subsequent study of the 5,961 remaining respondents from the Indigenous Futures Survey, which also indicated that higher perceptions of discrimination were associated with greater civic engagement. Furthermore, higher Native identification and perceptions of omission and discrimination were found to be associated not only with greater civic engagement over a 5-year period but also with engagement in higher risk and higher commitment civic activities such as attending protests and campaigning for candidates.

The researchers also identified the specific pathway through which this relationship likely occurred: Higher Native identification increased recognition of omission, which increased perceptions of discrimination, which ultimately increased civic engagement.

"Our research is the first to demonstrate that to the extent that Native peoples identify with their group, recognition of being omitted from society promotes a greater sense of being discriminated against and further motivates engagement in civic activities to help change the status quo," Dai and colleagues wrote.

Finally, in a third study of 1,609 respondents, Dai and colleagues found that participants who identified more strongly as Native American were also more likely to report their intention to engage in civic activities over the next 12 months. Once again, respondents' perceptions of omission and discrimination mediated this effect.

"These findings suggest that Native omission is a critical component contributing to Native peoples' understanding of their group's position in society and that civic engagement may be one way they can contend with this omission," Dai and colleagues wrote.

In future research, Dai said she would like to explore what motivates non-Native people to omit Native Americans, as well as the psychological processes non-Native people must overcome to mitigate this omission. As part of this research, Dai plans to investigate how Native omission may function as a form of implicit bias based on non-Native people's unconscious belief that Native Americans no longer exist in modern society.

More information: J. Doris Dai et al, We Are Still Here: Omission and Perceived Discrimination Galvanized Civic Engagement Among Native Americans, Psychological Science (2023). DOI: 10.1177/09567976231165271 Journal information: Psychological Science
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Research shows racial disparities in school discipline may have collateral consequences on the larger non-suspended student population. When minor infraction suspensions target predominantly Black classmates, Black American youth who witness same-race peers receive minor infraction suspensions may feel threatened and anticipate more unfair discipline. Little is known about how white American youth respond when they witness white versus Black American peers receiving minor infractions.

A new study released in Child Development examined the longitudinal relations between classmates' minor or serious infraction suspensions and adolescents' engagement in defiant behaviors among two independent samples of non-suspended Black and white Americans. The study showed that limiting educators' options of suspensions for minor violations in policies can be a step toward just and fair discipline practices. School staff can also provide educators with training and resources to replace punitive disciplinary practices with more empathic responses to student misbehavior.

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Juan Del Toro from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Dr. Ming-Te Wang from the University of Chicago in the United States about this important research.

SRCD: What contributed to your interest in pursuing this particular research?

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: We pursued this research due to the number of suspensions for minor infractions, such as talking out of turn or violating a dress code policy, that disproportionately target Black American youth nationwide. We sought to understand the repercussions of these suspensions for non-suspended Black and white American youth, who represent a large segment of the student population and whether there are "spill over" effects of severe discipline for minor violations.

SRCD: Describe your hypothesis

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: We proposed that witnessing or learning about peers' minor infraction suspensions may lead non-suspended adolescents to develop more cynicism toward educators and school rules. Thus, we predicted that Black American youth would engage in more defiant behaviors specifically when their classmates received more frequent minor infraction suspensions.

Moreover, we hypothesized that the relation between classmates' minor infraction suspensions and next year's defiant behaviors would be stronger for Black American youth with more same-race classmates than for Black American youth with less same-race classmates.

Lastly, we predicted that the proportion of same-race classmates and classmates' suspensions for minor infractions would have null main and interaction effects on white American youth's defiant behaviors.

SRCD: Please summarize your findings

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: Across two longitudinal studies, we found that classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater next year's defiant infractions among non-suspended Black American adolescents, and this longitudinal relation was worse for Black American youth enrolled in predominantly Black American classrooms. For white American youth, we found that classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater defiant infractions specifically when white youth were enrolled in predominantly non-white American classrooms.

SRCD: Your work revealed that racial inequities in school discipline may have repercussions that disadvantage all adolescents regardless of race. Talk about your recommendations for policy and practice to improve the schooling experiences for all adolescents.

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: We need to consider the role of discretion involved in school discipline policies. In many school discipline policies, school adults have the discretion to choose between non-severe forms of discipline (e.g., detention, student/teacher conversation) and severe forms of it (e.g., suspensions) for non-violent and minor infractions. Based on our study, it may be important to limit discretion and limit teachers' and school administrators' opportunities for choosing severe discipline options for minor infractions, because of what we know about the role of racial biases in school discipline.

SRCD: What are some implications of your research?

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: An implicit assumption of racial inequities is that such inequities only disadvantage the social groups of people who are disadvantaged by racial inequities. However, as we show with our paper, racial inequities that disadvantage Black American youth can also backfire and create distrust among white American youth who witness racial inequities being perpetuated in the classroom.

SRCD: What are any limitations in your research?

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: Limitations include our focus on public secondary schools in a single urban city, so we could not make broad generalizations.

Second, our study focused on Black and white American youth, who represented the numerical majority in these public schools, so there were not many Latinx and Asian American youth represented in the city for us to include in our study.

Third, we could not distinguish between in-school versus out-of-school suspensions, so we were not able to rule out which one is driving the observed negative effect linked to youth who witnessed or learned about their peers' suspensions for minor infractions. Fourth, because the present study was an observational study of school records data, we did not use a randomized controlled trial to make strong causal inferences.

SRCD: Do you have recommendations on future work in this area?

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: The first research question that we recommend for future work is: Where does the issue lie in the school discipline pipeline and where is a good point for intervention? We know that educators are referring students for school discipline and are suggesting school discipline penalties, and we also know that school administrators dispense penalties that either follow an educator's suggestion or that is more severe than the suggestion. With our data, we are interested in learning more about where the racial disparities lie in this process and when students begin to feel animosity toward their school in this process.

The second question that we recommend for future work is: What can we do to reduce educators' racial biases? Currently, we are working to understand whether teachers who engage in more culturally responsive education also engage in less racially disparate school discipline practices.

SRCD: If you could offer one quote or takeaway about the research, what might that be?

Dr. Del Toro and Dr. Wang: Racial inequities disadvantage everyone and are a detriment to core American values in liberty, justice, and democracy for all.

More information: Juan Del Toro et al, Vicarious severe school discipline predicts racial disparities among nondisciplined Black and White American adolescents, Child Development (2023). DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13958 Journal information: Child Development
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Credit: Shutterstock

Two of the worst ant pests on the planet are invading Australia. Red imported fire ants have been detected for the first time on the western side of the Great Dividing Range in Toowoomba, Queensland. Yellow crazy ants recently reached the Whitsundays.

The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) ranks among the world's 100 worst animal pests because of its impacts on agriculture and biodiversity. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) poses similar threats, and is also one of the world's most dangerous ants. Its intensely painful stings, which give the ant its name, can kill people.

The prospects of total eradication of these ants in Australia are poor. Both species are highly adaptable and colonies need to be detected and eradicated early to contain them. Eradication efforts face other several challenges, including:

inadequate biosecurity resources for checking incoming cargo

the need for the public to maintain constant vigilance

spread from built-up urban areas into bushland that's much harder to monitor

other pressing issues, such as the housing crisis, demand attention and resources, crowding out threats from insects.

Where did the crazy ants come from?

The origin of yellow crazy ants is disputed but is likely in South-East Asia or Africa. Workers are yellowish orange, medium-sized (around 4-5mm) and have long legs and antennae. They run rapidly in a seemingly random fashion, hence their name.

Workers and queens have a small funnel on their gasters (the bulbous end of their bodies) from which they can spray formic acid. It can burn human skin and is lethal for other ants and many native arthropods. Small animals such as lizards and bird chicks are at risk of being blinded or eaten.

These ants have spread to much of South-East Asia, parts of central America and the United States. They can be found indoors in the United Kingdom and a handful of European nations.

Since reaching the Australian territory of Christmas Island, yellow crazy ants have devastated the native wildlife. They killed up to 20 million of the famous red land crabs, causing major changes in the rainforest. Red imported fire ants are a threat to people, biodiversity and agriculture.

On the mainland, this species has reached the Northern Territory and Queensland, where it is most entrenched, having been discovered in Cairns in 2001. As well as spreading to Hervey Bay, Townsville and other coastal sites, the ant is now in Brisbane.

Brisbane City launched an eradication plan in 2022. Control measures include baiting using a fishmeal-based ant attractant combined with an insecticide. However, recently reported infestations in the Whitsundays and elsewhere suggest eradication will be difficult.

Northern Territory authorities have had more success. Some 26 locations covering nearly 300 hectares of Indigenous land have been freed of the pest.

The prospects of total eradication of yellow crazy ants in Australia are not promising. Like other serious ant pests, this species can form "super-colonies" with multiple queens, eats a wide variety of foods and readily colonises both exotic and native environments.

Such species are often only eradicated if their presence is detected before they become established. For eradication programs to succeed, local councils need landholders' full support, plus adequate federal and state funding. Late last year the federal government provided another A$24.8 million, so there is some hope.

And what about the fire ants?

The red imported fire ant differs from the yellow crazy ant in having two waist segments (instead of one) and a powerful sting. The workers vary in size between 2.5mm and 6mm. They are reddish or yellowish with a darker gaster.

The fire ants are less distinctive than the crazy ants. They look like some small native ants in the genera Monomorium and Chelaner. However, their antennal clubs have two segments, while these native ants have three segments.

A red imported fire ant nest mound features no obvious entrance hole. Credit: Alex Wild/University of Texas

Another introduced Solenopsis species, S. geminata, looks even more similar. They are distinguished by the teeth on the mandible, or jaws: the red imported fire ant has four teeth and the other species has three. The nest mound of S. invicta is distinctive without any obvious nest entrance.

Native to South America, red imported fire ants have spread to the southern US, the South American tropics, the Caribbean, China and some Pacific Islands. Indoor infestations have been reported in Finland and Canada.

In Australia this species has become established in south-east Queensland. Small incursions have been eradicated in Port Botany, New South Wales, and, more recently, Fremantle, Western Australia.

In the US, fire ant stings have caused scores of human deaths due to anaphylaxis, or allergic shock. The stings cause small pustules on the skin, which can lead to infection or tissue death.

Fire ant stings also kill or injure domestic animals and livestock, and can cause serious economic loss. Like the yellow crazy ant, this species will protect disease-carrying plant bugs that produce honeydew. The ants will attack anything that threatens their food source and so help the bug population grow.

The ants also damage many crops themselves and destroy honey bees in their hives. They may nest in electrical utility boxes, causing outages.

Spreading corn bait laced with insecticide is the main means of control. Insecticide or steam can also be injected into nests.

Unfortunately, red imported fire ants were only identified in Brisbane in 2001, some years after the estimated date of the first arrivals. These ants likely came from the US. Despite successful eradications at sites including the Port of Brisbane and a separate incursion in central Queensland, the Brisbane outbreak has not been controlled.

The prognosis for controlling this pest is grim. It has super-colonies like the crazy ant and is equally adaptable in terms of food, nest sites and multiple queens (in some, but not all colonies). On top of that, identification and detection are more difficult.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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FAST helps find key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves with its high sensitivity. Credit: NAOC of CAS

A group of Chinese scientists has recently found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, marking a new era in nanohertz gravitational wave research. The research was based on pulsar timing observations carried out with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST).

The research was conducted by the Chinese Pulsar Timing Array (CPTA) collaboration, which comprises researchers from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) and other institutes. Their findings were published online June 28 in the journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics (RAA).

Other international pulsar timing array collaborations will announce similar results in the same day.

Acceleration of massive objects disturbs the surrounding space-time and produces "ripples," i.e., gravitational waves. Although such wave signals are extremely weak, they offer a direct method for probing masses that do not emit light. For this reason, astronomers have long aimed to use gravitational waves to aid in understanding the formation of the universe's structures and investigating the growth, evolution, and merger of the most massive celestial objects in the universe, that is, supermassive black holes. Such research will also help physicists gain insight into the fundamental physical laws of space-time. Chinese scientists has recently found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, marking a new era in nanoHertz gravitational research. Credit: CAS New Media Lab

Taking advantage of FAST's high sensitivity, the CPTA research team monitored 57 millisecond pulsars with regular cadences for 41 months. The team found key evidence for quadrupole correlation signatures compatible with the prediction of nanohertz gravitational waves at a 4.6-sigma statistical confidence level (with a false alarm probability of two in a million).

The team used independently developed data analysis software and data processing algorithms to achieve its breakthrough at the same time as other international groups. Independent data processing pipelines produced compatible results. Pulsar timing array with space time fabric and blackholes. Credit: OzGrav

The time span of CPTA data set is relative shorter at present. However, due to the high sensitivity of FAST telescope, CPTA achieved similar sensitivity comparing to other PTAs. The future observations will soon extend the span of CPTA data and help in identifying the astronomical sources of current signal.

Objects of greater mass produce gravitational waves of lower frequency. For example, the most massive celestial body in the universe, the supermassive black hole binaries (with 100 million to 100 billion times the solar mass) in the center of galaxies, mainly generate gravitational waves in the nanohertz band, with corresponding signal time scales from years to decades. This frequency band also includes gravitational wave contributions from processes of the early universe as well as exotic objects such as cosmic strings.

Chinese scientists has recently found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, marking a new era in nanoHertz gravitational research. Credit: CAS New Media Lab

Using nanohertz gravitational waves in cosmic observation is thus hugely important in studying key problems in contemporary astrophysics such as supermassive black holes, the history of galaxy mergers, and the formation of large-scale structures in the universe.

Detection of nanohertz gravitational waves is very challenging, though, due to their extremely low frequency, where the corresponding period can be as long as several years and wavelengths up to several light-years. So far, long-term timing observation of millisecond pulsars with extreme rotational stability is the only known method for effectively detecting nanohertz gravitational waves.

Hunting for these waves is one of the major focuses of present-day physics and astronomy. Regional pulsar timing array collaborations, including the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA), and the Australian Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA), have been collecting pulsar timing data for more than 20 years, with the aim of detecting nanohertz gravitational waves. Recently, several new regional collaborations have also joined this field, including CPTA, the India Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA), and the South Africa Pulsar Timing Array (SAPTA).

The detection sensitivity of pulsar timing arrays to nanohertz gravitational waves strongly depends on the observational time spanthat is, sensitivity grows rapidly with the increase in observational time span. The current CPTA's observational time span is shorter, which makes it easier to effectively increase the time span, e.g. observing for another 41 months will double the time span.

In the future, these regional collaborations will promote international pulsar timing array collaboration and expand exploration of the universe through nanohertz gravitational wave observations.

More information: Heng Xu et al, Searching for the Nano-Hertz Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background with the Chinese Pulsar Timing Array Data Release I, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2023). DOI: 10.1088/1674-4527/acdfa5
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

An international research team has revealed a knowledge gap that threatens our capacity to understand and protect tropical forests and other ecosystems from climate change.

In a paper published in the journal New Phytologist, researchers from the University at Buffalo, Western Sydney University (WSU), Aarhus University and UNSW show a lack of measurement of plant traits across the Global South and call for action to integrate regional and global data to fill the gap.

In the paper, they demonstrate how they more than doubled the information available globally about Australian plants by integrating the AusTraits database, an initiative supported by the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), with the global TRY database.

"Now we need to do the same for the Global South. We're starting by documenting the largest gaps in plant trait information across the globe and creating open-source resources that will make it easier for every nation to document their biodiversity," says Brian Maitner, a postdoctoral researcher at the University at Buffalo in New York State and first author on the paper.

"Plants are essential to almost all life on Earth, but our knowledge of plants is biased, and we certainly don't know enough about the plants and ecosystems that are found across the Global South. We have vast amounts of information about plants in the Global North, collected over many decades," says Associate Professor Rachael Gallagher of WSU's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, an author of the paper.

"This disparity threatens our ability to understand and mitigate the impact of climate change and land-use change on plants, and to design effective strategies for restoration. It's known as the 'Raunkirian shortfall' in a nod to the Danish researcher who devised one of the first plant trait classifications."

Big data has transformed ecology. The international TRY database contains over 10 million observations on about 131,000 plant species, covering height, leaf mass, seed mass, flowering time, fire response and more than 2,600 other traits. Analyzing variations in these traits provides the key tools to measure and model changes in forests, grasslands and other ecosystems.

That's allowing researchers to model and predict changes in:

the Cerrado, a region of savannahs in Brazil

fire-affected plant communities in Australia

tropical dry evergreen forest of India

agricultural systems.

By combining the global TRY database with AusTraits, a regional database focused on Australian plants, the team managed to more than double the completeness of trait data for the continent. This suggests that we can narrow the gap by bringing local and global data together.

"AusTraits has been working to make trait data more interpretable and easier to access," says Dr. Lizzy Wenk, AusTraits' project manager. "One core project has been compiling the most complete trait dictionary to date, allowing users to immediately know which data is captured in a given trait and how it links to identical trait data in other databases. AusTraits also works hard to capture all study metadata and to present the output in an easy-to-use format."

AusTraits was developed in partnership with the ARDC and 19 institutions. Rosie Hicks, CEO of the ARDC, says, "Supported by the Australian Government's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, the ARDC invests in curated national data assets and platforms such as AusTraits to accelerate research in Australia and beyond. This paper validates the importance of the ongoing research infrastructure support that we provide for research.

"AusTraits is now an internationally recognized gold-standard database that adheres to the best practice in data standards at a national scale. It is an excellent example of why we are establishing the national-scale Planet Research Data Commons, which will provide a joined-up data infrastructure for earth and environmental research."
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Simplified schematics showing the events within the tail current sheet leading to the eruption of the tail-wide plasmoid. a, The situation within Fig. 1b, showing the two local reconnection regions Earthward and tailward of the dominant x line. Magnetic field topology is given, with  and  symbols representing outward and inward directions with respect to the plane and corresponding to Bz > 0 and Bz Nature Geoscience (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-023-01206-2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01206-2

How are plasma eruptions in near-Earth space formed? Vlasiator, a model designed at the University of Helsinki for simulating near-Earth space, demonstrated that the two central theories on the occurrence of eruptions are simultaneously valid: eruptions are explained by both magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities.

Rapid plasma eruptions known as plasmoids take place on the nightside of the magnetosphere. Plasmoids are also associated with the sudden brightening of the aurora. The space physics research group at the University of Helsinki investigates and simulates these difficult-to-predict eruptions in near-Earth space using the Vlasiator model.

"The phenomena associated with plasmoids cause the most intense but the least predictable magnetic disturbances, which can cause, for example, disturbances in electrical grids," says Professor of Computational Space Physics Minna Palmroth from the University of Helsinki. "These eruptions occur on a daily basis, in varying sizes, in the 'tail' of the magnetosphere."

Palmroth is also the director of the Center of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space, and the principal investigator for the Vlasiator simulation.

"The chain of events leading to plasmoids is one of the longest-standing unresolved questions in space physics: solutions have been sought for it since the 1960s," Palmroth says.

Near-Earth space is a unique place for understanding plasma eruptions

Two competing lines of thinking have been proposed to explain the course of events, the first asserting that magnetic reconnection severs a part of the magnetotail into a plasmoid. According to the other explanation, kinetic instabilities disrupt the current sheet (a wide, thin distribution of electric current) maintaining the tail, which eventually results in the ejection of a plasmoid. Arguments about the primacy of these two phenomena have been ongoing for decades.

"It now appears that the causalities are in fact more complex than previously understood," Palmroth says.

The Vlasiator simulation, which requires the processing power of a supercomputer, modeled near-Earth space for the first time in six dimensions and on a scale corresponding to the size of the magnetosphere. The 6D modeling was successful in describing the physics phenomena underlying both paradigms.

"It was a difficult technical challenge that no one else has been able to model," Palmroth says. Behind the achievement is more than 10 years of software development.

Consequently, the study was able to demonstrate that both magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities explain the functioning of the magnetotail. The phenomena associated with these seemingly contradictory theories actually both take place, and simultaneously.

The finding helps to understand how plasma eruptions can occur. This helps in designing spacecraft and equipment, observing these events for further research, and improving the predictability of space weather by improving the understanding of near-Earth space.

The paper is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

More information: Minna Palmroth et al, Magnetotail plasma eruptions driven by magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities Nature Geoscience (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-023-01206-2. www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01206-2 Journal information: Nature Geoscience
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An Indonesian migrant worker in Malaysia. Credit: Hafiz Johari/Shutterstock

The United Nations defines people smuggling as enabling foreigners into a country where they do not have the right to remain. But our research shows how Indonesian migrants in Malaysia also use smugglers to return home.

These tend to be migrant workers who do not have proper documents or lack legal residence status. For them, there often are no cheap and fast options to return legally to Indonesia. This form of return migration, which we call "return smuggling", is a longstanding issue between Indonesia and Malaysia.

To examine this phenomenon more closely, we analysed 13 court verdicts and conducted interviews with law enforcement officials and activists from Indonesia.

We have found the smugglers respond to the demand of migrants to return home fast whenever need be. But as a consequence, smugglers face heavy penalties of at least five years in prison when sentenced under Indonesian law.

Fair punishments?

Under Indonesian law, "smuggler" is a broadly defined category. It can include the captain and his crew who pick up returning migrant workers from the beach in Malaysia. But it is also used to criminalise drivers who transport the migrants from the landing site in Indonesia to their next stop.

Meanwhile, the returning migrants are usually treated as "victims of people smuggling" and witnesses in criminal proceedings against their "smugglers". They do not face prosecution. Even though they hired the services of smugglers to circumnavigate the migration controls of both Malaysia and Indonesia in the first place.

We found there was quite a lot of sympathy among Indonesian law enforcement staff for the smuggled return migrants. Police officers were fully aware those Indonesian migrants could not leave Malaysia through an immigration check point, as they had no passport.

Caught between a rock and hard place

No all Indonesian labour migrants have initially entered Malaysia illegally. Many use regular migration channels. But because regular migration to Malaysia is very costly, migrants tend to overstay their permits to recuperate their investments.

But those who have lost their valid migration documents or overstayed their visa face criminal punishment under Malaysian law. This could include fines, imprisonment and caning.

The Malaysian government sometimes offers amnesty programs to overstaying migrant workers, but these are only launched infrequently. These programs also have a reputation for being slow and resulting in "blacklisting", which means Indonesian labour migrants are not allowed to come back to Malaysia in the future.

More worrying are the high numbers of Indonesian deaths in Malaysian detention, where they are kept before being sent home.

Huge demand for return smugglers

The World Bank estimates there are around 2 million irregular Indonesian labour migrants in Malaysia, which, we argue, makes the demand for return smugglers very high.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, even more migrant workers without passports may have turned to smugglers, as they needed to return to Indonesia quickly. Many of them did not have enough time to arrange lawful returns involving government agencies.

Within the first few months of the pandemic, the Indonesian government detected 427 returning migrants.

Our research shows that from 2015 to 2020, the Batam District Court in the Riau Islands recorded prosecuted "smugglers" involved in 13 cases. The actual number is likely to be much higher because smugglers and returning migrants seek to avoid authorities.

A much-needed bilateral protection effort

During a bilateral meeting in Jakarta in January 2023, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discussed a number of pressing issues, including the ongoing need for more protection for Indonesian migrants in Malaysia.

The high-level meeting showed there was political concern about "safe and orderly" migration on both sides of the border.

The main attention focused on how to encourage regular migration to Malaysia, which is understood as holding a complete set of migration documents and crossing international borders through immigration check points.

The key assumption here is this type of migration means migrant workers will then have access to legal employment rights and law enforcement mechanisms. These have become a cornerstone of their bilateral effort to protect migrant workers. It is also important, to apply the "safe and orderly" migration for travel in both directions.

If the governments were to promote safe migration based on the protection needs of returning migrants, a solution would be to provide even irregular migrant workers with access to legal options for quick and affordable return options.

Since 2006, the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur has substantially improved access to its services, such as passport renewal.

However, those in need for new papers have to travel to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur and spend a lot of time to obtain these documents. If pressed for time, migrants are unlikely to pursue this option, turning instead to "smugglers" to return home quickly.

Unless Indonesia and Malaysia address this problem, return smuggling and the imprisonment of those who facilitate the return of Indonesian migrant workers will continue.

More information: Antje Missbach et al, Facilitated but unauthorised return: the role of smugglers in return migration and clandestine border crossings between Malaysia and Indonesia, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies (2022). DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2022.2156329

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Culex modestus. Culex modestus is known to spread West Nile virus, a flavivirus, in southern Europe, between birds and humans or birds and horses. Credit: Lorna Culverwell

A species of mosquito not previously recorded from Finland has been discovered in the coastal municipality of Pori. Culex modestus has become the 44th mosquito species found in Finland, and the northernmost record of the species in Europe. The previous findings closest to Finland, but further south, have been made in the Leningrad Province in Russia and in Skane in Sweden.

The discovery was made by researcher Lorna Culverwell from the Department of Virology at the University of Helsinki. The new species was found among mosquito samples collected by Culverwell in summer 2022 in the coastal areas of Finland. One male specimen was identified after examining the genitalia and performing a DNA analysis. The study was published in the Journal of the European Mosquito Control Association on 25th June 2023.

"Only one specimen of this species was found, but I believe it to be unlikely that it would be the only one of its species in Finland," says Culverwell.

No risk of infection in Finland

According to Culverwell, this discovery is an important addition to the mosquitoes recorded from Finland. Up-to-date knowledge about the different mosquito species and their distributions increases our understanding of which, if any, potential pathogens (e.g., viruses or parasites), the mosquitoes could spread now or in the future.

Culex modestus is known to spread West Nile virus, a flavivirus, in southern Europe, between birds and humans or birds and horses. In most human cases West Nile virus causes a mild infection with symptoms such as fever, headache and muscle pain. In some cases the virus may cause neurological disease. For now, West Nile virus has not been discovered in Finland.

"Finns shouldn't be concerned about this mosquito discovery at this point. To date, no infections acquired in Finland have been discovered in humans or horses, but this finding is a reminder that we should be aware of which mosquito species are here. Knowing potential mosquito-borne diseases that these species are linked to elsewhere in the world helps us to better investigate how likely it would be for these infections to occur in the future," says Culverwell.

Warming climate increases the need for insect information

Several mosquitoes in genus Culex maintain West Nile virus in bird populations, including Culex pipiens and Culex modestus. For transmission to humans to occur, usually a mosquito would first have to bite a bird carrying the virus, wait several days for the virus to enter their saliva, and then bite a human when they are infected. Sometimes the virus is inherited from female mosquitoes via their eggs.

"At present it is very unlikely for transmission of the virus to humans or horses as several species are required for a disease transmission cycle to occur. Firstly, there would need to be West Nile virus already present in the local or migratory birds in Finland. No virus has so far been reported, despite small scale screening of birds at some sites in Finland. Secondly, only one specimen of Culex modestus is so far known from one location in Finland. For transmission to occur, larger numbers of mosquitoes would be needed for the possibility of some of them to meet any infected birds, and then survive to bite any humans or horses several days afterwards," says Culverwell.

Culverwell has collected more than 111,000 mosquito samples in Finland since 2012. According to her, it is uncertain how long Culex modestus has potentially occurred in Finland. It is also still unknown whether the area of discovery has a more established population of Culex modestus mosquitoes.

According to Culverwell, further research is now required on both bird and mosquito populations to assess both the short-term and long-term impacts of the discovery.

"A solid foundation of mosquito research in Finland is important because climate change will likely alter the number of mosquito species in the longer-term. Some may die out, but the chance of species from further south invading Finland will increase if the climate warms and winters become milder.

"Several species from southern Europe are able to transmit other disease-causing pathogens which are not yet found in Finland, so research should be kept up to maintain an understanding of which pathogens are found where, and whether they are a real or potential risk to human or animal health," Culverwell says.

More information: C.L. Culverwell et al, First record of Culex modestus in Finland, Journal of the European Mosquito Control Association (2023). DOI: 10.52004/JEMCA2023.0003
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Students in the laboratory presenting rotation of Schrodinger cat states. No actual cats were hurt during the project. Credit: S. Kurzyna and B. Niewelt, source: University of Warsaw

Students at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw (UW) and researchers from the QOT Center for Quantum Optical Technologies have developed an innovative method that allows the fractional Fourier Transform of optical pulses to be performed using quantum memory. This achievement is unique on the global scale, as the team was the first to present an experimental implementation of the said transformation in this type of system.

The results of the research were published in the journal Physical Review Letters. In their work, the students tested the implementation of the fractional Fourier Transform using a double optical pulse, also known as a "Schrodinger's cat" state.

The spectrum of the pulse and temporal distribution

Waves, such as light, have their own characteristic propertiespulse duration and frequency (corresponding, in the case of light, to its color). It turns out that these characteristics are related to each other through an operation called the Fourier Transform, which makes it possible to switch from describing a wave in time to describing its spectrum in frequencies.

The fractional Fourier Transform is a generalization of the Fourier Transform that allows a partial transition from a description of a wave in time to a description in frequency. Intuitively, it can be understood as a rotation of a distribution (for example, the chronocyclic Wigner function) of the considered signal by a certain angle in the time-frequency domain.

It turns out that transforms of this type are exceptionally useful in the design of special spectral-temporal filters to eliminate noise and enable the creation of algorithms that make it possible to use the quantum nature of light to distinguish pulses of different frequencies more precisely than traditional methods. This is especially important in spectroscopy, which helps study the chemical properties of matter, and telecommunications, which requires the transmission and processing of information with high precision and speed.

An ordinary glass lens is capable of focusing a monochromatic beam of light falling on it to almost a single point (focus). Changing the angle of incidence of light on the lens results in a change in the position of the focus. This allows us to convert angles of incidence into positions, obtaining the analogy of the Fourier Transform, in the space of directions and positions. A classical spectrometer based on a diffraction grating uses this effect to convert the wavelength information of light into positions, allowing us to distinguish between spectral lines.

Time and frequency lenses

Similarly to the glass lens, time and frequency lenses allow the conversion of a pulse's duration into its spectral distribution, or effectively, perform a Fourier transform in time and frequency space. The right selection of powers of such lenses makes it possible to perform a fractional Fourier Transform. In the case of optical pulses, the action of time and frequency lenses corresponds to applying quadratic phases to the signal.

To process the signal, the researchers used a quantum memoryor more precisely a memory equipped with quantum light processing capabilitiesbased on a cloud of rubidium atoms placed in a magneto-optical trap. The atoms were cooled to a temperature of tenths of millions of degrees above absolute zero (42 K). The memory was placed in a changing magnetic field, allowing components of different frequencies to be stored in different parts of the cloud. The pulse was subjected to a time lens during writing and reading, and a frequency lens acted on it during storage.

The device developed at the UW allows the implementation of such lenses over a very wide range of parameters and in a programmable way. A double pulses is very prone to decoherence, hence it is often compared to the famous Schrodinger cata macroscopic superposition of being dead and alive, almost impossible to achieve experimentally. Still, the team was able to implement faithful operations on those fragile dual-pulse states.

Before direct application in telecommunications, the method must first be mapped to other wavelengths and parameter ranges. Fractional Fourier transform, however, could prove crucial for optical receivers in state-of-the-art networks, including optical satellite links. A quantum light processor developed at the UW makes it possible to find and test such new protocols in an efficient way.

More information: Bartosz Niewelt et al, Experimental Implementation of the Optical Fractional Fourier Transform in the Time-Frequency Domain, Physical Review Letters (2023). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.240801 Journal information: Physical Review Letters
Shelters of Saratoga finds Code Blue home

The former Grand Union Motel on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs will house the 2023-24 Code Blue Winter Shelter beginning in the fall of 2023. Shelters of Saratoga will operate the shelter, which is a New York State mandate, in partnership with Saratoga County, according to a press release from the organization.

The lease was signed in early June and will offer semi-private rooms to individuals facing homelessness when the temperature drops below 32 degrees.

In past seasons, the shelter was an open space lined with cots, Duane Vaughn, executive director of Shelters of Saratoga, said in the release. The new location will offer guests additional privacy, critical for restful sleep. Sleep is key to a healthy life, and we are working diligently to make accommodations as comfortable as possible. We are pleased to offer nightly shelter in this modified model this coming winter.

In 2022-23, 271 unduplicated adults used the 61 available shelter cots on Adelphi Street, which was full most nights. The new location will shelter up to 80 adults.

I was eager to help after learning Code Blue was searching for a new location, stated Steve Ethier, owner of the Grand Union Motel and other properties in Saratoga Springs.

Earlier this month, RISE Housing and Support Services opened a year-round low barrier shelter at the site of last seasons Code Blue shelter on Adelphi Street.
Events

Thursday, June 29

BOOK BIKE STORY TIME AT 39TH STREET PLAYGROUND: 10 to 10:30 a.m.; special visit from the Book Bike; Playground, 39th Street, Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.

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.

FIRST RESPONDERS DAY: 10 to 11 a.m.; meet community members who keep us safe, explore their vehicles, and learn about their work from Community Policing Officer Lawrence; free activity for all ages; Ocean County Library/Stafford Branch, 129 N. Main St., Stafford Township. 732-349-6200 or theoceancountylibrary.org.

GALLOWAY GREEN MARKET: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays; fresh produce, local honey, baked goods, crafts, and more; 615 E. Moss Mill Road, Galloway Township. 609-742-7076.

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 30

TIPS ON-PREMISE ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; TIPS On-Premises Alcohol Server Training, part of BEST Program (Building Employment Skills Training) this summer; Public Library, 1 N. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. 609-345-2269 or acfpl.org.

WILDWOOD COMMUNITY RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE: noon to 5 p.m.; Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire, 7100 Pacific Ave., Wildwood Crest. 215-756-5759.

Saturday, July 1

AVALON HISTORICAL SOCIETY 12TH ANNUAL CLAMSHELL PITCH: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.; horseshoes-like sport, historically played on Avalons beaches; 30th Street, Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.

GARAGE SALE TO BENEFIT UKRAINE: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; hosted by the Sisterhood of Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church; monthly sale to benefit Ukraine; 77 Hogbin Road, Millville. 856-697-2255.

HOLY REDEEMER FOOD PANTRY DONATION DRIVE: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; during the month of July, drop off unexpired and unopened nonperishable food to the bin in the library porch to benefit the Holy Redeemer Food Pantry; Public Library, 235 32nd St., Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.

ZOO-TO-YOU: CAPE MAY COUNTY ZOO VISIT: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; Cape May County Zoo is coming to Ventnor library branch; Ventnor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor; registration required. 609-823-4614 or atlanticlibrary.org.

Sunday, July 2

LIGHTHOUSE FULL MOON CLIMB: 8 to 10 p.m.; full moon climb; Cape May Lighthouse, 215 Light House Ave., Cape May; $12. 609-884-5404 or capemaymac.org.

Monday, July 3

BEACHCOMBING THE CREST: 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Aug. 28; wander the shore in search of tideline treasures; Cape May County Library/Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.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.

MESSY MONDAY CRAFT: 2 to 3 p.m. Mondays, July 3, Aug. 7; monthly crafts for all; start your week off with fun by getting into some glue, glitter or paint; for all ages; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville; registration required. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org.

For kids

Thursday, June 29

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.

DASH BOT PROGRAMMING CLASS: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; come meet Dash and see the many things he can do; learn about coding and how you can get Dash up and going; Millville Public Library, 210 Buck St., Millville. 856-825-7087 or millvillepubliclibrary.org.

KIDS CONCERT AND DANCE PARTY WITH JESSICA CARROLL: 11 a.m. to noon; have fun singing and fancy stepping to new, classic, and upbeat childrens songs; Ocean County Library/Long Beach Island Branch, 217 S. Central Ave., Surf City. 732-349-6200 or theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

KIDS EVENT: LEGO THURSDAY: 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31; the library will supply the Legos, you supply the imagination; Public Library, 235 32nd St., Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.

NUTRITIONAL SNACK KITS FOR KIDS: June 27 through 30; Millville Public Library will be giving out free healthy snack food kits for kids; kits will include enough food for 4 servings; Millville Public Library, 210 Buck St., Millville. 856-825-7087.

Friday, June 30

KIDS EVENT: ANDREWS BIG SHOW: 10 to 11 a.m.; Public Library, 235 32nd St., Avalon. 609-967-7155 or avalonfreelibrary.org.

Saturday, July 1

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.

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.

Monday, July 3

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.

Groups</&h1>

Thursday, June 29

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.

Friday, June 30

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, July 1

KNIGHTS OF THE SQUARE TABLE CHESS CLUB: 1 to 3 p.m. every other Saturday through Aug. 26; open to all ages; Absecon branch/Atlantic County Library System, 305 New Jersey Ave., Absecon; registration requested. 609-646-2228 or atlanticlibrary.org.

Monday, July 3

AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS: 11 a.m. Mondays; for those troubled by someone elses drinking; Egg Harbor City Senior Center, 351 Cincinnati Ave., Egg Harbor City. AL-ANON.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.

Health, fitness</&h1>

Thursday, June 29

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.

Friday, June 30

YOGA WITH TANYA DELFINI: 10 to 11 a.m. Fridays through December; no class Sept. 8, Nov. 10, 24; Cape May County Library/Sea Isle City Branch, 4800 Central Ave., Sea Isle City. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org.

Saturday, July 1

MORNING RISE AND SHINE YOGA: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. July 1, 15, Aug. 5, 19; summer session with certified yoga instructor; Mays Landing Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 40 Farragut Ave., Hamilton; registration required. 609-625-2776 or atlanticlibrary.org.

WILLOW CREEK WINERY VINEYARD VINYASA: 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.; open-level 60-minute vinyasa yoga with Tam Turse, RYT-500 from Gemini Movement; bring your own mat and props; Willow Creek Winery & Farm, 168 Stevens St., W. Cape May; $10 suggested donation. 609-770-8782 or willowcreekwinerycapemay.com.

Sunday, July 2

MEDITATION  ONLINE GROUP: 7:15 to 8 p.m. Sundays; offered by The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; staff offer a guided calming meditation or breathing exercise; to receive a link by email and join the group online, email btrendler@mhanj.org. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info.

Monday, July 3

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.

Music</&h1>

Thursday, June 29

TONY MARTS PRESENTS ROCKIN THE POINT WITH THE BILLY WALTON BAND: 7 to 11 p.m. Thursdays through summer; The Point, 998 Bay Ave., Somers Point. 609-626-4693.

Friday, June 30

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.

Sunday, July 2

ABSECON CONCERTS IN THE PARK: 7 to 9 p.m. July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Aug. 6, 13, 20, 4 p.m. Aug. 27; bring your own chair or blanket; Heritage Park, 699 Blenheim Ave., Absecon. 609-641-0663.
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP  The mystery of who stole a famed Jersey Devil statue from a family-owned restaurant may soon be answered after police issued a warrant for an out-of-state man for its disappearance.

Thomas L. Bintz, 52, of Chandlersville, Ohio, is wanted for fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree theft, township police said on Tuesday.

A security camera at Lucilles Luncheonette-Country Cooking captured the Friday night theft, showing a man alleged to be Bintz backing a trailer carrying what appears to be a vehicle to the statue. The statue is then loaded onto the trailer and taken from the restaurant, losing its wing in the process.

The statue is valued around $2,000, according to a criminal complaint.

Karen Bates-Flynn, one of the restaurants owners, said the incident is the first time the eatery on Main Street in Warren Grove has had property stolen.

Since the owners went public on social media about the loss, the community has rallied around the business, which has been serving country-style cooking since 1975, its outdoor sign says.

One person can take away your faith, but the thousands of people that have reached out to us have healed our hearts, Bates-Flynn said on Thursday.

Bintz has not been arrested, police said in their news release announcing the charges. Both his trailer and vehicle were located, but the statue remains missing, Bates-Flynn said.

Police reviewed the footage and determined the car to be a white Chevrolet Suburban, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Detectives learned from Lucilles employees that a resident connected the Suburban with Bintz, the affidavit of probable cause states.

The statue has become a roadside attraction for people in the area. Photos are often snapped with it and shared online.

The Jersey Devils tale has been shared for about 250 years, according to Atlantic Countys website.

Folklore says the creature was the fruit of a curse by Mrs. Leeds, who was living in the Pine Barrens of Leeds Point, Galloway Township, in the 1700s. She cursed her 13th child, leading it to become the famed creature said to haunt South Jerseys woodlands.

Stories, however, vary, Atlantic Countys website says.

Bates-Flynn and her sister, Diane Brown, who also owns the restaurant, say the Jersey Devils story has been a fascination for their family. Familiar with the owners interest, a local carver gifted the statue to them.

Weve always had the Jersey Devil theme as our theme here, Bates-Flynn said. We think the story is intriguing.

When the statue was taken from its spot below the restaurants sign, it was damaged, losing an ear, which was found in the parking lot.

Commonly entering the restaurant through the back door, Bates-Flynn didnt know the roadside relic was missing until a customer alerted her, she said.

For now, the artist who made the statue offered to craft a new one, Bates-Flynn said. At this point, the stolen statue would likely have been too damaged to possibly display again if it was recovered.

Many people have reached out to the restaurant offering money, but the business wants donations intended to help in the statues disappearance to be used for a lemonade stand, which will be taking donations on Sunday for Davids Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation, Bates-Flynn said.

Meanwhile, police are still looking for Bintz.

Deputies from the Muskingum County Sherrifs Office in Ohio met with Bintzs wife and confirmed his address, the affidavit states.

Police ask anyone with information on Bintzs whereabouts to email jconner@staffordpolice.org or call 609-597-1000 ext. 8461.
MAYS LANDING  A Pleasantville woman whose sentence for a fatal stabbing was overturned by an appellate court again pleaded guilty Thursday to charges in the case, authorities said.

Rollie Ellis, 33, faces more than 13 years in state prison as part of her plea when she is sentenced before Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office announced.

Ellis, who was 28 when she was arrested in the case, was to be sentenced in the death of Jennifer Rodriquez on Aug. 10, but the prosecution will likely ask the court to delay the hearing so the victims family can attend, the Prosecutors Office said in a news release.

Ellis, for a second time, admitted to entering the apartment of Raphy Rodriguez and Jennifer Rodriquez in Atlantic City on April 11, 2018, and stabbing both during a fight.

The couple was in their apartment on South Iowa Avenue around 6:35 a.m. when the attack occurred.

After being stabbed, Jennifer Rodriquez, 34, ran across the street to the Public Safety Building, where she collapsed and was found unresponsive. She was stabbed in the back of her head and neck.

Jennifer Rodriquez was brought to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, and died there later.

Raphy Rodriguez also escaped the apartment, flagging down a police officer on Iowa Avenue before he was taken to the hospital. He survived the attack despite suffering several stab wounds.

Ellis was identified by Raphy Rodriquez as the couples attacker. She was carrying a knife in her waistband when she was approached by police.

In January 2020, Ellis pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter. She was initially charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

A judge ordered Ellis to 20 years in state prison in February 2020, a sentence tossed out by the appeal courts, which said the assailants Miranda rights were violated.

Under her new sentence, Ellis would serve prison time under the No Early Release Act, ensuring her incarceration for 85% of her term.
After a complaint came in about homeless people breaking into the vacant Madison Hotel on the beach block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the city sent a team to investigate, Director of Licensing and Inspections Dale Finch said at Wednesdays CitiStat meeting.

They found about 30 people illegally living there without electricity or water service.

The place was trashed and anything of value taken, he said.

Eight code enforcement officers, three fire safety officers and six police officers spent hours in the building, which is 14 stories tall and has 130 rooms, Finch said.

The building has since been secured, Finch said.

Philadelphia developer David Mermelstein, 72, is the current owner and had planned to renovate the building. Health problems have prevented that, Mermelstein has said.

Finch said there is an agreement of sale on the building, but closing is not planned until October.

He said the city will bill the current owner for the time spent by city employees cleaning out human feces, illicit drug needles and more.

Renaissance Plaza

Special police officers and social workers have been assigned to Renaissance Plaza, the shopping center on Atlantic and New York avenues where homeless people hang out and use drugs, officials said at Wednesdays CitiStat meeting.

One of our social workers has devised a plan to address the issues at Renaissance Plaza, at New York Avenue in front of AtlantiCare and Gateway, said Director of Health and Human Services Jarred Barnes.

Concerns about conditions at the plaza were brought up by a resident at the prior meeting.

CitiStat meetings bring residents, business owners and department heads together every two weeks to discuss problems and how previously reported problems were handled.

AtlantiCare has a HealthPlex at New York and Atlantic avenues, and just behind it on New York Avenue is the Gateway Head Start Early Education Center preschool.

Residents and city leaders have complained that people drink, do drugs and engage in sex in the area where young children can see them.

Barnes said the social work plan is to offer services and encourage people not to loiter in the area.

Police Chief James Sarkos has said the plaza is private property so the police have limited jurisdiction there. But he said there are now two shifts of Neighborhood Coordination Officers and they will spend time helping to deal with the problems there.

City resident Andra Williams said at the meeting a man exposed himself to her when she was going into the grocery store there Tuesday.

Belfield Avenue fire

The multi-unit residential building burned during an alleged arson late last month on Belfield Avenue has been declared an imminent hazard and demolition is planned, Finch said.

There are three owners involved and Finch said he is meeting with them to inform them of the plan.

One of the owners agrees 100% the building must come down, Finch said. One has no insurance, and Im not sure if the other one does.

Pleasantville resident Monica Parish, 48, was charged with arson a day after the fire.

Police statistics

Calls for service are up 28% and arrests are up 121% year-to-date, compared to the same period last year, Sarkos said.

So far this year there had been 65,922 calls for service, compared to 51,405 at the same time last year, and 1,857 arrests, versus 841 at the same time in 2022, Sarkos said.

Police had recovered 85 illegal firearms, including 70 handguns, four rifles, four shotguns and seven ghost guns.

Thats a 55% increase over the same time last year, Sarkos said.

Report a Concern

In the most recent two weeks, individuals filed 192 reports on complaints, or concerns, said IT Director Patrick Quinlan.

In the same time period, 294 cases were closed  54 from the current period and 240 from the prior periods. And 138 cases remain currently in progress.

The highest frequency of complaints involves high grass and weeds and exterior violations on houses, Quinlan said.

To report a concern, visit the citys website at acnj.gov and click on Report a Concern/CitiStat.

Public Questions

Resident Andra WIlliams asked for an update on when a derelict house on New Jersey Avenue will be demolished. She first reported it in November as a place where vagrants and drug users were living illegally, and breaking into a nearby church to steal items.

The city has said the demolition has been held up for months by Atlantic City Electric, which needs to move a service meter for a nearby store from the building before it can come down.

Were making progress. Atlantic City Electric finally sent an engineer last week with our electrical inspector from the city and the demolition company to investigate what has to be done.

Work should begin this week, he said.

Its been a long time because of a lack of movement from Atlantic City Electric, Finch said.
ATLANTIC CITY  Chelsea neighborhood residents told Mayor Marty Small Sr. on Wednesday that lack of bulkheads on some private properties is ruining the effectiveness of a $6.5 million bulkhead project along city property on the bay.

Im grateful for the project, but ... if water is coming in anyway its a waste of your effort and money, said Rebecca Femia, who said she lives on Bartram Avenue one house from the bay.

Some private property owners have not built any bulkheads or have bulkheads that are falling apart or just too low, according to many of about 30 who attended the meeting with Small and city engineer Uzo Ahiarakwe at Sunset and Trenton avenues on the bay.

Small said state representatives have specified the grant funding does not cover building bulkheads on private property, so could not be used for that.

But the mayor said he will appeal to the state to reconsider the decision.

He also said he would sign an ordinance to require private property owners to build bulkheads under specific conditions, but that City Council must first pass it.

The mayor called the meeting to assure residents that the $6.5 million bulkhead project, which has been paused for some weeks, will continue soon, he stressed.

We wanted to dispel rumors that we ran out of money, said Small. Weve been delayed by Atlantic City Electric.

Ahiarakwe said the city has completed the majority of the work on the bulkheads, and now needs to start restoration of the road, sidewalks, and installations of lighting.

We cannot do those things without Atlantic Electric doing its part, Ahiarakwe said.

Bert Lopez of Atlantic Electric said the utility needs to de-energize the area so contractors can safely work on installing the lamps and other aspects of the job.

He said systems issues and storms had prevented the company from starting the work when it was scheduled about two weeks ago. He could not say if that was the first scheduled time Atlantic City Electric had available.

Lopez estimated Atlantic City Electrics part of the job would take about three days, and said he expects workers to be on the job the end of this week or early next week.

The project will be done by the end of August if the utility quickly finishes its part, Ahiarakwe estimated. It was expected to finish before the summer started.

But residents wanted to talk about their concerns about lack of bulkheads in some places, and the need to improve access to the water.

Some residents feel their property values have been harmed by the project, which cut off water views for many. They want sidewalks to be elevated so people can have a good view of the water when they walk along the bay.

The level of the bulkhead had to be the greater of federal or city requirements, Ahiarakwe has said. That meant the city built them to its city standard of 8.5 feet above sea level.

Resident Gary Baker said he doesnt think the city should spend money on raising sidewalks or cosmetic problems until it finds a way to build continuous bulkheads throughout the area.

They say they lost their bay view or cant fish. But adding millions to the project has nothing to do with resilience, Baker said.

Ahiarakwe said grant funding for the bulkheads is for flood control only, not for other amenities like raising sidewalks or building boardwalks, as some have requested.

The money is mainly from state Superstorm Sandy funds that had not yet been spent.

The project included replacing sections of city-owned bulkhead along Sunset Avenue, Winchester Avenue and various street ends between Jackson and North Albany avenues in the Lower Chelsea neighborhood.
LOWER TOWNSHIP  The Lower Cape May Regional School District will not ban books from the high school library, board member Gary Douglass said at the Wednesday meeting.

There may be a policy in the future addressing parents concerns with library material, board member Gary Douglass said at the meeting, but it will not be a ban.

Several community members attended the meeting to discuss a parents challenge to one of the library books, a memoir in the form of a graphic novel called Gender Queer by Maia Kokabe, exploring the authors coming of age and coming to terms with non-binary gender identity.

Parents and residents crowded the small meeting room to support keeping the book available to students. Some of those who spoke said it is important for gay, trans and questioning students to have library materials that reflect their reality.

Brandon Saffold, a graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School, told the board he was taunted and bullied as a student, describing himself as the only openly gay student in his class. He said he was harassed into changing for gym in the nurses office rather than the locker room, and was almost banned from prom because his date was also male. A student at Princeton, he spoke at the meeting through a phone held by his mother, Nina Saffold.

These are things that I dont want any student to have to experience, Brandon Saffold said. Banning books opens a platform for discrimination and tolerance for harassing and bullying.

Several other people also spoke in favor of keeping the book available to students.

But James Morris, the parent who wants the book off the shelves, told the board his concerns have nothing to do with gender or orientation, but are about the age appropriateness of explicit material included in Gender Queer and other books.

He had two more to which he also raised objections on Wednesday, including another coming-of-age graphic novel, Flamer by Mike Curato.

Im not here about LGBT stuff. Im here about pornography, Morris told the board on Wednesday. He said after the meeting he would not raise an objection to the board about a book in which a character has two dads, for instance, or with a gay protagonist.

But he believes the content of the books he objects to is wildly inappropriate for minors.

He made that clear at the meeting.

Good evening adults who make pornographic images and material available to minors in the school, Morris said to the board. I wish that was in fact an exaggerated statement but unfortunately it is not.

Morris read several passages that included sexually explicit descriptions, and showed an image from a graphic novel he said got him banned from the platform for a month when he posted it to Facebook.

How does Facebook have stricter pornography policies than the school does? Thats insane, Morris said, visibly upset during his statement. He left the board meeting immediately after.

Morris said he began his campaign with a solitary protest outside the school, but was told he could not be on school grounds.

After the meeting, some members of the school community said many classic books include questionable material, if taken out of context.

Reading a statement from the board, Douglass said the concerns raised were reviewed and addressed during a meeting of the curriculum committee on June 22. Several members of the committee read the book, and the others plan to read it when it becomes available.

All committee members agree that book banning was not an appropriate course of action, but procedures would be possibly put in place for the upcoming school year to address this issue, he said at the meeting.

Gender Queer topped the American Library Associations list of the most challenged book of 2022. The organization said it saw the highest number of documented demands to censor library books or resources that year, with 1,269 incidents across the country. Thats nearly double the number for the previous year.

Most of the books on the library associations list relate to LGBTQ content, but the list also books considered classics, including The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

Book challenges have been a part of education for decades, with parents and community members in the past raising objection to racial slurs in Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and obscene words in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

The issue has taken on new prominence, with challenges to books in school and public libraries by the group Moms for Liberty, founded in Florida in 2021. The group has become a national force, and has backed school board candidates in Cape May County.

Organizers say they do not want to ban books, but do not want objectionable material in schools or purchased by tax dollars for public libraries. The organization has focused on issues of gender, sexuality and race, challenging what they describe as critical race theory in schools.

It has been described as an extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Morris did not mention Moms for Liberty at the board meeting. At one point, he said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland would describe him as a domestic terrorist just for raising questions.

Outside the meeting, Morris said he did not want the books banned from the world, but he did want them off school library shelves.

At the meeting, several speakers said the board should trust its librarians in choosing appropriate material, and that students accessing books and other items including complicated subjects would do better to do so in an educational environment.

Most of the books are readily available to students elsewhere, they said. If anything, a ban will increase a young persons interest, they said.

I understand that people may have objections to it. Our freedoms are for everybody and not just for a select few, said Debi de la Cretaz, a grandmother who said her children graduated from the high school. If the parents do not want their children to read this book, then dont let them read it.

The Lower Cape May Regional school district includes a middle school and a high school, with students from Lower Township, Cape May, West Cape May and Cape May Point, with a budget of more than $35 million and more than 1,000 students in seventh through 12th grades.
Those with asthma or respiratory issues should heed officials' warnings on how to stay safe, as another round of smoke from the Canadian wildfires will move in Thursday and Friday.

Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in Black and poorer US communities Smoky air from Canadas wildfires is shrouding broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky. That's led to warnings to stay inside and has exacerbated health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution. The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency warned residents of the mostly Black city that everyone should stay indoors. Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have very unhealthy air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.

It couldn't come at a worse time, as Thursday and Friday are our first 100% dry streak in eight days.

A code orange air quality alert has been issued until Thursday night by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. A code orange means that air will be unhealthy for those with asthma, young children or those with heart disease.

To put it in context, it won't be as significant as what we had on June 7 (you may remember New York City being orange), but if you're in those sensitive groups, you'll want to take it easy.

Canadian wildfires are causing the worst air in the US in cities like Chicago and Detroit Drifting smoke from the ongoing wildfires across Canada is creating curtains of haze and raising air quality concerns throughout the Great Lakes region, and in parts of the central and eastern United States. The Environmental Protection Agencys AirNow.gov site showed parts of Illinois, lower Michigan and southern Wisconsin had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Tuesday, and Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee had air quality categorized as very unhealthy." A National Weather Service meteorologist says fires in northern Quebec and low pressure over the eastern Great Lakes are sending smoke to Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Chicago was home to the worst air quality in the world Wednesday afternoon. We won't be at those levels but you can expect to notice muted shades of blue in the sky, if not gray. Plus, we have that health impact.

Our weather both Thursday and Friday will be influenced by a clockwise spinning high pressure that will move from the Midwest Thursday morning and be near Nova Scotia, Canada come Friday night.

That will mean a dry breeze rolling through the state. That sticky summer air will be put on hold.

Morning lows both start around 60 to 65 degrees for Linwood and inland areas. Meanwhile, Atlantic City and the shore will be in the 65 to 70 degree range. We should start off with plenty of sunshine.

Then, during the afternoon, we'll mix with fair weather clouds. Highs should reach the mid-80s both days inland. At the shore, we should peak around 80 degrees midday, before falling slightly during the afternoon as a southerly sea breeze kicks in.

In between will be a partly to mostly cloudy Thursday night. Overnight lows will be in the low to mid-60s.

Now while the smoke will go away Friday night, rain chances will come back into play.

Your evening will be dry, so outdoor strolls on the boardwalk or a drive to your beach spot with the windows down will be fine. We'll fall into the 70s.

Between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m., a period of rain is possible but mainly for those far inland - Millville, Buena or Hammonton. Elsewhere, we're more than likely dry. The rain that does fall won't bring severe weather or flooding issues. Lows will be in the upper 60s and it will become more humid.

Looking at Saturday and Sunday, I can confidently say that the daytime hours will be more dry than not. It should be drier by a significant margin (70%+ dry).

A warm front will lift later Saturday. Slow-moving storms after 3 p.m. will be possible and with a good amount of humidity in the air, and rainfall amounts that could bring roadway flooding.

More than likely, it'll be a few hours of a soaking overnight rain. With our region either in drought or teetering on it, we'll take it.

Sunday morning will be dry, but the afternoon will have our typical p.m. pop up showers and thunderstorms. Storms can bring a quick inch or two of rain, leading to localized flooding problems.

Shore highs will be 75 to 80 degrees both days. Inland, expect 80s, higher on Sunday.
Scott County authorities allege a Davenport man injured an Iowa State trooper and damaged a squad car while fleeing a traffic stop.

Jordyn M. Puckett, 24, Davenport, faces multiple charges, including eluding, assault on persons in certain occupations, leave scene of accident-injury and first-degree criminal mischief, according to county court records.

They stem from actions authorities accuse Puckett of taking beginning about 10 a.m. Wednesday on eastbound Interstate 80 near Walcott.

The Iowa State Patrol attempted to stop Puckett, who was driving a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix, because of an expired registration, the wrong registration being affixed to the license plate and because he and a passenger were not wearing seatbelts, court records state. Puckett initially stopped but sped away as a trooper approached.

During the ensuing pursuit, Puckett struck a squad car near 53rd Street and Northwest Boulevard in Davenport, causing minor injuries to the trooper driving it, court records state. Hed just driven into, then out of, a ditch to avoid traffic when he hit the squad. After the collision, he continued trying to flee law enforcement.

Court records state the collision disabled the squad car. The damage was estimated at $10,000.

Authorities also accuse Puckett of exceeding the speed limit by at least 25 mph during the pursuit, passing unsafely multiple times, driving left of the centerline, ignoring traffic signals and driving off road, court records state.

Puckett crashed into several vehicles at a stop light near the intersection of West Kimberly Road and Lillie Avenue, court records state. The collision disabled the Grand Prix he was driving.

Puckett has also been charged with possession of controlled substance-marijuana, first offense; possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine, first offense; and failure to affix drug stamp, court records state.

Those charges stem from a search of the Grand Prix after the crash, court records state. A drug dog performed an open-air sniff around the vehicle and alerted to drugs.

When they searched the Grand Prix, investigators found two baggies, one with 18 grams of suspected methamphetamine and the other with 7 grams of suspected marijuana, according to court records. The methamphetamine did not include the appropriate drug tax stamp.

Police also recovered syringes and a digital scale from the Grand Prix, records state.

After he was Mirandized, Puckett admitted that the substances and paraphernalia belonged to him and confirmed the substances were marijuana and methamphetamine.

Puckett has a prior conviction for felony eluding from Clinton County from January, and his license has been revoked since February, court records state. That revocation does not expire until February 2024.

He remained in custody Thursday morning on a $50,000 cash-only bond, according to the Scott County Jail website.

His next court date was not available Thursday morning.

Canadian wildfires continue to affect air quality
The Bettendorf school board agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, Quad-City Times and local media over a May 2022 gathering where local journalists were denied entry.

The school district will reimburse the five plaintiffs  Iowa FOI Council, Times; KWQC, WQAD and WHBF television stations  $6,500 for attorney fees.

As part of the settlement, the school board acknowledged the May 25, 2022, gathering did not comply with Iowas public meetings law and promised to conduct future meetings concerning school policies and procedures in compliance with the law when a majority of school board members are present.

Although it has taken nine months, we are grateful the Bettendorf school board and the districts administrators finally have faced up to the regrettable reality  that the board acted in violation of both the letter, and the spirit, of Iowas open meetings law last year when school officials barred journalists and some interested citizens from attending a school forum, Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa FOI Council, said in a statement following the settlement.

The Iowa FOI Council and partnering local media will dismiss the lawsuit via the Scott County District Court.

There was also a complaint on the matter filed with the Iowa Public Information Board. In March, the board found there was a lack of probable cause that a violation occurred and dismissed the complaint.

The Iowa Public Information Board dismissed the matter in early 2023, finding that there was no violation of Iowas open meetings laws because the parent work session was not an official Board meeting, the district said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The district worked to settle the separate pending lawsuit so that all matters related to the parent work session could be finalized and the district could move forward.

District officials say they worked closely with legal counsel in handling both matters.

The District remains committed to seeking parent input, according to the email.

On May 25, 2022, around 300 Bettendorf parents gathered to express concerns about student behavior and school safety at Bettendorf Middle School to Superintendent Michelle Morse and the school board, which had all but one member  current President Rebecca Eastman  present.

Bettendorf Middle School parents communicated similar concerns for weeks before the meeting, alleging inadequate action by school officials to address the disorderly behavior.

The meeting also saw heightened interest, states an Iowa FOI Council release, because it took place one day after the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

According to the lawsuit, parents at the meeting were told they could not record for others to watch later, and local journalists were blocked from attending.

Additionally, Bettendorf school officials failed to provide the required advance notice of the school boards gathering.

There is no greater obligation of a school district these days than ensuring students have a safe environment in which to learn. But the Bettendorf school board and school administrators let the public down by not properly conducting the school boards meeting on May 25, 2022, in compliance with Iowa law, Evans said. ... Officials misguided interpretation of the law has ended up indirectly costing the taxpayers of the Bettendorf district $6,500 to reimburse our legal expenses. The taxpayers also are on the hook for thousands more the district has paid its own lawyers to defend this indefensible closed-door meeting.

Before negotiations, Bettendorf school board attorneys claimed the gathering was not an official school board meeting because present members merely listened and did not discuss the concerns and criticisms shared by parents.

Iowas 50-year-old open meetings law (Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code), requires that any formal or informal gathering, involving a majority of members of a government board, must be open to the public  including journalists  if action or deliberation will take place on any matter within the boards policy-making responsibilities.

Additionally, the law allows attendees to photograph or record these meetings.

No government entity can earn the trust, respect, and confidence of the people it serves when government officials try to prevent the public from attending a meeting like the one held in May 2022, Evans said.

In a letter to Morse and Eastman on June 3, 2022, the media plaintiff coalition wrote:

It would stretch believability to think that spending a couple of hours listening to the concerns of parents about the behavior of some Bettendorf Middle School students  does not fall within the meaning of deliberations on matters clearly within the scope of the Board of Educations policy-making duties.

Photos: Bettendorf students walkout to protest 'harmful' LGBTQ+ legislation
Portions of Eldridge were evacuated Thursday morning because of a chlorine gas leak.

The Eldridge Police Department posted later in the morning that the area had been deemed safe and people could return to their homes.

In a media alert, the city said the evacuations were ordered out of extreme precaution until crews could assess the scene.

At about 8 a.m., a chlorine gas leak was detected by an employee at the city's water plant located at 503 W. Donahue St. The employee was performing routine operations when the leak was detected, a news release from the city said.

The public water supply was not impacted by the leak, and no injuries were reported.

The plant was evacuated and 911 was called. Eldridge fire and police department officials were dispatched to the scene. Davenport Fire Department and Hazardous Materials Team also responded to the call. MEDIC EMS also responded to the scene and stated there were no reported injuries.

Residents along North 5th and 6th Streets from Donahue to Davenport Street were evacuated, with the city community center opened as an emergency shelter.

The leak was contained around 9 a.m., and the city sent a follow-up news release around 11 a.m. that traffic in the area had resumed to normal.

The police department thanked the Scott County Sheriff's Office, Scott Emergency Communications Center, Scott County Emergency Management and MEDIC EMS for their help.

A derailed train lays on the ground next to train tracks
As a ninth-floor resident of a 10-story building without a working elevator, Robbi Kaup feels trapped in her own apartment.

Kaup, 75, lives in the Mississippi Lofts at 106 E. 3rd Street in downtown Davenport, adjacent to the Adler Theatre. She moved into the building four years ago and was amazed with what she saw.

I just thought it was so special, but they ... dont spend money to fix things, and its gone downhill so fast I wouldnt even recognize the building (today,) she said. If I saw it today, I would never have rented.

The they in question is Premier Housing Management, a Minnesota-based company that manages and develops properties in the Midwest and Oregon. According to its website, Premier owns multiple other buildings in Davenport including Cobble Stone Place farther down on 3rd Street and the Jackson Renaissance, formerly the Jackson School Building, on West 16th Street.

Scott County records indicate the 56-unit building has been owned by Mississippi Housing Partners since 2006 when it was purchased for nearly $500,000. The deed owner has the same address as Premier Housing. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since Oct. 22, 1998.

Premier did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.

The main problem Kaup, and many other residents, are facing now is no elevator access despite there being three in the building. Kaup said she could not physically walk up and down nine flights of stairs, especially with groceries.

Late last week the elevator was making unusual noises, and by Saturday it stopped working all together, she said. The problem persisted through the weekend and into this week, but safety concerns surrounding it have been ongoing.

When youre on it, it shakes. It does not feel safe, Kaup said.

By Wednesday, there was still no working elevator. Development and Neighborhood Services Director Rich Oswald confirmed via email Wednesday that a complaint was received Monday. The department contacted property management, who in turn contacted Schumacher Elevator Company out of Rockford to fix the problem.

Oswald said the work was expected to be completed by end of day Wednesday.

According to OSHA, elevators need to be inspected at least once a year. The Times has submitted a Freedom of Information Open Records request for copies of state inspections on the elevators in the building.

The Iowa Division of Labor states owners must have them inspected on a regular schedule, but they also have the freedom to hire a private, qualified inspector. If they choose not to, the state will send an inspector to the site.

The division has a public portal that allows users to search the status of elevators. For the Mississippi Lofts, it lists one as being dormant, a second as approved and a third states a safety order has been issued. A fourth, it says, has been torn out.

According to the ADA, the only structures that do not require an elevator are buildings with less than three stories, with fewer than 3,000 square feet per floor or shopping center or mall. The ADA also specifies repairs need to be made as soon as possible.

Kaup said the elevator not working had lead to a variety of consequences, including a lack of cleanliness. With no easy way to get pets down the stairs, animals are defecating in the hallway, she said. Additionally, people are smoking in their apartments, despite there being a no-smoking policy, because there is no easy access to the outdoors, she said.

Outside the building is a doorbell for the main office. No one answered when reporters inquired on Wednesday afternoon.

According to a listing on Apartments.com, the building features amenities such as controlled access, a property manager on site and wheelchair accessible rooms. It does not list rent, but does specify that income restrictions apply.

Now, Kaup is trying to find a new place to live, but she cannot walk down the nine flights of stairs necessary to do so.

Artists gather for the annual Chalk Fest hosted by Quad City Arts
SPRINGFIELD  Please fill in the blank: Our Father who art in heaven ____ be thy name.

This month, that question came up on the television gameshow Jeopardy! and none of the otherwise smart contestants could answer it.

The social media universe exploded with indignation. How could they not know the answer was hallowed? asked many folks on Twitter.

The Rev. Franklin Graham tweeted, We have lost so much Biblical literacy & basic awareness of the things of Gods Word. This moving away from Biblical values will equal double jeopardy for our nation.

I admired Grahams father, Billy, but after several years of watching Franklin Graham bow before the altar of Donald Trump, Ive come to the conclusion that the Graham gene pool might need a lifeguard. His dad he aint.

But even a stopped clock is right twice a day. In many ways our society is becoming increasingly ignorant of matters of faith. And an unfortunate reality is a shared lexicon is disappearing.

After reading about this gameshow controversy, I contacted the only person I know who has competed on Jeopardy! His name is Dave Boyd, and we were close friends at Galesburg High School.

When Boyd competed on Jeopardy! in 1988, he was an atheist. But today he says he is certain that back then he could have answered the hallowed be thy name riddle that stumped the trio of Jeopardy contestants.

I would have had the answer because I would have heard it used in movies and books. It was part of our cultures Judeo-Christian heritage, he told me this past week. A couple years after his game-show appearance Boyd converted to Catholicism and has become devout.

For centuries the Bible has been a common cultural reference point that bound our nation. When Abraham Lincoln gave his House Divided speech in Springfield, he was quoting from the book of Matthew.

Even non-believers knew what he was talking about.

Benjamin Franklin did not subscribe to any religion. But he sent the olive branch petition to King George III, which was a plea from colonists to avoid war with Great Britain. Even though Franklin rejected the authority of scripture, he used a Biblical reference. (A dove bearing an olive branch returned to Noahs Ark and it has become a symbol of peace.)

Thats an example of a non-religious person using a shared cultural touchstone  the Bible  to make a point.

A few years ago, I interviewed Gwen Jordan, who was then an associate professor of legal studies at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

In a class Jordan was teaching at UIS, she discovered none of her students in the law and society class knew who Pontius Pilate was. (In case you need a reminder, he was a really bad governor  almost as bad as Rod Blagojevich and Bruce Rauner.)

Jordan was teaching from Rosco Pounds tome What is Law where Pound ponders: What is Truth? That, of course, was the question Pilate asked Jesus of Nazareth shortly before he ordered his crucifixion.

In Illinois, towns such as Athens, Mount Zion, Zion, Hebron, Salem, Rome, Mount Olive and Bethany all derive their names from biblical references. Basic knowledge of scripture helps us understand our own heritage.

What Jordan experienced in the classroom is what my college civil liberties professor, Donald Boles, warned of more than 35 years ago. Boles, an Iowa State University civil liberties professor, was one of the foremost experts on the intersection of religion and public schools.

He agreed with the 1963 Supreme Court decision, Abington Township v. Schempp, which prohibited mandatory recitation of Bible verses in public schools. But he feared school administrators would use the ruling as a legal pretext to eliminate classes dealing with religion.

But the high court said just the opposite in their landmark ruling:

In addition, it might well be said that ones education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization. It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment.

In other words, public schools should not be in the business of proselytizing. But it should be educating about religion.

Sadly, Professor Boles was prophetic. Schools have cut back on the religion courses during the past half century. And it has resulted in a growing ignorance of even the most basic biblical references.

Could an American leader use a biblical reference today and be understood by all?

Probably not. We are losing the common reference point the Bible has brought our culture. It seems we, too, are becoming a house divided.
These are challenging times for Iowas 327 public school districts.

They are being watched closely by state officials and lawmakers, by parents and by others in the community. These eyes are looking for signs schools are treading lightly on topics like racial history and sexual orientation or that schools are being distracted from dealing with unruly kids who disrupt other students learning.

With this heightened scrutiny, some districts are doing themselves a disservice when they try to keep the public in the dark.

Heres a real-life example. It illustrates my belief government will never build trust and confidence with its constituents when government leaders engage in secrecy and deception. This also is an example a state government board that deals exclusively with transparency issues may be too timid.

In 2022, one day after the mass shootings at a school in Uvalde, Texas, the Bettendorf School Board met with about 300 parents who were angry about frequent incidents of student misconduct at the middle school.

That board gathering was not open to everyone, and people who were there were prevented from recording the session for others to view later. Amazingly, the school districts communications director was at the doors blocking journalists from entering and reporting on parents criticism.

Iowas government meetings law plainly states state and local government boards, with only a few limited exceptions, must conduct their business in public meetings open to all, including journalists.

A majority of school board members were present on May 25, 2022. The topic was a fundamental responsibility of the school board  protecting the safety and wellbeing of Bettendorfs 4,000 students. And board members were there to hear from parents to inform the boards policy-making decisions.

The second sentence of Iowas open meetings law contains guidance too often ignored by government officials like those in Bettendorf  and those on the Iowa Public Information Board, unfortunately. That sentence says this about the laws intent: Ambiguity in the construction or application of this chapter should be resolved in favor of openness.

When school leaders never responded to concerns I expressed about the media being barred from the meeting, three Quad-Cities television stations, Quad-City Times and the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization I lead, joined in a lawsuit against the Bettendorf board. We asked a judge to find the board violated Iowa law.

A Bettendorf parent  who also was concerned journalists and some citizens were prevented from attending the meeting  filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board. Instead of admitting they used poor judgment in restricting who could attend, Bettendorf officials dug in their heels and fought the complaint.

Inexplicably, the IPIB dismissed the parents complaint last March, ignoring the second sentence in the open meetings law  the sentence about resolving any ambiguity in favor of openness.

The IPIB swallowed hook, line and sinker a laughable claim by school attorneys that school board members were at the gathering only as interested citizens. The IPIB also concluded the gathering was not an official meeting because board members did not discuss among themselves the concerns parents voiced  even though a formal Iowa Attorney Generals Office opinion in 1981 said information-gathering is part of a government boards deliberation process.

While the Bettendorf parents complaint was being considered by the IPIB, school lawyers reached out to the attorneys for the Iowa FOI Council and media. They asked us to settle our still-pending lawsuit. After several months of negotiations, the settlement was accepted by both sides last month.

But hold onto your hat.

After insisting to the IPIB for nine months the gathering was not an official meeting, the agreement the Bettendorf board approved states unequivocally, The Board will acknowledge that the May 25, 2022, gathering did not meet the notice and other requirements of lowa Code Chapter 21.2.  The Board will ensure that future gatherings concerning district policies and procedures attended by a majority of the Board members will be noticed and conducting following the requirements of lowa Code Chapter 21.

The school board also agreed to pay the plaintiffs $6,500 for our attorney fees.

Bettendorf officials should be embarrassed by this case. But the Iowa Public Information Board should be embarrassed, too. The IPIB was created to be a non-court referee for disputes over access to government meetings and records. But its flawed analysis in the Bettendorf case does not bolster public confidence in the board.

The IPIB decision was rendered without its members reconciling the staffs recommendation with the Legislatures statement of intent I mentioned earlier, the laws directive for resolving ambiguity about government meetings in favor of openness.

If you want more evidence Bettendorf school officials may not grasp the importance of transparency, consider this: When the school board approved settling the lawsuit last month, minutes from the meeting do not inform the public what the legal dispute was about, who the parties were or what the board agreed to do.

And we wonder why there is distrust of government?
South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson began his remarks Tuesday by acknowledging that everybody thinks everybody in Washington is a knucklehead.

But theres very good people, too, he said.

After touring Cole-Tac and Oyate Health, Johnson spoke to a full house at Elevate, answering questions on everything from the threat of China to a potential mineral withdrawal in the Black Hills.

Elected officials in Congress generally specialize in certain areas, but Johnson focuses on three major ones: agriculture, transportation and China, serving on committees for each. The Center for Effective Lawmaking named him the most effective Republican on agriculture for the 117th Congress  his second time receiving the honor.

Agriculture

Part of the Farm Bill is to give farmers a sense of predictability year-to-year. Johnson is among the Republicans responsible for drafting this years legislation. There are some Republicans putting a downward pressure on spending, he said.

I think the basics are going to get taken care of. This Farm Bill is going to look a lot like the last one, Johnson said. There may be quite a few policy goals, but its not like crop insurance is going away. Its not like title loan programs are going away.

One of the policy focuses is working lands, a conservation-related policy that recognizes livelihoods made from range and farm lands, but also highlights their importance as wildlife habitat. Johnson believes there is increasing bipartisanship agreement in figuring out how to accomplish working lands goals.

The Farm Bill in the past was evenly split between food stamps and risk management policy like crop insurance. Now its very uneven  with this Farm Bill expected to be 83% food stamps, according to Johnson. Splitting those two things would be remarkably difficult with such proportions.

Transportation and Broadband

Johnson led efforts to successfully turn back a plan to charge the Pierre, Aberdeen, and Watertown communities more than four million dollars over the next 10 years to maintain passenger air service. Language in the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (SGRLAA), would have charged rural passenger airports new fees to participate in the essential air service program.

Were way stronger on broadband than we give ourselves credit for, he said. Johnson is the former co-owner of a broadband engineering and consulting firm.

It took the U.S. 50 years to connect everyone on the electrical grid, he said, but in just the last decade alone, theyve gone from 10% of Americans having access to at least 250 megabits-per-second to more than 90%.

I think theres a lot of investment the private sector has made, Johnson said. Also, with the spur mechanisms we've had enough for a long time. For as long as any of us have been alive, there has been a universal service fee on our cell phones and landlines, and that's what helps to pay for service in the most rural parts of America. And I support that not because I believe in the redistribution of wealth, but because I think one of the things that powers American Exceptionalism is that were one country from an infrastructure perspective.

The threat of China

Johnson called the Chinese Communist Party a much, much greater threat than most Americans realize. The CCP boasts the largest navy in the world and has advanced technological capabilities the U.S. isnt even close to, he said, and theyre a larger trading partner with every single South American country  despite being in a different hemisphere.

He acknowledged the fatigue that many feel when it comes to international affairs.

Every time America backs away from leadership, we create a vacuum, Johnson said. And guess whos excited to fill that void? The Chinese Communist PartyI think we dial-down our global leadership at our own peril.

The rules-based international system is what Chinas been working to dismantle, according to Johnson, which is why there needs to be an incentive system to keep them in line. Its also a matter of continuing to invest in places where innovation grows, like South Dakota Mines.

Pulling allies closer and not giving the CCP coercive economic power is part of the way forward, Johnson said. Power over critical industries like food production, pharmaceuticals and critical material present a national security threat to the U.S.

I don't mind if we buy cheap t-shirts from them, and I don't mind they buy soybeans from us, he said. Sixty-percent of South Dakota soybeans are sold in China. And theres nothing inherently bad about that.

The fact there are many life-saving pharmaceuticals that can only be bought from China makes Johnson nervous. He said the U.S. needs to on-shore more of that production as a safeguard.

Ukraine

Theres surprise in Johnsons mind that the war in Ukraine has become such a controversial issue.

We're Americans, right? We believe in the rule of law, he said. That's a fundamental American value [that] the bullies don't get to take what they want through force.

Johnson doesnt believe that American men and women should die in battle for Ukraine, but Americans dont look the other way when theres a bully on the playground. Vladimir Putin is just as big as any of the 20th century bullies, he said.

Hes not for piling millions into Ukraine without accountability, but wants to make sure partners in Europe are doing their part as well.

Education

Johnson sees a two-pronged need for higher-education: for the government to look at the affordability of higher-education and to take care of the neediest individuals.

And if, he said, you agree with him on those things, then youll also agree that student loan forgiveness is an exquisitely bad way to do either.

What we should do instead is increase the purchasing power of the Pell Grant, which is targeted for the neediest Americans, and really, the first-generation college student.

The Supreme Court is soon set to decide on the legality of President Bidens Student Loan Forgiveness Program, something Johnson is hoping they strike down. No one person should be able to spend $600 billion by themselves, he said.

A major concern is the free-fall of standardized test scores, Johnson said  an issue that should worry every American, because it impacts every other issue the country faces.

Johnson said a conversation around Critical Race Theory  whether it exists and to what extent  is fine, but almost no ones talking about the proportion of scores that continue to plummet.

Im willing to engage in that conversation, Johnson said. Im not willing to engage in that conversation if it sucks all the air out of the fact that our kids are not learning.

Students coming from unstable homes are more likely to have poor test scores, something he doesnt have an answer for but said we should be talking about every single day until a collaborative solution is found.
Colvin said the program is especially crucial for communities of color, which data shows are less likely to have residents with pensions or retirement savings.

If youre dealing with struggling to put food on the table and pay your bills or to deal with health issues, you dont have money to save towards your retirement, Colvin said.

Richmond is one of a handful of U.S. cities selected to host Social Security: Here Today, Here Tomorrow; Securing a Financial Future Within the Black Community, a town hall hosted by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare and AARP Virginia.

The groups are working to build outreach into communities about the various benefits tied to Social Security, which extend beyond funding given to seniors, the category most closely associated with the program. Less known are Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income, which help those who cannot work for medical reasons.

Richmond resident Steven Williams is 61 and attended the forum to get more information about whats available. All information is beneficial, and he said he hopes to share it with others.

Im doing my part, Williams said at Tuesdays event.

AARP Virginia estimates one in five state residents get Social Security benefits, amounting to about $27.6 billion annually. The average worker benefit in Virginia is $1,598 per month. The disabilities benefit in Virginia averages $1,291 per month.

Colvin said communities with large minority populations start at a disadvantage with Social Security. Black Americans statistically have a shorter life expectancy and higher disability rates compared to other groups.

Social Security was never supposed to be the sole source of income for Americans, she said.

The program was designed to pay retired workers a continuing income after retirement, but also serve as an insurance if something were to happen, like a disability.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935 as part of the New Deal. It is funded by a 12.4% payroll tax split between the worker and employer. Self-employed workers pay its entirety. The payroll tax applies to earnings up to $160,200.

The program, however, has faced serious and ongoing funding issues that have been a divisive political issue in Washington for years. A federal report in March said the Social Security fund is predicted to cover only 77% of benefits starting in 2033. An aging population is also taxing the system.

During the panel discussion Tuesday, Max Richtman, president and CEO of the national Social Security group, said it is important to understand the language, as there are many misleading factors surrounding the conversation, such as saying the program is bankrupt or that it will end.

A shortfall is manageable, but it is important to have legislative action in Congress, he said. His group, which was founded in the 1980s and lobbies to preserve Social Security benefits, is opposed to cuts or increasing the age of retirement. One such plan was introduced by the House Republican Study Committee, which proposed increasing the full retirement age to 69 for seniors who turn 62 in 2033.

Rather, Richtman said the $160,200 payroll tax cap should be increased. That would mean more people paying into the Social Security trust funds.

Its important for people to continue to have faith in the program, Richtman said.

The Richmond town hall was the first organized by the groups. Others are planned in Lansing, Michigan; Las Vegas; Philadelphia; and Milwaukee.

Richmond local Felicia Cotten is already retired but has not applied for Social Security. She receives retirement assistance from her work but would appreciate the extra help from the program.

Getting old is scary, and people are scared to depend on it, Cotten said.

She hopes more money is put into the program.

Its not for luxury, Cotten said. Its to eat and to pay bills.

She arrived with her sister Avis Cotten, who retires in five years.

Im hoping it will still be there, Avis said about Social Security.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney attended the event and talked about his own experience with Social Security. Raised by his grandmother, Stoney said her benefits put a roof over his head and food on the table, and allowed him to go to college.

Black individuals rely more on Social Security than other demographics, and my grandmothers story is a great example of that, Stoney said. It truly was our lifeline.

Michele Rodrigues attended the event to get more information and be ready for a decision when she turns 62. While Social Security was not her original source of income, after losing her job, she got set back, she said.

Its critical for my retirement, Rodrigues said.

She emphasized the need to plan, but life just happens, Rodrigues said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the wrong location for the Lansing town hall and incorrect description of SSDI.

From the Archives: Belvidere Street Belvidere St. Belvidere St. Belvidere St. Belvidere St. Belvidere St. 1105_POD_Belvidere 0226_POD_Cary St
A developer is planning to build a massive apartment building on the southern bank of the James River, which Manchester residents say will crowd the streets with people and cars and block their picturesque view.

This week, Richmonds City Council approved a special-use permit for Avery Hall to build a 550-unit residential building on West Sixth Street, directly across the river from downtown.

It was the final municipal hurdle for Avery Hall, which plans to build a 17-story tower and a 16-story tower on the site. The developer has attempted to compromise with residents and has made modifications to the project, a lawyer for the company said.

But local residents are divided. While some welcome new residents, other say the small roads cannot accommodate a large influx of people. And the towers will effectively block the view of downtown and the river for numerous residents and from Legend Brewing Company.

The whole view from Manchester is delegated to about 225 people, said Dave Gott, vice president of Legend.

Avery Hall, a New York City-based developer, plans to build a 4-story parking deck under the towers and green space on the roof. Planned for 301 West Sixth St., it will be among the citys largest residential buildings.

Most of the apartments will be one-bedroom units and will come with one parking spot per apartment.

Though the zoning requirements in the area call for buildings of no more than 13 stories, the city awarded a special-use permit that allows the tower to go as high as 18 stories.

It is unclear how much money the apartments will command. But they will not be cheap. Avery Hall purchased the 3-acre plot for $17 million.

Avery Hall worked with community members and responded to their needs, said Preston Lloyd, a lawyer for the developer. The buildings plan now includes a dog park and access to green space. Plus Avery Hall agreed to contributed $1 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund for grants toward affordable housing.

The building will not create congestion in the streets or overcrowding, Avery Hall said.

Some neighborhood residents have gotten behind the project, saying the area needs housing, and businesses need customers.

Avery Hall has demonstrated a willingness to be a good neighbor, Shanice Brown, owner of a nearby dog spa, wrote in a letter to the city.

The building will bring quality homes to the area, allowing more people to live in Manchester and support the neighborhood businesses, said Brian Stewart, owner of a tattoo parlor on Hull Street.

But like many large-scale developments, the Avery Hall project divided residents. Manchester Alliance, a neighborhood group, supports the development, its leader said. Yet other residents said that, while the alliances leadership supports the project, most of the rank-and-file do not.

The great view is why Jack Pearsall, 83, moved to Manchester two years ago. From his sixth-floor roof patio, he has a near panoramic view of the James, the flood wall and Richmonds office buildings.

This is the view every commercial advertisement is using, Pearsall said.

His sightline will not be significantly obstructed, he said. But that is not the case for many of his neighbors who live one block east, or for nearby Legend. New residential buildings have sprung up all along Seventh Street, generally all pointed toward the river.

Pearsall said he is not completely against the project. Avery Hall could have built one tower, preserved most of the view and still constructed more than 350 units.

The tweaks made to the buildings design will not allow Legend customers to see much of downtown or the river, Gott said. The four-story parking garage will still be in the way.

Our views were going to be toast no matter what, Gott said.

Avery Hall said customers will be able to see between the two towers and around the left side of the west tower.

Legend opened in 1994 and is the states oldest operating craft brewery, Gott said. While the view is a component of the locations appeal, Gott believes the new building will not hurt business in the long run.

His greater concern, he said, is for the community and the small road that leads in and out of the apartment buildings location. He worries there will not be enough street parking for everyone and that the narrow Perry Street will have to accommodate about 1,000 residents entering and exiting the block every day.

Two residential associations that wrote a letter to the city noted that the area is zoned for medium scale projects. But this is a super-sized development, the associations said.
The smoky conditions from Canadian wildfires that have spilled into wide sections of the U.S. will likely move out of Virginia by this weekend.

Richmond Times-Dispatch chief meteorologist Sean Sublette said the shift will happen as winds turn from the west and southwest.

Movement of the smoke changes as large-scale wind patterns shift. When our winds a few miles up in the atmosphere are from the north or northwest, we will get waves of that smoke. Sometimes it will be worse than others, he said.

About 490 fires are burning in Canada, with 255 considered out of control. Smoke from the wildfires this week drifted into southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and moved into parts of West Virginia.

Air quality worsened Thursday in Virginia, with the northern part of the state having the most unhealthy, according to Department of Environmental Quality data. The agency ranked the Richmond area at orange, meaning people with respiratory issues should use caution.

The city of Richmond on Thursday posted an alert on Twitter about the conditions, saying those with known health issues, such as respiratory or heart issues, should consider reducing their time and exertion outdoors today.

Mateek Talley was on Canal Street in Richmond on Thursday afternoon and said the smoky conditions were noticeable.

Im not having any issues, but I noticed it earlier this morning, like a mist and then a fog, Talley said.

Also outside was Princess Crump, who said she plans to wear a mask. The conditions are worrisome, she said.

Hazy, and I have terrible sinus problems anyway, so yeah it has affected me a little, she said.

Smoke from the fires also blanketed East Coast cities in early June.

Canadian officials have said this is the countrys worst wildfire season on record and they expect air quality to remain a concern through the summer, as long as the fires continue.

Sublette said the smoke seen in Virginia is coming from fires in Quebec and Ontario.

The air quality in the Richmond area today is unhealthy because of smoke from wildfires in Canada.

Residents and visitors with known health issues, such as respiratory or heart issues, should consider reducing their time and exertion outdoors today. https://t.co/K1X4gT4Eov  City of Richmond, VA (@CityRichmondVA) June 29, 2023

The fires are large, and most of them are in remote areas of Canada, so they will have to either burn themselves out or be put out by a soaking rain. Some may burn most of the summer, he said. Dont be surprised if we get smoky skies at least a few more times before the fall.

Sublette said fires are naturally occurring events in Canada, but this spring was especially hot and dry, making the ground more susceptible to fire.

Photos: Smoky haze hovers over American cities
With changes to the $177 billion state budget on the line, most members of the General Assembly conference committee negotiating a deal did not know what proposals were on the table until they arrived in Richmond this week to engage in talks that ended abruptly on Tuesday, a day after they began.

There was plenty of blame to go around and more than a little anger over the collapse of budget negotiations this week, with most of legislators charged with finding a compromise saying they were kept in the dark and Gov. Glenn Youngkin barely able to contain his frustration.

The communication failure that led to the impasse is a huge concern for local governments, school divisions and other stakeholders who will not know what additional state funding to expect, if any, in the fiscal year that will begin on Saturday morning. The two-year spending plan lawmakers adopted a year ago remains in place, but without an agreement, up to $3.6 billion in excess revenues remain unspent, and no one knows whether they will have additional state funding before the next budget is scheduled to take effect 12 months from now.

The apparent collapse of budget negotiations is beyond disheartening, said former Secretary of Finance Joe Flores, who now is director of fiscal policy at the Virginia Municipal League. This state of affairs means that local governments will have fewer resources to help their communities deal with some of the most pressing issues facing them.

It is devastating for individuals suffering from mental illness and addiction living in our communities that will continue to wait for improvements to the commonwealths behavioral health system that all agree is in critical condition and in dire need of more funding, Flores said.

The delay is equally harmful in our schools, where substantial funding is on the table to address long-simmering needs exacerbated by the pandemic, such as increasing support for at-risk students, adding more reading specialists, eliminating the support cap and boosting teachers salaries. Kicking these funding decisions down the road isnt helpful.

For Youngkin, it was a fairly small, $1 million sum for one of his top priorities  tackling human trafficking  that sparked a blast at Senate Democrats: a theme likely to be echoed as he hopes to flip control of the Senate and hold control of the House this November.

Youngkin, who is making a big push to win Republican control of the legislature in the November election, on Wednesday accused Senate Democrats of sabotaging a budget that includes millions of dollars in additional funding for public schools, behavioral health programs and public safety.

His budget proposal included $1 million to add 10 positions to the statewide human trafficking force, the first ever in Virginia.

You can tell Im angry, the governor said Wednesday, after handing over his 2nd quarter salary  $43,750  to Operation Light Shine, a nonprofit organization that is launching a support effort for Virginia police agencies to tackle human trafficking, which he calls modern day slavery.

Youngkin, a wealthy former private equity executive, has pledged to serve as governor without taking a salary. Each quarter he donates his salary to groups that are helping others.

Im particularly, particularly frustrated by Senate Democrats playing politics over the budget impasse, the governor said, citing his proposals of more than $149 million for mental health, $112 million for law enforcement and $422 million for K-12 schools.

The Senates latest proposal includes $500 million more than the current budget for K-12 schools and higher education, $170 million more for behavioral health and $37 million for community-based violence prevention grants.

Senate Democrats already had rejected the deal that House Republicans had offered on Youngkins proposed tax cuts the day before the assembly adjourned on Feb. 25 with only a skinny budget in place to guide local school divisions and local governments on updated state funding. The stopgap measure included $263 million for K-12 schools.

Key Dems say there was no deal

But Democrats said they did not know about a private offer that House Appropriations Chairman Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, says he made to Senate Finance Co-Chairs Janet Howell and George Barker, both Fairfax County Democrats, at the end of the legislative session, and on which he agreed to sit until after June 20 party primaries. Barker lost his primary election to Fairfax County School Board member Stella Pekarsky, and Howell is retiring at the end of her term in January.

I am not aware of any deal that was made, said Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, who expects to become chair of Senate Finance in January  if she prevails in an election in her heavily Democratic district in Hampton Roads and her party keeps its majority in the Senate.

Some House budget negotiators also were in the dark about the deal that Knight said he cut with Howell and Barker, who denies it. The alleged deal included a proposal to back off a quarter-percentage point cut in the top individual tax rate sought by Youngkin, and instead change the states four tax brackets for individual Virginia taxpayers.

I didnt know until this week, said Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, former vice chairman of the committee and a member of the budget negotiating team.

The proposed tax bracket change, prompted by a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee report on how to make the tax code fairer, would most help people earning between $25,000 and $50,000 in adjusted gross income, although it also would benefit wealthier taxpayers who would pay lower rates on their income up to $30,000 a year.

Months ago Senate Democrats, who hold six of nine Senate seats on the budget conference committee, already had considered and rejected the rest of the proposed deal: a combination of ongoing tax cuts and one-time rebates. It does not include a 1-percentage point reduction in the corporate income tax rate that Youngkin wants and the Senate rejected.

They knew we werent going to agree to permanent tax cuts, said Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, who just survived a strong primary challenge by Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville. They knew that in February.

Money and policy

Instead, the Senate this week initially proposed up to $700 million in one-time tax rebates and then upped the offer to $900 million on Tuesday to match the amount of tax savings that Knight wants in a revised budget agreement in exchange for giving the Senate $900 million to spend on its priorities. Instead of rebates of $100 for individuals and $200 for couples, the Senate doubled those amounts, which taxpayers would receive this fall.

In response, Knight ended negotiations on Tuesday, alleging that Barker had reneged on their private deal with Howell traveling outside of the country. While the Senate proposal would give him the amount of tax cuts he had sought, it would not change tax policy to raise the standard deduction for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions, eliminate an age limit for exemption of military retirement income or change the individual tax brackets.

There is money and there is policy, Knight said Wednesday. What theyre hoping to do is give us money. I want the money and the policy.

With a potential recession looming and state tax revenues declining, Senate Democrats said they are willing to give the tax savings that Knight and House Republicans want, but not with permanent cuts that would continue after the current budget expires on June 30, 2024, and potentially require the state to cut future funding of critical services.

Thats not a viable deal for us, said Lucas, who defeated Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, in a primary election on June 20 and faces Republican Tony Goodwin in November in a strongly Democratic district.

Certified public accountants, and the Virginia taxpayers they represent, are used to the wait and see of state budget politics, said Emily Walker, vice president for advocacy at the Virginia Society of CPAs.

Walker said the larger problem for them is the upheaval in General Assembly leadership, especially on the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee, which is losing 10 of its 15 members to retirement, electoral defeat or higher office under new political maps that the Virginia Supreme Court approved at the end of 2021.

Thats more concerning than the need to get a deal right now, she said. Its incredibly difficult to know what the Senate Finance Committee, in particular, is going to look like. Theres a lot of uncertainty, and that makes it challenging.
Mahahual and Cozumel to receive largest cruise ship in the world Icon of the Seas in 2024

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  The worlds largest cruise ship is set to dock in both Mahahual and Cozumel during its maiden voyage. In January of 2024, Royal Caribbean is set to sail from Miami for a seven-day cruise on its latest ship.

The ship, Icon of the Seas, will be the largest in the world. According to Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas is 6 percent larger than Wonder of the Seas and can accommodate nearly 10,000 people, 7,600 of which are passengers.

The 1,198 foot ship will sail with 20 decks, seven pools and six waterslides, dubbing it as the largest waterpark at sea.

Render: Icon of the Seas by Royal Caribbean set to dock at Mahahual and Cozumel in January 2024.

On January 27, 2024, Icon of the Seas will leave its homeport of Miami for a seven night Western Caribbean cruise that includes stops in Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya (Mahahual) and Cozumel.

On Thursday, the Government of Cozumel announced its arrival. In January 2024 we await the arrival of the majestic and huge cruise ship, Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International.

Cozumel passed on the announcement from Governor Mara Lezama who said, Quintana Roo residents, I share with you that we have achieved that in January 2024, the majestic and huge cruise ship, Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International, will arrive in Cozumel and Mahahual. Receiving the largest cruise ship in the world means more tourism and shared prosperity for our destinations.
Tulum restaurant owners allowed entry after deadly 2021 shooting

Tulum, Q.R.  Two Tulum restaurants that were the scene of a deadly shooting in 2021 have been unsealed. On Tuesday, the State Prosecutors Office allowed the property owners to enter their establishments after being shut nearly 20 months.

Owners of La Malquerida and La Querida restaurants were allowed access Tuesday to verify the condition of their businesses. Both of the side-by-side Tulum restaurants were the scene of a gang shooting in October of 2021 that left dead and injured.

Restaurant owners attorney Juan Miguel Duran, explained that personnel from the Ministry of Public Security and the Navy were sent to unseal the properties on instruction of the State Attorney Generals Office.

Both owners walked into their establishments located in Tulums Mini Quinta for the first time since the shooting. Duran explained that recognition of possession is one of the court processes necessary for them to regain possession.

The owners are still in a legal process and unable to take back full possession or open their restaurants for business.
If there is anything that makes people nervous about capitalism, it is surely the prospect of instability. Whether it is the boom-bust cycle or severe financial crises, the up-and-downs that seem to be part-and-parcel of life in market economies make us nervous. As a consequence, we look for forces and institutions that claim to inject greater stability into the economy. That usually involves turning to state interventionsometimes of the deep and wide variety.

The problem with such efforts at top-down control is that it undermines the dynamism that underpins the economic growth that takes and keeps us out of poverty. This concern is central to Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money, the latest book by the economic and technological thinker George Gilder. Even more specifically, Gilder believes that bureaucracy, a long-term overreliance on loose monetary policy, and rampant cronyism are crippling the modern capitalist economys capacity to generate wealth.

Thats not an original claim, but what is original about Gliders argument is his assertion that what ails contemporary economies is an underlying and fundamental clash between human creativity and the forces it unleashes and an attachment to power and control. Over his long career Gilder has written a great deal about the centrality of entrepreneurship to economic dynamism. In this book, however, he underscores two particular themes.

The first is just how much dynamism is being crushed by the quest for perpetual security via state action: so much so that we now experience life after capitalism, that is, managed decline overseen by a decidedly uncreative technocracy attached to the status quo of mixed economies. The second is that something distinctly non-materialist in natureinformation and the getting and use of itis the way out of our present conundrum of seeking to manage dynamism in ways that cripple it.

Core to Gilders argument is the need to move economics away from a science of scarcity and toward a redemptive science of freeing human creativity to provide abundance where the only limits are those of time. That in turn means challenging what Gilder calls the materialist superstition that wealth consists of things rather than of thoughts, of accumulated capital rather than accumulated knowledge. One reason for demanding such a shift, Gilder argues, is that it is pivotal for distinguishing capitalism from socialism insofar as the latter is bound up with materialist and determinist premises. As long as proponents of capitalism let themselves be locked into materialist and determinist outlooks, they limit themselves to the same mindset as socialists and, Gilder maintains, will fail to grasp that It is mans ingenuity that creates economic growth and wealth.

Much of this is reminiscent of the thought of the economics and business professor Julian L. Simon, especially as expressed in his 1981 book, The Ultimate Resource. Simon is perhaps most famous for his decisive undermining of the population-bomb doomsters, personified by the biologist Paul R. Ehrlich. Simon showed that there was nothing to fear from population growth as soon as you recognized that the human mindand lots of human mindsis capable for finding new and productive uses of any number of material resources and in ways that did not inflict terrible damage on the environment.

Gilder, however, takes this notion of the free human mind as the decisive factor in driving economic growth and applies it across the board to economic theory, technology, and our understanding of money. Looking at the question of incentives, for example, Gilder points out that they would yield nothing in terms of human action if there were not a creative mind capable of imagination that preceded them. As you cannot understand the mind or even the body by pondering physics and chemistry, he writes, you cannot understand economics without explaining entrepreneurial creativity.

From this standpoint, we understand that wealth is ultimately about knowledge rather than our possession of things or even how we arrange our possession of things. We also start to recognize that government efforts to deliver predetermined outcomes cannot help but suppress surprise, block information, inhibit knowledge, and thereby destroy wealth. That is especially the case when government regulation effectively discourages innovation.

In this regard, a particular target of Gilders ire is the financial sector. Far from being a laissez-faire playground, Gilder notes that a great deal of the financial industry in America and elsewhere is heavily regulated [and] larded with government guarantees, cheap access to central bank discount windows, federal deposit insurance, and limited liability. This, he holds, is underpinned by a nexus of corporate-government cronyism.

The long-term consequences of these arrangements, and the control they seek to realize, are twofold. One is the enrichment of those banks and financial institutions that are close to political leaders. The other effect is a political one: a shift of emphasis in the economy away from innovators and entrepreneurs in the private sector and toward political leaders and public officials. In a way, Gilder claims, this was taken to absurd lengths during the pandemic:

Both the Trump and Biden administrations, with the collaboration of Congress, ordered tens of millions of Americans to cease or drastically curtail productive activity. This was politically possible only because Congress was able to fabricate, and the Fed facilitate handing out, what would eventually approach $10 trillion to suddenly unproductive workers and businesses. But money untied to production has no value. When, after a period of hoarding, Americans tried to spend that money, they found its value collapsing in the face of anemic production, twisted supply chains, and suicidal restrictions on energy production.

A worse effect, however, of viewing human beings primarily as users rather than as creators is the radical discounting of the importance of liberty. For if life after capitalism is characterized by anything, it is the widespread forgetting of the importance of Western liberal constitutionalism and the associated undermining of freedom of thought, enterprise, and association by ever-expanding bureaucracies.

Among other manifestations, this may take the form of DEI officials in universities declaring what you may or may not say, or civil servants in Washington, D.C., who are impossible to fire, or regulators whose raison detre lies in the endless promulgation of rules and ordinances that surpass all understanding. In these circumstances, the only entrepreneurs who flourish are those who apply their creativity to the acquisition and new uses of power.

In the face of these formidable obstacles to economic creativity, however, Gilder is not a pessimist. For what pervades this book is Gilders confidence in free human beings and the creativity that is theirs by nature. Part of this is a question of humanitys possession of reason and free will. Yet just as important from Gilders standpoint is the gift of human imagination. Even in the worst conditions and the absence of economic incentives, it is impossible to stop men and women from seeing in their minds as yet unimagined possibilities for themselves and those they love. As long as we maintain faith in that uniquely human capacity, we need never resign ourselves to the mediocrity of life after capitalism.
Correction The Virginia State Bar has publicly reprimanded a Salem-based attorney for violating rules about unrepresented defendants and case presentation. A story in the June 30 edition misidentified the sanctioning organization.

The Virginia State Bar has publicly reprimanded a Salem-based attorney for violating rules about unrepresented defendants and case presentation.

John M. Loeschen has been working as an attorney in Virginia since 2003, according to his website. The state bars disciplinary board issued a reprimand to him on June 21.

According to an agreement between Loeschen and the bar, the case begin in September 2020, when a photographers client signed a contract for services.

The photographer, a North Carolina resident, collected a $500 deposit from the client to reserve services for her wedding day in January 2021.

The two later began to dispute the terms of the contract, which included a clause that said state and federal courts of Virginia and North Carolina would have jurisdiction over any disputes.

The client filed a civil claim in Orange County, North Carolina district court with hope of recovering money.

After a hearing in March 2021, the court found that the photographer owed the client nothing, as the client had failed to prove her case by the greater weight of the evidence, court documents relay.

In December 2021, the client texted the photographer and claimed the photographer still owed her some photos. The client told her attorney, Loeschen, that the photographer had been ordered to provide the images, even though the district court finding was silent on that issue.

A several days later, Loeschen emailed a letter to the photographer. Then he filed a second civil claim for money from the photographer, this one in Pittsylvania County General District Court. After a hearing in July 2022, the case was dismissed.

The state bars disciplinary board found that, in contacting the photographer without knowing that she was represented by counsel and by inserting legal conclusions and legal threats, Loeschen violated the rule that prohibits lawyers from giving advice to someone not represented by another lawyer.

The board also found that in filing a case in a Virginia court without first reviewing the North Carolina district courts order, Loeschen violated the rule that prohibits lawyers from presenting frivolous court proceedings, or claims that arent meritorious.

Paulo Franco, who represented the bar in Loeschens case, confirmed in an email Thursday that Loeschen may continue to practice law in Virginia. He remains in good standing, according to the bars website, which also indicates he has not previously been reprimanded.

Asked for comment, Loeschen said by email: The Bar Association and I reached an agreement upon the disposition of this matter, and I am not going to re-litigate in the Roanoke Times what has already been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.
A man charged with threatening to blow up Roanoke was released from jail Tuesday, after the U.S. Bureau of Prisons missed deadlines to have him transferred to a psychiatric facility for treatment.

Federal Judge Robert Ballou said the bureaucratic failures gave him no choice but to take the drastic and severe step of dismissing charges against Brandon S. Hayward

Dismissal of the indictment is appropriate in this case because of the egregious violations of Haywards statutory and constitutional rights, Ballou wrote in an opinion.

Hayward had been held without bond since last August, when he was charged with threatening to sexually assault and kill a credit union manager after complaining about a recurring charge on his account. He said in the same telephone call: I am going to blow up Roanoke, adding, I dont give a [expletive], according to court records.

Last December, Ballou found that Hayward was mentally incompetent to stand trial. The judge ordered that the 34-year-old be transferred to a secure psychiatric facility so that doctors could assess the probability of him being restored to competence.

In April, and again on June 7, prison officials said they were unable to meet a four-month deadline for the transfer. The governments unreasonable delay amounts to the kind of flagrant conduct warranting dismissal, Ballou wrote.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Randy Cargill, who asked that the charges be dropped, said it was the first time such action has been taken in Roanokes federal court.

But it appears to be a growing problem across the country.

There has been a nationwide problem regarding wait times for competency restoration beds, and unfortunately, the federal system is not immune to this issue, Bureau of Prisons spokesman Benjamin OCone wrote in an email Wednesday.

Because of a post-COVID increase in referrals, combined with staffing and bed shortages, inmates who have been found incompetent to stand trial have had to wait eight to 12 months before they are transferred for treatment, authorities said.

There was no firm information available on how many criminal cases have been dismissed. But, OCone wrote, the courts decided to drop charges in a small number of other cases after citing these wait times. This has been a rare occurrence to date.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Johnson opposed the dismissal of charges against Hayward. But she acknowledged concerns about the prison systems regrettable inability to timely provide him with mental treatment ordered by the court.

It was not possible to expedite Haywards admission to the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, Johnson wrote in court papers, because there was no evidence that he was experiencing an acute mental health crisis that would have given his case priority.

No additional options, such as seeking a temporary detention order that would hold Hayward under state law, were available to the U.S. Attorneys Office, spokesman Brian McGinn said.

Court records state that Hayward suffers from a schizoaffective disorder of the bipolar type that made him unable to understand court proceedings or assist an attorney in his defense.

Hayward is from Prince William County. He was expected to return there after his release Tuesday from the Western Virginia Regional Jail, Cargill said.

In his written order, Ballou said that prosecutors did nothing to give rise to the dismissal of charges. Rather, it was the bureaucratic failures of the BOP that violated Haywards due process rights, the order states.

Earlier, Ballou found that four months was the longest an incarcerated defendant should have to wait for a transfer to a psychiatric facility. He denied an initial request to free Hayward in May, deciding to give prison officials another 30 days.

Told for a second time that the Bureau of Prisons was unable to follow his order, Ballou dismissed a two-count indictment without prejudice. That means that prosecutors could refile the charges, although that is not expected to happen.

Prison officials are taking several steps to address the problem, OCone said. Among them are working to recruit and maintain more staff, developing training fellowships to allow more psychologists to evaluate inmates, and seeking funding for more bed space.

Court records contain a written statement from Dia Boutwell, chief of the prison systems psychological evaluation section, explaining that the wait time for transfer is now unreasonably long and unduly protracted.

The soonest Hayward could have been admitted to Butner was late August, Boutwell wrote. That would have been one year since his arrest.
BLACKSBURG  The town is facing calls to address the preservation of St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall, with a number of people questioning whether the historic building is a legitimate priority.

Concerns over Odd Fellows came to the forefront this week when a number of speakers, including well-known poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, came before the Town Council to call for stronger attention to the building.

The comments come in light of a recent report that issues recommendations for museum collections and maintenance and improvements to both Odd Fellows and the Alexander Black House.

Odd Fellows, located on Gilbert Street, is the only remaining structure from New Town, northern Blacksburgs historic Black community. Some of the speakers who addressed council voiced fears that a failure to preserve the building would lead to the further erasure of local African-American history.

Blacksburg resident Toni Pitts said the building is not just a town institution, but also part of Virginia history. She said the town has a responsibility to preserve the structure.

It would be immoral to disregard and neglect a building that meant so much to African-Americans in the area surrounding New Town, she told council.

Odd Fellows, which the town restored and officially reopened in 2009, currently serves as a museum of African-American culture and was once a social gathering spot for the Black community.

The Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation, which oversees Odd Fellows, is currently not doing tours of the building. Access to the second floor has also been blocked off for some time due to both structural and capacity concerns, said Jim Rakes, chairman of the foundations board of directors.

The foundation has stopped tours for now because it needs some time to assess the report and its recommendations, Rakes said. However, Odd Fellows was briefly opened and allowed some people in during a recent gospel singing event that occurred just outside of the building, he said.

There have also been some other challenges with events at Odd Fellows, Rakes said. In addition to the impact of the pandemic on attendance, the new and neighboring Virginia Tech Foundation building has led to parking issues, he said.

The report issues a number of recommendations for Odd Fellows and the Black House, which is located on Draper Road and houses the Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation.

The report categorized recommendations as immediate, short-term and long-term, with the latter being fixes to be made within six months to a year.

Among the immediate recommendations for Odd Fellows are security improvements as the report points out that the first and second floor windows are not secured with locks and that the double entrance doors and single entrance doors at the north elevation have locks that dont provide sufficient security.

The report recommends a laundry list of long-term improvements which include the installation of a security system that would include exterior and interior cameras. Other recommendations include the designation of the space for multiple uses, including serving as a meeting place for African-American programs such as the Black College Institute.

The board found some good things in the report, but there were also certain points that werent quite correct, Rakes said.

The foundation and board needs to further assess the report, but there is a general willingness to make improvements and support preservation efforts, Rakes said.

And Im sure the town feels the same way, he said.

Town Manager Marc Verniel addressed the report.

The towns public works department has already completed some of the recommended maintenance items. Many of the other recommendations are already underway or are planned in the future, Verniel wrote in an email. There are also some suggested longer-term building improvements in the report that the town will discuss with the BMCF board to determine if they are needed.

Giovanni was among those who questioned the prioritization of Odd Fellows. While she voiced some general praise for the town and the progress its made over the years, she said there seems to have been neglect when its come to some other areas.

Giovanni asked why the town seems to not be incredibly proud of what we have built here.

What are we afraid of in saving a building? She said. Its something we should be proud of.
Fusion is a nuclear reaction that combines two atoms to create one or more new atoms with slightly less total mass. The difference in mass is released as energy, as described by Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2, where energy equals mass times the speed of light squared.

Since the speed of light is enormous, converting just a tiny amount of mass into energy  like what happens in fusion  produces a similarly enormous amount of energy.

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Researchers at the U.S. Government's National Ignition Facility in California have demonstrated, for the first time, what is known as fusion ignition. Ignition is when a fusion reaction produces more energy than is being put into the reaction from an outside source and becomes self-sustaining.

The technique used at the National Ignition Facility involved shooting 192 lasers at a 0.04 inch (1 millimeter) pellet of fuel made of deuterium and tritium  two versions of the element hydrogen with extra neutrons  placed in a gold canister.

When the lasers hit the canister, they produce X-rays that heat and compress the fuel pellet to about 20 times the density of lead and to more than 5 million degrees Fahrenheit (3 million Celsius)  about 100 times hotter than the surface of the sun.

If you can maintain these conditions for a long enough time, the fuel will fuse and release energy.

The fuel and canister get vaporized within a few billionths of a second during the experiment. Researchers then hope their equipment survive the heat and accurately measure the energy released by the fusion reaction.

" " The fuel is held in a tiny canister designed to keep the reaction as free from contaminants as possible. U.S. Department of Energy/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Artist's concept of a collection of pulsars that detect gravitational waves from pairs of orbiting supermassive black holes. Credit: Aurore Simonnet for the NANOGrav Collaboration

Scientists are reporting the first evidence that our Earth and the universe around us are awash in a background of spacetime undulations called gravitational waves. The waves oscillate very slowly over years and even decades and are thought to originate primarily from pairs of supermassive black holes leisurely spiraling together before they merge.

The findings, reported in a series of papers in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, come from 15 years' worth of observations made by the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav), a National Science Foundation-funded Physics Frontier Center of more than 190 scientists from the United States and Canada. NANOGrav used data from radio telescopesthe Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, and the Very Large Array in New Mexicoto monitor 68 dead stars, called pulsars, in the sky. The pulsars acted like a network of buoys bobbing on a slow-rolling sea of gravitational waves.

"The effect of the gravitational waves on the pulsars is extremely weak and hard to detect, but we built confidence in the findings over time as we collected more data," says Katerina Chatziioannou, a NANOGrav team member and an assistant professor of physics at Caltech. "In the future, we will continue to make more observations and will compare our results with those from international partners, which will allow us to learn more from the data."

"We have a new way of probing what happens as monstrous black holes at the cores of galaxies begin a slow but inexorable death spiral," says Joseph Lazio, a NANOGrav team member, a principal scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and a visiting associate in astronomy at Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA. "We think that this process is standard for many galaxies, and we've seen many examples at various steps, but we're finally starting to glimpse one of the key final steps."

Gravitational waves were first proposed by Albert Einstein in 1916 but were not directly detected until about 100 years later when the National Science Foundationfunded LIGO picked up the waves from a pair of distant colliding black holes. LIGO detects gravitational waves that are much higher in frequency than those registered by NANOGrav (NANOGrav's name comes from the fact that it detects lower-frequency gravitational waves in the nanohertz rangei.e., one cycle every few years). Higher-frequency gravitational waves come from smaller pairs of black holes zipping around each other rapidly in the final seconds before they collide, while the lower-frequency waves are thought to be generated by huge black holes at the hearts of galaxies, up to billions of times the mass of our sun, that lumber around each slowly and have millions of years to go before they merge.

In the new studies, NANOGrav is thought to have picked up a collective hum of gravitational waves from many pairs of merging supermassive black holes throughout the universe. "People compare this signal to more of a background murmur as opposed to the shouts that LIGO picks up," explains Chatziioannou, who is also a member of the LIGO team and a William H. Hurt Scholar.

"It's as if you are at a cocktail party and you can't pick out any one individual voice. We just hear the background noise," says Patrick Meyers, a NANOGrav team member and postdoctoral scholar research associate at Caltech who helped lead statistical tests of the results.

NANOGrav's network of pulsars is also known as a pulsar-timing array. The pulsars, which formed from the explosions of massive stars, send out beacons of light that rapidly spin around at very precise intervals. "These are like lighthouse beacons that sweep by at a regular rate. You can predict the timing to a level of tens of nanoseconds. They have the same level of precision of atomic clocks in some cases," says Meyers.

When gravitational waves travel across the cosmos, they stretch and squeeze the fabric of spacetime very slightly. This stretching and squeezing can cause the distance between Earth and a given pulsar to minutely change, which results in delays or advances to the timing of the pulsars' flashes of light. To search for the background hum of gravitational waves, the science team developed software programs to compare the timing of pairs of pulsars in their network. Gravitational waves will shift this timing to different degrees depending on how close the pulsars are on the sky, a pattern first theoretically calculated by Ron Hellings and George Downs at JPL in the early 1980s.

"Imagine lots of ripples on an ocean from pairs of supermassive black holes scattered throughout," says Lazio. "Now, we're sitting here on Earth, which acts like a buoy along with the pulsars, and we try to measure how the ripples are changing and causing the other buoys to move toward and away from us."

"To tease out the gravitational-wave background, we had to nail down a multitude of confusing effects, such as the motion of the pulsars, the perturbations due to the free electrons in our galaxy, the instabilities of the reference clocks at the radio observatories, and even the precise location of the center of the solar system, which we determined with help from NASA's Juno and Cassini missions," says Michele Vallisneri, a NANOgrav team member, a senior research scientist at JPL, and a visiting associate in theoretical astrophysics at Caltech.

Future NANOGrav results will include Canada's CHIME telescope, which joined the project in 2019. Caltech's Deep Synoptic Array-2000, or DSA-2000, an array of 2,000 radio antennae planned to be built in the Nevada desert and begin operations in 2027, will also join the search.

The scientists hope to answer mysteries about the nature of merging supermassive black holes, such as how common they are, what brings them together, and what other factors contribute to their coalescence.

"People have tried to find merging supermassive black holes with telescopes for years," says Chatziioannou. "They are getting closer and finding more candidates, but because the black holes are so close together, they are hard to distinguish. Having gravitational waves as a new tool will help better understand these enigmatic beasts."

"This was such a beautiful, unlikely experiment: assembling a galactic-size gravitational-wave detector animated by the pulse of dead stars across our galaxy and bringing together a multidisciplinary team of radio astronomers, neutron-star and black-hole experts, and gravitational-wave scientists," says Vallisneri.

Other Caltech and JPL team members include Caltech postdoc Aaron Johnson, who led an effort to review and validate the main analysis code that produced all the key results; JPL senior research scientist Curt Cutler, who helped formulate statistical treatments of the data; and Caltech graduate student Sophie Hourihane, who developed a new method to speed up NANOGrav's analyses.

A series of papers detailing the new NANOGrav results have been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The paper describing the evidence for gravitational waves, titled "The NANOGrav 15-year Data Set: Evidence for a Gravitational-Wave Background," was co-led by two former JPL/Caltech postdocs, Sarah Vigeland (now at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) and Stephen Taylor (now at Vanderbilt University).

More information:

NANOGrav is an international collaboration dedicated to exploring the low-frequency gravitational-wave universe through radio pulsar timing. NANOGrav was founded in October 2007 and has grown to more than 190 members at more than 70 institutions. In 2015, it was designated a National Science Foundation (NSF) Physics Frontiers Center.

Astrophysicists around the globe have been busy chasing this gravitational-wave signal. Several papers released today by collaborations using telescopes in Europe, India, China, and Australia report hints of the same signal in their data. Through the International Pulsar Timing Array consortium, the individual groups are working together to combine their data to better characterize the signal and search for new types of sources.

The NANOGrav collaboration receives support from the NSF Physics Frontiers Center, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, NSF's AccelNet (Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. The Arecibo Observatory was a facility of NSF operated under cooperative agreement by the University of Central Florida in alliance with Universidad Ana G. Mendez and Yang Enterprises. The Green Bank Observatory and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory are facilities of the NSF operated under cooperative agreements by Associated Universities Inc.

More information:

Gabriella Agazie et al, The NANOGrav 15 yr Data Set: Evidence for a Gravitational-wave Background, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2023). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acdac6

Provided by California Institute of Technology
Left: Schematic of muon imaging on a CASTOR cask. The muon detectors are placed above and below. The material distribution of the cask causes slight deflections of the muon paths. Right: Cross-sectional image of the material distribution in the cask reconstructed from simulated muon paths. The square basic shapes of the 19 fuel elements stand out yellowish in the image. Credit: HZDR

Earth is constantly being struck by cosmic particles. High-energy muons can easily penetrate several meters of steel or concrete. A team at the German independent research institute Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) seeks to harness the potential of this unavoidable background radiation to view the interior of industrial facilities or structures. The problem is that muon detectors used in high-energy physics at research centers such as CERN are highly sensitive and expensive.

This is why tomography experts at the HZDR are now developing a demonstratora low-cost, large-scale, and high-resolution muon detector for non-destructive condition monitoring. The project is set to start on July 1, 2023.

According to the Federal Highway Research Institute, one in ten bridges in Germany is dilapidated. Corrosive attacks on concrete reinforcement have a major impact, which is why bridges are checked regularly. Continuous monitoring of production facilities is also essential in the basic materials industry, incurring enormous costs. Distillation columns up to 50 meters high, large steel casting plants, and rotary kilns for waste incineration must be brought to a standstill, because this is the only way to detect signs of wear. And what about the condition of the spent fuel elements currently kept in storage casks at Germany's 17 interim storage facilities?

"In theory, muon imaging is ideal for such applications," emphasizes Professor Uwe Hampel, departmental head at the HZDR's Institute of Fluid Dynamics. For example, it was in early March that the media again reported on a chamber discovered in 2017 in the 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza. What is a sensation for archaeologists owes much to muon imaging.

Muons are a component of cosmic rays. The charged particles are extremely energetic and penetrate deep into materials. This is why high-resolution detectors can be used to obtain three-dimensional images of the interior of large industrial facilities and structures.

"However, existing detector types are not sufficiently robust for monitoring, and are far too expensive," explained the expert in imaging techniques in energy and process engineering. The cost drivers are complex manufacturing on the one hand, and the number of electronic channels required for high-resolution images on the other.

Clever adaptation to obtain inexpensive and robust detectors

It is hoped that new ideas will now help muon imaging achieve a breakthrough: One such idea is a detector concept with a special matrix structure for the electronics, which Hampel's team originally designed for a patented wire-mesh sensor.

"Our structure is characterized by the ability to locate and transmit signals in the area with high efficiency, and then evaluate them using algorithms developed in-house. We have already managed to transfer this scheme to muon detectors," the engineer reported.

In principle, the matrix structure is suitable not only for the wire electrodes of a gas ionization detector, but also for the optical fibers of a scintillation detector. Yet another advantage: Thanks to the sophisticated addressing scheme, both the number of electronics channels and the detector costs can be drastically reduced.

In the MYTOS project, experts at the HZDR are taking on the task of comparatively analyzing different detector principles. "We are particularly interested in whether the test detectors prove to be robust in an industrial environment, i.e., in the event of temperature fluctuations or vibrations," Hampel explained.

Armed with the knowledge gained, he and his team of experienced measurement engineers and scientists plan to build a prototype and test it experimentally in collaboration with potential users.

As yet, the idea is limited to inspecting plants and structures using modular, mobile detectors at regular intervals. But Uwe Hampel is pursuing a clear vision. "In the long term, we want to reduce the cost of sensors and measurement technology to such an extent that stationary long-term monitoring becomes feasible."

Provided by Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
This years Clemson University Watermelon Field Day highlights innovative technology combined with tested management practices to give watermelon growers an edge on growing this summer favorite.

Watermelon is the largest acreage vegetable crop grown in South Carolina, with 117 million pounds produced in 2022. It is produced in all 46 counties, with the bulk of the crop coming from the Central Savannah River Area. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Service holds a free annual Watermelon Field Day to share research-based information with the public.

Gilbert Miller, Clemson Extension vegetable specialist, said this years field day is scheduled for July 13, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at the Edisto Research and Education Center (EREC), 64 Research Road, Blackville. The indoor program begins at 8:15 a.m.

Topics and speakers for the indoor program include Tony Keinath, Clemson plant pathologist and Extension vegetable pathologist, who will talk about fusarium biology and disease development. Fusarium wilt is the most widespread and destructive disease of watermelon in South Carolina, the southeastern United States and other areas of the world.

The fungus that causes this disease can remain in soil indefinitely in the form of resting spores that survive heat, cold and drought. Over the years, this fungus has been able to adapt and infect previously resistant varieties. Keinath will discuss what his research has found about using fungicides and grafting to manage fusarium wilt.

More discussion about fusarium will take place during the morning session when Bhupinder Jatana, an assistant professor of horticulture and vegetable crops, talks about fusarium research at the Edisto REC. Ben Hinson, with TriEst Ag, will give an update on watermelon grafting.

Following the indoor session, participants will visit research plots and continue discussions. The field session will have several topics, including a solar shrink mulch film Demonstration and a rainfall simulation demonstration.

During the field session, Miller will give participants a biodegradable plastic update and a team led by Matthew Cutulle, a Clemson weed scientist, will give an update on anaerobic soil disinfestation research. Participants also will get updates on watermelon field trials for 74 varieties.

More discussions will be held during lunch at the EREC office complex.

This event qualifies for three South Carolina Recertification Pesticide License credits.

For more information, contact Gilbert Miller at 803-284-3343 ext 271.
DILLON, S.C.  QuikTrip has opened a new remote Travel Center in Dillon.

The store is at 1700 Highway 34 West. The Travel Center features a larger designed lot and a more spacious store than a regular QT.

The Travel Center has room to service 20 cars for gas and five diesel bays for trucks.

We are excited to introduce our QuikTrip Remote Travel Center in Dillon. We look forward to introducing our unique QuikTrip brand and culture to our new community, said Aisha Jefferson-Smith, QuikTrips corporate communications manager. The Travel Center allows us to not only create meaningful connections with our new local customers in Dillon, but also serve travelers in this busy part of the country.

QTs remote Travel Center model was created specifically for highly traveled areas of the country that are also within a reasonable proximity to a QT Distribution Center for access to fresh food.

QT, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, continues to expand across the country following its recent opening of its 1,000th store in Converse, Texas.

Since its inception in 1958, QT has become widely known for taking care of its employees. QT offers tuition reimbursement, medical insurance, 401K and advancement opportunities.

QT is also known for its impact on the communities it serves  with each store generating on average $1.3 million in annual local and state taxes. The company donates 5% of its annual net profits to charitable organizations. Among the organizations QT supports are United Way, Safe Place, local food banks, schools and Folds of Honor, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide educational scholarships to the military and first responder families of those who have been killed or disabled while on active duty.

QT is now in its 65th year in business and employs over 28,000 people across 17 states. Planning is underway for future locations across the country.

To find out more about QuikTrip, visit www.quiktrip.com.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Michelle Oxendine and her Summit Roof Restoration are dedicated to restoring and beautifying commercial roofs in the community.

Oxendine said they take pride in their work and value their clients as they have made Summit Roof Restorations family business successful.

A commercial roof is the first line of defense in protecting the structure, valuable assets contained within the building and even the landscape surrounding the building. Summit especially loves to help in rejuvenation efforts in our citys historic district with roof restoration that can save thousands in replacement costs, while maintaining the historic integrity of the building, Oxendine said.

Summits roof coating systems are water resistant and their white coatings have 85% solar reflectivity, which can lower utility bills by 20 cents per square foot a year and lower the roofs temperatures by 40 plus degrees. The company applies acrylics and silicones to flat and low-slope roofs that have fewer options for restoration  metal, mod-bit, EPDM, TPO, PVC, tar, gravel, even concrete. The company has textured color choices for high-traffic walkways as well.

Summit has 15 years of roofing experience. The company was founded two years ago. We enjoy what we do so much and decided to make a career out of it, Oxendine said.

Since then, the company has restored some notable roofs around the Pee Dee area, some of which have been seen on commercials for some of the businesses they have restored.

Summit Roof Restoration is so confident in its restorations that it offers free commercial roof inspections as well as services like gutter cleaning and maintenance, pressure washing services and sky light replacement.

Contact Summit Roof Restoration by calling 843-861-3468 Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The website is www.summitroofrestoration.com. The company is on Facebook.com/summitroofrestorationllc. The business is located outside of Hartsville and serves all of South Carolina and bordering states. Oxendine said her business looks forward to serving the business owners of Florence and building lasting relationships within the community.
 Interesting accounting of what we know about violent crime and voter concerns a week before Election Day 2022 | Main | "Constitutional Limits on the Imposition and Revocation of Probation, Parole, and Supervised Release After Haymond" 

November 1, 2022

Federal judge orders briefing on whether to appoint historian to resolve challenge to federal felon gun possession ban after Bruen

This new CNN article, headlined "Federal judge blasts the Supreme Court for its Second Amendment opinion," alerted me to a notable new opinion emerging from new challenges to federal felon in possession laws in the wake of the Supreme Court's new Second Amendment standards set forth in Bruen. Here are the basics from the press piece:

A federal judge based in Mississippi has released a scorching order expressing frustration with the Supreme Courts Second Amendment opinion issued last summer and ordered the Justice Department to brief him on whether he needs to appoint an historian to help him decipher the landmark opinion. The opinion in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen changed the framework judges must use to review gun regulations. Going forward, Justice Clarence Thomas said that a gun law could only be justified if it is consistent with this Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. Judge Carlton Reeves  who is considering a case concerning a federal statute prohibiting felons from possessing firearms  said he is not sure how to proceed. This court is not a trained historian, Reeves wrote in an order released last week. The justices of the Supreme Court, as distinguished as they may be, are not trained historians, he continued. And we are not experts in what white, wealthy and male property owners thought about firearms regulation in 1791, he said. The Bruen decision, he said, requires him to play historian in the name of constitutional adjudication. Reeves, who sits on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, ordered the parties, including the Justice Department, to brief him on whether he should appoint a historian within 30 days. Not wanting to itself cherry-pick the history, the Court now asks the parties whether it should appoint a historian to serve as a consulting expert in this matter, he said. The challenger to the felon possession law, Jesse Bullock, says the regulation cannot withstand the Supreme Courts latest decision interpreting the Second Amendment. Founding era legislatures did not strip felons of the right to bear arms simply because of their status as felons, Bullock argued.

The full six-page order in US v. Bullock is available at this link. Here are a few passages:

Bruen instructs courts to undertake a comprehensive review of history to determine if Second Amendment restrictions are consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. 142 S. Ct. at 2130. In fact, Justice Alito commends the majority for its exhaustive historical survey. Id. at 2157 (Alito, J., concurring). But historical consensus on this issue is elusive. As the Seventh Circuit put it, scholars continue to debate the evidence of historical precedent for prohibiting criminals from carrying arms. United States v. Yancey, 621 F.3d 681, 684 (7th Cir. 2010) (collecting authorities); see also United States v. Skoien, 614 F.3d 638, 650 (7th Cir. 2010) (Sykes, J., dissenting) (scholars disagree about the extent to which felons  let alone misdemeanants  were considered excluded from the right to bear arms during the founding era.).... This Court is not a trained historian. The Justices of the Supreme Court, distinguished as they may be, are not trained historians. We lack both the methodological and substantive knowledge that historians possess. The sifting of evidence that judges perform is different than the sifting of sources and methodologies that historians perform. See id. at 2177 (Breyer, J., dissenting) (Courts are, after all, staffed by lawyers, not historians.). And we are not experts in what white, wealthy, and male property owners thought about firearms regulation in 1791. Yet we are now expected to play historian in the name of constitutional adjudication.... Not wanting to itself cherry-pick the history, the Court now asks the parties whether it should appoint a historian to serve as a consulting expert in this matter. See Fed. R. Evid. 706. This Court is acquainted with the historical record only as it is filtered through decisions of the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals. An expert may help the Court identify and sift through authoritative sources on foundingera firearms restrictions.

As many of the readers of this blog surely know, the author of this interesting order is not just a federal district judge, he is also the new Chair of the US Sentencing Commission. Interesting times.

Prior recent related posts:

November 1, 2022 at 10:34 PM | Permalink

Comments

Judge Reeves is a Virginia man, U.Va. undergrad and law school. He will figure it out and get it right! And I am sure that some historians from The University will be glad to help him do it.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Nov 1, 2022 11:03:42 PM

I think Judge Reeves went to Jackson State for his undergrad, Jim.

Posted by: Doug B | Nov 2, 2022 9:04:53 AM

Why does he need the parties to tell him if he should appoint a historian? If he needs one, he can appoint a special master no matter what their views may be.

Judges are routinely called upon to decided questions in areas outside their expertise (mental health and brain functioning, for example). This is no different.

I might note that Judge Reeves is a big liberal, and that the liberals on SCOTUS have routinely voted in support of more gun regulation, not less. This makes me pretty convinced that FIP statutes are safe (with the three liberals plus Kavanaugh, Roberts and perhaps Alito) voting that they are consistent with the Second Amendment.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Nov 2, 2022 11:00:44 AM

I agree w/Bill that he could just appoint a a special mast. And to build on the mental health analog, the parties routinely retain experts on this. I would imagine both sides will be seeking to retain historians.

But as for affirming the regulation in question, is there a historical analog? Is that why you think the reg is safe? Or are you just pointing up policy preferences of various judges that will be the actual drivers of the outcome?

Posted by: John | Nov 2, 2022 2:05:18 PM

I am not sure that a special master is what is being sought. The judge is not wanting to appoint somebody to decide the matter. Instead, he is asking for the party's position (which he can disregard after getting them) on whether this case is appropriate for a court-appointed expert (who would then provide opinions on the disputed issues like the experts that the parties will retain) under Rule 706 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. Under Rule 706, before appointing such an expert, the judge is required to get the input of the parties.

The real problem (which I think is what the judge is expecting and wants on the record) is that any honest and competent legal historian will ultimately conclude that he can't answer the question set forth in Bruen. There are too many things that have changed since 1791 (the role of the militia, the nature of the weapons) to draw any fair analogy from the regulations that were common in 1791 to what modern regulations would be functionally equivalent to those regulations. Simply put, the majority in Bruen opted for an unworkable test (which is completely subjective) for the usual test (compelling interest) that, while still partially subjective, can at least be objectively analyzed.

Posted by: tmm | Nov 2, 2022 5:51:26 PM

I don't think the court is wanting a special master to decide the issue based on information provided by the parties. Instead, given that the two sides will be hiring retained experts to "cherry pick" the history that favors their side, the court wants an independent expert to give a neutral evaluation of the historical evidence. Such an expert is expressly authorized by Rule 706 of the Rules of Evidence but requires that the court get input from the parties (which can be discounted) before proceeding to appoint such an expert (who is then subject to the same rules as the experts retained by the parties).

The judge may, and probably does, hope that the expert's response is that the question posed by Bruen can't be answered. That too much has changed (the purpose of the militia, the nature of weapons) to compare modern regulations to the regulations used in 1791.

Posted by: tmm | Nov 2, 2022 5:57:54 PM

Sorry for the multiple posts, computer issues made it seem like posts weren't going through.

Posted by: tmm | Nov 3, 2022 11:05:15 AM

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 "Criminal Justice Reform and the Centrality of Intent" | Main | Outgoing Oregon Gov commutes all 17 of state's remaining death sentences to LWOP 

December 13, 2022

Justice Department tells federal district judge "it is unnecessary ... to appoint an historian to assist" in resolving defendant's Second Amendment claim

In this post last month, I flagged a fascinating order authored by US District Judge Carlton Reeves in a case in which a defendant was brining a Second Amendment challenge to the federal criminal statute prohibiting felons from possessing firearm. In the order, Judge Reeves, after stressing the Supreme Court's recent re-orientation of Second Amendment jurisprudence, asked the parties whether he "should appoint a historian to serve as a consulting expert in this matter" because the "Court is acquainted with the historical record only as it is filtered through decisions of the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals," and so an "expert may help the Court identify and sift through authoritative sources on foundingera firearms restrictions."

Today, as reported here by CNN, the Department of Justice filed its reponse to the order, and it "is advising a federal judge in Mississippi that he does not need to hire a historian to determine whether a contested gun law complies with the Supreme Courts most recent Second Amendment opinion. Here is more from the CNN piece:

In the new filing, the Biden administration defended a federal statute barring felons from possessing firearms and urged the court not to hire an historian, arguing that the government should win the case without such an intervention. Our legal tradition rests in large part on the responsibility of the parties to present materials necessary to support their legal positions, a government lawyer said in the new brief. The prospect of judges in all 94 federal judicial districts retaining a historian would be an expensive proposition and a departure from the typical reliance on the parties to provide support for their legal positions, US Attorney Darren J. LaMarca wrote.

The Government's full nine-page filing is available at this link, and he is one of many interesting passages:

This Court ... should look to the parties to provide any necessary support for their positions as to whether the the Second Amendments plain text extends a right to keep and bear arms to persons convicted of felony offenses and, if so, whether barring them from possessing firearms is consistent with this Nations historical tradition of firearms regulation. Bruen, 142 S.Ct. at 2130. If the Court concludes that a detailed analysis of these issues is necessary to resolve this case, the Government stands ready to submit further and more detailed briefing as ordered by the Court. The Government anticipates that such materials would provide ample basis for deciding the motion pending in this case. See, e.g., Range, 53 F.4th at 266 (the Government has met its burden to demonstrate that its prohibition is consistent with historical tradition). Following our standard adversarial practice, the Court then can decide which of the competing perspectives is the more persuasive, supplemented with the Courts own examination of the historical record as illuminated by the parties.

Some prior recent related posts:

December 13, 2022 at 05:44 PM | Permalink

Comments

Wouldn't an invitation to file amicus briefs serve much the same purpose?

Posted by: MBC | Dec 13, 2022 10:35:37 PM

A good question, MBC, but I am unsure if payment may be part of the process when there is on official court appointment of an expert. Also, I suppose, inviting amicus might lead to a (different) type of selection bias than would court appointment.

Posted by: Doug B. | Dec 14, 2022 10:35:16 AM

Payment for services is part of the process when the court retains an expert. It has happened occasionally in my district on competency matters. The competency/insanity statutes don't contemplate a defendant being on bond, and once I have my client evaluated, the court can hire someone if the government refuses to pay to do it locally and only wants client to be shipped off to a prison hospital.

Posted by: defendergirl | Dec 14, 2022 11:45:12 AM

The question is whether legal history is a question of law (on which lawyers and judges are sufficiently competent) or a question of fact (in which case an expert qualified to evaluate the data might be necessary). While certainly the tradition is to allow the parties to present such expertise as is required, the rules of evidence do permit the court to hire its own attorney.

On the question of couldn't amici do it, amici have an "interest" in the case (and thus will cherry pick the history to support their predetermined outcome) whereas a court expert is supposed to be doing a neutral evaluation.

The judge's initial position seems to be that history (even legal history) is a question of fact rather than law and thus an expert who understands the proper way to analyze competing historical claims would be beneficial. I don't know that the DOJ response addresses that concern.

Posted by: tmm | Dec 14, 2022 1:46:37 PM

I do have problems with the prosecutor's framing of the question as whether the right extends as compared whether the history supports a denial. If (as I suspect) the evidence is equivocal then how you frame the question matters very much.



Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Dec 14, 2022 2:04:49 PM

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 Bureau of Justice Statistics releases "Juveniles Incarcerated in U.S. Adult Jails and Prisons, 20022021" | Main | New report highlights the "promise of targeted home confinement with electronic monitoring" 

June 29, 2023

Former Ohio House speaker gets max federal prison sentence of 20 years for political corruption

In this post last week, I flagged the interesting federal sentencing memos submitted in the notable case of political corruption involving Ohio's former House Speaker Larry Householder. Back in March, Householder and his co-defendant were convicted after trial on one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving bribery and money laundering. In part because of Householders age (64), I thought he might get below (perhaps way below) the 16-20 years that federal prosecutors recommended. But, as this local article details, he got the statutory max:

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to 20 years in prison for spearheading the largest political corruption scheme in state history. U.S. District Judge Timothy Blacks sentence punctuated the fall for Householder, once one of the most powerful politicians in Ohio, but now a federal prisoner. Householder, 64, led a scheme to secretly receive $60 million from Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp  a bankroll that helped fund his political operation, execute a campaign to pass legislation worth more than $1 billion for the company, and pay off his personal debts. A jury in March found him guilty of racketeering alongside FirstEnergy Solutions lobbyist Matt Borges, a former chairman of the Ohio Republican Party. Borges is scheduled to be sentenced Friday.... In a blistering statement before delivering Householders sentence, Black called the former speaker a bully with a lust for power. Householder was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing hearing. Showing little reaction other than a reddening of his cheeks, Householder stared straight ahead as federal marshals slapped handcuffs on his wrists and led him from the court room. He offered no apology in his statement before the court, saying that my life was totally and fully about making life better for those I served. As he was led from the courtroom, Householder turned to give a sheepish smile to family assembled in the courtroom. The court and the communitys patience for Mr. Householder has passed, Black said. Federal prosecutors argued Householder should serve 16-20 years in prison. His defense attorneys argued for 12 to 18 months behind bars for the Glenford Republican. But Black gave Householder the maximum sentence shortly after prosecutors evoked a whos-who of disgraced politicians, from former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora to ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. He committed perjury in this courtroom. A sentence will show that the rule of law applies to everyone, including politicians, assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Glatfelter said. Householder was arrested in July 2020 and lost his speakership but hung on to his seat in the House for nearly a year. His colleagues in the House finally expelled him in June 2021. He twice served as House Speaker, first from 2001 to 2004, when he left amid a federal pay-to-play investigation that ended without criminal charges. He returned to the House in 2017 and to the speakers role in 2019, aided by secret political donations from FirstEnergy. The Akron-based utility poured $60 million in bribes into so-called dark money nonprofits that allow political contributions to be shielded from the public. That money was funneled to Householder to bankroll political advisers, polling, TV advertisements and other pieces of his political operation, and to pay for Householders personal legal debts and repairs on Householders Florida home, where his mother lived.... Householder testified in his own defense in the trial, a move that legal experts said backfired after prosecutors shredded his testimony on cross-examination. Householders attorneys have already said they plan to appeal. Two others have pleaded guilty in the case  Householders political aide Jeff Longstreth and FirstEnergy Solutions lobbyist Juan Cespedes. Both testified at trial and have not yet been sentenced. Neil Clark, another co-defendant in the case, died by suicide in 2021. Borges is scheduled to be sentenced at 11 a.m. Friday. His attorneys asked for a one-year sentence, while prosecutors asked for between five and eight years. No current or former employees of FirstEnergy have been charged. The company agreed to cooperate with federal investigators and pay a $230 million fine as part of an agreement to avoid prosecution. It also admitted paying a sperate $4.3 million bribe to former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chairman Sam Randazzo. Randazzo has not been charged with any crime. Householders case became synonymous with how state politicians operate  with dark money, virtually untraceable for the public. Critics praised the conviction, but lamented little has changed in state politics. At trial, Householders attorneys argued that the prosecutions case amounted to politics as usual in Ohio.

Prior related post:

June 29, 2023 at 03:19 PM | Permalink

Comments

You gotta love defense counsel's fantasyland sentencing recommendation, which probably made the judge even more convinced of the defendant's incorrigibility than he already was.

Please, please defense lawyers out there: Tell me how this was a "trial penalty" rather than earned retribution for dogged dishonesty and unrepentant greed.

This should be good.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 29, 2023 4:09:29 PM

So, what will Donald Trump's lawyers argue at his sentencing hearing? Compare these two political figures.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Jun 29, 2023 4:15:59 PM

If Trump is convicted in the federal documents case, nothing less than 5 years would be appropriate. If he is charged and convicted of a Jan. 6 federal charge, nothing less than 20 would be appropriate. If he is charged and convicted with the Georgia ("all you need to find are.....votes"), 10 years appropriate. If he's convicted of the Mass. charge, 18 months. Am I missing anything?

Posted by: anon | Jun 29, 2023 6:14:18 PM

Jim Gormley --

"So, what will Donald Trump's lawyers argue at his sentencing hearing? Compare these two political figures."

Having no experience as a defense lawyer, I'm in a poor position to say what they'll argue. But if they argue that the moon is made of green cheese, they'll be doing a better job than the clownish defense lawyers in this case did.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 29, 2023 7:31:53 PM

Could any of Householder, et al.'s crimes have occurred so easily if not for the Roberts/Alito Court's ruling in Citizens United? I'm wondering how many other similar crimes have gone undiscovered over the past 13 or so years following the 2010 Citizens United ruling?

The "Tough on Crime Mob" typically point out that only a small percentage of crimes are actually discovered and prosecuted, which all would agree is generally true. What responsibility then does the Roberts/Alito Court share, if any, in the creation of a landscape in which such illegal schemes/acts involving corrupt politicians and the deep pocket special interests (PACS and Super PACS) occur?

Posted by: SG | Jun 29, 2023 8:50:17 PM

SG --

I'm sure illegal schemes, corrupt politicians and deep pocket special interests did not exist before Citizens United.

HAHAHAHA

P.S. I notice you don't dispute or even mention the actual reasoning of Citizens United. My goodness.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 29, 2023 11:05:44 PM

That's it, Bill. Side with the criminals, the corrupt politicians, the deep pockets special interest groups. Of course, in your world, corporations are people and money is speech. My goodness.

Posted by: SG | Jun 30, 2023 4:05:55 AM

SG --

1. As you have previously proudly proclaimed, YOU are the one who sides with the criminals. Indeed you work for them.

2. And still you don't dispute or even mention the actual reasoning of Citizens United.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 30, 2023 7:02:10 AM

SG--do you realize what CU was all about?

Posted by: federalist | Jun 30, 2023 8:38:34 AM

SG,

Hilarious. The concept of corporate personhood has been around since 800BC India and medieval times in the West. Lets not pretend this is some new concept.

Without it, economic progress would be slowed incredibly, as a business could cease to exist or go through years of closing an estate if the owner died.

It also gives you someone to sue in case of negligence. Would you rather sue Ford for a faulty part or all of the individual shareholders?

Would you do a spellcheck for me? I wrote this rather quickly.

Posted by: TarlsQtr | Jun 30, 2023 11:41:32 AM

"Corporate personhood" is a modern fiction concoted by lawyers for various purposes, some of which Tarls has articulated. However, it does NOT extend to individuals such as Republican Criminal Householder who sought to secrete and hide his crimes through the application of this lawyer-created "fiction". The American people reject this fiction as used by Republican Criminal Householder.

Posted by: SG | Jun 30, 2023 4:53:47 PM

SG --

You've said that you've spent years working for those who cherish and insist upon the presumption of innocence. Does that presumption extend to all defendants, or just the ones whose politics align with yours?

Just curious.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 30, 2023 5:11:45 PM

Bill,

As a professional, I worked ethically, exhaustively, and with cult-like passion for each and every one of my clients irrespective of their race, religion, gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, political affiliation (if any) and/or any other categorization. I had clients who were Dems, Reps, Independents, non-affiliated, and/or non-political. I would like to assume that you approached your job in much the same fashion.

Posted by: SG | Jun 30, 2023 9:48:52 PM

SG --

Your preferred assumption is correct, with one exception. I did not work with "cult-like passion." I tried to keep my passions out of my work. As an officer of the United States, it was my job to discern and apply the law irrespective of what my feelings about the defendant may have been. Being on the appellate end of things probably helped out with this.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 30, 2023 9:56:47 PM

Bill,

I should clarify my previous statement.

My passion, enthusiasm, dedication, etc. to which I had previously referred, was in furtherance of, and directed toward, my profession. Without question, there were many clients who were despicable, and who barely qualified as 'human'. These clients included, but were not limited to: conservative Republicans, anti-semites, white Christian nationalists, Nazis, and a whole host of similarly situated folks. It was my responsibility to put my personal likes/dislikes aside and do my job, which I did quite well.

Posted by: SG | Jun 30, 2023 10:17:45 PM

SG,

No, corporate personhood is not modern or a fiction at all.

People can and and will work beyond the boundaries of any system we set up. Householders case is not about corporate personhood. Its about greed and criminality.

And, do you really want to make this a Republican thing? Sheldon Silver was one of the most corrupt dirtbags in history. He made Boss Tweed blush.

Posted by: TarlsQtr | Jul 1, 2023 9:09:22 PM

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 New report from Human Rights Watch highlights people released from LWOP sentences in California | Main | Bureau of Justice Statistics releases "Juveniles Incarcerated in U.S. Adult Jails and Prisons, 20022021" 

June 29, 2023

US District Court concludes Second Amendment requires dismissal of federal felon-in-possession prosecution

In this post last year, I flagged a fascinating order authored by US District Judge Carlton Reeves in a case in which a defendant challenged, on Second Amendment grounds, application of the federal criminal statute prohibiting felons from possessing firearm. In the order, Judge Carlton Reeves, after stressing the Supreme Court's recent re-orientation of Second Amendment jurisprudence, asked the parties whether he "should appoint a historian to serve as a consulting expert in this matter." No historian was appointed, but Judge Reeves continued to struggle with how to apply the Supreme Court's landmark Bruen ruling, and that struggle has now produced a 77-page opinion in US v. Bullock, No. 3:18CR165CWRFKB (SD Miss. June 28, 2023) (available here). The opinion includes these passages within its opening discussion:

In this case, the federal government seeks to imprison Jessie Bullock for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. See 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1). Mr. Bullock claims that this is a violation of his Second Amendment rights. He observes that he finished serving his sentence long ago, and the available evidence indicates that the firearm the government complains of was kept in the sanctity of his home. Yet Section 922(g)(1)s ban on gun possession is a lifetime one. The question presented appears simple: has the government demonstrated that, as to Mr. Bullock, the federal feloninpossession ban is consistent with Americas historical tradition of firearm regulation? The government says the answer is also simple: yes. It points to more than 120 U.S. District Court decisions which recently determined that the government had met its burden  at least in those cases. This Court is not so sure. The governments citation to the mere volume of cases is not enough. See Heller, 554 U.S. at 624 n.24 (rejecting decisions of hundreds of judges). There also is doubt about the process those cases used to determine the history of the feloninpossession ban. In none of those cases did the government submit an expert report from a historian justifying felon disarmament. In none of those cases did the court possess an amicus brief from a historian. And in none of those cases did the court itself appoint an independent expert to help sift through the historical record. It is unsurprising that the government relies on jurisprudence filled with such methodological flaws. The same errors define the Supreme Courts own Second Amendment jurisprudence.... Nevertheless, the standard announced by the Supreme Court in Bruen is the law of the land. It must be enforced. Under that standard, the government has failed to meet its burden. The federal feloninpossession ban was enacted in 1938, not 1791 or 1868  the years the Second and Fourteenth Amendments were ratified. The governments brief in this case does not identify a wellestablished and representative historical analogue from either era supporting the categorical disarmament of tens of millions of Americans who seek to keep firearms in their home for selfdefense. Bruen, 142 S. Ct. at 2132; see Gabriel J. Chin, The New Civil Death: Rethinking Punishment in the Era of Mass Conviction, 160 U. Pa. L. Rev. 1789, 1791 (2012) (explaining that tens of millions of freeworld Americans have criminal records). American history might support statelevel felon disarmament laws; that at least would align with principles of federalism. It might support disarmament of persons adjudicated to be dangerous  as Justice Barrett found when she sat on the Seventh Circuit. See Kanter v. Barr, 919 F.3d 437, 451 (7th Cir. 2019) (Barrett, J., dissenting). And it likely does support disarmament of persons convicted of deatheligible offenses. The power to take someones life necessarily includes the lesser power to disarm them. The governments arguments for permanently disarming Mr. Bullock, however, rest upon the mirage of dicta, buttressed by a cloud of law review articles that do not support disarming him. In Bruen, the State of New York presented 700 years of history to try and defend its early 1900sera gun licensing law. That was not enough. Bruen requires no less skepticism here, where the challenged law is even younger. For the reasons that follow, therefore, Mr. Bullocks motion to dismiss will be granted.

Some (of many) prior recent related posts:

June 29, 2023 at 12:18 AM | Permalink

Comments

Found this paragraph from the opinion (which I had to retrieve independently as Doug's link wasn't working) quite intriguing:

Consider the ancient right to a Writ of Habeas Corpus. U.S. Const. art. I,  9, cl. 2. The burden of securing habeas relief falls upon the individual rather than the government, and Supreme Court holdings that speak only at a high level of generality cannot supply a ground for relief. Brown v. Davenport, 142 S. Ct. 1510, 1525 (2022). In habeas, rather, the law requires a more granular approach. Russell v. Denmark, 68 F.4th 252, 272 (5th Cir. 2023). Until the Court applies expansive, Bruenlike definitions in this area of the law, the Great Writ will continue to have secondclass status.

Posted by: Da Man | Jun 29, 2023 8:28:06 AM

Here's the Westlaw cite: 2023 WL 4232309

Posted by: DEJ | Jun 29, 2023 8:38:00 AM

I think I fixed link. Sorry about that.

Posted by: Doug B | Jun 29, 2023 10:01:51 AM

I'm just wondering whether I can get one of my well-placed Washington pals to get me a ticket to the SCOTUS argument on this question, which is going to be a doozy.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 29, 2023 12:42:24 PM

The Government did itself no favors by submitting a 3.5-page opposition.

Posted by: Da Man | Jun 30, 2023 8:59:55 AM

It will be interesting to see how Rahimi plays out. Rahimi could short circuit the challenges to the rest of 922(g). Or it could signal that this topic is a big can of worms.

I still think in five or six years Bruens will go the way of National League of Cities as an unworkable standard and the court will fall back to the compelling interest test.

Posted by: tmm | Jun 30, 2023 3:33:27 PM

tmm --

I have the same suspicion. Obviously, we won't know for quite some time.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Jun 30, 2023 5:13:32 PM

It seems to me that by this opinion, Judge Carlton Reeves (a U.Va. law school grad) is deliberately provoking the U.S. Supreme Court. He notes that federal gun laws have only prohibited felons from having firearms since 1938. Between 1776 and 1938, felons could still possess firearms under Federal law. The Supreme Court wants to use ah historical perspective, and Judge Reeves did so, without hiring a historian to advise him on the case, as he had threatened to do.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Jun 30, 2023 6:22:31 PM

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The Bettendorf school board agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, Quad-City Times and local media over a May 2022 gathering where local journalists were denied entry.

The school district will reimburse the five plaintiffs  Iowa FOI Council, Times; KWQC, WQAD and WHBF television stations  $6,500 for attorney fees.

As part of the settlement, the school board acknowledged the May 25, 2022, gathering did not comply with Iowas public meetings law and promised to conduct future meetings concerning school policies and procedures in compliance with the law when a majority of school board members are present.

"Although it has taken nine months, we are grateful the Bettendorf school board and the districts administrators finally have faced up to the regrettable reality  that the board acted in violation of both the letter, and the spirit, of Iowas open meetings law last year when school officials barred journalists and some interested citizens from attending a school forum," Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa FOI Council, said in a statement following the settlement.

The Iowa FOI Council and partnering local media will dismiss the lawsuit via the Scott County District Court.

There was also a complaint on the matter filed with the Iowa Public Information Board. In March, the board found there was a lack of probable cause that a violation occurred and dismissed the complaint.

"The Iowa Public Information Board dismissed the matter in early 2023, finding that there was no violation of Iowas open meetings laws because the parent work session was not an official Board meeting," the district said in an emailed statement Wednesday. "The district worked to settle the separate pending lawsuit so that all matters related to the parent work session could be finalized and the district could move forward."

District officials say they worked closely with legal counsel in handling both matters.

"The District remains committed to seeking parent input," according to the email.

On May 25, 2022, around 300 Bettendorf parents gathered to express concerns about student behavior and school safety at Bettendorf Middle School to Superintendent Michelle Morse and the school board, which had all but one member  current president Rebecca Eastman  present.

Bettendorf Middle School parents communicated similar concerns for weeks prior to the meeting, alleging inadequate action by school officials to address the disorderly behavior.

The meeting also saw heightened interest, states an Iowa FOI Council release, because it took place one day after the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

According to the lawsuit, parents at the meeting were told they could not record for others to watch later, and local journalists were blocked from attending.

Additionally, Bettendorf school officials failed to provide the required advance notice of the school boards gathering.

"There is no greater obligation of a school district these days than ensuring students have a safe environment in which to learn. But the Bettendorf school board and school administrators let the public down by not properly conducting the school boards meeting on May 25, 2022, in compliance with Iowa law," Evans said. ... "Officials misguided interpretation of the law has ended up indirectly costing the taxpayers of the Bettendorf district $6,500 to reimburse our legal expenses. The taxpayers also are on the hook for thousands more the district has paid its own lawyers to defend this indefensible closed-door meeting."

Prior to negotiations, Bettendorf school board attorneys claimed the gathering was not an official school board meeting because present members merely listened and did not discuss the concerns and criticisms shared by parents.

Iowa's 50-year-old open meetings law (Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code), requires that any formal or informal gathering, involving a majority of members of a government board, must be open to the public  including journalists  if action or deliberation will take place on any matter within the board's policy-making responsibilities.

Additionally, the law allows attendees to photograph or record these meetings.

"No government entity can earn the trust, respect, and confidence of the people it serves when government officials try to prevent the public from attending a meeting like the one held in May 2022," Evans said.

In a letter to Morse and Eastman on June 3, 2022, the media plaintiff coalition wrote:

It would stretch believability to think that spending a couple of hours listening to the concerns of parents about the behavior of some Bettendorf Middle School students  does not fall within the meaning of deliberations on matters clearly within the scope of the Board of Educations policy-making duties.
Patriotic Church Service

Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., Sioux City, is inviting the public to its annual patriotic church services at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, and also at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sunday, July 2. Please join for singing patriotic hymns and enjoy a special performance by the brass quartet. Praise and thank God this Independence Day for the many blessings He has and continues to bestow upon our country.
Back when milk came in a glass bottle and phones hung on the wall, families adjusted the rabbit ears and got wild.

The TV series Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom has been a welcome guest in American living rooms since 1963, undergoing several iterations over the decades and making Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler household names.

A reboot of the show will make its debut on NBC in October, 60 years after the original show began, offering a fresh angle on environmental conservation. It will feature veteran co-host Peter Gros and a new co-host, Rae Wynn-Grant, who says she landed the job because someone saw her speaking at a community event in Omaha and thought shed be right for the job.

The series name gains a subtitle: Protecting the Wild.

Gros, who joined the original Wild Kingdom team in 1985, said the new shows focus on conservation successes will make it stand out in a field dense with nature shows.

I think we need to create some hope rather than continue to talk about the gloom and doom, he said.

Gros said many of the shows he grew up watching were dealing with gloom and doom or teeth and claws.

I think its good that we set an example, Gros said. In the past, when we had really serious problems, we solved them. And because we figured it out, modified our behavior, many of the species have come off the Endangered Species List.

Five pilot episodes of the new show were released earlier this year and can be viewed at WildKingdom.com.

The first episode tells an eye-watering tale of two black bear cubs severely burned in a wildfire, nursed back to health and released into the wild.

Gros provides the narration, his voice authoritative and reassuring. There are brief cameos, pulled from the files, of the beloved wildlife icon Perkins.

Another episode highlights the improbable comeback of the California condor from the brink of extinction.

The series wont skip over current issues, such as climate change, Gros said.

Gros said the template of past successes can be used to talk about future problems.

And there is even more urgency to react more quickly than we have in the past, he said.

Wynn-Grant, an accomplished wildlife ecologist who grew up in San Francisco, credits the generosity of Omahans for helping her land the co-hosting job.

She said she got noticed while on an unrelated speaking engagement in Omaha in the winter of 2022  her first visit to the city.

Someone from Mutual who attended the event later suggested she would be a good fit. Before long she was side-by-side with Gros.

I used to watch Peter on TV when I was a kid, and that iteration of Wild Kingdom in the 80s and the 90s really inspired me, she said. I used to say as a kid that I wanted to be a nature show host.

Her career path first led into academia, where she established her credentials as a wildlife ecologist and conservationist.

Shes a research faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara, a National Geographic fellow and a visiting scientist at the American Museum of Natural History.

In a format sense, the original series broke ground for the travel-adventure videos that populate YouTube today.

Perkins and Fowler, and later Gros, would narrate step-by-step their adventures, inviting viewers to come along, but always educating.

Wynn-Grant said the new series will retain a lot of the heart of the original, bringing viewers to places they likely wouldnt be able to go very easily themselves.

Peter and I are having adventures, she said. Were going on journeys. So the audience will see us taking a boat across a body of water. Theyll see us diving. Theyll see us hiking and crawling into tight spaces and exploring caves and all of that really adventurous stuff.

In addition, she said, they aim to normalize access to the outdoors and exploring nature, telling urban wildlife stories and making sure that the show is inclusive.

She said people need hope.

Its really important that people have hope and they understand that although were facing bigger problems in the environment than we ever have faced, we also, as a society, have a history of solving really big problems, she said.

Wynn-Grant said shes studied black bears  which are no longer on the Endangered Species List  in the western United States for 13 years.

Its because real plans were put in place, and biologists and landowners and the public and politicians all worked together to figure out how we can keep the species, she said.

The original show inspired and entertained generations of Americans, and Gros and Wynn-Grant hope that continues.

Through the years, many Omahans got to meet Fowler, who died in 2019 at the age of 89.

Gros first met Fowler when they both appeared on The Tonight Show, hosted by another Nebraskan, Johnny Carson.

Fowler made numerous appearances at Omaha schools, day cares and nature centers, showing off wild creatures. Gros accompanied him at times and learned from Fowler, who he said was a great communicator.

Jim was a good friend of mine, and he was also a wonderful mentor who shared so much of his knowledge from the early days of Wild Kingdom, Gros said. And he taught me to be a professional and be gracious, and how to be a host and not to draw attention to yourself but the environment in which you were filming and the animals and the natural world that needs the attention.

10 times we were proud to be Nebraskans Pilger cleanup Clayton Anderson Jack Hoffman Legislature unique Henry Doorly Zoo Ted Kooser National champions Hannah Huston Volleyball National Championship 150 years of statehood Nebraska flood relief
SIOUX CITY  In the early minutes of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalitions 2023 Heartland Summit, Liz Schrayer, the groups president and CEO, posed a question meant to organize the mornings proceedings.

Whats it worth? Whats it worth to be engaged in the world? Schrayer asked businesspeople and politicians gathered at the River Bend Conference Center in Sioux City, remotely in Detroit, Michigan, and watching online.

The third-annual, multi-state event is billed as a way of showcasing how advancements in the Midwest can shape international interests such as food stability, global development and security. Sponsored locally by Cargill, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Western Iowa Tech Community College, Vermeer, Iowa League of Cities and Veterans in Agriculture, the event was kicked off in part by Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott and featured a Q&A with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa about her belief, food security is national security.

2023 Heartland Summit Liz Schrayer, President and CEO of USGLC, makes remarks at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition's 2023 Heartland Summit Thursday, June 29, 202

When Schrayer asked attendees to vote on their phones about what American global leadership is worth to the heartland, the most common answers were: everything, prosperity, security and peace.

To me, these are all about global stability. Global stability means American stability, Schrayer said. You see it right now. Russian instability is literally spilling into the world. The war in Ukraine, last summer, I talked about how its impacting our gas prices. The global food crisis is impacting the supply chain. The global challenges are daunting.

Further adding to the list of challenges, Schrayer said, was China ramping up its investments abroad including in African nations. According to analysis from Harvard University, Chinese firms comprise about an eighth of Africas industrial output and China holds $153 billion in African loans.

Weve got to step up our game, Schrayer said.

During the discussion with Ernst, Schrayer asked how a state such as Iowa handles a relationship with China, which is its fourth-largest trading partner but also an agricultural competitor.

This is a difficult relationship, Ernst said. There is absolutely no doubt about it and we shouldnt tiptoe around it folks. Everyone in this room probably knows and understands that I am a very harsh critic of China because they are our No. 1 pacing threat. They are our No. 1 adversary.

Ernst went on to suggest China taking on more of a leadership role in foreign trade and global security could give them more of a say in the lives of everyday Iowans.

At some point, they start dictating to you how you will live your life, how you will run your business, how you will grow your crops, how you will raise your livestock, Ernst said. I am not ready to have Russia or China or Iran tell us as Americans how we should engage.

2023 Heartland Summit U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, right, answers a question from Liz Schrayer, President andf CEO of USGLC, during the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition's 

With respect to Russias war in Ukraine, and a recent short-lived mutiny of mercenaries from the country, Ernst said its critical for Americans to understand why the United States is providing tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine. Tuesday, the Biden administration announced it would send more than 50 heavily armored vehicles and missiles for air defense systems.

We are providing the equipment for Ukrainian forces, as are many other nations, Ernst said. We are not engaging in blood. We do not have American men and women who are fighting against the Russians. Its a good opportunity for us to be able to support a friend in Europe, understanding that if Ukraine falls, that advances Russia into Europe and advances Russia in opportunities of other nations in Europe.

Ernst then called Ukraine a great exporter and the breadbasket of Europe and said it plays a crucial role in feeding the Middle East as well.

The latter role, Ernst said, provides a measure of national security.

When you have people who are hungry, they turn to violent extremist organizations for their avenue toward prosperity and when they gain in numbers and strength then we see those issues. Weve seen it in the past. We wish to avoid it in the future, Ernst said.

2023 Heartland Summit Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, speaks during the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition's 2023 Heartland Summit Thursday, June 

In his opening remarks for the event, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, who served from 1995 until 2001, said no industry is as dependent on global events and policies as agriculture.

Whether its in the trade area, investment, research and development, climate, nutrition, were in the center of the world, Glickman said. And so this conference is particularly important in recognizing the tie between the heartland and the rest of the world.

For his part, Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott said leading globally begins locally and that the kinds of issue the event covered reach across the political divide.

These are issues worth talking about at the kitchen table with your family and at the local diners with friends, Scott said.

2023 Heartland Summit Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott gives introductory remarks along with Wayne County (Michigan) Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch, who appeared via a liv

Other speakers at the event included Michael Wagner, a managing director for starch, sweeteners and texturizers at Cargill, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham, Michigan and Marcus Jadotte, the vice president of government relations and public policy for Google.
ELK POINT, S.D.  With a new judge presiding over his case, Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales on Thursday pleaded not guilty of fatally stabbing his girlfriend in her Dakota Dunes apartment.

Castellanos-Rosales, 39, of Sioux City, entered his plea to charges of first-degree murder, contributing to the neglect of a child and contributing to the abuse of a child. Circuit Judge David Knoff scheduled trial for May 28 in Union County Circuit Court.

First-degree murder is punishable by life in prison or the death penalty in South Dakota. The other two charges are misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail. Knoff set an Aug. 14 deadline for Union County States Attorney Jerry Miller to file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, if Miller chooses to seek that sentence.

Castellanos-Rosales had been scheduled for arraignment on Monday, but the hearing was delayed after Miller sought the removal of Judge Tami Bern from the case, saying he did not believe she could be impartial toward the prosecution. He did not elaborate on his reasons for the request.

First Circuit Presiding Judge Cheryle Gering then appointed Knoff to the case.

Castellanos-Rosales is accused of stabbing 23-year-old Jordan Beardshear in her apartment at The Wellington at the Dunes apartment complex on April 25.

According to court documents, witnesses saw Beardshear at her apartment complex while she was waiting for Castellanos-Rosales, whom she had been dating, to pick up their 1-year-old son. Later that evening, Castellanos-Rosales called Beardshears mother to come to his home to pick up the child.

Beardshears body was discovered the following day. She had sustained stab wounds, defensive slashing wounds and trauma to her neck/throat area, court documents said.

After executing a search warrant at Castellanos-Rosales home, investigators found clothing suspected of containing blood.

Castellanos-Rosales, who was born in Guatemala and is a U.S. citizen, fled to Mexico, where he was arrested May 12, and, after a stay in a Texas jail, waived extradition and was returned to Union County.
DAKOTA CITY  A judge has ruled that a South Sioux City man acquitted by reason of insanity for the 2017 shooting death of his wife remains dangerous and must stay in a state mental health treatment facility.

District Judge Bryan Meismer on Wednesday ruled that evidence, including reports from mental health providers, showed Bei Sheng Chen continues to be a danger to himself and others. Meismer ordered Chen to remain in treatment for his mental illness at the Lincoln (Nebraska) Regional Center.

Chen, 45, was found not responsible by reason of insanity and acquitted in May 2018 of first-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault and use of a firearm to commit a felony for the Sept. 6, 2017, shooting death of Mei Huang.

Chen has been in treatment since then, and Nebraska law requires a judge to review his case annually. The defense and prosecution waived an in-person hearing in Dakota County District Court, and Meismer issued his ruling after reviewing doctors reports on Chens condition.

Meismer said Chen may continue his current on and off-ground privileges while under supervision for the purpose of community reintegration. The Regional Center also may begin exploring placement options in the community for Chen, but the discharge process likely would be lengthy. Any changes in Chens placement would need court approval.

Two psychiatrists who examined Chen separately prior to trial agreed he was insane when he shot and killed his wife. Chen was diagnosed with psychosis, delusional disorders and depressive disorders.

Chen had followed Huang to the Law Enforcement Center at 701 W. 29th St. in South Sioux City and shot her outside. Police officers found Huang lying on the ground with gunshot wounds. Chen was found near her and taken into custody, and a firearm was found nearby.

Evidence presented at trial showed that prior the shooting, Chen was having delusions that his wife was the devil and was going to harm him. Chens attorney did not dispute that Chen shot his wife, and a judge agreed that evidence showed Chen had pulled the trigger.
A 6-year-old boy who was rushed to the hospital after he was found down in the wave pool at Fun-Plex Waterpark has died, police said Wednesday.

Police could not elaborate on the boys cause of death, but a GoFundMe set up by the family early Wednesday said he had no brain activity and had been taken off life support.

He was a sweet 6 year old, our first son, a twin to his sister, and everything to our family, the boys mother, Makda Gebre, wrote in the GoFundMe. We are devastated.

The Sioux City family was asking for donations to help with funeral expenses.

Medical personnel were called to the pool at 7003 Q St. in Ralston at about 2:45 p.m. Sunday. Radio traffic indicated the boy was unconscious when he was pulled from the pool. CPR was in progress when medics arrived.

The boy was taken by ambulance to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy and then transported to Childrens Hospital & Medical Center.

Fun-Plex, which has remained closed since Sunday, issued a statement Wednesday.

We are deeply saddened, and our thoughts are with the family during this very difficult time, the statement said. Our primary focus throughout our 40 years in business is to provide a safe environment for every person who walks through our gates. On behalf of everyone at Fun-Plex, we offer our heartfelt condolences.
A former music teacher and administrator at Blair High School was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

The five-year sentence for Daniel Hutsell, 42, is the minimum sentence allowed by federal law for child pornography distribution offenses. He faced up to 20 years in prison.

According to statements made in court and documents, the investigation into Hutsell began almost a year before his indictment in 2022. Law enforcement was first tipped off in September 2021 after Stelivo, a company that runs a real-time chatroom website, reported that a user in Nebraska was distributing images of child pornography.

Using an account with the username G|teachrr, Hutsell sent a sexually explicit image of an 8- to 10-year-old girl to other users on the website. Investigators were able to tie the account to Hutsell by using his IP address. Stelivo reported that 10 additional pornographic images of prepubescent children were uploaded and distributed by the G|teachrr account.

In late 2021, Hutsells home was searched and his electronic devices were seized. According to the plea agreement, he admitted to law enforcement that he used the website to trade pornography and that he had seen the aforementioned photo of the young girl.

Hutsell resigned from his job at Blair High School in December following the search warrant. He was indicted in July 2022 on six child pornography charges: three for distributing the material, and three for possession. All of the possession charges involved images of children under the age of 12.

Earlier this year, Hutsell accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20. All other charges were dismissed.

According to a biography of Hutsell from the Nebraska School Activities Association, he was the choir director at Blair High for 15 years. In 2020, he was promoted to the schools activities director.

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High school: Omaha North.

The specs: Athlete, 6-1, 185 pounds.

Takeaway: To those who doubt the effectiveness of June football camps, look no further than Jones. Heading into the summer, the uncommitted senior was still searching for his first Division I offer. Jones participated in the Lindenwood (Mo.) University mega camp in the first week of June, where he earned FCS offers from Lindenwood and South Dakota State. Things were even sweeter when both Wyoming and Nebraska extended offers after NU's Friday Night Lights camp. Players who flash athleticism, speed and potential tend to stand out at these summer camps  and Jones' success is the proof.

Jones fits the mold of what Nebraska is looking for in a defensive back recruit. The senior is dynamic and versatile enough to play any spot in the secondary, something he's already done for Omaha North. Working mostly as a safety, Jones came down with two interceptions and defended seven passes during his junior year. Physically, he seems like a fit at free safety, though cornerback could also be Jones' future position.
LINCOLN  Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer kicked off her campaign for a third term in the U.S. Senate Wednesday, surrounded by a crowd of Republican officeholders and supporters.

The states senior senator made the announcement in the State Capitol Rotunda, where she was joined by current Gov. Jim Pillen, former Govs. Dave Heineman and Kay Orr, as well as U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.

Today I humbly ask your support so that I can continue to serve the people I know and the state that I love, Fischer said, pledging to build Nebraska, protect the nation, stand up for our shared values and secure a brighter future for our children and our grandchildren.

Fischer, 72, will be the first Nebraska senator to seek a third term since the late Jim Exon was re-elected in 1990. A Republican, she was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and won reelection in 2018.

Two years ago, she announced that she planned to seek reelection so she could leverage her seniority to become more effective as a senator.

If you want to get things done, seniority matters, she said at the time.

Her influence already increased this year, when she landed a seat on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. She also holds seats on the Armed Services Committee, the Agriculture Committee and the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

On Wednesday, she touted her record of fighting for limited government and conservative values, while making sure that Nebraska gets its fair share of federal support for needed projects. Among those, she mentioned funding to replace the runway at Offutt Air Force Base, build a new Veterans Affairs ambulatory care clinic in Omaha and complete Lincolns South Beltway.

No challengers to Fischer have emerged yet. Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Jane Kleeb said she expects that a candidate in the race will announce in the fall. She said the Democratic Party will work to win and to hold Fischer accountable for her failures in working for all Nebraskans.

Sen. Fischer has spent her career in politics saying one thing and doing another, Kleeb said. Fischer says she supports property rights and then turns around and supports projects using eminent domain for private gain.

Kleeb pointed to the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which has now been shelved, and to proposals for carbon pipelines as examples of such projects.

Kleeb said another candidate plans to announce a campaign against Fischers GOP colleague, Sen. Pete Ricketts, this summer. The former governor was appointed in January to fill Sen. Ben Sasses seat, after Sasse resigned to become president of the University of Florida. Ricketts must seek election next year to keep the seat for the remainder of Sasses term.

Ricketts did not appear at Fischers campaign kickoff, but his campaign manager, Chris Nelson, said Ricketts strongly supports her reelection because shes done a great job for our state. Nelson said the two have worked closely together thus far.

The former Deb Strobel, Fischer grew up in Lincoln. But her life took a rural turn when she married Bruce Fischer, a rancher from the Valentine area, in 1972. There, she got involved with numerous agricultural and community groups.

She served on the Valentine Rural High School Board of Education before running for the State Legislature in 2008. In the Legislature, she chaired the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and was instrumental in getting major road-building legislation passed.

Twelve years ago, she won a come-from-behind primary election against then-Attorney General Jon Bruning and State Treasurer Don Stenberg in a bid for the Republican nomination for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Photos: Deb Fischer's political journey Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Deb Fischer State Senator Deb Fischer with mentees. Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Legislature Deb Fischer Election Day, 5.15.12 Deb Fischer - Election Day Deb Fischer election night Deb Fischer election night Deb Fischer election night Deb Fischer election night Deb Fischer winning Fischer Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Fischer, Bruning Heineman, Fischer Deb Fischer Fischer, Bruning Fischer, Pete Ricketts Fahleson, Stenberg, Heineman, Fischer, Bruning Fischer, Bruning Deb Fischer, Bob Kerrey Deb Fischer Deb Fischer, Bob Kerrey Deb Fischer debate Fischer Kerrey debate Fischer Kerrey debate Deb Fischer, Bob Kerrey Deb Fischer Bob Kerrey, Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Photos of the Day, 10.8.2012 19 Deb Fischer campaign visit Deb Fischer press conference, 11.1.2012 Deb Fischer press conference, 11.1.2012 Fischer Presser, 11.1.2012 John McCain, Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Victory Deb Fischer Campaign 11.06.2012 Deb Fischer Victory Deb Fischer Campaign 11.06.2012 Deb Fischer sworn in Deb Fischer Deb Fischer Nebraska Korean War veterans tour Washington, DC memorials as part of Honor Flights Medal Of Honor, 6.7.14 Capitol Forum Day, 03/21/2016 Nebraska Vietnam Combat Veterans Flight members tour Washington, DC Fischer protest Deb Fischer in Kearney Fischer in Holdrege Deb Fischer and Greg Ibach Serving their country Fischer 42 4th of July Parade Fischer-Raybould debate Senator Deb Fischer wins re-election New Congress, Deb Fischer The 2019 Inaugural Ball at Pinnacle Bank Arena Trump Legislative Summit Nebraska Welcome Home Troop: Ribbon Cutting CHIEF STANDING BEAR Trump Impeachment Lincoln South Beltway event 20201028_new_trump_ar30
LINCOLN  A Nebraska lawmaker filed a defamation lawsuit against a local far-right political action committee after members claimed she was grooming her transgender son.

The complaint was filed by the Nebraska Legal Action Fund on behalf of State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, alleging that the Nebraska Freedom Coalition  including members Patrick Peterson, Robert Anthony and Malia Shirley  made "intentional, reckless, and knowingly false statements" about Hunt, claiming she sexually abused and groomed her 13-year-old son.

Today I am taking a stand against those who wish to defame, intimidate, and harass parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and advocates who stand up for our children and Nebraskans in the fight for equality across the state. No longer will we stand by while vile and defamatory statements are made to marginalize Nebraskans," Hunt said in a press release about the complaint.

The coalition made such claims on Twitter after Hunt shared that her son was transgender during a contentious debate over a bill that will restrict access to gender-affirming care for individuals under 19. Since then, the coalition has repeatedly called Hunt a "groomer," and posted photos of her child.

Following the initial post, the Nebraska Legal Action Fund requested the coalition retract its statements, but the coalition doubled down in a post that was still pinned on its Twitter page as of Wednesday.

According to the complaint, the coalition intended to accuse Hunt of a crime through these statements. In Nebraska, grooming is considered a form of child abuse.

"As a mother there is perhaps no worse crime to be accused of, than the sexual abuse of your own child," the complaint reads. "The Coalition accused her exactly of that, with no basis in fact, and did so knowingly."

Prompted by the coalition's posts, the complaint claims that Hunt has been subject to harassment and threatening statements. An Omaha lawyer filed a complaint against Hunt arguing that she had a conflict of interest in the debate on the gender care bill due to her son being transgender  that complaint was recently dismissed.

Without any evidence to support their claims, the Nebraska Legal Action Fund contends the coalition's statements are defamatory.

The coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of June 2023
Gov. Jim Pillen announced Tuesday that Patrick Haggerty will be the director of a new state office devoted to expanding broadband services across Nebraska.

Haggerty will lead the Nebraska Broadband Office, which Pillen called for in an executive order during his first days as governor and was solidified through the passage of LB683 this year. Haggerty will assume the role of director on July 17, and will join Pillens Cabinet.

Patricks many years of executive level experience in the telecommunications and government relations fields uniquely positions him to lead our efforts to bring reliable and affordable high-speed internet to all Nebraskans, Pillen said in a press release.

Haggerty most recently served as the regional senior director for state government affairs over Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota for telecommunications company Charter Communications. He previously worked for similar companies such as Qwest Communications and CenturyLink.

The Broadband Office is tasked with overseeing millions of federal dollars for the purposes of expanding broadband services, including $405.3 million from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program that federal officials announced Monday was coming to Nebraska. The state had received nearly $100 million before Mondays announcement.

The office, supported by the Nebraska Department of Transportation, is collecting public input for a five-year action plan that will inform Nebraskas proposal for the execution of these funds.

We are at a pivotal time, where a strategic and coordinated approach to broadband deployment is vital, Haggerty said in the press release.

Haggerty, Pillen and other state officials will tour the state on July 6 to outline their plan. In the meantime, the Broadband Office, along with the Department of Transportation, the Nebraska Information Technology Commission and the Office of the Chief Information Officer continue to host public meetings across Nebraska to provide and seek input about the quality and availability of internet access.

Several upcoming meetings remain:

South Sioux City  June 29, 5:30 p.m.; South Sioux City Marriott Riverfront, 385 E. Fourth St.

Lincoln  July 11, 5:30 p.m.; NDOT Auditorium, 1500 Nebraska Parkway

Omaha  July 12, 5:30 p.m.; NDOT State Operations Center, 4425 S. 108th St.

Those who are unable to attend can visit broadband.nebraska.gov/Home to get more information and submit feedback.

10 scenic hiking trails in Nebraska Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge - 68 miles from Lincoln Platte River State Park - 32 miles from Lincoln Pioneers Park Nature center - 7 miles from downtown Lincoln Eugene T. Mahoney State Park - 25 miles from Lincoln Indian Cave State Park - 93 miles from Lincoln Ponca State Park - 145 miles from Lincoln Smith Falls State Park - 317 miles from Lincoln Scotts Bluff National Monument - 399 miles from Lincoln Pine Ridge National Recreation Area - 439 miles from Lincoln Toadstool Geologic Park - 473 miles from Lincoln Did we miss something?
DR. WALLACE: Im 16 and have been dating a wonderful guy my age for the past three months. We spent most of our time laughing, kidding each other and just generally hanging out.

We reached the point of holding hands regularly and giving each other a kiss goodnight. All was well in my social world! But Ive just learned that his father was transferred by his job and this wonderful boy will be permanently moving out of state in less than two weeks!

Now I fear that Ill never see him again in my lifetime! Several of my friends have told me that I will soon forget about him, but I highly doubt that.

Is there anything I can do to sidestep the broken heart Im about to experience?  Just Received the Bad News, via email

JUST RECEIVED THE BAD NEWS: You can make the most of the time you have remaining. I suggest that you engage him in a realistic discussion. Tell him that you will of course really miss him, but let him know that its still possible that your paths might cross at some point in the future.

Im not sure if either of you have college plans, but its not impossible for you to both attend the same college someday.

Also, take note that your relationship was brief but sweet, and know that youll be all the better for it. From here youll be able to measure potential future dates against the nice experience youve just had, and this will make you much more likely to only accept future dates from guys who at least act as close to this behavior as possible.

And its likely that he will have similar feelings and future experiences. With todays technology you can keep loosely in touch over the next few years if you both elect to, and it remains a possibility that you might see him someday. But for now, you should do your best to accept your new reality and take some time to reflect and appreciate the special bond you two enjoyed.

She doesnt know what hes all about

DR. WALLACE: This summer, my best girlfriend is doing all she can to try to get a certain guy to ask her out! She flirts with him every chance she gets; she even tracks him online and tries to be at events she knows he will be attending.

The problem is that I know for certain this guy is a huge loser who treats girls really poorly. How do I know this? Well, my mother works with another lady who has a daughter who dated him previously. It turns out he called her names in public in front of other people and he made it a point to flirt with every other girl he could find anytime they went out on a date together. Then he would tell her that if she didnt meet his standards of behavior, he had a lot of other girls ready who would!

And worst of all, this girl and her mother found out that his prior girlfriend before her had the exact same experience! So, to me its obvious hes a serial manipulator all the way around. What can I do to get my best friend to stop paying attention to this jerk?  Her Best Friend, via email

HER BEST FRIEND: It sounds like your warnings are falling on deaf ears. The only other thing I can think of at this point would be to have your friend visit your house at some point and have your mother ready to join a conversation with the two of you.

If your mom agrees, have her lay out the evidence that she has regarding this particular guy. From there, you can likely do nothing more to convince her. Perhaps your mothers knowledge will wake your friend up and snap her out of the dangerous state of infatuation that she currently finds herself in.

From there you might try to set your friend up on a blind date with someone else so that she can focus on something other than this unsavory character.
Not many people can say that they frequently walk past a known murderer on the street, but the residents of central Dublin are among them. Malcolm Macarthur, one of the most notorious killers in the history of modern Ireland, can often be spotted strolling the sidewalks, taking the bus, at the library, and even attending literary events. These days hes a nattily attired and cultured gentleman in his 70s, but in 1982, during a misbegotten scheme to rob a bank, he fatally beat a nurse with a hammer, shot a farmer in the face with a shotgun, and caused a national scandal when he was arrested at the home of Irelands attorney general.

Writer and Slate contributor Mark OConnell also lives in Dublin, and on several occasions hed spotted Macarthurwho was released in 2012 after serving 30 years of a life sentenceout and about. OConnell intercepted Macarthur on a Dublin street during the pandemic and persuaded the murderer to grant him a series of interviews. Before he could be tried, Macarthur had pleaded guilty, so he never testified. Indeed, OConnell writes in his remarkable new book, A Thread of Violence, Macarthurs crimes were the subject of books, documentaries, and countless newspaper and magazine articles, but I had never heard or read so much as a word from his own mouth about the things he had done, or his reasons for having done them.

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The result is a book that tells the true story of a crime while scrutinizing our desire for such true-crime stories and the often simplistic explanations they offer for the terrible things people do. I spoke with OConnell about what he sought and what he found in his conversations with this enigmatic criminal. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Laura Miller: The key points that seem to have made the Macarthur story so mythic in Ireland are his class and his hiding out at the attorney generals house. Is that right?

Mark OConnell: Yeah, I think thats it. Little is known about this man, but the story gets told again and again. Hes a bow tiewearing toff with a tweed jacket, and theres his proximity to power and privilege. And there was suspicion about the relationship between the attorney general and this murderer. There was a sense of glimpsing a roiling sea of corruption through the aperture of this one murder. Turned out, ironically enough, that the prime minister had nothing to do with it. But I think thats what lends Macarthur this aura of sinister revelation: He is a creature of the establishment. This is how he thinks of himself, even to this day. He hasnt quite relinquished this sense of himself as a connected man, a respectable person.

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Do you think that part of the public fascination comes from the belief that because the people he murdered were a nurse and a farmer, and therefore not members of his own class, he must have thought that they were disposable?

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I think theres a dimension of that. I was inclined at first to read it that way, as a class allegory, with this upper-class vampire figure who murders two young working people. But as I started to write the book, those allegorical readings of the casethey didnt entirely fall away, but the thing I found with Macarthur is that any kind of narrative slot that you try to put him in, he doesnt quite fit. Any kind of allegorical reading or political reading obscures as much or more than it reveals. It was the same with even psychological readings. You probably noticed when you were reading it that the language of psychiatry does not come into the book at all.

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Thats very striking.

Just as people would want to explain it in terms of a class allegory or a historical allegory or to make it make sense in terms of Ireland, they would similarly want to make it make sense in terms of, This guys clearly a pathological narcissist, or, Hes autistic. Loads of different interpretive frames were put on his behavior. Some of those, as I say, may be right, but its a little too easy. Or, rather, its not the language that is useful for me in what Im trying to do. The more time I spent with him, the less convinced I was that there was any one way of explaining him. If I had just spent two hours with him, I probably could have walked away and gone, Yeah, I have the measure of this guy. But you spend dozens and dozens of hours in a room with someone and they, in a way, become less clear.

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Hes definitely a bit of a weirdo, but not in a way that you would think would lead to him murdering someone. He seems like an affected guy who just wants to read newspapers and books and listen to the radio and not really do anything with his life. He appears harmless. I suppose he was a person who was determined to get what he wanted, which was enough money so that he didnt have to work. And when he came up against any interference to his plan, he just didnt know what to do except to obliterate it.

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You spend dozens and dozens of hours in a room with someone and they, in a way, become less clear. Mark OConnell

He wants to see himself as a harmless man. I wouldnt use that phrase about him. I dont think he is harmless. But yes, some of the nicest people I know, they have titles and theyre very well-rounded people, and theyre the products of very expensive educations and generations of free time and cultivation and culture. Macarthur is kind of like that. He is a nice person. He prides himself on being polite and acting with decency. But these totally senseless and brutal murders happened because that was threatened. That positionof privilege and freedom and wafting about reading books and being a cultured person living this cultivated lifewas threatened because of his lack of money. So rather than getting a job, rather than getting out there and rolling up his sleeves and living off his own labor, he committed murder. In a way, the hidden violence beneath those social arrangements was made explicit in that moment. Im interpreting it there in a single way, which is what Im trying not to do in the book.

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You become a character in the book, partly because at the beginning youre searching for him. Finally, there is the moment when you do run into him on the street, and you engage him in conversation. Thenimmediately after Macarthur has told you that people hardly ever recognize him, and when they do, theyre not usually hostilea man recognizes him and is very hostile. The man takes a photo, and you think, Uh-oh, somewhere theres a picture of me talking with Macarthur. Now youre part of the story, instead of a guy whos trying to find the story. And its a really weird, unsettling moment. This forces the question of what youre after. In the beginning, you seem to think that if you can draw him out, you will gain some understanding of evil. You will be able to witness it in some way. But maybe Im wrong about that, and you can clarify.

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In a way, thats a red herring, because the book is not really about evil. Evil is a word that seems to explain something, but is actually just pasteboard. It doesnt explain anything. Part of what I wanted was to make this man make sense. Theres this strange combination of absolute moral othernessa person who has done these unspeakable thingsbut also this strange proximity. He comes from not the same social world that I come from, but as I say in the book, it seemed that we might share a language. Hes an intellectual. Hes someone who might have a similar set of references to myself. But none of those explanations for why I wanted to talk to him were all that satisfactory to me. Really what it is, is that I felt he was a good character and this is a really good story. Thats the reason, I think, for every journalistic encounter: because its a good character and a good story. But there is a moral dimension to that.

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Later, once you become engaged with him and youre far along in this project, theres a moment where you want to feel that he is aware of the horror of what hes done. Youve described the victims lives. Bridie Gargan, the nurse, and Donal Dunne, the farmer, were quite young when he murdered them. Theyre both the same age, right?

Twenty-seven, yeah.

Theyre total strangers who Macarthur just destroys on his completely misguided path to committing a bank robbery that never happens. They have families who are devastated by their loss, and you want to see him register that enormity in some way, which I think is a common feeling people have toward murderers. What do you think about that desire? Do you feel like that was another blind alley?

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I dont think that I would be able to commit murder, but I think that if I had, I would be morally crushed by it. I would just be absolutely destroyed by it. So, yeah, I did want to see that. I did want to get to some sense of real remorse, not just regret, but realas I say in the book, I wanted to feel that he was somehow destroyed by the fact of having done what he did. He served 30 years in prison, and he admitted what he did, and so on. So, in a way, he has paid for his crime. But in another sense, I couldnt shake this feeling that he had got away with it. Morally, he had almost got away with it.

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I was haunted and unsatisfied by the sense that hes not crushed by the weight of these deeds. And then, of course, the book asks, Why do I want this? Why do I want this from him? Yes, its morally satisfying, but its also narratively satisfying. I wanted Raskolnikov, and I did not get it.

He says Im not the type of person who is a murderer, referencing his period in prison, implying that hes met real murderers there and hes not like them. But he obviously is a murderer. And now hes basically living the same life that he was before. Hes the same person that he was before he committed the murder and went to jail! He doesnt seem transformed by the experience, except materially.

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I think he wouldnt agree that hes unaffected by it, but I dont see that much evidence that he is weighed down in his days by the knowledge of what he did. Why should I be destroyed by this? What purpose would it serve for me to be annihilated by this thing that I did?

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So much of this book is about people wanting a narrative that makes sense. You want a narrative of him suffering remorse. He had a narrative of how he was going to rob a bank, a conviction about how that was going to go, and as soon as Bridie and Donal presented an obstacle, he had to plow through them to finish the story of him getting the money that he needed. Its as if the momentum of that story about how he was going to solve his problems was what caused him to do it.

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Its a phrase that he uses in the book, fixity of purpose.

Exactly, and now, the story that we usually want to see from someone like him involves some attempt to atone for what he had done.

I dont know. That might be a Judeo-Christian thing or something. Macarthur says, Well, what do you want from me? And of course, he is constantly dissimulating throughout our relationship. But I think theres something about his refusal to perform remorse, to perform grief about himself or anyone else. Im not going to say its honorable, because its anything but honorable, but in a weird way, its maybe 

Honest?

Yeah. And its very disturbing for that reason, but, yeah.

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Related from Slate Laura Miller Its the Biggest Debut Novel of the Past Year. Heres Why Its Such a Hit. Read More

You write about your struggle with yourself to think of him as real person, because, first, you studied John Banville, an author who turned Macarthur into a fictional character in his novel The Book of Evidence, and second, because you are making a narrative out of him. Meanwhile, you have to correct all these popular narratives about him, because they are part of the story as well.

It is very much a book of competing fictions or competing narratives, and Im very interested in how reality is just made up of fiction. Stories are power. The way that you shape a story is a way to take power. For the most part, I would let him tell his story, and often that would involve what I thought of as lies, but I would let him do it because I thought that it would be not useful for me to be constantly catching him out, like a crusading TV journalist. But there were moments when I did press the truth. In our relationship, such as it is, there are moments when we have real arguments, where theres real tension, and often that revolves around me insisting on what I see as the truth. Thats a power move, and I didnt use it very often, but when I do use it, its using the truth as a weapon.

Which of course raises the question of how he responded to your attempt to tell a truthful narrative about him, in which he has no power at all.

I tried to warn him all along that he would not like what I was going to write. He would affect sophistication and say, Well, of course, youve got your own job to do. Youre not just parroting my story, or whatever.

And when he read the book?

Ill briefly sketch it to say that he was not happy.
Its officially Tomato Girl Summerat least, according to a rapidly growing number of TikTok videos that showcase a personal style that might be described as aspirational Italian leisure chic. That influencer you follow who is posting dreamy vacation snaps from the Amalfi Coast, wearing lots of linen, and drinking endless Aperol spritzes? That person is living her best Tomato Girl Summer.

As with the many TikTok aesthetic trends that have preceded itcottagecore, Barbiecore, mermaidcore, or kidcore, to name a fewthere is no a specific definition of a Tomato Girl, no single way to be a Tomato Girl. Its a fashion statement without a uniform (although produce-print dresses dont hurt); a way of performing a sort of effortless-looking elegance without being a member of the leisure class. In short, its a lovely illusion.

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But deducing from TikTok videos, Instagram posts, and the odd Yahoo explainer, its safe to say the Tomato Girl appreciates the slower, finer moments in life, and can be found lingering over an afternoon espresso, taking a dip in the ocean, strolling along the beach, snacking on aperitivo, and sauntering to the farmers market for flowers and, of course, tomatoes. She likes simple floral prints on her clothes and on her porcelain tableware. Her makeup look is natural, or like golden hour, as one TikTokker put it. She antiques. She journals. She puts olive oil in her martinis. Think Diane Lane clad in white in Under the Tuscan Sun, or Sophia Loren pulling up to the Venice Film Festival in a water taxi. It may be the stuff of daydreamsbut it sure looks glamorous and relaxing.

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In the years since TikTok took over the internet, the video-sharing app has become known for fashion microtrends that apply increasingly confusing coinage to stylistic choices. (Tomato Girl? Who comes up with this stuff?) A lot of the styles blend together or are only really distinguishable from each other by fashion mavens, but they are worth noting for the way they drive commerce, consumerism, and stylistic trends outside of TikTok.

After the onset of the cottagecore trendwhich, for the uninitiated, is essentially a grandmotherly fashion style with cozy, chintzy elementsdresses that looked like nightgowns were suddenly everywhere. (The most famous, or infamous, was the Nap Dress, which New Yorker writer Rachel Syme described as the look of gussied-up oblivion.) After the fairycore (and gothic fairycore) trend, colorful, glittery, winged eye makeup and floral hair jewelry made their way to the red carpet and everyday life, and when balletcore hit, suddenly ballet flats were once again being sold everywhere. Certainly, fashion brands are now noticing the Tomato Girl trend. Its only a matter of time before they attempt to cash in.

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On the one hand, this isnt so great for society. Fast fashion has made it exceedingly easy to buy cheap, trendy clothing in bulk, from brands like Shein and Fashion Nova that have been accused of human rights abuses. Cheaply made goodsand ravenous consumerismcreate massive amounts of environmental waste. Theres also the more complicated issue that a lot of these trends are basically variations of the same romanticized vision of idle wealth mixed with unattainable beauty standards.

But these minitrends are interesting for the way they express nostalgic longing. In the case of the Tomato Girl trend, the yearning seems to be for a slower pace, for romance and picnics and longer summer meals, for blissed-out contentment, for sunny days and relaxation. And sure, for good outfits. In short, its a new term for the old idea of la dolce vita.

And while tomatoes dont strike me as the idyllic food item to embody la dolce vita (dont lemons seem more fitting?!), the TikTokker Nicollet LaFramboi, who joined the trend by painting her nails a perfect shade of orangey-red tomato, summed it up pretty well with her commentary on the matter: I know theres some controversy about there being too many micro-aesthetics on TikTok. I love it. I think its cute. If it makes you feel whimsical and happy to be a Tomato Girl, then so be it.
Every week, Rich and Stoya answer a special question they could only tackle together, just for Slate Plus members. Join today to never miss a column.

How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

This weird phenomenon happens on and off after orgasms and Id like to understand what it is.

Sometimes after an orgasm, usually if it is during the day, I have what I can only call a fugue state. Im conscious but have what seems like a very long, sometimes hours, deja vu. I have been to a neurologist who was no help and never heard of such a thing. But two of my siblings have the same thing happen occasionally. This has been going on for years. I am a man, and they are women, and we are all well into middle age if that makes a difference. Have you heard of this? Any idea what it could be?

Dazed and Confused

Rich: To me it sounds like post orgasmic illness syndrome, which is abbreviated as POIS. So that has a lot of different symptoms. And they could be in the realm of allergies like stuffy nose, itchy eyes. But then theres also a component of cognitive dysfunction to it. Sometimes headaches, concentration difficulties, irritability, dizziness. Tons of stuff like that. Thats what I think this is.

Stoya: Yeah. My suggestion is to see a second neurologist and maybe a third neurologist until you find someone who is taking this seriously.

Rich: I think the neurologist didnt detect it because its sex-related. Its probably just not in their wheelhouse. And this is a rare thing that is understudied. There is a Wikipedia article on it, which I think would be very helpful for the writer to read. But we can go through some of what I found. I read a study, as well. The cause is unknown. Some doctors hypothesize that it might be autoimmune, could be hormone imbalance, and there are different kinds of approaches to treatment, too. I will say the only thing that gives me some pause from saying conclusively, this is what it is, is that its super rare. Wikipedia says that as of 2016, there is only one documented female patient. Its usually men. So the fact that his sisters have it is somewhat odd.

Stoya: Can I just get a little clarity about what deja vu means here?

Rich: I guess thats the thing about deja vu. What is it? There is no clarity. I have to assume that its the general kind of brain fog or the feeling of kind of like Im not entirely perceiving to the best of my ability. I think thats why he chose to use the word deja vu. Its just that weird feeling, kind of like banging your brains funny bone, you know?

Stoya: In porn, we call that dick drunk. Its so common that we have a shorthand for it. So Im not really sure that this is so uncommon in women, so much as the kind of sex that you have in mainstream porn is often like the male performer really wants to look good and be a good scene partner. They want to make the female partners feel good. So youre having sex with someone for about an hour total who really wants to make you feel good and you end up dick-drunk in a way that seven minutes at home with your partner may not achieve. Im not so sure that this is all that rare in women so much as the women who experience it may call it something else and maybe dont see it as a problem.

Rich: Yes, thats another factor mentioned in the writing about this, that by any stretch of the imagination, its probably underreported. How do you define dick drunk? I mean, is this dick drunk distinguished from the kind of flow state of sex where youre kind of like leaving the constraints of linear time and youre just experiencing pure pleasure? In other words, does it last after the orgasm? Because I think thats key here.

Stoya: Yes. The last time I was dick drunk. Imagine it: Im in Florence. I need to go shopping for a purse. And I had what felt like a million orgasms, but the shops were going to close. I get out of bed and my legs were just sort of crumbling. So I go to the shower and I sit in it with the handset and like, shower all the sex juice off. And then I sort of like not quite crawl, but like on my like hands and legs roll over to my clothing and get dressed, and then the guy that I was with had to like basically hold me up. This lasted for about three hours, and it was like being drunk. I almost walk out into traffic and am laughing. My brain is giving me the wrong language. My brain is like, it must be Serbian if its not English. Just complete mental incompetence.

Rich: Thats really interesting.

Stoya: But what I would normally do is just stay in bed until I return to function. And to be clear, it takes truly spectacular sex for an extended period of time to get there. But normally, I would just stay where I am until it passes, which could be a few hours. (And Im sure pussy drunk is the thing as well, to be clear.) But yeah its intense. I should not be sending emails when I am in that state.

Rich: So POIS seems to bother people, but it sounds like this condition that youre describingif its the same/similar thingis almost kind of fun. I mean, it sounds fun. Being drunk is fun.

Stoya: Yeah. Unless you have to do something.

Rich: Right. And then it becomes a burden.

Stoya: I will actually turn down sex or request specifically, like, not a quickie, but something closer to a quickie. Or I will say, No more orgasms for me if I do not have the space to be dick drunk. Because if I am dick drunk and I have to do important things, I am screwed. It is not good. Its the difference between drinking half a bottle of wine at 9 a.m. or drinking half a bottle of wine over dinner when youre going to go home and sleep.

Rich: Yeah. So I would postulate that it could be that many people are experiencing this, but theres only a percentage of them that actually have the more negative symptoms and find this to be an issue. There are people whoperhaps because its something that is generally manageable, something that they have found a workaround forwouldnt report this to the doctor. You would just say like, OK, this is the thing that happens sometimes. I can deal with it. No treatment necessary. So that could also be the cause of some of the underreporting.

Theres this case study. When this guy came complaining about this, an endocrinologist checked his testosterone and it was low. So what they did was they injected him with hCG three times per week and totally resolved this issue. But also keep in mind that other treatments for this have included antihistamines, benzos, select SSRIs, and CNS stimulants. One patient had his testicles, prostate, and seminal vesicles removed, which relieved his symptoms. Non-steroidal inflammatory drugs have helped people. One of the more unusual treatments was injecting patients with their own sperm because doctors postulated that it was an autoimmune thing. There is also the hypothesis that maybe this has different ways of presenting in people. And so what I would do is I would go to a urologist and I would talk to them or just your primary care provider about this. Get a full battery of tests.

Stoya: I think our writer may be in a position to experience what the medical system is like for people with uteruses and ovaries who have difficulties. So just a quick sketch. You go to one kind of doctor. They dont know what to do with you. You go to a different kind of doctor and get second opinions. Maybe you have to change countries, but eventually, someone is able to help. A urologist seems like a good idea. Also, a psychiatrist who deals with sexuality. But psychiatry, neurology, urology, are all good specialists to ask for referrals to if thats how your medical care setup works. It may take several kinds of doctors until you get someone who has some idea.

Rich: Yeah. It can really be a hindrance. In that case study, the guy was barely engaging in sex. It was like once every few months. And then with this testosterone treatment, he was able to have sex multiple times a month. So it really depends on if and why it bothers you. Because if it bothers you out of principle, you can find a workaroundlike we described. You can decide, I dont have this kind of sex before I know I have something to do. You can kind of manage your time in that way. But definitely, if it is bothersome and if its something you want to ameliorate, then certainly youll need doctors to help you figure it out.

Stoya: Good luck.

More Advice From Slate

Im a woman in her mid-30s whos been married for five years to my husband, and were more than seven years into our relationship. Things are, on almost every count, good between us. We have one son and plan no more, our jobs are stable, and we have a full life with friends and family. But there is one issue he keeps raising with me, over and over, and its starting to drive me nuts.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My husband and I both came into our marriage with adult children and significant assets that we agreed to keep separate. I have only one daughter and one granddaughter, while he has several children and various biological and step grandchildren. My granddaughter has her financial future secured. I established a trust for her as soon as she was born from my late parents estate. My husbands grandchildren have nothing like that and it has caused serious friction in our marriage. My husband told his children about the trust in a moment of off-the-cuff candidness (which he regrets) and they have been at the topic like a dog with a bonethey say that it is unfairly favoring one grandchild over the others. I have to admit to a certain bitterness. Suddenly I am Grandma, where for years I was held at arms length as merely their fathers wife.

My husband has a good business that he refuses to retire from, but I have the larger amount of passive income and other assets. Most have come from my late husband and family. I really dont see how my husbands children think they have any claim other than sheer greed. I still need to see them over the holidays without a war going on. What should I say to them?

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Second Marriage

Dear Second Marriage,

I dont think your husbands children have any claim to your assets, either. If youre content with your current and future financial planning and how your money will be distributed, theres truly nothing much for you to do here other than leave them to their feelings, which you cannot control. When you have to spend time with them, try to be as polite as you can be, and dont talk about your money or the trust if you can help it. If they bring these things up, all you and your husband need to say is that youve mutually agreed to maintain separate finances, its your decision to make, and leave it at that. If his children still feel a need to complain about their inheritance, thats something they can take up with their father, not with you.

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Want Advice on Parenting, Kids, or Family Life?

Submit your questions to Care and Feeding here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.)

Dear Care and Feeding,

Im a 65-year-old woman who lives about 700 miles away from most of my family.

Recently, my 90-year-old father has had health problems. My siblings live a little over an hour away from him. He lives alone. I have always spent at least three weeks a year with my father and visit the rest of my family regularly. They do not travel to see me.

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After his latest bout, my sibs dont want Dad by himself. They expect me to take two weeks to stay with him so that they can go on vacation without worrying. I am retired, but provide full-time daycare for my grandkids, which means their parents would have to take off work for me to do this. Sibs dont consider childcare work and are acting like I am an awful person for looking for alternatives. Am I? They are leaving in a week, which gives me very little time to make arrangements. I want to help, but have also made a commitment to care for my grandchildren.

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Torn in Half

Dear Torn,

Youre not an awful person. Youre already providing care to other members of your family, and youve only been given a weeks notice. I understand your siblings wanting to go on vacation, and I know that figuring out the logistics of elder care can be extremely challenging, and sudden emergencies can and do come up. But if they expected you to come and stay with your father while they go on a trip, something they presumably knew about in advance, they should have given you more time to plan and make arrangements.

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It sounds like your father lives by himself most of the time, and your siblings check on him frequently because they live an hour away. Is there anyone else who could stop in and visit him while they are on their tripother family members, perhaps, or friends of the family? Or could you all try to arrange for some form of in-home respite care?

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This probably wont be the last time this issue comes up, given your fathers age.

Even if you want and are able to step in and help sometimes, the default plan cant be for you to come every time your siblings ask, for weeks at a time, on a few days notice. Planning and problem-solving to meet your fathers care needs wont be easy under any circumstances, but it will help if you all can find a way to communicate clearly and honestly about it, and work togetherwithout blaming each othergoing forward.

Catch Up on Care and Feeding

 If you missed Wednesdays column, read it here.

 Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group!

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Dear Care and Feeding,

My MIL lives out of state and expects several new pictures of my infant daughter every day. Since I take the vast majority of the pictures we have of our daughter, it mostly falls on me. If I forget to send the ones I took or its a busy morning getting out the door, shell text my wife asking where her pictures are. Whats bothering me more is the comments my MIL makes. For me, the purpose is to document and share our daily lives with our daughter since my MIL cant see her often. But she clearly expects multiple staged photos where my daughter is perfectly clean and smiling. If my daughter has boogers, any blemishes, or doesnt look happy enough, shell make a comment and want to know whats wrong. The last time this happened, I was annoyed and didnt send any photos the next day. On cue, my MIL texted my wife and asked me to send some. I reiterated to my wife how Id been feeling and suggested she take over sending pics to her mom. My wife said it wasnt a big deal and I should ignore the comments, and since I take most of the pictures of our daughter and my wife is forgetful, it makes sense for me to keep doing it. I recognize this isnt a big deal in the grand scheme of MIL issues, but it bothers me! I dont like being responsible for sending three-to-five perfect pictures every day, and wish my wife would take on this responsibility. Am I overreacting?

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Reluctant Photographer

Dear Reluctant Photographer,

Homing in on a perceived problem and asking whats wrong? in response to everyday photos makes me wonder if your mother-in-law is dealing with some anxiety, either generally or where your daughter is concerned. Im not suggesting theres much you or your wife can do about it if thats the case; its just something to consider as a possible alternate explanation for why shes so obsessed with seeing her grandchild looking a certain way (clean, perfect, always happy). Or maybe shes just seen one too many of those carefully curated homemaking Instagram accounts and thinks they represent reality! Who knows.

I dont think youre wrong to be irritated. While Id generally advise that it should be your wifes responsibility to run interference with her own parent on issues like this, I also dont think that either you or your wife need to spend a ton of your time and energy worrying about this daily photo assignmentyour mother-in-law doesnt need three-to-five perfectly composed shots every single day! You both can let her know that your child is healthy and well, and just share the (candid) pics you want to share, when you want to share them.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

As a kid, I hated family vacations because as the oldest girl, I was always roped into being the unpaid babysitter for my cousins. And I hated it more when my aunts would titter and tell me it was good practice for my own future children.

Right now, I am dating a man with a 13-year-old daughter, Tara. Tara and I get along pretty well. We were planning on joining my extended family for a trip outside the country. My sister and her four kids are coming as well. When I mentioned that Tara was joining us, my sister got really excited and said that she wouldnt need to bring her nanny along if Tara would be there. I shut that notion right down. My sister protested that it would be a chance for Tara to bond with her new cousins. I snapped that it would be a perfect recipe to ruin my relationship with Tara, and said my sister should stop being cheap and pay for actual childcare. I resented the hell out of being forced to babysit on family vacations as a kid and I wouldnt do that to Tara. My sister decided to rope the rest of the family in, and it is a huge problem now. I am honestly thinking of canceling the trip altogether and going somewhere else with my boyfriend and his daughter. I also know I will never hear the end of it if I do. Help, please?

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Trip Trouble

Dear Trip Trouble,

Yeah, your sister is out of line. Figuring out how to take her kids on vacation and make sure theyre entertained and supervised is her responsibility, not yours or Taras. And 13 also strikes me as pretty young to be in charge of four kids in an unfamiliar place?

If you still want to go on this trip, then I think you shouldkeep Tara busy with activities shes interested in, and dont let your sister or anyone else leave her on her own with the kids or pressure her into free babysitting. Of course, its also okay to give the family vacation a miss and go somewhere else with your boyfriend and his daughter. But I dont think you need to do that if your only reason for not going is to protect Tarabetween the two of you, you and your boyfriend should be able to prevent her from being forced into service as your sisters unpaid nanny. He can point out that as her parent, hes not comfortable with Tara being in charge of four kids at her age, and that should really be the end of it.

Nicole

More Advice From Slate

My 15-year-old daughter is a freshman in high school and has her first serious boyfriend. They are both star athletes, honor students, nondrinkers, and really nice kids. I love it that they are starting this new adventure in the dating scene together. He is a year older than she is and occasionally drives her around town. He is black, and she is white. What, if anything, should I say to her about traffic stops?
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the consideration of race in college admissions was unconstitutional, effectively ending affirmative action. Earlier this year, Peter Dreier, Richard D. Kahlenberg, and Melvin L. Oliver argued for how universities should approach college admissions to maximize diversity going forward. The essay is published below.

Most observers expect the Supreme Court to end racial preferences in college admissions sometime this spring following oral arguments this past October in two critical affirmative action cases. Given the looming decision, universities should already be looking at a variety of new paths to diversity that dont rely on race in order to preserve important gains in racial diversity won over the years. These should include favoring economically disadvantaged students and ending unfair preferences for the children of wealthy alumni and donors. But an especially promising approachnot yet widely employedis to provide an admissions boost to students from families that have low (or negative) levels of wealth.

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Banning of racial preferences will require selective colleges and universities that are committed to racial diversity to think creatively about how to open the doors to economically disadvantaged students, who are rarely found on todays campuses.

Consider Harvard University, which is a subject of part of the litigation before the Supreme Court. Using racial preferences, Black enrollment has increased from 1 percent of the freshman class in the early 1960s to 15 percent today. At the same time, research finds that Harvards student body has about as many students from the top 1 percent by income as the bottom 60 percent. Seventy-one percent of Harvards Black, Hispanic, and Native American students came from the richest one-fifth of those groups.

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Many selective public universities in states where racial preferences have been banned (including California and Florida) have provided a leg up to students from families with low incomes and/or low levels of education, and from disadvantaged neighborhoods and high schools. This makes sense. These programs have often been successful in promoting both economic and racial diversity.

But virtually all of these universities (with the notable exception of UCLA Law) have ignored using a familys wealth (net assets minus debts) in the admissions process. The omission of wealth is a mistake two times over. As a matter of fairness, because more than virtually any other factor, wealth determines opportunity in America. And as a matter of promoting diversity, wealth should be used in admissions because of the huge wealth gaps between white and Black families and white and Hispanic families.

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Researchers have found that wealth is even more important than income in determining opportunity in the United States. One landmark study found that parental education and wealth were more powerful predictors of college completion than race or income. The study concluded that educational advantages are acquired through major capital investments and decisions such as purchasing a home in a neighborhood with high-performing public schools.

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Wealth gaps in America are even greater than income gaps. The richest 1 percent of Americans take home 22 percent of the nations income but have 38 percent of the nations wealth. The bottom half of all Americans earn 11.5 percent of national income, but possess only 2 percent of national wealth.

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Likewise, the racial wealth gap is much larger than the racial income gap. Black families make about 58 percent of what white families make in annual household income, and Hispanic families make about 66 percent. In contrast, median Black wealth ($23,000) was just 13 percent of median white wealth ($184,000), while the median Hispanic wealth ($38,000) was only 21 percent of median white wealth. Black households headed by an individual with a bachelors degree have just two-thirds of the wealth, on average, of white households headed by an individual who lacks a high school diploma. This means that any admissions policy that considers wealth will de facto offer the school a path toward racial diversity.

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The roots of the racial wealth gap can be traced back to slavery, when most Black Americans were not only prohibited from owning property, but were treated as property themselves. But the most recent causes have to do with widespread racial discrimination in the housing market, especially redlining by government, the banking industry, and real estate agents. Studies reveal that banks and real estate agents continue to discriminate against Black and Hispanic would-be homeowners. Homeownership is the biggest source of wealth for most Americans, but for white Americans in the bottom half of the wealth distribution, the homeownership rate is 46 percent; for Black Americans it is 31 percent, and for Hispanic Americans, 28 percent. Even if all discrimination by lenders and real estate agents was eliminated, the legacy of past racismand the ability to pass on family wealth to subsequent generationswould continue to influence the wealth of contemporary Black and Hispanic families.

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Researchers from the Brookings Institution, meanwhile, note that the racial wealth gap exists even among those at the top. White families among the richest 10 percent have five times more wealth than Black families in that upper tier.

Likewise, among those in the bottom half, wealth varies a lot by race, according to the Federal Reserve. Among white families in the bottom half, median wealth is $19,180, compared with $10,290 among Hispanic families, $8,050 among Asian American families, and $6,601 among Black families.

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The good news for colleges facing a likely ban on using race is that using wealth in admissions is not only fair but will also boost racial diversity more than other factors, such as parents income and education. Researchers Sean Reardon, William Bowen, and Maria Cancian have found in separate studies that when class-based affirmative action programs are confined to income and education levels, their impact on racial diversity is more modest.

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By contrast, researcher Anthony Carnevale found that using wealth alongside other socioeconomic factors boosted racial diversity. He found that if admissions officers rewarded strivers who overcame obstacles, including low wealth, then Black and Hispanic enrollments would actually be higher than they had been under affirmative action with racial preferences.

Having said that, wealth is not just a clever proxy for race. Some Black families do have high levels of wealth and their children would and should not benefit from a wealth preference. Meanwhile, many low-wealth white applicants will benefit from this approach to college admissions. The child of a white truck driver, warehouse worker, day care worker, retail clerk, hotel housekeeper, or waitresseven some schoolteachers and nursesis likely to benefit from a preference for applicants from low-wealth families. So, too, will Asian American children whose parents, particularly those from immigrant communities, have little wealth.

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Finally, using wealth in admissions is feasible. Economists often shy away from asking people about wealth because families have trouble accurately describing it. But university admissions officers do have access to wealth data because reporting is required when students apply for financial aid.

Information currently comes in two forms. Students provide family wealth data on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). More detailed wealth dataincluding home equity and small-business ownershipis required for families filling out the College Board CSS Profile, which almost 400 colleges use to provide institutional aid.

Of course, extremely wealthy families arent likely to apply for financial aid. But when tuition and fees at some selective colleges can exceed $300,000 over four years, the very fact that a family does not apply for financial aid speaks volumes about their wealth.

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Applications for admission and applications for financial aid are often filled out at different times in the process (with financial aid forms filed later), so institutions wishing to use wealth (and income) data at the admissions stage may need to accelerate the process by why which they ask families about their financial status, including wealth.

UCLA Law school, which pioneered the use of wealth data after it was banned from using race in the 1990s, has asked families about wealth on admissions applications (as well as other socioeconomic factors) for decades. Applicants have been asked to provide wealth estimates within one of several ranges, according to Richard Sander, a law professor and economist who helped devise the program.

The application information is later checked against financial aid data. (Families who knowingly submit false information on the FAFSA can be punished by a $20,000 fine and time in prison.)

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An analysis conducted several years after UCLA Law began implementing its admissions system that includes wealth showed that Black students were 11.3 times as likely to be admitted under that system and Hispanic students were 2.3 times as likely to be admitted. And, of course, the wealth approach boosted economic diversity, a quality sorely lacking at selective law schools.

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Preferences based on wealth and other economic factors will require more financial aid funds than racial preferences. Universities will have to place greater priority on financial aid than they currently do, as will state and federal policymakers. These are investments in Americas future.

Using wealth, alongside other socioeconomic factors, could also have broader political ramifications for the country and for progressive politics and organizing. Racial preferences have been effective but controversial because they apply very differently to working-class and lower-middle-class people of different races. By contrast, an admissions policy that gives a preference to low-wealth households will remind working families, across racial lines, that they will all benefit by an approach that provides their children with greater opportunities to attend the nations best colleges and universities.
South Africa: President Ramaphosa arrives in Eswatini for SACU Summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in the Kingdom of Eswatini to participate in the 8th Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Heads of State and Government Summit.

The summit is being held under the theme SACU Industrialization Opportunities through Improving Economic Complexity.

The Presidents working visit at the SACU Heads of State and Government Summit is at the invitation of the current Chair of SACU, His Majesty King Mswati III and the iNgwenyama of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Presidency said in a statement on Thursday.

The President will deliver a statement at the opening ceremony.

The SACU Strategic Plan 2022- 2027, which will be in its first year of review since being adopted at the 7th SACU Heads of State and Government Summit is centered on six pillars, namely: Industrialisation, Export and Investment Promotion, Trade Facilitation and Logistics, Implementation and Leveraging of The AFCFTA Opportunities, Trade Relations/Unified Engagement with Third Parties, Finance and Resource Mobilisation and Effectiveness of SACU Institutions, the statement read.

SACU is the oldest Customs Union in the world having been established in 1910.

It has since its agreed new dispensation by its five members states (Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa) in 2002 assumed the status of an international organization, which facilitates compliance with the World Trade Organisation treaty in pursuit of its goal of regional economic integration.

President Ramaphosa is accompanied by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-06-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Forum on China-U.S. people-to-people friendship held in SE China's Fuzhou

Xinhua) 08:45, June 29, 2023

Members of Jasmine Youth Chorus perform during the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Guests attend the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum Sub-National Cooperation Sub-Forum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Guests visit Sanfangqixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys), an ancient block in downtown Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 27, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Guests attending a symposium of the Kuliang Friends plant trees in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This aerial photo shows the scenery of Kuliang in Jin'an District of Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Guests attend the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

This photo shows a symposium of the Kuliang Friends in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 28, 2023.

Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum was held here on Wednesday.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
This is part of Opinionpalooza, Slates coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court this June. We consider this piece so essential that were making it free for all readers. Sign up for the pop-up newsletter to receive our latest updates, and support our groundbreaking work when you join Slate Plus.

The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the 14th Amendments equal protection clauseeffectively outlawing overt considerations of race at civilian institutions of higher education, public and private. It is a sprawling 237-page decision, including multiple concurrences and dissents, and lower courts will spend years fighting over its proper interpretation. At the outset, though, one thing is clear: Chief Justice John Roberts opinion for the court carves two loopholesthe strength of which are to be determinedinto its otherwise emphatic holding. First, he wrote that schools can still consider how an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life in an essay, so long as they are still treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race. Second, Roberts exempted military academies from his holding altogether, for now.

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These qualifications make the chief justices otherwise thunderous opinion rather puzzling. It will undoubtedly curtail universities use of race in building each incoming class, outlawing check the boxstyle racial identifications that make admissions officers work easier. And that sea change will absolutely damage schools efforts to aid underrepresented racial minorities whove received none of the privileges that many white applicants take for granted. In that respect, the decision is a massive blow to racial justice, one with noxious consequences throughout society that we will feel for the rest of our lives. The absence of race-conscious college admissions, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent, will decrease the pipeline of racially diverse college graduates to crucial professions, including business, public service, science, technology, and medicine. This lack of diversity doesnt just hurt racial minorities. It hurts everyone.

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But in a direct response to the incandescent dissents by Sotomayor and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Roberts opinion leaves some room for admissions officers to undertake what might be called a holistic review of each applicant, including their racial identity as it relates to their life experiences. A holistic review, however, was already required by the precedents that Roberts effectively overturned on Thursday. Thus, the decision substitutes one vague regime with an even more ambiguous oneinviting, as Sotomayor noted, a plethora of litigation that will promote chaos rather than establishing a workable new order.

Related from Slate Richard L. Hasen Theres a Time Bomb in Progressives Big Supreme Court Voting Case Win Read More

Students for Fair Admissions is the opinion that Roberts has always wanted to write. The chief justice believes in a colorblind 14th Amendment, one that was ratified not to help Black Americans achieve equal citizenshipthrough race-conscious measures when necessarybut to abolish the governments ability to classify citizens on the basis of race. And so, in his opinion, he traced the familiar history of Plessy v. Ferguson (which authorized separate but equal) to Brown v. Board of Education (which did away with it) and the decades of decisions implementing Browns promise. Affirmative action, he wrote, was always an aberration. The Supreme Court decisions allowing this practice have always subjected it to strict scrutiny, demanding proof that any race-conscious program is narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling interest.

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For nearly half a century, the court has held that diversity in the classroom provides education benefits, which satisfies the compelling interest requirement. Much of Roberts opinion is devoted to shooting down that principle. These benefits, he wrote, are not sufficiently measurable to be subjected to meaningful judicial review. Goals like training future leaders and promoting the robust exchange of ideas are commendable, but they are not sufficiently coherent to satisfy strict scrutiny, because courts cannot measure them. Nor can universities articulate a meaningful connection between these goals and their actual race-conscious admissions programs. Harvard and UNC, he wrote, use opaque racial categories that are arbitrary and often operate as a stereotype, harming Asian applicants (by allegedly viewing their race as a negative factor) and Black applicants (by viewing their race as a positive factor) alike. There is no logical end point to this discrimination, Roberts wrote. All of which proves that the universities are in ongoing violation of the equal protection clause.

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So: Did Roberts overturn affirmative action? The maddening answer is yes and no. The chief justice did not declare that the leading precedents, Grutter and Fisher, have been formally overruled. Instead, he wrote that Harvard and UNC had failed to comply with their dictates. In doing so, though, the chief justice redefined these precedents requirements so narrowly and stringently that they are now impossible to comply with, at least as affirmative action is currently practiced. (In dissent, Sotomayor accused him of overruling these precedents while pretending not to, which is correct.) Grutter and Fisher tacitly deferred to universities own view about the educational benefits of race-conscious admissions, assuming that they could measure the classroom impact of diversity in good faith. Roberts shatters that deference, putting Harvards and UNCs programs under a microscope and finding them severely lacking. It is difficult to see how any such program that includes an overt consideration of an applicants race can survive the type of extraordinarily skeptical review that the chief justice now demands.

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And yet, Roberts did not slam the door shut on all considerations of an applicants race; his opinion provides two concessions. First, he exempted all military academies from his analysis in light of the potentially distinct interests that they may present. Roberts said that military academies are not party to these cases and that none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context, suggesting that it is a question for another day. (This caveat may have been a response to Sotomayor, who wrote an extensive reflection on how the decision could imperil national security, noting the militarys belief that diversity is essential to achieving a mission-ready force.)

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So West Point and the Virginia Military Institute can, for now, continue to apply the relaxed Grutter/Fisher standard that Roberts disavowed for civilian universities. Second, at the very end of his opinion, Roberts offered a potentially hard-to-parse compromiseapparently in response to Sotomayor and Jackson, who warned that his colorblind approach could have the real-world effect of discriminating against racial minorities by denying them an ability to express how race is a crucial component of their identity. They cited students of color who testified at trial that racial self-identification was an important component of their application because without it they would not be able to present a full version of themselves.

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Roberts tried, perhaps in vain, to assuage these concerns. He wrote that nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that students unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race.

Courts are going to be parsing this oblique approval of some collateral racial considerations for years to come. But the dissenters believe that, even if universities adapt to it, they cannot possibly reach the same levels of diversity that they achieved through direct affirmative action. And that, Jackson wrote, is truly a tragedy for us all.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court effectively struck down affirmative action, outlawing race-conscious admissions and overturning nearly 50 years of precedent. While John Roberts authored the opinion, Clarence Thomas wrote his own concurrence with the decision.

At his Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 1991, Clarence Thomas said that affirmative action can undermine the self-esteem and self-respect of the people its supposedly helping. On that day, Thomas sat before the U.S. Senate having accumulated decades of achievementand having benefited from race-based preferences every step of his way.

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Thomas, who went to college in the late 1960s, was part of the first generation of Black Americans who came of age in the affirmative action era.

John F. Kennedy was the first president to call for affirmative action in the modern sense of the term. His successor, Lyndon Johnson, tried to make that bold idea into the law of the land. But Johnsons affirmative action proposal was mired in controversy, and ultimately got scrapped. The concept was then revived under a Republican president, Richard Nixon.

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One of the main proponents of positive discrimination was Nixons assistant secretary of labor. He was a Black Republican named Arthur Fletcher. Hes known as the father of affirmative action. Fletcher, who in 1950 became the first Black player for the NFLs Baltimore Colts, was focused on getting government contractors to hire more minority workers.

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But affirmative action wouldnt be limited to the public sector. Private organizations see the writing on the wall and begin to institute their own version of affirmative action, said Leah Wright Rigueur, a history professor at Johns Hopkins University. Among those private organizations were institutions of higher learning.

Thomas enrolled at the College of the Holy Cross in 1968 as a second-year transfer. He got admitted thanks to his good grades and a recommendation from a nunand maybe in part because the school was actively looking for Black students.

Three years later, in 1971, he got accepted to multiple law schools. One of them was Harvard, which had just adopted a race-conscious admissions policy. Thomas had once fantasized about going to Harvard Law. But when it came time to choose, he decided on Yale because he thought it would be a better fit for his liberal politics.

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Thomas arrived at Yale at the exact moment it created its first explicit affirmative action program. It was designed to set minority enrollment at about 10 percent of the incoming class.

During his Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Thomas said that he believed hed earned his spot at Yale, and hadnt received any special treatment due to his race.

What Thomas said in 1991 isnt wrong: Yale did open its doors to minority students that it felt were qualified. But the New York Times reporting that same year uncovered the whole truth: Yale did evaluate Black applicants like Thomas separately, and they did get special consideration.

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Thomas was one of 12 Black students in the first-year class of 175. Yale had a reputation as a proving ground for the academic elite, a place that counted seven Supreme Court justices among its former students. And when Thomas got there, he started to question whether he belonged.

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Most days, he would get up before dawn, go to class, and study until he fell asleep. He also worked 15 hours a week at a legal clinic. But no matter how hard he tried, it didnt feel like it would ever be good enough. During his time at Yale, a member of the law schools admissions committee told a group of Black students that none of them were qualified to be there.

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As Thomas continued at Yale, he started scouting out job opportunities. During his last year, he interviewed with some big-city firms, and figured hed get a bunch of lucrative job offers. But as his classmates zoomed off to start their careers, Thomas heard no after no after no. Years later, he said in an interview that hed held on to all of those rejection letters.

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Thomas suspected that those top law firms doubted his qualifications. What good was a Yale Law degree if everyone who mattered thought it was tainted by affirmative action? After Thomas finished up in New Haven, he stuck a 15-cent-cigar sticker on his diploma. To him, thats all it was worth.

When Thomas did finally get a job, however, it was at least in part because of his race. Thats what his political mentor John Danforth, who was then the attorney general of Missouri, told me. My ambition was that the AGs office was to be the best law office in the state. Did I also think that it was important to have a diverse office? Yes, I did, said Danforth, who later became a U.S. senator. And did I think that it was important, that it would be wonderful to hire Clarence Thomas for that reason? Yes.

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Incidentally, before the Supreme Courts decision today, Danforth also told me that affirmative action should be upheld. I think that slavery and Jim Crow are serious stains on our country, and the consequences can be measured in life expectancy, health care, wealth, income, transportation, housing. Statistically, African Americans are not doing as well as the rest of us, he said. I believe that when a problem exists, it should be addressed affirmatively.

Thomas would eventually leave Danforths office for Monsanto, at a time when the chemical company was looking to hire Black lawyers. Hed then go to work for Danforth in Washington, D.C., when the new senator was looking to diversify his staff. After that, hed get a job at Reagans Department of Education, one that Thomas believed hed been offered only because he was Black. He then became the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a position that six Black women had turned down before Thomas accepted it. From there, he was nominated to a federal judgeship by President George H.W. Bush, and then to the Supreme Court.

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Of course, every job hed ever gotten was because he was Black, his former girlfriend Lillian McEwen, a retired administrative law judge at the Securities and Exchange Commission, told me. That was his whole life.

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I grew up in the affirmative action era, too, albeit a generation later than Clarence Thomas. Still, when I went to high school and college in the 1990s, I heard the same stuff Thomas heard, about how I was only there because of affirmative action. It was a familiar refrain, one that I knew didnt have much to do with me or my academic qualifications. I gradually came to understand that the white people who said that to me would never believe I was qualified, no matter what.

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But Thomas, apparently, has taken those insults much more personally. Juan Williams, his friend and a former Washington Post reporter, saw that frustration up close.

In 1986, Thomas was sworn in for his second term as chairman of the EEOC. Several high-ranking members of the Reagan administration were there, including William Bradford Reynolds, a white official from the Department of Justice. Reynolds raised his glass for a toast and said, Clarence Thomas is the epitome of the right kind of affirmative action working the right way.

And Thomas just seethes over this comment, because I can tell you he has never seen himself as an example of affirmative action, Williams told me. Hes seen himself as having earned and worked hard to earn advancement.

Williams remembered it as a pained responseyou know, This shit never stops with white people. 

Listen to Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas

Did Clarence Thomas benefit from affirmative actionor did it hold him back?
Expanding on CNNs reporting one day earlier, the New York Times on Wednesday reported that former Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was interviewed last week by investigators from special counsel Jack Smiths office as part of a proffer agreement. While the Times was not specific about what Giulianis voluntary interview means, such proffer sessions are almost always the final step toward a plea deal. If one is consummated in Smiths investigation of Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 electionwhich were spearheaded by Giulianiit would be both a deeply ironic end for one of the countrys most bulldog former prosecutors and also a devastating blow to the former president.

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As someone deeply enmeshed in the New York City white-collar criminal defense world during Giulianis tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, reports that he sat for an extensive proffer session with prosecutors investigating the events surrounding the Jan. 6 riot boggle my mind.

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To say that back in the day Rudy was an extremely aggressive prosecutor, known for his overly punitive and often unnecessarily harsh prosecutorial tactics, would be an understatement. The threat he posed prompted the eras most senior, distinguished members of New Yorks white-collar criminal defense barprincipally Bob Morvillo, Gus Newman, and Norman Ostrowto create the New York Council of Defense Lawyers. They quickly enrolled my generation of white-collar defense attorneys to join the organization and help coordinate the effort to combat the threat Rudy posed. The NYCDLs efforts to promote criminal defense values continued long after Rudy moved on, and continue to this day.

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That someone who was once the face of lock em up America may now be considering any kind of plea agreementand possibly cooperating against would-be co-defendants, like his high-profile previous clientmust have the three principal founders of the NYCDL spinning in their graves. But this is exactly what the reported proffer session portends.

Proffer sessions involving a prospective defendant do not occur out of the blue. Indeed, they almost always represent the near culmination of an ongoing process that begins with a targets decision that he or she does not believe they can win at trial and therefore must make a deal. Counsel for the target must then determine the significance of the information the client can provide. The more powerful the testimony, the more favorable the potential deal. The more important the person or persons the testimony implicates, the more important the proffer and potentially generous the plea terms. The more direct and unimpeachable the testimony would be, the more significant the cooperation will be, and thus, the better the deal will be for the client.

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Once counsel concludes the client has something valuable to offer prosecutors and that the client can be an effective witness, the next step can be taken. Counsel contacts the prosecutors and arranges an attorneys proffer, in which the lawyer, without the client, meets prosecutors to outline the general contours of what the client can provide. If the contours are unacceptable, say the client wants an agreement he will not be prosecuted for providing evidence against a lesser target, the session ends quickly. If, however, both sides see the prospect for getting something they want without giving up too much, the session gets more and more specific. It is only if the attorneys factual representations offer enough for prosecutors to offer sufficiently reduced criminal exposure, and thus, a realistic deal may be available, that the next-to-last step, the client proffer, is taken. Giuliani has reportedly now taken that step.

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Will it culminate in what is the last step of the processa formal plea deal? If so, what would the deal be, and who would he be providing evidence against? Would the incriminating testimony cover only Jan. 6, or would it impact other potential crimes as well? Given that making a deal with federal prosecutors while ignoring Giulianis potential exposure in parallel events under investigation in Georgia would be malpractice, how, if at all, will a deal with DOJ also relate to Georgia? If Georgia is included, would Rudy also be a witness in that matter?

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Even if a deal is finalized and Rudy thereafter does whatever is required of him for however long that may take, the ultimate question for Giuliani will not be answered until his cooperation is over. I refer, of course, to whether the 79-year-old former Americas mayor will, however things play out, end up going to prison. Plea deals are agreements between the government and a defendant and leave the sentencing judge free to ultimately impose whatever sentence he or she believes appropriate within that framework.

These questions and many more will be answered in time. While the world watches and waits, those of us who dealt with Rudolph Giuliani in New Yorks criminal justice system back in the day surely have an increased understanding of, and belief in, karma.
This is part of Opinionpalooza, Slates coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court this June. We consider this piece so essential that were making it free for all readers. Sign up for the pop-up newsletter to receive our latest updates, and support our groundbreaking work when you join Slate Plus.

There was little suspense surrounding the outcome of the challenge to race-conscious admissions at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, handed down by the Supreme Court on Thursday. A majority of the justices on this court have indicated in one way or another, over the course of several decades, that they are opposed to race-conscious admissions. And each of these justices have shown near-lockstep adherence to the right-wing project of upending the infrastructure of Civil Rights measures that have been working to confront and frustrate the legacy of this nations white supremacist history.

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Nevertheless, Thursdays decision by the Supreme Court striking down the use of race-conscious admissions at Harvard and UNC was no less devastating for being expected. The destructive force of the majority opinion is not only that it removes the ability of critical institutions of our democracy to directly recognize the significance of race as they build educational communities where students can learn from and about one anothers experiences and perspectives. The majority opinions shattering destruction, its cruelty even, lies in its cynical ahistoricism, the weakness of its analysis, its manipulation of precedent, all in service of the completion of a project undertaken by conservativesand begun on this court decades agoto dismantle the legal framework that supports even the most modest efforts to level the playing field for those who have been most marginalized in our country.

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The court is on a mission, and the more transparently it betrays the aims of that mission, the more we must confront the danger in which this democracy finds itself. This court is also reckless in its zeal. This means that the methods it uses in furtherance of its mission are crude, shortsighted, thin, and thus easily exposed to charges of illegitimacy. The scope of the courts hubris is breathtaking. It supplants its judgment over that of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country, as well as 74 major American companies that filed amicus briefs to the court, including Microsoft, Verizon, Starbucks, and American Express.

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It is not just that the court runs roughshod over the judgment of these institutions that engage with young people every day and that control the pathways to access and opportunity for so many Americans. Or that the court diminishes the effort of universities to build a diverse learning environment as mere commendable goals. It is that this court reduces an assessment of that project to middle school mathdemanding instruments of measure for the goals of affirmative action (even after previously discarding such measures), exalting a two-step approach, and lamenting the absence of an end date for affirmative action measures. As though fostering the robust exchange of ideas, supporting innovative problem-solving, and developing students equipped to lead in a multiracial democracy is legitimate only when subject to metes and bounds and a forecast due date, lest we, as a democracy, miss more pressing engagements.

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In its haste to reach a conclusion that was inevitable from the day these cases were filed, the majority makes a mockery of stare decisis once again, turning its back on a succession of its own casesthe most recent in 2016that have upheld affirmative action in university admissions. Times up, this court says, simply because there is new personnel, and so it can.

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Likewise, the court brushes aside the extensive trial records accumulated in both the Harvard and UNC cases, and the more than 100 pages of findings of the trial courts in each case. The effect of this is to leave in place the misinformation that has dogged this case about whether Harvards or UNCs admissions practices discriminate against Asian American students. The voluminous trial court record and decision each found that they do not. But the court cant be bothered to fully engage the record and to clarify the falseness of the charge leveled against these institutions. And thus our discourse about race-conscious admissions will remain degraded, ahistorical, factually incorrect, and lacking in context.

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But perhaps the most grotesque aspect of the majoritys opinion lies in its determination to drain the moral and legal force of the Supreme Courts landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which it uses as cover for its anti-equality project. The idea that it is Brown that blocks the path to the use of race as one factor in a holistic assessment of college applicants, rather than the relentless conservative attacks on the very access to opportunity that Brown championed, is a shameful exercise in gaslighting. The majority has found Brown useful as cover for its most extreme opinions. Last year, Justice Samuel Alito cited Brown as the justification for upending stare decisis in the Dobbs case overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. On its current course, the Supreme Courts removal of context or history from its articulation of Browns meaning will leave Brown a case that changed the course of American democracy as a Civil Rights decision in name only, stripped of its powerful equality demand and rejection of white supremacy, its shell useful only to justify the extremes of the right-wing agenda.

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Thursdays decision leaves me with this stark realization. This Supreme Courts decision-making bears a striking and dangerous likeness to that of the courts post-Reconstruction 19th- and early 20th-century period. From its decision in Shelby v. Holder (denying the record of ongoing discrimination in voting that justified the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act) to Comcast (weakening Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act, which was designed to protect Black people against economic discrimination) to todays ruling. Compare, for example, Justice Bradleys lament in 1883 in the Civil Rights Cases (how long must the Negro be the special favorite of the laws?) to Chief Justice John Roberts today, appearing to have carefully counted out every minute since the courts decision upholding affirmative action in Grutter (twenty years later, no end is in sight). Taken together in reasoning and consequence, this courts 21st-century Civil Rights decisions are increasingly reminiscent of the 19th-century courts steady weakening of the potential and promise of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to provide the tools we needed then, and still need today, to create the multiracial democracy that the Framers of the Civil War amendments recognized would be this countrys last, best hope for survival.
This is part of Opinionpalooza, Slates coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court this June. We consider this piece so essential that were making it free for all readers. Sign up for the pop-up newsletter to receive our latest updates, and support our groundbreaking work when you join Slate Plus.

One of the most memorable things I have carried with me from the interviews I did for my book Lady Justice was a reflection from professor Anita Hill. She told me that sometimes when you say that the sky is falling and someone tells you that its not falling at all, theres a distinct chance, as she put it, that the two of you simply live under a different sky.

When it comes to matters of race, the six justices who on Thursday voted to end race-conscious affirmative action programs in higher education for the first time in 50 years, the sky above just isnt blue. You see, theyre colorblind.

Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in a majority opinion hes doubtless been honing in his dreams for almost as long as affirmative action has existed. It echoes his claim, in a 2007 case about remediation of racist practices, that [t]he way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race. The best thing to do about racism, he posits, is to just give it up cold turkey by announcing that were all good now.

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If the past year has taught us anything at all, its that some of the justices on the current Supreme Court really dont live under the same sky as everyone else. Some of them use private planes to travel to better, bluer skies. And some, like the chief justice, simply insist that nobody has a right to question or comment on judicial doings because these justices really do live under a separate sky. So, its hardly surprising that in their dissents in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and SFFA v. University of North Carolina, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson offer what is more or less a guided tour of the skies under which everyone else in America is still forced to live, every day, without respite. As they lay it out, one mans color-blind is another mans blinkered.

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Which reminds me: The word blind appears 73 times in the 237-page opinion for Students for Fair Admissions. It is deployed most frequently by Justice Clarence Thomas for the proposition that the 14th Amendment is a colorblind directive; that requires the government to, at long last, put aside its citizens skin color and focus on their individual achievements.

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In her dissent, Sotomayor accuses the majority of imposing on Thursday a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society. Sotomayor further accuses the majority of using a squinty party trick to overturn decades of prior precedent without admitting to doing so:

The majority opinion does so by turning a blind eye to these truths and overruling decades of precedent, content for now to disguise its ruling as an application of established law and move on.

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She further notes that

the six unelected members of todays majority upend the status quo based on their policy preferences about what race in America should be like, but is not, and their preferences for a veneer of colorblindness in a society where race has always mattered and continues to matter in fact and in law.

She also writes that blindfolds have their place but they arent the best means of assessing reality:

In a society where race continues to matter, there is no constitutional requirement that institutions attempting to remedy their legacies of racial exclusion must operate with a blindfold.

Jacksonin her own searing dissent in the North Carolina casedescribes the majority of blinking both history and reality in their ahistoric telling of a colorblind Constitution. She lays out, in painstaking detail, what the majority declines or refuses or cant bother to see:

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Our country has never been colorblind. Given the lengthy history of state-sponsored race-based preferences in America, to say that anyone is now victimized if a college considers whether that legacy of discrimination has unequally advantaged its applicants fails to acknowledge the well documented intergenerational transmission of inequality that still plagues our citizenry.

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She begins with enslaved people brought over on ships, citing Thurgood Marshalls opinion for four of the courts justices in the original affirmative action case, Bakke:

Three hundred and fifty years ago, the Negro was dragged to this country in chains to be sold into slavery. Uprooted from his homeland and thrust into bondage for forced labor, the slave was deprived of all legal rights. It was unlawful to teach him to read; he could be sold away from his family and friends at the whim of his master; and killing or maiming him was not a crime.

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She then details the false promise of the second founding. She cites the post-emancipation legal regime that forced Black people into sharecropping roles, where they somehow always tended to find themselves in debt to the landowner when the growing season closed, with no hope of recourse against the ever-present cooking of the books. She cites, among other lawful mechanisms to hamper Black progress: the Black Codes, vagrancy laws, Jim Crow, redlining, bank loans, and the GI Bill, a painstaking, grotesque history that she repeats with the weariness of someone who has recited it a thousand times to those who choose not to see or hear. Here is just a portion of what she opts to skip over:

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I will pass over Congresss repeated crafting of family-, worker-, and retiree protective legislation to channel benefits to White people, thereby excluding Black Americans from what was otherwise a revolution in the status of most working Americans. I will also skip how the G. I. Bills creation of middle-class America (by giving $95 billion to veterans and their families between 1944 and 1971) was deliberately designed to accommodate Jim Crow. So, too, will I bypass how Black people were prevented from partaking in the consumer credit marketa market that helped White people who could access it build and protect wealth.

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In her telling, the majority is not just blind to this very relevant history but also wholly deaf to the ways it still echoes through every part of American life in 2023: History speaks, she writes. In some form, it can be heard forever. The race-based gaps that first developed centuries ago are echoes from the past that still exist today.

But what the majority cant see from the past is almost as significant to what they miss about the present, and the implications for the future. Jackson then lays out the downstream benefits of increasing minority access to higher education in yet more painstaking detail. A fragment:

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Beyond campus, the diversity that UNC pursues for the betterment of its students and society is not a trendy slogan. It saves lives. For marginalized communities in North Carolina, it is critically important that UNC and other area institutions produce highly educated professionals of color. Research shows that Black physicians are more likely to accurately assess Black patients pain tolerance and treat them accordingly (including, for example, prescribing them appropriate amounts of pain medication). For high-risk Black newborns, having a Black physician more than doubles the likelihood that the baby will live, and not die. Studies also confirm what common sense counsels: Closing wealth disparities through programs like UNCswhich, beyond diversifying the medical profession, open doors to every sort of opportunityhelps address the aforementioned health disparities (in the long run) as well.

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The line that will be most quoted from Jacksons dissent is likely this one: With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, on Thursday, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat. The line that follows is almost more heartbreaking: But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

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Neither Sotomayor nor Jackson lives under the sky that produced the majority of justices who on Thursday endedor at least severely hobbledaffirmative action because in their colorblind solar system, nobody needs it anymore. Neither of them grew up in a country where young, wealthy white men are the disadvantaged classbecause they are not, and the sky is blue. But to not see or hear how others live is the last refuge of a conservative majority that answers to nobody. Jacksons warning shot could be as well applied to those who are now railing against wokeness or critical race theory, or diversity, equity, and inclusion, or reading school books about Rosa Parks. As she writes, If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more.

The day on which Justices Jackson and Sotomayor need to explain the nature of a blue sky to a majority that wants only colorblindness is a maddening, saddening day. The majority can refuse to see that sky, as they refuse to acknowledge actual history, genuine suffering, and the real-life consequences of their actions. It doesnt make those things go away, or the people who live under that sky any less real. It just means we all must live under the clouds of their smaller, meaner sky.
This essay was adapted from Kevin M. Levins newsletter, Civil War Memory. Subscribe here.

This Thursday through Sunday, the group Moms for Liberty will host its annual Joyful Warriors summit in Philadelphia. Speakers include former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Included in the summit is a gathering scheduled to take place in a rented space at the Museum of the American Revolution, which opened in 2017, a relatively new addition to Philadelphias numerous offerings for those interested in historical tourism. This museum has in its collection such objects as wartime correspondence penned by George Washington, a number of historical firearms and flags, and the memorable 1883 painting The March to Valley Forge, by William B.T. Trego.

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The museums decision to host an organization that has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centera decision that first became known when employees of the museum publicly protested it, earlier this monthhas generated outrage throughout the historical community. Over the past few weeks, a number of organizations, including the National Council on Public History, the Organization of American Historians, and the American Historical Association have published statements denouncing Moms for Liberty and the museums plans.

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In its statement, the NCPH, an organization of historians who work in museums, historical societies, and other places in the public eye, noted the organizations track record of engaging with white supremacist groups to intimidate school boards. M4L, the NCPH added, also promotes a message that is antithetical to ethical public history practice, especially when it comes to engaging audiences with an authentic representation of the past, promoting critical thinking, and countering those who seek to distort history in contemporary public discourse.

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The OAH, the largest professional society dedicated to the study and teaching of American history, condemned M4Ls commitment to making it as difficult as possible for teachers to teach, students to learn, [and] scholars to produce and amplify histories of systemic discrimination. James Grossman, executive director of the AHA, the largest professional organization devoted to all fields of history, made clear in that organizations statement that the issue in question is not only a matter of disagreement over content or interpretation. M4L promotes legislation that censors honest and accurate history teaching, and even threatens teachers with termination for no offense other than teaching history with professional integrity.

The Museum of the American Revolution has made little attempt to respond to these concerns, apart from a vague statement issued after the story first broke earlier this month. Because fostering understanding within a democratic society is so central to our mission, a spokesperson said, rejecting visitors on the basis of ideology would be antithetical to our purpose.

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In a more recent attempt at damage control, the museums president and chief executive said, in a statement to the New York Times, that the organization wants to offer an exploration of American history that embraces diversity and inclusion, but also gives room for people to feel gratitude and pride in the nation and hope for the future. None of this addresses the concerns expressed by the various organizations mentioned above, and it suggests that museum leadership is hoping that the controversy will subside following the summit.

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All of these charges against M4Ls methods and aims have been well documented since the organization began in 2021. M4L chapters have attempted to ban history books about Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, the Civil Rights Movement, and the history of school segregation. In New Hampshire, the group has offered bounties to members of the public who catch teachers introducing texts or lessons in violation of the states law restricting discussions of race in school classrooms.

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Among the books and other materials M4L recommends that parents and teachers use with students is W. Cleon Skousens 1985 book The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution. Skousen, who died in 2006, was a member of the John Birch Society, which opposed civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s and also promoted a number of conspiracy theories.

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Related from Slate Jessica Pishko Angry Right-Wing Moms Are Trying to Have Librarians Arrested by Constitutional Sheriffs Read More

The book argues that the United States was founded by hardcore Jerry Falwellstyle Christian conservatives. Its author believes that slavery was beneficial to Black Americans and that racism was made worse by northern militant abolitionists and other reformers. It should come as no surprise that Skousen believes that Black Americans were unprepared for freedom in 1865.

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Both Trump and DeSantis, who are scheduled to speak at the M4L summit, have affirmed their commitment to resisting attempts to expand the historical narrative that is taught in the classroom, as well as preventing an honest reckoning with the history and legacy of slavery and white supremacy. For Trump, that included promoting his 1776 Project at the tail end of his presidency, while in Florida DeSantis has prevented the teaching of the College Boards new AP course in African American studies, and signed legislation making it difficult to teach certain subjects about the history of race in America.

I think it is important to highlight part of Grossmans statement for the AHA, which makes clear that the organizations objection is not simply a disagreement over how history is taught. We can and should be able to disagree about issues of content and pedagogy, but that is not what this is about. M4Ls position is decidedly anti-history. The group has demonized and intimidated K12 history educators across the country, and has made it clear that it has no interest in critical thinking or the free exchange of ideas.

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By providing a venue for M4L, the Museum of the American Revolution is providing cover and legitimacy for the groups views. Museum leadership has, for all intents and purposes, declared that M4Ls view of history and history education should be taken seriously.

What I find so incredibly disturbing is that if M4L had its way, it would shut down exhibits just like the Museum of the American Revolutions new exhibit on the Forten familyone of the most prominent Black families in Revolution-era Philadelphia. Its an exhibit that attempts to expand our understanding not only of the Revolution but of the history of race in America.

The choice to host M4L is nothing less than a betrayal of everything that those of us in the fields of history, public history, and history education are fighting for in public libraries, at school board meetings, and in classrooms across this country. If ever we needed to take a unified stand against bigotryone that includes institutions that serve a broad population of history-loving tourists, like the Museum of the American Revolutionand for open, honest, and inclusive teaching, it is now.

As a historian, teacher, and writer, let me add my voice to the many: I have no intention of ever setting foot inside a museum that gives legitimacy to an organization that is actively attempting to destroy everything I believe in and have spent my career promoting and defending. I am beyond disappointed in this museums leadership. I am disgusted.
The Supreme Court just bulldozed affirmative action as we know it. But Chief Justice John Roberts otherwise thunderous opinion carves out two loopholesthe strength of which are to be determined. Mark Joseph Stern explains what that could mean.

Justice Clarence Thomas sided with conservatives to overturn affirmative actionbut hes benefited from race-based preferences throughout his career. Joel Anderson walks us through how Thomas arrived at this moment.

And Dahlia Lithwick breaks down Ketanji Brown Jacksons dissent, and what the newest justice sees that the others cant.

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Plus: Earlier this year, Peter Dreier, Richard D. Kahlenberg, and Melvin L. Oliver argued for how universities should approach college admissions to maximize diversity going forward, in a postaffirmative action world.

And now is a good time to go back and catch up on Slow Burn: Becoming Justice Thomas, hosted by Joel Anderson! You can start with the first episode here:

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Et tu, Rudy?

Rudy Giuliani has reportedly been interviewed under a proffer agreement with special counsel Jack Smiths office, which is currently investigating Trumps potential interference in the 2020 election. Does this mean Giuliani is about to flip against Trump? Robert Katzberg weighs the possibilities.

Tomato Girl Summer

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A new micro-aesthetic has arrived, and its got roots in an old concept. Tariro Mzezewa breaks down the minitrend.

Wheel of consternation

Pat Sajak is one of the richest, longest-tenured men on television. So why is he so mad? Luke Winkie has some thoughts.

Get the bug spray

How worried should you be about those recent U.S.-based malaria cases? This happens from time to time. Shannon Palus shares everything you need to know.

Interview with a murderer

Mark OConnell was driven by a desire to make sense of things when he set out to write a book about Malcolm Macarthur, one of the most notorious killers in the history of modern Ireland. But you spend dozens and dozens of hours in a room with someone and they, in a way, become less clear, he told Laura Miller. Read their full conversation about what the whole thing taught him about murder, justice, and true crime.

In our Grimace era

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For decades, the nebulous purple blob was a nobody. Now hes Americas sweetheart. What happened? Heather Schwedel investigates.

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Slate Plus is having a flash sale! If you sign up now, youll get your first year for just $29.

That includes:

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Today, Slate is  * COMPLETELY BONKERS, FROM A HISTORIOLOGICAL STANDPOINT

much like Fall Out Boys cover of We Didnt Start the Fire. Here are 32 other things that are wrong with it!

Thanks so much for reading! Well see you tomorrow.
The U.S. air travel industry is wading through yet another rough week. Since Saturday, major carriers have delayed or canceled tens of thousands of domestic flights as brutal thunderstorms, wildfire smoke, and otherwise extreme weather conditions blanketed the Northeast, Midwest, and South. Hundreds of thousands of passengers were stranded across the country, left with no efficient means by which to complete their voyages, or to prepare for holiday travel ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. By Thursday, however, most of the immediate issues plaguing airlines had subsided as the climate settled itself, although pilots and air traffic controllersalready dealing with staffing shortagesremain wary of the potential for more inclement weather over the well-booked holiday period. And one still-struggling company has more to worry about here than anyone else: United Airlines.

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the line right now for @united customer service. if I had to guess its over a thousand people, weve been in line for four hours and we are probably halfway through it. insane. stuck in SFO for four days potentially because of cancelled flights, no where to sleep pic.twitter.com/qW2JluXTin  laurelpalooza (@hoesaintlaurel) June 29, 2023

Even in the thick of sector-wide chaos, United passengers had more to complain about than did their fellow travelers. As CNN Business noted on Monday, some of the airports most affected by weather problems that crisis-plagued dayabout 11,000 trips delayed or canceled, but whos counting?are either major hubs or connectors for United, including Newark Liberty International Airport and New Yorks LaGuardia. As such, a full 10 percent of its flights were canceled that day, and over 25 percent of its planned flights were nixed on Tuesday, even as the overall number of flights disrupted within the United States decreased. Indeed, as other airlines continued to find some relief on Wednesday, United went into all hands on deck mode to emerge from the muck and prep for the impending Independence Day schedule. Going into Thursday, United was still an outlier in cancellations, per CNN Business: 13 percent of its trips were scythed as of Thursday morning, while other airlines have seen just 2 percent or fewer.

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Stuck in a line from hell. Was supposed to leave Newark at 9p. Flight was delayed multiple times. Then cancelled at 1:23a. Ive never seen anything like this!  United Airlines is a disgrace. Vid too long to post full. pic.twitter.com/N3lp52Rmvj  DDB (@Derek_Bressler) June 25, 2023

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Why United? Yes, part of it is absolutely the weather thing, as with other airlines. For United, weather problems were accentuated by its location: Its hubs in Chicago, Denver, New York City, Newark, and the District of Columbia were especially wracked by the low-visibility smoke and rain pummeling the U.S. But the airline isnt counting out other factors. In memos sent to employees on Monday and Tuesday, after weekend storms left 150,000 United passengers quite unhappy, company CEO Scott Kirby laid the blame with the Federal Aviation Administration, the government regulator charged with overseeing the friendly skies. The FAA frankly failed us this weekend, Kirby wrote, mentioning that the agency sharply curtailed flight arrival and departure rates at Newarka side effect, as he characterized it, of understaffing/lower experience at the FAA. Uniteds chief did not claim that the FAA bore sole responsibility for the disorder, but he did insist that it had neglected to solve long-stagnant agency issues, of the type that also helped fuel rampant flight trouble last summer.

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@United Airlines the flight delays/cancellations werent all due to the bad weather. Your system is malfunctioning too! Please accommodate your guest we deserve better customer service. Lost luggage, flight & hotel reimbursement. pic.twitter.com/9McnBW8BFG  Tashara Earl (@tasharatearl) June 27, 2023

Certainly, its not uncommon for business executives (fairly or unfairly) to blame federal regulators for making things harder. United leaders lashed out at the FAA last summer too, blaming the companys transport issues on insufficient air traffic control capacity. That time, the administration shot back by citing multiple overlapping factors that plagued airlines throughout 2022including (gasp!) inclement weatherand pointing out that air traffic systems worked just fine during the July 4 holiday, even as carriers canceled more than 1,000 flights all on their own. (United may still be smarting from this retort, as well as the $1.15 million fine the FAA proposed in February over the companys use of planes that skipped a fire-safety check.) Similarly, this week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pointed the finger back at United. I want to be very clear, air traffic control issues are not the number one issue causing cancellations and delays, he said. Theyre not even the number two issue. All the data, including industrys own data, is very clear on that.

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Related from Slate Jim Newell Why Two of Americas Biggest Airlines Are Battling It Outand Pulling Congress Into the Fray Read More

While Kirby and Buttigieg might enjoy playing the blame game, the responsibility here is shared. As ABC News explained, the weekends flight disarray kicked off thanks in part to an FAA computer failure at a D.C. control center, forcing the administration to pause all flights to district airports. Faulty agency tech was behind other flying disasters this year, like the January FAA computer outage that almost caused a disastrous collision at New Yorks JFK Airport. As Jon Ostrower, editor in chief of the Air Current, told my colleague Lizzie OLeary earlier this year, the FAAs focus on developing next-generation air mobility systemsthink Jetsons-style flying taxismay have led the agency to neglect urgent fixes to its currently operational tech. And yes, the FAA is way understaffed: As the National Air Traffic Controllers Association president testified to Congress in March, the number of federally certified controllers has shrunk by 10 percent over the past decade, leaving urgent gaps as travel demand resurges. The Biden administration has delegated money from Congress infrastructure and climate bills to help improve air-control capacity and airport tech, but the presidents proposed budget items to beef up FAA labor were effectively defanged by the debt ceiling negotiations. Anyhow, even if the FAA were suddenly blessed with a hiring surge, it would take years to train those folks and get air-traffic networks back to pre-pandemic functionality.

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This article, from March, shows @united management knew, and they did nothing. This relief is being provided to give carriers the ability to reduce operations during the peak summer travel period, which are likely to be exacerbated by the effects of Air Traffic Controller (ATC) pic.twitter.com/rSrkUUSaOw  United Airlines Pilots (@UnitedPilots) June 29, 2023

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The government isnt the only one with labor problems. The Association of Flight Attendants has blamed United for failing to properly schedule attendant shifts and leaving a huge backlog of workers on hold. Uniteds pilots unionwhich has been bargaining a contract renewal for years and voted earlier this month to authorize a strike voteis also pointing fingers at the C-suite, blaming the ongoing problems on poor planning by United Airlines executives who are dragging [their] feet on taking any proactive measures to mitigate further delays, including on settling a new contract. The head of the pilots union reiterated this point to CNN Business, telling the outlet, Uniteds travel disruptions this week stem from one source: company senior managements inadequate planning and insufficient investment in the airline infrastructure. Further, both the unions note, United had long been aware of potential issues that could arise again this summer and did little to nothing to mitigate them, whether by resolving labor disputes or updating its communication systems for organizing staff operations and handling emergencies. Despite all this, United went into the summer planning a schedule 25 percent larger than last summers. In a desperate attempt to survive the next few days of a packed schedule, the company is now offering flight attendants three times their normal pay to work extra flights.

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With such a multilayered mess on hand, can United flyers trust the company when it says its on track to settle things in time for a record-breaking holiday travel period, with even more eager passengers ready to board? Well, maybe they should retain some suspicion: The Northeast and East Coast, sites of the hubs that have pained United so much, are expected to get even more storms lasting through Saturday. And much of the U.S. will have to keep dealing with smoke from Canadas wildfires for months. The Department of Transportation does have a new tool to help passengers understand what theyre owed if their flights are canceled or delayedbut theres a big gap between knowing what youre owed and getting it, if the horrifically long lines of abandoned passengers tell us anything.

Are we doomed to these flight-cancellation cycles every summer? Well, ample travel disruptions are in our future no matter what, thanks to increasingly frequent extreme-weather events fueled by climate change; the governments efforts to lower the airline industrys carbon footprint can only do so much. Meanwhile, the FAA needs more well-trained and certified traffic controllers, airline union disputes need to be resolved, and airline workers need more support from their management. Until all those issues are solved, fewer and fewer of our flights will end up taking flight.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Understanding the craft of a copywriter and the importance of a well-articulated job description can be crucial for a small business. This article covers the essentials about a copywriter job description and the pivotal role it plays in marketing and brand development.

Copywriter Role Overview

A copywriter is a creative professional who specializes in writing compelling and persuasive text, often known as copy, for marketing materials, blog posts, social media accounts, and more. Their primary function is to engage the target audience and influence them to take a specific actionpurchase a product, sign up for a service, or adopt a particular viewpoint.

Key responsibilities of a copywriter encompass a broad range of writing styles, from crafting engaging email campaigns to creating effective sales copy for products or services. Copywriters play a significant role in defining a brands voice and conveying key messages that resonate with target audiences.

Sell Your Business Conduct Market Research Power Up Your Event's Success

Key Skills and Qualifications for a Copywriter

A good copywriter is expected to have excellent writing and communication skills. They are often required to have a bachelors degree, preferably in communication studies, marketing, or a related field. Experience in SEO copywriting, knowledge of keyword research, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously are other skills that make a copywriter effective in their role.

The successful candidate often exhibits a high level of creative writing ability and has a knack for writing persuasively. They need to be adept at conducting thorough research to understand the product, market, and audience.

Skill/Qualification Description Excellent Writing Skills A good copywriter possesses exceptional writing skills, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling. They have a strong command of language and can craft engaging, concise, and persuasive content. Their writing is clear, concise, and tailored to the target audience. Strong Communication Skills Effective communication is crucial for a copywriter. They should be able to understand client requirements, collaborate with team members, and convey ideas and concepts effectively. They can effectively translate complex information into accessible language and adapt their writing style for different platforms and audiences. Bachelor's Degree Most copywriting positions require a bachelor's degree, preferably in communication studies, marketing, English, or a related field. This formal education provides a foundation in writing, marketing principles, communication strategies, and critical thinking skills. SEO Copywriting Knowledge Knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) copywriting techniques is valuable. Understanding how to incorporate keywords strategically, optimize content for search engines, and improve website visibility are essential skills for a copywriter to attract organic traffic and improve search engine rankings. Keyword Research A copywriter should be familiar with conducting keyword research to identify relevant and high-performing keywords for content creation. They can use keyword research tools and analyze search trends to ensure their content aligns with user search intent and increases visibility in search engine results. Project Management Skills Copywriters often handle multiple projects simultaneously, so strong project management skills are crucial. They can prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage their workload effectively. They are adept at coordinating with clients, designers, and other team members to ensure smooth workflow and timely delivery of content. Creative Writing Ability A successful copywriter demonstrates a high level of creativity in their writing. They can think outside the box, develop unique ideas, and present information in an engaging and memorable way. Their creative approach helps them craft compelling and persuasive copy that resonates with the target audience and achieves marketing objectives. Research Skills Copywriters are skilled researchers. They can conduct thorough research to understand the product or service, target audience, market trends, and competitors. This enables them to create content that is accurate, credible, and tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience. Adaptability and Flexibility Copywriters need to be adaptable and flexible in their approach. They can adapt their writing style and tone to match different brands, industries, and target audiences. They are open to feedback and can revise their work based on client or team input. They can also quickly learn about new industries or topics and write authoritatively on them. Attention to Detail A copywriter pays close attention to detail, ensuring that their work is error-free and meets quality standards. They carefully proofread and edit their content to eliminate grammatical errors, typos, and inconsistencies. They also ensure that their writing aligns with brand guidelines and follows established style guides and best practices. Collaboration and Teamwork Skills Copywriters often collaborate with designers, marketers, and other team members. They can work effectively in a team environment, communicate ideas clearly, and contribute to the creative process. They are receptive to feedback, can integrate suggestions into their work, and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues. Marketing and Consumer Behavior A strong understanding of marketing principles and consumer behavior is valuable for a copywriter. They grasp the fundamentals of marketing strategies, target audience segmentation, and persuasive messaging techniques. They can create content that aligns with marketing objectives, addresses consumer pain points, and drives desired actions.

Crafting a Stellar Copywriter Job Description

An engaging and precise job description can attract talented and qualified copywriters to your organization. Heres how to craft a copywriter job description that covers all the essential aspects.

Essential Components of a Copywriter Job Description

A well-structured job description should give potential candidates a clear idea of their role and responsibilities. It should provide a brief overview of your business, the tasks they would be expected to carry out, and the skills and qualifications needed for the role.

For a copywriter job description, the primary duties include creating engaging content for a variety of media platforms, conducting keyword research, understanding the target audience, and working closely with the creative team.

Its also beneficial to state the type of employment  whether the role is full-time, part-time, or on a freelance basis.

Tips for Writing Effective Job Descriptions

The job description should be clear, concise, and well-structured. Avoid using jargon, and make sure to emphasize the skills and qualifications required for the role. Remember to include details about the work environment and any benefits that come with the role.

Copywriter Job Description: Templates for Hiring at Your Business

Job Template 1:

The Copywriter position is a full-time role based on-site. The selected candidate will be responsible for developing creative and persuasive copy for a variety of marketing materials. This role requires a bachelors degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field, along with proven experience as a copywriter or in a similar role.

Job Title: Copywriter

Job Type: Full-time

Location: [Small Business Name], [City], [State]

Job Description: We are seeking a talented and creative Copywriter to join our small business team. As a Copywriter, you will be responsible for crafting compelling and engaging content for various marketing and advertising materials. Your words will play a crucial role in shaping our brand identity and driving customer engagement.

Responsibilities:

Develop creative and persuasive copy for print and digital marketing campaigns, including websites, social media, emails, brochures, and advertisements. Conduct thorough research on industry trends and target audience to produce targeted and relevant content. Collaborate with the marketing team to brainstorm and develop ideas for marketing campaigns and initiatives. Edit and proofread all written materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to brand guidelines. Stay updated on industry best practices and emerging trends in copywriting and apply them to enhance our marketing efforts. Work closely with designers, marketers, and other team members to ensure cohesive messaging and a unified brand voice. Meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high-quality standards.



Qualifications:

Bachelors degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field. Proven experience as a copywriter or in a similar role, preferably in an agency or small business setting. Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a strong command of grammar and style. Ability to understand and communicate complex ideas in a concise and engaging manner. Familiarity with SEO principles and keyword research. Proficiency in using content management systems and other digital tools. Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently as well as in a team environment. A portfolio showcasing a range of writing samples across various marketing channels is highly desirable.



Benefits:

Competitive salary and benefits package Opportunity to work on diverse and engaging projects Collaborative and creative work environment Chance to shape the brand identity of a small business Professional growth and development opportunities



To Apply: Join our dynamic team and contribute your exceptional writing skills to help us achieve our business goals. Apply today with your resume, cover letter, and writing samples.

[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Template 2:

This is an entry-level, full-time position that offers an opportunity for aspiring copywriters to kick-start their career. The role involves assisting in creating compelling and persuasive copy for marketing materials while collaborating with the team. Candidates should have a bachelors degree in English, Marketing, Communications, or a related field, along with strong communication and creativity skills.

Job Title: Copywriter (Entry-level)

Job Type: Full-time

Location: [Small Business Name], [City], [State]

Job Description: Are you a talented wordsmith with a passion for marketing and storytelling? We are looking for an entry-level Copywriter to join our small business team. In this role, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills and gain hands-on experience in crafting persuasive copy for various marketing materials. You will work closely with our experienced copywriters and marketing professionals to create impactful content that drives engagement and supports our business objectives.

Responsibilities:

Assist in the creation of compelling and persuasive copy for marketing materials, such as social media posts, blog articles, website content, and email campaigns. Conduct research on industry trends, target audience, and competitors to ensure content relevance and effectiveness. Collaborate with the marketing team to brainstorm and develop creative concepts for marketing campaigns. Proofread and edit written materials to ensure accuracy, grammar, and adherence to brand guidelines. Learn and apply SEO principles and best practices to optimize content for search engines. Assist in managing content calendars and deadlines for various projects. Stay updated on emerging trends and innovations in copywriting and digital marketing.



Qualifications:

Bachelors degree in English, Marketing, Communications, or a related field. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated creativity and ability to think outside the box. Attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work. Proficiency in using digital tools and platforms. Basic knowledge of SEO concepts and content optimization. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. A strong portfolio or writing samples showcasing your creativity and ability to adapt writing style for different platforms is a plus.



Benefits:

Hands-on experience and mentorship from experienced copywriters and marketing professionals Opportunity to develop and refine copywriting skills Exposure to various marketing channels and strategies Chance to contribute ideas and creativity to marketing campaigns Potential for growth within the company



To Apply: If you are passionate about writing and eager to kick-start your career as a copywriter, we invite you to apply. Please submit your resume, cover letter, and a few writing samples that demonstrate your abilities.

[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Template 3:

The Content Copywriter role is a part-time position located on-site. The selected candidate will be responsible for producing engaging and informative content for various marketing channels, such as blog articles, whitepapers, case studies, and website copy. A bachelors degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field, along with experience as a content writer or in a similar role, is required.

Job Title: Content Copywriter

Job Type: Part-time (20-25 hours per week)

Location: [Small Business Name], [City], [State]

Job Description: We are seeking a skilled and versatile Content Copywriter to support our small business in creating engaging and informative content. As a Content Copywriter, you will be responsible for producing written materials such as blog articles, whitepapers, case studies, and website copy. Your ability to captivate our audience through compelling storytelling and effective communication will be instrumental in strengthening our brand presence and driving customer engagement.

Responsibilities:

Write engaging and informative content for various marketing channels, including blog articles, whitepapers, case studies, and website copy. Conduct in-depth research on industry topics and trends to create valuable and insightful content. Collaborate with the marketing team to develop content strategies that align with our business goals. Edit and proofread all written materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, and clarity. Optimize content for SEO by incorporating relevant keywords and following best practices. Stay updated on industry trends and content marketing innovations. Work closely with subject matter experts and stakeholders to gather information and insights for content creation. Manage content calendars and meet deadlines for assigned projects.



Qualifications:

Bachelors degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field. Proven experience as a content writer, copywriter, or in a similar role. Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a strong command of grammar and style. Ability to research and understand complex topics and transform them into engaging and digestible content. Familiarity with SEO principles and content optimization techniques. Proficiency in using content management systems and other digital tools. Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks effectively. A portfolio showcasing your ability to create engaging and informative content is highly desirable.



Benefits:

Flexible part-time schedule Opportunity to showcase creativity and writing skills through informative and engaging content Exposure to different industries and subject matters Collaborative work environment with the marketing team Chance to build a strong portfolio of diverse writing samples



To Apply: Join our team and contribute your exceptional writing skills to help us create valuable content that resonates with our audience. To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter, and a few writing samples.

[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Template 4:

The Freelance Copywriter position offers flexibility as it is a contract/freelance role that can be performed remotely. The selected candidate will be responsible for writing persuasive copy for marketing materials, adapting to different brand voices, and meeting project deadlines. Proven experience as a freelance copywriter, a strong portfolio showcasing diverse writing samples, and the ability to manage multiple projects are key qualifications for this role.

Job Title: Freelance Copywriter

Job Type: Contract/Freelance

Location: Remote

Job Description: We are looking for a talented and experienced Freelance Copywriter to collaborate with our small business on various projects. As a Freelance Copywriter, you will work remotely and be responsible for creating compelling and persuasive copy for our marketing and advertising materials. Your ability to deliver high-quality work within specified timelines and adapt to different brand voices will be critical to our success.

Responsibilities:

Write persuasive and engaging copy for various marketing materials, including website content, social media posts, email campaigns, and advertisements. Understand and adhere to brand guidelines to maintain consistency in messaging and voice. Conduct research on industry trends, target audience, and competitors to develop effective and relevant content. Collaborate with the marketing team and other stakeholders to gather project requirements and ensure client satisfaction. Edit and proofread all written materials to ensure accuracy, grammar, and style. Adapt writing style to suit different industries and brand personalities. Meet project deadlines and deliver high-quality work within agreed-upon timelines. Communicate effectively with clients and project managers to ensure clarity and alignment.



Qualifications:

Proven experience as a freelance copywriter or in a similar role. Strong portfolio showcasing a diverse range of writing samples across different industries and marketing channels. Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a keen eye for detail. Ability to understand and adapt to different brand voices and guidelines. Self-motivated and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Proficiency in using digital tools and content management systems. Strong communication and time management skills. Availability to work on a project-by-project basis.



Benefits:

Flexibility to work remotely and manage your own schedule Exposure to a variety of clients and industries Opportunity to work on different types of projects and develop versatile copywriting skills Potential for a higher earning potential with project-based compensation Independence and autonomy in managing projects and deliverables



To Apply: If you are a talented freelance copywriter looking for exciting projects and opportunities, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your resume, cover letter, and portfolio samples showcasing your versatility and creativity in copywriting.

[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Template Job Type Location Responsibilities Qualifications Copywriter Full-time On-site - Develop creative and persuasive copy for various marketing materials. - Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field.- Proven experience as a copywriter or similar role. (Entry-level) Full-time On-site - Assist in creating compelling and persuasive copy for marketing materials.- Collaborate with the team. - Bachelor's degree in English, Marketing, Communications, or related field.- Strong communication and creativity skills. Content Copywriter Part-time On-site - Produce engaging and informative content for marketing channels.- Collaborate on content strategies. - Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or related field.- Experience as a content writer or similar role. Freelance Copywriter Contract/Freelance Remote - Write persuasive copy for marketing materials.- Adapt to different brand voices.- Meet deadlines. - Proven experience as a freelance copywriter.- Strong portfolio showcasing diverse writing samples.- Ability to manage multiple projects.

Interview Process and Selection

Once you have a pool of applicants, the interview process begins. The questions should be designed to assess the candidates understanding of the role, their experience in copywriting, and their ability to handle the jobs responsibilities.

Candidates should also be assessed for their cultural fit within your organization and their capacity to work under tight deadlines.

Onboarding and Training

A warm welcome can set the tone for a new copywriters journey in your organization. Be sure to provide them with the necessary resources and support they need to succeed. Establish goals and expectations early on to ensure smooth communication and understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the average salary for a copywriter?

The salary of a copywriter can vary widely based on experience, location, and the type of organization. However, its important to offer a competitive salary to attract talented professionals.

How important are a copywriters writing and editing skills?

Writing and editing skills are crucial for a copywriter. They need to be able to produce clear, concise, and grammatically correct content. Additionally, the ability to adapt their writing style to different audiences and platforms is equally important.

Whats the difference between a copywriter and a content writer?

While both roles involve writing, a copywriters main goal is to sell or promote a product or service. On the other hand, a content writer aims to inform and engage the audience with valuable content.

What are the key components of a copywriter job description?

A copywriter job description should include the roles responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, information about the company, and details about the benefits offered.

What qualities make a good copywriter?

A good copywriter is creative, versatile, and has excellent writing skills. They should be able to write persuasively, conduct thorough research, and understand the target audiences needs.
Phyllis Marie "Boomie" Broms was born March 4, 1934, to Calvin "Bob" and Valrea Albaugh in Tionesta, Pa. She passed away peacefully on June 26, 2023, at the age of 89, surrounded by two generations of loved ones. Boomie is survived by four children: Ronald Simons (Myra), Donna Burris (Dan), Fred Broms, and Ed Broms, as well as 11 grandchildren and 31 spunky great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her brothers Donald and Daniel Albaugh, her oldest son, Bob Simons (Vickie), and her first love, husband, and father of her children, Aloysius "Wishie" Simons. Phyllis is also preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Willard "Will" Broms. The story of "Phyl and Will" began when they met, fell in love, married, and moved to Leonardtown, Md., in 1972.



Phyllis was a nurse for Dr. John T Burke in Stoneboro, Pa., in which she began her career as the local caregiver. Once she moved to Maryland, Phyllis no longer provided nursing care, however, she was given her official title of "Boomie" by her first grandchild. She quickly became everyone's "Grandma Boomie" and continued her life of caring for others. Once you met Boomie, she was forever a part of your heart; always checking in and asking you to "send my love" to those she knew and cared for. Her life's work is demonstrative as she watched over Will to ensure his safe passing to Heaven, where they will share in the peace of eternal life with the ones they love.



The family is holding a small service on July 1st at 10:00 a.m. at St. Columbkille Church, in Stoneboro, Pa. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Mary's Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown, Md., where "Phyl and Will" spent their last days being cared for, as she once cared for others.
A hike to Austria or unique music festival in SND this weekend.

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Nature | Music | Picnic

Nature

The Danube wetlands in Austria. (Source: Jana Liptakova)

Hike to Konigswarte

Meeting point: Lanfranconi Bridge, July 1, 10:00

This Saturday the hikers will meet at Lanfranconi Bridge in Bratislava at 10:00, and walk until they reach the observation tower at Konigswarte in Austria.

After the meeting, the group of foreigners will head to Wolfstahl, moving through some beautiful forest and along the Danube River. Then, they will head up the hill, into the woods to the castle at Potternberg and up to the observation platform at Konigswarte.

After that, they will head across the countryside to Petrzalka, for the number 80 bus back to town. The hike should be about 16 km, on mostly flat terrain.

If you would like to join the hike later, here's a map.

https://sk.frame.mapy.cz/s/mazohorete

Music

(Source: SND)

Summer gala SND

June 30, at 19:00 Square in front of the new SND building, Pribinova 17, Old Town.

The theatre season at the Slovak National Theatre will culminate this year with the spectacular SND Summer Gala.

This will be a traditional open-air gala concert of all three troupes of the Slovak National Theatre: Drama, Opera, and Ballet at the end of the theatre season on the square in front of the new SND building.

In case of bad weather, the program will be held inside the SND Opera and Ballet Hall.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1iXtzTgDIlNuPLkSCHKksJ2BKyEnxiLA&ehbc=2E312F

Picnic

Bratislava Period Picnic

July 1 from 13:00 to 21:00, Gothic tower in Sad Janka Krala (park)

The Bratislava Period Picnic should be a great day out for lovers of living history, focused on the period 1900 - 1950, and is returning to Sad Janka Krala.

Stylish concerts with music of the given era await you including the C. and k. orchestra, SwinGang, and Fats Jazz Band.

Under the crowns of tall trees that have lived through this period themselves, you will be able to enjoy period attractions, craft demonstrations, and a fashion show, all in a pleasant picnic atmosphere.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1Elk7nifMdsyLY1CRSFzS264YnRhkB0c&ehbc=2E312F

If you have tips for free events in Bratislava or you would like to share your hiking or cycling trip ideas with readers, let us know at kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk.
EU money for road projects might be cut off after 2027.

The D1 motorway currently ends near Bidovce in the district of Kosice-okolie. It is necessary to build a more than 74-kilometre section to the border with Ukraine. (Source: Korzar/Judita Cermakova)

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The National Highway Company (NDS) and the Transport Ministry have named three different motorways as its new priorities.

These include the completion of the D1 motorway from Bratislava to the border with Ukraine, for which eastern Slovakia has waited more than 20 years, but also the R4 and D3 motorways to Poland, the Sme daily writes.

The ministry and the company argue that these roads will become part of the trans-European network of motorways once they are finished. They also present arguments such as the possibility of drawing EU money for these road projects, trade, and the development of regions in eastern Slovakia.
NEW YORK, NY and RALEIGH, NC. JUNE 29, 2023  CropConex is pioneering technology to radically increase international coffee trade efficiency and transparency. Black and White Roasters is the first US buyer to leverage this new tool.

[CropConex] really just opens up avenues for collaboration and connection globally, which is a fascinating opportunity, said Kyle Ramage, co-founder of Black and White Roasters.

Black and White Roasters, headquartered in Raleigh, NC, recently utilized CropConex to cup, contract, receive and release their selection of an Anaerobic Natural processed coffee from Dara Coffee Export PLC. The entire process, from contracting a fresh pre-milling sample to launching the coffee on their menu, only took four weeks. The CropConex marketplace currently presents coffee offerings from reliable Ethiopian producers to the US market but is working to expand their operation to other countries in the near future.

CropConex aims to create opportunities for smaller producers and exporters to participate in an open coffee marketplace traditionally dominated by large corporations. By connecting buyers directly to coffee suppliers (and everyone in-between), CropConex is working to cut billions of dollars of waste created by global trading inefficiencies.

The marketplace currently offers:

A diverse catalog of Ethiopian coffees with on-the-ground presence and quality control at origin.

Access to greater volume flexibility than traditional suppliers.

A commercial airline partnership with groundbreaking air-shipping rates from Ethiopia at under $1.30/lb.

Real-time data updates and feedback as coffee moves through the supply chain.

How the platform works for coffee buyers:

 Browse the marketplace and request samples for coffees of interest.

 Provide valuable feedback directly to producers.

Secure contracts, payment and export logistics within the platform.

Receive quality checks, shipment status updates and delivery within weeks.

One of the most memorable moments in this process was receiving video updates from the dry mill. I loved seeing that kind of information and transparency, and it was really fun for the whole team, said Matt Ferraro, Head Roaster at Black and White.

The CropConex platform tracks every step in the sales and logistics process, from sampling to ordering to delivery, and reports progress in an easy-to-understand, centralized portal. This streamlining of communication between suppliers, buyers, and logistics service providers enables both the buyer and seller to connect throughout the entire process, cultivating a deeper level of transparency in the specialty coffee supply chain.

Brianna Dickey, founder & CEO of CropConex, developed the platform to unlock greater access, fairness and potential in the international coffee trade market. The company plans to offer education on existing and future ecosystems of trade. They encourage discourse on the equal rights to growth and the mutual benefits found in collective progress.

Ubuntu is the African concept of common humanity, oneness, you and me both. Its a concept in which your sense of self is shaped by your relationships with other people, and at the heart of what we do at CropConex, said Dickey. We wish to tap into our collective right to opportunity and prosperity by reverse engineering sustainable economic development.

Follow CropConex and Black and White Roasters for updates and more information.

CropConex:

Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin

Black White Roasters:

Instagram | Facebook

About CropConex:

CropConex is a value chain management platform bringing the coffee trade ecosystem online, with tools to streamline operations and de-risk trade. The platform empowers buyers, sellers, and exporters to grow together, by making value chains traceable, efficient, and accessible. Starting in Ethiopia, this New York based startup seeks to unlock greater efficiency in global trade, increasing access and prosperity for all. Visit the website to learn more.

https://cropconex.com/

About Black and White Roasters:

Roasting out of Raleigh, North Carolina, Lemuel Butler and Kyle Ramage co-founded Black and White Roasters in 2017. They are both US coffee champion title holders: 2016 US Barista Champion and 2017 US Barista Champion, respectively. They operate three locations in NC and roast to ship globally, striving to connect people to the most interesting and approachable coffees that they can find.

https://www.blackwhiteroasters.com/

This press release was provided to Sprudge for Sprudge Press Releases. Interested in submitting a press release? Get in touch!
The coffee world was a very different place twenty years ago. This was before the infusion era of tech-industry investments, venture capital and consolidation; back then the specialty coffee industry was a hodgepodge of many small businesses. On the evaluation side, a single formintroduced as the industry standard by the Specialty Coffee Association of Americawas used to determine coffee quality, impacting price movement along the specialty value chain, which was only just really beginning to assert itself as a viable alternative to the almighty C Market.

Over the last theres been tremendous global expansion and increased consumer interest in coffee, year-on-year growth in every segment of the sector, widespread increase in media attention and an explosion in the depth and breadth of coffee options for the consumer. But that quality assessment form, the one originally published by the SCAA, did not evolve with these changes, even as the SCAA merged with its European counterpart to from the new global Specialty Coffee Association.

The previous iteration of the cupping did a lot of heavy lifting, but its form mashed many attributes together. Ones subjective notes could be written down, but they didnt affect the final score. The perceived value of farmworkers being paid a living wage or coffee lands owned by women producers was not quantifiable.

Now here in 2023, the SCA has rolled out its first significant update to this form in more than two decades. It is a massive, ambitious undertaking known as the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), and today it is in a beta testing phase, announced at the 2023 SCA Expo in Portland, Oregon last spring. While the project is only getting started, its goal at the onset has deep meaning for the future of how coffee is bought, sold, and produced around the world, offering a more holistic approach to coffee scoring along the way.

Think back to the first time you cupped coffeeand if you never have, please contact a quality-focused coffee roaster in your area and ask if they offer cupping opportunities. For me, it was a decade ago at one of Counter Culture Coffees weekly, open-to-the-public, free cupping sessions. There was a lot of emphasis on what you should and shouldnt write as a tasting notethis approach was not unique to Counter Culture and was the norm at the timepersonal memory references were on the no-no list. Instead, you were encouraged to pull more universal notes from the memory, so others could relate better. Your great-aunts blackberry-rhubarb pie was probably delicious, but no one else knows what you mean if you write that in as the note. On an aside, universal notes are still subjective in some way, which is why the World Coffee Researchs Sensory Lexicon exists: to globally calibrate flavors like blackberry (its reference is Smuckers Blackberry Jam).

Cupping tables were notorious for gatekeeping and one of the major reasons why Umeko Motoyoshi released their flagship rainbow Big Dipper cupping spoon. I think a lot of coffee professionals feel uncomfortable in cupping settings, but we feel pressured to act like were fine, Motoyoshi told me when I interviewed them for a history of coffee spoons article.

The timeline for the CVA spans several years and is intentionally slow and methodical. As a result of the first phase of research and evaluation, a white paper was published, and a new definition of specialty coffee introduced in 2021: Specialty coffee is a coffee or coffee experience recognized for its distinctive attributes, and because of these attributes, has significant extra value in the marketplace. The current phase, evolution, is all about introducing the CVA through workshops or similar events. And next year, feedback will be incorporated and more testing will be done.

The new system divides assessments into four distinct parts (with definitions quoted below), which can be used separately or together, depending on your needs. The descriptive and affective assessments are in beta testing, and the extrinsic and physical assessments are in research and development.

Descriptive: Focuses on profiling and characterizing the sensory attributes of coffee objectively

Affective: Focuses on discovering the impression of quality of a coffee (for example, a cuppers opinion of a coffee)

Extrinsic: Focuses on profiling and characterizing the informational or symbolic attributes of coffee objectively

Physical: Focuses on a coffees intrinsic properties like size, color, moisture content, and defects

One of the critiques often levied at large organizations is the inability to change and adjust quickly to the times, whatever they may be. Its unfortunate that this change has taken so long, but its also worth a moment of recognition that it does take a lot of buy-in for a global organization to undertake this.

I attended Re:co as part of Sprudges press team and sat in on a roundtable discussion about the value of coffee. Co-moderator and owner of JNP Coffee Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian introduced herself by saying that when she cups coffee, she can taste the terroir, which to her, includes both emotional attachment and tank cleanliness.

Following this Symposium session, Niyonzima-Aroians lab in Burundi hosted a training on the CVA new system, and I was able to gather her impressions of it via ongoing correspondence. She believes that the changes will result in a more equitable and sustainable future in the industry because the new forms provide people with some flexibility to allocate values to coffees based on the different markets. She adds, And also on what other values are considered important to the buyers, such as women-owned coffees and other certifications and/or practices. In this attributes-based valuation system, Niyonzima-Aroians emotional attachment and tank cleanliness can be factored into the overall coffee value score.

Using the CVA will feel familiar to those who are used to SCAs 2004 cupping form, but it does introduce new features. What you really end up with is a bigger, more detailed picture of the coffee and that cuppers experience and perception of it, says Siobhan Browne, Quality Control Manager at Volcafe Specialty Coffee and Genuine Origin and a 17-year industry veteran. She attended a four-hour workshop on the CVA at Specialty Coffee Expo to learn the details in case any of her customers and suppliers start using it. Browne says that the reception of it was fairly positive and that people seemed ready for an update to the 20-year-old system that hasnt changed to meet the times.

Browne adds, I see the potential for this update to make coffee scoring more inclusive because it doesnt detract from an individuals experience. It brings that to the forefront. The inclusive nature of the assessments was also what caught my eye, as the previous system was missing the nuance of values that differ across geographies, cultures, and positions in the coffee chain.

In a joint statement to Sprudge from SCAs executive team, they wrote, We anticipate that green coffee sellersfrom individual producers to exporters and even some importerswill see significant, positive changes resulting from the new system. The CVA was partially driven by the Coffee Price Crisis reports recommendation of rebalancing the power of buyers relative to growers/processes in assessments of coffee quality.

As expected for any new system introduction, change will be slow and challenging in some aspects. I think the greatest challenge, as is often the case with most change, will be the old guard, says Royal Coffees Director of Education Chris Kornman. He had just finished leading the aforementioned training of eight cuppers at JNPs lab. Kornman, who has 20 years of industry experience under his belt, elaborates: The new system no longer allows a dominant cupper to enter the conversation and definitively tell a group of trainees that, based on calibration, one coffee is inherently better than another. The new SCA value assessment draws heavily on modern understanding of true sensory science, and I think this shines an uncomfortable light on the highly subjective nature of some of CQIs quality standards.

Theres widespread enthusiasm for the new CVA, but also some skepticism. In a five-paragraph letter sent to the Q grader mailing list in mid-May, the Coffee Quality Institutes (CQI) Interim CEO Bridget Carrington and Chair of Board of Trustees Kimberly Giroir wrote about CQIs view on the new protocol. They said: At CQI, we believe that coffee quality evaluation will remain valuable. While we see the potential of the CVA, we believe that the Q Grader Certification, using the existing SCA cupping form, will continue to play a crucial role in the industry.

The letters title says volumes (The value of understanding coffee quality), and when combined with the closing paragraphs lineWe are confident that the need to evaluate green coffee quality will remainits clear there are some initial doubts. While CQI is open to what the CVA may bring to the community, the organization doesnt believe the protocols will be necessarily better at evaluating coffee quality than its current methods. In response to a request for an interview, CQIs Director of Marketing and Communications Kristin Schrader sent the following: There is no doubt that coffee is exciting and evolving, and that the industry is always in need of new tools to facilitate its journey from producer to consumer. We are actively looking to learn more and are listening to our community to understand how they are processing this additional system. Well see how the assessment evolves and take it from there.

For those of us who are accustomed to a 100-point scale and drawing a firm 80-point line for specialty coffee, this new definition and approach will certainly take some getting used to. The new definition isnt as digestible or bite-sized; it leaves one wondering what attributes are the ones that truly matter, and how to bridge the evident gulf in experiences that different cuppers of varied backgrounds bring to the table. But this is also an appeal: the attributes are tuned to ones values. Im feeling cautiously optimistic about the new system as a good step in adapting to the industrys current trendsinasmuch that the rollout will be gentle and the feedback is incorporated.

As Browne told me: Im always excited to see change and progress. And this, to me, particularly feels like something that can make coffeeunderstanding quality and accessing tools to measure itmore accessible and, therefore, more diverse. Which is really important because weve been hearing too much from one majority group for too long.

For their part, the SCA appears to be taking an interactive approach to feedback, and will be revising the CVA at various steps along the way. A lot of our plan for how well revise this in the future will come from feedback gathered throughout the early adopter period this year, they told Sprudge. But its likely that elements of the protocol and forms will happen on an as-needed basis.

If youre interested in participating as a beta tester, you can sign up here. This story is developing.

Jenn Chen (@thejennchen) is an Editor At Large at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Jenn Chen on Sprudge.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/arab-islamic-world-will-not-leave-such-crimes-unanswered--syrias-grand-mufti-on-quran-burning-1111545674.html

Syria's Grand Mufti Says Arab-Islamic World Will Not Leave Crime of Quran Burning Unanswered

Syria's Grand Mufti Says Arab-Islamic World Will Not Leave Crime of Quran Burning Unanswered

The Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, has said that the recent act of burning the Holy Quran in Sweden has raised outrage within in the Arab-Islamic world and these crimes will not go unanswered.

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stockholm

syria

sweden

ahmad badreddin hassoun

muslims

quran

islam

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After the incident, the Islamic world sharply condemned the incident and called it an insult to their faith in the Arab-Islamic world. He shared his thoughts on the crime in an interview with Sputnik, stressing the need for a respectful approach towards sacred texts.The Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, has said that the act of burning the Holy Quran in Sweden has raised outrage within the Arab-Islamic world. He shared his thoughts on the crime in an interview with Sputnik Arabic, stressing the need for a respectful approach towards sacred texts.Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun emphasized that the unity of the Muslim community, known as the Ummah, remains unbroken because the Quran is to be found not only in its verses but also in the hearts of believers.The Grand Mufti went on to say that such incidents in Sweden and in European countries in general are carried out with the intention of humiliating people and insulting their religious feelings. He advocated adopting laws that protect against blatant violations of people's beliefs, nationality, and identity. Referring specifically to Sweden, he said he was disappointed that such actions as burning the Quran had been permitted for a second time, which he found unacceptable.In his message to the Swedish government and people, Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun expressed his respect and hope that they will stand up for democracy, defend freedom, and uphold moral values. However, he strongly criticized the recent events in Stockholm, noting that they have become the true extremists, even worse than Daesh* militants.The burning of the Quran, along with other incidents in which activists publicly tear pages from the holy book and set them on fire, has been observed in several Nordic countries. These actions have sparked protests from Muslims both in Europe and internationally. Whereas authorities in these states generally condemn such acts, they argue that they are protected under freedom of expression laws.* Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other countries.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/several-muslim-countries-condemn-quran-burning-in-sweden-1111543370.html

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syria

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quran burning in stockholm, quran burning in stockholm, sweden quran burn news, sweden muslim population, mufti syria ahmad hassoun
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/beijing-calls-on-us-japan-philippines-to-stop-undermining-chinas-sovereignty-interests-1111552984.html

Beijing Calls on US, Japan, Philippines to Stop Undermining China's Sovereignty, Interests

Beijing Calls on US, Japan, Philippines to Stop Undermining China's Sovereignty, Interests

Japan and the Philippines must stop making remarks and taking actions that undermine China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and complicate the situation in the region, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said on Thursday.

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world

china

philippines

japan

chinese defense ministry

zhaoxi zhang

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On June 16, the first meeting of the security advisers of the United States, the Philippines and Japan was held in Tokyo, where the three countries agreed to enhance their trilateral defense and security capabilities to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific amid China's military activities in the South and East China Seas. The parties also pledged to cooperate in the economy to counter Beijing's alleged "economic coercion." He stressed that the current situation in the South and East China Seas is generally stable, although some countries outside the region have tried to create chaos, engage in military provocations, create bloc confrontation and escalate tensions in the region in order to promote their personal interests. "Countries in the East China Sea and South China Sea should refrain from bringing harm to themselves while taking risks for others," the spokesman said. The Chinese military will closely monitor any changes in the situation and take resolute measures to safeguard China's state sovereignty, security and development interests, he added. The meeting of US, Philippine and Japanese security advisers was organized at Japan's initiative. Its main purpose was to secure the support of the Philippines, which has a long-standing territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea and could become another deterrent.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/china-models-total-war-scenario-amid-beijing-washington-tensions-over-taiwan--1111525384.html

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philippines

japan

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/belarus-ratifies-amendments-to-treaty-with-russia-on-ensuring-security-1111542498.html

Belarus Ratifies Amendments to Treaty With Russia on Ensuring Security

Belarus Ratifies Amendments to Treaty With Russia on Ensuring Security

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a law to ratify amendments to the treaty with Russia on jointly ensuring regional security in the military sphere.

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russia

alexander lukashenko

belarus

russia

belarusian defense ministry

defense

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The document was published on the Belarusian national legal Internet portal. In May, the bill was adopted by the lower house of the Belarusian parliament, and in June it was endorsed by the upper house. With the signing of the law by the head of state, Belarus completed the procedure to ratify the protocol on amending the treaty. Earlier, the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Sputnik that the protocol was signed to improve the regulatory legal framework for Belarus-Russia military cooperation.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230531/minsk-believes-deploying-russian-tactical-nuclear-arms-to-cool-down-war-like-rhetoric-1110813981.html

belarus

russia

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belarusian president alexander lukashenko, treaty with russia, regional security
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/debris-from-titanic-tourism-sub-recovered-with-presumed-human-remains-1111534964.html

Debris From Titanic Tourism Sub Recovered With 'Presumed' Human Remains

Debris From Titanic Tourism Sub Recovered With 'Presumed' Human Remains

The US Coast Guard has recovered pieces of the tourist submersible that imploded while touring the Titanic.

2023-06-29T01:28+0000

2023-06-29T01:28+0000

2023-06-29T01:26+0000

world

us coast guard

coast guard

titan

titanic

newfoundland

canada

luxury tourism

tourism

submersible

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The first photos of the debris from the Titanic tourist submersible were captured on Wednesday as the vessel was being offloaded at St. Johns Harbor in Newfoundland, Canada.The images documented the pressure damage from the implosion that killed the five people aboard the Titan submersible last week. Some of the recovered pieces showed dents while others were completely crumbled. The US Coast Guard had been working all week to recover the debris, following a dayslong search and rescue mission that turned into a recovery operation after the investigation surpassed a 96-hour mark. Officials had been operating under estimations of the Titan's remaining oxygen levels.Authorities had originally hoped the submersible was stuck somewhere along the ocean floor and could be rescued; however, when the debris was found it became apparent that no one on board could have survived.The exclusive Titanic tour cost $250,000 per person and was the vessels 14th voyage to the wreckage. Investigators believe cumulative stress on the craft likely caused an implosion that instantaneously killed the passengers.In addition to the recovered debris, it's also been reported the US Coast Guard retrieved some "presumed human remains." Medical professionals will be conducting a formal analysis.After the Coast Guard completes its debris collection and conducts interviews, the Marine Board of Investigation will hold a public hearing and issue a report. The date of the hearing and a timeline for the report have not yet been released.It is unknown how much the failed search and rescue operation will cost, but experts have estimated it will cost several million dollars. It is also unknown how much the investigation and recovery will cost.

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titan submarine, oceangate, titanic, recovery, how much will the titanic submarine cost, billionaires die in submarine
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/eu-states-may-send-military-missions-to-ukraine-under-future-security-guarantees---reports-1111550024.html

EU States May Send Military Missions to Ukraine Under Future Security Guarantees - Reports

EU States May Send Military Missions to Ukraine Under Future Security Guarantees - Reports

EU countries do not exclude sending military missions to Ukraine with the consent of member states within the framework of "future security commitments," a British newspaper reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

2023-06-29T13:03+0000

2023-06-29T13:03+0000

2023-06-29T13:36+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

maria zakharova

european union (eu)

russian foreign ministry

ukraine

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The EU leaders will also pledge to expand the bloc's initiative to train Ukrainian troops, as well as the possibility of sending EU military missions to Ukraine if conditions "deemed suitable" and agreed by all members, the newspaper said. The EU member states also will commit to continue financing arms supplies to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility.Earlier, Moscow cautioned Western against sending NATO troops to Ukraine, saying that it could lead to dangerous consequences.In December 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the provision of training to Ukrainian troops by NATO countries in addition to arms supplies essentially amounted to their involvement in the conflict.In November 2022, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said over 8,000 mercenaries from more than 60 countries had arrived in Ukraine, the largest groups coming from Poland, the United States, Canada, Romania and the UK, despite the fact that in many countries mercenary activities are prohibited by law and prosecuted. Over 3,000 foreign mercenaries had already been killed by that time, the same number had returned home. According to Western media estimates, as of January, between 1,000 and 3,000 foreign mercenaries were operating in the Ukrainian forces.Moscow considers the involvement of mercenaries in the conflict to be a form of support for Kiev by the West.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230513/ukraine-loses-almost-300-military-mercenaries-in-donetsk-direction-over-past-day---moscow-1110316273.html

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sending military missions to ukraine, security guarantees
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/ex-parkland-high-school-guard-found-not-guilty-for-failing-to-confront-shooter-1111559535.html

Ex-Parkland High School Guard Found Not Guilty for Failing to Confront Shooter

Ex-Parkland High School Guard Found Not Guilty for Failing to Confront Shooter

The former security guard for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was found not guilty on criminal charges brought against the officer for failing to confront a school shooter in 2018.

2023-06-29T20:37+0000

2023-06-29T20:37+0000

2023-06-29T20:36+0000

americas

us

nikolas cruz

parkland

marjory stoneman douglas high school

florida

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Scot Peterson, who served as a Broward County sheriffs deputy and school security officer, was found not guilty of child neglect and culpable negligence charges.Peterson, 60, faced over 96 years in prison if convicted on the charges, reports noted. In February 2018, a gunman killed 17 students, teachers, and staff at the school, injuring 17 others as well. Florida prosecutors charged Peterson for refusing to investigate the source of the gunfire and retreating during the shooting. Peterson was said to be the only other person at the school in possession of a firearm when the shooting began. A 33-year law enforcement veteran, Peterson claimed that chaos, miscommunication and a mistaken assumption the shots were being fired by a sniper outside the building kept him from confronting the shooter. Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the school, pleaded guilty to charges linked to the shooting, for which he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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marjory stoneman douglas high school, parkland, florida, security guard, mass shooter
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/fact-check-what-was-real-spot-of-russias-strike-in-kramatorsk-1111542792.html

Fact Check: What Was Real Target of Russia's Strike in Kramatorsk

Fact Check: What Was Real Target of Russia's Strike in Kramatorsk

Moscow has rejected Kiev's claims that its military forces had targeted a restaurant full of civilians in the city of Kramatorsk on June 27.

2023-06-29T13:26+0000

2023-06-29T13:26+0000

2023-06-30T04:07+0000

world

ukraine crisis

kramatorsk

donbass

armed forces of ukraine

us armed forces

dmitry peskov

russian defense ministry

mercenaries

azov battalion

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A point of temporary deployment of the commanders of Ukraine's 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade in Kramatorsk was hit on June 27, Russia's Defense Ministry has reported.Shortly after the strike, Western mainstream media latched on to Kievs hysterically-peddled claims that Russias military had hit civilian infrastructure in the city of Kramatorsk. Media outlets blatantly refused to accept any alternative explanation of the course of events on June 27.Russia does not attack civilian infrastructure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday. Strikes carried out by Russia's Armed Forces target only objects that are connected to military infrastructure in some way," Peskov asserted. This is what Sputniks independent research has discovered about Tuesdays developments.Top Ukrainian Officers & Foreign MercsSince the Tuesday events, footage has surfaced on the Internet appearing to show the aftermath of the Kramatorsk strike. A voice in one of the videos, believed to have been posted by a mercenary using the call sign "Peter," can be heard saying that there are "there's soldiers under this rubble."Presumably, Ukrainian military and foreign mercenaries were injured during the strike, with the aforementioned "Peter" claiming that he had been summoned by an acquaintance to help sort through the rubble as part of the rescue effort.For example, among those who did not survive the missile strike was reportedly a 22-year-old member of the Azov* Battalion, Artyom Sukhovey.Another mercenary is also purportedly pictured in the scenes from Kramatorsk making the rounds online after the strike. An American, Nick Duckworth, judging by the footage, managed to survive the strike. Several other foreign mercenaries whose presence was ostensibly caught on camera at the site in Kramatorsk were Alex Gallant and Arno Dedecker. None of them had previously made any pretense about fighting within the ranks of the Ukrainian military on social media.Footage allegedly taken shortly after the missile strike appeared to show a large number of people in military uniform, with Ukrainian Armed Forces insignia visible on equipment, and English heard spoken.In one of the videos, a tattoo of a wounded man is clearly visible, indicating that he belonged to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment of the US Armed Forces. One could speculate that he was there acting in the capacity of either an instructor or a mercenary. Visible in another video is a man in a uniform bearing the emblem of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) of the United States Army, nicknamed the Screaming Eagles.Various Telegram channels claim that not only the leadership of Ukraines 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade, but also other high-level commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were the target of a strike by Russia on June 27. The "War on Fakes" channel asserted that Russias Armed Forces targeted the location of Ukrainian foreign mercenaries allegedly staying at a hotel in Kramatorsk and dining at the eatery in question. The guest house was closed for civilians at the time of the event, judging by booking services cited in reports.*The Azov battalion is an extremist organization banned in Russia.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/two-ukrainian-generals-20-foreign-mercenaries-destroyed-in-strike-on-kramatorsk---russian-mod-1111545242.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230205/russian-mod-kiev-plotting-large-scale-provocation-in-kramatorsk-to-accuse-moscow-of-war-crimes-1106991775.html

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Video confirms Russian strike on Kramatorsk hit Ukrainian forces Video confirms Russian strike on Kramatorsk hit Ukrainian forces 2023-06-29T13:26+0000 true PT0M22S

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kramatorsk strike, missile attack on kramatorsk restaurant, temporary base, 56th motorized infantry brigade of the ukraines armed forces, russian defense ministry, foreign mercenaries, foreign military advisers.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/finland-to-further-tighten-entry-for-russians-as-collapse-of-bilateral-ties-bites-1111539475.html

Finland to Further Tighten Entry for Russians, as Collapse of Bilateral Ties Bites

Finland to Further Tighten Entry for Russians, as Collapse of Bilateral Ties Bites

The Finnish economy has been hit by recession and a surge in inflation  a development affected by the deliberate freezing of ties with its third-largest trade partner.

2023-06-29T12:51+0000

2023-06-29T12:51+0000

2023-06-29T12:51+0000

economy

finland

russia

european union (eu)

nato

economy

border

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The Finnish government has announced plans to further tighten entry restrictions for Russian nationals.The Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy was said to have concluded earlier this week that "travel by Russian citizens may be harmful to Finlands international relations," which is why "non-essential travel" should be tightened further.In response to the conflict in Ukraine, Finland has significantly limited the issuing of visas to Russian citizens since last September.According to Foreign Ministry Director General of Consular Services Jussi Tanner, there are plans to limit the entry of Russians on business trips, decrease the number of visas issued to Russians seeking to take school entrance exams, and further limit the entry of Russian nationals who own property in Finland (who are currently allowed to perform necessary maintenance work).Economic Rift and Self-Inflicted PainFinland, Russia's immediate neighbor that shares a 1,300-kilometer border and which was once part of the Russian Empire, has had a vivid economic relationship with Moscow since the Soviet era, ideological differences notwithstanding. However, in recent years, once lively ties came to a freeze, not only harming the country's sizeable Russian diaspora, but robbing it of income and leaving a gaping hole in the Finnish economy  a situation the planned business restrictions definitely won't remedy,The relations have changed markedly since the start of Moscow's special operation in Ukraine, as Helsinki has joined NATO and taken part in numerous EU rounds of sanctions against Russia, which have resulted in formerly vibrant cross-border economic activity grinding to a halt. The restrictions on tourism and business have particularly hit Eastern Finland, which has welcomed Russians for decades, with numerous border communities relying on Russian spenders for profits.In 2021, a year before the massive EU sanctions designed to cripple Russian economy took shape, Finland sent 5.4 percent of its total exports to Russia and received nearly 12 percent of its imports from Russia. Furthermore, Russia played an important role in some of Finland's key sectors, such as the paper industry and energy supplies. Its notable absence from the Finnish market has already propelled Finnish fuel prices to all-European highs.Despite having its trade share curtailed since the 2014 Maidan coup and Crimea's reunification with Russia, which Finland condemned, Moscow has consistently ranked among Finland's foremost bilateral trade partners, trailing only Germany and Sweden.Furthermore, in 2020, Russian parent firms had 20 subsidiaries in Finland with combined net sales of 3.2 billion euros ($3.5 billion). Finland, for its part, had 295 subsidiaries in Russia with combined net sales of 6.5 billion euros ($7 billion).The disruption of ties couldn't go unnoticed and has already contributed to Finland's economy plunging into recession, with an unclear outlook. While the full impact of Finland's self-maiming policy is yet to show, the planned restrictions, coupled with a largely symbolic border fence, will only exacerbate the situation further.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230307/finnish-economy-enters-technical-recession-amid-inflation-spike-1108135810.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/israel-refuses-to-send-iron-dome-system-to-kiev-for-fear-of-it-getting-to-iran---netanyahu-1111542162.html

Israel Refuses to Send Iron Dome to Ukraine, Fearing System May End up In Irans Hands

Israel Refuses to Send Iron Dome to Ukraine, Fearing System May End up In Irans Hands

Israel cannot provide the Iron Dome anti-missile system to Ukraine due to concerns that it could fall into hands of Iran and be used against Israeli citizens, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

2023-06-29T09:56+0000

2023-06-29T09:56+0000

2023-06-30T11:30+0000

military

benjamin netanyahu

ukraine

israel

iron dome anti-missile system

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Israel cannot provide the Iron Dome anti-missile system to Ukraine due to concerns that it could fall into hands of Iran and be used against Israeli citizens, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday."I think it's important to understand that we are concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands and could be reverse engineered and we would find ourselves facing Israeli systems used against Israel ... Now if that system [Iron Dome] were to fall in the hands of Iran, then millions of Israelis would be left defenseless," Netanyahu said. At the same time, the prime minister said that Israel was not neutral in the Ukraine conflict, and it had provided assistance to the Ukrainian government. Last week, Netanyahu said that there had already been multiple cases when weapons supplied to Kiev by the West were found near the Israeli border. Western countries have been providing financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's military operation in February 2022. The support evolved from lighter artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023. For months, Ukraine has been pushing to be supplied with Israel's Iron Dome system, which has been met with resistance by the Israeli government so far. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/israel-developing-cyber-iron-dome-system-to-tackle-threats-using-ai-1111515494.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/nicaragua-russia-discussing-trade-in-national-currencies---nicaraguan-foreign-minister-1111539048.html

Nicaragua Interested in Joining BRICS to Promote Multipolar World, Unity - Top Diplomat

Nicaragua Interested in Joining BRICS to Promote Multipolar World, Unity - Top Diplomat

Managua and Moscow are having conversations with respect to conducting trade in national currencies, including when paying for Russian wheat, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada told Sputnik.

2023-06-29T06:17+0000

2023-06-29T06:17+0000

2023-06-29T06:29+0000

nicaragua

russia

managua

sergey lavrov

world

brics

the united nations (un)

nord stream

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"Nicaragua has already expressed its interest in joining BRICS. Its logical because it's a new way, new world, where developing countries can have better unity and have better development, a better world, a multipolar world," Denis Moncada said.Managua and Moscow are having conversations with respect to conducting trade in national currencies, including when paying for Russian wheat, Denis Moncada told."It's a topic [switching to national currencies] of conversations that is universal among friends that are fighting against US hegemony. These are necessary discussions. This mess started conversations that we're sustaining among our representatives and our banking representatives," Moncada said. The foreign minister also said Nicaragua would like to pay for Russian wheat in either rubles or cordoba.In April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Nicaragua as part of his Latin American tour.Managua considers the sabotage on the Nord Stream pipeline an act of state terrorism by the West, Moncada said."It's very clear, which countries execute these acts - the NATO, the USA, their allies - against the countries that are trying to defend their security and severity," Moncada said.Denmark, Germany and Norway have left Russia out of their investigations into the attack, prompting Moscow to launch its own investigation of charges of international terrorism.The Nord Stream pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions in September 2022. The pipeline's operator, Nord Stream AG, said that the damage was unprecedented and it was impossible to estimate the time repairs might take.Many nations are trying to exploit the United Nations in their own favor, Denis Moncada added."The UN is an organization that has the goals to contribute to peace, security and stability in the world, and achieve a better world. Obviously, a lot of powers try to instrumentalize it in their favor," Moncada said. "But the peoples are fighting through international law, through the Charter of United Nations to have a full participation in a full UN in a positive way within the Charter or the United Nations trying to modify, refound it, so that we have a UN, that works."The foreign minister also called on other countries to come together to defend against these measures.When asked about the plans for the upcoming UN General Assembly high-level week, Moncada pointed out that Nicaragua tries to bring policy, improve solidarity, defend the international law and the UN Charter as well as solidarity with all the countries impacted by unilateral measures, including by the United States and other nations.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230420/next-stop-russian-fm-arrives-in-nicaragua-amid-tour-of-latin-america-1109676757.html

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The deal is an integral part of a package agreement. The second part - the Russia-UN memorandum, designed for three years - envisions the unblocking of Russian exports of food and fertilizers, the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery, spare parts and services, the restoration of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline and a number of other measures.

Moscow says this part of the package agreement has not been implemented yet.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/over-1000-people-engaged-in-search-for-16-kidnapped-police-officers-in-mexico-1111536877.html

Over 1,000 People Engaged in Search for 16 Kidnapped Police Officers in Mexico

Over 1,000 People Engaged in Search for 16 Kidnapped Police Officers in Mexico

More than 1,000 security officers are involved in the search operation for 16 police officers, who have been kidnapped in the Mexican state of Chiapas by an armed group of people, a state official confirmed Wednesday.

2023-06-29T03:54+0000

2023-06-29T03:54+0000

2023-06-29T03:53+0000

americas

mexico

kidnapping

law enforcement

police

search operation

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The Ministry of Security and Civil Protection of Chiapas said Tuesday that an armed group of people had blocked its bus and kidnapped the department's 14 police officers. "When we arrived on the scene, we found the bus of the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection of the state of Chiapas, with 17 women, administrative employees of the ministry, who told us that minutes before they had been intercepted by a group of vehicles with armed men, who forced the men to step out the bus in order to later deprive them of their liberty," Cepeda said in a video address posted on the secretariat's social media."It is important to note that there were 16 men."Two men allegedly involved in the kidnapping have been detained during the search operation in the vicinity of the scene of the incident, she added. The Mexican Defense Ministry, the Navy, the national guard, the state and national prosecutor's offices - a total of more than 1,00 security officers, supported by specialists from the capital - joined the search for the kidnapped police officers, she said. Cepeda said the ministry was in constant communication with the families of the kidnapped, with a special team providing them with "emotional support."

americas

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/prigozhin-was-informed-that-wagner-would-not-receive-funding-without-contracts-with-mod---lawmaker-1111544635.html

Prigozhin Was Informed Wagner Would Not Receive Funding Without Contracts With MoD - Lawmaker

Prigozhin Was Informed Wagner Would Not Receive Funding Without Contracts With MoD - Lawmaker

Russia was thrust into a 24-hour internal security crisis from late Friday to late Saturday after Wagner PMC chief Evgeny Prigozhin threatened to march on... 29.06.2023, Sputnik International

2023-06-29T10:52+0000

2023-06-29T10:52+0000

2023-06-29T12:44+0000

russia

pmc wagner

russia

andrei kartapolov

vladimir putin

southern military district

defense ministry

wagner aborted mutiny

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Evgeny Prigozhin was informed ahead of time that a failure by Wagner troops to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry would result in their funding being cut off, and that his men would be left unable to take part in the military operation in Ukraine, Russian Duma defense committee head Andrey Kartapolov has said.Kartapolov characterized Prigozhin's mutiny attempt as a combination of three factors. "First was money, second was foolish and exorbitant ambitions, and third was a state of emotional excitement," he suggested.On Friday, June 23, forces of the Wagner Group (PMC) seized the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, following accusations leveled against the Russian Ministry of Defense for allegedly striking the group's camps. Both the Russian military and the Federal Security Service have denied the allegations.On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed that he had spent the entire day negotiating with Yevgeny Prigozhin, as agreed upon with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As a result of the talks, the Wagner group leader accepted Lukashenko's proposal to stop the movement of his troops in Russia and take measures to de-escalate the situation.The mutiny attempt prompted Russian lawmakers led by Kartapolov to draft a bill to more tightly regulate the activities of private military companies.The mutiny attempt sparked what Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterized as "wishful thinking" on the West's part about Russia's statehood and the military operation in Ukraine. Officials in Kiev admitted openly that they were hoping for the tensions between Prigozhin and the MoD to escalate into a "civil war." President Putin confirmed Tuesday that Russian forces who protected "the constitutional order and our citizens lives, security and freedom" had "saved our motherland from turmoil and in fact prevented civil war."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/kremlin-to-assess-prospects-of-wagner-group-operations-in-car-1111522366.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230626/western-experts-salivated-prospect-of-doom-and-civil-war-in-russia-amid-mutiny-1111475391.html

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russia, pmc wagner, andrei kartapolov, vladimir putin, southern military district, defense ministry, wagner aborted mutiny
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/russia-condemns-frances-plans-to-support-ukraines-entry-to-nato-1111539157.html

Russia Condemns France's Plans to Support Ukraine's Entry to NATO

Russia Condemns France's Plans to Support Ukraine's Entry to NATO

Paris' plans to support Kiev's accession to NATO are proof that Paris continues to slide towards the radical minority in the alliance that sees it as a party to the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

2023-06-29T11:48+0000

2023-06-29T11:48+0000

2023-06-29T11:48+0000

ukraine

russia

nato

russian foreign ministry

world

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France's plans to support Ukraine's accession to NATO prove that Paris continues to slide towards the bloc's radical minority that sees itself as a party to the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.The Russian Foreign Ministry cautioned that such actions will lead to tragic consequences for European and global security.According to Russia's diplomatic agency, "at the same time, France, under pressure from the US, had already agreed to the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO back at the alliance's Bucharest summit in 2008".The US-led West has been supplying the Kiev regime with various types of weapon systems, including air defense missiles, multiple launch rocket systems, tanks, self-propelled artillery and anti-aircraft guns since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against further arms deliveries to Kiev, saying they would be regarded as a legitimate military target.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230619/nato-chief-says-allies-not-discussing-ukraines-accession-1111299579.html

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ukraine's accession to nato, radical minority, conflict in ukraine
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/several-muslim-countries-condemn-quran-burning-in-sweden-1111543370.html

Several Muslim Countries Condemn Quran Burning in Sweden

Several Muslim Countries Condemn Quran Burning in Sweden

Muslim countries such as Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have strongly condemned the latest protest with a Quran burning in Sweden.

2023-06-29T10:27+0000

2023-06-29T10:27+0000

2023-06-29T13:32+0000

world

stockholm

sweden

egypt

egyptian foreign ministry

iranian foreign ministry

quran

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Muslim countries such as Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have strongly condemned the latest protest with a Quran burning in Sweden. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the burning of a Quran by an extremist in front of a central mosque in Stockholm, Sweden. These repeated acts of hatred cannot be accepted regardless of their pretext. They directly contradict international efforts to spread the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and countering extremism. They undermine the mutual respect necessary to build relationships between nations and peoples," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Iran called the Swedish authorities' permission for the action provocative, thoughtless and unacceptable. Iraqi government spokesman Basem Al-Awadi said that the Quran burning in Sweden contradicts the principle of freedom of expression declared by the West and such actions could potentially drag the world back into the morass of terrorism and fanaticism that continues to plague the world. "The Iraqi government vehemently condemns these individuals who have repeatedly and publicly desecrated copies of the Holy Quran in a manner filled with hate, defying all virtuous and humanitarian values that advocate respect for religions and holy scriptures," Al-Awadi was quoted as saying by Iraqi news Agency Shafaq news. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called the burning of a Quran in Sweden on the day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha a shameful act. On June 28, the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, a protest in which a Quran was burned took place outside Stockholm's main mosque. The demonstration was approved by the Swedish authorities. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the police decision was "legal but inappropriate." It is not the first protest in Sweden involving a Quran burning, and such demonstrations have escalated tensions between the European country and Turkey, whose backing Stockholm needs to become a member of NATO.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/turkish-foreign-minister-slams-another-quran-burning-incident-in-sweden-1111528090.html

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quran burning, muslim countries, quran burning in sweden
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/special-police-units-being-sent-to-frances-nanterre-amid-mass-riots---reports-1111557564.html

Special Police Units Being Sent to France's Nanterre Amid Mass Riots - Reports

Special Police Units Being Sent to France's Nanterre Amid Mass Riots - Reports

Special police units are being sent to the French city of Nanterre, where mass riots are taking place after a teenager was shot by the French police, a French newspaper reported on Thursday, citing security sources.

2023-06-29T17:36+0000

2023-06-29T17:36+0000

2023-06-29T17:51+0000

world

france

protests

riots

police brutality

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Special police units are being sent to the French city of Nanterre, where mass riots are taking place after a teenager was shot by the French police, a French newspaper reported on Thursday, citing security sources. Special units of the French national police  the GIGN (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group), RAID (Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence), and BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade)  have been sent to Nanterre, according to the newspaper.The second day of unrest in Nanterre, in the western suburbs of Paris, began with a peaceful silent march that descended into chaos when hundreds of violent protesters attacked riot police with rocks and glass bottles. Police responded by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades at the raging mob. A Sputnik correspondent said that several people had been detained.Earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron called the violence in the country after a teenager was killed by the police "unjustifiable" and called for calm.On Tuesday, a 17-year-old boy was shot in Nanterre after he refused to comply with police instructions. Media reported that the boy was driving a rental car and broke several traffic rules. On Thursday, a protest march in memory of the killed teenager is taking place in Nanterre, that soon escalated into violent clashes between radicals and the police. Later, mass protests sparked across France, with at least 150 protesters detained by police as of Thursday.Meanwhile, French media reported that a police officer who shot dead the teenager was placed in pre-trial detention, with a criminal case of intentional homicide opened against him."Investigators concluded that the legal conditions for the usage of firearms had not been observed," the Nanterre prosecutor said at a press conference.The autopsy showed that the teenager had died from a single shot by the officer, the prosecutor stated, adding that no drugs or other illegal substances had been detected during the search of his car.

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protests in france, riots in france, police brutality, frenc police officer killed teenager
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/supreme-court-strikes-down-race-based-admissions-policies-at-us-universities-1111558400.html

Supreme Court Strikes Down Race-Based Admissions Policies at US Universities

Supreme Court Strikes Down Race-Based Admissions Policies at US Universities

The Supreme Court has ruled to severely restrict the use of race-based criteria for college admissions - a cornerstone of liberal policies designed to reverse centuries of race-based discrimination against nonwhite Americans.

2023-06-29T19:25+0000

2023-06-29T19:25+0000

2023-06-29T19:23+0000

americas

john roberts

sonia sotomayor

supreme court

university of north carolina

joe biden

affirmative action

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The high court voted 6-3 along ideological lines, with the majority finding the use of race-based admission practices at universities violated the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection under the law, unfairly denying Asian American and white applicants of university spots.The case, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, involved admissions practices at two major US universities: Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both institutions had admissions regulations that allowed race to be a deciding factor between applicants.We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today, he added.Other civil rights movements at the time also sought equality for Native Americans, women, and LGBTQ people, and enjoyed various degrees of success. For some, similar affirmative action practices were incorporated into the hiring and admissions practices of various public institutions.Successive Supreme Court cases had already weakened affirmative action practices in the US well before Thursdays ruling, including allowing individual states to prohibit the practice.However, the high court on Thursday didnt totally dismiss race-based considerations, it just said they cant be used as a deciding factor between applicants.But, despite the dissents assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today, he added.However, the three liberal justices - all three of whom are women of minority ethnicities - sharply dissented. In a minority opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor excoriated the majority for revisionist history by citing Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the 1954 decision that struck down racially-exclusive schools.Sotomayor wrote that the rulings interpretation of the 14th Amendment is grounded in the illusion that racial inequality was a problem of a different generation.Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal, she continued. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.Speaking on the ruling on Thursday, US President Joe Biden said inequality remained a fact in the United States, regardless of the high courts decision. He said colleges should not abandon our commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds.Biden also said he was directing the US Department of Education to deter legacy admissions programs as well, saying colleges should prioritize applicants who are the first in their families to attend college.When asked by a journalist if the high court was rogue, Biden replied, it is not a normal court.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230609/supreme-court-strikes-down-alabama-voting-map-that-threatened-to-disenfranchise-black-voters-1111019636.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230626/scotus-reverses-course-will-no-longer-hear-moot-case-on-trumps-dc-hotel-files-1111476391.html

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affirmative action; harvard; supreme court; sotomayor; chapel hill
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/two-dead-after-shootout-unfolds-near-us-consulate-in-jeddah-1111536305.html

Two Dead After Shootout Unfolds Near US Consulate in Jeddah

Two Dead After Shootout Unfolds Near US Consulate in Jeddah

Security forces killed a man carrying a gun near the US Consulate in Saudi Arabia, one security personnel also died in the gun fight.

2023-06-29T03:25+0000

2023-06-29T03:25+0000

2023-06-29T03:23+0000

world

saudi arabia

jeddah

state department

us embassy

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Security forces shot and killed an armed man on Wednesday near the US Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, officials have confirmed.The shooter, who has not been identified, reportedly stopped his car near the consulate carrying a firearm. According to the Mecca Police, a person in a car stopped near the American consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand.The security forces then took the initiative to deal with him as required and the exchange of fire resulted in his death.A Nepalese security guard working at the consulate was also killed in the shootout.A State Department spokesman confirmed to Qatari state media that a shooting incident took place and led to two deaths.The US State Department also expressed condolences to the family of the slain security guard.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220312/videos-multiple-explosions-sound-off-near-us-consulate-compound-in-erbil-1093817217.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/two-ukrainian-generals-20-foreign-mercenaries-destroyed-in-strike-on-kramatorsk---russian-mod-1111545242.html

Two Ukrainian Generals, 20 Foreign Mercenaries Destroyed in Strike on Kramatorsk - Russian MoD

Two Ukrainian Generals, 20 Foreign Mercenaries Destroyed in Strike on Kramatorsk - Russian MoD

Two Ukrainian generals and up to 50 officers of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as up to 20 foreign mercenaries and military advisers, were killed as a result of a precision strike by the Russian military in Kramatorsk on June 27, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

2023-06-29T11:18+0000

2023-06-29T11:18+0000

2023-06-29T11:38+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

kramatorsk

ukraine

russia

armed forces of ukraine

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Two Ukrainian generals and up to 50 officers of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as up to 20 foreign mercenaries and military advisers, were killed as a result of a precision strike by the Russian military in Kramatorsk on June 27, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday. "According to updated information, as a result of a high-precision strike at the point of temporary deployment of the 56th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces in the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic on June 27 of this year, two generals, up to 50 officers of the armed forces of Ukraine, as well as up to 20 foreign mercenaries and military advisers participating in a staff meeting were destroyed," the ministry said in a statement.Up to 530 Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded in the Donetsk direction in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that Kiev also lost 10 pieces of military equipment.According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces have continues attempts to attack in Donetsk, South Donetsk and Krasny Liman directions.The ministry also said that the enemy lost up to 135 soldiers in South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, adding that one more attack was repelled near the Staromaiorskoe settlement of the Donetsk Peoples Republic.On June 28, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that a point of temporary deployment of the commanders of the 56th motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kramatorsk was hit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the Kremlin's attitude toward Kievs statement that civilians were allegedly killed as a result of the Russian strike on Kramatorsk, said Russia does not attack civilian infrastructure, but hits military infrastructure-related facilities.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/ukraines-military-intel-complaining-partners-are-calling-for-violent-offensive-1111537031.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/uk-appeals-court-labels-rwanda-deportation-scheme-for-illegal-migrants-unlawful-1111548528.html

UK Appeals Court Labels Rwanda Deportation Scheme for Illegal Migrants 'Unlawful'

UK Appeals Court Labels Rwanda Deportation Scheme for Illegal Migrants 'Unlawful'

The UK Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday that the government's plan to relocate illegal immigrants to Rwanda to deter irregular arrivals by boat was unlawful, paving the way for the matter to be considered by the Supreme Court.

2023-06-29T12:24+0000

2023-06-29T12:24+0000

2023-06-29T12:24+0000

world

united kingdom (uk)

rwanda

uk court of appeal

supreme court

migrants

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Two of the three judges ruled to reverse the High Court's December decision that labeled the east African nation of Rwanda a "safe country," arguing that asylum seekers might be removed to their home countries. The UK government insists that the scheme will discourage migrants from crossing the English Channel from France in small boats to seek asylum in the United Kingdom and save the cost of their upkeep. The appellants  from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan and Albania  say there is a risk that they will be returned to their home countries. The government tried to send migrants on a one-way trip to Rwanda in June 2022, but the flight was canceled shortly before take-off after the European Court of Human Rights interfered. The High Court ruled in December that the scheme was lawful, prompting the 10 appellants and a human rights charity to seek permission to appeal, which they were granted in January 2023.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/ukraines-counteroffensive-struggling-against-russias-defences-top-nato-general-says-1111541246.html

Ukraines Counteroffensive Struggling Against Russias Defenses, Top NATO General Says

Ukraines Counteroffensive Struggling Against Russias Defenses, Top NATO General Says

Ukraines counteroffensive had not yet achieved significant successes and is struggling against Russias defences, US General Christopher Cavoli has been cited as saying

2023-06-29T12:30+0000

2023-06-29T12:30+0000

2023-06-29T13:28+0000

ukraine crisis

nato

european union (eu)

kiev

russia's special operation in ukraine

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Ukraines counteroffensive has not yet achieved significant successes and is struggling against Russias defenses, US General Christopher Cavoli has been cited as saying.Indeed, the well-advertised Ukrainian counteroffensive, launched on June 4, has borne no tangible results. Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters during the 2023 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that Kiev had failed to reach any strategic objectives since the beginning of its counteroffensive, losing 186 tanks and 418 armored vehicles. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said recently that 16 days of intense hostilities had prompted Ukrainian forces to markedly wind down their activity, not least because they had suffered significant losses both in men and materiel during the counteroffensive. But for all its losses, the regime in Kiev is firmly on its donors' hook, as the Western alliance has been pumping weapons to support the US-led proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. The billions of dollars' worth of military equipment, which Moscow has repeatedly warned is a legitimate target that only prolongs the conflict, is being meticulously obliterated by the Russian Armed Forces. Ukraine, meanwhile, has wedged itself between a rock and a hard place, as it is no longer in a position to make independent decisions, and jumps to the bidding of its handlers.In the West, amid a growing weariness of the Ukraine conflict and anti-Russia sanctions that have backfired on both US and European economies, all eyes are on Kiev to display some degree of success if it doesn't want the stream of assistance to run dry.Meanwhile, as the Ukrainian offensive "treads water," so to say, EU capitals have been prompted to rethink the level of support they believe Kiev needs. The EU leaders summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday is gearing up to offer future security commitments to Ukraine, to be laid out in draft conclusions, according to reports. At the meeting, taking place less than two weeks before the NATO alliance summit in Vilnius next month, France and Germany are cited as falling in line with US- and UK-driven calls to provide Ukraine with bilateral security arrangements, coupled with long-term financing, military assistance, training, and intelligence assistance. A proposed EU declaration, the text of which was ostensibly conceived by France, would send a very clear political signal of enduring support for Ukraine, an insider was cited as saying. Earlier, French media reported, citing sources, that the Macron government was weighing the option of Ukraine joining NATO as an independent security guarantee.France's plans to support Ukraine's accession to NATO prove that Paris continues to slide towards the bloc's radical minority that sees itself as a party to the conflict in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted, adding that such actions may result in tragic consequences for European and global security.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230622/ukrainian-counteroffensive-falling-short-of-expectations-western-officials-say-1111403391.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/russia-condemns-frances-plans-to-support-ukraines-entry-to-nato-1111539157.html

kiev

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Svetlana Ekimenko

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/ukraines-military-intel-complaining-partners-are-calling-for-violent-offensive-1111537031.html

Ukraine's Military Intel Complaining Partners Are Calling for 'Violent' Offensive

Ukraine's Military Intel Complaining Partners Are Calling for 'Violent' Offensive

The Ukrainian military intelligence has reportedly complained that some partners are urging Kiev to move forward and fight "violently" in their counteroffensive.

2023-06-29T09:45+0000

2023-06-29T09:45+0000

2023-06-29T09:53+0000

world

ukraine

kiev

counter-offensive

intelligence

foreign military aid

pentagon

high mobility artillery rocket system (himars)

nato

vladimir putin

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The Kiev regime is frustrated with persistent calls by partners to intensify its operations, UK media reported Wednesday. Furthermore, Ukraine, which has failed to demonstrate much progress in its counteroffensive so far, has reportedly been railing against what it sees as stingy aid deliveries by its Western donors.The source noted that Ukraine's military commanders want to protect their depleted forces, adding that Kiev's troops are moving as fast as they can, while Western advisers urge them that a lack of shock and momentum will cost more lives in the longer term. The forces of the Kiev regime, despite all the weaponry provided to them by Washington and its Western allies fighting a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, are making slower progress than many American and European officials had hoped, the publication conceded. What's more, Ukraine's spate of recent attacks has led to "heavy casualties," laying bare the "limited training" that Kiev's forces have received so far, according to sources.However, Ukraine, for all its frustration, can hardly ignore Western demands to "go forward" against elaborate Russian defenses consisting of infantry trenches, anti-personnel and anti-tank minefields, anti-tank dragons teeth, and earthen beams. The Kiev regime has long since become a pawn stripped of any independent decision-making by its "handlers."As per the Pentagon, the US has invested $41.2 billion in security assistance to Kiev since January 2021, which includes more than $40.5 billion since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. On June 27, the Pentagon announced an additional security assistance package of up to $500 million, which includes additional armored vehicles, anti-armor systems, and munitions for Patriot air defense systems and HIMARS, among other items. Numerous Washington allies in the West have followed suit, jumping on the weapons-funneling bandwagon. But despite the military aid being sucked into the "black hole" of assistance to Ukraine, and Kievs NATO-provided intelligence capabilities, the counteroffensive has stuttered. Russian United Nations Ambassador Vassily Nebenzya characterized it recently as "suicidal." Russia continues to obliterate Western weapons, while Kiev fails to show any tangible victories on the battlefront. Commenting on the recent losses of the Ukrainian forces, being urged by their Western backers to forge ahead no matter what, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said that Kievs allies seem to have cynically "decided to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230624/scott-ritter-ukrainian-counteroffensive-turning-into-suicide-mission-1111441680.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230628/us-hawks-lose-momentum-amid-faltering-ukrainian-counteroffensive-1111526242.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/us-nuclear-sub-to-make-port-call-in-south-korea-1111552766.html

US Nuclear Sub to Make Port Call in South Korea

US Nuclear Sub to Make Port Call in South Korea

A US nuclear-armed submarine will visit South Korea soon, US Forces Korea deputy commander Scott Pleus said on Thursday, in what Korean media said will be the first such port call in decades.

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A US nuclear-armed submarine will visit South Korea soon, US Forces Korea deputy commander Scott Pleus said on Thursday, in what Korean media said will be the first such port call in decades. US President Joe Biden said during a meeting with his Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, in Washington in April that he would send a nuclear submarine to South Korea to enhance the "regular visibility" of US strategic assets on the Korean peninsula. Lt. Gen. Pleus said the US-South Korean alliance needed to build "greater strategic depth" as the two countries seek to forge a global comprehensive strategic partnership, Yonhap reported. "As our alliance continues to expand, we will keep building upon our commitments not only to the security of Northeast Asia, but also to a free and open Indo-Pacific and a free and open global commons," he said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230622/us-nuclear-powered-submarine-conducts-joint-drills-with-south-korean-navy--reports-1111381470.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/watch-russian-precision-guided-projectile-destroys-ukrainian-forces-warehouse--1111548067.html

Watch: Russian Precision-Guided Projectile Destroys Ukrainian Forces Warehouse

Watch: Russian Precision-Guided Projectile Destroys Ukrainian Forces Warehouse

The Russian Defense Ministry has released a video of a precision-guided missile fired from Russia's Krasnopol system blowing up a warehouse belonging to Ukrainian forces.

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released a video of a precision-guided missile fired from Russia's Krasnopol system blowing up a warehouse belonging to Ukrainian forces.Ukraine launched its much-touted counteroffensive in early June after a number of postponements. The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly said that Ukrainian troops are trying to advance in the South Donetsk, Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Zaporozhye directions, but without success.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/wheres-the-money-hungarys-orban-taunts-eus-drained-coffers-with-travolta-meme-1111552026.html

'Where's the Money?' Hungary's Orban Taunts EU's Drained Coffers With Travolta Meme

'Where's the Money?' Hungary's Orban Taunts EU's Drained Coffers With Travolta Meme

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban trolled the European Commission in a Twitter post on Thursday over its fast-emptying coffers, adding a John Travolta meme to his tweet.

2023-06-29T14:57+0000

2023-06-29T14:57+0000

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban trolled the European Commission in a Twitter post on Thursday over its rapidly emptying coffers."What happened to the 7-year budget?" Orban queried, accompanying his tweet with a John Travolta meme from the movie Pulp Fiction. "How did this happen? What happened to the budget? Where is the money?" were the questions that Orban put out there, as the European Commission requested an increase of 66 billion ($72 billion) on Tuesday for its long-term budget. A review of a draft budget for the 2024-2027 period by the European Commission triggered an urgent need to boost the rapidly dwindling budget, with most of the money ostensibly needed to fund additional assistance for Ukraine.Viktor Orban's post on Twitter kicked off a thread of comments. Many took to social media to deplore the money going towards propping up Ukraine's "corrupt" President Volodymyr Zelensky.Since the beginning of Russias special military operation, EU members have provided more than 61.7 billion euros in direct support to Kiev, including over 10 billion euros in military assistance. Moscow has warned repeatedly that such aid threatens to escalate the crisis. Back in May, Hungary blocked the European Union from allocating the eighth 500 million package from the so-called European Peace Fund to pay for military assistance to the Kiev regime. Orban has insisted that the ongoing hostilities stem from a "failure of diplomacy." Rather than pursuing a strategy of further ramping up tensions, the veteran Hungarian leader urged an immediate end to escalation by the West. Viktor Orban has also offered especially harsh criticism of the European Unions aggressively anti-Russian policies.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/yellen-voices-hope-visiting-china-will-help-resume-contacts-between-us-chinese-officials-1111542368.html

Yellen Voices Hope Visiting China Will Help Resume Contacts Between US, Chinese Officials

Yellen Voices Hope Visiting China Will Help Resume Contacts Between US, Chinese Officials

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has expressed hope that her upcoming visit to China would help Beijing and Washington re-establish contacts between leaders and senior officials of the two countries, as well as ensure "healthy competition."

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US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has expressed hope that her upcoming visit to China would help Beijing and Washington re-establish contacts between leaders and senior officials of the two countries, as well as ensure "healthy competition." The US official added that she could not give the exact date of her upcoming trip. The US treasury secretary is going to be the second Biden administration official to travel to Beijing after a souring in relations between the two countries. Earlier in the month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a trip to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230626/yellen-reportedly-plans-visit-to-china-in-july-amid-us-investment-curbs-on-beijing-1111483605.html

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Horse Racing New Brunswick will present the annual Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial Stakes named in honour of the legendary horsemen at Connell Park in Woodstock, N.B with eliminations held on Friday night (June 30).

The long running stakes is in memory of two Hall of Fame horsemen in Rufin Barrieau and Francis McIsaac. Both are legends in the Maritimes' long-standing history. This is the first time that the lucrative stakes will take place outside of Exhibition Park Raceway. There will be three separate elimination divisions that go for $6,000 each division.

Finalists will meet head on for a battle on Friday, July 7, competing for a purse $37,000. The top two from all three eliminations willl advance, while two out of three third-place finishers will advance on a decision made by draw. The final third-place finisher will start in the consolation.

All other colts and geldings will have a chance for the consolation for $5,000. There is a filly bonus for $3,000, with $2,000 for the top placed filly in the final and $1,000 for next highest placed filly.

Post time for Friday night's card, which have six races on the program, is slated for 6:30 p.m.

There are a total of 19 colts and fillies which have entered the eliminations in hope of making the rich final.

Looking at the divisions, the opener appears to be a battle between Lookoveryour from the powerful Marc Campbell stable and Elm Grove Redwine from the David Dowling stable. Lookoveryour has won her last two races with a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1 at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park while Elm Grove Redwine has not missed the board in 2023 for trainer/driver David Dowling.

In the second division, Bacononabiscuit, another entry off a new lifetime mark last start of 1:56, will have the leading driver in the Maritimes, Marc Campbell on board. Bacononabiscuit is trained by Stacey Darrah and has three wins in six starts this season. His biggest test should come from Singing Ramona and Woodmere Clara.

In the third and final division, there are seven starters. It is wide open who will come out with the top two finishers earning a berth in the $37,000 final. Howmac Charmer has the inside post in this race with the aggressive Patrick Shepherd between the wheels. New Shooter comes in red hot with three straight wins for trainer George Rennison and leaves from post two. Elm Grove Restwind gets the trailing spot for trainer/driver David Dowling.

In other news, Therealprincess, one of the most dominant stakes performers in the Maritimes in 2021-22 is back in the Maritimes under the ownership of Dr. Mitch Downey. She has drawn post six in the top overnight class in the finale.

Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to extend gratitude to the horsemen and women who chose to enter for Friday. It's a long trip for many and HRNB appreciates all the support.

(With files from Horse Racing New Brunswick)
The second name to join the $1 million MGM Yonkers International Trot has a god-like name of Greek origins, but he is most certainly of Australian descent. The connections of Group 1 winner Aldebaran Zeus has received and accepted an invitation to the 1-1/4-mile worldwide trotting contest on Sept. 9 at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

"I'm so thrilled to be invited and we've all jumped at the chance to go," said owner-breeder Duncan McPherson.

"I was so thrilled to see what Just Believe did in Sweden and in my role as the recruiter for the Yonkers Raceway, I've had my eye on Aldebaran Zeus for some time," said Klaus Koch, referring to Just Believe's start in the Elitloppet at Solvalla, as well as other Swedish stakes in May and June.

With Just Believe performing well on the international stage, it bolstered the stock of Aldebaran Zeus, who defeated the European traveller in March at Menangle.

An 18-time winner in his homeland over distances ranging from 1,609 meters (one mile) to 2,760 meters (1.7 miles), Aldebaran Zeus has earned just under $420,000 under the care of trainer Brent Lilley. While born in Australia, the five-year-old has international bloodlines as a son of U.S. sire Muscle Hill and the Swedish dam Zoia Boko.

The route to MGM Yonkers Raceway from Australia is certainly a long one as Aldebaran Zeus will go from Melbourne to Hong Kong to Anchorage to Chicago before ultimately making the trip to New York after a 10-day quarantine. Despite the daunting itinerary, Lilley is not worried.

"He's handled his interstate and New Zealand travel without missing a beat, so I expect he'll handle the flights and quarantine in Chicago without issue. We'll time it for him to peak on the day," said Lilley.

Aldebaran Zeus will seek to become the first native of Australia to win the MGM Yonkers International Trot, which began in 1959 and has continued each year with the exception of 1994 and a 1996 to 2014 hiatus. If successful, it would certainly bring increased awareness to trotters from Down Under.

"As we saw recently with Just Believe's campaign in Sweden, our trotters here in Australia are more than competitive in this company, and the world is now watching with a different level of expectation," said McPherson. "These types of opportunities don't just happen. I appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes and thank HRA [Harness Racing Australia] for its continued efforts to promote our industry in new markets."

The MGM Yonkers International Trot will be part of a blockbuster program that includes a pair of six-figure Invitationals and the $1.8 million New York Sire Stakes Day of Champions to honour the best two- and three-year-olds in the state. Post time for the special card is noon.

(Yonkers Raceway)
A trio of $12,600 events, two on the trot and one on the pace, for developing horses highlighted the opening of the racing week on Wednesday afternoon at Harrahs Philadelphia.

The faster of the trotting contests went to the Father Patrick gelding Pedal On Metal, who came home in :56.2 and :28 from way back to be along by 1-1/4 lengths over Strongerthanlindy and reduce his career mark by three seconds to 1:54.2 under the handling of Tim Tetrick. Pedal On Metal now has two wins and second in three seasonal starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon, who is also co-owner with ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson.

In the other trot, the Explosive Matter gelding King Tut Hanover made every pole a winning one, holding off the stretch thrust of favoured Candy Bomber by a nose in a lifetime best 1:57. David Miller drove the winner for trainer Louise Pepin, who is also co-owner with Steven Bryden.

The pacing feature was for distaffs and the Sweet Lou sophomore filly Mind Blowing lived up to her 1-9 billing, stepping home in :55.2 to complete a three-length victory over JK A E One in 1:52.1. Andrew McCarthy was behind the Linda Toscano trainee, who won for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Bottom Line Racing LLC and South Mountain Stables.

In a first of a pair of two-year-old pacing filly contests, the Stay Hungry-Maniami filly Chiapanecas (named after a Mexican handclapping song you would know) went fractions of :29.2, :58 and 1:26.1 en route to a two-length victory over Ginger Tree Belle in 1:53.4, a seasons record for filly on a five-eighths-mile track and equal to any baby pacer of either sex, for driver Yannick Gingras, trainer Ron Burke and owner W J Donovan.

After fractions of :29, :57 and 1:25.4 in the other cut, Gingras and Burke tried for a sweep with the uncovered Lou Lou, but they were caught by three-quarters of a length by the Stay Hungry-Skinny Dip miss Lyons Legend in 1:54.1, a winner for Threelyonsracing and two fellows known for success with pacing fillies  the team of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr.

Racing continues on Thursday and Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. Thursdays program will feature a $1751.59 carryover into the Pick-5 in races five through nine. Sundays card features the $142,148 third preliminary of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts, with among the entrants the likes of Khaosan Road, already a triple stakes winner this year, and Once In A Lifetime, the divisions defending Sire Stakes champion. Program pages for all races at Harrahs Philadelphia will be available on the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association website.

(PHHA / Harrahs Philadelphia)
Four-year-old pacer Greatest Ending led all auctions on Thursday afternoon at OnGait, with a six-figure winning bid.

Greatest Ending was purchased for $172,000 by Anthony MacDonald's The Stable of Ontario. A career winner of seven races and $363,403 from 28 starts, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding was just race timed in 1:48 flat, finishing fourth in a leg of the Graduate Series last Saturday at The Meadowlands for trainer Brett Pelling. He took his mark of 1:50.3 as a three-year-old, winning a consolation of the Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs. Greatest Ending was sold by the ownership group of Let It Ride Stables Inc., Bottom Line Racing LLC, Diamond Creek Racing and McKinlay & Fielding.

Earlier this week, Knights Tale p,3,1:54.1f, a three-year-old full sister to millionaire Workin Ona Mystery, left the Pelling barn after selling for

$72,000 to Mark Weaver of Pennsylvania; Climb The Pole 3,1:55.3s, a three-year-old Kadabra filly owned by the Steve Heimbecker/Amanda Fine partnership, went to Aaron Byron of Ontario for $66,200; and Standingonthesand 3,Q1:57s, a lightly raced three-year-old son of Walner, was sold by Heimbecker to David Jarvis of Virginia for $49,000.

(With files from OnGait)
Linda Toscano will send out highly regarded contenders in Fridays two stakes races for three-year-old fillies at MGM Yonkers Raceway with trotter Sadie Hanover looking to remain undefeated this season and pacer Ucandoit Blue Chip, who holds a special connection to the trainers heart, aiming to continue her own winning ways.

Sadie Hanover (pictured above) is five-for-five this year as she heads to the $100,000 New York New York Mile for sophomore female trotters. The race attracted a field of nine horses, with all advancing directly to the final, which will be contested at an added distance of 1-1/16 miles. Eight horses will be on the starting gate while one, Warrawee Yes, will leave from the second tier.

Scott Zeron will drive Sadie Hanover, who starts from post two. She is 5-2 on the morning line, the second choice behind 2-1 favourite Walner Payton.

Last season, Sadie Hanover won one of five races and finished third four times on her way to $17,400 in purses. This year, the daughter of Chapter Seven-Southwind Percy opened her campaign with a Grand Circuit win in a division of the Lady Suffolk at Freehold Raceway and most recently captured a division of the Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs to push her career earnings to $150,454.

She is the fastest three-year-old filly trotter this season, thanks to her 1:51.3 score in the EBC.

I loved her last year, but she was going through growing pains, said Toscano. She showed enough heart and she showed she had a beautiful gait, she just needed time to mature. She came back this year a different horse. Shes been a pleasure.

Sadie Hanover has shown versatility in her wins this season, with gate-to-wire triumphs in the Lady Suffolk and EBC and off-the-pace victories in her remaining three starts. In the EBC, she reached the opening quarter-mile in :26.1 and was never threatened.

Shocking, Toscano said about the performance. She had a beautiful trip at Tioga the week before [in a New York Sire Stakes division]; she was second-over and shes been finishing well. In her last start, because of Vernon, we had to kind of race her a little bit differently. I think we were all surprised that she was as strong and as quick as she was. Shes just a good girl this year.

Sadie Hanovers only previous start on a half-mile track, such as Yonkers, was in the Lady Suffolk. She cruised around the Freehold oval in 1:56.3 and won by 10-1/4 lengths.

She raced really well at Freehold, said Toscano, who trains Sadie Hanover  a $240,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale  for owners The Bays Stable, Blue Ridge Stable, Carmen Iannacone and Gary Cocco. Her versatility is her best quality. She gets around any size racetrack and shes easy to drive.

Sadie Hanover is one of eight Hambletonian Oaks-eligible horses in the New York New York Mile. The others are Life Itself, Canterbury Hanover, Walner Payton, Emira Mil IT, Tipsy Moni, Secret Volo and Warrawee Yes.

Walner Payton, trained by Chris Ryder, has hit the board in 14 of 16 career races and earned $620,637. She has won five races and finished second seven times, all behind 2022 Dan Patch Award winner Special Way.

In Fridays $115,000 Park MGM Filly Pace, which will be contested at the standard one-mile distance, Toscanos trainee Ucandoit Blue Chip is the 3-1 second choice behind Brett Pelling-trained Earthwindfire at 8-5. Each won her elimination race last week to lead the charge to the final.

Ucandoit Blue Chip, a two-time New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, is a daughter of Keystone Velocity out of Molly Can Do It. Toscano trained Molly Can Do It over her final three seasons of racing and the mare gave the trainer her first Breeders Crown victory in 2002.

A $32,000 yearling buy at the 2021 Standardbred Horse Sale, Ucandoit Blue Chip is owned by Bill Elliott. She is the 11th foal out of Molly Can Do It, and the first trained by Toscano.

We love Molly, said Toscano. [Ucandoit Blue Chip] looks just like her. I really didnt pick her, Bill Elliott picked her. I have her because of her mother. He came over to me and asked if I would train her. I wanted to train one out of Molly. Its absolutely special.

Ucandoit Blue Chip has hit the board in 10 of 13 lifetime starts, winning seven. She won her Park MGM elimination by a nose over True Blue Hanover in 1:53. She will start the final from post two with Zeron in the sulky.

She never gives you the impression that shes any good at all, but yet on the other hand, you put her in a race and she knows what to do, said Toscano. Shes just kind of like a little machine. She does what we ask her to do. Shes just a nice horse.

We got a good post, now we just need a little bit of racing luck, she added.

Fridays card at Yonkers also includes the $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot, which is the first jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown, and the $250,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown.

Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT). For complete entries, click here.

Free TrackMaster past performances for the Saturday card at Yonkers are available on the Standardbred Owners Association of New York website here.

(With files from USTA)
Three-term Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Howard Jenkins has been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy, four counts of honest-services mail and wire fraud and eight counts of federal programs bribery, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia.

According to the 38-page indictment unsealed Thursday, from at least April 2019, Jenkins, 51, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions totaling at least $72,500 from Rick Tariq Rahim, 55, of Great Falls; Fredric Gumbinner, 64, of Fairfax; James Metcalf, 60, of Manassas; and at least five others, including two undercover FBI agents.

In return, Jenkins appointed them as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law enforcement position, and issued them Culpeper County Sheriffs Office badges and identification cards, the release stated.

The three named men were also charged.

According to the release, Jenkins told or caused others to tell the bribe payers that the law enforcement credentials authorized them to carry concealed firearms in all 50 states without obtaining a permit. In addition, Jenkins assisted Rahim in gaining approval for a petition to restore his firearms rights filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court that falsely stated Rahim resided in Culpeper, authorities said.

The Sheriffs Office did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.

Culpeper County Board Chairman Gary Deal, in a statement to the StarExponent, said the Board of Supervisors has been made aware of the alleged violations of federal law announced against Jenkins.

However, I wish to state that the county has no specific knowledge regarding the investigation into these matters, nor any details regarding todays latest developments, or any comment at this time related to any pending charges, Deal said in an email. I wish to reiterate that the Culpeper County Sheriffs Office is a separate and distinct legal entity from the county and is subject to Virginia law as the duly elected Sheriff.

According to the indictment, Jenkins concealed the alleged scheme by, among other things, encouraging the payment of bribes in cash or through other individuals rather than directly to him, disguising bribe payments as purchases of firearms and creating false documentation of the purported purchases.

Scott Jenkins not only violated federal law but also violated the faith and trust placed in him by the citizens of Culpeper County by accepting cash bribes in exchange for auxiliary deputy badges and other benefits, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in a statement. Our elected officials are expected to uphold the rule of law, not abuse their power for their own personal, financial gain.

In a statement, special agent in charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBIs Richmond Division said law enforcement officers are sworn to protect and serve their communities.

We do that by upholding the law equally, and not abusing the powers that are entrusted to us, he said. With todays announcement, FBI Richmond re-enforces our commitment to the community of ensuring abuses of public trust will not be tolerated and those responsible will be held accountable.

Rahim was charged with conspiracy, three counts of honest-services mail and wire fraud and three counts of federal programs bribery.

Gumbinner was charged with conspiracy, honest-services wire fraud and two counts of federal programs bribery. Metcalf was charged conspiracy, honest-services wire fraud and two counts of federal programs bribery.

The alleged bribery involving Rahim occurred in 2019, when Jenkins was running for reelection in a contested race, according to court documents.

Jenkins allegedly sent text messages in June of that year to a person identified in the indictment as Individual 1: Just touching base on campaign well be kicking things off in two weeks and Ill have a finance report due soon too so looking to build the war chest and get donations in soon. A second text stated, Looks like my opponent is hooking up with Democrats to run an attack campaign soon so were starting to spend. Let me know if you have any luck with anyone, according to court documents.

Individual 1 responded, Hey bubba. Working on it. I think I got a big fish for you. Call me in am. On or about July 29, 2019, Individual 1 texted Jenkins a photograph of Rahims drivers license and explained that Rahim had [a] little baggage but almost 30 years ago and wanted the sheriffs help in getting his firearms rights restored  He is very wealthy and helps a lot of causes.

Jenkins responded with three thumbs up emojis, according to court documents.

Near the end of July 2019, Jenkins, Rahim and Individual 1 met at the Sheriffs Office and discussed Rahims desire to get his firearms rights restored and become an auxiliary deputy.

In September 2019, the trio met for lunch and Rahims company, BV Management, wrote a $17,500 check to Jenkins as a purported loan the Justice Department said has yet to be paid back. Campaign finance reports do not include any contributions from Rahim to Jenkins campaign.

On or about Nov. 14, 2019, Jenkins accompanied Rahim to file his petition for restoration of firearms rights in the Culpeper County Circuit Court. The petition stated Rahim resided in Culpeper and had received a positive recommendation from the Culpeper Sheriffs Office in support of the request.

Months earlier, the sheriff arranged for Rahim to enter into a purported lease agreement for a rural property in Culpeper County, the indictment stated.

Around March 2020, as COVID restrictions suspended all nonessential court proceedings, Jenkins pressured the Circuit Court Judge and Commonwealths Attorneys Office to process and approve Rahims application, according to the indictment. Questions arose about Rahims residency, and Jenkins communicated with the prosecutors office, the indictment states.

Hes on it. I buttered him up a bit. Right now Im leaving their building and hes still there looking to bend [Attorney 1s] ear to see about sign off without hearing before we do anything, according to a text from the sheriff to Rahim, included in the indictment.

Rahim scheduled a call with his attorney about which Jenkins texted, I know you have your call and if comes up or asked its 70 acres. 50 open with rolling hills of hay fields and the rest in hardwoods. Old white farmhouse and barn is used as part of the annual Halloween fundraiser event for Sheriff Christmas program. Plenty room to run a Sherp etc. And for an RV and cars etc.

Rahim responded, Haha. You worry too much. But always good to be over prepared, to which Jenkins, replied, I just want this thing done! ASAP, according to the indictment.

In August 2020, Rahim texted Jenkins that he was frustrated about having to attend a hearing on his petition to get his gun rights back.

I was hoping you could pull strings and just get it on this week, to which Jenkins responded that he would personally go to the judge (in) the morning soon as he arrives in parking lot. You have my word Im going to either get an actual favor finally from them or Ill be in the doghouse.

The sheriff called the judge and asked him to hear Rahims petition the following day, according to court documents. The judge agreed and ultimately approved the petition restoring his firearm rights.

Shortly thereafter, Rahim filed an application for a concealed handgun permit with the Culpeper County Clerks Office. In the application, he listed the Culpeper property as his address, according to the indictment.

While the application was pending, Jenkins repeatedly directed sheriffs deputies to go to the clerks office to pressure employees to process the application, the indictment states. In October 2020, Jenkins issued Rahim a sheriffs identification card. In May 2021, the sheriff appointed Rahim an auxiliary deputy and issued a badge along with a firearm and magazines, according to the indictment.

Near the end of last year, Jenkins and Individual 1 discussed Rahim, according to the indictment. The sheriff stated, I appreciate what support youve given me, but you didnt do it for nothing. You got a ... a clean slate to carry not only ... a gun, we followed it up with swearing you in. Name another sheriff in the whole state of Virginia that would do that ... does he think he could go anywhere and someone not say, well, you know youd have to pony up about three times what you did just to even consider ... doing something like that.

The indictment further described the alleged bribery involving Gumbinner, a business associate of Rahim. Gumbinner allegedly made a $20,000 payment to Jenkins, according to the indictment, and in March 2020 was sworn in an as auxiliary deputy, issued a badge and an identification card.

In the alleged bribery involving Metcalf, he emailed Individual 1 in September 2019, I am ready to pop a little cash on somebody and get a badge brother will talk about that at lunch, according to the indictment.

In late 2021 to early 2022, Jenkins reached out to Individual 1 about building his war chest for his 2023 reelection campaign. They agreed Individual 1 would recruit others to make payments to Jenkins and the sheriff would make them auxiliary deputies, according to the indictment.

In August 2022, Individual 1 contacted Metcalf and told him of the arrangement in exchange for a $5,000 contribution to Jenkins reelection campaign and Metcalf agreed, according to the indictment. In September 2022, Jenkins signed an order appointing him an auxiliary deputy and the two met the next day for lunch in Culpeper and gave him a badge.

The sheriff then allegedly suggested that if one of these guys didnt want their businesses and things tied, they could give money to his relatives to make a donation to his campaign. Metcalf later recruited Individual 3 to pay $5,000 to Jenkins in exchange for being appointed an auxiliary deputy, according to the indictment.

On or about Oct. 24, 2022, Jenkins signed an another order appointing Individual 2 as an auxiliary deputy and received a $5,000 check payable to Scott Jenkins for Sheriff, according to the indictment.

Also in October 2022, Individual 1 told Jenkins that three individuals recruited by Metcalf were ready to be sworn in.

The sheriff, according to the indictment, allegedly stated, I would rather swear them in sooner, and anything thats coming in can just trickle in a week, two, three whatever after. So that Id rather do my part first.

Jenkins continued, And if I have deputies that want to support me, hey, thats great. You know, some do, some dont. ... I just feel like if Im going to get attacked or somebodys going to try to come after me or something for some reason, then its harder to defend if its okay, well, you know X, Y, and Z wrote these checks, and then later on so, I think its better if you do it the other way. If we get them on board, or at least ready to go and then, if a check is deposited you know, the week, two, three after, then it works.

Near the end of 2022, Individual 3 traveled to Culpeper and was sworn in as an auxiliary deputy then met with Jenkins at the Sheriffs Office and handed him a white envelope containing $5,000 cash, according to the indictment. The money was never reported in campaign finance reports, authorities said.

The indictment describes three other similar incidents in November and December 2022 with unnamed individuals who allegedly made $5,000 and $10,000 payments in exchange for being sworn in as auxiliary deputies.

Jenkins then allegedly tried to conceal the cash bribes as gun purchases, according to the indictment. In January 2023, Jenkins gave Individual 1 four firearms and asked him to deliver them to the others who gave money and to create false documentation reflecting those purported transactions, according to the indictment.

The named and unnamed defendants knowingly devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud Culpeper and its citizens by depriving them of their intangible right to the honest services of Jenkins through his bribery, according to the indictment.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy, up to 20 years in prison per count for honest-services mail and wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for each count of federal programs bribery, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

The defendants made initial court appearances Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.

The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case. Trial attorney Celia Choy of the Justice Department Public Integrity Section and assistant U.S. attorneys Heather Carlton and Melanie Smith of the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
A Banner County District Court grand jury returned a no true bill finding in a case examining the death of a Banner County man earlier this year.

The grand jury heard evidence in the case examining law enforcement actions in the April 3 death of Kevin Wynne. The Nebraska State Patrol investigated Wynnes death, which occurred as the Banner County Sheriff attempted to serve a search warrant. At the time, the NSP released that the man had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which the grand jury confirmed in its findings.

The no true bill finding means that the grand jury did not find any criminal conduct by any individuals that caused or contributed to Wynnes death. Nebraska statute requires that any death that occurs while a suspect is in custody of law enforcement or while being apprehended be examined by a grand jury. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public, but the grand jurys findings and any reports it makes are public record.

The Banner County sheriff had been attempting to serve a protection order and an arrest warrant about 6:25 a.m. April 3. According to Scotts Bluff County Court records, charges of third-degree domestic assault had been filed against Wynne, stemming from a March 18 complaint investigated by the Gering Police Department. After a preliminary investigation, the NSP said in a release, investigators determined that Sheriff Zane Hopkins had been attempting to make contact with Wynne when the man left the back of the residence. The sheriff reportedly heard two gunshots. He found Wynne dead near a corral.

In its report, the grand jury does recommend that Banner County provide additional support to the sheriff by way of a part-time or full-time deputy to support the personal safety of Sheriff Hopkins as well as the safety of the community. Historically, the Banner County Sheriffs Office has been staffed only by the sheriff, with a part-time deputy employed at times.

The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office oversaw proceedings, which occurred the week of June 12. The findings were made on June 15 and the Star-Herald obtained them Tuesday, June 27, after requesting the records.
A Gering wireless internet provider will receive $755,865 from the Nebraska Public Service Commission to help improve broadband coverage in Oshkosh in the eastern Panhandle.

The award to Inventive Wireless of Nebraska LLC, doing business as Vistabeam Internet, was among 38 3rd Congressional District awards announced Tuesday from the PSCs Capital Projects Fund.

The projects must be finished by Dec. 27, 2024, unless the five-member elected commission grants extensions.

Sixty-five grants totaling more than $61 million were awarded in Nebraska counties outside the Omaha metro area, PSC Chairman Dan Watermeier said in a press release.

Twenty-seven of those awards were in eastern Nebraskas 1st Congressional District, totaling $40.3 million. The 3rd District awards totaled just over $21 million, a little over the $40 million available for 2023 grants.

Because of that, Watermeier said, telecommunications companies serving the sprawling 3rd District will be invited to seek PSC assistance from the remaining $19 million. Broadband projects rejected in the first round may be resubmitted, he said.

The PSC press release said Vistabeam will use its state award to upgrade broadband coverage for 581 Oshkosh customer locations.
If you missed Big Boy traveling through eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska earlier this month, your second chance to catch him on his return trip is at hand.

Union Pacific No. 4014, which stopped in Gering on June 7, will travel through the area this weekend on his way back to Cheyenne, Wyoming, from Omahas College World Series.

The worlds largest operating steam locomotive is expected to head west about 9 a.m. CT Sunday and take a day and a half to reach U.P.s Cheyenne steam shop.

Hell stop from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. MT at Ogallalas South Spruce Street crossing and from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Vincent Avenue crossing in Chappell.

Big Boy will pull into Sidney at 1:30 p.m. Sunday and stay until 8 a.m. Monday at the intersection of 10th and Hickory streets.

No. 4014 will stop from 9:15 to 9:30 a.m. in Kimball at East First and Walnut streets, then make one more stop in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, before returning to Cheyenne about 12:30 p.m. Monday.

Big Boy steamed down the U.P.s Panhandle branch line for the first time on the way to Omaha, passing Scotts Bluff National Monument, Chimney Rock and Lake McConaughy.
I was on the front porch when you drove by and I waved, thinking about yesterdays walk in Mac Anderson Park where I spend a lot of time now that I no longer follow television because there are too many celebrities to keep track of like Sinbad, Shakira, Samantha Smith, Sebastian Stan, Sylvester Stallone, Stefanie Scott, Sarah Shahi, Steven Seagal, Sarah Snook, Suzanne Somers, Sharon Stone, and Sally Struthers not to mention Saxon Sharbino and Stellan Skarsgard. The modern mind is awed by the sensationalism and glorified personalities Ive literally walked out on, and I dont miss them.

These days I walk in the park, preferring the company of non-famous walkers, benchwarmers, birdwatchers, joggers, and realize that media celebrities being so widespread, anonymity appeals to me. Fame has been around a long time (see Bible  Old Testament), but the nameless are a fresh and pleasant mystery.

I prefer to watch Frisbee players competing for baskets, yoga folks striking poses, a young runner pushing her little daughter in a cart, dog walkers, kids and families frolicking around, loud active kiddos, so much public happiness despite the cloud of divisiveness over this generous nation. Young couples are brave to raise boisterous kids in small starter homes and apartments in this rocky economy. We need more of these people.

A young lady approaches and Id like to ask her what its like to be her in 2023 but her dog, on a leash, is large and built like a bear and is probably trained to disembowel inquiring old men. So, I avert my eyes and silently wish her well, though shell probably trip and fall into the same old pitfalls and temptations my generation did and become ambitious, climb a career ladder, and experience the heartaches and successes that come with hard work.

I worked on our farm and, at 14, worked as a temporary laborer shoveling coal at our citys electric power plant. It was hot hard work toiling beside good men shoveling their lives away for their families. I was young and during my break I would walk outside into the cool air, thinking profound thoughts, practice smoking Salem Menthol cigarettes, and exhaling like a movie star.

I had dreams.

Now, every day is a blessing to a man who spent most of his life in a fever of activity, like a housefly trying to fly through a pane of glass. There were certificates and degrees to obtain, job interviews to attend, one divorce, and 24-hour days spent climbing the ladder of an environmental career in government while playing my Alvarez guitar in coffee houses. I played gospel music for 12 years with a group of guys that I still miss.

I was raised and saved as a Baptist and spent my teenage years living the Book of Revelation complete with the gnashing of teeth. Occasionally Ive experienced what I thought was Armageddon, dealt with a few anti-Christs along the way and as life will do us at times, I suffered judgement. Nevertheless, the scriptures tell us to Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be open unto you.

So, I kept knocking and the doors opened.

Now, creating a new world of harmony and love is no longer on my schedule. Ive done my part. Let the young deal with it.

Its summer, the trees have blossomed, Beatle songs are still popular, theres a bluebird on the bird feeder, and weve not been invaded by Virginia. Life is good. Ive decided to take my sweetie out for lunch, but dont tell her. Its a surprise. Then, Ill walk in the park. Lets keep in touch.

Readers can write to Joe at Joehudsn@gmail.com and Facebook (View from the Hudson). He is author of Big Decisions are Best Made with Hot Dogs.
Former President Jimmy Carter, iconic country musician Dolly Parton, Rolling Stones and Allman Brothers keyboardist Chuck Leavell, and award-winning author Barbara Kingsolver have united behind one cause. A special documentary screening at Marions Lincoln Theatre this Friday night will share the details of that cause.

Carter, Parton, Leavell, and Kingsolver are just some of the individuals who gave their support to the making of the documentary Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut.

That documentary will be shown June 30 at 7 p.m. Admission to the screening is free.

Tracy Thompson, the Lincolns executive director, said a regional representative of the American Chestnut Foundation, which underwrote Clear Day Thunder, asked if the downtown theatre would be interested in screening this documentary and I immediately said, Yes!

This is the type of film event we are hoping to present on a regular basis, said Thompson.

In addition to showing the documentary, the foundations director of research, Vasiliy Lakoba, and the foundations Virginia Chapter president, John Scrivani, will lead a talkback afterward.

The documentarys website -- https://www.rescuingtheamericanchestnut.com/ -- describes the film simply saying, This is the story of a tree.

It continues, A mighty wonder that graced the forests of Appalachia and sustained all forms of life. Embraced us, from cradle to grave. At the turn of the 20th century, a deadly blight accidentally imported into the U.S. from Asia devastated the American Chestnut. Within a span of only two generations, the tree was nearly extinct. This is the story of people. The new documentary film Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut tells the story of passionate citizen scientists and researchers working to restore this ecologically and economically important species, during this pivotal moment. This is the story of promise. The tree that forged a connection with humankind has been embraced in turn by humans who, invigorated by hope, are working tirelessly to revive this magnificent treeso that it can once again help shape the future.

At the turn of the 20th century, the American chestnut made up about 25% of the hardwood trees in parts of the Appalachian Mountains. Native to Virginia, the trees often reached more than 100 feet in height.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the American Chestnut Foundation.

For more information, visit www.thelincoln.org or call 276-783-6092.
Formato Fine Arts in downtown Wytheville will present a special show on Saturday, July 1, featuring renowned artist Lindsey Cherek Waller.

The show, In Tension, will also include gallery owner Lily Formato and the work of abstract expressionist Robby Suthers of Wytheville, who is currently touring Europe.

Waller is a queer, non-binary artist that centers pleasure and joy through portraits and still life paintings.

On Wallers website she describes her art and style.

I use they/them and she/her pronouns, and Im a studio artist at the Anderson Center. I am a painter, and I paint to create a queer, non-binary world where pleasure can be experienced beyond what capitalism allows.

I primarily paint queer, trans and gender non-conforming people and ideas. The LGBTQIA+ community has been intentionally removed from the public eye for centuries, and I want my paintings to be a space to document and honor the existence and vibrance of my community. There is so much power in image-making and in many ways I believe it captures the things that are hard to talk about. It cultivates a space to share dialogue, consider ideas and experiences we havent been given words for yet (both intentionally and unintentionally), and in that, influence our language to change and evolve. Ultimately, image making is a way to help us be more imaginative about the world we want to create and activate us to actually create it.

Formato Fine Arts is a women-led art gallery located in a landmark building at 100 W. Main St. Founded in 2018, the gallery features exhibits of emerging and established local artists, exploring conceptual framework and boundary-pushing ideology through mediums of painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and performance art.

Lily Formato, owner and founder, has more than four years of experience in curation and art handling. She is a painter, photographer, ceramicist and performance artist.

I have a romantic relationship with art, Formato states on her website. When I watch a movie, I find scenes that could be a painting. I might see someone sitting pensively, and try to capture that story. I get inspired by people, human connectivity, and everyday mundaneness, like the girl sitting on the couch eating toast. I look at everyday life through the lens of art. I incorporate the female experience into my work. Early in my journey, I discovered artists like Alice Neel and Jenna Gribbon; Their influences come together in my pieces through themes of femininity, the inner child, and the human experience.

The people where I come from are significant to me, she says. Right now, most of what I paint is Appalachian life I see every day. Addicts walking down the street, cows grazing in the field, and myself. Im not fond of explaining my work; I want the viewer to experience my world full of lines, color, texture, and vibrancy.

Inspired by a typical Virginia sweltering summer day at McWane Community Pool in my hometown, I had this idea to do a series about water, Formato said. 6 FEET was challenging because I didnt understand water. As a self-taught artist, I was timid about this project, but I wanted to challenge myself and paint something that would also be reminiscent for me. I stretched a 58x48 oil painting of a pool scene. My first instinct was to spray paint blue on the bottom half of the canvas, and the story began to arise. A young girl in a red swimsuit is swimming like a mermaid under the water. One girl, goggles in hand, about to pounce, waiting until the other is out of the way so she can safely jump in. Another cool girl sitting by, dangling her feet into the water, feeling it rush between her toesthe cracks in the concrete of an old community pool, weeds are growing through them. Older sunbathers lounging. Dads ugly sandals and shorts while they talk to each other in the corner. A mother putting pool floaties on her babys arms. Kids lining up to get $1 ice cream.

Kylei Smith is the assistant manager and social media coordinator at the gallery. She is a photographer and filmmaker who tackles the realness of anxiety and body dysmorphia.

This will be a very colorful show, Formato said, with paintings and photography. The gallery represents over 30 artists in varying mediums and has a showroom along with a gift shop.

The show begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free admission also featuring Slider Kings food truck, West Wind Winery, and drag queens.

The gallery is committing to exploring new ideas vis-a-vis traditional and new mediums and highlights a program of women in art, with an emphasis on the representation of female-identifying artists. For information, check out the website at formatoart.com or call 276-920-4004.
Syria said this action exposes the moral decline of Western governments, according to al-Baath.

Syria unequivocally condemns the highly offensive act of insulting the Holy Quran, committed by an extremist who was granted permission by the Swedish government.

In an official statement, a source from the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry expressed Syrias strong condemnation of this reprehensible act. The Syrian Arab Republic firmly condemns the act of insulting the Holy Quran, a sacred book revered by millions of Muslims, which occurred with the explicit permission of the Swedish government, the source stated.

The source emphasized that this act not only deeply hurts the sentiments of Muslims worldwide but also exposes the moral decline of Western governments. It highlights the hypocrisy and contradictions in the values they claim to uphold, surpassing even the most extreme factions that are far removed from humanitarian and spiritual principles.

The Western governments, plagued by a sense of superiority, must cease propagating and fueling hatred among peoples. They should understand that the freedom of some should not infringe upon the freedom and respect for the feelings of others. Thus, they cannot, in any way, justify this crime by attacking the Holy Quran, the source added.

It is important to note that numerous Arab and Islamic countries, both at popular and official levels, have expressed condemnation and denounced the act after an extremist burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of the Stockholm Central Mosque in Sweden immediately following the blessed Eid al-Adha prayer.

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.
According to Arab sources, over 40,000 Syrians have expressed their desire to support Russia in its fight against Ukraine, Baladi News claims.

The Russian website News Re reported that Arab and Western media have claimed that a significant number of Syrians have joined forces with Russia in the war against Ukraine. According to Arab sources, over 40,000 Syrians have expressed their desire to support Russia in its fight against Ukraine.

Matvey Zagoni, the author, mentioned that Bashar al-Assad announced three months ago that individuals interested in volunteering alongside Russia could directly apply to the Russian side. The writer further explained that only highly skilled members of combat groups, who have received training from Russia in Syria and have effectively fought against terrorist organizations while being proficient in the Russian language, have successfully passed the final test. Media reports indicate that these individuals belong to the Fifth Corps and the 25th Division, which is elite special forces units of the Assad regime known as the Tiger Forces.

Based on available information, Syrian volunteers on the battlefield receive varying compensation, which depends on their experience, proficiency, and proximity to the front lines. Some sources suggest that Syrians earn approximately $7,000 every 7 months for their activities within Ukrainian territory, while others claim that the monthly salary is around $3,000.

Moreover, it has been reported that the families of volunteers receive food supplies while the volunteers are fighting alongside Russia. In the unfortunate event of a volunteers death, their family receives compensation amounting to approximately $15,000.

According to sources in Damascus, pro-Assad Syrians who have joined the war effort in Ukraine are primarily involved in safeguarding sites in Lugansk and Donetsk.

Media reports have verified that Syrians are deployed to the front lines only in urgent situations, and the involvement of Syrian volunteers affiliated with private military companies has been observed in the battles of Donetsk and Kherson.

On March 6th, 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported that Russia had recruited Syrian volunteers to deploy them to the Ukrainian battlefield.

Subsequently, on the 11th of the same month, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu officially announced that over 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East had expressed their willingness to travel to Ukraine in order to support Russian forces.

Additionally, the organization Syrians for Truth and Justice has affirmed the participation of Syrians in the Russian conflict in Ukraine, stating that they receive monetary compensation. For many Syrians, this opportunity has become the only means to secure a decent livelihood.

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 General Security Agency of the HTS arrested Omar Nuzhat and Ali Nasrallah while they were documenting a peaceful civilian sit-in, according to Baladi News.

The Syrian Media Union released a statement on Tuesday, strongly condemning the arrest of two media workers in Idleb by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction. The journalists, Omar Nuzhat and Ali Nasrallah were detained while filming demonstrations by Hama residents demanding the release of detainees accused of belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir, who were previously arrested by HTS.

As per the statement, the General Security Agency of the HTS arrested Omar Nuzhat and Ali Nasrallah while they were documenting a peaceful civilian sit-in at the roundabout in the city of Sarmada on Wednesday afternoon.

During the arrest, General Security officers physically and psychologically assaulted the journalists, disregarding their press cards and press permits issued by the Ministry of Information in the Salvation Government, according to the unions statement.

The Media Union described the act as shameful and a serious violation of press freedom and the work of journalists. They emphasized that it also breached the internal regulations set by the Salvation Government, to which the General Security is affiliated.

The Union called upon the Salvation Government and HTS to take appropriate action against those responsible for the attack, abide by their commitments, respect their decisions, and impose severe penalties on the perpetrators to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists in the liberated north.

The statement further stressed that the violation of press freedom poses a threat to the principles of human rights guaranteed by laws. It urged local authorities to uphold these principles in line with the goals, values, and principles of the Syrian revolution, which safeguard freedom of the press, opinion, and expression.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Your daily-brief of the English-speaking press on Syria.

On the first day of Eid al-Adha, Turkish authorities expelled 22 Syrian refugees via Bab al-Hawa. Concurrently, Russian military police conducted operations on Wagner mercenary bases within Syria. Furthermore, Moscow executed precise strikes on various targets in the vicinity of Idleb, a city located in northwestern Syria.

Turkey deports 22 Syrians on first day of Eid al-Adha

North Press reported that Turkish authorities deported 22 Syrian refugees on Wednesday, the first day of Eid al-Adha, through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to Idleb Governorate in northwest Syria without notifying their relatives residing in Turkey.

An exclusive source at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing told North Press that Turkish border guards dropped 22 Syrians inside the yard of the border crossing in northern Idleb in a mass deportation, including nine people who hail from the city of Afrin and minors under the age of 18. They did not inform their relatives residing in Turkey of their arrest and deportation. This is the third deportation taking place in June.

On June 22nd, the Turkish authorities deported seven Syrian refugees, including a minor girl, back to Syria through the Tel Abyad crossing in Raqqa Governorate, northern Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on May 23 that Turkey will deport one million Syrian refugees to northern Syria.

The source added that the Turkish authorities took iris scans, fingerprints, and their identification papers to prevent them from returning to Turkish territories even though they have worked and lived there for years.

From Brussels to Damascus, how fringe delegations to Syria are

New Arab has published an analysis of the frustration faced by EU lawmakers due to the involvement of fringe delegations with Syria, which is undermining the EUs policy of isolating the Assad regime. The analysis says that despite Syrian President Bashar al-Assads return to the Arab League and a recent pledge of financial aid for Syrians, the EU maintains its stance of political isolation and sanctions against the Syrian government. However, some members of the European Parliament (MEPs) hold differing views and continue to support Assad through unofficial delegations, social media comments, and voting patterns.

Notably, the article argues, French far-right National Rally MEP Thierry Mariani has been a vocal advocate for political compromise with the Assad regime. He has visited Syria multiple times and maintains a consistent pro-Assad stance in the parliament. Other MEPs, such as Estonian Centre Party MEP Yana Toom, have also met with Assad, leading to controversy and accusations of misrepresentation of EU interests in Syria.

The article highlights the blurred line between official and unofficial visits by MEPs to Syria. While MEPs are free to travel in a personal capacity, there is confusion regarding the nature of these visits and whether they reflect official EU positions. The European Parliament has guidelines for disclosure of attendance and payment received, but it remains unclear what constitutes an official visit. Assads domestic news agency often presents these visits as legitimate, creating the perception of a lack of unity within the EU on Syria.

The article also mentions the involvement of left-wing MEPs who support Assad as a socialist alternative to the US. Irish Independent 4 Change MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace are frequent visitors to Syria and have been vocal opponents of sanctions. However, the EU has recently increased sanctions against Assads relatives, accusing them of involvement in illegal activities.

The convergence of fringe politicians from both the left and right in their support for Assad, along with their opposition to EU motions declaring Russia a terrorist state, is noted. This alignment, driven by migration, Russia, and conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, presents a challenge to the EUs policy of political isolation towards Syria. The article concludes by highlighting the conflict and inconsistency within the EUs current approach to Syria.

Russian military forces allegedly raid Wagner bases in Syria reports Saudi news channel

Russian military police in Syria conducted raids on Wagner mercenary bases in the country, Saudi Arabian TV news channel Al-Hadath alleged on June 27.

Citing its own sources, the channel reported that Russian military police allegedly arrested the head of the Wagner unit in As Suwayda, southern Syria, as well as three high-ranking commanders at the Khmeimim Air Base.

According to the channel, the police also visited Wagner offices in other Syrian cities, including Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, and Damascus.

However, Telegram channels associated with Wagner have denied these reports.

Regarding the detention of Wagner PMC fighters in Syria. The information about the arrests is not true, wrote the Orchestra Wagner channel. They did not specify whether raids were conducted without arrests.

Russian military police checkpoints are permanently stationed in several populated areas in Syria. Russia officially states that its main tasks are monitoring the situation, ensuring the security of humanitarian actions, and patrolling strategically important roads for the country.

Russian diplomats flew to Mali and Syria hours after Prigozhin announced his failed Wagner rebellion, assuring leaders the Kremlin was in charge

Kremlin diplomats flew abroad hours after Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin announced a rebellion, WSJ reported.

According to the Wall Street Journal, diplomats with Russias Ministry of Emergency Situations flew to Mali and Syria after Prigozhin announced a mutiny in Moscow last week. The diplomats made their way to countries where Russia has relied on Wagner mercenaries to fight their proxy wars  telling the leaders that Wagner would report to the Kremlin now.

Kremlin diplomats personally reassured Syrian president Bashar al-Assad that Wagner would continue operating in the country, but not independently, according to the Journal. The Journal sourced the update through Wagner defectors, anonymous diplomats and intelligence officials close to the conversations, and through tracking international flight data.

Wagner forces played a key role in capturing the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, and many of the 30,000 mercenaries employed by the company have fought for Kremlin interests in Syria and Africa.

New migrant tragedy at sea changes little as EU leaders forge ahead with tougher borders plans

The Associated Press has published an article which discusses the EUs response to the recent migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea, where an overcrowded fishing trawler sank, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. The European Commissions president, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed the need for urgent action and highlighted priorities such as stabilizing Tunisias economy, managing migration, and finalizing the reform of the EUs asylum rules.

The article compares von der Leyens response to a similar tragedy a decade ago, where the then European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso vowed that such tragedies should never happen again. However, subsequent concerns about creating a pull factor led to the discontinuation of search and rescue missions by the Italian Navy.

At the upcoming EU summit, leaders will discuss von der Leyens plans, with a focus on preventing migrants from entering the EU. The article highlights the challenges of equitably sharing out refugees and the increasing number of unauthorized attempts to enter the EU.

According to AP, Von der Leyen emphasizes the need to limit irregular departures from Africa and Turkey, fight against migrant smuggling, and establish comprehensive partnerships with third countries. The EUs approach includes providing financial support to countries such as Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt, as well as strengthening border security measures.

The centrepiece of EU policy is the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is still a work in progress. While the member countries reached an agreement on part of the asylum reform package, the European Parliament insists on mandatory refugee quotas, which could pose a challenge.

The article concludes that while the reform package may not put an end to drownings at sea, it aims to address certain aspects of the migration issue, such as border security and ties with transit countries. However, actively patrolling the Mediterranean to rescue migrants in distress is not a high priority for the EU, and their ships only respond to emergency calls as required by international law.

Recruitment of children by armed groups in Syria is on the rise, even as fighting subsides

According to a recent United Nations report on children in armed conflict, the recruitment of child soldiers in Syria is increasing despite the winding down of fighting in most parts of the country. The report indicates that the number of children recruited by armed groups in Syria has steadily risen over the past three years, reaching 1,696 in 2022, compared to 813 in 2020. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS, was implicated in half of the cases (637) in 2022, while the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked group, were also involved in child recruitment.

Children are recruited for various reasons, including forced conscription, financial necessity, ideological motivations, and family or tribal loyalties. The complexity of the situation is exacerbated by the presence of numerous armed groups in different parts of Syria. In 2019, the SDF committed to ending the recruitment of children under 18, but recruitment by other groups in areas under SDF control has continued. The Revolutionary Youth, a group associated with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), was cited as one of the groups responsible for child recruitment.

While some progress has been made in addressing child recruitment, challenges remain due to the fragmented nature of armed groups in Syria. The UN report calls for greater efforts to stop the recruitment of child soldiers and urges all parties involved to fulfill their commitments to protecting children.

Russia says it hit several targets around Syrias Idleb with precision weapons

Russia carried out precision strikes on several targets near the northwestern Syrian city of Idleb, Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, head of the Russian Reconciliation Centre for Syria, was quoted as telling Interfax news agency on Wednesday.

According to Gurinov, the strikes were meant as a response to militants attacking targets in government-controlled Syrian territory with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Last week witnesses and rescuers said that Russian jets bombed villages and towns near Idleb, killing at least nine civilians and wounding dozens in a major flare-up of violence in the countrys last opposition stronghold.

Gurinov said on Wednesday that as a result of the strikes a control point, a warehouse with weapons and ammunition were destroyed, and 18 insurgents were killed.

During past outbreaks of fighting, Damascus and Russia have said they only target insurgent groups and deny indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
Syria and Russia both said there is no presence of "Wagner" members or affiliated entities on Syrian grounds, according to Athr Press.

The Russian channel, Russia Today, recently cited sources confirming that there is no activity of the Russian Wagner movement in Syria. The investigations conducted at the Russian Hmeimim base in Tartous involved individuals who were associated with Wagner as a precautionary measure.

According to official Syrian sources, Syria currently hosts companies that are primarily engaged in economic activities. Russian military units continue their operations at the Hemeimeem base, and there is no presence of Wagner members or affiliated entities, as reported by Russia Today.

Sources within the Hemeimeem base, as quoted by the Russian channel, stated that investigations were carried out with individuals previously linked to Wagner. However, these measures were merely precautionary in nature.

These statements from the sources aim to clarify the situation, as several Arab and foreign media outlets have published reports suggesting the presence of Russian Wagner members in Syria. The Washington Post, an American newspaper, recently published a report claiming that intelligence estimates indicated the deployment of 6,000 Wagner members in Syria and Africa.

On June 24th, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the commander of the Russian Wagner forces and often referred to as Putins cook, announced the advancement of his forces towards Moscow, the Russian capital, with the intention of quelling the rebellion and accepting Prigozhins leadership. However, Russian authorities have declared the closure of this matter, asserting the return of normalcy to all regions in Russia.

According to recent reports from the United States, it has been revealed that Washington had prior knowledge of Evgeny Prigozhins plans, the commander of the Russian Wagner special military group, to rebel against the military leadership. The American network CNN published a report stating that American intelligence obtained highly detailed and accurate information about Prigozhins plans, which ultimately led to his retreat with the mediation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Sources from CNN further disclosed that the information obtained by U.S. intelligence was classified to such an extent that it was shared only with a specific group of allies, including high-ranking officials in Britain, rather than at the NATO level. This selective sharing of information caused frustration among some NATO officials.

It is worth noting that Russian experts have previously suggested that the rebellion of the Wagner leader could serve the interests of the Federal Security Service (FSB). The British newspaper, The Independent, quoted independent Russian analyst Tatyana Stanovaya, who pointed out that the authorities may be aiming to sideline Prigozhin with his active participation. She added, From the perspective of the FSB and the General Staff, the ongoing events are quite favourable for them. At the very least, Prigozhin will be dealt a blow.

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.
HIDIVE is one of the many streaming options for anime fans in English and they'll be present at the biggest anime convention on the west coast, Anime Expo.

HIDIVE counts among their franachises Oshi no Ko, The Eminence in Shadow, The Dangers in My Heart, Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Call of the Night, and many others. Sadly, Oshi no Ko has not yet received an English greenlight, much to my chagrin. It's currently going wild in Japan with exhibitions, collaboration cafes, and bevy of tie-ins. The Ikebukuro exhibit was booked solid for its entire run when I went a few weeks ago.

This year, HIDIVE will be premiering a number of new shows and new seasons. They'll also have a booth in the exhibit hall where they'll be giving out goodies and free subscriptions.

July 1

The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season (world premiere, subbed)

1215PM-115PM Main Events (Hall B)

Season two of The Eminence in Shadow kicks off at Anime Expo. In short, it's about a guy who loves being a hidden boss/antihero kind of character and who trains himself to the point where he can tank a nuclear explosion (amongst other things), all the while playing off the fact that he is indeed that strong. He gets isekai'd and... stuff happens. There will be a Q&A with Seiichiro Yamashita (voice of Cid/Shadow). HIDIVE is also giving out a sample copy of the English version of The Eminence in Shadow manga courtesy of Yen Press. I don't know if that means it's a cut down version of volume 1 or the whole thing, but hey, free is free.

Helck (North American premiere)

130PM-230OPM JW Marriott Platinum Ballroom

Helck is about the titular character, Helck, who enters a tournament to decide the next demon lord. Here's the thing: Helck is human. Not quite the usual suspect for the next candidate to be demon lord.

HIDIVE Industry Panel/Level 1 Demon Lord and One Room Hero

530PM-630PM Room 403

The panel where they'll be talking shop and anything that might not deserve its own panel. Expect updates and announcements on new licenses and whatnot. They'll also be screening the premiere of Level One Demon and One Room Hero.

We're 6 days away from the HIDIVE Industry Panel + Level One Demon Lord North American Premiere with our hosts, @JackiJing & @star_sama13 at @AnimeExpo!



Plus, we'll have a booth (SF13) where you can visit us and grab some goodies ? #HIDIVEAX pic.twitter.com/ICvwrHU8nN  HIDIVE (@HIDIVEofficial) June 26, 2023

July 2

The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: from Villainess to Savior (North American premiere)

12PM-1PM Room 403

The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen is a time-reversal anime about the, well, last boss queen who warps back to her childhood and reflects upon her transgressions towards the people around her that lead to her downfall in a previous life. She's repentant, and, through her efforts to avoid the wrongs she committed in that previous life, changes her future, and the future of her kingdom. I really like this one. Been a fan for a long while (but I'm also a sucker for this kind of series, of which there are many). I think it's that self-sacrifice part. She constantly tells those around her, "Please, when I become a villainess, kill me," and that really resonates with me.

HIDIVE and MBS proudly present the North American premiere of The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen  Season 1, Episode 1! pic.twitter.com/aezK4k27ap  Anime Expo (@AnimeExpo) June 26, 2023

July 3

Dark Gathering (North American premiere)

830PM-930PM Room 403

Dark Gathering is a supernatural anime that incorporates many a Japanese ghost story. The lead characters fight fire with fire as they utilize evil ghosts to fight other ghosts, and even a dark god or two. A lot of the featured ghosts are "real" in that they are based on actual ghost stories from Japan! You can even Google them to find out more. Another one I've paid attention to for a long time.

Are you into horror anime? You don't want to miss out on the North American premiere of Dark Gathering at @AnimeExpo! #HIDIVEAX pic.twitter.com/3ugnEhkJOq  HIDIVE (@HIDIVEofficial) June 23, 2023

July 4

The Eminence in Shadow 2nd Season (world premiere, dubbed)

11AM-12PM Petree Hall

As above, but in English, this time. Adam Gibbs (voice of Cid/Shadow) and Christina Kelly (voice of Alpha) will be available for questions and answers!
A Black man who works in Longview is suing two former Longview AMPM gas station employees and the company that owns the store for discriminating against him because of his race.

Longview police say the former employees of the 15th Avenue gas station have a history of being disorderly and calling the police on customers.

In April, Anthony Vernon Simmons, 43, of Portland filed the $100,000 lawsuit in federal court, alleging one employee, Audry McQueen, 35, hurled racists comments, including the N-word, at him and threatened him, while another employee, Shalleena Esperanz Canizal, 34, falsely accused Simmons of a crime, according to the lawsuit.

Simmons declined to be interviewed by The Daily News, and no trial date has been set.

The lawsuit states Simmons has become hyper-vigilant when working inside his (Longview) car-garage alone since he last visited in 2022 the AMPM gas station located at 710 15th Ave., across from Lake Sacajawea Park and near the Pancake House.

Simmons didnt return to work for at least a month out of fear of retaliation, the lawsuit states, and he allegedly found a noose inside the bed of his truck shortly before the lawsuit was filed. Neither Simmons nor his lawyer Jesse Merrithew of Levi Merrithew Horst PC of Portland answered whether a police report was filed after finding the noose.

The lawsuit alleges McQueen and Canizal violated a Washington state law that prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation. It also says Ramji LLC, the company owned by Anjana Sarad and Manoj Sarad, is liable for its employees discriminatory acts.

Anjana Sarad declined commenting to The Daily News and the pairs lawyers Timothy J. Calderbank of Landerhold, P.S. in Vancouver and Rory W. Leid of Wathen, Leid, Hall, & Rider PC in Seattle did not return phone calls to The Daily News.

Court documents do not list lawyers for McQueen and Canizal.

AMPM The AM/PM gas station at 710 15th Ave on Wednesday, June 28, in Longview.

Timeline

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, states at about 11 p.m. Jan. 21, 2022, Simmons left Don Pedros Mexican Restaurant on Oregon Way and stopped at the AMPM for napkins.

McQueen yelled to Simmons move your truck, boy when he parked at the loading zone before the AMPMs entrance, according to the lawsuit. After Simmons called McQueen a racist, she again asked Simmons to leave and called him the N-word multiple times, the suit alleges.

A Longview man inside the store that night wrote a similar recount in a police statement. He told police that Simmons asked the clerk to respect him after a back-and-forth discussion in which she eventually called him boy and the N-word, and both of them threw items at each other.

The lawsuit alleges that Simmons shoved a display case of sunglasses off the counter out of frustration over the clerks racist comments. McQueen whipped out what appeared to be a collapsible baton and tried to strike Simmons, following him and threatening him as he left the store, the lawsuit states.

In records retrieved from Cowlitz County 911, Canizal identifies herself in a 911 call that evening, and a person in the background can be heard saying the N-word at least once.

I have a Black man whos literally damaging my products, Canizal says in the call.

Canizal tells the dispatcher the man picked up shelving units located behind the register and threw them at us, but does not describe if anything provoked him.

She says, He assaulted both cashiers here and asks for an ambulance because one cashier had an injury.

A police report from that night states Longview police Officer Hieu Ngo saw a minor cut on the back of McQueens right ring finger, which she said occurred after Simmons threw a plastic case at her. Ngo writes that medical crews wrapped her finger but the bleeding had already stopped, and no further medical attention was needed.

He writes McQueen used the N-word to describe Anthony (Simmons) more than once in my presence.

According to the lawsuit, after Simmons left the gas station, he was pulled over by a different officer a few blocks away and let go 45 minutes later. That officer apologized to Simmons, telling him this was not an isolated incident with this gas station, the lawsuit states.

Longview Capt. Branden McNew said no one was cited after the January 2022 call, but police discussed whether any of the parties involved committed a crime.

McNew said similar disorderly, provocative and unprofessional behavior occurred at the gas station when McQueen and Canizal worked there.

... During the time period of this incident, I recall we had responded to a slough of reports at this AMPM where certain staff members, specifically the ones mentioned in this case, were being the instigators of negative interactions with other customers, McNew writes in an email.
Battle Ground Public Schools failed to maintain proper records of how it allocated funds from the federal Emergency Connectivity Fund, according to findings in a routine audit released Monday by the Washington State Auditors Office.

In the 2022 fiscal year, the district spent $968,430 in Emergency Connectivity funds to purchase Chromebooks and broadband services for students. Per program regulations, the funds were only to be used to fulfill unmet needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic and could not be used to purchase goods or services for future use.

The audit, which spans Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022, found that when Battle Ground Public Schools requested reimbursement for the funds, it had not maintained adequate documentation of how Chromebooks and other services allowed within the program were distributed to students with unmet needs.

The findings determined the misstep was a result of some district staff being unaware of all that was necessary to fulfill the requirements of the grant program as opposed to intentional malfeasance.

Given the nature of the program and circumstances, it is likely that at least some of the equipment the district charged to the award addressed unmet needs. However, the lack of a documented assessment of students actual unmet need means that most costs are unsupported, the audit reads. Since we do not have a reasonable basis for estimating how much of the districts expenditures are allowable, we are questioning all unsupported costs.

In this case, the unsupported costs amount to $827,737. The corrective action states Battle Ground Public Schools will need to review all grant requirements to confirm it has met them and then seek reimbursement for the funds used.

In response to the findings, Battle Ground Public Schools argued the misstep could be attributed to: the need to obtain devices for both in-school and remote learning amid pandemic-era confusion, a broad definition of the term unmet need, and a perception that the standards for the grant set by the Federal Communications Commission allowed for some flexibility.

Some of the funds received through the Emergency Connectivity Fund, the district said, were used to replace aging or broken devices. Other funds were used for Chromebooks allocated to libraries and classrooms to be provided on site if needed.

We appreciate the complexity and difficulty of the auditors job and are grateful for the federal funding to sustain learning throughout the pandemic, a district spokesperson said Tuesday. Our hope is that the requirements for any future Emergency Connectivity Fund grants will be clarified and communicated with districts going forward.

According to the findings, the auditors office expressed sympathy for the districts challenges in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a Seattle Times opinion piece published earlier this month, state Auditor Pat McCarthy expressed concern with the size and complexity of the Emergency Connectivity Fund and other federal pandemic-era programs, as well as how the FCCs instructions perhaps lacked detail.

The audit found no other issues of noncompliance or material weaknesses regarding any other federal grant program during the audit period. The full findings of the audit can be found online at https://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?arn=1032813&sp=false&isFinding=false#page=6.
After a stalled bid to join Formula One, Porsche AG is getting into boats. The German automaker announced on June 23 that it would develop an electric speedboat with the Austrian shipbuilder Frauscher.

Set for delivery in 2024, the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air is an 8.7-meter (28.4-foot) day cruiser based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air. Studio F.A. Porsche will design the helm stand and outfit the interior trimmings including seats and upholstery, while the boat will share its drive technology with the upcoming electric Porsche Macan. It will be built in the Frauscher Shipyard in Ohlsdorf, Austria.

The vessel isn't Porsche's first foray into watercraft. In 2008, Porsche Design, the studio and brand Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded in 1972, released the Porsche Fearless 28, a speedboat made to resemble the Porsche Carrera GT supercar. That one was powered by the same V-10 engine used in the Dodge Viper. (The design studio became a subsidiary of Porsche AG in 2003 and was officially renamed Studio F.A. Porsche in 2015.) Volkswagen Group's most profitable marque has also promoted a 22-foot boat made by Seven Seas Yachts called the Hermes Speedster, which was made to evoke the Porsche 356 vintage car. The company is currently investigating further applications for its powertrain in other boat sizes.

Automotive brands from Aston Martin and Bugatti to Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati have collaborated on oceangoing crafts as well. Henrik Fisker, who developed the Fisker Karma EV, designed a $37 million superyacht with Benetti in 2016. Last year, Lamborghini created a $3.5 million yacht with Technomar. Those partnerships focused largely on combining aesthetics and branding.

Porsche is promising something different: a boat using electric technology designed for roadgoing vehicles. The Porsche Fantom Air, which is limited to 25, uses the same electric platformwhat Porsche calls its Premium Platform Electric (PPE)as the Macan EV due at dealerships in 2024; that includes a lithium-ion battery with a total capacity of around 100 kilowatt-hours, an electric motor and other related power electronics linked to the 800-volt technology. The Macan is Porsche North America's most popular vehicle, selling 23,688 units last year, or 33% of total sales.

The boat will accommodate nine people, who can enjoy a swimming platform, sun lounge, premium sound system and refrigerator while on board. As with the future Macan EV, owners of the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air can charge it at DC fast-charging stations or via AC charging.

Porsche declined to specify performance specifics including the cruising range and duration for charging. Max power and speed are also looming question marks, as most electric boats today are comparatively heavy and suited only for casual cruising. The Duffy 18 Snug Harbor, for instance, has a top speed of 6 miles per hour. The Hinckley Dasher of 2017 used twin 80-horsepower motors powered by 40kWh BMW i3 lithium-ion batteries; it has a range of about 40 miles (35 nautical miles) at a cruising speed of 7 knots (8 mph).

Still, it's a lucrative market for electric boats emulating the Tesla of watercraft. Arc One, announced in 2022, boasts a 220kWh battery size, nearly three times the capacity of a Tesla Model Y. That one can run for three to five hours on a single charge. A company called X Shore AB is raising funds to produce a net-zero emissions boat by 2030.

High-powered luxury electric boats are more rare: A 38-foot Electric Cigarette in 2013 used 12 Mercedes-AMG electric motors to achieve 2,251 horsepower and 2,213 pound-feet of torque. That was a one-off concept. By comparison, the original 858 Fantom Air boasts 430 cv (423 horsepower) on its V-8 engine and a cruising speed approaching 45 knots.

A Porsche spokesperson says the automaker's boat will likely cost around 600,000 ($655,000). The Frauscher 858 Fantom Air on which it's based starts at $250,000 new and costs around $300,000 on the used market. More information and images will be available in September, according to the spokesperson. While Porsche is accepting orders, the boat has not yet sold out.
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Former Facebook content moderator Nathan Nkunzimana speaks to The Associated Press in Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, June 9, 2023. Nearly 200 former content moderators for Facebook are suing the company and a local contractor in a court case in Kenya that could have implications for the work worldwide. Credit: AP Photo/Khalil Senosi

On the verge of tears, Nathan Nkunzimana recalled watching a video of a child being molested and another of a woman being killed.

Eight hours a day, his job as a content moderator for a Facebook contractor required him to look at horrors so the world wouldn't have to. Some overwhelmed colleagues would scream or cry, he said.

Now, Nkunzimana is among nearly 200 former employees in Kenya who are suing Facebook and local contractor Sama over working conditions that could have implications for social media moderators around the world. It is the first known court challenge outside the United States, where Facebook settled with moderators in 2020.

The group was employed at the social media giant's outsourced hub for content moderation in Kenya's capital of Nairobi, where workers screen posts, videos, messages and other content from users across Africa, removing any illegal or harmful material that breaches its community standards and terms of service.

The moderators from several African countries are seeking a $1.6 billion compensation fund after alleging poor working conditions, including insufficient mental health support and low pay. Earlier this year, they were laid off by Sama as it left the business of content moderation. They assert that the companies are ignoring a court order for their contracts to be extended until the case is resolved.

Facebook and Sama have defended their employment practices.

With little certainty of how long the case will take to conclude, the moderators expressed despair as money and work permits run out and they wrestle with the traumatic images that haunt them.

"If you feel comfortable browsing and going through the Facebook page, it is because there's someone like me who has been there on that screen, checking, 'Is this okay to be here?'" Nkunzimana, a father of three from Burundi, told The Associated Press in Nairobi.

The 33-year-old said content moderation is like "soldiers" taking a bullet for Facebook users, with workers watching harmful content showing killing, suicide and sexual assault and making sure it is taken down.

The Facebook logo is seen on a cell phone on Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. Nearly 200 former content moderators for Facebook are suing the company and a local contractor in a court case in Kenya that could have implications for the work worldwide. Credit: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File

For Nkunzimana and others, the job began with a sense of pride, feeling like they were "heroes to the community," he said.

But as the exposure to alarming content reignited past traumas for some like him who had fled political or ethnic violence back home, the moderators found little support and a culture of secrecy.

They were asked to sign nondisclosure agreements. Personal items like phones were not allowed at work.

After his shift, Nkuzimana would go home exhausted and often locked himself in his bedroom to try to forget what he had seen. Even his wife had no idea what his job was like.

These days, he locks himself in his room to avoid his sons' questions about why he's no longer working and why they likely can no longer afford school fees. The salary for content moderators was $429 per month, with non-Kenyans getting a small expat allowance on top of that.

The Facebook contractor, U.S.-based Sama, did little to ensure post-traumatic professional counseling was offered to moderators in its Nairobi office, Nkuzimana said. He said counselors were poorly trained to deal with what his colleagues were experiencing. Now, with no mental health care, he immerses himself in church instead.

Facebook parent Meta has said its contractors are contractually obliged to pay their employees above the industry standard in the markets they operate and provide on-site support by trained practitioners.

A spokesman said Meta could not comment on the Kenya case.

In an email to the AP, Sama said the salaries it offered in Kenya were four times the local minimum wage and that "over 60% of male employees and over 70% of female employees were living below the international poverty line (less than $1.90 a day)" before being hired.

This photo shows a Facebook logo being displayed in a start-up companies gathering at Paris' Station F, in Paris on Jan. 17, 2017. Nearly 200 former content moderators for Facebook are suing the company and a local contractor in a court case in Kenya that could have implications for the work worldwide. Credit: AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File

Sama said all employees had unlimited access to one-on-one counseling "without fear of repercussions." The contractor also called a recent court decision to extend the moderators' contracts "confusing" and asserted that a later ruling pausing that decision means it has not gone into effect.

Such work has the potential to be "incredibly psychologically damaging," but job-seekers in lower-income countries might take the risk in exchange for an office job in the tech industry, said Sarah Roberts, an expert in content moderation at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In countries like Kenya, where there is plenty of cheap labor available, the outsourcing of such sensitive work is "a story of an exploitative industry predicated on using global economic inequity to its advantage, doing harm and then taking no responsibility because the firms can be like, 'Well, we never employed so-and-so, that was, you know, the third party,'" she said.

In addition, the mental health care provided might not be "the cream of the crop" and concerns have been raised about the confidentiality of therapy, said Roberts, an associate professor of information studies.

The difference in the Kenya court case, she said, is that the moderators are organizing and pushing back against their conditions, creating unusual visibility. The usual tactic in such cases in the U.S. is to settle, she said, but "if cases are brought in other places, that might not be so easy for the companies to do that."

Facebook invested in moderation hubs worldwide after being accused of allowing hate speech to circulate in countries like Ethiopia and Myanmar, where conflicts were killing thousands of people and harmful content was posted in a variety of local languages.

Sought for their fluency in various African languages, content moderators hired by Sama in Kenya soon found themselves looking at graphic content that hit painfully close to home.

The two years that Fasica Gebrekidan worked as a moderator roughly overlapped with the war in her native Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands of people were killed and many Tigrayans like her knew little about their loved ones' fate.

Already suffering from having to flee the conflict, the 28-year-old spent her workday looking at "gruesome" videos and other content overwhelmingly related to the war, including rape. With videos, she had to watch the first 50 seconds and the last 50 seconds to reach a decision on whether it should be taken down.

Former Facebook content moderator Nathan Nkunzimana speaks to The Associated Press in Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, June 9, 2023. Nearly 200 former content moderators for Facebook are suing the company and a local contractor in a court case in Kenya that could have implications for the work worldwide. Credit: AP Photo/Khalil Senosi

The feeling of gratitude she'd had upon landing the job quickly disappeared.

"You run away from the war, then you have to see the war," Fasica said. "It was just a torture for us."

She now has no income and no permanent home. She said she would be looking for new opportunities if she could only feel normal again. A former journalist, she can't bring herself to write anymore, even as an outlet for her emotions.

Fasica worries that "this garbage" will stay in her head forever. While speaking with the AP, she kept her eyes on a painting across the cafe, deep red with what appeared to be a man in distress. It bothered her.

Fasica blames Facebook for a lack of proper mental health care and pay and accuses the local contractor of using her and letting her go.

"Facebook should know what's going on," she said. "They should care about us."

The fate of the moderators' complaint lies with the Kenyan court, with the next hearing on July 10.

The uncertainty is frustrating, Fasica said. Some moderators are giving up and returning to their home countries, but that is not yet an option for her.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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The Google logo is displayed at their offices, Nov. 1, 2018, in London. Canada's Senate on Thursday, June 22, 2023, passed a bill that will require Google and Meta to pay media outlets for news content that they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms. Credit: AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File

Google said Thursday it will remove links to Canadian news on its platforms across Canada over a new law that will require digital giants to compensate media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose.

The tech giant said it will remove Canadian news links from Google Newsa personalized aggregator service available by web or app that highlights local newsand from Google Discover, a feature on mobile phones that helps people find content.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez accused Google of trying to bully Canadians, but added that "big tech isn't biggr than Canada."

"Big tech would rather spend money changing their platforms to block news from Canadians instead of paying a small share of the billions they make in advertising dollars," Rodriguez tweeted.

Google said it informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government of its decision. It did not say exactly when it would begin to remove news, but indicated it would happen before the law takes effect by the end the year. That law was passed last week.

Only Canadian news will be blocked, so Canadian users will still be able to see content from outlets like Fox News or BBC, for example.

Meta made a similar announcement last week, saying it would remove news from its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram before the law comes into force. It is also ending existing deals with local publishers.

Meta is already running a test to block news for up to 5% of its Canadian users. Google ran a similar test earlier this year.

Kent Walker, president of global affairs for Google and its parent company, Alphabet, said the law is "unworkable."

In a blog post published to Google's website Thursday, Walker said the bill creates a price on links, resulting in an uncapped financial liability "simply for facilitating Canadians' access to news from Canadian publishers."

"We don't take this decision or its impacts lightly and believe it's important to be transparent with Canadian publishers and our users as early as possible," Walker wrote.

The Online News Act requires both Google and Meta to enter into agreements with news publishers to pay them for news content that appears on their sites if it helps them generate money.

Google had been seeking assurances about how much that could cost it and how the bargaining process would unfold. Those details are likely to become clear after the bill's regulatory process is complete.

Legacy media and broadcasters have praised the bill, which promises to "enhance fairness" in the digital news marketplace and help bring in more money for shrinking newsrooms. Tech giants including Meta and Google have been blamed in the past for disrupting and dominating advertising, eclipsing smaller, traditional players.

Rodriguez had previously expressed hope the government could come to a positive resolution with both companies to prevent them from removing news. He also said the government would continue to support newsrooms if Google and Meta pulled news from their platforms, though he did not say exactly how that would be done.

Since 2008, nearly 500 newsrooms have closed across Canada, Rodriguez said.

 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

LCRD communicating over laser links to the International Space Station and Earth. Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

NASA's first two-way laser relay system completed its first year of experiments on June 28a milestone for a game-changing technology that could be the future for sending and receiving data from space.

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) uses infrared light, or invisible lasers, to transmit and receive signals rather than radio wave systems conventionally used on spacecraft. Infrared light's tight wavelengths allow space missions to pack significantly more data10 to 100 times moreinto a single transmission. More data means more discoveries.

Now, at the halfway point in its experimentation phase, LCRD has shown laser communications' significant advantages over traditional radio wave systems.

Located in geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above Earth, LCRD is currently acting as an experiment platform for NASA, other government agencies, academia, and commercial companies to test laser communications capabilities. After its experiment phase, there is an opportunity for the mission to become an operational relay. This would mean that future missions using laser communications would not need a clear line of sight to Earth and would simply send their data to LCRD, which would then beam it down to Earth.

NASA's Laser Communication Relay Demonstration's (LCRD) Optical Ground Station 2 (OGS-2) in Haleakala, Hawaii. Credit: NASA

LCRD, and laser communications in general, was born out of a need for more efficient data transmission to and from space. LCRD was launched to test and refine this technology through a partnership between NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program and NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate.

"So far, we've published first papers about early findings from the experiments, but we plan to publish more lessons learned so that the aerospace industry can learn from this technology demonstration alongside NASA," said Dave Israel, LCRD's principal investigator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Early results have been outstanding, and seeing massive amounts of data come down in a fraction of the time is truly extraordinary."

Some of these experiments include studying atmospheric impact on laser signals. While laser communications can normally provide increased data rates, humidity, clouds, heavy winds, and other atmospheric disturbances can disrupt laser signals as they enter Earth's atmosphere.

"One of the things that surprised us was how weather affected experiment operations. We typically build our ground stations in remote, high-altitude locations with clear weather conditionsLCRD's are in Hawaii and California," said Rick Butler, LCRD experiments manager at Goddard. "The historic rain and snowfall in Southern California this year provided us an opportunity to really understand the impacts of weather on signal availability. This also reinforced our understanding that more ground stations mean more options for signal availability."

NASA's Laser Communications Roadmap Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

Additionally, the weather experiment allowed engineers to enhance NASA's adaptive optics systems, which are integrated into the ground stations and use a sensor to measure and correct distortion on the signal that's coming down from the spacecraft.

Another experiment was conducted with the Aerospace Corporation, who built an LCRD-compatible terminal to send and receive data with LCRD. This experiment confirmed LCRD's ability to work with external users.

Engineers also used LCRD as an opportunity to test networking capabilities like delay/disruption tolerant networking (DTN) over laser links. DTN empowers missions with unparalleled connectivity by storing and forwarding data at points along a network to ensure critical information reaches its destination.

Laser communications systems also can enable more precise navigation capabilities. An ongoing navigation experiment has shown engineers can receive more precise location data over a laser link than over standard radio waves. This means that the laser communications system can also serve as a platform for improved timing and location dataa critical part of GPS. NASA is infusing laser communications technologies to provide missions with enhanced communications capabilities. Lasers communications enable missions to send back more data in a single link. More data means more discoveries. Credit: NASA

"Technology demonstrations like LCRD allow NASA and its partners to implement new capabilities and test them in an operational scenario," said Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "This enables engineers to really get a feel for a technology's potential and see what future applications could look like. It's why testing operations in a relevant environment is so critical."

With systems like LCRD proving the capabilities of laser communications, future science and human exploration missions that adopt the technology could be capable of transmitting more data back to Earth. As science missions' instrumentation advances and gathers more data, the onboard communications systems must also evolve to transmit this data to researchers. Payloads like LCRD are showing how laser communications systems can benefit space missions and help them achieve their science objectives.

LCRD is one of a series of missions to demonstrate laser communications technology. The agency is continuing its infusion efforts with future terminals going on the International Space Station, the Artemis II Orion spacecraft that will travel around the Moon, and the Deep Space Optical Communications experiment aboard the Psyche spacecraft, which will test laser communications farther from Earth than ever before as Psyche makes its way to its asteroid destination in deep space.

With a year of successful experimentation completed, the LCRD team is now prepping for the late 2023 launch of NASA's Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal, or ILLUMA-T. Once on the space station, ILLUMA-T will send experiment data to LCRD, which will then relay it to the ground. This will allow NASA to test low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit laser communications and showcase the benefit of LCRD's relay capabilities.
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:

Flowchart shows how the variable reduction strategy is integrated with the NSGA-II hybrid algorithm. Credit: Complex System Modeling and Simulation, Tsinghua University Press

When real-world disasters occur, logistics play a crucial role in emergency disaster management. Emergency material scheduling is a vital piece of the emergency logistics plan. Having a reasonable and efficient emergency material scheduling plan is essential in order to save lives and reduce property losses.

A research team has applied a variable reduction strategy to an emergency material scheduling problem. This accelerated the optimization process of the algorithms that were already being used and obtained better solutions by simplifying the corresponding emergency material schedule problem.

Their research is published in the journal Complex System Modeling and Simulation on June 20.

Emergency material scheduling is mainly focused on making the best plan to deliver emergency materials from supply points to demand points quickly and efficiently, so that casualties and property losses are minimized. However, real-world emergency material scheduling problems are often large-scale and involve complex constraints.

Researchers typically use an evolutionary algorithm as one of the effective methods for solving emergency material scheduling problems. Evolutionary algorithms, inspired by nature phenomena and biologic behaviors, show competitive performance in solving optimization problems. However, the existing evolutionary algorithms still face great challenges when dealing with large-scale emergency material scheduling problems or problems with equality constraints.

To solve the challenges that the existing evolutionary algorithms face, the research team began by defining an emergency material allocation and route scheduling model, with a variable neighborhood search and NSGA-II hybrid algorithm designed to solve the model. Next, they applied the variable reduction strategy to simplify the proposed emergency material scheduling model to allow a lower dimension and fewer equality constraints. (When using a variable reduction strategy, researchers are able to reduce some of variables and equations in order to reduce the complexity of the problem.) Taking it a step further, the team integrated the variable reduction strategy with the NSGA-II hybrid algorithm to solve the reduced emergency material scheduling model.

To prove the effectiveness of variable reduction strategy on the NSGA-II hybrid algorithm, the team constructed two test cases. One case was based on a multi-depot vehicle routing problem. The other case was based on the real-life initial emergency material support situation that occurred on May 12, 2008 when an earthquake devastated the Wenchuan area in the Sichuan Province of China.

"Experimental results show that variable reduction strategy can improve the performance of the standard NSGA-II hybrid algorithm, enabling better optimization efficiency and a higher-quality solution," said Guohua Wu, a professor at the Central South University in China.

The team proposed the variable reduction strategy initially because it allowed them to obtain a lower dimension of solution space and eliminate partial equality constraints. Variable reduction strategy explores the relationships among variables by using the general problem domain knowledge that is implied in an optimization problem. Based on relationships among variables, the team always used some of the variables to represent and calculate the rest of the variables during the repeated process of the algorithm. This means the optimization problem possessed a lower dimension of solution space and fewer variables.

Looking ahead to future research, the team notes that there are still limitations in this work. They acknowledge that the emergency material scheduling model they considered was slightly simple.

"Therefore, for future work, we can consider applying the variable reduction strategy to a more complex emergency material schedule model with dynamic demands, multiple materials, and different vehicle capacities," said Wu.

Additionally, the team notes that it would be worthwhile to conduct more research into integrating another potential evolutionary algorithm with variable reduction strategy in order to assist the evolutionary algorithm to perform better. While the team's current work provides a reference for employing the variable reduction strategy to effectively solve real-world problems, they might also focus on using the variable reduction strategy to solve more complicated real-world optimization problems in the future.

The research team includes Zhen Shu from the National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China; Aijuan Song and Guohua Wu from the Central South University, Changsha, China; and Witold Pedrycz from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

More information: Zhen Shu et al, Variable Reduction Strategy Integrated Variable Neighborhood Search and NSGA-II Hybrid Algorithm for Emergency Material Scheduling, Complex System Modeling and Simulation (2023). DOI: 10.23919/CSMS.2023.0006

Provided by Tsinghua University Press
On Oct. 7, 1944, 20-year-old Private First Class Clarence L. Junek was fighting with the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division in the Ardennes Forest when he was wounded by shrapnel in his left leg.

In the trees and all, a lot of them artillery shells exploded in the air and so the shrapnel went everywhere, Junek said. We were there just marking time preparing for the Battle of the Bulge.

On Monday, almost 79 years later and just in time to celebrate his 99th birthday Thursday, the Snook resident finally received a Purple Heart medal for his service and injuries during World War II, thanks in part to the determination of his son, Clarence L. Junek Jr., to retrieve the award his father deserved.

After training at Camp Fannin in Tyler, Junek arrived at the beaches in France less than a month before his 20th birthday, just after the D-Day invasion, and he said thats when the conflict really started to feel real.

We went on a ship from England to France at night, Junek said. [The] boat had two motors and one of them went out [so] there we were just going round and round.  We got pretty close [to the beach] and we jumped off and walked in the water and thats when I realized the war was on.

Throughout that July and August, Junek said he and his division pushed their way through France, chasing the German army.

I didnt know one thing from another, Junek said. [We were] just going, just following the Germans and trying to get them.

It was during a scouting mission on Aug. 7 when Junek and his friend, nicknamed Snafu, ran into a tank in a small French village where the two were ultimately captured, Junek said.

Everything was going fine until we got in pretty deep and then we heard a tank, Junek said. I was the first scout and Snafu was second.  The sergeant hollered at us, Get in them buildings on the left.

Junek said he and Snafu pulled off to the side and stepped down to the bottom floor of the building only to discover it was full of Germans.

They just snapped the rifles out of our hands and all I could say was, comrades because thats what captured Germans with us would say, Junek said. They took us out into the street and stripped us of everything we had.

Junek said they were taken into a candle-lit room where the German officers were.

I had a letter from home and they saw that I was from Texas, Junek said. They asked me, was I a cowboy? They said they were reading books about Texas cowboys [and] I told them, no, I wasnt no cowboy.

One of the German officers gave the letter back to Junek saying, in perfectly good English, that he could keep it.

He sounded like one of our officers, Junek said. When he said that, I looked up and he said, I went to school in Philadelphia, and turned around and walked off.

Later that day, Junek said he and Snafu were put on top of a tank that was guarded by a small group of Germans and they began moving out of the village and through the hedgerows. Shortly after leaving, however, Junek said U.S. ally artillery began firing at the German convoy, giving the two a chance to escape.

One of [the German soldiers] got wounded real bad and he was hollering and everything, Junek said. They told us to get down off the tank and walk alongside the tank so we wouldnt get hit.  [Then] we come by that hedgerow country, we came to an opening, like a gate, and we slipped up in the gate there and we was gone.

Junek and Snafu eventually ran into what he believed were members of the 6th Infantry Division, who pointed the two in the direction of the 2nd Infantry Division who were at that point fighting on the front lines.

After being reunited with their division for several days, Junek said an officer came looking for the pair with an offer to go work behind the front.

He came over there and he said, Ill come and get yall and take you back in the rear echelon in non-combat, Junek said. I told him Ill just stay here in combat  and he explained [that] according to the Geneva Convention, if you get captured again theyre entitled to shoot you [because we had escaped].

Snafu agreed to go back with the officer, while Junek said he stayed at the front.

I said, I dont think theyll do that again, Ill just stay here, Junek said. He said, Well, youve got to volunteer. And so I said, Well, I volunteer.

Two months later, and still with the 2nd Infantry on the front, Junek was hit by mortar shrapnel in the Ardennes, ultimately receiving an honorable discharge and getting sent back to Snook in December 1944 after being treated in England.

The shrapnel was not removed, however, until 1946 after Junek the wound became infected.

Having grown up listening to his fathers stories, Junek Jr. had thought for years about trying to find a way to get his father the medal he deserved, but he kept running into red tape.

Junek Jr. said that his fathers hospital records from the Veterans Affairs Office were lost during a fire in St. Louis in 1976, which made it difficult to secure the Purple Heart.

The younger Junek eventually reached out to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, whose mother Junek Jr. had worked with during his time as principal of A&M Consolidated Junior High School.

Its always been in the back of my mind, Junek Jr. said. I happened to think of Christine Wormuth, a former student. So I sent her a message and she said, Let me get with my team. And an hour later I got a call from the Pentagon.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jacques Nixon called Junek Jr. and he cut through the red tape in 10 days, the son said.

He wanted Dads address for a birthday card [and] I said, Please ask [Wormuth] not to mention the Purple Heart request until its done, Junek Jr. said. His answer was on word, a military word, acknowledged. So that sent up a red flag that we were getting the whole ball of wax.
Brazos Countys Vote Center Review Committee proposed several election polling locations to the Brazos County Commissioners Court on Wednesday, including the proposal to reinstate Texas A&M Universitys Memorial Student Center.

Kala Washington of Prairie View A&M spoke on what it was like at her school when their MSC polling location was pulled for early voting.

Our numbers went down to one-fourth of the voters that we normally have. As you can see that is a large number when you are having your constituents voices heard, she said. This is an opportunity to be an example and to agree that you wont stand for silencing 18-to-35-year olds.

The purpose of the workshop was to discuss potential polling sites and allow for citizen feedback. While no formal action was taken during the meeting, commissioners will vote on official locations at a later date.

With the removal of Texas A&Ms MSC as a polling location for early voting last year, many students voiced their concerns and requested for the location to remain this year. The MSC is located in Precinct 3 of Commissioner Nancy Berry, who previously told The Eagle the MSC would be reinstated in future elections for both early voting and Election Day.

The MSC was open for Election Day last year and College Station City Hall was the alternate location for early voting. Multiple residents and students thanked the commissioners for considering the MSC going forward during the hear citizens portion of Wednesdays meeting, while also advocating for voter rights.

Brennen Cwatanaphol, a Texas A&M senior, told the commissioners the MSC needs to remain a polling location and reflected on what happened last year.

Decisions were continuously postponed until it was deemed too late to take remedial action, he said. And here we are again a year later, coming down to the wire, and still asking you to recover the MSC as an early voting location.

Thomas Cavaness, chairman of the Brazos County Democratic Party, was part of the voting committee and spoke after Brazos County Elections Administrator Trudy Hancock recommended the MSC return as an early voting location with Berrys support.

I am the most happy to see the Memorial Student Center return as an early voting and Election Day site. I have worked there as an election worker three times, and I have seen it be utilized by many people, he said. And they are already in kind of a rush to get there between classes or after work or whatever the case may be, so to give them the extra 15, 20, 30 minutes to go across the street was really an undue burden, so I am grateful today that the county commission could rectify that.

Elianor Vessalli, chairman of the Brazos County Republican Party, also addressed the commissioners.

Yes, I stated that I was in favor of the location of the MSC, she said. But let me be clear, having it at College Station City Hall as it was down the road equidistant to what students maybe travel to go to classes on West campus or elsewhere, was not suppression of the vote.

Vessalli went on to address the students who spoke during the meeting and said she wants students to be involved in the process.

But, if you are coming here to this meeting not realizing that there have been months of work to determine what locations are willing to be open, what locations are ADA acceptable to be opened and how many volunteers we can have to work those locations, that means that you are yet not fully involved in the process, she said. Did you know that there is going to be an election this fall? Your ISDs are going to have votes.  Your vote matters.  Continue to get engaged and educated, but a lot of people have been at the table  to work on these locations.

After the meeting, Vessalli told The Eagle that while she uses the MSC to vote because it is close to where she lives, the MSC is not very accessible but is a compromise.

She also said that she doesnt believe the students are fully aware of all the layers of preparation and requirements that go into these processes.

And it is not just the students, I have the same conversation with residents as well, she said.

Maggie Disanza, University of Texas at Austin student and Central Texas Campus Organizer for Texas Rising, read a letter on behalf of the Texas civil rights project during the meeting. After hearing Vessallis comments, Disanza said she disagreed.

I am a little disappointed by the condescending tone that the GOP chair took toward not just, lets get this clear  the people who are out here testifying today were not just students, we had a vast multi-generational, multi-party, group of people who were driving miles to come and testify before this court, she said. To say we arent familiar enough with the proceedings of commissioners court, local government, state government, is simply untrue. We are paid professional organizers; we literally do this for work. We are very familiar with not just the proceedings of the court but how to get commissioners and elected officials attention and make that change.

In response to voter suppression, Disanza said that is what a lot of elected officials want people to believe.

Voter suppression is insidious, it is hidden and it is not supposed to be overt. Because voter suppression is undemocratic, it is not a Texas value; it is not a value of the United States or Brazos County, Disanza said. But when 72,000 dont have easy access to a polling location, we are disenfranchising them.

Brazos County Judge Duane Peters told The Eagle after the meeting that he was happy to see the MSC reinstated.

I really thought that the [College Station] City Hall worked well and the fact is we got buses to actually help pay and transport students from the MSC to the voting location over there, he said. So it wasnt like we disenfranchised anybody.

Officials from Brazos County and Texas A&M University Transportation Services partnered to provide bus service between A&Ms campus and College Station City Hall for the entire duration of 2022 early voting.

According to Kelly Brown, associate vice president for Texas A&Ms Division of Marketing and Communications, Transportation Services provided rides for 377 individuals on the early voting shuttle, though they had no way to discern how many of those were students as opposed to faculty or staff.

Brown said the total cost of the bus use was $15,303.50 for 110 hours of service during the two weeks of early voting, with the Brazos County Commissioners Court contributing $3,100.

Hancock released the proposals for polling sites and told commissioners the committee had to look at the current locations and make sure all were accessible, and under ADA compliance through completion of an ADA survey by a nonprofit organization.

Based on their recommended changes, Hancock said they found problem areas after redistricting and said legally there can be one vote center in a voting precinct and she found they had two different precincts that had multiple locations in them. New Zion Missionary Baptist Church and Church of the Nazarene are both in Precinct 17; and Texas A&M College of Medicine and Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church are both in Precinct 36, she said. In order to correct the issue, she said the committee proposed keeping Church of the Nazarene and Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church as they had a larger voter turnout.

To view the proposed polling locations, visit theeagle.com.

The committee also found that a majority of the current locations had minor defects such as signage, door knobs, van accessible handicap parking. Hancock said that Galilee Baptist Church fixed all issues to be utilized as a location by installing a new ramp, extending the landing area and expanded their parking lot to include van accessible parking. Castle Heights Baptist Church, College Heights and Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church are all working to come into compliance, she said. The committee did not hear back from leaders of the Millican Community Center or Bryan Ballroom regarding if they wanted to be a current polling location, and were removed for consideration.

The six proposed polling locations per precinct include:

South Brazos County Emergency Service District #1 in Millican

College Station Utilities Maintenance and Training Facility in College Station

Galilee Baptist Church in Bryan

Zion Church of Kurten in Kurten

Parkway Baptist Church in College Station

College Heights Assembly of God in Bryan

First Baptist Church in Bryan

Beacon Baptist Church in Bryan

Milam Elementary in Bryan

Brazos County Elections Administration Building in Bryan

Memorial Student Center in College Station

Lincoln Center in College Station

College Station City Hall in College Station

College Station ISD Administration Building in College Station

Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church in Bryan

Castle Heights Baptist Church in Bryan

St. Francis Episcopal Church in College Station

A&M Church of Christ in College Station

Arena Hall in Bryan

Brazos Center in Bryan

Wellborn Baptist Church in College Station

Living Hope Baptist Church in College Station

Church of the Nazarene in Bryan

Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 in College Station

Hancock also said for clarification, Brazos County has one congressional district: District 10, one Senate District: District 5; two state representatives: 12 and 14; for the state board of education: District 10; four commissioners and four Justice of the Peace, four emergency services districts, three school districts, two cities, one special utility district, one municipal management districts, two municipal utility districts and 109 voting precincts.

Members of the committee include: Hancock, Berry, Vessalli, Brazos County Clerk Karen McQueen, Alma DeJesus of the Democratic Party, Bryan City Secretary Mary Lynne Stratta, College Station City Secretary Tanya Smith, Tiffany Lee of the Bryan school district, Cari Horn of the College Station school district, Brazos County Elections Coordinator Krystal Ocon, Ebony Tennell of the Brazos County NAACP, Irma Pineda of the Brazos County Hispanic Forum and Stephen Senkel of Texas A&Ms Student Affairs.
Tuesday is Independence Day, but the Navasota Freedom Festival kicks off the areas Fourth of July festivities on Friday.

The event starts with a parade at 6 p.m. that will begin at Brosig Avenue and travel west on Washington Avenue to Ninth Street.

The Texas Unlimited Band will perform outside of Navasota City Hall at 7 p.m., while fireworks will be at Brule Field at 9:30 p.m.

The event is free to attend. Vendors will be on site with food and beverages. Kids activities include a bounce house and water slides. Grimes County Cornhole will host a tournament on city hall grounds during the evening.

Here are 10 things to do in the Bryan-College Station area for the Fourth of July beginning Saturday:

Saturday

The Childrens Museum of the Brazos Valley presents Little Firecrackers, a Fourth of July celebration for kids, including a meet-and-greet with Ariel for a popsicle from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Stella Hotel at 4100 Lake Atlas Drive in Bryan.

Tuesday

The Firecracker 5K will be held at Century Square beginning at 8 a.m. Registration is $25 and runners are encouraged to wear American-themed costumes and attire. To register, visit runsignup.com/race/tx/collegestation/bcsfirecracker5k.

The College Station Noon Lions Club is hosting the inaugural 4th of July Parade at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. The lineup starts at 8:30 a.m. with the parade beginning at 9. The free family event features a kid zone, train rides, veterans groups, first responder displays and free vision screenings.

The Brazos Heritage Society presents Old Fashioned Fourth of July in the Park, which includes free exhibitor and food booths from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Heritage Park in Bryan. A flag-raising ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. followed by a childrens parade at 10:30.

The city of Hearne and the Hearne Chamber of Commerce will host 4th of July in the Park starting at 10 a.m. at Eastside Park. Vendors are welcome with limited space. There will be a dunking booth and more games. Fireworks are scheduled to begin around 9:15 p.m.

Friends of the Wheelock School House present the 29th annual Fourth of July BBQ & Parade, starting at 10 a.m. at the Wheelock School House, 10691 Cavitt St. The event includes a parade along F.M. 46 and a barbecue lunch that is a fundraiser for the historic school that was built in 1908. Barbecue plates will be sold for $15 after the parade until 1 p.m.

Independence will be celebrated in Independence. Trail rides begin at 2 p.m. and a parade through downtown Independence starts at 5 p.m., immediately followed by live music at the Historic Independence School House. A fireworks show will start at 9 p.m.

The Brazos County District 2 Volunteer Fire Departments 20th annual fireworks show will open at 5 p.m. at the Kurten Community Center. There will be food trucks, a gun raffle, music and activities. Admission is free, and fireworks will start after dark. district2vfd.org.

The city of Madisonville will hold its July Fourth celebration from 5-9:30 p.m. at Lake Madison. The event will feature live music from the Texas 105 Band, food vendors, shopping, face painting and kids activities, and culminates with a fireworks show.

Texas A&Ms RELLIS Campus in Bryan will host its fourth annual drive-in Fourth of July Fireworks & Drones Show at the RELLIS parking lot. WTAW will broadcast music that is synced to the fireworks. Parking lot opens at 6:30 p.m and the show starts at 9. tx.ag/driveinfireworks.
WPP (NYSE:WPP  Free Report) is one of 81 public companies in the Advertising agencies industry, but how does it compare to its peers? We will compare WPP to related companies based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, risk and valuation.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares WPP and its peers revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Get WPP alerts:

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio WPP $14.43 billion $844.43 million 7.81 WPP Competitors $1.93 billion $102.41 million 1,951.84

WPP has higher revenue and earnings than its peers. WPP is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

Analyst Ratings

4.1% of WPP shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 47.9% of shares of all Advertising agencies companies are owned by institutional investors. 1.0% of WPP shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 24.9% of shares of all Advertising agencies companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for WPP and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score WPP 0 1 5 0 2.83 WPP Competitors 201 1525 2492 35 2.56

WPP currently has a consensus target price of $1,001.29, indicating a potential upside of 1,752.52%. As a group, Advertising agencies companies have a potential upside of 121.35%. Given WPPs stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe WPP is more favorable than its peers.

Risk & Volatility

WPP has a beta of 1.36, indicating that its share price is 36% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, WPPs peers have a beta of 1.13, indicating that their average share price is 13% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares WPP and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets WPP N/A N/A N/A WPP Competitors -8.17% -8.54% 0.19%

Dividends

WPP pays an annual dividend of $3.12 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.8%. WPP pays out 45.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Advertising agencies companies pay a dividend yield of 2.5% and pay out 471.8% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. WPP has increased its dividend for 1 consecutive years. WPP is clearly a better dividend stock than its peers, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Summary

WPP beats its peers on 10 of the 15 factors compared.

WPP Company Profile

(Free Report)

WPP plc, a creative transformation company, provides communications, experience, commerce, and technology services in North America, the United Kingdom, Western Continental Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe. The company operates through three segments: Global Integrated Agencies, Public Relations, and Specialist Agencies. It offers advertising, marketing, brand strategies, and campaigns across all media; and provides media planning and buying services. It also provides media investment; data and technology, and content services. The company also offers public relations and specialist agency services. WPP plc was founded in 1985 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

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Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of Aryzta (OTCMKTS:ARZTY  Free Report) in a research report report published on Monday, Briefing.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating on the stock.

Aryzta Stock Performance

Shares of ARZTY stock opened at $0.80 on Monday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $0.82 and a 200 day moving average of $0.74. Aryzta has a 1 year low of $0.47 and a 1 year high of $0.92.

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Aryzta Company Profile

(Free Report)

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ARYZTA AG provides frozen B2B baking solutions in Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It offers pastries, cookies, donuts, muffins, buns, bread rolls and artisan loaves, sweet baked and morning goods, and savory and other products. The company also provides asset management services; and distributes food products.

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Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK  Free Report) had its target price lifted by Bank of America from $58.00 to $62.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Barclays raised shares of Alaska Air Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $54.00 to $62.00 in a research report on Friday, March 10th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Alaska Air Group from $71.00 to $75.00 in a research report on Monday, April 24th. Raymond James raised shares of Alaska Air Group from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $60.00 to $68.00 in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Alaska Air Group in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Alaska Air Group from $91.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $63.14.

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Alaska Air Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ALK opened at $52.44 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $6.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 114.00, a PEG ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $46.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.84. Alaska Air Group has a one year low of $37.19 and a one year high of $53.96.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Alaska Air Group ( NYSE:ALK Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 20th. The transportation company reported ($0.62) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.48) by ($0.14). Alaska Air Group had a net margin of 0.58% and a return on equity of 17.03%. The company had revenue of $2.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($1.33) EPS. Alaska Air Groups revenue for the quarter was up 30.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Alaska Air Group will post 6.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In other Alaska Air Group news, CEO Benito Minicucci sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.73, for a total value of $243,650.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 114,506 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,579,877.38. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Alaska Air Group

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Duality Advisers LP bought a new position in Alaska Air Group in the 1st quarter worth $2,644,000. Level Four Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Alaska Air Group by 16.8% in the 1st quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC now owns 69,465 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,915,000 after buying an additional 10,015 shares during the period. Prelude Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Alaska Air Group in the 1st quarter worth about $322,000. Macquarie Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of Alaska Air Group by 19.8% in the 1st quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 38,800 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,628,000 after buying an additional 6,416 shares during the period. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Alaska Air Group by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 38,417 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,612,000 after buying an additional 2,261 shares during the period. 79.04% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Alaska Air Group

(Free Report)

Alaska Air Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operated airlines. The company operates through three segments: Mainline, Regional, and Horizon. The company offers scheduled air transportation services on Boeing and Airbus jet aircraft for passengers and cargo throughout the United States, and in parts of Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize; and for passengers across a shorter distance network within the United States and Canada.

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Morgan Stanley cut shares of BB Seguridade Participacoes (OTCMKTS:BBSEY  Free Report) from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

BB Seguridade Participacoes Price Performance

BBSEY stock opened at $6.27 on Monday. BB Seguridade Participacoes has a 12 month low of $4.54 and a 12 month high of $7.48. The firm has a market cap of $12.54 billion, a PE ratio of 13.93, a P/E/G ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.85. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $6.47 and a 200 day simple moving average of $6.56.

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About BB Seguridade Participacoes

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BB Seguridade Participacoes SA, through its subsidiaries, invests in the insurance, pension plans, premium bonds, reinsurance, and dental insurance businesses in Brazil. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Brokerage. The Insurance segment offers life, property and vehicle, property, rural, special risks and financial, transport, hulls, and housing people insurance products.

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Cardinal Capital Management grew its stake in Banco Santander-Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Free Report) by 2.4% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 51,502 shares of the banks stock after purchasing an additional 1,209 shares during the quarter. Cardinal Capital Managements holdings in Banco Santander-Chile were worth $918,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in Banco Santander-Chile by 453.7% in the 4th quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,866 shares of the banks stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 1,529 shares in the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main bought a new position in Banco Santander-Chile during the second quarter worth about $40,000. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC raised its stake in Banco Santander-Chile by 4,603.2% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 2,963 shares of the banks stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 2,900 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its stake in Banco Santander-Chile by 57.8% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 4,201 shares of the banks stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 1,538 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in Banco Santander-Chile by 41.5% in the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 8,865 shares of the banks stock valued at $124,000 after purchasing an additional 2,601 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.47% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com raised Banco Santander-Chile from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $17.00.

Banco Santander-Chile Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE BSAC opened at $18.27 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $18.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.46. The stock has a market cap of $8.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.73. Banco Santander-Chile has a 52-week low of $13.37 and a 52-week high of $20.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.02, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a current ratio of 2.05.

Banco Santander-Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The bank reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.08. Banco Santander-Chile had a return on equity of 16.17% and a net margin of 14.55%. The firm had revenue of $477.99 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $541.67 million. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Banco Santander-Chile will post 1.7 EPS for the current year.

Banco Santander-Chile Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 1st were given a dividend of $1.2511 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 19th. This represents a yield of 4.9%. This is a boost from Banco Santander-Chiles previous annual dividend of $0.91. Banco Santander-Chiles dividend payout ratio is 56.55%.

Banco Santander-Chile Company Profile

(Free Report)

Banco Santander-Chile, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking products and services in Chile. It operates through Retail Banking, Middle-Market, Corporate Investment Banking, and Corporate Activities segments. The company offers debit and credit cards, checking accounts, and savings products; consumer, automobile, commercial, mortgage, and government-guaranteed loans; and Chilean peso and foreign currency-denominated loans to finance various commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts, and credit lines, as well as mortgage financing services.

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Donald L. Hagan LLC lifted its position in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 23.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,462 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 846 shares during the period. The Goldman Sachs Group comprises 0.8% of Donald L. Hagan LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Donald L. Hagan LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $1,460,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of GS. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 17.8% in the 4th quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 37,848 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $12,996,000 after acquiring an additional 5,725 shares during the last quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 45.8% in the 4th quarter. Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,456 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $845,000 after buying an additional 771 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 16,529 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $5,676,000 after buying an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. Aviva PLC raised its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 41.3% during the 4th quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 85,716 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $981,000 after buying an additional 25,038 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PDS Planning Inc bought a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $210,000. 76.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on GS. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $495.00 to $437.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 12th. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $420.00 to $390.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $329.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $389.17.

Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group

The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Up 0.1 %

In related news, Treasurer Philip R. Berlinski sold 3,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $338.10, for a total transaction of $1,267,875.00. Following the completion of the sale, the treasurer now directly owns 21,366 shares in the company, valued at $7,223,844.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . In related news, Treasurer Philip R. Berlinski sold 3,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $338.10, for a total transaction of $1,267,875.00. Following the completion of the sale, the treasurer now directly owns 21,366 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,223,844.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Also, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total transaction of $2,420,839.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 4,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,441,791.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 33,833,500 shares of company stock valued at $646,620,506. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

GS stock opened at $313.66 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $104.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.17, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.41. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $277.84 and a 52-week high of $389.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $329.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $340.09.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.14 by $0.65. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 9.84%. The firm had revenue of $12.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.66 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $10.76 EPS. The Goldman Sachs Groups quarterly revenue was down 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 31.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 1st will be given a $2.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 31st. This represents a $10.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.19%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.60%.

About The Goldman Sachs Group

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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East Africa Metals Inc. (CVE:EAM  Free Report) traded up 9.5% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.12 and last traded at C$0.12. 14,500 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 49% from the average session volume of 28,567 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.11.

East Africa Metals Trading Up 9.5 %

The company has a market capitalization of C$23.49 million, a P/E ratio of -3.83 and a beta of 0.91. The stocks 50 day moving average is C$0.12 and its 200-day moving average is C$0.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.99, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.26.

About East Africa Metals

(Free Report)

East Africa Metals Inc, a mineral exploration company, focuses on the identification, acquisition, exploration, development, and sale of base and precious mineral resource properties in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the United Republic of Tanzania. The company primarily explores for gold, copper, silver, and zinc deposits.

Further Reading

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(Photo : INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

Authorities have recovered debris from the lost Titan submersible along with what officials presume are human remains belonging to the five passengers that died when the vessel imploded under the ocean.

Authorities have recovered debris from the lost Titanic submersible and presumed human remains that are believed to belong to the five passengers who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The discovery comes a week after the end of the international search-and-rescue operation for the submersible, and the five passengers were presumed dead. On Wednesday, crews were unloading what seemed to have been the Titan's 22-foot hull at a Canadian Coast Guard pier located in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Titan Sub Debris Recovered

The hull looked to have been crinkled and twisted and had exposed wires and cables. Images shared by the Canadian Press showed what seemed to be a piece of the hull's siding and other debris being offloaded from the Horizon Arctic. The latter is a vessel that deployed a remotely operated vehicle to scour the ocean floor to look for the submersible.

Pieces of debris from the doomed sub that carried five people to the wreckage of the Titanic have been pulled from the ocean and returned to land. https://t.co/0apdiUQIk4 pic.twitter.com/yBZHUXn7jA  CBS News (@CBSNews) June 28, 2023

Later on, the debris of the Titan sub will be transported to a port in the United States, where the Marine Board of Investigation will conduct further analysis and testing. Medical professionals from the U.S. will also formally analyze what authorities presumed were human remains found alongside the debris, as per the New York Times. The Pelagic Research Services, which led the deep sea recovery effort for the Titan sub, said in a statement that it had "successfully completed offshore operations." It added that it was already in the process of demobilization, which marks the end of its mission and signals its return to the base of operations.

The company did not confirm whether or not the debris that was seen being offloaded belonged to the Titan sub, arguing that the investigation is still ongoing. It also referred questions to the U.S. Coast Guard, who did not immediately request comment regarding the finding. However, the Pelagic Research Services did say that a crew has been working tirelessly for the last ten days to find the lost Titan sub. The discovery of the debris is a crucial part of the investigation by the underwater vehicle designer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, J. Carl Hartsfield said they could contain vital information about what happened to the sub.

Read Also: Couple Suing OceanGate CEO Drops Case In Light of Titan Sub Tragedy

Understand What Happened to the Submersible

The discovery could also lead authorities to find the exact fates of the five people on board the titan sub who were lost under the ocean on June 18. According to BBC, the submersible is believed to have imploded after roughly 90 minutes from the beginning of its dive to take a look at the famous 1912 Titanic shipwreck. In a statement, the chief investigator of the case, Coast Guard Capt. Jason Neubauer said that the newly found evidence could provide investigators with crucial insights into the cause of the tragic incident. Neubauer added that substantial work still needs to be done to understand the factors and conditions that led to the disastrous loss of the Titan sub. He noted that understanding such circumstances will help prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future, said CBS News.

Related Article: 2013 OceanGate Titan Tragedy Facebook Prediction Goes Viral

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Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Endesa (OTCMKTS:ELEZY  Free Report) from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Separately, Barclays lowered shares of Endesa from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, June 16th.

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Endesa Stock Down 2.7 %

Shares of ELEZY stock opened at $11.73 on Monday. Endesa has a fifty-two week low of $6.89 and a fifty-two week high of $12.06. The stocks 50-day moving average is $11.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $10.39.

Endesa Increases Dividend

About Endesa

The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be given a $0.6423 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a dividend yield of 5.64%. This is a boost from Endesas previous dividend of $0.35. Endesas payout ratio is currently 75.16%.

(Free Report)

Endesa, SA engages in the generation, distribution, and sale of electricity in Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Morocco, Italy, the United Kingdom, Holland, and internationally. The company generates electricity from various energy sources, such as hydroelectric, nuclear, thermal, wind, and solar. As of December 31, 2022, it had an installed capacity of 22,044 MW in Spain; operates 317,829 km of distribution and transmission networks; and distributes electricity to 10,545 thousands customers and gas to 1,799 thousands customers.

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ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC lessened its position in shares of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA  Free Report) by 5.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,351 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 85 shares during the period. ERTS Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Mastercard were worth $491,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Mastercard by 25.5% in the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,306 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $475,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Sterling Investment Counsel LLC lifted its stake in Mastercard by 30.6% in the 1st quarter. Sterling Investment Counsel LLC now owns 1,844 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $670,000 after purchasing an additional 432 shares during the last quarter. Willis Investment Counsel lifted its stake in Mastercard by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Willis Investment Counsel now owns 21,480 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $7,806,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank lifted its stake in Mastercard by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 15,553 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $5,652,000 after purchasing an additional 593 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Archford Capital Strategies LLC lifted its stake in Mastercard by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Archford Capital Strategies LLC now owns 7,388 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $2,688,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.33% of the companys stock.

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Mastercard Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of Mastercard stock opened at $380.24 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $376.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $366.49. The company has a market cap of $360.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.99, a PEG ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.11. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12-month low of $276.87 and a 12-month high of $392.20.

Mastercard Announces Dividend

Mastercard ( NYSE:MA Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The credit services provider reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) 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 the consensus estimate of $5.64 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 42.33% and a return on equity of 169.12%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.76 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.24 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be given a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 6th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is presently 22.78%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently commented on MA. Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $405.00 to $400.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 2nd. Tigress Financial upped their price target on shares of Mastercard from $472.00 to $476.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Mastercard from $435.00 to $440.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Credit Suisse Group upped their price target on shares of Mastercard from $390.00 to $400.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Mastercard from $450.00 to $453.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $417.27.

Insider Transactions at Mastercard

In other news, insider Raj Seshadri sold 5,164 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $373.24, for a total value of $1,927,411.36. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 11,164 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,166,851.36. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 125,816 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $386.28, for a total value of $48,600,204.48. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 100,437,277 shares in the company, valued at approximately $38,796,911,359.56. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Raj Seshadri sold 5,164 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $373.24, for a total transaction of $1,927,411.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 11,164 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,166,851.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 547,243 shares of company stock valued at $209,102,122 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Mastercard Company Profile

(Free Report)

Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, as well as delivers other payment-related products and services.

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Shares of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCMKTS:FMCB  Free Report) crossed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of $977.17 and traded as low as $965.00. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp shares last traded at $965.00, with a volume of 12 shares changing hands.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Price Performance

The business has a 50-day moving average price of $976.57 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $999.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

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Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCMKTS:FMCB  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 19th. The bank reported $30.80 EPS for the quarter.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Announces Dividend

About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 9th will be paid a $8.30 dividend. This represents a yield of 1.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 8th.

(Free Report)

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California that provides various banking services to businesses and individuals. The company accepts various deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, time certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts.

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Harbour Capital Advisors LLC trimmed its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 11.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 18,954 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,341 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 2.0% of Harbour Capital Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Harbour Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $6,512,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 28.1% in the 4th quarter. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. now owns 3,093 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,132,000 after acquiring an additional 679 shares during the last quarter. Cannell & Co. increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Cannell & Co. now owns 2,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $732,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Echo45 Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.0% in the 4th quarter. Echo45 Advisors LLC now owns 811 shares of the companys stock valued at $297,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Paragon Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter valued at $944,000. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 13.6% in the 3rd quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 3,872 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,252,000 after acquiring an additional 464 shares during the last quarter. 87.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:LLY opened at $461.26 on Thursday. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $296.32 and a one year high of $468.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.30. The firm has a market cap of $437.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 72.96, a P/E/G ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.36. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $430.86 and a 200-day simple moving average of $375.77.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.62 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.73 by ($0.11). The business had revenue of $6.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.87 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.54% and a return on equity of 61.42%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.62 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 8.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 8th will be given a dividend of $1.13 per share. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.98%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 71.86%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $420.00 to $500.00 in a report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $430.00 to $475.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. Guggenheim dropped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $395.00 to $392.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $437.90.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 107,022 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.28, for a total transaction of $49,153,064.16. Following the sale, the insider now owns 101,248,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $46,501,553,456.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 107,022 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.28, for a total value of $49,153,064.16. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 101,248,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $46,501,553,456.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $435.29, for a total transaction of $261,174.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,978 shares in the company, valued at $2,602,163.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 1,279,783 shares of company stock valued at $510,549,964. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

About Eli Lilly and Company

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Barclays (LON:BARC  Free Report) had its price target cut by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from GBX 210 ($2.67) to GBX 180 ($2.29) in a report published on Monday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the financial services providers stock.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on BARC. UBS Group set a GBX 238 ($3.03) price objective on Barclays in a research note on Monday, March 6th. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a buy rating and set a GBX 270 ($3.43) price target on shares of Barclays in a research report on Monday, June 19th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Barclays from GBX 300 ($3.81) to GBX 320 ($4.07) and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Barclays in a research report on Friday, March 10th. Finally, Shore Capital reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Barclays in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of GBX 238.67 ($3.03).

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Barclays Price Performance

LON:BARC opened at GBX 148.34 ($1.89) on Monday. The firm has a market cap of 23.07 billion, a PE ratio of 449.52, a P/E/G ratio of -1.09 and a beta of 1.36. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 154.67 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 161.22. Barclays has a 1-year low of GBX 128.12 ($1.63) and a 1-year high of GBX 198.86 ($2.53).

Insiders Place Their Bets

About Barclays

In other Barclays news, insider Anna Cross sold 68,659 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 154 ($1.96), for a total value of 105,734.86 ($134,437.20). 0.34% of the stock is owned by insiders.

(Free Report)

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through two segments, Barclays UK and Barclays International divisions. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.

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Antero Resources (NYSE:AR  Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $30.00 price objective on the oil and natural gas companys stock, down from their prior price objective of $36.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s target price points to a potential upside of 35.62% from the companys current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on AR. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Antero Resources from $30.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 21st. TheStreet upgraded shares of Antero Resources from a c rating to a b- rating in a research note on Monday, March 20th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Antero Resources from $38.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Friday, May 19th. Truist Financial dropped their price target on shares of Antero Resources from $33.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Monday, May 1st. Finally, Benchmark dropped their price target on shares of Antero Resources from $40.00 to $36.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $35.42.

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Antero Resources Price Performance

Shares of AR opened at $22.12 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 3.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $21.79 and a 200 day moving average of $25.28. Antero Resources has a twelve month low of $19.91 and a twelve month high of $45.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

Antero Resources ( NYSE:AR Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The oil and natural gas company reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.54 by ($0.06). Antero Resources had a net margin of 29.24% and a return on equity of 23.30%. The firm had revenue of $1.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.21 billion. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Antero Resources will post 1.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In related news, insider Michael N. Kennedy sold 150,000 shares of Antero Resources stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.07, for a total transaction of $3,160,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 941,832 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,844,400.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 5.72% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Antero Resources

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Lumbard & Kellner LLC boosted its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 0.5% during the first quarter. Lumbard & Kellner LLC now owns 114,919 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $2,644,000 after purchasing an additional 595 shares in the last quarter. Capital Impact Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 10.7% during the first quarter. Capital Impact Advisors LLC now owns 23,547 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $544,000 after purchasing an additional 2,283 shares in the last quarter. Toroso Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 106.9% during the first quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 37,706 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $871,000 after purchasing an additional 19,481 shares in the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund boosted its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 18.0% during the first quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 913,057 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $21,082,000 after purchasing an additional 139,313 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Long Focus Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Antero Resources by 15.7% during the first quarter. Long Focus Capital Management LLC now owns 1,620,900 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $37,427,000 after purchasing an additional 220,000 shares in the last quarter. 79.64% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Antero Resources

(Free Report)

Antero Resources Corporation, an independent oil and natural gas company, engages in the development, production, exploration, and acquisition of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and oil properties in the United States. It operates through three segments: Exploration, Development and Production of Natural Gas, NGLs and Oil; Marketing and Utilization of Excess Firm Transportation Capacity; and Midstream Services Through Our Equity Method Investment in Antero Midstream.

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Shares of Marks and Spencer Group plc (LON:MKS  Free Report) have been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the seven analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 175 ($2.23).

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MKS shares. BNP Paribas upgraded Marks and Spencer Group to a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, March 22nd. Shore Capital reiterated a house stock rating on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a report on Wednesday, May 24th. Citigroup upgraded Marks and Spencer Group to a buy rating and set a GBX 175 ($2.23) price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. Numis Securities restated a hold rating and set a GBX 195 ($2.48) price objective on shares of Marks and Spencer Group in a research report on Thursday, May 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Marks and Spencer Group from GBX 115 ($1.46) to GBX 130 ($1.65) and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, March 27th.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Marks and Spencer Group news, insider Katie Bickerstaffe sold 94,894 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 189 ($2.40), for a total transaction of 179,349.66 ($228,035.17). In the last quarter, insiders acquired 254 shares of company stock worth $45,016. 0.57% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Marks and Spencer Group Price Performance

Marks and Spencer Group Company Profile

Shares of LON MKS opened at GBX 191.60 ($2.44) on Friday. Marks and Spencer Group has a twelve month low of GBX 91.56 ($1.16) and a twelve month high of GBX 194.95 ($2.48). The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 128.89. The company has a market capitalization of 3.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,060.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 1.57. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 176.02 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 158.13.

(Free Report

Marks and Spencer Group plc operates various retail stores. It operates through five segments: UK Clothing & Home, UK Food, International, Ocado, and All Other. The company offers protein deli and dairy; produce; ambient and in-store bakery; meals dessert and frozen; and hospitality and Food on the Move' products.

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Oliver Luxxe Assets LLC raised its holdings in shares of Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:MOH  Free Report) by 2.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,937 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the quarter. Oliver Luxxe Assets LLCs holdings in Molina Healthcare were worth $1,588,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Molina Healthcare by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,582,377 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,171,131,000 after purchasing an additional 19,787 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Molina Healthcare by 25.6% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,457,008 shares of the companys stock valued at $819,633,000 after purchasing an additional 501,107 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its holdings in shares of Molina Healthcare by 10.6% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,374,111 shares of the companys stock valued at $783,979,000 after purchasing an additional 228,221 shares during the last quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP lifted its holdings in shares of Molina Healthcare by 9.7% in the 4th quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP now owns 1,240,045 shares of the companys stock valued at $409,488,000 after purchasing an additional 110,068 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Molina Healthcare by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,174,391 shares of the companys stock valued at $387,092,000 after acquiring an additional 30,608 shares during the last quarter. 95.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Molina Healthcare Trading Down 0.6 %

Shares of Molina Healthcare stock opened at $289.04 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The firm has a market cap of $16.85 billion, a PE ratio of 19.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.68. The businesss fifty day moving average is $286.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $292.77. Molina Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $256.19 and a fifty-two week high of $374.00.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Molina Healthcare ( NYSE:MOH Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported $5.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.13 by $0.68. The business had revenue of $8.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.31 billion. Molina Healthcare had a return on equity of 36.20% and a net margin of 2.64%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.90 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Molina Healthcare, Inc. will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Several research firms have commented on MOH. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Molina Healthcare from $307.00 to $282.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on Molina Healthcare in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. They set an overweight rating and a $354.00 target price for the company. UBS Group started coverage on Molina Healthcare in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. They set a neutral rating and a $310.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Molina Healthcare from $365.00 to $335.00 in a research note on Monday, May 8th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Molina Healthcare from $380.00 to $365.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $353.50.

Molina Healthcare Company Profile

(Free Report)

Molina Healthcare, Inc provides managed healthcare services to low-income families and individuals under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. It operates in four segments, Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplace, and Other. The company served in across 19 states. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Long Beach, California.

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Primerica, Inc. (NYSE:PRI  Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $198.12 and last traded at $198.10, with a volume of 7360 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $194.65.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have weighed in on PRI shares. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Primerica from $210.00 to $220.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on Primerica from $167.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Raymond James assumed coverage on Primerica in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. They issued a strong-buy rating and a $244.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Primerica from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, May 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $205.25.

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Primerica Trading Up 1.5 %

The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $185.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $169.70. The company has a market capitalization of $7.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.57 and a beta of 1.18.

Primerica Announces Dividend

Primerica ( NYSE:PRI Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 8th. The financial services provider reported $3.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.45 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $690.04 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $697.61 million. Primerica had a return on equity of 27.48% and a net margin of 15.33%. The firms quarterly revenue was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.11 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Primerica, Inc. will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 12th. Investors of record on Monday, May 22nd were paid a $0.65 dividend. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 19th. Primericas payout ratio is presently 23.47%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Peter W. Schneider sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $192.19, for a total transaction of $384,380.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 13,024 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,503,082.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, President Peter W. Schneider sold 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $192.19, for a total transaction of $384,380.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 13,024 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,503,082.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Peter W. Schneider sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.99, for a total transaction of $647,465.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 15,024 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,779,289.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 11,200 shares of company stock valued at $2,119,760 over the last three months. 0.85% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Primerica

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Primerica by 2.7% in the first quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 2,281 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $393,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in Primerica by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 5,882 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,013,000 after buying an additional 66 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in shares of Primerica by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 5,777 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $995,000 after buying an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its holdings in shares of Primerica by 42.5% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 228 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the period. Finally, Eaton Vance Management lifted its holdings in shares of Primerica by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 24,502 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,025,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 91.27% of the companys stock.

Primerica Company Profile

(Free Report)

Primerica, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products to middle-income households in the United States and Canada. The company operates in four segments: Term Life Insurance; Investment and Savings Products; Senior Health; and Corporate and Other Distributed Products. The Term Life Insurance segment underwrites individual term life insurance products.

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Shares of Thomson Reuters Co. (NYSE:TRI  Free Report) (TSE:TRI) have received a consensus rating of Hold from the thirteen research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $140.25.

TRI has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Scotiabank lowered Thomson Reuters from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Thomson Reuters from $184.00 to $192.00 in a research report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Thomson Reuters to $144.00 in a research report on Tuesday. Canaccord Genuity Group downgraded Thomson Reuters from a buy rating to a hold rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $124.00 to $131.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, 51job reissued a downgrade rating on shares of Thomson Reuters in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Thomson Reuters by 4.4% in the 1st quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,859 shares of the business services providers stock worth $242,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. ClariVest Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Thomson Reuters by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. ClariVest Asset Management LLC now owns 30,160 shares of the business services providers stock worth $4,033,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Baldwin Brothers LLC MA boosted its holdings in shares of Thomson Reuters by 23.3% in the 4th quarter. Baldwin Brothers LLC MA now owns 493 shares of the business services providers stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in Thomson Reuters by 51.3% in the 4th quarter. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC now owns 286 shares of the business services providers stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moors & Cabot Inc. raised its position in Thomson Reuters by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 2,772 shares of the business services providers stock worth $316,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. 17.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Thomson Reuters Trading Down 2.2 %

Thomson Reuters stock opened at $135.03 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $126.91 and its 200-day simple moving average is $123.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $61.31 billion, a PE ratio of 54.01, a PEG ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.58. Thomson Reuters has a 52 week low of $97.59 and a 52 week high of $138.20.

Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI  Free Report) (TSE:TRI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The business services provider reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.78 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.74 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.73 billion. Thomson Reuters had a return on equity of 10.55% and a net margin of 17.20%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.66 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Thomson Reuters will post 3.41 earnings per share for the current year.

Thomson Reuters Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 18th were issued a $0.362 dividend. This represents a $1.45 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.07%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 17th. Thomson Reuterss payout ratio is currently 78.00%.

About Thomson Reuters

(Free Report

Thomson Reuters Corporation engages in the provision of business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments.

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18 Zambian firms to attend economic, trade expo in China

Xinhua) 08:59, June 29, 2023

LUSAKA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 18 Zambian companies have accompanied a government delegation to attend the upcoming China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, a government official said on Wednesday.

Chipoka Mulenga, minister of commerce, trade and industry, said the companies involved in various sectors, including mining, gemstones, timber, and fishing, among others, have accompanied him to the expo which runs from June 29 to July 2 in central China's Hunan Province.

He said in a statement that Zambia was ready to learn good practices in commerce and industry from technologically advanced countries like China.

He added that there was no country in the world that has developed without the involvement of its citizens through partnerships, and has since called on Zambians to get involved especially in value addition.

First launched in 2019, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
(Photo : George Frey/Getty Images)

The United States Supreme Court rejected a wild election theory but critics warn that the decision keeps the door open on legal challenges during the 2024 presidential election.

The United States Supreme Court has struck down a controversial new theory that could have completely changed how elections in the country are run.

Despite the nation's highest court rejecting the wild election theory, critics warned that not all is good news. The concern comes as the Supreme Court judges left the door open to more limited legal challenges that could increase its role in deciding voting disputes during the 2024 presidential election.

Supreme Court Rejects Wild Election Theory

Tuesday's 6-3 ruling rejected the so-called independent state legislature theory's most extreme version. The measure says that legislatures have absolute power in setting the rules of federal elections and cannot be argued by state courts. The Supreme Court's decision was met with cheers from voting rights groups.

In a statement, the Kathay Feng of the Common Cause group said they could beat back the "most serious legal threat" our democracy has ever faced. As per the Associated Press, the group's lawsuit challenging congressional districts drawn by North Carolina's GOP-led Legislature triggered the case's case.

However, the Supreme Court found that state courts must still act within "ordinary bounds" when reviewing federal election laws. This would allow those who lose election lawsuits in state courts to persuade federal judges to overturn the rulings.

A law professor at the University of California Los Angeles, Rick Hasen, said that the Supreme Court had rejected most extreme policies but left room for ideological and partisan judging. Hasen was the one who filed an amicus brief in the case that urged the court to reject the theory across the board.

On the other hand, conservatives who had supported limits on the role of state courts in federal elections agreed with Hasen. This was regarding the court needing to decide exactly when state courts must avoid federal elections.

Read Also: Biden Goes All-In on Re-Election Campaign Called 'Bidenomics'

Protecting Voting Rights

Some view the struck-down legislation, set aside for two decades and believed to lack any ground in American history, as a representation of the threat to elections. The Supreme Court's decision on the matter was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which made it clear that the Constitution's elections clause does not have such an exception, according to The Guardian.

Roberts wrote that state courts should retain the authority to apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures act under the Elections Clause. He argued that the clause does not insulate state legislatures from the ordinary exercise of state judicial review.

Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson voted in favor of the ruling. Three justices dissented, namely Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito.

On the other hand, United States Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated the Biden administration's efforts to secure access to the ballot box. She also urged Congress to pass legislation protecting the voting rights of every American across the country, adding that voting is the bedrock of our democracy, said CBS News.

Related Article: Will Joe Biden's Old Age Punchline Appeal to Voters?

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Tiaa Fsb decreased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:VOE  Free Report) by 3.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,935,384 shares of the companys stock after selling 78,457 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF accounts for approximately 1.0% of Tiaa Fsbs holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Tiaa Fsb owned approximately 1.65% of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF worth $259,477,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF by 11.5% during the first quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,366 shares of the companys stock valued at $585,000 after buying an additional 451 shares in the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC grew its stake in Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF by 4.4% in the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 46,755 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,268,000 after purchasing an additional 1,957 shares in the last quarter. RTD Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF by 9.7% during the 1st quarter. RTD Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 54,184 shares of the companys stock worth $7,264,000 after acquiring an additional 4,794 shares in the last quarter. Sage Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. Sage Financial Group Inc. now owns 107,403 shares of the companys stock worth $14,400,000 after acquiring an additional 5,950 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First United Bank & Trust boosted its stake in shares of Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. First United Bank & Trust now owns 26,821 shares of the companys stock worth $3,596,000 after acquiring an additional 214 shares in the last quarter.

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Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF Price Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA VOE traded up $0.59 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $136.64. 119,294 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 389,083. Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF has a 1-year low of $119.81 and a 1-year high of $147.74. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.40 and a beta of 1.05. The companys 50-day moving average price is $132.98 and its 200-day moving average price is $136.07.

About Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF

Vanguard Mid-Cap Value Index Fund (Fund) is an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund offers two classes of shares: Investor Shares and ETF Shares. Investor Shares are available to any investor who meets the funds minimum purchase requirements. ETF Shares can be purchased and sold through a broker.

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Builders FirstSource (NYSE:BLDR  Free Report) had its price target lifted by Truist Financial from $124.00 to $148.00 in a research report sent to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

BLDR has been the subject of several other research reports. Wedbush upped their price target on Builders FirstSource from $95.00 to $135.00 in a report on Thursday, May 4th. B. Riley increased their target price on Builders FirstSource from $70.00 to $77.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Robert W. Baird cut Builders FirstSource from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $96.00 target price for the company. in a report on Thursday, May 4th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Builders FirstSource in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised Builders FirstSource from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $78.00 to $135.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $114.25.

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Builders FirstSource Stock Up 1.6 %

NYSE:BLDR opened at $135.66 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.75 and a beta of 1.97. Builders FirstSource has a 1-year low of $51.37 and a 1-year high of $135.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $120.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $96.77.

Insider Buying and Selling at Builders FirstSource

Builders FirstSource ( NYSE:BLDR Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The company reported $2.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.63 by $1.33. Builders FirstSource had a return on equity of 55.42% and a net margin of 11.68%. The company had revenue of $3.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.57 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.90 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 31.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Builders FirstSource will post 10.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In other news, insider Michael Alan Farmer sold 12,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.97, for a total value of $1,362,125.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 62,122 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,769,434.34. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, insider Michael Alan Farmer sold 12,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.97, for a total value of $1,362,125.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 62,122 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,769,434.34. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Jami Beckmann sold 2,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.69, for a total value of $241,380.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 41,262 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,979,910.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Builders FirstSource

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Altshuler Shaham Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Builders FirstSource by 5.2% in the 1st quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 1,759 shares of the companys stock valued at $156,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 5.4% in the 1st quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 2,269 shares of the companys stock valued at $201,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Kingfisher Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Kingfisher Capital LLC now owns 45,746 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,061,000 after acquiring an additional 134 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 20.6% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 803 shares of the companys stock valued at $71,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WASHINGTON TRUST Co lifted its stake in shares of Builders FirstSource by 6.8% in the 4th quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 2,624 shares of the companys stock valued at $170,000 after acquiring an additional 166 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.57% of the companys stock.

About Builders FirstSource

(Free Report)

Builders FirstSource, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and supplies building materials, manufactured components, and construction services to professional homebuilders, sub-contractors, remodelers, and consumers in the United States. It offers lumber and lumber sheet goods comprising dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products that are used in on-site house framing; manufactured products, such as wood floor and roof trusses, steel roof trusses, wall panels, stairs, and engineered wood products; and windows, and interior and exterior door units, as well as interior trims and custom products comprising intricate mouldings, stair parts, and columns under the Synboard brand name.

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92 Resources restated their reiterates rating on shares of Ventas (NYSE:VTR  Free Report) in a report published on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on VTR. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Ventas from $57.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 25th. Raymond James raised shares of Ventas from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $55.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, June 23rd. Credit Suisse Group cut their price target on shares of Ventas from $51.00 to $50.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Ventas in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. They issued an overweight rating and a $50.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of Ventas from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ventas has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $53.55.

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Ventas Price Performance

VTR stock traded up $1.04 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $47.62. The company had a trading volume of 2,412,173 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,272,739. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Ventas has a 1 year low of $35.33 and a 1 year high of $54.11. The company has a market capitalization of $19.05 billion, a P/E ratio of -264.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.19. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $45.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $46.58.

Ventas Announces Dividend

Insider Transactions at Ventas

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 3rd will be paid a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 30th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.78%. Ventass dividend payout ratio is presently -999.94%.

In related news, Director Walter C. Rakowich sold 1,242 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.57, for a total transaction of $52,871.94. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 24,528 shares in the company, valued at $1,044,156.96. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ventas

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System boosted its position in shares of Ventas by 0.9% in the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 506,228 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $21,945,000 after purchasing an additional 4,300 shares during the period. Level Four Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ventas in the first quarter worth $229,000. Toroso Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ventas by 9.0% in the first quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 8,854 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $384,000 after buying an additional 731 shares in the last quarter. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ventas by 1.1% in the first quarter. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC now owns 232,445 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $10,076,000 after buying an additional 2,543 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its holdings in shares of Ventas by 15.7% in the first quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 166,716 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $7,227,000 after buying an additional 22,661 shares in the last quarter. 92.87% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ventas Company Profile

(Free Report)

Ventas Inc, an S&P 500 company, operates at the intersection of two large and dynamic industries healthcare and real estate. Fueled by powerful demographic demand from growth in the aging population, Ventas owns a diversified portfolio of over 1,200 properties in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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Walker River Resources Corp. (CVE:WRR  Free Report)s stock price was down 3% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as C$0.16 and last traded at C$0.16. Approximately 8,500 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 87% from the average daily volume of 65,776 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.17.

Walker River Resources Stock Down 3.0 %

The company has a market cap of C$5.94 million, a P/E ratio of -3.20 and a beta of 1.56. The business has a fifty day moving average price of C$0.17 and a 200-day moving average price of C$0.25.

About Walker River Resources

(Free Report)

Walker River Resources Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the identification, exploration, acquisition, and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada. It holds 100% interests in the Lapon Canyon gold project with 147 claims, which covers an area of approximately 2940 acres located in Nevada.

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Waterfront Wealth Inc. increased its position in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS  Free Report) by 5.0% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 18,679 shares of the casino operators stock after purchasing an additional 884 shares during the period. Waterfront Wealth Inc.s holdings in Las Vegas Sands were worth $1,073,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LVS. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter valued at about $164,559,000. Amundi grew its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 72.1% during the 4th quarter. Amundi now owns 5,595,575 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $297,908,000 after buying an additional 2,344,064 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 6.9% during the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 31,854,683 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $1,195,313,000 after buying an additional 2,061,378 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 36.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 7,428,878 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $278,734,000 after buying an additional 1,966,755 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schroder Investment Management Group boosted its position in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 6,238.8% during the 4th quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,591,485 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $76,503,000 after acquiring an additional 1,566,378 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 39.66% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LVS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Bank of America lifted their price target on Las Vegas Sands from $62.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $64.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $69.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $65.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Finally, Roth Mkm boosted their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $74.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $70.35.

Insider Activity

Las Vegas Sands Stock Performance

In other news, Director Charles D. Forman sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.17, for a total transaction of $947,550.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 205,984 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,012,009.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Insiders own 0.91% of the companys stock.

LVS stock traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $57.74. The company had a trading volume of 977,623 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,637,158. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.65, a quick ratio of 1.78 and a current ratio of 1.79. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 52 week low of $30.93 and a 52 week high of $65.58. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $59.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $56.40.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS  Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The casino operator reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.17 by $0.11. Las Vegas Sands had a negative return on equity of 10.21% and a negative net margin of 10.42%. The firm had revenue of $2.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.83 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.40) earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 124.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 1.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Las Vegas Sands Profile

(Free Report)

Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People's Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LVS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS  Free Report).

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Wendell David Associates Inc. lowered its holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC  Free Report) by 18.0% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 164,151 shares of the companys stock after selling 36,080 shares during the quarter. McCormick & Company, Incorporated accounts for 1.6% of Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated were worth $13,659,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Tufton Capital Management increased its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 8.3% in the first quarter. Tufton Capital Management now owns 11,157 shares of the companys stock worth $928,000 after acquiring an additional 855 shares during the period. Cardinal Capital Management increased its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 0.8% in the first quarter. Cardinal Capital Management now owns 78,591 shares of the companys stock worth $6,540,000 after acquiring an additional 659 shares during the period. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 2.6% in the first quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,680 shares of the companys stock worth $389,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares during the period. MCF Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 22.2% in the first quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 1,720 shares of the companys stock worth $143,000 after acquiring an additional 312 shares during the period. Finally, Xponance Inc. increased its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 4.6% in the first quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 31,953 shares of the companys stock worth $2,659,000 after acquiring an additional 1,410 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.92% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MKC has been the topic of several analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. They set a hold rating and a $82.00 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $69.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $63.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Credit Suisse Group dropped their price target on shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $75.00 to $72.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 21st. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated from an underperform rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $75.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, McCormick & Company, Incorporated presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $82.60.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated Price Performance

MKC traded down $2.63 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $89.22. 1,660,522 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,463,124. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a market capitalization of $23.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.19, a PEG ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.58. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has a 52-week low of $70.60 and a 52-week high of $94.39. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $89.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.54.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 29th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.67 billion. McCormick & Company, Incorporated had a net margin of 10.42% and a return on equity of 14.34%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.48 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that McCormick & Company, Incorporated will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 10th will be given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.75%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 7th. McCormick & Company, Incorporateds dividend payout ratio is presently 63.16%.

Insider Buying and Selling at McCormick & Company, Incorporated

In related news, CEO Lawrence Erik Kurzius sold 39,906 shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.02, for a total value of $3,592,338.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 159,579 shares in the company, valued at $14,365,301.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 19.00% of the companys stock.

About McCormick & Company, Incorporated

(Free Report)

McCormick & Company, Incorporated manufactures, markets, and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments, and other flavorful products to the food industry. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Flavor Solutions. The Consumer segment offers spices, herbs, and seasonings, as well as condiments and sauces, and desserts.

See Also

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MKC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC  Free Report).

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The Iranian state-sponsored group dubbed MuddyWater has been attributed to a previously unseen command-and-control (C2) framework called PhonyC2 that's been put to use by the actor since 2021.

Evidence shows that the custom made, actively developed framework has been leveraged in the February 2023 attack on Technion, an Israeli research institute, cybersecurity firm Deep Instinct said in a report shared with The Hacker News.

What's more, additional links have been unearthed between the Python 3-based program and other attacks carried out by MuddyWater, including the ongoing exploitation of PaperCut servers.

"It is structurally and functionally similar to MuddyC3, a previous MuddyWater custom C2 framework that was written in Python 2," security researcher Simon Kenin said. "MuddyWater is continuously updating the PhonyC2 framework and changing TTPs to avoid detection."

MuddyWater, also known as Mango Sandstorm (previously Mercury), is a cyber espionage group that's known to operate on behalf of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) since at least 2017.

The findings arrive nearly three months after Microsoft implicated the threat actor for carrying out destructive attacks on hybrid environments, while also calling out its collaboration with a related cluster tracked as Storm-1084 (aka DEV-1084 or DarkBit) for reconnaissance, persistence, and lateral movement.

"Iran conducts cyber operations aiming at intelligence collection for strategic purposes, essentially targeting neighboring states, in particular Iran's geopolitical rivals such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Arabic Gulf countries, a continued focus observed in all operations since 2011," French cybersecurity company Sekoia said in an overview of pro-Iranian government cyber attacks.

Attack chains orchestrated by the group, like other Iran-nexus intrusion sets, employ vulnerable public-facing servers and social engineering as the primary initial access points to breach targets of interest.

"These include the use of charismatic sock puppets, the lure of prospective job opportunities, solicitation by journalists, and masquerading as think tank experts seeking opinions," Recorded Future noted last year. "The use of social engineering is a central component of Iranian APT tradecraft when engaging in cyber espionage and information operations."

Deep Instinct said it discovered the PhonyC2 framework in April 2023 on a server that's related to broader infrastructure put to use by MuddyWater in its attack targeting Technion earlier this year. The same server was also found to host Ligolo, a staple reverse tunneling tool utilized by the threat actor.

The Technion connection also stems from the artifact names "C:\programdata\db.sqlite" and "C:\programdata\db.ps1," which Microsoft described as customized PowerShell backdoors used by MuddyWater and which are dynamically generated via the PhonyC2 framework for execution on the infected host.

PhonyC2 is a "post-exploitation framework used to generate various payloads that connect back to the C2 and wait for instructions from the operator to conduct the final step of the 'intrusion kill chain,'" Kenin said, calling it a successor to MuddyC3 and POWERSTATS.

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Some of the the notable commands supported by the framework are as follows -

payload : Generate the payloads "C:\programdata\db.sqlite" and "C:\programdata\db.ps1" as well as a PowerShell command to execute db.ps1, which, in turn, executes db.sqlite

: Generate the payloads "C:\programdata\db.sqlite" and "C:\programdata\db.ps1" as well as a PowerShell command to execute db.ps1, which, in turn, executes db.sqlite droper : Create different variants of PowerShell commands to generate "C:\programdata\db.sqlite" by reaching out to the C2 server and writing the encoded contents sent by the server to the file

: Create different variants of PowerShell commands to generate "C:\programdata\db.sqlite" by reaching out to the C2 server and writing the encoded contents sent by the server to the file Ex3cut3 : Create different variants of PowerShell commands to generate "C:\programdata\db.ps1" -- a script that contains the logic to decode db.sqlite -- and the final-stage

: Create different variants of PowerShell commands to generate "C:\programdata\db.ps1" -- a script that contains the logic to decode db.sqlite -- and the final-stage list : Enumerate all connected machines to the C2 server

: Enumerate all connected machines to the C2 server setcommandforall : Execute the same command across all connected hosts simultaneously

: Execute the same command across all connected hosts simultaneously use : Get a PowerShell shell on a remote computer to run more commands

: Get a PowerShell shell on a remote computer to run more commands persist: Generate a PowerShell code to enable the operator to gain persistence on the infected host so it will connect back to the server upon a restart

"The framework generates for the operator different powershell payloads," Mark Vaitzman, threat research team leader at Deep Instinct, told The Hacker News. "The operator needs to have initial access to a victim machine to execute them. Some of the generated payloads connect back to the operator C2 to allow persistence."

Muddywater is far from the only Iranian nation-state group to train its eyes on Israel. In recent months, various entities in the country have been targeted by at least three different actors such as Charming Kitten (aka APT35), Imperial Kitten (aka Tortoiseshell), and Agrius (aka Pink Sandstorm).

"The C2 is what connects the initial phase of the attack to the final step," Vaitzman said. "For MuddyWater, the C2 framework is very important as it allows them to stay stealthy and collect data from the victims. This is not the first or last custom C2 framework they use during major attacks."
Singapore-Vietnam business ties expected to rise via major July event

By Thuy Tuong Thu, June 29, 2023 | 4:34 pm GTM+7

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is bringing its flagship event, the Singapore Regional Business Forum (SRBF), overseas for the first time in July, and Vietnam has been picked to stage the day-long event.

More than 500 participants from over 30 countries and territories will attend the July 7 event in Hanoi, SBF announced Wednesday. They will include top business leaders, senior government officials, policymakers, academia, diplomats, and media representatives.

The forum will be held in a hybrid format, enabling participants to join either physically or virtually through an interactive digital platform (www.srbf.com.sg). It is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Singapore-Vietnam bilateral relations this year, as well as the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

The Sun Casa Central township developed by VSIP Group in Binh Duong province, southern Vietnam. VSIP Group is a symbol of increasingly strong economic ties between Vietnam and Singapore. Photo courtesy of VSIP.

This years SRBF, its seventh edition, will focus on expanding cooperation to new growth areas such as the digital economy, cybersecurity, green energy, sustainable development, and smart cities, SBF chief executive officer Kok Ping Soon said.

SBF is committed to fostering regional partnerships, exploring sustainable business opportunities, and promoting collaboration among industry leaders, he said in an announcement from Singapore.

Through our inaugural overseas edition of SRBF, we aim to bring these discussions closer to our regional counterparts and empower businesses to thrive in the evolving global landscape.

I am excited to meet and connect with participants at the event as we collectively shape the future of business in the region."

Among the main speakers at the forum are Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Singapores Manpower Minister and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, and Vietnams Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, according to the events agenda.

Themed Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Sustainable Growth, the forum will include a panel discussion with Dr. Tan and Vietnams Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung. They will address issues such as global tensions and the prospects for building a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future for the region.

Singapores United Overseas Bank (UOB) and Vietnams Techcombank serve as the Platinum Partners for the 7th SRBF, said SBF. This year marks the 30th anniversary of both banks operations in Vietnam.

UOB believes in the potential of Vietnam in terms of economic growth, stable politics, its favorable demographics, and resilient fundamentals, UOB Vietnam CEO Victor Ngo said in the release.

Leveraging our deep regional connectivity, supported by the one-stop solution provided via our FDI advisory services, we will continue to facilitate FDI flows into Vietnam and support Vietnamese companies expansion into the region, he added.

Techcombank CEO Jens Lottner said, We are proud to support this forum and look forward to all we can achieve together.

In conjunction with the forum, SBF is also organizing a business mission to Hanoi on July 5-8. The delegation, which consists of 28 participants from 25 Singapore organizations from the business and finance services, manufacturing, education, and lifestyle industries, will gain insights into the business landscape and cultural nuances of Vietnam, foster collaborations with local businesses, and further strengthen bilateral ties, SBF said.
Vietnam conglomerate Thaco considers 10% stake sale in automobile arm

By Thuy Tuong Thu, June 29, 2023 | 9:12 am GTM+7

Vietnamese leading multi-business group Thaco is looking for an investor into its automobile arm Thaco Auto with a 10% stake, Thaco vice chairman Nguyen Hung Minh said.

Thaco, founded by Vietnamese tycoon Tran Ba Duong in 1997, is in talks with Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corp. (HSC) as a financial advisor to explore the potential sale in Thaco Auto after receiving interests from domestic and foreign investors, Minh said late Wednesday.

Negotiations are underway and no decisions have been made, he said, adding that the private conglomerate expects to complete the deal this year.

Minh mentioned this 10% stake after Reuters quoted the same day one of its two sources as saying the sale is likely for a 20% stake. Both sources quoted by Reuters for this possible deal declined to be named as the matter is private.

A Thaco car factory at Thaco Chu Lai Industrial Park in Quang Nam province, central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Thaco.

Thaco Group was founded by Duong in 1997 in Dong Nai province bordering Ho Chi Minh City. It started as a used vehicles trader and repairer. Its current six business areas are automobile production and trading, mechanical engineering, agriculture, investment and construction, service and trading, and logistics.

Thaco Auto, whose production hub (named Thaco Chu Lai, which is also Thaco Groups manufacturing hub) is in Nui Thanh district, the central province of Quang Nam, manufactures and distributes vehicles including passenger cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles from brands ranging from Kia, Mazda, Peugeot, BMW, MINI, and Iveco to its own Thaco brand of buses. It has more than 400 showrooms and service centers across the country.

South Korean carmaker Kia started manufacturing in Vietnam in 2004 in collaboration with Vietnamese carmaker Thaco. The Thaco Kia manufacturing facility is inside Thaco Chu Lai.

The large-sized complex also makes Peugeot cars and motorcycles. BMW announced in December 2022 that Thaco will produce the BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW X3 and BMW X5 car models at Thaco Chu Lai.
A kidnapped baby tragically died after a suspected abductor crashed a Camaro into a house in Ohio.

The authorities say the suspect drove at full speed while they were chasing him.

Kidnapped Baby Dies After Suspect Crashes Camaro

In a heart-wrenching incident that has left a community in mourning, a kidnapped baby tragically lost its life when the abductor crashed a Camaro into a house.

As per a report by the Daily Mail, a 23-year-old suspected kidnapper plows a vibrant yellow Camaro at full speed into a house, tearing down its foundations.

The baby, who was in the car at the time of the crash, has died due to injuries. The Tiffin Police says that the infant was already bleeding after they recovered the victim from the vehicle after the crash. They also note that the child grappled with shallow breathing.

To revive the baby, a medical helicopter transported the infant to a nearby hospital. But despite that, the victim still tragically passed away.

On the other hand, the suspect was also injured in the crash and was taken to St. Vincent Hospital in critical condition.

Tiffin Police Chief Paul told the press that his "heart breaks for the family of this innocent child." He assured everyone that they would thoroughly investigate the incident. He goes on to say that it "was an unfortunate tragedy today and these things also take its toll on our first responders. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well."

Read Also: Nigeria Kidnapping Crisis: Nearly 100 Women, Children Freed After 42 Days of Captivity

'Homicidal and Suicidal' Suspect

According to USA Today, The Tiffin Police Chief says, "The male subject had indicated he was feeling homicidal and suicidal." On top of that, Pauly says in a press release that the suspect reportedly told the mother that he had already killed the 7-month-old baby.

The local police officer received a "be on the lookout" or "BOLO" call, pointing out that a man had kidnapped a baby and was driving a yellow Camaro. The authorities noted that the suspect was carrying a firearm.

After this, an off-duty police officer saw the yellow muscle car. He then tried to perform a traffic stop of the suspect's vehicle. However, instead of cooperating, it sped away.

The police officer says the suspect "erratically drove off the roadway." Then, he crashed the yellow Camaro into the front yard of a house. From there, he crashed into another home, knocking down the house's foundation.

WABI.TV reports that Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick W. Steven discloses that they found a weapon upon searching the vehicle. They also saw a used cartridge inside the yellow muscle car.

Related Article: AI Kidnapping Scam Clones Girl's Voice to Demand $1 Million Ransom

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Vietnam FDI sector posts $22 bln H1 trade surplus

By Tri Duc Thu, June 29, 2023 | 3:57 pm GTM+7

Foreign-invested companies in Vietnam recorded a trade turnover of $220.2 billion, including crude oil, for a trade surplus of $22.06 billion in the first half of this year, according to the General Statistics Office.

Cai Mep-Thi Vai international port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's government portal.

Overall, Vietnams export-import turnover dropped 15.2% year-on-year to $316.65 billion in the six-month period. The country recorded export revenues of $164.45 billion, down 12.1%, while import expenditures fell 18.2% to $152.2 billion. This made for a trade surplus of $12.25 billion, 10 times the $1.2 billion recorded in the same period last year.

The foreign-invested sector accounted for 73.6% of the total export revenues (including crude oil) at $121.04 billion, down 12.2% year-on-year. The domestic sectors export revenue of $43.41 billion, 26.3% of the total, was down 11.9% year-on-year.

The foreign-invested sector also led import expenditures in the first six months at $98.98 billion, down 17.8% year-on-year. The domestic sector, meanwhile, spent $53.22 billion, down 19%.

Overall, the foreign-invested sector posted a trade surplus of $22.06 billion, including crude oil; while the domestic sector had a trade deficit of $9.81 billion.

Vietnams key exports in the first half of the year included electronics, computers and components worth $25.21 billion, down 9.3% year-on-year; mobile phones and components worth $24.29 billion, down 17.9%; machinery and equipment worth $19.73 billion, down 8.2%; apparel-textiles worth $15.75 billion, down 15.3%; and footwear worth $10 billion, down 15.2%.

Products of the manufacturing-processing industry accounted for $144.82 billion of export revenues at 88.1% of the total; followed by farm produce and forestry goods at $13.4 billion, or 8.1%; fisheries at $4.13 billion, or 2.5%; and fuel and natural resources at $2.1 billion, or 1.3%.

Vietnams core imports were electronics, computers and components worth $38.27 billion, down 11.4% year-on-year; followed by machinery and equipment worth $19.72 billion, down 12.3%; fabric worth $6.43 billion, down 19.2%; and steel-iron worth $4.72 billion, down 32.3%.

Materials for production accounted for $142.66 billion, or 93.7% of total import expenditure. The remaining 6.3%, or $9.54 billion, was spent on consumer goods.

In the first half of this year, China, the U.S., and ASEAN were Vietnams biggest trade partners with turnovers of $75.7 billion, $51.2 billion and $36.6 billion, respectively. Other top trading partners were South Korea with $35.2 billion, the EU with $28.7 billion, and Japan with $20.8 billion.

China remained the biggest import market for Vietnam at $50.1 billion, while the U.S. was the biggest export destination at $44.2 billion.
Vietnam startup FoodMap raises $1 mln to expand in foreign markets

By Tri Duc, Trang Nguyen Thu, June 29, 2023 | 1:34 pm GTM+7

Ho Chi Minh City-based agriculture-technology startup FoodMap has raised $1 million in a move to bring Vietnamese farm produce to new international markets, the agritech firm said on Wednesday.

With the new investments, FoodMap will focus on exporting goods to New Zealand and China, CEO Tung Pham told The Investor.

Representatives of FoodMap pose for picture with Vietnamese durian fruit. Photo courtesy of the firm.

The funding features existing investors Vulpes Investment Management, Beenext, Wavemaker Partners, and a new investor from Singapore. With the latest move, FoodMaps total funding went up to $4.5 million. In 2022, FoodMap raised an oversubscribed pre-Series A round of $3 million, co-led by Vulpes Ventures and Beenext. In 2020, it raised $500,000 in seed funds from Wavemaker Partners.

Established in 2020, FoodMap connects farmers, small- and medium-sized agricultural businesses, and consumers, with a focus on transparency and traceability for its products. It also operates an agritech e-commerce platform to connect businesses (B2B) and customers (B2C).

Farm produce is an export staple for Vietnam. The country earned $2.7 billion from these exports in the first half of this year, up 63% year-on-year, according to the Vietnam Fruit Association. The target of exporting $4 billion worth of farm produce this year is feasible, the association highlighted.

Agritech startups in Vietnam have been attracting investors. In April, Tepbac received $2.25 million in a pre-series A funding round led by Dutch aquaculture investor Aqua-Spark. The investment will help the shrimp technologist digitize and scale up its Vietnamese shrimp farm production. AgFunder, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital (VC) firm focusing on foodtech and agtech, and Son-Tech Investment, a $50 million Vietnam-focused VC company, also participated in the round.

In February, VinaCapital Groups technology investment arm VinaCapital Ventures invested $1 million in Koina, a Vietnam-based data-driven farm-to-business agriculture technology platform, as part of a seed extension fundraising round.

With the new investment, Koina will expand to more sales channels creating more volume to offtake from farms. We are also investing more in technologies to better manage quality and increase added value for Vietnams agriculture products, said Nguyen Tran Thi, co-founder and chairman of Koina.

In December 2022, Oda, a Vietnamese startup providing food procurement systems for restaurants and suppliers, secured $1 million in seed round funding from Touchstone Partners. Oda will use the proceeds to further develop its core software technology, refine the apps user interface, and improve big data analytics capabilities to better predict market trends and ingredient quantities, the Ho Chi Minh City-based firm said.
A 33-year-old Bowman man is guilty of impregnating a 12-year-old.

Sheldon Santell Harrison, of Moss Street, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor on Monday.

Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced Harrison to 20 years in prison.

After he serves 15 years of active time in prison, the remainder of his term will be suspended to five years of probation, 1st Circuit Assistant Solicitor Catherine Hunter said.

A nurse at Summerville Medical Center reported last year that a 13-year-old had just given birth at their facility, an incident report states.

The girl told medical staff that she didnt know she was pregnant and hadnt received any prenatal care, the nurse said.

The girls mother told Bowman Police Chief Kevin Pendarvis that she didnt know her daughter was sexually active and pregnant until the day before her grandchild was born, the report states.

Harrisons warrant accused him of sexual battery with a 12-year-old on multiple occasions between May 2021 and August 2021 and fathering a child with the girl.

The sexual battery took place at Harrisons home, the warrant states.

Under South Carolina law, first-degree criminal sexual conduct typically applies when victims are 11 and under, while the second-degree charge can apply when the victim is between 11 and 14.

Hunter said the victim in this case is doing fine.
Students graduate

Connections Aca.

COLUMBIA -- Several Orangeburg County students have graduated from the South Carolina Connections Academy, a tuition-free, fully online public school serving K-12 students in South Carolina.

They are Hannah Abdussalam, Toby Dempsey, April Kirk, Meaghan McClanahan, Travell Moore,Sean Nimmons and Jacob Smith.

Valedictorian was Josiah White and salutatorian was Kaetlyn Weaver.

South Carolina Connections Academy currently serves approximately 6,250 students across the state, providing them with the support of teachers and a curriculum focused on both academics and building fundamental life skills. South Carolina Connections Academys learning plans are flexible and can be tailored based on a students specific needs.

Students at South Carolina Connections Academy have access to advanced courses, extracurricular activities and flexible scheduling, allowing them to take ownership of their educational journey.

Enrollment for the 202324 school year is now open at South Carolina Connections Academy for grades K-12. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaConnectionsAcademy.com.
For Hannah Till, writing was not in the realm of possibilities.

Now she is a two-time, self-published author.

Till, the daughter of David and Christina Kitchings, was born and raised in Orangeburg and went to Orangeburg Preparatory Schools.

During her undergrad years, Till studied at the University of South Carolina. She completed her masters degree in speech language pathology at South Caroline State University.

Writing was never a blip on my radar, Till said.

According to Till, her previous English teachers may be thinking the world is ending, Hannah Till wrote a book.

But Till has always been a bookworm  a trait that was passed down from her mother. As a child, she went to the local library with her mom every week and left with many books.

I remember reading all the books I could get my hands on, Till said.

Till says that reading was an escape for her.

Things can be going bad in your world, but nine times out of ten, if youre reading a book, somebody is dealing with something worse, she said.

After giving birth to two sons, Till began to experience symptoms of postpartum depression. Since her anxiety kept her up at night, Till began exploring options of self-therapy.

I wanted to escape that chaotic, anxiety-ridden world I was in, she said.

Her automatic reaction was to default to reading. When reading did not help, her husband suggested that she try writing instead. His tip led to Tills first book, The Celestra, which she typed in the Notes application on her iPhone.

I dont think I realized I wrote an entire book until I noticed it was over 100,000 words, Till said.

After reading the document, family and friends encouraged her to publish it. She published in February of 2022. To her surprise, it sold out within one week. A few months later, the book was sold in 13 countries.

Her success led to the publication of her second novel, Shattered, in September of 2022.

Till was stretched between writing and her work as a speech pathologist.

To lighten her load, she took on a position as a PRN speech pathologist, meaning she only works as needed. She says the decision to become a full-time author came naturally as her desire to write grew stronger.

Social media played a huge role in book sales, Till said. She says it also makes it easier to interact with readers. She uses her Instagram and Tiktok accounts to promote her novels and give her audience teasers to upcoming books.

Her bookstagram is @hannahtillauthor.

Till writes for readers ages 18 and older. She describes her books as contemporary romance or romantasy, a mix of romance and fantasy, with mental health undertones.

They deal with very heavy topics, she said. I dont shy away from real life.

The Celestra is the first of a trilogy and falls into the romantasy category. The Shadows Within, second in the trilogy, is planned for a July release. Till says the last book of the trilogy will come out in December.

Shattered, Tills contemporary romance novel, is set at the University of South Carolina. She plans to publish another contemporary romance novel in the fall  this time set in a small town.

Tills books can be found on Amazon or All Good Books, a bookstore in Columbia. She is currently in the process of getting them sold at Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million.

Till has two upcoming book-signing events. She is a featured author for the Lust in the Lowcountry Romancecon in Charleston on Oct. 7. The following week she will be signing books in Atlanta at the Georgia Indie Author Sweet as a Peach event.
(Photo : Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking a delay for the Disney trial following a lawsuit by the theme park that alleged the Republican lawmaker retaliated against the company over political stances.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking the delay of a Disney trial to after the 2024 presidential elections after the theme park sued the Republican lawmaker in April.

The situation comes as the Florida official is one of the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination alongside other high-profile lawmakers. The trial comes after Disney sued DeSantis over allegations that he retaliated against the company over political stances.

Ron DeSantis Seeks Delay of Disney Trial

Lawyers representing Disney proposed a timeline to start the trial on July 15, 2024, with an estimated duration of 10 days. On the other hand, DeSantis' side requested a trial delay so that it would start on Aug. 4, 2025.

The Florida governor is facing off against former United States President Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination. DeSantis has positioned himself further to the right on various issues, including immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.

If the court sides with Disney, the trial would align with the 2024 Republican National Convention, distracting the Florida governor if he gets the nomination, as per HuffPost.

On the other hand, the theme park's lawyers argued in court documents that delaying the trial would only hurt the company's business because the lawsuit was originally meant to address "ongoing retaliation."

Disney has alleged that the Republican governor engaged in actions that were considered "patently retaliatory, patently anti-business, and patently unconstitutional." The situation arose after the company opposed DeSantis's "Don't Say Gay" law.

The measure banned the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation inside classrooms with the youngest students. Furthermore, DeSantis expanded the measure to include older grade levels last month.

On Monday, according to Yahoo Finance, Florida state attorney Ashley Moody argued that the Tallahassee federal court had no jurisdiction over DeSantis and the secretary for the state's Department of Economic Opportunity.

Read Also: California Man Sentenced to Prison in $9 Million Cow Manure Ponzi Scheme

Requesting Legal Immunity

Moody also argued that the Florida governor and the secretary were protected from Disney's claims under the doctrine of legislative immunity. This protects lawmakers from litigation over actions taken within their "sphere of legislative activity."

Furthermore, the U.S. Constitution's 11th Amendment bars federal litigation against the two parties said Moody. That particular amendment generally blocks federal-court suits against a state.

The DeSantis-Disney dispute began roughly one year ago when the theme park opposed Florida's parent rights bill. After initially keeping quiet about the issue, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek 2022 condemned the law at the company's annual shareholder meeting.

In response, The Florida governor signed a law bill allowing him to take control of the company's longstanding special tax district, which was formerly known as Reedy Creek. The state's legislature later passed a series of bills that removed the company's power to self-govern the special tax district, home to its Walt Disney World resort and roughly 25,000 acres surrounding it.

On Monday, DeSantis also asked a federal judge for immunity from the case, meaning that the case will be dropped, and he will be free from any further legal action, liability, or punishment. The Florida governor's attorneys said that the dismissal should be done because "all of Disney's claims fail as a matter of law," said USA Today.

Related Article: Supreme Court Denies Wild Election Theory, Keeps Door Open to 2024 Legal Challenges

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(TBTCO) - Sau qua trinh chuan bi khan truong, quyet liet, nhat la sau 3 ot kiem thu a cho thay he thong ang ky, luu ky va thanh toan giao dich trai phieu doanh nghiep phat hanh rieng le (TPDNRL) tai Trung tam Luu ky Chung khoan Viet Nam (VSD) hoan thanh ve mat chuc nang va tich hop thong suot voi he thong cua cac ben lien quan. Theo o, en nay he thong ang ky, luu ky va thanh toan giao dich a san sang hoat ong theo ung ke hoach van hanh chinh thuc thi truong giao dich thu cap TPDNRL ma co quan quan ly giao nhiem vu
Polands pavilion at the Venice Biennale features important female figures in Romani culture depicted in fabric. From Romea.cz.

For the first time in 127 years, a Romani artist is representing a European nation at the Venice Biennale.

Malgorzata Mirga-Tas, a Pole of Romani origin, has decorated the Polish pavilion at the international art exhibition with monumental images made from fabric in a show called Re-enchanting the World.

For us, the curators of the exhibition, it is a great privilege that this is not just a Polish pavilion and Polish art, but that it is a trans-European and transnational pavilion, said curator Joanna Warsza. The artist offers a new European concept, because Romani people and Romani culture live all across Europe. Thanks to the fact that we have this common culture in Europe, we can go beyond our national boundaries.

The exhibition title was inspired by a book with the same name by Silvia Federici. Federici writes about non-violent processes stemming from the actions of ordinary people and from feminism, actions that break curses and restore human relationships.

Feminism, the biennales theme, is reflected in the collages. Mirga-Tas says it is mainly women who have the ability to change the world. She divided the canvases into three horizontal parts. Her goddesses are captured in the central part of each of the 12 panels. The artwork depicts both well-known women and those whose heroism has remained secret.

I combined portraits of these real women with symbols from astrology and tarot cards, which boosts even more their power and strength to transform the world through their magic, Mirga-Tas said in an interview for the ROMAMOMA blog of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.

Detail from Re-enchanting the World, which depicts scenes including prominent Romani female figures or goddesses, the authors relatives, and Romani life in Poland. Photo by Daniel Rumiancew and courtesy of Zacheta  National Gallery of Art.

The works are the artists interpretation of the Renaissance-era frescoes in the Salon of the Months at the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara. She replaced the gods of Olympus, who rule the individual months, with her Romani goddesses. The upper portions depict the Roma arriving in Europe; the lower sections feature images of Romani life today in the area of Poland where the artist lives.

Mirga-Tas studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and began experimenting with textile patchwork while pregnant with her first child 16 years ago.

The work features the artists mother and grandmother, as well as well-known Polish Romani figure Alfreda Markowska, who saved 50 children of Jewish and of Romani origin from being transported to the Nazi concentration camps. Markowska concealed the children under her long, wide skirt and smuggled them out of a train station, then hid them in her home and cared for them.

The panels represent the 12 months of the year. Mirga-Tas says she needs more room to capture all of the women who have inspired her, however, and intends to expand her project. Among her future goddesses will be Jana Horvathova, director of the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno, Czech Republic.

The artist frequently uses the clothing of her models to create their images; she says that imprints the figures with their spirits.

The extensive patchwork was sewn in the Hotel Imperial, near the artists home in Czarna Gora in southern Poland. The hotel, which was about to be renovated, gave her its drapes and slipcovers.

I wanted to tell my own story, the story of myself, my family, and my community, Mirga-Tas said. Its just a small drop so far, but I believe well see more and more such things. As a Romani woman, I feel this is an important moment for our Romani community, for Europe, and for the world. And I hope its the beginning of other Romani artists representing other countries.

Malgorzata Mirga-Tas (center) is the first artist of Romani origin to represent a European country at the Venice Biennale. Photo by Daniel Rumiancew and courtesy of Zacheta  National Gallery of Art.

At the opening of the exhibition on 22 April, journalists and activists from the Romani community flowed through the space. One of them was Ervin Bajram, an activist from Movimento Kethane, an Italian civic organization working to combat Roma discrimination. He said he and other Romani people were proud of the exhibition and feel a commonality. When we meet, it doesnt matter where were from; we understand each other in the same way.

Mirga-Tas agreed, saying the exhibition is not just for the Polish pavilion but for all Europeans, because we Roma live in all countries. Im from Poland, but when I meet Roma from other countries, I feel were one big family. We support one another. I feel how much everyone supports me.



Jana Donovan is a Prague-based freelance writer who writes about Roma affairs for Romea and Romano vodi. Her work also has appeared in Lidove noviny and Mlada fronta dnes. This story was originally published on Romea.cz, which publishes information about events in the Romani world and is the most-visited Romani news site in the Czech Republic. To support truthful reporting about Romani people at Romea.cz, you can donate here.

Translated by Gwendolyn Albert. Edited for clarity and concision.
The University of Wyoming will establish a new nuclear chemistry research facility in Laramie after receiving a U.S. Department of Energy grant, the school announced last week.

The $300,000 grant from the Department of Energy will allow UWs Nuclear Energy Research Center, a branch of the School of Energy Resources, to conduct the first nuclear chemistry research in the state while extending nuclear chemistry training to students for the first time.

UW was one of roughly a dozen schools across the country to receive money to boost nuclear energy research, alongside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, the University of Utah and others.

This award is a critical first step in advancing the integration of nuclear-related education into the curriculum at UW, Caleb Hill, an associate professor of analytical chemistry and the co-chair of the Nuclear Energy Research Center, said in a statement. While we have made significant progress in our efforts through NERC to build capacity and interest in nuclear energy at UW, the ultimate success of these initiatives will depend on advancing the laboratory infrastructure to enhance nuclear-focused research and teaching activities moving forward.

When finished, researchers and students will use the facility to study radioactive materials and run wet chemistry analyses, according to a press release. It will also allow UW to expand its nuclear energy programming for students as the state looks to invest and spur the development of nuclear energy in Wyoming. In its announcement, the university forecasted a new nuclear energy certificate for students once the facility is up and running.

Standing up a new nuclear facility on UWs campus from the ground up is a great opportunity because it will give us the opportunity to be strategic and to develop it going forward in a way that will best serve students, faculty and the state, Hill said.

Wyoming leaders have increasingly pointed to nuclear as a way of diversifying the states economy and ensuring the states status as an energy leader amid declines in coal production.

In June 2021, TerraPower, Bill Gates nuclear energy company, announced that it had chosen the Naughton power plant in Kemmerer for its first Natrium nuclear reactor, advanced nuclear technology that it hopes to expand to meet zero-emission energy demands. Gov. Mark Gordon celebrated the decision, calling it game changing for Wyoming. During Gates first visit to Kemmerer in May, Gordon committed the state to helping TerraPower. The states going to try to stand with them to help as they expand, he told the Star-Tribune.

At the same time, UW has sought to expand its own nuclear research. In December 2021, the School of Energy Resources tapped Hill and Tara Righetti, a law professor specializing in energy law and policy, to lead its new Nuclear Energy Research Center and bolster the schools role in the field of nuclear technology. The commitment to build a new facility also extends a recent funding boom for the Nuclear Energy Research Center. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission awarded the center another $600,000 in April to strengthen its work in nuclear engineering and other related fields.

Between these two awards, we are really driving the development of physical and human infrastructure needed to support nuclear-focused research at UW, Hill said. The announcement of TerraPowers Natrium nuclear power plant has generated a great deal of excitement across the state for nuclear energy and, now, UW is one step closer to supporting that new industry.
The next time you drive over the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway  located between Cody, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park's Northeast Entrance  take a tour guide along.

No, you don't have to pick up a person. Instead, all you need to do is download a new app on your smart phone or tablet.

The tour is accessed through the free TravelStorys app. Your phones GPS prompts the tour to describe various scenes along the highway such as geology, wildlife habitat, fire ecology, historic sites and more.

The tour is approximately 45 miles long and includes 11 separate GPS-triggered scripts, called geotags. The tour should be downloaded in advance. Once downloaded, no cell service is required to use the tour.

There is so much more to this drive than our spectacular Wyoming scenery," said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone. "Historical scenes such as the flight of the Nez Perce and stories about the plentiful wildlife that roam the region are highlighted in engaging detail.

The free app is available at www.codyyellowstone.org or the TravelStorys website. Cody Yellowstone also has Historic Downtown Cody, Cody to Yellowstone and Hemingway Highways tours available.

The Hemingway Highways tour explores Route 14 and Highway 20 between Yellowstone Lake and Cody. It's narrated by Ernest Hemingway's granddaughter, Mariel Hemingway.

The Cody to Yellowstone tour will narrate for travelers driving between Cody and Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National Park, passing through Wapiti, Sylvan Pass, the East Entrance to Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake.

On the walking tour of historic downtown Cody, listeners can travel back to the frontier days of Buffalo Bill.
CHEYENNE  Military service comes with risks beyond physical well-being. For many U.S. veterans, the impact their service has had on their mental health can even lead to suicidal ideation.

The veteran suicide rate is currently 1.5 times that of the country as a whole. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as of 2020, the rate of veteran suicide in Wyoming was significantly higher than the national average.

Veteran suicide is a national crisis. An estimated 50,000 more veterans will die by suicide this decade, if we dont act now,Research Resilience President and CEO Sonya Medina Williams said.

In an effort to reduce the rate of veteran suicide, the insurance/financial services company USAA, in collaboration with the Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience, will launch its new coalition, Face the Fight, today. The companys goal is to raise awareness through a coalition of corporations, foundations, nonprofits and veteran- focused organizations.

USAAs more than 100-year legacy is built on supporting and advocating for the military community, USAA President and CEO Wayne Peacock said in an embargoed press release. Our service members stand tall in the noble calling to serve others, and we need to stand with them for challenges they may face, including mental health and suicide.

Face the Fight will include a component of funding and providing philanthropic grants to nonprofits that can help stop veteran suicide. USAA, The USAA Foundation, the Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience have made an initial investment of $41 million.

Though public agencies such as the Department of Defense and the VA, as well as many nonprofits, have been working to combat the tragedy of veteran suicide, Face the Fight includes corporate entities in that effort, USAA director of media relations Roger Wildermuth said.

We feel that corporations should no longer leave this to the public sector and others to address this issue, he said.  Were bringing Face the Fight in our focus funding to complement and support the efforts that have already been underway.

The inspiration for this effort came from veteran input. Through conversations and surveys with members, USAA determined that preventing veteran suicide was one of the top issues veterans wanted to address.

We try to serve our members by understanding our members and our membership better than anyone else, Wildermuth said. That includes understanding the issues and challenges that are facing the military and veteran community.

Mental health resources for veterans can be difficult to access. Not all veterans qualify for VA services, and in Wyoming, the need for such resources is prevalent.

Staff at Veterans Rock, a Cheyenne organization that supports veterans by providing household items and financial support, have seen the need for mental health resources in their interactions with veterans.

Though Veterans Rock does not provide any form of mental health or general health care, its staff members do know the community well.

I think its important to have those (mental health) resources in the community because I think that theyre lacking, program manager Regina Dodson said.  Theres just not enough service providers.

Face the Fight is looking to support programs that not only focus on preventing veteran suicide, but also train other professionals in the mental health field, Wildermuth said.

The mission of Face the Fight is to de-stigmatize seeking help and add to the conversation about veteran suicide, complementing the efforts of the VA, DoD and many others.

Through focused funding and work with experts, we believe Face the Fight will make a difference in raising awareness for veteran suicide prevention, Peacock said in a press release. And we invite others to join us in this fight.
Wyoming will receive $13 million in federal grant funding to pay for the Cheyenne I-80/I-25 interchange redesign project, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

The money will fund final design plans for the interchange reconstructions of I-80 and I-25 as well as the adjacent I-25/US Highway 30 interchange in Cheyenne.

The project seeks to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries to below the statewide average. It also aims to restore and modernize infrastructure thats in poor condition and improve tourism access to Frontier Park and historic attractions.

The redesign and potential rebuild will be a multi-year project, with the design process itself taking several years, Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesperson Doug McGee said. The design will allow the department to estimate the cost of reconstructing the outdated cloverleaf intersection. Wyoming would still have to secure funding for the reconstruction itself when that time comes.

The money comes from the federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) discretionary grant program, which was expanded under President Joe Bidens infrastructure law. This year, the program is funding more than $2.2 billion for projects across the country, with half of the programs funding going to rural areas and the other half to urban areas.
THE prospect of opportunities and growth were the two recurring themes of participants of the Trade and Investment Convention at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya, yesterday.

Over 200 participants from a wide range of industries took to their respective booths on what would have been the first day of the convention.

Some told the Express they hoped to form partnerships while others simply came intending to generate sales of their products and services.

Anil Ramsaran of SAP Electrical Services Limited said the company does domestic and commercial wiring.

The company also imports light-emitting diode (LED) lights, solar lights and solar fans, he said.

For those who may own a hybrid vehicle, he said, the company also sells and installs electric vehicle chargers.

Kemby Ross-Jones of Rent My Tutor at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academy said it offers online classes at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. She stressed, What makes us different is that we offer personalised services to students. She said, We have had 100 per cent success at the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examinations level.

She said the academy was started at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 because students were falling behind in their academics due to the switch from the physical classroom to the virtual classroom.

Representing Nestles Natures Heart brand was Michelle Stanisclaus, who said the brand offered products such as almond milk and juices. She said even though the brand was an international one all the products offered locally were produced locally.

Stanisclaus said the newest product in the almond milk line of products was the almond-coffee flavour with was launched last month.

Promoting compressed natural gas (CNG) upgrades to vehicles was Dumore Enterprises Ltd.

One of the booths representatives Rajiv Ramessar said the company offered conversions on both gasoline and diesel vehicles. He added that his company hoped through their booth to promote CNG as the cheapest, cleanest fuel in the country. He said the company also hoped to make business-to-business connections and to encourage companies to convert their fleet of vehicles to CNG so that they could save on their transportation costs. He noted that he had attended the convention for the past five years and that this year generated the greatest number of people on the first day.

Attendee Nalini Akal a dancer, actress, artist and filmmaker said she attended in hopes of networking and soliciting sponsorship for her art form.

She said she believed it was important for those involved in the arts to go to events such as the convention because of the sponsorship potential and other service suppliers that could be interested in promoting their products at events.

People bypass the arts as something they put into events but really and truly the art really encompasses the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.

The thing is we are not even using an iota of our potential for the arts, she said.

Akal said she hoped by networking she could find opportunities for the exportation of the arts.
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Russian authorities arrest General Sergei Surovikin following Wagner mercenary group's failed mutiny for his alleged assistance of Yevgeny Prigozhin's rebellion.

Russian authorities arrested General Sergei Surovikin following the Wagner mercenary group's failed mutiny against Moscow as President Vladimir Putin conducts efforts to crack down on dissent.

The arrest of Surovikin was announced by the Moscow Times' Russian service on Wednesday, where it cited two sources close to the Defense Ministry who spoke anonymously. The ministry has yet to comment regarding the supposed arrest of the general, who has not been seen out in public since Saturday when Wagner staged its rebellion.

Russian Authorities Arrest General Sergei Surovikin

One of the two sources said that the current situation with Surovikin was not "OK," adding that he could not reveal any further details to authorities. The second source said that the arrest of the Russian general was carried out "in the context of Prigozhin."

They noted that Surovijin allegedly chose the Wagner group leader's side during the rebellion, which caused him to be in the crosshairs of the Kremlin. When asked about the current whereabouts of the Russian general, the source said they are not commenting on that information through internal channels, as per The Moscow Times.

On Wednesday, a pro-war military blogger, Vladimir Romanov, said that Surovikin was detained on Sunday, a day after Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed rebellion. Romanov said that the Russian general was being held in Moscow's Lefortovo detention center but did not provide any evidence of his claims.

The editor-in-chief of the shuttered Ekho Moskvy radio station, Alexei Venediktov, said in a Telegram post that Surovikin has not been in contact with his family for three days, adding that the general's guards were not responsive.

Reports on Tuesday, citing unnamed United States officials, noted that the Russian general knew of the Wagner leader's plan to instigate a mutiny against Moscow's military leadership.

Surovikin allegedly was not "particularly obedient" when he was given the task of reading the text on camera and acting out, and he was too rude to the leadership of Russia. According to Yahoo News, one of the sources argued that this could have given the impression that he was a part of Prigozhin's coalition.

Read Also: Sweden Permits Koran-Burning Rally Outside Mosque, Risking Turkey's Ire

Vladimir Putin Asserts Authority

American authorities are now trying to determine whether or not the Russian general had assisted Prigozhin's failed coup attempt. On Saturday, Surovikin shot a video condemning the Wagner group's rebellion and urged soldiers to stop their mutiny.

Putin also acknowledged the deaths of Russian pilots due to the failed Wagner rebellion, but he did not make any high-profile statements regarding the matter. He also met with heads of law enforcement agencies, thanking them for their success in suppressing the mutiny. He also thanked Wagner soldiers for not resorting to "fratricidal bloodshed."

The situation comes as several of Russia's most senior generals have stepped out of the spotlight as Putin tries to reassert his authority. Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, has not been publicly seen or on state TV since the failed Wagner rebellion. The 67-year-old is known as the commander of Moscow's war in Ukraine, said Reuters.

Related Article: French Protests Erupt After Police Killing of Teenager

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representing all disabilities: Differently-abled candidate for the Progressive Empowerment Party Stephen Dookhran speaks with his team after filing his nomination papers at the office of the returning officer for the electoral district of Barrackpore West, Debe South, Penal, La Romaine, at the Shoppes of Debe on Monday. Dookhran will be contesting the Penal seat in the local government election on August 14. Photo: DEXTER PHILIP
Roof blown off: A resident points to where the roof of his home was completely blown off during strong winds and heavy rainfall on June 27, at Green Acres, Trou Macaque, Laventille. Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
Honourable Minister, the announcement that migrant children will be allowed into schools in September is excellent news for all who believe in social justice and the human rights of the child. As we welcome migrant pupils into our schools, we are presented with an opportunity to turn around our countrys education system to account for and correct the psychologically violent colonial inheritance of a raceand colour-based hierarchy.
(Photo : AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images)

In an airstrike against a terrorist stronghold, Iraqi special forces believe they've slain the leader of Islamic State.

Iraq claims to have slain the commander of the Islamic State after bombing a mountain range with warplanes.

Experts analyzed DNA samples from a terror suspect believed to be Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi last night.

ISIS Leader Killed in Airstrike

In November of last year, after the previous commander was slain, he became leader. After the assault, commandos from the Iraqi "Golden Division" recovered a number of carcasses.

Recently, RAF Typhoon aircraft conducted airstrikes in the Hamrin Mountains, but it is unknown whether they were involved in this mission. Following ignominious military defeats, the terrorist organization known as Islamic State fights for survival, according to The Sun.

The murderous network, notorious for its barbarous public executions, was formerly a member of al-Qaeda before separating over ideological and operational differences.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant, established the terrorist organization in 1999 under various names, including ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh.

Per Mirror, Al-Qurayshi, a veteran jihadist, succeeded his predecessor Abu al-Hasan al-Hashmi al-Qurayshi as leader of the terrorist network after his predecessor was slain in Syria in October.

The latest leader with a similar name is an enigma, and intelligence agencies believe they know little about his background. ISIS referred to him as "an experienced combatant" at the time of his takeover, and he commands immense respect among his terrorist subordinates.

Recent British RAF airstrikes on the Hamrin Mountains against Islamic State were launched from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. However, it is unknown whether British Typhoons or Iraqi fighter aircraft carried out this crucial mission against ISIS.

Read Also: US Targets Wagner Through Sanctions on Gold Firms Suspected of Funding Mercenary Group's Operation

What is ISIS?

The ISIS leadership is becoming increasingly security-conscious, rarely remaining in one location for more than one night and spending the majority of their time in desert caverns. And western surveillance aircraft are launching missions to intercept internet and telephone conversations in an effort to keep ISIS on the run.

It is known that whenever the terrorist network is permitted to remain in one location, it may attempt to radicalize or instruct western-based extremists to launch attacks using its still-vast war chest.

Islamic State originated as an offshoot of al-Qaeda in Iraq, which expanded in the mid-2000s in response to the US-led invasion of Iraq. It was led by the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose notoriety in Iraq increased due to a series of gruesome beheadings.

At some point, al-Qaeda deprived al-Qaeda in Iraq of its power. In 2006, American troops executed al-Zarqawi. Then, disparate jihadist groups united to create ISIS, which is an abbreviation of its complete name, Islamic State in al-Sham, which refers to large portions of the Middle East.

Abu Musab al-Baghdadi, a Sunni militant, seized control in 2010 and, four years later, led the network in a lightning-fast takeover of large portions of Syria and Iraq. Al-Baghdadi declared the caliphate in Mosul, the group's Iraqi headquarters, in 2014, after traveling from Raqqa, the ISIS Syria headquarters.

In their path, thousands of Iraqi police, soldiers, and military cadets were murdered, and the group expanded from scattered cells.

Related Article: Deadly Roller Coaster Derailment in Sweden Killed 1, Injured 9

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Soaring behind Tucson to the north is the crest of the Santa Catalina Mountains  a rugged set of stair steps climbing northeast from Pusch Peak to Mount Lemmon.

A trail system follows or contours that crest from the top of Pima Canyon all the way to Summerhaven and Mount Lemmon. Segments have different names  Pima Canyon, Finger Rock, Ventana, Cathedral Rock, Mount Lemmon  but some hikers call it the crest trail.

This backcountry trail system within Pusch Ridge wilderness is the steepest, roughest, most remote and least-visited part of the Catalinas. Its also hardest to fix up and maintain.

Forest Service staff often mention the challenges of trail work on the crest. Its more than 5 miles one way up any of the canyon trails (Pima, Finger Rock, Ventana, Esperero, Romero) to the crest. Theres no water to support a trail crew (the closest seasonal water is Pima Spring and sometimes pools in Pima Canyon).

So how bad are the trails? In early May, a reconnaissance trip across the Catalinas yielded a pleasant surprise.

Trails were passable all the way to West Fork Sabino Creek where a northeast route joined the well-marked and cleared Arizona Trail. The hike out  on a trail initially proposed for abandonment  was also reasonable.

Experienced backpackers attracted by the Catalina skyline will find both solitude and improved trails for their trek. But wait until fall after a good monsoon or spring after a good snowpack when temperatures cool and pools return to Pima and West Fork Sabino creeks and drainages in Wilderness of Rocks. A summer trek would be unsafe with the heat and lack of water.

Heres the report.

The first three mellow miles of trail up Pima Canyon were well-maintained by Friends of Pima Canyon. The big surprise occurred on the steep climb above.

Back in 2016, before the Bighorn Fire, this trail, which mostly contours up north side of canyon, was only inches wide and scary where exposed. After the 2020 fire, Pima trail conditions were reported to be even worse.

Now a real trail had emerged  clambering up rocks in sections but a normal trail width one could hike with backpacks. Above Pima Spring the trail was steep but doable. Upper Pima to Kimball Peak was a nice contour trail with beautiful views. Other than a nasty slide down the far side of Kimball, the trail was good to the Finger Rock junction and another half mile beyond.

The worst section was the descent and contour to a junction with Ventana Trail  flagged and brushed but a thin fluctuating trail unpleasant for backpacking. The well-used trail on up to the Window was wicked steep but wide and well-marked. After steep drop to a saddle and on to a junction with Esperero Trail (coming up from Sabino Canyon), the Cathedral Trail from Esperero to a ridge (and route to Cathedral Rock) with switchbacks into West Fork Sabino Creek was good.

Trail building on hard mode

Much of the new trail work was done by Tucson-based Outslope Trails Solutions. Funded through the National Forest Foundation (which has raised funds specifically for restoration work for the 2020 Bighorn Fire in the Catalinas), the Outslope crew rebuilt the tread in Upper Pima.

The design is not perfect, said Eric Ruljancich, Outslope owner. There are some nasty sections. Our goal was to go out and get it open so they average user could go up there and not have to call search and rescue. Retread work stopped when it got too hot but Ruljancich flagged and brushed the rough section to Ventana junction. Ventana Trail is heavily used by day-hikers and was cleared by the Forest Service.

My ulterior motive is that if I flag it, people will walk the grass in where it should be, Ruljancich said. That section to Ventana is the absolute worst.

The good news is, Outslope Solutions will finish that section in the fall. Ruljancich also has a proposal to reroute what he calls the drop off ditch on east side of Kimball Peak with a couple more switchbacks. Earlier this year, his crew reworked the section from Esperero to West Fork Sabino called Cathedral Trail.

Southern Arizona is trail building on hard mode, said Ruljancich, who lives in Tucson and works throughout the Southwest. In the Catalinas, the combination of two fires in past 20 years, loss of vegetation, rain events and a soil type that easily goes to rocky shale ball bearings, these things have compounded to make areas which are really bad.

The recon hike hit another such area after meeting the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) at West Fork Sabino. The AZT wilderness route in the Catalinas is mellow from Molino Canyon along Sabino Creek, and gently contours above West Fork to Romero Pass (with one big switchback).

The bad part was up from Romero: a mile section of the Mount Lemmon Trail that switchbacks steeply with washed out steep rock up to three feet high  which is no fun to crawl over with a backpack. The barren area was burned in both the Bighorn and Aspen (2003) fires.

Arizona Trail Association (ATA) officials are well aware of the problem section, said Zach MacDonald, trail director. What I proposed maybe five years ago was a series of reroutes. But a zig zag around would not be easy; there is a reason the trail is where it is. Its all rock and cliffs.

ATAs main concern is that neither the wilderness route with the tough Mount Lemmon section nor the wilderness bypass used by mountain bikes on the east side of Catalinas from Bug Spring to Butterfly Trail is safe for equestrian users. ATA supports the Forest Services proposed multi-use Vista Trail west of the Catalina Highway as a preferred Arizona Trail route for equestrian and moderate cyclists. (Check out the major trail expansion plan for the Santa Catalinas at tucne.ws/1nq6).

Improving the Mount Lemmon wilderness route for hikers is still proposed but just a concept on a topo map, MacDonald said. He cited the usual problems for fielding a trail crew: remote and far from water. Building switchbacks is slow and expensive.

Back on the trails

Once the Arizona Trail nears the first ridge on Mount Lemmon in ponderosa pine, the trail is reasonable most of the way to Summerhaven with a few burned areas and washouts from the two fires. This particular route followed popular day hike areas: Wilderness of Rocks and Mint Springs trails.

After resupply and overnight stop in Summerhaven, the backcountry recon was non-wilderness on road to Marshall Gulch trailhead, the poorly signed Sunset Trail, social (hiker-made) trail along Bear Wallow and brief section on the Catalina Highway. (The Catalina Trail Plan proposes to improve Sunset and adopt/improve the unauthorized Bear Wallow route).

The recon hike reentered wilderness and descended to East Fork Sabino Creek on Box Camp Trail. The Forest Service had proposed dropping this trail from maintenance but agreed to keep it based on public feedback. The trail was good through lightly burned ponderosa.

Box Camp, 2 miles down, apparently got its name from bear boxes nailed to trees from outfitters who used to camp here. The area had heavily burned pines and lush new post-fire fern growth but still offered a nice campsite with a view of Tucson below. The quarter-mile trail to Box Spring was cloaked in Mexican locust and nearly impassable.

Box Camp was likely used by Indians to access the high country, said Coronado National Forest recreation staff officer Adam Milnor. Rancher/outfitter use was described in a Desert Leaf article (tucne.ws/1nq7).

The well-designed trail followed the ridge most of its 4,000-foot descent, crossing Ash Springs drainage (with large pools in May) then descending to East Fork in more than 20 switchbacks.

The final section along part of the Arizona Trail (East Fork Sabino) and Bear Canyon was a popular thru- or day-hiking route and good except for washout with giant boulders where the trail crossed upper Bear Creek. Horse tracks and manure on the trail above begged the question of how the horses managed.

No hikers were encountered until dropping down to popular Seven Falls on a Saturday, where at least 100 day hikers were met on the way out. This experience dovetails with Forest Services findings that the main use of the Catalinas is day hiking. Other than Arizona Trail thru-hikers, few backpack on backcountry trails in Pusch Ridge wilderness.

Other newly-improved wilderness trails include Upper Romero Canyon and Palisades trails. Esperero Trail from Sabino Canyon was brushed by volunteers and Forest Service seasonals.
Two attorneys that will be filling the court commissioner vacancies, the Pima County Superior Court has announced.

After interviewing seven candidates for the positions and asking for public input, Pima County Presiding Judge Jeffrey Bergin and Juvenile Court Presiding Judge Michael Butler announced Michael J. Vampotic and Nathan T. Wade as the new commissioners to the Superior Court, a news release said.

We are excited Michael and Nathan will be joining the bench soon, Bergin said in the news release. They will be great additions to our court.

Vampotic and Wade will fill the vacancies created by Randi Burnett, who is being moved up to a judge in Superior Court, and Deborah Pratte, who is retiring.

Vampotic is an attorney, team leader and unit member at the Arizona Attorney Generals Office, representing the Arizona Department of Child Safety in dependency proceedings. He has also worked with the Pima Countys Office of Childrens Counsel, the news release said.

Wade is a deputy public defender and senior attorney in Pinal County where he supervises a trial caseload and advocates for statewide criminal justice reform. Before working in Pinal County, he was an assistant public defender in Pima County, the news release said.

A court commissioner works in either the Superior or Juvenile Court complex and are assigned to cases that involve family law, child support and enforcement, probate and guardianship, juvenile law, protection orders and civil mental health matters, a previous news release said.
Women in Arizona will soon find it a lot easier to get birth control.

Starting in July, on a date yet to be set, Arizona pharmacists will, for the first time since birth control pills were authorized in 1960, be allowed to dispense them without women having to present a prescription.

Ditto for the more recent hormonal contraceptive vaginal ring and hormonal contraceptive patches.

It wont be quite the same as grabbing a bottle of cough medicine off the shelf. Women will still need to answer some questions from the pharmacist to determine if the hormones will be safe and appropriate for them.

But gone will be the need to first go to a doctor for an initial prescription or for annual renewals. Replacing that will be a standing order from a doctor at the Arizona Department of Health Services permitting pharmacists to dispense contraceptives if they first question would-be customers about their individual risks.

There was some concern expressed by lawmakers about skipping medical exams when they set the process in motion two years ago. But the consensus was that the benefits of on-demand hormonal birth control outweighed the risks of not having regular doctor visits.

Debate over the new law

The debate when lawmakers considered the issue in 2021 was how difficult it should be for women to avoid conception.

Pregnancy should be the decision of the woman, said Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe. Right now women face barriers in our community because they dont have access to doctors for a variety of reasons, one of which is because health care premiums keep going up. We should be making it as accessible as possible for women who want to plan their pregnancies to be able to do that.

During debate, no one spoke against the idea of easier access to pills and devices containing hormones that block ovulation.

But several lawmakers wanted more guardrails.

Joanne Osborne, then a Republican representatives from Buckeye, said she had no problem with women getting up to two years of refills without having to go back to a doctor.

She proposed, however, that any initial prescription require an order from a physician. She also suggested requiring new medical assessments by the womans primary care physician every other year.

The idea of being able to get contraceptives without first seeing a doctor also bothered Regina Cobb, a Republican who represented Kingman.

Cobb, who is a dentist, said regular visits are designed to ensure the chemicals in the contraceptive devices are not causing problems. She noted a link between certain types of birth control, particularly those using estrogen, and potentially fatal blood clots.

Prescribing without actually doing a complete exam and questionnaire from a medical professional I think is irresponsible, Cobb said.

Law written to address risks

But Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, told Capitol Media Services on Wednesday that the law that will soon take effect is a good balance between risk and benefits.

On the risk side of things, theres a chance  and probably a good chance  that some women will skip that routine care, Pap smears and things like that, he said, referring to tests that can detect cervical cancer.

Beyond that, Humble said, there are some conditions that put women who take oral contraceptives at higher risk for blood clots.

The legislation is written to address that issue.

It requires pharmacists, before dispensing any pill or device that has hormones, to ask patients to fill out a self-screening risk assessment designed to determine whether there are any indications contraceptives may not be appropriate.

The specific form is being finalized by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Thats part of the reason there is no firm date for when the contraceptives will be available without an individual prescription.

Questions women might be asked

But by law, that form must be based on nationally recognized guidelines. And forms from other states give a good clue of what women here will be asked.

For example, the form being used in California inquires about things like whether a woman has used hormonal contraceptives in the past and, if so, has suffered any adverse reaction.

There are also questions about risk factors, such as whether someone smokes, has diabetes, has given birth within the past six weeks, has high blood pressure, or is currently breastfeeding an infant younger than one month.

Cobb was unimpressed with the idea the self-assessment is sufficient to protect patients.

During debate, she said her own patients, filling out questionnaires at her office, might answer one way in writing. But when questioned in person, where more detail can be solicited, sometimes the answers change, she said.

Strictly speaking, nothing in the law or the rules enacted by the Board of Pharmacy say an affirmative answer to one or more of those questions disqualifies a customer from getting the pills. Instead, that is left to the judgment of each individual pharmacist.

The rules, however, require pharmacists who do want to dispense birth control without individual prescriptions to have at least three hours of continuing education every two years.

The law also provides protections for those who participate. It says that pharmacists who act reasonably and in good faith are not liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from dispensing that self-administered hormonal contraceptive.

Ability to control reproduction

All that goes to what Humble said is the benefit side of the equation.

It just makes it that much easier for women to access birth control and their ability to control reproduction and have autonomy over that side of things, he said.

Humble said health issues like this are rarely black and white. He compared the risk-benefit analysis here to when Arizonans voted in 2020 to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

The upside was criminal justice reform, he said, as it allowed the legal purchase of the drug from state-regulated dispensaries and eliminated the risk of jail time for users. The downside was it makes it easier for adolescents to get access to weed.

Part of the reason its taken until now for the 2021 law to take effect is the statute required the state Board of Pharmacy to write rules, submit them for public comment and ultimately get final approval from the Governors Regularly Review Council. That is set to happen next week.

There is precedent for the idea of having the health department write a standing order that can replace individual prescriptions.

It used to be that individuals needed a doctors permission to obtain naloxone, formerly marketed under its brand name Narcan. That drug can reverse an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of the drug on the brain and restoring breathing.
PORTLAND, Maine  Debris from the Titan submersible has been returned to land after a fatal implosion during its voyage to the wreck of the Titanic captured the world's attention last week.

The return of the debris to port in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a key piece of the investigation into why the submersible imploded, killing all five people on board. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier on Wednesday.

The Canadian ship Horizon Arctic carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it has completed offshore operations.

Pelagic Research Services' team is "still on mission" and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan investigation, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.

"They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones," Mahoney said.

Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded and all five people on board were dead.

(Story continues after gallery.)

Photos: Debris from implosion of Titanic-bound submersible is returned to land

The Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion. That is the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard.

One of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. And there could be electronic data, said Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

"Certainly all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available? And I really don't know the answer to that question," he said Monday.

Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.

Coast Guard representatives declined to comment on the investigation or the return of debris to shore on Wednesday. No bodies have been recovered, though Coast Guard officials said days earlier that they were taking precautions in case they encountered human remains during the investigation.

Ocean Gate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was killed in the implosion along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Representatives for the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which are both involved in the investigation, also declined to comment. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the Coast Guard has declared the loss of the Titan submersible to be a "major marine casualty" and the Coast Guard will lead the investigation.

"We are not able to provide any additional information at this time as the investigation is ongoing," said Liam MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization, the U.N.'s maritime agency, has said any investigative reports from the disaster would be submitted for review. Member states of the IMO can also propose changes such as stronger regulations of submersibles.

Currently, the IMO has voluntary safety guidelines for tourist submersibles which include requirements they be inspected, have emergency response plans, and have a certified pilot on board among other requirements. Any safety proposals would not likely be considered by the IMO until its next Maritime Safety Committee which begins in May 2024.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titan's mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada.

The operator charged passengers $250,000 each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to improve safety of submersibles.

___
SUPERIOR  Growing up in a mining family that goes back generations, Mayor Mila Besich knew the Oak Flat Campground as the place where she attended union picnics as a girl and in earlier years her parents stood in a clearing to hear the World Series on the radio.

Now, Besich is overseeing Superiors fight to build a new copper project at Oak Flat amid worries about the towns economic future.

Today, the national forest land in the heart of Arizonas Copper Corridor is scattered with 20 rustic campsites among ancient oaks and a hand-painted sign that reads: Protect Oak Flat, Holy Land. Buried deep underground is the worlds third-largest deposit of copper ore, big enough to yield 40 billion pounds of the metal over 60 years.

Competing interests have ignited a tug of war between the town of about 3,000 people who want a huge copper mine built there for its economic benefits, and Native American groups that consider the land sacred and are fighting to protect it from disturbance.

Our town is going to be the most affected, the mayor said. What about our culture?

Resolution Copper Mining, a joint subsidiary of U.K. and Australian mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP, hopes to build one of the worlds largest underground copper mines at the site outside Superior, about 70 miles east of Phoenix. Managing partner Rio Tinto says the mine could satisfy a quarter of growing U.S. demand for copper used in electric vehicles and smartphones.

Resolution began the permitting process nearly a decade ago, but the project has been delayed amid legal and political wrangling between U.S. agencies and the nonprofit Apache Stronghold, which challenges a planned land swap that would make the project possible. The full U.S. 9th District Court of Appeals is considering Apache Strongholds request to permanently halt the project, but the only thing stopping it now is the lack of a new environmental impact statement.

Two other lawsuits challenging the initial environmental review, one filed by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the other by environmental groups, have gone nowhere since the U.S. government pulled the impact statement for more consultations.

Oak Flat is on Tonto National Forest property to be conveyed to Resolution under a land exchange that Congress approved in a 2014 rider to a must-pass defense bill.

The congressional vote sparked outrage among some Apaches over the site, which features ancient Emory oaks and their acorns and other plants they consider important to their culture and religion. Called Chichil Bildagoteel, the site is about an hours drive from the San Carlos Apache Reservation and has been used for girls coming-of-age celebrations.

Rio Tinto has said it would keep the campground open during the mines first decades of operation. But Oak Flat could eventually collapse into a 1.8-mile crater when massive amounts of rock are removed from below.

Wendsler Nosie, a former San Carlos Apache tribal chairman and longtime activist, is the face of the Save Oak Flat campaign. He earlier fought unsuccessfully to stop a major telescope project on a site in southeastern Arizona that Apaches consider sacred: Mount Graham, or Dzil Nchaa Sian.

Nosie said he believes many townspeople quietly back his fight, but they cannot openly show their support for me.

When he was recently confronted in an area restaurant by a mining company employee who accused him of endangering jobs, development and good schools, I stood up and talked about how Im fighting for land, the water, the earth, religion and our children, he said, prompting a group of diners to applaud and pay for his dinner.

While the San Carlos Apache leadership opposes the mine, some tribe members support it for the jobs it could generate amid high unemployment on the reservation.

Oak Flat is not sacred, said Karen Kitcheyan-Jones, 64, a member who lives on the reservation. There are many places on the reservation where we can gather acorns and have ceremonies.

Brenda Astor, Resolutions principal adviser for Native affairs and a San Carlos Apache member, noted that dozens of other enrolled members also work for the mining company.

Amid strong opposition to the project by some tribes and others, the Forest Service withdrew Resolutions original environmental impact statement for Oak Flat two years ago for additional consultations. No time frame has been announced. But once a new review is published, the formal transfer process can begin unless a federal court halts it.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva reintroduced legislation in March seeking to stop the land transfer, but it has not gained traction in Congress.

Rio Tinto says the mine woul help create 3,700 jobs over the course of the project and boost state and local tax revenues by $88 million to $113 million a year.

Thats a lot for a town still clawing back economically after the Magma copper mine first shut down in 1982, later opened for a few years, then closed for good in 1996. The closure devastated a community so small that it has no stoplight and can be traversed by car in just over three minutes.

Superior was originally established in 1882 as the town of Hastings when the big mine was the Silver King, producing silver. The former mining towns of Globe and Miami are nearby, burrowed into mountains studded with saguaro cactus.

Today, Superior still embraces its labor roots, a Democratic island in predominantly Republican Pinal County, said Besich, herself a Democrat.

More than a quarter of the towns residents live below the poverty line. Nearly 70% of the population is Hispanic, largely descendants of mining families who immigrated from Mexico or already worked in the area when it was still part of Mexico until the mid-1800s.

We didnt cross the border, it crossed us, said Manny Guzman, whose family in the area goes back seven generations. His ancestor Manuelita Guzman (18441916) is buried in the Historic Pinal Cemetery, also the resting place of Wyatt Earps common-law wife, Mattie Earp.

Guzman, president of the nonprofit economic development corporation Rebuild Superior, said he remains hopeful the mine will prevail, but finds the delays frustrating after spending innumerable hours debating the environmental review.

There have been so many studies, so many roundtables, he said.

The talks have secured important gains for Superior, such as ensuring protection of the towns water supply and guaranteeing a minimum of $120 million in revenue to pay for police and fire services over the course of the project if it goes forward.

We have seen some pretty dramatic changes to the plan, said Vicky Peacey, Resolutions president and general manager. Its important that a lot of voices are heard.

Rio Tinto also agreed to permanently protect Apache Leap, the towns backdrop where local legend says some 75 Apaches leapt 400 feet to their death in the early 1870s rather than surrender to the U.S. cavalry.

Town manager Todd Pryor said Resolution provided $2.25 million to help buy the old brick Superior High School thats being renovated to house the town hall, a library and activities for seniors, and threw in another $1.29 million for an enterprise center to develop future entrepreneurs and teach people trades such as welding.

Officials in a town used to boom and bust cycles say they know they need to diversify their economy and cant count only on Resolution and its mine for their future.

They are developing local tourism, every March hosting a popular Apache Leap Mining Festival that includes a parade, chihuahua races and a mining competition with hand-sawing and jackleg drilling contests. Hundreds visit the town each August for the Prickly Pear Festival, with cactus fruit ice cream and margaritas.

But in a state that produces 70% of the nations copper, and in a town where nearly everyones parents and grandparents worked for the mines, the biggest bets for the future are on the extraction of ore.

Its in our DNA, said Rick Cartier, the chamber of commerce president.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

As the smackdown over school choice in Arizona intensifies, taxpayers in the Grand Canyon State should know that theyre paying for both attacks on and defenses of the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program.

The Arizona School Boards Association charges that vouchers impose unsustainable costs and are a massive blow to our K-12 public schools. Dozens of school boards have echoed the organizations condemnation of education choice.

Meanwhile, Tom Horne, the states elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, is a champion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. The website of the Arizona Department of Education  the bureaucracy he runs  recently tweeted that school choice will not bankrupt the state, and linked to an interview Horne gave in which he explained how he is empowering parents and students.

Seriously.

Local and state governments employ three tools to affect the policymaking process. First, in-house personnel and resources  e.g., officials testify during hearings, conduct press conferences, issue media releases, write op-eds, and post on Facebook and Twitter. Second, even the smallest of government entities often find that hiring a professional influencer, or an entire lobbying firm, can yield major legislative wins. (Securing special appropriations is a particular skill.) Finally, membership organizations tap tax revenue to speak for cities, counties, government educators and administrators, law-enforcement professionals, etc.

Whatever form it takes, taxpayer-financed lobbying is wrong, because it makes citizens fund messaging they may oppose. As the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in a 2018 decision, when government compels speech, individuals are coerced into betraying their convictions, and forcing free and independent individuals to endorse ideas they find objectionable is always demeaning.

The Southwest Public Policy Institute recently published a paper on intragovernmental advocacy in the eight states of the American Southwest. We found that Arizona is no different than Texas or Utah or California: taxpayer-funded lobbying is commonplace. Battles over corporate welfare, occupational licensing, criminal justice, environmental regulations, and many other matters of importance to everyday life are heavily swayed by public-sector entities.

Its true that the movement to stop this misuse of tax dollars is associated with the right. But our research reveals that the left should be concerned as well. As Hornes activities demonstrate, government is capable of deploying its considerable resources against the progressive agenda. Throughout the American Southwest, tax revenue has been spent to combat the movement to defund police, block affordable-housing legislation, and promote potentially unconstitutional social-media regulation.

The need for reform is great, and activists of all ideological stripes should meet on common ground. Texas offers a national model for prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying. There, statutes forbid a state agency from using appropriated money to employ, as a regular full-time or part-time or contract employee, a person who is required  to register as a lobbyist. In addition, membership dues to an organization that pays part or all of the salary of a person who is required  to register as a lobbyist are forbidden. And state agencies cannot attempt to influence the passage or defeat of a legislative measure, although use of resources to provide public information or to provide information responsive to a request is, understandably, permissible. Sadly, efforts to apply the law to local governments have been unsuccessful. (The campaign is opposed, unsurprisingly, by the County and District Clerks Association of Texas, Texas Association of Community Schools, Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Big City Mayors Group, Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts, Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas, Texas Association of County Auditors, Sheriffs Association of Texas, and Texas Municipal League.)

In Arizona and throughout the American Southwest, its time for good-government activists worried about the subversion of democracy via dark money to join conservatives and libertarians to put an end to taxpayer-funded lobbying. No matter what the issue, no matter what the bill, no matter what the ordinance, no matter what the regulation, intergovernmental advocacy is compelled speech, and as such, a violation of the First Amendment.
The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

The release of Barry Jones after nearly 30 years on Arizonas death row, wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit, forces us to confront the unsettling of our justice system. Despite being a nation that upholds values of fairness and justice, weve seen these principles denied to too many individuals, especially those of color. As a Black woman, I am deeply disturbed by this pattern.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), racial disparities infect every stage of the U.S. criminal justice system, from arrest to trial to sentencing to who receives the death penalty. This disturbing trend of disproportionate treatment undermines our countrys principles, sowing deep-seated distrust among minority communities and perpetuating cycles of inequality.

Jones case is not unique or the first of its kind. The Death Penalty Information Center reports that since 1973, at least 190 people wrongfully sentenced to death in the U.S. have been exonerated. Additionally, a study from the National Academy of Sciences suggests that at least 4.1% of defendants sentenced to death in the U.S. are innocent.

These are not merely statistics. They represent lives irreversibly altered, families shattered, and faith in our system eroded. Its not just a numeric tally but a disturbing illustration of our justice systems moral dilemma, necessitating immediate action.

The case of Jones and countless others underscores the urgent need for reform in our justice system, addressing both systemic errors and systemic racism. This is not just about the effectiveness of our institutions but the embodiment of the principles we advocate for as a nation.

Consider this unsettling fact: the U.S. stands alongside Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and Iraq  nations we often criticize for human rights violations  on the list of those countries with the most confirmed executions. This revelation prompts us to grapple with a disturbing question: Are we genuinely the civilized and humane society we profess to be? Do our actions faithfully reflect our proclaimed values?

We proclaim to champion fairness and freedom. However, this assertion rings hollow when racial bias persists in our justice system, and even more troublingly, when we confront the reality that we frequently get convictions wrong. The incongruity between our ideals and our practices demands immediate attention and change.

Beyond the bias, the potential and chilling possibility of executing an innocent person represents an egregious error that cannot be undone. How can we, as a society, bear that burden? How can we reconcile that with our stated values? Pursuing a truly equitable and fair justice system that reflects our proclaimed ideals requires addressing racial disparities and ensuring rigorous checks to prevent wrongful convictions. Our aspirations for justice must consider both these critical aspects.

As we grapple with this long-overdue transformation, our commitment to justice for all, irrespective of race or socioeconomic status, must remain unwavering. Our values should not just be lofty words we recite but active guiding principles shaping our actions and decisions.

Let the case of Barry Jones be a stark reminder of the urgency of this task. As we work towards reform, our justice system must embody justice and fairness a true reflection of the society we strive to be. In working toward this, we affirm our dedication to a justice system that truly values and protects all lives. Lets finally do what is right and confront this issue head-on: it is time to end capital punishment in Arizona.
Vote no

Re: the June 6 article "A sustainable solution to the housing crisis."

The suggestion that a California developer's plan to pack 116 presumably expensive two-story homes and 210 apartments onto the floodway that runs through the Quail Canyon section of Pima Wash is neither sustainable nor a solution to the housing crisis. The additional suggestion that these, "units minimize impact on our natural environment by preserving washes, riparian areas, and hillsides as natural open space," in this flood-prone, natural wildlife corridor is not only patently absurd, it is also a blatant violation of the the carefully conceived planning efforts written into the Pima County Comprehensive Plan. This blatant effort by an out-of-state wildcat developer to maximize development profits at the expense of diminishing the strength of the Comprehensive Plan is unwanted and unwelcome by Pima County residents. The Planning and Zoning Commission needs to do its job here and vote no.

Tom Pew

Foothills

Stop "I-11"

I am opposed to the proposed route of "Interstate 11" through Avra Valley. If the soon-to-be-automated semi-trucks need a more efficient way to get from Nogales to California, let us make them a dedicated lane for certain hours of the night and early morning in the already existing Interstate 10 corridor.

Holly Finstrom

West side

Defining 'Equity'

Re: the June 12 letter "Equity."

This letter attempts to define the concept of "Equity" for the Democratic Party. Quite a distortion, since the writer's definition of "equity" requires that "all should have equal income, equal housing, and equal retirement income..." The writer also equates "equity" to mediocrity and dumbness, and "that outcomes are legislated to be equal." Pretty sad: this is all false. A similar slant used to describe "freedom" could define that concept as something we don't want either. "Equity" to me does not mean equal results; "Equity" to me means fair to all. Some will fail, others will fall behind, for various reasons, but the starting line must always be the same for everyone, with equal lanes of opportunity. Simple definition. I wish people would stick to persuasively expressing their own views, and not trying to distort other's views with false and extremist descriptions.

Steve Cox

North side

The zero award

The LA Dodgers, recently announced that it would honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag queen group, with the Community Hero Award. This decision sparked outrage from many Catholic groups who accused the Dodgers of being insensitive to Catholic beliefs.

The Dodgers event honoring a group that mocks women religious, and worse, desecrates the Cross, profanes the Eucharist, and disrupts Holy Mass has caused disappointment, dismay, and pain in our Catholic community.(USCCB)

"It has been heartening to see so many faithful Catholics and others of good will, stand up to say that what this group is doing is wrong. The Dodgers issued an apology to the anti-Catholic drag group, promising to "better educate ourselves."

The incident has raised questions about the team's commitment to its Catholic fans. It remains to be seen whether the Dodgers will be able to repair the damage. I for one, will never buy a ticket or watch a Dodgers game in the future

This group truly deserve the Community ZERO award.

Tom McGorray

Northwest side

Drowning in injustice

Many were riveted by the disappearance and eventual implosion of the Submersible on its dive to view the Titanic. We tuned in to the daily, 24-hour news stories of the tragic five passengers. Meanwhile, the Coastguard, Navy, Canada and the United States spared no cost to save the five passengers.

Meanwhile, offshore Italy and Greece, 700 desperate refugees capsized in the Mediterranean, 104 Syrians, Egyptians, and Pakistanis survived  500 people are missing, presumed drowned.

No 24-hour news coverage, no Navy, Coast Guard; in fact, no one helped these people. Why is the life of five rich risk takers more valuable than people fleeing terror? Where were the newsmen, the cameras, the Navy, in fact, any interest from the public for the suffering and terror of these poor refugees? Remember: "Let's do each day a kindly deed, And stretch a hand to those in need" (A.W. Service)

Cheryl Lockhart

Foothills

Democrats indeed do care

Re: the June 26 letter "Democrats don't care what their eco policies cost you."

I beg to differ. Everything the writer has referenced, from CO2 emissions to coal burning plants to lax groundwater regulations has caused monetary damage. The human health costs alone are in the billions of dollars. There is ample data from scientists proving that our efforts can indeed reduce current CO2 levels.

The writer complains of current rising consumer prices, which have little to do with regulations for improving the health and welfare of the American people. In fact, President Bidens economic plan passed by Congress will create millions of jobs and invest in sorely needed infrastructure.

Americans are not only consumers; we are citizens. We care about our families, our communities, and our nation. We envision a world where our children and grandchildren can be healthy and safe. Lets not devolve into single-minded immediate gratification. Thats not who we are.

Carol Evans

Midtown

PBMS should be limited by the Federal Government

As someone who struggles with an autoimmune disease and is dependent on routine prescription access, I am frustrated with how pharmacy benefit managers are exploiting patients like me for their own gains. PBMs are operating directly opposite of how they were designed  instead of helping lower costs at the pharmacy counter, they are pocketing rebates and creating additional barriers to care.

While many autoimmune disorders can be treated with a combination of medications, each patients care is different and dependent on a care plan that doctors feel is best. PBM practices like step-therapy and failure-first policies can override this approach and prevent patients from accessing the treatments that work for them. PBMs shouldnt decide whether a patient needs a certain medication or not, doctors should.

I hope Arizonas elected officials recognize this need and lead the charge on oversight into PBMs.

Sincerely,

Roberto Martinez

South Tucson

Fighting fiercely for rights

Re: the June 25 letter "Don't beg for trouble."

I read with amusement the letter directed at "gay people," who are "begging for trouble by being flamboyant in-your-face exhibitionists who stage parades." The writer's reference to gay/trans people in his own family "with whom he has 'come to accept and love' " is interesting at best. This mantra is demeaning to anyone who has fought for justice, as no one gains equality without getting into some "good trouble." African Americans, women, Latino, disabled, LGBTQ et al and many other ostracized groups would not have the rights they have thus far had they not fought fiercely for them. The writer seems to think that the ones who are not in-your-face are more acceptable; just be quiet and accept what you have is the message. If one doesn't fight for their rights in every theatre possible they are relegated to sitting on the back of the proverbial bus the rest of their lives. Equality doesn't come easy; it has to be pursued diligently to become a reality.

Terri Hicks

Northwest side

Bud Light boycott

Re: the June 27 article "All's fair in love, war and beer boycotts."

For years my wife and I have picked up trash on our daily walks in the Stella-Mann neighborhood.

And for years every day we'd pick up two or four or five Bud Light cans.

Then Bud Light triggered right wing outrage and a boycott after they honored influencer and transgender Dylan Mulvaney.

Suddenly no more Bud Light cans. Not fewer. None.

I'll let the reader draw their own conclusion as to this apparent nexus between homophobia, right wing politics and people who drink and drive and throw their trash out the window.

Roger Voelker

Southeast side

The 100th Anniversary of the ERA is A reminder

This year is the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment in Congress. The ERA still has not been enacted, despite being ratified by 3/4ths of the states. The filibuster in the Senate is the only thing that stands between 168 million American women and gaining equality with men. If women had equality, they would have the right to bodily autonomy, equal pay and a Constitutional guarantee of protection against discrimination. Instead of having piecemeal laws that protect women in certain states, the laws would be uniform throughout the nation. Enshrining the ERA into the Constitution would mean that states could never take away those rights again, a fact that is more important than ever as political wrangling endangers the very lives of women in Republican-led states. Among 193 UN member states, 85% have a constitutional provision for gender equality, but the United States is not one of them. It's 100 years late, but the passage of the ERA needs to happen now.

Toni Denis, President of Arizona Democratic Women
After an extensive search and investigation, authorities in Gulf Shores, Alabama, say a Sand Springs man apparently went swimming in the Gulf of Mexico on June 17 and never returned to shore.

Nolan Keith Flanagan, 54, was reported missing later that afternoon after he failed to return from swimming, Gulf Shores Police Detective Carl Wittstruck told the Sand Springs Leader.

He said police have witness reports and even video that confirms that Flanagan entered the water about 11:30 a.m. that Saturday in the 400 block of East Beach Boulevard after telling his family he was going swimming.

The question was did he exit the water, and we couldnt find anything to support that he exited the water, Wittstruck said.

He said authorities have no reason to suspect foul play in connection with Flanagans disappearance.

Flanagan and his wife, Kim Flanagan, and at least two or three of their grandchildren arrived in Gulf Shores on June 16, Wittstruck said. He said other family members traveled to Gulf Shores after Keith Flanagan disappeared.

Kim Flanagan could not be reached for comment.

Keith Flanagan was pretty far out in the ocean when a parasail operator saw him and asked if he was all right, Wittstruck said. Flanagan reportedly said he was fine and was just swimming.

Wittstruck said local authorities had boats in the water almost immediately and were ultimately aided in searching for Flanagan by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alabama Highway Patrol, as well as numerous area law enforcement and search and rescue entities.

He said the search was hampered by several days of storms in the area both before and immediately after Flanagans disappearance, adding that the gulf was pretty churned up at the time.

Wittstruck said he was unsure whether the area was experiencing a rip current at the time that might have contributed to Flanagans disappearance.

Im not sure of the conditions at that exact time, but thats kind of our assumption at this point, he said.

Authorities have been warning about dangerous rip currents in the Gulf of Mexico for weeks.

Rip currents have claimed the lives of 11 people within two weeks along the Gulf Coast between Fort Morgan, Alabama, and Panama City Beach, Florida, including seven in Panama City Beach between June 15 and June 24, according to the National Weather Service.

Rip currents form as waves disperse across the beach, causing water to become trapped between the beach and a sandbar or other underwater feature, leading it to converge into a narrow, riverlike channel moving away from the shore at high speed, the weather service said.

Even accomplished swimmers can quickly be in trouble in rip currents, authorities say.



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Spotting and escaping rip currents

Why wildfires and their smoke are getting worse | Across the Sky podcast
Editor's Note This is an edited excerpt from a story that published Jan. 16, 2022, in the Tulsa World.

Court records from the past couple of years indicate multiple Tulsa police officers attempting enforcement actions have been met with the argument: "You have no jurisdiction over me  I'm Native American."

That kind of confusion has continued across eastern Oklahoma since the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 McGirt decision. The landmark ruling, which reaffirmed that Congress had never disestablished the Muscogee Nation reservation, meant the state of Oklahoma doesnt have jurisdiction to prosecute criminal cases involving Native Americans in much of the eastern half of the state. Those cases now must be brought in either federal or tribal court.

A 10th Circuit Court ruling in late June 2023 expanded the McGirt ruling after a Choctaw tribal member successfully argued the city of Tulsa had no right to issue him a traffic citation in Indian Country.

Since the McGirt ruling was issued in July 2020, tribes impacted by the decision have filed over 10,000 criminal cases, according to an informal Tulsa World survey. But many of those cases would not have been possible were it not for a program that was already in place.

The program, called cross-deputization, permits authorities from various local law enforcement agencies to jointly enforce tribal, state and federal laws.

Such agreements are common now across the state.

All Tulsa Police officers are cross-deputized with the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse and Cherokee Marshals. As of 2022, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation had 63 cross-deputization agreements with entities within its sovereign boundaries.

Since the Supreme Court issued its ruling finding that the Muscogee Nation reservation still existed, such beliefs  that a local nontribal law enforcement officer didnt have jurisdiction over an American Indian within Indian Country  appear to have mistakenly increased with it.

Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said suspects will say almost anything to avoid arrest.

The people who are committing crimes are going to try to find a way to get out of it, so Ive heard those anecdotal stories of people who are pulled over by a local municipal agency who claimed the officer didnt have the authority, Kunzweiler said. But the officer said, Sorry buddy, Im cross-deputized, so I have the ability to do that kind of work.

Kunzweiler described cross-deputization agreements as a useful tool for law enforcement agencies.

Any nontribal law enforcement agency can enter into cross-deputization agreements with tribal authorities, Kunzweiler said. So they have the authority to investigate and make arrests of individuals who may commit a crime that they subsequently determine to be Indian, Kunzweiler said.

As an example, Kunzweiler said a nontribal police officer who is cross-deputized with the tribe whose reservation they patrol can arrest a tribal member suspected of drunk driving.

The risk to public safety is enormous if officers do not have the authority to make those public safety decisions, Kunzweiler said.

Broken Arrow City Manager Michael Spurgeon said all of the citys police officers are cross-deputized with the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police.

We have to work together because we are serving the same citizens, Spurgeon said.
(Photo : ZAKARIA ABDELKAFI/AFP via Getty Images)

After police fatally shot a teenager during a traffic stop and appeared to have lied about the circumstances, violent protests erupted in the Paris suburbs overnight.

At least 77 individuals were arrested in France during a second night of unrest sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. The teen, identified as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he fled from a traffic stop.

On Wednesday, social media videos showed vehicles being set on fire and stores ravaged.

Police were compelled to withdraw partially in Nanterre, the suburb from which Nahel originated.

French Police, Protesters Clash for Second Night

According to BBC, fireworks were launched at police stations throughout Paris by demonstrators. Protesters and police also clashed in the northern city of Lille. People inside the town hall of the Mons-en-Baroeul suburb were captured on video torching documents and chairs.

About 300 people congregated in the western city of Rennes to pay tribute to Nahel M; some of them lit fires and were dispersed by police. French President Emmanuel Macron described the killing of Nahel as "inexcusable."

Police unions responded angrily to his remarks, accusing him of racing to evaluate the officers involved. The Alliance Police union advocated for them to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, whereas the rival Unite SGP Police spoke out against political interventions that incited "anti-cop animosity."

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that he would pursue legal action against another group, France Police, after it published what he termed an "unacceptable and abject" tweet attempting to justify the death of Nahel M.

The now-deleted tweet praised the officers who "opened fire on a juvenile criminal" and faulted the teen's parents for his death, claiming they were "unable to educate their son."

A video circulating on social media, which has been verified by the French news agency AFP, depicts two police officers attempting to halt the vehicle, with one aiming his weapon at the driver through the window and firing at close range when he continues to drive.

The automobile traveled a few meters before colliding. As per Al Jazeera, the emergency services attempted to revive the teen at the site, but he passed away shortly after.

Read Also: ISIS Leader Killed in Airstrike After Iraq Hideout Bombed by Special Forces

Tensions Escalate in France Following Nahel M's Death

Local citizens demonstrated in front of the police headquarters. Later on Tuesday, tensions escalated; demonstrators ignited fires, torched a car, destroyed bus stops, and hurled fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas and dispersal grenades. Wednesday saw the deployment of thousands of police officers in anticipation of further unrest.

In the South of the French capital, there were also disturbances in Amiens, Dijon, and the administrative department of Essonne, according to a police spokesperson.

The French media reported incidents in a number of other locations throughout the Paris metropolitan area. Social media videos depicted dozens of fireworks being launched at the Montreuil municipal hall on the eastern outskirts of Paris.

Officers' use of lethal force against the teen has contributed to a widespread perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse neighborhoods of France's largest cities. The French government's law enforcement agencies are allegedly rife with prejudice, a claim Macron has previously refuted.

A minute of silence was observed in the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated that the gunshot "clearly violates the norms."

In a TikTok video, a woman identified as the victim's mother called for a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday. She said, "Everyone gather, we will lead a revolt for my son."

Per The Guardian, the incident on Tuesday was the third fatal gunshot during a traffic stop in France in 2023. According to a spokesperson for the national police, there were a record 13 such gunshots in 2017.

Related Article: Paris Shooting Update: Death of Nael Leads to Riots-Forcing France to Deploy Thousands of Police

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A federal appellate court panel ruled Wednesday in favor of a Choctaw man who challenged whether the city of Tulsa had jurisdiction to issue him a traffic ticket because of his tribal status.

In its ruling, a 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals three-judge panel rejected a claim by the city of Tulsa that a 19th century-era federal law granted the city jurisdiction in Hoopers municipal court case.

The ruling marks an apparent expansion of the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt ruling, which determined that the state of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to prosecute tribal citizens for major crimes committed within the Muscogee Nation reservation because Congress had never explicitly dissolved the reservation. The rulings reach has since been extended to additional tribes reservations in eastern Oklahoma.

ICYMI: Cross-deputization means nontribal police can arrest Native suspects Since the Supreme Court's McGirt ruling, the myth has persisted that local nontribal law enforcement officers lack jurisdiction over American Indians within Indian Country.

John M. Dunn, an attorney who represented the Choctaw man, Justin Hooper, welcomed the ruling.

This ruling brings into harmony what the U.S. Supreme Court originally said in McGirt  that there are Indian reservations in eastern Oklahoma, Dunn said in an interview with the Tulsa World. And it finds that the political subdivisions of the state of Oklahoma, specifically the municipalities, are limited in the same way that the state of Oklahoma is.

In other words, a state government and its political subdivisions do not have jurisdiction over Indians on a reservation.

A city of Tulsa spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on whether the city would appeal the ruling or how it would affect future traffic enforcement involving tribal citizens.

City Legal is reviewing the opinion and will be evaluating next steps, said Michelle Brooks, city of Tulsa communications director. The City has no further comment at this time.

Both the state of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Association of Municipal Attorneys had filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the city of Tulsa.

The ruling drew condemnation from Gov. Kevin Stitt.

I am extremely disappointed and disheartened by the decision made by the Tenth Circuit to undermine the City of Tulsa and the impact it would have on their ability to enforce laws within their municipality, Stitt said in a statement. However, I am not surprised as this is exactly what I have been warning Oklahomans about for the past three years.

The ruling stems from a speeding ticket issued to Hooper in 2018 by a Tulsa police officer.

Hooper paid the $150 citation after he was found guilty by a municipal court judge, according to court records.

About five months after the U.S. Supreme Courts July 2020 McGirt ruling, though, Hooper filed an application for post-conviction relief with Tulsa Municipal Court. Hooper claimed that the city of Tulsa did not have jurisdiction to cite him because he was a citizen of the Choctaw Nation and the speeding violation occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation.

The city of Tulsa countered that the Curtis Act, passed by Congress in 1898, gave the city the legal ability to issue traffic tickets to anyone, regardless of race, in spite of the Supreme Courts McGirt ruling.

A Tulsa Municipal Court judge denied Hoopers application for post-conviction relief after determining that the Curtis Act granted the city of Tulsa and cities like it in Indian Country the jurisdiction to try anyone who violates a city ordinance, regardless of the persons race or tribal membership.

Hooper appealed the decision to federal court, where a district court judge sided with the city of Tulsa in its Curtis Act-based jurisdictional claim.

But the 10th Circuit panel that issued the ruling said that even if the Curtis Act is still valid law, it does not apply to the city of Tulsa.

The appellate court noted that the city lost its coverage under Section 14 of the Curtis Act when it reincorporated after Oklahoma became a state.

This means, upon statehood, Tulsa became a municipality subject to the laws of the Oklahoma Territory, until the point it was reorganized under Oklahoma state law, the ruling says. So, by its express terms, Section 14 of the Curtis Act no longer applied to Tulsa upon statehood, and Tulsa had no present rights and powers stemming from the Curtis Act to be preserved by the Oklahoma Constitution.

The city of Tulsa includes portions of the Cherokee, Muscogee and Osage nation reservations.

In its ruling, the appellate court ordered the case remanded to federal district court for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

The ruling was immediately hailed by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

We are pleased (that) with todays decision in Hooper v. Tulsa, the 10th Circuit upheld tribal sovereignty and settled federal law  reaffirming that states and municipalities do not have criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country, Hoskin said in a written statement. The court successfully denied attempts to circumvent these principles by turning to defunct, territorial provisions of the Curtis Act.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed the existence of our reservations. As tribes continue to prioritize tangible solutions to protect public safety on our reservations, we hope we can now move forward. We again encourage all state officials to join the cooperative efforts to promote public safety on behalf of all Oklahomans.

A court brief filed on behalf of six Oklahoma tribes whose reservation boundaries have been deemed still intact backed Hooper, noting that the city of Tulsa can still enforce traffic laws through cross-deputization agreements it has with both the Cherokee and Muscogee nations.

Dunn, Hoopers attorney, echoed the tribes claims, saying concerns that Tulsa police can no longer enforce the traffic code when they involve tribal citizens are imagined.

Dunn agreed that Tulsa police officers can still issue citations to tribal citizens because they are cross-deputized with both the Cherokee and Muscogee Nations.

The traffic codes in each of these two tribes match almost identically what Tulsa or what Okahomas traffic codes are, Dunn said. So, instead of grabbing the ticket book that says Municipal Tulsa, it will be the Tribal Court of the Creek Nation or the Tribal Court of the Cherokee Nation, Dunn said.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton issued a statement in support of the ruling.

The courts ruling today affirms what we already know: Under the McGirt decision, Indian people accused of crimes on reservations are subject to prosecution from the federal government or tribal courts, not states and cities, he said.

We strongly believe in appropriate punishments for people who break the law, just as we believe it is important to maintain tribal sovereignty by respecting the U.S. Constitution and the laws passed by Congress.



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McGirt v. Oklahoma: Supreme Court decision and aftermath May 11, 2023: Ottawa, Peoria and Miami reservations still exist, court rules Feb. 26, 2023: Tulsa County Public Defenders Office in 'better shape' than most Feb. 2, 2023: Court strikes down challenge by Choctaw Nation couple Aug. 19, 2022: State backs Tulsa on McGirt-related traffic ticket appeal July 23, 2022: Oklahoma AG tells state prosecutors to pursue Indian country cases July 12, 2022: Cherokee Businesses to contribute $10 million for expansion of tribe's law enforcement July 4, 2022: Prosecutors diving into cases involving non-tribal members victimizing tribal members June 29, 2022: Oklahoma can prosecute non-tribal citizens on tribal land June 19, 2022: Power generating company drops McGirt-based challenge to property taxes June 2, 2022: Cherokee Nation drops plan to turn north Tulsa property into a courthouse April 24, 2022: Gov. Stitt concerned about what McGirt ruling doesn't say, its far-reaching interpretations April 13, 2022: City can still issue traffic citations to Native citizens March 31, 2022: Gov. Stitt calls McGirt ruling 'preposterous' on Fox News' 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' March 9, 2022: City of Tulsa says McGirt ruling makes tribal members second-class citizens Feb. 23, 2022: Supreme Court won't hear McGirt arguments from state of Oklahoma Feb. 22, 2022: Federal lawsuit challenges Oklahoma's right to tax Native Americans Feb. 7, 2022: Gov. Stitt says Thats not fair' regarding McGirt-related case at State of the State Feb. 2, 2022: 'It is not too late for us to begin anew,' Muscogee Nation Chief says Jan. 22, 2022: Supreme Court lets McGirt ruling stand, will consider letting Oklahoma share jurisdiction Jan. 9, 2022: Most released due to McGirt have been charged either federally or tribally, Tulsa World analysis finds Dec. 14, 2021: Tribal leaders sound off as Stitt seeks change to hunting, fishing license compacts Dec. 12, 2021: Cherokee Nation disputes state's claim McGirt ruling has caused 'chaos' Oct. 28, 2021: Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission asks city to withdraw brief on McGirt Oct. 21, 2021: State appellate court extends McGirt ruling to include Quapaw Nation Sept. 18, 2021: Oklahoma AG asks Supreme Court again to reverse or limit McGirt Aug. 27, 2021: Gov. Kevin Stitt says McGirt legal decision is state's 'most pressing issue' Aug. 26, 2021: Man at center of McGirt landmark legal case sentenced to 3 life sentences Aug. 6, 2021: State asks U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark McGirt decision Aug. 1, 2021: U.S. House rejects $154 million for tribal judicial systems July 19, 2021: Gov. Stitt sues federal government July 19, 2021: Osage Nation seeks court affirmation that its reservation also was never disestablished July 13, 2021: Contentious McGirt forum ends early after shout-down from audience July 9, 2021: Cherokee Nation highlights expansion of legal system on anniversary of ruling July 8, 2021: 'McGirt v. Oklahoma Community Impact Forum' set for July 13; tribal leaders irked June 10, 2021: '80s serial rapist's claim he is 'Indian' for criminal jurisdictional purposes rejected May 26, 2021: U.S. Supreme Court signals they could limit ruling May 19, 2021: State-Tribal Litigation Fund bill passes May 17, 2021: How Cherokee Tribal courts are handling the surge in cases May 11, 2021: Oklahoma congressman's bill would allow tribes to compact with state on criminal jurisdiction May 10, 2021: Cherokee, Chickasaw tribal chiefs announce support for federal legislation April 29, 2021: State appeals court overturns two more death sentences April 28, 2021: AG seeks to intervene in case of power plant objecting to property taxes April 15, 2021: Appellate court rejects claims of two who failed to prove ancestry April 14, 2021: Chickasaws question Gov. Stitt's rhetoric about McGirt impact April 9, 2021: Four serving life sentences in state prison to get new trials April 8, 2021: Death-row inmate's state conviction, sentence are in jeopardy April 8, 2021: State appellate court dismisses five more cases on jurisdictional grounds April 6, 2021: Cherokee AG says some cases dismissed by ruling could go unretried April 1, 2021: State appellate court expands McGirt ruling March 31, 2021: 'Fracture' in criminal system created by decision, Tulsa County DA says March 18, 2021: Manslaughter conviction for ex-Tulsa Police officer overturned March 14, 2021: Broken Arrow power plant claims county has no authority to levy property taxes March 11, 2021: Court ruling means hundreds of state criminal cases will be shifted to tribal or federal courts March 11, 2021: Cherokees expanding criminal justice system for larger role March 7, 2021: Former principal chief isn't happy as McGirt decision hits home March 4, 2021: Rogers County judge dismisses over 100 criminal cases Feb. 1, 2021: Gov. Stitt takes on McGirt ruling during State of the State address Jan. 28, 2021: McGirt decision impact on state oil and gas industry examined during OEPA briefing Jan. 23, 2021: Oklahoma governor urges tribes to begin negotiating issues Jan. 15, 2021: Tribes want Congress to allow criminal justice compacts with Oklahoma Jan. 8, 2021: Former Tulsa police officer's double-jeopardy, statute-of-limitations claims denied Jan. 4, 2021: McGirt decision results in record number of criminal federal filings in 2020 Nov. 7, 2020: Federal jury finds McGirt guilty in retrial Oct. 23, 2020: Gov. Stitt panel releases principles for state-tribe relations Oct. 5, 2020: McGirt ruling could have impact on state tax collections Oct. 1, 2020: Attorney General Bill Barr meets with Cherokee Nation leadership, local federal prosecutors Aug. 29, 2020: Man charged in 1990s rapes freed due to McGirt ruling Aug. 14, 2020: McGirt makes federal court appearance in child sex abuse case Aug. 7, 2020: McGirt-related murder cases increase Tulsa federal court's caseload Aug. 1, 2020: Feds file charges against two men whose state convictions were overturned July 29, 2020: Attorneys general for Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation discuss ruling on 'Let's Talk' July 21, 2020: Gov. Stitt forms commission to study impact of decision on state July 20, 2020: Oklahoma AG tracking scores of appeals that could be affected by decision July 17, 2020: Attorney general, tribes reach agreement on jurisdictional issues July 15, 2020: Ruling could affect case of mother charged with killing children July 14, 2020: Homicide in Tulsa 'first real test' of decision July 12, 2020: Decision to have little impact on nontribal residents, TU law professor says July 10, 2020: Tribal law expert calls ruling 'most important' in state history July 9, 2020: U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision December 2019: U.S. Supreme Court to hear McGirt v. Oklahoma McGirt v. Oklahoma: Supreme Court decision and aftermath
A federal jury found a former Tulsa legislator guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Wednesday in connection with a fatal motorcycle accident at Lake Eufaula State Park last year.

Danny Gene Dan Kirby, 65, remains free on bond while awaiting sentencing, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Muskogee.

The jury found Kirby guilty in connection with the death of Sheryl Bichsel, 56.

Bichsel was a passenger on Kirbys motorcycle July 23 when he lost control and crashed while leaving the Fountainhead Marina Bar in Checotah, according to court documents.

Bichsel died the next day after being taken by helicopter to a Tulsa hospital, according to court records.

A blood test later revealed that when the crash occurred Kirby was under the combined influence of alcohol, marijuana, tramadol, trazodone, amphetamines, citalopram and oxycodone and was unable to complete field sobriety tests administered by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Kirby, who was a Eufaula city councilor at the time, was prosecuted in federal court because he is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the death occurred within the Muscogee Nation.

A grand jury indicted Kirby on the single involuntary manslaughter count on Feb. 15, and Kirby resigned from the Eufaula City Council in March.

Testimony in his trial began Monday and concluded Wednesday with the jury verdict.

Kirby served four terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as a Republican from Tulsa. He resigned in March 2017, shortly after being reelected to a fifth term, following allegations of sexual harassment at the Capitol. He denied wrongdoing.



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Attorneys representing Broken Arrow Public Schools have filed their response to a lawsuit from an Indigenous former student brought on by a 2022 graduation day confrontation over an eagle feather.

According to documents filed Wednesday in Tulsa County District Court, attorneys with Rosenstein, Fist and Ringold acknowledged that while two school district employees did speak to Lena Black about removing her plume from her mortarboard prior to the districts 2022 graduation ceremony at Broken Arrow Memorial Stadium, they deny that any attempt was made to forcibly take the feather off her mortarboard.

The school district denies that it prohibited the plaintiff from wearing an eagle feather or plume to her graduation ceremony, the filing states in part. It only prohibited the plaintiff  who had not timely sought an exception from a site administrator  from wearing such a feather or plume attached to her mortarboard.

Claiming a violation of both the First Amendment and the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, Black sued Broken Arrow Public Schools and two employees on May 15, stating that the two employees attempted physically to remove the plume from her mortarboard. Black is a citizen of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and of Osage descent.

As published on the districts website, BAPS graduation dress code prohibits seniors from decorating their mortarboards and requires students to fill out an application if they intend to make any additions to the standard cap and gown.

Because the Indian Education resource adviser for Broken Arrow High School was on leave at the time, Black asked a teacher prior to graduation day and was told that her plume did not count as a decoration due to its cultural and religious significance, she said earlier. However, no mention was made of filling out a form or seeking additional permission to wear the plume.

Black left the ceremony due to an anxiety attack brought on by the incident, which, according to court documents, damaged the eagle plume. She eventually returned and held the plume in her hand while receiving her diploma.

As part of their initial complaint, Blacks attorneys said her attire was reviewed without objection by at least five district employees at checkpoints in and around the stadium before she was stopped by the two employees specifically named in the lawsuit.

School district officials confirmed Thursday morning that one of the two women named in the lawsuit is still employed by Broken Arrow Public Schools, while the other retired after the 2021-22 school year.

Both maintain in the documents filed Wednesday that they had no interactions with Black on graduation day.

As of Thursday morning, no hearings had been scheduled in the matter. According to court records, the case was transferred on May 31 to presiding Judge Doug Drummond after the judge initially assigned to the case, Deanna Priddy, requested a recusal due to a conflict of interest.

Both the incident and the lawsuit predate the adoption of Senate Bill 429, which explicitly allows Indigenous students attending a public school, charter school or publicly funded post-secondary institution to wear traditional attire at their graduation ceremonies. Along with beadwork, shoes, jewelry and clothing, the provisions include eagle feathers and eagle plumes.

That measure takes effect Saturday, July 1.



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A mess of abandoned shopping carts around Tulsa has city councilors looking for guidance, with discussions likely to continue after a committee meeting Wednesday.

Councilor Jayme Fowler first raised the issue in March. During Wednesdays Urban and Economic Development Committee meeting, he updated councilors on his research into how other cities are handling abandoned carts and said retailers should be part of the conversation.

The reality is, where we are now is that the way that we address shopping carts is an absolute, total, complete, unmitigated disaster, Fowler said.

Councilor Laura Bellis brought in research showing that for a year, rounding up about 3,000 carts in Santa Fe, New Mexico,  cost them about $50,000 in just time and energy.

She hoped the data could provide insight into what similar attempts could cost Tulsa.

Fowler presented information on programs in other cities  San Francisco, Detroit, Boston, Tampa  that have tried to address the proliferation of shopping carts taken from retailers. Fowler said he didnt think those programs were necessarily a perfect fit for Tulsa.

Many of the programs presented by Fowler involved imposing fees or other punishments on people who take the carts or on the retailers whose carts are found off their properties.

The next step of this process, Fowler said, is consulting with local retailers about their own ideas for addressing the problem.

In a previous meeting, Fowler had proposed imposing a fee on retailers whose shopping carts end up elsewhere. Later he said fining retailers is not the right solution.

The city of Tulsa already picks up carts when they are found on the streets, Fowler said.

Councilor Lori Decter Wright said anti-theft devices for carts could be a solution. Fowler said such devices could be easily disabled.

I hesitate to do anything thats going to penalize any retailer, because that is how we fund our services, Wright said, adding that when we talk about enforcement those retail sales taxes would be funding the enforcement.

She said it may be better to incentivize businesses while not penalizing poverty.

Councilor Phil Lakin Jr. said a contractor could make money off collecting the neglected carts.

If the city can take proposals, award a contract to an independent entity to go collect these things for a price per cart  say we dont want people doing this; we want a bona fide company to do this, Lakin said.

Bellis said that is similar to what Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, have done. In Tulsa the carts are often impounded if businesses dont claim them.

Councilor Christian Bengel said businesses are unlikely to reclaim the carts.

I know they dont want that cart back because of whatever adventure it went on, but I just dont know how you could address this unless theyre going to implement some sort of system where they police themselves, Bengel said.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs has paused plans to close a state-run veterans home in Talihina amid questions about whether state law prohibits closing the home prior to the opening of a new facility in Sallisaw.

The decision comes nearly one week after the Oklahoma Veterans Commission voted 5-0 to close the Talihina facility by October, more than a year before the anticipated opening of a new veterans home in Sallisaw.

When state lawmakers passed a law in 2018 authorizing the Department of Veterans Affairs to build a new veterans home, the legislation stipulated that the Talihina veterans facility would continue until such time as its operations are transferred to a new home, which the agency later decided would be in Sallisaw. But lawmakers removed that stipulation from state law a few years later.

Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs officials are reviewing the law after some lawmakers conveyed to them the original intent of the legislation.

I think being on pause right now is appropriate until we figure this all out, said Greg Slavonic, interim executive director of the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

Although the law has changed in recent years, the original intent of the legislation is important, said Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton. The original bill authorizing construction of a new veterans home likely wouldnt have passed the Legislature if it werent for the language stipulating that the Talihina facility, the Oklahoma Veterans Home, couldnt close until the new facility opened, he said.

A vocal critic of the decision to fast-track the closure of the Talihina home, which is in his district, Grego said hes encouraged to see the Department of Veterans Affairs hold off on taking further action. Veterans Affairs officials are making an effort to listen to lawmakers and get input from others who have raised concerns about this decision, he said.

The Veterans Commission voted last Friday to close the Talihina facility sooner than anticipated because the state is losing roughly $500,000 each month operating the 175-bed facility, which housed only 36 residents last week. Eight residents have transferred to other facilities since the vote, meaning the Talihina home is at a 16% occupancy rate, Slavonic said.

Although the Sallisaw home originally was intended to open next month, the likely opening date has been pushed back 18 months due to construction delays and cost overruns. The facility now is expected to open in early 2025.

The state is estimated to lose more than $9 million if the Talihina home remains open through 2024, Slavonic said in an interview Thursday.

Members of the Veterans Commission balked last week at the idea of having to ask the Oklahoma Legislature for additional funding next year after previously seeking $21.7 million in additional appropriations for the Sallisaw project and roughly $10 million more due to a budget shortfall at the agency.

Slavonic did not say when agency leaders will decide whether to move forward with the closure of the Talihina facility. He said the Legislature may be willing to appropriate additional funds to keep it open until the Sallisaw home is complete.

I dont know what lies ahead, Slavonic said. My crystal ball isnt that clear. But we want to do right by the veterans that are there and the employees.

Residents were offered the chance to move to any of the states six other veterans homes. The facilities closest to Talihina are located more than two hours away in Claremore and Sulphur.

About 84 state employees and 38 contract workers are employed at the Talihina veterans home, the towns second-largest employer.

Veterans Affairs officials estimate that closing the Talihina facility will cost about $3.9 million, much of which would go toward employee severance and other costs related to the reduction in workforce.

Sen. Warren Hamilton, a veteran whose district includes Talihina, said lawmakers are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to find a better solution.

I am confident that future plans will ensure that our veterans receive the care they need and that their lives are not unduly disrupted during this time of transition, Hamilton said in a news release.



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One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court stripped away our constitutional right to abortion care. Two months later, I stood before University of Tulsa law students teaching reproductive rights.

I reflect on a year of learning in post-Roe Oklahoma with and from my students.

This past year, I engaged with law students on Roe and Dobbs primarily in three settings: a small seminar, The Future of Reproductive Rights in a Post-Roe World; a larger, required class, Constitutional Law (individual rights); and as faculty adviser to the new Reproductive Rights Law Society.

My general sense is that the opinions of TU law students mirror overall national public opinion polls  approximately two-thirds believe that the right to abortion care should be protected to some extent, and one-third believe that the court correctly decided Dobbs and that the political branches in states like Oklahoma should be able to ban abortion.

Similar to students deciding where to attend college, many law students are factoring the local status of reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights in deciding where to launch their legal careers.

Yet, where the law students refreshingly differ from large swaths of the public is in their eager desire to sort fact from the fiction that proliferates in abortion-related narratives. Together we examined data and scientific research; we spoke with those who had had abortions, abortion care providers and advocates; we listened respectfully to each other; we opened up in personal, even vulnerable, ways.

Ultimately, we debunked myths and challenged each other to ground our disparate opinions in intellectually honest ways.

Myth 1: Who has an abortion in America?

As an initial assignment in the seminar, I asked students to read the Turnaway Study, a pre-Dobbs longitudinal data-rich analysis of the largely detrimental economic and health impacts of being denied timely access to abortion care, and Youre The Only One Ive Told, a New York-based abortion providers accounts of some of her patients abortion stories.

I then asked students to interview and tell the anonymous story of a person who had contemplated or had an abortion.

The students uniformly told beautifully gentle and empathetic stories that largely corroborated the quantitative and qualitative findings in the books I assigned. The prevailing mythology attributes abortions to the irresponsible teenager; the poor; the unwed; to those who choose not to use contraception,  to the other.

What the research shows and what students discovered first-hand was that the collective we  one in four women  have had abortions  from law student to lawyer; from the single woman to married with several children; from struggling immigrant to the affluent; from African American to Caucasian; from the Catholic to the atheist; from victims of physical and mental abuse to the coddled; from the contraception substitute to contraception failure; from teenager to the 40-something professional; from the highly educated to those without any sex education.

Myth 2: Women often regret their decision to have an abortion.

Relying on one questionable study, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kaczmaryk of the Northern District of Texas recently proclaimed in his mifepristone decision that an abortion often leads women to experience shame, regret, anxiety, depression, drug abuse and suicidal thoughts because of the abortion. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy voiced similar concerns in a 2007 case.

In studying 1,000 women over a 15-year period, the Turnaway Study casts much doubt on these judicial assertions. My students research supports the Turnaway Studys conclusions. Women who chose abortion care were intentional and deliberate; neither women who terminated pregnancies nor those who decided to carry to term regretted their decisions.

Myth 3: If you are anti-abortion, you are pro-life.

Strict abortion bans with the narrowest of exceptions force women to suffer life-threatening illnesses because the medically indicated treatment is an abortion.

In class we listened to harrowing stories of pregnant women teetering on the precipice of death; we read about Oklahoma health care providers sandwiched between vague law, sound medical training and hospital ethics boards; we visited with women who were leaving the state or putting off child-bearing because they believed it was too risky to be pregnant in Oklahoma; and we compared maternal mortality data and abortion data, concluding that abortion is significantly safer than childbirth.

Even those students who remained firm in their moral and/or religious opposition to abortion started to question the binaries that infuse our polarizing abortion rhetoric. Pro-life versus pro-choice. Anti-abortion versus pro-abortion. Bodily autonomy versus fetal personhood.

The abortion issue is complex, nuanced and ill-suited for politicized soundbites.

Myth 4: If you are a religious person, you are anti-abortion.

Rabbi Marc Fitzerman arrived in class, wearing his yarmulke, with a Torah selection from Exodus and accompanying Talmudic tractates in hand. Using these selections from Jewish law, he walked us through a religious argument in support of bodily autonomy and abortion rights.

The goal of this exercise was not to indoctrinate. It was simply to show that those who consider themselves of faith can hold divergent views on abortion and that to impose one view on others is to deny some of beliefs as deeply held as religious-based opposition to abortion.

For the students, this was a collective aha moment  one that teachers cherish.

Immediately before I sat down on June 24 to write this piece, I received an email from one of my seminar students who asked for comments on her rousing missive, Let Her Roar: One Womans Demand on the Constitution, Abortion, and What is a Woman.

As we enter the second year of post-Roe Oklahoma, this rising generation of advocates invigorates me with hope.

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Vietnam welcomed over 5.57 million international visitors in the first half of the year, reaching nearly 70 percent of its full-year target, according to data released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

South Korea was Vietnams biggest tourism source market from January to June, sending over 1.6 million travelers to the Southeast Asian nation.

Other major source markets included China, the United States, Malaysia, Japan, and Singapore.

In June alone, Vietnam received 975,010 international holidaymakers, up 6.4 percent month on month.

South Korea ranked first among Vietnams major source markets, followed by China, Taiwan, and the United States.

Da Nang City and Khanh Hoa Provinces Nha Trang City were the tourist destinations most sought-after by South Korean visitors.

Notably, the number of American travelers to Vietnam in June soared 52 percent month on month.

In the first half of the year, international tourists who came to Vietnam by air accounted for 86 percent of the total, compared to just 13 percent of foreign visitors entering the country on land.

During the six-month period, Vietnam served some 64 million domestic tourists, with an estimated 13.5 million locals taking vacations across the country in June.

The countrys tourism revenue was estimated at VND343.1 trillion (US$14.5 billion) between January and June.

Primary drivers of Vietnams inbound travel sector included the country being named as one of 10 ideal nations for remote work worldwide by Canadas The Travel magazine in June, as well as 103 restaurants and eateries in the country being honored by the Michelin Guide in early June.

Vietnam aims to serve about 110 million tourist visits, including some eight million international tourist arrivals, and earn about VND650 trillion ($27.5 billion) from tourism in 2023.

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Vietnamese conglomerate Truong Hai Group, founded by tycoon Tran Ba Duong, is considering bringing in an investor into its automobiles arm Thaco Auto in a deal that could value the unit at around $5 billion, two people familiar with the matter said.

Truong Hai Group is in talks with a financial advisor to explore the potential sale of a minority stake in Thaco Auto after receiving interests from regional financial investors and corporates, the sources said.

The group could be selling about 20% in Thaco Auto, one of the sources said. Deliberations were ongoing and no decisions have been made, the sources said, declining to be named as the matter is private.

Funds raised could be used to finance Truong Hai Group's properties projects, one of the sources said.

Thaco Auto, manufactures and distributes vehicles including passenger cars and motorcycles from brands ranging from KIA to BMW to its own Thaco brand of buses, according to its website. It has over 400 showrooms and service centers across the country and seven factories.

Truong Hai Group is also a developer of residential and commercial properties, including the over 1 million square metre urban project called Sala City in Ho Chi Minh City.

Troung Hai Group and Thaco Auto did not respond to requests seeking comment.

The potential deal comes at time when the Vietnamese government is aiming to boost localisation rates in its automotive sector and investments into the development of electric vehicles to become a regional hub for automobile production and exports.

Vietnam, home to a population of almost 100 million, still has foreign carmakers such as Toyota and Honda dominating its automotive sector but local brands such as VinFast and Thaco Auto are fast gaining prominence in part due to support from the government.

Founded in 1997 in Dong Nai province near Ho Chi Minh City, Truong Hai Group, formerly known as Truong Hai Auto Corp, started as a used vehicles trader and repairer, according to its website.

It later expanded to become a conglomerate with six businesses including automobiles, agricultural production, construction and logistics, its website shows.
A conference to foster trade and investment cooperation between Indian enterprises and Dong Thap in southern Vietnam kicked off in the Vietnamese province on Wednesday.

The two-day conference attracted over 130 Indian enterprises which had been seeking new cooperation opportunities in the province.

Vietnam and India share many similarities in terms of both culture and agricultural production, Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said, voicing his expectation that the event will create a breakthrough in collaboration between the two sides, especially in the processing of farm produce in Dong Thap.

In the 1960s, India was among the first countries to initiate the green revolution, turning itself into a country which took the initiative in [agricultural development]," Hoan said.

Given their science and technology, especially in agriculture, the two sides will deepen their cooperation in various sectors, including by enacting a plan to help Dong Thap join a project to develop one million hectares of high-quality rice paddies in the Mekong Delta [by 2030]."

Madan Mohan Sethi, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that India had constructed a rice bran oil and food processing plant worth millions of U.S. dollars in Dong Thap.

Vietnam has a strategic location and is one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world, but investment [in the country] remains modest and has mainly focused on the processing, manufacturing, power, and mining sectors," Sethi said.

At this conference, Indian and Vietnamese companies will study the cooperation potential in agricultural product and food processing, textiles and garments, chemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals.

Representatives of Indian enterprises visit a Vietnamese rice booth at the conference. Photo: Dang Tuyet / Tuoi Tre

Dong Thap Province has employed several strategies to attract investment, alleviate poverty, and ensure fast and sustainable development, Pham Thien Nghia, chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said on the sidelines of the conference.

The conference focuses on five sectors: agriculture, logistics, digital transformation, tourism, and infrastructure in industrial parks, all of which align with the provinces development orientations," Nghia added.

I believe that the Indian enterprises which have made investments in the province and those attending the conference will create a strong wave, making [Dong Thap] an attractive destination which will lead to progress in the Mekong Delta and the country as a whole."

Trade between Vietnam and India reached US$15.05 billion in 2022, up 13.1 percent year on year.

Of the total, Vietnam exported $7.96 billion worth of products to India, a 26.8 percent rise over 2021, according to data by the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The trade value between the two countries is forecast to amount to $20 billion by 2025.

As for Dong Thap alone, the provinces trade with India hit $18.13 million last year, nearly double the $9.68 million in trade it posted in 2016, reported news site Kinh Te & Do Thi (Economics & Urban Urban Affairs).

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Presumed human remains and debris from the tourist submersible crushed to pieces in an undersea implosion that killed all five people aboard were recovered from the ocean bottom and brought ashore to Canada on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The possible remains and shattered bits of the submersible Titan, destroyed while diving to the century-old wreck of the Titanic, were carried to St. John's, Newfoundland, about 400 miles (650km) north of the accident site, by the Canadian-flagged vessel Horizon Arctic, according to the Coast Guard.

The evidence will be transported by a Coast Guard cutter to a U.S. port for analysis and testing by a marine board of investigation, convened by the Guard this week to conduct a formal inquiry into the loss of the Titan, the agency said.

U.S. medical professionals also "will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident," the Coast Guard statement added.

The nature and extent of the possible remains recovered from the site were not specified.

Video from the Canadian Broadcast Corp showed what appeared to be the nose of the submersible and other shattered fragments wrapped in white tarp pulled up by a crane from the deck of the Horizon Arctic on Wednesday morning.

Footage also showed a shattered piece of the Titan's hull and machinery with dangling wires being taken off the ship at St. John's, where the expedition to the Titanic had begun.

Examination of the debris is expected to shed more light on the cause of the catastrophic implosion that shattered the Titan earlier this month as the 22-foot vessel carried five people on a voyage to the Titanic shipwreck in the North Atlantic.

A view of the Horizon Arctic ship, as salvaged pieces of the Titan submersible from OceanGate Expeditions are returned, in St. John's harbour, Newfoundland, Canada June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters

Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB), conducting its own inquiry, said its investigators had completed preliminary interviews with the crew of Titan's Canadian-flagged surface support vessel, Polar Prince, and seized that ship's voyage data recorder.

The TSB also said it had "inspected, documented and cataloged" all the materials recovered from the accident site before they were turned over to U.S. authorities.

Fragments of the submersible, which had lost contact with Polar Prince about one hour and 45 minutes into a two-hour descent on June 18, were found littering the seabed about 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic wreck four days later.

The discovery by a robotic deep-sea diving vehicle scrounging the ocean floor more than 2 miles (3km) down ended a multinational search that captured worldwide media attention and sealed the fate of the five people aboard.

A view of the Horizon Arctic ship, as salvaged pieces of the Titan submersible from OceanGate Expeditions are returned, in St. John's harbour, Newfoundland, Canada June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters

Among the dead was Stockton Rush, the submersible pilot and CEO of U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions, which owned and operated the Titan. Also killed were the British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58; Pakistani-born businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman; and 77-year-old French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

The accident has raised questions about the unregulated nature of such expeditions and the decision by OceanGate to forego third-party industry review and certification of Titan's novel design.

"Our team has successfully completed off-shore operations, but is still on mission and will be in the process of demobilization from the Horizon Arctic this morning," Pelagic Research, which operates a robotic vehicle used in recovering the debris, said in a statement.

A view of the Horizon Arctic ship, as salvaged pieces of the Titan submersible from OceanGate Expeditions are returned, in St. John's harbour, Newfoundland, Canada June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters

A view of the Horizon Arctic ship, as salvaged pieces of the Titan submersible from OceanGate Expeditions are returned, in St. John's harbour, Newfoundland, Canada June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters
(Photo : MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian President Vladimir Putins goons are reportedly interrogating General Armageddon for supporting the Wagner chiefs failed mutiny.



Russian President Vladimir Putin's goons are "interrogating" an officer known as "General Armageddon" after the United States alleged he supported Prigozhin's doomed Wagner uprising.

General Sergei Surovikin was reportedly being interrogated in connection with a conspiracy to depose defense minister Sergei Shoigu and had advanced knowledge of the armed revolt that threatened Vladimir Putin's regime over the weekend.

Russia Detains Former Top Commander

Surovikin, who is 56 years old, is the second-in-command of the Russian military. He has known ties to the Wagner mercenary army commander, 'coup leader' Yevgeny Prigozhin.

US officials briefed on American intelligence say a senior Russian general was aware of Prigozhin's plans to rebel against Shoigu and chief of the armed forces General Valery Gerasimov over failures in the conflict against Ukraine.

According to sources within the Defense Department, Surovikin has been arrested, the Moscow Times reported later. However, according to the source, the situation's specifics are not extensively discussed internally, and the department has not yet issued an official statement.

Per Daily Mail, this general is suspected to be Surovikin, a notoriously ruthless commander who has historically been characterized as one of the more "Wagner-friendly" Russian military leaders.

Experts have cautioned that the United States has a vested interest in undermining Surovikin, who is regarded as highly competent and ruthless, with the disclosures causing more chaos for the Kremlin during the Ukrainian conflict.

According to the well-connected pro-war Rybar Telegram channel, Surovikin "has not been seen since Saturday." In a separate report, it was stated that Putin was too afraid to dismiss his "extremely hazardous" defense minister because he feared him as a direct rival.

The weakened dictator eventually put an end to the armed uprising that targeted Shoigu for his failures in the conflict over the weekend. VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, citing an insider source, reported that Putin could not consent to Prigozhin's demand to dismiss the 68-year-old defense minister due to Shoigu's appeal among senior officials.

Shoigu has been in the Russian government longer than Putin and is aware of where the corpses are interred.

Read Also: WATCH: France Protests Flare Up, 77 Arrested as Nael M's Death Sparks Fury in Parisian Suburbs

Lukashenko Persuades Putin Not to 'Wipe Out' Wagner Chief

Per The Independent, the defense ministry has not yet issued an official statement regarding the alleged detention of 'General Armageddon,' who has not been seen in public since last Saturday when Wagner's commander launched an armed rebellion against Vladimir Putin.

In response to what the Kremlin characterized as a mutiny, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said he persuaded Vladimir Putin not to "wipe out" the Wagner mercenary commander.

In describing his conversation with Putin on Saturday, the Belarusian president used the Russian criminal vernacular term for murder, which is equivalent to the English phrase "to wipe out."

According to Ukrainian authorities, twin girls and a child are among the 12 persons slain by a supersonic Iskander missile strike on a restaurant in the city of Kramatorsk. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko asserts he persuaded Vladimir Putin not to "eradicate" mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin during last weekend's brief mutiny.

Putin initially swore to suppress the mutiny, but hours later, an agreement was reached to enable the Wagner leader and some of his fighters to travel to Belarus, where he landed on Tuesday.

Lukashenko, an old ally of Prigozhin and a close ally of Putin, asserted that he had advised the Russian president to think "beyond our own noses" and warned that Prigozhin's death could spark a widespread revolt among his fighters, adding that his own army could benefit from the experience of Wagner troops.

Related Article: ISIS Leader Killed in Airstrike After Iraq Hideout Bombed by Special Forces

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SEOUL -- South Korean shoppers are snapping up sea salt and other items as worry grows about their safety with Japan due to dump more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from a wrecked nuclear power plant into the sea.

The water was mainly used to cool damaged reactors at the Fukushima power plant north of Tokyo, after it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

The release of the water from huge storage tanks into the Pacific is expected soon though no date has been set.

Japan has given repeated assurances that the water is safe, saying it has been filtered to remove most isotopes though it does contain traces of tritium, an isotope of hydrogen hard to separate from water.

Sea products such as sea salt, dried seaweed and fish are displayed on the ground of Lee Young-min's house in Seongnam, South Korea, June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters

But fishermen and shoppers in Japan and across the region are afraid.

"I recently bought 5 kilograms of salt," Lee Young-min, a 38-year-old mother of two children, said as she made seaweed soup in her kitchen in Seongnam, just south of the South Korean capital, Seoul.

She said she had never bought so much salt before but felt she had to do what she could to protect her family.

"As a mother raising two children, I can't just sit back and do nothing. I want to feed them safely."

The rush to stock up contributed to a nearly 27 percent rise in the price of salt in South Korea in June from two months ago, though officials say the weather and lower production were also to blame.

In response, the government is releasing about 50 metric tons of salt a day from stocks, at a 20 percent discount from market prices, until July 11, Vice Fisheries Minister Song Sang-keun said on Wednesday.

South Korean fisheries authorities say they will keep a close eye on salt farms for any rise in radioactivity. South Korea has banned seafood from the waters near Fukushima, on Japan's east coast.

China has also criticised Japan's plan to release the water, accusing it of a lack of transparency and saying it poses a threat to the marine environment and the health of people around the world.

Japan says it has provided detailed and science-backed explanations of its plan to neighbours.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said last week Japan was seeing increasing understanding on the issue though that was not so apparent in Seoul shops this week.

"I came to buy salt but there's none left," said 73-year-old Kim Myung-ok standing by empty supermarket shelves. "There was none the last time I came too."

"The release of water is worrying. We're old and have lived enough but I worry about the children."

Lee Young-Min and her children pose for photographs during an interview with Reuters in Seongnam, South Korea, June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters

Lee Young-Min, 38, makes a seafood soup for her children at her house in Seongnam, South Korea, June 28, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Catch up on the news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- Dozens of households in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City were evacuated after land collapse stretching 120 meters occurred at an embankment of Thanh Da Canal on Monday.

-- A suspected bomb went off in Vietnams Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on Wednesday, leaving a 63-year-old man dead with his mangled body, said officials.

-- Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City said on Wednesday that it had rescued a 30-year-old man in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province after he was bitten by a king cobra while traveling to the forest to collect honey from bees.

-- Two fishermen were found dead in the storage chamber of a fishing boat that docked at the La Gi port in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam two weeks after being offshore. They were suspected to suffer asphyxiation.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health recorded 779 new cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease between June 19 and 25, rocketing 116.2 percent against the average of the preceding four weeks.

Tourism

-- Vietnam welcomed over 5.5 million international visitors in the first half of the year, reaching nearly 70 percent of the full-year target, according to data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

-- Khanh Hoa Province in south-central Vietnam will organize an international drone light competition within the framework of the Nha Trang Beach Tourism Festival in June 2024 in an attempt to build a unique tourism brand for the province, vice-chairman of the Khanh Hoa Peoples Committee Dinh Van Thieu said on Wednesday.

Lifestyle

-- The 15th Vietnam International Fashion Week will kick off in the Stadium of Military Zone No. 7 in Phu Nhuan District under Ho Chi Minh City on July 13, featuring many domestic and international designers.

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The New Zealand Embassy in Vietnam, in partnership with UNICEF, has donated medical equipment worth more than US$600,000 to Vietnam in order to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The equipment, supported by New Zealands International Development Cooperation program and delivered through UNICEF, was handed over to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi at a ceremony held on Wednesday, the embassy said in a press release issued with UNICEF the same day.

The donated medical devices include a hematology analyzer, a coagulation analyzer, an immunoassay analyzer system, a biochemistry analyzer, and an automated DNA/RNA extraction machine.

The donation aims to support Vietnam as it strengthens the capacity of its healthcare system in order to effectively diagnose and treat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The equipment, valued at NZ$1 million (nearly $608,000), was donated under a NZ$2 million pledge to contribute to Vietnams recovery from the pandemic.

The remaining NZ$1 million is intended for community-level economic recovery support through CARE International and Oxfam in Vietnam.

Addressing the ceremony, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a strong blow to health systems worldwide, including Vietnam, prompting the need to build healthcare systems that are stronger and more resilient in order to better prepare for future pandemics.

The ambassador hoped the new medical equipment would help the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, which had been at the forefront of the pandemic, increase its capacity to more effectively respond to future outbreaks and provide better care and treatment for patients.

Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative in Vietnam, stressed that the pandemic has highlighted the significance of planning for health crises and ensuring a strong healthcare system that can better deal with outbreaks.

Flowers also noted that it is an honor for UNICEF to collaborate with the government of New Zealand in order to further enhance the capacity of Vietnams health system.

The pandemic started hitting Vietnam in early 2020 and has caused more than 43,200 deaths, accounting for 0.4 percent of total infections, the Ministry of Health reported. The country has lived with the virus since October 2021 and already downgraded COVID-19 to the level of seasonal influenza. On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for COVID-19, more than three years after its original declaration. To date, the pandemic has claimed more than 6.9 million lives and affected the health of more than 765 million others around the world, according to the WHO.

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A Vietjet Air plane en route from South Koreas Incheon to Vietnams Phu Quoc made an unscheduled yet safe landing at a Philippine airport on Wednesday morning after experiencing a technical issue warning.

Neither passengers nor cabin crew members aboard the flight were hurt, a Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday afternoon.

The VJ975 Flight carrying 214 passengers departed from Incheon City for the Vietnamese island city of Phu Quoc at 11:43 pm on Tuesday, said the CAAV official.

After being notified of a technical issue warning, the pilot diverted the plane to Iaoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte Province of the Philippines.

The aircraft made a safe landing at the Philippine airport at 4:20 am on Wednesday, approximately four hours after departure.

The CAAV official said that the pilot had handled the unexpected situation properly and in a way that posed no risk of danger to people and the aircraft.

Vietjet then dispatched a replacement aircraft to the Philippines to transport the passengers to Phu Quoc on Wednesday.

The carrier has already reported the issue to CAAV, as per prevailing regulations.

The national aviation authority is working to clarify the technical issue, said the CAAV representative.

As the plane in charge of operating the VJ975 Flight had to make the unscheduled landing, there was a domino effect that caused issues for some other Vietjet flights.

Passengers affected by delays will recieve support from the carrier.

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Police in Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam are investigating a face-to-face meeting held at a restaurant in the province's Tu Son City where more than 1,500 attendees showed up to discuss the Pi cryptocurrency.

The event was named 'Vietnam GCV 314.159.'

Photos of guests donning purple shirts with the Pi logo spread across social media in Vietnam.

According to reports, these guests each paid VND390,000 (US$16.5) for a ticket to the event.

Some members of the meeting organizer and attendees were reported to exchange motorbikes, refrigerators, televisions, and washing machines for the Pi cryptocurrency there.

The venue of the Pi meeting in Tu Son City, Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Giang Son / Tuoi Tre

Pursuant to the Vietnamese government's Decree 80/2016, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not legal means of payment in Vietnam.

The issuance, supply, and use of virtual currencies for payment are banned in the country, said Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the State Bank of Vietnam.

The central bank has repeatedly affirmed that virtual currencies are not legal.

If someone supplies and uses cryptocurrencies, they violate the law and will be subject to sanctions, Minh added.

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The administration of Khanh Hoa Province in south-central Vietnam has given the go-ahead for an international drone light competition to be held in the province.

Vice-chairman of the Khanh Hoa Peoples Committee Dinh Van Thieu said on Wednesday that the province would organize an international drone light contest within the framework of the Nha Trang Beach Tourism Festival in June 2024.

As per a proposal made by the provincial Department of Tourism and other relevant units, the competition will feature the participation of up to eight teams from China, South Korea, India, and Vietnam.

Drone light shows will take place on the beaches in Nha Trang and Cam Ranh on four Friday evenings during the festival.

Each show will last 15 minutes.

The idea of incorporating a drone light show contest into the provinces tourism brand follows in the footsteps of successful drone light performances at the Nha Trang  Khanh Hoa beach festival 2023, from June 3 to 6, said the provincial department.

Over 1,650 drones lit up the sky over Nha Trang Bay during the 2023 festival, drawing attention from millions of people in Vietnam and abroad.

The drone light show was one of the highlights of this years festival in Khanh Hoa Province, and was a new program within the event.

The international drone light competition is expected to contribute to diversifying Khanh Hoas tourism products and attracting more travelers to the south-central province.

A drone light display at the Nha Trang  Khanh Hoa beach festival 2023. Photo: Thuc Nghi / Tuoi Tre

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Mondays Four Corners sees Putin and the Presidents a report from PBS Frontline.

A week after the Wagner rebellion exposed cracks in Russian President Valdimir Putins power, Four Corners investigates his decades long clashes with American presidents.

Drawing on in-depth conversations with insiders from five U.S. presidential administrations, former U.S. intelligence leaders, diplomats, Russian politicians, authors and journalists, the documentary reveals how the miscalculations and missteps of multiple American presidents over two decades paved the way for Putins attack on Ukraine  as seen through the eyes of people who were in the room.

From acclaimed Frontline filmmaker Michael Kirk and his award-winning team, Putin and the Presidents traces how, prior to launching the war on Ukraine, Putin tested the waters by provoking and defying American presidents for 20 years  cyberattacking Estonia, invading Georgia, seizing Crimea, and interfering in a U.S. presidential election.

The report provides unique insight into the icy relationship between Putin and current U.S. President Joe Biden, and into the evolution of Putins grievances with the U.S. and the West.

As the war on Ukraine continues, Putin and the Presidents gives essential context for this historic moment.

Monday 3rd July at 8.30pm on ABC.
The legal spat between former Network 10 political editor Peter van Onselen and the broadcaster headed to the NSW Supreme Court today.

The saga arose after van Onselen penned an article in The Australian on the networks business outlook, including the parent company Paramount.

But 10 is suing over a breach of his exit contract, with PVO having departed the network in March to return to academia.

Today his high-profile lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, argued the non-disparagement clause was overbearing.

She suggested PVO would technically be in contempt of court if he was dissatisfied with his Paramount+ subscription and wrote an email of complaint.

It puts him in breach if he says to his mates at the pub Im surprised Network 10 purchased that program, its not a good program, Ms Chrysanthou said.

It is a lifetime order being sought against a person whose profession it is to talk, and only being able to speak about Network 10 for his entire life in glowing terms would affect his legitimacy and professionalism as a commentator and as an academic.

Justice David Hammerschlag asked, Well then why did he sign it? This is a contract case.

Paramount human resources executive Anthony McDonald also said he could not recall a conversation he had during Dr van Onselens redundancy negotiations.

The court was told Mr van Onselen said in a phone interview with Paramount vice-president of human resources Anthony McDonald: I assume the deed doesnt shut down my right to talk about the network forever.

If the CEO f***ed a goat and everyone was piling on, I would be able to?

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Mr McDonald allegedly replied: Yeah, of course mate.

Mr McDonald told the court he did not remember the conversation and said it had not happened.

The court was told the summons would even prohibit Mr van Onselen from negatively commentating on Paramounts international employees, including the tea lady in New York.

This summons is a lifetime order against a person whose profession it is to talk and to talk about politics and the media, Ms Chrysanthou said.

This order would mean my client would have to ensure that when he is criticising other media, he doesnt criticise Network 10  one of the few free-to-air TV stations.

During cross-examination via video link van Onselen admitted he did not read the final version of the deed of release.

If the deed is different to the way I interpreted it in relation to the non-disparagement clause, then yes  I was putting myself in the hands of my lawyer, he said.

Van Onselen has agreed not to disparage or ridicule the Network or its staff until the case is over. He is currently visiting the Amalfi Coast.

Separately, 10 is also fighting an employment case with reporter Tegan George, and denies her workplace claims raised regarding Van Onselen.

Source: Perth Now, news.com.au

Updated.
Seven network is expected to fight an application for third-party costs in relation to Nine newspapers articles around war veteran and former Seven executive, Ben Roberts-Smith.

Earlier this month the Federal Court ruled some of the imputations put forward across six articles by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times were found to be substantially true.

The case is expected to have cost $25 million in legal fees.

In the Federal Court today it was revealed Roberts-Smith had agreed to pay the costs of the failed case in an indemnity basis from 2020.

Mr Roberts-Smith accepts he should pay costs of the proceedings  but it remains in dispute whether he pays prior to March 17, 2020, on an indemnity basis, Nines barrister, Nicholas Owens SC said.

Indemnity costs cover a higher proportion of the successful partys legal costs than a standard costs order, and are awarded in exceptional circumstances.

Seven West Media and Chairman Kerry Stokes, are expected to fight the application after funding the case in its early days before it was transferred to a loan from Australian Capital Equity, which Mr Stokes also owns.

The court heard ACE and Seven Network Operations Limited disputed the claim that they should be liable for any of Nines legal costs.

The newspapers have asked the Seven Network to pay costs up to June 23, 2020, when the loan agreement was in place, and then ACE to pay the costs from June 24, 2020.

Roberts-Smiths barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, asked for the evidence about costs to be delayed until after the deadline for an appeal expired on July 12.

Roberts-Smith resigned as General Manager of Seven Queensland the day after the court found the newspapers had proved three murders that were the subject of the stories and another one besides, as well as the act of bullying. An allegation of domestic violence was not proven.

Source: The Australian, The Age
Nations in the European Union and EU parliamentarians reached an agreement on statutes on Tuesday, June 27, that would regulate how Big Tech and other firms use personal and business data from European citizens.

As part of a suite of bills aiming at limiting the influence of US internet firms, the European Commission proposed the Data Act last year to encompass data created in smart devices, machines, and consumer items.

Reuters reported that after former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden exposed widespread American spying in 2013, EU worries over data flows increased.

Negotiations for the deal lasted for seven hours.

Thierry Breton, EU industry director, said in a tweet, "Tonight's agreement on the Data Act is a milestone in reshaping the digital space...we are on the way to a thriving EU data economy that is innovative and open - on our conditions."

Power to Choose How the Linked Device Data Is Utilized

Previously, it was difficult to duplicate or transfer data across services, but the new law makes it easier for both consumers and companies to manage the data produced by smart objects, machines, and gadgets.

According to the Commission, via The Next Web's report, the new law will give consumers and businesses a voice deciding how their data from connected devices will be used. Access to and sharing of data created by smart objects, machines, and devices are key components of this measure.

The Act facilitates the transition to alternative data processing service providers, establishes protections against the unauthorized transfer of data by cloud service suppliers, and mandates the creation of interoperability standards to facilitate the reuse of data across industries.

To avoid being forced to disclose data with third parties for aftermarket or other data-driven services, manufacturers toned down an effort to compel them to do so. Fears about trade secret breaches have been expressed by both Siemens and SAP.

Such data-sharing requests may be denied under the new rule if the operator stands to suffer "serious and irreparable economic losses," which would threaten the company's ability to stay in business.

Also Read: Oregon Passes Ban on TikTok, Other Chinese Apps on State Government Devices

Should Europeans Put Their Faith in This Law?

However, Representative Damian Boeselager said that this constituted a loophole that may be exploited by fraudulent businesses. "I find this deeply concerning. But at least a national authority can review and annul such a unilateral decision by the operator in a timely manner."

Lobbying organization Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) has voiced concerns about the Act's scope.

"We have ongoing concerns regarding the Act's broad and ambiguous approach to data sharing, including on the expansion of the products and services originally in scope and the safeguards for trade secrets protection, as well as the rules impacting international transfers of non-personal data," director general for Europe, Guido Lobrano, remarked.

Also Read: Meta to Remove News from Canadian Facebook, Instagram Over New Media Bill

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Preparations for the return of devolved government in Northern Ireland are being discussed but it hinges on a response from the UK government, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The DUP leader said he is hopeful that solutions can be found but added he does not take that for granted.

The Stormont Assembly has been in flux for more than a year amid DUP protest action over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Sir Jeffrey said he has put proposals to the UK government around the Windsor Framework and awaits their response.

His comments came as the Stormont parties took part in their weekly meetings with the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady.

I am deeply disappointed to be legislating for a budget for NI in the absence of an Executive.  The NI parties need to get back into an Executive so that spending decisions flowing from the budget allocations can be taken by locally elected politicians.https://t.co/FRItiMW1QQ  Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) June 29, 2023

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris tweeted that he is deeply disappointed to be setting a budget for Northern Ireland in the absence of devolved government.

The NI parties need to get back into an Executive so that spending decisions flowing from the budget allocations can be taken by locally elected politicians, he tweeted.

Sir Jeffrey said they had a useful conversation about the preparations for the return of devolved government.

He said topics included budgetary pressures, what key elements might form a future programme for government and what the priority areas will be.

Were content to continue engaging in those kind of conversations and doing some ground work now so that if and when an Executive is restored we can hit the ground running in terms of tackling issues that need to be prioritised, he said.

Obviously none of this means that the restoration of devolution is inevitable  that requires the Government now to respond to the concerns that we have raised with them about what we feel are shortcomings in the Windsor Framework in relation to the UK internal market, the management and operation of the UK internal market. So were waiting on the Government to come back to us and respond to those concerns and to the specific proposals we have put to them.

Asked for a potential timescale for Stormont returning, Sir Jeffrey said: I see no reason why we cant in the next few weeks make real progress.

The timetable is outside our gift, its really down to the Government now to respond to the issues we have put forward. That in some parts will require legislation and hopefully that legislation can be brought before Parliament quickly.

The DUP leader also said that in parallel with the party leaders conversations with Ms Brady, it is important to engage at a political level.

The DUP is certainly up for those conversations with the other parties about the political decisions that will need to be taken early on in the process of restoring devolution, he said. But were very clear, none of this suggests that there is an inevitability about that. We need to resolve the outstanding issues related to the protocol and the Windsor Framework, he said.

Sir Jeffrey said he is hopeful they can get resolutions that enable the restoration of our Executive and Assembly.

But I dont take that for granted, he added.
The return of devolved government in Northern Ireland is not inevitable and depends on how the UK Government responds to DUP concerns about the Windsor Framework, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The DUP leader was speaking as party leaders held a meeting at Stormont Castle to discussion preparations for the restoration of the Assembly.

But Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said the discussions would only have value when the DUP took the decision to bring back the powersharing institutions.

The Stormont Assembly has been in flux for more than a year amid DUP protest action over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Windsor Framework was agreed by the EU and UK earlier this year as a way to reduce red tape on trade between GB and NI.

But the DUP has insisted it will not return to Stormont until the Government provides further legislative assurances around Northern Irelands place within the UK internal market.

Speaking following the weekly leaders meeting with the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, Sir Jeffrey said he has put proposals in a paper to the UK government around the framework and awaits their response.

He said there had been a useful conversation about the preparations for the return of devolved government.

Were content to continue engaging in those kind of conversations and doing some ground work now so that if and when an Executive is restored we can hit the ground running in terms of tackling issues that need to be prioritised, he said.

Obviously none of this means that the restoration of devolution is inevitable  that requires the Government now to respond to the concerns that we have raised with them about what we feel are shortcomings in the Windsor Framework in relation to the UK internal market, the management and operation of the UK internal market.

So were waiting on the Government to come back to us and respond to those concerns and to the specific proposals we have put to them.

Asked for a potential timescale for Stormont returning, Sir Jeffrey said: I see no reason why we cant in the next few weeks make real progress.

The timetable is outside our gift, its really down to the Government now to respond to the issues we have put forward.

That in some parts will require legislation and hopefully that legislation can be brought before Parliament quickly.

Sinn Feins Conor Murphy arriving at Stormont Castle in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Murphy said the discussions had focused on the formation of an executive and budgetary issues.

He added: These will only have any value if we actually take a decision to have an executive back in place, that is the conversation we want to be having.

While these discussions are useful preparation, the real discussion will only take place when the DUP signal they are intending to return to the executive.

Mr Murphy added: There is one party leader has a decision to take. We have heard about the five point plan, the eight-person panel, the seven tests, we now have an 18-page document.

There is one decision to be taken, that people who are waiting on cancer treatments and other medical services, people who are trying to get their kids through special education programmes, there is one decision that they want to hear from Jeffrey Donaldson, that is that he is going to lead from the front and actually listen to the public and take a decision to go back into government.

Alliance Party Andrew Muir (left) and Stephen Farry arriving at Stormont Castle in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said the meeting had included discussions about a potential request to the UK Government about a financial package for Northern Ireland.

He added: This phase of the process is coming to an end but we dont really have a political process to take this forward.

That is a source of massive frustration, not just for us, but I daresay for the people of Northern Ireland who want to see a government in place.

We have to have a negotiation with the UK Government, that would be best done from a sitting executive, or in the teeth of a restored executive.

Mr Farry warned that the situation should not be allowed to drift over the summer.

UUP leader Doug Beattie arriving at Stormont Castle (Liam McBurney/PA)

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said: We are really moving on to now where the political decisions can be made.

A lot of work has been done here by the civil service on things like the programme for government, the deficit in our finances.

But we are now in a place where we are going to have to make political decisions and that is going to take political leaders getting in a room together and making those decisions.

That is the direction we are now moving, and that is likely to take place over the next number of weeks and months to try and get something in place before we have the investment conference in September.
The Court of Appeal found that the $140 million arrangement with Rwanda was illegal, determining that it was not a secure place to accommodate British asylum seekers.

The administration lost the most recent round of the protracted judicial struggle regarding the plan to forcibly deport asylum seekers to the African country. Flights will continue to be canceled before an expected battle at the UK Supreme Court, as reported by The Independent.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) supported asylum seekers who had been chosen for deportation in their appeal, and the Court of Appeal upheld their claim on the basis of Rwanda's safety while rejecting other defenses.

The High Court's ruling that Rwanda is a safe third nation has been overturned, according to the departing Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett. He said that removing refugees to Rwanda would be illegal until the flaws in its asylum procedures were fixed.

The verdict, which has already resulted in Kigali paying 140 million and the government spending more than 1 million on legal fees, "implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy," he claimed.

The Rwanda Plan

The Rwanda plan is a key component of Rishi Sunak's commitment to end small boat crossings and a crucial tenet of the new Illegal Migration Bill, which intends to detain and deport all small boat migrants without considering their requests for asylum.

No flights would depart for Kigali until legal disputes were settled, which would take many more months if the issue was appealed to the Supreme Court, the prime minister earlier informed parliament. The government presently lacks "third countries" to transfer asylum applicants to without the Rwanda agreement.

(Photo: by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 19: Steve Crawshaw of Freedom From Torture speaks to journalists outside the Royal Courts of Justice after the ruling on deportations to Rwanda on December 19, 2022, in London, England.

A group of asylum seekers contested the Rwandan policy on eight grounds, contending that it amounted to an illegal "penalty" because it penalized refugees for boarding small boats.

Lawyers for the Asylum Aid charity unsuccessfully argued that the method used to choose participants in the program and provide them with the chance to avoid deportation is illegal.

The UNHCR joined the conflict and informed the Court of Appeal that the safeguards in the agreement Priti Patel signed in April 2022 "do not exist or have never been used" and that, in its experience, Rwanda has never treated asylum seekers in the manners promised.

After the High Court had determined in December that the Rwanda contract was legal, Lord Burnett reexamined the case with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill.

Read also: 'Hotel Rwanda' Hero: Paul Rusesabagina Freed From Detainment

Is Rwanda Really a Secure Place for Asylum?

They couldn't agree on whether Rwanda was a secure place to host asylum seekers, and the Lord Chief Justice dissented from the majority decision.

There are "substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they faced persecution or other inhumane treatment, when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum," according to the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, and Lord Justice Underhill.

Related article: Illegal Migrants Commit Crimes 'Very Quickly' After Arriving in the UK, Suella Braverman Claims

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HA NOI  Digital transformation is an inevitable process for food processing firms, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to improve production and management efficiency, said experts.

This is especially true given the importance of the food processing and distribution industries in connecting both input and output sources of the supply chain.

The Vietnamese food processing industry plays a vital role in the growth of the countrys industry, with the index of Industrial Production (IPP) growing at a rate of 7 per cent each year on average during 2016-20, according to the General Statistics Office of Viet Nam.

The 2022 report of EMIS, an international organisation specialising in research and data, showed that the global processed food market is estimated to achieve a compound growth rate of 3.8 per cent during the period of 2023-28.

The growth trend is also expected to be seen in Viet Nams market as the Government considers it a priority industry for development in order to raise the output and export value of domestic agricultural products and processed foods.

Applying new technology and boosting digital transformation are key strategic plans to strengthen the food processing sectors position and increase competitive advantages over other markets.

The Enterprise Development Agency under the Ministry of Plans and Investment (MPI), in collaboration with the Centre for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), released a handbook yesterday to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food processing and distribution industry digitalise effectively.

Nguyen uc Chung, Deputy Director of the Enterprise Development Agency, said that the handbook provides an overview and guidelines for SMEs to apply digital technology in food processing and distribution.

It provides an effective roadmap to apply digital technology at different levels, associated with production and business goals and the existing resources of enterprises.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Quoc Toan, Director of the Centre for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics, said that in the current climate, enterprises that carry out digital transformation can take advantage of increased opportunities. And SMEs have to find key points in the digital transformation process to create value for products in a closed chain.

The guidebook provides technical solutions that are effectively applied to different stages in the value chain of firms based on the features of the food processing and distribution sectors.

Depending on the business's potential, technological solutions might be implemented sequentially or concurrently.

Businesses should prioritise two solutions for early deployment: multi-channel sales solutions and traceability to boost income and connections in the chain.

On the other hand, Nguyen Viet Long, the programmes expert, noted that there are factors that businesses must consider when developing a digital transformation plan, including compliance with state regulations and export market standards, market expansion and customer attraction, and cost optimisation.

While implementing digital transformation, businesses must also be conscious of strict rules from key export markets throughout the world connected to the environment, society, and governance (ESG).  VNS
HCM CITY  Truong Hai Automobile Joint Stock Company is planning to sell a 10 per cent stake in its subsidiary, THACO AUTO.

Nguyen Hung Minh, deputy chairman of THACOs board of directors, said on June 28 that Thaco and its financial adviser HCM City Securities Corporation are working on a plan to sell the stake to strategic investors.

Meanwhile, THACO's ESOP issued in 2018 will be converted into shares to transform THACO AUTO into a public joint stock company that will be listed in the market within the next three years.

The money raised by selling the 10 per cent stake will be used to fund THACO AUTOs production and business operations, retail network expansion and product development.

Some Vietnamese and foreign investors are in discussions with THACO to negotiate the deal, and sale is expected to be completed this year.

Responding to information that THACO has a truck factory in the northern province of Hung Yen, Minh said it is incorrect and all of its production activities take place in the Chu Lai - Truong Hai Industrial Complex in the central province of Quang Nam.  VNS
HA NOI  Techcombank is supporting the 7th Singapore Regional Business Forum (SRBF) to mark the 50th anniversary of the bilateral relationship and 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between Singapore and Viet Nam.

That was the remark made by Mr. Jens Lottner, CEO of Techcombank, at a virtual press conference held yesterday to provide information about the SRBF.

The forum, with this year's theme of 'Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Sustainable Growth', is scheduled to take place in Ha Noi on July 7. Techcombank is honoured to be one of its two Platinum Sponsors.

In its role as a Platinum Sponsor, Techcombank aims to elevate its status as a leading, pioneering, private bank in Viet Nam as well as a rising star in Asia, with a clear vision to 'Change Banking, Change Lives' and lead the transformation of the countrys financial industry. This is executed through a three-pillared strategy based on Digital, Data, and Talent.

As part of its Digital and Data pillars, the bank continues to invest in even more cutting-edge digital platforms and cloud transformation initiatives, enabling it to deliver a bespoke banking experience and cultivate partnership-led growth.

The whole customer journey with Techcombank will be digitalised and the interactive customer experience will be personalised in real-time across digital and offline touchpoints. Underpinning Techcombanks growth journey has been numerous collaborations and partnerships across the region, allowing the bank to achieve its goals and realise its vision.

Focusing on enhancing the experience of Techcombanks employees as well as constant training and upskilling are hugely important parts of Techcombanks Talent pillar.

In 2022, Techcombank employees received nearly 900,000 hours of training  equivalent to 70 hours per employee  through virtual classrooms, e-learning, and in-class sessions. Techcombank also made further investments into the data and digital capabilities of its people via a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which resulted in 2,800 employees receiving advanced training in Cloud technology and validating approximately 250 different certifications from AWS.

Techcombank was also the first Vietnamese bank to organise overseas talent roadshows in Singapore, London, San Francisco, and Sydney, which allowed banks to engage Vietnamese talent with unique international experiences.

As we approach our own 30th anniversary since founding, we are reflecting on the greatness weve achieved together while focusing on our mission to lead the transformation of the Vietnamese banking industry, as well as being a pioneer for the wider region. Working with our partners, we can encourage innovation, share knowledge and constantly push new boundaries to achieve our goals. We look forward to all we can achieve together, said the CEO.

Supporting the strategic progress of Techcombank are several landmark transactions, which contributed to its new records in Viet Nam. In November 2022, the bank completed a loan guarantee transaction for Vinfast Singapore, enabling the company to access international lending, which was arranged by a major international lender and had a total value of US$300 million.

This was the first time the bank guaranteed a transaction for an overseas company, and it was also the largest guarantee transaction in the market in 2022.

Earlier, in June 2022, Techcombank successfully concluded a landmark $1 billion syndicated loan facility, setting another milestone in its offshore fundraising activity. This facility marked Techcombanks third entry into the offshore loan syndication market, following its inaugural $500 million transaction in 2020 and $800 million financing in 2021.

This year, Techcombank will be celebrating its 30th anniversary following its establishment in 1993, a year when Viet Nam transitioned towards a more market-oriented economy.

Pioneering the journey of digital transformation and constantly improving to provide effective solutions to customers has made Techcombank the only representative of Viet Nam to be honored by Financial Asia as 'Best Bank in Vietnam 2023'.

The prestigious magazine The Asian Banker (TAB) also gives the best suggestions for businesses to choose Techcombank since the bank is 'the Best Collection Management solution via Virtual Account in Asia Pacific', 'Best Payment Bank in Vietnam' for three consecutive years, and 'Best Supply Chain Financing Bank in Vietnam 2022'.

The 7th SRBF is held amidst a challenging context of economies facing market fluctuation while recovering from the pandemic, as well as the risk posed by supply chain disruption.

The event will bring together over 500 leaders from the business and political realms and includes a range of plenary sessions, panel discussions, dialogues with political officeholders and networking sessions. SRBF will also be graced by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Techcombank understands that ensuring the smooth and uninterrupted flow of transactions, as well as optimizing operating costs, is the key to business survival and for which digitalisation and digital transformation is critical.  VNS
SINGAPORE  Swiss fintech startups should tap into opportunities in Viet Nam to take advantage of rising demand for digital financial solutions, supportive policies, and government initiatives to nurture fintech innovation, according to a new Viet Nam Fintech report by Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE).

The report, titled Business Opportunities in Fintech in Viet Nam, provides an overview of the countrys fintech sector, outlining key verticals and emerging trends in the market for Swiss fintech companies.

The report pointed out five major opportunities in the market.

First, banks in the country are teaming up with fintech companies and tech providers to ramp up their digital banking propositions, embracing Application Programming Interface (APIs), cloud technology, and embedded fintech solutions to deliver convenience, choice, and speed to Viet Nams young, digital consumers.

The second opportunity relates to payments. The sector is currently the leading vertical in the domestic fintech sector, with the most players attracting the lion's share of investment. According to Switzerlands export and investment promotion agency, almost two-thirds of Viet Nams population, or around 57.62 million people, were making digital payments by January 2023, representing an 11.3 per cent year-on-year increase.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending is another segment thats growing steadily and is now the second largest fintech vertical in Viet Nam at the moment. The sector is offering several opportunities for Swiss fintech startups to not only address the lending gap but also provide innovative solutions for local P2P lenders.

Then comes personal finance and investment, a vertical thats benefited from the influx of new investors. Rising stock trading activity is introducing opportunities for fintech firms to develop solutions that educate customers and assist them in managing their portfolios.

Finally, blockchain and cryptocurrency is another fintech sector thats recorded strong traction and is expected to grow further. According to the S-GE report, growth will be supported by the countrys information and communications technology (ICT) workforce which is eager to embrace blockchain technology and explore its applications.

According to a global Statista consumer survey, about 27 per cent of Vietnamese respondents reported using or owning cryptocurrency in 2022.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is eager to learn from Australia about trade remedies as the country is a relative newcomer to the field.

That was the remark made by Trinh Anh Tuan, General Director of the Trade Remedies Authority of Viet Nam, at the workshop 'Introduction of Vietnam's and Australia's trade remedy systems for importers and exporters' held in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Tuan said Viet Nam did not have much experience in trade remedies because it was not until 2015 that the country began to conduct trade defence investigations to counteract unfair commercial practices.

Meanwhile, Australia has been around a lot longer with more than 400 investigations since 1995, having much experience to share in this regard.

"Viet Nam appreciates every single opportunity to learn from trade-savvy countries, such as Australia," said Tuan.

The general director also revealed that Vietnamese exporters had been subject to 231 investigations to date, of which Australia initiated 18. Those incidents caused severe financial damages to the companies involved.

He said the growing entry of foreign goods into Vietnamese markets, which was facilitated by the country's favourable trade policy and the removal of trade barriers under FTAs, had exposed the need for more trade measures to control the commercial flow and prevent unfair practices.

Andrew Goledzinowski, Australia's Ambassador to Viet Nam, said the bilateral relationship had made significant progress over the past years, with close economic ties at its heart.

He said Viet Nam's steady growth after the COVID-19 pandemic had been a testament to its effort in restructuring the economy in the light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The year 2023 would mark the 50th anniversary of the Viet Nam-Australia diplomatic relationship, which is an opportunity for both countries to bring the economic tie to a new height.

It is also worth noting that Viet Nam and Australia both have been admitted to three shared FTAs, namely the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Viet Nam remains the 10th largest trade partners of Austrlia while Australia the 7th largest to Viet Nam. In 2022, bilateral trade hit US$15.7 billion, up 27 per cent year by year.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has been chosen for the first overseas exhibition of SRBF not only because of the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-Singapore diplomatic relations but also the abundance of growth opportunities in the country.

That was the remark made by Kok Ping Soon, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), in a press conference on Thursday to provide information about the upcoming 7th Singapore Regional Business Forum (SRBF).

He said the theme for the next SRBF will be 'Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Sustainable Growth'. It will act as a platform for discussions on opportunities in digitalisation, sustainability, and human capital development.

Forum topics will centre around enhancing regional collaboration for a sustainable future, exploring regional sustainability opportunities for investors, technology innovation in ASEAN's digitalisation development, and the future of human capital in the light of the evolution of work, workforce, and workplace.

"The 7th SRBF will be an opportunity for the people and businesses of Singapore and Viet Nam to celebrate the great process made over the last 50 years," said Kok Ping Soon.

Over 500 participants are expected, including top business leaders, senior government officials, and policymakers, and 10 MoU would be signed between Singaporean and Vietnamese organisations and enterprises during the event.

The forum will also have Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Singaporean Minister for Manpower & Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng as guests of honour.

A business mission will be organised alongside the forum to get insight into the business opportunities in Ha Noi and surrounding provinces between July 5 to 8.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's official visit to China has contributed to concretising the common perceptions of the two Party General Secretaries, especially the joint statement on continuing to promote and deepen the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership issued in December 2022, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

In an interview granted to the press after the PM concluded his trip on Wednesday, Son said the visit was a great success, and achieved many important results.

Political trust between the two countries has been strongly strengthened, creating an important foundation for promoting and deepening the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new situation, bringing benefits to the people of the two countries.

PM Chinh held talks and met with four top leaders of China, including General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji, and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning.

The leaders of the two countries emphasised the importance of enhancing political trust, properly handling and controlling differences, towards developing the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a stable, healthy, effective and long-lasting manner.

The Chinese leaders affirmed that China attaches great importance to the friendship relationship between the two Parties and the two countries, demonstrating their sincerity and goodwill in further deepening cooperation between the two sides, especially via the Party channel, and in key areas such as security and defence.

In particular, Party General Secretary and President Xi stated that developing relations with Viet Nam is China's strategic choice, and China attaches importance to developing long-term relations with Viet Nam.

The two sides reached many important common perceptions and agreed on many specific measures to promote multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, contributing to strengthening the bilateral relations in the near future, Son said.

The two sides agreed to improve the quality of economic, trade and investment cooperation, enhance transport connectivity, improve customs clearance efficiency, maintain smooth trade and ensure production and supply chains, he added.

The Chinese promised to increase the import of Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products; increase quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit by Chinese railway to third countries; and expand high-quality investment into the fields suitable to the demand of Viet Nam.

The two sides reached many important agreements on maintaining regular exchanges and meetings through the channels of the Party, Government, National Assembly, Fatherland Front, ministries, sectors and localities. They agreed to resume people-to-people exchange activities.

In addition to official activities, PM Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the Viet Nam-China Business Forum, which saw the participation of a large number of Chinese enterprises. He also had meetings with representatives of Chinese companies.

Chinese enterprises all highly valued Viet Nam's investment environment and expressed their desire to expand investment in the Southeast Asian nation in the time to come.

Foreign minister Son also highlighted the significance of PM Chinh's presence at the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, China, saying that the Vietnamese government leader had practical, effective and open exchanges with leaders of many countries, international organisations and leading corporations in the world on the sidelines of the event.

PM Chinh shared many viewpoints, approaches, and effective, practical and timely solutions of Viet Nam to promote global economic growth.

The PMs message on the three fundamental factors for economic development has been applauded and become a highly unified orientation at the meeting.

PM Chinh's attendance at the event has further contributed to promoting practical relations between Viet Nam and the WEF, Son said, adding that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two sides for the 2023-26 period has created a foundation to expand the relations between the two sides in the new period.

The WEF will further promote cooperation with, and support Viet Nam in policy-making and building capacity to adapt to new development trends; assist ministries, sectors and localities in developing smart agriculture, industrial clusters towards net zero emissions, and establishing a fourth industrial revolution centre in Viet Nam.

Meetings between PM Chinh and leaders of other countries on the sidelines of the event also contributed to further deepening the relations between Viet Nam and Mongolia, New Zealand, and Barbados, especially in potential areas such as economy, commerce, and tourism, Son noted.

Through meetings with representatives of leading corporations have helped introduce Viet Nam's achievements, potential, strengths, goals and development orientations, and offered a chance for foreign businesses to understand more about the countrys policies and investment environment, thus pouring more investment in Viet Nam.

It could be said that the PMs participation for the first time at the WEF's summer annual conference has left a good impression on the international business community about the country's role and position as well as potential and bright prospects of the Vietnamese economy, Son concluded.  VNS
HCM CITY  Viet Nam's Engineering Unit Rotation 2 and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5 left Ha Noi on Thursday for peacekeeping operations in the United Nations missions in Abyei and South Sudan.

President Vo Van Thuong, Commander-in-chief of the Peoples Armed Forces and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, attended the deployment ceremony held by the Ministry of National Defence.

Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5, which will replace Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 in South Sudan, consisted of 63 members, including 11 females. These officers and soldiers have undergone comprehensive training in all aspects, including political, military, technical logistics, medical expertise, and peacekeeping knowledge relevant to the current situation.

Meanwhile, Engineering Unit Rotation 2, replacing Engineering Unit Rotation 1 in Abyei, included 184 members, including 19 females. The officers and soldiers have received specialised training in International Humanitarian Law, sexual and gender-based violence prevention, explosive ordnance disposal, engineering expertise, foreign languages, medical services, and technical logistics.

Having been fully equipped with the necessary vehicles and supplies for the mission, all the personnel from both units demonstrated high determination and readiness to depart for their assigned tasks.

Addressing the ceremony, President Thuong acknowledged the achievements of the Vietnamese officers and soldiers, including those from Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 and Engineering Unit Rotation 1, for their remarkable accomplishments.

The President affirmed that the Party and the State always trusted and took pride in the achievements of Viet Nam's peacekeeping forces in recent times. He expressed confidence that the newly deployed units to the mission area would demonstrate their leadership, intelligence, and capabilities in fulfilling the mission entrusted by the Party, the State, the Army, and the People to meet the requirements of the United Nations.

He stressed that the country's political commitment is to stay ready to join hands in settling difficult issues and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for cooperation and development.

Thuong said after nearly 10 years since the Politburo approved the comprehensive plan for Viet Nam's participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations, Viet Nam has basically perfected the mechanisms and created a legal framework for the deployment of the Vietnamese People's Army and the People's Public Security forces in UN peacekeeping operations outside the Vietnamese territory.

Up to now, Viet Nam has deployed 533 officers and soldiers to participate in UN peacekeeping operations and has effectively fulfilled the assigned roles and responsibilities.

The achievements of Viet Nam's UN peacekeeping forces have been highly appreciated, participating in resolving international issues, and responding to traditional and non-traditional challenges in the region and the world, contributing to the implementation of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals.

Thuong said the assigned forces and individuals fully adhere to the Party's guidelines, policies, and State laws, especially in foreign affairs and international integration, with the goal of protecting national interests and the people in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, of which Viet Nam was a participating member.

The President requested the enhancement of the effectiveness of Viet Nam's forces in the assigned areas. This includes actively studying and strategising to gradually expand participation in broader territories, positions, particularly in command and management positions at UN Headquarters and assigned areas such as military control forces, communication information, and helicopter transportation.

He noted that sustainable force development should be promoted, with an increase in the proportion of female soldiers participating in the forces to meet the UN's Gender Equality Strategy for the 2018-28 period.

President Thuong also took this occasion to thank the UN, international partners, and peace-loving people around the world for their precious assistance for Viet Nams national construction and safeguarding, as well as preparations for and deployment of personnel to UN peacekeeping missions.  VNS
CA MAU  The Ca Mau Airport in the southernmost province of Ca Mau will be upgraded to class 4C, able to accommodate the common A320 and A321 aircraft by 2030, according to the Ministry of Transport.

These aircraft are the standard Airbus variety common in domestic travel and have a maximum capacity of up to 180 travellers and 220 travellers respectively, much higher than the 80-seat planes Ca Mau Airport can currently serve.

Preparation of the runway and taxiway at the airport is already underway, implemented by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV).

The airport is currently a class 3C facility, accommodating ATR 72 aeroplanes. These are turboprop-powered regional airliners, capable of accommodating a maximum of 78 passengers.

The province has also proposed a highway from Ca Mau City to at Mui Commune, the southernmost point of the country, to the national road planning for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050. The Ministry said it will consider the suggestion and report to the competent authority.

It added that large-scale transport infrastructure for the Ca Mau - at Mui corridor hasn't yet been considered due to relatively low transport needs. However, plans must be reviewed and adjusted every five years, according to the Law on Planning, so there is hope for the southernmost province to achieve its goals.  VNS
WASHINGTON  A Vietnamese delegation attended the 13th annual conference on the East Sea held by the Washington DC-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Thursday (Viet Nam time).

The delegation was led by Assoc. Prof. and Dr Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Director of the East Sea Institute under the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam.

The hybrid conference saw the participation of policymakers and officials from the US departments of state and defence, along with experts and scholars from the US, India, Japan, Viet Nam, and the Philippines. They included Congresswoman Jennifer Kiggans, a member of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, and US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink.

It was an occasion for participants to discuss and analyse developments in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) region over the past years and make forecasts for the future. They looked into the recent East Sea situation, new points on legal affairs and management of disputes in the waters, and the role of external entities such as the Quad group, the AUKUS alliance (Australia, the UK, and the US), and Europe.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Anh said that, like at previous conferences, Viet Nam's presence in the event aimed to express its viewpoints and stance on the East Sea issue, clarify the just nature and legal basis of Viet Nams claims in the East Sea, and show the countrys constructive attitude of being ready to peacefully resolve disputes in the waters to help maintain regional peace and stability.  VNS
According to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, who recently returned from a working trip to the United States, Guam plans to hire between 10,000 and 15,000 Filipinos to help with the construction of new military sites on the island.

Zubiri claimed that the proposal to persuade the US national government to hire Filipinos for the building project was disclosed to him by Guamanian Congressman James Moylan, as reported by CNN Philippines.

In January of last year, the US Marine Corps inaugurated its first brand-new installation in seven decades. Starting in 2024, it will house 5,000 Marines currently stationed on the island of Okinawa, off the coast of Japan.

In an effort to lessen hostility toward the presence of American troops on the island, former US President Barack Obama and the Japanese government negotiated a deal in 2012 to remove the Marines from Okinawa.

Construction of Military Bases in Guam

The United States has been building military bases in Guam since the early 20th century. The island's strategic location in the Pacific Ocean made it an ideal location for military bases, and the US government has continued to invest in military infrastructure in Guam in recent years.

In 2012, the US and Japan agreed to a plan to relocate about 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam. This plan, known as the "Guam Integrated Military Development Plan," has led to the construction of a new base, Camp Blaz, on the northern coast of Guam. Camp Blaz is expected to be completed in 2024 and will be home to about 5,000 Marines.

In addition to Camp Blaz, the US government has also been investing in other military infrastructure projects in Guam. These projects include the construction of a new firing range complex, the expansion of Andersen Air Force Base, and the improvement of Naval Base Guam.

(Photo: by JAM STA ROSA/AFP via Getty Images) Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri presides over the plenary session at the Senate in Manila on May 31, 2023. Philippine lawmakers approved the creation of an 8.9 billion USD sovereign wealth fund on May 31 to boost growth and cut poverty, but critics insisted it was a "scam" and should be scrapped.

The construction of US military bases in Guam is likely to continue in the years to come. The US government sees Guam as an important strategic asset in the Pacific and is committed to maintaining a strong military presence on the island.

Read also: China Builds Military Base Dubbed 'New Great Wall' on Disputed Subi Reef in the South China Sea

Filipinos in Guam

Filipino workers have been playing a significant role in the construction of US military bases in Guam for many years. In fact, the Philippines is the major source of manpower for the island's construction projects, a bulk of which are related to the military build-up.

There are several reasons Filipino workers are so important to the construction industry in Guam. First, Filipino workers are highly skilled and experienced in construction. Second, Filipino workers are willing to work hard for long hours. Third, Filipino workers are relatively inexpensive to hire.

The construction of US military bases in Guam has provided many economic opportunities for Filipino workers. In recent years, the demand for Filipino workers in Guam has increased significantly, and the wages that Filipino workers can earn in Guam are much higher than what they can earn in the Philippines.

Related article: US Military Gains New Bases in Philippines, Near Taiwan, and South China Territory

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By inh Thuan

Serving as the cultural centre of the capital Ha Noi, it's not too much of a stretch to say that the city's Old Quarter serves as the spiritual heartbeat of the nation itself.

With the thrum of traders and its faded French colonial buildings, the area is a piece of living history, and it goes without saying that local authorities want to do everything to preserve its distinct and storied heritage.

The Peoples Committee (or Administration) of Hoan Kiem District has exerted efforts and taken numerous measures to conserve and highlight the unique historical, religious and architectural heritage of the Old Quarter, contributing to developing its tourism and culture industries.

The Old Quarter, spanning 82 hectares including all 10 wards of Hoan Kiem, is a treasure trove of history, architecture and culture in general.

It is known for its ancient cultural heritage, associated with the formation and development of the royal capital city of Thang Long, now Ha Noi, as well as a range of handicraft and trade activities making up guilds featuring the peculiarities of the capitals residents.

Hang Bac Street is renowned for its silver jewellery that was introduced by migrant craftspeople from Chau Khe and ong Xam in Hai Duong and Thai Binh Province respectively, whereas Hang Thiec Street is famed for its metal-work, and Lan Ong Street for its traditional medicine.

The Old Quarter extends itself over 79 streets and is bordered by Hang au Street in the north, Phung Hung Street in the west, Tran Quang Khai and Tran Nhat Duat streets in the east, and Hang Bong, Hang Gai, Cau Go and Hang Thung in the south.

As many as 121 temples, pagodas and shrines can be found in the quarter, along with hundreds of historic sites, including more than 200 of special heritage value, like the ancient house at 87 Ma May Street, the ong Lac Communal House and Bach Ma Temple.

Intangible cultural values

In addition, Ha Noi's Old Quarter contains a diverse range of intangible cultural values, from the daily life of its residents to its culinary culture, folk arts, and traditional festivals. Based on these values, it was recognised as a National Historical Site in 2004.

The Old Quarter, encompassing the French Quarter, is characterised by many impressive and stunning French-style mansions and villas, located along the shady tree-lined streets that were laid out in an order similar to a chessboard.

French city planners in the early 20th century combined Western architecture with local climatic conditions to create a unique urban space, giving Ha Noi a distinct character like no other city in Southeast Asia. This blend of architectural styles has created a one-of-a-kind urban environment that is truly unique to the capital.

According to Prof Ho Si Quy, former director of the Institute of Social Sciences Information at the Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences, Ha Noi was greatly influenced by and adopted French culture and civilisation for over half a century, which has shaped its current urban identity.

However, over time, the architecture of the city has blended harmoniously between the 'classical, grandiose' features of Europe and the historical values that have been preserved by the city's native people and culture.

The cultural and social values of the Old Quarter have become a resource for Ha Noi in general, and Hoan Kiem in particular, to effectively develop tourism.

However, the development requirements of a modern city pose significant challenges to those values.

Hoan Kiems authorities have paid special attention to restoring and embellishing 22 monuments and 24 ancient houses. The urban technical infrastructure system has also been upgraded.

The implementation of a project to restore festivals in the Old Quarter shows Hoan Kiem's efforts in conserving intangible cultural heritage. The district has restored 14 festivals, including seven district-level and seven ward-level festivals.

Renovating architectural relics

The role of residents in protecting cultural heritage has been encouraged, while a cooperation mechanism between the community, businesses, and the local authorities in managing, conserving, and enhancing cultural heritage value has been set up.

Tran Thuy Lan, deputy head of the management board of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, said her agency regularly organised cultural and art programmes and other activities at heritage sites in the district, focusing on introducing the lifestyle of Hanoians, restoring the Jewellery Festival, arranging traditional music performances, and introducing traditional craft villages and craft streets.

"These programmes all have seen the active engagement of the community, contributing to the work in a sustainable and long-term way," she said.

Resources have been focused on renovating structures left over from the French colonial period, such as the Hoan Kiem District police headquarters on Trang Thi Street, the Cua ong ward police headquarters on Nguyen Quang Bich Street, and the Trung Vuong Secondary School on Hang Bai Street.

Conservation projects have given a facelift to architectural works in the Old Quarter, thereby introducing and promoting the heritage value of Ha Noi to the people.

Currently, Hoan Kiem District is investing in renovating the architecture and landscape of Trang Tien Street and giving finishing touches to a project to restore a villa at 49 Tran Hung ao Street.

"The authorities and people of the city and Hoan Kiem District in particular attach great importance to and are determined to conserve and enhance the cultural heritage values of the Old Quarter, considering this as a key task and responsibility of both the authorities and the community," Pham Tuan Long, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Hoan Kiem District, said.

"Conserving and restoring the cultural heritage values of the Old Quarter through specific programmes and plans have helped promote the socio-economic development in the capital, and attracted more visitors," Long added. VNS
The situation of business registration in Vietnam in June recorded positive signals, the number of enterprises entering and re-entering the market reached the highest level in June so far.

Favorable signs

The Business Registration Administration (Ministry of Planning and Investment) has just released a report on business registration in June 2023.

In June 2023, there were 13,904 newly registered enterprises, an increase of 4.8% over the same period in 2022; 7,098 enterprises returned to operation, an increase of 215% over the same period in 2022. In general, in the first 6 months of the year, more than 113 thousand enterprises were newly established and returned to the market. On average, they established and returned about 19,000 new businesses to operation every month.

In the same period, the whole country had 12,333 enterprises withdrawing from the market, an increase of 3.1% over the same period in 2022. In general, the first 6 months of 2023 also recorded about 100,000 enterprises withdrawing from the market, on average, 16,600 businesses withdraw from the market every month.

This number has decreased compared to the average rate of enterprises withdrawing from the market in one month of the first 5 months of 2023 (17,600 enterprises) and the first 4 months of 2023 (more than 19,000 enterprises).

According to the Department of Business Administration, these are positive signals in the context of production and business activities of enterprises still facing many difficulties.

The real estate industry is adversely affected.

The registered capital of newly established enterprises in Vietnam continued to decrease (down 19.8% compared to the same period in 2022 and lower than the average rate of VND 806,204 billion in the first 6 months of the year in the period 2018-2022).

The total registered capital of newly founded firms is only VND 707,457 billion, which is 75-80% of the total registered capital of the same period during the Covid-19 epidemic years (in 2021 this figure was 942,648 billion VND and in 2022 it was 882,122 billion VND).

The average registered capital per enterprise in the first 6 months of 2023 only reached VND 9.3 billion, the lowest level in the first 6 months of the year since 2017.

The additional registered capital of operating enterprises also decreased by 48.1% over the same period in 2022.

When the number of firms entering the market and the registered capital of newly established enterprises in this field both declined compared to the previous year, the real estate business remained the most stressed and impacted sector compared to the same period previous year (down 58.9% and 54.1%).

The number of real estate enterprises exiting the market tends to rise (up 40.4% from the same period in 2022, the biggest increase among 17 industries).

This contrasts with the excellent 44.8% increase in the number of enterprises joining the market in the first six months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
According to data from the Business Registration Administration (Ministry of Planning and Investment), the real estate business is under the most pressure and impact of all industries. This is reflected in the number of enterprises entering the market and newly registered capital decreasing by nearly 59% and 54% over the same period last year.



Meanwhile, the number of real estate businesses withdrawing from the market is still high, over 40% over the same period in 2022, the highest level in 17 fields and industries.



Read more: Increasing number of real estate businesses withdrawing from market  Breaking News, Latest World News Updates - VietReader Viet Nam



The Vietnam Association of Realtors, in a report released in early June, also assessed that real estate businesses simultaneously fell into a state of "like people about to drown". The Ministry of Construction, in recent comments, also pointed out that the real estate market has continued the difficulties. Supply decreased, and businesses could not sell goods, and needed cash flow.



The current difficulties of real estate businesses contrast with the impressive growth in the number of units entering the market in the first half of 2021, nearly 45% higher than in 2020.









However, if we look at the business picture in general, the market has some positive signals. New establishments and re-entry into the market in June reached about 21,000 enterprises.



Generally, in the first half of the year, more than 113,000 newly established businesses were returning to the market, an average of 19,000 units per month. Meanwhile, about 100,000 businesses withdrew, or an average of 16,600 units. This number decreased by 6% and 13%, respectively, compared to the average of this year's first 5 and 4 months.



"These are positive signals in the context that enterprises' production and business activities are still facing many difficulties," said the Business Registration Administration.



However, the average registered capital per enterprise in the first 6 months of the year only reached 9.3 billion VND, the lowest in the same period in the past 5 years. The additional registered capital decreased by more than 48% over the same period in 2022.



Difficulties in orders, increased inventories, high raw material prices, while weak purchasing power are why businesses reduce the need for new loans for production. The Business Registration Administration recommends, policies to support, promote trade and remove market difficulties for businesses that need to be accelerated by ministries and branches. Because, when there are more solutions to boost output, businesses will have the resources to repay debts and absorb new capital.



Also read: Removing difficulties for export activities  Breaking News, Latest World News Updates - VietReader Viet Nam
Free play is an incredibly important activity for the physical, personal, and emotional development of children. Dulux EasyClean organised the Summer playground - The Carefree Wall to help parents understand the importance of creating a play area in their homes.

The Creating a Home where Children Can Play Freely talk show also ran alongside the fun activities for children.

Experts provided parents with helpful information and knowledge on engaging their children during the summer holidays, emphasising the importance of play for physical and mental development.

The talk show highlighted suggestions for indoor games using simple materials such as cardboard boxes, chalk, coloured pencils, hoops, stones, and paper rolls. It also showed parents how to transform their homes into safe and enjoyable play spaces for children.

During the playground event, AkzoNobel introduced the outstanding features of Dulux EasyClean paint, which include its stain-repellent and advanced washability properties thanks to Active Stain Repellent technology.

The intelligent paint film actively prevents bacteria or deep stains from adhering, keeping the walls clean and easily washable. With this feature, each wall protected by Dulux EasyClean becomes a valuable and safe play corner, allowing children to express themselves freely.

According to Nguyen Tu Anh, a Ph.D. candidate specialising in child psychology, The home is a familiar place where children spend the most time each day, which is why it needs to be creatively transformed into the most comfortable playground for them. Having their own play corner at home brings them endless joy, stimulates their curiosity and creativity, and contributes to their overall mental, physical, and cognitive development. It is how children learn and grow.

Nguyen Phi Anh Dao, head of Marketing at AkzoNobel Vietnam shared, "Summer is an eagerly awaited time for children, but it can also be stressful for parents, especially when children lack play spaces and rely on electronic devices."

"Understanding this, AkzoNobel brings an exciting summer playground that provides children with a vibrant play space and offers parents valuable knowledge. Through the shared information, AkzoNobel aims to provide a different perspective on the home and accompany parents in creating play areas for their children, offering them wonderful experiences during the summer," Dao continued.

Taking place from June 17 to July 23, the Summer Playground - The Carefree Wall event is being organised at seven shopping centres nationwide, including AEON Mall Binh Duong, AEON Mall Tan Phu Celadon, Van Hanh Mall, Estella Place, AEON Mall Binh Tan, Go! Danang, and AEON Mall Ha Dong.

The playground serves as a venue for children to enjoy a fun and safe summer with meaningful activities such as the Virus Hunter Warrior game, the chance to freely become an artist, and the talk show Creating a Home where Children Can Play Freely. The first playground event organised at AEON Mall Binh Duong attracted around 800 children and parents.

AkzoNobel stays committed to sustainable innovations AkzoNobel delivers sustainable and innovative solutions that customers, communities, and the planet increasingly rely on. VIRs Etienne Mahler spoke to Maximilien Schreder, regional commercial director for Powder Coatings in South Asia at AkzoNobel, about the companys sustainability approach and the contribution of its innovations to the greater goal.

AkzoNobel joins hands to make life more inspiring In early October, just a few days after Typhoon Noru made landfall, the people of Quy Nhon were surprised to see Cu Lao Xanh lighthouse wearing a new look. Nguyen Phi Anh Dao, head of Marketing, Decorative Paints at AkzoNobel Vietnam, shared the journey and the message behind the renovation of the Cu Lao Xanh Lighthouse.
In the midst of his official visit to China, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh engaged in a series of high-profile meetings with top leaders from several major Chinese economic conglomerates on June 28.

The discussions, held in the bustling capital of Beijing, centred on the burgeoning investment opportunities available in Vietnam.

During the deliberations, prime minister Chinh received a delegation comprising the titans of industries that have already made substantial investments in Vietnam, expressing their ardent desire to expand their production capacities and business ventures in the country.

Among the esteemed attendees were the chairman of Texhong Group Hong Tian Zhu, chairman of Runergy Group Tao Long Zhong, chairman of Energy China Group Song Hailiang, chairman of Goertek Group Jiang Binh, CEO of TCL Wang Cheng, and others.

In March this year, Goertek, one of three major suppliers for Apple in Vietnam, poured an additional $306 million into its multimedia equipment project in the northern province of Bac Ninh. GoerTek has been operating in Vietnam since 2013 and has so far established two facilities in Bac Ninh and the central province of Nghe An.

Texhong has invested over $1.6 billion in Vietnam since 2006, establishing dozens of textile and apparel projects in Dong Nai, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh provinces, creating employment opportunities for more than 25,000 workers. In addition, in Quang Ninh, Texhong also established a textile industrial park to service a vertically integrated textile supply chain.

These influential leaders were duly impressed by Vietnam's dynamic and progressive development and effusively praised the nation's efficient production and business practices. They conveyed their aspirations to bolster their investments in various sectors.

Specifically, they identified energy, industrial infrastructure, social housing, inland ports, vehicle manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain establishment as key areas of interest for future endeavours within Vietnam's fertile investment landscape.

The gathering also witnessed the conglomerate leaders assertively asking the Vietnamese government, under the astute guidance of PM Chinh, to orchestrate an environment that further facilitates and nurtures investment and business activities.

To this end, they advocated for continued administrative reforms, an assured electricity supply to allow for seamless production processes, ample land allocation for industrial park development, and the swift resolution of regulatory bottlenecks surrounding fire safety regulations.

The prime minister, unwavering in his commitment to propel Vietnam's economic growth, graciously acknowledged and commended the achievements of these enterprises.

PM Chinh divulged that Vietnam has already ratified the Power Development Plan VIII. This comprehensive blueprint encompasses the nation's transition to renewable energy, with a specific emphasis on wind and solar power generation, while also incentivising self-generation and consumption. These strategic guidelines serve as an indispensable roadmap for prospective investors seeking to navigate Vietnam's energy landscape.

Beyond the sectors advocated by the conglomerates, he also underscored Vietnam's fervent encouragement for businesses, including those of Chinese origin, to funnel investments into industries such as renewable energy, power transmission, the garment and textile industry, and the establishment of internationally acclaimed fashion exhibition platforms.

This pivotal meeting marks a significant turning point, as Chinese companies increasingly exhibit an interest in expanding their investment portfolios within Vietnam.

Propelled by the nation's favourable business climate, vigorous economic growth trajectory, and commitment to reform, this surge in investment provides a substantial opportunity for both Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises to forge mutually beneficial partnerships and stimulate economic development in both countries.

Two Chinese energy storage manufacturers consider investments in Vietnam Two Chinese companies, Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology and Growatt New Energy, are contemplating significant investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Vietnam's renewable energy industry. The news comes as the country's economy flourishes and electricity shortages persist.
Brussels has already set global standards for personal data protection and privacy as well as building up its legal armoury to tackle the might of technology companies.

EU strikes deal to give users more control over data (illustration photo/ Source: freepik.com)

Negotiators from the European Council, which represents the 27 member states, and the European Parliament struck a deal late on Tuesday on the data act, first proposed by the bloc's executive arm in February 2022.

With the climbing use of internet-connected products, there has been an explosion in how much data is available and the EU says it wants to make sure European citizens wrestle control from companies.

Under the law, data sharing should be made easier between customers and companies, as well as with other firms. Previously, people's data has remained in the hands of businesses with little chance of users gaining access.

The new rules also include safeguards against unlawful data transfer by cloud service providers and make it easier to switch providers of data processing services, the council said in a statement.

"Once the data act enters into force, it will unlock the economic and societal potential of data and technologies and contribute to an internal market for data," said Sweden's minister for public administration Erik Slottner.

The EU's internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, hailed the "milestone" agreement "reshaping the digital space".

He added on Twitter that the bloc was on the path to "a thriving data economy that is innovative & open  on our conditions".

The new data law was not welcomed by all, especially by the technology industry, while one consumer organisation described it as a "missed opportunity".

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a big tech lobby, warned the law "risks hampering data-driven innovation" and would "limit consumer choice".

Alexandre Roure, public policy director for CCIA Europe, said the EU's aim to encourage "data value creation can only be commended".

But he said the law was not "enough to enable responsible data sharing by companies, nor does it leave users free to decide how they want to use their exported data".

European Consumer Organisation deputy director general Ursula Pachl said the EU gave "too much flexibility to companies who can now prevent consumers from sharing data with other service providers on the basis it constitutes a trade secret, for example".

The data law will come into force from 2025 onwards.

The EU is also currently preparing the world's first comprehensive law to regulate artificial intelligence, and aims to approve the legislation by the end of the year.

Nuts and bolts of new personal data decree Last month the government in Vietnam finally issued Decree No.13/2023/ND-CP on personal data protection (PDP). The decree will take effect from July; however, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises as well as startups (excluding data processing companies) are optionally exempted for two years.

Data security  A top priority for digital economy development Businesses, policymakers, and experts gathered at the Vietnam Security Summit 2023 on June 2 to discuss the importance of information security and how to effectively utilise it in the context of digital transformation and global uncertainties.

US fines Microsoft $20 million over child data violations Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle government charges that it collected personal information from children without their parents' consent, officials said Monday.
Twenty-one sites, including business premises, apartments and a lawyer's office, were searched in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Portugal, Monaco, Luxembourg and Britain, prosecutors in Frankfurt said.

Europe-wide raids as German property giant probed (illustration photo/ Source: freepik.com)

About 175 German police took part in the raids against the group, which is listed in Frankfurt and has a particularly strong presence in Germany.

Prosecutors said the raids targeted a "company in the real estate industry", and Adler later confirmed it was the subject of the searches.

Ex-board members of Adler, who are German, Austrian and English nationals aged between 38 and 66, are under investigation, the prosecutors said.

They are accused of having misrepresented, or having aided in the misrepresentation of the company's balance sheets between 2018 and 2020, prosecutors said.

They also face other accusations, including that they sought to dishonestly drive up prices for projects.

Investigations began after short seller Viceroy Research published a report in 2021 alleging that the company was trying to "hide its true financial position, which is bleak".

Adler at the time denied the report.

German financial watchdog Bafin then took up the case and uncovered a number of irregularities.

In a statement Wednesday, Adler said it was "cooperating with the authorities and fully supports a clarification of the facts as quickly as possible."

The company has been in turmoil since the allegations emerged, with its shares losing more than 95 percent of their value in Frankfurt.

They slid another two percent Wednesday after news of the raids broke.

Foreign investors optimistic on added property attraction Vietnams property market is still attractive to the foreign community, but it is necessary to continue to improve its legal landscape, information transparency, and data availability to create further enhancements for foreigners to invest.

Vietnam needs new regulations to develop agri-tourism real estate: experts Vietnam needs to issue regulations and an overall strategy for developing the agri-tourism real estate market, according to experts.
The total FDI that Vietnam has attracted in the first six months of this year has reached 13.43 billion USD. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  The flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam are forecast to increase in the second half of the year as the downturn has been improved in recent months, experts have said.

Only a few days after Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), announced that many large-scale projects, including billion-USD ones from Republic of Korea (RoK) firms are waiting to enter Vietnam, Hai Phong authorities on Jun 26 handed over a licence to LG Innotek Vietnam Hai Phong Co., Ltd. to add over 1 billion USD to its project in the northern port city, raising its total investment to over 2.05 billion USD.

However, the sum has yet to be counted in the total amount of FD in Vietnam in the first six months of 2023 when the additional capital poured into underway projects was recorded at 2.93 billion USD, down 57.1 per cent year on year.

The reasons behind the decline include a lack of expansion of big projects, while a large amount of the added capital recorded in the first half of 2022 at 6.82 billion USD.

However, insiders noted that the situation has been improved, as the total FDI that Vietnam has attracted in the first six months of this year has reached 13.43 billion USD, a decrease of only 4.3 per cent year on year, a lower level than a downturn of 7.3 per cent in the five months, 17.9 per cent in the four months, and 38.8 per cent in the three months.

While the added capital fell sharply, the newly-registered capital in the first six months of this year increased strongly at 31.3 per cent to 6.94 billion USD, and the capital poured in capital contribution and share purchase deals also surged 76.8 per cent to over 4 billion USD.

Once the capital injected in LG Innotek project is recorded, the chance for FDI in Vietnam to reverse is high.

Particularly, in the first half of this year, 10.2 billion USD of FDI was disbursed, up 0.5 per cent year on year.

Hoang said that the increase in the disbursement rate showed the efficiency of the Governments efforts to support businesses in implementing their projects.

However, according to Hoang, although many large-scale firms are showing interest in Vietnam, they have remained cautious in giving final decisions.

He said that Japanese and RoK investors have tended to slow down in making investment decisions to consider internal problems of the economy and the USs encouragement of investors to switch production chains from China to other countries.

Meanwhile, investors from Taiwan (China) are flocking to Vietnam, especially in the fields of electricity, electronics, technology and electric vehicles. Chinese firms are also establishing new production facilities outside the country to make full use of the host countries advantages.

Right after Chinas reopening, Chinese investors have flocked to Vietnam. In the first six months of this year, China ranked third in terms of registered FDI in Vietnam with 1.95 billion USD, and ranked first in the number of new projects, accounting for 18 per cent of the total 1,293.

Polytex Far Eastern Vietnam Ltd from Taiwan plans to invest an additional 250 million USD in Vietnam in the third quarter of 2023, raising its total investment to over 1 billion USD. Meanwhile, Cheng Loong, also from Taiwan, is implementing the second phase of its 1-billion-USD project in Vietnam.

Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology and Growatt New Energy from China are also reportedly considering to invest a total of 1 billion USD in Vietnam.

These are positive news, and if realised, the FDI flows into Vietnam will increase remarkably in the coming time.

FDI disbursement recovering in H1 In the first half of the year, foreign investment capital disbursement was $10.02 billion, a slight increase of 0.5 per cent on-year. However, the total registered capital fell to $13.43 billion.

Vietnam mitigates global minimum tax issues for foreign investors Vietnamese tax officials are strategising resource allocation and customised support mechanisms to alleviate the consequences of the global minimum tax (GMT) on foreign enterprises, ensuring an appealing investment climate.
Petroleum prices suffer too many taxes

At last week's launch ceremony for research on Features of Vietnams petroleum market and impact on household welfare conducted by the Vietnam Alliance for Tax Justice and Vietnam Centre for Economic and Strategic Studies (VESS), experts said that all sectors in the economy were greatly affected by petrol prices.

According to the research by VESS, taxation on petroleum directly affects the living and spending of households. Currently, each litre of petrol and oil is subject to taxes and fees such as VAT at 10 per cent, import tax 10 per cent, special consumption tax 10 per cent) and environmental protection tax at 8.3-16.7 US cents.

In two months, prices increased six times continuously, exceeding $1.33 per litre, and surpassing the historical peak in July 2014 of $1.10.

In fact, petroleum tax is currently contributing an important part of the state budget revenue. The tax reduction will lead to a significant loss, affecting other economic activities.

"The detailed and strict regulations in Decree No.95/2021/ND-CP and Decree No.83/2014/ND-CP may point out the interest groups that want to maintain their market position," said Nguyen Duc Thanh, VESS founding president.

Regarding the current base price calculation method, VESS' report also sees many weaknesses that make the base petrol price not reflect the actual petrol price and not keep up with the international market's changes in petrol prices.

For example, an excise tax aims to reduce petrol consumption and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so an environmental protection tax is not necessary, it claims.

"The current method of calculating taxes entirely based on the ratio (per cent) can drop the budget revenue if world prices go down sharply, or amplify domestic prices if world prices go up sharply and suddenly," Thanh said. "The current tax policy may no longer be suitable to the current volatile petrol price context.

Moreover, the weighted average import tax calculation method is indirectly reducing the diversification of the petroleum import market because importers often buy petroleum from countries that have signed trade agreements and a lower tax rate than the average import tax rate, such as South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, Thanh pointed out.

Therefore, some experts say that the government and relevant agencies need to correctly and fully calculate the base petrol price, ensuring a harmonious balance of interests of all parties.

VESS experts recommend changing the application of both the environmental protection and special consumption tax in the same direction as other countries, which is to combine the two types into one, as well as using an amount instead of a percentage ratio. For example, excise tax could be VND2,000 (8.3 US cents) per litre.

Nguyen Thi Bich Huong, chairwoman of the petroleum branch under the Vietnam Association of Small- and- Medium- sized Enterprises, said current policies on petroleum business had many shortcomings.

Since 2022, the government has been asked to amend Decree No.83/2014/ND-CP and Decree No.95/2021/ND-CP, but so far, this have not been approved, Huong said. Enterprises want to quickly amend the decrees to overcome the inadequacies and make the petroleum market more stable.

"We should not compare petroleum prices of Vietnam and other countries because the government has to consider many factors to stabilise production and business activities," Huong said. When Vietnam's petrol prices are high, there is smuggling of petrol from abroad through unofficial channels in the West. When Vietnam's petrol prices are low, there is smuggling of domestic petrol overseas."

For example, the transport sector suffers the most if petrol increases. The rise of transport costs will lead to a rise in other goods' prices, causing numerous challenges to businesses and consumers.

To increase competition in the petroleum trading market, VESS researchers have proposed to remove the regulation on minimum distance (of the Ministry of Construction) to increase competition for the market, and amend related policies such as regulations on market operation, discounting, and allowing petroleum retailers to import from various suppliers.

MoIT and MoF discuss seven petroleum market issues The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has suggested seven provisions to secure the petroleum supply, including an increase in the national petroleum reserve from nine to fifteen days of net imports.

Over 250 petitions submitted to authorities on fragility of petroleum regulations The petitions concern the alteration of petroleum business restrictions in decrees No.83/2014/ND-CP and No.95/2021/NQ-CP, resulting in losses for retail establishments.
China's Peace Ark naval hospital ship an envoy of peace, friendship

09:26, June 29, 2023 By Jin Zhengbo ( People's Daily

On the eve of International Children's Day this year, 12-year-old Bangladeshi girl Alifa Chin received an extraordinary gift, a reply letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In this letter, Xi encouraged Chin to study hard, pursue her dream and carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Bangladesh.

Behind this letter is a heartwarming story.

A fleet of Chinese naval vessels paid a friendly visit to Bangladesh in 2017. Photo shows Bangladeshi girl Alifa Chin and a Chinese military doctor in Chittagong, Bangladesh. (Photo/Shi Kuiji)

When the girl was born in 2010, her mother suffered from a difficult delivery due to a severe heart problem. At that time, the visiting Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark received a call for help and immediately sent military doctors to the local hospital to perform a cesarean section on her mother. Today, Chin has grown up healthily.

The Peace Ark has witnessed many touching stories like this. Since it was commissioned into the Chinese Navy in 2008, the hospital ship has set sail on 10 overseas missions covering more than 260,000 nautical miles. Having visited 43 countries and regions, the ark has provided medical services to more than 250,000 patients.

The love-spreading voyage of the Peace Ark mirrors the Chinese military's boundless love of peace and respect for life, writing a chapter of peace in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Inside the Peace Ark, there is a wall where a number of metallic medals are hung. These medals were presented to the naval hospital ship by authorities in Sierra Leone, Antigua and Barbuda, and Chile, among others.

"Every time we visited a country or a region, we were always awarded such medals by local government, military or civilians," said Deng Qiang, captain of the Peace Ark. These medals are a symbol of friendship that transcend borders, he said.

After the super typhoon Haiyan, also named Yolanda, swept the Philippines in 2013 and brought severe disasters to the country, the Peace Ark rushed to the Philippines, which marked the first time China sent a naval vessel to overseas disaster-hit areas for a humanitarian medical mission.

A Chinese military doctor gives an ophthalmic exam to a local patient in the medical service zone at the Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia, Nov. 11, 2022. (Photo/Pu Haiyang)

To shorten the voyage, the naval hospital ship sailed the ship directly through the windy and stormy area and arrived in the worst-hit region a day ahead of schedule.

"The region was severely devastated. We started working without taking any rest," recalled Cai Jinhui, head of the medical center of the Peace Ark.

The typhoon-hit area was troubled by a series of challenges such as water pollution and mosquito infestation, but they didn't scare off the Chinese soldiers and doctors on the Peace Ark. They provided medical services all day long for 16 days, treating 2,208 patients and carrying out 44 surgeries on the ship.

Many cured patients presented Sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines that symbolizes noble sentiments and deep friendship, to Chinese medical workers onboard. After the mission was completed, the Peace Ark set sail in the aroma of Sampaguita.

The Peace Ark has been lauded by local people wherever it goes.

When the hospital ship left Vanuatu, local residents sang songs and scattered flowers on the sea to express their gratitude.

In Kenya, when the Peace Ark slowly sailed away, a motorcycle convoy decorated with Chinese national flags was seen seeing off the ship, stretching a kilometer on the pier.

Photo taken in July 2018 shows the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark. (Photo/Shi Kuiji)

From the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, the Peace Ark has served the oceans with harmony and tranquility. It has launched maritime rescue operation drills, offered international humanitarian medical services, ensured distant-sea medical and logistics support, and attended joint military drills with foreign troops.

Today, the 10,000-ton-level professional hospital ship is increasingly advanced in equipment. It is equipped with a batch of high-tech medical devices, such as wireless stethoscopes, portable wireless smart endoscopes, and robots that can perform intravenous anaesthesia, offering reliable and efficient medical services for patients around the world.

A foreign military doctor said after visiting the ship that he was deeply impressed by Peace Ark for its science-based design, the expertise of the medical staff on board and the ship's complete medical facilities.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the Peace Ark lives up to its name, bringing cooperation, friendship and peace to the people of her country. She added that the mission of the Peace Ark is admirable and worthy of praise.

China's Peace Ark came for peace and friendship, said then Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo Clement Mouamba when the Chinese naval hospital ship visited the country in 2017. Transcending institutional and racial differences, the "envoy of peace" not only strengthens the friendly relations between the two sides, but also deepens the mutual trust between the two peoples, he said.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
A female traveler had her leg to be cut off when it got caught in a moving walkway at the Bangkok airport.

Strange, Horrific Airport Accident

In a report by Daily Mail, the 57-year-old Thai tourist was supposed to get on a flight from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport's Terminal 2 to the southern state of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

However, in a bizarre incident, she tripped over her pink luggage, and her left leg was pulled into the travelator's end gear. The machine kept cutting through the limb's muscle, nerve, and bone as horrified bystanders tried to turn off the emergency switch.

Officials at the airport said that medical staff finally amputated her left leg above the knee. She was then sent to the Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital in the nation's capital.

The hospital staff stated she was first brought to Karun, where she was informed doctors could not reattach her leg, but she asked to be moved to another hospital to evaluate the possibilities.

The airport has launched an investigation to find out what went wrong. The automated travelator walkway has been shut down so that engineers may do safety inspections.

Two wheels were gone from a suitcase lying nearby, and the yellow comb-like plates that usually line the outermost part of the belt where the moving walkway ends were also shattered.

According to a statement released by Don Mueang Airport via Daily Mail, the management team and the airport's director visited the patient to check in on her care at Bhumibol Hospital, where they learned that she is currently undergoing treatment.

"Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation," the statement reads.

The airport reported that no planes were delayed because of the incident.

See Also: British Airways Cancels Flight After Report of Mysterious Foul Odor

The Bangkok Airport

The first airport servicing Bangkok, Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), opened in 1914; however, in 2006, it was replaced by the newer, more conveniently located Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK).

The director of the airport stated that the walkway was built by the Japanese firm Hitachi and installed in 1996. A request for funding to replace it with a newer type in 2025 is planned.

This is not the first time a scenario like this has happened.

In 2019, a passenger's shoe got stuck in the airport's moving walkway at Terminal 1. After the incident, the airport issued a statement claiming the malfunctioning walkway was fixed and reopened within the hour.

Tragedy Strikes Again

The horrifying occurrence occurred only days after a San Antonio International Airport worker died after he got sucked by an airplane engine on the airport's runway.

The Delta Airlines ground staff worker who was killed after hitting the plane's engine was identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The agency said that the employee was 'ingested' into the machine. Later on, it has been ruled a suicide, according to The Sun.

See Also: San Antonio Airport Worker Dead After Being 'Ingested' by Plane Engine

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
This is the first time SBF has chosen to hold an overseas edition of this forum. It is expected to bring together industry leaders, government officials, policymakers, academics, and diplomats to foster regional partnerships and explore sustainable business opportunities.

Speakers at the seventh SRBF Press Conference on June 28

Under the theme Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Sustainable Growth, the forum aims to accelerate economic relations and forge closer ties between Singapore and Vietnam. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to deliver a keynote address at the event.

Speaking to VIR at the seventh SRBF Press Conference on June 28, Kok Ping Soon, CEO of SBF, said that the theme was chosen to highlight the importance of collaboration, sustainability, and inclusive growth in driving the region's economic development.

It reflects our commitment to be inclusive and promote sustainable development that benefits not only businesses but also the local and regional communities, he added.

Top discussions at the upcoming seventh SRBF will include global tensions and prospects for building a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable future for the region. There will be three other plenaries covering topics such as regional sustainability opportunities for investors, tech innovation in ASEANs digital development, and the future of human capital.

A series of side activities such as MoU signings, a launch ceremony, presentations by Vietnamese provincial leaders, online and face-to-face business matching, exhibitions, and industrial visits will supplement the SRBF's programme to help companies explore avenues for growth in the region.

SBF chairman Lim Ming Yan said, "The SRBF serves as a catalyst for regional collaboration, unlocking new opportunities and shaping a sustainable future for businesses in the region."

Soon added, "The SBF is committed to fostering regional partnerships, exploring sustainable business opportunities, and promoting collaboration among industry leaders. Through our inaugural overseas edition of SRBF, we aim to bring these discussions closer to our regional counterparts and empower organisations to thrive in the evolving global landscape. I am excited to meet and connect with participants at the event as we collectively shape the future of business in the region."

This year holds special significance as it marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations and the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between Singapore and Vietnam. The SRBF will serve as a platform to commemorate these milestones.

Singapore, US agree to enhance defence cooperation 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.

Singapore, Indonesia enhance energy cooperation Sembcorp Gas Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore-based energy firm Sembcorp Industries, has signed a deal to import natural gas from Medco E&P Natuna Ltd, a unit of Indonesian oil and gas company PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk.

VinaCapital facilitates acquisition of Nova F&B by Singaporean investor VinaCapital successfully orchestrates the acquisition of Nova F&B by a Singaporean partner, with IN Hospitality assuming the operational management of the renowned food and beverage company.

Singapore becomes world's most expensive city for luxury living Singapore has for the first time overcome Hong Kong (China), London (UK) and New York (US) to become the most expensive city for an upper-class lifestyle, according to the 2023 Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report released recently by Julius Baer Group based in Switzerland.
The move is part of THACO Group's development strategy for its subsidiary companies, including THACO Auto.

As quoted by Vnexpress, Nguyen Hung Minh, vice chairman of THACO Group's Board of Directors said, "The sale of a 10 per cent stake in THACO Auto to strategic investors will facilitate production and business activities, investment to expand the retail network, and the development of new products."

Additionally, the employee stock ownership plan shares issued by THACO in 2018 have been converted to make THACO Auto a joint-stock company. They are set to be listed on the stock market within the next three years.

Minh further revealed that several domestic and foreign investors are currently in discussions with THACO and its advisory firm, the Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corporation, to explore the acquisition of stakes in THACO Auto.

While negotiations are ongoing and no decisions have been made, he mentioned that THACO expects to complete the deal this year, as reported by Vnexpress.

The group is reportedly also considering the possibility of selling approximately 20 per cent of THACO Auto's shares, with an estimated value of around $5 billion. The proceeds from this transaction could be used to invest in THACO's real estate projects.

THACO Group is a diversified conglomerate with interests in automotive manufacturing, the agricultural sector, mechanical and support industries, construction investments, logistics, and commercial services.

THACO Auto, the flagship unit of the group, is responsible for the manufacturing, assembly, distribution, and retail sales of various brands, including KIA, Mazda, Peugeot, and BMW, with a network of nearly 400 showrooms nationwide.

Additionally, the company develops THACO-branded buses. THACO Auto currently operates seven production facilities located in Chu Lai Economic Zone in the central province of Quang Nam.

Minh added that all THACO Auto's vehicle manufacturing activities are exclusively conducted there and not elsewhere.

VinFast accelerates green mobility revolution VinFast is making waves in the automotive industry with its ambitious goals and commitment to green mobility. In a recent speech at the Vietnam-Korea Economic Forum 2023, a VinFast representative shared insights into the company's operations and plans.
Convenience stores are swamped as the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots soar to some of their largest in the history of the games. The Mega
A Waco man returned to jail Wednesday after a judge declared a mistrial in his burglary with intent to commit sexual assault case.

A McLennan County jury of nine men and three women remained split, five to seven, after 5 hours of deliberation in the trial of Raoul Tiju Smith Brandon, 28. Visiting Judge David Hodges, who presided the trial in Waco's 54th State District Court, declared a mistrial because of the jury's deadlock.

McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Ralph Strother proceeded on a first-degree felony charge of burglary with intent to commit a felony in a July 30, 2021, incident at an apartment in the 2400 block of South 21st Street. Strother presented evidence of another count of Smith Brandon's indictment, a second-degree felony charge of sexual assault, but not not proceed on that charge.

The case is expected to be reset for another trial.

Charges also remain pending against Smith Brandon in burglaries of the same apartment on May 1, 2021, and June 9, 2021, along with an evading arrest in a vehicle charge from Aug. 7, 2021.

A woman drove to the police station late on July 30 to report Smith Brandon had broken into her apartment and raped her, Waco police Detective Eric Trojanowski testified Tuesday. Trojanowski said DNA evidence collected from the woman that night was a match for Smith Brandon and that he told police during an interview he had not had sex with her since months earlier.

Trojanowski also identified photos showing the woman's bedroom door broken in.

In his closing summation Wednesday, defense attorney Phil Martinez said injuries to the woman described in testimony Tuesday were not severe enough to be evidence of a rape, and that no photographed room in the apartment showed signs of a struggle. Martinez said there was no evidence of forced entry to the apartment.

"Maybe Brandon broke the bedroom door while he was looking for the car keys," Martinez told the jury.

Martinez said the woman had given Smith Brandon the car for which he was seeking keys and that when she found out he was having a fling with another woman, she began to make accusations of burglary, and sought protective orders in a vendetta. Martinez called her "not very credible" and asked the jury to acquit.

In the state's closing, Assistant District Attorney Duncan Widmann told the jury the woman said no repeatedly, showing series of text messages in which she told Smith Brandon not to go to her residence and that she was refusing sex. Widmann said people being raped will often freeze up and that is what happened in this case.

Widmann also showed photos of the broken bedroom door, and emphasized the strength required to crack a door and break it off the hinges. Widmann reminded the jury of a forensic nurse's testimony that not all rapes involve tearing of tissue and that the lack of injury is not evidence of consent.
When West Avenue Elementary School students come back to class from the summer break, their eyes will light up seeing bright murals, colorful furniture and a brand new makerspace.

School Principal Bonnie Trammell said planning for the space dedicated to science, technology, engineering and math has been ongoing since February. Throughout the months of planning, the school has kept it a secret from the students so they can walk in on the first day of school to a vibrant surprise, Trammell said.

Oh, theyre going to be ecstatic just walking into that space with the bright colors and new furniture and new resources, Trammell said. I think theyre going to be a little shocked and probably unsure of what to do at first, but fortunately, we have fabulous staff who I have no doubt will do a phenomenal job of guiding them on how to use the space.

AbbVie employees volunteered their time this week to install the $50,000 in enhancements the company paid for. The global pharmaceutical company operates a plant on Mars Drive in Waco that manufactures ophthalmic and topical drugs, long under the Allergan brand.

The project at West Avenue is part of AbbVies annual Week of Possibilities program that involves employee volunteer efforts worldwide, with projects unfolding in the past week in 15 U.S. cities and many countries. This years Week of Possibilities includes a partnership with Heart of America, an organization whose sponsor-funded and volunteer-supported work includes transformation of educational spaces.

In the fall, West Avenue students will begin using the makerspace once a week to engage in STEM-based, hands-on education. Curriculum in the STEM lab will provide a focused learning experience that involves real-world applications to develop a variety of abilities including creativity in 21st century skills.

Trammell said the most important skills West Avenue students will learn are media and technology literacy, communication, problem solving, critical thinking and leadership.

Something that is really important socially is that acceptance of failure, and how to navigate that as a child and as an adult, Trammell said. What excites me about the process is that regardless of what career path they choose, as adults, these skill sets are going to go a long way in preparing them to be innovative.

Kevin Frontz, AbbVie director of packaging, said as an innovative company with a heart for giving back, it is exciting for employees to have a hand in helping their communities. Frontz said his favorite volunteer projects include working with schools.

He said he still holds onto a photo taken at one volunteer opportunity in North Chicago he participated in.

The joy on the childrens faces as they had visitors and could show the space that they were in is just heartwarming, Frontz said. So to see the smiles on their faces really means something to you. Theres something greater than what youre doing. Youre fostering their lives, and theyre changing for the better, and theyre going to follow their dreams. Because maybe a glimpse of what you spoke about will enlighten them to change their lives forever.

Frontz said he hopes the children at West Avenue Elementary will be excited to come to school and learn because of the new technology in the makerspace.

They may then follow and pursue dreams around science and someday be a leader and be able to have the opportunity to give back like this, Frontz said. So if just one follows their dreams around science because of what were doing today, its working.
The city of Bellmead has created its first draft of a shopping cart ordinance that would implement fines for individuals who remove carts from a merchants location and for merchants whose carts are repeatedly found outside their premises.

The ordinance asks merchants to place a placard on each shopping cart to notify shoppers they can be fined up to $500 for possessing the cart off the stores premises.

If code enforcement officers find shopping carts away from the store, the city will pick up the carts and take them to a holding area. Stores can then pay a fee to pick up their carts.

Bellmead City Manager Yost Zakhary said the city will suggest stores put wheel locks on carts or implement a deposit system along the lines of one the Aldi chain uses.

At Aldi stores, customers input a quarter to check out a shopping cart, and when they have finished using it, the customer can bring the cart back and the quarter will be returned to them. An Aldi spokesperson said the system helps the store maintain its cart inventory and frees up employees to focus on other tasks.

Zakhary said if the city continues to find shopping carts from the same stores, the penalty for a corporation can be up to $2,000 per offense.

The city plans to give a 30-day grace period once the ordinance is passed. The first draft is scheduled be read and voted on during a city council meeting July 11. If it passes on first reading, the second and third readings would follow at the Aug. 8 meeting. Once it is read three times and approved, the citys standard process meant to give the community time to respond, the measure will become a city ordinance. Zakhary said he expects it to be approved at the August city council meeting.

He said for now, the draft ordinance is nothing more than a piece of paper and a proposal by the staff  until it gets approved.

Other Texas cities with shopping cart ordinances include Dallas, Fort Worth and many of the surrounding towns. Fort Worths ordinance will take effect Saturday. Like Bellmeads, the Fort Worth measure is meant to address a cleanliness and safety issue, Zakhary said.

If it was an isolated situation where its one or two, we wouldnt be here, Zakhary said. But were finding them 15 and 20 at a time.

He said he most common places the city has found abandoned shopping carts include the Delta Inn along Interstate 35, around Brame Park and elsewhere along Hogan Lane.
Even as summer temperatures soar and states wrangle with protecting outdoor workers from extreme heat, Texas recently enacted a law that axes city rules mandating water and shade breaks for construction workers.

In state after state, lawmakers and regulators have in recent years declined to require companies to offer their outdoor laborers rest breaks with shade and water. In some cases, legislation failed to gain traction. In others, state regulators decided against action or have taken years to write and release rules.

Heat causes more deaths in the United States each year than any other extreme weather. And in Texas, at least 42 workers died of heat exposure between 2011 and 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, though labor advocates say the number is much higher because other causes are cited in many deaths.

A 2021 investigation by NPR and Columbia Journalism Investigations found nearly 400 workers had died of environmental heat exposure in the previous decade, with Hispanic workers  who make up much of the nations farm and construction workforce  disproportionately affected.

Climate change has brought more days of extreme heat each year on average, and scientists say that number will grow. Yet only three states  California, Oregon and Washington  require heat breaks for outdoor workers. Minnesota has a rule that sets standards for indoor workers, and Colorados heat regulations cover only farmworkers.

The new law in Texas nullifies a slew of local ordinances in an ongoing battle between the conservative Legislature and left-leaning cities such as Austin and Houston. The law, touted as pro-business by supporters, strips local authority in eight codes of law: agriculture, business and commerce, finance, insurance, labor, natural resources, occupations and property. Affected ordinances include rules on matters such as tenant evictions and wage practices.

But one of the laws most significant actions is to nullify ordinances in Austin and Dallas that mandated 10-minute breaks every four hours for construction workers to get water and shade. San Antonio had been considering a similar ordinance; now no city may impose such a rule.

Texas union leaders immediately drew attention to the potential consequences.

Construction is a deadly industry. Whatever the minimum protection is, it can save a life. We are talking about a human right, Ana Gonzalez, deputy director of policy and politics at the Texas AFL-CIO, told the Texas Tribune. We will see more deaths, especially in Texas high temperatures.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known as OSHA, urges companies to protect workers from heat-related illness, but for now has no federal heat standard. Several labor firms advise companies that they can run astray of OSHAs general duty clause, which tells companies they should protect their workers from a known severe hazard.

Still, many union and migrant advocates have called on states to write more stringent regulations. California laid the basis for worker protections in 2005 with emergency standards, since made permanent and amended, requiring access to shade and water, along with training and emergency response standards.

In 2021, Oregon and Washington state set temporary emergency standards after the heat wave across the Pacific Northwest killed hundreds of people. Oregons have since become permanent; Washington is working on setting permanent rules.

Months after that heat wave, President Joe Biden directed OSHA to begin rulemaking for a federal heat-protection standard. It takes seven years on average to go through the process, and a rule could be stalled depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election.

In Minnesota, where air conditioning is less common than in more southern states, state rules require indoor temperatures to remain below certain levels depending on the intensity of the work.

Other state-based efforts have not become law.

New York legislation that would have required worker protections  including shade and water breaks for outdoor laborers  in extreme weather died in committee earlier this month.

In Nevada, the Senate passed a similar bill after language requiring hourly 10-minute breaks was changed to periods throughout the workday so workers could hydrate, as needed. The bill was last heard in a May committee meeting in the states Assembly.

Bipartisan efforts in Florida to set heat standards for worker safety have failed the past three years, including in the most recent legislative session that ended in May, according to the Miami Herald.

The Virginia Safety and Health Code Board surprised some observers in 2021 by narrowly rejecting proposed heat-safety standards for outdoor laborers just two years after voting unanimously to develop the rules. Opponents cited the potential federal OSHA rule currently being developed.

Maryland passed a bill in 2020 requiring a new rule, but those standards are still being written as business and environmental advocates weigh in. Last November, for example, the Natural Resources Defense Council wrote that the proposed rule was too weak and unenforceable to have much effect.

64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying 64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying Heat waves have become more frequent across major US cities Current heat wave seasons last 49 days longer than they did in the 1960s The average heat wave lasts about 4 days, a day longer than in the 1960s Temperature increases are now more extreme Dehydration and weather-related deaths are on the rise Agriculture and energy: a point of no return Preparation is key to facing extreme temperatures
Read news coverage of the 2024 presidential primary calendar, and youll see words like in limbo, unsettled and in flux.

But ask New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan about the notion that New Hampshire wont hold the first primary, and hes got a word of his own.

No.

In the months since the Democratic Party pushed through President Bidens primary calendar  dumping Iowa, bumping New Hampshire to a second-place tie with Nevada and putting South Carolina at the front of the line  there has been a steady stream of political reporting based on the premise that the Granite States place on the calendar is uncertain.

Georgia, New Hampshire places in limbo, the Associated Press wrote this week. Iowa, New Hampshire Democratic presidential contests remain in flux, added States News Service.

While it is true the actual date of New Hampshires primary remains unknown, Scanlan reiterated Monday there is no doubt that whatever the date is  up to and including Halloween 2023 if necessary  it will be eight days before any similar contest, as required by state law.

I have been very clear, and nothing has changed, Scanlan said. New Hampshire will hold the first primary  period.

This is what has Granite State political pros and party activists puzzled by the media coverage. There is literally no scenario that can stop both parties from holding their primaries on the same date and before every other state. The Democratic National Committee has threatened sanctions, likely the loss of delegates. But New Hampshire has faced down those threats before.

Scanlan, a Republican, served under Democratic Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who held the office for 46 years and is widely viewed as the Gen. George S. Patton of the Granite State primary. Gardner helped implement the strategy  including the states infamous first-in-the-nation law  and then used bold political tactics to confront every challenge.

Before his retirement in 2022, Gardner recounted the day future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited his office in 1983. The 1984 Democratic convention was going to be held in her hometown, San Francisco, and the DNC had decided New Hampshire had to give up its spot.

She came to my office and told me we had to move our primary, that the party had decided, and we had no choice. I told her that as long as the people of New Hampshire wanted our state to go first and had a law on the books that said so, thats what we were going to do, Gardner said.

In the end, Pelosi caved. Iowa held its caucuses, New Hampshire held the first primary, and all of the states delegates were seated.

Last Friday, the DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to give the Granite State until Sept. 1 to reschedule its primary. Granite State Democrats responded by repeating yet again they have no interest in doing so even if they could.

The DNC did not give New Hampshire the first-in-the-nation primary, and it is not theirs to take away, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley has said repeatedly since the DNC vote.

Meanwhile, other states are shoring up New Hampshires place at the front of the line.

After giving Georgia the fourth spot in line, on Feb. 13 in its new calendar, the DNC has bowed to inevitability and acknowledged Georgia wouldnt be one of the early states. That decision alone means the DNC calendar as passed has already been blown up.

And the South Carolina GOP just voted to move its primary: not forward to Fe. 3 as demanded by the DNC, but back  to Feb. 24.

Assuming Nevada holds its contest in early February, that will give South Carolina weeks in the national political spotlight  a spotlight the states Democrats are all but certain to want to be a part of.

Also on Friday, the DNC shot down a proposal by Iowa Democrats to hold a bifurcated caucus/presidential preference card mail-in event. The state had proposed holding a caucus for local and state party business while allowing people to mail in their presidential preference cards, better known as a mail-in ballot.

The DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee is giving the Iowa Democratic Party 30 days to make changes to the plan. But that wont fix the problem that the Democrats plan likely violates the states new law mandating that caucuses must be held in person.

And even if Iowa Democrats can somehow get around a GOP-controlled state government and the DNCs opposition to having the Hawkeye State go early, the mail-in ballot concept creates another problem: New Hampshire may decide its a similar contest to the first-in-the-nation primary. State law would then require the Granite State to go ahead of Iowa.

Asked about the Iowa Democrats scheme, Scanlan declined to say definitively whether it would be viewed as a primary-style contest.

Things are still in flux in Iowa, and Im not going to insert myself into their politics, Scanlan said, though he acknowledged Iowas actions could trigger New Hampshires law.

And like many in New Hampshire politics, Scanlan sees the DNCs actions as an entirely self-inflicted political wound.

From my perspective, Iowa Democrats in the past have had very successful traditional caucuses. My feeling is they should stand up to the DNC and say thats what were going to continue to do. But thats not my call to make.

Unlike the call that will be made regarding which state holds the first-in-the-nation primary. And Scanlan has already made it.
Scotland's government has abandoned its original plan to designate 10% of Scottish waters as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA).

To safeguard the ecology, the plans would have limited fishing and other activities in particular coastal regions, BBC reported. However, several island residents and fishermen voiced opposition to the proposal.

The government is dedicated to increasing maritime conservation, according to Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan, a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Yet she insisted that nothing would be done to further the present goals.

Instead, the Scottish government will have more consultations with the business community, local residents, and conservation groups to determine an alternative course of action and timeline.

Meanwhile, projects like the ones in Lamlash Bay on Arran that aim to implement community-led marine preservation in a shorter time period will be encouraged and helped to succeed.

Read Also: Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on Military Activities Draws Criticism

Strong Resistance

The marine conservation ideas were met with strong opposition from the Scottish fishing sector, coastal communities, and even some MSPs.

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), an organization that speaks for fishermen's groups throughout Scotland, has expressed concern that the proposed changes might have a catastrophic impact on the industry as a whole.

Former finance secretary Kate Forbes voiced worry that human beings, not animals, may become "endangered species" in Highland and island locations if proposed employment cuts went into effect. HPMA means that fishing of any kind, even if it is catch-and-release angling for fun, was off-limits at certain locations.

Celtic rock group Skippinish expressed similar concerns in their hit song The Clearances Again, which described protected areas as "a wrecking ball through our existence" and predicted that "the soul will be torn" from island settlements.

"We chose to consult as early and widely as possible on the principles of Highly Protected Marine Areas, with no pre-determined sites," McAllan said via a BBC report.

She emphasized that the current administration's goal has always been and will continue to be to collaborate with locals to determine the best places to increase marine protection while minimizing negative effects and maximizing positive ones. "Therefore, while we remain firmly committed to the outcome of enhanced marine protection, the proposal as consulted on will not be progressed," she added.

What Will It Mean to Citizens?

At least 10% of Scottish Seas were supposed to be designated as HPMAs by 2026 as part of ministers' plans under the Bute House Agreement, which brought the Scottish Greens into government in a historic power-sharing pact with the Scottish National Party (SNP).

It meant that recreational fishing of any kind, including catch-and-release, would be outlawed at certain locations.

Moreover, the gathering of seaweed, the development of new marine renewable energy projects, and the installation of underwater cables would all be prohibited.

Swimming, scuba diving, and windsurfing would be permitted, but only within safe limits.

Read Also: Bird Flu Could Lead to Next Pandemic; Mutations Might Allow H5N1 Strains to Infect Humans

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Museum of Flight Collections Department recently completed a project to catalog and digitize the worlds most comprehensive collection of materials documenting the careers of inventor/entrepreneur Bill Lear and his wife Moya Olsen Lear. And now hundreds of these rare documents and images are visible online via the Museums website. The collection illuminates the career of one of the most influential inventors of the 20th century, Bill Lear, whose innovations range from Americas first car radio in 1930 to the iconic Learjet of the 1960s.

The collection of William P. and Moya Olsen Lear includes more than 150,000 documents, 7000 photos, plus 2500 oversize documents and drawings. The digitized items range from 1910-2002, with selections representing more than 790 archival objects comprised of nearly 8,500 scanned pages. In addition, 215 3D objects from the collection have been photographed, with 33 sound recordings and 18 films also now digitized and online.

The collection follows the development of Lears career from his early days developing radios and navigational equipment, his founding of more than a dozen businessesincluding the trend-setting Lear Jet Corporationthrough the development of his last aviation project, Lear Fan. The collection also documents Moyas involvement in his work, her efforts to continue Lear Fan after her husbands death in 1978, and her philanthropic endeavors. Moya Lear donated all of the materials to the Museum in 2000, and the final cataloging and digitizing of the materials was made possible with a generous grant in 2020 from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of their Humanities Collections and Reference Resources program.

The Museums Supervisory Archivist, Nicole Davis, found that working with the Lear collection was constantly surprising. He is very well known for the various business jets he designedLearstar, Learjet, Lear Fan, etc., she said, but his interests were so varied! He designed a rubber horseshoe and the 8-track player and steam-powered automobiles. He never stopped working.

The archival finding aid with an inventory for the full collection is available on the Museums research portal. The collection is accessible to researchers by appointment in the Museums Dahlberg Research Center. To inquire about research, contact curator@museumofflight.org
by Nigel Hitchman

Just a normal day at Duxford: a friend told me that The Fighter Collections Gloster Gladiator was outside and there was talk it was going to fly! This would be the biplane fighters first flight since a re-cover and the rebuild of its Bristol Mercury engine. The recalcitrant Mercury had suffered problems on the return flight from the La Ferte-Alais air show in France during July 2017, problems which couldnt be resolved on site, and subsequently saw the Gladiator dismantled and returned home by road. Anyway the opportunity to see this magnificent aircraft in the air again prompted me to fly over to Duxford, it being only a 30 minute hop from home.

Upon arrival at Duxford, I found a very busy scene. Several warbirds were out on various ramps  a couple of two-seat Spitfires, a Hurricane, two Harvards, the Hawker Fury  and the Gladiator! I also saw the Curtiss P-40C under tow back into the hangar. Two Tiger Moths were also joyriding with passengers in the circuit, while a Dragon Rapide waited on the ground for its own passengers. And to top it off, Mark Millers superbly restored Dragon Rapide was on finals, returning from its own journey aloft.

After I got out of my aircraft, I met a couple of photographer friends who asked me if I had seen the two Mustangs which had just gone out the way I came in. These two Mustangs belong to the Friedkin familys Comanche Warbirds. The fighters had just gone up for test flights, reappearing from the west after 30 or 40 minutes, with a run and break to land.

Brian Smith was flying The Hun Hunter/Texas (44-74391/N351MX). This P-51D was shipped over for Flying Legends 2018, but has remained in the UK since that summer, flying in several subsequent air shows, including various Heritage Flights with present-day US Air Force combat aircraft.

Meanwhile, Pete Kynsey had flown Berlin Express (43-24837/N515ZB). This P-51B had flown across the Atlantic in July 2017 (with Lee Lauderback at the controls) especially for that years Flying Legends event. However, during a high speed pass at the air show, the plexiglas in the canopys Malcolm hood shattered! Despite the obvious difficulties involved, the Mustangs pilot, Nick Grey, had performed a successful emergency landing without further incident. Oddly, a second canopy also failed during a test flight, but the third proved to be sufficiently durable. The additional delays involved with fixing the canopy did cause Berlin Express to mis Flying Legends 2018 though, and just before Flying Legends 2019, both of these Mustangs departed for other climes  eventually ending up in Switzerland, where they remained for about a year. Indeed, the recent foray from Duxford is believed to be their first since returning from Switzerland, so we look forwards to seeing Berlin Express at Church Fenton for Flying Legends 2023!

As for other flying at Duxford that day, I had heard talk that the Historic Aircraft Collections Hawker Hurricane Mk.XIIA (RCAF5711/G-HURI) would be returning later in the afternoon, following the completion of its re-cover and repaint at Audley End with Vintage Fabrics. Sure enough, it appeared in formation with a Yak-52 photo-ship which had left sometime earlier. After a quick practice display, the Hurricane landed, revealing its new colors. While the Historic Aircraft Collection owns the aircraft, it is the Polish Heritage Flight that actually operates it at present. They have painted the Hurricane to represent two different examples which served with RAF 302 (Polish) squadron, which was briefly based at Duxford during the Battle of Britain: P2954/WX-E flown by Flt Lt Tadeusz Chlopik and P3935/WX-D flown by Flt Lt Julian Kowalski (later Wg Cdr). For more information about these two heroes, please click HERE.

Whilst awaiting the Hurricanes arrival, I saw the pair of two-seat Spitfires take off together for a formation sortie, one of several rides they gave that day.

As for the Gladiator, it ended up not flying that day. It could be that this was due to the gusty crosswind conditions  never optimal for a first flight  but perhaps the aircraft simply wasnt ready. Regardless, it was an interesting afternoon at Duxford, and this doesnt even include looking inside the museum and other hangars either, each of which is chock-full of historic aircraft. Duxford is pure magic on any day of the year!
WATERLOO  The salary and benefits of Hawkeye Community Colleges president are growing by 4%.

The colleges board of trustees on Tuesday approved a $10,000 increase in Todd Holcombs salary and extended his three-year contract. Starting July 1, his annual pay will rise to $272,620.

He will also receive other benefits including $10,000 for a monthly vehicle allowance, $7,000 for a monthly expense account and $22,000 for his 403(b) retirement contribution. His retirement contribution for the current year was $11,000, according to Courier files. This brings the total compensation package to $311,620.

Trustee Jay Nardini, board chairman, said the raise in Holcombs retirement contribution is due to his commitment to remain at Hawkeye until retirement. Another reason for the raise, Nardini said, is the overwhelming community support for the bond issue passed last November.

More than 75% of voters approved the $35 million bond referendum in support of three future facility projects to help expand Iowas workforce and address community needs.

We sincerely appreciate your efforts, Nardini said during the meeting. We believe we have a great president and are encouraged that you love this college.

In April, the board approved a 3% increase for faculty and non-bargaining employees for the 2023-24 year, which begins July 1.

Wettest counties in Iowa Wettest counties in Iowa #50. Warren County #49. Tama County #48. Hardin County #47. Mahaska County #46. Taylor County #45. Franklin County #44. Marion County #43. Clarke County #42. Story County #41. Wapello County #40. Cerro Gordo County #39. Jefferson County #38. Grundy County #37. Van Buren County #36. Poweshiek County #35. Monroe County #34. Washington County #33. Worth County #32. Butler County #31. Ringgold County #30. Linn County #29. Lucas County #28. Louisa County #27. Henry County #26. Decatur County #25. Johnson County #24. Davis County #23. Des Moines County #22. Muscatine County #21. Black Hawk County #20. Mitchell County #19. Wayne County #18. Jones County #17. Cedar County #16. Floyd County #15. Buchanan County #14. Appanoose County #13. Lee County #12. Scott County #11. Fayette County #10. Dubuque County #9. Bremer County #8. Clinton County #7. Howard County #6. Jackson County #5. Delaware County #4. Chickasaw County #3. Clayton County #2. Winneshiek County #1. Allamakee County
No one was home when the blaze broke out at the farm house at 3643 Schenk Road.

Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue and the Dunkerton Fire Department were called to the scene, but the flames burned the home to the ground. Heat from the fire also damaged a sport utility vehicle that was parked nearby.
Last in a series

WATERLOO  Jamie Swartley has lived in Iowa basically his entire life.

The Waterloo resident and Cedar Falls High School graduate remembers aspects he admired about the state as he grew up in the Cedar Valley.

When I was younger, we were one of the first states to legalize gay marriage, and that was really exciting, he said.

But now, as soon as the transgender man is able, hes looking to move out of state  largely because of what happened in Des Moines earlier this year during the most recent legislative session, when several anti-LGBTQIA+ bills were signed into law.

It just seems to be the complete opposite now. I know that its more than just Iowa, it is a national trend, he said. But to see my home state going so backwards, it is just heartbreaking.

The 25-year-old couldnt immediately identify any positives when asked about the Republican-controlled state governments work. As someone who votes Democratic, he believes the negatives overshadowed any possible bright spots.

The recently passed bills put his health, well-being and safety at risk. He feels particularly upset about the way those laws target transgender minors.

One example is Senate File 482, the bathroom bill, requiring students in kindergarten through 12th-grade schools to use the bathroom that aligns with their biological sex, barring transgender students from the bathroom matching their gender identity.

Swartley worries about disapproving parents who are now required to give their permission for kids access to individual bathrooms.

He remembers hearing about the first bill proposed to ban gender-affirming care for minors, the most notable law that eventually passed. Senate File 538 outlaws transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries.

I had a really hard time for a couple days, and it was really hard for me to go into work and just knowing that this was happening, he said. I dont know what I can do about it.

He transitioned from a woman to a man as an adult. While Swartley was no longer a juvenile, he takes to heart the challenges younger Iowans will face, reflecting on what such laws would have meant for him.

Swartley worries about Senate File 496 banning discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through sixth grade.

I didnt get any of that education when I was in school and here I am still, he said, but I think that could be really harmful. I imagine that if I had known that it was possible to be trans when I was younger I could have avoided a lot of misery.

He also fears the requirement that schools notify parents if a student requests to change their name or pronouns.

Thats also really scary because if a kid doesnt feel safe at home with their parents, the only other place theyre at is school, he said.

Having to fight for his identify  who he was born to be  is the scary reality. And thats in addition to other challenges he and other young adults face.

Think rent. Swartley hasnt seriously struggled and hasnt needed government assistance. He says he was lucky to find a place with cheaper rent, but he knows people who have been less fortunate.

Think health insurance. When he turns 27 he will no longer be carried on his parents plan and does not currently have an employer offering a plan.

And theres thousands of dollars in college debt that will take a very long time to pay off.

I went to Boston University, and that was not cheap either, for my grad school. I think about how am I ever going to pay all this off. Theres that federal student relief that still hasnt gone through, and it seems like its not getting any further, he said.

Hes trying to figure out his next move after graduating from Luther College in Decorah in 2020 with a music degree and minor in computer science. He has been unable to find a job in the field after obtaining his masters of music in composition at Boston.

Now working as a bartender, he also thinks about Senate File 542 that will allow teenagers to work more jobs and later hours. The bill allows 16- and 17-year-old employees to sell and serve alcohol. He worries about young servers at his place of employment.

In high school, youre still just a kid, he said. I hope high schoolers are considered a kid now that they are passing these labor laws.

He doesnt think everything should be focused on getting a job or getting into college, taking away from that joyous time in life. Instead, he feels the Legislature should promote other things, like music as a requirement in the upper grade levels as opposed to bans on books.

I think its important to let people be creative, he said.

He attended a forum on mental health not too long ago and was disappointed by what he heard.

First of all, there were not a lot of people there, including government officials. I was really glad for the people who were there, though. It was sad and they were talking about how mental health care is not great, he said.

And, the bottom line is, he feels those who want change wont be listened to. The legislation relating to gender and sexuality brings out another level of nervousness.

I dont want to put myself in a situation where someones going to tell me that they dont think I should exist, Swartley said. But I guess maybe were at a point, Im at a point, where I have to start doing something.







Jamie Swartley

Age: 25

City or town of residence: Waterloo

Occupation: Bartender

Family: Two parents, one brother, and two sisters. No significant others or kids.

Years in Iowa: 23 years.

Political affiliation: Democrat

Presidential candidate supported in 2020: Joe Biden







3 Questions

What are the biggest challenges you face in your everyday life? Like many young adults, I need to handle my rent, college debt and health insurance. But as a transgender man, I fear future challenges because of the Legislature passing legislation that targets transgender people.

How do you see Iowas government affecting your life? Theres not much of a direct impact right now, as a lot of the legislation signed into law this past session targets transgender youth. I cant think of anyway its impacted me positively. But its indirectly taken a toll on me because I feel as a state weve gone backwards, and even if I speak up, I fear legislators telling me they dont think I should exist.

What issues do you wish the government paid more attention to? Less attention to? Rather than banning books and discussion of sexual orientation in classrooms, I feel there should be more a focus placed on mental health, and on instituting music requirements in the upper grade levels to encourage them to be creative.

Photos: Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers the condition of the state address
Smoky air from Canadas wildfires is shrouding broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky. That's led to warnings to stay inside and has exacerbated health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution. The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency warned residents of the mostly Black city that everyone should stay indoors. Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have very unhealthy air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which parents and educators reevaluated their relationship with public schools, lawmakers across the country have eagerly embraced state-funded voucher programs, giving public money to students to attend private schools.

So far this year, at least 10 states have implemented or expanded programs for vouchers and other state private education subsidies, according to Chalkboard Review, an education-focused website. The states are: Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah, along with a pilot program in Tennessee.

But in North Dakota, the Republican governor vetoed such a plan, and bills failed in California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Virginia.

There are currently voucher and similar programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia, according to EdChoice, a free-market organization that promotes public money for private education. Voucher programs often are characterized in state legislation as scholarship programs, but whatever the name, the policies result in a transfer of public money to private institutions. Some even subsidize home-schooling.

Some states are establishing what they call education savings accounts. The state puts money in such accounts for every student under 18, allowing parents to spend it on public, private, religious or home-schooling costs.

Some programs have seen extensive growth: Indianas private school voucher program grew by 20% in the past school year, its largest boost in a decade. And in Arizona, a voucher program projected to cost $65 million in the coming school year is now estimated at more than $900 million because of an expected spike in applicants.

Some of the Republicans pushing the programs claim broad public support for them. But recent polls suggest that peoples opinions shift depending on the details of the program, the phrasing of the questions and who is asking them.

Polls funded by pro-voucher advocacy groups or state Republican parties show the public in many states favoring them. Polls commissioned by Democratic-leaning teachers unions often show the public opposed.

Meanwhile, a Reuters/Ipsos poll in March found that 36% of respondents supported vouchers and 51% opposed them when they were asked if they supported laws allowing government money to send students to private and religious schools, even if it reduces money for public schools.

Its going to continue to be a real focus in the legislative process in a lot of places for some time to come, said Norin Dollard, senior policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, a progressive think tank that opposes vouchers.

Several Republican-dominated states pushed ahead with voucher programs this year.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, signed a bill in March establishing a voucher program for any family, regardless of income. The allocation per student is expected to be about $8,000 a year  more than some private schools were charging for annual tuition.

As a result, some private schools raised their prices. At least one Catholic school, after deciding to raise tuition, reversed course in the face of parents objections when the Tampa Bay Times reported the decision. The newspaper reported some other schools are sticking with the decision to raise tuition but did not name them.

Dollard said she did not know which schools in Florida were moving forward with plans to increase their rates.

But she said in a phone interview that her group would continue to oppose the voucher system because, she argues, many schools in Florida dont have enough money now. According to one recent analysis, Florida ranks 44th among the states in per-pupil spending.

If those schools had been properly funded to begin with, we might not be in the situation where students are inclined to leave public schools, she said. Public schools serve the public good.

An annual Gallup poll on education trends shows 55% of respondents last year were unhappy with K-12 education in the United States, up from 48% in 2020.

Robert Enlow, president of EdChoice, said the organization thinks its fair and more equitable for money to follow families than to have the money follow one type of school. [Families] shouldnt have to pay twice, once in taxes and once in tuition. Why is that fair?

In Iowa, more than 17,500 parents already have applied to join the states new education savings accounts, thousands more than state officials had budgeted for, according to the Des Moines Register. Families have until the end of June to sign up; its unclear how the state will fund all the applicants.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds success in pushing the school choice program through the legislature came arguably as a result of her work last fall to elect new, pro-voucher Republican lawmakers after a voucher bill had previously failed. As was the case in Florida, several private religious schools in Iowa raised their tuition after the measure there passed.

In Utah, Republican Gov. Spencer Cox in January signed into law a measure that will spend $42 million to set up a statewide universal voucher program. The law gives out $8,000 per student to pay private school tuition. The states largest teachers union, the Utah Education Association, said it would challenge the law in court.

How K-12 public school funding has changed over the past decade How K-12 public school funding has changed over the past decade Education revenue has increased overall since 2012 For the last decade, education expenditures have been greater than education revenue The percentage of education revenue coming from federal sources has decreased in most states
Vanilla, a rescued chimpanzee who cried with ecstasy when she first saw the sky, is now prospering in her new home in Florida, according to one of her keepers there.

According to Dan Mathews, the sanctuary's director of events and special initiatives, the lovely chimpanzee had "never felt grass beneath her feet" before arriving, according to Daily Mail.

An Adorable Reunion Captured on Video

The cute video captures the moment alpha male Dwight embraced Vanilla as she ventured outdoors into the open, gazing up at the sky in awe.

The chimpanzee spent her first two years in an experimental lab in New York before being transferred to a Californian rescue facility where she was kept in an enclosure with a gated ceiling that prevented her from plainly seeing the sky.

(Photo: by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) A chimpanzee is pictured at Dehiwala Zoo near Colombo on May 13, 2023.

She was then relocated to the Save the Chimps sanctuary, where she now shares a three-acre island with 18 other chimpanzees and has access to a variety of grassy hills and climbing platforms to explore with her new family.

In the popular video, Vanilla is also greeted by the other monkeys as she continues to stare in awe at the sky. She may also be seen galloping around the island with abandon and sitting with her new family while they groom one another.

Vanilla's Living Conditions

Dr. Andrew Halloran, a primatologist with Save the Chimps, took the video while describing Vanilla's living conditions in California, "In California, Vanilla lived with a handful of chimps inside a chain-link fence cage with no grass and very little enrichment," he said.

Dr. Halloran claimed that while Vanilla is not exploring with the other chimpanzees on her island, she is perched atop a three-story climbing platform, taking in her brand-new environment.

Read also: Chimpanzees Appear To Show Empathy by Applying Insect-Based Makeshift Medicine to Each Other

Vanilla's Journey

Vanilla lives on one of 12 islands that are connected by narrow waterbeds and are described by the Save the Chimps rescuers as autonomous, inquisitive, and intelligent. This enables the sanctuary to provide the chimps with their very own outside play area.

Vanilla was born and raised in the now-defunct Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) in New York, where she was kept until 1995 in diminutive, five-square-foot cages suspended from the ceiling that were reminiscent of bird cages.

The building had no windows, therefore, the six cages were situated on opposite walls so that the chimpanzees could see one another yet cruelly be too far apart to have any contact.

Vanilla and the other chimpanzees kept there in captivity were confined to their small cages all day because there was no outdoor holding or exercise area.

According to a visitor who witnessed the appalling conditions within the prison firsthand, this made them anxious and afraid.

She was one of 30 chimpanzees taken to the Wildlife Waystation in California when she was relocated from LEMSIP at the age of two.

There, she joined a tiny family group that lodged in a fenced-off enclosure. Despite a little improvement over the experimental lab, the chimpanzees were still confined to tiny enclosures with no opportunity to move freely in the wild.

She was among 480 other creatures, including 42 chimpanzees, that lived at the shelter and were rehomed when it closed in 2019.

At the Wildlife Waystation, Vanilla shared a home with the Sunshine Seven, another chimpanzee family. They had been living in cramped quarters, which the rescue shared images of, before being brought to the Center for Great Apes. The primates appeared unhappy as they sat in their cramped cages.

Vanilla was one of the final seven animals to be relocated from the Californian rescue center. The animals were kept in cages until they could travel across the country to their new home in Florida. Sunrise Seven was the name of the tiny family.

Related article: Gorilla And Chimpanzee Population May Disappear By 2025 If Poaching And Trafficking Continues, Officials Say (PHOTOS)

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Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (28 June 2023)

Russian Aerospace Forces have carried out high-precision strikes on oil refinery and fuel storage facilities that support the AFU troops in Donbas.

All the assigned targets have been neutralised. The goal of the attack has been reached.

The AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in South Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions.

In Donetsk direction, during active defence activities, the units of the Yug Group of Forces have successfully repelled five enemy attacks close to Artyomovsk, Pervomayskoye, Petrovskoye and Vesyoloye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems have neutralised over 240 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, and one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system.

In South Donetsk direction, close to Vremevka salient, as a result of the courageous actions of the units, aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Vostok Group of Forces, two enemy attacks of up to a motorised infantry company have been repelled close to Staromayorskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

In Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops continued air, missile and artillery strikes on enemy reserve concentration areas near Orekhov, Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka and Yablonevoye (Zaporozhye region).

The actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been disrupted close to Marfopol (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 235 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, as well as D-20 and Msta-B howitzers.

In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by Ground-Attack and Army aviation, and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of enemy manpower and hardware near Sinkovka and Kislovka, Timkovka (Kharkov region) and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

One Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group has been eliminated near Timkovka (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as three motor vehicles.

In Krasny Liman direction, the competent and well-coordinated actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces have repelled two enemy attacks close to Kuzmino (Lugansk Peoples Republic) and Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Operational-Tactical Aviation and artillery have hit units of the enemy 21st, 42nd, 63rd and 67th mechanised brigades, and the 15th Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine close to Chervonaya Dibrova, Nevskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic), and Yampolovka, Terny and Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The activities of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been disrupted near Serebryansky forestry.

The enemy losses were 115 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, three pickup trucks, one Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and one D-30 howitzer.

In Kherson direction, the skilful actions by Russian troops and artillery eliminated an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance unit attempted to land and entrench itself on the northern part of Antonovsky Island.

The enemy losses were up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, as well as Msta-B, D-20, and D-30 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 93 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 134 areas.

A temporary command post of the 56th AFU Motorised Infantry Brigade has been hit close to Kramatorsk (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The battalion command and observation posts of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade and the enemy 10th Mountain Assault Brigade have been hit close to Predtecheno and Vesyoloye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

One missile and ammunition depot of the AFU 47th Artillery Brigade has been destroyed near Novopavlovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Air defence facilities have intercepted three Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles and 6 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

In addition, 8 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed close to Opytnoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Karmazinovka, Privolye, Ploshchanka, Oborotnovka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Balochki and Peremozhnoye (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 444 airplanes, 240 helicopters, 4,812 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 air defence missile systems, 10,395 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,132 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,254 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 11,256 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

WtR
COLUMBUS  The Columbus Fourth of July celebration kicks off tonight with family night.

Firemans Park is the home of the celebration, which will take place until the fireworks show on July 4. Family night will begin at 5:30 p.m. tonight around the pavilion.

Friday night will be the first night of the carnival with Mr. Eds Magical Midway Carnival beginning at 5 p.m. Granny Shot will take the mainstage on Friday night beginning at 7 p.m.

We will be charging $1 for 21 and older wristbands this year, Columbus Fourth of July Committee President Tory Weidemann said. We are requiring that all people over 21 get one to be able to drink.

Dodge County Fair has had a similar practice in place since 2011.

The VFW Legion and Marine League of Wisconsin will operate the security team this year.

We used to hire out but decided we would rather pay local veteran clubs to help out, Weidemann said.

The carnival will be open on Saturday afternoon with the bands Jesse Walker, David Austin Polka Band, Madison Music Foundry and Pilot performing at the park.

Sunday the carnival will open at 1 p.m. as well with Lo-Fi Killers and Pacific Coast Highway performing.

There is also a corn hole tournament this year where entrants can register on the Columbus Fourth of July Facebook page. Weidemann said there would also be a car show near the Boy Scout Cabin in the park.

Monday evening the carnival will open at 5 p.m. and Super Tuesday will perform.

The Fourth of July which falls on Tuesday makes it the busiest day of the celebration. Thousands enter Columbus traditionally for the events beginning with the parade at noon.

The parade runs through downtown with lineup beginning on Temkin Road and the entries heading south of Ludington Street. It will follow through downtown Columbus and past Firemans Park. The parade ends at the corner of Tower Drive and Park Avenue.

Activities at Firemans Park will begin at 1 p.m., carnival rides will open and Buck-Neck-Ed will perform. TJ Howell Comedy Juggler and Unicyclist will perform around 2:30 p.m. and bingo will begin around 3 p.m.

Waynes Road will perform the night of July 4 with the fireworks beginning at dusk.

Weidemann said that people are not allowed to bring in carry-ins and they are asked not to bring dogs or other animals to the park due to the amount of people in the park. No cars are allowed to travel through the park as well.

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KALAMAZOO, MI  As fume from Canadian wildfires continues to hover astir Kalamazoo County, a number of outdoor activities person been canceled aliases moved indoors.

While fume had been forecasted to person cleared retired of Southwest Michigan by Wednesday morning, nan Air Quality Index (AQI) this Thursday astatine 6:15 p.m. publication 158, which is still successful nan unhealthy level.

The aerial value is expected to amended Friday, but still beryllium unhealthy for delicate groups.

As a result, nan metropolis of Portage moved its organization concert, featuring Jeffrey Cavatio from Celery Flats to nan Portage Zhang Senior Center connected Thursday, June 29.

Related: Its hazy successful West Michigan today. Here are tips to guarantee it doesnt effect your health.

Kzoo Parks besides announced aggregate cancelations for Thursday, June 29 and Friday, June 30, citing aerial quality.

Kik Pool will beryllium closed connected Friday and masters and aqua powerfulness classes astatine nan excavation are canceled for Thursday evening, a news merchandise from Kzoo Parks states.

On Friday, Lunchtime Live! has been canceled. The Summer Cinema movie astatine nan Kalamazoo Farmers Market, scheduled for Friday, will beryllium postponed. A rescheduled day will beryllium announced erstwhile available.

Kzoo Parks Summer Camps will proceed to beryllium unfastened pinch information measures successful place.

This station will beryllium updated if further events are canceled Thursday aliases Friday.

Also connected MLive:

Its difficult to opportunity goodbye, says Brunos proprietor connected eve of closing

$20M for transformational Kalamazoo road task approved successful Michigan budget

Q&A: The Daily Shows Jordan Klepper dishes connected increasing up successful Kalamazoo earlier visit

Want much Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or motion up for nan free [email protected] Kalamazoo regular newsletter.
FILE - Protesters of Kentucky Senate Bill SB150, known as the Transgender Health Bill, cheer on speakers during a rally on the lawn of the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., March 29, 2023. A federal judge temporarily blocked Kentuckys ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths on Wednesday, June 28, taking the action shortly before the measure was set to take effect.
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The Supreme Court has ruled that colleges and universities must stop considering race in admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.
The Chinese spy balloon that flew over the US earlier this year was equipped with American-made technology to capture images, videos, and other information, according to US authorities. They cited preliminary results from a secret probe.

After the US military shot down the balloon nearly five months ago, several defense and intelligence agencies, along with the FBI, analyzed the debris. The already tense relationship between the US and China was thrown into further, unanticipated turmoil by this occurrence.

Equipped With US Technology Available for Commercial Sale

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the authorities claimed the balloon was packed with commercially accessible US gear, some of it for sale online, and specialized Chinese sensors and other equipment to take images, video, and other data for China. They concluded that the aircraft was designed for surveillance, not weather observation, as Beijing claimed.

ABC News reported that the first officer was unable to confirm whether or not any American equipment had been supplied illegally to China. Nevertheless, he did indicate that the issue of whether or not the equipment had been obtained via illegal commerce was of great concern to authorities.

The said spy balloon collected data throughout its eight-day flight across Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous US, but officials claimed it did not seem to transfer anything to China.

The Pentagon claimed the US military used countermeasures to prevent the balloon from collecting information, but authorities refused to specify whether the airship malfunctioned.

This Event Strained the Already Bitter US-China Ties

The balloon's discovery and shootdown interrupted a blossoming reconciliation between Washington and Beijing, leading to recriminations and increased mistrust and tensions.

In recent weeks, the Biden administration and the Communist leadership have begun a tentative reset, signaling they desire to put the balloon issue behind them.

This month, US President Joe Biden termed the balloon "more embarrassing than it was intentional" for Chinese authorities. "That chapter should be closed," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC last week during a delayed visit to Beijing.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials worry that the US balloon report would drive Beijing to respond strongly, perhaps derailing high-level discussions, according to Wall Street Journal. Blinken is sending Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to Beijing early next month, and both countries are seeking to arrange a meeting between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this year.

Meanwhile, the Defense Intelligence Agency and other sectors of the US military reportedly sought to exhibit balloon debris. Similar actions were taken by the Defense Department in 2017 with Iranian weaponry the Pentagon said was deployed in Yemen and the Persian Gulf to demonstrate Tehran's "malign activity" in the Middle East.

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Malibu, CA, June 29, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Join Ellis Martin for a conversation with Elyssia Patterson, Director of Corporate Communications for Latin Metals Inc. ( CVE:LMS ) ( LMSQF:OTCMKTS ) as we discuss the latest news release.



Latin Metals Provides Update on Barrick Gold Exploration Activities, Cerro Bayo Project, Argentina.



Latin Metals Inc. provides an update on exploration at the Cerro Bayo project, located in the Deseado Massif, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. Cerro Bayo is subject to an earn-in agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation. Under the terms of the Earn-In Agreement, Barrick has the right to acquire up to an 85% interest in the Project.



Exploration Update & Planned Work



Exploration completed by Barrick in the first year of the Earn-In Agreement has identified a preserved low sulphidation epithermal system and included:



- Geological and alteration mapping

- Structural mapping

- 1,000 line-km ground magnetic survey

- 759 rock chip samples

- 100 rock channel samples



Structural mapping is key with identification of west-northwest to northwest trending structures that are believed to control mineralization in the area. These faults define an extensional basin which is approximately 6km wide. Rock sampling identified mineralization up to approximately 2 g/t gold. The exploration program is targeting potential bonanza grade gold and silver at 150m to 200m depth from palaeosurface.



The project holds an environmental permit for prospecting activities, which allows for surface work (excluding trenches). Barrick is evaluating additional exploration work that may include:



- Gradient array induced polarization (IP) for approximately 90 line-kms.

- Deep CSAMT geophysical survey (single 6km line).

- 30 to 40 trenches of 200m to 400m in length for approximately 10,000m of trench in total. The program would generate approximately 2,500 samples crossing all of the vein zones identified to date.



To listen to the Interview, please visit:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/22YPF1CD





About Latin Metals Inc.





Latin Metals Inc. (CVE:LMS) (OTCMKTS:LMSQF) is a mineral exploration company acquiring a diversified portfolio of assets in South America. The Company operates with a Prospect Generator model focusing on the acquisition of prospective exploration properties at minimum cost, completing initial evaluation through cost-effective exploration to establish drill targets, and ultimately securing joint venture partners to fund drilling and advanced exploration. Shareholders gain exposure to the upside of a significant discovery without the dilution associated with funding the highest-risk drill-based exploration. Latin Metals has recently concluded deals to option out exploration properties to a wholly-owned subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation, and Libero Copper.

About The Ellis Martin Report

The Ellis Martin Report (TEMR) is an internet based radio program showcasing potentially undervalued companies to an audience of potential retail investors and fund managers that comprise our listening audience. TEMR is broadcasted on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel and The Opportunity Radio Network. CEO and company interviews are paid for by those represented on the program.
Celebrity

The former 'House of Cards' actor is spotted waving and flashing a smile as his sexual assault trial begins and the jury are sworn in at Southwark Crown Court.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Kevin Spacey's sexual assault trial began on Wednesday, June 28 as the jury were sworn in at Southwark Crown Court in London. The 63-year-old actor was hit with charges in 2022 in London with four counts of sexual assault, allegedly committed between 2005 and 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Hollywood star was seen waving and having a smile on his face as he arrived at the court two hours early. He showed up in court for the first day of the trial, which will last for around four weeks, and the jurors heard the details of the charges.

The opening arguments won't be heard until Friday, June 30, with no court scheduled on Thursday, June 29.

The "Baby Driver" actor nodded as Justice Mark Wall said the members of the jury may know him by name and might have seen his films, Sky News reports. They were also told that there will be substantial publicity surrounding the trial.

The actor appeared in court last month via video where it was confirmed that the trial would begin on June 28.

Last July, the actor denied five charges relating to four counts of sexual assault and one allegation to engage in sexual activity without consent, and in January denied seven additional offense charges.

Spacey also told how he is hoping his trial goes in the same direction as the Anthony Rapp case - which saw the actor found not liable for sexual misconduct in a $40 million lawsuit. He said, "The moment scrutiny is applied, these things fall apart. That's what happened in the Rapp trial, and that's what will happen in this case."

Spacey was found not liable in the lawsuit. Spacey also declared about the legal action against him, "In 10 years, it won't mean anything. My work will live longer than I will, and that's what will be remembered."

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The former Bond girl is glad to have met the 'Beetlejuice' director as she declares her love for him after they were seen packing on public display of affection.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Monica Bellucci has publicly professed her love for Tim Burton. The "Irreversible" actress, 58, and the "Beetlejuice 2" director are in the midst of filming the comedy-horror sequel in London, and Monica shared her feelings about her partner after the pair in February confirmed longstanding rumours they were dating by sharing a kiss during a Valentine's Day walk in Santa Monica, California.

"What I can say I'm glad I met the man, first of all. It's one of those encounters that rarely happens in life I know the man, I love him, and now I'm going to meet the director, another adventure begins. I love Tim. And I have great respect for Tim Burton," she told Elle France about how she loves Tim as a person and professional.

She added about Tim's films, "I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving. Tim Burton's films talk about that a lot."

After the pair were seen kissing in February, they were spotted walking arm-in-arm before Tim wrapped his arm around Monica as they entered a restaurant. They have been friends for more than 15 years, and are rumoured to have started dating after the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, France, in October 2022.

French outlet Paris Match reported the "Edward Scissorhands" director and the actress initially met in 2006 during the Cannes Film Festival but "got closer" behind the scenes of Lumiere.

The director split from ex-wife Helena Bonham Carter, 57, in 2014 after 13 years together and they have son Billy, 19, and 15-year-old daughter Nell.

Monica separated from her artist partner Nicolas Lefebvre, 41, in 2019, and was married to actor Vincent Cassel, 56, from 1999 to 2013 - with whom she has daughters Deva, 18, and 13-year-old Leonie.

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The 36-year-old 'Call Me by Your Name' actor packed on PDAs with the dental hygienist while grabbing lunch in a Portofino restaurant in Italy on Tuesday, June 27.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Armie Hammer celebrated his divorce finalization by spending time with his ex Lisa Perejma. Just one week after settling his divorce from Elizabeth Chambers, the "Call Me by Your Name" actor was spotted locking lips with the dental hygienist in Italy.

The 36-year-old packed on PDAs with Lisa while grabbing lunch in Portofino on Tuesday, June 27. In pictures obtained by Page Six, he could be seen kissing the blond beauty several times during their meal.

One photo, meanwhile, showed Lisa caressing Armie's forehead as she sat across the table. Once they left the restaurant, the duo walked hand-in-hand.

For the outfit, Armie wore a black and green Under Armour shirt, blue pants and sandals. His companion, in the meantime, looked stylish in a strapless top, a jean skirt, white sneakers and a white bag. Both of them finished off their looks with sunglasses.

Armie and Lisa were linked romantically in early 2021, but they reportedly broke up in February 2022. It remains to be seen whether they have rekindled their romance.

The outing arrived one week after a report suggested that Armie and Elizabeth have already finalized their divorce. Elizabeth first filed for dissolution on July 10, 2020, after 10 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the cause of the split.

As for Armie, he has been keeping a low profile after he was accused of sexual misconduct by several women. On May 31, however, it was announced that he won't face sexual assault charges following an investigation into an alleged assault in 2017.

After the announcement, Armie declared in a social media post that he will begin the "long, difficult process of putting my life back together" after his name was cleared, and he also thanked those who stood by him through the ordeal. He wrote, "I am very grateful to the District Attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and coming to the conclusion that I have stood by this entire time, that no crime was committed. I look forward to beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared."

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Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino shared her suggestion on how to win advertisers.

During a recent meeting with the social media company's global team sales, Yaccarino said that if employees want to attract advertisers, they need to practice hand-to-hand combat.

This may sound like a joke, especially since the rumored cage fight between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk is still expected to happen.

However, Yaccarino doesn't really prefer the actual hand-to-hand combat used by martial artists or other professional fighters.

Twitter CEO Suggests One Way To Win Advertisers Back

According to Business Insider's latest report, what the Twitter CEO meant by saying "hand-to-hand combat" is the method to persuade advertisers in person.

Read Also: Weibo Bans Finance Writers After Commenting About China's Stock Market

If this is really effective, then it would definitely help Twitter. Earlier this June, numerous reports stated that the social media giant's ad revenue was down by 59% in the United States.

This revenue drop happened from Apr. 1 until the first week of May. This is because many advertising companies decided to pull out their funds from Twitter after Elon Musk purchased the online platform.

Yaccarino's latest suggestion on how to win back advertisers is a clear sign that the social media giant still has a long way to gain the trust of advertising companies again.

Twitter CEO Now Adjusting Her Role

The New York Times reported that Yaccarino wasn't able to completely handle Twitter's advertising efforts because of a contractual agreement with NBCUniversal.

Although this is the case, she was still able to repair the relationship between Twitter and Google.

Now, Yaccarino said that she would take a different position from Musk's rough relationship with the media.

She said that her strategy is to have great relationships with the media companies so that they can help Twitter advocate its business.

Of course, Yaccarino said that she's still aware of who is the boss; Elon Musk. If you want to learn more about the efforts of Linda to regain Twitter's advertising revenue, you can click this link.

Related Article: TikTok Exec Vanessa Pappas Resigns Amid ByteDance Scrutiny Over China Ties

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Facebook Celebrity

The Brooklyn rapper receives his prison sentence months after pleading guilty to racketeering and narcotics offenses in connection with his leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Casanova has received his prison sentence in the racketeering and drug case. The Brooklyn emcee, who was facing up to 60 years in jail, was sentenced to more than 15 years behind bars.

Announcing the sentencing was Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. "Caswell Senior is not just a notorious recording artist, but he is also a high-profile leader of a vicious street gang and a magnet for gang violence. At a crowded Miami house party, Senior personally fired a gun that seriously injured and could have killed a victim, inciting a shootout," Damian said in a press release.

"Further, Senior's stature in the community was central to Gorilla Stone's successful recruitment and nationwide expansion," the U.S. Attorney added. "Today's sentencing - along with the other significant sentences that have been imposed in this case - shows once again that gang life is not worth it and will lead to many years in prison."

Casanova pleaded guilty to racketeering and narcotics offenses in connection with his leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang back in January. He also admitted to playing a role in a July 2020 Florida shooting and a New York City robbery in 2018, as well as trafficking over 100 kilograms of marijuana.

Prior to his sentencing, Casanova wrote an emotional letter to Judge Philip Halpern. "I am telling you and anyone that will listen that I wanted out before I was arrested and I am out," he began.

"I learned through my music career that people will listen and that I don't need to associate myself with a gang to succeed. I don't need to associate with a gang even if I don't succeed," he continued. "While I have been in here I lost my father to cancer. While I put on that strong facade, all I wanted to do was end it. Surviving on Rikers Island and upstate correctional facilities were not easy with racial and gang tension and violence at its height."

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In a clip of her upcoming podcast episode, the comedian goes on an expletive-laden rant when addressing the controversy surrounding her 'sarcastic' claim that 'nobody died in the Holocaust.'

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Roseanne Barr is defending herself after she landed in hot water over her recent Holocaust comments. Not apologizing for her controversial remarks, the comedian has admitted that she's "really pissed" after her statements were taken out of context.

The 70-year-old addressed the backlash in an excerpt of her upcoming podcast episode. In a clip of the episode posted on Wednesday, June 28, she said, "I'm really pissed that they removed the premise. How f**king dirty is that?"

"F**king dumb s**ts. I have to say that people are coming after me, and saying that I denied the Holocaust," the actress continued ranting, before explaining her background, "I was raised in an apartment building with Holocaust survivors, so of course I don't believe the Holocaust never happened and I actually am a religious so why don't you go f**k yourself."

The "Roseanne" alum further blasted her critics, "We are under such heavy satanic mind control in this country and I'm always trying to break through to get a little God in there." When her co-host blamed the society for being "easily manipulated," Roseanne agreed that "everything they do is stupid."

In the caption of the post, Roseanne hinted at her desire to move on from the drama as writing, "Never talk to me about this distraction again thanks."

Roseanne was dragged online following her appearance on "This Past Weekend with Theo Von", on which she appeared to deny Holocaust. "And, that is the truth. And, nobody died in the Holocaust either. That's the truth," she said to host Theo Von. "It should happen. Six million Jews should die right now cause they cause all the problems in the world. But, it never happened." The stand-up comic went on to say that she is "100 percent" Jewish.

After Roseanne's comments drew the ire of social media users, her son Jake Pentland quickly jumped to his mother's defense. "We are embarrassed that people are stupid enough not to recognize Roseanne is being sarcastic," he told TMZ on Tuesday.

"We think it's funny that people are so stupid," he added. "Let's stop doing this clickbait s**t, we need to focus on big problems in America. Focusing on out-of-context clips is what morons do."

Echoing Jake's sentiment, Theo tweeted, "This Roseanne Barr clip was sarcasm folks. A clip taken out of a long sarcastic rant she had during our chat. Can we not recognize sarcasm anymore?"

"Here is the full clip of Roseanne Barr obviously using sarcasm and satire," he added in a separate tweet, before singing praise for the comedienne as writing, "She is a mensch and one of the funniest people i've ever met."

Despite the explanation, people are still coming at Roseanne. One critic responded to the explanation, "Sarcasm or not, Roseanne Barr's comments about Jews and the Holocaust are reprehensible and irresponsible. This isn't funny. And shame on Theo Von for letting it go unchallenged and instead diving into conspiracy theories about Jews and Hollywood."

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A former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission stresses that the Duchess of Sussex 'never regarded herself particularly as black' before she started to date Prince Harry.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex is said by a leading racial equality campaigner to have had to "learn how to be black" when she entered the royal family. Sir Trevor Phillips, 69, also said the former "Suits" actress 41, had "made a bit of a mess of it" and claimed she "never regarded herself particularly as black" before she started to date Prince Harry, which he said was "understandable" due to her upbringing.

The broadcaster and former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission made the claims during an appearance on TalkTV's "Piers Morgan Uncensored" show, and said, "I think people mistake who Meghan Markle is, she herself said that until she became this princess she never regarded herself particularly as black and that's understandable. She grew up in Los Angeles in the most wealthy black enclave anywhere in the United States - Park View, Windsor Hills... she went to a private Roman Catholic school and in a sense race was never really a part of her background."

Sir Trevor added "anyone who came from a black background knew that the issue of race wasn't Meghan's "territory." Referencing the duchess' famous claim a member of the royals asked how dark the skin of her and Harry's unborn son Archie, now four, would be, he said, "When she made this supposedly incendiary claim about somebody asking what colour Archie's skin would be, well actually every black family... the minute you know somebody is coming, that's what you're speculating about. For white people it's hair and eye colour."

"The point I really want to make about Meghan Markle is that she had to learn how to be black on the job, as it were, and I think she made a bit of a mess of it," he continued. "She didn't take advice, and that in some sense is why I think (she and Harry) squandered the opportunity to demonstrate something important about this country... We have the largest, uniquely mixed-race population anywhere in the developed world that has come about through romance rather than coercion and they could have been standard bearers for that."

Meghan, who also has two-year-old daughter Lilibet with Harry, 38, last year said about her mixed-race identity on her now axed Spotify podcast "Archetypes", "I mean, if there's any time in my life that it's been more focused on my race, it's only once I started dating my husband. Then I started to understand what it was like to be treated like a black woman. Because up until then, I had been treated like a mixed woman. And things really shifted."

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Going naked while lounging on a wooden sauna bench, the 'Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard' star embraces 'the healing power of the sauna' to celebrate World Wellbeing Week.

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Salma Hayek is using saunas to sweat out "stress." The "From Dusk till Dawn" actress, 56, posted images of herself on her Instagram of her lounging on a wooden sauna bench completely naked under a white towel to say she wanted to honor World Wellbeing Week.

She captioned the pair of steamy images, "Embracing the healing power of the sauna and sweating out the stress this #WorldWellbeingWeek."

Salma covered her privates and chest with small folded white towels, prompting fans to cheekily urge her to take them off. Her focus on wellness comes after she admitted she is now finally happily settled after she had to be "dragged" down the aisle.

The "Frida" actress has been married to French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, 61, since 2009, but said she turned down two of his proposals before they finally got hitched and said their nuptials felt like an "intervention" by her family.

She told Glamour magazine about how she had no idea she was getting married on Valentine's Day until her relatives got involved, "They just took me to the court. My parents, my brother, they were all ganging up on me. I had a phobia of the marriage thing. I was nervous I had said yes to the marriage, but I just wouldn't actually show up on the day or do it."

Salma added she was then relieved to find her relationship with Francois didn't feel different when they got married. The couple had been dating for three years when they wed and was already the parents of daughter Valentina, 15, and Salma has previously about rejecting his requests for marriage, "I am ashamed to admit how many times he had to ask me. Three times! That was the biggest fear I've ever overcome. He is an amazing man, self-confident and feminist, who likes strong women and also knows how to take care of them."

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Giving the 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' star the benefit of the doubt, the new Captain America depicter says that 'nothing has been proven about this dude.'

Jun 29, 2023

AceShowbiz - Anthony Mackie has broken his silence on Jonathan Majors' domestic violence arrest. Becoming the first major Marvel actor to speak on the case, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" star stresses that his fellow MCU star "is innocent until proven guilty."

In an interview with Inverse, the new Captain America depicter was asked about the uncertainty of Majors' return as Kang the Conqueror amid his legal issue. Giving the Emmy-nominated actor the benefit of the doubt, Mackie said, "We're a country that was built on 'everyone is innocent until proven guilty.' That's one of the staples of this country."

Particularly on Majors' case, the 44-year-old noted, "Nothing has been proven about this dude. Nothing. So everyone is innocent until proven guilty. That's all I can say. It's crazy where we are as a society. But as a country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty."

Majors was arrested in March following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. He was subsequently charged with two counts of assault in the third degree, aggravated harassment and attempted assault.

It was recently reported that Major has filed a cross-complaint against Jabbari. He alleged that the 30-year-old woman attacked him in previous incidents. He claimed that she was "drunk and hysterical" when she caused him pain and bleeding after the alleged assault.

On Tuesday, June 20, Majors appeared in court with his new girlfriend Meagan Good. During the court appearance, Judge Rachel S. Pauley set an August 3 date for a trial the case. "Within a few weeks of these false allegations, we provided the District Attorney with evidence of Mr. Majors' innocence. Last week, we delivered additional compelling evidence to the District Attorney," his attorney Priya Chaudhry said in a statement. "Following this, we strongly requested the District Attorney dismiss all charges against Mr. Majors immediately."

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One of the most promising young talents to watch out for, Babil Khan has been making waves ever since his debut with Netflix film Qala last year. The actor who has some exciting projects lined up recently shot for a brand commercial which has been winning the netizens. Sharing the ad on his social media handle, Babil can be seen drawing inspiration from the late business magnate and the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple - Steve Jobs.

Acing the look while performing his dialogues like a solid actor, Babil wrote, Because when I asked for a brief, they asked me to be different

It was soon after the young actor shared the commercial on his Instagram handle, fan comments started coming in and lauded him for his commercial. While some admirers funnily called him Babil Jobs, another called him a future star saying, The Future . In addition to this, other fan wrote, This is soo like Steve Jobs. 

Needless to say, Babil has yet again proven that hes a natural infront of the camera and we sure look forward to see different shades of him in upcoming works.

On the professional front, Babil Khan is currently working on his unannounced next. He will also be seen in Yash Raj Films maiden web series The Railway Men, a tribute to the unsung heroes of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
Bingo! Tedhe Medhe, the beloved snack brand known for its irresistible and unique flavours, has launched an innovative, first-of-its-kind AI campaign in India that will take your snacking experience to a whole new level. Bingo! is thrilled to announce a fusion of AI and snacking that promises to leave your taste buds tingling and funny bones tickled. With their brand proposition of Eat phir Repeat, Bingo! aims to engage with its target audience in a fun and nostalgia-filled journey of hunger pang moments.

Bingo! is inviting consumers to share their most memorable and quirkiest Tedhe Medhe hunger moments through its Bingo! Tedhe Medhe Snack Attack contest. Winning entries will stand a chance to have their moment transformed into personalised AI-generated images. These AI-generated posts will be featured on the brand's social media handles and consumers with the most interesting situations will win exciting vouchers and hampers. Each week, Bingo! Tedhe Medhe will select 10 mega winners from the AI images shared on social media by tagging the brand and will receive exciting prizes such as engraved glass cubes, backlit display frames, framed images and more. This new campaign leverages the power of AI to recreate and personalise these moments, allowing participants to relive their quirky snacking memories like never before.
LivWell Asia ("LivWell"), a digital Health and Protection-focused Insuretech operating in Vietnam and India, has appointed Wilf Blackburn as Executive Chairman, effective June 23, 2023. Blackburn brings with him a track record of driving growth and profitability in emerging markets, including Asia, where LivWell is building its presence in the health and protection segment to address the needs of Millennials and Gen Zs.

Prior to joining LivWell, Blackburn most recently served as the Regional CEO, Insurance Growth Markets for Prudential, where he was responsible for steering 16 markets across Asia and Africa towards accelerated growth. Before this, Wilf was the CEO of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Prudential Singapore), a position he held for four years. He joined Prudential Corporation Asia in 2012 and led new market initiatives, including overseeing the launch of Prudential's business operations in Cambodia and the establishment of Prudential's representative offices in Myanmar and Laos. He also served as Vietnam Country Head, where he oversaw the asset management and consumer finance businesses. Prior to that, Blackburn had been with Allianz for over a decade, where he had served as CEO in China, Thailand, and the Philippines. Until July 2022, Wilf held the position of a non-executive director on the board of Prudential ICICI Board.

"Excited to have Wilf join our board and steer our vision," said Nikhil Verma, Group CEO & Co-Founder of LivWell. "He has the transformative mindset, experience, and drive to help us accelerate towards our goal of becoming a leader in Health and Protection in Asia, and I have seen this firsthand during my time with Wilf while he was CEO at Prudential Vietnam," said Nikhil.

"LivWell's vision on health and protection and their strong progress so far has got me excited to join at this early stage and be a part of the rapid building of a digitally enabled insurer for the next generation," said Wilf Blackburn.

"The founding team's ambition to create a regional customer-centric insurance business was key to my interest, as we see a major opportunity to create offerings that are relevant to the emerging generation of Asian consumers," added Blackburn.

LivWell, a Top 50 Insurtech in APAC, is preparing to break new ground in India as a life insurance company on the back of reforms shaping up the Indian insurance industry. This venture is further backed by Flipkart Ventures, MDV Capital, and Angels in the insurance industry.
myBillBook, India's leading GST billing and accounting software by FloBiz, has launched a brand video under its MSME Day exclusive property, Tum Kamaal Ho. The brand released a high-energy MSME anthem last year to celebrate the resolve and spirit of MSMEs. This year they have followed this up with a heartfelt video with the narrative of how these small businesses become a part of our daily life, and while their efforts, unlike larger enterprises, are not visible to the masses and do not capture the news headlines, but are a big factor in propelling the nations economic growth.

The 90-second video incorporates relatable and common phrases used to address MSME owners like Bhaiya, Didi, Uncle and Aunty, while the visuals showcase their perseverance and determination to overcome everyday business challenges. MSMEs contribute 30% to Indias GDP and provide employment to 110 million people. They are known for their multi-tasking and adaptability qualities and play multiple roles like the salesperson, delivery person, cleaner, manager, accountant and any other role required by their nature of business. MSMEs may not have the advantage of easy-to-get credit, the best marketing tools, a readily available workforce and many other means, but they still offer value & exemplary customer service for their customers by prioritising building long-term relationships with customers, employees, and suppliers. The campaign is released on YouTube and will be promoted through various social media & digital channels.

Rahul Raj, Co-founder and CEO, FloBiz, said, "We are thrilled to launch the succession to our MSME anthem, Tum Kamaal Ho, in the form of this video. We are proud to support the mission of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and believe that MSMEs are the backbone of India's economy. myBillBook has always been at the forefront of offering value to MSMEs through our technology and content, and the occasion of MSME Day is always special for us as an organisation. We hope our attempt to praise and respect the efforts through the content property Tum Kamaal Ho will inspire more people to appreciate and support MSMEs in their communities."

Pulkit Saboo, Director - Brand & Growth Marketing, FloBiz, said, "The latest version of Tum Kamaal Ho thoughtfully portrays the diverse roles of small business owners and helpers who tirelessly contribute to the Indian economy in their unique ways. As the MSME anthem, it showcases our commitment to being true champions for MSMEs, emotionally connecting with individuals who aspire to start a business or have already overcome challenges to define their destiny. By doing so, we aim to strengthen our long-term marketing and communication plans, forging deeper connections with our end customers. We hope that the long-term property Tum Kamaal Ho becomes a daily source of inspiration, empowering individuals to remind themselves of their own excellence and resilience - Tum Kamaal Ho!"
Social Media has become an integral part of our lives today. The usage of social media accelerated during the pandemic period and the growth momentum has continued since.

Today, Social Media Marketing is becoming a significant business opportunity and engaging with consumers. In 2023, social media marketing is characterised by a focus on authenticity, transparency, and purpose-driven initiatives. Brands are building genuine connections with their audience through transparent communication and behind-the-scenes content.

Influencer marketing has evolved to prioritise long-term partnerships with micro-influencers and nano-influencers, while personalised experiences and video content dominate the social media landscape. Social commerce has gained traction, augmented reality and virtual reality technologies are creating immersive experiences, and data privacy and security remain a top priority.

By staying adaptable and embracing these trends, brands can forge stronger connections and engage their audience effectively in the dynamic world of social media.

On the occasion of Social Media Day, which is observed annually on June 30, Adgully hosted its premier and industry-first Twitter initiative  #GullyChat  on June 28, 2023, which turned the spotlight on Social Media Marketing - New trends and Best Practices for 2023.

The discussion covered the importance of Social Media for brand success, amplifying reach and engagement on social media platforms, building an active and engaged community on social media, and much more.

The esteemed panel included some of the leading new-age digital stars, who are setting the future course for the industry:

Anushka Singh, Digital Marketing Head, Salud

Sagar Pushp, Co-Founder & CEO, ClanConnect

Aparna Joshi, Co-Founder and Chief Editor, One Native India

Jay Thakkar, Actor

Karan Nohria, Founder, Silly (Bar from Bombay)

Pradeep Kumar, CEO, NP Digital India

Dheeraj Bansal, Co-founder, Recode Studios

Ritesh Ujjwal, CEO & Co-Founder, Kofluence

While speaking on the importance of social media for brand success in todays market ecosystem, Dheeraj Bansal oberved, In todays market ecosystem, social media plays a very important role in ensuring brand success. It serves as an invaluable platform for brands to engage and connect with customers globally. By giving direct communication, immediate feedback, and personalised interactions, social media empowers brands to gain insight into customer preferences and customise their offerings accordingly. In addition to that, it presents a cost-effective marketing avenue, allowing brands to expand their reach and promote their products or services to a wider audience. Also, social media increases brand visibility, increases brand awareness, and creates brand loyalty. By utilising the immense potential of social media, brands can enhance their reputation, drive sales and maintain competitiveness in todays ever-evolving marketplace.

Ritesh Ujjwal noted, Social media has become an indispensable tool for brands in todays ever-changing market landscape. It humanises your brand and forges a sense of authenticity and trust with the audience, ultimately enhancing their brand experience.

Agreeing with him, Aparna Joshi said that social media is increasingly becoming a brands primary window to the world. Conversations start here, sampling happens and queries are resolved. With the rapid growth of social commerce, Joshi affirmed that social media can be the most important weapon in a marketers arsenal.

Along similar lines, Pradeep Kumar said, Social media is vital for brands: it engages customers, boosts visibility, and targets marketing. It builds loyalty, offers insights, and helps you stay ahead of competition in todays digital market.

For Karan Nohria, social media is the lifeblood of brand success in todays market ecosystem. It is the fuel that propels businesses forward, igniting visibility, fostering meaningful connections with customers, and sculpting a distinct brand identity that leaves a lasting impression.

Social media is the creative outflow of a brands identity, with fast feedback and the right targeting of the audience, noted Akansha Singh.

Sagar Pushp pointed out, Years ago, television advertisements, especially with celebrity faces, were all the rage. Thats what the audience responded to. Thats how brands enamored consumers. Now, consumers are on social media, and thats where brands need to be.

Nowadays everyone is an influencer. So, why not influence your brand with a few good ones? asked Jay Thakkar, adding, Social media increases the amount of exposure a brand receives and increases traffic. Social media also helps to develop loyal fans and generates leads.
Satellite images appear to show activity at a disused military base in Belarus as Wagner forces are relocating to the country following the failed mutiny of its warlord, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

An image from June 27, first reported by Radio Free Europe and verified by the BBC, shows tents and similar structures being installed in the abandoned base. Compared to an earlier photo dated June 19, the recent photos confirmed Wagner's alleged presence in the old Belarusian base, which was located about 13 miles (21km) from the town of Asipovichy and around 64 miles (103km) from the capital Minsk.

The images were captured by the European Space Agency's Sentinel 2 satellites.

The base was once the home of the Belarusian 465th Missile Brigade before relocating to another facility in 2018.

Ukrainian military expert Oleg Zhdanov told Radio Free Europe it was "unrealistic" for Wagner to have started building a camp with so little time after the rebellion.

However, King's College London Department of War Studies specialist Marina Miron said it was possible. "[I]f they managed to get halfway to Moscow within one day, it is plausible to think they might already be starting to build camps in Belarus," she added.

Read Also: Russia Arrests General Following Wagner's Failed Mutiny in Crack Down of Dissent

Wagner's Move to Belarus Concerning, NATO Officials Said

The Wagner Group had been fighting on the Russian side in its war against Ukraine until very recently when Prigozhin staged a rebellion in Rostov-on-Don and marched his warriors to Moscow only to call it off when the column was a few hundred miles left. Prigozhin later explained he decided to call off the march to the Russian capital to avoid spilling Russian blood.

Earlier this week, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko confirmed Prigozhin has landed near Minsk as part of a deal he brokered between Prigozhin and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko also provided the old base to accommodate Wagner fighters who followed Prigozhin to Belarus.

Wagner's relocation to Belarus had also concerned the NATO countries bordering it, particularly Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Following its relocation to Belarus, the US Treasury Department has sanctioned Wagner's gold mining operations in Africa.

Belarusian Opposition: Lukashenko, Prigozhin Not Allies

Meanwhile, Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said Wednesday (June 28) Lukashenko could betray Prigozhin despite offering him refuge after his failed mutiny.

"They're not allies. They cannot trust each other," she said.

Tikhanovskaya explained the reason why Lukashenko took in Wagner was to save his own regime, knowing full well that if Russia was in chaos, he and his country would be next.

"The presence of Prigozhin himself or Wagner groups on our territory creates a threat to the people of Belarus in the first place and to our independence," she added.

Related Article: Putin's Goons Interrogate 'General Armageddon,' Russia President Reportedly Fears Firing 'Dangerous' Defense Minister

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Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 29.06.2023 - On 2 June 2023, the Federal Council was informed of the Fifth Opinion on Switzerland of the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and of Switzerland's response to the report. While the Committee welcomed the commitment demonstrated by the Confederation, cantons and communes to fostering genuine inter-cultural understanding in Swiss society, it also expressed the need for further action. In its response, Switzerland reaffirmed that the protection of minorities is a key factor in the country's political and social stability as well as its prosperity.

In its Fifth Opinion, the Advisory Committee dealt in-depth with the situation of national minorities in Switzerland. The detailed, careful and balanced findings of the Opinion factor in the positions of the Confederation, the cantons, and the organisations concerned. The Committee commends Switzerland's commitment to strengthening multilingualism in the Federal Administration and encourages the authorities to continue promoting the use of Italian and Romansh in education as well as in economic and social life within and outside the areas where they are traditionally used. It states that further action is required in particular to combat discrimination and all forms of racism and intolerance. In addition, the Committee recommends setting up new stopping places, short-stay areas and transit sites for Yenish, Sinti/Manush and Roma, as well as teaching schoolchildren about their history. It also suggests greater inclusion of national minorities in matters that affect their communities.

Switzerland's response to the report refers to the importance of protecting linguistic, cultural and religious diversity in the international as well as the national context. It states that the protection of minority rights contributes to Switzerland's political and social stability as well as its prosperity. To this end the Federal Council underlines the importance of combating all forms of racism and intolerance, referring to the numerous activities undertaken by the Confederation, cantons, communes and cities that are a part of a systematic awareness-raising and prevention policy. The response also addresses the fact that despite efforts at all levels, it has not yet been possible to set up enough stopping sites for communities with an itinerant way of life. Switzerland highlights the complexity of such a task, but agrees with the Committee's view on the importance of aiming to create more sites. The Confederation has therefore stepped up efforts to provide financial support to the cantons and communes.

The Federal Council is pleased to note that the Committee has recognised Switzerland's continuing efforts to promote multilingualism in the Federal Administration. A number of the Committee's recommendations on linguistic minorities are already being addressed by Switzerland's current measures.

The Federal Council is keen to build on these results regarding the protection and promotion of national minorities. With reference to the Committee's recommendations, it will therefore review, together with the responsible authorities at federal, cantonal and communal level, the progress that has been made so far.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

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Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Bern, 29.06.2023 - State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda and Czech Minister of Finance Zbynek Stanjura signed a bilateral agreement in Prague implementing Switzerland's second contribution to selected EU Member States. Switzerland is allocating CHF 76.9 million towards a programme in the Czech Republic. This visit underlines Switzerlands interest in further enhancing its already very good bilateral relations with the Czech Republic.

The new cooperation programme takes into account the current needs of the Czech Republic. It aims to strengthen Swiss-Czech partnerships in areas where Switzerland's expertise and experience can add value. These areas include research and innovation, migration and integration, healthcare, sustainable tourism and biodiversity protection and conservation. CHF 76.9 million has been earmarked for this purpose.

Tourism and biodiversity

A key focus will be on how to better manage tourist flows in national parks and nature reserves. Some of the parks in the Czech Republic suffer from heavy tourist traffic, which has an impact on the environment. To address this, sustainable and alternative tourism models will be designed and realised with Swiss expertise. This will also help protect biodiversity.

In addition, Switzerland will co-finance and provide expertise for planned reforms in the areas of research infrastructure, home health care and the social and economic integration of migrants.

Close relations

As part of her trip, Ms Budliger Artieda also met with the Czech Deputy Minister of Trade Edvard Kozusnik. The two discussed ways to further deepen bilateral economic relations. The agenda also included a meeting with Swiss business representatives in the Czech Republic, who commented positively on the investment conditions and growth potential in the country.

With a trade volume of CHF 5.1 billion, the Czech Republic is Switzerland's second-largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. According to the Czech National Bank, Switzerland ranks seventh among foreign investors, making up over 4% of foreign investment, or almost CHF 7 billion. However, the close relations between the two countries go far beyond trade and investment: they also enjoy close ties in the areas of research and education.

The second Swiss contribution to selected EU states, which is being implemented by SECO, the SDC and SEM, is an investment in Europe's security, stability and prosperity. Its aim is to strengthen cohesion in Europe by reducing social and economic disparities, and to support countries facing exceptional migration challenges. Thanks to this contribution, Switzerland is also strengthening and deepening its bilateral relations with these countries and with the EU as a whole.

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FDFA Communication

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Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

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Two persons were arrested and a juvenile was apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl in northwest Delhis Shahbad Dairy area, police said on Thursday.

On Tuesday, police got a call complaining that the girl was sexually assaulted.

All the four accused were identified and three of them, including a juvenile, were nabbed. One accused is absconding and efforts are underway to apprehend him, police said. A case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The two arrested accused have been identified as Bobby (19) and Rahul (20), both residents of the Shahbad Dairy area, police said. Apart from these three, two juveniles have also been apprehended in Section 21 of the POCSO Act for failing to report the commission of an offence, they added.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a conspiracy theorist running for president as a Democrat. Experts fear his anti-vaccine activism threatens public health in America.

Jackson talked with Brandy Zadrozny , also from NBC, who interviewed Kennedy recently in a story entitled, The conspiracy candidate: What RFK Jr.s anti-vaccine crusade could look like in the White House that came out on June 19 th .

Her show, Hallie Jackson Now streams on weeknights at 5 p.m. She is described as a senior Washington correspondent for NBC News.

Embedded in the piece was a 6 minute video with the title, What RFK Jrs anti-vaccine administration could look like? featuring Hallie Jackson.

The more the right-wing talks up RFK Jr., the more liberals will see through him.

Note: We can answer this ominous question: "What would an anti-vaccine administration look like?" It would look exactly like every administration that embraces American values. Those who want any and every vaccine would have the same access without pressure or shame. Those who do not, would also have the ability to say no without pressure, shame, loss of an education, refusal of restaurant service, unemployment, a life without concerts, Broadway plays and every other "non-mandate" foisted upon us during Covid. Let's hope EVERY candidate gets this same treatment - meaning media asks them tough questions on a range of topics, including coerced medical treatments. By Anne Dachel On June 27th MSNBC published a piece on Robert Kennedy, Jr entitled, The MAGA right is going all in on RFK Jr. That could backfire , by Zeeshan Aleem.

On the latest video, Jackson and Zadrozny aligned to make sure anyone listening would know how dangerous Kennedy would be in the White House or even on the campaign trail. They dont want to give him a platform, but hes there and they cant ignore him.

BELOW is their exchange. Their position is that no one should be allowed to challenge anything were told by medical experts. They slam Kennedy for alleging that our federal health agencies need reform.

Zadrozny said that she talks to a lot of conspiracy theorists and internet addled people. She considers Kennedy to be both. She is worried that if he were President, he would hold the scientific/medical community to ethical standards.

She said, Hell investigate scientists and medical journals, as if that would be an outrage.

She went on to accuse Kennedy and the anti-vaccine movement of causing deaths.

Weve seen what the anti-vaccine movement can do. Millions of lives lost to COVID. Eradicated diseases like COVID and measles coming back.

Zadrozny made a particularly vile attack on mothers of vaccine injured children.

She wrote:

But whats unsettling about it is, again, Ive covered this man for a decade, and when you go to these anti-vaccine marches, you see hundreds of thousands of people who are just enamored with him. They believe whatever he says, especially women, who for decades in the anti-vaccine movement, have just held on his every word and taken everything he said as like gospel.

Those WOMEN that Zadrozny referred to as so enamored with Kennedy, are people I KNOW FIRST HAND. THEY ARE MOTHERS. They are mothers of vaccine-injured children. Kennedy is their champion because he actually cares about the damage being inflicted on countless children by our unchecked, unsafe vaccine schedule. These mothers have participated in countless marches and rallies at great personal cost over the last 20 years trying to get the attention of elected officials.

The callous, snide remarks from these two women show an appalling ignorance of what this whole vaccine controversy is all about. Their assignment here was obvious: SLAM KENNEDY, DEFEND VACCINES.

VIDEO:

Hallie Jackson Now

Hallie Jackson: Today hes also known as a vaccine skeptic and a leader in the anti-vax movement. 

In an interview with NBCs own Brandy Zadrozny, heres what he would do. He would make childhood vaccines go through constant safety studies, even bigger clinical trials, he would gut agencies like the FDA, NIH, CDC.

He would ask the Justice Department to investigate editors of medical journals for lying to the public.

Brandy is joining us now. 

Zadrozny: There are some complaints from people on the left that he gets too much air time here. He is a presidential candidate. Can you talk through your thought process here. 

I was watching his campaign and listening to his kick-off speech, and I was looking at his website, AND suddenly, I didnt see the word vaccines anywhere, and thats like the president of Ford Motor Company coming out and not saying the word car.

So it was like, wasnt happening here? Whats going on?

It seemed to me that he was trying to make himself more palatable, that this was a strategic move because Democrats really do love vaccines generally. 

Its kind of hard to run for president on the Democratic ticket when you dont align with your party in that way. So hes not saying it as much.

So I reached out, and I was really surprised that he said yes. 

I think I hear that a lot. Like, we shouldnt give him attention, we shouldnt platform him.

Thats crazy. Weve passed the point where its an option to ignore this man. I think we passed it years ago, because whether you like it or not, Kennedy is here. People are listening to him.

He was just on Joe Rogans podcast last week where it reached millions of people. He was trending all weekend long, right?

Our job isnt to gatekeep, as journalists, I think everybody should go listen to that Joe Rogan show actually. Our job is to explain and add context, and to explain the stakes and ask tough questions that make those stakes really clear.

Weve seen what the anti-vaccine movement can do. Millions of lives lost to COVID. Eradicated diseases like COVID and measles coming back.

I feel like we ignore him at our own peril.

Jackson: I was struck by so many details from your story, Brandy, but one of them, that a university researcher texted you #GAMA, Give America Measles Again, when you asked about what an RFK presidency or candidacy would look like here because of where he is in the vaccine skeptic movement.

You talk about holding truth to power in some ways, trying to combat misinformation. You did that a little bit in this hike

At one point you write that the conversation felt unsettling to you. Explain that.

Zadronzny: I think that I talk to a lot of conspiracy theorists, right? And internet addled people, and I consider Kennedy, Jr to be both of those things.

But whats unsettling about it is, again, Ive covered this man for a decade, and when you go to these anti-vaccine marches, you see hundreds of thousands of people who are just enamored with him. They believe whatever he says, especially women, who for decades in the anti-vaccine movement, have just held on his every word and taken everything he said as like gospel.

Hes done a lot of real harm.

Id never met him before, so being side by side with him and asking him these questions, what sought of struck me was, he really believes all of these things.

Theres a delusion there.

I think that thats a little dangerous.

I let myself imagine for a second what he would do as President. And just like you said, hes gut those agencies. He would not prioritize vaccines for the next pandemic, which will happen.

Hell investigate scientists and medical journals.

The odds are low that hes going to win, but the stakes are really high. I could really feel that on the mountain.

Zadronzny made one incredible comment. She said, I think everybody should go listen to that Joe Rogan show actually.

Seriously?

Since I transcribed what Kennedy told Rogan, https://www.ageofautism.com/2023/06/follow-up-questions-to-skeptics-of-candidate-kennedys-interview-with-joe-rogan.html I was mystified that she would recommend that people listen to the show.

Did Zadronzny actually do that herself?

IF Zadronzny had listened to Kennedy on that broadcast, then the reality is that she was willing to shut her eyes to Kennedys charges about vaccines.

Zadronzny must think all the examples of fraud, corruption, collusion and cover-up on the part of health officials and vaccine makers that Kennedy talked about should be overlooked.

Zadronzny is fine with secret Vaccine Court payments made to vaccine-injured children while officials deny side effects. Shes okay with the complete lack of double blind placebo trials before vaccines are put on the market. Shes not bothered by the fact that vaccine makers have no liability for injuries from vaccination.

ALL THESE THINGS and more were discussed by Kennedy and Rogan. So none of it bothered her in the least?

IF people do follow her advice and listen to what Kennedy said on Joe Rogan, I think they will be shocked. Kennedy outlines a history of malfeasance in vaccine oversight. Unlike Zadronzy, parents in the real world see a nation of chronically ill kids and an ongoing explosion in the autism that no health officials can reasonably explain or even cares about.

I agree. Everyone should watch the Rogan interview. They will learn something.

I did see an ad for a prescription drug called, Dexcom G7, a diabetes monitoring system when I first viewed the NBC story. It explains a lot too.



Vax-Unvax: Let the Science Speak (Childrens Health Defense) Hardcover  Illustrated, August 15, 2023 by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Author), Brian Hooker (Author)

Based on over one hundred studies in the peer-reviewed literature that consider vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations. Each of these studies is analyzed and put in context of the difference in health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated infants, children, and adults. Given the massive push to vaccinate the entire global population, this book is timely and necessary for individuals to make informed choices for themselves and their families.
The Melting Pot, which once had a presence in three Alabama cities, wants to take another crack at the state.

The fondue restaurant hopes to open restaurants in four markets here, and is looking for franchisees who can handle multiple locations.

Melting Pot Franchise Growth Strategist Collin Benyo said he would like to sign up at least one franchisee by the end of the year.

We dont necessarily need restaurant experience, Benyo said. When were looking for franchisees, we look for people who are passionate, intelligent, understand what were trying to do in the restaurant every night. Thats much of a high quality for us than experience.

Founded in 1975, The Melting Pot has 95 restaurants in 30 U.S. states and Canada. The Melting Pot builds a dining experience around the social experience of fondue cooking, typically with a range of appetizer, entree and dessert courses. It inhabits a particular niche between fine dining and casual dining, as the company explains on its website.

But though the restaurant has a devoted following, its presence in Alabama evaporated just prior to the pandemic. The Melting Pots location in Mobile closed in 2017, Birmingham followed a year later, and the Huntsville restaurant in 2019.

Some things happened that were outside of our control that pulled us away from Alabama, but we have our eyes focused on that state because we know what it means to be in that area, Benyo said. We still have a lot of fans in that area and we get a lot of inquiries from that area, so we know we have interested people there. Were just looking for the right fit.

The minimum liquid assets required of potential owners is $500,000.

For more information, visit the website.
A Theodore man found guilty in May of murdering and robbing a man he met through an LGBTQ+ dating app was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the Mobile District Attorneys Office announced.

Sabronte Lashun Rhodes was arrested in October 2019 after investigators said he used the LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr to coax 58-year-old Johnny Clark Soekhies into a meeting on Oyler Road on Oct. 25.

The Mobile County Sheriffs Office said they believe Rhodes targeted the gay community and used Grindr to lure other men into meeting before robbing them.

Rhodes used the app to lure Soekhies into meeting on Oyler Road near Lynda Court, then robbed and shot him once in the head before dumping his body at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Investigators said ballistics testing found the gun used to kill Soekhies was also used in a shooting days later. The Mobile County Jail docket shows Rhodes is awaiting sentencing on a 2nd degree assault charge.
More Alabama schools, tired of hounding parents for meal money and racking up thousands of dollars in unpaid debt, will offer free lunch and breakfast next year.

Meals were free to every student in every school from 2020 to 2022 because of the pandemic. But when schools began charging again in 2022-23, many families didnt know they would have to pay for meals or didnt file the required forms for free and reduced price meals.

Jefferson County, one of the largest districts in Alabama, ended the school year with about $40,000 in unpaid meal debt, and had to ask local organizations to help pay off the costs so the burden wouldnt fall on families.

Thats much higher than weve seen in previous years, said Amanda Bridges-Dunn, Child Nutrition Program supervisor in Jefferson County and president of the Alabama School Nutrition Association. Its really hard to take something back once youve given it.

Nationwide, the School Nutrition Association reported there was $19.2 million in unpaid school meal debt this year, with individual districts reporting as much as $1.7 million in debt.

Districts where at least 40% of students qualify for free and reduced price meals or are enrolled in SNAP or Medicaid can implement a program, called Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), that allows every student to receive free school meals. Districts can also adopt CEP on a school by school basis so long as each school meets the 40% threshold.

Experts say the program reduces the stigma of receiving free breakfasts and lunches and increases participation in school meal programs, which enables districts to hire more child nutrition staff. Studies have shown that schools currently offering free meals have increased attendance rates, reduced student suspensions, better student health outcomes and improved test scores among marginalized student groups.

The program also means less work for parents and staff who no longer have to fill out and process free and reduced-price meal applications.

CEP will allow [child nutrition] staff to focus on their primary role, which is to feed kids, said Tonya Grier, the CNP director at Dothan City, a district that recently decided to adopt CEP for all of its schools. The time used dealing with money and tracking students who owe funds will be significantly reduced.

Other districts also recently joined the program, including Haleyville City Schools, Lamar County, Lauderdale County, Scottsboro City, Attalla City and Winfield City. Jefferson County offers free meals in 37 schools.

According to Grier, Dothan Citys low income population has increased since the pandemic. She said her department saw families struggle to pay for school meals and accrue negative balances in their childs meal accounts.

We are encouraged that this program will help keep the children of Dothan fed, healthy and ready to learn, she said.

Feeding Alabama, an organization that operates a network of food banks throughout the state, said more people are looking for help putting food on the table.

As pandemic-related programs are phasing out, we have definitely seen an increase in the rise of need for food at our network of pantries and agencies, Jessica Callahan, a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement to AL.com.

About 250,000 children in the state experience food insecurity, meaning one in five kids dont know where their next meal is coming from. School meals can sometimes be the only stable source of food for many students facing insecurity.

Statewide, 812 schools are eligible to implement CEP, but only 536 schools are enrolled, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

The Alabama State Department of Education stated that the number of students enrolled in Medicaid increased by 40% this past school year - representing a large jump in the number of children and schools who qualify for the federal free meals program. In Alabama, children enrolled in Medicaid are directly enrolled in their schools free and reduced-price meal program.

Officials from the state department of education have been conducting trainings with local districts on how to enroll in CEP and are trying to raise awareness about the program.

But many holdouts have hesitations about how the program will impact their federal funding. When districts enroll in CEP, they must spread Title I funding out to all schools that have the program instead of focusing the money on high needs schools.

Were slowly but surely getting there. Weve provided a lot of resources and really worked closely with schools this year to help them understand more of how CEP and federal funding work and how they can allocate their funding per student for federal programs, said Julie Autrey, a child nutrition specialist at ALSDE. They have to look at things kind of from a different angle and so weve been having those conversations.

Six states - Vermont, California, Maine, Colorado, Minnesota and New Mexico - provide universal free meals to all students.

Theres a lot of energy and momentum around school meals right now, particularly healthy school meals for all and offering them to all kids at no charge because we know kids cant learn when theyre hungry, said Crystal FitzSimons, director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs at the Food Research and Action Center.

There has been pushback - earlier this month the Republican Study Committee, of which some three-quarters of House Republicans are members, said it wanted to eliminate CEP from the federal school lunch program because CEP allows certain schools to provide free school lunches regardless of the individual eligibility of each student.

But advocates in Alabama say they havent seen the same opposition here.

I have not heard a word of opposition against CEP from anyone at the legislature, said Carol Gundlach, senior policy analyst at Alabama Arise. You even see in some very Republican areas of the state, theyve fully implemented CEP and every major city in Alabama has implemented it in every school they possibly could, so I think its widely popular.

Bridges-Dunn said she hopes Alabama will one day adopt free school meals on a state level. The Alabama School Nutrition Association even asked the state department of education to sponsor a bill to provide free meals to all students this year, which they declined to do.

Its a big ask, she said. We wanted something, some sort of a way to get our foot in the door and maybe begin to phase in programs like free breakfast. They said no because of budgets but they are open to hearing us, and more open to change.

Schools who wish to enroll in CEP have until Friday to do so.

A full list of participating schools can be found here.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action Thursday in a landmark case involving two highly-selective colleges, marking what could be the end of race-conscious admissions at many schools around the country.

Six conservative Supreme Court justices ruled that both Harvard and UNCs affirmative action programs unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Colleges can consider a student essay that discusses the impact of race or racism, but cannot use race as a specific factor to build a diverse class.

Spoiler: The SCOTUS decision wont impact current college admissions practices in Alabama. But experts say it could have a chilling effect on campus diversity and retention efforts -- especially in places where there are ongoing efforts to restrict diversity and equity programs on campus.

This decision could have serious consequences for higher education, particularly in the South, where state laws and policies expressly barred Black students from most public colleges and universities less than a lifetime ago, Raymond Pierce, president of the The Southern Education Foundation, said Thursday.

The damaging impact of these policies continue to manifest themselves to this day, he added. The decision could lead to further drops in Black students college enrollment, when the nation needs many additional students of color to succeed in college. New state laws that restrict longstanding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have already forced some institutions to modify their enrollment processes.

What is affirmative action?

Affirmative action policies seek to right historical wrongs against groups that have been discriminated against. That may mean providing extra financial assistance to people with certain demographic backgrounds, or by considering their race, sex, religion or nationality in hiring or admissions processes.

Some colleges, for example, have long considered race and gender  in addition to many other factors  in their admissions decisions as a way to address the fact that African Americans, women and other groups historically did not have access to higher education.

They are not, however, allowed to impose quotas or discriminate against any particular group.

Supporters say that taking an applicants demographic background into account, rather than ignoring it, can lead to a more diverse and inclusive school environment that benefits everyone.

Historically, communities of color have been held back from educational opportunities because of racial discrimination. Race-conscious affirmative action practices help address systemic barriers and create crucial pathways for Black and Brown people to access higher education, Margaret Huang, of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in a statement Thursday.

And alternatives to affirmative action, according to recent research, have done little to improve diversity. In recent court proceedings, a lower court found that removing race-conscious decisions at Harvard would have significant costs, such as diminishing Black student representation by nearly a third.

But few colleges actually use what are called race-conscious admissions practices. And over the years, courts and some states have clamped down on various aspects of those processes.

How will the Students for Fair Admissions decision affect Alabama colleges?

Experts say colleges most likely to be affected by the ruling are small, usually private, and highly-selective institutions  which make up a very small margin of schools across the country.

Most colleges have standard policies that aim to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunities for employment and admission. Others also may have scholarships aimed at students who belong to an underrepresented group, or waive testing requirements to encourage a more diverse applicant pool.

A 2019 survey from the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that about one-quarter of colleges said race and ethnicity was a moderate or considerable factor in the admissions process. Private and highly selective institutions tended to give greater consideration to a students demographic background, researchers found.

The vast majority of colleges, according to the Pew Research Center, already admit most students who apply.

In Alabama, all but one public college admitted 50% or more of their applicants, according to the College Boards most recent collection of university admissions data. Private colleges in the state admitted between 25% and 60% of applicants.

In a statement to AL.com, Jim Purcell of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education said the decision likely would not impact state colleges.

None of Alabamas state-sponsored colleges and universities currently make admission decisions based upon race, he said. There are several state initiatives that support minority enrollment in fields for which they are underrepresented, but the admission to the institution is not based upon race.

No public universities in Alabama reported considering race in admissions, nor did any require applicants to disclose their race, according to an AL.com review of fall 2023 applications.

Some private colleges, such as Amridge University and Faulkner University, required applicants to fill out their race and ethnicity, but did not specify that student demographics would be considered in the application process. Birmingham-Southern College gave students the option to describe how their identity or background is a meaningful part of their story.

The University of North Alabama required applicants to disclose their ethnicity for federal reporting purposes, but said that data would not be used in any way in the admission process.

A brief history of affirmative action in the U.S., Alabama

Many affirmative action programs first started in the 1960s and 1970s, amid efforts to redress past discrimination and ensure equal access to jobs and education.

President John F. Kennedy first used the term in 1961 by instructing federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Nearly two decades later, a 1978 Supreme Court case involving the University of California System banned the use of strict racial quotas in college admissions. A judge upheld that colleges may still consider race as a factor that would achieve educational benefits, but not to remedy past discrimination.

Race-conscious admissions practices are now banned in nine states: Arizona, California Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

Alabama currently has no state laws regarding affirmative action in employment or education.

In the late 1990s, however, a court case involving Alabamas historically Black colleges became a part of the national dialogue around race-based policies and practices.

In 1995 Alabama State University, one of the states two public HBCUs, created a whites-only scholarship program to satisfy a court order to enroll more white students. In 1997, Jessie Tompkins, a Black graduate student at ASU, sued the college, claiming the program caused him and other Black students to be denied funding they would have otherwise received. A court dismissed the case in 1998.

More recently, in 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Texas program that admitted the top students from wealthy and poor high schools into state universities.

Thursdays ruling doesnt entirely eliminate the consideration of race in college decisions. But it sets much sharper guardrails about how -- and for how long -- colleges should give weight to an applicants racial or ethnic identity.

At the same time, nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected the applicants life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university, the court wrote. Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin. This Nations constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Read more:

Which Alabama colleges have tuition freezes? Where is tuition increasing?

Alabama college tuition, fees are getting more expensive. Find the cost of your college.

Birmingham-Southern College students celebrate upon finding out school will stay open.
Russia is allegedly planning an assassination against the Wagner PMC Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

This detail was shared by Ukrainian military leader Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov. In his recent interview with The Drive, Budanov said in November that Ukraine was already aware of Prigozhin's mutiny operation.

Now, the Ukrainian general shared more details. This time, he talked about Russia's alleged assassination plan.

Russia Allegedly Plans to Assassinate Wagner Leader

According to The Drive's latest report, Budanov claimed that Russia's FSB (Federal Security Service) was tasked to assassinate Prigozhin.

Read Also: Putin's Goons Interrogate 'General Armageddon,' Russia President Reportedly Fears Firing 'Dangerous' Defense Minister

"We are aware that the FSB was charged with a task to assassinate him. Will they be successful in doing that? We'll see with time," said the Ukrainian military official.

He added that if FSB really pushes its planned assassination against Prigozhin, it will not be a fast one.

Kyrylo Budanov explained that it would take FSB some time to achieve the proper approaches and reach the stage when they're ready to conduct the assassination operation.

"But once again, I'd like to underline that it's a big open question if they would they be successful in fulfilling that," added Budanov.

Belarus President Talks Putin Out of Assassination

Business Insider reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin was convinced by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko out of the planned assassination against the Wagner leader.

Lukashenko said that Putin could assassinate Prigozhin. However, he mustn't do it.

Alexander added that if Russia decided to push its assassination operation, there wouldn't have been any negotiations.

Wagner Chief Staying in Windowless Hotel

Although the Belarus leader claimed that he had already talked Putin out of it, Prigozhin still wasn't taking any chances.

The Daily Mail UK reported that the Wagner PMC chief decided to stay at a windowless hotel just to avoid any assassination attempt.

This detail was shared by a U.S. intelligence chief, claiming that Prigozhin spent a day in a secure hotel room before going to Moscow.

Based on flight tracking data, the Embraer Legacy 600 business jet, which belongs to Prigozhin, departed the Machulishchy Air Base and landed in the Russian capital. If you want to learn more about this, you can visit this link.

Related Article: Russian General Sergei Surovikin Arrested Following Wagner's Failed Mutiny Amid Vladimir Putin's Crack Down on Dissent

@ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Following a week on a mission trip in rural Kentucky, Pastor Skyler Jones is ready to step up into the pulpit of a new United Methodist congregation in Oneonta.

Hell know the congregation, and theyll know him. Most of these people have watched me grow up, he said.

Jones grew up attending Lester Memorial United Methodist Church in Oneonta, but more than two-thirds of about 300 voting members of that congregation voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church last year. They negotiated to keep the church campus and plan to be part of the new Global Methodist Church.

Its been challenging to navigate that, Jones said. I grew up there.

Since the disaffiliation vote on Dec. 10, the former members of Lester Memorial who wanted to stay in the United Methodist denomination are starting anew.

Jones, who was the youth minister at Lester Memorial for seven years, decided to stay with the denomination and help with the new church start.

Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, head of the North Alabama Conference, has officially assigned Jones as a familiar face to lead the new congregation as a licensed local pastor.

I was not ready to give up youth ministry, Jones said.

Were creating this role as it goes, he said. None of us have ever been in this position before.

Serving as pastor of a newly launched congregation will allow him to keep a focus on youth ministry as he willingly shares the pulpit with others who want to tell their faith stories, he said.

June 28 was moving day for many clergy in the United Methodist Church. Those who are changing locations packed up from previous assignments and moved to their new appointments for this Sunday, July 2.

The North Alabama Conference finalized and released its list of clergy assignments on June 24 for about 305 United Methodist churches that remain in the North Alabama Conference after a dramatic split in which 330 congregations disaffiliated since last year.

Jones, 32, has a degree in religious studies from Athens State University and a masters degree in youth ministry from Memphis Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Casey, have a son, Obadiah, 5.

Jones will lead the service at the new church on Sunday, July 2, meeting at the Calvary Episcopal Church, 1002 Park Ave. in Oneonta. Calvary has dwindled to less than a dozen remaining members and no longer has a morning service, but still meets Sundays at 5 p.m. The Oneonta United Methodists are renting space there as part of their new church startup.

Jones said this Sunday will focus on a recap of the work done with the 21-person mission team from Oneonta, repairing homes damaged by severe floods last summer in Kentucky. By those means, be the hands and feet of Jesus, he said.

Many other clergy are moving to new churches this week and pastors will be in their new pulpits on Sunday if they have moved. Some will be part of new church start-ups in communities where churches have disaffiliated.

I dont think any of us knew what was going to happen next, Jones said of the church split. This is not where I imagined myself in December when I left Lester Memorial. It was in some ways painful. Weve experienced a lot of grief. Its been a difficult six months.

But new beginnings are happening.

We want people to know were here, Jones said. When we say everyones welcome, we mean everyone.

Pastor Skyler Jones leads the new United Methodist church start in Oneonta, effective July 1, 2023.

The Oneonta group began organizing Dec. 18, the week after the disaffiliation vote. They held a worship service on Christmas Eve and their first Sunday service on New Years Day, said member Bob Bentley.

They started meeting at the former Millers Drug store, then moved to The Makers art studio. The group started with 50 to 55 people and grew to about 60 to 80 before moving to the Episcopal Church.

Other pastors assigned to North Alabama Conference new church starts effective July 1 include the Rev. Chuck Worley, senior pastor of Fellowship in Madison; the Rev. Carol Gullatt, senior pastor of Abundant Grace in Albertville; and the Rev. Nick George, senior pastor of Mosaic in Winfield.

For the full list of United Methodist clergy appointments in the North Alabama Conference, click here.

For the full list of United Methodist clergy appointments in the Alabama-West Florida Conference, click here.

Before setting appointments on Saturday, June 24, United Methodists meeting in the North Alabama Conference on Friday voted to call for the upcoming international meeting of the denomination to drop all mention of homosexuality from the Book of Discipline, the book of church law.

The Book of Discipline currently says the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity, and bans the blessing of same-sex marriage in the church and the ordination of openly gay clergy.

Progressives have for years been fighting to change those bans. Conservatives who disaffiliated with the United Methodists and started the Global Methodist Church last year say they want to maintain the churchs traditional stance against same-sex marriage, despite the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

See also: United Methodists urge repeal of ban on same-sex marriage, openly gay clergy

Bishop totaled her Prius, compares it to United Methodist church split

Birmingham-Southern College president tells United Methodists: Its been a tough year

Mountain Brooks Canterbury United Methodist Church votes to stay in denomination

Another 132 North Alabama United Methodist churches disaffiliate: Trussville, Helena, Gardendale

Division is of the devil, United Methodist bishop says as 193 churches disaffiliate

United Methodists crushed after being left behind by disaffiliating churches

United Methodists plan new churches in Prattville, Orange Beach, elsewhere to replace churches that disaffiliate in split

United Methodists start new congregations where churches disaffiliated in North Alabama
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend announced Wednesday on social media they have welcomed a baby boy via surrogate.

The child is the couples fourth.

We want to say thank you for this incredible gift you have given us, Alexandra, Teigen said of the surrogate, via Instagram. And we are so happy to tell the world he is here, with a name forever connected to you, Wren Alexander Stephens.

The baby boy was born on Monday, June 19.

Our hearts, and our home, are officially full. And to our Jack, we know both their angel kisses are from you.

The couples new arrival comes just five months after the family welcomed baby Esti.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.
Coco Jones will bring her first-ever headlining tour to Alabama.

This week, the R&B songstress and actress announced shes hitting the road for the first leg of her What I Didnt Tell You tour. The 16-city tour kicks off in August and Jones will take the stage in Birmingham at Iron City on Aug. 29. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 30 at 10 a.m. CST through Ticketmaster. Ticket presales for the tour started on June 28. According to Ticketmaster, presale offers include two packages: a meet & greet experience package (a general admission ticket and a chance to take a photo with Jones, a signed VIP laminate, and first entry into the concert venue, where permitted) a VIP first entry package (one general admission ticket, an exclusive gift, a commemorative laminate, and first entry into the concert venue). Additional presales include an artist presale and a Spotify presale.

Jones released an announcement about the What I Didnt Tell You tour on her Instagram account.

Ebony Riley will join Jones on tour. Haben Abraham and Jones Bel-Air costar Simone Joy Jones will also join the tour in select cities. The What I Didnt Tell You tour is in support of her 2022 album of the same name, and the single ICU is currently number 10 on Billboards Adult A&B Airplay chart.

Jones has a few festival appearances in conjunction with the tour. Shes set to perform at the Broccoli City Festival in Washington, D.C. on July 15 and New Yorks Harlem Festival of Culture on July 28. On Aug. 5, shell join Jhene Aiko and Queen Naija at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif.

The tour announcement comes on the heels of Jones performance and Best New Artist win at the 2023 BET Awards.

Coco Jones accepts the award for best new artist at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark Terrill)Mark Terrill/Invision/AP

For all of my Black girls, we do have to fight a little harder to get what we deserve, she said in her acceptance speech at Sundays ceremony. But dont stop fighting even when it doesnt make sense. And youre not sure how youre going to get out of those circumstances. Keep pushing because we are deserving of great things.

Additional cities for the What I Didnt Tell You tour include Dallas, Nashville, and Norfolk, Va.
Internet personality Colleen Ballinger, known for her beloved Miranda Sings character, has responded to claims of inappropriate behavior with minor fans by singing a song.

In recent weeks, Ballinger became the target of fellow YouTubers and former superfans who accused her of grooming them for labor, as well as allegedly making sexual jokes with minors in a group chat. As the allegations swirled, the Haters Back Off! actor, who is in the middle of a Miranda Sings tour, had stopped posting on her social media pages for nearly a month.

Ballinger broke her silence Wednesday, posting a 10-minute video on her Colleen Vlogs YouTube account titled hi. In it, she addresses the allegations in the form of a song, while strumming a ukulele. Ballingers team strongly advised me to not say what I want to say, she sang, adding cheekily that she recently realized that they never said that I couldnt sing.

Everyone just believes that you are the type of person who manipulates and abuses children  I just wanted to say that the only thing Ive ever groomed is my two Persian cats, Ballinger sang. Im not a groomer, Im just a loser who didnt understand I shouldnt respond to fans. And Im not a predator, even though a lot of you think so, because five years ago I made a fart joke.

The latter line refers to a recently resurfaced clip from one of Ballingers live shows, in which she had a fan lie on her back and spread her legs, as a fart noise sounded through speakers. TMZ reported that the viral clip led to the loss of several sponsorship deals with several companies on her Relax! podcast. The Los Angeles Times confirmed with New York-based online telemedicine appointment service Zocdoc that it had canceled its advertisements on Ballingers podcast amid the drama.

I never had any bad intentions, but I do feel like s---, Ballinger sang toward the end of her song, staring intensely at the camera with a defeated look, before looking down and continuing to play her toxic gossip train chorus, which she repeated throughout the song.

Many of the allegations against Ballinger were first leveled in April 2020 by Adam McIntyre, a former superfan of Ballinger and now a successful YouTube personality himself. In a video, McIntyre claimed that Ballinger used him for unpaid social media work to revive her Miranda Sings account before severing ties with him over a controversial tweet that he had sent on her account about LGBTQ+ people, then ghosting him. Ballinger also drew fire for sending underwear to McIntyre as a joke.

Ballinger had issued a 13-minute apology video a month later, explaining that it was normal for her to hire fans for her social media work, as well as work on tour, but that she often gave them a test run before employment. Such was the case with McIntyre, she said, taking the blame for the controversial tweet.

I am not a monster, I am not a groomer, Ballinger said in her 2020 video, adding that she had been in touch with McIntyres mother after the tweet issue. I care about him so much as I do with all my fans that Ive interacted with over the years, and I wish him nothing but success and happiness and love.

Fans rallied around Ballinger after her apology and continued to support her work, dismissing McIntyres allegations.

Earlier this month, however, McIntyre doubled down on his stance that he had been wronged by Ballinger, claiming that she used and groomed me.

The issue resurfaced after YouTube personality Kodee Tyler, known as KodeeRants, shared a lengthy video June 3 retelling her relationship with the Miranda Sings star and Ballingers toxic fan base. She referenced McIntyres earlier video about Ballinger, defending him for speaking up in 2020. Days later, Tyler deleted the video and disabled her YouTube and other social media accounts.

Tyler also shared purported screenshots that she had obtained that appeared to show Ballinger asking minors in a group chat whether they were a virgin, and to name their favorite sex position. In a follow-up video, McIntyre claimed that he was the recipient of those texts in the group chat, adding that he was 15 at the time.

Tyler acknowledged that she was also in the same group chat, already an adult at the time, and apologized, saying, I should not have been in a group chat with minors.

Ballinger acknowledged her group chats and direct messages with fans in her sung statement, admitting that she had at times lacked boundaries and would overshare details of my life, which was really weird of me. But she added that she changed her behavior years ago and had since held herself accountable.

McIntyre took to his YouTube channel to respond to Ballingers statement, saying he didnt get a private apology from the performer. Were getting a video of you singing a song, making fun of it all? he said. Im so happy for you, Colleen, that you get to make a silly little song about this and no repercussions. ... There will be no repercussions for what youve done to people and what youve done to me.

Since she started posting videos of her Miranda Sings character in 2009, Ballinger has tapped the hate shes received online and channeled it into her over-the-top diva persona. She crafted Miranda as an egotistical satire of an internet personality who sings badly and has poor comic taste.

People hated me ... that was all i got in the beginning was hate  people despised Miranda, Ballinger said during a 2017 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In the early days of YouTube, Ballinger said she was still unaccustomed to online trolls sending hate mail. So instead of tuning them out, she listened and would egg it on.

So in each video, if they said they didnt like my lipstick, Id make it bigger, she said. If they didnt like the way I was talking, I would talk weirder. So, the haters kind of created the weird character, because whatever they hated, I did it more.

Her fame hit a high point in 2016 when Netflix allowed her to develop a two-season series, Haters Back Off! based on her Miranda character. Along with appearances on Fallons late-night show, she graced the cover of Variety and appeared on Chelsea with Chelsea Handler and Live With Kelly and Ryan.

In 2018, Ballinger gave the Times a tour of her Encino home, half of which she had designated for office work, pointing to her favorite non-Miranda items, such as her ukuleles. The other half was dedicated to her Miranda character, with eccentric fan art and gifts, such as drawings and dolls fashioned as her alter ego, adorning the walls. The closet space was lined with colorful, campy costumes. The space served as the backdrop for many of her Miranda videos.

I wouldnt be in this house if it werent for the fans watching my videos and supporting me, Ballinger told the Times. So its important to have them be a part of the videos and journey.

Representatives for Ballinger did not immediately respond to the Times requests for comment.



2023 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The search begins at sunrise, with eight-and-a-half miles of desolate beach to cover. By the time the small party of volunteers disbands three-and-a-half hours later, theyve secured two new sea turtle nests and possibly saved one of them from drowning.

Thats one small piece of one day in the life of Share the Beach, Alabamas sea turtle conservation program. The effort managed by the Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) recently created a stir with news that volunteers had, for the first time, documented evidence that a green sea turtle had laid a clutch of eggs on Dauphin Island.

Dauphin Island has its first confirmed Green sea turtle nest in our history! Volunteers came upon the crawl and nest... Posted by Share The Beach - Dauphin Island on Sunday, June 18, 2023

That green turtle might have gotten the rock-star treatment if shed hung around to take credit for her work. But as a Wednesday sweep of Dauphin Islands west end showed, the 18-year-old effort isnt about making a one-time splash. Its a meticulous, methodical volunteer-driven approach to making a difference one fragile cluster of eggs at a time.

Among other things, that means getting up early. Turtles lay their eggs by night, so by the time the sun rises, the first wave of predators have already had their shot. By the time Sara Johnson pulled up to the mornings first new crawl, there already was a reminder of that.

Weve got fox prints all over it, she said.

Just a little while earlier, at 5:45 a.m., Johnson had pulled into the parking lot at Dauphin Islands West End Beach to pick up the other three people in her crew: ACF Administrator Anna Yancy, in her first season as a Share the Beach volunteer; Desiree Duke, a retired director of the Mobile County Public School Systems Environmental Studies Center; and island resident Kathy Till.

Their motivations varied. Yancey wanted to get some experience in the hands-on side of ACF work. Duke, as an educator specializing in nature, said she always had a turtle thing. Till said shed been motivated by the desire to volunteer for something on the island.

While the same people dont necessarily patrol every day, the task this group took on required more than a casual effort. The West End Beach isnt at the western end of the island. Its at the western end of the inhabited part of the island. Beyond that, the west end is a slender spur thats basically a wilderness. Its narrower in some places than others, but its never very wide or very high. Any question of whether it could be developed was settled by Hurricane Katrina, which blew a gap in it, the Katrina Cut, highlighting just how fragile it was. It was privately owned until recently, but in 2021 the state purchased more than 800 acres using around $8 million in funds made available through the RESTORE Act, which governs money collected in fines and penalties from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster.

A project summary provided by NOAA describes the area as a diverse coastal habitat made of dunes, marshes, and beaches. According to the summary, Mobile County and the town of Dauphin Island are working to develop a management plan.

For Johnson and her crew, the strip of sand close to the water was the focus. Sea turtles swimming northward pull themselves out of the Gulf of Mexico and across the sand using their flippers, which leave a distinctive track known as a crawl. Theyre easy to spot, though the turtles dont necessarily make it obvious exactly where they hid their eggs: They scootch around, flinging loose sand over a much wider area.

A sea turtle "crawl" found on the west end of Dauphin Island illustrates the turtle's path in from the water, at left, her nesting site, and her return to the Gulf of Mexico.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

Maybe it pays off. Though the site was peppered with fox prints, and the irregular path of the turtle made Johnson wonder if foxes had been harassing the mother turtle, there was no sign the predators had gotten what they wanted: No burrows, no remnants of eggs that had been dug up and eaten.

The team drove in long stakes to mark the perimeter of the site, roughly a 10-foot square, then gently dug just deep enough to establish exactly where the clutch of eggs was. Johnson led the way, feeling for a telltale vein of sand more loosely packed than the rest. Its extremely unlikely theres going to be anything there, she said, pointing at various areas. Its probably here.

Following her guidance, Yancy uncovered the first couple of eggs. For the youngest member of the team, it was her first success: Up until now, shed only been on hand for a couple of false crawls that turned up no eggs.

The couple of eggs briefly exposed were just the tip of the clutch. A turtle usually lays between 80 and 120, Johnson said, and volunteers have seen up to 150.

The crew went through a detailed procedure, recording data on a form. The pattern and width of the crawl marks tells a lot about the turtle. This one was 42 wide, with an alternating left-right-left pattern. Thats a larger loggerhead, said Johnson.

The green turtle that recently visited had identified herself by a different pattern: Even crawl strokes and a messier distribution of thrown sand. The greens are herbivores, and Johnson said they tend to find their favored habitat and sea grasses farther to the east, so finding signs of one in Alabama is a novelty. They occasionally drift this way, she said.

Other measurements included the distance from the waterline and from the dunes, the depth of the eggs, and GPS coordinates. The team laid a six-foot-square section of wire fencing over the site and moved the stakes inward to pin its corners, roping off that tighter perimeter with brightly colored tape.

The wire is to keep the foxes out, Johnson said. Volunteers found they had to upgrade from four-by-four sections to deter these Dauphin Island foxes, but so far that has done the trick. Apparently they dont like to tunnel in from the side. The mesh is large enough that turtle hatchlings easily can pass through, she said.

With the site all wrapped up, it was time to move on. Nice work, ladies, nice work, said Johnson.

Volunteers finish documenting and marking a fresh sea turtle nesting site on Dauphin Island's west end. From left are Sara Johnson and Anna Yancy of the Alabama Coastal Foundation, retired educator Desiree Duke and island resident Kathy Till.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

The small Share the Beach utility vehicle needed its low gear and its four-wheel drive to cover the sand, and even so its footing felt loose. On the long cruise to lands end and back, there was little sign of human activity: A red-hulled shrimp boat working far offshore, a couple of recreational fishing boats at the tip.

One of the days two nests was a short distance from the water in the area of the Katrina Cut, and this prompted some concern. The cut was filled in with rocks, and these promoted the accumulation of sand. The cut healed, but it remains a low and narrow spot.

We really only relocate nests when theyre below the average daily high tide line, Johnson said. We dont relocate nests if theyre at risk of getting washed over for storms. But the west end washes over for the tiniest reasons. This area in particular, here at the cut, what used to be the Katrina Cut, completely covers in water. Weve had to take the UTV up to the rocks to get around it.

She called a state biologist for a consultation, which confirmed her impulse to move the nest. After picking a new site nearby, farther back from the water but higher up on the slope of a low dune, they carefully transferred 128 eggs. The relocated clutch then got the same measurements, markings and armor plating as the other one.

Sometime during the process, a fox went cantering past, heading from the direction of the public beach toward the wilderness to the west. The animal seemed neither particularly concerned about being in plain view of the human interlopers, nor interested in getting closer to them.

A fox runs along the west end of Dauphin Island on June 28, 2023. Foxes are among the predators that threaten sea turtle nests on the beach.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

Most days this route is finished by 7:30 a.m., Johnson said, but today it was well after 9 a.m. Either way, its a small part of a gargantuan effort. Originally founded by the Friends of the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge in Gulf Shores, Share the Beach has grown under the ACF to include a daily sweep of all 47 miles of Alabamas coastline. The active nesting season runs from the start of May to the end of August; the eggs incubate from 50 to 60 days before hatching, so volunteers keep watching the nests until the end of October. (The ACF says it has filled its teams for this year, but anyone interested in participating can sign up for its newsletter to get updates about joining in next year.)

The nests found today were the 17th and 18th of the year on the west end. The Share the Beach programs biggest year was 2016, according to ACF statistics, when 237 nests were found. Recent years havent come close to that: 99 in 2020, 66 in 2021, 74 in 2022.

Sea turtles take 15 to 20 years to mature, so the program is just getting to the point where organizers might hope to see an upturn, as hatchlings saved by the program return to lay eggs of their own. But so many other factors can affect a turtles life that it will be hard to pinpoint the impact of this one effort.

That said, the volunteers know theyre tipping the odds in favor of the hatchlings. Thats as plain as a foxs footprints in the sand.

At one point in the morning, Johnson checks her phone for updates. More nests have been found in Baldwin County: Two at Bon Secour, and another at Alabama Point. Were at a five-nest day already, she said. It makes me so happy.

For more on the Share the Beach sea turtle conservation program, visit the Alabama Coastal Foundation site www.joinacf.org. If you think youve found a fresh turtle nesting site, call 866-SEA-TURTLE.
Miss Alabama 2023 has yet to be crowned, but this years competition kicked off Wednesday night with a preliminary round in Birmingham.

A total of 42 women are vying for the state title, along with scholarship money and the chance to move on to the Miss America pageant.

READ MORE: Miss Alabama 2023: Meet 42 women competing for this years crown

Preliminary events held this week, Wednesday through Friday at Samford Universitys Wright Center, will give each contestant a chance to strut her stuff in talent, evening gown, health and fitness and on-stage interview segments. The contestants also chat with the judges this week during off-stage interviews and showcase their community service initiatives.

Preliminaries also help to determine the semi-finalists wholl compete on Saturday in the pageant finale. Lindsay Gaines Fincher, Miss Alabama 2022, will crown her successor that evening.

Wednesdays preliminary winners were:

Abby Sosa , Miss Southern Hospitality, earned the top score in the talent competition. Sosa, 19, performed a dance routine to Stone Cold. Shes from Cullman and a student at the University of Alabama, majoring in nursing. Her community service initiative is Bridging the Gap, which encourages collaborations between nonprofit organizations and Latino and Hispanic people.

Brianna Burrell, Miss Baldwin County, earned the top score in the evening gown competition. Burrell, 25, is from Mobile. Shes a graduate of the University of South Alabama, where she majored in political science. Her community service initiative is SAVE-A-STEM, which encourages engagement in science, technology, engineering and math for students of color and underfunded schools.

Wednesdays preliminary event included performances by Lindsay Fincher and Jamie Langley Henderson (Miss Alabama 2007). Chandler Champion, Miss Alabama 2013, was the emcee for Wednesdays event.

New this year is a Peoples Choice Contest that allows the pubic to vote online for their favorite contestants in advance of the Miss Alabama finals. Each vote costs $1. The contestant with the most votes will earn a spot among the top 13 finalists on Saturday. Voting runs through Friday evening, according to the PageantPlanet.com.

Judges for this year are McNeil Chestnut, Morgan Smith, Chika Kaba Maatunde, Nanette Pearson Swenson and Chuck Steelman.

IF YOU GO:

The Miss Alabama 2023 competition is set for June 28-July 1 at the Samford Universitys Wright Center, 872 Montague Drive in Birmingham. Preliminary competitions are set for Wednesday through Friday, June 28-30, at 7 p.m. The finals are scheduled for Saturday, July 1, at 7 p.m.

Single tickets are $45-$55 Wednesday through Friday, $63-$75 on Saturday. Season tickets (for all four nights) are $105-$145. Visit the Miss Alabama website or call 205-871-6276 for more info.
A young woman has been charged in the 2022 death of a Jacksonville State University student who was fatally struck in a crosswalk near campus.

The Jacksonville Police Department on Thursday announced the arrest of 19-year-old Olivia Lowrey of Gadsden. She is charged with criminally negligent homicide in the Nov. 2 death of 22-year-old Leah Grace Tarvin.

Lowrey was arrested Wednesday on the Class A misdemeanor and booked into the Jacksonville City Jail. She has since been released on bond and has a court date set for Aug. 1.

Police said they conducted an intensive investigation, including the review of cell phone data, vehicle data, surveillance camera footage, multiple eyewitness interviews and consultation with experts in the field of GPS data.

Tarvin was struck at 5:54 p.m. that Wednesday in a crosswalk on Highway 21 near Brewer Hall. She was treated on scene by Jacksonville Fire and EMS medics and then airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham.

She died two days later.

Authorities have not said what actions led to the criminal charges against Lowrey, who also is facing a civil suit filed by Tarvins family.

Lowreys attorney, Tommy Spina, says his client should never have been charged with a crime.

This was a tragic accident, not a crime and as a consequence of this accident, two families are dealing with devastating traumas that neither will ever recover from,' Spina said. Of course the Lowery family cannot express sufficient words that would sooth the loss that the Tarvin family has suffered. There are no words.

It appears that the State of Alabama investigated this case and followed the usual criminal procedures such as a grand jury presentation, but this case was referred to the Municipal Court for prosecution,' he said. Municipal courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanors and traffic offenses only.

Spina, a former municipal judge for 15 years, said he finds it unusual, if not unprecedented, for a municipal court to be addressing a case of this nature.

As we understand the evidence, there was no alcohol, no drugs , no texting nor any evidence of excessive speed that would rise to the level of the probable cause necessary to charge this case as a felony,' he said. Probable cause is the lowest standard of proof that exists in our criminal justice system. It is at the opposite end of the spectrum of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime has been committed.

Its a very sad set of circumstances for all parties involved,' Spina said. Please keep both families in your thoughts and prayers. "

Tarvin, 22, was from Cullman County. She graduated from Holly Pond High School and then attended Wallace State. She was studying forensic investigations at JSU.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Calhoun-Cleburne Major Crimes Unit, the Oxford Police Department and the Jacksonville State University Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said an 83-year-old man died from injuries in a two-vehicle crash that happened Wednesday in Morgan County.

The crash happened at about about 4:23 p.m. on Alabama 157 near South Johnson Chapel Road near Danville.

Johnny McDonald, 83, was injured when the Cadillac XT5 in which he was a passenger was hit by a Toyota Tundra, driven by Bertin Ortiz, 38.

McDonald and the driver of the Cadillac, Cynthia Goodwin, 57, were both injured and taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment.

McDonald was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Ortiz was taken to Cullman County Regional Hospital for treatment.

Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division continue to investigate.
Texas utilities are asking customers to voluntarily cut back on energy use as an oppressive heat wave continues to bake the South.

In Alabama, where the heat dome arrived to the coastal region on Tuesday, utilities and energy suppliers are not anticipating rolling blackouts or voluntary requests for customers to conserve energy. They say they are well-equipped to handle the excessive heat that will grip Alabama through Sunday.

Even though we see a rise in demand, as we normally do when the weather becomes warmer, Alabama Power does not anticipate any issues in meeting the electrical demands of our customers, said Beth Thomas, spokeswoman at the Birmingham-based electric utility that provides service to approximately 1.5 million customers in the southern two-thirds of the state.

Southern counties

Alabama Power, Riviera Utilities and Baldwin EMC provide electrical coverage to the coastal counties of Mobile and Baldwin counties where heat indexes  the feels like temperatures  will peak out at 110 to 115 degrees, or higher, on Thursday and Friday.

None of those utilities say they anticipate an official request for consumers to conserve energy. In Texas, where heat indexes have soared to record levels this month, utilities have called on voluntary energy conservation as a way to avoid rolling blackouts during periods of high demand.

Kim Frank, spokeswoman with Baldwin EMC  which serves the largest number of customers in Baldwin County including popular summer tourist spots like Gulf Shores and Orange Beach  said the company is not in a situation that might lead to mandatory reductions. But the company will greatly appreciate voluntary conservation measures.

During the summer, we experience our peak energy consumption between the hours of 3-6 p.m., said Frank. This is the time most families return home from work and begin their evening tasks; unfortunately, a lot of these tasks involved electricity. When everyone uses electricity at the same time, it places a large demand on equipment, which can lead to power outages of extreme heat.

Utility companies are pushing out similar tips for energy conservation via social media and other outlets in recent days. Some of the highlights:

Raise temperature settings on your thermometer by a few degrees. Recommendations include raising thermometer settings to 76 to 78 degrees, and making further adjustments when homes and businesses are unoccupied.

Use a ceiling fan to help keep cool.

Closing blinds and curtains to ensure rooms are cooled.

Repairing air leaks around doors and windows, and ensuring windows are completely shut.

Delay the use of major appliances, such as a laundry dryer and oven.

Turn off unnecessary lights and electronic devices.

Getting air conditioners routinely inspected.

Replace air filters every three months so the system can operate as efficient as possible.

Investments

Mayors and other officials on the Gulf Coast say the rapid growth of Baldwin County is putting stress on the power systems during the hottest times of the year.

Fairhope and Robertsdale are two city-owned utilities that distribute their own electricity to customers, and the mayors in both cities say they are not worried about energy overuse.

We dont have capacity issues that will force us into rolling blackouts, said Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan, whose city has had to call on residents to voluntarily conserve water in the past two years.

Fairhope Utilities invested $15 million into the electric system by upgrading substations, and changing distribution lines to service approximately 7,000 residential and commercial customers. Sullivan said other investments into the system will continue as the city continues to experience fast growth.

Robertsdale Mayor Charles Murphy said his city underwent $4 million in upgrades to its system in 2017, allowing them to add capacity at a time of growth.

He said all the cities in coastal Alabama are equipped to handle the current heat wave.

I would say with most of the systems in South Alabama, we have added capacity over the years, Murphy said. We should be able to handle all of these loads with no problems (because of) with all the storm activity weve had over the years, weve had to reinforce the system and add additional capacity to it. Our customers are pretty fortunate.

North Alabama

In the northern part of the state, which will also experience an excessive heat warning the next two days, utilities in Decatur and Huntsville are prepared to handle the excessive energy use.

Their confidence in the system comes after around 1,400 of customers were without power during a cold weather snap around Christmas.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) supplies electricity to local power companies in 17 counties in North Alabama including Huntsville and Decatur utilities, and recently released an report addressing the rolling blackouts that occurred in December.

We have spent the spring working on our maintenance and procedures and also ensuring our employees are ready to work in the heat, said Scott Fiedler, spokesman with the TVA.

Joe Gehrdes, spokesman with Huntsville Utilities, said their utility  which distributes energy to 210,000 meters in Madison County  said they are ready to meet demand.

As long as (TVA) is ready, we are ready, he said.
Authorities are asking for the publics help in finding a Birmingham man missing since last month.

Darius Farris, 30, was last seen on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in the 400 block of 87th Street South, according to Birmingham police.

Farris is known to frequent Five Points South. He suffers from mental illness, police said.

Farris 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs 210 pounds. He was last seen wearing blue Polo pants and a shirt.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Special Victims Section at 205-297-8445 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
After nearly four decades on the run, 65-year-old Donald Santini has been arrested and charged by police for murdering then-33-year-old divorcee Cynthia Wood in 1984.

In a press release, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Florida said the fugitive had been detained at Orient Road Jail in Tampa early Wednesday morning (June 28) after being extradited from San Diego, California.

Santini became notorious after he appeared on the TV program "America's Most Wanted" three times.

The statement added law enforcement officials "have exhaustively worked on [his] case over the years," including the FBI.

Local NBC affiliate WESH 2 reported that Wood had met Santini at a daycare center. She was last seen leaving her house with him on the night of June 5, 1984.

"Santini was the last person seen with Wood before detectives discovered her body, strangled and left in a canal," the release continued. "He was identified as a suspect shortly after the murder. He fled Hillsborough County immediately."

Read Also: California Man Sentenced to Prison in $9 Million Fraud Case After Claiming he can Turn Cow Manure Into Biogas

Moreover, the arrest warrant for Santini alleged a woman told investigators he confessed to killing Wood and dumping her body, WESH 2 reported. However, by the time the warrant was issued, Santini had already left the county.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office also shared CCTV footage of Santini being booked in at the jail just after his arrest.

"The arrest of Donald Santini brings closure to a long-standing cold case and provides justice for the victim and her family after nearly four decades of waiting," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

Santini was also wanted in Texas for aggravated robbery. He also served jail time for raping a woman while stationed in Germany.

Police added the investigation regarding Santini's case is continuing.

Related Article: Kidnapped Baby Dies After Suspect Crashes Camaro into Ohio House, Police Say

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The suspect in the 2021 fatal shooting of another man at a Fairfield gas station appeared has entered a plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Travec Ard, 26, pleaded guilty earlier this year to capital murder in an unrelated Birmingham homicide and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ard was to appear in Jefferson County Circuit Judge David Carpenters courtroom Thursday morning to be arraigned in the shooting death of 25-year-old Desi Montell Carter.

However, Jefferson County Jail officials told the court that Ard was refusing to come to court.

The judge gave Ards attorneys  James Michaels and Bret Gray - a chance to go to the jail and talk with their client. Ard then showed up for court Thursday afternoon.

Carpenter told Ard, We will never reschedule again for you. Next time well presume you have waived your right to be present and well proceed without you. We are not working on your schedule.

Ard then entered his plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. His lawyers requested he undergo psychiatric evaluation.

Carter, of Georgia, was shot to death May 6, 2021.

Jefferson County sheriffs deputies responded at 11:12 a.m. that Thursday to a report of a person shot at a Fairfield convenience store at the intersection of Milstead Road and Woodward Road. When they arrived, they found Carter inside a gray Dodge Charger that rolled into the back of a Ford Explorer.

Carter was pronounced dead inside the vehicle at 11:24 a.m.

Witnesses said the Explorer was parked at one of the stores gas pumps when the Charger pulled in as if to refuel. Moments later, witnesses heard gunfire inside the vehicle and saw a man running away.

Authorities said robbery was the motive.

Ard was taken into custody later that day near UAB Hospital.

At the time of Ards arrest in Carters killing, he had been out of jail for less than two months and was awaiting trial in the 2019 killing of 21-year-old Brandon Rosario, also during a robbery.

Rosario, who was awaiting the birth of his first child when he was killed, was found dead in a Birmingham street and his stolen vehicle recovered in the parking lot of a downtown apartment complex.

Ard had been released from the Jefferson County Jail on March 15, 2021, after he was granted a bond with strict requirements, in Rosarios death. And, that bond had been ordered revoked on Thursday after Carter was killed.

Ard and 23-year-old Jasmine Roberson pleaded guilty earlier this year to Rosariors murder. Both were found in the victims car after his body was discovered.

Ard pleaded guilty to capital murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Roberson was initially charged with capital murder in Rosarios death but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of felony murder.
The April shooting death of a man in southwest Birmingham has been ruled justifiable.

Cornell Dewayne Richardson, 24, was shot to death on April 30.

Birminghams West Precinct officers were dispatched at 10:40 p.m. that Sunday to the 3100 block of Steiner Avenue on a report of shots fired in the area. While they were en route, the called was upgraded to a person shot.

Police arrived on the scene to find an adult male lying in the roadway. He was next to a vehicle that had been shot into multiple times.

That victim was taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

While officers were beginning their investigation, Fitzgerald said, they learned another gunshot victim -later identified as Richardson - had shown up at Princeton Baptist Medical Center. Richardson died at the hospital.

Police at the time of the shooting said they believed Richardson and the other man may have fired shots at one another.

Sgt. LaQuitta Wade on Wednesday detectives presented their evidence to the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office, which ruled no criminal charges would be filed.

Richardsons slaying is the fifth of the citys 64 homicides this year to be ruled justified.

According to Richardsons obituary, he graduated from Minor High School in 2018 and was in The Dannon Project to obtain his CDL license.

His smile would brighten the room. To his family he was an exceptional father with a great sense of humor, smart, the center of attention, charismatic, self-motivating, affectionate, love to dance, make his family laugh and just a joy to be around,' the obituary read.
A man who came forward last year and confessed to police that he killed a woman 21 years earlier today pleaded not guilty.

Brian Edward Jones was charged with murder and abuse of a corpse after he surprised Bessemer police by showing up out of the blue in March 2022 and confessing that he had killed 41-year-old Janet Jones Luxford in 2001 at a Bessemer hotel.

Jones remains in jail with bond set at $75,000.

Luxford had taken off with Jones in 2001. The two met at a Jacksonville, Florida hotel where Luxford worked, and where Jones, a truck driver, was staying.

She was never heard from again.

In 2022, Jones contacted Bessemer police and said he killed Luxford and then stuffed her body into a green suitcase and left it in a remote area where it went undetected until he led investigators to the crime scene.

Jones, of South Carolina, said he didnt come forward until now because he didnt want to disappoint his parents. They died in 2021, and it was time for Jones to get his horrific secret off his chest and allow Luxford to get a proper burial, police said.

Brian Edward Jones, who confessed to killing 41-year-old Janet Jones Luxford in 2001, appears in court on June 29, 2023. (Carol Robinson)

Jones told police he accidentally killed Luxford during an argument in which she was asking for money to get back to her kids.

A month after his confession, Luxfords daughter, Amanda Luxford Fernandez, now a mother herself, learned of the arrest.

He left me as a child without a mother, she said at the time. He had his parents until he got old and he took that from me.

Im just looking forward to the trial, she said, and to see what his punishment is going to be.

For so long there was nothing, no movement. We had no idea where she was, how she was, if she was alive or not, Fernandez said.

At least now I know shes been passed on for a long time and so Ive had an angel with me the whole time and thats how Ive made it through.
Panama City Beach officials, plagued by at least seven drownings since mid June and saddled with headlines labeling the beach as the deadliest in America are hoping fair winds and following seas are in their immediate future.

According to a report by the Panama City News Herald, Panama Citys Beach Safety Director thinks theyll soon be able to fly yellow flags along the beaches rather than the red or double red flags which have flown almost continuously for the past two weeks.

Daryl Paul said theyd hoped to fly yellow flags on Thursday, but put up red flags out of an abundance of caution.

Technically, the conditions that are visible today do meet our flag call criteria (for yellow), but (we decided to stay red) after referencing all the data from the various weather apps and referencing the wind direction and tide drop, Paul told the newspaper. We have a very substantial tide drop today on the shoreline, so we decided to hold on to single red.

Red flags, whether single or double, have flown every day since June 12, according the report. Red flags indicate high hazard, with high surf and/or strong currents, while double red flags mean the water is closed to the public, according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Paul told the News Herald the strength of rip currents determines what flags will fly and that his lifeguards physically test the waters each morning to determine what flag will be posted.

Seven people died from drowning within a nine-day period on Panama City beaches from June 15-24 -- the highest number of deaths for any beach in the U.S. for 2023, according to the National Weather Service.
The man suspected of killing four people in two Alabama counties has been indicted in two of the slayings.

A Jefferson County grand jury on June 13 issued the capital murder indictment against 29-year-old Daniel Parker Watson, according to court records made public Thursday.

He is charged in the March 14 shooting deaths of Tiffany Michele Hernandez and Jason Joseph Brown, both 40, in Birmingham.

Watson is also charged in St. Clair County with capital murder in the shooting death of 37-year-old wife and mother Amber Manning and with murder in the fatal shooting of 62-year-old Timothy Davidson.

The St. Clair County cases are still awaiting grand jury action.

Watson on Wednesday was moved from the St. Clair County Jail to the Jefferson County Jail where he is being held without bond. He was served Wednesday with the indictment in the Birmingham homicides.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May deemed Watson indigent and appointed an attorney to represent him. A court date has not yet been set.

A man and a woman were found shot to death Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in the 8400 block of Eighth Avenue South in East Lake. (Carol Robinson)

Hernandez and Brown were found shot to death that Tuesday at a home in South East Lake. They are believed to be the first pair of slayings committed by Watson, police said.

Authorities have said Watson approached a Leeds police officer at about 5 a.m. that day and told him that he had shot two people in Birmingham, and two people in St. Clair County.

St. Clair County Sheriff Billy Murray said at about 12:01 a.m., deputies responded to a disturbance call at 1 Ivy Drive Ragland.

When they arrived, the deputies found Manning dead in the driveway.

Tim Davidson and Amber Manning were fatally shot at a St. Clair County residence. (Special to AL.com)

Davidson was inside the residence and still alive. He was flown by lifesaver to UAB hospital and later pronounced dead.

About 6 a.m., Birmingham police received information from the Leeds Police Department that Watson had confessed to shooting two people in Birmingham.

Watson was able to provide general information about a house in South East Lake where two of the killings took place.

Officers made entry and found an adult male and found Hernandez and Brown dead.

A motive has not yet been released but Watson knew at least some of the victims. He shares the same last name as the owners and/or residents of the South East Lake home, property records show, but any relationship between Watson and any of the victims has not yet been disclosed.
A Tuscaloosa County man took his own life Tuesday when law enforcement officers responded to his Cottondale home on a report of possible child sex abuse.

Sheriffs deputies were dispatched about 6:30 p.m. to a home in the area of Whispering Lane.

Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said a report was made alleging that a family member had criminal sexual contact with children living at the home. The VCU was called to the location because the unit investigates all allegations of sexual assault within Tuscaloosa County, regardless of age of the victim and maintains a separate section of trained investigators that work the cases, he said.

While awaiting the investigators arrival, deputies made contact with the suspect in the backyard of his residence. The suspect was armed with a pistol, and began making threats of suicide, and of wanting law enforcement to kill him, Kennedy said.

Deputies established a tight perimeter and contained the suspect. All nearby civilians were moved for safety, Kennedy said. Multiple other units arrived to assist, and this resulted in the large police presence.

The suspect refused to put down his gun. Kennedy said a trained sheriffs negotiator arrived and spoke with the suspect for several hours, but the suspect chose to shoot himself with his own firearm.

Paramedics were on the scene and rendered immediate medical assistance. The suspect was critically injured and was transported to DCH Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Kennedy said VCU Sexual Assault Section will continue the investigation into the alleged sexual abuse and/or assault. The Alabama Department of Human Resources, The Children Center, and other partners, will provide assistance and support to the victims and family.

No law enforcement officer fired any shots, Kennedy said. The VCU Violent Crimes Section will conduct the investigation into the suspects death. No investigator affiliated with the sheriffs office will be involved in the probe.
Federal prosecutors allege a longtime assistant to Alabama state Rep. John Rogers stole federal money by collecting nearly $88,000 worth of her parents retirement payments for years after they died.

A federal grand jury in Birmingham indicted Varrie Johnson on two counts of theft of public money, one count of theft from an employee benefit plan and two counts of aggravated identity theft, according to court records. A federal judge today unsealed the indictment, which was issued last month.

Johnson  also known as Varrie Kindall, according to the indicment  is a longtime assistant to Rogers, D-Birmingham. She is also at the center of an unrelated federal kickback scheme that brought down state Rep. Fred Plump.

For years after her parents died, Johnson fraudulently collected her late fathers benefits, according to the indictment.

Defendant Johnson fraudulently endorsed A.J.s name on these checks and deposited the checks into A.J.s account at Wells Fargo, the complaint reads. From September 13, 2017, until April 2022, Defendant Johnson received and retained benefits from these entities to which she was not entitled totaling $87,767.10.

Johnson and her attorney, Jim Parkman of Birmingham, declined to comment when contacted by AL.com on Thursday afternoon.

Johnsons father, identified in the indictment as M.J., was a coal miner who died in 1980. After retiring, he received a pension, social security benefits and compensation from a Labor Department program to help workers disabled by black lung disease, according to the indictment.

Johnsons mother, identified in the court records as A.J., received those benefit payments after her husbands death. The mother received some of the benefit checks by mail at Johnsons home and deposited them into her bank account.

The indictment says that after her mother died in 2017, Johnson began collecting the payments, signing her late mothers name to checks and depositing the money into her mothers bank account. Johnson had access to and was listed on the account.

The indictment says the payments totaled $87,767.10 and continued through April 2022.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Birmingham is seeking to seize Johnsons assets to recoup the money. The criminal charges are punishable by fines and, in the case of the theft of public money charges, up to a decade in federal prison for each count.

The federal grand jury indicted Johnson one day after the U.S. Attorneys office charged Plump for leading a kickback scheme in which his nonprofit received public money and funneled it to another unnamed legislator and his assistant. Rogers, the state lawmaker who has employed Johnson for many years, has identified himself and Johnson and the unnamed people listed in the indictment.

Neither Rogers nor Johnson has been charged with crimes in the kickback scheme. Johnson declined to comment. Rogers has denied any wrongdoing.

Read more: Birmingham nonprofit doesnt want missing check from Rep. John Rogers

Plump, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and obstruction of justice, will be sentenced in federal court on Oct. 23.

Rogers in previous interviews with AL.com said he employs Johnson privately to handle both personal and public business. In addition to handling his business, Rogers, who is 82 and suffers from hip problems, said Johnson is his caretaker and personal driver.

She handles all my affairs, my care and everything, Rogers told AL.com earlier this month. I pay her. The state does not pay her.
An employee at a Montgomery Walmart is in police custody after shots were fired in the stores service area during a fight Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities and a report.

Officers responded to a business in the 6400 block of Atlanta Highway around 2:55 p.m. Wednesday on a call of a disturbance and shooting, said Maj. Saba Coleman.

Coleman would not name the business, but said the incident occurred in a service area. WSFA reported the shots were fired in a Walmart.

Coleman said an employee of the business was involved in an altercation inside the service area of the store when gunfire rang out.

The shots caused property damage to the store but no one was injured in the incident.

Some people involved in the incident fled the scene before police arrived, Coleman said, and police were still working to identify everyone who was at the scene.

The employee is in custody of Montgomery police.

Further information was unavailable as police continued to investigate the incident.
Jason Kelce had a good time Wednesday all in the name of charity.

The Philadelphia Eagles star downed 30 ounces of beer and did it in 5.7 seconds. Kelce was at Ocean Drive Bar & Restaurant in the Jersey Shore town to raise money and awareness for the Eagles Autism Foundation.

He took on radio host James Seltzer in a drinking contest.

As you can see from the video below, Kelce took a quick lead and finished strong.

James mightve lost but @JasonKelce was fighting for his life after putting that thing down  pic.twitter.com/Rkj3o6b1tv  Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) June 28, 2023

Kelces younger brother, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, was also at the fundraiser, which raised $100,000 for the foundation last year. Jason Kelce donated an extra $50,000.

Smile if you love your brother and raising money for the Eagles autism community pic.twitter.com/3ozfkghWdA  Eagles Autism Foundation (@eaglesautism) June 28, 2023

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.
Sign up for Roy S. Johnsons newsletter: Enter your email to subscribe to Roys weekly newsletter, The Barbershop:

This is an opinion column.

Were chompin at the bit to kill somebody.

Ever since Gov. Kay Iveys three-month moratorium on executions ended in February (a necessary hiatus since we kept bumbling and botching lethal ejections), Attorney General Steve Marshalls office has been eager to kill somebody.

James Barber, specifically, is in Marshalls crosshairs.

Convicted in Madison County of a 2001 murder, Barber, 64, is slated to be killed at some point between midnight on Thursday, July 20, and 6 a.m. on Friday, July 21.

Ive long shared my opposition to the death penalty and the reasons for my stance. I wrote this column in 2020 after we killed Nathanial Woods, and this one in 2022 after we killed Joe Nathan James, Jr. over the objection of the victims daughters, who said theyd forgiven him.

Jesus forgivesnot Alabama.

Unless youre of a certain age with a Venus fly trap memory, you may not remember that capital punishment was once unconstitutional.

In 1968, William Henry Furman of Savannah, Georgia, was convicted of murdering homeowner William Micke during a burglary attempt and sentenced to death. Furman, a Black man, told police hed fired his gun blindly behind him while trying to flee Mickes grasp. He was found to be emotionally disturbed and mentally impaired yet was convicted after only one day of testimony. Micke was white.

Furmans appeal reached the U.S. Supreme Court (along with two similar appeals). His attorneys argued the death penalty was not levied fairly, and that a disproportionate number of those sentenced to death were Black, thus making the penalty in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

On this day, June 29, 1972, the nations highest court agreed. In a 5-4 decision in Furman v. Georgia, SCOTUS ruled the death penalty unconstitutional. The primary reasoning for those in the majority: The death penalty, as it was being applied by states, disproportionately harmed minorities and the poor.

These death sentences are cruel and unusual in the same way that being struck by lightning is cruel and unusual, wrote Justice Potter Stewart. For, of all the people convicted of rapes and murders in 1967 and 1968, many just as reprehensible as these, the petitioners are among a capriciously selected random handful upon whom the sentence of death has in fact been imposed.

I was still in high school then and had long forgotten that the SCOTUS had doused the death penalty until I came across the anniversary while doing research for my newsletter, The Barbershop. (Shameless plug: subscribe here or above.)

Alas, the ban lasted only four years.

In that time, 37 states crafted death penalty laws designed to peck away at the ruling. In 1976, they succeed. In Gregg v. Georgia, the court overwhelmingly ruled (7-2) that sufficient progress had been made (ahem) to make capital punishment constitutional again.

In January 1977, Gary Gilmore of Utah, found guilty of murder after killing two men in different robberies, became the first American to be put to death after the resurrection of capital punishment. At 36, he was executed by firing squad. Gilmore was white.

Decades later, Justice Paul Stevens was one of three former justices on that 1976 Supreme Court who expressed regret over their decision.

I thought at the time, he told National Public Radio in 2010, that if the universe of defendants eligible for the death penalty is sufficiently narrow so that you can be confident that the defendant really merits that severe punishment, that the death penalty was appropriate. [But] the Court constantly expanded the cases eligible for the death penalty, so that the underlying premise for my vote has disappeared, in a sense. I really think that the death penalty today is vastly different from the death penalty that we thought we were authorizing.

Justices Harry Blackmun and Lewis F. Powell, also from that 1976 court, expressed similar regrets over their vote to uphold capital punishment.

I have come to think capital punishment should be abolished, Powell was quoted in his biography. I would vote the other way on any capital case.

Justice Blackmun, even before retiring, in a dissent of Callins v. Collins in 1994, stated: From this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death  the basic question  does the system accurately and consistently determine which defendants deserve to die?  cannot be answered in the affirmative.

Indeed the sufficient progress in the equitable dissemination of capital punishment SCOTUS justices saw (or thought they saw) in 1976 was all smoke.

Today, African Americans comprise 14 percent of the U.S. population, yet 41% of those sitting on death row are Black, says the Death Penalty Information Center.

In 2004, William Henry Furman, whose life was spared by the 1972 decision, got in trouble again. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for another burglary. He was paroled in 2016. That year, he told Reuters: I still believe the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment.

He said this, too: I can tell anybody who wants to commit a murder, Leave it alone.

Furman is now 81 years old.

More columns by Roy S. Johnson

Bob Costas calls MLB Rickwood game just perfect, weighs in on what to call it.

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Plaintiff in historic SCOTUS case shed tears for late father after ruling

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Through faith, former Birmingham news anchor finds unlikely new season as an actor
Question Everything! Click Here To Support Information Clearing House The China Debt Trap Lie that Wont Die By Conor Gallagher June 27, 2023: Information Clearing House --Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen talks about the Chinese debt trap nearly every time she speaks . National security advisor Jake Sullivan delved into the topic in his big economic vision speech. And recently the Associated Press ran a long piece entirely devoted to the falsehood. The criticism all claims that Chinese loans to poor nations drive these countries to instability and are designed to seize assets offered as collateral. The problem is it is all untrue. Deborah Brautigam, the Director of the China Africa Research Initiative at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, has written that this is  a lie, and a powerful one. She wrote, o ur research shows that Chinese banks are willing to restructure the terms of existing loans and have never actually seized an asset from any country. Even researchers at Chatham House admit thats not the case, explaining that the lending has instead created a debt trap for China. That is becoming more evident as nations are unable to repay, largely due to the economic fallout from the pandemic and the US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Could there be something more to the US obsession with this talking point? Gong Chen, founder of Beijing-based think tank Anbound, says that if countries are unwilling or unable to repay their debts to China, it could be devastating for Beijing: Widespread debt evasion and avoidance would have a significant impact on Chinas financial stability, he said, and we are concerned that some countries may try to avoid paying back their debt by utilizing geopolitics and the ideological competition between East and West. While Beijing certainly seeks influence in countries where it lends, it also usually builds infrastructure. And while those roads, train tracks, ports and more are also usually beneficial to Chinese operations, their construction also helps the host country. Its also way more than the West offers in terms of infrastructure. The US possibly had the opportunity to join with China in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of the largest and most ambitious global infrastructure projects ever, but declined: While Chinas initial instinct has been to try and tackle debt repayment issues at a bilateral level, typically by extending maturities rather than accepting write-downs on loans, its increasingly getting involved in multilateral talks that include US-backed institutions like the IMF. Take the case of Zambia, which got a $1.3 billion loan from the IMF in September. From The Diplomat: Zambia will shift its spending priorities from investment in public infrastructure  typically financed by Chinese stakeholders  to recurrent expenditures. Specifically, Zambia has announced it will totally cancel 12 planned projects, half of which were due to be financed by China EXIM Bank, alongside one by ICBC for a university and another by Jiangxi Corporation for a dual highway from the capital. The government has also canceled 20 undistributed loan balances  some of which were for the new projects but others for existing projects. While such cancellations are not unusual on Zambias part, Chinese partners account for the main bulk of these loans While some of these cancellations may have been initiated by Chinese lenders themselves, especially those in arrears, Zambia may not have needed to cancel so many projects. Since 2000, China has canceled more of Zambias bilateral debt than any sovereign creditor, standing at $259 million to date. Nevertheless, the IMF team justified the shift because they  and presumably Zambias government  believe that spending on public infrastructure in Zambia has not returned sufficient economic growth or fiscal revenues. However, no evidence is presented for this in the IMFs report. Zambia and its government creditors, including China, reached a deal last week to restructure $6.3 billion in loans, which the IMF approved. Full details of the deal werent announced, but according to the AP: French officials said Zambias debt would be reorganized over 20 years, with a three-year grace period. It also includes a clause aimed at ensuring that Zambia gets similar treatment from private creditors, who hold an additional $6.8 billion in loans to Zambia, but it wasnt clear that those private creditors could be required to do so. The IMF deal last year was also an effort to relegate China to the backseat, as it allows for 62 concessional loan projects to continue, only two of which will involve China. The vast majority of the projects will be administered by multilateral institutions and involve recurrent expenditure rather than infrastructure-focused projects. In August, China announced the forgiveness of 23 interest-free loans for 17 African nations, while also pledging to deepen its collaboration with the continent. Despite that gesture and its efforts to extend maturities, the West continues to hammer home the message that Beijing is engaged in debt-trap diplomacy with Yellen claiming multiple times that Beijing has become the biggest obstacle to progress in Africa. While Beijing offers imperfect infrastructure-for-minerals deals, the US, offers up worthless token items like cultural ties (as Biden said at last years US-Africa Leaders Summit, the US has a significant population of African Americans. I might add that includes my former boss, he said.) and stuff like this: Regardless of what the US says and no matter how many times its officials repeat this debt trap talking point, it doesnt change the fact that countries now prefer arrangements with the Chinese. Ken Opalo writes at An Africanist Perspective about how the US cannot compete with China economically in Africa: The fact of the matter is that if you want to do anything serious in the region within a tight political business cycle and need financing, calling Beijing is typically the smart option. This is especially true if you happen to be an incumbent in a competitive electoral democracy like Kenya or Zambia (I hope Washington sees the irony here). According to Nikkei Asia, China has invested 2.5 times more in African infrastructure development than all Western countries combined . The same dynamics obtain in the private sector. Whether you are looking for machinery or cheap imports (and increasingly markets), China is often the best option. Trends in trade volumes demonstrate this fact.. In 2022 Africa-US trade (under $40b) was less than a fifth of Africa-China volumes. Its hard to beat something with nothing as Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo explained during his March 27 remarks at Kings College in London: China is Africas largest bilateral trading partner and about $254 billion in trade in 2021. China is the largest provider of foreign direct investment, supporting hundreds of thousands of African jobs. This is roughly double the level of U.S foreign direct investment and China remains by far, the largest lender to African countries. Chinese companies have also taken the lead in exploiting minerals in Africa, many now in lithium mining in Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, DRC, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Most African countries are in my view, rightly unapologetic about their close ties with China. China shows up where and when the West is reluctant to show up. And many African countries are of the view that the beware of the Chinese Trojan loans advice from the West is wise, but probably self-serving. Africa needs the loans and the infrastructure and China offers them. In any case, the history of loans from Western institutions is not great. The memory of the destructive conditionalities of the Breton Woods loans is still fresh and the debris is everywhere. And the preoccupation of Western governments and media with the so-called China debt trap might well be an overreaction. In the arguments about the Chinese death traps (as it is called sometimes) and the large amounts of loans to African countries, I think that what is clear is that the Chinese have proven to be quite responsible in the giving out of these loans. There are always arguments about whether you get the best deal all the time, but the real question of Africa and African governments is who else is offering these loans? Who else is offering the support? It is not a question of here or there, it is really a question of what is available and it seems to me to make sense to take what is available. What about World Bank and IMF debt traps? Yellen and Sullivan dont talk about that, but African countries, for example, currently owe three times more debt to Western institutions compared to China, and theyve received far less in return. African political economists, including Grieve Chelwa write about how it is actually the western institutions trapping poorer nations in a cycle of debt and austerity: In the early months of the pandemic in 2020, the IMF offered to open up new windows for borrowing that they said would come without conditionalities. The G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and other such offers to pause debt payments suggested that the poorer nations would receive assistance to prevent total economic collapse and to gain access to vaccines. However, Oxfam found that thirteen of the fifteen IMF loan programmes during the second year of the pandemic (2021) required new austerity measures such as taxes on food and fuel or spending cuts that could put vital public services at risk. The Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index reveals that fourteen out of the sixteen countries in West Africa planned to cut their budgets by a total of $26.8 billion in 2021 to contain haemorrhaging national debt crises and that these policies have been encouraged by the IMFs COVID-19 loans. The evidence is clear: the IMF not only engineers austerity-driven debt crises, but its policies are designed to ensure and manage a permanent debt crisis, not to erase debt. They are also hopeful that Chinas public and private debt forgiveness during the pandemic will apply pressure on western financial institutions to rethink the harshness of their debt repayment-austerity governance model. But it appears that rethinking has led to a strategy to amplify the China debt trap myth rather than offering something on par or better than the Chinese. Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Registration is not necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also The Chinese Debt Trap Is a Myth : Research shows that Chinese banks are willing to restructure the terms of existing loans and have never actually seized an asset from any country
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The latest legal victory for civil liberties advocates came at the hands of girls and their parents fighting against a restrictive school dress code.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case involving a North Carolina charter school that required female students to wear skirts, which left in place a lower court ruling that struck down the charter schools dress code as unconstitutional.

Girls at public charter schools have the same constitutional rights as their peers at other public schools  including the freedom to wear pants, said Ria Tabacco Mar, director of the Womens Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the students and parents in the lawsuit.

SCOTUS decision not to hear the case was a blow to conservative religious liberty and school choice groups, which had joined with 10 attorneys general from Republican-led states to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in the case, in hopes it could lead to broader freedoms for charter schools.

The charter schools founder, Baker Mitchell, issued a statement expressing his disappointment in the courts decision, saying the courts opinion will be applied to charter schools everywhere, threatening their autonomy, subjecting them to the same rules, regulations and political machinations that have crippled government-run school systems.

While the gendered dress code made the headlines, the case is part of a larger solar system of school choice court cases that have the potential to establish how public dollars might be used to fund religious or other private schools.

This was a case that has enormous stakes for public education, stakes as large as any weve seen since the late 1990s, said Derek Black, professor of law at the University of South Carolina whose research focuses include education law and policy, constitutional law and civil rights.

The crux of the case was about whether charter schools  schools operated by private organizations but funded by taxpayers  are state actors and thus legally bound to give their students the same constitutional civil rights as public schools.

This is a potentially foundational issue, said Black.

In recent years, school choice and conservative religious groups have pushed harder for more publicly funded educational options. Many argue taxpayer dollars should not only fund traditional public schools but also voucher programs for private schools and public charter schools run by private organizations.

Meanwhile, many proponents of public education contend vouchers and charter schools siphon resources from public schools, risking greater inequality among students. They point out private and charter schools arent usually held accountable to the same educational standards and civil rights laws as traditional public schools.

If SCOTUS had taken up the dress code case, it could have upended the nature of public education.

A sex-based dress code

The backstory: Charter Day School, a public charter school in North Carolina, required female students to wear skirts to school based on the view that girls are a fragile vessel that men are supposed to take care of and honor, according to the court documents.

A group of female students and parents sued, arguing the sex-based dress code, grounded in gender stereotypes, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Public institutions, like public schools, can be sued for violation of constitutional rights. But Charter Day School representatives argued that because the charter school is run by a private nonprofit corporation that contracts with the state, its not a state actor.

Last June, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, ruling that North Carolina charter schools are a form of public school and are therefore state actors subject to the same constitutional requirements as regular public schools.

SCOTUS decision not to hear the case upholds that lower courts ruling.

Why does this matter?

In recent years, conservative school choice advocates have racked up legal wins:

Last summer, SCOTUS struck down Maines ban on using public funds at religious schools. The courts opinion held that if state or local governments subsidize private schools, such as through voucher programs like the one in Maine, they cant exclude religious schools.

Earlier this month, Oklahoma approved the nations first religious charter school. The state will allow the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa to operate an online school, funded by taxpayer dollars, that will include religious teachings in its curriculum.

The North Carolina case had the potential to take U.S. education further down that path, opening the door for more private and religious schools to enter the educational system with the help of government funding, said Black.

If there were a green light to have the state basically pay (a church or organization) to run a school, then there would be an enormous number of new applications for charter schools that would dramatically change the financial situation for traditional public schools, Black said. It would cause an already small pie to be cut up into smaller pieces.

For the public school sector, it would be catastrophic.

But SCOTUS decision not to take up the North Carolina case has public school proponents breathing a sigh of relief, he said. And it throws cold water on the idea in some progressive circles that the conservative-majority Supreme Court is on a mission to destroy the public school system.

The school choice folks have been giddy, thinking the skys the limit, while the civil rights folks think there is no bottom, he said. But Im sitting here thinking, youre both off base.

While conservative school choice groups have seen legal victories, such as with the Maine voucher program, Black believes the North Carolina case sets a strong precedent that a situation like Oklahomas funding of a Catholic school could be found unconstitutional.
The road to war in Ukraine started with the decision in the mid-1990s to enlarge NATOs membership to include countries formerly in Russias security sphere. The enlargement took place in phases, but finally sinking Ukraine into the NATO pocket would have run the table. Russia went to war to stop it. Most of the events in the run-up took place during a period that is sometimes called Americas unipolar moment. Most experts agree that this moment has passed, and it likely ended even before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Let us set the start date for Americas unipolar moment as December 25, 1991, when the hammer and sickle, the insignia of Communist Russia, was lowered for the last time at the Kremlin and the tricolor of the Russian Federation took its place. The Soviet Union was no more, and the United States stood supreme in the world, at the apex of a power structure in which no other country on earth was able to challenge it militarily. This situation lasted only a generation, but during that time the way the U.S. acted in the world was radically different from its behavior during the Cold War.

For one thing, the United States replaced Russia as the worlds great revolutionary power. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Russia waved the red banner. It told the world that the communist way of life is universal and inevitable, that it possessed the secrets of economic success, and that it was the champion of good fighting the forces of oppression. It supported communist insurgencies and intrigues. But when the Cold War ended, Russia shed its ideological pretenses and became a country numbered among other countries, and a struggling one at that.

The United States then stepped up with an assertive foreign policy that pushed economic liberalization and global democratic revolution. Historically, Americans have always believed that such values as liberty and equality are not meant for Americans only, but for people everywhere. The idea that a world filled with more democracies would be a better place became the consensus view of policy experts. Democracy promotion could be found in presidential statements, think-tank policy papers, and in national security strategies. The downside to this kind of talk is that it inflates the more traditional conceptions of the national interest. It became customary to think that liberty at home cannot be secure unless liberty prevails everywhere. Even as the old Soviet Union sought to globalize communist values, post-Cold War America sought to globalize its own political agenda. A moral vision merged with Americas military might, which meant that global miscreants could find themselves sanctioned, ostracized, and in some cases the subject of regime change.

Another before-and-after change can be seen in NATO itself. During the Cold War, NATO was quintessentially a defensive alliance. It did not fire a shot or drop a bomb or engage in any military operation against another country. It held firm, contained the Soviet threat, and out-waited the enemys lifetime. After the Cold War, a change took place. NATO began dropping bombs. All its military operations took place after NATOs original enemy had collapsed. In 1999 NATO launched a 79-day aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia. The purpose was humanitarian: to stop the civil war in which ethnic Serbs threatened the minority Albanian (and predominantly Muslim) population. Although the motive was noble (Operation Noble Anvil was the Pentagons name for it), the action lacked U.N. Security Council approval. Russia and China were ready to veto if the matter came to a vote. The episode showed that if only one power dominates the system, it can finesse the rules to fit its end. American might made right.

Another contrast between the two periods can be seen in the American attitude towards spheres of influence. During the Cold War, both Russia and the U.S. were respectful of each others security space, but in the post-Cold War period disdain for traditional power politics became American policy. The days of empire and spheres of influence are over, President Obama proclaimed in a speech in Warsaw in 2014. Bigger nations must not be allowed to bully the small or impose their will at the barrel of a gun.

Similar denunciations of spheres of influence have been made by the last four American administrations. The outlook is bipartisan. Behind it is the idea that if all countries in the world were democracies, there would be no need for spheres of influence or balance of power in the first place. All countries would have pacific values and they would just get along with each other.

A crisis heated up in the summer of 1961 after Russia demanded the withdrawal of NATO troops from Berlin. In a televised speech, President John F. Kennedy announced the call up of reserves, but he also made this remarkable statement: We recognize the Soviet Union's historical concern about their security in Central and Eastern Europe and we believe arrangements can be worked out which will help to meet those concerns, and make it possible for both security and freedom to exist in this troubled area.

There is irony here. During the Berlin Crisis, an American president showed regard for Russias security needs, whereas the several post-Cold War American presidents have shown no such regard. To the contrary, they have backed NATO's enlargement precisely into the spaces where Kennedy would not tread. Of course, Kennedy had to sound conciliatory because he faced a dangerous foe and Europe was divided into two camps, whereas Obama had the luxury of denouncing empires and spheres of influence because he spoke at a time when America had a near monopoly on power. In fact, Obamas generation of policy elites have known no other kind of world.

All three cases -- Americas revolutionary turn, NATO military operations, and the cancelation of traditional great power politics -- stem from the fact that external constraints were removed from American behavior. When a great power faces little or no opposition, the lesser powers in the system must depend on it to use self-restraint, to be willing to live in a world with imperfections, to be willing not to win too much, and not to run the table. Americas sense of self-restraint is weak. When the external constraints fell away, the dogs of democratism were unleashed.

Today a new kind of world order, one with multiple power centers, seems to be taking shape, and the U.S. has already started thinking about how to accommodate itself to it. The smart money is on little or no change in Americas basic outlook: on the surface, it will manage conflicts with the other power centers, but at its core the belief that America is destined to transform the world is hard-wired. The preferable outcome has a low probability of occurrence: the U.S., like Russia when the Soviet Union collapsed, should shed its ideological pretenses and settle into becoming a country numbered among other countries. It would certainly be an excellent specimen among them, but let it be one that holds its sense of crusading zeal in check and gives full measure to the virtue of self-restraint.

James Sorianoi is a retired Foreign Service Officer. He has previously written for American Thinker on the Ukraine war here, here, and here.

Image: Public Domain
Question Everything! Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Putin Orders Reality Check  No Ukrainians Left on the Battlefield, No Sovereignty in Kiev By Yves Smith June 28, 2023: Information Clearing House -- In late May Putin recently referred to  that territory known as Ukraine.  Close observers took that as a statement of intent, that Russia was planning to render Ukraine into something other than a sovereign state. It turns out that that is Russias present view of Ukraine. As John Helmer explains below, both Putin and the Foreign Ministry said that due to Ukraine having repudiated and then terminated the 1990 treaty with Russia and successor treaties recognizing each other as sovereign states, Ukraine is no longer sovereign, at least with respect to Russia. And among other things, that means there is no viable Ukraine-type entity for Russia to sign a cessation of hostilities pact, assuming Ukraine somehow were able to slip the leash of its US and NATO overlords. In other words, from Russias vantage, not only is Ukraine de facto not sovereign, but also de jure. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter One might wonder how to square this reading with the March 2022 Russia-Ukraine negotiations facilitated by Turkiye. Perhaps Russia actually did intend to solve this if a deal were worked out; Um, you know this has no legal effect unless you cancel the termination of our treaties? But Russia now has no reason to be flexible. Recall Ukraine was warned about that too. Putin said the longer the war went on, the more difficult it would become to negotiate with Russia. Russia would require more to lay down its arms if Ukraine and the West kept fighting. Oh, and in case you missed it (I believe Conor will also be featuring this tweet in Links shortly), Ukraine has given up its remaining pretenses of being a democracy: By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears Views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Registration is not necessary to post comments. We ask only that you do not use obscene or offensive language. Please be respectful of others. See also
In a recent article attacking the false and selfish values of the World Economic Forum and Agenda 2030 of the United Nations, three of the five pillars of Agenda 2030 were revealed as ideological nothingburgers. All five terms by which Agenda 2030 is introduced are rhetorical devices used to say nothing but, at the same time, to imply that high-mindedness is the seed of the conception of Agenda 2030.

The five terms are People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership. The first three were mocked and debunked already. This outraged rejection of the U.N.'s plans will now expose the superficiality and vapidity of their ideas of Prosperity and Partnership.

The goal of Prosperity is, incredibly, summed up in one sentence:

"We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature." Saying prosperity means to "enjoy prosperous ... lives" is a circular definition at best. What is happiness? Answer: To be happy is to have a happy life. Is any reader edified by this, or is this English usage that should have been put beyond one's written repertoire by the end of seventh grade?

Then they become more "expansive" and state a partiality toward "economic, social and technological progress." Yet the globalists consistently communicate the view that economic, social, and technological progress occurring since the Industrial Revolution began, and since Western civilization brought these forms of progress into the world, is a mask for oppression of peoples. This oppression throughout the world includes but is not limited to women, "people of color," homosexuals, transsexuals, queer persons who have erotic tendencies that cannot be captured in any rubric, various parts of the animal and aquatic kingdoms, and poor people in general who have not benefited from progress as much as they should have. To read their tirades is to believe that nature itself is collapsing under our colossal mismanagement of the world's resources.

Of course, "abortion rights" are essential for this anti-human one-world government crowd because of women's health, but also because over-population is draining our resources. Under Karl Marx's labor theory of value, the working poor should have reaped the greatest share of the profits of industrialization but were exploited and did not receive their due.

Notice that the one-sentence definition of prosperity does not say that prosperity should occur in harmony with democratic or republican values such as rights or life or liberty. It does not say that they should be in harmony with classical rationality and logic a la Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It does not say they should be in harmony with Judeo-Christian morality or belief in an omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent God, Creator of the Universe. No, the prosperity machine should be "in harmony with nature." "Nature" will decide our destiny. "Nature" created "the land of the free and the home of the brave." They force-feed this pap to an ignorant  or, to be kind, naive  world.

Here, the attraction of certain successful persons to the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche regarding the "ubermenschen" (super-men) is crucial. The supermen appear as advanced products of a morally evolved society. Influenced by Nietzsche's understanding of the "transvaluation of values," where what has been considered good is bad, and vice-versa, democratic and nationalistic values, particularly those related to Greek rationality and Judeo-Christian morals, should be set aside. A new type of person must rule, and rule on a global scale.

The "new person" supposedly will usher in this new type of prosperity. The new prosperity will not be restrained by past boundaries or morals or rationality. Instead, the world government elite will deliver goods and services under an impulse of unfettered lust for wealth (masquerading as "meeting needs"), and that unfettered urge for wealth will be enforced by a New World Order, a World Government that is portrayed by them as truly free (sic).

The second term in Agenda 2030 that we need to identify and reject is the word "Partnership." Partnership is defined this way: "We are determined to mobilize the means required to implement this Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all people."

This wordy definition is a restatement of the Marxist principle "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." Putting aside the sexism implicit in the use of the possessive pronoun "his" (please forgive the sarcasm), this emphasis on needs in Agenda 2030 replaces the emphasis on rights that was central to the U.N.'s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which appeared as a founding document in 1948. In that document, the word "rights" appeared in almost every section, whereas in Agenda 2030, the word "rights" appears only once, in Section 19 of 91 sections and 17 principles. This writer would suggest that global governance to "meet needs" is the updated counterpart of soviets ("workers' councils") to meet needs under communist theory. However, as we know, communist theory allows for a dictatorship of the proletariat prior to the advent of workers' councils because the dictatorship will help prepare the people for the supposedly greater meeting of needs and greater freedom that they will enjoy under workers' councils. Workers' councils will provide a refreshing alternative to capitalist oligarchies that deprive people of the true benefits of their labor.

Meanwhile, the poor never had it as good as they have had their lives under capitalism, but don't worry: that happiness is just an illusion that will be revealed once the new communist government is established. In parallel fashion, the capitalism that enhances and works with the nation-state concept leads to wars, which undermine the joy and prosperity of the world. Under a one-world government, wars will come to an end, because the benefits of a uniform world law will dilute the inherent competitiveness of capitalist nation-states, and thereby reinforce peace  peace among men and peace with nature. At the same time, the U.N., which supposedly exists to advance world cooperation and peace has not been able to do more than pass a pitiful resolution against the war in the Ukraine.

We have considered two of the five horribly deceptive terms put forward to inspire readers as they begin to study Agenda 2030. One of my goals is to tear the mask of words off the horrible face of world government. It is a face of greed and lust for power rarely seen since the creation of the world.

Image: sanjitbakshi via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
The New York Times, Sunday, June 25, published an anti-MAGA propaganda screed called "Far Right Pushes a 'Through-the-Looking-Glass' Narrative" by Robert Draper. As his slant projects a "Through the Looking Glass" slur on political victims of the current administration, only Draper's opening paragraphs are worth noting. Draper does point out that Reps. Gaetz, Gosar, Norman, Taylor Greene, and Nehls have acted in support of the Jan. 6 political detainees. They should be joined by every House and Senate Republican  certainly those whose primary loyalty is not to the uniparty.

Draper opened the piece by stating that "far right ... true believers," among other things, "gather to pray and sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' on the outer perimeter of the District of Columbia jail, where some two dozen [Jan. 6] defendants are held."

(Draper's next paragraph calls an unofficial House hearing held last week "a through-the-looking-glass alternative to the damning case against former President Donald J. Trump presented last year by the Jan. 6 [House select] committee." In view of the conduct of that partisan, prejudicial, persecutorial "Jan. 6" panel, to assert that it deserves to be called "official" insults the rules of the House and, indeed, the Constitution itself.)

Times propagandist Draper omitted the duration of pre-trial detention for the "some two dozen" detainees. His highly biased piece appeared more than 30 months after January 6, 2021. The following should be shouted from the rooftops by all citizens committed to the spirit of American liberty:

How long have the current Jan. 6 detainees been held in the District of Columbia jail? What are the charges against them? Why are they denied bail? Why are they being treated as political prisoners in a communist dictatorship?

To quote from the John Adams character in the musical 1776  "Is anybody there? Does anybody care?"

Clearly, The New York Times does not care; it has turned against liberty, democracy, fair play  the Constitution. But what about House and Senate Republicans? Where are the GOP colleagues of Reps. Gaetz, Gosar, Nehls, Norman, and Greene? What good is talk of impeaching Garland, even Mr. Biden, if the House GOP won't stand in solidarity against a rogue administration holding political prisoners?

Image via Pxfuel.
Over in Sweden, they're scrapping their green schemes because these programs are costly, are based on junk science, and do nothing.

But France is another story. President Macron has decided he'd like to get Americans to pay for his country's green schemes  by taxing them.

According to WattsUpWithThat, he's got global green taxes in mind, which the ex-financier knows very well will be paid in the main by Americans.

In the wake of the Aussie, New Zealand and Canadian climate ministers demanding a new Bretton Woods, the French President has also requested a slice of the action. Macron calls for an international taxation deal to finance climate efforts The French president wants an international effort to raise money to tackle climate change. BY CLEA CAULCUTT, GIORGIO LEALI AND PAUL DE VILLEPIN

JUNE 23, 2023 12:37 PM CET PARIS  French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hinted at a fresh push to revamp the international taxation system to finance climate efforts. ... "I'm in favor of an international taxation to finance efforts that we have to make to fight poverty and in terms of climate [action]It doesn't work when you do it alone, the [financial] flows go elsewhere." Macron said during a press conference at the end of the two-day summit in Paris, dismissing the idea that France could introduce a climate tax on its own.

What kind of nonsense is this?

Last we Americans heard, we fought a war to end taxation without representation from Europe to pay for its lavish lifestyle, and apparently, he hasn't gotten the memo.

What he's doing is treating America like his colonial cash cow, the way France once did when it had colonies, using its resources to finance France's lavish lifestyle.

Of course, greenie schemes don't actually make any country rich. They tend to drive up costs, which leaves less seed capital around for things people might like to spend money on  such as startups or owning a home.

France is a little light in the loafers on that.

What it's really about is power  the power to tax and the power to control how Americans are allowed to live.

This clown doesn't even own us, yet already he's convinced he can own us anyway by taking our money away from us, to keep Europe fat and happy, blissfully ensconced in the view that a greenie future is possible, paid for, of course, by those otherwise irrelevant Americans.

Maybe he can ask his BRICS buddies for the tax money to pay for France's green schemes  he's reportedly applied for membership in that bloc as the wave of the future.

Except when it comes to mining money.

Macron seems to be saying that his country should be exempt from these global green taxes because France already pays high green taxes.

What he should instead do is take a cold, hard, realistic look at the costs of the chasing the greenie ideal, which is that cheap technology doesn't exist to make the world green, that the cost of maintaining that technology, such as it is, is prohibitively expensive as well as less efficient than conventional fossil fuels, and that weighing the costs and benefits of the idea  can lead only to the conclusion that the Swedes have come to.

If he wants to pay for green schemes and his voters are willing, fine and dandy. But he's got no business coming to us for the money to keep that lavish lifestyle in place, especially since he's already told us the future is with the BRICS.

Maybe he can ask the British what happened last time it tried to pull that one over on us. If the Brits are not too far gone off greenie cliff, they will probably know.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.
NewsNation's 90-minute town hall broadcast live from Chicago Wednesday with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was an intellectually stimulating and emotionally moving event. Despite the hour of mostly put-downs that preceded it (hosted by Chris Cuomo with featured guest Bill O'Reilly) and the half-hour of analysis that followed it (Chris Cuomo again with a panel that included former Wisconsin Republican governor Scott Walker, the most fair and objective), Kennedy more than met the challenging questions presented to him by town hall host Elizabeth Vargas and a number of pre-selected Democrat and independent voters in Chicago, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

By the end of the ninety minutes of town hall, I kept thinking of this statement attributed to Ronald Reagan: "The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally  not a 20 percent traitor."

I found myself agreeing with Kennedy at least 80% of the time.

Even when, near the end, Kennedy countered a particularly obnoxious and challenging gay voter from South Carolina who attempted to get him off stride and sandbag him with a snide accusation, Kennedy pledged his lifelong support of LGBT rights (which he described as "LGBQT"), I could sympathize with what Kennedy was trying to do: in essence, to reach out in the darkness. Too bad he wasn't asked about his feelings about the current move to give special rights to transgender people, as in allowing them to participate in sporting events with people of the opposite sex.

The issues at hand were much larger and more significant, as the hour and a half provided Kennedy with time to expand on the points that he's made in his half-dozen live interviews on FOX News since he declared for president two months ago. Thus far, to my knowledge, he has not been invited to appear on CNN or MSNBC.

As in the FOX interviews, Kennedy revealed himself to be a thoughtful, sincere, and passionate man of significant achievement  who himself, as he confided, had endured a 14-year long addiction, which he overcame four decades ago. His accomplishments since then have been hardly insubstantial.

After the debate, a complete transcript was not available  only selected excerpts provided to journalists by NewsNation. An article at the channel's website (one of a number) reported the highlights.

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would not pledge to support his party's nominee, stood by his claims about vaccines and announced that "I want my party back" in his first national town hall presented by NewsNation on Wednesday. "I'm running because I feel like my party has lost its way," Kennedy told NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas. Kennedy  an environmental lawyer and nephew of President John F. Kennedy  has positioned himself as a populist set on returning to the "exact values that would have been promoted by my father and uncle." Despite never holding elective office, Kennedy's campaign has generated attention within the party. Among Democrats, Kennedy is polling at 15%, according to a recent Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll. Still, Biden is well ahead at 62%. In order to win the nomination, Kennedy will have to do something no primary challenger has done in modern U.S. history  unseat an incumbent president for their party's nomination.

Right out of the gate, Kennedy declined to take the bait and attack his potential opponents.

Vargas asked Kennedy what he thought of Donald Trump after the former president praised him as a "common sense guy" in a recent interview. The Democratic hopeful said he's focused on unity, not division. "I'm not going to attack other people personally," he said. "What I'm trying to do in this race is bring people together." Kennedy had the same attitude toward the current president. "You won't hear me saying bad things about President Biden," Kennedy said. "I'm not going to attack him as a man." Instead, Kennedy said he is focused on policy disagreements, such as his differing views on war, censorship and COVID lockdowns.



Elizabeth Vargas and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on stage at the NewsNation Town Hall, June 28, 2023.

Photo courtesy NewsNation.

Kennedy's comments and particularly his answers to questions seemed incredibly honest and thoughtful  which took some getting used to, since this is hardly the domain of almost all major politicians today. For example:

When asked whether he would support the Democratic nominee no matter what, Kennedy declined. "Of course, I'm not gonna do that," he said. Kennedy said he'll wait to see if the person who emerges from his party is "living up to Democratic values." Those values, as he described them, include fighting for the middle class, protecting civil liberties and embracing debate. "We need to figure out a way to start talking to each other and start healing each other," Kennedy said. "This polarization is more dangerous" than at any time since the Civil War, he added.

And that was my major takeaway from the Kennedy town hall  a pledge on the candidate's part to truly try to unify this sickly divided country. Of course, talk is easy, but Kennedy indicated his interest in reaching out to a wide variety of voters with his startling positions (for a Democrat) on, among others, the border, the war in Ukraine, guns (he's more interested in solving the problem of why people want to kill), and the medical-industrial complex and its propaganda stranglehold on modern medicine and public policy.

It's these and other positions of his that have caught the attention of many conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, and suggested that there is potential support for RFK Jr. across a broad spectrum of Americans, and not just the left.

In watching and listening to Kennedy, I felt as though he was channeling the best energy of and the inspiration represented by his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated in the prime of life.

It has often been said that if either man were alive today, he'd be unwelcome in the current Democrat party and would likely be a Republican.

While Kennedy insisted that he is a lifelong Democrat, he cited his research and writings about his family and his commitment to their ideals. Think JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," and his father's stand in 1968, unpopular among most 1960s Establishment Democrats, against the continuation of the Vietnam War  at a time when the Pentagon Papers (published in June 1971 after being leaked by the late Anthony J. Russo, Jr. and Daniel Ellsberg, who died earlier this month) confirmed that the powers that be had determined that the war was lost.

Kennedy:

I'm running because I feel like my party has lost its way [emphasis in NewsNation transcript]  that the values, my uncle represented, my father represented when they were Democrats have been neglected, let's say. And I want to try to bring the Democratic Party back to those values, the values that were you know, in favor of a focus on on the middle class in this country focused on, on on labor on racial on you know, on the well-being of minorities in this country, focused on the environment, particularly on civil liberties and freedom of speech which the party has, seems to have forgotten about.

Regarding Ukraine (again, almost channeling his late father in 1968, during the height of the Vietnam War), Kennedy said (to paraphrase) that in ten years, history will show that our country's course in encouraging the prolongation of the war in Ukraine would be seen as a failure.



Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from his campaign website, kennedy24.com.

I have been following national politics for a long time  and for many years early on, reporting from the campaign trail. My first political hero was Arizona Republican conservative Sen. Barry Goldwater, who ran against President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and lost in a landslide. In March 1968, as a student, and a student journalist, in Washington, D.C., I attended a nighttime rally in a black ghetto in the nation's capital featuring Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who had declared his candidacy for the presidency the week before. A friend and I were among the handful of white people in attendance  and the vibe, as they say, was good. Sen. Kennedy had that rare ability, by his very presence and his words, to unify and unite  as he did a week or so later, when he addressed a mostly black crowd at a campaign speech in Indianapolis, Indiana and announced the news that Rev. Martin Luther King had just been assassinated. His spontaneous remarks were later made into a documentary film, A Ripple of Hope. That city was one of the few that was not burned during the riots that followed the death of Rev. King. From the Wikipedia entry about that speech:

William Crawford, a member of the Black Radical Action Project who had stood about 20 feet from Kennedy, credited Kennedy's speech for not resulting in riots. Crawford claimed to the Indianapolis Star in 2015 "Look at all those other cities" and "I believe it would have gone that way (in Indianapolis) had not Bobby Kennedy given those remarks."

And last night, as I heard a genuine echo of the energy, the hope, and the optimism of America a half-century ago, these were the closing comments by RFK Jr. at the end of the NewsNation town hall:

Our country is going to start healing when the government tells the truth.

Peter Barry Chowka is a veteran journalist who has covered national politics and the politics and economics of health care, popular culture, and media for over five decades. His web page with links to his work is http://peter.media. Peter's extensive American Thinker archive: http://tinyurl.com/pcathinker. Peter's Twitter account is @pchowka.
Some 555 days after Tijuana spilled millions of gallons of raw sewage onto San Diego's otherwise environmentally regulated beaches, the local Board of Supervisors, which is nearly all Democrat, has up and taken notice.

According to the local Times of San Diego:

San Diego County supervisors unanimously approved a proclamation Tuesday declaring a state of emergency due to pollution and sewage flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border.



Board Chairwoman Nora Vargas and Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer introduced the proclamation, which asks Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden to issue similar declarations, suspend red tape that may hinder response efforts, and expedite access to federal resources for San Diego County.



This is the same process recently followed by local agencies to resolve the water quality crisis in Flint, Michigan, county officials added.

The sewage is gross and the place is getting gross. Here's how bad it is:

According to both supervisors, for several decades the Tijuana River has caused immense devastation to the coastlines and beaches of San Diego County, resulting in contamination and pollution. Extensive documentation by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission has found that since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of toxic effluent have entered the United States through the Tijuana River, according to Lawson-Remer and Vargas. They added that an alarming 35 billion gallons have crossed the international border flowing north from another broken sewage treatment plant in Punta Bandera since Dec. 28, 2022, which impacts the San Diego coastline during the summer.

The locals are protesting, and not just in Imperial Beach, which is historically is a kind of a run-down area associated with the enlisted men of the nearby Navy base. They're also protesting in Coronado, where the Navy's flag officers live. Here's a screen shot from a local CBS 8 report showing assorted grassroots signs, including "Stop the Poop" which means the politicians are hearing from voters:

In this regard, San Diego has the same poop problems as San Francisco, but from a different source and in a different place.

Tijuana is doing next to nothing about it, and the San Diego Union-Tribune's editorial on it explains that it's because Mexico City considers them carne-asada-eating barbarians in the far north not worth financing, which is true enough, but there are other reasons, too.

After all, why should they?

They know Joe Biden is in the saddle in the states, and if he couldn't be bothered to guard the border, why would a little undocumented sewage from the same border bother him? Sure, he claims to be the green president, but algae blooms can be green.

They also may note that Biden doesn't bother to take care of the people of East Palestine, Ohio, where a train loaded with toxics derailed in that town, spewing toxic chemicals, at least until he had to. There's also the matter, Flint, Michigan, where drinkable water is still an ongoing problem. What chance would San Diego have with its fouled beaches not named 'Rehoboth'?

And, they know that San Diego's local leaders have been a touch ... complaisant.

But there are problems with allowing these zillion-dollar beaches turn into Mexican filling station toilets.

Number one, the Border Patrol has reported numerous chemical injuries from being in proximity to the spills, as well as having to conduct rescues of illegals in leaky boats stranded at in the polluted oceans.

Not good enough? We know Biden hates the Border Patrol.

But the Navy, too, is affected. The Navy, trains its SEALs in underwater activity in the area, and its elite forces have to swim in that commode, too, as do the Marines, further north in Oceanside. They don't get to say 'no' owing to the sewage hazard.

Three, local lifeguards, who have to make rescues of errant swimmers, even with the beaches closed, have to make rescues, too, clean water or not?

Plenty of people are affected by the sewage, and the problem has been going on and on and on and on, making it a new normal.

According to both supervisors, for several decades the Tijuana River has caused immense devastation to the coastlines and beaches of San Diego County, resulting in contamination and pollution. Extensive documentation by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission has found that since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of toxic effluent have entered the United States through the Tijuana River, according to Lawson-Remer and Vargas. They added that an alarming 35 billion gallons have crossed the international border flowing north from another broken sewage treatment plant in Punta Bandera since Dec. 28, 2022, which impacts the San Diego coastline during the summer.

It's a good first step that they've moved to declare this an emergency, given the health hazard and environmental hazard of releasing untreated sewage from a foreign country onto U.S. sovereign coastlands. How many environmental regulations are flouted with that one, while Americans are forced to pay more for their high environmental regulations, yet get no clean water in return?

It's not just Biden or the Mexicans who are derelict here - Gov. Gavin Newsom, who's the loudest proponent of the "California model" nationally, with its toughest environmental regulations, has been asleep at the switch even as his own state's coastland gets fouled. The supervisors called on him to get with the program, too.

It may accomplish nothing, given who they're dealing with. But it's welcome stuff to see them get on their hind legs for once, and call on the feds to just say 'no.'

Image: Screen shot from CBS 8 video, via YouTube
A guy in the gym sported a dark T-shirt that was hard to read. The message was all bold capitals, total of four words, burgundy on blue:

NOBODY CARES

WORK HARDER

Wow  a radical shot at the self-esteem movement. That's a surprise. You almost have to laugh, partly at the grand snark of the attack, and partly because self-esteem is for some a religion that few dare to criticize.

A leading figure of the movement, psychologist Nathaniel Branden (19302014), stated, "[I] cannot think of a single psychological problem  from anxiety and depression, to fear of intimacy or of success, to spouse battery or child molestation  that is not traced back to the problem of low self-esteem." Who dares to oppose such a miracle?

Many people would counter that humans need reinforcement sometimes but a kick in the pants at other times. Traditionally, the art of education required balancing the carrot and the stick.

The self-esteem movement, for almost a century, laughed at such balance. These people advocated praise and encouragement non-stop.

Professor John Dewey, the prophet of Progressive education, joined Columbia University in 1905. In 1915, Columbia spun off a Bank Street School for Children with this official Progressive philosophy: "Education at the School is experience-based, interdisciplinary, and collaborative. The emphasis is on educating the whole child  the entire emotional, social, physical, and intellectual being  while valuing and reinforcing the child's integrity as a learner, teacher, and classmate."

Note the scant mention of academics. We might say Bank Street's educational philosophy is chiefly concerned with reinforcing self-esteem  i.e., making students like themselves. But perhaps we need to earn that.

Bank Street was one of nine programs studied in the famous Project Follow Through (19671977). Siegfried Engelmann, one of my heroes, competed in this study. His traditional approach was called Direct Instruction. The competition lasted a grueling ten years. The winner's methods were supposed to become national policy. Well, self-esteem was the clear loser, and Engelmann's Direct Instruction was the clear winner. But the professors in charge reneged on their promise. QED: Neither Progressive education nor Progressive educators are necessarily our friends.

This chart shows how the philosophies performed. The four methods that were heavily dependent on self-esteem were some of the worst performers.

People committed to social engineering  i.e., socialists of all stripes, loved the phrase self-esteem. Who could be against self-esteem? But you find out in time that it has drawbacks. Just because the Education Establishment promotes X does not prove that X is good for us.

Here's the essential flaw in self-esteem theory. A positive self-image is generated by genuine accomplishment, not endless flattery. Every student was like the Emperor's New Clothes, a foolish person set up for being conned. Here are ten flaws compiled by verywellmind, a psychiatric service:

Kids with higher self-esteem were more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors. People with high self-esteem also tended to have worse relationships because they blamed their partners for any problems with the relationship. High self-esteem was also linked to a higher frequency of violent and aggressive behaviors. Excessive self-confidence can cause a number of problems in an individual's personal, social, and professional life: Missed opportunities such as not taking on projects because they seem too easy or beneath your abilities. Taking on too much, such as saying yes to projects that you lack the skills to complete. Social consequences such as alienating friends by coming across as arrogant. Workplace consequences such as coming off as overly conceited without the requisite skill. Relationship consequences, which can result from being too concerned with your capacities and performance and not enough with your partner's success.

Self-esteem is a paradigm for how our elite educators weaponize an attractive phrase, creating a term of art and propaganda. Then they tell us this thing is going to save the world and everyone must embrace it. We heard the same speech for Whole Word in 1931, for New Math in 1962, for Constructivism starting in 1980s, for Common Core circa 2010, and for many lesser-known panaceas.

These pretty promises are so appealing. Wouldn't everybody be tempted to want them? So now you see the pattern: relentless marketing of catchy jargon. Worst of all, this seemingly benign phrase turns out to produce disaster and pain.

All this prompts a profound question. Do leftist social engineers promote self-esteem et al. because they work? Or precisely because they don't work? You start to suspect that many of their favorite ideas are jokers.

Bruce Deitrick Price explains how he became fascinated by the near-impossibility of improving public schools (and how others can help).

Image via Pxfuel.
Months after that humiliating 37-point loss of her Wyoming congressional seat to attorney Harriet Hageman, Liz Cheney apparently is still stewing.

According to The Hill:

Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) suggested Monday that the problem with American politics is that "we're electing idiots." "Look, I think that the country right now faces hugely challenging and fundamentally important issues," Cheney said at an event with the cultural and community center, 92nd Street Y, New York. "What we've done in our politics is create a situation where we're electing idiots." Cheney, who is a staunch opponent of former President Trump, offered the reflection in response to a question about whether she would run for president if polling showed that it would hurt Trump's third White House run. "I don't look at it through the lens of, you know, is this what I should do or what I shouldn't do," the former congresswoman said. "I look at it through the lens of, how do we elect serious people? And I think electing serious people can't be partisan."

So Harriet Hageman, the attorney who defeated Cheney in Wyoming's special election by nearly 40 points, and who has since gone on to serve her constituents to their satisfaction according to polls; who has voted against Biden's badly misnamed "Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023" porkulus bill and vowed to stop the hiring of 87,000 new IRS agents to harass the public, and who has since challenged the weaponization of government and corruption seen with Hunter Biden, is an..."idiot"?

The attorney whose most memorable headline summary upon her election to Congress was that she was elected to fight, not find the middle ground?

She's not a "serious person"?

Well.

Naturally, Cheney had statements and stamps of approval for this point of view among the intellectual giants and serious thinkers at...The View:

During a segment of "The View" on Wednesday, host Whoopi Goldberg led a discussion about former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. speaking her true feelings on the caliber of people American voters have been favoring. In discussion with David Rubenstein at The 92nd Street Y, New York on Monday, Cheney, in no uncertain terms, said that America is "electing idiots," a statement that has since made quite a few waves.

...and...

Ending the clip at the mention of electing serious people not being partisan, Goldberg cleared room for comments with Former White House Director of Strategic Communications Alyssa Farah Griffin jumping in to say, "Well, louder for the folks in the back of the room, Liz." "I love her. I wish she was running," the co-host said. ". . . Here's what she hits the nail on the head of. Our political system incentivizes, frankly, electing idiots. I would said partisan gerrymandering is part of it. What happens is you carve out Congressional districts that are meant to elect the most extreme candidates as long as they wear the right jersey, and they can be safe for life."

Ummm, Wyoming is a statewide district, Alyssa. There's no gerrymandering carve-outs. You can't carve out a state that has no district lines.

Cheney's potshot was probably only marginally intended for Hageman, though it's hard to think she wasn't in the crosshairs, given her enmity with the Republican who handed her her keister.

Her real target was President Trump.

While the state-sponsored prosecutions aimed at Trump have managed to unite all Republicans against the politicization of government, as writer Byron York has written, citing the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Liz is curiously AWOL on that one.

But Cheney considers herself a serious person and non-idiot, quite unlike all those Republicans whom voters have elected and not booted after they went against them.

Here was what Cheney said she would do upon her defeat to Hageman:

"Tonight, Harriet Hageman has received the most votes in this primary. She won. I called her to concede the race. This primary election is over but now the real work begins," Cheney told supporters Tuesday in a defiant speech after losing to her Donald Trump-backed opponent by more than 30 points.

...and this, too:

Overnight, the Cheney campaign filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission creating a leadership PAC to be called "The Great Task." This is the first of several next steps from Cheney, an adviser told CNN, as she starts to make good on ideas expressed in her election night speech and opens a new chapter in the wake of her landslide defeat. The name of the PAC is a historic nod to Lincoln who spoke at Gettysburg of the "great task" facing the country.

Ah, the great task. That great task seems to be taking potshots at Trump, Hageman, and any Republican who still has his seat so that the performing seals at The View can beat their fins in approval.

Serious indeed.

What we have here is a wretched picture of a "non-coping individual," as the late great California historian Kevin Starr liked to put it.

She's bitter as heck about her election loss to Hageman, which has put an end to her capacity to wield power (Cheney really liked to throw around power) with the voters having the last word about it. She felt entitled to that seat as a "serious person," so anyone else who wins while she doesn't is somehow, in that word Lenin was so fond of using on those who crossed him, an "idiot."

And even more significantly, what we have is her contempt for voters and their choices. It's obvious she despises the voters who elect only "idiots"  and they've returned the sentiment in spades.

She's engaged in no introspection whatsoever as to why she might have lost her race in Wyoming, which might have given her some insights as to why she didn't get what she thought she was entitled to. Now, with no hopes of ever getting elected to anything in the future (how's that presidential run going, Liz?), everyone who does get elected is now an "idiot."

It looks as though the fox is cursing the grapes again.

Pathetic.

Image: Gary Stockbridge/GetArchive, Picryl (cropped), public domain.
During the campaign, we were reminded often that former V.P. Biden was the moderate in the party roster. He wasn't Bernie the socialist, who went to the USSR for his honeymoon. Or Beto with the RFK look who wants to take your AR-15 away. For sure, not Elizabeth with the Native American past. He was Joe from Scranton, Joey, as his father used to call him.

Well, that was then, or before he added the admiral to his staff. Let's meet Admiral "Rachel" Levine:

Admiral Rachel Levine, the Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has declared, as Pride month is coming to an end, that it should be a "Summer of Pride." "Happy Pride! Happy Pride Month, and actually  let's declare it a summer of Pride. Happy Summer of Pride."

Let me remind you that Rachel is actually a man, and not really an admiral. Who cares about gender and title anyway? Who cares what Americans think about all this?

According to Rasmussen Reports, most Americans are not ready for Rachel's Summer of Pride: "71% of American Adults agree with the statement that "there are two genders, male and female," including 57% who Strongly Agree."

It does not sound as though the Moderate and his Admiral are promoting a very moderate position. What these numbers are telling me is that Americans are tolerant of sexual orientation as long as you stay away from our school-age children and don't push it in our face every time we turn on the TV.

We were misled about all the moderate stuff. I guess nobody in the media was serious about asking him about it when he was hiding in the basement.

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Gov. Tom Wolf.
The public has been told that there is a six-year statute of limitations on Hunter Biden's tax returns, but there is actually no limitation when intentional tax fraud occurs, and that is clearly the case with Hunter Biden.

When it is determined that there is a substantial understatement in tax returns, the IRS will usually have six years to challenge the filing. However, this can be overturned when it is demonstrated that: There was a filing of a false tax return

The taxpayer willfully attempted to evade paying taxes, or

The taxpayer filed a false or fraudulent return If any of the three apply, the Internal Revenue Service can audit and charge interest and penalties without any limitations period.

Update: Yesterday, speaking with Bret Baier on Fox News's Special Report, IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley lamented the expiration of the statute of limitations on some of Hunter Biden's problematic tax returns. But he should know that IRS regulations are clear:

A tax fraud offense may result in both civil and criminal penalties. The normal 3-year statute of limitations does not apply if civil fraud can be sustained.

Further update:

The statute cited above provides for civil recovery of back taxes owed but not criminal prosecution beyond the statute of limitations:

A tax fraud offense may result in both civil and criminal penalties. The normal 3-year statute of limitations does not apply if civil fraud can be sustained. If fraud is established, there is no statute of limitation for civil assessments, IRC  6501(c)(1) and (2). The criminal statute of limitations is usually 6 years from the time the offense was committed (5 years in some cases).

It is clear that Hunter Biden had the intent to hide his income from the IRS for years and that he had several helpers in committing the fraud. Who signed and filed the false returns for him? Was it an attorney or a CPA? Why haven't they been charged? Why don't we know their names?

Why don't the media care? They targeted Trump for years with little to no evidence, yet they have massive evidence on the Biden family corruption, including Joe, yet seem to have little curiosity. Could it be the "D" behind their name and the radical, leftist policies they push that causes the disinterest? The question clearly answers itself.

The methods Hunter used to evade and underpay taxes were many:

IRS supervisory special agent Gary Shapley said Hunter's 2014 and 2015 returns involved a "scheme to evade his income taxes through a partnership with a convicted felon." At issue was the $83,000 a month Hunter received to sit on the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company. The second (anonymous) whistleblower explained that in 2014 Hunter arranged a series of "sham" transactions so he "didn't report any of the money he earned from Burisma"  about $400,000 in 2014. The whistleblowers say Hunter directed Burisma to pay his money to Rosemont Seneca Bohai, or RSB, an entity owned by his business partner Devon Archer, who was convicted of fraud in 2018. They say RSB would send the money to Hunter, who then "booked it as a loan." One obvious tax problem, explains the second whistleblower, is that "you can't loan yourself your own money." Mr. Shapley says this loan ruse is a "textbook" evasion scheme (snip) The second whistleblower says 2014 records show RSB paid more than $10,000 in Hunter medical bills, and purchased a $142,000 Porsche for Hunter's benefit via other money from a Kazakhstan businessman. The whistleblower says Hunter didn't report this as income.

We have also seen evidence from Hunter's laptop that Hunter and Joe had a joint checking account, and Hunter paid bills for Joe. If that is true, and the income came from Hunter, those payments should be on a gift tax return if they totaled over $14,000 per year, which we can assume they did. So why didn't Joe make sure that those gifts were reported?

We hear a lot from Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and other Democrats about people not paying their fair share and that wealthy people should pay huge estate taxes, so why have they been silent about the Bidens? It appears they don't really care about special people not paying taxes, so they should just shut up.

Joe and Jill also structured their taxes to save huge amounts of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Their S corporations earned $10 million in 2017 yet paid only $245,833 in wages to themselves, which allowed them to avoid paying 2.9% Medicare taxes on $9,750,000, or around $300,000.

People like the Bidens, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett always lecture others that they should pay more in taxes while they work very hard to reduce their personal and corporate taxes. Either they should stop structuring their taxes to reduce them, or they should stop misleading the public that they want to pay more.

Why do the media allow Biden to continually lie about what the rich pay in taxes? He gives a speech that says the rich pay 8% when, in 2020, the richest 1% paid 26%, and the bottom 50% of taxpayers paid an average of 3%.

The answer to the question is that most of the media are propagandists pushing an agenda, just like Biden, and facts haven't mattered for a long time.

Why do Biden and others continually get away with lying that Trump's tax rate cuts cost the government trillions when revenues have actually substantially increased? The answer again is that the only thing that matters to most of the media and other Democrats is a more powerful government with less freedom and money for the people.

Nancy Pelosi hasn't said a word about the Bidens' ethics and corruption but she is colluding with many in the media to lecture the Supreme Court about their ethics. What a joke! Nancy and her husband have achieved great wealth due to many timely investments.

When Nancy Pelosi lectures people about ethics, it is like:

Hillary and Bill telling people how to treat women with their history of mentally and physically harming women and seeking to destroy them.

Biden and Hillary telling Trump about the proper handling of classified documents.

Gore, Kerry, Obama, and Gates lecturing people about controlling their carbon footprint while living in many mansions and flying in private jets.

Obama, the WaPo, the NYT, and others lecturing people about the importance of facts with their history of lying, including about Russian collusion and the laptop.

Joe Biden and his son are clearly corrupt. Sadly, most of the media don't care and that is causing great damage to the American people. It is no surprise that so many politicians use corrupt means to achieve great wealth, with the help of a mostly compliant media establishment, especially when the corrupt politicians are leftists.
U.S. Marine veteran pleads not guilty to charges in subway chokehold death of Black man

Xinhua) 09:28, June 29, 2023

NEW YORK, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Daniel Penny, the U.S. Marine veteran charged with choking homeless Black man Jordan Neely to death on a Manhattan subway in New York City, pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday.

Penny, white and 24, was recorded on cellphone video holding Neely in a chokehold on an F-Train for several minutes on May 1, and arraigned on the charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

"The grand jury evaluated the evidence under the direction of the district attorney's office. We really weren't privy to what happened there so we can't speak to why they did what they did or why they decided on the charges that they decided on," said defense attorney Steven Raiser.

Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, was shouting and begging for money when Penny pinned him to the floor of the moving subway car with the help of two other passengers and held him in a chokehold for more than three minutes. Neely, 30, lost consciousness during the struggle and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Neely's death resulted in protests to demand justice for him. Political voices have surfaced, calling for more protections for those socially sidelined.

A grand jury voted to indict Penny on updated charges earlier this month. Wednesday's arraignment on the charges lasted mere minutes. Penny, who is free on bond, only uttered the words "not guilty" before he left the courtroom with his lawyers.

Penny, who served in the Marines for four years and was discharged in 2021, has said he acted to protect himself and others from Neely, who shouted "I'm gonna kill you" and said he was "ready to die" or go to jail for life.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
One State: An exile's clear-eyed view of how to end the Palestinian nightmare

June 28, 2023: Information Clearing House -- " MEE " -- Ghada Karmi was driven from her home in West Jerusalem as a child with her family in 1948. London-based, she has been a tireless and fearless advocate for the Palestinian people since 1967.

What drives me, she told the audience at her recent book launch, is that I want to go home. I want to spend the years that are left to me in my own country.

Karmis 2002 memoir, In Search of Fatima, is one of the most powerful and eloquent accounts of the Palestinian exile experience and, indeed, of the immigrant experience generally.

Her latest work, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, is political rather than personal. In it she seeks to map a way out of the impasse Palestinians currently find themselves in, rejecting the two-state solution that has been the standard template for the last half-century.

A trained doctor, Karmi has a wonderfully uncluttered intelligence. She writes with a lucid, unsentimental clarity reminiscent of James Baldwin and Maya Angelous dissection of the African-American predicament.

Zionism, she says, was a project that was bizarre and, on the face of it, unworkable: namely to set up an ethnically defined, Jewish-only collective, existing on a land belonging to another people and to their exclusion.

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She points out that the Israeli right has always been more honest than the Israeli left and liberal Zionists in recognising the implications of this.

Let us not fling accusations at the murderers, declared Moshe Dayan, Israels chief of staff, at the funeral of a young Israeli killed by an Arab infiltrator in 1956.

Who are we that we should argue against their hatred?  We are a generation of settlers, and without the steel helmet and the cannon we cannot plant a tree and build a home.

'The Palestinians are still there'

The Israeli historian, Benny Morris, went further. If the end of the story turns out to be a gloomy one for the Jews, he wrote, it will be because Ben-Gurion [Israels first prime minister] did not complete the transfer of 1948. Because he left a large and volatile demographic reserve in the West Bank and Gaza and within Israel itself.

Wholesale expulsion aside, the only solution was for the Palestinians to dissolve into the waters of history, to become a demographic irrelevancy, like Native Americans within the United States.

But Karmi points out: The Palestinians are still there - damaged, fragmented, occupied and oppressed, to be sure - but still there.

After 75 years of ethnic cleansing and apartheid, half of the population between the Jordan and the sea remains Palestinian.

Seven decades of Israeli effort to destroy them and resolve the original Zionist dilemma have not succeeded.

This book is uncomfortable for Palestinians as well as Zionists. The two-state solution, she argues, was always delusional.

It consigned Palestinians to just 22 percent of their original territory. And the Palestinian proto-state was cruelly constrained, existing by the grace of its far more powerful, and hostile, neighbour. Karmis own 2015 memoir, Return, is a heartbreaking account of the ultimately futile compromises this inevitably entailed.

Arafat signed the 1993 Oslo Accords, she believes, in part to salvage the PLO from irrelevancy, but also in the naive belief that a Palestinian entity, no matter how small and powerless, must inevitably be the first step towards ever greater Palestinian power and self-determination.

PA - jailer to its own people

In practice, the Israelis simply accelerated the construction of settlements, leaving the Palestinian Authority acting as little more than jailer to its own people in a series of isolated Bantustans.

If a Martian had dropped down onto the West Bank, writes Karmi, he would have understood Israels strategy at a glance and drawn the obvious conclusion from it: that there was no possibility of the chequered landscape he saw becoming one contiguous state for anyone.

Karmi is bewildered at the Wests determination to pretend it remains a viable option.

Instead, Karmi advocates that all parties acknowledge the reality that, in practice, a single state has existed in the territory of former mandate Palestine ever since 1967.

Her solution would place liberal Zionists in a quandary. No longer would the conflict be a supposedly intractable territorial dispute. Instead, it becomes a civil rights struggle.

To oppose the Palestinian demand for equality would expose them as advocates for ethnic supremacy. Yet to accede would mean the abandonment of what, in practice, has always been the core of the Zionist project - a Jewish state.

It lays bare Zionisms central, unresolved dilemma.

Writers like the Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, the very embodiment of liberal Zionism, are only too aware of this, and lament the demise of the two-state solution for precisely this reason.

It means the perennial question is now unavoidable he has written: Does Israel grant equality to all those it rules?

Its a question liberals wouldnt even ask in any other context. But Freedland dodges an answer and does not support any measures, such as boycott divestment and sanctions (BDS), that would enable Palestinians to bring meaningful pressure on the Israelis to grant them full civil, political and human rights.

Compelling argument

So how might Karmis single, democratic state be achieved?

She acknowledges there is no reason to expect Jewish-Israelis to abandon their power and privilege from a position of strength. Equally, she accepts that many Palestinians remain deeply wedded to the concept of their own state, and reluctant to live alongside those who have brutalised and oppressed them for three-quarters of a century.

Here her analysis comes abruptly to an end. It is not the purpose of this book to set out a blueprint for the building of a unitary state, she writes. Her aim is to start a debate amongst Palestinians and Jews about the one-state solution, to unify them around the concept, while at the same time ensuring that it became part of the mainstream discourse.

Karmis argument is compelling. But her analysis is ultimately gloomy. She believes a single state to be inevitable. The alternative is that the Israelis sit with their boot on the throat of the Palestinians indefinitely. But she believes that the process is likely to be bloody.

Unlike white South Africans, whose self-belief was wavering by the 1980s, Zionists sense of moral legitimacy remains unshakeable, supported, as it is, by almost the entirety of the Wests media/political establishment.

An orderly transition, Karmi writes, is unlikely. Change will only come about through chaos, displacement, the creation of new refugees and the deaths of many people on both sides.

While writing this book Karmi was expelled from the UK Labour Party for antisemitism. She is a fierce critic of the Israel lobby. Her case exposed the Labour Partys continuing - perhaps wilful - inability to distinguish between traditional antisemitic conspiracy theories and the entirely legitimate right of Palestinians to identity and criticise the many powerful and influential organisations outside of Israel that work to undermine their struggle for freedom and self-determination.

That this courageous, intelligent and thoughtful woman - driven from her homeland because she belonged to the wrong ethnicity and denied the right to return for the same reason - has now been designated a racist by supporters and apologists for the very state that exiled her, is frankly obscene, and indicative of a political party that has lost its way morally on this issue.

Richard Sanders is an award winning TV producer specialising in history and news and current affairs. He has made more than 50 films, mostly for Channel 4. He has written for a number of publications including The Daily Telegraph and the Boston Globe and is also the author of two history books.
Call of Duty on Nintendo has been a hot topic of conversation of late. Mostly stemming from the back and forth between Microsoft and regulators over its proposed Activision Blizzard deal.

The $68.7 Billion acquisition would be the largest acquisition in the history of the industry. If it ends up going through. Its yet to be approved by the FTC following disapproval by the UKs Competition and Markets Authority and approval by the EU. One constant area of concern has been the future of Call of Duty. To which Xbox CEO Phil Spencer offered numerous deals to Sony and others to keep Call of Duty on respective platforms, or bring it to others where it wasnt yet available, one of which is Nintendo.

During the latest day of Microsofts ongoing court case with the FTC over the acquisition, its been revealed that PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan says Call of Duty doesnt fit with Nintendos core audience. Interestingly, Nintendo has been an ongoing area of argument throughout this case and in prior proceedings.

Most recently during his deposition, Ryan says Nintendo wouldnt be impacted the same way as PlayStation should the acquisition go through. The CEO doesnt believe Nintendo is a true competitor to Xbox and PlayStation. Stating that it operates in a very different market.

Nintendo audience isnt concerned with Call of Duty

This is essentially the argument that Ryan is trying to make. Noting that the same player base who enjoys Mario and Zelda is different from the one that enjoys the Call of Duty series.

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Perhaps to some degree thats true. Call of Dutys take on serious themes is very different from most Teen or Mature rated titles on Nintendo. But that doesnt necessarily mean Nintendo players wouldnt want Call of Duty access. Many consumers who own a Switch also own other gaming platforms. And those that dont might play Call of Duty if it was available.

Of course, thats neither here nor there. Because at the moment the franchise is limited to Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Theres also the question of whether the Switch could even handle a Call of Duty game performance-wise. Perhaps Nintendo fans will see their first Call of Duty release on whatever Nintendos next-gen console ends up being.
Google reportedly plans to lay off Waze employees following the companys early announcement to cut at least 12,000 jobs. According to an email sent by Chris Phillips, VP and GM of Googles Geo unit and obtained by CNBC, Waze will be moved over to Googles ads system instead of having a dedicated ads system.

The tech industry is suffering from mass layoffs, and occasionally, we hear about a company laying off its employees. Google has already confirmed its plans to cut 12,000 jobs. The company even paused the construction of a new campus in California over financial concerns.

The Google-owned navigation app Waze is the latest service that is impacted by the company layoffs. The app was acquired in 2013 for $1.3 billion, and its one of the most popular navigation apps globally.

As per an email Phillips wrote to employees, the company has decided to transition Wazes ads monetization to be managed by the Global Business Organization (GBO), similar to Google Maps. This means Waze employees working in sales, marketing, operations, and analytics teams would have to leave the company. The app currently has over 500 staff, and it remains to be seen what percentage of those will be laid off.

Google to layoff Waze employees

Back in late 2022, Google said it wanted to fold Waze into its Geo team. The team includes Google Earth, Street View, and Google Maps. The latest move by the company could reduce overlap. As well as create a more scalable and optimized Waze Ads product, as noted by Phillips. Moreover, the company will hold our next Waze Town Hall summit on July 11 to answer questions regarding the change and visions.

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In a statement to The Verge, Wazes head of PR, Caroline Bourdeau, asserted they remain deeply committed to growing Wazes unique brand, its beloved app, and its thriving community of volunteers and users.

Over 200,000 employees have been laid off from tech companies so far, and more is yet to come. The mass layoffs even resulted in a probe by US senators to evaluate its impact on the 2024 election. Senators are worried that layoffs might reduce the platforms ability to combat misinformation. Likewise, the ex-Google CEO predicted the 2024 election could be a mess due to AI and widespread misinformation.
Console exclusives are something that have been a constant in the world of gaming for years, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella would love to see that trend gone.

Details about Nadellas opinion on exclusives came up during questioning in the Microsoft v. FTC case (via The Verge). Its the fourth day of the trial. And since its begun, there have been a lot of revelations about Microsoft strategies for gaming going forward. As well as Sonys reasoning for trying to block the acquisition. As part of all that the FTC started asking Nadella questions about everything from Microsofts gaming targets to making cloud mainstream. And whether or not cloud gaming takes away from consoles.

Following questions from the FTC, Microsofts own lawyer begins asking Nadella questions which led to a conversation about exclusivity of games on console platforms. Nadella states that he would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles. But also mentions that its not for him to define when and where console exclusives should end.

Microsoft CEO states that Sony uses console exclusives to define market competition

Both Microsoft and Sony offer exclusives to their customers. Sony is famed for first-party titles like God Of War, The Last of Us Part 1 and 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvels Spider-Man and the upcoming Spider-Man 2 and more. Microsoft meanwhile has games like Halo Infinite, Sunset Overdrive and others. Its also getting the next big Bethesda title, Starfield, as an exclusive for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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Nadella though, would see this sort of thing over. However, he says that its not for him to define. Noting that especially as a low share player in the console market, that Sony as the dominant player has defined market competition with exclusives. I have no love for that world Nadella says.

Does this mean gamers are likely to see the end of exclusives anytime soon? Probably not. The reality is that exclusives ship consoles. Despite how much people want to pretend they dont. Even if it would be better for the majority of consumers if they were gone.

But a gamer can dream. Dream where we live in a world that doesnt force the consumer to buy into a specific ecosystem just to get one or two games they may want to play.
Nothing is furthering its plans for an expansion into the US market with a freshly secured round of funding. Nothing, which makes the Phone1 and is set to launch the Phone 2 on July 11, has yet to launch a phone in the US.

It would be a big leap for the company, but also a big step up. As the US market provides the company and its co-founder Carl Pei with an opportunity to land many more customers. According to a recent report from CNBC, Nothing has secured $96 million in funding to further its US expansion goals. The money likely wont be used just for propping up Nothings US operations. Which Pei said earlier this year is off to a good start.

It is likely though that a majority of it will be for investment into the companys US segment. As well as helping to launch the Phone 2 in the US. Which Nothing has already confirmed would be happening.

Nothing is confident the US expansion will help with the Phone 2 launch

Speaking to CNBC, Nothing co-founder Carl Pei says that he and the company are confident theyll make headway with the launch of their first phone in the US market.

With the phone launching on July 11, Nothing will be looking to ramp up production. In a tweet on June 28, the company says its excited to scale its product and technology portfolio. This latest round of funding, Nothing confirms, was led by Highland Europe, with funding also coming in from GV, EQT Ventures, and Swedish House Mafia.

Swedish House Mafia has also collaborated with Nothing on creating a special Glyph ringtone sound pack for both the Phone 1 and Phone 2. Its expected to be available for users later this year following the Phone 2 launch.
OpenAI, the startup behind the AI sensation ChatGPT, appears to be having some internal troubles, not with its systems or products, but with employees. Many senior executives are reportedly unhappy with the companys direction and future strategy, as well as its CEO, Sam Altman. Some of them have left OpenAI to join AI rival Google, while others plan to resign soon.

According to the German publication BR24, OpenAI employees are concerned about the companys rapid growth. Over the past six months or so, the companys headcount has reportedly grown 500 percent  from 100 employees in December 2022 to almost 600 now. This growth is fueled by multi-billion dollars of investments led by Microsoft. As part of the deal, the Windows maker is said to be pocketing the vast majority of OpenAIs profits.

This seemingly hasnt resonated well with some senior executives at OpenAI. To make the matter worse, CEO Sam Altman has been openly critical of unregulated AI technologies. Some executives feel his statements are just accessories to appease politicians. They dont seem to be liking Altmans self-critical approach. The OpenAI CEO has warned that future versions of ChatGPT could be too powerful to be entrusted to the general public.

Employees say that he has only a superficial understanding of many topics and hardly cares about day-to-day business, the report states. While no names were mentioned, the German publication confirms that many OpenAI employees have already resigned. A few more plan to do so within the next few weeks. Several of them have already signed contracts with Google and will be helping the company in its AI efforts, including ChatGPT rival Bard.

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OpenAI originally hired former Google and Meta employees to create ChatGPT

By hiring AI experts from OpenAI, Google is taking back what it lost to its arch-rival in the past. As of February this year, more than 25 percent of OpenAIs total staff were former Google employees, including some from its AI research lab DeepMind. A Business Insider report said that 59 of the ChatGPT creators 200-plus employees previously worked for Google. Another 34 joined from Meta, while OpenAI also hired from Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and other tech firms.

Reports suggest that OpenAI continued to poach former Google employees in subsequent months. As the new report said, the company currently has a headcount of around 600 people. This exponential growth is a testament to its ambitions and ChatGPTs popularity. Its website ( ) has reportedly already surpassed two billion monthly visitors. It remains to be seen how or if this brain drain to Google affects OpenAI.
Reddit may have just issued a final warning to moderators of subreddits that are still private. The company has reportedly given those moderators a deadline to confirm if they plan to reopen the communities. The deadline ends later today. The firm hasnt revealed the next course of action for moderators who keep their Reddit communities closed beyond the deadline. But it has previously threatened to remove those who dont comply with guidelines defined by the Moderator Code of Conduct.

Per Rule 4 of the Moderator Code of Conduct, moderators are required to be active and engaged within their communities. Given this, we encourage you to reopen. Please let us know within the next 48 hours if you plan on re-opening, part of the message moderators received from a Reddit admin reads. This community remaining closed to its members cannot continue, the admin added in a separate note to one of the biggest Reddit communities that is still private, The Verge reports.

Wanting to take time to consider future moderation plans is fine, but that must be done in at least a restricted setting. This community will not remain private beyond the timeframe weve allowed for confirmation of plans here, the Reddit admin warned. Another moderator was told that continued violation of the rule will result in further action. It sure looks like a final warning. Todays deadline is notable because several subreddits recently wrote an open letter to the company for a response to their demands and concerns by June 29, i.e., today.

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The Reddit community wants third-party apps back

The said open letter asks Reddit to commit to exploring ways by which third-party applications can make an affordable return, among other things (via). Several popular Reddit apps are shutting down at the end of this month due to the companys API updates that require them to pay a hefty fee (about $20 million a year for some) to continue their operations. The firm has so far shown little regard for public disappointment. CEO Steve Huffman has been critical of third-party developers as well as moderators protesting the changes.

More than 8,000 subreddits went dark or private in a mass protest that began on June 12. Most have since re-opened or at least switched from private to restricted. But some moderators are still fighting. Reddit has been pushing them to reopen, threatening to replace moderators who dont comply. Some have given in under pressure, but the company wants all subreddits back to normal as if nothing happened. It remains to be seen whats to come next. Reddits proposed API updates will go into effect on July 1, 2023.
Samsung recently pushed a major update to the Galaxy S23 series, introducing new camera features and other improvements. But the official changelog that accompanied the update didnt detail those changes. The company has now taken to its community forum to dive deep into this massive June update for its latest flagships. It detailed all the new features and improvements and also announced that some of those changes will reach older flagships in the coming months.

We already know that the June update for the Galaxy S23 series adds a 2x zoom option for portrait shots. The devices previously only let you capture portrait photos in 1x and 3x modes. Samsung has now revealed that the update also improves the sharpness for 3x shots in low-light conditions. Unfortunately, this change wont trickle down to any other device, not even the Galaxy S22 Ultra. But a few other new features will reach all of its flagship devices launched since 2020.

Those features include the ability to delete multiple motion photos simultaneously in the Gallery app. You can select motion photos when filtering saved photos by their types and delete them all at once (or selectively). The Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, and all foldable models except for the original Galaxy Fold will get this feature with an update. These phones will also get improvements to the Photo Remaster tool that will let you correct distortions at the edges of photos captured with the ultrawide lens.

This months update brings more changes to the Galaxy S23 series

The Galaxy S23 series also received distortion correction for zoom photos (up to 1.5x zoom) with the June update. Other models get this feature through the Galaxy Enhance-X app, which rolled out widely last week. The latest flagships, meanwhile, are picking up an additional improvement through the Camera Assistant app. You can now turn off Adaptive Pixel, which will prevent the automatic switching of camera resolution between 200MP, 50MP, and 12MP modes. Older Galaxy flagships wont get this feature.

The June update also fixes an HDR compositing error on the Galaxy S23 series. Additionally, Samsung has improved the sharpness of ultrawide Super Steady videos on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, photo preview in low-light conditions, the color accuracy of sky photos in high-pixel mode, and the color shift when switching lenses. The big update has already reached Galaxy S23 users in most parts of the world, including the US. We will let you know when older Galaxy flagships pick up the aforementioned new features.
June 28, 2023: Information Clearing House -- The U.S. propaganda campaign that falsely claims that Russia has been weakened by Wagner's armed mutiny continues. While citing only 'western' intelligence affiliated sources the Washington Post headlines Putins standing as global strongman in jeopardy after revolt. Where please is evidence for that?

The New York Times assists in a useless attempt to sow fear and doubt on the Russian side:

A senior Russian general had advance knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhins plans to rebel against Russias military leadership, according to U.S. officials briefed on American intelligence on the matter, which has prompted questions about what support the mercenary leader had inside the top ranks. The officials said they are trying to learn if Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the former top Russian commander in Ukraine, helped plan Mr. Prigozhins actions last weekend, which posed the most dramatic threat to President Vladimir V. Putin in his 23 years in power.

Gen. Sergei Surovikin of course knew that something was up with Wagner. The whole Russian leadership knew of it. Orders were obviously given for everyone to stand down and to let Prigozhin do what he had planned to do.

There was zero action taken by the border guards, the internal security force Rosguardia, by the police and the Russian military. That is unexplainable unless there was an order from very high up to step back instead of seeking a fight. President Putin's primary aim was to avoid unnecessary casualties which he largely achieved.

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One miscalculation happened. Wagner had a mobile Pantsir-1 air defense system that tried to cover its convoys on their trip towards Moscow. Several Russian helicopters and a plane where shot down when they came too near to them. It seems that the Pantsirs were a surprise.

Wagner was not supposed to have them:

 Fertilizer Finder  - @ManiacMagic1 - 19:38 UTC  Jun 27, 2023 A source in the Russian Defense Ministry reports that neither the Ministry of Defense nor the Tula machine-building plant "Scheglovsky Val" sold Yevgeny Prigozhin and his firms the Pantsir S-1 anti-aircraft missile system worth more than $14,000,000. How the "Pantsir" ended up in the possession of the terrorist organization "PMC Wagner" and whether the governor of the Tula region Alexei Dyumin is involved in this, are now being investigated by the investigators of the GVSU of the ICR and the SU of the FSB.

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The source above is pro-Ukrainian so this might be another false claim intelligence play but I think there is some truth to it. Russian air defenses in Ukraine work in an integrated environment where all systems from wide area surveillance and long range defense down to the short range Pantsirs are integrated. Under such a system it never made sense to give Wagner their own independent air defenses. It would instead be provided air cover by the Russian army.

As soon as the Pantsir was observed within the Wagner convoy the Russian military should have shut down the air space near Wagner's route. That it did not immediately do so was a mistake that cost it several capable pilots.

There is still the open question of how many Wagner people were actually involved in the affair. History Legend has counted the transport equipment in the various convoys and estimates 1,500 to 2,000. The number seems reasonable. It means that large majority of the current 20,000 Wagner fighters did not take part in the affair.

In his latest speech Putin said that Prigozhin catering business with the army as well as his other business will now come under scrutiny. There was without doubt some over-billing and fraud involved. Prigozhin should have know that under Putin's regime oligarchs are not allowed to intervene in politics. Putin successfully fought against those oligarchs who tried as soon as he came to power. Prigozhin's attempt to get Defense Minister Shoigu and General Gerasimov fired was such an intervention. It will likely cost him his business.

Yesterday there was a Russian missile attack on a hotel complex in Kramatorsk:

The missile tore into the crowded Ria Lounge restaurant at dinnertime on Tuesday, setting off a large blaze that burned for more than two hours. By Wednesday afternoon, the Ukrainian authorities said that 10 people had been confirmed dead  including 14-year-old twin sisters  and 61 others were wounded."

Video from the scene taken immediately after the event show English speaking men with the one helping a wounded exposing a quad angle tattoo with the number 3 written in it on his right arm (see at 7 sec in).

This is said to be a sign of the 3rd Ranger Battalion of the U.S. army which is a part of the U.S. special operation forces.

Another video taken during rubble clearing at night has a (British?) English speaker saying "Look what these bastards are doing to this country. There's soldiers under this rubble all over."

This seems to confirm that the hotel complex and its restaurant were not exclusively used for civilian purposes but housed and catered to foreign soldiers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has recalled how his accent and impressive physique turned from liabilities to assets in Hollywood, after having been told he would never make it as a movie star.

The actor and former California governor said he had not listened to the multiple naysayers who told him his dream of being on screen was impossible.

During a talk in Los Angeles to mark the release of his new limited edition, two-volume book, Schwarzenegger discussed his life and his determination to become the greatest action hero of all time.

Beginning the talk he said: I always tell people they are correct when they say that Im a typical American kind of success story, but theyre wrong when they say Im self-made.

Schwarzenegger first starred in Conan The Barbarian in 1982 (Ian West/PA)

If I was self-made, I would be sitting here by myself So Im a product of millions of people helping me.

He went on to thank his millions of fans worldwide and those who had helped him throughout his career.

Schwarzenegger first starred in Conan The Barbarian in 1982, before being approached to play his most famous role of the terrifying cyborg assassin in 1984s The Terminator.

The first Terminator movie was pretty much in the beginning of my career, he said.

What was interesting about that is because I always had people my whole life saying no you cant do that, Oh, this is impossible.

Thats why one of the other routes to success obviously is dont listen to the naysayers because theres always people around to say no, its impossible.

When I started getting tired of bodybuilding competitions (I thought) there must be something else that is kind of very risky and I have to work hard  something new that I could go after, and it was acting.

He continued: I remember that agents and managers, studio executives, always saying to me forget it Arnold forget about acting. No one has ever made it with a German accent.

Schwarzenegger said he had been offered parts in Nazi films or as small roles as a bouncer, due to his voice and stature, but continuously told he would not be a leading man.

A few years later he was offered the role in Conan after being told without Schwarzenegger, we would have had to build him.

Schwarzenegger praised the brilliance of Jim Cameron and described him as the number one director in the world (PA)

So then comes (director James) Cameron and Terminator one, he said.

He says you know what makes this movie so successful and why people really bought it is because you talk like a machine your German accent works to such an advantage.

So all of a sudden Im saying wait a minute, now this is an asset to have the German accent  to talk like me.

Its an asset to have a body like me, and all those schmucks in Hollywood were saying you will never get the job. You can never be a leading man.

So this was the unbelievable turnaround.

Schwarzenegger went on to praise the brilliance of Jim Cameron and described him as the number one director in the world.
A 12-year-old boy was killed while riding an electric scooter after asking a friend aged 14 to unlock it using an app transferred from an adults phone, an inquest has heard.

Mustafa Nadeem fell into the path of a slow-moving bus after colliding with a pedestrian while riding a Voi e-scooter on a pavement in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, shortly before 8am on December 6 last year.

An inquest at the citys coroners court was told the e-scooter could only be ridden legally by those aged 18 and over with a driving licence, but that schoolchildren had been seen riding the machines locally even after Mustafas death.

Birmingham area coroner James Bennett was told Mustafas friend, who cannot be named because of a court order, used an under-16s bank account to hire the e-scooter, which had a top speed of 15mph.

The hearing was told the teenager also moved a Voi app account from an adults phone to their own, using a verification code received on the original handset.

Recording a finding that Mustafa died as a consequence of a road traffic collision, Mr Bennett said the death could rightly be described as an accident.

The coroner said he also planned to send a prevention of future deaths report to the Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper and the West Midlands mayor Andy Street, to raise the issue of e-scooter providers having no method of checking if a childs card was used for payment.

Collision investigator Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes told Thursdays inquest that CCTV from the bus and two nearby premises made it clear that the vehicle had stopped to drop off a passenger who Mustafa collided with near a pedestrian crossing.

Mr Hughes told the court: The CCTV evidence was reviewed by myself and a forensic collision investigator.

Both the bus and the e-scooter were well below the speed limit.

Asked why the 14-year-old had not faced charges for permitting someone to use a motor vehicle without a licence or insurance, Mr Hughes answered: In this case, it was my decision that to prosecute those offences criminally was not in the public interest.

Mustafa, who was riding a Voi e-scooter available to the public as part of a Department for Transport-approved trial, died of multiple injuries at the scene near the junction of Belchers Lane and Bordesley Green.

The inquest was told Mustafa, who was on his way to school, was breaking the law by riding on the pavement.

His parents were accompanied to the hearing by his uncle, Anis Ali, who questioned why facial recognition technology was not used to ensure that each trip on an e-scooter was made by an adult account holder.

Mr Ali said of facial recognition before each journey: Its something thats pretty simple and basic.

On each ride it would be just a click of a button on the app. That could possibly save lives.

Vois regional general manager for the UK, Jack Samler, told the hearing that facial recognition checks before each journey would be impractical and would require significant subsidies to be paid to e-scooter operators.

Mr Samler told the coroner that Voi, the largest UK e-scooter provider, carried out cross-checks of driving licence photos with a selfie provided by the user before accounts were approved.

Mr Samler added: Voi as a company and myself personally clearly take it (children riding e-scooters illegally) very seriously and challenge ourselves to think how we can prevent under-age riding of our scooters.

This tragic incident is the first we have seen on a Voi scooter globally across well over 100 million rides.

Explaining why he was issuing a prevention of future deaths report, the coroner told the court: In my opinion, based on the evidence I have heard, there is a risk of future death through children using e-scooters.

And in my opinion, based on the evidence I have heard, there is a reasonable prospect that those responsible for policy and regulation can reduce the risk of death.

Stressing that the evidence had demonstrated that Voi had not cut any corners, the coroner added: They followed the Department of Transports guidance and in fact went somewhat further around the process for verifying identity.

At the end of the inquest, the coroner read out a family statement paying tribute to Mustafa.

The statement read: He was one of a kind, a child that would always have a smile on his face.

Starting from primary school all the way up to secondary school, he lived a life full of laughter and kindness.

His pure, innocent soul lit up the streets of our neighbourhood and without him, everything seems so dull.
Catholics in England and Wales are being urged to follow Pope Franciss teaching on migrant rights and oppose the Governments tough new asylum seeker law.

The charity Cafod wants its supporters to press their MPs to vote down the Illegal Migration Bill after highlighting the 86-year-old pontiffs call for maximum respect for the dignity of each migrant.

Judges on Thursday ruled that a key element of the Governments Bill  which seeks to deport asylum seekers who arrive via unauthorised routes to their country of origin or a third country such as Rwanda  was unlawful.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgment that said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country.

Cafod, the international development arm of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said the Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be.

It will send an email on Saturday to thousands of its supporters, urging them to press their MP to vote down the Bill, arguing that it effectively shuts the door on people who need our protection.

While the flagship legislation has been passed by the Commons, recent bruising defeats in the Lords mean there is set to be so-called parliamentary ping-pong as MPs consider amendments made in the upper chamber.

In his papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti, published in 2020, Francis said: No one can remain excluded because of his or her place of birth, much less because of privileges enjoyed by others who were born in lands of greater opportunity.

The limits and borders of individual states cannot stand in the way of this.

There are thought to be around four million Catholics in England and Wales, with worshippers taking their lead on moral issues from the Popes teachings, which are informed by the Bible and Christian traditions.

Aisha Dodwell, head of campaigns at Cafod, told the PA news agency: If passed, this inhumane legislation will be a stain on the countrys reputation.

People fleeing conflict and persecution are dying in their thousands as they try to find safety for themselves and their families.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to challenge the Court of Appeals decision on his stop-the-boats legislation (Yui Mok/PA)

Yet, instead of recognising the dire situation these people are in, the UK Government is seemingly doing everything it can to make their lives even harder.

Pope Francis has urged world leaders to build bridges not walls and to welcome, protect and integrate people without distinction.

But the Illegal Migration Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be, which is why we are urging Catholics to speak out against the Bill and show we are a country that welcomes people who need our help.

Cafod said that, while its focus as an aid agency tends to be on overseas projects in more than 40 developing countries, it felt compelled to act on Franciss call for the world to defend refugee and migrant rights.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to contest Thursdays legal ruling on his administrations legislation, which he has dubbed the Stop The Boats Bill.

The Tory Party leader has made preventing small boats of migrants crossing the English Channel one of his top five pledges to the electorate ahead of a likely general election next year, arguing that it is the best way to crack down on human trafficking.

The Bill aims to ensure those who arrive in the UK without permission will be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.

In an economic assessment published this week, Home Office officials calculated that ministers could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Last year 45,755 people were detected to have made the perilous journey.
Irelands media minister Catherine Martin says she has received an apology from the chair of RTEs board over a failure to inform her she had asked the former director general to resign.

Chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh revealed on Wednesday that she had asked Dee Forbes to resign on June 16, almost a week before the misreported payments scandal broke.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh held a meeting with Ms Martin in Dublin last Saturday to discuss the furore arising from the public disclosure of the underreported payments.

RTE board chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh asked director general Dee Forbes to resign on June 16 (Brian Lawless/PA)

It has emerged that the minister was not informed during those discussions that the chair had asked Ms Forbes to quit. The director general had been suspended from her role at that point and went on to resign two days later, issuing a statement early on Monday morning.

Ms Martin, who has ordered an external review of governance and culture within RTE, was asked about the issue on a visit to Co Sligo on Thursday.

When we met on Saturday we were really focused on trying to get to the bottom of the numbers, the figures behind it and thinking about that external review that I felt was needed and the governance issue, she said.

The chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh did ring me this morning and apologised for any disquiet caused because of that.

Dee Forbes resigned as director general of the broadcaster shortly after the payments controversy was made public (Niall Carson/PA)

But it was really to do with that due process and individuals rights. And I was informed as soon as the decision was taken to suspend, the suspension was put into place.

The minister praised the chair for acting so swiftly in March when the issues around the payments were first detected by auditors.

But Ms Martin criticised the lack of clarity she felt came from senior RTE representatives who appeared before the Oireachtas parliaments media committee on Wednesday.

I felt yesterday there was a shocking failure of governance on display in everything that was said yesterday, she said.

The minister added: I would really appeal to them to bring clarity because part of the healing and rebuilding the trust is to get the answers that are needed.

Ms Martin said she was in the final stages of putting together the terms of reference for the external review of RTE.
Artificial intelligence risks automating discrimination if the threat is not taken seriously, Labour former minister Dawn Butler has said.

The MP for Brent Central raised concerns over the use of facial recognition and other technologies, and also warned weakening data rights would leave a situation ripe for exploitation.

Speaking about artificial intelligence (AI) and data rights in the Commons, she warned the Governments approach is to let the technology off the leash.

She was speaking as the House held a backbench-led debate on AI.

Technology minister Paul Scully (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament)

The Labour MP said she recognised the huge benefits of AI but stressed: We need to stay sober and recognise the huge risks because some of these organisations when we asked them where do you get your data from?, its very opaque, theyre not telling us where they get their data from.

And some of these organisations, as I understand it, have got their mass data scraping from places like Reddit, as we know thats not really a place that you would go to be informed on many things.

What were doing if we dont take this seriously is were automating discrimination and itll become so easy to just accept what the system is telling us  that those people who are marginalised at the moment will become further marginalised.

She warned: There are countries at the moment that are outlawing how facial recognition is used, for instance, but we are not doing that in the UK. So we are increasingly looking like the outliers in this discussion and protection around AI.

She added: There are already harms that are already arising from AI, and the Governments recently published white paper takes the view that strong clear protections are simply not needed. I think the Governments wrong on that. Strong clear protections are most definitely needed.

We need new legally binding regulations, she said, saying the Government has plans to water down data rights and data protection.

And she warned against any attempt to relax rules on what is considered personal data, saying: Our personal data is what ultimately powers many AI systems, and it will be left ripe for exploitation and abuse.

Instead of reigning in this technology, the Governments approach is to let it off the leash, and I think that is problematic, she told MPs.

Technology minister Paul Scully said the Government has to manage the risks and opportunities of AI.

Addressing Ms Butlers remark that the Government is letting the technology off the leash, Mr Scully said: I dont think its right. When we talk about the AI white paper, its the flexibility that actually keeps it up to date.

He added: The approach the white paper advocates is proportionate and its adaptable.

The proposed regulatory framework draws on the expertise of regulators, supporting them to consider AI in their own sectors by applying a set of high level principles which are outcome focused and designed to promote responsible AI innovation and adoption.

Industry supports the plans, he added.
Eight children from a secondary school required hospital treatment after using electronic cigarettes, an MP has said as she urged for proper regulation and a ban on disposable vapes.

Conservative Dr Caroline Johnson said the children, who were all from a school in her constituency, were admitted to hospital at different times over the last few months.

The MP expressed deep concern about the accessibility and appeal of vaping products to youngsters as she emphasised the need to address the issue urgently.

Back in February, Dr Johnson presented a ten-minute rule Bill to ban the sale of disposable vapes and will lead a Westminster Hall debate on the topic on Thursday.

Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of the debate, the Sleaford and North Hykeham MP said: A number of children in my constituency have collapsed after vaping and my understanding from the local school is that now eight children from one school in my constituency have required hospital treatment.

Not all at the same time, at different times over the last few months, just immediately after they had been vaping.

These are secondary school aged children.

Dr Johnson said a concerning picture also emerged regarding the growing addiction to vaping among children after talking to a teacher.

She said: I was talking to a teacher from my constituency just recently who said that she has pupils in her school who are struggling to get through a double maths lesson because they need to go out and vape.

They are vaping in their school bathrooms in between lessons. Some of them are struggling with a whole nights sleep because theyre waking up desperate to have a vape, and so the degree to which some of our children are getting addicted to these things is really very concerning.

Dr Johnson said the aim of her debate on Thursday will be to get more pressure on the Government to do something as quickly as possible.

The Tory MP will make the case for a vape tax to both raise revenue but most specifically to make them much less accessible to our children and young people, and for stricter regulations around their sale like we do for alcohol.

On her campaign to ban disposable vapes, she told PA: The disposable vapes are the most attractive to children. A recent report published in May show that three-quarters of children who are using vapes are using disposables.

Tory MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham Dr Caroline Johnson (David Woolfall/UK Parliament)

They are cheap, they are easily accessible. They are easy to dispose of, if you are in danger of being caught using them by an adult. They are also in pretty colours and theres a whole range of child-friendly sort of flavours.

Dr Johnson said that after introducing her ten-minute rule Bill, she had a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was very interested in the topic, adding: He is committed to ensuring that children dont have access to vapes.

In May, ministers pledged to close a loophole allowing retailers to give free samples of vapes to children in England amid concerns over the proportion of children trying e-cigarettes.

The Government said there will also be a review into banning retailers selling nicotine-free vapes to under-18s and one into the rules on issuing fines to shops that illegally sell vapes to children.

Ministers cited NHS figures from 2021 which showed that 9% of 1115-year-olds used e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.

The crackdown will also see the health risks of vaping included in relationships, sex and health education lessons, as part of the ongoing Government review of the curriculum.

Dr Johnson said: Im hoping to get some timeframes from the debate on how quickly they expect to be able to move, but Im hoping they will be able to get something in pretty quickly.
A European space telescope is ready to embark on a million-mile journey to uncover the mysteries of the dark universe.

The two-tonne probe, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, will be heading towards an area in space known as the second Lagrange point, where the gravitational forces of Earth and the sun are roughly equal, creating a stable location for the spacecraft.

The UK has contributed 37 million towards the 850 million mission, with scientists playing key roles in designing and building the probe and leading on one of the two scientific instruments on board.

The aim of the mission is to shed light on two of the universes greatest mysteries: dark energy and dark matter.

Professor Tom Kitching, of UCLs Mullard Space Science Laboratory  one of four science co-ordinators for Euclid, said: The puzzles we hope to address are fundamental.

Are our models of the universe correct? What is dark energy? Is it vacuum energy  the energy of virtual particles popping in and out of existence in empty space?

Is it a new particle field that we didnt expect? Or it may be Einsteins theory of gravity that is wrong.

Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed.

Euclid being secured on SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket (ESA/SpaceX/PA)

Euclid was due to be launched last year on a Russian Soyuz rocket but after the Ukraine invasion, the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a deal with Elon Musks SpaceX to use its Falcon 9 rocket.

Scheduled for launch on July 1 at 4:11pm UK time from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US, Euclid will take a month to reach its destination.

Scientists from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory have led the development of the optical camera known as VIS  a science instrument that will take images of the distant universe.

Professor Mark Cropper, leader of the VIS camera team, said: The VIS instrument will image a large swathe of the distant universe with almost the fine resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope, observing more of the universe in one day than Hubble did in 25 years.

The data will allow us to infer the distribution of dark matter across the universe more precisely than ever before.

The galaxies being imaged are up to 10 billion years old so we will also see how dark matter has evolved over most of the universes history.

Euclids VIS instrument being inspected during vibration testing at Centre Spatial de Liege, Belgium (CEA/ESA/PA)

The universe on this scale has not yet been seen in this level of detail.

The Open Universitys Centre for Electronic Imaging (CEI) has been involved in developing the detectors for the VIS instrument and testing how these will perform in the harsh radiation environment in space.

The team will continue to monitor the detectors during the mission.

Dr Jesper Skottfelt, who led the CEI team at the Open University, said: After 15 years of CEI involvement in the Euclid mission, it is exciting to see the spacecraft being launched.

The high-performing detectors will equip Euclid to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe.

Euclids six-year mission aims to scrutinise the dark universe to better understand why is it rapidly expanding.

It will make use a cosmic phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, where matter acts like a magnifying glass, bending and distorting light from galaxies and clusters behind it, to capture high-quality images.

These images will help astronomers gain insights into the elusive dark matter  particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light.

 The infrared light instrument, NISP, will measure the distance to galaxies NISP has the largest field of view for an infrared instrument ever flown in space. pic.twitter.com/aD7dMFXdW9  ESA's Euclid mission (@ESA_Euclid) June 23, 2023

Dark matter cannot be seen directly but scientists know it exists because of the effect it has on objects that that can be observed directly.

They believe it binds together galaxies creating the environment for stars, planets and life.

The mission will also explore dark energy, which is thought to push galaxies apart, causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate.

It is thought that dark energy and dark matter together make up about 95% of the universe.

The probe also carries an infrared light instrument, called NISP, which is being led by scientists in France and aims measure the distance to galaxies, which will shed light on fast the universe is expanding.

 #ESAEuclid was secured to the adaptor of a #SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will be placed on the upper stage of the rocket.  Targeted launch date: 1 July  https://t.co/ldloKxt2mn pic.twitter.com/lq157TgAfW  ESA's Euclid mission (@ESA_Euclid) June 27, 2023

Professor Andy Taylor of the University of Edinburgh, who leads the gravitational lensing data analysis for Euclid, said: This is a very exciting time for astronomy, and cosmology in particular.

Euclid is designed to answer some of the biggest questions we have about the universe.

Professor Amara, director of the University of Portsmouths Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), was one of the first people to propose the idea for the telescope 18 years ago, and was involved in its design and specification during the early stages.

He said: Theres a part of me that cant believe this is actually happening.

In 2005, a tiny group of us launched this idea.

Now almost 20 years later, close to 3,000 people have worked together to make this dream a reality.

The next phase, where we actually measure the universe, is going to be incredibly exciting. Who knows what new discoveries await us?
A sophisticated gang of thieves who used stolen 4x4s in a spate of loud and aggressive ram-raids across southern England have been jailed.

William Connors, 29, Darren Easthaugh, 36, Anthony Rodwell, 33, and Sebastian Gnyp, 37, struck jewellers across London and the home counties, reversing Land Rovers and Range Rovers through the front doors, storming the premises with sledgehammers and ankle grinders, and sometimes dragging out safes with metal chains attached to their vehicles.

The group, seen dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, stole 1.2 million of goods and caused a further 1.8 million of damage in a 10-month spree between November 2021 and August 2022.

The serial robbers evaded capture until police swarmed on them during a final raid on an Esso Tesco Express in Caversham, Reading, on August 19 2022, after a six-month surveillance operation.

Officers tasered Connors when he violently resisted arrest, Isleworth Crown Court in west London heard on Thursday, and days later they arrested Gnyp. He had fled the scene by running through a primary school.

The court heard William Connors violently resisted arrest (Met Police/PA)

Prosecutor Tim Probert-Wood told the court the devastation wrought by the gang was long-lasting, causing shock to witnesses and business owners, who suffered an estimated 1.5 million in loss of earnings due to closures.

He said they also stole high-end getaway cars using sophisticated remote interference to access them and attached stolen number plates to the vehicles to conceal them.

Mr Probert-Wood said: The MO was loud and very aggressive with vehicles being driven on to the forecourt before being reversed into the front of the building, sometimes through metal security grills.

Once access was gained members of the gang go into shops seen with things like ankle grinders, sledgehammers and sometimes with chains to try and drag out ATMs and safes.

Its a very violent attack, it all happens very quickly, depending not on stealth but on speed.

I use the word attacks because burglary seems a passive term when it comes to what these actions were like.

The gang were finally caught in the last attack on August 19, 2022 when they attacked the Esso Tesco premises in Caversham.

Darren Eastaugh has previous convictions, the court was told (Met Police/PA)

Mr Probert-Wood said Easthaugh, Connors and Rodwell all have previous convictions, with Rodwell having pumped gas into ATM machines to cause an explosion and take the money inside.

Deborah Morris, representing Rodwell, the gangs getaway driver, said the father-of-three had ambitions to become an HGV delivery driver in the future.

She said he felt under pressure to provide for his family upon his release from prison prior to the raids.

He said very simply: I did what I knew best, and reverted to stealing cars, she said.

Judge Simon Davis described the men as a professional team of burglars and ram-raiders who chose to see if they could make a big buck, adding their raids were a sophisticated criminal enterprise.

He said the group had caused enormous destruction, causing businesses to close and staff to be laid off.

The judge sentenced them for a total of 53 offences, including burglary and theft.

Easthaugh and Connors received a prison term of six years and six months, while Rodwell was given five years and 10 months, and Gnyp was jailed for three years.

Speaking outside court, Detective Constable Pippa Bregazzi, from the Met Police Flying Squad which carried out surveillance on the group, said: Footage of the burglaries demonstrates the ruthlessness in which the men used the cars as battering rams to access shops tills and cash machines.

They had absolutely no thought for the victims of their crimes and it was clear they would have continued to target vehicle owners and shops across the south of England unless they were stopped.

I am glad they have now been brought to justice and will spend a lengthy time in jail.
We must realize that a nation so profoundly affected by individual and structural racism at home is apt to be affected by such racism in its approach to war.





June 28, 2023: Information Clearing House -- A recent Justice Department report concluded that systemic racial bias in the Minneapolis Police Department made what happened to George Floyd possible. During the three years since a white police officer brutally murdered Floyd, nationwide discussions of systemic racism have extended well beyond focusing on law enforcement to also assess a range of other government functions. But such scrutiny comes to a halt at the waters edgestopping short of probing whether racism has been a factor in U.S. military interventions overseas.

Hidden in plain sight is the fact that virtually all the people killed by U.S. firepower in the war on terror for more than two decades have been people of color. This notable fact goes unnoted within a country wherein sharp contrastracial aspects of domestic policies and outcomes are ongoing topics of public discourse.

Certainly, the U.S. does not attack a country because people of color live there. But when people of color live there, it is politically easier for U.S. leaders to subject them to warfarebecause of institutional racism and often-unconscious prejudices that are common in the United States.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda?

Racial inequities and injustice are painfully apparent in domestic contexts, from police and courts to legislative bodies, financial systems, and economic structures. A nation so profoundly affected by individual and structural racism at home is apt to be affected by such racism in its approach to war.

Empathy, all too often, is skewed by the race and ethnicity of those being killed.

Many Americans recognize that racism holds significant sway over their society and many of its institutions. Yet the extensive political debates and media coverage devoted to U.S. foreign policy and military affairs rarely even mentionlet alone explore the implications ofthe reality that the several hundred thousand civilians killed directly in Americas war on terror have been almost entirely people of color.

The flip side of biases that facilitate public acceptance of making war on non-white people came to the fore when Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. News coverage included reporting that the wars victims have blue eyes and blond hair and look like us, Los Angeles Times television critic Lorraine Ali noted. Writers whod previously addressed conflicts in the Gulf region, often with a focus on geopolitical strategy and employing moral abstractions, appeared to be empathizing for the first time with the plight of civilians.

Such empathy, all too often, is skewed by the race and ethnicity of those being killed. The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association has deplored the pervasive mentality in Western journalism of normalizing tragedy in parts of the world such as the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Latin America. It dehumanizes and renders their experience with war as somehow normal and expected.

Persisting today is a modern version of what W.E.B. Du Bois called, 120 years ago, the problem of the color line -- the relation of the darker to the lighter races. Twenty-first century lineups of global power and geopolitical agendas have propelled the United States into seemingly endless warfare in countries where few white people live.

Racial, cultural and religious differences have made it far too easy for most Americans to think of the victims of U.S. war efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and elsewhere as the other. Their suffering is much more likely to be viewed as merely regrettable or inconsequential rather than heart-rending or unacceptable. What Du Bois called the problem of the color line keeps empathy to a minimum.

In Americas political and media realms, the people of color whove suffered from U.S. warfare abroad have been relegated to a kind of psychological apartheidseparate, unequal, and implicitly not of much importance.

The history of U.S. wars in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America has exuded a stench of white supremacy, discounting the value of lives at the other end of U.S. bullets, bombs and missiles, I concluded in my new book War Made Invisible. Yet racial factors in war-making decisions get very little mention in U.S. media and virtually none in the political world of officials in Washington.

At the same time, on the surface, Washingtons foreign policy can seem to be a model of interracial connection. Like presidents before him, Joe Biden has reached out to foreign leaders of different races, religions and culturesas when he fist-bumped Saudi Arabias de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at their summit a year ago, while discarding professed human-rights concerns in the process.

Overall, in Americas political and media realms, the people of color whove suffered from U.S. warfare abroad have been relegated to a kind of psychological apartheidseparate, unequal, and implicitly not of much importance. And so, when the Pentagons forces kill them, systemic racism makes it less likely that Americans will actually care.
Government plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

In a decision on Thursday, three judges overturned a High Court judgment that previously said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country.

The Court of Appeals decision was announced by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett during a short hearing in London, where he stressed the court reached its conclusion on the law and took no view whatever about the political merits of the policy.

When asked by the PA news agency if the Rwandan government was considering intervening in the case in order to appeal against the ruling, a spokesman for the nations administration said: The UK Government is considering an appeal.

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman will make a statement in the House of Commons later on Thursday, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt said.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett stressed the court took no view whatever about the political merits of the policy (Cameras in Court/PA)

Lord Burnett, who heard the appeal with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill in April, said the court ruled by a majority that the policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.

He told the court Sir Geoffrey and Lord Justice Underhill concluded that deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a real risk asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

He added the two judges found that: In that sense Rwanda is not a safe third country.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman toured a building site on the outskirts of Kigali during her visit to Rwanda in March to see houses that could eventually house deported migrants from the UK (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Lord Burnett, who disagreed with the other two judges and concurred with the High Courts ruling, added: That conclusion is founded on the evidence which was before the High Court that Rwandas system for deciding asylum claims was, in the period up to the conclusion of the Rwanda agreement, inadequate.

The court is unanimous in accepting that the assurances given by the Rwandan government were made in good faith and were intended to address any defects in its asylum processes.

However, the majority believes that the evidence does not establish that the necessary changes had by then been reliably effected or would have been at the time of the proposed removals.

In consequence sending anyone to Rwanda would constitute a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, with which Parliament has required that the Government must comply.

Lord Burnett continued in a summary of the ruling: The result is that the High Courts decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum process are corrected, removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful.

He concluded: The Court of Appeal makes clear that its decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy.

Those are entirely a matter for the Government, on which the court has nothing to say.

The courts concern is only whether the policy complies with the law as laid down by Parliament.

Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, and Lord Justice Underhill (seated top, left to right) in the Court of Appeal to deliver their ruling (Cameras in Court/PA)

In a 161-page judgment, Sir Geoffrey, who was supported in his ruling by Lord Justice Underhill, said: Our conclusion on the safety of Rwanda issue means that the Rwanda policy must be declared unlawful.

The Rwandan government responded to the judgment to say it is one of the safest countries in the world.

The appeal comes after two judges at the High Court dismissed a series of legal bids against the plans in December last year, finding the Rwanda proposals were consistent with the Governments legal obligations.

Lawyers for some individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid brought the challenge against their decision at the Court of Appeal.

At the appeal hearing in April, lawyers for the group of asylum seekers argued that the High Court showed excessive deference to the Home Offices assessment that assurances made by the Rwandan authorities provide a sufficient guarantee to protect relocated asylum-seekers from a risk of torture or inhumane treatment.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame at 10 Downing Street during his visit to the UK in May (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The three appeal judges were told that material provided by the Rwandan authorities lacked credibility, consisting of blanket denials and clear contradictions.

Lawyers for the Home Office opposed the appeal, telling the court the Rwandan government has indicated a clear willingness to co-operate with international monitoring mechanisms and that there are reciprocal obligations with strong incentives for compliance.

Lord Burnett said on Thursday that there was a deliberately tight timetable to decide the consequences of the Court of Appeals decision, in part so any bid to for the go-ahead to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court can be decided promptly.
Sir Keir Starmer said creating more inclusive workplaces can unlock growth and would form part of Labours economic recovery plans as he spoke at an event to mark Pride.

The party leader renewed a commitment to ensure employees are free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves as he met LGBT+ business leaders at a roundtable discussion on Thursday.

He was joined by shadow women and equalities secretary Anneliese Dodds, who said inclusive practices are good for working people, good for business and good for our economy as a whole.

Sir Keir lamented what he described as the breakdown in recent years of a cross-party consensus that once existed on LGBT+ rights and promised Labours politics would be defined by dignity, respect and inclusion.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer meets business people during a Pride breakfast event at Pancras Square in London. Picture date: Thursday June 29, 2023.

The party leader told business chiefs this approach would also be central to Labours efforts to grow the economy, which has got to be growth thats reflected everywhere and with everyone.

He promised a changed Labour Party that would enter the next general election aiming to fight on the economy, telling the meeting in central London: In the past sometimes the Labour Party has sometimes gone into election wanting to hide away from the economy. We want to take it head on.

Inclusive companies can achieve greater share prices, market valuations and stronger cash flows through retaining staff and enabling higher-level collaboration, the party said.

But it pointed to research by Deloitte which suggests that up to a third of workers are considering moving to a more LGBT-friendly employer.

Labour leader Sir Keir renewed a commitment to ensure employees are free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Communications chief and former Government LGBT+ champion Iain Anderson and Diva Magazine CEO Linda Riley were among leaders who spoke with Sir Keir about the need for progress.

Mr Anderson told the Labour leader he stepped back from his Government role last April because quite candidly I could not see a serious commitment towards pushing forward.

It was a job I was delighted to do.

It was a job I was heartbroken, Keir, to step back from, he said.

Sir Keir said: There was happily until recently I think a cross-party consensus that we were moving forward and I think we wanted to move forward together.

That has broken down and it feels to me as if that has stalled or even moved backwards I want to hear from you as to whether that is an accurate reflection of where were at and what youre doing to deal with this so I can understand it.

He added: The best teams value everyone for who they are, and in return they get the very best out of them.

Those at the forefront of building these inclusive businesses know this is how you unlock growth and hold expertise.

I saw that when I led a public service and now as I lead the Labour Party.

Labour growth will be inclusive in every way, we will ensure working people are able to work free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves.

Ms Dodds said: Inclusion for LGBT+ people matters.

We need to harness the potential of everyone in our economy and that means making sure that people at work feel safe and supported.

Labour will make inclusion the norm, not the outlier, by requiring employers to tackle discrimination and harassment.
Julian Sands was a charismatic actor who was genuinely fearless, a close friend and colleague has said.

Mike Figgis, who directed the late British actor in eight films and was close with his family, said Sands had been very secure in himself and he had found his boldness endearing.

Sands death was confirmed on Tuesday, after human remains found in the Mount Baldy area of the San Gabriel mountains, in southern California, were identified as his.

The actor had been missing for over five months, after not returning from a hike in January.

Sands was a charismatic actor who was genuinely fearless, a close friend and colleague has said (Ian West/PA)

Multiple searches by local authorities had been unsuccessful, with poor weather conditions hampering efforts since March, and his remains were found by civilian hikers on Saturday.

Figgis told The Guardian that the first time he had met Sands at a casting meeting in 1987, the actor had been pushy but he had been tickled by his enthusiasm.

Ive never met anyone like him, he said.

He was so pushy but I found his boldness very endearing. He was wrong for the role but I was very tickled by his enthusiasm and we became friends.

Figgis said Sands was basically his ensemble having made the first of their eight films  The Browning Version  in 1993 and the last  Mother Tongue  in 2020.

Julian was conscious of the power of his charisma and his looks, in an impish, devilish kind of way, he told The Guardian.

And perhaps because he was so handsome, he was very secure in himself.

He added that Sands had been genuinely fearless, going to inspect the foundations of his Los Angeles home during the aftershock of an earthquake in 1994.

He had been known for his love of the outdoors and hiking in the surrounding areas, and was considered an experienced and competent mountaineer by his friends.

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, who spearheaded searches for Sands, said that a total of eight searches specific to the actor had taken place by both ground and air.

The most recent search had involved over 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies, and staff, with their efforts supported by two helicopters, and drone crews.

The department added that volunteer searcher hours had exceeded 500.

The past five months have been a kind of strange hiatus. It has been pretty clear from very early on that he wasnt coming back, Figgis told the paper.

Sands was best-known for his breakout role in the 1985 romantic period drama A Room With A View (Ian West/PA)

But for me, the convention of closure, which has now come, brings with it a release of emotion. The realisation that he really has gone and we will not meet again.

So Im saying goodbye to my friend. I will miss him terribly.

Sands was best-known for his breakout role in the 1985 romantic period drama A Room With A View, in which he starred alongside Helena Bonham Carter.

He later transitioned successfully to the horror genre, with appearances in films including Gothic, Warlock and Arachnophobia.

From 1984 to 1987 the actor was married to future Evening Standard and Today editor Sarah Sands, with whom he shares a son.

He also has two daughters with journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990.
The longest-serving daily newspaper editor in the UK and Ireland is preparing to step down.

Noel Doran has been at the helm of the Northern Ireland-based daily newspaper the Irish News for 25 years.

He will depart the post early next year having overseen the production of more than 7,000 editions of the paper, but is set to continue a close association with the paper.

Doran first joined the Irish News in 1993 and was appointed editor in 1999.

During his tenure the paper has scooped scores of UK and regional awards in recognition of its consistent top-level content, while Mr Doran was himself voted regional editor of the century in 2020 by readers of the Hold The Front Page website.

The Irish News is currently the UKs second best-selling regional daily newspaper.

Dominic Fitzpatrick, chief executive, IntoMedia Group said Mr Doran has left an indelible mark on the papers legacy.

It has been a privilege to work alongside him and I am certain he will look back on his extensive track record here with a sense of enormous pride, he said.

Doran commented: It has been a great honour to edit The Irish News for the last quarter of a century and help to chronicle the changes which have swept across our society since the Good Friday Agreement.

I have been very fortunate to work with many outstanding journalists who have rightly earned the trust of our loyal readers, and I am particularly grateful for the unstinting support of our chief executive Dominic Fitzpatrick, and his late father, our chairman Jim Fitzpatrick, throughout my time with the paper.
A Metropolitan Police officer has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in the sea following his stag do.

Sergeant Laurence Knight, 34, is said to have met the woman, a stranger, in Brighton city centre in the early hours of July 17 2021.

Prosecutors said the pair walked to the beach together, stripped down to their underwear and ended up in the sea, where sexual activity took place.

Knight, of Leyton, east London, was charged with rape and sexual assault following the incident, and denied both charges.

The Met suspended him from duty.

He was found not guilty of rape by a jury at Southwark Crown Court following more than seven hours of deliberations. Jurors were not asked whether that verdict was unanimous or a majority decision.

He was convicted of sexual assault by a majority of 10 to two.

Laurence Knight was cleared of rape but found guilty of sexual assault (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

He has been bailed ahead of his sentencing hearing at the same court on July 28.

The woman had earlier been out for dinner and drinks and was with a friend when they came across a jovial group of men who seemed confused about where to go as they were on a night out and the pubs were closing, the court heard.

In her police interview she told officers Knight wanted to go into the sea and she did not wish to but he persuaded her, telling her it was his stag night, he was meant to be having fun but it was turning into a rubbish night.

Jurors heard that the defendant looked as though he was going to cry so the woman said yes and took off her dress because she did not want it to get wet.

Knight went behind the woman in the water and moved her underwear, which is when the alleged sexual activity took place, the court was told.

The woman said she repeatedly told Knight to stop and reminded him that he was getting married in two weeks, jurors heard.

Afterwards, jurors heard, the woman got dressed, told her friend what had happened and called 999.

She claimed a friend of the defendant told her: Larry wants me to tell you that hes sorry.

She said she has experienced a range of feelings since that night, including feeling sick and being unable to sleep or eat properly.

The incident took place off Brighton beach in July 2021 (Michael Drummond/PA)

In his evidence to the jury, Knight claimed it was the woman who suggested going into the sea and she who first touched his penis.

He said he then touched her vagina for a few seconds, thinking it was consensual, before she made the comment about his imminent wedding and they returned to the shore. He denied he had any intention to penetrate her.

Asked during cross-examination why he went into the sea with her, he replied: Quite honestly, I quite enjoyed having the attention. It was a very spur-of-the-moment request from her, it was not discussed before.

Having had some alcohol and being the stag and being the one that everything was deflected towards, I suppose the phrase is peer pressure.

Asked who the peer pressure was coming from, Knight said: I may have applied it myself.

The court heard that he tried to send the woman a Facebook message on July 21 that year, saying: You are not (the woman) that went for a dip in the sea on Friday whilst her guy friend looked after her bag?

The defendant, who worked for a charity and as a teacher before joining the police, told jurors he had sent the message to acknowledge I was embarrassed. She was younger, perhaps less mature and she was the one that stepped in and stopped it going any further.

He said he later deleted the message because he became worried that his fiancee would see it.

He also told jurors his initial reaction to his arrest was believing he was being subjected to an extended prank from the stag do.
The Government will seek to appeal against a ruling that its plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful, as Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagrees with the decision.

In a majority decision on Thursday, judges at the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that previously said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country.

The Court of Appeals decision was announced by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett during a short hearing in London, where he stressed the court reached its conclusion on the law and took no view whatever about the political merits of the policy.

In a statement, the Prime Minister said: While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries  something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with.

Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

The policy of this government is very simple, it is this country  and your government  who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

This was echoed by Suella Braverman, who said she was fully committed to the policy but also suggested the current system was rigged against the British people on the issue.

Asked if she was blaming lefty lawyers or the blob for the setback, the Home Secretary said: The system is rigged against the British people, its as simple as that.

Its why were changing the laws through our Illegal Migration Bill, its why were rolling out a ground-breaking partnership with Rwanda which we believe is lawful, with a country which we believe is safe.

So, we need to change the system, we need to change our laws, thats how were going to stop the boats.

Speaking to broadcasters, Ms Braverman said there are good grounds for progress on the policy and, despite the ruling, insisted she still had every confidence in the plan and that Rwanda was a safe country.

The Desir Resort Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda where it is believed migrants from the UK were expected to be taken (Victoria Jones/PA)

Asked whether the Rwanda policy could be toughened up to provide further assurances that migrants flown to the country would not be sent back home, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Yes, so obviously this is a very detailed judgment and the Lord Chief Justice dissents with other judges.

We need to go through that carefully and consider what if anything if is appropriate in our approach. Obviously some of these issues wed want to put before the Supreme Court should we be given permission to do that. Im not going to pre-empt that.

Downing Street refused to say whether it still believes any migrants will be sent to Rwanda before the next election.

The Rwandan Government said it took issue with the Court of Appeals ruling and insisted the east African nation was one of the safest countries in the world.

In his summary of the courts decision, Lord Burnett said there was a deliberately tight timetable to decide the consequences of the ruling, in part so any bid to for the go-ahead for a Supreme Court challenge can be decided promptly.

In the 161-page ruling following the appeal in April, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill concluded that deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a real risk asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

Sir Geoffrey continued: In practice, Rwanda can only deliver on its good faith assurances if it has control mechanisms and systems in place to enable it to do so.

Both history and the current situation demonstrate that those mechanisms have not yet been delivered. They may in the future be delivered but they are not, on the evidence, there now.

The judge added: Our conclusion on the safety of Rwanda issue means that the Rwanda policy must be declared unlawful.

Ms Braverman is expected to make a statement in the House of Commons later on Thursday, while Labour said the decision shows that the Governments plan to stop small boats crossings is completely unravelling.

Sir Keir Starmer slammed the policy as a headline-grabbing gimmick, telling the PA news agency during a visit to Selby, North Yorkshire: What the courts judgment shows is theyve spent that 140 million of taxpayers money without even doing the basics to see whether the scheme was really fit for purpose.

His deputy, Angela Rayner, said: Weve had more Conservative home secretaries in Rwanda than weve had asylum seekers sent there.

Meanwhile shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the Rwanda policy as unworkable, unethical and extortionate, a costly and damaging distraction from the urgent action the Government should be taking.

Todays judgement shows Rishi Sunak has no plan to fix the Tories small boats chaos & his only idea is completely unravelling Tories go for gimmicks not grip. Rwanda plan is unworkable, unethical & extortionate; a distraction from serious action needed & that Labour called for pic.twitter.com/g2nZHFxDDs  Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) June 29, 2023

The Court of Appeals ruling is the latest setback in Rishi Sunaks efforts to stop the boats  one of his flagship policy pledges.

So far this year 11,279 people have been detected making the trip, according to provisional Home Office figures, while the Governments Illegal Migration Bill aimed at beefing up powers to tackle the problem has suffered a series of defeats during its passage through the House of Lords.

The flagship legislation, which has already been passed by the Commons, saw four Government defeats in the Lords on Wednesday.

Thursdays judgment also comes days after the Home Offices own figures showed the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly two in five people would need to be deterred from crossing the Channel in small boats for the the Illegal Migration Bill to break even, the economic impact assessment published on Monday said.

The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention, as well as a 105,000 per person payment to third countries, though the the sum is an estimate not based on the true cost of the commercially sensitive Rwanda scheme.

Campaigners welcomed the appeal ruling, with charity Asylum Aid, which brought the challenge alongside several asylum seekers, describing the decision as a vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.
The Home Secretary lashed out at phoney humanitarianism hindering efforts to stop Channel crossings as the Government lost the latest court battle over its plans to send migrants to Rwanda.

Suella Braverman claimed the system was rigged against the British people after the Court of Appeal ruled the multimillion-pound deal  which would see asylum seekers deported to the east African nation  was unlawful.

Ministers are braced for a fresh clash in the courts over the policy as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagreed with the decision and confirmed the Government would seek to appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court.

In a majority decision on Thursday, Court of Appeal judges overturned an earlier High Court ruling which found Rwanda could be considered a safe third country.

The decision is the latest setback in Mr Sunaks bid to stop the boats  one of his flagship pledges.

Ms Braverman said she remained fully committed to the policy and, despite the ruling, insisted she still had every confidence in the plan while stressing that Rwanda was a safe country.

When asked if she blamed lefty lawyers or the blob amid the defeat, she told broadcasters: The system is rigged against the British people, its as simple as that.

Its why were changing the laws through our Illegal Migration Bill.

She then doubled down on her claims in the Commons, telling MPs that phoney humanitarianism was holding back plans to tackle Channel crossings.

But Labour said the decision showed the Governments efforts were completely unravelling.

Sir Keir Starmer slammed the policy as a headline-grabbing gimmick, telling the PA news agency during a visit to North Yorkshire: What the courts judgment shows is theyve spent that 140 million of taxpayers money without even doing the basics to see whether the scheme was really fit for purpose.

His deputy, Angela Rayner, said there had been more Conservative home secretaries in Rwanda than weve had asylum seekers sent there while shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons the policy was a total con on the British people.

In the 161-page ruling following the appeal heard in April, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill concluded deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a real risk asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

Our conclusion on the safety of Rwanda issue means that the Rwanda policy must be declared unlawful, Sir Geoffrey added.

Mr Sunak said: While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries  something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with.

The Rwandan Government said it took issue with the Court of Appeals ruling and insisted it was one of the safest countries in the world.

Todays judgement shows Rishi Sunak has no plan to fix the Tories small boats chaos & his only idea is completely unravelling Tories go for gimmicks not grip. Rwanda plan is unworkable, unethical & extortionate; a distraction from serious action needed & that Labour called for pic.twitter.com/g2nZHFxDDs  Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) June 29, 2023

Downing Street refused to say whether it still believes any migrants will be sent to Rwanda before the next election.

Handing down the decision during a short hearing in London, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett stressed the court reached its conclusion on the law and took no view whatever about the political merits of the policy.

But, in the judgment, he branded Government claims the plan could see thousands of people sent to Rwanda political hyperbole, instead concluding it may only amount to hundreds.

Ms Braverman later told MPs Rwanda had the capacity needed for the plans.

So far this year 11,279 people have been detected crossing the Channel, according to provisional Home Office figures.

More than 50,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since the Government signed the Rwanda deal over a year ago.

Then-home secretary Priti Patel signed what she called the world-first agreement on April 14. There have been 51,206 migrants recorded making the journey between April 15 2022 and June 28 2023, according to PA analysis of Government figures.

Meanwhile the Governments Illegal Migration Bill  aimed at beefing up powers to tackle the problem  has suffered a series of defeats during its passage through the House of Lords.

The flagship legislation, which has already been passed by the Commons, saw four Government defeats in the Lords on Wednesday.

The latest court ruling comes as a critical report was published by the chief inspector of borders and immigration who concluded there was no single version of the truth in the Home Office as part of an assessment on its work to remove foreign national offenders.

Another report, from the Council of Europe, found migrants who were taken to the Manston processing centre in Kent last year may have been exposed to inhuman and degrading treatment. The Committee for the Prevention of Torture said agitated arrivals were handcuffed, in a small, box-like, fenced-in area in the back of a van.

The court judgment is also just days after the Home Offices own figures showed the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly two in five people would need to be deterred from crossing the Channel in small boats for the Illegal Migration Bill to break even, the economic impact assessment published on Monday said.

The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention, as well as a 105,000 per person payment to third countries, though the sum is an estimate not based on the true cost of the commercially sensitive Rwanda scheme.

The document said the asylum system could cost 32 million a day by the end of 2026 if recent trends continue without the reduction of hotel usage.

Campaigners welcomed the appeal ruling, with charity Asylum Aid which brought the challenge alongside several asylum seekers, describing the decision as a vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.

There is a deliberately tight timetable to decide the consequences of the ruling so any bids for a Supreme Court challenge can be decided promptly, Lord Burnett said.
Ministers have looked to allay fears around the impact of Thames Water potentially going under as the regulator vowed to work with the sector to deal with its debt levels.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said there were contingency plans in place for any eventuality as Thames Water battles to finance the 14 billion of debt on its books following interest rate rises.

It comes as several reports suggested concerns about Thames Waters finances had now broadened to other firms in the industry.

The Times cited a Whitehall source as saying: A lot of these companies are highly geared and struggling.

There is a worst case scenario where other companies end up in the same place as Thames Water.

A Government source pointed out that industry regulator Ofwat raised the issue in December in its 2021/22 Monitoring Financial Resilience report, with Thames Water, Southern, Yorkshire, SES and Portsmouth mentioned.

Thames Water is seeking to raise cash from investors as it struggles under a 14 billion debt pile, with the Government said to be laying the groundwork for the firms emergency nationalisation.

The utility giant is the UKs biggest water supplier, serving people across London and the South East.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, Ofwat said it has been clear that Thames Water has significant issues to address and that it needed to improve their financial resilience.

But the watchdog said the water sector remained an attractive investment opportunity.

A spokesman said: Ofwat will continue to keep companies financial resilience under close scrutiny and work with companies to ensure they take action to ensure that they have the financial backing to deliver for customers and the environment.

Senior Conservative Cabinet minister Mr Stride told Sky News The Take With Sophy Ridge programme that he could not comment on the financial position of a private company when asked about Thames Waters position.

But he said that water will continue to flow whatever the outcome.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said water would continue to flow no matter what happens with Thames Water (James Manning/PA)

The Government has contingency measures for exactly the kind of circumstances that may play out here yet to be seen. And thats basically where we are with it, he added.

On Channel 4 News, Mr Stride, a former Treasury minister, said he disagreed with a suggestion that water privatisation had not worked in the countrys financial interest.

I dont think it has been an absolute disaster, he told the broadcaster.

Thames Water, having confirmed it is working with shareholders to secure the cash it needs, has said it requires further equity funding on top of the 500 million it raised just three months ago.

On Tuesday, Thames Water chief executive Sarah Bentley stepped down with immediate effect amid mounting worries over the financial stability of the company.

The firm is now reportedly racing to raise 1 billion from investors to shore up its finances, with AlixPartners said to be advising the firm on turnaround plans.

Thames Water  owned by a consortium of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds  has come under pressure in recent years over its poor performance in tackling leaks and sewage contamination, while facing criticism for handing out big rewards to top bosses and shareholders.

The groups shareholders include Chinese sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation, UK private pension fund the Universities Superannuation Scheme, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority subsidiary Infinity Investments.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has defended a possible trip to China as he argued that international reforms cannot happen without recognising Beijings global financial influence.

Mr Cleverly confirmed last week that he is looking at the options for a potential visit to China  the first by a UK foreign secretary since Jeremy Hunt went in 2018.

Speaking on Thursday, the Cabinet minister said he believes the UK could exert influence over the Chinese Communist Party when it comes to international issues, as he vowed to address its human rights record and treatment of Hong Kong if he does make the trip to the Far East.

Mr Cleverly, taking questions after a speech given to think tank Chatham Houses London Conference, recalled a talk he gave at the Mansion House in April, where he said the UK needs to protect itself from China and build a strong network of allies while also engaging with the Asian superpower.

He said: I very passionately believe that the UK has agency, we have a voice, we have influence and we should try to utilise that.

And that is best done through direct engagement.

So the timing and the details of any trip that I might make to China are still yet to be decided.

But, as and when I do go, I will of course talk about the issues that I raised in the past their internal human rights activity, their attitude towards Hong Kong, concerns over the Taiwan strait, and others.

The Foreign Secretary has argued against isolating China, despite wariness in the West  including among China hawks on the Conservative backbenches  over the countrys growing assertiveness and refusal to criticise Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Cleverly, whose speech on Thursday focused on reforming multilateral partnerships, said he is aware that international reforms have to take into consideration Chinas financial links with developing nations.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao is greeted by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon in June 2011 (Chris Radburn/PA)

One of the things that Im very conscious about is how many smaller and poorer countries are very heavily indebted to China, he said.

And if Im going to drive the reform that I intend to drive in the multilateral system, China is a very significant and influential player in many of those institutions.

And therefore engaging with them is an important part of the agenda Ive set out in this speech.

Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UKs foreign policy adviser, said Mr Cleverly would need to do more than talk if he is to use his possible visit to change Chinas attitude when it comes to the repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang and protest crackdowns in Hong Kong.

Without securing clear commitments that Beijing will stop these abuses, the Government risks appearing to ignore human rights abuses in the name of trade and security, she said.

Senior Tory Mr Cleverly argued during his speech that, with the world currently living through a turning point in the history of humanity, the make-up of the United Nations Security Council should change.

He said there should be permanent African representation and membership for India, Brazil, Germany and Japan on the international panel.

The Security Council currently has five permanent members  the UK, US, China, Russia and France  with 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

Mr Cleverly also pressed for reform of the World Trade Organisation to reflect the digital economy and said there needs to be a multilateral approach to regulation when it comes to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

He said the world is experiencing a period of dizzying and rapid economic, demographic, technological and social change and that broader coalitions are required to address those challenges.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is to be awarded the Chatham House Prize in recognition of his contribution to international relations (Carl Court/PA)

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded the Chatham House Prize for his response to the brutal and relentless onslaught to Ukraine and for having demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy.

He addressed the conference from Kyiv as ambassador Vadym Prystaiko accepted the award in person.

Mr Zelensky said: The Chatham House Prize for Ukraine is more proof that the world believes in Ukraine, believes in Ukrainian, believes in our victory.

I want you to know that we have success on the front line thanks to our historic soldiers and of course thanks to our partners, and the UK is one of the obvious leaders in this support.

Following his own speech, Mr Cleverly was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin facing an internal rebellion by the mercenary Wagner Group at the weekend.

The Foreign Secretary said the mutiny led by Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin was to a large extent an internal matter for Russia and Putin.

Their frictions are up to them. The leadership of Russia is entirely and exclusively an issue for the Russian people, he said.

We will not be distracted. Our commitment is to support Ukraine until they have recovered their sovereignty, and then help them rebuild and renew their country after the conflict, to provide them with the military and financial resources to do both of those things.

That is the plan. Were not distracted by these events. Were sticking with the plan.

Armed forces minister James Heappey, speaking at the same conference on Thursday afternoon, indicated that the upcoming defence command paper would be nerdy and focused more on the inner workings of the armed forces than on headline-grabbing announcements.

It is the way that the whole of the enterprise fits together that really brings credibility to your force.

Ben (Wallace) and I revel in the idea that this might be the most boring defence command paper ever, he joked.
Installation view of "Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s" at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) in central Seoul. The survey of over 95 works by 29 representative avant-garde practitioners of the period has been co-organized by the MMCA's senior curator Kang Soo-jung and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's associate curator Kyung An. Courtesy of MMCA



'Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s' to tour New York, Los Angeles after Seoul run



By Park Han-sol



The experimental art scene that struck post-war Korea in the 1960s and 1970s like a meteorite is a buried chapter of history that deserves to be revisited  or, for most of the world, newly discovered.



At a time when the authoritarian government of Park Chung-hee was propagating "chonghwa dangyeol," or "unifying as a whole," as a state motto to push for the country's high-speed industrialization, young artists chose to break away from such a regimented, collectivist mentality and instead went on a hunt to find a language of creative subversion  however "bizarre and deranged" it seemed to the rest of society.



These provocateurs took cues from modern Western cultural movements such as Neo-Dada, conceptual art and pop art, which were available via heavily limited channels due to state censorship. But they focused on recontextualizing these styles so that their avant-garde art could reflect distinctly local concerns  namely, the military dictatorship, breakneck economic growth and the postcolonial search for authentic "Koreanness."



What emerged as a result was a genre-defying mix of visceral performances, temporary happenings and process-oriented works that helped the spirited creators find their voice of resistance, albeit momentarily, within a tumultuous sociopolitical landscape.





Nam Sang-kyun's "Matter I," (1973, partly remade 2001, 2023), left, and "Matter II" (1973, partly remade 2001, 2023) / Courtesy of the artist



"It was certainly a lonely and unappreciated road to walk, especially for the artists coming of age who lacked the actual power to change the system," Kang Soo-jung, senior curator at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), told The Korea Times. "They carried on nonetheless."



The museum is hosting "Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s," a survey of over 95 works by 29 representative avant-garde practitioners of the period, co-organized by Kang and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's associate curator Kyung An.



Following its run in Seoul, the show will travel to the Guggenheim in New York in September  as the first North American museum exhibition dedicated to these artists  and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in February 2024.



Here are some of the show's highlights that may be worth checking out during a visit to the museum in Seoul  or perhaps, in New York or Los Angeles.





"Transparent Balloons and Nude" (1968), performed by Kang Kuk-jin, Jung Kang-ja and Chung Chan-seung  Jung Kangja Estate / Courtesy of Arario Gallery



Jung Kang-ja and the first feminist performance in Korea



Jung Kang-ja (1942-2017) was among a very few female artists who were active in the Korean experimental art scene during the late 1960s and early 1970s.



In an attempt to take a jab at the academicism tacitly espoused by the "Kukjon"  the juried National Art Exhibition held annually since 1949, which, for its first edition, barred a female nude painting from going on display citing public indecency  she and her fellow artists Kang Kuk-jin (1939-92) and Chung Chan-seung (1942-94) staged what turned out to be the first feminist performance in Korea: "Transparent Balloons and Nude" (1968).



At C'est Si Bon, a live music hall in downtown Seoul, audiences were invited to attach balloons to Jung's semi-naked body and then pop them later on. This happening sent shockwaves immediately through society, with some calling it "outright insane."



Here, her body was no longer seen as a sex object but as a cultural agent capable of challenging conservative, preconceived aesthetic tastes and suggesting new artistic perceptions, curator Kang noted.





"Murder at the Han Riverside" (1968), performed by Kang Kuk-jin, Jung Kang-ja and Chung Chan-seung / Courtesy of Hwang Yang-ja



"Murder at the Han Riverside" (1968), performed by the trio, is another project that takes a more visceral form in its critique of the institutionalized Kukjon. Under the present-day Yanghwa Bridge, Jung, Kang and Chung dug holes in the sand to partly bury themselves and had water poured over them. After coming out of the pits, they went on to write condemning phrases on vinyl clothing  "cultural fraudster" (pseudo-artist), "illicit money maker" (bogus great master), "cultural acrobat" (opportunist bandwagon jumper)  before burning and burying them in the ground.



Such performances and happenings that largely took place outside of the sanitized, white-cube contexts ushered in the advent of a new youthful vision that later came to be known as experimental art.





Scenes from Kim Ku-lim's "The Meaning of 1/24 Second" (1969) / Courtesy of the artist, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York



Kim Ku-lim and his tour de force, 'The Meaning of 1/24 Second'



Kim Ku-lim presents a striking cross-section of modern men living in 1960s Seoul, a rapidly industrializing metropolis, through his experimental film "The Meaning of 1/24 Second" (1969).



The nine-minute video consists of a quickly edited collage of shots depicting elevated expressways, newly built city landmarks, billboards, overpasses and mass-produced consumer goods  visual records of the dynamic reconstruction of the country that was ravaged by war just over a decade earlier.



But occasionally, out of the blue, the film is interrupted by scenes of artists exaggeratedly yawning, smoking languidly and spacing out  actions that show they refuse to assimilate into the urban montages moving at a dizzying speed.



"The sudden appearance of these young creators in the video proactively puts the brakes on the headlong pace of urban growth, thereby visualizing what the true role of art and artists could be in our society," the curator explained.





An archival image of the magazine article, published on Aug. 26, 1970, details the incident regarding "A Funeral for the Established Art and Culture" (1970) that was staged by the avant-garde collective, The Fourth Group, on the National Liberation Day, Aug. 15, in Seoul's Gwanghwamun. Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol



Kim also helmed the short-lived yet radical avant-garde collective called the Fourth Group, best known for choreographing "A Funeral for the Established Art and Culture" (1970).



To declare Korea's cultural independence from "the outdated ideology of the establishment," the members staged a funeral procession in Seoul's Gwanghwamun on Aug. 15 National Liberation Day, carrying a coffin and Korean flags throughout the march. But before they could finish the proceeding, police intervened and arrested the participants for violating traffic laws.



This unfinished march came to have surprisingly significant repercussions at a societal level, Kang noted.



As Park's authoritarian Yushin regime deemed these youth-led cultural events as degenerate and subversive threats to the systemic power, its censorship began to target not only art, but also popular music, literature and cinema. The government even went as far as issuing a notorious decree on Aug. 29, 1970, just two weeks after the Fourth Group's funeral performance, to mandate limits on the length of men's hair and women's miniskirts  the symbols of the so-called "decadent" youth culture.





Lee Seung-taek's "Untitled" (1962), left, and "Tied White Porcelain" (1975) / Courtesy of the artist, Gallery Hyundai



Lee Seung-taek's use of tradition as avant-garde tool



One of the unique characteristics of Korean avant-garde art is its relationship with tradition, according to the curator.



"The essence of avant-garde lies in its radical departure from tradition," Kang said. "However, in Korea, the opposite happened, where some experimental artists found a breakthrough via their rediscovery of their cultural heritage."



This was made possible due to the country's early 20th-century history, whereby the people were forcibly cut off from their traditional heritage due to the 1910-45 Japanese occupation, rapid modernization and the influx of Western culture.



Lee Seung-taek is one of the masters who forged his well-known practice of "non-sculpture" by visually reinterpreting traditional folk items such as earthenware and sickles.





Lee Seung-taek's "Untitled (Sprout)" (1963, remade 2018) / Courtesy of the artist, Gallery Hyundai



The 1960s and 1970s were a time when the government aimed to determine which sculptural subjects and practices should be deemed appropriate in order to project to its people and the world a desirable cultural image of Korea. The statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin at Gwanghwamun Plaza is one prime example. At the same time, it strove to eradicate folk traditions and shamanism, regarding them as primitive obstacles to the nation's modernization.



But Lee put multiple creative twists on such doctrines in his pieces like "Untitled" (1962) and "Untitled (Sprout)" (1963) as he not only actively incorporated folk items into his installations but also challenged the notion of sculptures' "material fixedness" or hardness by having them bear the marks of rope binding.





Sung Neung-kyung's "Newspaper: After 1st of June, 1974" (1974) / Courtesy of MMCA



Sung Neung-kyung and Space and Time (ST) collective



Space and Time (ST), an avant-garde group formed in 1971 that lasted for a decade, had foremost champions of performance art as its members, including Lee Kun-yong and Sung Neung-kyung.



Sung's magnum opus, "Newspaper: After 1st of June, 1974" (1974), was born at the third group exhibition of ST.



Every morning for the duration of the month-long show, he would arrive early at the museum to pick up the newly delivered newspaper and cut out all blocks of printed text with a razor blade, leaving only the blank margins, images and advertisements. He would attach the tattered pages to the wall, while dumping the cut-out portions of text in acrylic boxes. The next day, he threw out the remaining paper skeleton in another box and repeated the process.



The whole act was a tacit commentary on the authoritarian government as the artist crudely mimicked the process of state-led censorship of news media. Despite the looming fear of arrest, he carried on with what he called "a silent protest" against the country's political climate and the eroding freedom of expression.





Sung Neung-kyung reenacts his performance, "Reading Newspapers," at the MMCA, June 21. Newsis



A related performance work, "Reading Newspapers," was reenacted at the MMCA recently, along with two other performances  Kim Ku-lim's "From Creation to Dissolution" and Lee's "Snail's Gallop." The three will also be restaged at the Guggenheim.



"When I first performed the piece in the 1970s, because it was during a time of political turmoil, my very act of cutting out and reading the newspaper out loud was already layered with a heavy sense of tension," Sung told The Korea Times. "But now, in 2023, it has an entirely different effect since it can finally be viewed outside of the political context and within the purely artistic, performative realm. It should have been that way from the beginning but our reality just didn't permit that to happen until now."





Lee Kun-yong reenacts his performance, "Snail's Gallop," at the MMCA at the MMCA. June 28. Newsis



Lee similarly highlighted the changes in the audience's reception of his performance "Snail's Gallop." "I, as an artist, remain the same, because I was 'playing' back then and am 'playing' now. But the audience's perceptions of it seem different. The spectators back then were much more stiff and solemn. Nowadays, however, they are much open to the idea of interacting casually with the performer."





Sung Neung-kyung's "An Upside-Down Map of World" (1974) / Korea Times photo by Park Han-sol
The Government has doubled down on its reassurances that troubled Thames Water has secure and committed funding, as the water sectors 60 billion debt pile comes under greater scrutiny.

Access to water and utility bills will not be affected by the suppliers financing woes, ministers were keen to stress.

Downing Street said water regulator Ofwat was on top of the issue, even though the Government is keeping a close eye.

Of course the Government is carefully monitoring this but it is for the regulator in the first instance, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said.

He added that while there are clearly issues with Thames Water, they have secure and committed funding.

It comes as Thames Waters troubles has shone a light on the precarious financial health of other British suppliers.

Total debt in the sector hit 60.6 billion last year, increasing by more than 1 billion from the previous year, Ofwat said.

Late last year, the watchdog flagged four other firms it said it was most worried about in terms of their financial health. These were Southern Water, Portsmouth, Yorkshire, and SES Water.

But ministers have reiterated that customers will not see their water supplies affected as a result of financial troubles.

Health minister Neil OBrien told Sky News in a message to customers: Absolutely nothing is going to happen in terms of either their bills or their access to water, we have contingency plans  like we do in all of these network utilities  to manage any difficult situations.

Thames Water net debt (PA Graphics)

Senior Conservative Cabinet minister Mel Stride said on Wednesday that water will continue to flow whatever the outcome for the company.

Wading in on the saga, the Consumer Council for Water said the prospect of substantial bill rises to fund investment in the sector should come with a strong safety net to protect households that are struggling.

The group said that bill rises could come from companies investing more in environmental policies and improving water and sewerage services.

Thames Water, which is owned by a consortium of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, stressed that it is working with shareholders to secure the cash it needs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said water would continue to flow no matter what happens with Thames Water (James Manning/PA)

The firm, which serves 15 million households, had a debt pile of 14 billion last year and the highest gearing level of all water companies  a key measure of a companys financial risk.

Meanwhile, the largest shareholder of Tideway, the company building Londons new super sewer, sought to stress that the project is independent of Thames Water.

International Public Partnerships Limited, which owns an 18% stake in Tideway, said that Tideway is a completely separate company to Thames Water.

Thames Water is set to operate and manage the tunnel when construction completes, due to be by 2024.
Here are some of the key figures from the royal accounts for 2022-2023.

 86.3 million  The total taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, made up of 51.8 million for the core funding and an extra 34.5 million for the reservicing of Buckingham Palace.

 107.5 million  Official net expenditure by the monarchy, a rise of 5.1 million or 5% from 102.4 million in 2021/2022.

 1.6 million  Amount spent from the Sovereign Grant on the late Queens funeral.

 700,000  Amount spent from the Sovereign Grant on the Platinum Jubilee (including 300,000 from 2022-23)

 517  Full-time equivalent staff paid for from the Sovereign Grant, including fixed term contracts, up from 491.

The King and Queen at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

 27.1 million  The wage bill for staff, up 3.4 million, or 14%, from 23.7 million the year before.

 2.4 million  Cost of housekeeping and hospitality for the royal household, up 1.1 million from 1.3 million.

 3.9 million  Cost of official royal travel, a drop of 0.6 million or about 13%, from 4.5 million the previous year.

 1.02 million  Cost of 179 helicopter journeys made by members of the royal family.

 186,571  Cost of charter flights for the King and Queen to Rwanda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The then-Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda (Chris Jackson/PA)

 146,219  Charter flights for the King and Queens first official state visit, to Germany in March 2023.

 25,687  Cost of a residence-to-residence charter flight for the King, when he flew from Aberdeen to Northolt in October 2022.

 1.29  Cost per person in the UK of funding the total Sovereign Grant

 77p  Cost per person of the core part of the Sovereign Grant for official duties, not including funds for the long-term Buckingham Palace works.

 183,207  Items of correspondence received by Buckingham Palace in 2022-23 including 67,693 before the Queens death, and 115,244 afterwards, making it the busiest year on record for incoming post.

Flowers in Green Park following the death of Queen Elizabeth II (Zac Goodwin/PA)

 9.7%  Proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds working for Buckingham Palace, compared with 9.7% in 2021-22 and 8.5% in 2020-21. The target was 10% and is now 14%.

 16.3%  Proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds working for Kensington Palace. (13.6% last year)

 More than 2,700  Official engagements by members of the royal family in the UK and overseas, compared with 2,300 last year.

 5.9 million  Prince of Waless private income from the Duchy of Cornwall landed estate  for about six months he spent as a new heir to the throne in 2022-23.

 6.9 million  Amount of money kept by the landed estate for day-to-day running, instead of going to William as salary.

 12.8 million  Salary the King received as the Prince of Wales from the Duchy.

 24 million  The total annual Duchy of Cornwall profit for 2022-23, which would ordinarily have been Williams full salary.
MPs who ruled that Boris Johnson lied to Parliament with his partygate assurances are expected to publish a follow-up report detailing attempts to interfere with the inquiry.

The Privileges Committee published its report into the former prime minister earlier this month, concluding he committed repeated contempts of Parliament by deliberately misleading MPs with his partygate denials before being complicit in a campaign of abuse and intimidation

The seven-person panel, which was chaired by veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman but had a Conservative majority, used its 106-page report to warn Mr Johnsons most vocal defenders that they would face scrutiny themselves through a special update into attempts to undermine its work.

It is expected that the follow-up document will be published on Thursday.

According to sources cited by The Guardian, the special report will raise issues encountered by the committee during its initial inquiry, including whether statements by Mr Johnsons supporters could be considered a contempt of Parliament in their own right.

In its partygate report published on June 15, the Privileges Committee said: From the outset of this inquiry there has been a sustained attempt, seemingly co-ordinated, to undermine the committees credibility and, more worryingly, that of those members serving on it.

The committee is concerned that if these behaviours go unchallenged, it will be impossible for the House to establish such a committee to conduct sensitive and important inquiries in the future.

The House must have a committee to defend its rights and privileges, and it must protect members of the House doing that duty from formal or informal attack or undermining designed to deter and prevent them from doing that duty.

Nadine Dorries was among Mr Johnsons most vocal supporters (James Manning/PA)

We will be making a special report separately to the House dealing with these matters.

After the publication of the partygate conclusion, which recommended that Mr Johnson should have faced a 90-day suspension if he had not quit Parliament, the former prime minister and his allies stepped up their attacks.

Mr Johnson, who quit as an MP in protest after learning of the inquirys intention to hand him a lengthy enough punishment to potentially trigger a by-election in his seat, said the committee had reached a deranged conclusion.

In his resignation statement, the former Tory leader labelled the investigation a kangaroo court that was akin to a witch hunt.

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, one of Mr Johnsons most vocal supporters, urged voters to turf out Tory MPs who backed the committees report.

Simon Clarke said Boris Johnsons punishment was absolutely extraordinary (Aaron Chown/PA)

Any Conservative MP who would vote for this report is fundamentally not a Conservative and will be held to account by members and the public. Deselections may follow, she said on the day of the reports publication.

That did not deter MPs from voting overwhelmingly to back the report, with only seven voting against the committees findings and 354 voting in favour.

Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith called the MPs conclusions spiteful, vindictive and overreaching.

Former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke  who was knighted in Mr Johnsons resignation honours  said the punishment dealt out by the committee was absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, another honoured by Mr Johnson, suggested the committees fundamental judgment was wrong.
A secret police unit that spied on hundreds of campaign groups over four decades should have been closed down in the first years of its existence, a report has found.

The shadowy actions of the Metropolitan Police Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) were not justified and only three of the groups it spied on were legitimate targets, the first report from a mammoth public inquiry found.

Campaigners who were targeted by the SDS called the findings devastating for police, MI5 and the government.

A report focusing on the SDS between 1968 and 1982 was published on Thursday, with future stages set to examine the unit up to 2008, and a successor squad until 2010.

Campaigners outside the Royal Courts of Justice (Tess De La Mare/PA)

It will examine scandals over women being deceived into sexual relationships, the use of dead childrens names without their families consent and spying on justice campaigns including that for Stephen Lawrence.

Chairman Sir John Mitting concluded that if details of what the SDS was doing had been made public in the 1970s, the unit would have been brought to a rapid end.

The squad required annual authorisation and funding approval from the Home Office, and in 1976 a group of senior police officers found it should continue work with a minimum of 12 undercover officers.

But Sir John found key issues had not been considered, including long-term undercover deployments meaning intrusion into the personal lives of many hundreds of people, including entering their homes by deception.

Officers accepted positions of responsibility within the groups they were infiltrating and became involved in organising political activity, and their use of dead childrens identities should have been referred to the highest ranks of the Met and the Home Office, he concluded.

Sir John said: If these issues had been addressed, it is hard to see how any conclusion could legitimately have been reached which would not have resulted in the closure of the SDS.

He said the infiltration of only three of the groups that were targeted at the time could be justified  (Provisional) Sinn Fein and two others that have not been publicly named.

The principal, stated purpose of the SDS was to assist uniformed police to control public order in London, Sir John found.

Long-term deployments into left-wing and anarchist groups did make a real contribution to achieving this end, even though this was or could have been achieved to a significant extent by other, less intrusive, means.

The question is whether or not the end justified the means.

He went on: I have come to the firm conclusion that, for a unit of a police force, it did not; and that had the use of these means been publicly known at the time, the SDS would have been brought to a rapid end.

Sir John said among 2,600 documents from between April 1975 and May 1978, 1,400 were about peoples identities and lives; 1,200 were records of the meetings and activities of groups that were spied on; and 200 were reports on forthcoming events that might have an impact on public order in London.

He said: It is a striking feature of the reporting of almost all SDS undercover officers that it contained extensive details about individuals  their political views, personality, working life, relationships with others, and family and private life.

This is the first report to come from the Undercover Policing Inquiry, which was set up in 2015 by then home secretary Theresa May in response to outrage over various tactics used by undercover officers.

The inquiry, which has so far cost 64 million, is expected to finish in three years time.

Doreen Lawrence has called for the name of the officer who spied on the justice campaign for her son to be made public (Jordan Pettit/PA)

Baroness Doreen Lawrence, whose campaign for justice for her murdered son Stephen was spied upon, said: Now that Sir John Mitting has condemned undercover policing as unjustified, I now want to know who ordered the spying on me and my family?

Who thought it necessary to intrude on a law-abiding family fighting for justice for their son? Who signed off on this unlawful practice?

Given that the Home Secretary was ultimately responsible for the Metropolitan Police, I am looking to find out which Home Secretary was responsible for the spying into me.

Welcoming the report, a spokesman for a group of participants in the inquiry said: The shocking reality has at last been acknowledged  the results of the inquiry so far are devastating for the police, the security services and Government.

Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said the tactics used in the 1970s bear no relation to how undercover work is carried out today.

He said: We know that enormous distress has been caused, and I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the apologies made to women deceived by officers into sexual relationships, to the families of deceased children whose identities were used by officers, and to those who suffered a miscarriage of justice because of the actions of SDS officers.

I want to reassure the public that undercover policing has undergone radical reform over the years, with greater regulation, professional codes of practice, and judicial oversight.

The way in which undercover policing was conducted in the 1970s bears no relation to how it is conducted today.
A portrait of a smiling Queen Camilla taken by her daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales has won a prize.

The image of Camilla wearing a blue and white floral dress and cardigan, sitting on a bench with a trug filled with pelargoniums in the gardens of Raymill, her Wiltshire retreat, has won cover of the year in the PPA Awards.

It appeared on the front of a special royal edition of Country Life and keeping the identity of Kate as the royal photographer behind the cover shot totally secret was challenging, according to the magazines managing editor Paula Lester.

Camilla had commissioned the photograph to mark her 75th birthday last year and while she was the guest editor of the magazine.

The PPA award judges said: This cover was crucial in setting the tone and becoming the centrepiece for what became the fastest-selling issue in Country Lifes history.

It was the first time her formal portrait had been taken by Kate, who was then duchess of Cambridge, while Camilla was still duchess of Cornwall.

Ms Lester said: When Country Lifes editor Mark Hedges and I sat down with the Duchess of Cornwall to discuss the issue that shed be guest-editing to mark her 75th birthday, we had no idea who she wanted to take the cover shot.

Kate photographing Camilla during the cover shoot (Shona Williams/PA)

The duchess said: Yes, Im thinking of asking Catherine.

Mark and I glanced at each other quizzically trying to think of a famous photographer called Catherine as she clarified: Catherine Wales.

Ah, we said in unison, with Mark adding: Yes, Your Royal Highness, I think we can work with that.

It was kept totally secret, which was challenging. One day I received a message while at the hairdressers that the Duchess of Cambridge was about to call to discuss the shoot.

Hello, Paula  its Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge here, she said. Im calling to ask what sort of images you are looking for on the front cover of the Duchess of Cornwalls special edition of Country Life.

I explained that we were after an informal portrait of the duchess, that showed her personality and kind, empathetic nature, as opposed to a posed formal shot.

The duchess said she would do her very best but implored me to let her know if the images were not suitable.

Mr Hedges said: The Princess of Wales took a set of wonderful images and it was difficult to choose the best.

The royal editor had the final word and chose the picture The King liked best when he joined our final page-proof meeting.

The award is an amazing accolade for what was already our most successful issue ever. The picture was used worldwide and continues to appear, and will take its place in royal photographic history.

The PPA Awards recognise achievement across the UK specialist media industry.
The Queen donned a white lab coat to learn about pioneering new research into type 1 diabetes, and was praised for keeping active by Mr Motivator.

Camilla toured a University College London (UCL) department meeting researchers leading work that aims to prevent type 1 diabetes, by stopping the bodys immune attack response that causes the disease.

The research is funded by a partnership of charities established by the UK affiliate of leading global type 1 diabetes charity JDRF, and a number of the organisations supporters attended the event including Mr Motivator, former EastEnders actress Nina Wadia and the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs wedding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and former prime minister Theresa May.

The Queen spoke with Professor Lucy Walker, right, during her visit (Justin Tallis/PA)

Camilla, who became president of JDRF UK in 2012, praised researchers and the charitys supporters gathered for a reception following her visit.

She made the room laugh when she looked at Mr Motivator and said: Can I just say, nothing would happen without all of you, were being well motivated  you do do an incredible job.

Speaking about JDRF UK, she added: When I first became part of it I knew nothing about it and rather like a lot of people out there, you combine diabetes type 1 with type 2.

Camilla said fitness instructor Derrick Evans, also known as Mr Motivator, did an incredible job (Justin Tallis/PA)

Ive learnt so much about it  and I can see the progress thats being made and Im sure that a cure is probably not very far away, so fingers crossed and thank you again.

Earlier, the Queen put on a white lab coat and was given a guided tour of the research area by Lucy Walker, professor of immune regulation at UCLs Institute of Immunity and Transplantation based at the Pears Building, Royal Free campus in Hampstead, London.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the bodys immune system attacks beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body use sugar for energy. People with the condition must monitor blood sugar levels and take insulin every day.

The Queen looked into a microscope during her visit to learn about research work into type 1 diabetes (Justin Tallis/PA)

When she stopped to talk to one researcher, she was given a detailed explanation about the use of lasers to study the immune cells which attack the beta cells, and said: Its fascinating, I cant say I understand it, but youre doing a fantastic job.

Camilla was taken to another lab where she looked at a tissue sample showing the beta cells, peering through a microscope at the slide.

When the Queen met Mr Motivator, whose daughter has type 1 diabetes, they talked about exercise and she mentioned her love of ballet with Silver Swans, classes for elderly ballet dancers run by the Royal Academy of Dance.

She said she does ballet for her balance and I told her that was really important, said the fitness instructor, a former staple of breakfast television leading workouts on GMTV, whose real name is Derrick Evans.

The Queen speaks with former prime minister Theresa May (Justin Tallis/PA)

Speaking about his daughter, who is living with type 1 diabetes, Mr Motivator added: What Im looking for is the solution, so that anyone who has type 1 diabetes can have a long and healthy life.

And the only way thats going to happen is that were going to make it much easier for them to control the insulin.

Mrs May, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2012, has launched an inquiry into eating disorders and type 1 diabetes with Sir George Howarth MP, vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes.

She said the research work of the JDRF, founded in 1970 in America under the name Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, was an important element that attracted her to the charity, adding: So its finding the new technology that helps us to manage our diabetes better, but also looking for that cure.

And how we ensure that future generations actually dont even get type 1 but also children today are able to live a better life.
Rape suspect Nicholas Rossi has told his extradition hearing he could not raise his arms above his head, despite visibly doing so the previous day.

Rossi, 35, is facing extradition in connection with a string of rape allegations in the US, which he is accused of faking his own death to evade.

Giving evidence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, Rossi said he is not able to raise his arms above his head because he is so unwell.

But in court on Wednesday, Rossi raised his hand on two occasions in order to attract the attention of his defence agent Mungo Bovey KC.

Nicholas Rossi is wanted in the US (Andrew Milligan/PA)

He also said he is not paralysed but claimed his leg muscles have been so badly atrophied he is unable to walk or support himself.

Rossi also refuted claims by HMP Edinburgh GP Dr Barbara Mundweil about his use of an electric wheelchair.

In her evidence on Wednesday, Dr Mundweil said there is no medical reason for Rossi to use a wheelchair and that while he uses an electric wheelchair in court, he uses a manual version in prison.

He said: The entire population of HMP Edinburgh would testify that fellow prisoners push those in wheelchairs.

Rossi is represented in court by Mungo Bovey KC (Andrew Milligan/PA)

They are called pushers and they are paid 2.50 per week.

Advocate depute Alan Cameron put to Rossi that no-one can trust a word he says against the background of the extradition and he will say anything to avoid it.

Rossi replied: I have considered going to the United States to simply prove I am not Nicholas Rossi.

He also claimed he has been neglected and mistreated to the extent he has suffered physically and psychologically.

During cross-examination by Mr Cameron, Rossi was unable to answer a question about his parents names.

He claimed documents relating to his birth parents are in the custody of an individual in Ireland.

He added: Prior to that law (birth tracing Act) being enacted, it was illegal for an adopted adult to ascertain those records (in Ireland).

He told Mr Cameron he will submit the documents when they are in his possession.

Rossi then repeated a series of claims, saying he is the victim of a conspiracy by the Crown Office, and made serious allegations about Utah state prosecutor David Leavitt.

Later on Thursday, the court heard from two Utah lawyers who speculated on the kind of sentence Rossi might receive if he is successfully extradited.

Joshua Baron, a criminal defence lawyer based in Salt Lake City, said that Rossi could be sentenced for five years to life in prison if he is convicted of obstructing justice.

Rossi was first arrested in December 2021 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where he had been receiving care for Covid-19.

He does not consent to his extradition and insists he is Irish orphan Arthur Knight  but he was found by a court last year to be Rossi.

The hearing before Sheriff Norman McFadyen continues.
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool may be able to look for early signs of dementia and Alzheimers disease, speeding up diagnosis.

The technology, which could help doctors assess the early signs of the condition more efficiently, has been developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield.

Known as CognoSpeak, the system uses a virtual character displayed on a screen to engage a patient in a conversation.

It asks questions to test memory, inspired by those used in outpatient consultations and conducts cognitive tests, such as picture descriptions and verbal fluency tests.

After that, the tool uses AI and speech technology to analyse language and speech patterns to look for signs of dementia, Alzheimers disease and other memory disorders.

Researchers behind the technology suggest it could play a key role in reducing the burden on dementia assessment services, once further testing in GP and memory clinics across the UK is complete.

The National Audit of Memory Assessment Services in England and Wales, conducted between January and August 2021 by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and supported by Alzheimers Society, found that the average waiting time from referral to dementia diagnosis had increased to 17.7 weeks.

This was up from 13 weeks in 2019, with waiting times across services nationwide ranging between zero and 104 weeks (two years), compared to three and 34 in 2019.

There are currently around 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and this is projected to almost double by 2040, according to the Alzheimers Society.

Dr Dan Blackburn, from the University of Sheffields Department of Neuroscience, said: Waiting for a possible diagnosis of dementia can be a very anxious time for patients and their families.

This tool could help patients start treatments sooner, reduce waiting times and give people certainty earlier.

The CognoSpeak system could transform how dementia and other memory disorders are diagnosed by speeding up assessments.

This would also free up clinicians valuable time and mean that those who need specialist care get access to it as quickly as possible.

Also an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and researcher at NIHR Sheffield BRC, he added: There is a real clinical need for this kind of technology.

There are long waiting lists for memory clinics across the UK, but there are also inequalities in accessing the memory clinics service.

The CognoSpeak tool can reduce these inequalities and help make the service more efficient.

Professor Heidi Christensen, from the University of Sheffields Department of Computer Science, added: The way a person speaks can tell us a great deal about their cognitive health and emotional wellbeing, and give us a very early indication of any signs of cognitive decline that may not otherwise have been detected.

The system weve developed here at Sheffield uses speech technology to automatically extract these signs and the automation means we can provide a consistent, accurate and fast assessment for everyone.

CognoSpeak is advanced, high tech and based on world-leading research in this field.

We have the biggest collection of data for this type of assessment anywhere in the world, which were using to advance the technology and improve its accuracy.

The system is being designed in a way that means once it is fully rolled out, a GP could refer a person with memory complaints to use the technology.

CognoSpeak would send the test results back to the GP and then they would decide whether to refer the patient to a memory clinic for further assessment.

The programme can be accessed through a web browser  meaning patients are able to take the test in the comfort of their home, rather than having to wait for a hospital appointment to take a pen-and-paper-based assessment.

Researchers say early trials have shown the technology is as accurate at predicting Alzheimers as the current written tests used to assess or screen for cognitive, memory or thinking impairments.

According to the team, previous research has demonstrated accuracies of 90% for distinguishing people with Alzheimers from people that are cognitively healthy.

Developed by Dr Blackburn and Prof Christensen, the system is still in the research phase, but a 1.4 million National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) grant will allow it to be trialled more widely.

The researchers are recruiting 700 participants from memory clinics across the UK to help develop the system further.

The tool has been developed in collaboration with Therapy Box  a company specialising in speech and language technology  and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Devices for Dignity MedTech Cooperative (D4D).
Further sanctions have been unveiled against Russia as the UK announced a ban on Kremlin-linked individuals and businesses from accessing British legal expertise.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said a new law would be introduced on Thursday preventing UK lawyers from advising Russian companies on certain business deals in a move designed to thwart Moscows war machine in Ukraine from benefitting economically from world-leading legal knowledge.

Officials said the sanction could impact Russias ability to obtain legal advice on everything from trade deals between global corporations to international money lending.

Russia is highly dependent on western countries for legal expertise, according to the MoJ, with the UK previously exporting 56 million in legal services to Russian businesses every year.

Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk said the sanction would further isolate Moscow on the world stage.

It is the latest step by the UK Government to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin  who faced an internal rebellion by the mercenary Wagner Group at the weekend  since the start of his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In total, 19 billion of UK-Russia trade has been wholly or partially sanctioned, based on 2021 trade flows, according to Government data.

Mr Chalk said: The UK legal system underpins many international contracts and businesses, and we will no longer allow Russia to benefit from our knowledge and expertise.

The Russian regime must be held to account for its violation of international law, and these sanctions are increasing the economic pressure to further isolate the Russian government from the rest of the world.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: We continue to crack down on Russias war machine, hold Putin to account and make it harder for him to inflict suffering on the Ukrainian people.

Today we are further strengthening the UKs sanctions approach, increasing measures to block Russia from benefitting from UK legal expertise.

The UK stands steadfast in our pledge to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
By Yi Whan-wo



The chairmen of two banking groups  Jin Ok-dong of Shinhan and Yim Jong-yong of Woori  are each set to celebrate their first 100 days on the job since taking office in March, pushing ahead to visualize their respective goals.



Jin will complete the first 100 days of his three-year term, Friday, after bolstering efforts for Shinhan Financial Group to reclaim its position as Korea's top financial firm.





Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong, left, and Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong / Courtesy of each company
Scotland had no plan for a non-flu pandemic ahead of Covid-19 arriving in the country in 2020, Nicola Sturgeon has told a public inquiry.

The former SNP leader, who was Scotlands first minister for the duration of the pandemic, told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry there was thinking within government around how to deal with infectious diseases which were not flu before the outbreak, but nothing was ever properly laid down in documents.

Giving evidence to the inquiry in person, she also conceded a commitment by her government to review what lead counsel Hugo Keith termed as the UKs sole strategy for a possible influenza pandemic written in 2011 never happened.

She said she believed, however, that even if the document had been updated to consider other possible non-flu pandemics, it would not have radically changed.

The 2011 four-nations plan was not updated, she said, adding: In my view, had that plan been updated, I do not think it would have changed substantially.

A review would not have changed the fundamental assumptions or planning or modelling at the heart of it.

Nicola Sturgeon giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London (PA)

Asked if she agreed with other inquiry participants who previously described the plan as wholly inadequate, Ms Sturgeon replied: In summary, yes. The plan was for a different type of pandemic than the one we unfortunately were confronted with.

What there wasnt, and I think this is the significant gap, is there was no set plan into how we dealt with a pandemic that had the features and characteristics of flu in terms of transmissibility, but also the severity and what we came to understand in terms of asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19.

The questions in my mind, literally every day, are not so much did we lack a plan but did we lack capabilities for dealing with a pandemic of the nature of Covid-19. And obviously Im talking there about contact tracing, testing, infrastructure in particular.

Later in her evidence, Ms Sturgeon was quizzed about her governments decision to divert resources from emergency planning in the lead up to the pandemic to prepare for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

A significant amount of time, energy and resource was diverted into that from a range of other matters, she said.

Asked why resources were pulled from emergency planning when the risk of pandemic had been identified as the greatest risk facing the nation in the national risk register, Ms Sturgeon said her government had no choice.

She added: I deeply regret any consequences that had for our emergency planning in other areas.

Former deputy first minister of Scotland John Swinney also gave evidence to the inquiry on Thursday (James Manning/PA)

Questioned if this was a false economy, she answered: I think every aspect of Brexit has been a false economy.

She was then warned she was in a witness box, not a soap box.

It is expected Ms Sturgeon will be called upon later in the inquiry to give further evidence concerning her governments response to the pandemic.

Her evidence on Thursday was followed by that of her deputy first minister during the pandemic, John Swinney.

Asked why there was no real financial pandemic planning put in place for support or counter-measures, Mr Swinney said the terms of the devolution settlement do not allow a reserve to be built up.

The Scottish Government is specifically prevented from building up a reserve that it can deploy for eventualities of this type, he said.

He said the UK Governments economic intervention during the pandemic was very welcome and saved many peoples livelihoods from great jeopardy, but also demonstrated the scale of the financial challenge created by the pandemic.

Earlier, Sir Jeremy Farrar, a former member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) which advised the UK Government during the pandemic, gave evidence.

He said having a so-called red team to constructively challenge scientific thinking from the outside, could add a different perspective to a pandemic response in the future.

He said this system worked well when he was part of a similar enterprise in the US.

Former Wellcome director Sir Jeremy said that Independent Sage  set up by former chief scientific adviser to the UK Government Sir David King  tried to work like a red team but unfortunately, for reasons others can debate, sometimes it became more confrontational than perhaps was constructive.
The Defence Secretary has suggested that Ukraine could skip some Nato membership checks to help fast-track the war-torn countrys accession to the defensive alliance.

Ben Wallace said Sweden and Finlands quick route to joining opened a very fair question about whether Kyiv should be given the same treatment as it looks to beat back Russias invading forces.

But the Cabinet minister conceded that other members have a different view and that, with consensus required around new members, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to see a seat created for him around the Nato table at its summit in Vilnius next month.

The comments build on similar sentiments expressed by the Foreign Secretary last week at Londons Ukraine Recovery Conference, with James Cleverly arguing that Ukraine was already delivering on the action plan asked of it by Nato.

Senior Conservative MP Mr Wallace was speaking alongside Canadian defence minister Anita Anand at Canada House in central London after the pair engaged in bilateral meetings ahead of Canada Day on July 1.

The former Scots Guard, asked at a press briefing whether the Lithuania gathering would see efforts to progress Ukraines accession, said Britain had supported Ukraines membership since the Bucharest summit in 2008, where the process was started with helping Kyiv to build its Nato capabilities.

I think it went from an associate member and the next discussion was a membership action plan, said Mr Wallace.

Obviously, Sweden and Finland didnt have any of that and I think that opened a very fair question about should we just skip that at Vilnius and say, subject to other conditions, Ukraine should be able to come in and join.

After all, they are going to have some of the most experienced land forces in Europe and probably be one of the most heavily-armed countries in Europe.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Kyiv to be permitted to join Nato (Carl Court/PA)

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan, but of course we have to put some realism in this space, that there are 31 members of Nato now and we have to all move together.

And, yes, the direction of travel should be towards Nato membership.

But I cant promise that at the Vilnius summit youre going to resolve those 31.

I think what we could be able to do is remove more barriers for Ukraine so that when this is over Ukraine moves towards more security guarantees and more support.

Canadas Ms Anand suggested Ukraine still had hurdles to overcome before it could be welcomed into the alliance, saying that when the conditions are right, we will support Ukraines accession to Nato.

Sweden and neighbouring Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and quickly signalled their intention to join Nato.

Ben Wallace held meetings with his Canadian counterpart in London on Thursday to discuss Ukraine (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

There had been hopes that Swedens application might have been ratified in Vilnius, but Hungarys parliaments decision to postpone its ratification looks to have delayed Stockholms accession.

Mr Wallace also delivered a withering putdown of Russias military leadership during the press conference, comparing defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff General Valery Gerasimov to Laurel and Hardy for their failure on the battlefield.

Mr Wallace was also asked about unconfirmed reports that the fate of several top Russian generals is unclear, having not been seen since the aborted internal revolt led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, over the weekend.

Speculation has focused on General Sergei Surovikin, who has links to Mr Prigozhin and has not been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to the march on Moscow.

The Defence Secretary said he did not know what has happened to any of these people.

He remarked Mr Prigozhin had gone off to Belarus for a summer holiday and Wagner had been dissipated.

What I would say is, from the UK point of view, if General Gerasimov and Minister Shoigu are still in charge, the huge amounts of failure they have delivered on the battlefield will no doubt continue, he said.

If it means Laurel and Hardy are still running the Russian armed forces and the campaign, then that is to the benefit of the Ukrainians.
Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie took aim at fellow 2024 GOP hopeful Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, for dodging a question about the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol by saying that he was nowhere near the Capitol that day.

He wasnt anywhere near Washington. Did he have a TV? Was he alive that day? Did he see what was going on? I mean, thats one of the most ridiculous answers Ive heard in this race so far, Christie, a former New Jersey governor, told CNNs Kaitlin Collins late Wednesday.

During a New Hampshire campaign event earlier this week, a high school student asked DeSantis whether former President Trump violated the peaceful transfer of power in connection to the Jan. 6 attacks. The Florida governor pivoted to the students background and the 2024 election before saying he didnt enjoy seeing the attacks but avoided directly answering the students question.

I wasnt anywhere near Washington that day. I have nothing to do with what happened that day, DeSantis said Tuesday. Obviously, I didnt enjoy seeing, you know, what happened. But we gotta go forward on this stuff. We cannot be looking backwards and be mired in the past.

During the CNN interview, Christie bashed DeSantis for his response, pointing out that people lost their lives and the rioters put lawmakers and former Vice President Mike Pence in danger.

You dont have an opinion about Jan. 6, except to say, I didnt particularly enjoy what happened? Christie said about DeSantiss remarks. People were killed. People were killed, Kaitlin, as you know that day, on Capitol Hill defending the Capitol. We had members of Congress who were running for their lives. We had people trying to hunt down the Vice President of the United States, chanting, Hang Mike Pence.

And Donald Trump the entire time sat outside the Oval Office, that little dining room of his, eating a well-done cheeseburger and watching TV and doing nothing to stop what was going on until it got to the point where even he could no longer stand it, Christie continued.

Christie also said that he knows the student who asked the question because the student has also attended Christies town halls in New Hampshire.

When asked how he would answer the students question, Christie said he would tell the student that Trump was principally responsible for it.

I would say it was one of the most disgraceful days in American history, he said. And that the president was principally responsible for it. One, through the conduct and his words from election night forward, inciting people and insisting that the election was stolen when it wasnt. Through his speech that day, when he attacked directly his own vice president and incited those people to be angry at Mike Pence, who was just performing his constitutional duty.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man is behind bars after allegedly assaulting a state representative in Hartford, Connecticut, Wednesday afternoon during a religious holiday celebration, officials announced.

Andrey Desmond, 30, of New Britain, was arrested by Hartford police after he allegedly assaulted Rep. Maryam Khan, a Democrat, when she and her family were observing Eid al-Adha, one of Islams holiest days, at the citys XL Center, WTNH reported. Muslims across the state were gathered at the convention center for the event.

Desmond attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended by a fellow worshiper, who restrained him until authorities arrived, per the report.

He is charged with second-degree unlawful restraint, third-degree assault, second-degree breach of peace and interfering with police.

MUSLIM ACTIVIST GIVES POWERFUL SPEECH AGAINST FORCED LGBTQ CURRICULUM: 'OUR PEOPLE ARE NOT BACKWARD'

Connecticut state Rep. Maryam Khan, a Democrat, was allegedly assaulted outside a religious ceremony in Hartford, Wednesday evening, June 28, 2023.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Connecticut chapter (CAIR-CT) said Khan, her three children  10, 12 and 15 years old  a friend and her sister were approached by Desmond, who "made vulgar and obscene remarks" before striking her.

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"The attacker grabbed and hit her, and threw her to the ground," the Connecticut chapter continued. "Another worshipper intervened, chased and held the suspect until police arrived."

The organizations chair called on law enforcement to investigate the alleged physical attack.

"We urge local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this attack and to ensure the safety of the Connecticut Muslim community during the ongoing Eid al-Adha celebrations," CAIR-CT Chair Farhan Memon said in a statement. "All too often we have seen American Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim, targeted by hate because of their attire, race or ethnicity."

CAIR-CT also urged Hartford police to treat the attack as a hate crime.

CAIR-CT said Eid al-Adha, which is commonly referred to as just "Eid," is usually celebrated with prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy, and social gatherings. It commemorates Abrahams loyalty to Gods command.

ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARD FACES INFERNO FOR TERMINATING CONTRACT WITH CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY: 'RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE'

Connecticuts Speaker of the House Matt Ritter and Majority Leader Jason Rojas, both Democrats, condemned the attack and said it was "especially painful" that it took place during a religious ceremony.

Muslim across Connecticut observed Eid al-Adha, one of Islams holiest days, at the citys XL Center in Hartford on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

"It is especially painful that Rep. Khan was attacked on a holy night of peace and prayer," the two lawmakers said in a joint statement. "On a night she should be spending with her friends and family. Rep. Khan is an amazing leader and person who is committed to faith, love and service  we are sending our well-wishes and support tonight to Maryam and her family."

Fox News Digital reached out to Khan and the Connecticut police for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called former President Trumps criticism of his campaign visit to New Hampshire bizarre during an interview Wednesday.

Thats bizarre. Its a big state, theres a lot of voters, DeSantis told Fox Newss Martha MacCallum on The Story.

Trump and DeSantis both held presidential campaign events Tuesday in the Granite State, along with fellow Republican candidates former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump was speaking at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Womens (NHFRW) Lilac Luncheon in Concord, while DeSantis held a town hall an hour away in Hollis, N.H.

Its not unusual for candidates to hold events in a state on the same day, particularly when its an early-voting state. However, last week the NHFRW issued a statement asking DeSantis to reschedule his event, arguing that it was a distraction. Two members of the group resigned over the statement.

Trump himself broached the subject while speaking to his supporters Tuesday in New Hampshire.

By the way, hes holding an event right now which is considered not nice, Trump said of DeSantis. Hes holding an event right now to compete with us. Well, guess what? Nobody showed up.

While DeSantis did indeed see a crowd at his town hall Tuesday, he continues to trail Trump nationally and in New Hampshire, according to polls. A St. Anselm College Survey Center poll shows that 47 percent of respondents said they supported Trump, marking a 5-point increase since the last St. Anselm survey in March. DeSantis, on the other hand, saw his support fall by 10 points, bringing it down to 19 percent overall.

When asked by MacCallum about his low poll numbers, DeSantis said, Rome wasnt built in a day.

A lot of these voters will pay more attention when we get into the fall and the winter. Thats just the reality, DeSantis said. I think we have a better presence on the ground than any other candidate has.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis suggested that he would eliminate a number of government agencies during an interview on Wednesday.

Are you in favor of eliminating any agencies? I know conservatives in the past have talked about closing the Department of Education, would you do that? Fox Newss Martha MacCallum asked the Florida governor on The Story.

DeSantis responded with a list of federal departments he would eliminate: We would do Education, we would do Commerce, wed do Energy, and we would do IRS.

And so if Congress will work with me on doing that, well be able to reduce the size and scope of government, he added.

But what Im also going to do, Martha, is be prepared if Congress wont go that far, Im going to use those agencies to push back against woke ideology and against the leftism that we see creeping into all institutions of American life, he said.

Last month, the Florida governor voiced support for defunding the IRS during an interview with conservative radio host Dana Loesch.

So, the answers yes, he said. I think the IRS is a corrupt organization and I think its not a friend to the average citizen or taxpayer. And so we need something totally different.

Ive supported all of the single-rate proposals, I think they would be a huge improvement over the current system and I would be welcoming to take this tax system, chuck it out the window and do something thats more favorable to the average folks, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has vetoed a GOP-backed criminal justice reform bill that passed with almost unanimous support in both houses of the Florida state Legislature.

DeSantis issued the veto Tuesday and officially informed the Florida secretary of state but did not include his reasoning.

The legislation, House Bill 605, would amend the Florida statute concerning the expungement of criminal history records, which currently prevents an individual from seeking an expungement if they previously have received a sealing or expungement, unless they were seeking an expungement of a record previously sealed for 10 years.

The bill would add another exception for individuals who previously received an expungement for an offense that was committed while they were a minor. It would not apply to a minor who was charged as an adult.

The statute concerns records including indictments, charging documents or other information.

Individuals would not need to meet the requirement of the record being sealed for at least 10 years.

The legislation was originally introduced by state Rep. David Smith (R). It passed in the state House by a vote of 107-2 and in the state Senate unanimously.

The Hill has reached out to DeSantis and Smiths offices for comment.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Smith said last month that he considers the expungement of criminal records to affect the workforce and would let people work at the highest level theyre capable of.

He said he hoped it would help workforce shortages, and the people affected would be those who have not been convicted of any crime in Florida.

Smith told the outlet that he is disappointed the bill was vetoed but is committed to good justice reform policy that gives deserving Floridians second chances.

He told The Hill he is not planning to push for the legislature to override the veto.

Although I was not given any explanation for the veto from the Governors staff, I was told by a senior staff member that they would work with me on improving the bill language before the 2024 legislative session with the expectation of having the bill signed into law next year, he said.

Some advisers familiar with DeSantiss thinking told NBC News that the governor issued the veto to position himself as being tough on crime amid his presidential run for the GOP nomination.

Gov. DeSantis has always been a law and order leader. While well-intentioned, he seems worried about the ratification of a more lenient view on criminal records, one adviser said.

DeSantis said last month that if elected president, he would push for Congress to repeal the First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill signed by former President Trump that lowered mandatory minimum sentences and expanded credits for well-behaved prisoners looking to have their sentences reduced.

Smith, who has endorsed DeSantis for president, said he will continue to support the governor in his run.

This story was updated at 6:12 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
John Salangsang/Shutterstock; Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Its time for one last adventure with Indiana Jones, and a few new faces are joining our favorite archaeologist  including Shaunette Renee Wilsons Agent Mason.

Wilson, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly that she was definitely a fan of Indy (Harrison Ford) long before landing her starring role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which hits theaters on Friday, June 30. I think my first engagement with it was as a kid watching [with] my dad and my brother. We were [an] immigrant family, and that was a good introduction to American cinema and a bit of American culture, she shared. And it was really fantastic just to see this kind of anti-hero who, you know, fumbles about and gets hurt  it isnt so perfect or pristine  was really, really unique and interesting.

Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan Have 'Indiana Jones' Reunion at 2023 Oscars- Then and Now Pics - 668

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny picks up in 1969 amid the moon landing. Indy is teaching college classes in New York City, and hes settled into his life as a lonely archaeology professor on the verge of retirement. When his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) comes to him with some questions about the legendary Archimedes Dial, which can locate fissures in time, it becomes clear that she isnt a little girl but a con woman  and she isnt the only one who wants the dial.

Meanwhile, Mason is one of the U.S. government agents working with Dr. Schmidt, a.k.a. Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelson), a Nazi scientist who is also after the dial. Shes working with Dr. Schmidt, who was one of the scientists who helped get Americans through the moon, Wilson explained. So in a bit of quid pro quo, we are after this, he has requested this dial. We have no sense of its power or why he wants it, but were gonna do our best to get it for him.  and things just get a little bit out of hand from there.

Mason gets a whole lot more than she bargained for as she follows Dr. Schmidt without any knowledge of his loyalty to the Nazis.

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Behind the scenes, Wilson got more than she expected in the best ways while filming the movie  including forging a friendship with Waller-Bridge. With someone of her caliber, [she provided] even a bit of a mentorship with me, and yeah, [it was] just truly, truly special, Wilson gushed. I dont think this experience wouldve been as amazing as it was without her.

Scroll down to read more from Wilson:

Us Weekly: Can you tell me a little bit about your character and how she crosses paths with Indiana Jones?

Shaunette Renee Wilson: My character is Agent Mason. Shes a representative of the U.S. government  whether shes the CIA [or] FBI is a little bit ambiguous. Shes working with Dr. Schmidt, who was one of the scientists who helped get Americans through the moon. So in a bit of quid pro quo, we are after this, he has requested this dial. We have no sense of its power or why he wants it, but were gonna do our best to get it for him. And, unfortunately, the person were following who has the dial is Ms. Shaw. And [she] leads us to Indiana Jones. And I encounter him as Dr. Jones. Hes a professor at Hunter College, and things just get a little bit out of hand from there.

Jonathan Olley/Lucasfilm

Us: We have to talk about the fashion. Did you love getting to go into that period look? Did you get to collaborate at all on making that look or anything?

Wilson: Oh, I definitely did. My mood board was just plastered with Pam Grier and Foxy Brown and Cleopatra [Jones]. This was the 1960s blaxploitation era. [The look is a] beautiful homage to all of that. We initially started with a bit of a smaller fro. I mean, the attention to detail of this characters look was impeccable. All the producers were in the room, and it was just really dedicated to making sure that this was properly represented. Yeah, the fro started pretty tight and kind of taper, and then we kept growing and kept growing and like, if were gonna make a statement just, you know, go big or go home and thats what we did.

Us: Did you and Phoebe Waller-Bridge have a good time on this set?

Wilson: Oh yeah. I mean, just on that fact alone, we were the only two women shooting at that time. We just gelled together so beautifully and kind of held onto each other, looking at each other, knowing that theres just the two of us  but also just as artists, as people of the craft who love what we do. And I was such a fan of hers, obviously, Fleabag. I was so thrilled to see her humanity and generosity. Shes such a beautiful soul. I think we really, really connected, going on lovely trips in Edinburgh together, going on little tours together, hanging out in Glasgow. Were the Glasgow gals til we die! She just was really, really, really special. With someone of her caliber, [she provided] even a bit of a mentorship with me and yeah, [it was] just truly, truly special. I dont think this experience wouldve been as amazing as it was without her.

Harrison Ford Through the Years

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Us: Did she give you any particular advice that stands out to you?

Wilson: Yeah. She didnt need to and shes so busy  didnt have the time to  but she actually read a pilot that I wrote. [Waller-Bridge] gave incredible notes and talked about the heart of the piece and the characters, and [she] was also very complimentary and just went through a bit of her process. She told me to write what scares you. Write the thing that youre afraid of and also write what you know, what feels the closest to you. Cause thats what the real craft is, [it] is taking something personal and fictionalizing it and making it something thats relatable to everyone. Yeah, and just the literally the day-to-day [routine], to keep levity, to keep the humor, but also just sincerity and deep emotionality. Yeah, Im really fangirling in a lot of ways, but shes really honestly just a genuinely sincere person.

Lucasfilm

Us: What was your favorite memory from filming this movie?

Wilson: I think it was being in Glasgow. We have blocked off long city blocks [to] reimagine, reinvent a 1969 New York. Im from New York, so it was really cool to be transported back in time and seeing familiar things of New York of today. Just the energy of the crowd and the people, there was this huge parade, huge action sequence. [That] was my first day on set. It was really magical and Im just like, Oh yeah, Im here. Im part of this story, and Im in it. And within the plot, Im at a point where things are really alive. Its a beautiful introduction into the era that we move to in the film.

Stars Who Turned Down Major Movie and TV Roles- Brad Pitt Gwyneth Paltrow and More -205

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Us: How was working with Harrison Ford?

Wilson: The phrase I just remembered him using, when I heard for the first time, I thought, This is amazing. Hes like, Lets shoot this piece of st. [laughs] Just so, so fantastic and just screaming, Actors ready! It was really great. He is a lover of what we do. Hes an actor first. Of course, the extent of his career is so massive and he has a wealth of experience, but he is so grounded and so present and was with me energetically, whether or not the camera was on him or not. Also, hes just so funny. His inner child is always at play. He has this deadpan dry humor, but he is essentially a still bit of a kid, and I think that has aided his longevity.

Us: What feeling do you hope that fans walk away with after they finish this movie?

Wilson: I want them to feel inspired, but also have closure to what has been an impeccably insane ride of a franchise and the character, to be able to say goodbye and to feel acceptance and peace with that. But also just excited to know that theres still adventure to be had; theres still discovery to be had. This is the end of this particular franchise. Were saying goodbye to this character, but for ourselves, theres way more to explore.

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This conversation and been edited for length and clarity.
SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses plot developments in Episode 2 of Marvel Studios Secret Invasion, currently streaming on Disney+.

Samuel L. Jackson has played the super spy Nick Fury in 11 movies for Marvel Studios. Sometimes, hes appeared in only a brief cameo; other times, hes been the second or third lead in a movie with Captain in the title. In every appearance, Jackson exudes preternatural calm and cunning as one of the most formidable, non-superpowered humans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it wasnt until the actors first foray as the lead in an MCU project  the Disney+ series Secret Invasion  that Marvel has really addressed the fact that Nick Fury is also a Black man who grew up in America.

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We very seldom deal with Nick Fury in that way, Jackson says.

In Secret Invasion, Fury is at the ebb of his authority. Rattled by the Blip, hed decamped to a space station orbiting Earth, but he gets pulled back home by his friend Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), one of the shapeshifting Skrulls Fury helped to save in Captain Marvel, to stop a separatist sect of Skrulls led by the fanatical Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir). In the June 21 premiere episode, Fury and Talos fail to stop Gravik from bombing a public square Moscow.

In Episode 2, Fury demands a meeting with James Rhodey Rhodes (Don Cheadle), the Air Force colonel and former Avenger who fought alongside Fury as War Machine. Furys surprised to discover that not only does Rhodes already know about the Skrull threat, he rebukes Furys request for support to stop it. So Fury tries to evoke their common experience as Black men inside the halls of power  including Furys experience unwittingly working for secret Hydra agent Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) from Captain America: The Winter Solider.

Men who look like us dont get promoted because of who our daddies know, Fury tells Rhodes. Every ounce of power that we wrestle from the vice grip of the mediocre Alexander Pierces who run this world was earned in blood. So lets make the power mean something. Help a brother out.

For Jackson, the scene was a chance to unpack how Fury and Rhodes have faced the world in a way hes never gotten to do in Marvels movies. Jackson says he talked with the shows writers about what its like for Fury to have that much power as a Black man, and how they can be diminished at any moment by someone else just saying a specific thing or changing the trajectory of ones career path because of it.

Rhodey and Fury have risen to this place where we have a certain amount of power, even though were better than the people who have power, we still got to suppress ourselves in a specific way, Jackson continues. And Marvels not afraid to let us explore that.

That exploration eventually became even more personal for Jackson. Earlier in Episode 2, Fury and Talos escape Moscow on a train, and Fury begins talking about his experience as a kid riding with his mother on the train to Detroit from his home in Alabama, when theyd have to bring their meals in a shoebox because we couldnt go in the dining car.

Filmmaker Ali Selim (The Looming Tower), who directed every episode of Secret Invasion, says that the story came directly from Jackson. It wasnt on the page. It was him telling us a story, he says. Hes very connected to Nick Fury in a way that no writer ever could be.

I used to take the train every summer from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Washington, D.C., Jackson says. I couldnt go in a dining car because its segregated. When they put me on the train, they gave me a shoebox with food in it, then I ate that food. We used things that were real for me as a person to give Nick Fury the kind of history that he has, to inform the story in a real way about, you know, how he wasnt always this [powerful], or he does look at America in another kind of way.

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik in Secret Invasion.

The effort has made Secret Invasion unusually trenchant for a Marvel project; along with the Black Panther films, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Ms. Marvel, its one of the few to directly address topics of racial identity in America. After Fury tells Talos about his childhood train rides, Talos confesses that over a million Skrull refugees have been secretly living on Earth for years, a revelation that shocks Fury. Humans cant coexist with each other, Talos! he bellows. There is not enough room or tolerance on this planet for another species!

Its the same problem we have right now, Jackson says, referencing the geopolitical tensions caused by influxes of human immigrants and refugees on our planet. How do you let all those people cross the border, not to mention how people will react? I mean, they dont like, brown [and] Black people. What do you think youre gonna do with some green people?

Selim  whose mother is white and from Minnesota and father is Arab and from Egypt  also sees a broader meaning in Furys struggle on the show. Ive lived in the Arab world. Ive lived in the Midwest. I always feel a little bit other, he says. I think at the core of Nick Furys journey as a Black man in America, the more universal sense of that is a story about the other: the other thats in himself, the other he feels in society.

That metaphor can only go so far on a comic book show, however. Ben-Adir says he had hours and hours of conversations with the shows producers about Gravik  who we learn met Fury in the late 1990s as a child  and what is driving his campaign for Skrull independence on Earth.

He trusts no one, loves no one, cares about no one, and is living solely to see Nick Fury and Talos experience as much of the pain that he felt as possible, Ben-Adir says. Hes playing with them in a way that kind of feels sociopathic, to say the least.

So Ben-Adir decided to lean into that, playing Gravik as a sociopath driven utterly by revenge, rather than a freedom fighter striving for the greater good of his people. The latter, Ben-Adir says, means nothing to him  its just a way to manipulate people around him so he can do what he needs to do to make [Fury and Talos] feel the pain.

It is perhaps a surprising choice for the actor, given the appeal of playing a character whose core beliefs are righteous even if his means arent. But that approach did not appeal to Ben-Adir, who wanted to avoid drawing too clear of a line between the sci-fi conceits of Secret Invasion and the very real and complicated realities of refugees in the real world. I was like, we do not have the time to explore this properly in the show, he says. We need to be careful. The messaging of it, especially being a person of color  I thought it was very risky.

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The corporate logo of MG Non-Life Insurance is displayed at its headquarters in Seoul. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



Woori Financial Group and Kyobo Life Insurance are expected to jump into the race to acquire MG Non-Life Insurance, in their bid to build tighter business portfolios amid toughening market competition.



The sales process of the mid-tier insurer will begin sometime as early as July after the ruling of its first trial. JC Partners, a private equity firm which is the largest shareholder of MG, filed a suit against the Financial Services Commission after the government agency designated the cash-strapped insurer as an insolvent financial institution.



Following the ruling slated for July 6, Woori and Kyobo are widely forecast to join the race for the acquisition of the insurer.



Woori has for years expressed its strong willingness to acquire securities and insurance firms, as unlike its rivals, it does not have any affiliates operating the two major non-banking businesses. All eyes are thus on Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong's next move. Given Yim's repeated remarks on the need to do so, industry officials say there stands an ample possibility for Woori to bet big on the acquisition of the insurer.



Even if Woori's top priority is still to purchase a securities firm, few brokerage houses are up for sale at the moment. The Woori chief also said recently his company is considering the purchase of an insurance firm first.



Kyobo Life Insurance is the biggest potential rival for the acquisition race. Last week, the company held a board meeting and discussed its plans to expand into the non-insurance sector.



The company is moving to transform into a financial holding firm by the end of next year at the earliest. Kyobo operates diverse financial businesses  such as life insurance, securities and asset management. But the company is likely to tighten its insurance portfolio through the acquisition of MG ahead of its planned establishment of the financial holding firm.



"The acquisition of MG will not guarantee any immediate earnings returns to both companies, so we still need to see specific contract terms," an industry source said. "But Woori and Kyobo will keep looking for attractive non-insurers up for sale on the market for their portfolio diversification."



According to an audit report from the Financial Supervisory Service, MG Non-Life Insurance suffered an operating loss of 56.8 billion won ($43.1 million) in 2022.


Bahama Breeze's margarita flight.

If you run into issues at the airport this Fourth of July holiday, Bahama Breeze has something that can ease the pain.

The Caribbean restaurant brand is running a Flight for a Flight deal in select U.S. cities, serving free margarita flights to travelers whose plane trip gets canceled. Each drink flight includes three-ounce pours of the eaterys classic, dragon fruit and coconut-pineapple margaritas.

Flyers can redeem the offer by showing proof of cancellation from the airline to their server. The promotion will run from July 1-8 at participating locations in Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

What are the terms of the Bahama Breeze 'Flight for a Flight' deal?

Travelers must be 21 or older to claim their margarita flight, and their canceled flight must be scheduled between the promotions run dates, according to the terms and conditions. No food purchase is necessary to qualify.

Flight canceled or delayed?: Here's what airlines owe you (and don't)

The offer is limited to one drink flight per person and is good for one visit only.

AAA predicts that nearly 51 million Americans will travel 50 miles from home or more over the Fourth of July weekend, marking a new record for the holiday. More than 8% of those travelers are expected to fly.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trade in your canceled flight for a free margarita flight
By Layli Foroudi and Noemie Olive

NANTERRE, France (Reuters) -President Emmanuel Macron fought to contain a mounting crisis on Thursday as unrest erupted for a third day over the deadly police shooting of a teenager of Algerian and Moroccan descent during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb.

Forty thousand police officers were to deploy across France -- nearly four times the numbers mobilised on Wednesday -- but there were few signs that government appeals to a de-escalation in the violence would quell the widespread anger.

In Nanterre, the working class town on the western outskirts of Paris where 17-year-old Nahel M. was shot dead on Tuesday, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets and hurled projectiles at police following a peaceful vigil.

Protesters scrawled "Vengeance for Nahel" across buildings and bus shelters.

Local authorities in Clamart, 8 km (5 miles) from central Paris, imposed a nighttime curfew until Monday.

Valerie Pecresse, who heads the greater Paris region, said all bus and tram services would be halted after 9 p.m. after some were set alight the previous night.

Macron's government dismissed calls from some political opponents for a state of emergency to be declared, but towns and cities nationwide were bracing for further rioting.

"The response of the state must be extremely firm," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said, speaking from the northern town of Mons-en-Baroeul where several municipal buildings were set alight.

The incident has fed longstanding complaints of police violence and systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies from rights groups and within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major cities in France.

The local prosecutor said the officer involved had been put under formal investigation for voluntary homicide and would be held in prison in preventive detention.

Under France's legal system, being placed under formal investigation is akin to being charged in Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions.

"The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met," Pascal Prache, the prosecutor, told a news conference.

SINGLE BULLET

The teenager was shot during Tuesday's morning rush hour. He initially failed to stop after the Mercedes AMG he was driving was spotted in a bus lane. Two police officers caught up with the car in a traffic jam.

When the car made to get away, one officer fired at close range through the driver's window. Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

The officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a car chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt after the teenager allegedly committed several traffic violations.

Nahel was known to police for previously failing to comply with traffic stop orders, Prache said.

Macron on Wednesday said the shooting was unforgivable. As he convened his emergency meeting he also condemned the unrest.

VIGIL MARCH

At a march in Nanterre in memory of Nahel, participants railed against what they perceived as a culture of police impunity and a failure to reform law enforcement in a country that has experienced waves of rioting and protests over police conduct.

"We demand that the judiciary does its job, otherwise we'll do it our way," a neighbour of Nahel's family told Reuters at the march.

Thousands thronged the streets. Riding atop a flatbed lorry, the teenager's mother waved to the crowd wearing a white T-shirt reading "Justice for Nahel" and the date of his death.

The unrest has revived memories of riots in 2005 that convulsed France for three weeks and forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police.

Two officers were acquitted in a trial ten years later.

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

Karima Khartim, a local councillor in Blanc Mesnil north east of Paris, said people's patience was running thin.

"We've experienced this injustice many times before," she said.

(Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten, Layli Foroudi, Noemie Olive and Michel Rose; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by John Stonestreet, Frank Jack Daniel, Alexandra Hudson and Daniel Wallis)
For Nancy Johnson, Windsor Park was like a dream when she first moved to a new home in the historically Black North Las Vegas neighborhood in 1976. But within a few years, the cracks began to show  and homes started to sink.

The homes, the streets started cracking, the driveways, said Johnson, a 67-year-old mother and former blackjack dealer. Im legally blind and I could tell that when I hung up the curtains that they were leaning.

Johnson is one of dozens of residents who have lived in homes sinking under their feet for decades while seeking the citys help to improve the area or relocate.

No one should have to feel like they live in the gutter, Johnson said.

Their fight may come to an end soon. Earlier this month, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a law that would allocate $37 million to develop new homes near Windsor Park.

While there are multiple vacant lots in this North Las Vegas neighborhood, at least 90 homeowners continue living there despite unsafe living conditions. - Ken Ritter/AP

The law goes into effect on July 1 and will set in motion a process to relocate residents that could take about a year to complete, according to state Sen. Dina Neal, a Democrat who represents Windsor Park and who sponsored the legislation.

Nevadas housing division will hire a developer to build new homes on vacant land adjacent to Windsor Park that has been studied to ensure it wont subside, and residents would exchange their current home for a new one of at least the same amount of square footage, the law states.

Authorities will cover moving expenses and residents or their descendants will receive $50,000 or $10,000 in restitution, based on whether their families still live in the neighborhood, according to the law.

Despite the Governors continued concerns about the feasibility and implications of the legislation itself, he believes its important to support the residents of Windsor Park and give the program a chance to succeed, said Elizabeth Ray, a spokesperson for the governors office in a statement to CNN.

A neighborhood crumbling

Built in the 1960s, Windsor Park was originally comprised of 241 homes and considered a segregated neighborhood.

Neal said the neighborhood was built to be a place where Black people could be proud and have homes to pass down to their families.

Johnson, who arrived in the 70s as a 21-year-old with a newborn baby, described how neighbors took care of each other, had picnics together, held Easter egg hunts for their children.

Nancy Johnson, a 67-year-old former blackjack dealer, has lived in the Windsor Park neighborhood since 1976. - courtesy Nancy Johnson

But in the late 80s, Windsor Park began to crumble.

Johnson and other residents told CNN that porches collapsed, sewage pipes shifted and walls inside their homes started to crack.

A study was conducted after residents told authorities in 1988 that their homes were sinking, Neal said. The study found the damage was caused by geological fault lines beneath Windsor Park and exacerbated when groundwater was pulled from an aquifer under the neighborhood.

In the years after the study was conducted, federal, state and local authorities allocated funds to help the neighborhood, allowing some residents to relocate. Four homes were rehabilitated, some residents received $50,000 or $100,000 grants to move elsewhere in the city, and others moved to 45 new homes in a nearby area, according to the new law.

But at least 90 residents, including Johnson, remained  either because they were not able to find homes or chose to stay.

I didnt want to start over. I bought my home at the age of 21, said Johnson, who did not receive the grants or have her home rehabilitated. I always told myself, When you turn 51 youll be done with a mortgage. I didnt want to go and start all over.

We have been forgotten by the city

Windsor Parks condition further deteriorated as time passed.

An ordinance that went into effect in 1998 suspended permits for new buildings or existing buildings in the neighborhood. It stopped residents from making repairs while many experienced flooding, damaged plumbing systems, and cracks wide enough to allow rodents to come inside, Neal said. And residents told CNN the city stopped maintaining the abandoned lots.

A fence lines an uneven foundation where a home once stood in the Windsor Park neighborhood of North Las Vegas. - Ken Ritter/AP

There are vast plots of land between homes littered with trash and fallen trees, some homes have cracked driveways and walls have been patched up with wood, a 2021 documentary produced by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas film school shows.

There are homes around here that you can actually look at it, wondering when its going to fall over, Johnson said.

We have been forgotten by the city up here, said Myrtle Wilson, an 80-year-old who is one of the original homeowners.

Wilson, who raised three children in the neighborhood, said shes worried about new families who recently moved to Windsor Park and are unaware of the issues that homeowners face.

Theyre not revealing to them the problem that were having here, Wilson said. These people think theyve got a forever home, and thats not true.

One resident, Eli Valdez, who bought his home in 2019, said in a Nevada Senate committee hearing in April that he was shocked to learn of the issues and had recently noticed cracks around his home.

After decades of disrepair, residents like Johnson and Wilson said they are prepared to leave their homes and start fresh elsewhere. While they are hopeful, they will not consider their fight over until they are relocated.

Well know for sure that we have won  this is just the beginning of the process  once we actually move. Then well know we have won, Wilson said.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine, is believed to have been detained days after mercenaries staged a revolt inside Russia, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Thursday, citing U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence assessments.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Its not clear whether Surovikin faces any charges or where he is being held, reflecting the opaque world of the Kremlins politics and uncertainty after the revolt.

But his reported detention comes days after Wagner Group mercenaries took over the military headquarters in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and were heading toward Moscow in what appears to have been an aborted insurrection.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin has spoken positively of Surovikin while criticizing the countrys military brass and suggested that he should be appointed the General Staff chief to replace Gen. Valery Gerasimov. The New York Times this week reported that U.S. officials believe Surovikin had advance knowledge of Prigozhins plan to stage the revolt.

The White House and the Kremlin declined to comment.

Surovikin, who has longtime links to Prigozhin, hasnt been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to it.

A Russian military blogger, the Moscow Times, and the Financial Times reported that Surovikin, who is also the commander of the Russian air force, has been arrested.

There has been intense speculation that some top military officers may have colluded with Prigozhin and may now face punishment for the mutiny that briefly sent a virtually unchallenged march toward Moscow that Putin has labeled treason and a stab in the back.

Alexei Venediktov, former head of the Ekho Moskvy, a prominent independent radio station that was shut down by authorities after Moscow invaded Ukraine, said Surovikin and his close lieutenants havent been in contact with their families for three days, but stopped short of saying that he was detained.

Another prominent military messaging channel, Rybar, which is run by a former Defense Ministry press officer, reported a purge in the ranks was underway as authorities looked into allegations that some could have sided with Prigozhin.

Surovikin has been linked to Prigozhin since when both were active in Syria, where Russia has waged a military action since 2015 to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assads government and to help him reclaim territory after a devastating civil war.

While Prigozhin had unleashed expletive-ridden insults at Shoigu and chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov before last week's mutiny in which he demanded their ouster, he has continually praised Surovikin and suggested naming him to replace Gerasimov. When the rebellion began, however, Surovikin recorded a video urging a halt to the mutiny.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that U.S. officials believed that Surovikin had advance knowledge about the mutiny. Asked about that report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shrugged it off as part of speculations and gossip.

On Thursday, Peskov refused to comment on whether Surovikin had been arrested.

Asked by the AP if the president still trusts Surovikin, he replied that Putin works with the defense minister and the chief of the General Staff and referred questions about officers to the Defense Ministry. He also referred all other questions about Surovikin and his status to the ministry.

As to whether Putin considers it necessary to dismiss military officials who had had links with Prigozhin, Peskov said the issue isnt my prerogative, and I have nothing to say on that.

The bald, fierce-looking Surovikin, who was nicknamed General Armageddon by Western media for his brutal tactics in Syria and Ukraine, was credited with shoring up Russian defenses after Moscows retreat from broad areas of Ukrainian territory last fall amid a swift counteroffensive by Kyiv.

Named by Putin in the fall to lead Russian forces in Ukraine, Surovikin presided over the bombing campaign that targeted Ukraines power plants and other vital infrastructure but failed to knock out power supplies.

In January, Putin replaced him with Gerasimov, putting the General Staff chief in charge of the Russian battle in Ukraine. Surovikin was demoted to the position of Gerasimov's deputy.

Gerasimov's own fate also is unclear after the abortive mutiny. While Shoigu showed up at several events attended by Putin, Gerasimov was mysteriously absent.

If a purge is indeed underway, it could destabilize the military chain of command and erode troop morale amid the early stage of Ukraine's latest counteroffensive and offer Kyiv a chance to reclaim more ground.
A number of LGBTQ youth hope to remind the world that being queer and a person of faith needn't be mutually exclusive. (Illustration by Victoria Ellis for Yahoo)

Sid High, a 19-year-old transgender man who grew up in a Methodist household in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, remembers feeling trapped in "the wrong body" as early as 12 years old.

Though his parents allowed him to socially transition as a young teen (adopting gender-affirming hairstyles, clothing, names and pronouns, none of which require medical interventions), it resulted in bullying from classmates and churchgoers  and even other queer people, who taunted him for being part of Christianity, a religion that has historically excluded and even rallied against LGBTQ people and their rights.

But High says he found solace in scripture. I got closer to God through coming out as a trans man, he tells Yahoo Life. God made us to love, for God is love, and that means the queer community has been born of God. And that love is holy."

Similarly, Roswell Grey, 17, a Texas-based Mormon, felt disconnected from their body at an early age. It created a great deal of emotional stress  as did struggling to find peace within both queer and religious worlds. I had to do a lot of discovery into how those two identities overlap, Grey, who uses they/them pronouns, tells Yahoo Life. As I learned more about my identities and discovered more doctrine I didnt grow up learning, I realized that I wasnt alone.

Sabrina Hodak, too, is religious and queer  20, bisexual and Modern-Orthodox Jewish. She recalls asking faith leaders about how "my queerness and my Judaism were connected" while growing up, and was repeatedly told she had to choose one or the other to be a good follower.

Sid High, an 18-year-old Christian who is also transgender, is using his platform to educate faith leaders and queer folks alike. (Photo courtesy of Beloved Arise)

It made me really want to, like, out of spite, prove them wrong, she tells Yahoo Life. In Judaism, there's this idea of being a light among nations. Everyone has their own individual light to share with this world, to share with other people. So, I want to share my light and spread goodness with other people.

High, Grey and Hodak all represent a new generation of queer youth that's forging a future in which faith and queer identities can harmoniously coexist. As ambassadors for the youth organization Beloved Arise, which aims to celebrate and empower LGBTQ youth of faith, the trio's greatest hope is to show the world that being queer and religious needn't be mutually exclusive  a message that makes the organizations founder Jun Love Young especially proud.

The most exciting thing for me to see is young people raising their voices and saying, I exist, so you can't ignore me anymore, and I have something to say about faith, Young tells Yahoo Life.

The future of religion in America is our queer youth, he adds. They're showing us that spirituality is based on inclusion rather than exclusion. We're also seeing a movement around Muslim communities, and a bit of movement in the Hindu tradition, so its exciting to see that progress is being made.

But queer youth are challenged by conservative legislators who've brought an onslaught of anti-trans legislation across state courts (560 bills were introduced in 2023 alone), many specifically targeting young people.

A 2022 Pew Research poll sheds light on such perspectives, revealing that most white evangelicals (71%) think society has gone too far in accepting trans/nonbinary people (up from 61% five years ago), while members of other Christian traditions  including Catholics and non-white evangelicals  are more divided, with half or fewer sharing this view.

Sabrina Hodak says using her voice to spread "God's love" is her life's mission. (Photo courtesy of Beloved Arise)

It hasnt deterred some from finding faith: One in five (21%) LGBTQ youth say that religion or spirituality plays an important role in their lives, according to a 2022 research report by the Trevor Project, an LGBTQ suicide-prevention organization  with the highest among them including youth who are Native and Indigenous (34%), Middle Eastern (33%), Black (27%) and Latinx (20%).

It's evidenced in part by a 19-year-old lesbian and devout Muslim living in the Midwest, who chose to remain anonymous for this story. She says navigating Islam alongside a queer identity is an uphill battle.

Being queer does not negate your Islam, and it certainly doesnt negate the efforts you make while trying to be a better Muslim, she tells Yahoo Life. The longer I know other queer Muslims, the more I'm willing to believe that than I think I ever have on my own.

Her search for community ultimately led her to Muslim Youth Leadership Council (MyLC), a group of Muslim youth from across the country working for queer rights, funded by the organization Advocates for Youth and for which she's now an ambassador alongside Amal Iman, a 23-year-old living in New York City (going by a pseudonym for this story).

I hope that as my generation becomes parents, were able to reimagine what families can look like, what healthy relationships with our kids can look like, and what faith can look like, Iman tells Yahoo Life. I want to see more queer people in religious spaces [like] mosques and religious gatherings for holidays, like Ramadan and Eid [al-Fitr].

Ross Murray, founder of the Naming Project, a Christian ministry summer camp for LGBTQ youth, stresses the importance of church leaders making a distinction between who God is, and the institutions that we have built up to follow God, especially now in this time of great division.

Youth may have some sense of who they are, but they may not have figured out all the words in their language to talk about it yet, he says. I feel a responsibility as a youth minister, as a deacon, to make sure that people experience God as someone who is all-loving, that is striving and working for our safety and our protection and our wellbeing.

Jamie Bruesehoff, the mother of a 16-year-old transgender girl named Rebekah whose viral photo six years ago became a symbol of resistance for trans youth, knows all too well the importance of leading by example.

We never planned to have a transgender kid, Bruesehoff, author of the just-released Raising Kids Beyond the Binary: Celebrating God's Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children, tells Yahoo Life. For both myself and her dad, who is a Lutheran pastor, there was never a question for us of whether supporting our child and following her lead and being who God meant her to be was what we were called to do as parents.

Now she and her daughter have made it their mission to build a bridge between fellow believers and other queer communities through education and storytelling.

Raising and parenting Rebekah has shown me how big God is, she says. We know that trans people are made in the image of God, and queer people and gay people, and so on. Knowing that, if we don't know those people, then we're missing out on part of who God is.

That, says High, is the biggest point of all. Its OK to be trans and Christian, he stresses. The queer community is not scary. Were people, too.

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here.
NEW YORK (AP)  Three Florida men were arrested Thursday on charges alleging they illegally made more than $22 million by insider trading ahead of the public announcement that an acquisition firm was going to take former President Donald Trump's media company public.

The charges were outlined in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that did not in any way implicate Trump or Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns his Truth Social platform.

The charges make it less likely that Trump Media will be able to pocket the $1.3 billion promised upon completion of the merger with the acquisition firm. The merger is pending approval of securities regulators.

According to the indictment, the men were invited to invest in the special purpose acquisition company, Digital World Acquisition Corp., and were provided confidential information that a potential target of DWAC and another acquisition company, Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp., was Trump Media.

Authorities said the defendants bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before news of the Trump Media business was made public. After the public announcement, the men dumped their securities for a significant profit, according to the court papers.

The indictment said one of the defendants tipped off a neighbor to buy stock in DWAC, calling it a good bet without saying how he knew.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams warned that insider trading is not easy money, calling it cheating."

It's a bad bet, Williams said in a release. "Because my Office, the Southern District of New York, is watching. And we're working quickly to investigate and prosecute anyone who corrupts our financial markets. And we'll keep at it as long as it takes. You can bet on that.

The arrested men were identified as Michael Shvartsman, 52, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida; his brother Gerald Shvartsman, 45, of Aventura, Florida; and Bruce Garelick, 53, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They awaited initial court appearances Thursday afternoon in Miami.

Attorney Grant Smith, representing the Shvartsman brothers, said he had no comment. A lawyer who has represented Garelick in the past did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Michael Shvartsman owned Rocket One Capital LLC, a venture capital firm. Garelick was Rocket One's chief investment officer, according to court papers.

According to the indictment, Garelick was given a seat on DWAC's board of directors and had access to confidential information. It said he then shared that information with his co-conspirators.

The indictment said that between June 2021 and November 2021, the men purchased securities including warrants of their own and shared the secrets with their friends and employees, who also bought tens of thousands of units of securities ahead of the merger announcement with Trump Media & Technology Group. Typically, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, is formed with the intent to merge with a private company.

In early 2021, representatives of Trump Media, including Trump, began communicating with principles of Benessere about potentially merging to take Trump Media public, the indictment said.

Between March and June 2021, Trump Media and Benessere entered into nonbinding letters of intent to merge, it said.

The letters required confidentiality but did allow Benessere and its agents to share confidential information with investors in the special purpose acquisition companies, the indictment said.

Jay Ritter, a University of Florida expert on stock markets who has followed Trumps media venture, said the new charges make it unlikely securities regulators will approve a merger with DWAC.

"The more these people are connected to the company and not a friend of a friend, the more they can say, There is a problem with management, and that is why were not approving this merger,' he said.

Ritter added, though, that Trumps company may be able to find alternative partners to help fund it.

Trump Medias likelihood of being a profitable company is fairly good. This is not some pie-in-the-sky electric vehicle startup that needs to burn through millions of dollars and not come up with anything, he said. Some other company will come through and invest."

The $1.3 billion that Trump Media would miss out on if the merger doesn't go through could have been used to pay salaries and office rent and expand its operation. As for DWAC, securities rules would require it to liquidate if the deal isn't completed.

The potential merger was once greeted as a near certainty by investors. Many were political supporters of Trump, a Republican, who were enraged he had been pushed off Twitter after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. They saw Truth Social as a way to fight back against what they considered censorship on social media  and a sure moneymaker.

Fueling their enthusiasm was big talk about the new venture. Trump called his company a big tent social media rival that would allow all voices to be heard. Documents used to drum up interest in the company held out the prospect of taking on other media giants besides Twitter, including Netflix, Disney and CNN.

Shortly after the proposed merger deal was announced in late 2021, DWAC stock rocketed from about a $10 initial offering price to over $100, giving the combined company a potential market value in the billions of dollars.

But there were regulatory problems from the start. Besides possible insider trading, securities regulators were looking into news reports that there had been substantive talks between DWAC executives and Trump Media months before DWAC sold stock to the public for the first time, a possible violation of securities law.

Trump has called the investigations politically motivated witch hunts that had no substance in reality, a charge repeated by his many allies, including former congressman Devin Nunes, who is the CEO of Trump Media.

Stock in DWAC was trading at $12.70 in the early afternoon Thursday, down more than 50% over the past 12 months.

___

This story has been corrected to show Garelick, not Gerald Shvartsman, was Rocket Ones chief investment officer.
By Michele Kambas and Renee Maltezou

ATHENS (Reuters) - With backing from a politician jailed for leading a party declared a criminal gang, Greek far-right groups swept up over 12% of the vote in Sunday's election, mirroring the rise of populist and ultra-nationalist politicians across Europe.

The surge of three parties with their ultra-nationalist views - including 'Spartans' which barely registered in polls until Ilias Kasidiaris from the banned Golden Dawn party endorsed it from his prison cell -- could swing public debate at home and prove a springboard in European elections.

While the centre-right New Democracy party of Kyriakos Mitsotakis stormed to victory in the June 25 Greek vote, winning 158 seats in the 300-seat parliament, the Spartans emerged as the fifth largest group.

Spartans and two more parties, Greek Solution and Niki - which together have 34 seats - view migration as a threat to Greece's national identity, believe LGBTQ+ issues undermine the sanctity of family and deeply resent authorities for forcing people to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deaths of hundreds of migrants when their boat sank off Greece while being tracked by the Greek coastguard has sharpened the debate over immigration. Despite mourning the tragedy, many Greeks want to halt the stream of migrants.

"The re-emergence of the far right is a byproduct of a political strategy of the New Democracy government which tried to appeal to the centre with an agenda of economic liberalism and, at the same time to the far right with an agenda of law and order and anti-immigrant discourse," said Akritas Kaidatzis, assistant professor of constitutional law at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki.

EUROPE'S FAR-RIGHT RESURGENCE

Gains by the far right in Greece mirror a trend in several other European countries. Support for Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party is at its highest since the wake of Europes migrant crisis in 2018, in Italy a former far-right activist is prime minister and in Sweden a far-right party has joined the government.

Some analysts said it was unlikely the three parties would be able to define government policy. But they are expected to pressure Mitsotakis on LGBTQ+ issues, migration and relations with Greece's historic rival Turkey.

All three are expected to run in European Parliament elections next year.

First elected in 2019, Mitsotakis has been resolute in promoting LGBTQ+ rights but has himself taken a hard line on migration, prompting criticism from rights groups.

Some analysts said Mitsotakis's hard line on migration gave licence to a more xenophobic narrative from the far right.

However, some said ultra-nationalists had claimed the turf on the far right because Mitsotakis was shifting to the centre.

"I sense that it's less likely they will impose their agenda on him, and a lot more likely it will propel him more to the political centre," said Akis Georgakellos, political advisor and managing director of Athens-based communications firm Strateg.

"It's a given they will compete among themselves on who is the most extreme," he said.

TROJAN HORSE FROM SPARTA?

The Spartans party are led by businessman Vassilios Stigas. Despite a far-right agenda, it lacks the militancy of Golden Dawn, which was known for its torch-lit marches through Athens, vitriolic speeches and Nazi-like salutes.

In February, Greece's parliament passed a law banning parties whose leaders are convicted of crimes.

Yet Kasidiaris, Golden Dawn's former frontman, has shown he is still a force to reckon with, even from behind bars.

"I will vote, and support with all my strength the Spartans," Kasidiaris wrote on Twitter from his cell in the high-security Domokos prison after Greece's top court disqualified his group from contesting the elections.

Kasidiaris is serving a 13-year jail term for his leadership role in Golden Dawn, once Greece's third largest party. It was declared a criminal gang linked to hate crimes in a 2020 court ruling. Both convictions are being appealed.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas and Renee Maltezou, writing by Michele Kambas, editing by Edmund Blair and Christina Fincher)
TALLINN, Estonia (AP)  A Belarusian opposition activist says that he has provided the International Criminal Court with materials allegedly detailing President Alexander Lukashenko's involvement in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus, accusations angrily rejected by Minsk.

Lukashenko has been Moscow's closest ally, allowing the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory to send troops and weapons into Ukraine, welcoming a continued Russian military presence in Belarus and the deployment of some of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons there.

The authoritarian leader has also agreed to a union state project that has seen Moscow and Minsk tighten their economic, political and defense ties, while so far stopping short of a full merger.

Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian culture minister, said Tuesday that the materials he has handed over to the ICC indicate that more than 2,100 Ukrainian children from at least 15 Russia-occupied Ukrainian cities have been forcibly taken to Belarus with Lukashenko's approval.

Latushka voiced hope that the materials would prompt the ICC to issue a warrant for Lukashenkos arrest, as it did with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The courts prosecution office on Wednesday didnt confirm receipt of the materials described by Latushka. It said in a written response to The Associated Press that it is "duty bound to protect the confidentiality of the information received. Therefore, we usually do not comment on such communications.

In March, the ICC issued warrants for both Putin and his commissioner for childrens rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. Judges in The Hague said they found reasonable grounds to believe that the two were responsible for the war crimes of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. Moscow has angrily rejected the move.

Ukrainian children, who were under the guardianship of the Ukrainian state, including orphans, children with disabilities and those whose parents were stripped of their parental rights, have been illegally transferred into the territory of Belarus, Latushka told The Associated Press.

The materials handed over to the prosecutors prove that Lukashenko has personally signed the documents under the auspices of the so-called union state of Russia and Belarus that provided a basis for organizing and funding the transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus," he added.

In an online statement published Tuesday, Latushka's anti-Lukashenko National Anti-Crisis Management Group claims to have gathered evidence that the Ukrainian children were placed in five Belarusian summer camps and health resorts.

In a phone interview, Latushka charged that the documents point to Ukrainian children held in Belarusian facilities undergoing ideological brainwashing and Russification before being sent to Russia for adoption, activities he said could amount to war crimes.

Materials published online by the National Anti-Crisis Management Group include a video that shows an entertainer on stage wishing death on U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to cheers and applause from several dozen children gathered in the audience. The same entertainer then voices a wish for Putin to prosper and take control of all of Ukraine.

It wasn't possible to independently verify the circumstances in which the video was shot, nor substantiate Latushka's other claims.

Lukashenko on Tuesday rejected Latushka's accusations as "madness, arguing that Belarus has temporarily hosted the children to help them recover from the war's trauma.

The Belarusian leader said he has reached out to Putin and they agreed to fund the children's stay in Belarus from the state budget.

This is how we started taking them here, Lukashenko said Tuesday. We help improve their health and they leave. They actually don't want to leave.

Lukashenko denounced Latushka as a scoundrel and accused him of trying to manufacture an ICC case against him.

Latushka was forced to leave Belarus under pressure from Belarusian authorities following Lukashenko's reelection in a 2020 vote that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged. Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million people with an iron hand for 29 years, relied on Russias political and financial support to brutally suppress months of major opposition protests.

Latushka, who lives in self-imposed exile in Poland, said that he received an increasing flow of death threats as he pressed his investigation into the alleged forced transfers of children.

Speaking to the AP, he charged that along with Lukashenko, at least four other people have been involved in transferring Ukrainian children to Belarus, including Dmitry Mezentsev, a top official within the Russo-Belarusian union state structure, Ivan Golovaty, the head of state-owned Belarusian fertilizer exporter Belaruskali, Alexei Talai, the head of a government-supported charity fund, and Olga Volkova, a pro-Russia activist in Ukraine's partially-occupied Donetsk region.

Documents published by Latushka's opposition group also include a copy of a letter signed by Mezentsev and addressed to the head of Russia's national rail operator, Russian Railways, asking that it jointly organize the transportation of the children from Ukraine's industrial east for rehabilitation to brotherly Belarus.

The letter, dated March 23, referenced a decision by Putin and Lukashenko to provide humanitarian aid" to the children, as well as plans to resettle almost 2,000 orphans and children living in harsh conditions to Belarus this year. It said that 1,050 minors would be transferred in April and May, with another 908 set to follow later in the year. It also indicated that an unspecified number of minors were taken to Belarus last year in a state-funded joint effort by the Russian and Belarusian rail operators.

Any group or individual can send evidence of alleged crimes to the ICC. Prosecutors assess such submissions to identify those that appear to fall within the jurisdiction of the Court and warrant further action, the court says on its website.

The Belarusian authorities have said that the country would host more than 1,000 children ranging in age from 6 to 15 from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine for recovery. They said the first 350 of them arrived in Belarus in April, but didnt say how long they will stay in the country.

Last month, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office said it has launched an investigation into the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus.

___

Mike Corder contributed to this report from The Hague, Netherlands.
A pedestrian walks past Megastudy headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday afternoon. The cram school operator faces a probe from the nation's tax authority. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The tax authority has launched sudden probes into major private tutoring institutions, in an apparent exercise of political pressure after popular private educators complained about the government's education policy.



Megastudy is in the center of the spotlight after the National Tax Service (NTS) launched a special tax investigation into the nation's largest cram school chain.



This came a day after Megastudy Chairman Son Joo-eun stepped up criticism of President Yoon Suk Yeol's negative stance toward private tutoring. Yoon ordered education authorities to exclude so-called "killer questions" in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).



"The education authorities created the killer questions and the private education system has responded to it," Son said during a televised program, Tuesday.



Following the remark, the NTS decided to investigate not just Megastudy, but other major private institutions  such as Jongro Academy.



It is considered rather unusual for the tax authority to launch unexpected probes into multiple private tutoring institutes. The NTS has escalated the investigation into a group of 10 cram schools, and is looking into whether they engaged in tax evasion acts.



Shares of Megastudy dropped 3.45 percent at 10,640 won ($8) per share on the secondary Kosdaq stock market, Thursday.



Other stocks related to private tutoring here were also hit by the government's increase in pressure. Shares of Woongjin Thinkbig fell by 1.11 percent during the same period. Other Kosdaq-listed education stocks  such as IB Kimyoung, YBM Net and Creverse  extended losses with a drop of 3.74, 5.92 and 5.54 percent respectively from a day earlier.



Aside from the NTS, other authorities  such as the Fair Trade Commission (FTC)  will also launch a probe into the private tutoring industry to crack down on their false and exaggerated advertisement activities.



Last year, the FTC slapped a fine of 286 million won on Eduwill for violating a local advertisement act. The Ministry of Education is also receiving reports of private tutoring institutions overcharging students, thereby violating the law.


By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden said it would be a mistake to expand the membership of the U.S. Supreme Court after it struck down race-conscious admission considerations on Thursday but thinks the institution is out of touch with basic American values.

The president's comments came hours after the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, in a sharp setback to affirmative action policies often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.

Biden told MSNBC in New York that the court "may do too much harm but I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, we are going to politicize it maybe forever, in a way that is not healthy."

Biden also said the court's value system is different and it's not as embracing.

The affirmative action ruling is the latest in a string of setbacks on issues that were once considered settled, such as abortion rights, delivered by the conservative-leaning court.

Liberal Democratic lawmakers have proposed expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, possibly ending its conservative majority, but the plan has not been embraced by the White House and other Democrats.

Earlier on Thursday at the White House, Biden said he "strongly" disagrees with the court's decision and urged colleges to take into account challenges that applicants face, including racial discrimination, during the admissions process.

He directed the U.S. Department of Education to analyze what practices will help build more inclusive and diverse student bodies and what practices impede that goal. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the agency will provide resources to colleges and universities addressing lawful admissions in the next 45 days.

The president also proposed that applicants first have to qualify under a college's academic standards, but then admissions officials would take into account "adversity" criteria, such as financial means, living situations and whether or not the applicant faced racial discrimination.

"The truth is - we all know it - discrimination still exists in America," Biden said.

Asked at the White House whether the Supreme Court was a rogue court, Biden paused, then responded, "this is not a normal court." Explaining his comment, Biden later said this Supreme Court has done more to "unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history."

The White House has been meeting with civil rights organizations, universities, and legal organizations to come up with a contingency plan if the court struck down affirmative action, Jean-Pierre said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Jarrett Renshaw; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)
President Biden says he "spent a lot of time with" Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tenure as vice president, sometimes alone.

The remarks from Biden about his encounters with the top Chinese politician came during a speech he delivered from Chicago on Wednesday about "Bidenomics," a term pushed by the White House that pertains to the president's economic agenda.

"I've long said, and I mean this, I was on the Tibetan Plateau with Xi Jinping," Biden said. "I've traveled 17,000 miles with him. I've spoke with him more than any other head of state because it started when I was vice president and President Hu was the president and he was the vice president. We knew he was gonna be the successor."

"It was inappropriate for Barack to spend that time but I spent a lot of time with him," he continued. "I met alone with him  just he and I and a simultaneous interpreter  68 times, 68 hours, 68 times, more than 68 hours."

CHINA FIRES BACK AT BIDEN FOR CALLING PRESIDENT XI JINPING A DICTATOR: 'EXTREMELY ABSURD AND IRRESPONSIBLE'

President Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 14, 2022.

"By the way, I turned in all my notes," he added.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Responding to Biden's comments, Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wrote in a tweet: "Of course President Biden met with Xi Jinping 68 times."

"CCP-linked companies were the Bidens best clients," added Republicans on the committee.

Earlier this month, Biden faced criticism from China after he called Xi a dictator during a fundraiser in California.

Biden said Xi was embarrassed after the U.S. Air Force shot down the Chinese spy balloon. "The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it was he didn't know it was there. Thats a great embarrassment for dictators when they didnt know what happened," he said at the time.

But the president defended his comment about the Chinese president, insisting that it has not interfered with the working relationship between China and the United States.

Asked earlier this month whether referring to Xi as a dictator complicates the U.S. relationship with the People's Republic of China, Biden said, "The answer to your [question] is no."

BIDEN STANDS BY CALLING XI A 'DICTATOR' AFTER COMMENT ANGERS CHINA

Biden called President Xi a dictator earlier this month and faced criticism from China, which said the comment was "extremely absurd and irresponsible."

"When we're talking to our allies and partners around the world, including India, we let the idea of my choosing and avoiding saying what I think is the facts with regard to the relationship with India, with China, is just not something I'm going to change very much," Biden said.

The president went on to claim that the U.S. and China continue to maintain a good relationship, citing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the country this month.

"I believe that, and I've said this for some time, that the hysteria about the relationship with China is collapsing and moving, etc., etc. We had an incident that caused some confusion, you might say," Biden said. "But Secretary Blinken had a great trip to China. I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, in the near term. And I don't think it's had any real consequence."

But China has criticized Biden for his remarks about Xi being a dictator, saying the comment is "extremely absurd and irresponsible."

"The U.S. remarks are extremely absurd and irresponsible. It is a blatant political provocation," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded at a daily briefing on Wednesday. "China expresses strong dissatisfaction and opposition."

Mao said Bidens comments at the fundraiser "go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on Chinas political dignity."

During the private campaign reception in Kentfield, Biden also emphasized cooperation with China and Xi, although he admitted, "Its going to take time."

Fox News' Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden has made it clear to his closest aides in no uncertain terms that he not only will reject any political advice that he try to limit his son Hunters public visibility but that he also doesnt want to hear such suggestions, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

His message, as one of the sources described it, was: Hands off my family.

The blunt directive helps explain why in recent months the father-and-son public appearances seem to have increased in tandem with intensified scrutiny of Hunter Bidens legal troubles.

But the public displays of parental support, to the dismay of some Democrats, arent just about a loving father or a stubborn presidents defiance. For Biden, keeping his son  a recovering drug addict  close means keeping him safe, people close to the president say. Behind the Hunter Biden photo-ops and the state dinner invitations, they say, is an existential concern that weighs on the president daily: If he loosens his grip on his son, who or what will replace it  and to what end?

Its consumed him, a person close to the president said.

For months as Hunter Bidens legal woes persisted and he prepared to mount a public defense against Republican attacks after several years largely staying silent, Bidens closest political and legal advisers have had to balance their instincts to protect their boss with his parental desire to protect his son, according to the people familiar with the dynamic. That has resulted in tensions between legal teams for the president and Hunter Biden and very delicate attempts by the presidents advisers to explain to him how his sons elevated public profile may not be in his best interest when it comes to political goals  specifically winning re-election in what could be a rematch of the 2020 race against Donald Trump, these people said.

Some of Bidens most senior aides have tried in the past to discuss the various potential dynamics with the president where his son is concerned, people familiar with the discussions said. But the presidents responses to those sorts of entreaties have run from defensive to outright angry, these sources said, and he resents that anyone would suggest that he distance himself from his son because of what he views as unfair and outrageous GOP attacks.

Those close to the president have given up trying, even in the most gingerly of ways, to explain to him the potential political fallout, accepting that he and the first ladys family-first approach to public office wont change.

This is the reality of their family ethos, a person close to the president said.

Another summed up the mood of the presidents aides when it comes to political concerns about Hunter Biden as it is what it is, and were dealing with it.

White House spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement that the President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life.

In recent weeks, Hunter Biden has appeared alongside his father regularly, including accompanying him to and from the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, last weekend on Marine One.

President Joe Biden boards Marine One with Hunter Biden (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP)

The younger Biden, 53, is often a fixture by his fathers side at family-focused events, like the White House Easter Egg Roll. But he has also accompanied the president on official government trips, such as when Biden went to Ireland in April.

The White House says Hunter Biden paid his own way to Ireland, consistent with practices in previous administrations when family members accompanied the president for foreign travel.

And, most notably, Hunter Biden was a guest at a White House state dinner for the leader of India just two days after the public learned of a plea agreement he reached with the Justice Department over tax evasion and gun charges. Hunter Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland were among the 400 guests at the dinner as Republicans accused the presidents son of having gotten a sweetheart plea deal. Some Democrats privately cringed at the decision.

Hunter Biden attends the state dinner at the White House (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images )

A Democratic member of Congress, who didnt want to be named criticizing the White House, urged the president to consider the optics in the wake of GOP allegations that his son got preferential treatment in the Justice Departments investigation.

Hes a loving a father whose son has had a real drug problem, and hes got to use some common sense, the lawmaker said. Hes got to become more sensitive to the optics. Hes up for re-election."

Others defended Biden for having invited his son to the state dinner.

Hes the presidents son, said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. Its normal for the president to invite family members to one of the biggest events in his presidency.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., a close ally of the president, said it was absolutely not a mistake for Biden to have invited his son to the state dinner.

It may be a problem for some people, but for me it was not a problem, Clyburn said on NBCs Meet the Press Now. It was him being a dad.

It wasnt a question for the president and the first lady that Hunter Biden would be invited to the state dinner last week, because hes family, people familiar with the matter said.

As for whether Hunter Biden could decide to step back from the spotlight or decline state dinner invitations, a longtime associate of the president said, Hes doing this with a father who is deeply afraid, as he should be, of what happens to many people struggling with addiction, as any father of any person who has struggled with addiction would be, about relapse.

The president and White House officials have chosen not to comment on the federal case against Hunter Biden or push back against Republican accusations that he got special treatment from the Justice Department. But White House officials quietly solicited help from outside allies to deliver messages about the plea deal, specifically to counter the GOP criticism that he got off easy because of who his father is.

There is a sentiment that Hunter should basically not be talked about and that hes a liability, said a person familiar with the White House dynamics involving the president's son. And theres another view from those closer into the Biden family that a vigorous defense is necessary, and they welcome that coming from the outside.

Politically, Bidens view is that Americans will find his relationship with his son relatable from a family perspective and that sticking by someone in recovery is just as important as the recovery itself, people close to the president said. The president also views Hunter Bidens expected guilty plea to tax evasion and gun charges as his sons taking responsibility for his actions, they said.

A White House official pointed, unprompted, to a Reuters/Ipsos poll last week that found that 60% of Americans believe Biden is being a good father by supporting his son as he navigates legal troubles.

But the poll also found that half of respondents believe Hunter Biden is receiving favorable treatment from the Justice Department because hes the presidents son. And 58% said his plea deal wont have any impact on the likelihood of their voting for his father in the 2024 presidential election.

John McLaughlin, one of Trumps pollsters, said the former presidents 2024 campaign plans to continue focusing on Hunter Biden and his business dealings.

I can tell you the Trump campaign is going to keep pressing the Biden corruption issue, McLaughlin said. Its our job to get that out there.
By Ricardo Brito

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Former President Jair Bolsonaro was on the cusp of losing his political future on Thursday, as three of a required four federal electoral court justices ruled he had abused his power in last year's fraught election.

The case was adjourned until Friday when the remaining justices will rule.

Bolsonaro could find himself barred from public office until 2030 if a majority of the Brasilia court's seven judges find he abused his power by summoning ambassadors to vent unfounded claims about Brazil's voting system ahead of last year's vote.

So far three judges have voted to convict the far-right nationalist for abuse of political power and misuse of the media, while one has not.

Bolsonaro, an ex-army captain, narrowly lost last October's election to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

He stands accused of having created a nationwide movement to overturn the election result that culminated in the Jan. 8 invasion of government buildings in Brasilia by thousands of his supporters. He denies any wrongdoing.

Elected in 2018 amid of wave of right-wing leaders that included his political idol, former U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro received global criticism for his lackluster stewardship of the Amazon rainforest, his laissez-faire approach to COVID-19 restrictions, and his evidence-free attacks on Brazil's electoral system.

The TSE trial is part of a broader reckoning in Brazil with the fallout from the country's most painful election in a generation. While the former president faces electoral court scrutiny, many of his one-time allies are being questioned by lawmakers in a congressional probe into the Jan. 8 riots.

Bolsonaro flew to Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, where he was greeted at the airport with shouts of "criminal" and "coup-monger." He said the TSE trial was a political witch-hunt aimed at allowing Brazil's left to fight uncontested in the 2026 election in which he still hoped to run.

Nonetheless, many in Brazil, including Bolsonaro, believe he is likely to be barred from office - a stunning turnaround for a figure who was until recently Brazil's most powerful man.

"Everyone seems to say that it's likely I'm going to be barred from office," he told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper in an interview. "I won't despair. What can I do?"

Bolsonaro does not risk jail in the TSE case. Nonetheless, the 68-year-old still faces multiple criminal investigations that could still put him behind bars.

Many of his former allies have turned their backs on him, pinning their hopes on new right-wingers like Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio Freitas and Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema.

Bolsonaro's best hope at future relevance may lie with his family, including his wife and lawmaker sons, who could also harbor their own presidential ambitions. He told the Folha de S. Paulo that his wife Michelle could well be a presidential candidate in 2026, but said she lacked political experience.

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito, Writing by Steven Grattan, Editing by Gabriel Stargardter, Angus MacSwan and Conor Humphries)
Los Angeles City Council District 6 candidate Imelda Padilla speaks to supporters at her election night party at Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral in Sun Valley. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It's one of the most beloved rancheras in Mexico, a ballad as simple as it is profound, as much of a boast as it is a warning.

El Hijo del Pueblo  The Peoples Son  by Vicente Fernandez played over the speakers at Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral in Sun Valley as I enjoyed a carne asada dinner about an hour before Imelda Padillas election night party.

The 35-year-old hadnt yet arrived  she was making last-minute calls to undecided voters in her bid to win the special election runoff for Council District 6. Thats the seat long held by Nury Martinez, whose career imploded last fall after the leak of a recording capturing her and others uttering racist remarks.

"It's my pride to have been born / In the humblest barrio," begins "El Hijo del Pueblo."

"Away from the bustle / of a fake society."

The Padilla campaign never chose a theme song, but it might as well have been this.

The song, written by Jose Alfredo Jimenez, is a paean to those who stick with the working class and have no desire to join the powerful. A woman of the people is how Padilla, 35, cast herself against opponent Marisa Alcaraz.

Supporters cheer for Los Angeles City Council District 6 special election candidate Imelda Padilla at her election night party. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

"I don't have the disgrace / of not being the people's son."

By the time Padilla showed up to Chiguacle to thunderous applause shortly after the polls closed, she was up by 13 percentage points. (Election officials are expected to release the next batch of results on Friday.)

"What a great start, right?" she said, sincerely gobsmacked by the adulation. "Thank you for coming. Let's mingle!"

The race was expected to be close, because the candidates are so similar. They are Valley natives who left home only to attend a University of California school and returned to make Los Angeles better  Alcaraz as a staffer for Councilmember Curren Price, Padilla as a community organizer in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Both are Democrats who fall on the moderate side of the L.A. liberal spectrum. Both worked for council members who eventually fell into scandal  Alcaraz served as a deputy for Richard Alarcon, whose conviction for voter fraud was overturned by an appeals court in 2016, and Padilla was a deputy for Martinez.

Their only real difference was where they decided to focus their careers. Alcaraz chose City Hall, Padilla stuck with the neighborhoods of the Valley. Their contrasting knowledge of the district they sought to represent was obvious when I interviewed them on the same day in Plaza del Valle, the massive shopping center in Panorama City where each based her campaign office. The plainspoken Padilla told story after story about each tenant, each street, in equal parts English and Spanish. Alcaraz, a self-admitted policy wonk, was painfully unfamiliar with her surroundings.

Read more:Column: A fading mural offers a warning to candidates seeking to replace Nury Martinez

The mood at Chiguacle on Tuesday night was less victory party and more homecoming  a San Fernando Valley version of "This Is Your Life."

There were nonprofit leaders like Mayra Todd, who runs an organization that helps domestic abuse survivors. She bear-hugged Padilla while the two did a happy dance. "Imelda is the person that our community is waiting for," said the Van Nuys resident. "We want to work with her to remind her of the promises she made. I don't think she'll be a fraud, because she's lived our lives."

Community activist Severiana Pablo Reyes has known Padilla for 19 years and recalled the time that she called 311 to complain about mosquito-infested puddles at Rosa Parks Learning Hills in North Hills. Padilla  then working for Martinez  showed up in 15 minutes. "She never says, 'It can't be done,'" the Panorama City resident said. "She always says, 'Let's see how it can be done.'"

Alex Reza, the legendary San Fernando High government teacher whose former students include U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, Martinez and other Valley Latino leaders, embraced Padilla as she inched her way across Chiguacle's vast dining room and patio. She attended a different high school, but the two organized youth leadership conferences for Latino teenage boys for years.

"She knows what it is that ordinary, hardworking families go through," he said. "Boy, Imelda has that 'si se puede' spirit."

Former opponents came to pay their respects. Rose Grigoryan finished fourth in the April primary, then sided with Padilla, especially after a pro-Alcaraz mailer sent to Armenian households used a photo of Grigoryan to imply an endorsement.

"Once I got to know Imelda personally, I didn't just make the right choice, I made the beautiful choice," she said. "The council is not a position for her; it's a mission."

Lalo Lopez originally supported third-place finisher Marco Santana but went with Padilla after the two met for lunch and she "won my heart." The businessman not only organized a successful fundraiser, he used his connections to get the candidate on Don Cheto's popular Spanish-language radio show the morning of the election.

"She's the choice, bro," Lopez said, before heading to the bar. "La campeona del pueblo."

The people's champion.

Supporters greet Los Angeles City Council District 6 candidate Imelda Padilla as she arrives at her election night party at Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral in Sun Valley. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

"How many millionaires / would like to live my life?"

That lyric especially stuck with me as I saw the political class approach Padilla like lords jockeying to kiss the ring of the new queen.

Valley Congress members Brad Sherman and Tony Cardenas. Councilmembers John Lee, Traci Park and Marqueece Harris-Dawson. L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and state Treasurer Fiona Ma. There were young campaign strategists who seemed to all wear the same uniform of sport coat, jeans and fancy sneakers. And Enrique Vela and James Acevedo, godfathers of the Valley's Latino political machine a generation ago. Acevedo wore a perfectly ironed, blindingly white guayabera that made him look like a Chicano Albert Schweitzer.

It wasn't just people power that helped Padilla build an early, commanding lead. Campaign finance reports through June 21 showed she slightly outraised Alcaraz but trounced her in independent expenditures, $639,000 to $480,000. One mailer pasted a photo of Alcaraz next to a smiling Alarcon, an image taken from a column I wrote earlier this year. A door hanger featured a portrait of a smiling Padilla on one side, along with a picture of Price and Alcaraz surrounded by references to the recent felony charges brought against Price.

Read more:Imelda Padilla takes significant lead in L.A. City Council District 6 race

"I write my songs / so the people may sing them."

The party atmosphere at Chiguacle was so vibing that most in the audience didn't stop talking when a short program began around 9:30. They ignored Cardenas and Sherman and didn't react when Father Walter Paredes of Mary Immaculate Church in Pacoima recited the Lord's Prayer in Spanish, lingering on the line "Deliver us from evil" before offering Padilla a blessing.

The room still didn't quiet much when a tired but grinning Padilla finally stood on a stage no bigger than a coffee table. She admitted to being "a little nervous and overwhelmed" but gained her composure when noting that the circumstances of the special election was "not something the community was excited about."

Instead of offering a vision, she wanted to give thanks  to the pueblo. To the unions who bucked the powerful Los Angeles Federation of Labor after it endorsed Alcaraz. Her family. Her political team, which swarmed the small stage until Padilla nearly disappeared. Her pediatrician, who was in the audience and had cured Padilla's childhood case of rickets.

Armenians. Salvadorans. Sikhs. A group of middle-aged Latinas who knocked on doors for hours every day and whom she pronounced "the most chingonas [badass women] in the world."

"I think we can now enjoy the celebration!" Padilla concluded, as everyone roared.

Father Walter Paredes of Mary Immaculate Church in Pacoima blesses District 6 candidate Imelda Padilla at her election night party. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Before she returned to her well-wishers, I asked Padilla how she felt.

"Very tired but honored," she replied, stopping to smile for someone's selfie. She won't have much time to rest. If she maintains her lead, she'll take her seat as soon as the L.A. County Registrar of Voters certifies the election and the City Council accepts the results. After that, she has to start campaigning again: The District 6 seat is up for a regular election next spring.

What did the adoring masses before her mean?

"It means I have a strong base to get the work done."

Finally, how would she stay in this positive moment? How would she fight off the temptations that have snagged too many political newcomers like her, who campaigned on reform only to join the City Hall swamp?

She didn't pause or flinch. "I just need to stay engaged with everyone who helped get me here."

Padilla thanked me and disappeared into the crowd, pulled in every direction. I thought about the the final line from "El Hijo del Pueblo," the one stanza that she should hang in her new office, a prediction of a future I hope she never meets:

"And the day those people fail me



That day, I'm going to cry."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MILAN (Reuters) -More than three-quarters of the population in Lombardy, Italy's largest and most industrialized region, banked online last year, compared with the national average of 63%, the Bank of Italy said on Wednesday.

Digital banking in Lombardy has grown 20 percentage points since 2015, the central bank said in a report on the region's economy, which grew 3.8% in 2022, slightly above the national average.

The data supports No. 2 Italian bank UniCredit's argument against acquiring Lombardy-based rival Banco BPM, a deal some shareholders have called for to strengthen its regional presence. In April UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel said digital users helped his bank secure 11% of deposits in Lombardy, more than its 6% share of branches in the region suggested.

Italy's ageing population spread over about 7,900 municipalities has been slower to adopt digital banking, a major way for lenders to cut costs, than in the UK and Nordic countries.

The number of bank branches in Lombardy fell 4% in 2022, bringing the total decline since 2008 to 39%, compared with 41% for the European Union, the Bank of Italy said.

Even with the reduction, Lombardy has 41 bank branches per 100,000 residents, against a national average of 36, it added.

To cut costs and upgrade its IT infrastructure, Italy's biggest bank Intesa Sanpaolo this month launched its digital-only bank Isybank.

Citing Eurostat data, the Bank of Italy said 67% of Lombardy's population in 2022 accessed banking services online. This is in line with the EU average and some 10 percentage points above the Italian average.

(Reporting by Valentina Za; Editing by Richard Chang)
By John Irish, Arshad Mohammed and Parisa Hafezi

PARIS/WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters) -European diplomats have told Iran they plan to retain European Union ballistic missile sanctions set to expire in October under the defunct 2015 Iran nuclear deal, four sources said, a step that could provoke Iranian retaliation.

The sources cited three reasons for keeping the sanctions: Russia's use of Iranian drones against Ukraine; the possibility Iran might transfer ballistic missiles to Russia; and depriving Iran of the nuclear deal's benefits given Tehran has violated the accord, albeit only after the United States did so first.

Keeping the EU sanctions would reflect Western efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them despite the collapse of the 2015 deal, which then-U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018.

The crux of that pact, which Iran made with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, limited Tehran's nuclear program to make it harder for it to get fissile material for a bomb in return for relief from economic sanctions.

As a result of Trump's withdrawal from the deal and U.S. President Joe Biden's failure to revive it, Iran could make the fissile material for one bomb in 12 days or so, according to U.S. estimates, down from a year when the accord was in force.

With that deal effectively dead, Iran's relations with the West have deteriorated over the last year, leading Washington and its allies to look for ways to de-escalate tensions and, if that happened, for a way to revive some kind of nuclear limits.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, which the West sees as a threat to Israel and Gulf Arab oil exporters.

POSSIBLE IRANIAN RETALIATION

"The Iranians have been told quite clearly (of plans to keep the sanctions) and now the question is what, if any, retaliatory steps the Iranians might take and (how) to anticipate that," said a Western diplomat on condition of anonymity.

The EU sanctions are set to expire on Oct. 18 under a U.N. resolution that enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal.

They "called upon" Iran not to do anything to develop ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons, a phrase urging Iran not to do so but short of a mandatory prohibition.

They also barred anyone from buying, selling or transferring drones and their components capable of flying more than 300 km (186 miles) to or from Iran without prior authorization from the U.N. Security Council, permission that has not been granted.

Since 2017, Iran has carried out a series of ballistic missile tests and satellite launches despite the resolution and, in May, it launched a missile with a potential 2,000-km range.

European powers are alarmed by the growing defense relationship between Tehran and Moscow, which Western officials say has seen Russia use Iranian drones to strike Ukraine, and the possibility Iran could supply ballistic missiles to Russia.

It was not clear whether the E3, a group comprised of Britain, France and Germany, told Iran of their intent to retain the EU sanctions when their senior officials met Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani on June 12 in Abu Dhabi.

EU diplomat Enrique Mora, who co-ordinates talks on the 2015 deal, raised the issue of keeping the EU sanctions when he met Bagheri Kani in Doha on June 21, but the Iranian official refused to discuss the matter, an Iranian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

A second Iranian official brushed off the possibility of the sanctions remaining, saying Tehran had advanced its nuclear and missile programs for years despite Western sanctions.

"Maintaining sanctions, in any capacity and form, will not hinder Iran's ongoing advancements," said this Iranian official, also on condition of anonymity. "It serves as a reminder that the West cannot be relied upon and trusted."

NUCLEAR DEAL 'NO LONGER EXISTS'

Britain's foreign ministry did not comment on whether the E3 planned to keep the sanctions or had told Iran of any decision.

However, a British foreign ministry spokesperson said the June 12 talks in Abu Dhabi "covered the range of our concerns about Iran's behaviour, including its continued nuclear escalation."

France and Germany's foreign ministries have made similar comments about those talks.

A European diplomat said Mora had started laying the legal groundwork to retain the sanctions, which would have to be approved by all 27 EU members. Two sources said the issue had not yet been discussed among all EU states.

"The lifting of sanctions was based on the principle that 2231 would be respected," this diplomat said, referring to the U.N. Security Council resolution that enshrined the 2015 deal. "That has not been the case, so there is a discussion with the Iranians to make clear that we won't lift these sanctions."

EU Spokesperson Nabila Massrali said the JCPOA sets out in some detail the commitments of different participants on the so-called Transition Day which was still several months away (Oct. 18).

"We will provide further information on EU related aspects in due course," she said in response to detailed questions by Reuters.

Under the 2015 nuclear agreement, any party could trigger the "snapback" or return of all sanctions that it removed. Most U.S. sanctions were restored after Trump left the deal.

However, three sources said the E3 did not wish to do this chiefly because it would undercut a threat conveyed in a letter from their foreign ministers to Iran last year that they would trigger "snapback" if Iran enriched uranium to weapons-grade.

Iran has enriched uranium to 60% purity and the U.N. nuclear watchdog has found traces enriched to 83.7%, short of the 90% seen as weapons grade. The 2015 deal capped enrichment at 3.67%.

Henry Rome, an analyst with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said an EU decision to retain the sanctions would be the first significant instance of the E3 not abiding by the terms of the nuclear deal.

"It doesn't replace the U.N. provisions but it would ensure, at least within the powers of European governments, that they are not condoning this type of Iranian behavior," Rome said. "And it does reflect that the Security Council resolution is enshrining a deal that no longer exists in any realistic form."

(Reporting by John Irish in Paris, Arshad Mohammed in Washington and Parisa Hafezi in Dubai; Additional reporting by Andrew Gray and Sabine Siebold in Brussels; Writing by Arshad Mohammed and John Irish; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
By Kane Wu and Julie Zhu

(Reuters) - Shein, the Chinese online fashion retailer worth more than $60 billion that is under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers over its labor practices, has registered with regulators for an initial public offering in New York, people familiar with the matter said.

The stock market debut could make Shein the most valuable Chinese company to go public in the United States since ride-hailing giant Didi Global listed in New York in 2021 at a $68 billion valuation. Didi was delisted from New York a year later amid Beijing's crackdown on Chinese technology giants over antitrust and data security rules.

Shein has confidentially submitted its IPO registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the sources said. The stock market debut could come before the end of 2023, the sources added.

The sources requested anonymity because the matter is confidential.

A spokesperson for Shein said by email that the company "denies these rumors." The spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for further details. The SEC declined to comment.

In pressing on with its IPO plans, Shein is braving heightened tensions between the United States and China over trade, sensitive technology, human rights and the future of Taiwan.

Its IPO is opposed by a bipartisan group of two dozen U.S. representatives, who have asked the SEC to verify the company does not use force labor before allowing it to proceed with a New York listing.

Shein has said it adheres to ethical sourcing standards and has denied allegations that it ships from China's Xinjiang region, where materials such as cotton are often the product of forced labor by the Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority. The United States bans exports from Xinjiang for this reason.

U.S. lawmakers are also seeking to restrict the "de minimis" tariff exemption widely used by e-commerce retailers such as Shein to send orders from China to the United States. A federal brief in April accused Shein of exploiting the exemption to avoid duties and import illegally made items.

Shein was valued in excess of $60 billion in a $2 billion private fundraising round in March. General Atlantic, Mubadala, Tiger Global and Sequoia Capital China are among its investors.

Shein has been eyeing a U.S. IPO for at least three years, but was deterred by headwinds that included U.S. scrutiny of Chinese accounting practices and bouts of market volatility fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine.

The company's founder Chris Xu moved the company's headquarters to Singapore from Nanjing, capital of China's eastern Jiangsu province, more than a year ago, a move that helps Shein circumvent China's tough new rules on overseas listings.

(Reporting by Kane Wu and Julie Zhu in Hong Kong; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Nick Zieminski)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  On the verge of tears, Nathan Nkunzimana recalled watching a video of a child being molested and another of a woman being killed.

Eight hours a day, his job as a content moderator for a Facebook contractor required him to look at horrors so the world wouldnt have to. Some overwhelmed colleagues would scream or cry, he said.

Now, Nkunzimana is among nearly 200 former employees in Kenya who are suing Facebook and local contractor Sama over working conditions that could have implications for social media moderators around the world. It is the first known court challenge outside the United States, where Facebook settled with moderators in 2020.

The group was employed at the social media giants outsourced hub for content moderation in Kenya's capital of Nairobi, where workers screen posts, videos, messages and other content from users across Africa, removing any illegal or harmful material that breaches its community standards and terms of service.

The moderators from several African countries are seeking a $1.6 billion compensation fund after alleging poor working conditions, including insufficient mental health support and low pay. Earlier this year, they were laid off by Sama as it left the business of content moderation. They assert that the companies are ignoring a court order for their contracts to be extended until the case is resolved.

Facebook and Sama have defended their employment practices.

With little certainty of how long the case will take to conclude, the moderators expressed despair as money and work permits run out and they wrestle with the traumatic images that haunt them.

If you feel comfortable browsing and going through the Facebook page, it is because theres someone like me who has been there on that screen, checking, Is this okay to be here?' Nkunzimana, a father of three from Burundi, told The Associated Press in Nairobi.

The 33-year-old said content moderation is like soldiers taking a bullet for Facebook users, with workers watching harmful content showing killing, suicide and sexual assault and making sure it is taken down.

For Nkunzimana and others, the job began with a sense of pride, feeling like they were heroes to the community, he said.

But as the exposure to alarming content reignited past traumas for some like him who had fled political or ethnic violence back home, the moderators found little support and a culture of secrecy.

They were asked to sign nondisclosure agreements. Personal items like phones were not allowed at work.

After his shift, Nkuzimana would go home exhausted and often locked himself in his bedroom to try to forget what he had seen. Even his wife had no idea what his job was like.

These days, he locks himself in his room to avoid his sons questions about why hes no longer working and why they likely can no longer afford school fees. The salary for content moderators was $429 per month, with non-Kenyans getting a small expat allowance on top of that.

The Facebook contractor, U.S.-based Sama, did little to ensure post-traumatic professional counseling was offered to moderators in its Nairobi office, Nkuzimana said. He said counselors were poorly trained to deal with what his colleagues were experiencing. Now, with no mental health care, he immerses himself in church instead.

Facebook parent Meta has said its contractors are contractually obliged to pay their employees above the industry standard in the markets they operate and provide on-site support by trained practitioners.

A spokesman said Meta could not comment on the Kenya case.

In an email to the AP, Sama said the salaries it offered in Kenya were four times the local minimum wage and that over 60% of male employees and over 70% of female employees were living below the international poverty line (less than $1.90 a day) before being hired.

Sama said all employees had unlimited access to one-on-one counseling without fear of repercussions. The contractor also called a recent court decision to extend the moderators contracts confusing and asserted that a later ruling pausing that decision means it has not gone into effect.

Such work has the potential to be incredibly psychologically damaging, but job-seekers in lower-income countries might take the risk in exchange for an office job in the tech industry, said Sarah Roberts, an expert in content moderation at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In countries like Kenya, where there is plenty of cheap labor available, the outsourcing of such sensitive work is a story of an exploitative industry predicated on using global economic inequity to its advantage, doing harm and then taking no responsibility because the firms can be like, Well, we never employed so-and-so, that was, you know, the third party,' she said.

In addition, the mental health care provided might not be the cream of the crop and concerns have been raised about the confidentiality of therapy, said Roberts, an associate professor of information studies.

The difference in the Kenya court case, she said, is that the moderators are organizing and pushing back against their conditions, creating unusual visibility. The usual tactic in such cases in the U.S. is to settle, she said, but if cases are brought in other places, that might not be so easy for the companies to do that.

Facebook invested in moderation hubs worldwide after being accused of allowing hate speech to circulate in countries like Ethiopia and Myanmar, where conflicts were killing thousands of people and harmful content was posted in a variety of local languages.

Sought for their fluency in various African languages, content moderators hired by Sama in Kenya soon found themselves looking at graphic content that hit painfully close to home.

The two years that Fasica Gebrekidan worked as a moderator roughly overlapped with the war in her native Ethiopias northern Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands of people were killed and many Tigrayans like her knew little about their loved ones fate.

Already suffering from having to flee the conflict, the 28-year-old spent her workday looking at gruesome videos and other content overwhelmingly related to the war, including rape. With videos, she had to watch the first 50 seconds and the last 50 seconds to reach a decision on whether it should be taken down.

The feeling of gratitude shed had upon landing the job quickly disappeared.

You run away from the war, then you have to see the war, Fasica said. It was just a torture for us.

She now has no income and no permanent home. She said she would be looking for new opportunities if she could only feel normal again. A former journalist, she cant bring herself to write anymore, even as an outlet for her emotions.

Fasica worries that this garbage will stay in her head forever. While speaking with the AP, she kept her eyes on a painting across the cafe, deep red with what appeared to be a man in distress. It bothered her.

Fasica blames Facebook for a lack of proper mental health care and pay and accuses the local contractor of using her and letting her go.

Facebook should know whats going on, she said. They should care about us.

The fate of the moderators' complaint lies with the Kenyan court, with the next hearing on July 10.

The uncertainty is frustrating, Fasica said. Some moderators are giving up and returning to their home countries, but that is not yet an option for her.

___

AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan contributed from London.
Statistics Korea Commissioner Han Hoon speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in this photo take in August 2022. Korea Times file



By Yi Whan-woo



Han Hoon, commissioner of Statistics Korea, has been appointed to the highest decision-making body of the OECD's Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy.



Statistics Korea said this week that Han was elected to the eight-member committee for a single, three-year term, during the committee's regular meeting at OECD headquarters in Paris. The meeting took place from Monday to Tuesday.



Han is the only member from Asia and will represent the region in the OECD's path to improving international statistics rules and policies.



The eight-member body is led by Geir Axelsen, director general of Statistics Norway. Six other members excluding Han are from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the United States and the European Union. Each represents the stats governing body of their respective country or regional bloc.



"Han's joining of the committee's highest decision-making body reflects Korea's reputation in the global stats community," Statistics Korea said.



In a separate statement, Han expressed hope to "contribute to digital innovation in the stats sector by sharing Korea's relevant know-how and bolstering cooperation with other advanced countries."



Founded in 2004, the OECD committee consists of 38 countries. It also has multiple international organizations as observers, including the U.N. Statistics Division, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the International Labour Organization.



The committee holds an annual meeting every June, with the venue rotating between Paris and Geneva, Switzerland.



The meeting is attended by top officials of stats governing bodies from the member countries as well as those from the aforementioned international organizations.


FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German regulators have told Binance they will not grant it a cryptocurrency custody licence, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, the latest in a string of setbacks for the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange.

Binance has come under pressure from regulators around the world. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this month sued Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao over what the regulator called a "web of deception" to evade U.S. laws. Binance denies the charges.

The German regulator, BaFin, issued a statement declining to comment on individual companies due to confidentiality.

Binance said it would not share details of conversations with regulators, but added: "We continue to work to comply with BaFin's requirements".

It called it a "detailed and ongoing process" and said it was confident of having "the right team and measures in place to continue our discussions with regulators in Germany".

Finance Forward first reported the news of the German licence.

Problems have been mounting for Binance in recent weeks.

Last week, Belgium's FSMA regulator ordered Binance to stop offering any virtual currency services in the country.

France is also probing Binance, which has decided to quit the Dutch market because it was unable to meet registration requirements to operate as a virtual asset service provider.

BaFin in 2021 warned Binance it risked being fined for offering certain digital tokens to clients in Germany without necessary information.

(Reporting by Tom Sims and Tom Wilson; Editing by Sabine Wollrab and Mark Potter)
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Muslims across Indonesia on Thursday were celebrating Eid al-Adha, one of the biggest holidays in the Islamic calendar, with full meat-based feasts after fears of last year's foot-and-mouth disease outbreak waned.

Eid al-Adha, known as the Feast of Sacrifice, coincides with the final rites of the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia. Its a joyous occasion, for which food is a hallmark with devout Muslims buying and slaughtering animals and sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor.

Many Southeast Asia nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore observed Eid al-Adha on Thursday, while Muslims in other parts of the globe, including in countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Afghanistan and Nigeria, celebrated the holiday on Wednesday. It varies according to moon sightings in different parts of the world.

On Thursday, worshippers shoulder-to-shoulder joined in communal prayers in the streets of Indonesias capital, Jakarta. Mosques flooded with devotees offering morning prayers, including in Jakartas Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia.

Thank God, we can pray Eid al-Adha with our family and celebrate the festival without fears of the outbreak and pandemic," said Neisya Fabiola, a Jakarta resident. This years celebration is much more lively than last years.

Eid al-Adha holiday in Indonesia is known for its lavish meat-based feasts, which are made with the meat from the sacrifice. Huge crowds filled the yards of mosques to participate in ritual animal slaughter for the festival.

Indonesia's government has decided to extend this years feast of sacrifice holiday by giving an extra two days of mandatory leave before and after the Muslim festival in the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country.

President Joko Widodo said the decision was geared toward spurring economic activities and tourism in the worlds largest archipelago nation.

It would allow more time for people to travel and enjoy their holiday in a bid to spur more economic activities, particularly domestic tourism, Widodo said last week.

Indonesia, like the rest of the world, is struggling to come out of an economic recession fueled by the pandemic with the Ukraine war and soaring energy and food prices creating complications in the recovery.

Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic tale of Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice Ismail as an act of obedience to God. Before he could carry out the sacrifice, God provided a ram as an offering. In the Christian and Jewish telling, Abraham is ordered to kill another son, Isaac.

Last year, a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak disrupted the ritual slaughter of animals to mark Eid al-Adha in Indonesia. But the government has worked to overcome that outbreak.

Foot-and-mouth disease is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of cloven-footed animals that is sometimes transmitted to humans. It significantly dampened the typically booming holiday trade in goats, cows and sheep in Indonesia.

The disease returned to Indonesia last year, which had been outbreak-free for 32 years. The government, struggling to cope, set up a task force and ordered the culling of tens thousands infected livestock.

The trend of active cases was observed to have decreased with zero new cases in the recent weeks, with the remaining active cases of 4,682 as of Monday, out of a total of 630,706 cases largely on the most populated islands of Java and Sumatra, according to data from the National FMD Task Force.
Graduates Alpha Jalloh, left, and Marcus Harvin, right, embrace at the first-ever college graduation ceremony at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution on June 9 in Suffield, Conn. (Jessica Hill/AP)

At first, Marcus Harvin called it a blessing and then changed his word to miracle. The former inmate spent six years in prison at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution and walked out as a college student last year.

This year, he was among the first to graduate from a program and partnership between the University of New Havens Prison Education Program and the Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall. Harvin joined six other men to make up the first class to matriculate through the program.

The Connecticut father was sentenced to prison in 2016 for a drunken driving crash that left his two young children injured. In 2021, he was accepted into the prison program. In May 2022, he was released and finished his degree at the University of New Haven (UNH) campus a year later.

Now he aspires to become a defense attorney and perform pro bono work for people who cant afford adequate representation.

Graduate Marcus Harvin, right, fist bumps an inmate and fellow student at the first-ever college graduation ceremony at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution on June 9. (Jessica Hill/AP)

Yes, we've made mistakes, Harvin told Yahoo News. But just because we've made mistakes doesn't mean that we can't make a difference in this world and make a change within ourselves, so that the things we've done will just be the things we've done, not the things we do.

How it got started

Zelda Roland, a Yale alum, created the program in 2016 and reached out to UNH for the partnership. She modeled it after a similar program she worked in at Wesleyan University.

Inmates at MacDougall-Walker officially started taking classes at UNH in 2018 and the UNH partnership started in 2021. The program gives inmates the opportunity to earn two- and four-year college degrees. It has just under 40 active students at MacDougall-Walker.

Future graduate Evan Holmes wipes tears from his eyes after delivering a speech at the first-ever college graduation ceremony at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in June. (Jessica Hill/AP)

So far, it has been a success. We have a 100% retention rate for anyone who hasn't been transferred or released from the prison, Roland told Yahoo News. She noted that the program has now been extended to the federal womens prison in Danbury, Conn.

The program is far from easy. We work in a prison that has about 1,500 men; it's the largest prison in the Northeast, Roland said. Six hundred people asked to be considered for our first 12-person class. So it is extremely competitive to get into this program and it takes serious commitment to get through it, she said.

Changing lives

For Harvin, the juxtaposition of taking classes behind bars and on campus could be a tough adjustment.

They challenged us [in prison] probably more than the students on campus get challenged, Harvin, who studied in prison and on campus, told Yahoo News. And the environment makes it even that much more difficult to excel because you'll have an unmotivated cellmate that might be making noise all day, all night, yet you still got a 10-page paper due in 10 hours.

Greta LaFleur, an associate professor of American Studies at Yale, right, smiles as she listens to graduates speak at the graduation ceremony at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in June. (Jessica Hill/AP)

In June, Harvin was able to walk at UNHs ceremony as he had been released from prison, but he also returned to McDougall-Walker for its graduation ceremony, at which he received his associate degree in general studies from UNH.

Harvin said the program helped him make a complete turnaround. After finishing high school in 2006, he went to Eastern Connecticut State University and left with a 1.7 GPA. He said he finished UNH with around a 3.8 GPA.

Each graduate of the program received high honors, meaning each had earned at least a 3.5 GPA. Although the degrees do not say Yale on them, a transcript will show that the men took classes at the prestigious Ivy League institution.

Graduate Alpha Jalloh walks with his diploma past correction officers congratulating him at the graduation ceremony at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. (Jessica Hill/AP)

Speaking to Yale News, the classs valedictorian, Alpha Jalloh, talked about growing up in the South Bronx with few possibilities. I am the first person among my friends to get a college degree, he said. True change can only happen when we dream big and dream different.

Its not a free education

Roland says the cost of the program is covered by private grants and donations. It is not money that could be used for any other purpose, she said. It's not money that's being taken from anybody else. It's money that is specifically being contributed with the purpose of investing in the leadership and citizenship of incarcerated students.

Conversely, programs like Rolands could save taxpayers money. According to a report from the Vera Institute of Justice, postsecondary education can lead to less recidivism, meaning fewer former inmates returning to prison. The report suggests that every dollar invested in educational programs in prisons yields taxpayer savings of four to five dollars from reduced incarceration costs.

Community impact

Most people in prison  more than 95% of those serving time  will be released at some point in the future and reintegrated into society.

Graduates Alpha Jalloh, left, and Marcus Harvin, right, congratulate each other at graduation at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution. (Jessica Hill/AP)

That said, formerly incarcerated people who participate in postsecondary education programs have 28% lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not, according to RAND Corporation. Many criminal justice experts believe correctional facilities should prioritize rehabilitation over punishment.

Postsecondary education programs can also help make correctional facilities safer, prompting fewer violent incidents than prisons without them and creating safer working conditions for staff.

As for Harvin, he said he is now co-teaching a Yale class with Roland and is a fellow in Yales Access to Law School program and a President's Public Service Fellow at UNH. His family couldnt be more proud.

My family is extremely happy and they just laugh because this is not the typical story, he said. But it could be if more programs or more people are given access to programs like this.
By Rami Ayyub

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. lawmakers on Thursday invited Israel's president to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19, a top honor aimed at celebrating Israel's 75th birthday even as tensions rise with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government.

Isaac Herzog's address will be the first by an Israeli president, a largely ceremonial role, since his father delivered remarks to the House of Representatives and Senate over 35 years ago, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a statement.

"The world is better off when America and Israel work together," McCarthy said. "(We) continue to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two democracies."

Herzog's visit to Washington follows a period of increased violence in the occupied West Bank, where a renewed settlement construction push by Netanyahu's religious-nationalist government has drawn criticism from President Joe Biden's administration.

Netanyahu has yet to be received at the White House despite winning a sixth term in November, an apparent signal of U.S. displeasure over his policies - including a contested plan to roll back the powers of Israel's Supreme Court.

Netanyahu said in an interview published Thursday that he has was no longer seeking to grant parliament the authority to overturn Supreme Court rulings as part of the judicial overhaul plan. Washington has yet to comment on his pledge.

Recent violence in the West Bank, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and where Palestinians seek statehood, has included deadly clashes in the Palestinian city of Jenin, a fatal shooting by Palestinians near a Jewish setlement, and attacks on Palestinian villages by settlers.

Most countries deem the settlements as illegal. Washington last week objected to an Israeli decision to approve the construction of around 5,700 additional West Bank housing units for Jewish settlers.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Chizu Nomiyama)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had dropped a central element of the bitterly contested judicial overhaul plans which have roiled Israel for months and was no longer seeking to grant parliament the authority to overturn Supreme Court rulings.

But in a filmed interview posted on the Wall Street Journal website on Thursday, Netanyahu said he would still push ahead with another controversial element that looks to give the ruling coalition more sway in judicial appointments, though that proposal would be revised.

"I threw that out," Netanyahu said of the highly-contested clause that would allow a majority of lawmakers to override decisions of the Supreme Court.

Shifting to the proposed method of choosing judges, Netanyahu said, "it's not going to be the current structure, but it's not going to be the original structure." He gave no details.

Netanyahu unveiled his plan to rejig Israel's court system shortly after returning to power at the start of year, saying the Supreme Court had been increasingly encroaching into political areas where it had no authority.

The plan triggered massive protests, opening up deep splits in society between supporters of Netanyahu's nationalist-religious coalition and large sections of civil society who see the plans as a threat to democracy.

After weeks of demonstrations and in the face of increasingly nervous financial markets, Netanyahu paused the plan in March to try to reach a consensus in negotiations with the opposition which have so far failed to produce a result.

Netanyahu, who is on trial on graft charges he denies, has appeared to back-pedal on the judicial revamp on previous occasions, but his coalition remains committed to pushing through changes that could still limit the Supreme Courts power to rule against the government.

Opposition leaders offered no immediate reaction to Netanyahu's latest comments. His office referred Reuters to the interview and did not offer additional details.

Also in the interview, Netanyahu reiterated that while Israel was helping Ukraine with civilian defences and an alert system, it could not supply military systems like its Iron Dome missile interceptor.

"We're concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands and could be reverse engineered - and we would find ourselves facing Israeli systems used against Israel."

He noted that Western anti-tank systems have found their way to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Should Iron Dome, which has intercepted thousands of rockets, "fall in the hands of Iran, then millions of Israelis would be left defenceless and imperilled," he said.

"We're not neutral, we've expressed our sympathy and our position with Ukraine. But I'm saying there's a limit, limitations that we have, and concerns and interests that we have."

(Reporting by Bharat Govind Gautam in Bengaluru and Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Frank Jack Daniel)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Israel's statehood and to reaffirm his nation's special relationship with the United States, congressional leaders announced on Thursday.

The world is better off when America and Israel work together," said the announcement from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "Eleven minutes after declaring independence in 1948, the United States was the first to recognize the state of Israel, and today, we continue to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two democracies."

McCarthy addressed Israels parliament in May. It was the first time in 25 years a sitting speaker of the House had addressed Israels Knesset, and it came in a period of fraught relations between Israels government and President Joe Biden.

McCarthy noted that the only other president of Israel to address a joint meeting of Congress was Herzog's father, President Chaim Herzog, more than 35 years ago. The Israeli presidency is a largely ceremonial office meant to serve as a unifying force and moral compass in a diverse and often divided country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed Congress three times  most recently in 2015, when Republican leaders invited him to deliver a speech railing against then-President Barack Obamas emerging nuclear agreement with Iran. The speech infuriated the White House and fellow Democratic leaders.

Biden, then Obama's vice president, was traveling abroad and did not attend Netanyahus address  when the vice president normally would have sat behind the Israeli leader during those remarks.

Netanyahu, who returned to office last December, has known Biden for decades. But the two have disagreed over Netanyahus proposed overhaul of Israels judicial system, which critics see as a move toward authoritarianism, as well as his hard-line governments expansion of West Bank settlements and punitive measures against the Palestinians. Netanyahu's position runs in direct opposition to Biden's moves to boost U.S.-Palestinian relations.

Biden said in March there were no plans to invite Netanyahu to the White House in the near term. In a challenge to Biden, McCarthy said in May that he would invite Netanyahu to speak to Congress if Biden doesn't.

At an event hosted by the Israeli embassy earlier this month, Herzog told attendees via video, including Vice President Kamala Harris, that he looked forward to a White House visit. The National Security Council responded in an e-mail on Thursday it had nothing to announce when asked if a White House visit would be a component of Herzogs trip to Washington.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, R-Calif., had invited Herzog to address Congress last year, and Schumer met with Herzog in Israel during a visit in February. Schumer said Herzog has always been a great leader and is particularly influential at this time.

This invitation to speak at a joint meeting of Congress is a testament to the decades of bipartisan and bicameral support for Israel that transcends party politics and I look forward to welcoming him to the Capitol, Schumer said.

____

AP reporters Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
By Tim Kelly and Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese political party leader and unabashed populist who admires former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Japan to have a say in how U.S. nuclear weapons might be used in its defence.

Nobuyuki Baba is hoping to shift Japanese politics to the right by transforming his Japan Innovation Party into the main opposition to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government in the next general election.

On some key defence issues, Baba supports Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) including a proposal to amend the pacifist constitution to give official recognition to the armed forces and build a stronger military equipped with longer-range missiles to deter China and North Korea.

But Baba also wants the U.S., which has a security treaty with Japan and deploys more than 50,000 troops at several bases, to agree to give Japan a say in how it deploys or could use its nuclear weapons.

"The leader of Japan has to take some responsibility rather than just leaving it to the Americans to decide how they are used," Baba told Reuters in an interview in his Tokyo party office on Wednesday.

"I think that is the case for any country. It is something that should be properly discussed."

The prime minister, a native of Hiroshima, which the U.S. military struck with a nuclear bomb in 1945 during World War Two, wants to abolish the weapons and has rejected the idea of a Japanese say in how the U.S. might use them.

Military tensions have been rising in East Asia as friction between China and the United States over various differences builds and with North Korea arming itself with intercontinental ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear bombs.

South Korea, the other staunch U.S. ally in the region, has also raised the issue with the U.S. of a larger role in planning for a possible nuclear war with North Korea.

TRANSFORMING POLITICS

Baba's right-leaning party - its Japanese name refers to the nineteenth century period of political upheaval that ended centuries of isolation and restored the emperor to power - says it wants to make Japan "dream and hope" again.

"It's fine to call it populist politics," he said as he criticized the LDP for being too rigid and dominated by political dynasties.

He envisages a Trump-style shake-up of politics, saying without it "we won't be able to transform politics or the country".

The Japan Innovation Party, founded in 2015, has 41 seats in the lower house but aim boost that tally in the next election.

"Our goal is to contest all 289 electoral districts," Baba said.

Speculation is building about when Kishida, who is hoping to solidify his power within the ruling party, might call an election. His approval rating has been slipping over a national identity card controversy and a party hosted by his son.

Kishida this month ruled out dissolving parliament for now but analysts said by waiting, he risks giving Baba more time to prepare for a contest that will decide 465 lower house seats.

Baba has set his sights on replacing the left-of-centre Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) as the main opposition in parliament.

The CDPJ has 97 seats while Kishida's LDP has 262, though it is also supported by 32 lawmakers from coalition partner Komeito.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly, Kaori Kaneko and Yukiko Toyoda)
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Thursday rejected Donald Trump's bid to dismiss the first of writer E. Jean Carroll's two lawsuits accusing the former U.S. president of defamation for denying he raped her in the mid-1990s.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan found no merit in Trump's arguments that he deserved absolute presidential immunity, and that many of his statements about Carroll were opinion and thus protected.

The judge also rejected Trump's claim that the former Elle magazine columnist "consented" to his statements by purposely waiting decades to go public, until he was in the White House, leaving him "no choice" but to defend himself.

Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said: "We disagree with the court's decision and will be taking the appropriate steps to preserve all viable defenses."

The case is separate from last month's verdict by a federal jury in Manhattan that Trump pay Carroll $5 million for defamation and sexual abuse, after Trump in October 2022 similarly denied their alleged encounter. Jurors did not find that Trump raped Carroll.

Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge, said Thursday's decision "confirms that once again, Donald Trump's supposed defenses to E. Jean Carroll's defamation claims don't work."

Now 79, Carroll drew Trump's ire in June 2019 when she accused him in New York magazine, as she was preparing to release her memoir, of having attacked her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan.

That prompted Trump, 77, to say he had not known Carroll, that she was not his "type," and that she lied to drum up book sales.

BEYOND THE 'OUTER PERIMETER'

In his 46-page decision, Kaplan said Trump waited too long to raise the absolute immunity defense, and that it would be unfair to Carroll to let him do so now and further delay the 3-1/2-year-old case.

The judge also said Trump's criticism of Carroll went beyond "the outer perimeter of his official duties" as president.

"Mr. Trump does not identify any connection between the allegedly defamatory content of his statements -- that Ms. Carroll fabricated her sexual assault accusation and did so for financial and personal gain -- to any official responsibility of the president," Kaplan wrote. "Nor can the court think of any."

Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is appealing the $5 million jury verdict.

On Tuesday, he countersued Carroll, claiming that she defamed him in a CNN interview one day after the May 9 verdict by saying, "oh yes he did, oh yes he did," when asked about the jury finding that he did not commit rape.

Carroll's original lawsuit is scheduled for a Jan. 15, 2024, trial.

She is seeking at least $10 million in damages. Kaplan this month let her amend her lawsuit to add Trump's comments from a CNN town hall following the jury verdict, in which he called her account "fake" and labeled her a "whack job."

The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
By Brendan Pierson and Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) -Federal judges in Kentucky and Tennessee on Wednesday blocked state laws prohibiting the use of puberty-blocking drugs and hormones for transgender children from taking effect while lawsuits challenging the bans proceed.

They are the latest in a series of similar rulings around the country, with laws in seven states now prevented from taking effect.

Federal courts in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and Indiana have blocked similar bans on transgender healthcare for minors, and in Oklahoma the plaintiffs reached an agreement with the attorney general to halt enforcement of the state's law.

The lawsuits are fighting back against legislation passed in 20 states that ban certain healthcare procedures for transgender youth. Republican lawmakers say they want to protect children who might be misled by doctors and parents and could later regret their gender transition.

But families filing lawsuits have argued the treatments are medically necessary and the bans violate the U.S. Constitution's right to equal protection by prohibiting medical treatments on the basis of sex, as well as parents' right to make medical decisions for their children.

In the Kentucky case, U.S. District Judge David Hale in Louisville found that the seven families of transgender children suing over the law were likely to prevail, writing that puberty blockers and hormones were "medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children."

He said that the plaintiffs  including six children currently receiving treatments that would be banned by the law, and one who expects to receive such treatments in the future  would be harmed if the law were allowed to take effect.

Democratic Governor Andy Beshear had vetoed the Kentucky law, but the Republican-controlled legislature overrode the veto.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, criticized the judge's ruling, calling the ban "a commonsense law that protects Kentucky children from unnecessary medical experimentation."

"Today's misguided decision by a federal judge tramples the right of the General Assembly to make public policy," Cameron said.

In Tennessee, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson said he was reticent to enjoin a law "enacted through a democratic process," but noted that judges across the country have blocked similar laws based on the constitutional right to equal protection.

"The Court does not take providing such relief lightly. ... If Tennessee wishes to regulate access to certain medical procedures, it must do so in a manner that does not infringe on the rights conferred by the United States Constitution," Richardson wrote.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho, right, shakes hands with Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki during a meeting in Tokyo, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Economy and Finance.



By Yi Whan-woo



Korea and Japan agreed to revive a $10 billion currency swap agreement during a meeting of their finance ministers in Tokyo, Thursday, on the heels of thawing diplomatic ties and accelerated economic cooperation.



The finance ministry said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho and his Japanese counterpart Shunichi Suzuki struck a deal to resume the currency swap following an eight-year hiatus.



Choo said the swap deal is meaningful by providing "tools for solid solidarity and cooperation in foreign exchange and finance among countries such Korea, the U.S., and Japan that share common values." He added that the swap deal expands the safety net of foreign liquidity among advanced countries with free market economies to include the financial and foreign exchange markets of Korea.



It will be a U.S. dollar-denominated swap, meaning Korea can borrow the American currency from Japan in exchange for the Korean won at a pre-agreed rate in the event of volatility in the financial markets and other emergencies.



Japan has an indefinite and unlimited full-time swap agreement with the U.S., while Korea's currency swap accord with the U.S. expired in December 2021.



For Seoul, the revival of a currency swap with Japan was not urgent. It rather symbolizes efforts to restore economic cooperation, according to officials and market observers.



They noted that Korea possesses a sufficient level of foreign exchange reserves  totaling $420.98 billion as of the end of May.



The amount was down by $5.7 billion from April, but still ranks the country ninth in the world in terms of the size of foreign currency reserves.



The reserve level is also more than two times larger than short-term debt that Korea owes other countries, which is estimated at $173.7 billion.



In particular, Korea's external assets amounted to $1.21 trillion, as compared to external liabilities of $665 billion, as of the end of March, meaning the country loaned $356 billion more than it borrowed from other countries.



"You can see that currency swap deal with Japan is meaningful in a symbolic way," a finance ministry official said, noting that the two sides sought to minimize the maximum amount of the deal throughout their discussion.



The currency swap deal expired in 2015 when Korea and Japan wrangled over unresolved historical issues.



The swap deal began in 2001 and peaked at $70 billion in 2011, but decreased afterward due to diplomatic friction.



Meanwhile, the Choo-Suzuki meeting also marked the first gathering of the finance ministers of the two countries since 2016.



They shared their views on the global economy where uncertainties continue and agreed to collaborate in issues including geopolitical risks, supply chain disruptions, threats posed by pandemics and financial volatility.



They also agreed to collaborate on global agenda such as strengthening the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization that aims to achieve financial stability among ASEAN countries and Korea, China and Japan.


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina lawmakers finalized legislation on Wednesday that would prohibit certain gender-affirming care for children and prevent state funds from being used to provide such therapies and procedures.

The House voted 67-46 to accept a version of the measure approved by the Senate on Tuesday. The legislation would bar any medical professional from providing hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgical gender transition procedures to anyone under 18, with some medical exceptions.

Young people who begin treatment before Aug. 1 could continue receiving such care if its considered medically necessary and their parents consent.

The bill, written by Republicans, now heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, whose veto is likely. Cooper has expressed opposition to bills that target trans youth. The GOP holds narrow veto-proof majorities in both chambers.

If the bill is enacted into law, critics have already signaled litigation. Most of the 20 or so states with laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors face lawsuits.

A federal judge struck down Arkansas ban as unconstitutional last week, and judges on Wednesday temporarily blocked portions of bans in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The bill received final General Assembly approval after impassioned speeches by lawmakers. Opponents of the measure consider denying such care to be cruel. They said it would lead to more depression and higher risks of suicide for trans youth.

Youre saying to them, you dont matter. We dont value you. We dont care about you because you dont need medical treatment. You dont need anything because youre not human, said Rep. Allison Dahle, a Wake County Democrat.

The bill's supporters say such life-altering treatments have long-term implications and argued they haven't been fully scrutinized, so such services should wait before someone is legally an adult.

The whole point of this is to protect our most vulnerable population from these atrocities," said Rep. Ken Fontenot, a Wilson County Republican.

According to leading professional health associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society, gender-affirming care is considered safe and medically necessary.

While trans minors rarely receive such surgeries, they are commonly prescribed drugs to delay puberty and sometimes begin taking hormones before they reach adulthood.

The bill says a doctor or other health care provider could have their license revoked for noncompliance with the rules, and separately they could be subject to monetary damages from an adult who alleges the procedure or therapies they received as a child brought them harm.

Also pending on Cooper's desk is legislation approved last week that would prohibit transgender girls from playing in middle school, high school and college sports designated for girls.

And a wide-ranging public school education measure approved by the House later Wednesday would prohibit instruction about gender identity and sexuality in K-4 classroom. The measure, which is nearing final legislative approval, also would require all public school teachers in most circumstances to alert parents before they call a student by a different name or pronoun.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  The operators of four nursing homes in New York misused more than $83 million in government funds and neglected residents, including some who were malnourished or were left to sit for hours in their own urine and feces, state Attorney General Letitia James said in a lawsuit Wednesday.

The lawsuit filed in Manhattan accuses owners and operators of Centers Health Care of using Medicaid and Medicare funds to enrich themselves, their relatives and associates instead of for the care of the residents. James claims understaffing at the homes contributed to neglect.

Residents were left alone and on their own, often unaided and unsupervised, leading to dangerous falls and broken bones. Residents lived in squalor, surrounded by neglected food trays, vermin and the smell of human waste, James said at a news conference held with residents relatives.

The company denied the allegations.

Centers Health Care prides itself on its commitment to patient care. Centers denies the New York Attorney Generals allegations wholeheartedly and attempted to resolve this matter out of court. We will fight these spurious claims with the facts on our side," spokesperson Jeff Jacomowitz said in an emailed statement.

The four homes in the lawsuit are Beth Abraham Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in the Bronx, the Holliswood Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Queens, the Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Westchester County and the Buffalo Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

The suit claims residents' meals were late, clothes were stolen and call bells were unanswered. One resident with severe bed sores developed sepsis, was hospitalized and died. Another resident did not have her colostomy bag attached. Others suffered from dehydration.

My uncle was found sitting in a filthy room, unbathed and only wearing an adult diaper. This wasn't my uncle. George was a veteran. He was an artist. said Cynthia Vega, recalling her late Uncle George's stay at Holliswood.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the homes failed to control its spread. More than 400 residents across the four homes died in 2020, according to James.

The lawsuit names Centers Health Care co-owners Kenneth Rozenberg and Daryl Hagler and a series of businesses owned by them, family members or business associates.

James seeks, among other things, a return of the money and a ban on new admissions until staffing is increased at the homes.
NEW YORK (AP)  A man who oversaw food service for New York City schools was convicted Wednesday in a bribery case that picked apart how chicken tenders riddled with bone and bits of metal were served for months in the nation's biggest public school system.

Former city Department of Education official Eric Goldstein and three men who founded a school food vendor  Blaine Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey  were found guilty of bribery, conspiracy and other charges after a monthlong trial.

It delved into school menus, from yogurt parfait to ravioli. And the trial gave jurors a stomach-churning look at what some students and school staffers encountered when a brand called Chickentopia turned up on their plates in 2016 and 2017.

Our children depended on nutritious meals served in schools and, instead, got substandard food products containing pieces of plastic, metal and bones, Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement Wednesday. He called the case a textbook example of choosing greed" over children's well-being.

Goldstein's attorney, Kannan Sundaram, declined to comment. Messages seeking comment were sent to the city Education Department and to attorneys for Iler and Twomey, both from Dallas, and Turley, of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The charges carry the potential for 20 years in prison. No date has yet been set for sentencing.

As head of the school system's Office of School Support Services from 2008 to 2018, Goldstein oversaw functions including the food service operation, known as SchoolFood. Iler, Twomey and Turley had a company, SOMMA Food Group, with its eye on the New York City school system.

Around the same time, the three men and Goldstein formed another company to import grass-fed beef. Prosecutors argued that the venture amounted to a conduit for paying Goldstein off.

The SOMMA founders made sure that they got the key decision-maker at SchoolFood in their pocket so that he would make sure that the D.O.E. served a lot of their food products, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Zuckerwise said in a closing argument this week. Eric Goldstein got what he wanted, too. He cashed in the power and the resources and the influence of his office to enrich himself.

According to prosecutors, Iler, Turley and Twomey paid thousands of dollars to Goldstein and his divorce lawyer. Meanwhile, Goldstein helped ensure that the school system bought Chickentopia items and other SOMMA products, sometimes on a fast track.

Then, in September 2016, SOMMA hit a snag: A school system employee choked on a bone in a supposedly boneless Chickentopia chicken tender and needed the Heimlich maneuver, according to documents presented at the trial. For a time, the schools stopped serving the company's chicken tenders.

They were allowed back two months later  a day after the SOMMA founders agreed to pay Goldstein $66,670 and gave him their shares of the beef business. Goldstein then signed off on reintroducing Chickentopia products, prosecutors said.

The tenders reappeared. So did complaints about foreign objects in them. SchoolFood ultimately ditched SOMMA products in April 2017, according to prosecutors.

Goldstein testified that he couldn't singlehandedly get a product purchased, saying that the heavily gated process could involve a dozen decision-makers. Fast-tracking didn't mean skipping steps, he said.

He insisted that he was careful to separate his personal business from his city work.

"I always made sure that my D.O.E. responsibilities came first, he told jurors.

His defense rebuffed the argument that the payments from his beef business partners were bribes, saying the sums were for such things as reimbursing travel expenses.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that a request for his country to temporarily host a U.S. immigrant visa processing center for thousands of Afghan nationals faces security and other concerns but is still being considered by his administration.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken first relayed the request to his Philippine counterpart last year, and President Joe Biden discussed the request when Marcos visited the United States in May, Philippine officials said.

The full details of the request, which remains under negotiations between the treaty allies, have not been made public, but Marcos said he was told by American officials that only a maximum of 1,000 Afghan nationals would be allowed to stay in the Philippines at any one time while their special immigrant visas are being processed.

A Philippine official said an initial 600 Afghan nationals would be allowed in a pilot phase if the U.S. proposal gets approved. The proposal was still being discussed by national security, law enforcement, foreign affairs and other Philippine agencies before submitting a recommendation to Marcos, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.

The Afghan nationals to be considered for resettlement primarily worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan or were deemed eligible for U.S. special immigrant visas but were left behind when Washington withdrew from the country as Taliban militants took back power in a chaotic period in August 2021.

We want to help, Marcos said in answer to a question at a news conference. But, he said, there are security concerns and even more difficult legal and logistical issues because if the plan as it stands runs exactly as its planned, thats nice, we wont have any problem. But what plan ever ran exactly as you had hoped?

Its entirely possible that we will not find a way to make it happen," he added.

Some Filipino officials have expressed fears the Afghan nationals could become targets of attacks while in the Philippines. Others raised legal questions about an arrangement where U.S. authorities would have a say in vetting who could enter the Philippines.

One prospective problem is what to do with Afghan nationals whose U.S. special visa immigrant application is indefinitely stalled or rejected, Marcos said.

"We'll continue to study it and see if there is a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines, Marcos said, expressing concern that thousands of Afghan nationals could be stranded in the country while awaiting relocation to the U.S.

"While its been stated that the Americans will pay for everything, who will handle all of that? Marcos asked.

Marcos has rekindled relations with the U.S. since taking power in June last year. In February, he allowed an expansion of the American military presence under a 2014 defense agreement in a decision that China warned would allow American forces to gain a staging ground to intervene in the South China Sea and Taiwan issues, and threaten regional stability.

Marcos' predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, was one of the most vocal critics of U.S. security policies in his time, while nurturing relations with China and Russia. Duterte took steps, which he later withdrew, to abrogate a key security agreement with the U.S. that allowed large numbers of American forces to enter the Philippines for combat exercises.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland expects the European Union to help it fund measures to strengthen its eastern border, a deputy minister said on Thursday, after Warsaw announced a tightening of security due to concerns over the presence of the Wagner group in Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to offer troops from the private military company the choice of relocating to Belarus has led to fears among eastern NATO members that their presence will cause greater instability in the region.

On Wednesday the leader of Poland's ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said Poland believed that there could be around 8,000 Wagner troops already in Belarus.

He said Poland would take both temporary and permanent steps to strengthen the border, including boosting the presence of security forces and increasing fortifications.

Asked on Thursday whether Brussels should help Warsaw pay for such measures, Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski said "Poland expects it".

"European solidarity means supporting countries threatened with destabilization," he told public radio. "These safeguards need to be increased."

Poland accuses Belarus of artificially creating a migrant crisis on the border by flying in people from the Middle East and Africa and attempting to push them across the frontier. Minsk has denied the accusation.

Kaczynski said on Wednesday that Wagner's presence in Belarus could mean "a new phase of hybrid warfare, a phase much more difficult than the one we have dealt with so far."

Kaczynski, who is widely viewed as Poland's de-facto ruler, appeared to take a stronger line on border security than President Andrzej Duda, who had spoken earlier in the day in Kyiv.

Duda said Poland would strengthen security on its border with Belarus if it needs to, but that the frontier is already tightly secured.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Marek Strzelecki, Pawel Florkiewicz, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
BOSTON (AP)  Federal prosecutors are dropping charges against two parents whose convictions in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal were overturned by an appeals court, prosecutors said Thursday.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in May tossed all the convictions against Gamal Abdelaziz and all but one conviction of another parent, John Wilson. The Boston-based appeals court upheld Wilsons conviction on a charge of filing a false tax return.

The Massachusetts U.S. attorney's office told the judge in court papers that it's dismissing those charges tossed by the 1st Circuit, and asked to set a new sentencing date for Wilson on the tax count.

Wilson had been sentenced last year to 15 months in prison and Abdelaziz was sentenced to a year behind bars, after jurors found them guilty in 2021 of buying their kids ways into school in the first case to go to trial in the so-called Operation Varsity Blues scandal. A court later agreed that they could remain free while they pursued their appeals.

Abdelaziz, of Las Vegas, was accused of paying $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit. Authorities alleged that Wilson, a former executive at Staples Inc., paid $220,000 to have his son designated as a USC water polo recruit and an additional $1 million to buy his twin daughters ways into Harvard and Stanford.

The defense said the fathers believed their payments were legitimate donations to the schools, and pointed the finger at the corrupt admissions consultant at the center of the scheme: Rick Singer.

The three-judge panel of the 1st Circuit said the trial judge was wrong in instructing the jury that admissions slot constitutes property of the universities under the mail and wire fraud law. The judges found that the government also failed to prove that the parents agreed to join the overarching conspiracy among Singer and his clients.

Wilson said in an emailed statement last month that the appeals courts decision proves his innocence, and that the donations he made to the athletic programs were part of a legal system setup by these schools that does not guarantee admissions.

The appeal court's "ruling confirms what weve always argued  John Wilsons children were all qualified for admission to these schools on their own athletic and academic merits, and none of his money went to enrich any coach, Wilson's attorney, Noel Francisco, said in an email Thursday.

Brian Kelly, an attorney for Abdelaziz, said in a text message that his client looks forward to putting this case behind him and is enormously grateful for his family and friends who supported him throughout this four year ordeal.

Prosecutors ultimately convicted more than 50 people  including prominent businesspeople, celebrities and other wealthy parents  in the scandal that exposed a scheme led by Singer to get undeserving kids into top schools with rigged test scores or bogus athletic credentials. Dozens of parents pleaded guilty, including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and Loughlins fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts U.S. attorney's office said they are deeply proud of the team who brought the cases and the lasting and far-reaching impact these prosecutions have had.

"From the outset, this case has stood for the principle that we do not have a two-tiered system of justice in this country and that everyone -- regardless of wealth, power or fame -- must operate under the same set of rules. These prosecutions have reaffirmed that principle," Christina DiIorio-Sterling said in an email.
Big Pine, Calif., residents Tom and Joanne Heindel scan for birds from an overlook at Tinemaha Reservoir in the Owens Valley in 2009. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Retired high school teachers Tom and Joanne Heindel had spent decades pursuing a daunting challenge in bird science: A survey of every species in Inyo Countys otherworldly tableau of lofty peaks glazed with snow, desert plains, spiky lava fields, rivers and canyonlands.

Armed with notebooks and matching Questar telescopes, they prowled every remote dirt road as far as they could in a 4-wheel-drive truck. They also made a point of visiting sewer ponds, alfalfa fields and fish hatcheries that are footholds for bird life.

Along the way, there was much to learn from each species. Whether it was a great blue heron perched on top of a sand dune or a cactus wren in full song at 10,500 feet in a bristlecone pine forest, they all provided lessons on adaptation to changing ecological conditions in the area southeast of Yosemite National Park, where the eastern Sierra Nevada range and the Mojave Desert collide.

Tom Heindel watches as his wife, Joanne Heindel, returns a vintage book into its protective bag at their home in Big Pine. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The hope of adding one more rarity or migrant to their book is what attracted them to the wilderness day after day, year after year, and carried them through 69 years of marriage.

Finally, Tom, 87, and his wife, Joanne, 85, have reached the end of a long journey.

Their 500-page book, "Birds of Inyo County, California, including Death Valley National Park," is expected to be published later this summer by the donor-funded nonprofit Western Field Ornithologists.

Friends were beginning to wonder if we would ever get it done  and we wondered, too, because were getting so damn old! Tom said with a big toothy smile.

Read more:Why are killer whales going 'Moby-Dick' on yachts lately? Experts doubt it's revenge

But deciding when to put the brakes on this project wasnt easy, he added, because we kept finding new species.

The Heindels feat is an unusual accomplishment and a definitive work of its kind, say scientists specializing in Californias avian fauna.

"Birds of Inyo County, California, including Death Valley National Park," the 500-page book created by Joanne and Tom Heindel, shown at their home, is expected to be published later this summer by the donor-funded nonprofit Western Field Ornithologists. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

It contains a staggering 500,000 data entries culled from the field, museum archives, scientific studies and the records of government expeditions 150 years ago.

They document the first recorded sightings of 441 species and subspecies, their highest recorded elevation, population densities, relationships, habitats and whether they were residents, migrants, summer visitors or stragglers blown in by a storm. In some cases, they note the date, time, temperature, wind direction and even the make and power of the binoculars and telescopes used by observers.

Yet, to hear Joanne tell it: Theres so much we didnt put in the book because there wasnt enough space.

The production expenses were paid for through advanced donations from naturalists across the nation.

This is not a book for weekend birders  it contains tons and tons of astonishingly fine-grained information, said Kenneth Able, an ornithologist and the books primary editor. But it is important and should be published as a service to ornithology.

"Editing the minutiae in its pages, however, was enough to fry your brain in 10 minutes, he added, only half kidding. I had a big glass of wine after I finished and sent the whole thing over for publication.

Read more:Central Valley flooding offers birds bountiful water. Will it also poison them?

The art design on the cover by the Heindels daughter, Kelli, 62, features watercolor illustrations by local artist Nancy Overholtz of several species set against a silhouette of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. with an elevation of 14,505 feet.

Jon L. Dunn, co-author of the "National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America," shared his hand-written field notes with the Heindels.

Against a backdrop of Sierra Nevada peaks, Joanne Heindel leads a tour during the Owens Lake Bird Festival in April 2018. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Exhaustively researched, every ornithological record ever published about Inyo County has been uncovered by the Heindels, Dunn said. Their book will be a benchmark that every scientist and resource manager working in the region is going to want to keep within arm's reach."

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which acquired much of the land and water rights in Inyo County to build an aqueduct system for the city, about 200 miles to the south, would not argue with any of that.

The DWP donated $1,500 to help fund publication of the book it considers a valuable resource for managing and protecting avian species in one of the largest counties in the state.

Read more:California condors barely escaped extinction decades ago. Avian flu could change that

With an area of 10,227 square miles and a population of only 18,000, Inyo County encompasses a landscape flanked to the west by the Sierra Nevada range and to the east by the buckled slopes of the White Mountains and the Inyo Mountains, and the forbidding badlands of Death Valley.

If its in Inyo County, Tom and Joanne Heindel like to say, weve been there.

The Heindels  like many of the birds they stalk  are a rarity, the embodiment of the naturalists of another era.

Joanne Heindel checks a hummingbird feeder in the backyard of the Heindels' home. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The pair once spent a week combing brushy hills and mesas in the Grapevine Mountains on the eastern edges of Death Valley in hopes of spotting an elusive and rarely seen gray vireo.

No luck. Late one evening, after Tom had fallen asleep in their tent, Joanne played a recording of the birds song, a distinctive series of musical chu-wee chu-weet notes.

Moments later, a live bird responded to the call.

Joanne was pounding on my back and shouting, We found one! Tom recalled. I wondered what the hell was going on.

The next morning, they found two gray vireos only a few hundred yards apart: One on the Nevada side of the border, the other within Inyo County, making it eligible for entry in their book.

Their enduring love affair with birds and each other began one spring day in 1953, while out on their first date: bird-watching in the Santa Monica Mountains.

They left at 6 a.m. and were home by noon.

The first species they identified  a rufous-sided towhee with a velvety black head, bright red and white breast, and ruby eyes  was the first bird Joanne ticked off on her life list.

Tom and Joanne Heindel, shown in their book-filled home, have been married nearly seven decades. Their first date was spent bird-watching in the Santa Monica Mountains. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

They were still in high school when they married a year later.

After graduation, Tom served in the Air Force until 1958. Both earned teaching credentials at Cal State Long Beach, then moved to the Inyo County community of Big Pine, where they worked as high school teachers from 1972 to 1978.

Six years later, they began landing teaching jobs in South America and Saudi Arabia, where they explored remote oases that were rest stops for migrating birds.

The Heindels moved back to Big Pine in 1990. They have four children  a daughter and three sons  all avid bird-watchers.

Read more:This dirt parking lot in the San Gabriel Mountains is a magnet for migrating birds

They might be unknown to the general public, but their modest home in the Owens Valley community of Big Pine has for years been a gathering place for premier ornithologists and dedicated bird-watchers, many of them trained by the Heindels.

But their most significant contribution began in 1972 as a plan to produce a little guide to the birds of the eastern Sierra Nevada.

Leaning back on a living room sofa, with a pair of binoculars sitting on the armrest, Tom said: All authors eventually reach a point where they say, This is it. No more. Done.'"

Joanne agreed, up to a point.

We tried to keep the book as short as we could, she said. But a day doesnt go by that I dont think, Damn, we should have put this, that or the other in it.'

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan, who is retiring from the court when his term expires next year, is considering a 2024 bid for governor, he told NC Insider.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Morgan said many inside North Carolinas Democratic circles are calling on him to run in next years primary election. Attorney General Josh Stein is the only Democrat so far who has announced a gubernatorial campaign.

Ive been asked, quite frankly, to look at the race for governor, Morgan said. And while I highly respect the declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, I feel inclined to respect the calls that Im getting.

Morgan, a North Carolina native who spent most of his childhood in New Bern, has served for more than three decades in the states judicial branch. He was an administrative law judge, a Wake County District Court judge and a Superior Court judge before joining the state Supreme Court in 2016. The 67-year-old announced in May that he would not seek reelection to the court.

But Morgan told Insider, The News & Observers state government news service, hes been looking for a new avenue of public service. His candidacy in the governors race would strengthen the Democratic Partys chances in a state dominated by Republican politics, Morgan said.

I believe it would enhance the chances of the Democrats, he said of his potential campaign. I believe that should I enter the race I would be a strong voice that would be in a position to not only be the best qualified for the position, but I would be in the best position to defeat the current leading Republican candidate. I would be able to concentrate on matters and articulate matters in a way that would be more convincing and more persuasive, to have the Democrats enjoy victory and to maintain the governor position.

Before deciding whether hell formally announce a campaign, Morgan plans to evaluate the support I would receive if I did run for governor, he said. And, of course, whether Id be able to raise the requisite funds in the requisite time to be a formidable candidate.

Several Republicans have announced their candidacies for the 2024 gubernatorial race. They include State Treasurer Dale Folwell, former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is widely considered the partys leading contender. With a stacked field of competitors across the aisle, Morgan said, North Carolinas Democratic voters need more than one option heading into the primaries.

There are some disturbing voices that want to lead our state in a direction thats backward, downward and wayward, Morgan said. ... If I would decide to run, it would strengthen our party going forward to the 2024 race and it would strengthen our ability to keep the governorship in a responsible leaders hands.
Grilled octopus skewers at Jeonju Hanok Village / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization



Historical city offers foodie paradise with traditional, creative cuisine



By Lee Hae-rin



JEONJU, North Jeolla Province  Two hours from Seoul by KTX bullet train, Jeonju is known for its historical pedigree given that it is the hometown of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom's founder, Yi Seong-gye.



Designated as the country's first Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in May 2012, however, the southwestern city is now building a new pedigree of gastronomy with a wide range of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and street food vendors that offer regional traditional specialties as well as creative cuisine.



A leisurely stroll through Jeonju Hanok Village is a must for travelers. The village featuring around 700 traditional buildings is famous for its size  the largest among hanok villages in Korea  but also for a variety of street food and traditional dining options throughout its small alleys.



Many of the street foods feature Jeonju's local specialties as ingredients.



Water parsley dumpling, for example, offers a taste of vegetables selected as one of the city's top 10 delicacies along with several other vegetarian options. Freshly grilled octopus and chicken skewers are served with cheese from the neighboring town of Imsil, the first cheese producer in the country.





Baguette burger at Jeonju Hanok Village / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization



Baguette burger is one of the go-to foods for Korean visitors to the hanok village. It is a harmonious mix of Western and Korean ingredients, featuring smoked pork with a sauce made of Cheongyang red pepper, soy sauce, cabbage, garlic, onion and mayonnaise assembled in a baguette.



The alleys also offer traditional dishes, such as bibimbap, a traditional Korean dish of steamed rice topped with vegetables and stir-fried meat, which is enjoyed mixed together with a red chili paste.



Bean sprout and rice soup, often enjoyed by Koreans as a hangover dish, is another signature delicacy of Jeonju, served with moju, a regional alcoholic drink used to treat hangovers made by boiling unrefined rice wine with medicinal herbs.





Bibimbap, a traditional Korean dish of steamed rice topped with vegetables and meat, at Jeonju Hanok Village / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization



The evening highlight to round off the itinerary is quenching thirst at "Gamaek," or corner store beer, a portmanteau of "gagae (store)" and "maekju (beer) in Korean. The regional culture of workers enjoying a glass of beer with simple side dishes such as dried pollack fillet, dried squid on the grill and peanuts at humble corner stores has become popular for young and old and locals and travelers alike.





Bottles of beer, egg omelet and grilled dried squid served at a "Gamaek" in Jeonju / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization





Bean sprout and rice soup in Jeonju / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
By Brendan O'Brien and Kanishka Singh

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hazy, smoke-filled skies from raging Canadian wildfires hovered Wednesday over the U.S. Midwest and East, where millions of Americans were urged to limit outdoor activities as the poor air quality made for dangerous, unhealthy conditions.

Much of the Midwest - from western Iowa through Illinois and Wisconsin and into Michigan and Ohio - was under an air quality alert expected to last into Thursday or even longer, the National Weather Service said.

Air quality alerts triggered by drifting smoke from prolonged wildfires in Canada were also in effect for New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and parts of North Carolina. In all, more than 100 million Americans were dealing with poor air quality on Wednesday afternoon.

Forecasters urged people living in those areas, especially children, the elderly and those affected by respiratory illness, to limit prolonged or heavy exertion and, if possible, to stay indoors or wear a mask.

Canada is wrestling with its worst-ever start to wildfire season, which has already burned 8 million hectares (19.8 million acres), an area bigger than West Virginia. On Wednesday, there were 477 active blazes, about half which were considered out control, spread from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts.

Canada's biggest city of Toronto had the worst air of all major cities in the world on Wednesday afternoon, according to pollution tracking service IQAir.

An eerie smoke-induced fog hung over Chicago, washing out the summer sun, and the air smelled of wood smoke. The city's air quality was categorized as "very unhealthy" by AirNow.gov

By midday, the worst air quality in the United States was detected in Decatur, Illinois, about 180 miles (290 km) south of Chicago, according to AirNow, which categorized the air in the city of 70,000 as "hazardous."

"Everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels," said the government website, which tracks pollution. "Stay tuned to local news media for advisories."

DEADLY HEAT AND HIGH TEMPERATURES

In the U.S. South, Florida and California, high temperatures combined with high humidity were the big worry, with some 56 million people enduring stifling heat that was to persist through the weekend, the weather service said in its forecast.

The heat index - which measures how hot it feels due to the combination of humidity and temperature - was expected to climb to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) and in some spots as high as 115 degrees F (46 C). The weather service urged people to seek air conditioned spaces and drink plenty of water.

Separately, Texas' Webb County has had 11 eleven heat-related deaths in recent days. Many of those individuals had underlying health conditions and all ranged in age from 60 to 80 years old, according to the county's medical examiner.

The county has a higher poverty rate than the state average, and the majority of residents do not have air conditioning, leaving them more exposed to the hot weather, the medical examiner told the media.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Kanishka Singh in Washington; additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman)
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  A suspected cooking gas explosion in the Philippines injured at least 15 people and damaged a restaurant and two nearby food outlets on Thursday in a province south of Manila, officials said.

Twelve parked cars were slightly damaged by the blast at Mr. Wons Samgyeopsal Korean restaurant in the port city of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro province.

The injured included four restaurant employees and a delivery crew member who were preparing to open the restaurant, which is located on the ground level of a shopping mall, officials said.

"We understand the concerns and anxieties of the community and we want to emphasize that the situation is being given the highest priority, regional police chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said.

Doria urged the public to report any information that may help in an ongoing police investigation.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  A tech industry trade group sued Arkansas on Thursday challenging a new state law that requires parental permission for minors to create social media accounts.

NetChoice, a group whose members include Facebook parent Meta, TikTok and Twitter, filed a federal lawsuit over the measure signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in April. The law requires social media companies to contract with third-party vendors to perform age verification checks on new users. The requirement is set to go into effect on Sept. 1.

The lawsuit argues that the new requirement violates the constitutional rights of users and singles out types of speech that would be restricted.

"S.B. 396 imposes onerous obligations on social media companies that severely burden both minors and adults First Amendment rights to speak, listen, and associate without government interference on the widely used online services that it covers," the lawsuit said.

Arkansas' law is similar to a first-in-the-nation restriction that was signed into law earlier this year in Utah. That law is not set to take effect until March 2024. NetChoice last year filed a lawsuit challenging a California law requiring tech companies to put kids safety first by barring them from profiling children or using personal information in ways that could harm children physically or mentally.

Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin, who was named as the defendant in the lawsuit, said he looked forward to vigorously defending the law.

The law is being challenged as social media companies have faced increasing scrutiny over their platforms' effect on teen mental health, one of the concerns Sanders cited as she pushed for the legislation. The governor said Thursday that she was confident in Griffin's ability to defend the law.

For years, social media companies have gotten away with exploiting kids, and its proven to have a negative impact on their mental health," Sanders said in a statement. "I promised to hold Big Tech accountable to protect kids and empower parents.

Last month, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned that there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for children and teens and called on tech companies to take immediate action to protect kids now. Meta on Tuesday announced it was adding some new parental supervision tools and privacy features to its platforms.

The state earlier this year filed lawsuits against Meta and TikTok, claiming the social media companies misled consumers about the safety of children on their platforms and the protection of users private data.

Arkansas' restrictions would only apply to social media platforms that generate more than $100 million in annual revenue. It also wouldnt apply to certain platforms, including LinkedIn, Google and YouTube.

The lawsuit says the distinctions the measure makes between types of platforms that must adhere to the age-verification requirement and those that don't make no sense in theory or in practice.

Social media companies that knowingly violate the age verification requirement could face a $2,500 fine for each violation under the new law. The law also prohibits social media companies and third-party vendors from retaining users' identifying information after theyve been granted access to the social media site.
NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. prosecutors on Thursday charged three men with insider trading ahead of the proposed merger of former U.S. President Donald Trump's social media company and a shell company in late 2021.

Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick allegedly made more than $22 million trading in Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), a so-called special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, based on tips about its planned combination with Trump Media & Technology Group.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan. Neither Trump nor his company was charged. DWAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for the defendants could not immediately be identified.

Prosecutors said the alleged scheme began after the defendants invested in DWAC and Garelick became a director.

Garelick allegedly began providing the others with what he called "intelligence" about the status of merger talks and timing of a merger announcement.

The defendants, who live in Florida, then allegedly began buying DWAC securities and passed tips to others, and then sold them at a "significant profit" after the merger plans were announced.

Each defendant faces five to seven fraud and conspiracy charges that could lead to decades in prison.

The charges were part of four insider trading cases brought by Williams' office against 10 people, including two charged in connection with a clinical trial for Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 medicine Paxlovid.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Floodwaters submerge a Tulare Lake vineyard and tractors in April. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

After months of concern that Sierra Nevada snowmelt would send torrents of water into an already flooded Tulare Lake and inundate more communities and infrastructure, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has announced that the waters of the resurgent lake have finally begun to recede.

"We've turned a corner," said Alex Stack, a Newsom spokesman.

In a prepared statement released Wednesday, the governor's office said that data and inundation maps collected and prepared by state officials show that earlier estimates of potential flooding have not been met. Instead, the lake  now roughly the size of Lake Tahoe  is shrinking.

The statement credited "months of government efforts to combat flooding" and "favorable weather conditions that have slowed snowmelt," and claimed that 66,692 acre-feet of water  or 21.7 billion gallons  have been diverted from the lakebed as a result of "early and aggressive action" by officials.

Read more:'This water needs to be protected': California tribe calls for preservation of Tulare Lake

According to Newsom's office, those measures included the declaration of a state of emergency, the issuing of executive orders and the implementation of preemptive water management strategies that were able to divert flows upstream from Tulare Lake and "put that water to use by recharging groundwater, replenishing storage, and more."

Once the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi, Tulare Lake was drained by farmers who diverted inflows to irrigate fields of cotton, pistachios, safflower and almonds in the San Joaquin Valley.

After a series of atmospheric rivers bombarded the state this winter  piling up an epic amount of snow in the Sierra Nevada, flooding rivers and saturating the ground  water from the Kaweah, Kings and Tule rivers poured into the ancient lake's basin, flooding fields and roads. The rising waters also threatening the the city of Corcoran and its massive prison complex, as well the communities of Stratford, Allensworth and Alpaugh.

Since the early 1900s, the lake had reformed only a few times  most memorably in 1968, 1983 and 1997.

But while state officials say the threat of the lake growing larger has abated, others say it's not time to relax; much more needs to be done.

"We're out of the woods for this year," said Deirdre Des Jardins, an independent water researcher and advocate. However, "next year could be a strong El Nino year, in which case there would be an elevated risk of the kind of extreme precipitation we had in the strong El Nino year of 1982-83."

"There needs to be a coordinated flood response plan for routing flows larger than the capacity of the canals... around the former Tulare Lake bed" she said. "Not having such a plan is a recipe for chaos."

Read more:Worry and suspicion reign as once-dry Tulare Lake drowns California farmland

She said protection for vulnerable communities and critical infrastructure "will come from emergency levee upgrades, and from making hard choices about where to route flood inflows to the Tulare Lake basin, something that the Department of Water Resources has delegated to the counties and local Reclamation Districts," she said, describing the state's response as a "game of hot potato."

She also dismissed the state's suggestion that their actions averted catastrophe: "What saved us was the cool weather, which delayed the snowmelt until the irrigation season started."

Joe Neves, a Kings County supervisor, said he was relieved, and agreed with Des Jardins that there was still a lot of work needed to be done before the next rain season set in.

Water flows along with longer days and higher temperatures have helped a great deal, he said. Seasonal irrigation demand and groundwater recharge has used a large amount of flood water this spring.

But lawmakers, water managers and farmers needed to begin preparing for the next rain season, he said.

He said repairs to damaged infrastructure is critical, as is expanding the flood water management system to accommodate higher flows. In addition, he noted that river restoration projects, focused on debris removal and erosion prevention, are already underway.

The future flood control efforts remain underway with a fresh perspective of the 2023 storm season, he said. Now with more focus on repairing the damaged waterways and a higher understanding of water flows in todays environment.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday condemned a vote by lawmakers in Bosnia's autonomous Serb Republic to suspend rulings by Bosnia's constitutional court, saying the move undermined the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The new law, approved on Tuesday, violates the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitution and runs counter to the Dayton Peace Agreement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"Defiance of the Constitutional Court threatens not just the rule of law but also the stability, security, and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Miller said. "Combined with the anti-Dayton rhetoric by some Republika Srpska leaders, the law represents a dangerous escalation in secessionist threats."

The 1995 Dayton peace accords ended nearly four years of war, in which about 100,000 died, by splitting Bosnia into two autonomous regions, the Serb-dominated Serb Republic and the Federation shared by Bosniaks and Croats, linked by a weak central government.

The Serb Republic's separatist pro-Russian President Milorad Dodik, who has long criticized the court for having foreign judges on board, initiated the vote after the court last week decided to change the rules to be able to convene sessions and make decisions without Serb judges.

Experts described the vote as a "legal secession" that is set to deepen political divisions in the volatile Balkan country.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - An independent expert to the United Nations condemned mass deportations of Haitians who had fled the country amid a humanitarian crisis driven by worsening violence from heavily armed gangs who control large swathes of the country.

In a statement following a visit to the Caribbean nation, William O'Neill said some methods used to repatriate about 176,777 migrants last year do not comply with human rights standards and violate bilateral migration pacts.

"I urge the authorities of the Dominican Republic to respect their commitments in this regard," he said, singling out Haiti's neighbor but calling on all countries in the region to end mass deportations, particularly for unaccompanied minors.

O'Neill said he was particularly concerned by reports of organ and sex trafficking of migrant women and children.

Inside Haiti, he added, "relentless violence and systematic human rights violations" do not allow for the safe and dignified return of migrants.

Incidents of sexual violence in the capital Port-au-Prince doubled in May, he said, citing credible information received. A U.N. report last year found gangs were weaponizing sexual violence to control communities through fear.

In one incident last July, the report found that at least 52 women and girls were collectively raped in the capital.

O'Neill also warned of a crumbling judiciary and deadly conditions in cramped jail cells, a nascent vigilante justice movement making summary executions and lack of public services leading to increasing recruitment of children into gangs.

He renewed so far unanswered calls for a "specialized international force" to support Haiti's out-gunned police, which Prime Minister Ariel Henry has requested since October, though countries have been wary of supporting his unelected government.

He also deemed the U.N. sanctions regime "an important step" alongside prosecutions. Jimmy Cherizier, a former policeman and leader of the G9 gangs alliance who was sanctioned in October, remains the only Haitian sanctioned under the regime.

"It is urgent to take action," O'Neill said. "The survival of an entire nation is at stake."

(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Stephen Coates)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution Thursday that will establish an independent body to determine what happened to more than 130,000 people missing as a result of the conflict in Syria.

The resolution, an important response to appeals by their families and loved ones, was adopted by the 193-member world body on a vote of 83-11 with 62 abstentions. Among those opposing the resolution was Syria, which said it will not cooperate with the new institution. Russia, China, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba and Iran also voted no.

The resolution, spearheaded by Luxembourg, noted that after 12 years of fighting in Syria little progress has been achieved in alleviating the suffering of families by providing answers as to the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons.

It authorizes the establishment of an Independent Institution of Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, under U.N. auspices, to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons  and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing.

It says victims, survivors and the families of the missing should be represented in the new body, which will be guided by principles including do no harm, impartiality, transparency and the confidentiality of sources and information.

Under the resolution, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres must present terms of reference for the new institution within 80 working days and take steps to speedily establish the body and put it in operation. It requests the U.N. chief to report on implementation of the resolution within 100 working days.

Luxembourgs U.N. ambassador, Olivier Maes, told the General Assembly before the vote that every day families, especially women, face administrative and legal difficulties, financial uncertainties and deep trauma as they continue to search for their missing loved ones.

He noted that Guterres recommended in a report last August that U.N. members consider establishing an independent institution to clarify the fate of the missing. The U.N. chief cited insufficient coordination among current bodies dealing with Syrias missing and said families often had to report disappearances to multiple places.

Maes said the new institution will be a one-stop shop and serve as a single place to collect and compare data and ensure coordination and communication with all parties.

Syrian Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh called the resolution politicized, saying it clearly reflects flagrant interference in our internal affairs and provides new evidence of the hostile approach of the United States and other Western nations to his country.

Urging a "no" vote, he said Syria has addressed the issue of missing persons, processed all claims of disappearances submitted to law enforcement authorities and carried out independent investigations in accordance with Syrian law and on the basis of available information and resources.

U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis said many of the missing were unjustly detained or taken by the parties to the conflict, including individuals believed to be missing at the hands of the Islamic State extremist movement and other terrorist groups.

"Nearly every Syrian family is affected by this issue," he said. Confirming the fate and whereabouts of the miissing, securing their release, and returning the remains of those who perished to their families is a moral and humanitarian imperative.

DeLaurentis said that even with limited or no initial cooperation from Damascus, we believe this institution will make meaningful progress.

Syrias uprising-turned conflict, now in its 13th year, has killed nearly a half million people and displaced half of its prewar population of 23 million. The International Commission on Missing Persons cites U.N. estimates that in 2021 more than 130,000 Syrians were missing as a result of the conflict.

In the run-up to the vote, over 100 civil society organizations and 23 U.N. human rights experts had urged the General Assembly to establish an independent institution.

The organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and a dozen Syrian groups, called on U.N. member nations to support the families right to truth. They noted that the call was also supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross and others.
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths pushed the Security Council on Thursday to extend for 12 months its approval of a long-running humanitarian aid operation that delivers help to millions of people in northwest Syria from Turkey.

Authorization by the 15-member council is needed because Syrian authorities did not agree to the U.N. operation, which has been delivering aid including food, medicine and shelter to opposition-controlled areas of Syria since 2014.

"A 12 month authorization enables us and our partners to deliver better humanitarian outcomes in the months ahead. It is as simple as that," Griffiths said.

The current six-month authorization is due to expire on July 10. Syrian ally Russia has long questioned the need for the operation, arguing that more humanitarian assistance should be delivered to the area from within Syria.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia again argued on Thursday that the U.N. aid operation violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

"They're trying to convince us that the cross-border mechanism should be extended for 12 months in order to better plan operations," Nebenzia said. "Let us ask the question, what means will the U.N. be using to plan these operations?"

Griffiths told the council that the $5.4 billion U.N. aid appeal for Syria for 2023 is the largest in the world, but it was less than 12% funded.

"It has never been quite so ill-funded in the history of this conflict," he said, appealing for countries to pay up on pledges of $5 billion made this month to support people in Syria and neighboring states hosting Syrian refugees in 2023.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said London had pledged $190 million and called on Moscow to announce its contribution "following the recent announcement that Russia spends $2 billion a year on the Wagner Group" - the mercenary force behind an abortive armed mutiny in Russia last weekend.

The Security Council initially authorized aid deliveries in 2014 into opposition-held areas of Syria from Iraq, Jordan and two points in Turkey. But Russia and China have whittled that down to just one Turkish border point.

A crackdown by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington supporting the opposition. Millions of people have fled Syria and millions are internally displaced.

The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday voted to create - under U.N. auspices - an Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria "to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons ... and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing."

The measure was adopted with 83 votes in favor, 11 against and 62 abstentions.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Thursday that the 12-year conflict in Syria has pushed 90% of its population below the poverty line, and that millions face cuts in food aid next month because of a funding shortfall.

Martin Griffiths said that the $5.4 billion U.N. humanitarian appeal for Syria  the worlds largest  is only 12% funded, meaning that emergency food aid for millions of Syrians could be cut by 40% in July.

Griffiths delivered the grim news to the U.N. Security Council along with an appeal to members to renew the authorization for the delivery of aid to the countrys rebel-held northwest from Turkey, which expires July 10.

But Russias U.N. ambassador, whose country is Syrias most important ally, called the cross-border aid deliveries a zero-sum game that is undermining Syrias sovereignty, discriminating against government-controlled territory, and fueling illegal armed groups including terrorists in Idlib.

Syrias uprising-turned conflict, now in its 13th year, has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of its prewar population of 23 million. A deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked large swaths of Syria in February, further compounding its misery.

Griffiths, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs who returned Wednesday from Damascus, said the Syrian people are facing profound humanitarian challenges." He said they were gathering Thursday on the Muslim holy day Eid al-Adha with less food on their plates, little fuel in their stoves, and limited water in their homes and their hardship comes at a time when the U.N. and its humanitarian partners have limited means to help.

Russias Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the emergency humanitarian appeal for $397 million to help earthquake victims was funded in the first months, but the overall U.N. appeal for Syria was only 12% funded near the end of June. And he accused the U.S. and its allies of spending far more on weapons for Ukraine than the $55 billion the U.N. is seeking for global humanitarian needs this year, saying this lays out Western priorities very clearly.

Britains U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward retorted that the U.K.s $190 million pledge on June 15 brought their contribution to Syria to over $4.8 billion to date and said: I look forward to Russia announcing its contribution in due course following the recent announcement that Russia spends $2 billion a year on the Wagner Group.

Russias President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday, after the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and his forces staged a revolt inside Russia, that Wagner and its founder had received almost $2 billion from the Russian government in the past year.

Woodward, who visited the Turkish-Syria border earlier this month, echoed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres call for a 12-month extension of the authorization for cross-border aid deliveries to ensure humanitarian access to 4.1 million people in Syrias northwest.

In January, the council approved a resolution extending humanitarian aid deliveries to Idlib for six months until July 10 as Russia demanded. Many of the people sheltering in the area have been internally displaced by the conflict. The resolution allowed for aid deliveries to continue through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, but after the earthquake Syrias President Bashar Assad allowed aid to go through two additional crossings at Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai.

U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, who said the United States made its largest commitment to Syria of $920 million on June 15, called it essential to keep all three crossings open for 12 months. He cited Guterres latest report which said anything less would be inadequate to meet humanitarian needs in the northwest which have never been greater. The U.N. chief called it a moral and humanitarian imperative.

Russia and Syria have pressed for aid deliveries to the northwest across conflict lines and U.N. aid chief Griffiths said a 10-truck convoy from Aleppo recently traveled from Aleppo to Idlib safely, with aid for some 22,000 people. But Russias Nebenzia dismissed it as the only cross-line delivery in the last six months clearly timed to coincide with todays meeting.

Do you seriously expect us to consider the situation with cross-line convoys to be satisfactory after this?, he asked.

Griffiths said expanding early recovery programs  another key Syrian and Russian demand  is the humanitarian communitys best chance to support the future of the Syrian people.

He urged a stronger international consensus on the importance of these programs and a relaxation of rules to allow not only vocational training but mentoring for young people, construction of irrigation systems without qualifying them as development projects, and the opening of schools regardless of whether they are described as rehabilitated or reconstructed.
US' moves belie its masquerade of conciliation

09:52, June 29, 2023 By China Daily editorial ( Chinadaily.com.cn

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to visit Beijing in early July, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday.

If the trip that Yellen has been planning since April materializes, it can be regarded as a positive outcome of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's two-day visit to Beijing that wrapped up on June 19, during which an agreement was reached between the two sides on re-opening bilateral communication channels. However, it would be premature to say that Blinken's trip has helped check the overall worsening trend of Sino-US relations.

Not only has the US side never stopped its military provocations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, even during Blinken's visit to Beijing, but also some unpleasant incidents have happened over the past days, some of them unprecedented.

One day after Blinken said that relations must be handled responsibly, US President Joe Biden smeared his Chinese counterpart at a campaign fundraiser in California on Tuesday last week, an act that the Chinese Foreign Ministry called "an open political provocation".

Shortly after that, Biden hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington with the focus on strengthening their coordination to contain China militarily and economically.

On the same day, two Chinese anti-corruption law enforcers taking part in fighting cross-border crime with the US by locating corrupt fugitives and recovering illegal proceeds from the country were accused of "forcibly repatriating Chinese citizens to China".

Despite all these provocations by the Biden administration, Beijing has not stopped communicating with the US side, although with an unprecedentedly low level of trust, in an effort to try and get Washington to recognize that it is its misjudgment on China's rise that is the root cause of the souring relations.

During his meeting with Jacob Lew, chair of the National Committee on US-China Relations, in Beijing on Monday, China's senior diplomat Wang Yi pointed out that the roots of the difficulties facing China-US relations lie in the severe deviation of the US in its position toward China, which has resulted in the implementation of a series of misguided measures. He urged Washington to respect China's legitimate right to development, and fulfill the commitments it has made to Beijing multiple times.

All this indicates the opportunities for improving ties that were created by Blinken's visit risk being wasted. If its sincerity in trying to improve bilateral relations is met with only cheating and insults, Beijing will be left with no choice but to respond to Washington in the same way.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A propaganda image that calls for achieving policy goals laid out during a plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea is seen in this June 21 photo provided by North's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap



North Korea held a cabinet meeting earlier this week to discuss follow-up measures for policy goals laid out in a recent key party meeting, such as increasing agricultural production, the North's state media said Thursday.



A two-day plenary meeting of the Cabinet's Party Committee wrapped up Wednesday, attended by participants, including Premier Kim Tok-hun and Vice Premier Pak Jong-gun, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).



The meeting came less than two weeks after the North held a plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, to discuss its botched military spy satellite launch and economic policy goals.



During the two-day meeting, participants reviewed activities in the first half and discussed policy goals laid out by the party, such as its grain production goal and the improvement of the regime's agricultural industry, according to the KCNA.



Also discussed in the meeting were boosting production across different areas of the economy, supplying dairy products to children and providing a cleaner living environment for residents in Pyongyang.



In what appeared to be efforts to overcome its chronic food shortage, the North has identified raising grain production as the No. 1 task among 12 major economic priorities for this year. (Yonhap)


By John Irish

PARIS (Reuters) - The 193 member states of the United Nations cultural agency are expected to back the United States' return to the organisation almost five years after then-President Donald Trump withdrew over accusations of anti-Israel bias and mismanagement.

The Paris-based agency, founded in the ashes of World War Two to protect humanity's common cultural inheritance, was thrown into turmoil after the United States - which provided a fifth of its funding - pulled out.

The U.S. State Department indicated in a letter dated on June 8 that it wanted to rejoin the organisation in July as a full member and that it intended to repay $619 million in arrears in instalments over several years. The member states will make their decision at an extraordinary session on Thursday and Friday.

"Since our withdrawal from UNESCO on Dec. 31, 2018, we have noted UNESCO's efforts to implement key management and administrative reforms, as well as its focus on decreasing politicised debate, especially on Middle East issues," said the U.S. letter, seen by Reuters.

UNESCO's director-general, Audrey Azoulay, has sought to ease some of the political tensions and polarization, as well as better manage the organisation financially, while finding ways to fill the financial gap left by Washington's departure.

"This comes after a lot of work to persuade, educate and explain on the current realities of UNESCO," Azoulay, who is French, told reporters, adding that she had personally lobbied U.S. lawmakers for several months.

UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - is best known for designating and protecting archaeological and heritage sites, from the Galapagos Islands to the tombs of Timbuktu.

Most of its activities are not controversial - but issues such as resolutions about how religious sites should be run in Jerusalem have been highly charged. Azoulay said those issues were now a thing of the past after finding consensus between Israeli and Palestinians.

Israel also pulled out of UNESCO following Washington's departure. At this stage there are no negotiations for its return, Azoulay said.

U.S. law forbids Washington from funding U.N. bodies that have admitted Palestine as a full member. Its return to UNESCO was enabled after a waiver from the U.S. Congress earlier this year. The waiver will be in effect until the end of 2025.

Under its plan for a proposed return, the U.S. said it would pay $150 million for 2024, which would include its annual contribution and arrears. It would also provide additional, voluntary funding of $10 million, which would in part be used for Holocaust education, journalist safety, and preserving Ukraine's cultural heritage.

Part of the rationale for Congress to offer the waiver was curtailing China's growing sway at the agency where it is one of the largest donors.

Azoulay said China had responded at UNESCO to the potential U.S. return by saying it should be constructive and not oppose one state.

(Reporting by John Irish; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Attention all shaggy, shoeless Raleigh-area residents with disposable income  two new upscale shops have you covered head to toe.

Austin-based western wear brand Tecovas held a grand opening for its new North Hills location from Friday through Sunday, while mens chain barber shop Boardroom Styling Lounge held a ribbon cutting-for its new Cary storefront Monday.

The Raleigh location is Tecovas 29th across the United States and the second in North Carolina, with the first at Atherton Mill in Charlotte. The store carries the brands full range of products  boots, bags, apparel and accessories, targeted at both men and women, according to a press release.

Tecovas boots are handmade from leather in Leon, Mexico, and, according to its website, half the price of other similar quality boots. Boots at the North Hills store range from $265 to $595.

The store also offers complimentary leather stamping, boot shines and beverages.

Austin-based western wear brand Tecovas opened its new North Hills store last weekend.

Like Tecovas, Boardroom Styling Lounge is a national chain that is expanding into the state. Its 46th location is in the Fenton development in Cary, following its Midtown East Raleigh location which has been open for about two years, according to Aneisha McMillan, a spokeswoman for Boardroom Styling Lounge.

The stores ribbon cutting was held at 5:46 p.m. on Friday to mark its position as the brands 46th store, McMillan said. She said 40 to 50 people attended and the company gave memberships to the first 46.

McMillan said Boardroom Styling Lounge decided to come to the Fenton development because it felt like the right fit for its brand as an upscale mens grooming salon.

This is an upscale shopping center, they have a lot of upscale retailers here, we felt like this would be of interest to the people here, she said.

The concept of Boardroom Styling is to give men a spa-like environment at a barbershop, McMillian said. The salon offers a range of traditional barber services including neck shaves, waxing, head shaving and haircuts. The signature service is called a benchmark, which includes shampoo and conditioning, a haircut and neck shave as well as scalp, face and hand messages and a steamed towel.

Instead of charging for each haircut, Boardroom Styling Lounge sells memberships, with customers paying for unlimited haircuts for a period of either six months or a year. The executive membership includes unlimited benchmark services, while the express membership includes unlimited express haircuts. The Cary location is offering a special three-month membership, which started at a discount price that is being raised every few weeks. These discounted members are currently $199 for an express membership and $229 for an executive membership.

Paul Hicks, vice president of operations for Boardroom Styling Lounge, said the company has hired eight employees for the Cary store so far and is looking to hire at least four to six more.

Were always looking for top talent and were looking for the best in the Raleigh-Cary area, so anybody thats available wed love to bring on board, Hicks said.

The store has 10 chairs, the same as other locations, Hicks said. On average, the Boardroom Styling salons see 30 to 50 clients a day, he said.

Boardroom Styling in Fenton is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Tecovas North Hills is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
By Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday said it condemned the burning of a Koran outside a mosque in Sweden, but added that issuing the permit for the demonstration supported freedom of expression and was not an endorsement of the action.

A man tore up and burned a Koran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of Muslim Eid al Adha holidays, an action that angered Turkey whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Speaking at a daily press briefing, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Washington believes the demonstration created "an environment of fear" that effectively curbs the ability of Muslims to practice their religion freely.

"I will say that we do condemn it," Miller said.

"We believe the demonstration created an environment of fear that will impact the ability of Muslims and members of other religious minority groups from freely exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief in Sweden," he added.

"We also believe that issuing the permit for this demonstration supports freedom of expression and is not an endorsement of the demonstrations actions."

Swedish police had granted permission for the anti-Koran protest to take place. But after the burning, police charged the man who carried it out with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

Sweden sought NATO membership in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. But alliance member Turkey has held up the process, accusing Sweden of harboring people it considers terrorists and demanding their extradition.

Miller declined to say whether the demonstration and its fallout would have an impact on Turkey-Sweden ties and therefore the latter's NATO bid, but reiterated Washington's position that the Nordic country was ready to join the alliance.

"It is time to move to full accession to NATO for Sweden," he said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan slammed Sweden over the burning of a Koran in Stockholm and said Turkey would never bow down to a policy of provocation or threat.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Conor Humphries)
NEW YORK (AP)  Eleven victims of a gynecologist who practiced at prestigious New York hospitals before he was convicted of sexually abusing women over several decades made emotional statements about their continuing pain as they asked a federal judge Wednesday to keep him behind bars as long as possible.

Many of the women spoke anonymously in Manhattan federal court as they described in detail the sexual abuse they suffered during visits to Robert Hadden, 64, whose career at prominent hospitals including Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital spanned from the late 1980s until 2012.

Robert Hadden is a sexual predator disguised in a white coat, said one woman, who spoke under the pseudonym Emily Anderson.

Many of them thanked Judge Richard M. Berman, who will announce the sentence for Hadden on July 24, when the sentencing hearing that began with victim statements on Wednesday continues. Berman responded by praising the women as brave and eloquent.

The women included a former research nurse at Columbia University Irving Medical Center who says she hopes Hadden spends the rest of his life behind bars.

Hadden, of Englewood, New Jersey, was convicted in January of enticing victims to cross state lines so he could sexually abuse them. At trial, nine former patients testified. He has been incarcerated for the last several months.

Prosecutors have asked Berman to sentence him to at least 25 years in prison, while defense attorneys have requested three years behind bars.

Hadden's attorneys say he has lost 35 pounds and repeatedly been threatened with violence at a federal jail in Brooklyn, leading him to stay in his cell except to shower or call family members.

Prosecutors say Hadden's abuse of women began soon after he started working in 1987 at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York, which later became New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The institutions have agreed to pay more than $236 million to settle civil claims by more than 200 former patients.

Trial evidence proved Hadden committed anywhere from 167 to 310 acts of sexual abuse or assault on dozens of patients as he honed his abuse techniques so the assaults would go undetected for over 20 years, prosecutors wrote in a presentence submission.

Prosecutors said he sought sexual gratification when he asked victims detailed, inappropriate, and medically unnecessary questions and provided unsolicited advice and commentary about their bodies, pubic hair, masturbation, sexual activity, sex toys, pornography, and sexual partners.

Among those who spoke in court on Wednesday was Laurie Kanyok, who noted that it would be exactly 11 years on Thursday since she emerged from an appointment with Hadden and called police, setting off a state investigation that led to a plea deal but no jail sentence.

She said her own daughter is now 11 years old and she knows she'll soon have to introduce her to gynecological care.

This petrifies me, she told Berman.

Outside the courthouse after the hearing, Kanyok spoke to reporters, saying she found the statements by other victims inspiring.

He walked in today with a big smile waving at people. No remorse," she said.

Amy Yoney, who was employed by Columbia as a research nurse in the Department of Cardiology, said outside the courthouse that she was a victim of Hadden herself for nearly 12 years and feels intense guilt that she referred her best friend and others to Hadden, thinking he was a trusted physician.

He walks into the courtroom and he acts like hes at happy hour. He waves, he looks around. I think he is a true sociopath, she said.

Yoney said she blamed Columbia for not heeding complaints about Hadden and warning signs.

I dont think if flew under the radar. I think that they swept it under the rug for whatever reason, whether it was to make sure that research money wasnt taken away or their name wasnt tarnished, said Yoney, who now works in research for a small biotech company in another state.

Attorney Anthony T. Dipietro, who represents numerous Hadden victims, said women continue to surface to say they too were victims of Hadden. He said he believes Hadden treated between 6,000 and 8,000 women and that his victims number in the hundreds, if not thousands.

Dont forget these women started in this case before anyone heard of MeToo, he said.

The Associated Press generally withholds the names of sexual abuse victims from stories unless they have decided to tell their stories publicly, which Kanyok and Yoney have done.
An Atwater man was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for a murder in Turlock, but it was his wife who was the subject of ire by the victims family during a sentencing hearing last week.

She may have not pulled the trigger but she is as much to blame as he is, said Ruby Rodrigues, sister of the victim Ralph Vigil, 51 of Turlock, who was fatally shot outside the Venice Motel on Golden State Boulevard in January 2020.

Rodrigues and other family members said Isabel Pastran treated the trial as a joke, laughing and carrying on with no regard for life.

Vigils brother Carlos Rodrigues said in a statement, A permanent decision was made of temporary emotion to take a life and it is no laughing matter; Isabel Pastran seems to think so.

Pastran watched her boyfriend, Jose Andrade, shoot Vigil at the motel. She then pushed Andrade back into their vehicle, turned off the headlights and fled the scene, according to Deputy District Attorney Ahnna Reicks. Pastran later helped Andrade destroy evidence by removing decals from their vehicle and then cutting them up and disposing of them, returning the modified vehicle to the person theyd recently purchased it from, disposing of their clothing and deleting text and social media messages, Reicks said.

Pastran also turned off her phone, including on the day of their arrests a few weeks after the murder, when the couple traveled to the Bay Area, according to Reicks. They went to the Oakland Zoo and then to Pier 39, where, at the request of Turlock police, they were arrested by San Francisco police.

Following a three-week jury that ended in May, Andrade was convicted of second-degree murder with an enhancement for using a firearm. Pastran was convicted of being an accessory to murder after the fact.

In addition to laughing, smiling and being generally flippant throughout the proceedings, Pastran had to be admonished multiple times by Judge Dawna Reeves and courtroom bailiffs for her behavior with Andrade, who was in custody while Pastran was free. That behavior included standing too close to him, touching his hair and handing him something.

Pastrans attorney Willard Bakeman told the court that laughing and smiling are Pastrans involuntary responses to stress and anxiety.

To the extent that she seems like she doesnt care, shes sorry for that, Bakeman said. She is very upset by this case and very nervous about it, so to say that she takes it in a manner that is cavalier or funny would be totally wrong.

Reeves saw it differently, describing Pastrans attitude as cavalier, careless, laughing in the face of people who are hurting over the loss of a loved one.

Every single person who testified here today talked more about Pastran than the shooter, the judge said at the June 23 hearing. Thats a problem.

A near miss, a challenge to fight

During trial, evidence was presented that on Jan. 29, 2020, Pastran was driving with Andrade at North Golden State Boulevard and Almond Avenue when she nearly hit Vigil, who was on a bicycle, Reicks told The Bee.

Words were exchanged between Vigil and Andrade, who challenged Vigil to a fight at the Venice Motel, just a few hundred feet away, according to Reicks.

Andrade and Pastran arrived at the hotel first and then Vigil, who brought along a friend who witnessed the near collision. Reicks said Vigil didnt know how many people were in the car so he brought the friend in case he got jumped.

Vigil thought he was going into a fistfight, but within seconds of getting out of his vehicle, Andrade fired four rounds at Vigil, Reicks said. As Vigil was turning to run, one of the bullets entered his left lower abdomen and exited on the other side.

Andrades attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jed Harrington, argued that his client acted in self-defense and that the fight was initiated by Vigil.

The incident was captured on the hotels surveillance system, which did not have audio. Following the shooting, Andrade can be seen pointing the gun at Vigils friend before he and Pastran fled, Reicks said.

The video leans heavily against Andrade because the demeanor and mannerisms demonstrated appear to be intentional, not in self-defense, Reeves said during the sentencing.

The jury agreed but did convict Andrade of second-degree murder, not the first-degree premeditated murder he was charged with.

Judge had options because offenders were young adults

Reeves sentenced Andrade to serve 15 years to life in prison for the murder and 25 years to life for the gun enhancement, to be served consecutively.

Reeves had the discretion to strike the enhancement or lower the sentence and Harrington argued she should due to Andrade being only 19 at the time and having no prior record.

Reeves said she took into consideration that as a youthful offender, Andrade will be eligible for parole early. Under California law, he will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of his sentence.

At the time of the murder, Pastran also was 19 and was six months pregnant.

Reicks said Pastran considered changing her plea several times but wouldnt agree to a plea deal that didnt sentence her to house arrest so she could stay at home with her and Andrades baby.

She could have pled early on if she wanted to truly take responsibility for her actions, Reicks said during the sentencing. She just doesnt want to be punished and take responsibility. She, throughout the entire court process, had a smirk on her face  like she is above the law.

Many of Vigils family members asked that Pastran get the maximum sentence of three years.

While Reeves agreed with Reicks characterization of Pastran, she said she couldnt legally consider it when imposing a sentence.

She did deny Pastrans request for probation but sentenced her to the lower term of 16 months, 10 to be served in the county jail and six on supervised release.
The Pentagon has said Russian mercenary Wagner Group is still in Ukraine despite pulling out of the war-hit nation and claiming to hand over control to Russian defence ministry fighters last month.

...on Wagner Group and its disposition, what I would tell you is, right now, we continue to see some elements of the Wagner Group in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary brigadier general Pat Ryder said.

He added: ...they have been conducting operations in Ukraine for a while now. And so you know, most recently near Bakhmut, and so elements of those units are still in Ukraine.

He was answering a question in press briefing on a new home for Wagner Group in southern Belarus as per the satellite image from a former military base.

Mutinous Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told his mercenaries would no longer be fighting in Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine after he snubbed Russian defence ministry contracts for his fighters, a senior Moscow politician has said.

Key Points

Wagner still in Ukraine after pulling out and mutiny debacle, says Pentagon

Yevgeny Prigozhin was told Wagner would no longer be fighting in Ukraine'

Russian general Sergei Surovikin arrested after Wagner rebellion - report

Death toll rises to 12 in Ukraine's Kramatorsk after Russian strike

Vladimir Putin fears martyring Prigozhin and will seek to shatter his support

Countdown has begun for end of Putin, claims Volodymyr Zelensky aide

Prigozhin to be investigated after being paid $2bn in a year, says Putin

Kremlin could take formal control of Wagner

09:53 , Chris Stevenson

Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin may seek to take "formal control" of the Wagner mercenary group and turn it into a state-owned enterprise in the wake of the armed uprising over the weekend  with the group operating in countries such as Syria, Mali and the Central African Republic in addition to Ukraine.

Sergei Vershinin, the Russian deputy foreign minister, reportedly flew to Syria to tell Bashar al Assad, the president, that Wagner will no longer operate as an independent organisation in the country, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said.

Representatives of the Russian foreign ministry also reportedly told Faustin-Archange Touadera, president of the Central African Republic, and Malian leadership that Wagner will continue operations in their respective countries, it added.

"Putin claimed on June 27 that the Kremlin 'fully funds' and 'fully supplies' Wagner, and Russian officials may use Wagners existing status as a state-financed and supplied organisation to complete its formal nationalisation," the thinktank said in its latest update.

"The nationalisation of Wagner would likely aid in the Russian Ministry of Defence's effort to subsume existing Wagner personnel into the regular Russian Armed Forces through contracts.

"The Kremlin may intend to assume formal control over the Wagner Group following its armed rebellion and turn it into a state-owned enterprise, although it is not clear if the Kremlin has committed itself to such a course of action."

Human Rights Watch reports new evidence of Ukrainian use of banned landmines

11:12 , Matt Mathers

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Friday that it uncovered new evidence of the indiscriminate use by Ukrainian forces of banned anti-personnel landmines against Russian troops who invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The group called on Ukraines government to follow through with a commitment made earlier this month not to employ such weapons, investigate their suspected use and hold accountable those responsible.

"The Ukrainian governments pledge to investigate its militarys apparent use of banned anti-personnel mines is an important recognition of its duty to protect civilians," Steve Goose, Human Rights Watchs arms director, said in a statement.

HRW said it shared its findings with the Ukrainian government in a May letter to which it received no response.

Ukraines embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Ukraine in 2005 ratified a 1997 international treaty banning such mines and mandating the destruction of stocks of the weapons.

Russia did not join the treaty and its use of anti-personnel mines "violates international humanitarian law ... because they are inherently indiscriminate," the report said.

Cambodia Ukraine Demining (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

10:30 , Matt Mathers

Ukraine troops are advancing in all directions, the countrys deputy defence minister has said.

If we talk about the entire frontline, both east and south, we have seized the strategic initiative and are advancing in all directions, Hanna Maliar told Ukrainian television.

Kyiv launched its counteroffensive earlier this month and has since retaken control of a cluster of villages in southeast Russia.

Hanna Maliar, left (Washington Post photo by Erin O'Connor)

Footage appears to show explosions in Berdyansk

09:13 , Matt Mathers

Video shared online appears to show explosions in the occupied city of Berdyansk.

On the Telegram messaging app, one of the Russian-imposed leaders in occupied Zaporizhzhia, Vladimir Rogov, shared the clip with this message:

According to preliminary data, the Ukrainian armed forces militants tried to strike this morning with Storm Shadow missiles.

The series of explosions heard is the result of the work of the Russian air defence, which successfully repelled an enemy attack on civilians on the outskirts of the city.

The clip has not been independently verified:

Didnt realise storm shadow missiles had the ability to draw Z letters. This footage from occupied Berdyansk this morning. pic.twitter.com/FdZv0zkux4  Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) June 30, 2023

Russia reducing personnel at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - Ukrainian intelligence

08:56 , Matt Mathers

Russia is gradually reducing the number of personnel at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in southern Ukraine, Ukraines military intelligence agency said on Friday.

It did not say why some people had left and Reuters could not independently verify the information. Russia, which has occupied the plant since March 2022, did not immediately comment on the assertion.

Kyiv accused Russia this month of planning a "terrorist" attack at the nuclear plant involving the release of radiation. Moscow denied the accusation.

"According to the latest data, the occupation contingent is gradually leaving the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," Main Directorate of Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence (GUR) said on the Telegram messaging app.

GUR said that among the first to leave the nuclear power station were three employees of Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom who had been "in charge of the Russians activities".

Russia Ukraine (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Russias true military expenditure uncertain due to lack of transparency

08:12 , Matt Mathers

Russias true military expenditure remains uncertain due to a lack of transparency, Britains Ministry of Defence has said.

The MoD said in a statement: In a June 2023 report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) assessed that Russias military spending budget for 2023 is around 6.6 trillion rubles (USD $85.8bn).

This equates to about 4.4 per cent of Russian GDP compared with 3.6 per cent in 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine.

Russias true military expenditure remains uncertain due to a lack of transparency, including the use of classified budget lines, which account for approximately 22 per cent of the Russian Governments total budget.

Although only part of the defence budget is spent on the war in Ukraine, the increase in spending highlights the cost of Russias activity in Ukraine.

In addition, Russia almost certainly faces extra direct budgetary defence costs due to the war, including security expenses in the occupied regions and defensive measures in regions bordering Ukraine.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 30 June 2023.



Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/ILW5iqvR7b



 #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/dVxlihVbhS  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) June 30, 2023

Hungary opposes EU plan to grant more money to Ukraine -PM Orban

07:52 , Matt Mathers

Hungary rejects the European Commissions plans to grant more money to Ukraine and is not willing to contribute additional money to finance the EUs increased debt service costs, prime minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday.

Orban, speaking on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels, said it was a "ridiculous" request from the Commission that Hungary should contribute more money, when Budapest - along with Poland - has not received funds from the EUs Recovery Fund amid a rule of law dispute.

The European Union will provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($54.30 billion) in aid for 2024-27, the blocs president said on June 20. This comes after a review of the EUs 2021-27 shared budget, which has been depleted by the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and an energy crisis. High inflation and interest rates have also doubled debt-servicing costs.

"One thing is clear, we Hungarians ... will not give more money to Ukraine until they say where the previous around 70 billion euros worth of funds had gone," Orban said.

"And we find it utterly ridiculous and absurd, that we should contribute more money to finance debt service costs of a loan, from which we have still not received the funds we are entitled to get."

Hungary CPAC (MTVA - Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund)

Ukraine eyeing edge as Russian army distracted by infighting

06:52 , Arpan Rai

Ukraines troops were given a boost of morale last week by an armed rebellion in Russia that posed the most significant threat to President Vladimir Putins power in more than two decades.

After postponing the ambush on Vladimir Putins fighters, Ukrainian commanders decided one recent night that conditions were finally right.

A battalion of Kyivs 129th brigade pressed ahead, advancing stealthily on unsuspecting Russian soldiers, in darkness.

By the time the Russians situated along the front line realized they were under attack, it was too late.

Ukraines recapture of the small village of Neskuchne in the eastern Donetsk region on June 10 encapsulates the opening strategy of a major counteroffensive launched earlier this month.

Small platoons bank on the element of surprise and, when successful, make incremental gains in territory and battlefield intelligence.

We had a few scenarios. In the end, I think we chose the best one. To come quietly, unexpectedly, said Serhii Zherebylo, the 41-year-old deputy commander of the battalion that retook Neskuchne.

Yet how the revolt by Wagner Group mercenaries under the command of Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin affects the trajectory of the war remains to be seen.

Ukraine aims to wear down and outsmart a Russian army distracted by infighting

New evidence of Ukrainian use of banned landmines seen, says HRW

06:25 , Arpan Rai

Fresh evidence of the indiscriminate use by Ukrainian forces of banned anti-personnel landmines against Russian troops who invaded Ukraine in 2022 has emerged from the war-hit nation, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today.

The evidence comes from Ukrainian forcess use of anti-personnel mines in 2002 came from photographs posted online by an individual working in eastern Ukraine that showed warhead sections of Uragan 220mm rockets.

The Ukrainian governments pledge to investigate its militarys apparent use of banned anti-personnel mines is an important recognition of its duty to protect civilians, Steve Goose, Human Rights Watchs arms director, said in a statement.

The group called on Ukraines government to follow through with a commitment made earlier this month not to employ such weapons, investigate their suspected use and hold accountable those responsible.

HRW said it shared its findings with the Ukrainian government in a May letter to which it received no response.

Ukraine in 2005 ratified a 1997 international treaty banning such mines and mandating the destruction of stocks of the weapons.

Russia did not join the treaty and its use of anti-personnel mines violates international humanitarian law... because they are inherently indiscriminate, the report said.

Mystery surrounds fate of Russias General Armageddon in wake of Wagner mutiny

05:21 , Arpan Rai

Russias most senior generals have dropped out of public view after the failed mutiny by the Wagner mercenaries  with speculation swirling in Moscow that at least one of them has been detained.

That man is General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, who is deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Armed forces chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, has also not appeared in public or on state TV since the aborted mutiny on Saturday when mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded Mr Gerasimov be handed over. Nor has he been mentioned in a defence ministry press release since 9 June.

A New York Times report, based on a US intelligence briefing, said on Tuesday that Mr Surovikin had advance knowledge of the mutiny and that Russian authorities were checking whether he was complicit.

Read the full story here:

Mystery surrounds fate of Russias General Armageddon in wake of Wagner mutiny

Wagner still in Ukraine after pulling out and mutiny debacle, says Pentagon

04:38 , Arpan Rai

Pentagon has said Russian mercenary Wagner Group is operating in Ukraine despite pulling out of the war-hit nation and claiming to hand over control to Russian defence ministry fighters last month.

...on Wagner Group and its disposition, what I would tell you is, right now, we continue to see some elements of the Wagner Group in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said.

He was answering a question in press briefing on a new home for Wagner Group in southern Belarus as per the satellite image from a former military base.

As it relates to Belarus, I dont have any updates to provide on that front. Ive seen the press reports that youre talking about. Clearly, thats something that well continue to keep an eye on, he said.

The official added that in terms of the future of Wagner Group, its a question best addressed by Russia.

That's really a question best addressed by Russia, which of course, as you know, funds the Wagner Group, and how they will be employed going throughout the rest of this, this conflict and  and elsewhere around the world, since, you know, as your colleague highlighted earlier, they also conduct operations in Africa, as well as Syria. So that's something that we'll continue to keep an eye on. It's just too early to tell right now, he said.

Trump says aborted mutiny somewhat weakened Putin

03:59 , Arpan Rai

Former US president Donald Trump said his ally Vladimir Putin was somewhat weakened by an aborted mutiny and that now is the time for the United States to try to broker a negotiated peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

You could say that hes (Putin) still there, hes still strong, but he certainly has been I would say somewhat weakened at least in the minds of a lot of people, he said.

I want people to stop dying over this ridiculous war, Mr Trump, a long-time admirer of the Russian president, said.

The Republican leader did not rule out conceding of territory to Russia, which it has captured in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, by Kyiv, adding that the continuing war needs a negotiator.

Mr Trump and Mr Putin were allies during his tenure at the White House.

Everything would be subject to negotiation, if he were president, Mr Trump said, but added that Ukrainians who have waged a vigorous fight to defend their land have earned a lot of credit.

I think they would be entitled to keep much of what theyve earned and I think that Russia likewise would agree to that. You need the right mediator, or negotiator, and we dont have that right now, he said.

Ukraine holds drills in Zaporizhzhia to prepare for radiation leaks from Russian-held nuclear plant

03:00 , Joe Middleton

Dressed in white and yellow protective suits and armed with devices to detect radiation levels, Ukrainian emergency workers took part in a drill Thursday to prepare for a potential risk of radiation leakage from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Dozens of civilians joined the drill on the outskirts of the city of Zaporizhzhia, located around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the nuclear power plant, Europes largest.

In a tent set up to provide first aid, emergency workers practiced hosing people down with soap and going through the motions of administering treatment to individuals who play-acted victims from possible radiation-affected areas.

Ukraine holds drills in Zaporizhzhia to prepare for radiation leaks from Russian-held nuclear plant

Ukraines push to smash Russian defences on the battlefield: Small advances have colossal meaning

02:00 , Joe Middleton

Askold Krushelnycky reports from Kharkiv, where he speaks to members of Ukraines army about Kyivs counteroffensive to reclaim its land from Moscow. Facing mines and constant shelling, gains are slow  and hard-earned

Ukraines push to smash Russian defences: Small advances have colossal meaning

Mary Dejevsky - In the wake of mutiny, Putins weakened but far from finished

01:00 , Joe Middleton

After a dramatic weekend, Putin is back in the Kremlin, doing staged walkabouts and wants the world to know that he is in charge, writes Mary Dejevsky. Whilst its tempting to conclude his days are numbered, its important to resist the spin

In the wake of mutiny, Putins weakened but far from finished | Mary Dejevsky

Mystery surrounds fate of Russias General Armageddon in wake of Wagner mutiny

Thursday 29 June 2023 23:59 , Joe Middleton

Russias most senior generals have dropped out of public view after the failed mutiny by the Wagner mercenaries  with speculation swirling in Moscow that at least one of them has been detained.

That man is General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, who is deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Armed forces chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, has also not appeared in public or on state TV since the aborted mutiny on Saturday when mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded Mr Gerasimov be handed over. Nor has he been mentioned in a defence ministry press release since 9 June.

Mystery surrounds fate of Russias General Armageddon in wake of Wagner mutiny

Prigozhin face masks on sale in St Petersburg

Thursday 29 June 2023 23:00 , Sam Rkaina

The Wagner fighters - who have spearheaded some of Russias military actions in Ukraine - were cheered enthusiastically by residents in Rostov-on-Don on Saturday when they briefly took control of the southern Russian city. President Vladimir Putin described their actions as treason and a stab in the back.

People have also been purchasing other regalia, such as keyrings, on Wildberries rival Ozon.

Very beautiful and original keyring, wrote one five-star reviewer. In memory of all those in Wagners ranks who died.

Large numbers of Wagner fighters - including many former convicts granted their freedom in exchange for serving in Ukraine - have been killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Wildberries and Ozon declined to comment on Thursday on the surge in merchandise prices.

Elsewhere, Prigozhin face masks were on sale in St Petersburg, alongside those of Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and jailed opposition politician Alexey Navalny.

Under Saturdays deal that ended the mutiny, fighters of the Wagner group were allowed to join their leader Prigozhin in exile in Belarus, to be integrated into Russias regular armed forces or to return to their families.

Prigozhin (PRIGOZHIN PRESS SERVICE)

Prices for Wagner merch surge after mutiny

Thursday 29 June 2023 22:00 , Sam Rkaina

Online prices for merchandise bearing the insignia of Russias Wagner group - a human skull against a black and red backdrop - have shot up since its abortive armed mutiny, with buyers posting five-star reviews and support for the mercenaries.

Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin sent an armed convoy on a 1,200-km (750-mile) charge towards Moscow in protest over what he said was the incompetence and corruption of Russias military leadership. A deal brokered by the leader of Belarus abruptly halted the mutiny late on Saturday.

E-commerce leader Wildberries weekly price breakdowns showed how costs have risen. A patch depicting the skull that can be sewn onto clothes fetched 525 roubles ($6) in the period June 25-29, up sharply from 294 roubles during June 18-25.

Due to the situation in the country, the purchase was spontaneous, wrote one buyer, Tatiana.

Prices for a black T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a Wagner fighter holding a violin jumped this week to 1,650 roubles from 1,236 roubles.

On a review of a Wagner flag on Wildberries, one buyer, Vladimir, said: The Wagner Private Military Company is the best. Good luck to you guys. The flag is excellent.

Russia Belarus Wagner

Questions over whether Zelensky will attend Nato summit

Thursday 29 June 2023 21:00 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine believes its fight against Russias invasion demonstrates it is worthy of NATO admission and has also shown it is already a key part of transatlantic security.

One of the subplots in the summits run-up is whether Zelensky will attend.

The Ukrainian leader has said he sees no point in going to the summit if Kyiv is not given a signal at the meeting. His chief of staff said this week that Zelensky would decide on the eve of the summit whether or not to go.

His absence would overshadow any show of Western unity at the summit. The West has poured in vast amounts of military and financial assistance to help Ukraine hold its own against Russias February 2022 full-scale invasion.

But not turning up would also deprive Kyivs leadership of valuable face time with the leaders of Ukraines staunchest backers.

The final outcomes of major summits are typically the product of long-running negotiations and are often finalised shortly before the summit formally begins.

If there is no result at the Vilnius summit, he doesnt have reason and time to go, said Zhovkva.

Asked what the threshold was for Zelensky to attend, Zhovkva cited a speech to parliament in which the Ukrainian leader spoke of the importance of courage in todays world.

The president will not travel ... to the summit if the leaders will tend to or will show a deficit of courage, while Ukraine with all its courage, will and strength and high morale is fighting against Russian aggression, he said.

Zhovkva pointed to the cases of Finland and Sweden who applied for membership last year. Finland has already since become a member.

When Finland and Sweden submitted an application for membership last year, immediately in June last year the allies responded to the application ... inviting them to membership with NATO, he said.

Asked how close Ukraine was to receiving an invitation now, he said: We are closer than we were half a year ago. And still some time is left; much time is left in reality...

Ukraine wants invite to join Nato

Thursday 29 June 2023 20:00 , Sam Rkaina

Ukraine wants to receive an invitation to begin the process of joining NATO at the military alliances summit next month, and President Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend if leaders do not show courage, a presidential aide said on Thursday.

Chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva told Reuters that Kyiv wanted the July 11-12 NATO summit in Vilnius to deliver a response to the application for NATO membership that Ukraine filed on Sept. 30 last year. This application is now on the tables of the leaders of NATO allies.

The Vilnius summit would be a very good start to respond to this application. And by respond, we mean invitation for membership, which is only the first stage, he said.

Kyivs allies are divided over how fast Ukraine should join NATO and some Western governments are wary of any move that might take the alliance closer to war with Russia.

In an interview in the heavily guarded presidents office in the Ukrainian capital, the Zelensky aide said Kyiv recognised it cannot join the 31-member bloc while Russia is waging war on Ukraine.

What we are asking for is to start the procedure, he said, banging the table at one point to drive his point home.

Mary Dejevsky - In the wake of mutiny, Putins weakened but far from finished

Thursday 29 June 2023 19:00 , Sam Rkaina

After a dramatic weekend, Putin is back in the Kremlin, doing staged walkabouts and wants the world to know that he is in charge, writes Mary Dejevsky. Whilst its tempting to conclude his days are numbered, its important to resist the spin.

If the minute-by-minute dramas of last weekend in Russia seem both a long way away and a long time ago, that is because a great many people want you to think that, or want you to see it in a new light. I can hardly remember a single episode in recent years that has passed so quickly from reality to myth  and competing myths at that.

But first, what is the actual situation in terms of politics and power now that the immediate dust has settled? Vladimir Putin is back in the Kremlin and wants you to know that he is in charge; that his authority is intact, and that he remains determined to run Russia and continue the war against Ukraine.

Click here for Marys full view.

Russian ambassador rules out Swiss-mediated peace talks

Thursday 29 June 2023 17:56 , Andy Gregory

Russia could not accept any Swiss-hosted peace summit on Ukraine after it joined European Union sanctions against Moscow, the Kremlins ambassador has said, claiming that Switzerland had lost its reputation for neutrality.

Earlier this month, Volodymyr Zelensky had suggested in a speech to the Swiss parliament that the country could act as a mediator.

But in an interview with Le Temps newspaper, Sergei Garmonin said Russia would not accept that Switzerland, which traditionally has served as a location for high-level talks between feuding powers, host such a summit.

Swiss representation and mediation are out of the question, Mr Garmonin said. Switzerland has unfortunately lost its status as a neutral state and can no longer act as a mediator or as a representative of interests.

Ukraine ready for challenges posed by Russia after Zaporizhzhia drill

Thursday 29 June 2023 17:29 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine is ready for the challenges Russia posed, its deputy energy minister has said, as Kyiv conducted nuclear disaster drills near the Zaporizhiza power plant  where it claims Russia may be planning a terrorist attack involving the release of radiation.

Yuriy Malashko, governor of the Zaporizhzhia region that includes the plant, said the drills in Zaporizhzhia city and the district around it were intended to coordinate the response of all services to an emergency situation at the plant.

Footage broadcast by Reuters showed rescuers in yellow and white protective gear and gas masks, using dosimeters to check passenger cars and trucks for radiation levels and then cleaning wheels before vehicles underwent additional decontamination at specialised washing points. A man on a stretcher was brought into a medical tent as sirens blared.

Of course, it is scary. I fear for my family, my child, What do we do? It is very scary, Tetyana, 45, told the news agency of the threat of a real disaster as rescuers checked her for radiation in the drill.

Officials and civil defence forces worked on scenarios that might follow a nuclear disaster, and on how to inform and evacuate the population.

We have assumed the worst scenario, in which the contamination zone will be bigger than 50 kilometres. This would mean four regions would be affected, Yurii Vlasenko, a deputy energy minister, said, adding that the results of the drill were good and Ukraine was ready for the challenges Russia posed.

Officials attend anti-radiation drills for case of an emergency situation at Zaporizhzhia (REUTERS/Stringer)

Nato members closing in on compromise on Ukrainian accession, says US ambassador

Thursday 29 June 2023 17:04 , Andy Gregory

Nato members are closing in on a compromise on Ukraines membership aspirations which may set out how Kyiv could join the military alliance, Washingtons ambassador has said.

Ukraine has been pressing Nato to declare at a summit in Vilnius next month that Kyiv will join the alliance soon after Russias war comes to an end and to set out a roadmap to membership.

The US diplomat, Julianne Smith, said she was confident Nato would agree on a text that went beyond a declaration in Bucharest from 2008, which said Ukraine would join the alliance but did not say when or how.

Most of us feel confident that we are going to be able to come to an agreement that will reflect where we are and that the Ukrainians will believe and feel is something above and beyond restating Bucharest, Ms Smith told reporters.

Ms Smith said the text on Ukraine, intended to be issued as part of a communique at the Vilnius summit, was still under negotiation and she declined to share precise language. But asked if it could address the question of how Ukraine would join the alliance, she replied: It could, yes. I think thats possible.

Ms Smith said the text could be agreed before the summit, to which Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited.

Nato should consider allowing Ukraine to skip key membership requirement, says Ben Wallace

Thursday 29 June 2023 16:45 , Andy Gregory

Nato should look at allowing Ukraine to bypass a major requirement for joining the alliance, Britains defence minister Ben Wallace has said.

Any move to ditch or circumvent the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as part of its pathway to joining the alliance  which is designed to help candidates meet certain political, economic and military criteria  could speed up Kyivs accession.

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the Membership Action Plan, Mr Wallace said at a joint press conference alongside his Canadian counterpart in London.

But of course, we have to put some realism in this space that there are 31 members of Nato now and, you know, we have to all move together.

Mr Wallace said he could not guarantee agreement on that step ahead of next months Nato summit in Lithuania, but said it could be possible to remove other barriers to their membership.

Visiting Ukraine steels my resolve to do my part, says Pence

Thursday 29 June 2023 16:22 , Andy Gregory

Visiting Ukraine steels my resolve to do my part, US presidential hopeful Mike Pence has said, as he became the first Republican candidate to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky.

The former vice president has been a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and full-throated supporter of Ukraine, as he challenges his former boss Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, who has declined to say that he wants Ukraine to win the war, instead calling for a negotiated solution.

Mr Pence currently trails Mr Trump by over 30 points in most polls among Republican primary voters, who will chose next year's candidate.

Prigozhin mutiny will have visible aftershocks, say Western leaders

Thursday 29 June 2023 16:07 , Andy Gregory

Yegnevy Prigozhins shortlived mutiny has shown deep cracks in Vladimir Putins regime and will cause visible aftershocks, Western leaders have claimed, as they gathered for a meeting in Brussels.

The mutiny we saw at the weekend demonstrates that there are cracks and divisions within the Russian system. At the same time, it is important to underline that these are internal Russian matters, said Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg on arrival at the summit.

EU leaders agreed. This showed deep cracks in Putins system. This mutiny of last weekend will also have aftershocks that we will see, said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

President Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania insisted it was all the more reason to take a robust posture toward Vladimir Putin.

Some colleagues sometimes say that a strong Putin is less dangerous than a weak Putin. I dont agree with that. We have to move forward and be decisive, because now is a crucial moment of history, he said.

Mike Pence meets with Zelensky in Kyiv, report claims

Thursday 29 June 2023 15:37 , Andy Gregory

Former US vice president Mike Pence has met with Volodymyr Zelensky in a visit to Kyiv, NBC News reports.

Mr Pence formally launched his US presidential campaign earlier this month, in doing so taking on his old boss Donald Trump, after their relationship came to a bitter end during the 6 January riots at the Capitol building in Washington.

(Getty Images)

Two civilians killed in Russian shelling of Kherson refuge point, authorities say

Thursday 29 June 2023 14:49 , Andy Gregory

Two people have been killed and two others wounded in Russian shelling of a refuge for civilians known as an invincibility point in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Thursday, the regional governor said.

Two local people were killed and two more are in hospital in moderate condition, governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram.

Satellite images of Belarus military base chime with reports of new facilities for Wagner

Thursday 29 June 2023 14:30 , Andy Gregory

Satellite images of a military base southeast of the Belarus capital Minsk appear to show new facilities have been set up in recent days  suggesting that a base for Wagner is being swiftly constructed.

Russian outlets have reported that Wagner could set up a new base at a vacant military facility near the town of Asipovichi, about 50 miles from Minsk.

Images captured by the European Space Agencys Sentinel 2 satellites on Tuesday show rows of long structures in the nearby village of Tsel, in a field which had appeared empty just a fortnight prior.

A satellite image appears to show new facilities set up recently, at a military base in Tse (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2/Handout via REUTERS)

(via REUTERS)

EU security assurances would be in addition to military support, says Dutch PM

Thursday 29 June 2023 14:09 , Andy Gregory

The European Union still needs to decide the shape and form of the security assurances it wishes to give Ukraine, Dutch premier Mark Rutte has said, as he arrived at todays meeting in Brussels.

This European track would be additional [to military support], Mr Rutte said.

We will have to discuss how far it goes, and if it would be lethal or non-lethal support. And we have to take into account that several EU countries are not a member of Nato.

Neutral EU states object to security assurances for Ukraine, says Austrian chancellor

Thursday 29 June 2023 13:48 , Andy Gregory

EU countries with a neutral foreign policy object to giving Ukraine outright security assurances, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer has said, ahead of a meeting with EU leaders in Brussels.

For us as neutral states it is clear we cant give security guarantees like that. Austria, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus have made it clear they have objections, Mr Nehammer told reporters.

The role of the neutral states needs to be explicitly taken into account. We will certainly discuss this and we will find formulations that will be acceptable for us as well.

BRICS summit to go ahead in South Africa despite Putin arrest warrant

Thursday 29 June 2023 13:29 , Andy Gregory

South Africa has announced it will host the BRICS bloc summit in August as planned, amid speculation that it may move to China so that Vladimir Putin can attend in a nation not obliged to arrest him on war crimes accusations.

South Africa has a duty as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Mr Putin if he attends the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, due to an arrest warrant over the deportation of children from Ukraine  which he denies.

Just 12 days after president Cyril Ramaphosa met with Mr Putin in Moscow, South Africas international relations department has now confirmed the summit will go ahead in South Africa from 22 to 24 August.

A spokesperson for the international relations department declined to comment to Reuters on whether or not Mr Putin will attend, with the departments minister revealing on Tuesday that the Russian president had not yet replied to an invitation sent prior to the ICCs charges in March.

Chinese president Xi Jinping, Indias prime minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are all said to be planning to attend.

British satirical newspaper takes aim at Putin-Prigozhin tensions

Thursday 29 June 2023 13:11 , Andy Gregory

Seizing the chance for a rare moment of levity in coverage of Ukraine, British fortnightly Private Eye has taken aim at the aborted coup by Putins chef, Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Satirising an oft-used picture of Mr Prigozhin serving Mr Putin dinner, the magazine shows the Wagner chief serving up coup of the day, as the president complains of terrible feud.

I wondered which Putin pics would be the Eyes choice of cover this week - all of them ! pic.twitter.com/fCBuL9Bs03  MichaelWhite (@michaelwhite) June 29, 2023

Russia claims generals killed in Kramatorsk strike which left four children dead'

Thursday 29 June 2023 12:55 , Andy Gregory

Russia claims to have killed two Ukrainian generals and 50 military officers in the attack on a Kramatorsk restaurant, which Kyiv authorities said had killed 12 people, including four children, two of them 14-year-old twin sisters.

Officials initially blamed the strike on an S-300 missile, a surface-to-air weapon that Russias forces have repurposed for loosely targeted strikes on cities, but the National Police later said Iskander short-range ballistic missiles were used  raising the prospect of a war crime under the principle of proportionality.

Yulia and Anna Aksenchenko, who were 14 years old, are said to have been among those killed in the Russian strike (Kramatorsk City Council)

Kramatorsk is a front-line city which houses the Ukrainian army's regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as locals.

At least 61 people were wounded in the attack, which also damaged 18 multi-story buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, according to the regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Despite these reports, Russias defence ministry sought to claim on Thursday that two Ukrainian generals and up to 50 Ukrainian military officers had been killed in the strike, insisting that a temporary Ukrainian army command post had been hit in Kramatorsk.

Top EU diplomat suggests long-term Ukraine Defence Fund

Thursday 29 June 2023 12:29 , Andy Gregory

The European Union needs to consider turning the European Peace Facility that has been used to fund weapons for Kyiv into a more permanent tool to arm the country in the long term, the EUs foreign policy chief has suggested.

We talk about security commitments. From my side, it means military support for Ukraine has to have a long haul ... during the war and after the war, Josep Borrell told reporters as he arrived for an EU summit in Brussels.

So the European Peace Facility for Ukraine maybe has to become a Ukraine Defence Fund  the training has to continue, the modernisation of the army has to continue.

Prigozhin told Wagner will no longer fight in Ukraine, Russian MP claims

Thursday 29 June 2023 12:11 , Andy Gregory

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has been told that he will be deprived of financing if his mercenaries do not sign contracts with the defence ministry, state news agencies have cited a senior parliamentarian as saying.

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential politician who chairs the lower house of parliament's defence committee, said Mr Prigozhin had refused to sign the contracts and was subsequently told that his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine, Tass reported.

Ukraine conducting nuclear disaster drills near Zaporizhzhia plant, says regional governor

Thursday 29 June 2023 11:54 , Andy Gregory

Ukraine has started nuclear disaster response drills in the vicinity of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, regional officials said, where Kyiv has accused Moscow of planning a terrorist attack  which the Kremlin denies.

Yuriy Malashko, the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region which includes the plant, which is Europes largest, said the drills had begun in the city of Zaporizhzhia and the district around it.

Similar exercises started in the neighbouring Kherson region, Kherson region governor Oleksander Prokudin said.

The purpose of the event is to coordinate the actions of all services in case of a real threat of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, he said Telegram, urging residents to remain calm.

Mr Prokudin said various officials and civil defence forces were working jointly on scenarios that might follow a nuclear disaster, and on how to inform and evacuate the population. Authorities were testing alert systems.

Kremlin says it does not know whereabouts of General Armageddon'

Thursday 29 June 2023 11:25 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has declined to answer questions about General Sergei Surovikin, who is claimed in reports to have been arrested for having knowledge of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhins weekend rebellion.

The former commander in Ukraine, nicknamed General Armageddon for his wanton tactics during the Syrian war, has been absent from view since Saturday, when he appeared in a video appealing to Mr Prigozhin to halt his mutiny.

He had looked exhausted in that video and it was unclear if he was speaking under duress. There have since been unconfirmed reports that he is being questioned by the security services.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred questions about Surovikin to the defence ministry, which has so far not made any statement about him.

Asked if Mr Surovikin still had Vladimir Putins trust, Mr Peskov said that, as commander-in-chief of Russias armed forces, Mr Putin worked with the defence minister and the chief of the general staff.

Mr Peskov said he did not have information about Mr Prigozhins whereabouts at the present time.

Strong support for Putin remains among Russians, Kremlin insists

Thursday 29 June 2023 11:06 , Andy Gregory

The Kremlin has insisted that there is continued strong support among Russians for its war in Ukraine and for Vladimir Putin.

Asked by reporters about a survey suggesting there was an equal number of people who supported negotiations to end the 16-month military operation in Ukraine and those who favoured continuing the conflict, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: The data we have show something quite different - dominant support for the special military operation and for the president.

The main thing for Russians is achieving the goals before us which were formulated by the president, he added.

Full report: Russia arrests General Armageddon over knowledge of Wagner mutiny

Thursday 29 June 2023 10:35 , Andy Gregory

A top Russian general has reportedly been arrested for having knowledge of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhins weekend rebellion.

General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, has been missing since Saturday when Wagners troops launched an armed revolt.

The 56-year-old second-in-command of the Russian armed forces is said to be under interrogation. Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhins side during the uprising and they have gotten ahold of him, the Moscow Times quoted a source as saying.

My colleague Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full report:

Russia arrests General Armageddon over knowledge of Wagner mutiny

Aircraft shot down by Wagner played key role in orchestrating Russian troops in Ukraine, says UK

Thursday 29 June 2023 10:24 , Andy Gregory

A command and control aircraft reportedly shot down by Wagner during its aborted mutiny played a key role in orchestrating Russian forces in Ukraine and will undermine Moscows ability to coordinate its troops, Britains Ministry of Defence has claimed.

In its latest update, the ministry said: On 24 June, air defence forces of the Wagner private military company reportedly shot down Russian military helicopters and an Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post aircraft.

The Il-22M is part of a relatively small fleet of up to 12 aircraft, heavily utilised for both airborne command and control, and radio relay tasks. These special mission aircraft have played a key role in orchestrating Russian forces in their war against Ukraine.

As high value assets they have operated within the safety of Russian airspace, far beyond the range of Ukrainian air defence systems.

The loss of this aircraft is likely to have a negative impact on Russian air and land operations. In the short term the psychological shock of losing a large number of aircrew in this manner will almost certainly damage morale within the Russian Aerospace Force.

In the longer term, there is a possibility that current tasking levels may have to be reduced to safely manage the remaining fleet. This will likely undermine Russia's ability to command and coordinate its forces, particularly during periods of high tempo operations.

Kyiv advancing slowly but surely on frontlines as Russia bringing in best reserves'

Thursday 29 June 2023 10:03 , Andy Gregory

Kyivs forces are advancing slowly but surely on the front lines in Ukraines east and southeast  and around Bakhmut  senior military officials have said.

Ukrainian commander-in-chief General Valery Zaluzhniy told top US general Mark Milley that his forces had succeeded in seizing the strategic initiative, and told him about weapons and demining equipment required by Kyivs forces.

Ukraines defence forces are proceeding with their offensive action and we have made advances. The enemy is offering strong resistance, while sustaining considerable losses, Zaluzhniy wrote on Telegram.

Defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov told the Financial Times that the liberation of a group of villages was not the main event in the offensive.

His deputy Hanna Maliar noted advances towards the occupied cities of Berdiansk and Mariupol, telling a national broadcaster: Every day, there is an advance. Yes, the advances are slow, but they are sure.

She cited the recapture this week of the village of Rivnopol in the southeast, saying mopping up operations were complete and that the army was now well dug in  with the Russian military now diverting forces to both Bakhmut and the southern front.

They are redirected their paratroops and assault brigades to both the south and the east, she said. They are bringing in their best reserves now.

A Ukrainian service member fire a machine gun at a training ground near a frontline in Donetsk (REUTERS)

Watch: Footage shows of scale destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

Thursday 29 June 2023 09:45 , Andy Gregory

Kramatorsk death toll rises to 12

Thursday 29 June 2023 09:22 , Andy Gregory

Rescuers have pulled another body from the ruins of a restaurant in Kramatorsk, taking to 12 the death toll following a Russian missile strike, Ukraines emergency services said.

Three children were among the dead, while 60 more people were wounded, the authorities said.

(National Police of Ukraine via AP)

EU shouldnt lower the bar to accommodate Ukraine, says Danish finance minister

Thursday 29 June 2023 08:54 , Andy Gregory

Denmark supports EU membership for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the western Balkans but geopolitical circumstances did not justify skating over governance reforms, finance minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has said.

The EU risks importing instability if it relaxes its standards on democracy and corruption to hasten the accession of Ukraine and other candidate countries, Mr Rasmussen told the Financial Times.

Asked about Ukraines membership in the EU, Mr Rasmussen said that EU shouldnt lower the bar but instead help Ukraine with investments and assistance to help it align with the blocs standards, the FT reported.

Although Ukraine met two of seven conditions to launch the EU membership process, an EU official familiar with the blocs recommendations to Ukraine told Reuters that some key judicial reforms were needed.

In 2019, the European Commission proposed changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, after countries including France and Denmark objected to the expansion of the EU to include six countries in the Balkans.

Mr Rasmussen said Denmark had reversed its position and was even open to internal EU reform, including more majority voting, to accommodate new members.

Papal envoy to meet Patriarch Kirill in Moscow, say reports

Thursday 29 June 2023 08:27 , Andy Gregory

Papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, will meet in Moscow on Thursday, the state-backed RIA news agency reported.

It comes a day after Mr Zuppi discussed humanitarian issues with Vladimir Putins foreign policy adviser, according to the Kremlin.

EU leaders to debate Russia mutiny today

Thursday 29 June 2023 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

EU leaders will debate today the repercussions of the aborted mutiny in Russia as they pledge further support for Ukraine in its war against Moscows invasion.

At a summit in Brussels, the leaders will also talk with Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg and discuss what role the EU could play in Western commitments to bolster Ukraines security.

Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas said the leaders were certain to discuss Saturdays dramatic abandoned mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, even though it is not on the agenda of the summit or mentioned in drafts of its written conclusions.

It will definitely come up, she told reporters in Brussels on the eve of the two-day summit.

The West should not be swayed and continue to support Ukraine and bolster its own defences, Ms Kallas said.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council of EU leaders, struck a similar note.

Ever more in these circumstances, we will reassert our commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through sustainable financial and military assistance, he wrote in a letter inviting leaders to the summit.

Footage shows aftermath of Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

Thursday 29 June 2023 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Residents in Ukraines eastern city of Kramatorsk are dealing with the aftermath of a Russian missile attack on a crowded pizza restaurant.

Footage shows the destruction on the streets of the city, which are covered in debris following the deadly attack on Tuesday evening.

The strike killed at least nine people, including three children, authorities said Wednesday, as rescue workers continued searching in the destroyed buildings rubble.

Another 56 people were injured, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

Footage shows scale of destruction after Russian strike on Kramatorsk restaurant

US sanctions gold companies suspected of supporting Wagner mercenaries

Thursday 29 June 2023 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The US moved on Tuesday to punish companies accused of doing business with the infamous Russian mercenary army known as the Wagner Group, following the groups insurrection attempt within Russias borders.

The move is not thought to be specifically related to the coup, however, instead being a response to Wagners participation in some of the bloodiest fighting taking place within Ukraine, where Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion last year.

A statement from the Treasury Department faulted companies in Africa and the Middle East for participating in a gold-selling scheme in violation of US sanctions to fund the Wagner Groups ongoing activities. One executive at Wagner, Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, was also slapped with individual sanctions on his financial dealings.

John Bowden has more.
KHARKIV, Ukraine  Oksana Stetsenko runs to her son Nikita, tears streaming down her face as she hugs him tightly.

In the TV spot on pro-Kremlin NTV, a reporter explains that the Ukrainian mother had lost contact with the boy in the fall, when the Russian military took 13 kids from a boarding school in the Ukrainian town of Kupyansk, east of Kharkiv.

According to the May 20 TV report, the children had been taken to a safe place, in line with Moscows official narrative depicting Russia as the savior. But Stetsenko told a different story about a week later, when she returned safely to Ukraine with Nikita.

They took our children and they had no right to keep them there, Stetsenko told NBC News in late May, as she sat on a bench in the sun in Kharkivs sprawling Gorky Park watching Nikita, 12, ride a bicycle. I dont understand why they didnt tell us, why they didnt give them back.

Nikitas experience is part of what Ukraine says is Russias systematic and large-scale effort to erase Ukrainian identity.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that more than 200,000 children have been deported to Russia or a Russian-occupied territory since President Vladimir Putins invasion in February 2022. And that number could be as high as 300,000, according to the Ukrainian presidents adviser on child rights, Daria Herasymchuk.

But Ukrainian officials say their real fear, for children like Nikita, is the indoctrination they endure after being taken by Russian forces. Nikita described singing the Russian national anthem, being taught a Russian curriculum.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman for human rights charged with leading the daunting reunification process explained the playbook, as seen from Kyiv.

Deport these children to [the] Russian side, he said in an English-language interview with NBC News in late May. Take away their Ukrainian documents. Give them Russian documents. [Tell them]  Look, you were never Ukrainians because Ukraine never existed like a state. The Ukrainian nation never existed like a nation. You [were] all the time Russian.

On Sept. 8, Nikita says Russian troops took him and 12 classmates from the basement of the Kupyansk Special School, loaded them onto trucks and transferred them to Svatove, in Russian-occupied Luhansk. The town, which had been under occupation since the first days of the war, was retaken by Ukraine in a sweeping counteroffensive two days later.

Oksana Stetsenko's son Nikita. (NBC News)

On Sept. 11, a pro-Russian Telegram channel announced the safe evacuation of 13 kids from Kupyansk. Within days, Nikita said, they were driven deeper into the occupied region to the Perevalsk Special Correctional Boarding School.

Russian Presidential Commissioner for Child Rights Maria Lvova-Belova told NBC News that the group of 13 students had been taken out from under shelling and transferred to the school in Perevalsk on Sept. 14.

It was an agonizing time for Stetsenko, who had no idea where her son was for months. Even though Nikita was just about 100 miles south of his home village of Pischane, the front line laid between mother and child.

Tears soaked my pillow, she said. I had no idea where to start, or how I would ever get him back.

It was hard for the soul, she added.

Then, the nongovernmental organization Save Ukraine contacted Stetsenko, saying they could offer her a way to get Nikita back, but it would require her to travel 3,000 miles into Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, on Feb. 16, 2023. (Mikhail Metzel / Sputnik via AFP-Getty Images)

Locating and returning children in the midst of war costs thousands of dollars, so Save Ukraine organizes and funds travel for women like Stetsenko.

I was shaking at every border crossing, she said. Going to Kyiv was intimidating, Stetsenko said. But leaving the country for the first time with her new Ukrainian passport was terrifying.

With Save Ukraines guidance, she traveled to Poland, then Belarus, and then boarded a flight to Moscow  the second time she had ever flown. She took the train to southwest Russia, which is where the Russian TV picked up her story.

Lvova-Belova shared the NTV report of Nikita and Stetsenkos reunion on Telegram. Her official page on the instant messaging service is full of videos of children who, she says, Russia has saved.

Its hard to watch this reunion without tears, Lvova-Belova captioned Nikitas story.

Russia has always helped and continues to help families be united, she said in a statement to NBC News, echoing President Putin.

Children are sacred, he said last week in a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. We took them out of the conflict zone, saving their lives and health. Thats what happened.

We have never been against children being reunited with their families, if, of course, their relatives come through, Putin added. There have never been any obstacles to this, there are not, and of course, there never will be.

Mykola Kuleba, the CEO of Save Ukraine, said this is an outright lie: The Russian government has not willingly returned any Ukrainian children, he said.

Theyre not giving them back  were taking them back, he added.

In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for both Lvova-Belova and Putin, accusing them of the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children, which is a war crime. Their actions, the warrant continued, demonstrate an intention to permanently remove these children from their own country.

And since March, Kuleba says, it has proved harder to return Ukrainian kids. The Ukrainian government says at least 370 children have been returned so far, all without Russian help.

Russians understand now that each case is valued for the ICC, Kuleba said. Each case is evidence of a war crime.

In a photo posted on Perevalsk Special Correctional Boarding School's website, Nikita can be seen reading at his desk during a lesson. (Perevalsk Special Correctional Boarding School)

But Stetsenko is clear in that no Russian official and no one from the school ever contacted her.

Unless youre a mother, you cant possibly understand, she said of those first months of uncertainty about her son.

Ukrainian officials say the biggest fear is that the youngest kids will quickly be absorbed into the system of foster care, orphanages and summer camp facilities across Russia, soon forgetting their home country.

In a picture on the Perevalsk schools website, Nikita can be seen with his head on his desk during a lesson. They often had to sing the Russian national anthem, he said.

Im here. Artem is right there, he said, pointing out other kids in the picture. Artem Zhornyk, 15, seen in the picture wearing a uniform emblazoned with Russian pro-war Zs, was also at the school in Kupyansk with Nikita and has been returned to Ukraine after his mother, Natalya Zhornyk, made the same arduous journey as Stetsenko.

Asked if they were Ukrainian kids in the picture, No, Nikita said, shaking his head. Theyre not Ukrainian anymore Because they were grabbed.

Molly Hunter, Ostap Hunkevych and Ed Flanagan reported from Kharkiv; Daryna Mayer reported from Kyiv; and Bianca Britton and Yuliya Talmazan reported from London.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with an evangelical Christian worker who was denied requests to take Sundays off from his post office job to observe his Sabbath, a decision that could have wide-ranging implications for the American workplace.

While the court did not overrule a precedent that set when employers must make accommodations for religious employees, it did "explain the contours" of that decision in way that may be more beneficial to employees.

The ruling is one of the most closely watched religious cases this term and was one of two major decisions  the court struck down affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina  announced by the Supreme Court on Thursday as a historic term moves to its end.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote the opinion for a unanimous court. The decision sends the case back to lower courts.

At the center of the case is Gerald Groff, a former U.S. Postal Service employee who wanted to take Sundays off for church and rest. That presented a scheduling conflict  and a burden on his colleagues, the government argued  after the Postal Service started delivering Amazon packages on Sundays.

Groffs attorneys had asked the Supreme Court to toss out a 1977 precedent that made it easier for some companies to deny such requests. The earlier case said that businesses could avoid meeting religious requests if the cost of doing so would be more than a "de minimis," or trivial, amount.

"An employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business," Alito wrote.

The decision could affect other situations where religion and workplace rules conflict, such as for religious dress. Some worried the case could also affect religious conduct at work, giving employees more leeway to exercise their personal views even if they were inconsistent with those held by their employers or colleagues.

This is a landmark victory, not only for Gerald, but for every American, said Kelly Shackelford, President of First Liberty Institute, which represented Groff. No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job.

Groff, in a statement, said he was grateful for the outcome.

"I hope this decision allows others to be able to maintain their convictions without living in fear of losing their jobs because of what they believe, he said.

Rachel Laser, president of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, noted the court clarified its standard rather than overturning it.

Were facing an aggressive movement working to weaponize religious freedom, but religious freedom must never be a license to harm others, and that remains true in the workplace," she said.

A U.S. District Court and the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit sided with the Postal Service.

Dig deeper 'Wolf in sheep's clothing'? How a USPS worker's fight over Sunday shifts could change your workplace.

Groff, 45, started at the Postal Service after years of missionary work in Africa and Asia. He wanted a career that would allow him to keep his Sabbath, and since mail isnt delivered on Sundays, the job seemed to be a safe bet. Everything changed when the USPS signed a contract with Amazon in 2013 to deliver packages on weekends.

His supervisors initially exempted Groff from working Sundays as long as he covered other shifts. But their attempts to find volunteers for those days didnt always work, and by 2018, Groff had missed 24 Sunday shifts. Disciplinary measures began mounting.

"I lived under a cloud of thinking any day I could report to work ... and then be told that I was terminated," Groff, a Pennsylvanian who resigned from the Postal Service in 2019, told USA TODAY in April. "Two years of just pretty much every day was tough."

Former USPS employee Gerald Groff.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court backs Christian worker who quit job over Sunday shifts
Park Ku-yeon, left, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, speaks during a daily briefing at the government complex in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap





Korean shores will be little affected even if the radioactive water from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant is released into the sea because ocean currents would carry it away, an official said Thursday.







Outlining several simulations conducted by scientists from both home and abroad, Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said it would take approximately 10 years for the discharged contaminated water to reach Korean waters.







"The reason why we are not significantly affected is due to ocean currents, even though it is located right next to Japan," Park told a daily briefing on the Fukushima issue.







Since the plant is situated on Japan's eastern coast, the Kuroshio ocean current would carry the discharged water toward the western coast of North America, Park said. From there, it would travel southward before reaching the Southeast Asia region over a long period of time.







Park said there are very few studies and simulations that suggest the discharged water could reach Korean waters in four to five years in cases where the ocean current interacts with the warm current.







Park emphasized that the radiation levels in Korean waters have remained unchanged over the past 10 years, even after a significant release of radiation following the severe damage caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011.







In regards to a Japanese media report that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi plans to visit Korea next month, Park said nothing has been decided.







The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported earlier that the IAEA chief would make a trip to Japan on Tuesday to deliver the agency's final report on its multiyear safety review of the plant and then to neighboring countries, including Korea, to provide an explanation on the issue.







"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in discussions, and nothing has been decided yet," Park said.







In response to heightened public concern, the Seoul government launched a daily press briefing earlier this month to keep the public updated on the release of contaminated water from the plant into the ocean planned for this summer. (Yonhap)


By Andrew Chung and John Kruzel

(Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, effectively prohibiting affirmative action policies long used to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students on American campuses.

In a blockbuster decision that will force many colleges and universities to overhaul their admissions policies, the justices ruled that affirmative action admissions programs that consider an applicant's race in ways like Harvard and UNC did violate the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law.

Powered by the conservative justices with the liberals in dissent, the court ruled in favor of a group called Students for Fair Admissions, founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, in its appeal of lower court rulings upholding programs used at the two prestigious schools to foster a diverse student population. The vote counts were 6-3 against UNC and 6-2 against Harvard.

In major rulings last year with far-reaching societal implications also spearheaded by the conservatives justices, the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide and widened gun rights in a pair of landmark rulings.

Speaking at the White House, Democratic President Joe Biden said he strongly disagreed with Thursday's ruling, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, and urged colleges not to abandon their commitment to having diverse student enrollment. Asked by a reporter if this is "a rogue court," Biden replied, "This is not a normal court."

Roberts wrote that a student "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

According to Harvard, around 40% of U.S. colleges and universities consider race in some fashion. Blum's group in lawsuits filed in 2014 accused UNC of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard of bias against Asian American applicants.

Harvard and UNC have said they use race as only one factor in a host of individualized evaluations for admission without quotas - permissible under previous Supreme Court precedents - and that curbing its consideration would cause a significant drop in enrollment of students from under-represented groups.

"Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause," Roberts wrote, referring to the constitutional provision.

Universities, Roberts added, may still consider student writings in personal essays about "how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." But, Roberts said, "universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today."

Affirmative action had withstood Supreme Court scrutiny for decades, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white student, backed by Blum, who sued the University of Texas after being rejected for admission.

The Supreme Court has shifted rightward since 2016 and now includes three justices who dissented in the University of Texas case and three appointees by Republican former President Donald Trump, who is running again in 2024. Trump on Thursday hailed the ruling as "a great day for America."

Many institutions of higher education, corporations and military leaders long have backed affirmative action on campuses not simply to remedy racial inequity and exclusion in American life but to ensure a talent pool that can bring a range of perspectives to the workplace and the U.S. armed forces.

Thursday's ruling appeared to exempt military service academies from its sweep, with Roberts highlighting "the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present," and noting that the litigation had not addressed "the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context."

Biden, seeking re-election in 2024, recommended that colleges weigh a range of factors in admitting students including their economic backgrounds or hardships they had faced including racial discrimination.

"Discrimination still exists in America. Today's decision doesn't change that," Biden said.

"I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger ... because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation," Biden added.

'LET THEM EAT CAKE'

Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, wrote in a dissent: "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the (court's) majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

Jackson did not participate in the Harvard case because of her past affiliation with the university.

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic jurist on the court, wrote that the decision "subverts" the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and further entrenches racial inequality in education.

"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," Sotomayor wrote.

Sotomayor added that the "court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."

Blum's group alleged that the adoption by UNC, a public university, of an admissions policy that was not race neutral violated the constitutional promise of equal protection. It contended Harvard, a private university, violated Title VI of a landmark federal law called the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin under federally funded programs or activities.

Harvard's leaders said in a statement they would "determine how to preserve, consistent with the court's new precedent, our essential values." University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans pledged to "follow the law."

AMERICAN HISTORY

The United States is a nation that long has struggled with issues of race, dating back to its history of slavery of Black people that ended only after a civil war, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and in recent years racial justice protests that followed police killings of Black people.

In a May Reuters/Ipsos poll, 49% of respondents agreed that "due to racial discrimination, programs such as affirmative action are necessary to help create equality," while 32% disagreed and 19% were unsure.

The ruling did not explicitly say it was overruling landmark precedent upholding affirmative action.

But conservative Justice Clarence Thomas in a concurring opinion wrote that the court's previous Grutter v. Bollinger ruling that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body "is, for all intents and purposes, overruled."

Blum celebrated the ruling he had long sought, saying it "marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation."

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a student's race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our country's civil rights laws," Blum said.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial space flight Thursday, sending three Italian researchers, two company pilots and an astronaut trainer on a high-speed thrill ride to the edge of space aboard a winged rocketplane.

"Incredible experience, from the takeoff to the landing," said Pantaleone Carlucci, representing Italy's National Research Council. "The acceleration, the climb and then suddenly, the microgravity. ... I had the opportunity to look outside, and the view was amazing. Fantastic! I'm speechless."

Virgin Galactic's Unity rocket plane streaks toward space Thursday, carrying three Italian researchers and three company employees to an altitude of 52.9 miles, nearly three miles higher than the 50-mile altitude considered the threshold of space. / Credit: Virgin Galactic

Said Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, the mission commander: "You can be told during the training what kind of experiences you may have, but in the end, when it's your body and your senses, it's completely different."

"The microgravity went very fast, but we did all the experiments we were supposed to run, and we also had an opportunity to ... really enjoy the beauty of the view outside."

Cheered on by Virgin employees, family members and friends gathered at Spaceport America in New Mexico, the twin-fuselage VMS Eve carrier jet took off around 10:30 a.m. EDT, carrying the company's VSS Unity spaceplane and its six passengers up to an altitude of about 44,500 feet.

After final checks, clamps opened and Unity detached from Eve's mid-wing attachment mechanism at 11:28 a.m.

Seconds later, the spacecraft's hybrid rocket motor ignited with a rush of flame, instantly propelling Unity up and out of the lower atmosphere on a near-vertical trajectory. Cameras mounted on the hull of the ship showed the Earth dropping away and the sky changing to deep black as the ship gained altitude.

One minute later, now traveling 2.8 times the speed of sound at an altitude of 136,000 feet, the rocket motor shut down, leaving the six crew members weightless as Unity coasted up to an altitude of 52.9 miles, just above the somewhat arbitrary 50-mile-high "boundary" between space and the discernible atmosphere.

Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei unfurls an Italian flag as he and the crew enjoy a few minutes of weightlessness. / Credit: Virgin Galactic

Along the way, veteran pilot Mike Masucci and rookie co-pilot Nicola Pecile "feathered" the ship's wings, folding the swept-back wing-tip fins up about 60 degrees in a unique procedure invented by legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan to minimize heating and speeds during re-entry.

In the meantime, Villadei, Carlucci and Italian Air Force Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi began carrying out or monitoring 13 experiments designed to collect data about the effects of weightlessness on themselves and a variety of technological processes.

Amid switch throws and experiment activations, Villadei took a moment to unfurl an Italian flag as he floated above his crewmates.

The researchers were assisted by Colin Bennett, a Virgin Galactic astronaut trainer. It was the company's sixth piloted sub-orbital space flight and the first to carry paying customers, a milestone that has taken the company more than a decade longer than expected to achieve.

"Che volo fantastico (what a fantastic flight)!" Branson tweeted. "An historic moment - @virgingalactic's first commercial spaceflight completed. Ben fatto (well done)."

As with all such sub-orbital flights, the crew only had about three minutes of weightlessness as the ship arced over the top of its trajectory and began falling back to Earth, weightlessness giving way to increasing "G" loads as the vehicle rapidly slowed during re-entry.

Finally, back in the dense lower atmosphere, Unity's two wings rotated back down to their normal positions and the pilots manually flew the spaceplane through a spiraling glide to landing on Spaceport America's 12,000-foot-long runway. Total time between Unity's air launch and landing: just under 14 minutes.

Villadei, who is in training for a flight to the International Space Station, said that was more than enough time for the crew's research agenda.

"You can either fly (weightless) for a few seconds in parabolic (airplane) flight or you have to fly to the International Space Station for six months. There's nothing in between," he said. "The real interesting point for all of us, it was not only just to fly the payloads we developed, but to try how this kind of new platform can provide us a kind of gap filler.

"It was really beneficial to us. ... The fact that you are flying within a plane, you can have more power, more upload mass, you can expand the possibilities for the research community."

Virgin has now launched 25 people to the edge of space, several of them more than once, including Masucci, making his fourth flight, and Bennett, making his second. Arch rival Blue Origin, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has launched 32 people on six sub-orbital spaceflights using its more traditional New Shepard booster and capsule.

A camera on Unity's hull shows its wings in the tilted

The competition between the two companies in the space tourism marketplace has been fierce.

Virgin's first space flight came in 2018 when two company pilots flew Unity to an altitude of 51 miles. That initial launch to space came four years after a catastrophic test flight that destroyed Virgin's original spaceplane, killed the co-pilot and seriously injured the pilot when the feather mechanism was unlocked earlier than planned.

After addressing that issue, Virgin launched four successful test flights in a row before standing down for two years to upgrade the Eve carrier jet and carry out more modifications. A fifth successful test flight on May 25 cleared the way for Thursday's launch.

Blue Origin, meanwhile, began commercial operations in 2021. But the company's most recent launch in September 2022, an uncrewed research flight, experienced a booster malfunction and while the capsule's abort system operated as planned and the ship landed successfully, launches currently are on hold.

The six-member crew of Blue Origin's fifth flight in June 2022 included Hamish Harding, a billionaire pilot and explorer who was killed along with four others when the submersible Titan imploded June 18 during a commercial dive to view the wreckage of the Titanic. The mishap has raised fresh questions about the risks of private ventures into inherently dangerous environments.

Commercial spaceflight is monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is responsible for licensing and ensuring minimal risk to the public. But legislation forbids the FAA from regulating crew safety procedures during a so-called "learning period" as as the commercial space market matures. Instead, passengers must provide "informed consent" that they understand the risks.

That learning period expires October 1, and the FAA is considering steps it might take if Congress does not extend the deadline.

"This includes the establishment of an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee to provide recommendations on the scope and costs of future regulations," the FAA said in a statement. "The FAA also is updating its recommended practices for human spaceflight occupant safety and is working with international organizations to develop voluntary consensus standards."

This robot fish is "as silent as a spy"  and could help researchers learn even more about the ocean

Top White House adviser maps out Biden's economic agenda

TikTok planning to launch online retail store


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Foreign Minister Park Jin speaks during a government-civic emergency meeting to provide assistance to Canada, which is struggling with its worst-ever wildfires, at the foreign ministry in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap



Korea on Thursday decided to dispatch an emergency firefighting team to Canada to help the North American nation deal with raging wildfires across the country, Seoul's foreign ministry said.



The decision to send the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) of 151 workers  including firefighters, emergency workers and medical personnel  was made at an interagency meeting presided over by Foreign Minister Park Jin on assisting Canada with the fallout of wildfires that have affected some 8.2 million hectares of land across the country.



The team will support Canadian fire authorities for 30 days in Lebel-sur-Quevillon in the province of Quebec.



Park expressed hopes that the dispatch of the team would serve as an opportunity for the two countries, which are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, to take a leap forward beyond their cooperation in wildfire suppression.



The dispatch of the KDRT marks the second mission of its kind this year following its activities in helping out Turkey with damage caused by a massive earthquake in February. (Yonhap)


YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan sought to undermine the efforts for establishing peace and addressing the rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh with its June 28 attack, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday, describing the bombardment as a pre-planned provocation.

In conditions of a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the closure of Lachin Corridor, Azerbaijani Armed Forces conducted artillery and air strikes at the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army positions in Martuni and Martakert, killing four Defense Army soldiers, Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

Expressing condolences to the families and friends of the victims, I have to underline that this military provocation was being plotted for a long time with information attacks. Azerbaijan was regularly falsely accusing the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army of violating the ceasefire in various parts of the line of contact. The Nagorno Karabakh authorities have consistently debunked the Azerbaijani reports, which makes it obvious that Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy of escalation and depopulation of Nagorno Karabakh, in other words, the policy that weve been warning about for a long time, Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister stressed that Azerbaijan sought to undermine the peace efforts and efforts for addressing the rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh with the attack.

During these days the Armenian delegation led by the Foreign Minister continues negotiations in Washington D.C. to agree upon the text of the peace treaty with the Azerbaijani delegation. Theres no alternative to peace in our region and the government, facing all difficulties and hardships, will continue the political course of peace, Pashinyan said.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani policy of escalation and depopulation of Nagorno Karabakh is becoming more and more visible for the international community and the adoption of Resolution 2256 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) serves as the most recent evidence for this, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting on June 29.

Pashinyan quoted the resolutions clause 15 as stating that PACE is extremely worried by the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians at the highest level of Azerbaijans leadership and urges Azerbaijan to repudiate such rhetoric and take steps to tackle both hate speech, including by public and high-level officials, and hate crimes.

Clause 8 of the resolution states that the current situation is not sustainable and may well lead to the Armenian population being forced to leave their homes and communities if there is no resolution to the conflict.

In this context, PACE urgently calls for addressing the issues of the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and a neutral international involvement in any peace implementation mechanism to be put in place.

PACE also stated that the Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor constitutes a violation of the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement, recorded the fact that gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh is interrupted and called on Azerbaijan to immediately restore the supplies and comply with the ruling of the ICJ on opening the Lachin Corridor.

Pashinyan highlighted the fact that PACE is assessing the situation in Nagorno Karabakh as a humanitarian and human rights crisis, and calls for an immediate deployment of a fact-finding mission and addresses the Committee of Ministers.

The resolution adopted by PACE is a highly important document in terms of increasing international attention around the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian Foreign Ministry will be consistent in keeping the provisions of the resolution in the agenda of the Committee of Ministers, the executive body of the Council of Europe, Pashinyan said.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") upgraded Ameriabanks Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) to ba3 from b1 and affirmed the banks long-term deposit ratings at Ba3. The rating agency also changed the outlook on the Ba3 long-term deposit ratings to stable from negative.

The upgrade of Ameriabank's BCA and Adjusted BCA to ba3 from b1 is driven by the bank's asset quality resilience through pandemic combined with dramatically improved capital adequacy and profitability over the last two years. The upgrade of the bank's long-term Counterparty Risk Ratings (CRRs) to Ba2 from Ba3, and the upgrade of the long-term Counterparty Risk Assessment (CR Assessment) to Ba2(cr) from Ba3(cr) follows the BCA upgrade.

The rating agency notes that Ameriabank continues to demonstrate robust performance as reflected in a very high return on tangible assets of 3.6% in 2022 and 3.5%(annualized) during the first quarter of 2023.This was supported by strong pre-provision income, lower credit costs and robust cost efficiency with a cost to income ratio of 45% in Q1 2023.

According to Moody's, Ameriabank also materially improved its asset quality in 2021-2022 following the pandemic.The share of non-performing loans (NPL) decreased to 2.5%as ofQ1 2023 from4.2%at the end of 2020.NPL coverage by reserves remains robust at 80%as ofQ1 2023.

Ameriabank's capital buffer has materially strengthened over the recent years amid strong profitability and modest loan book growth.

The outlook on Ameriabank's long-term deposit ratings is stable, reflecting Moodys view that the bank will maintain its sound fundamentals over the next 12-18 months. Ameriabank rating outlook update follows the sovereign rating outlook change from negative to stable.

Ameriabank CJSC

Ameriabank is a leading financial and technology company in Armenia, a major contributor to the Armenian economy, with assets exceeding AMD 1 trillion. In the course of digital transformation, it has launched a number of innovative solutions and platforms going beyond banking-only needs of its diverse customer base, thus creating a dynamically evolving financial technology space.

Ameria was the first in Armenia to create ecosystems for both businesses and individuals, which give one-window access to a range of banking and non-banking services, among them - Estate.ameriabank.am, Automarket.ameriabank.am, Business.ameriabank.am.

As a truly customer-centric company, Ameria aims to be a trusted and secure financial technology space with seamless solutions to improve the quality of life.

The Bank is supervised by the Central Bank of Armenia.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Belarus, the photo exhibition titled "Armenia through the eyes of a Belarusian photographer and Belarus through the eyes of an Armenian photographer" of the state news agency "Armenpress" and "BelTA" Belarusian Telegraph Agency was opened in the National Museum of the History of Belarus.

ARMENPRESS reports, the exhibition presents 100 photos that represent the culture and traditions of the Armenian and Belarusian peoples, nature. Photojournalist of ARMENPRESS Mkhitar Khachatryan took the photos during his visit to Belarus, and Belarusian photographer Leonid Shcheglov during his visit to Armenia. The photos represent moments of everyday life of both peoples, architecture and unique landscapes of both countries.

"Today is my day, because my long-standing idea of this exhibition has come true," said Razmik Khumaryan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Belarus, at the ceremonial opening of the exhibition.

Khumaryan said that he arrived in Belarus 8 years ago and worked in the CIS Executive Committee for 6 years. During this period, he actively traveled around the country, visited many symbolic, interesting places that fascinated him, and he was surprised that many people did not know about them. It was at that time that the idea of holding a photo exhibition about Belarus arose, but not by a local, but by an Armenian photographer who would look at the country from a new perspective, and the same about Armenia by a Belarusian photographer.

"When I became the Ambassador in 2021, God ordered me to implement this idea, especially on the occasion of such a good day as the 30th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. I am very happy that ARMENPRESS and "BelTA" warmly supported this idea," said the Ambassador.

Ambassador Khumaryan emphasized the development of interaction between the two countries at the level of interpersonal contacts. "Friendship of peoples, cooperation, mutual recognition, mutual understanding, mutual respect - this is the basis on which the cooperation of sovereign states is shaped," Khumaryan said.

Director General of "BelTA" Irina Akulovich emphasized during the opening ceremony of the exhibition, "We carry Belarus inside us, you carry Armenia inside you. Each of our countries has its own smell, its own style, its own emotions, vibes. Of course, it was interesting to see how people who come to your country for the first time see it, what they will remember, what will remain in their soul. The most important thing is that both photographers wanted to return, one to Belarus, the other to Armenia."

Mostly people are in the photos: Armenians and Belarusians.

"Looking at them, it is important to remember and understand that not only politicians, but also ordinary people can do a lot to establish diplomatic relations and friendship between peoples. I am sure that those who see these photos will fall in love with Belarus and Armenia," said Irina Akulovich.

The exhibition was organized by the initiative of the Embassy of Armenia in Belarus, with the support of "Armenpress" and "BelTA" and agencies, and with the support of the Embassy of Belarus in Armenia.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Poland supports the democratic reforms implemented by the Armenian government, emphasizing that the transparency of the economic system has a key impact on the attractiveness of foreign investments in the country, ARMENPRESS reports, Wojciech Gerwel, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, said at the 7th session of the Armenian-Polish Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Yerevan.

According to Polish businesses, the stability and strength of democratic institutions, as well as the transparency of the economic system, have a key impact on the country's attractiveness as a destination for foreign investment. That is why Poland supports the democratic reforms implemented by Nikol Pashinyan's government," said Gerwel.

He said that Poland is ready to support the development of economic policies and accomplishment of institutions in the region, especially in such areas as macroeconomic management, fiscal administration, public finance management, etc.

"Poland is ready to start cooperation with Armenia within the framework of the tax solidarity program on the promotion of reforms and the exchange of experience. It offers Polish expertise and IT solutions aimed at combating tax evasion and reducing the shadow economy," said Gerwel.

He expressed confidence that the session of the commission will lead to new initiatives of economic cooperation between the countries.
The next meeting in Shimla, on July 10 or 12, becomes important on the way forward to Opposition unity

It would be useful to remember that Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United)s old warhorse Nitish Kumar had taken the initiative to arrange for the meeting of the major Opposition parties opposed to the BJP and its leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It can be called a motley crowd because as yet there is no articulated strategy in place to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. There has been a statement of general intent that the parties and leaders gathered in Bihars state capital would like to join hands for a common purpose. Many things need to be sorted out. In many ways it has been a low-key meeting with no grandiose statements. That has been the virtue of this first meeting and it carries the signature of Mr Kumars unassuming character and style. There were no sparks at the Patna political gathering. The next meeting in Shimla, on July 10 or 12, becomes important on the way forward to Opposition unity.

Apart from the aggressive voice of Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, everyone else was busy pondering the issues and options. Some of the observers might even say the need of the hour is the aggression of the AAP, which has defeated the BJP in the Delhi Assembly elections twice, made a small mark in the Gujarat Assembly elections and swept Punjab. Mr Kejriwal has the instinct of an agitator who can amplify small and big issues as matters of life and death. He wanted the issue of the Delhi governments control over the Union territorys bureaucracy, that had been affirmed by the Supreme Court and nullified by the Narendra Modi governments ordinance, to be one of the burning issues. Other leaders, except the Congress, agreed with him on the issue of the rights of the states and the imperiousness of the Centre, but they were not willing to make it the big issue that can become central in the political campaign. The Congress cold-shouldered it for its own strategic reasons.

Mr Kejriwal is not yet the big leader in the Opposition ranks that he would like to be because the AAP is still a small party holding power in Delhi and Punjab, with 20 Lok Sabha seats, and as Prashant Kishor, the marketing maestro of political campaigns, had shrewdly observed, the AAP has just two per cent of the national vote share, compared to 20 per cent of the Congress. This is indeed the Achilles heel of the Opposition parties  their differences in size and quality. The differences are vital because each of the parties like the JD(U), Trinamul Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and the Communist parties, have their own bases and identities and they are not willing to let go of them.

The Opposition needs to find a clear voice of its own which is pitted against that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and unless this is done the battle between the Opposition combine and the BJP looks quite uneven. There is no dominant voice and no dominant party in the Opposition because the Congress, with its pathetic 53 seats in the Lok Sabha, has become a part of the crowd of small parties with their respective parliamentary strengths like the DMK, TMC, and NCP. There has to be a face and a voice of the Opposition ensemble if it is to be a well-fought political battle.

The Congress wants Rahul Gandhi to be that face and voice and there is enough justification for it because the Congress is the party with a pan-Indian footprint. But there is a problem. After his defeats in the 2014 and 2019 electoral battles with Mr Modi, Mr. Gandhi is at a disadvantage. He has to be seen as a powerful counter-voice to put the fear of God as it were in the hearts of Mr Modi, the BJP and its RSS network. This issue of an Opposition leader is not necessarily that of who will be the Prime Minister. A dominant Opposition leader to cross swords with Mr Modi is what is needed in the heat of the battle. It is not necessary that the same person should be the Prime Minister.

And the Opposition parties have to face up to the Congress dilemma. The dilemma is not that of the Congress alone, but that of the Opposition parties. They need a party which can win more than 100 seats because the others can win only as many Lok Sabha seats as are available in their respective states -- like the DMK in Tamil Nadu and the TMC in West Bengal. The NCP manages to a win a seat or two in states other than Maharashtra. So, it falls on the Congress to pick up seats, or at least the votes, across the country, so that it can take up the position of the dominant party. It is the dominant party with a larger number of seats that has to serve as the nucleus of an Opposition alliance in the election.

Apart from Mr Gandhi, and the aspirational Mr Kejriwal who has not yet proved himself as a good national-level campaigner, there is Bihars deputy chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav waiting in the wings, who is articulate and a forceful voice who could serve as the dominant voice and face of the Opposition. The Opposition leaders cannot say that they will be a chorus against the solo voice of Mr Modi. The Opposition needs to find its own sopranist to counter the Prime Minister.

What is also needed from the Opposition is a national vision and voice of its own which counters that of the BJP/RSS and Mr Modi because in the election the Opposition will be facing the triple combination of Mr Modi, the BJP and the RSS. The nitty-gritty of seat arrangements can be sorted out by the backroom teams. And they can fight over who would be the Prime Minister once the results are out. Mr Modis bombast was a key factor in 2014 and 2019. The Opposition needs to counter that bombast with gritty rhetoric. A hard-hitting frontline campaigner should convey the many failures and the modest achievements of the Modi government and deflate its grandiose self-image.

India needs a change after 10 years of Prime Minister Modi, but it needs a strong and credible contestant to do that.
The case of the Sabei and Mandei, whose lives are linked to the course of rivers: their survival in the country is at risk. A demographic imbalance risks triggering social and political chaos, fuelling conflicts. The role of Turkey and Iran in the exploitation of rivers. The process of desertification has reached 70% of Iraqi territory.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - Drought, sandstorms, a crisis in the agricultural sector: climate change is hitting Iraq particularly hard, a nation where the process of desertification has now reached 70% of the territory.

However, global warming is also having an impact on the demographic balance and distribution of the Arab country's population, especially the Sabeans and Mandeans whose lives are closely linked to the course of the rivers, who are increasingly forced to migrate internally or flee abroad, substantially - and perhaps irreversibly - changing their population.

Several Iraqi government agencies have recently raised the alarm against this further threat linked to the global change (and overheating) of climate and temperatures, which have never been so high, resulting in rivers drying up, lack of rain and dust storms.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) notes that 'rising temperatures, low rainfall, salinity, successive sand and dust storms' are 'challenges' facing the country that will 'adversely affect food supplies, water, social security and health'.

There are several factors at play, not least of which is the demographics of a nation made up of different ethnic groups and religions, often at odds with each other. Desertification and rising temperatures have pushed several communities to abandon rural areas and move to urban centres, because the fields have become parched and unusable for sowing and harvesting.

This is a paradox for ancient Mesopotamia, considered in the distant past the 'fertile crescent' thanks to the course of its two main rivers: the Tigris and the Euphrates.

Those who suffer most from the upheavals are the weaker sections of the population, particularly the Sabeans and Mandeans, who have already been subjected to persecution and violence in recent decades. These two communities, in fact, are famous for celebrating rituals - above all baptism, which holds great significance and is a pillar of worship and entry into the community - along the banks of rivers.

Sabei and Mandei, the experts explain, are closely connected to rivers, their rituals are celebrated and are linked to fresh water, but they are continually regressing to the point of forcing populations to migrate.

The emergency also extends to the marshy areas in southern Iraq, which are considered among the most important for habitat and biodiversity in all of western Asia (and the Middle East), as well as being a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The experts are therefore appealing to government authorities to take action to deal with an emergency that is as much a climate emergency as it is a demographic, environmental and social one, as well as having a strong impact on the economy.

At the same time, there is also an appeal to the communities themselves, starting with the Sabeans and Mandeans, who will be the first to find forms of 'adaptation' to an evolving reality, to seek new inland areas that are suitable for relocation, safeguarding as much as possible their cults and traditions.

On the international front, there is finally a call to neighbouring nations such as Turkey and Iran whose policies strongly affect Iraq's water resources.

Pressure and intervention are needed on the governments of Tehran (which is also grappling with a 'water war' with Afghanistan) and Ankara to increase the release of water and stop the construction of new dams, now dozens of which are scattered along the course of the rivers, without taking into account the balance between different needs.

After all, the demographic balance is functional to the political and social balance; its disruption will end up generating - or fuelling - chaos in the region, with further wars and migrations.
This Nov. 30, 2022 file photo shows the 10th Korea-EU FTA trade commission in Brussels. Yonhap



Korea called on the European Union on Thursday to ensure its new act on critical raw materials does not discriminate against foreign companies, Seoul's industry ministry said.



Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun made the request during a meeting with Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, in Seoul, as the two sides discussed ways to enhance trade and industry ties, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.



In March, the EU proposed the Critical Raw Materials Act, which calls for at least 40 percent of the critical raw materials the EU needs each year, such as copper and nickel, to be processed within the region in an effort to ensure its access to a diversified and sustainable supply of critical raw materials.



During the meeting, Ahn stressed that the regulation should be applied in a fair manner to non-EU business entities, while seeking ways to ease corporate burdens regarding the submission of related data.



The minister then proposed stronger bilateral cooperation on critical minerals, other strategic raw materials and their overall supply chains, the ministry said.



Ahn also sought to bring the EU's attention to Korean companies operating there in order to allow them to receive benefits under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA).



The NZIA aims to strengthen the EU's manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies by promoting investment in related projects.



"The two sides agreed to hold a dialogue on supply chains and to continue discussions on a bilateral digital trade pact, as well as on the expansion of their relationship in semiconductors and broader industry sectors," the ministry said in a release.



The EU is Korea's third largest trading partner after China and the United States. In 2022, the two-way trade reached an all-time high of $136.3 billion. (Yonhap)


by Sumon Corraya

Members of the ruling alliance have accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of planning to sell St Martins, a coral island, to Washington to build a US military base in exchange for help to win the upcoming elections. Such allegations are false. The US is pressing for free and fair elections.

Dhaka (AsiaNews)  Bangladeshs St Martins Island has become the subject of a heated political debate. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her allies claim that the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants to concede the small coral island to the United States to win the next elections, scheduled for January 2024.

How did the BNP come to power in 2001? At that time, they came to power with the promise of selling gas. So now they will sell the country, or want to come with a bond to sell St Martin's? said Ms Hasina at a press conference last week after her official visits to Switzerland and Qatar.

The United States has already dismissed the claim, but allegations concerning the islands sale are nothing new. Similar rumours began circulating about Manpura Island In 1971.

Dainik Bangla, a well-known national newspaper, published an article in 1980 titled None will be allowed to establish naval base at Saint Martins, after a Foreign Ministry spokesman denied reports that a foreign country was interested in building a military base on the island.

Rashed Khan Menon, chairman of the Bangladesh Workers' Party, an ally of the ruling Awami League, took up the issue on 14 June.

A few days later, Hasanul Haque Inu, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasdar), another Awami League ally, raised the matter before in parliament.

In his address, he said that when the United States shows enthusiasm about another country's democracy it brings more suffering to its people than to its government or opposition.

The time has come for us to think about the reason of this overenthusiasm of the US. Is it democracy or Saint Martins Island? he asked.

The United States has urged Bangladesh to ensure that the upcoming parliamentary elections are free and fair. As part of this, it announced a new visa policy whereby anyone obstructing the election would not be allowed into the US.

In December 2021, the US imposed sanctions on Bangladeshs Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a counterterrorism squad, over alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, as well as on other law enforcement officials accused of human rights violations.

In a statement, the US State Department said reports about the island's purchase were not accurate, while stressing continued US commitment to stronger ties with the South Asian country.

We respect Bangladeshs sovereignty, and we have never engaged in any conversations about taking over Saint Martins Island, said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a media briefing.

We value our partnership with Bangladesh. We strive to bolster our relationship by working together to promote democracy by supporting free and fair elections, he explained.

The BNP has accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of cracking down on the opposition during her previous terms in office and winning the 2018 elections through election fraud.

St Martins Island is located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, about nine kilometres south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Peninsula, near Myanmar.

The island, which has a surface of only three square kilometres, became a Marine Protected Area last year. Most of its 3,700 residents live from fishing, growing rice, and coconut, as well as harvesting seaweed which is dried and exported to Myanmar.
The Korea Enterprises Federation has asked the Ministry of Economy and Finance to ease measures mainly in shipbuilding industry. Experts warn this could force foreign workers into overtime without adequate downtime, increasing potential workplace accidents.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) has asked the South Korean government to lower the minimum wages for E-7 visa holders employed in shipbuilding.

The latter can earn a base salary equal to 80 per cent of the previous years gross national income (GNI) per capita, i.e. around 2.7 million won (US$ 2,050) per month.

Earlier this year, to make foreign labour more affordable, the Justice Ministry greenlighted a three-year temporary measure under which small and medium-sized firms located outside the Seoul metropolitan area would be authorised to pay E-7 visa holders 70 per cent of the previous year's GNI per capita (about 2.5 million won per month).

Companies argue that foreign workers can still earn more than South Korean workers by putting in more overtime.

South Korea suffers from a labour shortage in shipyards. To address the issue, the KEF recently asked the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to allow large manufacturers and plant builders to hire foreign workers holding E-9 visas.

At present, only companies with fewer than 300 employees or less than eight billion won in capital can hire E-9 visa holders.

South Korean entrepreneurs want the authorities to allow the use of foreign workers for sorting parcels and maintaining vehicles. Under the current law, only logistics firms can use foreigners in loading and unloading at logistics centres.

For Korea to overcome its economic difficulties, the government needs to ease various regulations that have impeded corporate management," said Lim Young-tae, head of KEF's employment policy team, cited by The Korea Times.

This request is, however, raising concerns that foreign shipbuilding workers would be forced to work more overtime, leaving them with not enough downtime.

The accumulation of fatigue could make migrant workers more vulnerable to the risk of industrial accidents," said Kim Hyun-mee, a professor at Yonsei Universitys Department of Anthropology.
by Stefano Vecchia

For the second time this year, the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines special anti-graft court, dismisses a case against the Marcoses and their cronies for "lack of evidence". The only witness lacked direct knowledge. Electoral support for the Marcos family hinders a balanced view of the dictatorship.

Manila (AsiaNews)  For the second time this year, the Sandiganbayan,[*] a special appellate court with jurisdiction over graft and other offences by public officials and employees, dismissed for lack of evidence a civil case against the Marcoses over illegally acquired assets.

President Ferdinand Marcos Sr ruled the Philippines with an iron fist between 1972 and 1986, when he was overthrown and forced into exile with his family in a non-violent revolution in which the countrys Catholic Church played a crucial role.

The lawsuit in question began in 1987 and concerned assets held by companies tied to the dictators cronies. For the prosecution, the defendants together acquired and accumulated considerable assets at the expense of the government. However, the court ruled that no evidence of the Marcoses' involvement in the companies that acted as intermediaries in the use of public funds.

The only witness for the prosecution, the custodian of the Presidential Commission on Good Government's records, lacked direct knowledge of the veracity of the documents entered as evidence, most of which were illegible photocopies.

This case is the latest in a series that saw the Marcos avoid conviction. While Ferdinand Marcos Sr died in Hawaii in 1989, his wife Imelda, 93, their children and heirs, aides and family friends are still alive and liable of prosecution.

On 21 February, the Sandiganbayans Fifth Division dismissed another civil case against the Marcoses and others in relation to more alleged ill-gotten wealth by the dictators family. The case involved some creative accounting practices favouring the late dictator and people connected to him.

Curiously, three months later, the Fourth Division rejected for lack of merit a motion by members of the Marcos family to reacquire properties and assets earlier deemed as ill-gotten.

While the most direct heirs of the former dictator occupy major political roles or manage ambitious business projects, former First Lady Imelda Marcos was forced out of the race for governor in Ilocos Norte province in 2019, after she was convicted of graft. She was replaced by one of her grandchildren who went on to win in what is the Marcoses electoral fiefdom.

For many Filipinos, the political support the Marcos dynasty still enjoys, their wide network of interests and loyalties and, not least, the presence of a Marcos in the presidents office since last year raise several questions.

Not only, do these issues keep alive the memory of the abuses and ruthless repression by the Marcos clan, but they also prevent forming a balanced judgment on a dark period of Philippine history amid attempts to rehabilitate the late dictators reputation.

[*] Literally, Support of the Nation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says India is no longer in the UNs annual report on children in armed conflict. A group of activists questions the decision, documenting the latest violations of children's rights. In the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, the authorities revived civil militia to fight separatist rebels.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  After 12 years, India is no longer on the list of countries in which children are used in armed conflicts. For this reason, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the steps taken by the Indian government to protect children in Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim-majority state disputed with Pakistan.

Every year since 2010, India was included in the Secretary-General Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, along with countries like Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines for alleged recruitment of boys by armed groups and their detention, killing, and maiming by Indian security forces.

According to the UN study, released on Tuesday, such practices are no longer happening. Yet, the Human Rights Forum in Jammu and Kashmir, an organisation of former government officials, judges, lawyers, and activists, note that the rights of children and teenagers are still violated in the state, and have been for years.

The Juvenile Justice Act was not implemented and the juvenile homes there (in Jammu and Kashmir) were not functioning properly, said Indevar Pandey, secretary of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, cited by The Indian Express.

However, Other infrastructure such as Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, Child Care Homes have since been established, he added. This became possible by various policies and institutional changes implemented since 2019 in cooperation with UN officials.

That year, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also curtailed the limited autonomy enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir.

The UN Security Council expressed concerns. As recently as May 2021, it warned that grave violations against children" were still taking place in the state; in August of that year, police detained at least nine minors aged 14 and 17 and beat them in custody for weeks, the Human Rights Forum reported.

In addition, Jammu and Kashmir is still not yet completely pacified. On the contrary, Indian authorities reactivated a civilian militia called Village Defence Guards (VDGs) after attacks in January in border villages near Pakistan reportedly left two children dead and a teenager wounded.

VDGs were originally set up in 1995 to fight rebels demanding independence or merger with Pakistan, but had waned since then.

With recent attacks against Hindus and Sikhs rising, local civilians have demanded weapons and training to act in emergencies with hundreds of people signing up since January.
Consultants for the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport address county commissioners during Wednesdays first-reading discussion on whether to include a controversial forecast on enplanement growth and fleet mix into the Airport Layout Plan, which has been described as a roadmap for ASEs future. Commissioners voted 4-1 to accept the plan, but a second vote will be taken on July 13.
South Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong speaks while meeting with reporters in Washington on June 28. Yonhap



South Korea and the United States are working to hold their inaugural meeting of the new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), South Korea's ambassador to the U.S. Cho Hyun-dong said Wednesday.



Cho also said the allies have made "progress" toward holding the first meeting of the consultative body created under the Washington Declaration, signed by their leaders in late April.



"With North Korea's threat actually materializing, the discussion for the inaugural meeting of the NCG proposed by South Korea and the U.S. through the Washington Declaration is making progress," the South Korean diplomat said while meeting with reporters here.



"South Korea and the U.S. are especially sharing their information and discussing countermeasures at every level since North Korea declared a second launch of a space launch vehicle following its failed launch of a reconnaissance satellite in May," Cho added.



The Washington Declaration was signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden during their bilateral summit here, in which the U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to providing extended deterrence to South Korea, which refers to its commitment to using all its military capabilities, including nuclear, to help defend its ally.



Seoul officials earlier said the first NCG meeting may be held as early as this month.



U.S. officials have said the NCG will allow Seoul to provide some input into how the U.S. should plan, manage or even execute its nuclear deterrence when dealing with the nuclear threat posed by North Korea.



Cho said the allies are holding close discussions around the clock on not only security issues but all major global issues.



"Strategic discussions and consultations are held constantly between the countries amid fast changing global conditions," he said.



"The embassy is constantly holding close discussions with the U.S. National Security Council and the Department of State nearly 24-7 on week days and weekends whenever there is a major event such as the Wagner Group crisis, State Secretary Antony Blinken's visit to China and North Korea's continuous threats of provocation," he added.



Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the state department, later highlighted the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, calling it one of the "most consequential" relationships.



"Our partnership with our ROK partners continues to be one of the most consequential and important for the Indo-Pacific region," he told a daily press briefing when asked about the NCG, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.



"So we will we continue to remain deeply engaged with our South Korean partners on a number of issues," he added. (Yonhap)




Ford's quality leaves much to be desired. However, suppliers also make plenty of mistakes. Recall number 23V-439 concerns a supplier  Hitachi Astemo Americas  which manufactured a handful of shock absorbers incorrectly.

On March 7 this year, workers at the Oakville Assembly Complex identified an overextended condition on the rear shock absorbers of the 2023 model year Lincoln Nautilus . More specifically, the shocks were overextending by up to 27 millimeters (a little over an inch in the imperial system).Come March 8, assembly plant workers then identified a similar condition affecting the front shocks. Those front shocks go through a verification process that prevents any iffy shock absorber from being installed in case of an overextended condition. The rear shocks do not, which is why the Critical Concern Review Group within the Ford Motor Company decided to issue a stop-ship order for Nautilus vehicles.The Dearborn-based manufacturer also inspected 90 vehicles, of which 21 left rear shocks and 72 right rear shocks were identified with the aforementioned concern. Ford immediately quarantined all suspect rear shocks, and Ford eventually determined the root cause for this overextended condition.As it happens, the supplier was blamed for this blunder. The faulty rear shocks were produced with the shock rod stopper support not securely crimped in the rod groove, thus allowing too much rebound travel. In turn, said condition may cause damage to the rear brake hose, half shafts, stabilizer bar end links, and wheel speed sensors. Further investigation revealed that Hitachi Astemo Americas produced rear shock absorbers incorrectly in the period from February 14 to March 10.Ford isn't aware of any crashes or injuries related to said issue, which affects an estimated 366 units of the 2023 model year Lincoln Nautilus. More specifically, vehicles assembled from February 20 to March 9. The suspect rear shock absorbers feature continuous controlled damping technology for better handling and ride quality versus conventional dampers.Between July 31 and August 4, owners will be informed of the recall via first-class mail with instructions to bring their crossovers in for the remedy. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the rear end of the vehicle, and  if necessary  to replace the shocks, brake hoses, half shafts, and sensors.Because this isn't a design-related issue, replacement shock absorbers carry the same part numbers as the suspect units: K2GC-18W002-SUG for the rear right wheel and K2GC-18W003-SUG for the rear left wheel. Nautilus owners who paid out of pocket to have this problem fixed prior to this recall are eligible for reimbursement until August 18, 2023.In related news, the Nautilus received a tremendous redesign for model year 2024. The current generation will end production at Oakville this fall, and the newcomer will be assembled in China of all places. The first units will arrive stateside in early 2024, carrying a sticker price of $50,415 for the entry-level Premiere grade. At the other end of the spectrum, the Black Label is an unbelievable $74,465.
Back in 1983, somewhere in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a new motorcycle company was born. Spawned from the mind of former Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell, the company adopted the man's name, and went on to live a pretty complicated existence to our time.

Somehow, the small company survived everything, and this year it is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It does so with a lineup of five distinct models, namely the Hammerhead 1190, 1190SX, Super Cruiser, Supertouring, and the Baja Dune Racer.Of all five bikes, the Hammerhead is perhaps the most important, and that's why it was probably chosen by the company to be the base for a special edition version meant to celebrate both the anniversary and the "lifeblood of American freedom."The model is officially called Freedom Edition Hammerhead 1190, and the main (and only) thing that sets it apart from its siblings is the paint scheme.Normally, the Hammerhead 1190 can be had in a variety of color schemes, binding together in various shapes grey, yellow, white, and red. The Freedom Edition however goes all in to celebrate the colors of the American flag, red, white and blue, but also the stars that dot it.The colors are skillfully applied directly on the bike's carbon fiber bodywork, and can be seen almost everywhere, from the fairing up front to the fender at the rear. I said "skillfully because this has got to be the most interesting use of the Stars and Stripes colors and design I've seen on a motorcycle.Underneath all that patriot guise however, the same Hammerhead 1190 can be had. The bike is powered by a liquid-cooled V-Twin engine 72.6ci (1,190cc) in displacement. The powerplant develops 185 hp at 10,600 rpm and almost 138 Nm of torque at 8,200 rpm.The two-wheeler is supported by an aluminum frame with an integrated fuel tank. Showa supplied the suspension hardware (inverted fork at the front and single shock at the rear).In normal configuration, the cheapest Hammerhead 1190 there is starts at $19,995, and can reach up to $25,995 fully loaded. Naturally, the Freedom Edition is a tad more expensive.As is, customers can have a 2023 Buell Freedom Edition Hammerhead 1190 from $24,990. Provided some enhancements and customizations are made, that price jumps to at least $26,775.Buell says the new iteration of the Hammerhead will become available on July 1, shortly before the U.S. celebrates its Independence Day. It's unclear how many of them will be made, but we are informed the first 40 of them will be offered with a special four-year warranty. Additionally, the underside of the bikes will be signed by the Buell factory team.
Cargo e-bikes are a convenient and efficient mode of city transportation, and many see them as the future of urban mobility, with more and more people giving up their cars in exchange for an e-bike that offers them enough cargo space to carry groceries, pets, and even their kids around town.

Practicality is the main keyword when it comes to the design of carbo bikes, but given that they are more and more becoming an integral part of urban nomads ' lives, manufacturers have started to focus more on style and aesthetics. Ruff Cycles, a young German brand known for building eye-catching e-bikes, has just introduced a stylish electric cargo bike that shows marrying impressive aesthetics and practicality is perfectly possible.The company's new urban mobility solution is called Cargo Buddy and is the first cargo bike in its portfolio (the German brand offers four other e-bikes with extravagant and robust designs). According to the manufacturer, when they designed the new e-bike, they took inspiration from the world of hip-hop, which explains the laid-back, street-style aesthetic.Cargo Buddy measures 7.7 feet (235 cm) in length and 2.5 feet (78 cm) in width, which makes it quite compact for a cargo e-bike . It boasts a solid steel frame with a minimalist design, accompanied by a rather large loading compartment in front of the handlebars. The cargo box is said to carry a load of up to 176 pounds (80 kg), which means you can easily transport small passengers and all sorts of purchases. Your kids can be transported not only in the front cargo basket but also on the extended "Banana Saddle," giving them a more immersive riding experience.Moreover, the e-bike offers additional versatility thanks to the modular front rack system, which allows for various structures to be added, such as a roof.Weighing in at 104 pounds (47 kg), the Cargo Buddy is not a light bike, but the weight won't bother you anymore when you find out about its impressive hauling capabilities . Its overall carrying capacity is rated for up to 573 pounds or 260 kg (rider included), more than what some small cars can brag about. It rides on 4-inch thick tires that ensure impressive ground clearance.Besides the appealing aesthetics and hauling capabilities, the Cargo Buddy is also an impressive machine in terms of technology. It comes equipped with the Performance Line CX drive from Bosch eBike Systems, which is one of the most reputable e-bike systems for electric pedal support. The bike's setup includes a 500 Wh battery, a gear system from Shimano, and disc brakes with a parking function. Thanks to the 85 Nm of torque delivered, the cargo bike is more than capable of riding around town fully loaded.Ruff Cycles presented its new Cargo Buddy e-bike model at the Eurobike event, which took place in Frankfurt am Main from June 21 to 25. Pricing and availability information has not yet been revealed.
Back in April 2022, the Ford Motor Company issued a ginormous recall for the 2020 to 2022 model year Explorer. A whopping 252,936 units were called back over a rear axle horizontal mounting bolt that may fracture after repeated peak torque events. By that, Ford is referring to launching hard from a standstill, as you would do in a quarter-mile drag race.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA

Too many hard launches may lead to a bolt failure, which  in turn  leads to the rear axle's housing moving out of position. This condition is easily identifiable by means of clunking, grinding, and binding noises. The bad news doesn't end here, though. The half shafts may also become loose, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the Explorer's rear wheels.In other words, the vehicle may roll away. As per the report filed with the, the joint's design isn't robust enough to handle peak torque events. More specifically, the bearing area isn't large enough. The insufficient bearing area opens the way for deformation, thus increasing bending stress on the bolt.How did the Ford Motor Company fix this design-related issue? Believe it or not, preferentially . Law enforcement vehicles received a replacement bushing and axle cover, whereas private customer vehicles received a powertrain control module software update with code designed to engage the electronic parking brake after selecting park. Said private customer vehicles range from the lowly 2.3-liter EcoBoost with rear-wheel drive to the 3.0-liter EcoBoost of the ST.Fast forward to June 2023, and my criticism of Ford's preferential remedies for this condition is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Office of Defects Investigation within thereceived two complaints alleging rear axle bolt failure on private customer vehicles that had received the software update.One owner alleged that they rolled into a utility pole. As per complaint number 11517162, Ford agreed to repurchase the vehicle. Complaint number 11499008 appears to have been filed by a lawyer. The contact had taken their Explorer back to the dealer due to problems while reversing, as well as lurching and jumping forward in drive. The dealer couldn't do anything more than update the PCM, as instructed by FoMoCo. The vehicle in question had only 23,000 miles (37,015 kilometers) on the clock back in December 2022, when this complaint was filed with the Washington, D.C.-based federal watchdog.The NHTSA investigation's summary clearly highlights that Ford didn't address this issue properly. The remedy for private customer vehicles doesn't address the root cause, which is why a bigger recall may be issued by the Ford Motor Company in the near future. ODI estimates that 710,253 examples of the 2020 to 2022 model year Explorer may be called back.In the meantime, Ford is working with the agency to resolve this matter ASAP.
SUV

The world's biggest automotive market was recently treated to the refreshed XT4 crossover, the first-ever GT4 coupe-SUV that sure looks ready to brawl with the BMW X4, as well as the second-generation CT6 flagship sedan. That is a forbidden fruit at home in America. But no worries, there are plenty of sedan novelties from the US, as well.The company revealed the 2024 model year lineup for the CT4-V and CT5-V series , which now kick off at $48,490 and $52,890, respectively. More importantly, the Blackwings joined the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the brand's feisty V-series, and already the CT4-V Blackwing has a trio of Mondrian Editions that pay their respects to different generations of the company's V-branded sedans.So, how about the larger CT5? Well, Hennessey decided that it was about the perfect time to turn the CT5-V Blackwing into a proper hyper-sedan and gave it Bugatti Veyron levels of power. No, wait, we asked about the regular CT5, not the sporty versions. OK, then we must defer to the imaginative realm of digital car content creators where the virtual artist, better known as c_zr1 on social media, gives us CGI food for thought in the form of the facelifted American sedan.And do not say the time isn't right for a refresh of the Cadillac CT5 because the mid-size luxury successor of the CTS series was first introduced for the 2020 model year, and now would be an exceptionally good time to proceed with a facelift to mitigate the German threat of those new Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series models. As far as this pixel master is concerned, the changes would be pretty darn subtle and impact mainly on the design of the headlights (now with a more vertical arrangement than before), plus the styling of the bumper. New wheelsets are only natural, of course. Cool, right?But just in case that's not enough to satisfy your Cadillac cravings , know that the CGI expert has a passion for the luxury American brand as of late and also touched on two other model cases. First, the newly minted China-based second-gen Caddy CT6 got subtly lowered on Vossen wheels shod in meatier tires, and there are also blue brake calipers to make sure it will stand out in a crowd. Secondly, while in a celebratory mood, the author also imagined his perfect high-performance SUV rig  a Cadillac 'Escalade-VX' off-road behemoth rocking a jumpy dune-bashing attitude for the ages!
Tesla is one of the pioneers of Li-ion battery technology, with close connections to the academic world. Still, it remains open to using other companies' technologies when they prove superior. A recent report claims Tesla is analyzing StoreDot's Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) battery technology. XFC promises to add 100 miles of range in just 5 minutes of charging.

EV

ICE

Although Tesla is advancing its own battery technologies, it's not opposed to using other companies' products when it makes sense. Themarket leader works with external suppliers such as Panasonic, LGES, Samsung, CATL, or BYD for the battery cells it uses. At the same time, it develops and produces its own battery cells. Tesla also funds Li-ion battery research and collaborates closely with university research labs. This is the way to remain relevant in a fast-paced industrial environment.A recent report by USA Today claims that Tesla is examining the Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) battery technology developed by the Israeli startup StoreDot. The XFC technology promises extremely short charging times thanks to using nanomaterials without compromising the battery capacity. Its silicon-based Li-ion battery promises a 300-Wh/kg energy density and the ability to add 100 miles of range in 5 minutes of charging. StoreDot calls this 100in5 and thinks it should be ready for mass production next year.StoreDot also works on improved cells with higher energy density and faster charging time. Its 100in3 technology (110 miles in 3 minutes) will use a solid electrolyte and offer an energy density of 450 Wh/kg from 2028. By 2030, the 100in2 cells will feature lithium-free chemistry to achieve a 550-Wh/kg energy density.The fact that Tesla is examining StoreDot's technology doesn't necessarily mean that the two companies are about to announce a partnership. Still, I would not rule out such a possibility if the XFC cells prove they are as good as StoreDot claims. The long charging times are among the most common reasons people are reluctant to buy an electric vehicle. Significantly reducing the charging times would make EVs behave more like theircounterparts, which can be refueled in a few minutes.Tesla is likely conducting rigorous testing to evaluate safety, reliability, and longevity. The EV maker has been at the forefront of Li-ion battery technologies but has not used unproven technologies in its vehicles. This is why its batteries have been known to offer trouble-free operation for many years. StoreDot will have to prove its batteries are production-ready before Tesla considers installing them in any of its EVs.StoreDot recently announced that 15 companies were evaluating its XFC technology . Tests showed that its XFC cells could withstand over 1,000 fast-charging cycles before losing 20% of their original capacity. The tests involved charging the cells from 10% to 80% in about 10 minutes and discharging them in an hour. Usually, fast charging takes a toll on battery life, so these results are promising.
6x6

Perhaps the less celebrated of the three, Studebaker produced the US6. Largely similar to the CCKW, the US6 was mainly exported under the Lend-Lease policy. Chevrolet also produced a similar truck, albeit in 1.5-ton/4x4 form. I'm talking about the G506, which spawned almost 20 different versions.Then there's the Dodge WC series , a line that included both light four-wheel-drive trucks and mediumutility vehicles. With about 380,000 units built from 1940 to 1945, the WC series made up the majority of 4x4 trucks supplied to the US military during World War 2. The incredibly versatile series spawned 38 different versions ranging from half-ton reconnaissance jeeps to 1.5-ton cargo trucks.The WC series also included the WC54, arguably the most iconic ambulance used in WW2. Produced in about 30,000 units, it served as the US Army's primary dedicated ambulance, but the US Army Medical Corps also used it in the Korean War (1950-1953). But I'm here to talk about a different vehicle: the WC62.One of only two 1.5-ton 6x6 trucks, the WC62 was based on a lengthened WC51 weapons carrier with an extra axle. It was put into production when the US Army enlarged its rifle squads from eight to 12, which rendered the 3/4-ton truck too small for personnel duty. It was built alongside the WC63, which was identical to the WC62 but equipped with a winch.Dodge produced 43,224 such trucks, and 6,344 were provided to WW2 Allies in France, Great Britain, and Brazil. WC62 output included 23,092 units from 1943 to 1945. Dodge also made a series of 4x4 1.5-ton trucks, including variants sent through Lend-Lease programs to the Soviet Union and Iran.While most WC62s were cargo and personnel carriers with canvas-covered beds, some left the factory as command vehicles. They're passenger trucks with three rows of seats providing room for up to six people. As you might have already guessed, they were mainly used to transport high-ranking officers.There's no info on how many WC62 command cars were built, but this version has to be among the rarest of the WC series. And amazingly enough, one survived in one piece, and it's spending its retirement years somewhere in Alaska. It's part of a collection I've documented before and which also includes a few Studebaker US6s, a 1942 Chevrolet G506 panel truck, and a 1942 Dodge WC54 ambulance Rust-free and still running and driving after 80 years since it left the assembly line, this 1943 WC62 command car is a sight to behold. So go ahead and check it out in the video below.
The U.S. Embassy in Armenia said earlier in the day that James OBrien, the sanctions coordinator at the State Department, has arrived in Yerevan to discuss with Pashinian and other Armenian officials cooperation on U.S. sanctions and express appreciation for Armenias continued commitment to upholding U.S. sanctions.

An Armenian government statement on Pashinians talks with OBrien did not mention the issue. It said the two men spoke about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish-Armenian relations and various issues of mutual interest.

OBrien arrived in the Armenian capital from Tbilisi where he held similar talks with Georgian leaders earlier this week.

U.S. officials pressed the Armenian government to prevent Russia from evading the sanctions through Armenian companies during a series of meetings held this spring. Pashinian said on May 22 that despite its strategic relations with Russia Armenia cannot afford to be placed under Western sanctions.

A few days later, Pashinians government announced that Armenian exporters will now need government permission to deliver microchips, transformers, video cameras, antennas and other electronic equipment to Russia. The Armenian Ministry of Economy, which proposed the measure, cited the need to prevent the use of such items by foreign defense industries.

The Armenian Central Bank essentially confirmed on June 7 reports that local commercial banks have frequently blocked payments for such supplies wired by Russian buyers in the past few weeks.

According to government data, Armenias exports to Russia almost tripled in 2022 and nearly quadrupled in January-April 2023. Goods manufactured in third countries and re-exported by Armenian firms are believed to have accounted for most of that gain. They include consumer electronics and other hi-tech goods and components which the Western powers believe could be used by the Russian defense industry.

The increased trade with and other cash flows from Russia are the main reason why the Armenian economy grew by 12 percent in 2022.
29 June 2023 12:48 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Chasing useless hopes based on myth, Armenia reached the brim of an abyss in which any further step will end in calamity for them. Unfortunately, Armenian society has been brainwashed with the fabrications to such an extent that they cannot realize the real situation and stakes the viability of their statehood on daydreams.

Armenian society was infected with the plagues of thoughts such as irredentism, territorial claims against other nations, snobbery, and so on. Needless to say that the first Karabakh war stemmed from the mentioned features. With the help of internal turmoils in Azerbaijan, Armenia was able to wrest from Baku not only Karabakh but other seven adjoining districts. They used the seven districts to bargain on handing over Karabakh. Azerbaijan refused. However, Armenians hoped that soon or late Azerbaijan will agree. In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated all the seven districts and some parts of Karabakh. Besides, with its military power and economic superiority, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia for signing the final peace agreement for three years. Frankly saying, some goals have been achieved  the Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan recognized the Azerbaijan's territorial integrity verbally. But it is not enough, Azerbaijan needs the signed document.

However, every time the Armenian side commits provocation on the eve of important meetings over peace talks. So, the last meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the USA was no exception as well. As a result of the shootout in Karabakh, one Azerbaijani soldier was wounded and as a reuslt, five members of illegal Armenian armed formation were neutralized.

It is crystal clear that the all provocations aim to interrupt peace talks and in particular, cast a shadow on the ongoing negotiations in Washington. Armenians have never hidden that they hope Azerbaijan will make a compromise. So, they go the extra mile to delay the signing of the final peace document expecting that geopolitical circumstances will shift the process in their favor. Or some external actors will interfere with the process and Armenia will get what it has craved for a long.

However, such useless hopes have made Armenians blind to such an extent that they are unable to realize that Azerbaijan did not give up Karabakh in its weakest time, let alone now  after a grandiose victory over Armenia. Secondly, Karabakh is a historical territory of Azerbaijan and compromising Karabakh is out of the question. As for importance of Karabakh, I would like to recall the words of British journalist Thomas de Waal, who is partially prominent with his pro-Armenian stance. He emphasized that geographically and economically, Azerbaijan is not fully viable without Karabakh. In other words, Azerbaijan can overcome some challenges without Karabakh in the short-run, but in long-run, it is very difficult. Compromising Karabakh is tantamount to committing suicide for Azerbaijan. The occupation of Karabakh by Armenians in the 1990s was a big blow to Azerbaijans agriculture sector, especially in animal husbandry. The COVID-19 pandemic proved the significance of this sector once again. In addition, let us not forget that 25 percent of the water resource of the country is located in Karabakh. In addition, the renewable energy potential of Karabakh proved to be 10 GW. Given global warming and climate change, one should lose the mind expecting any compromise from the Azerbaijani side.

But it is contrary for Armenia - loosing grips on Karabakh, the territory of another state, means suicide for Armenia in long-run. It seems that Armenia, which cannot be independent, cannot find a place for itself, and finally sees itself as a state in the historical lands of another state, is reaching the end of the road. Due to the persistent foreign policy, Armenia, once living a prosperous life together in the South Caucasus, during the Soviet Union, reduced into the poorest country in the region after the collapse of the regime. Two of four neighbors closed their borders to the country. Pipelines carrying carbohydrates and big transport routes by-passed landlocked Armenia. Over 30 years, every sixth person has left the country struggling with the economic crisis and the outflow of brains continues even today. Considering the demographic and economic decline in Armenia, some could conclude that the population of the country will be less than two million in the near future consisting with only olds. Needless to say that Azerbaijan enjoyed victory over Armenia in the 44-day war not only with the help of sophisticated weapons but also with demographic superiority.

So, the time works against Armenia, and it will be better if the Armenian side does not miss any opportunity to reach the lasting peace. Azerbaijan soon or late will restore justice and get what it deserves.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, deputy commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, speaks during a peace forum hosted by Yonhap News Agency and the unification ministry at a hotel in central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap



The United States will send a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea "in the near future" for the first time in decades, in another show of the U.S. commitment to the defense of its ally, the deputy commander of the U.S. Forces Korea said Thursday.



Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, who doubles as the commander of the U.S. Seventh Air Force, made the remarks at an annual forum hosted by Yonhap News Agency and the unification ministry in Seoul as the allies seek to bolster efforts to deter North Korea's evolving military threats.



"In the near future, you can expect another show of the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence by a port visit by the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine," he said, without specifying the timing of its visit.



The U.S. had pledged to send a nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to South Korea in the Washington Declaration issued by President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden during their summit in Washington in April to further enhance the "regular visibility" of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula.



On June 16, the USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered guided missile submarine (SSGN), another major U.S. Navy asset, visited a key naval base in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as part of efforts to follow through on its pledge.



"This class of SSGN serves two objectives: deterrence and reassurance," he said. "The Michigan's visit is intended to reassure the Korean people they remain protected by the full spectrum of the United States' capabilities."



Pleus also said the alliance remains as "important as ever" in the face of ongoing military threats posed by Pyongyang, calling its "unprecedented" number of missile launches in the past two years as "nothing but provocation."



"U.S. Forces Korea will maintain our commitment to the alliance, which has endured since the Korean War, and we will never take that for granted," he said.



Seoul and Washington signed their mutual defense treaty, a bedrock alliance document, in October 1953, after the Korean War ended in a truce three months earlier.



Pleus also highlighted the need for the alliance to build "greater strategic depth" as the allies seeks to evolve their ties into a "global comprehensive strategic" partnership.



"As our alliance continues to expand, we will keep building upon our commitments not only to the security of Northeast Asia, but also to a free and open Indo Pacific and a free and open global commons," he said.



"That being said, this may require the alliance to build greater strategic depth, enhance international cooperation and provide greater support to the rules-based international order that has brought us so much prosperity to the U.S. and Republic of Korea," he said, using South Korea's official name.



The remarks come as the allies have been stepping up security coordination as Washington seeks to maintain what it calls the "rules-based order" amid China's growing assertiveness and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (Yonhap)


29 June 2023 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

Pashinyan administration shines on the agenda as usual with its unparalleled policy in world history. With a synthesis of peace and subversion, this so-called government revolving around the West and Russia is playing a game with terror and subversion in the background and a false diplomatic appearance in the foreground. However, Azerbaijan is aware of all these games of Armenia and is following all its steps.

The terrorist and armed provocations launched by Armenia in the Garabagh territory of Azerbaijan on June 26 once again devastated the trust in Armenia in the political and diplomatic framework. Armenia proved its unreliability with its irresponsibility towards the capitulation document it signed after the 44-day war on 10 November 2020. This so-called government, which tends to commit crimes at every small opportunity it gets, is actually getting closer to the end of its path.

On the one hand, the Yerevan administration, which wastes time in meetings in Washington and poses next to the West with tales of peace, now has nothing left to say. Of course, we are talking about Garabagh, the territory that was recognized as the territory of Azerbaijan by Mirzoyan's master Pashinyan, who tried to present himself as a symbol of diplomacy in Washington. If so, why is official Yerevan trying to overshadow the peace negotiations with the participation of Washington?

Armenia still thinks that it can frighten the Azerbaijan Army by moving around the illegal armed groups that took up arms in Azerbaijans Garabakh. On the contrary, this is nothing but ending and destroying the very little chances that Armenia has. Because time is in Azerbaijan's favor, the end of any attempt can at least result in the Revenge operation carried out by the glorious Azerbaijan Army today. Yes, shooting at a soldier of the Azerbaijan Army can have serious consequences. Armenia knew this and did it knowingly either out of stupidity or unending anger - and got its deserved response.

As a result of the Revenge operation successfully carried out today, according to preliminary information, 5 members of illegal Armenian military units were destroyed. But this is not the end... No, Azerbaijan is not an aggressive country. It is a nation and a state that likes to compromise, is patient until a certain time and promotes peace. The continuation of the operations is due to preparations for new provocations by illegal military units. This is confirmed in the obtained information. Despite the losses, Armenia does not back down from its promise. However, Baku's message to Yerevan is this: if this happens, you will receive an even tougher and more adequate response. Undoubtedly, the next operations will destroy the military infrastructure of the illegal formations in an appropriate and timely manner.

Armenia should not forget that in the Farrukh, Sarbaba, Kirkhgiz and other operations carried out by the Azerbaijan Army, the other side received its deserved response. It should be noted that the Azerbaijan Army keeps the necessary strategic heights in Garabagh under its control. Thanks to the above-mentioned operations, our glorious army was able to control the Khankendi Airport, Khojaly city, and the Khojaly-Khankendi road from those heights.

No matter how much the illegal armed groups of Armenia try to hide behind the Russian peacekeeping forces, any criminal and terrorist incidents do not go unnoticed. Because although they do not claim ownership, Azerbaijan exercises full control over its sovereign territories and is the permanent owner of these territories.

Unfortunately, the illegal Armenian military units temporarily roaming in Karabakh receive direct support from Russian peacekeepers while carrying out such provocations. It is a fact that today the Armenian terrorists that Azerbaijan is eliminating on its territory have gathered in the areas where those peacekeepers are temporarily stationed. But for some reason they are not told to stop this action...

Nevertheless, after Azerbaijan closed the Lachin border checkpoint for temporary investigations following the sabotage and the shooting of its own military personnel, all foreign forces turned their attention to Azerbaijan. For some reason, every fictitious word that Armenia says is measured as a law for them. Undoubtedly, a number of corrupt western politicians and organizations are responsible for this provocation, who supported the terrorists by presenting the post established in Lachin as a "blockade", and they will have to answer for their biased behavior one day. Also, it cannot be ruled out that this provocation meets the interests of pro-Armenian and Islamophobic forces, as well as some forces within the European Parliament.

Azerbaijan sees this clearly - whether these are peacekeeping forces or Western circles that have been bribed, everyone knows whom, what and what interests these elements are serving for. Although their financial income goes through Azerbaijan, they still stand behind terrorist forces for their own dirty ambitions. Not only Azerbaijan, but the whole world is attached significance. A group of Western aristocracy stained with bribery and corruption has already been very cheap and disreputable for Azerbaijan. What is valuable for us is the strengthening of the country's military and economic potential. Yes, as mentioned by Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev at his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif: So, we know how international law works selectively. How resolutions of the United Nations Security Council are not being implemented. We both know that. And the guarantee for your independence, territorial integrity, security and wellbeing of your people is your economic, political and military capability.

Azerbaijan no longer expects justice or the rule of international law from any force. We will clear our territories from terrorists thanks to our military power within the framework of international laws, and most importantly, Yerevan will have to pay for all these wrong steps in the next military operations of Azerbaijan.

---

Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1

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30 June 2023 00:24 (UTC+04:00)

More progress has been made in the talks between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the United States.

According to Azernews, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this following the final plenary session with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia - Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan.

It should be noted that the next round of negotiations between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on the draft peace agreement took place in the United States from June 27 to 29.

On the first day, Blinken held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. After the meetings, he took part in the first plenary meeting with the foreign ministers of the two countries. Then the ministers continued negotiations in a bilateral format.

On the second day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan. After that, a bilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries was held.

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29 June 2023 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

The Press Council of Azerbaijan delivered a statement regarding the harassment of the employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC on June 28 in France, Azernews reports.

The Press Council noted that the attack is stem from an intolerable attitude to freedom of speech and expression. It is not the first time that the activities of journalists who fulfill their professional duties are restricted and violence against them is happening in France. Employees of AzTV also faced such an incident while performing their official duties - filming. The reporter and the cameraman received minor injuries, and at the same time, their cameras were taken from them. Attempts to return the camera were not only unsuccessful, moreover, but media representatives were also threatened with guns.

The statement emphasized that the Azerbaijan Press Council strongly condemns the known incident. The Press Council calls on the French authorities to make a legal assessment of the fact of obvious interference in the fulfillment of legal professional duties of Azerbaijani journalists and to take necessary steps to quickly find the culprits and bring them to justice. The Council also calls on the leading organizations specialized in the protection of freedom of speech and expression and media rights in Europe and the world to keep the issue in mind and show solidarity.

The Azerbaijan Press Council states that inappropriate treatment of AzTV employees is an attack on freedom of speech and expression, which is considered an important component of fundamental human rights and freedoms and is a restriction of the right to receive information. The perpetrators of the incident must be held accountable so that similar negative incidents do not become a trend and are not repeated in the future.

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29 June 2023 16:30 (UTC+04:00)

The Imishli district organization of YAP (New Azerbaijan Party) held the campaign "If we forget, we will be forgotten," Azernews reports.

Within the campaign, families of martyrs were visited on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

Safa Aghayev, the chairman of the YAP Imishli district organization, and his colleagues participated in the meeting with the families of the martyrs. During the meeting, it was brought to attention that the memory of Azerbaijans heroic sons who were martyred for the Motherland is always remembered with respect. It was stated that Azerbaijanis are proud of their martyrs, veterans, and the personnel of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces who lost their lives for the liberation of every inch of Azerbaijani lands. The Great Victory won by the brave Azerbaijani Army in the Patriotic War under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev put an end to nearly 30 years of injustice. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan was ensured at the cost of the sacrifice of heroic soldiers and officers of Azerbaijanis.

During the visit, the families of the martyrs expressed their deep gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for the attention and care shown to them.

---

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29 June 2023 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had a telephone conversation.

President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif extended their congratulations and best wishes to each other and both peoples on the occasion of holy Eid al-Adha.

Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif once again expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the hospitality shown to him and his delegation during his recent official visit to Azerbaijan.

During the conversation, they hailed the strengthening of friendly and brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, and exchanged views on the future development of bilateral relations.

---

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29 June 2023 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

"We learned with sadness that the employees of AZTV, the official state television of Azerbaijan, were attacked while performing their official duties in France."

Azernews reports that Fakhreddin Altun, head of the Communications Department of the Presidential Administration of Turkiye, wrote this on his Twitter account.

"We strongly condemn this heinous attack on the freedom of the press and information, which reveals that Europe is losing its reputation day by day in the context of the protection of human rights and freedoms.

We expect that French officials and law enforcement agencies will immediately identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of the attack. I also called Hikmat Hajiyev, aide to the President of Azerbaijan, my respected brother, and said that Turkiye will use all capabilities to shed light on this heinous attack.

I wish our Azerbaijani journalist brothers who were injured as a result of the attack a speedy recovery, and I convey my best wishes to all the brotherly people of Azerbaijan on their behalf," Altun said.

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29 June 2023 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

It is unacceptable for Ankara that PKK supporters in Sweden organize demonstrations and recruit people and provide financial support for terror groups, the Turkish president said, Azernews reports, citing Yeni Shafak.

His remarks came during a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to a statement by the Turkish Communications Directorate.

Erdogan and Scholz addressed bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues, stressing the necessity of increasing cooperation in these fields.

The Turkish president told Scholz that Sweden is taking steps in the right direction, citing Stockholms recent anti-terrorism, but said Ankara finds it unacceptable that the YPG/PYD/PKK supporters in Sweden continue to organize demonstrations, recruit people, and provide financial support to terrorist groups.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership soon after Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022. Although Turkiye approved Finland's membership to NATO, it is waiting for Sweden to abide by a trilateral memorandum signed last June in Madrid to address Ankara's security concerns.

Several NATO allies, including the US, hope Turkiye will approve Sweden's accession process ahead of a summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, set for July 11-12.

Sweden passed an anti-terror law in November hoping Ankara would approve its bid to join NATO. The law, effective June 1, allows authorities to prosecute individuals who support terror groups.

- Wagner rebellion

The Turkish and German leaders also discussed the latest developments in Russia, with no details provided in the statement.

The Russian Wagner Group accused Russian forces last Friday of attacking its fighters and subsequently crossed from Ukraine into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

In response, the Federal Security Service initiated a criminal case against the group for armed rebellion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled the uprising an act of treason.

The group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his fighters would proceed to Moscow. That prompted the Kremlin to enhance security measures across various regions.

Prigozhin later claimed his fighters decided to turn back to avoid bloodshed when they were about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Moscow.

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29 June 2023 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday condemned the burning of the Muslim holy book Quran in Sweden on the first day of Muslims' major festival of Eid al-Adha, Azernews reports, citing Yeni Shafak.

I condemn the vile action in #Sweden against our Holy Book, Quran, on the first day of the Eid-al-Adha!, Fidan wrote on Twitter.

It is unacceptable to allow these islamophobe anti-Muslim actions under the pretext of freedom of expression, he added.

To turn a blind eye to such atrocious acts is to be a partner in crime, he said.

Fidan's remarks came after Swedish authorities granted permission for a Quran-burning protest outside a mosque.

Meanwhile, Omer Celik, a spokesperson for Turkiye's Justice and Development (AK) Party said in a statement: "We condemn the Swedish authorities' approval of the application to burn the Qur'an in front of a mosque on Eid al-Adha."

"We strongly condemn the Swedish Supreme Court's stance on protecting hate crimes. Every disrespect is a crime against humanity. We will continue to fight against these cursed acts in the strongest way possible on all political and legal grounds," Celik added.

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29 June 2023 19:25 (UTC+04:00)

Russia is watching the situation in Sudan with concern and is interested in helping normalize it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Sudans Sovereignty Council Deputy Chairman Malik Agar on Thursday, Azernews reports, citing TASS.

"Russia is watching with concern what is happening in Sudan and is interested in helping to create the conditions for normalizing the situation. Through our embassy, which remains in Khartoum, we are in contact with all the parties concerned. It is of special importance for us today to hear your assessments of the situation," the minister said.

The Russian minister said Agar's arrival in Moscow was "very timely."

"We would appreciate recommendations on how Russia and other members of the international community could contribute to overcoming the crisis. We will take this opportunity to review our bilateral cooperation and chart the way forward. We will also exchange views on the situation in some of your neighboring countries," the minister said.

The situation in Sudan escalated amid disagreements between the army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who also heads the ruling Sovereignty Council, and the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), who is al-Burhans deputy on the council. The main points of contention between the two military organizations are related to the timeline and methods of forming unified armed forces of Sudan, as well as who should become the commander-in-chief of the army: a career military officer, which is an option supported by al-Burhan, or an elected civilian president, as Dagalo insists. On April 15, armed clashes between the rival military factions erupted near a military base in Merowe and in the capital, Khartoum. There have been several attempts to establish a ceasefire since then. According to the Sudanese Health Ministry, more than 3,000 people have been killed since the start of the hostilities, and at least 6,000 people were injured.

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29 June 2023 20:20 (UTC+04:00)

The head of Turkiyes Directorate of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbas, condemned on Wednesday the approval of burning the Quran by Swedish authorities, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

"I strongly condemn the approval of the despicable act against our holy book, the Quran, in Sweden during Eid al-Adha," Erbas wrote in a statement on social media. "I invite Sweden and Western countries to stop protecting this diseased mentality that is hostile to Muslims, social peace and humanity.

"We expect concrete sanctions against the perpetrators of the incidents to be implemented," he added.

On June 12, a Swedish appeals court upheld a lower court's decision to overturn a ban on Quran burning, ruling that police had no legal grounds to prevent two Quran burning protests earlier this year.

In February, police refused permission for two Quran burning attempts, citing security concerns, after far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm in January.

Later, two individuals who attempted to stage provocative actions outside the Iraqi and Turkish embassies in Stockholm appealed the decision.

In April, the Stockholm Administrative Court reversed the decision, ruling that security risks were insufficient to restrict the ability to demonstrate.

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Former special counsel Park Young-soo attends a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, June 28. Yonhap



Former special counsel Park Young-soo appeared for a court hearing held Thursday to determine whether he should be arrested over corruption allegations related to a high-profile land development scandal.



The former special counsel is suspected of taking 800 million won ($611,000) from private developers in return for helping their project to develop the Daejang-dong district in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, into apartment complexes in 2014, when he served as the chair of the Woori Bank board of directors.



"I am confident that the truth will be revealed soon," Park told reporters before attending the hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, denying allegations that he peddled influence at the bank for the sake of the project.



A court decision is expected to come out as early as Thursday night.



Prosecutors also suspect that Park conspired with his former assistant, Yang Jae-sik, and both were promised profits of 20 billion won and two properties. Later, the promised profits allegedly decreased to 5 billion won after the bank's role in the project was reduced.



Park is one of the prominent individuals involved in the "5 billion club." They were each promised 5 billion won by asset management firm Hwacheon Daeyu, which gained astronomical profits from the project. Other figures allegedly include former ruling party lawmaker Kwak Sang-do and former Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam.



Park gained fame after investigating the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye as a special counsel in 2017. She was eventually ousted following an indictment and conviction. Yang also participated in the investigation. (Yonhap)


29 June 2023 22:10 (UTC+04:00)

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov called on medical workers to work honestly at the solemn ceremony of celebrating the Day of the Medical Worker of the Kyrgyz Republic, Azernews reports, 24.kg.

According to him, there is information that women in labor are taken from 10,000 to 30,000 soms for a caesarean section. The perpetrators will be punished soon. The second stage of the fight against corruption has begun in the country, in this regard, I urge you to work honestly and conscientiously, he warned.

The official recalled that President Sadyr Japarov intends to increase the salaries of doctors to 50,000 soms in the coming years.

The head of the Cabinet noted that the countrys leadership pays special attention to the healthcare sector.

From April 1, 2021, the salaries of healthcare workers have been increased by 50 percent, family doctors and general practice doctors  by 100 percent. A year later, on April 1, 2022, the salary of doctors was increased by an average of 50 percent. As a result, to date, they receive 19,346 soms instead of 12,899 soms, family doctors  25,795 soms instead of 17,197 soms, nurses  17,609 soms instead of 11,739, he said.

The countrys economy is growing thanks to innovations, Akylbek Japarov said.

Recall, employees of medical organizations of the republic celebrate the Day of Medical Worker in Kyrgyzstan every year on the first Sunday of July.

---

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29 June 2023 22:35 (UTC+04:00)

A solemn ceremony of the official launch of Creative Industries Park took place in Bishkek. The head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov took part in the event. The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.

According to the head of the Cabinet, despite various negative forecasts, the authorities managed not only to ensure stability and steady growth of the country, but also to prove to the world the opposite  Kyrgyzstan can do it.

We have managed to break all the stereotypes about our country  we got rid of the syndrome of a poor country. Akylbek Japarov

He added that now Kyrgyzstan is actively moving to the next stage of development, where about 50 percent of the countrys population are young people.

Creativity is the engine of progress. From this day on, we are starting a bright and promising stage in the economic development of Kyrgyzstan, associated with the launch of Creative Industries Park, which will bring together talented, full of ideas and energy creators not only from all over Kyrgyzstan, but from all over the world. Throughout the year, our state, in a team with representatives of the creative industries, is making a creative breakthrough in Kyrgyzstan, Akylbek Japarov said.

He called on creators from all over the world to become part of the Creative Industries Park in Kyrgyzstan.

A vivid example of the creative industry is the creative group D Billions. They have become world stars and the pride of Kyrgyzstan. This confirms the enormous potential of our country and everyone present today. I urge you to continue actively and enthusiastically participate in building up this potential by promoting your projects and creating. The state, in turn, will continue to create conditions for promoting Zharatman Kyrgyzstan brand, help unlock the creative potential of citizens and create innovative products that are in demand in the world. Kyrgyzstan has great potential to become the first in the world in the field of modern developments and creative economy, Akylbek Japarov said.

At the end of his speech, the head of the Cabinet thanked the Association of Creative Industries for their active creative work for the benefit of the country.

---

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29 June 2023 21:48 (UTC+04:00)

The world community must take measures to prevent the construction of a metallurgical plant in the village of Arazdayan, located on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan AR.

Steven Anguva Shikoli, representative of the Network of TB Champions (Kenya) has told local media, Azernews reports.

"I strongly oppose the construction of this plant, because the chemicals that will be released during the production process at this facility will pollute the environment not only around it, but also in the wider region. The air we breathe, our climate - it's all interconnected. So this catastrophic construction will end up polluting the air even in Africa," he said.

According to the expert, this will have a huge impact on wildlife, for example, in Kenya.

"We have already seen how such factories around the world are killing nature. All this money spent on the construction of this steel plant could be used to build new hospitals or schools. So, I call on the global civil society to oppose the construction of this plant," he concluded.

It is worth noting that the Armenian-American steel plant covers a vast area of 16,500 square meters and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 180,000 tons.

---

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Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province / Yonhap



A mother arrested for killing her two newborn babies and storing their bodies in a home refrigerator is expected to receive a heavier punishment than expected, as police decided Thursday to apply murder charges to her instead of infanticide charges.



The woman in her 30s was apprehended about a week ago for strangling her two babies to death shortly after their births in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and keeping their bodies in a fridge in her apartment in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul. A court issued an arrest warrant for her on charges of infanticide last Friday.



But the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said charges against the woman have been changed to murder, which can be punished much more severely than infanticide.



The Criminal Act stipulates a prison term of up to 10 years for those convicted of infanticide, and the death penalty, life sentence or an imprisonment of at least five years for those convicted of murder.



Police also said they have booked the woman's husband on charges of being an accessory to her murders, changing his status from witness to suspect.



The woman admitted to killing the infants due to economic hardships while raising three children but told police she had lied to her husband, telling him she had two abortions. (Yonhap)


The Washington Examiner is reporting:

"Harvards and UNCs admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," the majority held in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented and was joined by Justice Elena Kagan. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the UNC case, joined by Sotomayor and Kagan. Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case due to her past service on the university board.

Sotomayor chastised the majority's opinion, saying it "stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."

"It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter," Sotomayor added.

Justices have been mulling since November over two cases brought by the nonprofit group Students for Fair Admissions, headed by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum, a staunch critic of affirmative action policies.

Meanwhile, the present 6-3 Republican-appointed majority on the court has been inching for years toward an eventual decision against affirmative action. Roberts has been one of the most eager members of the court against such policies, writing in the 2007 Parents Involved case: "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."

Toward the end of the opinion, the majority sought to placate the woes of the liberal minority dissent.

The majority held that "nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. But, despite the dissent's assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today."

Justice Clarence Thomas added that he would "highly doubt" universities could carry on with considering race in admissions policies with the new test that was established Thursday.

In the future, universities wishing to discriminate based on race in admissions must articulate and justify a compelling and measurable state interest based on concrete evidence. Given the strictures set out by the Court, I highly doubt any will be able to do so."

During oral arguments in October 2022, the court's inclination to ban affirmative action was evident. The court's six conservatives expressed skepticism toward the practice, even as attorneys for Harvard and UNC, along with U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, implored the court to permit the practice to continue.

A 2014 SFFA case contended that Harvard's admissions policy unlawfully discriminates against Asian American applicants. The university is accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal funding.

Another case filed in 2014 alleged the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill unlawfully discriminates against white and Asian American applicants. That suit accused the university of violating the Constitution's 14th Amendment promise of equal protection under the law.

Blum started SFFA in 2014 in part to fight against the affirmative action policies allowed in the Bakke decision. Such policies have long been debated as to whether they might inadvertently discriminate against other applicants. In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled against a University of Michigan system that awarded "points" to minority applicants as going too far but reaffirmed Bakke's central holdings that schools could use race as one of several admission factors.

Banning the use of affirmative action will force elite colleges to reinvent their policies and find new ways to ensure diversity in their student populations without using race as a consideration. Several universities have expressed concerns in legal briefs that a decision to overturn affirmative action could result in fewer minority students on campuses.

But ahead of the high court's opinion release, legal experts speculated colleges might attempt to maintain a superficial vision for diversity on campus without taking race into consideration.

"The Supreme Court ruled that the affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are violating federal law. Now, we will see whether the universities comply with the Supreme Court's decision or try to resist it," South Texas College of Law Houston professor Josh Blackman told the Washington Examiner on Thursday.

Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman wrote in October that the eventual decision for the UNC and Harvard cases could be "written so narrowly that it would still be legal for universities to say that they merely hoped to achieve racial diversity. But taking any race-conscious decisions to achieve that goal would be illegal."

The matter of race-neutral admissions policies that are implemented for racially conscious ends could find its way to the Supreme Court soon. A group of parents, alumni, and community members at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Virginia, sued the school for changing its admissions process to increase the number of black and brown students and decrease the number of Asian students.

The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the school's new process did not violate federal law. The case's next stop would be the Supreme Court.
Here are five lawsuits involving gastroenterologists or gastroenterology practices that Becker's has reported on since Aug. 12:

1. New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian was named in a civil lawsuit that alleges Zhi Alan Cheng, MD, a gastroenterologist who previously practiced at the health system's Flushing, N.Y., location, drugged and sexually assaulted a patient.

2. Great Neck, N.Y.-based gastroenterologist Morris Barnard was sentenced to 30 months in prison and must pay $1.4 million for a Medicare billing fraud scheme.

3. Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologist Omar Massoud, MD, PhD, was arrested this week after being charged with six felony counts, three involving sexual assaults on patients.

4. Fauquier County Public Schools Superintendent David Jeck is suing Fauquier (Va.) Medical Center, Advanced Digestive Care and Gastroenterology Associates for $15 million, alleging medical negligence that led to the death of his son.

5. Houston-based Gastroenterology Consultants PA agreed to settle consumer claims that the practice failed to protect consumers from a data breach last year.
Here are two former leaders from UnitedHealth Group's Optum who are moving into new roles that Becker's has reported on since June 6:

1. UC Davis Health, based in Sacramento, Calif., named Dennis Chornenky as its first chief artificial intelligence adviser. Prior to this role, he served as senior adviser and presidential innovation fellow at the White House. Mr. Chornenky also served as senior vice president and chief AI officer at Optum.

2. Digital health company Modivcare named former UnitedHealth Group and Optum IT leader Jessica Kral as CIO. Ms. Kral served in several IT-focused roles at UnitedHealth Group including CIO at Optum home and community.
From management service company acquisitions to new executive appointments, here are 14 ophthalmology updates Becker's has reported from the month of June:

1. Ophthalmology management services organization EyeCare Partners launched a yearlong ophthalmology fellowship program that will provide training to residency graduates.

2. Ophthalmology procedures are beginning to shift out of ASCs in favor of office-based surgery centers, according to a new study from iOR Partners.

3. The American Academy of Ophthalmology expressed to Congress frustration over current prior authorization mandates from insurers, including Aetna and Humana, that are delaying cataract surgeries for patients.

4. Unifeye Vision Partners expanded in the Midwest through the acquisition of 11 clinics and one ASC owned by Chaska, Minn.-based Southwest Eye Care and Fargo-based Eye Consultants of North Dakota.

5. Boston-based Mass Eye and Ear appointed CarolAnn Williams as its next president, effective July 1. Ms. Williams had been serving as interim president of Mass Eye and Ear since December.

6. Newsweek named the 30 best optometrists and ophthalmologists in America for 2023.

7. Los Angeles-based ophthalmologist David Aizuss, MD, was elected as secretary of the American Medical Association board of trustees.

8. A 40,000-square-foot medical office building in Danbury, Conn., leased by an affiliate of Connecticut Eye Consultants sold for $15 million.

9. Greenfield, Mass.-based Pioneer Valley Ophthalmic Consultants filed a notice of data breach with the Vermont attorney general following a data security incident at third-party vendor Alta Medical Management that impacted its patient's personal data.

10. EyeSouth Partners partnered with Carolina Cataract & Laser Center and Eyecare Physicians & Surgeons, which both serve the Charleston, S.C., area.

11. The Texas Medical Board suspended the license of ophthalmologist David Stager, MD, following a report of domestic violence.

12. Ophthalmic technology company Eyenovia expanded its U.S. manufacturing facilities, opening centers in Redwood City, Calif., and Reno, Nev.

13. Unifeye Vision Partners partnered with its 17th practice in California  Sierra Eye Group in Visalia, Calif.

14. Clinical stage ophthalmology pharmaceutical company OcuTerra named Bill Steinkrauss as its new CFO.
Establishing medical loss ratios for dental payers could possibly lead to decreased access to care and necessary administrative tasks being cut by insurance companies, according to one dental insurance industry executive.

Several states have begun considering and implementing medical loss ratios for dental payers after Massachusetts established the first-of-its-kind law in December. The law requires dental insurers to spend at least 83 percent of premium dollars on dental services or refund the difference to patients, among other requirements. The American Dental Association said last year it expects medical loss ratio bills to be filed in about 20 states. Bills have been introduced in several states, including Rhode Island and Connecticut, and Nevada recently signed its own into law.

Michael Adelberg is the executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans. He recently spoke with Becker's about how medical loss ratios differ in various states, the possible effects of these laws, and what states should consider when establishing medical loss ratios for dental payers.

Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.

Question: What are your thoughts on different states implementing medical loss ratios for dental insurers?

Michael Adelberg: The loss ratio is going to create problems for the citizens of Massachusetts. I think there is a high likelihood we're going to see very significant changes in the market in Massachusetts because of how rapid and arbitrary the number 83 is.

[The Massachusetts loss ratio] happened by public ballot, not by thoughtful insurance regulators sitting down and figuring out what might be the best overall policy. The thoughtful regulators who do this for a living have a [loss ratio] model at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for low premium products, and the model for low premium products is very different than for high premium products. Professionals understand that low premium products take in vastly less money but have many of the same operating costs. Therefore, a low premium product can't possibly have the same loss ratio as high premium products. This is especially true for low-cost dental HMOs that serve small businesses and lower income workers. So, you are putting the most pressure on the product that serves the most vulnerable people. The likely result is that you are going to squeeze at least some dental HMOs out of the market, and employers or individuals who are buyers of that lowest-cost product might not have a product available.

Nevada recently passed a law with a 75 percent loss ratio. I'm not saying 75 percent is a good number, but it's a number that's been on the books in Nevada for many years. So, dental carriers in Nevada are already used to it. That's very different than what is happening in Massachusetts.

Several other states looked at dental loss ratios and chose not to pass a law. Colorado just passed a law modeled on Maine. What Colorado and Maine will do is regulate dental plans' reported loss ratios. No one likes being regulated more, but it is a sensible approach to say, "Here is what industry practice looks like, and if there is someone who is aberrant from what good industry practice looks like, we're going to take a look and potentially require that the outlier change their practice." That makes far more sense than arbitrarily establishing a MLR with no grounding in industry practice.

Q: What should states consider when developing a loss ratio for dental insurers?

MA: Maine has a law that requires dental insurers to submit their loss ratios and other product attributes, and then the regulator can look at that and basically draw a bell curve. And if everyone's at a certain level for a certain kind of product and then one carrier is way lower, the state of Maine can reject that product and can say "You have to be in the bell curve." That strikes me as a much more sensible way to go about this. I'm not opposed to letting regulators regulate. They need the toolbox and a rational basis from which to regulate. There are better approaches than to take an arbitrarily selected loss ratio and apply it to every kind of product sold in every different insurance market. The large group market, the small group market and the individual market are very different. We don't do that with medical insurance. The Massachusetts law is bad public policy because it doesn't show an understanding of how insurance works.

Q: What other effects do you think loss ratios could have on the dental industry?

MA: When you force an insurer with no time, without allowing a gradual change in practice, to come into compliance with an arbitrarily high loss ratio, the insurer's going to have to look at cutting administrative costs and how it pays claims. Dental plans have fraud and abuse detection programs. I assume we don't want insurers to pay fraudulent claims. Under a loss ratio, fraud and abuse detection is a problem for insurers in two respects. First, if you had just paid the fraudulent claim, your loss ratio is better because you're paying an inflated or fraudulent claim. Second, every dime you invest in fraud and abuse detection is a dime of administrative costs. So, fraud and abuse detection is a double whammy in loss ratio. Do we really want insurers to stop rooting out fraud and waste?

The biggest administrative costs include credentialing and maintaining a provider network, processing claims and maintaining call centers. Most of us would think that a high level of performance at your call center is a good thing. Most of us would think that paying claims promptly and seamlessly is a good thing. And most of us think that maintaining a broad provider network is a good thing. But all three of these very significant administrative costs will inevitably get looked at when an arbitrary loss ratio is imposed. When you force someone to dramatically change their loss ratio, plans must go where the money is. These are also three places where we might want to see insurers investing money, but they don't have the ability to invest money under an arbitrarily high loss ratio.
The city of Hoover, Ala., is in search of a hospital or medical partner for a new 90-acre health and wellness development.

The city announced its partnership for the Riverwalk Village with Region's Bank and real estate company Healthcare Resources on June 28, according to local news station WBRC. The development plans to feature medical offices, walking trails and green spaces, and eventually housing and retail.

The area was chosen for its proximity to existing research, biotechnology and life sciences companies, city leaders told the Hoover Sun. The partners aim to transform 450,000 square feet of existing offices owned by Regions Bank into a "Riverwalk Health & Wellness Center," which will offer a variety of services from pediatrics to geriatrics. They envision a "boutique hospital" with the potential for outpatient surgery and ambulatory care but not critical services, according to Alan Paquette, chair of the Hoover Health Care Authority.

Mr. Paquette said the city needs "enhanced healthcare opportunities" to keep pace with population growth. Preventive care is also a factor, according to Christy Roddy, chief strategy officer of Healthcare Resources.

"The future of health care is focused on integrating prevention and wellness as part of overall patient care," Ms. Roddy said in a news release obtained by the Sun. "This site is uniquely positioned to be able to bring those aspects to the community."

No healthcare providers have partnered on the project yet, according to local news reports, but the developers are searching for a collaborator.



"It's no secret that we have been working very hard to attract some kind of health care provider on a larger scale," Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato told WBRC. "What that looks like and what type of medical facility that is  those are things we are working on."
Meera Kondapaneni, MD, chief of cardiology at Cleveland-based The MetroHealth System, has the rare experience of having worked in both developed and developing countries. That experience sparked her passion for cardiology.

Dr. Kondapaneni decided she would specialize in cardiology after working with patients suffering from heart disease. She moved from India to the United States to complete her postgraduate training, "and in both sides of the world, the problem is the same," she told Becker's. It was the challenge of reducing mortality and morbidity with heart disease that made her choose cardiology as a specialty.

She recently connected with Becker's to discuss the technology and programs that excite her most.

Question: What drew you to cardiology?

Dr. Meera Kondapaneni: My first interest in cardiology started when I was learning physiology. To me, the anatomy and physiology are so well intertwined with the heart. The heart's physiology is so much more logical and it makes sense. Everything that the heart does is easy to explain through physiology, which is something that really excites me. Then, when I entered my patient care, I noticed the mortality and morbidity associated with heart disease. It was the challenge of reducing associated mortality and morbidity that drew me into cardiology.

Q: What heart study, technology or innovation are you most excited about right now?

MK: The two things that excite me are first, the medications we have that can specifically treat inflammation and prevent heart attacks and heart disease; and second, is transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We are now trying to do the transcatheter edge to edge repairs. It's not as sophisticated yet as the TAVR, but every year new ways to repair mitral and tricuspid valves with this TEER technique improve. We are able to get these impressive treatments to people who did not have options up until a decade or two ago.

Q: What aspect of your work or the field keeps you up at night?

MK: It's the gaps in the care. I work at a safety net hospital and we see patients in all spectrums of socioeconomic status. These patients expect us to help them and sometimes you're limited by money. There is this drug that we know is extremely beneficial now with heart failure patients and it is extremely expensive. The deductible is so high that a lot of the times, patients cannot afford them even having Medicare and Medicaid. Even some patients with private insurance can't afford a $600 drug every month. It really bothers me when I have to have these conversations with patients. I can't sleep because we have so much, and there's so much waste of everything, yet we still have people who cannot afford treatments. On the bright side, we have a motivated team and financial counselors who can aid patients to get them treatment they need even without insurance. The fact that I'm in a system where I'm able to do my part to help these patients helps me wake up in the morning.

Q: What's one thing your hospital/system is doing in heart care that you're most proud of?

MK: We have a high school that resides within MetroHealth Hospital. Recently, we partnered with the principal to create a heart health curriculum. We realized that a lot of our education comes after someone already has a disease. It's important that individuals learn how to manage their disease once they have it, but teaching teens how to eat the right foods, be more active can impact their health before it becomes an issue. I'm very excited about this project, which will start this year. Hopefully, we can expand our healthcare education curriculum into the district and prevent risk factors. I think what we do in the community has even much more of an impact because that education percolates across the community, hopefully changing the culture so we are evolving into a more heart health-conscious society than before.

Q: What's the best leadership advice you've received?

MK: People used to say, "lead from the front," but I believe more in leading together, where you are with your team and you all move together. It's not like I'm ahead of the team and I'm pulling everyone. Leading with the team is more effective and makes me feel like I'm part of the team instead of ahead of them. My team trusts me more and it's not a top-to-bottom approach.

The second thing is the ability to delegate, which was the hardest thing personally for me. Advice that I have received early on: Let go of my desire to control everything and trust that person to do the work. If they need help, then it's an opportunity to teach and for that person to develop into a future leader. Feeling comfortable delegating tasks and guiding people to do it well is the biggest transformation I've seen over the years in my leadership.
SEIU Local 521, a union representing employees of the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Kern County Hospital Authority, has accused the system of overpaying two private consulting firms that provide its top executives.

The union alleges the hospital's payments to Cantu Management Group and Meridian Healthcare Partners  both based in Bakersfield  have exceeded contractual amounts by 40 percent to 147 percent, leading to $23 million in unauthorized compensation over the past four years.

Andrew Cantu of Cantu Management Group is also the CFO of Kern County Hospital Authority and its management representative for independent audits. Russell Judd served as the hospital's CEO until December 2021, and remains president and owner of Meridian Healthcare Partners.

A nine-page report from the union, obtained by Becker's, alleges the hospital failed to disclose management compensation accurately, failed to properly correct the issue when notified and attempted to conceal this failed disclosure from the public.

SEIU Local 521 obtained the hospital's executive compensation information using the California Public Records Act, according to the report. It claims to have repeatedly brought questions about the hospital's financial management to the hospital and received "no substantive response." The union hired Scott McHone, a certified forensic accountant, to better understand the financials alongside their investigative team.

Cantu Management Group's maximum payable was $7.2 million between Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2021, but its compensation exceeded that amount by January 2021, according to the report. By August 2021, the firm had received $10,121,528.

The report alleges that approximately five days after the union questioned this, the hospital posted the agenda for its 2022 board meeting. The agenda requested the board retroactively increase Cantu Management Group's maximum payable to $20,243,284 to cover the term without any changes to the services rendered.

The union report also indicates that Meridian Healthcare Partners was overpaid. Mr. McHone and the investigative team found that invoices filed with the California Department of Health Care Access and Information show the hospital paid the firm $39.9 million, although the union says the invoices it received documented only $19.3 million. The day after the union requested these payment records, the hospital's legal department took action to remove Meridian's name from financial disclosures, according to the report.



Kern County Hospital Authority denies the allegations of contractual overpayment, financial mismanagement and concealment of information, according to a June 28 statement shared with Becker's. The hospital stated that services offered by the outside management firms have been beneficial to its patients, but did not directly comment on the compensation discrepancies noted by the union.
Foreign travelers wait to enter a Lotte Duty Free shop in central Seoul, June 19. Yonhap



The number of foreign visitors to Korea soared almost five times last month from a year earlier, partly due to a sharp increase in travelers from Japan, data showed Thursday.



In May, around 867,000 foreign nationals traveled here, up 399 percent on-year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).



By country, Japan was the No. 1 country for the sixth consecutive month, followed by China and the United States.



A total of 184,000 travelers visited Korea from Japan, up 4,863 percent from a year ago, 128,000 came from China, up 1,039 percent, and 102,000 came from the U.S., up 140 percent.



The number of travelers from Hong Kong and Taiwan also increased 9,222 percent and 8,380 percent on-year to 29,000 and 67,000, respectively.



"Overseas trips have become more expensive for Japanese travelers due to a weak yen and a rise in airfare. ... Neighboring Korea emerged as an attractive travel spot compared with the originally preferred areas, including the U.S. and Europe," a KTO official said.



Meanwhile, 1.68 million Koreans traveled abroad last month, up 433 percent on-year. (Yonhap)


The healthcare industry is like a "music store in the '90s" with the ultimate goal of becoming as consumer-friendly as Spotify, the tech chief of CVS Health' Signify Health told TechNewsWorld.

Josh Builder, chief technology officer of Signify, a home health company that CVS bought in March for $8 billion, said tech has to be front-and-center for healthcare providers nowadays and the industry must do a better job of recruiting, according to the June 22 article. "We need to better sell the work, alongside the mission," he said. "Most industries do not have both. We do."

He said healthcare also needs to improve its claims processing technology and add insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs to patient portals. "So, the opportunity for Signify and CVS is to create the first truly consumer-friendly [offering]  simple, more options, and all with the consumer's care and time in mind," he told the news outlet. He said Signify is currently focused on building the research and development staff for its new tech center in Ireland.

Mr. Builder, who was previously technology chief of early music streaming service the Orchard, compared healthcare to the music industry  where you used to have to buy physical objects like records, cassettes and CDs, because that's how it was always done.

"So maybe healthcare is a bit like that music store from the '90s. It once had a pretty clear model and ecosystem," he said. "But now things are different, and we are engaging people in a whole new host of ways."
Kimberly Salazar, MD, was appointed chief medical officer of HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness, the hospital said June 28.

Dr. Salazar has 21 years of clinical experience and comes to HCA from the military healthcare system. She most recently served as CMO of Evans Army Community Hospital in Fort Carson, Colo. Prior to this role, Dr. Salazar was the CMO for Fort Meade (Md.) Medical Department Activity.

She is a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Salazar is also a member of the American Association for Physician Leadership, according to a news release shared with Becker's.
Mississippi's hospital CEO turnover might hit a record high this year, Mississippi Media reported June 28.

The state's turnover rate is approaching 11 percent for the first six months of 2023, Tim Moore, president and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association, told the radio station in an interview.

The highest turnover rate on record currently stands at 27 percent in 2014. Since then, it has fluctuated between 10 and 23 percent while steadily increasing over the past three years, according to the American College of Healthcare Executives.

In the month of June, CEOs resigned from two of the state's large health systems; Scott Kashman left his roles as market president for St. Dominic Health Services and CEO of St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, and Tiffany Murdock, DNP, MSN, resigned as CEO of Singing River Health System, which has hospitals in Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Gulfport.

"If you look at all CEOs at all American companies  if you look at the first five months of '23 compared to '22, its up 54 percent," Mr. Moore told the radio station. "Which is considerable. If you look at that, you start wondering, 'What's going on?'"
Facing a loss of $12 million so far this year, Port Angeles, Wash.-based Olympic Medical Center has laid out a plan to reverse its financial situation in the next one to two years.

Olympic Medical Center operates several primary and specialty care clinics, along with its flagship 67-bed hospital, Olympic Memorial Hospital. In a June 19 news release discussing the challenges that led to the financial recovery plan, the organization cited rising costs for supplies and contracted employees, along with Medicaid and Medicare rates that have not kept pace.

The hospital does expect some reimbursement relief in mid-2024 through increased Medicaid funding in Washington.

"It's a challenging financial picture at the best of times," Olympic CEO Darryl Wolfe said during a community meeting June 16, according to the Sequim Gazette.

According to the report, traveling clinicians cost the organization $300,000 per week, and it currently has 275 open positions. The organization has about 68 days of operating costs in its general fund, and 82 percent of its payer mix is from federal programs.

Mr. Wolfe briefly addressed litigation involving the organization and alleged issues with a physician last year. Josiah Hill, MD, a former emergency room physician at the hospital, has been charged with five counts of indecent liberties by a healthcare provider and one count of second-degree rape. Three women have filed lawsuits against Dr. Hill or the hospital, which has since switched emergency room operators.

"We had a very unfortunate thing happen in the ER, but it's worth mentioning that we have a huge liability around the legal case that's cost us over $1 million. That didn't help us," Mr. Wolfe said in the Gazette report.

Phase one of the recovery plan is a hiring freeze that will replace contract workers with permanent ones, monitor overtime closely, restructure debt, and finish some capital projects while ending others. Phase two will eliminate redundancies in services offered at other locations nearby, and cut hours in other services. A possible third phase  with no current timeline  would involve layoffs, according to the Gazette.

"We have to stay open; we have to stay viable," Mr. Wolfe said in the report. "We're in a tough spot. "I don't want people to panic; [I'm] trying to be very cautious."






Monica Hum, MD, grew up wanting to be a physician  or that was at least one of the expectations her Chinese family had of her that she happily adopted. But she never imagined she would eventually hold two different C-Suite titles  especially after a college counselor told her she would never even get into medical school.

But she did, and went on to become the chief resident during her medical residency at the University Hospital of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City.

So when Atlanta-based Piedmont Health promoted her from chief medical officer to CEO of 161-bed Piedmont Rockdale Hospital in Conyers, Ga. in May, Dr. Hum told Becker's the feeling was "incredible" and that it shows how support for medical staff and medical staff themselves are changing, becoming more diverse.

"In general, my experience is that healthcare is incredibly supportive of women, even across the C-suite level," Dr. Hum said. "There are five CEOs that are female at Piedmont Health out of 14 CEOs across the system and three of the CEOs across the hospital system are also doctors. It is very physician-centric. So I've felt very supported. I've always felt like nobody has ever put us down. We're very well heard here, and I think that's important."

Leadership in unlikely places

Dr. Hum first joined Piedmont Health in 2003. During her early years at the system, she said one of the hospital CEOs told her she was great at leading and should really consider an MBA, because one day she might be running things herself. A stark contrast to what she was told by that college counselor years ago.

After thinking it over, she decided to pursue her MBA and finished it in 2017. In 2020, Dr. Hum became the first female president of medical staff at the health system's Atlanta hospital. A year later, she was selected by her peers to become the hospital's chief medical officer, something she said was a true honor.

"After I became chief medical officer, we used to joke that the poor physicians who founded Piedmont Health in 1905 would be rolling in their graves with a woman at the helm," she joked.

Dr. Hum loved the stimulation from the business side of the C-suite and said moving into the CEO seat felt like a natural progression in many ways, she said.

"Transitioning into the CEO part of the journey is really tying it all together," she said.

The Venn diagram where CMO meets CEO

While there are some definitive contrasts, the easiest part of the transition from her role as chief medical officer into her new capacity as CEO was maintaining quality and drumming up resounding support.

"It was really setting the expectations of 'this is the standard of quality that I've always held' and 'this is also the quality that I expect out of all the physicians' that was the easy transition for the CMO part," she said. "And then seeing the buy-in and the support from the team to also then say, 'Okay, we like what you're doing, how do we spread it to nursing and all departments?' as a team approach that has helped tie it all together as CEO."

Of course moving into the new role has also come with obstacles and new challenges, something Dr. Hum reiterates could not be done without the support of everyone behind her. The hardest part so far, she said, has been learning to slow down and ask the right questions.

"You really can't go head on without a lot of help and guidance," she said. "The healthcare system and all my colleagues have been so supportive. I've been working to learn more about the 'whys' and slowing down to understand what is their True North and how it affects everybody. Slowing down and asking the question of, 'how is that right for the patient?' at different points has been key."

Looking ahead, Dr. Hum said she is eager to hire top, diverse candidates in other leadership roles at the hospital and really connect to the surrounding community to improve all relationships with prospective patients and beyond.

Editor's note: This article was updated June 29 at 10:33 a.m. CT.
Stafford (Va.) Hospital is starting to see results from virtual nursing after implementing the program last month, The Free Lance-Star reported June 28.

Nurses described successes with being able to prescribe a Meals-on-Wheels program and diabetes management for a patient through a computer monitor. The hospital has experienced nurses taking on virtual roles to help out newer nurses.

Stafford aims to have the full complement of 13 virtual nurses on staff by mid-August.

Later in the year, Stafford Hospital's parent company Fredericksburg, Va.-based Mary Washington Healthcare, plans to expand virtual nursing to its flagship Mary Washington Hospital.
Three New Hampshire hospitals are offering a new externship program to nursing students.

The externship program allows students to work with registered nurses at patient bedsides, according to a June 26 news release from Portsmouth Regional Hospital. The paid opportunity is open to students from any school in any state who are in good standing in that program and have passed their fundamental classes. Students pick which departments to work in, ABC affiliate WMUR reported June 28.

The program is offered through Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and is also available at Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester and Parkland Medical Center in Derry, the release said.
Convenience and cost-saving are priorities of American consumers, particularly for those who belong to Gen Z and Millennial generations, and a recent Wolters Kluwer survey found that the same goes for how they feel about prescriptions.

Demand for affordable and accessible prescription drugs is increasing as these groups age into making decisions about their own healthcare services. As that continues, a growing demand for more mail-ordered prescriptions is likely on the horizon, experts from Wolters Kluwer predict.

This will be increasingly true, they speculate as more Americans also say they are turning to local pharmacies first for care before heading to a physician in non-emergency situations. In its survey of 1,017 adults, 58 percent said they are likely to visit a pharmacy as a first step in a non-emergency and one-third agree that "convenience is more important than credentials in a non-emergency situation."

To support the transition of demand that may soon begin  and the questions that may arise with the shift  Wolters Kluwer's suggests pharmacists keep a few things top of mind:

Educate staff and patients about safety risks, procedures and any concerns related to mail-ordered prescriptions.





Amid a growing market with other pharmaceutical players like Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, Amazon Clinic and others, it is important to direct patients to resources like FDA guidance to inform them about how to safely buy from online pharmacies.





Be transparent about pricing and options for biosimilars or generic drugs to support patients with navigating rising costs.





There is uncertainty in what the future may hold for pharmacists, but assisting patients in navigating whatever may be ahead requires pharmacists to stay on top of changes too as they unfold.

"As the future of pharmacy and medication access continues to become more complex, pharmacy professionals and leaders will see increasing benefits from understanding consumer attitudes and behavior around new delivery methods," Wolters Kluwer's experts wrote.
The Justice Department has charged 11 individuals in connection with telehealth fraud schemes that resulted in more than $2 billion in false claims.

The fraud schemes, which occurred in two different states with multiple different individuals, included:

One in the Southern District of Florida in which the Justice Department alleged that the CEO, former CEO and vice president of business development at purported software companies generated and sold templates of clinicians' orders for orthotic braces and pain creams that were not medically necessary and not eligible for Medicare reimbursement. The scheme resulted in "the submission of $1.9 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare," according to a June 28 press release from the Justice Department. The scam involved a telemarketing operation that targeted elderly and disabled people.





The second case occurred in the Eastern District of Washington, where a licensed physician was accused of signing more than 2,800 fraudulent orders for orthotic braces. The physician signed the orders in less than 40 seconds and included orders for patients who had already undergone limb amputations, according to the Justice Department.

The crackdown is a part of the Justice Department's two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in 78 defendants being charged for participating in fraud schemes that totaled $2.5 billion in healthcare fraud.
Cleveland Clinic's new $80 million hospital in Mentor, Ohio, will have telehealth technology installed in inpatient and outpatient rooms, which will allow patients to consult remotely with physicians from different locations, Ideastream Public Media reported June 28.

Fifty-seven inpatient and outpatient rooms will be outfitted with telehealth technology that will give patients the opportunity to consult with physicians at other hospitals.

"Anywhere we have subject matter expertise, it enables a patient to immediately connect with that resource," Nicholas Anstine, administrative director for the Cleveland Clinic's Regional Hospitals, told the publication. "And, of course, we'll have people on site. We can't go fully telemedicine."

The new hospital, dubbed Mentor Hospital, is slated to open July 11.
By Jung Min-ho





Lee Han-byeol
At the 20th Annual Spine, Orthopedic + Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference, attendees had the opportunity to learn about "The Next Move for Orthopedic and Spine Supergroups."

The session was moderated by Scott Becker, JD, Founder, Becker's Healthcare; Partner, McGuire Woods LLC.

Panelists included:

Nicholas Grosso, MD, FAAOS, President, The Center for Advanced Orthopaedics; President, MedVanta

Michael Boblitz, Chief Executive Officer, Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic

Vishal Mehta, MD, President and Managing Partner, Fox Valley Orthopedics

Key Takeaways:
Aimed at revolutionising the livestock industry, NIFAIS is a state-of-the-art record system covering animal movement and health

A new records system for Northern Irelands livestock industry is running years behind schedule and millions of pounds over budget.

The Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) is so delayed that, when it finally is up and running next year, it will be into the final 12 months of its contract.

A highly critical report blasts the 75m project  overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)  as poor value for money.

Some of the delays to modernising a system critical to our farming industry were caused when the supplier overseeing the work outsourced its software development to India, where staff, who were poorly briefed, struggled with the complexities of DAERAs processes.

At one point, with 25m already spent, the scheme was considered to have failed  before being put back on track at a further cost of 50m.

In the meantime, the old system is continuing to operate 16 years after its expiry date, at an annual cost of 500,000.

The Northern Ireland Audit Office said the cost to the taxpayer is considerable.

Comptroller and Auditor General Dorinnia Carville said: The lessons emerging from this report have relevance to many other public sector projects.

Appropriate governance, and having the right skills and experience in place from the outset, are vital to ensuring risks at both the procurement and development stage can be quickly identified and managed.

In the case of the NIFAIS project, not having a modern system in place has resulted in benefits for stakeholders not being realised, and staff time not being spent on other departmental work, representing poor value for money for taxpayers.

Aimed at revolutionising the livestock industry, NIFAIS is a state-of-the-art record system covering animal movement and health.

It replaces the existing Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS), which dates back to 1997.

The existing system holds records for farmed species of cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, goats and horses, as well as details of registered establishments and operators within the livestock industry in NI.

The department and the agricultural industry are heavily reliant on APHIS to provide evidence of compliance with legislation for local agri-food businesses covering matters such as disease-control programmes, the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme, cross-inspection information and post-mortem data from meat plants.

APHIS has been operating beyond its contract tenure, since 2008, and cannot be switched off until NIFAIS is complete. The contract has overrun its terms by 16 years, with the department reliant on a technology platform that is more than 20 years old.

Auditors warned that the outdated technology places the departments operations at greater risk and significantly reduces its business efficiency.

The need for a replacement was recognised many years ago, todays report states.

The department awarded the contract for developing the system in 2016, based on a nine-year term that included an initial three years to build the system.

It was due to go live in December 2018 but will not be ready until 2024  more than five years behind schedule and with less than a year of the contract remaining, although there are options to extend it by up to six years.

The shocking delays included a procurement process that was not completed until 2016, eight years after the APHIS contract expired.

The winning bidder was the company that built APHIS, but it struggled to deliver the software.

By early 2019, a review warned that successful delivery [] appears to be unachievable without a change of approach.

At one point the supplier was taken over by a larger company and in 2017 it off-shored much of the NIFAIS software development to India.

The new team was not adequately briefed and struggled to understand the complexities of the departments business processes and, consequently, the coding supplied was not fit for purpose.

Appropriately skilled people were not appointed to the project full-time.

The senior responsible officer and project director were senior staff in Veterinary Services, tasked with delivering a multimillion-pound project in addition to their day-to-day duties.

In 2020, DAERA effectively started again, negotiating a revised delivery plan with the supplier and a target date of October 2024 for it to be operational.

The department calculated sunk costs of 25m were incurred before the project was turned around, with the cash unlikely to be recovered.

Todays report states: The cost to the taxpayer is considerable.

At the point the project was considered to have failed, the department calculated its costs at 25.2m.

It estimated that a further 50m was needed to complete the project  a total project cost of 75m.

The revised total included 11m of projected costs for a potential five-year contract extension period, not covered by original business case.

Final costs are expected to be 10% higher than originally planned.

The department will have less than one year of a fully operation system versus the seven years expected.

DAERA said it was currently considering the report.
Belfast Harbour has reported growth in pre-tax profits and turnover for 2022

Belfast Harbour has today reported turnover of 77.2m for 2022 as it enjoyed growth across many parts of its business.

It said underlying pre-tax profits for 2022 reached 34.3m, up 1% on the previous year, while turnover was up 5%.

Belfast Harbour said the performance was robust despite a backdrop of global challenges including the war in Ukraine.

And it began the expansion of Belfast Harbour Studios, which has secured screen productions from Netflix and Amazon Prime such as fantasy movie The School for Good and Evil.

Studio Ulster in Belfast Harbour Studios is now part of the largest virtual production research and development network in Europe

Port trade reached 24.5 million tonnes during 2021, which was the second-highest level on record and down 4.3% on the peak levels of 2021.

There was also growth of more than one fifth in ferry passengers using the port to nearly 1.8 million people.

The harbour said that the cruise industry during 2022 also had a return to form post-pandemic, with a record 141 cruise ship calls into Belfast.

It said 2022 had been a milestone year as it marked the 175th anniversary of the formation of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, the ports governing body.

Dr Theresa Donaldson, chair of Belfast Harbour, said: 2022 was a landmark year for Belfast Harbour as we celebrated the 175th anniversary of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

"The strong results achieved during the year demonstrate the resilience and effectiveness of our trust port model, which enables us to reinvest our profits back into the development of our port and estate.

Leveraging the diversity of our portfolio and our invaluable partnerships with our tenants, stakeholders and customers, Belfast Harbour is well on track to deliver its strategic ambitions to sustainably grow as a socially responsible port and as a key economic hub that delivers tangible social impact to the city and beyond.

Belfast Harbour said 2022 had brought continued its 254m investment programme, which it said enabled the port to add social and economic value to NI.

Over the year, it invested 23.4m in port facilities and infrastructure projects including the completion of the Victoria Terminal 2 passenger facility.

Passenger cars also hit a record of 462,000, increasing by 12% from the year before, reflecting continued popularity of staycations.

And roll-on roll-off freight on Stena Line performed strongly during the year, with 600,000 freight units coming through the port, and matching the record performance delivered in 2021.

Two office buildings at City Quays 3 and Olympic House were also completed, along with Hamilton Road, a new Titanic Quarter link road between Queens Road and Sydenham Road.

Belfast Harbour Studios' planned expansion on the shores of Belfast Lough

During the year, Belfast Harbour also announced a partnership with Ulster University and NI Screen to deliver Studio Ulster, a Belfast Region City Deal project to create a virtual production facility next to the Belfast Harbour Studios site at Giants Park.

Joe ONeill, chief executive officer of Belfast Harbour, said: Our robust financial performance during 2022 reflects our strategic progress in growing as a world leading regional port and developing an iconic waterfront for the city.

"While we are confident of our diverse business and revenue streams, 2023 will undoubtedly present challenges as uncertainty in the global economy continues.

During the year, the harbour also provided funding of 320,000 to community and charitable programmes. Funding included the expansion of the Belfast Harbour Community Awards Fund, which supported 25 community organisations with a total of 87,000.
From left, Pippa Arlow, global chief executive of Smarts, and Leanne Scott, who is leading up the PR and creative agencys new Amsterdam office

A Northern Ireland PR and creative agency is expanding its global reach with a new office in Amsterdam.

Leanne Scott will head up the new base for Holywood-based Smarts, which has also expanded into London and New York in recent years.

Representing the firms first office in mainland Europe, Amsterdam is home to key Smarts clients such as Tommy Hilfiger and Booking.com, for which the agency led the talent strategy in the creation of its record-breaking 2023 Super Bowl ad.

Formerly senior agency director, Ms Scott has been leading Smarts' work for brands such as Booking.com, Zalando and Coca-Cola, and will move into a new role as managing partner.

And she will be joined in the Amsterdam office by client partner Maja Volt, who has held global communications roles at Tommy Hilfiger and Zalando.

Ms Scott said: "Over the past 10 years we have built phenomenal partnerships with clients in Amsterdam whilst being headquartered in Holywood and have delivered exceptional award-winning work.

Lockdown taught us many things but one that stood out for me was the power of human connection. So, Im proud to be able to open the doors of our new office, within walking distance of so many of our current clients, allowing us to build on those connections in real life.

Its also a city full of potential, rich in culture, creativity and talent  its no surprise so many of the worlds leading FMCG brands have made it their home. This obviously makes it a city full of opportunity and I cant wait to explore these with new clients, colleagues, and partners.

The Amsterdam office will offer a full suite of marketing communication services, including PR, digital, experiential, employee engagement and a new Creator Hub division.

It will hire talent across these disciplines, forming a team that will collaborate with colleagues in Belfast, New York, London and Scotland.

Pippa Arlow, global chief executive of Smarts, said: "Its fantastic to be able to extend our footprint into Amsterdam. Its a city weve been working in for over a decade, so it is a natural choice for our first office in mainland Europe. It provides a perfect base to deepen relationships with existing partners and capitalise on the wider opportunities direct European access creates.

Just as importantly, establishing a permanent office in The Netherlands will significantly reduce our travel and environmental impact  a key priority for everyone in the agency, and a crucial part of living up to our B Corp values.

This is one of several investments were making this year  underpinned by our recent growth, and underlining our ambition to continually develop our team, seek out new talent, and build new capabilities to support our clients ambitions.

Smarts recently invested more than 1m in its new Creator Hub division as part of its strategy to become a global leader in culture-driven, consumer focused communications.

Smarts parent company, MSQ, was recently acquired by One Equity Partners to help the group accelerate its ambitious international expansion.
Irish News editor Noel Doran is stepping down from the role after 25 years, the newspaper announced on Thursday

Irish News editor Noel Doran, the UK and Irelands longest serving editor of a daily newspaper, is stepping down.

The newspaper announced Mr Doran will leave the role in April next year after 25 years as editor.

Mr Doran joined the paper in 1993 and was appointed editor in April 1999.

He was voted regional editor of the century in 2020 by readers of the Hold the Front Page website, and has been credited with winning a wider cross-community readership for the paper.

Mr Doran, who has also worked at the Belfast Telegraph during his journalism career, became Irish News editor shortly after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

IntoMedia Group chief executive Dominic Fitzpatrick said: Noel has been an integral part of our publication for the past 30 years, overseeing the production of more than 7,000 editions of the paper.

His contributions to the growth and success of The Irish News have been immeasurable, and we extend our deepest gratitude for his exceptional dedication.

In his time here, Noel has played a pivotal role in shaping the editorial direction of our newspaper.

His unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity has earned us the trust and respect of our readers, while his insightful editorial decisions have helped shape public discourse on significant events and issues.

A search for Mr Dorans successor has now begun, the newspaper said, but he will continue as editor until a new appointment is made.

Mr Doran said: It has been a great honour to edit The Irish News for the last quarter of a century and help to chronicle the changes which have swept across our society since the Good Friday Agreement.

I have been very fortunate to work with many outstanding journalists who have rightly earned the trust of our loyal readers, and I am particularly grateful for the unstinting support of our chief executive Dominic Fitzpatrick and his late father, our chairman Jim Fitzpatrick, throughout my time with the paper.
Sir Keir Starmer said more inclusive workplaces can unlock growth and would play a part of Labours economic recovery plans as he spoke at an event to mark Pride.

The party leader renewed a commitment to ensure employees are free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves as he met LGBT+ business leaders on Thursday.

He was joined by shadow women and equalities secretary Anneliese Dodds, who said inclusive practices are good for working people, good for business and good for our economy as a whole.

In making its case, Labour pointed to research by Deloitte which suggested that up to a third of workers are considering moving to a more LGBT-friendly employer.

Inclusive businesses achieve greater share prices, market valuations and stronger cash flows through retaining staff and enabling higher-level collaboration, the party said.

Labour leader Sir Keir renewed a commitment to ensure employees are free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Linda Riley, chief executive of Diva Magazine, and Iain Anderson, chairman of communications firm Cicero, were among LGBT+ business chiefs who joined the Labour leader at a roundtable discussion in central London.

Speaking at the event, Sir Keir said: Britains economy is built on the efforts of working people and brilliant businesspeople. They will build the growth we need.

The best teams value everyone for who they are, and in return they get the very best out of them.

Those at the forefront of building these inclusive businesses know this is how you unlock growth and hold expertise. I saw that when I led a public service and now as I lead the Labour Party.

Labour growth will be inclusive in every way  we will ensure working people are able to work free of harassment and able to be entirely themselves.

Ms Dodds said: Inclusion for LGBT+ people matters. We need to harness the potential of everyone in our economy and that means making sure that people at work feel safe and supported.

Retaining and attracting talented staff is a huge challenge for firms, which is why inclusive practices are good for working people, good for business and good for our economy as a whole.

Labour will make inclusion the norm, not the outlier, by requiring employers to tackle discrimination and harassment.
China's National Art Museum brings art to more people

People's Daily Online) 09:55, June 29, 2023

The National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing has improved the quality of its collection, promoted high-standard utilization of artworks, and provided better services over the past 60 years, bringing art to more people.

A visitor takes photos of a painting at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing, Jan. 22, 2023. (Photo/Xinhua)

The NAMOC has built a collection of over 130,000 objects, including representative works of Chinese art masters from ancient times to today. Among the treasures are masterpieces of artists such as Su Shi, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Li Keran and Wu Guanzhong, works of famous calligraphers such as Yu Youren and Qi Gong, as well as works of sculptors, including Liu Kaiqu.

The museum also collects works of foreign artists. Wu Weishan, curator of the NAMOC, said 711 artworks of those from 101 countries were added to the museums collection.

In 2017, a special exhibition of excellent works the NAMOC collected kicked off in Beijing, attracting tens of thousands. Over 200 masterpieces by Chinese modern and contemporary art masters from the museum were on display.

To give more people access to its classic collections, the museum has held exhibitions on a regular basis, attracting throngs of visitors.

"Key highlights of our museum should not be shrouded in secrecy," Wu said, adding that the museum has to make the best use of the artworks it collected so that the true value of these artworks can be realized.

Since 2014, the NAMOC has held over 30 international exhibitions and organized more than 20 exhibitions overseas. An exhibition of Chinese freehand brushwork organized by the museum was held in such countries as Mexico, France, and Greece.

The museum kicked off a series of exhibitions titled Beauty in the New Era to mark its 60th anniversary on May 23, 2023. Nearly 600 artworks of famous Chinese and foreign artists were displayed. The exhibitions vividly embody the innovation and development of China's fine traditional culture, the promotion and inheritance of red revolutionary culture, and the exchange and mutual learning of outstanding Chinese and foreign art achievements.

The NAMOC has designed over 1,400 art derivatives, more than 180 of which have been produced, to spread the beauty of art. It has also produced short videos and documentaries, and used digital technologies to bring its collections back to life.

The museum has held various activities to bring art closer to the general public. Since 2014, it has held over 300 events, which received more than 500,000 visits.

The museum has popularized aesthetic education by giving open classes by masters, organizing a series of exhibitions, and staging events such as the "Night at NAMOC."

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)




By Chun In-bum







Seventy years ago, the Korean War was halted by an armistice, and South Koreans enjoyed a standard of peace and stability that enabled them to achieve both political freedom and remarkable economic development. During the 70 intervening years, there have been serious challenges to the stability and security of Korea  but perhaps none as serious as the DMZ War in the late 1960s, although history has paid little attention to this conflict or to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.







A recent article appearing on

details the North Korean infiltration of 1968, the sole purpose of which was to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung-hee. In doing so, Howard opened a page in history that has been described as "the second Korean conflict that has drifted into obscurity, a curious episode, a footnote to the Vietnam era."







Military historians now refer to this conflict as the DMZ War, denoting the military conflict that raged along the Korean DMZ from 1966-69, exploding briefly again in the summer of 1970 before finally subsiding  in which an aggressive North Korea attempted to take advantage of South Korea's relative poverty and political instability, along with America's increasing military commitment in Vietnam, to foment an insurgency in the South, drive the Americans from the peninsula and unify Korea by force.







Since taking power, North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung had become obsessed with uniting the two Koreas under communist rule, and he turned to unconventional warfare to destabilize South Korea, initially setting 1966 as the campaign start date. By late 1966, however, the United States was completely immersed in Vietnam, where its military commitment already exceeded 300,000 and was increasing steadily.







Fearful that events in Korea would jeopardize support for the Vietnam War, the United States downplayed the conflict unfolding in the Korean DMZ. Gen. Charles H. Bonesteel III took command of all United Nations forces in Korea on Sept. 1, 1966, and his charter from the Secretary of Defense contained explicit instructions not to adversely affect the Vietnam effort.







This resulted in the suppression of all news involving threats from North Korea. Information about North Korean military hostilities became classified and was kept from both the media and the public of the U.S. and South Korea. In addition, the theater was in a poor state of readiness. Most U.S. helicopters had been sent to Vietnam, and modernization plans for Korea were on hold. Shortages of spare parts had left many vehicles non-operational.







The beginning of armed hostilities can be traced to a speech given by Kim Il-sung in October 1966  which acted as the starting gun for a North Korean campaign of nighttime forays across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), firefights along the barrier fence, the attempted ambush of U.S. patrols and nonstop attempts to infiltrate North Korean agents. These armed provocations across the DMZ by the North Koreans specifically targeted U.S. forces  as part of Kim Il-sung's scheme to drive a wedge between the Americans and their South Korean hosts.







1967 saw a sevenfold increase in firefights, with 150 occurring in the U.S. sector alone. Sixteen GIs were killed and 51 were seriously wounded. The ROK Army suffered more grievously with 115 killed in action and 243 wounded. A total of 228 North Korean soldiers were killed.







The DMZ War reached its peak when a North Korean military offensive was launched in January 1968  occurring in tandem with North Vietnam's Tet Offensive. A North Korean commando unit penetrated a U.S.-controlled sector of the DMZ, cut their way through the barrier fence, assembled in the mountains south of the DMZ, donned the uniforms of a South Korean Army unit and made their way to Seoul with the objective of assassinating President Park Chung-hee. They made it to within a couple of hundred meters of the Blue House before being discovered, prompting a firefight in the streets of Seoul. A few days later, North Korea seized the USS Pueblo in neutral waters, imprisoning its captain and crew and holding them hostage for the following 11 months.







Finally, on April 15, 1969, a U.S. Navy EC-121M aircraft on a reconnaissance mission was shot down by a North Korean MiG-21 over the East Sea. All 31 Americans (30 sailors and 1 Marine) on board were killed, constituting the largest single loss of U.S. aircrew during the Cold War era.







Official casualty figures for the U.S. and South Korea during the DMZ War were as follows: 299 killed and 550 wounded for South Korea, and 106 killed, 111 wounded and 83 captured (USS Pueblo) for the U.S.







In the fall of 1969, the communist dictator ordered a decrease in offensive activity and purged the NKPA leadership. In the end, Kim's attempts were unsuccessful, and the DMZ War was largely forgotten  until being brought to light recently by the surviving members of the U.S. Army's Second Infantry Division. We, who enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice, must not forget that freedom is not free.









Chun In-bum served as a lieutenant general of the ROK Army and commander of Special Forces Korea.
Popular comedian Jack Whitehall is coming to Belfasts SSE Arena in October with his Settle Down tour.

He has previously sold out venues on two earlier tours: Jack Whitehall Gets Around (2014) and Jack Whitehall: At Large (2017), which was also released on Netflix.

Mr Whitehall said: So far its been incredible playing to some of the best crowds Ive ever performed in front of.

There were a few places we werent able to slot in to the summer so really excited to be able to add some additional dates in the Autumn.

Read more Trailer released for new Liam Neeson action film Retribution

On television, Mr Whitehall is widely celebrated for his hit Netflix show Travels With My Father, which released its fifth season last year.

He has also starred in Good Omens opposite Jon Hamm and Michael Sheen for Amazon and Bounty Hunters opposite Rosie Perez for Sky Television.

His other television credits include: Decline & Fall (BBC), Fresh Meat (C4) and Bad Education (BBC), which recently released its fourth series earlier this year, Jack served as an Executive Producer on the series.

He has also just finished filming the second season of the Apple TV+ hit comedy series, The Afterparty opposite Tiffany Haddish, Zoe Chao and Sam Richardson, which will be released in 2023.

Whitehall will also be performing in Dublin on October 7. Tickets for the 14+ show go on sale on 3 July at 10am.
Acclaimed Belfast artist Terry Bradley is to launch a free exhibition at Titanic Belfast named after his latest piece of work.

Exodus  The Art of Terry Bradley will run in the Andrews Gallery and will showcase Bradley's long tradition of painting the dockers and working men of Belfast.

It also incorporates some of the rich maritime history of the city, his iconic female pieces and his work relating to mental health awareness.

Visitors will also have the chance to see the work of aspiring young Northern Irish artists as part of The Bradley Art Prize.

Titanic Belfast announced it has commissioned the winner to create a unique Titanic related art piece to be displayed within its shipyard themed bar, Hicksons Point.

One of Bradleys pieces featuring the dockers featured in Sir Kenneth Branaghs seven-times Oscar-winning film Belfast.

A huge mural of the north Belfast mans Dockers Rest at Hicksons Point, Titanic Belfast, appears at the start of the film, recreated in vivid blue and repositioned on a wall.

As the camera in the film leads the audience over the wall, from the contemporary, colourful city into the black and white Belfast of 1969, Bradleys artwork is the last main splash of vibrancy viewers see.

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Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast said: We most recently partnered with Terry Bradley when we commissioned him for our iconic mural of Dockers Rest at Hicksons Point which famously appears at the start of Kenneth Branaghs Oscar-winning film, Belfast. And we are delighted to be working with him once again with Exodus  The Art of Terry Bradley, a free exhibition celebrating the work of one of Northern Irelands most renowned artists.

"It really is the perfect partnership for us as Terrys shipyard and working men pieces link well with the history of the area and his new painting Exodus, which the exhibition is named after, is reminiscent of the mass exodus of workers from the shipyard here along Queens Road where Titanic Belfast sits today and the men and women who left Ireland to start a new life in a different country on ships like RMS Titanic, built right here in Harland and Wolff.

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The summer season is one of our busiest times of the year at Titanic Belfast as we look forward to welcoming an increased number of visitors from around the world, so we are delighted to give Terry the platform for his work to be enjoyed by a global audience as well as giving our guests visiting the reimagined Titanic Experience the opportunity to view this extensive collection, Judith added.

Terry Bradley said: I held an exhibition at Titanic Belfast shortly after it opened in 2012 and I am delighted to return with Exodus  The Art of Terry Bradley.

"We have displayed some of my work in chronological order, starting with an early painting Belfast, No Mean City from 2007 right through to my latest piece Exodus.

"The shipyard area of Belfast has been the inspiration for many of my paintings, so it is apt for them to be exhibited just a stones throw away in Titanic Belfast and for guests visiting the new Titanic Experience to be able to view this special exhibition.

The exhibition will run from Saturday 1st July until Thursday 31st August, daily from 9am  6pm.
Daniel Hegarty (15) was shot twice in the head by a soldier near his home in Derry.

A decision to halt the prosecution of a former soldier for the murder of a teenage boy in Londonderry more than 50 years ago is to be quashed, the High Court ruled today.

Senior judges identified flaws in the conclusion reached that the ex-servicemans statement about the killing of Daniel Hegarty would be legally inadmissible.

Relatives of the 15-year-old victim are now set to press for the trial process to be reinstated.

Daniel was shot twice in the head after the Army moved into the Creggan area of the city in July 1972.

The killing occurred during Operation Motorman, when troops were deployed to clear so-called no-go areas set up by republican paramilitaries at the height of the Troubles.

In 2011 an inquest jury unanimously found that the youth posed no risk and had been shot without warning.

An Army veteran, referred to as Soldier B, was to be prosecuted for Daniels murder and the intentional wounding of his 17-year-old cousin, Christopher Hegarty, in the same incident.

But in 2021 the Public Prosecution Service announced that the charges were being dropped.

The decision to discontinue the criminal process came after the trial of two former paratroopers accused of another Troubles-era killing collapsed.

Soldiers A and C were acquitted of the murder of Official IRA man Joe McCann in the Markets area of Belfast in April 1972 after evidence deemed central to the prosecution was ruled inadmissible.

Deficiencies were identified in statements originally given to Royal Military Police in 1972 and to detectives from a legacy unit in 2010, including a failure to interview them under caution.

Daniels sister, Margaret Brady, mounted a judicial review challenge against the subsequent decision to discontinue the prosecution of Soldier B.

She claimed the PPS acted irrationally because different circumstances applied in Soldier Bs statement and interview with the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) in 2006.

Her barrister argued that Soldier B was fully aware that he was being questioned about the shooting.

In counter submissions, lawyers for the veteran contended that his statement was tainted as he had not been cautioned about the specific alleged offence of murder.

Judges were also told that the Director of Public Prosecutions took specialist legal advice as part of a careful decision-making process.

He then formed the view that the 2006 statement was impermissible because there had been no caution for any offence before it was taken.

However, the court found the circumstances were different from the facts in Soldiers A and Cs case.

Lord Justice Treacy confirmed that the decision to discontinue the prosecution of Soldier B cannot stand and is to be quashed.

Full reasons for the ruling will be given later.
Police at the scene of the incident on Quarry Road in Gulladuff on October 12, 2021 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Police at the scene of an incident on Quarry Road in Gulladuff on October 12, 2021 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Katrina Rainey was set alight in her car on the family farm in Co Londonderry

A mother-of-six died after her husband opened the passenger's door of her car, poured a bucket of petrol over her then set her alight whilst she was trapped in the vehicle, a court heard on Thursday.

As harrowing details of the early morning incident emerged for the first time, relatives of 53-year old Katrina Rainey sat in the public gallery of Belfast Crown Court - just yards from the dock where her husband Thomas Johnston Rainey appeared.

The 61-year-old - who confessed to murdering his wife at their family farm on Quarry Road in Knockloughrim - sat with his head bowed throughout most of the hearing.

He was handed a Life Sentence in May this year when he admitted the charge and next week he'll be informed of the minimum time he'll serve in jail before being considered eligible for release.

The fatal incident, which was described as the "ultimate act of domestic violence" by Mr Justice O'Hara, occurred around 5.40am on October 12, 2021.

Crown prosecutor Richard Weir KC revealed that before she was sedated and rushed to hospital, the severely injured Co Derry woman was able to tell the emergency services what had happened.

Following a 999 call made at 5.42am, both medics and police rushed to the farm and when they arrived they witnessed Mrs Rainey's children placing wet towels on her as she lay on the ground.

Police at the scene of an incident on Quarry Road in Gulladuff on October 12, 2021 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Medics tended to the badly burned woman, who told a doctor that she had been on her way to work when her husband opened the passenger door of her car, threw liquid round her then set her on fire.

Before she was taken by ambulance to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Mrs Rainey was also able to give a statement to police at the scene.

In the statement, she said: "I was going to work. I came out of the house and got into the car and turned the ignition on.

"My husband opened the passenger door, he threw something in a bucket over me. He held onto my fleece so I couldn't get out of the car.

"He lit me, he lit me with a torch or lighter or something.

"I had my seatbelt on and I couldn't get out of the car, but then I tried to get out and I threw myself on the ground and kept hitting my arms.

"I needed to get some help so I put my hand on the horn."

Police at the scene of the incident on Quarry Road in Gulladuff on October 12, 2021 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

The court heard that when she was asked if she knew why her husband had done this, Mrs Rainey told police she wanted him out of the house and had been to see a solicitor.

Over 90% of her body was burned and despite medical intervention, she passed away in hospital at 9.49pm.

Mr Weir said Thomas Rainey also sustained burns and after being treated in hospital, he was arrested for the murder of his wife.

He initially claimed that after getting to at 5am to tend to cattle, his wife Katrina said goodbye to him as she was leaving for work.

Rainey also told police he then heard a car horn, looked outside and saw her car on fire. He said this prompted him to run out and lift a bucket sitting beside the gate which he threw into the car to try and dampen the flames.

Saying this version of events was untrue, Mr Weir said: "The victim was vulnerable. She was an unsuspecting spouse preparing to depart for her work in the early morning.

"She was trapped in her car and she was prevented - as she describes it - from either defending herself or being able to escape."

The prosecutor also spoke of the "infliction of extensive injuries" which he would have caused "agony before death" and said he couldn't recall a case of this type before in Northern Ireland.

Defence barrister Greg Berry KC, representing Thomas Rainey, told Mr Justice O'Hara that prior to the fatal incident there was no history of domestic abuse.

Mr Berry spoke of his client's difficult childhood, his "long history" of depression and mental illness and the impact the death of one of his six children in an accident had upon him.

Regarding a motive, Mr Berry said his client was "deeply attached" to the family farm - and that the prospect of losing it, set against a backdrop of "mental fragility", had a "profound effect" on him.

The barrister added that Rainey expressed "contrition and remorse" for what happened to a Probation Officer and is "a man who is horrified by what he has done."

After listening to submissions from the Crown and defence, Mr Justice O'Hara said he would pass sentence next Wednesday (5th).
Barclays has settled with an NI Christian group following claims it "discriminated" against them by suspending their accounts

Barclays is to pay a Northern Ireland Christian group 20,000 in compensation following a row over conversion therapy.

In July 2020, the bank suspended its banking with the Core Issues Trust and the International Federation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice.

The group is a non-profit Christian therapy and counselling ministry based in Co Down which claims to help aid those who wish to change their sexual attraction preference.

It is widely claimed Core Issues is a gay conversion therapy group, the practice of helping change ones sexuality through counselling and it has been criticised by LGBT campaigners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

According to The Times, Barclays will now pay the group a settlement following Core Issues claims the bank had given in to demands from LGBT campaigners by suspending its accounts.

The action reportedly followed a campaign of nuisance calls and threats to Core Issue staff including chief executive Dr Mike Davidson, some of which expressed a hope that staff members relatives would be raped and killed after the accounts were pointed out by a social media user.

Dr Davidson said he received notice from Barclays of the actions against his accounts on 13 July 2020 after which he then began legal proceedings supported by the Christian Legal Centre against the bank, claiming the action was an act of unlawful discrimination.

Through his legal representatives, he also stated his professional and public work was undermined by the withdrawal of banking services from the trust and federation on the grounds of his religious beliefs and political views.

Barclays denied the claims it discriminated against Dr Davidson directly or indirectly on the grounds of any religious, philosophical or political belief. and shortly before the case was to be heard in High Court this week, the bank settled with the group.

The compensation amounted to 21,500 with legal costs, however Dr Davidsons bank accounts were not reinstated.

In addition, Barclays has not apologised or admitted liability.

In a statement given to The Times, Dr Davison said: We reject Barclays banks implied accusations of conversion therapy, directed at our work and charity. This case must serve as a warning to the government of what is coming if it proceeds with publishing and enforcing its conversion therapy ban.

Barclays said: This is a commercial settlement, predicated on our assessment of the costs of defending this claim to conclusion against the cost of settling the matter today.
The owners of dog who said their pet was left with suspected neurological damage after recently playing at a Belfast river have confirmed he has passed away.

Earlier this week, one-year old golden labrador Coopers owner issued a warning on social media after their dog needed vet treatment shortly after a walk in east Belfast.

"This morning we let our pet go for his final sleep. Cooper only turned one in April, while his life was short the memories we have of him will be long lasting, said the pet owner on social media on Wednesday.

Coopers owner previously said their vet prepared (them) for the worst.

"Cooper was a happy doggy last night playing the river in Orangefield Park escaping the heat. It only took 30 minutes for the toxins to take their toll on him, they wrote on Monday.

He has been admitted to the vet with suspected neurological damage. Please do not let your dogs into the river in Orangefield Park or other rivers.

We will find out the results later but the vet has prepared us for the worst with other dogs fatally affected by the same thing. Keep your dogs safe.

Coopers owners also thanked those who had been in touch with outpouring support over the past several days.

"Dogs have a special way of bringing out the best in everyone, they added while also thanking their veterinary team and Belfast City Council for their work.

On Monday, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) confirmed they were investigating the incident.

"NIEA received a report at 11:40am on June 26 of a dog that had become unwell following contact with the river in Orangefield Park the previous evening, said a spokesperson.

"An officer has been tasked to investigate for evidence of pollution or algae issues. If anyone wishes to report water pollution they can do so by phoning the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: Staff from DAERAs Water Management Unit took samples from the river and pond at Orangefield Park on Monday, after we received a report regarding the water bodies within the park.

Their tests concluded that there were no signs of toxins or pollution in either water body.

We have been in contact with the dog owner involved throughout this week and are sorry to hear about their pets death.

We would continue to remind all dog owners that dogs should kept on leads within our parks.
According to sources the protest could involve as many as 15 bands and hundreds of supporters from across Northern Ireland.

Forensic experts remove bottles of liquid believed to be petrol from the scene of an arson attack in Newtownards this week in which 25 cars and a trailer were damaged during the incident. The attack at car dealership in Ards is being linked to the UDA drugs feud in North Down

The Sunday World has reported hundreds of protestors will converge on the Weavers Grange area of the West Winds estate calling for the Price gang to finally get out for good.

Plans are being finalised for the parade to be staged in the days leading up to this years 12th of July celebrations with discussions ongoing involving a number of bands.

According to sources the protest could involve as many as 15 bands and hundreds of supporters from across Northern Ireland.

The organisers have said they are committed to a peaceful demonstration.

The net is finally closing in on Price despite the mobsters continued defiance.

Read more Five men in court over loyalist feud-linked incident in Newtownards

And we can reveal Prices son Ryan `Buster Johnson is on the run following revelations in the Sunday World that the PSNI had bugged a house in Weavers Grange and are planning further arrests on the back of recorded conversations which included death threats.

He is said to have freaked out when he discovered the house had been bugged.

Johnson is currently on bail facing charges of his alleged involvement in an assault on a man in Ards Shopping Centre in the opening days of the feud in April.

The Sunday World understands he cut off his electronic tag and fled his home and is believed to be hiding out in the Lisburn area.

Its only a matter of time before he is lifted, said our source.

He freaked out after the story in the Sunday World because of what was discussed and what would have been picked up by the listening devices.

Ironically it was in the very house that was being monitored when he and a number of other gang members met to discuss the story.

Price, who fled Weavers Grange, after a series of attacks on houses and commercial property, is known to visit the cul-de-sac a couple of times a week, arriving with his pet dog who is walked by one of his lackeys.

PACEMAKER BELFAST The Westwinds estate, Newtownards.

It is understood around seven gang members remain in the area where they have little or no support.

The mass protest mirrors a similar campaign targeting then terror chief Johnny Adair in 2005.

Mainstream terror units from the across the country had planned to converge on the lower Shankill but the plan was abandoned after the UFF C Company commander and his supporters opted to quit and fled to Bolton before settling down in Scotland.

It is the latest in a series of developments in recent days.

The Sunday World also understands that concerned residents in Portaferry are planning a protest against the presence of a number of Price gang members who have set up in the Peninsula village.

The Price gang launched an attack on a van owned by a prominent businessman.

The attack was sanctioned at the time by South East Antrim (SEA) UDA which at the time had taken Prices gang under its wing.

Price, who is holed up in east Belfast, tried to set up shop in Seymour Hill on the outskirts of Dunmurry south of the city where Jackie McDonalds South Belfast Brigade of the UDA reign supreme.

He was told in no uncertain terms there was no room for him here, said our source.

He literally has nowhere to go.

Dissent among gang members is also growing with a number now openly critical of their leader for abandoning when he ran away.

One prominent figure whose identity is known to the Sunday World, visited SEA drug dealer Willam `Duck McTaggart in the past few weeks,

Maghaberry where is serving a prison sentence for drug offences, and pleaded to be taken in by SEA.

Duck is still running SEAs drug operations from behind bars and is very much a commanding figure in SEA, said our source.

He told the guy there was no way back for him, youve made your bed, now lie in it.
A 33-year old man who was arrested following a report of an attempted child abduction in Lurgan has been charged with kidnapping and attempted sexual assault.

On Wednesday, police said they are investigating the incident which occurred in the Brookehill area and followed a report from a concerned member of the public.

Officers from the local response team quickly followed up the report and the child, who was unhurt in the ordeal but left shaken, was safely returned to their mother.

The man has now been charged with attempted child abduction, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and kidnapping.

He has also been charged with attempted exposure and attempted sexual assault for further offences allegedly committed whilst being held in police custody.

He is due to appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday morning, 30th June.

A police spokesperson said: As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.
A 47-year-old man has become the first person in Northern Ireland to be charged with a new offence of non-fatal strangulation.

The man was arrested in Co Fermanagh on Wednesday and has since been charged with a number of offences against a female, including non-fatal strangulation.

He was due to appear at Strabane court on Thursday.

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It comes just days after non-fatal strangulation became a specific offence on Monday as part of the Justice (Sexual offences & trafficking victims) Act (NI) 2022.

Those convicted can face up to 14 years in prison

Detective Superintendent Lindsay Fisher described it as a landmark piece of legislation becoming operational.

Already, we have been able to act in safeguarding a potential victim and make the first arrest and charge of this nature, she said.

This only serves to reiterate our commitment to tackling this horrific crime. It will not be tolerated in our communities.

Over 1,500 frontline officers and staff have already been trained to recognise and respond and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to bring potential offenders to justice.
A man has been sentenced to two years in prison for drug offences linked to the East Belfast UVF.

The sentence was handed to Gavan Boyd (53) at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday.

He was sentenced to two years, to be suspended for three years, for being concerned in the supply of a Class A controlled drug.

Detective Sergeant Thompson said: In June 2019, police carried out searches at a property in East Belfast as part of a Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) investigation into suspected drugs criminality linked to the East Belfast UVF.

Boyd was charged with a number of drugs offences, including offering to supply Class A drugs, being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply and supply of Class A drugs.

Detective Sergeant Thompson continued: "Partners within the PCTF remain committed to tackling the organised criminality of those who hide under the banner of a paramilitary organisation.

We will continue to pursue those who cause real harm to their own communities through the distribution and supply of illicit drugs.

I would appeal to anyone who has information about paramilitary activity, including the supply of illegal drugs, to contact detectives on 101.


By Kevin Kim



The Hallyu (Korean wave) has seen many stellar constellations, but none shine quite as bright as (G)I-DLE, a phenomenal quintet of women who have mesmerized global music lovers. The enigmatic moniker, (G)I-DLE, represents much more than just a name. Rather, it exemplifies the group's very essence. The letter "I" is a marker of individuality, an attribute each member proudly exhibits. The "DlE" (deul), the Korean plural for "I," encapsulates their unity  a seamless blend of unique personalities under a shared purpose and vision.



The stylization of the group's name also holds significance. The "G" enclosed in parentheses is an optional element, silent when the name is stated aloud. This presents a duality, suggesting the presence of the "girl" element but also its transcendence, further highlighting their individuality within their identity as young women. As a quintet, they confirmed their preference to be referred to verbally as "I-DIE," further emphasizing the significance of individuality in their group dynamic.



Since their debut in 2018 with "LATATA," (G)I-DLE has demonstrated an unyielding ability to captivate audiences with their raw charisma and innovative musical approach. Their distinctive blend of infectious pop hooks and vibrant hip-hop elements did not take long to pique the interest of listeners worldwide, etching a firm foothold in the global music scene.



However, (G)I-DLE's rise to prominence is not a tale of overnight success but one of continuous growth, innovation, and relentless perseverance. It's the story of five artists who dared to defy K-pop norms and paved their unique path to stardom. Their 2021 hit, "HWAA," was a testament to this unwavering spirit. The song, which is imbued with traditional Korean sounds, not only established them as trendsetters but also pushed the boundaries of K-pop, reaching No. 4 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales Chart.



2022 marked an unprecedented year for the group. They unleashed their first studio album "I Never Die." The lead single "Tomboy" exploded onto the music scene, dominating both domestic and international charts. This infectious track enthralled fans with its captivating melody and stirring lyrics, encapsulating the group's audacious spirit. The "Tomboy syndrome" was not confined to Korea alone. It reverberated across global music landscapes, making (G)I-DLE a household name.



In line with their commitment to showcasing their diverse talent, (G)I-DLE then commenced their first world tour, aptly named Just Me (G)I-DLE. A testament to their growing popularity, the tickets for their show at the Olympic Hall in Seoul sold out within minutes. This feat reiterated their escalating influence, affirming them as a force to be reckoned with in the global K-pop scene.



In the same year, (G)I-DLE released their fifth Korean EP, "I Love." The lead single, "Nxde," swiftly topped the real-time charts in South Korea, securing their second perfect all-kill (PAK, being No. 1 in all Korean music charts) of 2022. This impressive feat placed (G)I-DLE alongside the likes of K-pop heavyweights 2NE1, BIGBANG, and TWICE, making them the fourth group in K-pop history to achieve multiple PAKs within the same year.



Influence isn't measured solely by album sales or chart-topping hits; it's about the transformative effect on popular culture. (G)I-DLE has been a powerful force in this context, their global appeal transcending linguistic and cultural barriers. They've ignited the imagination of fans worldwide, known as 'Neverland,' and their songs have instigated dance challenges and other trends across various social media platforms. The reason for this isn't just their infectious tunes or their stylish music videos, but something much more profound.



(G)I-DLE's uniqueness lies in their ability to self-produce, with several members actively participating in songwriting and choreography, a rarity in the highly managed world of K-pop. This self-driven creative process has given them an authentic voice that resonates with a global audience, contributing to their distinct identity and appeal in the crowded K-pop scene. This factor becomes particularly evident in their breakthrough hit "Tomboy."



The group didn't rest on their laurels, however. They continued to innovate and bring fresh sounds to the table. A collaboration with renowned DJ Steve Aoki introduced a remixed version of "Nxde" to the world, further demonstrating (G)I-DLE's versatility.



The year ended on an exciting note as the group released "For Neverland," an interactive virtual reality (VR) concert. This groundbreaking venture, produced in collaboration with Vive Studios, set new industry standards, and signaled the future of live performances.



As they stepped into 2023, (G)I-DLE maintained their momentum. They made their Taiwan television debut, continued to release chart-topping music, and planned their second world tour. In true (G)I-DLE style, they proved their resilience and creative prowess, illustrating how far they've come since their debut.



(G)I-DLE's journey is one marked by triumphs and challenges. They have defied the odds, breaking barriers with their music and message. Their name represents a group of different personalities uniting to create music that resonates globally. They've gone from being "children" in the industry to trendsetters, reflecting their growth both as individuals and as a group. Their story is a testament to their unyielding spirit, proving that they are, indeed, a group that never dies. Through their music, they continue to inspire countless fans worldwide, embodying the essence of their name  unique individuals united in a common purpose. As (G)I-DLE continues to rise, we eagerly anticipate what they'll bring to the global music stage next.





Kevin Kim (kevin.kim@routenote.com) works in the music industry as the head of Asia for global music business company, RouteNote. He has worked for YG PLUS and CJ E&M Mnet before joining RouteNote.




Pacemaker Press 29/06/23 Family and Friends attend the funeral of Chloe Mitchell on Thursday. A thanksgiving service was held at Ms Mitchell's family home in the Harryville area of Ballymena. Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream on a large screen in nearby King George's Park. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of 3 June, leading to a huge search operation being launched. Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering the 21-year-old. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Mourners watched a broadcast of the service on a large screen in King George Harryville park. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye

Pacemaker Press 29/06/23 Family and Friends attend the funeral of Chloe Mitchell on Thursday. A thanksgiving service was held at Ms Mitchell's family home in the Harryville area of Ballymena. Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream on a large screen in nearby King George's Park. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of 3 June, leading to a huge search operation being launched. Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering the 21-year-old. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Pacemaker Press 29/06/23 Family and Friends attend the funeral of Chloe Mitchell on Thursday. A thanksgiving service was held at Ms Mitchell's family home in the Harryville area of Ballymena. Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream on a large screen in nearby King George's Park. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of 3 June, leading to a huge search operation being launched. Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering the 21-year-old. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Pacemaker Press 29/06/23 Family and Friends attend the funeral of Chloe Mitchell on Thursday. A thanksgiving service was held at Ms Mitchell's family home in the Harryville area of Ballymena. Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream on a large screen in nearby King George's Park. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of 3 June, leading to a huge search operation being launched. Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering the 21-year-old. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Members of the public in King George Harryville Park, Ballymena, to view a service of thanksgiving for the life of Chloe Mitchell on a large screen. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Members of the public in King George Harryville Park, Ballymena, to view a service of thanksgiving for the life of Chloe Mitchell on a large screen. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Pacemaker Press 29/06/23 Family and Friends attend the funeral of Chloe Mitchell on Thursday. A thanksgiving service was held at Ms Mitchell's family home in the Harryville area of Ballymena. Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream on a large screen in nearby King George's Park. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of 3 June, leading to a huge search operation being launched. Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering the 21-year-old. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Hundreds of neighbours and friends gathered to watch a livestream of Chloe Mitchell's funeral on a large screen in King George's Park.

Hundreds of pink ribbons, tied intricately to lamp posts, fences and shop hoardings, lined the streets around Harryville this morning.

Queen Street. Paradise Avenue. Larne Road. Wakehurst Road. Names of streets that have etched themselves into the public consciousness over the last month.

Nestled among those streets, on Wakehurst Park, was the home of the late Chloe Mitchell.

The 21-year-olds brutal death has shocked Northern Ireland.

She was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of June 3 in Ballymena. Detectives launched a murder inquiry after suspected human remains were found eight days later.

From around 11am people were making their way along the streets close to her home, moving among a community into which she was born and ultimately where she lost her life earlier this month.

Police cordons kept the streets closest to her home free from traffic as neighbours could be seen leaving their houses to congregate in memory of Ms Mitchell.

Hundreds gathered in nearby King George Park, where a large screen had been erected to stream the service of thanksgiving which would take place just yards away in Chloes home.

Some wore T-shirts with her picture on them. Elderly residents were supported by those younger than them. A community propping each other up under the weight of the grief.

Crowds gather in Ballymena for the funeral service of Chloe Mitchell

Photographs of Chloe were dotted around the park. A large poster bearing her image and the message: Always and forever in our hearts was suspended in the air, moving to the whim of the breeze.

The now-familiar photo of Chloe dressed in red and smiling directly into the camera was projected onto the screen, with speakers playing music as the crowds began to swell ahead of the noon service.

Floral tributes left in the park following a vigil held in her memory earlier this month remained close to the screen, which drew the crowd in as 12pm approached.

Hundreds line the streets for the funeral of Chloe Mitchell

Heads bowed as Reverend Eddie Chestnutt of nearby Harryville Presbyterian Church appeared on screen. He said the community had been appalled by what had happened to Chloe.

We are here because we want to stand with the Mitchell family, we want to support them in this, their great time of need, he told mourners.

Chloe was the youngest in her family. Her parents remember her as a shy girl who was content to spend most of her time at home with her family.

"As she moved into her late teens, she matured into a beautiful young woman, and as she did so, Chloe became more confident and outgoing.

Her parents reflect on this period of her life with great pride. She blossomed into a young adult who had a warm and generous heart.

She developed into a forgiving and trusting person; someone who was able to speak her own mind.

Chloe enjoyed fashion and make-up, was very proud of her hair and always had an eye for the right trainers or jacket.

She adored young children and was adored by them. She was a favourite of all the nephews and nieces in the family.

Chloe could often be found in the park with a gang of young children organising activities for their amusement.

She used to have great fun playing football, arranging obstacle courses, blowing bubbles, all for the delight of a crowd of small children.

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Chloe was remembered as a young woman who brought happiness to those around her, especially her parents George and Georgina and siblings Kirstie, Jamie, Philip, Nadine and Ryan.

With great fondness, George and Georgina remember Chloes laugh. She had a very distinctive laugh, the kind of laugh that made others laugh, said Rev Chestnutt.

Typically when she was laughing, she would become self-conscious, put her hand to her mouth and would say: Im embarrassed, och Im affronted.

Chloe was much-loved by her devoted parents and by her siblings. She kept her mum on her toes and wound her father around her wee finger.

She was Phillips wee sidekick, Nadines wee sister. She was the noisy one in the house and loved music of all kinds, as long as it was loud.

The whole of Wakehurst Park knew when Chloe was in the mood for music. All who knew and loved Chloe have been stunned and deeply saddened by her passing.

Members of the public in King George Harryville Park, Ballymena, to view a service of thanksgiving for the life of Chloe Mitchell on a large screen. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Rev Chestnutt said the support of those who helped the family over the last number of weeks had helped them through a devastating time.

We are a community in shock. The loss of their 21-year-old daughter is a blow that George, Georgina and their family will struggle to recover from, he said.

Your support has been a source of immense comfort and will continue to be so in the coming days.

This is not the way its supposed to be. Young people are not supposed to die. Parents are not supposed to bury their children.

Grannies and Grandas are not supposed to mourn the passing of their grandchildren. This is not the way its supposed to be.

Twenty-one-year-olds are supposed to be carefree. Twenty-one-year-olds are supposed to bring joy to their families.

Deep down inside, the Mitchell family is thirsting for something different. Deep down inside, our community is thirsting for something better.

Deep down inside, were all thirsting for things to be the way they are supposed to be. Do we have any reason to hope that our thirst might be satisfied?

Mourners watched a broadcast of the service on a large screen in King George Harryville park. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye

As the screen showed the heartbreaking preparations for Chloes last journey from her home, the crowd began filter onto nearby Larne Road, lining the street in their hundreds to accompany her.

A lone piper led the cortege from Wakehurst Park, the crowds hushed conversation falling silent as her family carried the white coffin behind a hearse carrying floral tributes.

Daughter read one. Sister another. Her tearful sisters Kirstie and Nadine walked between the hearse and the coffin carrying a tribute that simply read Chloe.

The procession then departed up the street and onward to Chloes final resting place at nearby Ballee Cemetery.

There were no emotional outbursts or scenes of overt heartbreak; just a numbed sense of a community still in shock at the events of the last few weeks.

Rev Chestnutts earlier words may have gone some way to summing up their reaction: Twenty-one-year-olds are supposed to look forward to the rest of their lives.

This is not the way its supposed to be.
Karen McShane chaired the discussion and began by addressing the absence of the DUP

The DUP has been criticised for not attending an annual LGBTQIA+ event at Stormont on Wednesday evening, after MLA Pam Cameron pulled out of the discussion due to feeling unwell.

Karen McShane, who starred in the 2019 Channel 4 trans documentary The Making of Me, chaired a panel during the Pink News Pride Reception, with politicians from Northern Irelands other four main parties.

Karen, who is also a trustee of The Rainbow Project charity, which promotes the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ people in NI, started the discussion by saying: Id like to know what Pam has done over the past year for us. I also want to pass on my condolences, shes very unwell  apparently.

After this event last year, we invited Jeffrey Donaldson to come and meet with us so we could talk about the issues within the LGBT community and discuss them with the DUP. I wish I could tell you more, he still hasnt accepted our invitation.

The DUP was further lambasted for voting in favour of a new UK-wide bill, which would ban the promotion of gender transitioning in schools.

DUP's Pam Cameron

The Schools (Gender and Parental Rights) Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on Tuesday by Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen, who was kicked out of the Conservative Party for criticising the Covid vaccine rollout. The proposed bill was blocked by 40 votes to 34.

However, six DUP MPs backed him.

During the Pink News panel, Sinn Feins Emma Sheerin, the SDLPs Seamas de Faoite, UUPs Doug Beattie and Alliances Eoin Tennyson spoke about ongoing issues within the LGBT+ community in Northern Ireland, including banning conversion therapy and promoting a gender recognition act.

Sinn Feins Emma Sheerin, SDLPs Seamas de Faoite, UUPs Doug Beattie and Alliances Eoin Tennyson at the Pink News Pride event chaired by Karen McShane

The resounding theme was that not enough can be done due to the lack of a functioning Executive, which the DUP was also blamed for by the speakers.

At the beginning of the event, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris made the opening remarks, but left directly after his speech.

He said that the heart of the Tory Governments agenda is that everyone in this country should be able to achieve anything, no matter where they have come from or what their sexual orientation is.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris with UUP leader Doug Beattie

Mr de Faoite later claimed that after speaking to the Secretary of State earlier that evening, he brought up the issue of financial cuts to local youth services that provide counselling to members of the LGBT+ community.

He said that Mr Heaton-Harris told him he was talking b******s and added that he felt the NI Secretarys words did not reflect the UK Governments actions.

A source close to Mr Heaton-Harris said that factually incorrect points had been made to the SoS at the event, which were directly rebutted.

"The budget allocations set in Budget 2023 - 2024 have prioritised protecting public services that people most rely on, the source said.

Due to the political stalemate and long-term neglect of the budget in NI its vital that work is done to balance the books. The best people to do that are the politicians voted for by the people of Northern Ireland.

Regarding Ms Camerons absence, a DUP spokesperson said: Pam, due to unforeseen circumstances (illness), was unable to make it. She sent her apologies to the organisers and they were accepted. Pam represented the party at this event last year and had intended to do so again.

A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said Chris Heaton-Harris was honoured to attend and speak at the event. The spokesperson also extended his thanks for all for attending and organising a brilliant event celebrating the LGBT+ community in Northern Ireland.
Members of the Garda Water Unit have set up their investigation at Teelin and have been searching the area today.

The search has been ongoing since Monday

The focus of a massive search in Co Donegal for a missing NI man has switched to a nearby pier.

Gardai and the Irish Coast Guard including the Rescue 118 helicopter had been concentrating their search around the Slieve League area.

But now that focus has switched to a pier at Teelin, a couple of kilometres from the original general search area.

Members of the Garda Water Unit have set up their investigation at Teelin and have been searching the area today.

The search began on Monday last following a tip-off that a person had been seriously assaulted.

Two people, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s, were arrested and interviewed abut the allegations.

However, both were released on Tuesday evening without charge.

It followed a series of developments for gardai searching for an alleged missing person.

A car owned by the male suspect in the case was seized and was examined by forensics officers.

It is understood that splatters of blood were present in the car and samples have been taken for analysis.

Forensics officers also sealed off a house in the Killybegs area and also searched that premises as part of their investigation.

Reports suggest gardai are searching for a man from Northern Ireland, aged in his 60s.

Meanwhile, gardai continue to appeal to the public who may have noticed any suspicious activity in the Kilcar, Killybegs or Slieve League area over the weekend to contact them.
Pope Francis has been vocal about defending the rights of migrants (Danny Lawson/PA)

Catholics in England and Wales are being urged to follow Pope Franciss teaching on migrant rights and oppose the Governments tough new asylum seeker law.

The charity Cafod wants its supporters to press their MPs to vote down the Illegal Migration Bill after highlighting the 86-year-old pontiffs call for maximum respect for the dignity of each migrant.

Judges on Thursday ruled that a key element of the Governments Bill  which seeks to deport asylum seekers who arrive via unauthorised routes to their country of origin or a third country such as Rwanda  was unlawful.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgment that said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country.

Cafod, the international development arm of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said the Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be.

It will send an email on Saturday to thousands of its supporters, urging them to press their MP to vote down the Bill, arguing that it effectively shuts the door on people who need our protection.

While the flagship legislation has been passed by the Commons, recent bruising defeats in the Lords mean there is set to be so-called parliamentary ping-pong as MPs consider amendments made in the upper chamber.

In his papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti, published in 2020, Francis said: No one can remain excluded because of his or her place of birth, much less because of privileges enjoyed by others who were born in lands of greater opportunity.

The limits and borders of individual states cannot stand in the way of this.

There are thought to be around four million Catholics in England and Wales, with worshippers taking their lead on moral issues from the Popes teachings, which are informed by the Bible and Christian traditions.

Aisha Dodwell, head of campaigns at Cafod, told the PA news agency: If passed, this inhumane legislation will be a stain on the countrys reputation.

People fleeing conflict and persecution are dying in their thousands as they try to find safety for themselves and their families.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to challenge the Court of Appeals decision on his stop-the-boats legislation (Yui Mok/PA)

Yet, instead of recognising the dire situation these people are in, the UK Government is seemingly doing everything it can to make their lives even harder.

Pope Francis has urged world leaders to build bridges not walls and to welcome, protect and integrate people without distinction.

But the Illegal Migration Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be, which is why we are urging Catholics to speak out against the Bill and show we are a country that welcomes people who need our help.

Cafod said that, while its focus as an aid agency tends to be on overseas projects in more than 40 developing countries, it felt compelled to act on Franciss call for the world to defend refugee and migrant rights.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to contest Thursdays legal ruling on his administrations legislation, which he has dubbed the Stop The Boats Bill.

The Tory Party leader has made preventing small boats of migrants crossing the English Channel one of his top five pledges to the electorate ahead of a likely general election next year, arguing that it is the best way to crack down on human trafficking.

The Bill aims to ensure those who arrive in the UK without permission will be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.

In an economic assessment published this week, Home Office officials calculated that ministers could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Last year 45,755 people were detected to have made the perilous journey.
An Afghan man described how a drivers actions saved us all during a small boat crossing in the English Channel in which four people were known to have died, a court has heard.

Ahmrullah Ahmadzi was travelling in a boat with 46 people on board and told jurors how the vessel was travelling for around two hours with water pouring in, starting at his ankles and eventually reaching his knees.

But it was the actions of the driver that saved us all, he told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court.

Ibrahima Bah appeared previously via video link at Folkestone Magistrates Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

The court was hearing the first day of prosecution evidence in the trial of Ibrahima Bah, a Senegalese national, of no fixed address, who is accused of four counts of manslaughter and for piloting a vessel facilitating unlawful entry to the UK on December 14 2022.

Bah, who denies the charges, sat in the dock accompanied by an interpreter.

Mr Ahmadzi, aided by a Pashto interpreter, said: The driver kept saying dont worry, calm down, I will take you there.

The boat carried on driving because if the boat stopped, we would have drowned much quicker because the length of the waves was getting bigger and bigger.

It was the drivers help, if he didnt help us we would have all died.

He said the drivers last push to get the sinking boat near a fishing boat where people were able to cling on until rescue teams arrived was what saved us all.

The witness also added that it was the stupidity of people in the boat who stood up which had caused the boat to collapse.

He added: To be honest, it was the fault of the passengers who didnt listen to the driver, the driver was trying to help us, but they didnt listen.

The court heard evidence earlier from an Afghan teenager who was also on board the dingy, who said that everyone was screaming and that he began washing himself with seawater for his last rites as he thought he was going to die.

There was water everywhere, there was screaming and shouting, saying we are going to die, he said in a video police interview recorded in January and shown to the court.

The witness added: Because the boat collapsed onto itself and  some of the people, some of them were trapped inside, some of them managed to get out and some were inside and the boat was going down.

The Afghan youth, whose uncle paid 1,500 euros for his safe passage from Dunkirk to the UK, also shared how the group was taken by traffickers to the water at around 1am, getting them to carry the boat and engine to the waters edge before sending them off.

He said how three traffickers who organised their journey were pushing and kicking people, including him, to hurry up to get on the boat as police were coming.

Both witnesses told of how no trafficker came with them on the blown-up dinghy.

The Afghan teenager also told officers he did not see who was controlling the engine and that on the boat everyone was by themselves praying to stay alive.

But he thought that it was an African man driving the boat.

Asked by Kent police officers what they expected from the crossing, the Afghan teenager said it was common knowledge among those in the boat that once they entered British waters they would be rescued.

The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to last four weeks.
The British Councils Language Trends report found that just 10.7% of state schools in England said all pupils are taking a language for GCSE, compared with 31.3% of independent schools (Ben Birchall/PA)

Only one in 10 state schools say all their pupils are studying a language at GCSE level, compared with nearly a third of private schools, a report suggests.

Four in five (79.5%) independent schools said they offer German at Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16) compared with just 37.6% of state secondary schools, according to the British Councils annual Language Trends report.

The survey, of teachers at 1,316 schools in England, found that just 10.7% of state schools said all of their pupils are taking a language for GCSE, compared with 31.3% of independent schools.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc)  a government measure  aims to make sure that pupils take English, maths, science, a humanities subject and a language at GCSE.

The Governments aim is to see 90% of pupils studying the EBacc subject combination at GCSE by 2025, but the report suggests there is a considerable way to go to accomplish that ambition.

German entries at GCSE in England dropped from 36,933 in 2021 to 34,966 last year, and the proportion of state schools offering German is significantly lower than independent schools, the report suggests.

After Spanish, French and German, Chinese (Mandarin) is the most popular language taught as a full curriculum subject in state secondary schools in England. Latin holds this spot in the independent sector.

Entries for other modern Languages in England (languages other than French, German, Irish, Spanish and Welsh) at GCSE rose to 35,202 in 2022 from 24,103 in 2021, which is the highest number recorded by the annual survey.

These languages could include Arabic, Bulgarian, Polish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Urdu.

Report author Dr Ian Collen said the increased take-up is most likely due to the fact that many of these learners are seeking certification in home/heritage languages which was difficult to do in the pandemic years.

The report also found that one-third of primary school teachers said allocated time for language learning has been affected this year because extra time has been spent on literacy and numeracy.

Meanwhile, more than two-thirds (71.8%) of primary school teachers said they received no funding to develop resources for language teaching this year.

Earlier this year, University College London, the British Council and the Goethe-Institut were awarded 14.9 million by the Department for Education (DfE) to establish a consortium of Hub Schools to increase uptake of language qualifications in English state schools under the umbrella of the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE).

Dr Collen said: The data from this years Language Trends report show clear areas for improvement in schools across England, particularly in relation to the time and resource placed in language learning and the uptake of German at GCSE and A-level.

However, it is reassuring to see positive steps being taken by decision-makers to improve languages in England.

Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: After worrying signs of decline in language learning and evidence of a growing social divide when it comes to children learning modern languages, formation of the NCLE (National Consortium for Languages) is welcome news, and the British Council is proud to be part of the consortium.

However, progress still needs to be made to rebuild international engagement in schools in England which has strongly declined over the last few years.

We need to give our young people more opportunities to learn about and engage with different cultures.

A DfE spokesman said: In our globalised economy, language skills add value and widen opportunities for individuals, communities and society and so its excellent to see in this report how popular Spanish has become as an A-level choice.

The department is committed to providing high quality language teaching in schools, increasing languages uptake at GCSE and levelling up opportunities for disadvantaged pupils.

German is a strategically important language to the UK, particularly with regard to business and industry and so to boost take-up of German in schools, there will be a distinct German Promotion Project within our new 14.9 million Language Hubs programme.
Chris Philp has said that the Government had decided not to proceed with recommendations on aligning shotgun and firearms legislation (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Ministers will not back calls for stricter controls on shotguns following the Plymouth mass shootings.

Home Office minister Chris Philp said the Government would launch a consultation into firearms licensing following the killings in Keyham, Plymouth in 2021, but stopped short of accepting a coroners calls for gun law reform.

Ian Arrow, senior coroner for Plymouth and South Devon, had said the 50-year-old Firearms Act was at odds with public safety and the fundamental principle that owning a gun is a privilege and not a right.

In just eight minutes, Jake Davison, 22, killed his mother Maxine, 51, and then shot dead three-year-old Sophie Martyn, her father Lee, 43, Stephen Washington, 59, and Kate Shepherd, 66.

He then turned the weapon on himself as he was confronted by an unarmed police officer on August 12 2021.

Chris Philp said that there would be no changes to the act (Victoria Jones/PA)

In a series of reports to the Government and police organisations, Mr Arrow called for the legislative distinction between Section 1 firearms, such as rifles, and shotguns to be ended.

He also raised concerns around Home Office guidance provided to police forces applying the Firearms Act legislation, the training offered to police staff assessing licence applications and training given to judges hearing licence appeals.

In a written statement, Mr Philp said the Government had decided not to proceed with recommendations on aligning shotgun and firearms legislation.

He added: Shotguns are already subject to significant controls, and they are important in helping farmers control vermin on their land, as well as being used in a variety of rural pursuits.

We will keep this under review, but we are currently of the view that additional controls on shotguns are unnecessary and would have a negative impact on their legitimate use.

Davison legally held a shotgun certificate and weapon having been obsessed with firearms from a young age due to a trait in autism of developing a special interest.

As part of the application process, Davison had declared his autism and Aspergers, but when police sought relevant information from his GP, the doctor declined to provide any as it was not mandatory.

The police granted the application in January 2018 to last five years.

His weapon and certificate were seized in September 2020 after Davison was captured on CCTV punching a 16-year-old boy up to nine times in a skate park, but were handed back to him just five weeks before the killings.

Mr Philp insisted the Government would move forward straight away on new training for police firearms licensing teams.

The minister said: The Government has agreed to provide 500,000 in funding to support the development and rollout of a new national training package produced by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council.

In due course, this training will become mandatory for police firearms licensing teams.

The minister said a public consultation into firearms licensing would be launched on Thursday.

He said this would include recommendations made by Mr Arrow, as well as from a report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the Scottish Affairs Committee report following the fatal shooting of John MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye in August 2022.

Luke Pollard said he was disappointed that the Government provided a written statement instead of appearing in the Commons to face questions from MPs (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said he was disappointed the Government did not come to the House of Commons to lay out its response to the coroner.

He told MPs: We were promised an oral statement and a chance for Members of Parliament to scrutinise the Governments response, but that response has been downgraded to a written ministerial statement, which means Members of Parliament, including local MPs like me, cant ask questions on behalf of the families that are grieving and want to avert a tragedy again.

In a question to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, he asked: Can the Leader advise me about when would be the opportunities to bring the Home Office ministers to this place to ask them why they rejected so many of the coroners recommendations that would have made gun laws better and safer for all our communities, so a tragedy like we saw in Plymouth can never be repeated again?

Ms Mordaunt urged Mr Pollard to raise the matter with Home Secretary Suella Braverman at Home Office questions on Monday.
Medical professionals will formally analyse presumed human remains recovered from the wreckage of the Titan submersible.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) said it received debris and evidence from the sea floor at the site of the deep-sea vessels fatal implosion, which killed five people.

British adventurer Hamish Harding and father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood were killed on board the vessel near the wreckage of the Titanic, alongside OceanGate Expeditions chief executive, Stockton Rush, and French national Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Large pieces of debris from Titan were transported to St Johns harbour on Wednesday by the Horizon Arctic ship, where it was seen being unloaded by a crane.

The debris was recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press/AP)

Speaking after the evidence was recovered, the Marine Board of Investigations (MBI) chairman, Captain Jason Neubauer, said: I am grateful for the co-ordinated international and inter-agency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths.

The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy.

There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

The USCG said the MBI intends to transport the evidence to a port in the US where they will be able to facilitate further analysis and testing.

The MBI will continue evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing about the incident, the USCG added.

Pelagic Research Services, whose remote operating vehicle discovered the debris fields, said on Wednesday its team is still on mission.

Debris is unloaded from the ship Horizon Arctic (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press/AP)

A statement said: They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police previously said they are looking into the five deaths.

Safety investigators from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada made inquiries on Titans main support ship, the Polar Prince, after it docked in St Johns harbour on Saturday.

The TSB said it has inspected, documented, and catalogued the materials from the debris of Titan for its safety investigation.

The safety body said its investigation team has taken possession of the deep-sea vessels voyage data recorder, which has been sent to its engineering laboratory in Ottawa for further analysis.

The TSB said it will continue to co-operate with the US, UK, and France in accordance with international agreements, as they are substantially interested states under the International Maritime Organisation Casualty Investigation Code.

The Titan submersible lost contact with tour operator OceanGate Expeditions an hour and 45 minutes into the two-hour descent to the wreckage, with the vessel reported missing eight hours after communication was lost.
Protesters gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the High Courts ruling on Rwanda deportation flights (PA)

A Court of Appeal ruling which found that Government plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful was determined on the basis of evidence and the judgment did not support or oppose any political view, one of the appeal judges said.

In a 161-page judgment on Thursday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, supported by Lord Justice Underhill, found there were substantial grounds to think that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda faced real risks of torture or inhuman treatment, or that their claims for asylum would not be properly determined in the east African nation.

The ruling overturned the High Courts finding that the east African nation could be considered a safe third country for asylum seekers.

However, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett  who heard the appeal with the other two judges in April  disagreed, saying he would dismiss the challenge.

In the judgment, Sir Geoffrey said the court needed to look at the situation in Rwanda for asylum seekers alongside the assurances given by the authorities and the agreement between the two countries, the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP).

He described the MEDP policy as a politically sensitive one which has attracted significant public and media attention.

Sir Geoffrey continued: Notwithstanding that position, the case must be determined on the basis of the evidence and of accepted and familiar principles of public law.

Nothing in this judgment should be construed as supporting or opposing any political view of the issues.

The judge noted it was accepted the UK Government has huge experience of diplomatic relations with the Rwandan authorities.

He also said that Home Office lawyers had argued that in the light of the detailed guarantees and assurances in the MEDP and the longstanding relationship with Rwanda and its financial and other incentives to perform on its obligations, what happened in the past was of limited, if any, real significance.

However, Sir Geoffrey disagreed, finding: I do not accept that the past and the present can either be ignored or side-lined as the Home Office suggests.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett (left) and Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos, two of the judges who heard the appeal (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The likelihood of promises being performed must, anyway in part, be judged by reference to what has happened in the past and the capacity and capability of the entity making the promises to keep them, the judge added.

In his decision, Sir Geoffrey referred to evidence from the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, who said there were several deficiencies in the legal rights of asylum seekers in Rwanda.

Sir Geoffrey said the UK Government acknowledges that Rwanda is a one-party state which reacts unfavourably to dissent, adding: It is not an answer to say that Rwanda will have accepted the people sent under the MEDP, because the advanced information they will have about them will be limited and they may form adverse political opinions once there.

Lord Justice Underhill, who largely supported Sir Geoffreys conclusions, said the Court of Appeal was concerned with the risk to the group as a whole to whom the asylum policy is intended to be applied.

The judge said there was evidence of a culture of, at best, insufficient appreciation by Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration officials of Rwandas obligations under the refugee convention, and at worst a deliberate disregard for those obligations.

Lord Justice Underhill said the UNHCR had alleged that the Rwandan authorities were biased against asylum seekers from the Middle East and Afghanistan, calling the figures statistically frail.

He continued: But I do not believe they can be disregarded, particularly when taken with its evidence about the views expressed by senior Government of Rwanda officials that they should have sought asylum nearer to home.

The appeal judge said there was no evidence that showed the Rwandan government has entered into the agreements in bad faith.

He continued: There is no reason to suppose that it does not wish to ensure that relocated individuals have their asylum claims determined fairly and effectively.

But aspiration and reality do not necessarily coincide.

I have reached the conclusion that the Rwandan system for refugee status determination was not, as at the relevant date, reliably fair and effective, Lord Justice Underhill concluded.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman toured a building site on the outskirts of Kigali during her March visit to Rwanda, to see houses that are being constructed that could eventually house deported migrants from the UK (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

However, in his dissenting judgment, Lord Burnett said the High Court had not considered whether it was safe for substantial numbers of people to be immediately sent to Rwanda.

He continued: Similarly, the voluminous papers in this case identify hypothetical special problems it is said that some groups of people would face.

But we are not considering whether it would be safe for every conceivable type of person to be sent to Rwanda.

He also said: In much of the political hyperbole which surrounded the announcement of the Rwanda policy there was talk of Rwanda, within a few years, being a destination for thousands of asylum seekers who arrived irregularly in the United Kingdom.

However, Lord Burnett said that the High Court was told that the physical capacity for housing asylum seekers in Rwanda was limited to 100.

The most senior judge in England and Wales later said that there would be both formal and informal monitoring of anyone who was deported to Rwanda.

As well as the formal monitoring described in the agreement itself and arrangements by the British High Commission, Lord Burnett continued: With the assistance of lawyers in England, those unwilling to be removed to Rwanda would have been engaged in resisting on all available grounds.

In referring to informal monitoring I have in mind the reality that anyone removed to Rwanda, with their internet connected mobile phone, will be in a strong position to raise any personal concerns that they are not being treated in accordance with the agreement.

The judge also said that while there was certainly evidence of poor practice in the Rwandan asylum system, there will, no doubt, be changes in respect of those considered under the agreement with the United Kingdom.

But the question is whether the system as a whole can be relied upon to deliver appropriate outcomes, he added.

Lord Burnett concluded that the people bringing the appeal fall short in proving there are substantial grounds to believe there is a real risk they would face torture or inhuman treatment in Rwanda.
Brazilian footballer Antony has said he did not assault an ex-girlfriend who reported him to police for alleged domestic violence.

It is the first time the 23-year-old Manchester United winger has publicly addressed the accusations.

Antony said on his social media channels that he had just given his evidence to Brazilian police.

The case is under investigation in Sao Paulo but police have have not said whether the allegations refer to England or Brazil, or both.

After this investigation is over, my innocence will be clear and justice will prevail, he said. The damage that was initially caused to my image will be in the past.

Even though I was born and raised in a very poor region, I had never been through a situation like this.

Brazilian media said a former girlfriend had filed a report with police that she was allegedly assaulted by the player on May 20.
Five Guys restaurant in Gangnam, southern Seoul / Courtesy of Hanwha Galleria



By Kim Jae-heun



Hanwha Galleria's lack of experience in the franchise business may pose a barrier to the expansion of its newly launched Five Guys restaurant in Seoul, according to industry officials on Wednesday.



The upmarket Korean department store franchise, owned by Hanwha Group, has no previous track record of successfully operating a restaurant or coffee shop franchise. Its only coffee house chain, Beans & Berries, transitioned into a social enterprise in 2013 due to stagnant business and growing protests aimed at protecting local businesses against large franchise firms.



"Not having an experience of operating a successful franchise business for a long time and opening a new brand is really different from having experience and doing so," a local retail firm official said. "Hanwha Galleria said the most important key in operating Five Guys is maintaining the quality and taste of its menu items. However, that requires long-time partnership experience and connection with local food suppliers in B2B business."



Kim Dong-sun, the Head of Strategic Management at Hanwha Galleria, who is also the third son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn and the person responsible for bringing Five Guys to Seoul, also lacks experience in operating a franchise business.



While Kim previously managed Chinese and Japanese restaurants in Germany and opened a high-end sushi bar in Seoul in 2021, running a restaurant franchise is an entirely different endeavor.





Kim Dong-sun, head of strategic management at Hanwha Galleria, right, shakes hands with William Pitcher, vice president of Five Guys International, at the signing ceremony to promote Five Guys' domestic business, in Seoul, Oct. 2022. Courtesy of Hanwha Galleria
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and prominent European figures who are forming a working group to address ecological damage from the Russian invasion.

The meeting in the Ukrainian capital came as fighting continued around the country.

The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said two people were killed in the regions capital in a Russian strike that hit residences, a medical facility and a school where residents were lined up to receive humanitarian aid.

Another person was killed in a morning strike on the village of Bilzoerka, the regional prosecutors office said.

Volodymyr Zelensky with members of the working group (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

The presidential office said on Thursday morning that at least eight civilians died in Russian attacks during the previous 24 hours.

Mr Zelensky also met former US vice president Mike Pence who visited Kyiv. Mr Pence, an advocate of US support to Ukraine, is running for the 2024 Republican nomination for president.

We appreciate that both major US parties, the Republican and Democratic, remain united in their support for Ukraine. And, of course, we feel the strong support of the people of the United States, Mr Zelenskyy told Mr Pence, according to the presidential website.

The working group on the environment includes Ms Thunberg, former Swedish deputy prime minister Margot Wallstrom, European Parliament vice president Heidi Hautala, and former Irish president Mary Robinson.

Mr Zelensky said forming the group is a very important signal of supporting Ukraine. Its really important, we need your professional help.

The working group will address ecological damage from the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ms Thunberg said Russian forces are deliberately targeting the environment and peoples livelihoods and homes. And therefore also destroying lives. Because this is after all a matter of people.

The objectives of the working group are evaluating the environmental damage resulting from the war, formulating mechanisms to hold Russia accountable, and undertaking efforts to restore Ukraines ecology.

In Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill met Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican envoy for seeking peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Mr Kirill, a supporter of the war, said: It is very important that the Christian communities of East and West take part in the process of reconciliation, according to video circulated by the Russian church.
Jimmie Rogers (left), secretary to Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, listens as Australias Minister of Defense and deputy prime minister Richard Marles [center] speaks at a press conference at King George School on June 29, 2023 in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Australia has offered to extend its military and police deployment in the Solomon Islands as the Pacific island country, which has cultivated security and economic ties with China, prepares to host a regional sporting event later this year and hold postponed elections in the first half of 2024.

Australian Minister of Defense Richard Marles, who met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during a two-day visit to the Pacific country, said on Thursday that Australia was willing to provide security assistance for as long as necessary.

Australia sent more than 200 troops and police to the Solomon Islands in late 2021 at the request of Sogavare following anti-China and anti-government riots in the capital Honiara. Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand also contributed to the security mission.

We spoke about the Solomons International Assistance Force, of which Australia is a contributing member, and we made it clear that if it was the Solomons wish for the Solomons International Assistance Force to continue then Australia stood ready for that to occur, Marles, who is also Australias deputy prime minister, told reporters in Honiara.

We are happy to support a continuation of the presence of SIAF in supporting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, he said.

The Solomon Islands, home to some 700,000 people, has become a focal point for the U.S.-China rivalry in the Pacific. Sogavares government switched its diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019 and signed a security pact with Beijing last year that alarmed the United States and allies such as Australia.

A statement from Sogavares office said assessments of security needs for the Pacific Games, which will be held in Honiara in November, are still being carried out. Should there be areas to address, Australia will be notified through appropriate channels, it said.

The statement also said the security treaty between Australia and the Solomon Islands should be reviewed to take into account the changing security challenges faced by both countries. It called for more support to strengthen our capacity and capability to respond to internal security challenges.

Australias Minister of Defense and deputy prime minister Richard Marles (second from right) talks to Australian Defense Advisor Col. Justin Bywater (right) while Solomon Islands Commissioner of Police Mostyn Mangau (second from left) looks on in Honiara on June 29, 2023. [Gina Makaa/BenarNews]

Both China and Australia have been providing training and equipment to the Solomon Islands police, including weapons, sparking concern their rivalry could cause new instability in a South Pacific country that spiraled into chaos only two decades ago.

Several years of instability around the turn of the century, fueled by stolen police equipment, still looms large for Solomon Islanders, who call the period The Tensions. Corruption, ethnic strife and political divides made the country seem ungovernable and culminated in an Australian-led military intervention from 2003 until 2017.

Last November, China handed over two water cannon trucks, 30 motorbikes and 20 white utility vehicles emblazoned with the red China Aid logo to Solomon Islands police while Australia donated 60 MK18 rifles and 13 vehicles, some of which will be used in a new mobile protection unit for VIPs.

Solomon Islands police said in May that some 30 officers were undergoing advanced capability training in China on top of 33 officers who received training at the Fujian Police College last year. It said further contingents would receive leadership and capability training in China this year and that the China Police Liaison Team in Honiara would continue its training programs in the Solomon Islands.

Marles said a peaceful security environment for the Pacific Games  which China, Australia, Indonesia and other countries are helping to bankroll  and elections next year are key objectives of the Solomon Islands government.

Sogavares government postponed the elections, which were due this year, citing the cost of hosting the Pacific Games.

We are very mindful that an ongoing SIAF [presence] could be an assistance to Solomon Islands and we certainly made it clear that we would be ready to provide that if Solomon Islands want it, Marles said.

Marles visit to the Solomon Islands also resulted in pledges of assistance including a previously announced grant of 25 million Australian dollars ($16.5 million) to pay for the Solomons 2024 general election, provision of small fast vessels for the Solomon Islands police and help to upgrade a shipyard.

Before leaving the Solomon Islands on Thursday afternoon, Marles officially opened a new critical care unit at the countrys main hospital that was funded by Australia.
Afghans gather outside the passport office after Taliban officials announced they will start issuing passports to its citizens again, following months of delays that hampered attempts by those trying to flee the country after the Taliban seized control, in Kabul, Oct. 6, 2021.

Security concerns and other issues could hinder a proposed deal with the United States for the Philippines to temporarily host Afghan refugees, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. indicated on Thursday.

Following a request by the Biden administration, Washington and Manila are currently negotiating the transfer to the Southeast Asian nation of Afghans nationals formerly employed by the U.S., and their dependents, who are applying for special immigrant visas (SIV) through the American Embassy.

There are many issues involved in that question. That is why I was a little surprised when I saw some of the news reports saying theres a deal [with] the U.S. There is no deal. We are still looking exactly at how to make it work, if we can, Marcos told reporters.

Tens of thousands of Afghans and their families were evacuated abroad during a round-the-clock airlift from Kabul in August 2021, as they fled when the last of U.S. and international coalition forces pulled out of Afghanistan and its capital fell to Taliban extremists, who now rule that country.

These are Afghans who helped the Americans in war. And the Americans suddenly left their country, and left them. The truth is, they are really being killed by the enemy. But these are not refugees. This is something different, this is something we have not encountered before, Marcos said.

They are Afghans who are being resettled primarily in the United States and we are going to be the third country, that is the proposal by the Americans.

Sen. Imee Marcos, the presidents sister, had earlier initiated a Senate inquiry into the potential deal, which had been kept under wraps, and expressed fears that bringing Afghan nationals to the Philippines could create security-related problems.

We will continue to study it. Lets see if theres a way we can do it without endangering the security, he added without saying how this could create a security problem for the country.

It is entirely possible that we will not find a way to make it happen, he said.

The Philippines has a long history of helping resettle refugees, Marcos said while reiterating that there are many, many security issues.

Of course, we have to be conscious of that. But there are even more difficult legal and logistical issues, he said. Still, negotiations would go on, he said, because we want to help.

Aside from security concerns, Marcos said there were also legal and logistical issues that must be considered in this matter, but he did not elaborate on what those issues might be. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to BenarNews follow-up requests for more information.

Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, who had been summoned to the Senate earlier, said the Philippines had received the request from the U.S. October last year, and that Marcos and U.S. President Joe Biden briefly discussed the proposal when the two leaders met at the White House in May.

Afghan families, who are among displaced people fleeing the violence in their provinces, sit with their belongings as they prepare to return to their provinces, at a makeshift shelter at Shahr-e Naw park, in Kabul, Oct. 4, 2021. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]

Meanwhile, Jose Manuel Romualdez, Manilas envoy to Washington, said on Thursday that he foresaw no negative effect on U.S.-Philippine relations should Manila decide not to accept the Afghans.

There are many, many more things that we need to work with the United States. Some of them [we] have already said we cant do it, Romualdez told ANC, a local news channel.

We have been requested on many occasions by the United States to support a resolution at the United Nations. On many occasions, we also did not. So, it did not affect our relationship with the United States. Theres mutual respect in my view between the U.S. and the Philippines.

Romualdez also said he expected the government to reach a decision on the issue before mid-July.

[A]nd I think the memorandum for the Presidents approval or disapproval, whichever the case may be, will be sent to the Malacanang [presidential palace] probably as late as July 15, he said, referring to a memo by him and his advisors on the U.S. request.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, an ally of President Marcos, said earlier this month that the Philippines had a duty in assisting Afghan nationals fleeing violence in their country. He noted that the country was a signatory to various United Nations conventions on protecting refugees.

Under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines had extended assistance to Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar, Tolentino said.

Duterte, in 2021, said he would allow the entry of Afghan nationals here escaping from the Taliban.

But President Marcoss sister said that the Duterte administration sufficiently disclosed its actions relative to such a policy.

Dutertes plan never materialized amid fears expressed by the public here that it could lead to a spillover of violence, specifically in the south of the country where violent extremist and Muslim militant groups have, for years, maintained links to foreign terrorists.
Korea Elevator Safety Agency officials look into the escalator in Sunae Station, which ran in reverse for several seconds and injured 14 people on June 8, during an on-site inspection at the subway station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, June 13. Joint Press Corps



By Park Jae-hyuk



The dominance of Chinese escalators in Korea's train and subway stations has again sparked a public outcry, after 14 people were injured earlier this month when an escalator in Sunae Station ran in reverse for several seconds, according to industry officials, Thursday.



The faulty escalator was installed in 2009 with components imported from a Chinese company, although a Korean firm named Travis Elevator is registered as the manufacturer.



Because Chinese components were found to have caused another escalator accident in Yatap Station in 2013, which injured 39 people, concerns are growing over the heavy reliance by Korea's railway operators on low-cost Chinese escalator components.



Data compiled by Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the ruling People Power Party showed that all 2,640 escalators installed in stations under the supervision of Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) were made with components manufactured in China.



All 1,827 escalators installed in stations under the supervision of Seoul Metro were also made with components imported from China.



At the stations under the supervision of public transportation operators in Busan, Incheon and Daejeon, the proportion of escalators made with Chinese components surpassed 90 percent.



"Most escalator manufacturers have already left Korea, due to Chinese firms offering excessively low prices in bids to supply escalators to public facilities," a Korea Elevator Industry Cooperative official said. "Korean firms lag behind their Chinese rivals in terms of price competitiveness."



The Elevator Safety Management Act also includes clauses that are considered more favorable to escalator importers than domestic manufacturers, as the law requests each importer to hire only one technical expert while asking each manufacturer to have at least three experts.



As a consequence of Korean escalator manufacturers losing ground, railway operators here have steadily increased their reliance on Chinese escalators over the past decade.



They have also faced difficulties maintaining escalators installed in their stations, because it takes time for Chinese suppliers to manufacture components and ship the parts to Korea.



KTX Gwangmyeong Station, for example, still uses escalators that stopped operation during last summer's flood.



During a National Assembly audit last year, Rep. Kim Byung-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea pointed out the heavy reliance on Chinese escalators and called for measures to enhance domestic production.



Other lawmakers have also repeatedly pointed out this issue, but the problem remains unsolved.



Calls are growing for the domestic production of escalator components and the Korea Elevator Safety Agency has supported small- and medium-sized manufacturers of the products.



Korea Lift Association Chairman Cho Jae-cheon, who is also the head of Hyundai Elevator, told reporters earlier this year that the association will look at ways to boost the domestic production of components by utilizing the Korean elevator maker's infrastructure.


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Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
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NORTH ADAMS  The U.S. Congressman representing Berkshire County had a hand in changing regulations that could bring back North Adams Regional Hospital.

Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said he welcomes the news that Berkshire Health Systems is seeking approval to expand access to care in northern Berkshire County.

This news comes just six months after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began implementing proposals I championed to increase the number of Critical Access Hospitals across the country, Neal wrote in an email to The Eagle on Thursday.

I have spoken with President Biden about the challenges facing residents of rural and underserved communities in the First Congressional District and throughout the Commonwealth.

Neal said that as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, hes worked to expand access to health care throughout rural America, and hes encouraged the Biden administration to address policy changes identified by the committee.

Massachusetts hospital system is second to none. By reopening inpatient beds at their North Adams Campus and pursuing designation of that facility as a CAH, BHS is playing a critical role in expanding accessible healthcare to underserved communities, further cementing the states healthcare system as the envy of the nation, Neal added.

State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, also credited Neal for his involvement federally in getting the necessary regulations changed.

Critical access hospitals receive a special designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but have to meet a number of criteria to do so.

The first is an easy one to clear in Berkshire County: a critical access hospital has to be located in a state that participates in the Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. Massachusetts is one such state. The hospital in question also has to be located in a rural area and go through the states process to be designated a critical access hospital.

The sticking point for the North Adams Regional Hospital before was the distance between it and the Berkshire Medical Center. Per the federal guidelines, hospitals had to be located at least 35 miles away from each other by primary roads, defined as a numbered state or federal highway with at least two lanes going in each direction.

Those guidelines changed for the first time late last year making an exception for hospitals located around secondary roads  or one-lane highways  and mountainous regions. Such health centers only have to be 15 miles away from the nearest hospital. That allows the North Adams Regional Hospital, and a cavalcade of others, to pursue the designation.

Hospitals that were designated as critical access hospitals before 2006 can also be considered for designation now. The distance requirement has been a consistent topic of discussion since the designation was introduced, even resulting in a 2013 report, where the Department of Health and Human Services publicized their findings that nearly two-thirds of hospitals currently designated would not meet the location stipulations.

A critical access hospital can only have 25 inpatient beds, and must maintain an annual average length of stay of 96 hours or less per patient.

The hospital also must provide 24-hour emergency care services seven days a week.

As far back as 2014, Neal, who was part of the effort to change the federal regulations governing critical access hospitals, has been pushing for critical care status at North Adams Regional Hospital. There has also been a push for support on the state level since that time.

Past efforts to acquire the designation for the hospital failed because federal lawmakers wouldnt make an exemption for the distance regulation.




Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho delivers a congratulatory speech at the inaugural ceremony of the AI Promotion Council at Naver 1784 in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Ministry of Science and ICT
GREAT BARRINGTON  Over the years, James Weldon Johnsons Five Acres estate somehow lost around three of its acres.

A 1.6-acre slice of pasture next to the Harlem Renaissance founders writing cabin had apparently been shaved off by an earlier abutter and folded into a larger parcel.

Property lines shifted and so did fences. Even surveyors couldnt figure out where the boundary line was. At Town Hall, old property surveys were missing.

The abutting pasture was sold, split off and sold again, leaving Five Acres with just under two.

Thats all changed.

The current landowner, Jeffrey Taylor  who is selling the abutting 9-acre pasture  donated the 1.6 acres to Rufus Jones and Jill Rosenberg Jones, owners of the historic property and stewards of Johnsons legacy. The towns Planning Board approved it earlier this month.

The Joneses, who bought it in 2011, had worried for several years that it would all be sold before they could make the historic property whole again. They also wanted a buffer around the cabin where Johnson wrote poetry and his autobiography.

Eventually theyd like to buy that 9 acres to make Five Acres available to the public and handicapped accessible. Theyve started raising the money.

For 12 years Ive been trying to get my 2 acres back, Rufus Jones said. How the acres and surveys disappeared, he added, is a great mystery.

Johnson and his wife, Grace Nail Johnson, bought the 5-acre estate in 1926 as a retreat from New York City, and the fraught and hectic life of an early civil rights leader working for the NAACP in the 1920s. His doctor told him he needed to slow down.

The list of Johnsons accomplishments is long. They include work as a Broadway lyricist and writing two songs for Theodore Roosevelts presidential campaign in 1904. He and his brother wrote the National Hymn, the song Lift Every Voice and Sing. Its also known as the Black national anthem.

The Johnsons would escape to the Alford Road home, set back against the Alford Brook.

The cabin, surrounded by a hemlock grove, is on the hill at the back of the estate, and the Joneses are continuing to raise money to restore it through the James Weldon Johnson Foundation, which they established in 2016. Theyve stabilized it, and the interior restoration is next.

All of this is why what happens next door matters. There have been some close calls, including an earlier abutter trying to put a solar farm there. Neighbors stopped it by buying some of the land and putting it into conservation, Jones said.

With all the confusion about the property line, it took a lot of negotiating and quite a bit of frustration for Taylor and Jones to resolve the matter. At one point, Jones even engaged a lawyer to warn Taylor that he might be selling land whose size and boundaries are in question. Jones and Taylor met for coffee in Millerton, N.Y., and sorted it out, face-to-face.

Taylor wouldnt let Jones buy it when he offered, then offered to donate the land to bring it back to 5 acres, Jones said.

I was weeping so hard in that Millerton coffee shop, Jones said.

Taylor, who messaged The Eagle while traveling, said he was pleased and grateful to be in a position to make right any injustice that may have been done to Mr. Johnson and his family in past generations. He also encourages people to support the Johnson foundation.

Legacy of a Harlem Renaissance man comes alive in art exhibit at Simon's Rock GREAT BARRINGTON  Ten thousand marchers come down Fifth Avenue. They walk silently to the sound of a steady drum-beat. At the front, children six years old carry banners: "Give me a chance to 

The news blues: Rufus Jones Jr. turns 2020's sorrows into song GREAT BARRINGTON  As Rufus Jones Jr. worked the trading desk at a Wall Street firm, his own music inundated him.
A Boeing 737-700 owned by billionaire Len Blavatnik landed at Pittsfield Municipal Airport at 8:48 a.m. July 13. It took off just a few hours later. The airport itself posted a video of the landing, without identifying that the jet is owned by the worlds 42nd richest person.
MONTEREY  It wasnt the traditional start to summer camp they had expected, nor the one their parents had paid for.

When campers and families arrived at Camp Kimama Halfmoon for drop-off on Sunday, they found they couldnt stay because of potential safety issues in bunk cabins and other buildings, and would be bused to Washington, D.C., for a three-day field trip until these were resolved.

On site, camp staff scrambled to fix a host of bad electrical wiring and other problems in time for another building inspection on Tuesday afternoon in anticipation of the campers return on Wednesday.

It was after an inspection on June 21 that Monterey Building Inspector Donald Torrico shut down a number of buildings. The problem, Torrico told The Eagle, stemmed from the camps hiring contractors unlicensed in Massachusetts during renovations. Problem areas were electrical, plumbing and gas systems, he said. The camp, Torrico added, also didnt pull permits for work in the kitchen and the appliances installed were not synchronized with a kitchen fire suppression system.

We put them on notice, Torrico said Tuesday, adding that there were several buildings where staff could stay until the problem got sorted out. We gave them another week.

He said he would be returning that afternoon for another inspection after the towns electrical inspector was there to look at some new wiring.

That apparently went well. The camp reopened Wednesday, but Camp Director Abby Levine was unavailable for interview.

Noy Assraf Azran, a spokesperson for Kimama Camps, did not answer specific questions about the contractors and how the problems started, but said the camp is appreciative of the communitys support and the positive responses from the parents and campers during this process.

It was a rough start to the camps first, two-week session. Many of the campers had just arrived from overseas  mostly from Israel, and directors quickly arranged for a three-day field trip to Washington, D.C., for the children and teens, ages 7 to 17.

The situation stirred worry and disappointment, said one parent who had contacted the paper over concerns about the reason for these permit problems at the camp at 7 Arts Road. They also said parents were told just before drop-off that campers would be bused to a hotel in Maryland and travel to Washington for activities.

The parent, who requested anonymity, did not send her young children on the trip, and hoped they could return to the camp. They said camp representatives were sympathetic about the situation as well as providing refunds if desired.

Sleepaway camp is $3,990 per camper for a two-week session. Kimama also runs a day camp for children as young as 3.

A famed summer camp in Monterey has been purchased. And as it turns 100, a little makeover is in order One interested buyer wanted to turn the Camp Half Moon into a glamping operation, an idea promptly greeted with scorn from neighbors. Other interested buyers wished to exorcise the property of its rustic roots to build ritzy, year-round houses. But, then, an entrepreneur and educator named Avishay Nachon stepped out of his car and had a look around.

Kimama Halfmoon, which sits on Lake Buel, is in its second summer with new ownership by Israel-based Camp Kimama. The company has run camps for 20 years in Israel, Europe and the U.S. Kimama Halfmoon, say promotional materials, draws from traditional American summer camp values fused with a fresh outlook on Israeli culture and character.

Assraf Azran, the spokesperson, told The Eagle earlier this year that a general rise in antisemitism appeared to be fueling an increase in enrollment.

The sleepover camp hosted 275 campers in summer 2022 and estimated enrollment would increase to between 350 to 400 this summer, according to promotional materials. The day camp last year hosted 1,000 and was expected to do so again in 2023.

The original Camp Half Moon was founded in 1922. Kimama purchased the camp from longtime owners in December 2021 for $2 million. Owner and CEO Avishay Nachon told The Eagle last year that the company planned to pour $1 million into renovations to modernize the sleeping cabins and give campers more privacy.

Nachon said the community was welcoming from the start. Some neighbors were irritated by noise and complained to town officials in September, according to meeting agendas and minutes. The camps director told officials she would meet with abutters about this. Regarding these complaints, Assraf Azran said that the sounds of joyful campers are part of the legacy of summer camp at this location.
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, speaks June 21 during a hearing on the Report of Special Counsel John Durham on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Good news is hard to come by in the fight against a deadly opioid crisis, so well take some less-bad news when we can get it. The number of opioid overdose deaths in the Berkshires dropped significantly in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Thats according to Massachusetts Department of Health data, which show that Berkshire County bucked the alarming statewide trend of increasing opioid-related fatalities. Overall, Massachusetts annual fatal opioid ODs rose by 2.5 percent to a record high of 2,357. These numbers are devastating, warned DPH Commissioner Robert Goldstein.

But in Berkshire County, the number of people who died of an opioid overdose shrank from 62 in 2021 to 48 in 2022  a 23 percent year-over-year decrease.

Much as we want and need hope against the scourge of addiction stealing lives from our communities, we must temper that hope with a clear-eyed analysis of the available data. Beyond the troubling trend continuing across the Bay State, from an annual perspective this is one year of better numbers for Berkshire County, and one data point is not sufficient evidence for a strong statistical trend.

Still, this is critical data to have in hand as we wait for more to see whether this was a blip or, hopefully, an indication that Berkshire communities have somehow slowed the bleeding in ways that other communities might replicate. As overdose deaths take more American lives every year than gun violence and traffic fatalities combined, we certainly are in need of real solutions in both the addiction treatment and harm-reduction domains.

We were pleased to see many of the countys police departments and other first-responder units start carrying the overdose-reversal drug Narcan over the last couple years. Meanwhile, Pittsfield and North Adams, Berkshires two biggest municipalities, are currently participating in the HEALing Communities Study, a years-long National Institutes of Health program to test and refine harm-reduction, community education and recovery coping practices in specific communities hit disproportionately hard by the opioid crisis across four states, including Massachusetts. We cant say for sure yet whether measures like these are working, but its worth keeping our eyes on, as another year of downward trending OD deaths in the Berkshires would lend more evidence to such a hopeful hypothesis.

Fourteen fewer Berkshire OD deaths might seem small, especially compared to the thousands of lives lost across the state every year and the 100,000-plus Americans who succumb to fatal overdoses annually. But just as those thousands are not mere statistics but precious human lives, so too are the 14 lives we didnt lose last year. In hurting and healing, every life counts. Just as every life lost to the vicious cycle of addiction is a hole in the heart of a grieving family, each death taken off the annual counter is a miraculous difference for a family who could have lost someone last year but didnt.

We see this impact in life-giving stories like those of Kimber King, a North Adams woman who was saved from an overdose thanks to the Never Use Alone hotline and the quick response of North Adams EMS lieutenant Stephen Murray  an EMT who at the time of the rescue was 10 years into his own recovery journey.

We also feel it in the heart-rending stories like that of Mark Bednarz, an Adams man whose substance abuse struggles pushed him toward trouble with the law and a tragic end. Mr. Bednarz in February broke into an Adams home, got into a physical struggle with the homeowner and later died while in the hospital. (The Berkshire District Attorneys Office is not bringing charges against the homeowner after a medical examiner attributed his death to complications of acute fentanyl intoxication.) Opioids played a role in Mr. Bednarzs death, but they also shaped the sad trajectory of his life. Those who knew Mr. Bednarz said he was wrecked by the death of his daughter, who died of an overdose in 2017.

The opioid epidemic does not touch everyone the same, but its waves of pain emanate outward from its primary victims toward us all. To an extent, they should. We all ought to be more clear-eyed about the causes, costs and effects of a deadly public health crisis that for too long was dismissed as solely a disconnected series of individual moral failures.

We must translate the angst into action on meaningful, material ways to address addiction, including seriously examining less than politically convenient measures  from the state Harm Reduction Commissions recommendation to pilot supervised injection sites to criminal justice efforts to steer treatment-resistant offenders toward rehab instead of recidivism.

We should not demonize and dismiss those who fall through our societys widening cracks into the deadly trap of addiction, nor should we look away from the resultant grief that grips loved ones and scars entire communities.

And we should take the less-bad news when we can. While it is premature to truly celebrate the drop in annual Berkshire opioid deaths, it is something to keep our focus on with an eye for more data and tempered hope that this years county numbers suggest that last year was not merely a statistical fluke.
A member of the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) distributes newsletters to migrant workers at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, in this May file photo. Courtesy of KMWU



By Park Jae-hyuk



The Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) recently asked the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to lower the minimum wage for migrant shipbuilding workers who hold E-7 visas, the business lobby group said Thursday.



The request was made despite a lingering shortage of workers in domestic shipyards.



Under the current law, E-7 visa holders are guaranteed base wages equivalent to 80 percent of the previous year's gross national income (GNI) per capita. They can therefore earn around 2.7 million won ($2,050) per month.



In order to help make foreign labor more affordable for subcontractors of large shipbuilding companies, however, the Ministry of Justice took a temporary measure earlier this year, allowing small firms and startups, as well as medium-sized enterprises not located in the Seoul metropolitan area, to pay a minimum of 70 percent of the previous year's GNI per capita to employees holding the E-7 visa.



This means that E-7 visa holders working for such companies will receive a monthly base salary of around 2.5 million won.



Despite this policy, which will be in effect for the next three years, the subcontractors have urged the government to take more drastic measures so as to allow them to pay non-Korean workers even less. They claim foreign workers can still earn more pay than their Korean peers if they work overtime.



The KEF made the request on behalf of the subcontractors and also demanded a further increase in the quota for E-7 visa holders.



In addition, it asked the government to allow large manufacturers and plant constructors to hire migrant workers holding E-9 visas. Under the current law, the employment of E-9 visa holders is only allowed for manufacturers with less than 300 employees or those possessing less than 8 billion won in capital.



For logistics services companies, the KEF also urged the government to allow the use of foreign workers for categorizing parcels and maintaining vehicles. The current law only allows logistics firms to use foreigners in loading and unloading at logistics centers.



"For Korea to overcome its economic difficulties, the government needs to ease various regulations that have impeded corporate management," said Lim Young-tae, head of KEF's employment policy team.



However, this request has resulted in concerns about the possibility of lower wages forcing foreign shipbuilding workers to work more overtime, instead of having enough downtime.



"The accumulation of fatigue could make migrant workers more vulnerable to the risk of industrial accidents," said Kim Hyun-mee, a professor at Yonsei University Department of Anthropology, who has studied migrant workers.


One of the biggest challenges many of us have is with self-control  the ability to stop yourself from indulging in something you should not, and to proactively do things that are beneficial. These things that are to be avoided or done well can be amoral, like food, exercise, or sleep. These are habits that require discipline to either sustain or keep in moderation, rather than over-indulgence. It can also be related to morality, such as the ability to keep you temper, to resist lying, or to practice a virtue like temperance or integrity.

Discipline is the virtue that allows a person to exercise self-control, which is a fruit of the spirit, and is a subject of the Bible. It is often related to the rearing of children, but more often the Bible refers to a believers ability to be conformed to the image and example of Jesus Christ. It is cultivated through sanctification by the Holy Spirit, and is part of how a Christian has a physically and spiritually healthy life.

What Is Discipline?

According to Merriam-Websters dictionary, when used as a noun, discipline is, control gained by enforcing obedience or order; orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior; self-control. As a verb, it means, to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control; to bring (a group) under control. It can also mean to punish due to rule breaking. In the Bible it has two uses.

There are times  particularly in the wisdom book Proverbs  when discipline is mostly an exercise in well-being. One should have self-control with regards to food, to drink, to avoid lustful behavior, and to take care of important aspects of life. The woman in Proverbs 31, both a representation of a good wife and a metaphor for a wise life, exercises this kind of discipline:

She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle (Proverbs 31:15-19).

In the New Testament, these virtues and exercises in self-control are still important, but the emphasis switches to spiritual discipline. It is the capacity to grow in the fruits of the spirit, and to avoid sin. This concept is most succinctly explained by the Apostle Paul in a letter to the church in Galatia:

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:18-23).

While sin makes it difficult for people to turn away from the works of the flesh and grow more Christ-like, the Holy Spirit helps believers grow in discipline and in the characteristics of Jesus.

Verses about Discipline

Because it is a virtue, discipline is something the Bible frequently mentions, particularly in the wisdom books. Some of these verses include:

Job 5:17 - Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.

Proverbs 12:1 - Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

Proverbs 25:28 - A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Isaiah 1:19 - If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.

Romans 7:18-20 - For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

1 Corinthians 9:27 - But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Galatians 6:1 - Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Ephesians 6:4 - Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 2:15 - Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Titus 1:8 - But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

Hebrews 12:11 - For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

1 Peter 4:7 - The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

Prayer for Discipline

Here is a prayer for Christians who want to grow in discipline.

Holy Father,

Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to help me grow and be sanctified so that I can become more like Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the grace extended to me despite my sin, and for the ability to be changed. Lord, I ask that you help me to become more disciplined. I want to manage my life better, to be more developed in virtues, and to be stronger in my resistance to sin. I know that godly discipline will help me do this, and that through the Holy Spirit, it is possible.

Lord, please give me strength. Help me to be more like Jesus, who exercised discipline in His life on earth. I know the flesh is strong, and that I face temptation every day. I want to lead a life that is pleasing to you. Help me to do so by growing more disciplined in my habits and in my spiritual walk. Help me to read my Bible more, to pray more consistently for my friends and family, and to worship You regularly.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.

Personal discipline is an important part of someones life, whether they are a Christian or not, since it contributes to overall health and well-being. For someone who has put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life and has the Holy Spirit indwelling, they can rely on God to help them grow in discipline in both personal and spiritual matters. As they grow closer to God, the Bible promises they will grow stronger in virtue and more like their Savior.

Sources

Barnett, John Dr., Discipline Yourself for Godliness. Tulsa: DTBM, 2007.

Sterk and Scazzero, Andrea and Peter. Christian Disciplines. Downers Grove: IVP Connect, 1999.

Whitney, Donald. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Carol Stream: NavPress, 2014.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Traitov

Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.
To capitalise on various opportunities in quality control

New Delhi-based Salve Pharmaceuticals, a part of the Salve Group of Companies, has recently unveiled its plans to establish a new manufacturing facility at the Reliance Modern Economic Township (Reliance MET) in Jhajjar, Haryana. The commencement of operations at the new plant is expected in the first quarter of 2024.

The introduction of this plant by Salve Group aims to capitalise on various opportunities in quality control, cost efficiency, flexibility, and innovation for their products.

By establishing this facility, the company will be able to pioneer advancements and experimentation in formulations, ingredients, and technologies, allowing them to maintain a competitive edge and drive product innovation.

Additionally, the new plant will empower Salve Pharmaceuticals to ensure consistent product quality, personalise offerings, and cater to the needs of emerging companies both in India and internationally.

The new plant will be situated within the Reliance MET Industrial Area, which is located in Jhajjar, Haryana. Developed by Reliance Industries Limited, this expansive industrial hub spans over 8,000 acres and provides world-class infrastructure and facilities to diverse industries.
AgriKool, a small agricultural business that connects producers and buyers of agricultural products, is beginning to reap the rewards of its deal with the Shoprite Group, having delivered fresh produce worth over R3m to the retail giant in just over a year.

AgriKool founders Zamokuhle Twala and Palesa Motaung

The Pietermaritzburg-based business solves challenges in the farming value chain, develops small to medium-scale local farmers, and sustains regional food security, by connecting buyers, growers, producers, and transporters of agricultural products. They have also developed an e-marketplace to connect these growers with consumers.

Founded by farmer and agricultural engineer Zamokuhle Thwala in 2018, who co-owns the business with agricultural scientist Palesa Motaung, AgriKool, trading as Gro-Agro, currently works with over 22 farms in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and outlying areas. This ecosystem has created a local economy thats boosted employment within the farming community and food security in the region.

Thwala pounded the pavement in search of retail partners and reached out to Freshmark, the Shoprite Groups fruit and vegetable procurement and distribution division.

It was a true hustle, and it must have made an impression on someone because we got a meeting with Shoprite, explains Motaung.

The Group placed its first order with the small business in December 2021 giving the farming entrepreneurs a much-needed foot in the door to supply formal retail in KwaZulu-Natal.

This deal has helped our business achieve incredible growth in such a short space of time, Motaung continues. And when it comes to compliance, the Group is known for being very strict. They have taught us a lot about retail and how to handle our produce from farm to shelf.

The Group understands the key role we can play in the success of small suppliers like AgriKool through access to our large consumer market to grow their businesses and create much-needed jobs, explains Maude Modise, GM: enterprise & supplier development. We launched Shoprite Next Capital last year specifically to assist small suppliers with compliance, working capital and training to ensure their businesses are commercially viable and sustainable in this tough economic climate."
Rewind to 1976, the year I was born. A different reality. A violently volatile one with a vastly different political climate to the one we face today, yet the similarities are uncanny.

Carl Willoughby, chief creative officer at Hunt Lascaris, says we can all do more to assist young people in the country

The Apartheid regime made very deliberate decisions to rob disadvantaged black students of proper education.

By implementing a curriculum focused on Afrikaner culture and language, they sought to limit critical thinking, instill a sense of inferiority and maintain social and political control over the majority black population.

There were so many other atrocities that Id learn to deal with and accept but as I grew older things eased and with that, I gained access to more opportunities and a different way of being.

I was fortunate.

Not perfect but help make a difference

Today we celebrate and embrace our diversity.

There were very different deliberate decisions made to help the black majority population prosper.

A population inclusive of various previously disadvantaged communities. The abolishment of apartheid and the introduction of BBBee policies mandated a very transformed society in many ways.

Those policies are in my opinion pretty phenomenal.

As far as I can tell we have some of the worlds more developed transformation systems.

Theyre not perfect but in many ways, they help make a difference in correcting the wrongs of the past.

Admittedly we still have a very long way to go.

For some, things havent changed

And when we look at the reality of our more liberated world we cannot help but notice how for many, some things havent changed.

The youth of today might not suffer in the same way the previous generation did but theyre not quite enjoying the fruits of a more progressive education system either.

Our population is made up of roughly 36% youth, thats close to 21 million people, more than a third of the total population and their unemployment rate is 62.1%.

Our future rests in the hands of our youth, across the continent but the numbers signal a more distressing reality.

The majority of our youth fall within one of three categories: uneducated, unemployed, and unemployable.

And what's worse, coming out of Covid, most children entering grade two do not know the alphabet.

Our country is going backward, and a lack of literacy is one of the major causes.

So much potential but we have to do something

It's an extremely sad situation.

Im not an anti-South African; in fact, Im excited about the fact that, I think the country still has so much potential. But we have to do something.

For so many who fought against the apartheid government, the youth of 76, the Hector Pietersens of that time, this is not what they imagined fighting for.

I realised as I climbed through the ranks in the ad world, while also gaining more exposure to the policies of corporate South Africa, that there is work being done to address some of the challenges faced by young people in South Africa.

And, that gives me hope.

From staff training to small enterprise development programmes, Im proud to say were doing good things.

We could do more, everyone can. From sponsoring bursars to absorbing interns were helping shape tomorrow's leaders.

The Blackboard community

Our agency has partnered with the NGO Room 13 a non-profit organisation that uses art and creativity to develop and empower children to become the best that they can be.

In this financial year, our company is funding six students studying in different tertiary institutes across our country.

We also have 27 interns on the Young Disruptors programme, and 30 learners in our learnership programmes, 27 of the learners are people living with disabilities.

The bulk number of our current interns are in our data and insight internship programme, this programme has been running for two years now.

This cutting-edge and innovative programme was launched to specifically address the shortage of quality digital and data talent in the country.

The need for performance marketing, end-to-end measurement, e-commerce, and other solutions saw agencies scrambling to meet demand.

We support the Blackboard community run by Nkanyezi Masango, a programme that helps identify high school kids in townships who dont consider creativity as a career path simply because they dont know it exists.

The initiative strives to change that, one student at a time.

Agencies to help

Our industry has its fair share of issues but it gives me hope that things are happening that help in identifying, shaping, and nurturing tomorrows leaders.

As a recipient of a bursary, I urge all agencies to help tomorrows creatives.

With the numbers stacked against us, those in power can make a difference, from our industry to our clients in corporate.

A rising unemployment rate is no good for anyone in South Africa.

Heres to tomorrows leaders, heres to our youth. Happy Youth Month.
Attention is often described as the new currency in marketing, but it's a complex currency to master and deal in - understanding the different facets of attention and how best to maximise on them in your creative campaigns can be tricky. Orlando Wood, chief innovation officer at System1 Group has been doing just this. In partnership with Joe Public, Wood will be sharing his insights virtually at Nedbank Integrated Marketing Council (IMC) Conference on 15 September.

Orlando Wood, chief innovation officer at System1 Group

Laurent Marty, group chief strategic officer at Joe Public will facilitate a question-and-answer session with Wood following his virtual presentation. Marty, a leading strategist with more than 20 years experience, has worked on both sides of the creativity coin  as client, and as agency. This has honed his ability of dual thinking: on the one side considering strategic implications beyond the remit of advertising; on the other, acting as a rational advocate for creativity and right-brain thinking among clients.

Woods unique blend of neuroscience, cultural history and advertising research experience has led him to authoring groundbreaking publications that examine two different types of attention: Right-brained broad-beam attention, and left-brained narrow-beam attention. Each one has different implications that play out in creative messages.

Within this years conference theme of UpClose&Personal, Wood will delve into the challenges of a technology-driven advertising world that has narrowed consumer attention and jeopardised our sense of emotional connection with each other. Hell explain just how we can regain this connection by focusing on building brands that capture the broad-beam attention of consumers, and sync with the emotional, curious and exuberant nature of people.

Wood says: Memorable brand building must capture the broad-beam attention of our audiences. Its important for marketers to understand the intent of their creative messaging and to shift our focus accordingly.

As well as his role as System1 Groups chief innovation officer, Wood has authored the best-selling and widely acclaimed books, Lemon and Look out. Additionally, he is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), having led the organisations Creativity and Effectiveness research from 2017 to 2020. In 2022, Wood co-presented the notion of 'triple jeopardy' at The Cannes Lions Festival, describing the three threats to advertising effectiveness, and has just recently returned from the Cannes Lions 70th International Festival of Creativity where he presented the fascinating 'Triple Opportunity of Attention' on how to optimise media and capture attention with a capital A.

Dale Hefer, Nedbank IMC CEO says: Orlandos award-winning work continues to influence thinking and practice in research, marketing and advertising, and will doubtless have a strong impact on Nedbank IMC conference-goers. The Q&A also promises to provide great insights for African marketers and creatives.

Make sure that you are one of them. But hurry though, tickets for the one-day Nedbank IMC, which will take place in person at Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg on the 15 September 2023, are almost sold out. The good news is that an online option is also available.







For more:

As media partner to the Creative Circle SA, were proud to publish exclusive daily snapshot updates from Cannes. Dont miss the first Diary of Creative Circle at Cannes from the SA cohort on the ground in Cannes, every day from 19-24 June! Also Book Now for The Full Circle event, brought to you by the Creative Circle - an inspiring showcase of the top trends, insights and award winning work from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
For over 20 years, the digital advertising industry has relied on the use of third-party cookies to target internet users, specifically for retargeting purposes. However, as the 'cookieless world' fast approaches, digital players will have little choice but to adapt their strategies to focus on combined contextual and user targeting.

So, how exactly is Invibes able to continue targeting users after the end of third-party cookies?

Where third-party cookies have been the backbone of the programmatic industry, Invibes has been focusing on contextual information to display in-feed ads since our launch in 2013. This data has been one of several different sources of information that Invibes uses to target campaigns. As our ad formats sit within high-quality articles, it has always been important to guarantee that we display our clients content in relevant contexts with appropriate audiences.

Owing to the fundamental strategy that was implemented at the company's inception, Invibes has always sought technological independence. This is why were able to integrate the full campaign flow between clients (advertisers and agencies) and publishers without depending on any external technology or by positioning ourselves solely in the IAB programmatic ecosystem.

As a result, two years ago, Invibes started working on two new major innovations around user data:

Invibes ID Network



Invibes Data Cloud

The Invibes ID Network is the result of setting up millions of Invibes identifiers thanks to first-party cookies (that do and will continue to exist).

So, how does the Invibes ID Network actually work? Well, the network is created by obtaining the hashed emails of our publishers partners and linking them to an Invibes Identifier for each specific user, made possible by direct partnerships with the publishers. Each time two hashed emails are similar, we link them to the same unique user identifier. This allows Invibes to target the user (provided consent has been given) among different devices, domains, and browsers, providing the same advantages that GAFA players have with their user logs.

Alongside the Invibes ID Network, Invibes has also launched the Invibes Data Cloud. Invibes Data Cloud regroups various types of data (socio-demographic, purchase history, etc.) from data partners who own declarative data from their clients, and with whom Invibes has signed a data agreement. These partners also provide hashed emails from the user (again, only with consent) so that Invibes is able to make the link between data received and our identifiers within the ID Network.

The ID Network allows Invibes to target an internet user based on the declarative data coming from their accounts such as mobile subscriptions, ecommerce companies, and so on. This form of data collection is also GDPR compliant because it can only be gathered with full user consent. The combined Invibes ID Network and Invibes Data cloud also feeds into Invibes intelligent, multilevel targeting solution, which allows advertisers to target creatively beyond the realms standard demographics like age, gender and interests. Additionally, the network enables us to work more closely with our clients to provide data insights and attribution for campaigns.

Harnessing hashed emails with the Invibes ID Network and Invibes Data Cloud enables more accurate targeting that benefits not only advertisers, but publishers too. The use of hashed emails will be key for publishers in particular after the final demise of the third-party cookie. Rather than solely relying on contextual data, publishers will have the opportunity to increase their revenue uptake by providing a fuller targeting picture to advertisers. Invibes has already signed with several major publishers to obtain hashed emails, along with numerous data partners from within the e-commerce industry.

The Invibes ID Network and Invibes Data Cloud have been live and running for over a year, with current results being very encouraging and exceeding market benchmarks. Looking to the future, we aim to scale this strategy and continue to develop our solutions including the ID Network and Data Cloud as technology evolves  so, watch this space!

Want more information on these innovations? Get in touch.




Techsys Digital, a leading digital marketing agency in South Africa, and Takealot, the country's leading online retailer, are thrilled to announce securing 12 finalists in the prestigious Bookmarks Awards for 2023. This places Techsys Digital among the top 10 agencies and Takealot among the top 5 brands by the number of finalists for this year's awards.

Takealot's innovative campaigns have been recognised in multiple categories, showcasing their commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital marketing. The three campaigns entered include:

Retail Therapy - The AI Powered WhatsApp Retail Therapist



- The AI Powered WhatsApp Retail Therapist #Unwrapalot - A TikTok live shopping filter that makes Black Friday feel more like play than pay



- A TikTok live shopping filter that makes Black Friday feel more like play than pay #ShopLive - The Interactive Livestream Instagram Bot

These campaigns have been shortlisted as finalists in the following categories:

Platform Innovation, Social Media Innovation, Innovative Use of Media, Channel Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, and Excellence in Craft: Software, Coding & Tech Innovation.

Andrew Walmsley, founder of Techsys Digital, expressed his delight, saying, "We are very happy with what we've managed to achieve in collaboration with the talented team at Takealot."

Karla Levick, head of brand and communications at Takealot, added, We are incredibly proud to secure 12 finalists in the Bookmark Awards. These campaigns are testament to our innovative spirit and our drive to keep pushing boundaries.

In addition to their exceptional collaboration with Takealot, Techsys Digital has also been recognised for their collaborative work with other agencies:

Digify Africa with "The DigiBot - Solving Education In Africa One WhatsApp At A Time" - in the Public Service & NPO Platforms and Platform Innovation categories.



with "The DigiBot - Solving Education In Africa One WhatsApp At A Time" - in the Public Service & NPO Platforms and Platform Innovation categories. Kilmer & Cruise with the "Hill's Pet Matchmaker App" - in the Mobile Applications, Excellence in Craft: Interface Design, and Excellence in Craft: UX categories.

The Bookmarks Awards show will take place on 27 July 2023 at the Vodacom Dome, Vodaworld. This event promises to be a celebration of exceptional digital marketing campaigns, recognising outstanding creativity, innovation, and effectiveness in the industry.

About Takealot:

Takealot is the largest online retailer in South Africa, offering a wide range of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home appliances, and more. With a customer-centric approach, Takealot strives to provide a seamless online shopping experience and exceptional service. Their commitment to innovation and creativity sets them apart in the ecommerce industry.

About Techsys Digital:

Techsys Digital is a leading digital marketing agency based in South Africa. With a team of creative and strategic experts, they provide innovative solutions to help businesses thrive in the digital landscape. Their services include web design and development, digital advertising, social media marketing, and more. Techsys Digital has a proven track record of delivering outstanding results and exceeding client expectations.

Contact: Techsys Digital

Email: info@techsys.co.za

Phone: +27 21 788 6896
Kim Jung-hee, fifth from left, deputy minister for food policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, poses with ministry officials at Incheon Port, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs



By Lee Kyung-min



Korea has exported 10 cattle for the production of "hanwoo," or Korean beef, to Malaysia, a deal closed after months of government efforts to ensure the safe and close management of livestock despite the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease here in May, the agriculture ministry said Thursday.



Malaysia approved the import of the cattle on June 19, as impressed by Korea's speedy and thorough disease control response and the transparency of the country's agriculture and livestock infection authorities. The export of halal-certified premium beef-producing livestock will boost the country's share in the $1.9 billion halal market.



High-ranking ministry officials attended a ceremony to celebrate the first shipment of 10 hanwoo cattle to Malaysia at Incheon Port.



"I visited Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security YB Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu, in person, May 12, to help our Southeast Asian peer understand how Korea has been and will continue to be thorough in livestock disease control. I also stressed that the cattle prepared for export were safely managed," Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Chung Hwang-keun told The Korea Times.



Korea reported the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at farms in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, May 10, and had since kept the Malaysian authorities updated over the development of any spread and Korea's response measures. May's outbreak came four years and four months after the last one, shortly before the export shipment planned for June. The deal came close to being scrapped altogether.



"Ministry officials and I have communicated closely and frequently with our Malaysian counterparts to help them remain assured that Korean beef is safe. First, they were concerned. But we shared all records of hanwoo manufacturing, dispelling their fears and winning their trust," he said.



Malaysia allowed the import of three cows on June 8, on a trial basis. It then fully granted import after no irregularities were reported in the three.



Korea's approach was met with a thank-you letter whereby the Malaysian government expressed gratitude for the Korean government's information sharing, the ministry said. The two reiterated their commitment to fortifying bilateral cooperation.



The livestock will be used to introduce new hanwoo dishes at fine dining hotels and restaurants. Tasting events will be held to showcase Korean beef to Malaysian consumers who are not familiar with it.



Korea exports hanwoo cattle to four countries, including Hong Kong, Macao and Cambodia.



Korea registered $8.8 billion in exports of agricultural and livestock products last year. The all-time-high figure was a gradual increase from $6.9 billion in 2018.


Smiso Nkosi, a manager in the UIF Commissioner's office, told journalists that forensic auditors of the UIF are continuing to audit companies in the province as well as around the country to ensure that the correct amounts of Covid-19 Ters monies were paid over to workers at the right time.

Source: Pixabay.

Thus far, he said R17.5bn from the R64bn paid to date through Covid-19 Ters was audited and verified as correct payments. However, the audits also discovered instances of fraud, for example where employers applied for ghost employees, applications with inflated salaries, applications for terminated employees and applications by companies that were essential services who did not qualify because they were permitted to operate during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Nkosi said measures are being implemented to deal with employers who refused to co-operate with follow the money auditors. These include:

Referral to the Special Investigating Unit and Directorate for priority crime investigation (Hawks) for criminal investigation;

Refunding of all Covid-19 Ters funds;

Blocking employers from the UIFs service offerings; and

Blacklisting employers from doing business with the UIF.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority has been helping us to attach and sell off assets that are proceeds of crime, to recover money that was stolen from the UIF, he said.

Cracking down on fraud

Bernice Matlhako, from the UIFs Risk and Fraud Unit in North West province, revealed that more than 20 suspects had been arrested through joint investigations for Covid-19 Ters-related fraud. The matters are all still before the courts.

According to Matlhako, the UIF is taking disciplinary action against officials who are implicated in fraud cases as well as those who are alleged to be soliciting bribes from clients to expedite claims at labour centres in the province.To date, she said, two officials were dismissed, while another two are on suspension.

A further five officials are currently undergoing disciplinary hearings.We have a no-tolerance approach when it comes to fraud and corruption at the UIF and this is evident in how we deal with such matters, Matlhako stressed.

Meanwhile, Since March 2020, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has disbursed a total of R2.1bn to 457,546 workers in the North West province through the Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme, also known as Covid Ters.

R601m allocated to normal benefits

In a statement on Wednesday, 28 June, the Department of Employment and Labour said the UIF also paid out a separate amount of R601m to 139,629 workers and their beneficiaries as normal benefits related to either unemployment, maternity, illness or death over the 2022/23 financial year.

These details were revealed on Tuesday during a media briefing hosted by the UIF in Klerksdorp.Speaking at the briefing, UIF provincial support director, Allan Ragavaloo, said the R2.1bn disbursed to workers in the North West province arose from 6,963 Covid-19 Ters applications the UIF received from employers.

The top 10 sectors that received the lions share of the R2.1bn are mining, personal services, trade, construction, banking, professional services, iron, agriculture, educational, and charities.

To date, Ragavaloo said, R64bn has been paid out to at least five million workers nationally through Covid-19 Ters.
Adclick Media, a division of Adclick Africa , is excited to announce its new media sales partnership with Admazing, a leading platform that enables marketers to maximise their Return on Investment (ROI) for mobile marketing campaigns. This strategic collaboration aims to leverage Admazing's capabilities to reach high-quality audiences with compelling creatives, ultimately driving impactful results for brands.

South Africa's growing smartphone penetration

South Africa has witnessed a remarkable increase in smartphone penetration over the years. According to the ICASA 2020 State of the ICT Sector report, the country's smartphone penetration rate surged to 91.2% in 2019, up from 81.7% in 2018. This widespread smartphone access presents a significant opportunity for brands to engage with consumers on mobile platforms.

Maximising ROI with Admazing

Admazing empowers marketers to elevate their visual storytelling and drive results by optimising the quality of their creatives, with a strong focus on engagement. With content that undergoes meticulous supervision, curation, and approval by industry giants Apple and Google, advertisers can be confident in delivering a seamless and impactful user experience to their target audience.

Exceptional viewability and undivided Attention

One of Admazing's key strengths lies in its exceptional viewability, as evidenced by MOAT's certification of 95.4% viewability in full-screen mode. This high viewability ensures that brands have a maximum impact when engaging with users, capturing their undivided attention. Studies have shown that an overwhelming 92% of mobile gamers do not multitask while playing, providing an ideal opportunity for brands to deliver their message effectively.

Global reach and diverse audiences

Furthermore, Admazing boasts an impressive reach, with over 2 billion active users across over 175 countries. This global presence enables brands to extend their reach beyond borders and connect with diverse audiences worldwide.

A powerful partnership for enhanced mobile marketing

The partnership between Adclick Media and Admazing brings together the expertise and resources of two leading entities in the mobile marketing industry. By leveraging Admazing's capabilities and global reach, Adclick Media aims to provide its clients with enhanced opportunities to connect with their target audiences, maximise their ROI, and drive measurable results.

"We are thrilled to join forces with Admazing," said Velly Bosega, CEO of Adclick Africa.

"This partnership will enable us to deliver even more impactful and engaging digital marketing campaigns for our clients, leveraging Admazing's cutting-edge technology and reach. We are excited about the possibilities this collaboration holds and the value it will bring to the market."

About Admazing

Admazing is a leading platform that enables marketers to maximise their ROI for mobile marketing campaigns. With a focus on high-quality audiences and compelling creatives, Admazing enhances the impact and engagement of mobile advertising for brands.

About Adclick Media

Adclick Media is a division of Adclick Africa, specialising in media sales and advertising solutions. Adclick Media has a deep understanding of the African media market and the strategies needed to deliver successful campaigns with extensive experience in bringing innovative and groundbreaking ad tech solutions to South Africa.

Adclick Media previously partnered with Teads.tv for over 9 years to launch the In-read video ad format in South Africa and also worked with Zedo to introduce high-impact ad formats across its publisher network in Africa.

Adclick Media helps brands connect with their target audiences effectively through innovative media strategies and is committed to bringing evolving ad tech solutions to the industry.

Click here for more information about Adclick Media and Admazing.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, right, and General Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, visit the Joint Headquarters of the Russian armed forces involved in military operations in Ukraine, in this Dec. 17, 2022 photo. Reuters-Yonhap



General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russia's military operations in Ukraine, was sympathetic to mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's weekend rebellion, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, though it was unclear if he actively supported it.



Prigozhin startled the world by leading an armed revolt on Saturday that brought his Wagner Group fighters from the Ukrainian border to within 200 kilometers (125 miles) of Moscow before he abruptly called off the uprising.



Three officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Surovikin had been in support of Prigozhin but Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped the rebellion in any way.



As the rebellion began, Surovikin publicly urged fighters of the Wagner private militia to give up their opposition to the military leadership and return to their bases.



"I urge you to stop," Surovikin had said in a video posted on Telegram messaging app, his right hand resting on a rifle.



The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Surovikin had advance knowledge that Prigozhin was planning a rebellion.



The Kremlin, asked on Wednesday about the report, said there would be "a lot of speculation" in the aftermath of the events.



Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, is a veteran of wars in Chechnya and Syria who has been decorated by President Vladimir Putin.





General Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, visits the Joint Headquarters of the Russian armed forces involved in military operations in Ukraine, in this Dec. 17, 2022 photo. Reuters-Yonhap
Observers have drawn a number of conclusions based on a recent series of visits to the site of the Nord Stream pipeline rupture via drone. Theres just one problem: all of them seemed to have missed the location of the explosions.

After a recent underwater expedition, The Grayzone can now reveal where they went wrong, and what the real blast sites tell us about the worst act of eco-terrorism in history.

On September 26, 2022 and 3 minutes past midnight UTC, a magnitude 1.8 seismic wave struck the Baltic Sea. Finnish and Norwegian researchers placed the epicenter just southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. 17 hours later, another 2.3 magnitude event occurred. The Swiss-based operator of the Nord Stream pipelines, which once fed huge quantities of Russian natural gas to Germany, reported a sudden drop in pressure from 105 to 7 bar in one of Nord Stream 2s two offshore lines.

Overhead, aircraft filmed as an estimated 75,000  230,000 tons of methane bubbled up from the Baltic. Earthquake researchers said the force of the man-made blast was equivalent to 700 kg of TNT.

But what if the seismic readings they observed were not a result of the explosion itself, but rather, the subsequent force of the pipeline rapidly depressurizing?

Nine months later, several European countries have conducted investigations of the attack. But none have released their findings, and the question of who ordered the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines remains the subject of intense public debate.

In an effort to shed light on the episode, the Grayzone has obtained never-before-seen footage from the scene of the crime.

The Grayzone acquired the underwater images and footage from Erik Andersson, a Swedish engineer who led an expedition to the Nordstream blast sites. This visual evidence refutes the widely-held theory that hundreds of kilograms of explosive materials were used to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines last September.

Experts consulted by the Grayzone say the footage indicates that the bulk of the damage suffered by the pipelines was not a result of the explosions themselves, but from the rapid release of extremely high pressure. For the first time, The Grayzone is releasing these images, which enable observers to ascertain the positioning, size, and type of charge used in the blast.

A highly pressurized blast

Efforts to identify the perpetrators of the Nord Stream attack have been hampered by a lack of first-hand evidence. Well over a month went by after the explosion before the first journalistic expedition was made to the site. In November 2022, an underwater rover operated by a Norwegian company called Blueye obtained the first publicly-available images of the site, from which a number of conclusions have been drawn. While the footage clearly showed the wrecked pipeline, new recordings acquired by Grayzone suggest the Blueye crew failed to document the scene of the blast itself.

Subsequent trips to the scene by underwater drones have replicated this failure, leading Western media outlets to draw a number of rapid conclusions that do not seem to hold up to scrutiny.

This June, Denmarks TV2 became the latest to weigh in, citing a French military expert in underwater ordnance who reportedly told the French outlet, Liberation, that the deformities on the pipeline look like something from a directional blast.

As early as March, after the first underwater images from BlueEye, Chuck Pfarrer, a U.S. Navy SEAL and squadron leader of SEAL Team Six, advanced the theory that the perpetrators used shaped charges made in advance by a state actor and attached to the pipelines from a submarine.

But Michael Kobs, an open source investigator with an engineering background, disagreed with Pfarrers conclusions. Kobs argued on Twitter that because insulation material was preserved along the straight edges, no cutting charge (molten metal at high speed) could have penetrated the underlying steel where the insulation overlapped the edge of the steel, and no trace of heat exposure was visible. Kobs maintains that the fractures visible in the BlueEye video were instead the result of mechanical tension and the rapid decompression of the immensely pressurized pipes.

Erik Andersson, who led the expedition to all four blast sites this May, agrees with Kobs conclusions. Both experts concluded that none of the BlueEye Robotics videos showed the actual damage from the blasts. Instead, they became convinced that the actual bombings took place roughly in the middle of the approximately 250 meter sections of completely destroyed pipeline. As a direct result, the extreme overpressure tore the pipeline apart segment by segment, with the massive force sending the multi-ton pipe segments tumbling dozens of meters through the water.

The Grayzones new footage also appears to contradict both previous Western media claims that hundreds of kilograms of explosives were used, as well as the more recent proposal that the scheme could have been carried out using only a few kilograms of shaped charges.

As Kobs explains, the seismic event appeared to be caused entirely by the sudden expansion of the gas, rather than the detonation of the charges, as the actual explosions likely left no trace in the seismic data.

So what conclusions can be drawn from the new data?

Understanding the placement and size of the explosive charges

Andersson and Kobs say they have come to believe that the attacks perpetrators meant to place a bomb on each of the four pipeline strands.

This theory raises a question, though: why was the A string of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline blown up twice, 72 kilometers and 17 hours apart, while the B string of the same pipeline was left unharmed?

One possible explanation is the presence of massive power cables lying on the seabed near the site of the blast, which distort the Earths magnetic field so heavily that a compass can give false readings of up to 180, a phenomenon Andersson observed at the scene.

Regardless, the 17-hour staggered explosions on the same A-string of Nord Stream 2 ensured that the pipe was under little or no pressure during the second explosion. This means the site effectively functions as a scientific control, as it is the only location at which an observer can see the damage caused by explosives alone  as opposed to the other breaks, where the pipe was seemingly deformed by the massive change in pressure.

Investigators called this spot on the depressurized pipeline NS2SA, meaning Nord Stream 2  Swedish economic zone  String-A.

Video recording with the underwater drone proved difficult. The nearby magnetic field created serious interference with the compass, causing orientation difficulties. And the fact that the pipeline was submerged in light mud up to more than half its height meant that every movement of the drone raises a cloud of silt that made visibility difficult and at times impossible.

Kobs mapped the camera images and used the movement of the camera to generate anaglyph 3D images from two slightly different perspectives. This unusual method requires the red/blue glasses familiar to childrens magazines to view the images with a 3D effect. Researchers can turn images which are mapped this way into 3D models so that explosives experts can recreate them more easily.

The destruction shows some revealing peculiarities. According to Kobs, the rough portrait painted by the model makes it appear as though a giant wrecking ball has hit the side of the pipeline. The concrete is destroyed over a distance of 2.5 meters symmetrically to the connection of two pipe segments, which is known as a field joint, he explains.

Visual analysis shows that the steel pipe has been pushed 30-40 cm inward and broken open. Of particular interest, he says, is the fact that the reinforcing steel has been sheared off at the level of the seabed.

This seabed is now in a crater caused by explosion and later by water and mud being sucked into the pipe, Kobs notes. One can conclude from this damage that close under the mud the concrete is still preserved or was destroyed in a delayed way and thus the reinforcing steel was sheared over the edge thus created and pressed against the pipe, a phenomenon which he says could have three major causes.

First, the explosive charges seem to have been buried in the mud at the level of the crater floor, a proposition echoed by several specialists. Second, the pipeline appears to rest on a firmer layer of soil, which may have partly protected the underside from destruction. And the third component at play was most likely the shape of the charge.

A final notable feature of the damage is the rectangular outer layer of metal that originally wrapped around a joint between the pipe segments, which was punched out by the pressure of the shock wave. This section, specifically, gives us our closest look yet at how the blasts were carried out, as the outer limits of the uncoiled metal layer indicate the precise angle at which the shock wave hit the plate.

Kobs and Andersson see these data points as signs that a bulk charge was sunk into the ground next to the pipeline at the connection between two pipe segments, which would be the structures weakest point. If fully submerged, the explosive charge would be practically invisible to observers.

Erik Andersson estimated an amount of 60kg of TNT would be needed for such destruction. After numerous discussions with explosives experts, this figure had to be corrected downward only slightly, so that we have to assume a quantity of 50kg TNT or 40kg HMX. Furthermore, it must be reasonably assumed that the same method was used for all explosions.

If we disregard the chain reaction caused by the overpressure at all the other crime scenes, the scale of destruction certainly seems calculated but by no means exaggerated, Kobs says. So these were no amateurs at work.

Still unknown, however, is what firing mechanism was used. While a timed fuse could theoretically have been used, there are a handful of reasons the perpetrators would be unlikely to employ such a device  most notably, once a timer is set, the only way to stop it is to return to the scene of the crime.

Given that the charges were placed just 80 meters below the waves in one of the most highly-guarded bodies of water in the world, this possibility seems rather remote.

Official cover-ups and suspicious storylines

A joint letter from Sweden and Denmark to the UN Security Council on September 29, 2022, described at least two detonations and stated that the earthquake corresponded to several hundred kilograms of explosives. NATO promised a firm response to what it declared an intentional act of sabotage. Russia demanded investigations, but instead of an international commission of inquiry with Russian participation, Germany, Denmark and Sweden began their own investigations, but prevented the pipelines operator, Gazprom, from surveying the damage.

Though Sweden collected evidence from the seabed, it has so far refused to share the results of the investigation with other states, citing national security. The German government blocked a request for clarification on the blasts by a legislator, claiming it is in the public interest not to divulge information which originated with a foreign intelligence service.

This March, U.S. President Biden and German Chancellor Scholz met behind closed doors. In the following three days, the New York Times and several German outlets published reports claiming the perpetrators were most likely a pro-Ukrainian group using a chartered sailboat, citing anonymous US intelligence sources.

After months of accusations by Western states that Russia carried out the attack against itself, the narrative about Russian ghost ships began to crumble. On May 21, the Swedish paper, Expressen, wrote that the Russian ships have been able to be excluded from the investigation because their positions have been mapped and the conclusion must be that they have not been in such a place that they could have carried out the deed.

Several days later, the Washington Post reported that none of evidence available pointed to Russias involvement.

By this point, German investigators had floated a new narrative through selected outlets to explain the attacks. According to the storyline, a six-member team of pro-Ukrainian nationalists chartered a sailing yacht called Andromeda to blow up the Nordstream pipelines on former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenkos birthday.

Somehow, the small team was able to fit heavy oxygen tanks, adequate gear, and explosives onto the 15 meter-long sailboat and conduct the operation without the help of a decompression chamber. And they were able to carry at least 40 to 50 kg, or about 100 pounds, of explosives to the pipelines by themselves.

German investigators claimed to have tracked down the Andromeda months after the attacks and found not only traces of HMX explosives, but also forged passports. Who tipped the investigators off about the yacht remains unclear.

The story of the six pro-Ukrainian divers took a surprising turn with the release of the so-called Discord Files, those top-secret documents distributed by jailed Air Force intelligence leaker Jack Teixera to a select group of friends on a Discord chat group. Following Teixeras arrest, the Washington Post was granted exclusive access to the files.

In a June 7 article, the Washington Post cited intelligence gleaned from the Discord Files to assert that the Ukrainian military had secretly orchestrated the Nord Stream sabotage. All those involved reported directly to Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraines highest-ranking military officer, the Post claimed, who was put in charge so that the nations president, Volodymyr Zelensky, wouldnt know about the operation, the intelligence report said.

The papers reference to Zaluzhny being put in charge of the operation raises the obvious question of who, or what, placed Ukraines commander-in-chief in control of such a dangerous mission without Zelenskys knowledge. Could it have been a three letter agency of one of Ukraines patrons, like the US or UK? Subsequent Western media coverage has largely declined to address the issue.

According to the latest narrative advanced by anonymous American intelligence officials in outlets like the Washington Post and the New York Times, the US directly warned Ukraine not to attack Nord Stream in the months before the attack. German officials say they believe Ukraine went ahead with the mission anyway after changing a handful of details of their plan  changes which supposedly explain why the CIAs supposed warning failed to stop the attack.

But following the alleged publication of leaker Jack Teixera, nothing has surfaced to support the hypothesis that the CIA intervened to prevent the plot from being carried out. And with Teixera held incommunicado, no one with direct knowledge of the documents is available to contradict publications like the Washington Post.

There are other holes in the Andromeda narrative which mainstream commentators have so far declined to address.

The case of the disappearing diver

Perhaps the most notable of the issues surrounding the Andromeda storyline is the complete disappearance of one of the supposed divers from the internet between 2017 and 2022. According to Swedens Expressen, since 2017, we have not been able to trace any posts or pictures of the man, nor among his relatives.

Despite the complete absence of a digit footprint, the suspects picture was used by an account set up just one month after the Nord Stream explosions. This account belongs to a simple Russian-language Stay-Friends-like website that was launched as recently as August 2022.

The Grayzone found that nearly all accounts created on this website were never visited again after their initial creation. This means the digital user IDs, which are automatically assigned when an account is created, follow the same chronology as the last visited timestamps in 95% of all the accounts.

The question therefore lingers: did the alleged Nord Stream diver want to make new friends on a Russian-language social media site, or was someone using a missing persons identity to create a false trail of digital breadcrumbs?

As Kobs put it, given that the apparent purpose of this web page is to get in touch with friends, it makes no sense to create an account and never visit it again.

If he had visited it, then his last visit date would drop out of the chronology of automatically assigned user-IDs. However, these last visit dates match the chronology of the user-IDs for almost all accounts.

To me, this is an indication that a lot of fake personas have been created here, for whatever purpose. But when the photo of an alleged Nord Stream diver shows up here one month after the blast, it smells a lot like an artificially created trail, Kobs noted, adding: I think it would certainly be worth looking right here for the images of the other divers as well.
The top items on the agenda for the Annual Meeting of the New Champions includes  unsurprisingly for those who are familiar with Davos  the climate hoax and central bank digital currencies, two issues that the WEF and its enablers are leveraging in an attempt to transfer more power to the Western and Eastern ruling classes.

Summer Davos is essentially the Chinese state-sponsored version of the WEFs annual Winter confab in Davos, which features leaders of the Western ruling class. The WEF and its backers have taken great strides to cozy up to the CCP, believing Xi Jinpings China to be the future global hegemon.

To catch up to speed on Summer Davos, read The Dossiers primers on the event:

World Economic Forum announces Summer Davos is coming to China

Here are the major highlights from days one and two:

WEF leader Klaus Schwab praises Chinas brutal lockdowns.

New Zealands new prime minister cozies up to Klaus Schwab and the CCP, via Rebel News. The Five Eyes intelligence sharing partner nation PM later described his meeting with Xi as warm and constructive.

Cornell University professor Eswar Prasad said that we are at the cusp of physical currency essentially disappearing, and that programmable money is the future.

Chinas leaders declared Beijing a champion of mitigating the climate hoax, despite China being the worlds biggest polluter.

In several panels, the WEF agenda items highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in developing a centrally controlled financial system, one that leverages the private sector engine to develop new technologies, but hands ultimate control of these applications over to the ruling classes. A notable co-chair of the event is the BlackRock-controlled Jeremy Allaire, whose company manages the USDC digital stablecoin. During his panel, Allaire pitched the idea of his centralized asset being the ideal platform for a public-private CBDC.

The day one agenda focused mostly on the climate hoax. Day two moved to the global financial system and central bank digital currencies. The day three agenda covers similar topics.

We will cover the last day of Summer Davos at The Dossier in full on Thursday.
This Substack previously reported on the illicit Bill Gates mosquito eugenics program:

HORROR SHOW: Genetically modified mosquitoes vaccinate a human Since the One World Governments vaccine con is essentially up, with bivalent DEATHVAX uptake currently at around 1.5%, the technocommunist sociopaths have realized that the best way to continue their eugenics program is by stealth. Enter the genetically modified mosquito which has been expressly created to more effectively genetically modify humans;  And now we have the latest in Statism bioterrorism with the latest mass induced fear campaign involving malaria:

We know that Bill Gates has been releasing his genetically modified frankenmosquitos in Florida for years now. We may extrapolate that said frankenmosquitos may now be spreading across the United States, infecting Texans as well as Floridians.

Imagine that.

Malaria has been spread by mosquitos locally in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years, per a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alert issued Monday. Driving the news: Four people in Sarasota County, Florida, and a person in Cameron County, Texas, contracted the potentially deadly disease over a period from late May to late June through local transmission, according to the CDC. "All patients have received treatment and are improving," per a CDC statement. The Florida Department of Health in a statement Monday urged residents throughout the state to "take precautions by applying bug spray, avoiding areas with high mosquito populations, and wearing long pants and shirts when possible  especially during sunrise and sunset when mosquitos are most active." The big picture: Some 2,000 malaria cases are typically diagnosed in the U.S. every year, but the CDC noted these infections were contracted in other countries.

Yet again, the Center for Disease Crimes is involved in this fear operation.

Perhaps these malaria cases are more akin to DEATHVAX-induced VAIDS than they are to the legacy disease that has been all but eradicated in the West.

Of course, here is the endgame punchline:

Is there a vaccine? There is no completely effective malaria vaccine. But the WHO now recommends a malaria vaccine for children at risk. The approval comes after an ongoing pilot program launched in 2019 in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, in which nearly 1.5 million children received a first dose.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are now in clinical development. Progress has lagged due to several obstacles, including the "lack of a traditional market, few developers and the technical complexity of developing any vaccine against a parasite," per the CDC. Source.

Just like for PSYOP-19 there is no completely effective malaria vaccine, but hey, give your kids a vaccine anyhow! And rest assured that of the dozen vaccine candidates an especially nasty slow kill bioweapon mRNA vaccine will be rolled out shortly; that is, after many more cases of VAIDS malaria.

And all those surging turbo cancers? An mRNA vaccine solution is also in the works.

The One World Government has only just begun their technocratic Great Reset depopulation program. PSYOP-19 was merely their opening salvo.

We have only just begun

BUT guess what? Ivermectin is not just a wonder drug when it comes to PSYOP-19. Ivermectin may also be an effective cure for malaria, turbo cancers, etc.:

Ivermectin has been found to have a direct effect on the liver stages of the malaria parasite, making it a potential tool for malaria control. Studies have shown that ivermectin can reduce the lifespan of mosquitoes feeding on a bloodmeal containing ivermectin, making them less likely to live long enough to complete sporogony and become infectious. Increasing the frequency of ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) in onchocerciasis-endemic regions may reduce the burden of both malaria and onchocerciasis, and allow for more entomological investigations on both the Anopheles mosquitoes and the blackflies. Ivermectin is widely used in mass drug administrations for controlling neglected parasitic diseases and can be lethal to malaria vectors that bite treated humans. Trials in Burkina Faso showed that ivermectin reduced transmission rates by making the blood of people who were repeatedly vaccinated lethal to mosquitoes and killing plasmodium falciparum, the malaria parasite carried by female mosquitoes, when administered to humans.  Brave AI summarizer

Some additional research:

Advancing the repurposing of ivermectin for malaria

New Evidence Supports the Use of Ivermectin as a Tool for Malaria Elimination

Ivermectin as a novel complementary malaria control tool to reduce incidence and prevalence: a modelling study

What a coincidence that the Nobel Prize winning drug could also treat the latest malaria outbreaks

Thankfully, your beloved cats, dogs, cattle, sheep, horses and swine can withstand these frankenmosquito payloads with the truly safe and exceedingly effective administration of PetMectin.

Do NOT comply.
The Moscow Times Russian-language service and a military blogger reported Surovikins arrest over links to the Wagner mercenary force uprising.

Russian authorities have reportedly detained General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russias military operations in Ukraine, amid a reported purge of military officials following the short-lived rebellion by Wagner mercenary forces, according to sources cited by the Moscow Times newspaper and a Russian military blogger.

Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, is a veteran of Russias wars in Chechnya and Syria who has been decorated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Citing two sources close to Russias Defence Ministry, the Russian-language service of The Moscow Times reported on Wednesday that Surovikin was arrested due to what one of the unnamed sources said was choosing Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhins side during the uprising.

A Russian military blogger, Vladimir Romanov, also reported Surovikins arrest on Wednesday, according to the Moscow Times, while the Washington, DC-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported another Russian source as claiming that military affiliates of Surovikin had been accused of complicity in the rebellion.

Russias Defence Ministry has yet to comment on the reports of Surovikins detention, the newspaper said.

The ISW reported on Wednesday that a prominent Russian military blogging site had claimed that a large-scale purge of the Russian military command was under way following the attempt by Wagner forces to enter Moscow and apprehend the countrys senior military leaders.

US politics, Canadas multiculturalism, South Americas geopolitical risewe bring you the stories that matter.

Russias Ministry of Defence is undergoing what Rybar, a pro-Kremlin military analysis channel on Telegram, described as a crash test for loyalty amid apparent indecisiveness by some in the Russian military command when it came to crushing the Wagner mutiny and their support for the private mercenary force, the ISW reported.

Rybar said the uprising by the Wagner force had become a pretext for a massive purge in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces.

If Russian authorities did arrest Surovikin then the Kremlin will likely use Surovikin and his affiliates as scapegoats to publicly explain why the Russian military and Russian internal security apparatuses responded poorly to the rebellion and to justify a potential overhaul of the Russian military leadership, the ISW wrote.

ISW cannot confirm any of these speculations about the command changes at this time, but it is evident that the armed rebellion is continuing to have substantial ramifications in the information space.

A lot of speculation: Peskov

The Reuters news agency cited three United States officials on Wednesday as saying that Surovikin was known to be sympathetic to the Wagner rebellion but it was unclear if he actively supported it.

Surovikin had been in support of Prigozhin but Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped the rebellion in any way. As the uprising unfolded, he had publicly urged Wagner fighters to return to their bases on Saturday, Reuters reported.

The New York Times also reported that Surovikin had advance knowledge that Prigozhin was planning a rebellion and that Russian authorities were checking if he was complicit.

The Kremlin, asked on Wednesday about the Times report, said there would be a lot of speculation in the aftermath of the Wagner mutiny, which saw mercenaries reportedly come to within 200km (124 miles) of Moscow.

There is now a lot of different speculation and gossip surrounding these events, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, according to Russian news agencies.

I think thats an example of that, he said, dismissing the Times report.

The Russian army and the people all stood by the President (Vladimir Putin) during the uprising, Peskov added.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed on Tuesday that the Wagner boss, Prigozhin, had arrived in the country as part of a deal he brokered and which narrowly prevented Wagner mercenaries from marching into Moscow. Wagner fighters have been offered an abandoned military site where they can put their tents while thinking what to do next, Lukashenko said.

Putin weakened

Germanys Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday the failed mutiny had weakened Putin but it was unclear if it would make the Kremlin any more likely to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

I do believe he is weakened as this shows that the autocratic power structures have cracks in them and he is not as firmly in the saddle as he always asserts, Scholz said in an hour-long interview with German broadcaster ARD.

Scholz said he did not want to participate in speculation about how long Putin would likely remain in office, saying the Wests aim in supporting Ukraine was to help it defend itself, not to bring about regime change in Russia.

Video Duration 04 minutes 21 seconds 04:21 All bets are off: An uncertain future after Wagner mutiny

Asked if at any point on Saturday he had hoped the insurrection by the Wagner mercenaries was the end of Putins rule, he said it would have made no sense as it was unclear if what would come after Putin would be better.

The Wagner troops are a military unit that is acting very aggressively all over the world, and very concretely also in Russias war against Ukraine, Scholz said.


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Dolly Parton has spoken of how she is concerned that using artificial intelligence (AI) technology will keep her soul grounded on earth.

The 77-year-old country music star was at a press conference in London on Thursday to talk about her new album Rockstar.

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Her first rock and roll record has seen her collaborate with famous faces including Lizzo, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John.

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When asked about living on in an artificial form in the future, Parton said: I think Ive left a great body of work behind.

I have to decide how much of that high-tech stuff I want to be involved because I dont want to leave my soul here on this earth.

I think with some of this stuff Ill be grounded here for ever  Ill be around, well find ways to keep me here.

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Abba last year launched a purpose-built stadium in London featuring four 3D digital versions of the groups younger selves singing and dancing to 20 or so of their hits.

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Sir Mick Jagger has said the virtual concert technology offers bands such as The Rolling Stones a breakthrough to secure their legacies.

Parton also joked that any intelligence she had and everything about her was artificial.

Dolly Partons Rockstar album is due for release in November (Jonathan Brady/PA)

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She has made numerous references in the past to cosmetic surgery she has had.

Parton also clarified whether the album was inspired by her 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

She initially resisted the honour, saying she would respectfully bow out of the process, before later saying she would try to live up to the honour.

Speaking at the Four Seasons Hotel London on Thursday, Parton said: I didnt want to take (the honour) because I didnt think I had earned it. Thats the main reason I went ahead (with rock music).

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Rockstar includes nine original songs and 21 well-known rock anthems.

The album is due for release on November 17th, 2023.
An application seeking the imprisonment of a convicted brothel keeper for default on a payment to the State could have proceeded in his absence as he was notified and legally represented, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The five-judge court refused the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) appeal asking it to reinstate an arrest warrant for Martin Morgan, which was issued in November 2020 by the High Court over his non-payment to the State of 243,000 in criminal activity profits.

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This warrant, issued to ensure Morgan would personally attend at court for the DPPs application for his imprisonment for default on the payment, was struck down by the Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court said the warrant should be quashed, but for different reasons than those identified by the Court of Appeal.

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Giving the courts judgment on Thursday, Mr Justice Peter Charleton said the warrant fell down because the High Court did not consider if it was necessary to issue it and, the Supreme Court found, it was not necessary to issue it.

Morgan, who in 2020 had an address on Highbury Road, London, was legally represented, so his physical presence was not required under the Constitution or the European Convention on Human Rights, the judge said.

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Guilty verdict

Morgan, aged in his late 50s, denied organising prostitution and running the brothel in an apartment in Bachelors Walk, Dublin, between August and October 2005. He was found guilty by a jury and jailed for three years in 2008.

The Circuit Criminal Court later granted an order to confiscate 252,000 in assets based on estimations of the net profit of the business during the 22 days gardai surveilled the apartment. The State estimated Morgan had an annual income of 4 million.

In May 2019, the DPP applied to the High Court for an order of imprisonment over the non-payment of 243,000 of the order. The forfeiture sum had been reduced due to gardai having seized 9,000.

Believing the accused should be physically present as his further imprisonment was at stake, the DPP sought Morgans attachment or the issuing of a bench warrant for his arrest.

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Morgan did not attend the 2020 hearing of the DPPs application, but his lawyers, in disputing the bench warrant process, argued he filed an affidavit a year earlier explaining his position. They submitted there had been no attempt to investigate what their client said.

The High Court judge issued the bench warrant, saying: Considering the fairness to the defendant, his personal attendance should be secured.

Mr Justice Charleton, for the Supreme Court, said the clear intention of the Oireachtas was that the inherent powers of a criminal court would continue for a High Court judge considering sending an accused to prison for default of a confiscation order. Therefore, a bench warrant could have been issued but only where it is necessary to secure justice.

The judge said Morgan, represented in the Supreme Court by Ferry Solicitors, was entitled to be notified about the process whereby default in paying might result in imprisonment under the Criminal Justice Act of 1994. He could answer the process through his lawyers, Mr Justice Charleton said, adding: Whether that was effective or not was a matter for him.

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The judge also found there was no contempt of any court order in Morgan deciding to be legally represented and not to appear personally.

Chief Justice Donal ODonnell, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, Mr Justice Brian Murray and Mr Justice Maurice Collins all agreed with the judgment.
Dublin Bus has dismissed 16 drivers for breaching the companys zero tolerance mobile phone policy.

According to Dublin Bus, the 16 drivers have been dismissed at the first instance in a company disciplinary process for breaching the company's mobile phone policy.

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However, 10 of those were successful at having their dismissal at the appeal stage overturned as, according to Dublin Bus, each case is dealt with on his own facts.

The company disclosed the number of first instance dismissals when successfully defending an unfair dismissal action taken by ex-Dublin Bus driver, Okan Karpuz at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Mr Karpuz was dismissed in December 2019 after two alleged breaches of Dublin Bus mobile phone policy.

Phone at traffic lights

On October 30th 2019, Mr Karpuz was observed by a bus inspector taking his mobile phone out and looking at it at traffic lights.

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This was after Mr Karpuz had texted his daughter at the Ashtown terminal to see if everything was okay as she was at home minding her brother.

Both are minors and initially she did not respond and sometime later when Mr Karpuz was on his route, his phone beeped and it was at the traffic lights when he took the phone out and looked at it.

Three weeks later on November 21st Mr Karpuzs son was ill and he missed a call from his wife and there was a voice message on the phone.

When sitting at traffic lights he used the phone to listen to the message. As soon as the lights went green, Mr Karpuz put the phone away and he was observed by an inspector whilst using the phone.

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Zero tolerance

At hearing, the head of HR and Development at Dublin Bus, Alan Grant said that the company operates a zero tolerance policy to the use of mobile phones whilst driving and is deemed gross misconduct where the sanction can be anything up to and including dismissal.

In her findings, WRC Adjudicator, Niamh OCarroll found Mr Karpuz did not contest the fact that he was caught using his mobile phone whilst driving the bus.

Mr Karpuz did take issue with the fairness of the process that led to his dismissal.

However, Ms OCarroll stated that having carefully assessed both Dublin Buss evidence and Mr Karpuzs evidence, she could find no breach of procedure that could render the dismissal unfair.

Ms OCarroll stated that Mr Karpuz was given all of the necessary documentation relied on by Dublin Bus and was given an opportunity to voice his defence and the opportunity to appeal the decision, not once but twice.

Ms O'Carroll found that in all of the circumstances she found the complaint is not well-founded and accordingly fails.
A High Court judge has refused to extradite a man to Scotland on humanitarian grounds after noting that prison overcrowding would see him locked up for 22 hours a day with less than three square meters of space, while authorities there also had "poor recognition" of neuro-developmental disorders.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott found on Thursday that there was a "real and substantial risk of inhuman or degrading treatment" should the court order the surrender of Richard Sharples (24), who is wanted for allegedly threatening a man with a firearm, stamping on his head and gouging his eyes during a violent assault in Glasgow.

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Mr Sharples, with an address at Dromore West, Co Sligo, is wanted by prosecutors in Scotland under a Trade and Cooperation arrest warrant for the two offences alleged to have occurred in Glasgow in September 2021.

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The warrant states that Mr Sharples, who suffers with a series of mental health issues, is wanted for prosecution by Glasgow Sheriff Court from a warrant dated November 24th, 2021, relating to two charges alleged to have occurred at Cardona Street, Glasgow, on September 16th, 2021.

Mr Sharples, represented by Tom Horan BL, is accused of a firearms offence "with the intent to enable another person by means thereof to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used against him", contrary to the Section 16 of the 1968 Firearms Act.

It is further alleged that he struck the victim with a brick, gouged his eyes, repeatedly punched and kicked him and stamped on his head, contrary to Common Law, causing serious injury and endangerment of life.

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At an extradition hearing of the High Court on Thursday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said he was refusing the extradition request on humanitarian grounds relating to Scottish authorities not being able to guarantee that Mr Sharples' mental health needs would be specifically attended to.

Mr Justice McDermott said the case was a "troubling" one relating to the care of Mr Sharples' conditions of ADHD, anxiety, depression, insomnia and Asperger's syndrome.

Mr Justice McDermott said that queries made by the High Court regarding Mr Sharples' possible confinement at either Barlinnie or Low Moss prisons in Glasgow had not been adequately addressed by Scottish prison authorities.

Overcrowding issues

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Mr Justice McDermott said psychiatrist Professor Patricia Casey had identified specific steps to improve Mr Sharples' position within a prison environment which were not specifically addressed by Scottish prison authorities who, in addition, had overcrowding issues.

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The judge said the "outstanding matter" to consider was whether or not the surrender of Mr Sharples to Scottish authorities could result in "inhuman or degrading treatment".

Mr Justice McDermott said that Mr Sharples could not be left alone for long periods and had never lived independently.

The judge said that Mr Sharples would have found prison "much more severe than those without these conditions".

Mr Justice McDermott said 2022 reports on the Scottish prison system showed a "poor recognition of neuro-developmental disorders", which would amount to a "serious burden" for Mr Sharples.

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"Scottish authorities were asked for a specific assurance regarding Mr Sharples but it was not forthcoming," said the judge.

Mr Justice McDermott said the Scottish authorities did not respond to a request for assurances of specific care for Mr Sharples but outlined general health and NHS policies instead.

The judge said the response from Scottish prison authorities "fell far short of addressing Dr Casey's concerns" and that it "simply fails to directly engage with the court's concerns".

Human rights

Mr Justice McDermott said the response to a "modest request" did "not adequately address" concerns, causing him to believe that there could be a "real and substantial risk of inhuman or degrading treatment", contrary to Mr Sharples' human rights.

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Mr Justice McDermott noted that should Mr Sharples be surrendered, his incarceration in Barlinnie prison, which is at 132 per cent prison population capacity, would see the appellant confined to a cell for 22 hours a day in circumstances that permitted less than three square-metres of space per prisoner.

"There is no indication that this will be adequately addressed. The real and substantial risk is exacerbated by his conditions which will be of a continuing nature," said the judge, who then declined Mr Sharples' surrender.

"There was no real attempt to engage with his [Mr Sharples'] needs in a direct or specific way," said Mr Justice McDermott.
Chinese premier holds talks with New Zealand counterpart

Xinhua) 09:58, June 29, 2023

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks on Wednesday with Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in Beijing.

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago, China-New Zealand relations have been built up as a model of win-win cooperation between countries with different social systems, histories and cultures, development stages, and economic sizes.

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand.

Li said China stands ready to work with New Zealand to further deepen the traditional friendship and jointly push cooperation in various fields to a higher level to better benefit the two peoples, the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Noting the significance of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results in resolving the challenges faced by mankind, Li said that, as China advances its modernization drive, it will only open its door wider and wider.

China is ready to share with New Zealand the new opportunities brought by China's development and tap the potential of cooperation for greater mutual benefit, said Li, calling on the two sides to give full play to the protocol on upgrading the free trade agreement (FTA) to push trade and investment to a new level.

He called on the two sides to tap the potential of the digital economy, the green economy and creative industries to create new driving forces for cooperation in emerging areas. Efforts should be made to jointly advocate free trade, support Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and expand the new space of regional economic cooperation, Li said, adding that the two sides should also promote cooperation in education, tourism and other fields, and strengthen the new bond of people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Hipkins said that New Zealand and China are committed to strengthening communication, enhancing understanding and properly handling differences, and have carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation covering all levels and all fields.

New Zealand firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is excited about the opportunities brought about by China's opening up, said Hipkins, adding that New Zealand is willing to work with China to implement the consensus, deepen cooperation on economy and trade, science and technology, education, renewable energy and local-level relations to jointly promote economic recovery and tackle climate change and other global challenges.

Hipkins also welcomed more Chinese entrepreneurs, tourists and students to New Zealand.

After the talks, Li and Hipkins witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents on science and technology, education, agriculture, forestry, quarantine, food safety and intellectual property rights.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The focus of a massive search in Co Donegal for a missing person has switched to a nearby pier.

Gardai and the Irish Coast Guard including the Rescue 118 helicopter had been concentrating their search around the Slieve League area.

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The focus has now switched to a pier at Teelin, a couple of kilometres from the original general search area.

Members of the Garda Water Unit have set up their investigation at Teelin and have been searching the area on Thursday.

The search began on Monday last following a tip-off that a person had been seriously assaulted.

Two people, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s, were arrested and interviewed abut the allegations.

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However, both were released on Tuesday evening without charge.

It followed a series of developments for Gardai searching for an alleged missing person.

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A car owned by the male suspect in the case was seized and was examined by forensics officers.

It is understood that splatters of blood were present in the car and samples have been taken for analysis.

Forensics officers also sealed off a house in the Killybegs area and also searched that premises as part of their investigation.

Reports suggest Gardai are searching for a man from Northern Ireland, aged in his 60s.

Meanwhile, Gardai continue to appeal to the public who may have noticed any suspicious activity in the Kilcar, Killybegs or Slieve League area over the weekend to contact them.
A man who raped a 17-year-old girl at a party five years ago has been jailed for seven years and six months.

A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty following a trial earlier this year of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault on December 31st, 2018.

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The Central Criminal Court heard that the man does not accept the verdict of the jury.

Imposing sentence on Thursday, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said the man was aware that the victim was vulnerable on the night due to intoxication and due to an earlier alleged incident.

She said he had taken advantage of the girl in what can only be described as a predatory manner,

She handed the man a sentence of eight years and three months, with the final nine months suspended on strict conditions, including that he places himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months. She backdated the sentence to May 29th, 2023.

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At a previous sentence hearing, a local garda told Brian Storan BL, prosecuting, that the victim, then 17, was at a party and became intoxicated. She was helped to a bedroom and later returned downstairs.

The victim went back to the bedroom and then fell asleep. She was then allegedly sexually assaulted by a different man, who is due to stand trial later.

The complainant fell back asleep and later awoke to find the defendant raping her. During the trial, one witness gave evidence of seeing the man half-naked in the room with the complainant, while another said they saw the man leave the bedroom with his belt undone.

When interviewed by gardai, the defendant did not accept culpability and suggested his belt was loose for dancing. The court was also told that he was aware of the earlier alleged incident.

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The defendant has six previous convictions, including one District Court conviction for sexual assault dating from 2019, to which he pleaded guilty.

He received a five-month prison sentence, which was later reduced on appeal to 120 hours of community service in lieu of a two-month prison sentence.

Victim impact statement

The garda agreed with Padraic Dwyer SC, defending, that the victim gave evidence during the trial that she was asleep and woke to find his client raping her.

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In her victim impact statement, the woman said she was in a drunken and vulnerable state in that room on the night in question, and the defendant had taken advantage of her.

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She said she struggles to trust others and her instincts, which is a lonely way of being. She said her self-esteem has been affected as she was reduced from a human being to a mere object of sexual gratification.

She has also had to take time away from her studies. The victim said one of the most painful aspects of the process was witnessing its impact on her mother.

While victims of sexual assault are often told the guilt is not theirs to carry, guilt does not wait to be justified to make its way to a person's heart, she said, adding that she feels guilt in relation to that night.

Ms Justice O'Connor told the woman that feelings of loneliness and loss of self-esteem are often referenced by others who had faced similar situations.

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She told the victim that by speaking out and following through on the complaint, she would help others to realise they are not alone, even if they don't have the strength to come forward and that this would give them a degree of comfort.

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The judge told the woman she was bright and a person of ability. Wishing her well for the future, Ms Justice O'Connor expressed the hope that the victim would be in a position to resume her studies in the future.

First-time offender

Mr Dwyer told the court that his client does not accept the jury's verdict, and as such, he was not in a position to offer personal remorse.

While the man was not a first-time offender, Mr Dwyer asked the court to take into account that this client had not served time in custody before.

His client moved to Ireland in 2014. His father and other members of the family were in court to support him. Mr Dwyer said his client completed his Leaving Certificate and obtained a third-level diploma but had to give up further studies.

Counsel asked the court to consider his client's work history and that he was a young man from a good family who had a wish to contribute to society once he has paid his debt to society.

On Thursday, Ms Justice O'Connor said the man's previous conviction was very significant given the similar nature of the offending. She noted that the defendant is a young man who has never been to prison before and said she had considered the mitigation placed before the court.

Ms Justice O'Connor noted that he would be a registered sex offender and directed that he undergo a further three years of post-release supervision.

Addressing the victim, Ms O'Connor re-iterated her wish that she return to her studies in future. Anyone who can describe the feelings the way you did is very bright and capable, she said.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/, or visit Rape Crisis Help.
A climate change protester who threw soup at an artwork in the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork last year is set to pay for the cleanup costs associated with his actions.

Earlier this week Thomas Shinnick (27), of Main Street in Charleville, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a painting  George Atkinsons Anatomical Study  on November 10th, 2022. He also pleaded guilty to being in possession of a screwdriver on the same occasion.

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The painting, which is covered by glazing, was not damaged in the incident. However, the second floor of the gallery had to be closed for a period to allow a cleanup operation to take place.

On Thursday at Cork District Court the parents of Mr Shinnick offered to pay the 450 which the gallery spent on the clean up. Their son will pay them back in instalments.

Advertisement Delighted to announce that, following yesterdays incident, George Atkinsons Anatomical Study is back on display and our DRAWING ROOM exhibition has reopened to the public!



We are grateful to our team for their care of this artwork and ensuring that it is safe to re-exhibit. pic.twitter.com/bLFYsfbuYo  Crawford Art Gallery (@CrawfordArtGall) November 11, 2022 Advertisement

Mr Shinnick also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest arising out of a separate incident on May 3rd last year when gardai were called when he refused to pay his bus fare in Cork city.

The court heard that Shinnick threw a closed fist at the investigating officer narrowly avoiding contact.

Solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher, representing Mr Shinnick, said that his client has been seeking help for personal difficulties. Shinnick has 12 previous convictions. However, he was without a criminal history until the age of 24.

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He is on good terms with his family who are helping him with his issues.

He is in Housing First accommodation in Charleville and has stayed out of trouble. Mr Shinnick is attending a horticulture course and hopes to get a job in the near future.

Judge OLeary remanded Mr Shinnick on bail until September 14th next. The adjournment was granted to allow for the preparation of a more up to date psychiatric report.

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Meanwhile, at a previous appearance in Cork District Court for the criminal damage offence earlier this week Mr Shinnick said that his actions did not kill anyone but that climate change will.

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After being sworn in he told Judge OLeary that he wouldnt have thrown soup at the artwork if it wasnt behind glass. He described his actions at the gallery as being a disruptive non-violent direct action.

I did no damage to the painting which was behind glass. I did not kill anyone but climate change will.

I recognise that it is a ridiculous action and I am not saying everyone should be throwing soup at paintings. I am not a criminal. I am a scared little kid trying to fight for their future.

Mr Shinnick said that approximately a third of the worlds food is wasted.

That is 1.3 billion tonnes a year. Many people are living off soup kitchens in this country. My choice of vegetable soup from Penny Dinners was intended to be a reference to the current cost of living crisis in Ireland.

The Governments Climate Action Plan is murderous, issuing new oil and gas licences. The Climate Action Plan is very aspirational and lacks substance.
A mother of two, who lost her life after she rushed into the sea to save her son in East Cork on Sunday, will be laid to rest in her home town of Strzyzow in Poland.

Joanna Wisniowska died at Cork University Hospital last Sunday afternoon after she had been transferred onsite following a tragic incident at Ballycroneen beach.

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Mrs Wisniowska (37) went into the water at lunchtime on Sunday in a bid to help her 10-year-old son who had got in to difficulty in the water. Fortunately, the boy managed to make his way on to rocks on the shore. He avoided serious injury.

A funeral service for Joanna will take place on Friday evening at 7pm in St Colmans Church in Cloyne, Co Cork. Burial will follow in the coming days in Poland

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Joanna is deeply mourned by her husband Maciek, her children Stanley and Zosia, her parents Alicia and Tadeus, her sister Magdalenia and brother-in-law Piotor. She is also survived by her in-laws, nieces, nephews and family.

Meanwhile, a Go Fund me page set up to assist her family has raised in excess of 28,000.

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Louise Van Balderen, who is a friend of Joannas, set up the page following the tragedy.

Louise previously told The Opinion Line, on Corks 96FM, that Joanna lived for her children".

I couldnt tell you of a better mum. She was such a kind and warm person. Nobody could every fault her. It is so sad that this has happened to such a beautiful family.

"At this point in time it is just everyone rallying around together to support them (the family). And try in any way possible to help them.

"For her husband it is such a difficult time. He is trying. He is broken. Joanna was his life. But we have such a lovely community here. We have so much support.

Joanna was a certified massage therapist who worked in the spa at the Castlemartyr Resort in East Cork.

In a statement they said that Joanna was a valued member of their team and a cherished colleague to all at the resort. The family had lived in Cloyne, Co Cork for several years.

Donations can be made to the Go Fund Me page at https://gofund.me/70443155
A Kildare woman, who was classified as being a high-risk patient for falls, suffered a fatal head injury as a result of a fall while she was unattended in a smoking area of a hospital, an inquest had heard.

Jennifer Foy, a 54-year-old mother of one from Pluckerstown, Kilmeague, Co Kildare, died at Beaumont Hospital on July 3rd, 2020.

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An inquest into her death on Thursday heard Ms Foy had been transferred to Beaumont for surgery after suffering a blood clot in her head from a fall 11 days earlier while she was a patient at Naas General Hospital.

The inquest heard there was a dispute between the hospital and the deceaseds relatives over whether Ms Foy had signed a disclaimer at Naas General Hospital to take responsibility for anything which might happen if she left her ward against medical advice for a cigarette.

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A sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court also heard evidence that Ms Foys family felt they were not listened to by doctors at Naas General Hospital and had difficulties trying to speak to them.

Cigarette break

A clinical nurse manager at the hospital, Emma Dunne, gave evidence that Ms Foy insisted on going outside for a cigarette against medical advice.

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Ms Dunne told the inquest that Ms Foy had been argumentative with staff on the morning of June 22nd, 2020 when she wanted to leave her ward to go to the hospitals smoking area.

She pointed out that the patient, who had been admitted after suffering a fall at home three weeks earlier, had used a rollator to move around the hospital.

The nurse said she had advised Ms Foy she should return to her bed but the patient was adamant about going outside for a cigarette and would not wait for a wheelchair to become available.

The inquest heard it was decided that a care assistant would accompany her to the smoking area and would collect her again about 20 minutes later.

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Ms Dunne said she subsequently heard that Ms Foy had been brought to the hospitals emergency department after she had collapsed and fallen on the ground in the smoking area.

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The inquest heard she was transferred the following day to Beaumont Hospital for surgery.

Questioned by the coroner, Aisling Gannon, Ms Dunne said her concern was that it was unsafe for the patient to leave the ward unaccompanied.

She said she had asked a care assistant, Helen Newsome, to bring the patient down to the smoking area as she believed Ms Foy might otherwise have tried to leave the ward on her own which she claimed would have been an unsafer option.

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Agitated

In evidence, Ms Newsome said Ms Foy had been in an agitated state and had been screaming and shouting about wanting to go for a cigarette.

However, she said Ms Foy had joked with her outside in the smoking area about being like a naggy mammy when she instructed the patient to be safe until she returned to collect her.

A hospital consultant, Ion Cretu, claimed there were elements of what he described as a very unfortunate sequence of events which were beyond our control.

Dr Cretu stated that Ms Foys persistence in smoking while in hospital had led to this tragic event.

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The consultant said he had stern conversations with the patient during several of her admissions to Naas General Hospital about leaving the ward unaccompanied to go outside smoking.

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Dr Cretu said he had informed her that it would be her own responsibility if suffered a fall if she left her ward on her own.

On his instructions, Dr Cretu said a junior doctor had spoken to Ms Foys family shortly after her final admission to claim the issue was becoming a problem.

Fall at home

The deceaseds husband, Tom Foy, said his wife had initially been brought to hospital in Naas on June 3rd, 2020 after she had suffered a fall in the bathroom in their home.

Mr Foy told the coroner that he felt his concerns about his wifes deteriorating condition had not been listened to by staff at Naas General Hospital and said he had made numerous attempts to speak to the medical team looking after his wife.

Mr Foy said he had conveyed his concerns to nurses who said they would pass them on to doctors but he never received any return call.

I think that if someone had spoken to me, we might not be here today, Mr Foy remarked.

He recalled that he was concerned that his wifes health was going dramatically downhill since June 12th, 2020 and she was having difficulty in holding a cup of tea and cigarette and could not feed herself.

I kept saying I think there is something more wrong but I felt I was not listened to, said Mr Foy.

The hospitals director of nursing, Anne Murphy, said a review of Ms Foys case had resulted in a change in its falls policy that rollators should not be used as a mode of transport for use with patients.

Ms Murphy said staff would also accompany patients on smoking breaks so long as the care of other patients would not be compromised.

Following Ms Foys death, the nursing director said hospital staff were more cognisant that patients who smoke cannot just stop as it is an addiction.

The inquest heard post-mortem results showed Ms Foy had died as a result of a blood clot in her head which has resulted from the fall at Naas General Hospital as well as complications from previous head injuries and a complex medical history.

Returning a narrative verdict, Ms Gannon offered her condolences to Ms Foy's family on her tragic death.
The High Court has dismissed an action by a tradesman who suffered serious facial injuries when a ladder he was climbing went from under him.

Brendan Blake (69), from Bayside Glen, Wicklow, brought the case against Thorn Motors Ltd, trading as Michael Tyan Motors, Clondalkin, Dublin, alleging negligence and breach of duty over the accident on April 30th, 2011 in the car dealer's premises.

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The claims were denied.

The case began on Tuesday and following a hearing over liability, on Thursday Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds ruled that the car dealer was not liable.

She said Mr Blake was the author of his own misfortune by climbing a ladder which was not held by someone or properly secured.

She dismissed the action and awarded costs against Mr Blake.

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The court heard Mr Blake, a former aircraft engineer who set up his own tradesman's business in 2006, had climbed the ladder provided by the car dealer to get some floor tiles from a loft area. Mr Blake was employed to lay the tiles in the premises along with a couple of other small jobs.

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He had climbed up and down a number of times before, as he ascended the last time, the ladder came away from the wall and he fell some 10 feet to the floor.

He landed on his face, stomach and right wrist suffering serious fractures to his lower and upper jaw, his chin and a number of teeth were knocked out.

He was taken by ambulance to hospital where surgery was carried out. It was claimed he suffered severe pain and discomfort for which he continues to take painkilling medication.

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Richard Lyons SC, with Robert Fitzpatrick SC, argued the defendant had a statutory duty, not just to employees but to persons other than employees, to ensure as far as reasonably practicable that there was a safe working environment.

Bernard McDonagh SC, with Brendan Savage, BL, for the defendant, said Mr Blake was an experienced self-employed contractor who had carried out work at height for the defendant prior to the accident.

He said Mr Blake was grossly negligent, was the author of his own misfortune and there was no breach of duty by the defendant.
The Court of Appeal is due to rule on legal challenges over the British government plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

In December last year, two judges at the High Court dismissed a series of legal bids against the governments plan to provide asylum seekers with a one-way ticket to the east African country.

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However, Lord Justice Lewis and Mr Justice Swift also gave the go-ahead to several individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid to challenge their decision.

On Thursday, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill are due to give their decision on the bid to overturn the previous ruling.

At a hearing in April, lawyers for the group of asylum seekers argued the High Court showed excessive deference to the Home Offices assessment that assurances made by the Rwandan authorities provide a sufficient guarantee to protect relocated asylum seekers from a risk of torture or inhuman treatment.

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There was a protest outside the High Court against the Governments plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda Photo: Tom Pilgrim/PA.

The appeal judges were told that material provided by the Rwandan authorities lacked credibility, consisting of blanket denials and clear contradictions.

Charity Freedom from Torture, which intervened in the appeal, also argued the speed of the process means there is no adequate opportunity to identify torture survivors.

Lawyers for the Home Office opposed the appeal, telling the court the Rwandan government has indicated a clear willingness to co-operate with international monitoring mechanisms and that there are reciprocal obligations with strong incentives for compliance.

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The hearing was told that some evidence about whether the Rwandan government would comply with its obligations came from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office based on experience of bilateral relations extending over almost 25 years and that the Government is confident the Rwandan authorities will comply with the assurances.

The Court of Appeals ruling will come days after the Home Offices own figures showed the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly two in five people would need to be deterred from crossing the Channel in small boats for the the Illegal Migration Bill to break even, the economic impact assessment published on Monday said.

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The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention, as well as a 105,000 per person payment to third countries.

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However, the sum is an estimate not based on the true cost of the commercially sensitive Rwanda scheme.

If passed, the Bill would see the law changed so that people who come to the UK illegally through a safe country are not allowed to stay  instead being detained and removed, either to their home country or a country such as Rwanda.

The appeal judges are due to hand down their decision on Thursday at 10am.
Army general Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed 'General Armageddon' by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, is among senior generals who have disappeared from public view since Saturday's failed mutiny aimed at toppling the top brass.

The burly, shaven-headed 56-year-old was last seen on Saturday when he appeared in a video, looking uncomfortable and breathing hard, and without insignia, urging the chief of the Wagner Group mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to give up.

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A New York Times report, based on a US intelligence briefing, said Surovikin had advance knowledge of the mutiny and that authorities were checking if he was complicit.

The Kremlin played down that report but on Thursday declined to answer questions about the general.

Here are some key facts about Surovikin:

Ukraine campaign

Surovikin, then commander of Russian forces in southern Ukraine, was given overall command of the Ukraine campaign on October 8th - the first to be publicly named in that role.

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Russia had just been routed in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Within a month, he had ordered a withdrawal from the west bank of the Dnipro river in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, recognising that his forces were in danger of being cut off by the bombardment of the Antonivskyi bridge.

The contingent, estimated by the US at 30,000, retreated in good order, blowing up the bridge behind them.

Ukraine's defence minister and Western diplomats said Surovikin appeared to have boosted discipline while also stepping up attacks on infrastructure.

His image as a hulking Siberian willing to use brutal tactics to get results appealed to Russian nationalists, who felt he could oversee the retreat without opening up dangerous internal divisions.

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Nevertheless, with the war stagnating, he was subordinated to chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov in January, staying on as one of Gerasimov's three deputies.

Wagner

After the Kherson pullout, Prigozhin, a fierce critic of Gerasimov and defence minister Sergei Shoigu, praised Surovikin as "a man who is not afraid of responsibility". A month ago, Prigozhin said Surovikin should replace Gerasimov.

When Prigozhin staged his mutiny, Surovikin was one of two generals who publicly urged him in videos to give up. Surovikin looked strained and awkward, however.

US officials told Reuters on Wednesday that Surovikin had supported Prigozhin, but that Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped the rebellion in any way.

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The Moscow Times and one military blogger reported Surovikin's arrest, while some other heavily followed defence correspondents said he and other senior officers were being questioned by the FSB security service to verify their loyalty. Reuters could not independently verify those reports.

Syria

In 2017, while commanding Russia's vast Eastern Military District, Surovikin was sent for around eight months to head forces deployed to Syria to help president Bashar al-Assad fight diverse rebel groups.

By the time he finished his assignment, the civil war had turned in Assad's favour and president Vladimir Putin was preparing a visit to announce a drawdown of Russian forces.

Surovikin was rewarded with the command of Russia's Aerospace Forces and made a Hero of Russia. By 2021 he was an army general, equal in rank to Gerasimov.

While Russia denied targeting civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said Russian air strikes and often indiscriminate bombing killed 5,700 civilians in the two years to September 2017.
Scorching heat blamed for at least 13 deaths in Texas and another in Louisiana has blanketed more of the US Southeast, stretching government warnings of dangerous temperatures eastward into Mississippi and Tennessee.

California, meanwhile, was facing its first major heat wave of the year. The National Weather Service warned that the dry, hot, windy conditions were ripe for dangerous fires in parts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.

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Mid-week temperatures were forecast to surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C) in much of the Southeast and high humidity was expected to push heat index values above 115 degrees (46C) in some areas.

Lingering power outages after weekend storms compounded the heat-related misery in Arkansas, with more than 10,000 residents still without power in the central part of the state.





Dangerous heat persists for much of the southern US. Heat is the leading cause of weather-related fatalities each year. Take it seriously.



During a heat wave and stay indoors in air conditioning. Working outside today? Get #WaterRestShade! https://t.co/Ynl3VCdFFD pic.twitter.com/TEPa2QLZCx Advertisement Advertisement  National Weather Service (@NWS) June 28, 2023

Among the heats casualties was a man who died late on Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana, the second heat-related death in the state in an unusually warm June.

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The death of a 62-year-old woman on June 21 in Keithville also was blamed on heat. Relatives found her after she had spent several days without electricity because of earlier severe storms, the Caddo Parish Coroners Office said.

In southeast Louisiana, the National Weather Service office in Slidell issued an excessive heat warning on June 16, the earliest in the year it has ever done so for that area, a meteorologist said.

Eleven of the Texas heat-related deaths occurred in Webb County, which includes Laredo.

The dead ranged in age from 60 to 80-years-old and many had underlying health conditions, according to Webb County Medical Examiner Dr Corinne Stern, who said the level of heat in the county was unprecedented.

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The area has a higher poverty rate than the state average and that compounds the suffering, Dr Stern said.

The vast majority do not have air conditioning in their homes. They either have the fans off, or they have fans on but not proper ventilation, she said.

There has been at least one or two that have air conditioning but dont want to run it due to the bill.

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Two Florida hikers also died while hiking in extreme heat at Big Bend National Park.

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Jase Howard plays in the water with his cousin Denim Howard at the Ormond Spray Park in Destrehan, Louisiana (Brett Duke/The Advocate via AP)

The heat has prompted the US Postal Service to allow earlier starting times for letter carriers, according to the National Association of Letter Carriers Lonestar Branch.

This comes after the death of a letter carrier who died on June 20 in sweltering heat. The cause of the carriers death was still under investigation on Wednesday.

The unusually high temperatures were brought on by a heat dome that has taxed the Texas power grid and brought record highs to parts of the state, according to meteorologists.

That dome is spreading eastward and by the weekend is expected to be centered over the mid-South, said meteorologist Bryan Jackson with the National Weather Service in College Pak, Maryland.

Texas temperatures should then begin to drop slightly.

Its relief from the extreme heat, Mr Jackson said. Its not really an end to a heat wave; its just an end to the extreme part of the heat wave.
Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Adha, one of the biggest holidays in the Islamic calendar, with full meat-based feasts.

Eid al-Adha, known as the Feast of Sacrifice, coincides with the final rites of the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia.

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It is a joyous occasion for which food is a hallmark, with devout Muslims buying and slaughtering animals and sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor.



Muslims offer Eid al-Adha prayers at Jami masjid in Ahmedabad, India (Ajit Solanki/AP)

Many Southeast Asia nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore observed Eid al-Adha on Thursday, while Muslims in other parts of the globe, including in countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Afghanistan and Nigeria, celebrated the holiday on Wednesday.

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It varies according to moon sightings in different parts of the world.

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A Muslim attends prayers during Eid-al-Adha at a mosque in Kathmandu, Nepal (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

On Thursday, worshippers shoulder-to-shoulder joined in communal prayers in the streets of Indonesias capital, Jakarta.

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Mosques flooded with devotees offering morning prayers, including in Jakartas Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia.



A woman has her hands painted with traditional henna as she attends Eid al-Adha prayers at historical Badshahi mosque in Lahore, Pakistan (KM Chaudary/AP)

Thank God, we can pray Eid al-Adha with our family and celebrate the festival without fears of the outbreak and pandemic, said Neisya Fabiola, a Jakarta resident.

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This years celebration is much more lively than last years.



Muslims walk to a mosque for morning prayer during Eid in Selayang on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Vincent Thian/AP)

Eid al-Adha holiday in Indonesia is known for its lavish meat-based feasts, which are made with the meat from the sacrifice.

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Huge crowds filled the yards of mosques to participate in ritual animal slaughter for the festival.

Indonesias government has decided to extend this years feast of sacrifice holiday by giving an extra two days of mandatory leave before and after the Muslim festival in the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country.

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A Muslim family performs ablution before prayers during Eid in Kathmandu, Nepal (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

President Joko Widodo said the decision was geared toward spurring economic activities and tourism in the worlds largest archipelago nation.

It would allow more time for people to travel and enjoy their holiday in a bid to spur more economic activities, particularly domestic tourism, Mr Widodo said last week.



A homeless physically disabled man navigates his way across a puddle to ask for alms outside a mosque in Kathmandu, Nepal (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

Indonesia, like the rest of the world, is struggling to come out of an economic recession fuelled by the pandemic with the Ukraine war and soaring energy and food prices creating complications in the recovery.

Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic tale of Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice Ismail as an act of obedience to God.



Muslims perform a morning prayer marking Eid in front of Al Mashun Great Mosque in Medan, Indonesia (Binsar Bakkara/AP)

Before he could carry out the sacrifice, God provided a ram as an offering.

In the Christian and Jewish telling, Abraham is ordered to kill another son, Isaac.

Last year, a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak disrupted the ritual slaughter of animals to mark Eid al-Adha in Indonesia.

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A Nigerian muslim attends Eid prayers at an open field in Lagos, Nigeria, on Wednesday (Sunday Alamba/AP)

But the government has worked to overcome that outbreak.

Foot-and-mouth disease is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of cloven-footed animals that is sometimes transmitted to humans.

It significantly dampened the typically booming holiday trade in goats, cows and sheep in Indonesia.



Muslims gather after the Eid prayers, outside the Haghia Sophia mosque in the Sultan Ahmed district of Istanbul on Wednesday (Khalil Hamra/AP)

The disease returned to Indonesia last year, which had been outbreak-free for 32 years.

The government, struggling to cope, set up a task force and ordered the culling of tens thousands infected livestock.



People greet each others after attending Eid prayers in Peshawar, Pakistan (Muhammad Sajjad/AP)

The trend of active cases was observed to have decreased with zero new cases in the recent weeks, with the remaining active cases of 4,682 as of Monday, out of a total of 630,706 cases largely on the most populated islands of Java and Sumatra, according to data from the National FMD Task Force.
Louis Theroux will examine both fear and optimism in the world when he delivers the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture.

The 53-year-old veteran journalist will cover the challenges facing broadcasters in the multi-platform universe in his speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival in August.

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Organisers said his lecture will look at the reasons for both fear and optimism in a world beset by populism, social media, AI, and virality in all its forms.

He will also talk about how he has maintained longevity and relevance in broadcasting for more than 25 years.

We're incredibly excited to announce that award-winning broadcaster, author, and podcaster, @louistheroux, will deliver The James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture, the flagship address of the Edinburgh TV Festival 2023. 



Find out more  https://t.co/pwot675fQX pic.twitter.com/DF5izMLvGa Advertisement Advertisement  Edinburgh TV Festival (@EdinburghTVFest) June 29, 2023

Theroux said: I am beyond thrilled to be asked to deliver this years MacTaggart Lecture.

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The old Chinese curse runs May you live in interesting times. But I also believe interesting times  to those of us whose job it is to report on them and reflect them, while also providing an occasional distraction from them  can be a blessing.

The many years Ive spent reporting on the fringes have been an ample education on the nature of human psychology and the strange place the world now finds itself in.

I look forward to sharing some insight into what I think Ive learned.

The broadcaster is best known for inserting himself into fringe political groups, cults and gangs through his work at the BBC, where he has made Louis Therouxs Weird Weekends, When Louis Met and Louis Theroux: Forbidden America.

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In his most recent project on BBC Two, Louis Theroux Interviews, he spoke to famous faces such as Stormzy, Dame Judi Dench and Rita Ora and adopted a more traditional interview style, often in the home of his subject.

This year he has also launched his new Spotify show, The Louis Theroux Podcast, in which he continues to talk to celebrities.

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In 2019, Theroux created his production company, Mindhouse, which has been involved in making the documentaries KSI: In Real Life and Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood.

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Journalist Emily Maitlis gave the 2022 MacTaggart Lecture (Jane Barlow/PA)

Edinburgh TV Festival executive chairwoman Fatima Salaria said: Louis is one of the most thoughtful  figures in TV, with a wide range of cultural interests and a broad appeal across generations.

I cant wait to hear his take on where TV is, where its come from and where its going.

The MacTaggart Lecture, which has formed the centrepiece of the Edinburgh International Television Festival since 1976, last year saw former Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis take to the stage.

The News Agents podcaster said during her speech that the BBC sought to pacify Number 10 by issuing a swift apology for her 2020 Newsnight monologue about Dominic Cummings.

The corporation said it did not take action due to pressure from Number 10 or Government and found the programme breached editorial standards.

Other speakers at the MacTaggart Lecture have included Sir Billy Connolly, screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne, historian and broadcaster David Olusoga, creator of The Thick Of It Armando Iannucci and I May Destroy Yous Michaela Coel.
General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, is believed to have been detained days after mercenaries staged a revolt in Russia, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press, citing US and Ukrainian intelligence assessments.

It is not clear whether Gen Surovikin faces any charges or where he is being held, reflecting the opaque world of the Kremlins politics and uncertainty after the revolt.

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But his reported detention comes days after Wagner Group mercenaries took over the military headquarters in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and were heading towards Moscow in what appears to have been an aborted insurrection.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin has spoken positively of Gen Surovikin while criticising the countrys military brass and suggested that he should be appointed the general staff chief to replace General Valery Gerasimov.

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The New York Times this week reported that US officials believe Gen Surovikin had advance knowledge of Mr Prigozhins plan to stage the revolt.



Vladimir Putin with Sergei Surovikin (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

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The White House and the Kremlin declined to comment.

Gen Surovikin, who has longtime links to Mr Prigozhin, has not been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to it.

A Russian military blogger, the Moscow Times, and the Financial Times reported that Gen Surovikin, who is also the commander of the Russian air force, has been arrested.

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There has been intense speculation that some top military officers may have colluded with Mr Prigozhin and may now face punishment for the mutiny that briefly sent a virtually unchallenged march towards Moscow that President Vladimir Putin has labelled as treason and a stab in the back.

Alexei Venediktov, former head of the Ekho Moskvy, a prominent independent radio station that was shut down by authorities after Moscow invaded Ukraine, said Gen Surovikin and his close lieutenants have not been in contact with their families for three days, but stopped short of saying that he was detained.

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Another prominent military messaging channel, Rybar, which is run by a former defence ministry press officer, reported a purge in the ranks was under way as authorities looked into allegations that some could have sided with Mr Prigozhin.

Gen Surovikin has been linked to Mr Prigozhin since both were active in Syria, where Russia has waged a military action since 2015 to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assads government and to help him reclaim territory after a devastating civil war.

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While Mr Prigozhin had unleashed expletive-ridden insults at embattled defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen Gerasimov before last weeks mutiny in which he demanded their ousting, he has continually praised Gen Surovikin.



Sergei Surovikin has been linked to Mr Prigozhin since both were active in Syria (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service, via AP)

When the rebellion began, however, Gen Surovikin recorded a video urging a halt to the mutiny.

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Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that US officials believed that Gen Surovikin had advance knowledge about the mutiny. Asked about that report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shrugged it off as part of speculation and gossip.

On Thursday, Mr Peskov refused to comment on whether Gen Surovikin had been arrested.

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Asked by the Associated Press if the president still trusts Gen Surovikin, he replied that Mr Putin works with the defence minister and the chief of the general staff and referred questions about officers to the Defence Ministry. He also referred all other questions about Gen Surovikin and his status to the ministry.

Gen Surovikin, who was nicknamed General Armageddon by Western media for his brutal tactics in Syria and Ukraine, was credited with shoring up Russian defences after Moscows retreat from broad areas of Ukrainian territory last autumn amid a swift counter-offensive by Kyiv.

Named by Mr Putin in the autumn to lead Russian forces in Ukraine, Gen Surovikin presided over the bombing campaign that targeted Ukraines power plants and other vital infrastructure but failed to knock out power supplies.

In January, Mr Putin replaced him with Gen Gerasimov, putting the general staff chief in charge of the Russian battle in Ukraine. Gen Surovikin was demoted to the position of Gen Gerasimovs deputy.

Gen Gerasimovs own fate also is unclear after the abortive mutiny. While Mr Shoigu showed up at several events attended by Mr Putin, Gen Gerasimov was absent.

If a purge is indeed under way, it could destabilise the military chain of command and erode troop morale amid the early stage of Ukraines latest counter-offensive and offer Kyiv a chance to reclaim more ground.
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Review Eating outMarrickville This conversation-stopping pizza slice is the most delicious thing Ive eaten in Sydney this month Callan Boys June 30, 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

This story is part of the July 1 Edition of Good Weekend. See all stories .

1 / 7 Pizza rosso with prosciutto, peppers and fermented chilli sauce from A.P Bakery at Wildflower Brewing and Blending. Jennifer Soo 2 / 7 Cheese and cauliflower croquettes with hot sauce. Jennifer Soo 3 / 7 Basque cheesecake with kumquat jam. Jennifer Soo 4 / 7 A wall of barrels at Wildflower Brewing and Blending. Jennifer Soo 5 / 7 Pork rillette plate. Jennifer Soo 6 / 7 Beef and beer pie. Jennifer Soo 7 / 7 Jersey cheese and hot honey bun. Jennifer Soo Previous Slide Next Slide 14 / 20 How we score Bakery$$$ The most delicious thing Ive eaten in the past month was a single-serve pizza in a Marrickville brewery. Specifically, A.P Bakerys wedge of perfectly chewy schiacciata bread (like a crunchy focaccia) generously topped with ribbons of prosciutto, neon-red peppers and fermented chilli sauce at Wildflower Brewing and Blending. It was a slice with the kind of textures, flavour and heat that stops a conversation. A.P (it stands for All Purpose) was co-founded two years ago by the owners of Surry Hills Paramount House Hotel, chef Mat Lindsay (of Chippendales two-hatted Ester) and baker Dougal Muffet. If youve been to A.Ps Surry Hills or Newtown stores, youll know that Muffet is a baker of exacting talent. Theres a beautiful edge of caramelisation and fermentation to many of his breads and pastries, which include naturally leavened bagels, buttermilk croissants and one single-malt whisky canele to rule them all.

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Book online if you prefer not to sit on a stool at a repurposed barrel table. Jennifer Soo Wildflower, meanwhile, was established in 2016 by brewers Topher Boehm and Chris Allen. It stands out from a crowded craft-brewing scene by fermenting beers with yeast and bacteria collected from native flowers; its wild ales are to Tooheys New what Penfolds Grange is to a box of Fruity Gordo. With a shared commitment to sustainability and exploring the possibilities of fermentation, the brewery and baker teamed up to launch a bistro in April. Everything Ive eaten from A.Ps short menu at Wildflower has been a slap of flavour just like that pizza rosso ($12). Its also bloody well-priced. The $20 balsamic-glazed pork ribs (seasoned with fennel salt and inspired by the similarly messy, tangy ribs once served at Surry Hills wine bar 121BC) are better value than most dishes at most Sydney restaurants.

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Unlike the food trucks and stalls which usually roll through breweries, A.P is at Wildflowers cellar door for the long run. And yes, cellar door, not tap room. The brewery ages its beers in oak barrels stacked to the timber rafters of its 1900s-built shed, and with dozens of dusty bottles lining the walls, you could well be in a Belgian farmhouse. A glorious heap of pork rillettes ($16), served with mustard, pickles and a crusty baguette, helps complete the daydream. Order a citrusy Gold Blend ale ($8) for some delicate, slightly barnyard-y aromas on the side. Everything Ive eaten from A.Ps short menu has been a slap of flavour. Its also bloody well-priced. Several seats are left for walk-in guests but, if you want to be guaranteed a chair rather than a stool, Id book online. Wine barrels repurposed as tables sure do look nice, but they can be damn uncomfortable to sit at when your only options are to perch side-saddle or straddle them like youre riding a Clydesdale. The reservations page also has check-boxes you can tick for pram and Ill be bringing my dog. Its important to know your local market.

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Everyone seems to order the hot chips ($9) dusted in a zesty spice mix, which taste just like  dated reference incoming  McDonalds old Mexican shaker fries. Theyre pretty great with those ribs, as is a deeply savoury potato salad boosted with chives and tiny curls of cured egg yolk ($12). (The chips are probably terrific with a $30 prosciutto, parmesan and sage-topped quail schnitzel, too, but I cant confirm because its always sold out when I visit.) Cheese and cauliflower croquettes with hot sauce. Jennifer Soo Word to the wise: more than one crunchy, fluffy cheese and cauliflower croquette with hot sauce ($6) will ruin you for the rest of the meal. Theyre huge. And if you want to make it to the dense and silky Basque cheesecake sharpened with kumquat jam ($12), you might also consider splitting one of the pies between two. Theres a warrigal green and ricotta-filled number, or a beef and beer stroganoff option. Both are $13, super-flaky and delicious.

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Staff are informed and friendly, and when theyre not choosing a vinyl record to spin (George Benson; Nashville Skyline; psychedelic African desert blues), theyre guiding customers through the range of house ales, guest beers, and a handful of wines and kombuchas. You get the sense that Wildflower is a good place to work. I think I would enjoy working at the brewery, too, which is quickly becoming my favourite place to drink beer and eat bar snacks in Australia. Jersey cheese and hot honey bun. Jennifer Soo I must also mention the milk bun filled with radicchio, hot honey and halloumi-inspired Jersey milk cheese ($24). Chef Colin Wood is in charge of the curds and his Goldstreet Dairy is set to start full-time production at Wildflower as we go to print. I look forward to seeing what he does with the pizza. The low-down Vibe: Family-friendly farmhouse in a semi-industrial backstreet Go-to dish: Pizza rosso with marinated peppers ($12) Drinks: Wide range of naturally fermented house ales, plus a few wines and non-alcoholic options Cost: About $70 for two, excluding drinks This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine
Disgraced war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith was filmed leaving the offices of a bankruptcy lawyer in Perth on Thursday morning, less than an hour after a Sydney court learnt he had agreed to pay the costs of his failed defamation action.

Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry recipient, sued The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times over six stories published in 2018 that alleged he had unlawfully killed prisoners, engaged in a campaign of bullying against a fellow soldier and committed an act of domestic violence.

Ben Roberts-Smith leaves the offices of a bankruptcy lawyer on Thursday morning. Credit: Nine

He was bankrolled by billionaire media mogul Kerry Stokes, who has signalled that he would fight an application by the newspapers for his private company and the Seven Network to foot their share of an estimated $25 million in combined legal fees that were racked up.

Roberts-Smith was employed by Seven as an executive in the Queensland office. He resigned from the network the day after he lost the case.
A Queenslander built in 1884 in one of south-east Queenslands homeless hotspots will become a health, housing and legal referral centre to directly tackle Brisbanes shortfalls in those areas.

The Queensland government and multifaceted housing agency Micah Projects will renovate the old West End Police Station and provide new community services with a $1.9 million grant, Communities Minister Leeanne Enoch said.

Communities Minister Leeanne Enoch and Micah Projects chief executive Karyn Walsh at the old West End Police Station which will be renovated as a health and housing community centre in one of Brisbanes homelessness hotspots. Credit: Tony Moore

Certainly, we know there are many people in this location that are turning to support services more and more, and we need the space to be able to support people in that way, Enoch said.

The West End and South Brisbane communities include Musgrave Park and the Go Between Bridge, plus several hostels which provide emergency, halfway services and street accommodation.
Malka Leifer should be denied a significant sentencing discount for her time in prison and under house arrest in Israel because she was feigning mental illness to frustrate her prosecution, a court has heard.

Prosecutor Justin Lewis also told County Court Judge Mark Gamble that attempts by the former principal of a Jewish ultra-Orthodox school to thwart extradition to Australia may have been intended at preventing her trial for sexual crimes entirely.

Leifer, a mother of eight, was found guilty by a jury in April of 18 charges including rape and indecent assault against two sisters  Elly Sapper and Dassi Erlich  who were former students of Adass Israel School. After a six-week trial, she was cleared of all charges relating to a third sister, Nicole Meyer.

The sisters have granted The Age permission to use their names.
The head of the countrys new integrity watchdog is more than capable of launching an investigation without needing free advice from politicians about where he should dig for evidence of corruption.

Major General Paul Brereton, a former judge of the NSW Court of Appeal, led the inquiry into Australian war crimes in Afghanistan and was praised for his tenacity, energy and integrity when he was farewelled at the Banco Court in Sydney last month.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

Brereton took office at the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on June 1 like a sniper in a political jungle  so quietly that few realised he was in position. The rest of his new team join him on July 1. They will have 180 staff at their command because the NACC will absorb the existing, but less powerful, Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity. They will move into a Canberra headquarters in September.

We are going to hear regular calls for Brereton to take action  sometimes justified, sometimes not  but the NACC will not need those referrals. It has its own power to launch investigations. Crucially, this is a power Labor wanted it to have but which the Coalition resolutely opposed when Scott Morrison was prime minister.
Nanterre, France: French protesters erected barricades, lit fires and shot fireworks at police in the streets of some French cities overnight as tensions mounted over the deadly police shooting of a 17-year-old that has shocked the nation.

Armoured police vehicles rammed through the charred remains of cars that had been flipped and set ablaze in the northwestern Paris suburb of Nanterre, where a police officer shot the teen, who is only being identified by his first name, Nahel. On the other side of Paris, protesters lit a fire at the city hall of the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois. The French capital also saw garbage bins set ablaze and some store windows smashed.

In the Mediterranean port city of Marseille, police sought to disperse violent groups in the city centre, regional authorities said.

Tens of thousands of police officers were deployed to quell the protests, which have gripped the country three nights in a row. More than 650 people were arrested overnight around the country and around 200 police officers were injured, according to a national police spokesperson. No information was available about injuries among the rest of the population.
Three Australian mortgage brokers have shared their experiences with non-bank lenders as part of a campaign with Pepper Money.

Non-bank lending in Australia has grown rapidly since 2015, driven mostly by mortgage lending where growth has averaged almost 15% on a six-month annualised basis, according to recent RBA data  more than twice the rate recorded by banks.

With costs continuing to rise and PEXA data revealing that 800,000 borrowers will transition from low-interest fixed rates this year, non-banks emerge as an alternative offering flexibility to brokers who are unable to meet their clients' needs through traditional lenders.

Kimberly Linder (pictured above left), director at Sydney-based finance and mortgage brokerage XCEL Finance, described non-bank lenders as potentially a solution.

Their policies are a lot more flexible, and they are more prepared to look outside the box rather than tick a box, which is really what mainstream banking is, Linder said.

Liberating pigeon-holed clients

While non-banks still only account for 5% of total lending, the RBA expects the industry to grow as more focus is turned to niche areas of the market that may otherwise would be overlooked by the banks.

George Massouridis (pictured above centre), founder and chief executive officer of Mortgage Navigators, said traditional banks have a tendency to pigeon-hole clients and if it doesnt fit a particular model they cant assist.

Massouridis, who recently raised over $10,000 for Vinnies CEO Sleepout, mentioned that he has been able to assist more clients due to the availability of non-bank lenders. In previous years, they were unable to access the appropriate financial products.

When we thought the deal wasnt a deal, Pepper was able to say, Well, by the way, you missed this particular point and this is how we can help you, he said.

Its [an] extremely important thing for us to catch these missed opportunities that we otherwise wouldnt have.

Jessica Rix (pictured above right), a broker at Mortgage Choice in the regional town Mildura, Victoria, agreed saying when she did her first non-conforming loan she thought, Wow, this is me to a tee.

Im like someone who will fight for a deal and try and figure out a way to make it work for the customer. So, when I discovered the non-conforming space, Im like wow, Im totally going to love this part of brokerage, and I have, Ive really enjoyed it, she said.

I went through the accreditation process when I came in and I really wanted to have a good list of non-conforming lenders because it was something I was really interested in. I wanted to be able to help a broader range of people  thats why you become a broker.

The non-bank test

While the comments come as part of Pepper Moneys campaign Bank Said No? campaign, the non-bank lender said the stories are unscripted, real-life broker stories that are true to the industry.

Barry Saoud, Pepper Moneys general manager for mortgages and commercial lending, said the campaign hopes to celebrate the incredibly important work brokers do when they assist their clients with a non-bank solution.

Ultimately, in our world, brokers are the bridge that connects customers to the opportunities and options that enable their dreams to become a reality, said Saoud.

What we hope to achieve with this campaign is an instant association: when the bank says no, give it the non-bank test. Talk to Pepper Money. We offer a diverse range of options across a lifetime of changing circumstances. If we can find a way to help, we will.

Pepper Money said the campaign was born from the identification of gaps in financial inclusion where 60% Australians who enquire about a home loan dont go on to obtain one.

This tells us that people are likely to be missing out. And in this market, when people are under enormous stress, having options to offer your clients can make a real difference, Saoud said.
Latest News Is commercial lending about to boom? Broker, property adviser discuss whats ahead for the market

Finsure fights modern slavery An estimated 15,000 people live in modern slavery in Australia

Mortgage industry leaders braved the winter weather on June 22 to raise awareness for Vinnies' efforts to combat homelessness and poverty in Australia.

During the 2023 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, an annual event, these leaders spent a night without shelter, highlighting the urgent need to support those facing homelessness.

Overall, nearly 1,500 CEOs from various industries united across the country to help raise over $8.5 million, with more than 42,000 people supporting the cause.

Jean-Pierre Gortan (pictured above), director at Sydney-based brokerage Simplicity Loans & Advisory, raised $52,865, exceeding his goal and landing him at sixth place on the NSW fundraising leaderboard.

Now in his fifth year of participation in the CEO Sleepout, Gortans efforts helped provide 167 individual support programs, 440 beds, and 1,762 meals for people who are or at risk of becoming homeless.

Last year he raised $35,030, while in 2021 he raised over $13,000.

This particular night was challenging because it rained, so not only did many participants feel the cold  they also got wet. But overall the pride I felt by achieving the goal made it much easier, Gortan said.

Thank you to all that donated. Another amazingly successful Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Im incredibly proud of what we can contribute to our fellow Australians who may be having a tough time.

Gortan thanked his sponsors, which included Bendigo Bank, Westpac, Traders in Purple, Marketplace.Finance, Secured Lending, LMG, MSquared, Waterco Limited and Fortis Legal.

Online lending specialist Lendi Group also contributed to the cause, raising over $27,000 after matching every Aussie franchisees fundraising dollar for dollar.

Lendi Group CEO David Hyman and COO Sebastian Watkins also raised over $5,000 each  both exceeding their goals.

Brad Cramb, Lendi Group chief distribution officer, said there wasnt much sleeping at the event and he couldnt imagine how difficult things are for the 10,000 people across Australia sleeping rough every night.

This year, Cramb raised over $13,000 individually, bringing the total funds raised over the three years attending the event to $39,000.

The foundational goal of Lendi Group is to make homeownership more accessible for Australians, so this is a cause we are deeply passionate about. With the cost of living rising, support that Vinnies provides in the way of food, accommodation, employment, and counselling has never been more important, which is why Ive been compelled to participate in the CEO Sleepout again, Cramb said.

Having an adequate standard of living is a recognised human right, and this includes a safe place to sleep, so Im humbled to play a small role to try and help change the reality faced by thousands of Australians every night.

Chris Slater, head of sales and distribution for aggregator AFG, also slept rough this year.

Also in his third year of participating in the event, Slater raised over $13,000, exceeding his target of $12,500.

Thanks to all those family, friends, work colleagues, business partners, brokers and industry colleagues who supported, he said.

Slater also thanked the team at Living Home Loans on the Gold Coast, who raised over $22,000 as a team.



AFGs Chris Slater at the CEO Sleepout

With the temperature falling to 11 degrees, Private Mortgages Australia's Managing Director Peter Cuskelly was thankful to be among peers in Melbourne this year.

His second year sleeping out, Cuskelly raised $2,500 this year.

"With the day-to-day impact of cost of living increases I am happy to spend a night to help bring awareness to the work that Vinnies does every day to help support those in need, Cuskelly said.



Picture of Private Mortgages Australia's Managing Director Peter Cuskelly at the sleepout

Vinnies provides a range of holistic services to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The charity said that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, so each region and service tailors its support to best suit the needs of the location and the individuals assisted.

The donations from the event help Vinnies provide food, accommodation, and essential services to people at risk and experiencing homelessness.
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As a part of its organisational rearrangement, Xiaomi India is cutting its workforce to bring the headcount below 1,000, The Economic Times (ET) has reported. The decision has come after the company registered a downfall in its market share combined with increased scrutiny by government agencies, the report cited Xiaomi's present and ex-employees.

Xiaomi India had 1,400-1,500 employees on its rolls at the beginning of 2023. The company fired 30 employees in the last week with more layoffs expected in the coming months, the ET report said.

The employees cited in the report said that the company had placed the responsibility of business restructuring in the hands of the Chinese parent and the company is now cutting jobs since the start of this year.

Talking about the layoffs, Xiaomi said, "As with any company, we take headcount decisions based on the market's state and business projections." The company added that Xiaomi continues to hire talent "when and where needed".

Citing a senior executive in the company, the report added the leadership team had planned a performance improvement plan (PIP) for the employees. Later, employees on PIP could be ousted on the grounds of lacklustre performance, the report added.

The recent layoffs are a part of the overhaul the company is planning for its internal structures. Most decisions regarding the structural changes are being taken by the Chinese parent.

Also Read Xiaomi Redmi A2 series smartphones go on sale today: Price, specs, and more Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50i available at discounted prices on Amazon: Details Xiaomi launches Redmi A2 series smartphones at Rs 5,999 onwards: Details Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G series phones go on sale with introductory offers Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 12 5G series smartphones in India: Details here Ericsson, Nokia not ready to supply 5G equipment to Vi on credit: Report State-owned firm KABIL to sign pact with Argentina to secure lithium blocks Apple stock hits record, on the cusp of $3 trillion market capitalisation Afcons Infrastructure plans to raise up to Rs 8,000 crore through IPO Air India hires McCann India as a part of its rebranding exercise

Several employees believe that giving the decision-making to the Chinese counterpart is the primary reason behind the company's declining sales and slipping market share, the ET reported.

Notably, Xiaomi has seen a consistent decline in its sales. The company has lost market share to similar, budget smartphone manufacturers from China which include Realme, Oppo, and Vivo.
After assuring shareholders that Byjus is on a strong footing, Chief Executive Officer Byju Raveendran, after much delay, spoke to employees in a townhall session.

In his first-ever address to employees since problems began at Byjus, Raveendran spoke about the resignation of auditors and board members, the Term Loan B dispute, and the future of educational technology (edtech). Raveendran also asked his team to rise above the noise and work with resilience and determination.

He assured employees that edtech was here to stay and that Byjus would continue to grow.

We have been struggling these past few months. But we will be out soon. Edtech is not a pandemic phenomenon but a permanent fixture in education. He also gave projections for the global and Indian edtech markets, said a source.

He added that the company was in a much better place now than compared to a few months ago as regards performance. He said the company is close to achieving profitability at the group level, informed an employee.

Since the past year, the company has laid off close to 3,500 employees to become more efficient, profitable, and agile. These claims by Raveendran could not be confirmed since the firm is yet to file its 2021-22 financials. In the 2020-21 results, which were delayed by nearly 18 months, the firm reported losses of Rs 4,588 crore  19x more than the preceding year. An email sent to Byju's remained unanswered.

Also Read Byju's lenders say lawsuit is meritless, designed to dodge obligations Byju says firm's $22 billion valuation intact, accepts past mistakes Byju's yet to pay provident fund for several months to many ex-employees Edtech major Byju's to raise $700 million in fresh funding round this month Top headlines: Show-cause notice to Xiaomi, worried Byju's investors & more Infosys placing emphasis on upskilling employees: Nandan Nilekani Large cost-optimisation deals returning for top Indian IT companies Paracetamol maker Granules India flags operations hit from cyber attack Proptech firm Reloy raises Rs 7.2 cr from investors to grow business Go First revival plan: DGCA to conduct audit before restarting operations

Raveendran also updated the employees that the Term Loan B dispute may be resolved without court intervention. He said: The Term Loan B dispute is being resolved through constructive discussions, and I am confident about achieving a positive outcome in the next few weeks without court intervention.

Raveendran also updated employees on board member resignations. He told employees it was a mutually agreed upon decision that had been taken to focus on efficient and timely audits. Raveendran assured the team that the departures of three board members were unrelated to Deloittes withdrawal. He assured that the exit was amicable and carried out with mutual understanding.

Byjus investors, including those represented by the departing board members, continue to support its growth trajectory, he said.

Byjus new Chief Financial Officer Ajay Goel has been entrusted with the job of getting the firms financials and working with the new auditor, BDO.

Employees were hoping that they would be allowed to ask questions, but the chatbox was not functioning. Some employees were also hoping that Raveendran would say something about the layoffs, but that did not happen.

Raveendran ended the address on a positive note and asked his team to rise above the noise and work with resilience and determination.
Aviation regulator DGCA will examine documents submitted by Go First related to the revival plan and will also conduct an audit on operational preparedness before allowing the carrier to restart operations, according to sources.

Senior representatives of the current management of Go First, which has stopped flying since May 3, discussed various aspects of the revival plan with officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the national capital on Wednesday, they said.

The budget carrier, which was owned by the Wadia family, is in voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings.

According to the sources privy to the development, the airline's EY-backed Resolution Professional Shailendra Ajmera and Interim CEO Kaushik Khona made a detailed presentation to the DGCA officials on the revival plan.

DGCA will also conduct an audit to assess the airline's operational preparedness once it completes the scrutiny of the documents.

The audit is expected to take place next week, one of the sources told PTI. The second source said the airline, prior to the grounding, was operating to and from 29 domestic destinations. Under the revival plan, the number of destinations is to be reduced to 23.

Also Read DGCA grants Design Organisation Approval to flying taxi startup ePlane DGCA plans to hire 400 tech staff in 1-2 yrs; increase offices to 19: Chief DGCA to conduct audit of Go First's preparedness before allowing flights Indian civil aviation system jumps to 55th rank in latest ICAO audit: DGCA DGCA orders probe after Pilot 'welcomes' his female friend in cockpit Procter - Gamble India to invest $244 mn to set up manufacturing facility Uniqlo to expand its manufacturing bandwidth through 20 partners in India ONGC sells KG basin field's gas to Torrent, GAIL at $11 per mmBtu Adani-Total Gas to invest Rs 20k cr in 8-10 yrs to expand retail CNG line As part of restructuring, Xiaomi India to cut its workforce to below 1,000

The airline, when it restarts operations, will not be operating flights from Jaipur, Lucknow, Kannur, Patna, Varanasi and Ranchi for the time being, the source added.

According to the source, lenders have committed an interim funding of around Rs 450 crore, considering a day's operations are expected to cost around Rs 10 crore.

Further, the source said the airline has adequate manpower, including around 300 pilots. The revival process gathered pace after the formation of the airline's Committee of Creditors (CoC), comprising Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, IDBI Bank and Deutsche Bank, on June 10.
Taiwanese electric mobility giant Gogoro, will invest more than $1.5 billion to establish state-wide battery charging and swapping infrastructure in Maharashtra.

The proposed Ultra Mega Project deal includes financial incentives and support from the Maharashtra government. The announcement follows Gogoros earlier commitment to invest $2.5 billion over eight years in Maharashtra. The proposed investment will start later this year.

The Maharashtra government categorizes Ultra Mega Projects as significant strategic investments exceeding $500 million that usually result in government incentives to ensure successful project execution.

Gogoros request for financial incentives was approved and endorsed by the Maharashtra state cabinet and the two parties expect to complete the agreement soon, Gogoro said in a statement.

As the leading State in India for electric vehicles, Maharashtra is demonstrating our strong commitment towards sustainable transportation for all. As part of the project, Gogoro will establish its India vehicle, smart battery, and battery swapping station manufacturing in Maharashtra and deploy their industry-leading smart battery infrastructure in the state, generating approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Gogoro plans to build a smart energy infrastructure in Maharashtra that is open and accessible and establishes battery swapping and smart battery stations as a leading source for mobility and energy storage.

Also Read Budget 2023 to increase capex for infra projects for growth: Experts Taiwanese firm Gogoro eyes India as hub for making electric two-wheelers Epsilon to establish EV battery component factory in US, sets aside $650 mn Gogoro, Belrise to bet $2.5 bn on battery-swapping infra in Maharashtra Jaguar Land Rover revs up for electric race; can it meet its 2030 target? NTT launches data centre campus, a new subsea cable system in Chennai India Inc's fundraising from overseas up 12% to $9.7 billion in H1 2023 Jio leads 5G roll out, Bharti likely to lose market share: Report Audit member 'incapacitated', can't declare FY23 results: SpiceJet One more time: 63 Moons' word-play on MCX extends software support contract

We are focused on creating a domestic supplier ecosystem that allows for domestic growth and foreign market expansion, said Horace Luke, founder, and CEO of Gogoro, adding, We are excited to be partnering with the Maharashtra government in its vision to transform urban transportation and provide a better path forward for its residents and businesses.
Global IT infrastructure and services firm NTT Ltd. is set to invest worth $300 million in its data centre campus in Chennai, as it launched its latest facility and the landing of a new subsea cable in the city on Thursday.

The Japan-headquartered company opened its Chennai 2 campus located in Ambattur, an industrial suburb of Chennai. It is connected with MIST subsea cable, the first cable system of the NTT group that provides direct connectivity to or from India. MIST is the first cable system with a 12-fibre pair capacity  capable of carrying data at more than 200 terabyte per second  to land in India, the company said.

The data centre campus is spread across 6 acres with a total planned capacity of 34.8 megawatt (mw) critical IT load from two data centre buildings. The first facility with a 17.4 mw capacity has commenced its operations. The investment is a part of NTTs $2 billion investment in India announced in 2020.

With the launch of the Chennai 2 Data Center campus, NTTs data centre footprint in the country has grown to 16 facilities, spread over 3.1 million square feet. The companys data centre capacity now stands at 205 MW of IT power.

NTT said Chennais strategic location could address the demand for high-quality data centre infrastructure to serve traditional and new economy businesses. The second is positioning Chennai as a disaster recovery (DR) site for enterprises with primary IT infrastructure in other Indian cities. And third, is leveraging global connectivity to offer data centre capacity to markets in Southeast Asia like Singapore where capacity is in short supply, the company said in a statement.

The new subsea cable is constructed by consortium members including NTT Communications India Network Service Pte. Ltd. and Orient Link Pte. Ltd. It spans over 8,100 km and will connect Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Thailand, offering cutting-edge connectivity capabilities.

Also Read Japan's NTT sees India business growing to $1 bn, commits investments Japan's NTT says planning Rs 2,000 cr investment in Bengal data centres Data breach: Personal data of Covid vaccine recipients leaked on Telegram Web Werks to invest Rs 1,400 crore to develop data centre in Navi Mumbai China's crackdown on data access adds to list of missing statistics India Inc's fundraising from overseas up 12% to $9.7 billion in H1 2023 Jio leads 5G roll out, Bharti likely to lose market share: Report Audit member 'incapacitated', can't declare FY23 results: SpiceJet One more time: 63 Moons' word-play on MCX extends software support contract JK Tyre finishes 1st phase of capacity expansion of Madhya Pradesh facility

India is an important market for us and home to a significant part of this global capacity. Going forward, our investment roadmap in India includes multiple data centre campuses, renewable energy plants, subsea cables, and more. We are dedicated to empowering India's digital landscape and are excited to embark on this transformative journey, said Sharad Sanghi, Chairman, NTT Global Data Centers & Cloud Infrastructure India Pvt. Ltd.
Granules India on Thursday warned of a significant loss of revenue and profitability due to a cyber security attack that the pharmaceuticals company faced late last month.

Due to significant changes in its IT systems, the IT security incident caused a major disruption in its business operations, the Paracetamol maker said in an exchange filing.

On May 25, Granules India reported the information security incident, adding that impacted IT assets affected have been isolated.

The company said on Thursday that a ransomware group had claimed responsibility for the incident.

The company said it had managed to restore production to near-normal levels at present, however it flagged backlogs and delays in the clearance of materials for quality system approvals for dispatching the products.

Also Read Top US cybersecurity diplomat Nate Fick's Twitter account hacked OPPO India, MeitY's CSC Academy to train 10,000 women in cyber security Cyber security breaches are up multiple times as Internet penetration grows State-sponsored Chinese hackers could be prepping for disruption: Microsoft Cyber alert against Royal ransomware that attacks health, education sectors Proptech firm Reloy raises Rs 7.2 cr from investors to grow business Go First revival plan: DGCA to conduct audit before restarting operations Procter - Gamble India to invest $244 mn to set up manufacturing facility Uniqlo to expand its manufacturing bandwidth through 20 partners in India ONGC sells KG basin field's gas to Torrent, GAIL at $11 per mmBtu
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Procter & Gamble India said it would invest 20 billion rupees ($243.79 million) to set up a personal healthcare manufacturing facility in the western state of Gujarat.

The company will manufacture digestive products that are part of parent P&G's global healthcare product portfolio at the facility, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The facility will be operational in the next few years and become a global export hub for P&G, the Whisper sanitary napkin maker said.

The new facility spans 50,000 square meters in Sanand, Gujarat, and the investment is through an unlisted company and won't affect any listed public companies within the P&G group in India.

($1 = 82.0370 Indian rupees)

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(Reporting by Navamya Ganesh Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
HDFC Capital-backed proptech firm Reloy, which helps realtors in generating referral sales, has raised Rs 7.2 crore from investors to expand its business.

In a pre-series A2 funding round, Reloy (earlier known as Loyalie) said all the existing investors participated along with new investors like BlueLotus VC and Dream Green Capital.

The investment will be used to fuel the company's growth and expansion plans, the company said.

In February last year, the company had raised Rs 5.9 crore from investors, taking the total external funding to over Rs 13 crore.

"India is now the world's most populated nation with only the 7th largest land mass. We need our builders to create the largest cities the world has ever seen. It's time we empowered good builders with our referrals," Reloy founder and CEO Akhil Saraf said.

"Our solution streamlines the post-purchase journey that homeowners have with builders and rewards them with benefits across ancillary requirements of home interiors and home finance," Saraf said.

Also Read Assotech Realty expects Rs 120 cr rental income from Noida project Over 98,000 unsold homes in Delhi-NCR at 2022-end: PropTiger report Office space operator Tablespace takes on lease 100,000 sq ft area in Pune HDFC Capital to hike stake in proptech startup Reloy by up to 2.4% Retail leasing may rise 17-28% this year to 5-6 mn sq ft in top 8 cities Go First revival plan: DGCA to conduct audit before restarting operations Procter - Gamble India to invest $244 mn to set up manufacturing facility Uniqlo to expand its manufacturing bandwidth through 20 partners in India ONGC sells KG basin field's gas to Torrent, GAIL at $11 per mmBtu Adani-Total Gas to invest Rs 20k cr in 8-10 yrs to expand retail CNG line

The platform manages over 1.4 lakh apartments.

Its clientele includes Godrej Properties, DLF, Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate, Embassy Residential, Mahindra Lifespaces, K Raheja Corp, Brigade and Piramal Realty.

In April this year, HDFC Capital Advisors said it will increase its stake in Loyalie IT Solutions (now renamed as Reloy) to up to 9.6 per cent from 7.2 per cent currently.

HDFC Capital Advisors acquired 1.67 lakh compulsory convertible preference share (CCPS).

The preference shares were acquired at Rs 89.81 per equity share, taking the transaction value to Rs 1.49 crore.

In March last year, HDFC Capital had acquired 7.2 per cent equity stake in Loyalie IT Solutions (Reloy) for Rs 1.1 crore.

Reloy has been working closely with top real estate developers to create the perfect home owning journey through their customer loyalty programmes.

Its turnover jumped to around Rs 13 crore in 2022-23 fiscal from Rs 4.33 crore a year ago.

The company helps homeowners in post-purchase like document management, construction tracking, payments. It also creates a marketplace for other connected needs of home interiors and home finance.

Founded in 2015, Reloy has been specialising in real estate loyalty and referrals since 2018. Reloy is a B2B2C homeowner and broker management platform that helps builders manage their customers and brokers more efficiently.
Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, is planning to expand its manufacturing presence in India through 20 'production partners, according to a report in The Economic Times (ET).

Uniqlo , one of the world's most valuable clothing retailers, already has multiple production partners in the country and is looking to expand this network through a large investment.

Uniqlos existing production partners in India include Shahi Exports, Brandix Lanka, Tangerine Design, Maral Overseas, Shingora Textiles, Silver Spark Apparel, SM Lulla Industries Worldwide, and Penguin Apparels.

A source said that the investment amount will be significant because Uniqlo views India as an important market and the production partners that Uniqlo will bring to India will be specifically meant for the domestic market, according to the ET report.

One of the company's production partners told ET that their current mandate is to produce only for exports.

Tadashi Yanai, Uniqlo CEO, has indicated that he wants Uniqlo to become the best-selling retailer in India.

Also Read Manufacturing PMI hits 31-month high in May, helped by demand and output Hyperlocal logistics firm Shadowfax to hire 10,000 delivery partners Indian electric scooter maker Ather installs over 1000 fast-charging units Mahindra can't build Scorpio fast enough; plans a boost in production Who is Rajiv Jain, and how he built his $92 billion empire at GQG Partners ONGC sells KG basin field's gas to Torrent, GAIL at $11 per mmBtu Adani-Total Gas to invest Rs 20k cr in 8-10 yrs to expand retail CNG line As part of restructuring, Xiaomi India to cut its workforce to below 1,000 Ericsson, Nokia not ready to supply 5G equipment to Vi on credit: Report State-owned firm KABIL to sign pact with Argentina to secure lithium blocks

The Japanese brand opened its first store in India in September 2019. It has stores in Delhi, Lucknow and Chandigarh. The brand is now planning to enter Mumbai and Bangalore.

Uniqlo does not own any factories and it outsources production of almost all its products to factories outside Japan. This helps the brand to keep its breakeven point low and improve return on investment.

As on March 1, 2023, Uniqlo has 227 factories in China, 54 in Vietnam, 33 in Bangladesh, 13 in Indonesia, and 16 factories in India and Japan, according to the ET report.

India has evolved as an attractive market for apparel brands. Over the past decade, global brands such as Zara and H&M became market leaders in the fast fashion segment in the country.

Devangshu Dutta, the founder of Third Eyesight, a retail consulting firm, said, For global brands, India should be one of the most logical sourcing hubs, given its large vertically integrated manufacturing sector on the one hand and large, growing domestic market driving demand on the other hand.

Dutta said that the weight in the sourcing baskets has historically been low in India due to several reasons, in spite of China being visible for decades to the management teams of brands and retailers as a concentrated sourcing risk.

Uniqlo International said its revenue in the first half of 2023 stood at $5.25 billion, and its operating profit was $852.93 million, according to the ET report.

The company said regions like India reported significant revenue and profit gains as they enter a full-fledged growth phase.
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The BRICS nations may agree to induct around five new members into the grouping during its August leadership summit, to be hosted by South Africa, culminating a long-pending expansion plan. Out of the 25 countries that are keen to join the grouping, while Saudi Arabias entry is almost certain, other frontrunners include Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, and Argentina, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity.

The BRICS nations  Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa  currently represent over 42 per cent of the global population, 30 per cent of the worlds
The government on Thursday prohibited imports of cigarette lighters if the price per unit is less than Rs 20, with a view to discourage inbound shipments of the product.

"The import policy of cigarette lighters...is revised from 'free' to 'prohibited'. However, import shall be free if CIF value is Rs 20 or above per lighter," the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

CIF value (cost, insurance, and freight) is a trade term used in international commerce to determine the total value of goods being imported.

The prohibition has been imposed on pocket lighters, gas fuelled, non-refillable or refillable.

Imports of pocket lighters, gas fuelled, non-refillable stood at USD 0.66 million in 2022-23. It was USD 0.13 million in April this fiscal.

Similarly, the inbound shipments of pocket lighters, gas fuelled, and refillable, stood at USD 8.87 million in 2022-23 against USD 7 million in 2021-22. It was USD 0.96 million in April of this fiscal.

Also Read Over 60% youth in India are susceptible to e-cigarettes, shows report CBSE prohibits use of ChatGPT in upcoming class 10, 12 board exams Government cautions against electronic cigarette promotion at media events Australia follows India to ban vaping as it becomes an epidemic among teens Vaping ban: Centre issues public notice for stricter implementation of Act Prices of tomato, ginger soar in Jammu amid heavy rainfall, landslides Govt unlikely to raise FY24 borrowing plan; bond yields may remain below 7% Aadhaar-based face authentication crosses all time high of 10.6 mn in May Input tax credit not available for GST paid on CSR work expenses: UP AAR 6 years of GST: Rs 1.5 trn monthly tax revenues becomes 'new normal'

These are imported mainly from Spain, Turkey and the UAE.
India and the Philippines on Thursday agreed to commence negotiations on a bilateral preferential trade pact and vowed to step up defence cooperation, especially in the maritime security domain, amid China's increasing muscle-flexing in the South China Sea.

In the extensive talks between Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique A Manalo and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the two sides also underlined the need for implementing the South China Sea verdict that was pronounced by a UN arbitration court in 2016.

The defence and security ties between India and the Philippines are on an upswing. In January last year, the Philippines concluded a USD 375 million deal with India for the procurement of three batteries of the BrahMos cruise missile.

A joint statement said both sides underlined that India and the Philippines have a shared interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasised the need for peaceful settlement of disputes and for adherence to international law, especially the UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the arbitral award on the South China Sea.

The UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration, adjudicating the Philippines' case against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, ruled in favour of Manila. However, China refused to accept the verdict.

There have been growing global concerns over China's sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. Several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims.

Also Read Jaishankar, Manalo co-chair 5th India-Philippines co-operation commission Massive floods in Philippines leave 51 dead, over a dozen missing Earthquake of magnitude 6 hits Philippines, no damage or casualty reported India, Oz for early conclusion of trade pact talks; eye $100 bn in 5 years Philippines inflation rate rose to 8.1% in December 2022: Reports Centre prohibits import of cigarette lighters priced less than Rs 20 Prices of tomato, ginger soar in Jammu amid heavy rainfall, landslides Govt unlikely to raise FY24 borrowing plan; bond yields may remain below 7% Aadhaar-based face authentication crosses all time high of 10.6 mn in May Input tax credit not available for GST paid on CSR work expenses: UP AAR

In a tweet, Jaishankar described the talks at the fifth India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation as "productive and comprehensive" and said the dialogue focused on boosting ties in areas of defence, counter-terrorism, health and trade.

The statement said both sides expressed keen interest to continue working in the defence sector, including through opening of a defence attach office in Manila and considering India's offer for concessional Line of Credit to meet the Philippines' defence requirements, acquisition of naval assets, and expansion of training and joint exercises on maritime security.

It said Jaishankar and Manalo agreed to commence negotiations on a bilateral preferential trade agreement, as they noted with satisfaction the growing pace of bilateral trade, which had for the first time crossed the level of USD 3 billion in 2022-23.

The two sides also agreed to work together at the United Nations to attain concrete outcomes on UN Security Council reforms as soon as possible.

"Given the urgent need for UN Security Council reforms, both sides agreed to the expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, and reforms of the working methods of the UN Security Council," the statement said.

The statement said the two sides emphasized the need for expanded connectivity and ease of travel to enable the growth of tourism, trade and investment and people to people exchange between the two countries.

It said Jaishankar and Manalo encouraged early negotiations for a bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty on criminal matters and a treaty on transfer of sentenced persons.

"Our agenda today covered defence, maritime security, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes. As also our growing economic ties, including in trade & investments; development cooperation; health & pharma; tourism; air services; agriculture; fintech; S&T and space cooperation," Jaishankar tweeted.

He said the importance of greater people to people ties, specifically in tourism and education sectors, was noted.

Manalo, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, arrived here on Tuesday on a four-day visit.

In a lecture at a think-tank on Wednesday, Manalo said the Philippines wants to develop a "very robust" defence partnership with India and is looking forward to procuring military hardware from it.
Britain will discuss temporary business visas as part of free trade agreement talks with India but any deal will not contain broader immigration commitments or access to Britains labour market for Indian workers, trade minister Kemi Badenoch said.

Britain launched trade talks with India in January last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stressed that he won't sacrifice quality for speed in negotiations.

Last year, interior minister Suella Braverman sparked a row with comments about the possible impact of Indian migrants in trade talks, citing concern both with any open borders migration policy with India and those who overstay visas. Badenoch set out Britain's stance in response to a question about how government ensures it speaks with a single voice on migration and mobility in relation to a UK-India trade agreement, and avoids disruptive political off-stage noises.

"An FTA with India will not contain commitments on immigration or provide access to the UK domestic labour market," Badenoch said in a written response to lawmakers published on Thursday.
When it came to ESOPs, renumeration and board changes, shareholder meetings in financial year 2022-23 saw a surge in advocacy by institutional shareholders who made their voices heard by voting against several resolutions proposed by managements.

The number of resolutions where more than 20 per cent of institutional shareholders expressed their dissent increased 44 per cent to 1,833 in 2022-23 in companies listed on NSE (main board) from 1,256 in 2021-22 (and 636 in 2020-21), according to primeinfobase.com, an initiative of PRIME Database Group

Resolutions where more than 20 per cent of Institutional Shareholders cast a negative vote, for companies belonging to Nifty 50 also increased 35 per cent to 73 in number (as compared to 54 last year).



"This reflects an increase in advocacy on the part of institutional investors, which is on account of the facility of e-voting being made mandatory a few years back as also the stewardship codes brought about by regulators. It is also attributable to a greater role being played by proxy firms as also a steady increase in institutional holding as a whole," said Pranav Haldea, Managing Director, PRIME Database Group.





Voting by promoters, institutional shareholders and other public shareholders was as follows:

Of the above mentioned 1833 resolutions, 1774 (or 97 per cent) still passed, mostly owing to high promoter holding in the companies.

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As can be seen, almost all resolutions were voted in favour by Promoters.

Resolutions which did not pass: There were 102 resolutions which were completely voted against by shareholders at AGMs/EGMs/Postal Ballots and Court/NCLT Convened Meetings held in 2022-23, an increase of 42 per cent from 72 resolutions in the previous year (and 48 resolutions in 2020-21). Of these 102 resolutions, 21 were re-proposed to be passed, out of which 18 resolutions eventually passed while 3 of them failed again (Annexure 2). There were 102 resolutions which were completely voted against by shareholders at AGMs/EGMs/Postal Ballots and Court/NCLT Convened Meetings held in 2022-23, an increase of 42 per cent from 72 resolutions in the previous year (and 48 resolutions in 2020-21). Of these 102 resolutions, 21 were re-proposed to be passed, out of which 18 resolutions eventually passed while 3 of them failed again (Annexure 2).

Related Party Transactions (RPTs): As many as 1,005 resolutions pertaining to RPTs were proposed in 2022-23, more than double of the 474 such resolutions in 2021-22. While 102 or 10.15 per cent of these resolutions were voted against by more than 20 per cent of institutional investors, just 16 or 1.59 per cent of such resolutions were defeated.

Break-up of Voting by Shareholder Type (Promoters, Public - Institutional & Public - Others): In 2022-23, 15,232 resolutions (excluding 22 resolutions which were withdrawn/not put to vote) were proposed to be passed in 3,254 AGMs, EGMs, Postal Ballots and Court/NCLT Convened Meetings of 1,832 companies which were listed on NSE (main board) as on 31st March 2023, up from 12,708 resolutions in 1736 companies in 2021-22, a rise of 20 per cent.



Ordinary vs Special Resolutions: The number of ordinary resolutions proposed were 9,970 (or 65 per cent of the total) while the number of special resolutions were 5,262 (35 per cent). While 62 special resolutions failed, 40 ordinary resolutions also failed. In 2022-23, 15,232 resolutions (excluding 22 resolutions which were withdrawn/not put to vote) were proposed to be passed in 3,254 AGMs, EGMs, Postal Ballots and Court/NCLT Convened Meetings of 1,832 companies which were listed on NSE (main board) as on 31st March 2023, up from 12,708 resolutions in 1736 companies in 2021-22, a rise of 20 per cent.

Resolution Types: Most number of resolutions related to Board Changes at 6,138. This was followed by resolutions relating to the auditors, remuneration and financial results.

Voting by Domestic Mutual Funds: 47 Domestic Mutual Funds, as a whole, voted in favour in 93 per cent of the cases and against in 7 per cent of the cases (abstained in 0 per cent cases in FY 2022-23).

Market regulator Sebi makin it mandatory for mutual funds to vote on all resolutions with effect from 1 April 2022 has resulted in the abstinence number becoming nil.
Filing income tax for the first time can be a daunting and confusing task. However, with a few handy tips, you can significantly reduce the stress and navigate the process more smoothly. By keeping track of the due date, calculating taxable income accurately, collecting necessary documents, and verifying tax deposits, individuals can ensure a smooth filing experience.

Here are some key suggestions:

1. Organize Your Documents: Keep important documents like Form 16 and investment proofs for eligible deductions handy when filling your income tax returns. Make sure you have your salary slips, Form 26AS, which will be essential for accurately calculating your total income and claiming deductions.

" When your income can be categorized under the head salaries, you will receive a Form 16 from your employer by 15 June every year. It serves as a document proof for your taxable income for that financial year. Form 16 comprises of details like your annual income, taxable and exempted allowances, perquisites, etc," according to Coverfox, an IRDAI authorised insurance broking firm.

Form 16A: For income sources other than your salary, theres Form 16A where the details for such income is mentioned. This form is issued by the entity or organization that has been the source of your income.

Form 26AS: This form shows the TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) deducted from your income and payments made to you. Form 26AS is accessible on the official e-filing website. With every TDS payment to the tax department from your income, the relevant information gets automatically updated in your Form 26AS.

Also Read ITR 2022-23: Three key changes to keep in mind while filing your return PAN-Aadhar link to ITR filing: Complete these 5 financial tasks by March 31 Filing ITR without taxable income: Details on benefits, advantages Income tax return: Common mistakes you should avoid while filing your ITR March 31 is here: Link PAN with Aadhaar, file updated ITR & submit Form 12B Want immediate insurance coverage for diabetes? Apply for a customised plan ITR 2022-23: Three key changes to keep in mind while filing your return India's average health insurance claim is Rs 42,000; 15% exceed Rs 100,000 7 IPOs this week but don't make these 10 mistakes in pursuit of gains Realty bull run continues: Housing sales hit new peak of 115,000 in Q2

2. Understand Income Tax Slabs: It is essential to familiarize yourself with the income tax slabs and ascertain the one that aligns with your income bracket. The finance minister in India announces the Income Tax slabs annually, which currently consist of two distinct regimes. Both the new and old regimes offer taxpayers the opportunity to obtain tax benefits. "The tax slab an individual falls into depends on their income, meaning those with higher earnings are obligated to pay a greater amount of tax. The introduction of the slab system aimed to establish a fair tax structure within the country, and these slabs are subject to alteration with each budget announcement," said Avinash Shekhar, CEO, TaxNodes.

3. Claim Deductions Wisely: Take advantage of deductions available under sections like 80C (for investments including life insurance premium, investment in Public Provident Fund, investment in NSC, repayment of principal component of housing loan, investment in Post Office Time Deposit Scheme, Senior Citizens Saving Scheme, etc.) and 80D (for medical insurance). You can get tax benefits on life insurance premiums of up to Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80C. Health insurance premiums of up to Rs 75,000 are tax exempted under Section 80D. Donations to specific institutions enable you to avail tax benefits under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.Strategically utilize these deductions to optimize your tax savings.

4. Understand your salary components: Familiarize yourself with the different elements of your salary, such as basic salary, allowances, and deductions. This will enable you to





Also Read: ITR 2022-23: Three key changes to keep in mind while filing your return accurately calculate your income and determine your tax liability, said Shekhar.

5. Verify TDS details: Double-check the TDS amount deducted by your employer with the information in your Form 26AS. Ensure there are no discrepancies and contact your

employer for rectification if needed.

6. Utilize online filing platforms: Consider using online tax filing platforms or e-filing portals provided by the Income Tax Department. These platforms simplify the process and provide step-by-step guidance, ensuring accuracy and convenience. "If you find the process overwhelming or have complex financial situations, don'tt hesitate to seek help from a tax professional. They can provide expert advice and ensure your return is filed correctly," said Shekhar.

Income-tax Department has established an independent portal for e-filing of return of income. The taxpayers can log on to https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal for e-filing the return of income.

7. File Your Returns on Time: Remember, the last date for filing income tax returns is 31 July. Filing your returns after this date may incur a penalty, so it is essential to complete the process within the given timeline.

Return of income which has not been furnished on or before the due date specified under section 139(1) is called belated return. As per section 234F, late filing fees of R 5,000 shall be payable if return furnished after due date. However amount of late filing fees to be paid shall be Rs.1,000, if the total income of the person does not exceed Rs 5 lakh.

8. Declare all sources of income: "Include income from all sources, such as salary, investments, rent, or freelance work, while filing your ITR and make sure you select the appropriate ITR form based on your income sources and financial situation," said CA Manish Mishra.

ITR-1: Individuals with annual income of a maximum of Rs 50 lakh from sources like salaries, one house property, interest, etc., have to fill up ITR-1.

ITR-2: This form is for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who are not involved in a business or profession under any proprietorship.

ITR-3: ITR-3 is especially for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families enjoying a source of income from a business or profession under a proprietorship.

ITR-4: For presumptive income from business or profession having total income up to Rs 50 lakh

9. Keep a Record of Your Filing: "While the Income Tax department maintains records of your tax filings, it is beneficial to keep your own record for future reference. Store a digital or physical copy of your yearly filings for easy access and future needs. By incorporating these valuable tips into your income tax filing process, you can navigate the intricacies with enhanced confidence and ease, ensuring a smoother experience while meeting your tax obligations," said Raghuram Trikutam, Co-Founder, Descrypt.

10. Keep your ID cards ready: You need to mention your basic details like Aadhaar Number, PAN Number, Bank Account Number with IFSC Code, contact number and a valid email ID while filing up your ITR Form every financial year. Not just first-time taxpayers, this is applicable to every taxpayer on every financial year. Keep all these documents handy while filing up your ITR form, so there is no scope for inaccuracies.

10. Made errors during filing: If a person after furnishing the return finds any mistake, omission or any wrong statement, then return has to be revised within prescribed time limit. A return can be revised at any time 3 months before the end of the Assessment Year or before the completion of the assessment; whichever is earlier. If original return has filed in paper format or manually, then technically it cannot be revised by online mode or electronically. 



Revised return can be filed online under section 139(5).
The first semester's BA, BSc, and BCom results have been released by Calcutta University. Students who composed the CU semester 1 examination in BA, BSc and BCom honours, general, major can take a look at their outcomes at the official site at caluniv.ac.in. " The online results of the said exams will be accessible on June 28 from 2:30 PM onwards," the university mentioned.

The B.A./B.Sc. results have been released by the university. Semester-I (Honours/General/Major) and B.Com. Semester I(Honours/General/Major) courses. Between February and March of 2023, the Semester I exam was given. On April 10, 2023 Calcutta University officials met with 150 college principals to talk about the execution of the four-year undergrad program (FYUP) in universities.

CU semester 1 result 2023: Websites

According to the officials, students can download the mark sheet from the websites. Date of distribution for College wise Gazette and Gradesheet/Marksheet will be notified shortly on the University Website/College portal, it added.

 www.wbresults.nic.in

 www.exametc.com.

CU semester 1 result 2023: Steps to check

Students can download the CU semester 1 results 2023 from the steps below:

Also Read BTEUP Odd Semester Result 2023: How to check results at bteup.ac.in Osmania University Results 2023: Check complete result at osmania.ac.in Assam HS Result 2023: AHSEC 12th results are out at official website BSE Odisha 10th Result 2023: All you need to know about checking result GSEB HSC Results 2023: Gujarat Board 12th result is out at website IIT Guwahati recruitment 2023: Everything you need to know about procedure TNEA rank list 2023 released on official website at tneaonline.org OJEE 2023 special phase exams begin today, check all you need to know Haryana Board Class 10, 12 supplementary timetables 2023 released CUET UG 2023 Admit Card Out For Exams On 22 & 23 June, details here

 Check out the official Calcutta University websites at www.exametc.com or www.wbresults.nic.in.

 On the homepage, click on the BA, BSc, BCom sem-1 result 2022 link.

 Now, without hyphens, enter the 12-digit roll number.

 On the screen, the marking sheet will be displayed.

 Download it and save it for later.
All panchayats across the country will mandatorily use digital payments for all development work and revenue collection this Independence Day onwards, and will be declared UPI-enabled, a letter issued by the Panchayati Raj Ministry said.

States should "announce and inaugurate" the UPI-compliant panchayats in the presence of prominent dignitaries, like chief ministers, MPs, and MLAs, the ministry said in the letter to states and Union territories.

Secretary, Panchayati Raj Ministry, Sunil Kumar told PTI almost 98 per cent panchayats have already started using UPI-based payments.

"Payments worth almost Rs 1.5 lakh crore have been made through the Public Financial Management System (PMFS). Payments to panchayats will now be made digitally. Payments in cheques and cash have almost been stopped," Kumar said.

"It has almost universal coverage now. We have already covered almost 98 per cent of panchayats," he said. Panchayats have also been asked to hold meetings with service providers and vendors on June 30. A list with details of contact persons from UPI platforms GPay, PhonePay, PayTm, BHIM, Mobikwik, WhatsApp Pay, Amazon Pay and Bharat Pe has been shared by the ministry.

By July 15, panchayats have to choose appropriate service providers, and finalise vendors by July 30, as per guidelines by the ministry.

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Panchayats have also been asked to choose a single vendor which covers the whole area so as to allow economies of scale. It has also been recommended to create a centralised dashboard for monitoring transactions in real time.

Training camps will be held at district and block level for officials. Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil said enabling digital transactions will help in checking corruption.

"Most panchayats are now using digital payments. It will help in checking corruption. From planning to payment, everything is happening digitally," Patil told PTI.

According to government data, 806.3 crore transactions worth Rs 12.98 lakh crore were made through BHIM in January 2023 alone. Contribution of rural and peri-urban areas in digital transactions is around 50 per cent.

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are making digital payments through PFMS-eGram Swaraj interface, and over 90 per cent of PRIs have been audited online, according to the ministry.
An international team of astronomers with scientists from India, Japan, and Europe, have found evidence of the existence of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves by monitoring pulsars and using radio telescopes. The advanced radio telescopes included India's uGMRT.

The waves detected originate from enormous black hole pairs found in colliding galaxies and create vibrations in the fabric of space-time.

The team's findings represent a significant breakthrough in the understanding of gravitational waves and created new opportunities for exploration in astrophysics.

The research, published in two papers in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal, suggests the presence of these gravitational waves in the data collected by the European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) and Indian Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA) consortia.

How were these waves detected?

To detect these light-year-scale ripples, scientists used pulsars as cosmic beacons. Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars, the remnants of dead stars, emitting regular radio beams as they rotate. By monitoring these pulsars using radio telescopes, such as India's uGMRT, researchers collected over 25 years of data, including three years of highly sensitive observations. The analysis of this unique dataset revealed consistent irregularities in the ticking rates of the monitored pulsars, indicating the influence of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves with oscillation periods ranging from one to ten years.

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Nano-hertz frequency gravitational waves, as produced by dancing monster black hole pairs, offer insights into the secrets of the universe. These pairs form when galaxies merge, emitting gravitational waves at these astronomically long wavelengths. Additionally, other phenomena that occurred shortly after the birth of the universe can also generate waves at these frequencies.

A Gopakumar, chair of the InPTA consortium, stated that this marks the first time data from an Indian telescope has been used to hunt for gravitational waves.

The results presented today mark the beginning of a new journey into the Universe to unveil some of these mysteries," he added.

Future prospects of research

The researchers are already collaborating under the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) to combine their data sets. This collaboration aims to incorporate over 100 pulsars into the array, enabling even more sensitive observations and potentially unlocking further insights into the early universe and its associated phenomena.

The recent results are based on a coordinated effort among five major radio telescopes in Europe and the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India. Analysis of the European and Indian Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA+InPTA) data revealed a common signal across the pulsars, indicating the presence of gravitational waves. Similar findings have been reported by other PTA collaborations worldwide, including Australia (PPTA), China (CPTA), and North America (NANOGrav).

The InPTA experiment involves researchers from various institutions in India, including NCRA, TIFR, IIT Roorkee, IISER Bhopal, IIT Hyderabad, IMSc Chennai, and RRI Bengaluru, in addition to their colleagues from Kumamoto University, Japan.

Jaikhomba Singha, a senior PhD scholar from IIT Roorkee who was a part of the research team said, This is an extremely exciting time for early career researchers. We are in an era where an international team of researchers across the globe are all collaborating and trying to listen to the humming of our universe. The present results will open a plethora of exhilarating science for us in future."

The detection of gravitational-wave signals relies on a collaboration called the Pulsar Timing Array (PTA). By leveraging the stability of numerous pulsars distributed across the Milky Way galaxy, astronomers create a galactic-scale gravitational wave detector. Precise measurements of the arrival times of pulsar signals, spanning decades, are compared to study the effects of gravitational waves. These waves slightly alter the arrival times of radio pulses, enabling the detection of variations at a frequency ten billion times slower than the waves initially observed in 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors in the United States.
The vehicle used by the attackers of Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad have been recovered from a village here, police said on Thursday.

A bullet grazed Aazad's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur district's Deoband where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home on Wednesday evening.

The vehicle was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The number plate of the car used in the attack showed it was registered in Haryana, police said.

Superintendent of Police (City) Abimanyu Manglik said the Bhim Army chief was undergoing treatment at the district hospital of Saharanpur and his condition was stable.

There was heavy deployment of police force on the district hospital premises as a precautionary measure as Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers raising slogans and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.

Later, in a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad advised his supporters to remain calm and asserted that he will keep on fighting constitutionally.

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Following the incident on Wednesday, the Bhim army chief was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital, Senior Superintendent of Police of Saharanpur Vipin Tada said.

"The crime scene was examined by a forensic team. As per preliminary findings, four shots were fired at Aazad's vehicle. There were four to five attackers," the SSP said.

Meanwhile, the Azad Samaj Party's founder member and media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that a memorandum would be sent to the President of India as well as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister and governor demanding Z-plus security for Chandra Shekhar Aazad.
The Bihar government has asked staffers of the state education department not to wear casual outfits such as jeans and T-shirts in the office as the ongoing practice goes against the culture at workplaces.

The director (administration) of the education department, in an order issued on Wednesday, has taken exception to employees coming to offices in T-shirts and jeans.

It has been noticed that officials and employees of the department are coming to offices in attires which are contrary to the office culture. Wearing casuals in the office by officials or other employees is against the work culture in the office.

Therefore, all officials and employees should come to education department offices in formal dresses only. No casual dresses, especially jeans and T-shirts, are allowed in the offices of the education department with immediate effect, says the order which is in the possession of PTI.

Despite repeated attempts, Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar could not be reached for his comment on the order.

Notably, the district magistrate of Saran district had, in April, barred all government employees from wearing jeans and T-shirts in government offices.

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They were asked to wear formal dresses and carry identity cards.

The Bihar government had, in 2019, banned wearing jeans and T-shirts in the state secretariat, irrespective of the employees' ranks.

The aim was to maintain "office decorum" and the government had asked employees of the state secretariat to wear simple, comfortable and light-coloured outfits in the office.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of a new high court complex in Jammu.

Justice Chandrachud described judicial officers as frontline warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man seeking justice.

The state-of-the-art complex, estimated to cost over Rs 800 crore, is located in the Raika forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu.

It would contribute to the improvement of the judicial system, said the CJI who was accompanied by Supreme Court Judges Sanjay Kishan Koul and Pankaj Mithal, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh B D Mishra.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal joined the event virtually.

The Chief Justice also launched e-initiatives for the judiciary of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including a Document Management System for the High Court and a National Service for tracking electronic processes in the district courts of the two Union Territories.

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These technological initiatives are expected to enhance the functioning of the courts and improve the system of justice delivery, he said.

Justice Chandrachud described judicial officers as frontline warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man seeking justice.

It is our endeavour that every section of the society, poor or underprivileged have access to Justice. The foundation of the new High Court complex and the newly launched IT initiatives are pioneer steps in bringing reforms in the Justice delivery system, he said.

He also stressed encouraging the productive participation of women in the delivery of Justice.

The new complex is expected to be completed in record time, providing a much-needed upgrade to the existing Jammu High Court campus, which faces several challenges, including fire safety and security concerns, as well as inadequate storage space for files, officials said.

The construction received an approval from the State Administrative Council in 2019, allowing the utilisation of over 40 hectares of forest land for the project, they said.

Despite some opposition and concerns about environmental impact, the Forest Advisory Committee and the State Board for Wildlife approved the project after careful deliberations and imposed additional terms and conditions regarding tree felling and compensation.

However, some organisations held protests in Jammu over the decision.

The new complex, designed as a self-contained integrated complex, will provide a comprehensive judicial ecosystem. It will feature 35 courtrooms with the potential for expansion to 70, along with chambers for 1,000 lawyers and provisions for future expansion, they said.

The complex will also include auditoriums, an administrative block, meditation, medical, and computer centres, a judges' library, and amenities for litigants. Additionally, it will provide accommodation, a Judicial Academy, and convention facilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Lt Governor Sinha said the efforts to enhance the judicial system in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh through the new court complex and technological initiatives reflect a commitment to inclusive and accessible justice.

The use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, is being explored to ensure seamless and efficient justice delivery, he said.

These initiatives aim to empower citizens, promote ease of access to justice, and uphold the principles enshrined in the Constitution, which have guided India's progress and prosperity for the last 75 years of independence, he said.

Meghwal expressed hope that the technological facilities would accelerate the pace of development and progress. He assured all possible financial support and an adequate budget for the Jammu and Kashmir administration to develop judicial infrastructure.
The vehicle used by the attackers of Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was recovered from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, police said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, police in Amethi district registered a case under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after it came to light that a Facebook page had issued a death threat to Aazad days before the attack.

Activists of the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party held a demonstration at Parivartan Chowk here and demanded proper security for Aazad. They were later taken into custody by police.

A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday evening.

The vehicle used by Aazad's attackers was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The number plate of the car showed it was registered in Haryana, the police said.

Superintendent of Police (Dehat Saharanpur) Sagar Jain said Aazad is undergoing treatment at the Saharanpur district hospital and his condition is stated to be stable.

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Heavy police deployment was seen on the hospital premises as Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers, raising slogans and demanding immediate arrest of the attackers.

Taking note of a death threat issued by a Facebook page called 'Kshatriya of Amethi' to Aazad days before the attack, Amethi police registered a case at Gauriganj police station.

The police have taken cognisance of the post on Facebook page 'Kshatriya of Amethi' and registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 506 of the IPC and relevant provisions of the IT Act, said Mayank Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gauriganj.

A post was shared five days ago on the page stating that Aazad would be killed by the Thakurs of Amethi at a road crossing in broad daylight.

A post shared on the page on Thursday said Aazad was shot in the waist but "he will not survive next time". Aazad is a very clever man, he needs security, a bulletproof vehicle and jacket, it said.

It also warned that there will be a big movement if any innocent Rajput is framed for the attack.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met Aazad at the hospital and enquired about his health.

Speaking to reporters later, Punia said those behind the attack on Aazad should be arrested as soon as possible.

In Lucknow, Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party activists handed over to a government official a memorandum addressed to the governor demanding that Aazad's security be stepped up.

Some supporters of the Bhim Army chief also raised slogans against the attack at Parivartan Chowk and were later taken into custody by police.

Azad Samaj Party's media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that memorandums demanding Z-plus security for Aazad will be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital.

In a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally.
The Delhi government's vigilance directorate has written to the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), recommending action against three former and a sitting DERC official in connection with the appointment of Ashok Kumar Singhal as the principal advisor (tariff) to the power regulator.

There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) on the issue.

Singhal termed the whole matter "pointless".

"There is no issue in it. My appointment was done in a proper manner," he told PTI.

The directorate, in a communication dated June 27, said the matter of appointment of DERC member Singhal as the principal advisor (tariff) was examined by it.

"It emerges that the DERC has not examined the issue legally and has been totally biased in selecting Ashok Kumar Singhal as the principal advisor (tariff) after he demitted the office of member DERC," it said.

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The directorate further said the DERC has "violated" section 89(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003, as Singhal was appointed as the principal advisor (tariff) after demitting office as member, DERC.

The Ministry of Power had written to APTEL in February for an enquiry against the DERC member.

In a reference to the APTEL chairperson, the ministry had listed various "instances of transgressions" on the DERC's part.

The Electricity Act, 2003, provides that the power tariff should be cost-reflective and mandates that the appropriate commission, while determining the tariff, will be guided by the objective that the tariff progressively reflects the cost of electricity supply and also reduces cross-subsidies within a specified period, it had charged.

The vigilance directorate communication to the APTEL also alleged that the DERC is not functioning in accordance with the procedures established through norms and judicial pronouncements, and cited certain instances in this regard.

The directorate further alleged that the "lapses" on the DERC's part were due to a "lack of transparency".

The vigilance directorate recommended "appropriate action" against Singhal and others to the APTEL.
At least three High Courts (HCs) have stated that they are disappointed with the last-minute applications regarding animal slaughter they receive on the eve of Bakrid (Eid al-Adha). Applications ranged from requesting the approval of animal sacrifices to restrictions on animal slaughter during the festival.

The courts criticised the petitioners for filing these pleas at eleventh-hour when they had a year to prepare for the festival.

A report by Bar and Bench shared the responses of three HCs when receiving last-minute pleas on the matter.

Bombay High Court

A Division Bench of Justices GS Patel and Neela Gokhale received an application from residents of Vishalgad Fort, requesting permission to slaughter animals within the fort premises. The applicants urged the Court to direct local authorities to expedite the consideration of their application.

The Bombay High Court pointed out that Bakri Eid has been on the calendar for a significant period, making such late filings unnecessary. The court clarified that it would not grant permission directly but directed the relevant authorities to promptly consider the applications. The Court also expressed its disapproval of these applications for being filed last minute every year.

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Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta HC refused to issue any last-minute orders directing authorities to prevent cow slaughter during the Bakri-Eid festival scheduled for Thursday. A Bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam criticised the petitioners for approaching the Court just one day before the festival.





Also Read: Kharge extends Eid al-Adha greetings, wishes to build a peaceful society The court stated that it was unable to take any action at this point and urged the petitioners not to expect any order. The comments were made in response to a request for an urgent hearing regarding the alleged open sale of cows for slaughter in the State's markets.

Delhi High Court

A vacation bench comprising Justices C Hari Shankar and Manoj Jain declined to issue any orders in response to a plea demanding that animal sacrifices during Eid al-Adha only be allowed in licensed slaughterhouses.

The petitioner, Ajay Gautam, insisted that authorities must comply with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2000. However, the Delhi HC refused to issue immediate orders on a plea regarding the restriction of animal sacrifices outside licensed slaughterhouses during Eid al-Adha.

The Bench noted that Gautam had sufficient time to approach the Court but only did so a day before the festival.

The Bench emphasised that it would not address the plea at present and referred the matter to a bench presided over by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
Indians holding an H1-B visa will now have the option of study and work permits in Canada too. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has introduced a new strategy to attract digital talent to Canada, which includes a digital nomad programme that allows more foreigners to live and work there.

"As of July 16, Canada will have a stream that will allow 10,000 H-1B visa holders in the United States to come and work in Canada.

There are approximately 400,000 H-1B visa holders in the US, which is why the government is setting a cap on the new stream of people who could hold those visas at 10,000.

Approved applicants would get an open work permit of up to three years, and they would be able to work for "almost any employer anywhere in Canada.The applicants' spouses would also be able to apply for a temporary resident visa.

This measure will remain in effect for one year, or until Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives 10,000 applications. Only principal applicants, and not their accompanying family members, will count toward the application cap.

H-1B visas allow foreign nationals to temporarily work in the US in certain specialized occupations, including the tech sector.

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Canada also wants to promote itself as a destination for digital nomads.

A digital nomad is a person who can perform their job remotely from anywhere in the world. They dont need a work permit. All they need is visitor status.

Under current Canadian immigration rules, a digital nomad only needs visitor status to relocate to Canada for up to six months at a time while they perform their job remotely for a foreign employer.

The digital nomad strategy would allow people with a foreign employer to work in Canada for up to six months. And should they receive a job offer while they're here, they can continue and work in Canada.

"We expect that some digital nomads who initially enter Canada to work remotely will decide to seek opportunities with Canadian employers. When they receive a job offer from a Canadian company, they would be able to bring their skills to a Canadian employer by applying for a temporary work permit or even permanent residence," said a government release.

There's a programme in place already allowing foreigners who receive a job offer to transition to a Canadian work permit. But under the digital nomad strategy, a tech worker with a job at a foreign employer could also arrive in Canada today, and continue to work for that employer.

This is part of "Canada's first-ever Tech Talent Strategy aimed at attracting top talent around the world.

Canada is also looking to improve existing immigration programs that can benefit workers in high-skilled tech occupations, including the Global Skills Strategy and the Start-up Visa Program.





Global skills strategy

The Global Skills Strategy, launched in 2017, features four policies designed to support Canadian employers seeking quick access to highly skilled talent from around the world. Processing times for Global Skills Strategy work permit applications have recovered after delays throughout the pandemic, said the release.

"Employment and Social Development Canada is meeting the two-week standard for processing Global Talent Stream labour market impact assessments for employers, and IRCC is meeting the two-week standard for work permit applications."

Start-up Visa Program

The Start-up Visa (SUV) Program provides a path to permanent residence for foreign entrepreneurs who gain the support of a designated Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor organization or business incubator for their start-up.

As a first step to address the lengthy wait times for applicants, more spots were allocated to this program under the 20232025 multi-year levels plan. This means that targets have tripled the number of permanent residents expected in the Federal Business category for 2023 compared to 2022. Further increases are planned in 2024 and 2025.

Canada will also change the temporary work permit option for SUV applicants and will allow them to apply for an open work permit of up to three years, rather than a one-year work permit that limits them to work solely for their own start-up. This will make it easier and more appealing for founders to come to Canada and develop their business while they wait for their permanent residence application to be processed.

The work permit will be available to each member of the entrepreneurial team. Currently, only members of the entrepreneurial team who are identified as essential and urgently needed in Canada by the designated organization supporting the start-up can apply.

Applications that are supported by venture capital, angel investor groups and business incubators and have capital committed will be prioritised, along with applications that are supported by business incubators who are members of Canadas Tech Network.

Changes to the temporary work permit option for Start-up Visa Program applicants, as well as the new application prioritization plan, will be in place later this year.

The International Mobility Programme

Canada will also introduce the The International Mobility Program (IMP) later this year which will allow Canadian employers to hire foreign workers without a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).

The Innovation Stream



Later this year, Canada will also introduce a new Innovation Stream to bring talented workers to Canada to help build innovative businesses. This would include grant of employer-specific work permits for up to five years for workers destined to work for a company identified by the Canadian government as contributing to its industrial innovation goals. It would also offer open work permits for up to five years for highly skilled individuals in select occupations.











Quick facts about the H1-B programme

The new H1-B specialty occupation visa holder work permit will be available as of July 16, 2023. Were enthusiastic about the ambitious goals we have set in immigration, because they arent just about numbersthey are strategic. With Canadas first-ever immigration Tech Talent Strategy, were targeting newcomers that can help enshrine Canada as a world leader in a variety of emerging technologies. Im grateful for the collaboration of the tech, start-up and business communities, who have provided valuable insight to develop this strategy. Having a fast and flexible approach, one that is broadly supported by Canadians, is truly Canadas immigration advantage," said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Canada ranked number one as the most attractive destination for immigrant entrepreneurs in a 2023 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (PDF 2.18 MB). The rankings were based on a wide variety of factors, including access to capital, corporate tax rates, skills of the workforce, strength of its universities and quality of life, as well as immigration policies for entrepreneurs and their families. Later this year, Canada will also introduce a new Innovation Stream to bring talented workers to Canada to help build innovative businesses. This would include grant of employer-specific work permits for up to five years for workers destined to work for a company identified by the Canadian government as contributing to its industrial innovation goals. It would also offer open work permits for up to five years for highly skilled individuals in select occupations.

Approved applicants will receive an open work permit of up to three years in duration, which means they will be able to work for almost any employer anywhere in Canada.

Their spouses and dependants will also be eligible to apply for a temporary resident visa, with a work or study permit, as needed.

This measure will remain in effect for one year, or until Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives 10,000 applications.







Improvements to the Start-up Visa Programme



Canada allocated more spots to this program for 2023, with further increases planned for 2024 and 2025. Only principal applicants, and not their accompanying family members, will count toward the application cap.

Applicants will be able to apply for a work permit that is up to three years in duration instead of one year.

Applicants will be able to apply for an open work permit instead of one that limits them to working for their own start-up.

Canada is making this three-year open work permit available to each member of the entrepreneurial team instead of only those who are essential and urgently needed in Canada.

Canada is prioritizing applications that are supported by venture capital, angel investor groups and business incubators and have capital committed, along with applications that are supported by business incubators who are members of Canadas Tech Network.
The Government of India has given the highest priority for securing the release of Indian fishermen detained by Iranian authorities for allegedly entering their waters without permission, Union Minister for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, said here on Thursday.

Seven fishermen from Kerala, three from Tamil Nadu, and a citizen of an Arab nation who went fishing from Ajman, UAE, were detained by the Iranian Navy a few days ago after they unintentionally crossed over the waters of the Middle East nation.

Muraleedharan met relatives of the fishermen from Kerala at a church nearby Anchuthengu and said the External Affairs Ministry, through the Indian Embassy in Iran, got in touch with Iranian authorities soon after he was informed about the fishermen's custody in Iran.

The minister said the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has experience in securing the release of Indian citizens detained by the security agencies of foreign countries for entering international waters.

He said the Indian Government has a permanent solution with Pakistan and Sri Lanka to address such issues, but in the case of Iran, there is no regular system. "We will find a solution", he assured.

He said that the Indian Embassy officials themselves will go and meet the fishermen who have been detained by Iran, and assured the concerned families that they will not be subjected to any physical abuse.

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Muraleedharan also assured the relatives of fishermen that a provision for them to talk to their families would also be made available at the earliest.

Out of seven fishermen from Kerala, five are from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district, and two are from Paravur in Kollam district.

The fishermen who went out for fishing from Ajman in the Gulf lost their way and entered Iranian waters. They were reportedly taken into custody by Iran on Monday.

As per the information received by the families, these fishermen have been imprisoned in Iran and have been shifted to different prisons.

The families also alleged that the fishermen had been beaten up in custody.

Anitha, wife of detained fisherman Stanley Washington, appealed to the Indian government authorities to save the fishermen from Iranian custody.

"My husband and 10 other fishermen left for fishing from Ajman, and we got a call from him on Monday saying that they were detained by the Iranian Navy. Then we got a message that they were put in an Iranian prison and tortured. We request the authorities to intervene and save them. They do not even know the language and have been shifted from one prison to another three times already," she said.

Agnes, wife of another fisherman, namely Saju George, said her husband had been working in Ajman for the last 28 years, and he called her to inform her that they, along with one Arab, had been detained by the Iranian navy.

"This is the first time such a thing happened, as they lost their way and entered Iranian territory. We request the authorities intervene in the matter and save them," she said.
A social and political activist here has lodged a complaint against PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in Nawabad police station in Jammu for "spreading misinformation" and levelling "fake and irresponsible" allegations against Army.

Bodh Raj Sharma in his police complaint said that People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief shared a message on her Twitter account which may be described as "provocative" and requested the police to lodge an FIR against her under relevant sections of the law.

Sharma in his complaint said that it was "irresponsible" on the part of Mehbooba Mufti to post a message against the army "without any proof," and that too just before the Amarnath Yatra.

He warned that if no action is taken against the PDP chief he will be forced to approach the court.

Notably, Mehbooba Mufti had on Saturday tweeted that she was "shocked to hear about army troops storming into a mosque at Pulwama" and "forcing" people to chant a religious slogan.

However, later she cited a media report and thanked the army for launching a probe into the incident.

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"Thankful to @ChinarcorpsIA for taking swift action in the Zadoora incident. Only genuine accountability will restore trust between civilians & armed forces. Kashmir is the only state where a pilgrimage like Amarnath Yatra coincides with Eid. This is the spirit of Kashmiriyat," she said in a tweet on Wednesday evening.
At the time of writing, the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, is delighted with the results of the fifth consecutive night of riots, which was calmer thanks to the resolute action of the forces of the 'order' [the police]. This statement is very relative. In response, let's put things into perspective. The fifth night was perhaps "quieter" than the fourth and, above all, than the third. But in relation to the 100 days of appeasement announced by Emmanuel Macron on 17 April, it was still very agitated! (Note: this article was originally published 29 June and has since been updated. Read the latest version in French here.  03/07/23).

Moreover, Gerald Darmanin should be wary of the resolute action of the police, because a new police murder would seriously complicate the advent of a peaceful France, as ordered by the Head of State.

The murder of Nahel M (a 17-year-old French-Algerian) by a police officer in Nanterre on Tuesday morning has sparked a powerful wave of indignation and anger across the country.

The video of the incident clearly illustrates what happened: the police officer deliberately murdered the young man, who was not threatening anyone. He was shot in the chest and medics failed to revive him. Such events are not uncommon: there were 13 such police killings following routine traffic stops last year alone.

Unaware that he had been filmed, the policeman tried to claim that Nahel was threatening to kill him. This is the regular strategy of police officers who commit such accidents: they lie, confident in the complicity of the police and judicial institutions.

But the video does not lie. It is a spanner in the works for the state, a piece of raw truth that ridicules arguments like the presumption of innocence, which reactionary journalists have been coming out with for the past two days.

Everyone understands that, without this video, the police officers claims would probably not have been questioned  and that for lack of videos, many murders perpetrated by police officers in similar circumstances have been buried under a heap of lies and complicit silence.

Violent riots in Nanterre last night after police reportedly shot & executed Nael M, an unarmed 17-year-old French-Algerian delivery driver at a tragic stop.



Reports claim the police shouted: Im going to lodge a bullet in your head. 



pic.twitter.com/FKj5SF7AgL  Joseph Attard (@josephattard02) June 28, 2023

Fearing a repeat of the 2005 riots, triggered by the death of two youths who were electrocuted to death after being chased by police into a power station, the government said it was shocked by the video, promised that justice would be done and called for calm.

To no avail. On Tuesday night, clashes broke out between hundreds of young people and the police in Nanterre and other towns in the Paris suburbs. By Wednesday evening, the clashes had spread to many towns, not just in the Paris suburbs but nationwide.

Murderous system

The riots could spread over the next few days. Nahel's murder is far from the only cause of peoples anger. But it is serving as a catalyst, a spark that has ignited huge reserves of explosive material that have been built up over the years through humiliation, discrimination, stigmatisation, state racism, police violence, unemployment and misery of all kinds.

As in 2005, the government and its media outlets are shedding crocodile tears over burnt-out cars and buses. They see this as an opportunity to mobilise public opinion against the young rioters, who are being subjected to intense police repression. The young people arrested will probably receive harsh sentences to set an example. The right and far right will try to make political gains out of the situation  in the name of order, security and even, of course, the (bourgeois) Republic.

In this context, the left and the trade union movement must not confine themselves to the role of observers and commentators. We need to give events a clear class content. The organisations of the workers' movement must do everything they can to mobilise all young people and workers in a massive struggle against the bourgeois state, against the government and against police and judicial repression of young people.

Protests continued for a second night. Reports of 2,000 police deployed in Paris. 



pic.twitter.com/JwMHE0mIRQ  Joseph Attard (@josephattard02) June 29, 2023

Massive demonstrations and rallies must be organised in working-class neighbourhoods to give this youth revolt the most organised, conscious and effective expression possible. This would enable the entire population of these neighbourhoods  and not just the youth  to take part in the movement. At the same time, it would take the wind out of the sails of reactionary politicians who harp on the violence of the rioters and try to turn public opinion against them.

The link between the polices harassment of young people in the poorest neighbourhoods and the government's anti-people policies must be established, explained and hammered home.

Millions of people have been mobilising against the governments policies since January. The government and the police are two aspects of the same problem, the same system of exploitation and oppression, the same domination of a class of rich parasites over the overwhelming majority of the population.

It is this capitalist class that sows misery, unemployment and chaos. It is this same class that controls the state apparatus, the police and the judicial institutions. It is also this class that owns and controls the major media, one of the central missions of which is to constantly spew racist propaganda, under any pretext.

It is therefore against this class and its system  the capitalist system  that the workers' movement must strive to direct the anger which is exploding, once again, among the most oppressed young people in the country. There is no doubt that if the labour movement speaks revolutionary language to these young people, they will respond with enthusiasm and energy.

Refounding the (bourgeois) police"?

Unfortunately, the leaders of the left and the trade union movement are not at all up to the task. They have not taken the slightest initiative to try to give a more organised and politically developed, more conscious expression to the anger of the young rioters. They did not attempt to mobilise other sections of the youth and workers. At worst, they condemn the violence  in unison with the government, the right and the far right. At best, they chatter on the subject of a Republican police overhaul.

For example, a confederal press release from the CGT, on 1 July,  condemns the violence (of young people) and, in an attempt to distinguish itself from the right, proposes to refound our republican police and its link to the population, with the commitment to substantive work in terms of training, management and law enforcement directives. This is what all the wisdom of the reformist leaders of the most powerful labour union in the country boils down to: the objective of refounding our police  sorry, our republican police!

Our police? The CGT police ? The police of the workers, the exploited and the oppressed? The word our alone betrays a fatal confusion. For all intents and purposes, let's remind the confederal leaders of the CGT (and France Insoumise) of some basic truths. In a capitalist regime, even a republican one, the police  like the army and the judicial system  are at the service of the bourgeoisie. It is the police of the bourgeoisie, and of that class alone. The police are one of the main pillars of its state apparatus, whose fundamental function is to defend the power and privileges of the ruling class.

Aware of this role, the arch-reactionary leaders of the police unions do not fail to sharply remind the bourgeoisie of their function when the latter, fearing an uncontrollable social explosion, is forced to publicly criticise the excess of zeal of the police. This is precisely what we are witnessing. Hence the double discourse at the top of the state: on the one hand, the government said it was "shocked" by the video of Nahel's murder; on the other, he warmly congratulates the police and hands plaudits to the leaders of the National Police Alliance, UNSA-police and other far-right organisations.

The class struggle will intensify under the impact of the deep crisis of capitalism, with the inflation and the drastic counter-reforms that the French bourgeoisie needs. The latter will therefore also need a police force firmly determined to intimidate, repress and terrorise the masses. And this is the moment that the leaders of the CGT choose to turn to the ruling class and suggest that they refound our republican police!

The leaders of the CGT and France Insoumise are right to demand the repeal of the Cazeneuve law of 2017 regarding the "licence to kill". But it should not be imagined that the repeal of this law would put an end to police killings. Because of its objective role under capitalism, the police are inevitably a breeding ground for hardened racists and reactionaries. Generally speaking, the bourgeois police cannot be refounded in a progressive direction. The bourgeois police must be smashed, pulverised, at the same time as the bourgeoisie will be driven from power, its means of production will be expropriated and society will be refounded on a socialist basis. Any other perspective is reformist chatter that sows dangerous illusions in our class.
A single-judge panel led by Justice M Nagaprasanna rejected the plea. "The petitioner appears to have tampered with the source code without permission, and this undoubtedly constitutes a violation of the company's copyright," the High Court said.

The Bengaluru Police had registered a case against Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders following a complaint filed by the MRT music label for the alleged unauthorised use of music from Kannada film KGF Chapter 2 during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in November 2022.

The complaint alleged that the party had posted two videos during the Bharat Jodo Yatra with songs from the movie without permission, in violation of the Copyright Act.

The FIR was registered in the Yashwanthpur police station under the provisions of the Copyright Act, the Information Technology Act, and the Indian Penal Code against Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, and Supriya of the Congress.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday rejected the appointment of some officials in the Education department citing ongoing vigilance inquiries against them, officials said.

The CM deliberated with officials on several matters related to appointments in the second meet of the National Capital Civil Service Authority.

In another matter, there was a proposal to remove some "good" officials from the Education department, but the CM objected to it and stopped it from getting passed, they said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy was on Thursday stopped by the Manipur police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from Imphal, officials said.

After arriving at Imphal, he was travelling in a convoy to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area.

Police officials said the convoy was stopped fearing violence along the route.

They said that tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy.

"We fear repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur," a police officer told PTI.

Congress office bearers are speaking with the police and army authorities to ensure safe passage for their party leader.

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More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the two-day 17th Indian Cooperative Congress on July 1 in the national capital and launch an e-commerce platform NCUI Haat for cooperative products.

Modi will also unveil a cooperative extension and advisory services portal, focusing on a 'learning management system' that provides information and services for cooperative members, leaders, managers and the general public.

The prime minister will also unveil a book on 'Cooperative Growth and Trends in India', a souvenir on cooperative movement, training modules on "Members' role in cooperative" and "Governance in cooperatives", besides a film on the initiatives of the Cooperation Ministry.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will preside over the inaugural session of the Congress -- organised by the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) -- that will focus on the theme "Amrit Kaal -- Prosperity through cooperation for a vibrant India".

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be a chief guest at the valedictory function on July 2. Chemical and Fertiliser Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala will also be present.

"The objective of the Congress is to discuss and deliberate upon the key issues, confronting the cooperative sector and chalk out an effective roadmap for the 'Amrit Kaal'," NCUI President and IFFCO Chairman Dileep Sanghani said in a press conference here.

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The prime minister will launch NCUI's e-commerce platform 'NCUI Haat' for cooperative products. This will facilitate capacity-building support in registration, branding and promotion of products free of cost, he said.

The prime minister's inaugural address will give a new direction and guidance to the cooperatives working in different fields. The event will be attended by not only 3,500 delegates of cooperative organisations from all over the country but also from across the globe, Sanghani added.

This year's Indian Cooperative Congress coincides with the International Day of Cooperatives, which is celebrated on the first Saturday of July annually, said International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) President and KRIBHCO Chairman Chandra Pal Singh Yadav.

Representatives from eight countries -- including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea -- will attend the event. Besides, representatives from 34 countries, who are members of ICA, will join the event virtually.

The technical sessions will focus on some key issues: cooperative legislation and policy reforms; cross-sectoral collaboration for strengthening cooperative movement; strengthening cooperative education, training and research; ease of doing business for competitive cooperative business enterprises; innovation and technology for cooperative governance; promoting gender equality and social inclusion; and importance of cooperative credit system in the Indian economy.
No black dresses, compulsory attendance, suspension of classes between 10 am to 12 pm are among the guidelines issued by Delhi University colleges for the live telecast of the varsity's centenary celebrations to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi will attend the closing ceremony of the Delhi University's (DU) centenary celebrations as the chief guest on June 30.

Hansraj College, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College and Zakir Husain Delhi College have made it compulsory for students and faculty to attend the live telecast of the event.

In a notice issued on Wednesday, Hindu College teacher-in-charge Meenu Srivastava laid out seven-point guidelines mentioning that students will be given five attendances for participating in the live streaming.

The presence of all students is mandatory during the live streaming of the event. The entry to college should be done by the beginning of the first period, that is, 8:50 am to 9 am in order to avoid any traffic diversion or disruptions later in the DU campus, the guidelines read.

You need to carry your I-card. No black dress is to be worn that day. Students attendance is mandatory and they will be given five attendances for attending the live streaming and it will be submitted to the college, they said.

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Asked about this notice, Hindu College principal Anju Srivastava said the administration has not issued any such notice.

It appears there is some misrepresentation. (This notice has) not (been) issued by the college. I have no idea, she told PTI. However, she did not deny that the notice is not genuine.

I have mailed to students and all faculty informing them about the live telecast and urged them to attend it. There is no attendance compulsion, Srivastava added.

In a notice, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College said, On this occasion, all teachers with their students and non-teaching staff must attend the live web telecast programme in the college."



It said a detailed report will be submitted to the university.

As per the directions of the University of Delhi, all staff members other than the newly appointed teachers who are physically present at the multipurpose hall, University of Delhi, are mandatorily required to remain present in the college library to view the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations, the Zakir Hussain Delhi College said in its order.

PTI reached out to principals of several other colleges of the varsity. They, however, maintained that they have only requested the students and faculty to attend the event and that there is no attendance for the same.

The Delhi University administration also clarified that they have not made attendance compulsory, adding the live telecast is being arranged so that those who cannot make it to the event can watch the same.

Registrar Vikas Gupta said the varsity has not issued any order about compulsory attendance.

We have informed the colleges that we are doing a live telecast of the event as all students cannot attend it. The colleges have made the arrangements. We have not made attendance mandatory, he told PTI.

Meanwhile, Ramjas College, Miranda House and Kirorimal College also maintained that they have not made attendance compulsory, but have urged students, teaching and non-teaching staff to attend the event.

Dyal Singh College said, Our college shall be telecasting the said event live and all students and teachers are therefore requested to be present in College on 30.06.2023."



Miranda House principal B Nanda, Ramjas College principal Manoj Kumar Khanna and Kirorimal College principal Dinesh Khattar also confirmed that attendance is not compulsory for the prime minister's event.

We had informed the university that several students and teachers are interested in attending the event, and that is why they told us that a live telecast would be done. The students themselves are very keen. We have not made it compulsory for anyone, Nanda said.
The city administration on Thursday began the process for on-the-spot registration of devotees arriving here for the pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Over 1,500 pilgrims, including sadhus, have arrived in Jammu city for the yatra to the 3,880-metre shrine starting on July 2.

While an on-the-spot registration centre has been set up for unregistered pilgrims in Shalimar area of the city, a special camp for registration of sadhus has been set up at Purani Mandi-based Ram temple complex.

Amid tight security arrangements, over 1000 pilgrims have arrived at the Bhagwati-Nagar base camp here for their onward journey to Kashmir, officials said.

The 62-day-long pilgrimage will commence on July 1 from the twin tracks the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

The registration of un-registered pilgrims arriving here from all parts of the country have begun on-the-spot at the counter here, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nargesh Singh told PTI.

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He said all facilities for smooth registration have been put in place.

"The registration of sadhus has begun in Jammu from today. All arrangements have been put in place for best possible facilities to sadhus", Tehsildar Jai Singh said.

The enthusiasm among pilgrims arriving here for the pilgrimage was palpable



Sanjeev Kumar of Uttar Pradesh said it is the fourth time that he is visiting the cave shrine.

"The registration process has improved from manual to online. This has done away with the process of sitting in long queues in hot weather conditions", he said.

Annother pilgrim, 69-year-old Jagdesh Raj from Delhi said, "For my entire life, I have been facilitating people planning to go on the pilgrimage, but could not go myself. However, I am very happy that I am now going to pay obeisance at Amarnath".

The sadhus have arrived here after completing the Char Dham Yatra to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines in Uttarakhand.

"We are here for the registration, which began today....It is for the sixth time, I am going to Amarnath", another pilgrim Ramesh Chander Giri said.
By Rakesh Sharma



Prime Minister Narendra Modi met board members and key leadership of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in New Delhi and highlighted the opportunities India offers for global firms.



Highlighted Indias vast potential for growth, fuelled by recent reforms and a conducive business environment, Modi said in a Twitter post after the meeting Wednesday evening. Also spoke of how India offers several opportunities for global firms.

Modi last week met top business leaders including Tesla Inc.s Elon Musk, Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, Alphabet Inc. Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai and Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella in the US to attract investments to spur growth in the worlds fifth largest economy. Several deals were announced during his visit, including Micron Technology Inc. investment of over $800 million toward a $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and testing facility in India.

The 12-member Goldman board is visiting India for its first meeting in the South Asia nation in more than a decade. Goldman, which opened its first India office in Bengaluru in 2004, has deployed over $7 billion in capital since 2006, according to its website.
Amid speculation of a possible cabinet reshuffle ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting of the Union Cabinet on July 3, according to a report by The Times of India.The report quoted officials as saying that the meeting is likely to be held at the newly-built convention center at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, which will host the G20 summit in September.

PM Modi had held in-depth discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagat Prakash Nadda, and other key party leaders on Wednesday. Nadda's attendance at the meeting has sparked discussions about possible changes in the government and the BJP organisation, including at the state level, as the party prepares for important state elections later this year and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

State elections will take place in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram later this year. Nadda's attendance at the meeting has sparked discussions about possible changes in the government and the BJP organisation, including at the state level, as the party prepares for important state elections later this year and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

According to the report, Shah, Nadda and BJP Nation General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh have also held several rounds of deliberations on organisational and political issues since the past few days.

PM Modis meeting with the council of ministers will take place days before the Monsoon session of Parliament, which is likely to start in the third week of July. The Modi Cabinet has not undergone a major reshuffle in nearly two years. However, in May 2023, Kiren Rijiju was replaced as law minister by Arjun Ram Meghwal. The last major reshuffle took place in July 2021, when 12 ministers were axed and 17 new ministers were sworn in.

In the previous cabinet reshuffle, ministers such as Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsh Vardhan, Prakash Javadekar, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, and Santosh Gangwar were dropped from the Modi government. On the other hand, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narayan Rane, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Ashwini Vaishnaw were inducted into the cabinet.
Bitter non-stop wrangling with the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit and intermittent exchanges between the ruling partners have stood out as the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, steered by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, completes a year in office on Friday.

The Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) labelled each other gaddar (traitor) after Shinde's rebellion split their original party last year, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly asserted he had exacted revenge on Thackeray for his betrayal.

Though comfortably placed to form the government after the 2019 Assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP ended their decades-long ties over the CM's post. Thackeray then allied with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to become the CM until Shinde toppled his cart.

About 50 MLAs on his side, Shinde took oath on June 30, 2022, and Fadnavis, a former chief minister whose party BJP has 105 legislators in the 288-member Assembly, became his deputy in what was seen as an unprecedented move.

Behind the wide grins and bonhomie on camera between Shinde and Fadnavis, there have been palpable signs of strain, triggered by words and ads, as the ruling alliance gears up to celebrate its first anniversary of being in power.

The goings-on have left little room for doubt that politics has overshadowed governance in these months, though the government moved quickly to speed up a few infrastructure projects, including Metro lines in Mumbai.

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In the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, local BJP leaders targeted the CM's son and two-term MP Shrikant Shinde, bringing to the fore the simmering tension between the Shiv Sena and BJP.

Later, an advertisement splashed across major dailies claiming that Shinde enjoyed more popularity than Fadnavis added fuel to the fire. It did not have the pictures of either Fadnavis or Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.

BJP Member of Parliament Anil Bonde appeared more direct. He said a frog does not become an elephant even if it swells, in a reference to Shinde, prompting a Shiv Sena MLA to hit back, saying the former's ministers could find a place in the cabinet only because of his party's "50 tigers".

After a year of the Shinde Sarkar (government), there are more areas that can potentially create bad blood between Shiv Sena and BJP.

The state cabinet is yet to be expanded it now has only 20 ministers, including the CM and his deputy, though it can have a maximum of 43 members.

There are no ministers of state and each cabinet minister handles many portfolios apart from being the guardian minister of several districts. There is no woman yet in the council of ministers in the state.

Considering that the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are just a year away, it is likely to leave ministerial aspirants more anxious.

The first sign of uneasy relations between the allies was visible when BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that their party workers had accepted the decision to make Shinde the CM with a heavy heart.

Later, BJP state president Chandrashekar Bawankule apparently said in a party meeting that they would contest in about 240 seats and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena would fight in 48 constituencies in the 2024 Assembly polls.

The decision to appoint a special police commissioner for Mumbai was seen as another sore point between Shinde and Fadnavis. The special police commissioner, Deven Bharati, is considered close to Fadnavis. Along with Vivek Phansalkar, who is the Mumbai police commissioner, it was the first time the country's financial capital had two police commissioners.

Among the first set of decisions taken by this alliance was the reversal of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's move to shift the Metro car shed from Aarey Milk Colony to Kanjurmarg in Mumbai. It also expedited the resolution of issues related to land acquisition for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

The government restarted the pension scheme for those jailed during the Emergency which the MVA government had stopped.

Similarly, the completion of two phases of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Corridor and the work on the 22-km-long Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL) project, connecting Sewri in Mumbai with Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai, are being billed as success stories scripted by the Shinde government.

A dedicated ministry for divayangjan' (differently abled) has been one of the initiatives of this government, while it offered a 50 per cent concession for women on buses run by public transporter Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Since the launch of the scheme in March, about 4 crore women have availed of the concession on MSRTC bus fares.

It also extended free travel to senior citizens on MSRTC buses and about 3 crore bus users have benefited from this scheme in the past three months.

On the health front, the coverage under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The government has also taken up the concretisation of 400 km of roads in Mumbai.

In the electoral field, the MVA put up a spirited fight to win two legislative council polls and handed a setback to the Sena-BJP alliance by helping the Congress wrest the Kasba Assembly seat in Pune in the bye-election.

Amid the almost-daily mudslinging between the two Senas, the Supreme Court in May this year put the ball in the court of the Assembly Speaker for a decision on pleas seeking the disqualification of 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs.

The exchanges between the MVA, particularly the Thackeray-led group, and the ruling partners are expected to turn more vitriolic ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in 2024 and the much-delayed local body elections expected to be held later this year.

The government has already approved the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe irregularities worth Rs 12,024 crore in various works of the Mumbai civic body flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

On its part, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has planned to organise a morcha outside the Mumbai municipal corporation on July 1 against irregularities in its functioning.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday greeted citizens on the eve of Id-uz-Zuha.

President Murmu said, "On the occasion of Id-uz-Zuha, I extend my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters living in India and abroad", according to an official statement.

The President said, "Id-uz-Zuha is the holy festival of love and sacrifice."

"This festival inspires us to follow the path of renunciation and selfless service to humanity. On this day, let us all pledge to work towards spreading mutual brotherhood and harmony in society", President Murmu added.
By Neha Arora

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's KABIL, a state-owned joint venture formed to scout for minerals overseas, will "shortly" sign an agreement with Argentina to secure a few lithium blocks, a government source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

India, among the world's top greenhouse gas emitters, has been pursuing overseas pacts to secure key minerals in resource-rich countries such as Australia, Argentina and Chile.

"Right now, we are concentrating on copper, cobalt and lithium among critical minerals and looking for collaborations with other countries," the source said on condition of anonymity.

KABIL, short for Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, was formed in August 2019 to identify, acquire, develop and process strategic minerals overseas for use in India.

(Reporting by Neha Arora; editing by Sudipto Ganguly and Richard Chang)
No TCS on credit card spends overseas, says Ministry of Finance



The Ministry of Finance on Wednesday night extended the deadline for the implementation of a new rule that mandated 20 per cent tax collected at source (TCS) on foreign remittances. The increase in the TCS rate from 5 per cent, which was set to kick in on July 1, would now be effective from October 1. Read more ...

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Sebi tightens disclosure requirements for FPIs, reduces IPO timeline



The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday tightened the disclosure requirements for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in a bid to get a better handle on them and prevent the possible circumvention of minimum public shareholding (MPS) and takeover norms. Read more ...

Trai to update quality of service parameters soon; to meet telcos next mnth



State-level reports every quarter for service quality and artificial intelligence-based solutions may be officially mandated as part of a set of more stringent, updated quality-of-service (QoS) norms by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) soon. Read more ...

A clutch of Indian companies talk supply chain integration with Apple



A clutch of Indian companies is having preliminary talks with Apple to explore the possibility of being part of its supply chain for making iPhone components and other products in India and globally. The companies, many of whom were referred to the Apple by the government, include Mahindra & Mahindra, the Murugappa group (makers of cycle brands like BSA and Hercules), Wipro, EMS player Dixon Technologies, and phone maker Lava International. Read more...

Kempner reviews $250 million loan to edtech firm Byju's amid crises#
Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday asserted that a uniform civil code will bring about contentment in society in place of appeasement of a few sections.

The senior BJP leader also expressed hope that the Narendra Modi government will bring the common civil code at the earliest.

"Uniform civil code will lead to 'santishtikaran' (contentment) instead of 'tushtikaran' (appeasement), as the Prime Minister has put so eloquently", said Choubey, referring to PM's speech in Bhopal earlier this week.

The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Environment, Forest and Climate Change said "uniform civil code will satisfy all sections of the society since all want to live together in peace and make progress".

He also brushed aside allegations of parties opposed to the BJP that the PM had raised the issue to communally polarize society and reap electoral dividends.

"They are opposing it just for the sake of opposition", he quipped.

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Choubey, who represents the Buxar Lok Sabha seat of Bihar, bristled at the demand, by the state's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', for a special economic package from the Centre.

"They should first show the capability to properly spend the funds they have received so far. They cannot expect assistance while indulging in loot", alleged Choubey.

Asked about the scheduled visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Lakhisarai for a rally, Choubey said "Ours is a party in which top leaders also make efforts at mobilization at booth levels".

"The PM had recently taken part in 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot' programme. It is not that we get active only in an election year", said the BJP leader.

Asked about Shah's choice of Lakhisarai, which falls in Munger Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan alias "Lalan", Choubey said, "they (Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party) were in reckoning only till they were with us. Now they are left with no stronghold. On the other hand, entire Bihar is a stronghold of the BJP".
Unidentified "rioters" opened an "unprovoked" firing at village Haraothel in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Thursday morning, leading to tension in the area even as the army quoted "unconfirmed reports" to indicate some casualties.

Giving details, the official Twitter handle of the army, operating in the region, said armed rioters opened unprovoked firing at 5.30 am.

"Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of situation. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters," the official "Spear Corps" handle of the army said.

It said the troops "responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing.

"Additional columns moved to the area. Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties. Build up of large crowds in the area also reported. Situation being closely monitored and further details will follow," it said.

The area is located around 20 kms from capital city of Imphal.

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More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
United States Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "today's era is not an era of war" statement and said that this was a powerful and necessary idea.

Speaking at an event titled 'Peace Prosperity, Planet, and People Event, a New Chapter for US-India' at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Garcetti said, "When Prime Minister Modi said that 'today's era is not an era of war,' it caught the ears of the entire world. What a powerful idea. What a necessary idea."

The Prime Minister made a 'not an era of war' comment while talking with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in September 2022 during an SCO summit.

On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 16, PM Modi said "today's era isn't of war" while emphasising the need to find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security and fertilizers.

While addressing the event, Garcetti further stated that India and US have the power to set an example and build a more peaceful world, in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

"A key component of peace is protection. As we've unfortunately seen over the past three years, we live in a world in which countries ignore sovereign borders, advancing their claims through violence and destruction. This is not the world we want. This is not the world we need," Garcetti said.

Also Read Eric Garcetti: Everything you need to know about new US ambassador to India US Senate to vote on nomination of Eric Garcetti as envoy to India We see this as important nomination: White House on Eric Garcetti US ambassador Eric Garcetti hails strong, growing bilateral ties with India US Senate panel approves Biden's pick Garcetti for India ambassador 300,000 pilgrims have so far registered for Amarnath Yatra: Shrine board Delhi govt's EV transition targets may cause significant disruptions: IAMAI Third IWG meet ends as focus shifts to FinMin; governors' meet in July Honorarium of Rozgar Sahayaks will be doubled to Rs 18,000: MP CM Chouhan PM Modi meets Goldman Sachs leadership, highlights India's potential

"Together, India and the United States of America can build a bulwark against this might makes right mentality. Working together, the world's two largest democracies can bolster the security, stability, and prosperity of the entire world," he added.

He also stated that India and US are already doing so much together to ensure peace. He pointed out that the joint training and operations are being conducted by US and India's troops from the mountains of Alaska to the Red Sea.

"Our countries' defence industries are increasingly connected. In fact, components made here in India already keep U.S. Apache helicopters and C-130 transport aircraft in the sky," he said and added "Soon, we'll see advanced jet engines made here in India as well.
The 24th Technical Coordination Committee meeting of the North East Regional Power Committee (NERPC) discussed various crucial issues pertaining to the power sector in the region.

The meeting chaired by Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein at Tawang on Wednesday discussed the challenges and opportunities for the development of the power sector in the northeastern states.

Mein, who is the chairman of the NERPC, in his address, lauded the successful deliberation of the meeting towards resolving issues through the spirit of cooperation, leading to significant improvement of the power sector in the North Eastern Region.

The deputy chief minister said the power sector holds immense importance as one of the core industries contributing to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

"Power is not only a raw material for industries but also a basic necessity for the general public. Therefore, discussions on power sector issues in forums like NERPC are vital," he said.

Mein added that Arunachal Pradesh including the rest of North East India have faced numerous challenges such as poor connectivity with the mainland owing to difficult mountainous terrains and heavy monsoons.

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"However, these very challenges also present opportunities for application of innovative solutions to overcome the obstacles and work towards the development of the power sector, which can be a driving force for economic growth and social transformation in the region," he said.

The NERPC plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges and shaping the development narrative of the region, Mein said, adding that the Centre has rendered continuous support to the growth of the region, particularly in the power sector.

One of the major decisions the meeting took was the installation of 132 kv cross-border transmission line between Lumla in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district and the upcoming 600 mw Kholungchhu hydroelectric project in neighbouring Bhutan, official sources said.

The important proposal would be taken up with the central government by the Arunachal Pradesh government and with CEA be NERPC.

The meeting also decided on stringing of the second circuit of the 132 kV transmission line between Pasighat and Niglok and Pasighat-Roing-Tezu-Namsai of the existing lines, in the state.

The proposal for capacity augmentation to meet up rapidly growing power demand of the industrial zone at the Niglok industrial growth centre at Pasighat in East Siang district and at Namsai special economic zone would be taken up with Crescent Middle East Trading & Oil fields Services (CMETS) and Central Transmission Utility (CTU), for urgent system study for the execution of the work.

The meeting also resolved for handholding requirement of manpower for O&M of the assets being created under the system improvement project and comprehensive scheme in the state.

It was resolved to take up with the Centre for financial support in managing additional manpower requirements as handholding for the initial three years after the commissioning of the asset under the scheme.

The meeting was attended by Tripura power minister Ratan Lal Nath, and NERPC Member Secretary K B Jagtap among others.
And it is not just the big birds. Indian skies are also increasingly getting swarmed by drones. They are out for delivery. They are employed in security. And now, they are mapping land parcels in rural areas to help clearly define land rights. The recently launched government scheme Svamitva will provide exact coordinates for accurate map making with the help of drones.

The proposed merger of Air India and Vistara has flown into rough weather. It has attracted the glare of antitrust regulator CCI -- which has asked Air India to explain why this merger should not be probed. It comes mere months after Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines filed a merger application with the antitrust body in April, saying the amalgamation of the two airlines will not lead to any change in the competitive landscape of India. So in todays first segment Bhaswar Kumar tries to find out why the CCI is now raising questions about the proposed merger, which was announced in late 2022?
Retired Justice Ranjana Prasad Desai-headed panel, formed in May 2022, is likely to submit its draft of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for Uttarakhand in the next few days. Almost final, the draft report will be the template for similar efforts that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-run Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh governments have initiated.

The Centre will also keenly track the contents of the draft and the reaction to it, as that could determine how a Bill on UCC, whenever the government decides to bring it, might fare in Parliament.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday dismissed DMK leader jailed minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.

Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam case.

"Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect", stated a release issued by the Raj Bhavan in Tamil Nadu.

The release further stated, "Abusing his position as a Minister, he (Senthil Balaji) has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. He is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal codes are being investigated by the State Police."

The Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise in the MK Stalin government, Balaji, was arrested on June 14 and admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pains.

He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.

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The Supreme Court, earlier this month, refused to interfere with the Madras High Court order allowing Balaji to be moved to a private hospital in Chennai and admitted a habeas corpus petition filed against his arrest.
Police have recovered the car used in the attack on Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad, who was discharged from hospital on Thursday, a day after he was shot at by unidentified assailants in Deoband.

The police are also investigating a death threat issued to the Dalit leader on Facebook, warning that "he will not survive next time".

After he was discharged from the Saharanpur district hospital, the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief said he is feeling better and his blood pressure is stable.

"I am taking medicine for the pain and hope that I will be fine in the next two-three days," he said.

Earlier, in a note posted on Twitter, Aazad demanded Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation, claiming his government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion.

A bullet grazed the abdomen of Aazad, who is also the president of the Azad Samaj Party, when unidentified assailants fired "four shots" at his SUV in Saharanpur's Deoband on Wednesday evening. He had gone there to attend a ritual at a supporter's home.

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The car used by Aazad's attackers was seized from Miragpur village in Saharanpur late on Wednesday night. Its number plate showed it is registered in Haryana, the police said.

On a complaint lodged by Aazad's aide Manish Kumar, an FIR has been registered in connection with the attack under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act at the Deoband police station, they said.

Taking note of a death threat issued by a Facebook page called 'Kshatriya of Amethi' to Aazad days before the attack, the Amethi police have registered a case at the Gauriganj police station.

The police have taken cognisance of the post on Facebook page 'Kshatriya of Amethi' and registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the IT Act, said Mayank Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gauriganj.

A post shared five days ago on the page stated that Aazad would be killed by the Thakurs of Amethi at a road crossing in broad daylight.

Another post shared on the page on Thursday said Aazad was shot in the waist but "he will not survive next time". Aazad is a very clever man, he needs security and a bulletproof vehicle and jacket, it said.

It also warned that there will be a big movement if any innocent Rajput is framed for the attack.

In his note on Twitter, Aazad alleged the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is worsening and "government-backed" criminals are in high spirits.

"My 56-inch chest is real, not fake. The fatal attack on me is a failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the responsibility of the government and I am also a responsible citizen of the state," he said.

The chief minister should take moral responsibility for protecting criminals and resign immediately, he added.

Aazad said what happened with him could happen to the chief of any other political party or their supporters.

"There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is getting worse and secondly, the government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion. Due to this, the government-backed criminals are in high spirits. Today, they neither fear the law nor the police," he charged.

In Lucknow, Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party activists handed over to a government official a memorandum addressed to the governor demanding that Aazad's security be stepped up.

Some supporters of the Bhim Army chief also raised slogans against the attack at Parivartan Chowk in Lucknow and were later taken into custody by police.

Azad Samaj Party's media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that memorandums demanding Z-plus security for Aazad will be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital.

In a video message on Wednesday night, he appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally.
Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Lakhisarai on Thursday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said everybody is free to visit the state.

Shah's visit to the state later during the day will be the first by any top BJP leader after the June 23 meeting here of opposition parties which was held to discuss and chart out a path ahead of the 2024 general election.

Kumar, who was speaking to reporters here, however, evaded questions on the Modi government's strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code.

Everyone is free to come here. Everyone has the right to visit Bihar, the chief minister said to questions on Shah's proposed visit to Lakhisarai later in the day.

Asked for his comment on the Opposition parties' meeting here, which was hosted by him, Kumar said, The meeting is over We will speak later on this.

Shah is slated to arrive at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport here this afternoon and leave for Lakhisarai in Munger district, about 150 km away, in a helicopter. He will address a mega rally at Lakhisarai. He will be received by senior BJP leaders, including the state party president Samrat Choudhary and union ministers from Bihar.

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Shah will also offer prayers at Ashok Dham, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, before addressing a public meeting there.

Shah had last visited the state nearly three months ago.

Meanwhile, ahead of his visit to Lakhisarai, supporters of the ruling Mahagathbandhan parties and the opposition BJP have put up posters near the airport and at several locations in Patna. Those put up by supporters of the Grand Alliance government criticised the BJP leadership for violence in Manipur and misuse of central agencies the CBI, ED and the Income Tax department.

Some of the posters put up by the ruling alliance questioned the alleged silence of BJP leaders in the matter of wrestlers protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

On the other hand, BJP supporters have put up posters slamming the opposition unity against it.

Reacting to the poster war, spokesperson Neeraj Kumar of the ruling JD (U), told PTI The party has nothing to do with these posters. The concept and ideas for them were created by party workers and they have put posters in the city.

There is nothing wrong with the messages in the posters, he said and sought to know what had happened to the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his NDA government to the people.
Union minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's programmes abroad are organised by "anti-India forces" which run an agenda against the country.

Gandhi and the Congress party should tell the nation as to why such elements are "associated" with them, the senior BJP leader told reporters here.

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress.

Thakur was interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the BJP's outreach campaign 'Sampark se Samarthan' to mark nine years of the Modi government.

"Thinking of Congress gets evident when Rahul Gandhi visits abroad, and with whose support his programmes are organised. People whose names are associated with organisations who run an agenda against India. And, who fund them, who talk of breaking India, who funds those campaigns," the information and broadcasting minister alleged.

Shaheen Bagh matter's funding was done, funding is done for "those who spew venom against India", Thakur claimed.

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And, Rahul Gandhi's programmes abroad are organised by those "who get direct or indirect funding and support from those (elements)," he said.

"Those who praise Pakistan, and run an agenda against the country, support Rahul Gandhi and organise his programmes," the minister alleged.

"So, my question is to Rahul Gandhi and Congress party that "what kind of helplessness is there that they have to get support and assistance from anti-India forces...have to accept their invitations and on their forum, Rahul Gandhi raises his voice against the country," Thakur charged.

So, those who talk of "breaking the country, in and out of India, to get into power", and those who run an agenda against the country, Rahul Gandhi is "with them...he will have to answer to the nation," the BJP leader said.

The BJP has often been critical of statements made by Gandhi during programmes held in foreign countries.

"These anti-India forces...why are they associated with Congress and Rahul Gandhi, and what is their agenda, clarify to the nation," he asked.
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be arriving in Bihar on Thursday where he will address a mega-rally at Lakhisarai in Munger Lok Sabha constituency which is the home turf of JDU President and Lok Sabha MP Lalan Singh.

Speaking to ANI, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that Shah, after the rally will go to the residence of Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha where a meeting of the Lok Sabha Core Committee will be held.

The minister further said that Amit Shah will reach Patna where party leaders will welcome him at the airport then he will go to Lakhisarai by Chopper.

"He will offer Puja in historic Ashok Dham temple and meet with trustees of Mandir as part of the party's 'Sampark Se Samarthan' Abhiyan then the Home Minister will directly reach Gandhi Maidan rally venue where he will address a public meeting on the completion of nine years of the Modi government," Rai added.

Rai further said that this is going to be a historic visit like his earlier visits to the state.

"Every visit of Amit Shah to Bihar has been historic and successful... This time also the same thing is going to happen and Lakhs of people will join the rally to listen to Amit Bhai. BJP is not only preparing for Amit Shah's rally but also the people of Munger are busy preparing for the grand rally with equal enthusiasm. There is great enthusiasm among the people of Munger to make Narendra Modi ji the Prime Minister again in 2024," the minister said.

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However, speaking on Shah's visit, JDU President Lalan Singh said, "Amit Shah is the Home Minister, he can go anywhere in the country and hold a rally anywhere. I have nothing more to say about his Bihar Visit."

Notably, this is Shah's fifth visit to the state in nine months since his party was ousted from power in the state in August 2022 after Nitish Kumar snapped ties with the BJP, bringing an end to the coalition government in the state.

Last year, Amit Shah visited Punia, which is considered to be the capital of the Seemanchal region.

Later, in October, he visited Sitab Diara, the birthplace of late socialist stalwart Jai Prakash Narayan.

In February this year, he visited Valmakinagar and Patna the same day (Feb 25) and addressed Kisan Samagam organised on the birth anniversary of peasant leader Sahajanand Saraswati in Patna, in a bid to woo the Bhumihar community.

In April, Shah addressed a public meeting in Nawada.

However, Shah will be visiting Bihar for the first time since the meeting of opposition leaders in Patna, hosted by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last week.
BJP's Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao on Wednesday termed state minister T S Singh Deo's appointment as the state deputy chief minister as his insult, and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Talking to reporters, Sao said, the move is just an attempt to settle differences within the ruling party in the state. The Congress - the ruling party in Chhattisgarh - said in a statement on Wednesday night that party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to appoint Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh. When asked about the development, Sao told reporters in Bilaspur, "Congress party does not have the right to appoint a deputy CM. It is the right of the CM and Governor." "The other thing is that the Congress party, which had promised Singh Deo to make him CM for two-and-a-half-years, has done injustice to him by making him deputy CM for just four months. It is an insult to Singh Deo ji," he said. The decision is just an attempt to deal with infighting within the Congress, he added. "It is clear that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel ji and Congress are afraid of the people's criticism of the state government. The Congress has made Chhattisgarh a den of corruption and addiction while there is no development work taking place," he said. The decision will have no impact on elections as people of the state have decided to uproot Congress from the state and the ruling party will not have any benefit of it, he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after he was attacked, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad on Thursday demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming his government was providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion.

In a note posted on Twitter, Aazad alleged the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is worsening and "government-backed" criminals are in high spirits.

A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday evening.

He is undergoing treatment at the Saharanpur district hospital.

Aazad, who is also the president of the Azad Samaj Party, said the attack on him was a failure of the government.

"My 56-inch chest is real, not fake. The fatal attack on me is a failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the responsibility of the government and I am also a responsible citizen of the state," he said in his note.

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The chief minister should take moral responsibility for protecting criminals and resign immediately, he said.

Aazad said what happened with him could happen to the chief of any other political party or their supporters.

"There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is getting worse and secondly, the government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion. Due to this, the government-backed criminals are in high spirits. Today, they neither fear the law nor the police," he charged.

He said when such criminals can target politicians like him, one cannot imagine the atrocities being committed against women, Dalits, backward classes, tribals and minorities in the state.

Some people are so drunk on power that they are bent on silencing the voices being raised against them, Aazad said, without naming anyone.

"Earlier, these people used to misuse ED, CBI and Income Tax officials for this, then they started getting fake police encounters done and now government-backed criminals have started using guns and bullets to eliminate opposition leaders," he said.

"They are forgetting that the history of India is full of our forefathers' sacrifices. They are forgetting that even today our bahujan samaj is protecting the country by giving their lives on the borders without any fear. I am also a part of the same society. That's why you can neither make Chandrashekhar bow down nor scare or shake him with bullets and guns," he said.

Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the Saharanpur district hospital.

In a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally.
The tech collaborations resulting from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US will create "unmatched opportunities for the advancement of India's Techade", the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) said in a statement on Thursday.

"This visit unlocked opportunities across sectors including defence, space, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, telecommunications, and consular services. These will play a critical role to realise India's vision of a $1-trillion digital economy," the statement further read.

In 2021, PM Modi had announced that the decade would be India's "Techade". IAMAI called the public-private partnerships during PM Modi's visit as being "aligned with this commitment" and said it would give "unmatched" filip to India's tech industry.

During the visit, US chip firm Micron announced that it would invest $825 million in a new chip assembly and testing facility in Gujarat. The total invested in the plant is expected to be around $2.75 billion. Out of this, 50 per cent will come from the Centre and 20 per cent from the state government.

India and US also signed the Artemis Accords, a US-led alliance seeking to facilitate international collaboration in planetary exploration and research. Under this, Nasa and Isro will work together to send a joint mission to the International Space Station.

General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd also signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly manufacture F-414 engines for Tejas light-combat aircraft.

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Moreover, India also signed a deal to buy 31 MQ-9B predator drones made by General Atomics.

"Fostering an open, accessible, safe, and secure technology ecosystem will enhance the capability of the entire technology ecosystem of India. It is not only a historic moment for India in terms of attracting huge investments in technology, but also an opportunity to create Indian IP in the areas of emerging technologies which will transform the entire ecosystem," said Harsh Jain, chairman of IAMAI.

"IAMAI members will certainly benefit from greater technology sharing, co-development, and co-production opportunities between industry, government, and academic institutions across India and the US."
Canada has invited 500 healthcare workers to immigrate under its first occupation-specific draw, aiming to bring additional focus on sectors facing major labour shortages.

The draw, announced by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser on Wednesday, took the number of ITAs (Invitation to Apply) issued through its flagship Express Entry system in 2023 to 60,249, a press release by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said.

It was the first Express Entry draw pre-announced by Canada, and featured a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 476, ten points lower than the 10th all-programme draw of 2023 on Tuesday, the press release said.

The new draws target candidates with strong French language ability, the press release said.

On Tuesday, Canada announced a new open work-permit stream to allow 10,000 H-1B visa holders in the US to come and work in the country, a move that could benefit thousands of Indian tech professionals.

Taking to Twitter to announce the draw, Fraser said, "We are bringing more health care workers to Canada! We've changed the approach to immigration by bringing an additional focus on certain sectors facing serious labour shortages."



"The first sector to benefit from this new process is healthcare," he tweeted.

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Asserting that the draw will strengthen Canada's healthcare system, Fraser said it would "help provide more Canadians with the high-quality care they deserve."



The minister added that a further 1,500 ITAs would be issued to healthcare candidates next week.

"Today, 500 skilled healthcare workers will be invited to immigrate to Canada, and on July 5, we will invite 1500 more. This new programme is expected to double the number of healthcare workers coming to Canada through the federal Express Entry system this year," he said.

Last month, Canada announced it would start new occupation-based draws, targeting 82 occupations in five fields through its flagship Express Entry immigration selection system, and healthcare workers alone make up 35 of the 82 occupations targeted.

The five fields were healthcare; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions; trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors; transport; and agriculture and agri-food, the Immigration Department said.

Express Entry is the most popular immigration system offering Canadian permanent residence, introduced by the federal government in January 2015 to replace the old first come, first served process.

It is not an immigration programme in itself, but is an online system created to manage Canada's immigration applications intake, the press release said.

According to the Department of Employment and Social Development, the number of occupations facing shortages in Canada doubled between 2019 and 2021.
Turkey has been opposing Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) due to grievances about how the latter nation has handled anti-Turkey protests and demonstrations. Sweden, which is geographically close to Russia, placed its bid with Nato following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, with the recent protest outside a mosque in the Swedish capital, questions regarding Sweden bid come into question.

Here is everything you need to know about Sweden's bid and opposition from Turkey.

Background

Both countries view NATO, with its collective defense clause, as the best means of ensuring their security. The majority of NATO members were swift to ratify Finland's application, recognising that Finland's 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia and Sweden's membership would strengthen the alliance in the Baltic region.

While Finland officially joined Nato in April 2023 , in record time, Sweden is hoping to become a member at the Nato summit in Vilnius in July, according to Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstroem.

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Turkey's objections to Sweden

The country eventually agreed to Finland's membership earlier this year as they had taken "concrete steps" to prevent "anti-Turkey terror" activities. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan maintains that Sweden has not taken its security concerns seriously.

Despite Sweden implementing new anti-terror legislation in June, Turkey has not changed its position. Hungary has followed Turkey's lead in delaying ratification.

Reasons for Turkey's objection

Sweden has criticised Turkey for human rights abuses and democratic standards. Turkey alleges that Sweden shelters members of groups it considers terrorist organisations, and it has demanded their extradition as a condition for ratifying Swedish membership. Swedish courts have blocked some deportations to Turkey. Turkish authorities have also expressed anger over demonstrations held in Sweden, including incidents where an effigy of President Erdogan was hung and flags supporting the PKK were displayed. Sweden's Foreign Minister has defended the right to protest but acknowledged the distinction between legality and appropriateness.

In the latest cases of protests, a Swedish man tore up and burned a copy of the Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, June 28 ahead of the Eid-al-Adha festival.

This stirred anger and criticism from around the world. The deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State, Vedant Patel, told Reuters, "What might be legal is certainly not necessarily appropriate." However, Patel still urged Turkey and Hungary to ratify Sweden's application.

The Turkish foreign minister condemned the act, stating, "On the first day of the Eid-al-Adha, I curse the despicable act committed in Sweden against our Holy Book, the Holy Quran! It is unacceptable to allow these actions under the pretext of freedom of expression. To condone such atrocious acts is to be complicit."

Hungary's grievances

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that while he personally favours both countries joining Nato, he alleged that both governments in Stockholm and Helsinki have spread lies about the country's state of democracy. He added that this had raised questions among Hungary's lawmakers.

A parliamentary delegation from Hungary declared its support towards Sweden's Nato membership bid after meeting the speaker of the Swedish parliament in March. However, the delegation added that the bilateral relations between Budapest and Stockholm needed to be improved.

Prospects for Turkey's agreement

Sweden's Foreign Minister has been engaging with Nato allies to ensure that Sweden's membership bid remains a priority.

Turkey and Sweden agreed to hold more talks for the latter's Nato in early June. Ankara maintained that Sweden needed to take concrete steps against anti-Turkey "terror" and against organisations that perpetuate this. Turkey would only agree to the country's membership if these conditions were met at the Vilius summit scheduled for July 11-12.

European leaders and the United States have also urged Turkey to proceed with the ratification.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that he would not speculate on how the recent protest could affect Sweden's Nato application in a press conference following the demonstration.
Rajinder Pal Singh, also known as Jaspal Gill, pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 800 Indian citizens across the border from Canada to the United States using the Uber app.

According to the US Attorney's Office, Singh has been sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison for 'Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Certain Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering' on Tuesday. Gill had pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2023.

"Singhs participation in this conspiracy preyed upon the Indian Nationals hopes for a better life in the United States while saddling those smuggled with a crushing debt of as much as $70,000, said the Acting US Attorney Tessa M Gorman in the statement released after the sentencing.

The smuggling racket

According to court records, Singh and his accomplices have been utilising the Uber ride-sharing app to transport individuals as early as July 2018. These records added details of the trips, stating that the rides were divided into segments, with one Uber trip taking passengers from the border to Sea-Tac airport, followed by another Uber trip minutes later from an airport hotel near the border to an address in Lacey, Washington, owned by Singh's spouse. Over the course of mid-2018 to May 2022, Singh arranged more than 600 trips to transport Indian nationals.

Singh also collaborated with other accomplices who would rent one-way vehicles to transport these individuals to their final destinations outside Washington State.

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Singh and his associates arranged for smuggling fees to be sent from India to New York via Hawala, a system of transferring funds internationally through brokers.

Once the smuggling fees were received in cash, they were converted into checks, which was then mailed to a co-conspirator based in Kentucky. The funds were subsequently funneled through multiple financial accounts to obscure their illicit nature, constituting money laundering, as Singh admitted in his plea agreement.

The investigation estimates that between July 2018 and April 2022, the 17 Uber accounts associated with this smuggling ring accumulated more than $80,000 in charges. The operations had slowed down during the pandemic but resumed after Canada lifted entry restrictions for non-citizens.

Additional evidence uncovered

Homeland Security Investigations with support from US Customs and Border Protection, led the investigation, while Uber provided assistance shortly before Singh's arrest.

During the search of one of Singh's homes in Elk Grove, California, investigators discovered around $45,000 in cash and counterfeit identity documents. They also found falsified documents that were submitted to immigration judges in Washington during bond hearings for non-citizens who were arrested by immigration authorities

The plea and potential deportation

The terms of the plea agreement that Singh agreed to include forfeiting the cash and personal property seized during the searches, as well as paying a 'money judgement' of $500,000,

Singh will also serve 45 months in prison and since he is not legally present in the US, Singh will likely face deportation after serving his prison term.
The U.S. antitrust regulator is planning to file a suit targeting Amazon.com's core online marketplace in the coming weeks, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.



The main allegation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to be that Amazon leverages its power to reward those online merchants that use its logistics services and punish the ones who don't, the report said.



The e-commerce giant did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.



The potential suit adds to the agency's latest action against Amazon in recent weeks. FTC boss Lina Khan's office has been honing the complaint for several months and finalizing key details like where to file the suit, the report said.



Just last week, the FTC accused Amazon of enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to cancel.
By Andrew Chung and John Kruzel



The US Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, effectively prohibiting affirmative action policies long used to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students on American campuses.



In a blockbuster decision that will force many American colleges to overhaul their admissions policies, the justices ruled that affirmative action admissions programs that consider an applicant's race in ways like Harvard and UNC did violate the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law.



Powered by the conservative justices with the liberals in dissent, the court ruled in favor of a group called Students for Fair Admissions, founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, in its appeal of lower court rulings upholding programs used at the two prestigious schools to foster a diverse student population. The vote counts were 6-3 against UNC and 6-2 against Harvard.



In major rulings last year with far-reaching societal implications also spearheaded by the conservatives justices, the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide and widened gun rights in a pair of landmark rulings.



Chief Justice John Roberts, who authored Thursday's ruling, said that a student "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."



According to Harvard, around 40 per cent of US colleges and universities consider race in some fashion. Blum's group in lawsuits filed in 2014 accused UNC of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard of bias against Asian American applicants.



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"Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause," Roberts wrote, referring to the constitutional provision.



President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election in 2024, said he strongly disagreed with the ruling, saying it walked away from decades of legal precedent. Biden, speaking at the White House, urged colleges not to abandon their commitment to having diverse student enrollment. He recommended that they weigh a range of factors in admitting students, including their economic backgrounds or hardships they had faced including racial discrimination.



"Discrimination still exists in America. Today's decision doesn't change that," Biden said.



Asked by a reporter if this is "a rogue court," Biden replied, "This is not a normal court."



Universities, Roberts added, may still consider student writings in personal essays about "how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." But, Roberts said, "universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today."



Affirmative action had withstood Supreme Court scrutiny for decades, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white student, backed by Blum, who sued the University of Texas after being rejected for admission.



The Supreme Court has shifted rightward since 2016 and now includes three justices who dissented in the University of Texas case and three appointees by Republican former President Donald Trump, who is running again in 2024. Trump on Thursday hailed the ruling as "a great day for America." Many institutions of higher education, corporations and military leaders long have backed affirmative action on campuses not simply to remedy racial inequity and exclusion in American life but to ensure a talent pool that can bring a range of perspectives to the workplace and the U.S. armed forces.



Thursday's ruling appeared to exempt military service academies from its sweep, with Roberts highlighting "the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present," and noting that the litigation had not addressed "the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context." Biden's administration in recent weeks has been discussing possible executive action he could take in response to the affirmative action ruling, a source familiar with the matter said.



'LET THEM EAT CAKE'



Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, wrote in a dissent: "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the (court's) majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."



Jackson did not participate in the Harvard case because of her past affiliation with the university.



Harvard and UNC have said they use race as only one factor in a host of individualized evaluations for admission without quotas - permissible under previous Supreme Court precedents - and that curbing its consideration would cause a significant drop in enrollment of students from under-represented groups.



Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic jurist to serve on the court, wrote in dissent that the decision "subverts" the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and further entrenches racial inequality in education.



"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," Sotomayor wrote.

Sotomayor added that the "court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter."



Blum's group alleged that the adoption by UNC, a public university, of an admissions policy that is not race neutral violated the constitutional promise of equal protection. It contended Harvard, a private university, violated Title VI of a landmark federal law called the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin under federally funded programs or activities.



Critics, who have tried to topple these policies for decades, argue these policies are themselves discriminatory.



Harvard's leaders said in a statement they would "determine how to preserve, consistent with the court's new precedent, our essential values."



University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans pledged to "follow the law."



"Our public universities do extraordinary work every day to serve students of all backgrounds, beliefs, income levels and life experiences," Hans added.



AMERICAN HISTORY



The United States is a nation that long has struggled with issues of race, dating back to its history of slavery of Black people that ended only after a civil war, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and in recent years racial justice protests that followed police killings of Black people.



In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May, 49 per cent of respondents said they agreed that "due to racial discrimination, programs such as affirmative action are necessary to help create equality," while 32 per cent disagreed and 19 per cent were unsure.



Many US conservatives and Republican elected officials have argued that giving advantages to one race is unconstitutional regardless of the motivation or circumstances.



Some have advanced the argument that remedial preferences are no longer needed because America has moved beyond racist policies of the past such as segregation and is becoming increasingly diverse.



The ruling did not explicitly say it was overruling landmark precedent upholding affirmative action.



But conservative Justice Clarence Thomas in a concurring opinion wrote that the court's Grutter v. Bollinger ruling that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body "is, for all intents and purposes, overruled." Blum celebrated the ruling he had long sought, saying it "marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation."



"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a student's race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our country's civil rights laws," Blum said.




Annita Thomas felt nervous about her first small submersible dive in the Sea of Cortez, off Californias coastline, in April 2023. The worry dissipated quickly as the seven-passenger underwater vehicle dipped below the surface of the water, leaving behind the Scenic Eclipse discovery yacht from which her adventure started. The sound of pilot transmitting periodic safety checks was a comfort amid the thrill.

Im really glad I did it, says the on-air host of Travel with Annita, recalling the 360-degree views of the sea bottom from the submersibles transparent acrylic hull, at a depth just shy of 1,000 feet. I dont think I would do it now, she adds, citing the implosion of OceanGate Expeditions Titan. By Lebawit Lily Girma

The loss of five lives on the Titan has thrown into question the safety of underwater expeditions: Could this be the end of deep-sea tourism?

In 2023, submersible tourism has become more common that it might sound. Personal submersibles are used widely by cruise lines, yacht operators and a small number of tourist sub operations to explore pristine coastlines, arctic waters and coral reefs. They rarely achieve depths greater than 1,000 meters3,280 feet. Titan was intended to descend four times as far.

No one has yet said, Submersible tourism is a bad idea, lets cancel it, says Charles Kohnen, co-founder of the pioneering, California-based, SEAmagine Hydrospace Corp. SEAmagine revolutionized the traditional submarine industry in the 1990s when Kohnen and his co-founding brother William, both engineers, designed and built the first known personal submersibles. The companys two-person crewed vessels were initially conceived for research and tourism, offering hour-long trips off the coast of California.

Theres a difference between flying an experimental airplane vs. flying [a Federal Aviation Authority]-approved airplane, Kohnen says in reference to the now well-publicized fact that OceanGates Titan sub operation was an outlier in lacking certification.

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The submersible industry is otherwise strictly regulated by government-approved bodies, or classification societies, that are technical experts in ship safety in the US and abroad. Yacht, cruise and luxury operators in the submersible business understand this distinction, Kohnen explains.

People are asking questions as a result of the Titans implosion, says Erik Hasselman, commercial director at Netherlands-based U-Boat Worx, whose submersibles have been used since 2009 on board private yachts, and since 2016 by luxury cruise lines. Its clients include Seabourn Cruises, Viking Cruises and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. But so far, he says he hasnt seen cancellations.

We have to see the longer-term effects, but business is continuing here as normal, he explains, adding that the demand for personal submersibles (and pilot training courses) has been growing in recent years. U-Boat Worxs vessels are luxury products, after all. They are the ultimate yacht toy, ranging from a two-person capsule for 590,000 ($646,000) to a nine-person model (6 million), each capable of descending about 1,000 meters. Other leisure sub manufacturers include Triton Submarines, which declined to comment for this story.

Submersible Tourism on the Rise



Where submersibles used to be limited to research and government use, there are now about 200 worldwide that are not for military use, Kohnen explains. Of those, about 25 to 30 are on private yachts. The industrys wares are just starting to become accessible to luxury leisure travelers.

So far, there are a handful of ways to book this type of trip. In Curacao, you can take a 60- to 90-minute dive (starting from $350), from U-Boat Worxs local substation, to see panoramic views of vibrant coral reefs or shipwrecks. In the Bahamas, you could shell out a cool $700,000 for high-end operator Kensington Tours 10-day yacht tour, which includes daily submersible dives around the archipelago from the 130-foot Lionshare tri-deck motor yacht.

In Costa Rica, the Undersea Hunter liveaboard luxury yacht sails around the protected Cocos Island National Park, with access to a DeepSee three-person SEAmagine submersible.

Perhaps easiest, you can take excursions on expedition ships from luxury cruise lines. For instance, guests on Seabourn Cruises Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit ships can pay around $500 for excursions that explore the depths of Antarctica or the Norwegian fjords, among others places, on U-Boat Worx subs.

All are limited to the same 1,000 meter threshold, which is still far deeper than the average scuba dive. (Those typically top out around 40 meters.) Lower depths, says Kohnen, become big stuff that requires a different type of vessela metal hull with portholes, rather than a completely transparent bubble.

A Regulated Industry



Additional distinctions separate these more common luxury experiences from OceanGates extreme, explorer-oriented missions. The aforementioned safety standards are most critical: All of the vessels from SEAmagine, U-Boat Worx and Florida-based Triton Submarines are certified by ship classification societies in their home countries.

U-Boat Worx says it receives an annual visit from its classification body, which is based in Germany, to check all its systems and logbooks and to ensure that maintenance has been done correctly. This includes performing safety dives, Hasselman says. Then you'll get a stamp, and you're good to go for another year.

Passing the test marks a vehicle as formally-classed and inspected. Before booking a trip, you can ask operators if their submersible has this label. Its also worth checking the number of dives a company has completed in its certified subs; the figure surpasses 12,000 for SEAmagine, for instance, while OceanGates Titan had just 13 dives and was uncertified.

Another big difference: Leisure submersibles are buoyant. They use propellers to drive the vessel under water, rather than having to fall like a rock and using ballast tanks for stabilization, as with the Titan. If you lose power and everything shuts off, [personal submersibles] will always float back to the surface, says Kohnen. Whats more, for subs built and approved to code, you know exactly how many times you can go to your maximum depth; its not a guess. He says that simply isnt true of experimental subs.

The challenge now, for Kohnen and his industry colleagues, will be marketing these trips in such a way that addresses misconceptions without stoking fears of future disasters.

The Future Will Bring Yacht-Sub Hybrids



In what may be very good news for the industry, the next generation of personal submersibles is doubling down not on extreme exploration but extreme luxury. SEAmagine is expecting delivery in January of its ultra-high-end Aurora-90 five-seater, after it undergoes sea trials in October. With a 90-inch viewing sphere, it will have a roomier passenger cabin that will feel properly upscale, with leather seating, an interior sound system and air-conditioning.

Further off is the 25 million Nautilus underwater superyacht from U-Boat Worx, for which only renderings currently exist. Construction will begin when an order is placed and is expected to take 30 months. This yacht-sub hybrid will have all the swish features of a luxury boat, including a bar, Jacuzzi, sundeck and a swimming platform thats accessed at sea level. True to its name, this will be a proper yachtalbeit one capable of traveling 500 feet underwater.

For his part, Kohnen hopes one thing is clear about the tragedy that unfolded near the Titanic wreck: It wouldnt have happened if OceanGate had adhered to the standards that the rest of the industry follows. In 2018, in fact, his brother William Kohnen, chair of the US Marine Technology Societys Manned Underwater Vehicles Committee, addressed a letter to OceanGates late chief executive officer with a prescient warning.

The MUV industry has earned itself an enviable safety track record over the past 40 years, he wrote, crediting the collective observation of (and adherence to) a variety of safety standards. If these were disrupted, he continued, it could have serious consequences for everyone in the industry.

Charles Kohnen adds that plenty of vessels have been capable of making the journey deeper than 4,000 meterswith proper standards.

Its not that were pushing the boundary of technology, he explains. This whole thing was 100% avoidable.
Following are the latest Corporate Social Responsibility news releases and story ideas available from Business Wire. These recaps, curated by Business Wire, provide reporters and bloggers around the globe instant access to the latest news releases, providing relevant and trending content to share with their audiences. Discover more news via Business Wires Hot Topic recaps or create a custom news feed specific to your needs here. This service is provided at no charge to members of the media and financial communities.

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DENVER -- CSG Joins Forces with EARTHDAY.ORG for The Great Global Cleanup Issuer: CSG

WINCHESTER, Va. -- Trex 2022 ESG Report Highlights Sustainability Integration Across the Company Issuer: Trex Company, Inc.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Travelers Publishes Its 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: The Travelers Companies, Inc.

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom -- AstraZeneca announces $400 million investment in reforestation and biodiversity in support of climate action and human health Issuer: AstraZeneca

JASPER, Ind. -- Kimball Electronics Earns Prime ESG Corporate Rating From ISS ESG Issuer: Kimball Electronics, Inc.

FITZGERALD, Ga. -- Colony Bank Donates $195,000 to Support Nine Schools Through Georgia Goal Scholarship Program Issuer: Colony Bankcorp, Inc.

PITTSBURGH -- Alcoas 2022 Sustainability Report Highlights ESG Progress Issuer: Alcoa

LONDON, Ontario -- CARFAX Canada Partners with WWF-Canada to Help Protect Wildlife Issuer: CARFAX Canada

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- WindBorne Systems Raises $6M Seed Round to Improve Weather Forecasts with Balloons, Backed by Footwork, Khosla Ventures, Pear VC Issuer: WindBorne Systems Inc.

PARIS -- Teleperformance Expands Commitment to Hiring Refugees Issuer: Teleperformance

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Intuit Commits to Reach Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across Its Value Chain by FY2040 Issuer: Intuit Inc.

SAN ANTONIO -- NatureSweet Becomes Worlds Largest Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Company to Achieve B Corp Certification Issuer: NS Brands, Ltd.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Pivot Bio: New Data Shows Potential of Agricultures Most Promising Climate Breakthrough Issuer: Pivot Bio

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- NSF Awards Worlds First Sustainability Certification for Professional Service Sector Issuer: NSF

MELVILLE, N.Y. & BERLIN & LANGEN, Germany -- Henry Schein Donates Health Care Products to Support Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Screenings at Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 Issuer: Henry Schein, Inc.

CHICAGO -- Clover Environmental Solutions Acquires Americas Remanufacturing Company Issuer: Clover Environmental Solutions

MINNEAPOLIS -- Xcel Energy Surpasses 50% Carbon-Free Electricity Generation Companywide Issuer: Xcel Energy

CHICAGO -- Inaugural FHLBank Chicago 2022 Impact Report Demonstrates Mission of Supporting Homeownership and Communities in Illinois and Wisconsin Issuer: Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

NEW YORK -- First Eagle Investments to Be Honored by Working in Support of Education (W!se) Issuer: First Eagle Investments

WASHINGTON -- Network for Good Reaches $5 Billion in Donations Issuer: Network for Good

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Chegg Releases its 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report Demonstrating Commitment to Responsible Practices and Societal Impact Issuer: Chegg

MIAMI -- World Fuel Services Announces Name Change to World Kinect Issuer: World Kinect Corporation

MONACO -- IBSA Wins the Sport for Nature 2023 Award in Recognition of Its Social and Environmental Commitment Through the Project Sailing into the Future. Together Issuer: IBSA

BOCA RATON, Fla.-- Cross Country Healthcare Issues Annual Sustainability Report Issuer: Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Chemours Details ESG Progress in its Sixth Sustainability Report Issuer: The Chemours Company

CHICAGO -- Motorola Solutions Foundation and Calculated Genius Announce Recipients of 2023 Bright Minds, Bold Futures Scholarship Issuer: Motorola Solutions Foundation

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Assent Launches End-to-End Solution for Manufacturers to Mitigate PFAS Risks Across Supply Chains Issuer: Assent Inc.

MIAMI -- J&J Green Paper and Sintesa Group Forge Strategic Partnership to Produce Eco-Friendly Paper Coating and Combat Global Plastic Waste Issuer: J&J Green Paper, Inc.

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Yamaha Rightwaters Reports Annual Initiative Progress for Year Four Issuer: Yamaha Rightwaters

LONDON -- Smiths Group Announces Launch of Charitable Foundation Issuer: Smiths Group

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Agreenas Farmer Payout for a Second Harvest Year Demonstrates That Carbon Certificates Help Fund and Expedite Farmers Transition to Regenerative Practices Issuer: Agreena

WASHINGTON -- Greater Washington Community Foundation Announces Over $12.5M in Health Advocacy, Policy, and Systems Change Support Issuer: Greater Washington Community Foundation

PITTSBURGH -- U. S. Steel Issues ESG Report Highlighting Continued Progress on Ambitious Sustainability Goals Issuer: United States Steel Corporation

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Covia Releases Eighteenth Consecutive ESG Report Issuer: Covia Holdings LLC

MINNETONKA, Minn. -- UnitedHealth Groups 2022 Sustainability Report Highlights Efforts To Diversify the Health Workforce, Minimize Its Environmental Footprint Issuer: UnitedHealth Group

MADISON, Wis. -- Promega Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2025 Issuer: Promega Corporation

WILMINGTON, Del. -- AstraZeneca announces innovative partnership with Vanguard Renewables to decarbonize its United States sites Issuer: AstraZeneca

WASHINGTON -- Ez-XBRL launches innovative platform Integix ESG, revolutionizing ESG Reporting Issuer: Ez-XBRL Solutions

NEW YORK -- J.P. Morgan Launches Sustainable Investment Data Solutions for Institutional Investors Issuer: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

TOKYO -- Axelspace to Achieve Sustainable Space Business Settling Guidelines Covering the Entire Life Cycle of Satellites Issuer: Axelspace Corporation

LONDON -- Experian Publishes Three New Global Reports Focusing on a Year of Progress Driving Product Innovation, Consumer Empowerment and Financial Health Issuer: Experian

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Fortune Brands Innovations Publishes 2022 ESG Report Issuer: Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.

LONDON -- Capri Holdings Announces 3-Year Partnership With the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to Accelerate the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture Practices in the United States Issuer: Capri Holdings

IRVING, Texas -- NEC Foundation of America Announces More Than $500,000 in Grants for 2023 Issuer: NEC Corporation of America

PITTSBURGH -- U. S. Steel Issues 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report Issuer: United States Steel Corporation

PITTSBURGH -- PPGs New Paint for a New Start initiative to beautify schools worldwide with colorful makeovers Issuer: PPG

DALLAS -- Flowserve Releases 2022 ESG Report Detailing Climate, Culture and Core Responsibility Approach Issuer: Flowserve Corporation

HOUSTON -- Crestwood Publishes 2022 Sustainability Report Highlighting Authentic ESG Advancements Issuer: Crestwood Equity Partners LP

MILWAUKEE -- Physicians Realty Trust Publishes Fourth Annual ESG Report Issuer: Physicians Realty Trust

GENEVA -- Changing dishwashing habits can help save more than 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 in Europe Issuer: Procter & Gamble

DESTIN, Fla. -- Yamaha Rightwaters Lends Support to 5th Annual Emerald Coast Open Issuer: Yamaha Rightwaters

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany -- In Industry First, PUMA Creates Sustainability Report Podcast Series to Reach Out to Gen-Z Issuer: PUMA

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Watts Water Technologies Publishes its 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: Watts Water Technologies, Inc

CINCINNATI -- Cintas Named a USA Today Climate Leader 2023 Issuer: Cintas Corporation

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Ingersoll Rand Receives Upgrade from Morningstar Sustainalytics Issuer: Ingersoll Rand Inc.

CHEVY CHASE, Md. -- Forbright Bank Announces 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: Forbright Bank

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. -- Aptar Releases 2022 Corporate Sustainability / ESG Report Issuer: AptarGroup, Inc.

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The All India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) is pleased to announce the upcoming 2nd Technology Conference for Growth of Plastic Industry, which will take place on 7th July 2023 at The Hotel Lalit, Mumbai. This conference is part of AIPMA's efforts to promote import substitution of plastic goods and support the government's Make in India initiative.According to a comprehensive study conducted by AIPMA, plastic goods worth Rs. 37,500 crores were imported into India in the fiscal year 2021-22, with China accounting for 48% of the imports. In response to the call for reducing import dependence and becoming self-reliant, AIPMA has identified 553 plastic products for import substitution. The estimated import substitution of plastic goods worth Rs. 37,500 crores are expected to create a demand for approximately 4 million tons of raw materials per annum, along with over 16,000 plastics processing machines and tools. Moreover, this initiative is projected to generate 500,000 additional jobs in the country.Supported by the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, and the Department of Commerce, the conference aims to facilitate the manufacturing of "Make in India - Make for the World" plastic products. Building on the success of the 1st Technology Conference held in Delhi on 26th May 2023, the 2nd Technology Conference in Mumbai is expected to attract over 450 industry professionals, government officials, visionaries, researchers, and entrepreneurs. The conference will be honored by the presence ofMr. Mayur D. Shah, President of AIPMA, expressed his optimism about the future potential of the Indian plastic industry. He emphasized that India has the capacity to become the world's premium supply hub, given its annual manufacturing output of goods worth Rs. 3.5 lakh crore. Mr. Shah highlighted the industry's significant role in India's economy, employing over 5 million people through 50,000 processing units, of which 90% are small and medium enterprises. He emphasized that the plastic industry will play a vital role in India's ambition to become a 5 Trillion $ Economy. Mr. Shah added that the conference would serve as a platform for direct dialogue between manufacturers and importers and would showcase various technologies and innovations to facilitate import replacement.Mr. Arvind Mehta, Chairman of AIPMA's Governing Council, acknowledged the government's initiatives such as "Digital India", "Make in India", and "Skill India" as catalysts for boosting India's plastic industry. He highlighted the conference's focus on technology and business opportunities for local plastic goods manufacturers resulting from import substitution. Mr. Mehta stated that the conference would feature exhibits and samples of imported plastic products, providing insights into the potential for accelerated development in import substitution plastic products. He emphasized the importance of the industry's self-reliance and the exchange of the latest technologies and innovations.AIPMA has set up the Centre of Excellence, Arvind Mehta Technology and Entrepreneurship Centre (AMTEC) at MIDC, Andheri. AIPMAs AMTEC Finishing School which is an approved training partner of Skill India, NSDC in Plastics Production Engineering has been developed with the motto of; Making Engineers and Diploma Holders Industry Ready; Major areas of interventions are Reverse Engineering, Tool, mould, Product design and development, Additive manufacturing (3D Printing), plastics packaging, testing services, training on hot runner systems and industrial management programmes. More than 300 students participated in short-term courses.The conference will showcase exhibits and samples of imported plastic products, offering a technical and business roadmap to the plastic processing industry for manufacturing these products in India. The event will be attended by industry professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. The remaining conferences are scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad (28th July 2023), Bangalore (10th August 2023), Chennai (18th August 2023), and Kolkata (28th August 2023) respectively, culminating in August.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) welcomed academic leaders from institutions across Asia Pacific as it hosted the 27th Annual Presidents Meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) with the theme of From Invention to Implementation  Solutions for a Sustainable Future. From June 25 to 27, 2023, the University became a hub for higher education leaders across the Pacific Rim to exchange views and inspire one another with solutions that can bring us closer to a sustainable future.

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The event, spanning three days, attracted esteemed presidents and senior administrators representing leading universities to explore innovative ideas and strategies to achieve sustainable goals. It highlighted the need for collaborative efforts in tackling current and future sustainability challenges. The panel discussions centered on topics including the need for fostering research on low-emission energy production and green technologies, the vital role of higher education in providing research-based solutions for future generations and more.

During his welcome remarks, the President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Xiang Zhang, emphasised the importance of addressing humanitys negative impact on the planet. He noted that this cannot be addressed by any single nation but requires a collective effort. President Zhang also highlighted the need for continued commitment to sustainability policies across all areas of human activity.

As university leaders, we acknowledge that the challenges stemming from climate change demand a united effort from all of us. The APRU network offers a platform for collaboration and the cultivation of innovative solutions to tackle these pressing issues. Through our discussions held during this President's Meeting, we have the opportunity to harness our collective expertise, empowering the next generation of thought leaders and change-makers with the mindset, knowledge, and skills to create a sustainable future, said Professor Zhang.

During his opening remarks, Chair of APRU and Chancellor of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Professor Gene D. Block, noted the significance of this years meeting hosted by HKU as a platform for higher education leaders to share new ideas and seek solutions to pressing challenges in the region.

"Creating a sustainable future requires all of us to work together in order to find lasting solutions, Professor Block said. This is consistent with the collaborative work we do as members of APRU. The bond between our Asia-Pacific universities allows us to address critical global issues that impact so much of our world  even well beyond the Pacific Rim. He added.

During the panel discussions, university presidents and senior representatives highlighted the vital role of research universities in fostering innovative solutions and leveraging them to drive progress toward a sustainable future. The discussions also underscored the significance of providing equitable and inclusive educational opportunities to the next generation, empowering them to become agents in addressing our planets urgent challenges. Additionally, the speakers emphasised the critical roles universities play in developing a systematic approach to mitigate the globally interconnected risks and create solutions for achieving sustainable growth.

The three-day in-person event hosted by HKU proved invaluable in fostering renewed respect and trust among top university leaders, igniting a shared commitment to deeper engagement in shaping the future landscape of higher education. The event showcased the power of leveraging APRU's network to drive meaningful progress. Education leaders will harness this momentum to sustain collaboration and develop innovative solutions for the pressing challenges facing higher education and society at large.

The conclusion of the meeting does not mark the end of our discussion. I believe that all APRU members will carry on our missions and work hand-in-hand towards sustainability, said Professor Zhang in his concluding remarks.

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Visa (NYSE: V) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Pismo, a cloud-native issuer processing and core banking platform with operations in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe, for $1 billion in cash.

By acquiring Pismo, Visa will be positioned to provide core banking and issuer processing capabilities across debit, prepaid, credit and commercial cards for clients via cloud native APIs. Pismos platform will also enable Visa to provide support and connectivity for emerging payment rails, like Pix in Brazil, for financial institution clients.

Through the acquisition of Pismo, Visa can better serve our financial institution and fintech clients with more differentiated core banking and issuer solutions they can offer their customers, said Jack Forestell, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Visa.

"At Pismo, we aim to enable our clients to launch cutting-edge payments and banking products within a single cloud-native platform  regardless of rails, geography or currency. Visa provides us unrivalled support to expand our footprint globally and help shape a new era for banking and payments, said Ricardo Josua, Co-Founder, CEO, Pismo.

Pismo will retain its current management team. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2023.

About Visa Inc.

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Pismo

Pismo is a technology company with deep experience developing and implementing banking and cards solutions for digital banks and large financial institutions. The company has operations in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe. The companys investors include Redpoint eventures, Softbank, Amazon and Accel.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as will, is expected, and other similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding the timing and likelihood of closing, Pismos future success, the impact of the acquisition on Visas growth, and the other benefits to Visa, financial institutions and consumers.

By their nature, forward-looking statements: (i) speak only as of the date they are made; (ii) are not statements of historical fact or guarantees of future performance; and (iii) are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Therefore, actual results could differ materially and adversely from Visas forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the timing and outcome of the regulatory approval process, shifts in the regulatory and competitive landscape, cybersecurity incidents, the pace and success of integration, and various other factors, including those contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, and our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

You should not place undue reliance on such statements. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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China issues provisional regulations for drones

Xinhua) 10:10, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A set of provisional regulations for drones, issued by the State Council and the Central Military Commission, will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The regulations regulate the design, production, operation and application of drones, and are aimed at establishing a science-based, rule-based and efficient management system for all activities involving drones, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The regulations are expected to prevent security risks related to drones, and provide legal supports for the healthy development of the industry, the statement said.

According to the regulations, owners of drones will be asked to present a form of identification when registering with authorities, and those who use and operate drones should have certain qualifications.

No-fly zones and airspaces that are open to drones will be set, and application processes will be required for activities involving drones. Emergency response and supervision systems will be enhanced.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Manipal Academy of Higher Education Bags Prestigious Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year Award at THE Awards Asia 2023

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has won the prestigious award at THE Awards Asia 2023 for its exceptional achievements in higher education in Asia. The institution was awarded the highly esteemed Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year accolade at THE Awards Asia 2023. This recognition further solidifies MAHE's commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in the technology and digital landscape.

The Awards Asia is a distinguished program that acknowledges outstanding accomplishments in higher education throughout Asia. This year, more than 220 institutions from over 20 countries and territories participated, submitting almost 700 entries. A panel of esteemed external judges meticulously evaluated the submissions and selected MAHE as the winner in the Technological or Digital Innovation category. The award-winning innovation by MAHE is the revolutionary E-Pad system, which has transformed the examination process for students. This cutting-edge system allows students to submit their exam responses digitally using a stylus. By leveraging the power of digital technology, MAHE has streamlined the examination process, providing students with a more efficient and user-friendly experience. The award ceremony took place on June 21, 2023, during the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit held in Hong Kong. The event brought together distinguished leaders, educators, and innovators in the higher education industry to celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of institutions across Asia.

Commenting on this momentous achievement, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, "Our commitment to innovation, technology, and digital advancement has led us to this remarkable accomplishment. I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the entire MAHE team for their hard work and dedication. We will continue to push for excellence and inspire future generations through our pioneering initiatives". E-Pads are biometric exam writing instruments that are specially made and totally secure. It improves the exam-taking experience for the student and gives the Controller of Examinations (CoE) additional authority over logistics and security. By boosting evaluators' efficiency and accuracy of marking, the evaluation process will also be improved.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Adam Parton is a highly skilled and experienced animator and director who has worked for some of the biggest studios in the world. He recently directed Netflixs original animated series Captain Fell and is currently working on season two of Warner Bros.s Velma.

Parton is a Primetime Emmy nominee whose previous credits include BoJack Horseman and Tuca & Bertie. Hes got a resume that could get him in the door at most animation studios around the world, but one thing that has stood in his way on more than one occasion is the fact that he is an Australian citizen living and working in the U.S.

To help alleviate the added stress of finding work as an immigrant, Parton is now working on getting a U.S. green card, which would provide him with permanent residence status and mean that he could take on any job without needing to apply for a visa. Parton has had an exceptional career, but his experiences of losing out on work and a less-than-certain future are extremely common among artists who ply their trade outside of their native countries. Animation is a particularly international art form, and studios around the world often hire talented immigrants to fill out their workforce.

Parton recently spoke to Cartoon Brew about how he got to where he is today and the challenges that immigrant artists face while working in the U.S. animation industry.

Cartoon Brew: Can you tell us a bit about your background in Australia and how you ended up in the U.S.?

Adam Parton: I started in animation in the early 1990s working as an inbetweener at Disney Studios in Sydney, Australia, on direct-to-video features and tv series such as Aladdin and the King of Thieves, The Lion King 2, and Quack Pack, among others. So, I was lucky to get on-the-job training in traditional animation. Moving into digital, I worked on one of the first fully-Flash animated tv series John Callahans Quads! as an animator. Following that, a few friends and co-workers and I formed our own company Square, based in Melbourne. That studio ran for about 10 years and produced a number of award-winning kids tv series and short films. Square then merged with another Melbourne animation studio and became 12 Field, also making kids tv series. At that point, I had the opportunity to travel to L.A. and work as an L.A.-based extension of 12 Field. After about a year, I was thinking that Los Angeles living was going to stick and sought out local work. Thats when I came across Bojack Horseman, starting as a character designer and animator and by season three directing episodes. For season four of Bojack I was sent to Seoul to oversee the animation at the service studio there (Bigstar). I then returned to L.A. to direct two more seasons of Bojack and two seasons of Tuca and Bertie.

What have you worked on most recently?

During the pandemic years, I was supervising director of Captain Fall at Netflix, which is due to come out on July 28th. And I am currently directing season two of Velma at Warner Bros.

Why do you want to stay in the US?

After being here for 10 years, its where my life is now. But also, its the work opportunities and the freedom that bigger budgets allow us as artists. In Australia, at the time I was working there, the budgets were quite tight, so often we wanted to push things further but met a financial wall instead. Sometimes thats a problem that creates new solutions and things can work out better, which is a byproduct I love. But other times, its just frustrating because you know you couldve done more. I still try to solve problems or shoot things in the most interesting way, but now its nice to sometimes be a little more ambitious visually. I do really feel that its my beginnings in the Australian industry that helped me think outside the box and have such a long run in the L.A. scene. Also, for un-work-related reasons, the music scene here (especially in L.A.) is phenomenal, and I really love that.

What have been the biggest challenges youve faced so far in living and working in the U.S.?

One of the challenges for me was knowing when to keep my mouth shut. In Australia, it seems like its a little looser and I did find that there was more of a hierarchy here in the U.S. which took some getting used to. But after a while, I found a good throughline that I think worked in my favor because I was able to get some of my more unconventional ideas out there without ruffling feathers.

Also, being on a visa I definitely saw some opportunities slip through my fingers because schedules did not allow for the visa processing times, or it was just easier for the productions to hire someone that didnt need a visa

What resources are available to artists interested in relocating to the US? Did you speak with other international artists working in the US?

Honestly, because Ive been so lucky to be gainfully employed the whole time Ive been here I havent reached out to access any official sources of support, but with so many talented people from overseas working in the industry here it ends up being more of a word of mouth thing. Theres a community of people and you hear that so and so had success this way or they are doing that way and through that, you start to figure out what might work for you. But its a little unnerving when you see someone you know reach the end of their visa term and have to return to their country of origin until they find something else, especially when they have created a life here that Im sure they value very much.
Cahya Mata adds new clinker line

29 June 2023

Malaysian cement producer Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd has been given approval to build a 1.9Mta clinker line in Kuching, Sarawak. The MYR750m (US$160.6m) line will have a production capacity of 6000tpd and is expected to take 36 months to complete, reports The Star.

The company currently runs 2.75Mta of cement capacity, sufficient to meet Sarawaks demand of ~1.5Mta. However, the construction of Indonesias new capital city Nusantara is expected to see demand in the region reach 21Mta over the next 20 years.

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The Tennessee Municipal League will present the City of Lakesite with an award for Small City Progress honoring the citys accomplishments over the past year.Incorporated on Jan. 20, 1972, Lakesite celebrated its 50th city anniversary last year and has gone from a population of around 500 to one of more than 1,850. This growth necessitated the city to grow from three to five commissioners and the hiring of its first full-time city manager, Kirsten Ert Acuff.Under the current leadership, Lakesite has completed the citys first ever strategic plan with the assistance of UT- MTAS, and is in the process of developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which provides a comprehensive, long-range strategy for the creation, optimization and maintenance of the community's assets and makes the city eligible for parks and recreation grant funding opportunities.The city also took over the management of the community pool, previously maintained by volunteers, with a long-term goal of replacing the pool with a larger and more modern facility.Other capital improvements include:- Completion of the final phase of the pedestrian enhancement project in the commercial district through the help of TDOT grant funds; and- Stormwater improvements through the use of ARPA funds.Officials said, "Internally, the city has overhauled its personnel policies to make employee benefits more competitive and boost morale among existing staff; has overhauled financial processes such as payroll and compliance; and has made major IT upgrades, including new servers and improved cyber security."The city is also working to be more transparent and to engage the community in more meaningful ways. A major website update is underway to make information more easily accessible, social media has become a vital tool in community building, a Parks and Recreation survey has been completed and the city is expanding its partnerships with local businesses in an effort to engage them in community events and boost economic development.""I'm not surprised, but I am amazed and honored to see The City of Lakesite receive this award, said Lakesite Mayor David Howell. I've known for a long time that we've had great residents, staff and board of commissioners. The addition of Kirsten Ert Acuff as the citys first full-time city manager was the right move at the right time and has proven to be an enormous benefit to our city. All of us in Lakesite should enjoy this time and be proud of what has been accomplished. The good news is that our future is bright and there's more to come. Thank you to the Tennessee Municipal League for putting your faith in our lovely city and bestowing this recognition upon us."The award will be presented Tuesday, July 25 at the 83rd Annual Conference of the Tennessee Municipal League held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs or department accomplishments. Award winners for 2023 include the city of Algood for Excellence in Community Development; the city of Clarksville for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Collegedale for Excellence in Public Works; the city of Harriman for Small Town Progress; the city of Kingsport for Excellence in Economic Development and Revitalization; the city of La Vergne for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Lakesite for Small City Progress; the city of Morristown for Excellence in Recreation Facilities; the city of Nolensville for Excellence in Strategic Planning in Fire Service; the city of Paris for Excellence in Green Leadership; the city of Smyrna for Excellence in Governance; and the city of White House for Excellence in Parks and Recreation.
Following a train derailment that damaged an important intersection on a major thoroughfare in the community, Collegedale Public Works immediately went to work ensuring the safety of citizens and has continued to work to repair the damages sustained during the accident.In recognition of the concerted efforts made by the Collegedale Public Works Department to respond quickly and efficiently to this incident, the Tennessee Municipal League will present Collegedale with an award for Excellence in Public Works.The award will be presented Tuesday, July 25 at the TML 83rd Annual Conference held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.On Dec. 20, 2022, a truck struck a Norfolk-Southern train that was carrying a 137-foot concrete beam, resulting in a train derailment. Police said the driver attempted to drive across the railroad crossing but stopped halfway across the tracks, bringing his tractor trailer into the on-coming lane of traffic when the train hit.The derailment caused three engines and 10 rail cars to leave the tracks. This also resulted in damage to the city greenway and sidewalks. Collegedale Public Works employees were on the scene within seconds of the crash as one employee was driving by when it happened. This employee immediately checked on the safety of the people on the train and surrounding area. A code enforcement officer also immediately responded from his office and provided first aid to one of the train engineers until EMS could arrive.Public works employees then aided police and fire officials with clearing the area of people, directing traffic and helping set up barrels, cones, barricades and traffic signs to both detour people around the site and be able to respond in case of fire.Additionally, the public works department assisted with transporting and deploying boom socks along the nearby Wolftever Creek to catch any diesel fuel and oil lost in the accident before it could negatively impact local waters.In the aftermath of the incident, the public works department has designed, bid out and worked alongside contractors to repair the damage caused by the accident to the roadways, greenway and damaged sidewalks. In addition, public works employees have also helped with the creation of detours and safety signage to direct traffic around the site while repairs are ongoing.The Municipal League Award for Excellence bestowed upon the folks of our Public Works department confirms what we in the City already know, said Collegedale City Manager Wayon Hines. The Collegedale Public Works department is a group of highly dedicated individuals that continue to strive for excellence. Their timely response in times of crisis to the day in and day out typical duties are completed with a level of professionalism and excellence that should be the envy of any city. I continue to be impressed by and thankful for all their contributions to the City of Collegedale.Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs, or department accomplishments. Award winners for 2023 include the city of Algood for Excellence in Community Development; the city of Clarksville for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Collegedale for Excellence in Public Works; the city of Harriman for Small City Progress; the city of Kingsport for Excellence in Economic Development and Revitalization; the city of La Vergne for Excellence in Police Services; the city of Lakesite for Small City Progress; the city of Morristown for Excellence in Recreation Facilities; the city of Nolensville for Excellence in Strategic Planning in Fire Service; the city of Paris for Excellence in Green Leadership; the city of Smyrna for Excellence in Governance; and the city of White House for Excellence in Parks and Recreation.
Eliza Moore, of Chattanooga, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Ms. Moore was initiated at Mercer University.Ms. Moore 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."
Erlanger honored Olivia Killian, RN, and Keri Parks, RN, with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

A DAISY Foundation program, the DAISY Award is a national award to celebrate nurses who define patient and family-centered care by recognizing the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. Nurses can be nominated by anyone in the healthcare organization, including patients and family members.

Ms. Killian was nominated by a family whose baby stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). She was highlighted as being positive, encouraging, hyper-attentive to detail, a team player, and constantly assuring to the family. We are so grateful to have had her throughout our stay and will never be able to say thank you enough, said the family.

Ms. Parks was nominated by the family of a child who stayed in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) after experiencing cardiac arrest. Her nominator noted she loved and cared for the child as her own. If it wasnt for his amazing nurse, Keri, who took control of the situation he would not be here today, said the family.

The DAISY Foundation was created in 1999 after Patrick Barnes passed away from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. His family wanted a way to honor him and show appreciation for the nurses compassion and kindness they extended to the whole family during his eight-week stay in the hospital. Barnes wife, Tena, created the DAISY acronym, which stands for diseases attacking the immune system. For more information about the DAISY Foundation or the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, please visit www.DAISYfoundation.org.
A 63-year-old man on the sex offender registry is facing charges after police said he put his hand on a 12-year-old girl's back and guided her through a Gunbarrel Road restaurant. He kissed the girl on the forehead before leaving, it was stated.

Charles Clayton Cabrera was charged with solicitation of a minor and violation of the Sex Offender Registry.

In the incident on Monday, police were advised that the girl was having a panic attack after the encounter.

Officers were told that an elderly white male wearing a t-shirt with a teddy bear on it came into Mission BBQ. He asked for a free meal and was declined.

He then put his hand on the small of the girl's back while guiding her some 20 feet from the counter to the front of the restaurant, a report says.

Police said the man then told the girl to come to the In Town Suites on Gunbarrel Road and he would be in room 122. He then kissed her.

Officers found Cabrera at room 122.
Arcade Beauty, a leading provider of solutions to the beauty industry, has made the strategic decision to consolidate its operations by closing its Chattanooga plant and consolidate production into its existing South Plainfield, NJ facilities, officials said.

The move comes as part of Arcade Beauty's ongoing efforts to streamline operations, achieve greater economies of scale, improve overall efficiency, and ensure long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive market, it was stated.

The affected plant, located at 3800 Amnicola Highway, has been an integral part of Arcade Beauty's manufacturing operations over the last 50 years. However, after careful evaluation and analysis of market conditions particularly with secular declines in print media, production capacities, and operational costs, Arcade Beauty has determined that consolidating production into the South Plainfield facilities will better position the company for future growth and success, officials said.

"The plant closure will allow us to improve our asset utilization in North America and further reduce our fixed cost base," said Trevor Deighton, General Manager  North America. "We will work closely with our customers to seamlessly transition our supply chain to other Company sites in North America."

Approximately 80 positions will be eliminated as a result of these actions. The company is committed to providing support and assistance to affected employees during this transition period, including severance packages, job placement services, and retraining opportunities where applicable.

"The decision to close the plant was not made lightly and a direct result of the continued secular declines in print media," said Carl Allain, president and CEO. "We remain committed to doing what is right, treating everyone with respect, and delivering on our commitments to our people, customers, shareholders and the communities where we operate."

Officials said Arcade Beauty "remains dedicated to delivering high-quality products and maintaining strong relationships with its customers. The consolidation and closure of the plant are strategic measures aimed at reinforcing the company's market leadership position, maximizing value for its stakeholders, and ensuring a sustainable future."

Arcade Beauty is a leading provider of solutions to the beauty industry, including sampling and retail solutions. The company has a global footprint, with its 11 facilities servicing 400+ beauty brands worldwide. Arcade Beauty was formed in September 2014 via the merger of Arcade Marketing and Bioplan, two prominent sample packaging businesses based in New York and Paris, respectively.
The town of Signal Mountain is making preparations to take advantage of every revenue source that is available. At the June town council work session, new stormwater fees were approved on the final vote. They have been increased to provide revenue for the operation of the stormwater utility. The minimum charge will be $51.48 per year for a house with impervious areas up to 3,960 square feet or less. Over that there will be an additional charge of $.03575 per square foot. There will be no charge for undeveloped properties and areas of vegetation.

A fee review plan for all services provided by the city was also discussed. A schedule has been made for re-examining all the fees that are charged to residents along with a timeline that was laid out for discussing each of the various services such as electrical and mechanical permitting fees for buildings and codes, the library, and the judicial department among many other fees for services. Cost savings are also possible if paperless billing is used versus paper billing, said Mayor Charles Poss. That would save on the cost of paper and mailing.

In order to change the fees that are currently charged, the related ordinance must be revised. After the council discusses and reassesses each fee, an ordinance will be passed regarding it rather than waiting to pass all changes at one time. This will allow the town to begin charging the new rates sooner and increase revenue. Two or more fees will be examined at the same meeting, if possible, to speed up the process. In some cases such as the library, that board will be the one to analyze and set its own fees.

The judicial department was also addressed. Vice Mayor Elizabeth Baker lead the discussion about how to reduce court costs and increase fees. The city judge is allowed to issue fees for court costs; however, she said Signal Mountains judge has not been doing that. City Attorney Harry Cash said the cases heard by the judge are city issues as well as state and county issues that are not subject to Signal Mountain fees and the judge has the authority to waive fees. The vice mayor then suggested moving the court times from evenings to work-day hours, which could save paying staff overtime. These ideas will be discussed with Judge Gary Humble.

There will also be increases in WWTA wastewater billing in Signal Mountain as well as an increase in the water rates on the suggestion of Water Utility Director Matt Justice. He told the council that he has compared the rates currently being charged by the town to rates of comparable communities and found that they are low. He said that Signal Mountains billing agreement of $1 per account is the lowest of all comparisons. He recommended increasing that amount to $1.75 per account for both utilities to cover the water utilitys costs, now that Signal Mountain has implemented a new salary and billing structure.

The minimum service fee will also be looked at. Signal Mountain charges a minimum of $6 per month for a minimum of 1,000 gallons. This rate will be addressed, too, said Mr. Justice, to make sure it is set high enough to cover costs.

With new rates, he said, for 1,200 customers, the department would be taking in $11,000 more each year for a total of $25,000. The last rate increase was in September 2021, and he said MTAS the advisory service assisting municipalities in Tennessee, has suggested adjusting the rate annually. The two biggest expenses for the SMWU are water repurchasing and the cost of electricity to pump water up the mountain. And there will be another rate increase of five percent coming from EPB in October. He said that the increases are following the recommendations from MTAS for a four percent rate increase in 2022 and in 2023. He said that the rate increases are not for the utility to make money, but that the additional money would go right back into the utility.

Looking ahead, Mr. Justice said that two large capital projects will be needed in the future and are being planned for Signal Mountains water company. There is a need for a new pump station. The cost of a prefabricated pump station is estimated at $3.4 million. And the water transmission line going up the mountain is now close to 50 years old and rock slides and fires are an ever-present risk, he said. This has been partially addressed with the new interconnect agreement with Walden for a second water source. The current price to replace this line is $4 million, which will increase during the 10 years he estimates before replacing it will be needed.

The water utility will be getting two new Chevrolet trucks for the use of field employees. This has been included in the budget for the past two years, said Mr. Justice, but there has been no vehicle availability. He has rolled over the money that will be used to purchase a pair of reliable trucks that are now available, he said.

Digital management software was another purchase that was approved by the council. The data management system renewal fee will cost $19,513 and will be used by the police department.
ArtsBuild is accepting applications for the inaugural cohort of Periscope CHA: Artist Entrepreneur Training, a business development intensive that empowers working artists from multiple disciplines to see their creative practice through an entrepreneurial lens.Officials said, "In the recent Chattanooga Music Census, 80 percent of the local musicians surveyed expressed the need for help with small business startup and business management skills. Artists want to learn how to grow their business skills and often need help knowing where to turn to secure assistance and training.Although Chattanooga has a thriving entrepreneurial support system, the arts (performing arts, fine craft, music, dance, literary arts and the visual arts) are often overlooked in service provision."Periscope CHA: Artist Entrepreneur Training is a program created by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and initially conceived in partnership with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Metro Arts: Nashvilles Office of Arts + Culture, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Mayors Office of Economic & Community Development. Launched in 2014, Periscope is now in its 10th year in Nashville, and in 2021, expanded to rural communities across Tennessee with Periscope: Rural Artist Development. The inaugural Chattanooga cohort for Periscope CHA: Artist Entrepreneur Training in Chattanooga will be the third iteration of this high-impact curriculum for creatives."Periscope CHA provides tools and resources to artists from all disciplines, helping them to organize, plan and sustain a creative career to develop an individualized business model based on their creative output," officials said. "Each cohort will comprise diverse artists, artisans, makers and creative entrepreneurs of varying artistic genres. With workshops led by highly experienced instructors from Chattanoogas entrepreneurial community and breakout sessions facilitated by some of our region's top arts professionals, Periscope CHA will be a transformative experience for each artist, sparking the moment when their career will start to take off."We are thrilled to partner with the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville to launch Periscope CHA for the creative sector in Chattanooga, said James McKissic, president of ArtsBuild. "This program will add to ArtsBuild's robust suite of initiatives that strengthen Chattanooga's creative sector."It is essential for creatives to have the knowledge and skills to navigate a quickly and constantly evolving business world artfully. They already possess the talent and the dedication to their craft, and it is evident that Periscope CHA empowers them with the tools necessary to become successful artist entrepreneurs, added Jill McMillan Palm, executive director of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville.ArtsBuild will host an in-person information session on Thursday, Aug. 3 at ArtsBuild at 301 E. 11th St. in Chattanooga at 5:30 p.m. The session will provide more information about the program, the application process and important dates. Staff will be available to answer questions from potential applicants.For more information on Periscope CHA: Artist Entrepreneur Training, visit artsbuild.com/programs. ArtsBuild also accepts nominations for the program. If you know an artist with entrepreneurial spirit and potential for business success, complete the brief nomination form on the website. Nominations and applications for the 2023-2024 cohort will be accepted from Friday, June 30 until Friday, Aug. 18. For questions, contact periscope@artsbuild.com.Periscope CHA is spearheaded by ArtsBuild, with support from the City of Chattanooga Office of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Nancy Lackey Community Education Fund, Sankofa Civic Engagement Organization, Benwood Foundation, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union. In addition, the program cost is kept low by individual donations to ArtsBuild. If you would like to donate, visit artsbuild.com/donate.
10u Ooltewah Lunachicks Extreme 8u Ooltewah Unicorns Elite 6u Lady Owls Elite Previous Next

For the third consecutive year, multiple Ooltewah Youth Association recreational softball teams have qualified for and will compete in the Dizzy Dean Softball World Series. The 6u Ooltewah Lady Owls Elite, 8u Ooltewah Unicorns Elite and 10u Lunachicks Extreme All-Star teams will face off against teams from across the nation in Southaven, Ms. next weekend.Last year, the 8u Ooltewah All-star team won the Dizzy Dean Softball World Series with a 15-9 victory over Hatley, Mi.s All-star team.Ooltewahs 6u team finished third in their age group.Although this will be the first trip to the Dizzy Dean Softball World Series for many of the players, all three Ooltewah teams will field returning players. The rosters include two returning players on the 6u team, six on the 8u team and five on the 10u team. All players come from regular season OYA teams.Players will attend an opening ceremony event Thursday, July 6 and then start tournament play Friday, July 7. Updates on all three teams will be provided on OYAs Facebook page (facebook.com/ooltewahyouth) throughout their journeys."OYA continues to grow recreational softball opportunities for Chattanooga area youth by providing additional training opportunities and experiences beyond regular season games," officials said. "Sending three teams to the Dizzy Dean Softball World Series this year is the result of the investment being made in recreational youth softball in east Hamilton County."Girls interested in playing recreational softball this fall can register online at OoltewahYouth.com. The fall season begins in late August.All three teams will play in the Tennessee Dizzy Dean State tournament at the Summit of Softball in Chattanooga before departing for Mississippi. This Thursday, 6u plays at 6 p.m. on Field 8, 8u plays at 6 p.m. on Field 7 and 10u plays at 9 p.m. on Field 5. Friday and Saturday times are TBD. The 8u team will hold one final practice on Monday at 6 p.m. at Standifer Gap Park, 8327 Standifer Gap Road in Chattanooga.
Keith Reid, of Gordon County, Georgia, went to his final rest on June 20, 2023, while in Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, surrounded by loving family.

Keith was a devoted, talented, and conscientious Christian who loved his family, his church, and people in his community. He worked in many states to help others learn more about Jesus and His soon return to earth. Before becoming a leader and trainer in his Christian profession, He presented material on living a healthy lifestyle and other topics found in the Bible and the tracts, books, and electronic resources he distributed. In every home where allowed, he listened to and prayed with people and the Lord blessed his work.

Formerly an MIT graduate and DuPont employee working as a chemical engineer, Keith always felt that he received a promotion when he searched and found the Lord and entered full-time into the literature ministry.

Prior to his death, Keith stated and demonstrated in his life that all was well between him and his Lord.

He is deeply mourned by his wife and family members, many friends, church and community members, as well as co-workers and business acquaintances.

Keith Reid was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth W. Reid, and his sister, Monique J. Berryhill.

Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. at Collegedale Community Church, 9305 Four Corners Place, Collegedale, Tn., followed by the 2 p.m. funeral service.
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Members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State have issued a warning to the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding their tendency to give "reactive statements" in response to threats of insecurity. The chairman of CAN in Kaduna, Pastor John Joseph Hayab, emphasized the need for proactive measures by security agencies in Nigeria.

CAN's Caution to DSS

The caution from CAN follows a recent security alert issued by the DSS on June 22, which warned of potential terrorist attacks on places of worship and recreational facilities during the upcoming Islamic celebration of Eid-al-Adha on June 29. Pastor Hayab expressed concerns about the timing of such alerts, stating that they often coincide with festive periods. "We hope and pray it is not diversionary," Pastor Hayab remarked, referring to the security alert. According to a report from Aciafrica, he urged the DSS to take action against terrorists and criminals before they can carry out their plans, emphasizing the need for strategic moves rather than mere propaganda.

In light of Nigeria's ongoing challenges, including insecurity and economic difficulties, Pastor Hayab reportedly called on all Nigerians to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. He also highlighted the importance of collective efforts to overcome security challenges and free the country from its current turmoil. Moreover, La Troix International reported that the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) in Kaduna State had expressed deep concern over the recent inflammatory speech made by Nasir Ahmed El-rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna State. Catholic priests in the northwest state, plagued by anti-Christian violence, are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani to intervene and address the former governor's divisive rhetoric before it further fuels tensions in the country. On the other hand, the NCDPA, representing the Kaduna Archdiocese, as well as the Kafanchan and Zaria dioceses, has urged the leaders to distance themselves from El-rufai's insightful comments, especially since the governor was present during his address to a group of Muslim leaders in the state.

Also Read: Nigeria Government Accused of Overspending to Conceal Christian Persecution, Claims Report

Nigeria Witnesses Decline in Security Attacks and Fatalities in April

A recent report by Beacon Consulting, a top security outfit, reveals that Nigeria experienced a significant decrease in security incidents during April. The report highlights that the country recorded 382 incidents across 180 local government areas in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in 302 abductions and 706 fatalities, the Daily Trust reported. The report attributes the positive developments to the government's concerted efforts to tackle security challenges. President Muhammadu Buhari highlighted vital initiatives, such as recruiting soldiers, welfare programs for military personnel, and acquiring advanced military equipment.

While acknowledging the progress made, the report also emphasized the need for security sector reforms and improved governance to address Nigeria's security challenges comprehensively. It highlighted the importance of sustained efforts and comprehensive strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of Nigerian citizens. As Nigeria continues its efforts to combat insecurity, the report provides a glimmer of hope, indicating that the country is moving in the right direction towards greater peace and stability.

Related Article: Nigerian Archbishop Asks Church of England Members to Dissociate from Church Leader with Ungodly Teachings
Pixabay/Siamlian Ngaihte

Christian groups and civil society organizations in India have joined forces to demand peace and the restoration of harmony in Manipur, a northeastern state plagued by ethnic violence. Over 130 lives have been lost, and more than 50,000 individuals, predominantly Kuki tribal Christians, have been displaced.

Call for Peace Rally

On Saturday, Jun 24, over 40 organizations convened in Delhi to show solidarity with the people of Manipur and to call for immediate action to restore peace. Christian activist Minakshi Singh, one of the rally organizers, emphasized the need for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue promptly, UCA News reported. During the rally, a memorandum was handed over to Federal Home Minister Amit Shah, who held an all-party meeting on the same day. Similar programs were also conducted in Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Tamil Nadu, further emphasizing the situation's urgency. The protesters reportedly expressed their distress over the destruction of churches and the failure of the state government to protect its citizens. Pastor Ezekiel M, a resident of Manipur, highlighted the breakdown of law and order and the rapid destruction of properties built over several decades.

In addition, a similar report from Christianity Daily reported that Christian organizations also united in a strong display of unity and faith as they organized a solidarity prayer on Saturday, Jun 24. The event aimed to end the killings, violence, arson, and hatred that have plagued the state of Manipur for over 50 days. Despite the deployment of heavy military and police forces, the unrest in Manipur has shown no signs of subsiding. In response, religious leaders from various denominations within the Christian community gathered to pray fervently for the troubled state. They appealed to the Central and Manipur governments to take decisive action to restore peace, security, and justice for the people. Allen Brooks, the spokesperson for AC, expressed the disappointment felt by the people of Manipur, who had hoped for an end to the bloodshed after the union home minister's visit to their state. However, the situation on the ground has not improved, which represents a significant setback and saddens the people.

Also Read:Manipur Church Organizations Appeal for Peace Amid Claims of Targeted Christian Persecution

Ethnic Violence in Manipur

According to the Business Mirror, the northeastern state of Manipur in India has been grappling with a severe outbreak of ethnic violence, resulting in a month-long mobile Internet shutdown for its 3.5 million residents. The clashes stem from a dispute over access to affirmative action benefits, which has led to over 100 fatalities and forced more than 37,000 individuals into refugee camps. Mobs have set fire to homes, vehicles, and places of worship, escalating the violence to unprecedented levels.

Moreover, the current situation in Manipur resembles the tumultuous 1990s when the region experienced brutal insurgencies and ethnic conflicts, many of which were rooted in the state's merger with India in 1949. The state government's deployment of the army and paramilitary forces has been insufficient in curbing the sporadic violence that keeps the area on edge. On the other hand, the government extended the mobile Internet shutdown until Thursday, Jun 15, to prevent further escalation.

Related Article: Christian Groups Unite in Solidarity Prayer, Urging Immediate Action to Halt 50-Day Spree of Killings, Violence in Manipur
Pixabay/VinnyCiro

Several places of Christian worship have been turned into other purposes due to the declining number of people attending Christian services in Europe. They were converted into establishments such as hotels, cafes, and discotheques.

Christianity in Europe

Throughout the 20th century, Europe's religious makeup grew markedly more diversified than before. Christianity was practiced by approximately 95% of Europe's population in 1900; however, by 2020, that number had dropped to about 76%. Based on an article from Gordon Conwell, the arrival of asylum seekers, refugees, and different types of migrants from the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, Africa, and other places has caused a change in the religious composition of Europe. This change has resulted in a rise in the percentage of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. The preeminence of a White (Christian) ethnicity has been publicly called into question, putting Europe's progressive principles to the test. At the beginning of the refugee crisis in 2015, several nations witnessed an increase in prejudice, which has enormously affected Muslims in those nations.

Additionally, the proportion of Christians' total population has been continuously falling, resulting in a shift in the demographic composition of Europe. As per the Pew Research Center survey, even though a proportion of people claim to have been baptized at some point in their lives, many individuals in today's society do not consider themselves Christians. As mentioned, on religious views and practices in Western Europe, some respondents have claimed that they slowly moved away from spirituality, ceased believing in spiritual teachings, or felt excluded by controversies or church views on social problems. Despite this, the vast majority of persons polled continue to identify themselves as Christians, even while they attend religious services only sometimes. According to the survey findings, the most significant proportion of persons in the region self-identified as Christians but only went to church a few times a year or less.

Also Read: Ontario Church Sold for $300,000 Turns Into A Family Home

Repurposed Churches

The steady fall in the number of Christians in Europe has led to the repurposing of various churches. Fox News reported that the trend could be seen to its fullest extent in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern area of Belgium, where towns historically had an average of six churches. According to local politicians, there is a drive to turn some of the buildings into new companies because some structures have become eyesores and a financial burden on the municipality.

A symbol of the loss of Christianity on the continent, which once contributed to introducing the religion to all parts of the world, is reportedly the increasing number of abandoned chapels across Belgium and Europe. Some chapels have been repurposed as other establishments, such as hotels, nightclubs, and clothes stores. The Sacred Center Church in Mechelen, Belgium, has been closed for the next two years to transform the building into a cafe and concert venue. Investors anticipate that this transformation will transform the church into a new cultural hot spot in the center of Mechelen.

One of these kinds of projects was the Martin's Patershof hotel, which was created by emptying the interior of a cathedral to make room for beds with headboards resembling organ pipes and a breakfast area adjacent to where the altar had been. Moreover, the building formerly housed the St. Anthony of Padua church in Brussels is now home to the Maniak Padoue climbing club. Many of the church's historical artifacts can be seen on display there. In addition, a former Anglican church in Brussels has been transformed into a nightclub called Spirito. Its emblem depicts a priest passionately kissing a nun and is located on the building's exterior. However, some people are unhappy with how historic churches are being maintained.

Related Article:US News | Former Plans to Convert Into Low-Cost Housing For Young Adult | Christianity Daily
Pixabay/Kris

Serious burglaries committed in Turtle Creek have been on the rise. Recently, criminals broke into a church in their neighborhood and took instruments, electronics, and other church items with a combined value of $12,000. As a result, the place of worship now implemented an additional level of security.

Increasing Security at Church

A report from CBS News stated that Total Salvation Ministries has recently been designated a historical landmark after several restorations over the past few years. However, the church's senior pastor, Barry Ratliff, stated that a bunch of burglars broke into the building earlier this month, reportedly located a short distance from the local law enforcement department. As mentioned, the burglars took items valued at almost $12,000, including electronics, instruments, and other equipment used in church events and classes. While breaking into the building, the thieves caused the church structure over $3,000 in damages. Moreover, after becoming the most recent church to be broken into, the pastors at Total Salvation Ministries in Turtle Creek, Texas, decided to beef up the church's security measures. Yet, Pastor Ratliff stated that he and his wife do not feel resentment toward whoever was responsible for this. The couple keeps them in their prayers and is always there to assist anyone needing support. "We bought this building so we could serve this community. We're here to help and do everything that a church can do," the pastor asserted.

On the other hand, MSN reported that over the past two or three months, burglars have broken into probably four or five churches. Thieves broke into numerous other businesses, including the hardware shop. In addition, last Friday, Jun. 23, employees at the Metro store across the street indicated that a group of thieves came into their shop during the night and seized their cash drawer. Meanwhile, on Monday, Jun. 27, it was stated that the head of the police department was not available to give any information about the incident.

Also Read: Two People Arrested For Breaking Into Several Churches, Charged with Burglary, Malicious Injury on Church

Similar Incident of Severe Burglary at Turtle Creek

An incident on Thursday evening, Mar. 15, shocked a man from Turtle Creek. He claims that when he stepped out of his bedroom, he saw an odd man standing at the top of the stairway. The man claimed he followed the other individual down these steps, through the living room, and into the kitchen. However, WPXI reported that it was the point at which things became risky. According to the victim, the burglar sprang at him while holding two knives taken from the kitchen counter. The odd man reportedly went over to the computer and started typing, but the personal computer was turned off and unusable.

"He started using the computer. Meanwhile, I'm starting to yell to my brother 'Get somebody on the phone, there's somebody in the house. Then, he lunged at me again with the knife again. I took the chair and tried to block him," the man from Turtle Creek noted. Accordingly, the intruder eventually became scared and fled from the house after some time had passed. A short time and distance later, law enforcement officers located and arrested him. The criminal complaint states that they used a Taser on him near a fueling station, and the police identified Mark Darnell Johnson Jr. as the person who broke in. He is being charged with both burglary and aggravated assault at this time.

Related Article: Pastor Increase Church Security Measures Following Burglary Incident to Ensure Congregations Safety
Pixabay/Boris Stromar

The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) attempt to launch services against blessing for same-sex couples, also known as Prayers of Love and Faith, has reportedly run out of options. This service failed on the approval of three Houses of Synod in February, yet CEEC is still seeking other alternatives.

Same-Sex Blessings

The Guardian reported that after a heated debate that lasted for more than eight hours, the national assembly of the Church of England, known as the General Synod, decided by a margin of 250 votes to 181 to support a proposal by bishops that was intended to put an end to years of agonizing divides and disagreements around sexuality. But the highly boiled speeches given by those who advocated for complete equality for LGBTQ+ Christians and those who argued that conventional biblical teaching on marriage and sex must be respected signaled that the discussion will likely continue. Moreover, it was decided by the synod that the church would issue an apology to LGBTQ+ individuals for the hurt it has caused in the past. It expressed its approval of an upcoming review of a law requiring clergy members in same-sex relationships to maintain their celibacy and a ban on clergy members marrying each other in civil ceremonies.

The proposed amendment by the conservatives to maintain the church's doctrine that marriage must be between a man and a woman narrowly passed with the support of conservatives. In addition, even though the modification disheartened progressives, it may have inspired some traditionalists to vote in favor of the primary motion. According to Christian News, in opposition to the Church of England's choice to bless same-sex unions, at least 2,000 Anglican church leaders agreed to sign a new proclamation. As stated, the CEEC is responsible for drafting the declaration, which outlines four potential reforms to the church that the evangelicals of the Church of England will feel "compelled to resist" if they are approved at the next General Synod.

Also Read:Anglican Communion Renounced Church of England for False Gospel Teachings

Prayers of Love and Faith

Based on a report from the church, the Prayers of Love and Faith bus has left, and CEEC can no longer prevent its departure, Anglican. ink reported. Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, stated that the new services "are on track for November" during the pre-Synod press event on Thursday, Jun 22. Evangelical members of the CofE nowadays reportedly correspond to a denomination whose leadership has abandoned the traditional Christian sexual ethic and has been condemned for doing so by the vast majority of members of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The services will officially be considered voluntary. However, there needs to be more clarity regarding the method through which parishes arrive at their decisions.

As per Christian Today, the CEEC can still begin to coordinate an exit strategy from the CofE. Large evangelical churches that are group members have access to resources, and these churches could serve as a model for others. Without a doubt, leaving would be an arduous, dangerous, and chaotic endeavor. New gathering locations for churches and unique accommodations for their pastors would need to be found, among the many other challenges that must be overcome.

On the other hand, the circulating paper on Dr Andrew Goddard's plan for same-sex blessing suggests that the Church of England evangelicals are running out of options regarding institutional pathways. Accordingly, they had to begin excavating tunnels to escape. It would only take one significant evangelical church to break through the barbed wire barrier for others to follow suit. These traditional Anglican churches have the potential to establish a new Anglican federation in the United Kingdom, analogous to the Anglican Church in North America, which was established in 2009.

Related Article:Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches Expressed Deep Sadness" on the Outcome of Church of England's Vote for Same-sex Blessings
Pexels/Rene Asmussen

Pastor Moses Colbert of Gastonia, North Carolina, is in the news after it was discovered that his outreach activities were carried out without the required city permissions. He faces a fine of $60,000. The pastor oversees the Faith, Hope, and Love Community Enrichment Ministries and has been housing the homeless in neighboring tents and trailer homes on church grounds.

The supportive services provided by Colbert's ministry include meals, counseling, education, and programs for recovering from addiction. The pastor's outreach initiatives, according to the City of Gastonia, are in violation of safety and zoning requirements.

Pastor Fined $60,000 Over City Permit Violations in Homeless Outreach

According to the article in Christian Headlines, the preacher begs city officials to stop disparaging his work and asserts that his ministry is being unfairly singled out for criticism. He claims that claims of discrimination are hurting the homeless people they are trying to assist. The pastor has already had to close a homeless shelter for not meeting fire and safety regulations, so this is not their first run-in with the law. Robert Kellogg of the City Council acknowledged the importance of the shelter but highlighted that public safety could not be sacrificed in order to address those requirements.

The City agreed to let Colbert reopen the shelter after complaints from the locals. According to the article in Church Leaders, Colbert received help from You Are the Power, another nonprofit, in order to purchase trailers for the homeless. But by putting these trailers on the church land, the zoning regulationswhich state that the property is only zoned for a church buildingwere also broken.

Spike Cohen, the company's founder, recently expressed his support for Pastor Colbert on social media. He claimed that the City of Gastonia was trying to "steal Pastor Moses' property and run his church and shelter out of business" due to the fact that the pastor's non-taxpayer-funded initiatives had had a greater positive impact on the area's homeless population than the City's multimillion-dollar tax-funded programs.

Also Read:Community Raises Concern Over Zoning Boards Approval on Opening Small Homeless Shelter Inside Worcesters Church

Gastonia Homeless Cry Out as Ministries Face Closure Over Permit Violations

Some of Gastonia's most vulnerable citizens made fervent appeals before the city council following a $60,000 punishment for Pastor Moses Colbert's homeless outreach programs, warning of the terrible implications of the Faith, Hope and Love Community Enrichment Ministries being forced to close.

When speaking before the council, many individuals who had received comfort and support through the ministries sobbed openly as they said that the closing would leave them with nowhere else to turn.

One gentleman voiced concern about the effects of closing the aforementioned generosity, highlighting the possibility of the 75 to 100 dependents ending up dispersed over the county if forced to leave. According to the story in QC News, since these people would turn to any methods necessary to survive due to a lack of other options, this could potentially cause more serious issues.

At the ministry's Oakland Street facility, which had over 300 requests for first responders in a single year, there have also been growing concerns about safety. During the conference, it was also revealed that there had been a second death at the scene, the cause of which had not yet been established.

Related Article:Church Fined $80K A Second Time For Holding Worship Service Amid COVID, But Pastor Says Jesus Is Worth It
Pexels/Kindel Media

Ryan Schiavo, an American street preacher, was recently caught and arrested in Canterbury, England, after delivering a sermon from the Book of Romans during the city's Pride celebrations.

Schiavo claimed he was speaking from Romans 1:1832, a scripture that talks about immoral men and women who have switched "natural sexual relations for unnatural ones," even though he claims he was not aware of the Pride activities at the time. Five police officers noticed his sermon and detained him for violating a "hate-related public order" as a result. The Bible, speaker, microphone, and gospel tracts belonging to Schiavo were taken away, and he was held overnight.

American Street Preacher Arrested During Pride Events in Canterbury

According to Christian Today, Schiavo's personal Bible was confiscated, but he was given a replacement in his cell, allowing him to read the same passages he had been preaching in the street just an hour before his arrest. Post-release, Schiavo was barred from Canterbury for 90 days and from attending Pride events throughout June. Though the police assured him no further action would be taken, he's still awaiting the return of his personal belongings.

Schiavo, who spends about half a year in the UK for street preaching and evangelism, has expressed concern to The Christian Post about growing hostility towards orthodox Christians in the country. He recounted being stopped by the police about 25 times during his preaching over the past four years. He criticized the police for political bias, claiming they were influenced by Cultural Marxism and far-left ideologies, which he believed affected their impartiality.

According to an article shared in Time News, A boy and a girl in the crowd, according to Schiavo, were particularly disruptive when he began discussing passages from Romans 1:18-32, which he interpreted as a commentary on "God's judgment on society due to evil" and "sexual immorality and homosexual behavior."

Three police officers came to the scene, who Schiavo described as "quite aggressive, disgruntled, demanding," and who seemed to be attempting to implicate him with their inquiries. They were curious as to what he had said in detail and whether he intended to continue. When asked if he would stop, Schiavo replied, "The Word has to be preached."

Video evidence provided showed Schiavo being arrested. When Schiavo's buddy inquired as to why, the cops cited Schiavo's alleged violation of the "hate-related public order" legislation, which outlaws "unfair treatment."

Also Read:Seattle Police Officers Arrested Street Preacher Over Alleged 'Risk to Public Safety' During LGBT Event

Arrested for Disruptive Behavior While Preaching

According to another source, The New York Post, Police Chief Richard Tornielli clarified that Atkins was arrested for disruptive and disorderly behavior, not for his words. Tornielli stated that officers had warned Atkins to stop his disruptive actions, which were interfering with the event.

Atkins, who preaches locally, claimed he wasn't singling out any specific group. He attended the event because he believed the Bible instructed him to spread the gospel to everyone. However, he admitted that his approach to the flag-raising situation could have been better.

The Berks County District Attorney's Office later dropped the charges of disorderly conduct against Atkins after reviewing the incident's video footage, including from body-worn cameras. They stated they didn't believe they could prove a criminal case of disorderly conduct.

Related Article: Street Preacher Preaching Biblical Truths Cleared Of 'Hate Speech' Charges
Reiji Oyama, the translator of the Modern Japanese Bible and one of the founders of the Japan Evangelical Association, died on May 16 at the age of 96 in Tokyo.

He started translating the Bible in 1960, beginning with the letter to Philemon and moving on to publishing the entire New Testament in Japanese in 1978. In Japanese, it was known as Gendaijin no Seisho or Bible for Modern Man. But Oyama preferred using this English title: The Understandable Bible.

He believed most people dont read the Bible because they think it is too difficult. The difficulty is not the Bible itself, though, but how it has been translated, Oyama said. He argued that most Japanese versions of Scripture strove for faithfulness to the biblical text but, unfortunately, disregarded cultural differences.

Oyama believed that it was important that the meaning of the biblical text, as revealed to its original audience, should be equally clear in the Japanese language. As a result, his translations were often paraphrases rather than word-for-word translations.

My father showed me the honest, humble faith of a child every day, his daughter Megumi Okano said at his funeral. I can see the faith of a humble little child who accepts what is taught by the Bible and believes that it is true.

Reiji Oyama was born in Tokyo on January 15, 1927. His father, Toji, was a manager at the Mitsukoshi department store and later opened a used bookstore, while his mother, Ikuko, was a housewife. When World War II began, Oyama became a high school cadet in the Japanese Imperial Army Accounting Academy, which trained elite officers in college-level courses, martial arts, and horsemanship.

After the war, Oyama entered Waseda University and began learning English at a churchs Bible class. His Christian friend, US army sergeant Henry Ikemoto, persistently asked him to attend an evangelistic event called G.I. Gospel Hour. Oyama declined repeatedly until he ran out of excuses and decided to attend even though he felt unwell. That evening, he listened to Japanese preacher Ugo Nakata speak about the cross of Christ, and when he prayed for people there to be healed, Oyama felt his fever go away immediately. The 19-year-old gave his life to Christ on November 30, 1946.

When I came to know that I was a sinner, I was convinced that all my sins had been forgiven by the Lord, he later said.

When Waseda University began having classes on Sundays due to a classroom shortage, Oyama decided to start holding Bible studies on campus so that believers could still worship God on Sundays. These meetings became the Christian Student Association (Kirisutosha Gakusei Kai or KJK), which is part of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) today. Oyamas evangelistic efforts during this time led to the baptism of seven peopleincluding the woman who would later become his wife, Michiko Hirayama. Subsequently, he also led his parents to the Lord.

Upon graduation, Oyama felt called to become a pastor during a personal devotion one morning. He decided to study at Tokyo Christian Theological Seminary and founded the Takadanobaba Bible Church, now known as the Biblical Church of Tokyo (Seisho Kirisuto Kyokai), in 1953.

His life was anchored in that church which he founded as a young man, [where he preached] the gospel in street-side meetings after the war, and which he served throughout his life, wrote Lausanne Movements honorary chairman Doug Birdsall in a tribute.

Making Jesus name known to the Japanese people was Oyamas top priority. His children realized this too.



He was a person who lived by the words of Matthew 6:33 and put God first, said Okano in her eulogy.

My father was very loyal to God and was a hard worker. When I was little, I thought that my father was working hard for God and I shouldnt get in his way. So, even though I was rarely taken out to play somewhere, I had no complaints.

Oyamas commitment to spreading the gospel in Japan also took the form of multiple Bible translations of Scripture that often paraphrased the original Hebrew and Greek texts. Translations of the entire Bible were published in 1983 and 1988.

He sought to translate from the believers point of view because Gods salvation is revealed through the Bible, wrote Doron B. Cohen, lecturer of Japanese Christian history at Doshisha University in Kyoto. In Psalm 23, for example, Oyama used his heart instead of his names sake in verse 3. There is no mention of rod or staff in verse 4, and full cup turns into full breast. God is portrayed as a senshi or warrior in the same verse. For the angels message to Mary in Luke 1:35 (The Holy Spirit will come on you), Oyama rendered it as "The high God will create life in you in Japanese.

Not everyone appreciated his creative approach to translating the Word.

Oyama took dynamic equivalence to an extreme by giving priority to the supposed message at the expense of the literal meaning of the original text, wrote Cohen. The Japanese translation of Luke 1:35, meanwhile, could be used against the pre-existence and incarnation of Christ! said Baptist College of Ministry professor John R. Himes.

Today, his Modern Japanese Bible translation (Gendaiyaku Seisho) is ranked 44th on Amazons list of Japanese Christian Bibles. Its easy to understand and extremely easy to read, one reviewer commented. I think it's a Bible that is easy to apply to devotions and preparation for messages, wrote another reviewer.

Oyamas pastoral heart was not bound solely to producing Japanese translations of Scripture for believers. He authored more than a hundred books, including theological discussions on the truth about Christianity and what happens after death, as well as commentaries on most books of the Bible. He also established the Tokyo Graduate School of Theology in 1969 to train up new pastors and church leaders.

Then, something happened in 1956 that would set him on a decades-long journey of post-war reconciliation. While I was reading Matthew 5:23-24the Lord showed me I was to start a movement to apologize for our sins, Oyama recounted. I know during the over one hundred years of its modern history Japan has trampled on the people of Asia, leaving them with bitter enmity towards the Japanese people.

His first trip outside of Japan was to the Philippines. I am sending you to go and wash the feet of the Filipino people and to attempt a reconciliation by the Love of God, Oyama felt the Lord say to him. There, Oyama held four months of evangelistic meetings and was the first Japanese missionary to come to the Philippines since World War II, CT reported in 1959.

Oyama also recognized the devastating impacts of Japan colonizing Korea from 1910 to 1945. One event in particular stood out to him: when Japanese soldiers attacked the men of a Korean village in retaliation for participating in anti-Japanese demonstrations on April 15, 1919. The soldiers herded the villagers into the Cheamni Church, shot them, and set the church on fire.

The Japanese pastor decided to raise funds to rebuild the church after it was burned down, and collected 10 million yen (about $70,000) from Japanese Christians to support its restoration. When a ceremony was held to commence the rebuilding efforts in 1959, however, victims of the 1919 massacre protested the use of Japanese money and only relented when they heard that the project would include the construction of a museum to commemorate the lives lost.

On the 100th anniversary of the massacre in 2019, Oyama returned to Cheamni Church. Along with 16 other Japanese Christians, he bowed on the floor of the church and apologized for the incident.

Lord, this church is where the worst case was committed by Japanese officials during the colonial period, he prayed. Japanese politicians, however, have never apologized for this. Its natural to apologize if you do something wrong. Lord, please forgive us, Japanese people.

Oyama continued to seek opportunities for reconciliation after helping to set up the Japanese Evangelical Association in 1968. The seeds of this alliance were planted a year earlier during a Billy Graham International Convention in Tokyo attended by 15,000 Japanese believers.

At a global missions conference in Tokyo in 2010, he publicly apologized for Japans colonization of other Asian countries such as Mongolia, Taiwan, and China. Japan repeatedly killed, murdered, stole, robbed, raped  just humiliated her neighbors, he said. Therefore, as a Japanese, I really want to express my feelings of repentance.

He went to all the places that the Japanese imperial army had gone to make amends for the atrocities the army had carried out, said his daughter-in-law Kathy Oyama.

In his twilight years, Oyama embarked on another evangelistic pursuit: YouTuber. His channel, Lunrun Grandpa, (or happy old man in Japanese) launched when he was 93 years old and has close to 9,000 subscribers.

Oyama was always trying to be cutting-edge, said Kathy. He was one of the first preachers to start Christian radio in Japan. He was doing broadcasts in the middle of the night. They were so good that people would stay up for it.

Some of the 120 videos on Oyamas YouTube channel focused on practical subjects such as choosing a spouse and how to deal with anger and anxiety. His most-watched video with 80,000 views is a two-minute-long clip in which Oyama shared encouraging words to people who were feeling hopeless and despondent.

The bulk of his video content, however, examined matters of the Christian faith in his characteristically gentle demeanor. Topics ranged from explaining what born again means and his time spent pioneering evangelism in Japan. He didnt shy away from commenting on suicide and sex from a pastoral perspective, either.

On May 16, Oyama met with staff from Tokyo Graduate School of Theology, the school he founded, and visitors from an American seminary to discuss partnering together on a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program. While having lunch together, he closed his eyes, gave a small smile, and passed away. The official cause of death was aspiration.



It seemed like the time he was allotted [on earth] happened to end in that moment, Kathy said. I imagine he was at this restaurant, closed his eyes to blink, and woke up in heaven. He was living a full life of service literally until the very end.

Oyama was preceded in death by his wife, Michiko, and leaves behind five children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
A victory for every American: 5 reactions to Supreme Courts Groff decision

The U.S. Supreme Court released a unanimous decision Thursday that vacated an earlier lower court ruling against a Christian postal worker who quit his job because he was forced to work Sundays, drawing celebratory reactions from parties on both sides.

The high court ruled in Greg Groff v. Louis DeJoy that the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals was mistaken to rule against the postal worker based on "undue hardship."

Justice Samuel Alito wrote the opinion, concluding that "courts must apply the test in a manner that takes into account all relevant factors in the case at hand, including the particular accommodations at issue and their practical impact" on an employer.

"What is most important is that 'undue hardship' in Title VII means what it says, and courts should resolve whether a hardship would be substantial in the context of an employer's business in the commonsense manner that it would use in applying any such test," Alito said.

"An employer who fails to provide an accommodation has a defense only if the hardship is 'undue,' and a hardship that is attributable to employee animosity to a particular religion, to religion in general, or to the very notion of accommodating religious practice cannot be considered 'undue.'"

Alito noted that "it would not be enough for an employer to conclude that forcing other employees to work overtime would constitute an undue hardship," adding that considering "other options, such as voluntary shift swapping, would also be necessary."

The following pages highlight five reactions to the Groff decision.

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Female Lutheran pastor leads church in 'sparkle creed' prayer to 'nonbinary' God, says Christ Jesus had '2 dads'

A female Lutheran pastor in Minnesota has gone viral for leading her congregation in a sparkle creed prayer in honor of LGBT pride month in which she described God as nonbinary and Christ Jesus as having two dads.

Anna Helgen, co-pastor of Edina Community Lutheran Church (ECLC) in Edina, a suburb of Minneapolis, delivered the prayer during a Sunday service live stream on June 25, when she called on members of the church to stand in honor of the sparkle creed.

In this prayer, Helgen recited a statement of faith known on social media as the sparkle creed.

I believe in the nonbinary God, whose pronouns are plural, Helgen said. I believe in Jesus Christ, their child, who wore a fabulous tunic, and had two dads and saw everyone as a sibling child of God.

I believe in the rainbow spirit who shatters our image of one white light and refracts it into a rainbow of gorgeous diversity. I believe in the church of everyday saints, as numerous, creative and resilient as patches on the  quilt, whose feet are grounded in mud and whose eyes gaze at the stars in wonder. I believe in the calling to each of us that love is love is love, so beloved let us love.

I believe, glorious God, help my unbelief, Amen.

After the nearly all-white congregation responded Amen, Helgen then lifted up a prayer Trusting in Gods expansive and inclusive love for LGBT-plus leaders, city officials, first responders, and for anyone who feels excluded on account of their gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or any other human distinction.

Helgen also included a reference to pop star Taylor Swift and her Swifty fans and all music that inspires us.

Help us shake it off when life takes a turn, she prayed in a nod to Swifts popular hit.

According to the ECLC website, the church is a participant in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americas Reconciling In Christ initiative, which calls for the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; work for racial equity and commit to anti-racist work and support the national program.

As part of the initiative, churches are asked to acknowledge the complicit evils of colonialism, and the impact that it has had on indigenous populations as well as participate in More than Fragility: A Deep Dive into Understanding & Dismantling Whiteness, which is described as a learning experience designed for white leaders to explore how their identity connects to their capacity to lead and engage in racial justice work.

The initiative also includes a curriculum for childrens ministry aimed at opportunities for engagement of all ages for pride month, including activity sheets to honor the fullness of [LGBT-identified] people.

The ECLC website also seemingly implicates Christians at large and churches in general for what it describes as the theft of native land.

A statement reads in part: We further confess that Christians and Christian churches have benefited from this land theft. We commit to being active advocates for justice for native people and to truth telling that leads to healing.

A regional body of the ELCA made national news in May 2021 after electing the first openly transgender bishop in the progressive denominations history.

The Rev. Megan Rohrer, who uses the pronouns of they and them rather than gender-specific terms, was elected to head the California-based ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod.

Following the move, the theologically conservative blog Exposing the ELCA denounced the election of Rohrer as a complete slap in the face to God.

The ELCA is thumbing its nose at God, His Word and Truth and effectively showing that they are part of the uber left and its rejection of Christianity, stated the blog. How can God-fearing, Bible-believing individuals remain in the ELCA? How can churches remain?

Rohrer was later compelled to resign over allegations of racism and other issues in June 2022.
Over 6,000 UMC churches granted disaffiliation amid schism over homosexuality

More than 6,000 congregations have been given the approval to leave the United Methodist Church over the past four years amid a schism within the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States over whether to change its rules against homosexuality.

According to numbers compiled by UM News, the number of UMC congregations granted disaffiliation passed the 6,000 mark earlier this week, with 6,182 as of Thursday morning.

While the number includes all churches that have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019, more than 1,800 came in 2022 and more than 4,000 in 2023.

The UM News count derives from a "review of U.S. annual conference reports, publicly available journals and reports of special annual conference sessions held in 2022 and this year."

"The General Council on Finance and Administration, the denomination's finance agency, is collecting the official data on disaffiliations and church closures," the outlet added.

"But the finance agency's count of disaffiliations lags behind UM News' data because it must wait for annual conferences to submit official reports."

The number of churches granted disafiliation from the UMC passed the 5,000 mark earlier this month. Several hundred congregations were given the green light to depart over the course of one week alone.

On Wednesday, the UMC Mississippi Annual Conference voted to approve the disaffiliation votes of 189 churches, representing a little over a fifth of the regional body's member congregations.

Mississippi Bishop Sharma Lewis told the assembly after the vote that "this disaffiliation process has been tough" for the regional body and that she wanted "all of y'all to stay."

"But I have to have the faith that clergy, laity and faith communities took the time to pray about their next steps. Also, if we are honest, it has been tense. I wanted this to be a time and a space we could put all of that down," Lewis said.

Over the past few decades, the UMC has had an internal debate over whether to change the rules in the Book of Discipline prohibiting the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.

Although efforts at General Conference to change these rules have failed, theological progressives within the denomination have often refused to follow or enforce the rules. Last year, the UMC Western Jurisdiction voted to make the Rev. Cedrick D. Bridgeforth of the California-Pacific Conference a bishop, although he is in a same-sex marriage.

The willingness of some leaders to disregard the Book of Discipline's stance has inspired many theologically conservative churches to leave the denomination.

In 2019, at a special session of UMC General Conference, delegates voted to add Paragraph 2553 to the Book of Discipline, which created a process for allowing churches to leave the denomination over the longstanding debate. The process is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Many departing congregations have joined the Global Methodist Church, launched last year as a theologically conservative alternative to the UMC.

Last week, a Colorado-based UMC Mountain Sky Conference, led by Bishop Karen Oliveto, who is also in a same-sex marriage, approved the disaffiliation votes of 38 congregations.
Supreme Court tosses lower court ruling against Christian postal worker punished for not working Sundays

The United States Supreme Court has vacated an earlier lower court ruling against a Christian postal worker who had been forced to work Sundays, which went against his sincerely-held religious beliefs.

In a unanimous decision released Thursday morning in the case of Greg Groff v. Louis DeJoy, the high court decided to vacate a circuit court ruling against Christian postal worker Greg Groff and remanded the case for further proceedings.

A key factor was that the Supreme Court concluded that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit needed to have a better definition for what constituted undue hardship on an employer being asked to accommodate an employees religious practices.

Justice Samuel Alito authored the high court's opinion, concluding that courts must apply the test in a manner that takes into account all relevant factors in the case at hand, including the particular accommodations at issue and their practical impact on an employer.

What is most important is that undue hardship in Title VII means what it says, and courts should resolve whether a hardship would be substantial in the context of an employers business in the commonsense manner that it would use in applying any such test, wrote Alito.

An employer who fails to provide an accommodation has a defense only if the hardship is undue, and a hardship that is attributable to employee animosity to a particular religion, to religion in general, or to the very notion of accommodating religious practice cannot be considered undue.

Alito went on to note that it would not be enough for an employer to conclude that forcing other employees to work overtime would constitute an undue hardship, adding that considering other options, such as voluntary shift swapping, would also be necessary.

Groff quit working for USPS in 2019 after about seven years of service because the Quarryville Post Office in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, required him to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays.

While USPS had initially granted Groffs request, allowing him to work additional shifts on other days of the week instead, his boss later said he had to work on Sundays despite his beliefs.

Groff sued, arguing that the postal service requiring him to work Sundays or quit violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, namely religious freedom protections in the workplace.

Last May, a three-judge panel for the Third Circuit ruled against Groff, with Circuit Judge Patty Shwartz, an Obama appointee, writing in the court opinion that accommodating Groffs request "would cause an undue hardship" for the postal service.

"Exempting Groff from working on Sundays caused more than a de minimis cost on USPS because it actually imposed on his coworkers, disrupted the workplace and workflow, and diminished employee morale," the ruling read.

Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center, which also supported Groff, said, Observing the Sabbath day is critical to many faiths  a day ordained by God. No one should be forced to violate the Sabbath to hold a job.

Groff appealed the decision and the Supreme Court announced in January that the justices would hear an appeal in the case, with oral arguments taking place in April.

A significant point of debate during the oral arguments was the 1977 Supreme Court decision Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison, in which the high court ruled 7-2 that TWA had not violated Title VII when it refused to provide a Saturday sabbath exemption for an employee because it would have caused "undue hardship" for the company.

Chief Justice John Roberts mentioned the changes in religious liberty case law since Hardison was decided, citing recent cases that had broadened religious accommodations in other areas.

"There really is no Establishment Clause problem if you make accommodations for people's religious belief," said Roberts during oral arguments in April. "So, if you're going to look at this under current law, its not clear that those cases would come out, that Hardison would come out the same way."
Vietnamese Evangelicals fear being implicated in anti-gov't violence

Ethnic Christians in Vietnam are bracing for potential fallout should they be blamed for recent anti-government violence.

In the pre-dawn hours of June 11, four policemen, two government officials and three bystanders were killed by camouflage-clad armed groups. This rare anti-government violence took place in Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur communes, Kuin District, Dak Lak Province in Vietnams Central Highlands. Weapons reportedly used were small arms, grenades and petrol bombs.

It is widely assumed that it was ethnic minority tribes, collectively called Montagnards (mountain people), who are responsible for the attack. Ethnic minorities make up 80% of Vietnams 2 million Evangelicals, and there is huge concern over whether there was any participation by those in the large Montagnard Christian community.

Almost all information available is what little state-run media has published. The Ministry of Public Security has identified those arrested simply as Young people who harbored delusion and extreme attitudes and had been incited by ringleaders via the internet.

Contrary to usual practice, official media have not exaggerated potential Christian involvement, even though the government has long branded some ethnic minority churches voicing political grievances as groups posing as religions. Under constant scrutiny, such groups are stonewalled from registering as recognized religious groups.

A 12-minute Facebook video circulating strongly implies that Montagnard Christian young people were involved in the attacks. The clip, using helicopter or drone photography, shows several well-known church buildings and Montagnard congregations of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam South (ECVN-S) and the Christian Mission Church (CMC), both well established and legally recognized by the government. The video illustrates police raids of church offices  suggesting theres something illicit about the churches, not something illicit about the raids  along with interviews of Christian leaders, and it casts Christian signs and literature in a poor light.

The commentary is highly suspicious of and derogatory toward Montagnard Evangelicals. The videos origins are unclear, but it appears to be thinly disguised government propaganda.

While there is no excuse for the anti-government violence, the cup of injustice handed to the marginalized Montagnard minorities, who sometimes refer to themselves as Dega, has long overflowed. In ongoing land disputes, they virtually always come out the loser. There has been recent high tension between the government and Montagnard coffee plantation owners over agricultural land being confiscated for a highway and urban expansion.

Minorities in the region have long lived with severe limitations of freedom of speech, assembly and religion. Though overt persecution of Christians has lessened in recent years, it still occurs. Land confiscation and the oppression of Christians were the major contributors to earlier large and violent uprisings in 2001 and 2004. Additionally, Montagnard Christian exiles for years have been fleeing Vietnam for Cambodia and Thailand seeking asylum.

With the June 11 attack, the government has crushed discontent with swift mobilization of overwhelming military and security force power, as it has on previous occasions. AsiaNews reported on June 14 that violence was spreading, and that parts of the Central Highlands were under lockdown, though this was not confirmed by other sources.

Radio Free Asia announced that as of June 20, more than 70 suspects had been arrested. They will doubtless pay a high price whether or not they were involved. The June 22 Peoples Daily (Nhan Dan) carried an extensive article with the official narrative. There has been an unusual clampdown on spreading disinformation, that is, anything outside the government narrative, on social media. Exorbitant fines exceeding $4,000 have already been levied against violators.

This high level of government concern can perhaps be explained by the delicate position in which Vietnam finds itself. In December 2022, Vietnam was placed on the U.S. State Departments Special Watch List of religious freedom violators, and the country has been in an all-out campaign to get out from under this embarrassing classification.

A main reason for this sanction was precisely Vietnams harsh religious freedom restrictions on independent Montagnard churches that have shown even the slightest discontent or inclination for more control over their own affairs.

For the government, the usual suspects are overseas Montagnard human rights organizations, especially the ethnic minority remnants of the United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Races (FULRO, from the French Front unifie de lutte des races opprimees), which has intermittently struggled for ethnic independence since the 1960s, including after the 1975 communist takeover. Some prominent Christians were historically involved in FULRO leadership. The government reported a FULRO flag was found with a cache of weapons it seized. Spokespersons for the most prominent of such organizations, however, have vehemently denied involvement in the recent Dak Lak violence.

While much is still unknown, the pastoral challenges posed by the Montagnard situation and especially the June 11 attack are enormous. Christian leaders ask for prayer for the following:

Wisdom for pastors to biblically guide their flocks who live under the heel of an oppressive government that itself is often a source of injustice.

That Christians find ways to show compassion toward victims families and work for peace in the social order.

If, regrettably, some Christians were involved in the violence, that authorities do not use this as an excuse to ratchet up harassment and persecution of all Christians.

Prayer that Vietnams rulers will come to see how a greater measure of justice and fairness toward marginalized minorities will reduce their discontent and provide a better life for all.

Although Vietnam in recent years has improved several notches in Open Doors World Watch List of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian  ranking 25th out of 50 in the latest report  ethnic minority Evangelicals remain highly suspect and vulnerable.
House Democrats: Abortion support is consistent with 'fundamental tenets' of our Catholic faith

Nearly three dozen Democrats serving in the United States House of Representatives have signed on to a letter insisting that their support for abortion is consistent with their Catholic faith, even as the Catechism of the Catholic Church strongly condemns it.

Thirty-one House Democrats, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., penned a letter outlining a statement of principles on Saturday, the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case determining that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion. In addition to expressing support for abortion, the lawmakers maintained, The fundamental tenets of our Catholic faith  social justice, conscience and religious freedom  compel us to defend a womans right to access abortion.

Our faith unfailingly promotes the common good, prioritizes the dignity of every human being, and highlights the need to provide a collective safety net to our most vulnerable, they added. We are committed to making real the basic principles at the heart of Catholic social teaching: helping the poor, disadvantaged and the oppressed; protecting the least among us; and ensuring that all Americans of every faith are given meaningful opportunities to share in the blessings of this great country.

After contending that bans and restrictions on abortion disproportionately harm those who already endure poverty, discrimination, and racism, the lawmakers insisted that support for legal abortion is consistent with their conscience as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Churchs command to always obey the certain judgment of his [or her] conscience. They noted that the relevant portion of the Catechism goes on to state, If he [or she] were deliberately to act against it, he [or she] would condemn himself [or herself].

We regard conscience as both a sacred gift and a responsibility: we are called to follow our conscience, the lawmakers wrote. We believe the separation of church and state means allowing for our faith to inform our public duties and how we best serve our constituents  not that we impose our religious beliefs and customs on others who may not share them. As legislators, we are charged with being facilitators of the Constitution which guarantees religious freedom for all Americans.

According to the lawmakers, Catholic teaching honors religious pluralism, declaring that the right to practice ones religious beliefs must be protected, as well as the right to be free from the religious beliefs of others. Our faith and our countrys Constitution demand that no person impose a single religious viewpoint into law or regulation.

While the lawmakers pointed to paragraph 1790 of the Catechism to justify obeying their conscience, which supports abortion, the same paragraph also warns that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed. Paragraph 1792 of the Catechism identifies the assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience as well as a rejection of the Churchs authority and her teaching as possible sources of errors of judgment in moral conduct.

As for Catholic Church teaching, it explicitly condemns abortion in paragraph 2271 of the Catechism: Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed as either an end or a means, is gravely contrary to moral law.

In a statement provided to The Christian Post, pro-life scholar and practicing Catholic Michael New asserted that the lawmakers clearly misunderstand the Catholic Churchs teachings on abortion, specifically the Catechisms declaration that every procured abortion is a moral evil.

It also states that the inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation, New continued. In short, Catholic lawmakers have a moral obligation to support laws and public policies that protect preborn children.

New described it as ironic that the signatories to the letter repeatedly pointed to their conscience when defending their support for abortion since nearly all of the House Democrats who signed this letter have voted for at least one appropriations bill that did not include the federal Hyde Amendment. As New explained, These appropriations bills would violate the conscience rights of millions of practicing Catholics and others who oppose abortion by forcing them to pay for elective abortions with their taxpayer dollars.

The Catholic Churchs established opposition to abortion and Catholic politicians efforts to ensure and promote the continued legality of abortion has led to an effort to withhold communion from such figures. Supporters of the effort point to a 2004 letter from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI a year later, as the justification for their position.

Ratzinger asserted in the letter that when a persons formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws,) his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Churchs teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

When these precautionary measures have not had their effect , and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it, Ratzinger declared.

One of the lawmakers who signed the statement of principles published over the weekend, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., found herself barred from receiving communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco that encompasses her congressional district over her outspoken advocacy for abortion.

While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops stopped short of instituting a blanket ban on communion for pro-abortion Catholic politicians, they did approve a document titled, The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, in late 2021. The document stresses that lay Catholics who exercise some form of public authority have a special responsibility to form their consciences in accord with the Churchs faith and the moral law, and to serve the human family by upholding human life and dignity.

Additional signatories to the letter were Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, Gerry Connolly, D-Va., Joe Courtney, D-Conn., Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., Robert Garcia, D-Calif., Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., Val Hoyle, D-Ore., John Larson, D-Conn., Susie Lee, D-Nev., Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., Betty McCollum, D-Minn., James McGovern, D-Mass., Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., Mike Thompson, D-Calif., Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., Lori Trahan, D-Mass., and Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y.
Church attendance still below pre-pandemic levels despite slight uptick, new data shows

Religious worship service attendance in the United States is still below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels despite a slight increase in the last two years, with a slightly steeper decline among Catholics than Protestants, survey data suggests.

Gallup released updated results of a long-running polling data asking Americans about their religious practices Monday. The poll, conducted May 1-24, is based on the responses of 1,011 adults and has a margin of error of +/-4 percentage points.

Overall, Gallup found that 31% of Americans attended religious services at a church, mosque, synagogue or temple in the past week online or in person, an improvement from the 30% who said the same in 2020 and 2022 as well as the 29% measured in 2021.

The 31% weekly attendance rate remains lower than the 34% recorded in 2019, the last full year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to restrictions on in-person church services and the ascent of virtual church services.

From 2016 through 2019, Gallup's church attendance rates registered at 34%, dropping to 31% between 2020 and 2023.

While 44% of Protestants said they attended church services in the last week on average during 2016-2019, that percentage dropped to 40% between 2020-2023, according to the data. The share of Catholics who attended church dropped from 37% in 2016-2019 to 30% from 2020-2023.

"Sample sizes for those in other religious groups are too small to provide reliable estimates for the period covered in this analysis," Gallup stated in the analysis.

"[I]t is not clear if the pandemic is the cause of the reduced attendance or if the decline is a continuation of trends that were already in motion," the analysis continued, but added, "the temporary closure of churches and ongoing COVID-19 avoidance activities did get many Americans out of the habit of attending religious services weekly."

The survey also found that the pandemic has impacted how people attend services, with a handful of Americans continuing to prefer online worship even after restrictions on in-person services were lifted.

Data collected at the height of the pandemic in the spring of 2020 shows that the share of Americans who attended in-person worship services reached a record low of 3% in May 2020. At the same time, remote church attendance reached a record high of 28%.

The percentage of Americans attending church services in person consistently increased over the past three years and was measured at 26% in Gallup's May 2023 survey. By contrast, the percentage of Americans who attend virtual worship services has declined, reaching a low of 5% in May 2023.

Among the Americans who attend church services weekly, Gallup found that 84% do so in person while 16% tune in to virtual services.

In May, the American Bible Society released a report which found a gradual increase in the number of church attendees who attended church in person instead of virtual, going from 38% in 2021 to 67% in 2023. About one in five churchgoers (21%) say they primarily worship online, down from 45% in 2021.

Gallup finds that the decrease in church attendance rates extended across political subgroups. From 2016 through 2019, 45% of Republicans said they attended church in the past week, along with 30% of independents and 28% of Democrats.

Between 2020 and 2023, 40% of Republicans said they attended church in the last week. In that four-year time frame, the share of both independents and Democrats who attended church was measured at 25%.
Supreme Court says Harvard, UNC cant use race as factor in student admissions

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the University of North Carolina's and Harvards admissions policies, which use race as a factor in student acceptance, are unconstitutional.

In a decision released Thursday morning in the case of Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the high court ruled 6-3 that the admissions programs for both schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, concluding that the courts have permitted race-based admissions only within the confines of narrow restrictions.

University programs must comply with strict scrutiny, they may never use race as a stereotype or negative, andat some pointthey must end, wrote Roberts, alluding to the 2003 Supreme Court decision Grutter v. Bollinger, which said that the use of racial preferences for student admissions will no longer be necessary within the next 25 years.

Respondents admissions systemshowever well intentioned and implemented in good faithfail each of these criteria. They must therefore be invalidated under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Roberts was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored a dissenting opinion, being joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment enshrines a guarantee of racial equality. The Court long ago concluded that this guarantee can be enforced through race-conscious means in a society that is not, and has never been, colorblind, wrote Sotomayor. Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

In recent years, the group Students for Fair Admission filed lawsuits against Harvard and the University of North Carolina over their admissions policies, which include race as one of many factors when considering student applications.

The groups litigation had seen its share of defeats. In 2018, a district court ruled against the Harvard lawsuit, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upholding the earlier decision. In 2021, another court upheld UNCs admissions policy.

In January of last year, the Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments for both cases, with SFFA President Edward Blum celebrating the news in a statement released at the time.

We are grateful the Supreme Court accepted these important cases for review. It is our hope that the justices will end the use of race as an admissions factor at Harvard, UNC and all colleges and universities, said Blum.

In a multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation like ours, the college admissions bar cannot be raised for some races and ethnic groups but lowered for others. Our nation cannot remedy past discrimination and racial preferences with new discrimination and different racial preferences.

The high court heard oral arguments last October, with the cases argued separately so that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson could take part in the UNC appeal. Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case since she had spent six years on Harvard's board of overseers, which often debated the school's affirmative action policy.

Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar, representing the Biden administration in support of UNC and Harvard, argued that the policies helped prepare students for life in a racially diverse nation.

"A blanket ban on race-conscious admissions would cause racial diversity to plummet at many of our nation's leading educational institutions," Prelogar argued last year.

"Race-neutral alternatives right now can't make up the difference, so all students at those schools would be denied the benefits of learning in a diverse educational environment. And because college is the training ground for America's future leaders, the negative consequences would have reverberations throughout just about every important institution in America."
Prominent jail chaplain accused of punishing minor relative with repeated sexual assaults

David DeBerge, a prominent pastor who served as a chaplain with the Jail Chaplaincy of Kenosha County Inc., the American Legion Post 21, and works part-time at the Kenosha YMCA, is facing up to life in prison for allegedly sexually assaulting a female relative beginning in the third grade as a form of punishment.

DeBerge, 66, who also spent 20 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as a chaplain, has denied the allegations, according to a criminal complaint cited by Kenosha News. The longtime minister reportedly told police that he only disciplined the complainant in an old school way.

The complainant told police late last year that she was sexually assaulted by DeBerge in a home beginning in 2012 as punishment for misbehaving or rebelling. The alleged assaults purportedly continued until 2016 at the end of the complainants eighth-grade year, according to the Kenosha County Eye.

It is alleged that as a young girl, the complainant was forced to perform oral sex on DeBerge numerous times, and he also watched her shower and took photos of her naked.

Records from the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department show that DeBerge was arrested last Saturday night and charged with incest with a child and repeated sexual assault with the same child, which are both felonies. If convicted of incest with a child, a Class C felony in Wisconsin, DeBerge could be imprisoned for up to 40 years. Repeated sexual assault of the same child, however, could send DeBerge to prison for life, as it is a Class A felony in Wisconsin.

Neither the American Legion Post 21 nor the Jail Chaplaincy of Kenosha County Inc. immediately responded to requests for comment on DeBerges arrest when contacted by The Christian Post on Wednesday, but Cindy Altergott, executive director of the YMCA, said the organization has suspended the pastor.

Are we shocked and saddened? Of course, she said when asked about the charges DeBerge is facing.

He is suspended due to the nature of these charges and will remain so until the charges are resolved. His membership is also revoked during this time frame, she said.

Altergott said DeBerge, who is due back in court on July 7 for a preliminary hearing, has worked for decades with the YMCA on a part-time basis and there was no inkling of the allegations against him.

If she had any suspicion that he was a sex offender, she said, he would not have worked here.

The YMCA is the worlds oldest and one of the largest youth organizations in the world that was founded in London in 1844 as the Young Mens Christian Association. It now welcomes men and women of any or no faith.

Altergott did not say if DeBerge had any contact with youth during his decades of service with the organization, but she says in his current role, he only works with a food program they offer to the neighborhood.

His current status is helping pick up and deliver food. We have a food program that we offer to our neighborhood that we provide programming in, she said. We receive donations of food. He is the person that picks up the truck that we use to pick up the food. He picks up the food. Helps unload the food and returns the truck. Thats all that he was doing with us.
Supreme Court to review affirmative action admissions policies at Harvard, UNC

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a pair of cases that may result in the striking down of race-based affirmative action programs in higher education.

In an orders list released Monday morning, the high court agreed to hear Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, consolidating the two cases.

The advocacy group contends that Harvard and UNC's admissions system is discriminatory to Asian American and white students.

However, those challenges were struck down in lower courts, which have ruled that the schools policies are based on government interests to promote diversity.

A federal court in Boston ruled in favor of Harvard in 2018, a decision that was affirmed by the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in November 2020. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court last February.

After a federal court ruled against the groups UNC lawsuit last year, the SFFA petitioned the Supreme Court in November for both cases to be heard together.

We are grateful the Supreme Court accepted these important cases for review, SFFA President Edward Blum said in a statement. It is our hope that the justices will end the use of race as an admissions factor at Harvard, UNC and all colleges and universities.

Both cases center on whether to overturn the 2003 Supreme Court ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, which upheld an affirmative action policy at the University of Michigan Law School.

In the 2003 case, a white Michigan resident sued the university after being rejected, claiming that the law school policy violated the federal Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

A majority of the Supreme Court justices concluded at the time that the Michigan policy was not unlawful, as the racial preference was only one of many parameters for acceptance to the school.

Justice Sandra Day OConnor, a Reagan appointee, authored the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, John Paul Stevens and David Souter.

When race-based action is necessary to further a compelling governmental interest, such action does not violate the constitutional guarantee of equal protection so long as the narrow-tailoring requirement is also satisfied, wrote OConnor.

Universities can  consider race or ethnicity more flexibly as a plus factor in the context of individualized consideration of each and every applicant.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist, a fellow Reagan nominee, authored a dissenting opinion to the 2003 ruling. He was joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas.

We have said that when it comes to the use of race, the connection between the ends and the means used to attain them must be precise, wrote Rehnquist.

But here the flaw is deeper than that; it is not merely a question of fit between ends and means. Here the means actually used are forbidden by the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

In 2016, the high court issued a 4-3 decision upholding the right of the University of Texas to have a program that included race as a factor for admissions, with Justice Anthony Kennedy authoring the majority opinion.

In a July 2021 piece for Forbes, political science professor Evan Gerstmann argued that, given the current makeup of the Supreme Court, race-based affirmative action may be labeled unlawful.

The court has a 6-3 conservative majority with the recent confirmations of Trump nominees Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Its decisions have not been uniformly conservative so far, but even the more centrist Justices, such as Chief Justice Roberts, have expressed a lot of doubt about the use of race in university admissions, wrote Gerstmann.

Furthermore, in 2003, the majority of the Supreme Court signed on to a decision stating the Court expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary. That clock has almost run down.
Sound of Freedom director to Eduardo Verastegui: Run for Mexico president to end child trafficking

MIAMI, Florida  As "Sound of Freedom" hits theaters next Tuesday with a bold message calling for the freedom of millions of children enslaved in human trafficking, the filmmakers are not only using their talents in Hollywood but potentially in politics as well.

Director and co-writer Alejandro Monteverde told The Christian Post that he felt "called" by God to make "Sound of Freedom" following the success of his films "Little Boy" and "Bella."

"Today is one of the most important days of my life, and I'm so grateful," Monteverde said in a red-carpet interview.

"There are two types of stories, the ones that I want to make and the ones that I was called to make and this one I was called to make."

At the premiere of "Sound of Freedom," Monteverde openly encouraged his friend, actor and Mexican film producer Eduardo Verastegui to "run for president" of Mexico to ensure a lasting impact on the fight against trafficking.

Reports have emerged in recent years suggesting the actor is discerning a potential presidential run. Earlier this month, Verastegui asked for prayers as he has to make a decision about a possible 2024 presidential run "very soon."

Shot five years ago, the movie tells the true story of one man's journey to combat child sex trafficking. The Angel Studios film is based on the life of Tim Ballard, a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent who left his job because he wanted to do more to rescue children from modern-day slavery.

Starring Jim Caviezel ("Passion of The Christ"), the dramatic thriller film also features Oscar winner Mira Sorvino ("The Final Cut"), Bill Camp ("12 Years a Slave") and Jose Zuniga ("Twilight"). Along with acting in the film, Verastegui ("Unplanned") is the film's producer.

Verastegui and Monteverde have been friends since they were teenagers, and for the past eight years, the pair have worked diligently with Ballard to bring his mission to combat child sex trafficking to the forefront for the masses to become aware.

The filmmaking team, both men of faith, believe in the film tagline "God's children are not for sale" and want millions to mobilize after watching the film. They hope the story will compel others to help bring an end to this form of child abuse.

"Sound of Freedom" will have viewers at the edge of their seats waiting to see what Ballard does next on his mission to reunite a vulnerable family whose worst nightmare came to life when both children were taken captive for sex work. Featuring mild foul language and some violence, the film's scenes that are not shown but suggested have a haunting effect on audiences.

The studio wants families with teenagers to view the film together since teenagers should also be educated on the evils of the world that they can fall victim to.

Monteverde told CP that he takes what Jesus said to His disciples seriously in Luke 17:1-2, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble."

According to a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released in January, Mexico "ranks first in child sexual abuse; first in exploitation, homicides, and trafficking of minors; and first in creation and distribution of child pornography."

The United States was identified as the "number one consumer of sex worldwide," which includes child pornography, according to Geoff Rogers, co-founder of the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking, as quoted in a 2019 Fox News report.

Verastegui previously shared with CP that he wants to "put pressure on the government so these things become a prime priority, not just for the government, for everyone."

"What really hurts me the most is that the people who are doing this to these kids are human beings like you and me, made of the same. This is not people who are coming from other planets that are our enemies. This is people like us. So in what moment, what happened to these guys?" Verastegui continued. "They were kids at some point full of dreams. So what happened in what moment they decided to, 'You know what? I'm going to use my life to hurt kids.'"

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime defines human trafficking as any situation in which someone experiences "force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control."

New York actor Manny Perez, who plays one of the traffickers in the film, described "feeling dirty" following his role because of how different his character was from who he is as a man of faith. Perez felt this was an important role for him to take on and bring awareness to a hard reality that exists.

The filmmakers, actors and Angel Studios hope at least 2 million people will go to theaters on July 4 to represent the 2 million children currently victimized by human trafficking.

Multiple Hollywood studios rejected the film, but Angel Studios acquired worldwide distribution rights earlier this year.

Angel Studios is a platform for filmmakers to collaborate with the audience and bring projects to life by crowdfunding. It creates and distributes films and TV series worldwide and is known as the studio behind "The Chosen" and "Dry Bar Comedy."

To spread the word, Angel Studios set up a "Pay It Forward" program where someone could pay for someone else's ticket who might not otherwise see "Sound of Freedom."
Supreme Court weighs if race should factor in college admissions, hears affirmative action cases

The U.S. Supreme Court heard several hours of arguments on whether education institutions can consider race as one of many factors in determining student admissions, with both sides invoking concerns over discrimination and diversity.

The nation's highest court held oral arguments Monday in the cases of Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College.

At issue are race-based affirmative action policies for the two institutions, with SFFA arguing that these measures have led to discrimination against white and Asian students.

The academic institutions and their allies argued that the policies were necessary to help foster diverse campus communities, which would benefit minorities and the overall student body.

The high court first heard arguments on UNC's affirmative action policy. After a brief recess, justices heard arguments on Harvard's policy. For the latter, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself, as she spent six years on Harvard's board of overseers, which often debated the school's affirmative action policy.

Some have speculated that the cases might lead to the overturning of the 2003 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Grutter v. Bollinger, in which a five-justice majority upheld a University of Michigan Law School policy that used race as a factor in admissions.

A majority of the Supreme Court justices concluded in 2003 that the Michigan policy was lawful because racial preference was only one of many parameters for admission.

The majority opinion authored by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor stated that "race-conscious admissions policies must be limited in time" and predicted that "25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today."

During arguments for both cases, there was considerable debate over how long these schools will keep their affirmative action policies in light of the 25-year timeline mentioned in the 2003 decision.

Attorneys defending UNC and Harvard did not provide an exact date for when they would discontinue their policies, arguing that it would be dependent on various campus climate factors.

Justice Samuel Alito asked North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Y. Park, who was arguing on behalf of UNC, if the UNC student body's racial makeup would "coincide almost exactly to the percentage of those racial groups in the general population," would Park believe that have "achieved diversity"?

Park said "no," adding that he did not believe that UNC needs "to reach those levels," but noted that UNC officials were "trying to comply" with Supreme Court precedent, "which require the minimum consideration of race on a holistic basis."

Justice Amy Coney Barrett then asked Park when consideration of race in the application process would end, invoking the Grutter decision's timeline.

Park replied, "we enthusiastically embrace the durational requirement," but "we don't think that the compelling interest in diversity will ever expire."

Jackson expressed concern during the UNC oral arguments that the rule advocated by SFFA attorney Patrick Strawbridge was that a school "can take into account and value all of the other background and personal characteristics of other applicants, but they can't value race."

"What I am worried about is that that seems to me to have the potential of causing more of an equal protection problem than it is actually solving," said Jackson.

As a hypothetical, Jackson asked if an applicant who wanted to go to UNC would have less chance of being admitted if their application spoke about a family history of slavery instead of a family history of attending UNC.

"As I understand, your no race-conscious admissions rule, these two applicants would have a dramatically different opportunity to tell their family stories and to have them count," she continued.

Strawbridge answered that "nothing stops UNC from honoring those who have overcome slavery," however, he critically asked if that is "a basis to make decisions about admission of students who were born in 2003?"

"And I don't think that it necessarily is," he added. "I don't think that the Equal Protection Clause suggests that it is."

Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar, representing the Biden administration in support of UNC and Harvard, argued that the policies were necessary to help prepare students for life in a racially diverse United States.

"A blanket ban on race-conscious admissions would cause racial diversity to plummet at many of our nation's leading educational institutions," Prelogar argued.

"Race-neutral alternatives right now can't make up the difference, so all students at those schools would be denied the benefits of learning in a diverse educational environment. And because college is the training ground for America's future leaders, the negative consequences would have reverberations throughout just about every important institution in America."

In recent years, SFFA filed challenges to the UNC and Harvard policies, only to have different lower courts reject both lawsuits.

In January, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the SFFA cases, with SFFA President Edward Blum saying in a statement he is "grateful" for the appeal.

"It is our hope that the justices will end the use of race as an admissions factor at Harvard, UNC and all colleges and universities," stated Blum earlier this year.
Dobbs Decision Anniversary And Suspicious Church Fire, Should Christians Vote Democrat, Last Supper Site In Israel Vandalized

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:09 06:09

Top headlines for Thursday, June 29, 2023

In this episode we delve into the mysterious fire that destroyed a Roman Catholic church in Orlando, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson SCOTUS decision. With the cause still unknown, we discuss the growing speculation about the fire being an intentional act. We then shift our focus to the controversy surrounding conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey's provocative tweet, which questions the compatibility of Christian faith with supporting the Democratic party. The tweet has sparked a slew of reactions from prominent Christian activists. Lastly, we probe into the disturbing incident in Israel, where a man, suspected to be drunk, vandalized a site believed to be the location of the Last Supper, a disturbing act seen as persecution against Christians.

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Top headlines for Thursday, June 29, 2023

In this episode we delve into the mysterious fire that destroyed a Roman Catholic church in Orlando, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson SCOTUS decision. With the cause still unknown, we discuss the growing speculation about the fire being an intentional act. We then shift our focus to the controversy surrounding conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey's provocative tweet, which questions the compatibility of Christian faith with supporting the Democratic party. The tweet has sparked a slew of reactions from prominent Christian activists. Lastly, we probe into the disturbing incident in Israel, where a man, suspected to be drunk, vandalized a site believed to be the location of the Last Supper, a disturbing act seen as persecution against Christians.
Atheists are more political than Evangelicals

According to political scientist Ryan Burge, the group of people in American society most likely to be highly engaged in political action are not Evangelicals, as weve been led to believe. They are in fact atheists. Let me put it plainly, Burge wrote, atheists are the most politically active group in American politics today, and the Democrats (and some Republicans) ignore them at their own peril.

In a slew of indicators  from actions as simple as putting up a yard sign, to the more proactive of attending a protest march  atheists not only outdid their Evangelical neighbors but, in most cases, were the most likely group to put money and time toward partisan activities.

Given the common perception that the religiously minded are most prone to political action, wed be justified to ask just how this false narrative came to be taken for granted. However, an even more interesting question is why so many atheists live ultra concerned about truth and justice in political matters, given that their worldview commits them to a world without ultimate grounding for either? If the world is nothing more than ever-shifting arrangements of atoms, quarks, and leptons, why would we direct any passion toward the political realm?

At least part of the answer is what might be called the Ricky Gervais solution. Gervais is the acerbic British comedian known for both skewering Hollywood elites and insisting on atheism in film, television, and real life. In a scene from one of his shows, his character is accosted by a stereotypically dim-witted believer who cannot fathom that someone would not believe in an afterlife. Why even bother to care about things, she asks, if this life is all there is? Gervais retorts that its precisely because this life is all we have that we should live what little we get to the fullest.

Historian Tom Holland argues that this is how modern atheism preaches a version of the good news about overthrowing idols and leading others to a better life. In this sense, Holland writes, Atheism in the contemporary West is less a repudiation of Christianity than a logical endpoint of one of its key trends.

The great passion of modern atheists to make things right in the world comes not so much from a rejection of Gods existence but from anger against Him for the way He made it. The French philosopher Albert Camus argued that the atheist, as a metaphysical rebel, "defies more than he denies. Originally, at least, he does not suppress God; he merely talks to Him as an equal. But it is not a polite dialogue. It is a polemic animated by the desire to conquer. The slave begins by demanding justice and ends by wanting to wear a crown."

Or, as C.S. Lewis put it when describing his atheist days, "I was at this time living, like so many Atheists or Antitheists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world."

This era of atheist activism presents Christians with a unique opportunity. (Two, in fact.) First, there is an opportunity for co-belligerency. Even if ultimately unwarranted, by expressing a great passion for justice and truth in our world, atheists often reach a point of common ground with Christians, namely the rising power and intolerance of wokeism and our cultures critical theory mood.

According to Evan Griggs, an agnostic writing in The European Conservative, "Those of us committed to fighting back against the woke must come to terms with the fact that only Christianity is potent enough to defeat the cult of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Non-believers need not convert, but it is time for us to get out of the way."

The other opportunity is the ever-present potential for loving our unbelieving neighbors. Whenever an atheist expresses a passion for justice, they are making a tacit admission that there must be more to life than what their worldview allows. We can remind them that the human dignity upon which they insist is rooted in Christian convictions about the imago Dei. We can offer an explanation for the presence of evil in the world, not as an illusion or fabrication or mere inconvenience, but as a real aspect of life after the fall.

We as Christians also have a reason for hope that goes beyond mere wishful thinking for circumstances to change and for good to triumph over evil. We look for the restoration of all good things by the work of Jesus Christ, according to the will of the loving God Who created atheists, yet Whom they deny.

Originally published at BreakPoint.
Christian charity holds protest outside Barclays Bank HQ over 'ex-LGBT discrimination'

A Christian charity is holding a peaceful demonstration outside the London headquarters of Barclays Bank after it agreed to pay 20,000 in compensation for closing its account.

The protest on Thursday has been organised by The Core Issues Trust and The International Federation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC), a Christian ministry that offers counselling to people struggling with their sexuality or gender identity.

The charity's account with Barclays was closed in 2020 without any reason given by the bank, which was the main headline sponsor of the London Pride event that year.

The decision to close the The Core Issues Trust's account coincided with a campaign of harassment against its founder, Dr Mike Davidson, who received hundreds of nuisance calls and messages, including one text expressing the hope that he and other staff members would be raped and killed.

This week, Barclays agreed to pay The Core Issues Trust 20,000 in compensation plus legal costs.

The Core Issues Trust, the IFTCC and members of the ex-gay community will be gathering outside the Barclays Bank HQ in London's Canary Wharf to protest against "viewpoint discrimination".

They will also deliver a petition signed by over 72,000 people to Barclays' CEO, Matt Hammerstein. The petition calls for the reinstatement of The Core Issues Trust's bank account.

Speaking ahead of the protest, Dr Davidson said: "We will be going to Barclays HQ to remind them that the ex-gay community exists and deserves equal treatment and protection.

"We want Barclays to acknowledge that in our world of competing ideologies, those who change their minds and go in new directions more consistent with their own goals, should be protected and have the right to seek life goals meaningful to them."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, who have supported the case against the bank, said: "This was a cruel and orchestrated campaign by LGBT activists targeting a Christian ministry and Barclays fell for it.

"Rather than standing up for free speech, Christian freedom, and minority rights, Barclays Bank Plc surrendered to the intimidatory tactics of LGBT activists.

"We will continue to defend and stand with Mike Davidson and CIT and any Christian ministry who falls foul of the weaponising of the 'conversion therapy' ban."
John Piper says women shouldn't lead parachurch organisations

(CP) Notable theologian, author and Bible teacher John Piper argued this week that women should not hold spiritually authoritative positions in parachurch organisations, believing that this runs afoul of "God-ordained differences" between men and women.

In an episode of the "Ask Pastor John" podcast posted on Desiring God's website on Monday, a listener sent a message asking about female leadership in a parachurch ministry.

"I work for a global parachurch organisation which is well-known. Recently our leadership decided that all positions of leadership within the organisation will be opened to women. This includes campus leadership, regional leadership, and national leadership," the listener enquired.

"Previously, these positions of spiritual authority over men were reserved for men alone. The reason given for this change is that a parachurch organisation is not the church. Therefore, the commands addressed to churches about the role of men and women in relationship to one another do not apply in this case. How do you see it?"

Piper said he was "sad to hear" of the ministry's decision and considered the move to be an example of rejecting "God-ordained differences" between men and women because of "cultural, societal pressures."

"The culture as a whole is in a free fall of denial. Nobody in this free fall has on a parachute. It's all going to end tragically, the evidences of which are all around us," said Piper, the chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

"A person who stands up and draws attention to God's word or the teaching of nature and questions the wisdom of undifferentiated sex roles will not only be thought a fool, but also unjust and, very likely, soft on abuse, even though all the while the sex-levelling egalitarian impulses wreak havoc at every level of our culture."

Piper referenced 1 Timothy 2:12-14, which reads, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner."

"Paul saw in the Genesis account of God's word that built into creation from the beginning, before the fall, was a peculiar responsibility of men to bear the burden of leadership and care," Piper continued.

"So, the fact that Paul gave instructions for how this original design relates to the church in no way implies that it is limited to the church or the home. That was one application of many."

In the parachurch context, Piper believes Paul would say: "I have taught, Moses has taught, nature teaches that it goes against man's and woman's truest, God-given nature to place a woman in a role of regular, direct, personal leadership over men."

Piper's remarks come after the Southern Baptist Convention garnered national attention for removing churches from membership that allowed women to hold the office of pastor.

At the SBC Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, Louisiana, earlier this month, messengers voted overwhelmingly to reaffirm the dismissals of the Rick Warren-founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and Fern Creek Baptist Church of Louisville, Kentucky.

Messengers also voted to advance a proposed measure to prevent women from serving as a "pastor of any kind" as the denomination is one step closer to solidifying the rule as a constitutional amendment.

While some theologically conservative denominations like the SBC prohibit female pastors, others, like the Assemblies of God, USA, allow for women to serve as pastor.

In a 2010 position paper titled "The Role of Women in Ministry," the Assemblies of God argued that the 1 Timothy passage Piper cited only applied specifically to the church Paul was writing to.

"A reading of the entire passage of 1 Timothy 2:915 strongly suggests that Paul was giving Timothy advice about dealing with some heretical teachings and practices specifically involving women in the church at Ephesus," stated the paper.

"The heresy may have been so serious that he had to say about the Ephesian women, 'I am not allowing women to teach or have authority over a man.' Other passages show that such exclusion was not normative in Paul's ministry."

 The Christian Post
The Christian risking his life on the front lines of the climate struggle

I first met Nbani Friday Barilule when I was standing in Parliament Square at a recent protest by Christian Climate Action. He bounded up to us, with a wide smile and outstretched arms, saying "these are my people". Friday has a joy in his being that is contagious. A Christian from the Niger Delter in Nigeria - this was his first time in London and he was here at a climate protest, to represent his local people at the gates of power, the Houses of Parliament.

A while later, Friday spoke passionately from the main stage, with thousands of eyes on him: "The people united, can never be defeated" the crowd chanted along with him. And this was why Friday had travelled so far. A friend of his had paid for him to come to the UK, because he was determined that the voices of his community, would be amongst those pushing for climate justice.

The Niger Delta is an area of great biodiversity. Historically, it has sustained agriculture and fishing, which many of the 31 million people situated there rely on for their livelihoods. However, Nigeria is an area which is highly susceptible to climate change and over the years the Niger Delta has been devastated by fossil fuel company operations - causing it to now be one of the top ten most polluted places on Earth. There are around 500 oil fields in the Niger Delta and 131 gas flaring sites, from fossil fuel companies, such as Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron. Nigeria has recorded 4919 oil spills within six years.

The only time that Friday's smile slips in when he is explaining the devastating impact of these oil spills on local people: "The systematic failure of oil companies and the Nigerian government to clean up has left hundreds of thousands of Ogoni people facing serious health risks, struggling to access safe drinking water and unable to earn a living. Communities have had to be relocated, there has been a loss of our ancestral homes, pollution of fresh water, loss of forest and agricultural land."

The extent of the health risks facing Ogoni communities can be seen by the fact that they are forced to consume water with high levels of benzene that is about 900 times above World Health Organisation (WHO) acceptable levels.

Friday is the Executive Director of Lekeh Development Foundation, a grassroots advocacy organization of ecological defenders. His bravery is evident when he speaks. In the UK, if we take a stand against fossil fuel companies we can be arrested, but our lives are not in danger. It's a different story in Nigeria.

"When the police are called, you don't say anything," said Friday, "you know that they can kill you. The opposition of local communities to oil industry operations has been brutally repressed by police forces, resulting in bloodshed and hundreds of deaths".

But Friday continues to speak publicly about how fossil fuel companies are running his land. When I look into his eyes I'm reminded of how far away my life is from his. The Christ I follow stood up to the oppressive powers of his time, even though he knew it would result in his execution. I have never been put in a situation where I have to choose between fighting for justice and my own life - but Friday has to do that daily.

Friday is currently organising a three-day Niger Delta Climate Change Conference located in the Nigel Delta on the 10th to 12th of July this year. The conference will bring together different groups - experts and researchers, but also activists, frontline communities and marginalized communities affected by fossil fuel projects in Ogoni and the Niger Delta region. The conference will include a field visit to polluted sites in the area.

Despite the joy that Friday exudes, you can tell the sense of responsibility that he holds. He is determined to amplify the voices of his community around the world, to make the changes they need. He is determined that there will no more fossil fuel projects anywhere in Nigeria and that fossil fuel companies should be forced to clean up the mess they have made in his country.

The truth is that Friday doesn't hold the responsibility for his community alone. We all hold it. As Christians, we are called to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, wherever they are in this world  As 1 Corinthians says, when one part of the body of Christ suffers, all of it suffers with it.

So let's stand together and amplify the voices of the communities of the Niger Delta. Let's cry out like it is our own water turned toxic, our own families killed, our own communities destroyed. Because "the people united will never be defeated".

Holly-Anna Petersen is a founding member of Christian Climate Action, a non-violent prayer and protest group. She has been taking action on the climate crisis for over a decade.
The church that died

The church must 'change or die', or so say progressive Christians. The core of their argument is that if the church resists the demands of the modern world it will be doomed to irrelevance.

This might have some force if the evidence bore it out. However, those denominations which have gone the furthest with the progressive programme have seen a fatal decline in numbers of worshippers and clergy, along with a distortion of liturgical practice.

To reach the world with the saving news of Christ, the church has to present the unchanging gospel in a way which people understand and which addresses their needs. It is when understanding the surrounding culture becomes adapting to and even adopting the surrounding culture that the church destroys itself.

A Dying Church

The clearest example of this is probably the most progressive church in the West, the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the US. It has gone much further than most mainstream denominations elsewhere, and is paying the price. According to TEC's executive council and reported in the excellent Virtue Online, in 2021 the number of funerals, (23, 127) outweighed the number of baptisms (13,859) by nearly two to one. Six dioceses had no children confirmed, one diocese had no baptisms, child or adult. In the meantime hundreds of parishes are unable to find priests. Total average attendance has dropped by 24.7% percent from 2008 to 2021. The Episcopal Church is dying, if not dead.

There has been an alarming decline in membership and attendance. Numbers released for 2020 indicate a doubling in the rate of membership decline and a tripling in the rate of attendance decline over the previous year. Median Average Sunday Attendance in the denomination has dropped from 57 persons in 2016 to 50 persons in 2020. Long-term, 61 percent of Episcopal parishes saw their attendance decline 10 percent or more in the past five years.

Julia Ayala Harris, President of the House of Deputies and highest-ranking lay person in the denomination, tried to deflect concern: 'We sometimes talk too much about numbers, numbers of people in the pews, and not enough about the fruit of our ministries.' The church's website notes that Ms Harris 'is passionate about a multitude of issues, such as immigration, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and truth-telling, as well as justice initiatives'. No mention of a passion for Christ, Scripture, the gospel, evangelism or theology.

The executive council reports steady progress on another front. In 2004 Gene Robinson became TEC's first openly homosexual bishop, and in 2020 Rev Bonnie Perry the first openly lesbian bishop. Today the executive council reports that 'LGBTQ+ priests now make up about one in four in The Episcopal Church.'

In addition, 'men outnumber women as priests, but women are being ordained at growing rates, especially as bishops. More and more people of color have been consecrated as bishops or called to other senior leadership positions, though clergy of color still lag far behind those of white clergy in parish calls.' A church with not enough priests to fill its declining number of parishes is focusing on the diversity of its vanishing clergy.

The Bible Abandoned

Lesbian Bishop Bonnie Perry unwittingly revealed why TEC is vanishing: it has abandoned biblical theology for self-affirming therapeutic spirituality. 'What we say in the faith community is: each and every one of us is made in God's likeness,' she said. 'If that's the case, then God's image and likeness has many different faces.'

This teaches that what we are must be affirmed because that is how God made us. Such a message leaves no need for God because we are what we are by his design and all we can do is come to terms with and value how we are. As such, it is a message unable to reach a hurting man or woman struggling with their lives and longing for something better than what they already have.

The more woke TEC becomes, the more people abandon it. As society in the US becomes ever more secular the church finds itself unable to attract these modern people. This should be no surprise: why join a church which offers only the surrounding culture with an added whiff of incense?

The progressive church, whether in the form of TEC or the mainstream church in any of its manifestations under the control of progressive Christians, rejects the idea of the Bible as God's Word. They are bringing up to date a heresy which has been with us since the church began. From the errors of Marcion (c85  c160) through the German Christians adopting Nazi ideology and on to today, there have always been those who treat the Bible as a pick'n'mix counter from which they select bits which appear to fit their own presuppositions and discard the rest. They think the Bible should answer to the bar of their thinking rather than have their thinking standing before the bar of Scripture.

The woke Church has become a form of religion which, emerging from Christianity, can best be described as ersatz Christianity. There are many people genuinely wishing to follow Christ trapped unthinkingly in woke churches due to loyalty, tradition and lack of teaching. Orthodox believers should speak clearly and describe such bodies for what they are: apostate churches which shelter heretics amongst their leadership.

Campbell Campbell-Jack is a retired Church of Scotland minister. He blogs at A Grain of Sand.
China, Africa work together to build community of health for all

10:23, June 29, 2023 By Zou Song ( People's Daily

China-Africa health cooperation is an important part of China-Africa cooperation. In 1963, China's first medical team was dispatched to Algeria, marking the beginning of the country's medical assistance for Africa. Over the past six decades, generations of Chinese medical workers have written a series of moving stories with their wisdom, dedication and even lives, constantly consolidating the friendship between China and Africa.

One of the longest and most effective cooperation projects that involves the greatest number of African countries is the dispatch of Chinese medical teams.

From offering outpatient service and free clinics to providing medical training, and to setting up specialized hospitals in Africa, batches of Chinese medical workers have worked to benefit local people with their medical proficiency and medical ethics, making important contributions to building a China-Africa community of health for all.

Photo shows the China-aided headquarters building of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Photo/Zhang Yunlong)

The headquarters building of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was completed in January this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The China-aided modern structure is of important significance for improving Africa's capability in disease prevention, monitoring and epidemic response.

Over the years, China has jointly launched public health cooperation projects on the prevention and control of malaria, bilharzia and yellow fever with Tanzania, the Comoros and other countries and international organizations.

In 2014, China dispatched over 1,000 clinical and public health experts to join the fight against the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa. After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the country sent expert teams and temporary pandemic-relief teams to 17 African countries and instructed medical assistance teams in some 40 African countries to help local communities get through difficulties.

China has actively launched COVID-19 vaccine cooperation with African countries and improved the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa through donation and joint production.

Tshilidzi Bethuel Munyai, member of the Parliament of South Africa, called self-sufficient supply of vaccines a cornerstone of Africa's public health, saying China has always been helping Africa achieve this goal.

China-Africa health cooperation has been included in the 10 major cooperation projects, eight major initiatives and nine programs under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

At the 8th Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC held in 2021, China announced that it would provide another one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa, undertake 10 medical and health projects for African countries, and send 1,500 medical personnel and public health experts to Africa. This has significantly boosted the confidence in and injected strong impetus into China-Africa health cooperation.

Doctors of the 18th Chinese medical team assisting Chad offer health check-up for local children. (Photo/Wang Lini)

Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Africa and China have reaped fruitful results in their health cooperation, which is a vivid example of China's commitment to its promises.

China takes it as a priority to help African countries enhance medical specialty. As of 2021, China had helped 18 African countries establish 20 centers in different medical specialties, covering cardiology, critical care medicine, trauma and endoscopy. Paired cooperation mechanisms had been established between the Chinese side and 45 hospitals in 40 African countries. Besides, China had trained 20,000 African medical personnel. African medical workers' skills and African countries' medical systems have been constantly improved thanks to the joint efforts made by both Chinese and African sides.

China has aided a general hospital in Niger, which is the largest in the country and one of the largest in West Africa. The hospital serves as an important base for China-Niger health cooperation.

Director of the hospital's cardiology department Saidou Labo said through paired cooperation, China has helped the Nigerien side build a national cardiology and neurology center and donated advanced medical equipment, medicines and consumable items to Niger.

"China also helps us improve our clinical capability through regular skill training," he said.

African countries are looking forward to and have faith in deepening China-Africa health cooperation. In early 2022, the Neurological Center of the China-Guinea Friendship Hospital was completed in Conakry, capital of Guinea after nearly three years of construction. A training session was held by the Chinese side, which trained multiple neurological experts for Guinea. In February this year, a program under the China-Africa paired cooperation mechanism was launched in Liberia, which gives the two sides an opportunity to cooperate on the studies of cardiology. At present, a respiratory and critical care medicine cooperation program between China and Zimbabwe is well underway.

Guided by the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, health cooperation has become another example of China-Africa cooperation and will lead to bigger success in building a China-Africa community of health for all.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Asociatia Techsoup lanseaza Meet and Code 2023: programul dezvolta competente digitale pentru zeci de mii de copii. ONG-urile moldovenesti sunt incurajate sa aplice pentru granturi
Grantmakers have been urged to increase their support for charities and social enterprises to boost their trading income in response to a new report.

Social Spider Community Interest Company (CIC)s report defines enterprise grantmaking as that which encourages and supports charities and social enterprises to increase or maintain their income from enterprise activities, including selling services or goods.

Its report released today says that grants that currently meet the definition are worth 2.6m per annum, with around 22m to 115m supporting enterprising activity in a broader sense.

The Enterprise Grants Taskforce, led by a steering group that includes the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) and Access  the Foundation for Social Investment, called on funders to adapt their practices to become more enterprise-centric to support the long-term sustainability and impact of the sector.

Only three national enterprise grantmaking funds

Social Spider CIC looked at the definition, scope and size of the enterprise grants sector in the UK and conducted interviews with members of the Enterprise Grants Taskforce alongside other funders.

It found that SSEs Match Trading, Accesss Enterprise Development Programme and Unltds Grow It fund are the only national funds meeting the definition of enterprise grantmaking, totalling 2.6m per annum.

Looking at seven national funders with a clear enterprise focus, including Power to Change, it estimated that their grantmaking was worth a combined total of 22.6m in 2019-20.

Meanwhile, grants by members of the Taskforce, which includes 13 organisations such as the National Lottery Community Fund, City Bridge Trust and Voice4Change England, with a specified business focus are worth 115m.

The report says that there is significant demand and potential for enterprise grantmaking to increase as a quarter of the UKs 100,000 social enterprises previously reported a lack of grant funding as a key barrier to sustainability and growth.

Time to overhaul how grants are administered

The report adds that an increasing number of funders are keen to use (or increase their use of) enterprise grantmaking and that the Taskforce is well placed to support this.

Alastair Wilson, chief executive officer of SSE, said: One things for sure, the current sources of funding were not designed by practitioners on the ground. In 2023, is it not time we radically overhauled how grants are administered to reach broken markets whilst embracing the creative, entrepreneurial energy of local communities to create change?

Social Spiders report shows early signs of a new wave of grant-making that enables social organisations to become more sustainable and generate local impact. Funders interested in sustainability may wish to consider how they can incorporate enterprise grant-making into their funding mix.

Seb Elsworth, chief executive officer of Access, added: With a squeeze on household income and the public sector under stress for the foreseeable future, we need to think strategically and carefully about where an increase in the sectors income can be found, so we can meet the many challenges facing our communities.

Charities and social enterprises have a long tradition of generating their own income through trading and this report shows the huge potential for enterprise grantmaking to catalyse this further  increasing the impact of philanthropic funds regardless of their particular focus and driving sustainability across the sector.

The Taskforce said that now is the time for more funders to consider adapting their practices to become more enterprise-centric to support the long-term sustainability and impact of the sector.

Anna De Pulford, chair of the Taskforce and director of Dulverton Trust, said: Voluntary sector organisations are increasingly having to compete for donations. In this environment, enterprise can play an even more important role. Funders are rightly being called to provide flexible, unrestricted funding - but we also need to recognise that developing enterprise requires specific skills and resources.

This report is a timely reminder that we funders could be doing much more to support the development of charities enterprise and I hope to see other funders joining this necessary and growing movement.

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,
UK-based foundations are giving more money to charities through grants than government bodies, research suggests.

According to a new study from 360Giving , over 20bn was paid in grants to voluntary organisations in 2021-22.

Some 7bn of this (35%) came from non-governmental grantmaking organisations, with government bodies being the second-highest group of donors to the sector with 6.4bn (32%).

Fifth of charitable income from UK grants

The 20bn given to the voluntary organisations analysed compares to a collected income of 100bn for registered charities, the research says.

This was calculated from 81.1bn reported by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, 14.5bn for the Office of the Scottish Regulator and 2.6bn from the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

It includes income of the grantmakers themselves if they are registered as charities.

The 12 lottery distributors provided over 1bn to the sector. Charitable organisations spent over 3bn in grants while donor-advised funds and international spent over 1bn.

Majority of grantmakers are small

The majority of grantmakers based in the UK are small, the study found. Some 61% of the grantmakers analysed gave under 100,000 a year.

Only 28 organisations gave over 100m a year, and of these, only five were charitable grantmakers.

Among them was the Wellcome Trust which spent more than 847m on grants in 2021-22.

Central government gave 4bn in grants, while local government gave 600m and devolved government departments gave 631m.

Smaller charities received the most grants

The majority of charity grant recipients (74%) in the data were those with an annual turnover of under 1m.

Charities with an annual income of between 100,000 and 1m were the most common grant recipients.

Some 83% of the grants were received in England, 13% in Scotland, 3% in Wales, and 1% in Northern Ireland.

Registered charities awarded the most grants overall

360Givings analysis shows that charities received 68% of the grants given out by grantmakers from 2021-22. Some 5% went to other non-profit organisations, 1% to government, with 22% unknown.

Charities received 33% of the grants given out by lottery distributors. 25% went to other non-profit organisations, 20% to individuals and 18% unknown.

Government gave 26% of its grants to charities, 21% to universities or other educational institutions, 17% to other non-profit organisations and 34% to unknown.

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On March 3, 1873, Congress passed what later became known as the Comstock Act, which made it illegal to send material by mail that was obscene, lewd, or lascivious, indecent or immoral. The wording was vague, and used to target anyone interested in exploring their sexuality, particularly women and queer people. Distributing information about birth control through the Postal Service became a federal offense and, as Michael Waters wrote for CJR in 2021, police would regularly shut down publications that spoke too frankly about homosexuality.

For queer media in the first half of the twentieth century, Waters observed, very few publications explicitly said they were meant for the queer community. But queer people made space for themselves anyway. Waters turned his attention to Bachelor magazine, which in 1937 shipped to newsstands across the United States and in Canada. The magazine was hard to miss, Waters wrote. It was glossy, as big as Vogue, and its covers featured close-ups of famous men against garish backdrops. Bachelor described its target reader as a discerning cosmopolite, a single man. To a queer reader, that emphasis on bachelorhood brought to mind the phrase confirmed bachelora winking reference to a gay person, Waters noted. Crucially, the queer coding in magazines like Bachelor wasnt just meant to wink at queer readersit was also the only way a publication that wanted to discuss queerness could survive.

Though producing an outlet for queer readers came with risks, Waters wrote, as time went on, Bachelor only seemed to get more queer. Its founder was Elizabeth Criswell, a woman from Circleville, Ohio, who had no evident special knowledge of or relationship to the queer community. Yet the magazine was based in New York, where she hired a number of queer staffers, who steered the editorial vision. If Criswell intended Bachelor as a flipping-the-script of gender politics, casting its gaze on men, Waters observed, her colleagues created an opening for queer men to express their desires.

Bachelor was not the only publication of its kind at the time, though it may have had the widest circulation. As the years went by, hijacking of mainstream publications was essential to how queer people located one another, Waters wrote. In the forties, the personal-ads section of a magazine called The Hobby Directory became a source of discovery and connection. At one point, federal officials charged a man named James McCabe with sending an obscene letter through the mailbecause, as Waters discovered, McCabe wrote to a man he had met in the pages of The Hobby Directory.

This Pride Month, historical pangs of moral panic have felt all too current. A report released last week by the Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD revealed that, between June 2022 and April 2023, there were at least three hundred and fifty-six acts of anti-LGBTQ+ hatred across the country, including harassment, vandalism, and assault. Many of the perpetrators harmed drag performers, at a time when more than a dozen states have introduced bills to crack down on drag shows. All the while, state legislatures have carried out an assault on trans rights, including by restricting access to healthcare. According to the Trans Legislation Tracker, five hundred and sixty bills targeting trans people have been introduced in forty-nine states; eighty-three of those bills have passed. In Nebraska, lawmakers went after bodily autonomy of two kinds with a single ban: it blocked gender-affirming care for minors and made abortion illegal after twelve weeks. Major news organizations have often struggled to get the coverage right; in February, some two hundred journalists signed an open letter expressing concerns about how the New York Times reports on trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. As Graph Massara wrote recently for CJR, Transgender people are increasingly in the news, and not always in a good way.

Criminalizing queerness is not new, nor has telling queer stories in America ever been simple. Still, as Waters wrote, even a century ago, queer people werent waiting for editorial approval to make space for themselves. That, too, has not changed. You can read Waterss piece here.

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Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Punchbowl and power in Washington, DC

Betsy Morais is the managing editor of CJR.
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP)  A major U.S. railroad found liable for spreading hazardous asbestos that killed hundreds of people in a Montana town is trying to convince a federal jury that a local clinic submitted hundreds of asbestos claims for people who werent sick, earning them lifetime government benefits and bilking taxpayer funds.

The case focuses on the Center For Asbestos Related Disease in Libby, Montana, and the health clinics high-profile doctor, Brad Black, who has been at the forefront of efforts to help residents of the town, which came to national prominence when it was declared a deadly Superfund site in 2000.

Since 2003, Black and the CARD clinic have certified more than 3,400 people, primarily from the Libby area, with asbestos-related diseases.

BNSF Railway  controlled by billionaire Warren Buffets Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate  has alleged during a trial taking place in Missoula that more than half the certifications were based on false medical submissions from CARD. The railway shipped asbestos-tainted vermiculite through Libby.

Closing arguments in the case were scheduled for Wednesday.

CARD and its attorneys deny the claims, arguing the clinic made its diagnoses in line with requirements of the 2009 Affordable Care Act, which included special provisions for the Libby victims.

Asbestos-related diseases can range from a thickening of a persons lung cavity, hampering breathing, to deadly cancer. Under the health law, victims of asbestos exposure in the Libby area are eligible for taxpayer-funded services including Medicare, housekeeping, travel to medical appointments, and disability benefits for those who cant work.

Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, of Montana, authored the Libby provision in the health law. He said in depositions with attorneys that the clinics practice of diagnosing some patients without waiting for secondary confirmation, such as X-ray results, was legitimate.

However, Judge Dana Christensen barred Baucuss statements from being introduced, saying it was the courts role to decide whether the law had been followed.

BNSF sued the clinic in 2019 under the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to sue on the governments behalf. It was kept sealed under a court order for two years until the U.S. attorneys office of Montana declined prosecute the fraud claims. Officials have not given a reason.

The outcome could have major implications for the clinic, which could face penalties of $5,000 or more for each instance of fraud that is verified. A victory by BNSF also could help it fend off lawsuits from Libby residents seeking damages for the railways mishandling asbestos-tainted vermiculite from a nearby mine.

At least 400 people have been killed by asbestos-related disease in the Libby area, according to health officials. Because of the long latency period for those diseases, symptoms can take decades to develop.

The tainted vermiculite came from a mine owned by the Maryland-based chemical company W.R. Grace. It polluted the Libby area over decades, including at a BNSF railway yard in the heart of the town of about 3,000 people.

Cleanup work began in 2000 after media reports of widespread health problems led to Libbys designation as a federal Superfund program contaminated site. In 2009, the EPA declared a public health emergency for the town.

Scientists say exposure to even a minuscule amount of asbestos can cause lung problems. Vermiculite from Libby was used as construction material in town, and it was shipped across the country as insulating material used in millions of homes.

A 2020 Montana Supreme Court ruling said BNSF should be held liable for its role in the contamination, but didnt specify how.

Other lawsuits against companies and officials over the contamination in Libby have resulted in large settlements for victims.

More than 2,000 Montana residents reached settlements with the state totaling $68 million in 2011 and 2017 for failing to warn them about the dangers of asbestos exposure. In February 2022, a jury awarded an Oregon man $36.5 million in a lawsuit against W.R. Graces workers compensation insurer from 1963-1973 because the company did not warn workers of those dangers.

Top photo: Dr. Brad Black with the Center for Asbestos Related Disease health clinic is shown looking at X-rays, Feb. 18, 2010, in Libby, Mont. Attorneys for the clinic denied allegations that it submitted false medical claims, earning Libby residents lifetime government medical benefits. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DOWNIEVILLE, Calif. (AP)  Using chainsaws, heavy machinery and controlled burns, the Biden administration is trying to turn the tide on worsening wildfires in the U.S. West through a multi-billion dollar cleanup of forests choked with dead trees and undergrowth.

Yet one year into whats envisioned as a decade-long effort, federal land managers are scrambling to catch up after falling behind on several of their priority forests for thinning even as they exceeded goals elsewhere. And theyve skipped over some highly at-risk communities to work in less threatened areas, according to data obtained by The Associated Press, public records and Congressional testimony.

With climate change making the situation increasingly dire, mixed early results from the administrations initiative underscore the challenge of reversing decades of lax forest management and aggressive fire suppression that allowed many woodlands to become tinderboxes. The ambitious effort comes amid pushback from lawmakers dissatisfied with progress to date and criticism from some environmentalists for cutting too many trees.

Administration officials in interviews and during testimony maintained that the thinning work is making a difference. Work announced to date, they said, will help lessen wildfire dangers faced by more than 500 communities in 10 states. But they also acknowledged finishing the task will require far more resources than whats already dedicated.

As much money as were receiving, its not enough to take care of the problems that we are seeing, particularly across the West, said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. This is an emergency situation in many places, and we are acting with a sense of urgency.

Big Money for Big Problem

Congress in the last two years approved more than $4 billion in additional funding to prevent repeats of destructive infernos that have torched communities including in California, Colorado and Montana.

By logging and burning trees and low-lying vegetation, officials hope to lessen forest fuels and keep fires that originate on federal lands from exploding through nearby cities and towns.

The enormity of the task is evident in an aerial view of Californias Tahoe National Forest, where mountainsides are colored brown and gray with the vast number of trees killed by insects and drought. After work on the Tahoe was delayed last year, Forest Service crews and contractors recently started taking down trees across thousands of acres.

The forests as we know them in California and across the West, theyre dying. Theyre being destroyed through fire. Theyre dying from drought, disease and insects, said forest Supervisor Eli Ilano. Theyre dying at a pace that were having trouble keeping up with.

The scale of spending is unprecedented, said Courtney Schultz with Colorado State University. The forest policy expert said millions of acres have been through environmental review and are ready for work.

If we really want to go big across the landscape  to reduce fuels enough to affect fire behavior and have some impact on communities  we need to be planning large projects, she said.

Key to that strategy is addressing forest patches where computer simulations show wildfire could easily spread to inhabited areas. Some areas have yet to get the extra funding for thinning despite facing high risk, including portions of Californias Sierra Nevada range, Montanas Bitterroot Valley and around Mescalero Apache lands in southern New Mexico.

Only about a third of the land the U.S. Forest Service treated last year was designated with high wildfire hazard potential, agency documents show. About half the forest was in the southeastern U.S., where wildfires are less severe but weather conditions make it easier to use intentional burns, the documents show.

The infrastructure bill passed two years ago with bipartisan support included a requirement for the administration to treat forests across 10 million acres  15, 625 square miles or 40,500 square kilometers  by 2027. Less than 10% of that was addressed in the first year.

The Forest Service is obligating hundreds of millions of dollars, but not in the areas required by law, said Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Forest Service spokesman Wade Muehlhof said the agency was confident in the administrations strategy, but declined to say if it would meet the acreage mandates.

Mixed First-Year Results

An AP analysis of federal data reveals the scale of the challenge: Hundreds of communities are threatened by the potential for fires to ignite on federal forests and spread to populated areas.

In California, thinning zones announced to date address the risk to only about one-in-five houses and other buildings potentially exposed to fires on federal lands, the analysis shows. In Nevada and Oregon, its about half of exposed structures, and in Montana its one-in 25.

Most areas identified as hot spots where forest fires have high potential to burn into populated areas wont be addressed for at least the next several years, according to government planning documents. And computer models project up to 20% of areas that need thinning will be hit by fires before that work occurs.

Architects of the Forest Services strategy based it on tens millions of computer wildfire simulations being used to predict areas that pose the greatest risk. Those scenarios showed fires on only 10% to 20% of the land would account for 80% of exposure to communities.

This is a mapped plan through time, where we can laser-focus on one highly important issue: the problem of communities being destroyed by wildfires started on public lands, said Forest Service fire scientist Alan Ager.

Falling Short in a Risky Area

In 2022, the Forest Service missed its treatment goals in four of 10 areas targeted as priorities. One was the Tahoe National Forests North Yuba region, where the agency addressed only 6% of the acreage planned.

Small towns tucked into the forests canyons escaped disaster two years ago when the Dixie fire raged just to the north, destroying several communities and burning about 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) in the Sierra Nevada range. Those communities also escaped another fire to the south that burned more than 1,000 homes and structures. The previous year, yet another fire killed 15 people and torched more than 2,000 homes and structures in the region.

The same conditions that whipped those fires into infernos exist on the Tahoe forest  densely-packed trees and underbrush primed to burn following years of drought. And government computer modeling suggests its among the U.S. communities most exposed to wildfires on federal lands.

Five million trees died on the Tahoe last year alone, said Ilano, the forest supervisor.

What were realizing is were not moving fast enough, that the fires are burning bigger and more intense, more quickly than we anticipated, Ilano said.

Earlier this month, tracked vehicles including one known as a harvester worked through dense stands on the North Yuba, clipping large trees at their base and stripping them bare of branches in just seconds, then piling the trunks to be burned later. Elsewhere, work crews walked slowly behind a wood chipper as it was pulled along a forest road, stuffing the machine with small trees and branches cut to clear the understory.

The increased logging needed to reach the governments lofty goals has gained acceptance as the growing toll from wildfires softens longstanding opposition from some environmental groups and ecologists.

Gone are the days when things were black and white and either good or bad, said Melinda Booth, former director of the South Yuba River Citizens League. We need targeted treatment, targeted thinning, which does include logging.

Others think officials are going too far. Sue Britting with Sierra Forest Legacy says the North Yuba plan includes about nine square miles (23 square kilometers) of older trees and stands along waterways that should be preserved. Yet for most of the work, Britting said its time to move forward on a thinning project years in the making.

Obstacles to Thinning Strategy

Hindering the Forest Service nationwide is a shortage of workers to cut and remove trees on the scale demanded, government officials and forestry experts say. Litigation ties up many projects, with environmental reviews taking three years on average before work begins, according to the Property and Environment Research Center, a Bozeman, Montana think tank.

Another problem: Thinning operations arent allowed in federally designated wilderness areas. That puts off limits about a third of National Forest areas that expose communities to high wildfire risk and means some thinning work must be carried out in a patchwork fashion.

Keeping track of progress presents its own challenges. Acres that get worked on are often counted twice or more  first when the trees are cut down, again when leftover piles of woody material on the same site are removed, and yet again when that landscape is later subjected to prescribed fire, said Schultz of Colorado State University.

Even where thinning is allowed, officials face other potential constraints, such as protecting older groves important for wildlife habitat. A Biden inventory of public lands in April identified more than 175,000 square miles (453,000 square kilometers) of old growth and mature forests on U.S. government land.

The inventory will be used to craft new rules to better protect those woodlands from fires, insects and other side effects of climate change. But theres overlap between older forests and many areas slated for thinning. That includes more than half of the treatment area at North Yuba, according to an AP analysis of mature forest data compiled by the conservation group Wild Heritage.

Whats driving all of this is insect infestation, drought stress, and all of that is related to the climate, said Wild Heritage chief scientist Dominick DellaSalla. I dont think you can get out of it by thinning.

Top photo: Fire Battalion Chief Craig Newell carries a hose while battling the North Complex Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2020. The Biden administration is trying to turn the tide on worsening wildfires in the U.S. West through a multi-billion dollar cleanup of forests choked with dead trees and undergrowth. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
AKRON, Ohio  Protesters on Thursday sued Akron, its leaders and its police officers for the response to demonstrations following the death of Jayland Walker by eight police officers.

Twenty-four people who were arrested last July have filed the federal civil lawsuit against Mayor Dan Horrigan, police Chief Steve Mylett and numerous officers.

Among them were Jacob Blake Sr. and Bianca Austin. Blakes son, Jacob, was left partially paralyzed after he was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020. Austin is the aunt of Breonna Taylor, a medical worker who was shot and killed by Louisville police in a 2020 raid at her apartment.

Akron took extraordinary and unconstitutional efforts to shut down peaceful First Amendment protected protests in the wake of Jayland Walkers death at the hands of its own police department, Sarah Gelsomino, an attorney representing the activists, said in a statement.

The city showed an extreme disregard for the law when police officers indiscriminately arrested people throughout downtown  including activists, students, people just trying to get home and bystanders who had nothing to do with the protests.

cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to the city and police for comment.

June 27 marked one year since Walkers death. It pushed Akron into the nations conversation of police accountability and led to months of protests over police brutality. The 25-year-old had fired a gunshot from his car during a car chase about five minutes before officers fired 46 bullets into his body. The city has refused to name the officers involved.

The activists, who were arrested during protests between July 3 and 7 last year, claim that the city and officials have violated the constitutional rights of peaceful demonstrators by issuing an unlawful curfew; using pepper spray and tear gas; making mass arrests and charging protesters with misdemeanor offenses, according to the lawsuit.

To silence these protesters speech, the city of Akron and its police department devised, coordinated, and executed a policy of suppressing protests, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Akron and names 17 supervisors within the department and numerous officers. Officers from University of Akron police as well as a Summit County sheriffs deputy who responded to protests in the city are also named in the lawsuit.
NEW YORK -- National Geographic, the chronicler of the natural world since the 19th century, has laid off its remaining staff members and will no longer be on sale at newsstands beginning next year.

The latest round of layoffs, multiple departing staffers told CNN, cut 17 editorial positions, including all of the publications staff writers, its entire podcast staff and a group of editors, including one whod been on staff for nearly 40 years.

The magazine told The Associated Press that while it is accurate it no longer has anyone with the title of writer anymore, it has people who both write and edit. Instead, it will turn to non-staffers to author stories. The changes occurred as the result of a reorganization in April.

The company would not discuss how many people lost their jobs.

National Geographic will continue to publish a monthly magazine that is dedicated to exceptional multi-platform storytelling with cultural impact, spokesman Chris Albert told The AP. Staffing changes will not change our ability to do this work, but rather give us more flexibility to tell different stories and meet our audiences where they are across our many platforms.

Any insinuation that the recent changes will negatively impact the magazine, or the quality of our storytelling, is simply incorrect, he said.

The magazine with the yellow-framed cover was founded by the National Geographic Society, beginning publication in 1888. It has changed twice in the past decade.

The nonprofit National Geographic Society announced in 2015 a deal valued at $725 million with 21st Century Fox. The agreement created for-profit joint partnership dubbed National Geographic Partners. Fox owned 73% of the partnership, and the National Geographic Society owned 27%, The New York Times reported.

That partnership became part of Disney in 2018 when the conglomerate acquired 21st Century Fox assets in a $71.3 billion deal.

The companys focus is turning to its digital product and it will offer special editions on newsstands, a spokesman told The AP on Thursday. Subscribers will still get a printed copy each month.

The magazine has circulation of just below 1.8 million copies, but newsstand sales account for a small percentage of that, the company said.
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- In a meeting largely devoted to what is currently the citys most discussed issue -- whether to add sidewalks to main streets -- City Council talked Wednesday (June 28) about the process it should follow to determine if a sidewalk plan will come to fruition.

Also discussed was the subject of possibly holding a vote so that residents can make the final decision.

A week earlier, at the councils June 21 work session, Councilman Jim Lemay put forth a process he would like to see council follow in reaching a decision on the controversial subject.

Some residents, particularly many younger ones, want sidewalks; others feel it would spoil the citys somewhat rural feel.

A recent city survey of residents, however, showed that respondents in three age groups -- 18-44, 45-64 and 65 and older -- all listed sidewalks and walking paths as the top amenity or service most wanted.

Although, as a resident pointed out Wednesday, only 27.2 percent of the citys adults took the survey.

Another resident noted that the citys homes are selling at high prices and are in demand, without sidewalks.

LeMay and other council members shared their desire to get as much input from residents as possible. As such, the first step in LeMays process would be to discuss sidewalk issues during council meetings, rather than in committee when fewer, if any, residents are present.

Wednesdays meeting drew a large audience to the citys small council chamber, causing some residents to have to stand in the hallway that leads to the chamber in order to listen to the meeting.

Mayor Richard Bain suggested moving future meetings during which sidewalks are discussed to a larger venue.

Those residents in attendance Wednesday did not seem put off, as they showed their appreciation for councils thoughtful discussion of the issue by concluding the meeting with applause.

Applause was also heard after Councilman Manohar Daga suggested putting the sidewalk issue to a vote of Pepper Pike residents.

The way I look at this issue, we can discuss all the merits off what, where, how, when, if, Daga said. Its an issue where the community or our residents are clearly (divided). Some are absolutely against it, and some are absolutely for it.

And, at the end of the day, these seven of us (council members) will ultimately (vote) one way or the other and will make half the people unhappy.

Stating that he agrees with Councilman Scott Newells desire, Daga said: We should have a referendum. We can have 20 such meetings and still not come to a conclusion. We cant change anybodys minds.

Daga said survey results can be disputed in terms of how many took the survey or how it was disseminated.

I think we can discuss ad nauseum, Daga said. We can have (City Engineer) Don (Sheehy) spend tens of thousands of dollars just preparing outlines and budgets and so forth. But at the end of the day, its the citizens. What do they want?

Daga said council could save a lot of time and trouble by having residents vote, then implementing the result of that vote.

Law Director Stephen Byron said that if council were to put a sidewalk question on the November ballot, it would have to meet the Aug. 7 Cuyahoga County Board of Elections filing deadline. Or it could wait for an election in 2024.

To me, at the end, both sides have to feel good with the outcome, Daga said. And, if I lose the (ballot) vote, I accept that. If I win the vote, I accept that.

The biggest issue is I dont even know if we have a consensus if we should have sidewalks. Until we do that (put the question to voters), I just have difficulty with doing all this planning (for sidewalks) and pictures. I just think were spending a lot of money, and Im not sure where were going to end up.

LeMay answered Daga by stating that following the process is important to reaching the best decision.

I think whats most important is this process where we let people know what the plan is -- what streets, where, LeMay said.

Sidewalks in the abstract is not something I want to vote on. I dont think anyone wants to vote on that. (What LeMay wants to vote on is) sidewalks that are here (and) look like this on these streets, and actual plans.

And Im hopeful that through this process that were going through, all the community input, some people who were maybe opposed, maybe they come to the belief that its not as bad as I thought it would be.

Maybe some people will still be opposed, but Im hopeful this process will build a greater consensus as we get more community input and have more meetings like this.

Maybe Im wrong, but Im hopeful. I just want to go through this (process) where we have a plan and people know exactly what its going to be before they firmly make up their minds whether this is good or bad for the city.

Councilwoman Melanie Weltman said she agrees with LeMay that a process will help formulate information that residents need to know.

She added that she is concerned that if there is a vote and the city is split on the question, if everybody will be at each others throats and a level of vitriol will be here, and (if) there will be false narratives created, and (if) neighbors wont like neighbors.

Weltman said that following a process and deciding the sidewalk decision is the right work for council to do.

So, if we do decide to make a decision, if we do decide to take it to a vote, we will know what that decision means and what it will look like, and talk to our neighbors and explain that to them and they can make that decision with information.

Well also know -- and its very important -- how much its going to cost and what that means for our budgeting in years to come.

Bain said he has given considerable thought to concerns of residents that the process is a mechanism to push it (a sidewalk decision) off.

Thats simply the blunt message being sent in some of these messages or letters we have received (from residents), he said.

Bain said residents should not feel anxious, because council has two meetings in July and two more in August to make decisions before the 2024 budget season arrives, and any sidewalk work wouldnt happen until perhaps next year.

He said he understands residents anxious feelings, because council has not decided if the sidewalk project will go forward.

LeMay countered by saying that the level of support for sidewalks was only confirmed in April when survey results were made known.

The city, meanwhile, at the suggestion made June 21 by Councilwoman Emmy Zatroch, will soon compile a frequently asked questions posting for the citys website, as she and other council members are often asked the same questions about sidewalks.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- We are gearing up for the Independence Day celebration  it will stand on its own this year, since it falls on a Tuesday. We remember Thomas Jefferson, who made July 4, 1776, Americas Freedom Birthday!

The Steuben Glass Works is an American company that began in 1903 in Corning, N.Y. An Englishman -- Fred Carder -- and an Irishman -- Thomas Hawkes -- started this wonderful tradition. All pieces are signed, with some being intricate and others rather modernistic.

Early pieces, before 1935, were all colored glass. After 1935, clear glass became the go-to style. So if you own a piece of this storied glass, an immediate dating becomes clear just by looking at it.

They were known for precision as well, with some glass engraved by the famous copper wheel.

Schottenstein Stores in Ohio purchased Steuben Glass in 2008, hoping to continue the tradition. Sadly, this model of doing business had to be discontinued.

If you own a piece of history, take care of it! To achieve the highest reflective quality, wash in warm water with a touch of white vinegar.

Dear Brenda,

Enclosed are some pictures of our Steuben glass collection. Looking for values.

P.S.

Hi Pat,

You have a nice collection of the more modern and Art Deco examples of Steuben. As with the economy, fluctuations occur today, but the pieces are still quite worthy. Your swirled vase resembles the older colored glass with definition. I would estimate its value at $300. The serving bowls are classic and worth $150 to $300. The pair of candlesticks with a teardrop in each receptacle would be valued at $400.

If you have an item for evaluation, send a clear picture with history to Yenke Peddler, Brenda Yenke, P.O. Box 361633, Strongsville, Ohio, 44136. You may also email photos and information requests for Brenda to evaluate at kenyenke@aol.com.
MAYFIELD, Ohio -- The Erie County (New York) Sheriffs Office reported June 21 that a stolen van had been traced to Mayfield after being remotely located through Sirius XM Radio.

Responding officers found the van in a parking lot of an office building. It was occupied by a woman. There was a second vehicle there, owned by the woman and being driven by her boyfriend.

Upon investigation, it was learned that the Alabama couple were working for a traveling carnival company and had taken the company van without permission after setting up rides for a carnival in New York. It was believed they were traveling home to Alabama.

The woman, 30, was subsequently arrested for receiving stolen property despite her claims that she had permission to drive the van.

The company asked that the van be towed and said they would send someone to retrieve it the next day.

Read more from the Sun Messenger.
FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- Motorists navigating a small section of blocked-off Lorain Road will soon have free sailing in Fairview Park.

Thats a recently finished Cleveland Water repair, which wasnt expected, Fairview Park Director of Public Service and Development Mary Kay Costello said.

As a larger-than-normal project, we dont have plates that are big enough to go over that.

Its also a little sophisticated, so its often best for our personnel safety and equipment to hire a company to make these repairs. Of course, Cleveland Water reimburses us for those.

The service director expects to get pricing quotes next week for the Lorain Road emergency resurfacing, as well as for another small project shes had her eye on for a while.

I have a walkway at the Gemini Center that leads to Safety Town, she said. Its between a retaining wall and a play area. Its not wide enough for our personnel to transport the cement from the truck to this area, so I have to have people look at what we can do.

I think we have to pump cement over to this area, and we dont have that equipment. Right now, we have pavers that are not the smoothest for folks coming with little kids, or grandparents who might be accompanying their grandchildren to Safety Town.

While the Lorain Road repaving is expected to be completed within the next three weeks, it could take longer to find the right contractor for the walkway.

As far as the citys 2023 road program, that includes repaving Chanticleer Drive, as well as West 227th Street (from Lorain Road to Clifford Drive) and West 226th Street (from Lorain Road to Clifford Drive).

The 2022 road program had an estimated cost of $1,299,000, which is similar to what the city expects to spend in 2023.

Costello said the bids are due this week, with a contractor expected to be named next week.

I believe well start in August, she said. We hope to be done in October.

Also looming is the Ohio Department of Transportations (ODOT) estimated $1.3 million repaving of Brookpark Road from the North Olmsted corporation line to the Rocky River bridge.

Thats likely going to start in August and go through November, she said.

Thatll have two-way traffic at all times. Motorists should expect delays with road repairs from that bigger-scale project.

In addition to the city covering a $21,000 local match requirement for Brookpark Road, Fairview Park received $480,000 from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and a $193,000 ODOT safety grant to add sidewalks on the north side of Brookpark Road between West 227th Street and Mastick Road.

The project also includes improving pedestrian access at the Mastick Road and Brookpark Road intersection.

Thats a bigger-scale project, she said. We appreciate the residents patience during this important work.

Just use caution. And if you can avoid these streets and areas during construction, wed appreciate that also.

Read more news from the Sun Post Herald.
(Clarification: A separate real estate company, Montlack Management, based in Cleveland Heights, was not part of the five code enforcement cases filed in Shaker Heights Municipal Court, where three corporate entities were named as defendants. Those were: Kirt Montlack LTD, two cases involving North Moreland Courts and Kemper Place; Montlack Fairhill Kemper LTD, two cases involving The Ambassador and Kemper Manor; and Montlack Realty LTD for the Shaker Lakes Apartments.

Montlack Management, a separate company since the mid-1990s, owns Fairhill Place on the southwest corner of Fairhill and Kemper roads in Shaker Heights and not part of the cases filed by the City Building and Housing Department, as well as four buildings in Cleveland Heights: The Crestview, The Duke, The Knickerbocker and Mayfield Place.)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The Montlack Realty companies, which used to own the largest single share of apartments in Shaker Heights, have been fined at least $30,000 for ongoing city housing code violations.

That amount could go up, depending on significant and immediate compliance for two buildings the divesting Montlack entities still own but are trying to sell, Shaker Heights Municipal Court Judge Anne Walton Keller ruled at a June 27 sentencing hearing.

For now, it works out to $10,000 apiece for three buildings that Montlack corporations have already sold, as outlined in court by the citys assistant director of building and housing, Mike Lester.

They are:

 Kemper Place, 2515-2525 Kemper Road, with 96 units in two five-story buildings, for ongoing elevator breakdowns and currently 754 code violations, nearly all of those interior

 The Ambassador, 13700 Fairhill Road, with 75 units and 584 violations

 Kemper Manor, 2501 Kemper Road, with 15 units and 121 violations

All of these buildings have been purchased by a realty company based in Erie, Pa. Escrow accounts are being set up to ensure that the violations are corrected before or after the transfer of ownership, Shaker Building and Housing Director Kyle Krewson said.

Montlack ownership was cited into court on 10 counts of code violations for each apartment complex, along with two more buildings yet to be sold:

 Shaker Lakes Apartments, 2580-2590 North Moreland Blvd., with 72 units and 553 violations

 North Moreland Courts, 2523-2579 North Moreland Blvd., 71 units and 429 violations

As with the other three buildings, Keller assessed $1,000 fines on each of the 10 counts for these two -- a total of $50,000 for 50 counts in all, to which corporate representative Kirt Montlack earlier entered no-contest pleas.

For the Shaker Lakes and North Moreland Courts apartments, Keller stayed those fines to allow those buildings to be repaired while still in Montlack possession or beyond.

Victim impact

With 10 victim impact statements reviewed in the current cases, Keller said she was already very familiar with the elevators at Kemper Place, having already levied a $5,000 fine against Montlack back in March.

Keller cited health issues and other difficulties for tenants -- including an 89-year-old -- related to heating, hot water, leaking ceilings, cockroaches, mice and a recurring theme of buildings deteriorating after they were purchased.

Im seeing the actual costs to these human beings, Keller said.

On the positive side, I think its good for the community that these properties have been sold. And Im hearing positive things about the elevators being fixed, at a projected cost of about $250,000.

Two tenants also spoke in court, starting with Patricia Carter, who occasionally brought her concerns about Kemper Place to City Council as well as the monthly meetings of the Shaker Square Alliance.

Basically, the building needs a lot of work, Carter said, mentioning elevators not operating; rat, cockroach and bed bug infestations; leakage in general; and problems with the emergency power systems in common areas -- halls, stairwells and laundry rooms.

Shaker Lakes Apartments resident RoseGold Carter said the most pervasive issues for her were heat -- too much or too little, as was the case last Christmas -- along with the ownerships indifference to it.

The staff had a very unprofessional attitude, RoseGold Carter said. You shouldnt tell a resident who doesnt have heat to stay warm. And when I asked for my needs to be addressed, I was told to move.

In going through the rest of the victim impact statements, Keller said: I heard a lot of you can just move. When you purchase properties and do not maintain them, thats a violation of your responsibility to the community and your tenants.

Perfect storm

While RoseGold Carter still did not get the apology she was looking for, Montlack did tell court officials he was sorry that the situation had gotten to this point.

Montlack attributed many of the ongoing problems to a perfect storm culminating through the pandemic and a severe labor shortage.

He recalled having a dozen or more maintenance workers at the various Montlack entities, going to eight, then being down to two and having one of them get sick.

I was fixing a water leak late one night and the tenant called the police on me, Montlack said.

Defense attorney Tom Owen mentioned a Montlack maintenance supervisor who went on vacation and never came back.

Prior to sentencing being imposed, Owen said Montlack remained in the process of divesting all of its properties in Shaker Heights and said that $1 million will go into escrow to ensure the correction of violations.

Owen said the imposition of additional fines would amount to nothing but punishment.

He added that deferred maintenance on the properties resulted mostly from COVID-19, when crews had a hard time getting into the apartments.

In hiring independent contractors, Owen estimated that 13 percent to 20 percent of the violations have now been corrected by a local small business thats been in the community for 30 years.

Shaker Heights Assistant Law Director Lisa Gold-Scott said enough evidence already indicated that many violations existed long before the pandemic, with the lack of attention showing a willfulness at the expense of tenants.

This is not a mom-and-pop operation, Gold-Scott said. Its a sophisticated corporate landlord doing business for some time with a significant number of units -- about 329 that were tallied by Lester in the hearing.

Montlack officials have applied in recent years to sell 11 of their 16 buildings in Shaker Heights, placing about 450 units on the market, resulting in point-of-sale inspections being requested, Krewson said earlier.

When a landlord has this many rental units, the impact is felt throughout the community, Gold-Scott said. This is an egregious number of violations (2,441) affecting hundreds of tenants. And thats not acceptable in any manner.

Gold-Scott noted earlier that deferred maintenance and putting repairs on hold will impact residents still living in a building.

The corrections did not occur, and now the properties are being sold, Gold-Scott said. While that may be a resolution, that is not compliance.

And it is not acceptable in any manner -- we want to deter similar behaviors by other landlords, Gold-Scott added.

Krewson and Gold-Scott noted that if satisfactory progress is not made, Montlack could face not only $20,000 more in additional fines for the two buildings they still own, but the potential for up to $80,000 -- some of the penalties left suspended by Keller.

Cleveland Heights update

In an update on a separate case, Alan G. Perlman, who owns apartments in both Shaker and Cleveland Heights, was fined $3,000 in February over a monthlong lack of heat in one of his buildings, The Roosevelt, located on Overlook Road.

In April, the fine remained unpaid and Perlman requested that an installment payment schedule be set up.

Cleveland Heights Municipal Court Judge J.J. Costello said he would consider the motion if Perlman provided the court with tax records in order to justify the request for the payment plan.

Perlman subsequently withdrew the request and paid the amount in full.

Read more from the Sun Press.
BEREA, Ohio

Disturbance: Hemlock Drive

A Hemlock Drive man called police at about 5:30 a.m. June 21 and reported that four people were fighting in a neighbors front yard.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The outdoor and first State of the County address by Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne was postponed Wednesday to Friday afternoon due to Canada wildfires worsening the air quality.

City Club of Cleveland is hosting Exec. Ronaynes speech that is set to commence 1:30 pm at the Jacobs Pavilion/Nautica.

Wildfire induced poor air quality cancelled or postponed a number of other events not just in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County but in other states across the northern U.S., most notably Detroit, Michigan. Its also given new meaning to the Jimmie Hendrix rock classic, Purple Haze, or at least changed the color to Orange.

That haze reflects the State of the Wildfires in Canada and California, and those reflect The State of Global Warming.

Hoping for a good report from Ronayne and a breathe free Friday!
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland mother accused of leaving her 16-month-old daughter alone in her home while she traveled to Puerto Rico pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges in the childs death.

Kristen Candelario, 31, did not speak during the brief Thursday hearing. She stood between a public defender and a Spanish language interpreter.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Anna Faraglia told Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy McCormick that the crime was heinous and asked that he keep Candelario jailed on a $1 million bond.

McCormick did so and appointed the Cuyahoga County public defenders office and defense attorney Deanna Robertson to represent her.

Her case was assigned to Judge Brendan Sheehan.

Candelario was indicted Monday on charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and endangering children in the death of her daughter, Jailyn Candelario. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael OMalleys office included a line in the indictment that it could bring additional charges that would make her eligible for the death penalty if she is convicted.

Prosecutors say Candelario Jailyn alone in her home on West 97th Street, near Detroit Avenue, from June 6 to June 16, while she traveled to Detroit and Puerto Rico. She came home and found Jailyn unresponsive and called police.

Cleveland police say the child was lying in a soiled playpen when they got to the house. She was extremely dehydrated and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiners office had not determined a cause of death as of Thursday.
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio  A language specialist at a middle school in Middletown was shot and killed last weekend while visiting her native Puerto Rico and a woman has been charged with her murder, reports say.

Middletown Public Schools released a statement on Facebook confirming the death of Nitza Valderrama, 31, a bilingual specialist at Rosa Parks Elementary School.

Our hearts are with her family and friends during this difficult time, the statement says.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Valderrama was shot and killed while staying in a short-term rental with an acquaintance. Amnerie Manzano Diaz has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting, WLWT Channel 5 reports.

Reports say Diaz drove to a police station with Valderramas body in her car and confessed to the shooting. There have been no reports on a possible motive.

Diaz is being held in jail on a $400,000 bond, the Enquirer reports.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Researchers are predicting a smaller-than-average harmful algal bloom for western Lake Erie this year, thanks largely to a dry spring.

The bloom will remain mostly in areas of the lakes western basin, according to a news release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The central and eastern basins of the lake are usually unaffected, although localized blooms may occur around some of the rivers after summer rainstorms.
COLUMBUS, OhioFor more than a decade, Disability Rights Ohio has been the states official advocate for people with disabilities, with powers no other nonprofit in Ohio has to file lawsuits on their behalf and investigate suspected abuse or neglect.

However, language inserted into the Ohio Senates two-year state budget plan is trying to change that. If passed, it would recommend that Gov. Mike DeWine no longer designate Disability Rights Ohio as the states protection and advocacy system for the disabled. Under a 2000 federal law, each state and territory must have a protection and advocacy system, or P&A, designated by the states governor.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Republican legislators leaders are considering their next steps for dealing with Ohios congressional district map in the aftermath of a landmark redistricting decision on Tuesday from the U.S. Supreme Court.

The major question facing lawmakers, according to Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, is whether to try to get the Ohio Supreme Court to accept the congressional map it used for the 2022 election, or whether to restart the process from scratch.

There are lots of legal discussions to have, Huffman told reporters on Wednesday.

The current map is in legal limbo of sorts, since the Ohio Supreme Court rejected it in July as illegally gerrymandered in favor of Republicans. It was the second time the court had done so. The map Ohio ended up using was a tweaked, somewhat less Republican-leaning version of one the court rejected the previous December.

The second decision had no practical result though, since Republican lawmakers, as they pursued an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, ignored the courts order to draw a third version of the map for the 2024 election.

Tuesdays U.S. Supreme Court decision though seemed to dash state Republicans chances at an appeal, Huffman said Wednesday.

Huffman and ex-Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp had tried to piggyback on a similar redistricting case from North Carolina, arguing that under an interpretation of the U.S. Constitution called the independent state legislature theory, that state courts could play no role in policing redistricting decisions from state lawmakers.

The argument would have undercut a core feature of the redistricting system Ohio voters set up in 2018  which Huffman helped design and campaigned for  that put the Ohio Supreme Court in charge of handling legal challenges to Ohio congressional maps while laying out a process for it to do so.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision, a 6-3 ruling, soundly rejected the independent legislature theory. It also contained language, though, warning state courts not to overstep their bounds, which some Republican legal advocates have viewed as a silver lining in the decision.

Huffman described this part of the decision as telling state courts: You cannot impose your will or your view of redistricting on a legislature or the body that would be drawing in a particular state.

Ohio lawmakers U.S. Supreme Court appeal had some other, narrower arguments, including trying to get the high court to weigh in on what steps state courts could take short of the justices taking up the redistricting pen themselves, or ordering a particular map be adapted.

But Huffman said Wednesday that the smart money, in light of the Tuesday decision, is that the high court will reject the appeal entirely, which would mean it wouldnt weigh in on those questions at all.

We wont know that probably until Monday, Huffman said.

Meanwhile, the clock has begun ticking on figuring out redistricting in time for the March 2024 primary.

Huffman said he believes that under the states redistricting calendar, if the U.S. Supreme Court rejects the appeal, the state legislature will have 30 days after that to approve a congressional map. If the legislature doesnt approve a map by then, the Ohio Redistricting Commission, a Republican-controlled panel of state elected officials, will have another 30 days after that.

A parallel process will play out around the same time setting state legislative lines.

Huffman said lawmakers also could try to keep the congressional map they used last year for 2024 by asking the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its July 2022 ruling rejecting it.

The composition of the Ohio Supreme Court has changed since then in a way thats widely expected to benefit Republicans. Maureen OConnor, a former Republican chief justice who repeatedly voted with the courts Democrats to reject the GOP-drawn district maps, has departed due to judicial age limits. Voters in November elected Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy, who voted to accept the Republican-drawn maps, as OConnors replacement.

Under the map used for the 2022 election, Republicans hold 10 of Ohios 15 congressional districts. Democrats exceeded expectations last year by winning all three of Ohios competitive, Democratic-leaning seats, in addition to two safe Democratic ones, in what was thought to be a favorable national political climate for Republicans.

That Ohio had any competitive congressional races at all was a major departure under the map the state used from 2012 through 2020, which was widely viewed as heavily gerrymandered in favor of Republicans.

Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer

Statehouse / politics reporter Jeremy Pelzer contributed reporting
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force on Thursday arrested three people wanted in connection with homicides in Akron and Cleveland.

The task forces members traveled to Parkersburg, West Virginia, and arrested Christopher Johnson. The task force, along with Akron Police and the FBI have searched for Johnson since 2017 for the death of Brandon Belleville.
CINCINNATI, Ohio  Nearly three years after federal law enforcement overturned state politics and arrested then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, the convicted politician is to be sentenced Thursday.

Householder, 64, will appear at a federal courthouse in Cincinnati where U.S. District Judge Timothy Black will decide his fate. In March, a jury convicted Householder of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, which calls for up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors sought 16-20 years; Householder sought 12 to 18 months. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Read more: Coverage of Larry Householders trial

Householder was accused of running a scheme in which he secretly controlled a nonprofit that took $60 million, out of public view, from FirstEnergy Corp. The money was spent building up Householders political power and then using it to pass a nuclear bailout in 2019 worth about $1.3 billion to the company.

Householder was arrested in July 2020 and ousted as speaker shortly thereafter. Lawmakers didnt expel him from his House seat for nearly a year from there.

Three other alleged conspirators have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury. One, lobbyist Matt Borges, is scheduled to be sentenced Friday. He was tried and convicted alongside Householder.

Jake Zuckerman covers state policy and politics for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  A Cincinnati cab driver shot through the neck of a drunken passenger after an unpaid fare prompted an escalating confrontation.

The sudden violence, center stage at oral arguments before the Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday, will test the scope of a new Ohio law that offers legal advantages for defendants who say they only injured or killed others in self-defense.

On Dec. 19, 2019, a man named Nick Young, after a long day of partying, was ejected from the Hard Rock Casino in downtown Cincinnati after he was found passed out near the slot machines. Casino staff called him a cab, driven by Phillip Palmer, to take him the roughly 30 miles home to Moscow, Ohio.

Young was later determined to have a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit to drive. After a dispute over the fare, a stop at a gas station, nonpayment, Young shoving Palmer, and ejection from the gas station, both men nearly parted ways.

But Young, with motives under dispute, returned to walk toward Palmer, who pulled a .44 revolver from his cab and shot Young, the bullet going through his neck and out his back. Young fell, and Palmer fired another round into the ground near Young before fleeing. Young ultimately survived.

Palmer  then 71, a Vietnam veteran and seasoned driver who held a concealed weapons permit  was acquitted by a jury of attempted murder but convicted on a charge of felonious assault. He was sentenced to 5 to 7.5 years, plus another three years as a firearm specification.

A 2019 law, passed by gun-friendly statehouse Republicans, eased the path to mount a self-defense claim in Ohio courts. It shifted the burden of proof from defendants to prosecutors on self-defense claims. Now, defendants only need to show evidence that tends to support a self-defense claim in order to present the defense to jurors. Prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt (a higher standard to meet) that the defendant wasnt acting in self-defense.

After prosecutors presented their case at trial, Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Ricard Ferenc ruled that he would instruct the jury to ignore claims of self-defense. He said Palmer first created a violent situation by following Young into the gas station, and that his claim of self-defense was not credible.

The two sides disputed why Young walked back over to Palmer outside the gas station, prompting the near fatal shooting. Attorneys for Palmer argued Young was rushing toward him as an attack. Attorneys for Young argued that Palmer had actually yelled to Young that he had his phone in the cab, which prompted him to walk over.

The jury convicted Palmer, and his lawyers say it might not have done so if jurors were properly told of Palmers argument that he was only defending himself. John Hill, a lawyer for Palmer, told the Supreme Court justices at oral arguments Wednesday that whether this was an act of self-defense is a question that belongs to a jury, not a judge.

These were factual questions supposed to be left to the jury not the trial court, he said.

Nick Horton, of the Clermont County Prosecutors Office, argued judges act as a gatekeeper in such cases, and shouldnt allow unsubstantiated claims of self-defense to go to jurors. Justice Jennifer Brunner at one point suggested the court could use its opinion to establish what tends to support means in the law and how judges could determine who decides who meets the standard.

The case underscores the murky conditions that can surround self-defense claims. In many instances, hot tempers, alcohol, or split-second misunderstandings quickly escalate confrontations. In some cases, one of two parties to whatever occurred is dead.

Since the 2019 law, state policy makers have gone further to loosen Ohios gun rules. They passed a stand your ground law that removes the requirement that a person seek to retreat before responding to a perceived attack in self-defense.

Last year, they passed a law removing the requirement that gun owners seek a permit to carry a concealed firearm.

Jake Zuckerman covers state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
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There are seven cases left before the Supreme Court goes on summer break, with opinions to be released Thursday at 10 a.m. ET and Friday at 10 a.m. ET. As is typical, the last opinions to be released cover some of the most contentious issues facing the court this term. Here are the four that should be on your radar.

Affirmative action: Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (SFAI) v. President and Fellows of Harvard & SFAI v. University of North Carolina

The future of affirmative action in higher education hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court revisits its long-standing support for this policy. Two cases from Harvard and the University of North Carolina have put that precedent at risk. In late October, when SCOTUS listened to arguments in these cases, the conservative justices raised serious concerns about the practice, casting doubt on its future.

The Biden administration has said that getting rid of race-conscious college admissions would have a destabilizing effect that would cause the ranks of Black and Latino students to plummet at some of the nations more selective schools. Eliminating affirmative action could determine how institutions approach diversity and inclusion in education.

Student loans: Biden v. Nebraska & Department of Education v. Brown

The fate of President Joe Bidens ambitious plan to cancel or reduce the burden of student loans for millions of Americans is also at stake. Biden had proposed erasing $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes below $125,000 a year, or households that earn less than $250,000. He also wanted to cancel an additional $10,000 for those who received federal Pell Grants to attend college.

What was once a promising initiative now faces a challenging road ahead. Back in February, when the court listened to arguments in the case, the plans survival seemed uncertain. However, a sliver of hope remains that the justices could rule in favor of it, dismissing the challengers and allowing it to proceed.

Regardless of what happens at the high court, loan payments that have been on hold since the start of the pandemic will resume starting in October. Student loan debt disproportionately impacts Black and Latino borrowers, especially women. Cancelling student debt is not only an economic justice issue, but a racial one as well.

Gay rights: 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis

This case revolves around a Christian graphic artist based in Colorado who wants to begin designing wedding websites but does not want to create websites for same-sex couples. The conflict arises from a state law that mandates businesses open to the public provide services to all customers regardless of their sexual orientation. However, the artist, Lorie Smith, argues that this law infringes upon her freedom of speech.

If Smith prevails, a range of businesses will be able to discriminate against customers, refusing to serve folks based off race, faith, immigration status, gender or even discriminating against interracial or interfaith couples.

Religious rights: Groff v. DeJoy

This case involves a Christian mail carrier who refused to work on Sundays, the Lords Day, when he was required to deliver Amazon packages. The question for the high court has to do with when businesses must accommodate religious employees. During the arguments presented in April, both liberal and conservative justices appeared to share a broad consensus that businesses, including federal entities like the Postal Service, cannot reject requests for religious accommodations based on minor costs or hardships.

The outcome of this case holds significance beyond the immediate circumstances of the mail carrier. It has the potential to shape the landscape of religious rights and the obligations of businesses for years to come.
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The headquarters building of Micron Technology Inc. stands in Boise, Idaho, U.S. Matthew Staver | Bloomberg | Getty Images

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However, China's ban on Micron's chips remains a "significant headwind" that is impacting the company's outlook and slowing its recovery, Mehrotra cautioned. Last month, Chinese authorities announced Micron products failed its network security review and declared it a "major security risk" to China's critical information infrastructure. Micron's third-quarter revenue came in at $3.752 billion, beating Reuters' estimates of $3.646 billion, data from Refinitiv showed. "We have increased confidence that the industry has passed the bottom for quarterly revenue and year-on-year revenue growth," Mehrotra added. Patrick Moorhead, CEO of Moor Insights & Strategy is upbeat about Micron. "If you're looking long term, Micron is good bet because it has advantages technologically that its competitors don't," he told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Thursday.

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Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway keeps buying the dip in Occidental Petroleum , now owning a quarter of the oil giant. The conglomerate purchased an additional 2.1 million Occidental shares on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, boosting its stake in the Houston-based energy producer to 25.1%, a new regulatory filing showed. Berkshire now owns 224.1 million shares, worth $12.9 billion based on Wednesday's closing price of $57.46. The buying spree this year came as Occidental shares pulled back after a stellar 2022. The stock is down nearly 9% in 2023 after soaring 117% last year, becoming the best performer in the S & P 500 for 2022. Occidental, once known for being founded by legendary oilman Armand Hammer, is now Berkshire's sixth-biggest equity holding. OXY 1Y mountain Occidental Buffett has ruled out the possibility of taking full control of the energy company. The legendary investor previously revealed that he started buying the stock after reading through Occidental's annual report and gaining confidence in the company's growth and its leadership. "Vicki Hollub, she's an extraordinary manager of Occidental. Her first job was with Cities Service. That was the first stock I bought in 1942. She knows what happens beneath the surface," Buffett said at Berkshire's annual meeting in May. "I know the math of it. But I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do if I was in an oil field." Hollub is CEO of Occidental. In August, Berkshire received regulatory approval to purchase up to 50%, spurring speculation it may eventually buy all of Occidental. The 92-year-old investor also told shareholders that he's content with the warrants he owns, which were obtained as part of the company's 2019 deal that helped finance Occidental's purchase of Anadarko . "We may or may not own more in the future but we certainly have warrants on what we got on the original deal on a very substantial amount of stock around $59 a share, and warrants last a long time, and I'm glad we have them," he said. Berkshire also owns $10 billion of Occidental preferred stock, and has warrants to buy another 83.9 million common shares for $5 billion, or $59.62 each.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to strike down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, during brief remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, June 29, 2023.

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden hammered the Supreme Court over its Thursday ruling striking down the use of affirmative action in college admissions, saying the decision "walked away from decades of precedent."

But he urged schools not to stop considering racial adversity for applicants altogether.

"We cannot let this decision be the last word," Biden said in a White House address. "The court can render a decision but it cannot change what America stands for."

Speaking on MSNBC's "Deadline: White House" later Thursday, Biden said the current Supreme Court has "done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history."

"I think that some on the court are beginning to realize that their legitimacy is being questioned in ways that it hasn't been questioned in the past," Biden said.

The Supreme Court ruled the affirmative action policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina to be unconstitutional. The majority opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts said the universities' policies violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution's 14th Amendment.

Harvard's and UNC's affirmative action programs "unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points," Roberts wrote.

In her dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the majority was "turning back the clock" on affirmative action.

"With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat," Jackson wrote. "But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

Biden in his speech proposed colleges still take into the account the amount of adversity a student has faced in their life.

"They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience," Biden said. "What I propose is consideration of a new standard for colleges to take into account the adversity a student has overcome when selecting among qualified applications."
Pfizer 's underperformance could be here to stay, Credit Suisse warned. Analyst Trung Huynh downgraded the pharmaceutical stock to neutral from outperform and cut his price target by $7 to $40. His new target still implies shares could rally 10.2% over the next year. "As Pfizer enters a period of uncertainty and limited pipeline catalysts, we see greater opportunity for growth among other US Major peers," Huynh said in a Thursday note to clients. The downgrade comes just days after Pfizer said it would end development of its experimental obesity drug pill because of elevated liver enzymes. Pfizer said it still has other plans for focusing on obesity, which has been a closely followed area in the pharmaceutical development world. Shares slid 0.7% in premarket trading Thursday and are down more than 29% year to date. With lower expected sales likely for a variety of drugs, revenue is now expected to slip 1% in 2023 and an average of 4% between 2023 and 2030. Huynh thinks the base business will grow 4% between 2020 and 2025, which is lower than the company's forecast of 6% but above the consensus estimate of 3%. Pfizer has been his worst-performing call since the outperform rating at the end of November, with shares underperforming major pharmaceutical peers in the U.S. 26%. He said concerns that have weighed on the stock include over-optimism on Covid vaccination and booster rates, "ambiguous" guidance on the drug pipeline and negative events for projects in the drug pipeline. PFE YTD mountain Pfizer, year to date Huynh also said performance is unlikely to change with midterm guidance likely unachievable, continued uncertainty around Covid and the pipeline now appearing to have few events that could bring meaningful upside coming. Business development should also be less meaningful going forward, he said. The analyst said he expects questions about the decision to downgrade at a low with a valuation that appears compelling. But he said recent negative events made him less confident that management can reignite positive momentum in the short-term and midterm. With growth more important than valuation in the market, he said investing in peers may be the better option.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
Resurgence of COVID-19 symptoms in patients treated with the drug Paxlovid appeared far more common than has been reported, doctors found in a study detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Federal authorities charged a former Pfizer employee and his close friend Thursday with illegally trading shares based on non-public trial results on the pharmaceutical company's Covid antiviral pill Paxlovid.

The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission both announced respective insider trading charges against Amit Dagar, Pfizer's senior statistical programming lead at the time of the trades, and his friend Atul Bhiwapurkar.

Dagar, who helped manage and analyze Paxlovid clinical trial data, and Bhiwapurkar "participated in an insider trading scheme to reap illicit profits from options trading based on inside information" about the then-unreleased Paxlovid results in November 2021, according to the DOJ.

The two individuals bought their Pfizer call options a day before the data was made public. Once the trial results were publicized, Dagar and Bhiwapurkar sold their call options and generated "significant profits" totaling more than $350,000, the DOJ said in a release.

"The charges in this case relate to the personal conduct of a former Pfizer employee in violation of the company's policies," a Pfizer spokesperson told CNBC. "Pfizer is cooperating with the government's investigation."

Dagar, 44, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, was arrested Thursday morning and charged with four counts of securities fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the DOJ said. He was also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Bhiwapurkar, 45, of Milpitas, California, was also arrested early Thursday and charged with two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, according to the DOJ.

Patrick Smith, an attorney representing Dagar, said his client denies the allegations and "looks forward to defending himself in court."

Smith also said "nobody at Pfizer ever told" Dagar the results of the Paxlovid trial.

Michael Bachner, an attorney for Bhiwarpukar, said his client denies trading on inside information and based his decisions on publicly available information about the efficacy of the drug.

Bhiwarpukar "intends to vigorously defend against these charges," according to Bachner.

On Nov. 4, 2021, Dagar learned that a mid-stage Paxlovid trial produced positive results a day before they were scheduled to be made public, the SEC's complaint alleges.

The trial found Paxlovid reduced hospitalization or death by 89% compared with placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults.

Dagar's supervisor informed him via chat that the trial "got the outcome" and there would be a "press release tomorrow." Dagar responded with "oh really" and "kind of exciting," the complaint alleges.

Within hours of that exchange, Dagar purchased "short-term, out-of-the-money" Pfizer call options. An out-of-the-money call option allows a person to purchase a stock at a price greater than the current market price.

Prior to that day, Dagar had never used his brokerage account to trade in Pfizer options and had not traded the company's stock since 2018, the complaint alleges.

Dagar allegedly shared the successful results with Bhiwapurkar, who purchased similar call options in Pfizer and tipped off another friend who was not named in the complaint.

Pfizer's stock price jumped nearly 11% after the company released the Paxlovid data on Nov. 5, 2021.

Dagar, who purchased $8,380 in Pfizer call options, generated a one-day profit of approximately $214,395, the SEC said. That represents an investment return of approximately 2,458%, according to the agency.

Bhiwapurkar, who purchased $7,400 in call options, generated a one-day profit of approximately $60,300, the SEC said.

The unnamed individual who Bhiwapurkar tipped, generated a one-day profit of approximately $29,770, according to the charges.

"As alleged in our complaint, Amit Dagar misused his access to confidential clinical trial results to enrich himself and his friend, Atul Bhiwapurkar," Joseph Sansone, chief of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit, said in a release.

"Dagar and Bhiwapurkar allegedly leveraged this information by trading out-of-the-money call options to generate massive one-day returns. Thanks to our surveillance, the defendants must now face the consequences of their greed," he continued.
Foreign investors turned net sellers of Japanese equities after 12 straight weeks of purchases that helped propel shares to three-decade highs, official data showed on Thursday June 29, 2023.

Foreign investors turned net sellers of Japanese equities after 12 straight weeks of purchases that helped propel shares to three-decade highs, official data showed on Thursday.

Foreigners sold net shares worth 543.8 billion yen ($3.77 billion) in the week through June 24, according to capital flows data from the Finance Ministry. Overseas investors had been net buyers of Japanese stocks every week since the end of March, snapping up a cumulative 9.9 trillion yen in equities.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei share gauge has soared 21% over the past three months, outpacing global indexes, driven by a boom in chip-related companies and inflows into trading houses after billionaire investor Warren Buffett said he was adding to investments in the sector.
The overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. who have tested positive for hepatitis C have not been cured due to the high cost of oral antiviral treatments and obstacles imposed by insurance plans, federal health officials said on Thursday.

Hepatitis C is often referred to as the silent killer because the initial infection has few to no symptoms. Overtime, however, the virus can cause liver damage, liver cancer, liver failure and ultimately death.

The virus is spread through contact with an infected person's blood, primarily through sharing needles and other equipment used to inject drugs.

Breakthrough oral antiviral treatments made by Gilead Sciences and Abbvie have been on the U.S. market for nearly a decade now. These pills, taken once a day for eight to 12 weeks, cure more than 95% of hepatitis C cases.

Despite the availability of these medications, only one-third of the 1 million adults in the U.S. who tested positive for hepatitis C between 2013 and 2022 have been cured, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday. Health officials estimate up to another million people in the U.S. are infected but don't know they have the virus.

Hepatitis C contributed to the deaths of nearly 15,000 people in 2020, according to the CDC.

"Thousands of people are dying every year in our country, and many more are suffering from an infection that has been curable for more than 10 years," Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC division that specializes in HIV and viral hepatitis, told reporters on a call Thursday.

The Biden administration has asked Congress to approve $11 billion in funding for a national program to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030. Dr. Francis Collins, who is leading the initiative at the White House, said the program will save thousands of lives and pay for itself by reducing health care costs.
You could be owed some cash if you are a U.S. resident who used Google search between Oct. 26, 2006 and Sept. 30, 2013. The potential payout is the result of a class-action lawsuit that alleges Google improperly shared users' search queries and histories with third-party websites and companies. Google is settling the suit for $23 million without admitting any wrongdoing. Considering that the settlement applies to millions of potential claimants, the payout is only estimated to be $7.70. While that's not a lot of money, making a claim is easy and can be done in a few minutes.

How to claim Google settlement money

Before you make a claim, you'll need to register a "class member ID" via the settlement administrator handling claims. Once you've received your ID number from the administrator, enter it in the "submit claim" page of the settlement's website. You can also mail the claim form to the address provided on the same webpage. Aside from providing contact details, including your home address, you'll need to attest that you used Google search between 2006 and 2013. By making a claim, you will no longer be able to sue Google for improperly sharing your data during this timespan. The deadline to make a claim is 11:59 p.m. PDT, July 31, 2023. If you're mailing the form, it must be postmarked for the same day. It's not yet clear when you'd receive the money. A final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for Oct. 12, 2023, so look for a payout sometime beyond that date.

You can claim money from Meta, too

A similar class-action settlement applies to U.S. residents who used Facebook between May 24, 2007 and Dec. 22, 2022. A $725 million settlement is the outcome of a lawsuit alleging that Facebook (now Meta Platforms) shared user data with third parties without permission. Meta has denied any liability or wrongdoing as part of the settlement. Despite the sizable sum, most claimants should expect less than $100, according to one expert who spoke to Nexstar Media Group. The size of the payout will depend on how many people file claims, as well as how long you had an active Facebook account between 2007 and 2022.

How to make your Facebook settlement claim
Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou reacts as she leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver, Canada, August 10, 2021. Jennifer Gauthier | Reuters

SHANGHAI  Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou said Wednesday that applying 5G technology to business was more difficult than she had expected. One of the expectations for 5G connectivity is that beyond faster mobile phone connections for individual consumers, the technology can better enable self-driving vehicles and factory automation. Meng said the challenges of bringing 5G to business was underestimated and that it's completely different than previous 2G, 3G or 4G generations. She said only when 5G becomes part of the ecosystem can it be possible to realize operations at scale. Meng was speaking at a keynote session at the Shanghai Mobile World Congress on Wednesday, where she spoke broadly about the benefits of 5G to consumption and the economy. The Chinese smartphone maker has sought to sell cloud services to specific industries such as mining and finance.

watch now

The company broke out figures for its cloud computing business for the first time in 2022, and said revenue for the unit came in at 45.3 billion Chinese yuan ($6.25 billion) last year. "When you compare MWC Shanghai and MWC Barcelona [earlier this year], one interesting aspect is you find a lot of the case studies are universal, global," said Winston Ma, author of "The Digital War: How China's Tech Power Shapes the Future of AI, Blockchain and Cyberspace." Speaking on the sidelines of Shanghai MWC, he said Chinese companies' need to compete could spur greater adoption of 5G. "So I think the Chinese companies are probably more ready, are more willing to test new 5G applications," said Ma, who is also an adjunct professor of law at New York University. "But of course there will be barriers for whatever industry, especially for the traditional industries, they have their existing ecosystem."

Bans on Huawei 5G
Countries at the meeting of the United Nations' International Maritime Organization in London signed a deal for shipping emissions to reach net zero "by or around" 2050. Ucg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

In the face of a colossal and growing source of emissions, the United Nations shipping agency is looking to slash pollution from the world's ocean-going vessels by adopting new climate targets. Observers of next week's talks say the summit's success depends on the pace of those cuts, however. Delegates of the International Maritime Organization, the U.N. agency responsible for preventing shipping pollution, are meeting in London this week for preliminary talks on how to implement a new greenhouse gas strategy. The meeting is designed to help build consensus among the group's 175 member states ahead of a crucial session of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee from July 3-7. The IMO is expected to update its current target of halving shipping emissions by 2050, from 2008 levels, but many are concerned about the maritime regulator's appetite to embrace interim targets. It comes as the U.N. agency is under pressure to urgently halve greenhouse gas emissions from ships by the end of the decade and commit to reaching zero emissions by 2040.

There is a lot of outside pressure pushing on the IMO because it is the climate negotiation of the summer. Aoife O'Leary CEO of Opportunity Green

John Maggs, president of the Clean Shipping Coalition and senior policy advisor at the Seas at Risk environmental NGO, said if the IMO could agree to a deal that was close to the science-based targets for 2030, "you would quite genuinely have a climate agreement not just of the year but probably the decade." Typically, however, Maggs told CNBC that the shipping sector had been "extremely reluctant" to adopt ambitious climate measures. To be sure, the world's ocean-going vessels account for around 3% of global carbon emissions, an amount comparable to major polluting countries. The sector, which transports more than 90% of global trade, is also regarded as one of the hardest industries to decarbonize, due in part to the vast amounts of dirty fossil fuels the ships burn each year.

The shipping sector, which transports around 90% of global trade, is regarded as one of the hardest industries to decarbonize, due in part to the vast amounts of dirty fossil fuels the ships burn each year. Gregor Fischer | Getty Images News | Getty Images

If stringent abatement measures are not implemented, the IMO has warned that shipping emissions could jump by up to 50% by midcentury. "It is now time to work together on increasing the level of ambition for 2050 and establish the intermediate checkpoints by 2030 and 2040," IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said in a speech to delegates earlier this week. "Do not wait for the last minute at MEPC to make the compromises and find the solutions, a positive outcome from this group is key to a success next week, and for the future work of this Organization," Lim said. He described 2023 as the "IMO's year of decisive climate action."

'The usual suspects'

To meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold set by the landmark Paris Agreement, the shipping regulator must commit to a 36% decarbonization target by 2030 and a 96% target by 2040, according to the Science Based Targets initiative. A course correction to a Paris-aligned pathway, however, is not the base-case scenario among IMO observers. The 1.5 degrees Celsius goal is recognized as a crucial global target because beyond this level, so-called tipping points become more likely. Tipping points are thresholds at which small changes can lead to dramatic shifts in Earth's entire life-support system.

The world's ocean-going vessels account for around 3% of global carbon emissions, an amount comparable to major polluting countries such as Germany. Stefan Rousseau - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images

Asked which delegates were likely to seek to block calls for tougher climate targets, Maggs replied, "I think there are, of course, the usual suspects. Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates  it will be very difficult to persuade them." "But there is also a group of big developing countries, like Argentina, Brazil [and] India, who are kind of onside for the 2050 stuff now, but they are very, very concerned about their export market," he added. The International Chamber of Shipping, an influential industry group that represents more than 80% of the world's merchant fleet, has previously warned that shippers should tread carefully when considering deals to eliminate their contribution to the climate crisis. A confidential document obtained by The Associated Press in May showed the ICS had advised its national branches that member companies should "give careful consideration to the possible implications" before signing up for new targets.

It has to be properly thought through and we do not want companies to sign up to an initiative on a PR basis. Stuart Neil ICS Director of Communications

Stuart Neil, director of strategy and communications for the ICS, said the document obtained by AP was produced after some of the group's member companies asked how a science-based targets system would affect their businesses. "This document wasn't a case of warning shipping companies off of agreeing to a targets-based system, but rather the Chamber was simply concerned about shipping companies signing on without proper analysis," Neil told CNBC via email. "It has to be properly thought through and we do not want companies to sign up to an initiative on a PR basis," he added. The ICS said in February that it reaffirms the industry's commitment to meet 2050 net-zero carbon goals.

'All eyes on the interim targets'
"Organizations are viewing this as an opportunity to put in some more punitive measures that they probably wanted to do earlier, but were hesitant to do because they didn't want to risk losing employees," said Bradford S. Bell, The William J. Conaty Professor in Strategic Human Resources and Director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies at Cornell University's ILR School.

Human resources experts have warned employers over the past few years that firm-wide mandates come with the risk of losing top talent along with employees that firms might be comfortable with letting go. But with the job-hopping that has taken place during the pandemic years slowing  and in particular signs that "The Great Resignation" is over  employers may see a chance to get the office back closer to what it once was.

This marks a shift from the incentive culture that many companies have been using to lure workers back to the office post-pandemic. Many of the carrots they've been dangling, including free food, happy hours and group-bonding activities, haven't necessarily been successful in prodding workers to fully compile with in-office mandates. And even when there's not a widespread flouting of the return-to-work policy, companies have been more inclined to make their expectations crystal clear, amid layoffs and hiring slowdowns.

In the knowledge worker world, Google , JP Morgan Chase , and law firms including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Davis Polk & Wardwell , are among the companies that have made clear to employees that a return-to-office mandate is  as the word intends  not an optional measure, and in some cases, there will be consequences for non-adherence to the policies.

Some companies are taking a harder line when it comes to return-to-work, telling employees that failure to comply could impact bonuses, work assignments or other performance measures.

If employers are feeling a little bolder about the balance of power between management and labor, here are ways management professionals say companies should approach these decisions.

The in-office tide may shift more easily for some workers

Companies may be buoyed by the growing recognition that not everyone wants to work from home or enjoys doing so. The desire to be in the office could be even more true for new entrants to the workforce. Notably, a March survey by recruiting firm LaSalle Network showed that of the more than 2,500 soon-to-be college graduates polled, only 4% wanted full-time remote work. By contrast, a whopping 87% said they'd prefer a hybrid schedule.

But workforce demographics vary widely when it comes to the benefits, and the desire, to return to the office. Sallie Krawcheck, the former Citi CFO and head of global wealth management at Bank of America, recently told CNBC that the CEOs who want to "get back to the way it was" are ignoring a big problem: the work environment that existed pre-pandemic "worked for white men, not everyone, and certainly not women and under-represented groups," she said.

Companies need to look closely at performance data

When making decisions to enforce an in-office policy, companies should consider whether there is a measurable benefit to doing so; they shouldn't just assume that because someone is at her desk, she is more productive than she would be at home, said Lynne C. Vincent, associate professor of management at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.

Ideally, companies should track productivity over several months. "They should be data-driven decisions because otherwise you could be losing valuable talent if you are implementing policies that don't support productivity and don't support your culture," Vincent said.

Consider the cultural implications

Companies also need to consider why being in the office is so important such that punitive measures for non-compliance may be in order. Highly innovative companies, for example, might feel a compelling desire to have employees in the office three days a week for collaboration and connection purposes.

That's some of the impetus behind Google's decision to tell staffers that managers could take long-term non-compliance patterns into account when assessing their performance. Additionally, remote-only options will be limited going forward, according to the company's new policy. Employees who work from the office at least three times a week report feeling more connected to their colleagues, a company spokesman said.

Help employees understand specific 'whys'

Employees may not feel as compelled to be in the office if they don't understand what the company expects to gain by having them there, said Jenny von Podewils, co-founder and co-CEO of Leapsome, a platform that seeks to improve employee performance and satisfaction.

Managers should offer specific reasons why being in the office is critical to its operations. This could mean, for instance, spelling out to the sales team that Mondays and Wednesdays are in-office days because that's when the bulk of customer interactions happen, and making clear to engineering that Thursdays are in-office days because that's when code reviews happen.

"A lot of the policies I've seen are very general, so they don't get the specific buy-in because people don't see why it's relevant to them," Podewils said.

Leave room for exceptions

Companies need to offer some flexibility, unless they want to risk losing workers or experience more quiet quitting, management professionals said.

There may be legitimate reasons certain employees may not be able to meet their in-office expectations, said Rubab Jafry O'Connor, distinguished service professor of management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.

Companies should seek to understand what issues may be preventing them from compliance and whether they are legitimate considerations. Is there a health issue, for example, or a child-care issue? Is the issue temporary and can the company do something to help?

Try to build in flexibility in other ways

To ease the rigidity of in-person mandates, companies may be able to offer flexibility in other ways. Options could include flextime, offering more vacation or personal days, creating a bank of days employees can use to work remotely and increasing the number of company-wide remote days.

Law firm Davis Polk, for example, is offering employees the option to work 16 days remotely each year. Between Sept. 5 and the remainder of this calendar year, employees are entitled to choose five days to be remote.

This comes as the company will start mandating employees be in the office four days a week, up from three days, after Labor Day. The company has also told its workers that not complying with its in-office mandate could negatively impact their performance and bonuses.

"The key driver behind our in-office attendance philosophy is a desire to provide all members of our community with best-in-class professional development opportunities, including mentorship, training and the opportunity to create more meaningful relationships with others at the Firm," managing partner, Neil Barr, wrote in the memo.

Be willing to lose employees

Companies that take hardline measures need to be willing to lose employees over this decision, management professionals say.

"The person and the organization have to fit together," Vincent said. "When that happens, it's productive and helpful. If it's not happening, maybe moving on is the right step."




Indian Ambassador Taranjit Sandhu, right, talks with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, after having signed the Artemis Accords on June 21, 2023.

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. CNBC's Michael Sheetz reports and curates the latest news, investor updates and exclusive interviews on the most important companies reaching new heights. Sign up to receive future editions.

Last week, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a red-carpet visit to the U.S., meeting with top government and corporate leaders. Amid the flurry of partnerships and contracts announced during Modi's visit, the country also became the 27th to sign the Artemis Accords, the international set of principles around sustainable global cooperation in space.

The White House also announced that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and NASA will work together toward flying the South Asian country's astronauts to the International Space Station next year. India will also invest in space research missions alongside the U.S.

India's no slouch when it comes to space, but the announcements come at a notable time: Russia is steadily fading away as a space superpower, with the sector increasingly a two-horse geopolitical race between the U.S. and China. Could India fill the Russia-sized void?

Mike Gold, who helped lead the creation of the Artemis Accords three years ago, definitively believes so:

"India will not only fill the void that Russia is leaving, but will far exceed it," Gold, now Redwire's chief growth officer, told me. "The capabilities of India to engage, to innovate, to support a more robust [industry], particularly commercial space, is going to far outstrip anything that Russia had ever been able to do."

Gold described India as "a sleeping giant in the space world that is awakening"  albeit "one that's been snoring loudly." Already, the country has "done so much with so little," he noted.

While India's space budget has more than doubled over the past decade, its Department of Space  which leads both civil and military missions  has just $1.6 billion allocated for 2023, a fraction of either the NASA or Space Force annual budgets.

On the private side, India ranks as fifth among countries for equity investment in space over the past decade, according to Space Capital  but still represents just 3% of the funds invested globally from 2014 to now.

Gold believes India's bureaucratic reforms in its space efforts are helping the country move faster in the sector. The nation's already flown robotic missions to the moon and Mars. But a further push toward growing its commercial market, combined with greater cooperation and investment alongside the U.S., "will be transformative not just for India, but for the U.S. and the commercial space sector as a whole," he said.

"No one is altering their path  we're just complementing each other relative to Artemis and the existing plans with India. And both countries will benefit greatly," Gold said.

Follow along: CNBC will be watching closely this morning as Virgin Galactic attempts its first commercial spaceflight. Check out our live coverage.
In the search for income, investors may want to look outside the United States. Vanguard's Emerging Markets Bond fund (VEMBX) is a "hidden gem" and Vanguard's best foreign bond fund, according to Jeff DeMaso, founder and editor of the newsletter " The Independent Vanguard Adviser ." It has a 7.39% 30-day SEC yield, according to Morningstar . The fund has also earned a five-star rating from Morningstar. "It's a well-run emerging markets bond fund that has topped its index (and the Morningstar peer group)," DeMaso said. The actively managed fund was up 43% from April 2016 through May 2023, compared with an 11% return for Vanguard's Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund (VGAVX) during the same time frame, according to DeMaso's calculations. The VGAVX seeks to track the performance of the Bloomberg USD Emerging Markets Government RIC Capped Index. So far this year, the VEMBX has a total return of 5.14%, versus the 3.84% total return of its Morningstar category. Its holdings include debt from Peru, Saudi Arabia and Colombia. Not only does VEMBX fly under the radar, but it has a stellar portfolio manager in Daniel Shaykevich, DeMaso said. Shaykevich, who is the firm's co-head of emerging markets and sovereign debt team, came to Vanguard in 2013 after spending 11 years at BlackRock. He spent the majority of his time at BlackRock managing global emerging market debt portfolios. "Shaykevich may be one of the best emerging market bond managers no one has ever heard of," DeMaso said. Shaykevich said he believes emerging markets external debt can add value to any credit portfolio. Not only does it have a long history of strong risk-adjusted returns, emerging markets debt is significantly more diversified than it's ever been, Shaykevich said. The segment includes wealthy oil exports from the Persian Gulf and low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, he noted. "Each position and risk factor exposure are sized in the portfolio based not on how much we might gain, but how much we could lose if we get it wrong," Shaykevich said. The outperformance is driven by a blend of country allocation, security selection and measure exposure to macro-economic drivers, he added. "We believe that enables us to generate alpha in a more repeatable, more diversified way over a market cycle," he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled concerns in an interview published Thursday that Israeli-manufactured defense systems, including the U.S.-funded Iron Dome, could reach Iran if they were transferred to Ukraine.

In a video interview with the Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu hinted that, if systems used by Ukrainian forces were to fall into Russian hands, the country's tight relationship with fellow U.S.-sanctioned nation Iran could see them end up under Tehran's control. He did not specify exactly how Iran would obtain this equipment.

Moscow has used Iranian-made Shahed drones in the war in Ukraine, rebranded as Geran. Tehran has in the past said it did not supply these weapons to Russia for use against Kyiv.

"We're concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands and could be reverse engineered, and we would find ourselves facing Israeli systems used against Israel," Netanyahu told the newspaper.

"That's not a theoretical  threat, because Western systems, anti-tank systems for example, did exactly that journey, that we now find them on our borders with [Iran-backed group] Hezbollah."

Ukraine has repeatedly emphasized its urgent need for air defense systems and ammunition to weather the aerial onslaught of the ongoing Russian offensive. U.S. senators Chris Van Hollen and Lindsey Graham have in recent days urged Israel to lift its alleged veto on the transfer of the Iron Dome air defense and missile interception system to Kyiv.

"To be clear, we are not asking Israel to transfer its own Iron Dome systems which are critical to their own security, but simply to allow the United States to transfer our own batteries to help the people of Ukraine," the senators said in a joint statement dated June 23.

In a scathing Facebook statement, the Ukrainian embassy to Israel on June 25 said "the current Israeli government has opted for a path of close cooperation with the russian federation," citing Israel's diplomatic engagement with Moscow and its perceived "near absence of Israeli humanitarian assistance to Ukraine."

In a further statement on June 28, the Ukrainian embassy appealed to Israel, making reference to the recent Russian shelling of a restaurant in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, which left 12 dead.

"The Russians are murdering our citizens - and Israel still refuses to sell defense equipment to Ukraine!" It said. "If israel known for its defensive capabilities, will provide Ukraine with essential protective equipment - lives will be saved."

Asked about these comments, Netanyahu said Israel is not neutral in the conflict and has stressed its sympathy and stance with Ukraine, but that it is subject to "limitations" and national security concerns.

"My first interest, regardless of sympathy, and the steps that we take, is to ensure the security of the one and only Jewish state," he said.

Israel's stance could also be related to an unwillingness to imperil its progress to counter Tehran in neighboring Syria.

"Israel's reluctance to condemn Russia's actions is first and foremost a strategic decision in order to avoid jeopardizing an unofficial agreement with Moscow that enables Israel to combat Iranian influence in Syria," the Atlantic Council pointed out in late April.

"Since its military intervention began in 2015, Russia has been among the dominant forces in Syria. Russia controls the Syrian sky and generally does not restrict Israeli fighter jets from conducting strikes on Iranian proxies. With this in mind, Israel does not want to risk alienating the Kremlin."

Indeed, in the Wall Street Journal interview, Netanyahu acknowledged that "our pilots are flying right next to Russian pilots over the skies of Syria in order to block the attempts of Iran to establish a second Hezbollah front in Syria."

Israel has found itself increasingly isolated in its opposition to Iran, after Saudi Arabia and Tehran ended a seven-year rift through a China-brokered re-establishment of ties this March. The U.S. and Iran renewed negotiations over a prospective prisoner swap earlier this month, several sources told NBC News, amid questions about whether the two administrations would explore a potential informal deal to avert Iran's accelerating nuclear program.

Official negotiations to return Washington to a variant of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement with Iran  mediated by the European Union and other signatories  did not lead to a breakthrough.

Addressing the possibility of a fresh U.S. agreement, Netanyahu said that "any deal with Iran that doesn't set back their nuclear infrastructure, that doesn't basically take it apart, is not very useful."

The U.S. State Department and Iranian and Russian foreign ministries did not immediately respond to CNBC requests for comment over the possibility that systems deployed in support of Ukraine eventually come under Iranian control.
You know all those price-tracking alerts you can get from your broker that alert you to changes in price for your favorite stock, mutual fund or exchange-traded fund, or that alerts you about 52-week highs or lows? They may be prompting you to make significant trading errors and underperform the market. That's the conclusion of a new study . The authors, Che-Wei Liu, Yanzhen Chen, Ming-Hui Wen, partnered with one of the largest retail mutual fund investment platforms in Taiwan, which provides a free price-tracking alerts tool. The database comprised 20,000 retail investors, consisting of a control group that never used the alert features and a group of 932 investors, about 5% of the group, that did. The conclusions of the study: 1) Using price-tracking alerts encourages excessive trading and "suboptimal" market timing, and 2) The group that used price-tracking alerts saw a decline in investment performance of about 1% in six months (2% a year). Why did the group that utilized the price alerts underperform? Because the price alerts made traders cocky and a lot of the traders were financially illiterate, so they didn't understand what they were doing. Behavioral biases are a big problem with traders The authors found that trading on price signals "intensifies overconfidence bias." In plain English, it means these trading signals gave traders an advantage they thought they had but did not really exist. They provided no informational advantage. These signals also made them trade irregularly and made them focus on assets that were less familiar to them, all of which can cause underperformance. Financial illiteracy is a big problem These trading signals give the illusion that traders somehow know what they are doing, but they don't. The authors found that "insufficient financial knowledge" was a major problem, citing inexperience and even "superstitious trading." The conclusions are consistent with other studies The study has some limitations. The data was gathered from a single trading platform, and the observations were gathered from trading and performance of fund portfolios and do not account for other trading activities, such as investing in stocks or real estate. Still, the results are consistent with other studies that show active traders consistently underperform the market. Larry Swedroe, head of financial and economic research at Buckingham Strategic Wealth, in a recent review of several of these studies noted that while financial technology tools such as digital trading platforms do improve the information environment, "they also cause investors to falsely believe they have better control over their portfolios and/or superior knowledge of the market." "The tools can also exacerbate the cognitive biases of retail investors, creating a false sense of urgency and pressure to trade, resulting in increased trading and gambling-like behaviors, both of which lead to underperformance," he added. Do digital trading platforms have any responsibilities to their clients? The authors suggest they do. They said that "comprehensive risk disclosure, including performance summary statistics on FinTech tools, can help alert investors to potential risks." What can be done? The SEC is worried, too The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has expressed concerns over these digital trading platforms, including ones that provide price-tracking alerts, which may be encouraging excessive trading. They have expressed concern that these practices may violate the Regulation Best Interest guidelines, which requires brokers and dealers to act in the best interest of their clients. Ultimately, the authors suggest it gets down to making traders smarter. "Our study suggests that financially educated investors are better equipped to make sound decisions, even given potentially misleading alerts. We recommend that regulators and the financial industry collaborate to provide financial education support or, at a minimum, implement screening measures to safeguard individual investors." The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has already floated proposals that retail traders should pass a knowledge-based test on investment before trading in unfamiliar products, which I wrote about last year . Without better education, traders are going to make the same mistakes over and over.
Pence is spending the day getting a firsthand look at the atrocities Ukrainians have experienced over the last 16 months and visiting Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin  three cities the Russian forces occupied and ravaged  in addition to meeting with Zelenskyy.

"I believe America's the leader of the free world," Pence told NBC News. "But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies."

Pence has been outspoken about his support for Ukraine, and the move sends a resounding message that he believes the U.S. should play a leading role in the country's fight against Russia. It also puts Pence in a unique position within the GOP  a party once dominated by hawks who advocated against growing Russian influence but is now led by a man who has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and whose base is largely uninterested in supporting Ukraine.

The visit comes at a crucial moment in the war, just after the Wagner mercenary group's rebellion and the deadly Russian missile strike on a pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the campaign.

One of Zelenskyy's top advisers, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Pence "understands absolutely clearly what Russia is."

"He deeply understands Russia and deeply understands the nature of this conflict, that it is not about territories, not about any businesses, not about anything except the main thing  those values for which the United States were created," Podolyak said, naming "freedom, competition and democracy."

"This is about helping a country that is willing to defend the fundamental, core values on which the United States as a whole is built," he added.

The future of U.S. support for the Ukrainian war effort is in question, and the voters Pence is trying to woo in the Republican primary aren't eager to aid the country. In the latest NBC News national poll, 52% of GOP primary voters said they would be less likely to back a candidate who supports sending more funding and weapons to Ukraine, while just 28% said they would be more likely.

"I'm here because it's important that the American people understand the progress that we've made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest," Pence said when asked by NBC News about the poll results. "I truly do believe that now, more than ever, we need leaders in our country who will articulate the importance of American leadership in the world."

"We'll let the polls and the politics take care of themselves, but for me it was important to be here to better understand what the people of Ukraine have endured, the mindless violence that was perpetrated on them in an unprovoked invasion by the Russian military and the progress that they've made in pushing back that military," he added. "It's steeled my resolve, and it's made me better equipped to be able to go home as I speak to the American people about the vital importance of American support to repel Russian aggression."

Pence's stance also sets him apart from some of his Republican rivals. And when talking about his views on foreign policy Thursday, he looked back to former President Ronald Reagan as his guiding star.

"Ever since the days of Ronald Reagan, the American people have always stood with those who fought back to defend their own freedom," he said. "We actually called it the Reagan doctrine  the idea that if you were willing to fight the Communists back in the day in your country, we'll give you the means to fight them there so that we don't ever have to fight them on our soil. It's part and parcel of what brought down the Soviet Union and made it possible for Ukraine to live in freedom to begin with. But I do believe that the majority of Republicans and the majority of Americans still hold to that cause of freedom."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initially stumbled in his response to the war, getting criticism from within the party for calling it a "territorial dispute" and saying backing Ukraine isn't a "vital" U.S. interest. He later changed course and called Putin a "war criminal."

And the GOP front-runner in the polls, former President Donald Trump, initially praised Putin when he invaded Ukraine, saying he was "very savvy." Trump has also claimed that he would be able to end the war in just 24 hours.

"Anyone can express their vision of how things should develop in a historical sense," Podolyak said, "but we live in the real world."
Freyr could see monster gains over the next 12 months after a slow start to 2023, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Adam Jonas upgraded the battery stock to overweight from equal weight. His $13 price target implies shares could rally 72.2% from Wednesday's close. "We see next 3-6 months as a catalyst window for unlocking shareholder value," Jonas said in a Wednesday note. "In our opinion, FREY is a relatively binary investment opportunity that we believe can show meaningful progress on commercial milestones." Shares were up more than 7% in premarket trading Thursday. The stock has fallen about 13% on the year. FREY YTD mountain FREYR, year to date Freyr should be able to progress on commercial goals such as battery production and cell delivery that can then lead to subsequent funding events, Jonas said. Recently, the company achieved a goal of assembling, charging and discharging battery cells at a plant in Norway and is likely to send sample sells to customers in the next month to validate. The company is also expanding its strategic relationships, with Jonas pointing to a new agreement with Chinese battery manufacturer Sunwoda Mobility Energy that he said could improve technological diversification. Though the bull-bear spread skews high, he said the stock's recent underperformance and transparency from the company around execution has improved the risk/reward ratio. Freyr will start reporting key production metrics including uptime to show its operating capabilities. Yield, another metric that will now be reported, can get a boost as Freyr moves from partially automated production lines to fully automated facilities, according to Jonas. Data gathered from the Norway plant can help improve the process when ramping up other factories.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
Shares of Overstock.com rocketed nearly 20% higher Thursday, a day after the e-commerce home goods retailer announced it would change its website's name to Bed Bath & Beyond after buying up the fallen retailer's intellectual property and digital assets via a bankruptcy auction.

Shares closed the session north of $30 per share, giving Overstock a market valuation of roughly $1.3 billion.

Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson said the Overstock name reflected the company's prior liquidation-based model and didn't align with the type of products it now sells.

"We started out 20-plus years ago as a liquidator and became a general merchandiser. Now we're a home furnishings and furniture company and there [were] a lot of headwinds with the name Overstock, headwinds with customers who were confused who we were and what we were selling, headwinds with suppliers that didn't want to necessarily sell if it was associated with liquidation," Johnson told CNBC's "The Exchange."

Bed Bath & Beyond maintains strong brand awareness, Johnson said, despite mismanagement and eventual bankruptcy.

The brands already share overlapping customers, Johnson said, which will help ease the transition.

"We'll do this transition slowly where the Overstock customer will come to the new website and will recognize it, but so will the Bed Bath & Beyond customer. And then over time, we'll sunset out the Overstock feel," he added.

Johnson said shoppers can expect Bed Bath & Beyond's famed coupons to live on, at least during a transitional period, but noted on a call with analysts earlier Thursday that the company will not offer as many or as deep discounts over the long term.

"One thing that Bed Bath & Beyond customers will realize is that our non-coupon price is really good. And I think people will be very surprised with the deals that Overstock and now Bed Bath & Beyond is able to offer and has been offered," he said.

The new Bed Bath & Beyond website is set to be relaunched in Canada within the next week, with a subsequent rollout of a website, mobile app and loyalty program in the U.S. expected in the coming weeks.

Overstock shares are up almost 60% so far this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that adults ages 60 and above receive a single dose of RSV vaccines from Pfizer and GSK after consulting their doctors.

Outgoing CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendation, which an advisory panel of outside experts made last week. That endorsement says seniors should work with their health-care providers to decide if taking a shot is right for them.

The CDC said the shots are expected to be available to the public this fall, when respiratory syncytial virus  along with Covid and the flu  typically begins to spread at higher levels.

"These vaccines provide an opportunity to help protect older adults against severe RSV illness at a time when multiple respiratory infections are likely to circulate," the CDC said in a statement.

The virus is a common respiratory infection that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but more severe cases in older adults and children. Each year, RSV kills 6,000 to 10,000 seniors and a few hundred children younger than 5, according to CDC data.

Walensky's decision comes a month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccines, making them the world's first authorized jabs against RSV.

Spokespeople for Pfizer and GSK did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Both companies last week unveiled late-stage clinical data suggesting that their respective vaccines generally maintain protection against RSV after one season of the virus, which in the U.S. typically lasts from October to March.

But the panel raised concerns about the lack of efficacy data on subgroups of the elderly population at the highest risk of severe RSV.

Dr. Michael Melgar, a CDC medical officer who evaluated data on both shots, said during an advisory panel meeting that adults ages 75 and older and those with an underlying medical condition are underrepresented in phase 3 clinical trials from both companies.

He said seniors with weak immune systems were excluded from the trials altogether.
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and to spend the day getting a firsthand look at the atrocities Ukrainians have experienced over the last 16 months, NBC News reported.

Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with Zelenskyy during the campaign.

"I believe America's the leader of the free world," Pence told NBC News. "But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies."

 Melodie Warner
Proponents for affirmative action in higher education rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court before oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina on October 31, 2022 in Washington, DC.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina that consider a student's race for college admissions are unconstitutional. The court ruled in favor of the Students for Fair Admissions, a group created by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum, in two separate cases against Harvard and UNC which alleged the institutions discriminated against Asians in the application review process. "The opinion issued today by the United States Supreme Court marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation," Blum said in a statement. "A university doesn't have real diversity when it simply assembles students who look different but come from similar backgrounds and act, talk, and think alike." The court's decision is not surprising but "disappointing" nonetheless, says Julian Taylor, a rising junior and member of the Affirmative Action Coalition at UNC Chapel Hill. "I think Black and Brown students will suffer in admission rates." UNC is overall more diverse than the state itself, though the school has fewer Black students (9%) than the general population (22%). Despite the ruling, Taylor says he hopes universities will find alternative ways to consider an applicant's race "thoroughly and through an equitable lens." Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion that the decision does not prohibit universities from "considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise."

Students call for thorough and equitable admissions

Other members of the UNC Affirmative Action Coalition plan to continue advocating for efforts to make higher education more equitable at UNC and at other institutions. "In a climate where diversity is increasingly under attack, we will not be discouraged by this ruling," coalition members wrote in a statement. "We must continue to fight for the opportunities of historically resilient and underrepresented communities at UNC and across the country." In a message to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz wrote that the decision is "not the outcome we hoped for" but that the university will "respect the Supreme Court's decision and will follow its guidance." "Our leadership team will need time to thoroughly review the details of this outcome and its potential impact before determining specifically how we will comply with this decision," he wrote. Looking ahead, Taylor hopes to see UNC and other universities make long-term inclusivity efforts such as making ACT and SAT testing optional to apply; eliminating admissions preferences for children of university alumni; and overall improving diversity, equity and inclusion education in high schools and universities to "make campuses more welcoming." "Students are not numbers," Taylor says. "They bring more than what a grade or SAT can determine, so anything we have in the admissions process to view students more holistically as they are is very important. It's sad to see that diminished today."

'Access to higher education is a critical part of reducing racial disparities'

Sarah Paiji Yoo graduated from Harvard in 2006 before attending Harvard Business School. The CEO and founder of the sustainability brand Blueland has been vocal about the importance of maintaining affirmative action policies at top colleges. "My own diverse learning environment at Harvard 15 years ago was critical to my own academic and career success," she tells CNBC Make It. "Yes, in an ideal world, race wouldn't be considered in admissions, because in the ideal world everyone has access to the same kind of resources and there would be no systemic racism. But that is not the world today, and affirmative action and access to higher education is a critical part of reducing racial disparities and more diversity in our workplaces and in senior leadership roles across society." As a parent to two kids, ages 6 and 2, she adds that she is "more deeply committed now than ever, in light of today's decision, to continue to fight for educational equity. And I am hopeful that our efforts will eventually prevail, and that my own children will not experience the feared implications of today's decision on their own future college experiences of declines in diversity." Research has shown that the removal of affirmative action has led to declines in minority admissions at universities. "We will comply with the Court's decision, but it does not change our values" in building "a thriving, diverse intellectual community," Harvard president-elect Claudine Gay said in a video message. "The Supreme Court's decision will change how we pursue the educational benefit of diversity, but our commitment to that work remains steadfast." Speaking to future students, she added, "Know that we want you here."

Overturning 40-plus years of affirmative action in colleges
Cars burning during protests in Nanterre, west of Paris, on June 28, 2023, a day after the killing of a 17-year-old boy in Nanterre by a police officer's gunshot following a refusal to comply.

Protesters shot fireworks at police and set cars ablaze in the working class Paris suburb of Nanterre on Wednesday, in a second night of unrest following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop there.

The use of lethal force by officers against the teenager, who was of North African origin, has fed into a deep-rooted perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse suburbs of France's biggest cities.

Shortly before midnight, a trail of overturned vehicles burned as fireworks fizzed at police lines on Nanterre's Avenue Pablo Picasso.

Police clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest and there was also unrest in Amiens, Dijon and the Essonne administrative department south of the French capital, a police spokesman said.

French media reported incidents in numerous other locations across the greater Paris region. Videos on social media showed dozens of fireworks being directed at the Montreuil town hall, on the eastern edge of Paris.

Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting "unexplainable and inexcusable".

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth. Prosecutors say he failed to comply with an order to stop his car.

The interior ministry has called for calm, and said 2,000 police have been mobilized in the Paris region.

Rights groups allege systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies in France, a charge Macron has previously denied.
A Joby Aviation electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft outside the New York Stock Exchange during the company's initial public offering in New York, Aug. 11, 2021.

Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading.

Joby Aviation  Joby shares gained another 17% premarket. The aviation company announced a $100 million equity investment from South Korea's SK Telecom, expanding an existing partnership. On Wednesday, shares surged 40% after the company said it received a permit to begin flight testing its first electric vehicle takeoff and landing vehicle.

Micron Technology  Shares added 2.3% after its latest quarter's revenue topped analyst estimates post-market Wednesday. Micron revenue of $3.75 billion beat the $3.65 billion expected by analysts, per Refinitiv. Micron said it believes the memory chip industry has passed its trough in revenue and now expects profit margins to improve.

Wells Fargo , JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America  The banks moved higher after passing the Federal Reserve's annual stress test Wednesday. Wells Fargo and Bank of America gained nearly 2%, while JPMorgan rose 1.6%.

Charles Schwab  Shares jumped 2.7% following the Fed's stress tests. The brokerage firm had the lowest rate of total loan losses, at 1.3%.

Citizens Financial  The regional bank shed 1.6% premarket. JPMorgan downgraded the Providence, Rhode Island-based lender to neutral from overweight, after the Fed stress tests cited increased capital requirements that will put further pressure on profitability.

Freyr Battery  Shares popped nearly 11% after being upgraded by Morgan Stanley to overweight from equal weight. Analyst Adam Jonas said he believes the company can show "meaningful progress on commercial milestones." His $13 price target suggests a 72% rally from Wednesday's close.

Occidental Petroleum  Occidental Petroleum rose more than 1% after Berkshire Hathaway on Wednesday said it bought more shares of the oil giant. Between June 26 and June 28, the Warren Buffett conglomerate bought a total of 2.1 million shares, according to a regulatory filing, bringing its position to 25%.

Overstock  Shares of the retailer rose 9% premarket after Overstock closed its deal to buy the Bed Bath & Beyond brand out of bankruptcy. Overstock will shift to using the Bed Bath & Beyond name in the coming weeks.

Virgin Galactic  Shares of Richard Branson's spaceflight company climbed more than 1% premarket. Virgin Galactic is set to launch its first commercial spaceflight Thursday.

 CNBC's Tanaya Macheel, Jesse Pound, Sarah Min, Michael Bloom and Brian Evans contributed reporting.
Shares of two online food delivery companies are expected to soar by 120% over the next 12 months, according to RBC Capital. The investment bank said that Delivery Hero and Just Eat Takeaway.com are making significant strides in the industry, despite facing a few challenges. The bank expects shares of both companies to rise by a little over 120% over the next 12 months. RBC expects shares of Berlin-headquartered Delivery Hero to hike by 122% to 85 euros ($93) a share, while anticipating that Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com's stock will increase by 121% to 30 euros a share. The investment bank's analysts said that the increasing cost of online food ordering indicates that food delivery providers are prioritizing profitability over growth  a change that makes sense, considering the current trend of "normalizing" online orders. The bank believes that Delivery Hero's service is particularly attractive compared to its competitors, especially in its largest markets  giving the company the potential to deliver double-digit growth once demand returns. DHER-DE 5Y line The RBC analysts compared the delivery services of major food delivery players in Delivery Hero's and Just Eat Takeaway.com's primary markets, including countries like the U.K., Germany, Spain, the United States, and South Korea. They found that most players in the U.S., U.K., and Spain tend to charge a delivery fee along with an additional service fee. This includes extra tax and a tip in the US. An average order of $10, for example, would cost consumers an additional $6 in fees, excluding tips. Despite these extra costs, the service remains attractive in the Middle East and North Africa, where Delivery Hero holds a leading position. They noted that Delivery Hero's service is more competitive than that of peers, particularly in Turkey (like Getir), where it offers free delivery for most restaurants on its platform. "We believe this supports its outperformance versus peers, consistent with the trends we observe from app usage data," said RBC analysts Wassachon Udomsilpa and Richard Chamberlain in a note to clients on June 27. TKWY-NL 5Y line On the other hand, the Just Eat Takeaway.com delivery service is considered less competitive in the U.K., Spain, and in the U.S., particularly in terms of speed. Although its service costs are comparable to those of its competitors when order sizes are above their minimum threshold, they still lag behind in certain key markets. RBC also believes that Delivery Hero and Just Eat Takeaway.com can further bolster profitability by improving gross margins. They said this can be achieved by increasing delivery-related costs, such as higher delivery fees and introducing small basket fees and additional management/service costs. While this may impact growth in the long term, the analysts acknowledged, the step is seen as a practical strategy, given the limited growth in the industry this year due to factors like normalizing online penetration and rising living costs.
The former US President announced his intention to create a new social media platform after he was banned from Facebook and Twitter last year.

WASHINGTON  Three Florida men were charged Thursday with insider trading of a shell company's stock before it announced plans to merge with a social media firm launched by former President Donald Trump.

The men, Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick, allegedly netted more than $22 million in illicit profits from trading in shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp .

All three were arrested Thursday morning, the Justice Department said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission also filed a civil complaint against Garelick, who is a board member of DWAC, the Shvartsmans, who are brothers, and Rocket One Capital LLC, a venture capital firm owned by Michael Shvartsman.

The charges do not allege wrongdoing by Trump or any of his family members.

A spokesman for TMTG did not respond to a request for comment about the allegations.

The DOJ announced the charges related to Trump Media's proposed merger as part of a string of allegations of illegal trading. They included accusations that two Pfizer employees traded on nonpublic information about trial results for its Covid treatment Paxlovid.

Digital World Acquisition Corp . is a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that announced plans to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group in October 2021. The SPAC merger aimed to help TMTG go public without the lengthy process of a formal IPO.
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic , founded by Sir Richard Branson in 2004, completed its long-awaited first commercial spaceflight, called Galactic 01, on Thursday.

Taking off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, the company's spacecraft was flown by a pair of pilots and carried four passengers: a Virgin Galactic trainer, to oversee the mission from inside the cabin, and its first trio of paying customers. The three paying passengers are members of the Italian Air Force. The flight also carried 13 research payloads onboard.

Virgin Galactic's start to commercial service comes after years of delays and setbacks. The company previously said if Galactic 01 was a success, it would plan to fly its second mission as soon as August and then aim to begin flying its spacecraft, VSS Unity, once a month.

Virgin Galactic stock fell 10% Thursday after the successful flight.

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The company continues to raise capital to fund development of its coming Delta class of spacecraft, aiming to build a fleet of vehicles that can each fly at least once a week.

Virgin Galactic has a backlog of about 800 passengers. Many of those tickets were sold at prices between $200,000 and $250,000 over a decade ago, but the company reopened ticket sales two years ago, with pricing beginning at $450,000 per seat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Draupadi Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other leaders extended wishes on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and other leaders extended wishes on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Prime Minister Modi wished for everyone's happiness and prosperity. "May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society," PM said in a tweet.

Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 29, 2023

PM Modi also extended greetings to the people and leaders of Kuwait through a letter, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said. On Wednesday, the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said that Modi conveyed his greeting to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina and the citizens.

"On this occasion, let us all take a pledge to increase mutual brotherhood and mutual harmony in the society," President Droupadi Murmu tweeted in Hindi as she extended Eid greetings.

--      ,               -- ,                 :            President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 29, 2023

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also greeted the people celebrating and wished for peace, prosperity and happiness. "Eid-ul-Zuha is a symbol of sacrifice, selflessness and an occasion to express our gratitude. It is also an occasion for families and communities to come together to share joy and blessings," he tweeted.

Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too took to twitter to extend wishes on the auspicious day.

Eid Mubarak! May this auspicious occasion bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all. pic.twitter.com/9N3dVYTqCc  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 29, 2023

Former Cabinet Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offered Namaz at Panja Sharif Dargah, Kashmere Gate, Delhi, and extended wishes on the occasion via Twitter.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took to Twitter on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. "On this joyous occasion, let us all firmly resolve to strengthen the bonds of fraternity and build a peaceful, harmonious and progressive society," he said.
Albay (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Air and water quality around Mayon Volcano is consistently good despite the volcano's restiveness, an environmental official from the province said Thursday.

Maria Socorro Abu, regional director of the Environment Management Bureau in Bicol, said the monitoring of air quality in the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco, Ligao, and the town of Guinobatan in Albay indicated that the ambient air quality is still satisfactory.

There are particles in the ash emitted by Mayon but Abu explained they are suspended in the air.

The PM10 (particulate matter 10) parameter, employed to assess air quality, consistently falls within the good classification, she said.

She added when the air quality index is categorized as "good," it signifies a satisfactory overall air quality.

Abu said the EMB will regularly update the public on air quality especially around Mayon which continuously emits gases and ash at its current eruptive stage.

The bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is monitoring nine bodies of water around the volcano, she added.

In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it observed very slow effusion of lava from Mayon's summit crater.

Phivolcs said it measured lava flows at 2.1 kilometers and 1.3 kilometers along the Mi-isi and Bonga gullies, while collapsed debris was deposited at 3.3 kilometers.

Phivolcs recorded one volcanic earthquake and 296 rockfall events on Mayon in the past 24 hours. Seven dome-collapse pyroclastic density currents  or emission of ash and volcanic debris  and two lava-front collapse pyroclastic density currents were also logged.

The volcano emitted sulfur dioxide at an average of 595 tons per day on Wednesday, the agency said.

Alert Level 3 is still up over Mayon. Authorities warned of possible hazardous eruption from the volcano due to its intensified unrest.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Davao Oriental Governor and former Rep. Corazon Malanyaon died on Wednesday at 73 years old, the provincial government confirmed.

Citing information from the governor's daughter, Vice Governor Nino Uy said Malanyaon passed away at around 3:50 p.m.

He made the announcement in a live broadcast on the local government's Facebook page in the evening, but did not specify the cause of death.

From 2001 to 2007, Malanyaon served as the congressional representative of Davao Orientals first district.

She was elected as provincial governor in 2007 and held the post until 2016, the same year she returned to the House of Representatives for another term that ended in 2022.

Malanyaon then ran unopposed and won in last years gubernatorial race.

The Cateel town native began her political career when she was appointed officer-in-charge councilor of Davao City after the 1986 People Power Revolution. She was then elected as councilor in subsequent polls and eventually became the citys vice mayor.

Before entering politics, she worked as a certified public accountant and a lawyer.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  A youth group has urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to disclose the results of its probe into the multiple cases of sexual abuse reported last year at Bacoor National High School (BHNS) in Cavite.

"Students and parents alike demand concrete actions to address our grievances," said Sophia Reyes, lead convenor of Enough is Enough (EIE) Philippines.

"DepEd's silence on this matter proves their incompetence in keeping schools a safe space and protecting learners," Reyes added.

EIE is composed of sexual abuse victim-survivors from various schools in the country.

DepEd confirmed on Aug. 29 last year that they were investigating BHNS over alleged sexual advances made by some of its teachers on high school students.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into the alleged incidents of harassment and abuse involving teachers in BNHS and two other schools in the country.

A month later, DepEd said it filed administrative charges against five out of the seven accused teachers for grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and violation of the agency's child protection policy.

The five teachers were also placed under 90-day preventive suspension during that time.

The group, meanwhile, claimed there were 11 teachers in BNHS preying on students. They also lamented how DepEd seems to have ceased its probe after filing administrative charges against some teachers.

"It seems that filing those administrative cases was only a knee-jerk reaction," said Andrew, one of the victim-survivors from BNHS.

"Without any transparency on the results or progress of their investigation, the DepEd was only waiting for the issue to die down, he also said.

CNN Philippines has reached out to DepEd for comment.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Department of Tourism (DOT) said it has launched a program that encourages local government units (LGU) to participate in the improvement of the industry's infrastructure to promote unknown travel destinations.

Speaking to CNN Philippines The Source on Thursday, Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco said the department launched the Tourism Champions Challenge to encourage country-wide development on tourism infrastructure.

This is in collaboration with our infrastructure arm TIEZA [Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority] wherein we are giving opportunities to mayors from our over a hundred cities and over 1,400 municipalities to submit tourism infrastructure proposals, she said.

She said program has a budget of 180 million to provide financial grants to LGUs which will present their proposals and go through a vetting process.

Frasco said this is in line with the National Tourism Development Plan that prioritizes tourism infrastructure.

By the end of this program, Frasco said the department hopes to see the development of grassroots tourism infrastructure.

She said the department is also working with the Department of Public Works and Highways for the construction of roads connecting destinations.

On other efforts to improve travel experience, Frasco said the DOT also worked with the Department of Transportation for enhancements at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2. The government has also begun training airport frontline personnel on the Filipino brand of service, she added.

DOT also collaborated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to improve internet connection in 94 tourism destinations across the country, she said.

The tourism department recently launched its new Love the Philippines campaign, replacing the "It's More Fun In the Philippines" launched in 2012.

According to Frasco, this is the Philippines love letter to the world to give them an opportunity to have the full picture of the length and breadth of the story of the Filipino.

RELATED: DOT: 49M spent for slogan, other components of Love the Philippines campaign

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Frasco said there were over 102 million domestic trips in 2022. This yielded to 1.5 trillion in domestic spending, and if combined with inbound tourism spending, the whole industry contributed 1.87 trillion to the economy, which is 6.2% of the gross domestic product, she noted.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it aims to boost disaster preparedness through its "Buong Bansa Handa" program, particularly by creating two supply chain mechanisms that will ensure efficient distribution and prepositioning of relief goods.

"One is owned and ran by the government. The other one is procured by government using the existing warehouse facilities of our grocers, our food suppliers," Secretary Rex Gatchalian told reporters on the sidelines of the DSWD's Partnership Forum.

"Having two supply chains is always important because that provides you that added cushion if something happens to another one," he added.

The DSWD chief also said they have expanded the government-driven supply chain after making the rounds in local government units (LGUs) and other agencies in the past five months.

"The first line is expanding our existing series of warehouses that are government-owned and -operated. So, in the past five months, we took stock of what we have. We reached out to LGU partners that have more capacities to share, other national government agencies," the secretary shared.

Aside from engaging all levels of government, Gatchalian said the program  which is expected to be launched soon  aims to engage the private sector to aid in mobilizing resources during disasters and crises.

"But the more crucial innovation there is leveraging on the private sector's supply chain through framework agreement. See, framework agreements are like you bid out a supply contract and you don't pay them until you draw down. These are allowed in the procurement law," he explained.
Shaoyang, production and export hub for wig products in C China's Hunan

Xinhua) 10:37, June 29, 2023

Staff members work at a wig company in Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 11, 2022.

Shaoyang holds significant importance as a production and export hub for wig products in China. Currently, the city is home to 115 registered enterprises specializing in wig manufacturing.

According to official data, from January to May of this year, the city's wig product exports achieved a value of 1.88 billion yuan (about 260 million U.S. dollars). Notably, a substantial portion of these exports, totaling 1.39 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), were destined for African markets. A local wig enterprises association has estimated that more than 60 percent of wigs sold to African countries are made in Shaoyang. (Xinhua/Su Xiaozhou)

This photo taken on May 25, 2023 shows an exhibition area of a wig company in Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province.

Shaoyang holds significant importance as a production and export hub for wig products in China. Currently, the city is home to 115 registered enterprises specializing in wig manufacturing.

According to official data, from January to May of this year, the city's wig product exports achieved an export value of 1.88 billion yuan (about 260 million U.S. dollars). Notably, a substantial portion of these exports, totaling 1.39 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), were destined for African markets. A local wig enterprises association has estimated that more than 60 percent of wigs sold to African countries are made in Shaoyang. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

A staff member sells wig products to overseas markets via an e-commerce platform at a wig company in Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province, May 25, 2023.

Shaoyang holds significant importance as a production and export hub for wig products in China. Currently, the city is home to 115 registered enterprises specializing in wig manufacturing.

According to official data, from January to May of this year, the city's wig product exports achieved an export value of 1.88 billion yuan (about 260 million U.S. dollars). Notably, a substantial portion of these exports, totaling 1.39 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), were destined for African markets. A local wig enterprises association has estimated that more than 60 percent of wigs sold to African countries are made in Shaoyang. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

A staff member works at a wig company in Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province, May 25, 2023.

Shaoyang holds significant importance as a production and export hub for wig products in China. Currently, the city is home to 115 registered enterprises specializing in wig manufacturing.

According to official data, from January to May of this year, the city's wig product exports achieved an export value of 1.88 billion yuan (about 260 million U.S. dollars). Notably, a substantial portion of these exports, totaling 1.39 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), were destined for African markets. A local wig enterprises association has estimated that more than 60 percent of wigs sold to African countries are made in Shaoyang. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

ABOVE: A staff member displays a wig product at the exhibition area of a wig company in Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province, May 25, 2023. (Photo taken by Xinhua photographer Xue Yuge)

BELOW: A staff member displays a wig product at the store of a Chinese wig company in Johannesburg, South Africa, June 9, 2023. (Photo taken by Xinhua photographer Zhang Yudong)

Shaoyang holds significant importance as a production and export hub for wig products in China. Currently, the city is home to 115 registered enterprises specializing in wig manufacturing.

According to official data, from January to May of this year, the city's wig product exports achieved an export value of 1.88 billion yuan (about 260 million U.S. dollars). Notably, a substantial portion of these exports, totaling 1.39 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars), were destined for African markets. A local wig enterprises association has estimated that more than 60 percent of wigs sold to African countries are made in Shaoyang. (Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Former President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that the Philippines would not escape the wrath of China once tensions with the United States rise amid the expanded American military presence in the country.

During a show on SMNI news earlier this week, Dutert said he regularly meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to maintain an open discussion and relay that the Philippines does not have a quarrel with China.

However, he noted that the Chinese envoy stressed that if the national government provides places where there can be an aggressive action to China, the Philippines would always be a target.

Duterte then questioned the Marcos administrations decision to grant the US government more military bases.

If we are fighting a war and destroying the allies nearby, ang Pilipinas ay tatamaan talaga (the Philippines will surely be hit) because of the presence of military forces of the US," he said. "What is really sad is the Philippines granting military bases for the US."

He also noted that thinking that the US would not bring nuclear weapons would be too pretty naive or stupidity.

I said by granting America several bases, we can be sure, and I am sure as the sun will rise in the east, that these nuclear bases will have nuclear warheads, Duterte said.

The former chief executive warned that radioactive materials falling on the Philippines would remain here for more than 50 years.

It would not only be destructive," Duterte said. "I believe that the Philippines would be a graveyard if war comes.

These were the things in my mind when I was pondering the entrance of these EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) into my country, he added.

In April, the Palace identified four new EDCA sitesa move that alarmed China as these are all located in Luzon.

READ: 'Endangering peace': China warns PH over EDCA expansion plans with US

The Marcos administration has reiterated that the EDCA sites are aimed at beefing up Filipino military capacity.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  A high-ranking official of the French military on Wednesday said France seeks to continue the progression of cooperation through more joint military exercises.

We hope that the Philippine Army will take part in the exercises that we organized in French Polynesia and New Caledonia for disaster relief training together, French Joint Commander of the Asia Pacific and the French Armed Forces Rear Admiral Geoffroy d'Andigne told CNN Philippines The Final Word.

D'Andigne is in the country for a series of meetings with Philippine military and diplomatic officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, eyeing to improve defense ties between Paris and Manila.

So far, we have interactions with the [Philippine] Navy and the coastguards. We have interactions with the military patrol aircraft but, in the future, we look forward to working with the air forces and maybe with the marine and armed forces through the exercises that are organized here by the Philippine Armed Forces, he said.

D'Andigne said France is already investing in the defense sector of the Asia-Pacific region, adding that many of their military assets like French battleship Lorraine are conducting visits and missions in the Philippines.

This makes a difference in terms of capacity and in terms of presence. We have been involved through those assets coming from France, he said.

The Rear Admiral also said the nations defense ties could further improve on the aspects of sharing information and continuing the exchange of chosen officers for special training and education.

D'Andigne and members of the French Armed Forces arrived in the Philippines on Monday. It comes as Manila expands its Western alliance amid challenges arising from disputes over the South China Sea.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape and change the way we work today, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director General Gilbert Houngbo sees AI as more of an opportunity rather than a threat to employment despite studies showing that hundreds of millions of workers could be displaced in the next few years due to AI.

We are not seeing Artificial Intelligence as a threat, if any, the threat will come from lack of new skill. This is what I'm insisting on lifelong learning. Each country will have to revisit its policies, especially on the whole of education policy, Houngbo told CNN Philippines in an exclusive interview.

The ILO chief said it is important to equip workers with the right knowledge and education in order to meet the demands of changing times.

WATCH: Beyond the lead: Looking into AI's possible impact on jobs

Globally, Im not worried that AI will make people unemployed if we are well prepared and if we have training and reskilling programs we should benefit from it, the ILO chief said.

Its critical for us to invest in the skills, develop the skills, not only the productivity but the whole total productivity that we can benefit from, he added.

WATCH: The future of learning with artificial intelligence

The Department of Information and Communications Technology said it is studying requests to regulate the use of AI in the workplace.

Sen. Imee Marcos has called for an inquiry on the use of AI, claiming it may pose a threat to the business process outsourcing and original equipment manufacturing (OEM) industries.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros has called on the Department of Trade and Industry to take steps to protect the BPO industry amid the rise of AI chatbots.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Sen. Imee Marcos wants the Senate to probe the unadvised landing of a United States military aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In Senate Resolution 667, Marcos said a Boeing C-17 strategic transport aircraft owned and operated by the US military landed at the NAIA on June 26 at 8 a.m. The plane was reportedly from Guam and was carrying nine military crew and one passenger.

"The Manila International Airport Integrated Command and Control Center was not given any advisory on the arrival of aforesaid aircraft," Marcos said, citing an unnamed source.

She also said that upon verification with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the US Embassy issued an advisory to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding the aircraft.

"Why was there an apparent lack of coordination between the CAAP, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of National Defense on the matter?" Marcos asked.

"In light of the recently revealed US request for the Philippines to temporarily house Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants, the continued escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific Region, and the re-emergence of internal security threats, it is crucial for the State to carefully scrutinize the activities of foreign militaries in the country, particularly those which appear questionable or which are shrouded in secrecy," she added.

According to the senator, the CAAP said the plane left the NAIA at 6:10 p.m. or 10 hours after its landing to head to Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

"CAAP revealed that the alternate airport of the aircraft for contingencies en route to Manila was Clark International Airport," she added.

Marcos said she wants the appropriate Senate panel to investigate in aid of legislation the circumstances surrounding the landing of the US plane, possible landings other than in Manila and Puerto Princesa, whether the aircraft carried cargo, and the "real" number of people onboard and their identities.

Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, led an "urgent" public hearing on the United States' request for the Philippines to allow the admission of Afghanistan nationals on June 16.

RELATED: US only asking PH help for Afghans while their American visas are being readied  Babe Romualdez

The DFA said the request is still under review, stressing that "the Philippines has not entered or finalized any agreement with the United States on that matter."
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Around 632,000 households in Metro Manila may have to bear with water service interruptions with the lower allocation beginning July.

The National Water Resources Board has approved a lower allocation of 50 cubic meters per second (cms) for July from 52 cms as Angat Dam's water level drops.

The regulator was supposed to reduce the allocation mid-June to conserve water due to the looming El Nino, but deferred upon the request of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

"Gusto natin yung mga kababayan natin dito sa Metro Manila, patuloy na magkaroon ng magandang supply ng tubig at maiwasan po sana 'yung interruptions habang sinasaayos pa rin ng MWSS yung mga sistema ng kanilang tubig," NWRB Executive Director Bill David said.

[Translation: We want Metro Manila residents to continue having a good supply of water and to avoid interruptions while the MWSS is fixing its water systems.]

Meanwhile, the MWSS expressed hope that the rains would help raise the Angat Dam water level as the state weather bureau forecast up to four tropical cyclones next month.

"By July and August, yan po yung times based sa historical record na malakas yung ulan sa watershed natin," MWSS Division Manager Patrick Dizon said.

[Translation: By July and August, those are the times based on historical record that rain is heavy in our watershed.]

The NRWB said the expected rains may also help in the secondary water reserves of MWSS, including the Iso and La Mesa dams.

The board also approved an allocation of 28.5 cms for irrigation systems in Bulacan and Pampanga  lower than the 40 cms in June  as the NWRB anticipates lower demand from farmers next month.

CNN Philippines correspondent Currie Cator contributed to this story.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29)  Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday denied the alleged "tampering" of the bill creating the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF).

"There's no such thing as tampering. There was never a plan to tamper. There was no sinister move to tamper the measure. There was no tampering that took place," said Zubiri in a media briefing.

"We just reflected the true intention of the provisions as reflected on the transcript of records," he added. "The enrolled bill, yung pinirmahan ko sa Washington, D.C. (the one I signed at Washington, D.C.), is the truthful reflection of the intent of the members of Congress. Ayan yung intent ng (That's the intent of the) majority when we approved this."

Zubiri made the statement after Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel alleged that the enrolled bill, which is expected to be transmitted to Malacanang next week, was not the version approved by the Congress.

This was after Senator Mark Villar, the principal author of the bill, penned a letter of correction noting that the provisions on prescription period should be under a single section.

The correction was later discussed by the Senate's majority bloc through Viber before Zubiri signed the enrolled bill on June 21.

The Senate president explained that corrections were made due to an "honest oversight" of the Senate staff.

However, Pimentel said the corrections should have been made at the bicameral conference.

"Bicam should have been the last opportunity to change the bill because the purpose of the bicam is to harmonize conflicting versions of bills on the same subject matter," said Pimentel in a statement in response to Zubiri's explanation.

"Since no bicam, there was therefore no opportunity to amend or change the wording of the Senate version as approved by the Senate plenary on third and final reading."

To recall, the House of Representatives adopted the Senate version of the MIF.

For his part, Zubiri maintained that what matters is there is no intent to change any provisions of the measure.

"Ang mahalaga diyan (What matters is), there should be no intent or willful malice to change provisions or true intent on what was discussed on the floor," said Zubiri.
New Chapter for United Way of Collier and the Keys
Today is June 29, 2023 and here's what you need to know:

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is among numerous public officials who have recently been sent suspicious letters containing an unidentified but apparently harmless "white powder," the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Authorities have been investigating similar letters sent to lawmakers and other public officials characterized as predominantly Republican for at least a week, with reports of letters received in Kansas, Tennessee and Montana.

The FBI is investigating to identify the source of the letters, a bureau spokeswoman confirmed to Colorado Politics on Wednesday.

The Journal reported that suspicious letters  described as arriving in "standard, white envelopes with fake return addresses"  have also been found in Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C. At least one was addressed to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that it charged a man who allegedly threatened Gov. Jared Polis.

Jeromie James Rose, 41, was arrested Saturday by Colorado State Patrol troopers on suspicion of the felony charge retaliation against an elected official.

On June 20, Rose allegedly left a voicemail threatening the governor's life, according to a news release. He was advised of the charges against him Monday and released on $3,000 bond, according to court records.

Rose lives in the Adams County part of Aurora, according to the release. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 5 at 9:30 a.m. in Division R2.

The suspect has been charged with crimes multiple times since 2002, including "harassment - repeated calls" in 2020, to a protection order in a 2017 domestic violence case out of Boulder County in 2017, to assaulting a peace officer  which was reduced to a resisting arrest charge  in 2004 in Boulder County to a permanent protection order being placed against him by an Adams County judge in 2016.

A coalition of media entities urged a trial court judge to deny Denver Public Schools' "11th hour request" to halt releasing the recording from a March 23 executive decision held in the wake of the East High School shooting that wounded two administrators.

The DPS board appealed a trial court judge's order to DPS to release the recording. Separately, the board asked the judge to stay his release order.

After several hours in executive session in March, the board returned a memo drafted to temporarily change the districts policy barring police officers on campus, which was unanimously approved without discussion.

Colorado's second-highest court agreed earlier this month that a woman who spoke out against domestic violence online after the high-profile death of her sister cannot be held liable for defamation.

Moira Sharkey was the sister of Kathleen "Kate" Petrocco, who died in her Brighton home in July 2019. Authorities ruled the cause of death a suicide, but Sharkey and her family questioned that finding. Even if Petrocco's husband, David Petrocco Jr., was not directly involved, they believed the domestic violence Kate Petrocco experienced led to her death.

David Petrocco sued Sharkey in 2020 for multiple posts she made on Facebook, in which Sharkey lamented the justice system's handling of her sister's abuse. Petrocco interpreted her public statements as falsely implying he killed his wife.

Although a trial judge allowed David Petrocco's defamation claims to proceed, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals found Sharkey's statements were shielded under a Colorado law designed to protect free speech.

Former President Donald Trump's criminal indictment on charges of mishandling government secrets appears to have dented his popularity among Republicans  but only slightly  according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Sixty percent of Republicans now have a favorable view of Trump, down slightly from April, when 68% of Republicans said they had a favorable view of the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner. The poll found 38% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, an uptick from 30% in April.

The dip suggests some Republicans could be growing weary of Trump's legal drama after he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on federal criminal charges. Trump, who was also indicted on separate charges in New York this spring, pleaded not guilty this month to 37 felony counts accusing him of improperly storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, concealing them from investigators and refusing to turn them over when subpoenaed.
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Now seems like a good time to stay inside and rewatch every movie ever made. Trust us, there's a ton of stuff you missed the first time you watched them, or even the first dozen times ...

1. Psycho

Norman Bates drills a peephole through a painting and uses it to perv on guests. You'd have to be an art scholar to recognize that the painting shows the story of Susanna and the Elders from the Bible -- a story, appropriately, about men peeping on a bathing woman.

2. Harry Potter

In the Harry Potter series, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers keep leaving thanks to a series of absurd circumstances. Believe it or not, this is based on a gag from This is Spinal Tap, in which the band's drummers keep dying and have to be replaced.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean

Jack Sparrow wears a medallion with a Muslim moon and crescent. This could just mean he's traveled the world, foreshadowing the global pirate alliance we later see. But it could also tie into a possible inspiration for his greater design, the mascara-wearing Muslim pirate Jack Ward.

4. Jurassic Park

The boy in the film escapes into a walk-in freezer, and a raptor who chases him slips on the icy floor. But why was the door open? We see that earlier -- Hammond overindulging in the park's ice cream.

5. Predators

In the Predator camp, we see a bunch of human skulls, and also one that looks human but is a little different. It's a Homo erectus skull from our ancestor who walked the Earth 70,000 years ago. Predators have been hunting us for a long time.

6. Coraline

For details, read 6 Minor Details That Reveal Major Things About Movie Worlds

7. Star Wars

Besides looking like a samurai, Darth Vader is modeled after the first costumed supervillain ever. That's Lightning, from the 1938 serial The Fighting Devil Dogs. Before the slick black mask, earlier drafts of Vader had him as an ordinary human or looking like a Stormtrooper.

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8. The Phantom Menace

Whatever their shortcomings, the Star Wars prequels had great scores, and the new themes contained references to old ones. Palpatine's happy march music is a reworking of the Emperor's original theme. Anakin's chipper theme incorporates the classic Imperial March, as does his and Padme's love theme.

9. Rogue One

Rogue One hid a puzzle in its posters that was much more interesting than the movie. The theater displays held a message in the Star Wars language of Aurebesh, which fans, of course, managed to translate. It contained Imperial slogans -- including a quote from Grand Moff Tarkin, the first clue that he was coming back for this film.

10. The Last Jedi

Luke's arrival at the end is filled with hints that he's just a projection. He leaves no footprints, he wields a lightsaber that we saw destroyed, and he's looking a lot younger. Most subtly, flakes of salt are falling, and we can hear them hit Kylo's blade. They don't react to Luke's.

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11. Rango

Kids watching Rango might not recognize the duo dressed in red and green in the car Rango lands on. But those are the Hunter S. Thompson character and Dr. Gonzo from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Johnny Depp's other desert movie. The weird part is Rango himself is also dressed as Depp's Fear and Loathing character ...

12. Zootopia

The fox in Zootopia is wearing the same clothes as Brer Fox from Disney's Song of the South, while the bunny is wearing the same clothes as Brer Rabbit. We can only assume that Disney wanted us to revisit this earlier film, yet Song of the South is unavailable on streaming for some reas-- Oh, yeah.

13. The Conjuring 2

For details, read Genius Easter Eggs Lurking Within Famous Horror Movies

14. Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians' various past crimes are stitched onto the pants they're given in prison. Gamora's rap sheet is the longest. As for Quill, his crimes include "Having sex with members of a royal family."

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15. Iron Man 3

Happy Hogan is watching Downton Abbey in the hospital, a scene about a chauffeur falling in love with the lady of the house. In the comics, chauffeur Happy marries Pepper Potts. He doesn't get a happy ending in the movies ... but let's give him time.

16. Captain Marvel

Right after she lands on Earth, Captain Marvel picks up a VHS copy of the 1983 movie The Right Stuff. Maybe she should have watched it to get a clue about her forgotten origins. It's a movie about test pilots who venture into space.

17. Avengers: Endgame

The gang namedrops a bunch of time travel movies to explain their heist, which does not conform to Back to the Future rules. But the movie does recreate a BTTF shot right at the climax. A leviathan snapping at Rocket (before falling into dust) is modeled after an inflatable Jaws snapping at Marty.

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18. Beauty and the Beast

Right before Gaston falls from the tower, there's a subliminal shot of skulls in his eyes. So, in case you have been anxiously wondering if your Disney crush Gaston survived the movie, sorry, he didn't.

19. Us

There are so many rabbits hidden in Us, between the initially inexplicable bunny shot and the ending that reveals what's really going on. Here's one you probably missed: Zora changes out of a shirt with a rabbit on it to one with the word "Tho." That's the Vietnamese word for rabbit.

20. Get Out

For details, read 5 Movie Costumes That Had Hidden Messages You Totally Missed

21. Split

The final shot of Split, which connects it to the film from 16 years prior, Unbreakable, took everyone by surprise. Maybe it shouldn't have. The poster has cracks just like Unbreakable's did ... and if you put them side by side, the cracks seem to line up.

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22. District 9

Watch the final shots of Wikus' mourning wife, and you'll see something taped to the mirror. Those are sonograms. She's pregnant. This gives Wikus even more motivation to want to return to his old life -- though if it's going to be at least three years like Christopher implies, at least he'll miss the terrible twos.

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23. Evil Dead

All the movies in the series use a 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88, director Sam Raimi's car. Not such a big deal, but the car also appears in the remake decades later. And as Uncle Ben's car in all three Spider-Man movies. And in Drag Me to Hell, Crimewave, A Simple Plan, The Gift ...

24. Serenity

Serenity repeatedly references The Tempest. The planet is named Miranda, like the Tempest character, and "C57D" is written on a ship -- the same designation as a ship from Forbidden Planet, based on The Tempest. Also, The Tempest originated the phrase "brave new world," and the experiments from Serenity are a lot like Brave New World.

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25. Baby Driver

While he's flipping channels, Baby sees a bullfight, in which the matador "must try to end this on foot." Jon Hamm's character is likened to a bull ("when he sees red," warns another character), so to beat him, Baby naturally has to leave his car, ending it on foot.

26. The Ring

After the scene where the horse jumps off the ferry, the movie briefly flashes you with a shot of the ring from the movie's haunted tape. It may be too quick to notice, but that means you saw the tape and are now fated to die, sorry.

27. Logan

For details, read 6 Tiny Movie Details That Are Mind-Blowingly Symbolic

28. The Usual Suspects

Turkish audiences probably weren't very impressed with this film's twist. Of course, Verbal Kint and Soze are the same person -- "Soze" is Turkish for "verbal."

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29. The Silence Of The Lambs

We first see Hannibal Lecter having drawn "the Belvedere as seen from the Duomo" in Florence. The rest of the movie involves tracking down a serial killer, who turns out to be in ... Belvedere, Ohio. Did the doctor have the whole thing solved right from the start?

30. Raiders Of The Lost Ark

At the end of the movie, Indy and Marion escape divine fury by closing their eyes. This was hinted at right at the start, when Professor Jones' lecture about spirituality is interrupted by a student closing her eyes (to reveal a flirty message written on her eyelids).

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31. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull

Some people were surprised and angry by the appearance of aliens (or, er, "transdimentional beings") in this movie. But they should have been prepared. Look carefully, and there's an alien right on the movie poster.

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32. Halloween

Back in the original Halloween, John Carpenter told Jamie Lee Curtis to improvise a song, so she made up a couple lines. For the 2018 movie, 40 years later, they got a real band to record a full-length version of the song, "Close To Me."

33. Se7en

Kevin Spacey's character calls himself John Doe because he wants to stay anonymous. But "John Doe" is what police call unidentified bodies, more than anonymous criminals. We should have known from the start that John planned to die.

34. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

For details, read Crazy Hidden Details in Movie Posters

35. Kill Bill

You hopefully know The Bride's jumpsuit is an homage to Bruce Lee. But what about the kimono worn by Lucy Liu's character? That comes from the 1973 Japanese film that inspired Kill Bill, Lady Snowblood. It's a non-chronological story about a woman taking revenge on three people.

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36. Django Unchained

A bunch of Easter eggs connect characters in Tarantino films, but here's one connecting them with an outside character. Broomhilda's full name is Broomhilda von Shaft. She's an ancestor of John Shaft. Tarantino confirmed this in an interview.

37. Inglourious Basterds

Look close at Brad Pitt's character, and you'll see rope marks on his neck. He once narrowly escaped being lynched. This is mentioned explicitly in the script, which also says the scar will "never once be mentioned."

38. It Follows

This movie's demon, transmitted by sex, seems to clearly symbolize STDs. But look carefully, and a quick photo early on reveals that the monster's final form is that of the main character's father. Given that it also impersonates a character's mother, maybe it instead symbolizes parenthood?

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39. Friday The 13th

If you haven't seen the original, you might be surprised to learn that Friday The 13th was actually about a mother who becomes a serial killer. According to composer Henry Manfredini, the score foreshadows this. It goes "Ki Ki Ki Ma Ma Ma" -- meaning, "kill, kill, kill, ma, ma, ma."

40. The Matrix

It's ridiculous how many villains are named Cypher, which is a variation on "Lucifer." There's Gravity Falls, Angel Heart, Casino Royale ... the moment you met Cypher in The Matrix, you should have known he was a bad guy.

41. Black Swan

For details, read 5 Mind-Blowing Subliminal Easter Eggs Hidden in Movies

42. Toy Story

This series is full of references to The Shining. This includes the carpet from the Overlook Hotel popping up and the number "237" (the Shining's especially haunted room) appearing again and again. The jury's out on what any of this means, other than the director being a big Shining fan.

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43. The Shining

The Shining itself has a repeated number: 42. It's on Danny's shirt and Dick's license plate, Summer of '42 plays on a TV, and there are 42 cars in a parking lot. There's no clear meaning here. It could be a reference to Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, or maybe we're supposed to be creeped out by any number repeating, regardless of which one.

44. 2001: A Space Odyssey

HAL 9000 singing "Daisy Bell" is so famous that plenty of later appearances of the song in pop culture are a shout-out to 2001. People today have no idea that it was a reference to a real-life singing computer: a 1961 IBM, whose singing was hailed as a step in computers turning human.

45. The Blues Brothers

The script for 2001: A Space Odyssey featured a line that didn't make it into the final movie: "See you next Wednesday." John Landis liked this completely unremarkable line so much that he turned it into a running gag, sticking it in The Blues Brothers and a dozen other of his films.

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46. Batman & Robin

Batman & Robin features a gang modeled after the one from A Clockwork Orange. Which makes sense -- at least it's not, say, a gang based on Kubrick's period film Barry Lyndon. Wait, no: Batman & Robin has a gang based on Barry Lyndon too.

47. A Quiet Place

When the aliens approach, the lights flicker, and in the final scene, their arrival scrambles the TV. Why? Because they have electromagnetic powers, of course, explaining how they defeated the militaries of the world.

48. It

For details, read 7 Brilliant Movie Clues That Were Hidden In Plain Sight

49. A Star Is Born

If you were lucky enough to watch the recent A Star Is Born without having been clued to the story's ending by any of the previous versions of the film, you still might have got a hint about the ending early on. When we first see Jackson, who's doomed to kill himself, he's silhouetted against a billboard filled with nooses.

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50. Knives Out

This dead man in Knives Out is named Harlan Thrombey. This is a reference to the book Who Killed Harlowe Thrombey? -- which isn't some groundbreaking detective novel but a Choose Your Own Adventure Book for kids.

51. Memento

Leonard tells of Sammy, another amnesiac, a man who accidentally killed his wife. But watch carefully, and for just a frame, Sammy's face is replaced with Leonard's. This foreshadows the movie's twist: This part of the story is actually about Leonard himself. His wife wasn't murdered -- Lenny killed her by mistake.

52. Inception

Inception features the song "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Edith Piaf and also its own score with a very memorable repeated throbbing tone. This tone is actually the Piaf song slowed down. Which makes sense because the dreaming characters who hear it are sensing a slowed-down version of the real world.

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53. The Dark Knight

In the opening scene, Joker is wearing a Joker mask over his usual Joker face. This is a subtle nod to the fact that he is the Joker. ... But seriously, that's not just any clown mask. They modeled it on the Pagliacci face Cesar Romero wore in his first Batman episode, Joker's first-ever live-action appearance.

54. The Dark Knight Rises

Hear that chanting that accompanies Bane's scenes, which ends up being a bunch of prisoners urging Bruce to "rise?" Hans Zimmer made it by getting countless Batman fans to submit recordings of themselves doing the chant online.
After months of waiting we finally get to enjoy the magical majesty that is season 4 of What We Do In The Shadows. The mockumentary vampiric comedy from the mind of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi mixes the fantastic with the mundane to create a sitcom like no other. Here are 11 facts approved by the vampiric council.

11 It Was Based On A Short Film Defender Films While many know that the What We Do in The Shadows series is based on the Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement 2014 indie cult classic feature film of the same name, what you may not know is that THAT film is based on a short film made by the duo in 2005 entitled What We Do in The Shadows: Interviews With Some Vampires.

10 Colin The Energy Vampire Improvises His Rants FX Mark Proksch, who plays Colin in the series, said the character is based on several people hes met in L.A. through temp jobs and grad school. Colin is known for sucking the energy out of anyone who converses with him with long boring explanations of the mundane. Proksch told Vulture his favorite topics to drone on about are 60s jazz and wine, because hes able to tap into his own knowledge base for the improvised rant. He added, They usually just give me an idea and Ill go off on it, or else in the script theyll give me a jumping-off point, which is really very nice that they consider me good enough to do that.

9 Mark Hamill Is A Huge Fan FX Mark Hamill, who was featured in the second season of the show, is also one of its biggest fans. Hamill told Rolling Stone, It immediately became one of my all-time favorite comedies Ive ever seen on television. Show creator Jemaine Clement said, Out of all the people Ive met, even at Comic-Con, none of them was as excited about the show as Mark Hamill. One time, I was at Skywalker Ranch, and they have a lightsaber there. And I was so excited to see this lightsaber. Our costume designer, Amanda Neale, gave Mark the ring I wore in the film, and he was as excited to have that as I was about the lightsaber, which blew me away.

8 Why Taika Didnt Return Defender Films When Waititi and Clement were discussing the early drafts of the show, they decided early on that they could not justify their characters leaving New Zealand for the U.S. version. In addition, the two had no desire to star in the show, with Taika saying, we played those characters for so long. We just couldn't think of anything worse than -- also I don't like shaving, clean shaving, my face. I had to that every day for that character. I don't like putting makeup on. I don't like the feeling of it on my skin. I know that sounds insane, but that was one of the reasons I was like, I don't want to be in the show. I hate shaving. Advertisement Advertisement

7 The Rules Of The Universe FX According to Clement, We stay pretty basic '70s/'80s vampire rules, with a little bit of '30s. They can turn into bats. They can't go in the sunlight; they don't sparkle in the sun, they die. They have to be invited in; in a lot of literature vampires have to be invited into private buildings, but this is a documentary so it's the real rules which means they have to be invited into any building."

6 The Origins Of The Energy Vampire FX Did you know that What We Do In The Shadows is the first appearance of an energy vampire? Taika told Thrillist, We always talked about energy vampires, like you would be at a party like, Oh, man, stay away from that guy, he's a real energy vampire. It was just a term. That was something Jemaine thought would be funny, just to have a character that is essentially human and talks to people. But you see him walk around in the daytime. Advertisement Advertisement

5 The Show Constantly Films At Night FX Because of the vampiric nature of the show, the series has more night shoots than most. Because of this, they try to improvise quickly and concisely on outdoor shots, because according to Natasia Demetriou, when youre outside and Mark is in a grave and its minus-15, youve got to get through it, or someone might die.

4 The Cameo Filled Vampiric Council Play In the episode The Trial, you may have noticed some familiar faces (pun intended). The episode served as an all-out cameo-fest with former TV and movie vampires. Tilda Swinton from Only Lovers Left Alive, Evan Rachel Wood from True Blood, Danny Trejo from From Dusk till Dawn, and Paul Reubens from Buffy the Vampire Slayer all appear in the episode, along with a Skype call with Wesley Snipes from Blade. Advertisement Advertisement

3 The Idea Came From A Vampire Sketch Defender Films Jemaine told The New York Times We had played this thing on stage one time. Taika, Bret , and I all went to Calgary, to do a show, where one of us was on stage playing a vampire, doing vampire jokes. The only one I remember is like : I just flew from Transylvania, and boy are my arms tired. Because they were wings, and I flew all the way. I think that was Taika doing that, and then Id get up from the audience, dressed as a vampire, too, and Im heckling him. Youve been heckling me for 250 years! You heckled me in Vienna in 1563!

2 The Creators and Cast Are Constantly Sleeping On Set FX Taika Waititi told The New York Times that he and Jemaine are always searching for places to sleep while filming at night. Waititi said, Wed nap all the time. Id see a couch and be like, Theres my couch. Matt Berry is also a huge napper. On the sets, wed scope out the beds. And Id be, Oh, thats mine. And then Id come in and Matt would be in it. Advertisement Advertisement
Some of us are born with what people call a Type A personality, or an internal predilection for order and using both shampoo and conditioner. Starting our day with a neat, nutritious breakfast and ending it in a neatly made bed. Calendars so organized they look theyve been constructed by a bricklayer, and an inbox that isnt gurgling helplessly like a drowning rat as it tries to store an ungodly amount of unread emails.

I am not that person. I like to live my life with, lets say, a little more emphasis on improvisation. But that doesnt mean that those of us with Jenga-adjacent workspaces cant achieve great things. After all, if the neatniks had their way, wed have never discovered penicillin. History has its share of thoroughly messy individuals who, if they were around today, would have bedsheets just as full of crumbs as the rest of us, if not worse.

Here are five historical figures who lived their life in goblin mode

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5 Michelangelo Public Domain He was better at pleasing the eyes than the nose. Michelangelo is one of the greatest artists in history, known for creating things of incredible, timeless beauty. By all reports, though, his living space was not among those things, and his personal hygiene was responsible for the sort of odor that could clear every tourist out of the Sistine Chapel. He wasnt a particular fan of socialization, and kept a bathing schedule that would ensure it was minimized. Advertisement Things became particularly disgusting the lower you moved down his body  and no, not that part, you perv. Apparently, Michelangelo would wear his boots pretty much 24/7, until his little tootsies were positively gasping for air. When he finally stripped off his footwear, according to Ascanio Condivi, his skin would come with them. Look, I may not hit the laundromat as often as I should, but at least none of my clothes are fused to my body.

4 Paracelsus Aegidius Sadeler As a modern man might say about his workshop, You know it smell crazy in there. Paracelsus was an ancient doctor with one specific area of interest: alchemy. Now, alchemy might seem pretty cool, what with all the minerals and bubbling beakers and being the basis for some pretty excellent anime. What the neater representations of alchemy avoid, however, is its necessity for mixing up all manner of nasty little liquids. Its not all saltpeter and silver and cool-colored flames. Advertisement One of Paracelsus grossest pet projects (literally) was his attempt to create a homunculus, an old-timey term for what we now know as a little guy. The recipe Paracelsus followed in his efforts to create life without copulation, probably because an alchemical lab doesnt exactly welcome conjugal visitors, included combining sperm, blood and horseshit in a jar. Worst of all, it wasnt supposed to be an immediate reaction, so he had to keep what was basically a miniature music festival porta-potty around for 40 days. Really let those flavors marry, you know? Advertisement

3 Marilyn Monroe Los Angeles Times There might be a reason why there  s no one behind her. Advertisement As a foremost sex symbol in modern society, youd think that being in Marilyn Monroes direct personal space would have been a highly pleasant experience. And for those like John F. Kennedy, Im sure it was. People might have been a little less eager to get between her sheets, though, once they realized what else might have been in there, like, reportedly, a whole lot of food. Were not just talking cookie crumbs and an occasional soy-sauce stain, either  when she was finished eating in bed, she reportedly stored leftovers under her sheets. But to even discover her little culinary caches, youd first have to fight through what was apparently not a particularly lovely personal odor. She hated bathing, and loved farting, a like/dislike combination that doesnt invite many nostrils pointed in your direction. To be honest, the whole thing might just make her sexual energy more impressive, given that most men and plenty of women would have still cut off their leg for an evening in her company. Advertisement

2 Diogenes Public Domain Basically Oscar the Philosopher Advertisement When most people think of Ancient Greek philosophers, they probably imagine a regal, thoughtful thinker, posed similarly to the famous statue. Diogenes, however, was very much not that. First of all, he lived in an empty storage jar, a choice so deeply strange thats hard to embellish for the sake of comedy. His old-school Oscar the Grouch style living quarters were just the beginning, too. He was also known for eating food off the ground and masturbating in public, as well as shitting pretty much where and whenever the need arose, not that his home/jar offered an en-suite bathroom. Advertisement Gross, to be sure, but his living style was also a calculated choice, one Diogenes intended as a statement. He hated, above all, peoples need to follow societally-approved customs and behavior. The dude was basically an ancient crust punk, who probably would have loved G.G. Allin. Replace Greece with New York City and hed probably be posted up in a subway station covered in Crass patches, doling out quotes like, In a rich mans house there is no place to spit but his face.
Its finally happening. Jason Biggs is using his American Pie fame to sell actual warm apple pies to people who probably didnt actually watch the first movie.

Biggs recently partnered with Edwards Desserts to begin hawking a line of hot, seductive pastries in what is probably the first marketing strategy in history in which a company sells food by using a celebrity endorsement from a guy famous for fucking that food. Biggs helped his new partners to devise a signature dish, the Pie Lovers Passion Fruit, which he hopefully created using his hands and no other part of his body.

Speaking to People, Biggs cheekily proclaimed, Apple pie and I have a very long storied history together, lots of ups and downs, mostly ups, which is pretty much exactly what everyone says when they get back together with an ex.

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I remember when I first read the script, I thought it was so great, unlike anything else I had read, Biggs said of American Pie, and, specifically, the scene that changed his relationship with the dessert forever. Biggs recalled the performance anxiety he experienced before the big moment, saying, The day of filming came and I had this momentary freakout where I thought, Oh geez, what if no one sees this? Or what if they do see it? And they think, What the heck did that guy do? Why would he do that? That's awful. My confidence waned.

Thankfully, Biggs had a wingman to help him through the experience of popping his cherry (or apple), explaining, I called my manager, and I remember telling him like, Dude, am I really about to go in there and do this with a pie? Is this porn? Am I tripping? Is this not as funny as I thought it was? Am I really going to do this? And he literally told me, Jason, you go in there, and you hump that pie with all you got,.

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I went in there, and I was like, Okay, 110 percent, here we go, and I did the first take and there was this quick pause and I remember thinking, Oh my God, what's happening? And all of a sudden, everyone on set burst out laughing and I thought, Oh, this is amazing. This is a home run. Upon consummating his craving, Biggs relief was instant, or as he puts it, Since that moment, Ive never ever questioned anything. That was a turning point in my life where I was like, No, if I think its funny, you just go for it. If you fall flat on your face, so be it.

Nearly 25 years later, Biggs is cashing in on the moment when he went from boy to man with his moms apple pie. Those who purchase Biggs limited edition signature pie will also receive an autograph from the actor himself  hopefully thats all that Biggs puts on the pie.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
This is, probably, the first time in celebrity scandal history that a public figure has needed a ukulele to deny grooming allegations.

Colleen Ballinger, best known by her YouTube alter ego Miranda Sings, posted a vlog today with the simple title hi. Ballinger began the video with a ukulele in hand and a saddened expression on her unusually unanimated face, strumming a simple chord progression and speaking in rhythm, Hey, its been a while since you saw my face. I havent been doing so great so I took a little break. A lot of people are saying some things about me that arent quite true  doesnt matter if its true, though, as long as its entertaining too.

Ballinger has been battling accusations that she formed inappropriate relationships with members of her teen-skewing fandom since 2020, when another YouTuber, Adam McIntyre, publicly claimed that Ballinger exhibited a pattern of grooming-type behavior toward him when the two maintained an online friendship while McIntyre was between the ages of 13 and 16. Even though my team has strongly advised me not to say what I want to say, Ballinger commented during a break between verses, I recently realized that they never said that I couldnt sing what I wanted to say.

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The Miranda Sings YouTube channel boasts over 10 million subscribers, some of whom have been following the comedic musician since she started posting on the platform back in 2008. Ballingers Miranda character is an eccentric, delusional and satirical figure who sings poorly and dances worse, all while sporting bright red lipstick and demanding that Haters back off, a catchphrase that became the title of Ballingers two-season Netflix series, which ran from 2016 to 2017.

Throughout her career, Ballinger has maintained massive popularity among teens and tweens, and a feature of her online persona has long been her eagerness to engage with fans personally through her various social media accounts. Today, many of those former fans who formed relationships with Ballinger as children are adults who view their interactions with the internet star as hugely inappropriate, and the fandom is currently undergoing a reckoning on a massive scale as millions of Ballingers followers grapple with the possibility that their childhood hero may have been reckless  or even deliberately inappropriate  in her interactions with minors.

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Ballinger put out a video addressing McIntyres allegations when he first brought them to light in 2020, but given the recent resurgence in rumors and stories surrounding her interactions with underaged fans, the YouTuber belted her response to the toxic gossip train and its one-way ticket to manipulation station in a song with a runtime that would make even the most verbose of prog-rock bands blush.

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Highlights of the apology anthem include lines like The only thing Ive ever groomed is my two Persian cats, and Im sure youre disappointed in my shitty little song, I know you wanted me to say that I was 100 percent in the wrong, well Im sorry Im not gonna take that route of admitting to lies and rumors that you made up for clout.

However, Ballingers fans have not received the operatic apologia with the warmth that they typically have for her comedic covers of Top 20 pop songs. Said one commenter, I want an apology for this apology.
In case you havent watched his animated shows over the last 20 years, Seth MacFarlane is a sick man. Dont let his love of musical theater fool you; underneath all that song and dance is a man with a very dark sense of humor. If youre questioning this, it wont take us long to show you why were making such a claim.

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And so, lets get right to it: Here are some of the darkest jokes from the MacFarlane TV universe...

15 Roger and Francines Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf Roleplaying Goes Off the Rails In American Dad, Roger and Francine got way into character when trying to scare off the people they were hosting. The joke is dark but isnt too dissimilar from the source material theyre referencing.

14 Im a Bear On The Cleveland Show, Tim the Bear remembers what he is and lets Donna know in gruesome detail. Play

13 Peters School Shooting Plan In typical sitcom fashion, Peter plans on infiltrating his kids school by posing as a student. In atypical sitcom fashion, it turns into a Columbine joke. Play

12 Stan Washes His Mom in the Bathtub American Dads Stan Smith has a close relationship with his mom  a very uncomfortably close relationship. Play Advertisement Advertisement

11 Laura Bush Killed a Guy Like many spouses, Peter and Lois dress up in a couples costume for a Halloween party on Family Guy. Unlike most couples, theirs is a reference to the time in 1963 when Laura Bush drove past a stop sign and crashed into another car, killing the driver. Play

10 The Plot to Baby Mama On Family Guy, Stewie brings up the ages of the stars of Baby Mama and the possible result of the film if it were to happen in real life. Its well, it doesnt end well. Play Advertisement Advertisement

9 Lorettas Death When Cleveland left Family Guy to star in The Cleveland Show, he got a new family while leaving his ex-wife Loretta behind. She would then be killed off in the most dignified way possible. Play

8 Peters Lawsuit Against Dr. Hartman Peter takes Dr. Hartman to court over a routine prostate exam that he made up as a series of violating flashbacks. Advertisement Advertisement

7 Nathan on American Dad This is victim-blaming but, yeah, to continue with the theme, darkly funny. Play

6 Stewies Set-Up Stewie fools a high school girl into committing a disturbing crime and then struts his way out of the school. Play Advertisement Advertisement

5 Family Guys Prom Night Dumpster Baby The title says it all. Play

4 The Peanuts Reunion Family Guy references a Peanuts reunion when the gang is all grown up, but things take a turn that Charles Schulz would have never intended. Play Advertisement Advertisement

3 Roger Kills Five People Over $20 American Dad is just saying that if you get a ride in a limo for $20, you should just pay the $20. You never know who youll piss off if you dont. Play

2 Family Guys Commentary on Racial Profiling Play Advertisement Advertisement
The number of fileless or memory-based attacks that exploit existing software, applications, and protocols have surged 1,400% in the last year. That's according to Aqua Security's 2023 Cloud Native Threat Report, which summarizes research and observations of threat actors' changing tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), along with outlining strategies for protecting cloud environments.

Based on analysis by Aqua Nautilus researchers of 700,000 real-world attacks, the report covers three key areas: software supply chain, risk posture (including vulnerabilities and misconfigurations), and runtime protection. Among key findings is that threat actors are heavily investing resources to conceal campaigns and avoid detection to establish a stronger foothold in compromised systems. Meanwhile, various areas in the cloud software supply chain remain vulnerable to compromise and pose significant threats to organizations, the report stated.

Threat actors use multiple techniques to conceal campaigns

Threat actors are using many techniques to conceal their campaigns from agentless solutions, according to the report. Aggregated honeypot data collected over a six-month period showed that more than 50% of attacks focused on defense evasion. Attacks include masquerading techniques, such as files executed from /tmp, and obfuscated files or information, such as dynamic loading of code. In addition, threat actors used memory resident malware in 5% of attacks, Aqua said.

The most persuasive evidence of threat actors' increasing and successful efforts to evade agentless technology was found in the "HeadCrab" campaign, detected in early 2023. "This advanced threat actor uses state-of-the-art, custom-made malware that is undetectable by agentless and traditional antivirus technologies," the report read. Aqua found evidence that HeadCrab has taken control of at least 1,200 Redis servers, some of them belonging to security companies. "The malware uses Redis commands and creates new commands to increase capabilities on its victims' servers." Such evasive attack techniques highlight the importance of agent-based runtime security, Aqua said.

4 steps to tackling evasive, concealed attacks

Assaf Morag, lead threat intelligence researcher for Aqua Nautilus, advises businesses to implement four steps to mitigate the threats of attacks that use evasion/concealment to avoid cloud security defenses:

Regularly monitor and analyze logs. "Collect and analyze logs from various cloud services and infrastructure components, Morag says. Implement a robust log management system and employ security information and event management (SIEM) tools to detect and respond to suspicious activities and potential evasion attempts." Implement network segmentation, as segmenting cloud networks into separate zones or virtual networks with different security controls helps contain the impact of a successful attack, Morag says. "This limits lateral movement within the cloud environment and reduces the chances of an attacker successfully evading detection." Use intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to monitor network traffic and detect known attack patterns. "These systems can identify and block evasion techniques employed by attackers to bypass security defenses," he adds. Use behavior-based anomaly detection. Employ advanced security solutions that conduct behavior analytics to identify abnormal activities and deviations from normal patterns, Morag says. "This helps detect evasive tactics employed by attackers that may be difficult to identify using traditional signature-based approaches, including defense evasion techniques."

Software supply chain complexity creates large attack surface

The report also highlights how software supply chain complexity presents a large attack surface that includes various applications, potentially leading to misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. Aqua's data indicates that supply chain attacks grew by more than 300% year-over-year. One area that the report focuses on is how threat actors exploit software packages and use them as attack vectors to subvert the wider software supply chain. "Through our research, we demonstrated how attackers can perform reconnaissance and exploit packages in the NPM package manager," Aqua wrote. This involved using NPM's API to detect private packages and identifying flaws in two-factor authentication that could enable account takeover attacks.
Researchers warn that a vulnerability patched this month in VMware Aria Operations for Networks, formerly known as vRealize Network Insight, is now seeing exploitation en masse. The flaw allows for remote code execution through command injection and is rated with critical severity.

New data from Akamai shows the scale of active scanning for sites vulnerable to CVE-2023-20887 is much greater than originally reported, researchers from Akamai told CSO via email. There have been 695,072 total attacks thus far by 508 unique IP addresses. Akamai has also observed more than 27,000 of its customers' sites being scanned.

Not the only VMware Aria Operations flaw

VMware released patches for the CVE-2023-20887 vulnerability on June 7, along with fixes for two other flaws in Aria Operations for Networks, one of which is also critical and can lead to remote code execution. While CVE-2023-20887 is a command injection flaw, the second vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-20888, is a deserialization issue. In programming languages, serialization is the process of transforming data into a byte stream for transmission to another application and deserialization is the reverse of that process. Because deserialization routines involve the parsing and interpretation of user-controlled data, they have been the source of many vulnerabilities.

Attackers can exploit both CVE-2023-20887 and CVE-2023-20888 if they have network access to the vulnerable application, but the latter also requires the attacker to have "member" role credentials to perform the attack, which makes it less practical to expose.

The third vulnerability, CVE-2023-20889, is a command injection vulnerability that can lead to sensitive information disclosure and is rated 8.8 (High) on the CVSS severity scale.

VMware advises customers to deploy the patches available for their respective version as soon as possible. The company has updated its advisory on June 13 to warn that exploit code for CVE-2023-20887 was released and again on June 20 to warn that active exploitation has occurred in the wild. According to Akamai and telemetry from attack monitoring service GreyNoise, since then the number of attacks have increased.
With the explosion of generative AI programs such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Bing, it's becoming easier to create convincing deepfakes that sound, look, move, and express realistically enough to fool business users and customers into falling for new forms of trickery. And the types of deepfakes we're seeing today, such as the fake of Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring martial law over trusted television and radio stations, are only the beginning.

Deepfakes can ruin a company's reputation, bypass biometric controls, phish unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links, and convince financial agents to transfer money to offshore accounts. Attacks leveraging deepfakes can happen over many channels from social media to fake person-to-person video calls over Zoom. Voicemail, Slack channels, email, mobile messaging, and metaverses are all fair game for distributing deepfake scams to businesses and personal users.

Cyber liability insurers are beginning to take notice, and as they do, their security requirements are beginning to adjust to the new 'fake' reality. This includes, but is not limited to, better hygiene across the enterprise, renewed focus on home worker systems, enforced multifactor authentication, out-of-band confirmation to avoid falling for deepfake phishing attempts, user and partner education, and third-party context-based verification services or tools.

Even the diligent can be deepfake-fooled

In early June, two instances of voicemail impersonation were reported to Rob Ferrini, cyber insurance program manager at McGowanPRO, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, with 5,000 cyber-insured clients covered by its insurance partners.

One led to an open claim under investigation, in which the insured was an accounting firm and an accountant there received a voicemail from one of his business customers to change the instructions for a vendor and make payment on a $77,000 invoice. "The accountant then called their client to verify, and his client reported that he got the same voicemail from their vendor account, so it's probably OK. It ended up that the accountant's client paid a $77,000 invoice to a fraudulent bank account," Ferrini says.

While the accountant did his due diligence and called his client, the client did not do their diligence and call their vendor for confirmation that the voicemail was real. If the insurance investigators cannot claw the money back, the accountant's client may not get reimbursed. Inversely, in that same week, a wealth manager contacted Ferrini to tell him how out-of-band authentication (OOBA) protected his client from falling for an impersonator trying to get him to open a fake mortgage. Before giving away any information to the scammer, the client simply called to ask the wealth manager if that was true, and he told him it was fake.
A massive spike in ransomware activity in May and June 2023 has been attributed to a relatively unknown ransomware group called 8Base.

"Although the 8Base Ransom Group is not necessarily a new group, their spike in activity recently has not gone unnoticed. Even within the past 30 days, it is within the top 2 performing ransom groups," VMware said in a report. "Not much was known publicly about the kind of ransomware used by 8Base other than the ransom note and that it appends encrypted files with the extension '.8base'."

The group utilizes encryption paired with "name-and-shame" techniques to compel its victims to pay their ransoms. 8Base has an opportunistic pattern of compromise with recent victims spanning across varied industries, VMware said.

8Base is a Ransomware group that has been active since March 2022. The group describes itself as "simple pen testers." Their leak site provides victim details through Frequently Asked Questions and Rules sections as well as multiple ways to contact the group.

Chart comparing 8Base Ransom Group victimization statistics with other known Ransom Groups. VMware

The group has been linked to 67 attacks as of May 2023, with about half of the victims operating in the business services, manufacturing, and construction sectors. A majority of the targeted companies are located in the US and Brazil, according to statistics gathered by Malwarebytes and NCC Group.

Similarities with RansomHouse

While reviewing 8Base, the researchers noticed there were significant similarities between the 8Base group and another group called RansomHouse.
A former member of the United States military was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for conspiring to unlawfully export to Russia defense articles  including thermal imaging riflescopes and night vision goggles  without a license in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.

Igor Panchernikov, 41, a former Corona resident who once served in the United States Air Force Reserves, was sentenced by United States District Judge Andre Birotte Jr.

Panchernikov pleaded guilty on March 24 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. He has been in federal custody since July 2022 after Israel extradited him to the United States.

From December 2016 to May 2018, Panchernikov conspired with other individuals to knowingly export from the United States to Russia defense articles without obtaining from the State Department a valid license or other approval for such exports.

Panchernikov's accomplices purchased defense articles  including thermal riflescopes, weapons sights, monoculars and night vision googles  from various online sellers located in the United States and directed the sellers to mail those items to Panchernikov's residence in Corona.

At his Corona residence, Panchernikov received at least 19 defense articles that his co-conspirators purchased from online sellers. After receiving these items, Panchernikov inspected the items to ensure that they were undamaged and operational. Pursuant to his co-conspirators' instructions, Panchernikov then mailed two of the items to accomplices in Russia and mailed 17 defense articles to Elena Shifrin, 61, of Mundelein, Illinois, who then mailed these items to Russia.

To conceal his unlawful activities, when Panchernikov exported the two defense articles to Russia, he listed fictitious sender names on the packages containing the items. He also falsely identified the items in the packages as non-export-controlled items, such as clothing. Finally, he concealed the defense articles in other items, including a drill press.

Shifrin pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Her sentencing hearing is expected in the coming months.

Vladimir Pridacha, 58, of Volo, Illinois, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in this case and has an August 29 trial date scheduled.

Two other defendants charged in this case  Boris Polosin, of Russia, and Vladimir Gohman, of Israel  are fugitives.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The FBI's Los Angeles and Chicago field offices investigated this matter, with substantial assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant United States Attorneys David T. Ryan, Chief of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, and Wilson Park of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
In a 6-3 vote on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, which took race into consideration in admissions decisions, were unconstitutional.

The cases evaluated were Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case.

In the ruling documents, the court wrote that Harvards and UNCs admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The 14th Amendment prohibits states from enforcing laws that curtail privileges or immunities against U.S. citizens.

The policies were overturned from a 2003 ruling, Grutter v. Bollinger, which favored race to factor into admissions processes.

In response to the decision, University of Oregon Interim President Jamie Moffitt expressed the universitys disappointment in the decision in an email sent to UO community members.

The University of Oregon shares the concerns of our university peers across the nation that this ruling will impact the ability of underrepresented students to access the benefits of higher education, Moffitt said in the email.

She went on to say that the UO will adhere to its comprehensive review of applications received and said admissions are based on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

In the 2022-2023 school year, the UO enrolled 7,615 students of color out of a total of 23,202 students. More than half of the students, 14,207, were white.

The UO will continue to seek to attract and retain underrepresented and underserved students while providing them with equitable and inclusive access to higher education, Moffitt said.

In the Supreme Court's majority opinion, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. argued that students ought to be treated based on their experiences, rather than on the basis of race.

In the email, Moffitt said they are carefully reviewing this decision and will evaluate what changes need to be made.

We are carefully reviewing the decision and will make any necessary changes to our processes to comply with the ruling while ensuring we continue to achieve our mission-driven goals of providing access, opportunity, equity, and inclusion for students, Moffitt said.

This story is breaking and will be updated.
The scandal surrounding Britain's stinking rivers, its increasingly pitiful water supplies and its outrageously greedy and incompetent water companies has exceeded our very worst expectations.

Thames Water, which serves 15 million people, is locked in crisis talks with ministers to try to avert financial collapse. Emergency measures to take it into public ownership are even being considered. Its chief executive, Sarah Bentley, quit on Tuesday.

Ministers are drawing up contingency plans to temporarily nationalise Thames Water, which is mainly owned by Canadian, Chinese and Australian funds.

Its perilous state  carrying 14 billion of debt  may partly have been caused by a previous, Australian owner, which has been criticised for underinvesting in the company, extracting billions in dividends and increasing its debt.

Leaks from its pipes are at a five-year high, at some 630 million litres a day, a staggering quarter of its supplies  and it is again due to miss its target for repairing them this year. It discharged raw sewage into the environment 8,014 times last year (that's 22 times a day) at 378 locations, over a total of 74,693 hours.

Thames Water, which serves 15 million people, is locked in crisis talks with ministers to try to avert financial collapse

The scandal surrounding Britain's stinking rivers, its increasingly pitiful water supplies and its outrageously greedy and incompetent water companies has exceeded our very worst expectations

Despite this shameful catalogue of failings, it made over 400 million in profit and paid its shareholders 37.1 million. Bentley herself got nearly 5 million in salaries and bonuses over her three years in the job. Earlier this year, she announced she would give up her bonus following poor environmental and customer performance, but still managed to double her pay to 1.5 million.

Thames Water's crisis follows hard on the heels of another at South East Water. Their customers were cut off for six days earlier this month and schools had to be closed during exams. It's the third incident in a year after mains failures at Christmas and last summer. South East has also imposed this year's first new hose pipe ban.

Yet its reservoirs are full and, as the Mail reported last week, it leaks enough water annually to fill Wembley Stadium 33 times over. You might think the firm  three-quarters owned by Australian and Canadian fund management companies  would be contrite. But no. It is blaming its customers for working from home.

These are just two of such scandals. In all, the industry made a massive 301,091 discharges of raw sewage into rivers and the sea from its 'storm overflows' last year (825 a day). These are supposed to be used only in exceptional weather, but are now routine: the discharges have increased almost tenfold in just five years.

Not a single one of the country's 3,651 rivers, lakes and estuaries are in good overall health. Yet in December the Government pushed back the target date for cleaning most of them up from 2027 to 2063.

This has special resonance for me. In 1972, when I started covering this issue, exposing river polluters, the government promised a clean-up within five years. Now the task will not be completed in 90.

Meanwhile, a gargantuan trillion litres of water annually leaks away before reaching users. That is some 40,000 litres per household  or the equivalent of someone turning up and pointlessly flushing your lavatory 18 times every day.

The companies only aim to halve this massive wastage by 2050  and that is wildly optimistic. An analysis by the Angling Trust showed that, at the present rate, it would take them 2,000 years to replace their pipes.

They have, purposefully, neglected investment. Between 2020 and 2022, almost all companies underspent their budgets for improving water supplies and sewage treatment. South West Water spent only 39 per cent of its allowance for sewage, Yorkshire Water a pathetic 20 per cent.

Yet companies have paid out 65.9 billion in dividends in the three decades since privatisation. The payout doubled last year, despite widespread public concern about the companies' performance.

Ministers are drawing up contingency plans to temporarily nationalise Thames Water, which is mainly owned by Canadian, Chinese and Australian funds

Little of this benefited Britons, since over 70 per cent of the industry is foreign-owned. Indeed, even as this dividend bonanza raged, our water bills increased by a third in real terms  and some have risen by another 11 per cent this year.

None of this was meant to happen. Privatisation was supposed to end underinvestment.

Michael Howard, then the minister in charge of the sell-off, promised it would enable suppliers to launch 'the biggest programme of sustained investment in their history'. To make this easier, companies were sold for much less than their market value and given 6.5 billion of taxpayers' money to clear their debts. Ministers also promised that the firms would stay in British hands.

There was a bit more investment at first  but it soon declined. There were plenty of early warnings of the consequences but they were ignored.

Last month the water industry finally apologised for its record and promised to triple investment over the next decade. But, outrageously, it said it would have to put up bills to pay for it: some parts of the country could face rises of 40 per cent.

This despite Ofwat, the water regulator, making it clear that the companies already have all the money they need.

It is high time that the water industry was brought to heel. This means more, tougher regulation, something that successive governments have avoided. Their long over-indulged owners, not the public, must shoulder the cost of the investments they should have made many years ago.

They should pay massive fines when things go wrong, but even that is not enough, since in the past they have preferred these to making crucial investments. Their bosses should themselves be subject to prosecution; last year the then head of the Environment Agency called for them to be jailed if needs be.

Both Ofwat and the Environment Agency need radical reform.

Although it has been improving recently, Ofwat has been complicit in the scandal of the past few decades, while the agency has been both under-resourced and underpowered.

An investigation this week disclosed a 'revolving door' of executives between both bodies and the water companies.

Britons simply will not tolerate the companies' scandalous conduct, and the regulators' neglect, any more. It is already emerging as an election issue.

The Government must treat the Thames Water crisis as a wake-up call and set about transforming the whole industry  without delay.
A London Underground expert has revealed a money saving hack for avoiding an extortionate travel fare to Heathrow Airport - and it could save you as much as 21.50.

Tom (@vaguely.mundane), a transport influencer on TikTok, says the key is making your way to Hatton Cross Station on the Picadilly line on the Tube, and taking advantage of the airport's 'Free Travel Zone'.

This means you can can travel for free between Hatton Cross and any of the terminals, using your Oyster card and the whole journey will cost you just 3.50 if you travel off peak.

The catch is that you have to get off the tube and tap out before re-entering the ticket gates.

However, it could save you 86 per cent on taking the Heathrow Express, which costs 25 for a single ticket, and is still more affordable than cheaper alternatives like the Elizabeth Line (12.20) or taking the Piccadilly Line directly to Heathrow (5.50).

'Hatton Cross station is in the free travel area but unlike the Heathrow station it's not always peak time there,' he explained.

Anyone travelling to Heathrow Airport at any time of day on the Tube and Elizabeth Line will be charged peak fares if they start, end or go through Zone 1.

However, Hatton Cross Station has the same peak and off peak hours as the rest of the network.

Tom explained: 'If you're travelling off peak you can get off at Hatton Cross, tap out, tap back in and continue to Heathrow.'

If you're travelling to Hatton Cross from Zone 1 - using an Oyster or contactless with no railcard - your entire journey will set you back 3.50.

Tom added the Hatton Cross hack is still cheap at peak times - costing only 50p extra.

However, the TikToker admitted that there are some cons.

For one, Hatton Cross is full of stairs - without a lift - and isn't great if you have heavy luggage with you.

Taking the Piccadilly Line may also be slower than the Elizabeth Line or the Heathrow Express, he said, using the example of travelling from Zone 1 - but claimed it's 'not by that much'.

A Google Maps screenshot of journey options from Leicester Square Station to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 showed that commuters may take around 50 minutes on the Piccadilly Line alone, but some some 44 minutes on the Elizabeth line alone, and 37 minutes if using the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line together.

Commenters had mixed reactions to the viral clip, which racked up 562,400 views online.

Some pointed out that they're willing to lose an extra few pounds for the sake of comfort - especially while travelling.

Tom (@vaguely.mundane), an influencer on TikTok, says the key is making your way to Hatton Cross Station on the tube, and taking advantage of the airport's 'Free Travel Zone'

A London Underground expert has revealed a money saving hack for avoiding the extortionate travel fare to Heathrow airport - and it could save you as much as 21.50

Commenters had mixed reactions to the viral TikTok clip, which racked up 562,400 views online

'Look if I'm going on holiday money is imaginary,' one wrote.

'For the sake of 2 I'll just stay on the Piccadilly line right through,' a second added.

'Piccadilly may be the cheapest,' a third penned. 'But honestly when I'm travelling or coming back with jet lag, the last thing I wanna do is go on the Piccadilly line.'

Others also shared that an even thriftier alternative is a bus.

'Go cheaper again and take the X26 bus,' one advised.

'I take the TfL bus X26 for 1.65,' another agreed.
SHOPPING  Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this Mail Best article are selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information.

Good news for all beauty fans! The Charlotte Tilbury summer sale is now live and it looks set to be even better than last year's event with huge savings of up to 40 per cent on everything from lipstick to concealer.

The British beauty brand loved by supermodels, movie stars, CEOS, beauty experts and influencers is perhaps most famous for its iconic Pillow Talk lip color. This is in the sale in matte lipstick form as well as in a lip liner and shiny lip lustre.

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Denise Fahmy calls them 'the army of the cancelled'. A growing roll call of mostly older women either driven out of the jobs they loved, or whose professional lives have been made unbearable, because of their views on biological sex.

Denise, 54, can now add her name to that list. After 15 years working for the Arts Council England (ACE), she felt she had no choice but to quit her role following what she believed was a targeted campaign of bullying and harassment.

Things came to a head when a petition was circulated to all staff on the company's intranet objecting to ACE employing people like Denise, who held so-called 'gender critical' views  views many of her colleagues declared to be 'transphobic'.

Put simply, Denise thinks biological sex is immutable and that women do not have penises.

Over the course of many months the situation escalated to such a level that she was left feeling terrified, and fearing that her home might be targeted or that she would be attacked in the street.

After 15 years working for the Arts Council England (ACE), Denise Fahmy (pictured) felt she had no choice but to quit her role following what she believed was a targeted campaign of bullying and harassment

Maya Forstateris a campaigner and co-founder of Sex Matters, which advocates for clarity about sex in laws, policies and language

Denise took her old employers to an employment tribunal and, this week, a panel, led by Judge Jim Shepherd, ruled that Denise had been harassed due to her beliefs, which are protected by law stating 'in all circumstances, the unanimous judgment of the tribunal is that the claim of harassment related to the protected characteristic of religion or belief is well-founded or succeeds'. Her claim of victimisation was dismissed.

A thrilled Denise said: 'This judgment will make a difference in the arts  organisations, arts leaders and colleagues can no longer get away with spurious allegations of transphobia against those who believe, as the vast majority of the country does, that biological sex matters.

The days of bullying, name calling, cold shouldering are over. My case illustrated how deeply intolerant the arts have become, even at the highest level of the Arts Council of England.'

ACE is a government and National Lottery funded agency that supports all aspects of the arts. Denise's rather wordy job title was Relationship Manager for Visual Arts in the North, based in Leeds.

She managed 'a portfolio of organisations who are regularly funded. I worked with galleries, studios and individual artists'.

It was a job that Denise, a mother of two daughters, aged 29 and 18, loved until gender ideology started infiltrating the organisation.

'For a long time it was a good organisation, it was progressive, and they were good to working parents. My kids were young when I started to work there and I found them to be excellent employers. It was a positive and happy place to be,' she says.

It was in 2018 that Denise noticed a shift. She explains: 'At a team meeting a member of staff said we should all start to use our pronouns on our correspondence. At that stage, most of us in the office didn't know what she was talking about.

'Next a colleague, who I had always respected and worked well with, announced that she was a 'they'.

They said they felt very upset at being misgendered and I absolutely took their side. Others suggested we could benefit from trans awareness training, and I thought it was a good idea because I didn't understand the debate at all.'

It was suggested that staff should read material from two charities that specialise in diversity training  Gendered Intelligence and The Proud Trust, which Denise gladly did, quickly becoming very disturbed by what she saw.

'None of it made any sense,' she says. 'One piece of guidance was that before any meeting I should aways check every participant's chosen pronouns. I tried to imagine doing that and it was idiotic.

'The more I read, the more upset I became. This idea that biological sex isn't real. I felt let down that female colleagues were supporting this; it felt like a betrayal of all we'd achieved as women.'

Familiarising herself with the trans awareness training material had the opposite effect intended. Instead, Denise started to look into trans activism and the impact it was having on women.

While scrolling through Twitter, she noticed an app that charted women's menstrual cycles (and that she had installed on her phone) had got rid of the word 'woman' and was instead using the phrase 'menstruating people'.

Outraged, she tweeted the company saying 'app deleted'.

Those two words were enough for Denise to find herself targeted by activists. She says: 'I had my workplace in my Twitter biography, which led to a number of trans activists contacting the Arts Council to say I should be fired.

'Someone inside my organisation contacted the director as well to say I should be sacked. She did it anonymously, but I found out who it was.'

ACE management contacted Denise to say the tweet was causing a nightmare for the communications team and asking if she would delete it  which she agreed to do, to keep the peace.

However, Denise's interest in the gender identity debate had been well and truly piqued.

When, in 2021, ACE changed how it collected data from grant applicants, Denise wrote to the executive board to express her concerns. Application forms now have five possibilities under sex and seven in a section on gender identity.

'Not only was it confusing, it could encourage bias in grant-making decisions,' says Denise.

Then, shortly afterwards, she met an artist who had been driven out of the studio she helped set up because of her beliefs.

'She was identified as gender critical due to the things she posted on her social media pages,' says Denise. 'The whole of the studio turned against her and they had her evicted.

One day, she went into work and her space had been decorated with trans flags. She was a woman my age, she was never aggressive or personal. She said to me it was because she dared to say that women don't have penises. In the end, she had to move away and start all over again.'

Seething on her behalf, Denise tweeted asking if people knew of any other women in the arts who had been targeted for their beliefs.

'I heard from 15 women who had been completely bullied out of their profession and were petrified about their future. Most people in the arts are freelance, your contacts and your reputation matter, they're everything, and yet that can be destroyed by this mob culture that has taken over.'

One of the 15 women had tweeted a link to the Government's 2018 consultation on reform of the gender recognition act.

'It was a Government link,' says Denise. 'An arts organisation, which we often fund with National Lottery players' money, named her as a transphobe. She lost her job at a university and her house was vandalised.'

Denise gave her findings to ACE chief executive Darren Henley. 'I told him I thought we had a bullying problem in the sector.' He sent what Denise describes as a 'non-committal reply'.

It was in April 2022, when ACE awarded a grant to the LGB Alliance, that things began to implode for Denise.

The LGB Alliance is an advocacy group and charity that supports gay and bisexual people and was founded in 2019, But because they believe sex is binary and that trans women (those born male) cannot be lesbians, they have been labelled as a transphobic hate group.

The grant was for 9,400 to fund the making of a documentary about how life in the UK had changed for gay men during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

As is typical with small ACE grants, the funds were channelled via a third party  in this case the London Community Foundation.

As soon as the grant was announced it caused uproar on Twitter. As a result, ACE deputy chief executive Simon Mellor called an all-staff meeting to discuss the grant. Held online, out of around 700 staff, 411 attended.

Were such meetings commonplace? 'Not at all,' says Denise. 'To give that some context, I was there for 15 years and last year we gave out over 900 million. Huge sums are dished out every day, and I've never known an all-staff meeting about one grant.'

During the meeting, Mellor stated that LGB Alliance had a history of being 'anti-trans' and pointed out that, since they were under investigation to have their charitable status removed, following an online campaign, the grant should be revoked.

Denise says: 'The LGB Alliance had the grant rescinded. At the same time, the fund manager at the London Community Foundation, who had made the award, received terrible harassment online. She went off sick and ended up leaving the organisation.

'At the meeting, I stated my opinion that the LGB Alliance was not anti-trans. It was a very upsetting meeting and I felt horribly exposed. I was the only one who spoke up for them.

'We have to abide by the law; you have to foster good relations. We have to honour public sector equality duty.

You can't just say, 'Well, I don't like that lot so I'm not going to fund them.' This is public money we're talking about; it's a very dangerous way to run an agency.'

ACE states that the decision to award and remove funding was not made directly by them. A spokesperson says: 'In April 2022, London Community Fund made the decision to suspend an award from the Let's Create Jubilee Fund to the LGB Alliance.

The decisions regarding who received funding as part of this fund rested entirely with UK Communities Fund and its 44 member bodies.'

Once again Denise wrote a letter, this time to ACE chairman Sir Nicholas Serota. 'I stated that we were breaching our duty if we withdrew grants from organisations on the basis of their beliefs.'

Serota appointed a trustee to investigate and the complaint was not upheld.

Three weeks after the all-staff meeting, a petition, visible to all ACE employees, was put on the organisation's online noticeboard.

Denise says: 'It was authored by one of the people who'd had a go at me in the meeting. It was stating a formal grievance against gender critical people. I wasn't named but it was obvious I was the target. Who else could it have been?'

Comments left by staff beneath the petition labelled those with gender critical beliefs as 'neo-Nazis'. They were called 'parasites' that needed to be 'stamped out'. Meanwhile, the LGB Alliance was likened to the Ku Klux Klan.

'Half of the people who signed the petition were idiots who didn't know what they were doing,' says Denise. 'But some worked in my office. There was one in particular that I was very close to and had considered a friend. Honestly, at that point, it just made me cry.'

You'd have thought removing an offensive petition from the company's online noticeboard would be a simple affair but, despite Denise immediately complaining, it remained in place for more than a day, with various departments at ACE passing the buck and claiming it was the responsibility of the other to remove it.

Denise, perhaps naively, still hoped her bosses would have her back in the face of such hostility. But while they agreed the petition was wrong, they didn't think she had personally been harassed.

By this stage, Denise found going into the office unbearable, and the situation was starting to wreak havoc with her mental health.

'There was one colleague in particular who wouldn't even look at me. There are only around 30 of us in the Yorkshire office, and I felt targeted, circled and under pressure. I wasn't coping and my doctor put me on antidepressants. I was crying constantly; I didn't seem to be able to stop and I'm really not a crier normally.

'I felt scared. I love visiting art galleries, but I stopped because, as crazy as it sounds, it just didn't feel safe.'

In August 2022, Denise was signed off sick and tagged annual leave onto the end of it, meaning she'd been absent from the office for a month.

It would have been easy to return to work, toe the line and take the money, but, still angry at the injustice of the LGB Alliance losing its grant and the bullying she had suffered, Denise was not prepared to let things lie.

She appealed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the withdrawal of Arts Council money from LGB Alliance, but they were not willing to investigate.

MP Damian Green did quiz ACE's Darren Henley at a select committee hearing, but the chief executive insisted his organisation was not part of cancel culture, and denied it had pressured the London Community Foundation to withhold the LGB Alliance's funding.

Exasperated and feeling as though she had reached the end of the line, both in her campaign to have the LGB Alliance treated fairly and at her own treatment, Denise lodged a complaint with an employment tribunal for harassment for her gender critical beliefs and victimisation in the workplace.

Denise resigned in February this year and finished her employment on May 11  having been signed off sick since March 27.

Although her victory leaves her feeling delighted and vindicated, so toxic is the trans debate that she fears for her future employment.

'I'll be reliant on my husband financially, and things will be very tight going forward,' she says.

The tribunal ruled that Denise should receive a 10 per cent 'uplift' in her compensation payment, the exact sum to be decided at a future remedy hearing.

Following the tribunal ruling, ACE stated: 'We are pleased that the ruling confirmed that two allegations of harassment and two claims of victimisation were not well-founded and were dismissed, and that there was nothing in the judgment to support the accusation of institutional bias.

'We are reflecting on the judgment, which upheld two allegations of harassment in relation to a petition set up by a junior member of staff who no longer works for us, and we note the tribunal's acknowledgement of steps taken by us to disable the petition and address the incident at the time.'

Many former colleagues have contacted Denise privately to say they are on her side, that they are deeply concerned about how the organisation is being run, but they can't risk speaking out publicly.

Denise adds: 'I've spoken to directors of big London venues and they've said they're concerned at what's happening, but they can't do anything because of what might happen on Twitter and the mob.

She firmly believes this fear of trans activists and terror of upsetting the militant wokerati will result in many more women losing their jobs if things don't change.

Women such as Baroness Falkner, Dr Kathleen Stock and Maya Forstater know exactly what Denise means when she says: 'Young voices are becoming so valued that there are no adults in the room. I've heard so many stories from women in the arts but also publishing and academia.

'As far as trans people go, they can absolutely live their lives without impacting women's lives and jobs.'
Viewers were left in flood of tears as two families were reunited on last night's Long Lost Family: Born without Trace last night.

Caroline Harris-Gray was found abandoned at Tottenhams Prince of Wales Hospital more than 50 years ago and yearned to learn more about where she came from.

Thanks to the Long Lost Family team of researchers, she reconnected with her half siblings Paul and Tina in Brighton, who told her more about her biological father Ray, a firefighter who they said looked just like her.

Meanwhile, Paul Watts, was discovered on the steps of a church in Finsbury Park, and while he had a happy life thanks to his loving adoptive parents, he was thrilled to reconnect with his five half-siblings, who welcomed him as one of their own.

There was not a dry eye at home as viewers watched both Caroline and Paul's stories, delighting in how they shared a new connection with their siblings.

A picture of Caroline's biological father Ray with her half-siblings Tina and Paul, before her father died in 2009

Viewers were left in flood of tears last night as Caroline Harris-Gray was reunited with her half-siblings after being abandoned as an infant in July 1968 (pictured hugging her half-sister Tina)

Caroline knew she had been abandoned on 11th July 1968 at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Tottenham, north London.

However, she was unsure about her birth story, as he heard conflicting versions.

As Ive grown up, Ive got different bits of information from different people Id like to know the truth,' she told the show.

Caroline visited the Haringey archives, where she learned that her birth mother had left her well-dressed, meaning she cared about her well-being.

'I was dressed with love. Thats what I get from that,' she said.

Caroline placed her DNA on an online database, which helped the Long Lost Family team to identify her birth father, Ray.

While Ray passed away in 2009, his sister Gloria was still alive, and the team found out that Caroline has two half-siblings, Paul and Tina.

None of them had any idea that Ray had another child, with a shocked Gloria explaining: We came from this large family theyd have taken in a baby if theyd known about it.

Meanwhile, police detective Paul Watts, who was discovered on the steps of a church in Finsbury Park in 1964, also met four half siblings on last night's show

Caroline was moved to tears upon learning she had half-siblings, saying: 'It's just somebody that might look like me. I haven't had that.

She was also delighted to be handed a photograph of her father and her two siblings by host Davina McCall.

'He's got my nose, I got his nose,' she said, crying. 'I think i look like them all,' she added

'They look lovely. It's funny, that connection, isn't it. I never thought it was that important because I never had it before. now I got it,' she said.

Speaking to Nicky Campbell, the siblings shared more information about their father, who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder when they were teens.

They revealed Ray had been going through some personal turmoil following the death of his father at the time Caroline was conceived.

Gloria believed that her niece was the result of a fling Ray had during an off period with his girlfriend, Paul and Tina's mother, who he went on to marry.

Tina and Paul were struck with how similar Caroline looked to their father Ray, who was a firefighter

Caroline said she was delighted to hear that her father sounded like an amazing person, and to meet her remaining family

Caroline eventually met with Paul, Tina and Gloria.

Paul admitted he was nervous, telling the camera before Caroline's arrival: 'You don't know if it's nature-nurture, right?'

Meanwhile, Tina said she could feel the presence of her father, 'smiling down, enjoying the whole thing.'

Caroline admitted she 'felt a bit shaky,' and said: 'I want to know about my dad, what sort of person he was.

'I really hope we can build up a relationship,' she added.

'You are like dad,' Paul exclaimed, while Tina said: 'You found us, that's amazing.'

In a sweet moment, Paul greeted Caroline by telling her she looked very much like his and Tina's father

The three of them sat down, and Paul and Tina shared more information about their dad with Caroline.

'He was a fireman, he was a a bit of a hero, he did lots of saving lives and things,' Paul said.

'It's sad he's not here,' Caroline said.

'He would have loved to have been here,' Tina added, saying: 'He had as great sense of humour, he really did.

'He was quite naughty, he never grow out of it,' Paula admitted.

Both siblings were struck by how similar to their dad Caroline looked.

'It's weird to see him back a bit,' Paul said.

'I think for you to accept me is awesome, thank you,' Caroline told both her half siblings.

Caroline was pleased with everything she learned about her father thanks to her half-siblings.

Paula was touched to meet his four half-siblings from Huddersfield and to learn more about their story

Siblings Cheryl, Judy, Hilary and David told Paul their father, who died in 1983, also abandoned them

'My birth father sounds amazing, a very loving guy,' she added.

'It was emotional it felt like a bit of dad in the room,' Tina said, adding: 'She does feel like family.

Meanwhile, Gloria said: 'I can see Ray in her.

'It is bittersweet, Ray's not here today and he would have loved her,' she added.

'I could have known you years ago, it's lovely,' Gloria told Caroline.

'It was as if I'd known her for ages, actually, she just felt so familiar,' she told the camera.

Meanwhile, police detective Paul got to learn more about his siblings, which he met thanks to the show.

Paul was discovered on the steps of a church in North London, in the winter of 1964 and had very little information about where he came from.

Pictured: Paul as a baby with his adoptive mother Sheila, who said on the show she didn't want to be replaced by his birth mother

Paul said on the show that his adoptive father John, who is no longer alive, was his hero and a 'great father'

The detective reflected on the different scenarios that would have pushed his birth mother to abandon him, stressing he did not resent her for making the decision.

The show was able to reveal that Paul was discovered on side steps of St Mellitus Church in Finsbury Park by a cleaner.

He spent numerous weeks in hospital before being fostered and later adopted by his parents Sheila and John Watts.

Hed been found by a cleaner and spent numerous weeks in hospital before being fostered, and then adopted, by Sheila Watts and her late husband John.

While Sheila was supportive of Paul's question for his birth parents, she admitted on the show she 'didn't want to be replaced.'

As the two discussed Paul's journey towards finding out more about his birth parents, she said: 'I want this to work for you, I don't want you to be disappointed.'

Paul reassured her: 'I'll never be disappointed mum, because I got my family.'

However, Sheila shared some more of her fears to the camera, saying: 'I know that he loves me, but I'm nearly 87, and his mother could be in her 70s, and I have this horrible feeling that if I died before she did, that then she'd be his mum.

But Paul put an end to her fears, gently telling her: 'Nobody's going to replace you, don't worry.'

Thanks to the show, Paul was connected to his half-brother on his maternal side, Guy, who revealed that his mother lived in Finsbury Park near the church he was found.

Electoral registers found that Paul's birth father had been a lodger at his mother's family home.

Paul was the youngest of six children, and his mother, who also was looking after one of her children who had Down's Syndrome, felt she couldn't cope.

Paul and Guy met for a drink, where Guy revealed that his mother would sometimes get sad about things she did when she was younger.

'Mum always provided for us children. I think she couldnt cope with another child,' Guy said.

While he explained he had no idea one of his siblings had been abandoned, Guy added he felt 'guilty.'

Paul and Guy's mother died in 2006, aged 79.

The police detective also found out he had more half-siblings on his father's side in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

His birth father, who was working in construction, died aged 55 from Asbestos in 1983, having had four more children: David, Judy, Cheryl and Hilary.

Paul eventually sat down with the four of them, and learned more about their life with their father.

'I never knew my birth father, your dad, I never knew my birth mother, so I've got no animosity towards any of them,' Paul started/

However, upon meeting his four half-siblings, he found out that they had to deal with the abusive personality of a 'cruel,' parent.

David, particularly, revealed he was beaten by his father before he left them.

'We were abandoned as well by him, no matter what anybody says we were abandoned,' David said.

'My memories of them, believe me, I forgot them very quickly. When he'd gone, I think I were the happiest kid on the estate,' David went on.

Viewers watching at home were touched by both Caroline and Paul's story and praised the emotional intensity of Long Lost Family

'He wasn't good with David. He was cruel,' Cheryl agreed.

'I know I wasn't going to get hammered anymore,' David said, adding he would get: 'a walloping and a half.'

This news helped Paul reflected on life with his adopted family.

'My dad passed away a couple of years ago, and I gave the eulogy, and I said when I was growing up, everyone else had a hero, and my hero was my dad,' he said.

'He turned up for everything at school up until he passed away he was a bloke I'd go for a drink with, my friends all knew him,' he added.

Commenting on his half-siblings, Paul was impressed with the close bond they all shared.

'You could tell how closely knit they were and how they all look out for each other,' he said.

'And the girls, they got that mothering instinct,' he added.

Meanwhile, David added that his first impressions of Paul was that he was ' a fantastic guy, absolutely.'

Paul reflected on his personal story after meeting his half-siblings.

'I might have been abandoned at birth, but in terms of everything that went on after that, I was incredibly lucky, and all that goes back to my parents,' he said.

'I got more than enough and literally, bucket-loads more than I ever expected to get,' he said.

Watching at home, viewers were delighted with the outcome of last night's episode.

'Thrilled for Caroline- her new family seem lovely,' one said.

'I love this programme. Its such a lovely programme and you can see that amount of background work that really does go into each and every journey,' one said.

'Another interesting and heartfelt Long Lost Family tonight to bring to an end a great week of episodes,' another wrote.

'The stories on #LongLostFamily never fail to bring a tear to my eye. I recently helped find and identify the families of my partner's mum's real parents. Early days, but it was wonderful to especially be able to identify her father, a person we thought we'd never discover,' another said.

'What a wonderful programme this is,' one gushed.

'Through all the pain, the resilience and togetherness of these people is simply astounding. Another incredible story,' one wrote.

'He won the lottery in terms of adoptive parents,' one said about Paul, while another said of his newfound family: 'Im loving these four siblings on Long Lost Family.'

'Why have I decided to watch this tonight when Im already emotionally unstable? BAWLING,' another said.
Henley Regatta revellers looked worse for wear last night as they made their way home from a full day of drinking.

The rowing event, which was established in 1839, takes place every year and sees teams compete in more than 300 races along the river in Oxfordshire.

Determined to keep the party going into the evening, a handful of guests were seen leaving the event while still nursing drinks.

After standing in heels all day, one woman looked thrilled to be giving her feet a rest as she received a piggy back from a young gentleman.

As she clambered onto his back, the Henley guest held onto a straw hat in one hand and a pint in the other.

Pictured: one glamorous racegoer gave her feet a rest and was carried home by a young gentleman yesterday

Meanwhile, another group of young rowing fans were pictured boozing on their way home.

While the glam young woman, dressed in an orange floral jumpsuit, swigged from what looked like a bottle of Pimms, her male peers were nursing cans of Captain Morgan spiced rum.

Elsewhere, one glamorous guest was pictured kneeling down to adjust her towering high heels while wearing a man's jacket over her shoulders.

What's more, not every guest was in such a rush to return home from the regatta - as many were spotted enjoying after-parties on boats.

Ditching their heels, two elegantly-dressed women were seen barefoot on the helm of a boat enjoying a few drinks.

On top of this, a couple were also photographed sharing an amorous moment in a field as they waited for a lift home.

Tuesday was the first of the six-day Henley Royal Regatta, which will end on Sunday.

In 2021 it was announced that women would be allowed to wear trousers to the Henley Royal Regatta for the first time since it was established in 1839.

This glamorous racegoer appeared to be drinking directly from a bottle of Pimms while her male peer enjoyed a tin of Captain Morgan rum

One stylish racegoer pictured enjoying a quick cigarette while her friend speaks on the phone as they leave Henley

A stylish guest pictured adjusting her towering heels while wearing a man's jacket at Henley yesterday

This group of young rowing fans enjoyed tins of Thatchers cider as they made their way home yesterday

This sophisticated guest ditched her high heels as she made her away home from Henley regatta yesterday

The long-standing sartorial rules - which asked for over-the-knee skirts and no trousers, and a blazer or smart jacket - crumbled under pressure from campaigners who branded the former dress code 'symbolic of an era when women couldn't compete and were just there to look pretty'.

Those in attendance this year took full advantage of the relaxed rules, with a number opting to pair their floral gowns with trainers, sandals or Converse sneakers.

Others wore stylish summer gowns with elegant headpieces and wedged heels, while some emulated Wimbledon fashion and wore immaculate white ensembles.

The regatta will see national clubs from up and down the country vying for glory on the River Thames in a number of races.

This young guest was pictured wearing Doc Martens to the sporting event yesterday - after they relaxed their dress code

These Henley regatta guests looked merry as they headed home from a day watching the rowing

Pictured: two glamorous women keep the party going as they stand barefoot on the helm of a boat

Another group seen keeping the party going on their own boat after the races drew to a close last night

This couple shared an amorous moment in a nearby park as they waited for a lift home from Henley

This guest was pictured holding a bottle of booze as they seemed intent on keeping the night going after Henley

The popular sporting event, which was established in 1839, comes hand-in-hand with a day of picnics and drinking.

Teams compete in over 300 races of an international standard on the Thames, which can include Olympic rowers as well as crews new to the event.

It was first staged in 1839 and has been held annually every year since, except during the two World Wars and 2020 due to Covid-19.

This year, the six-day regatta will for the first time allow international entrants to the junior men's eights, as well as teams from British private and state schools.

Sir Steve Redgrave, chairman of the Henley Royal Regatta, said one major British private school feared opening up the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup to international teams would mean students competing against 'superclubs'.

These young guests were all dressed in matching white-and-gold outfits to Henley Regatta yesterday

This young gentleman gave his female companion his jacket to wear as they made their way home from Henley

These guests cut a casual figure in sandals and trainers - after Henley relaxed their dress code in recent years

This glamorous guest wore a pretty bright orange midi dress with a statement gold necklace to Henley

This group of young men - dressed in red-and-white striped jackets - were keen to keep boozing after the event ended

The drinks were flowing yesterday by the bar at Henley Regatta - which will draw to a close on Saturday

Pictured: police were on standby at Henley Regatta last night in case any guests got rowdy from a day of boozing

Sir Steve said he attended a meeting of 55 schools where one private school, which he didn't name, wanted the cup to remain closed to international competitors.

But he added it was going to happen 'sooner or later' and it was the 'right thing to do'.

In a podcast this month, Sir Steve was asked whether schools, including Eton College, St Paul's School and St Edward's School, should be concerned about the rise of 'big US clubs coming over to race  they are very fast'.

He said: 'One of those top schools didn't want it. But it was going to happen sooner or later. We can't stop this, in fact it's the right thing to do.'

Sir Steve explained that rowing cities in the United States were 'huge' and clubs were state-wide and not school-oriented like in Britain.

He said this meant their rowing clubs were a 'little bit bigger' because they draw upon rowers from more schools.

The chairman added: 'What we don't want is any country to be able to put a crew together, which is almost a national eight [team].

'It's not an event for national eights  it's for the top juniors from their rowing establishments.'
Two travel savvy friends from Liverpool enjoyed a day out in Denmark for a quarter of the price of catching train to London.

Becky Allison, 26, and Amy Scott, 28, jetted off for a day of sun, sightseeing and delicious food in Copenhagen.

The international adventure set them back just 45 per person for flights to and from Manchester - compared to the 180 they would have each had to cough up for a return train ticket to London from the city.

After catching a 7am Easy Jet flight, the duo were off and exploring the Scandinavian nation after two hours.

Current options on the airline show flights for as little as 32 available for the next couple of months.

Becky Allison (left), 26, and Amy Scott (right), 28, jet off for a day of sun, sightseeing and delicious food in Copenhagen.

Becky, a student, captured their trip on camera to show the world her day trip abroad.

'It was easy to get to the city centre via the airport on a cheap metro, then we just got off at a random stop and wandered, taking in the sights,' she said.

First she and Amy, a retail manager, went to a church to visit a viewing platform, paying only 7.70 to see 360 views of the city.

'Then after that we made our way to Nyhavn,' she continued.

'Which is the main part of Copenhagen, stopping in some bars along the way to have a few drinks and then visit some shops.

'Once at Nyhavn we had some lunch on the waterfront, then just wandered for the rest of the afternoon exploring the city, doing more shopping and we had a few hours before the flight home so found an outdoor bar area to sit down and people watch.'

They made it back home around 11pm - and Becky admits that while they had a great time, the experience was logistically bizarre.

'It was a weird concept of time to have visited a different country and be back in your own bed the same day,' she added.

First she and Amy, a retail manager, went to a church to visit a viewing platform, paying only 7.70 to see 360 views of the city

The international adventure set them back just 45 per person for flights to and from Manchester

Video from the stunning day out abroad shows the pair dining, taking in beautiful architecture and enjoying scenic views of the city

'But it was such a nice day we were really pleased we did it.

'It was so tiring, it was a lot of walking, early morning and then a late night but it was so worth it.'

Video from the stunning day out abroad shows the pair dining, taking in beautiful architecture and enjoying scenic views of the city.

It comes as the Government earlier this week denied claims of a Cabinet rift over the idea of bringing in airline-style pricing for train tickets that could lower costs on less-used routes but hammer regular commuters.

The Treasury and the Department for Transport (DfT) are said to be at odds over an idea backed by the industry that would allow it to heavily discount tickets at off-peak times and on under-used routes.

Earlier this month official figures revealed overall journeys were down on pre-pandemic levels, with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) giving a provisional estimate of 389million journeys made in the UK in the first quarter of 2023 - 88 per cent of the 443million in the same period in 2019.

According to The Times the Treasury is resisting efforts by the DfT to introduce the tickets over fears it would be offset by increasing the already high cost of tickets on popular routes used by regular commuters at peak times.

Becky, a student, captured their trip on camera to show the world her and Amy's day trip abroad

Two travel savvy friends from Liverpool enjoyed a day out in Denmark for a quarter of the price of catching train to London

After catching a 7am Easy Jet flight, the duo were off and exploring the Scandinavian nation after two hours

There were also concerns it would add to the 11billion cost to the taxpayer of subsiding the railways already.

Sources at the DfT downplayed the idea of a rift, saying it was moving on with trials of single-leg pricing - where passengers buy two singles instead of a return.

It is also trialling 'demand-based pricing' on some LNER services. The Uber-style price surging is an attempt to better manage capacity while also raising revenue, the Department for Transport (DfT) said - and it will be rolled out across the country if it proves successful.

Some of Britain's intercity train operators are enjoying a post-pandemic boom with more passenger journeys now being taken than in 2019, official data has revealed.

More people went on London North Eastern Railway, East Midlands, Grand Central and Hull Trains in January to March this year than the same period four years ago.

But operators on London commuter routes are suffering, with Southeastern, Chiltern and South Western Railway all at less than two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels. This reflects the shift towards working from home as fewer people travel into the office
An anti-poverty campaigner who took her own life was 'failed at every level', her daughter claims.

Karen McBride, 46, from Manchester, tragically took her own life in 2022 after years of struggling with the benefits and housing systems, and her daughter Codie told Good Morning Britain today that the failings of multiple agencies contributed to her mother's death.

Speaking to Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard, Codie revealed that the financial 'pressure' due to admin errors in the housing system made life difficult for her mum.

She said: 'It's the pressures that are put on you by multiple systems. She was just failed at every level.

'When she moved into the house she was told she was already in rent arrears because there was a mistake made by the housing benefit and she was trying to tackle that.

She continued: 'Then there was another mistake that said she owed council tax. All at the same time she is living in this house that is completely uninhabitable and being threatened with homelessness again with these threatening letters she is receiving from Jigsaw.

'All this pressure was on her and I really believe that if they hadn't put that much pressure on her she would still be alive today.'

Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who joined Codie on the show, said Karen was 'failed and let down by the same agencies that are supposed to help look after her.'

He said: 'I would go as far to say she was even treated as a criminal by them, being told you owe money, well actually you don't, and this is something I see all the time.

'The impact it has on people's mental health, even just being moved into a home that's filled with disrepair and being told you owe money when you don't.'

'I receive messages all the time from residents who are suffering from similar situations and are really really struggling who said they are going to take their own lives.'

Speaking for the first time since giving a statement at the inquest into Karen's death earlier this month, Codie said: 'I just want my mum to be remembered in the way that she lived.

Codie McBride appeared on Good Morning Britain claiming that the failings of multiple agencies contributed to her mother's death

Anti-poverty campaigner Karen McBride, 46, tragically took her own life in 2022 after years of struggling with the benefits and housing systems

'She lived to fight for justice for other people. She was a huge anti-poverty campaigner. She was amazing. Everybody who met her said she lit up a room. She had the most wonderful laugh and smile and that's how I want her to be remembered.'

Mother-of-four Karen took her life last August after years of struggles to improve conditions in her home in Tameside, Greater Manchester, which led to escalating mental health problems.

But for years she was also a big campaigner for better living standards for those living in poverty or on the breadline.

Five weeks before her death, Codie said her mum had put in a desperate call to the council in a last ditch attempt to get help with her home - and had told them how she was having 'dark thoughts'.

Kate read out a statement from Jigsaw citing that the coroner had not put the blame on one specific organization - while admitting the complicated nature of the benefits system.

Codie added: 'This happens time and time again. What needs to change is that there is an attitude towards a certain class of people in this country, people living in council estates and living on the bread line.

Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who joined Codie on the show, said Karen was 'failed and let down by the same agencies that are supposed to help look after her'

For years Karen was also a big campaigner for better living standards for those living in poverty or on the breadline

'What happens is, there's like a demonisation towards those people and when that happens you dehumanise people and it makes it okay for these systems to fail them and for them to be ignored in their struggles and their living conditions. And people have just become apathetic to it.'

Elsewhere in the show health minister Neil O'Brien admitted the sorts of conditions Karen were living in were 'unacceptable'.

He said: 'We cannot have people living in squalor. We're determined to take action on this and that's why we are legislating.'

He also referred to the cash boost to mental health services to help support people - despite pleas from Kwajo to do more, quicker.
Amy Duggar has spoken out about the harrowing moment that she confronted her cousin Josh Duggar after discovering that he had molested his little sisters.

When a bombshell report hit the web in 2015 that claimed Josh, now 35, had admitted to inappropriately touching four of his siblings years prior, and that his own parents, Jim Bob, now 57, and Michelle Duggar, now 56, knew about it and failed to report the abuse - it left millions around the globe stunned, including Amy, now 36.

Amy, who is the niece of Duggar family patriarch Jim Bob and was a big part of their many lucrative reality shows when she was growing up, recently spoke to Vanity Fair about the immense anger she felt after Josh's behavior was brought to light.

According to the former reality star, she found out like 'the rest of the world' did - through the news - and was furious that no one in the family reached out to her directly.

Amy Duggar has spoken out about the harrowing moment that she confronted her cousin Josh Duggar after discovering that he had molested his little sisters

When a report hit the web in 2015 that claimed Josh, now 35, had admitted to inappropriately touching four of his siblings years prior - it left millions stunned, including Amy, now 36

Amy, who is the niece of Duggar family patriarch Jim Bob and was a big part of their reality show when she was growing up, spoke to Vanity Fair about it. The Duggar family is seen

'I was pissed. I felt like I wasnt worth telling  that they didnt want to protect me,' she said.

'They didnt want anyone to know, [and] they wanted to keep it inside their little bubble. Secrets breed in the IBLP. Things are hidden.'

Amy was referring to the Duggar family religion, the Institute in Basic Life Principles.

She revealed that she then decided to go to Josh's home and ask him about it face to face.

'He was staying in a trailer and I went in there and I said, "How could you do this?"' she continued. 'I was very bold about that.'

Amy claimed that Josh told her he didn't attempt anything physical with her because he said he 'knew better.'

She believes Josh purposely went after the siblings who he knew would never speak out against him.

According to a 2006 police report unearthed by InTouch Weekly in 2015, Josh's inappropriate behavior was first discovered in March 2002, when one of his youngest sisters went to Jim Bob 'very upset and crying.'

The unnamed sister said that Josh had snuck into the shared girls' bedroom and touched her breasts and genitals while she slept on four occasions.

According to the former reality star (seen in Amazon Prime's recent doc about the family), she found out like 'the rest of the world' did - through the news

She revealed that she then decided to go to Josh's home and ask him about it face to face. Amy (seen with Jill Duggar) said: '"How could you do this?" I was very bold about that'

Amy claimed that Josh (seen with his wife at his trial) told her he didn't attempt anything physical with her because he said he 'knew better'

When confronted by Jim Bob, the report said that Josh admitted to the incident and was 'disciplined,' though Jim Bob didn't reveal what the discipline entailed.

According to the report, Josh was accused by several of his younger sisters of similar sexual touching again one year later.

According to a 2006 police report unearthed by InTouch Weekly in 2015, Jim Bob and Michelle (seen) did not go to the police after discovering Josh's inappropriate behavior - despite him confessing to them - until a tip was made to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline about Josh's behavior three years later

Jim Bob and Michelle did not initially go to the police, keeping the molestation allegations and Josh's confessions a secret until a tip was made to the Arkansas State Police Child Abuse Hotline about Josh's behavior three years after that.

Finally speaking to law enforcement on December 12, 2006, the report said that Jim Bob stated that when he learned about what his son was doing, he 'met with the elders of his church and told them what was going on.'

They then sent him to a program run by the bizarre, 'cult-like' Christian group that the Duggars were devout members of, called the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), from March 17, 2003, to July 17, 2003.

Jim Bob and Michelle also told the local police that Josh had 'apologized' to his victims and that they said they had 'forgiven' him, and when he returned, they believed the issue had been 'resolved.'

The report said that Arkansas State Trooper Jim Hutchens gave Josh a 'very stern talk' about the matter.

When the police report describing Josh's transgressions was made public in 2015, Jill and Jessa Duggar identified themselves as two of his victims. Later, in 2017, Jinger and Joy Duggar were identified as the other victims in a lawsuit.

In 2015, Jill (second from right) and Jessa (center) confirmed they were two of his victims. Two years later, Jinger (second from left) and Joy (left) were identified as the other victims

Amy recently took part in Amazon Prime's four-part, explosive docuseries about the family, entitled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets (seen)

Amy and her mom, Deanna Duggar, were among the few Duggars to speak out in the doc. Jill (pictured in the doc) was the only of the Duggar's 19 kids to participate

Josh was later found guilty of possessing child pornography and sentenced to 12-years in prison. He is now serving out his time at a federal prison in Texas.

Amy called her aunt and uncle 'cringe-worthy' and 'evil' for not going to the police immediately after learning what Josh had done.

She added: 'To think that someone holds a higher value than someone else is just so disgusting.'

'It was just like, "Do we close our eyes and act like its not happening?" Or do we say, "Its happening and heres the atomic bomb," and let the pieces fall where they may?' Amy told Vanity Fair of her decision to participate in the doc

When asked where she and Josh stand now, Amy said she has absolutely no contact with him.

'My last straw was the [child pornography charges] with Josh. I cant imagine protecting a predator. I think that is the lowest of low, [and] theres no going back,' she stated.

As for her aunt and uncle, she added: '[Jim Bob and Michelle] see me as someone that is disruptive and loud and completely against IBLP. So I am a threat. [But] Im never going to back down and Im not scared.'

Amy told Vanity Fair that she believes the ideology behind the bizarre organization IBLP 'absolutely' empowered Josh's inappropriate behavior.

'IBLP prizes the first child, [and] it doesnt get much better than if its a son,' she explained. 'They hold the family name and the family value.

'If youre valued from the moment youve been born and people hide your secrets and cover up things, and you never get in trouble for the things that youre doing, I believe you just become numb to how the world really is, and how the law really is.

'Its so sad how far it was taken, where he thought he could get away with anything.'

Amy said she believes the ideology behind the bizarre organization IBLP 'absolutely' empowered Josh's inappropriate behavior. The head of the group, Bill Gothard, is seen

Amy (seen with her husband and son) hopes that being so outspoken will encourage others who may have gone through something similar to come forward

She concluded: 'Watch me stand up for those girls. Watch me stand up for survivors. Just watch me, because Im a force to be reckoned with.' She's seen with Jill and their kids

IBLP, which was started by shunned minister Bill Gothard, was well known for its very-rigorous 'guidelines' for members, which controlled almost every aspect of their lives - including how they could dress, who they could date, what they were allowed to watch on TV, and what music they were supposed to listen to.

Bill stepped down from the organization in 2014, when more than 30 women came forward and accused him of sexual harassment, 10 of whom later filed a lawsuit against him and the church, in which they claimed he had inappropriately touched them.

Amy recently took part in Amazon Prime's four-part, explosive docuseries about the family, entitled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, which exposed a slew of disturbing details about the church and the once-beloved family.

'I looked around and my mom and I were like, "Who is speaking out? Who is saying how wrong this is?" And really, there werent many who were,' she explained when asked why she decided to participate in it.

'It was just like, "Do we close our eyes and act like its not happening?" Or do we say, "Its happening and heres the atomic bomb," and let the pieces fall where they may?'

Amy and her mom, Deanna Duggar, were among the few Duggars to speak out in the doc. Jill was the only of the Duggar's 19 kids to participate.

Amy hopes that being so outspoken will encourage others who may have gone through something similar to come forward.

'Its OK to be labeled as a rebel. Its OK to step out and say, "Yes, Im different from you and Im going to take a stand for whats right,"' she concluded.

'I kind of like being called "crazy cousin Amy" now. Its not about measuring up or self worth anymore.

'Now I can literally say, "Yeah, thats right, Im crazy, back off." Watch me protect my child. Watch me stand up for those girls. Watch me stand up for survivors. Just watch me, because Im a force to be reckoned with.'
Wetherspoon and Au Vodka are giving drinkers three chances to win 5,000

Wetherspoon pubs up and down the UK are giving out 'golden straws' worth 5,000 but drinkers will have to be very specific.

The promotion is in partnership with Au Vodka, giving punters three chances to win one of the fabulous prizes.

And all you have to do is purchase an Au Vodka Candy Rosa pitcher, well almost.

Sharing a video on the Au Vodka Instagram page, DJ and co-owner Charlie Sloth told followers: 'For your chance to win 5,000 this summer just go to a Wetherspoons pub and buy Au Vodka Candy Rosa.

'If you find the golden straw you win 5,000 and me personally delivering it to you.'

Explaining the rules a bit more in detail, the brand revealed that the winners will be chosen by Au Vodka who will pick random pitchers at three Wetherspoon locations, on three dates and at three different times.

DJ and part owner of Au Vodka Charlie Sloth revealed the prizes on Instagram and how punters can get their hands on the cash

Three pitchers of Au Vodka Candy Rosa, purchased at three different locations, at different times will be chosen at random to win the 5,000 grand prize

If your pitcher is chosen and you find yourself with a golden straw, you will get 5,000 delivered to you by the man himself.

Au Vodka's Instagram followers were quick to respond to the generous offer.

One person replied: 'Ffs, as if I needed an easy excuse to go'

'Could've done this last weekend I had 4 of them beauties to myself soo good but ooh so bad xx,' added another Wetherspoon fan.

While a third person tagged their mate and wrote: 'Let's get drinking hon!'

It's not clear when the promotion ends but FEMAIL has contacted Au Vodka for clarification.

Earlier this year it was revealed a Wetherspoon superfan who had spent more than 20,000 on a mission to visit every UK branch was about to go on a cruise to Ireland to tick off the remaining nine pubs.

Ever since his partner Una Cooper, 63, bought him a Wetherspoon directory, retired forklift driver Dave Bingham has been inspired to frequent every branch in the UK and Ireland.

So far, the 60-year-old from Burton, Staffordshire, has stepped foot in 866 Wetherspoon venues in the UK, including 14 in one day, and only has The Flying Horse at Gatwick Airport left.

Mr Bingham headed off the Emerald Isle in May as he wanted to ensure that Ireland's nine Wetherspoons are not missed off his list.

They are The Tullow Gate, The Linen Weaver, The Forty Foot, The Great Wood, Keavan's Port, The Old Borough, The Silver Penny, The South Strand and An Geata Arundel.

Dave and Una headed off on their 10-day Norwegian Cruise Line excursion around the Ireland, which set the couple back 2,176.

Mr Bingham and Ms Cooper sailed from the UK to Waterford and then up along the stunning west coast of Ireland.

They will spent two nights in Dublin, where the majority of Ireland's Wetherspoons can be found.

Although Ms Cooper does not drink and is 'not really a pub person', she loves travelling and often jets away with Mr Bingham during his trips.
A newlywed couple ditched their own wedding reception to attend a Harry Styles concert for their first dance.

Devon Ruth Collins, 29, and Mitchell Fellows, 21, married earlier this month - but were gutted to discover that Harry was due to perform at Wembley the same day they had scheduled to tie the knot.

But the diehard fans from Gornal, West Midlands soon hatched a plan.

They decided to put a special twist on their big day that would ensure they could get the best of both worlds.

Catching a train right after they got hitched, the pair raced over to Wembley Stadium - with Devon Ruth still in full wedding dress - where they ended the night dancing along in the stands.

Devon Ruth Collins, 29, and Mitchell Fellows, 21, married earlier this month - but were gutted to discover that Harry was due to perform at Wembley the same day they had scheduled to tie the knot

They enjoyed a first dance in the stadium's Bobby Moore suite amongst the throng of Harry's superfans as Westlife's Queen of my Heart played, followed by the former One Direction star's Love of my Life.

The song selection paid an adorable homage to the newlyweds' history - as Mitchell proposed to Devon Ruth at a Westlife concert.

The happy couple later danced in the crowd as Devon Ruth cheekily held up a sign which read: 'Just married, but will you be my daddy?'

The newly-married Harry fan admitted she was 'fuming' that the performer's Wembley date was on her wedding when dates were first released.

'We booked our actual wedding and reception ages ago,' she explained.

'So, we decided to book hospitality tickets and leave everyone else at our wedding reception and dashed off to get a train in my wedding dress, got the tube in my dress and went to the concert in my dress.'

The bride revealed that while some of the guests knew they were going to London, they 'didn't really know the details'.

'My friends were super excited for us,' she added. 'And my twin brother (who was also maid of honour) really encouraged it.'

Catching a train right after they got hitched, the pair raced over to Wembley Stadium - with Devon Ruth still in full wedding dress - where they ended the night boogieing along in the stands

Clips from the concert show the happy couple jiving along to What Makes You Beautiful, Watermelon Sugar and other hits from the artist

They enjoyed a first dance in the stadium's Bobby Moore suite amongst the throng of Harry's superfans as Westlife's Queen of my Heart played, followed by the former One Direction star's Love of my Life

A newlywed couple ditched their own wedding reception to attend a Harry Styles concert for their first dance

Devon Ruth kept her wedding dress on for the train - and London Underground - commute to the concert

The happy couple ditched their reception after tying the knot earlier this month to make sure they get to see Harry

Devon Ruth and her husband said not all guests were aware of the reason the couple were heading to London

Devon Ruth said she wanted a unique experience for just her and Mitchell on their wedding day this month

Devon Ruth said she wanted a unique experience for just her and Mitchell.

'I just wanted something different for our wedding,' she gushed.

'And that was for us, not for everyone else.

'It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, genuinely magical.

'Bit disappointing that Harry didn't get to see my sign but it is what it is, other than that it was an absolute dream.'

Clips from the concert show the happy couple jiving along to What Makes You Beautiful, Watermelon Sugar and other hits from the artist.

Devon Ruth took to social media on Sunday to share the incredible moment from their special day

Devon Ruth and Mitchell are bound to remember the very special day after ditching their wedding reception

Her post racked up more than 53,000 likes with some 200 commenters delighting in seeing the pair celebrate their love for both Harry and each other

The couple truly made the wedding day their own as they trekked to Wembley Stadium for Harry's concert

Many rushed to congratulate the couple and dub the magic scenario a 'girl's dream' as they delighted in the clips

Devon Ruth took to social media on Sunday to share the incredible moment, writing: 'Get yourself a man who will ditch the wedding reception to see Harry Styles instead'.

Many rushed to congratulate the couple and dub the magic scenario a 'girl's dream'.

Her post racked up more than 53,000 likes with some 200 commenters delighting in seeing the pair celebrate their love for both Harry and each other.

'This is love. What a dream,' one gushed.

'This is going on my list of reasons to get married,' a second added.

'Having the reception at a Harry Styles concert.'

A third joked: 'So you're saying Harry Styles performed at your wedding?'
A new documentary has shed light on what it's like to be a woman working in one of Britain's most violent prisons.

Channel 5's new documentary Inside HMP Long Lartin: Evil Behind Bars, which airs tonight, goes inside the dispersal prison in South Littleton Worcestershire, which hosts some of the country's most dangerous criminals.

Prison psychologist Dr Jacqueline Blyth and general nurse Kerry Collins, who worked at the prison for several years, have revealed the 'unnerving' reality of dealing with category A inmates within the prison's walls.

Both women admitted to being scared for their well-being and feeling 'vulnerable' while on duty at the prison.

In the 9pm show, Kerry also recounted coming face-to-face with violent serial killer Stephen Wright, who is currently serving a life sentence after murdering five sex workers during a killing spree in 2006.

Channel 5's new documentary Inside HMP Long Lartin: Evil Behind Bars, which airs tonight, explores the insides of the dispersal prison in South Littleton Worcestershire, which hosts some of the country's most dangerous criminals

Dr Jacqueline Blyth, who worked at HMP Long Lartin in 2001, said she only dealt with prisoners serving life sentences, which included 'murderers, rapists and terrorists'.

Remembering the first time she was taken to meet a prisoner, the officer leading the way told her: 'Now you're going to have to decide whether you're going to sit near the alarm, or near the door, because it could take somebody just a couple of seconds to get their hands around your throat.'

Dr Jacqueline recalled thinking: 'Oh my god, what kind of men are in here?'

During her time working at the prison, Dr Jacqueline came face-to-face with serial killer Colin Ireland, who killed five gay men in 1993 and was sentenced to life in prison until his death in 2012.

Dr Jacqueline revealed she was instructed to read everything written about the Long Lartin inmates, and to go through their files, which included graphic photographs not accessible to the wider public.

Dr Jacqueline admitted that her readings sometimes made her feel like she didn't want to meet the men behind the crimes.

In 2001, she met Ireland, and was tasked to determine whether he was fit for parole.

Prison Psychologist Dr Jacqueline Blyth recounted feeling nervous and anxious for the first three months of her time working at HMP Long Lartin

'I usually start from the point of empathy, trying to understand these defenders,' she explained.

'What I found difficult is if their crimes contained an element of cruelty. Torture I found quite difficult,' she added.

She felt Ireland's crime were 'horrendous,' and being in the same room as him made her feel 'nervous,' she admitted in the programme.

She said she was also unnerved by the fact she often had to be alone in a room with criminals as part of her job.

'Seeing a psychologist is always confidential. Prison officers might be standing outside by the door, but there is nobody in the room with you,' she explained.

She recounted that Ireland had a 'psychopathic stare,' when she spoke to him,which led her to recommend him unfit for parole.

'You just assumed, as soon as he gets out on parole, he's gonna carry on where he left off,' she said.

The Worcestershire is home to some of the country's most dangerous criminals and is intimidating for members of staff

'And I knew then that he was never going to get out,' she added.

Ireland eventually died in Wakefield in 2012, age 57.

Meanwhile, nurse Kerry Collins recounted the intimidating atmosphere in the prison.

One of her first jobs was to tend to a prisoner who had been stabbed in a face with a sharp makeshift weapon that pierced through his chin.

'Society tells you this person is a heinous human being, committed his horrible crime, and now we want you to look after them, be kind to them, it's difficult,' she admitted.

'It could be scary, I knew that I was going to be working with dangerous people.'

Serial killer Steve Wright is still serving a life sentence at Long Lartin for killing five prostitutes in 2006

'Prisoners may have had no contact with a woman, in five, 10, 15 years,' she added. 'If you're new, you're fresh meat. They make comments to you, whistle at you. It's unnerving, you don't want unwanted attention from people who you know are dangerous.'

Meanwhile, Dr Jacqueline admitted she was on edge after starting the job at Long Lartin.

'I was very anxious and for the first three months, really quite scared,' she said.

'I had nightmare, I was quite afraid of being in Long Lartin,

However, once she settled in her new environment, things got easier for the psychologist.

Colin Ireland frightened Dr Jacqueline with his 'psychopathic stare' when she met him at HMP Long Lartin in 2001

'I wasn't under threat, I felt there was honour among thieves. If I was down on a wing, if somebody was swearing at somebody else, they would say, "Don't talk like that in front of the doctor.

'They were being respectful around me,' she recounted.

Kerry recounted that the staff were discouraged from googling the prisoners they were looking after.

However, she revealed that some staff will look up the inmates and feel they have 'a right to know what risk they pose to us as individuals.'

Kerry also recounted how she came face-to-face with one of Britain's most vicious serial killers in 2007.

Stephen Wright, dubbed the Suffolk Strangler in 2006, was sentenced to life and is serving his sentenced at Long Lartin.

'I met Steve Wright when he arrived and came to the healthcare wing for us to do our initial assessment of him, monitor all his tar rate, blood pressure, all that,' Kerry recounted.

'I was surprised because he looked very normal middle-aged guy, unassuming, it could be someone's dad, could be someone's granddad,' she said.

'Just someone that you would walk past in the street and you wouldn't think, "Man, he looks like a serial killer".

'Obviously being a female member of staff, you feel vulnerable in that person's company.

'It's nerve wracking, but you are not there to judge that person, you have to maintain professionalism,' she said.

Inside HMP Long Lartin: Evil Behind Bars airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5
King Albert of Belgium will remain in hospital until next week as he recovers from dehydration, a Palace spokesperson has said.

The former monarch, 89, was admitted to Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels on 27 June as a 'precautionary measure'.

On Wednesday, the Palace said that the ex-King - who abdicated in 2013 - was only expected to remain under medical care for a couple of days.

However, a statement released by the Palace has announced that Albert will spend the weekend in hospital.

The medical team at the hospital are hopeful that they will be able to discharge Albert early next week, a spokesperson told Belgium-based Belga News Agency.

King Albert of Belgium - who abdicated in 2013 - pictured in 2019. The ex-King is currently in hospital in Brussels

King Albert and his wife of 64 years Queen Paola, 85, were staying at their official residence Castle Belvedere in Laeken when the former monarch began showing signs of dehydration.

Albert's son King Philippe cancelled his planned engagement at the University of Ghent in order to visit his father in the hospital, according to People.

Other relatives including Prince Laurent, King Albert's younger son, and Prince Emmanuel were reportedly spotted arriving at the Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels to be by his side.

Albert II, the father of Belgium's current King Philippe, was the third and youngest child of King Leopold III.

He became monarch on August 9, 1993 at the age of 59, taking over after his brother Baudouin died without children.

At the time of his abdication his love child Princess Delphine launched a legal bid to be officially recognised as Albert's daughter - which she won in October 2020.

After Princess Delphine was born in 1968, the King initially remained in frequent contact with his child and her mother. But when Delphine reached her 16th birthday, the King began to distance himself.

Now the 55-year-old has the right to bear the royal name de Saxe-Cobourg and is formally recognised as a member of the Belgian royal family as are her two children Princess Josephine of Belgium, 19, and Prince Oscar of Belgium, 14, who she shares with partner James O'Hare.

Pictured: King Albert his wife of 64 years Queen Paola at the wedding of Prince Willem-Alexander and his Argentine bride Maxima Zorreguieta in 2002

Prince Emmanuel was spotted arriving at the Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels to be by the former King's side

The ex-king, 89, 'was admitted to hospital as a precautionary measure,' the spokesman, Xavier Vaert, told AFP, confirming reports by state broadcasters VRT and RTBF. Pictured, the entrance of the Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels

Speaking to Tatler last year, the princess, who is an artist, revealed her father's rejection when she was young still hurts, but added she doesn't blame him and holds no ill-will towards him.

She argued that royal life is 'isolating' and she believed her father had been badly advised at the time.

However, she said: 'You don't just have a child and kick it.'

Reflecting on her seven-year legal battle, Delphine said the action she brought was not about money or status but 'principles'.

Albert's son King Philippe cancelled his planned engagement at the University of Ghent in order to visit his father in the hospital. Pictured in Brussels last week

Pictured: Jim O'Hare and Princess Delphine of Belgium at the 5th Canneseries Festival in April 2022

Now Delphine has attended royal engagements and says her relationship with her father has healed after years of bitterness.

When she launched her legal action in 2013, she told Belgian radio show Matin Premiere: 'I feel like I have a right to exist. Not to exist in the royal family but as me.

'My decision to call for help through the law, I feel today that it was the right thing to do... The judicial system said that I was right and that I had the right to exist.'

Since the legal action has been settled, Princess Delphine has slowly become integrated in the Belgian royal family.

She met her brother, King Philippe of Belgium who is one of 20 Belgian royals she is related to - in 2020, where they posted a socially distanced picture to Facebook, describing it as a 'warm meeting.' Her other royal half-siblings are Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent.
A cat who was registered to an address in Australia has been reunited with his owners after he was found 9,000 miles away in Scotland.

Melvin the cat was picked up by the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) on 23rd May when a member of the public reported their concerns for him.

Believing him to be a stray, he had been visiting their home since Christmas and getting fed twice a day. However, they had grown concerned for him after noticing he wasnt looking well and had stopped getting along with their cat.

Melvin was picked up from the streets by Scottish SPCA chief inspector, Laura McIntyre, who took him to get checked over by a vet and then had him transferred to the charitys Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

As usual, the animal carers scanned Melvin to see if he was microchipped and were surprised when it was revealed he was registered to an address in Australia.

Melvin was reunited with his delighted owner Jacqueline Dick after nine months and 9,000 miles apart

Laura explained: One of the first things we do with animals when they come into our care is scan them for a microchip.

As you can imagine, the team were slightly confused when Melvins details came back registered to an address in Australia.

Thankfully, with a little digging and some help from Cats Protection, the mystery behind Melvins epic journey was unravelled and Laura and the team were able to reunite him with his owners Jacqueline and Matt Dick after a whopping nine months.

It turned out the couple had previously been living in Australia and adopted Australian-born Melvin as a kitten.

After 14 years down under they decided to move back to Scotland and splashed roughly 4,200 to bring Melvin and their border collie Max, home to Scotland.

However, in August 2022, just eight weeks after moving into their new place, Melvin went missing.

Discussing the reunion, Laura said: We were delighted to be able to reunite Melvin with Jacqueline and Matt after all this time.

Cheeky Mervin had been getting fed by a stranger twice a day since Christmas but after five months began to look poorly and started scrapping with their cat  prompting them to report him as a stray

Mervin's brother Max was also delighted to have his mate home. The team later learned that while in Australia Melvin was attacked by a hungry dingo and only survived thanks to the dog, who scared it off  the two seen here recovering

It is so important to have your pets microchipped so that, as in this case, owners can be traced quickly.

Alice Palombo of Scotland Cats Protection added: Melvins story goes to show why microchipping is so important and were thrilled that he has been reunited with his owners thanks to his chip.

Microchipping for pet cats will become compulsory for pet cats in England from next year and Cats Protection is calling for the Scottish Government to also introduce this, so Scottish cats are not left behind.

Melvin was reunited with his tearful owners who were delighted to have him home, as was Max the dog.

The team later learned that while in Australia Melvin was attacked by a hungry dingo and only survived thanks to the dog, who scared it off.
Prince Harry's next big idea is to return to his 'second home' of Africa - but without Meghan Markle - for a new solo Netflix documentary about his love of the continent, its people and its wildlife, it was claimed today.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex only have one major deal left since Megxit - the $100million contract with the streaming giant - after Spotify parted ways with the couple.

Netflix is also reportedly planning not to renew their deal with the Sussexes when it expires in 2025.

However, it appears Harry's proposal for a documentary on Africa might be on the cards after he apparently 'puzzled' Spotify executives with some of his podcast ideas including claims he pitched to interview Vladimir Putin, Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump about 'childhood trauma'.

A Netflix insider confirmed to Page Six that a Harry's Africa-type show was one of the more warmly received suggestions from the father-of-two. Another source said: 'Obviously, Harry has a lot of roots in Africa and he feels at home there.' He has previously called Africa his 'second home'.

Prince Harry is forming plans to return to Africa without Meghan Markle (pictured in Cape Town in 2019) for a new Netflix documentary, according to Page Six

Rhino Conservation Botswana (RCB) charity director Map Ives and Prince Harry (right), who is the UK patron of the RCB next to a sedated rhino

The Duke of Sussex is greeted by Tlotlo Moilwa during a visit to the Kasane Health Post, run by the Sentebale charity, in Kasane, Botswana

Page Six spoke to insiders about the royal's proposed project. It is unclear exactly what the programme will cover, and that the ongoing Hollywood writers strike has meant the Duke of Sussex, 38, has not been able to start his ideas yet.

The Duke and Duchess' only documentary so far for the streaming service was Meghan & Harry, which was released last year.

Prior to the docuseries, Harry featured solo in an Apple TV series about mental health, titled The Me You Can't See.

Prince Harry has visited Botswana, country in Southern Africa, on multiple occasions, sometimes spending months at a time there.

As well as helping conserve wildlife populations, he also frequently met with local communities and did charity work.

It holds such a place in his heart that he took Meghan Markle to the country for a week-long holiday as their third date.

Meghan told interviewers for Harry & Meghan: 'So I had one week off [work] and it was the same week, so he said do you want to come to Botswana? I said let me think about it and then I did.'

Harry admitted he was 'astonished that she said yes' as he had only met Meghan twice at the point.

He said: 'This woman that I have only met twice, she's coming to Botswana and we are going to be living in a tent for 10 days.'

Harry has visited Botswana multiple times and even took his wife Meghan on a holiday there for their third date

Meghan told interviewers for Harry & Meghan: 'So I had one week off [work] and it was the same week, so he said do you want to come to Botswana? I said let me think about it and then I did.' Pictured centre, Harry in Botswana

Meghan admitted: 'I am getting on a plane, and we are living in the middle of a bush, what, like what if we don't like each other and then we are stuck in the middle of a bush in a tent.' The couple have also visited the country since they became engaged.

They also visited South Africa on a royal tour in 2019. During the tour, the couple met with community members in townships around Cape Town while travelling with Prince Archie, and were pictured smiling and laughing as they danced with locals.

A source familiar with Harry and Meghan's $100million Netflix deal reportedly said: 'Things are great'. A Netflix spokesperson told the publication: 'We value our partnership with Archewell Productions.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.

Earlier this week, the Duchess of Sussex was dismissed as a talentless broadcaster by one of Hollywoods most powerful figures.

Jeremy Zimmer, who has guided the film careers of stars such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Damian Lewis, gave his withering verdict on the abilities of the American former actress after streaming giant Spotify axed its 18million deal with her and Prince Harry after just one podcast series.

Despite sending a personal letter herself, Meghan Markle's (pictured) request for Taylor Swift to join her on her Archetypes podcast was declined

Zimmer, the chief executive of United Talent Agency, said he was not surprised that Spotify had ditched the couple.

Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent, he said.

Speaking to the news website Semafor at the Cannes Lions advertising festival in France, Zimmer added. And, you know, just because youre famous, doesnt make you great at something.

Spotify is said to have pulled the plug on its deal because it expected more content from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their Archewell Audio team, according to Variety magazine.

Archewell delivered just one series  12 episodes of Meghans Archetypes show last year on the social stereotypes around women  and a 30-minute festive special in 2020 featuring a handful of celebrity friends and their son, Archie.

Archetypes was an initial ratings success when it was released last summer and talks for a second series were said to be under way before they reportedly stalled. Spotify was said to have paid a staggering 18million to sign the Sussexes up for a multi-year partnership.

Jeremy Zimmer, the chief executive of United Talent Agency, said he was not surprised that Spotify had ditched the Sussexes

The Sussexes highlighted a joint statement from themselves and Spotify saying they had mutually agreed to part ways.

It was also claimed this week that pop superstar Taylor Swift rejected the chance to appear on Meghans podcast, even though the duchess sent her a personal invitation.

After Meghan sent her a handwritten note, Ms Swift declined through her representative, according to the Wall Street Journal.

And while the couples 80million Netflix deal has still seen only a documentary about themselves and series Live To Lead materialise, it appears they are about to delve into the world of Charles Dickens.

The Sussexes are said to be working on a prequel to his 1861 novel Great Expectations, which focuses on a character based on Miss Havisham, taking place before the events of the novel. Bad Manners will see the character cast as a strong woman living in a patriarchal society. The show is in development but has yet to get the green light from Netflix, it has been claimed.

Harrys documentary about the Invictus Games is thought to be nearing completion.

Meghan and Harry attending the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at New York Hilton on December 6, 2022

According to the Wall Street Journal, it is unlikely Netflix will renew the couples deal when it ends in 2025. It reports that problems have arisen due to the couples inexperience as television producers and difficulty in finding material to fit in with their brand.

A spokesman for the talent agency WME that recently signed Meghan said: The team behind Archetypes remain proud of the podcast they created at Spotify. Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.

Zimmer is the grandson of legendary Hollywood studio chief Dory Schary. In 1991 he helped found United Talent Agency through a merger of Bauer/Benedek and Leading Artists Agency.

He helped build UTA from a boutique literary agency into one of the three major talent agencies and has been CEO since 2012. The talent agency represents stars such as Timothee Chalamet, Chris Pratt, Kevin Hart and Lizzo.
A mom has begged for advice about how to tell her 30-year-old daughter that her brother is actually her father.

The anonymous woman wrote into The Atlantic's Dear Therapist column to unravel the situation.

She explained that her husband had two kids of his own, and she had none when the pair tied the knot.

The couple 'both wanted to have a child together,' but since her husband had undergone a vasectomy years prior, which could no longer be reversed, they had to find another solution.

An anonymous mom has begged for advice on how to tell her 30-year-old daughter that her brother is actually her father (stock image)

In the letter she sent to the publication, the unnamed woman wrote: 'We didn't want to use a sperm bank, so we asked my husband's son to be the donor.

'We felt that was the best decision: Our child would have my husband's genes, and we knew my stepson's health, personality, and intelligence. He agreed to help.

'Our daughter is 30 now. How do we tell her that her "father" is her grandfather, her "brother" is her father, her "sister" is her aunt, and her "nephew" is her half-brother?'

Understandably, the woman concluded: 'My husband and I are anxious, confused, and worried about telling her.

'This is also hard on my husband, because he wants our daughter to know that he will always and forever be her father.'

In response, columnist Lori Gottlieb, who is a qualified psychotherapist, said that there were two truths that the woman's daughter would be forced to grapple with.

Not only the revelation about her biological father, but also that 'the people she calls her parents have deceived her' for three decades.

Gottlieb then went on to offer advice on how best to broach such a delicate subject.

In the letter she sent to the publication, the unnamed woman wrote: 'We didn't want to use a sperm bank, so we asked my husband's son to be the donor' (stock image)

First, she said it was essential to 'state the facts as simply and clearly as possible' before apologizing.

The expert urged the mom to 'take full responsibility for not telling her [daughter] the truth from the beginning,' being sure not to 'make excuses.'

She explained how it was important for the woman to talk 'as little as possible' during the initial conversation and instead prioritize the thoughts of her daughter.

Last, but not least, Gottlieb also warned that the 'brother' in this situation should also be told that the information is going to be shared in case he has a family of his own that he wishes to tell ahead of time.
Princess Diana's twin nieces Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza went for a decidedly elegant look in ankle-length dresses for the launch of Swaine's new flagship store.

Located just down the road from the iconic Fortnum and Mason department store, the retailer is one of the oldest names in luxury goods in London, beginning in 1750.

Heading out to support the brand, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza opted for chic summer dresses.

Clutching a pale blue handbag, Eliza, 30, looked incredible in a forest green lace dress, with a Peter Pan collar, and a sweet string tie at the neck.

The intricate design also featured diamante buttons down the front and a bandeau underdress and tiny butterfly sleeves.

Princess Diana's twin nieces Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza went for a decidedly elegant look in ankle-length dresses for the launch of Swaine's new flagship store

Bringing the look together was a thick green ribbon belt, that showed off the socialite's slender waist. She finished her elegant look with silver chain strappy sandals and an immaculate pale pink pedicure.

Keeping the focus on her dress, Eliza wore her long blonde hair up in a chic knot and decided to enhance her natural beauty with minimal make-up and just a sweep of bronzer.

Lady Amelia also opted for a long dress for the summer evening, opting to wear a pale pink dress with beautiful covered buttons down the front.

The elegant number featured a high neck with a twist element, decorated in delicate yellow flowers with black stems. Amelia accentuated her flawless white nails by carrying a mini black box bag and strappy high heels.

Amelia and Eliza, who moved from Cape Town to London in 2021, are the daughters of Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer and his first wife Victoria Aitken.

Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia grew up between Constantia, South Africa, and their family's seat, Althorp.

Since moving to London full time in 2021, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia finally began stepping out of their eldest sibling Lady Kitty Spencer's shadow.

The twins, who are both signed to Storm Model Management, quickly started appearing in society magazines like Tatler and Hello.

Heading out to support the brand, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza (pictured) opted for chic summer dresses

Clutching a pale blue handbag, Eliza, 30, looked incredible in a forest green lace dress, with a Peter Pan collar, and a sweet string tie at the neck

Amelia and Eliza previously said they are looking forward to fulfilling long-held ambitions; Amelia hopes to become a wedding planner and Eliza dreams of being an interior designer.

This summer the twins have already attended a number of high profile fashion and society events - notably the Chelsea Flower Show.

It comes shortly after Amelia's South African wedding in March.

Amelia and her husband Greg Mallett first met through mutual friends in Cape Town 13 years ago. In July 2020, Lady Amelia got engaged to long-term boyfriend Greg following a romantic proposal in South Africa.

The society beauty, who is the cousin of Princes William and Harry, met her real estate beau while they were both studying at the University of Cape Town.

The couple were together for 11 years before Greg, 32, popped the question at the exclusive Clouds Wine & Guest Estate in Stellenbosch.

Keeping the focus on her dress, Eliza wore her long blonde hair up in a chic knot and decided to enhance her natural beauty with minimal make-up and just a sweep of bronzer

Dynamic duo! The two sisters smiled as they made their way to the event together through the streets of Mayfair

Both sisters looked elegant as they donned distinct looks that smartly echoed each other's outfit

One of the gram, the twins took some photos destined for their social media feeds as they arrived at the event

Announcing their engagement on Instagram, Greg wrote: 'So this was the best day of my life. 22nd of July 2020, I asked the love of my life to spend the rest of her life with me and she said YES.

'Couldn't be happier and I love you with all my heart @ameliaspencer15.'

In 2021, the couple relocated from South Africa to London shortly after Amelia's big sister Kitty's lavish wedding in Rome - with celebrations being spread over four days.

The couple tied-the-knot at exclusive venue at Quoin Rock Manor House on a mountaintop in the winelands of South Africas Western Cape on March 21.

The bride wore a custom Versace dress which took over two-and-a-half months to craft.

Speaking to Hello following their ceremony, Greg said: 'My love for Amelia has been reborn. Every day I fall more in love with this beautiful human by my side.'
A waitress has vented about customers who ask 'dumb' questions, use plastic cutlery and sit by themselves at a table.

Grace is a server in the U.S. and shared annoying things that customers who come into the restaurant she works at do all the time.

She is infuriated with diners who ask 'stupid' questions because they didn't read the menu properly, as well as customers who ask for a different sauce or side each time she returns to their table rather than all at once.

Grace's takes had many hospitality workers in hysterics as they agreed with her 'ick' list; however, others weren't so impressed and branded the waitress 'lazy' and 'entitled', prompting her to hit back.

'After working a double on Father's Day and getting severely under-tipped, I have a lot of things I need to say,' Grace ranted in a TikTok clip.

Scroll down for video

Grace (pictured), a waitress from the U.S., has shared the things diners do that give her the 'ick' at work - from asking 'dumb' questions to seating themselves

Coming in at number one on Grace's list is people who ask her questions about information that is freely available on the menu.

'Every time I step into my job, I think of the video of the girl that's, like, "Being a server is so hard because people will ask the dumbest f**king question you have ever heard in your life and you have to look them with a straight face like they didn't just do that,"' she joked.

'You read the menu to see you wanted the salmon. Why are you asking me, "Does it come with sides?" when clearly right next to it [it says the dish is] served with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Don't p*** me off.'

Second on Grace's list is the 'plastic silverware brigade' who ask for disposable cutlery thinking it's more hygienic.

Waitress: These are the six things customers do to give me the 'ick' Ask questions without reading the menu Ask for plastic silverware Asking for something every time I return to their table When they seat themselves 'Can I have a straw?' Church crowds Advertisement

'Do y'all not understand that you're using plastic silverware to eat off of a plate that went through the same dishwasher as the silverware?' she asked.

'If anything, I feel like the silverware is cleaner than the plates because we have to run the silverware through twice, so do what you will with that information.'

Grace then took aim at diners who ask for something every time she comes back to their table.

'I drop something off, I ask, "Do y'all need anything else?". You say, "Oh, yeah can I get a side of A1 [sauce]?" Cool, I bring back the side of A1. "Oh, can I get a side of ketchup?" Okay, I go get the ketchup and bring it back,' she explained.

'Don't ask me for anything else because why can't you just ask me everything at once?'

Grace's fourth 'ick' is people who sit themselves down at a table rather than waiting for the host.

She admitted now that she works in fine dining, she doesn't see it often anymore, but said it 'still bothers' her.

'You walk to the host stand and we say we're not sitting any more because we close in two minutes,' Grace said.

'So you just walk and sit yourself and just wait for someone to come over there. We close in 120 seconds. What?'

Another annoyance Grace has with some customers is those who ask for a straw before she has finished serving their drinks.

'You see, I have four drinks in my hand. I've only sat down two of them, while I still have two drinks in my hand, "Can I have a straw?"' she said.

Another annoyance Grace has with some customers is those who ask for a straw before she has finished serving their drinks

'B****, can you wait for me to put everything down so I can give you a straw?'

Finally, Grace said Sundays are pandemonium everywhere she has worked - in part because of 'church crowds'.

'Sundays are the worst day to work at any restaurant. I don't know what it is, what it is about Sundays, it's just a s*** show everywhere,' she said.

'You just praised the Lord and now you're in here acting a fool, being rude and you just tipped me $5 and act like you just gave me the key to the city.'

Grace's video racked up more than 143,000 views and sparked a lively discussion in the comments.

'Been a waitress for years and all of this is chef's kiss, especially the running back and forth to grab something new for a table,' one server agreed.

'"You guys should've put this on the menu because I didn't know that"... it is on the menu right there in BOLD letters actually,' laughed another.

'I had a lady ask me yesterday, "What type of lettuce does the spinach and berries salad come on?" So I feel you girl,' a third added.

'"Can I have a straw?" triggered me to the Gods. Oh, my... makes me feral every time,' joked a fourth.

But not everyone was happy with Grace's list, with many pointing out how often waiters don't provide drink straws.

'Sometimes y'all forget to give straws, so yes, I'm asking,' one viewer replied.

'You also have to take into consideration that some people experience bad service so they aren't sure what to expect with each server,' a second chimed in.

'Nah, I don't care if y'all run the silverware through five times, I'm going to still ask for plastic,' one fussy diner said.

Another called Grace a 'lazy and entitled' employee who 'hates her job' - but she wasn't having any of it and defended herself in a follow-up clip.

'I have absolutely no problem doing my job. I have no problem bringing people things that they need,' she said.

'I do have a problem with people who don't have restaurant etiquette and feel like they can treat people like s*** just because they are a paying customer.'
Claims getting in the sun ASAP helps a lot

A doctor who spends his time between Australia and the UK has revealed how he avoids jetlag every time - and why he always 'gets some sun' as soon as he gets off the plane.

Dr Michael Mrozinski, who left the NHS to work in Australia, claims beating jetlag is his super power.

The popular medic posted a list of nine tips to help his 12,200 followers after a recent jaunt back home to the UK.

In his post the doctor explained he enjoys a 'sunlight splashdown' the moment he arrives.

'I soak up some Vitamin D! Natural sunlight helps reset my body clock and puts a pep in my step. It's like a warm welcome from the local time zone,' he said.

Dr Michael Mrozinski, who left the NHS to work in Australia, claims beating jetlag is his super power

The popular medic posted a list of nine tips to help his 12,200 followers after a recent jaunt back home to the UK

His other tips also revolve around tricking the body as he changes through time zones.

Dr Michael claims his 'trusty sidekick' when it comes to flying is his eye mask.

'These sleep saviors ensure a peaceful snooze onboard. Plus, they make me look like a mysterious superhero,' he joked.

WHAT ARE HIS TIPS? 1 - Wear an eye mask 2 - Sleep according to destination time zone 3 - Use ear plugs 4 - Get in the sun 5 - Use melatonin 6 - Moisturise skin 7 - Use Vaseline 8 - Unblock your nose 9 - Use electrolytes Advertisement

He said that it is also important to be strict with planned sleeps - always aiming to get shut eye in line with his destination.

The help with sleep he also likes to wear earplugs this also helps to 'block out the crying babies' on board.

Number five on his list is to indulge in a short course of melatonin.

'This natural hormone helps regulate my sleep patterns, ensuring a restful night and a refreshed morning,' he wrote.

He's also very serious about keeping hydrated.

'I stay hydrated with electrolyte-packed water.'

He also makes sure his skin is hydrated.

'My secret weapon is Cerave moisturiser, a hero for parched epidermis. So, while my body adjusts, my skin stays glowing like I just stepped out of a spa!'

And he slaps on the Vaseline for good measure.

'My lips and nose get some extra love with a layer of Vaseline, keeping them hydrated and ready for adventure. No cracked lips on my watch,' he said.

His fans thanked him for the tips - but some joked about his business class seats.

'Not travelling in cattle class sure helps,' they said.

'I've only flown business once, it helps, but following all those tips definitely help!' he responded.

The doctor recently spoke about how moving to Australia reignited his love for medicine.

He admitted he was shocked, when on his first shift, he was asked 'why he was still here' after the clock struck five.

The doctor, pictured here with his girlfriend, recently spoke about how moving to Australia reignited his love for medicine

'I was so confused, you actually want me to go home? Madness,' he said.

He had only stayed back ten minutes but soon realised Australians are much more laid back and value having a good work/life balance.

The young Scottish-born doctor has previously said his 'worst day ever working in Australia is still better than his best day at the NHS'.

Dr Michael also credited the move to Australia with 'saving' his passion for medicine.

He's worked all over the country but the GP now predominately works out of offices in St Kilda, Melbourne and loves advocating for men's health, practicing sport's medicine and doing skin checks.

'It's sad that I have to move to the other side of the world to achieve that, but it's the best decision I ever made,' he said.

He continues to advocate moving Down Under to his medic friends in the UK.
An Australian student has shared a secret 'travel hack' that got her flight tickets to three different continents for less than $3,000.

Mia Alpy, from Brisbane, embarked on a six-month-long trip across Asia, North America and Europe in 2022.

The 22-year-old savvy traveller was only able to afford the expensive trip because of a 'round-the-world' ticket which got her cheap flights to her desired destinations.

Round-the-world flight tickets, which she got through an agent at Flight Centre, cover several flights to multiple different locations and typically cost a third of the amount it would take to fly individually.

Mia's trip consisted of seven flights and set her back just $2,914.

Mia Alpy, from Brisbane, embarked on a six-month-long trip across Asia, North America and Europe in 2022

What is a 'round-the-world' ticket? 'Round-the-world' flights allow travellers to fly to multiple continents on the same ticket. The ticket allows you to work with multiple different airlines to secure the most affordable way possible. Advertisement

'I have a really good travel hack if you want to travel around the whole world for really cheap,' Mia said in a video.

'Every time I've told someone about it, they've never heard of it and either don't understand how it works or don't believe that it's a real thing.'

She went on to explain round-the-world flights, saying she started her journey in Australia, then flew to Southeast Asia, Europe, North America and Japan from July 2022 to February 2023.

'Basically it's one plane ticket that takes you around the world on a bunch of different flights,' she revealed.

Mia shared an image of her itinerary, and revealed she travelled with a friend which cost them $5,828 - or $2,914 each.

She travelled from Brisbane to Singapore, Singapore to Bangkok, Bangkok to Zurich, London to Zurich, and Zurich to New York.

She then flew to Japan from the U.S., before finally heading back to Australia.

Mia revealed it was essential to be 'super flexible' with the dates, and recommended going through a travel agent like Flight Centre.

'Basically, just tell them the rough dates and which continents, and it will get you between the continents on the cheapest flights possible,' she said.

Another important aspect to note was a strange requirement.

'You have to fly out of the same place you fly in, in each continent,' she said.

'So, I flew from Brisbane to Singapore and then I spent a few months in Asia and I could go wherever I wanted within Asia,' she explained.

'But then when I flew to Europe, I had to fly out of Singapore. Same thing with Europe: I flew into Zurich, and then I spent four or five months travelling around Europe. And then when I left, I had to fly out of Zurich and then I flew to America.'

'It's a super, super cheap way to get around the whole world,' she added.

Mia also revealed travellers with round-the-world tickets must travel in only one direction, and can't go 'back and forth' in terms of route.

'You have to keep going around the world in one way,' she said. 'So you either need to go clockwise or anti-clockwise around the world, but you can't backtrack - you have to keep going.'

An Australian student revealed the ultimate travel hack - and how her secret got her flight tickets to three different continents around the world for less than $3,000

The young woman also noted that her round-the-world flight ticket was cheaper than a return trip to Europe.

'I literally got around the whole world for, like, $2,914 when a flight just to Europe and back is, like, double that,' she said.

'I never would have thought I'd be able to do a trip like this, but this hack just made it super, super affordable.'

Many were in awe of the travel hack, and vowed to look into it themselves.

'Oh, my God, this is so great!' a woman said. 'I can't believe I've never heard of these!'

'This might be the wildest thing I didn't know about. I've got to look into this,' another wrote.

'I've seen round-the-world tickets from $1,400 economy and $3,000 for business class,' a third added helpfully.
Women aged 35 are now 60 per cent more likely to binge drink than in 1990s

Researchers from Boston University surveyed over 11,000 women in the US

'Wine o'clock' might seem like a treat at the end of the day.

But the booming social media trend may be to blame for rising binge drinking rates in younger women, experts have warned.

'Wine mum' and 'rose-all-day' culture have only normalised excessive drinking, they claimed.

The US-based researchers discovered women in their thirties are 60 per cent more likely now to have a problematic relationship with alcohol than women of the same age in the 1990s.

Rates were highest among women who are childless and have delayed motherhood.

The US-based researchers discovered women in their thirties are 60 per cent more likely now to have a problematic relationship with alcohol than women of the same age in the 1990s

READ MORE: I know why childless women in their 30s binge drink like I did, writes CLARE FOGES Advertisement

Experts from Boston University gathered data from a survey called Monitoring the Future, involving almost 10,000 women.

Participants completed the survey at age 35 between 1993 and 2019.

They provided information on their parental status, age of first-time parenting and drinking habits.

Binge drinking was assessed by asking the participants how many times they had consumed five or more drinks in the last fortnight.

Symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) over a five year period were also assessed based on survey responses.

Writing in the journal Addiction, researchers said the findings indicate that women who turned 35 between 2018 and 2019 were nearly 60 percent more likely to engage in binge drinking or report alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms compared to women who turned 35 between 1993 and 1997.

They said the results suggest women who had not had children by age 35 'are the subgroups of women at highest risk of binge drinking and having AUD symptoms'.

Latest Office for National Statistics data suggests women are waiting increasingly longer to start a family, with the average age of a mother in the UK now almost 31 (30.9).

For comparison, it stood at around 28 in the 1990s.

The findings underscore the need to address excessive drinking among all women, but particularly among this expanding group of women without children, they added.

Senior author Professor Katherine Keyes, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, said: 'Alcohol industry messages around drinking for stress relief and enjoyment have always been part of the industry's advertising strategy.

'And we've seen this emerge on social media platforms, particularly geared towards people who parent.

'Promotion of alcohol use for moms to deal with the stresses of motherhood in Facebook and Instagram groups have common hashtags such as #winemom, #sendwine, and #mommyjuice.'

She added: 'Simultaneously, there has been a rapid increase in alcohol products targeting middle-age women  such as low-calorie seltzers, pink beverages, and expressions such as rose all day.'

Data from a 2022 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report found Brits drank 9.7 litres of pure alcohol per adult in 2020  0.1 less than the EU average.

Fellow researcher Professor Rachel Sayko Adams, a professor of health law, policy and management at Boston University, said: 'Because more women are delaying having children in the US, a growing proportion of women fall into the highest risk group.

'This growing prevalence of heavy drinking is exacerbated given that excessive alcohol use is increasing overall for middle-aged women in more recent cohorts.

'Therefore, at-risk alcohol use and consequences are expected to continue increasing in future years, if not addressed.'

Further investigations are needed into the influence of social media messaging around drinking targeting women, the scientists said.

Read more: Warning that drinking ANY amount of alcohol may raise risk of 60 diseases - including 33 that had never been linked to booze before Advertisement

Efforts should also be made to improve access to AUD treatment for women and mothers, they suggested.

This includes addressing stigma, creating women-focused treatment settings, and expanding flexible treatment options.

Alcohol consumption during the Covid pandemic indicates larger increases among women aged between 18 and 39 and parents, they said.

Future studies should consider effects associated with the pandemic on excessive drinking among this age group and the impacts of parenting, they added.

Leading experts have rowed about the harms of moderate drinking for decades.

Studies have suggested that a glass of wine or pint of beer a day can stave off a host of illnesses.

While others have argued that even light drinking is dangerous.

The row came under the spotlight earlier this month when World Health Organization (WHO) officials warned that no amount of alcohol is safe.

Scientists across the board, however, agree that excessive alcohol consumption can permanently damage the liver and cause an array of cancers and drive up blood pressure.

The WHO estimate it kills 3million people around the world each year.

In February, The Canada Centre on Substance Use and Addiction also recommended the nation's 38million residents should scale back their alcohol intake to just two bottles of beer a week - a major drop from ten drinks a week for women and 15 for men.

The NHS recommends people drink no more than 14 'units' of alcohol  around six glasses of wine, or pints of beer  per week.

This itself has been watered down over the past few decades in light of studies illustrating the health dangers of alcohol.

Meanwhile, the US says women should drink no more than seven standard drinks a week and men can have 14.

These measures include a medium-sized glass of wine and 340ml of beer, close to a regular bottle size.


Moments after the convoy of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was stopped from moving towards Churachandpur in Manipur. Rahul Gandhi was stopped from moving towards Churachandpur in Manipur, the Congress dubbed it as "unfortunate" saying his visit was in spirit of Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), and also asked 'why stop his efforts to listen to all sections and provide a healing touch'.



In a tweet, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "It is most unfortunate that the Modi government is preventing Rahul Gandhi from visiting relief camps and interacting with the people outside Imphal.



"His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?"



The Rajya Sabha MP's remarks came after the convoy of Rahul Gandhi was stopped from proceeding towards Churachandpur.



Rahul Gandhi arrived in Manipur on a two-day visit to meet the affected families residing in the relief camps. On Thursday, he was scheduled to meet with the affected families at the Greenwood Academy, Tuibong and Churachandpur government College and at Community Hall, Konjengbam and Moirang College.



The Congress has questioned the silence of the Prime Minister over violence in Manipur which began on May 3. The Congress has also been demanding the removal of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for failing miserably to control the situation in the northeastern state. Over 100 people have died and thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps.




GPs waste 15million appointments a year dealing with chaotic breakdowns in communication between their surgery and hospitals, a damning report reveals.

Patients are forced to return to their family doctor after getting trapped in a 'referral black hole' or are 'shunted from pillar to post', unclear who is responsible for their care.

The Policy Exchange think tank said the NHS must do more to manage care at the 'interface between GP service and hospitals'.

It warns up to 150,000 people are in limbo, on 'hidden' waiting lists, after being referred to a consultant but not being added to their files.

Patients are forced to return to their family doctor after getting trapped in a 'referral black hole' or are 'shunted from pillar to post', unclear who is responsible for their care

It means they risk falling through the cracks, with their condition deteriorating without medical supervision.

Others are at risk of harm after being discharged from hospital into the care of a GP without proper medicine checks, or when test results and scans go missing.

More than two million patients each year having to make four or more visits to their GP before a referral is accepted, the report named 'Medical Evolution' notes.

It cals for the development of hybrid doctor roles  'interface specialists'  able to work more routinely across hospitals and GP practices.

Report author Dr David Landau said: 'For too long the interface has been neglected as a key site of activity, and not proactively managed.

'Policy Exchange's proposals - which include the development of dedicated roles, operating across the interface - look to ensure more people can access specialist support with a shorter wait and closer to home.

'Crucially, we want to see GPs recognised as specialists in their own right, and to draw more research activity into primary and community care.'

GPs say their surgeries are overwhelmed due to the pressures of the rising and ageing population, a lack of government funding and a shortage of doctors. NHS statistics show there were 27,231 full-time equivalent fully qualified GPs working in the NHS in England, as of April 2023. Full time equivalent terms equate to 37.5 hours a week
Opioids are ineffective treatments for back and neck pain, a new study shows.

Prescription painkillers that have hooked millions of Americans over the past two decades have been shown to be no more effective at reducing neck and lower back pain than a placebo.

Researchers based in Australia indicated that opioid painkillers might actually worsen pain in the long-run while increasing the odds of becoming addicted.

Senior author on the study, Professor Christine Lin from the University of Sydney said: 'Despite there being no evidence of their efficacy in reducing pain, opioid pain relievers are still widely prescribed for people with lower back and neck pain in many countries.

'Our study now suggests that they could be making patients pain levels worse in the medium and long term.

While still widely used to treat cases of chronic pain, prescription opioids such as oxycodone may actually make pain worse, according to research conducted in Australia

There was no significant difference in pain severity between groups after six weeks, the study's primary timepoint. In fact, people who were not given an opioid reported lower pain scores

New research published in the Lancet suggests that, while traditionally believed to be the gold standard for treating pain, opioids may have little to no effect on improving a patients lower back and neck pain levels compared to a dummy pill.

Professor Lin added: We firmly believe doctors should not prescribe opioid pain relievers for new episodes of lower back and neck pain.

Australian, Dutch, and Danish scientists set out to determine whether patients with neck and lower back pain benefit from a doctor-controlled course of up to 20mg of oxycodone daily for up to six weeks.

The team of researchers included 347 subjects with an average age of about 45 years experiencing neck pain, lower back pain, or both across 157 sites in Australia.

People were selected to be in the study if they sought medical help from their general practitioner or a doctor in a hospital and had been experiencing lower back or neck pain for 12 weeks at most.

Everyone in the study received non-medicinal guidance such as advice to stay active, while 174 were given opiates and the other 171 were administered a placebo.

After six weeks, doctors assessed each persons pain levels to determine whether the pills had any measurable benefit. And the doctors found that, overall, they did not.

They assessed the subjects' pain using a 0 to 10 scale called the Brief Pain Inventory Pain Severity Subscale, which was initially developed to gauge pain levels reported by cancer patients.

On pain scores measured out of 10, the opioid recipients reported a pain score of 2.8, while those in the placebo group reported a slightly lower score, 2.3.

At the one-year mark, the opioid recipients reported slightly higher pain scores compared to the placebo group  2.4 versus 1.8.

The evidence of the long-term effects of taking the drugs to deal with pain is limited, though people who take them continuously have a higher risk of misusing them down the line.

Doctors also found that the people who were initially given oxycodone were also more susceptible to abusing the pills after one year with 20 percent of those who received opioids reporting misusing them compared to 10 percent of those in the placebo group.

In 1999, approximately 5 percent of the 175 deaths from opioids were from fentanyl. By 2021, 1557 (94 percent) of 1657 opioid deaths were attributed to fentanyl

Professor Lin said: Lower back and neck pain can severely impact patients quality of life, so we need to offer them the best options to help manage their pain, but opioid pain relievers do not work and carry serious risks.

Instead, doctors should be encouraged to focus on patient-centred approaches that could include advice to stay active, and simple pain relievers.

With the opioid epidemic top of mind for many doctors, prescription rates have declined in recent years

The nation's drug overdose crisis, believed to have been sparked by the introduction of prescription opioids such as OxyContin, has struck everyone, with a record 107,622 Americans dying of a drug overdose last year.

More than 70 percent of deaths were caused by fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than oxycodone.
A popular doctor on TikTok has shared the 12 questions he asks adults to see if they have the behavioural condition attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Dr. Ali Ajaz - who has almost 20,000 followers on TikTok - recently uploaded a video titled '12 Questions to help determine if adults have ADHD', in which he reveals what he asks patients to see if they may have the condition.

ADHD is a serious, complex neurobiological condition characterised by inattentiveness  such as having a short attention span, being easily distracted, appearing forgetful or losing things  and impulsivity, for instance, being unable to sit still and concentrate.

On TikTok alone, videos featuring #adhd have been viewed worldwide over 27billion times.

Dr. Ali Ajaz - who has almost 20,000 followers on TikTok - recently uploaded a video titled '12 Questions to help determine if adults have ADHD'

ADHD is a serious, complex neurobiological condition characterised by inattentiveness

The Royal College of Psychiatrics states that ADHD affects about three to four in every 100 adults

There are an estimated 2.6million people in UK with ADHD (or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and about three per cent of the adult population struggle with the disorder, according to ADHD UK

Dr. Ajaz's 12 questions can be seen below:

1. Do you have problems focusing on everyday tasks?

2. Do you often zone out or lose a sense of time?

3. Do you make careless mistakes at work or with assignments?

4. Do you struggle to initiate tasks and leave things to the last minute?

5. Do you struggle to complete one task at a time?

6. Do you struggle to organise yourself?

7. Do you ever get embarrassed at how untidy your bedroom, home or workspace is?

8. Do you lose essential items on a regular basis e.g. mobile phone, keys, wallet?

9. Do you struggle to relax or unwind?

10. Do you have problems with sleeping because your mind doesnt switch off?

11. Do you struggle to wait your turn in queues or conversations?

12. Do you struggle to listen when spoken to directly?

The Royal College of Psychiatrics states that ADHD affects about three to four in every 100 adults. It also says that ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in boys than in girls.

However, in adults the diagnosis of ADHD in men and women is more equal. This might be because, as children, boys are more likely to show hyperactive and impulsive symptoms, which are more noticeable.

Indeed, the complex condition has been heavily discussed in recent years, as a wave of celebrities have announced that they have been diagnosed with ADHD - including comedian Johnny Vegas, chef Heston Blumenthal and presenter Sue Perkins.

Speaking about the condition in January 2023, Johnny Vegas told BBC Breakfast: Everybody has an element of ADHD. But its about how strong your filter is. When you dont have a filter at all, simple things become time-consuming.

Ill think, Ill shift that cup, and then you have ten other ideas and you havent shifted that cup. Three weeks later its become this monumental task.

Professor Philip Asherson, a psychiatrist of King's College London, explains ADHD is on a spectrum, similar to autism, and argues that it has become 'arbitrary' where to draw the line at what is ADHD and what isn't.

Professor Asherson told MailOnline: 'I have been concerned that because of the vast numbers of people coming forward there are some groups, particularly in the private sector, who are doing quite rapid assessments.

'These people do always have a problem, but it is not always ADHD. So, there might be misdiagnoses if the assessment is not careful enough.'

It was not until 2008 that ADHD was officially listed in the UK as a disorder that affects adults. Prior to that, it was only recognised as a problem that children would slowly grew out of.

Dr Sally Cubbin, a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS and in private clinics in Oxford, Windsor and Southampton, said: 'I think ADHD diagnoses really help adults explain why they have struggled and often they have been in the mental health services, but for the wrong disorder.

The former British Bake Off host, Sue Perkins, said that 'everything made sense' to her after her ADHD diagnosis

'Even psychiatrists are not diagnosing it and labelling it as anxiety and depression.'

Because adult ADHD was only accepted 15 years ago, academics are still attempting to piece together the puzzle of how it affects older people.

Dr Cubbin explained that before 2008 only people studying child psychology would have studied ADHD.

ADHD is strictly defined in the psychiatrists bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (DSM).

For an adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the DSM dictates that they must have at least five symptoms of inattention (such as poor organisation and being easily distracted) and/or at least five symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity (such as difficulty engaging in quiet, leisurely activities, blurting out answers) for six months or more to a degree that is inconsistent with the developmental level and negatively impacts social and academic/occupational activities.

The DSM also says several ADHD symptoms should have been noted as present before the age of 12.
Another pandemic is 'inevitable' and Britain is 'woefully unprepared' for it, a world-renowned scientist claimed today.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, an influential member of SAGE  No10's advisory panel, told the Covid Inquiry we now live in a 'pandemic age'.

He added that the world would see 'more frequent and more complex pandemics'.

Sir Jeremy, who now works for the World Health Organization (WHO), hit out at the Government's 'complacency' in preparing for Covid.

Giving his evidence remotely, he told the probe lessons 'must be learned'.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist at the World Health Organization told Covid Inquiry this morning it is clear we now live in a 'pandemic age'. He also suggested the world would see 'more frequent and more complex pandemics'. But giving his evidence remotely, he hit out at the Government over its 'complacency' in preparing for Covid

He said: 'If we do not retain scientific infrastructure, then [the] UK will be woefully unprepared to deal with today's challenges and tomorrow's inevitable epidemics.'

Sir Jeremy added there was a 'degree of complacency' about pandemic planning in the wake of the 2009 swine flu epidemic because it was not as bad as first feared.

He told the probe: 'It's clear we're living in a pandemic age, which is going to have more frequent and more complex pandemics.

'And yet it is extraordinarily difficult when governments are faced with dealing with the challenges of day to day, to also put in place those critical infrastructures, resilience and surge capacity and spare capacity, that would allow us to deal with the unexpected, but inevitable disruptions that are going to occur.'

He added: 'I think in the UK and around the world, despite the warnings of the last 20 years, there has been a complacency about the need to prepare for these sorts of major disruptive events which go well beyond health to the whole of society.

'And the UK, yes, was complacent in regards to planning for that.'

Ending his evidence, he also told the probe: 'I wish you the very best in the public inquiry and offer all the support we can to it.

'The lessons must be learned and we must never be there again.'

Sir Jeremy was previously head of the UK's biggest private research funding body, the Wellcome Trust.

He stepped down in February to take up the position of chief scientist at the WHO.

Sir Jeremy, who quit SAGE during the pandemic after condemning the country's laissez-faire response, co-authored a book entitled 'Spike: The Virus v The People' that offered his 'inside story' on how the crisis unfolded.

Writing in his memoir, he slammed the government's Eat Out To Help Out scheme and said he felt in summer 2020 that not enough had been done to plan for the winter.

He opened his evidence this morning by 'reaching out to those who have lost lives' during the pandemic and 'the families who are still affected, those with long Covid, as well as healthcare workers'.

Later during the probe, Sir Jeremy was also questioned by Hugo Keith KC, counsel to the Inquiry, over the laboratory infrastructure needed in the UK to enable the country to scale up for the next crisis.

He responded: 'The testing capacity in the first three months of 2020 in the UK was woefully inadequate.

'It wasn't possible to scale that up at the speed that was required and testing got way behind the speed of the epidemic.'

He added: 'In epidemics and pandemics, there's no point saying "we're quicker than we use to be" if you're slower than the speed of the epidemic.

'If you get behind that curve, you'll really struggle to catch up.'

In the first week of the Inquiry, its chief lawyer Hugo Keith KC, presented the Inquiry with an extraordinarily complicated flow chart detailing the government's chain of command in helping to protect Brits from future pandemics. The diagram, created by the Inquiry to reflect structures in 2019, links together more than 100 organisations involved in preparing the country for any future infectious threats

Government data up to June 20 shows the number of Covid cases recorded since March 2020. As many as 70 witnesses will contribute to the first module on pandemic preparedness

Government data up to May 23 shows the number of deaths of people whose death certificate mentioned Covid as one of the causes, and seven-day rolling average. Baroness Hallett told the inquiry she intends to answer three key questions: was the UK properly prepared for the pandemic, was the response appropriate, and can lessons be learned for the future?

He also told the Inquiry a new form of pandemic flu remains the 'biggest risk' to the world.

But planning, he added, should also take into account other novel diseases spread in different ways and with different attributes.

Earlier this week the Inquiry also heard evidence from the director of emergency preparedness and health protection at Department of Health and Social Care, Emma Reed.

Internal Department of Health and Social Care documents relating to a November 2019 pandemic preparedness meeting, shown during the hearing, revealed 'areas of work' were 'not prioritised'.

These areas included boosting adult social care and community care during a pandemic, the public health communications strategy and refreshing the pandemic flu strategy to ensure it was 'accurate and up to date'.

The government's pandemic flu strategy published in 2011, was the UK's only pandemic plan and envisaged the possibility of 800,000 deaths.

The document said that  during any future pandemic - there were no plans to close borders, stop mass gatherings or impose controls on public transport, the inquiry heard.

Ms Reed told the probe she could recall no discussion or debate about the possibility of mandatory quarantine or mass testing in the department before 2020.

Appearing in front of the Inquiry on Tuesday, former health secretary Matt Hancock also said the 2011 pandemic plan he inherited in 2018 was 'geared towards how to clear up after a disaster, not prevent it', something he agreed was a 'complete systematic failure'.

Mr Hancock repeatedly told Mr Keith that the 'absolutely central problem' with pandemic planning in the UK was 'that the doctrine was wrong'.

He said: 'The doctrine of the UK was to plan for the consequences of a disaster. Can we buy enough body bags? Where are we going to bury the dead? And that was completely wrong.

'Of course, it's important to have that in case you fail to stop a pandemic, but central to pandemic planning needs to be: how do you stop the disaster from happening in the first place? How do you suppress the virus?'

Mr Hancock said he was 'guided by the best available science at the time' throughout the pandemic.

But he said he could not recall ever attending any National Security Council meetings on threats, hazards, resilience and contingencies prior to the pandemic.

As many as 70 witnesses will contribute to the first module on pandemic preparedness.

Sir Frank Atherton, the chief medical officer for Wales and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, are both expected to give evidence next week on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

The first module will run for six weeks, until 20 July. The probe is not expected to conclude until 2026.

A separate Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry chaired by Lord Brailsford is looking at the pandemic response in devolved areas in Scotland.

Mr Drakeford has said he and the Welsh government are fully committed to the inquiry, though they maintain that there is no need for Wales to hold its own inquiry.
Fever-stricken patients coming to hospitals should be checked for malaria, health officials say  even if they have not recently left the United States.

The alarm has been sounded over five cases of the disease  four in Florida and one in Texas  that appear to have come from local mosquitoes. They raise the possibility that malaria has returned to the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wednesday issued a health alert urging doctors to be on the lookout for more cases.

Experts say that the cases were likely isolated, but warned that another mosquito-borne disease could reach the US within the next decade. They said global warming was allowing the mosquito population to expand and reach new areas.

Experts warn that mosquitoes are becoming more common in the US and there is a risk another mosquito-borne disease could reach the country within the decade (stock image)

Issuing the warning yesterday, the CDC said doctors should still 'routinely consider malaria as a cause of febrile illness among patients with a history of international travel to areas where malaria is transmitted'.

But they added 'clinicians should [also] consider a malaria diagnosis in any person with a fever of unknown origin regardless of their travel history'.

The five cases of malaria diagnosed in the US were all spotted over the last two months and mark the first cases since 2003.

Health officials fear there may also be others in the community, but that these are being misdiagnosed as other diseases.

Malaria was eradicated in the United States in 1951 after a massive public health program that saw pesticides sprayed from aircraft onto mosquito breeding grounds and potential breeding sites for the insects drained.

But sporadic cases have repeatedly popped up since  although these have not led to wider community transmission.

These have likely been sparked after a human infected with malaria but showing no symptoms came to the US and was bitten by a local mosquito, which became infected. When this insect bit another human it passed on the disease. It could also have arrived in malaria-infected mosquitoes that stowed away on an airplane.

Early warning signs of the disease include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and nausea.

Without treatment, these can progress into complications such as anemia  a low red blood cell count  and organ failure, which can be fatal.

Dr Thomas Moore, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Kansas, warned DailyMail.com that he expected malaria to start cropping up more frequently in the US over the coming years.

He said: 'I think it is fair to say that with global warming being as it is we will probably hear about these cases a little more frequently.'

He said that other diseases were likely to follow malaria such as dengue fever.

'With malaria comes dengue,' he said, 'that almost goes hand in hand with malaria because they cover the same areas'.

Dr Jason Rasgon, a mosquito expert at Penn State University, said that there are occasional cases of malaria in the United States and that these were no different.

'This happens every once in a while,' he said.

Dr Thomas Moore (left), an infectious diseases expert at the University of Kansas, warned that the mosquito population was growing. Dr Jason Rasgon, a mosquito expert at Penn State University, said that more mosquito-borne diseases could reach the US

Explaining how the lastest cases likely emerged, he added: 'Somebody came in from someplace with malaria  probably an asymptomatic carrier.

'Some local mosquitoes then picked this up and bit other people, causing disease.

'This has been recognized for a while. But I don't think it is anything to be concerned about.'

Both experts warned that global warming was allowing mosquitoes to spread to new areas and raising the risk of them carrying more diseases.

The warmer weather was leading to heavier rainfalls and, as a result, more stagnant pools of water being available in which mosquitoes could breed.

It was also speeding their life cycle and meaning that their eggs were able to survive over winter further and further North, allowing them to spread.

Dr Rasgon said it was likely that another mosquito-borne disease would become established in the US within the next decade.

He said this was driven by a 'perfect storm' of an interconnected world, making it easier for disease to spread from one area to another.

He said it could be brought in either by infected mosquitoes that stowed away on a plane or by an asymptomatic human who then passes it on to the local mosquito species.

The US already has several mosquito species capable of carrying malaria, raising the risk of the disease becoming established here.

Over the last two decades, three new mosquito-borne diseases have become established in the US. West Nile Virus reached the country in 1999 and was then followed by the Chikungunya virus, in late 2013, and the Zika virus, which emerged in 2016.

Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caught when a mosquito transfers a parasite into someone's bloodstream.

It can be treated using antimalarial medications targeting the parasite, such as hydroxychloroquine, which was previously trumpeted by Donald Trump as a cure for Covid.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an alarming candidate for many reasons, but one has gone strangely undiscussed: His treatment of women.

Since gaining traction in the polls  he's consistently at 20 per cent against President Biden  RFK Jr. has given no shortage of interviews. Time magazine, The Atlantic, ABC News (which edited out his factually incorrect COVID vaccine claims), the New York Post, CNN, Tucker Carlson, Bill Maher, Joe Rogan and Elon Musk  all have interviewed Kennedy at length.

Yet no one asks.

A recent Daily Beast column on the 69-year-old Kennedy's ripped physique explored with great seriousness 'What RFK Jr. Doing Shirtless Pushups Says About the 2024 Election.'

I'd prefer to explore what a noted misogynist who reportedly tormented his second wife  and then vilified after she killed herself  says about the 2024 election.

Here was actor Billy Baldwin on Twitter in April, posting a photo of RFK Jr. and his late wife Mary  who, he said, spent many a time crying on his shoulder about her terrible husband:

'If Bobby were half a man she would still be alive today. It will all come out. His campaign will be over in weeks. If these walls could talk.'

Mary, according to those who knew her well, was in agony over RFK Jr.'s ceaseless womanizing. He kept sex diaries, which Mary discovered and gave to a trusted friend. Should anything happen to her, the world might know who we're really dealing with.

In the back of each diary were ledgers listing all the women Bobby had been with  many friends of Mary's or women in their social circle  numbered from one to ten, indicating, like a teenage boy, how far each sexual encounter had gone.

A recent Daily Beast column on the 69-year-old Kennedy's ripped physique explored with great seriousness 'What RFK Jr. Doing Shirtless Pushups Says About the 2024 Election.'

Here was actor Billy Baldwin on Twitter in April (above), posting a photo of RFK Jr. and his late wife Mary  who, he said, spent many a time crying on his shoulder about her terrible husband

One entry logged three women in one day. Sometimes he hit on women with Mary right there.

And Bobby Jr. always blamed the women for his womanizing, writing that they had 'mugged' him. He said his 30-day stint in prison in Puerto Rico  for trespassing during a protest  was great because there wasn't a single woman to be had.

'I'm so content here,' he wrote in a July 2001 diary entry, as reported by the New York Post. 'I have to say it. There's no women. I'm happy! Everybody here seems happy. It's not misogyny. It's the opposite! I love them too much.'

Sounds like misogyny to me. By his reasoning, if only women didn't exist, Bobby Kennedy Jr. wouldn't be a womanizer.

Are we really in post- 'grab-'em-by-the-p***y' presidential elections - blatant sexism a feature rather than a bug?

Let's hope not.

Beautiful, brilliant, and the family member who most resembled Jackie O, Mary nonetheless suffered greatly, more so when Bobby began dating 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actress Cheryl Hines  herself the gauzy focus of a recent New York Times magazine profile. A tongue-bath, really.

As Mary decompensated, threatened with losing her house and her children, Bobby cut her off. Sometimes she'd have to ask fellow parents at her kids' school for $20 to buy groceries or gas.

'Somebody living in a fifth-floor walk-up in the Bronx with cash could do more than she could,' one source told the New York Post. Taking away her resources, which included a $20,000 monthly credit card approved in court, was meant 'to squeeze her and make her panic.'

Compounding Mary's torment, Bobby moved into a house just a few hundred yards away, and he and Cheryl began making the rounds.

Mary (above, right), according to those who knew her well, was in agony over RFK Jr.'s ceaseless womanizing. He kept sex diaries, which Mary discovered and gave to a trusted friend. Should anything happen to her, the world might know who we're really dealing with.

Beautiful, brilliant, and the family member who most resembled Jackie O, Mary nonetheless suffered greatly, more so when Bobby began dating 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actress Cheryl Hines (above, right)  herself the gauzy focus of a recent New York Times magazine profile. A tongue-bath, really.

Hines began tweeting about all the fun she was having with Mary's children and Mary's friends at Mary's local haunts or events she would have otherwise been invited to.

Some of Hines's tweets, which the actress took down after Mary's suicide, were posted weeks before Mary was found hanging in her barn.

About Mary's second son:

'Rabid, unhinged New England zealotry by 10-yr.-old Aidan [sic] Kennedy has nearly turned me into a Pats fan.'

About a birthday party she attended with Bobby for Glenn Close, a dear friend of Mary's: 'I got to tell #GlenClose [sic] what an inspiration she has always been to me.'

At the Westchester, N.Y. burger spot where Mary often took her children: 'At Armonk's Burgers & Shakes in Armonk, NY. So, sooooo good.'

How, I ask, could the New York Times reporter who profiled Hines not ask about this? Are these not important characterological details?

Instead we get perhaps Hines's greatest performance: that of a political wife surprised that the namesake scion of a martyred politician, the product of America's most famous political dynasty, is actually running for president.

'I haven't really spent time in that space,' Hines said of the prospect of being First Lady, employing the nonsense verbiage of Instagram self-help posts, 'because we're not there yet.'

Well, if your husband's running, I'd say it's time for a proper vetting.

After Mary's death, Bobby sanctioned friends, relatives and at least one sympathetic Kennedy historian to tell his version of events: Mary was a drunk, a hysteric, a crazy woman. It was a miracle he even survived the marriage.

The greatest smear job came via a Newsweek cover story, which branded Mary's suicide part of the Kennedy Curse  oh, the terrible things that just keep happening to this family!

Somehow, the author got access to a sealed 60-page affidavit in which Bobby accused Mary of having a personality disorder, of beating him in front of their son, of drunkenly face-planting into her dinner.

Mary's siblings called the report 'scurrilous' and 'full of lies.'

After Mary's death, Bobby sanctioned friends, relatives and at least one sympathetic Kennedy historian to tell his version of events: Mary was a drunk, a hysteric, a crazy woman. It was a miracle he even survived the marriage.

We get perhaps Hines's greatest performance: that of a political wife surprised that the namesake scion of a martyred politician, the product of America's most famous political dynasty, is actually running for president. (Above) Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy with children

'Mary did not have a history of depression,' a friend told People magazine. 'She became a troubled person because of the divorce.'

Nonetheless, Bobby went to court to fight Mary's siblings, who hated him, for her remains.

Once he won, he made a big show of having Mary buried in the Kennedy family plot in Massachusetts, the media getting unobstructed photos of Mary's casket.

Not two months later, without the required permits, Kennedy secretly had Mary's coffin exhumed from her grave and buried alone on the other side of the cemetery, no gravestone.

He didn't tell her siblings. In my opinion, this was his final revenge  if Mary dared to humiliate him by killing herself  because it's all about Bobby Jr., all the time  in life, he would do the same to her in death.

When questioned as to why, Bobby responded through a representative. 'The grave is now on a sunny hillside,' said powerhouse publicist Ken Sunshine, 'shaded by an oak tree in an area with room for her children and other family.'

Wow. Bobby moved the grave to give her some sun!

Here's the real question that the media's been dancing around: Is Bobby Kennedy sick?

I think obviously, yes. But not for the reasons the media finds so fascinating: the anti-vax stuff, the water-supply-is-turning-kids-trans, Big Pharma to blame for school shooters, Russia 'acting in good faith' in Ukraine, lobbying for his father's assassin to be released from prison, his penchant for hoarding dead animals in his car (Town & Country profile, 2021).

This is a man who smeared the mother of his four children in the most public way possible, who made her life a misery and who gaslit the nation into thinking he was the victim.

He is, in my opinion  and I'm not alone  not just mentally ill. He's a bad man.

The Kennedys have this generational sickness, their abhorrent treatment of women.

Why aren't we talking about it?

How is it that no one's drawing parallels to Bobby's Uncle Ted, the last famous Democrat to challenge an incumbent Democratic president  you know, the uncle who left a young campaign aide named Mary Jo Kopechne to die alone after driving off a bridge at Chappaquiddick?

The party line on Ted was always that he was terrible to women in his personal life but great at legislating for us.

Tell that to the women he destroyed, his wife Joan among them, painting her as the family drunk, the political liability. Sound familiar?

Women, to Kennedy men, are scapegoats.

And why, too, is no one talking about how RFK Jr. falsely accused a black man and another of mixed race in the savage 1975 sexual assault and murder of 15-year-old Martha Moxley?

It was a clear attempt to exonerate his cousin Michael Skakel, whose conviction for Moxley's murder has since been vacated, largely thanks to Kennedy's own efforts.

In RFK Jr's 2016 book, 'Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent Over a Decade in Prison For a Murder He Didn't Commit,' Kennedy claimed that two Bronx teenagers bludgeoned the girl to death.

Not two months later, without the required permits, Kennedy secretly had Mary's coffin exhumed from her grave and buried alone on the other side of the cemetery, no gravestone.

It was a clear attempt to exonerate his cousin Michael Skakel, whose conviction for Moxley's murder has since been vacated, largely thanks to Kennedy's own efforts.

'I am dead certain they did it,' Kennedy said at the time. Prosecutors called the claims 'baseless'.

Only a vaunted liberal could get away with such unapologetic racism. Only Bobby Jr. could get away with treating the murder and memory of young Martha so thoughtlessly. Did he care what this would do to her brother? Her mother?

Imagine a presidential candidate on the right who vigorously defended a family member by saying, 'Hey  look at these two random non-white guys. They did it.'

The media would be howling.

RFK Jr. has famously said he'll talk to anyone during his campaign.

How about a journalist with some pointed questions, Bobby? I'm at your beck and call.
A personal finance expert has projected that he lost nearly $400,000 in retirement income by investing in a Roth plan - and he wants to warn others against making the same mistake.

Derek Sall, 38, believes that the difference between the tax he has already paid on his earnings, versus the possible lower tax he would pay in retirement, means he has missed out on substantial savings.

With a traditional 401(K) plan, employees do not have to pay taxes on their retirement savings - but they will have to pay income tax during retirement.

By comparison, a Roth investor takes an upfront tax-hit - but this means they get a tax-break in retirement.

'Youre way more likely to have a lower income in retirement than you have today, so youll likely be in a lower tax bracket in the future,' Sall, who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan, told DailyMail.com.

Derek Sall has projected that he lost $400,000 in retirement income by investing in a Roth retirement account

A Roth plan is funded with after-tax money that you can withdraw tax-free once you reach retirement age. A traditional plan allows you to make contributions before taxes, but you'll pay income tax on the distributions in retirement

'For that reason it makes sense to take your tax break now and not invest in a Roth,' Sall, founder of LifeAndMyFinances, said.

'So in other words you would decide not to pay a 22 percent tax rate now, but instead invest in a traditional plan and save that 22 percent and pay an average of 5.7 percent in retirement. It's a huge difference.'

It is the same distinction for an IRA, but these are just investment accounts which an individual can open through a bank, an investment company, or a broker, rather than a workplace or employer-sponsored plan.

In real terms, an employee on a $70,000 annual salary paying $10,000 into a traditional 401(K) plan would have their taxable income reduced to $60,000 a year.

The $10,000 placed into their retirement savings is not taxed.

However when you take the funds out during retirement you will owe income taxes based on your income and tax bracket at that time.

By comparison, a Roth 401(K) investor on the same $70,000 annual salary and $10,000 retirement contributions would pay tax on the total $70,000 now - with no deductions.

But when they come to withdraw the funds, they will pay no levies.

What's more, with a Roth plan you will not pay tax on the investment earnings your plan has made.

For example, if your traditional 401(K) plan grew from $10,000 to $30,000 by the time you retire - you will pay taxes on the entire $30,000.

But with a Roth 401(K), you do not have to pay any tax on those $20,000 gains.

For these reasons, financial planners have often recommended Roth plans to young earners.

But Sall said many workers are being misled. He calculated how much he would have saved if he invested in a traditional 401(K) between the aged 25 and 37 - versus how much he saved in his Roth account.

'With a traditional, I would have ended up with around $1.9 million, but with a Roth it was around $1.5 million,' he said. 'Nobody knows this and they're all being led the wrong way toward saving in a Roth.'

Sall also explained that there is a difference between the marginal tax rate - the tax rate of the bracket you are in - and the effective tax rate - the average tax you pay - in retirement.

'If you put your money in a traditional IRA or 401(K), you are deferring the marginal tax rate (the upper tier tax bracket) so you can pay the effective tax rate (the average rate) in retirement.'

If you invest in a Roth, on the other hand, you're likely to be paying a higher rate in tax today, to save a lower amount in retirement, he added.

If you are in your early earning years, contribute heavily into retirement and plan to withdraw far more in retirement each year than you earn today, then you should likely contribute to a Roth IRA or 401(K), Sall said.

If not, you're better off investing in a traditional, and deferring your tax until retirement, he added.

It is crucial that Americans find a retirement plan that is right for them - after a recent study revealed a concerning disparity between what people anticipate they will need to retire comfortably and the amount they have in savings.

On average, people believe they should put aside $1.27 million for retirement, according to Northwestern Mutual. Yet they have typically only saved $89,300 - a mere 7 percent of the target sum.

The majority of US workers rely on an employer-sponsored 401(K) for their retirement plan.

Auto-enrollment means a fraction of a worker's salary goes straight into their 401(K) from their paycheck, which is then matched or partially matched by the employer.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority says most employers use a 3 percent default contribution.

However workers are encouraged to up their own contributions - especially as their salary increases.

Some retirement experts believe that a Roth retirement plan is still the best option for savers in the current climate

Financial planner Patrick Donnelly believes Roth IRAs the most powerful wealth building tool Americans have at their disposal

Historically, if you paid into a Roth account, your employer would place their matched amount in a typical 401(K).

However, new rules mean employers can opt to match your contribution in Roth dollars.

Not all experts are convinced that a Roth plan is a costly mistake - with many still claiming it is a valuable tool to build wealth for the future.

Investment advisor Patrick Donnelly told DailyMail.com that the key benefit of a Roth account is that it safeguards investors from future income tax rises.

'There will be times where, for certain individuals, a Roth just simply won't make sense, but I would say that Sall overlooks one key element of contributing to a Roth, and that element is future tax rates,' he said.

Donnelly, of Donnelly Financial Services, continued: 'When you're contributing for retirement you have to consider what your taxable income is now versus what it's going to be in retirement, but what he should consider is the outlook for future tax rates.

'We're in a relatively favorable tax environment today for both high and low income earners, compared to historic income tax rates, due to the tax legislation brought in by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017.

'Our current debt and deficit is on an unsustainable trajectory, and at some point the federal government, and our tax system, will have to deal with this unsustainable amount of debt.'

Donnelly projects that this means that the US is looking towards a prolonged period of substantially higher average tax rates in the future - which he predicts could reach peaks of 15 or 17 percent.

'That's going to hurt retirees across the board if they're putting towards tax-deferred retirement vehicles - your traditional IRA and traditional 401(K) plans,' he added.

'Our current tax legislation is due to expire in January 2026, so we already know that tax rates will be going up by 3 to 4 percent for most households in a matter of a few years.

'If you save for retirement in a Roth now, you are essentially hedging against those higher tax rates in the future. This makes Roth IRAs the most powerful wealth building tool we have at our disposal at this point,' Donnelly said.

If you are unsure whether you would be best suited to a Roth or a traditional plan, it is worth speaking to an advisor about your options.
Former co-workers told DailyMail.com the accused killer, who was diagnosed at 23 as 'manic with psychotic features' was 'kind' and 'had the respect of everyone'

Before he became a triple murder suspect, Christopher Ferguson, 41, was known as a talented USC grad who mentored at-risk kids at a Massachusetts school

The man accused of killing an elderly couple and the woman's 97-year-old mother was an honors student whose life spiraled out of control in the grip of mental illness, DailyMail.com has learned.

Christopher Ferguson described his life as like 'a Pac-Man game' where the character disappears from the computer screen before appearing on the other side.

Ferguson, 41, was arraigned Tuesday and held without bail for the horrific murders which shocked the Boston suburb of Newton, a town with one of the lowest crime rates in the country.

But not that long ago, the alleged killer had been on a very different path, a University of Southern California graduate with a promising future ahead of him.

Ferguson grew up just blocks away from Gilda 'Jill' and Bruno D'Amore and Gilda's 97-year-old mother Lucia Arpino, but investigators do not believe he knew them, and think he killed them in a random attack.

Police on the scene found signs of a struggle, including broken furniture and a crystal paperweight covered in blood. They were able to match a bloody footprint at the scene to neighbor Ferguson who was 'known to police'

The alarm was raised after Gilda, 73, and Bruno, 74, failed to show at Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Sunday where they had been scheduled to renew their wedding vows on their 50th anniversary.

Christopher Ferguson, 41, was arrested Monday evening for the triple murder of an elderly married couple as well as the wife's mother, in Newton, Massachusetts

Gilda 'Jill', 73, and Bruno, 74, D'Amore were found dead inside their Newton home Saturday - the day before they were planning to renew vows for their 50th wedding anniversary

Jill's 97-year-old mother Lucia Arpino was also killed in the brutal attack

Ferguson was known as a quiet but bright and talented student, attending the academically rigorous Meadowbrook School and then graduating Newton North High School with honors and a prestigious scholarship to USC.

There he took on leadership roles and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, eventually moving on to a master's degree program at UC Berkeley.

But at age 23, he was diagnosed as bipolar after experiencing a manic episode, the first of many.

He believes it was genetic, since his maternal uncle was also diagnosed as bipolar in his early 20s. While at Berkeley, he found himself institutionalized several times.

In a blog he apparently wrote in 2020, he explained how his mind would respond in these manic states.

'When I reflect on the insanity, I liken it to being blackout drunk for a number of weeks, sometimes months at a time.'

'Further, I have been diagnosed as having manic with psychotic features. In lay terms, psychosis translates into a clean break from reality.'

In his writings, he compared his condition to a Pac-Man video game, when Pac-Man disappears from the screen before appearing on the other side.

'When life has pushed me too far in either direction, typically when manic, there have been times that have created a temporary suspension of reality in which I have, for all intents and purposes, disappeared from this analogic video game screen, or in my estimation been psychotically G-O-N-E.'

After several short stints in hospitals in California, he decided to move back to Massachusetts, and his family tried to find him the support he needed.

He took medication to help manage his illness and worked as a freelance writer and volunteered as a mentor for at-risk kids.

Former colleagues told DailyMail.com Ferguson had an impressive academic background and a promising future but in his 20s began suffering from manic episodes that landed him in the hospital several times

Ferguson was taken to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Newton following his arrest on Monday

Christopher Ferguson lived in this house in Newton. Police say the accused killer did not know the D'Amores or Arpino and they believe the stabbing was 'random'

To make ends meet, he got a job at the local Whole Foods as a cashier.

'He always seemed very smart, and he was extremely quiet,' a former co-worker told DailyMail.com.

'He would smile at people, but he wasn't really engaging in conversations.

'But he seemed gentle and kind, and like a good guy. I can't fathom this is the same person they say did this horrible crime.

'The entire community can't really wrap its head around the fact that this nice, quiet person could do something like this.'

The accused killer explained in his blog that he sometimes had thoughts 'that are equally paranoid and grossly delusional, like thinking people were out to kill me, for instance.

'For quite some time while manic, I thought I was the target of international crime syndicates who, to make matters worse, were working in collusion with FBI, CIA, ATF etc. and any other acronymic governmental organization to ensure my premature demise.'

He went on to say that when he snaps out of his manic state, he is often surprised and horrified at what he has done or said.

'Imagine waking the next day from an all-night bender,' he wrote.

'To recall is to, in some ways, to un-repress, to explore, to deal with and dive in the murky waters of crazy.'

When writing the post, he said he had not experienced a manic episode since 2015.

'Though I am five years plus removed from intermittent mental invalidity and instability, the fear I once had for the illness and the specter of relapse has yielded a respect for it.'

The three victims were found stabbed to death at their Newton, Massachusetts, home on Sunday morning

Police on the scene found signs of a struggle, including broken furniture and a crystal paperweight covered in blood. They were able to match a bloody footprint at the scene to neighbor Ferguson who was 'known to police'

Around the time of his blog, he had been training to become a paraeducator for kids with disabilities and was hired by the school district in neighboring Framingham to work with students.

For three years, he worked at the public school 'and the kids seemed to like him,' says a former co-worker there. 'He had the respect of everyone.'

But just a few months ago, things started to change. He hadn't had a major episode for years, but beginning in February, cracks began to show.

In a 2020 blog post, Ferguson said he had not experienced a manic episode since 2015, but that changed earlier this year in February

He broke up with his girlfriend, and reportedly had either stopped taking his medication, or it was now failing to work.

He left his job at Whole Foods, where he had worked on and off for over a decade.

'Someone told me they saw him walking around and he was being really loud and kind of scary.

'He was listening to loud music with really obscene lyrics and bothering people. That didn't seem like him at all,' says a neighbor.

He also failed to show up for his job at the school.

'He just stopped coming one day,' says his former school coworker. 'I don't know for sure, but I had heard from other people that he just stopped showing up, without officially quitting or anything.

'The children didn't know what had happened to him and kept asking about him.'

The school district confirmed he worked for them until March 2023, but would not comment on the circumstances around him leaving.

For weeks, according to neighbor Ilana Margalit, he was seen randomly wandering the neighborhood.

An ambulance was seen waiting outside the courthouse during Ferguson's arraignment on Tuesday

His worried family tried to find him help, she says.

'His family loves him and have been trying their best to get him what he needs,' Margalit said.

His sister, Jessica, was trying to get him treatment, and had finally been able to get him admitted to a hospital for his mental health in early June.

But by June 20, he was back at home.

'Jessica really did not want him discharged,' she says, but because he was an adult, there was little the family could do legally to force him to stay,' said Margalit.

Another neighbor recounts how some people had been complaining that he was making them feel uncomfortable.

'He was starting to actually approach people. He would wander around the streets. He was ringing doorbells.

'I know they had even talked to police about it, but they were told there was nothing the police could do, because he hadn't harmed anyone.'

And they couldn't intervene until he allegedly took the lives of his three elderly neighbors.
The Catholic priest who allegedly 'sexted' with the former prioress of a Texas nunnery has been identified as a former US Navy officer who survived inoperable brain cancer before taking his vows.

Father Philip G. Johnson, 38, is the priest at the center of the sexting allegations that plunged the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas into ecclesiastical chaos, DailyMail.com can confirm.

The convent's 43-year-old prioress, Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach, was recently defrocked by Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson, who claimed that she had confessed to violating her vow of chastity with a priest.

For months, the identity of the priest and the nature of the alleged transgression remained cloaked in secrecy, even as Olson publicly decreed Gerlach guilty of sexual sins with a priest.

But after Gerlach filed a lawsuit accusing Olson of defamation and invasion of privacy, the bishop testified in a hearing this week that the nun had been 'sexting', and Johnson was named as the priest involved in the scandal by his home diocese in North Carolina.

Father Philip G. Johnson, 38, is the priest at the center of the sexting allegations that plunged the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas into ecclesiastical chaos

Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach was recently defrocked by Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson, who claimed that she had confessed to violating her vow of chastity with a priest

Gerlach has severe chronic health issues that confine her to a wheelchair, and require her to use a feeding tube and receive round-the-clock care from a fellow nun, her attorney Matthew Bobo has previously told DailyMail.com.

No direct evidence of the sexting has emerged in court, but rather the diocese has presented testimony and recordings documenting Gerlach's admissions that she had fallen in love with a priest through long-distance communications.

The controversy has bitterly divided the Catholic community in Fort Worth, and supporters of the community of nuns have launched a petition for Bishop Olson's removal, garnering more than 500 signatures.

On June 1, Olson banished Gerlach from her order, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, one day after receiving special powers from the Vatican to pursue his investigation.

Olson said at the time he had found the nun 'guilty of having violated the sixth commandment of the Decalogue and her vow of chastity with a priest from outside the Diocese of Fort Worth,' but did not name the priest.

In the Catholic Church, the Sixth Commandment is 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' and forbids sex outside of marriage. Catholic priests and nuns are forbidden to marry and take vows of celibate chastity.

The priest Johnson is currently assigned to the Diocese of Raleigh in North Carolina, which confirmed in a statement to DailyMail.com that his priestly powers are being restricted while the matter is under investigation.

He did not respond to multiple interview requests from DailyMail.com this week.

On June 1, Bishop Olson (above) banished Gerlach from her order, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, one day after receiving special powers from the Vatican to pursue his investigation

In 2008, Johnson (seen above) was 24 and serving as an officer in the Navy when he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, with doctors giving him just one year to live

In 2017 Johnson was ordained in Raleigh and initially assigned as parochial vicar of Saint Ann Parish in Clayton, North Carolina, where he is seen celebrating mass

Previously, Johnson's path to the priesthood was widely celebrated and documented in Catholic blogs and newsletters due to his remarkable life story.

In 2008, he was 24 and serving as an officer in the Navy when he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, with doctors giving him just one year to live.

The medical crisis only served to deepen his Catholic faith, and he resolved to become a priest and 'serve the Church for the rest of my life,' he explained on an old blog.

Johnson's brain tumor went into remission, and in 2017 he was ordained in Raleigh and assigned as parochial vicar of Saint Ann Parish in Clayton, North Carolina.

Church records show that in June 2020, Johnson was granted permission to be assigned as priest chaplain to the Carmelite Monastery in Traverse City, Michigan.

The Michigan convent is part of the same Carmelite religious order as the Texas convent that the nun Gerlach oversaw until her ouster earlier this month.

At a hearing on Tuesday in Tarrant County Court, lawyers for the Diocese of Fort Worth played an audio recording of Gerlach describing her alleged transgressions with a priest.

Gerlach on the recording identified the priest as Father Bernard Marie, a religious name that Johnson took last year, when he became a novice with the Transalpine Redemptorist order of monks in Montana.

The nun said she first came in contact with the priest when he wrote to her convent seeking prayers, according to a report on the court hearing from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

'He contacted our community for prayers,' Gerlach said in the recording, which was made on April 24 when Olson grilled her on the relationship .

'And he and I were writing often to each other. And, um, we just got very close,' added the nun, who said she had exchanged emails with the priest and had a video chat.

In the recording, Gerlach referred to her severe heath issues and spoke of having seizures, saying 'I was not in my right mind' and 'I really got things very confused.'

Her attorney, Matthew Bobo, has previously suggested that the confession was extracted while Gerlach was heavily medicated, something Olson vehemently denied in a public statement describing her as 'clear and lucid'.

Johnson (left) was staying in a monastic community in Montana under the religious name Father Bernard Marie at the time of the alleged sexting with Gerlach

Olson released in court a recording of his April 24 interview with Gerlach at the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity (above), the convent she ran in Arlington

After the recording was played in court, Bobo asked Olson under cross-examination: 'As we sit here today, can you tell the court how the reverend mother violated her vow?'

Bobo said there had been no corroboration from the priest on the nature of the communications, because the priest had refused to participate in the investigation.

Olson responded: 'Look, it's her own admission that she did. I can't much greater authority than her own admission.'

At the time of the alleged transgression, Johnson was living with the Transalpine Redemptorists under the name Father Bernard Marie.

The order of monks, officially known as the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, is based on Papa Stronsay in Scotland's Orkney Islands, and traces its roots to the seventh century.

In 2020, four monks from the order relocated to Montana, and acquired 200 acres of remote mountainous land near Forsyth to build a new monastery, living in a cabin on the property in the meanwhile.

In a statement, the monks did not name Johnson, but said the priest in question was from the Diocese of Raleigh, and had been visiting as he decided whether to join the religious order.

'The priest named in the evidence of Bishop Olson of Fort Worth, Texas was at our house in Montana for a few months with the permission of his diocesan bishop, Bishop Zarama of Raleigh, North Carolina,' the monks said.

'As a novice, he was not a member of the Transalpine Redemptorist Religious Order. He was and remains a priest of the diocese of Raleigh,' they added. 'He resigned as a novice and returned to his diocese on May 1st 2023.'

The Diocese of Raleigh confirmed Johnson's identity as the priest involved in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'Fr. Philip Johnson is a priest of the Diocese of Raleigh who was granted leave from the diocese to serve as chaplain to a religious community in 2020 and who later joined the Transalpine Redemptorist Monastery in Montana in 2022,' the diocese said.

'He recently returned to North Carolina after resigning from the Redemptorist community where he served under the chosen name of Fr. Bernard Marie,' the statement added.

'Fr. Philip Johnson is not currently exercising public ministry. Upon returning to NC, Fr. Philip Johnson's priestly faculties were restricted by Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama as a precautionary measure until more clarity regarding his status can be ascertained.'

Tuesday's hearing in Texas was held to determine whether secular courts have jurisdiction in the nuns' lawsuit against the bishop.

The diocese has argued that the dispute is purely religious in nature and outside of the purview of civil courts, under the religious freedoms granted by the Constitution.

Bobo, the attorney for the nuns, argues that their rights were violated under Texas laws and says they are entitled to relief in the state's courts.

Judge Don Cosby, of the 67th District Court, said he will issue a ruling next week.

He told the hearing: 'This is a difficult, emotional matter. I hope everyone respects that.'
An ousted New York City education chief was convicted in a bribery scheme which saw children eating chicken with metal pieces in it after a jury was shown photos of him beaming at a slaughterhouse with one of his co-conspirators.

Eric Goldstein, the former head of the New York City Education Department's Office of School Support Services, was found guilty of extortion, conspiracy and bribery on Wednesday, along with his co-conspirators, Blaine Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey  the owners of Texas-based Somma Food Group. The four men now face up to 20 years in prison, each.

Federal prosecutors said Goldstein, 55, accepted thousands of dollars in bribes, believed to total close to $80,000, from the three business owners in exchange for granting their food services company sought-after food contracts to New York City schools.

The businessmen referred to Goldstein as 'Roger Rabbit' to shield his true identity in correspondences, court documents showed, as they paid his father and his divorce attorney.

In exchange, Goldstein fast-tracked Somma's foods onto the school menus, giving children meat that contained metal pieces and oozed red liquid.

But Goldstein and his attorneys argued in Brooklyn federal court that he was engaged in legitimate business dealings with Somma that they asserted had nothing to do with his role overseeing the departments SchoolFood budget.

Eric Goldstein, 55, right, is pictured here with co-defendant Blaine Iler, from whom he accepted bribes in exchange for getting food from Iler's company on the menus at New York City schools

Prosecutors said Iler, Michael Turley and Brian Twomey gave Goldstein a stake in their beef importing business in exchange for getting their chicken back on school menus. Goldstein is pictured here, left, with Twomey

An FBI document (pictured above) shows how co-conspirators called Goldstein 'Roger Rabbit'

During the nearly month-long trial, prosecutors argued that the three Somma Food Group executives started an imported beef business with Goldstein as a front to bribe him into getting their foods served at New York City public schools.

About the same time Somma was founded in 2015, Goldstein, Iler, Turley, Twomey and another man formed Range Meats Supply Company LLC, which bought beef from international suppliers and sold it to schools and other retailers.

They then met with Goldstein in an effort to make a business dealing in the Big Apple  and handed him a 20 percent stake in Range Meats while Somma sent $3,000 through the company to Goldstein's father and another $7,000 to his divorce attorney.

In turn, prosecutors claimed, Goldstein fast-tracked a yogurt parfait made by Somma Foods to be served in the schools.

Just one year later, he did the same for the company's poultry, reportedly telling Iler in July 2015: 'I'm going to buy a lot of f****** chicken from you guys. Let's do the beef.'

But soon, reports started to emerge of people bleeding from half-inch pieces of 'wire-like metal and blue plastic found inside the poultry.

A school staffer even choked on a bone on September 27, 2016, and needed the Heimlich maneuver to save his life.

In the aftermath, the Department of Education got the chicken pulled from the menus, but Goldstein was able to get them back on the menus twice.

He reportedly told his co-conspirators that he would get their meat back in New York City schools if they transferred Somma's ownership stake in Range Meats to him, and instructed them to transfer $66,670 to a Range Meats bank account that he owned and controlled.

By November of that year, Goldstein approved the reintroduction of Sommas chicken strips into New Yorks schools.

It wasn't until April 2017 that the Department of Education removed all of Somma's products from New York City schools.

'This right here, this is what corruption looks like by sophisticated players,' Assistant US Attorney Laura Zuckerwise said in her closing arguments Monday, according to the New York Daily News.

'It's not bags of cash in the night, it' the creation of a corrupt side business.'

During the month-long trial, jurors saw disgusting images of the chicken students were forced to eat, which oozed red liquid

The chicken was found to have contained metal pieces and blue plastics

But the defendants claimed in court that they were engaged in a legitimate business transaction.

They argued that they negotiated the sale of shares of Range Meats to Goldstein for months before the school system placed Somma's chicken on hold, and said the negotiations were reviewed by lawyers.

'This was a normal business negotiation with some give and take by both sides,' Goldstein's lawyer claimed in court. 'He was not trying to extort a bribe. This is a business arrangement.

'Look for testimony or an email linking the chicken tender hold to signing the agreement,' he told the jury. 'You won't find one.'

Goldstein also testified that he kept a fine line between his stake in the beef business and his duties with the Education Department, where he oversaw thousands of employees and the schools' $550million food program.

He claimed he did not have the authority to put Somma's food on the school menus, saying the yogurt parfaits were only fast-tracked because Somma was the only company making the product, which the school system wanted to introduce for its Local Thursdays menu.

As for the chicken, he claimed, it filled a gap on the menu after a previous poultry supplier dropped out.

Goldstein said he stuck to a set of 'guiding principles' in his role at the Education Department.

'I was never going to get a penny from anything n my life from the [Department of Education],' he said on the stand. 'I was always going to keep things separate.'

Goldstein oversaw thousands of employees and the schools' $550million food program before he was fired in 2018

He also said he did not feel the need to discuss his business dealings with ethics officials, because he did not want to tip his colleagues off that he was planning to leave the position and follow his beef import dreams.

'If people knew I was thinking about leaving, it would be impossible to manage them,' he said, adding: 'I was not part of Somma. I didn't get paid by Somma. I was not a shareholder.'

But on cross examination, Assistant US Attorney Robert Polemeni pointed out that Goldstein had sought ethics advice in the past on issues like whether he could join the board of Monroe College, or whether managers could get $100 gift cards.

'But for the business relationship you had with Somma, you just didn't go, you didn't ask?' Polemeni prompted the former education official, who was fired in 2018.

'You didn't tell them that because if someone found out they would say to you, "What are you doing?"'
South Africa: Condolences for Mathabatha family

President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences to the family of Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha following the death of the premiers wife, Maggie.

My thoughts and those of the National Executive as well as the nation are with Premier Mathabatha, his family, and the administration of Limpopo in this moment of loss.

We join the people of Limpopo in this hour of mourning and in our shared prayer that the soul of Maggie Mathabatha will rest in peace, President Ramaphosa said.

He reflected on the work that she did in the community.

As a community-focused leader, Maggie Mathabatha dedicated herself to the development and dignity of the people of Limpopo through housing opportunities, food security and support to people with disabilities.

Her involvement with communities was a valued and exemplary complement to the work of Government led by the Premier and the Provincial Executive, he said.

The Limpopo provincial government explained that the first lady of Limpopo died following a short illness.

Mma Mathabatha will be remembered by the family, relatives, friends and the people of Limpopo for her immense contribution towards socio-economic development of the disadvantaged people.

Through the Limpopo First Lady Trust, Mrs Mathabatha managed to mobilise resources which resulted in the successful building of houses to disadvantaged families, distribution of food parcels and wheelchairs.

Details regarding funeral arrangements will be announced once the family has finalised them, the provincial government said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-06-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China ratifies National Ecology Day to enhance public awareness, actions

Xinhua) 11:00, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Wednesday voted to designate Aug. 15 as National Ecology Day.

The decision was made at the three-day session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, which ended on Wednesday.

The move is aimed at enhancing public awareness and actions to protect the ecological environment.

The decision also underscored the importance of enhancing publicity and education on ecological conservation through various forms.

It said that China has emphasized the importance of ecological progress in sustaining the development of the Chinese nation.

China has made historic, transformative and comprehensive changes in protecting its ecological environment and secured world-renowned achievements since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, bringing a strong sense of fulfillment and happiness to the Chinese people, the decision highlighted.

The concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets has evolved into a collective belief among all Chinese people, and green, circular and low-carbon development has become a joint endeavor embraced by all regions and authorities in the country, the decision noted.

China's commitment to ecological conservation has led to groundbreaking initiatives with long-term significance over the past decade.

Red lines for the protection of ecosystems, the quality of the environment, and rational resource utilization have been drawn for ecological conservation.

China has established and improved the systems in areas including property rights for natural resource assets, performance evaluation and accountability for ecological conservation, and compensation for ecological conservation. Corresponding laws and regulations have been formulated or revised.

In parallel, the country has redoubled its endeavors in multiple domains, such as protecting and improving the ecosystems of major rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastlines, safeguarding biodiversity and combating air, water and soil pollution.

Spatial layouts, industrial structures, and ways of production and living that help conserve resources and protect the environment have been developed in China.

Additionally, the country has played an active role in global environmental and climate governance, pledging to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

The efforts over the past decade to diversify the energy mix have yielded positive results, with a decreased share of coal consumption and an increased share of clean energy consumption within total energy consumption. By 2022, the installed capacity of renewable power had exceeded the impressive milestone of 1.2 billion kilowatts.

These endeavors have paid off, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese people, who are enjoying blue skies, clear waters and lush mountains.

In Chinese cities, air quality was good or excellent on 86.5 percent of days in 2022, marking an improvement of 20.8 percentage points from 2013.

The proportion of surface water at or above Grade III in the country's five-tier water quality system reached 87.9 percent last year, up by 26.3 percentage points from 2012.

Forest coverage has risen to 24 percent in 2022, with a forest stock volume of 19.5 billion cubic meters, representing increases of 2.39 percentage points and 4.36 billion cubic meters, respectively, from 2012.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
by Vijay Prashad

On 24 June 2023, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) Herzl Halevi, Chief of Shin Bet (Intelligence) Ronen Bar, and Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai released a joint statement. They pointed to violent attacks by Israeli citizens against innocent Palestinians, which they characterised as nationalist terror in every sense. Such a statement is rare, particularly the description of the violence as nationalist terror and the rendering of Palestinian victims as innocent. Typically, high-ranking officials in the Israeli government portray such attacks as retaliation for terror attacks by Palestinians.





Tayseer Barakat (Palestine), Shoreless Sea #11, 2019.





Three days before this statement, the US government said it had heard troubling reports of extremist settler violence against Palestinian civilians. Settler groups  or, more accurately named, Israeli nationalist terrorist groups  have been running rampages across the West Bank alongside the Israeli armed forces, killing Palestinians at will to sow fear in this part of Palestine and urging further ethnic cleansing, euphemistically referred to as demographic engineering.





Israeli violence against Palestinians is not new, but it has been escalating rapidly. From January to May of this year, the United Nations calculated that Israeli forces have killed 143 Palestinians (112 in the West Bank and 31 in Gaza)  more than twice the number of Palestinians killed in the same period last year. In 2022, 181 Palestinians were killed in total (151 in the West Bank and 30 in Gaza). Meanwhile, UN agencies found that 2022 was the sixth year of consecutive annual increases in settler attacks, which have been rising since 2006, after the Second Intifada was crushed by Israel. In 2009, the UN warned that 250,000 Palestinians in 83 communities in the West Bank are at risk of heightened violence from Israeli settlers. They called these price tag attacks because the settlers want to exact a high price from Palestinians for their existence in lands that Israelis call Judea and Samaria.





At a cabinet meeting on 25 June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his colleagues that he too found the calls to grab land illegally and actions of grabbing land illegally to be unacceptable. A close reading of Netanyahus statement to the cabinet finds, however, that he did not differ with the policy of land grabs and demographic engineering. The violent actions of the settlers, he said, do not strengthen settlement  on the contrary, they hurt it. I say this as someone who doubled settlement in Judea and Samaria despite great and unprecedented international pressure to carry out withdrawals that I have not carried out and will not carry out. These settlements, which Netanyahu extols, are illegal according to international law. As recently as 2016, the UN Security Council voted for resolution 2334, which condemn[s] all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of settlements, transfer of Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of homes, and displacement of Palestinian civilians.





Over the past few years, a suite of policies and actions by the Israeli government has raised the spectre of apartheid, the Afrikaans word meaning the state of being apart. This term has increasingly been used to describe the institutionalised discrimination of Palestinians by Israel within the 1948 lines of Israel, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (the OPT, which is made up of East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank) from 1967, and exiled in the diaspora. In 2017, the UNs Economic and Social Commission of West Asia (ESCWA) published a strong report, Israeli Practices towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid. ESCWAs then leader, Rima Khalaf, said that Israels apartheid regime works on two levels. First, it fragments the Palestinian people (inside Israel, the OPT, and the diaspora). Second, it oppresses Palestinians through an array of laws, policies, and practices that ensure domination of them by a racial group and serve to maintain the regime.





The use of the word apartheid to describe Israels treatment of Palestinians is now nearly ubiquitous. Amnesty International, for instance, published a 2022 report with a powerful title: Israels Apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime against Humanity. In a blunt conclusion, Amnesty wrote:





Israel has perpetrated the international wrong of apartheid, as a human rights violation and a violation of public international law wherever it imposes this system.  [A]lmost all of Israels civilian administration and military authorities, as well as governmental and quasigovernmental institutions, are involved in the enforcement of the system of apartheid against Palestinians across Israel and the OPT and against Palestinian refugees and their descendants outside the territory.





From 20 to 22 June, two former senior UN officials, Ban Ki-moon (former UN secretary-general) and Mary Robinson (former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and president of Ireland), visited Palestine and Israel. They went to the region on behalf of The Elders, a group formed by Nelson Mandela in 2007 to bring together former government staff and top officials from multilateral institutions to address the dilemmas of humanity. When they left Tel Aviv, the two Elders published a scathing report on their visit.





Based on their conversations with human rights organisations and their own investigations, Ban and Robinson pointed to the ever-growing evidence that the situation meets the international legal definition of apartheid. When they discussed this evidence with Israeli officials, they heard no detailed rebuttal of the evidence of apartheid. The Government Guidelines for Netanyahus cabinet, Ban and Robinson pointed out,





clearly show an intent to pursue permanent annexation rather than temporary occupation, based on Jewish supremacy. Measures include the transfer of administrative powers over the occupied West Bank from military to civilian authorities, accelerating the approval processes for building settlements, and constructing new infrastructure that would render a future Palestinian state unviable.





These are powerful words from senior officials who held two of the highest offices of the United Nations.





On 25 March 1986, the Israeli authorities arrested Walid Daqqah, who is from the town of Baqa al-





Gharbiyyeh. He was sentenced to 37 years in prison for being part of a group that killed the Israeli soldier Moshe Tamam. His imprisonment violates the Oslo Accords of 1993, which say that all Palestinian prisoners held before the signing of the agreement must be released. His 37-year prison term expired on 24 March 2023, but Daqqah, who since his imprisonment has become an accomplished novelist, remains incarcerated on a new charge from 2018 for smuggling cell phones into the prison. This extended his sentence by two more years. Now 61 and battling cancer (a diagnosis he received in 2022), Walid was scheduled for a parole hearing, but this has been postponed by the Israeli government.





Amidst increasing international outcry, the International Union of Left Publishers, of which Tricontinental: Institute of Social Research is a member, has released a statement calling upon the Israeli government to release Daqqah. Please read it below:





We, the International Union of Left Publishers (IULP), call on all publishers, writers, artists, intellectuals, and people of conscience to demand the immediate release of the revolutionary writer and thinker Walid Daqqah from the jails of the Israeli Occupation.





Walid Daqqah has been imprisoned since the age of 25 for his resistance to the Israeli Occupation and his defence of the Palestinian people. Now 61, he has endured this unjust imprisonment for 37 years. His medical condition is rapidly deteriorating, and it is critical that he receive a bone marrow transplant and other urgent medical care, but he has been denied medical treatment by the Israeli authorities.





As one of the most important thinkers and visionaries of the Palestinian resistance today, Walid Daqqah has been subjected to extra levels of the routine torture, abuse, and neglect that Palestinian prisoners face in the Occupations jails. He is a voice of the people, a voice that the Occupation fears and hopes to silence. But though his body is behind bars, his voice has broken free through his novels, essays, and letters, which have nourished and motivated the Palestinian prisoners movement, the resistance, and the international solidarity movement in all corners of the world. Walid Daqqahs imprisonment is a violation of his most basic human rights, those of his family and of his people, and also a violation of the rights of all people in struggle who deserve to learn from, listen to, and exchange with him and his ideas.





The ongoing imprisonment of Walid Daqqah is a sentence to death, and the world is witness to the US-backed Israeli Occupations attempts to silence the Palestinian resistance by any means possible. We demand the immediate release of Walid Daqqah to his family and immediate access to medical care. We raise our voices in firm solidarity with Walid Daqqah, the almost 5,000 Palestinian prisoners who remain unjustly behind bars, and the imprisoned and repressed voices of reason who suffer from the attacks of imperialism across the world.





In 2018, Daqqah published his first novel for children, The Oils Secret Tale. It tells the story of 12-year-old Jood, who goes to see his father in prison for the first time but is denied access by the authorities. The boy travels around Palestine, meeting with Samour the rabbit, Abu Reesha the bird, Ghanfour the cat, Abu Nab the dog, and an ancient olive tree, Um Rami, and speaking about the Israeli apartheid regime. Um Rami, who was to be felled by the Israeli authorities to free up land for an illegal settlement, tells Jood that she has an oil he can rub on his body to make him invisible. He uses the oil, walks into his fathers cell, and says to his bewildered father, I am your son Jood.





Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is an editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest books are Struggle Makes Us Human: Learning from Movements for Socialism and (with Noam Chomsky) The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power.
An investor has revealed the surprising facts about what happens to your money when you deposit it in a bank.

Anthony Trainor, co-founder of Australian investing educational platform Investified, discussed what banks do with deposits on a recent podcast.

Anthony Trainor (pictured), co-founder of Australian investing platform Investified, discussed what banks do with deposits on a recent podcast

'You're kidding yourself if you think that you deposit money into a bank and that money just stays there in a vault. That's not how banks work,' said Mr Trainor.

He explained that all of your money 'isn't really there' despite your statement showing a certain balance on your account.

'Banks need to make money so what they do is they take all of their customers' funds and they will either invest that or they will loan it out to other people or businesses and they will make interest off that,' said Mr Trainor.

All banks, including the big four - Westpac, NAB, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ - only have a fraction of the amount deposited with them on hand at any one time.

They generally only keep around 10 per cent and loan out the rest, which is their main source of revenue.

Loans are assets banks make money from while customers' deposits are liabilities.

As long as the assets are larger than their liabilities there is no issue.

But if a massive number of borrowers were suddenly unable to repay their loans, the bank could be forced to write these off, creating a situation where it's not making enough money to meet its liabilities.

The last bank run in Australia was Queensland Permanent Building Society, which suffered a bank run and closed its doors in 1977

Another scenario which could see people losing their deposits is if many customers attempted to withdraw their cash at the same time.

'That's called bank run,' Mr Trainor explained to Daily Mail Australia.

'It essentially creates all this hysteria and everyone goes to withdraw their money and then the bank goes, "hang on, we don't have enough money to pay all our, our customers".'

Mr Trainor pointed to the US$42 billion run on Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) earlier this year, the second largest bank run in US history, as an example.

The bank failed in March after interest rates rose while venture capital investments began to dwindle and the bank was forced to sell off off its bond holdings at a $1.8 billion loss.

This announcement triggered a panic in Silicon Valley with investors hurriedly withdrawing their deposits, eventually causes the total collapse of the bank.

In March, the US's Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shut down SVB and immediately took control of the bank's $209 billion in assets and $175.4 billion in deposits.

The last bank run in Australia was Queensland Permanent Building Society which suffered a bank run and closed its doors in 1977.

The entire banking system relies on a bank runs not happening and they are extremely rare.

When they do occur it is normally because people fear their bank is going to go bust and so everyone rushes to withdraw their cash, which is ironically often the eventual reason the bank goes under.

'It's a self-fulfilling prophecy' said Mr Trainor.

'But the last thing I'd want to do is create hysteria for people and make them think that their money is screwed if they have it in one of the big four, like Commonwealth Bank or Nab. You're pretty safe with those.'

In 2008, after the global financial crisis, the Australian government sought to safeguard citizens' money by introducing the Financial Claims Scheme.

This means that if a bank collapses the government will guarantee up to $250,000 of your money.
San Francisco has added an affordability crisis to its crime and homelessness chaos, after a study by the state of California revealed that an annual salary of $100,000 is now considered 'low income.'

According California's Department of Housing and Safety, if a single person in San Francisco County earns less than $104,400, they are considered low income, with a net pay of $72,568 after taxes.

The average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,000, which means about 50 percent of net income is spent on housing, according to Zumper.

San Mateo County and Marin County, which are both within 40 miles of San Francisco, have similarly high low income rates to tie for highest in the state.

However, neighboring Alameda County - home of Oakland - has a low income rate of $78,550.

The city of San Francisco is adding an affordability crisis in addition to crime , homelessness and businesses fleeing , as a study by the state of California says an annual salary of $100,000 is now 'low income'

Other cities in California are similar - with even Los Angeles ($70,650) and Orange ($80,400) Counties significantly lower than San Francisco.

San Diego County has a low income rate at $77,200, while Sacramento County - home of the state's capital - dips to $60,050.

The study includes the added burden of households with more than one person. In a three-person household, low income in San Francisco County is a whopping $134,200.

If your household expands to eight people, you'd need to make just under $200,000 to be considered low income.

By comparison, in Sacramento County it rises to just $77,200 for a three-person household.

San Francisco has been hit by a myriad troubles with homelessness and crime since the beginning of the pandemic, leading to a mass desertion of the city.

Researchers tracked smartphone use across 63 cities and found that San Francisco, which is battling waves of crime and homeless addicts on its streets, only has 32 percent of the activity that was recorded before the pandemic.

It comes as crime has remained a problem in San Francisco, violent crimes rising 5.5 percent since she ousted former boss Chesa Boudin as district attorney last year, according to The Messenger.

According California's Department of Housing and Safety , if a single person in San Francisco County earns less than $104,400, they are considered low income, with a net pay of $72,568 after taxes

The average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,000, meaning about 50 percent of net income is spent on housing, according to Zumper

In response to the city's drug and crime epidemic, Mayor London Breed launched a police crackdown targeting open-air drug use this month.

The initiative led to the quick arrests of 45 people, however San Francisco's police chief Bill Scott said the arrests are telling of a larger issue.

He said just three of those arrested were San Francisco residents, proving that soft-on-crime policies have made the city a hub for vagrants from out of town.

'I've talked to people and asked them why they chose to do it here. I've gotten answers like, drugs are cheap and readily available, and you got an environment where it is permitted,' he told a police commission conference last Wednesday.

Homicides are up 9.5 percent through the first five and a half months of 2023, with robberies up 13.2 percent. Total crime is down 5.1 percent.

Mayor London Breed floated demolishing the malls as a partial solution to the city's untamed drug and crime epidemic

San Francisco's Westfield mall may be razed to the ground as a result of the city's out-of-control crime wave

A map reveals the major businesses which have left, or plan to leave, San Francisco in recent months. Westfield, the most recent to announced its departure, will give up its huge mall - and several occupants have already said they intend to follow

An analysis of official figures and other research reveals San Francisco may lose hundreds of millions of dollars through an exodus of businesses and its failure to recover from COVID

The city has seen a mass exodus of companies as a result of rampant crime in the city, with Westfield the latest to flee after it announced it has been forced to stop making mortgage payments due to the loss of business.

San Francisco's Westfield mall stands as the prime example of the city's dramatic fall from grace, where the once-bustling hub is now a drug-infested wasteland.

In 2016, the property was appraised at $1.2 billion, but a stark decline saw the mall hit with years of looting, soft policing and open-air drug taking.

The mall's anchor tenant, Nordstrom, announced it is leaving the location in August. At the time, Westfield blamed 'unsafe conditions' and a 'lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity' for the departure.

Once Nordstrom leaves the mall, it will be just 55 percent leased.
The View co-hosts took turns slamming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday after he came out in support of former President Donald Trump in a recent interview.

Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg accused the California Republican of having 'no cojones,' a Spanish word for a man's testicles.

The panel was discussing McCarthy's attempts to walk back his comments during a CNBC interview where he questioned whether Trump is the strongest option Republicans can nominate against President Joe Biden.

'McCarthy later told Breitbart that you-know-who (Trump) is Biden's strongest opponent,' Whoopi Goldberg, referencing McCarthy's comments in a later interview when he argued Trump is 'stronger today than he was in 2016,' said.

That's when the Ghost star made her 'no cojones' jibe.

'What is happening here? I just want him to grow a pair of cojones that will give him some way to actually not waffle,' Goldberg said of the Speaker.

The View Co-Hosts slammed Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday after he came out in support of Donald Trump in a recent interview

Goldberg was quick to accuse him of having 'no cojones' over his remark. 'What is happening here? I just want him to grow a pair of cojones that will give him some way to actually not waffle,' Goldberg said of the Speaker

This comes after McCarthy previously casted doubt on the former President's chance of winning the 2024 election

Goldberg then claimed the House Speaker made his comments over fear of losing his job.

'I think a lot of this is fear  fear of losing their jobs and fear of being seen with no cojones, like Kevin McCarthy yesterday,' she said on 'The View.'

Co-host Sunny Hostin added McCarthy 'can't, because of the deal he made to become Speaker.'

'He gave away his cojones and kicked them under the table. He doesn't have them anymore,' she said.

Sara Haines chimed in, adding McCarthy's conflicting response drew outrage from Trump supporters.

She agreed there is a Republican fear tactic involved, claiming 'extreme candidates' get elected into office because Republicans threaten to bash primary candidates who don't vow their absolute loyalty to Trump.

The comments came after McCarthy previously cast doubt on the former President's chance of winning the 2024 election.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy walked back comments questioning whether Trump is the strongest candidate to win the 2024 nomination that raised eyebrows Tuesday morning.

The speaker blamed the media for 'attempting to drive a wedge' and insisted Trump is stronger than in 2016, hours after his original remarks.

'As usual, the media is attempting to drive a wedge between President Trump and House Republicans as our committees are holding Biden's DOJ accountable for their two-tiered levels of Justice,' McCarthy said in a statement to DailyMail.com.

'The only reason Biden is using his weaponized federal government to go after President Trump is because he is Biden's strongest political opponent, as polling continues to show. Just look at the numbers this morning  Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016.'

The GOP speaker, who is an ally of Trump's, had said on CNBC Tuesday morning he thinks Trump could win the GOP nomination but isn't sure if he is the 'strongest' to win a general election.

'Yeah he can beat Biden,' McCarthy said. 'Trump's policies are better, straightforward than Biden's policies.

'Can he win that election? Yeah he can,' McCarthy said. 'The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I don't know that answer. But can somebody  can anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden.'

Trump is dominating GOP polls against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But a recent DailyMail.com poll showed DeSantis fairing slightly better than Trump in a hypothetical match against Biden.

The poll of 1,000 likely general election voters found that in a Biden-DeSantis matchup, the Democratic candidate would take 44 percent of the vote to 43 percent.

Democratic voters appeared more motivated in an election against Trump, giving Biden a lead of 46 to the former president's 44 percent.

McCarthy questioned whether Trump is the strongest candidate to win the 2024 nomination in a comment that raised eyebrows Tuesday morning

The GOP speaker, who is an ally of Trump's, said on CNBC Tuesday morning he thinks Trump could win the GOP nomination but isn't sure he is the 'strongest' to win a general election

The Trump team did not respond to a request for comment on McCarthy's remarks. Trump has neither fallen out with the speaker nor secured an endorsement from him - leaving their relationship in a precarious place.

Though sources close to Trump have said he privately complained about the recent debt limit deal - one of McCarthy's signature accomplishments - he did not air his grievances publicly.

DeSantis, one of Trump's biggest rivals, ripped the deal on Fox and Friends in May.

'Prior to this deal, our country was careening toward bankruptcy. And after this deal, our country will still be careening toward bankruptcy. To say you can do $4 trillion of increases in the next year-and-a-half, that's a massive amount of spending,' DeSantis said.

On Friday, McCarthy told reporters he backs a proposal from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to 'expunge' both impeachments of Trump, even as it's not clear there are the votes to pass the measure.

'I voted against both impeachments. The second impeachment had no due process.' McCarthy said.

He noted he opposed bringing a resolution to the floor to impeach Biden too.

'What was raised this week was someone wanting to take impeachment to Biden to the floor. And I didn't think that was right because there's no due process, right? So shouldn't you be consistent, especially with the Constitution?'

Trump urged House members to vote for McCarthy during the contentious 15-ballot speaker's race, making calls on the GOP leader's behalf and urging the 20 Freedom Caucus holdouts to vote for McCarthy
New legislation could allow for children as young as 14-years-old to receive voluntary assisted dying in the nation's capital.

A community consultation report is set to be released by the ACT government on Thursday with a final model for an assisted dying framework to be revealed later in the year.

The framework is being headed by the state's Human Rights Minister, Tara Cheyene, who is considering to allow children as young as 14-years-old to be eligible for VAD.

The ACT will also dismiss a requirement of an expected time of death between 6 to 12 months that other states have implemented.

The framework is being released after 23-year-old Lily Thai 'passed away peacefully' last Wednesday after using South Australia's assisted dying laws.

Children as young as 14 could be granted death by assisted suicide in the ACT as the state builds framework to make the act legal (pictured, Lily Thai)

The state was only granted the ability to pass assisted dying laws from the start of 2023 after it was previously blocked by Euthanasia Laws Act of 1997.

The act outlawed assisted dying legislation to be passed through territory parliaments, including the Northern Territory and Cook islands.

Now no longer prohibited, the ACT government is moving swiftly to pass legislation that draws from other jurisdictions frameworks.

A poll showed 48 per cent of ACT residents believed a person suffering from a disease that is 'advanced, progressive and will cause death' should be allowed to access the service.

'Certainly, what we have heard loud and clear is that a timeframe to death that has been applied in Victoria, and in all of the ensuing states of being 12 or six months, and that being the prognosis to death, has been problematic within the states,' Ms Cheyene told The Australian.

The same poll revealed that only 32 per cent of residents believed that someone wishing to use assisted dying should be 18-years-old or older.

The minister said children should have the same choices as adults in how they end their life as 'young people under the age of 18 can also experience intolerable end-of-life suffering through terminal illnesses'.

The framework will also allow for those outside of the ACT to apply for assisted dying as long as they have a link to the state, including the NSW town of Queanbeyan, south-east of Canberra.

The decision comes just over a week after 23-year-old Lily Thai (pictured) died through South Australia's assisted dying laws after suffering from a debilitating disease since she was 17

Lily Thai recently made headlines after she was approved to use South Australia's assisted dying laws as a 23-year-old, dying from an intravenous injection last week.

The weeks-long process to be granted requires three formal letters to be written in order to be granted.

When signing the third written request last week, her devastated mother had to step out of the room to compose herself.

'I feel pretty numb. I know how hard it will be for my family and friends,' Lily previously told the Adelaide Advertiser.

'But it's gotten to the place that I've lost control of everything else in my life and I've been reliant on my dad as a caregiver to do everything for me, even the most intimate things.' she said.

Since the age of 17, Lily's debilitating illnesses had affected her quality of life, leaving her bedridden and unable to move.

Voluntary assisted dying was only introduced to the state as from January 31 of this year.
Taylor Swift fans have lashed out at vendors for only selling her Australian tour tickets to some groups first rather than putting them on sale all at once for everyone.

Swifties across the country were glued to their phones and computers on Monday and Wednesday when it was announced the first batch of tickets for her Sydney and Melbourne shows would be released.

On Monday, tickets were available to those with AMEX cards, with Swift's VIP packages available.

Seats for her 'The Eras Tour' shows were on offer on Wednesday to those who'd signed up to the Frontier Touring pre-sale.

Pre-sale sold out for all of her Sydney and Melbourne shows within a matter of hours, with no way of telling how many tickets were available or where fans were placed in the queue.

One Aussie said they believed pre-sale shouldn't exist and that there should be a return to the 'good old days' when tickets went on sale all at once.

Australians have reminisced about the 'good old days' when tickets for an event went on sale all at once - after millions of Taylor Swift fans spent hours waiting in a virtual queue for access to the pre-sale

'Just sell them all at once. Or if you're going to do presale at least let the community know ''yep we have 25,000 tickets on sale'' and stop making it exclusive to say AMEX,' popular community Facebook page COMMUNITYpete wrote.

'Gone are the good old days when tickets came on sale they ALL went on sale.

'Shouldn't monopolise events by if you have a certain kind of credit card you have better luck etc. how many people signed up to AMEX just for these tickets.'

Others said the old way of physically having to line up at a ticket booth was preferred.

'I miss the days of lining up at a ticketek outlet to buy a ticket over the counter!!' one said.

'I miss the days of camping out in front of Ticketek to be first in line!' said another.

'I miss the days of waiting in line at a physical seller. It was like a social event. And the site never crashed!' commented another.

One Swiftie said those trying to get a pre-sale ticket should have had to answer an obscure question about the pop star 'to allow REAL fans to get tix first!'

Swifties across the country were glued to their phones and computers on Monday and Wednesday when it was announced the first batch of tickets for her Sydney and Melbourne shows would be released

'There was no point to a pre sale when everyone had access to it' one Aussie added.

As many as four million fans were queueing for a spot at one of Swift's concerts on Wednesday.

But just hours after fans were left disgruntled when pre-sale sold out, a Ticketek insider revealed they had all wasted their time, reports news.com.au.

Frustrated Swifties waited for hours with their browsers open believing they were holding a place in the queue, but it turns out there was never a line to begin with.

'Everyone in the Ticketek lounge has an equal opportunity to get into the site regardless of when they have arrived,' a spokesperson said, adding that it made the process 'fair'.

It means fans who logged into pre-sale 15 minutes beforehand had as good of a chance getting a ticket as those who waited nine hours hunched over their laptops.

Ticketek's official advice was to log on 15 minutes before the pre-sale started at 10am in Sydney and 2pm in Melbourne.

A further two shows have now been added to Swift's Australian leg of the tour, with general access to tickets going on sale on Friday at 10am in Sydney and 2pm in Melbourne.
Taxpayers have paid over $100,000 to block hikers from climbing a iconic Australian mountain after it was declared 'sacred' for cultural reasons.

Private security guards were hired at a cost of $7,000 a week in April by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to prevent access to Mt Warning in the Wollumbin National Park in northern NSW.

The 1,157m mountain, famous for its craggy peak and the tough 4.4km track to reach it, has been off limits since March 2020, first due to the pandemic and then because of track repairs.

Then in October 2022 the Wollumbin Consultative Group, representing a range of Aboriginal groups and families, recommended it be closed permanently due to its sacred significance to local Indigenous people.

Private security guards have been hired at a cost of $7,000 a week by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to prevent public access to Mt Warning

Some elders also claimed the Wollumbin Consultative Group appears to be extinguishing the ancestral women's lore sites in the national park

The Wollumbin Consultative Group says the national park holds physical and spiritual importance to the community, particularly from the Bundjalung nation.

But high-profile Federal MP Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - who is not a local - said it was 'racism [and] segregation' to stop non-indigenous people from using the trail.

Prior to the ban an estimated 127,000 people a year climbed the Instagram-worthy mountain, providing an economic boost to the closest town, Murwillumbah.

The cost of maintaining the contentious ban was revealed after NSW One Nation MP Mark Latham asked Environment and Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe for details in state parliament.

The firm's hire was a response to 'increased attempts to illegally access the closed park' in early April, the response said.

'Security services have been extended due to significant numbers of people still trying to unlawfully access the site.'

The firm engaged was Aboriginal company Safe Security Services.

On its website the company says it specialises in providing security 'to the infrastructure sector including... wind and solar farms [and] major civil projects.

It also provides bodyguards to VIPs.

Since the start of April it is understood the NPWS has spent $105,000 on security in the Wollumbin National Park.

Mark Hendrickx, a geologist and climber campaigning to have the track reopened, called the hiring of security guards 'bizarre'.

'The irony that NPWS did nothing about security when tyres were being slashed and windows smashed in the carpark,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Now they post security guards to keep the public out.

'Clearly NPWS regard the bushwalking public as the real criminals. Bizarre!'

Prior to the ban, an estimated 100,000 people a year climbed the Instagram-worthy Mt Warning

Mark Hendrickx, a geologist and climber campaigning to have the track reopened, called the hire of of security guards 'bizarre'

'Shame on them,' he added in a Facebook pressure group he helps to run.

'Disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money,' another member said.

'Where is this funding coming from? Eating into something big time,' said a woman in the group.

In January 2023 the group's members climbed to the top of Mt Warning in a protest.

The ban is considered contentious due to the impacts on local tourism and because it is understood opinions differ amongst some of the local Ngarakbal people.

While some have stated it should only be climbed by a select few elders, others have disagreed.

Ngarakbal Githabal elder Elliot Knight compared the ban to fact the public is forbidden from scaling the Sydney Opera House.

But one of his relatives, Marlene Boyd, had no issue with the public on Mt Warning.

Some elders also claimed the Wollumbin Consultative Group appears to be extinguishing the ancestral women's lore sites by claiming everything in the park as exclusively male and Bundjalung.

They also claim the Yoocum Yoocum and the Ngarakbal Githabul people were the original people, not the Bundjalung.

Daily Mail Australia approached the office of Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe for comment.
King Charles, who was unable to fulfil his ambition to attend the UN climate change conference Cop-27 in Egypt, is hoping Rishi Sunak will grant permission for travel to Dubai for Cop-28 later this year.

And not just to engage in debate about the climate. The Palace knows that royals can open doors in desert kingdoms that remain shut to mere politicians.

Charles is confident he'd gain privileged access to the Cop-28 president, Sultan Al Jaber.

They had a private meeting in 2013 when he accompanied the UAE's president Sheikh Khalifa on a state visit to London.

Sources whisper that the King's biggest concern is that PM Rishi doesn't quite comprehend the power of royal diplomacy and may not want him to travelling to Dubai.

Charles is confident he'd gain privileged access to the Cop-28 president, Sultan Al Jaber. They had a private meeting in 2013 when he accompanied the UAE's president Sheikh Khalifa on a state visit to London (File Photo)

Tatler celebrates the advent of the new King by putting Charles on the cover of next month's issue. He'll not be amused by the Bobby Charlton-like combover, nor will he be tickled by the hair parting. Tis the wrong way round. D'oh!

The late Queen went to her grave maintaining the secrets of the interior of her handbag, Paddington Bear sketch notwithstanding. My colleague Ann Leslie, however, utilised the contents of hers to befuddle border guards demanding non-existent entry visas. Apart from passport, press card, three notebooks, tape recorder, an orange, aspirin, cigarettes, make-up kit, shoe cleaner, money and curlers, she explained: 'I begin searching through the bag, fishing out bits of old make-up, broken car keys, snaps of my husband and daughter, eyebrow pencil, airline socks, false eyelashes, broken KitKats, parking tickets, a Tina Turner CD, spare tights, dead batteries, empty pill bottles and an ancient recipe for Irish stew.' Identified as 'a typical woman' by exasperated hatchet-faced immigration men, Ann was invariably waved though.

Philip Hammond, recalling his Essex school mate TV presenter Richard Madeley getting a summer job on the Brentwood Express, tells a podcast: 'Nothing ever happened in Brentwood but as Madeley gets there, there is a murder. He is stringing it to all the national newspapers and he never came back to school. The murder is real.' He adds, jokingly: 'He may have done it for all I know.' Is this Hammond's revenge for Madeley claiming falsely that the future chancellor was a leather-coated goth walking around school with a folded copy of The Guardian under his arm?

Philip Hammond, recalling his Essex school mate TV presenter Richard Madeley getting a summer job on the Brentwood Express, tells a podcast: 'Nothing ever happened in Brentwood but as Madeley gets there, there is a murder (File Photo)

Superannuated Channel 4 anchor Jon Snow recalls his teenage encounter with the Queen when his late father, a bishop, introduced him to the monarch and then to Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Jon asked the PM: 'Are you married to the Queen?' Macmillan replied: 'Oh no I run the country.'

Asked by LBC's Nick Ferrari how he felt at the Coronation when the choir sang his composition Make a Joyful Noise, Andrew Lloyd Webber exclaimed: 'Wonderful! I was sitting in the choir, in the same seat as I was when I was at school at Westminster.' Three chairs for Lord Andrew!
A precious missing teddy bear holding the ashes of a mother's eighth child has gone missing.

Jessica Green, 34, put her late daughter Haylee Green's ashes inside a soft toy that was lost over the weekend in Logan, south-east Queensland.

Haylee Bear was misplaced during a family outing and now the devastated family is appealing to the public for help getting it back.

Mrs Green lost her eighth child at just 15 weeks when the infant succumbed to SIDS on July 31, 2021.

Haylee Bear was last seen in the arms of Mrs Green's 10-year-old daughter, but it is unknown exactly when it was lost.

Haylee Bear was misplaced during a family outing and now the devastated family are appealing to the public for anyone who has seen her to help get her back home

Jessica Green, 34, put her passed daughter, Haylee Green's, ashes inside a bear that was lost over the weekend in Berrinba, Logan

The ashes were put into the teddy bear to help Ms Green's other children understand and cope with the loss of their baby sister.

'It took a great toll on them when she passed away,' Mrs Green told the Courier Mail.

'I would give anything to bring Haylee Bear home, she means the world to me and I love keeping her close.

'She means a lot to the kids they will cuddle her when they're down and or sad or even just having a bad day.'

The entire family is waiting anxiously for a call from anyone who might have more information on the whereabouts of Haylee Bear.

It is understood that she might be anywhere in Logan, as Mrs Green was running errands across the city while her daughter cradled the bear.

Mrs Green and the Logan central Police Station are relying on anyone who has seen Haylee Bear to drop her off at the station so that police can notify the family.
An ISIS plot to carry out a large-scale atrocity in the United Kingdom using British terrorists has been uncovered by Iraqi intelligence officials.

The plot was uncovered after a unit - dubbed the Golden Division - carried out a raid against a cell of ISIS fanatics hiding out in the desert, Iraq's chief counter terror officer General Abdul Wahab al-Saadi revealed.

The general said the Islamic State terrorists were British-based and had been making plans for a 'big attack' on a major public gathering.

Al-Saadi has been leading his troops as they prepare for their next SAS-style advance on the terror group, also known as Daesh, The Mirror reports.

The general said: 'We discovered that the UK is the next target outside Iraq.

British-based Islamic State terrorists have been making plans for an atrocity on a major public gathering, according to Iraq's chief counter terror officer General Abdul Wahab al-Saadi

Dubbed the Golden Division, Iraq's Counter Terror Service discovered the international plot after killing a cell of militants in a desert hideout just days ago

'In the past few weeks we launched major operations against Daesh or Islamic State and killed large numbers of terrorists, in one raid there were about five of them, all quite senior,' General al-Saadi said.

'I can tell you that from the information we found at the site of one of our recent raids the next intended terror attack will be in the United Kingdom.'

The general described members of the cell as British nationals and added the material is now in the hands of Britain's secret services.

He added: 'We do have evidence that terrorists here are in contact with extremists in the United Kingdom, and that they are plotting.

'I cannot tell what form the attack they want to launch would take as it can be a car, a knife, a gun, a bomb.'

The general added that the cell is looking to maximise their attack 'in public' and that the group's 'four priority' countries in Europe are the UK, France, Belgium and Germany.

The general spoke as his troops practised manoeuvres in 46C heat at Baghdad Airport.

Iraqi Federal Police members take cover as smoke billows from a big explosion

Exercises included soldiers storming a mock hideout, using helicopters and practising with two-dozen armoured cars and machine guns.

Islamic State, formed out of the remnants of al-Quaeda, has claimed thousands of lives - including dozens of UK citizens - in its brutal crusade to create a caliphate.

The group captured vast swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014 and siezed on the unrest of the civil war to take control of parts of eastern Syria as well.

By the end of 2015, an estimated eight to 12million people lived within Islamic State's borders, within which it enforced its barbaric interpretation of Islamic law and became infamous for its widespread human rights abuses.

Since then, the group has been pushed back, and by 2019 it had lost the last of its Middle Eastern territories and instead reverted back to being an insurgency.

The group was led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during its most prominent years (2013 to 2019) before he detonated a suicide vest as US forces closed in around him. Since then, a number of its leaders have killed themselves or died in combat.

Iraq is eager to announce it has routed IS from within its borders, and is throwing resources at remaining factions of the terror group.

On Sunday, one Iraqi soldier iand an officer wounded during a counter-terrorism raid that also killed three suspected Islamic State group fighters, Baghdad's security forces said.

The military operation in Kirkuk province, north of the Iraqi capital, targeted 'three figures of the terrorist group Daesh in the Turkelan region,' the security forces said in a statement, using the Arab acronym for IS jihadists. After the suspected IS members were identified, Iraqi troops approached and a clash erupted.

Iraqi counter-terrorism teams conduct a drill including scenarios of hostage rescue

The jihadists 'were surrounded and killed, the explosive belts they were wearing were detonated', the report said.

IS jihadists seized swathes of Iraq and neighbouring Syria in 2014, declaring a 'caliphate' which they ruled with brutality before their defeat in late 2017 by Iraqi forces backed by a US-led military coalition.

Despite the setbacks, the extremist group can still call on an underground network of fighters to carry out attacks on both sides of the porous border, the United Nations says.
An IRS whistleblower claimed Wednesday night Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges - and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call.

Gary Shapley, in an interview with Fox News, described an October 7, 2022, meeting with top IRS and FBI officials on the investigation into President Joe Biden's son.

'I was there, and I witnessed this personally,' Shapley said, noting Weiss started by saying 'he's not the deciding person whether or not charges are filed or not.'

Shapley claimed the final decision was made by officials in Washington DC. He noted Weiss meet with the Matthew Graves, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, in March 2022.

'After that occurred, he was no longer looking to charge,' Shapley said.

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges - and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call

'So that's earth-shattering news,' Fox News' Bret Baier said. 'It's a Biden-appointed D.C. U.S. attorney, Matthew Graves, would not allow him to charge in his district?'

'I didn't learn that fact until October 7 of 2022, so looking back to March of 2022. And that's when David Weiss, in October 7, 2022, said that the D.C. U.S. attorney's office will not allow us to charge there,' Shapley responded.

Shapley, who worked for the agency for 14 years, helped oversee the investigation into the president's son. He is raising questions over alleged special treatment throughout the probe and how the charging decisions were made.

Shapley noted Weiss said he had requested special counsel authority and was denied.

'I even had him repeat that, because I knew how important that fact was, and I wanted to make sure I understood it,' he noted.

Shapley said he even documented the details of the meeting in an email and noted that email was in the hands of House investigators.

The House Ways and Means Committee last week released testimony from two IRS whistleblowers who alleged officials at the Justice Department, the FBI, and the IRS interfered with Weiss' investigation.

Matthew Graves, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden

Shapley was one of those two whistleblowers.

In response to the release of that information, Attorney General Merrick Garland denied interfering in the Hunter Biden probe.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,' Garland said last week of Weiss.

The defense came a day after Shapley's stunning allegations about the case were unsealed by House Republicans, and after both Hunter Biden and the AG were guests at a White House State Dinner.

Asked about any directive not to bring charges against Hunter in 2022, Garland responded: 'As I said at the outset, Mr. Weiss was appointed by President Trump as the U.S. attorney in Delaware and assigned this matter during the previous administration.'

Garland said Weiss 'would be permitted to continue his investigation and to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to. Mr. Weiss has since sent a letter to the House Judiciary confirming he had that authority.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution, given that he has this authority,' he said.

He claimed Weiss never asked to be appointed special prosecutor.

'Mr. Weiss had, in fact, more authority than a special counsel would have.'

'He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own,' he noted.

'Some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department by claiming that we do not treat cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy,' Garland said.

President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and grandson Beau Biden Jr. arrive at Fort Lesley J. McNair on Sunday after spending the weekend at Camp David

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,' Attorney General Merrick Garland said of US Attorney for Delaware David Weiss

The testimony from an IRS whistleblower revealed that U.S. Attorney David Weiss - the Trump-era holdover who prosecuted the case against Hunter Biden - allegedly asked for special counsel status and was denied by the Department of Justice

Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income. Weiss announced that agreement along and noted he charged Hunter in connection with his purchase of a handgun in 2018 but said he would not prosecute the charge under a two-year pretrial diversion program.

Republicans are investigating Garland's role in the case and whether or not Weiss truly had the authority to make charging decisions.

'If it comes true what the I.R.S. whistle-blower is saying, we're going to start impeachment inquiries on the attorney general,' Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News.

President Joe Biden has said repeatedly he had nothing to do with Hunter's business dealings and the White House has emphasized they are staying out of any Justice Department investigations.

Shapley also told CBS News on Tuesday that he was repeatedly prevented from taking the necessary  and routine  steps when it came to Hunter's case.

He said conduct uncovered during the five-year investigation could have implicated President Joe Biden as well, and resulted in additional charges.

And he claimed the road blocks were happening even during the Trump years.

'There were certain investigative steps that we weren't allowed to take that could have led us to President Biden,' Shapley said, adding that his team at the IRS 'needed to take [those steps] and we weren't allowed to take them.'

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley (pictured) told CBS News that Hunter Biden did receive special treatment  and said he was prevented from taking the routine steps during the investigation into the president's son

In their congressional interviews, both Shapley and the other agent questioned whether the U.S. attorney overseeing Hunter's case was even able to bring charges he saw fit.

Weiss said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee weeks ago that he was granted 'ultimate authority over this matter, including responsibility for deciding where, when, and whether to file charges.'
The Ukraine War has caused most NATO nations, including the United States, to concentrate on what is going on in Ukraine, often at the expense of commitments elsewhere. This is particularly important in the Persian Gulf, which contains nearly half the world's known oil reserves and produces 30 percent of oil exports. The importance of this oil to the world led in 2019 to the formation of the IMSC (International Maritime Security Construct), a military coalition of nations currently or planning to take part in patrolling the Gulf and its approaches with warships and maritime patrol aircraft and discourage attacks on ships, Then, as now, the primary threat was Iran. The commanders of IMSC have so far been British. Before the UAE (United Arab Emirates) left IMSC in April, members were; Albania, Bahrain, Britain, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States and Seychelles. Australia was a member but left in late 2020. The UAE has long been the most active Gulf nation when it came to dealing with Iranian aggression. This extended to Yemen, where an Iran-backed civil war between the Shia and Sunni Yemenis has raged since 2014. The UAE intervention played a major role in forcing Iran to admit it was behind the Shia uprising and smuggling weapons to them. Forces now part of IMSC have long been looking for smugglers and armed outlaws in the Persian Gulf. While there have been a few Islamic terrorist attacks, the major trouble maker has been Iran. The Shia religious dictatorship that has ruled Iran since the 1980s believes Iran should control what it does on in the Gulf, especially when it comes to oil and natural gas exports.

UAE itself has a relatively small, but well-equipped and trained military consisting of 65,000 active duty and 150,000 reserve troops. Most active duty personnel (44,000) belong to the army and are organized into eight brigades. They have 3,000 personnel and 72 ships, most of them small armed patrol boats. There are nine corvettes, which are larger and more heavily armed. There are also two minehunters and 30 amphibious warfare ships. The air force is larger and more powerful than the navy, with 4,000 personnel and 550 aircraft. These include 145 jet fighters, twelve maritime patrol/surveillance aircraft with more on order. There are three aerial refueling aircraft, 35 transports, 15 helicopters, 128 trainer aircraft and 88 large UAVs, many of them capable of carrying laser-guided missiles. Most of the combat aircraft pilots are UAE citizens. Most support aircraft are flown by foreigners and most of the pilot instructors are foreigners.

Only 12 percent of the 10 million people living and working in the UAE are citizens, so many or most of its active-duty military personnel are foreigners. Since 2014 UAE has had conscription, which mandates all UAE males aged between 17 and 30 years of age must serve at least 11 months in the military. This leads to more Emirati men becoming career-military as well as providing a trained reserve force. Women are allowed to join the military and at least three have become jet fighter pilots. The UAE has the most professional, experienced and effective armed forces of any Gulf nation. Iran has a larger population of 87 million and 650,00o personnel in the armed forces. Iran has two separate armed forces. The conventional force has 420,000 personnel while the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) exists to protect the religious dictatorship from hostile Iranians, including members of the armed forces. The IRGC also carries out or organizes military operations against foreigners. These operations sometimes include fatalities or major economic damage. Thats what the Iranian IRGC seizures of foreign tankers in the Persian Gulf are about. The IRGC carries out the airborne (via helicopters) assaults on tankers and seizes them. Iran has long threatened to halt oil exports from the Persian Gulf but has never been able to carry out the threat, even though some attempts have been made. The UAE armed forces were organized and armed to deal with the worst that the IRGC could attempt. The reluctance of Western members of the IMSC to deal with Iranian threats is the main reason the UAE left the group. The UAE is capable of acting on its own and the IMSC members can join the effort if they wish.

The key to this UAE strategy is a high degree of surveillance on what the IRGC is up to. Thats where the very capable surveillance aircraft comes in. The best surveillance aircraft the UAE has comes from Sweden, which manufactures and exports GlobalEye AEW (airborne early warning)/ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) aircraft. These cost about half a billion dollars each. The UAE can afford that. GlobalEye is built by Saab and uses a Bombardier 6000 business jet to carry the Swedish Erieye long range radar in addition to an assortment of electronic monitoring systems. The UAE already has four GlobalEyes and always indicated a need for more to deal with the growing threat from Iran. The UAE also backs a wider program to link ground and air-based surveillance radars of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE) into a cooperative surveillance network that would provide all GCC members with better information on that is going on in the skies over their nations and the Persian Gulf in general. The recent recognition of Israel by the UAE makes possible the incorporation of Israeli data into GCC system,

Globaleye includes a maritime search radar as well as upgraded AEW radar. Since a combined AEW maritime search system is heavier and needs more space, as well as operating farther from land, Globaleye has a cruising speed of 900 kilometers an hour and endurance of about ten hours. The Erieye system is built around an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which consists of thousands of tiny radars that can be independently aimed in different directions. This is similar to the AESA radar used on the American JSTARS aircraft, a system that can also locate vehicles moving on the ground. The Swedish AESA is cheaper because it's built like a long bar, mounted on top of the aircraft. This means the radar can only see, in a 120-degree arc, off both sides of the aircraft. A 60-degree arc in the front and back is uncovered. The Erieye ER radar can spot large aircraft out to nearly 500 kilometers, and more common fighter-sized aircraft at about 400 kilometers.

The UAE uses these aircraft to manage air campaigns, including the one underway in Yemen since March 2015. The primary use for UAE AEW aircraft is to deter an attack by Iran.
The top ten cities for the cleanest drinking water have been revealed after H20 was tested across the country.

Research by WaterFilterGuru.com analyzed the quality of samples from 70 cities in the nation to determine which had the least contaminated water.

The research examined the pH level of water across the U.S. using data from the Environmental Working Group and SimpleLab.

The city of Memphis, a city of 630,000 people, came top of the chart closely followed by Savannah in second place, home to 150,000 residents.

The mountain town of Provo, Utah with a population of 114,000 reached third in the chart while San Francisco, Nashville and Charleston polled at fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively.

Analysis has revealed the top ten cities in the United States with the cleanest drinking water, based on samples collected from 70 cities nationwide

The city of Memphis, a city of 630,000 came top of the chart for cities deemed to have the cleanest drinking water

San Francisco came fourth, with 815,000 people enjoying its clean water

The industrial city of Detroit was a surprising entry at seventh position while the coastal city of Tampa came eighth.

Montgomery, Alabama scored highly coming in ninth place while the second biggest city in the country rounded out the top ten.

At the bottom end of the chart, Newark, New Jersey reached 70th place just behind the desert city of Las Vegas at 69, home to 646,000 people.

The guidelines for water quality come from Environmental Protection Agency criteria, which was created with their scientific understanding of water pollutants and their impact on human health.

According to the study, it covers pH, alkalinity, hardness, and total dissolved solids.

The quality of Memphis' water which topped the chart is said to be a source of city pride.

The drinking water comes from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which sits hundreds of feet underground.

Fact: Despite advances in global sanitation, there are 187 countries where tap water is deemed unsafe or unpalatable

The aquifer is made up of a mixture of water and sand which helps to filter the water.

On top of the mixture is a confining layer made of clay which protects the aquifer from contaminants.

Water quality often features regularly in the news. In recent years, the trials of Flint, Michigans water contamination issues have dominated news headlines.

The crisis began in 2014 when the city began taking water from the Flint River for its 100,000 residents without treating it properly, resulting in lead contamination.

Residents complained about the waters smell, taste and appearance raising health concerns, reporting rashes, hair loss and other problems.

As a result, the corrosive river water caused lead and other contaminants to leach from aging pipes into the drinking water. This led to elevated levels of lead and other pollutants in the tap water consumed by residents. The water was discolored, had a foul odor, and tasted unpleasant.

The desert city of Las Vegas came in 69th place with only Newark, New Jersey worse in 70th

A giant plume of smoke from the aftermath of the incident could be seen from miles away

It wasn't until independent studies and persistent activism by residents and researchers that the crisis gained national attention.

More recently, the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, released toxic chemicals that now threaten the local water supply.

Homeowners complained of symptoms that some in the town believe are tied to the release of chemicals from the derailed train cars.

The incident has also sparked environmental concerns. An estimated 3,500 fish died in creeks and rivers around the area although the Environmental Protection Agency have continued to assure residents their water supply is safe to drink.
An NYC subway rider accused of fatally stabbing a man who punched his girlfriend and harassed other passengers will not be indicted after a manslaughter charge was dropped because video footage bolstered his case of acting in self-defense.

Jordan Williams, 20, allegedly pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Devictor Ouedraogo, 36, on a northbound J train in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on June 12.

The case echoes that of black homeless man Jordan Neely, 30, who was killed on the F-train on May 1 when Daniel Penny, 24, - a white ex-Marine - put him in a chokehold for allegedly threatening fellow passengers, claiming he acted in self-defense.

However, unlike Penny, Williams will not face trial after the charges were dismissed by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.

'Our office conducted an impartial and thorough investigation of this tragic case, which included review of multiple videos and interviews with all available witnesses, and that evidence was fairly presented to a grand jury,' a spokesperson for the DA's office said in a statement.

Jordan Williams, 20, an NYC subway rider accused of fatally stabbing a man who punched his girlfriend and harassed other passengers will not be indicted after a manslaughter charge was dropped because he acted in self-defense

Daniel Penny pictured in Manhattan Criminal Court where he pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges on Wednesday

'Today, the charges against Jordan Williams have been dismissed.'

Sources claimed that Williams' self-defense claims were backed by video showing Ouedraogo strangling Williams and punching his girlfriend, as well as testimony from witnesses on the train.

New York law states that 'a person is justified in using deadly physical force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to use such force to defend themselves or others from imminent use of deadly or unlawful physical force.'

It comes the same day that a grand jury upheld manslaughter charges and added a charge of criminally negligent homicide against Penny. If convicted, Penny faces up to 19 years in prison.

In a statement after the hearing, Penny's attorneys, Steve Raiser and Thomas Keniff, told DailyMail.com: 'Today Danny entered a plea of not guilty, with great confidence that a jury of his peers will ultimately agree, by rendering a verdict of not guilty on all counts after trial.

'But Danny is not going to be the only one on trial. The right and duty to protect one another will be on trial too.

'Our legal team at Raiser & Kenniff is fighting for Danny and for all New Yorkers right and duty to defend one another when faced with grave harm. Tens of thousands of People have stepped forward to support Danny, monetarily, with words of encouragement and prayers. For that Danny is eternally grateful.

'On May 1, 2023, Danny defended his fellow travelers, now is our turn to defend Danny.'

Jordan Williams, 20, allegedly pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Devictor Ouedraogo , 36, on a northbound J train in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on June 12

Williams will not face trial after the charges were dismissed by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office

Penny's next court date is October 25.

Ex-Marine Penny surrendered himself to the police almost two weeks after Neely's death on May 12 when he was charged with second-degree manslaughter and then released on $100,000 bail.

Williams' attorney said his client was also acting in self-defense - but claimed the reason he is being treated differently is because he is black.

Jason Goldman said: 'It's upsetting to see that Mr. Williams is even being charged without a thorough investigation.

'We already know that the victim punched his girlfriend and menaced passenger.

'Is Mr. Williams not getting the same treatment that Mr. Penny received  released, voluntary surrender, and low bail  because his skin color is different and he comes from a particular neighborhood?

'Instead, those very factors will likely result in Mr. Williams, a young boy, fighting this case of clear self-defense from a cage at Rikers.'

Authorities said Ouedraogo boarded the Brooklyn-bound train with the couple at around 8.10pm on June 12, before he allegedly started to harass commuters traveling over the Williamsburg Bridge.

The lawyer of a New York City subway rider who fatally stabbed a man for punching his girlfriend and harassing others has asked why he hasn't been released like Jordan Neely's killer

Jordan Williams, 20, (center) allegedly pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Devictor Ouedraogo, 36, on a northbound J train in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Tuesday

Ouedraogo, who has attempted robbery convictions in his past, reportedly punched his girlfriend and was bothering other passengers before he was knifed to death

Video obtained by the New York Daily News showed the victim, who was slurring his words and was shirtless, getting into a random passenger's face. The outlet has not published the footage.

As the commuter tried not to react, Ouedraogo began gyrating in front of him.

Williams could be seen approaching the man in an apparent attempt to calm him down by the end of the video.

But a second clip obtained by the outlet showed the two men fighting, as an unknown woman was heard screaming 'Don't f******* touch her, you piece of s***.'

'Get your f****** hand off of her.

It is not known if this woman referenced was Williams' girlfriend who was allegedly punched.

Ouedraogo was then seen backing off as his chest was covered in blood and stumbled off the train and collapsed on the platform.

Police and first responders rushed to the scene, and emergency service crews took the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A witness, identified only as Eric, told the New York Post that Ouedraogo 'was getting in the face of somebody on the other end of the train' and 'at one point he took his shirt off and I heard him say he was going to erase someone.'

He said Ouedraogo was with a friend and they were both 'acting obnoxious' on the train and were sat next to a young woman and opposite two older women.

One of the older women reacted defensively when Ouedraogo started to speak to her and Williams rolled his eyes and told him 'you need to chill or you need to relax', according to Eric.

The pair then began to talk until Ouedraogo struck him in the face before also punching his girlfriend.

Passengers fled the scene while the fight took place and Eric said he 'didn't see him [Williams] pull out a knife but it looked like he punched him [Ouedraogo] in the chest.'

Police and first responders rushed to the scene, and emergency service crews took the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead

Williams was arrested by police on Wednesday and charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon

Attorney Jason Goldman said his client was acting in self defense and claimed the reason he is being treated differently to Daniel Penny, who was charged over the chokehold death of Neely on the subway, is because he is black

The victim then 'walked through the car doors into the car where everyone was and I backed up and he had a hole in the center of his chest and it was pumping blood and he had a glossed over look in his eyes,' Eric added.

'His friend was kind of smacking him in the face but he was completely unconscious laying on the subway platform.'

Officers said the couple involved in the attack stayed on the train, but were tracked down at the Chauncey Street station.

They said they did not know the victim, and both Williams and his girlfriend were taken into custody as 'persons of interest,' though the woman was later released.

Ouedraogo had spent three years in prison beginning in 2009 following an attempted robbery conviction in Queens.

Meanwhile in Penny's case, the ex-Marine was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday and is expected to appear in court on July 17 charged with second-degree manslaughter, after being released on bail.

More than $2.8million has been raised for Penny's legal defense on GiveSendGo- which until now was better known for being used by those charged with participating in the January 6th Capitol riot and by supporters of Kyle Rittenhouse.

In a recent interview, Penny further claimed Neely ripped off his jacket and threatened to kill the subway passengers.

'The man stumbled on, he appeared to be on drugs, the doors closed, and he ripped his jacket off and threw it down at the people sitting next to me at my left,' he added.

Penny said he was listening to music and took his headphones out as he heard Neely yelling in what he deemed a 'scary situation.'

The incident has drawn similarities with the death of Neely, 30, a homeless man with drug addiction problems, who died on the subway on May 1 after he was restrained by Penny

'The three main threats that he repeated over and over again were I'm going to kill you, I'm prepared to go to jail for life and I'm willing to die,' Penny said.

Penny said he felt he couldn't sit and do nothing any longer, echoing an interview he gave earlier this week where he cited a talk at school from author Elie Wiesel.

'There's a common misconception that Marines don't get scared. We're actually taught one of our core values is courage, and courage is not the absence of fear but how you handle fear,' he said.

'I was scared for myself but I looked around there was women and children, he was yelling in their faces saying these threats. I just couldn't sit still.'

He argued the reporting that he was 'holding on' to Neely for 15 minutes 'is not true.'

'The whole interaction lasted less than 5 minutes. Some people say I was trying to choke him to death - which is also not true. I was trying to restrain him.'

He claimed the grip he used to keep Neely restrained was 'based on the force that [Neely's] exerting.'

'You can see in the video there's a clear rise and fall of his chest, indicating that he's breathing. I'm trying to restrain him from being able to carry out the threats.'
The phone of a Belgian backpacker who disappeared in Tasmania's remote bushland more than two weeks ago sent out a signal the day she was reported missing.

Celine Cremer was last seen in Waratah, near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania's north west, on June 17.

The 31-year-old was living in Tasmania for six months and was planning to travel to Victoria at the end of June but never boarded the Spirit of Tasmania ferry on June 21.

Ms Cremer was reported missing on Monday but her family and friends said the last contact they had from her was on June 16.

Tasmania Police launched a search around the Philosopher Falls track and on Tuesday found her car, a white Honda CRV bearing the registration E40TF, about 500 metres up an unsealed road at the entrance to the walking track.

Burnie Police Inspector Anthea Maingay confirmed on Wednesday that Ms Cremer's phone sent out a signal on June 20 - the day she was reported missing.

Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer was reported missing on Monday after she was last seen in in Waratah, near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania's north west, on June 17

Inspector Maingay said initial investigations indicate that Ms Cremer is an 'inexperienced hiker' who was only prepared for 'light day travel'.

She added no new evidence has been found in her disappearance and there is no suggestion of foul play.

'Police are following several leads ... all indications suggest Ms Cremer was travelling alone,' Inspector Maingay said.

'At this stage, it's looking like she's just lost. There's nothing else to indicate there's anyone else involved at this point in time.

We will continue to maintain contact with the family as our investigation progresses. It's obviously a very distressing situation for the family.'

Police said Ms Cremer was travelling Tasmania for two weeks before leaving the state.

Officers and SES personnel have been searching the area where Ms Cremer's car was found for two days using ground and air crew, but conditions are making it difficult.

'The weather in the area has been challenging and changing on a frequent basis,' Inspector Maingay said.

'That has provided some challenges for aerial support.'

Tasmania Police launched a search around the Philosopher Falls track and found her car about 500 metres up an unsealed road at the entrance to the walking track (pictured)

Her phone sent out its last signal on the day she was reported missing. Police believe the 'inexperienced hiker' is lost and are confident it is a 'search and rescue operation

The search effort has been hampered by rough weather due to light snowfall in the area and dense bushland but police are confident that it is a 'search and rescue operation'.

The family have made a desperate plea for help to find Ms Cremer, claiming they have had 'no signs of life' from her since June 16.

'If you have any information on my sister, please contact me directly or my mum Ariane,' Ms Cremer's sister Amelie wrote on Facebook.

'Please share this post widely and help us find her.' 

Her mother confirmed the registration for the abandoned white Honda CRV, was the backpacker's vehicle.

Anyone who has been in the Philosopher Falls car park since June 12 or has seen Ms Cremer since June 17 are urged to contact police.

The falls are about 10km from the town of Waratah and the walking track only takes about 45 minutes.

The last known photo of missing Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer was posted on Facebook in February with the caption 'A little devil in Tasmania'

Night-time temperatures in the area have been dropping to near freezing.

A photo, posted to Facebook on February 22, shows a playful and smiling Ms Cremer standing at wilderness lookout using her hands to make 'devil's horns' on her head.

The photo is captioned 'Un petit diable en Tasmanie' (A little devil in Tasmania).

Police believe when Ms Cremer left Hobart earlier in June she planned to travel to Tasmania's west coast.
This is the horrifying moment a driver smashed into a vehicle so hard his car lifted off the ground before getting out and smashing the windows.

The shocking clip, which was reportedly filmed in Bridgend, Wales, shows a furious driver chase down a silver car in busy traffic.

Both cars are seen swerving into the opposite side of the road as they meander down.

The Fiat driver can be seen ramming his car into his silver counterpart repeatedly, before reaching onto the back seat for some sort of tool.

He then climbs out the car and furiously starts smashing the windows of the grey vehicle, repeatedly screaming for the victim to 'get out the car'.

The clip shows the Fiat chasing a silver car down a street erratically

The camera shook as the two cars accelerated down the street in Bridgend, Wales

The victim can be seen trying to escape the shards of flying glass after the window is smashed

After climbing back into his car, the assailant camera spans towards his hand, which appears to be covered in blood from the shattered glass.

A separate angle of the car chase from what appears to be dashcam footage shows the road raging driver mount another vehicle in his own as he hunts the silver car.

South Wales Police have said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the dispute.

A police spokesperson told the Sun: 'We're aware of a video circulating on social media of dangerous driving involving two cars.'

It was confirmed a 20-year-old man from Bettws had been arrested in connection with the incident on suspicion of dangerous driving, criminal damage and affray.

'He has been taken to Queens Road police station in Bridgend. Enquiries are ongoing to locate a second individual', a police spokesperson added.
Aaron Carotta, a globe-circling adventurer, faced a life-threatening situation when his rowboat lost battery power in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, leaving the 45-year-old stranded for over a month at the mercy of ocean currents.

Carotta, aka Adventure Aaron, set off from the Central American nation Panama in February on a mission to circumnavigate the globe in a 23-foot rowboat before losing power when his solar panels broke in mid-May.

The situation took a turn for the worse when a massive wave flipped his boat, leaving him in a leaky life raft with impending hypothermia in shark-infested waters and only 13 percent phone battery.

But Carotta caught a glimpse of hope when he eventually spotted a United States Coast Guard plane for the first time in more than 80 days. He fortunately was able to activate an emergency satellite beacon, leading to his rescue.

'It was a sight for sore eyes,' Carotta said to the New York Times Tuesday, in an interview just one day after his rescue.

Aaron Carotta, 45, was stranded for over a month in the Pacific ocean when his rowboat lost battery power, leaving at the mercy of ocean currents

The situation worsened when a massive wave flipped his boat, leaving him in a leaky life raft with impending hypothermia in shark infested water

Carotta was eventually saved by a merchant ship after a rough rescue and a night of extreme cold and hypothermia

Carotta's life of adventure began as a response to his cancer diagnosis in 2008, which he overcame, and his subsequent desire to lead a more meaningful life.

After overcoming cancer, Carotta, who is originally from Louisiana, spent six years traveling to dozens of countries, doing charity work and supporting himself as a freelance television producer and presenter.

Despite setbacks, he embarked on ambitious water-based expeditions, including a solo canoe trip and a planned multi-year circumnavigation of the globe, which he called a spiritual journey that would take three to five years and help to recalibrate his life to 'see level.'

But a few weeks after setting off on his journey in the ocean, the solar panels powering his onboard battery broke.

He fixed the problem temporarily and took the battery he had left to upload a final video to Facebook from his phone in mid-May through a Starlink connection  but the battery eventually died again.

Carotta was left with just an iPhone with 14 percent battery, a GPS tracker and an emergency satellite beacon. He was initially left with just 40 kilos of rice a few emergency bars and cans of fish if needed, he said in a Facebook Post Tuesday.

Manually he made one gallon of water for the first hour of the day to survive, generally catching two fish daily and cooking them with 1 kilogram of rice in the solar oven after 4 hours, he added,

'It truly felt like a devotee fasting to say the least,' he said. 'Offering me something to do to avoid insanity while getting through each SLOW day.

'Overall, it was a pure dopamine hit that offered a daily sweet taste from the rice and cool glass of clean water with fresh fish to compliment.'

Facing multiple challenges at sea, he navigated with limited resources and decided against triggering a rescue effort until activating his emergency beacon weeks later.

He chose to navigate with a compass to avoid putting pressure on the Coast Guard's resources.

According to his compass, he was heading into French Polynesia, and so he kept drifting in silence. He stuck to a daily routine that he described as 'eat, pray, fish.'

'I just kept rowing,' Mr. Carotta said to the Times. 'Like, 'no problem. I'm in a rowboat. I got this.'

But Carotta's friends started to become concerned after days of silence.

A Facebook page was created for the adventurer dedicated to helping find him.

'This page is to help find Adventure Aaron Carotta who is in the midst of rowing solo across the Pacific Ocean on the SMILES and has been missing since May 20, 2023,' it read.

A Coast Guard aircraft, which had been in the area on another rescue mission, flew four hours to Carotta's location and dropped survival equipment for him but had to leave to refuel before conducting a formal rescue.

Carotta, who embarked on his multi-year circumnavigation of the globe after surviving cancer, said his story is a reminder 'of a simple effort with human power demonstrates a true effort to a purposed life, one others can try themselves in their own life, with their own ocean and boat'

The Louisiana man known as 'Adventure Aaron' was trying to sail around the world in a 23-foot rowboat on a 'three to five-year trip' and ultimately was rescued from the Pacific after his onboard battery lost power and he was capsized by a giant wave

Carotta, who was wearing only a swimsuit, was unable to reach the equipment due to the high tide, and could not swim due to a circling shark.

He was left 'bobbing in rough seas, bailing water and battling the cold by curling into a ball on the life raft's floor,' according to the New York Times.

'The hypothermia was the deadly factor,' he said.

Eventually, he was saved by a merchant ship after enduring a night of extreme cold and hypothermia.

Carotta posted a long thank you post to his personal Facebook upon arriving back to shore.

'To the USCG, Tahiti Maritime team, and the 21-member crew aboard The Baker Spirit I have gotten to know, thank you,' he wrote.

When reflecting on what went wrong, Carotta said he cannot put the blame on anyone but himself.

'Thoughts of what went wrong and if I misread my entire journey purpose? While I could blame it on the weather or the as is boat, he said, I tried my best to make it work with no official sponsors, I felt and still feel, this was my own captain error.'

'No one else to blame but myself who got sideways with the wrong wave and won't make the same mistake twice, that's for sure.'

Seattleite rescue technologies was highly effective in Carotta's case.

In 2021 alone, nearly 2,500 people were rescued as a result of maritime notifications through the international satellite network known as Cospas-Sarsat.

Carotta, who could be seen smiling as he walked off his rescue ship, never gave up hope and in fact, appreciated the time spent stranded at sea.

'Admittedly, life after Cancer had gone by so fast already over the last 15 years it now felt like a blessing to have it slow down,' he wrote on Facebook, from Honolulu, where he was dropped off after rescue.

Carotta said the time away gave him space to think and make peace with the past.

'I was also making amends with the vivid memories I was now getting of the past,' he said.

'My failed lines of communication with my poor business moves, my failed efforts with some independent contractors, loss of communications with immediate family, and coping mechanisms through it all.'

'Putting it to rest in my mind now and making peace with it all. Without that 'need for speed', where the only stimulants came from the fresh clean air, a warm sea breeze, and a clear mind taking in the natural beauty of it all out on the Ocean,' he added.

'While I can't quote scripture verses, offer a homily to a parish or claim a perfect past,' Carotta wrote.

'I hope this story of a simple effort with human power demonstrates a true effort to a purposed life, one others can try themselves in their own life, with their own ocean and boat.'
Gladys Berejiklian's boyfriend Arthur Moses was at work in the NSW Supreme Court when ICAC branded his girlfriend corrupt in their damning report.

The high-flying barrister was representing Network Ten in their legal action against former political editor Peter van Onselen after 9am, just as the corruption watchdog's report was published.

He ducked out of pre-hearing discussions, telling colleagues he had to 'make a call' moments after ICAC released its report making findings of serious corrupt conduct against Ms Berejiklian, over her 'secret lovers' relationship with her ex, Daryl Maguire.

When he returned to courtroom 7D some 15 minutes later, one colleague asked Mr Moses if he was alright and put a supportive arm around him.

Mr Moses replied he was fine and returned to the case shortly after, making his opening address to the court without any mention of his girlfriend's plight.

Gladys Berejiklian's boyfriend Arthur Moses was at work in the NSW Supreme Court when ICAC branded his girlfriend corrupt in their damning report (pictured together last week)

Mr Moses (pictured earlier this month) was representing Network Ten in their legal action against former political editor Peter van Onselen after 9am, just as the corruption watchdog's report was published

The Commission found that 'Ms Berejiklian engaged in serious corrupt conduct by breaching public trust in 2016 and 2017 through exercising her official functions in relation to funding promised and/or awarded'.

The corruption involved Ms Berejiklian's support for a gun club funding in Mr Maguire's electorate and that $20million in funding was reserved for the Riverina Conservatorium of Music, also in his electorate.

The ICAC does not believe the former premier should be prosecuted, saying 'The Commission is not of the opinion that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the (Director of Public Prosecutions) with respect to the prosecution of Ms Berejiklian for any offence.'

But it said 'consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP about the prosecution of Mr Maguire' and two of his business associates.

Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) refused to answer questions on Thursday morning. NCA Newswire photo

ICAC found that Mr Maguire improperly used his office and the resources he had access as an MP between 2012 and August 2018.

He did so to benefit G8wayInternational Pty Ltd, it found, 'a company of which he was in substance a director and whose profits he had an arrangement to share with others'.

During its investigation of Mr Maguire, ICAC became aware of the relationship between him and Ms Berejiklian.

'The investigation revealed them discussing aspects of Mr Maguire's conduct that the Commission was investigating and Ms Berejiklian's participation in grant decisions favouring projects in his electorate,' it said.

As the investigation continued, the ICAC found that 'her acts and omissions gave rise to questions as to whether she had: seriously misused her public offices; breached the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct ...

'Failed to exercise her duty under section 11 of the ICAC Act to report any matter that she suspected on reasonable grounds concerned, or may concern, corrupt conduct in relation to the conduct of Mr Maguire ...

'And engaged in conduct that was liable to allow or encourage the occurrence of corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire such as could constitute serious corrupt conduct within the meaning of the ICAC Act.'

Ms Berejiklian refused to answer questions on Thursday morning as the commission that exposed her secret love life at the peak of her popularity prepared to deliver its report into the former NSW premier's relationship with Mr Maguire.

She left her home in a car clutching a $5,500 Prada bag on a historic day for her and Australian politics.

ICAC tabled the long-awaited report in the NSW parliament on Thursday morning, more than 600 days after public hearings ended.

It investigated whether Ms Berejiklian breached public trust by failing to disclose her long-time personal relationship with then-MP Daryl Maguire while treasurer and premier.

THE ICAC FINDINGS AGAINST GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN The Commission finds that Ms Berejiklian engaged in serious corrupt conduct by: 1. CLAY TARGET ASSOCIATION FUNDING: In 2016 and 2017, breaching public trust by exercising her official functions in relation to funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association (ACTA) without disclosing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire when she was in a position of a conflict of interest between her public duty and her private interest which could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of her public duty. Her conduct comprised: * causing the ACTA proposal to be included on the agenda for the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) meeting of 14 December 2016 * supporting the ACTA proposal in the ERC meeting of 14 December 2016 * communicating her support for and interest in the ACTA proposal to NSW Treasury staff, at least one ministerial colleague (John Barilaro) and staff within her office * causing steps to be taken by staff from her office to follow up on the progress of the ACTA proposal following the ERC ACTA decision, including by communicating a request that the initial benefit cost ratio calculation of 0.88 by the Department of Premier and Cabinet Investment Appraisal Unit be revisitedin 2016 and 2017, partially exercising her official functions in connection with funding promised and awarded to ACTA by exercising her official functions influenced by the existence of her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire and by a desire on her partto maintain or advance that relationship (chapter 11) 2. RIVERINA CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC: in 2018, breaching public trust by exercising her official functions in relation to decisions concerning the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (the RCM) proposal which she knew was advanced by Mr Maguire in: * participating in the 12 April 2018 ERC decision concerning RCM Stage 1 in relation to the transfer of land at 1 Simmons Street, Wagga Wagga, to provide a site for the RCM * participating in the 24 April 2018 ERC decision concerning RCM Stage 1 in relation to the funding granted to RCM Stage 1 * determining to make a funding reservation of $20 million in relation to RCM Stage 2 * approving the letter arranging for that funding reservation to be made without disclosing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, when she was in a position of a conflict of interest between her public duty and her private interest in maintaining or advancing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, which could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of her public duty * in 2018, in connection with funding promised and awarded to RCM Stage 2 engaging in conduct constituting or involving the partial exercise of her official functions influenced by the existence of her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, or by a desire on her part to maintain or advance that relationship (chapter 12) * refusing to discharge her duty under s 11 of the ICAC Act to notify the Commission of her suspicion that Mr Maguire had engaged in activities which concerned, or might have concerned, corrupt conduct (chapter 13). Advertisement

That clandestine relationship became publicly known 990 days ago, when Ms Berejiklian admitted it in October 2020 in an ICAC hearing.

The commission's inquiry began as an investigation into possible corrupt conduct by Mr Maguire but expanded to Ms Berejiklian after she was compelled to reveal the relationship in public hearings in 2020.

She denied wrongdoing and retained office, only to step down when ICAC in late-2021 began investigating her conduct.

Even after the relationship was exposed, Ms Berejiklian had widespread public support, with net approval ratings of more than 35 per cent.

After quitting office in October 2021, she turned down an opportunity to run for federal parliament and moved into the private sector as an Optus executive.

The commission has said delays were caused by complex legal issues and the vast volume of submissions it had to scrutinise.

It repeatedly asked for extensions and more funding to complete its investigations.

The NSW Labor government on Wednesday backed a parliamentary committee's call for ICAC to set deadlines for future investigations and measure its performance against them.

'(The changes) will increase transparency and public accountability of the ICAC's reporting functions without imposing inflexible restrictions on the ICAC,' the government said.
A Nazi sympathiser who built a submachine gun in his garage after he became obsessed with the Christchurch mosque attacks has been jailed for seven years.

Ben Styles made the makeshift firearm at his home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in 'preparation for a religious war'.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that the 25-year-old also dubbed the Holocaust 'the Holohaox' in an online group.

Styles, who has a B-tec in Engineering, was arrested when police raided his home in April 2021. In addition to the parts of the homemade weapon, officers also uncovered a manual on converting blank bullets into live ammunition, a Nazi fitness manual, and a book on the SS.

The SS book was titled: 'The SS family yearly - celebrations of the SS family'.

Ben Styles, 25, was sentenced to give years for possessing the prohibited weapon, and two years for possessing terrorism material

Styles made the makeshift firearm at his home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in 'preparation for a religious war'

During the trial, jurors heard that Styles visited New Zealand shortly before two Christchurch mosques were attacked in 2019. 51 people were killed.

Styles was 'fascinated' by killer Brenton Tarrant and collected his manifesto and a video he made of the massacre, which also left 40 people injured.

On his return, messages attributed to him read: 'It made me super racist. Then that happened and I had a good day'.

He had also told a friend he was 'just getting as strong as possible for the war' and sent a picture of his phone lock screen, which featured images of swastikas, which are linked with Nazism, on it.

Styles admitted making weapons and ammunition and collecting terrorism material. He was earlier acquitted of engaging in conduct in preparation for a terrorist act, contrary to section 5(1) of the Terrorism Act 2006.

At an earlier hearing, he admitted three counts of collecting information contrary to section 58 Terrorism Act 2006 (right wing material and instructional firearms documents) and one count of possessing a prohibited weapon contrary to section 5(1a) Firearms Act 1968.

Styles admitted making weapons and ammunition and collecting terrorism material

In addition to the parts of the homemade weapon, officers also uncovered a manual on converting blank bullets into live ammunition, a Nazi fitness manual, a book on the SS, and other terrorism material

He was sentenced to give years for possessing the prohibited weapon, and two years for possessing terrorism material.

Detective Superintendent Anastasia Miller, from Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands said: 'We will continue to protect local communities by working with partners and the CPS to pursue and prosecute all those who show support for terrorism.

'We work tirelessly to counter terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the West Midlands area.'

Assistant Chief Constable David Gardner, counter terrorism lead for Warwickshire Police, added: 'It is vital we all remain vigilant and people report any concerns they have to police.'
A teenage boy has reportedly been arrested over allegations that female pupils were sexually assaulted in the gender-neutral toilets at a secondary school in Essex.

Police were called in over four allegations of 'serious sexual assault' at the school, which has not been named, according to the Daily Telegraph.

It is understood that three of the alleged attacks took place in toilets that can be used by both boys and girls.

The Essex school reportedly has a number of gendered toilets to be used by boys or girls as well as a set of 'open suite' cubicles that can be used by either sex.

This comes as the government is anticipated to publish transgender guidance for schools in the coming days.

A teenage boy has reportedly been arrested over allegations that female pupils were sexually assaulted in the gender-neutral toilets at a secondary school in Essex

The Telegraph said the school had not carried out an equality impact assessment on the provision of gender-neutral lavatories, although it is not required to do so by law.

It added that the school complied with the statutory requirements for the provision of toilet facilites, one of which states that schools are required to provide separate facilities for children aged eight and over.

The new guidance is expected to ban schools from letting pupils 'socially transition' by changing their names, pronouns or uniform if their parents do not consent.

According to The Sun, it would prevent children who are questioning their gender from playing competitive sport.

At the moment, many schools are making their own decisions - such as whether to introduce gender-neutral toilets or changing rooms.

Labour has criticised ministers for delaying issuing the guidance, insisting schools, parents and pupils are 'sick and tired' of reading conflicting rumours about it in the newspapers.

Education minister Nick Gibb promised earlier this month the guidance was being drafted and would be published soon.
A family-owned bricklaying business have opened up about the devastation caused after losing $100,000 from the collapse of three construction companies they worked for.

Melbourne-based business Red Bluff Homes is the latest construction company to go into liquidation, leaving 21 projects uncompleted.

Liquidators Petr Vrsecky and Glenn Franklin from PKF Melbourne were appointed to manage the company's remaining projects and debt.

The news follows a string of complaints from customers, suppliers and tradies about money allegedly owed by Red Bluff Homes.

More than 100 creditors are cumulatively owed $1.986m, according to the liquidation report.

Vicki Tanzen claimed her family-run bricklaying business has been left $35,000 out of pocket by Red Bluff Homes.

Red Bluff Homes went into liquidation last week. Pictured is one of their completed projects

It's the third time in the last 12 months the family has been stung from the collapse of a building company and estimate they've lost $100,000 all up.

Ms Tanzen claims Red Bluff Homes tried to give them 'more jobs' far away from their normal areas in the weeks before the company went under.

The bricklaying business had worked with Red Bluff for six years but had no formal contract.

'The company still had us out there working these f*cking jobs,' Ms Tanzen told news.com.au.

The crisis of not being paid for jobs has forced Ms Tanzen, 53, to work alongside her sons and husband on bricklaying jobs.

'It's really hard to get good labourers and bricklayers, it's a ruthless industry, that's why I'm out there working,' she said.

'The whole time you're out there laying bricks, you're like 'am I working for free, or am I getting paid to do this?'

On top of their financial woes, Ms Tanzen's eldest son and his young family briefly moved back with his parents during the crisis, which added to the immense stress already on the family.

The collapse of a string of Australian building companies has left hundreds of trades contractors and clients out of pocket (stock image)

Red Bluff Homes website remains online on Thursday a week after it went into liquidation, boasting 35 years experience in building homes across Melbourne and regional Victoria.

'We strive to deliver outstanding customer service and a stress free building experience by helping you through the entire process of your new home construction, including custom design, building plans and permits, and assistance with colour selections,' the website states.

'Our aim is to deliver high quality homes and investment properties that are a source of great enjoyment, satisfaction and lifelong financial value.'

Liquidator PKF Melbourne says it's reviewing the company's operations, activities and financial position.

'This includes an assessment of all houses under construction to determine their present status,' a spokesperson said.

'We're also investigating the possibility of other builders assisting with completion of projects.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Red Bluff Homes for comment.

Red Bluff Homes website (pictured) remains online, despite going into liquidation

Red Bluff Homes' Google reviews are also filled with alleged bad experiences.

One tradie wrote: 'We completed a job for Red Bluff Homes and it has been a nightmare getting my invoice paid.

'The director is full of empty promises and excuses.

'Now I have to waste my time taking this to a debt collector or small claims. Stay away from this company!'

One disgruntled client wrote: 'My job has been stalled for 5 months. Ive been left with defective retaining walls.'

Other affected clients took to social media seeking advice.

'My builder (Red Bluff Homes) has just gone into liquidation this week. Yesterday my kitchen and bathrooms cabinetry was stolen out of my house, presumably by the tradies who had not been paid for their work,' one man wrote.

'I am just wondering if anyone had experienced the same thing and has any advice on what to do next. I am also worried about the remaining parts of the house.'

The news follows a string of complaints from customers, suppliers and tradies about money allegedly owed by Red Bluff Homes (stock image)

A Melbourne woman said she'd been 'brought to tears' by Red Bluff Homes, claiming the company never returned her $23,675 deposit after cancelling the contract for her family's dream home.

'We have always moved from house to house and always been in old houses and it's been a dream of mine to build a nice family home and because I had my son coming it was something I always wanted  a nice family home to settle into,' Dee Filik previously told news.com.au

'It's really upsetting. It's taken a toll emotionally. I have severe anxiety daily not knowing what is going to happen with it as I'm just in limbo now.'
Vapes in the UK have been found to be contaminated with a deadly flesh-eating bug, it has been revealed, as health chiefs issue a warning.

Horse tranquilliser Xylazine, which has caused people to 'rot from the inside out' in the US, was found in modified e-cigs seized in Luton, Bedfordshire.

NHS clinics have been warned that the drug could kill users of the contaminated vapes, as well as cause skin and tissue necrosis, The Sun revealed.

'It could have serious and potentially dangerous effects', superintendent pharmacist at Chemist Click Abbas Kanani told the publication. 'In severe cases, respiratory depression can be life-threatening.'

It comes after it was revealed in May that toxic metals, including lead and nickel, were also found to be lurking in cheap vapes puffed by schoolkids in the UK.

Vapes in the UK have been found to be contaimnated with a deadly flesh-eating bug, it has been revealed, as health chiefs issue a warning to clinics

Horse tranquilliser Xylazine, which has caused people to 'rot from the inside out' in the US, was found in modified e-cigs seized in Luton, Bedfordshire. It can cause tissue and skin necrosis (pictured)

Brightly-coloured 'highlighter vapes', sold in child-friendly flavours like bubble gum and strawberry, contained 12 micrograms of lead per gram, according to a BBC investigation last month. This is 2.4-times the stipulated safe exposure level

Xylazine has been wreaking havoc in the states, and has been responsible for 105 overdoses and nine deaths in one Florida county alone.

And last year, Britain recorded its first death related to the drug, when 43-year-old Karl Warburton, from Solihul, died after taking it.

The drug, which dealers have been mixing with heroin or fentanyl, can cause non-healing skin lesions.

Its presence in vapes comes as levels of children using e-cigarettes in the UK went up by 50% in a year, with the number of kids hospitalised by vaping quadrupling in just two years.

Shock data last month revealed a record 11.6 per cent of 11-17 year-olds in Britain have now tried vaping.

This is up on 7.7 per cent last year and twice as high as rates seen a decade ago  before the UK's kid vaping epidemic blew up.

Amanda Pritchard described reports of children being harmed by vaping as 'worrying' and attacked firms for 'deliberately' targeting them with appealing flavours.

The NHS England chief executive said the surge in vaping and resulting hospital admissions among young people is 'seriously concerning' and called for urgent action to 'nip it in the bud'.

And more worrying still, tests on e-cigarettes confiscated from youngsters in the UK found they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium.

Some were almost 10 times above safe limits.

Exposure to lead can impair brain development, while the other two metals can trigger blood clotting.

One expert claimed the results of the probe, carried out on e-cigs collected from students at a college in Worcestershire, were the 'worst I've ever seen'.

Tests on e-cigarettes confiscated from youngsters found they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Some were almost ten times above safe limits. Exposure to lead can impair brain development, while the other two metals can trigger blood clotting

Although widely accepted as safer than smoking, the long-term effects remain a mystery and doctors fear there could be a wave of lung disease, dental issues and even cancer in the coming decades in people who took up the habit at a young age.

David Lawson, co-founder of Inter Scientific  the lab that analysed 18 different e-cigs  said: 'In 15 years of testing, I have never seen lead in a device.

'None of these should be on the market  they break all the rules on permitted levels of metal. They are the worst set of results I've ever seen.'
India feels more capable in opposing China because of growing Indian economic power. Indian GDP nearly doubled in the last decade; from $1.7 trillion in current dollars to over $3.5 trillion now. This made India the fifth largest economy, surpassing Britain ($3.2 trillion) and France ($3.2 trillion). The rest of the top five are the U.S ($21 trillion), China, Germany ($4.1 trillion) and Japan ($4 trillion). Chinese GDP growth is slowing although in the last decade it more than doubled from $6.1 trillion to $18.3 trillion. Over three decades of spectacular economic growth in China resulted in the Chinese GDP becoming over fourteen times larger than it was in 1989. In that same period the U.S. GDP doubled. After World War II India had a larger GDP than China and never felt the same urgency as China to modernize and expand its economy.

But India has not been as effective in keeping up with the Chinese military in terms of modernization. Indian threats to oppose Chinese military moves carry little weight with the Chinese or anyone else who analyzes the situation. Actions have consequences and, in this case, it means China can push India around on their mutual border. China intends to keep pushing until it regains its claimed lost territories. Currently the Indian GDP growth rate is increasing faster than Chinas. The Indian defense budget does not benefit and military modernization plans remain on hold as the politicians try to figure out how to enrich themselves from all the additional money now available for spending. China notices this and is encouraged to push ill-equipped and supported Indian troops back from the border.

India also backs Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Other nations that support the Russian invasion have a lot in common with Russia as they tend to be aggressive and warlike dictatorships or those with ideological or economic reasons to back Russia. These supporters also include Belarus, Eritrea, China, Iran, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea and Syria. All these supporters agree that the West is a problem for them and Russia. Even before the 2022 invasion, Russia insisted that its operations in Ukraine were part of an effort to defend Russia from growing NATO efforts to destroy Russia.

Afghanistan Resists Pakistani Control

Disagreements between the Pakistani and IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) governments over how to deal with the TTP (Pakistani Taliban) have resulted in the TTP remaining safe in their Afghan camps while launching attacks across the border in Pakistan. This is mainly because of political surprises in Afghanistan. Pro-Pakistan officials in the IEA government complain about how they have lost control of government policy. Pakistan believed that once the IEA took over the pro-Pakistan members of the IEA government would give Pakistan their long-desired control over the Afghan government.

That might have happened except for the fact the official leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada, is unpopular with many Taliban faction leaders, in part because Akhundzada was seen as a figurehead and his chief deputy, the head of the Haqqani Network, is actually in charge. That was true but the secret was that Akhundzada only acted as a figurehead because he had to operate from the Pakistan sanctuary in Quetta, a city just across the border from the Afghan province of Kandahar, where many of the original Taliban came from. Kandahar was where Akhundzada went after the IEA replaced the IRA (American backed-Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) in mid-2021. Once back in Afghanistan, Akhundzada could exercise his power as the official head of the Taliban and do so without potentially lethal pressure from Pakistan.

The Pakistanis underestimated how widespread the hatred of Pakistan was in Afghanistan, even among the many Afghan Taliban who seemed to maintain a pro-Pakistan attitude. Pakistan believed this would neutralize the many Afghan Taliban factions who had openly expressed their opposition to Pakistan interference in Afghanistan. Mullah Akhundzada was a highly respected Islamic scholar who rarely commented on his political beliefs. The Pakistani ISI (military intelligence service) that created the Taliban in the mid-1990s and managed them ever since misjudged Akhundzadas silence on his attitude towards Pakistan. This was seen as agreement with or neutrality towards the ISI and Pakistan in general. Akhundzada had widespread support in Afghanistan while the pro-Pakistan IEA officials who were appointed while the Taliban were still in Quetta had little such support.

When Akhundzada overruled Pakistan-backed IEA officials, it was clear he was no longer a figurehead. Akhundzada was not a rigid religious fanatic either. When he imposed a ban on womens higher education in December 2022, he paid attention to the reaction of most Afghans and agreed to lift most of the restrictions. Akhundzada understands he is responsible to what Afghans, not the ISI, want.

This revelation means a lot of problems for the ISI and the Pakistan military, who are in trouble with Pakistan voters and elected officials who are closing in on curbing the independence of the Pakistan military. The militarys policy towards Afghanistan played a minor role in this but the revelation that the Afghans hate the Pakistani military as much as most Pakistanis do will have implications for the future of the Pakistan military. Inside Afghanistan, the pro-Pakistan Haqqani government officials are being told to not criticize IEA leader Akhundzada openly because that might lead to more anti-Pakistan violence inside Afghanistan.

Another Afghan problem with Pakistan is that Pakistanis tend to take their Islam very seriously. This is part of a larger problem because since the founding of Pakistan in 1947 there has been frequent and continuing sectarian, religious and ethnic violence. Religion continues to be a major cause of violence. Attacks are carried out between different sects of Islam, primarily Shia and Sunni but there are other sects that attract violent attention. There is even violence between identical religious/ethnic groups because those who lived in Pakistan before 1947 dont get along with those who fled Indian anti-Moslem violence in 1947 and settled in Pakistan. Most Moslem Indians stayed in India in 1947 and India currently has more Moslems than Pakistan. There is religious violence on both sides of the border but it is worst in Pakistan, whose name translates to Land of the Pure.

Afghans, in contrast, tend to be more tolerant. The exception is radical Afghan Moslems like the original Taliban. Their radical attitudes were the result of the Taliban being created by the Pakistani military in the mid-1990s. This left a lethal legacy as clashes in northwest Pakistan between Pakistani troops and Islamic terrorists continues. To a lesser degree, violence occurs in the southeast (Baluchistan) with Baluchi separatists. Afghans and Pakistani elected officials blame the Pakistani military for causing the separatist and religious violence and the resulting economic problems. While Pakistanis complain of their Afghan problem the Afghans are more justified complaining about a much more active and damaging Pakistani problem.

Inside Pakistan the major problem is the excessive power of the Pakistani military. Even though Pakistan military spending, at $11 billion a year, is the lowest in the region, the Pakistani military is a major political power, with veto power over any decisions the elected government makes. This contributed to the current economic problems and that has Pakistan facing bankruptcy. While the Pakistani military budget is only four percent of GDP, that is the highest percentage of GDP for military spending in the region. Active duty and retired military officers have a lot of control over the national economy and exercise a form of corruption that aims to take care of the military first and anything else second. This arrangement has been under attacks since the Pakistani debt crises began in 2019. The generals can, literally, blame it all on foreign bankers and largely infidel (non-Moslem) ones at that.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) is reluctant to loan Pakistan any more money because of its excessive defense spending and lack of progress in getting wealthy Pakistanis to pay taxes. There are also accusations of financing Islamic terrorism. The IMF warned that if charges that Pakistan is allowing Islamic terrorists to raise and move cash out of the country are verified, Pakistan would have more problems obtaining foreign loans. The terrorism funding charges are evaluated by the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) which threatened to put Pakistan on the gray list and will escalate to the black list if Pakistan does not make effective efforts to block Pakistan based terrorist groups from using the international banking system to finance their violence. Pakistan reduced the illegal financing activity coming out of Pakistan and by 2019 FATF took Pakistan off the gray list. Being on the gray list leads to being put on the black list and that would mean Pakistan would have some financial problems because of the resulting international banking restriction. Without IMF assistance Pakistan would slide into financial collapse. That would hurt all Pakistanis, including the military.

Indian Communist Violence Fades

For 2022 Indias communist Maoist rebels ranked 12th out of 20 terrorist groups worldwide. Total deaths caused by the Maoists in 2022 were 98, which is down from 147 in 2021. There were 414 terrorism related deaths in India during 2022.These included Islamic terrorists in northwest India (Kashmir) and tribal rebels in the northeast. The Maoists operate in eastern India, and the areas where they are active have shrunk considerably over the last decade because of energetic government efforts to eliminate them.

In 2020, there were 588 deaths in India from all forms of terrorism, compared to 621 in 2019 and 940 in 2018. In 2020 54 percent of the dead were in Kashmir, which was higher than usual. Most years non-Islamic terrorist violence accounts for most of the violence but in 2020 leftist (Maoist) rebels in eastern India only accounted for 41 percent of the deaths with the five percent caused by tribal separatists in the northeast. The decline in Maoist activity began in 2009 when India assigned 75,000 additional police to deal with the Maoists. Initially this did not increase Maoist losses, but did result in more dead policemen. The Maoists did lose many of their rural camps and, in general, were forced to devote more time to security and less to attacking the government or extorting money from businesses. As always, the government has failed to effectively address the social and economic problems in the countryside, where feudalism and corruption are rampant. These problems provide the Maoists with recruits, and support from many of the locals.

Eventually the government did address the local social and economic problems and this is what deprived the Maoists of areas where they could operate. The police efforts continued and now the Maoists are only active in a small portion of eastern India, where they are more concerned with surviving than expanding or attacking the police. Civilians in Maoist infested areas are less afraid of providing police with information about Maoist movements or joining pro-government militias to resist Maoist operations. It also became easier to recruit Maoist members to become active informants. These spies are paid monthly and the sudden affluence of their families often alerts Maoist leaders to the presence of police informants. While details about informants are kept secret, the losses suffered because police had inside information is often obvious. The Maoist decline has demoralized leftist leaders, who have not been able to come up with any way to halt or reverse the losses. Maoists are a radical faction of the once mighty Indian communist party. Many Indian communists were slow to understand why all those East European communist governments, including Russia, collapsed between 1989 and 1991. Despite that many Indians still support communism, but not the violent, ineffective and increasingly unpopular Maoists.

Kashmir

Pakistan has been fighting India for eighty years in an undeclared war to gain control over Kashmir. This led to the use of Islamic terrorists in Kashmir and India in general. The Pakistani military adopted this approach in 1979 when the military leadership decided that nothing else would work and perhaps the military created and controlled Islamic terrorism would be the solution. It wasnt and led to more Islamic terrorism inside Pakistan. The Islamic terror groups based in Pakistan continue to create violence in Indian Kashmir. Since then, Pakistani terrorist training camps have proliferated just across the border in the third of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Back then the newly created nations (India and Pakistan) disagreed over who should get Kashmir. By the terms of the agreement that created the two new nations, Kashmir belonged to India. In the first of many pointless disputes with India, Pakistan attacked, seeking to grab all of Kashmir using tribal warriors. The Indians responded and halted the Pakistani advance but did not escalate the war further by trying to push the Pakistanis out of the third of Kashmir they had taken. For over 70 years Pakistan has continued fighting to take all of Kashmir. This effort has backfired with chronic Islamic terrorist violence in Pakistan and the military demanding, and getting, more money to handle the Kashmir crisis they created. In the last few years Pakistan has increasingly attacked Hindus living in southern Kashmir. There are several Hindu shrines in this area and Hindus continue to live there because of that and the continued visits by Indians from all through India visiting these shrines. Most of the Kashmir population is Moslem and the Moslems are tired of all the Pakistan sponsored violence. Economically, India is much better off than Pakistan and Indian Moslems want to preserve that situation in Kashmir. Pakistan can still recruit some young Indian Moslems in Kashmir to the cause of defending Islam, but that does not provide enough manpower to threaten Indian rule. In the end, economics prevails and the Pakistani economy is getting weaker while India visibly prospers, even in Kashmir.

March 20, 2023: Pakistan accuses the IMF of delaying agreement on a new financial bailout loan because Pakistan refuses to spend less on their nuclear weapons program. The IMF didnt put it that way but did point out that the IMF loan would not work as intended unless Pakistan reduced spending on the military, and that includes the nuclear weapons program.

March 19, 2023: In Pakistan the military continues trying to weaken the growing political opposition to the political power the military has amassed since the 1950s. Failing to kill or imprison former prime minister Imran Khan, the military is now going after powerful politicians who support Khan. Major opposition to military political power is coming from Imran Khan and his many followers. Khan was a popular prime minister who was ousted from power because of failure to solve the economic problems and for not getting along with the military. Khan blamed the military for most of the economic problems and organized major protests against the military after he was ousted from office. That led to a failed assassination attempt on Khan last November and a growing list of accusations; mainly about corruption or terrorism. He was wounded and soon back on his feet organizing and leading protests. There are national elections in mid-2023 where Khan is a candidate and currently appears to have a good chance of regaining his job as prime minister. The coalition that replaced Khan is trying to get Khan imprisoned for corruption or terrorism. The corruption charges are suspect because Khan was wealthy before entering politics and got elected in part because he wanted to reduce the corruption in government. This usually brings accusations of corruption from political opponents who are obviously and notoriously corrupt. There are fears that all this may escalate into a major revolution.

The military is not an innocent bystander in all this because the military is one of the most corrupt government entities in Pakistan. It was the military that was responsible for Pakistan encouraging Islamic terrorism and seeking to control neighboring Afghanistan. At this point the military is seen as a curse upon Pakistan. While the military is willing to use force to maintain its position, a growing number of military personnel recognize the military as a major part of the problem.

Dismantling the toxic legacy of the military wont be easy. For decades the military and its ISI (Inter-services Intelligence) promoted Islamic terrorist groups and the enacting of the harshest blasphemy laws found in any Moslem country. ISI is supposed to be mainly about military intelligence but also performs like the CIA, FBI and KGB. ISI has a department that handles domestic terrorism against anyone considered troublesome to the army. These people are threatened or killed. The military using the ISI in this way is a major reason for growing opposition to the military.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is bankrupt and considered a terrible credit risk. The IMF is trying to arrange a last-chance financial rescue package but many of the nations that supply the cash for IMF loans are hesitant to trust chaotic Pakistan with more IMF money.

March 18, 2023: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan) police raided a location intelligence indicated was where munitions were stockpiled by local terrorists. This proved to be accurate and a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and bomb making materials was seized. There were als0 some completed bombs, apparently for use in the growing number of attacks in the province.

March 16, 2023: India has approved the purchase of $8.5 billion in new weapons for the army, navy and air force. All of these weapons must be made in India. This could be a major problem because many Indian developed and manufactured weapons are considered substandard or even unusable by the military. Despite this, since 2014 the government has been obsessed with making India less dependent on imported military technology. Increased efforts to develop a domestic weapons development and production capability have failed. In response to this the government made it more difficult to import needed weapons that Indian firms were unable to develop and build. The new $8.5 billion procurement package is the first in a five year program that will obtain about $130 billion of new weapons and equipment. The government is aware of the problems with Indian made weapons and is trying to address the structural problems that have given government organizations a monopoly on weapons development and prevented commercial firms from developing military equipment. India is also trying to reduce the power of government weapons development and production operations that have never been able to compete with foreign defense manufacturers.

A major goal of local procurement is to decrease reliance on Russia, which is still the largest supplier of military equipment. At the same time India is the second largest (after Saudi Arabia) importer of weapons in the world and the largest customer for Russian military exports. India has been buying less from Russia since the 1990s. Since the 1960s Russia supplied more and more, often over 80 percent, of Indian weapons imports. In the last decade that has fallen to fifty percent and continues to decline.

The second part of the program to reduce weapons imports is to make it easier for Indian firms to meet the needs of the Indian military. The government issued a list identifying specific weapons and items of military equipment that must be procured locally. Making it mandatory to buy locally has been tried before and led to some spectacular failures, so much so that the government authorized the emergency FTP (Fast Track Procurement) procedures in 2004. With FTP the military could unilaterally buy some items from foreign suppliers. It was assumed that FTP would eliminate the most embarrassing problems with getting the military weapons desperately needed. It was also believed that government efforts to clean up the corruption and other problems with the military procurement process would soon make FTP unnecessary. That did not happen.

FTP is still around to allow the immediate purchase of essential military items without the usual political and procurement delays that can add years, sometimes a decade or more, to obtaining needed items. The new Buy Indian policy slows down the use of FTP even though FTP is still needed because the current confrontation with better equipped Chinese forces on the northern border makes it obvious that all the Chinese weapons and equipment is Chinese-made and clearly more modern. It was understood that the new Buy Indian mandates would make it more difficult to use FTP. The Indian Air Force believes it will not be able to replace aging jet fighters with local designs in time. The air force will shrink while the politicians come up with more ways to block efforts to fix the problem. This refusal to face reality and actually solve procurement problems is crippling the Indian military.

Meanwhile more Indians ask why China developed a world-class weapons development and production capability in the last few decades while India has not? Mainly its about corruption and decades of India making it difficult for Indians to start and operate profitable firms that could produce consumer goods as well as military equipment. The United States became the largest economy in the world over a century ago by encouraging this entrepreneurship. Many other nations, including those in Europe and East Asia (Japan, South Korea and China) followed that example. India has a hard time catching up because its bad procurement procedures are considered useful by a lot of politicians and senior government officials.

March 15, 2023: In northwest Pakistan (South Waziristan) soldiers attacked a TTP safehouse near the border and killed the eight TTP Islamic terrorists inside. Two civilians also died in the crossfire.

March 14, 2023: In eastern Pakistan (Lahore) police were prevented from arresting former prime minister Khan, because a crowd of 200 Khan supporters surrounded the home and prevented police from entering. Police used tear gas and a water cannon in an effort to disperse the crowd. That failed, even though four of the protesters were injured.

March 10, 2023: Pakistan has been shipping weapons (including 44 T-80UD tanks) and munitions (mainly 155mm artillery shells) to Ukraine. All this is paid for by NATO nations. Since the 1990s, Pakistan has been a regular purchaser of weapons from Ukraine. Pakistan is also donating non-military aid to Ukraine.

March 6, 2023: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan) a suicide bomber on a motorcycle exploded next to a police truck, killing ten policemen and wounding twelve.

February 23, 2023: In northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh) police located and aided a camp near the Burma border used by local tribal rebels. The rebels escaped but weapons, ammunition and other equipment was seized and the camp burned down. The rebels belonged to ENNG (Eastern Naga National Government), which operates on both sides of the border. Operations against ENNG are complicated by China, which backs the current military government in Myanmar (Burma). India has a 1,4oo kilometer border with Burma in the northeast and long had problems with tribal separatist rebels there, on both sides of the border. India finally worked out peace deals with all their rebels before the pro-India elected government in Burma was ousted in February 2021. The Burmese army war with northern tribes resumed because the army is seen as the main reason for all the corruption and illegal Chinese economic activity in the north. Since then, there has been a lot more fighting in northern Burma and a lot of refugees fleeing to India. The Indian government has ordered border police to turn away or forcibly return such refugees to Burma. Local state governors refuse to enforce those orders, if only because so many of the refugees have kin in India. Many of the refugees belong to the same tribe that straddles the border. A lot of non-tribal Burmese entered as well and India sought to stop those refugees to avoid more trouble with China. The state governors protected these refugees as well. In some cases, separatist tribal gunmen in India used force to block Indian government efforts to curb the flow of refugees. The federal government has not escalated this dispute, in part because the local resistance is an adequate excuse for allowing the Burma refugees in despite protests from China. The Myanmar military government is sustained by China, which provides all the fuel, bombs, shells and other munitions needed to keep the fight going. Burmese troops are reluctant to fight when they encounter armed resistance, which continues in the tribal areas. The urban rebels are slowly arming but still depend on a lot of demonstrations by unarmed protestors. So far the army and police have killed over 2,000 people and imprisoned over 15,000. Aside from China, most nations in the region want the military government to free the elected and appointed officials of the overthrown government. Without Chinese support the Burmese generals could not have sustained their coup and might not even have attempted it without assurances of Chinese support. India and other nations bordering China see the Burma coup as a threat.

February 22, 2023: An Indian firm has purchased the port operations at the Israeli coastal city of Haifa. The Indian firm will invest in improving the port infrastructure and operations. This Indian investment is part of the growing economic activity between India and Israel. This includes a free trade agreement between Israel and India. In 2021 trade between India and Israel totaled $6.3 billion and keeps growing. Israel has become a major supplier of modern weapons to India and has a lot more non-military tech to offer. A lot of trade deals regarding tech involve a lot of negotiations because of the Indian bureaucracy. Free trade agreements eliminate a lot of those hassles, especially those that involve tech transfer to India or establishing manufacturing operations in India for Israeli products. That has led to the ability of Israeli firms to open manufacturing operations inside India that produce the most modern Israeli weapons. These are used by Israeli forces as well as the Indian military and export customers approved by India and Israel. India is a huge market for all manner of Israeli advanced tech and new trade agreements allow new Israeli civilian and military goods to be manufactured in India. In the past Indian law made it difficult for foreign manufacturers to operate in India without surrendering some patent rights. Changes in those laws have eliminated some of those problems.

February 20, 2023: Pakistan is facing growing competition from China as Afghanistans largest trading partner. China is increasing its trade with Afghanistan. In December 2022 China imported $9.1 million worth of Afghan goods while selling Afghanistan $59 million worth goods. At this rate China will become Afghanistans second largest trading partner, after Pakistan.

February 19, 2023: In northwest Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) at the Torkham border crossing near the Khyber Pass, there was gunfire that caused the busy border crossing to be closed for at least five days, and maybe more because of the inability of IEA and Pakistan agreeing on who is allowed to travel from Afghanistan to Pakistan.

February 9, 2023: India was warned by UN security experts that in Afghanistan, ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) affiliate, ISK (Islamic State Khorasan) is planning attacks on the embassies of India, China and Iran in the Kabul Green Zone. This is part of the ISK effort to prevent the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) from establishing diplomatic and economic relations with foreign nations. Most nations are still reluctant to establish an embassy in the IEA controlled Kabul.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally vacated Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - six months after the King gave them their marching orders.

The last of their possessions has been shipped to California and the keys returned, cutting it fine before tomorrow's deadline.

The pair are now without a UK base and may have to stay with friends or book hotels next time they return to the country, The Sun reports.

But it seems likely the couple will be footing any bills themselves, with a renewed focus on tightening royal spending.

In January, it was revealed the Sussexes were served with an eviction notice on Frogmore just days after Harry's tell-all memoir Spare was published.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally vacated Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - six months after the King gave them their marching orders

The couple were presented with the five-bedroom, Grade II-listed property on the Windsor estate as a wedding gif by the late Queen

The couple were given an eviction notice from Frogmore in January, just days after the publication of Harry's tell-all memoir Spare (Pictured: King Charles III)

The Grade II-listed cottage, which boasts five bedrooms and is noted for its homely charms, is due to be rented out.

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It is unknown whether Prince Andrew will vacate nearby 31-room Royal Lodge to move in, following suggestions the King had planned to move his brother.

Frogmore, given a 2.4million makeover by the Sussexes, is unlikely to be empty for long according to insiders.

It was presented to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as a wedding gift by Queen Elizabeth II, but they stayed at the cottage for just six months.

Sir Michael Stevens said: We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage.

He added the Royal family now has a a greatly enhanced asset.

The prince last stayed in Frogmore when giving evidence at a phone hacking trial earlier this month.

It is believed he and his wife would have to reach a private agreement with the King if they wished to stay in any royal premises again.

The money spent on renovations was repaid to taxpayers by Prince Harry.

After news of their eviction broke, the couple were said to be 'actually ok' with the decision and had an approach of 'it is what it is'.

Meghan and Harry were said to have acknowledged 'they were very privileged' to have a home in the UK and in the US, but accepted it was 'not going to work for them'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pictured inside their Frogmore Cottage kitchen in their Netflix documentary

'The most alarming thing was that it was a gift from Her Majesty the Queen, and now it is no longer that. But its OK,' the source told them.

The couple (pictured in Frogmore) were given notice after Harry released his memoir Spare in January

While the Sussexes stayed at Frogmore Cottage following the Queen's death, they have only been there a few times since leaving the UK three years ago.

Elsewhere, Royal aides may be watching nervously after a three-month delay was announced for the release of a new book by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's cheerleader Omid Scobie.

Earlier today, Scobie tweeted his new book titled 'Endgame' - a 'penetrating investigation' about the Royal Family's 'fight for survival' - would be published on November 21, three months after its original August date.

He promised the book will be full of 'unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations'.

It is thought the publishing date could have been moved to give the author a chance to include inside material through and beyond the King's coronation.

Prince Harry notably was sat in the third row of the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and played no formal role in the proceedings, jetting off after less than 24 hours in the UK.

Omid Scobie announced the release of Endgame last year but today announced the publication date as November 21, 2023

Scobie (pictured in London in June this year) rose to prominence after writing Founding Freedom, a laudatory biography about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

With no sign of any reconciliation between the duke and his father and brother, a change of publication date leads to concerns Scobie could wring every drop out of the row between the family.

Commenting on Scobie's announcement today, royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams said: 'Hes writing about the royal family and hes also Harry and Meghans unofficial spokesperson, some sensational details are bound to follow. However, how well sourced are they?

'No reputable royal source would talk to Omid Scobie.'

The author's previous title, Finding Freedom, covered the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals.

Mr Fitzwilliams went on: 'His book, co-written with Carolyn Durand, Finding Freedom, which the Sussexes were discovered to have cooperated with despite their denials, was badly written and pathetically inadequate.

'His new book is entitled Endgame. Some might think the title refers to the current state of the Sussexes' affairs. It is worth remembering that they reportedly had a four-book deal with Random House.

'Spare, Harrys memoir, contained some highly Ill-judged passages including the number of Taliban he killed on his second tour of duty of Afghanistan.'

Following the leak of Spare in January, ex-Army chief Colonel Richard Kemp called Harry's comments 'ill-judged' and said soldiers are not trained to regard their targets as 'subhuman' - while former National Security Adviser Lord Darroch said he would have cautioned the Duke from disclosing his kill count.

Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'Much of Endgame is not likely to be taken seriously. It is likely to be a sensational attempt to cash in on the Sussexes' rift with the royal family. I suspect it will be trusted as much as anything from the Sussexes' corner should be.

A six-part Netflix TV series called Harry & Meghan was released in December last year

'It will be assumed to have been written with their approval as Finding Freedom provably was. What is really worrying is, what comes next. Ironically it seems to be the Sussexes who, to quote Endgames blurb fight for survival not the royal family.'

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Scobie announced his second book last year, in which he said Endgame would 'pull back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future'.

According to a statement released by the publisher: 'On September 8, 2022, the world stood still as news broke of Queen Elizabeth IIs passing.

'Her death dismantled the protective shield around the worlds most famous family, and saw a long-simmering crisis of confidence in the British monarchy begin to resurface.

'Now, with unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations, journalist Omid Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future.

'This is the monarchys endgame. Do they have what it takes to save it?'

Mr Scobie, who is the royal editor of US website Harper's Bazaar, has been a firm cheerleader for Harry and Meghan over recent years, having co-authored a highly sympathetic biography of the couple in 2020.

He is one of the closest journalists to Harry and Meghan since their move to America.

It comes at a difficult time for Harry and Meghan, with Spotify announcing earlier this month that it was dropping the Duchess's podcast, Archetypes.
Two more officers involved in the June 2022 arrest of a Connecticut man that left him paralyzed from the chest down were fired on Wednesday.

Officers Betsy Segui and Oscar Diaz lost their jobs after a Board of Police Commissioners meeting, NBC Connecticut reported.

They were among five New Haven officers involved in the arrest of Randy Cox, 36, on weapons charges.

Cox was handcuffed and not correctly restrained in the back of the police van. When the driver braked suddenly he was flung forward, breaking his neck and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.

Earlier this month, he was awarded a $45 million settlement from the city of New Haven, and two of the officers involved were fired.

One had already retired. The final two lost their jobs on Wednesday.

Officers Betsy Segui and Oscar Diaz (top left and center left) lost their jobs on Wednesday. Diaz was driving the van. Officers Ronald Pressley (bottom left), Jocelyn Lavandier (top right) and Luis Rivera (bottom right) were working in the detention area. The five have been charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons. They pleaded not guilty

New Haven, Connecticut, agreed to pay Randy Cox, 36, (pictured) $45 million after he became paralyzed while being transported to jail

Cox is seen on police body camera footage on the day of his arrest

Cox was left paralyzed from the chest down June 19, 2022, when the police van he was riding in braked hard, sending him head-first into a metal partition while his hands were cuffed behind his back.

Police Chief Karl Jacobson had previously recommended that the four officers be fired, following an internal affairs investigation.

New Haven mayor, Justin Elicker, said the firing of the final two officers was justified.

'The votes by the Board of Police Commissioners this evening and earlier this month to terminate these officers are important and necessary steps towards ensuring accountability for the mistreatment of Randy Cox while he was in their custody and care,' he said.

'From day one, we promised accountability, transparency and action.

'While nothing can ever return Randy's life to the way it was prior to this incident, with the police disciplinary process now complete, the civil lawsuit now resolved and the comprehensive set of reforms now adopted by the police department, we have demonstrated clearly and unequivocally as a community that Randy's life matters, that Black Lives Matter and that we are resolved to do everything in our power to ensure an incident like this never happens again.'

Elicker said progress was being made in reforming the city.

'This has not been an easy process, but it has been a necessary one - and we are now a stronger city than we were before because of the conversation we've had and the actions we've taken as a community,' he said.

Cox has had multiple surgeries since his June 2022 arrest

The case drew outrage from civil rights advocates like the NAACP

All five officers, including those who were fired, face criminal charges in the case.

They were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and cruelty to persons. They were placed on administrative leave after the incident. All have pleaded not guilty.

Officer Oscar Diaz was the driver of the van, and was accompanied by Sergeant Betsy Segui.

Officers Ronald Pressley, Jocelyn Lavandier and Luis Rivera were working in the detention area when Cox was dragged to a holding cell in a wheelchair.

The officers turned themselves in at a state police barracks in November 2022.

Each was processed, and posted a $25,000 bond.

In September 2022, Cox's lawyer Ben Crump - who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin - said he was suing police for $100 million. His attorneys called the settlement the largest ever in a police misconduct case.

Police video shows Cox begging for help after he was injured.

'I can't move. I'm going to die like this,' Cox said.

'Please, please, please help me.'

Once at the police station, officers mocked Cox and accused him of being drunk and faking his injuries, according to surveillance and body-worn camera footage.

Officers dragged Cox by his feet out of the van and placed him in a holding cell prior to his eventual transfer to a hospital.

'The city's mistakes have been well documented,' said a statement by Cox's attorneys Ben Crump, Louis Rubano and R.J. Weber, after the settlement was agreed.

'But today is a moment to look to the future, so New Haven residents can have confidence in their city and their police department.'
A retired police officer has been charged with the murder of his 83-year-old wife in Dorset.

Elizabeth Richings, of Bournemouth, died at the 500,000 riverside property she shared with her husband Grenville Richings off Wick Lane in the Southbourne area of the seaside town on June 3.

Pensioner Richings, 83, was taken to hospital for treatment after the incident, and has now been charged with her murder. He is due to appear at Poole Magistrates' Court today.

The couple were well known in the area, having both been popular members of the congregation at nearby Christchurch Priory.

Police were called to the property earlier this month after concerns were raised for the welfare of Mrs Richings.

Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police, said: 'We are continuing to do all we can to support Elizabeth's family and they have been informed of this latest development.

Police were called to the bungalow off Wick Lane in the Southbourne area, Bournemouth (pictured) after concerns were raised for the welfare of a woman in her 80s

Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police, said: 'We are continuing to do all we can to support Elizabeth's family and they have been informed of this latest development' (Pictured at the scene earlier this month)

Elizabeth Richings, of Bournemouth, died at the 500,000 riverside property she shared with her husband Grenville Richings earlier this month

'This matter has been the subject of a detailed investigation and we have consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service, which has authorised the charge of murder.

'This case will now be the subject of active court proceedings and it is vital that the justice system is allowed to follow its course.

'It is important to stress that there should be no further commentary, publication or sharing of information in print, online or on social media that could potentially prejudice proceedings.'
Driver has been arrested over road rage

Dramatic dashcam footage shows a car flipping and a driver allegedly brandishing a knife during a road rage dispute.

One car was tailgating another on Princes Highway in Tynong North, 70kms east of Melbourne, before allegedly attempting a sideswipe while overtaking around 4pm on Tuesday.

The Holden Astra was seen driving erratically behind a sedan on the Princes Highway in Tynong North, 70kms east of Melbourne about 4pm on Tuesday.

Footage recorded by shocked witnesses shows the Astra slamming into the car in front and flipping over before the driver emerges allegedly armed with a knife.

One car was tailgating another on Princes Highway in Tynong North, 70kms east of Melbourne, before attempting a sideswipe while overtaking around 4pm on Tuesday

The Holden Astra was seen driving erratically behind a sedan before the Astra attempted to ram the car in front, incidentally mounting and flipping over before the driver exited the ruins with a knife

All cars in the area slammed on their brakes immediately after the Astra rolled onto its roof.

'Oh my god, bet he regrets that,' the person filming can be heard saying in a video obtained by 7News.

The Astra driver then exits his car and approaches the sedan, whose owner has also gotten out of their car.

As the sedan driver frantically runs away other people get out of their cars to separate the two before police arrived.

Police said they arrested a Morwell man after arriving at the scene.

He was charged with reckless conduct endangering serious injury, drive in a manner dangerous, careless driving, criminal damage, unlawful assault, assault with a weapon and possess controlled weapon.

Nobody was hurt before or after the crash.

The 50-year-old man has since been released on bail and is expected to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court on 3 November.
A pensioner has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 77-year-old woman was found dead in her home in west London.

Metropolitan Police officers found her body in Harold Road, Ealing, just before 7pm on Sunday following concerns for her welfare.

They arrested a 74-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of murder before he was taken to hospital due to concerns for his health.

The force said the suspect and the victim, who died from a head injury, were known to each other.

Detective Superintendent Rebecca Reeves said: 'I know that local people will be shocked by this incident and additional foot patrols are being conducted to reassure the community.

Metropolitan Police officers found her body in Harold Road, Ealing, just before 7pm on Sunday [Stock image]

'Our colleagues from the Specialist Crime Command are progressing their investigation. One person has been arrested and we aren't seeking anyone else in connection with this incident.

'I encourage anyone with concerns to speak with officers on patrol or contact their neighbourhood policing team.

'Our thoughts are very much with the victim's family.'
Most flights were hour-long trips from Melbourne to Canberra

A politician who has campaigned for climate change has been caught flying in business class 27 times in one year at the expense of taxpayers.

According to documents made public under freedom of information, Kooyong MP Monique Ryan made 27 business class flights totalling $28,000.

Most of the flights were hour-long trips from Melbourne to Canberra and all on the taxpayers' dime.

Ms Ryan is known for her passion in fighting climate change, but appeared to have no hesitation in taking several business class flights - which are known to produce three times as much carbon emissions than economy class.

According to documents released under freedom of information, Kooyong MP Monique Ryan (pictured) made 27 business class flights totalling $28,000, all charged to the taxpayer in her first year in office

Most of the flights were hour-long trips from Melbourne to Canberra and all on the taxpayers' dime (stock image)

Ms Ryan was elected in 2022, in place of then deputy Liberal leader and treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, ousting him from his blue-ribbon inner-Melbourne seat.

No other teal flew business class in the last year anywhere near as much as Ms Ryan.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel took business class flights four times, Sophie Scamps once and the rest didn't at all.

Ms Ryan defended her actions and told Sydney Morning Herald she had acted within the Inter-Parliamentary Expenses Authority guidelines.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Ms Ryan for comment.

It is the latest controversy for the new minister who only recently agreed to a settlement with her former chief of staff Sally Rugg for $100,000.

The federal court case in January alleged Ms Rugg was required to work 'unreasonable' additional hours, breaching the Fair Work Act, and that the commonwealth took 'adverse action' when Ms Ryan dismissed her from her position.

Court documents revealed a breakdown in the relationship between the pair over work hours and the situation worsened when Ms Rugg flew home to self-isolate after contracting Covid-19 in late November.

In Ms Rugg's statement of claim stated that from July to December she 'regularly worked' more than 65 hours a week which included working weekends and averaged out to be on average 58 hours a week.

Ms Rugg is a Melbourne-based LGBTQ+ activist and feminist who played a crucial role in the yes campaign for the marriage equality plebiscite, while working for GetUP.

Ms Ryan defended her actions and told Sydney Morning Herald she had acted within the Inter-Parliamentary Expenses Authority guidelines (stock image)

She then took a position as executive director of Change.org before transitioning into the position of Ms Ryan's chief of staff.

The $100,000 agreed settlement involved no admission of fault by the member for Kooyong or the federal government.

Before transitioning into politics Ms Ryan was the director of the neurology department at the Royal Childrens Hospital for eight years.

In her campaign to run for the seat of Kooyong, Ms Ryan stated she was increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change and how it would affect future generations.

'I was worried that my children might not have the opportunities Ive had because our environment and economy might be blighted by the effect of human-induced climate change,' Ms Ryan states on her MP website.

'I felt that I could no longer look away from the incipient disasters of rising sea levels, warming of the land, and species extinction.'
An Australian boss who accidentally sent more than half-a-million dollars to the wrong bank account has been forced to take legal action to retrieve the money after a year of trying.

Digby Beaumont, the head of investments at Palisade Real Assets, sent $560,000 to the wrong account in June 2022.

Mr Beaumont had intended to invest in L1 Capital's Long Short Fund via a third party called Apex Group on behalf of family trust, A&D Beaumont.

He purchased $500,000 worth of units in the fund and filled out the bank details by hand, which included the BSB and account number.

Unfortunately, the BSB number that was entered was incorrect, the AFR reports.

When Mr Beaumont went to redeem the units, now worth $560,000, the money went to a different account.

'Mr Beaumont, and indeed Apex, became aware that the monies had been paid into the wrong account by reason of the misstatement in the initial application form', an interim order from the NSW Supreme Court states.

Digby Beaumont, the head of investments at Palisade Real Assets, sent more than half a million dollars to the wrong account over a year ago

A high-level boss who accidentally transferred $560,000 into the wrong bank account after using the wrong BSB number has been forced to take legal action

'Mr and Mrs Beaumont completed a change of details form to nominate the correct BSB number. However, the proceeds had already been paid into another account with the Commonwealth Bank.'

The order also revealed that Commonwealth Bank has been unable to get in contact with the recipient of the $560,000.

However, Mr Beaumont's legal team have since won an order that will prevent the recipient from withdrawing and potentially spending the money.

The lawyers also won 'discovery powers' to identify the account holder.

According to the judgement, Mr Beaumont's solicitor asked lawyers for the CBA in a meeting earlier this week if the $560,000 was still in the bank account.

Lawyers for CBA responded: 'I can't tell you that but let me have a think about what I can tell you. Well, let's just say a freezing order tomorrow is a good idea.'

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Beaumont is responsible for Palisade Real Asset's investment strategy, which focuses on mid-market opportunities in several industries

The judgement order states money cannot be removed from the account unless following the withdrawal funds remain equal to or greater than the value transferred.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Beaumont is responsible for Palisade Real Asset's investment strategy, which focuses on mid-market opportunities across communications, power, renewables and transportation.

He was previously Head of North America at Blue Sky Alternative Investments, LLC, and a founding member of AMP Capitals North American infrastructure business.

Mr Beaumont has previously worked at Whitehelm Capital, Allco Finance Group and Ernst & Young and relocated from New York to Sydney in 2021.
Grim photos have emerged of slain drug lord Alen Moradian's bullet-riddled black Audi - as its revealed the luxury hire car has links to the Alameddine crime network.

The cocaine kingpin, 48, was gunned down in the underground carpark of his Bondi Junction apartment, in Sydney's east, around 8.30am Tuesday as he headed to the gym.

Police remain on the hunt for two gunman and have seized two burnt out cars - believed to be used in as getaway vehicles - that were abandoned a short time later in Bondi and Zetland.

Now, photos have emerged of Moradian's black Audi being towed away from the Spring Street apartment on Wednesday to undergo further forensic examination.

The car had seven bullet holes through its driver's side window and was covered in fingerprinting dust.

Alen Moradian's hire car (pictured) was towed away from the crime scene on Wednesday

At least seven bullet holes were visible in the side of the car

Police swarmed Bondi Junction in Sydney's east on Tuesday after Moradian was shot while sitting in the driver's seat of his car

Forensics teams will now begin the gruelling task of performing tests in search for vital clues that may lead them to the killers, such as DNA, ammunition or blood samples.

Meanwhile, detectives have traced the Audi - which was not registered under Moradian's name - to a hire car company from southwestern Sydney.

According to The Daily Telegraph, police intelligence suggests the company has links to the Alameddine clan and its use - as well as Moradian's associations - will form part of their investigation.

However, one of the getaway cars - a grey Porsche Macan dumped on James St in Bondi - may also prove vital to solving the case after the killed attempted, but failed, to set it fully alight.

In a major breakthrough, firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, allowing detectives to recover an intact handgun beneath one of the seats.

Moradian, dubbed Australia's 'Tony Soprano, is understood to have been a member of the Commission, an underworld network linked to the Comanchero which controls the city's drug trade.

The car was taken away to undergo further forensic tests as police hunt for the killers

A cleaner is pictured in the car park where Moradian was killed on Tuesday morning

He lived a life of luxury alongside his wife Natasha - famously painting a ceiling in their home like the Sistine Chapel - before they were locked up when police busted the drug ring in 2007.

He pleaded guilty in 2010 to importing 40kg of cocaine into Australia - although authorities suspected it was up to 100kg - and spent several years behind bars, while Natasha was jailed for offences related to dealing with the proceeds of crime.

After being tipped off late last year there was a bounty on his head, Moradian had been living alone under the radar, frequently mixing up his cars and accommodation.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said Moradians links to the big names in Sydney's underbelly made him a high-value target in the underworld.

'Hes a high-level criminal identity ... hes a major player in the organised crime network and also has links to the Comanchero OMCG (outlaw motorcycle gang), Doherty said hours after Moradians death.

'He obviously had a big target on his back.'
A landlord has turned heads after making an extraordinary request and asking a potential tenant if they would temporarily move out of the house during Christmas.

After submitting a rental application for a 12-month lease on a $650 per week listing in Melbourne, the tenant received an email from the landlord's real estate agent.

The message questioned whether they would be okay to vacate the premises for a few weeks over the festive holidays.

The real estate agent revealed the landlord intended to agree to a 12-month lease as long as the potential tenant was okay with them using the property as an AirBnB for three weeks in December.

A landlord has been mocked online after notifying a potential tenant they will have to move out for 'a few' weeks over Christmas while they use the listing as an AirBnB (stock image)

A screenshot of the email was posted to Reddit with the caption: 'All was going well until we received this banger of an email this morning'.

'I think I laughed for about four solid hours after,' the user wrote.

The real estate agent starts the email off by stating that the 'scenario may not suit' the potential tenant.

'He (the landlord) is looking at options for longer term residents, but also considering Air BB as they want to use the house for a few weeks over the Christmas period,' the email reads.

'This would effectively mean that you would need to move out for a few weeks over Christmas.'

The agent then says the other option is to take a short term lease and break it off earlier before the landlord transitions it into an AirBnB.

'Let me know you thoughts when you have a moment, and if you don't want to proceed I understand,' the agent wrote at the end of the email.

The potential tenant was emailed by the landlord's real estate agent (pictured) after they applied for a 12-month lease and leaving them laughing 'for about four solid hours'

The post received numerous comments from Reddit users who were outraged by the 'audacity' of the landlord to make such a request and suggesting ways for the tenant to get back at them.

'The landlord can put you up in a 5 star suite for the 3 weeks over Christmas, pay for removalists, pay for a storage unit, pay for the move back in, and reimburse you for 2 months rent,' one user wrote.

'From the sound of that email that person really didn't want to send that email because they were aware of how s****y of an offer it was but was obligated to do so anyway,' a second wrote.

'Sign the twelve month lease, then offer them the place for $500 a day. Just go full circle on the Airbnb nonsense,' a third user suggested.

'Hopefully there's no takers, and the grub landlord puts it on AirBnB but gets f**k all bookings over winter and then f**k all over the holiday period because they want to use it during peak season,' a fourth wrote.

The practice appears to be a common occurrence in the coastal towns that see larger demand for short-term accomodation during holiday periods.

'I've heard of that in Torquay (and I thought it was so so dumb) but even dumber inner city,' a user commented.
A gender studies professor was one of three people stabbed on Wednesday in a university classroom by 'a member of the University of Waterloo community'.

Yusuf Kaymak, a student at University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, told CTV News the attack happened in a gender studies class when a man walked in brandishing two knives.

'The guy basically walked in and asked the teacher if he was the professor, he said 'yeah' then he pulled out a knife and after that, everybody just ran out,' Kaymak said to CTV.

'I ran out, and after we went outside, there was a kid that was stabbed. He was bleeding (from) his arm. I don't know what happened to the professor,' he said.

'There were a lot of people just shocked, they didn't know what to say, we all just ran out of the building and didn't look back,' Kaymak added.

A Waterloo Regional Police vehicle is parked near the scene of a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, Ontario

Members of the Waterloo Regional Police investigate a stabbing at the University of Waterloo

Students walk past the scene of a stabbing at the University of Waterloo

The extent of the injuries in the attack in the University of Waterloo's Hagey Hall was not immediately known. The victims were taken to hospital.

One person was also taken into custody, police said. Authorities did not provide a motive for the attack and said more details will be released as they become available.

Kaymak said about 40 students were in the class at the time.

One witness told how the man closed the door, pulled two knives out of his backpack and proceeded to attack the professor.

Initially the suspect missed the professor but 'ended up attacking one or two other people'.

Panicked students ran to the back of the class in an attempt to flee.

'It feels shocking,' Jinming Li, a UW student said to UWImprint.

'A guy came into our classroom, and asked our professor some weird question, and then the guy attacked our professor with two very big knives from [his] very big backpack,' Li said.

Nick Manning, associate vice-president of communications for the university, confirmed that two of the injured were students and the other was a professor.

He also noted that the suspect was 'a member of the University of Waterloo community'.

Manning explained that the incident occurred in a classroom and involved a second-year class described as Philosophy 202 - Gender Issues.

Authorities said to expect an increased police presence 'as officers continue to clear buildings and ensure public safety.'

'He was in [Hagey Hall], I saw him with the cuffs behind him,' Jackson Yan, a student at the university told CBC News.

Police tape cordons off a door following a stabbing at the University of Waterloo

A member of the Waterloo Regional Police walks on campus following a stabbing on campus

Police said three victims were stabbed inside the university's Hagey Hall, and a person was taken into custody

A Waterloo Regional Police vehicle is parked near the scene of a stabbing at the university

A University of Waterloo sign stands in Waterloo, Ontario

The University of Waterloo said in a tweet that is it supporting the police in their investigation. It said there is no further risk to the campus community.

'Initially we ended up barricading the doors, but when we got the clearance, we stepped outside and took a look around. I was on the third floor and I saw the guy get arrested.'

'The police handled the situation pretty quickly,' another student, William Tung said.

'We just found an empty room, locked ourselves in and we were just chilling, and we didn't come out until we saw the announcement on Twitter that it was dealt with.'

Waterloo's mayor commented on the incident on Twitter, saying that there is no longer a threat to the community.

'This was a very troubling & disturbing incident. I'm relieved that the individual involved was quickly apprehended,' said Mayor Dorothy McCabe. 'Waterloo city council & staff offer our support and hopes for a full recovery to those injured on UW's campus today.'

Classes scheduled for Wednesday evening in Hagey Hall were cancelled, but all other campus operations will proceed as usual, the university said in a tweet.

Waterloo Superintendent Shaena Morris told reporters that the injured were considered to be in non-life-threatening condition.

'I can't speak to motive at this time obviously we are under investigation currently, but we do have investigators with our person under arrest determining that right now,' Morris said.

'I can also confirm that this incident is contained entirely within the university community itself,' Morris said on Wednesday night.

'There is no further threat to public safety  either on campus or outside in the broader community  at this time.'
North Korea supported Russian leader Vladimir Putin during the recent incident where Wagner Group forces advanced on Moscow. Many Russians are less supportive of their leader, who got them involved in a war inside Ukraine. Russian troops are not doing well and the heavy economic sanctions imposed on Russia have been felt by most Russians.

South Korea opposed the Russian invasion and attracted buyers from NATO nations supporting Ukraine. The NATO members sent many of their weapons to Ukraine and wanted replacements faster than European manufacturers could get it done. South Korea has been producing modern weapons since the 1990s. First this was for their own use, but then the high quality and low prices of the South Korean equipment became known. The result was more than $10 billion spent on South Korean weapons by NATO member Poland. This included a thousand K2 (an improved M1) tanks and a more flexible version of the American HIMARS system. The sale was contingent on those South Korea weapons not being used in Ukraine. Poland compiled and sent all its older Russia designed gear to Ukraine, where the Ukrainians appreciated it and were familiar with it. South Korea would have liked to see their weapons get some combat experience, but that would have angered nearby Russia.

Russia sent North Korea 1,280 tons of wheat flour in April, in an effort to help avert famine deaths and to pay for 300,000 rounds of 152mm artillery ammunition. Russia has a small border with North Korea and a railroad line links the two countries. Earlier in 2023 Russia sent 2,800 tons of corn to North Korea.

Preparing for Local Threats

Aggressive Chinese behavior against all its neighbors continues, with the Philippines most frequently the target. For over a decade China has aggressively sought to take control of the South China Sea, a policy opposed by most nations worldwide. The resistance is most tangible with the military alliance that has formed to support the Philippines from Chinese threats and physical attacks. This alliance now includes major local military powers like South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Vietnam. More distant nations like the United States and Britain also back this alliance. Officially, China is not intimidated by this alliance and still undertakes aggressive activity in the South China Sea while never physically attacking anyone, which is passive-aggressive diplomacy at its most obvious.

South Korea has become a major military power in the region. You can see this in terms of how much nations operating in the region spend on defense. In 2021 the United States spent 3.7 percent of GDP on defense while North Korea spent about a quarter of GDP on the military but has a GDP that is only about five percent the size of South Koreas. South Korea spent 2.8 percent of GDP on defense while Britain spent 2.2 percent, France 2.1 percent and Russia 4.3 percent. Elsewhere in the world Saudi Arabia spent 8.4 percent, Israel 5.6 percent, India 2.9 percent, Australia 2.1 percent and China somewhere between two and three percent. Global defense spending is about two trillion dollars and 2.4 percent of global GDP. U.S. spending accounts for 39 percent of that, which is equal to the next fourteen nations combined.

June 26, 2023: South Korea sought out women in the navy to take submarine training. Normally, women dont serve on subs, but the two new 3,000 ton subs are larger and need larger crews. Two female naval officers and seven chiefs are now training for submarine service. The new subs are designed for long voyages lasting weeks or months. That does not appeal to many career male sailors, thus the crew shortage for the new boats. The larger subs have space to provide separate quarters for the female crew members.

June 25, 2023: South Korea revealed that they had retrieved a North Korean satellite from the wreckage of the North Korean SLV (satellite launch vehicle) rocket that failed after launch and fell into the Yellow Sea. South Korea was first to locate the SLV and to recover the last stage and the North Korean surveillance satellite, which was largely intact. This will provide details of North Korea satellite manufacturing capabilities.

June 24, 2023: During 2022 China increased its nuclear warhead inventory by 15 percent. At 410 warheads, China has the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world, behind Russias 4,489 warheads (including 12 added in 2022) and America's 3,708. The remaining nuclear powers have smaller warhead inventories. France has 290, Britain 225, Pakistan 170 (five added in 2022), India 164 (four added in 2022) Israel 90 and North Korea 30 (five added in 2022).

Recent nuclear powers, like North Korea, India and Pakistan, not only have fewer warheads but also less reliable ones. Because of intense international scrutiny, the reliability and effectiveness of North Korean nuclear weapons is much scrutinized. It is unclear if North Korea even has reliable nuclear warheads because they only recently developed working nuclear weapons. Turning these nukes into reliable weapons for ballistic missiles is another chore and it is unclear how effective the North Korean nuclear warheads are.

June 21, 2023: South Korea has ordered a second batch of its Baekho mobile command post vehicles that uses a K808 8x8 armored vehicle to carry the command personnel and the large array of radio, sensors and computers they use to assess the situation and issue orders. The first batch was delivered earlier this year to a South Korean field testing unit called the Tiger brigade. This unit provided realistic testing for new military equipment. Apparently Baekho passed the tests, although the second batch of Baekho vehicles will have a few enhancements the first ones lacked.

June 16, 2023: In South Korea, an American nuclear submarine, the SSGN Michigan, arrived to show support for South Korea against northern threats. This is a particularly formidable threat to North Korea because the SSGN carries over 150 cruise missiles. The U.S. converted four SSBNs, but not for intelligence work. The U.S. has four Ohio class SSGNs are SSBNs (nuclear subs armed with ballistic missiles) that were converted to carry cruise missiles and thus become SSGN submarines. The first of these conversions entered service in 2006. Each of these Ohio class boats now carries cruise missiles as well as many as 66 commandos (usually SEALs) and their equipment.

These SSGNs were created because they can carry and launch 154 highly accurate cruise missiles, and do so after traveling underwater, ignoring weather, or observation, at a speed of over 1,200 kilometers a day to a far off hotspot. The ability to carry a large force of commandos as well was also attractive. In one sub you have your choice of hammer or scalpel. More capable cruise missiles are in the works as well. Whether or not this multi-billion dollar investment will pay off remains to be seen, but it certainly worked off Libya.

The SSGNs are carrying a new version of Tomahawk, the RGM-109E Block IV Surface Ship Vertical Launched Tomahawk Land Attack Missile. Each of these weighs 1.2 tons, has a range of 1,600 kilometers and travels at 600-900 kilometers an hour. Flying at an altitude of 17-32 meters (50-100 feet), they will hit within 10 meters (32 feet) of their aim point. The Block IV Tomahawk can be reprogrammed in flight to hit another target and carry a vidcam to allow a missile to check on prospective targets.

In early 2011 the USS Florida, one of the American SSGNs, fired its Tomahawk TLAM-E cruise missiles in combat for the first time off Libya. Most of the hundred or so Tomahawks launched that day were fired by the Ohio. This was not the first-time nuclear subs have fired cruise missiles in wartime as U.S. SSNs have fired Tomahawks several times. But the Ohio class SSGNs carry 154 cruise missiles, more than ten times the number carried by some SSNs.

June 15, 2023: North Korea fired another two ballistic missiles from a base near the capital Pyongyang. The short-range missiles landed several hundred kilometers from the east coast. North Korea called this a test. No other country in the world launches so many missiles for testing. The real reason for so many launches is intimidation and, to a lesser extent, to launch older missiles before they deteriorate to the point where they cant be used. South Korea and Japan have increased their defense spending and South Korea announced it will develop nuclear weapons to be used with their recently introduced cruise and ballistic missiles that can reach any target in North Korea. The North Korean intimidation effort has failed and led the intended victims to resist. This is a serious problem for North Korea, which has a much smaller economy than South Korea. To put that into perspective, the per-capita (national income per person) income in South Korea is more than twenty times what it is in North Korea and that unfavorable ratio is getting worse.

June 10, 2023: In North Korea (Ryanggang province) ordered dozens of homes demolished. These were on the bank of the Yalu River that serves as the border with China. The government said they were going to build a road along the river and that new homes would be built for residents of demolished homes.

May 31, 2023: A North Korean SLV (satellite launch vehicle) rocket failed in its attempt to put a surveillance satellite into orbit. The SLV and its cargo fell into the Yellow Sea, where Chinese and South Korean recovery ships sought to locate the rocket and its satellite.

May 28, 2023: The North Korean armed forces have lots of other, and older, problems. While nearly every adult male serves at least six years in the military, the big problem is that years of economic problems and failed harvests have left the troops poorly equipped, often hungry and increasingly insubordinate. With most of the best educated troops bribing their way into any job but one in a combat unit, it is increasingly doubtful if the North Korean combat forces could get very far during an invasion of South Korea. Despite all that, a lot of North Korean troops are believed to be reliable enough to carry out orders to invade South Korea, for a while at least, and that could end up doing a lot of damage to Seoul, the southern capital where half the population and a quarter of the GDP are. South Koreans have more to lose than the northerners. Sprawling Seoul is 40-50 kilometers from the North Korean border. The city alone is 600 square kilometers, and the suburbs are even larger. There are over 17,000 people per square kilometer (45,000 per square mile) in the city. The southerners know the north is desperate and heavily armed. What do you do? South Korea has responded by increasing its ability to quickly halt any rocket and artillery bombardment from the north. This would involve a lot of artillery and smart bomb use in a short time. Many North Korean targets would be destroyed but the south has much more to lose, even if the northern attack is cut short.

The North Korean Army currently has about 800,000 troops, over 3,000 tanks, 3,000 other AFV and nearly 8,000 artillery pieces, including 2,000 rocket launchers. Most of these weapons are pointed south and stationed on or near the DMZ. North Korea has the means to be dangerous, for a little while anyway. Fuel shortages, elderly equipment and lack of maintenance means that a lot of this gear would not stay operational for long, if at all. As an example, the past 25 years or so of deferred maintenance (as in none) on tube artillery pieces, including the guns on tanks, means almost all of those can only fire one round because their recuperator seals have deteriorated so much.

North Korea has two armored divisions, 12 motorized infantry and 23 non motorized infantry divisions used only for static defense along the DMZ. These troops also serve as border guards to prevent civilians or soldiers from leaving the country via the DMZ. A growing number of North Korean troops stationed on the DMZ are deserting via the DMZ. There are supposed to be lots of landmines in the DMZ but many have been removed or otherwise become inoperable over the years and not replaced. This was noticed as more North Korean soldiers came across the DMZ at night and often had to find a South Korean military border post or civilian home further south so they could announce they were defecting. When this started happening several years ago it became a scandal because the DMZ was supposed to be well guarded.

Most of the best educated North Korean troops are in the rear areas, where their parents, bribes and instinct for self-preservation put them. The troops along the DMZ know this and are expected to lose some of their enthusiasm as a result. A growing number of North Korean refugees arriving in South Korea, who served along the northern side of the DMZ, confirm all this. They also confirm that the growing culture of corruption in the military leadership and bureaucracy is seeing more and more of the food and fuel meant for front line troops diverted by corrupt officers and sold in the markets. No wonder so many parents are willing to pay bribes to make sure their kids never get assigned to one of those units.

North Korean men and women who are conscripted to serve terms ranging from five to 13 years. Women serve as little as five years. Men serve seven to ten years in non-combat units while those assigned to the SRF (Strategic Rocket Forces) serve 13 years. About 90 percent of SRF personnel are officers and often career officers. Enlisted personnel serve 13 years. The SRF is elite force and personnel have better living and working conditions.
In a remarkable cosmic event, a gas planet resembling Jupiter, which scientists say 'should not have existed,' has defied all odds by surviving its host star's explosion.

An international team discovered for the first time in history, a planet that seemed to have survived a violent stellar transition that should have caused a certain death by the hands of its sun.

A study detailing the findings was published in the journal Nature Wednesday.

'When we realized that Halla had managed to survive in the immediate vicinity of its giant star, it was a complete surprise,' said Dr. Daniel Huber, co-author of the study.

The planet known as Halla, situated 520 light-years away from Earth, was discovered by Korean astronomers in 2015. Halla orbits Baekdu, a massive star larger than our sun, located in the Ursa Minor constellation, also known as 'Little Bear.'

Dr. Marc Hon, lead study author and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii, told the New York Times that Halla is a 'forbidden planet' of sorts.

'The star itself might have a very unusual history that somehow permitted this planet to survive at such a close distance around what is otherwise a rather inhospitable host star,' he also said.

An international team discovered for the first time in history, a planet that seemed to have survived a violent stellar transition that should have caused a certain death by the hands of its sun

The planet known as Halla, situated 520 light-years away from earth, was discovered by Korean astronomers in 2015. Halla orbits Baekdu, a massive star larger than our sun, located in the Ursa Minor constellation, also known as 'Little Bear'

Its proximity to the star places it in the category of 'hot Jupiter,' a class of exoplanets similar in size to Jupiter but with scorching temperatures due to their close orbits.

The scientific team found, through NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, that the star is burning helium, rather than hydrogen, showing that it had once expanded enormously into a red giant star.

This would have caused a violent stellar transition that would normally have destroyed nearby planets.

According to their calculations, as Baekdu exhausted its core hydrogen fuel, it would have swollen to 1.5 times the current orbital distance of Halla, completely engulfing the planet before returning to its current size.

'Engulfment by a star normally has catastrophic consequences for close orbiting planets,' said Huber.

Huber, who is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the University of Sydney, expressed astonishment at Halla's survival.

Scientists are baffled by Halla's existence.

Dr. Hon highlighted the significance of these observations.

'Together, these observations confirmed the existence of Halla, leaving us with the compelling question of how the planet survived,' Hon said in a statement, according to the University of Sydney.

'The observations from multiple telescopes on Maunakea were critical in this process,' he added.

Dr. Daniel Huber, co-author of the study at the Canada-France-Hawai'i Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawai'i. Huber said: 'When we realized that Halla had managed to survive in the immediate vicinity of its giant star, it was a complete surprise'

For the first time in history, a team  including Dr. Dan Huber and Professor Tim Bedding (pictured) from the University of Sydney  has discovered that Halla survived a period of violent stellar transition that would normally have destroyed nearby planets

Scientists are baffled by Halla's existence and attempting to make sense of the cosmic event with various hypotheses' of what occurred

The unlikely survivor has raised questions among astronomers, who are grappling with the likelihood of Halla experiencing such a catastrophic event.

While our solar system revolves around a single star, numerous binary pairs exist throughout the universe, posing an ongoing mystery for astronomers studying planet formation and their ultimate fate.

The prevailing understanding suggests that gas giants like hot Jupiters begin their existence at greater distances from their host stars before gradually migrating closer.

But Halla's situation differs since it orbits a rapidly evolving star.

'We just don't think Halla could have survived being absorbed by an expanding red giant star,' Huber said.

'The system was more likely similar to the famous fictional planet Tatooine from Star Wars, which orbits two suns,' Bedding said.

Artists at the University of Hawaii IfA and Maunakea Observatories created an animation showing one of the possible explanations as to how planet Halla managed to avoid getting swallowed by its host star Baekdu.

They depict the scenario where Baekdu may have originally been part of a binary system comprising a red giant star and a white dwarf star.

The two stars then merged, which would have prevented the red giant from expanding large enough to engulf Halla.

However, there are alternative scenarios.

Researchers propose Halla may have never been at risk in the first place.

Another possibility is that Halla is a baby planet: that the violent collision between the two stars produced a gas cloud from which the planet formed - making Halla a 'second-generation' planet in the star system.
William Tyrrell's mother has welcomed another child, some eight years after her eldest son disappeared.

The biological mother of William, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, posted an image of the baby just before Christmas last year.

Friends commented on the new child's arrival, describing the baby as 'absolutely precious'.

The new baby, who is now about six months old, was born to the stay-at-home mum, from Sydney's north-west, more than a decade after she gave birth to William on her 23rd birthday in June 2011.

William, who vanished without a trace while in the care of his foster parents at Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast in September 2014, would have celebrated his 12th birthday this week, just as his mum turns 35.

William Tyrrell's biological mother has welcomed another child. She gave birth last December

The new baby (above after her birth last December) )is now six months old

The biological mother of William Tyrrell (pictured, above in 2012) has given birth to a new baby eight years after their missing big brother vanished without a trace

The long-awaited child arrived after a year in which William's birth mother faced charges relating to a failed relationship.

A man took out an AVO against William's mother after she assaulted him at a bus stop.

The birth mother pleaded guilty to hitting the man at a bus station on Argyle Street, Parramatta, on Friday, September 30, 2022.

A two-year AVO taken out by police on behalf of the man prohibits her from assaulting, threatening him, or stalking, harassing or intimidating anyone involved in a relationship with him.

In a bombshell development in William's case, detectives from the NSW Police Strike Force Rosann, who believe William likely died by accident on September 12, 2014, this week referred a brief of evidence about William's foster mother to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions.

In the brief, detectives claim there is enough evidence to charge William's foster mother with perverting the course of justice and interfering with a corpse.

William was removed from his biological mother and father at just seven months, in early 2012.

Above is the last known photo taken of William Tyrrell on his foster grandmother's verandah in September, 2014

By April 2012, parental responsibility for William was placed in the hands of the then Family And Community Services (FACS) minister until William turned 18.

The couple who fostered William became carers in the NSW fostering system overseen by FACS in March 2012.

Final orders for William being in the care of the FACS (since absorbed into the Department of Justice & Communities NSW) were made in 2013.

William lived with his older sister in a comfortable house owned by the foster parents, both well-educated professionals in their 50s, on Sydney's leafy north shore.

On September 11, 2014, they made last-minute plans to get William and his sister out of child care, place their cats in care, and dive to stay at the children's foster grandmother's house in Kendall, four hours north of Sydney.

In a 2016 interview with then Task Force Rosann commander Gary Jubelin, the foster father said William was 'a flamboyant little boy ... full of beans' but 'wary of strangers'.

William, in his fireman's hat, is seen with with his biological family at a picnic not very long before he disappeared from his foster parents' care at Kendall, NSW

'He'd cower behind you, so ... we taught him, you know like 'stranger danger'. He'd always stay well within, you know, eyesight. He wanted to see where you were.

'He'd certainly be checking over his shoulder just to make sure that you were there or you weren't far away.'

William was also a 'non-stop' child with discipline problems, such as biting other children at child care.

The foster mother said William was a 'very unsettled' child to care for, and although he bonded with his foster father, his 'behavioural issues' with her continued for some time.

William vanished on a Friday morning, sparking a massive search.

However, his status as a foster child was initially obscured by NSW legislation prohibiting the publicity of the out-of-home care status of children.

The identities of the foster parents can also not be publicly revealed.

William's biological father (above) told an inquest that child care authorities had failed in their 'duty of care to keep William safe until he was 18'

William's foster mother, 57 (right) is the subject of a police brief of evidence to the NSW DPP this week with police recommending she be charged with interfering with a corpse and perverting the course of justice

In 2016, William's biological mother was canvassed about her views on revealing William's past as a fostered child and she did not oppose publication of the fact that William 'was in foster care at the time of his disappearance'.

The NSW Supreme Court ruled it was appropriate that William's foster status be made public, after children's advocate Allanna Smith won a legal battle against FACS.

William's biological parents testified at a NSW Coroner's inquest into William's disappearance in 2019.

William's biological father revealed his anguish about the department's supposed neglect in protecting his son.

'Authorities f***ed up. The minister had a duty of care to keep William safe until he was 18. That was not the case at all,' he said.

William's biological mother spoke out about William during a intensity search for the three-year-old's remains in late 2021 at the mid north coast property of the child's foster grandmother.

'Its been years actually. Can you imagine what Ive been through?' William's mother said.

'Im a mess, how do you think Im doing?'

Daily Mail Australia revealed exclusively last year that after eight years of torment and drug addiction, William's dad had finally accepted his boy was dead.

Two weeks out of rehab and staying on a friend's couch, he was determined to stay clean from drugs and turn his life around.

William's birth family have been approached for comment.
A US Army medevac pilot asked colleagues if 'someone could access an aircraft alone without anyone noticing' the day before he crashed a helicopter to take his own life in a Georgia airfield last year.

Capt. James Bellew, 26 was on medevac duty on March 30, 2022 at the Wright Army Airfield, a dual use airport between Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville in Georgia, when two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed into each other at around 2 a.m.

Details of the Army's investigation into the incident, which was ruled a suicide, says that Bellew crashed on Black Hawk chopper before running to another and crashing it, causing an explosion.

The investigation uncovered that Bellew had been making 'casual' inquiries regarding whether soldiers' family received life insurance benefits in the event of a suicide or if they would be held liable for damages.

Bellew's roommates also said that he asked them if 'someone could access an aircraft alone without anyone noticing.'

Capt. James Bellew, 26 was on medevac duty on March 30, 2022 at the Wright Army Airfield, a dual use airport between Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville in Georgia, when two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed into each other at around 2 a.m.

Military.com reported that Bellew did not have any diagnosed mental illness or history of suicidal ideation but his romantic partner had messaged the Red Cross saying Bellew planned to kill himself.

A search of his personal affects showed messages from friends and families members worried about him, books on self-help and statements of affirmation on a handwritten note.

The United States Army has no policy on identifying such feelings and has struggled to treat soldiers dealing with mental health problems.

Bellew was the 'only crewmember involved in the incident, and he was the only one injured or killed in the incident,' Col. Lindsey Elder, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, told the Army Times.

All of the other crewmembers were asleep at the time of the crash, Elder noted.

An unnamed source told the Army Times that the crash was 'not an accident.'

It remains unclear how he was able to start at least one of the helicopters without waking the crew or otherwise alert those who may have been at the field, like emergency medical services personnel or air traffic control staff.

The service's Criminal Investigation Division is now probing the crash, Elder said, and a safety investigation team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is also involved.

Details of the Army's investigation into the incident, which was ruled a suicide, says that Bellew crashed on Black Hawk chopper before running to another and crashing it, causing an explosion

The investigation uncovered that Bellew had been making 'casual' inquiries regarding whether soldiers' family received life insurance benefits in the event of a suicide or if they would be held liable for damages

The CID's involvement indicates criminal involvement, as Army regulations would normally see the Combat Readiness Center leading routine accent probes.

It would only defer to the CID, the Army Times reports, if the incident in question were believed to be 'the result of a criminal act.'

The investigation comes after several theories about the crash abounded on social media, claiming that the aircrafts were intentionally destroyed.

But, Elder said: 'At this point, we cannot address the manner of the damage to the two aircrafts, timeline of events, or the response from the tower and emergency services, as those details are still considered part of the active investigation.

'No further information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.'

An unnamed source told the Army Times that the crash was 'not an accident,' and the Army's Criminal Investigation Division is investigating whether Bellew intentionally crashed the chopper

The crash involved two Black Hawk helicopters - though it remains unclear how Bellew was able to start at least one of the aircraft without waking his crew or otherwise alert those who may have been at the field

Bellew, of Charlottesville, Virginia, entered the Army in 2017 through the University of Virginia's ROTC program, and completed a tour in South Korea as a medical service officer before being selected for the medevac pilot program in 2019.

He had been stationed at Fort Stewart, where medevac pilots train at the nearby Wright Army Airfield, since March 2020, and had served as a platoon leader in his company, according to Military.com.

Among his daily duties were moving critically ill COVID patients to off-post medical facilities.

During his time in the service, Bellew received an Army Achievement Medal, the Expert Field Medical Badge and the Army Aviator Badge, in addition to other service awards and ribbons.

His former subordinates remember him as a compassionate, strong leader, the Army Times reports, with tributes pouring in on social media.

Tributes to Bellew started pouring in on social media following the news of his death

The University of Virginia ROTC program posted on March 31, 2002 that Bellew's' contributions to the US Army and his selfless dedication to the profession will forever be remembered by the brothers and sisters with whom he served,' and Luis B. Blanchard wrote that he trained with Bellew.

'He learned how to hover in probably two days and always put me to shame when it came to flying,' Blanchard recounted. 'He was a great class leader and phenomenal person. My prayers go out to his family.'

Bellow's brigade commander also described him as a top officer in his unit.

'The loss of James is an immeasurable tragedy to his family, friends, crew and fellow soldiers,' Col. Eric Vanek said in a statement, highlighting Bellew's medevac role as 'one of the noblest professions imaginable ... a role where he was constantly helping, and saving the lives of others.'
One Nation leader questions if doctors are being silenced

Pauline Hanson has called for an inquiry into the gender reassignment treatment of Australian children and rallied against gender identity ideology being taught in schools.

The One Nation leader demanded authority figures 'leave the children alone' in a fiery address to Parliament last week.

'Keep your LGBTIQ to yourselves behind your own bloody closed doors. Leave the children alone!', Senator Hanson said, describing it as 'gender madness'.

She added: 'This is to do in their own homes, not for you to be pushing your own agenda on innocent children's minds on what they should be or whether you're a girl or a boy: I've never heard of anything so disgusting in all my life what is happening in our school systems now to our young innocent children.'

But Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia, described Senator Hanson's motion as 'one-sided and misleading', claiming the politicisation of trans and gender diverse chidlren's healthcare 'negatively impacts the health and wellbeing of a population that is already under significant stress'.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for an inquiry into the gender reassignment treatment of Australian children

Senator Hanson called for the Senate to investigate whether Australian kids were being rushed into gender reassignment treatment and whether doctors speaking out about it were being 'silenced'.

Dr Jillian Spencer, a senior staff psychiatrist at Queensland Childrens Hospital, was suspended from clinical duties in April following a patient's complaint, after she questioned the use of puberty blockers without an appropriate mental health assessment.

Senator Hanson also questioned whether 'Australia should follow the United Kingdom and many European countries in adopting a more cautious approach to the prescription of puberty blocking drugs, amid concerns the evidence base for their efficacy is lacking'.

'The rapid increase in Australian children being prescribed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria deserves an comprehensive inquiry by this Parliament,' said Senator Hanson.

She said a freedom of information request revealed a 10-fold increase in Australian children enrolled in public adolescent gender clinics from 2014 to 2021.

Senator Hanson (pictured) said the 'gender-affirmation ideology has all the hallmarks of a crazy cult'

The same figures also revealed a more than 100-fold increase in children being prescribed puberty blockers.

The use of puberty blockers has been limited in Britain, Sweden, Finland and France.

'This gender-affirmation ideology has all the hallmarks of a crazy cult  capturing impressionable minds, isolating them from their families, and ultimately destroying their lives,' said Senator Hanson.

She added: 'Mark my words: if the Labor, the Greens and others in the Senate, deny this inquiry, those responsible will not escape accountability.

'History, and the Australian people, will condemn you.'

Senator Hanson accused them of 'not caring about the children of this nation'.

But Ms Brown, CEO of Equality Australia , said gender affirming care has the potential to save lives.

Trans and gender diverse Australians are under repeated attack, and the politicisation of their healthcare negatively impacts the health and wellbeing of a population that is already under significant stress,' she said.

Research shows that access to gender affirming care can be lifesaving for transgender and nonbinary youth.

These are deeply personal decisions that should be left to young people, their parents and the doctors treating them, and they should not be up for political debate.'

Earlier this month, Queensland passed a new law making it possible for children as young as 12 to be able to change their sex on their birth certificate without their parents' consent.

The laws also make it easier for people to have their gender documented without undergoing sexual reassignment surgery after assessment from a practitioner.

The LNP opposed the laws, arguing a bill allowing self-declaration was a threat to women's privacy in women-only spaces such as toilets and change rooms and would have a negative impact on women's sports.

'This bill is an attack on women, it is an attack on women's rights and it's an attack on young girls,' deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie told parliament.

Opposition MPs also raised concerns about children under the age of 16 who might apply to change the gender on their birth certificate.

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said the bill had proper safeguards and 'does not allow a young person to just go off and randomly make a decision and get these changes made without any proper oversight'.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, who introduced the bill last year as attorney-general, said the concerns about women's safety were unfounded.

'Despite repeated claims to the contrary, there is no evidence from any jurisdiction to suggest that women will have fewer rights or be less safe,' she told parliament.
Photos released by Australian police show the squalid and dangerous underground labs where illegal drugs are allegedly made.

On Wednesday night NSW Police's Raptor Squad broke up an alleged clandestine lab and drug operation in Sydneys west, two days after Adelaide detectives dismantled an alleged meth operation there.

In both cases police released images showing filthy and chaotic set-ups, with combustible toxic chemicals sitting beside dirty dishes and unwashed clothes in what are supposed to be residential homes.

Police released images notable for showing filthy and chaotic operations, with potentially combustible toxic chemicals beside dirty dishes and unwashed clothes. Pictured, a meth lab dismantled by SA police on Tuesday

Clandestine laboratories are inherently dangerous due to the risk of explosion, said South Australian Detective Chief Inspector David Huddy. Pictured, a meth lab dismantled by SA police on Tuesday

Police searched a property on Eric Crescent in Lidcombe at 6pm on June 27, finding items consistent with a clandestine lab in the kitchen. Pictured, what detectives found inside the Lidcombe home

On Wednesday night NSW police's Raptor Squad broke up 'a clandestine lab and alleged drug operation' in Sydneys west

Police pointed out secret drug labs are so dangerous because of the risk of explosion, made even more serious when they are in close proximity to neighbours.

NSW police searched a property on Eric Crescent in Lidcombe, western Sydney, at 6pm on June 27, allegedly seizing 50kg of suspected cannabis and items consistent with a clandestine lab in the kitchen.

Six grams of a white powder substance believed to be cocaine and one gram of a brown crystal matter believed to be methylamphetamine was also allegedly found, police said in a statement.

On Monday at 1.15pm South Australia's Serious and Organised Crime Branch led a search in Opey Avenue, Hyde Park, 2km south of the Adelaide CBD.

SA police said the teams allegedly found 'an active clandestine laboratory being used for the purpose of making methamphetamine.'

'Clandestine laboratories are inherently dangerous due to the risk of explosion,' said Detective Chief Inspector David Huddy, from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch

'This illegal manufacturing process was occurring inside a residential property placing the occupants and other nearby residents at risk of serious harm.

Police allegedly seized 50kg of suspected cannabis at the Lidcombe property. Pictured, bagged items seized during the search

Three arrests were made in Sydney and one in Adelaide in the two cases. Pictured, NSW apprehend a suspect

'Police remained at the scene overnight, with specialist detectives safely dismantling the clandestine laboratory.'

Three arrests were made in Sydney and one in Adelaide in the two cases, which are not understood to be related.

In Sydney two men, aged 27 and 26, were arrested at Lidcombe and one, aged 41, at Baulkham Hills in the city's northwest.

The three were charged with supplying prohibited drug of a commercial quantity and participating in a criminal group.

They were refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court on Thursday.

In Adelaide, a 48-year-old man was arrested at the Hyde Park address and was charged with manufacturing a controlled drug and hindering police.

He was refused bail to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Investigations are ongoing in both cases.
Thousands of United Airlines passengers have slammed the company for ruining their July 4 weekend amid an expected sixth day of massive nationwide airline delays and cancellations.

Travelers using the US travel giant have been caught up in the chaos as they are forced to wait on the phone for six hours in a bid to rebook flights  with many warning that they are running out of money and options'.

Many have been forced to wait in airports across the country and pay for hotels they can't get to. Others have told of missing out on family weddings, vacations, and once-in-a-life-time concerts.

Travelers at airports across the country have faced misery in the week leading up to July 4 celebrations - with scores of passengers left stranded.

Monday saw 8,850 flights delayed and 2,252 canceled completely, while Tuesday had 7,789 delays and 2,205 cancellations, and yesterday saw a slight decrease with 7,237 delayed and 1,199 canceled - meaning at least 32,000 have been affected.

The problem is expected to get even worse today on what is dubbed the busiest day of the holiday weekend, with some 52,500 flights scheduled.

As of 10am, more than 15,000 flights were delayed across the US, with 920 already cancelled.

Passengers traveling on United Airlines have been worst hit by the chaos, with CEO Scott Kirby blaming the FAA for the chaos - saying they 'failed' the industry with low staffing coming into the week.

Airlines have explained that the flights have been delayed and canceled because of powerful storms ripping through the parts of the country, including in the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast, as well as air traffic control staffing issues.

NEW YORK: Dozens of bags were piled up in baggage claim of JFK yesterday

HOUSTON: United Airlines customer service overwhelmed with guests in Terminal C of Houston airport.

HOUSTON: The line of passengers waiting for United's customer service at Houston Airport's Terminal C

NEW YORK: Travelers sit with their luggage waiting at the departure area check-in at JFK airport, Wednesday. By early afternoon on the East Coast, nearly 3,000 U.S. flights had been delayed and more than 800 canceled, according to FlightAware

NEW YORK: Travelers use their electronic devices while lying on the floor of the departures area of Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport

LOS ANGELES: A traveler checks the departure board at Los Angeles' LAX airport on Wednesday, amid widespread delays and cancelations

LOS ANGELES: Long lines of people are seen waiting to check in for flights at LAX on Wednesday, amid staffing shortages at airlines and the FAA

AUSTIN: A woman in Austin International Airport hunkered down as flight chaos continues

The 'Misery Map' produced by Flight Aware on Thursday showed the disruption

In a report published last week, the Transportation Department found that most of the 26 critical air traffic control facilities it identified were understaffed by 15 percent or more, as of March 2022.

Chicago, DC and Boston airports were also hit hard with cancellations and delays after being plunged into a coating of smog as smoke from Canadian wildfires plunged Washington into a Code Red air quality warning.

United Airlines have been the worst hit, with more than 600 flights canceled in just two days, and more than 500 have been delayed.

Passengers have complained about being left on hold for up to six hours before the phone is hung up, with many stranded without help.

The company said that were working through 'higher volumes than usual' but customers still slammed their response on social media.

CEO Scott Kirby claims that the FAA reduced the arrival rates at Newark  one of United's hubs  by 40 percent and the departure rates by 75 percent.

One United steward wrote on social media: 'If you can avoid flying right now, please do.'

The anonymous worker continued: 'I'm a flight attendant with United. Your flight will be delayed or canceled. There is not enough staff to support operations right now.

Passengers have complained about being left on hold for up to six hours before the phone is hung up, with many stranded without help

LOS ANGELES: A disabled passenger waits for assistance at LA International airport from United Airlines

BOSTON: United has urged passengers to be patient, saying they are working overtime to sort the problems. Pictured: American Airlines plane at Logan Airport

CHICAGO: Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets the Chicago skyline as seen from the city's South Loop neighborhood

'Don't do It unless you want to be stuck. They are stranding their flight attendants and pilots everywhere with no response in random cities.'

A spokesman for the company admitted they had been struggling, adding: 'We know our customers are eager to get to their destinations and our airport and call center teams are working overtime to assist them.

'As we focus on helping our customers whose travel has been disrupted over the last few days, were also planning ahead to be ready for the upcoming holiday weekend.

'We're beginning to see improvement across our operation. As our operation improves in the days ahead, we will be on track to restore our operation for the holiday weekend.'

Hundreds of thousands of travelers have been forced to sit tight amid the chaos caused by torrential weather on the East Coast, huge crowds, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices, other staff shortages, and even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The delays and cancelations proved a troubling glimpse into what could happen over the long July 4 holiday weekend as airlines struggle to keep up with surging numbers of passengers.

People whose travel plans were disrupted took to social media to vent against the airlines. Some swore they would never fly again on whichever airline had done them wrong.

Tia Hudson was back at Newark Liberty International Airport for the fourth straight day, trying to catch a United Airlines flight home to Louisiana.

'My flight has been canceled like five times now. I slept at the airport two nights, I booked two hotels, I spent over $700 since I've been here and they said they're not going to reimburse me because it's weather-related,' she said.

'It's not weather-related. It's a shortage of pilots and attendants.'

WASHINGTON: In this aerial view taken from Air Force One, the US Capitol is under hazy skies in Washington, DC

NEW YORK: The JFK departure area on Wednesday, five days in the 'flightmare' that has stranded thousands and thousands of US travelers

INDIANA: Airlines have explained that the flights have been delayed and canceled because of powerful storms ripping through the parts of the country, including in the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast

Hudson missed her mother's wedding and caused her mother to skip her own honeymoon to pick up Tia at the airport near Dallas - only for the flight to be canceled.

On top of that, Hudson's bags were lost. 'I just want to get away from this airport, but they say nobody is leaving until Saturday,' she said.

What is causing the chaos? The worst disruptions have been along the East Coast, which has been pummeled by thunderstorms this week. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily held up Boston-bound flights on Wednesday. It stopped flights to all three major airports in the New York City area and two near Washington, D.C., at times Tuesday. Huge crowds, bad weather, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices - even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina - all contributed to the mess. And it could be just the storm before the storm: The FAA predicted that Thursday would be the heaviest travel day over the July 4 holiday period. On top of that, some airline planes may be unable to fly in bad weather starting this weekend because of possible interference with 5G wireless service. Travel has picked up steadily every year since bottoming out during the pandemic. For the past week, about 2.6 million people a day on average have been flying in the United States, about 2 percent more than in the same period during pre-pandemic 2019, according to Transportation Security Administration figures. Advertisement

At Logan Airport in Boston, pharmaceutical company manager Rui Loureiro had to scrap plans to spend the rest of the week meeting clients on the West Coast when his flight to San Francisco was canceled.

United told him the soonest he could get on another flight was Friday, and didn't offer to pay for a hotel room. He plans to fly home to Portugal instead - or at least give it a try.

'I am a little bit stressed, disappointed,' Loureiro said. 'People were waiting for me. We had things arranged to do. Now I have to go back and rebook everything and come again another time.'

Social media was also awash with complaints, with United receiving the sternest criticism.

'So my family and I traveled to NYC for a beautiful sweet 16 party for my niece,' said Zamora Ford.

'While we enjoyed every moment of the weekend we expected our trip to come to a end by Monday well the airline had other plans.

'So it's now 2 days later and we are still here.

'These airlines really suck for the thousands of cancellations that took place this week. Our flight's were canceled 2xs in 2 days.'

David Parke from Denver missed a once-in-a-lifetime Diana Ross concert thanks to the cancelations.

'My partner and I booked First Class seats to see DIANA ROSS at Radio City Thursday night and now I can only HATE ON YOU for this (rarely do use this word)!

'My lifetime dream to see this living legend in NYC crushed for reasons I don't believe.'

He added: 'I'm sorry DIANA, perhaps I'll see you in my dreams!'

Lonnie Pearo and his wife, who are both in their 70s, described being stranded at Seattle airport for three days awaiting a flight to Chicago.

'Service has been terrible trying to reschedule. They do not seem to care. Running out of money and options,' he said.

NEW JERSEY: People wait for their flight rescheduled inside of the Newark International Airport on Tuesday

NEW JERSEY: Travelers rest and sleep on the floor as they wait amid the flight delays at Newark International Airport on Tuesday

NEW JERSEY: Individuals congregate around a clergyman while awaiting rescheduled flights at Newark International Airport, Tuesday

NEW JERSEY: A delayed traveler sleeps on the floor near the United Airlines ticket desk at Terminal C in Newark International Airport, Wednesday

One flight attendant working with United warned people to try and delay their plans

United was the worst affected airline in the United States on Wednesday

Pearo then updated his post to say they had hired a car, at a cost of $1,000, to drive from Seattle to Portland and attempt to fly from there.

He said Seattle airport was a disastrous site, with 'babies and handicapped sleeping on floors; grown people crying; elderly losing their dream trips to Hawaii and beyond.'

He added: 'Watched continual lies by United employees. Total shame.'

Regina Ramirez Aleman said she was devastated by her family's 'much anticipated summer vacation' becoming a nightmare.

Her party were separated by the airline and rebooked, meaning her husband had to fly without her.

She was unable to get a refund for the hotels in Hawaii, as the flights were canceled too late.

And flights this week are now priced at over $3,000 each.

'It's disheartening when such last-minute disruptions overshadow meticulous planning and time off work,' she said.

'We hope that United Airlines can address this situation promptly, rectifying the inconveniences caused and helping salvage what's left of our 4th of July vacation plans. It would be nice if we could get someone on the phone!'

Newark was the hardest-hit airport, with Chicago, LaGuardia, Houston and Denver also badly affected: the misery will continue for several days as airlines attempt to rectify the backlog.

The emergency belly landing of a Delta flight in Charlotte did not help nationwide delays

The flight landed 'smoothly' with 96 passengers on board, all of whom were unharmed

Despite $54 billion of taxpayer funds funneled into airlines to keep them afloat during the pandemic, most airlines greatly reduced staff numbers and have found it harder than expected to rehire workers.

Many older employees accepted early retirement, while others accepted buyouts and have found new, less demanding work.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, has been criticizing the airlines for more than a year.

He has accused them of failing to live up to reasonable standards of customer service and suggested that they are scheduling more flights than they can handle.

The airlines have denied that they are to blame, and instead are pointing the finger at federal authorities.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blamed a shortage of federal air traffic controllers for massive disruptions last weekend at its Newark hub.

'We estimate that over 150,000 customers on United alone were impacted this weekend because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic,' Kirby wrote in a memo to employees on Monday night.

One furious flyer accused United of 'treating customers with utmost contempt and disregard.'

The passenger wrote online: 'Oh, and the online system is down. All gate agents refuse to help. This was caused by flight crew not showing up, which led to delays. Before getting on the flight we tried to handle the situation and they refused.

'This is the worst experience I've ever had with any company.'

The FAA signaled earlier this year that it could struggle to keep flights moving in New York, the busiest airspace in the nation.

Facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers at a key facility on Long Island, the FAA persuaded airlines to trim their summer schedules to avoid overloading the system.

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents United's cabin crews, said United was contributing to the situation.

The union said employees were waiting three hours or longer when calling a crew-scheduling center for assignments because of 'limited telephone lines and personnel.'

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, where American and Southwest are based, took the airlines' side in a series of tweets about delays at the New York City area's three big airports.

'Staffing at FAA's air traffic facilities in NY is at 54%,' Cruz tweeted. 'Yet (the Transportation Department) is blaming weather for delays. Nonsense.'

A Transportation Department spokesperson said the agency is working with airlines to fix things, but the combination of high traffic and bad weather reduces the rate at which planes can take off and land safely, leading to delays and canceled flights.

The FAA is training about 3,000 new air traffic controllers, but most of them won't be ready anytime soon.

Last week, the Transportation Department's inspector general said in a report that the FAA has made only 'limited efforts' to adequately staff critical air traffic control centers and lacks a plan to tackle the problem.

Last week, Buttigieg issued a new warning to airlines, telling them that planes that aren't outfitted with new radio altimeters  devices that measure the height of a plane above the ground  won't be allowed to operate in limited visibility starting this Saturday because of potential interference from new 5G wireless service.

American, United, Southwest, Alaska and Frontier say all of their planes have been retrofitted, but Delta Air Lines still has about 190 planes waiting to be updated because its supplier doesn't have enough altimeters.

Delta said it will schedule those planes to avoid landing where the weather might be bad to limit disruptions.

Smaller airlines that operate regional flights could also be affected by the radio interference issue, as could flights operated to the United States by foreign carriers.
The Chinese spy balloon that spied on the US for weeks earlier this year used American technology, according to a preliminary report of the investigation.

Officials revealed the balloon was equipped with American-made equipment that facilitated the collection of photos, videos and other information - but didn't appear to transmit them, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Several defense and intelligence agencies, along with the FBI, analyzed the debris recovered after the US military intercepted and brought down the balloon nearly five months ago.

The investigation revealed the balloon contained a combination of off-the-shelf American equipment, some of which was available for purchase online, along with specialized Chinese sensors and other tools designed to gather and transmit data.

The recent US findings contradict China's claim it was used for weather monitoring and not spying, which exacerbated mistrust and remains a source of tension between the two nations.

A fighter jet flies near the remnants of the balloon after it was struck by a missile over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of South Carolina near Myrtle Beach, on Feb. 4

The Chinese balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana, on February 1. Officials have now revealed the balloon was equipped with American-made equipment that facilitated the collection of photos, videos and other information - but didn't appear to transmit them

The presence of both types of equipment suggests the balloon was intended for surveillance purposes rather than being scientific observation.

The officials described the Chinese spy balloon as a clever attempt by Beijing to conduct surveillance using a combination of readily available and specialized equipment.

During its eight-day journey traversing the country over Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 states, the balloon gathered data but apparently did not transmit it back to China, officials told the Wall Street Journal.

It remains unclear whether this was due to a malfunction or if countermeasures deployed by the US military prevented the transmission of information.

This incident added further strain to the already tense US-China relationship.

Recently, however, the Biden administration and the Chinese leadership have initiated a desire to move past the balloon incident.

President Joe Biden characterized the balloon as 'more embarrassing than intentional' for the Chinese leadership, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that as long as such incidents do not recur, the chapter should be closed.

However, Chinese leaders have warned that should US investigators' report on the balloon become public, Beijing will be forced into a strong reaction, potentially derailing high-level engagement.

Navy sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in the Atlantic ocean on February 5th

Sailors gather debris recovered off the coast of Myrtle Beach in the Atlantic Ocean from the shooting down of the Chinese 'spy' balloon for transport to the FBI

An F-22 Raptor fighter jet fired a single AIM-9X missile to take down a Chinese spy balloon and its payload, which was equipped with cameras, sensors and radars

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Blinken are expected to travel to Beijing in upcoming months, as both attempt to plan a meeting between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this year.

New evidence this week uncovered by BBC also showed China's spy balloon program over Japan and Taiwan.

Japan has confirmed balloons have flown over its territory and said it's prepared to shoot them down in the future, according to the BBC report.

China has not directly addressed the evidence presented by the BBC.

The path of the intelligence collecting balloons which flew over the United States in February

The Chinese 'spy balloon' that flew across the US in February gathered intelligence from several American military sites before it was shot down.

The balloon entered US airspace on January 28th and was shot down on February 4th after passing over US nuclear missile sites, including the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

China was reportedly able to control the balloon as it passed over the same site in figures of eights.

The balloon, which Beijing previously denied was a government spy vessel, launched from southern China in late January.

It then drifted east and entered US airspace over Alaska and was first tracked as it flew over Malmstrom Air Force base in Montana, where nuclear assets are stored.

Biden was briefed two days later and elected to shoot it down over the Atlantic a week after it entered the US.

Biden had reportedly called for the balloon to be shot down 'ASAP,' but was advised to wait by the US military.

It crossed the continent before it was shot down over the ocean for safety.

American jets monitored the object as it passed.

President Joe Biden has downplayed the recent Chinese spy balloon that drifted across the US

Blinken visited China recently and became the highest-ranking US government official to visit China since Biden took office in January 2021

The spy balloon, which US officials say had rudimentary flight controls, passed over a number of US nuclear missile facilities

On February 4, the Air Force sent an F-22 fighter jet armed with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile to take the balloon down over water.

Sailors were later assigned to recover the balloon from the Atlantic Ocean and are still analyzing it.

The balloon was found to have a self-destruct mechanism that could have been activated remotely from China.

The Biden administration at the time downplayed the seriousness of the spy balloon.

The President told Telemundo on February 9: 'It's not a major breach. Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that's going on by every country around the world is overwhelming.'

He said the flight of the balloon was a 'violation of international law'.

'China has some legitimate difficulties unrelated to the United States. And I think one of the things that that balloon caused was not so much that it got shot down, but I don't think the leadership knew where it was and knew what was in it and knew what was going on,' said Biden.

'I think it was more embarrassing than it was intentional,' he added.
Gladys Berejiklian's spectacular fall from being the NSW premier revered for her handling of the pandemic to 'seriously corrupt' took almost 1,000 days.

In 2020, she was Australia's most popular premier, lauded for steadying the ship of state during the darkest days of Covid-19 wreaking havoc across the country. It looked like nothing could go wrong for her.

But 990 days ago she shocked friends, fellow MPs and her own family by admitting she had been in a secret five year 'close personal relationship' with Daryl Maguire.

When she made the disclosure at an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry into Mr Maguire in October 2020, their relationship had ended just weeks earlier.

There were some calls for her to resign there and then, but she toughed it out and it would take another year - and the opening of an ICAC inquiry into her - before she stepped down.

Almost two years on, her fall from grace is complete with the ICAC finding she 'engaged in serious corrupt conduct by breaching public trust in 2016 and 2017 through exercising her official functions in relation to funding promised and/or awarded'.

Gladys Berejiklian's (pictured) spectacular fall from being the NSW premier revered for her steady handling of the pandemic to 'seriously corrupt' took almost 1,000 days

Gladys Berejiklian is pictured with Daryl Maguire (behind) with whom she was in a secret relationship for years

The apparent corruption involved her support for funding a gun club in Mr Maguire's electorate and $20million in funds reserved for the Riverina Conservatorium of Music, also in his electorate.

Ironically, the 300-seat music conservatorium, announced in August 2018 when they were in a secret relationship, did not go ahead because the business case didn't stack up.

A few hours after she was found to be corrupt, Ms Berejiklian issued a defiant statement, thanking the people of NSW for their 'incredible support'.

'Serving the people of NSW was an honour and privilege. 'At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest. Nothing in this report demonstrates otherwise.'

She was being very generous to herself in declaring that 'nothing' in the report showed she hadn't always worked her 'hardest in the public interest'.

Ms Berejiklian continued with what may perhaps be a reference to the sea of flowers outside her office after she resigned almost two years ago.

'Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support,' she said. 'This will sustain me always.'

Her date with ICAC destiny seemed far from Ms Berejiklian's mind as she was pictured touching up her makeup at a cafe table last Saturday

Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) refused to answer questions on Thursday morning

In doing so, she was following on from her the former NSW treasurer Matt Kean, who tweeted that it had taken ICAC two years 'to tell us that Gladys Berejiklian has not broken the law'.

'This body deciding that "serious corrupt conduct" has occurred, but then recommending no charges be laid because there is no evidence?' he added.

Mr Kean was perhaps being a bit naive. Under the ICAC Act, corrupt conduct includes: 'Any conduct of a public official that constitutes or involves the dishonest or partial exercise of any of his or her official functions,' and 'Any conduct of a public official or former public official that constitutes or involves a breach of public trust.'

In its report, it said 'The Commission rejects Ms Berejiklian's submission that she did not know ... her obligation to disclose her relationship with Mr Maguire ...

'In the Commission's view, Ms Berejiklian's failure to disclose her relationship with Mr Maguire in relation to the decisions she made concerning the (gun club) proposal cannot be put down to an honest error of judgment.'

Texts (pictured) sent between Gladys Berejiklian and Daryl Maguire were used by ICAC

Who is Daryl Maguire and what was his relationship with former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian? Daryl Maguire, 64, is a former Liberal MP who represented Wagga Wagga in the NSW Parliament from 1999 to 2018. In July 2018, he was drawn into the Operation Dasha inquiry by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) regarding possible corruption involving Canterbury Council through his association with former councillor Michael Hawatt. Mr Maguire resigned from the Liberal Party and from his official roles, but initially refusing to resign from parliament. But after pressure from many quarters, including then premier Gladys Berejiklian, he relented and resign on August 3. Appearing before ICAC inquiry in October 2020, Ms Berejiklian agreed she had been in a 'close personal relationship' with Mr Maguire from 2015 until August 2020. She survived that revelation, but a year later resigned as premier and as an MP when she herself came under ICAC's spotlight. On Friday, October 29, 2021, Ms Berejiklian had this to say about Mr Maguire: 'I regarded him a part of my love circle, part of people that I strongly cared for, but I wouldn't have put him in the same category as my parents or my sisters. 'I had very strong feelings for him ... But I didn't feel the relationship was at a stage where I would introduce him necessarily to my parents or my sisters or need to declare it, but I don't want to underscore what I felt.' Advertisement

After resigning as premier in October 2021, she turned down an opportunity to run for federal parliament and later moved into the private sector as an Optus executive.

She made no public statements in her Optus role, so any work she did was kept from the public eye.

Former Labor senator and political powerbroker Graham Richardson believes she must now leave that undoubtedly well remunerated job.

'I think ... she'll resign. I'll be very surprised if Optus kept her on. There's no joy for Gladys no matter which direction she looks. And I think that's really sad.

'I think Gladys Berejiklian has hit a dead end,' Mr Richardson said.

Her employer, though, is sticking by her, at least for the moment.

'Optus acknowledges the ICAC report published in relation to Gladys Berejiklian's time serving as a member of the NSW parliament,' the telco said in a very brief comment on Thursday afternoon.

THE ICAC FINDINGS AGAINST GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN The Commission finds that Ms Berejiklian engaged in serious corrupt conduct by: 1. CLAY TARGET ASSOCIATION FUNDING: In 2016 and 2017, breaching public trust by exercising her official functions in relation to funding promised and/or awarded to the Australian Clay Target Association (ACTA) without disclosing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire when she was in a position of a conflict of interest between her public duty and her private interest which could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of her public duty. Her conduct comprised: * causing the ACTA proposal to be included on the agenda for the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) meeting of 14 December 2016 * supporting the ACTA proposal in the ERC meeting of 14 December 2016 * communicating her support for and interest in the ACTA proposal to NSW Treasury staff, at least one ministerial colleague (John Barilaro) and staff within her office * causing steps to be taken by staff from her office to follow up on the progress of the ACTA proposal following the ERC ACTA decision, including by communicating a request that the initial benefit cost ratio calculation of 0.88 by the Department of Premier and Cabinet Investment Appraisal Unit be revisitedin 2016 and 2017, partially exercising her official functions in connection with funding promised and awarded to ACTA by exercising her official functions influenced by the existence of her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire and by a desire on her partto maintain or advance that relationship (chapter 11) 2. RIVERINA CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC: in 2018, breaching public trust by exercising her official functions in relation to decisions concerning the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (the RCM) proposal which she knew was advanced by Mr Maguire in: * participating in the 12 April 2018 ERC decision concerning RCM Stage 1 in relation to the transfer of land at 1 Simmons Street, Wagga Wagga, to provide a site for the RCM * participating in the 24 April 2018 ERC decision concerning RCM Stage 1 in relation to the funding granted to RCM Stage 1 * determining to make a funding reservation of $20 million in relation to RCM Stage 2 * approving the letter arranging for that funding reservation to be made without disclosing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, when she was in a position of a conflict of interest between her public duty and her private interest in maintaining or advancing her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, which could objectively have the potential to influence the performance of her public duty * in 2018, in connection with funding promised and awarded to RCM Stage 2 engaging in conduct constituting or involving the partial exercise of her official functions influenced by the existence of her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, or by a desire on her part to maintain or advance that relationship (chapter 12) * refusing to discharge her duty under s 11 of the ICAC Act to notify the Commission of her suspicion that Mr Maguire had engaged in activities which concerned, or might have concerned, corrupt conduct (chapter 13). Advertisement

When she was fighting to save her job almost three years ago after admitting her long term clandestine relationship with Mr Maguire, Ms Berejiklian had one very important ally in her corner - the people of NSW.

She used a 'dudded by a bad boyfriend' line as part of a very carefully planned media strategy to save her career.

The strategy saw her give a 'tell all' interview to News Corp about her heartbreak, followed by commercial radio appearances to tell her story of being a woman wronged by a bad boyfriend.

For the News Corp story, Ms Berejiklian was photographed dressed down in jeans and a blazer - far removed from her usual feminine floral dresses and sharp jackets - and said she was heartbroken as she had wanted to marry Mr Maguire.

In an interview with on 2GB radio, morning host Ben Fordham told Ms Berejiklian, who is a friend of his, to 'hang in there, stay strong'.

It worked, and her job was saved for another year, before her 'close personal relationship' with Mr Maguire finally brought her down.

She acknowledged that extra year she got on Thursday by saying 'Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support. This will sustain me always.'

Ms Berejiklian is pictured (right) with her boyfriend, barrister Arthur Moses (left)

The loved-up couple is pictured strolling hand-in-hand over a bridge in Sydney's north shore

Not everyone bought the 'bad boyfriend' line trotted out in 2020, though. Fordham's 2GB colleague Ray Hadley said Ms Berejiklian's actions did not 'pass the pub test'.

'Based on your lack of judgement in relation to this matter, you can't be premier into the future,' he said.

Almost three years on, the surprise is that anyone was surprised at ICAC's findings.

While she considers her next move, Ms Berejiklian will have the support of many who are still in her corner, not least her high profile barrister boyfriend Arthur Moses.
Florida cop parents admitted to handcuffing and jailing their toddler to 'discipline' him after he had trouble potty training, according to a report.

Body camera footage obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal shows Lt. Michael Schoenbrod saying he was successful in teaching his 3 1/2 year old son a lesson when he and his partner, Det. Sgt. Jessica Long, jailed the boy at the Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department on successive days last October.

Schoenbrod even allegedly admitted to handcuffing the young boy on the second day of his 'discipline.'

'He was crying. I was getting the response I expected from him,' the lieutenant told a Department of Children and Families caseworker, according to the footage from a Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputy and seen by the News-Journal.

He said the boy promised to never again poop his pants following the intervention.

Daytona Beach Shores Det. Sgt. Jessica Long and Lt. Michael Schoenbrod are accused of jailing and handcuffing their 3 1/2-year-old son for pooping his pants

It remains unclear if the two faced any disciplinary action for the incident

In the body camera footage, the News-Journal reports, Schoenbrod told the caseworker he had put his older child in jail before, but for different reasons, and figured he would use it again on his younger son.

He allegedly said that nearly nine years prior, he disciplined his then four-year-old son after he misbehaved in preschool.

Schoenbrod said he asked the boy whether he had hit a girl, and the boy responded that he did.

'I took him to the jail and he sat there,' Schoenbrod is said to have told the caseworker. 'And I watched him ... and he was crying and everything, and to this day, if you mention like that incident, he's just like, "I would never do it again." It was effective.

'So that's why I did it with this,' Schoenbrod allegedly continued. 'He didn't hit anybody, but I figured the same thing, discipline. And he didn't want to go back, so...'

Later in the nearly hour-long footage, Long could reportedly be heard calling the Department of Children and Families investigation into the matter 'insane,' while Schoenbrod responded: 'It's just disgusting that somebody would drag our family through the mud like this.'

Schoenbrod's LinkedIn page lists him as an operations lieutenant, and a July 2020 post on the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety says he was working at the time as a SWAT Team Commander after nearly 20 years on the police force.

Long, meanwhile, is a detective sergeant whose LinkedIn page says she is 'currently assigned to oversee the Criminal Investigations Unit and Background Investigations.'

The July 2020 Facebook post also notes she had been with the department for nine years and was a triple-certified public safety officer.

It remains unclear whether Schoenbrod or Long faced any discipline from city officials.

The young boy was allegedly jailed at the Daytona Beach Shores Public Safety Department (pictured) on two successive days last October

The Daytona Beach News-Journal obtained copies of memo written by Public Safety Director Michael Fowler informing them of a professional standards investigation, but the results of the investigation cannot be made public.

A lawsuit against the couple filed by the State Attorney's Office on March 24 has also been sealed, along with any records of the investigation.

The couple are also suing state attorney RJ Larizza in a separate case filed on May 18, but details about the suit are also scarce, with the News-Journal just reporting that they are asking a judge to impose some sort of order against the attorney.

The only sign any action was taken is that they both had 20 hours of unpaid leave on their May paystubs, according to the News-Journal.

'This whole matter just does not pass the basic smell test from a transparency and governmental openness perspective,' Lonnie Groot, a former city attorney wrote to his successor Becky Vose as he tried to get answers, the News-Journal reports.

'I cannot imagine the City Commission tolerating and standing mute about a city employee bringing a child to City Hall and punishing the child in the City Commission chambers,' he continued.

'Why, then, does the City Commission act so meek, powerless and non-transparent as to this matter involving law enforcement officers?'

Michael Barfield, the director of public access initiatives for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, said Tuesday his organization is planning to file a motion seeking hearings on why the records are kept confidential.
An ex-FBI agent has warned that a serial killer could be on the loose in Chicago after the bodies of sixteen people have been pulled from the river and Lake Michigan in just over a year.

Remains of ten men and six women have been pulled from the Windy Citys waterways since the beginning of 2022.

Noah Enos, 26, is the latest to have been recovered from the watery depths after vanishing on June 12 when he was last seen at The Salt Shed in the city.

He was pulled out of the river five days later and authorities are yet to announce a cause of death  with his family calling for justice for Noah as they believe he was killed.

Nicole Wijs, Enos' girlfriend, said: 'I know Noah wasn't the first one to go missing and be found in the river, and I sure as s**t hope that he's the last' at a vigil for him on Friday.

Noah Enos, a 26-year-old, was discovered in the river on June 17, five days after he'd last been seen at a music venue called The Salt Shed. The Chicago River was about a block from where he'd vanished

Enos went to a concert with a co-worker on the night he vanished, with the pair becoming separated at the end of the show.

His phone reportedly died at around 10pm, with his family and friends contacting the bar he was at previously.

At least three of the 16 people who were found drowned since the start of 2022 were declared accidents, but only one has been ruled a suicide, leaving 13 more either undetermined or pending.

Chicago police have yet to comment on whether they think the 16 bodies found are in any way connected, but former FBI agent Tracy Wilder told the New York Post she believes there could be a serial killer involved.

'There's too many coincidences,' said Walder, who also previously worked for the CIA.

'In a case like this, there are so many similar patterns right across the board [so] it's not just a coincidence anymore,' she added, citing how far the bodies have been recovered from where they were reported missing and the cases of 'accidental' drownings.

In Wilder's opinion, dumping a body in the river is a perfect crime, because 'forensic evidence is gonna be, for the most part, non-existent,'

Former NYPD officer and John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Joseph Giacalone told the Post he's not so sure.

Authorities have not announced a cause of death and his family is hoping 'to find justice for Noah,' believing him to have been murdered

Nicole Wijs (pictured right), Enos' girlfriend, said 'I know Noah wasn't the first one to go missing and be found in the river, and I sure as s**t hope that he's the last' at a vigil for him on Friday

The disturbing pattern of people turning up in both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan have led a former FBI agent to suggest there may be a serial killer on the loose

At least 16 people have been found in the Windy City's waterways in the past year and a half

'Social media seems to fuel a lot of these conspiracy theories, but the investigators have to tune all that out and just do what they're supposed to do,' he said.

However, he added that 'I come from the school where you treat every death as if it's a homicide until proven otherwise, because you don't get a second chance to do it.'

At the end of 2022, Q98.5 reported that the Chicago Police Department and the FBI have been working together in an attempt to get to the bottom of this.

In 2022, Chicago led the nation for the 11th straight year with the highest number of homicides of any city, according to a report published this year.

Chicago had 697 total homicides in 2022, higher than Philadelphia (516), New York City (438), Houston (435), and Los Angeles (382).

The last time Chicago had fewer than 400 homicides was in 1965.

Crime remains a huge problem for the Windy City, with a shocking rise of 35 percent in offenses from last year's already high numbers.

Chicago police have yet to comment on whether they think the 16 bodies found are in any way connected, but former FBI agent Tracy Wilder believes there could be a serial killer involved

Crime remains a huge problem for the Windy City, with a shocking rise of 40 percent in offenses from last year's already high numbers

Nearly all crime has increased in Chicago since the same time in 2022.

Rapes have gone up by two percent, robberies are up 32 percent, with aggravated battery up four percent.

Theft in the windy city is up six percent, and vehicle thefts, specifically, have soared up 135 percent as of last week, according to the city's own statistics.
by Austin Bay June 28, 2023

A suspect deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin ended the short-lived but stunning Wagner Revolt.

Revolt it was. The Wagner force took Rostov, a major city and the site of the Russian Army's headquarters for the Ukraine War. A Wagner flying column with tanks and mechanized infantry rolled toward Moscow. Wagner forces fought at least two heavy skirmishes with Russian Army units and shot down a half-dozen helicopters and a couple of fixed-wing aircraft. That's real combat, not a Potemkin faux-revolt.

Putin angrily called Prigozhin a traitor. Prigozhin clearly launched an attack on the Russian state.

Prigozhin has made several claims. Since January he's criticized Defense Ministry warfighting decisions, bluntly arguing the war is run by corrupt incompetents. The Kremlin's recent decision to disband his mercenary organization outraged him. On June 10 Wagner fighters were told to sign government military contracts by July 1. Prigozhin also claimed his move was a response to an attack (presumably by the Russian Army) that killed over 30 Wagner fighters. "We started our march because of an injustice," he said in an audio statement. The Wall Street Journal reports he intended to seize senior Defense Ministry leaders traveling in southern Russia. When intelligence services exposed the plot, he attacked.

Prigozhin has done well for a brutal thug and a caterer. He casts himself and his men as Russian patriots fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Syria and Africa. He definitely has many Russian admirers.

With the plot exposed, it appears Prigozhin gambled his bold act would ignite a mass revolt. That's grandiose to the point of delusion. Capturing senior military leaders wouldn't end systemic military corruption. Fundamental change requires removing Putin. Despite the surprise foray, the battles and global media focus, after 24 hours of rumor, fear and doubt Putin clearly remained in control of the military and intelligence services. If Vlad fled the Kremlin (a rumor) he returned.

The Wagner column stopped, retreated to Rostov. Prigozhin's men returned to their cantonment areas.

In Russia, and definitely in Putin's Russia, traitors, real or imagined, are executed, or assassinated. Their accomplices die hideous deaths.

So the ostensible arrangement has a definite brow-wrinkling quality. Putin remains in power -- check. However, Prigozhin avoids execution and enjoys exile in Russia-dominated Belarus.

The traitor lives. How long? Stay tuned.

But here's Putin's short-term payoff: The brow wrinkling arrangement has the appearance of strength and stability.

The arrangement enables these Putin-desired events. The Russian Army absorbs the Wagner mercenary corps. The glorious war to absorb Ukraine in Putin's reviving Russian Empire continues.

But it ain't all over. The Wagner Revolt fizzled, but it left a lot of dead and wounded soldiers and several political losers.

Putin is a definite political loser. Prigozhin, a friend and protege, had the guts to challenge Putin and organize a conspiracy that advanced to the trigger-pulling stage.

Prigozhin didn't dispute Putin's big lie about the Ukraine War, that Russia is fighting Nazis and NATO. The merc commander did something more lethal: He directly challenged the Kremlin's veneer of competence and its mystical trust in overwhelming Russian military might.

Corrupted military might -- slipshod training, buying poorly manufactured weapons, officers pilfering maintenance funds -- doesn't win the war to conquer Ukraine but at the bottom line it doesn't defend Mother Russia.

After failing to win his "special operation" in February 2022, Putin has bet on waging a long war that will strain Ukraine's allies and ultimately destroy Ukraine by attrition.

Russian will is attriting. Russia's "long war" strategy may be another loser.

I distrust mercenary organizations. In August 2000 I recorded an NPR Morning Edition commentary expressing skepticism about the UN's proposal to hire mercenary peacekeepers. In the 14th century, Italian Condottieri (contractors) mercenary companies often disregarded the contracts with city-states and took power to themselves. Wagner has done that in the Central African Republic. Fair bet Prigozhin's Wagner trainers -- while working for Russia -- have made some money from filched CAR natural resources.

Mercenary organizations are another loser. With Wagner kaput the Kremlin has lost its "plausibly deniable" military and economic actor in Africa.

Ultimately, communist China is a loser. The Chinese Communist Party fears its own people. Tiananmen Square demonstrated that. Putin survived but in Chinese terms he's lost face. That loss will affect the painstakingly constructed Xi-Putin bromance.
A teenager was on bail and facing a string of charges when he allegedly helped steal a vehicle from a father reversing out of his driveway in a violent carjacking.

The 17-year-old was first granted bail by Queensland's Children's Court on April 27 after being charged with 94 offences including 38 break-ins and 28 car thefts.

The teen allegedly committed a series of offences between June 2 and June 6, including an alleged carjacking at Bulimba.

He was then arrested and charged with six more offences, bringing the total number of charges to 100, before he was granted bail on June 7.

The teenager mocked police on social media and gloated about being granted bail for a second time.

The 17-year-old boy was on bail while facing 94 charges including 38 break-in and 28 car theft offences when he mocked police on social media and allegedly violently carjacked a man

Police on June 24 applied to the court to have his bail revoked to ensure community safety, The Courier Mail reported.

Justice Peter Davis published his decision labelling the boy's offending as 'disturbing'.

'In relation to those dozens of offences, he has been the subject of probation, restorative justice orders, reprimands, community service, detention, and a good behaviour bond,' Justice Davis said.

The teen attempted to fight the application claiming in an affidavit that he was 'determined to break the cycle' and 'live my best life'.

The teen, who is now facing 100 charges, also has a criminal history spanning 'many pages' including assault, drug offending, burglary, break and enter, stealing, unlawful use of motor vehicles and dishonest offences.

On June 1, the Queensland teen is accused of breaking into and ransacking a car at a home in Redland Bay, a semi-rural coastal suburb 40km south east of Brisbane.

On the same day, the teen was also involved in allegedly stealing a Mazda from a home in Sherwood.

Three days later, the stolen Mazda was driven to a Bulimba home where the teen as part of a group armed with a machete and shovel.

Two males of the group allegedly held up a man at his home and stole his luxury car before driving it way in a convoy with the stolen Mazda.

The teen was arrested on June 6 and was allegedly found with five grams of cannabis concealed down his pants, according to The Courier Mail.

Justice Davis labelled the teen's offending as 'disturbing' claiming the alleged offending on June 4 was 'of a nature to endanger the public'.

The teen's solicitor submitted to the court conditions that could be imposed on the boy to prevent further offending including a curfew if he was granted bail for a third time.

After his most recent release on bail, the teen mocked police on social media claiming officers had no evidence and that a video of his arrest was 'cute'.

The 17-year-old was arrested on June 6 before he was granted bail the following day

Justice Peter Davis revoked his bail and added there were no conditions that he could impose to prevent the boy from reoffending or from endangering the community

Justice Davis accepted submissions that the teen had a 'difficult life' with periods of homelessness but did not accept he has made changes since he was first granted bail.

Justice Davis added there were no bail conditions that he could impose to prevent the boy from reoffending or from endangering the community.

'The point of the conditional bail program is to contribute to the respondent leading a lawful life. He has not been,' Justice Davis said.

'In my view, no conditions can be imposed which would adequately mitigate the unacceptable risk that the respondent will commit offences that will endanger the safety of the community or the safety or welfare of a person and consequently the grant of bail should be set aside.'
President Joe Biden made his gaffe confusing Ukraine for Iraq twice in the span of 24 hours, despite having a cheat sheet when addressing the Wagner uprising against Vladimir Putin.

Biden was asked on the South Lawn Wednesday how damaged Putin was in the aftermath of this weekend's aborted uprising by the Russian mercenary group.

The president said that Putin had 'absolutely' been weakened, but added, 'it's hard to tell really,' when asked to what extent.

'He's clearly losing the war in Iraq. He's losing the war at home and has become a bit of a pariah around the world,' Biden said, clearly meaning to say Ukraine.

The night before, however, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when he made the same mistake, according to White House transcripts.

This is just the latest in a string of gaffes for the octogenarian president as more-and-more voters become concerned about his ability to govern, especially with the 2024 president election looming large.

President Joe Biden answered questions on the South Lawn Wednesday ahead of his trip to Chicago. During the Q&A he referred to the Ukraine conflict as the 'war in Iraq'

President Joe Biden walked to Marine One carrying a cheat sheet that included talking points about the 'Vagner-Russia' conflict

The official White House transcript from the president's Q&A with reporters Wednesday morning shows how he called the Ukraine conflict the 'war in Iraq'

The night before, the president was speaking at a fundraiser in Chevy Chase, Maryland, when he made the same mistake, according to White House transcripts

'Think about this: If anybody told you - and my staff wasn't so sure, either - that we'd be able to bring all of Europe together in the onslaught on Iraq and get NATO to be completely united, I think they would have told you it's not likely. The one thing Putin counted on was being able to split NATO.'

The White House's copy of the remarks had Iraq crossed out and put 'Ukraine' in brackets to correct Biden.

Biden was not the only one to produce a gaffe regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar error critiquing Biden's mistake on 'The Five' Wednesday.

Watters - who was named Fox's replacement for Tucker Carlson beginning next month - was attempting to switch from slamming Biden's economic agenda to his foreign policy gaffe.

'And then he comes out and he confuses Iraq with Afghanistan,' Watters said, uncorrected, confusing Afghanistan with Ukraine.

Biden was not the only one to produce a gaffe regarding the situation, however, as Fox News host Jesse Watters made a similar error critiquing Biden's mistake on 'The Five' Wednesday

The president, 80, made his remarks Wednesday while heading to Chicago to deliver an address on what his White House is calling 'Bidenomics,' when he made the gaffe.

Photographers on the South Lawn captured a notecard the president walked out with.

The card read 'Daily News Summary' with the date.

It started with 'Vagner-Russia' with talking points listed below.

'This was an internal Russian matter,' the talking points read. 'Too soon to know.'

During a fundraiser Tuesday night in the tony D.C. suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Biden also said 'Iraq' when he was speaking about the war in Ukraine.

'Think about this: If anybody told you - and my staff wasn't so sure, either - that we'd be able to bring all of Europe together in the onslaught on Iraq and get NATO to be completely united, I think they would have told you it's not likely,' Biden said Tuesday night. 'The one thing Putin counted on was being able to split NATO.'

Some reporters are allowed into the room during Biden's fundraising efforts, but cameras - both video and still - are barred, so there's so recording of that blunder.

The official White House transcript from one of Biden's fundraisers Tuesday night in Chevy Chase, Maryland, shows that he said Iraq then too, instead of Ukraine

On Wednesday as the president walked toward Marine One he also bristled when asked about the branding effort around 'Bidenomics.'

Biden asserted it was the media - specifically The Wall Street Journal - who dubbed his economic agenda 'Bidenomics.'

However the White House has used the term in recent days - just as Democrats colloquially use 'Obamacare' to refer to the Affordable Care Act healthcare law.

'Well, look, you guys branded it. I didn't. I never called it 'Bidenomics,' and so I was asked a question,' the president said.

A reporter pointed out that the White House's economics team had been using the term in recent days.

'Now wait, let's get it straight. The first time it was used was in the Wall Street Journal. OK? And I don't go around beating my chest 'Bidenomics' so the press started calling it Bidenomics,' he said.

Despite his tone when answering the questions, Biden said he liked the term.

'No, I like it, it's fine,' he said, noting that it referred to 'my policies.'
For four years after fleeing to Israel amid investigations of child sexual abuse, Malka Leifer developed an 'allergy' to the legal system in an attempt to cause delays, prosecutors claim.

The former ultra-Orthodox Jewish principal was convicted earlier this year of raping and indecently assaulting Melbourne sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper when they were students at the Adass Israel School.

Leifer, a 56-year-old mother of eight, was principal and head of religion at the school until she was sacked by the board in 2008 when allegations first came to light.

She fled to Israel within days and after lengthy extradition proceedings returned to Australia in January 2020.

In a pre-sentence hearing on Thursday, prosecutors blamed Leifer for four of the years she spent in Israel.

Sisters Elly Sapper, Nicole Meyer and Dassi Erlich read statements about the impact of Malka Leifer's offending upon them in court. Pictured, Ms Sapper, Ms Meyer and Ms Erlich during a press conference outside court on Wednesday

Psychological reports presented in the Israeli courts accused Leifer of feigning mental illness to avoid extradition

Psychological reports presented in the Israeli courts accused Leifer of feigning mental illness to avoid extradition - a finding prosecutor Justin Lewis told the Victorian County Court was justified.

'It's some sort of allergy to the legal proceedings themselves,' Mr Lewis said, noting her mental health hospitalisations had almost always occurred in the days before hearings in her case.

'The proceeding has been extended by the acts of the accused in feigning mental illness for that very purpose,' he said of specific delays between 2014 and 2018.'

The claim followed arguments by Leifer's defence barrister, Ian Hill KC, on Wednesday that she is medicated daily for anxiety and depression after five years in custody, both in prison in Victoria and home detention in Israel.

Isolated and lonely, she chooses to remain in a cell, locked from the inside, in protective custody at Melbourne's high profile women's prison, the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, he said.

'She's lonely and without family and support and it is clear that it's having an effect on her mental health,' he said, describing her as a broken woman.

A former colleague at the Adass Israel School, Malky Fixler, provided a reference in support of Leifer.

'She observed Mrs Leifer to now be angry and agitated - that she had gone from being an upbeat and inspiring educator to an isolated, depressed shadow of her former self,' Mr Hill said.

Leifer was convicted in April of 18 charges including rape, indecent assault and sexual penetration of a child aged 16 or 17 over the abuse of Ms Sapper and Ms Erlich when they were students at the Adass Israel School between 2003 and 2007.

She was acquitted of nine charges, including five against the siblings' older sister Nicole Meyer.

The sisters returned to court for the hearing on Thursday, a day after reading statements about the impact of the offending upon them.

Ms Sapper said Leifer was the first person who told her she loved her - something she yearned for.

'Faced with the painful truth that her love wasn't real was a betrayal of such magnitude it left me broken,' Ms Sapper told Judge Mark Gamble.

Ms Erlich told Leifer the darkness she created would not define her.

'Instead I choose to focus on the light,' she said.

'I am resilient, I am powerful and I am so much more than the limitations you chose to impose on me.'

The hearing is continuing.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

beyondblue 1300 22 4636
A note on the toilet door of a rural fire station in the New South Wales Central West has exposed the plight of firefighters who've been without running water for nearly two months.

A leak at the Mudgee Fire Station, about 261km northwest of Sydney, left their indoor showers and toilets useless.

The problem was brought to light by the Fire Brigade Employees Union (FBEU) on social media.

A photo of a note taped to the Mudgee station's toilet door reads 'toilet u/s no water use toilets in backyard'.

A note (above) taped to the Mudgee station's toilet door reads 'toilet u/s no water use toilets in backyard'

The rural fire station (above) has gone nearly two months without running water due to hoses freezing in winter and a leak

But nearly two months on and even the temporary outdoor facilities have been rendered out of order due to water freezing in the hose used to supply them with early morning temperatures dropping below zero.

It's a major concern for the station's firefighters who are told to shower within an hour of fire incidents due to the possibility of exposure to carcinogenic chemicals.

'Mudgee's firefighters can't decontaminate after a fire,' the FBEU said in their Facebook post.

'You can't make this up. Honestly, we wish we were.'

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) regional operations assistant commissioner Cheryl Steer told Nine News an external contractor fixed the leak with copper piping.

But FBEU said they're worried the new pipes could freeze over.

Firefighters are told to shower within an hour of fire incidents due to the possibility of exposure to carcinogenic chemicals but cannot due to the water problem (pictured, temporary outdoor facilities)

'During that period temporary facilities were installed,' Ms Steer told Nine.

'That leak is in the process of being fixed with a view towards having the main shower facilities back in working order as soon as possible.

'Fire and Rescue NSW view the working conditions of our firefighters as a major priority.'

FBEU said: 'There's a temporary shower which is outside and it's around -5C most mornings.

'The temporary shower doesn't have enough room for firies [sic] to get changed.'

The union is also concerned over the size of change rooms, and the fact there aren't separate facilities for men and women.

In July, the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer declared firefighting as a cancer-causing profession.
An elderly South Australian couple, who died more than a year apart, may have been murdered by the same person, with concerns raised over suspicious toxicology reports.

Police say Brenda Anderson, 94, died in the Flinders Medical Centre, south Adelaide, in March last year.

Her husband Lynton, 94, died after being found unconscious by a carer at his home in May this year.

Detective Inspector Mark McEachern said concerns over Mrs Anderson's death were first raised during the coronial investigation, which unearthed the toxicology results.

Elderly Adelaide couple Brenda (left) and Lynton Anderson (right) died more than a year apart but police believe they both may have been murdered

Detective Inspector Mark McEachern (above) said toxicology reports suggest elderly couple Brenda and Lynton Anderson were poisoned

'When an innocent explanation for toxicology abnormalities was eliminated, the possibility of Mrs Anderson's death being a deliberate act by another party became the primary subject of the investigation,' Insp McEachern said.

'It is believed Mrs Anderson was killed by a person known to her and in close enough relationship to have been visiting her while she was in hospital.'

He said police had no concerns about the level of care she received in the hospital and had ruled out anyone there being involved.

Mr Anderson also died in hospital and a similarly concerning toxicology report was returned.

Brenda Anderson died in the Flinders Medical Centre (above) in March last year and her husband Lynton died after being found unconscious by a carer at his home in May this year

'Police have eliminated external carers involved with Mr Anderson's care as being involved in his death,' Insp McEachern said.

'We have identified a suspect and won't elaborate further.'

Detectives would like to speak to anyone who had contact with the couple, particularly anyone with knowledge of any prescription or non-prescription medications they were taking.
The rate of death in Australia remains well above the norm, with a rise in killer diseases other than Covid leaving doctors baffled.

In March there were 14,578 deaths registered in Australia, which is around 1,647 more than would be expected for that month according to the historical average.

This means the number of 'excess deaths' was 11.3 per cent above the norm, which also takes into account factors such as an ageing population, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

Of the those 1,647 excess deaths, only 247 were certified as directly due to Covid.

A further 117 died 'with' the disease, meaning they had other serious conditions besides the virus that may have caused their death.

Deaths otherwise surged due to cardiac conditions (up by nearly 20 per cent on the historical average), influenza and pneumonia (up by 17 per cent), dementia including Alzheimer's disease (up by 12.5 per cent) and cancer (8.3 per cent).

Excess deaths, which is the mortality rate above the historical norm, continues to run at alarmingly high figures in Australia

The main demographics dying in greater numbers were males over 85 years of age and females aged over 75.

For the year to March, Australia's mortality rate has been running at 11.8 per cent over the historical norm, with 4,451 more deaths than normal.

This is an improvement on the 2022 calendar year when the mortality rate ran at 15 per cent above average, with 25,235 excess deaths.

That alarming jump led to a Senate motion in April, sponsored by Victorian UAP Senator Ralph Babet, to hold an inquiry into why Australians are dying in such high numbers.

The move was voted down by the government and crossbench Senators including the Greens.

Senator Gerard Rennick has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the continuing excess deaths

Queensland LNP Senator Gerard Rennick, who voted for the inquiry, told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday it was still very much needed.

'We need an inquiry because we have a significant number of excess deaths and we need to know why these deaths occurred.'

Last September the head of Australia's peak doctor body, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), admitted doctors were baffled by the surge in deaths.

'There needs to be some research into why this is happening,' AMA President Professor Steve Robson told Daily Mail Australia.

He pointed to some 'likely factors' that could be a hangover from the Covid period of isolation and restrictions where people either couldn't or were scared of seeing a doctor because of infection risk.

'People have avoided going to see the doctor for regular checks or to talk about a problem with their health or delayed a trip to the doctor and consequently seen their condition become more serious,' Prof Robson said.

'We need to do more to prepare the health system, both to address the impact of Covid on things like waiting lists but also to deal with those patients who have delayed accessing care and now require more serious intervention.'

Among the killer conditions claiming more Australians are cancer, diabetes, dementia and heart conditions

In Australia's most locked-down state Victoria, more than 6,000 cancer cases were estimated to have been missed during the lockdown periods between April 2020 and April 2022, according to Cancer Council Victoria.

Prof Robson noted that excess deaths in Britain have been running about 10 per cent higher since the Covid pandemic, which has become a major political issue.

Senator Rennick called for an inquiry to also look into whether the Covid vaccines has contributed to the excess deaths.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says while the life-saving jabs are safe, around 1-2 in every 100,000 people who receive vaccine have developed the heart conditions myocarditis and pericarditis.

A landmark Covid vaccine injury class-action lawsuit was filed in April against the Australian government, the TGA and the Department of Health.

The nationwide suit, which reportedly has 500 members, seeks redress for those allegedly left injured or bereaved by the Covid vaccines.

'The TGA and regulators around the world continue to monitor and analyse Covid-19 vaccine safety data covering hundreds of millions of people, and the latest evidence from clinical trials and peer-reviewed medical literature,' a TGA spokesperson previously told Daily Mail Australia.

'This information continues to overwhelmingly support the safe and effective use of Covid-19 vaccines.'
A young woman who used assisted dying laws to end her life has been remembered at a moving funeral service, as her final moments are revealed by her close friend.

Lily Thai, 23, 'peacefully passed away' while surrounded by friends and family at Laurel Hospice at the Flinders Medical Centre on June 21.

Her difficult decision came after a years-long battle with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) - a rare condition where a person's body attacks their own nervous system.

The debilitating illness left Ms Thai in constant pain and unable to walk, drink or eat without being sick.

Loved ones attended Ms Thai's funeral service on Thursday, where she was remembered as being intelligent, loving, brave and compassionate.

A heart-wrenching funeral service has been held for Lily Thai, 23, who used assisted dying laws to end her life (pictured, Ms Thai on the right with friend Annaliese Holland)

Annaliese Holland, 23, who struck up a close friendship with Ms Thai in hospital as the pair battled the same illness, recalled her close friend's final moments as she delivered an emotional speech at the service.

'I was so honoured to be asked by Lily to be with her and hold her hand on Wednesday, and I pinky promised her, and I said I don't ever break pinky promises, and I didn't,' she said.

'Lily was surrounded by so much love. Her family and her two beautiful friends, along with myself, we cherished those last moments altogether.'

Ms Holland revealed Ms Thai's 'final wish' as she recalled their intimate conversations in hospital.

'I asked Lily what I could do for her, anything, and one wish was that she wanted her life to be celebrated and be known,' she said.

'She wanted her journey to be known to help others. I hope that I was able to allow her a voice to share her story on every level.'

'Secondly, she wanted her legacy to continue on in some way. She loved the idea of something charitable, something that could benefit others.'

Ms Holland promised to make the 21st of June every year 'Lily's Day', where lily flowers - Ms Thai's favourite flower - will be sold to raise money for charity.

She also promised Ms Thai to continue her work with the Hospital Research Foundation for the both of them.

Ms Holland (pictured right with her mother), who struck up a close friendship with Ms Thai in hospital as the pair battled the same illness, recalled her final moments at the service

Ms Thai (pictured) was remembered by loved ones as being intelligent, loving, brave and compassionate

'I'll always remember you, cherish you and keep you in my heart. We will be eating your dad's pizza like we said, up there together one day,' Ms Holland added.

'I promise you, I will fight until I can't. I won't stop spreading awareness and I'm going to raise much-needed awareness and donations because no one should have to go through what we have at 23.'

'I'll be in the clouds with you again.'

Ms Thai's mother, Kate, said she would 'treasure' the moments she spent with her daughter as she delivered the final speech at the service.

'(Lily) came into this world with eyes wide open and an abundant energy for love and life,' she said.

'She grew into a kind and compassionate young woman, engaging with people from many different walks of life. She became a beautiful young woman  intelligent, compassionate and brave.'

She ended her speech with the words uttered by her daughter's favourite fictional character, Winnie the Pooh.

'If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.'

Ms Thai selected a collection of her favourite music to play at her service before her death. She also planned to have her hair turned into natural diamonds.

Her coffin contained a collection of jewellery that was special to her, a number of soft toys, a silk eye mask, a painting of her cockatoo, her Scotch College blazer and a wooden cross given to her by her cardiologist.

Ms Holland said Ms Thai's 'final wish' was for 'her journey to be known to help others' and for her legacy to continue by doing something charitable. Ms Holland promised to make the 21st of June 'Lily's Day', where lily flowers would be sold to raise money for charity

Ms Thai's mother, Kate, said she would 'treasure' the moments she spent with her daughter as she delivered the final speech at the service

Since the age of 17, Ms Thai's debilitating illnesses had affected her quality of life, leaving her bedridden and unable to move.

She was receiving palliative care at the Laurel Hospice in the weeks before her death.

Ms Thai was the daughter of high flying culinary couple Le Tu Thai and Kate Sparrow.

Mr Thai is a Vietnamese refugee who became one of Adelaide's most respected chefs.

He and his partner Kate gained acclaim through their Nediz Tu restaurant before Mr Thai later took over the kitchen at the city's famous Bridgewater Mill restaurant.

One person who had been by Ms Thai's side was her close friend and ambulance officer Danika Pederzolli, 28.

Ms Pederzolli took Ms Thai out to the beach, with a heartwarming snap showing the pair sitting in the back of an open ambulance while enjoying the sight of the ocean and some McDonald's fries.

Having met Ms Thai through a St John's Ambulance cadet program, Ms Pederzolli said she would remember her friend's 'vibrant attitude, positive and warm presence'.

'She's such a positive and warm presence in your life and (such a) smart person,' she said. 'She was just so happy, and she's still like that now, she's no different.'

Ms Pederzolli described Lily as 'sunshine in human form' and wrote her a heartfelt note that she gifted to her along with a teddy bear.

Ambulance officer Danika Pederzolli took Ms Thai out to the beach, with a heartwarming snap showing the pair sitting in the back of an open ambulance while enjoying the sight of the ocean and some McDonald's fries

Ms Thai said her experience talking about AAG had been incredible with several people contacting her to show their support.

'Lots of people (who) I haven't spoken to in a long time (have been in touch), which has been absolutely beautiful,' she said.

Ms Thai had been not well enough to go outside in her final days and instead would remain in her bed while being comforted by her friends and family.

The medicine used to end her life under new assisted dying laws in South Australia was administered using an IV drip and she died within 10 seconds.
A businessman has won a bitter legal fight with his parents over ownership of a 2.3m family farm they agreed to buy over a Sunday pub lunch.

Sean Preson, 56, and his mother and father 'got on well and trusted each other' before deciding to club in and buy a farm together so he could look after them as they got older.

The decision was made while enjoying dinner at one of their favourite pubs in Leicestershire in 2002.

But the formerly warm relationship between Mr Preson and his parents, Ivan and Wendy, slowly crumbled over the years after they began to live side by side in two houses on Springfield Farm, Huncoate.

Sean claims his father threatened to kick his wife Janina, 55, and their two children out and 'make them homeless' in 2008 whilst he was away.

Judge Robin Vos has handed victory to Sean Preson (pictured outside the High Court) and his wife Janina, upping the value of their share of the farm from around 650,000 to 1.05m

The formerly warm relationship between Mr Preson and his parents, Ivan and Wendy, slowly crumbled over the years after they began to live side by side in two houses on Springfield Farm, Huncoate

And Sean's 85-year-old father accused his son and daughter-in-law of being 'horrible' to him and his wife, with Ivan saying that eventually: 'We wanted to get away from Sean and his family.'

The two couples eventually faced off in the High Court over ownership of the farm, with Sean and his wife complaining that they put in half the purchase price but were left with a share on paper worth just 28% of the total 2.3m value.

Now Judge Robin Vos has handed victory to Sean and Janina, upping the value of their share of the farm from around 650,000 to 1.05m.

During the trial of the case, the court heard that when the two couples bought the farm in 2003, each pair put in 300,000 to cover the 525,000 asking price and renovation costs.

It was agreed that Sean and his wife would get a derelict barn, which they renovated into their current 520,000 home, whilst his parents would get the farmhouse, also now renovated and worth 740,000.

But over the years, the couples fell out and began fighting over who owned what share of the rest of the farm.

On paper, Sean's parents owned a 923,000 area of land on which Sean built and paid for a stable block and menage for horses, whilst he and Janina owned fields worth 139,000. Each couple also owned their own homes.

But Sean and his wife sued, claiming the paper position did not reflect the true agreement as discussed at the Sunday lunch meeting at local watering hole The Nag's Head, in nearby Stapleton.

They said they agreed to share the land equally and that the actual paper ownership ended up skewed in favour of his parents simply because they had split the farmland into chunks to avoid higher stamp duty rates.

Now Judge Robin Vos has ruled that although each couple keeps their own home, the rest of the land should be pooled and split equally, upping the value of Sean and Janina's total stake in the farm to over 1m.

Sean's 85-year-old father (pictured outside court) accused his son and daughter-in-law of being 'horrible' to him and his wife, with Ivan saying that eventually: 'We wanted to get away from Sean and his family'

Sean claims his father threatened to kick his wife Janina (pictured outside court), 55, and their two children out and 'make them homeless' in 2008 whilst he was away

In the witness box, Sean told the judge that at the time of purchase, 'I had a very good relationship with my mother and my father. They were self-made people. I used to talk to them a lot about business deals.

'I was close to my mother.

'The farm was a joint purchase between both families. We bought the place together because my father had been very ill and in hospital.

'I pulled out of a deal to buy a farm by myself when my dad became gravely ill so I could be there for them in their later lives.

'We never had any real problem until we bought the farm in 2003. Then things started to change.'

His barrister, Stuart Benzie, told the judge: 'This is an unfortunate claim: all claims of this nature are unfortunate, and the dispute has emanated from a breakdown in the relationship between a family.

'In 2008, it was discovered that the barn was not registered in the names of Sean and Janina. The barn was and is their family home and this discovery caused great concern.

'The issue came to light when Ivan attended the barn when Sean was not present and told Janina that the barn was not registered in their name, and he threatened to make the family homeless.

'Sean and Janina contributed 50% of the cost, with the intention of acquiring 50% of the land, save for the dwellings. In this action all they seek is the fair allocation of the land that they agreed to.'

Sean's father Ivan told the judge that the paper position reflected the true nature of the pub agreement.

He and his wife, 83, were backed in their position by Sean's brother Dean and sister Suzanne Cooke, with Ivan and his wife having put their share of the land in a trust several years ago, to be held equally for the benefit of their three children upon their deaths.

Sean's parents were backed in their position by Sean's brother Dean and sister Suzanne Cooke (pictured outside court), with Ivan and his wife having put their share of the land in a trust several years ago, to be held equally for the benefit of their three children upon their deaths

Seab and his parents agreed to buy the farm together after enjoying a Sunday dinner together at The Nag's Head in Stapleton (pictured)

In his ruling, the judge said that 'prior to the purchase of Springfield Farm Sean and Janina (and) Ivan and Wendy...got on well together and trusted each other.

'In spring 2002 Sean and Janina were looking to purchase a property. They had put in an offer which had been accepted.

'However Ivan was diagnosed with a potentially life threatening condition and had to spend several weeks in hospital. Fortunately the diagnosis was wrong.

'After Ivan was discharged from hospital he and Wendy decided they would like to purchase a farm.

'Sean and Janina pulled out of the purchase of the property which they were proposing to purchase with the intention of joining in any purchase by Sean's parents so that they could continue to live close to them and be able to look after them should they have health problems in the future.

'Where the claimants' names are not on the register, the initial burden is to establish an intention that they should have a beneficial interest in the property.

'The parties' intentions must be deduced objectively from their words and actions.

'The claimants rely on the fact that the disputed land was transferred into the sole names of Ivan and Wendy and also that Sean and Janina contributed half of the purchase price.

'This is one of those difficult cases. Not only is there directly conflicting evidence from the parties as to what was agreed; there are elements of the subsequent actions and conduct of the parties which support each of their positions.

'Taking into account all of the relevant evidence I have concluded that the claimants' understanding of the agreement which was reached reflects the true intentions of the parties, being that the farmhouse should be owned by Ivan and Wendy, the barn by Sean and Janina, and the remainder of the property would be owned in equal shares.

'Taken as a whole, the evidence relating to the initial purchase in my judgment strongly supports the existence of an agreement that the (land) should be owned jointly,' he concluded.

The judge ordered that the disputed land held in Ivan and Wendy's sole names should be transferred jointly into the names of Sean, Janina and his brother Dean as trustee of the trust Ivan and Wendy have put their half of the farm into.

The land owned solely by Sean and Janina was ordered to be transferred into joint names with Sean's parents.
Staff member can be seen removing belongings from hogged pool loungers

The Viva resort on the Spanish island is putting a stop to the tense sunbed wars

This is the satisfying moment Mallorcan 'sunbed police' took revenge on hotel guests who had reserved loungers.

A staff member appears fed up as he swiftly removes towels and inflatables used to hog beds by the pool at the Viva resort on the Spanish island.

Dubbed the 'towel police' by TikToker John McGowan, the worker can be seen shoving holidaymakers' belongings into plastic bags.

He even walks around the pool area with a stopwatch and clipboard to time how long each sunbed has been reserved for, Mr McGowan explained.

If the hogger has not returned within 30 minutes, their items are removed from the beds.

The Mallorca hotel's 'sunbed police' are captured getting revenge on guests who have reserved loungers

The 'towel policeman' can be seen shoving all the holidaymakers' belongings into plastic bags

It is generally accepted in Spanish resorts that a towel left on a sunbed is claimed by its owner for the entire day. The origin of this rule is not known, though it is thought to be a German invention.

One commenter quipped: 'Well done to this resort. Hope others take note. It might make people's hols less stressful if the towel dash doesn't happen anymore.'

Sunbed wars have long been a common start to the mornings of British holidaymakers' trips abroad.

Although not all hotels allow this rule, when in place it can create heated competition between holidaymakers desperate to enjoy themselves more than their neighbours.

Hilarious footage of guests at the four-star Spring Hotel Bitacora, Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, shows crowds of desperate tourists waiting next to their resort's swimming pools and descending en masse to grab the best spots at the earliest possible time.

Brits armed with swimming togs and sun cream raced past rival holidaymakers with a grim determination to secure their place in the sun for a day.

Some were reported to queue for 90 minutes first thing in the morning - waiting for some unknown signal before stampeding past opposing tourists towards the sun loungers.

Meanwhile at the Camp de Mar in Majorca a holidaymaker was shocked to see next-level towel reservation after sunbed hogs puts their towels down on the floor at the entrance to the pool area.

Photos show beach bags and towels placed in an orderly queue leading to the closed-off pool area so hotel guests can secure their sun bed the moment that it opens.

Holidaymaker Geoff said: 'In an effort to control the sunbed madness, the door from the hotel to the pool area was kept locked until 8am.

No compromise: Holidaymakers made the dash to claim the best sunbeds ahead of their opponents

'So people were lining their towels up on the floor in a queue order by the door before it opened. I must add this wasn't youngsters, but mostly elderly and middle-aged people,' he told the Mirror.

Discussing the behaviour of the other guests at a four-star hotel in Camp de Mar, he said: 'The towel line actually went back much further (than the picture shows) and the owners were seated on the sofas just out of sight, ready to fly outside when the door was unlocked.

'I don't know what time they started, but we were up at 6.30am one morning to grab breakfast before an excursion, and there was already an established towel queue forming at the door. Crazy behaviour!'

Meanwhile, a holiday hero spoke out earlier this year against some 'entitled' tourists who reserved sun loungers for nine hours while he and his wife were on holiday in Bali.

Newlyweds Thom Aspland and Lisa were honeymooning at Bali's Grand Barong Resort where they were met by unfurled towels on sun loungers at 6.30am.

After returning at 1pm and seeing the chairs untouched, the couple waited for a further hour of no movement, before finally ditching the reserving towels and taking the spot themselves.

Hilarious footage captured the moment a holidaymaker (in black T-shirt) bagged five sun loungers by sprinting through the sun beds before throwing his towels on the best pool-side spots

They were met at 3.30pm by the shocked pair of 'entitled' tourists 'iPads and books in hand'.

The couple were even sure to teach their competitors a lesson by ushering other tourists in their place as they left.

Speaking to Yahoo News, Thom said: 'We definitely thought they were entitled, but were surprised they didn't confront us.'

He assumed that the lack of confrontation was down to the fact that 'they knew what they had done'.

Thom also noted the hilarious extent of the couple's pettiness in getting on the beds in the first place.

'We didn't even want the beds,' he said, but the compulsion to prove a point was too strong.

'Many places here have an hour rule, so we just made sure we gave them an hour once we got in the pool,' he added.

He revealed that he and Lisa had been looking on from the bar for two hours before making their move.

He also gave comical detail about the approach of the pair who thought they would get away with the nine-hour reservation, saying that 'they quickly walked towards the chairs, then stopped and looked at each other to pause'.

'They then frantically looked for their two personal towels' before departing to their hotel room never to be seen again,' he said.

The happy couple made absolutely certain that they proved their point when they left by passing the beds on to a mother and daughter after telling them the whole story.

Thom shared the 'petty' revenge story online with droves of followers agreeing that leaving towels on seats all day was 'sun hogging' and disrespectful.

'Am I the only one hoping there's a day two to this situation,' one person said.

Another wrote: 'Proof that not all heroes wear a cape.

'Would shout you both a Bintang if I were there.'

'I would've done the same except I wouldn't have waited - if they weren't there using them its free for all,' a third added.

Some also commended the couple for waiting the hour that they did.

Thom then posted an update of the empty poolside chairs on the following morning as a sign of victory.

'Free all morning,' he declared.

In August, the hilarious moment a holidaymaker bagged five sun loungers by sprinting towards them before throwing his towels on the best pool-side spots was posted on TikTok by a guest who filmed the chaotic scene from her balcony at the Paradise Park Hotel in Los Cristianos, Tenerife.

The video shows a large pool surrounded by a decked terrace, moments before several people emerge and start running towards the sunbeds.

One man dressed in yellow can be seen sprinting towards the loungers with several towels on his arm. He skipped past rows of other chairs until he reached the ones in the prime pool-side spot.

While the other guests made their way towards the loungers, he took a shortcut to arrive there first and threw his towels down to claim the seats at an impressive speed.

This wasn't the first time the man was on the hunt, as another video showed him in a black T-shirt securing the best spot.

Jess Clarke, who filmed the crowd, captioned her video: 'Day Three Sunbed Wars'.

It quickly gained more than 11,000 likes and hundreds of comments were left by viewers saying, 'Love it, so funny' or remarking, 'I've never seen sunbed wars that bad'.

Another commented: 'Guy in yellow put in a proper shift.'

A fourth said: '9am sunbed wars paradise park Tenerife what a sight.'

One user recognised the man from Ms Clarke's previous video titled 'Day 1'.

The hotel is known for sunbed reservation races and similar scenes were captured on camera last year.

Thom Aspland's 'victory' post on Facebook saw him pictured with his wife Lisa. 'Free all morning,' he declared, with reference to the empty poolside chairs

A viral TikTok video from July shows tourists at the Tenerife hotel making a shameless dash for the best poolside spot.

Footage shows a crowd of holidaymakers show up at a pool at Paradise Park just as it opens.

They then drop their towels on the hotspot's best loungers  with some even glancing around guiltily as they do it.

TikTok user Sarah, whose clip has already garnered more than five million views in just one day, simply captioned it: 'The Sunbed Race'.

Paradise Park spokesman Rafael Ruiz-Benitez de Lugo told MailOnline last year: 'We were amused to see it - considering that our hotel has five swimming pools and areas with space and sunbeds for everyone.

'Although we see quite a bit of talent among our guests for obstacle races.'

Tourists in Palma de Mallorca raced to reserve a sun lounger at 9am as they sprinted alongside the pool

Some appeared to be sprinting at full speed as they overtook others in the mad rush for the limited seats

As soon as 9am struck, the competing holidaymakers started to run beside the pool adjacent to the hotel

Footage shared on TikTok shows the horde decked out in their hats and towels ready for a day of basking in the Majorcan heat

Weeks before, in June last year, sunbed-blockers had their towels taken away by hotel staff at another resort in Tenerife.

Holidaymaker Amanda Proctor filmed the moment the workers picked up dozens of towels that guests had laid out on empty sun loungers in a bid to reserve the best seats next to the pool at the five star Gran Costa Adeje Hotel in southern Tenerife.

Ms Proctor said that the staff at the hotel, which features four pools, took the guests' bags and towels and left a note on the chairs telling them where to collect their belongings.

The holidaymaker said there was a sign at the hotel saying guests were not allowed to reserve sunbeds before 10am.

A spokesman at the hotel told MailOnline: 'At GF Gran Costa Adeje, we defend the right of all our guests to enjoy our pools and we ask everyone to respect our policy.

'All guests will have their space in our solarium. In this situation, our colleague, like the entire GF Gran Costa Adeje team, is a hero without a cape. We are very happy with the reaction to the video and from our customers.'
Vladimir Putin has been consolidating support in Russia following last week's failed Wagner rebellion with a rare meet-and-greet that saw him cheered by a crowd as he posed for selfies with young girls.

Footage from last night's event - a presidential appearance during a trip to the city of Derbent in the Dagestan region of southern Russia - showed how he dived into a nighttime crowd like a Hollywood actor at a red carpet show.

Seemingly imbued with fresh energy after averting a small scale civil war last week, the normally stoic and isolated Putin was uncharacteristically personable, shaking hands and planting kisses on the head of a young teenage girl who gushed over him and pleaded with her mother to snap a photo of her with the president.

In another bizarre moment he shakes hands with - and appears to adjust something on the uniform of - an officer carrying what may be his nuclear briefcase.

He has not greeted his security apparatchiks in such a way previously.

The scene was markedly different to the extreme measures of the last few years which have enforced strict quarantines for anyone outside of Putin's close circle before meeting with him.

His transformative behaviour - described as 'astounding' by the Kremlin on Thursday - has led many, including senior Russian figures, to fuel speculation that the Putin greeting adoring fans in Dagestan was in fact a body double.

Vladimir Putin took part in a rare meet-and-greet that saw him mobbed by a crowd as he posed for selfies with young girls

Russian president Vladimir Putin is seen snapping a selfie with an adoring teen from Dagestan

The normally stoic and isolated Putin was uncharacteristically personable, shaking hands and planting kisses on the head of a young teenage girl

Putin meets with people in a street in Derbent in the southern region of Dagestan, Russia, June 28, 2023

Putin has not been seen greeting crowds in such a way since before the pandemic

In another bizarre moment he shook hands with - and appeared to adjust something on the uniform of - an officer carrying what may be his nuclear briefcase

Putin visits the Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent in Russia's Republic of Dagestan on June 28, 2023

Moscow has insisted that Putin's long rule has not been weakened after Wagner mercenaries marched hundreds of miles - almost reaching Moscow - and captured military facilities in southern Russia, appearing to gain some support.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Putin's visit: 'In Derbent, there was an astounding demonstration of support and happiness of the local population.'

He said Putin 'could not refuse' greeting the crowd.

It comes as a recent picture of Putin with Chechen republic head Ramzan Kadyrov showed the president appearing bloated with mottled skin.

Putin is rarely seen meeting ordinary Russians, especially since the Covid pandemic, which saw him observe strict isolation rules, some of which are still in place.

For this reason, many eyebrows were raised about the public appearances.

A longtime Moscow diplomat said today: 'It is getting impossible to believe that there is only one Putin.

'There are several - very good lookalikes, yet they behave somewhat differently.

'This one diving into the crowd in Dagestan behaves differently to the traditional Putin.'

Commentator Viktor Alksnis, a Soviet military tactician and politician who is now a Western-based analyst known as the Black Colonel, said: 'Why is Putin meeting with visitors in the Kremlin after their two-week quarantine and at a great distance, while in Derbent is calmly into the crowd and even hugs and kisses some citizens?

'How can the physical security of the president be ensured under such conditions?

'Something is not right here. It looks like a theatrical production in which Putin is not really Putin.'

And pro-war Russian nationalist and former FSB colonel Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin declared for certain that it was a Putin double in Dagestan some 1,250 miles south of Moscow.

'A person vaguely resembling the president - and not at all requiring compliance with the two-week quarantine necessary to get an appointment with [Putin] - was walking around Derbent,' he said.

Another explanation may be that Putin flew to the remote region in the Caucasus to visit a city where a presidential tour is a major occasion and the crowd would be highly enthusiastic.

His former speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov said: 'Putin needs a picture surrounded by people so much now that for this he even forgot about Covid, quarantine and social distance.

'Apparently, it was impossible to provide an enthusiastic reception in Moscow or any other Russian region, so he had to fly to [Dagestan].

'Here.it is easier to organise an enthusiastic crowd.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) watches a show during a working trip to Dagestan, in Derbent, Russia's Republic of Dagestan, June 28 2023. The growth of domestic tourism in Russia is provided, among other things, by sanctions from a number of states, said Russian President Vladimir Putin

Fans clamour to meet and greet Vladimir Putin as he tours the city of Derbent in Dagestan

Putin parts members of his security team to greet adoring fans

A recent picture of Putin with Chechen republic head Ramzan Kadyrov showed the Russian president appearing bloated with mottled skin

Putin on his way to Russia's Republic of Dagestan on June 28, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C-R) visits the Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent

Independent news outlet Agentstvo said it was the first time since before the pandemic that Putin had been seen in such a crowd.

'For the first time since March 2020, the president did not keep his distance and even kissed the child,' said the outlet's Telegram channel.

'At the same time, two weeks ago, all the guests who met with him continued to strictly observe quarantine.'

Kirill Martynov, editor of independent Novaya Gazeta Europe, said: 'This is all very strange.

'The place of meeting is strange, as is Putin hugging people all of a sudden. He normally doesn't do that. Where is the [long] table? It's a riddle.

'I really don't like stupid conspiracy theories but the feeling that there are two Putins is growing.

'It might be the same person, but different behaviour models. One sits in quarantine, one can be hugged in Derbent.'

Malyuta Skuratov Telegram channel reported: 'It is much easier to believe that this is a double than that Putin dared to approach a crowd of people who apparently were not in quarantine.'

Yet it was also possible that the entire rent-a-crowd had been quarantined ahead of his visit.

Telegram channel General SVR - which claims almost all recent Putin appearances have been by body doubles due to him suffering from cancer and other health problems - said: 'The doppelganger hugged and kissed with absolutely unfamiliar old women and young ladies, including, apparently, minors, and the number of handshakes of the president's double with strangers exceeded all reasonable limits

'In general, the show was a success, ''Putin'' in Derbent was greeted more emotionally than Kim Jong-un.'

The channel claims that actors have undergone plastic surgery to resemble Putin and are being deployed when to meet crowds of people or when the president is incapacitated.

While Putin - or his double - makes the rounds in Russia, across the border in Ukraine his forces are suffering from counterattacks.

Kyiv said on Thursday that its forces were making slow gains around Bakhmut and were engaging in 'fierce' fighting with Russian forces around the embattled east Ukraine town.

Ukrainian soldiers on a Swedish CV90 infantry fighting vehicle at their positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, June 25, 2023

Ukrainian forces are pushing back into Bakhmut city

Destruction is seen on an apartment building in a civilian district of Lyman City as the Russia - Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast on June 25, 2023

An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 22

'We have advances near Bakhmut and are continuing. We are moving,' the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a post on social media.

Russian forces, aided by fighters from the Wagner mercenary group, announced their capture of Bakhmut in May after months of gruelling warfare for the now-destroyed town that once was home to some 80,000 people.

Ukrainian forces have since been posting painstaking grains around the flanks of the city after announcing a highly-anticipated counter-offensive earlier this month.

Deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar separately said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces had seized the 'operational advantage' around Bakhmut and were on the offensive.

'Our troops are gnawing away at every meter of the enemy's land in this fierce battle,' she said in a statement, adding: 'They are making progress'.

'The enemy is trying to hold their positions, conducting counter-attacks but is gradually retreating after suffering losses'.

The Russian defence ministry has not recently conceded any lost ground around Bakhmut and said in its latest military briefing that it was repelling Ukrainian attacks in the eastern Donetsk region.

The complete capture of the industrial territory is now Moscow's main military goal in the invasion launched last February. The Kremlin has claimed Donetsk and three other Ukrainian regions are part of Russia.

Moscow said last week that Ukrainian forces were taking advantage of an aborted uprising by Wagner forces inside Russia to prepare attacks around Bakhmut.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been left needing to strike a 'private deal' with King Charles to stay in royal homes when in the UK after finally leaving Frogmore Cottage, it is claimed.

The last of the couple's possessions have been shipped to California and the keys returned six months after they were given their marching orders, cutting it fine before their deadline.

The pair are now without a UK base and may have to stay with friends or book hotels next time they return to the country. But it seems likely the couple will be footing any bills themselves given the renewed focus on tightening royal spending.

If the Sussexes do want to stay in a royal residence, they will have to reach an agreement with the King before doing so, The Sun reports.

In January, it was revealed the Sussexes were served with an eviction notice on Frogmore just days after Harry's tell-all memoir Spare was published.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally vacated Frogmore Cottage in Windsor - six months after the King gave them their marching orders

The couple were presented with the five-bedroom, Grade II-listed property on the Windsor estate as a wedding gif by the late Queen

The couple were given an eviction notice from Frogmore in January, just days after the publication of Harry's tell-all memoir Spare (Pictured: King Charles III)

The Grade II-listed cottage, which boasts five bedrooms and is noted for its homely charms, is due to be rented out.

READ MORE: IT'S THE COST OF LIVING (IN PALACES) CRISIS FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY Advertisement

It is unknown whether Prince Andrew will vacate nearby 31-room Royal Lodge to move in, following suggestions the King had planned to move his brother.

Frogmore, given a 2.4million makeover by the Sussexes, is unlikely to be empty for long according to insiders.

It was presented to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as a wedding gift by Queen Elizabeth II, but they stayed at the cottage for just six months.

Sir Michael Stevens said: 'We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage.'

He added the Royal family now has a 'a greatly enhanced asset'.

The prince last stayed in Frogmore when giving evidence at a phone hacking trial earlier this month.

It is believed he and his wife would have to reach a private agreement with the King if they wished to stay in any royal premises again.

The money spent on renovations was repaid to taxpayers by Prince Harry.

After news of their eviction broke, the couple were said to be 'actually ok' with the decision and had an approach of 'it is what it is'.

Meghan and Harry were said to have acknowledged 'they were very privileged' to have a home in the UK and in the US, but accepted it was 'not going to work for them'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pictured inside their Frogmore Cottage kitchen in their Netflix documentary

'The most alarming thing was that it was a gift from Her Majesty the Queen, and now it is no longer that. But it's OK,' the source told them.

The couple (pictured in Frogmore) were given notice after Harry released his memoir Spare in January

While the Sussexes stayed at Frogmore Cottage following the Queen's death, they have only been there a few times since leaving the UK three years ago.

Elsewhere, Royal aides may be watching nervously after a three-month delay was announced for the release of a new book by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's cheerleader Omid Scobie.

Yesterday, Scobie tweeted his new book titled 'Endgame' - a 'penetrating investigation' about the Royal Family's 'fight for survival' - would be published on November 21, three months after its original August date.

He promised the book will be full of 'unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations'.

It is thought the publishing date could have been moved to give the author a chance to include inside material through and beyond the King's coronation.

Prince Harry notably was sat in the third row of the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and played no formal role in the proceedings, jetting off after less than 24 hours in the UK.

Omid Scobie announced the release of Endgame last year but has announced the publication date as November 21, 2023

Scobie (pictured in London in June this year) rose to prominence after writing Founding Freedom, a laudatory biography about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

With no sign of any reconciliation between the duke and his father and brother, a change of publication date leads to concerns Scobie could wring every drop out of the row between the family.

Commenting on Scobie's announcement, royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams said: 'He's writing about the royal family and he's also Harry and Meghan's unofficial spokesperson, some sensational details are bound to follow. However, how well sourced are they?

'No reputable royal source would talk to Omid Scobie.'

The author's previous title, Finding Freedom, covered the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals.

Mr Fitzwilliams went on: 'His book, co-written with Carolyn Durand, Finding Freedom, which the Sussexes were discovered to have cooperated with despite their denials, was badly written and pathetically inadequate.

'His new book is entitled Endgame. Some might think the title refers to the current state of the Sussexes' affairs. It is worth remembering that they reportedly had a four-book deal with Random House.

'Spare, Harry's memoir, contained some highly Ill-judged passages including the number of Taliban he killed on his second tour of duty of Afghanistan.'

Following the leak of Spare in January, ex-Army chief Colonel Richard Kemp called Harry's comments 'ill-judged' and said soldiers are not trained to regard their targets as 'subhuman' - while former National Security Adviser Lord Darroch said he would have cautioned the Duke from disclosing his kill count.

Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'Much of Endgame is not likely to be taken seriously. It is likely to be a sensational attempt to cash in on the Sussexes' rift with the royal family. I suspect it will be trusted as much as anything from the Sussexes' corner should be.

A six-part Netflix TV series called Harry & Meghan was released in December last year

'It will be assumed to have been written with their approval as Finding Freedom provably was. What is really worrying is, what comes next. Ironically it seems to be the Sussexes who, to quote Endgame's blurb 'fight for survival' not the royal family.'

READ MORE - YouTube star accuses the Sussexes of 'DEFAMING' her in Netflix docuseries Advertisement

Scobie announced his second book last year, in which he said Endgame would 'pull back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future'.

According to a statement released by the publisher: 'On September 8, 2022, the world stood still as news broke of Queen Elizabeth II's passing.

'Her death dismantled the protective shield around the world's most famous family, and saw a long-simmering crisis of confidence in the British monarchy begin to resurface.

'Now, with unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations, journalist Omid Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future.

'This is the monarchy's endgame. Do they have what it takes to save it?'

Mr Scobie, who is the royal editor of US website Harper's Bazaar, has been a firm cheerleader for Harry and Meghan over recent years, having co-authored a highly sympathetic biography of the couple in 2020.

He is one of the closest journalists to Harry and Meghan since their move to America.

It comes at a difficult time for Harry and Meghan, with Spotify announcing earlier this month that it was dropping the Duchess's podcast, Archetypes.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is planning a reshuffle of his top team that could give his deputy Angela Rayner a wide-ranging brief like that covered by Tony Blair's lieutenant John Prescott.

The Opposition Leader is said to be considering handing Ms Rayner the shadow housing and levelling-up brief instead of her role covering the Cabinet Office.

This move, which could come as early as next month, according to the Times, would give her a role important to the party's aim of recovering its Red Wall heartland seats in the North and Midlands.

It would also draw parallels with Mr Prescott, now Lord Prescott, who was deputy Labour leader and Deputy PM under Blair, while also acting as Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

But it would involve demoting Lisa Nandy, the former shadow foreign secretary, for the second time in less than two years.

The Opposition leader is said to be considering handing Ms Rayner the shadow housing and levelling-up brief to add to her role covering the cabinet office.

It would draw parallels with Mr Prescott, now Lord Prescott, who was deputy Labour leader and Deputy PM under Blair, while also acting as Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

It would involve Keir Starmer demoting Lisa Nandy, the former shadow foreign secretary, for the second time in less than two years.

One Cabinet source told the paper Ms Rayner would be best at health or education, having done the latter job for four years under Jeremy Corbyn. But another said: 'Our big domestic briefs are already taken.'

A party spokesman today declined to comment.

Yesterday Ms Nandy signalled a fresh threat to build on green belt land after setting out Labour's plans to tackle the housing crisis.

She said there were difficult choices that must be faced to build the houses we need in a speech to the Housing 2023 conference in Manchester.

And she said politicians should not be afraid of the taboo around the green belt, in an indication that a Labour government would target currently protected areas to fix the national shortage of houses.

She claimed that Tory housebuilding policy was defined by cowardice after Rishi Sunak was accused of giving in to Nimby pressure last year when he made the target of building 300,000 houses a year in England advisory rather than mandatory.

The move was designed to appease backbenchers, but was partly blamed on the Tories dismal showing at last months local elections.

Labour has already said it would restore the 300,000 target if it won the next general election.

Others who could be moved include party chairwoman and shadow qualities minister Anneliese Dodds, after several missteps over trans rights.

Shadow environment secretary Ed Miliband is also believed to be safe, despite some fears he is greener than the rest of the party leadership.

Reshuffles have been a bone of contention between Sir Keir and Ms Rayner, whose position of deputy leader is safe as it is voted on by party members.

In 2021 a reshuffle sparked a row with allies of Ms Rayner, who is popular with the party left, who accused him of seeking to overshadow a speech she was giving.

He used it to remove the last remaining Corbynistas from the front bench and promote a slew of centrists.
BBC News at Ten anchor Huw Edwards has admitted he fears using Twitter in case he falls foul of impartiality rules.

The broadcaster, 61, revealed his concerns over a potential social media backlash in the wake of the row over Gary Lineker's tweets which likened the Government's migrant crackdown to 1930s Germany.

Edwards, who is paid between 410,000 and 414,000, added that he felt working for the corporation made employees a target for criticism.

'I have to be careful about what I say,' he is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying.

'I can't be in a position where I'm straying into something political. So I do far less on social media than I used to.

BBC News at Ten anchor Huw Edwards has admitted he fears using Twitter in case he falls foul of impartiality rules

BBC presenter Huw Edwards, 59, says 'angry' man told him to take his face mask off

The newsreader went on Twitter to tell everyone about what had happened on the train

'I don't go on social media unless I'm careful and that includes what you like and what you might retweet.'

Previous controversies involving Huw Edwards 2019: He defends himself against accusations of political bias after he 'liked' a tweet saying 'Vote Labour for the National Health Service.' 2020: He defends wearing a Welsh face mask on a train 'to protect others and show respect to NHS staff' 2021: He is ordered to take down a tweet which joked about using a Welsh flag as the backdrop for the News At Ten 2022: He apologises for criticising a journalist for the apparent use of Welsh stereotypes Advertisement

Edwards revealed a number of BBC stars have stepped back from social media over fears of ending up in hot water, having been at the centre of controversy himself at times in recent years.

In 2019, he defended himself against accusations of political bias after he 'liked' a tweet saying 'Vote Labour for the National Health Service.'

He claimed he had not noticed the 'vote Labour' message, and was purely showing his support for the health service.

Two years later, Edwards was the subject of controversy when he joked that the Welsh flag would be the backdrop to the News at Ten - before taking it down 'by order'.

His tweet came after colleague Naga Munchetty was 'reminded of her responsibilities' by the corporation for liking a series of anti-Tory tweets after she and co-host Charlie Stayt ridiculed a minister for having a Union flag and a portrait of the Queen in his office.

Despite social media users accusing the presenters of breaching BBC impartiality rules, 195,000-a-year presenter Miss Munchetty liked tweets praising her and Mr Stayt over the incident, further fuelling the row.

It then went a step further when Mr Edwards had his say, posting a picture of the Welsh national flag, with the caption: 'Flags are now mandatory - very pleased with my new backdrop for @BBCNews at Ten'.

However, just hours later, he deleted the tweet and followed it up with a fresh message, suggesting corporation bosses had told him to remove it.

Alongside a picture of the BBC flag, he wrote: 'Gutted. My pro-flag tweet has been cut down in its prime. By order. But it will be back tomorrow  by popular demand. Meanwhile enjoy this magnificent flag  one of my favourites.'

Huw Edwards' tweets during the 'flag row' involving the corporation back in 2021

The broadcaster, 61, revealed his concerns over a potential social media backlash in the wake of the row over tweets by Gary Lineker (pictured), which likened the Government's migrant crackdown to 1930s Germany

In another incident at the height of the Covid pandemic, he claimed he was accosted and asked to remove his Welsh face mask on a train because his fellow passenger was 'offended' by the dragons emblazoned across it.

The newsreader, who boxes in his free time, suggests he stood his ground and refused to remove the mask after the altercation.

He posted a photo of himself on social media immediately after the incident, frowning and still sporting the mask.

He wrote: 'Angry man on the tube demands I take off mask. Turns out he was offended by the Welsh theme.

'Anyway, I'm still going to wear a mask on public transport and indoor spaces - to protect others and show respect for NHS staff.'

Elsewhere, last year, the newsreader apologised and deleted a tweet which criticised an article in the Telegraph for the use of Welsh stereotypes which appeared in the first paragraph.

Admitting he only read the introduction because the site sits behind a paywall, he then removed his initial criticism and said he did not endorse the writer - who is also Welsh - receiving abuse on social media.

Huw Edwards, 61, raised a glass with his mother as he brushed off the redundancy letters

Then in April, Edwards laughed off the BBC sending redundancy letters to some of its most famous news presenters, dismissing it a 'standard HR exercise' as he raised a glass.

The veteran broadcaster signalled little concern over the message sent him, Reeta Chakrabarti, Clive Myrie and Sophie Raworth.

Ms Raworth showed her agreement with her colleague by retweeting the post.

Cash-strapped Corporation chiefs are trying to save costs by restructuring its news division and have has written to all its senior TV and radio presenters asking them to consider voluntary redundancy.

Their radio colleagues Nick Robinson and Justin Webb, who host the station's flagship Today programme, have also received them.

Posting a picture of him sipping a drink with his mother Aerona Protheroe he declared online: 'Reality check. A standard HR exercise by BBC News (one of many over the years) is just that.

'A standard invitation to consider applying for voluntary redundancy. Nothing more. As my mam says, don't believe everything in the papers.'

The voluntary redundancy letter is understood to have come from Philippa Busby, the interim managing editor of news and current affairs.

Edwards' comments about social media come after Match of the Day star Lineker was sensationally taken off air in March after refusing to back down over his controversial tweets.

It sparked a major crisis for the BBC and a humiliating climbdown as Lineker agreed a deal which allowed him to tweet about refugees and climate change.
Rishi Sunak today said he 'fundamentally disagrees' with a Court of Appeal ruling that found the Rwanda scheme to be unlawful and will challenge it in the Supreme Court.

Three judges agreed by a majority of two to one that Rwanda was not 'a safe third' country, putting a halt to plans to deport Channel migrants to the East African nation so they could claim asylum there.

The decision is a major blow to the Government's flagship Illegal Migration Bill and the Prime Minister's personal pledge to 'stop the boats'.

It was promptly criticised by both Tory MPs and the Rwandan government, who insisted their country was 'one of the safest in the world'.

Mr Sunak said the government 'should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs' and an appeal would be made to the Supreme Court. When this will happen is not yet clear, judges say it should be 'as swiftly as possible'.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman added that she remains 'fully committed' to the Rwanda plan and was 'disappointed' with the decision. Meanwhile, asylum campaigners declared a major victory and called on ministers to scrap the policy.

Rishi Sunak announced today that he 'fundamentally disagrees' with the Court of Appeal's ruling and will seek permission to appeal it in the Supreme Court

Home Secretary Suella Braverman on a March visit to Bwiza Riverside Houses in Kigali, where migrants would stay if the Rwanda scheme gets underway

Mr Sunak said in a statement today: 'While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

'I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries  something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with.

'Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

ANALYSIS: The Government's Rwanda asylum deal is left down, but not out By David Barrett, Home Affairs Editor for the Daily Mail The Rwanda asylum deal is left down, but not out, by today's devastating Court of Appeal ruling. To the frustration of Home Office insiders, it means removals flights to the east African nation cannot take off any time soon. This is a massive blow to the Government, which has been counting on the policy serving to deter migrants from crossing the Channel by small boat. There is a clear and present risk that migrants may now be emboldened after senior judges in this country effectively ruled in their favour. Recent weeks have seen fewer arrivals than expected. Last week there was a window of good weather for crossings  dubbed 'Red Days' in Home Office jargon  but the number of dinghies was lower than anticipated. And overall numbers of crossings so far this year remain down compared with the same point last year. It is possible that a 'backlog' of migrants heading for Britain had been holding back, waiting for the Court of Appeal ruling, and may now decide to climb aboard one of the people traffickers' 'death-trap' dinghies. However, there are two main courses of action now open to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Firstly, to get the Rwanda policy back on track the Government is almost certain to lodge its own appeal at the Supreme Court against today's ruling. Ministers have been given until next Thursday to file initial paperwork on a possible appeal, after the Court of Appeal judges set what they described as a 'deliberately tight timetable'. Today's ruling was not unanimous. The panel of three top judges ruled two-to-one against the Government. There was a so-called 'dissenting judgment' from the most senior judge in England and Wales, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, who observed that the scheme provides 'powerful protections' for any migrants removed to Rwanda. The Supreme Court is generally more likely to take on a case when there has not been a unanimous ruling in the Court of Appeal. If they agree to take it on, it is thought justices at the Supreme Court could hear the case by the end of the year. The second course of action open to Mrs Braverman is to revise and improve the Rwanda deal. The ruling set out how two of the judges  the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos; and Lord Justice Underhill - have concerns about 'deficiencies' in Rwanda's asylum system. They said its shortcomings could lead to migrants being returned to countries where they may face torture or ill-treatment, breaching Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It may now be possible for Mrs Braverman to revise the agreement with the Rwandan government  alleviating the judges' concerns by making the whole scheme 'watertight'. That, of course, would take time. And it could even see the whole process of legal challenges go back to square one. In the longer term there is another, third course of action  the 'nuclear option'  that ministers could consider. Because the European Convention on Human Rights played a crucial role in blocking the scheme, the right of the Conservative party is likely to make fresh demands that Britain should leave the treaty. Mrs Braverman is known to be sympathetic to such a move, but the PM has ruled it out. He is now likely to face intense pressure from within his own party to reconsider that decision. It may well be that today's bombshell court ruling makes it more likely the Tories will make a major manifesto pledge on human rights in the next General Election. In that scenario, it would be voters  not unelected judges  who would be given the final say on whether Rwanda flights finally get off the ground. Advertisement

'The policy of this government is very simple, it is this country  and your government  who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.'

Ms Braverman said: 'The British people want to stop the boats, and so does this Government. That's what I am determined to deliver and I won't take a backward step from that.

'We need innovative solutions to smash the business model of the people smuggling gangs, which is why we formed this partnership with Rwanda.

'The Court of Appeal have been clear that the policy of relocating asylum seekers to a safe third country for the processing of their claims is in line with the Refugee Convention.

'While we are disappointed with their ruling in relation to Rwanda's asylum system, I will be seeking permission to appeal this. I remain fully committed to this policy as does the Rwandan government.'

The Court of Appeal ruling prompted a storm of criticism from Conservative MPs.

Former minister Sir Simon Clarke said: 'This is a deeply disappointing ruling in the face of the clear will of Parliament. I would anticipate an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court.

'We have to be able to control our borders. If the ECHR continues to forestall this, we have to revisit the question of our membership.'

Katherine Fletcher, Tory MP for South Ribble, said: 'The Prime Minister is right, this is an important problem for the UK - we need to fix this, not be blocked by activist lawyers.

'They should use the ballot box not the courts to push their POV.'

Telford MP Lucy Allan tweeted: 'People will get fed up of the courts preventing the elected Government from governing on behalf of the British people.'

Meanwhile, Blackpool South MP Scott Benton called the ruling 'extremely disappointing' and said government policy should be 'for the elected government of the day'.

While the Rwandan Government insisted the issue was a matter for the UK courts, it challenged the judges' conclusion that Rwanda was not a safe country.

Spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said: 'While this is ultimately a decision for the UK's judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees.

'Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognised by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees.

'We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country.'

Ms Makolo said migrants to Rwanda would be 'welcomed' and given 'the support they need to build new lives'.

But shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the decision was proof the Government's immigration policy is 'completely unravelling'.

She said: 'Ministers were forced to admit this week that it will cost 169,000 to send each person to Rwanda on top of the 140m of taxpayers' money they have already spent. Now the court has found that ministers didn't even do the basic work to make sure the scheme was legal or safe.

'Time and again, ministers have gone for gimmicks instead of getting a grip, and slogans instead of solutions, while the Tory boats chaos has got worse. The Rwanda scheme is unworkable, unethical and extortionate, a costly and damaging distraction from the urgent action the government should be taking.

The Court of Appeal's decision was announced by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett during a short hearing in London, where he stressed the court reached its conclusion on the law and took 'no view whatsoever' about the political merits of the policy.

Lord Burnett, who heard the appeal with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill in April, said the court ruled by a majority that the policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.

He told the court Sir Geoffrey and Lord Justice Underhill concluded that deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a 'real risk' asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

He added the two judges found that: 'In that sense Rwanda is not a 'safe third country'.'

Under the proposals announced last April, any adult who enters Britain illegally could be sent on a one-way ticket to the African country to have their asylum claim processed.

Ministers hope the prospect of being immediately deported 4,000 miles away would put off migrants planning to travel to Britain by illegal means.

However, over the past 12 months, no migrants have been sent to Rwanda from the UK as the Government battles a series of legal challenges.

Today, a YouGov survey found half of Britons think it is unlikely migrants will ever be deported to Rwanda.

*BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF TODAY'S JUDGMENT*

Home Secretary Suella Braverman pictured today leaving her house on the way to Whitehall

Issuing this morning's ruling, Lord Burnett said: 'The result is that the High Court's decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful.

READ MORE - House of Lords forces through major changes to the Illegal Migration Bill in another blow to the Government Advertisement

'Finally, the Court of Appeal makes clear that its decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy.

'Those are entirely a matter for the Government, on which the court has nothing to say.

'The court's concern is only whether the policy complies with the law as laid down by Parliament.'

The Lord Chief Justice said he reached the opposite conclusion to the other two judges and found that the procedures put in place under the Rwanda agreement, and the assurances given by the Rwandan government, are 'sufficient to ensure that there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy will be wrongly returned to countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment'.

He concluded that the chances of failed asylum seekers being returned to their country of origin are 'low', in part because Rwanda has no agreements in place with any of those countries.

Lord Burnett added: 'In addition, extensive monitoring arrangements, formal and informal, of all those sent to Rwanda and their asylum claims once there provide powerful protection.

Q&A What has happened? A previous High Court ruling which said the Rwanda deal was lawful was overturned by the Court of Appeal. Why did the judges conclude it was unlawful? Two of the three judges said sending migrants to Rwanda would breach Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This is because it cannot be guaranteed that migrants would not then be moved to another country where they could face torture or ill-treatment, they said. A third judge disagreed. How will this affect Channel migrants? They cannot be removed to Rwanda for the foreseeable future. Now the scheme is blocked  at least temporarily  migrants may be more willing to risk coming here from France. Is it all over for the Rwanda scheme? No. The Prime Minister said the Government will seek permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Home Secretary also said she remained 'committed' to the plan. Yesterday's ruling could  potentially  be reversed at the next stage, opening the way for removal flights to take place. The judges also indicated that their block on removals would only remain in place 'unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected'. So changes to the deal could alleviate their concerns. What next? The Government has until next Thursday to submit initial paperwork to the Court of Appeal. Judges will then decide whether to grant permission for an appeal to the Supreme Court. Opponents of the scheme may launch separate appeals on the points they lost yesterday. The process will take months. Advertisement

'The arrangements put in place provide sufficient safeguards in a context where both governments will be determined to make the agreement work and be seen to do so.'

In December last year, two judges at the High Court dismissed a series of legal bids against the plans, finding the Rwanda proposals were consistent with the Government's legal obligations.

However, lawyers for some individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid brought the successful challenge against their decision at the Court of Appeal.

At a hearing in April, lawyers for the group of asylum seekers argued that the High Court 'showed excessive deference' to the Home Office's assessment that assurances made by the Rwandan authorities 'provide a sufficient guarantee to protect relocated asylum-seekers' from a risk of torture or inhuman treatment.

The appeal judges were told that material provided by the Rwandan authorities 'lacked credibility, consisting of blanket denials and clear contradictions'.

Charity Freedom from Torture, which intervened in the appeal, also argued the speed of the process means there is no 'adequate opportunity' to identify torture survivors.

Lawyers for the Home Office opposed the appeal, telling the court the Rwandan government has 'indicated a clear willingness to co-operate with international monitoring mechanisms' and that there are 'reciprocal obligations with strong incentives for compliance'.

The hearing was told that some evidence about whether the Rwandan government would comply with its obligations came from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 'based on experience of bilateral relations extending over almost 25 years' and that the Government is 'confident the Rwandan authorities will comply with the assurances'.

The Court of Appeal's ruling comes days after the Home Office's own figures showed the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly two in five people would need to be deterred from crossing the Channel in small boats for the Illegal Migration Bill to break even, the economic impact assessment published on Monday said.

A group of up to 80 migrants are brought ashore at Dover marine last week after crossing the English Channel

As of Monday, 11,328 asylum seekers in 254 boats have made the perilous journey across the Dover Strait so far this year

The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention, as well as a 105,000 per person payment to third countries.

By contrast, the savings from 'reduced asylum support' are estimated at 106,000 per person, rising to 165,000 if the 'per night cost' of hotels continues to soar.

The sums are estimates not based on the true cost of the 'commercially sensitive' Rwanda scheme, which was enacted by Boris Johnson's government last April after a 120m deal with Kigali.

Charity Asylum Aid, which brought the challenge alongside several asylum seekers, today described the Court of Appeal's ruling as a 'vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.'

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Alison Pickup, the charity's director, said: 'We are delighted that the Court of Appeal has upheld the argument that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers.

'While we are disappointed that the court has held that the process can be made fair, we are pleased that it has not upheld the High Court's judgment and has made it clear that the Government needs to ensure that Home Office officials give people more time when they need it.

'Basic standards of fairness and decency require that individuals are told why a decision as significant as sending them to a country thousands of miles away is being made, and have a fair chance to set out their case on all aspects of that decision.

'The Court of Appeal's judgment is a vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.'

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch called on Ms Braverman to abandon the Rwanda policy, describing it as an 'unworkable and unethical fever dream'.

Yasmine Ahmed, its UK director, said: 'This verdict is some rare good news in an otherwise bleak landscape for human rights in the UK. Hopefully, it will be respected by the government and we can consign this cruel and inhumane proposal to the history books.

'The Home Secretary should now abandon this unworkable and unethical fever dream of a policy and focus her efforts on fixing our broken and neglected migration system.

'This verdict presents the Government with an opportunity to change course. Rather than treating human beings like cargo it can ship elsewhere, it should be focusing on ending the hostile environment towards refugees and asylum seekers.'

Today, a YouGov survey found half of Britons think it is unlikely migrants will ever be deported to Rwanda

If passed, the Migration Bill would see the law changed so that people who come to the UK illegally through a safe country are not allowed to stay - instead being detained and removed, either to their home country or a country such as Rwanda.

However - in a further blow to the Government - the Bill was significantly softened last night after Labour and Lib Dem peers forced through a series of major changes in the House of Lords.

They added a requirement that the Government complies with international treaties, removed the power for the new law to be applied retrospectively, stopped potential victims of human trafficking being detained before their cases are considered, and let unaccompanied children make asylum claims.

In response, a Conservative spokesman said: 'Today's vote proves what we already knew  the Labour Party cannot be trusted to stop the boats and the gangs that profit.'

The first amendment on following international law was voted in by 222 to 179. Two Tories  Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth and Lord Cormack  voted against the Government.

In the second defeat, voted through by 219 to 177, the Government lost the power to deport migrants who arrived between March and the passing of the law.

This map shows how the Rwanda scheme would work if ministers are able to see off legal challenges

The third blow to Rishi Sunak meant potential trafficking victims would no longer be held or removed before being assessed.

That amendment was passed 210 to 145. And a fourth change meaning unaccompanied children could make asylum claims was also passed, by 185 to 133.

When the bill returns to the Commons, liberal Tories could join opposition MPs to ensure the Lords amendments are enshrined in law.

So far this year, 11,328 migrants have made the perilous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits in 254 boats.
Members of the Biden family may have accepted more than $40million from foreign nationals in return for forming favorable policy decisions, the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee has claimed.

'This was organized crime - there's no other way to define it,' Kentucky Republican James Comer alleged in an interview on the Cats & Cosby Show on WABC 770 on Wednesday.

He said the committee had identified 'six specific policy decisions' where President Joe Biden acted where the committee 'can't come to any other conclusion' other than that the president was 'compromised'.

Comer said he was confident his investigation would find proof of 'at least $17million' from overseas payments, but that he would not be surprised if 'transactions exceed $40million plus.'

The Oversight Committee chairman also said that within the past week his panel had obtained further banking statements and Treasury suspicious activity reports showing 'more bank accounts, more shell companies and more Bidens' being involved in an alleged policy pedaling scheme.

House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington DC, June 20

President Joe Biden gestures as he arrives at the White House on Wednesday

'We've found 19 shell companies that the Biden's had,' Comer said. 'The sole purpose of those shell companies appeared to be to launder money from those foreign nationals to at least nine different Biden family members.

'Now in the last five days we've gotten more bank statements in from more banks. When we had access to the suspicious activity reports at the Treasury we found more banks accounts, more shell companies, and more Bidens.

The chairman added: 'We're going to continue to pour through these bank statements and work to try to determine how much money the Bidens took and what role Joe Biden played in all this.'

In a scathing attack on the president's potential breach of ethical standards, Comer said: 'We have six specific policy decisions - four of which were made while Joe Biden was president early on  that we can't come to any other conclusion as to why these decisions were made, other than the fact that this president is compromised.'

Comer said it was 'an organized attempt by the Biden family to hide the source of money going into these shell companies, and to distract from the IRS so they wouldn't have to pay taxes on it.'

He concluded this was 'exactly what the IRS whistleblowers alleged in the transcribed interview with the Ways and Means Committee: that the Biden family never paid money on any of these wires that came into these shell companies.'

On Wednesday IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed Hunter Biden received preferential treatment and that he was repeatedly prevented from taking the necessary  and routine  steps when it came to Hunter's case.

'There were certain investigative steps that we weren't allowed to take that could have led us to President Biden,' Shapley told CBS News on Tuesday.

Joe Biden, with son Hunter Biden, arrives at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York, on February 4

Joe Biden delivers a speech on economic policy - dubbed 'Bidenomics' - at the Old Post Office in Chicago, Illinois, Wednesday

Shapley, a former supervisory agent, said the IRS 'needed to take [those steps] and we weren't allowed to take them.'

He added that conduct uncovered during the five-year investigation - which resulted in Hunter pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges - could have implicated President Joe Biden as well, and resulted in additional charges, and claimed the roadblocks were happening even during the Trump years.

'There were certain investigative steps that we weren't allowed to take that could have led us to President Biden,' Shapley said, adding that his team at the IRS 'needed to take [those steps] and we weren't allowed to take them.'

Shapley, who worked for the agency for 14 years, helped oversee the investigation into the president's son and is raising questions over alleged special treatment throughout the probe.

Continuing his interview on Wednesday Comer said he was 'confident' the committee investigation would prove that the Biden family took in 'at least $17million' from overseas payments.

But he added that 'the transactions could exceed $40million plus'. He said that many of these shell companies have other owners, however. He said this allows them to 'hide the revenue or disguise the revenue from the IRS or the federal authorities or whomever'.

As part of their investigation, Comer's panel has so far identified nine members of the Biden family as having allegedly received foreign payments. This includes Hunter Biden, the president's son and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle. James Biden, the president's brother, and his wife Sara Biden; the widow of the president's late son Beau Biden, Hallie Biden, were also alleged to have received money by Comer.

The president's son was staying at the guest house of Biden's Delaware home when he wrote to Communist Party official Henry Zhao on July 30, 2017, revealing that his father was seated beside him and asking 'why the commitment made was not fulfilled'

It comes after Biden twice on Wednesday denied that he had anything to do with his son's 'shakedown text message,' which appeared to showcase Hunter's willingness to use his father's clout to pressure a Chinese business associate to pay him.

Hunter told Communist Party official Henry Zhao on July 30, 2017 in a WhatsApp message that he was 'sitting with his father,' adding, 'and we would like to know why the commitment made was not fulfilled.'

Hunter was known to be staying at the guesthouse of President Biden's Wilmington, Delaware residence at the time.

On the South Lawn Wednesday as he departed for Chicago, the president was asked how involved he was in his son's Chinese shakedown text message - and if he was seated beside Hunter, as the message said.

'No, I wasn't and I -,' he said pausing. When pressed again he loudly said, 'No!'

The existence of the message prolongs the drama surrounding the president's son as Biden, 80, starts to campaign for a second term in earnest.

Last week, Hunter agreed to a plea deal with the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and likely entering probation over a gun charge.
Fears over Britain's vaping epidemic are growing amid claims from an MP that eight children from a single school were hospitalised after using e-cigarettes.

Conservative MP Dr Caroline Johnson said the pupils, who were all from a secondary school in her Lincolnshire constituency, were admitted to hospital 'at different times over the last few months'.

Teachers have warned that students becoming addicted and are leaving lessons or struggling to sleep through the night because they are 'desperate to vape', she said.

The MP - who is calling for a ban on disposable vapes - expressed deep concern about the accessibility and appeal to youngsters.

Speaking ahead of a debate in the House of Commons on Thursday, Dr Johnson said: 'A number of children in my constituency have collapsed after vaping.

There are increasing concerns over the safety of vapes and how addictive they are to children

Dr Johnson says the aim of her debate on Thursday will be to put pressure on the government

'My understanding from the local school is that now eight children from one school in my constituency have required hospital treatment.

'Not all at the same time, at different times over the last few months, just immediately after they had been vaping.

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'These are secondary school-aged children.'

Dr Johnson said a concerning picture also emerged regarding the growing addiction to vaping among children after talking to a teacher.

She said: 'I was talking to a teacher from my constituency just recently who said that she has pupils in her school who are struggling to get through a double maths lesson because they need to go out and vape.

'They are vaping in their school bathrooms in between lessons.

'Some of them are struggling with a whole night's sleep because they're waking up desperate to have a vape, and so the degree to which some of our children are getting addicted to these things is really very concerning.'

Back in February, Dr Johnson presented a 10-minute rule Bill to ban the sale of disposable vapes and will lead a Westminster Hall debate on the topic on Thursday.

Dr Johnson said the aim of her debate on Thursday will be to 'get more pressure' on the government to do something as quickly as possible.

The Tory MP will make the case for a vape tax to 'both raise revenue but most specifically to make them much less accessible to our children and young people', and for stricter regulations around their sale 'like we do for alcohol'.

On her campaign to ban disposable vapes, she said: 'The disposable vapes are the most attractive to children.

'They are cheap, they are easily accessible. They are easy to dispose of, if you are in danger of being caught using them by an adult. They are also in pretty colours and there's a whole range of child-friendly sort of flavours.'

Dr Johnson said that after introducing her 10-minute rule Bill, she had a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who 'was very interested in the topic'.

She added: 'He is committed to ensuring that children don't have access to vapes.'

In May, ministers pledged to close a loophole allowing retailers to give free samples of vapes to children in England amid concerns over the proportion of children trying e-cigarettes.

The government said there will also be a review into banning retailers selling 'nicotine-free' vapes to under-18s and one into the rules on issuing fines to shops that illegally sell vapes to children.

Ministers cited NHS figures from 2021 which showed that 9% of 11-15-year-olds used e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.

The crackdown will also see the health risks of vaping included in relationships, sex and health education lessons, as part of the ongoing government review of the curriculum.

Dr Johnson said: 'I'm hoping to get some time frames from the debate on how quickly they expect to be able to move, but I'm hoping they will be able to get something in pretty quickly.'
A BBC documentary will try to shine light on the mysterious death of a Swedish woman, whose body was found on a Scottish beach 18 years ago - including claims by internet conspiracy theorists that she was murdered by the CIA in a 'botched hit'.

Annie Borjesson's body was discovered on Prestwick Beach in December 2005, with a police inquiry concluding she had drowned, deeming the death to be suicide.

But a series of unanswered questions remain nearly two decades on, including those around a man posing as a famous rugby player and her missing phone records.

The case has piqued the interest of online conspiracy theorists, in scenes not dissimilar to the recent case of Nicola Bulley, whose family slammed 'wildly inaccurate speculation' on social media over the dog walker's disappearance.

One such theory is that she may have been killed by the CIA, who used the nearby Prestwick Airport to refuel planes taking prisoners from the Middle East to Guantanamo Bay.

The four-part series, called Body On The Beach: What Happened To Annie?, interrogates a possible link between Ms Borjesson and an American investigative journalist, who shares the same surname and has been a vocal critic of US intelligence agencies.

The question is posed that the CIA could have been trying to silence the reporter but Ms Borjesson was killed as a result of mistaken identity.

Annie Borjesson's body was discovered on Prestwick Beach in December 2005, with a police inquiry concluding she had drowned, deeming the death to be suicide

Annie Borjesson caught on CCTV at Prestwick Airport at 3.15pm the afternoon before her body was found on the nearby beach

A possible link between Ms Borjesson and an American investigative journalist, renowned for researching US intelligence agencies, and who shares the same surname, is explored in the four-part 'Body on the Beach' series

Ms Borjesson, 30, who had been living and working in Edinburgh after falling in love with Scotland during a brief trip, was found dead under a sea wall on December 4, 2005. Her rucksack was at her side, as well as her passport and wallet.

She had been due to fly home to the town of Tibro in western Sweden from Prestwick Airport that day for Christmas and close friends said she had been in good spirits.

The day before she left for the airport, she called her hairdresser in Sweden and made an appointment for the following week.

Furthermore, she had paid the next month's rent on her Edinburgh flat, where BBC investigators also found packed library books ready for return and a new membership to a nearby swimming centre.

Ms Borjesson was filmed on CCTV arriving at the airport and then walking out towards the car park, before returning less than three minutes later.

In a frame taken from this footage, her family and friends believe she looks distressed.

The documentary will also examine another CCTV image of a figure walking down the road to the beach where her body was later discovered, while journalist Hazel Martin speaks to Ms Borjesson's best friend, Maria Jansson, who reveals she seemed anxious on the days leading up to hear death.

Worried someone was listening to her mobile calls, Ms Borjesson told her she was concerned unknown people were tracing what she wrote on her computer.

When her body was repatriated, the Swedish mortician alerted the family to bruises on her body, suggesting she may have been strangled.

These weren't mentioned in the autopsy and Scottish police allegedly still refuse to allow photos taken at that autopsy to be released.

Happier times: A young Borjesson with flowing red hair smiles while sitting for a photo

Borjesson's mother, Guje Borjesson, on Prestwick Beach holding a photo of her daughter

Further riddles emerged during probing for the investigation, including how Ms Borjesson had told friends about a rugby player she'd met in a nightclub, but said that when she'd gone to meet him he'd given her a look that chilled her.

He told her he was Martin Leslie, an international rugby star, except the real Martin Leslie was playing on the other side of the world. This man has never been tracked down.

When Ms Borjesson's mother requested her phone records she was told there were no calls either to or from the mobile in the four days before her death, but the family confirmed she'd actually spoken to her mother.

In 2020, documents part of a year-long investigation into her death between the Swedish foreign ministry and Scottish authorities emerged.

The files appeared as part of a six-part podcast called 'What happened to Annie', by Sky News.

The files are heavily redacted, according to the podcast, because Ms Borjesson's death is considered 'classified as secret' by the Swedish foreign ministry.

Its reason for redacting details surrounding Ms Borjesson's death in Scotland are 'that the information concerns Sweden's relations with a foreign state and a foreign authority'.

It goes on to say that disclosure of the information 'will damage Sweden's international relations or, in other ways harm national interests'.

Another document, filed the day after her death, appears to indicate the Swedish Embassy detailing how Scottish authorities had suspected Borjesson's suicide.

Ms Borjesson's mother, Guje Borjesson, told Sky News at the time that she was 'troubled' by Sweden's decision to shroud her daughter's death in secrecy.

Guje said there is a 'public interest' in finding out what happened to her daughter.

Mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, 45, vanished while walking her dog in Lancashire on January 27

Journalist Ms Martin said: 'I was only 13 when Annie died but the story of her death has always stayed with me.

'Many people, her friends and family included, believe that Annie was actually murdered. The question is  could they be right?'

The prevalence of online conspiracy theories was witnessed recently in the case of Ms Bulley, a mother-of-two who vanished while walking her dog in Lancashire.

A coroner this week returned a conclusion of accidental death, saying the mortgage adviser fell into the River Wyre at around 9.22am on January 27 and 'died almost immediately'.

Ms Bulley's partner Paul Ansell told the hearing he believed it happened after she put her mobile phone down on a bench to put their spaniel Willow in his harness after the walk.

However, the case was marred by 'wildly inaccurate speculation' from amateur sleuths on social media.

After hearing that an exhaustive police inquiry had ruled out the possibility of suicide or third-party involvement in Ms Bulley's death, her family hit out at internet trolls who continue to send them 'negative targeted messages'.

And they appealed to the public to 'look at the facts', to 'ignore any amateur views and opinions' and to be 'mindful of the impact words bring'.

Their plea was reiterated by the top detective at the force which probed the 45-year-old's death.

Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables, head of crime at Lancashire Police, said she hoped the coroner's 'clear and definitive findings will put an end ill-informed speculation and conspiracy theories which have been so damaging to Nikki's family'.
Kanye West's new 'headquarters' for his 2024 Presidential bid could be a church in California, where a team of seamstresses is reportedly working on his Yeezy clothing brand and he hired a homeless man who lives in the parking lot to run his campaign.

The disgraced rapper was dropped by major brands, banned from Twitter and lost his billionaire status after he made vile anti-Semitic comments last year.

Now he may be running a clothing factory out of buildings at the Cornerstone Christian Church in Northridge, California, with a BBC journalist revealing that he had 'bought part of the property' according to the Pastor.

'He told me that Ye had bought part of the property, and had big plans.

'The Pastor showed me, he said "if you come out to these buildings we'll take a little walk", he showed me the rooms at the back, full of women on their sewing machines, mood boards, new designs for the Yeezy line.'

The Church was tipped to be a new location for Ye's 'Donda Academy' last year, and now journalist Mobeen Azhar has said it 'seems to be the current headquarters of the entire operation' in reference to his political campaigning.

Kanye West is reportedly running a clothing factory out of buildings at the Cornerstone Christian Church in Northridge, California

Mark said Kanye asked him to be his 2024 Presidential Election Campaign Manager

Ye last year was banned from Twitter and lost a series of lucrative sponsorship deals after he made a variety of anti-Semitic statements

Ye's campaign to become President was launched last year and has been supported by America First founder and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and right-wing British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos.

Now another purported member of Ye's team is a homeless man called Mark, who has lived in a car in the car park of the church for nine years.

He told the BBC that Kanye started asking him his religious views and began to confide in him.

He said he later asked him to be his 2024 Presidential Election Campaign Manager.

Mark said that Ye regularly visits the Cornerstone Christian Church, where white nationalist Fuentes is also known to hold political meetings.

He told Mobeen: 'They all said I was the most religiously erudite in the room and Kanye started looking to me for my opinion on every topic that came up.

Mark said that Ye regularly visits the Cornerstone Christian Church, where white nationalist Fuentes is also known to hold political meetings

'He called me the following Monday, the Monday before Thanksgiving, and the first thing he said to me was ''I want you to be my Campaign Manager to run for President''.'

He told Mobeen: 'They all said I was the most religiously erudite in the room and Kanye started looking to me for my opinion on every topic that came up.

'He called me the following Monday, the Monday before Thanksgiving, and the first thing he said to me was 'I want you to be my Campaign Manager to run for President'.'

Investigative journalist Mobeen said after visiting Cornerstone: 'This place is now meant to be a political headquarters and a place where Yeezy fashion designs are created and made. He's trying to turn this place, this little unassuming church, into his new empire.

'And actually, the bigger question there is where is all this going to end? Because I don't think this is the last incarnation of Ye that we're going to see. Because there's a trajectory here, and it's downward.'

The BBC documentary, The Trouble with Ye, also heard fresh anti-Semitism accusations about the rapper from entrepreneur, and his former friend and business partner, Alex Klein.

Klein, who created Ye's Stem Player for his Donda 2 album, tells the BBC's Mobeen Azhar a never before heard story about when the pair parted ways following the rapper's anti-Semitic remarks.

Watch The Trouble with KanYe on BBC Two at 9pm on Wednesday 28th June or watch back afterwards on BBC iPlayer. The Kanye Story also drops as a boxset on BBC Sounds from 28th June and broadcasts weekly on BBC Radio 1Xtra from 3rd July

Discussing the decision to no longer work with Ye and his subsequent reaction, Alex said: 'We turned down 10 million dollars. Kanye was very angry you know he was saying ''I feel like I wanna smack you'' and ''you're exactly like the other Jews''  almost relishing and revelling in how offensive he could be, using these phrases hoping to hurt me'.

Alex continued: 'I asked him and I said ''do you really think Jews are working together to hold you back?'' and he said ''yes, yes I do but it's not even a statement that I need to take back because look at all the energy around me right now. Without that statement, I wouldn't become president''.'

Ye last year was banned from Twitter and lost a series of lucrative sponsorship deals after he made a variety of anti-Semitic statements.

He wrote: 'I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.

'The funny thing is I actually can't be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to black-ball anyone who ever opposes your agenda.'

He courted widespread criticism but later doubled down on the remarks.
A 19-year-old British woman has claimed she was secretly filmed having sex by one of two Israeli teenagers she invited back to her hotel room in Rhodes.

Local police said the teenager was staying at a hotel in Theologos while on holiday with two of her friends, according to Greek media.

On Tuesday at around 2.45am she reportedly invited two 19-year-old men she had met two days earlier at a bar in the notorious party resort of Faliraki back to her room.

While engaging in consensual sex with one of the Israelis, the other covertly filmed her, she claimed.

Upon discovering the illegal recording, the woman confronted the teens who then escaped.

A 19-year-old British woman has claimed she was secretly filmed having sex in a hotel room on the Greek holiday island of Rhodes (file image)

Police are hunting down the perpetrators and the investigation is ongoing.

It comes weeks after a 20-year-old British tourist was allegedly raped in the sea during a summer holiday on the same island after she visited a beach with a man she had met online.

The Briton, who has not been named, told police a 23-year-old Albanian man raped her after they went for a swim at Glystra beach on the east coast of the island.

The young woman claimed the man, who she had been speaking to online for two weeks before meeting in person, then took her back to her hotel room in Kiotari where he attacked her and tried to rape her a second time, reported the Vradini newspaper.

The Albanian man, who has not been named, has since been arrested by police on the Greek island on suspicion of rape and attempted rape. He denies the charges.

In a separate case days later on the island of Crete, two British teenagers were arrested after a British woman told police they raped her and filmed the act after a drunken night out.

The 24-year-old unidentified Briton claimed the two 19-year-olds took advantage of her inebriated state in her hotel room in Rethymno.

She alleged the pair, who are also British, filmed the sexual assault, according to Greek press.

It is not clear whether the trio knew each other before the night leading up to the alleged rape.

Greek police yesterday arrested the two unidentified teens on suspicion of rape, while the 24-year-old was taken to a medical examiner to undergo tests.
Five staff members were charged with neglect or failure to report after a seven-year-old student with special education needs was told he needed to eat his vomit.

Teacher Sara Seymour, 27, and instructional aide Debra Kanipe, 63, were charged with neglect over the horrifying incident at Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg, Indianapolis, in February.

Additionally, teacher Julie Taylor, 48, instructional aide Kristen Mitchell, 38, and behavioural technician Megan King, 24, were charged with failure to report.

'Seymour is said to have allegedly advised the victim that if he vomited, he would be required to eat what he threw up. Taylor was present and provided a tray for the child to vomit on,' the Brownsburg Police Department said in a statement.

'After the victim did indeed vomit, Kanipe provided the spoon that the child was compelled to use to consume some of his vomit.

Teacher Sara Seymour (left), 27, and instructional aide Debra Kanipe (right), 63, were charged with neglect over the horrifying incident at Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg, Indianapolis, in February

Teacher Sara Seymour, 27, and instructional aide Debra Kanipe, 63, were charged with neglect over the horrifying incident at Brown Elementary School (pictured) in Brownsburg, Indianapolis, in February

'Both Seymour and Kanipe stood at each side of the child while he consumed a portion of the vomit. Mitchell and King were present and witnessed the incident.'

Brownsburg Community School reportedly learned about the shocking incident on April 12 and contacted the police, who said they obtained a video of the incident.

The determination process for Seymour and Kanipe has been initiated, while Taylor and Mitchell have been placed on administrative leave.

King, who is employed by a third party contractor, has been banned from being on school property pending the outcome of the investigation.
 HMD       LCO2 multi-gas carriers LCO    Capital Ship Management
The UK was hit by rain sweeping across the country on Thursday with more to come, after a prolonged period of dry, hot weather peaking at more than 30C last weekend.

This weekend will see temperatures rise to as high as 24C, the Met Office forecasts, ahead of a possible July heatwave which could see the mercury top 40C - as it was confirmed this week this June is set to be the hottest ever recorded.

Thursday saw heavy rain for many commuters in the south of the UK, who faced disruption at Liverpool Street in London after water flooded the line.

Pictures from the second Ashes test at Lord's showed the pitch covered in rain covers, while the third day of the Henley Regatta was also hit by the weather.

But the respite from the heat could be short-lived, with provisional data from the Met Office showing there is a chance of a heatwave in July with temperatures peaking at record-breaking levels, the Mirror reports.

Commuters attempt to shelter during wet and windy weather as they cross London Bridge in central London on Thursday

At Lord's, wet weather covers were firmly on this morning as rain battered the southeast

Commuters faced travel delays this morning in London after Liverpool Street station saw some lines closed briefly due to flooding on the tracks.

Lines affected were the Greater Anglia service from London to Cambridge, the London Overground service from London to Enfield, and the Stanstead Express.

At 10.10am, National Rail announced that lines had reopened, but disruption was expected to continue until 10.30am. Passengers were warned to anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes.

Despite the poor weather, play was able to start on-time at Lord's at 11am.

Rain will push across the southeast of England on Thursday, with showers also a possibility in Scotland and northern England.

On Friday a bright start will give way to clouds and light rain showers, with heavier patches across Scotland, as the UK faces high winds.

Over the weekend, conditions are set to be changeable on Saturday with some rain and 'brisk winds' across the north.

It will be drier in the south, with the Met Office predicting a high of 24C in the southeast.

For Sunday and Monday, it will be mostly dry with scattered sunny spells.

Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge told MailOnline: 'Today and tomorrow we will see cooler than average temperatures but we are still expecting June to be the warmest on record despite this slight cooling.

'We go into the weekend we have an areas of low pressure which will be centred off the north coat of Scotland.

'This will introduce more unsettled conditions. It is unseasonably unsettled actually, to get a low pressure system in late June, early July, it is quite unusual. This will introduce high rain totals in the north of Scotland over the next few days.'

Mr Madge said people in the northwest of Scotland should prepare for strong winds and heavy rainfall, and that weather warnings may be needed.

The Met Office is predicting highs of 24C in the southeast on Saturday

At Henley Regatta, visitors also faced issues brought by the sudden rain

A Henley Regatta staff member clears away the puddles of rain along the drive

England's cricket team prepares to start play after a dismal start at Lord's on Thursday

Elsewhere, today and tomorrow will see 'slightly unsettled conditions'.

Mr Madge said: 'The Jet Stream is flowing straight across the Atlantic. That will lead to some showers and heavier bursts of rainfall. The main picture is that the closer to the south and east you are the better conditions you can expect.

'By and large temperatures will be slightly below average, and showers are more likely in the west tomorrow and into the weekend.'

He added that the weekend will see most of the showers concentrated in the north of the UK, before temperatures rise again into next week.

Mr Madge said there is a chance of a heatwave at the end of July, and there is a possibility this could see temperatures hit 40C.

'There's a lot of speculation of whether we will see a heatwave.

'The likelihood of 40C temperatures being repeated this July are very low. It's possible, it can always happen again but the likelihood of that happening is around one percent.

'Temperatures above 30, 35 are more likely. July obviously is a mid-summer month, it is very likely we will see temperatures approaching what we have already had, so this month we have seen them reach 32.2C.

'We can say there is a greater than normal chance of heat waves for the period to the end of July.'

He added that due to climate change, the UK will see extreme temperatures such as the new 40.3C record set in 2022 increasingly often, and there is even a chance that could be pushed by any heatwave this year.

It was yesterday revealed that this year's June is expected to be the hottest ever on record.

The Met Office said it has not recorded a June this hot in the UK since it began collecting temperature data in 1884, while reservoir, groundwater and river levels in some areas have been declining.

The National Drought Group (NDG), including the Environment Agency (EA), the Met Office, the Government, water firms and environmental groups, met on Wednesday to discuss how to adapt to changing water resources.

Companies, retailers and regulators were advised to prepare for more consistent hot and dry weather in the coming months, and make improvements to tackle possible droughts as a result.

Simon Hawkins, chair of the National Drought Group, said: 'The recent heatwave has served as a reminder that we need to prepare for weather extremes and act now to ensure resilient water supplies.

'The Environment Agency, water companies and partners are working collaboratively to handle drought risk across the country; with our staff managing abstraction licences to balance need, ensuring water companies implement their drought plans, working with farmers to manage resources, and rescuing fish in areas where river levels are extremely low.'

Much of the UK and Ireland remains in a state of drought warning, according to data from the Copernicus satellite, with a hosepipe ban introduced on Monday for South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex.

South West Water customers in Cornwall have been subject to a hosepipe ban since August last year, which has since been extended to others in Devon.

Along with parts of East Anglia, the region has not left drought status since the extreme heat last summer, which saw 40C bring destructive grassfires and more than 3,000 excess deaths during the heatwaves.
Nicola Sturgeon was today halted from ranting about Brexit as she appeared before the Covid Inquiry for the first time.

Top lawyer Hugo Keith KC reminded the ex-Scottish first minister she was appearing in 'a witness box, not a soap box' as she lashed out at the UK's exit from the EU.

Ms Sturgeon told the inquiry it was 'deeply regrettable' that planning for a no-deal Brexit took resouces away from preparations for a possible pandemic prior to 2020.

As she swiped that 'every aspect of Brexit has been false economy', Mr Keith intervened to tell the former SNP leader: 'We cannot allow the political debate of Brexit to be ventilated here.'

Ms Sturgeon began her evidence to the Covid Inquiry this morning by admitting that she did 'not get everything right' when she led Scotland through the coronavirus crisis.

She also acknowledged a 'significant gap' in the absence of no formal planning for a pandemic that wasn't an influenza outbreak before the Covid disaster.

Nicola Sturgeon told the Covid Inquiry it was 'deeply regrettable' that planning for a no-deal Brexit took resouces away from preparations for a possible pandemic prior to 2020

Top lawyer Hugo Keith KC reminded the ex-Scottish first minister she was appearing in 'a witness box, not a soap box' as she lashed out at the UK's exit from the EU

Ms Sturgeon, pictured arriving at the Covid Inquiry this morning, admitted she did 'not get everything right' when she led Scotland through the coronavirus crisis

The ex-first minister - who stood down in March after more than eight years in charge at Holyrood - clashed with Mr Keith as she told the inquiry almost all areas of Scottish Government work had been 'impacted' by no-deal Brexit planning prior to the Covid crisis.

Mr Keith, lead counsel to the inquiry, asked Ms Sturgeon whether pandemic preparedness was the 'one area' where resources should not have been drawn away from to plan for a no-deal Brexit.

The former SNP leader replied: 'I don't disagree with that. I think every aspect of Brexit has been false economy, if I can put it mildly.'

But Mr Keith interjected: 'Ms Sturgeon, I'm so sorry. That is a witness box, not a soap box - we cannot allow the political debate of Brexit to be ventilated here.'

Ms Sturgeon then continued: 'With respect, I think you're asking me questions here that are very germane to the whole issue.

'So, yes, I think it was deeply regrettable resources had to be diverted from any other area of work - and, in particular, pandemic preparedness.'

But she also insisted that 'it was not the case that all preparation around the potential for a pandemic stopped'.

Earlier, after being sworn in, Ms Sturgeon offered a personal statement at the beginning of today's inquiry hearing.

She said: 'As the first minister of Scotland for the duration of the pandemic, I wanted to take a brief opportunity to offer my sympathies and condolences to all those who have suffered as a result of Covid-19.

'The pandemic may be over but for very many people that suffering continues to this day. There is not a day that passes that I don't think about that.'

She added: 'I know that every day the government I led did our best to take the best possible decisions.

'But, equally, I know we did not get everything right.

'The learning from the pandemic is of critical importance and this public inquiry has a central role to play in ensuring those lessons are learned.'

Previously, the inquiry has heard how 'groupthink' saw the UK spend more time on preparing for a flu pandemic rather than a widespread outbreak of another respiratory disease.

And Ms Sturgeon admitted there was no formal plan for a non-influenza pandemic prior to 2020.

She said: 'That is absolutely the case. That is not to say there was no thinking within governments around non-influenza diseases, high-consequence infectious diseases.

'What there wasn't - and I think this is the significant gap - is there was no set plan... into how we dealt with a pandemic that had features and characteristics of flu in terms of transmissibility and also the severity - and what we came to understand in terms of the asymptomatic transmission - of Covid-19.'

But while Ms Sturgeon said she 'would readily accept that there was a gap in terms of the pandemic we ultimately were dealing with', she added this 'does not mean the plan that was in place had no utility at all'.

The former first minister also somewhat played down the significance of pre-planning when a pandemic occurs.

'There is no plan that will ever completely replicate what happens in reality when a pandemic unfortunately confronts us,' she told the inquiry.
A lorry driver had a miraculous escape when he fell asleep at the wheel while driving on the M4 and ended up in the middle of a field.

The motorist dozed off while his vehicle was in cruise control between Junctions 16 and 17 of the M4 on Wednesday.

He then fell into the footwell of the cab because he was not wearing a seatbelt, with the lorry coming to a stop in the middle of a field in the Wiltshire countryside.

The man, who has not been identified, escaped with no injuries.

Road policing officers issued an on-the-spot penalty to the driver, rather than pursuing prosecution.

Police said the lorry had not collided with any vehicles or pedestrians while leaving the road

Other lorry drivers who have dozed of while driving have faced harsher penalties after appearing in court.

A truck driver who narrowly avoided serious injury after nodding off behind the wheel of her truck on the M5 in 2021 was handed a 12-month road ban.

Some local residents have reacted with anger over Wiltshire Police's decision not to pursue the matter further.

One person tweeted: 'It's unbelievable that someone could act so irresponsibly and dangerously and only get a fine. This could have been catastrophic. They should lose their licence and their livelihood.'

Another said: 'How can this result in just a fixed penalty? Do people have to be seriously injured, or worse, for the authorities to take appropriate action?'

Road policing officers in Wiltshire attended the scene on Wednesday

Others have called for the driver 'to be banned from driving for life' while one said 'the police should be sacked for not doing their job properly'.

In the latest incident, the lorry had not collided with any vehicles or pedestrians while leaving the road.

A Wiltshire Police spokesman confirmed that no injuries were caused during the incident, and shared photos of the vehicle on social media.

Some residents have expressed disbelief that the driver will not face prosecution

The motorist dozed off while his vehicle was in cruise control on the M4 on Wednesday

Police issued the driver with an on-the-spot penalty rather than

The spokesman added: 'You can't park there, Sir.

'[This is] the issue with falling asleep when in cruise control and due to no seat belt falling into the footwell.

'Somehow no injuries caused, on-the-spot penalty taken.'
Dozens of Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad today over the burning of a Koran by an Iraqi protester in Stockholm.

Video showed an angry mob breaking through an iron gate and climbing on top of the compound, as global fury grew over the stunt.

It came after several Muslim countries condemned Sweden for allowing the Iraqi man to burn a Koran outside Stockholm's main mosque on Wednesday - during the Eid al-Adha holiday and the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Under a heavy police presence and in front of a crowd of 200, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, put bacon in the pages of a Koran before stomping on it and setting several pages alight.

Police had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections after an appeals court rejected their ban on Koran burning protests, but said later the man had been charged with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

The stunt sparked anger across the Muslim world, including in Turkey which is currently blocking Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, while in Iraq demonstrators stormed inside the Swedish embassy in the capital of Baghdad.

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Morocco, Bahrain and the UAE joined in the chorus of condemnation, with the US also calling the protest 'disrespectful and hurtful'.

Dozens of Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad today over the burning of a Koran by Salwan Momika - an Iraqi protester in Stockholm - on Wednesday

In response to Momika's stunt, video showed an angry mob breaking through an iron gate and climbing on top of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, as global fury grows over the stunt.

Protesters try to burn a banner with the LGBTQ flag near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad

Protesters gather at the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, June 29

Protesters gather at the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq a day after a protester burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden, June 29

Protesters gather at the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, June 29

Footage from the compound in Iraq showed people barging through a copper-coloured gate as others climbed over the walls. A second clip showed people climbing on top of the barbed-wire covered building, singing and waving flags.

The protesters first rallied outside the embassy in response to a call by Sadr who demanded the removal of the Swedish ambassador, echoing outrage in several Muslim countries over the Koran burning Wednesday in Stockholm.

The demonstrators also distributed leaflets that carried messages in Arabic and English that said: 'Our constitution is the Koran. Our leader is Al-Sadr'.

'Yes, yes to the Koran,' was also scrawled on the gate leading to the embassy, according to the photographer.

The demonstrators, supporters of firebrand Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr, remained inside for about 15 minutes before leaving peacefully as security forces deployed, a press photographer who witnessed the scenes unfold said.

Sadr's supporters also torched rainbow flags that represent the LGBTQ community, after the powerful cleric suggested this would be 'the best way to provoke' those who back Koran burnings.

Stockholm's foreign ministry said in a statement it was 'well informed about the situation. Our embassy staff are safe.'

Protester Hussein Ali Zeidan, 32, told AFP he came out to 'support the noble Koran' and called to revoke Momika's citizenship as 'he does not represent Iraq'.

On Wednesday, some 200 onlookers witnessed Momika - one of the two protesters - tearing up pages of a copy of the Koran and wiping his shoes with it before putting bacon in it and setting the book on fire. The other spoke into a megaphone.

Iraqi security forces guard the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after protesters breached the building briefly over the burning of the Koran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, June 29. The protesters were inside the building for 15 minutes before security forces moved in

Iraqi security forces guard the graffiti-covered entrance to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after protesters reportedly breached the building briefly over the burning of the Koran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, on June 29

Under a heavy police presence and in front of a crowd of 200, Salwan Momika (pictured), a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, put bacon in the pages of a Koran before stomping on it and setting several pages alight

Some of those present shouted 'God is Great' in Arabic to protest against the burning, and one man was detained by police after he attempted to throw a rock.

A supporter of the protest shouted 'let it burn' as the holy book caught fire.

While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions despite the issues it could cause for Sweden's NATO bid, saying they infringed on freedom of speech.

Turkey is blocking Sweden's NATO membership bid due to what it perceives as Stockholm's failure to crack down on Kurdish groups it considers 'terrorists.'

A meeting between the countries' top diplomats is scheduled for July 6 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, with NATO counterparts pushing for Turkey to grant the green light to Sweden by the time the summit takes place in Lithuania on July 11-12.

In its written decision granting a permit for the protest, Stockholm police said the security risks associated with the burning 'were not of a nature that could justify, under current laws, a decision to reject the request'.

Momika, 37, who fled to Sweden several years ago, had asked police for permission to burn the holy book 'to express my opinion about the Koran'.

Ahead of the protest, Momika told news agency TT he also wanted to highlight the importance of freedom of speech.

'This is democracy. It is in danger if they tell us we can't do this,' Momika said.

Police later said in a statement that the protest (pictured) had not caused 'disturbances to order,' but added that an investigation had been opened regarding 'agitation against an ethnic group' because Momika had chosen to burn the Koran near a mosque

Salwan Momika is seen on Wednesday holding up a smoking Koran during his stunt

Police had cordoned off an area in a park next to the mosque separating Momika and a co-protester from the crowd. One man was understood to have been taken away from the scene when he was caught carrying a rock.

Police later said in a statement that the protest had not caused 'disturbances to order,' but added that an investigation had been opened regarding 'agitation against an ethnic group' because Momika had chosen to burn the Koran near a mosque.

Police added he was also being investigated for violating a temporary ban on lighting fires - in place due to a heatwave.

Noa Omran, a 32-year-old artist from Stockholm, called the protest 'insane'.

'It's just hatred masquerading in the name of democracy and freedom, which it isn't,' the woman, who said her mother was from a Muslim background, said at the scene.

The police authorisation for the protest came two weeks after a Swedish appeals court rejected the police's decision to deny permits for two demonstrations in Stockholm which were to include Koran burnings.

Police had at the time cited security concerns, following the January protest which led to weeks of demonstrations and calls for a boycott of Swedish goods.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference on Wednesday he would not speculate about how the protest could affect Sweden's NATO process.

'It's legal but not appropriate,' he said, adding that it was up to the police to make decisions on Koran burnings.

Representatives of the mosque were disappointed by the police decision to grant permission for the protest on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, mosque director and Imam Mahmoud Khalfi said on Wednesday.

'The mosque suggested to the police to at least divert the demonstration to another location, which is possible by law, but they chose not to do so,' Khalfi said.

Police had granted Salwan Momika (right) a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections after an appeals court rejected their ban on Koran burning protests, but said later the man had been charged with agitation against an ethnic or national group

Police had cordoned off an area in a park next to the mosque separating Momika and a co-protester from the crowd. One man was understood to have been taken away from the scene when he was caught carrying a rock. Pictured: Police are seen detaining a man at the scene

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Sweden for allowing the protest, further clouding the Nordic nation's chances of quickly joining NATO.

'We will eventually teach the arrogant Westerners that insulting Muslims is not freedom of thought,' Erdogan said in televised remarks.

'We will show our reaction in the strongest possible terms, until a determined victory against terrorist organisations and Islamophobia is achieved.'

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had called the burning of the pages of the Islamic holy book 'despicable.'

'It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression,' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan wrote on Twitter. 'Turning a blind eye to such atrocious acts is to be complicit.'

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, called the Koran burning a 'disgraceful act provoking the feelings of Muslims' as they mark Eid.

The Cairo-based Arab League branded it an 'assault on the core of our Islamic faith', and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned it.

The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called for 'effective measures to prevent a recurrence'.

The Iraqi government also slammed the burning of the Koran, calling it 'racist' and 'irresponsible', while Morocco recalled its ambassador to Stockholm.

'This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid al-Adha,' Morocco said in a statement.

'Faced with these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government', Morocco summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat and recalled its ambassador, it added.

United Arab Emirates presidential adviser Anwar Gargash tweeted that the West 'must realise that its value system... cannot be imposed on the world'.

The foreign ministry in Abu Dhabi summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest the free-speech protections given to 'such heinous acts', it said on Thursday.

Kuwait said perpetrators of 'hostile acts' must be brought to justice and 'prevented from using the principle of freedoms as a ploy to justify hostility against Islam or any holy faith'.

Bahrain said that 'insulting religions is inconsistent with religious freedom... and generates hatred, extremism and violence'.

The stunt (pictured) sparked anger across the Muslim world, including in Turkey which is currently blocking Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance

Police had granted Momika (right) a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections after an appeals court rejected their ban on Koran burning protests, but said later the man had been charged with agitation against an ethnic or national group

Iran joined in the condemnation on Thursday, calling the Koran burning 'provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable'.

'The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran... do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it,' said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani.

'The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities,' he added.

Jordan also issued a statement on Wednesday, saying it was a dangerous display of hatred and Islamophobia that cannot be justified as freedom of expression.

The United States, the largest power in NATO, joined criticism of the Koran burning but reiterated its support for Sweden's entrance into the alliance.

'We've said consistently that the burning of religious texts is disrespectful and hurtful and what might be legal is certainly not necessarily appropriate,' State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington.

'We continue to believe that Sweden should become a NATO member as soon as possible,' he said, calling the country a 'strong, capable defence partner that shares NATO's values.'

Wednesday was not the first time a Koran has been burned in a public protest this year. In January, far-right Danish political party politician Stram Kurs Rasmus Paludan burned the religious book outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

Police during a protest where a koran was burned at the Stockholm mosque on June 28

Police during a protest where a koran was burned at the Stockholm mosque on June 28

The move angered Ankara then too, which is already using its grievances with Stockholm and its government to continue to block Sweden's ascension to NATO.

Speaking to newspaper Aftonbladet in April, Momika said his intention was not to sabotage Sweden's NATO bid and that he had considered waiting to stage his protest until after the country had joined the alliance.

'I don't want to harm this country that received me and preserved my dignity,' Momika told the newspaper.

Up to 10,000 visitors attend Stockholm's mosque for Eid celebrations every year, according to Khalfi.
A mother who boasted about choking a nine-year-old boy with a phone charging cable as well as bashing him with a metal pole has been handed a harsher sentence.

Adelaide woman Salli-Anne Neyland, 32, had her non-parole period more than doubled on Thursday after she was sentenced to a jail term of two years and 21 days in January, for strangling and assaulting the boy, who is not one of her four children.

South Australia's Court of Appeal heard Neyland had 'triumphantly' texted she had 'bashed' the victim 'with a pole and choked the little c***' after the shocking incident on January 17.

Neyland called the boy, who in December had been temporarily place under her care, into her bedroom and accused him of recording a video of a young child in a sexual act.

When the boy denied this Neyland wrapped a phone charging cable around his neck and choked him with it three times, only stopping when he made gurgling noises.

Adelaide woman Salli-Anne Neyland has had her non-parole period more than doubled for choking, bashing and kicking a nine-year-old boy she had in her care

Neyland texted a friend about her actions in assaulting the boy, who she accused of filming a child in a sexual act

She also picked up metal pole, which was part of a drying rack, and hit him across the thighs, buttocks and stomach numerous times to express her displeasure at the boy's denials and did this over a period of several hours.

Neyland later sent a text to a friend claiming the boy was 'defs' a 'pedo'.

'I bashed him with a pole and choked the little c**t,' she wrote.

'Fingers crossed I don't go to jail.'

A day after her brutal attack Neyland kicked the boy in the face after he made what she deemed an inappropriate comment.

She threatened to 'literally kill' him.

After her arrest Neyland admitted her actions but stuck by the accusations she made against the boy.

Police found no evidence of inappropriate content on the boy's phone.

Following her January sentencing South Australia's Director of Public Prosecutions launched an appeal against the five-month non-parole period saying it was too low.

Prosecutor Michael Foundas argued on Thursday the sentence was already too merciful and this was compounded by the short non-parole period.

In sentencing Neyland to a new non-parole period of 13 months the Court of Appeals said offences had caused the victim significant ongoing harm.

Neyland pleaded guilty to her brutal attack on the boy, which included choking him with a phone charger cable until he made 'gurgling sounds'

'It was attended by several serious features including that the complainant was a vulnerable nine-year old child, who, at the time of the offending, was in the respondent's care and protection without the ability to independently access support or advocate for himself,' the court ruled, according to Adelaide Advertiser.

'He also sustained not insignificant physical injuries as a result of the attack and continues to suffer from emotional and psychological trauma and nightmares.

'Moreover, the offending was not isolated nor confined to a spontaneous incident but involved numerous assaults coupled with threats, over two days, as well as the use of weapons.'

Neyland can apply for release in February 2024.
Woman tripped and got stuck in machine at Don Mueang International Airport

A female tourist has had her leg amputated after getting it caught in a moving walkway at Bangkok airport.

The 57-year-old Thai passenger was due to board a flight from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport to the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province this morning in the airport's Terminal 2.

But in a freak accident, she tripped over her pink suitcase before her left leg was dragged into the mechanism at the end of the travelator.

Horrified passersby fumbled to turn off the emergency switch as the machine continued tearing through the limb's muscle, tendon, and bone.

A medical team there eventually had to cut her left leg off from above the knee, according to the airport's officials. She was then taken to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital in the capital for emergency treatment.

DO YOU KNOW WHO THE PASSENGER IS OR DID YOU WITNESS THE ACCIDENT? PLEASE EMAIL TIPS@DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

A female tourist has had her leg amputated after getting it caught in a moving walkway at Bangkok airport

Horrified passengers at Don Mueang International Airport scrambled to switch off the machine which was ripping through her flesh

The medical team at the hospital said she was initially sent to Karun where she was told that they could not reattach her leg, but the woman requested to be transferred to another hospital to assess the possibility.

Airport authorities have ordered a probe to determine the cause of the accident.

A suitcase lying near her was missing two wheels, and the yellow comb-like plates were seen broken off from where they typically cover the edge of the belt where the moving walkway ends.

In the meantime, the travelator automatic walkway has been closed as an engineering team conducts an inspection and security checks.

In a statement, the Don Mueang Airport said: 'The director of Don Mueang Airport and management has visited the patient to follow up on the treatment and received information from the medical team at Bhumibol Hospital that she is currently in the process of receiving treatment from the medical team.

'Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation.'

The airport said no flights were delayed due to the accident.

Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) serving Bangkok opened in 1914 but was replaced by the new Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) on the outskirts of the city in 2006.

The walkway was manufactured by Japanese company Hitachi and was installed in 1996, the airport director said, adding that there is a plan to request for a budget to change to a newer model in 2025.

In 2019, a passenger's shoe was damaged after it was caught in the airport's moving walkway in Terminal 1. The airport released a statement afterward saying the faulty walkway was repaired and reopened in about an hour.

The passenger was rushed to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital in the capital for emergency treatment

The woman reportedly tripped over her pink suitcase (pictured with damage) before falling onto the travelator

Pictured is the travelator which mangled the woman's leg

The terrifying incident comes just days after an airport worker was killed after being sucked into an engine on the tarmac of San Antonio International Airport.

Emergency services responded to the nightmare incident at around 10.25pm on Friday night.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the airline ground crew member died after they went into the engine of a Delta Airlines aircraft. The agency described the worker as being 'ingested' into the engine.

The plane had just arrived from Los Angeles and was taxying to a gate at the time of the accident.

Delta Flight 1111 had just one engine on at the time when the worker, who is yet to be identified, was sucked in and killed.

Earlier this year an 11-year-old schoolboy suffered a broken jaw after he got his head trapped between a balcony and an escalator while riding the moving stairway at a metro station in Russia.

Video shows frantic efforts to free Misha after he got his head and hands stuck in between the escalator and an overhanging glass partition next to it.

Misha had been going up the escalator with his father when he rested his head on his hands on the moving rail, not seeing the danger from an unsafe design.

The 11-year-old was pulled under the overhanging structure and became trapped at the metro station in Okruzhnaya, a northern suburb in Moscow.

Video shows frantic efforts to free Misha after he got his head and hands stuck in between the escalator and an overhanging glass partition next to it

First his arms were pulled in, then his head became wedged as the rest of his body was pulled updated.

The boy's frantic father tried to pull him out, but failed, and passersby also sought to help.

The escalator kept moving making efforts more difficult to rescue the anguished child.

Eventually, reports said, the escalator was halted and emergency staff were able to free the boy and paramedics rushed the boy to hospital.

Misha suffered multiple fractures including a dislocation of the lower jaw, as well as head wounds and severe bruising.

In 2019, a two-year-old toddler nearly lost his right arm after it was sucked into a moving escalator at a mall in central China.

Terrifying footage showed the boy falling backwards on the steps of the downward escalator before being dragged into the mechanics, with his horrified mother screaming for help.

A security guard immediately rushed over and pressed the emergency button, just as the trapped boy reaches the foot of the escalator.

Firefighters were able to free the boy in 30 minutes and he was taken to hospital with unspecified non-critical injuries, according to Xinhua News.

A two-year-old toddler nearly lost his right arm after it was sucked into a moving escalator at a shopping mall in Yuanjiang, Hunan province. central China on Friday

A security guard immediately rushed over and pressed the emergency button, just as the trapped boy reaches the foot of the escalator

Surveillance video shows the two-year-old riding the escalator with his mother when he suddenly fell backwards and ended up trapped.

His panicking mother was unable to lift the child up as the steps continue to move downwards, putting the boy's life in great danger.

In 2018, a commuter was swallowed by an escalator after it collapsed during rush hour in Turkey.

CCTV footage shows a stream of people walking down the escalator, which was out of action for repairs, at Ayazaga Metro station in Istanbul.

But it suddenly began moving causing a line of people to simultaneously fall down the metal stairs, with some trying to grip on to the handrail.

One man, who the Turkish media named as Mehmet Ali Erik, at that moment stepped on but a section opened up leaving large gaping hole that swallowed him.

The escalator, with the victim still underneath, then kept moving for a few seconds before coming to halt.

Witnesses stood for a few moments before they rushed to the edge of the hole and looked down to check on Mr Erik's condition.

The victim was reportedly trapped for one hour under the metal stairs before being rescued by firefighters and being sent to hospital.

At the beginning of the video, commuters can be seen streaming down the escalator
A woman with autism was forced to spend 2,500 on a flight home after TUI 'banned' her from boarding and accused her of being 'drunk' following a spat with staff member that she claims treated her like a child.

Victoria Devorie, who lives in Crosby, says she unintentionally walked through the galley kitchen of the plane on her flight from Gatwick Airport to Jamaica while waiting to use the toilet.

Cabin staff had advised at take-off that the area was off limits to passengers and Ms Devorie, 44, alleges she was 'yelled at' by an air steward in a 'disrespectful manner' following her misstep.

She said the situation triggered a 'fight, flight or freeze' response, which she suggested is common of people with autism. She says she apologised to the steward, but was left upset and confused.

Ms Devorie says she reported the incident to TUI, who compensated her for her troubles and advised things would be fine on her return flight home.

But when she go the the airport, she was reportedly given a letter informing her that she was being refused from her TUI flight and was unable to get on another with the airline.

Victoria Devorie (pictured above) said she was banned from a TUI return flight and had to spend 2500 to get home after being told she was a 'flight risk'

Ms Devorie says she was left to face a 2,500 bill for a last-minute Virgin Atlantic flight to Heathrow and forced to travel without her partner who had to board the original TUI flight as there were no others for him to get on.

Ms Devorie was travelling from London to Montego Bay, Jamaica on Thursday, June 8 when the she allegedly became blacklisted from TUI flights.

A few hours into the journey Ms Devorie needed to use the toilet and says she crossed the galley slightly to let another person past. She claims one of the air stewards then spoke to her in a 'disrespectful manner'.

Ms Devorie told the Liverpool ECHO: 'I went up the other side of the plane and was waiting to use the toilet and I moved out of the way for another passenger, and I can remember it verbatim, I stepped a foot into the galley and this crew member reprimanded me like a child.

'When you have autism, certain situations can trigger you. You can go into fight, flight or freeze. Initially I froze and I apologised to him and I said 'I am really sorry, I know the rules, I am just getting out the way of a passenger. You don't need to talk to me in the way you are talking to me. You're being really combative.'

Ms Devorie said she was so upset confused by what happened that she accidentally exited the wrong way and claims she was then 'yelled at' by the flight attendant.

She said: 'I did move forward and I said 'can I take your name?' and initially he would not give me his name and I moved forward and he said 'you're still in the galley' and I said 'I want your name'. And I said 'this is not OK for you to talk to me like that'.

'I was trying to make him understand I wasn't doing it on purpose and I said I was sorry. I said 'I work in service' and he said 'oh right so what, if somebody stepped into your kitchen you wouldn't be annoyed?'

'I said to him 'if it was an accident I'd ask them to leave and I would understand it'. I told him he was talking to me in a really misogynistic way and it was not acceptable.

TUI have said they were not aware of Victoria's disability and that she had not informed them before boarding the flight

'The air steward who had been serving us put his arm on my arm and said 'go and sit down'. So I exited the other way and he screamed at me and said 'you're still doing it' [going into the galley] because I just got really discombobulated.

'So yes, I exited the other way rather than going back across and all the way round. And then I just got really upset.' She added: 'The situation left me feeling incredibly upset and triggered, especially considering that TUI was aware of my autism before the flight.'

READ MORE: Moment police storm TUI plane at Manchester airport after mother 'refused to put seatbelt on her child' This is the moment police officers stormed a plane at Manchester airport following reports a woman had 'refused to put a seatbelt on her child' Advertisement

Ms Devorie claims that throughout her communication with the airline, and when she booked her holiday, she made them aware she was autistic.

A spokesman for TUI told the ECHO that Ms Devorie did not discuss the fact she had autism with the customer service team at any point during the booking process or prior to departure.

The spokesman said: 'We have a team on hand to work with customers who may require additional support during their holiday.'

After arriving at a hotel, Ms Devorie claims there were a number of issues which she logged with TUI and was compensated 250.

However, when Ms Devorie says when she tried to check-in 48 hours before her flight home, she was unable to. She reportedly called the airline and was told everything was fine.

But she she arrived at the airport for her flight home on Thursday, June 22 she was given a letter telling her she was being denied boarding and banned from the carrier.

She said: 'They then issued me with a letter telling them I was a flight risk, banned from the flight and they cited on the second page I was drunk, arguing with crew and passing through the galley. I looked at them like 'what am I supposed to do?'

Ms Devorie purchased a last minute flight home on Virgin Atlantic and was left alone at the airport while her partner flew back to London on the TUI flight.

She recalled: 'I literally sat in the airport, continuously on the phone to my mum. My phone died and I didn't have the right USB cable, so I couldn't charge my phone.

'So I began to have a meltdown. I sat where my partner had left me, I sat there for nine hours. I didn't even go to the toilet, I didn't even have a drink of water.

'It was just playing around and around in my head and I was like 'I wasn't drunk'.'

Ms Devorie said the incident with the TUI crew member made her feel 'unwanted, vulnerable, and afraid, causing serious panic attacks'.

A TUI spokesman said they were sorry to hear about Victoria Devorie's flight experience but prioritize the safety of their crew members above all

She added: 'When someone books and raises awareness of their disability, the booking agent must flag it or require the person to wear a lanyard with sunflowers, the globally recognised symbol for someone with a disability.'

A TUI spokesperson said the company was sorry to hear about the events leading up to Ms Devorie being refused boarding and added: 'The safety and security of all our customers and crew remains our highest priority.

'We have a zero tolerance policy to disruptive behaviour on our flights and it's unacceptable to willingly ignore crew safety commands.

'At TUI, we strive to meet all our customers holiday needs and want to make travelling with us a smooth experience from start to finish.

'We have a team on hand to work with customers who may require additional support during their holiday. Unfortunately the passenger did not discuss this with the TUI customer service team at any point during the booking process or prior to departure.'
A British pensioner accused of murdering his terminally ill wife in Cyprus ended her suffering 'out of love and mercy', a court heard this week.

David Hunter, 76, was charged with the premeditated murder of his wife Janice, 74, in December 2021.

'The facts of this case concern a crime of love and mercy,' said Ritsa Pekri one of Hunter's lawyers.

'There are no other cases similar to this in Cyprus' legal history,' she added, stressing that no one throughout the trial was able to give a testimony that indicated any history of violence or ill-will between the Hunters.

'No witness statements indicated he was fed up of taking care of his wife. Everyone said they loved each other,' she told the court, according to the Cyrpus Mail.

State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikrou meanwhile contested that Hunter had pre-meditated the act and had planned how to kill his wife.

The defence and prosecution are now making their closing arguments, with the judge expected to return a verdict on July 21.

David Hunter (left) smothered his wife, Janice, in 2021 at their retirement home in Cyprus. Last week, he told the Paphos criminal trial how he took the heart-breaking decision to end her suffering from devastating blood cancer

Mr Hunter (pictured in March, 2023) made his first statement in court last week and was visibly shaking as he gave evidence. He described how he took the devastating decision to end the suffering of his wife at their home in Cyprus

David Hunter, British pensioner facing murder charges over the death of his wife, enters a courthouse in Paphos, Cyprus June 29, 2023

In May, Hunter told the court how his teenage sweetheart was reduced to wearing nappies, was covered in skin lesions and could no longer stand from her devastating blood cancer.

The final two witnesses in the trial then took the stand, telling the court how Janice's condition deteriorated in the last years of her life and how she became increasingly depressed.

Through it all, they said, Mr Hunter remained a loving husband.

'Janice often told us that her great wish was not to be taken to the hospital. And I think David made this possible,' Helmut Kesting, a neighbour of the British couple, told the court.

According to the Cyprus Mail, Kesting has lived with his wife in the island country since 2020. He described Mr Hunter as a 'quiet, reliable and reasonable man.'

'He and Janice always were very helpful and friendly to us,' he said.

Kesting described to the court how David and Janice were very loving with one-another, saying they were very proud of the relationship they shared.

'They invited us to their home and showed us a lot of pictures, photo albums of their past trips. I never heard shouting or fights. I believe they were in full harmony together,' Kesting told the court, the publication reported.

However, he said it was noticeable by 2021 - in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic - that Janice had become 'more and more depressed' having been 'optimistic' about her condition a year earlier.

He said that he and his wife had no contact with Janice in her final three or four months, as she did not wish to speak with anyone.

The Cyprus Mail reported that Kesting reacted negatively when he was asked whether Mr Hunter had ever complained of taking care of Janice.

Janice's hairdresser Anna Isaia also took the stand.

The news outlet said Isaia struggled to maintain her composure as she spoke of seeing Janice for the last time 'on the Wednesday before it happened'.

She told the court how Janice would often speak of how she was in severe pain, particularly in her final three months. During this time, Isaia said Janice had told her she couldn't sleep at night from the pain.

'I think she realised she didn't have long left. Last time I saw her she was really sad and cried,' she told the court, the Cyprus Mail reported.

'She lost a lot of weight. She was getting worse, struggling to move and walk.'

The hairdresser said Janice would visit the salon where she worked every two weeks, and that David would always accompany her.

She said David was 'very polite, he loved Janice a lot. It showed, he was very caring and loving. When we heard about what happened we didn't believe it. We never thought such a thing could happen.'

Janice died at the home she shared with David in December 2021.

The final two witnesses in the trial took the stand today, telling the court how Janice's condition deteriorated in the last years of her life, how she became increasingly depressed, and that Mr Hunter was a loving husband. Pictured: David and Janice Hunter seen on their wedding day

Mr Hunter has admitted to suffocating her to death, saying he did so after she 'begged' him to do so in order to end her on-going suffering.

Mr Hunter went on to attempt suicide, taking drugs and alcohol with the aim of overdosing.

But medics managed to revive him before he was arrested on suspicion of pre-meditated murder  and he has since languished in a high-security jail in Nicosia.

Mr Hunter - a retired miner - said he was forced to treat his wife himself at home due to Covid restrictions as her health deteriorated.

He told the court his wife was left crying out in agony 24 hours a day.

He broke down in tears as he told the court how he killed his wife after she 'begged' him for six weeks.

He said: 'I don't remember a lot of the last day. I went to make a cup of coffee and she started crying.'

He described how he went to the kettle and gripped the bench for support as his wife sat sobbing next door.

'The next thing I knew I put my hands on her,' he said, wiping tears from his eyes. 'When it was finished, she was a grey colour. She didn't look like my wife, and it was the first time I cried in many years.'

He described how he stood by her side and put his left hand on her nose and right hand over her mouth to smother her.

When prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou suggested that Mrs Hunter struggled and scratched him as he smothered her, Mr Hunter told him: 'She never struggled, she never moved. You are talking nonsense.'

Mr Hadjikyrou then suggested Mr Hunter had planned to kill his wife and did not tell her, to which he replied: 'I would never in a million years take my wife's life if she had not asked me.

'She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend.' He added: 'She wasn't crazy, you haven't seen the strain of the last six years, what she's gone through.

'The situation, the pressure. I wouldn't like anyone to go through the last six months we both went through.'

The prosecutor responded: 'Mr Hunter, there are people that go through much worse pain.'

Mr Hunter said he didn't tell the doctors of his wife's suicidal wishes because she asked him not to, fearing they would take her into hospital. He didn't tell their daughter because he didn't want to 'worry' her.

After the cross examination finished, Mr Hunter asked to address the judge. He told him: 'My wife was suffering and she actually said, 'I don't want to live anymore', and I still said no.

'Then she started to become hysterical. I was hoping she would change her mind. I loved her so much. I did not plan it, I swear to God.'

Giving evidence for the first time after over 20 appearances in 18 months, he said: 'For six weeks she asked if I could help her. For six weeks I refused.'

David Hunter with his wife Janice and daughter Leslie (left)

Describing her agony, he told Paphos District Court: 'She was lying down, she was in pain, suffering. I would do anything to help her. The last thing on my mind was to take her life. The last thing.'

Asked how the last few days were, Mr Hunter said: 'She was crying, crying, crying, begging, begging, begging.

'She wasn't taking any care of herself. The last two or three weeks she could not move her arms and had trouble with her legs, she couldn't balance.

'She was only eating soup, she couldn't hold anything down. She lost a lot of weight. She lost so much weight that there was no flesh to put her injections in.'

He said in those final days he was 'thinking about what to do 24/7' before finally taking the decision to go through with it when she once more started crying out in pain.

Mr Hunter said: 'I remember that I had my hand on her mouth and nose. I don't even know how I thought about it. I don't know how long I kept my hands there for.

'She did not attempt to stop me I don't even think she opened her eyes.'

After she died, he kissed her forehead and told her he loved her, before confessing to his brother who alerted the police. He said he cannot remember being arrested or giving interviews to police.

In cross examination, the prosecutor said: 'I put it to you that you had decided to kill her and there was no common consent, and that you just had to decide what day to kill her on.'

Mr Hunter replied: 'No, I never intended to kill her. I had hoped for eight or nine days that she would get better, that she would change her mind.'

He added: 'The last thing on my mind was to take her life - the last thing', before pointing to the prosecutor and saying: 'That's his idea, that's not my idea.'

Earlier he told how he met his wife when she asked him for a dance at a miners' hall party in Northumberland.

'She came up to me and said, 'You're sitting in my seat.' I hadn't ever seen such a beautiful woman,' he said.

From there, they were always together, he said, and they married in St John's Church in Ashington in 1969.

Asked how their marriage was, he said: 'Perfect.' He told how he worked seven days a week in the mine to pay for their only child, Leslie, to become the first member of the family to go to university.

Police custody vans arrive at Paphos District Court where David Hunter is on trial (May 15)

He and his wife would visit Cyprus on holidays and bought a property there in 1999 before moving across two years later to retire there.

Mr Hunter said: 'The first 16 years before she got sick, apart from a few operations, it was absolutely fantastic.'

But Mr Hunter suffered a stroke in 2015 and it was on regular trips to the hospital for his treatment that a doctor noticed his wife was looking very pale.

She was diagnosed with blood cancer and had to go to the capital Nicosia every week for procedures and injections.

As her condition deteriorated she asked to go to Paphos General Hospital because she couldn't face the journeys, but when Covid hit it was closed and so they kept her injections in their fridge and self-medicated.

Mr Hunter told how he called the hospital five times a day but there was no answer, and he was forced to travel to centres further away for help and supplies.

She had two 125 euro injections per week but started suffering side effects including diarrhoea, headaches, dizziness and nose bleeds.

Mrs Hunter's haemoglobin levels were such that she was unable to take painkillers and was left in agony at home, unable to move.

In her last months she underwent a series of operations for skin lesions on her face and hands, as well as a knee operation and another for her collarbone.

Speaking after his hearing, Mr Hunter told the press he was happy to finally give his account after waiting for 18 months.

'I got my say, this is what I wanted,' he said. 'To tell them things that they never even thought about.

'For six weeks when she was asking me, it was 24 hours. She was my wife, my best friend.

'The last six months, I wouldn't like anyone to go through that. Prison is nothing compared to what we went though.'
He tried to sue for race discrimination, harassment and victimisation

A food factory worker sued for race discrimination after he was served a smaller dollop of mayonnaise than his colleagues - but his case was thrown out.

Chibogu Eze brought the case after he was given a small sachet of Hellman's mayonnaise because the larger tub ran out while employed by food producer Pilgrim's Pride at their Linton site near Cambridge.

After Mr Eze argued with canteen manager Dorina Rosu over portion sizes and said he was going to complain about her conduct, his employer contacted his recruitment agency and he was asked to leave the job.

He claimed he was given a smaller portion because he was black, suing for race discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

However, after a three-day evaluation the panel found that he had not been discriminated against.

Chibogu Eze claimed he was discriminated against through mayonnaise while working at Pilgrim's Pride in Linton, Cambridge

Mr Eze was given a smaller sachet of Hellman's mayonnaise after the larger tub ran out, meaning he got less than his colleagues, an employment tribunal in Bury St Edmunds heard.

Despite the Hellman's sachet being 'higher quality' than the usual brand from the tub, Mr Eze claimed he was being discriminated against because he is black.

He also complained he had been served less salad than his colleagues, and argued with canteen manager Dorina Rosu over the price of a bacon and sausage roll, the tribunal heard.

But all of his claims - including 'The Mayonnaise Incident' - were dismissed following the three-day legal process after the panel ruled he had not been discriminated against.

The tribunal heard Mr Eze started working for Staffline Recruitment as a temporary worker in 2018, and was assigned to work at food producer Pilgrim's Pride at their Linton site near Cambridge.

Mr Eze, who lives in Ipswich, was assigned to the sauce and spice room in September that year, the tribunal heard.

On one occasion, during a lunch break at the factory, burgers were on the menu for the 200 staff and the workers were queuing up to be served, the panel was told.

The tribunal said: 'Where mayonnaise is part of the dish being served - for example as a sauce within a burger or sandwich - there is a large tub of mayonnaise which is added to the dish by the servers.

'Where it is not part of the dish - for example as a condiment to be added to fries - the canteen sells branded sachets for 10p per sachet.

'(Mr Eze) could not recall the brand but accepted that the sachets were branded. We accept (the company's) evidence that these were of a higher quality than the mayonnaise in the tub.

'On one occasion, hamburgers were being served for lunch and mayonnaise from the tub was accordingly added to the burger by canteen staff when they were served.

'Someone in front of (Mr Eze) was served mayonnaise from the tub but (he) was offered a sachet instead.

'He stated in his witness statement that the tub 'appeared to him to still contain mayonnaise' which the Tribunal takes to mean that this is what he thought, but he could not be sure about this.

Eze was given a mayonnaise sachet after the big tub ran out, meaning he got a smaller portion than his colleagues (file image)

'In any event, we accept the evidence of Ms Rosu that that tub was empty and a new one was not ready. We also accept her evidence that when the new tub came out, (he) asked for mayonnaise from the tub.'

The worker also claimed he had been served half as much salad as his colleagues, but the tribunal heard that even if he had been served 'less than a full spoonful', it was not done deliberately.

On another occasion, Mr Eze argued with canteen manager Ms Rosu about the price of his 2.05 bacon and sausage roll.

But the tribunal heard Ms Rosu was clear and consistent about the detail of this, whereas Mr Eze was not able to say anything about the correct price.

Mr Eze also alleged some colleagues had made derogatory racial comments about him, but he was not able to say who or when they happened, the tribunal heard.

And Mr Eze once argued with Ms Rosu while she was giving him and another colleague a lift.

Unhappy about being made to sit in the back of her three door Mini, Mr Eze said he was going to complain about her conduct in the canteen, the tribunal heard.

After the incident was reported, a manager from Pilgrim's Pride contacted his recruitment agency and he was asked to leave.

Mr Eze sued for race discrimination, harassment and victimisation. However his claims were thrown out.

Dismissing the mayonnaise claim, the panel said: 'Mr Eze was offered higher quality mayonnaise in a sachet rather than mayonnaise from the tub because the latter had run out.

'As set out above, the Claimant was offered higher quality mayonnaise in a sachet rather than mayonnaise from the tub because the latter had run out.'

Regarding the salad complaint, the tribunal said: 'Salad was served by the spoonful and therefore serving sizes were variable. Variable portion sizes were an issue for many people given this inconsistency.

'If (Mr Eze) was served less that what he perceived was a full spoonful it was for this reason and not deliberate.

'On a particular occasion, (Mr Eze) asked for more salad and (he) was told that he would have to pay for a second spoonful.

'In the circumstances, we find that he was not treated less favourably than others who did not share his race would be treated or that the less favourable treatment was because of his race.'

The tribunal also found that Ms Rosu had not made offensive remarks to Mr Eze.
A solar panel maintenance worker has died after falling five metres through a roof.

The man, 43, was on the roof of a mechanic's shop on Gibbs St in Wynnum, a coastal suburb of Brisbane, on Thursday morning.

He was carrying out his work as a solar cleaning contractor when he stepped on a fibreglass roof sheeting which gave way.

The worker plunged through the business and landed on the concrete floor below, according to police.

Four ambulance crews were called to the business just before 9am, as employees at the scene gave the man CPR.

A solar panel maintenance worker fell five metres through the roof of a business in Wynnum in Brisbane on Thursday morning

The man was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but died sometime later. His family had joined him at the hospital before his death.

Workplace Health and Safety have launched an investigation into the incident.

Brisbane Regional Unit Inspector Andrew Tracey said police were working with Workplace Health and Safety as part of their investigation.

'Preliminary investigations indicate the section he fell through was a fibreglass style roofing substance,' he said.

'The business was operating at the time but no one else was injured.

'Obviously it's a very traumatic experience for the workers here and they're speaking with their management now.'

The man, 43, was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but died sometime later. Police are assisting Workplace Health and Safety with their investigation (pictured, police at the scene of the incident)

The managing director of the company the man was contracted by expressed their shock over the incident and said they were working with Workplace Health and Safety.

'We are endeavouring to contact a relative of (the worker) and we are co-operating with WHS (Workplace Health and Safety) in their investigation,' they told The Courier Mail.

'We have no further comments right now.'

A report will be prepared for the coroner.
MANZINI  There is uproar within the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) as some officers are aggrieved over their pay for working during the 2023 General Elections registration.

The aggrieved police officers said on Tuesday, their superiors in the various police stations, informed them that no officer should file a claim exceeding 27 days, yet some of them worked throughout the registration exercise - which meant that they provided security for 40 days. In the Kingdom of Eswatini, the general elections for Members of Parliament (MPs), constituency headmen (tindvuna tetinkhundla) and chiefdom councillors (bucopho), are conducted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). During the various stages of the elections; registration, validation of voters roll, nomination exercise, primary and secondary elections, the commission engages members of the State security organs, mainly the police and His Majestys Correctional Services (HMCS) to provide security and protect lives and property.The registration exercise, started on May 10, 2023 and was extended on June 15, 2023 (when it was supposed to end) to June 18, 2023 (40 days). In terms of payment, a source close to the matter said it was agreed that they would not be paid less than E250 per day, which was an amount they received during the 2018 General Elections.

Rotated

The source said it was not clear how much exactly the officers would be paid per day, but mentioned that it could be above the E250. The source also said it was worth mentioning that not all the officers worked 40 days, as some of them were rotated within the police stations. As such, he said some of them worked as little as 12 days. He said some of those who worked 40 days, came from departments like Intelligence Bureau (IB), while others were from police stations which were located in areas that had many registration centres. The source said on Tuesday, they learnt that the superiors from the various police stations in the country were in a virtual meeting with the top brass from the headquarters. Afterwards, he said the superiors at the various police stations, allegedly relayed an order to the officers that no one should claim more than 27 days for working during the registration exercise of the general elections.

In terms of calculations, this publication got hold of a communique which was sent to all police regional headquarters, branches and station, including Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU), and it suggested that per day, the officers would be paid E287.50, which was above the E250 per day which they got during the 2018 General Elections.mTherefore, the source said police officers who worked for 40 days were supposed to be paid E11 500, while for the 27 days, which they should claim, they would get E7 762.50. This means that their pay will be less by E3 737.50 from what they are supposed to be paid, the source said.

Robbery

He said the officers viewed this as daylight robbery, supposedly by the administration of the police service. He said some of them contacted their sources within the EBC and enquired about the matter. They said their sources within the commission said it was not aware of the limit on the number of days to be claimed, instead they believed officers would be paid for the work they had done, the source said. In that regard, he said some of the aggrieved officers were threatening to boycott the upcoming stages of the elections or engage in go-slow. He said they knew how much the EBC and government needed them in this exercise, but they would do what they have to in order to get what was due to them. He added that the officers pointed out that the cost of living in the country and world at large had gone up rapidly recently, thus they would not work for nothing. He said according to their understanding, EBC paid the money in full. Therefore, he said the officers were convinced that some individuals within the organisation wanted to benefit from the pay forwarded by EBC, yet they did not work, thus they cut the number of days to be claimed.Some of the aggrieved officers said they considered boycotting the next stages of the general elections because they believed this exercise was budgeted for and there was no reason the days they worked were cut. Loku labakwentako sebafuna kushisa lelive (What they are doing will cause trouble for the country), said some of the affected officers.

They argued that they were saying this because they believed that the people who were behind the setting of the days knew that the country did not want the elections to be disturbed.

Again, they said when taking this decision, they knew that there were people out there who were threatening not only to boycott, but also to disrupt the elections. The division that this decision will create among us, is something that the country does not need, they added.On the other hand, officers from HMCS, who were contacted about their payments, said so far, nothing had been communicated to them. However, they highlighted that even in the department, the number of days they worked as officer during the registration exercise varied. They said there were those who worked almost throughout the registration exercise.

Challenge

The Royal Eswatini Police Staff Association (REPOSA) Secretary General, Dumisile Khumalo, said they had been told about the matter. She said they would take it up with EBC, because even after the last general elections, they faced an almost similar challenge and they were assisted by the commission. Meanwhile, EBC Communications Officer Mbonisi Bhembe said he could not comment about the matter because it was between the employer and employee. However, he said his advice to the aggrieved officers was that they should approach their supervisors with their concerns. He urged them to be open as nothing should be hidden in this exercise. Also, he asked the supervisors to be open to the officers about the agreements they reached during their engagements as stakeholders. He said before the officers were engaged on this assignment, relevant stakeholders had discussions and there were some agreements that were made. We need each other and there is no need to play hide and seek, Bhembe said.
From false teeth and a quicker walk to rumours of plastic surgery - could Vladimir Putin really be using a body double to avoid assassins... and Covid-19?

Observers have pointed to the Kremlin strongman's changing appearance over the years as possible evidence that he uses someone else to stand in for him on engagements he either does not want to make or considers too dangerous.

The speculation ran rife again overnight when Putin made a surprise visit to the city of Derbent in southern Russia's Dagestan region, with footage showing how the despot dived into a nighttime crowd like a Hollywood actor on a red carpet.

This is despite the Russian leader showing signs of paranoia around catching Covid-19, and amid reports that he fears being assassinated to the point that he only has direct contact with those inside his shrinking inner circle.

The rumour was also fuelled by a recent picture of Putin with Chechen republic head Ramzan Kadyrov, showing the president with bloated and mottled skin.

And in March, a video claiming the 70-year-old is using body doubles went viral.

Here, MailOnline takes a look back at appearances that have raised suspicions the despot uses doppelgangers...

Russian president Vladimir Putin is seen snapping a selfie with an adoring teen from Dagestan during a visit overnight on Wednesday, days after the failed Wagner coup

Vladimir Putin took part in a rare meet-and-greet that saw him mobbed by a crowd as he posed for selfies with young girls, June 28

The most recent speculation came this week after Putin survived the biggest challenge to his 23-year reign as Russia's president.

Under orders from mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, fighters from his Wagner private military company seized Roztov-on-don and marched on Moscow.

A crisis was only narrowly averted with Prigozhin striking an amnesty deal with the Kremlin. The deal stipulates that the Wagner troops will not face charges, and in exchange they must disband or join the Russian army.

Prigozhin himself will be allowed to live in exile across the border in Belarus.

While Putin has worked to assert the dominance of the Russian state in the days since the mutiny, analysts have said the president's position in the Kremlin has never looked weaker, with Kyiv saying the countdown has begun to the end of his rule.

The despot has used his typical televised speeches to assure Russians that he is the one in control, but last night he made an uncharacteristic visit to a meet-and-greet that saw him greeted by a crowd as he posed for selfies with young girls.

Seemingly imbued with fresh energy after averting a small scale civil war last week, the normally stoic and isolated Putin was uncharacteristically personable, shaking hands and planting kisses on the head of a young teenage girl who gushed over him and pleaded with her mother to snap a photo of her with the president.

In another bizarre moment he shakes hands with - and appears to adjust something on the uniform of - an officer carrying what may be his nuclear briefcase. He has not greeted his security apparatchiks in such a way previously.

The scene was markedly different to the extreme, seemingly paranoid measures taken by Putin in the last few years to avoid close contact with the public, other world leaders and even members of his own government.

The strongman has enforced strict quarantines for anyone outside of his own close circle before meetings, likely out of fear of catching Covid-19.

Putin visits the Naryn-Kala fortress in Derbent in Russia's Republic of Dagestan on June 28, 2023

Putin's appearance in Derbent came a day after a picture of Putin with Chechen republic head Ramzan Kadyrov showed the president appearing bloated with mottled skin - also prompting people to question if it was actually Putin visiting the region

In another bizarre moment on Wednesday he shook hands with - and appeared to adjust something on the uniform of - an officer carrying what may be his nuclear briefcase

But his transformative behaviour overnight has led many, including senior Russian figures, to speculate that the Putin seen in shaky camera footage greeting adoring fans in Dagestan was in fact a body double.

A longtime Moscow diplomat said on Thursday: 'It is getting impossible to believe that there is only one Putin.

'There are several - very good lookalikes, yet they behave somewhat differently. This one diving into the crowd in Dagestan behaves differently to the traditional Putin.'

Commentator Viktor Alksnis, a Soviet military tactician and politician who is now a Western-based analyst known as the Black Colonel, said: 'Why is Putin meeting with visitors in the Kremlin after their two-week quarantine and at a great distance, while in Derbent is calmly into the crowd and even hugs and kisses some citizens?

'How can the physical security of the president be ensured under such conditions? Something is not right here.

'It looks like a theatrical production in which Putin is not really Putin.'

And pro-war Russian nationalist and former FSB colonel Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin declared for certain that it was a Putin double in Dagestan.

'A person vaguely resembling the president - and not at all requiring compliance with the two-week quarantine necessary to get an appointment with [Putin] - was walking around Derbent,' he said.

His appearance in Derbent came a day after a picture of Putin with Chechen republic head Ramzan Kadyrov showed the president appearing bloated with mottled skin - also prompting people to question if it was actually Putin visiting the region.

Some likened his appearance to that of a waxwork model.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Putin has taken extra precautions to avoid catching the virus. Here, he is seen meeting Emmanuel Macron in February 2022 - sitting around 20 feet away from his French counterpart at either end of a huge table in the Kremlin

The speculation in recent days is by no means the first time it has been suggested Putin has been deploying a body double to public events amid claims he is suffering from poor health, is afraid of assassination, or is terrified of catching Covid.

Infact, the chatter around the theory grew so loud that the Kremlin was forced to deny the rumours in April, with Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: 'You have probably heard that he has very many doubles who work instead of him while he sits in a bunker [This is] yet another lie.'

'You see yourselves what our president is like: He always was, and is now, mega-active  those who work next to him can hardly keep up with him. His energy can only be envied,' Peskov added.

Many Russia experts have sided with Peskov on this issue, saying that it is perhaps wishful thinking from the West that Putin is showing signs of illness, and is therefore in need of a body double.

However, others have said that nothing coming out of the Kremlin can be trusted, and that Moscow has told so many lies it is impossible to know when officials there are telling the truth.

Peskov's rebuke of the rumours followed a viral video in March that seized on speculation that Putin's only trip so far to newly-invaded territory in Mariupol on March 19 was performed by a doppelganger.

The video asked: 'Who is ruling Russia?'

Putin is widely believed to have had regular plastic surgery as he has aged since first becoming acting president on the last day of 1999

Kyiv official Anton Gerashchenko posted three images of Putin's chin in March and questioned whether they belonged to the same man. He taunted: 'What's up with your chin, Putin?'

It is unclear who made the footage but it appears to be aimed at reaching Russians who rely on uber-loyalist state media for their news.

The producers of the video said that a specialist has noticed differences in the Russian president's appearance, like the ledge on his earlobe, a mole or his wrinkles which 'constantly change'.

Putin is widely believed to have had regular plastic surgery as he has aged since first becoming acting president on the last day of 1999.

Rumours are rife that Putin 'understudies' - who have undergone plastic surgery to resemble him - are deployed increasingly as his health worsens amid rumours of cancer and early stage Parkinson's.

For Putin's Mariupol visit, the video claims 'they forgot to put in his jaw' as it looks different to Putin's and also questions if the 'double' has false teeth.

On Monday, March 20, Kyiv official Anton Gerashchenko posted three images of Putin's chin and questioned whether they belonged to the same man.

The Interior Minister advisor wrote: 'What's up with your chin, Putin?

'Looks like lately his make-up artists (i.e. for the recent trips of the bunker man to the occupied Crimea and Mariupol) had to work with quite a low-quality copy, not even a double but its copy. I wonder which one of them was real?'

One picture showed Putin, 70, one month ago in an address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow.

Another was Putin's reported visit to naval port Sevastopol in Crimea on March 18.

And the third was from footage released the following day evidently showing the dictator in war-blitzed Mariupol.

The first image showed his chin tight and precise.

But the image in Sevastopol - grabbed from Ukraine in 2014 - incited a sagging chin, while the Mariupol chin appears firmer but less so than in the Moscow picture.

The Telegram channel General SVR insisted Putin had not been to Sevastopol or Mariupol, a city invaded after a bloody battle last year.

'The information from the Kremlin's resources that Vladimir Putin visited Crimea and Mariupol is NOT true,' claimed the channel which says it has insider sources.

In Crimea, a double of the president was noted with a short visit and solely for the sake of a video photo shoot.'

There have been repeated claims that Putin uses body doubles on some trips outside Moscow, or when there are many people around.

In January, General SVR also claimed that Putin's visit to UFA involved a 'body double' and not the real president. It predicted: 'Soon, the understudy will appear more and more often as president,' said the channel. 'The President's health tends to worsen.'

In Ufa, the 'president' was seen paying his respects at the open coffin of iron-fisted Murtaza Rakhimov, ex-leader of oil-rich Russian republic Bashkortostan, who died aged 88. He also met the region's head, Radiy Habirov.

Previously, in October, 2022, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence, questioned whether the real Putin still existed.

Telegram channel General SVR insisted Putin had not been to Sevastopol or Mariupol, a city invaded after a bloody battle last year, and that he sent a body double instead

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) pictured with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2006. Putin's features have noticeably changes over the years

Major General Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence (pictured left) questioned 'whether the real Putin still exists?' Ukraine's intelligence chief claims Putin is using at least three body doubles who have had plastic surgery to look like him

Budanov said the military intelligence service had detected Putin doubles in the past standing in for him on 'special occasions' - but added that now, it is 'usual practice' for the Russian president.

Budanov said: 'We know specifically about three people that keep appearing, but how many there are, we don't know. They all had plastic surgery to look alike.

'The one thing that gives them away is their height. It's visible in videos and pictures. Also gesturing, body language and earlobes, since they are unique for every person.'

A month prior, footage of Putin apparently showed him falling asleep during a meeting, coupled with claims he has complained about fatigue and shortness of breath to doctors, which raised fresh doubts over his health.

A body double was even on standby in case Putin was unable to attend the meeting, claimed Telegram channel General SVR, which has long claimed Putin is suffering serious health issues.

The video promotes the theory that Putin is using doppelgangers for trips he doesn't want to make, pointing to his ears that it says demonstrate there are multiple 'Putins'

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured at the Winter Olympics in 2014 (left) and chairing a metallurgy conference at the Kremlin on August 1, 2022 (right)

Same person? Putin is pictured delivering a speech in the Kremlin on April 11 2018, but Ukraine's intelligence chief says the ear is different to Putin's past appearances

The Russian leader looked awkward as he came down the steps of his presidential plane in Tehran during a state visit in July 2022. Ukrainian sources noted he moved unusually quickly and was more alert than in prior public appearances

In August, Budanov had previously claimed that Putin was using body doubles, pointing to the president's changing ears over the years as proof of his theory.

The 69-year-old Russian president's health has been the topic of fierce discussion among commentators.

His close ally Nikolai Patrushev is said to have stood in for the president during his medical appointments.

He said in a TV appearance: 'The picture, let's say, of the ears, is different... And it's like a fingerprint, each person's ear picture is unique. It cannot be repeated.'

Budanov further alleged that Putin body doubles 'have different habits, different mannerisms, different gaits, sometimes even different heights if you looked closely'.

The Major General had previously claimed a Vladimir Putin body 'double' may have been used for his arrival at a summit in Iran to meet Turkey's president Erdogan in July 2022.

While the Russian leader looked awkward as he came down the steps of his presidential plane in Tehran, Ukrainian sources noted that he moved unusually quickly and was more alert than in prior public appearances.

The Russian premier looked animated when greeting the waiting party, before removing his jacket and clambering into a heavily armoured limousine.

Budanov said he was suspicious of Putin's appearance in a live interview on Ukraine's 1+1 news channel.

Ukrainian reports said Budanov suggested that a Putin lookalike could have flown to Tehran to meet with the presidents of Iran and Turkey.

'I will only hint,' he said. 'Please look at the moment of Putin's exit from the plane. Is it Putin at all?'

Putin said he was advised to use doubles in 2000 shortly after the war with Chechen rebels finished, leading to a rise in terror attacks across Russia

Putin has previously denied years of rumours that he uses body doubles to avoid being assassinated, but admitted that he was once advised to use them

Putin addressed the idea of using body doubles himself in February 2020, when he admitted that officials had considered using doubles, but he claimed the idea was rejected.

'I discarded the idea of any doubles,' he said.

He was advised in the early 2000s when Russia was hit by terrorist attacks that a lookalike should take his place at events where the head of state might be at risk, he said.

'This was during the toughest time of our war against terrorism,' he said.

As Prime Minister and then as President, Putin oversaw the war against Islamist separatists from Chechnya between 1999 and 2000.

After Russia claimed victory, terror attacks increased in the Caucasus while bombers also targeted the country's main cities.

'The double would go where things were dodgy?' asked Vandenko.

'Well yes, go, put in appearances,' Putin confirmed.

Body doubles were reportedly used by former Kremlin leaders, for example longtime Soviet supremos Josef Stalin and Leonid Brezhnev.

In 2009, people in Sochi did not believe that a walkabout by then President Dmitry Medvedev and prime minister Putin involved the real leaders. Medvedev said at the time: 'We are not doubles, we are real.'
Grieving relatives of the five victims of the Titanic sub which imploded in a deep sea disaster will never be able to lay their complete bodies to rest.

The catastrophic accident killed British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, 19.

Sub company OceanGate's CEO Stockton Rush and French Navy veteran Paul-Henri Nargeolet also perished in the accident.

The sheer force of the water pressure unleashed at the depths where the Titan was destroyed will have had a devastating effect on anything inside.

Any active search for parts of the Titan and her passengers has now been completed.

Shahzada Dawood, 48, one of Pakistan's richest men, who along with his teenage son Suleman Dawood, 19, (together, left) died on the Titan along with British explorer Hamish Harding (right)

Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, which launched, Titan, perished on board the submersible along with his four passengers, including PH Nargeolet (right)

The salvaged remains of Titan were lifted to shore by a huge crane on Wednesday morning

The titanium front-end of Titan, where its viewing port was located, was clearly identifiable among the sections which were recovered. It's thought that the titanium parts are likely to have suffered less damage in the implosion, compared with the weaker carbon fiber elements

A large section of the Titan submersible that was recovered Wednesday appeared to be a panel from its tail. Some experts expected that salvaged pieces would be far smaller

Pelagic Research Services (PRS), whose deep sea robot Odysseus 6K found the debris, confirmed today it had 'completed off-shore operations'.

The announcement means there will be no more recovered, unless another operation is launched.

And the coastguard's statement on medical professionals were analysing 'presumed human remains' found in the wreckage paints an uncomfortable reality for relatives.

Naval architect Tony Bowman told MailOnline: 'The impact of the flow of water, the pressure would have been enormous.

'Body parts may be found because these jets of water would be just instantaneous.

'Just applying some logical sense to it, the poor people in there wouldn't have known anything about it when it happened.

'They have been large parts on the submersible brought up from what I have seen.

'It seems to me some remains could be found among the parts of the sub.

'This should have been known that this was going to be a disaster by anyone competent that worked on it.

'Engineers must have worked on building this  the investigation into what happened is going to have a very long tail.'

MailOnline today sought clarification from the US coastguard on whether new searches would be carried out after PRS had left, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Earlier today a spokesperson had told media: 'United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident.'

Experts had warned Ocean Gate CEO Stockton Rush for years that his self-designed submersible was not fit for diving to the depths seen at the Titanic's grave due to its carbon fibre hull.

The material is very stiff, has a high chemical resistance, a high-temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion, however it is also prone to delamination, which is the process whereby a material fractures into layers while put under pressure.

Industry experts believe that the Titan's titanium components withstood the disaster which occurred nearly 4,000m underwater, meanwhile the carbon fibre elements were likely to have been crushed into hundreds of pieces.

Titanic director James Cameron, a renowned deep sea explorer and submersibles expert, said: 'If I had to put money down on what the finding [of the investigation] will be, the Achilles heel of the sub was the composite cylinder that was the main hull that the people were inside,' he said.

'There were two titanium end caps on each end. They are relatively intact on the sea floor. But that carbon fiber composite cylinder is now just in very small pieces. It's all rammed into one of the hemispheres. It's pretty clear that's what failed.'

The parts lifted from the ocean appear to align with Cameron's observations, including that the larger piece was the vessel's titanium shell. Investigators will now work to confirm what each piece is.

Of approximately ten submersibles that exist on the planet and are capable of diving to the depth of the doomed ocean liner, only one was uncertified - OceanGate's Titan.

This comes despite many claims from OceanGate, which assured its Titan submersible was safe for years.

'I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,' Marine Board of Investigation Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement.

'The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,' he added.

Mr Neubauer noted there is a 'substantial amount of work' still to be done to understand what happened to the Titan sub and to 'help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.'
Furious Aussies in crocodile country have called out the 'stupidity' of tourists who risk their lives trying to snap a photo of the deadly creatures.

A photo shared online on Sunday shows a group of three young girls standing just metres from a massive croc in Babinda, 50km south of Cairns.

The four-metre long crocodile, named Clyde, is a well-known figure in the small town with locals often sharing photos of his whereabouts.

However, many said tourists often get too comfortable around the threatening reptile and said if the 'stupidity' doesn't end 'someone will get eaten'.

Three young girls (above) were slammed by Babinda locals for their 'stupidity' after they stood just metres from famous local croc, Clyde

Clyde (above), a four-metre long crocodile, is famous in the small north Queensland town but locals fear 'stupid' tourists going too close will provoke him

'It's only a matter of time until someone is taken right there. Insane behaviour,' one commenter said.

Anoher wrote: 'If people keep going down there something will happen and then he will be taken out - leave him be.'

Crocodiles are very common from central to northern Queensland with the state's environment department noting 'no waterway in croc country can ever be considered crocodile-free'.

Crocs are typically found in fresh and saltwater rivers, creeks, swamps, lagoons, waterholes, beaches and oceans.

What makes the reptile especially dangerous is its stealthy hunting style with many victims unaware a croc is watching them until it's too late.

There have been eight crocodile attacks in Queensland since 2020, one of which was fatal.

'Crocodiles are apex predators that use ambush tactics, such as lying and waiting at the waters edge, to capture their prey,' the Queensland Environment Department said.

'Just because you cant see a crocodile doesnt mean there is not one close by.

'Crocodiles can stay underwater for over an hour and can be completely concealed, even in knee-deep water.'
A driving test fraudster faces jail after charging at least 36 learners up to 1,500 a time to take their theory tests for them.

Satwinder Singh, 34, took the tests costing just 23 for non-English speakers over a four-year period.

The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) even issued pictures of Singh to centres as a warning while he travelled to test sites up and down the country.

He was finally arrested on June 6 this year after he was recognised while trying to take an exam in Reading, Berkshire.

He was found to be holding a driving licence under the name of Amritpal Singh.

Satwinder Singh, 34, faces ten years in jail after he sat tests for learner drivers

Singh posed for at least 36 learner drivers at test centres

Singh, of Swansea, admitted the specific offences of impersonating genuine test candidates for payment at Person and Reed test centres.

He also admitted possessing an article, a driving licence, for use in fraud.

He accepted he had intended to deceive staff into believing he was Amritpal Singh in order to take a driving theory test under that name.

Singh also asked for 35 other similar offences to be taken into consideration ahead of his sentencing.

The other test centres he targeted were in locations such as Manchester, Sheffield, Southgate, Oxford, Aylesbury, Guildford, Staines and Bristol.

Magistrates in Reading, Berkshire, sent his case to crown court for sentencing at a later date.

He was bailed on the condition that he does not attend any Reeds or Pearson driving theory test centres.

The DVSA released a gallery of CCTV stills showing Singh posing as candidates at various test centres after his magistrates' court appearance.

Mr Singh charged learners 1,500 to impersonate them in theory exams

He faces up to ten years in jail.

The case follows similar instances across the country, including Salim Basalim, 32, who admitted twelve counts of fraud and received a year in jail for taking tests.

Bolton Crown Court heard how he'd travelled to Bangor, Leeds, Preston and Finchley, North London, before he was finally cornered and sentenced in December last year.

Another man, Mohammad Shoaib, 38, was given a community order after paying a 'ringer' 800 to take a test for him after he failed it 14 times.

A DVSA spokesperson said: 'Driving test fraud is a serious offence, and we're working closely with social media companies and other agencies to crack down and prosecute those attempting to cheat the system.
The Colombian Army has called off the search for the hero dog that helped locate four children lost for 40 days in the Amazon rainforest.

Wilson, a Belgian Shepherd, helped locate Lesly, 13, Soleiny, nine, Tien Noriel, four, and Cristin Neryman, one, in the Guaviare rainforest following an aircraft crash but went missing himself.

In a tragic turn of events, the army has said that it was 'unlikely' to find Wilson after the desperate search for him began on June 9.

After their rescue, the children told of how Wilson had been with them before they were found by the Army and indigenous volunteers. They had also drawn heartfelt pictures of the hero pup.

Special Forces commander General Pedro Sanchez said in Bogota on Monday: 'Wilson is one of our commandos. We have done absolutely everything within our reach, we have spared no efforts to find him, but we are aware that it is practically unlikely that we can find him.'

Belgian shepherd dog Wilson (pictured) helped locate the four children lost for 40 days in the Amazon rainforest

The four siblings, Lesly, 13, Soleiny, nine, Tien Noriel, four, and baby Cristin, one, pictured safe in their hospital beds at a military hospital in Bogota, Colombia

The four indigenous children are pictured after being rescued. They were missing for six weeks in the Colombian Amazon jungle after a plane crash

The plane crash happened in Solano, Caqueta. The aircraft was found destroyed on May 16

The tribute, which was attended by President Gustavo Petro, was part of an award ceremony for Wilson's mother, Drugia.

General Sanchez told those present: 'Wilson will be remembered in our hearts and in the soul of the Colombian people, as we will do with the other canines and with our soldiers and police officers who have sacrificed their lives.'

Wilson was the strongest puppy of five born to Drugia and was raised among military personnel. He trained for 14 months at the School of Military Engineers.

He was recruited to help in the search for the four missing children.

'He was the dog we were looking for: strong, not afraid, very curious,' Edgar Fontecha, instructor at the canine training centre, said according to El Espectador.

'He was the true hero because he beat the communications between the jungle and pulled his guide towards the wreckage of the aircraft', the military said.

'It is said that the dog broke the rope that tied him to Lara (his guide) and started to do his thing, to follow the trail of the minors until he was lost,' Mr Fontecha added.

On May 28, Lesley's footprint was found among other smaller ones. there was also a dog paw print. Ten days later it was confirmed that the four children had been found.

The six-year-old pooch's disappearance was reported on June 8, a day before the children were found.

The Army believes he got lost after the area's hostile conditions - including humidity and dense foliage limiting visibility to 20 metres - disoriented him.

Lenin Ospina, a retired military officer who worked with search and rescue animals, told Blu Radio that Wilson could be 'in an emotional condition of psychological block' and he might not be responding to people's calls.

He was not wearing a tracker. However, even if he had been, unfavourable weather conditions may have hindered it from functioning properly, reports said.

The order to search for Wilson was given after the children were rescued.

Wilson is pictured during the search for the missing children on May 17

The crash is believed to have happened due a mechanical failure on May 1. The wreckage was found wedged in thick vegetation, having apparently nosedived into the jungle

Lesly Mucutuy drew a touching coloured drawing of Wilson in the rainforest

Pictured is Wilson's mother Drugia, who was honoured at the tribute to her son, with a soldier

Wilson went missing on June and a rescue mission was called the next day. He is tragically still missing

Ahead of the decision to call off the search, Armed Forces commander General Helder Giraldo said: 'A fallen comrade is never abandoned on the battlefield.

'Operation Esperanza continues to advance in the search for our canine Wilson, who, while tracking and in his eagerness to find the children, moves away from the troops and gets lost.'

More than 70 members of the Army were involved in the search for the missing dog.

Their strategies included bringing in two females in heat in a bid to attract him, and placing food at points deemed strategic.

But this week officials have said men used for the rescue mission are needed elsewhere in the country.

'We have more responsibilities in other areas of the country, our men are also exposed to jungle diseases and the risks that exist there,' says General Pedro Sanchez.

This week a video of a dog that looks very similar to the Belgian Shepherd has been shared on social media, sparking hope that Wilson is still alive and well.

It was spotted in La Plata in Hulia, which is 125 miles (200km) from where the children were found.

'From La Plata (Huila) they send a video and a photo where a puppy very similar to Wilson can be seen wandering in the rural area of the municipality.

'We are talking about a considerable distance, close to 200 km. It is important to verify this information, the National Army of Colombia and the Colombian Military Forces,' a social media user said.
A nonbinary-identifying undergrad at an upstate New York college was kicked out of a sorority by its national headquarters, reportedly over the student's gender identity.

Fabian 'Fa' Guzman, 22, said they were shocked and saddened when the Chi Omega national office informed them that their membership was being revoked earlier this month without an option to appeal the decision - a move they are calling gender-based discrimination.

The St. Lawrence University student said national headquarters relayed the message: 'The selection criteria in the policy on membership includes females and individuals identifying as women, which, by the chapters own understanding and your indication through the process, it is clear you did not meet the criteria at the time of joining.'

Fabian 'Fa' Guzman was shocked when the national Chi Omega headquarters revoked their membership earlier this month

The nonbinary 22-year-old was initially permitted to rush the chapter in the fall of 2022

Guzman, who is biologically male and uses they/them pronouns, has said they do not identify solely as a man, so they do not understand why their membership in the sorority is an issue. 'I'm just here being both at the same time,' they said.

The term nonbinary applies generally to people who do not identify as male or female exclusively. But the term can also be applied to individuals who identify entirely outside the spectrum of male and female.

Guzman's experience was especially confusing given that they were approved by the university and the national organizations of multiple sorority chapters - including Chi Omega - to rush as a nonbinary individual.

Guzman pledged in the fall of 2022 and accepted a bid from Chi O, where they felt like they had previously been supported during a challenging period of college.

The first-generation college student made close friends in the sorority and was fast selected to become the chapter's recruitment chair for the upcoming semester.

Their success at tearing down barriers eventually caught the notice of the university, which wanted to write a feature about their sorority membership for the alumni magazine.

But when Guzman reached out to the national office to clear using their name in the press, Chi Omega responded by saying they should never have been allowed to rush but would be permitted to remain a chapter member if they did not publicize the story.

'The national organization threatened to revoke my membership if we went public with the story,' Guzman wrote in a petition about their reinstatement.

'They then required me to partake in a two-step process of gender-based eligibility process that I was never privy to prior, and in the end, the CEO of Chi Omega voided my membership without the ability to appeal.'

'Chi Omegas reactionary void of my membership was blatant transphobia and bigotry,' they wrote.

Guzman launched a petition to have their membership reinstated ahead of their final semester on campus

Women in the sorority reportedly feel comfortable with Guzman's presence in the house, a place they hung out frequently before officially joining the chapter

Guzman is accusing the national sorority headquarters of gender-based discrimination

In an Instagram video, Guzman shared their perspective on the saga and where things currently stand

Despite being deeply upset by what's transpired in recent weeks, Guzman said they still wish to be back with their sisters for their final semester of college this fall before graduation.

Guzman said they have no aspirations to make Greek life co-ed or invade spaces that are considered sacred for women. They just want to 'feel we belong' in an environment that will support and validate them.

'The times have changed and people like me, nonbinary people and trans people deserve to be part of an organization where they feel they belong - regardless of [where] society wants to put them,' they said in an Instagram video.

Chi Omega defended its decision and noted that Guzman ultimately failed to meet membership requirements.

'In accordance with our governing documents, Chi Omegas Executive Headquarters recently made the decision to void the membership of an Epsilon Kappa Chapter member at St. Lawrence University,' wrote the organization in a statement.

'By their own admission, this individual did not meet the criteria for membership at the time of joining.'

The organization did not provide details on what exactly the criteria entailed.

'I never thought I was sweeping anything under the rug,' Guzman said. 'I feel that this experience was abruptly taken from me for no reason whatsoever when they were the ones who allowed me in at the beginning.'

Their chapter sisters at St. Lawrence University have been working to deliver a new proposal at the Chi Omega convention next year that would allow nonbinary people to join the sorority.
The Rwanda asylum deal is left down, but not out, by today's devastating Court of Appeal ruling.

To the frustration of Home Office insiders, it means removals flights to the east African nation cannot take off any time soon.

This is a massive blow to the Government, which has been counting on the policy serving to deter migrants from crossing the Channel by small boat.

There is a clear and present risk that migrants may now be emboldened after senior judges in this country effectively ruled in their favour.

Recent weeks have seen fewer arrivals than expected. Last week there was a window of good weather for crossings  dubbed 'Red Days' in Home Office jargon  but the number of dinghies was lower than anticipated.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman during a visit to Rwanda, where she saw accommodation that could be used to house asylum seekers

And overall numbers of crossings so far this year remain down compared with the same point last year.

It is possible that a 'backlog' of migrants heading for Britain had been holding back, waiting for the Court of Appeal ruling, and may now decide to climb aboard one of the people traffickers' 'death-trap' dinghies.

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However, there are two main courses of action now open to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Firstly, to get the Rwanda policy back on track the Government is almost certain to lodge its own appeal at the Supreme Court against today's ruling.

Ministers have been given until next Thursday to file initial paperwork on a possible appeal, after the Court of Appeal judges set what they described as a 'deliberately tight timetable'.

Today's ruling was not unanimous.

The panel of three top judges ruled two-to-one against the Government.

There was a so-called 'dissenting judgment' from the most senior judge in England and Wales, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, who observed that the scheme provides 'powerful protections' for any migrants removed to Rwanda.

The Supreme Court is generally more likely to take on a case when there has not been a unanimous ruling in the Court of Appeal.

A plane that was set to take migrants to Rwanda last June before being halted by legal challenges

If they agree to take it on, it is thought justices at the Supreme Court could hear the case by the end of the year.

The second course of action open to Mrs Braverman is to revise and improve the Rwanda deal.

The ruling set out how two of the judges  the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos; and Lord Justice Underhill - have concerns about 'deficiencies' in Rwanda's asylum system.

They said its shortcomings could lead to migrants being returned to countries where they may face torture or ill-treatment, breaching Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

It may now be possible for Mrs Braverman to revise the agreement with the Rwandan government  alleviating the judges' concerns by making the whole scheme 'watertight'.

That, of course, would take time.

And it could even see the whole process of legal challenges go back to square one.

In the longer term there is another, third course of action  the 'nuclear option'  that ministers could consider.

Because the European Convention on Human Rights played a crucial role in blocking the scheme, the right of the Conservative party is likely to make fresh demands that Britain should leave the treaty.

Mrs Braverman is known to be sympathetic to such a move, but the PM has ruled it out.

He is now likely to face intense pressure from within his own party to reconsider that decision.

It may well be that today's bombshell court ruling makes it more likely the Tories will make a major manifesto pledge on human rights in the next General Election.

In that scenario, it would be voters  not unelected judges  who would be given the final say on whether Rwanda flights finally get off the ground.
An Asda checkout worker who was kicked up the backside by a 'smirking' female colleague has won his sex discrimination case after he argued a man 'would have been sacked on the spot'.

Choon Seng Goh and his colleague Mercy Asante 'joked and laughed' but were 'never close' while working together at the supermarket in Croydon, south London, an employment tribunal heard.

But things got out of hand after Ms Asante 'humiliated' him when she kicked him up the backside and walked away laughing, the hearing was told.

On another occasion, she kneed him in the backside, forcing him to see his GP.

In their initial investigation of the claims, Asda bosses said the co-workers had a 'very playful/banter relationship'.

Choon Seng Goh and Mercy Asante 'were never close' while working at Asda in Croydon

But Mr Goh argued it had not been banter but 'bullying' or 'harassment' - and reiterated his complaint was of sex discrimination.

Now Mr Goh is in line to receive compensation after a judge ruled Asda's investigation had been 'seriously flawed' and the supermarket had discriminated against him on the grounds of his gender.

Bosses took months to start investigating his claims before eventually finding the woman who booted him from behind, Mercy Asante, had 'no case to answer', the hearing was told.

Mr Goh had started working at the Croydon branch in December 2010.

The tribunal heard that while at his checkout in January 2019, Ms Asante 'kicked him in the backside', although Mr Goh didn't report it at the time as he thought it was 'a one off'.

However, in February Ms Asante then 'kneed' him in the backside with enough force that he 'jolted forward' and later needed to see his GP.

The tribunal, held in south London, heard this left him feeling 'angry and humiliated' and so he reported the 'unacceptable' incident to his manager.

In a statement, Mr Goh wrote: 'I feel that Mercy's behaviour was inappropriate and my concern is that she might be doing this to other colleagues and [could] cause harm.'

A colleague reported the incident, saying Ms Asante's knee had caused 'immediate distress and injury' to a 'shocked' Mr Goh.

However, the panel heard that following Mr Goh's complaint 'nothing was done' by his manager over the following months.

When Mr Goh overheard colleagues in June talking about him being kicked, he was 'upset' and approached the store manager, who told him to re-submit his complaint.

That month he sent an 'identical' copy of his February complaint, which caused a 'fact-finding' process to be initiated.

When interviewed by managers and asked about his relationship with Ms Asante, Mr Goh said they 'joked and laughed' but were 'never close'.

He recounted the first incident where Ms Asante 'smirked' at him as as she walked away from kicking his backside and said he had 'no idea' why she had done it.

Telling bosses about being kneed, he said it had been 'eight out of 10' on the pain scale and he'd had problems with his bowel since.

Ms Asante was interviewed by a different manager and said she did not remember hitting Mr Goh, claiming the pair 'always hit and punch each other as a joke'.

She was told she 'shouldn't take these jokes to another level and be aggressive'.

After three 'fact-finding' meetings had taken place with Mr Goh, Ms Asante and another witness, the tribunal ruled it was 'entirely unclear' who was in charge of the investigation.

At a mediation hearing that December, Ms Asante then claimed Mr Goh had touched her breasts - something he strongly refuted and said was 'completely untrue'.

The tribunal heard that following this he took out a formal grievance, saying he should be able to attend work 'free of inappropriate conduct, violence, discriminatory bullying behaviour and offensive language, gestures or conduct'.

Mr Goh was 'furious' it had taken nearly a year for a 'serious complaint' to be acknowledged and addressed, it was heard.

At a formal grievance meeting he claimed the matter would have been dealt with quicker 'had he not been male' - and had a man done what was alleged they would have been 'sacked on the spot'.

After more meetings, Ms Asante was issued with disciplinary counselling and it was decided she had 'no case to answer'.

The investigation concluded Ms Asante had a 'very playful/banter relationship' with Mr Goh and said of their investigation that 'gender had not come into it'.

In May 2020, Mr Goh appealed against the rejection of his grievance.

He said the incidents had not been 'banter' and also said Ms Asante had 'groped his private parts', but he had been too embarrassed to mention it previously.

However, he was told his appeal grounds 'were not clear' and he had to re-submit them - something the tribunal found was unnecessary because his reasons were 'clearly articulated'.

At the appeal hearing, Mr Goh argued it had not been banter but 'bullying' or 'harassment' - and reiterated his complaint was of sex discrimination.

He suggested that if 'genders had been reversed' it would have been dealt with differently, but his appeal was rejected.

It was then he launched legal proceedings against Asda.

The tribunal panel ruled the sex of the perpetrator was a 'relevant circumstance'.

Addressing Asda's handling of his complaint, Employment Judge Stephen Heath said: 'We have little difficulty accepting Mr Goh's complaints were not taken seriously.

'We further accept Asda subjected the claimant to a detriment by not taking his complaint seriously in this time period.

'This was not simply an unjustified sense of grievance, Mr Goh was entitled to feel that his welfare and safety were not being accorded any significance by his employer.'

Ruling the grievance had been 'mismanaged', he added: 'There was no proper attempt to grapple with the core part of his complaint, namely, that had he been a woman his complaints would have been dealt with differently.'

'We conclude that the appeal hearing and its outcome was mismanaged. The focus was not on addressing his complaints... the outcome was significantly flawed in that it did not address a crucial element of the complaint.'

The tribunal therefore found Asda had not taken the assaults seriously, delayed the investigation, not interviewed all relevant people and mismanaged the grievance and appeal processes.

He won claims of direct sex discrimination.

A remedy hearing to decide on how much compensation he receives will take place at a later date.

An Asda spokesperson said: 'We acknowledge that our established processes for dealing with complaints of this nature were not followed in a timely manner on this occasion. We have taken learnings from this to help avoid this happening again.'
An irate shopper and a security guard have been caught in a vicious brawl inside a Coles supermarket.

Security cameras captured the pair fighting at the self-service checkout of a Coles in Prahran, southeast Melbourne, last month.

The security guard can be seen speaking with a male customer in a hoody before the shopper turns around and lashes out with a punch.

The two men trade blows as horrified customers watch on.

At one point, the guard manages to grab hold of the customer, lift him up in the air and slam him onto the floor.

Security cameras captured a fight between a security guard and an angry customer inside a Coles supermarket in Melbourne

The shopper then tries to get up and attack the guard again as the fracas continued.

But the guard slaps the man in the face after he gets up, which stops the brawl momentarily.

It soon erupts again when the customer lunges forward and tries to punch the guard in the face.

The two men grab onto each other before the guard pushes the shopper onto the baggage area of one checkout.

A store manager then steps in and breaks up the fight.

At one point, the security guard manages to lift the man in the air before slamming him onto the ground

The security guard works for contractor MA Services Group, who didn't respond to enquiries.

Coles said a review was launched into the matter and has since been resolved.

'(It) was reported immediately and reviewed accordingly with our security service provider,' a spokesperson told 7News.

'Coles is satisfied with the outcome of that review.'

Coles did not comment on the behaviour of the security guard or customer.
Omid Scobie's book has been delayed for three months so he can write new chapters on the Coronation, which are expected to include 'sensational details' about Harry's solo flying visit to the UK to see his father crowned King.

Mr Scobie, long considered the Sussexes' preferred royal reporter, is releasing 'Endgame' - a 'penetrating investigation' about the Royal Family's 'fight for survival' - on November 21.

Endgame will be published three months after its original August date because it will now take in the period of the Coronation, where Harry came to Westminster Abbey without his wife and children, who stayed in California.

Mr Scobie told MailOnline: The release is globally, including UK, on November 21', adding: 'I wanted to continue writing through and beyond the Coronation. That wasnt the original plan'.

Mr Scobie co-authored the 2020 book Finding Freedom about Harry and his wife, and is thought to be close to the Sussexes. In 2021 the Duchess of Sussex apologised in the High Court for failing to remember authorising a senior aide to brief Scobie and co-author Carolyn Durand for the unofficial biography. And at the High Court this month Prince Harry admitted he knew Scobie, before correcting himself and saying: I know of him.

The journalist, who is the royal editor of US website Harper's Bazaar, is expected to have the inside track on the decision, which saw Harry spend just 28 hours in the UK before returning to LA to see his son Archie on his birthday.

Mr Scobie has promised the book will be full of 'unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations'.

Omid Scobie (pictured in London in June this year) rose to prominence after writing Founding Freedom, a laudatory biography about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. His new book will include details about the Coronation

Omid Scobie announced the release of Endgame last year but has now announced the publication date as November 21, 2023 - three months later than first mooted

Moving the publishing date will give the author a chance to include inside material through and beyond the King's coronation.

Prince Harry notably was sat in the third row of the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and played no formal role in the proceedings, jetting off after less than 24 hours in the UK.

With no sign of any reconciliation between the duke and his father and brother, a change of publication date leads to concerns Scobie could wring every drop out of the row between the family.

Commenting on MrScobie's announcement, royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams said: 'Hes writing about the royal family and hes also Harry and Meghans unofficial spokesperson, some sensational details are bound to follow. However, how well sourced are they?

'No reputable royal source would talk to Omid Scobie.'

The author's previous title, Finding Freedom, covered the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals.

Mr Fitzwilliams went on: 'His book, co-written with Carolyn Durand, Finding Freedom, which the Sussexes were discovered to have cooperated with despite their denials, was badly written and pathetically inadequate.

'His new book is entitled Endgame. Some might think the title refers to the current state of the Sussexes' affairs. It is worth remembering that they reportedly had a four-book deal with Random House.

'Spare, Harrys memoir, contained some highly Ill-judged passages including the number of Taliban he killed on his second tour of duty of Afghanistan.'

Following the leak of Spare in January, ex-Army chief Colonel Richard Kemp called Harry's comments 'ill-judged' and said soldiers are not trained to regard their targets as 'subhuman' - while former National Security Adviser Lord Darroch said he would have cautioned the Duke from disclosing his kill count.

Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'Much of Endgame is not likely to be taken seriously. It is likely to be a sensational attempt to cash in on the Sussexes' rift with the royal family. I suspect it will be trusted as much as anything from the Sussexes' corner should be.

A six-part Netflix TV series called Harry & Meghan was released in December last year

'It will be assumed to have been written with their approval as Finding Freedom provably was. What is really worrying is, what comes next. Ironically it seems to be the Sussexes who, to quote Endgames blurb fight for survival not the royal family.'

READ MORE - YouTube star accuses the Sussexes of 'DEFAMING' her in Netflix docuseries Advertisement

Scobie announced his second book last year, in which he said Endgame would 'pull back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future'.

According to a statement released by the publisher: 'On September 8, 2022, the world stood still as news broke of Queen Elizabeth IIs passing.

'Her death dismantled the protective shield around the worlds most famous family, and saw a long-simmering crisis of confidence in the British monarchy begin to resurface.

'Now, with unique insight, deep access and exclusive revelations, journalist Omid Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoilexposing the chaos, family dysfunction, distrust and draconian practices threatening its very future.

'This is the monarchys endgame. Do they have what it takes to save it?'

Mr Scobie has been a firm cheerleader for Harry and Meghan over recent years, having co-authored a highly sympathetic biography of the couple in 2020.

He is one of the closest journalists to Harry and Meghan since their move to America.

It comes at a difficult time for Harry and Meghan, with Spotify announcing earlier this month that it was dropping the Duchess's podcast, Archetypes.

Scobie says his new book Endgame (pictured) will 'pull back the curtain on an institution in turmoil'

Meanwhile, Netflix is reportedly planning to can their deal with the couple when it expires in 2025 - after rejecting several of their ideas for shows.

In a bid to revive their flagging fortunes, Harry and Meghan are developing a Netflix show called 'Bad Manners', based on a feminist version of Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations - according to the Wall Street Journal.

The author's previous title, Finding Freedom, covered the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals

Meanwhile, a YouTube star has threatened legal action against the couple after accusing them of 'defaming' and 'slandering' her in their bombshell Netflix documentary.

Shallon Lester, from California, came out guns blazing against the Sussexes in a new video posted to her account on Tuesday, in which she railed against Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, for allegedly 'mischaracterizing' her in the six-part Netflix series.

Back in December, Lester branded Harry & Megan 'a festival of bulls**t' after a clip from her YouTube account was shown in their documentary, implying that she was part of a coordinated trolling campaign against the couple.

The outspoken influencer has now hinted that she may pursue legal action against them - noting in her video that her 'lawyer is going to be mad' at her for mentioning it - and is vowing to 'nail their a** to the wall' over the allegations.

'Believe me when I say I'm pursuing every opportunity to nail their a** to the wall for this,' she raged in the video. 'It's defamation, it's slander, it's mischaracterization. And you know what else it is? Misinformation.'
MBABANE  Outdated policies that need reviewing are costing Eswatini billions of Emalangeni.

Eswatini has committed to making itself eligible for Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funds so much that the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development has a full-time person whose sole job is to help the country Eswatini secure the countrys eligibility for MCC money. However, Eswatinis outdated laws are holding it back, as revealed by Armand Perry from the American Bar Association (ABA), who was making submissions on behalf of the organisation during a stakeholder submission session to the Employment Bill, 2023 in Parliament yesterday. The ABA has implemented several projects in Eswatini over the last few years, working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector partners and government ministries. Their current project is a three year USAID funded project called Womens Economic Empowerment and Recovery (WEER), which seeks to boost womens participation in the economy.

Criteria

Perry submitted that for the country to be eligible for the MCC money, it should meet a specific criteria, composed of 20 indicators across three broad categories. They include ruling justly, investing in people and economic freedom which include, among others, gender in the economy. Perry submitted that gender in the economy was one of the indicators on which Eswatini scored poorly on. He said the score came directly from an annual World Bank report called Women, Business, and the Law (WBL). The 2023 WBL report ranks 190 economies on gender in the economy and Eswatini is at 180, right after Somalia. Thats not only a terrible score, but it doesnt feel right. Eswatinis score does not comport with my lived experience, or yours, I imagine, nor does it accurately reflect where Eswatini is in terms of womens true participation in the economy. And thats because this score is not looking at workplace employment figures or women in executive roles. But rather at one thing only: policy, he submitted. Perry highlighted that Eswatinis outdated laws were holding it back, casting a shadow on its standing on worldwide rankings such as the WBL report, hindering its ability to go after opportunities like MCC grant money. He said there were a thousand reasons to update the Employment Act of 1980.Through this initiative, Mozambique received E9.6 billion for water and sanitation, roads and to develop agriculture. Malawi received E6.5 billion to develop its power sector and those funds expired in 2018 and Malawi secured another E6.5 billion to develop its roads for better transport freight service.

Secured

Lesotho secured E6.7 billion to develop its water supply and increase access to health and Namibia secured E5.5 billion for education and economic development in its rural northern region. The Employment Act is 43 years old. I assume the Employment Bill, if passed, will stick around for just as long. Eswatini must seize the opportunity to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace, while enhancing its international standing when it comes to policy frameworks, said Perry. He said that as the Employment Bill noted in its preamble, Parliament had a constitutional obligation to act and Parliament shall enact laws to provide for the right of persons to work under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions; ensure equal payment for equal work without discrimination. He also added that it had the obligation to ensure that every worker was accorded rest and reasonable working hours and periods of holidays with pay as well as remuneration for public holidays; and protect employees from victimisation and unfair dismissal or treatment.

Allows

Passing the Employment Bill not only prioritises the well-being and dignity of Eswatinis workers, but allows Parliament to fulfil its constitutional mandate. Looking at the international implications, I want to highlight seven gender-based considerations to bring this domestic legislation more in line with international benchmarks, he shared. One of the gender-based considerations he highlighted included equal pay for work of equal value. Perry said Section14 in the Bill improved on the Act by defining equal pay to include remuneration, touching on the full scope of benefits, and by broadening the standard to include not just equal work, but work of equal value. He said this provision was far stronger than the previous provision in the Act and this was a welcomed improvement.He also highlighted the Bills list of grounds on which employers may not discriminate, and he suggested that the list of protected attributes should also list sexual orientation as a ground on which an employer may not discriminate.

This appears to be a drafting error, but a critical one. Regardless of ones views on this issue, I think we can all agree that it should not be the basis for an adverse employment decision. People should get jobs, or hold on to jobs, based on their abilities and performance. We do not want legislation that allows employers to fire employees because of something that may lawfully engage in away from the workplace while in their private life, he said. To that submission, the Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Lutfo Dlamini, wanted to know from Perry if, by sexual orientation, he meant the LGBTIQ. Perry responded by stating that he was cognisant that only transgender, in the context of LGBTIQ would be allowed. Dlamini made it known to Perry that the Constitution did not recognise the LGBTIQ group hence they could not be incorporated in the legislation.
Graham also reveals Hunter's prosecutor was briefed on allegations in a FD-1023 form that a Burisma executive gave $10 million to Joe and Hunter

Top GOP Senator Lindsey Graham is ramping up pressure on Hunter Biden's prosecutor, demanding information on alleged phone calls between President Joe Biden and a Burisma executive detailing a $10 million 'bribe' that he says U.S. Attorney David Weiss was briefed on.

Graham, R-S.C., who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent letters Wednesday obtained by DailyMail.com to Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Attorney David Weiss - the lead prosecutor investigating federal tax and gun crimes committed by Hunter Biden.

'I have been informed that you and your office were briefed on allegations in a FD-1023 form suggesting there may have been phone calls recorded between Hunter Biden and Joe Biden with a senior official at Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company,' wrote Graham in the letter to Weiss.

'The FD-1023 in question alleges that the confidential informant told the Department of Justice and FBI that such tapes may exist,' he continued.

An internal FBI FD-1023 form brought to light by a whistleblower and publicized by the House Oversight Committee allegedly says Joe and Hunter Biden each got $5 million 'bribe' from a Ukrainian foreign national in exchange for policy decisions. The national, a Burisma executive, also allegedly has phone recordings of Joe and Hunter that he kept as an 'insurance policy.'

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges - and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call

Top GOP Senator Lindsey Graham is ramping up pressure on the Hunter Biden's prosecutor

The House Oversight Committee led by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also ramped up pressure on the Treasury Department Wednesday to turn over Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) related to Burisma Holdings and the alleged $10 million total payment to Joe and Hunter.

The letters follow bombshell IRS whistleblower testimony alleging that top Justice Department officials, including Garland, interfered in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden including by denying Weiss 'special counsel' status.

The South Carolina senator asks Weiss in the letter to answer on whether he denied the special counsel designation and also about additional whistleblower allegations that he attempted to bring charges against Hunter in Washington, D.C., and California - but was denied.

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, a 14-year veteran of the agency who helped oversee the investigation into the president's son, claims that Hunter Biden has been given preferential treatment by investigators looking into his tax affairs and lying on a gun permit application.

Shapley pointed to a WhatsApp message sent on July 30, 2017, by Hunter to Chinese Communist Party official Henry Zhao, threatening him to follow his 'orders' and saying his dad was with him. Shapley alleges he raised concerns about the WhatsApp message to DOJ prosecutors, who rebuffed his concerns.

During an interview with Fox News Wednesday evening, Shapley also described an October 7, 2022, meeting with top IRS and FBI officials on the investigation into President Joe Biden's son.

'I was there, and I witnessed this personally,' Shapley said, noting Weiss started by saying 'he's not the deciding person whether or not charges are filed or not.'

Shapley claimed the final decision was made by officials in Washington, D.C. He noted Weiss meet with the Matthew Graves, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, in March 2022.

'After that occurred, he was no longer looking to charge,' Shapley said.

'So that's earth-shattering news,' Fox News' Bret Baier said. 'It's a Biden-appointed D.C. U.S. attorney, Matthew Graves, would not allow him to charge in his district?'

'I didn't learn that fact until October 7 of 2022, so looking back to March of 2022. And that's when David Weiss, in October 7, 2022, said that the D.C. U.S. attorney's office will not allow us to charge there,' Shapley responded.

The House Ways and Means Committee last week released testimony from two IRS whistleblowers who alleged officials at the Justice Department, the FBI, and the IRS interfered with Weiss' investigation. Shapley was one of those two whistleblowers.

In response to the release of that information, Garland denied interfering in the Hunter Biden probe.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,' Garland said last week of Weiss.

The defense came a day after Shapley's stunning allegations about the case were unsealed by House Republicans, and after both Hunter Biden and the attorney general were guests at a White House State Dinner.

Asked about any directive not to bring charges against Hunter in 2022, Garland responded: 'As I said at the outset, Mr. Weiss was appointed by President Trump as the U.S. attorney in Delaware and assigned this matter during the previous administration.'

Garland said Weiss 'would be permitted to continue his investigation and to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to. Mr. Weiss has since sent a letter to the House Judiciary confirming he had that authority.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution, given that he has this authority,' he said.

@GOPoversight is continuing to pursue financial records to follow the Bidens money trail to help inform legislative solutions to strengthen public corruption laws. Secretary Yellen must provide financial records related to Burisma executives and entities.



Read https://t.co/pssqCuRf5n  Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) June 29, 2023

Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income

He claimed Weiss never asked to be appointed special prosecutor.

'Mr. Weiss had, in fact, more authority than a special counsel would have.'

'He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own,' he noted.

'Some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department by claiming that we do not treat cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy,' Garland said.

Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income. Weiss announced that agreement along and noted he charged Hunter in connection with his purchase of a handgun in 2018 but said he would not prosecute the charge under a two-year pretrial diversion program.

Republicans are investigating Garland's role in the case and whether or not Weiss truly had the authority to make charging decisions.

'If it comes true what the IRS whistleblower is saying, we're going to start impeachment inquiries on the attorney general,' Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News.

President Biden has said repeatedly he had nothing to do with Hunter's business dealings and the White House has emphasized they are staying out of any Justice Department investigations.
A DJ who sadly died at Glastonbury was a member of the festival's crew who was found unresponsive in his tent during clean up operations.

Jason Winder, 48, was tragically confirmed dead after emergency services were called to The Park on the Pilton site on Worthy Farm, Somerset, at about 2.20pm on Tuesday.

The festival ended on Monday, but crew remain at the site to clear up and return the fields back to their original state.

Avon and Somerset Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

His death came just two days after another man in his forties, who has not been named, tragically died at Glastonbury on Sunday.

Jason Winder (pictured), 48, died at Glastonbury festival on Tuesday

He died in his tent at the festival on Worthy Farm (pictured) in Somerset

Avon and Somerset Police said they are not treating Jason's (pictured) death as suspicious

Tributes have been paid to the 'ultra-talented' radio DJ who presented radio shows in Phuket and Thailand, performing under his stage name Jason Wilder.

Tim Newton, who performed on Phuket in Thailand with Jason posted a tribute to him on Facebook.

He said: 'Very, very sad news this morning of the death of work compatriot and good friend Jason Wilder. Jason passed away whilst at the Glastonbury music festival whilst resting in his on-site tent.

'Jason is best known in Phuket for his long stint behind the afternoon 'Drive' mic at Live 89.5FM, part of the Phuket News empire. Every show would open with 'Sawasdee krub pi nong krub!' Then it would be three hours of non-stop 'Jason' from there on.'

Tim described Jason as 'such a natural-born engager and entertainer - solo behind the mic, or in the company of close friends and family, or in front of thousands.

He said: 'He was certainly the best expat radio talent that ever graced a microphone in Thailand. Ultra-talented, unique, always surprising. When he was 'on' it was hard to turn him off.

'Apart from a huge expat following, he had even more close Thai friends. He spoke his own version of Thai but it didn't really matter because his intentions were always clear with his wicked grin and wide smile, always embracing anyone near into his world of spontaneous fun.

'Jason spent most of the post-Covid years working back in the UK, mostly in music and when we last spoke a few months ago, it was about Glastonbury.... Glastonbury, Glastonbury, Glastonbury.

'And he died there doing what he loved - surrounded by music, friends, and you can be sure, a lot of love and laughter.

'Jason lived large and packed a lot of life into his 48 short years. RIP dear friend.'

Tributes have been paid to the 'ultra-talented' radio DJ (pictured) who presented radio shows in Phuket and Thailand, performing under his stage name Jason Wilder

Tim Newton, who performed on Phuket in Thailand with Jason (pictured) said he was 'such a natural-born engager and entertainer'

Tim added that 'Jason lived large and packed a lot of life into his 48 short years'

One person replied: 'Very sad news. Shocking. Loved his live music. Rest easy.'

Another said: 'Very sad to hear. Always remember him with his full of energy and smiling face. R.I.P.'

Avon and Somerset Police told MailOnline: 'Police were called at about 2.20pm on Tuesday 27 June after a man in his forties was found unresponsive in his tent in The Park area at the Glastonbury Festival site.

'Sadly, he was confirmed dead at the scene. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.'

In a separate incident, a second man in his 40s also sadly died at Glastonbury Festival on Sunday.

Avon and Somerset Police said earlier: 'Shortly before 4am today, Sunday 25 June, emergency services responded to medical incident involving a man in his 40s at Glastonbury Festival.

'The incident happened on a footpath known as the old railway line.

'Sadly, the man died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

'The man's death is not being treated as suspicious and officers are carrying out enquiries on behalf of the coroner.'

MailOnline has contacted Glastonbury Festival for comment.

According to the BBC, more than 200,000 festival goers attended Glastonbury festival from June 22 to June 26.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said earlier this week a total of 35 arrests were made on and off site.

It also recorded 120 incidents, which included 27 thefts, 20 drug offences and seven sexual assaults.
An animal lover has been left traumatised after her cat was cruelly shot with an arrow and left to die.

House pet Apollo returned to his owner's Perth home on Friday with the projectile lodged in his abdomen.

'I hardly know how to react to it to myself, it was weird and really scary,' the owner told PerthNow.

'As he came in the arrow fell out, I didn't have to pull it out. I found the wound where it had struck him.'

House pet Apollo returned to his owner's Perth home on Friday with the projectile lodged in his abdomen

Apollo had to be rushed to the vet for lifesaving surgery following the senseless act of cruelty

The cat had earlier escaped out the door while it s owner was putting the garbage bins out, leading to a lengthy search before the beloved pet eventually arrived back home.

Apollo was rushed to an emergency vet in Perth's inner northern suburb of Yorkine, where the cat was immediately operated on.

The fluffy white cat is expected to make a full recovery but will need to be nursed back to health.

In response to an inquiry on social media the owner said Apollo 'is definitely starting to feel like his usual self again'.

The cat lover, who is active in finding homes for abandoned dogs and cats, said she was shocked by the wanton cruelty of the despicable act.

'Whoever came across him (Apollo) and did this they could've patted him and he would've loved it, but instead, my poor animal is injured badly and he could've been killed,' the owner said.

According to the car lover Apollo is on the mend and beginning to 'feel like his usual self'

Western Australia's maximum penalties for animal cruelty are a $50,000 fine and five years jail time

Saving Apollo cost $4000 in vet bills, which the owner said had put her under financial strain and she would have to cut out some of her normal expenses.

RSPCA WA inspector manager Kylie Green labelled the wounding of Apollo 'sickening' and urged anyone with information that help find perpetrator to contact them.

Ms Green also warned owners to keep cats safely at their homes.

Western Australia's maximum penalties for animal cruelty are a $50,000 fine and five years jail time.
More than 120 million Americans are now under 'very unhealthy' air quality alerts, with Chicago, Cleveland, Maryland and Pittsburgh the worst affected.

Smoke from Canada's raging wildfires have drifted south over the past few days leaving dozens of states in the north east of the country under a thick smog.

A Code Red alert, a warning of unhealthy air, was issued for much of the Midwest and Washington DC on Wednesday.

Several cities across Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Iowa were also experiencing 'very unhealthy air' according to AirNow.

The National Weather Service has warned that, with no end in sight to the Canadian wildfires, poor air quality is likely to continue.

It comes amid fears that the smoke could compound already ongoing travel chaos over the July 4 weekend.

New York City: The Statue of Liberty stands in front of a hazy New York City skyline in this view from Jersey City, New Jersey

Washington DC: Cars are seen in this picture driving in the hazy smoke on South Capitol Street towards the Capitol Building

Pittsburgh: Haze from Canadian Wildfires hangs over downtown Pittsburgh and PNC Park as baseball fans take their seats before a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres Thursday

A map from AirNow shows the red areas indicating unhealthy air, yellow being moderate, and orange being unhealthy to sensitive groups

According to the World Air Quality Index, there are now five cities in the US that make up the ten worst places for air quality on Earth.

Chicago is currently ranked as the worst city, with an air quality of 166, while Washington DC takes the third spot with a reading of 151.

Minneapolis is currently recording an air quality of 111, Detroit is just below it with 107 and New York City follows with a reading of 98.

According to an online calculator created via Berkeley University, it was found that an AQI score of 64 translates to one cigarette smoked in a 24-hour period.

Based on those calculations, people in Chicago are currently smoking 2.5 cigarettes every day due to the smoke.

The smoke is made up of dangerous nanoparticles small enough to penetrate the bloodstream, and people have reported side-effects including irritation to the eyes and throat and breathing problems.

The New York City Health Department is urging people to take precautions as the smoke is expected to 'significantly impact' air quality and warned it could reach hazardous levels.

On Wednesday, eerie pictures showed the US Capitol submerged in thick smoke from the wildfires.

Currently, there are 500 active fires in Canada according to the Forest Fire Centre, with five new fires popping up today - 257 of these have been classified as being out of control, with 84 being held and another 159 under control.

Milwaukee: People cross the street in downtown Milwaukee Thursday as Canadian smoke engulfs the horizon

Pittsburgh: Haze hangs over the PNC Park as baseball fans take their seats before Pirates game Thursday

Washington DC: A group of people wearing mask walk past the U.S. Supreme Court Building this morning

New York City: A woman stands on the bow of the Miss New York Ferry to the Statue of Liberty in New York on Thursday

New York City: An early morning haze shrouded the skyline this morning as the sun rose up behind midtown Manhattan Thursday

Washington DC: A man walks his dog as smoke casts a haze over the National Mall this morning

Milwaukee: A haze is seen over the Milwaukee Art Museum on Tuesday due to the wildfires

The World Air Quality Index has said there is now five cities in the US that make up the ten worst places for air quality on Earth

Chicago: In this aerial view, Marine One with US President Joe Biden flies over a hazy Chicago on Wednesday

Detroit: A freighter passes through the Detroit River as smoke fills the sky reducing visibility to Windsor, Ontario, on Wednesday

Currently, there are 500 active fires in Canada according to their Forest Fire Centre with five new fires popping up today.

257 of these have been classified as being out of control, with 84 being held and another 159 under control.

It comes just three weeks after New York City was enveloped by the smoke, turning the sky an apocalyptic shade of orange and triggering numerous health warnings.

At the time, health experts warned breathing the fog can be as damaging as smoking 22 cigarettes a day.

According to the Forest Fire Centre, there are still 500 active wildfires burning across the country

It comes as travelers at airports across the country have faced misery in the week leading up to the July 4 celebrations, with scores of would-be passengers left stranded.

While the reason given for the delays and cancellations is said to be weather related the smoke could exacerbate the issues.

When the smoke previously hit the east coast of the U.S. earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration announced ground stops for New York's LaGuardia.

Flights into Philadelphia had also been impacted due to the smoke, delaying passengers.
A father-to-be has claimed that vaping for just one month caused the collapse of his lung which had to be 'glued' back inside his body in a complex and gruelling surgery.

Roofer Alex Gittins, 31, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, started vaping in April in a bid to quit smoking and began inhaling two 600-puff e-cigarettes a week.

But he became concerned when he developed a pain in his right-hand side after taking a puff of his vape on May 25. It comes as concerns are growing over the safety of vapes and e-cigarettes across the UK.

Mr Gittins, who was working in Leeds, Yorkshire, at the time, claims that the stabbing pain felt like a 'stitch' and that breathing in suddenly became very painful.

Just a few hours later he was lying in resuscitation at the Darlington Memorial Hospital in County Durham with a collapsed lung that left him breathless and at risk of death.

Have YOU suffered a health scare after vaping or using e-cigarettes? Email elizabeth.haigh@mailonline.co.uk.

Ales Gittins, 31, a roofer from County Durham, began vaping in order to try and quit smoking

Mr Gittins was in hospital for 15 days after the sudden collapse of his lung last month

As the pain travelled to his left side and up towards his chest over the next hour and a half, Mr Gittins rushed to hospital fearing he was having a heart attack.

He said: 'I went up to the receptionist and showed her that I was going grey and literally couldn't breathe.

'The doctor took me to an X-Ray room and I got a bit panicked. Then some doctors came in and they said they'd have to put a chest tube in because my lung had collapsed.

'My right lung just wasn't there anymore. It had no air in it whatsoever.'

Mr Gittins described his terror as his condition rapidly deteriorated: 'I was scared. I'd just texted my partner saying that I was going to hospital because I had a few pains in my chest but there was nothing to worry about.

'Then it literally went from complaining at the desk saying I couldn't breathe properly to lying in resuscitation in A&E.

'It crossed my mind that I could die. I'm someone who doesn't really go to the doctor, I just get on with it.'

His lung had collapsed entirely due to a condition known as pneumothorax. A tube was swiftly inserted into his ribcage to push out the trapped air and built-up fluid that was slowly crushing his lungs and chest.

However, when the lung failed to heal naturally he was transferred to The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, on June 1 for surgery.

During the two-hour operation, doctors cut out a portion of his lung before stapling it back together and using a white powder to 'glue' the lung to Mr Gittins' chest wall to prevent it from collapsing again.

The 31-year-old is due to become a father in September, and said the scare 'opened my eyes'

Mr Gittins used vapes such as the one pictured above for just a month before his health scare

He has claimed that vaping was to blame for the lung collapse, which left him close to death and needing surgery

The father-to-be, who is expecting his first child in September, says he now finds himself struggling with breathlessness after walking five minutes

Mr Gittins was discharged from hospital on June 9 with a large tube that was inserted into his right side and attached to a plastic bag

The roofer now believes vaping was the cause of his ordeal, adding the vape he was using may have been 'counterfeit'.

'Now I think back, knowing what happened, it did feel like I felt my lung collapse. But obviously you don't know what a lung collapse feels like unless you're a doctor.

'I think the vape I was using wasn't genuine. I think it might have been a counterfeit one.'

He continued: 'I always say I'd rather smoke a cigarette because at least I know a cigarette kills me - you don't know what's in a vape.

'I always said I wouldn't start smoking vapes - and now I have and look what's happened to me.'

It comes as it was revealed last week that five deaths have been directly linked to e-cigarettes in the UK.

The deaths, which have all happened since 2010, have been described by experts as just the 'tip of the iceberg', with 1,000 serious adverse reactions logged by Britain's health watchdog.

Mr Gittins was discharged from hospital on June 9 with a large tube that was inserted into his right side and attached to a plastic bag.

This stayed in place for two weeks to catch any remaining fluid from the lung.

The father-to-be, who is expecting his first child in September, says he now finds himself struggling with breathlessness after walking five minutes.

He said doctors informed him that he should be back to normal six to eight weeks after the operation - although there is still a two percent chance that the lung could collapse again.

The near-death-experience was 'eye-opening' and Mr Gittins now wants to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping.

He said: 'The surgeons have told me that I can't smoke again. I regret ever smoking, and I definitely regret buying vapes.

'I think people should stop vaping, but people don't listen unless it happens to someone close to home.

'I'm more excited [for the birth of my child] now than I was. This has just opened my eyes - I used to be a nightmare before for being like, "oh, I'll just do that tomorrow".

'And then I left home for work and didn't come home for 15 days. Anything can happen in a day.'
Newly released footage has shown the moment a man killed his girlfriend's seven-month-old baby girl after allegedly abducting her and plowing his car into an Ohio home.

Jonathan J Baker, 23, of North Baltimore, Ohio, allegedly took the child while armed with a gun. Soon after, he contacted the girls mother and told her he was feeling homicidal and suicidal, saying he had killed the child.

Police dash and bodycam footage now reveal the moments before Baker accelerated in his yellow Camaro during a police chase and crashed it into the side of a house - killing the baby inside.

The alleged kidnapper is still in hospital in critical condition and police have launched a homicide investigation.

Jonathan J Baker crossed over the lane with oncoming traffic and pummeled the car, at speed, into the side of a house on S. Sandusky Street

The infant was removed from the vehicle via the back window and lifesaving protocols were administered, as she was bleeding from the head and had labored breathing

At about 3.43pm the Seneca County Sheriff's Office was notified by Wood County deputies about the abduction and told the abductor was heading in their direction in the Camaro.

The Tiffin Police Department said an off duty officer located the man in the yellow Camaro and radioed the information to dispatch.

Baker's car was being followed by police for minutes before he suddenly jolted left 'erratically' and veered off the road.

He crossed over the lane with oncoming traffic and pummeled the car, at speed, into the side of a house on S. Sandusky Street.

Footage shows the car flying over a small bump before it crashes into the property. No one was home during the ordeal.

Several police officers and a civilian immediately rushed towards the mangled car and tried to force the passenger's side door open. Airbags were deployed during the crash.

The infant was removed from the vehicle via the back window and lifesaving protocols were administered, as she was bleeding from the head and had labored breathing.

She was rushed to hospital, where she died.

It took responders an hour and a half to remove Baker, 23, from his vehicle.

Law enforcement have not confirmed if Baker was related to the child.

Chief David W. Pauly said in a statement: 'The incident began in the city of North Baltimore, Ohio, yesterday, June 27, 2023 as a dispute between the mother of the child (name being withheld) and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Jonathan J. Baker. Baker took the 7-month old child and left in his vehicle.

'North Baltimore Police sent a BOLO to area law enforcement with special attention to Seneca and Sandusky Counties. The vehicle was observed as it was traveling through the City of Tiffin.

'Seneca County Sheriff and Tiffin Police cruisers attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

'The suspect vehicle rapidly accelerated and veered left off the roadway, crashing into a residence at 613 S. Sandusky St. No one was in the home at the time of the crash.

It took responders an hour and a half to remove Baker, 23, from his vehicle

The car crashed into the unoccupied house, which was reportedly knocked off its foundations

After the yellow Camaro turned onto South Sandusky Street in Tiffin, near Cottage Avenue and Ella Street, it began heading south before crashing into the structure on the left

'The child was removed from the vehicle where lifesaving protocols were administered. Baker was also provided medical assistance.

'Both infant and Baker were transported by ambulance to Tiffin Mercy Hospital. The infant succumbed to her injuries and died soon after arrival to the hospital.

'Baker was transported by air to Toledo St. Vincents Hospital where he still is located in critical condition.

'Tiffin Detectives are investigating this incident. The investigation is on-going and additional search warrants, interviews, and other investigative steps will be taken.

'The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been requested to assist in processing for evidence.

'Tiffin Police are working with the North Baltimore Police, the Seneca County Sheriffs Office, and both the Seneca and Wood County Prosecutors regarding this tragic incident.'

Tiffin resident Jason Miller said he was in his home Tuesday afternoon when he heard the loud crash.

'There were seven or eight cops pulling up, getting out, guns drawn, running at the car,' Miller said. 'Then I saw the EMS pull up... they got the baby out right away.'

Police said that when they searched the car they found a gun as well as two spent cartridges.

'My heart breaks for the family of this innocent child and you can be sure this matter will be investigated thoroughly to determine exactly why and what occurred today,' said Tiffin Chief Pauly.

'This was an unfortunate tragedy today and these things also take its toll on our first responders. My thoughts and prayers are with them as well,' he added.
This is the first mugshot of a fugitive who was arrested after nearly 40 years on the run after he allegedly strangled a woman and left her body in a ditch.

Donald Santini was extradited from San Diego, California to Florida and booked at the Orient Road Jail in Tampa early Wednesday morning.

The 65-year-old gave a half smile in his jailhouse mugshot dressed in orange overalls as he was charged with the first-degree murder of Cynthia Wood in 1984.

Santini was caught in San Diego in early June, after evading arrest for 39 years, during which period he appeared on multiple episodes of America's Most Wanted.

Operating under the name of Wellman Simmonds, Santini served as president of the local water board in Campo - a small community of around 3,000 outside San Diego. He often appeared at public meetings and was considered a 'pillar of the community' by neighbors who said they were stunned by the news.

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Donald Santini, 65, arrived at the Orient Road Jail in Tampa early on Wednesday morning to be booked into jail after being extradited from San Diego

Santini was caught in San Diego in early June, after evading arrest for 39 years

He was booked into jail on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Cynthia Wood in 1984

Santini previously served time in prison for a 1978 rape while stationed in Germany and was also wanted for a robbery in Texas when he went on the run after Woods' murder.

The alleged killer will be relocated to the Falkenburg Road Jail, according to the Sherriff's Office, where he will await trial.

'The arrest of Donald Santini brings closure to a long-standing cold case and provides justice for the victim and her family after nearly four decades of waiting,' Sheriff Chad Chronister said.

'Let's not forget the tireless work that has gone into this case over the years, the resources, and expertise to pursue justice for Cynthia Wood.'

Santini was the last person seen with Wood, 33, before her body was discovered strangled and left in a canal. After being identified as a suspect, the alleged murderer - who was 26 at the time - fled the county.

The alleged victim, who was from the city of Bradenton, located south of Tampa, was last seen leaving her apartment with Santini, who has appeared variously times on America's Most Wanted, around June 4, 1984.

They met at a daycare she was working at while he was picking up his girlfriend's kids. At the time, Wood was going through a divorce.

Florida authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Santini around a week later, and he has been on the run ever since.

The alleged murderer was led into the booking center wearing a nice pair of slacks, comfortable shoes, and a striped blue polo shirt. He wouldn't last long in his nice outfit, as he was issued a standard pair of bright orange scrubs

The alleged killer will be relocated to the Falkenburg Road Jail, according to the Sherriff's Office, where he will await trial

The arrest warrant said a medical examiner determined she had been strangled and Santini's fingerprints were found on her body.

At the time of her death, Wood had been in a custody battle for her children against her estranged husband, Barry Wood, who she also accused of physically abusing her and her son from a previous marriage.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Wood's encounter with Texas-born Santini came after he phoned her promising to provide information about her husband.

Santini also had at least 13 aliases and a history of previous convictions and had been living in California under the names: Charles Michael Stevens, Donald Chapman, and John Trimble.

He had been hiding in plain sight in Campos, near San Diego, for years with his wife, which shocked residents earlier this year when he was picked up for the crime.

'It really was one of the most shocking things I've ever heard in my life,' resident Rick Fox, who unknowingly lived next to Santini, told 10 News. 'He would come over and visit and say: 'What are you doing?' ...[He was] a very cordial guy, very nice guy.'

Santini was the last person seen with Wood, 33, before her body was discovered strangled and left in a canal. The arrest warrant said a medical examiner determined she had been strangled and Santini's fingerprints were found on her body

Santini has appeared multiple times on America's Most Wanted

He had been well known by residents and even served as a the president of one of the two local water boards in the town, according to the outlet.

'We are all flabbergasted,' a colleague of Santini's on the Lake Morena Views Mutual Water Company told the station.

'He was a pillar of the community. He seemed upstanding. He was an advocate, non-confrontational, and was hardly hiding. I am still trying to process all of this.'

Another neighbor, Rick Fox, who knew Santini as 'Wells' told the broadcaster: 'It really was one of the most shocking things Ive ever heard in my life.'

A member of the Lake Morena Views Mutual Water Company was also shocked to learn Santini was an alleged killer, telling 10 News: 'We are all flabbergasted. He was a pillar of the community. He seemed upstanding. He was an advocate, non-confrontational, and was hardly hiding. I am still trying to process all of this.'

He was arrested last month after the US Marshals Services received a tip from the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. They have not revealed the specifics that led them to Santini.

He is expected to make his first appearance in Hillsborough County Court on Thursday.
A notorious sex predator known as the Notting Hill Rapist for committing a series of violent attacks in the heart of the fashionable neighborhood has been refused parole because he continues to put himself in risky situations.

Anthony Maclean, now 66, was jailed for life in 1989 after being found guilty of a string of rapes and sex assaults against career women he targeted in the West London district.

The body builder and prolific burglar sparked one of the capitals biggest manhunts during his reign of terror from 1982 to 1987, with victims ranging from a peers daughter to a stockbroker.

He stalked the up-and-coming old racecourse area of Notting Hill, nowadays known for its famous streets such as Ladbroke Grove and Portobello Road, with its iconic market.

The 1999 film Notting Hill made the area a must-see as the glamorous location for the movie of the same name starring Hugh Grant as the bookshop owner who meets a famous American actress played by Julia Roberts.

Anthony Maclean, known as the Notting Hill Rapist, was denied parole for public protection

A police officer is pictured alongside items from a rape kit used by Mclean

Maclean, a prolific burglar, focused on basement and ground-floor flats, which he would watch for days before breaking in just before his victim returned from work.

He would then unscrew the hall light so that the woman would be left in the dark when she returned from work. Maclean would then pounce, sometimes holding a knife and putting a hood over their head.

Maclean would gag, blindfold and bind the terrified victim. He promised to just burgle the house, but would rape or sexually assault the woman before fleeing into the night.

The masked rapist evaded hundreds of police and undercover detectives assigned to the case and was only caught when a lone policeman followed a hunch that linked Maclean to his victims via DNA.

He was sentenced to life at the Old Bailey on April 13, 1989 for attacking seven women over a five-year period. Maclean was 32 years old at the time and was given a minimum term of 12-years which expired in March 2000.

Maclean has so far spent an additional 23-years in jail for the protection of the public. This was his 12th review by the Parole Board and he was given the news of his rejection for release earlier this week (26/6).

A summary of the decision by the three-person parole panel states: Mr Maclean had believed it was acceptable to use aggression and he had been aroused by aspects of violence and humiliation.

He had experienced difficulties in managing extremes of emotion-his feelings of suspicion and anger had fuelled a sense of grievance.

He had led an unhelpful way of life, associating with people who demonstrated anti-social behaviours, acting impulsively at times, and giving insufficient thought to the consequences of his actions for victims.

The Parole Board said that Mclean had undertaken accredited sex offender programmes and had been moved to an open jail between 2017 and 2019. He was subsequently transferred back to closed conditions. No reasons were given.

Maclean had been returned to an open jail and since May 2021, Mr Maclean had successfully completed temporary releases from prison.

The board continued: His behaviour had generally been good. Mr Maclean had worked one-to-one with a psychologist and with a mentor.

He had also completed a preparatory course which focused on living independently in the community.

But it warned: His probation officer remained concerned about how Mr MacLean reacted to challenge and whether he would disclose readily enough some of the risky situations he appeared to put himself in.

It concluded: After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the other evidence presented at the hearings, the panel was satisfied that Mr Macleans continued imprisonment remained necessary for the protection of the public and in consequence of this decision, Mr Maclean will remain in open conditions.

A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board refused the release of Anthony Maclean following an oral hearing.

Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.

The first attack attributed to the Notting Hill Rapist occurred late at night on August 12, 1982 when a female solicitor who had been out with friends returned to her home where she lived alone in Clarendon Road, Notting Hill.

She tried the light but it did not work. Seconds later she was grabbed from behind, pulled further into the property and sexually assaulted. Heroically she fought back and kicked the man between the legs. He fled.

Two further attacks - the first just 100-yards from the Clarendon Road attack - led police to believe they were hunting a serial sex attack. In both incidents, the victims fought back after being sexually assaulted. The attacker fled.

The attacks were getting more violent and in late December 1982 a Middle Eastern woman was brutally beaten and forced to perform a brutal sex act in flat Ladbroke Grove. She had a sharp knife forced into her mouth. That was the last attack for three months.

Despite increased patrols and undercover operations the sadist remained free. Mclean was biding his time and struck on April 22, 1983 using the same method of entry and attack on a woman in Lansdowne Road. For the first time he committed rape.

The press dubbed the attacker the Notting Hill Rapist after this assault and the story became front page news as the police floundered in their attempts to apprehend him.

Women in the neighborhood lived in mortal fear and security firms did a thriving trade in secure door locks and burglar alarms.

Then, inexplicitly, the attacks stopped and over the years the fear began to fade.

On the May 4, 1987, the nightmare returned in a horrific fashion when a solicitor was attacked after she returned to her Lansdowne Road flat.

The woman tried to halt the attack by saying that she had the AIDS virus, but chillingly, her attacker said: I have too, Ill take the chance.

The next day one paper stated on its front page: The Mass Rapist is Back! At his trial, it emerged that Maclean had been in jail for burglary when the attacks temporarily stopped.

At his trial , Mr Maclean was labelled a 'total menace' and a 'sex maniac'

Maclean is believed to have tried more attacks, but the area was swamped by police and he was thwarted twice, once being grabbed by the leg by a pursuing officer before escaping.

Maclean was finally nailed due to a hunch of a local beat constable, PC Graham Hamilton. He believed Mclean fitted all the criteria, but a test of his DNA against crime scene evidence did not match.

In February 1987, Maclean provided a second blood sample after being interviewed. Amazingly, this matched the crime scene sample. The results of the first had been wrongly transcribed.

At trial an expert said the chances of the sample belonging to anyone else was three million to one. Maclean was convicted of rape, attempted rape, robbery and burglary.

City of London Recorder Sir James Miskin, QC, told him: You are a total menace to women, and these three rapes were absolutely foul.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hutchinson, who led the hunt, said at the time: I am absolutely delighted this sex maniac has been taken off the streets.

While casing places, he saw the girls and realised how easy it would be for him to rape them. When we kept watch, we found girls undressing in front of their windows, Maclean would have seen the same and he was tempted. the chance.

Maclean is likely to be eligible for another parole hearing next year because of delays in getting his 12th review heard due to ill-health.
The new lawsuit alleges Richins tried to 'profit from his passing' and alleges myriad financial wrongdoings with the late ranch farmer's funds

Mormon mother-of-three Kouri Richins, 33, is accused of murdering her husband of nine years Eric Richins, 39, with the fentanyl-laced cocktail

A Utah mom accused of fatally poisoning her wealthy husband to 'actualize a horrific endgame' has been sued for $13 million by his sister.

Katie Richins-Benson is suing Mormon mother-of-three Kouri Richins for myriad financial wrongdoings including stealing more than $200,000 from her partner's accounts and running up debts of more than $30,000 on credit cards in his name.

Former real estate agent Kouri Richins is accused of murdering her millionaire husband of nine years Eric Richins with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule, before publishing an illustrated children's book about coping with grief.

Prosecutors have said the 33-year-old thought she would inherit their multi-million-dollar home and her husband's interest in his co-owned masonry business - but Eric had changed his will and power of attorney to give his sister Katie, 38, full control.

According to a police warrant, this was because he had been worried his wife might 'kill him for money' after several failed attempts on his life.

Murder-accused Mormon mother-of-three Kouri Richins is facing a fresh lawsuit from the sister of her late husband, Eric Richins, over alleged myriad financial interferences with his finances including stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his accounts

Mormon former real estate agent Richins, pictured with her late husband, has been held in Summit County Jail since her arrest on May 8 charged with criminal homicide, aggravated murder and three counts of possession of a controlled substance

The sister of Eric Richins, Katie Richins-Benson, 38, is suing his murder-accused wife for myriad financial wrongdoings including stealing more than $200,000 from his accounts

Katie filed a fresh lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that Richins' unlawful interference with Eric's finances has damaged her inheritance, along with that of his three sons.

It also aims to prevent Richins from continuing to sell her picture book.

The millionaire businessman was found dead aged 39 at the foot of his bed at their family home in the town of Kamas, near Park City, on March 4 last year.

Richins has been held in Summit County Jail since she was charged on May 8 this year with criminal homicide, aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance.

The latest lawsuit launched by Katie accuses her of stealing money from his bank accounts, diverting funds which had been saved to pay his taxes, and obtaining a fraudulent loan before he died.

'Kouri committed these acts in calculated, systematic fashion and for no reason other than to actualize a horrific endgame - to conceal her ruinous debt, misappropriate assets for the benefit of her personal businesses, orchestrate Erics demise, and profit from his passing,' the lawsuits says.

It also seeks to bar Richins from selling her $14.99 grief book, called 'Are You With Me?' and to turn over any proceeds.

Lawyers have argued the book, which features an angelic father watching over his sons, profits from Eric's life by making references to details about him and his relationship with his children - Carter, 9, Ashton, 7, and Weston, 5.

Her illustrated children's book about an angelic father watching over his sons, Are You With Me? was on sale for $14.99

The lawsuit outlines how Eric had been earning $1 million each year from his growing lanscaping business, C&E Masonry, which he co-owned with a partner, Cody Wright.

Richins' 'unlawful pattern of activity' came at a loss of $1,500,000 to Katie, through 'medical expenses, funeral expenses, estate administration expenses, and other economic and general damages', the lawsuit says.

Eric's children also 'lost the future sharing of love and companionship with their father' and along with Katie, they lost shares of his 'estate, his reasonably-anticipated net financial productivity and his substantial annual income from C&E'.

June 15 this month would have marked the Richins' 10-year wedding anniversary and a decade since they signed a Premarital Agreement which initially provided Eric's interest in C&E would pass to Richins if he died.

The lawsuit says Richins ran into 'serious financial troubles' in 2016, and her problems worsened in 2019 after she founded a real estate business, KRR.

She allegedly 'began stealing money from Eric to help infuse KRR with money and address her financial troubles' without his consent, and started 'taking money from Eric's bank accounts and running up debts on credit cards' in his name.

The Mormon mom is accused of forging his signature to borrow money, while stealing more than $200,000 from his accounts, and charging an excess of $30,000 on the credit cards.

Despite this, by the end of 2021, KRR was approximately $6 million in debt, and the company's bank account was overdrawn by approximately $22,000.

Eric discovered the stolen money in September 2020, and Richins admitted her deception to him when he confronted her, the lawsuit says.

Katie Richins-Benson filed a fresh lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that Kouri Richins' unlawful interference with Eric's finances has damaged her inheritance, along with that of his three sons Carter, 9, Ashton, 7, and Weston, 5

Eric's family told investigators shortly after he died they suspected Richins had killed the father-of-three. Pictured: Kouri and Eric Richins with their three children

Richins' attorney, Skye Lazaro, did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

Police believe the Utah mom killed Eric by giving him five times the lethal dose of fentanyl disguised in a Moscow Mule - a cocktail comprising vodka, ginger beer and lime juice.

According to a search warrant, Kouri procured the drugs by texting a friend asking for 'the Michael Jackson' stuff in an apparent reference to fentanyl, claiming they were for a real estate investor who had a back injury.

Jackson was killed in 2009 by a cocktail of prescription drugs like OxyContin and Demerol.

Prosecutors have said that in the months before, Richins tried to make herself the sole beneficiary of her husband's life insurance policy - though Eric had given his sister full control by this point.

In May, the DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Kouri launched a legal dispute against his family within weeks of his death in a bid to secure an estate valued in excess of $3.6 million.

She claimed that Eric had tried to 'defraud' her by secretly transferring the family home, all personal property and interest in the masonry business he ran with friend and partner, Cody Wright, into a Trust owned by his sister in November 2020.

Richins also took out multiple life insurance policies on him worth close to $2 million, and attempted to 'drill into his safe' just 48 hours after he died, his family has said.

She allegedly attempted to poison him on several other occasions - including on Valentine's Day 2022 when Eric broke out in hives after consuming a sandwich which Richins had placed on the seat of his truck alongside a love note.

In the days before Eric died, the couple had been arguing about Richins' plans to purchase and flip a $2 million home in the days before, according to court documents.

On March 3 - the day before the alleged murder - Kouri signed the closing papers on the 10-acre property and invited her friends over for a party at her house where she was drinking and celebrating, affidavits for search warrants show.
She has faced a campaign from trans activist students

Feminist academic claims she is being targeted due to her trans views

Lecturer Holly Lawford-Smith says she could lose her job

An associate professor claims student activists and the university she works for are actively trying to kick her out due to her views on transgender issues.

Gender-critical feminist philosopher Holly Lawford-Smith, who teaches a feminism class at Melbourne University, says a new LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Action Plan is being rolled out in an attempt get rid of her and her unit.

The plan allows students to lodge complaints about courses they don't like or agree with.

Ms Lawford-Smith has been concerned about the erosion of the sex-based rights of biological women.

It's led to her being the target of vandalism over the past three months.

Associate professor and gender-critical feminist Holly Lawford-Smith (pictured) says a new LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Action Plan threatens the future of her unit

'My question is whether they are introducing it in order to have formal processes to get rid of my course or me,' she told The Australian.

'Does that just mean they want students to feel more like they can complain about something they don't likeor does it mean they want a more formal pathway for sanctions? So they're getting their ducks in a row,' Ms Lawford-Smith said.

The feminist lecturer has considered scrapping her unit completely at the university due to the intense pressure and putting her work online.

'I might decide to give up teaching it, make it a public education project and just find something else to teach that's slightly less controversial,' she said.

Ms Lawford-Smith explained that she didn't want to lose her teaching job over the unit and wanted her employer to be 'honest about what they're doing'.

The gender-critical academic has not shied away from expressing her views when it comes to sex-based rights and 'protecting' biological women in women-only spaces.

She set up a website in 2021 to encourage women to share times they were negatively affected by having trans men in a women's only space.

She has expressed opposition to Victoria's statutory self-identification for change of legal sex as it would allow trans women to access women's space.

Her most controversial move came when she attended the Let Women Speak rally in Melbourne back in March.

Ms Lawford-Smith attended and spoke at the Let Women Speak rally in Melbourne, which was hosted by British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen (pictured right)

The feminist lecturer has been the target of a campaign led by students activists for more than three months. It's involved acts of vandalism and posters being put up that slam her as a 'transphobe', 'bigot', 'neo-nazi' and 'fascist'

The rally, where Ms Lawford-Smith also delivered a speech, was hosted by British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen, who's been labelled a 'transphobe' by her critics.

The campaign against her began after she attended the rally, which has involved acts of vandalism like damaging property, spraying graffiti and smashing windows.

Trans activists have put up posters and stickers around Melbourne University that call Ms Lawford-Smith a 'transphobe', 'bigot', 'neo-nazi', 'fascist' and more.

Ms Lawford-Smith has a security guard who escorts her to her classes for safety.

Activists have also pressured her students not to attend her classes.

Melbourne University says on it's website the 'LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan represents a coordinated whole-of-University approach to structural, systemic, and cultural change that reflects and responds to LGBTIQA+ lived experiences and community expectations.'
MBABANE - The Law Society of Swaziland has suspended lawyer Machawe Dlamini from practice.

In suspending Dlamini, the council of the law society found that he was unfit and not proper to continue practising as an attorney. The suspension of the Manzini-based lawyer comes after the Law Society Disciplinary Tribunal found him guilty of alleged dishonesty and misappropriation of Trust funds. In its ruling, the tribunal had further ordered that he should pay an elderly widow a sum of E380 000. The tribunal did not only direct the lawyer to pay Sara Tsabedze (born Nxumalo) but it had further recommended to the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) to take appropriate steps to remove him from the roll of practising lawyers. The verdict of the panel came after the aggrieved woman approached the law society, which then remitted the matter to the tribunal for determination.

Strength

Acting on the judgment of the tribunal, the council of the LSS, on the strength of Section 36 of the Legal Practitioners Act of 1964, suspended the lawyer. In the letter of suspension which has been circulated to all courts, it is stated that while serving his suspension, Dlamini is not supposed to engage in the practice of law. He was also ordered to compensate the complainant (Tsabedze) all the monies due to her, in terms of the judgment issued by the Law Society Disciplinary Tribunal. Your suspension will last for a period of three months from the date of receipt of the letter. At the expiration of the three months period, you shall present yourself before the Law Society Council and demonstrate that you have complied with the terms of your suspension and that you are rehabilitated, reads part of the letter.In the correspondence, the council of the Law Society stated that it reserved the right to decide if Dlamini would be fit to be allowed back to work upon the expiration of the three months. The lawyer was further advised that his failure to adhere to the conditions of his suspension or failure to rehabilitate from his conduct would leave the law society with no option but to apply that he should be struck off the roll of attorneys at the High Court of Eswatini.

counselling

For your rehabilitation, you will be required to attend counselling by a senior lawyer of your choice. The counselling session should help you regarding; how to conduct yourself in the practice of law, honesty and with integrity and how to handle trust monies, said the LSS council. Dlamini was informed that his suspension commenced on June 23, 2023 and would end at the discretion of the law society on September 23, 2023 upon the fulfilment of the conditions set out in the letter of his suspension. The suspension came at a time when the lawyer had filed a review against the judgment of the tribunal at the High Court. Dlamini is said to have failed to remit the money after selling a farm on behalf of Tsabedze. Reached for comment, the lawyer said he had not received the copy of the letter of his suspension but was yet to go and check in his office as he was away for the better part of yesterday. He also highlighted that there was a pending review at the High Court pertaining to the matter.According to Tsabedze, the respondent (lawyer) allegedly failed to account to her in the sum of E370 000. The respondent on the other hand contended that the amount outstanding was the sum of E112 234.28. There was an explanation proffered by the respondent for the discrepancy. He contended that he was entitled to the estate agent 15 per cent commission (which he had already deducted) and in addition that he was also entitled to the legal fees for services rendered.

Originally, the property was owned by Tsabedzes husband and she inherited it upon his demise. It transpired that at some point, she entered into an agreement with one Frans du Pont which was styled a Caretaker Agreement. The Zweli Jele-led tribunal heard that Du Pont occupied the property but for some reason or another, was reportedly not paying any form of rental or compensation to Tsabedze. Dissatisfied with this arrangement, Tsabedze approached Machawe with an instruction that he should evict Du Pont from the property. In its judgment, the tribunal said, the respondent (Machawe) did not carry out this instruction but instead gave advice to the elderly illiterate lady that it would be in her best interests if she agreed to sell the property. Tsabedze is said to have reluctantly agreed to the sale of the property on condition that the respondent obtained a valuation of the farm. The respondent is said to have secured a valuation of the farm at E2.4million.

Secured

We requested from the respondent a copy of the valuation but it was not forthcoming. The respondent secured a purchaser in the name of M.A Ranches who purchased the property for a sum of E1 500 000.00 in 2016. No explanation was given as to why a property that was supposedly valued at E2.4m was sold for a paltry E1.5m. Even more disconcerting was the revelation by Tsabedze that she subsequently did have an evaluation undertaken and the property was valued at E4.2million, said the tribunal. During the hearing, Tsabedze revealed that sometime after the sale transaction had been concluded and when she was desperate for money due to exigencies, she approached MA Ranches director and pleaded her case and he gratuitously agreed to pay her an additional E500 000.The tribunal stated that, on the admitted facts and without seeking to determine at this stage the amount owed by the respondent, it was satisfied that a case of misconduct had been made out against him (respondent).
A California reparations boss has privately made the bombshell admission that blacks have almost no faith they'll see a penny from the slavery compensation plan being unveiled in Sacramento today.

Speaking among allies in an online meeting, Chris Lodgson, from the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), said his 'big challenge' was getting African Americans to rally behind the first-in-the-nation reparations effort.

Lodgson spoke hours before California's slavery reparations task force wrapped up its historic work on Thursday with the official submission of a report on discrimination against black residents and a financial compensation plan.

'The challenge that we face is that although 90-plus percent of black folks that we talked to believe we deserve reparations, something like 89 percent of black folks that we talked to don't think it's gonna happen,' Lodgson said.

Chris Lodgson has pushed hard to get black Californians involved in the push for reparations, but says they overwhelmingly 'don't think it's gonna happen'

He made the bombshell revelations in a private online meeting hosted by the California Association of Real Estate Brokers late on Wednesday

Lodgson is a lead organizer for CJEC, the only grassroots, state-wide group pushing for reparations for the legacy of slavery. He played a key role in the task force's nearly three-year effort to devise an atonement package.

He described lackluster support among black residents of Los Angeles, San Francisco and other California hubs, saying they were unwilling to attend reparations rallies as they 'don't believe this is even possible.'

Lodgson's comments suggest he has seen polling data that's not widely available  showing how black Californians have little faith they'll see anything from the massive sums being proposed.

Poll Do you support a federal reparation policy directed at the descendants of slaves? Yes No Do you support a federal reparation policy directed at the descendants of slaves? Yes 143 votes

No 4298 votes Now share your opinion





Even so, Lodgson said personal payouts were at the heart of the plan.

'If it doesn't have compensation, it's not reparations,' he told the online gathering of the California Association of Real Estate Brokers late on Wednesday, which DailyMail.com was able to attend.

'We were seeing stories about people getting $225,000. Last year, it went up to $300,000, now they're saying $1.2 million  I like the fact that it's going up.'

In reality, he added, payouts would be based on how long people had lived in California.

After more than two years of fact-finding, reports and hearings, the California Reparations Task Force was on Thursday set to hand over to state lawmakers their report and recommendations for compensation.

It is the most ambitious effort in the country to address the impact of slavery on black residents, with task force members saying they want to create a blueprint for copycat schemes in other states and even nationwide.

The report heads to lawmakers, who will be responsible for turning policy proposals into law. Reparations will not happen until politicians and Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, agree.

Task force meetings, like this one in Oakland's City Hall, often failed to draw a crowd

Newsom has said he felt there were better ways of addressing systemic inequality than cash handouts.

The recommendations include a formal apology to descendants of people enslaved in the US and financial compensation for harms descendants have suffered, such as over-policing and housing discrimination.

Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has said he did not support the issuing of checks for reparations

The panel did not recommend a fixed dollar amount for payouts, but endorsed ways to calculate harms suffered from unfair policing, housing, and incarceration policies.

Initial calculations pegged the potential cost to California at more than $800 billion  more than 2.5 times the state's $300 billion annual budget.

That price-tag dropped to $500 billion in a later report without explanation.

Under its recommendations, elderly black Californians who had lived their whole lives in the state could receive nearly $1 million  or $13,600 per year  for health disparities that have shortened their average life span.

Blacks subjected to aggressive policing and prosecution in the 'war on drugs' from 1971 to 2020 could each receive $115,000 if they lived in California throughout that period.

The task force narrowly voted to limit individual financial redress to residents who can document lineage from black people who were in the US in the 19th century, thereby excluding more recent immigrants.

The nine-member panel convened in June 2021 after Newsom signed legislation in 2020 creating the task force. The panelists include the descendants of slaves who are lawyers, educators, elected officials and civil rights leaders.

Former Democratic congressional candidate Morris Griffin holds up a sign during a reparations meeting

Morris Griffin, of Los Angeles, speaks during the public comment portion of the reparations task force meeting in Sacramento, California

Plans to compensate black Americans for slavery-era sins have been around for centuries. They've gained traction in recent months as ever more left-leaning states and cities launch local inquiries into their own atonement schemes.

San Francisco made headlines this year with a proposal for $5 million payouts to every longtime black resident, and other plans to address generations of economic losses suffered by the minority group.

New York could become the second state to create a commission to examine state involvement in the institution of slavery, and to address present-day gaps in economical and educational disparities experienced by black people.

The legislation, approved earlier this month by lawmakers, has not yet been signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.

Advocates of reparations say it's time for America to repay its black residents for the injustices of the historic Transatlantic slave trade, Jim Crow segregation and inequalities that persist to this day.

Critics say they cost too much, are unfair, and will sow divisions between winners and losers.

The schemes are popular with 77 percent of the black Americans, who could benefit from payouts, according to Pew Research Center polling.

But only 18 percent of whites  who would shoulder an extra tax burden  support them.

Agencies contributed to this report.
An award-winning cottage in Sydney's inner-west sold for more than $1.5million despite being just 98sq/m in size.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home on 227 Australia Street in Newtown features its original sandstone walls from when it was built in 1858.

It was sold in June for an incredible $1,545,000 and was previously used as short-term accommodation.

The cottage has been 'recognised for its conservation of the cultural heritage' of the area and won the 2008 Marrickville Medal for Conservation.

A 98-square-metre cottage in Newtown, Sydney, sold for $1.5million in June (pictured, the front of the property)

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home is on 227 Australia Street in Newtown (pictured, the cottage floor plan)

Photos from inside the home show it has been renovated with modern cosmetic features - like lighting and cabinetry - but has maintained its original structure.

Sales agent Jonathan Viewey, who held the property's listing alongside Nicholas Viewey from Viewey Real Estate, said the cottage was sold to a single woman.

She will soon move from the Southern Highlands into the cottage with her dog.

'The cottage would only suit a single or couple as there's no privacy,' Viewey told Nine News.

'It has a very open-plan layout with no internal walls - it's basically just the structural walls.'

The real estate agency noted the property's large open living area could be turned into a smaller lounge and second bedroom.

The cost per-square-metre of the cottage is about $15,700 which is considerably higher than the Sydney average of $2,466.

The home features its original sandstone walls from when it was built in 1858 (pictured, the bedroom which opens to the dining room)

The cost per-square-metre of the cottage is about $15,700, higher than the Sydney average of $2,466 (pictured, large living area which could be turned into a second bedroom)

However, 227 Australia Street still isn't the most expensive per-square-metre property in the area.

The record is currently held by 21 Little Riley Street in Surry Hills, a 25-square-metre one-bedroom, one-bathroom terrace flat which sold for $1.5million in February.

The buyer has since leased the property for $995 a week.

Property in Newtown - popularly known for its unique bars, restaurants and boutiques - is in high demand with the median price for a home in the suburb sitting at $1,647,500.
Helge claimed he informed Scotland Yard in 2008 but they ignored his call

The man who alerted authorities to Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner has claimed the girl's suspected murderer said she 'didn't scream' and that Scotland Yard ignored his tip-off, in his first ever public interview.

Key witness Helge Busching explained how he came to know about Brueckner's shady past by discovering harrowing sexual abuse videos, and how his former acquaintance appeared to incriminate himself in Madeleine's disappearance.

Helge said he learned of Brueckner's true nature well before the disappearance of McCann after stealing some videotapes and gun from Brueckner's house along with an accomplice.

Remembering the moment he witnessed the clips, which purportedly showed Brueckner sexually abusing an elderly American woman and a teenage girl in Portugal, Helge recounted:

'You could see how someone whipped the woman. She was tied up, lying on the bed, wearing painted ski goggles... must have been 70 or 80 years old. She shouted: You fucking b******!... then I saw it was Brueckner.

'[The teenage victim] said: ''This borders on rape!'' And he just said: ''Shut up.'' That's when I knew what kind of guy Brueckner was.'

Helge then left Portugal, but told German outlet Bild how he crossed paths with Brueckner, who has since been convicted for sex crimes, again in 2008 at a music festival in Spain.

'He asked me, ''don't you go to Portugal anymore and do business there?''

'I said, ''no, since the girl disappeared there, there have been too many police checks for me and I don't need that at all.''

'[The topic of Madeleine's disappearance] came up and I said: ''Anyway, I don't understand how the little one could have disappeared without a trace.''

'Christian had drunk two or three beers, and he said: ''She didn't scream.''

'I thought: He knows that. He has something to do with it. But he also checked that I understood that and then left at night.

'At 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning he left a packed festival with his mobile home. I looked for him the next morning, but his neighbours said he had left.'

Police mug shot of Christian Brueckner, a suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann in 2007

Key witness Helge Busching (pictured) explained how he came to know about Brueckner's shady past by discovering harrowing sexual abuse videos, and how his former acquaintance appeared to incriminate himself in Madeleine's disappearance

Personnel at Barragem do Arade reservoir, in the Algave, Portugal, as searches continue as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The area is around 50km from Praia da Luz where Madeleine went missing in 2007. Picture date: Thursday May 25, 2023

Madeleine McCann, a three-year-old from Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007

Helge went on to claimed he'd approached German authorities after finding the videotapes, but that a policeman told him to abandon them and keep quiet.

'I spoke to a police officer I know in Germany. He said: ''Helge, keep your hands off it.'' A lawyer told me the same thing. I wasn't sure what could happen to me - I would have incriminated myself!'

He added that he tried to inform Scotland Yard about Brueckner in 2008 via the dedicated hotline for Madeleine McCann tips, but never heard back.

'I called Scotland Yard back in 2008. At the Maddie hotline. I said I knew someone who might have something to do with it and gave them the name. But nothing happened there. Nothing! I was never called back.

'In 2017 I had just served a prison sentence in Greece. When I heard about the 10th anniversary of the disappearance, I remembered. Apparently the call didn't help at all. So I contacted Scotland Yard again.

'Then they listened to me.'

Madeleine was staying with her family at a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal when she disappeared in May 2007.

The case, unsolved for the past 16 years, remains a mystery as no body has ever been found.

Last month, investigators combed a reservoir in the Algarve for the videotapes, a camcorder and the gun tossed by Helge and his accomplice Manfred Seyferth after they stole the materials from Brueckner's house.

An area of around 160 square feet had been flattened and cleared of grass and shrubs with several holes dug into the ground to a depth of around two feet.

There were also other holes dug into the foreshore close to the waterline and path close to the edge of the reservoir had been cleared.

It is thought the soil removed was taken away by German officials for closer analysis at a lab in Wiesbaden where the countrys investigative force, the BKA, are based.

Germans Seyferth and Busching were living on the Algarve at the same time as Brueckner and the two were involved in petty theft with him before having a falling out.

Footage on the video camera was said to show Brueckner torturing and raping an American woman, with footage of a girl around 15 years old also subjected to the same horrific ordeal.

In 2019 Brueckner was convicted by a German court of the rape of an elderly American woman in her home at Praia da Luz close to where Madeleine vanished, and was given a seven-year sentence.

He denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

Madeleine was staying with her family at a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal when she disappeared in May 2007.

It was the penultimate day of the holiday when Madeleine went missing.

After a day of activities, Kate and Gerry McCann put their three children to bed at around 7pm.

Madeleine fell asleep in pink pyjamas and the parents relaxed with a bottle of wine.

At around 8:30pm, the McCanns joined their friends for a meal at the Tapas bar nearby.

Gerry McCann checked on Madeleine and her siblings at 9pm and found nothing amiss.

When Kate McCann went to check up on the children at 10pm, she found Madeleine had disappeared.

'Madeleine's gone! Someone's taken her!' she was reported to have said, running back to the restaurant.

Around the same time, a man was seen carrying a child matching Madeleine's description.

Madeleine McCann vanished from the holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, prompting searches of the region

The McCanns joined friends for dinner at the resort, close to the room, on May 3 after a day of activities with the children

Investigators looked into claims a friend of the family, James Tanner, had seen a man carrying a sleeping child in pink pyjamas away from the apartment block at around 9:10pm on May 3, but the evidence was later discounted. Police said the man seen with the child was another holidaymaker with their own child.

Days turned into months and hundreds of police officers were called in to support the search. Possible sightings were reported. Seven months after her disappearance, a lorry driver told investigators he had seen a woman handing a man a child near Silves, a slightly quieter town due northeast of Praia da Luz.

Astonishingly, Portuguese police named Gerry and Kate McCann as suspects in the case after four months without results. They said they found incriminating DNA evidence at the holiday apartment and in the boot of their hire car. This line of inquiry was later dropped.

In July 2008, 14 months since Madeleine's disappearance, Portugal's attorney general ended the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance after they had failed to uncover any evidence.

The case was handed over to private investigators working for the family until the Met issued new sketches of potential suspects in 2013. Investigators were the first to scour the reservoir now being searched in 2008 - 12 years before authorities said they were looking into a new German suspect.

Again, the investigation struggled to produce definitive results until authorities said they were investigating a 43-year-old in connection to the disappearance, later named as Christian Brueckner.

For more than a decade, her anguished parents Gerry and Kate (pictured together in 2017) have waited in vain for any news - any clue - that their little girl is somehow alive after all this time

Detectives believe Brueckner was living out of a German campervan in the village of Praia da Luz in 2007 when Madeleine disappeared

Praia da Luz, the village of Madeleine's disappearance, is a 40 mile journey away from Foral, Silves

In 2020, authorities revealed a phonecall had located Christian Brueckner in Praia da Luz, where he lived from 1997 until 2007, around the time of Madeleine's disappearance.

They traced the call and found it connected to the mast owned by the resort complex where the family had stayed.

Brueckner had lived in a warehouse outside the village for several years but moved into a VW campervan just before Madeleine vanished.

A Mail on Sunday investigation later found that Brueckner stayed in an old house in nearby Foral between 2007 and 2008 - after Madeleine's disappearance.

That year, it was revealed that a witness claimed to have spotted Madeleine getting into a German-owned VW van with a man just weeks after her disappearance.

A police file detailed how a witness believed that had seen Madeleine emerging from a restaurant in the Spanish seaside town of Alcossebre in eastern Spain, before climbing into the van with an unidentified man.
The Supreme Court has banned colleges from using race as a factor when admitting students in a landmark ruling on affirmative action Thursday.

The justices decided in a 6-3 vote that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)'s race-based affirmative action admissions policy is unconstitutional.

They also ruled 6-2 - with liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused - that Harvard's admission policy should also be struck down in decision sending shockwaves nationwide.

The ruling ends the decades-old 'affirmative action' policy that was designed to boost the number of black and hispanic students in colleges. Now universities will have to look to new ways to better incorporate minority groups and ensure representation among student bodies.

'Because Harvard's and UNC's admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause,' states the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented

The justices decided in a 6-3 opinion that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)'s race-based affirmative action admissions policies are unconstitutional.

Roberts added that for too long, colleges within the United States have 'concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.'

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.

The universities were sued by Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative nonprofit group, over their race-based admissions policies in 2014, saying they violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The cases made their way through lower courts, which ruled on the side of Harvard and UNC, before reaching the Supreme Court for oral arguments last year.

Specifically, Harvard was accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation first proposed by John F. Kennedy that sought to outlaw racial discrimination. Title VI 'prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance.'

The case argued that Asian American students specifically have been illegally disadvantaged by affirmative action policies because despite achieving high grades, they score lower on Harvard's vague 'personal rating scale,' particularly on 'likability' ratings and 'positive personality,' compared to other applicants.

The UNC case also looked what the university could factor into admissions practices without the use of race and how it would impact diversity on campus. Both Harvard and UNC have maintained that their use of race in admissions does not discriminate against Asian Americans.

Justice Thomas, who was the second black justice appointed in history, called race-based admissions 'rudderless' and 'designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.'

He went on in his concurring opinion, which he read from the bench in a rare move, to state plainly that despite being 'painfully aware' of discrimination against other individuals of his race, he has hope that all Americans will be treated equally under the law.

'While I am painfully aware of the social and economic ravages which have befallen my race and all who suffer discrimination, I hold out enduring hope that this country will live up to its principles so clearly enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States: that all men are created equal, are equal citizens, and must be treated equally before the law,' Thomas wrote.

However, Democrat-appointed Justice Sotomayor said in a written dissent that the decision 'rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.'

'The Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society,' she continued.

In a separate dissent, the nation's first female black Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, said the 6-3 decision is a 'tragedy for us all.'

'Gulf-sized race-based gaps exist with respect to the health, wealth, and well-being of American citizens. They were created in the distant past, but have indisputably been passed down to the present day through the generations,' she wrote.

Jackson had recused herself from the Harvard case due to her former position on the board of the university.

In a footnote, Roberts wrote that military academies are exempt from Thursday's ruling due to their 'potentially distinct interests.'

There had been discussion about the role that the Pentagon has to ensure diversity within its rank-and-file troops is reflected, which could impact readiness and also discipline among ranks.

Jackson criticized the decision by the majority to exempt military academies.

She stated: 'The court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom (a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore).'

Students from North Carolina held a demonstration in support of affirmative action when attorneys for both sides

Johnathan Loc, a Harvard graduate, helped organize sit-ins backing race-based admissions

Edward Blum, who is behind Students for Fair Admissions, said in a statement Thursday that the 'vast majority' should celebrate the decision.

'A university doesnt have real diversity when it simply assembles students who look different but come from similar backgrounds and act, talk and think alike,' added Blum.

A flurry of reaction started to unfold Thursday following the court's decision.

Former Vice President Mike Pence cheered the ruling, saying 'There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism.'

'I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured today's welcomed decision, and as President I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends.'

His fellow 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley added: 'This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American Dream.'

However, Democrats struck a more somber tone, calling it a setback for racial justice.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday: 'The Supreme Court ruling has put a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice. The consequences of this decision will be felt immediately and across the country, as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities.'

A group of 82 Republican lawmakers led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., submitted an amicus brief in the case. They wrote that Harvard and UNC's admissions policies 'intentionally divide applicants by race' and 'inflict a heavy toll on Asian-American students.'

Data published on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows a mixed picture when it comes to diversity in U.S. colleges nationwide.

In 2021, the last year for which figures are available, 60 percent of Asians between the ages of 18 and 24 were enrolled in college, compared to 38 percent of White people the same age.

The figure is 37 percent for black youths, 33 percent for hispanics and as low as 28 percent for students who describe themselves as 'American Indians,' according to NCES.

Nine states have already made it illegal for admissions professions to consider race in college applications: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.
In April, the White House was under pressure to explain why President Joe Biden would not be attending the coronation of King Charles III in London.

Was it a snub by the famously pro-Irish president?

Not at all, said his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. The two heads of state had just spoken by phone and the king had invited the president for a state visit very soon.

But when Biden visits London next month it will be a trip shoehorned into a European swing centered around a N.A.T.O. summit. There will be no Buckingham Palace banquet or 82-gun salute as there was four years ago when President Donald Trump was afforded the honor of a full state visit.

DailyMail.com can reveal that no invitation for a state visit was ever extended when Biden spoke with King Charles.

President Joe Biden will meet King Charles III during a visit to the U.K. next month, according to a U.S. official, but the trip will fall short of being a 'state visit'

Instead, the president is expected to spend less than 24 hours in London before flying on to Vilnius, Lithuania, to meet N.A.T.O. allies.

A full state visit would usually last for closer to four days. And need a year of planning, rather than a three-month lead in.

'There was never an invitation for a state visit,' said a London source. 'The point was to try to get away from headlines about Biden snubbing Charles over the coronation, and show that the two had a decent relationship.

'And the White House managed to mess it up.'

A U.S. official confirmed that Biden would still meet King Charles.

In the meantime, British officials have swung into action to tamp down more headlines about Biden snubs and spare the White House more blushes.

London's newspapers have begun describing the trip as a 'mini state visit.'

But the stripped-down visit will reignite questions about whether Biden is anti-British. During an April trip he spent less than 24 hours in British Northern Ireland, before spending the bulk of his time in the Republic of Ireland.

He triggered outrage when he joked that he was visiting to ensure that the Brits did not 'screw around' with the Good Friday Agreement that ended decades of violence.

This will be the first time Biden has met Charles since he was crowned in May. However they have met before. They are seen here in 2021 during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow

Biden's visit contrasts with President Donald Trump's 2019 state visit, when he was afforded the full pomp of the British Royal Family including a Buckingham Palace banquet

The Bidens also met the late Queen in 2021 when the G7 Summit was held in Cornwall, U.K.

And his administration has killed off any immediate prospect of a U.S.-U.K. deal, which London had been pursuing after leaving the European Union's single market.

Then there was his decision not to go to the coronation. Jean-Pierre was quizzed on April 5 about why Biden was sending the first lady in his place.

She responded by describing the warm nature of a 30-minute call between the two a day earlier.

'He talked about how he enjoyed meeting ... visiting the Queen, I should say, back in 2021 ... he and the first lady at Windsor. And he hoped to visit again soon,' she said.

'Actually, during that call, the King offered for him to come and do a state visit, which the president accepted. And so they will see each other again very soon.'

Yet the official White House readout of the call did not describe an invitation or mention a state visit.

It said instead: 'The president also conveyed his desire to meet with the King in the United Kingdom at a future date.'

Insiders say the Biden visit might more closely resemble Trump's 2018 visit which included less formal meetings with the Queen and other royals

A senior U.S. official confirmed that the trip would not be a state visit.

'POTUS will have an engagement with the King on his next trip to the UK as we announced earlier this year but it won't be a State visit,' they said, using an abbreviation for 'President of the United States.'

Biden is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

In contrast, the full pomp of the British Royal Family was on show when Trump made a state visit in June 2019.

His visit lasted three days and he was treated to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, where guests dined on steamed halibut with watercress mousse and saddle of lamb.

Foreign leaders are also often invited to stay at Buckingham Palace, although the guest rooms were being renovated at the time of Trump's visit.

Biden's visit may more closely resemble the trip made by Trump a year earlier, when he had more informal meetings with the British royals.
Hunter Biden has arrived at a Delaware courthouse be quizzed under oath today as part of a civil defamation case brought by the computer repair shop owner who worked on his now-infamous 'laptop from hell'.

During the deposition, the 53-year-old is expected to be forced to confirm he owned the device that contained a series of damning emails and lewd photos.

John Paul Mac Isaac, the owner of the Mac Shop in Wilmington, filed a defamation against the embattled First Son in October last year for $1.5 million in damages.

He alleged Biden damaged his reputation by lying about whether the computer belonged to him.

Mac Isaac reported its contents to the FBI when he uncovered messages that raised suspicions of influence-peddling involving then Vice-President Joe Biden, as well videos of Hunter smoking crack and having sex with prostitutes.

Hunter Biden has at a Delaware courthouse be quizzed under oath today as part of a civil defamation case brought by the computer repair shop owner who worked on his now-infamous 'laptop from hell'

During the deposition, the 53-year-old is expected to be forced to confirm he owned the device that contained a series of damning emails and lewd photos.

The former laptop repair shop owner says he tried to return the laptop to Hunter Biden, but he could not get a reply from the embattled First Son

Mac Isaac claims that the customer did not return for the laptop within three months, and that his attempts to establish contact with him went unanswered.

Hunter has since counter-sued with a fresh lawsuit, accusing Mac Isaac of illegally accessing his hard drive and leaking its data, thereby breaching his privacy.

At the hearing, Mac Issac's attorney Brian Della Rocca will grill Joe Biden's son over his previous answers as to the laptop's contents.

Republican critics of the president have long seized on those leaks as proof of the Biden family being involved in using their family ties to rake in lucrative business deals abroad.

The New York Post first broke the story, which many tech giants - reportedly at the behest of the Biden 2024 campaign - then censored as 'Russian disinformation'.

Hunter Biden's latest court appearance comes just days after the Justice Department announced that he had brokered a plea deal with U.S. attorney for Delaware David Weiss at the end of a five-years-long probe into his tax affairs.

Details emerged soon after it was reported that President Joe Biden's son will plead guilty to federal tax offenses as part of a deal to avoid a full prosecution on a separate gun charge

He had decided to plead guilty to two misdemeanors related to his 'willful failure' to pay federal income tax and will stay out of prison as a result.

But a whistleblower from the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. tax agency, insists that Hunter Biden got special treatment during the probe.

Gary Shapley has alleged prosecutors put an investigation into Hunter Biden's finances 'on the back burner' as the 2020 election approached.

He also claims that investigators knew that the laptop data had not been 'manipulated in any way' and it amounted to 'reliable evidence.'

The 14-year veteran of the IRS also said that 'at every stage' decisions were taken that 'had the effect of benefiting the subject of the investigation.'

Shapley testified to the powerful Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee in Congress for six hours last month.

Tax secrecy laws forbid him from releasing all the information he has from the Hunter Biden investigation, but testimony to Congress is protected.

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley alleges Hunter Biden was given special treatment in his probe of his tax affairs, with unnamed officials trying to hinder the investigation.

The face-to-face showdown comes after Roberts petitioned a judge to toss Hunter in jail for six months for failing to come clean about his wealth

But in another much-needed boost for the Biden family, Hunter succeeded in striking a deal with a former fling, Lunden Roberts, after a row over child support on Monday.

A New York Post report published last week suggested that Roberts, 32, had signed a deal agreeing to slash the $20,000 Hunter pays each month to just $5,000 after he pleaded financial hardship.

However Roberts attorney Clinton Lancaster pushed back against the article, stating that no deal had been reached and refusing to confirm the figures involved.

The confidential settlement means Hunter, 53, will avoid the scrutiny of a public paternity trial where details of his murky finances were likely to feature heavily.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams lost his cool with a woman and compared her to a 'plantation owner' after she berated him during a town hall for allowing stabilized rents to go up.

The exchange between the two occurred during a community conversation the Mayor had hosted at a school in Upper Manhattan on Wednesday.

Footage of the meeting shows Adams being questioned after the NYC Rent Guidelines Board voted last week to increase rents by up to 6 percent.

One angered woman can be heard interrupting the Mayor saying that he raised the rent.

Adams then told the woman 'I am the Mayor' after she pointed her finger at him and questioned him.

The woman, who was clearly angered by the move last week to increase rents, can be seen here pointing her finger at the mayor and critiquing the move

In response to her question, Adams compared her to a plantation owner and asked her to give him respect

After being interrupted by the woman, Adams tells the meeting that he doesn't control the rent board which introduced the hikes.

The camera then pans round after Adams to show the angered woman pointing her finger at him, saying: 'You said before and after that you supported those rent increases.'

In response, Adams said: 'If you're going to ask a question don't point at me and don't be disrespectful to me.

'I'm the mayor of this city, treat me with the respect I deserve to be treated. I am speaking to you as an adult.

'Dont stand in front like you treated someone thats on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect I deserve and engage in the conversation.

'Don't be pointing at me, speak with me as an adult because I'm a grown man.

'I walked into this room as a grown man and I'll walk out of this room as a grown man.'

Footage of the exchange was shared on social media, with viewers split over the comment made by Adams.

One person posted: 'She was 100% correct and he deflected. Adams dont care about us. Hes got to go.'

Adams told the meeting held on Wednesday night that while he appointed the board members, he had no sway over their decision

On social media, users had been split on whether the comments made by Mayor Adams was the right thing

Another said: 'NYC Mayor's behavior here is embarrassing, and I don't even agree with the woman who asked the question.'

One other person added: 'Good on my Mayor. This isn't 1950's Alabama. It's New York City in 2023 and you don't cop an attitude like that with a prominent Black man.

'Ask your question respectfully and you'll get a respectful answer.'

Last week the Rent Guidelines Board increased the rent for the one million rent stabilized apartments in NYC after a contentious vote.

The panel, which is made up of mayoral appointees, approved increases of up to 6 percent on two year leases.

In a statement last week, the Mayor thanked the board who made the increases for their 'difficult work'

The increases would apply to leases issued or renewed from October through September 2024.

Quickly after the board shared their proposal, Adams issued a statement applauding the move, after initially pushing back when the board signaled hikes could be as high as 7 percent.

Last week he said: 'I want to thank the members of the Rent Guidelines Board for their critically important and extremely difficult work protecting tenants from unsustainable rent increases.

'Finding the right balance is never easy, but I believe the board has done so this year  as evidenced by affirmative votes from both tenant and public representatives.'
A Mormon family have lost their lawsuit against a school after blaming them for 'relaxing' attendance rules which allowed their son to have sex with his girlfriend in the parking lot.

The lawsuit, filed in August, blamed Skyridge High School in Utah for not monitoring the unnamed teenager closely enough during his free time in the last week of classes.

The teen, who was brought up in the Mormon Church, ended up sneaking away and having sex with his girlfriend in the school parking lot three times in one week.

His parents had been monitoring him closely to stop him from having premarital sex - and lodged the legal battle against Alpine School District and the school's teachers when they found out about the lusty affairs.

A Mormon family have lost their lawsuit against Skyridge High School teachers after blaming them for 'relaxing' attendance rules which allowed their son to have sex with his girlfriend in the parking lot

Shane Farnsworth, Superintendent of Alpine School District, was a defendant in the lawsuit

On May 25, the mom of the teenager came to school and tried to find her son, but a staff member couldn't locate him, the lawsuit claims.

She then search for him by walking through the hallways - where other students were 'engaging in public displays of affection' - and eventually found out he was in the parking lot after contacting his girlfriend.

Skyridge High School had an informal custom of releasing students after only two hours of class time and of not enforcing attendance during the last week school.

The boy was therefore able to slip away and have the sexual liaisons with his girlfriend during school hours, the lawsuit claims.

The parents' lawsuit states that the school's lax rules 'caused emotional damage to their son and deprived them of their parental and religious rights.'

According to the suit, the mom and dad had previously found out that their son was having sex with his girlfriend - and placed restrictions on his activity in a bid to stop him sleeping with her further.

The boy had to always be accompanied by other people while with his girlfriend, and his parents made him walk to and from school with his older sibling to stop him falling prey to pre-martial sex.

Skyridge High School Principal John Wallwork and Assistant Principal Joseph Atwood were named a defendants in the lawsuit

In the Mormon Church, sex before marriage is prohibited. Only a husband and wife are allowed to engage in sexual acts with one another.

Despite their attempts to cull the acts, the parents 'learned that [their son] had had sex with his girlfriend in the parking lot next to the school during school hours three times during the final week of school.'

U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish ruled: 'Because the Alpine School District did not prevent the [parents] from making decisions regarding the upbringing of their son, it did not infringe their parental rights under the Fourteenth Amendment'

The Utah parents added that they believed their constitutional rights to parent their child and to free exercise of religion had been violated. They also claimed that the defendants were liable for negligence.

Superintendent Shane J Farnsworth, administrator of secondary schools Jeff Schoonover, Skyridge High School Principal John Wallwork, and Assistant Principal Joseph Atwood were all named as defendants in the lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish ruled: 'Because the Alpine School District did not prevent the [parents] from making decisions regarding the upbringing of their son, it did not infringe their parental rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.'

The decision stated: 'The school district did not coerce [the teenager] into acting against his religious beliefs.

'He freely chose to have premarital sex with his girlfriend, even though this was against the teachings of his religion.'

Parrish did not rule on the family's claim that the school was negligent - and instead referred that argument back to Utah's state courts.
A second class action lawsuit is being brought against Harvard University Medical School by 'traumatized and heartbroken' families who allege a morgue manager stole and sold human body parts from cadavers donated for research.

Cedric Lodge, 55, who worked at the esteemed college from 1995 until May this year, was indicted earlier this month after allegedly selling heads, brains, skin and other body parts stolen from the morgue.

Days after he was charged, John Bozek, the son of a woman whose body had been donated, filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on behalf of up to 400 families whose relatives' body parts could have been sold.

On Wednesday, another suit was filed by the children of three further alleged victims - named as Glenn Wilder Sr., Marshall Jolotta, and Joseph Gagne.

'These remains were not mere "cadavers" to which no respect was owed. They were the last physical remnants of beloved fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, sisters, wives,' the suit reads.

Cedric Lodge (pictured) is said to have stolen the remains from cadavers donated to the prestigious university for scientific research and education

Cedric Lodge is said to have stolen remains from cadavers donated to Harvard Medical School for scientific research and education

The lawsuit further states, as per Boston.com: 'Defendants solicited and accepted these incredibly dear, precious, selfless gifts and undertook the solemn, important responsibility of making sure the gifted remains were treated, at all times, lawfully and with the utmost dignity and respect.

'However, to their absolute shock and horror, the families who placed this deep trust in Defendants have learned that Defendants abandoned them in a facility that was a place of freakish desecration, where criminals were allowed to roam and pick over loved ones' remains for bits like trinkets at a flea market.'

Lodge worked at Harvard since 1995 until the Medical School terminated his employment on May 6 this year.

The university claims it had no knowledge of Lodge's misconduct before being contacted by the FBI in March.

The school is now working with federal authorities to determine which donors may have been affected and has set up a hotline and resources page for donors' families to access information and support.

Harvard insist that no other employees at the school are facing charges or are suspected of any wrongdoing.

READ MORE: Son of woman whose body was donated to Harvard files class-action against the school after morgue manager is arrested for selling remains Advertisement

A federal indictment filed two weeks ago states that Lodge took the dissected body parts to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife Denise sold them on as part of a national network of human remains traffickers.

Some of the remains were even shipped through the United States Postal Service, it stated.

The US Attorney's Office believes Lodge traded the remains between 2018 and August 16, 2022.

Several buyers were also named in the indictment including Joshua Taylor, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania, and Katrina MacLean, of Salem, Massachusetts, who owned and operated a business called Kat's Creepy Creations in Peabody, Massachusetts.

'At times, Cedric Lodge used his access to the morgue to allow Katrina MacLean, Joshua Taylor and others to enter the morgue and choose what remains to purchase,' the indictment states.

Maclean is also accused of selling the remains he obtained to other buyers in multiple states including to Jeremy Pauley of Enola and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

In October 2020 Maclean sold two dissected faces and skin to Pauley for $600, who was hired to tan the skin and make it into leather before shipping it back to Maclean.

The indictment states that Pauley transferred $8,800 to MacLean and 25 payments totaling $40,049.04 to Taylor via PayPal.

Pauley, 40, had previously been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, receiving stolen property and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities last summer.

Pauley, 40, had previously been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, receiving stolen property and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities

Pauley also purchased body parts that were stolen from a crematorium in Little Rock, Arkansas, by Candace Chapman Scott, according to a statement from the Department for Justice.

Scott is accused of, among other things, taking the corpses of two stillborn babies whose remains were due to be cremated.

Pauley, in turn, resold many remains to others, it has been alleged.

Pauley is the owner of The Grand Wunderkammer - a shop that sells 'odd and unusual' items to the public and museum exhibits.

He was arrested last June after police received a tip about Pauley's suspicious activity and his collections. The caller said they found 'several' five-gallon buckets of human remains in Pauley's basement.

Investigators later recovered the remains, which included human brains, hearts, livers, skin, and lungs. Charges listed in the grand jury indictment of the Lodges, MacLean and Taylor include conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods.

'Some crimes defy understanding,' attorney Gerard M. Karam said in a statement. 'The theft and trafficking of human remains strikes at the very essence of what makes us human.

'It is particularly egregious that so many of the victims here volunteered to allow their remains to be used to educate medical professionals and advance the interests of science and healing.

'For them and their families to be taken advantage of in the name of profit is appalling. With these charges, we are seeking to secure some measure of justice for all these victims.'
The Democrat said his hospitality businesses in the city have been burglarized

California governor Gavin Newsom has decided to double the presence of state police to deal with San Francisco's crime and fentanyl crises, as he admitted that his own businesses have been burglarized.

The Democrat said the open-air drug dealing in the city is 'unacceptable,' and that his own wine and hospitality businesses have been robbed at least half a dozen times as the city goes through a crime and fentanyl epidemic.

Newsom's PlumpJack Group company, founded in 1992, owns three restaurants, wineries, a boutique hotel, and bars in San Francisco. The city's former mayor put the company in a blind trust when he became governor, which bans him from any involvement in its operations.

One of his wine shops, the PlumpJack Wine & Spirits store, was targeted by burglars at least four times in 2021.

'My biggest gripe right now in San Francisco has been, frankly, were not enforcing existing laws  were not prosecuting the law breakers. Judges, DAs, the whole panoply  I want to see people held accountable for breaking the law.'

California governor Gavin Newsom has decided to double the presence of state police to deal with San Francisco's crime pandemic after his own businesses have been burglarized

Newsom's PlumpJack Group company, founded in 1992, owns three restaurants, wineries, a boutique hotel, and bars in San Francisco. One of them, Balboa Cafe, is seen above

As part of the new plan to tackle the city's overdose crisis, Newsom will also increase the number of California National Guard members working in the city

The Democrat said the open-air drug dealing in the city is 'unacceptable.' His plan is an expansion of a previous project set in motion in April

The governor added that while he's 'not going back to the old, failed war on drugs,' he's also 'not naive about the fact that weve got to triage whats happening on the streets.'

As part of the new plan to tackle the city's overdose crisis, Newsom will also increase the number of California National Guard members working in the city with local authorities. They will work with mayor London Breed to create a comprehensive plan for fighting open-air drug markets.

There will also be new unannounced 'surges 'in crime hotpots in the middle of the night by state Highway Patrol officials.

'Personnel assigned to the expanded operation are expected to include some of the more than 100 new CHP officers slated to graduate from the CHP Academy this week, as well as active officers within the CHPs Golden Gate Division,' said the governor's office.

It's an expansion of a previous plan set in motion in April by the governor.

Newsom sent California Highway Patrol officers after taking a tour of the Tenderloin district with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Mayor Breed's Chief of Staff in which the trio assessed the situation for themselves and saw how bad the fentanyl crisis in the city has become.

Then, Newsom said the California Highway Patrol, the California National Guard, the San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office will now collaborate to help the city address the drug problem.

Highway Patrol officials were instructed to identify ways to assist local police, including the assigning of personnel and resources, technical assistance, training, and drug trafficking enforcement in key areas, particularly the Tenderloin District - an area of the city known for its high crime rate and illegal drug activity.

Additionally, the Governor instructed the California National Guard to identify specialist personnel and resources to analyze drug trafficking operations, with a focus on dismantling fentanyl trafficking rings.

The state intervention has reportedly led to increased drug arrests but also concern that officials are pulling people over for minor infractions as an excuse to search them for drugs.

'CHPs recent results in San Francisco are nothing short of extraordinary  in just six weeks, the agencys hardworking officers seized enough fentanyl to potentially kill the city nearly three times over, multiple firearms, and stolen goods,' Newsom said.

CHP has reportedly seized 8.1 kilos of fentanyl and made 115 felony and misdemeanor arrests in the Tenderloin and the surrounding area since May 1st.

One of Newsom's wine shops, the PlumpJack Wine & Spirits store, was targeted by burglars at least four times in 2021

A map reveals the major businesses which have left, or plan to leave, San Francisco in recent months. Westfield, the most recent to announced its departure, will give up its huge mall - and several occupants have already said they intend to follow

San Francisco's Westfield mall may be razed to the ground as a result of the city's out-of-control crime wave

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, about seven to 10 CHP officers have been working on the operation since it began, and that number will now grow from 14 to 20 per day.

Progressives have argued that the city is simply repeating a failed war on drugs, while moderates want more prosecutions of drug dealers and increased action to tackle the issue.

The Tenderloin and South of Market are the area most affected by the city's drug and homelessness crises, with people dealing and using drugs openly on sidewalks.

New statistics reveal a 41 percent surge in overdoses in San Francisco in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with 200 people dying in the year to March.

Public policy in San Francisco has continually allowed for a skyrocketing homeless, drug addicted and mentally unstable population to run the streets of the city.

The city is also facing a spiraling violent crime problem. Tech exec Bob Lee became one of the city's latest murder victims last week.

The number of homeless people in San Francisco was tallied in February of last year at almost 8,000, the second highest figure of any year since 2005, according to the official government count which takes place every three years.

It has almost certainly ballooned since the latest count.

The city has seen a mass exodus of companies as a result of rampant crime in the city, with Westfield mall the latest to flee after it announced it has been forced to stop making mortgage payments due to the loss of business.

An analysis of official figures and other research reveals San Francisco may lose hundreds of millions of dollars through an exodus of businesses and its failure to recover from COVID

Last week, Mayor Breed floated the idea of demolishing the mall as a solution to the city's drug and crime crisis.

Speaking at Bloomberg's Technology Summit in California, Breed brushed off questions about the mall's demise and argued 'there are a lot of people who may not even shop in those places' due to the rise of online shopping.

San Francisco's Westfield mall stands as the prime example of the city's dramatic fall from grace, where the once-bustling hub is now a drug-infested wasteland.

In 2016, the property was appraised at $1.2 billion, but a stark decline saw the mall hit with years of looting, soft policing and open-air drug taking.

The mall's anchor tenant, Nordstrom, announced it is leaving the location in August. At the time, Westfield blamed 'unsafe conditions' and a 'lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity' for the departure.

Once Nordstrom leaves the mall, it will be just 55 percent leased.

With the mall now a shell of its former self, Breed was asked how she planned to reverse course and save the dying property.

Instead, she noted how many people no longer shop at brick-and-mortar stores, before floating the idea of destroying the mall altogether.

'Lets look at whats possible rather than dwelling on the stories of another store closing  there are a lot of people who may not even shop in those places,' she said.
China enjoys huge potential in senior tourism market

11:02, June 29, 2023 By Yin Jie, Cao Ruitong ( People's Daily

Senior tourists pose for pictures in the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, Sanya, south China's Hainan province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Wenwu)

Seniors are one of the most active groups in China's tourism industry today. They are taking scenic train rides to the mountains to avoid the summer heat, traveling around the world on cruise ships and even camping in the wild.

According to the China Tourism Academy, there will be over 100 million healthy young-old travelers in China who travel frequently and are willing to spend money on their tours by the end of 2025, and the silver tourism market is expected to hit a trillion yuan ($138.18 billion) by then.

Chinese online travel agency platform Tongcheng Travel said silver tourism is one of the most powerful segments driving the recovery of the Chinese tourism market this year.

Senior tourists now make up the majority of the customers of travel agencies, said vice president of the company Yin Shuhu.

Seniors have more free time and their health conditions have been constantly improved. Besides, they are much wealthier than before. These all make it easier for seniors to go on trips and have laid a solid foundation for the rapid development of silver tourism.

The aging society in China also contributes to the rapid development of silver tourism. As of the end of 2022, the number of Chinese people aged 60 or above accounted for 19.8 percent of China's total population. The National Health Commission estimates that the figure would exceed 30 percent around 2035.

Today, more and more seniors from medium- and small-sized cities and rural areas are traveling frequently.

Photo shows the Silver Beach national tourist resort in Beihai, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. (People's Daily Online/Li Junguang)

Ma Yiliang, chief statistician of the China Tourism Academy, told People's Daily that many of the earliest migrant workers in China are now over 60, they are more willing to travel and see the world after long time of working out of town.

Wellness-oriented seasonal tourism has become a new business form in the travel industry favored by more and more senior tourists.

A man surnamed Wang in Beijing would spend some time living in southwest China's Yunnan province every summer after he retired.

"I love the rainforest there, where I can enjoy both beautiful views and fresh air. It's good for my health," he said.

Regions across China are continuously upgrading relevant facilities to meet the growing demand of senior travelers.

For instance, Wulong district of southwest China's Chongqing municipality has renovated barrier free passages, elevators and escalators at tourist attractions and installed grab bars for 1,000 toilets. The Zhusha ancient town, a renowned tourist destination in Wanshan district of Tongren, southwest China's Guizhou province has equipped itself with nearly 1,000 hospital beds and launched cooperation with local hospitals, so as to rapidly respond to medical needs of senior tourists.

A report issued by the China Consumers Association showed that the young-old are more energetic consumption-wise and there's an obvious trend of consumption upgrading among this group. The consumption environment for seniors still needs to be optimized in an elderly-oriented manner, the report said.

Train Y124 departs from Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, and starts a 17-day journey that passes Yunnan, Guizhou and Jiangxi provinces, March 18, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Yuan Yong)

Digital gap is an important factor that negatively impacts the experience of senior tourists, said a survey.

Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy, noted that efforts shall be made to fill the digital gap and build an "intelligent engine" that promotes integrated development of wellness tourism and smart tourism and nurture a barrier-free environment for the silver tourism market.

Besides, demand-oriented and targeted tourism services shall also be provided to meet senior tourists' physical and mental health demand, Dai added.

Digital elderly-oriented services are being constantly optimized across China. Shanghai's municipal bureau of culture and tourism has launched an elderly version of a local tourism mini program, which enables senior tourists' families and friends to book tickets of scenic spots for them online. With this mini program, senior tourists above the age of 65 can enter tourist attractions without appointment. East China's Jiangsu province has launched a digital tourism card that enables senior residents to enjoy transportation, tourism and consumption services. On the tourism mini program launched by Guizhou province, senior tourists can not only check maps, search for bathrooms, and have digital tour guides, but also call the police or ask for rescue in just one click once emergencies happen.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
SANAA, June 29 (UNI) A fire broke out Wednesday in a camp for displaced people in western Yemen, destroying 11 houses, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

The fire was caused by fireworks used in the Eid al-Adha celebration in the Al-Qanawis district of Hodeida province, according to a Houthi official. Furniture, food, and livestock were consumed by the flames, but no one was injured.

The official said that financial aid was provided to support the affected families, who were left without means of sustenance.

He also underscored the urgent need for intervention to secure new housing for these families and to provide them with the necessary assistance.

According to the United Nations, 4.5 million Yemenis, or 14 percent of the population, have been forced to flee their homes because of the conflict.

Approximately 66 percent of the displaced live in dangerous locations, characterized by widespread food insecurity and lack of basic services.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthis seized control of several northern provinces. The war has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
Americans are sitting on more than $20 billion in unclaimed money, which they may not realize they are owed.

This 'unclaimed property' can include uncashed paychecks, refunds or deposits - and one in seven Americans is due a share, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA).

Even if you have checked previously and did not discover any unclaimed funds, NAUPA recommends carrying out a yearly search.

'It turns out so many people have unclaimed property. You may be in for a very pleasant surprise,' Deb Goldberg, Massachusetts state treasurer and receiver general, told Good Morning America.

Residents should contact their state authority to find and claim financial assets. Here is how to see if you are owed missing money.

Americans are sitting on more than $20 billion in unclaimed money, which they may not realize they are owed



The website MissingMoney.com is endorsed by both the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators and the National Association of State Treasurers.

It uses a multi-state database platform to search and claim forgotten funds, which have been handed over to state unclaimed property programs for safekeeping, as is required by law.

According to Missing Money, over $3 billion was paid out in claims across the US last year, with the average person receiving $2,080.

The types of property being safeguarded include uncashed checks from corporations, financial institutions, banks, insurance companies and municipalities, inactive stock and brokerage accounts and unclaimed safe deposit boxes.

Americans can use the website to search for their name or business name to see if they have unclaimed funds.

If anything is found, users are able to submit a free claim through the platform and, if accepted, connect to their state to securely transfer them the cash.

The website recommends searching for previous names if you have gone by multiple names, common misspellings of your name and any former names, as well as the names of relatives if you may be the rightful heir to their property.

'Since evidence required to complete a claim will vary by state, carefully read and follow the instructions. For other questions related to your claim, please directly contact the state where your claim was filed,' it adds.

Americans can also go directly to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service if they believe they have unclaimed assets being held by the federal government.

The Treasury has also launched Treasury Hunt, where you can search for 'matured, uncashed savings bonds', while the Department of Labor has a program where Americans can uncover unpaid back wages.

Taxpayers have until July 17 to claim their money back due to an extension from the pandemic

It comes after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revealed that nearly 1.5 million Americans could be owed a share of unclaimed tax refunds from 2019.

The outstanding funds are worth almost $1.5 billion in total - with an average payout of $893.

Typically, there is a three-year deadline to claim refunds before the cash becomes property of the US Treasury, but the Government extended the deadline for 2019 rebates due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taxpayers now have until July 17 to claim their money back.

According to the IRS, Texans are owed the most, with an estimated 135,000 residents in the state sitting on an average of $924 - totaling $142,235,200.

The state-by-state breakdown calculated by the agency shows that California has the second highest sum of possible refunds, with a total of $141,780,000 potentially owed to 144,700 people.

Florida comes in third, with a median projected refund of $893 for 89,300 residents.

The IRS predicts 81,600 New Yorkers could be owed almost $87 million, while people living in Illinois could be sitting on $57,591,300 in unclaimed cash.

The state with the lowest sum of unclaimed tax refunds is Vermont, where 3,100 people could be eligible for just over $3 million in refunds.

'The 2019 tax returns came due during the pandemic, and many people may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds,' said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. 'We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out.'

He added: 'We frequently see students, part-time workers and others with little income overlook filing a tax return and never realize they may be owed a refund.'

To find more information about whether you are owed a rebate, visit the IRS website.
The glamorous vice-president of a Russian bank has reportedly plunged to her death after falling from the window of her Moscow apartment.

Kristina Baikova, 28, an executive at Loko-Bank, is just the latest mysterious casualty involving Russia's top business people.

Ms Baikova allegedly fell from her 11th floor apartment on the Khodynsky Boulevard in the early hours of last Friday. She died instantly at the scene.

The bank executive was with a 34-year-old friend, thought to be named Andrei, at the time of the incident after inviting him over to her home for drink.

An investigation into her death has been launched.

Kristina Baikova (pictured), 28, an executive at Loko-Bank, reportedly fell to her death in the early hours of Friday morning

Ms Baikova's (pictured centre) sudden death is just the latest mysterious casualty involving Russia's top business people

Ms Baikova allegedly died instantly from the fall. Her death is shrouded in mystery

A spate of unexplained deaths of high-ranking energy officials has taken place since the start of Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine in February last year.

In May this year, Russia's deputy science minister, allegedly a private critic of the 'fascist' invasion of Ukraine, died suddenly after falling seriously ill on a flight to Moscow.

Pyotr Kucherenko, 46, was returning from a business trip to Cuba when his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in southern Russia, the Science and Higher Education Ministry said.

Doctors performed CPR but were unable to save the official. His family said the death was linked to an underlying heart condition.

Independent journalist Roman Super wrote after the announcement that his 'old friend' had spoken in private about his inability to escape Russia following what he called the 'fascist invasion' of Ukraine.

The bank executive was with a 34-year-old friend in her apartment at the time of her death

She had reportedly drank with her friend Andrei before falling from the 11th floor apartment

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Pyotr Kucherenko died while returning with a Russian delegation from a business trip to Cuba

In April, energy boss Igor Shkurko was found dead in his prison cell after he was accused of taking a bribe.

The 49-year-old was the deputy general director of Russian energy company Yakutskenergo.

He was a member of the pro-Putin United Russia political party but his membership was suspended when the bribe allegation was made.

Only two months prior, Russian oil magnate Viatcheslav Rovneiko, 59, was 'found unconscious' late at night at his home.

Doctors were unable to save him from dying, according to a report by Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

In February, a top Russian defence official was found dead after plunging 160ft from a tower block window last week.

Marina Yankina, 58, was a key figure in the funding of Vladimir Putin's illegal war in Ukraine as head of the financial support department of the Ministry of Defence for the Western Military District, which is closely involved in the dictator's invasion.

Before joining the Western Military region, Ms Yankina worked in the Federal Tax Service, and also served as deputy chairman of the Property Relations Committee of St Petersburg.

Reports say it is a suspected suicide, but this is often stated in such cases in Russia before any investigation is carried out or the facts are known.

A week earlier, Major General Vladimir Makarov - a Russian general recently fired by Putin - was found dead in a possible suicide.

On December 26, Pavel Antonov - the richest deputy of the Russian Duma (Russia's parliament) and a Putin critic - died in India falling out of a hotel window.

Igor Shkurko, 49, was found dead in mysterious circumstances - after he was accused of taking a bribe

Marina Yankina (pictured), 58, was discovered by a passerby at the entrance of a house on Zamshina Street in St Petersburg. She is believed to have fallen 160ft to her death

Russian MP Pavel Antov, 65, who previously criticised the war in Ukraine, was found dead in India in December 2022, having seemingly tumbled from the roof of a hotel

Vladimir Bydanov, 61, died in hospital after suddenly falling ill. Indian police insisted he died of a heart attack, possibly brought about by drinking and drug abuse

His companion Vladimir Bidenov was found dead in the same hotel four days earlier.

Aleksey Maslov, 69, the former chief of Russian Ground Forces, died in hospital on December 25 while Aleksandr Buzakov - who had been the head of Russia's 'admiralty shipyards' for a decade - died on December 24 2022.

In July, 76-year-old Yevgeny Lobachev - a retired Major General of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - was found dead in Moscow with a pistol nearby.

His death was also ruled as suicide.

Other recent deaths have included the editor of a popular Russian propaganda magazine, the vice-president of Gazprombank and a senior Gazprom official.

Dmitry Zelenov, a real estate tycoon, died on December 9 in the French Riviera town of Antibes.

The oligarch, 50, was out to dinner with some friends when he began feeling unwell and tumbled down a flight of stairs, sustaining serious head injuries, according to Russian news outlet Baza and local French outlet Var Matin.

He was rushed to hospital but doctors were unable to save him and his death was confirmed by the public prosecutor in the nearby municipality of Grasse the following day.

According to Baza's Telegram channel, Zelenov underwent surgery related to undisclosed heart problems in the weeks prior to his death, though no further information was provided.

Zelenov was a co-founder of Don-Stroy, once one of Moscow's most significant real estate investment and development empires.

The circumstances around the real estate tycoon's death are remarkably similar to those of Anatoly Gerashchenko, the former head of Moscow's Aviation Institute (MAI) who is said to have tumbled down a flight of stairs at the institute's headquarters in the Russian capital in September.

Russian oligarch Dmitry Zelenov died in France after allegedly falling down a flight of stairs

Zelenov died on December 9 in the French Riviera town of Antibes (pictured)

Anatoly Gerashchenko, the former head of Moscow's Aviation Institute (MAI) reportedly slipped and tumbled down a flight of stairs at the institutes headquarters in the Russian capital

READ MORE HERE: Putin is given rock star welcome and even poses for kissing selfies with adoring fans in rare interaction with the public - prompting claims it's a body double Advertisement

'On September 21, 2022, Anatoly Nikolaevich Gerashchenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor, adviser to the rector of the Moscow Aviation Institute, passed away as a result of an accident,' the organisation's press service said.

'This is a colossal loss for the MAI and the scientific and pedagogical community.'

MAI is one of Russia's leading scientific research universities responsible for the development of aerospace technology and is closely linked to Putin's Defence Ministry.

Gerashchenko, 73, spent a lifetime working with the institute, attending the university as an engineer before working his way up to run the operation for eight years.

He had received Russia's Medal of the Order for Services to the Fatherland, First Class, and was a distinguished professor with more than 50 scientific publications who remained on as an influential advisor after retiring in 2015.

Gerashchenko's highly suspicious death came less than two weeks after Vladimir Putin's point man for developing Russia's vast Arctic resources 'fell overboard' while sailing off the country's Pacific coast.

Ivan Pechorin, 39, was managing director of Putin's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation and had recently attended a major conference hosted by the Kremlin warmonger in Vladivostok.

Pechorin fell off the side of a boat in the waters close to Russky Island near Cape Ignatiev, said Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.

His body was found after a search lasting more than a day.

The corporation's former CEO Igor Nosov, 43, also died suddenly in February, reportedly from a stroke.

On September 1, oil tycoon Ravil Maganov, 67, fell to his death from the sixth floor window of a Moscow hospital.

One report said the chairman of Lukoil - Russia's second largest oil company - was 'beaten' before he was 'thrown out of a window', though this has not been independently confirmed.

Lukoil had previously voiced opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Maganov's death came shortly before Putin arrived at the elite Central Clinical Hospital to pay his last respects to final Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who had died at the hospital just days earlier.

In July, Yuri Voronov, 61, head of a transport and logistics company for a Gazprom-linked company, was found dead in his swimming pool amid reports of foul play.

Ivan Pechorin (L), point man for Vladimir Putin's development of the Arctic, died after 'falling overboard' into the sea from a boat near Vladivostok. Igor Nosov (R), CEO of the Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, also died in his early 40s, reportedly from a 'stroke'

Ravil Maganov, chairman of Russian oil giant Lukoil, died after falling from a window at Central Clinical Hospital, Moscow (pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2019)

Yuri Voronov, 61, was found dead in August

Two more deaths of Gazprom-linked executives were reported in elite homes near St Petersburg, stoking suspicions that the deaths may well have been murders

Two more deaths of Gazprom-linked executives were reported in elite homes near St Petersburg, stoking suspicions that the deaths may well have been murders.

Alexander Tyulakov, 61, a senior Gazprom financial and security official at deputy general director level, was discovered by his lover the day after war started in Ukraine in February.

His neck was in a noose in his 500,000 home in the elite Leninsky gated housing development, yet multiple reports claim his body had been badly beaten, leading to speculation he was under intense pressure from bad actors.

That came just three weeks after Leonid Shulman, 60, head of transport at Gazprom Invest, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor in the same gated housing community.

Billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43, also linked to Kremlin-friendly energy giant Lukoil where he was a top manager, was found dead in May.

One theory is that Subbotin - who also owned a shipping company - was poisoned by toad venom triggering a heart attack.

And in April, wealthy Vladislav Avayev, 51, a former Kremlin official closely linked to Russian financial institution Gazprombank, appeared to have taken his own life after killing his wife Yelena, 47, and daughter, 13.

Friends have disputed reports that he was jealous after his wife admitted she was pregnant by their driver, and there are claims he had access to the financial secrets of the Kremlin elite.

Several days later multimillionaire Sergey Protosenya, 55, was found hanged in Spain, with his wife Natalia, 53, and their teenage daughter, Maria, found dead from stab wounds.

Billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43 former top executive with energy giant Lukoil, died in May

Former Kremlin official and Gazprombank vice-president Vladislav Avayev, 51, appeared to have taken his own life after killing his wife and one of his daughters in April

Russian gas tycoon Sergey Protosenya (pictured), his wife Natalya, 53, and their teenage daughter Maria were found dead in their Spanish mansion, in Lloret de Mar, on April 19

Ukrainian born multi-millionaire Yevgeny Palant, 47, and his wife Olga Palant, 50, were found stabbed to death in their family house in Moscow region last week

He was a former deputy chairman of Novatek, a company also closely linked to the Kremlin.

As with Avayev, it is suggested this may have been an assassination made to appear as a murder-suicide.

A week prior Yevgeny Palant, 47, and his wife Olga, 50, both Ukrainian-born, were found by their daughter Polina, 20, having suffered multiple stab wounds.

An official briefing to the media claimed the woman took her own life in a jealous rage after Palant said he was leaving her - claims which were strongly disputed by the couple's best friend.
A Met Police sergeant who sexually assaulted a stranger in the sea in Brighton while on his stag-do is facing jail and the end of his career.

Laurence 'Larry' Knight, 34, carried out the attack after his group were entertained by strippers at their AirBnb in the Sussex resort.

Knight met the 21-year-old victim in Brighton town centre on July 17, 2021, while social distancing rules were still in place due to Covid-19.

They headed for the sea and were treading water together when Knight complained he was having a 'rubbish night' and was meant to be enjoying himself.

Former Oxford University student Knight moved her underwear to one side and touched her intimately after she told him: 'You're getting married in two weeks'.

Laurence 'Larry' Knight, 34, carried out the attack after his group were entertained by strippers at their AirBnb in the Sussex resort, just two weeks before his wedding

Laurence Knight, 34, attacked after his group were entertained by strippers on his stag do

Knight is seen in the dock here in a sketch of him at the court case earlier in the day

The police sergeant, who was based at Stoke Newington police station in north London at the time, denied rape and sexual assault.

Ailsa Williamson, defending Knight, had suggested in cross examination the woman could have mistaken the officer's penis for her tampon - but she insisted she could not have made that mistake.

He was convicted of sexual assault by a jury majority of ten to two, after seven hours and 37 minutes deliberation. He was cleared of rape.

The officer showed no emotion upon hearing the verdict.

Knight's wife was absent from court and it is not known if they are still together, although he was seen wearing his wedding ring. He was supported in court by his mother.

Knight, who studied chemistry at Balliol College, Oxford, admitted he pulled the woman's bikini bottoms to one side but said he stopped when he realised what he was doing was wrong.

He insisted there was 'no way' he could have penetrated her during the encounter.

Judge Peter Rook said: 'I need to know to what extent [the victim] has been affected since the offence was committed.

'I think she's said she's had difficulty in going out and so on.

'Mr Knight has been found guilty by the jury of a very serious offence.

'It must follow that it will be completely devastating for his career.'

Maryam Syed, prosecuting, said earlier that the complainant and her friends were intending to head to the beach with a bottle of wine when they bumped into the officer's group in the town centre.

'The defendant was in Brighton on his stag night with a group of friends.

'Earlier in the evening they had been at the Airbnb where they were staying where they had been visited by some strippers.

'They had gone out to the bars in the Brighton area.

'During this time, social distancing rules were still in place because of COVID-19, and many bars were not open or had closed early.

'The group containing the defendant, then met the group containing the complainant and indicated they were looking for somewhere else to drink and were complaining about the lack of choice.

Knight, of Leyton, east London, denied rape and sexual assault. He was found guilty of sexual assault and cleared of rape

'The complainant suggested that the bars on the beach might still be open.

'The two groups ended up walking there together, although there was no arrangement that they were going to go to the same bar to drink. As they moved forward, they were chatting.

'As the interactions between the groups continued, the complainant was helping them and being friendly and you will see on the CCTV that at various points she hugs members of the other group and at one point for a short while she held hands with the defendant before they continue to walk separately.'

The complainant told police two days later she did not want to go in the sea, but Knight insisted.

She said Knight's group were 'quite talkative and quite funny'.

'They were acting quite jovial and acting quite loud and having a chat with us.'

While speaking to Knight before heading to the beach, the woman said: 'He had a blonde wig, he never wore it, but it was tucked into the crotch of his trousers.

'I gave Larry some of the wine I had. He had a few gulps out of the bottle. He was like, oh yeah, I need another drink, I need another drink.

'The demeanour [of Knight and his friends] was quite chatty, a lot of jokes thrown back and forth.'

The woman confirmed that she had three glasses of rose and one gin and tonic.

'[I was] a bit more than tipsy. I wouldn't describe myself as really drunk at all.

'Me and my friend were just going to chill a bit before going home. It wasn't really discussed but we started all just walking to the seafront together.

'At the beach we're all kind of sitting there. A guy who said his name was Larry, but could have been a nickname, he said he wanted to go in the sea.

'Us two were a little bit further away from the others. He suggested going into the sea. I said 'oh, it's a bit cold'.

'He said: 'Oh, please it's my stag do and it's turned out rubbish'.

'I don't know why, but I felt he was going to cry so I thought ok.

'I took my dress off, he got undressed.'

The woman said she was in a bikini bottom and wearing a bra.

'I was in a rush that day so I just wore bikini bottoms.

'Larry was wearing, I think, nothing. He got fully undressed I think.'

The pair then moved out away from the group into the sea.

'We were about waist-height in the water, but we were able to stand up properly.

'We were close, we weren't touching. We were just treading water next to each other.

'We were two metres away [from each other]. We were just talking. Talking about him getting married. I was saying are you looking forward to it, he said yeah, he was really excited.

'I didn't feel cold, maybe because I had a couple of glasses of wine at that point.

'It all seemed very civil and there was nothing out of the ordinary. I was facing away from the shore and he kind of came up behind me and we were both facing the same direction.

'He moved my underwear to the side and started rubbing me really hard. I remember it being really uncomfortable and it really hurt.

'I was like, what are you doing? Again, he didn't say anything.

'I said you can't do this, what are you doing?'

In relation to the rape charge, Ailsa Williamson, defending Knight, had suggested in cross examination the woman could have mistaken the officer's penis for her tampon.

But she insisted she could not mistake Knight's penis for the tampon.

The woman later binned the tampon at the police station before it was tested as evidence.

Explaining why she did that she said: 'I didn't even think about it at the time. I just didn't think.'

Knight said that the woman gave no indication that she did not consent to being touched by him.

'When she touched my penis I believed it was done intentionally.'

Knight accepted he did not tell his wife-to-be about the encounter until he was arrested.

Knight, of Leyton, east London, denied rape and sexual assault. He was found guilty of sexual assault and cleared of rape.

He remains on unconditional bail ahead of sentence on a date to be fixed.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman today suggested the immigration system is 'rigged against the British people' after the Court of Appeal declared the Rwanda scheme unlawful.

Three judges agreed by a majority of two to one that Rwanda was not 'a safe third' country, putting a halt to plans to deport Channel migrants to the East African nation so they could claim asylum there.

The decision is a major blow to the Government's flagship Illegal Migration Bill and its pledge of 'stop the boats'.

After echoing the Prime Minister's vow to appeal this morning's ruling in the Supreme Court, Ms Braverman told broadcasters: 'The system is rigged against the British people, it's as simple as that.

'It's why we're changing the laws through our Illegal Migration Bill, it's why we're rolling out a ground-breaking partnership with Rwanda which we believe is lawful, with a country which we believe is safe.

'So, we need to change the system, we need to change our laws, that's how we're going to stop the boats.'

Suella Braverman today suggested the current immigration system is 'rigged against the British people'

Asylum campaigners have hailed the court's decision as a major victory and called on ministers to scrap the policy.

The Government has until July 6 to ask the Supreme Court for permission to appeal, with Ms Braverman vowing to do so 'very swiftly'.

The Home Secretary also addressed the issue in the Commons, where she told MPs the current immigration is unfair and warned costs could rise to '32m a day for people who have broken into this country'.

She added: 'This is madness and it must end. That is why we on this side of the House are committed to doing whatever it takes to stop the boats.

ANALYSIS: The Government's Rwanda asylum deal is left down, but not out By David Barrett, Home Affairs Editor for the Daily Mail The Rwanda asylum deal is left down, but not out, by today's devastating Court of Appeal ruling. To the frustration of Home Office insiders, it means removals flights to the east African nation cannot take off any time soon. This is a massive blow to the Government, which has been counting on the policy serving to deter migrants from crossing the Channel by small boat. There is a clear and present risk that migrants may now be emboldened after senior judges in this country effectively ruled in their favour. Recent weeks have seen fewer arrivals than expected. Last week there was a window of good weather for crossings  dubbed 'Red Days' in Home Office jargon  but the number of dinghies was lower than anticipated. And overall numbers of crossings so far this year remain down compared with the same point last year. It is possible that a 'backlog' of migrants heading for Britain had been holding back, waiting for the Court of Appeal ruling, and may now decide to climb aboard one of the people traffickers' 'death-trap' dinghies. However, there are two main courses of action now open to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Firstly, to get the Rwanda policy back on track the Government is almost certain to lodge its own appeal at the Supreme Court against today's ruling. Ministers have been given until next Thursday to file initial paperwork on a possible appeal, after the Court of Appeal judges set what they described as a 'deliberately tight timetable'. Today's ruling was not unanimous. The panel of three top judges ruled two-to-one against the Government. There was a so-called 'dissenting judgment' from the most senior judge in England and Wales, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, who observed that the scheme provides 'powerful protections' for any migrants removed to Rwanda. The Supreme Court is generally more likely to take on a case when there has not been a unanimous ruling in the Court of Appeal. If they agree to take it on, it is thought justices at the Supreme Court could hear the case by the end of the year. The second course of action open to Mrs Braverman is to revise and improve the Rwanda deal. The ruling set out how two of the judges  the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos; and Lord Justice Underhill - have concerns about 'deficiencies' in Rwanda's asylum system. They said its shortcomings could lead to migrants being returned to countries where they may face torture or ill-treatment, breaching Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It may now be possible for Mrs Braverman to revise the agreement with the Rwandan government  alleviating the judges' concerns by making the whole scheme 'watertight'. That, of course, would take time. And it could even see the whole process of legal challenges go back to square one. In the longer term there is another, third course of action  the 'nuclear option'  that ministers could consider. Because the European Convention on Human Rights played a crucial role in blocking the scheme, the right of the Conservative party is likely to make fresh demands that Britain should leave the treaty. Mrs Braverman is known to be sympathetic to such a move, but the PM has ruled it out. He is now likely to face intense pressure from within his own party to reconsider that decision. It may well be that today's bombshell court ruling makes it more likely the Tories will make a major manifesto pledge on human rights in the next General Election. In that scenario, it would be voters  not unelected judges  who would be given the final say on whether Rwanda flights finally get off the ground. Advertisement

'The Government remains resolute that we will do exactly that in partnership with Rwanda and through changes to our law.

'That is the only way we will break the business model of the people smugglers, that is the only way we will save lives, that is the only way we will stop the boats.'

She added: 'The British people will no longer indulge the polite fiction that we have a duty or infinite capacity to support everyone in the world who is fleeing persecution, nor anyone that would simply like to come here to improve their lot and succeeds in making it to our shores.

'That abuse is unfair on local communities forced to absorb thousands of illegal arrivals and the pressure on public services and social cohesion that this entails.'

Hitting back, Labour's Yvette Cooper accused the Government of failing to provide concrete solutions and instead resorting to 'slogans' and 'gimmicks'.

The shadow home secretary told the Commons: 'Even the Lord Chief Justice, who finds the scheme could be lawful, has said it only is on the basis that the scheme is small, just 100 people.

'The Home Secretary talks today again about thousands of people being sent. The Lord Chief Justice says the talk of Rwanda within a few years being a destination for thousands of asylum seekers is political hyperbole.'

Meanwhile, several backbench Conservative MPs called on the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights - which influences asylum policy.

Former minister Mark Francois said: 'It could now take months for the case to reach the Supreme Court, let alone for a judgment to be handed down. In the meantime, the boats will keep coming, now probably all summer.'

He asked if anything could be done to 'expedite the Supreme Court's decision in this case' and added 'the only way we will ultimately solve this problem is to achieve a derogation from the ECHR'.

In a statement earlier today, Mr Sunak said: 'While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

'I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries  something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with.

'Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

'The policy of this government is very simple, it is this country  and your government  who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.'

Asked whether Mr Sunak agreed with Ms Braverman that the system was rigged against the British people, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'She was making the point that without the action we are taking, the powers that we had were not sufficient and were not appropriately dealing with the problem that the UK has - and indeed, all of Europe has - with illegal migration.

'That's why we're rightly taking new powers through the Illegal Migration Bill, and taking other action to address this.'

The Court of Appeal ruling prompted a storm of criticism from Conservative MPs.

Former minister Sir Simon Clarke said: 'This is a deeply disappointing ruling in the face of the clear will of Parliament. I would anticipate an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court.

'We have to be able to control our borders. If the ECHR continues to forestall this, we have to revisit the question of our membership.'

Katherine Fletcher, Tory MP for South Ribble, said: 'The Prime Minister is right, this is an important problem for the UK - we need to fix this, not be blocked by activist lawyers.

'They should use the ballot box not the courts to push their POV.'

Telford MP Lucy Allan tweeted: 'People will get fed up of the courts preventing the elected Government from governing on behalf of the British people.'

Meanwhile, Blackpool South MP Scott Benton called the ruling 'extremely disappointing' and said government policy should be 'for the elected government of the day'.

While the Rwandan Government insisted the issue was a matter for the UK courts, it challenged the judges' conclusion that Rwanda was not a safe country.

Spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said: 'While this is ultimately a decision for the UK's judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees.

'Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognised by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees.

'We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country.'

Ms Makolo said migrants to Rwanda would be 'welcomed' and given 'the support they need to build new lives'.

*BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF TODAY'S JUDGMENT*

Rishi Sunak announced today that he 'fundamentally disagrees' with the Court of Appeal's ruling and will seek permission to appeal it in the Supreme Court

Home Secretary Suella Braverman pictured today leaving her house on the way to Whitehall

Rwanda scheme: What happens next? Campaigners and ministers remain locked in a legal battle over the Rwanda deal in the wake of the latest court ruling. The decision, in favour of several asylum seekers and a charity fighting against the Government policy, was largely seen as a surprise but by no means signals the end of the court case. - What happened? The Court of Appeal ruled the Government's plan to deport migrants to Rwanda is unlawful amid concerns over the east African nation's asylum system. In a majority decision, judges overturned an earlier High Court ruling that said Rwanda could be considered a 'safe third country'. The Government said it will seek to appeal against the ruling, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying he 'fundamentally' disagrees with the decision. This was echoed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who said she is 'fully committed' to the policy. - Haven't we heard this before? Sort of. This is just the latest stage in a long running series of legal challenges. The first deportation flight - due to take off on June 14 last year - was grounded following a series of objections against individual removals and the policy as a whole, including last-minute rulings from the Court of Appeal and European Court of Human Rights. Eight asylum seekers, along with charities and the PCS union, brought legal action against the plans to give people one-way tickets to Rwanda and the case was heard by the High Court, which handed down its judgment in December. The case was then considered by the Court of Appeal after hearings in April, with judges delivering their ruling on Thursday. - How will this affect the Government's efforts to curb Channel crossings? Thursday's judgment throws into doubt a key aspect of the Prime Minister's pledge to stop migrant boats crossing the Channel and reducing the number of people seeking asylum in the UK. It will add to already mounting delays to the Government's plans to send migrants to Rwanda as it means no flights can be scheduled until the outcome of further court proceedings, or until changes to the asylum system in Rwanda are made as directed in the latest court ruling. - Has the Government spent money on the policy so far? Yes, Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million under the deal, Home Office permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft previously confirmed. The department also reportedly spent 163,000 on then home secretary Priti Patel's trip to the capital Kigali to announce the deal, as well as at least 22,000 on trips for officials to discuss the agreement. A further 300,000 was spent on the first deportation flight which was grounded amid legal challenges, the Times newspaper said. Additional costs - like legal fees, staffing and other resources, as well as the cost of Ms Braverman's first visit to Rwanda as Home Secretary earlier this year - are yet to be disclosed. - What does the Rwandan government think? A spokeswoman for the administration said it takes 'issue' with the Court of Appeal's ruling, adding: 'Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world.' Yolande Makolo said: 'Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost. 'When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support they'll need to build new lives in Rwanda.' - What happens next? Any appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision could potentially go to the Supreme Court. If the Government does seek an appeal to the Supreme Court, the first step will be to ask for permission to appeal - a preliminary step based on whether a potential challenge is 'arguable'. Under the rules of the UK's highest court, Home Office lawyers will first need to ask the Court of Appeal for this permission, and if refused they are then given the chance to ask the Supreme Court directly. Supreme Court challenges typically also require that the case involves a point of law of 'general public importance' to be identified. The rules of the Supreme Court say there is a 28-day time limit on asking for permission to appeal in the majority of civil cases, though this can be extended. Announcing the Court of Appeal's decision, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said there is a 'deliberately tight timetable' to deal with the consequences of the judgment, in part so any appeal bid 'can be decided promptly'. If the Government is given the go ahead to bring a Supreme Court challenge, lawyers for both sides will appear before up to five justices at the court in Westminster, with a further decision in writing to follow. Any decision at the Supreme Court may then be challenged at the European Court of Human Rights, although whether that happens in this case remains to be seen. Advertisement

The Court of Appeal's decision was announced by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett during a short hearing in London, where he stressed the court reached its conclusion on the law and took 'no view whatsoever' about the political merits of the policy.

Lord Burnett, who heard the appeal with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill in April, said the court ruled by a majority that the policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.

He told the court Sir Geoffrey and Lord Justice Underhill concluded that deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a 'real risk' asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

He added the two judges found that: 'In that sense Rwanda is not a 'safe third country'.'

Under the proposals announced last April, any adult who enters Britain illegally could be sent on a one-way ticket to the African country to have their asylum claim processed.

Ministers hope the prospect of being immediately deported 4,000 miles away would put off migrants planning to travel to Britain by illegal means.

However, over the past 12 months, no migrants have been sent to Rwanda from the UK as the Government battles a series of legal challenges.

Today, a YouGov survey found half of Britons think it is unlikely migrants will ever be deported to Rwanda.

Issuing this morning's ruling, Lord Burnett said: 'The result is that the High Court's decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful.

'Finally, the Court of Appeal makes clear that its decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy.

'Those are entirely a matter for the Government, on which the court has nothing to say.

'The court's concern is only whether the policy complies with the law as laid down by Parliament.'

The Lord Chief Justice said he reached the opposite conclusion to the other two judges and found that the procedures put in place under the Rwanda agreement, and the assurances given by the Rwandan government, are 'sufficient to ensure that there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy will be wrongly returned to countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment'.

He concluded that the chances of failed asylum seekers being returned to their country of origin are 'low', in part because Rwanda has no agreements in place with any of those countries.

Lord Burnett added: 'In addition, extensive monitoring arrangements, formal and informal, of all those sent to Rwanda and their asylum claims once there provide powerful protection.

'The arrangements put in place provide sufficient safeguards in a context where both governments will be determined to make the agreement work and be seen to do so.'

In December last year, two judges at the High Court dismissed a series of legal bids against the plans, finding the Rwanda proposals were consistent with the Government's legal obligations.

However, lawyers for some individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid brought the successful challenge against their decision at the Court of Appeal.

At a hearing in April, lawyers for the group of asylum seekers argued that the High Court 'showed excessive deference' to the Home Office's assessment that assurances made by the Rwandan authorities 'provide a sufficient guarantee to protect relocated asylum-seekers' from a risk of torture or inhuman treatment.

The appeal judges were told that material provided by the Rwandan authorities 'lacked credibility, consisting of blanket denials and clear contradictions'.

Charity Freedom from Torture, which intervened in the appeal, also argued the speed of the process means there is no 'adequate opportunity' to identify torture survivors.

Lawyers for the Home Office opposed the appeal, telling the court the Rwandan government has 'indicated a clear willingness to co-operate with international monitoring mechanisms' and that there are 'reciprocal obligations with strong incentives for compliance'.

The hearing was told that some evidence about whether the Rwandan government would comply with its obligations came from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 'based on experience of bilateral relations extending over almost 25 years' and that the Government is 'confident the Rwandan authorities will comply with the assurances'.

The Court of Appeal's ruling comes days after the Home Office's own figures showed the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Nearly two in five people would need to be deterred from crossing the Channel in small boats for the Illegal Migration Bill to break even, the economic impact assessment published on Monday said.

The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention, as well as a 105,000 per person payment to third countries.

By contrast, the savings from 'reduced asylum support' are estimated at 106,000 per person, rising to 165,000 if the 'per night cost' of hotels continues to soar.

The sums are estimates not based on the true cost of the 'commercially sensitive' Rwanda scheme, which was enacted by Boris Johnson's government last April after a 120m deal with Kigali.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman on a March visit to Bwiza Riverside Houses in Kigali, where migrants would stay if the Rwanda scheme gets underway

A group of up to 80 migrants are brought ashore at Dover marine last week after crossing the English Channel

As of Monday, 11,328 asylum seekers in 254 boats have made the perilous journey across the Dover Strait so far this year

Charity Asylum Aid, which brought the challenge alongside several asylum seekers, today described the Court of Appeal's ruling as a 'vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.'

Alison Pickup, the charity's director, said: 'We are delighted that the Court of Appeal has upheld the argument that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers.

'While we are disappointed that the court has held that the process can be made fair, we are pleased that it has not upheld the High Court's judgment and has made it clear that the Government needs to ensure that Home Office officials give people more time when they need it.

READ MORE - House of Lords forces through major changes to the Illegal Migration Bill in another blow to the Government Advertisement

'Basic standards of fairness and decency require that individuals are told why a decision as significant as sending them to a country thousands of miles away is being made, and have a fair chance to set out their case on all aspects of that decision.

'The Court of Appeal's judgment is a vindication of the importance of the Rule of Law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake.'

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch called on Ms Braverman to abandon the Rwanda policy, describing it as an 'unworkable and unethical fever dream'.

Yasmine Ahmed, its UK director, said: 'This verdict is some rare good news in an otherwise bleak landscape for human rights in the UK.

'Hopefully, it will be respected by the government and we can consign this cruel and inhumane proposal to the history books.

'The Home Secretary should now abandon this unworkable and unethical fever dream of a policy and focus her efforts on fixing our broken and neglected migration system.

'This verdict presents the Government with an opportunity to change course. Rather than treating human beings like cargo it can ship elsewhere, it should be focusing on ending the hostile environment towards refugees and asylum seekers.'

Today, a YouGov survey found half of Britons think it is unlikely migrants will ever be deported to Rwanda

If passed, the Migration Bill would see the law changed so that people who come to the UK illegally through a safe country are not allowed to stay - instead being detained and removed, either to their home country or a country such as Rwanda.

However - in a further blow to the Government - the Bill was significantly softened last night after Labour and Lib Dem peers forced through a series of major changes in the House of Lords.

READ MORE - Moment police crack open lorry trailers carrying illegal immigrants and arrest 1million people smuggling ringleader Advertisement

They added a requirement that the Government complies with international treaties, removed the power for the new law to be applied retrospectively, stopped potential victims of human trafficking being detained before their cases are considered, and let unaccompanied children make asylum claims.

In response, a Conservative spokesman said: 'Today's vote proves what we already knew  the Labour Party cannot be trusted to stop the boats and the gangs that profit.'

The first amendment on following international law was voted in by 222 to 179. Two Tories  Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth and Lord Cormack  voted against the Government.

In the second defeat, voted through by 219 to 177, the Government lost the power to deport migrants who arrived between March and the passing of the law.

The third blow to Rishi Sunak meant potential trafficking victims would no longer be held or removed before being assessed.

That amendment was passed 210 to 145. And a fourth change meaning unaccompanied children could make asylum claims was also passed, by 185 to 133.

When the bill returns to the Commons, liberal Tories could join opposition MPs to ensure the Lords amendments are enshrined in law.

So far this year, 11,328 migrants have made the perilous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits in 254 boats.
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A fire torched through parts of the newly-refurbished Tiffany & Co. building on Manhattan's iconic Fifth Avenue on Thursday morning.

Photos from the store, which is directly adjacent to Trump Tower, show crews of FDNY firefighters tackling the blaze which began as an underground street fire, according to a spokesman for the fire department.

The source is believed to be an electrical vault.

Employees were seen being taken to the hospital in ambulances. The fire occurred at around 9.38am - just as staff were preparing to open the store to customers.

The fire started beneath the store with an electrical vault that sent smoke billowing up out of the ground floor, where the store's main showroom is

Con Edison employees and city workers inspect the electrical vault believed to have started the fire

Plumes of smoke pouring out of the Tiffany & Co. Landmark store on Fifth Avenue on Thursday

Smoke was seen billowing out of a ground floor window from The Landmark store at 727 Fifth Avenue at around 10am on Thursday

Fire fighters tackle the blaze at the store on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street

The smoke billowed from the ground beneath the iconic showroom

Store floor staff and chefs from the sixth floor Blue Box Cafe were among those on the street watching the smoke billowing through windows.

The building was recently reopened following a lengthy and expensive refurbishment. Stars like Katy Perry, Hailey Bieber and Blake Lively attended its grand reopening in April.

The store is on a highly-prized corner of Manhattan shopping real estate - it shares the block with Trump Tower.

LVMH, the European luxury brand power house, bought Tiffany in 2021 for $16billion.

The renovations were estimated by some experts to have cost $500million.

Bernard Arnault, LVMH's chairman and owner, would not confirm the figure earlier this year when interviewed about the opening.

He described renovating the entire building - first opened in 1940 - to make each floor different.

The store underwent a $500million renovation and reopened earlier this year to great fanfare

Hailey Bieber with Tiffany CEO Anthony Ledru at the store's grand reopening in April

The renovated building was reopened in April this year after months of refurbishment

The iconic store at 727 Fifth Avenue was featured in the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany's. Today, there is an 'Audrey Room' inside the newly refurbished, 10-storey building

The ten-floor store at 727 Fifth Avenue shares the block with Trump Tower, which did not suffer any damage

'We got lost in the building. Here is a guy getting lost in his own shop. I said, "We have some work to do on this."'

Part of the renovation was the addition of The Blue Box Cafe on the sixth floor.

The first floor is occupied with an expansive showroom and store. There are ten floors total - half of which are open to the public.

In a statement, a Tiffany's spokesperson said: 'This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

'The fire has since been put out and we are working with the New York Fire Department to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our employees and clients.

'The store is expected to open later today following inspection by the Fire Marshal.'

The flagship store opened in 1940 but was made famous around the world 21 years later in Breakfast At Tiffany's.

Its iconic windows are where Audrey Hepburn, playing the penniless Holly Golightly, gazed at diamonds and pearls while nibbling croissants after a night on the town.

In January 2020, the store - pending the LVMH deal - closed for refurbishments that were due to only take a year.

The deal faltered during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and renovations took longer than expected. It finally reopened in April.
Pennsylvania is increasingly becoming a key state to win in general elections in order to become president  and a new poll shows Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in the swing state.

While only one percentage point separates the two 2024 frontrunners in the latest Quinnipiac survey, the swing back toward Trump as 2024 approaches shows that the Keystone State is likely unhappy with the recent shift toward an entirely Democratic leadership in Pennsylvania.

Additionally, the poll showed that Republican primary voters much prefer Trump to any other candidate so far with 49 percent support overall. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is in second place  as he is in most, if not all, polls  with 25 percent saying they prefer him as the nominee.

A DailyMail.com poll released last week, however, shows DeSantis has the best chances against Biden  even though both the governor and Trump would still lose against him.

A new poll shows Donald Trump beating President Joe Biden in key swing state of Pennsylvania if the general election were held today

While only separated by one point, it shows that Pennsylvania might swing back red after flip-flopping from red to blue between the 2016 and 2020 elections

With 20 Electoral College votes and a tendency to swing back and forth between elections, Pennsylvania is one of the states crucial in determining who wins the presidency.

The 2022 midterm elections in Pennsylvania resulted in former Republican Sen. Pat Toomey being succeeded by Democrat John Fetterman.

Fetterman's victory over Trump-backed Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz caused both Senators for the state to be Democrats, as well as new Gov. Josh Shapiro, who replaced a fellow outgoing Democrat in former Gov. Tom Wolf.

After voting for Trump in 2016, Pennsylvania turned blue for Biden in 2020.

If the general election were held today and Trump was the Republican nominee and Biden the Democrat - 47 percent of the voters said in the Quinnipiac survey that they would vote for the former president while 46 percent said they would go for the current commander-in-chief.

Another 2 percent said they would vote for a different candidate, 2 more percent said they wouldn't even cast a ballot and another 2 percent said they are still undecided.

The same poll shows Democratic Sen. John Fetterman with low approval in Pennsylvania after he won over Trump-backed Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz in the 2022 midterms

Despite the apparent lean back toward the right, Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro's approval rating was relatively high with 57 percent saying they are in favor of the job he's doing compared to 23 percent disapproval.

Voters in Pennsylvania also aren't pleased with Fetterman's performance as their new U.S. senator so far as he's already had to take medical leave to be admitted for depression shortly after swearing in earlier this year.

The new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday shows 50 percent of Pennsylvanians disapprove of Fetterman's job handling in just five months, while only 39 percent approve.
A 17-year-old boy from Afghanistan who was rescued from a sinking dinghy alongside 38 others in a tragedy which killed at least four told authorities that French fisherman ignored their desperate cries for help.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said those on board the vessel in the English Channel could see the dinghy passengers were drowning but 'did nothing'.

The boy, whose uncle in Iran had paid people-smugglers 1,500 euros for him to make the illicit crossing from Calais in the early hours of December 14 last year, told police their boat, overcrowded with 46 people, appeared to 'explode'.

The evidence was heard during the trial of boat pilot Ibrahima Bah, 19, who denies four counts of manslaughter and one count of facilitating a breach of UK immigration law by piloting the ill-fated small boat.

The dinghy had already been taking on water and one passenger was so scared he had performed last rites, Canterbury Crown Court, Kent, heard.

Ibrahima Bah, 19, (pictured in a previous court sketch from April 2023) is facing four counts of manslaughter after a boat he was piloting capsized in the English Channel

But the teen said the African driver of the home-built craft reassured them they would be saved if they continued into English waters.

In a police video-recorded interview played today in court, he described how the treacherous journey turned to tragedy.

'Water was pouring into our boat. We knew that we were going to go down and there were French fishermen circling us, looking at us, ignoring us and doing nothing,' he said, assisted by a Dari interpreter.

'They could see we were dying and going down and they were doing nothing. We were still in French waters.

'The African was saying: "It's not very serious, we can still get to the other (English) boats where they could help us because these ones are looking and letting us die but we can get there".

'There was water everywhere and we were screaming, shouting and saying "We are going down".

'We kept screaming and asking: "Help, help, help", but they were coming and looking and saying "No" and just going away.

'The guy who was controlling the engine was trying to reassure us, saying: "Don't panic, stay calm, we will do something. These guys are not doing anything but we can get to the other boats and they might help us".'

The boy said they were 'some distance' into the crossing and described being in 'no-man's land' as one Afghani tried to bail out the water.

But he told police he and the 45 others were 'packed in' the boat, which then collapsed into itself under the extra weight.

The 17-year-old said how the inflatable ring 'exploded' because there were 'too many' people on board.

Jurors at Canterbury Crown Court (pictured) were told to put any 'bias, emotion, sympathy and prejudice' aside while deciding the case

A total of 39 people were eventually rescued by an English fishing boat, the Arcturus, assisted by HMS Severn, lifeboat crews and the air ambulance.

The boy did not have a life vest and said he could feel himself losing sensation in his body as he held onto a rope in the icy water before being pulled onboard.

Bah, 19, was among those rescued. He faces four charges of manslaughter in relation to the four men who drowned. One has been identified as Hajratullah Ahmadi while the others remain unknown.

The court heard he accepts he drove the boat but denies all five offences.

At the start of his trial, jurors were told Bah allegedly joked to one passenger: 'I will either take you there or kill you all'.

He later told police he had been assaulted and threatened into taking control of the inflatable in return for free travel by the Kurdish agents in charge of the human trafficking operation.

Those on board had paid thousands to make the trip, one as much as 8,000 euros, the court heard.

But prosecutor Duncan Atkinson said despite being untrained and unlicensed to pilot a boat, by law Bah had a duty of care to his passengers and that his actions amounted to manslaughter by gross negligence.

He said the risks of such a 'a home-built inflatable made from low quality materials' being put to sea were 'present and obvious'.

'The inflatable carried with it an obvious and serious risk to the life and limb of each of those on board,' Mr Atkinson told the court.

'Whilst the defendant, like the others, was a migrant seeking a better life in the UK, he had also, like those others, voluntarily consorted with the agents of organised crime who profited from that quest.

'More than that, he accepted, in return for a free crossing, responsibility for his fellow passengers.'

The small craft, just 25 to 28ft in length, was neither 'typically designed nor manufactured' to undertake a journey in what is the world's busiest shipping lane, said the prosecutor.

There was insufficient lifejackets, no safety equipment such as flares or a radio, no deckboards and was being navigated without lights and by mobile phone.

It was also carrying more than double its maximum passenger capacity of 20.

The Afghani teenager told police he had been in a Jungle camp in Dunkirk for about six weeks when he made the crossing, the court heard.

He had left his home in Afghanistan about 18 months earlier and reached France via Austria and Switzerland.

But he said he wanted to reach the UK to study and 'make a better life'.

The crossing in December last year was his second by boat in a month, the first having failed when they got lost after spending 13 hours at sea.

He described how three Kurdish men drove the migrants in vehicles to the beach at about 1am, inflated the boat and then ordered them to carry it to the water.

The court heard they were punched, kicked and beaten for not hurrying up.

One of those beaten was an African, said the teenager.

'This was human trafficking so you have to follow their instructions because if you don't follow or fall behind or are slow, they beat you up,' he explained.

Once the boat was in the water, the migrants scrambled for a position.

'There wasn't any space to move. All 46 were packed, squeezed to fit into that,' added the boy.

He said the Kurds got the engine going and the inflatable set off.

Asked who controlled the engine during the crossing, he told police 'one of the Africans' but he never spoke to him personally.

'Everyone was thinking of themselves. Everyone was praying to make it with our lives,' said the boy.

He added that the agents had decided who was to drive, something the Afghanis would 'shy away' from.

'They don't give us any safety instructions on what to do or how to do things. Any instructions would have been given to the driver,' he said.

The teen also told police it was 'common knowledge' that once in British waters migrants would be rescued, regardless of whether they were drowning or not.

Asked if the driver had any assistance from others on the boat he said: 'They (the Kurds) would have given him which direction to take. There were other Africans there but I didn't see any working as his deputy or helping him or assisting him.'

Jurors at Canterbury Crown Court were previously told to put any 'bias, emotion, sympathy and prejudice' aside while deciding the case.
Students as young as eight years old are set to be taught about the nuances of being transgender in schools in Massachusetts - thanks to a proposed revision to the state's health and physical education framework.

The new proposal is being pushed by the state's governor, and serves as the first update to the state public school curriculum since 1999. Now, five years in the making, it does not require any state approval to be passed.

As to its contents, the draft includes a set of new guidelines for teachers of kids as young as four - who would learn about the importance of 'gender-role stereotypes' before entering the third grade in the presented curriculum.

At that point, students - who would then be aged around eight - would learn about the differences between biological sex and gender identity.

The state's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted Tuesday to release said framework for 60 days so it could be perused by the public - immediately sparking fierce debate as to its contents as the debate about transgenderism rages across the country.

Students as young as eight are set to be taught about the nuances of being transgender in Massachusetts - thanks to a proposed revision to the state's health and P.E. framework. Pictured are a Pride and BLM flag outside a New England public school in April

Seen here, the draft includes a set of new guidelines for teachers of kids as young as four, who would learn about 'gender-role stereotypes' before entering third grade. Then, students - then around eight - would learn about the differences between 'biological sex and gender identity'

As this discourse persists, members will have until the fall to decide whether to adopt the guidelines - which do not require any state approval.

Instead, the decision to adopt will be left up to the local school boards - due to Massachusetts being one of 21 states that do not mandate sex ed.

Michael King, director of community alliances at the Massachusetts Family Institute, is one of many who is speaking out against the new lessons - which seek to 'explain how ones outward behavior or appearance does not define ones gender identity.'

Appearing before the state Education Board Tuesday, King urged members to refrain from putting the framework out to the public, out of fear it would influence students to identify as transgender and pursue related treatments.

He questioned whether it was 'medically accurate to tell students that they can change their gender', and forecast a potential mass migration of families from the state school system once the guidance goes through.

Since sex ed is not mandated, parents can opt their children out of lessons related to the subject.

'If this framework is implemented, it will only increase the growing opt-out of sex ed movement,' King said.

King's comments come as reports indicate that more than 3,700 students have withdrawn from lessons on sexual education in Worcester, which has the second-largest school system in New England.

Many parents across the country have raised concerns about gender education in schools. Some have even accused 'woke' administrators of pushing trans acceptance on children. There is also a debate on gender-affirming surgery for children in many states - with some governors passing laws to ban the procedure.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts hundreds of parents are also taking part in what King labeled as a 'mass exodus of families', who are presumably peeved by the autonomy given to the state's progressive school board.

Supporters such as 52-year-old Gov. Maura Healey, however, have argued the new lessons were created using new medical data that did not exist decades ago and should be subject to change.

Supporters such as Gov. Maura Healey, however, have argued that the new lessons were created using data that did not exist decades ago, and thus should be changed. Since taking office this year, Healey - once the state AG - has become the proposal's biggest champion

In recent months, the former state attorney general - seen here taking part in Boston's pride celebration this month - has emerged as the revision's biggest advocate, 'She recently boasted how the guidelines 'are inclusive of 'gay, queer and trans students identities and needs'

In recent months, the former state attorney general has emerged as the revision's biggest advocate, recently boasting at a press conference last how the guidelines 'are inclusive of 'gay, queer and trans students identities and needs.'

'Our young people have experienced a real surge in documented mental health conditions and we owe it to them to empower them with resources, knowledge, and the tools they need to be successful,' Healey explained.

She continued: 'These updates are also inclusive. They recognize gay, queer, trans students identities and needs. Thats important and its not something we are going to shy away from.'

Members of the state's school board, such as Rachelle Engler Bennett - its associate commissioner of student and family support - seemed to agree, before voting to release the plans to the public for the two-month comment period.

Bennett bragged Tuesday how 'the framework reflects the shifts in the field of health and wellness and physical education in these last 25 years' while also acknowledging 'the importance of these disciplines in a well rounded education.'

Megara Bell with the Partners in Sex Education organization, one of the agency's who helped draft the curriculum, similarly said Tuesday of the new draft, 'It's a really big deal.'

Michael King, director of community alliances at the Massachusetts Family Institute, is one of many who is speaking out against the new lessons - which seek to 'explain how ones outward behavior or appearance does not define ones gender identity'

Following the successful vote, The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be taking feedback via email or regular postage for the next 60 days. After that period concludes, the board will vote whether or not to send the recommendations to Healy's desk to sign

'Since the last frameworks were updated,' she explained, 'we have had a million students go from kindergarten to 12th grade and not get updated health education.'

Katie Aubin, a member of the Dighton-Rehoboth School Committee, disagreed, calling out the framework for grades 35 in particular.

A passage she took issue with recommended teaches instruct students how to 'use valid, reliable, and medically accurate resources to find descriptions of the human reproductive systems, human sexual development, and the effects of hormones (e.g., romantic and sexual feelings, mood swings).'

To this, Aubin remarked: 'Kids are going to use platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook and Snapchat to look up these things.

'None of those things are safe,' she added. 'There are groomers on there.'

Following the successful vote, The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be taking feedback via email or regular postage for the next 60 days.

After that period concludes, the board will vote whether or not to send the recommendations to the governor's desk for a signature.

That vote is poised to occur either later this summer or in the fall, before the start of the schoolyear.

Parents can check out the proposed revisions here before that vote takes place.
Canadian police are considering whether 'criminal, federal, or provincial laws' were broken in the lead up to the Titan submersible disaster.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will examine 'the circumstances that led to the deaths' of the five crew on board the sub and decide 'whether or not a full investigation is warranted'.

Their investigation was ongoing on Thursday, a day after it emerged human remains were found during the recovery mission and segments of the vessel were brought ashore. It comes as a marine engineering professor claimed electrical failure could also have contributed to the disaster, following suggestions it was made from inappropriate materials.

Titan suffered a 'catastrophic implosion' during a voyage to the wreckage of the Titanic, 12,500ft beneath the Atlantic.

Human remains have reportedly been found in the wreckage of the Titan submersible

Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, which launched, Titan, perished on board the submersible along with his four passengers, including PH Nargeolet (right)

Shahzada Dawood, 48, one of Pakistan's richest men, who along with his teenage son Suleman Dawood, 19, (together, left) died on the Titan along with British explorer Hamish Harding (right)

Superintendent Kent Osmond, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), said a team of investigators has been established with the 'sole purpose' of determining whether a criminal investigation would be warranted.

'Such an investigation will proceed only if our examination of the circumstances indicate criminal, federal or provincial laws may possibly have been broken,' he said on Saturday.

'Following the US Coast Guard's announcement earlier this week that debris from the submersible was located and all five on board were presumed dead, we will now look at the circumstances that led to those deaths.

'Our investigators are engaged and active in this matter as of this morning. Once a determination has been made as to whether or not a full investigation will be launched, we will provide an update at that time.'

Dr Jasper Graham-Jones, a professor in mechanical and marine engineering, said an 'electrical catastrophe' could have contributed to the incident. His assessment follows others which have focused on the weakness of the carbon fiber hull, which was allegedly not suitable for depths that Titan dived to.

He said: 'This could have been an electrical catastrophe. It could have been corrosion, it could have been a fire.

'Any leakage of water coming through to the electrics could lead to failure as well.

'Some of the pipes and parts that lead outside could have begun to leak. If you have a wire going outside, then those wires going through land could actually start to leak. They could have corroded.

'Presumed human remains' were found in the wreckage of the Titan submersible, the US Coast Guard announced on Wednesday.

A large section of the Titan submersible that was recovered Wednesday appeared to be a panel from its tail. Some experts expected that salvaged pieces would be far smaller

The titanium front-end of Titan, where its viewing port was located, was clearly identifiable among the sections which were recovered. It's thought that the titanium parts are likely to have suffered less damage in the implosion, compared with the weaker carbon fiber elements

Several identifiable parts of the ship were lifted ashore earlier in the afternoon, including the sub's nose and a large panel which appears to be from its tail end.

Amid those recovered pieces, Coast Guard officials said they discovered what they believed to be human remains, which will now be transported aboard a ship to a port in the United States where they will undergo testing and analysis.

The discoveries surprised experts who suspected Titan was completely destroyed when it suffered a 'catastrophic implosion'.

Earlier on Wednesday a coroner told DailyMail.com she believed the remains of those onboard  including British billionaire Hamish Harding, French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood  would likely never be recovered.

Officials said Wednesday the remains were 'carefully removed within the wreckage' that was recovered earlier in the day.

'I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,' Marine Board of Investigation Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement.

'The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,' he added.

But Neubauer noted there is a 'substantial amount of work' still to be done to understand what happened to the Titan sub and to 'help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.'

The MBI will continue its evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing about the incident, and Pelagic Research Services  whose remote operating vehicle discovered the debris fields  said its team is 'still on mission'.

'They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones,' the company said in a statement.

A large circular piece of the Titan, which is similar to the sections at each end of the hull, was also retrieved

The salvaged remains of Titan were lifted to shore by a huge crane on Wednesday morning

On Wednesday, a debris field was found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The Canadian-flagged Polar Prince cargo vessel towed the Titan out to sea last weekend but lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes after the submersible launched into the ocean depths.

News of the missing ship spurred a multinational search-and-rescue operation, which ended when officials announced the sub likely imploded, killing all those onboard instantly.

For years prior to the implosion, experts had warned that Stockton Rush's self-designed submersible was not capable of safely reaching the Titanic wreckage on the ocean floor.

They said its carbon fiber hull, which housed the five crew, was its 'Achilles heel' because the material is not considered suitable for dives at the depths reached by the vessel.

Titanic director James Cameron, a renowned deep sea explorer and submersibles expert, said previously that the hull was likely broken into 'very small pieces' in the incident.

'If I had to put money down on what the finding [of the investigation] will be, the Achilles heel of the sub was the composite cylinder that was the main hull that the people were inside,' he said.

'There were two titanium end caps on each end. They are relatively intact on the sea floor. But that carbon fiber composite cylinder is now just in very small pieces. It's all rammed into one of the hemispheres. It's pretty clear that's what failed.'

Carbon fiber is prone to delamination, the process whereby a material fractures into layers while put under pressure.

It is thought the craft's titanium components better withstood the disaster, while the weaker carbon fiber parts - including the hull - are more likely to have been crushed into tiny pieces.

The parts lifted from the ocean appear to align with Cameron's observations, including that the larger piece was the vessel's titanium shell. Investigators will now work to confirm what each piece is.

Titan's remains were found near the Titanic shipwreck, 12,500ft below the Atlantic Ocean

Titan's carbon fiber hull and its acrylic viewport were subject to several warnings and James Cameron singled them out as 'potential failure points' on the vessel

But, despite these incessant warnings from naval experts, OceanGate had assured the public for year that its Titan submersible was safe.

The company had boasted in promotional material about Titan's 'Real Time Hull Health Monitoring', which constantly checked the integrity of the vessel throughout the dive.

The system used acoustic sensors and strain gauges to 'analyze the effects of changing pressure on the vessel as the submersible dives deeper, and accurately assess the integrity of the structure'.

But legal filings reveal a former director of marine operations 'expressed concern that this was problematic because this type of acoustic analysis would only show when a component is about to failoften milliseconds before an implosionand would not detect any existing flaws prior to putting pressure onto the hull.'
Angry parents have slammed a primary school after their children aged nine to 11 were told during a speech by a LGBT+ YouTuber that they could identify as any gender they want.

The head of Meadhurst Primary School was forced to issue an embarrassing apology after the controversial talk about equality and diversity exceeded content we were expecting.

Parents at the school in Ashford, Surrey, told of their astonishment after their children came home asking awkward questions about gender following the workshop.

Speaking to MailOnline today, one mother who asked not to be named, said: We had no idea our children were going to be told they could identify as any gender.

All he has done is confuse very young children and its outrageous that he is allowed into schools to peddle nonsense.

YouTuber Jack Lynch told children at Meadhurst Primary School that they could identify as any gender they want

A source from the school in Surrey said that Lynch hat deviated from the agreed topics in their speech

Children do not need to be indoctrinated and told they can identify as any gender. It is just so confusing for them.

Another added: I am angry that this person comes into my sons school and tells him he can identify as anything he wants.

Parents hit out after Jack Lynch, a non-binary speaker, was invited in to the school to run a workshop about gender and equality as part of an outreach programme sponsored by BP, the oil giant with offices based near to the school.

The younger children, aged from five to eight were read stories, while those in years five and six were told about gender issues.

Lynch was invited to give a talk through Pop n Olly, an online edutainment and educational resource group founded by former actor Ollie Pike.

Pike has also written books on LGBT+ issues that have been distributed to schools while their videos promote the idea that sex is assigned at birth by a doctor. They also discuss gender, transgender issues and what is a drag queen.

Following complaints about the talk, headteacher Helen Lacey wrote in a letter home: I would like to acknowledge and apologise for any upset that may have arisen within our community due to these workshops.

First and foremost, I want to emphasise that the intention behind the workshops was to foster inclusivity, respect and understanding for all.

It is important to provide a safe space for children to learn about different experiences and perspectives. However, unfortunately, some of the workshop content exceeded the content we were expecting.

Lynch was invited to talk about educational resource group 'Pop 'n' Olly', founded by Olly Pike

Mrs Lacey also assured parents they will be warned in advance of future workshops.

In an earlier email sent to some parents she said the content of the workshop was controversial and asked them not to talk about it among themselves at the school gates.

This is the latest in a number of controversial rows to hit schools over gender issues in the past few months.

Last week a school in Rye, East Sussex sparked fury after a teacher scolded a student after she said a female classmate could not identify as a cat.

It later emerged that some schools in the UK were allowing students to identify as furries  animals with human characteristics.

A source at Meadhurst School said the content of the workshop with Pop n Olly had been agreed in advance but Lynch, who uses the pronoun they/them, deviated from the subjects agreed.

Pike and his team have been caught up in controversy before.

Last year they published a book called What Does LGBT+ Mean? which claimed gender was on a sliding scale.

It also said a doctor or nurse looked at our body and gave us a label based on what they could see.

Videos on his YouTube channel feature Pike wearing a pair of cats ears.

Pop 'n' Olly was previously the subject of controversy when it published a book claiming gender was on a 'sliding scale'

Titles of the videos include All the Boys I have ever Loved and a reworking of the Cinderella story called Jamie.

Pike told MailOnline he had received positive feedback from teachers who attended the workshop.

Pike said: It is disconcerting and not a little baffling to learn that our session has been described in an email by principal Mrs Lacey to parents as controversial. This simply isnt true.

We do not recognise the interpretation on events, predicated we are given to understand by a single complaint.

Mrs Lacy was not present for any of the sessions, but we would welcome a thorough investigation. None of our sessions feature or encourage anyone to identify as a cat or dog of any other animal.

We are proud of, and stand on, our record of inclusive learning for all.

Meadhurst School is run by The Howard Partnership Trust which runs four secondary and six primary schools in the Surrey area.

A spokesman has been contacted for comment.
ISLAMABAD, June 29 (UNI) The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) of Pakistan on Wednesday arrested five suspected drug traffickers in the country's southwest Balochistan province, an ANF spokesperson said.

The ANF conducted a crackdown against drug traffickers in the provincial capital of Quetta, during which the suspects were arrested and 18 kg of narcotics were also seized from their custody, the spokesperson added.

The arrested suspects were from Balochistan and east Punjab province, the spokesperson said.

A case has been registered against the suspects, and an investigation is underway to unearth their network in the country.

The ANF has intensified its operations against drug traffickers recently, and raids are being conducted across the country to nab suspects.

Last week, the ANF seized 679.645 kg of drugs worth 17.189 million U.S. dollars in the international market in week-long operations across the country, the ANF said in a statement on Monday.

Fifty suspects were also arrested during the raids, the ANF added.

UNI/XINHUA ARN
A stunned shop manager feared they would have to abandon their brand new car after finding thousands of bees covering its bodywork.

Kass Thomas left the bright orange Vauxhall Mokka in a car park before discovering that the huge swarm of insects had made it their temporary home.

The 22-year-old, who uses they/them pronouns, had bought the 4x4 motor just three days before the incident, in Northwich, Cheshire.

And after being confronted by the bees, Ms Thomas had joked: 'How much is this car worth?' The bees can have it.'

Luckily, concerned business owners had alerted a pest control expert soon after the bees arrived, and he managed to usher them into a hive using smoke.

Ms Thomas gives a thumbs up after pest control expert Chris Bowyer arrives to save the day

Ms Thoms was then able to drive away unhurt from the incident approximately eight hours later.

They said: 'When I was returning to my car, I was thinking 'There are loads of bees about, that's weird. Maybe there is a hive nearby?'

'And when I turned up at the carpark, I then found it was covered in them.

'I had bought it on Saturday, and I was starting to think 'How much is this car worth?' The bees can have it' at that point.

'But my partner is extremely fond of bees. They said it was the best thing ever to happen.'

Ms Thomas, from Knutsford, Cheshire, said they had gone to a public car park in Northwich on Monday at 8.45am prior to the incident.

Locals noticed that a huge swarm of bees had attached themselves to Kass's new car

But just a few hours later, locals had begun noticing that the huge swarm of bees had attached themselves to their car and covered most of the bodywork.

Ms Thomas said: 'According to passersby, the bees started gathering there from 10.30am, so they were there for several hours.

'I returned to my car at about 2pm. There was a pest expert called Chris Bowyer spraying them with smoke and leading them into this hive.

'From what Chris said, it was very much a chance encounter.

'The queen probably got tired and then decided to rest on the car, and the swarm followed her. They thought the car was a comfortable place to stay.'

Ms Thomas said there were still bees buzzing around the car when they later returned just after 5pm, forcing them to call in the pest expert again before driving off.

They added: 'It was about 6pm when I finally got the car back. But there were still some inside.'

Beekeepers have warned that Britain is likely to see a spike in swarms during the summer as the insects move around more due to the hot weather.

Last month, the British Beekeeping Association said searches on its website on the 'swarm' page were up 19% and the 'find a beekeeper page' traffic was up by 33%.
Mike Pence made a surprise trip to the Ukraine on Thursday and became the first Republican presidential candidate to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

His visit comes shortly after the Wagner Group uprising in Moscow and following a deadly Russian attack on a pizza parlor in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Pence visited three different cities and villages  Bucha, Irpin and Moschun  outside of Kyiv. All t hree had seen heavy destruction from Russian occupation last year.

The former vice president toured the wreckage, met with locals and laid flowers at memorials.

His visit comes about four months after President Joe Biden visited Kyiv.

Mike Pence made a surprise trip to the Ukraine becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to do so - he met with President Zelensky

Pence said the trip reiterated his support for Ukraine.

'I believe America's the leader of the free world,' he told NBC News. 'But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies.'

Pence has long supported Ukraine in its struggle to fend off Russia's invasion.

Zelensky said the support of every American is 'vital.'

'The support of the United States for our fight for freedom is vital. The support of all Americans, every American family, all civil society groups, the Congress  both parties, both houses, and of course the support of President Joe Biden. I am grateful for this support!,' he wrote on Twitter.

'Today, the 48th Vice President of the United States Mike Pence is in Kyiv. We discussed our defense, interaction between our nations, security cooperation, and importance of partners' determination and certainty regarding Ukraine's future membership in NATO.'

In March 2022, before he announced his president bid, Pence went to the Ukrainian border and met with refugees who had been displaced by the fighting.

Both trips were organized by Samaritans Purse, CNN reported. It's an American evangelical disaster relief charity run by Rev. Franklin Graham. Pence and his wife Karen have volunteered with the organization.

He said he made the visit because 'it's important that the American people understand the progress that we've made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest.'

Other Republican presidential contenders have taken different stances on Ukraine.

Donald Trump initially praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as 'savvy' but later said he could end the war in 24 hours.

Ron DeSantis originally called the war a 'territorial dispute' but later clarified his comment.

'What I'm referring to is where the fighting is going on now, which is that eastern border region Donbas, and then Crimea, and you have a situation where Russia has had that. I don't think legitimately, but they had,' DeSantis told Fox Nation in March.

'There's a lot of ethnic Russians there. So, that's some difficult fighting, and that's what I was referring to, and so it wasn't that I thought Russia had a right to that, and so if I should have made that more clear, I could have done it.'

Ukrainian firemen continue working to recover the remaining bodies from under the rubble in the Ria Pizza restaurant after a missile attack in downtown Kramatorsk City

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Mike Pence in Kyiv

Mike Pence's visit to Ukraine comes about four months after President Joe Biden traveled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Many Republican voters have expressed concern about the amount of money the U.S. is giving to Ukraine, arguing the money should be spent at home.

According to a Pew Research poll, 44% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the U.S. is giving too much aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine has begun a counter-offensive to try and beat back Russian forces.

Kyiv said its forces were gaining ground in Donbas - the same day Russian strikes on a pizza restaurant in east Ukraine killed at least 12 people.

The Ria Pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk was popular with soldiers, journalists and aid workers. The missile struck around 7:30 pm during the dinner rush.

Moscow, meanwhile, insisted that the Wagner Group rebellion that shook President Vladimir Putin's government would not affect Russia's operations in Ukraine.
The FBI first learned of Hunter Bidens abandoned laptop, full of incriminating data, in October 2019, an IRS memo shows.

The memo, written by senior IRS Criminal Investigation official Gary Shapley in 2020, reveals how senior law enforcement officers sat on the treasure trove of evidence from the First Sons computer and waited months before handing over mere excerpts to investigators working the case.

It also directly contradicts an open letter from 51 top former intelligence officials published weeks ahead of the 2020 presidential election which dismissed the laptop as having all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.

Shapley and his subordinate, who both recently became whistleblowers to Congress, believe that almost three years later they still havent received all the data on the hard drive  which could incriminate not only Hunter but his father too.

Joe Biden's chances of being elected to the White House could have been impacted if information on his son Hunter's laptop had been publicly authenticated before the 2020 election

Biden was giving a deposition in Delaware Thursday as part of a lawsuit filed against him by laptop repair shop owner John Mac Isaac

Whistleblower Gary Shapley claims that he still hasnt received all the data on the hard drive  which could incriminate not only Hunter but his father too

Shapley told lawmakers that his document, dated October 22, 2020, memorialized a meeting that day with his IRS Criminal Investigation team, FBI cyber forensics experts, and a team of prosecutors leading the criminal probe into Hunter Biden.

Over three pages it lays out a timeline of when the FBI first got hold of Hunters laptop he abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop, how investigators proved it belonged to the First Son and had not been doctored, and how IRS special agents were left waiting for months to get their hands on emails that could aid their investigation.

I prepared this document. It was to memorialize a meeting that we had with the prosecution team, plus the FBI CART team, which were the computer analysis team, Shapley told staffers for the House Ways and Means Committee in sworn testimony published alongside the memo last week.

They determined, because it was abandoned property, that it could be turned over via a document request.

Hunter brought three damaged Mac computers to John Paul Mac Isaacs store in Wilmington, Delaware, in April 2019, signed documents for their repair, and never returned.

Mac Isaac became worried when he found disturbing content on the devices, and got his father Steve to approach the FBI field office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, six months later on October 9, according to his book, American Injustice: My Battle to Expose the Truth.

With a slightly differing date, Shapley wrote in his memo that on October 16, a Richard Steven McKissack reported to the Albuquerque office that his son is in possession of a sportsman [Hunter Bidens codename used by investigators] computer that had not been retrieved and was not paid forsaid it contains evidence of white collar crime.

On November 6, 2019 FBI Special Agent Joshua Wilson got the device number of the MacBook Pro and determined it was Hunters by matching it to his Apple ID and iCloud account.

John Mac Isaac passed the contents of Hunter's laptop on to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani who passed it on to the New York Post

Both John Brennan and Jim Clapper signed a letter by 51 former intelligence officials who claimed Hunter's laptop had 'all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation'

Shapley's memo suggests the FBI knew of the contents of the laptop well before the November 3, 2020 election in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump

Shapley also wrote that financial records place Hunter at a cigar shop near Mac Isaacs store the same day he was alleged to have dropped off the computer, and phone records show the shop called Sportsman [Hunter] and Sportsman called the shop around this time.

The IRS CI Supervisory Special Agent also cited other intelligence which shows Sportsman was in the area at the time.

Shapley confirmed Mac Isaacs claim that FBI agents took the laptop and an external hard drive from him on December 9 2019. Four days later the IRS got a warrant to delve into the computer to look for evidence in their tax crimes probe.

A month later on January 6, 2020, forensic computer people at FBI started analysis on the devices, the memo says.

The memo said that the forensics team were able to unlock some encrypted messages on the laptop when they found a password Hunter saved on a business card.

On January 27 IRS investigators were handed their first pieces of evidence from the laptop from forensics experts, provided on a USB drive. But by the end of March that year the special agent running the case said he still had not seen the hard drive itself.

Shapley suspected Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf was withholding information

The delay began to raise suspicions among Shapley and his team that prosecutors including Delaware Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Wolf were withholding information.

Shapley told House committee staff that his subordinate, a fellow whistleblower and IRS Criminal Investigation special agent running the investigation, was not given a Cellebrite report, which is just what they call the output of the FBI CART team analysis, and was questioning whether or not the investigators were provided everything.

We don't even think we got a full, even a redacted version. We only got piecemeal items, Shapley said. It was an example of pertinent, relevant evidence that a prosecutor kept from an agent.

We don't really know what the full contents of that laptop ever had on it.

In authenticating the information from the laptop, the FBI forensics experts told investigators they were able to determine when each file was created, to make sure Mac Isaac had not added any items after receiving his MacBook.

Prosecutor Wolf also told investigators We have no reason to believe there is anything fabricated nefariously on the computer and or hard drive and that There are emails and other items that corroborate the items on the laptop and hard drive.

Staffers on the House Ways and Means Committee heard that information from Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop was known by the FBI more than a year before the 2020 presidential election

The MacBook Pro that Hunter Biden left at Mac Isaac's repair shop and then failed to pick up once it was repaired

Anthony Blinken has denied that he was behind the letter warning that the laptop story was Russian disinformation. 'Didnt ask for it, didnt solicit it, he said

Former New York Mayor and Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani also obtained a copy of the hard drive from Mac Isaac, and in September 2020, gave the device or material from it to the New York Post, which started publishing stories based on the explosive photos, texts and emails.

On October 19, 2020, just two weeks before the presidential election, 51 top former intelligence officials published a letter in Politico warning the story has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.

The letter emphasized the officials understanding of the wide range of Russian overt and covert activities that undermine US national security and cited a USA Today story about an alleged FBI investigation into whether Hunters laptop was part of a smoke bomb of disinformation pushed by Russia.

Signers included former CIA directors Leon Panetta and John Brennan, ex-Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper, ex-Defense Intelligence Agency deputy director Doug Wise, former National Security Agency deputy director Rick Ledgett, and many other spy agency leaders.

Mac Isaac wrote a book on his part in the laptop scandal

The letter was cited by major media organizations dismissing the story.

Despite Shapleys memo showing the IRS, FBI and Justice Department had known the laptop was authentic for almost a year, law enforcement agencies stayed silent as voters went to the polls in November 2020.

Hunter himself denied knowledge of the laptop, saying it certainly could belong to him, but that I really dont know in an April 2021 CBS interview. It could be that I was hacked, it could be that it was Russian intelligence. It could be that it was stolen from me, he said.

In March 2021 DailyMail.com hired the founder of the FBIs cyber forensic unit, Brad Maryman, to analyze a copy of the hard drive. He and his colleague concluded it was authentic and had no evidence of tampering.

Last year the Washington Post, New York Times and CBS news conducted similar analyses and finally admitted that at least some of the material from the laptop was authentic  even as Hunters lawyer Kevin Morris reportedly circulated slides to journalists promoting a conspiracy that fake material had been mixed in with Hunters data.

In April this year, the House Judiciary Committee received testimony from former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morrell, one of the 2020 letter signers, claiming that it was orchestrated in part by Joe Bidens campaign advisor and now-Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken.

In an interview in May Blinken said the letter wasnt my idea, didnt ask for it, didnt solicit it.

Judiciary Committee Republicans said it was a concerted effort to minimize and suppress public dissemination of the serious allegations about the Biden family and was a grave disservice to all American citizens informed participation in our democracy.
Online retailer Overstock will change its name to the recognizable Bed, Bath & Beyond after snapping up the rights to the company after it filed for bankruptcy.

The online home goods store acquired the bankrupt brand's name, domain and loyalty program assets earlier this week for more than $21 million, CNN reported.

Shares in Overstock rocketed almost 15 percent as news of the name change broke.

Canadian shoppers will notice changes first. Overstock plans to overhaul its website with a new look and then follow weeks later with a new experience for US shoppers using the Bed Bath & Beyond branding.

Overstock's loyalty program, Club O, is also being rebranded as Welcome Rewards, the name of Bed Bath & Beyond's program.

The entrance to a store in Anchorage is seen on the day the retail giant filed for Chapter 11 back in April

The share price of Overstock climbed to just under 15 percent after the news of the name change

Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson said: 'This acquisition is a significant and transformative step for us.

'I'm excited for consumers to experience the new Bed Bath and an even bigger and better Beyond.'

The buyout last week came after the e-commerce firm filed for Chapter 11 before attempting to reorganize its assets and pawn them off to the highest bidder.

One of these assets which is being auctioned off separately is retailer Buy Buy Baby, which analysts see as the most valuable asset owned by the chain.

Buy Buy Baby had approximately 120 stores when Bed, Bath and Beyond filed for bankruptcy. In the third quarter of 2022, sales at Buy Buy Baby declined more than 20%.

The company was purchased by Bed Bath & Beyond in 2007 for $67 million.

The buyout from Overstock characteristic of the e-commerce company, whose original business model was exclusively selling surplus and returned merchandise online as it emerged from the digital boom of the late 90s.

The firm eventually widened its model to include first-party products and handmade goods produced by Overstock workers in developing nations, and is worth roughly $1billion today.

It has already liquidated at least 18 failed companies at below-wholesale prices.

The company also manages the supply for other retailers, though Bed, Bath and Beyond will now bringing some much-needed name recognition to its sprawling inventory.

The share price of Bed, Bath and Beyond has plummeted in the last year, in a fall from grace for the big box brand

Store closing signs can be seen at this store in Brooklyn, New York, earlier this year after Bed, Bath and Beyond announced it would be closing stores

The buyer, dot-com juggernaut Overstock.com, now holds all of the rights - and has already liquidated at least 19 failed companies at below-wholesale prices

Notably, the firm narrowed its focus last year from more general merchandise to selling only furniture and related home goods.

In fact, this year marks its first as an online home retailer - with the buying of Bed, Bath and Beyond showing devotion to this new model.

The big box chain is only the latest but not the last brick-and-mortar victim of what experts are calling a 'retail apocalypse', and its demise is among the most piercing in recent memory considering its preeminence in the American landscape.

The company was founded in Springfield, New Jersey in 1971, and and has since ubiquitous in the US home goods market.

Its closure, however, signals a wider trend sweeping the US - the long-anticipated dissipation of brick-and-mortar stores, as online giants like Amazon go from strength to strength.
Travel is expected to get even worse with today dubbed the busiest day of the holiday weekend with 52,500 flights scheduled

Thousands of passengers have been forced to queue for hours at security lines in New York as hundreds of unclaimed bags pile up in Los Angeles due to flight chaos across the US.

The latest travel meltdown has seen more than 17,000 flights delayed and 1,120 canceled today alone  with at least 32,000 affected over the past week.

It is expected to get even worse today on what is dubbed the busiest day of the holiday weekend, with some 52,500 flights scheduled.

Travelers at airports across the country have faced misery leading up to July 4 celebrations - with scores of passengers left stranded and out of pocket.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, today claimed that the airlines have recovered to a 'more typical cancelation and delay rate' as of Thursday morning - with the exception of United.

He added: 'The FAA will continue to work with airlines to help them minimize disruptions during the busy 4th of July travel weekend.'

A sea of unclaimed luggage was seen inside Terminal 7 of the LA International Airport on Thursday morning after nearly a week of delays and cancellations that plagued travelers.

It comes after a mixture of bad weather - including monster tornadoes - and smoke from Canadian wildfires grounded flights across the country.

NEW YORK: Pictures from LaGuardia airport in New York show passengers sleeping on the floor and in chairs as they attempt to make it to their holiday destinations unscathed on Thursday

LOS ANGELES: A sea of unclaimed luggage was seen inside Terminal 7 of the LA International Airport on Thursday morning

The 'Misery Map' produced by Flight Aware on Thursday showed the disruption

Suitcases piled up and created a wall-to-wall line in the baggage claim area, as airlines blamed severe weather in parts of the US as well as staffing issues for the chaos.

At least 90 flights were delayed at LAX and 15 canceled in the morning on Thursday, according to FlightAware, as passengers claimed that they had been stuck at the airport for a day and a half.

LAX is expecting at least 241,000 passengers today, with four thousand more expected on Friday  with the traveling chaos extending to July 10 when visitors will attempt to return home.

Monday saw 8,850 flights delayed and 2,252 canceled completely, while Tuesday had 7,789 delays and 2,205 cancellations, and yesterday saw a slight decrease with 7,237 delayed and 1,199 canceled - meaning at least 32,000 have been affected.

Passengers traveling on United Airlines have been worst hit by the chaos, with CEO Scott Kirby blaming the FAA for the chaos - saying they 'failed' the industry with low staffing coming into the week.

Airlines have explained that the flights have been delayed and canceled because of powerful storms ripping through the parts of the country, including in the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast, as well as air traffic control staffing issues.

In a report published last week, the Transportation Department found that most of the 26 critical air traffic control facilities it identified were understaffed by 15 percent or more, as of March 2022.

Delays this week have mostly been attributed to bad weather, though technology may cause further disruption over the weekend as some airlines warned that their planes could be grounded over possible interference with 5G wireless service.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, today claimed that the airlines have recovered to a 'more typical cancelation and delay rate' as of Thursday

LOS ANGELES At least 90 flights were delayed at LAX and 15 canceled in the morning on Thursday, according to FlightAware

LOS ANGELES: Suitcases piled up and created a wall-to-wall line in the baggage claim area, as airlines blamed severe weather in parts of the US, on Thursday

NEW YORK: Passengers have complained about being left on hold for up to six hours before the phone is hung up, with many stranded without help at LaGuardia

NEW YORK: Many have struggled to be rebooked onto flights and spent hours trying to contact customer services at Newark airport

Pictures from LaGuardia and Newark airport in New York show passengers sleeping on the floor and in chairs as they attempt to make it to their holiday destinations unscathed.

Long queues snaked beyond the security lines as passengers spent hours trying to make their way through the airport after hours of delays.

Others were forced to camp out in the check in area as they waited to find out if their travel arrangements would go ahead.

Chicago, DC and Boston airports were hit hard with cancellations and delays after being plunged into a coating of smog as smoke from Canadian wildfires plunged Washington into a Code Red air quality warning.

United Airlines have been the worst hit, with more than 600 flights canceled in just two days, and more than 500 have been delayed.

Passengers have complained about being left on hold for up to six hours before the phone is hung up, with many stranded without help.

NEW YORK: Others were forced to camp out in the check in area as they waited to find out if their travel arrangements would go ahead

NEW YORK: United Airlines have been the worst hit, with more than 600 flights canceled in just two days, and more than 500 have been delayed. Pictured: Newark Airpotrt

NEW YORK: CEO Scott Kirby claims that the FAA reduced the arrival rates at Newark  one of United's hubs  by 40 percent and the departure rates by 75 percent

NEW YORK: Despite $54 billion of taxpayer funds funneled into airlines to keep them afloat during the pandemic, most airlines greatly reduced staff numbers

The company said that they were working through 'higher volumes than usual' but customers still slammed their response on social media.

CEO Scott Kirby claims that the FAA reduced the arrival rates at Newark  one of United's hubs  by 40 percent and the departure rates by 75 percent.

One United steward wrote on social media: 'If you can avoid flying right now, please do.'

The anonymous worker continued: 'I'm a flight attendant with United. Your flight will be delayed or canceled. There is not enough staff to support operations right now.

'Don't do It unless you want to be stuck. They are stranding their flight attendants and pilots everywhere with no response in random cities.'

A spokesman for the company admitted they had been struggling, adding: 'We know our customers are eager to get to their destinations and our airport and call center teams are working overtime to assist them.

'As we focus on helping our customers whose travel has been disrupted over the last few days, we're also planning ahead to be ready for the upcoming holiday weekend.

NEW YORK: Pictures from LaGuardia airport in New York show passengers sleeping on the floor and in chairs as they attempt to make it to their holiday destinations unscathed

ATLANTA: Passengers have been forced to wade through a sea of bags at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday

ATLANTA: Passengers filled the atrium at Atlanta's international airport as travel chaos continued on Thursday

ATLANTA: Bags were seen piled up outside of the baggage carousels as passengers searched for their luggage

'We're beginning to see improvement across our operation. As our operation improves in the days ahead, we will be on track to restore our operation for the holiday weekend.'

Hundreds of thousands of travelers have been forced to sit tight amid the chaos caused by torrential weather on the East Coast, huge crowds, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices, other staff shortages, and even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The delays and cancelations proved a troubling glimpse into what could happen over the long July 4 holiday weekend as airlines struggle to keep up with surging numbers of passengers.

Despite $54 billion of taxpayer funds funneled into airlines to keep them afloat during the pandemic, most airlines greatly reduced staff numbers and have found it harder than expected to rehire workers.

Many older employees accepted early retirement, while others accepted buyouts and have found new, less demanding work.

ATLANTA: Hundreds of thousands of travelers have been forced to sit tight amid the chaos caused by torrential weather on the East Coast

ATLANTA: Taxis and cars were forced to queue outside of the airport amid ongoing July 4 chaos

ATLANTA: Many passengers were forced to wait hours to be reunited with their luggage after cancellations

NEW YORK: Airline passengers wait at JFK's Terminal 4 to check in for their flights on Air India after flight delays on Thursday

NEW YORK: Jet Blue passengers at JFK on Thursday spent hours on their phones attempting to reschedule flights

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been criticizing the airlines for more than a year.

He has accused them of failing to live up to reasonable standards of customer service and suggested that they are scheduling more flights than they can handle.

The airlines have denied that they are to blame, and instead are pointing the finger at federal authorities.

The FAA signaled earlier this year that it could struggle to keep flights moving in New York, the busiest airspace in the nation.

Facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers at a key facility on Long Island, the FAA persuaded airlines to trim their summer schedules to avoid overloading the system.

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents United's cabin crews, said United was contributing to the situation.

The union said employees were waiting three hours or longer when calling a crew-scheduling center for assignments because of 'limited telephone lines and personnel.'

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, where American and Southwest are based, took the airlines' side in a series of tweets about delays at the New York City area's three big airports.

PENNSYLVANIA: Haze from Canadian wildfires blankets thE Interstate 76 near Hershey

NEW YORK: One passenger curled up in a corner to get some rest while waiting for a delayed flight at JFK on Thursday

NEW YORK: Many were left clutching their baggage in departures of JFK following severe delays on Thursday

NEW YORK: Passengers settled in for a long wait at JFK on Thursday

NORTH CAROLINA: The flight landed 'smoothly' with 96 passengers on board, all of whom were unharmed

NORTH CAROLINA: The emergency belly landing of a Delta flight in Charlotte did not help nationwide delays

'Staffing at FAA's air traffic facilities in NY is at 54%,' Cruz tweeted. 'Yet (the Transportation Department) is blaming the weather for delays. Nonsense.'

A Transportation Department spokesperson said the agency is working with airlines to fix things, but the combination of high traffic and bad weather reduces the rate at which planes can take off and land safely, leading to delays and canceled flights.

The FAA is training about 3,000 new air traffic controllers, but most of them won't be ready anytime soon.

Last week, the Transportation Department's inspector general said in a report that the FAA has made only 'limited efforts' to adequately staff critical air traffic control centers and lacks a plan to tackle the problem.
The last picture of a concert-goer shows him smiling with a friend and sipping beer hours before he went missing and was pulled out of the Chicago River five days later.

Noah Enos, 26, vanished on June 12 when he was last seen at The Salt Shed in the windy city with a co-worker.

The pair became separated after his phone died, and friends and family reported him missing shortly afterward.

His body was discovered in the Chicago River near the 1300 block of North Elston Avenue, though authorities are yet to announce a cause of death.

Enos' family are calling for 'justice for Noah' as they believe he was killed, and a GoFundMe claims that they are raising funds for a private investigator as well as for funeral expenses.

Noah Enos, 26, vanished on June 12 when he was last seen at The Salt Shed in the windy city with a co-worker (pictured)

His body was discovered in the Chicago River near the 1300 block of North Elston Avenue, though authorities are yet to announce a cause of death

At a vigil last week his girlfriend Nicole Wijs said: 'I know Noah wasn't the first one to go missing and be found in the river, and I sure as s**t hope that he's the last'.

Before his body was found she posted on social media saying his disappearance was out of character, despite police saying the restaurant worker Police say that Enos suffers from 'depression and anxiety.'

Kathy Vanderwarf and Steven Enos, Eno's stepmother and father, said their family is working with private investigators and Chicago police to try and figure out what happened to their son.

They are calling for an investigation into his death, as the remains of ten men and six women have been pulled from the windy city river and Lake Michigan since March 2022.

Of the 16 people found dead in the waterways only two have been confirmed as suicide, three have been ruled as accidental drowning and five as drowning.

Chicago Police have not commented on the similarities between the cases, but a former FBI agent claims that it could mean that a serial killer is on the loose.

So far, three remain unidentified, a man who was discovered in April 2022, and two women found in April 2022 and May 2023.

Chicago Police are insisting that the deaths are not connected despite growing support for the serial killer theory.

At a vigil last week his girlfriend Nicole Wijs said: 'I know Noah wasn't the first one to go missing and be found in the river, and I sure as s**t hope that he's the last'

His family are calling for an investigation into his death, as the remains of ten men and six women have been pulled from the windy city river and Lake Michigan since March 2022.

Authorities have not announced a cause of death and his family is hoping 'to find justice for Noah,' believing him to have been murdered

Detectives say that they saw at least one of the men falling into Lake Michigan after a night out drinking and another walking into the lake before trying to swim out.

According to Cook County Medical Examiner's office, the number of drownings has not risen from previous years.

There were 41 in 2022, 46 in 2021 and 43 in 2020  with 2019 seeing two homicides of the 57 recorded.

Speaking in March, Chicago Police said: 'At this time, there is no evidence suggesting there is a connection between these drowning deaths.

'The Chicago Police Department conducts thorough death investigations as we work to bring a measure of closure to the families of these, and all, victims.'
Republicans are celebrating a return to 'merit-based' education admissions while Democrats claim the Supreme Court's decision to overturn affirmative action will turn back the clock on racial justice.

Former President Trump, who appointed three conservative justices, took delight in the ruling on his Truth Social page: 'This is a great day for America,' he wrote.

'People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world.

'Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!'

The Obamas had a different take.

'Today, my heart breaks for any young person out there whos wondering what their future holds  and what kinds of chances will be open to them,' ex-First Lady Michelle Obama said in a statement.

Former President Barack Obama said affirmative action had 'allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged.'

President Biden called the decision a 'severe disappointment.' 'This is not a normal court,' he said.

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented

The justices decided in a 6-3 opinion that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)'s race-based affirmative action admissions policies are unconstitutional.

The justices decided in a 6-3 opinion that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)'s race-based affirmative action admissions policies are unconstitutional.

The ruling ends the decades-old 'affirmative action' policy that was designed to boost the number of black and hispanic students in colleges. Now universities will have to look to new ways to better incorporate minority groups and ensure representation among student bodies.

'Because Harvard's and UNC's admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause,' states the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the court's decision 'illegal social engineering.'

'The Supreme Court's decision on college admissions are a long-overdue step toward ensuring equal protection under the law,' he said in a statement. 'For decades, the Court turned a blind eye as higher education prioritized illegal social engineering over merit.'

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the justices of looking to 'turn back the clock.'

'Right-wing ideologues on the Supreme Court gutted reproductive freedom last year. The very same extremists just obliterated consideration of racial diversity in college admissions. They clearly want to turn back the clock. We will NEVER let that happen,' he wrote on Twitter.

'The Courts conservative majority just upended nearly 50 years of established precedent in a move that undermines the progress our country has made advancing racial justice,' Senate Majority Whip and Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a statement.

'Students of color will face admissions cycles that devalue their lived experience in America.'

Rep. Wesley Hunt, one of four black Republicans in the House of Representatives, praised Trump for appointing 'not one, not two, but three Constitutionalists to the Supreme Court.'

'Our country is strongest when we reward merit,' said Hunt, R-Texas, in a statement to DailyMail.com. 'Our nation is at its best when we embrace meritocracy. I applaud the court for its decision.'

Roberts added that for too long, colleges within the United States have 'concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.'

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.

'Todays decision sets us back more than four decades,' said Rep. Barbara Lee, a black California Democrat who is currently running for Senate.

'As Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said in her dissent, "deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life." This decision is just another example of the far-right attempting to uphold white supremacy and classism in our institutions.'

The universities were sued by Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative nonprofit group, over their race-based admissions policies in 2014, saying they violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The cases made their way through lower courts, which ruled on the side of Harvard and UNC, before reaching the Supreme Court for oral arguments last year.

Specifically, Harvard was accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation first proposed by John F. Kennedy that sought to outlaw racial discrimination. Title VI 'prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance.'

The case argued that Asian American students specifically have been illegally disadvantaged by affirmative action policies because despite achieving high grades, they score lower on Harvard's vague 'personal rating scale,' particularly on 'likability' ratings and 'positive personality,' compared to other applicants.
A former Pfizer employee has been charged with insider trading, after prosecutors said he tipped off a friend to confidential trial results for the COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Amit Dagar, 44, of Hillsborough, New Jersey was arrested on Thursday morning and is charged with four counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

Prosecutors say that on November 4, 2021, Dagar tipped off his close friend Atul Bhiwapurkar that a clinical trial had produced promising results, showing Paxlovid significantly reduced hospitalization or death for high-risk COVID patients.

The duo then purchased stock options that would soar in value if Pfizer's stock price rose, before the drug company announced the successful trial results the following day, according to the indictment.

The Paxlovid announcement send Pfizer shares surging 10 percent on November 5, 2021, on their way to an all-time high in the following weeks, and prosecutors say that Dagar and Bhiwapurkar together made roughly $325,000 in illicit gains.

A former Pfizer employee has been charged with insider trading, after prosecutors said he tipped off a friend to confidential trial results for the COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid

The Paxlovid announcement send Pfizer shares surging 10 percent on November 5, 2021, on their way to an all-time high in the following weeks

Bhiwapurkar, 45, of Milpitas, California, was also arrested on Thursday morning and is charged with two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

According to the indictment, Dagar was a statistician for Pfizer and was not supposed to know about the results of the Paxlovid trial before they were publicly announced.

But he learned of the trial's success from a boss, who warned him about the pending announcement in a message telling him to 'prepare for some hard work ahead', the indictment says.

Prosecutors say that hours later, Dagar purchased $8,380 worth of short-dated, out-of-the-money call options in Pfizer stock, which earned him a profit of $270,000 when he sold them the next day, a 3,000 percent gain.

Bhiwapurkar similarly spent $7,426 on stock options which he sold the following day for $76,000, a 900 percent profit.

The indictment notes that an unindicted coconspirator identified as Individual-1 also acted on a tip from Dagar, and made a profit of $25,000.

It was not clear whether Dagar and Bhiwapurkar had attorneys to speak on their behalf. A Pfizer spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Thursday morning.

A Pfizer spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Thursday morning

The charges were made public in a sweeping announcement of 10 arrests in four separate insider trading cases unsealed on Thursday in US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The other cases involved a police chief in Massachusetts, an investment firm executive director, and investors in the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) that acquired Donald Trump's media company.

'Insider trading is not easy money,' US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. 'It's cheating. It's a bad bet.'

Prosecutors said the three defendants charged in relation to Trump's media company made more than $22 million through insider trading of the SPAC that acquired Trump Media & Technology Group in a reverse merger.

The charges were outlined in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that did not implicate Trump in any way.

According to the indictment pertaining to the media company, the men were invited to invest in the special purpose acquisition company, Digital World Acquisition Corp.

Prosecutors said they were provided confidential information that a potential target of DWAC and another acquisition company, Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp, was Trump Media & Technology Group.

Separately, three Florida men were arrested Thursday and charged with illegally making more than $22 million by insider trading in the SPAC that bought Trump's media company

Authorities said the defendants bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before news of the Trump media business was made public.

After the public announcement, the men dumped their securities for a significant profit, according to the court papers.

The men who were arrested in that case were identified as Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick.

It was unclear who would represent them at initial court appearances scheduled for later Thursday in Miami.
The Government is set to appeal today's ruling by judges that its plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful.

Rishi Sunak has said he 'fundamentally' disagrees with the decision by the Court of Appeal and vowed to try and overturn it at the Supreme Court.

Despite the huge blow to the Prime Minister's promise to 'stop the boats', the Government was offered some hope as Lord Burnett, the lord chief justice, deemed Rwanda to be a safe third country for asylum seekers.

In the video below, ANDREW PIERCE urges both the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Suella Braverman to 'fight on' in their legal battle over the Rwanda scheme.

Plans to send asylum seekers to Africa are a 'genuine and honest attempt' by ministers to end the Channel migrant crisis and have the 'overwhelming support' of the British people, he says.

He also attacks the 'liberal left', peers in the House of Lords and the Archbishop of Canterbury who have objected to the Rwanda policy 'every step of the way'.
OceanGate's website still includes pages advertising trips to the Titanic - 11 days after five people, including the company CEO, were killed on one of the journeys.

A page titled 'Titan Expedition - Explore the Titanic' was still available on Thursday which offered a chance to dive to the shipwreck in the company's submersible.

'Intrepid travelers will sail from the Atlantic coast of Canada for an 8-day expedition to dive on the iconic wreck that lies 380 miles offshore and 3,800 meters below the surface,' the page states.

'Your dive will provide not only a thrilling and unique travel experience, but also help the scientific community learn more about the wreck and the deep ocean environment.'

It lists two 'missions' in June 2024 and says the June 2023 mission is 'currently underway'.

OceanGate's website still includes pages advertising trips to the Titanic - 11 days after five people, including the company CEO, were killed on one of the journeys

The page also lists renowned French explorer PH Nargeolet, who perished on board the Titan, as an expert 'who may join you on [the] expedition'

The trips won't go ahead and it appears the website has not been updated following the tragedy.

The page also lists renowned French explorer PH Nargeolet, who perished on board the Titan, as an expert 'who may join you on [the] expedition'.

Canadian police are considering whether 'criminal, federal, or provincial laws' were broken in the lead up to the Titan submersible disaster.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will examine 'the circumstances that led to the deaths' of the five crew on board the sub and decide 'whether or not a full investigation is warranted'.

Their investigation was ongoing on Thursday, a day after it emerged human remains were found during the recovery mission and segments of the vessel were brought ashore. It comes as a marine engineering professor claimed electrical failure could also have contributed to the disaster, following suggestions it was made from inappropriate materials.

Titan suffered a 'catastrophic implosion' during a voyage to the wreckage of the Titanic, 12,500ft beneath the Atlantic's surface.

Human remains have reportedly been found in the wreckage of the Titan submersible

Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, which launched, Titan, perished on board the submersible along with his four passengers, including PH Nargeolet (right)

Shahzada Dawood, 48, one of Pakistan's richest men, along with his teenage son Suleman Dawood, 19, (together, left) died on the Titan along with British explorer Hamish Harding (right)

Superintendent Kent Osmond, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), said a team of investigators has been established with the 'sole purpose' of determining whether a criminal investigation would be warranted.

'Such an investigation will proceed only if our examination of the circumstances indicate criminal, federal or provincial laws may possibly have been broken,' he said on Saturday.

'Following the US Coast Guard's announcement earlier this week that debris from the submersible was located and all five on board were presumed dead, we will now look at the circumstances that led to those deaths.

'Our investigators are engaged and active in this matter as of this morning. Once a determination has been made as to whether or not a full investigation will be launched, we will provide an update at that time.'

Dr Jasper Graham-Jones, a professor in mechanical and marine engineering, said an 'electrical catastrophe' could have contributed to the incident. His assessment follows others that have focused on the weakness of the carbon fiber hull, which was allegedly not suitable for depths that Titan dived to.

He said: 'This could have been an electrical catastrophe. It could have been corrosion, it could have been a fire.

'Any leakage of water coming through to the electrics could lead to failure as well.

'Some of the pipes and parts that lead outside could have begun to leak. If you have a wire going outside, then those wires going through land could actually start to leak. They could have corroded.

'Presumed human remains' were found in the wreckage of the Titan submersible, the US Coast Guard announced on Wednesday.

A large section of the Titan submersible that was recovered Wednesday appeared to be a panel from its tail. Some experts expected that salvaged pieces would be far smaller

The titanium front-end of Titan, where its viewing port was located, was clearly identifiable among the sections which were recovered. It's thought that the titanium parts are likely to have suffered less damage in the implosion, compared with the weaker carbon fiber elements

Several identifiable parts of the ship were lifted ashore earlier in the afternoon, including the sub's nose and a large panel which appears to be from its tail end.

Amid those recovered pieces, Coast Guard officials said they discovered what they believed to be human remains, which will now be transported aboard a ship to a port in the United States where they will undergo testing and analysis.

The discoveries surprised experts who suspected Titan was completely destroyed when it suffered a 'catastrophic implosion'.

Earlier on Wednesday a coroner told DailyMail.com she believed the remains of those onboard  including British billionaire Hamish Harding, French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush and father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood  would likely never be recovered.

Officials said Wednesday the remains were 'carefully removed within the wreckage' that was recovered earlier in the day.

'I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths,' Marine Board of Investigation Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement.

'The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,' he added.

But Neubauer noted there is a 'substantial amount of work' still to be done to understand what happened to the Titan sub and to 'help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.'

The MBI will continue its evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing about the incident, and Pelagic Research Services  whose remote operating vehicle discovered the debris fields  said its team is 'still on mission'.

'They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones,' the company said in a statement.

A large circular piece of the Titan, which is similar to the sections at each end of the hull, was also retrieved

The salvaged remains of Titan were lifted to shore by a huge crane on Wednesday morning

On Wednesday, a debris field was found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

The Canadian-flagged Polar Prince cargo vessel towed the Titan out to sea last weekend but lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes after the submersible launched into the ocean depths.

News of the missing ship spurred a multinational search-and-rescue operation, which ended when officials announced the sub likely imploded, killing all those onboard instantly.

For years prior to the implosion, experts had warned that Stockton Rush's self-designed submersible was not capable of safely reaching the Titanic wreckage on the ocean floor.

They said its carbon fiber hull, which housed the five crew, was its 'Achilles heel' because the material is not considered suitable for dives at the depths reached by the vessel.

Titanic director James Cameron, a renowned deep sea explorer and submersibles expert, said previously that the hull was likely broken into 'very small pieces' in the incident.

'If I had to put money down on what the finding [of the investigation] will be, the Achilles heel of the sub was the composite cylinder that was the main hull that the people were inside,' he said.

'There were two titanium end caps on each end. They are relatively intact on the sea floor. But that carbon fiber composite cylinder is now just in very small pieces. It's all rammed into one of the hemispheres. It's pretty clear that's what failed.'

Carbon fiber is prone to delamination, the process whereby a material fractures into layers while put under pressure.

It is thought the craft's titanium components better withstood the disaster, while the weaker carbon fiber parts - including the hull - are more likely to have been crushed into tiny pieces.

The parts lifted from the ocean appear to align with Cameron's observations, including that the larger piece was the vessel's titanium shell. Investigators will now work to confirm what each piece is.

Titan's remains were found near the Titanic shipwreck, 12,500ft below the Atlantic Ocean

Titan's carbon fiber hull and its acrylic viewport were subject to several warnings and James Cameron singled them out as 'potential failure points' on the vessel

But, despite these incessant warnings from naval experts, OceanGate had assured the public for year that its Titan submersible was safe.

The company had boasted in promotional material about Titan's 'Real Time Hull Health Monitoring', which constantly checked the integrity of the vessel throughout the dive.

The system used acoustic sensors and strain gauges to 'analyze the effects of changing pressure on the vessel as the submersible dives deeper, and accurately assess the integrity of the structure'.

But legal filings reveal a former director of marine operations 'expressed concern that this was problematic because this type of acoustic analysis would only show when a component is about to failoften milliseconds before an implosionand would not detect any existing flaws prior to putting pressure onto the hull.'
New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday had a fruitful discussion with members of the Board and key leadership of Goldman Sachs, during which he highlighted Indias vast potential for growth.

In a tweet, the PM said:

Had a fruitful discussion with the members of the Board and key leadership of @GoldmanSachs.



Highlighted India's vast potential for growth, fuelled by recent reforms and a conducive business environment. Also spoke of how India's offers several opportunities for global firms.

The meeting comes as Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Officer David Solomon is quoted as saying that India has a very high growth trajectory, with a predicted growth of 6-7% over the next three years.

The meeting also comes as Goldman Sachs is hosting its board meeting in India this week, for the first time in over a decade.

CEO David Solomon leading a visit to Bengaluru and Delhi, marking the first time the board met in India since 2012, under predecessor Lloyd Blankfein in Mumbai.

Goldman Sachs Services in India is the US lender's second largest office after New York with tech centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, housing around 9,000 employees, according to reports.

UNI RN
A US airman accused of three counts of raping a UK citizen at an RAF base in Northamptonshire has appeared in court.

Lee Bogstad, 22, allegedly carried out the offences at RAF Croughton between November 2020 and February 2021.

The 22-year-old, of RAF Croughton, appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Thursday, wearing an open collar light blue shirt, chinos and glasses.

He sat on the back bench as there was no dock in the court and spoke to confirm his age and address and give his name as 'Kieran Lee Bogstad'.

He did not enter any pleas during the brief preliminary 'sending' hearing.

Lee Bogstad, 21, is accused of rape on three occasions at RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire between November 2020 and February 2021

District Judge Amar Mehta said he is charged with offences which can only be tried in the Crown Court.

He adjourned proceedings ahead of Bogstad's next appearance at Northampton Crown Court on August 10.

Bogstad was granted conditional bail and, having already surrendered his passport, must not leave the country or contact the complainant, the court heard.

Asked if he understood the conditions, he told the judge 'yes sir' and 'thank you, sir'.

Bogstad was represented by Sam Clarke, with Yemi Alli prosecuting.

Northamptonshire Police previously said it had led the investigation with the 'full co-operation' of the United States Air Force.
President Joe Biden on Thursday said the Supreme Court has done more to 'unravel basic rights' than any other court in recent history as he blasted the landmark decision that ended affirmative action in college admissions.

Biden, in an interview on MSNBC, explained what he mean when he said earlier in the day that the high court was not 'normal.'

'What I meant was that it's done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history. And that's what I meant by not normal,' he said.

In the interview with Nicolle Wallace, Biden confirmed his opposition to packing the court with more justices, which some liberal Democrats have pushed for.

'I think they may do too much harm. But I think if start the process of trying to expand the court, we're going to politicize it, maybe forever-- that's not healthy. That we can't get back,' he said.

President Joe Biden said the Supreme Court has done more to 'unravel basic rights' than any other court in recent history

At the White House on Thursday Biden said the Supreme Court's decision is proof discrimination 'still exists in America'.

'This is not a normal court,' Biden said of the conservative-majority bench that ruled race-based admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) are unconstitutional.

'I know today's court decision is a severe disappointment to so many people, including me, but we cannot let the decision be a permanent setback,' he said in remarks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

In two rulings on Thursday, the conservative majority of the high court overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges.

The ruling overturned a decades-old policy meant to boost the number of black, Asian and Latino students in universities. The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case - with liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused.

In his remarks, Biden acknowledged that many Americans believe affirmative action gives unfair advantages to minorities when it comes to college admission but, he noted, that is not the case.

.@POTUS: "This court has gone beyond that. I just find it so out of sorts with the basic value system of the American people... Across the board, the vast majority of the American people don't agree with a lot of the decisions this court is making." https://t.co/tXPkQZRSRL pic.twitter.com/GvGUkEdn7s  MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 29, 2023

'This is not a normal court,' President Joe Biden said of the Supreme Court

'Many people wrongly believe affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not how college admissions work,' he said.

He argued universities make a pool of qualified students and, from there, add in other factors like grades and race.

The president encouraged universities to still consider the 'hardships' students had to overcome in order to apply to college and proposed that schools 'take into account the adversity a student has overcome.'

'Discrimination still exists in America. Today's decision does not change that. It's a simple fact. If a student has overcome - had to overcome adversity on the path to education, the college should recognize and value that,' he said.

He said colleges 'should not abandon their commitment to ensure they stay tuned bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America.'

He blasted higher-education for remaining a purview of the privileged.

'Today, for too many schools, the only people that benefit are the wealthy and well connected. The odds have been tacked against working people for much too long. We need a higher education system that works for everyone, from Appalachia to Atlanta and far beyond,' he said.

A demonstrator protests outside of the Supreme Court after the ruling

Chief Justice John Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented in the North Carolina case; Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case

The universities were sued by Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative nonprofit group, over their race-based admissions policies in 2014, saying they violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The cases made their way through lower courts, which ruled on the side of Harvard and UNC, before reaching the Supreme Court for oral arguments last year.

'Because Harvard's and UNC's admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause,' states the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.

The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented in the North Carolina case. Brown Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board.

Justice Thomas, who was the second black justice appointed in history, called race-based admissions 'rudderless' and 'designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.'

He went on in his concurring opinion, which he read from the bench in a rare move, to state plainly that despite being 'painfully aware' of discrimination against other individuals of his race, he has hope that all Americans will be treated equally under the law.

'While I am painfully aware of the social and economic ravages which have befallen my race and all who suffer discrimination, I hold out enduring hope that this country will live up to its principles so clearly enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States: that all men are created equal, are equal citizens, and must be treated equally before the law,' Thomas wrote.

Democrat-appointed Justice Sotomayor said in a written dissent that the decision 'rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.'

'The Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society,' she continued.

In her separate dissent, Brown Jackson - the courts first Black female justice - called the decision 'truly a tragedy for us all.'

Jackson wrote: 'With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces `colorblindness for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.'

Specifically, Harvard was accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation first proposed by John F. Kennedy that sought to outlaw racial discrimination. Title VI 'prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance.'

The case argued that Asian American students specifically have been illegally disadvantaged by affirmative action policies because despite achieving high grades, they score lower on Harvard's vague 'personal rating scale,' particularly on 'likability' ratings and 'positive personality,' compared to other applicants.

The UNC case also looked what the university could factor into admissions practices without the use of race and how it would impact diversity on campus. Both Harvard and UNC have maintained that their use of race in admissions does not discriminate against Asian Americans.

Activists demonstrate as the Supreme Court heard arguments

Two former presidents had two different opinions.

Former President Donald Trump, the current Republican presidential frontrunner, wrote on Truth Social that the decision marked 'a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded.'

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action 'allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve - and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.'
A shadowy Met Police squad which spied on hundreds of campaign groups over four decades should have been shut down in the first year of its existence, a landmark report has found.

The mammoth public inquiry found that the actions of the Metropolitan Police Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) were not justified and that most groups infiltrated posed no threat.

Only three of the groups the unit spied on were found to be legitimate targets, leading campaigners to condemn the SDS and describe the findings as 'devastating' for police, MI5 and the government.

A report focusing on the SDS between 1968 and 1982 was published on Thursday, with future stages set to examine the unit up to 2008, and a successor squad until 2010.

It will examine scandals over women being deceived into sexual relationships, the use of dead children's names without their families' consent and spying on justice campaigns including that for Stephen Lawrence.

A shadowy Met Police squad which spied on hundreds of campaign groups over four decades should have been shut down in the first year of its existence, a landmark report has found

Chairman Sir John Mitting concluded that if details of what the SDS was doing had been made public in the 1970s, the unit would have been 'brought to a rapid end'

Chairman Sir John Mitting concluded that if details of what the SDS was doing had been made public in the 1970s, the unit would have been 'brought to a rapid end'.

The squad required annual authorisation and funding approval from the Home Office, and in 1976 a group of senior police officers found it should continue work with a minimum of 12 undercover officers.

But Sir John found key issues had not been considered, including long-term undercover deployments meaning intrusion into the personal lives of many hundreds of people, including entering their homes by deception.

Officers accepted positions of responsibility within the groups they were infiltrating and became involved in organising political activity, and their use of dead children's identities should have been referred to the highest ranks of the Met and the Home Office, he concluded.

Sir John said: 'If these issues had been addressed, it is hard to see how any conclusion could legitimately have been reached which would not have resulted in the closure of the SDS.'

He said the infiltration of only three of the groups that were targeted at the time could be justified - (Provisional) Sinn Fein and two others that have not been publicly named.

'The principal, stated purpose of the SDS was to assist uniformed police to control public order in London,' Sir John found.

'Long-term deployments into left-wing and anarchist groups did make a real contribution to achieving this end, even though this was or could have been achieved to a significant extent by other, less intrusive, means.

The report examines scandals over women being deceived into sexual relationships, the use of dead children's names without their families' consent and spying on justice campaigns including that for Stephen Lawrence (pictured)

'The question is whether or not the end justified the means.'

He went on: 'I have come to the firm conclusion that, for a unit of a police force, it did not; and that had the use of these means been publicly known at the time, the SDS would have been brought to a rapid end.'

Sir John said among 2,600 documents from between April 1975 and May 1978, 1,400 were about people's identities and lives; 1,200 were records of the meetings and activities of groups that were spied on; and 200 were reports on forthcoming events that might have an impact on public order in London.

He said: 'It is a striking feature of the reporting of almost all SDS undercover officers that it contained extensive details about individuals - their political views, personality, working life, relationships with others, and family and private life.'

This is the first report to come from the Undercover Policing Inquiry, which was set up in 2015 by then home secretary Theresa May in response to outrage over various tactics used by undercover officers.

The inquiry, which has so far cost 64 million, is expected to finish in three years' time.

Baroness Doreen Lawrence, whose campaign for justice for her murdered son Stephen was spied upon, said: 'Now that Sir John Mitting has condemned undercover policing as unjustified, I now want to know who ordered the spying on me and my family?

'Who thought it necessary to intrude on a law-abiding family fighting for justice for their son? Who signed off on this unlawful practice?

'Given that the Home Secretary was ultimately responsible for the Metropolitan Police, I am looking to find out which Home Secretary was responsible for the spying into me.'

Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said the tactics used in the 1970s bear no relation to how undercover work is carried out today. (file image)

Welcoming the report, a spokesman for a group of participants in the inquiry said: 'The shocking reality has at last been acknowledged - the results of the inquiry so far are devastating for the police, the security services and Government.'

Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said the tactics used in the 1970s bear no relation to how undercover work is carried out today.

He said: 'We know that enormous distress has been caused, and I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the apologies made to women deceived by officers into sexual relationships, to the families of deceased children whose identities were used by officers, and to those who suffered a miscarriage of justice because of the actions of SDS officers.

'I want to reassure the public that undercover policing has undergone radical reform over the years, with greater regulation, professional codes of practice, and judicial oversight.

'The way in which undercover policing was conducted in the 1970s bears no relation to how it is conducted today.'
Whoopi Goldberg has slammed SCOTUS for outlawing race as a factor in college admissions - saying they've 'upset' the precedent.

The View co-host, 67, said that if everyone was truly treated equally there would have never been a need for affirmative action in the first place.

The Supreme Court banned colleges from using race as a factor when admitting students in a landmark ruling on affirmative action Thursday.

The justices decided in a 6-3 vote that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)'s race-based affirmative action admissions policy is unconstitutional.

Goldberg said on The View following the ruling: 'The Supreme Court has upset a 45 year precedent, ruling it unconstitutional for universities to consider race in admissions.

Whoopi Goldberg slammed SCOTUS for outlawing race as a factor in college admissions - saying they've 'upset' the precedent

'Now the 14th Amendment is supposed to promise equal protection, but if everyone was actually treated equally, we wouldn't have had to put in affirmative action.

'We wouldn't have had to do it!

'People wouldn't have had to march and beg and got hosed and all of these things people did just to balance us out with everything else going on in the country.'

The justices also today ruled 6-2 - with liberal justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused - that Harvard's admission policy should be struck down in decision sending shockwaves nationwide.

The ruling ends the decades-old 'affirmative action' policy that was designed to boost the number of black and Hispanic students in colleges.

Now universities will have to look to new ways to better incorporate minority groups and ensure representation among student bodies.

The majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts read: 'Because Harvard's and UNC's admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause.'

Roberts added that for too long, colleges within the United States have 'concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin.

'Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.'

Whoopi shared her opinions on The View on Thursday

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.

The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.

A flurry of reaction started to unfold Thursday following the court's decision.

Former Vice President Mike Pence cheered the ruling, saying 'There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism.'

'I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured today's welcomed decision, and as President I will continue to appoint judges who will strictly apply the law rather than twisting it to serve woke and progressive ends.'

His fellow 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley added: 'This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American Dream.'

However, Democrats struck a more somber tone, calling it a setback for racial justice.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Thursday: 'The Supreme Court ruling has put a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice. The consequences of this decision will be felt immediately and across the country, as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities.'
Ousted Fox host Tucker Carlson is reportedly raising capital to start his own media company several months after his abrupt firing from Fox, according to a new report.

The news arrives days after Fox CEO Suzanne Scott announced the network's new primetime lineup, which will feature Jesse Watters assuming the 8pm mantle vacated by Carlson.

Scott's announcement also quietly indicated that the eight remaining staffers who used to work for Tucker's show, will be shown the door by mid-July. That production team may soon be joining Carlson for his new endeavor, according to reporting by Puck's Dylan Byers.

Carlson - who founded the conservative news group The Daily Caller after leaving CNN and before joining Fox - currently airs a show on Twitter. But questions on its financial outlook could have him looking to start a new media empire.

The ratings-dominating host left Fox News in April in a shocking departure. The move cost him $20million in yearly salary. Now, Fox has threatened legal action against Tucker saying he has a non-compete clause until after the 2024 election.

Carlson - who remains locked in a legal battle with Fox about the exit from his contract and the launch of his new Twitter show - is reportedly raising funds for a new media company

In 2010, Carlson launched the Daily Caller with friend and college roommate Neil Patel, so startup right-of-center new media companies are not a new front for the veteran anchor

Earlier in June, two former Carlson staffers, Alexander McCaskill and Thomas Fox - both senior leadership for the show - departed the network, Puck reported.

At the moment, Tucker's new endeavor appears to be posting sporadic monologues filmed at his house in Maine to his Twitter page and each episode is viewed by tens of millions.

As rumblings about Carlson's official next steps grow louder, he will likely need a larger staff, in addition to cash, which he is said to be raising from a number of wealthy conservative media investors.

The names of potential investors were not included in the report.

If Carlson ends up launching a new media company, it would not be his first time at the helm of such a project. In 2010, Carlson and Neil Patel co-founded The Daily Caller, a conservative news site meant to rival publications like The Huffington Post.

In 2020, Carlson sold his stake in The Daily Caller, after several years of committing himself entirely to his nightly primetime show on Fox and ceding editorial responsibility at the media upstart.

Carlson's shocking ouster from his incredibly successful primetime Fox show came after the company settled a massive $787.5million lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems. Even then, the move puzzled many who thought Fox would never have backed down from a fight when it came to their lucrative golden boy - who technically is still under contract.

Earlier this month, the network touted this arrangement after top brass threatened to sue Carlson for violating his contract by way of the launch of a low-budget Twitter show that was watched by more than 80 million people.

Lawyers for the media giant are said to have sent official correspondence to Carlson's legal team claiming the newscaster was 'in breach' of his contract when he aired his new Twitter show.

Carlson left his Fox News show on April 23, with no official reason given for why the company let their most-watched anchor go.

In the statement, Carlson's lawyer Bryan Freedman accused Fox executives of engaging in hypocrisy by silencing Carlson, pointing to how the company claims to 'defend its very existence on freedom of speech grounds.'

Ep. 7 Irony Alert: the war for democracy enables dictatorship. pic.twitter.com/tk7aOZ4H6n  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 28, 2023

Jesse Watters, 44, was announced as the new face of Fox News' coveted 8pm slot, a spot he had been the frontrunner to assume for weeks

Freedman, reportedly argued that any legal action by Fox would be a direct violation of their client's First Amendment rights.

It is likely that whatever new media medium Carlson chooses, he will continue espousing his right-of-Fox-news political assessments, many of which he has already shared with his Twitter audience.

Earlier this week, Carlson delivered a 'Tucker on Twitter' monologue that once again questioned the United States' ongoing involvement in Russia's war with Ukraine.

He said Ukraine's war was 'pointless' and that President Joe Biden was 'wasting' billions of dollars to 'repay its debts to the oligarchs who finance their beach house in Rehoboth' - a reference to Hunter Biden's lucrative work in Ukraine from 2014.

'It seems like there's a pretty significant downside to this particular foreign policy decision, starting with economic collapse and ending potentially with extinction. So is there a good reason we're doing it?' he said.

He showed clips of Democrats, like Nancy Pelosi, and Republicans like Senator John Cornyn, all declaring that it remains vitally important to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression in the name of democracy.

'In other words, we can have no democracy here if the Ukrainians aren't free - then neither are we,' said Carlson.

'We must make sure they can vote in Kyiv, so we can continue to vote in Kansas City. It's really that simple.

'And yet tonight, we regret to tell you that we have a problem. It looks like they're not going to be able to vote in Kyiv anymore. And no, for once it's not Putin's fault.'

Carlson then aired a clip of Zelensky explaining the presidential election scheduled for 2024 could not be held while the war continued.

Under Ukrainian law, an election cannot be held under martial law.

Carlson was ousted from Fox News in late April, days after Fox settled a massive $787.5million lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems. According to his attorneys, the move happened without warning and without reason

Carlson on Tuesday night used his show to question why the United States was continuing to offer substantial aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia

'According to [Ukrainian] legislation, elections must be held in peacetime when there are no hostilities,' he said, when asked by the BBC whether Ukraine would hold presidential elections next year.

'Democracy in Ukraine seems to be suspended by the world's foremost democracy advocate himself, Field Marshal Zelensky,' said Carlson.

'So when you have an election, well, he says if we win, we'll let people vote.

'Otherwise, no, you vote when we feel like it because ultimately, we're completely in charge and make all the rules. Your job is to obey or be punished. That's our version of self government. Self means me, I'm the government.

'Now, that's not just any autocrat,' Carlson continued.

'That's our chief ally in the war for democracy. This is the guy who just announced he's like, could you cancel next year's elections?'

Carlson pointed out that Biden reiterated his support for Zelensky this week and said the U.S. president was one in a long line of leaders who have loved waging war over democracy in bid to hang on to power.

'Wars for democracy always cancel democracy in the process,' said Carlson. 'That's why our leaders love them.'

His remarks come amid rising tensions in Russia following Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed attempt at a coup over the weekend.
The first black woman to sit on the Supreme Court let rip on Thursday, accusing her conservative colleagues of 'let-them-eat-cake obliviousness' after they ruled to strike down affirmative action policies that help minorities attend universities.

Their blockbuster decision will force colleges and universities to overhaul their admissions policies.

In her blistering dissent, Ketanji Brown Jackson said the group that challenged the policy was ignoring both 'reality and history.'

And the conservative justices who agreed were simply willing racism out of existence.

They were 'unmoored' from reality.

Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first black woman on the Supreme Court, said her conservative colleagues were 'unmoored' from reality and history in a blistering 29-page dissent

People protest outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, June 29, 2023. The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions

'With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces "colorblindness for all" by legal fiat,' she wrote in her 29-page dissent.

'But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

'And having so detached itself from this country's actual past and present experiences, the court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that [University of North Carolina] and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve Americas real-world problems.'

Earlier the court released two related rulings based on a case brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions, founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum.

The group accused UNC and Harvard of operating affirmative action policies that ran counter to the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law.

It won, with votes of 6-3 against UNC and 6-2 against Harvard.

President Joe Biden slammed the verdict from what he said was now not a 'normal court.'

'We cannot let this decision to be the last word,' he added.

Roberts was joined in the majority opinion by Republican-appointed justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. The court's liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented

The majority opinion was written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

'Because Harvard's and UNC's admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause,' he wrote.

The ruling is the latest in a series of reversals on issues that were once thought settled, including abortion rights, delivered by the conservative-stacked court.

Jackson said the decision was a 'tragedy.' And she made reference to the idea that the legality of affirmative action was believed to have been established.

'Turning back the clock ... the court indulges those who either do not know our Nations history or long to repeat it,' she wrote.

'Simply put, the race-blind admissions stance the court mandates from this day forward is unmoored from critical real-life circumstances.'

Former President Donald Trump welcomed the ruling. 'This is a great day for America,' he said

Progressives shared her anger, while Republicans were quick to celebrate.

Former President Donald Trump said: 'This is a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded.'

Blum, who is behind Students for Fair Admissions, said the 'vast majority' should celebrate the decision.

'A university doesn't have real diversity when it simply assembles students who look different but come from similar backgrounds and act, talk and think alike,' he added.
It comes after Bud Light's CEO was slammed for avoiding questions from CBS

She said that Bud Light failed to support her amid the backlash for the March ad

Mulvaney, 26, has taken aim at the beer brand after staying silent on the fracas

Dylan Mulvaney has broken her silence on Bud Light to slam the embattled beer brand for for not standing by her amid the fallout from their disastrous campaign.

The 26-year-old on Instagram addressed the debacle, which has seen Anheuser-Busch lose $20million in market cap value since the advert for March Madness.

Speaking to her 1.8million followers, she said: 'I was waiting for the brand to reach out to me, but they never did. I've been scared to leave my house.

'For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse than not hiring a trans person at all.

'Because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and as hateful as they want. There's should be nothing controversial or divisive about working with us.

'I have been ridiculed in public I've been followed and I have felt a loneliness that I wouldn't wish on anyone.'

The 26-year-old posted a video on Instagram addressing the debacle, which has seen Anheuser-Busch lose $20million in market cap value since the advert for March Madness

The brand has been hit by plummeting sales since they teamed up with the influencer, who called it a brand deal

It is the first time that Mulvaney has publicly spoken about Bud Light, calling them a company that she 'loved' in the new post.

During the video she said that trans and queer people are 'customers too', before adding that 'turning a blind eye' isn't an option.

She previously said she didn't want to give her critics the 'satisfaction' of talking about them, but has now opened up about how the backlash affected her - as sales for the beer dropped a staggering 28.5 percent.

The influencer admitted to hiding the can - which sparked Kid Rock to shoot at several cases of the beer - and is no longer able find it.

Mulvaney said: 'I realized that I needed to protect this can so I hid it somewhere and I can't find it because I hid it so well.

'But when I do find it, I feel like it needs to go in a museum, preferably behind bullet-proof glass.

'One thing I will not tolerate people saying about me is that I don't like beer because I love beer and I always have.'

She also explained that Bud Light approached her for the sponsored video, which is something that the company denied, claiming it was an external agency on their behalf.

Brendan Whitworth, US CEO, insisted that his priority was the employees and added that they had poured three times the amount of investment into Bud Light for this year

Sales have plummeted 24 percent in the latest data, which comes after Modelo Especial dethroned Bud Light as the top-selling beer in America after 22 years of holding the top spot

Mulvaney said: 'One thing I will not tolerate people saying about me is that I don't like beer because I love beer and I always have'

The transgender TikTok star has been shrugging off criticism since she entered into a disastrous partnership with Bud Light to celebrate '365 Days of Girlhood'

Her comments come after the US CEO of Anheuser-Busch was slammed for failing to answer questions over the backlash on Wednesday.

Brendan Whitworth refused to rule out partnering Mulvaney and avoided answering how much the marketing blunder had cost Bud Light.

Speaking to CBS Mornings, Whitworth was asked if he would send Mulvaney another can, knowing the backlash that it sparked.

But instead of giving a definitive answer, the CEO instead launched into a pre-rehearsed speech about the 'social conversation' that the disaster campaign caused

Whitworth added that they 'need to deeply understand the consumer' and 'appreciate' what they want' from the brand, as he was blasted on social media for doing a 'dismal job'.

He was then challenged over his refusal to answer, with Tony Dokoupil asking if the decision was a mistake - but again avoided the question.

The brand's ousted marketing chief Alissa Heinerscheid, 39, said she planned to update the 'fratty' and 'out of touch' branding. VP for Mainstream Brands Daniel Blake, 34, also voluntarily took a leave of absence earlier this year following the controversy

It is unclear if Heinerscheid is on paid leave from the company, but she joined in 2022 and vowed to freshen up its image

When approached by DailyMail.com regarding claims that she had no idea of the campaign, Heinerscheid (left) declined to comment  but a friend said: 'she can't talk about it', before being whisked away

The beer brand saw its sales drop 28.5 percent in the week ending June 17  one of the worst weeks since the campaign aired in April.

It's a deeper drop from the week ending on June 10, which saw a 26.8 percent drop, according to Bump Williams Consulting and NielsenIQ.

The new low beats the previous worst - an almost 26 percent drop- for the week ending May 25.

It comes after claims that two Bud Light marketing executives had finally been fired over the fiasco - something which the company deny.

VP of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid, 39, and VP for Mainstream Brands Daniel Blake, 34, both took a voluntary leave of absence following the backlash.

But sources told the Daily Caller that both had been official fired following the announcement that they would be stepping back in April.

When approached by DailyMail.com earlier this month, a friend of Heinerscheid's said 'she's not supposed to talk about it, she can't.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch said they were still both on a 'leave of absence.'

Dylan Mulvaney, 26, opened up in a new interview with 'them' magazine, saying she prefers not to name her critics 'because it gives them the satisfaction of believing they're on my mind'

Speaking just days before the controversy, Heinerscheid said she planned to update the 'fratty' and 'out of touch' branding.

Heinerscheid's job was taken over by Todd Allen, who recently served as global vice president of Budweiser.

The marketing decision appears to be one of the worst in American history to come from an advertising backlash.

Sources told the Daily Caller that executives only claimed they were on a 'leave of absence' to avoid a lawsuit.

They said: 'To my understanding, if we publicly announced the word 'fire' it opens up the potential for them to sue us. That's why we said leave of absence.

'The wholesalers would have had an absolute HAY DAY with leadership if they didn't remove [Heinerscheid].'

'Wholesalers were told they are both gone for good by leadership during in-person conversations,' the source claimed. 'They already shifted all their direct reports to new people and the head of marketing.

He added that he thought Blake was 'actually awesome.' 'I think he was just caught in [the] cross fire,' the source said. 'But also he did hire her... so that's a fault.'

In another blow to the brand Modelo Especial dethroned Bud Light as the top-selling beer in America after 22 years of the longtime industry leader holding the top spot.

Modelo surpassed Bud Light's $297 million - which was a 22.8 percent fall in sales compared to the same time last year.

It is the first time since 2001 that Bud Light has not been in the top spot, dethroning its sister brand Budweiser for the 'King of Beer' title in 2001.

US sales of Modelo are controlled by rival Constellation Brands and do not count as part of AB InBev's global volumes as part of an anti-trust settlement.
Democrat LaTonya Johnson has come under fire after she said 'f**k the suburbs' after an impassioned speech about gun control in the Wisconsin Senate

A Milwaukee state senator said 'f**k the suburbs' during a heated debate about crime spreading from major cities to quiet neighborhoods.

LaTonya Johnson burst out with the remark after a speech detailing crime in Milwaukee and gun violence in particular.

At the end of her of rant, the Democrat declared: 'F**k the suburbs, because they don't know a goddamn thing about how life is in the city.'

The shocking outburst drew widespread condemnation and was compared to Hillary Clinton's 2016 gaffe when she labeled Donald Trump fans 'deplorables'.

Wisconsin senate speaker Robin Vos tweeted: 'Elected officials say dumb things occasionally and when that happens, apologies are appropriate.'

Johnson, pictured here on Wednesday night, delivered the remarks after a speech on crime

Backing her speech, fellow Democrat Francesca Hong tweeted: 'Senator Johnson spoke passionately to defend the communities she represents.

'Republicans who continuously weaponize and villainize the people of Milwaukee without accountability need to answer for constantly legislating racism.

'These absurd times in state gov call for real talk.'

Recent crime stats for the city show that crime has dropped 14 percent overall compared to the same time last year.

Despite this, there have been small increases in the number of rapes this year, up 3 percent on last, as well as the number of robberies, which have climbed 1 percent.

The largest increase in crime has been seen across human trafficking, which has soared 29 percent this year.

Managing editor at the Wisconsin Law Journal Steve Schuster believes that Johnson is not fit for office after her remarks.

In an editorial comment, Schuster wrote: 'State Sen. LaTonya Johnson is not fit for office and Wisconsin deserves someone who loves Wisconsin  all of Wisconsin  rural, urban and suburban.

Recent crime stats for city show that crime has dropped 14 percent overall compared to the same time last year, while other aspects have climbed

Wisconsin senate speaker Robin Vos tweeted the Johnson should apologize for her remarks

Fellow Democrat Francesca Hong backed her comments and said that it was time for 'real talk'

Wisconsin Sen. LaTonya Johnson and other Democratic state lawmakers call on Republicans who control the Legislature to permanently fund child care support grants on June 15 in Madison, Wisconsin

'Last night the Associated Press tweeted Sen. Johnson said, F-ck the suburbs because they dont know a goddam thing about life is in the city.

'What if a suburban senator said, F-ck the city. How would that play in Milwaukee?

'Dialogues like this is not only counter-productive to the values of the senators constituents, but also is far out of alignment with the value of all Wisconsinites.

'Hate for the suburbs or anyone or any place in Wisconsin has no home here. Resign Sen. LaTonya Johnson, Wisconsin doesnt have the time for your hate and lack of civility.'

He also wrote that the suburbs in Milwaukee are on the front line of crime in the city due to crime spilling over into neighborhoods.

It follows a similar type of comment made by Hillary Clinton in the run up to the 2016 Presidential Election.

She described Trumps supporters as a 'basket of deplorables' before later backtracking on her comments.
A heartbroken mother has revealed her horror after her 15-year-old son tripped and fell through a glass door in his hotel room in Turkey in a holiday accident.

Steph Burke, 34, flew out to Antalya in Turkey after hearing the news about Liam Staniforth-Burke's accident on Tuesday.

She was upset to see him lying in a hospital bed as doctors feared he was not going to live and he is now at risk of life-changing injuries, including disability.

Speaking to the Mirror, Steph, who flew out on Wednesday morning, said: 'It has made his mouth drooping and unless that is sorted and quickly with this surgery, it could be devastating.

'His mouth on the right-hand side isn't moving.

Liam Staniforth-Burke sustained cuts to his neck, stomach, hip and hands. His mother was upset to see him lying in a hospital bed

'I nearly broke down when I saw him there.'

Liam, from Hattersley in Tameside, sustained cuts to his neck, stomach, hip and hands. Steph also noted that her son would be left with a 'big scar'.

He remains in the hospital in Antalya where he has already had one operation.

However, he did not have travel insurance and now his family has launched a fundraising drive to pay for his medical bills, including a second op, so they can fly him home.

Liam, a pupil at Alder Community High School in Gee Cross, flew to Turkey with family friends on Sunday night but suffered terrible injuries when he fell through a glass door to the balcony of his room at Belpoint Beach Hotel and Spa in Antalya.

He was rushed to Akdenis university hospital for emergency treatment.

Mother-of-one Steph told the M.E.N: 'He's gone into the hotel room and tried to open the door and fell through the glass. He stood up but he was in total shock... He was taken to reception and then straight to hospital.

'He lost a lot of blood. He's got a big cut from his ear to his shoulder. They did an operation on him up the wound with stitches. But they've done tests on him since and his mouth on the right-hand-side isn't moving and he needs another operation before they even start that.'

She said they need another 4,000 on top of the 1,600 the hospital has already charged.

Steph added: 'He's OK at the moment but he can't talk and he's not allowed to eat. He's not fully right at all.'

She admitted that the family friends who had taken Liam on holiday, who have known him since he was a baby, were 'devastated'.

She also had a message for people who take holidays abroad.

Steph said: 'Make sure they take that travel insurance out.'

By Thursday evening the family's GoFundMe page had already raised just over its 7,000 goal.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn't bite on Thursday when asked if President Joe Biden was feeling 'tired' or 'under the weather,' prompting him to get a CPAP machine to treat his sleep apnea.

The president was spotted Wednesday on the South Lawn with indentations on his face, which the White House later confirmed to DailyMail.com and other outlets were created by the mask worn with the machine.

Jean-Pierre also didn't have a response then a reporter asked why the president was boarding Air Force One using a shorter set of stairs - which he has done with more frequency since falling over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy's graduation ceremony earlier this month.

Instead, Jean-Pierre pointed to Biden's physical that the White House released in February, which she called 'more comprehensive and extensive' than anything previous administrations produced.

The reporter pointed out that the decision for Biden to start using a CPAP machine and the fresh stumbles have happened in recent weeks, not months.

'But it is this year,' she answered. 'And it has been extensive. It has been comprehensive. More than any other president, that remains to be the fact. And we've been pretty transparent about that.'

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked Thursday about President Joe Biden, 80, using a CPAP machine and wouldn't bite when asked if the president was feeling 'tired.' The White House revealed the CPAC's use after Biden was seen with indentations on his face Wednesday

Jean-Pierre was asked if President Joe Biden was taking the shorter stairs (left) to disembark Air Force One with more frequency than the taller stairs (right) due to several falls, including over a sandbag earlier this month, and up the presidential aircraft's stairs

Jean-Pierre boasted that the White House 'responded very quickly' when reporters started asking questions Wednesday about why there were indents on the president's face.

They were visible in photographs taken as he was engaging in a Q&A session on the South Lawn before his trip to Chicago.

But she couldn't give details on why - if any - Biden's doctor decided to treat his sleep apnea now, as sleep apnea has been part of the president's public medical record since 2008, when he was running for vice president.

'One of the things that I can say is that I think the thing that's important is it's for better sleep, right? I think that's one of the reasons that it was, it was kind of added,' she said on board Air Force One Thursday.

A reporter then asked if Biden was feeling tired or run down.

'I'm not going to get into how the president is feeling,' she said.

'What I can say is one of the important things is getting better sleep,' she continued.

She added that it was 'something that was done within the last couple of weeks.'

'Don't have a specific date on that,' she said. 'But it allows, which is, I think is, really important for the president is to - you know - make sure he's getting as much sleep as he can.'

Jean-Pierre was quizzed about Biden's health after he started using a CPAP machine and took several stumbles in recent months

The journalist then pointed to Biden's spill in Colorado, which followed the handful of times the president has tripped up Air Force One's stairs.

Also, last June, Biden fell over on his bike during a trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The reporter asked Jean-Pierre if these falls prompted him to start using the shorter steps to board the presidential aircraft - as he had earlier Thursday, en route to New York.

'I don't have any decision process to walk through,' Jean-Pierre answered. 'I'm sure there's a protocol that's used for Air Force One, I just don't have one.'

Previous presidents used the shorter stairs to board or disembark Air Force One when there was rough weather.

'I mean, you guys see the president every day, when it speaks to mobility, the president always says watch him,' Jean-Pierre also said. 'This is a president, let's not forget, he went to a warzone country in Ukraine and did that in a way that was incredibly effective. The world got to see him out there and meet with President Zelensky and I think that's incredibly important.'

Biden secretly traveled to Ukraine in February and took a 10-hour train ride in and out of Kyiv.

He then made his planned stop in Warsaw, Poland.

Biden tripped up Air Force One's steps as he left for the United States.

Pressed again, Jean-Pierre was asked if any of these behavioral changes represented a medical change with the president - who at 80, is the country's oldest.

'So look, if you look at what we have put forward as far as his medical, the president's medical report, it is more comprehensive and extensive than any other president,' she said.
Travelers endure another day of airport agony. One airline has by far the most cancellations

Air travelers are dealing with another day of widespread flight disruptions, even though the weather has been better along much of the East Coast
Independence Day is supposed to mark the birth of a nation in 1776, celebrated with fireworks, parades, family reunions, and barbecues.

But America's birthday has in recent years become a carnival of death.

The nation has witnessed five mass shootings each July 4th over the past decade  more than on any other day of the year.

Over that period, there have been more than 50 shootings in which four or more people were injured by gunfire on July 4.

That's according to the Gun Violence Archive, a data project led by James Alan Fox of Boston's Northeastern University.

A police officer reacts to items left behind after a mass shooting in downtown Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago, at a Highland Park Fourth of July parade in 2022

Ever more Americans, including Democrats and Republicans, view gun violence as a significant problem

In last year's most devastating tragedy, a gunman opened fire on revelers at a parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven people and wounding nearly 50 others.

After a day-long search for the suspect, police arrested Robert Crimo III.

The 21-year-old has since pleaded not guilty to 117 felony counts for the attack.

Locals plan to hold a remembrance ceremony and walk the parade route on Tuesday.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering says the anniversary was a chance to heal and get guns out of neighborhoods.

'In this country, we have normalized this violence,' Rotering said this week.

'So, that's horrible for that community, and then people move on. But, for that community, it continues.'

James Alan Fox of Boston's Northeastern University

The carnage extended far beyond Highland Park, a quiet community on the shores of Lake Michigan.

There were more than a dozen mass shootings in the US over the Fourth of July weekend last year.

Other shootings marred festivities in New York City, Minneapolis, Kenosha, Sacramento, Boston, Kansas City and Richmond.

The spike in shootings around Independence Day may be related to the summer heat, alcohol and drugs, and more people being off work.

This year, the holiday comes as America grapples with high levels of gun violence, which surged during the coronavirus pandemic.

A new poll this week from Pew Research Center showed that ever more Americans, including Democrats and Republicans, view gun violence as a significant problem.

Most of them expect it to get worse over the next five years, researchers said.

This past year, the number of Democrats and Republicans who said gun violence is a 'very big' problem has risen by 11 percent.

There have been more than 550 mass killing incidents since 2006, according to the database, in which at least 2,900 people have died and at least 2,000 people have been injured.

Shootings in recent weeks occurred in cities and rural areas alike, following a surge in homicides and other violence over the past several years that accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic.

'There's no question there's been a spike in violence,' Daniel Nagin, a professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University, told AP

'Some of these cases seem to be just disputes, often among adolescents, and those disputes are played out with firearms, not with fists.'

Researchers disagree over the cause in the uptick in trigger-happy behavior.

A police officer runs across a street after gunfire erupted at a Fourth of July parade route in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois

A Fox News Poll in April showed that 61 per cent of American voters support banning assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons

Theories include the possibility that violence is driven by the prevalence of guns in America, or by less aggressive police tactics or a decline in prosecutions for misdemeanor weapon offenses, Nagin said.

Others point to mental health issues, more permissive gun laws, or a general growing aggressiveness in society.

In 2021, for the second straight year, gun deaths reached the highest number on record, with nearly 49,000 fatalities, says the US federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Andrew Morral, director of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research at the RAND Corporation

Gun violence was the top cause of death for children and teenagers, and accounted for more than half of all deaths of black teens.

The overall number of firearm deaths may be ebbing after the pandemic, but there are still far too many shootings on school grounds and rising levels of armed robberies, carjackings and some other crimes.

Andrew Morral, director of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research at the RAND Corporation, a think tank, said gun homicide rates started rising in 2015.

'As a result, the US is experiencing firearm homicide rates we haven't seen since the early 1990s during the crack cocaine epidemic,' he told USA Today.

'At the same time, firearm suicides have been increasing for the last 15 years, and are now at a level higher than we have seen in more than 50 years.'

A Fox News Poll in April indicated that 61 percent of US voters support banning assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons.
Comes as borrowers prepare to resume repayments on September 1, 2023 after more than three years of deferment due to the COVID-19 pandemic

As student loan borrowers wait with bated breath for the Supreme Court ruling that will decide if they receive widespread relief, Joe Biden is concocting a plan to ease back into payments in the fall.

When the president signed the debt ceiling law earlier this month, it was established that Americans with outstanding federal student loans would need to restart repayment at the end of August.

But administration officials, according to multiple reports, have devised a plan to give borrowers a three-month grace period where missed payments will not result in delinquency.

Interest accrual will, however, resume on September 1, 2023  regardless of whether borrowers resume their payments at that time or not.

President Joe Biden's Education Department is preparing for a three-month 'safety net period' to ease student loan borrowers back into repayment after three years of pause

The transition period  which is known internally as the 'safety net period'  is meant to help give a buffer to borrowers who have not had to pay their student loans for more than three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is preparing to hand down in coming days a decision on whether millions of student loan borrowers can prepare to receive relief in amounts of up to either $10,000 or $20,000.

Biden instructed the Education Department to create a new rule allowing relief based on the HEROs Act, which was created to ensure loan relief after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

But legal challenges claim that the administration violated standard rule-making protocol by not allowing a public comment period for the relief. They also argue that the executive cannot bypass Congress in agency appropriations.

Student loans were originally paused by former President Donald Trump at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020  and interest also stopped accruing during deferment.

This was extended several times in multiple-month increments by both Trump and Biden. That is, until Congress stepped in and wrote into the debt limit increase bill a resumption of payment starting at the end of August.

Meanwhile, borrowers are awaiting a Supreme Court decision in coming days that will determine whether the way Biden went about his plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower is constitutional

Deliberations over how to restart repayments after such a long period of deferment has resulted in the administration taking steps in an attempt to prevent borrowers from getting dinged on credit reports due to failure to begin repayment on time.

The plan ensures delinquent borrowers will not suffer consequences of default until 2025 at the earliest  well after the 2024 presidential election.

In coming weeks, the Education Department also plans to unveil the final version of Biden's repayment program, which will prompt income-driven repayment for borrowers to cut monthly costs once payments do resume.
Families living in a foul-smelling tower block in Birmingham say they have been left gagging for breath by the stench of leaking sewage.

The city council has since apologised for conditions in Pleck House tower in the Druids Heath area of the city and promised to act quickly after residents condemned the slow response.

'It smells of sewage and death,' said community forum member Olly Armstrong.

Sewage water has been leaking and pooling across the ground floor entrance area, with the smell rising all the way through to the 12th floor, he added.

The smell was so bad, Mr Armstrong said he thought he was going to vomit.

Residents in Pleck House tower block in Druids Heath, Birmingham, say they have been left in 'sickening' conditions for days

'It smells of sewage and death,' said community forum member Olly Armstrong

Tenants say they have been forced to live with the vile smell for nearly three weeks, with temporary fixes failing to address the issue.

Some 49 of the flats are occupied, many by young families.

Mr Armstrong added: 'We spoke to tenants who said it had been reported a number of times. The smell reaches all the way up to the 12th floor. I wish I could record the smell because you would be horrified.

'People are placed here to live and this should be a safe secure place. The council's responsibility is to its tenants and their health and care should be paramount. This should not be happening.'

Dave Stamp, also from the forum, said members had been visiting the block to check in with local residents about their housing conditions and came across the sewage 'flood'. 'The smell is unbearable. Tenants say it's been like this for over two weeks.'

In a video shot inside the tower block, he said: 'I walked through the door and instantly was hit by this gag-inducing smell that smells very much like sewage.' He said more water can be heard leaking in, with flies all over the place.

A blocked sewage pipe and a problem inside a flat had conspired to cause the problem, said the council.

The condition of Pleck House in Birmingham has been roundly criticised by residents

Tenants say the tower block is plagued with damp and the smell of overflowing sewage has been 'sickening'

Residents in Druids Heath are caught up in regeneration plans which will eventually see some of the tower blocks demolished and new homes put up.

Other issues have been highlighted inside the block, including damp and communal areas in poor repair.

Rebecca Winson, from the New Economics Foundation, said residents in Druids Heath are caught up in regeneration plans which will eventually see some of the tower blocks demolished and new homes put up.

In the meantime, there was concern about the state of some of the blocks, she said.

Ms Winson described the current situation as 'sickening', adding: 'It takes quite a lot to shock me but a fortnight of raw sewage, in a building full of young families, being simply shrugged off by a council is one of the worst things I've ever seen.'

In a statement, Birmingham City Council said: 'We are extremely sorry that the residents at Pleck Tower have been subjected to this leak and associated smell.

'The cause is a blockage further along the main drain which we have raised and been working to clear in conjunction with Severn Trent Water.

'We raised the blockage with them on a number of occasions and it was cleared but kept coming back. During our most recent visit a break on the stack in a flat, where a blockage had previously been cleared, was discovered.

'We have carried out a temporary repair and are carrying out a permanent fix as a follow up.' The work was being done this week, they added.
The Burisma head at the center of an alleged bribery scheme with Joe and Hunter Biden insisted 'no one' at his company had any contact with Joe when he was vice president, according to a transcript released by top Oversight Democrat Jamie Raskin.

The transcripts came from a 2019 interview with Mykola Zlochevsky, the head of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company where Hunter Biden was paid $50,000 a month to sit on the board.

In the interview, Zlochevsky told an associate of Rudy Giuliani: 'No one from Burisma ever had any contacts with VP Biden or people working for him during Hunter Biden's engagement.'

Zlochevksy is the founder of Burisma. He also served as Ukraine's energy minister. He has since fled the country and is wanted on corruption charges.

The Burisma head at the center of an alleged bribery scheme with Joe and Hunter Biden insisted 'no one' at his company had any contact with Joe when he was vice president, according to a transcript released by top Oversight Democrat Jamie Raskin

Republicans claim there is evidence that a Burisma executive, believed to be Zlochevsky, paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each during the Obama-Biden administration in exchange for Joe putting pressure on the Ukrainian government to fire prosecutorVictor Shokin who was allegedly investigating Burisma.

President Biden has long insisted he pushed the Ukrainian government to fire Shokin due to corruption. In 2018 he boasted that he had threatened to hold up foreign aid if they did not do so.

'I looked at them and said: 'I'm leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you're not getting the money.' Well, son of a bitch. He got fired,' Joe Biden said at the time.

The transcripts came from a 2019 interview with Mykola Zlochevsky, the head of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company where Hunter Biden was paid $50,000 a month to sit on the board.

Republicans have demanded the FBI make public an FD-1023 document where a paid informant details the scheme between Zlochevsky and the Bidens, where the money was paid through a series of 20 shell companies to conceal its source.

Raskin is hitting back with contradicting proof of his own - a three-page transcript of a July 7, 2019 conversation that was uncovered as part of the 2019 impeachment inquiry into former President Donald Trump.

Raskin said the Oversight Committee received the transcripts by Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, who had recorded conversations with Zlochevsky.

In it Zlochevksy is also asked if he was aware of Hunter's meeting with State Department officials, including now-Sec. Antony Blinken, in May and December of 2015.

'We never approved or asked him to conduct those meetings on behalf of Burisma,' said Zlochevsky.

Asked about Shokin's firing, the former Burisma head said he had learned of the ouster from 'newspapers and the internet.'

'We never had contacts with VP Biden during his visits to Ukraine.'

Zlochevsky denied that then-VP Biden or his staff gave Burisma any 'assistance.' He said that Burisma put Hunter and business partner Devon Archer on the board because they 'both had great resumes' and wanted 'figures with great relationships in the United States and Europe.'

But a 2015 email from the Hunter Biden laptop showed a Burisma executive named Vadym Pozharskyi thanking Hunter for having had the chance to meet his father at a charity dinner.

Raskin has insisted that FBI officials have already investigated information found in the FD-1023 as part of the corruption allegations made by Rudy Giuliani and didn't find anything worth pursing an investigation over.

The FBI has not confirmed that publicly, and Raskin is throwing out what the committee has on hand to poke holes in the accounts of his Republican counterparts.

'Despite being interviewed as part of a campaign by Mr. Giuliani and his proxies in 2019 and 2020 to procure damaging information about the Biden family, Mr. Zlochevsky explicitly and unequivocally denied those allegations,' Raskin said in a letter to House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday.

'Mr. Zlochevsky's statements are just one of the many that have debunked the corruption allegations against President Biden that were first leveled by Rudy Giuliani and have been reviewed by former President Trump's own Justice Department,' Raskin said.

In a statement, Comer said that Raskin's transcript does not dispute what the FD-1023 said and pushed back on his assertions the claims in the document were part of the claims made by Giuliani.

'If Ranking Member Raskin thinks there is nothing to the FD-1023 form, then he should join us in calling on the FBI to make it public. Ranking Member Raskin, however, is again intentionally lying about the FBI's Biden bribery record. This record is not part of the material Rudy Giuliani provided the FBI.'

Comer claimed that in the FD-1023, which he has seen, a 'Burisma executive claims then-Vice President Biden solicited and received a $5 million bribe in exchange for certain actions. The executive also claims he didnt pay the big guy directly but used so many bank accounts that it would take ten years to unravel.'
The Defence Secretary has suggested that Ukraine could 'skip' some Nato membership checks to help fast-track the war-torn nation's accession to the defensive alliance.

Ben Wallace said Sweden and Finland's quick route to joining 'opened a very fair question' about whether Kyiv should be given the same treatment as it looks to beat back Russia's invading forces.

But the Cabinet minister conceded that 'other members have a different view' and that, with consensus required around new members, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to see a seat created for him around the Nato table at its summit in Vilnius next month.

The comments build on similar sentiments expressed by the Foreign Secretary last week at London's Ukraine Recovery Conference, with James Cleverly arguing that Ukraine was already delivering on the action plan asked of it by Nato.

Senior Conservative MP Wallace was speaking alongside Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand at Canada House in central London after the pair engaged in bilateral meetings ahead of Canada Day on July 1.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace during a press conference at Canada House in London on Thursday

A local man walks in front of a building damaged in a Russian bombardment in Kherson, Ukraine, on June 29, 2023

The former Scots Guard, asked at a press briefing whether the Lithuania gathering would see efforts to progress Ukraine's accession, said Britain had supported Ukraine's membership since the Bucharest summit in 2008, where the process was started with helping Kyiv to build its Nato capabilities.

'I think it went from an associate member and the next discussion was a membership action plan,' said Wallace.

'Obviously, Sweden and Finland didn't have any of that and I think that opened a very fair question about should we just skip that at Vilnius and say, subject to other conditions, Ukraine should be able to come in and join.

'After all, they are going to have some of the most experienced land forces in Europe and probably be one of the most heavily-armed countries in Europe.'

He added: 'I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan, but of course we have to put some realism in this space, that there are 31 members of Nato now and we have to all move together.

READ MORE: Ben Wallace arrives in Kyiv for talks with Ukraine counterpart as Ministry of Defence says more than 1,000 Russian troops have gone AWOL already this year with Vladimir Putin struggling to enforce discipline Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov shake hands in Kyiv on June 24 Advertisement

'And, yes, the direction of travel should be towards Nato membership.

'But I can't promise that at the Vilnius summit you're going to resolve those 31.

'I think what we could be able to do is remove more barriers for Ukraine so that when this is over Ukraine moves towards more security guarantees and more support.'

Canada's Anand suggested Ukraine still had hurdles to overcome before it could be welcomed into the alliance, saying that 'when the conditions are right, we will support Ukraine's accession to Nato'.

Sweden and neighbouring Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and quickly signalled their intention to join Nato.

There had been hopes that Sweden's application might have been ratified in Vilnius, but Hungary's parliament's decision to postpone its ratification looks to have delayed Stockholm's accession.

Wallace also delivered a withering putdown of Russia's military leadership during the press conference, comparing Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov to 'Laurel and Hardy' for their 'failure' on the battlefield.

Wallace was also asked about unconfirmed reports that the fate of several top Russian generals is unclear, having not been seen since the aborted internal revolt led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, over the weekend.

Speculation has focused on General Sergei Surovikin, who has links to Prigozhin and has not been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to the march on Moscow.

The Defence Secretary said he did not know 'what has happened to any of these people'.

He remarked Prigozhin had 'gone off to Belarus for a summer holiday' and Wagner had been 'dissipated'.

'What I would say is, from the UK point of view, if General Gerasimov and Minister Shoigu are still in charge, the huge amounts of failure they have delivered on the battlefield will no doubt continue,' he said.

'If it means Laurel and Hardy are still running the Russian armed forces and the campaign, then that is to the benefit of the Ukrainians.'

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left, and European Council President Charles Michel speak with the media as they arrive for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, on June 29, 2023

Meanwhile, NATO countries have agreed to extend the mandate of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and will make a formal announcement next week, diplomats said on Thursday.

Former Norwegian premier Stoltenberg - at the helm of the Western military alliance since 2014 - already had his tenure prolonged a year, to October, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Multiple diplomats at NATO confirmed that its 31 member states had reached consensus to prolong the tenure of Stoltenberg, 64, for another year after struggling to find a suitable replacement by a summit in Lithuania in two weeks.

Others seen as potential candidates, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Wallace, have recently dropped out of contention.

US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith did not confirm any agreement.

But she told journalists an announcement on the Secretary General's position would likely be made 'in the days ahead'.

'A possible extension of Jens Stoltenberg is an option that allies are looking at,' Smith said.
An accused Utah rapist who allegedly faked his death before fleeing to Scotland six years ago has told a judge he is not well enough to raise his arms above his head - despite being photographed doing so just a day earlier.

Bound in a wheelchair, Nicholas Alahverdian - aka Nicholas Rossi, 35 - made the argument Thursday whilst giving evidence at Edinburgh's Sheriff Court, where he is facing extradition.

A day prior, the American - who claims he is unable to walk following a nine-month incarceration - was seen filmed being rolled out of the same court with his hand triumphantly raised.

Considered a fugitive, Alahverdian could soon be extradited to the US to face a number of sex assault charges, including the rape of a 21-year-old woman in Utah in 2008. Nine years after the alleged attack, prosecutors say he faked his death - before fleeing to the UK.

The development comes weeks after Alahverdian was interviewed by US network program Dateline - during which he appeared to suffer an apparent medical episode while trying to prove he could stand up.

Nicholas Alahverdian, an accused Utah rapist who allegedly faked his death before fleeing to Scotland six years ago has told a judge he is not well enough to raise his arms above his head

A day prior, the incarcerated American - who claims he is unable to walk following a nine-month incarceration and is now facing extradition back to the US - was seen filmed being rolled out of the same court with his hand raised

'I am not Nicholas Alahverdian. I do not know how to make this clearer,' he told NBC in a bizarre Transatlantic accent, maintaining he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Wright.

Many would later deem the incident dubious, citing the suspect's over-the-top antics and the fact he remains in a Scottish jail amid the ongoing proceedings.

During the interview, a bespectacled Alahverdian donned an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, and flailed his arms as he stood alongside his wife for less than a second before falling back into his seat.

During his appearance in court Wednesday, Alahverdian - who went by the alias Nicholas Rossi at the time of his 2021 arrest - donned a much different getup, one that appeared to be that of an orthodox Jewish person with a yarmulke.

During the day's proceedings, Alahverdian - who was arrested at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow while receiving care for Covid-19 - raised his hand on two occasions to attract the attention of his defense agent Mungo Bovey KC.

Alahverdian also refuted claims by HMP Edinburgh GP Barbara Mundweil about his use of an electric wheelchair, after the doctor said there was no medical reason for Rossi to use one.

She further argued that while he uses an electric wheelchair in court, he uses a manual version in prison.

To that, Alahverdian - after the court confirmed his identity last year - said: 'The entire population of HMP Edinburgh would testify that fellow prisoners push those in wheelchairs.

'They are called pushers and they are paid 2.50 per week.'

The development comes weeks after Alahverdian was interviewed by US network Dateline - during which he appeared to suffer an apparent medical episode while trying to prove he could stand up.

During the interview, a bespectacled Alahverdian donned an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, and flailed his arms as he stood alongside his wife before falling back into his seat

Many would later slam the stunt as dubious, citing the suspect's over-the-top antics and the fact he remains in a Scottish jail amid the ongoing proceedings

Advocate depute Alan Cameron remained unconvinced, telling jurists that Alahverdian's word means little, and that given the background of his extradition, the suspected con artist will say anything to avoid it.

Alahverdian replied: 'I have considered going to the United States to simply prove I am not Nicholas Rossi.'

Alahverdian also claimed he has been 'neglected and mistreated' during his nine months in an Edinburgh lockup, to the extent that he has suffered both 'physically and psychologically'.

During cross-examination, Alahverdian was unable to answer a question about his parents' names.

He claimed documents relating to his birth parents are in the custody of an 'individual' in Ireland.

He added: 'Prior to that law (birth tracing Act) being enacted, it was illegal for an adopted adult to ascertain those records (in Ireland).'

He further told Cameron he would submit the documents when they are in his possession.

Alahverdian went on to repeat a series of claims about his arrest, saying he is the victim of a conspiracy by the Crown Office.

Rossi is represented in court by Mungo Bovey KC, seen here outside court this week

He also made serious allegations about Utah state prosecutor David Leavitt, the American prosecutor spearheading his prospective extradition, of 'ritualized child sex abuse.'

The following day, the court heard from two Utah lawyers who speculated on the kind of sentence Rossi might receive if he is successfully extradited.

Joshua Baron, a criminal defense attorney based in Salt Lake City, said Rossi could be sentenced for five years to life in prison if he is convicted of obstructing justice, after fleeing overseas from the FBI and Utah police whilst being investigated for credit card fraud.

Alahverdian, meanwhile, does not consent to his extradition - and continues he is Arthur Knight.

He also concedes he is not paralyzed, but maintains his leg muscles have been so badly atrophied he is unable to walk or support himself.

During the interview with Dateline - one of several TV spots Alahverdian has engaged in - the Rhode Islander seemed determined to continue with the deception, and grew so irate he was unable to see out of his small, round-framed glasses.

Appearing beside his British wife, Miranda Knight, and told the program: 'We were once a normal family, but thanks to the media our lives have been interrupted.'

Speaking in what sounded like an English accent, he continued: 'And we'd like privacy and I would like to go back to being a normal husband, but I can't because I can't breathe, I can't walk.'

In a desperate attempt to then prove he is unable to walk, Rossi tried to stand up before dramatically falling back into his chair as his wife stabilized him.

'Exactly, exactly,' he told the interviewer.

When asked if he is putting on a show, he said: 'That is a low blow, that is a very low blow.'

Rossi was first arrested in October 2021, after checking himself in to a hospital in Glasgow with a serious COVID infection. That is the condition he claims now necessitates his use of an oxygen tank.

Medical staff and police were able to identify him by comparing his tattoos with pictures of Rossi on an Interpol red notice.

Rossi appeared beside his British wife, Miranda Knight, who offered reassurance as he tried to demonstrate that he couldn't walk

Nicholas Rossi leaving the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh on Thursday after an 'altercation' that saw an extradition hearing postponed

The US now seeks to extradite him to face a number of sexual assault charges, amid them an accusation he raped a 21-year-old woman in Utah in 2008. Pictured is his undated mugshot from the sex offenders' registry

A stream of preliminary hearings then took place, which saw Rossi sack at least six lawyers and claim to have been tortured in prison.

The hearings culminated in an extraordinary identification case where he insisted his fingerprints had been meddled with and that he had been tattooed while unconscious in hospital in order to resemble Rossi.

He was then charged with acting aggressively towards a consultant and senior nurse at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Rossi reportedly told US media in December 2019 that he had late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had weeks to live.

An obituary dedicated to him appeared online, and several outlets reported that he had died in February 2020.

After his arrest US authorities issued additional extradition requests - one related to another allegation of rape and another to an allegation of sexual assault.

Advocate depute Paul Harvey said at the time: 'As a result of the extradition process I'm told that two other women in Utah have come forward with allegations of sexual offences.

'On Friday, October 28 the US Embassy in London issued a diplomatic notice for supplementary extradition requests, requesting the extradition of the person.

Rossi arriving at an Edinburgh court in April 2022 in a wheelchair beside his wife Miranda, who is wheeling a tank of oxygen for him

Prosecutors said Rossi is a Rhode Island man wanted after fleeing the US in 2017 to evade charges involving identity theft and fraud, and a 2008 sexual assault charge in Utah

Criminal past of Nicholas Alahverdian Date unknown: Failure to register as a sex offender in Rhode Island. Accused of separate attack which allegedly saw him kidnap and sexually assault a woman Date unknown: Accused of similar abduction and sexual assault attempt in Massachusetts 2008: Convicted of sexual assault in Ohio after an 'encounter' with a fellow student at Sinclair Community College in Dayton. In September 2008, he allegedly raped an ex-girlfriend in Orem, Utah - the allegation that led to his arrest in December 2021. 2017 : Fraud in Ohio. Former foster mom in same state accused Alahverdian of $200,000 scam which saw him allegedly take out fake credit cards and loans in her husband's name February 2020: Fakes his own death of lymphoma, with unnamed 'widow' claiming Alahverdian had been buried at sea. In July, DNA links him to 2008 sex attack in Orem, Utah - the charge which ultimately led to his discovery in Scotland December 2021: Arrested at hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, while intubated with COVID on suspicion of Utah sex attack January 2022: Alahverdian was ordered into custody in Scotland after missing a bail hearing. February 2022: Freed from jail on being granted bail. April 2022: Continues to deny he's Alahverdian at extradition hearing. June 2022: Misses hearing after claiming he's 'bedridden with chronic lung condition'. Refuses to give DNA or fingerprints to police. July 2022: Back in custody for abusing medical staff. Later convicted and fined $500. November 2022: Scottish judge rules 'Knight' is Nicholas Alahverdian/Rossi. Ordered to remain in custody. April 2023: Rossi still in jail. Extradition hearing postponed over claims he attacked jail staffer. Advertisement

'This morning Scottish ministers certified the extradition requests and copies of both extradition requests and the Scottish ministers' certification were served on the requested person by a police constable at the court this morning.'

He said one relates to an allegation of rape in Salt Lake City and another to an allegation of sexual assault elsewhere.

Rossi, who arrived at court for the October 2022 date with his wife Miranda Knight, is already fighting an extradition request by authorities in Utah who allege he raped a 21-year-old in the state.

He was arrested on December 13 last year after being admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow - under the alias Arthur Knight - for urgent Covid treatment.

He was traced following a tip off from Interpol while he was on a ventilator in intensive care.

Rossi told US media in December 2019 that he had late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had weeks to live - before several outlets reported that he had died in February 2020, with a gushing obituary published online about him.

He is also said to have attacked women in the states of Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts.

However, when he was arrested in Scotland, neighbors claimed he had told them he was a British professor who said he was working at the nearby University of Glasgow.

Described as an eccentric, the alleged academic was often seen sporting large hats, dapper bow ties and spoke with a cut-glass English accent.

It was also claimed he enjoyed visiting bars wearing suits, where he would sip on whiskey and go on political rants about Brexit. with one neighbor telling The Times: 'For someone who was on the run, he really liked to draw attention to himself.'

Alahverdian furiously denies he is the American wanted by the FBI and insists he has been mistakenly identified by the authorities.

Police and hospital staff initially identified the man as being Rossi from tattoos on his body. Photographs obtained by officers showed that he had tattoos on his arms.

Prosecutors said in 2020 that an anonymous email was sent to Rhode Island Media indicating he had died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that he had been cremated and buried at sea.

The court heard that since the alleged sexual offender's arrest received media attention, Police Scotland had received 'a complaint of a domestic nature to police in Essex in 2017' in relation to Rossi.

Rossi claimed he was a British professor who said he was working at the nearby University of Glasgow. He is pictured in Edinburgh in July, 2022, wearing pajamas and velvet shoes

Alahverdian, 34, was arrested on an Interpol notice at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on December 13 after nearly dying of Covid-19

A US man alleged to be a fugitive on the run from the FBI was found after years spent hiding in Scotland by police matching his tattoos, prosecutors have said. The man, who goes by at least ten other aliases, including Nicholas Alahverdian (pictured), appeared at a hearing in Edinburgh on Friday in a wheelchair wearing an oxygen mask, pyjamas and a dressing gown

Several media outlets reported in 2020 that Alahverdian had died on February 29 2020. They cited the website EverLoved.com, which said his body was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.

An online obituary dedicated to him read: 'Nicholas Alahverdian's battle for life ended on February 29 2020.

'The children and families in the care of the Rhode Island Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) for whom he inspired and led through turbulent government transgressions have lost a warrior that fought on the front lines for two decades.'

He is accused of raping an ex-girlfriend in September 2008, with police investigating him after discovering he'd been reported to the police over similar alleged attacks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Utah and Ohio.

Rossi was convicted of sexual assault following an 'encounter' with another student at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

He is suspected of carrying out multiple other sex attacks, and was also accused of a $200,000 fraud after taking out credit cards and loans in his foster mother's husband's name in Ohio, it is alleged.

Rossi divorced his second wife in 2017 after less than two years of marriage, and is also said to owe her $52,000. Both of his former spouses took out restraining orders against him after their marriage ended.

More details of his bizarre behavior was detailed by the Providence Journal, which obtained a series of Pawtucket police reports from more than a decade ago.

One accuser told police in July 2010 that Rossi lured her to his apartment under the guise that she'd be visiting his art studio. Instead, she told cops, he took away her phone and pressed her for sex.

This map shows the trail of havoc and alleged criminal behavior carried out by Nicholas Alahverdian across the US

When she refused his advances, he told her 'if she left, he would kill himself by stabbing himself in the chest with a knife,' the outlet reported.

He was then was taken to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Police returned to his apartment that November on a tip, and said they encountered an 'extremely upset' woman with injuries to both eyes.

The woman told cops that Rossi snapped after their dinner guests' baby began crying earlier that night, and claimed they later got into an argument which turned violent.

Rossi 'grabbed her and knocked her to the ground and held her down' and 'slapped her on the facial area,' the outlet reported.

Utah County Sheriff's Office in Provo began the hunt for Rossi in 2020 after testing old sexual assault kits.

He was found by a court last year to be Rossi. The hearing before Sheriff Norman McFadyen continues.
A Texan has gone viral on social media after bringing a sign describing himself as a 'recovering bigot' and offering free hugs to people at his first Pride parade.

Justin Nash, 53, sat in his wheelchair with the home-made placard at Colfax Avenue, close to the east entrance of Denver PrideFest, which was attended by 100,000 people on Sunday.

'Recovering bigot,' his sign read. 'I am sorry! Free hugs.'

Nash, who wore a Texas Rangers ball cap and polo with chinos for the event, credited his 22-year-old son, Jaxon Nash, for pushing him to become a more accepting person.

Jaxon told DailyMail.com he felt proud of his dad for the public gesture he made in Denver.

Justin Nash sat in his wheelchair with the home-made placard at Colfax Avenue, close to the east entrance of Denver PrideFest, which was attended by 100,000 people on Sunday

Reams of people stopped to hug Nash, 53, after seeing his sign at the Sunday celebration. The Texan said he was inspired by his 22-year-old son Jaxon to become more accepting after a religious upbringing in the panhandle state

'The story surrounding my father's action has so much more to do with the heart behind both sides than it does a sign with words,' he said.

'It has all to do with the willingness to see the humanity in someone else and value them equally whether they look like you or not.

'Being inclusive doesn't just involve people in the LGBTQ+ community, it ensures that everyone has a seat at the table and a voice that is heard.'

He added that his dad attended the parade alongside his mom, who texted afterwards to say 'how happy my dad was to be part of something so special'.

Videos of the Colorado celebration show how streams of rainbow-clad revelers stopped to take Nash up on his offer of free hugs, and praise for the Pride convert has since poured in online.

One woman who dashed to hug Nash told him: 'We love you, thank you!' while another party-goer placed a multi-colored hibiscus flower necklace over his head.

Nash said he attended the parade on a whim after driving to Denver from their home in Amarillo, Texas, to visit family on the Saturday.

He told the Washington Post he had been on a decades-long quest to unlearn beliefs about the LGBTQ+ community which had calcified during his childhood growing up in a religious family in the Texas panhandle.

'For me to sit in that parade with that sign was 20 years in the making,' Nash said.

Streams of rainbow-clad revelers stopped to take Nash up on his offer of free hugs, and praise for the Pride convert has since poured in online

Rereading the Bible in the early 2000's sparked a reconsideration of his beliefs, because Jesus Christ 'just told me to love,' Nash said

Describing his past beliefs, he added: 'It was like anyone that was different from you was not okay.'

He told the Post that he was taught being gay was wrong, and he cut a friend off in high school because of their sexuality.

In his adulthood, Nash was uncomfortable around friends and colleagues who were gay - but felt uncertain about his views when a lesbian friend asked him: 'Do you think I'm living in sin?'

Rereading the Bible in the early 2000's sparked a reconsideration of his beliefs, because Jesus Christ 'just told me to love,' Nash told the Post.

At age 53, the Denver Pride parade was his first ever experience of an LGBTQ+ event.
A teenager was arrested after he threw Skittles candy at customers and employees inside a Minnesota restaurant during a tantrum.

Tristan Stetina, 19, was booked into the Blue Earth County Jail around 4pm on Friday after suffering from an outburst inside a Mankato restaurant, where he 'began yelling and throwing Skittles at employees and customers,' according to police reports.

One victim told law enforcement she had been hit in the back with a Skittle that caused her 'stinging pain.'

When authorities arrived to the scene, they found the colorful, sugary candy 'all over the ground,' as well as a bag of it in a nearby trashcan, according to Fox News. Stetina was nowhere to be found, but another woman inside the restaurant told police he had face tattoo.

Officers were aware it was Stetina after the description, as he had two prior arrests in recent months, court filings, viewed by The Mirror, said.

Tristan Stetina, 19, was booked into the Blue Earth County Jail around 4pm on Friday after suffering from an outburst inside a Mankato restaurant, where he 'began yelling and throwing Skittles at employees and customers,' before fleeing the restaurant

One victim told law enforcement she had been hit in the back with a Skittle that caused her 'stinging pain.' Stetina, who has had prior run-ins with the law, was arrested at a nearby business and had to be taken to the ground by three officers to get handcuffed. He has been charged and faces over a year in jail

Once Stetina was located by police, he allegedly tried to 'wrap his leg around' an officer and tried to 'break free' while being arrested, causing three officers to actively restrain him and throw him on the ground.

He has since been charged with obstruction of a legal process/interfering with a police officer, fifth-degree assault, and disorderly conduct.

His mugshot depicted a baby-faced teen with a broken heart tattoo under his right eye and a sword tattoo under his left. As well as another tattoo on his left temple.

Stetina was arrested in May for possession of LSD and 27.92 grams of marijuana wax, according to the Mirror. He copped a fifth-degree possession of a schedule 1, 2, 3, and 4 drugs for marijuana charge for the incident.

If convicted of all his charges, he faces 544 days in jail and $5,000 fine, according to KSTP.
The wording of an agreement reached between Hunter Biden and his Arkansas baby mama was published Thursday, and it shows his four-year-old daughter will be given some of his paintings even if she won't get his surname.

The deal ends years of bitter wrangling between Biden, 53, and Lunden Roberts, 32, over support for four-year-old Navy Joan Roberts.

Parts of the deal were redacted before being released by Independence County Circuit Court in Arkansas.

But they show Biden, who took up painting as part of his recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, must hand over some of his finished canvases.

'The child shall select the painting which shall either be sent to the child or sent to a gallery designated by Lunden Roberts,' the order says.

'The net proceeds of any sales of paintings shall be wired to an account designated by Lunden Roberts.'

'Smoking mirror' from Hunter Biden's 'The Masks of God series l 48" x 60" l acrylic on canvas. Under the terms of a child support agreement, Biden will allow his four-year-old daughter Navy to have some of his paintings - but not his famous family name

The deal ends years of bitter legal wrangling between Biden and Lunden Roberts over support for four-year-old Navy Joan Roberts, pictured here with her mother

That could prove to be a very tidy haul with the novice artist's paintings valued at up to $500,000, thanks in part to his famous name ... a name that Navy will not be able to use.

'The plaintiff withdraws her counterclaim for name change of the child,' says clause nine of the order, which was first reported by CNN.

It comes during a tumultuous period for the president's son.

Last week he managed to avoid jail time with a plea deal that ended a years-long federal investigation of his tax affairs and gun ownership.

And on Thursday, he arrived at a Delaware courthouse to be quizzed under oath as part of a defamation case brought by the computer repair shop owner who worked on his now-infamous 'laptop from hell'.

All the while, he has been embroiled in a case involving former flame Roberts.

It began as a paternity dispute in 2019, when Roberts gave birth to a baby girl. Biden denied paternity, but a DNA test confirmed that he was the father, and he agreed to pay $20,000-a-month.

The latest twist came after Biden applied to reduce his monthly payments.

Biden took up painting as part of his recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. But the paintings triggered an ethics controversy amid claims their high prices could lure buyers intent on trying to curry favor with his father

The face-to-face showdown comes after Roberts petitioned a judge to toss Hunter in jail for six months for failing to come clean about his wealth

The clause in the order setting out his monthly obligation was redacted.

The settlement means Hunter, 53, will avoid the scrutiny of a public paternity trial where details of his murky finances were likely to feature heavily.

The agreement emerged soon after it was reported that President Joe Biden's son will plead guilty to federal tax offenses as part of a deal to avoid a full prosecution on a separate gun charge.

Roberts sprang a surprise on her former lover earlier this month. She turned up in person to hear him being deposed for the first time in their paternity battle.

Things were resolved soon after, however.

Roberts is understood to have dropped her demand that daughter Navy change her surname to Biden, a request that had been rejected by Hunter's legal team.

The former flames had settled the case in 2019 but Hunter abruptly asked a court last year to lower the $20,000 per month in child support he pays.

Details emerged soon after it was reported that President Joe Biden's son will plead guilty to federal tax offenses as part of a deal to avoid a full prosecution on a separate gun charge

Roberts is a former DC bottle girl who once worked as Hunter's PA

Roberts refused to budge until the first son handed over a trove of financial docs and sat for a videotaped deposition which was supposed to take place at the Arkansas office of her Donald Trump-supporting attorney, Clinton Lancaster.

The recovering drug addict switched the venue to the Stephens Building, which was teeming with Secret Service agents as his five-vehicle motorcade pulled in via a private parking garage.

Roberts, a former DC bottle girl who once worked as Hunter's PA, drove in unnoticed about five minutes later. She was deposed at the same high-rise office for seven hours on Wednesday, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

The face-to-face showdown comes after Roberts petitioned circuit court judge Holly Meyer to toss Hunter in jail for six months for failing to come clean about his wealth. Meyer is yet to rule on the contempt accusation.

In round one of their four-year suit Hunter claimed he was 'unemployed and had no monthly income' despite living in a $12,000-per-month Hollywood rental and driving a Porsche.

But when ordered to produce his financial records he repeatedly failed to do so before agreeing a 2019 settlement that has seen him pay Roberts more than $750,000 to date.

Despite already facing congressional and federal probes into his financial affairs, Hunter unexpectedly reopened the case last September, claiming he had suffered 'a substantial material change' in his income.

Roberts refused to buckle and raised the stakes by petitioning the court to officially rename her daughter Navy Joan Biden to 'benefit from carrying the Biden Family name.'

Her discovery request covers everything from Hunter's business deals in Ukraine and China to the names of the mystery art lovers who have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for his beginner paintings.

In his own filings, Hunter has opposed Navy Joan becoming a Biden, insisting he wants a 'peaceful existence' for her, free of the political scrutiny associated with his family dynasty.
WERE YOU ONE OF THEIR VICTIMS? Please email tips@dailymail.co.uk

A family of 'cold and calculating' rogue traders, who held pensioners 'ransom', have been jailed after scamming their victims out of almost 400,000.

Madeline Lovell, 41, and Andrew Lovell, 43, had their family home in Cheshire raided by police after scamming elderly residents for a total of 398,490.

Also apprehended was Kevin Brown, 61, from Mold, North Wales. Together the trio of fraudsters had pressured their victims into having work done to their homes before then charging extortionate amounts for their 'shoddy' workmanship.

The gang has started their stint behind bars, with Andrew Lovell jailed for four years and six months, Madeline Lovell for 27 months, and Brown for 18 months.

News of their sentencing comes as police today released dramatic footage of the moment officers in body armour sliced through a door and kicked it in during the operation to arrest the trio of con artists.

WHERE YOU ONE OF THE GANG'S VICTIMS OR KNOW ANYONE WHO WAS? PLEASE EMAIL TIPS@DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Madeline Lovell (left), Kevin Brown (middle) and Andrew Lovell (right) were all sentenced for their part in scamming elderly residents out of hundreds of thousands of their money

Andrew Lovell (left) from Chester pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation and money laundering, he was sentenced to four years six months

Madeline Lovell, (right, entering the van) of the same address pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation and money laundering. She was sentenced to 27 months

Detective Constable Gareth Yates from Cheshire Constabulary's Economic Crime Unit (ECU) was part of the team investigating the gang. He said: 'These elderly residents were in essence held to ransom by these cold and calculating defendants.

'They were made to feel they had no option but to pay, for often shoddy work, at highly inflated prices.

'The Economic Crime Unit was determined to catch the offenders who were preying on members of the community, who were often having to break into their life savings to pay these individuals off.

'They knew they'd been defrauded, but were unable to fight back, they felt powerless, frustrated, and embarrassed.

'They were made to feel unsafe in their own home and left in fear of what would happen if they didn't pay.'

Detectives from Cheshire ECU team began investigating reports of rogue traders operating in the Cheshire and Merseyside areas in 2022.

Detectives tracked the gang down using an array of police tactics including forensic analysis of financial, telecom and ANPR data to link these suspects to the crimes they had committed.

Their investigation found the trio had persuaded their victims that work was required on their home but in most cases none was needed.

The defendants were arrested in raids at their home addresses following an extensive investigation by the ECU and subsequently charged

The trio scammed pensioners for a total of 398,490 by persuading their victims that work was required on their home but in most cases none was needed

Once the victims agreed for the work to take place on their home, it was then completed to an extremely poor standard and the pricing was extortionate

Once the victims agreed for the work to take place on their home, it was then completed to an extremely poor standard and the pricing was extortionate.

An independent chartered surveyor was brought in to detail the losses to each victim in his separate reports. He noted the work was extremely poor and in some case wasn't required.

All three pleaded guilty to their crimes and appeared at Chester Crown Court on June, 27 to be sentenced.

Andrew Lovell admitted nine counts of fraud by false representation and money laundering.

Madeline Lovell pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation and money laundering. While Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation and money laundering.

DC Yates added: 'Our dedicated team will stop at nothing to root out those who commit fraud especially against our most vulnerable members of our society.

'We will continue to disrupt their illegal activities and protect our communities by putting these criminals behind bars.'
Prisoner-students majoring communications, Jamal Lewis, from right, Lambert Pabriaga and Sherman Dorsey walk to their class at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, Calif., Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act, more than 760,000 people in prison will become eligible for Pell Grants once the law is implemented on July 1. Prison education advocates say it's not a matter of if, but when recidivism rates drop and job attainment begins to rise.
The dog led police to more than 12 tons of cocaine during her four years of service

On June 15, she led her handler to a shipment of kernel which had cocaine and poisonous substances in it and died after returning to the police base

A Colombian sniffer dog was honored after she died from ingesting poison that was mixed with a cocaine shipment that was recently seized.

Kenia, a five-year-old Belgian Shepherd, was in the middle of an operation with the Colombian National Police's narcotics agents and led her handler Alejandro Gutierrez to a shipment that contained kernel bags at a port in the Caribbean Sea city of Santa Marta on June 13.

The dog searched through the shipment and detected the presence of drugs and then returned to the police base inside the port where she fell ill and died shortly after.

A second trained dog who also participated in the mission was found sick after coming into contact with the poisoned drugs but survived.

Kenia, a five-year-old Belgian Shepherd died June 13 after she was poisoned while helping police seize a shipment of cocaine at a port in Santa Marta, Colombia. Authorities are still analyzing the substance found in the drugs to determine if it led to her death

Kenia is pictured during the search of a cargo for potential presence of cocaine

The narcotics police department said that investigators are still analyzing the substances to determined which one caused Kenia's death.

Kenia was born at the police academy dog breeding grounds in central province of Cundinamarca on June 5, 2018.

She graduated from the K-9 academy, where she underwent training to detect drugs, and was then assigned to National Police narcotics agency at the port in Santa Marta on May 27, 2019.

Kenia helped authorities confiscate more than 12 tons of cocaine during her time in service.

Kenia was born at the police academy dog breeding grounds in central province of Cundinamarca, Colombia, on June 5, 2018. She was trained to detect drugs and was assigned to the narcotics agency at the National Police's station at a port in the Caribbean Sea town of Santa Marta in May 2019

Kenia led the Colombian National Police to more than 12 tons of cocaine during her four years of service

On Wednesday, the Colombian National Police held a ceremony to honor Kenia, a five-year-old Belgian Shepherd who died earlier this month after she was poisoned while searching through a shipment of kernel that had cocaine hidden inside

'With honors, we said goodbye to 'Kenia' in the Port of Santa Marta, a little dog who gave up her life fighting against drug trafficking during the inspection of a merchandise that was contaminated with cocaine and other highly toxic substances that would have caused her death,' the National Police said.

Kenia's ceremony was held Wednesday, the same day the Colombian military announced it had halted the search for Wilson, a two-year-old Belgian Shepherd who on May 18 fled from the side of a special forces unit she accompanied while looking for the four children who survived a plane crash that killed three adults, including their 34-year-old mother.

The K-9's pawprints were vital in leading soldiers to the June miracle discovery of Lesly Jacombaire Mucutuy, 13, Soleiny Jacombaire Mucutuy, nine, Tien Noriel Ronoque Mucutuy, four, and one-year-old Cristin Neriman Ranoque Mucutuy after they spent 40 days wandering through the Amazon jungle.

Authorities have been on heightened alert since last week when reports surfaced that drug traffickers had issued a death threat against Killer, a nine-year-old Labrador Retriever, who has helped the military seize more than 1.5 million doses of marijuana during her seven years of service.

Since then, the sniffer dog has received protection 24 hours a day and is kept inside a cage under the watch of an armed soldier.
The CEO of a Virginia based energy company has received a $3 million bonus over two years after meeting controversial ESG goals.

Dominion Energy, headquartered in Richmond, is among the list of companies that gave significant sums to their CEO, Robert Blue, partly due to his work on ESG achievements.

ESG is a scoring system that rates corporations based on factors including their environmental, social and governance policies - which critics say are controversial as they allocate money based on agenda rather than a drive to combat climate change.

This March, Dominion Energy released its 2022 proxy statement, which indicated that Blue earned a bonus of approximately $1.6 million, partially due to meeting ESG goals.

The year previous, he was awarded $1.75m, which means the latest figure brings his bonuses to over $3 million in part due to the company achieving ESG goals.

Dominion Energy CEO Robert Blue speaks at a news conference at the Marriott Hotel at Waterfront Place June 3, 2021 in Morgantown, West Virginia

A sign stands at Dominion Energy's coal fired power plant along the James River on April 29, 2015, in Chester, VA

Barron's published a finding that alleged corporations are incentivizing CEOs to help companies to achieve these goals, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.

The publication said: 'Over 60% of S&P 500 companies included ESG measures in executive pay last year, up from 19percent in 2019, according to proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis.

'Utilities and fossil fuel companies  facing some of the steepest risks to revenue as the world moves to cleaner energy  are most likely to include ESG factors in pay, followed by consumer-facing brands and financial institutions.'

'Dominion CEO Robert Blue received nearly $7 million in compensation in 2021, including a $1.75 million bonus partially thanks to meeting ESG goals.'

Last year, Dominion stock price plummeted by roughly 30 percent with a current share price of $51, down 34 percent.

In September 2021, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), an environmental watchdog, claimed to Virginias State Corporation Commission that Dominion overcharged customers by $1.2 billion since 2015.

In a statement, the SELC said: 'Because Dominion is a monopoly, no competition exists to drive its prices down.

'Virginian households average the sixth highest electric bills in the country.'

In the last year, the stock price of the energy company has plummeted 34 percent

This aerial photo shows cooling ponds alongside Dominion Energy's North Anna Power Station along the shores of Lake Anna in Mineral, VA

Will Hild, executive director of Consumers' Research, criticized Blue's ESG bonuses as 'egregious.'

He told Fox News Digital: 'Its egregious that Dominion would award millions in ESG bonuses to CEO Robert Blue when an objective analysis of his performance shows consistent failure.

'But this is ESG in its purest form - ignore failure to customers and prioritize woke virtue signaling that does nothing for them.'

A spokesperson for Dominion Energy also told Fox News Digital: 'At Dominion Energy, we are proud to safely provide reliable and affordable energy to 7 million customers in the states we serve.

'In those states, our rates are set by regulatory commissions," the spokesperson said.

'At our Annual Meeting of Shareholders in May, 91% of our shareholders who voted their proxies approved the compensation for our named executive officers, including Mr. Blue.'
OpenAI, the company behind wildly popular generative artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT, has been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging 'unprecedented theft of private and copyrighted information.'

The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in federal court in California by public interest law firm Clarkson, on behalf of more than a dozen plaintiffs identified only by their initials in the complaint.

The 157-page complaint makes wide-ranging allegations, accusing OpenAI of 'secret and unregistered scraping of internet data' as well as 'intentionally luring thousands if not millions of children to the platform.'

The heart of the complaint centers on claims that OpenAI trained its AI products using 'stolen private information, including personally identifiable information, from hundreds of millions of internet users, including children of all ages, without their informed consent or knowledge.'

San Francisco-based OpenAI, a private company backed by Microsoft, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is seen above. The company has been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging 'unprecedented theft of private and copyrighted information'

Responding to a prompt asking it to craft a statement defending its creators against the allegations, ChatGPT immediately issued a lengthy reply in the format of a press release.

'OpenAI, a global leader in artificial intelligence research and development, categorically denies the recent allegations that it engaged in the unlawful scraping of private and copyrighted information from the internet to train its ChatGPT language model,' wrote ChatGPT.

'OpenAI firmly believes in maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, respecting privacy rights, and upholding intellectual property laws,' the generative AI chatbot added.

While the response from ChatGPT cannot be construed as speaking on behalf of its creators, it does illustrate the technology's power and wide-ranging abilities.

In the class-action complaint, lead attorney for the plaintiffs Ryan J. Clarkson accused OpenAI of scraping 'essentially every piece of data exchanged on the internet it could takewithout notice to the owners or users of such data, much less with anyone's permission.'

The complaint further alleged: 'Defendants deceptively operated the free ChatGPT Platform as if it were only used by adults while intentionally luring thousands if not millions of children to the platform.'

The suit claims OpenAI 'intentionally tracked and collected the personal information of each underage ChatGPT User' despite 'knowing that thousands if not millions of these Users were actually minor children.'

The suit seeks unspecified damages and a court injunction freezing commercial access to, and development of, ChatGPT until certain conditions are met.

Ryan J. Clarkson, founder and manager of public interest law firm Clarkson, filed the suit

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging 'unprecedented theft of private and copyrighted information' (file photo)

Separately, two US authors also sued OpenAI in San Francisco federal court on Wednesday in a proposed class-action suit.

That suit accused the company of misusing their copyrighted books to 'train' ChatGPT.

Massachusetts-based writers Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad said ChatGPT mined data copied from thousands of books without permission, infringing the authors' copyrights.

Matthew Butterick, an attorney for the authors, declined to comment.

Several other legal challenges have been filed over material used to train cutting-edge AI systems.

Plaintiffs include source-code owners against OpenAI and Microsoft's GitHub, and visual artists against Stability AI, Midjourney and DeviantArt.

The lawsuit targets have previously argued that their systems make fair use of copyrighted work.

ChatGPT responds to users' text prompts in a conversational way. It became the fastest-growing consumer application in history earlier this year, reaching 100 million active users in January only two months after it was launched.

Massachusetts-based writers Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad said ChatGPT mined data copied from thousands of books without permission, infringing the authors' copyrights

ChatGPT and other generative AI systems create content using large amounts of data scraped from the internet. Tremblay and Awad's lawsuit said books are a 'key ingredient' because they offer the 'best examples of high-quality longform writing.'

The complaint estimated that OpenAI's training data incorporated over 300,000 books, including from illegal 'shadow libraries' that offer copyrighted books without permission.

Awad is known for novels including '13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl' and 'Bunny.' Tremblay's novels include 'The Cabin at the End of the World,' which was adapted in the M. Night Shyamalan film 'Knock at the Cabin' released in February.

Tremblay and Awad said ChatGPT could generate 'very accurate' summaries of their books, indicating that they appeared in its database.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of money damages on behalf of a nationwide class of copyright owners whose works OpenAI allegedly misused.
She claimed Eduardo and Sadie Martinez had tried to kidnap her two young children at a Michael's craft store in Petaluma on December 7, 2020

A 'momfluencer' in California who went viral after alleging that a Latino couple tried to snatch her children has been sentenced to three months in jail for making a false report of a crime.

Katie Sorensen, 31, fabricated the story about her children being kidnapped and was placed in handcuffs after being sentenced in a Sonoma County courtroom on Thursday.

She claimed Eduardo and Sadie Martinez had tried to kidnap her two young children at a Michael's craft store in Petaluma on December 7, 2020.

Mom-of-three Sorensen made a false police report a few minutes after leaving the carpark and later posted two Instagram videos in which she detailed how she avoided the 'kidnapping' attempt.

She will now be jailed for three months - two of which can be served in a work release program.

Wannabe momfluencer Katie Sorensen, 31, has been found guilty of making a fake kidnapping claim. She will now be jailed for three months - two of which can be served in a work release program

Sorensen, pictured with one of her sons, claimed that Eduardo and Sadie Martinez had tried to kidnap her two young children at a Michael's craft store in Petaluma on December 7, 2020

Mrs Martinez (pictured left with her husband) said she was satisfied with the verdict and believed 'justice was served'

Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez previously said the jury's guilty verdict will help exonerate the couple she falsely accused.

Mrs Martinez said she was satisfied with the verdict and believed 'justice was served'.

And today, Mrs Martinez said that a 'heartfelt apology' could have prevented it reaching this point, adding 'this didn't have to be like this,' reports The Press Democrat.

Her defense attorney, Charles Dresow, said today: 'The judge obviously balanced the factors that she saw very carefully and ultimately, in our system, the judge is the determiner of what a conviction is worth punishment-wise.'

Sorensen drove to the police station to report the couple's actions and press charges before uploading two viral videos, which gained her more than 80,000 followers.

Around a week after filing her false police report, she posted the now-deleted clips, on December 13 in which she detailed claims that she avoided the so-called kidnapping attempt.

They racked up more than 4.5 million views on her Instagram page and she drew even more attention by going on a local news program to repeat her account.

In her initial videos, Sorenson sat in her car as she relayed the claims about Sadie and Eddie Martinez, who have five children between them and two grandchildren.

She said: 'My children were the targets of attempted kidnap which is such a weird thing to even vocalize but it happened and I want to share that story with you in an effort to raise awareness to what signs to look for and to encourage parents to be more aware of their surroundings and what is going on around them.

Officers contacted Mrs Martinez on Facebook to say she and her husband should come to the station

'I think right now that we are so distracted with everything that's going on in the world that we are have our guard up so much about masks and wanting to keep out children safe that way that we're forgetting the most important way to keep them safe and that is with us.'

Mr and Mrs Martinez came forward to Petaluma police and they were cleared of any wrongdoing after the report was found to be false thanks to store footage and an investigation was launched into the momfluencer.

The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office then charged her with three misdemeanor accounts of making a false report of a crime in May 2021- one she made to a police dispatcher and a police officer on December 7 and another with a detective a week later.

A jury found her guilty of the third count in April after deliberating for a day.

District Attorney Rodriguez said at the time: 'This verdict will enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children.

'The case is also important in that it illustrates the importance of using social media responsibly.'

Mrs Martinez, who owns a small business making balloon arches for parties, was satisfied with the verdict and said she believed 'justice was served'.

'I feel like it's a step in the right direction for my family. I'm grateful for the support,' she told Elle magazine.

The couple (pictured in CCTV footage released by police), who have five children between them and two grandchildren, were quickly cleared of any wrongdoing

The alleged incident took place in the parking lot of this Michael's in Petaluma

She found out about the incident when her daughter showed her a community post from Petaluma police with a blurry screenshot of the couple and asked: 'Mom, is this you?'

Officers then contacted her on Facebook to say she and her husband should come to the station.

Mr Martinez, a UPS delivery driver, said: 'For Sadie and me, it was game on. We needed to defend ourselves.'

They told investigators their side of the story and families who he delivers to called the police department to vouch for him.

'Katie should have probably done a little bit of homework and picked different characters for her story.'

The police quickly closed the investigation on December 17 after finding 'no evidence or witnesses corroborating' Sorensen's account and began to look into the momfluencer's false report.

Mrs Martinez believes she and her husband were targeted because of their skin color and hoped Sorensen would be charged with a hate crime.

She added: 'But that's very hard to prove,' she says, 'so we had to be content with what we could get.

'Jail won't fix the systems that allow the Katies of the world to do these things in the first place,' she says. 'She's just a little piece of a big puzzle.'

The influencer pictured here with one of her sons

According to the police statement, Sorenson said she noted the suspicious behavior of a man and woman as they followed her and her children around the store and made comments about their appearance.

She told police they followed her out to her car and lingered by the stroller as she placed her kids back inside the vehicle.

Police said Sorenson had not wanted to have anyone arrested when she filed the report but 'wanted to draw attention to the concerning behavior exhibited by the couple'.

In an interview with KTVU after she posted the videos, however, Sorenson relayed further claims about Sadie and Eddie Martinez.

'I heard them talking about the features of my children, but I was totally paralyzed with fear, I just couldn't bring myself to say anything,' she said.

She claimed that she had spotted the man looking at her in the parking lot before she went inside and that the couple had stood behind her in the checkout but then followed her outside without buying anything.

She noted that when she reached her car, a white van was parked alongside her, which she thought was strange given how far from the store she was.

Sorenson also claimed that the couple took two steps forward and then two steps back as the watched her load her children into the car.

'Very awkward. There is no other explanation to why they would do that other than they were building up the courage' she alleged.

Erika Margarita Mitchell, a family member of the couple, posted to Facebook praising prosecutors for charging Sorensen for the case

Sorenson told the station that the man had reached out and grabbed the stroller but that another man walked past at the time and she began to scream for help.

She claimed the couple fled the scene in a car, but a third man emerged quickly from the white van. She said he acted like he was trying to help her before fleeing himself.

'I saw these people, they didn't look necessarily clean cut,' Sorenson told KTVU.

'I felt uncomfortable around them, and instead of making them uncomfortable with my discomfort, I chose to remain in my discomfort.'

Sorenson told Buzzfeed that she felt very overwhelmed to the reaction to the videos.

She said that she wanted those sending her negative comments to note that she was 'faced with a traumatic experience, it is impossible to function at full capacity'.

Speaking at a press conference at the time, Mrs Martinez said: 'I couldn't believe it. It's like we're literally guilty of being brown while shopping.'

And her daughter Esaia told BuzzFeed News: 'This isn't the first racist injustice to occur in Petaluma by a long shot, but we are definitely grateful that in this case the truth was rightfully pursued.'

Erika Margarita Mitchell, a family member of the couple, posted to Facebook praising prosecutors for charging Sorensen at the time.

She said: 'Great news for us all but mostly for my cousin, Sadie Vega-Martinez and her husband Eddie. They were falsely accused by this 'influencer' of trying to kidnap her kids at a local Michaels store,' Mitchell wrote.

'A major allegation! She obviously didn't know who she was messing with in my cousin. Prima, I'm so glad you persisted!'

Mitchell added: 'There absolutely need to be consequences for attention seeking 'influencers' that make up drama for likes and views on social.

'Prosecute Katie is now Convict Katie. Can you imagine this happening to YOU? It totally could. And it's unreal.'
More than 100 flights have been cancelled out of Sydney Airport due to strong winds as thousands of Australian passengers suffer travel chaos.

It comes hours after severe shortage of air traffic controllers - due to staff illness - led to the closure of airspace south of Brisbane airport which caused widespread chaos to flights along Australia's east coast.

Cancelled flights out of Sydney will be spread throughout the day as the airport tries to manage using its one east-west runway, rather than its twin north-south tarmacs.

The airport is being buffeted by strong westerly winds of up to 70km/h.

There were busy scenes at Sydney Airport early Friday (pictured), where a number of flights have already been cancelled

'Sydney Airport has been advised by Airservices Australia that single runway operations will be in place today due to strong winds,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

'As a result, there are some flight delays and cancellations. Airlines are working hard to re-accommodate passengers and get them on their way.

'If passengers have questions regarding the status of their flight, we encourage them to contact their airline.'

The cancellations, representing roughly one in eight aircraft movements on Friday, did not affect international flights.

Thousands of passengers have already streamed through Sydney Airport and formed lengthy queues at their gates as the NSW school holidays kick off.

'It's a long queue so we're going to be here for a bit,' one family told Sunrise.

Another traveller added: 'Got here on time but they're running late.'

One holidaymaker arrived at the airport to travel to the Gold Coast before learning his flight had been cancelled and rescheduled for Saturday afternoon.

A shortage of air traffic controllers in Brisbane on Thursday caused widespread disruptions to flights along Australia's east coast, which have had a flow-on effect

Frustrated passengers have taken to social media to vent their anger on Friday after their flights were cancelled.

'Cheers @VirginAustralia for the text as I'm travelling to the airport from the country saying my 9:30am flight melb>syd is now at 4:30pm. No seats left on any flight for the next 7hrs? Business must be good. It's ok only 2 hours till the customer service line opens!' one woman fumed.

Another traveller tweeted: @VirginAustralia cancelled a flight leaving us all trying to figure out what's going on & they have not a single employee here to help.'

A third wrote: 'Jetstar please stop cancelling flights to Sydney.'

Qantas told Daily Mail Australia a number of services will be delayed and cancelled in Sydney due to weather resulting in single runway operations.

Passengers will be moved onto the next available flight.

A Virgin spokeswoman added: 'All guests impacted by cancellations today are being recovered onto the next available flights, with the majority recovered today.

'We apologise to any guest impacted by delayed or cancelled services and we are working tirelessly to ensure all guests reach their final destination.'

Travellers at Sydney Airport faced lengthy delays on Friday morning as the NSW school holidays kicked off

Jetstar said that the airline was working hard to reaccommodate passengers on alternative services as quickly as possible.

Airservices Australia said Friday's delays and cancellations were not related to widespread disruptions.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a strong wind warning for much of NSW coast from Port Macquarie right down to Batemans Bay.

It added forecast winds of 20 knots posed 'a hazard to the aircraft using N-S runways in landing or departing'.

Strong crosswinds - winds blowing from sideways of the aircraft - impact its ability to land or take off as planes require headwind.

The Qantas Group alone delayed or cancelled dozens of flights on Thursday due to the shortage of air traffic controllers.

Virgin Australia also felt the brunt with flights to and from Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Ballina forced to operate around the uncontrolled airspace, which added time and distance.

The airline also cancelled 28 flights on Thursday.

Around 2.3million travellers are expected to go through Sydney Airport over the next two weeks making it one of the busiest school holiday periods since pre-Covid.
A Judge in the Mirror hacking trial brought by Prince Harry and three other claimants said today he will carefully consider the reliability of a journalist who has been paying potential witnesses.

Mr Justice Fancourt described Graham Johnsons role in the case working for the claimants lawyers as certainly unusual.

Mr Johnson, a convicted phone hacker and self-confessed professional liar, offered thousands of pounds to private investigators who did work for newspapers.

The Mirrors KC, Andrew Green, said today it was truly extraordinary that he had tried to persuade the investigators to give evidence in court by forking out supposedly very substantial amounts of his own money.

The judge said: I shall need to make some findings about the reliability of a number of witnesses. Mr Johnson is an important witness and his position is certainly unusual, as an investigative journalist and a witness as well as assisting the claimants. I will need to consider his case in particular detail.

A Judge in the Mirror hacking trial brought by Prince Harry (pictured) and three other claimants said today he will carefully consider the reliability of a journalist who has been paying potential witnesses

Mr Justice Fancourt described Graham Johnsons (pictured) role in the case working for the claimants lawyers as certainly unusual

Mr Johnson, 55, gave evidence at the start of the seven-week trial at the High Court. He said he was now a whistleblower who wanted to expose Fleet Street crimes, partly through his memoir.

No one was directly paid to give evidence, the court has heard, and the Mirrors KC has said there was nothing ostensibly improper about the payments  but he urged the judge to consider the reliability of evidence.

Mr Johnson said the cash came from his own pocket and he was definitely not funded by Hacked Off, the anti-Press campaign group spearheaded by Hugh Grant.

He explained he was buying potential witness material because he was an investigative journalist exposing press corruption.

The Mirror denies hacking Harry and the others. The case is due to end tomorrow, with the judge making a ruling later this year.
A woman was left screaming in pain after she purposely willing dipped her hand into a boiling hot spring at Yellowstone National Park in the latest troubling incident of people behaving recklessly in one of the nation's most celebrated tourist attractions.

An unidentified father-daughter duo forwent safety standards and walked around the boardwalk that sectioned off parkgoers from boiling hot Silex Spring in the Fountain Point Pot Area of the park. Hot springs, on average, reach around 175 degrees Fahrenheit in the National Park.

Cameraman Gary Mackenzie said he warned the duo to stay on the boardwalk, but the father reportedly replied: 'Whatever, man.'

'So, I hit record,' Mackenzie said.

An unidentified woman dipped her hand into the 175-degree Silex Spring in Yellowstone National Park, leaving her in searing pain

After she dips her hand briefly into the blue water, she quickly leaned backward and scrambled to her feet, running away, screaming: 'It's hot! It's very hot!'

The video - posted to the Instagram account @TouronsofYellowstone - shows stream rolling off the the gorgeous blue spring as the woman twists and turns to find the best way to reach her hand into the boiling water.

A woman tells Mackenzie off-camera that the woman will 'regret' the decision as she clutched her dad's hand and leaned toward the spring.

After she dips her hand briefly into the crystal blue water, she quickly leans backward and scrambles to her feet, running away, screaming: 'It's hot! It's very hot!'

Her cries of pain can be heard as she clutches her hand to her stomach and walks back onto the boardwalk.

Mackenzie said he would have stopped the pair, but he couldn't find a ranger and didn't have cell service while the shenanigans were happening.

The National Park Service advises all visitors to on its website and on the trail to stay away from thermal activity and keep on the boardwalk at all times.

Gary Mackenzie, who filmed the incident, said he warned them not to leave the boardwalk, but they forewent his warning

'Deep beneath your feet, heat from the molten rock of the earths interior is transmitted up through the solid rock of the earths crust. Groundwater circulating through these rocks becomes heated and follows cracks and fissures upward. Where the hot water can escape the grounds surface, a hot spring is formed,' NPS said.

Last year, a foot in a shoe was found floating in a hot spring inside the park.

The discovery was found at Abyss Pool in Wyoming, which led to the temporary closure of the West Thumb Geyser Basin and its parking lot. Abyss Pool, located west of the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, is 53 feet deep and the temperature is about 140F, park officials said. It is on the south side of the southern loop through the park.

It's unclear how long the foot has been place in the hot spring - but the strange discover comes two months after the park closed in June after rivers across northern Wyoming and southern Montana surged over their banks following heavy rainfall.
An attorney for Bobulinski reached out to Weiss regarding his potential participation in the criminal probe, but never heard back from DOJ

Hunter Biden's former business partner Tony Bobulinski offered to testify in the criminal case into the president son's activities led by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, but the Justice Department did not respond renewing accusations of misconduct.

An attorney for Bobulinski reached out to Weiss regarding his potential participation in the criminal probe, but never heard back from the DOJ prosecutor, two sources told CBS News. This development is the latest in a series of accusations that top DOJ officials may have improperly interfered by slow walking the investigation into the president's son and avoiding looking into his ties to Joe himself.

Now, Republicans say that blocking Hunter's associate as a key witness is more evidence of a 'cover-up.'

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told DailyMail.com in a statement: 'The fact that a key witness associated with the CEFC deal was not brought in to testify before the grand jury proves again that the Justice Department is engaged in a coverup.'

Bobulinski worked alongside Hunter and formed SinoHawk Holdings in conjunction with CEFC, a Chinese company focused on energy.

Comer also added that the new evidence uncovered by IRS whistleblowers reveals Joe Biden was 'likely involved in his sons business dealings with CCP-linked companies but the Justice Department prevented investigators from taking any steps to verify this evidence that could lead to President Biden.'

The revelations about Bobulinski comes just days after two IRS whistleblowers alleged that top Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, interfered in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden

The revelations about Bobulinski comes just days after two IRS whistleblowers alleged that top Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, interfered in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, a 14-year veteran of the agency who helped oversee the investigation into the president's son, claims that Hunter Biden has been given preferential treatment by investigators looking into his tax affairs and lying on a gun permit application.

Shapley pointed to a WhatsApp message sent on July 30, 2017, by Hunter to Chinese Communist Party official Henry Zhao, threatening him to follow his 'orders' and saying his dad was with him. Shapley alleges he raised concerns about the WhatsApp message to DOJ prosecutors, who rebuffed his concerns.

During an interview with Fox News Wednesday evening, Shapley also described an October 7, 2022, meeting with top IRS and FBI officials on the investigation into President Joe Biden's son.

'I was there, and I witnessed this personally,' Shapley said, noting Weiss started by saying 'he's not the deciding person whether or not charges are filed or not.'

Shapley claimed the final decision was made by officials in Washington, D.C. He noted Weiss meet with the Matthew Graves, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, in March 2022.

'After that occurred, he was no longer looking to charge,' Shapley said.

'So that's earth-shattering news,' Fox News' Bret Baier said. 'It's a Biden-appointed D.C. U.S. attorney, Matthew Graves, would not allow him to charge in his district?'

'I didn't learn that fact until October 7 of 2022, so looking back to March of 2022. And that's when David Weiss, in October 7, 2022, said that the D.C. U.S. attorney's office will not allow us to charge there,' Shapley responded.

The House Ways and Means Committee last week released testimony from two IRS whistleblowers who alleged officials at the Justice Department, the FBI, and the IRS interfered with Weiss' investigation. Shapley was one of those two whistleblowers.

In response to the release of that information, Garland denied interfering in the Hunter Biden probe.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,' Garland said last week of Weiss.

Asked about any directive not to bring charges against Hunter in 2022, Garland responded last week: 'As I said at the outset, Mr. Weiss was appointed by President Trump as the U.S. attorney in Delaware and assigned this matter during the previous administration.'

Garland said Weiss 'would be permitted to continue his investigation and to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to. Mr. Weiss has since sent a letter to the House Judiciary confirming he had that authority.

'I don't know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution, given that he has this authority,' he said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is also ramping up his investigation into the Biden family.

He sent letters Wednesday obtained by DailyMail.com to Garland and Weiss - the lead prosecutor investigating federal tax and gun crimes committed by Hunter Biden.

The South Carolina senator asks Weiss in the letter to answer on whether he denied the special counsel designation and also about additional whistleblower allegations that he attempted to bring charges against Hunter in Washington, D.C., and California - but was denied.

'I have been informed that you and your office were briefed on allegations in a FD-1023 form suggesting there may have been phone calls recorded between Hunter Biden and Joe Biden with a senior official at Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company,' wrote Graham in the letter to Weiss.

'The FD-1023 in question alleges that the confidential informant told the Department of Justice and FBI that such tapes may exist,' he continued.

An internal FBI FD-1023 form brought to light by a whistleblower and publicized by the House Oversight Committee allegedly says Joe and Hunter Biden each got $5 million 'bribe' from a Ukrainian foreign national in exchange for policy decisions. The national, a Burisma executive, also allegedly has phone recordings of Joe and Hunter that he kept as an 'insurance policy.'

The House Oversight Committee led by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also ramped up pressure on the Treasury Department Wednesday to turn over Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) related to Burisma Holdings and the alleged $10 million total payment to Joe and Hunter.

Bobulinski worked alongside Hunter and formed SinoHawk Holdings in conjunction with CEFC, a Chinese company focused on energy

IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges - and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call

Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income

Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income. Weiss announced that agreement along and noted he charged Hunter in connection with his purchase of a handgun in 2018 but said he would not prosecute the charge under a two-year pretrial diversion program.

Republicans are investigating Garland's role in the case and whether or not Weiss truly had the authority to make charging decisions.

'If it comes true what the IRS whistleblower is saying, we're going to start impeachment inquiries on the attorney general,' Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News.

President Biden has said repeatedly he had nothing to do with Hunter's business dealings and the White House has emphasized they are staying out of any Justice Department investigations.
The elderly woman New York City Mayor Eric Adams compared to a 'plantation owner' at a townhall meeting on Wednesday is a longtime tenant rights advocate whose family fled the Nazis.

Jeanie Dubnau, 84, said she attended the community conversation at a school in Upper Manhattan because she thought residents would be allowed to voice their opinion on the Rent Guidelines Board increasing the monthly payments for one million rent-stabilized apartments in the Big Apple.

She then decided to speak up, she said, to hold the mayor 'accountable' for the decision  and now claims Adams only compared her to a plantation owner to 'deflect' responsibility.

But the mayor insisted at the meeting he has no control over the board, which last week approved increases of up to 6 percent on two year leases.

Jeanie Dubnau, 84, spoke out at a community meeting Wednesday night expressing her anger over a decision to raise monthly payments on rent-stabilized apartments

Dubnau could be seen in footage from the community meeting pointing her finger at the mayor and critiquing the Rent Guidelines Board's decision to raise monthly payment on rent-stabilized apartments

In response to her question, Adams compared her to a plantation owner and asked her to give him respect

Dubnau was born in Belgium shortly after her parents fled the Nazi regime in Germany.

After hiding out in the European country throughout World War II, Dubnau and her parents emigrated to America and she has lived in the Big Apple ever since.

She became a volunteer tenant organizer in 1960, and now serves as the chairwoman of the Riverside Edgecombe Neighborhood Association.

Speaking to the New York Post, Dubnau said she attended the meeting on Wednesday 'because I thought we'd have the opportunity to speak, which we did not, because the meeting was completely controlled by [Adams'] people.

'And that's why I had to stand up and spontaneously speak,' the assistant professor of biology at Rutgers University continued, claiming: 'We weren't being called on. It was a person chosen by his people who were going to speak.'

In footage from the meeting on Wednesday, Dubnau could be seen interrupting Adams saying he raised the rent.

Adams then told the woman 'I am the Mayor' after she pointed her finger at him and questioned him.

He then told those at the meeting that he doesn't control the rent board, which introduced the hikes.

At that point, the camera pans around to show the angered woman pointing her finger at him, saying: 'You said before and after that you supported those rent increases.'

In response, Adams said: 'If you're going to ask a question don't point at me and don't be disrespectful to me.

'I'm the mayor of this city, treat me with the respect I deserve to be treated. I am speaking to you as an adult.

'Dont stand in front like you treated someone thats on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect I deserve and engage in the conversation.

'Don't be pointing at me, speak with me as an adult because I'm a grown man.

'I walked into this room as a grown man and I'll walk out of this room as a grown man.'

Adams told the meeting held on Wednesday night that while he appointed the board members, he had no sway over their decision

In a statement last week, the Mayor thanked the board who made the increases for their 'difficult work'

Dubnau now says she will continue to call out Mayor Eric Adams 'as much as I can.'

'The main point is that the mayor has shown he's an enemy of all the rent-stabilized tenants in New York City,' she told the Post.

'You know, Mayor Eric Adams is a landlord stooge and the enemy of tenants in New York City,' Dubnau continued. 'He gets millions of dollars from real estate. That's the main issue right here.'

She added that she will not fall for the mayor's tactics.

'He didn't have an answer,' Dubnau said, claiming his remarks about her being like a plantation owner are 'just a deflection, that's all because he doesn't have any answers.

'He probably is aware how the entire tenant population and many working class people have turned against him with time,' she continued, adding: 'When he first answered, he said something about his own tenants. He's a landlord himself.

'He said, "Oh I don't raise the rent on my own tenants." Who cares about his own personal tenants? He' raising rent on thousands and thousands of people in New York City.'

The Rent Guidelines Board (pictured) comprises mayoral appointees

Dubnau's remarks came in response to the Rent Guidelines Board voting to increase the rent for 1million rent stabilized apartments in New York City.

The panel, which is made up of mayoral appointees, approved increases of up to 6 percent on two year leases.

The increases would apply to leases issued or renewed from October through September 2024.

Quickly after the board shared their proposal, Adams issued a statement applauding the move, after initially pushing back when the board signaled hikes could be as high as 7 percent.

Last week he said: 'I want to thank the members of the Rent Guidelines Board for their critically important and extremely difficult work protecting tenants from unsustainable rent increases.

'Finding the right balance is never easy, but I believe the board has done so this year  as evidenced by affirmative votes from both tenant and public representatives.'
The head of the British Army is stepping down after allegedly falling out with the overall chief of the Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

Discussions are already taking place to replace Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, who has served as chief of staff for just a year so far, after rowing with the top Royal Navy officer over troop cuts and procurement priorities.

While the Royal Navy and RAF have maintained their numbers, the Army is being slashed to 73,000 soldiers - and is braced for further reductions.

Many senior officers also believe the Army has been on the wrong end of decisions about what equipment to buy.

Only a few days ago Sir Patrick launched a withering attack on the Army's armoured vehicles and tanks, likening the several-decades-old fleet to 'rotary dial telephones in an iPhone age'.

General Sir Patrick Sanders (pictured) has stepped down from his role after allegedly falling out with the overall chief of the Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin

Adm Radakin (pictured) previously held the role of head of the Royal Navy, with army sources reportedly complaining that he often dedicated vast funds to expensive warships

Only a few days ago Sir Patrick launched a withering attack on the Army's armoured vehicles and tanks, likening the several-decades-old fleet to 'rotary dial telephones in an iPhone age'.

READ MORE: Army considers scrapping ranks including Guardsman and Rifleman because they are too masculine in move to make regiments more inclusive Advertisement

Adm Radakin previously held the role of head of the Royal Navy, with army sources reportedly complaining that he often dedicated vast funds to expensive warships.

The suggestion, serious or otherwise, that another senior military official, General Gwyn Jenkins could also do Sir Patrick's job supposedly infuriated Sir Patrick.

Gen Jenkins has been fast-tracked throughout his career and served with the Special Boat Service (SBS) in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also jumped the queue of top brass when, in August 2022, he was appointed Sir Tony's deputy as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

A source said: 'It was naive of Sir Tony to make that remark at a senior strategy group meeting, because it was always going to get back to Sir Patrick, who wouldn't be amused.

'There wasn't any love lost between them anyway, but this didn't help. They're in different places over what direction the UK's armed forces should go in.

'Sir Tony is driving the so-called 'Pacific tilt' [Britain's foreign policy of seeking to be a major player in the region] and Sir Patrick is focusing on Ukraine and protecting the Army from more cuts.

'He has been outspoken about the need to maintain a credible force and retaining enough soldiers. Finally he's had enough and he wants to sail around France.'

King Charles III (right) with Admiral Sir Tony Radakin (left) during a ceremony he presented new Standards and Colours to the Royal Navy; the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment; The King's Company of the Grenadier Guards, and The King's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force, at Buckingham Palace in London

Britain's first female general, Lieutenant General Sharon Nesmith, is among those who could succeed Sir Patrick.

Former SAS officer Lieutenant General Roly Walker, Lieutenant General Ralph Wooddisse and Lieutenant General Nick Borton are the other candidates.

Sir Patrick's retirement has been announced only 16 months after he was appointed Chief of the General Staff. He will leave office in 2024, when he could have stayed onto into 2025.

Last night Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence select committee, suggested Sir Patrick may have paid a high price for being outspoken.

He said: 'Sir Patrick's departure is a huge loss to the Army. He is willing to tell political leaders what they should hear rather than what they'd like to hear regarding the true state of the Army.'

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also described Sir Patrick as 'a first class general', but he insisted: 'Senior officers come and go and that is the nature of our armed forces.

'The fight against Russia, through our support for Ukraine, has been carried out by a range of people and I don't think that interrupting the normal scheme of things will make a difference.

Gen Sanders also slammed the country's decision to donate Challenger 2 tanks and other weapons to Ukraine, saying it left the nation 'temporarily weaker as an army, there is no denying it'

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace updating MPs in the House of Commons on the latest situation in Ukraine on Monday

A challenger 2 Main Battle Tank pictured during a Land Combat demonstration in October 2018

'Ultimately I'm confident in the quality of generals I'll be interviewing for the post.

'When I appointed General Patrick the condition was he would be doing two years. So there is no point listening to gossipy reporting that he's spoken out and his time will be cut short.'

Gen Sanders is one of Britain's most experienced military leaders, holding command at the army's cyber and special forces in its Strategic Command.

He has been known for his outspoken disposition which has seen him criticise military spending on a number of occasions.

Earlier this week, the top officer said Britain should 'never again be unprepared as our forebears were in the 1930s', and suggested the crisis in Russia could be compared to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party.

'Those who believe that our geography allows us to minimise investment on land or that we can simply hide behind the armies of other Nato contributors are simply wrong,' he said at a conference organised by the Rusi thinktank.

Gen Sanders also slammed the country's decision to donate Challenger 2 tanks and other weapons to Ukraine, saying it left the nation 'temporarily weaker as an army, there is no denying it'.

These comments reportedly enraged other senior officials in the MoD, who thought they stole the limelight from the announcement.

General Sanders also took aim at the military's antiquated equipment as a result of the country's withering industrial base.

The comments were made as the Ministry of Defence unveiled an overhaul of Army structures and a 35billion investment in new kit over the next decade.

This will see 35 out of 38 existing Army vehicles replaced, the introduction of Artificial Intelligence systems and a much greater emphasis on uncrewed vehicles and drones.

He said: I trained on the 432 armoured personnel carrier in the 1980s when it was already 30 years old; it is still in service today.

Our armoured reconnaissance vehicle came into service in 1973, our infantry fighting vehicle Warrior in 1987 and Challenger 2 in 1998. These are rotary dial telephones in an iPhone age.

Our procurement record has been poor and our land industrial base has withered. Furthermore our Army Reserve is not as capable and credible as we need it to be.

Sir Patrick said previous assumptions that reservists could fill in for regular troops had been unrealistic. So under new plans they will be categorised as a second echelon force.

He said the reserve force of the future will move away from insisting upon equivalence and would recognise that reservists are constrained by the time they can offer.

The head of the Army likened vehicles such as Warrior and Challenger 2 (pictured) to 'rotary dial telephones in an iPhone age'

The British Army is expected to shrink considerably in the decades ahead, continuing a fashion for smaller brigades and regiments which followed the Cold War.

While the introduction of new technologies, such as AI, will make conflict even less labour intensive, so armies will not require as many soldiers.

Next month a defence command paper is expected to outlay plans for a restructuring Britain's military in light of the conflict raging in Ukraine.

However unless extra cuts are made, there is little funding to dedicate towards extra commitments.

Despite the announcement of the paper, there is no firm date for its release, with some believing it could be postponed to later this year due to the rifts.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was given 5billion to be spent over two years in March, with 3billion set to be funneled into Britain's nuclear submarine programme and 2billion dedicated to stockpiling of ammunition given to Ukraine to help aid its conflict.

Rumours started surfacing in February about Gen Sanders dissatisfaction, after it was revealed he was 'deeply concerned' about the Army's operational capability after decades of cuts.

Senior officials in the MoD feared at the time that unless the Treasury gives a cast-iron undertaking that defence spending will increase, he could have view his position as untenable.

One friend and former colleague described Gen Sir Patrick as a person with 'flawless integrity'.

The source added: 'Paddy is not the sort of person to start thumping a table and make threats about quitting, but he will have drawn a line in the sand and said to himself, 'This far and no further,' and Ben Wallace knows that. It is hard to remember when the Army has been in a worse state.

Recruitment is down, housing problems and poor pay are undermining morale, and there is a widely held belief that the Army is the poor relation of the three armed services, and has suffered significantly while the RAF and the Royal Navy have both prospered.'

The news of Gen Sanders resignation comes just weeks after it was suggested he was considering scrapping centuries-old ranks such as Rifleman and Guardsman because they are masculine.

In an attempt to make regiments more inclusive, Gen Sanders was set to break hundreds of years of battlefield tradition.

Historic titles used by world-renowned Guards regiments and even his own regiment, the Rifles, were proposed to be ditched in favour of gender-neutral ranks.

The step was initially prompted by women soldiers telling the general that masculine titles make them feel excluded. But other women, serving in previously male-only regiments, are leading a backlash against the plan.

At a gathering of women soldiers, a corporal in the Rifles told Sir Patrick 'don't you dare take my rank of Rifleman, I'm proud of it'.

The decision on the move was expected soon after the initial announcement, however with Gen Sanders resignation, the move could be ditched.
President Joe Biden walked off the set of a live MSNBC interview Thursday afternoon, while the cameras were still rolling.

The president took a day trip to New York City to raise money for his presidential campaign.

His first stop, however, was to '30 Rock,' to sit for an interview with Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace, who previosly worked for Republicans including President George W. Bush and the late Sen. John McCain.

She probed Biden on the Supreme Court's Affirmative Action decision, the January 6 insurrection and former President Donald Trump - but neglected to question the president about his son Hunter's foreign business dealings and his health, two issues that have been front-and-center this week.

Earlier Thursday, Hunter was seen arriving at a Delaware courthouse to give a deposition for the defamation lawsuit brought by 'laptop from h***' computer shop owner John Paul Mac Isaac.

As the president and the host wrapped up the interview by gabbing about the president's bipartisan achievements, Biden stood up, shook Wallace's hand and was seen walking off set, as she was still on the air.

AND OFF HE JOES! President Joe Biden walked off set of an MSNBC interview that was being broadcast live from New York Thursday before host Nicolle Wallace went to commercial break

President Joe Biden (right) stands up to shake the hand of MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace (left) before exiting the studio while she was still on-air

The walk-off got more attention than that meat of the interview, with White House spokesman Andrew Bates tweeting that it was a 'power move,' after Mediaite tweeted out a story headlined, 'Biden Awkwardly Walks Off MSNBC Set While Hes Still On Air.'

The sit-down had started with the news of the day - Biden's reaction to the conservative-leaning Supreme Court gutting affirmative action in college admissions.

After giving remarks at the White House on the decision and how his White House would respond, he told reporters he believed the Court to be 'not normal.'

'It's done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history,' Biden told Wallace when asked to explain his comment.

He pointed to other precedent-breaking decisions including Dobbs that overruled Roe v. Wade, which federally protected a woman's right to an abortion.

Wallace also queried the president on why it took the Justice Department so long to look into Trump in relation to the January 6 Capitol attack.

Biden pushed back indicating that it would be inappropriate for him to interfere in a case.

'I have not spoken once, not one single time, to the Attorney General on any specific case, not once,' Biden said.

He criticized the 'last administration' for trying to 'direct' the courts, the Federal Reserve and other institutions.

Wallace then asked Biden if leaders of other democracies have asked him why the 'foot soldiers' of the insurrection have been charged, but 'the leader' - meaning Trump - hasn't.

'Well, the answer is yes,' Biden said, then expanded what he meant.

'Well here's my answer. I have faith that the Justice Department will move in a direction that is consistent with the law. And so it may take time, but I have faith that There going to do - but I have not spoken about that, and I don't think I should.'

Wallace said that answer showed that Biden had 'reverence for the institutions' while the modern-day Republicans were 'openly running on politicizing the rule of law.'

'I think it's really important that they know my value set is very different than this new MAGA Republican Party,' Biden said.

He said he had 'great faith in the instincts of the American people,' calling them 'decent and honorable,' indicating he believed that he could beat Trump for a second time.

He also suggested that he was being hurt by media coverage, noting that 'there are no editors anymore' and reporters are being pushed to have a 'brand.'

Turning to the unrest in Russia this weekend, Biden stayed tightlipped about what he knew in advance of the Wagner uprising.

Wallace then asked if Biden feared Trump would have tipped off Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of time had the Republican been in office.

'Oh God, I don't know, I don't think about that very often,' Biden said.

Wallace recounted how McCain, who passed away in 2018, had been hawkish on Russia and asked Biden what he thought the late Arizona senator would think of the modern GOP - especially in light of McCain's close friend, Sen. Lindsey Graham, being a top Trump ally.

'I don't think he'd think much of them,' Biden said, but then added, 'I don't know that.'

Biden pointed to an incident that came to light in 2019.

'I got very upset with the last president and even with my good friend Lindsey sometimes because of the denial,' he said. 'Covering the name of the ship of John McCain. Come on, this guy was a hero.'

The Trump White House had asked the Navy to keep a ship named after McCain, a top Trump critic, out of sight during the then-president's trip to Japan.

Biden concluded the interview by telling Wallace that 'this ain't your father's Republican Party.'

'There's still a lot of good Republicans,' he then said, offering up Sen. Mitt Romney's name as an example. 'There's a lot of them.'

A moment later, Biden was on his feet and walking off-set, while Wallace stayed put in the anchor chair.
Medical degrees are set to be slashed from five years to four in a drive to put tens of thousands of extra doctors on hospital wards.

Ministers plan to take advantage of Brexit to change rules on training, which were previously imposed by the EU.

The move forms part of a package of measures aimed at slashing waiting lists by boosting the NHS workforce, with 60,000 more doctors and an extra 170,000 nurses by 2036/37.

Bosses also expect to have an additional 71,000 allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, midwives and pharmacists.

The ambitious proposals are detailed in the first NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, which is published today and supported by 2.4billion of Government funding.

The ambitious proposals are detailed in the first NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, which is published today and supported by 2.4billion of Government funding

Ministers plan to take advantage of Brexit to change rules on training, which were previously imposed by the EU. The move forms part of a package of measures aimed at slashing waiting lists by boosting the NHS workforce (File photo)

The blueprint warns that staffing shortages within the health service could more than triple over the next 15 years  from 112,000 to 360,000  as a result of a growing and ageing population, coupled with new treatments.

The NHS says it will seek to embrace more homegrown talent and reduce its reliance on overseas employees as competition for healthcare workers is rising around the world.

A record recruitment drive will also allow it to become less dependent on expensive agency staff, cutting the bill for taxpayers by around 10billion between 2030 and 2037.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, described it as a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to put staffing on a sustainable footing and improve patient care'.

Measures in the plan, which comes ahead of the NHS's 75th anniversary on Wednesday, include:

Doubling medical school training places to 15,000 by 2031, with new schools and more places in areas with the greatest shortages;

Increasing GP training places by half to 6,000 by 2031;

Almost doubling the number of adult nurse training places, with 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031;

Allowing staff to 'earn while they learn', with apprenticeships that lead to a full degree but more-on-the-job training;

Greater reliance on 'associate' roles that can help with less demanding tasks, freeing up senior colleagues for complex cases;

Expanding training for clinical psychology and child and adolescent psychotherapy, with places rising by more than a quarter to 1,300 by 2031;

A renewed focus on retention with better opportunities for career development, improved flexible working and pension reforms to keep 130,000 staff working in the NHS for longer.

The ambitious proposals are detailed in the first NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, which is published today and supported by 2.4billion of Government funding (File Photo)

The NHS and Government will consult with the medical regulator and universities on introducing four-year medical degrees. Graduates would still need to follow their degrees with a further two years of foundation training in a hospital, as is currently the case.

Prior to exiting the EU, UK training was governed by the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications directive (MRPQ), which stipulates 5,500 training hours and at least five years to become a doctor.

The Department of Health and Social Care says that now the UK is no longer bound by the directive it can consider options on how to shorten training periods.

The General Medical Council would need to be assured of no risk to patient safety but last night appeared to back the move, saying there is 'a strong case for innovation in medical education'.

Over the next five years alone, medical places may increase by almost a third, nursing degrees will increase by more than a third and GP training places will jump by a quarter.

AMANDA PRITCHARD: We must teach more staff in the UK The NHS has chalked up many milestones over its 75 years; the world's first baby born after IVF, the first heart surgery carried out by a remote-controlled robot and the world's first accredited Covid jab. Today marks another milestone as we publish the first NHS long-term workforce plan  a once in a generation chance to put health service staffing on a sustainable footing. The health service's history is one of innovation and adaptation. We are no longer the NHS of the iron lung and TB, we now have genomic medicine, lung trucks and virtual wards. What has remained constant is the dedication, skill and compassion of our staff. That is despite more than 112,000 vacancies, a gap that without action is set to more than double over the next 15 years. Demand for healthcare staff is growing in almost every country which is why we need to take action and train more staff here at home. Doing nothing is not an option, so today I am delighted to be publishing a long-term plan that is the first step in future proofing the NHS. There will always be a role for the brilliant colleagues who come here from overseas but we will also train record numbers of staff and increase alternative routes into the NHS with more apprenticeships. We will also maximise the benefits of tech and AI in routine tasks, so staff have more time with patients. Working in the NHS is not always easy but it remains as rewarding today as it was when the health service was founded on July 5, 1948. It is certainly a decision I have never regretted. So, if you are interested in a career in the NHS, or have loved ones who might be, please do find out more. Advertisement

Meanwhile, 16 per cent of all training places for clinical staff will be offered through apprenticeships by 2028  including more than 850 medical students.

Mrs Pritchard said: 'The publication of our first-ever NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan now gives us a onceinageneration opportunity to put staffing on sustainable footing for the years to come.

'As we look to adapt to new and rising demand for health services globally, this long-term blueprint is the first step in a major and much-needed expansion of our workforce to ensure we have the staff we need to deliver for patients.'

Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said patients will 'really welcome the news' that the NHS will train more doctors and nurses.

But Dr Latifa Patel, workforce lead at the British Medical Association, said: 'Accelerated undergraduate degrees and apprenticeships are untested, and must not mean a two-tiered system of doctors.'

Rishi Sunak said: 'On the 75th anniversary of our health service, this Government is making the largest single expansion in NHS education and training in its history. This is a plan for investment and a plan for reform.'

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: 'Our plan will end the reliance on expensive agency staff, while cutting waiting lists in the coming years and building an NHS which can match up to the scale of tomorrow's challenges.'

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, also backed the proposed reforms to training and staff retention, saying they will 'create opportunities for more people to study and train in parts of the country that have historically struggled to recruit'.

The Health Secretary said the plan was about getting 'care to patients quicker' as he pledged to boost domestic training and improve job opportunities for staff already working in the service.

Steve Barclay told Sky News: 'It is a hugely important day for the NHS. It is something that many in the NHS have been asking for, for a long time, to have a long-term workforce plan.

'It is the biggest ever expansion in workforce training in the NHS' history. It is backed up by 2.4billion of additional funding over the next five years.

'And what it will do is train more staff, more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, but also give more opportunities to the staff within the NHS in terms of apprenticeships, developing more skills, their continual professional development.

'And it will also look at how we reform some of our training, making that more efficient so that we can get care to patients quicker.

'We recognise from the pandemic that there are big waiting lists, we've got a plan to clear those but in terms of the longer-term position of the NHS, we also need to boost our domestic training, and that is what the plan today sets out, that long-term vision for the NHS.'

Latest NHS performance data shows that the waiting list for routine operations soared to another record high.

The number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment in England soared to a record 7.42million (red line) in April, figures show. More than 370,000 people in the queue for routine ops, such as hip replacements, were waiting for more than a year (yellow bars)

NHS data on A&E performance in May shows that three-quarters of emergency department attendees (74 per cent) were seen within four hours (red line). Meanwhile, 31,494 patients who sought help in emergency departments were forced to wait more than 12 hours  equivalent to more than 1,000 patients per day (yellow bars)

Ambulances took an average of 32 minutes and 24 seconds to respond to category two calls, such as burns, epilepsy and strokes. This is nearly twice as long as the 18 minute target and nearly four minutes longer than one month earlier (red bars)

Six in 10 cancer patients started treatment within two months of an urgent GP referral (red line). This is down from March and well below the NHS target of 85 per cent. It means 5,178 patients (blue bars) had to wait longer for surgery, chemo or radiotherapy

More than 7.42million patients in England  or one in eight people  are now in the queue for ops like hip replacements. This includes 370,000 people stuck in limbo for at least a year, often in pain.

Experts have warned the backlog won't start to shrink until the huge staffing crisis engulfing the ailing health service starts to ease.

But strikes by up to 34,000 NHS consultants over two days next month, is likely to lead to the cancellation of more than 300,000 appointments, hampering efforts to clear record waiting lists.

It is estimated that more than 650,000 routine operations and appointments have been put off since December due to industrial action.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told Times Radio he had been calling on the Government to adopt Labour's plan for the biggest expansion of of the NHS workforce in history.

READ MORE: Ministers promise 'more doctors, more nurses, more midwives' in largest every reform of NHS training with 2.4billion programme to double places and increase on-the-job learning - as Labour says scheme was its idea Health Secretary Steve Barclay claimed that the 2.4billion NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan was the largest expansion of medical training in its 75-year history. Advertisement

He added: 'To be fair to the Government, it looks like they're about to adopt our plan, and that's important because having had an understaffed NHS for more than a decade.

'Knowing how long it takes to train new doctors, new nurses, new midwives, it's really important that we get our skates on as a country. And if the Government have swallowed their pride and adopted our plan, why wouldn't I welcome that?'

Asked if he would stick to the plan if Labour won the next general election, Mr Streeting said he would be speaking further to Steve Barclay, adding: 'It is important that we do long term planning and I think one of the reasons the NHS is in the state that it's in today is because for 13 years now, we have not had a consistent plan.'

He added that the 'lesson from the last Labour Government is that it's investment that matters but also reform and where we would go further than the biggest expansion of NHS staff in history, which we'd already committed to, is a reform agenda that seeks to modernise the NHS and make sure it's fit to meet the challenges of 2048 rather than 1948 when it was created.

He said care needed to be shifted into the community and the NHS needed to switch 'from an analogue NHS to a digital NHS', adding: 'We've also got to shift the focus so that we're not just the national sickness service, but one that focuses on promoting good health - prevention is really crucial.'

He said the NHS 'is a service not a shrine' and 'we've got to stop kind of just thinking of it as a national religion and make sure that it is an institution and a system that delivers the best outcomes and it's got the potential to do that, but it does need reform.'
Was there ever a more tiresome bunch of self-important whingers than the Commons privileges committee?

Having condemned Boris Johnson for misleading Parliament over Partygate on dubious evidence, Harriet Harman and her band of political makeweights now complain that some of the ex-PM's supporters had the nerve to criticise what they saw as a vindictive decision by a kangaroo court.

Why shouldn't they criticise? This is the Mother of Parliaments, not Communist China. If politicians believe an injustice has been done, they are perfectly entitled to say so. It's called free speech.

After all, the result of this shabby inquisition was never in doubt.

Ms Harman, the chairman, had previously accused Mr Johnson of lying and another key member, Bernard Jenkin, had labelled him dishonest. (The same Sir Bernard, incidentally, who himself stands accused of partying during lockdown.)

Boris Johnson was under unprecedented pressure when trying to steer the nation through a pandemic

Ms Harman, the chairman, had previously accused Mr Johnson of lying

Yet they clutch their pearls and act like victims when called to account. The poor dears claim to have been subjected to 'unprecedented pressure'. Really?

Unprecedented pressure is what Mr Johnson was under when trying to steer the nation through a pandemic with opposition politicians and half the scientific establishment snapping at his heels.

What these committee members endured was piffling by comparison  no more than the everyday rough and tumble of politics.

Yet they have now run crying to teacher, asking the Commons to sanction seven MPs and three peers, claiming their protests about the inquiry constituted a contempt of parliament. They appear to be confusing contempt for parliament with contempt for the conduct of a particular inquiry.

Anyone could see this committee was prejudiced from the start. The criticisms, from Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries and others, merely articulated what most fair-minded people were already thinking.

Rishi's Rwanda test

In a decision which will have delighted the liberal Left and the people traffickers they work so hard to keep in business, the Appeal Court yesterday declared the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing to be unlawful.

It's not the final word. This was a split decision, with the Lord Chief Justice disagreeing with his two fellow judges. There will now be an application for an appeal to the Supreme Court.

But it is a setback, delaying the first removal flight at least until the late autumn  perhaps permanently.

Significantly, the court did not say the policy was intrinsically unlawful, nor that Rwanda was fundamentally unsafe. Its fear was the risk that refugees might be sent back to their country of origin. If Rwanda can give assurances that this won't happen, the Government may yet win its appeal.

This measure is an integral part of Rishi Sunak's strategy to stop small boats crossing the Channel packed with migrants. He must persevere with it.

If he loses in the Supreme Court, Rishi Sunak must consider withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper sneers while wreckers in the House of Lords use guerrilla tactics to thwart any reforms to our broken asylum system.

But they have no alternative plan, save throwing open our borders to all comers, and placing even more unbearable pressure on housing and public services.

If he loses in the Supreme Court, Mr Sunak must consider withdrawing the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights, which played a crucial part in yesterday's ruling. It would be a radical step, but could be a vote-winner in the general election.

And it would put a clear distinction between the Tories, who are serious about wanting to stop the small boats and the traffickers behind them, and Labour, who really couldn't care less.
Back when the iPhone was still just a twinkle in the eye of Apple founder Steve Jobs, Motorola briefly ruled the cellphone universe from 2004 onwards.

The iconic slim, sturdy RAZR phones were glued to the hands of celebs from Paris Hilton to Jennifer Garner to Avril Lavigne in its early 2000s heyday.

Apple briefly partnered with Motorola to produce an iTunes phone called ROKR, before unleashing the iPhone, which basically sank phones like the RAZR in the years after launch.

Since then, there have been a series of failed attempts to resurrect the brand (with many models including the original phones iconic slim design and chin at the bottom), but this summer sees RAZR return as a foldable phone, the defiantly chin-free RAZR Plus.

It folds out to a monster 6.9-inch screen

The second screen can be used to answer emails or messages (Pic: Rob Waugh)

The phone folds tightly over and is the thinnest clamshell out there (Pic: Rob Waugh)

The 3.6 inch, 144Hz second screen is drop-dead gorgeous (although its a bit of a fingerprint magnet, so you want to keep a cloth handy).

It also offers wow factor in spades - and its far bigger than the original RAZRs 2.2-inch screen (or indeed the screen of the original iPhone).

The best bit is that you can run full apps on it, receive notifications and tap to check information such as the weather (as well as obviously seeing the time).

So for example, you can quickly reply to an email or text message without ever opening up the phones huge 6.9-inch screen.

On rivals such as Samsungs Z Flip 4, you have to unfold the phone if you actually want to do anything, and the external screen is significantly smaller (although Samsung is rumored to be bringing out a model with a bigger screen this year).

You can also use the external screen in mirror mode just to check your hair, or (for some reason) to apply frost effects and broken glass over your face.

When you take photos of friends, they can see themselves on the second screen (it sounds pointless, but in an era where most phones are pretty much the same boring black slab, its actually exhilarating).

Unlike a lot of current foldables, it feels like there actually is a point to it beyond, Were doing it because we can.

In my time testing it, I found myself using the external screen more and more.

Motorola has revamped the hinge from last years model, and its seriously impressive - and, true to the RAZR brand, its seriously thin.

Folded over, its 15mm thick, and 7mm when unfolded (to put that in context, the original RAZR was 10mm thick, a then-unheard-of level of skinny).

RAZR Plus compared to Sony's new Xperia 1 V and the iPhone Plus (Pic: Rob Waugh)

You can use the second screen as a viewfinder or mirror thanks to a few new features

Helpfully, it never feels like it's liable to snap (Pic; Rob Waugh)

The RAZR 40 Plus is the thinnest clamshell out there when fully folded (although its worth noting its not fully waterproof, just splash-proof).

In the hand, it harks back to the days when Paris Hilton was the biggest source of gossip on the planet, and you could actually put your phone in your pocket without a fight.

Unfolded, the screen is HUGE (its 6.9 inches, bigger even than the huge Galaxy S23 Ultra) and feels very long (its similar to Sonys superb Xperia handsets in that, and although its thin, theres plenty of space).

Under the bonnet is the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, backed with 8GB of RAM, and its perfectly speedy.

The version of Android isnt too loaded down with unnecessary bloatware, there are a few Motorola apps, but its largely clean.

The camera itself is good, rather than great, lagging behind heavyweights in the category like Googles AI-assisted Pixel 7 Pro - but in all honesty, the difference is fairly marginal.

Battery-wise, the 3800mAh battery here is pretty decent, lasting a full day in our test (and that included me showing off the camera functions to various people).

If youre scrolling down this review wondering where theres a but coming, there is one fly in the ointment here - the price.

At $999, this is definitely heading into seriously premium territory here (Googles Pixel 7 Pro is $899).

But if youre the sort of techy person who might have felt tempted by a folding phone before but never knew exactly why, this is the handset that offers an answer - its folding, but not just for foldings sake.
Scientists have observed for the first time the faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe.

They claim they could 'hear' what are called low-frequency gravitational waves.

These are changes in the fabric of the universe that are created by huge objects moving around and colliding in space.

'It's really the first time that we have evidence of just this large-scale motion of everything in the universe,' said Maura McLaughlin, co-director of NANOGrav.

Einstein predicted that when really heavy objects move through spacetime - the fabric of our universe - they create ripples that spread through that fabric.

Scientists have observed for the first time the faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe

READ MORE: What would happen if you fell in a black hole? Pictured, the black hole at the heart of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87). The stunning image was released earlier this year Advertisement

Scientists sometimes liken these ripples to the background music of the universe.

In 2015, scientists used an experiment called LIGO to detect gravitational waves for the first time and showed Einstein was right.

But so far, those methods have only been able to catch waves at high frequencies, explained NANOGrav member Chiara Mingarelli, an astrophysicist at Yale University.

Those quick 'chirps' come from specific moments when relatively small black holes and dead stars crash into each other, Mingarelli said.

In the latest research, scientists were searching for waves at much lower frequencies.

These slow ripples can take years or even decades to cycle up and down, and probably come from some of the biggest objects in our universe: supermassive black holes billions of times the mass of our sun.

Galaxies across the universe are constantly colliding and merging together.

As this happens, scientists believe the enormous black holes at the centers of these galaxies also come together and get locked into a dance before they finally collapse into each other, explained Szabolcs Marka, an astrophysicist at Columbia University who was not involved with the research.

This undated photo provided by researchers in June 2023 shows the Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico. This and several other telescopes around the world were used to observe the slow gravitational waves

What are black holes? Black holes are so dense and their gravitational pull is so strong that no form of radiation can escape them - not even light. They act as intense sources of gravity which hoover up dust and gas around them. Their intense gravitational pull is thought to be what stars in galaxies orbit around. How they are formed is still poorly understood. Astronomers believe they may form when a large cloud of gas up to 100,000 times bigger than the sun, collapses into a black hole. Many of these black hole seeds then merge to form much larger supermassive black holes, which are found at the centre of every known massive galaxy. Alternatively, a supermassive black hole seed could come from a giant star, about 100 times the sun's mass, that ultimately forms into a black hole after it runs out of fuel and collapses. When these giant stars die, they also go 'supernova', a huge explosion that expels the matter from the outer layers of the star into deep space. Advertisement

The black holes send off gravitational waves as they circle around in these pairings, known as binaries.

'Supermassive black hole binaries, slowly and calmly orbiting each other, are the tenors and bass of the cosmic opera,' Marka said.

No instruments on Earth could capture the ripples from these giants.

So 'we had to build a detector that was roughly the size of the galaxy,' said NANOGrav researcher Michael Lam of the SETI Institute.

The results released this week included 15 years of data from NANOGrav, which has been using telescopes across North America to search for the waves.

Other teams of gravitational wave hunters around the world also published studies, including in Europe, India, China and Australia.

The scientists pointed telescopes at dead stars called pulsars, which send out flashes of radio waves as they spin around in space like lighthouses.

These bursts are so regular that scientists know exactly when the radio waves are supposed to arrive on our planet - 'like a perfectly regular clock ticking away far out in space,' said NANOGrav member Sarah Vigeland, an astrophysicist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

But as gravitational waves warp the fabric of spacetime, they actually change the distance between Earth and these pulsars, throwing off that steady beat.

By analyzing tiny changes in the ticking rate across different pulsars - with some pulses coming slightly early and others coming late - scientists could tell that gravitational waves were passing through.

The NANOGrav team monitored 68 pulsars across the sky using the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico and the Very Large Array in New Mexico.

Pulsars are fast-spinning neutron stars that emit narrow, sweeping beams of radio waves (artist's impression)

This undated photo provided by researchers in June 2023 shows the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico

Other teams found similar evidence from dozens of other pulsars, monitored with telescopes across the globe.

So far, this method hasn't been able to trace where exactly these low-frequency waves are coming from, said Marc Kamionkowski, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved with the research.

Instead, it's revealing the constant hum that is all around us - like when youre standing in the middle of a party, 'you'll hear all of these people talking, but you won't hear anything in particular,' Kamionkowski said.

The background noise they found is 'louder' than some scientists expected, Mingarelli said.

This could mean that there are more, or bigger, black hole mergers happening out in space than we thought - or point to other sources of gravitational waves that could challenge our understanding of the universe.

Researchers hope that continuing to study this kind of gravitational waves can help us learn more about the biggest objects in our universe.

It could open new doors to 'cosmic archaeology' that can track the history of black holes and galaxies merging all around us, Marka said.

'We're starting to open up this new window on the universe,' Vigeland said.
Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company, first announced as an idea in 2009.

It promises to bring space to the entire human race, as tourists can pay for an experience like no other.

The first flight with tourists is due to take place later this year, and demand is apparently high for the future missions.

So how much is it costing those interested? Find out the answer, and everything else you need to know about Virgin Galactic, below.

Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company, which has been in the works since 2009

The project will take paying customers to an 80km, suborbital altitude on a 90-minute flight

Tourists can expect to pay almost half-a-million dollars for a ticket, but apparently there is high demand

What is Virgin Galactic?

Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company, which has been in the works since 2009.

The first flight, Galactic 01, launches at 4pm UK time on June 29, but without paying customers onboard.

It will instead carry three crewmembers of the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy with one astronaut instructor from Virgin Galactic.

If successful, Galactic 01 could pave the way to tourists going to space on other Galactic flights later this year.

How much are Virgin Galactic tickets?

When they eventually can, a ticket for tourists to have the space experience will cost $450,000.

The organisers have said that this is a price people are willing to pay, and 'demand is high', according to the Virgin Galactic website, with several hundred customers already lined up.

Galactic 01 is a research mission carrying crew from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy along with a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor

How much does it cost to build the Virgin Galactic spacecraft?

According to research by New Space Economy, each flight will run up operational costs of $586,000, which includes the cost of running the motors, and customers' insurance.

To build the aircraft - of which there are currently three - it is expected that each costs roughly $35 million.

This means meaning one aircraft would need just 17 flights to become profitable, while they are built to last a decade, and the company hopes to end up flying each 50 times every year.

When is the first Galactic flight for tourists?

After Galactic 01's scientific mission at the end of June, the first flight with tourists is scheduled for August.

Galactic 02 has not had a specific date marked yet, but is due to take place early in the month.

From then on, flights are expected to run once a month according to the company's website, although they hope to expand their flight schedule within the first year.

What happens on board?

The passenger jet will be launched from a from a carrier plane at 15km, before ascending on its own to 80km in altitude

The cabin design is fairly minimalistic - with seats, windows and a large rear mirror making up most of the layout

Galactic flights should last 90 minutes, beginning with a launch from 9.4 miles (15km) above Earth off a carrier plane.

That is already higher than typical commercial planes will fly at, which is only up to eight miles in altitude.

The aircraft and crew will then ascend to 50 miles (80km) over our planet, a suborbital altitude, meaning that they will reach the edge of space without actually going into orbit.

Once the spaceplane reaches the edge of space, it will hover in place for five minutes to let passengers experience zero gravity, and the fantastic views of both space and Earth from the array of windows in the roof and sides of the aircraft.
They're nightmare-inducing creatures for many people, but a new study suggests that octopuses can actually dream, just like humans.

Researchers say the skin patterns the animals create while they are snoozing may indicate they are capable of something similar to dreaming.

Like people, octopuses transition between two sleep stages  a quiet stage and an active stage that resembles rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in mammals.

While awake, octopuses create a number of different skin patterns which they use to camouflage themselves in different environments, and in social or threat displays, such as warning off predators and communicating with each other.

The animals cycled through these same skin patterns during active sleep, the study found.

Octopuses create a number of different skin patterns which they use to camouflage themselves in different environments

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It could be that they are practising their skin patterns to improve their waking camouflage behaviour, or simply maintaining the pigment cells, one theory suggests.

However, another is that they could be re-living and learning from their waking experiences, such as hunting or hiding from a predator, and reactivating the skin pattern associated with each experience.

In other words, they could be doing something similar to dreaming.

Senior author, Professor Sam Reiter, who leads the Computational Neuroethology Unit at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan, said: 'In this sense, while humans can verbally report what kind of dreams they had only once they wake, the octopuses' skin pattern acts as a visual readout of their brain activity during sleep.

'All animals seem to show some form of sleep, even simple animals like jellyfish and fruit flies.

'But for a long time, only vertebrates were known to cycle between two different sleep stages.'

When octopuses sleep, their quiet periods of slumber are punctuated by short bursts of frenzied activity.

Their arms and eyes twitch, their breathing rate quickens, and their skin flashes with vibrant colours.

Researchers from OIST and the University of Washington, examined the brain activity and skin patterning in octopuses (Octopus laqueus) during this active period of sleep.

They found they closely resemble brain activity and skin patterning behaviour seen when awake.

Wake-like activity also occurs during REM sleep in mammals  the phase in which most dreams occur.

Researchers say the skin patterns the animals create while they are snoozing may indicate they are capable of something similar to dreaming

The scientists started by checking whether the octopuses were truly asleep during this active period.

They tested how the octopuses responded to a physical stimulus and found that when in both the quiet and active stage of sleep, the animals required stronger stimulation before reacting, compared to when they were awake.

If the octopuses were prevented from sleeping, or were disrupted during the active phase of sleep, they later entered active sleep sooner and more frequently.

Aditi Pophale, co-first author of the study and PhD student at OIST, said: 'This compensatory behaviour nails down the active stage as being an essential stage of sleep that is needed for octopuses to properly function.'

According to the study, published in Nature, roughly once an hour, the octopuses entered an active sleep phase for around a minute.

During this stage, their brain activity very closely resembled their brain activity while awake, just like REM sleep does in humans.
A mission to uncover the mysteries of the dark universe is set to launch on Saturday.

A two-tonne telescope, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, will begin its million-mile journey as it takes off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The probe will be heading towards an area in space known as the second Lagrange point (L2), where the gravitational forces of Earth and the Sun are roughly equal, creating a stable location for the spacecraft.

The aim of the mission, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), is to better understand two mysterious components that make up 95 per cent of the universe  dark matter and dark energy.

Dark matter, which unlike normal matter does not reflect or emit light, binds together galaxies creating the environment for stars, planets and life.

A two-tonne telescope, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, will begin its million-mile journey as it takes off from Cape Canaveral in Florida

The aim of the mission, led by the European Space Agency (ESA), is to better understand two mysterious components that make up 95 per cent of the universe  dark matter and dark energy

The Euclid launch Launch date: 1 July 2023 Launch location: Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA Launch vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 Destination: Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2, 1.5 million km from Earth Advertisement

Meanwhile dark energy is the mysterious phenomenon which is pushing galaxies away from each other and causing the expansion of the Universe to accelerate.

Euclid will map the last 10 billion years of cosmic history across more than a third of the sky, creating the largest, most accurate 3D map of the Universe ever produced.

Experts hope this will help answer two key questions  what the fundamental physical laws of the Universe are, and how the Universe originated and what it is made of.

The UK has contributed 37 million towards the 850 million mission, with scientists playing key roles in designing and building the probe and leading on one of the two scientific instruments on board.

Professor Tom Kitching, of University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory  one of four science co-ordinators for Euclid, said: 'The puzzles we hope to address are fundamental.

'Are our models of the Universe correct? What is dark energy? Is it vacuum energy  the energy of virtual particles popping in and out of existence in empty space?

'Is it a new particle field that we didn't expect? Or it may be Einstein's theory of gravity that is wrong.

Euclid was due to be launched last year on a Russian Soyuz rocket but after the Ukraine invasion, the ESA signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to use its Falcon 9 rocket

Scientists from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory have led the development of the optical camera known as VIS  a science instrument that will take images of the distant universe

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'Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed.'

Euclid was due to be launched last year on a Russian Soyuz rocket but after the Ukraine invasion, the ESA signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to use its Falcon 9 rocket.

Scheduled for launch on July 1 at 4:11pm UK time from Cape Canaveral, Euclid will take a month to reach its destination.

Scientists from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory have led the development of the optical camera known as VIS  a science instrument that will take images of the distant universe.

Professor Mark Cropper, leader of the VIS camera team, said: 'The VIS instrument will image a large swathe of the distant Universe with almost the fine resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope, observing more of the Universe in one day than Hubble did in 25 years.

'The data will allow us to infer the distribution of dark matter across the Universe more precisely than ever before.

'The galaxies being imaged are up to 10 billion years old so we will also see how dark matter has evolved over most of the Universe's history.

'The Universe on this scale has not yet been seen in this level of detail.'

Euclid's six-year mission aims to scrutinise the dark Universe to better understand why is it rapidly expanding.

It will make use a cosmic phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, where matter acts like a magnifying glass, bending and distorting light from galaxies and clusters behind it, to capture high-quality images.

VIS's wide field of view means that, while it will take images nearly as sharp as the Hubble Space telescope, it will cover a much larger area of the sky.

Euclid's six-year mission aims to scrutinise the dark Universe to better understand why is it rapidly expanding

Each image would require 300 high-definition TV screens to display, and will allow the shape of more than 1.5 billion galaxies to be measured.

'These are huge, unprecedented images,' Professor Cropper said.

The data Euclid sends back will also help astronomers gain insights into the elusive dark matter  particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light.

Dark matter cannot be seen directly but scientists know it exists because of the effect it has on objects that that can be observed directly.

The probe also carries an infrared light instrument, called NISP, which is being led by scientists in France and aims to measure the distance to galaxies, which will shed light on fast the Universe is expanding.

Professor Andy Taylor of the University of Edinburgh, who leads the gravitational lensing data analysis for Euclid, said: 'This is a very exciting time for astronomy, and cosmology in particular.

'Euclid is designed to answer some of the biggest questions we have about the Universe.'

Professor Adam Amara, director of the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), was one of the first people to propose the idea for the telescope 18 years ago and was involved in its design and specification during the early stages.

He said: 'There's a part of me that can't believe this is actually happening. In 2005, a tiny group of us launched this idea.

'Now almost 20 years later, close to 3,000 people have worked together to make this dream a reality.

'The next phase, where we actually measure the universe, is going to be incredibly exciting. Who knows what new discoveries await us?'
This is the moment the crew on board Virgin Galactic's spaceplane celebrated with a fist-bump during the company's first commercial mission.

Italian researcher Walter Villadei and the company's astronaut instructor Colin Bennett shared a celebratory moment inside the craft that left Earth's atmosphere and soared to the edge of space to conduct science experiments in weightless conditions.

It is a landmark moment for Virgin Galactic, which was founded by Richard Branson in 2004 with the goal of offering commercial space flights - a feat that has taken just shy of 20 years to achieve.

Today marked the company's first 'purchased' mission, instead of just a test flight. The 90-minute mission took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico at around 8.30am local time.

Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial flight Thursday. The crew celebrated with a fist pump as they traveled to space

A crew of Italian researchers celebrated a successful launch aboard Virgin Galactic's maiden commercial flight that took them more than 50 miles above the surface

The rocket plane, known as Unity, was strapped to a 'mothership' a carrier aircraft called VMS Eve.

Eve is a type of carrier plane that took Unity 44,500 feet above Earth's surface to release it.

Unity ignited its thruster and shut off once it reached space.

At the apex of the flight, the spaceplane 'feathered' its wings open and hovered above our planet's atmosphere, allowing the men to experience weightlessness and epic views of the final frontier for a few minutes.

The crew also held an Italian flag as they floated inside the cabin.

'Welcome to space, astronauts,' Virgin Galactic's Sirisha Bandla said in a livestream.

The mission, dubbed Galactic 01, landed back on the New Mexico runway at 11:50.

Also onboard for the epic journey were Pantaleone Carlucci and Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi.

Unlike Branson's rivals, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, this flight was not crewed by wealthy individuals or celebrities who dish out hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for the experience.

The focus of the Galactic 01 mission was to test 13 experiments in zero gravity, which collected biometric data, measured cognitive performance and recorded how certain liquids and solids mix in microgravity conditions.

And the three Italian researchers did not pay for their seats.

The flight, from takeoff to touchdown, lasted about 90 minutes

Cheers erupted around the runway as the larger carrier called VMS Eve shot down the runway and lifted off the ground with SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity securely strapped to its underbelly

The cost for future tickets was originally slated as $250,000 each, though Virgin Galactic recently raised that price to $450,000.

Musk's SpaceX and Bezos' Blue Origin also use rockets to launch capsules into space, while Branson chose to take a different approach with mid-air launches.

Once Virgin Galactic's planes reach an altitude of about 45,000 feet, the mothership will release the spaceplane, which will then shoot off to the final frontier.

The technique has been explored over several decades of flight research, including the X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier, and the X-15, the fastest-piloted aircraft ever flown, topping out at 4,520 miles an hour during a 1967 flight.

And it reduces the need for massive amounts of fuel since the craft is not using force from the rocket to crawl through the dense lower atmosphere.

The rocket plane, SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity, hit speeds of Mach 3 within seconds of being released from Eve at 11:30 am ET and shot off to the edge of space

Virgin Galactic's spaceplane was powered by two pilots while the four passengers sat in the cabin bracing for space.

For Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villadei, designated as commander, the flight aboard the spaceplane was part of his astronaut training for a future mission to the International Space Station.

Joining him on Thursday were two Italian colleagues - Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, a physician and flight surgeon, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a research council member acting as a flight engineer and payload specialist.

Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead 'astronaut instructor,' and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile.

One of the Italian researchers was wearing a special suit that measures biometric data and physiological responses, while another conducted tests using sensors to track heart rate, brain function and other metrics while in microgravity.

And the third studied how certain liquids and solids mix in that very weak gravity.

The gleaming white spaceplane is designed to separate from its dual-fuselage mothership, then fall away as the pilots ignite the vehicle's engine to send the rocket plane streaking in a near-vertical climb at about three times the speed of sound to the blackness of space.

At the apex of the flight, the crew experienced a few minutes of weightlessness with the engine shut off before the craft shifted into re-entry mode and glided back to the spaceport for a runway landing.

At the apex of the flight, the crew experienced a few minutes of weightlessness

Cameras around Unity captured it hanging with the blackness of space in the background

The mission, dubbed Galactic 01, landed back on the New Mexico runway at 11:50

The flight, from takeoff to touchdown, lasted about 90 minutes.

Branson became the first billionaire in space when he took the maiden voyage of the VSS Unity on July 11, 2021.

The Virgin Galactic founder was one of six Virgin Galactic employees aboard VSS Unity.

However, the spaceplane was grounded shortly after the flight due to an investigation when it veered off course during its descent back to the runway in the New Mexico desert.

Branson became the first billionaire in space when he took the maiden voyage of the VSS Unity on July 11, 2021.

The Virgin Galactic founder was one of six Virgin Galactic employees aboard VSS Unity.

However, the spaceplane was grounded shortly after the flight due to an investigation when it veered off course during its descent back to the runway in the New Mexico desert.

In September 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was investigating a deviation in the descent of the flight.

The FAA, which oversees commercial air and spaceflight in the US, found the spaceplane 'deviated from its Air Traffic Control clearance' and did so for about a minute and 41 seconds.

Branson and his team have since worked out the issue and recently sent a test crew of four employees 54.2 miles above Earth's surface in May, paving the way for Virgin Galactic's first commercial, Galactic 01.
Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company - Virgin Galactic - has its first launch today.

Despite the commercial billing, this flight will be carrying crew from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy, along with a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor, for a scientific mission.

If this is a success, it will pave the way for paying customers to take their place on subsequent Virgin Galactic flights.

So when is the launch? And how can you watch it?

Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company, which has been in the works since 2009

Galactic 01 is a research mission carrying crew from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy along with a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor

The project plans to take paying customers in August if this flight is successful

What time does Virgin Galactic launch?

Galactic 01 launches at 4pm BST - 8am PT and 11am ET - on Thursday June 29.

The flight should take 90 minutes, with the aircraft reaching heights of 80km above Earth.

The crew plan to conduct 13 experiments, examining biomedicine thermo-fluid dynamics and microgravity.

They are:

Col. Walter Villadei

Pantaleone Carlucci

Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi

Colin Bennett - astronaut instructor

How can I watch the Virgin Galactic launch?

Virgin Galactic will be streaming the launch on their website.

The launch will begin with a carrier plane taking the passengers to a height of 15km before the smaller craft will break away.

The passenger jet will be launched from a from a carrier plane at 15km, before ascending on its own to 80km in altitude

What is Virgin Galactic?

Virgin Galactic is Richard Branson's commercial spaceflight company, which has been in the works since 2009.

Their flights are different from SpaceX and Blue Origin, which perform dramatic vertical rocket launches much like NASA.

If today's is successful, Galactic 01 could pave the way to tourists going to space on other Galactic flights later this year.

READ MORE: Who are the crew on Virgin Galactic flight Galactic 01? Advertisement

The plane should hover in place for five minutes to let passengers experience zero gravity, and the fantastic views of both space and Earth from the array of windows in the roof and sides of the aircraft.

When is the next Virgin Galactic flight?

After Galactic 01's mission today, the first flight with tourists is scheduled for August.

Galactic 02 has not had a specific date marked yet, but is due to take place early in the month.

From then on, flights are expected to run once a month according to the company's website, although they hope to expand their flight schedule within the first year.
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Melinda French Gates has shared she is 'very nervous about artificial intelligence' being 'baked with bias' because there is a lack of women developing such tools.

The comments appear to take a jab at ex-husband Bill Gates, 67, who is leading the charge for the systems and has faced sexual harassment allegations from former female staff.

'We don't have enough women who are computer scientists and expertise in artificial intelligence,' French Gates, 58, told CNN Thursday.

She continued to explain that the tech needs to 'take all people's points of view and see society and, quite frankly, see the world writ large as it is.'

The comments are the first time she has spoken about the systems her ex-husband believes are 'as revolutionary as mobile phones and the internet.'

Melinda French Gates spoke with CNN about how she is 'very nervous' about AI being baked with bias. She said more women need to be involved in developing systems

The Wall Street Journal revealed in 2021 that two top executives at Microsoft reportedly told Gates to stop sending flirtatious emails to a female employee he had propositioned while he was CEO and married to French Gates more than a decade ago.

The 2008 emails from Gates were sent to a midlevel employee at the software giant.

And Microsoft executives later discovered them. Gates reportedly agreed to stop corresponding with the woman.

Microsoft announced in 2022 that it hired a law firm to review how the company handled sexual harassment allegations against some of its top executives, including Gates.

Gates was accused of soliciting at least two employees while he was running the tech giant, according to The New York Times.

In at least one instance, in 2007, it reports that Gates sat through a presentation by a Microsoft employee, then promptly emailed her asking for a date.

He reportedly wrote: 'If this makes you uncomfortable, pretend it never happened.'

The Gates' divorced last year after 27 years of marriage, during which he was rumored to have had at least one affair with a Russian bridge player.

French Gates has continued her work as a philanthropist and woman's advocate, which sparked the conversation about AI Thursday.

Her comments followed a discussion on the need for more women in public office.

'When you have women creating something, making a decision or setting that law, you are bringing that perspective of the society that is so vitally important,' she said while explaining her life after divorce as 'joyful.'

In March, Gates, 67, shared his support for the progress of artificial intelligence, proclaiming the ChatGPT-like technology.

While brief, it was the first time she'd spoken about the systems her ex-husband Bill Gates believes are 'as revolutionary as mobile phones and the internet'

He believes 'the rise of AI' is poised to improve humanity, increase productivity, reduce worldwide inequalities, and accelerate the development of new vaccines.

Gates has acknowledged that AI will likely be 'so disruptive [that it] is bound to make people uneasy' because it 'raises hard questions about the workforce, privacy, bias, and more.'

French Gates did not seem as hopeful about AI in the CNN interview but is optimistic that women could change the tech's predicted bias path.

The current powerhouses in the AI industry are OpenAI, Microsoft and Google - all of which have men at the helm.

However, French Gates did not provide details on how women's points of view would improve the tech.

Musk has made moves to stop the dangers of AI from becoming a reality.

In March, the SpaceX CEO and more than 1,000 other tech leaders signed an open letter detailing potential risks to society and civilization by human-competitive AI systems in the form of economic and political disruptions - and called on developers to work with policymakers on governance and regulatory authorities.

This would be possible if AI reaches singularity, a hypothetical future where technology surpasses human intelligence and changes the path of our evolution - and this is predicted to happen by 2045.

AI would first have to pass the Turing Test.

When it does, the technology is considered to have independent intelligence, allowing it to self-replicate into an even more powerful system that humans cannot control.

The concerned tech leaders asked all AI labs to stop developing their products for at least six months while more risk assessment is done.

In March, the SpaceX CEO and more than 1,000 other tech leaders signed an open letter detailing potential risks to society and civilization by human-competitive AI systems. This will happen if AI reaches singularity, which is predicted to happen by 2045

If any labs refuse, they want governments to 'step in.' Musk fears that the technology will become so advanced that it will no longer require - or listen to - human interference.

Gates and Google CEO Sundar Pichai did not sign the letter.

Many have questioned whether a personal vendetta between Musk and Gates, who have argued over climate change and the COVID pandemic, is part of the rift in Silicon Valley. But Musk has been warning about the dangers of AI for years.

Some speculate Musk opposes the technology because they are not leading the charge.

Musk founded OpenAI with Sam Altman, the company's CEO, but in 2018 the billionaire attempted to take control of the startup.

His request was rejected, forcing him to quit OpenAI and move on with his other projects.

Musk has recently slammed ChatGPT as 'woke' and deviating from OpenAI's original non-profit mission.

'OpenAI was created as an open source (which is why I named it 'Open' AI), non-profit company to serve as a counterweight to Google, but now it has become a closed source, maximum-profit company effectively controlled by Microsoft, Musk tweeted in February.
Scientists have discovered bone fragments from the flipper-like limbs and backbone of a plesiosaur  an aquatic reptile from the Jurassic period  dug up thousands of feet above sea level in the Malone mountains of western Texas.

The new finding offers a window into the shallow sea that once covered the arid deserts of northeastern Mexico and western Texas 150 million years ago.

Texas during the Late Jurassic, the era of Earth's largest and most famous dinosaurs, is still largely a mystery to paleontologists due to the limited amount of intact Jurassic-aged rock formations across the state.

Nearly all that is left from the ocean floor of Jurassic Texas can be found along just 13 square miles of rock atop the Malone mountain range.

But with this new plesiosaur discovery, the hunt is on for more fossils.

'Geologists are going to go out there looking for more bones,' said vertebrate paleontologist Louis Jacobs, the new study's co-author. 'They're going to find them.'

The newly unearthed fossil remains of a plesiosaur in west Texas are the first ever evidence of a Jurassic-period vertebrate in the state. Above, an artist's interpretation of a Jurassic plesiosaur

Geoscientist Steve May at the University of Texas at Austin has discovered bone fragments (pictured) from the flipper-like limbs and backbone of a plesiosaur, the Jurassic-period aquatic reptile, in the Malone mountains of western Texas. May says, 'There's more to be discovered'

The weathered plesiosaur remains were unearthed during two fossil-hunting expeditions led by geoscientist Steve May, a research associate at the University of Texas at Austin.

'There's more to be discovered that can tell us the story of what this part of Texas was like during the Jurassic,' May said in a statement from UT Austin.

May hopes that he and Jacobs' paper describing the bones and other fossils, as published this week in the peer-reviewed journal Rocky Mountain Geology, will spur more dino-hunting in the Malone.

'Folks, there are Jurassic vertebrates out there,' May said.

Just 13 square miles of rock along the Malone mountains constitutes nearly all that's left of the ocean floor from Jurassic Texas. With the new discovery, the hunt is on for more fossils

Before May's discovery, the only fossils found in Texas from the Jurassic period were ancient, shellfish-like invertebrates, including ammonites and snails.

But May and his team had picked up a major clue that larger fossil remains were still out there in the Lone Star state.

A 1938 paper on the geology of the Malone mountains by a future geology professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Claude Albritton, made a passing mention of large unidentified bone fragments.

The lead was enough to tempt May to the Malone range, after the geoscientist learned in 2015 that no Jurassic bones currently existed in the Texas fossil record.

'You just don't want to believe that there are no Jurassic bones in Texas,' May said.

While the researchers note that the newly discovered plesiosaur fossils are eroded and broken up, Jacobs, a professor emeritus at SMU, expects that scientists are now 'going to look for the other things that interest them' around the Malone.

During the Jurassic, the sediments that would become the Malone mountain range came to rest within a few miles of the prehistoric shoreline.

According to the researchers, the Malone area was part of what they call the 'Late Jurassic Chihuahua trough' a tropical region that was 'perhaps similar to the Gulf of California today in terms of both geologic setting and biologic diversity.'

Like the modern Gulf of California, the Late Jurassic Chihuahua trough would have been home to an abundance of aquatic dinosaurs still left to find, as they wrote in their new study, because the trough supported 'tropical and temperate species from coastal and oceanic environments.'
Leaning over the side of a four-by-four safari vehicle, it's tricky to hold your camera steady. We are in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy in Kenya and can hardly believe our luck, having just chanced upon a cheetah and her two cubs who have taken an interest in us.

It's a little alarming how close they get, especially when they stand up on their hind legs and begin gnawing at the wing mirror. My nine-year-old daughter is sitting in the back with her father, who is holding our four-year-old son tightly. It is only when one of the cubs looks as though it's about to leap in that our guide, Lenkume, turns on the ignition to frighten the cheetahs off.

Lenkume tells us that a young cheetah did once jump into his truck, landing on an American tourist's lap and ripping her jeans with razor-sharp claws.

You can't help wondering, is going on a safari with young children really such a good idea?

Absolutely, is the answer. A safari holiday has always been a dream and when I heard that Great Plains, run by wildlife conservationists and filmmakers Derek and Beverly Joubert, now offer family-friendly safaris we raided our piggy banks, as it's not cheap.

On a trip curated by tour operator Great Plains, Katie Nicholl and her family spend three days in the Chyulu Hills National Park before flying to the Maasai Mara (pictured)

First comes three days in the Chyulu Hills National Park staying at the Ol Donyo Lodge, before taking a 45-minute flight to the Mara Naboisho Conservancy in Maasai Mara, where we have three nights at Mara Nyika camp.

It's an ambitious itinerary over a week (flying initially to Nairobi), so when we touch down in the golden fields of the Chyulu Hills, we head straight for the bush.

Dan, our guide, comes to the small plane with our very own Land Cruiser, complete with a well-stocked fridge, picnic table, chairs, two pairs of binoculars and a Canon camera. These extras mean you don't have to use up precious luggage allowance (15kg per person in a soft bag is all allowed on the small internal aircraft) and you get to keep all the images on a USB stick.

You can't help wondering, is going on a safari with young children really such a good idea? Absolutely, is the answer.

Everything you might need, from wet wipes to sunscreen and insect repellent, is included and because the camp does your laundry free of charge you can be frugal with packing. A fleece, layers you can peel off during the day, a scarf to wear over your mouth on dusty roads, proper shoes, a cap and good sunglasses are the essentials.

Itineraries are personalised and ours includes breakfast in the bush next to a lagoon with hippos and crocodiles, as well as sipping gin and tonics in the four-by-four at sundown while watching lion cubs rolling in the long grass.

A thrilling night-time safari is also thrown in. We use infra-red torches to observe packs of hyenas and lions, while stars high above the landscape provide the most wonderful light show.

Great Plains offers an all-inclusive kids' club, which means that when the children are tired or bored, there's plenty for them to do at the camp.

'The food is excellent and there is a varied children's menu for young explorers,' Katie says of her stay at Ol Donyo Lodge (above) in the Chyulu Hills National Park

During a 'thrilling' night-time safari, Katie uses infra-red torches to observe packs of hyenas and lions (file photo)

Activities include archery, spear-making, learning how to make a fire, pizza-making and watercolour painting in the log hide-out overlooking a watering hole. The latter is the only source of water for 40 miles and attracts myriad wildlife, including zebra, impala, elan, monkeys, baboons and lions.

Horse-riding is offered, as are visits to Mbirikani, a local Maasai village an hour's drive away. Here, we are welcomed by village elders and invited into their homes - huts made from cow dung.

There is no running water and no electricity. But with the help of a translator, we are given a real insight into local life. And it's humbling.

On another day, a trip into the bush to see the work of the Big Life Foundation is arranged. This is an anti-poaching organisation working with the Kenyan government. Bloodhounds, named Bonnie and Clyde, work with park rangers to track down illegal poachers.

There's so much to do - and it's so educational for the children - that it's tempting to be out adventuring non-stop, but it would be a shame not to enjoy the camp, too.

'No two days in the Maasai are the same and we marvel at the vast number of animals,' says Katie

TRAVEL FACTS Africa Exclusive has eight-night safaris with Great Plains for a family of four, including all flights, four nights at Ol Donyo Lodge and four at Mara Nyika Camp from 21,930; for two people the price is from 7230pp (safari.co.uk). Advertisement

Each of the six lodges at Ol Donyo has its own butler service, plunge pool, 'star bed' (on the roof) and great views of the 300,000-acre conservation area. The food is excellent and there is a varied children's menu for young explorers.

It might seem as though the luxurious experience is unmatchable but our stay at Mara Nyika proves this wrong. Nyika means 'great plains' and the camp is surrounded by acres of lush grassland where elephants roam at eye level to the stilted tents.

We opt for one of the newly refurbished family tents that boast two huge bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms complete with copper roll-top baths and walk-in showers, and a huge balcony where we enjoy breakfast with the monkeys.

This is a more exposed camp than Ol Donyo and we receive a safety briefing on arrival. No one is allowed to leave their tents at night and there is also round-the-clock security.

No two days in the Maasai are the same and we marvel at the vast number of animals. The 'Big Five' are here and, while we don't encounter any rhino, we catch sight of the other four - elephants, lions, leopards and buffaloes.

The children have been given a wildlife tick list and we have hours of fun ticking off the names of all the magnificent creatures we have seen and learning their collective nouns - a troop of ostrich, a business of mongoose, a school of hippos.

Perhaps most magnificent of all is getting to see a leopard and her cub, while our son George falls in love with the warthogs and insists he wants to take 'Pumbaa' home. It's hard not to think of the Lion King and the Circle Of Life - we've always loved the Disney hit, but nothing beats seeing Simba for real.
As a pilot, he flew an A320  tail number G-MIDY  that he helped build in 1999

When Chris Ransome worked as an A320 wing-fitter in the 1990s at the Airbus factory in Wales, he could never imagine that one day he'd fulfil his dream of becoming a pilot.

But the power of perseverance paid dividends. In 2005 he joined British Airways as a pilot, going on to become an Airbus A320 captain in 2015.

What's more, several times throughout his career, he flew an A320  tail number G-MIDY  that he helped build in 1999. And remarkably, he recently flew its very last flight, becoming a part of the plane's entire lifecycle from beginning to end.

Reflecting on his journey, Chris says: 'I have always felt really proud to know that I was part of the entire lifecycle of G-MIDY, from building it, to flying it, to taking it on its final flight.

'Every time I have flown on this aircraft, it's reminded me that I achieved my dream of becoming a pilot, something that I didn't think would happen when I was building the wings for this aircraft.'

Former wing-fitter Chris Ransome, who went on to become a British Airways pilot, flew this A320 - an aircraft he helped build - for its final flight this week. Above, the plane, tail number G-MIDY, lands at its final destination, St Athan in South Wales

Chris flew tail number G-MIDY several times throughout his career. He says: 'Every time I have flown on this aircraft, it's reminded me that I achieved my dream of becoming a pilot'

Chris was the captain in charge of its final flight, delivering the plane, which had flown its last commercial flight from Paris to London hours prior, to St Athan, South Wales. There, it'll be taken apart by aircraft dismantler eCube and hundreds of components recycled and inserted back into the aviation supply chain.

The pilot reveals: 'When I found out that G-MIDY was being retired, I got in touch with the team to see if I could be part of the aircraft's final journey.'

The aircraft in question, serial number 1014, originally went to British Midlands on June 28, 1999, but became part of the BA fleet in 2012, following the acquisition of British Midlands by BA's parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG).

Chris was inspired to pursue a career in aviation as a result of growing up near Airbus's Broughton factory in Flintshire, North Wales.

The aircraft, serial number 1014, originally went to British Midlands on June 28, 1999, but became part of the BA fleet in 2012

Chris was inspired to pursue a career in aviation as a result of growing up near Airbus's Broughton factory in Flintshire. He says: 'I have always felt really proud to know that I was part of the entire lifecycle of G-MIDY, from building it, to flying it, to taking it on its final flight'

At first, he didn't think he would be able to become a pilot, so instead he went to university to study agriculture.

While at university, Chris turned back to his original dream and applied for scholarships for flight training.

After some unsuccessful applications, he realised he would need to fund his way through flight school, so moved back to North Wales and got his job as a Stage 1 320 semi-skilled fitter.

He would go on to become a pilot with BA on the 747 and 737 before becoming an Airbus captain.

As G-MIDY retires, British Airways pledges to bring in new, more fuel efficient and quieter aircraft - including A320 Neos - into its fleet.
Kim Kardashian was supposed to get a surprise 42nd birthday trip to Las Vegas, but she never made it to Sin City due to some unexpected turbulence.

This week's new episode - entitled The Tension Is Brewing - happened just before Kim's 42nd birthday, with her sister Khloe Kardashian and friend Tracy Romulus planning a surprise getaway to Sin City, to see Usher perform in concert.

While Kim admitted in confession that she ultimately knew about the trip to Vegas, she didn't know about the Usher concert, though it was all for naught.

Kim was joined by Steph Shepherd, Malika Haqq, Tracy Romulus, Olivia Pierson, Natalie Halcro, Kris Jenner and Khloe on the trip that got cut short.

'Today is the big surprise. So the plan is Kimberly knows we're going somewhere and we're essentially gonna kidnap her. We're putting her in a party van with no windows that can see outside,' Khloe says in confession before the trip.

Birthday girl: Kim Kardashian was supposed to get a surprise 42nd birthday trip to Las Vegas, but she never made it to Sin City due to some unexpected turbulence

Trip: This week's new episode - entitled The Tension Is Brewing - happened just before Kim's 42nd birthday, with her sister Khloe Kardashian and friend Tracy Romulus planning a surprise getaway to Sin City, to see Usher perform in concert

Friends: Kim was joined by Steph Shepherd, Malika Haqq, Tracy Romulus, Olivia Pierson, Natalie Halcro, Kris Jenner and Khloe on the trip that got cut short

Kim tells Steph Shepherd that she has no idea what they're going to do and she thought, 'I'd be spending my birthday in bed with the kids. I was like so chill.'

Kim adds in confession, 'Today is my surprise birthday party. I'm playing along because Khloe is the best and like I know she's worked so hard on this and I like don't want to break her heart.'

Kim and Steph walk out to the van, as Kim admits in confession that she doesn't know where in Vegas they're actually going.

'I know we're going to Vegas but I don't know why. I'm just gonna like hold on to that element of surprise,' Kim says.

She arrives at the van and they all cheer, as the van takes off, as Khloe asks if she's ready to go to a strip club.

'Oh no, that is so not my vibe. Is that what we're doing?' Kim says as Steph jokes, 'Why do you think you're in a bra top?'

The van pulls into an airport hangar where showgirls are waiting, as Khloe adds in confession, 'Like, we have showgirls, we're going on a plane, obviously it's nighttime already, so it can't be a location that's far. We're not going to like Bermuda or something, she has no bags packed.'

Back in the hangar, they ask Kim if she can guess where she's going, when she ultimately guesses Vegas.

Surprise: Kim adds in confession, 'Today is my surprise birthday party. I'm playing along because Khloe is the best and like I know she's worked so hard on this and I like don't want to break her heart'

Cheer: She arrives at the van and they all cheer, as the van takes off, as Khloe asks if she's ready to go to a strip club

'We're playing Usher music on the airplane come on, Kim, help me help you. You really don't know where we're going yet?' Kim says in confession.

Kim learns on the plane that they're going to an Usher concert, adding in confession, 'Oh my God, Usher in Vegas? I've heard the show is amazing. Now I'm so excited to be going to Vegas for my birthday with all my friends? A concert? It changes everything.'

They start taking Jello shots on the plane, adding in confession, 'I'm such an Usher fan. Who isn't an Usher fan, right? Like, he's the best.'

Back on the plane, they start experiencing some turbulence, though Khloe says, 'It's known there is going to be turbulence, this is not a shock.'

They instruct everyone to put seat belts on, as Kris says in confession, 'Well, I used to be a flight attendant, so I'm really good at being calm on a plane when there's turbulence, but it seems a little extreme tonight.'

The turbulence continues as Kim says, 'I have to make it to 43 please,' as Khloe adds in confession, 'I'm getting a little nervous, I don't love turbulence. This isn't the way the party is supposed to start.'

They notice that they are not landing like planned, as someone says, 'We were about to, then we picked right back up.'

Khloe says in confession, 'This is some scary s**t,' while back on the plane, Khloe asks her mother what is happening.

'Nothing, we're just gonna try again,' adding it was, 'too windy' so they are going to try landing again and if they can't land this time they have to go back home.

Jello shots: They start taking Jello shots on the plane, adding in confession, 'I'm such an Usher fan. Who isn't an Usher fan, right? Like, he's the best'

Known: Back on the plane, they start experiencing some turbulence, though Khloe says, 'It's known there is going to be turbulence, this is not a shock'

43: The turbulence continues as Kim says, 'I have to make it to 43 please,' as Khloe adds in confession, 'I'm getting a little nervous, I don't love turbulence. This isn't the way the party is supposed to start'

Down and up: Kim adds in confession, 'We go down and then we pull back up, twice, and that scared me. The first time I'm like, oh you're joking. And once I realized it's not a joke, we actually can't land, I'm like, I'm not messing with my life, like, let's go home. But it sucks'

Kim adds in confession, 'We go down and then we pull back up, twice, and that scared me. The first time I'm like, oh you're joking. And once I realized it's not a joke, we actually can't land, I'm like, I'm not messing with my life, like, let's go home. But it sucks.'

The pilot reveals over the loudspeaker that the air traffic controller will not let them land in Las Vegas, 'so unfortunately our only option now is to go back.'

Khloe adds in confession, 'We feel so terrible for everyone who has moved mountains to make this experience so wonderful for Kimberly on her birthday. You make plans and God laughs.'

The plane lands safely back in Los Angeles as the pilot says, 'Sorry it didn't work out,' as Khloe says, 'No, thank you for making us safe.'
Johnny Depp was seen wearing a leg brace as he arrived in Berlin ahead of his show with his band Hollywood Vampires at Citadel Music Festival on Wednesday.

The actor, 60, who stars in the rock group alongside Alice Cooper and Aerosmith's Joe Perry, recently postponed the US leg of their tour due to his injury.

Johnny wore a knitted beanie hat with a graphic printed jacket and black cargo trousers s he strolled though the city.

He was accompanied by an unknown pal as he continued his European tour following their gigs in Munich and Hamburg.

After tweaking his ankle while promoting his film, Jeanne Du Barry, at the Cannes Film Festival a source revealed to TMZ that the star 'stressed it further while trying to power through' at tribute show for his late friend Jeff Beck.

Injury: Johnny Depp, 60, (right) was seen wearing a leg brace as he arrived in Berlin ahead of his show with his band Hollywood Vampires at the Zitadelle on Wednesday

Earlier this month the band announced they would be postponing the American leg of their tour due to Johnny's injury.

An insider told TMZ that the actor's 'ankle is fractured and his medical team has instructed him not to fly for the foreseeable future.'

It meant that he was unable to perform with Hollywood Vampires' in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York.

Shortly after the cancellations, Depp and his bandmates, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, confirmed the news that they have to reschedule their first three U.S tour dates on their Instagram account.

'We are sad to share that the Hollywood Vampires will be rescheduling our three US tour dates this coming week,' the band revealed in their post.

They continued: 'Johnny has sustained a painful injury to his ankle following his recent appearances and has been advised by his doctor not to travel.'

'He is devastated by this turn of events, but looks forward to resting up so all four Vampires can bring their absolute best to the tour in Europe,' the group continued.

Johnny, Alice and Joe formed the Hollywood Vampires in 2012, initially performing cover songs to honor rock stars who died in the 1970s.

Quirky: He wore a knitted beanie hat with a graphic printed jacket and black cargo trousers as he strolled though the city

Band: The actor, who stars in the rock group alongside Alice Cooper and Aerosmith's Joe Perry, recently postponed the US leg of their tour due to his injury (L-R Johnny, Joe and Alice)

Johnny previously toured with Beck and recorded an album with the legendary guitarist, who died, at the age of 78, after contracting bacterial meningitis.

The pair created a 13-track collection, featuring two new Depp originals, and an eclectic mix of cover songs ranging from such iconic artists as the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye and John Lennon to alternative rockers such as Killing Joke and The Velvet Underground.

'When Johnny and I started playing together, it really ignited our youthful spirit and creativity. We would joke about how we felt 18 again so that just became the album title too,' Beck, 77, said in a statement about the album, as reported by Billboard.

In keeping with their fond teenage memories that were sparked by the music, the two artists decided to use an illustration of themselves as 18-year-olds, drawn by Beck's wife Sandra, for the album cover.
Carrie Bickmore has warned her fans to be careful after scammers used her name to create a fake Instagram account.

The 42-year-old shared a photo to her Instagram story on Wednesday of the account impersonating her on social media.

'Scam. Another fake account. The only real account I have is @bickmorecarrie,' she wrote.

'Also I do not do crypto. These are scams.'

Carrie's warning comes as she currently hosts her Hit FM show with co-star Tommy Little in Paris.

Carrie Bickmore urged fans to be cautious after scammers used her name to create a fake Instagram account

Fans are begging Carrie and Tommy to confirm alleged romance rumours as their chemistry heats up in the City of Love.

'Can you guys just become a couple already? The chemistry between you two is out of this world and you can hear it on the radio', an Instagram user commented on a video of Tommy, 38, and Carrie exploring Paris last week.

'They make a cute couple. I'm convinced there is a little tryst going on,' another user wrote, while someone else added: 'Can't wait until the big secret comes out about you two'.

While the main reason for their trip is work, Carrie and Tommy are making the most of their time together in Paris.

The 42-year-old shared a photo to her Instagram story of the account impersonating her on social media

'This is one of their bigger trips together, and while it is for work, they're having the time of their lives,' an insider told Woman's Day magazine on Monday.

'They've been sightseeing all over, and even though they've been [to France] separately before, getting to experience it together has been very special.'

Carrie announced her split from her partner-of-11-years Chris Walker this year, while Tommy has reportedly been single since his breakup with girlfriend Natalie Kyriacou in 2021.

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.

Carrie's warning comes as she currently hosts her Hit FM show with co-star Tommy Little in Paris

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 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.
Scout Willis stepped out for lunch with friends in Los Angeles on Wednesday and pulled off a cheeky look.

The 31-year-old actress  who flashed her thong in a fun outfit earlier this month  donned an ivory romper that exposed the bottom of her backside.

The star, who is the daughter of Bruce Willis, 68, and Demi Moore, 60, teamed her onesie with tall, black, matte leather boots.

The Love Without Possession music artist added a touch of glamour as she wore a pair of oval-shaped black sunnies.

Scout pulled her lengthy and lustrous brunette hair into an imperfect ponytail set at the top of her head and secured with a pink scrunchie.

Out and about: Scout Willis stepped out for lunch with friends in Los Angeles on Wednesday and pulled off a cheeky look

Cheeky: The 31-year-old actress donned an ivory romper that exposed the bottom of her backside

Scout, the second-born daughter of the former Hollywood 'it' couple, skipped makeup for the midweek outing.

She donned medium-sized gold hoop earrings as she headed to a restaurant with friends in the city's Los Feliz neighborhood.

She also wore a thin, light-colored shell necklace, as well as a gold bracelet on her right wrist.

The fashion-forward beauty wore a blue cardigan sweater, and tied it diagonally across her chest at one point.

And she kept her belongings in a small, neutral-colored, woven, bucket-like basket of a purse.

The lunch date comes after Scout paid tribute to her father Bruce earlier this month for Father's Day.

She shared two recent photos of herself and the actor, along with a lengthy and heartfelt caption.

'Sending the blessing of this love out to everyone today,' she began the note to her 396,000 followers.

Fabulous: The Love Without Possession music artist added a touch of glamour as she wore a pair of oval-shaped black sunnies

In the first photo, the Die Hard sensation sweetly kissed his daughter on the forehead as they sat side by side.

Scout, dressed in a strapless black top, leaned into her dad and rested her head on his shoulder.

The second snapshot showed the parent and child holding hands as Bruce rested his head on her wrist and closed his eyes.

The caption went on to say, 'I feel so lucky to know the kind of tenderness that this man shares, the deep admiration, respect and reverence he has for his family. I feel so lucky that this incredible, vibrant man is my father.

'Thinking of everyone for whom today has been challenging and I am loving you with the deepest depths of my heart!'

The message ended with Willis expressing, 'What patience, compassion and presence we learn through the greatest challenges in our lives.'

Earlier this year, Bruce's family shared with the world that he was diagnosed with dementia.

Sweet: The lunch date comes after Scout paid tribute to her father Bruce Willis earlier this month for Father's Day

Sweet The second snapshot showed the parent and child holding hands as Bruce rested his head on her wrist and closed his eyes

In addition to Scout, Bruce shares Rumer, 34, and Tallulah, 29 with ex-wife Demi.

He's now married to model Emma Heming Willis, 45, and the two share daughters Evelyn, 8, and Mabel, 10.

Emma also gave husband Bruce a Fathers Day shout out, writing on Instagram that the day 'is a time I get to reflect on my deep appreciation and respect I have for Bruce as I watch him father our little ones.'

She added, 'Where it might not be conventional, what hes teaching them will span generations. Unconditional love, kindness, strength, compassion, patience, generosity, resilience.

Happy Fathers Day to the greatest dad I know, who will forever be the gift that keeps giving within our family.'
Olivia Molly Rogers' ex-husband has appeared to move on eight months after the couple called it quits.

The model's former partner, Justin McKeon, seems to have a new love in his life as he was photographed cuddling a mystery woman at a Melbourne bar on Thursday.

The pair looked very cosy with Justin's arm around the brunette woman's waist as they smiled for the camera.

Justin was dapper in a pair of black trousers, a black T-shirt and a cream blazer for his night out in Bar Bambi.

His mystery woman looked stylish in a long-sleeved black figure-hugging dress, and kept her long brown locks down in a loose curl.

Olivia Molly Rogers ex-husband Justin McKeon (pictured) might have a new beau in his life as he was photographed cuddling a mystery woman at a Melbourne bar on Thursday

This comes after Olivia announced last October that she and her husband of seven months decided to split.

Taking to Instagram, the former Miss Universe Australia wrote: 'After 4.5 years together, Justin and I have come to the difficult decision to separate as a couple.

'I do not wish to make any further statements about this in the near future,' she added.

This comes after Olivia announced last October that she and her husband of seven months decided to split (both pictured)

'Please respect our decision and privacy at this time. Thank you for all your private DMs, kindness and support.

'I'm so grateful for you all. Love you guys.'

Olivia has now also moved on, as she went Instagram official with her new boyfriend in April.

She shared a carousel of photos of her new love interest, model Morgan Waterhouse, to announce the exciting news.

Olivia has now also moved on, as she went Instagram official with her new boyfriend Morgan Waterhouse in April (both pictured)

Another snap shows Olivia having the time of her life on a night out on the town with Morgan, as they both cradle what appear to be cocktails

In one image, Olivia is seen beaming from ear to ear as she leans in for a cuddle with her genetically blessed beau.

Another snap shows the model having the time of her life on a night out on the town with Morgan, as they both cradle what appear to be cocktails.

In a third image, the new lovebirds are seen posing in an audience.

'Happyyy girl,' she captioned the carousel of images.
Roxy Jacenko's eight-year-old son Hunter has given an hilarious foul-mouthed rating of a McDonald's in Turkey after purchasing a happy meal from the fast food chain.

The millionaire PR maven's boy was less than impressed after taking a bite of his hamburger to find it was missing onions, mustard and tomato sauce.

In a video posted to Instagram, Roxy asked Hunter: 'What's the problem? What is wrong with the burger?'

'[It's supposed to have] onions, mustard, tomato sauce, everything,' a disappointed Hunter explained.

'What a stitch-up! What is this?,' he added before opening his burger to reveal it only had a meat patty.

Roxy Jacenko's son Hunter has slammed McDonald's after after purchasing a happy meal from the fast food chain in Turkey

Hunter continued: 'It still tastes good but now that's a scam.'

Roxy, her daughter Pixie and Hunter arrived in Turkey on Wednesday on a private jet after holidaying in Greece.

In a series of Instagram posts, the trio chronicled their adventures on the luxurious jet as they inched their way towards their new home in Singapore.

Pixie's posts showed the tween boarding the jet on a runway in the Greek island of Corfu.

She revealed that the plane was bound for Istanbul.

The eight-year-old was less than impressed after taking a bite of his hamburger to find it was missing onions, mustard and tomato sauce

'What a stitch-up! What is this?,' he said before opening his burger to reveal it only had a meat patty

It comes after Roxy recently announced she was relocating her family to Singapore to be with her husband Oliver Curtis.

The entrepreneur said she will be jetting to the Southeast Asian country in July after closing down several businesses, including her daughter Pixie's, before hocking her designer bag collection and selling her home.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Roxy admitted that her life in Sydney has a stark difference to her upcoming new life overseas.

'No one knows me there, no one has any preconceived idea of who or what I am, no one has any expectation, and best of all, no one actually cares!' she told the publication, revealing two words convinced her to relocate to Asia.

'In Singapore it was a matter of "Roxy who?" I actually found it really refreshing and a bit liberating.'
Love guru Anna Williamson has admitted that Kate Moss 'could learn some upsetting things' about her younger sister Lottie, should she tune in to Celeb's Go Dating.

The OnlyFan's model, 25, is currently starring on the series alongside presenter Vanessa Feltz, 61, and Love Island's Chloe Burrows, 27, as they hunt for romance.

However, supermodel Kate, 49, is unlikely to watch the show with Lottie previously revealing she 'doesn't really know' her older half-sister and their relationship so distant 'she doesn't reply to my texts'.

Speaking in a new interview, dating agent Anna, 41, shared her hopes for the siblings to mend their broken relationship.

She told The Mirror: 'I would be so intrigued if Kate Moss was going to watch this series, I hope she does, I think she'll find out a lot of interesting and perhaps upsetting things about her sister.'

Thoughts: Love guru Anna Williamson admitted that Kate Moss, 49, (pictured in May) 'could learn upsetting things' about her younger sister Lottie, should she tune in to Celeb's Go Dating

On screen: The OnlyFan's model, 25, (pictured) is currently starring on the series alongside presenter Vanessa Feltz, 61, and Love Island's Chloe Burrows, 27, as they hunt for romance

Anna added: 'I would love it to be able to be, perhaps an olive branch between the two sisters, who I believe, it's no secret that they're not that close."

'I would love it if Kate would use this opportunity to reach out to her little sister and give her a much-needed hug but I think she needs.'

In a self-penned essay in March, Lottie said that while her sister provided her a useful stepping stone, she was determined to make her own money herself and used her earnings to pay for private schooling at St. Bede's School in Redhill.

The Chelsea socialite also responded to the backlash for a series of Tweets she posted in response to Lily Allen, the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen, who launched a defence of celebrity children raised within privileged families.

'I think a common misconception is that because Kate, who is 24 years older than me, is rich and famous, so were my family. But obviously, that was her money and her fame, not ours,' Lottie writes in Newsweek.

Lottie continued: 'I knew that my sister Kate was famous and growing up, I idolised her, thinking she was the coolest. I never got much love or attention from her though, which has always upset me, especially because people have brought her up to me for as long as I can remember.

Hopeful: Speaking in a new interview, dating agent Anna, 41, shared her hopes for the siblings to mend their broken relationship

Distant: However, supermodel Kate is unlikely to watch the show with Lottie previously revealing she ' doesn't really know' her older half-sister and 'Kate doesn't reply to my texts'

'How do I say to people that I don't know her and that she doesn't reply to my texts? I honestly think the whole "nepo baby" concept is so weird; there are so many people in the world that have had obvious advantages in their career because of who they know or who someone in their family is, not just famous people.'

Lottie revealed that she had to delete Twitter after she wrote she is 'sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren't rich and famous or successful'.

The model added that she 'finds it hard to understand the anger' from her Tweet and says she 'sometimes say things in the wrong way, or it comes out differently to the way I meant it to'.

Lottie explained that her childhood was troubled at times with her dad Peter (Kate's father) going to rehab for depression for several months after her mother's store collapsed.

But the age of 13, she secured a modelling contract after being a bridesmaid at Kate's wedding to her now ex-husband Jamie Hince.

The young model appeared to be following Kate's meteoric trajectory after signing for the internationally respected, London based Storm Management when she was just 14-years old - the age at which her sister was initially discovered by the same agency.

Not close: 'I never got much love or attention from her though, which has always upset me, especially because people have brought her up to me,' Lottie said in March (pictured 2014)

Getting involved: Lottie provoked backlash after lending her support to Lily Allen in the ongoing debate over socially-connected 'nepotism babies'

Not excelling at school, Lottie said she threw herself into modelling - but it was a far cry from 'the dream' she had been sold.

The OnlyFans star later admitted she indulged in drugs and alcohol in her late teens and 'completely lost myself' aged 18, when she was told by agents that she needed a personal trainer and a 23-inch waist.

As she hit the social scene, Lottie said she developed a bit of a reputation as a 'party girl' but never knew the 'darkness and loneliness that came with it'.

High-fashion runways have since been replaced with racy online content and the potentially lucrative subscription-only website OnlyFans, where Lottie claims she has finally stepped out of her sister's tall shadow while expressing herself within a like-minded community of free-spirited, X-rated models.

MailOnline contacted Kate's representatives for comment at the time.
Amyl (Sydney, NSW), 27

Sydney's sensational Colombian-born fashionista Amyl has soared to dizzying heights in just four years of doing drag.

Praised for her comic flair and cheeky on-stage antics, this runway model and editorial wonder has strutted her stuff at Australian Fashion Week twice already.

Amyl (Sydney, NSW), 27 - Sydney's sensational Colombian-born fashionista Amyl has soared to dizzying heights in just four years of doing drag

Ashley (Madison Melbourne, VIC, 25)

Melbourne's drag scene dynamo Ashley Madison has blazed her trail from regional Shepparton to stardom in just eight years.

This beauty not only shines herself, but also launches other talents into the limelight through her booking agency 'Book A Queen', while also juggling DJing and running a 3D printed jewellery business.

Ashley (Madison Melbourne, VIC, 25) - Melbourne's drag scene dynamo Ashley Madison has blazed her trail from regional Shepparton to stardom in just eight years

Bumpa Love (Melbourne, VIC), 51

A veteran of the drag world, Bumpa Love has been bringing joy to audiences in Australia and New Zealand for over two decades.

This Auckland-born drag queen, known for her profound support for the GLBTIQA+ community, is the force behind Melbourne's Drag Awards and the popular Vau dvile Drag Cabaret.

Bumpa Love (Melbourne, VIC), 51 - A veteran of the drag world, Bumpa Love has been bringing joy to audiences in Australia and New Zealand for over two decades

Flor (Auckland, NZ), 25

Flor, a Guatemala-born charmer living in Auckland, adds a dash of Latin flair to the drag scene.

Known for her infectious smile and expert makeup skills, she represents the Latin communities of Aotearoa with pride and style

Flor (Auckland, NZ), 25 - Flor, a Guatemala-born charmer living in Auckland, adds a dash of Latin flair to the drag scene

Gabriella (Labucci Ballarat), VIC, 31

Country Victoria's own drag star Gabriella Labucci offers a multifaceted talent in the world of cabaret and drag.

Armed with a heart of gold and a unique sense of humour, this Ballarat beauty commands attention with her singing, dancing, acting, and more.

Gabriella (Labucci Ballarat), VIC, 31 - Country Victoria's own drag star Gabriella Labucci offers a multifaceted talent in the world of cabaret and drag

Hollywould Star (Sydney, NSW), 34

American-born Hollywould Star brings global fame to New South Wales, having performed in top-notch stage productions and Sydney nightclubs.

Her recent stint performing with Grammy winner Kelly Rowland at Sydney World Pride 2023 has put her firmly in the spotlight.

Hollywould Star (Sydney, NSW), 34 - US-born Hollywould Star brings global fame to New South Wales, having performed in top-notch stage productions and Sydney nightclubs

Isis Avis Loren (Melbourne, VIC), 33

Melbourne's svelte and stylish queen Isis Avis Loren is all about glamour and high fashion.

A couturier in her own right, Isis takes the stage by storm with custom creations from her Haus of Loren, earning her Best Costumier at the Melbourne Drag Awards in 2019.

Isis Avis Loren (Melbourne, VIC), 33 - Melbourne's svelte and stylish queen sis Avis Lorenn is all about glamour and high fashion

Ivanna Drink (Auckland, NZ), 26

Auckland's party-starter Ivanna Drink lights up the city's famous Karangahape Road with her sparkling personality.

A familiar face at the Caluzzi Cabaret, Ivanna is half of a drag power couple and has an impressive list of accolades, including winning the Queen of Queens pageant.

Ivanna Drink (Auckland, NZ), 26 - Auckland's party-starter Ivanna Drink lights up the city's famous Karangahape Road with her sparkling personality

Ivory Glaze (Sydney, NSW), 26

The elegant Ivory Glaze is an epitome of beauty and glamour in the Sydney drag scene.

Balancing her bank job with her passion for drag, she is known for her polished looks and irresistibly sweet personality.

Ivory Glaze (Sydney, NSW), 26 - The elegant Ivory Glaze is an epitome of beauty and glamour in the Sydney drag scene

Rita Menu (Hamilton, NZ), 24

New to the drag scene but no stranger to success Rita Menu has been stealing the spotlight in New Zealand.

With a fiery competitive streak and talents in singing, dancing, and sewing, Rita has already tasted victory at Kita and Anitas Drag Wars competition in Auckland.
On Wednesday, plus-size IMG Model Ashley Graham shared glamorous behind-the-scenes snaps from the set of her next hosting gig Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, which premieres July 16 on HGTV.

The 35-year-old mother-of-three 'had so much fun hosting' the four-part reality TV competition, in which eight teams of renovation stars transform an ordinary Southern California house into a life-size version of the iconic Mattel toy.

'Honestly, so much nostalgia has gone into every single room,' Ashley - who boasts 27.7M social media followers - said on Tuesday.

'The HGTV stars are so funny and hilarious, but also very focused. I was impressed by all of their ideas. It's unbelievable how much creativity and history went into each room, the front yard, and the backyard.

'I am blown away by how amazing this house is! I love Barbie just as much as you do, if not more. Do you want to fight? Because I think I love her more.'

'A peek behind the pink curtain!' On Wednesday, plus-size IMG Model Ashley Graham shared glamorous behind-the-scenes snaps from the set of her next hosting gig Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, which premieres July 16 on HGTV

'A Barbie dream!' The 35-year-old mother-of-three 'had so much fun hosting' the four-part reality TV competition, in which eight teams of renovation stars transform an ordinary Southern California house into a life-size version of the iconic Mattel toy

One of the costumes had Graham slipping her curvaceous 5ft9in figure into a pink-sequin turtleneck mini-dress featuring ostrich feathered-sleeves with silver peep-toe heels.

The Nebraska-born, Brooklyn-based beauty donned a sixties-style bouffant hairpiece and had a fully-contoured complexion for her Barbie costumes.

Designers Jonathan Adler and Tiffany Brooks serve as the main judges on the project, which filmed back in April.

Each week they'll be joined by a celebrity guest judge including Project Runway champ Christian Siriano and Black-ish actress Marsai Martin

15 talented HGTV home design/renovation experts and one celebrated Food Network chef will participate including Jonathan Knight, Christina Hall, and Ty Pennington.

One passionate Barbie fan will win a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover staycation in the completed home featuring a light-up dance floor, aquarium desk, hat carousel, and pet elevator/phone booth.

The winning design team will have a donation made in their names to the non-profit organization Save the Children - the same exact charity Airbnb is donating to for renting out Ken's $25M Malibu DreamHouse on July 21-22 (booking begins July 17).

It's all basically glorified promotions for Greta Gerwig's $100M-budget fantasy flick Barbie - starring two-time Oscar nominee Margot Robbie - which hits US/UK theaters on July 21.

Ashley - who boasts 27.7M social media followers - said on Tuesday: 'Honestly, so much nostalgia has gone into every single room. The HGTV stars are so funny and hilarious, but also very focused. I was impressed by all of their ideas'

Graham added: 'It's unbelievable how much creativity and history went into each room, the front yard, and the backyard. I am blown away by how amazing this house is! I love Barbie just as much as you do, if not more. Do you want to fight? Because I think I love her more'

Home sweet home: One of the costumes had the Nebraska-born, Brooklyn-based beauty slipping her curvaceous 5ft9in figure into a pink-sequin turtleneck mini-dress featuring ostrich feathered-sleeves with silver peep-toe heels

'I cannot wait!' Ashley donned a sixties-style bouffant hairpiece and had a fully-contoured complexion for her Barbie costumes

Action! Designers Jonathan Adler and Tiffany Brooks serve as the main judges on the project, which filmed back in April

Ready to rumble! Each week they'll be joined by a celebrity guest judge including Project Runway champ Christian Siriano and Black-ish actress Marsai Martin

Barbie vibes: 15 talented HGTV home design/renovation experts and one celebrated Food Network chef will participate including Jonathan Knight, Christina Hall (L), and Ty Pennington
Jamie Foxx remains slow to recover amid a mystery health battle that has sidelined him for months.

Foxx, 55, 'is getting the best care and working hard to recover right now, but he is still not himself,' a source told People Wednesday.

The Oscar-winning actor, who is father to daughters Corinne Foxx, 29, and Annalise Bishop, 13, from previous relationships, has the tightest circle around him,' the source added.

John Boyega, who appears alongside Foxx in the forthcoming film They Cloned Tyrone, told the publication that he had recently spoken with his costar via phone.

'He finally picked up the phone,' Boyega, 31, said of the Texas-born entertainer. 'Thank you, bro.'

The latest: Jamie Foxx, 55, remains slow to recover after a amid mystery health battle that has sidelined him for months. Pictured in London in February

Boyega, who spoke with the outlet at the film's debut in LA on Tuesday, said that the Django Unchained star has been 'doing well' without going into further detail.

Boyega added, 'And then, you know, we just giving him the privacy, and we can't wait for his return.

'I gave him the well wishes directly. I gave him all the well wishes. So I'm just gonna be waiting until he comes back out here. So take your time, Jamie. We love you, bro.'

They Cloned Tyrone producer Datari Turner told the outlet that the Collateral actor has been 'doing amazing' and 'really, really good' as of late.

Turner said that both Boyega and the film's director Juel Taylor had spoken to Foxx earlier this week.

'He's in really, really good shape and spirits,' Turner said. 'And he'll be back on the screen. He'll be back to work very soon.'

The latest update on Foxx comes more than two-and-a-half months since his daughter Corinne said on Instagram that the A-lister had been taken to a hospital after dealing with a 'medical complication.'

Corinne said in a statement: 'We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday.'

Foxx is getting the best care and working hard to recover right now, but he is still not himself,' a source told People Wednesday. Pictured in March in Miami

The latest update on Foxx comes more than two-and-a-half months since his daughter Corinne said on Instagram April 12 that the A-lister had been taken to a hospital after dealing with a 'medical complication'

On May 12, Corinne said via Instagram Stories, 'My Dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating'

At the time he was hospitalized, he had been working on a Netflix film titled Back in Action opposite Cameron Diaz.

A message was posted to Foxx's Instagram May 3 that read, 'Appreciate all the love!!! Feeling blessed.'

On May 12, Corinne said via Instagram Stories, 'My Dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating.

'In fact, he was playing pickleball yesterday! Thanks for everyone's prayers and support! We have an exciting work announcement coming next week too!'

Dailymail.com has reached out to Foxx's reps for comment.
She has joined her billionaire pub baron boyfriend Justin Hemmes for a lavish getaway in Croatia.

And Madeline Holtznagel was dress to impress on Wednesday as the couple enjoyed a cruise on a private yacht with friends.

The model, 26, flaunted her incredible figure as she posed in a skimpy blue bikini.

On Thursday, she shared a carousel of snaps of her sunning herself on the luxurious vessel.

Madeline showed off her washboard abs and fit physique as she posed in the two-piece, which was adorned with giant roses.

She paired her swimwear look with cat-eye sunglasses, gold hoops and a straw sun hat.

Madeline Holtznagel (pictured) flaunted her model figure as she posed in a skimpy blue bikini while on a luxurious holiday in Croatia with her billionaire pub baron boyfriend, Justin Hemmes, on Wednesday

She kept her long blonde locks down and straight as she opted for minimal makeup for her day out on the water.

Friends and fans of Madeline jumped to the comments of the holiday snaps.

Nude artist Dina Broadhurst wrote: 'Last pic are you kidding' followed by three flame emojis.

Madeline showed off her washboard abs and fit physique as she posed in the two-piece, which was adorned with giant roses

She paired her swimwear look with cat-eye sunglasses, gold hoops and a straw sun hat

While influencer Suzan Mutesi commented: 'Simply beautiful'.

And another person said: 'Glowing!!!'

This comes just days after Madeline and Justin enjoyed a trip to Japan.

She posted several photos from her holiday which they enjoyed with a number of other friends.

Madeline is in Croatia with friends and her billionaire boyfriend after visiting Japan

She also posed in a yellow one-piece on the boat

In one photo, Madeline teased her followers by wearing a ring on her wedding finger while cuddling up to Justin as they enjoyed a bowl of Udon noodles together at a restaurant.

The bling appeared to be a pretty turquoise dress ring she teamed with her outfit.

Another photo saw her wearing a different ring on the same finger as she posed in front of a bathroom mirror for a selfie.

The couple were all smiles in the photos, looking happy in love.
Kevin Costner's estranged wife Christine Baumgartner has signaled her willingness to leave the mansion they previously shared, but only as long as she has guarantees that her soon-to-be ex won't leave her penniless.

The 49-year-old handbag designer  who reportedly 'blindsided' Costner when she handed him divorce papers  has agreed to leave the $145 million mansion on the condition that Costner, 68, agrees to pay any support and fees that a judge orders at an upcoming hearing, according to court filings obtained by RadarOnline.

In the documents, Baumgartner agrees to vacate the premises on August 31 of this year as long as Costner complies 'with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12,' the date of the next hearing in their divorce proceedings.

That arrangement would give her 50 days to find a new place to live and to move in, whereas the prenuptial agreement reportedly stated that she would leave the original home within 30 days of a divorce filing.

She wrote that she was hesitant to leave her home without having a plan and funding in place, if only for the sake of her children, whom she doesn't want to have to move multiple times.

Ready to vacate: Kevin Costner's estranged wife Christine Baumgartner, 49, said she will leave his mansion in a new court filing, but only after a hearing to determine what support he will pay her, according to documents obtained by RadarOnline; seen together in February 2022

Overstaying her welcome? Baumgartner was originally required to leave Costner's $145M mansion in Carpentaria (pictured) 30 days after a divorce filing, though has has already passed that deadline

Baumgartner claimed that 'Kevin wants me to rent [a] place without [a] financial plan in place. However, [I] have our three children to think about. It is contrary to their best interests to commit to rental that [I] may not be able to afford, particularly as that would ultimately lead to multiple relocations.

'My goal has been and continues to be maintaining as much stability for our children as possible, which includes having the proper resources and plan in place so that [I] can establish [a] stable home for them, rather than making temporary and inconsistent housing arrangements,' she continued.

Costner was not only the primary breadwinner, but the only person making money recently, and Baumgartner says in her filing that she has no income.

The Yellowstone star was on the hook to help his estranged wife relocate per their prenuptial agreement, but it was a relatively paltry sum for their lifestyle.

Costner would have paid her a reported $1 million to find a new home, but with California's elevated home prices  particularly if she tried to stay near Costner  she may have had difficulty finding something similar to the luxury she and her children are accustomed to.

According to RadarOnline, Costner has deposited $1 million in Baumgartner's bank account to get her to move out of his mansion, and he said he had previously given her $200,000 earlier in their marriage in line with their prenuptial agreement

However, Baumgartner isn't touching the money, as she says doing so would rob her of her ability to contest their prenup's validity.

She has also said that the couple have had no problems on days where Costner was staying at the home, and she says the mansion's size and disconnected living spaces mean they can live together without interacting.

Costner's legal team previously said in court filings that 'Kevin has acted in good faith and has done everything in his power to make the transition as seamless as possible,' according to Insider.

On the calendar: Baumgartner said she will leave on August 31 as long as Costner, 68, complies 'with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12,' the date of their next hearing; still from Yellowstone

Moving money Costner has already put $1M in Baumgartner's bank account to find a new home, but she isn't touching it in order to contest the validity of their prenup; seen in March 2022

He is being represented by the famous divorce attorney Laura Wasser, who reportedly served as an inspiration for Laura Dern's lawyer character in Noah Baumbach's critically acclaimed film Marriage Story, which earned Dern an Academy Award for best supporting actress.

It was previously reported that Baumgartner is seeking $248,000 per month in child support payments. She and Costner share three children: sons Cayden, 15; and Hayes, 14; along with their younger daughter Grace, 13.

However, Costner has said in other filings that he believes he should only pay around $38,000 per month.

Earlier this week, The Sun reported that Costner was 'blindsided' when he was served divorce papers by his wife, as he thought that he would be the first to file.

The Waterworld actor 'sat his family down, told them he and their mum were getting a divorce and his lawyer was getting the paperwork drawn up,' a source claimed to the publication.

'He wanted everything to be peaceful for the sake of his kids and told Christine he didnt want a messy divorce because hed already been through one,' they continued.

But 'first thing the next morning, boom, Christine sneak attacks him and serves him with her own set of divorce papers.

'Kevin was so shocked,' the source added. 'Christine has since made him look terrible, and has continued to do so.'

However, Baumgartner has previously shared a different, less flattering version of how their children learned of their impending divorce.

In a court filing obtained earlier this month by People, she claimed that Costner told the three children about the divorce via a Zoom chat while he was in Las Vegas filming on location.

The handbag designer added that she was not present during the Zoom call, and she noted that she was puzzled about why the children had to be told in that way, as Costner would be returning home in a matter of days.

'I am still confused by his motivation to do this via a very short Zoom session, especially since he was planning on being home five days later,' she wrote.

Significant difference: Baumgartner is seeking $248K in child support per month, but Costner says he should only pay $38K per month

She added that she feared the children might learn of the split from an outside source, and she shared research with him that she had done that indicated a unified front with both parents was the best way to announce the divorce to the kids.

However, Baumgartner claimed that Costner was adamant about sharing the information before her and on his own.

'He disregarded my proposal to do what I felt was right based on research and my relationship with the children. Instead, he insisted that he had the right to tell them that we were getting divorced "first" and tell them privately "without me present,"' she claimed.

It's unclear if the alleged Zoom session could be the same event described by the source, or if there may have been two dates at which Costner spoke to the children about his separation from Baumgartner.
MasterChef Australia contestant Rue Mupedzi's time on the show was cut short when she was sent home a few weeks before the final.

But that doesn't mean the Zimbabwe-born chef didn't impress the judges and viewers with her innovative recipes.

The oral health therapist, 30, certainly left her mark, as she's scored one of the biggest prizes the contest has seen.

Rue was left speechless when she won an immunity challenge after judges fell in love with her sweet and spicy BBQ sauce recipe, BarbeRue.

Not only was she free from elimination that week, she won the life-changing prize of having her sauce produced, packaged and sold in all Coles stores across Australia.

MasterChef Australia star Rue Mupedzi's BBQ sauce becomes a global hit after it's launched in Coles

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle after being dumped from the competition this week, Rue said she is delighted people are enjoying her sauce and getting to sell it in Coles is 'the cherry on top' of her MasterChef Australia experience.

The Perth-native said she has received messages from fans across the world wanting to try her sauce.

'Everyones like, "We would love to try this sauce, can you tell us its coming to our country?"' she told the publication.

Rue was left speechless on the show two weeks ago when she won an immunity challenge after judges fell in love with her sweet and spicy sauce

'And you know what? Maybe that is something I should think about, something that could be a possibility. I don't know, but that would be an absolute dream come true.

'Being [on MasterChef] made me believe in myself so much more. Its opened my mind up to the world of food, and its opened my mind up to possibilities that are there for me - like, a product in Coles was never on my list.

Rue's sauce will now be available through Coles for a limited time.

A delighted Rue appeared on Channel 10's The Project last week to talk about the new sauce.

Admitting she had never tried BBQ sauce before arriving in Australia nine years ago, she gave a preview of what fans can expect from her saucy concoction.

'It's mild for me,' Rue laughed, after The Project host Georgie Tunny said that the label on the BarbeRue bottle had a chilli rating of three - meaning it was extra spicy.

'I love chilli, but I have a bit of a sweat coming on,' added The Project's Steve Price, who tested out the sauce.

Later Rue advised that 'if you eat it straight from the jar, it's going to be very spicy.'

She won the life-changing prize of having her sauce produced, packages, and sold in all Coles stores across Australia

The fan favourite described the taste of BarbeRue as 'smokey, sweet and spicy'.

Taking to Instagram after the episode aired on Thursday, she said she was 'speechless' when she won the prize.

Sharing a carousel of photos of her and her new product, Rue wrote: 'I am a woman of many words and I feel so speechless, overwhelmed, nervous and grateful all in the same breath.

'Never did I ever think I could get on MasterChef, let alone be in the top 10 then proceed to win one of the biggest wins in the competition,' she continued.

A delighted Rue appeared on Channel 10's The Project on Friday night to talk about the new sauce

'It's mild for me,' Rue laughed, after The Project host Georgie Tunny said that the label on the BarbeRue bottle had a chilli rating of three - meaning it was extra spicy

'I feel like everything was lined up for this win. I truly believe all things worked together for my good.'

The chef went on to thank the judges of her season, Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and the late Jack Zonfrillo.

Rue continued: 'I am so so grateful for the continued support from the judges. They have helped my confidence grow in the kitchen and have continued to see something in me that I myself sometimes could not see.

'I honestly feel like I can do anything I set my mind to moving forward.'
Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu were a dashing duo as they promoted the upcoming Barbie film in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old Ontario-born actor put on a stylish display in a bright blue suit teamed with a salmon-colored button-down as he posed on the sparkling pink carpet.

The Oscar nominee completed the chic ensemble with a pair of light gray loafers with the instantly recognizable Gucci stripes and gold hardware.

Unlike his on-screen character, The Notebook alum sported close-trimmed facial hair and purposefully messy waves.

However, in a clear nod to his on-screen love interest, Ryan donned a TAG Heuer Carrera 36mm watch that featured a bold Barbie pink face.

On the other side of the world, Margot Robbie  the leading star of the romantic comedy  arrived in her native country of Australia in Sydney for her latest press stop.

Stylish stars: Ryan Gosling, 42, and Simu Liu, 34, were a dashing duo as they promoted the upcoming Barbie film in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday

The 34-year-old Shang-Chi star  who, like Gosling, also grew up in Canada  sported a bubblegum pink, mesh top underneath a pistachio green leather jacket.

He also donned a pair of reddish-brown trousers and gray sneakers that featured a bright orange detail for a pop of color.

At one point, Liu was photographed posing with a large poster of Gosling as 'just Ken'.

During their latest promotional circuit stop, Gosling spoke to their many fans in front of a poster adorned with a hot pink maple leaf design that read '#Kenada'.

Later, the two dolled-up Ken dolls were also snapped as they smiled and signed their autographs on a Barbie-themed surfboard to commemorate the special occasion.

At the exclusive event, the duo answered questions and talked about the movie during a casual panel.

The two stars also took the time to pose with the large crowd of fans in attendance at the event celebrating the impending premiere of the highly-anticipated flick.

The many pink-clad fans were also snapped recording on their phones and documenting their time with the Barbie stars.

Vibrant: The Ontario-born actor put on a stylish display in a bright blue suit teamed with a salmon-colored button-down as he posed on the sparkling pink carpet. The Shang-Chi star  who also grew up in Canada  sported a bubblegum pink, mesh top underneath a pistachio green leather jacket

Effortlessly stylish: Unlike his on-screen character, The Notebook alum sported close-trimmed facial hair and purposefully messy waves

Talking about Ken and Barbie: During their latest promotional circuit stop, Gosling spoke to their many fans in front of a poster adorned with a hot pink maple leaf design that read '#Kenada'

Posing with his costar: He also donned a pair of reddish-brown trousers and gray sneakers that featured a bright orange detail for a pop of color. At one point, Liu was photographed posing with a large poster of Gosling as 'just Ken'

Leaving their mark: Later, the two dolled-up Ken dolls were also snapped as they smiled and signed their autographs on a Barbie-themed surfboard to commemorate the special occasion

Chatting about the flick: At the exclusive event, the duo answered questions and talked about the movie during a casual panel - where Ryan sported a Barbie pink TAG Heuer watch

Meeting their fans: The two stars also took the time to pose with the large crowd of fans in attendance at the event celebrating the impending premiere of the highly-anticipated flick

Many supporters: The many pink-clad fans were also snapped recording on their phones and documenting their time with the Barbie stars

According to the official synopsis, the plot follows Barbie and Ken as they are having 'the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land'.

'However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.'

For the movie, Gosling and Liu's official roles are titled 'Ken' and 'Ken #2', respectively.

The upcoming live-action Barbie film is set to premiere in theaters on July 21.
New Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Taylor Armstrong revealed to the group that shes bisexual in Wednesday nights new episode.

Armstrong, 52, made her RHOC debut this season, becoming the first of Bravos Real Housewives to switch from a different show, moving from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she was an original cast member.

Wednesday nights new episode - entitled You Cant DB Serious - follows the OC Housewives as they take a trip up to a ranch in Montana.

Over dinner, Tamra addresses both Armstrong and another new cast member - Jennifer Pedranti - asking, Because some of the girls here don't know you very well, tell us something that we don't know.

Taylor says, Um, I'm bisexual, joking, Now are you nervous about me being in the bunkhouse with you?

Opening up: New Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Taylor Armstrong revealed to the group that shes bisexual in Wednesday nights new episode

Bisexual: Taylor says, Um, I'm bisexual, joking, Now are you nervous about me being in the bunkhouse with you?'

Debut: Armstrong, 52, made her RHOC debut this season, becoming the first of Bravos Real Housewives to switch from a different show, moving from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she was an original cast member

She confirmed she had a five-year relationship with a woman before marrying her first husband, Russell Armstrong, who she was married to from 2005 until his death in 2011,

Taylor even joked about her five-year relationship with a woman that, Hell, I know marriages that don't last that long.

Taylor adds in confession, Most people are surprised to find out that I'm bisexual. Probably because just, like, stereotypes. I mean, it's not something I broadcast, but I'm open to all people that have great souls and that you can love.

The episode begins with Emily Simpson driving with her nine-year-old daughter Annabelle, telling her, Be respectful. If they ask questions, you answer, OK?

Annabelle asks if she gets to shake hands with them, and Emily says she does, adding, When you shake hands with them, what should you say?

Annabelle jokes, How are you? My name is Mr. Bacon, as Emily laughs and retorts, How about just Annabelle?

What about Banana-belle? Annabelle offers, as Emily adds in confession, Annabelle just, like, came out of the womb with this huge personality.

She's been interested in modeling for many years. I just wanted to make sure that she's to the point where she would take it seriously, and I feel like we're finally there, Emily adds.

Confirmed: She confirmed she had a five-year relationship with a woman before marrying her first husband, Russell Armstrong, who she was married to from 2005 until his death in 2011

Joked: Taylor even joked about her five-year relationship with a woman that, Hell, I know marriages that don't last that long.

Surprised: Taylor adds in confession, Most people are surprised to find out that I'm bisexual. Probably because just, like, stereotypes. I mean, it's not something I broadcast, but I'm open to all people that have great souls and that you can love'

Emily: The episode begins with Emily Simpson driving with her nine-year-old daughter Annabelle, telling her, Be respectful. If they ask questions, you answer, OK?'

Shake hands: Annabelle asks if she gets to shake hands with them, and Emily says she does, adding, When you shake hands with them, what should you say?'

Bananabelle: What about Banana-belle? Annabelle offers, as Emily adds in confession, Annabelle just, like, came out of the womb with this huge personality'

Back in the car, Emily tells Annabelle, You have to, like, control it, as Annabelle makes a mask with her hands and jokes that shes, Batman.

They pull into the LA Model Management building, as Emily and Annabelle meet with Jake and Jackie from the agency.

They ask if she has had any experience and what makes her want to be a model, as Annabelle responds, I've done a lot of plays, and I like acting. So I just wanted to try it out.

Jackie adds, When we are interviewing kids to see if they're going to be a fit for us, a big part of it is the parents. Our clients want answers immediately.

Emily insists, I do have the time to be able to commit to her, adding in confession, Being around my kids all the time, and being so invested in their life, it really brings up a lot of memories about my own childhood.

Jake tells Emily and Annabelle, Let's go in the studio and have some fun, as Emily adds in confession, You know, when you're growing up, you don't know that, like, your mom should get up with you every morning and make sure you have breakfast. No one did that for me, and that's kind of weird and kind of sh***y.

They get into the studio as Emily tells Annabelle to do one of her hair flips, as Jake comments that she has great hair.

They say shes super cute and tell her she did a great job adding theyll be in touch and then go from there.

LA: They pull into the LA Model Management building, as Emily and Annabelle meet with Jake and Jackie from the agency

Jackie: They ask if she has had any experience and what makes her want to be a model, as Annabelle responds, I've done a lot of plays, and I like acting. So I just wanted to try it out'

Try: They ask if she has had any experience and what makes her want to be a model, as Annabelle responds, I've done a lot of plays, and I like acting. So I just wanted to try it out'

Emily: Emily insists, I do have the time to be able to commit to her, adding in confession, Being around my kids all the time, and being so invested in their life, it really brings up a lot of memories about my own childhood'

Confession: Jake tells Emily and Annabelle, Let's go in the studio and have some fun, as Emily adds in confession, You know, when you're growing up, you don't know that, like, your mom should get up with you every morning and make sure you have breakfast. No one did that for me, and that's kind of weird and kind of sh***y'

Hair flips: They get into the studio as Emily tells Annabelle to do one of her hair flips, as Jake comments that she has great hair'

Super cute: They say shes super cute and tell her she did a great job adding theyll be in touch and then go from there

Emily adds in confession,  I'm trying to give my children a better life than what I had, and I think, as parents, our goal is to do better than the generation before us which isnt that high of a threshold, honestly, as Annabelle thanks Emily and gives her a hug.

The episode transitions Tamra Judge, who is shopping for clothes to wear on a trip to a dude ranch in Montana.

Shes met at the store by a few of the other housewives, adding in confession, I've never been to Montana, but I'm the type of girl that loves to go camping out in the dirt, and so I'm hoping that these girls will enjoy this because, you know, let's face it, we're not really the type of girls that get down and dirty.

Heather Dubrow shows up in all white, as Tamra says its, too white for Montana, adding, Were going to live on Earth.

Gina Kirschenheiter is also shopping for Western clothes for Montana, joking, I feel like Im going to look like a Dallas cheerleader and Im here for it.

Shes met by Emily, Jennifer Pedranti and Shannon Beador, who adds shes been looking for some chaps, as she tries on some overalls.

Gina admits in confession that she is, the most excited to dress like a cowgirl, adding she does not consider herself a nature girl and I hope that no one else ever considers me a nature girl either. Ew.

They all start trying on on different hats, as Jennifer and Tamra ask Heather what its like being married to a plastic surgeon.

Emily: Emily adds in confession,  I'm trying to give my children a better life than what I had, and I think, as parents, our goal is to do better than the generation before us which isnt that high of a threshold, honestly, as Annabelle thanks Emily and gives her a hug

Tamra: The episode transitions Tamra Judge, who is shopping for clothes to wear on a trip to a dude ranch in Montana

Never: Shes met at the store by a few of the other housewives, adding in confession, I've never been to Montana, but I'm the type of girl that loves to go camping out in the dirt, and so I'm hoping that these girls will enjoy this because, you know, let's face it, we're not really the type of girls that get down and dirty'

Cheerleader: Gina Kirschenheiter is also shopping for Western clothes for Montana, joking, I feel like Im going to look like a Dallas cheerleader and Im here for it'

Most excited: Gina admits in confession that she is, the most excited to dress like a cowgirl, adding she does not consider herself a nature girl and I hope that no one else ever considers me a nature girl either. Ew'

Overalls: Shes met by Emily, Jennifer Pedranti and Shannon Beador, who adds shes been looking for some chaps, as she tries on some overalls

Heather: They all start trying on on different hats, as Jennifer and Tamra ask Heather what its like being married to a plastic surgeon

He's blind. He thinks I'm perfect, Heather says, as Jennifer and Tamra admit theyd be in that office all the time.

They start trying on chaps as Emily tells Shannon, So I saw you and Tamra in a hug. Is that good?

Shannon responds, You know, she did apologize for what happened on the boat and at Cut Fitness. She goes, "Oh, and I'm sorry for the press and everything and rocking the boat before that." You don't just get to say, oh, I'm sorry. You know, blah, blah, blah.

Shannon adds in confession, I appreciate Tamra's apology, but in the past, I would just brush things under the rug in deference to the friendship. I'm not going to brush over it anymore.

Shannon then tells Emily, But then you, at the end of the night, go, "So, Tamra, how does it feel to know that an affair started here in your gym?" I'm like, ok, here we go

Gina adds, Yeah, but see, that's-- honestly, Shannon, that's what's been bothering me. And this isn't Jenn's fault, and I understand that. But it's hard for me to be around her trying to justify the infidelity.

They show flashbacks to last week where Jennifer said they never went out, which seemingly sparked the affair, as Gina added, I honestly have a little bit of anger towards her. It's a trigger.

Gina adds in confession, Right now, I am in the process of helping Matt to get his felony charges dropped to help my family, as they show flashbacks with her and her ex-husband Matt.

Apologize: Shannon responds, You know, she did apologize for what happened on the boat and at Cut Fitness. She goes, "Oh, and I'm sorry for the press and everything and rocking the boat before that." You don't just get to say, oh, I'm sorry. You know, blah, blah, blah'

Appreciate: Shannon adds in confession, I appreciate Tamra's apology, but in the past, I would just brush things under the rug in deference to the friendship. I'm not going to brush over it anymore'

Infidelity: Gina adds, Yeah, but see, that's-- honestly, Shannon, that's what's been bothering me. And this isn't Jenn's fault, and I understand that. But it's hard for me to be around her trying to justify the infidelity'

Flashbacks: Gina adds in confession, Right now, I am in the process of helping Matt to get his felony charges dropped to help my family, as they show flashbacks with her and her ex-husband Matt

Gina adds in confession, Hearing Jenn casually talk about this thing that she did that has horrible effects on so many people is a really hard pill for me to swallow.

Emily adds, It's still raw for you, while, at the other Western store, Heather asks Jennifer how long she was with Ryan for.

I mean, almost two years, Jennifer says, but when Heather asks if she was separated from her husband Will, she said, I was not. I was still with Will, trying to work through whatever the hell we had going on.

Jen admits, Did I have a physical relationship with him before I moved out of my house? No, but was I emotionally 5 miles down the road? Yes. Ryan and I are so connected. We talk 24,000 times a day. We go places. We see concerts.

Tamra asks if Ryan has ever talked about getting married, and Jennifer says he does, but both her and Tamra know about Ryans past.

Tamra admits, Well, you should be scared a little bit, as Heather asks, Did he kill someone?

Jennfier laughs and says, No, he didn't kill someone, as Tamra jokes, I think he killed a couple of marriages.

Heather asks if thats his thing and if hes a cheater, and she says flat-out, Yes, and he will tell you, "I have never been faithful to anybody in my whole--" you know?

Hard: Gina adds in confession, Hearing Jenn casually talk about this thing that she did that has horrible effects on so many people is a really hard pill for me to swallow

Jen admits: Jen admits, Did I have a physical relationship with him before I moved out of my house? No, but was I emotionally 5 miles down the road? Yes. Ryan and I are so connected. We talk 24,000 times a day. We go places. We see concerts'

Heather asks if Ryan has been faithful to her, and Jennifer says, Yes, though the ladies dont seem too convinced.

Back at the other store, Emily says she thinks Ryan is, kind of a playboy, while both Jennifer and Tamra admit that Ryan has a, massive reputation, which surprises Heather.

Jennifer admits, There was a spot that we had kind of said, You need to take some time, and while they were on that break, Ryan apparently slept with a woman Tamra knows.

Tamra adds in confession, This girl that Ryan slept with is a girl that he used to sleep with, while Heather tells Jennifer, He's told you he's a cheater. And people tell you who they are. You got to listen.

Tamra adds in confession, People can change, but when you're a known cheater, chances are you're not gonna change.

Tamra tells Jennifer she is, so right to take your time and Jennifer admits shes, not ready for anything like that.

The episode cuts to Ryans house, where we hear sounds that sound quite sexual, though its really just Ryan using a massage gun on Jenns back.

Jennifer says in confession, I love the way Ryan and I live our lives, and I love the way he loves me. I love the connection I have with Ryan.

That girl: Tamra adds in confession, This girl that Ryan slept with is a girl that he used to sleep with, while Heather tells Jennifer, He's told you he's a cheater. And people tell you who they are. You got to listen'

Massage: The episode cuts to Ryans house, where we hear sounds that sound quite sexual, though its really just Ryan using a massage gun on Jenns back

Jennifer: Jennifer says in confession, I love the way Ryan and I live our lives, and I love the way he loves me. I love the connection I have with Ryan

When a producer asks, How's the sex with Ryan? she laughs and says, It's amazing. Are you kidding me? It's amazing.

Ryan asks her, What is up with Montana? and she says, You know, did I tell you that this is only the second girls trip I've ever taken? So, well, like, there's a part of me like, oh, I'm getting to know these women, and what better way to get to know a group of women than to like go on a trip together?

She adds that, And then Tamra was talking about the stigma of you. Like, you dated everybody in Orange County, and then you land here with me. And I don't really feel like you and I have a lot of cracks, but I will tell you I worry about that. Like, everybody loves the newness of somebody, and the excitement of somebody, and the butterflies, and the whole thing. I'm opposite in that. I don't want to be the product again of another failed relationship. It's terrifying.

Ryan tells her, I don't want that either, but we are two years in. This isn't new. It only gets better.

Jennifer adds in confession, I feel like my relationship with Ryan checks all the boxes. I am so emotionally connected to this man. And so for the whole world to think I've left my marriage to go f**k around with this guy in every back seat in every corner, you couldn't be more wrong.

Ryan jokes that they should just go to Las Vegas right now and get married as he picks her up off the bed and takes her to the shower.

The episode cuts to Heather, who tells her stylist Nicolas, I'm thinking we're in good shape for Montana. It's going to be hot, and I'm going to be dirty, sweaty.

She asks if shell need, s**t kicker boots, like old boots as Heather asks if shell need rubber boots, bringing out a pair of black Chanel rubber boots.

Ryan: Ryan asks her, What is up with Montana? and she says, You know, did I tell you that this is only the second girls trip I've ever taken? So, well, like, there's a part of me like, oh, I'm getting to know these women, and what better way to get to know a group of women than to like go on a trip together?'

Checks: Jennifer adds in confession, I feel like my relationship with Ryan checks all the boxes. I am so emotionally connected to this man. And so for the whole world to think I've left my marriage to go f**k around with this guy in every back seat in every corner, you couldn't be more wrong'

Her assistant Renee says she cant wear Chanel boots in the water, as Heather adds in confession, I'm thinking country chic boots, dresses. These are hot. I mean, full disclosure, I don't wear jeans that much since the pandemic. Let's, you know, free the denim.

Heathers husband Terry comes by as the stylist says they have all her looks sorted for the trip, as Heather goes to show Terry something - their son Nickys room after she left for college.

This sucks. My God, we've lost half of our children, Terry says while sitting on Nickys bed, while they show flashbacks to last week of them packing up their kids for college.

Heather adds in confession, I can't believe Max and Nicky are off to college. I'm going to miss them terribly and not seeing them every day. They're more than our two oldest kids. They're really treasured friends.

They show a video of Max showing off her room in college, as Heather continues in confession, That's what I'm going to miss the most, is going in their rooms, and talking to them, and even, like, you know, if I didn't see one of them for dinner, they're always like--they come home, and they come in. They want to talk. They chat. They hang out. They lay on my floor. It's kind of messy and loud.It's the exact family that I wanted.

Terry says that, This is the beginning of the beginning of the end of our lives in a way, while Heather adds, I just feel like I have literally put my life on hold for 20 years, as Terry agrees, Yeah, you certainly have.

She backtracks and says, I don't--you know what? I don't want to say it like that because it's not like I put my life on hold. This is my life. Five of you are my life, but, like, my personal hopes, and dreams, and acting goals. Now that two of them are gone, I feel like, is my time looming, and is it too late?

Terry insists, No, it's certainly not too late, while Heather adds in confession, It's so much easier to bury yourself into other people's lives, and careers, and problems, and issues, but when you have to really face your own, it's a lot. Even though I'm excited, I'm worried. Am I too old? Am I too far out? Am I still talented? Can I still do it?

Room: Heathers husband Terry comes by as the stylist says they have all her looks sorted for the trip, as Heather goes to show Terry something - their son Nickys room after she left for college

Flashbacks: This sucks. My God, we've lost half of our children, Terry says while sitting on Nickys bed, while they show flashbacks to last week of them packing up their kids for college

Hold: She backtracks and says, I don't--you know what? I don't want to say it like that because it's not like I put my life on hold. This is my life. Five of you are my life, but, like, my personal hopes, and dreams, and acting goals. Now that two of them are gone, I feel like, is my time looming, and is it too late?'

Heather tells Terry, I think that's part of the reason why I want to go back to LA. I don't want to live the same life, but without them. It's time to, like, start the next phase, right?

Terry agrees, adding, Yeah, that and the restaurants are so much better up there.

The episode cuts to the Rancho Capistrano Winery, where Tamra meets with Taylor Armstrong, as they both reveal how excited they are to go to Montana.

Tamra tells Taylor she misses her, while Taylor talks about her issues with an actor for the cast of a film shes making called Masterpiece.

We had had an issue with the cast for "Masterpiece," where we had an actress drop out, and I said, "Heather, there's this role. Why don't you do it?" So she said, "I'm in."

Taylor added, Then she came for the acting class, and I had printed a script for Heather. She was like, "You're so cute," as they show a flashback from last week of Heather with Taylor, where Heather tells Taylor shes so cute.

Taylor adds, Then I started kind of joking about it because that's my personality. When I start feeling insecure, I start kind of just making jokes. I'm like, "You're coming to Oklahoma. "You're doing this role because now I'm going to look like an idiot to these directors.

Tamra adds in confession, Heather sometimes has a way of talking to you that makes you feel belittled.

Next phase: Heather tells Terry, I think that's part of the reason why I want to go back to LA. I don't want to live the same life, but without them. It's time to, like, start the next phase, right?

Better: Terry agrees, adding, Yeah, that and the restaurants are so much better up there'

Tamra and Taylor: The episode cuts to the Rancho Capistrano Winery, where Tamra meets with Taylor Armstrong, as they both reveal how excited they are to go to Montana

Issue: We had had an issue with the cast for "Masterpiece," where we had an actress drop out, and I said, "Heather, there's this role. Why don't you do it?" So she said, "I'm in."'

Taylor tells Tamra, Then she left the f***ing script on the table, as they show the flashback where Heather says, You know what? Just in case you need to do scene work with someone, I'm going to leave it for you.

Taylor tells Tamra, Take the script and read it. Isn't that what actresses do? as Tamra says in confession, I'm not angry with Heather. I'm not pissed off. My feelings are hurt. It's my first movie role, and now she's acting like, eh, poo-poo.

Back at dinner, Taylor adds, I thought she had had this huge long acting career, and I had already told the director, look up her IMDB. But he said, actually, the production company wants a casting tape from her. And when I looked up her IMDB-- well, pull it up.

Tamra gets on her phone and goes to Heathers IMDB page, asking, Are these all the ones that she's done?

They start naming off some of the episodes shes been in like Stark Raving in 1999, an episode of Hawaii Five-0 and an episode of Hot in Cleveland.

Their food arrives as Tamra asks if shes talked to Heather yet and she said she isnt, but she didnt want to do it at her party.

But now my mind is doing this. Is it because she thinks that, if I'm going to get cast, that she's too good to be cast? Is it because she thinks, Oklahoma? Is this a honky tonk movie? Is it because she doesn't have the time?

Tamra responds, I think it's all of them. I really do.

Career: Back at dinner, Taylor adds, I thought she had had this huge long acting career, and I had already told the director, look up her IMDB. But he said, actually, the production company wants a casting tape from her. And when I looked up her IMDB-- well, pull it up.

The episode transitions to Shannons house, where she tries on a Lone Ranger mask, though her twin daughters Stella and Adeline think it looks like, a mask ball.

She tries on the black cowboy hat to go along with the mask and the 18-year-old daughters agree, Yeah, I'm not really getting there, as Shannon admits, Ok, then I won't do it.

Shannon adds, You guys better be good. There's no boys upstairs. I'm serious. I'm going to start putting cameras inside.

Stella adds, I feel like that's illegal, though Shannon shows off her badge and says, There's a new sheriff in town.

The rest of the ladies are getting ready for their trip, including Tamra, whose husband Eddie gets her a birthday gift, even though she said she didnt want anything.

He says its her favorite brand, bringing out a Louis Vuitton bag, as Tamra changes her tune quickly.

But now that you got it, let me see, as she opens it and finds a pair of black LV combat boots.

She says she loves them, asking, Can I wear them to the dude ranch? but he quickly says no as she thanks him.

Mask: The episode transitions to Shannons house, where she tries on a Lone Ranger mask, though her twin daughters Stella and Adeline think it looks like, a mask ball'

Not getting: She tries on the black cowboy hat to go along with the mask and the 18-year-old daughters agree, Yeah, I'm not really getting there, as Shannon admits, Ok, then I won't do it'

Cameras: Shannon adds, You guys better be good. There's no boys upstairs. I'm serious. I'm going to start putting cameras inside'

Gift: The rest of the ladies are getting ready for their trip, including Tamra, whose husband Eddie gets her a birthday gift, even though she said she didnt want anything

LV: But now that you got it, let me see, as she opens it and finds a pair of black LV combat boots

They all arrive at the airport as Tamra says in confession, We're going to have a good time. We're going to do all the things you do on a ranch, including shoveling s**t.

Shannon admits in confession, I'm not a big nature person, as Heather adds, No one would describe me as country, but one of my favorite shows growing up was "Little House on the Prairie," so I feel like with the right hairstyle and maybe, like, some cute boots I could do it.

Emily sends a video message, stating, Hi, guys. Instead of a group text, I just thought it was better to send, like, a little video message just to let you all know that I won't be going to Montana. When we all took covid tests, of course I test positive, even though I don't feel sick, and I don't have any symptoms. But now I can't go. I can't get on the plane. I can't go to Montana.

Gina says in confession, I'm, like, really bummed about it and, like, also sort of selfishly mad at her, as Emily says in the video, Gina, I'm sorry. You're going to have to sleep alone. You will not have anyone to spoon with, and I will see you all when you get back.

Gina adds in confession, I have never traveled without Emily. She's my vacation wife. Who am I going to cuddle with?

Jenn jokes in confession, Vacation with these women is like preparing for an emergency landing. There are two overwing exits. There is a life preserver under your seat. Place the life preserver over your head, duck, and cover.

The plane lands in Missoula, Montana, as theyre met by the ranch manager Jason, who loads their bags into the waiting SUVs.

They get to the ranch, as Jason says, We have everything here. We have elk, moose, bear, mountain lions, adding the pond has koi fish.

Video: Emily sends a video message, stating, Hi, guys. Instead of a group text, I just thought it was better to send, like, a little video message just to let you all know that I won't be going to Montana. When we all took covid tests, of course I test positive, even though I don't feel sick, and I don't have any symptoms. But now I can't go. I can't get on the plane. I can't go to Montana'

Airport: They all arrive at the airport as Tamra says in confession, We're going to have a good time. We're going to do all the things you do on a ranch, including shoveling s**t'

They start exploring their quarters, seeing that one of the lamps has fake pistols in them as they joke about them.

Gina explains in confession, I'm choosing to stay in the bunkhouse because maybe if I room with Jenn, I'll just get to know her better.

Meanwhile, Heather, Tamra and Shannon all head to the villa while the others get situated in the bunkhouse.

Jenn video calls Ryan after getting situated, seeing he doesnt have a shirt on and joking that shes distracted now.

She tells him, I heard there's a mechanical bull. We're supposed to meet there in like 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Tamra, Heather, Shannon and Taylor check out the Villa, though Taylor says shes going to go stay with Gina and Jen because the all-glass bedroom would make her suffocate because of her hormone issues.

They all decide to get ready and meet in 35 minutes as they all start to unpack but Shannon still hasnt put her makeup on yet.

Pistols: They start exploring their quarters, seeing that one of the lamps has fake pistols in them as they joke about them

Villa: Meanwhile, Tamra, Heather, Shannon and Taylor check out the Villa, though Taylor says shes going to go stay with Gina and Jen because the all-glass bedroom would make her suffocate because of her hormone issues'

Tamra and Heather decide to leave without her because Shannon needs more time as Tamra decides to drive an ATV waiting for them as Heather jokes, Dont roll this, as they show flashback footage of Tamra rolling a dune buggy in the desert.

You crash one time, and people don't let you forget it. Just get in, Dubrow. I ride a dirt bike. We're good. We're on flat ground. We'll get there, and you'll be safe, Tamra says in confession.

They go pick up the girls and say Shannon is still doing her makeup, as they pull up to the mechanical bull.

The operator asks who wants to go first as Tamra asks how fast it goes, adding in confession that Heather is not allowed anywhere near the controls, showing a flashback from 2014 with Tamra getting flung off the bull after Heather turned the bull up.

Tamra gets on and they increase the speed a bit and shes thrown off, joking, I think I tore my vagina.

Jennifer gets on and Taylor does too as theyre both thrown off, and while Gina is on, Shannon shows up.

They ask Shannon if shes going to ride the bull and she says,I can't. It's too vagina, which confuses the girls.

Shannon explains in confession, I have a bony vagina. It's like not a lot of skin. It's just, I'm feeling it on the bone.

ATV: Tamra and Heather decide to leave without her because Shannon needs more time as Tamra decides to drive an ATV waiting for them as Heather jokes, Dont roll this, as they show flashback footage of Tamra rolling a dune buggy in the desert

Tamra: The operator asks who wants to go first as Tamra asks how fast it goes, adding in confession that Heather is not allowed anywhere near the controls, showing a flashback from 2014 with Tamra getting flung off the bull after Heather turned the bull up

Meanwhile, Tamra hops back on and insists, I need to master this, as someone says she should ride the bull like she rides Eddie, but shes thrown off.

They bring out dinner as they joke about sharing wieners, while Gina jokes in confession, From what I'm hearing about Ryan, this isn't Jenn's first time sharing wieners.

Jenn reveals that she was a flight attendant and she met her husband on a flight, adding he was in economy.

Yep, and he was in law school. So we dated. He graduated law school. He went back to California, addin he went to Georgetown for law school.

So then we dated long-distance, got engaged, and then, as soon as we got married, I moved to California.

Gina adds in confession, I need more of this part of Jenn. It's unfortunate because I wish that we didn't start where started, but I love the idea that maybe we can form a relationship based off of this common ground that we do have.

Shannon tells the group, I'll be right back. I'm just going to make a quick call, telling the group that her person to watch the kids didnt show up.

This surprises heather who says, Theyre 18, as Gina asks, Wheres John, as Shannon only says, Yeah, it's just weird. I'm just going to make a quick call.

Jen: Jenn reveals that she was a flight attendant and she met her husband on a flight, adding he was in economy

Gina asks who John isnt watching them, as Heather says, Maybe shes not 100% in, though Shannon revealed in confession thats not why she left.

I was just making something up to leave the table. It's time to amp up the fun, and I will be at your service soon, ladies, Shannon says.

Jenn tells Tamra, I was shocked as s**t that you're rooming with Shannon, as Tamra says, Its a very large house.

She adds, We just have a long-a** history together as friends, and there's going to be no resolution to what happened in the past. It's time to move on.

They wonder if Shannon is lost and Gina calls out for her as night falls and they all leave to go to the saloon, where they find Shannon in a lacy outfit.

They all do shots and pop some champagne, as Gina jokes shes, just here for the taxidermy as they see a number of stuffed animals on the walls.

Tamra takes a shot with Shannon, as they make a toast, To a new beginning? as Tamra adds, Yeah, and I'm very happy.

And I am too. And let's just start slow And trust each other, Tamra says as they both say they love each other.

Shannon: They wonder if Shannon is lost and Gina calls out for her as night falls and they all leave to go to the saloon, where they find Shannon in a lacy outfit

Shannon adds in confession, What's so crazy is that it literally feels like the 2 1/2 years didn't even exist. I'm hopeful, but I'm still cautious.

Heather asks Taylor, So what's going on with the movie? as Taylor replies, We're moving forward. I mean, I really wanted you to do it, but

Heather responds, You know, we talked about it. Like, I didn't think you were serious. - I didn't know if it was like, "I don't want to be in this because you're a rookie actress, and you don't know what the hell you're doing, and I'm not going to attach my name to anything that you're attached to.

Heather responds, Are you kidding me? I think this is a you issue. Not a me issue because I don't feel that way. Usually, if someone wants me to do something, like, someone would call. They'd send a script. There is, like, a protocol to the whole thing. Without someone from production calling, it's not a thing.

Taylor admits, Ok, well, you have a lot more experience than I do, so you would know. They lost an actress, like, in a split second.

Heather retorts, But they didn't hire an actress. There's no contract. There's no deal. There's no understanding of what the role is, how many days, when is it, am I available. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's not your movie. You're not the producer. You're not the director. This is something you've built up in your mind that nothing to do with me.

Taylor asks, If they reached out to you and shared the script with you, would you do it?

Heather responds, I would say I would 100% read it and consider it seriously. Of course, I would.

Cautious: Shannon adds in confession, What's so crazy is that it literally feels like the 2 1/2 years didn't even exist. I'm hopeful, but I'm still cautious'

Taylor responds, Well, I guess, let's go from there if you're open to it, as Heather says in confession, It's a little odd to me.If you're so hurt, Taylor, why do you still want me to be in the movie?

Heather asks at the saloon, Are we actually good now? Taylor says, We're good, as they clink their drinks together.

But then, Taylor tells Tamra, Shannon and Gina that the producer wanted to see a casting tape of Heather, and Taylor admitted she didnt tell Heather that.

Heather overheard, adding, Wait, are you being serious? The director wasn't impressed with my IMDB?

Taylor responds, Well, he said, "Can she send a casting tape?" as Heather adds in confession, So just for clarity, I was offered a role. I turned down the role. I'm better than the role, but now I'm not good enough for the role, and still, no one has reached out to me.

Heather asks Taylor, But so your IMDB was good enough, but mine needs a casting tape, as Taylor insists, No, you're a bigger role.

Heather adds, So you've never worked before, but I have to as she laughs, as Shannon adds in confession, I see both sides. Taylor doesn't know how hiring someone for a film works. That being said, I don't think that Heather's reaction should have been in that condescending tone, but we're familiar with that tone.

Heather wont let it go, adding, She got the offer, but I audition, adding, What's funny is, we were just at the airport, and we ran into Diane Ruggiero, who created "That's Life" that I starred in on CBS with Paul Sorvino and Ellen Burstyn.

Heather: But then, Taylor tells Tamra, Shannon and Gina that the producer wanted to see a casting tape of Heather, and Taylor admitted she didnt tell Heather that

Taylor responds, 22 episodes, and Heather says, Yeah. Why are you saying it like that?

No, because that's a long run. 22 episodes is a lot, Taylor says, as Gina adds in confession, This whole argument is so absurd to me. Taylor acts like she has been so offended. Meanwhile, she's never even been in a movie yet. And Heather acts like Taylor just came in and took her Oscars away from her like she's Judi f***ing Dench. Come on, ladies.

Taylor adds, I was like confused as to why they would even ask for you to do a casting tape when you've done so much, while Heather adds, But that sounds very punitive to look me up like that.

Taylor insists, No, I just thought, with your pedigree and everything that you've done, they would be super excited to have this role filled.

Heather is seemingly insulted, adding, That's very rude, the way you're saying that, adding in confession, What is that supposed to mean? With your pedigree? I mean, I have a pedigree? Am I a dog?

Shannon insists, She means that in a positive way, as Taylor explains, No, like all the acting history that you have.. I thought they would just be like... We're super excited to have you on board.

Rude: Heather adds, That is so incredibly rude. I'm someone who has put my entire life on hold, as many women do, for my family'

You: A shocked Heather says, You said that?'

Tamra says, I do have to call you out on one thing. We talked about when you looked at her IMDB. You didn't think it was that impressive.

A shocked Heather says, You said that?

Taylor backtracks and says, When they came back to me and asked for a casting tape, I said let me see what she's done because now I look f***ing stupid.

Heather adds, That is so incredibly rude. I'm someone who has put my entire life on hold, as many women do, for my family. So for you to denigrate my career is not only anti-female, but just not nice.

And I am at a crossroads in my life figuring out who I am, and I just find this to be so incredibly rude. And for you to sit with Tamra and talk about my IMDB when you were offered a part, and you've never been in anything ever, and I was excited for you.

'That's the person I am. The person you are is making a mountain out of a molehill when you offered me something that was not yours to offer me in the first place, and then talk to all of my friends, and s**t talk my career. F**k you, as the episode comes to an end.

Episodes available to stream exclusively on Hayu in the UK.
Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried gave her fans a good glimpse inside the lavish New York City pied-a-terre she shares with her husband of six years - Thomas Sadoski - as well as their two children and her live-in mother Ann.

The Mean Girls star's large apartment is comprised of three former staff's quarters on the top floor of a 1907 building, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amanda, 37, dressed her slim 5ft3in figure in a yellow Brandon Maxwell blouse under a blue mini-dress and white Stuart Weitzman booties selected by stylist Elizabeth Stewart.

Hairstylist Renato Campora coiffed Seyfried's natural flaxen locks for the 12-minute 'Open Door' tour and make-up artist Genevieve Herr brought out her big baby blues.

'What I wanted here was something that felt natural,' The Dropout producer-star explained to Architectural Digest on Tuesday.

'My home away from home!' Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried gave her fans a good glimpse inside the lavish New York City pied-a-terre she shares with her husband of six years - Thomas Sadoski - as well as their two children and her live-in mother Ann

'And I just feel so at peace here in the big city, feeling like we're slightly home even though we're not.'

Amanda worked with the same Brooklyn design firm - General Assembly - that designed her stone farmhouse in the Catskills Mountains of upstate New York.

Seyfried and the Connecticut-born Tony nominee - turning 47 this Saturday - normally live full-time at the farm they bought in 2013 where they raise chickens, goats, ducks, cows, and horses.

'I'm part of the development of a Broadway show,' said the Emmy winner, referring to the musical adaptation of Ridley Scott's 1991 drama Thelma & Louise co-starring Evan Rachel Wood.

'This is going to be my home for six, seven, eight months. I know this will be where I live, and I'm comfortable here. I feel really safe.'

And like a lot of Manhattanites, Amanda and Thomas got their six-year-old daughter Nina and two-year-old son Thomas Jr. custom bunk beds to save square footage.

'This light was in my closet in my last apartment and my daughter was so obsessed with it,' Seyfried said of a birdcage-style fixture.

'It's just birds so we had to do it.'

Impressive: The Pennsylvania-born 37-year-old's large apartment is comprised of three former staff's quarters on the top floor of a 1907 building, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Chic: Amanda dressed her slim 5ft3in figure in a yellow Brandon Maxwell blouse under a blue mini-dress and white Stuart Weitzman booties selected by stylist Elizabeth Stewart

Welcome! Hairstylist Renato Campora coiffed Seyfried's natural flaxen locks for the 12-minute 'Open Door' tour and make-up artist Genevieve Herr brought out her big baby blues

'What I wanted here was something that felt natural': The Dropout producer-star worked with the same Brooklyn design firm - General Assembly - that designed her stone farmhouse in the Catskills Mountains of upstate New York

Acres of room! Amanda and the Connecticut-born Tony nominee - turning 47 this Saturday - normally live full-time at the farm (pictured June 9) they bought in 2013 where they raise chickens, goats, ducks, cows, and horses

Referring to the musical adaptation of Ridley Scott's 1991 drama Thelma & Louise co-starring Evan Rachel Wood, Seyfried said: 'I'm part of the development of a Broadway show. This is going to be my home for six, seven, eight months. I know this will be where I live, and I'm comfortable here. I feel really safe'

Children's bedroom: And like a lot of Manhattanites, the Emmy winner and Thomas got their six-year-old daughter Nina and two-year-old son Thomas Jr. custom bunk beds to save square footage

Amanda said of a birdcage-style fixture: 'This light was in my closet in my last apartment and my daughter was so obsessed with it. It's just birds so we had to do it'

'Am I right, parents?' Seyfried makes sure to keep the family's widescreen TV and children's toys tucked away behind a sliding door in the family room

The Mean Girls alum makes sure to keep the family's widescreen TV and children's toys tucked away behind a sliding door in the family room.

Little Nina and Thomas 'get so much energy out' riding their two-seat tricycle on the shared rooftop space, which Amanda admitted might be against the HOA rules 'but no one has caught us yet.'

'Oh, this is actually, my daughter's like, old work,' Seyfried gushed of a watercolor on a shelf.

'It was right when she started drawing people. This was years ago. My daughter's actually an incredible artist. It blows my mind. I was never that good.'

The Golden Globe winner continued: 'And this is my sister [Jennifer], she made this in high school. I've had it in my apartment since I moved downtown. There is in every room I guess there's toilet art.

'Yeah, it's funny. I actually, in my house upstate, I have like a wool vagina hanging, custom vagina. Not kidding. I don't know why, I like to remember that we're all human.'

Amanda also showed off artwork of herself 'holding a dead cat' by painter Mark Ryden and a portrait of her 'bada**' dog Finny balancing a hamburger on his head, which he once demonstrated on Late Night with David Letterman.

'This is my old table from my old apartment,' Seyfried shared.

'No one has caught us yet!' Little Nina and Thomas 'get so much energy out' riding their two-seat tricycle on the shared rooftop space, which the Mean Girls alum admitted might be against HOA rules

Amanda gushed of a watercolor on a shelf: 'Oh, this is actually, my daughter's like, old work. It was right when she started drawing people. This was years ago. My daughter's actually an incredible artist. It blows my mind. I was never that good'

Seyfried continued: 'And this is my sister [Jennifer], she made this in high school. I've had it in my apartment since I moved downtown. There is in every room I guess there's toilet art'

Animal lover: The Golden Globe winner also showed off artwork of herself 'holding a dead cat' by painter Mark Ryden and a portrait of her 'bada**' dog Finny balancing a hamburger on his head, which he once demonstrated on Late Night with David Letterman

Amanda shared: 'This is my old table from my old apartment. I will never part with it. Dinnertime is just oil and food on the floor and messiness, and a new stain is made. And a new memory is made, and that's just how we have to look at things'

Seyfried - who even has a secret door - continued: 'My kitchen, my dining room, living room, the fact that they're all sharing pretty much the same space makes it feel really cozy. It's totally different from my house upstate'

'He brings pizza and secrets!' The knitting enthusiast and Sadoski (L) will play 'flirty co-workers' Rya Goodwin and Matty Dunne in this Friday's episode of Apple TV+ dismally-reviewed series The Crowded Room

'I will never part with it. Dinnertime is just oil and food on the floor and messiness, and a new stain is made. And a new memory is made, and that's just how we have to look at things.'

The knitting enthusiast - who even has a secret door - continued: 'My kitchen, my dining room, living room, the fact that they're all sharing pretty much the same space makes it feel really cozy. It's totally different from my house upstate.'

Amanda and Sadoski - who also own a home in Los Angeles - will play 'flirty co-workers' Rya Goodwin and Matty Dunne in this Friday's episode of Apple TV+ dismally-reviewed series The Crowded Room.

Akiva Goldsman's 10-episode, 1979-set true crime series - based on Daniel Keyes' 1981 novel The Minds of Billy Milligan - also features Tom Holland, Sasha Lane, Will Chase, Lior Raz, Emmy Rossum, Levon Hawke, Christopher Abbott, and Jason Isaacs.

Seyfried was dating Justin Long and the Devotion actor was married to Kimberly Hope when they originally met in 2015 while performing in Neil LaBute's The Way We Get By at the Second Stage Theater.
Kelsey Piper in Asterisk:

Itd be a mistake to characterize the risk of human extinction from artificial intelligence as a fringe concern now hitting the mainstream, or a decoy to distract from current harms caused by AI systems. Alan Turing, one of the fathers of modern computing, famously wrote in 1951 that once the machine thinking method had started, it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers.  At some stage therefore we should have to expect the machines to take control. His colleague I. J. Good agreed; more recently, so did Stephen Hawking. When todays luminaries warn of extinction risk from artificial intelligence, they are in good company, restating a worry that has been around as long as computers. These concerns predate the founding of any of the current labs building frontier AI, and the historical trajectory of these concerns is important to making sense of our present-day situation. To the extent that frontier labs do focus on safety, it is in large part due to advocacy by researchers who do not hold any financial stake in AI. Indeed, some of them would prefer AI didnt exist at all.

But while the risk of human extinction from powerful AI systems is a long-standing concern and not a fringe one, the field of trying to figure out how to solve that problem was until very recently a fringe field, and that fact is profoundly important to understanding the landscape of AI safety work today.

More here.
Hollywood star Margot Robbie had her biggest supporter by her side as she promoted Barbie in Sydney on Thursday.

The star, 32, saw her hunky husband Tom Ackerley, 33, stick close by as the pair attended a luncheon at ritzy Icebergs in Bondi.

Margot, who is notoriously private about her marriage to the UK producer, stuck close to Tom as she waved to the crowd.

Oscar-nominated Margot shone brightly wearing a tight-fitting black and white stripe dress which hugged her sensational figure.

She finished her look with a pair of cat-eye, white-rimmed sunglasses and dainty hoops which complemented the outfit perfectly.

Margot Robbie's husband Tom Ackerley nestled in close as she promoted Barbie in Sydney's Bondi on Thursday. Both pictured

The star, 32, saw her hunky husband Tom Ackerley, 33, stick close by as the pair attended a luncheon at ritzy Icebergs in Bondi

She wore her trademark blonde tresses in a ponytail and opted for a glossy makeup look for the high-octane event.

Tom looked handsome wearing an elegant maroon knit which he paired with navy dress trousers and lace-up boots.

He finished his look with a pair of stylish Ray Ban wayfarers for the outing.

The venue was transformed with the word 'Barbie' printed across the iconic Bondi Icebergs pool.

A selection of beach balls, chairs, surfboards and breach umbrellas were also placed around the pool.

Barbie is 'a fish-out-of-water story about a doll who is ousted from toy society for not being perfect enough'.

Tom is in Australia to support Margot as she promotes the Barbie movie with him caught in a sweet gesture at Sydney Airport on Wednesday.

When photographer's spotted the famous couple walking through arrivals at Sydney Airport, Tom darted off to the side to let Margot shine.

Margot met Tom while shooting Suite Francaise, on which he was assistant director, and she insisted even looking 'hideous' in the film didn't put him off.

Margot, who is notoriously private about her marriage to the UK producer, stuck close to Tom as she waved to the crowd. Pictured

Tom looked handsome wearing an elegant maroon knit which he paired with navy dress trousers and lace-up boots. Pictured

Tom looked handsome wearing an elegant maroon knit which he paired with navy dress trousers and lace-up boots

Margot wore her trademark blonde tresses in a ponytail and opted for a glossy makeup look for the high-octane event.

Bondi Icebergs was transformed into a stunning Barbie-core venue for the event

She previously told the Daily Mirror newspaper: 'I have been so fortunate to have some amazing opportunities.

'I did Wolf of Wall Street and then got to do something completely the opposite in Suite Francaise  I was a peasant farm girl and looked hideous but I met my husband on the job so it was OK.

The couple went on to form a production company, Lucky Chap, with their friends, and Margot feels 'very lucky' because of the bond they share.

The Suicide Squad star said: 'We started our production company with our best friends and it continues to be a wonderful group dynamic. We all really work well together. I feel very lucky.'

The couple have been married since 2016.
Robert Irwin has attracted more attention than he can handle after his female fans went wild over his most recent post.

The celebrity conservationist, 19, who plans to propose to girlfriend Rorie Buckley, shared an adorable photo to Instagram on Monday as he cuddled up to his dog.

He was all smiles as his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Piggy lavished him with attention, but she wasn't the only one drooling all over the Wildlife Warrior.

'Hes literally perfect,' one fan wrote in the comment section, while another said: 'Robert, you're so fine.'

Someone else boldly commented: 'Robert, you're handsome. Want to go on a date?'

Robert Irwin, 19, (pictured) has attracted more attention than he can handle after his female fans went wild over his most recent post

Two more fans got into a disagreement over him when one person added: 'Awwww my future husband is so cute ya'll.'

Another staked her claim with a bizarre response which read: 'LOL you are funny. CLAIMED for me by his DAD before he was born. Sorry. LOL.'

The influx of suitors comes after news Robert was reportedly planning to pop the question to his girlfriend Rorie, 18, after seven months of long-distance dating.

The celebrity conservationist who plans to propose to girlfriend Rorie Buckley, 18, (pictured) shared an adorable photo to Instagram on Monday as he cuddled up to his dog

He was all smiles as his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Piggy lavished him with attention, but she wasn't the only one drooling all over the Wildlife Warrior

'Hes literally perfect,' one fan wrote in the comment section, while another said: 'Robert, you're so fine'

According to New Idea magazine, protective mother Terri Irwin had concerns her lovestruck son and his smitten girlfriend will rush down the aisle too early.

'Terri feels like Robert is moving way too fast. Rorie's a sweetheart and it's easy to see why he is absolutely smitten, but Terri knows the stakes are high,' a source told the publication.

They claimed Robert is a 'romantic' who is hoping to emulate his mother's quick engagement to her late husband Steve after just eight months of dating in 1992.

Robert and Rorie, who is the niece of legendary Australian actor Heath Ledger, are currently in a long-distance relationship, with Robert based at Australia Zoo in Queensland while Rorie is in Perth.
The small matter of saving the world from potential annihilation appeared to be taking its toll on Wednesday as Tom Cruise promoted his latest action packed blockbuster in South Korea.

The Hollywood legend is currently working his way through a promotional tour on behalf of Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One - the seventh instalment in the long-running film franchise.

But he looked ready to hang up the bullet proof vest and retire to bed during a press conference in Seoul, where he was joined by co-stars Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby and Pom Klementieff.

The cast were accompanied by director James McQuarrie as they fielded questions about the forthcoming film, shot on location across England and mainland Europe at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cruise has used his considerable platform to urge people to head to the cinema this summer to catch films like Barbie, Oppenheimer and his latest Mission: Impossible offering.

Downbeat: The small matter of saving the world from potential annihilation appeared to be taking its toll on Wednesday as a tired looking Tom Cruise promoted his latest blockbuster in South Korea

Side by side: (L-R) Director Christopher McQuarrie and cast members Pom Klementieff, Hayley Atwell, Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Vanessa Kirby attended a press conference for Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One

Side by side: Cast-members Pom Klementieff (left) and Vanessa Kirby (right) added a touch of glamour to proceedings

Centre stage: Cruise flashed his famous grin as he took to the stage in Seoul on Wednesday

The actor took to Instagram to encourage people to see movies on the big screen despite the glorious weather, amid a challenging time for cinemas.

As well as paying tribute to Indiana Jones legend Harrison Ford as the fifth film hit screens, Cruise said he's looking forward to Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-starring live-action Barbie film and Christopher Nolan's biographical thriller.

He wrote: This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. These are just a few that we cant wait to see on the big screen.

'Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indiana Jones and creating one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. You have given us countless hours of joy.

'I love a double feature, and it doesnt get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwigs Barbie.'

The Hollywood star was seen in one picture in the post holding his Cineworld cinema ticket.

The cinema chain was hit particularly hard amid the COVID-19 pandemic and was facing closure, but it has been saved from bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Cruise recently hailed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the perfect entry point into the franchise for newcomers.

Buy a ticket: Cruise has used his platform to urge people to head to the cinema this summer to catch films like Barbie, Oppenheimer and his latest Mission: Impossible offering

They're back: Cruise and his cast-members filmed the new Mission: Impossible film on location across England and mainland Europe at the height of the coronavirus pandemic

High glamour: Vanessa Kirby (left) and Pom Klementieff (right) caught the eye as they discussed the film alongside Cruise

Popular: Hayley Atwell also spoke the media during Wednesday's press conference in Seoul

Say cheese: Kirby (left) and Atwell (right) greeted photographers before taking to their seats at the event

Belief: Cruise starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise

The actor starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise.

He told Collider: 'They could start with this film to see and understand that this is all real, all the action is real, its practical. This movie is an epic adventure. Its so lush, filled with practical action and amazing locations."

Cruise believes the new film has a "very engrossing story".

The veteran actor also hailed the movie's star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg.

He said: '[The movie has] submarines, it has the desert, it has Rome, beautiful locations in Abu Dhabi, Norway, a train that we built, action on the train, and a very engrossing story with a really beautiful cast, an amazing, very charismatic cast.

'I think when you look at this movie, it really defines what I think about cinema and why because you look at this kind of cast, you look at a brilliant ensemble cast, and the kind of story is very engrossing.'

Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One goes on general release from July 12, 2023.

Credit: The veteran actor also hailed the movie's star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg

Opening up: 'I think when you look at this movie, it really defines what I think about cinema,' he said

They're back: Simon Pegg (left) and Hayley Atwell (right) resume their roles for the seventh instalment in the Mission: Impossible film franchise
Keeley Hawes and her husband Matthew Macfadyen were dressed to impress as they attended the Animal Ball at Lancaster House in London on Wednesday night.

The actress, 47, cut a glamorous figure in a black dress with ruffle detailing, while Matthew, 48, cut a dapper figure in a black suit with silk lapels.

The couple's evening out comes as Matthew's career is going from strength to strength as he is set to star in Deadpool 3 after the success of the latest series of Succession.

The ball was held to mark the 20th anniversary of wildlife conservation charity Elephant Family, which was established in 2003 by Her Majesty's late brother Mark Shand.

The King and Queen led the festivities and many well-heeled guests joined the royal couple at the glitzy event, including Christian Louboutin, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sir Brian May, his wife Anita Dobson, Donna Air,

Sweet: Keeley Hawes and her husband Matthew Macfadyen were dressed to impress as they attended the Animal Ball at Lancaster House in London on Wednesday night

Having fun: The couple, who have been married for nearly 20 years, beamed as they posed for a photo together before joining Donna, Emma Weymouth and Freya Air

The couple, who have been married for nearly 20 years, beamed as they posed for a photo together before joining Donna, Emma Weymouth and Freya Air.

Matthew was hailed in the fourth and final series of Succession as his character Tom managed to outmanoeuvre his equally loathsome and egotistical rival to be named boss of the fictional media conglomerate Waystar Royco.

Keeley, meanwhile, has starred in hit TV series including Spooks, Bodyguard, Line Of Duty and The Durrells.

But Matthew is set to break into Hollywood when he stars in Deadpool 3 alongside Ryan Reynolds and Huglh Jackman.

He has recently finished shooting the 'Hitchcockian' thriller Holland, Michigan, starring Nicole Kidman.

'Succession has brought Matthew Macfadyen to the attention of Hollywood's major casting directors,' Ben Dalton, international reporter at the influential film and TV trade magazine Screen International, told the Daily Mail this week.

'His rise has matched that of Tom Wambsgans  although Macfadyen's is with far more grace!'

His career-defining performance has not only earned Macfadyen glowing reviews and a legion of new fans but allowed him to surprise even his friends with his meteoric rise to Tinsel Town.

Fun: Animal masks in hand, the King and Queen led the festivities at a conservation charity ball

Succession: Tom Wambsgans (second from left) was never good enough for Shiv Roy (first from left)

'Even with my high expectations, I wasn't prepared for his performance in Succession,' observed Colin Firth recently, himself an actor once defined by his portrayal of Mr Darcy.

'I can't see him anywhere in it and I don't know where it came from. I don't know if I've ever been so surprised by an actor.'

The New York Times was equally dazzled: 'Could there be a more excruciatingly awkward TV character than Tom Wambsgans? Played with understated comic glee by the British actor Matthew Macfadyen, Tom manages to simultaneously exist on all points of the show's power spectrum: bullied, bullying and wafting helplessly in between.'
Georgina Rodriguez looked incredible in a striking photoshoot for Guess and Marciano.

The model, 29, who is Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend, has been announced as the face of GUESS and Marciano Fall 2023.

Georgina exuded glamour as she modelled a series of minidresses in the historic 19th Century Santo Mauro Hotel in Madrid.

In one photo, the fashionista showed off her tanned and toned legs in a rose floral bustier dress as she posed on a console table.

In another, she wowed in a white ruffled minidress and gold heels as she posed with a tangerine handbag.

Gorgeous: Georgina Rodriguez looked incredible in a striking photoshoot for Guess and Marciano

Wow factor: The model, 29, who is Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend, has been announced as the face of GUESS and Marciano Fall 2023

Georgina also put on a busty display as she slipped into a black bandeau dress which she teamed with suspenders and long evening gloves.

The new campaign was directed by Paul Marciano, Chief Creative Officer for GUESS? and shot through the lens of Italian photographer, Nima Benati.

'We wanted to capture a day in the life of Georgina, going behind the veil to catch a glimpse into this superstar's life of glamour,' said Paul.

The collection features an array of empowered suits, hourglass dresses, knitwear, and coordinated sets in glossy and velvety textures and figure-flattering cuts.

Georgina said: 'I am truly honored to have been invited to work on this new campaign for GUESS and Marciano.

'I love the brand and the values it represents. I love wearing the collections because they make me feel empowered yet sexy. They have a distinct feminine character while expressing a timeless essence.'

The fashionista is currently on holiday with Cristiano, 38, in Italy.

The couple have jetted off for a break with their children and have been documenting their lavish trip on social media.

Stunning: Georgina exuded glamour as she modelled a series of minidresses in the historic 19th Century Santo Mauro Hotel in Madrid

Family: Cristiano has son Cristiano Jnr, 12, and twins Eva and Mateo, five, who he had before he met Georgina, and they are parents to Alana Martina, also five, and 13-month-old baby Bella

Cristiano has son Cristiano Jnr, 12, and twins Eva and Mateo, five, who he had before he met Georgina, and they are parents to daughter Alana Martina, also five, and 13-month-old baby Bella, who they welcomed in April last year.

Sharing an insight into their fun trip, Georgina posted a sweet family snap of the group all smiling as they relaxed on their yacht.

For the snap, Georgina looked stunning in a green bikini and shielded her eyes behind designer shades, while she completed the look with a ruby necklace.

Meanwhile, Cristiano donned a pair of monochrome Dolce and Gabbana swimming trunks as he went shirtless to display his ripped physique.

Georgina has been dating Cristiano since June 2016, and they have two children together, Alana Martina and Bella Esmeralda.

Georgina is believed to have an iron-clad 'pre-nuptial-style' agreement with Cristiano should the pair separate, according to reports in Spain.
Even Tom Cruise couldn't tear the spotlight away Vanessa Kirby as the British actress promoted her latest film in South Korea on Wednesday.

Better known for her former role as flighty Princess Margaret in royal drama The Crown, Kirby stars alongside Hollywood legend Cruise in forthcoming blockbuster Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One.

And she was joined by her cast-members during a press conference on behalf of the film - the seventh instalment in the long-running franchise - in South Korean capital Seoul.

Opting for an elegant midnight blue gown with a distinctive thigh-high split, Kirby, 35, added a touch of glamour to proceedings as she took to her seat alongside the returning Cruise, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff.

The slim-fitting gown drew attention to her slender physique, and it's slashed detail fully exposed her legs as she fielded questions from the assembled media.

Looking good: Even Tom Cruise couldn't tear the spotlight away Vanessa Kirby as the British actress promoted her latest film in South Korea on Wednesday

Side by side: (L-R) Director Christopher McQuarrie and cast members Pom Klementieff, Hayley Atwell, Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Vanessa Kirby attended a press conference for Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One

Hard to miss: Kirby's slim-fitting gown drew attention to her slender physique, and it's slashed detail fully exposed her legs as she fielded questions from the assembled media

Strappy black heels completed the look, while blood red lipstick offering an otherwise subdued colour scheme a touch of vibrancy.

The cast were accompanied by director James McQuarrie as they fielded questions about the forthcoming film, shot on location across England and mainland Europe at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cruise has used his considerable platform to urge people to head to the cinema this summer to catch films like Barbie, Oppenheimer and his latest Mission: Impossible offering.

The actor took to Instagram to encourage people to see movies on the big screen despite the glorious weather, amid a challenging time for cinemas.

As well as paying tribute to Indiana Jones legend Harrison Ford as the fifth film hit screens, Cruise said he's looking forward to Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-starring live-action Barbie film and Christopher Nolan's biographical thriller.

He wrote: This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. These are just a few that we cant wait to see on the big screen.

'Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indiana Jones and creating one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. You have given us countless hours of joy.

'I love a double feature, and it doesnt get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwigs Barbie.'

Don't mind me: Opting for an elegant midnight blue gown with a distinctive thigh-high split, Kirby added a touch of glamour to proceedings

High glamour: Kirby (left) and Pom Klementieff (right) caught the eye as they discussed the film alongside Cruise

Belief: Cruise starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise

The Hollywood star was seen in one picture in the post holding his Cineworld cinema ticket.

The cinema chain was hit particularly hard amid the COVID-19 pandemic and was facing closure, but it has been saved from bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Cruise recently hailed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the perfect entry point into the franchise for newcomers.

The actor starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise.

He told Collider: 'They could start with this film to see and understand that this is all real, all the action is real, its practical. This movie is an epic adventure. Its so lush, filled with practical action and amazing locations."

Cruise believes the new film has a "very engrossing story".

Well done: The cast were seen chatting amongst themselves following their latest promotional appearance on behalf of the new film

The veteran actor also hailed the movie's star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg.

He said: '[The movie has] submarines, it has the desert, it has Rome, beautiful locations in Abu Dhabi, Norway, a train that we built, action on the train, and a very engrossing story with a really beautiful cast, an amazing, very charismatic cast.

'I think when you look at this movie, it really defines what I think about cinema and why because you look at this kind of cast, you look at a brilliant ensemble cast, and the kind of story is very engrossing.'

Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One goes on general release from July 12, 2023.
And Just Like That... has come under fire over a scene featuring a group of women in their fifties ogling a teenage schoolboy.

Episode three of the Sex And The City reboot showed Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) discussing a 'MILF list' that had been created by one of the pupils at their children's school.

Flattered to find themselves in second and third place on the list, the ladies then headed to school to discuss who they thought was behind it all.

While chatting with the fellow school mums a name is thrown out into the mix, Milo H, with one mother quipping 'the nerds are always the pervs'.

Charlotte begins to interject by saying: 'You guys I am not comfortable with this, we're talking about a little boy here...' but is cut off as the door to the principal's office opens and the culprit is revealed.

Shocking: Episode three of And Just Like That... showed Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) ogling a teenager at their children's school

Sexualised: In the scene a schoolboy (played by Wes Williams) who has created a 'MILF list' is seen being objectified by the group of school mothers

At which point the camera switches to slow motion, with the schoolboy (played by Wes Williams) seen looking the ladies up and down as he struts past.

As a mum remarks: 'Is that Milo H?' another quips, 'H for hot?' while another makes a sexy growl noise.

With all the women openmouthed, Lisa then quips: 'Why do I feel like Blanche DuBois?' referencing the tragic protagonist in A Streetcar Named Desire who is thrown out of her hometown for sleeping with a teenage boy.

The ladies are later called out for their behaviour by the school principal, who announces during an assembly that 'a group of mothers were overheard objectifying a male student in the hallway'.

Taking to Twitter as the episode aired, fans were left in a state of shock, tweeting: 'Im watching #AndJustLikeThat, and did they just have a group of horny 50 year old mothers who were included on a MILF list, just ogle the teenage boy who created the list, and call him hot?''

'Me, looking for the grown man to appear behind the teenage boy they're apparently lusting after...#AndJustLikeThat'; 'Yeah having women in their fifties call a teenage boy "hot" was overboard #AndJustLikeThat but thankfully they get called out for it in the same episode';

'Are you supporting adult attraction to children? He's a damn kid! These are women with influence, money, and power, right? Why are they lusting after a child? Teenagers are children!'

'EW WHO APPROVED THIS SCENE #AndJustLikeThat'; 'Um...... did they just oogle a teenage boy.'

MailOnline has contacted Warner Media for comment.

Shock: The ladies are later called out for their behaviour by the principal, who announces during an assembly that 'a group of mothers were overheard objectifying a male student'

'WHO approved this?': Taking to Twitter as the episode aired, fans were left in a state of shock at the scene

And Just Like That has proved to be controversial since the reboot brought back beloved characters Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker); Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte.

The series came under fire last year for struggling to find its place in 'woke' times, something the show has been heavily criticised for over the years - due to its largely white cast and claims of gender and racial stereotyping and sex-shaming.

While fans had been hoping for more in season two, the opening episodes didn't win over the critics, with the show branded 'empty' and 'unfunny' in first reviews.

A saving grace for the show could be the return of Kim Cattrall's character Samantha Jones.

Kim had refused to appear in the reboot after an explosive feud with star Sarah Jessica Parker but was convinced to make a cameo this season after negotiating with the head of HBO.

According to Variety, Kim will return for only one 'cliffhanger' scene, which she shot on March 22 in New York City, without seeing or speaking with her former co-stars. The scene was also shot without AJLT showrunner Michael Patrick King.

In the scene, Samantha, who has moved to London, will have a phone conversation with Carrie.

The New York Post claimed that Kim's cameo was so secretive that her name did not even appear on the call sheet for the day, leaving people stunned at her presence.
Season two, episode three of And Just Like That... saw the subject of grief take centre stage as the pivotal characters worked through losses in their life.

After shocking fans with an X-rated two-part premiere last week, Thursday's episode was of considerably slower pace, focusing on Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) as she recorded the audiobook version of her memoir.

The episode began with Seema (Sarita Choudhury) being mugged outside her townhouse, with a thief snatching her Birkin bag from her hand and running away.

Despite giving an impressive chase in heels to try and retrieve her bag, Seema is left devastated after being unable to retrieve the item, which has sentimental value as the present she bought herself after her first big sale.

As Seema struggles to cope with losing her beloved item, Carrie is being forced to confront the loss of her husband Mr Big (Chris Noth).

Emotional scenes: Season two, episode three of And Just Like That... focused on Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) as she recorded the audiobook version of her memoir

While recording her audiobook, Carrie is unable to keep her composure during the chapters about Big's death, getting emotional and stumbling over her words.

As she tries her best to try and convince the producers to bring in an actress to record the part, she's informed that such a personal story would sound better coming from her, despite her protests.

Putting on a brave face at lunch with Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Nya (Karen Pittman) and Lisa (Nicole Ari Parker), Carrie insists that's she 'fine', refusing to dwell on the upset or let her feel the true extent of her grief.

With Carrie clammed up, talk soon turns to the drama going on at the school where Charlotte and Lisa's children are enrolled, with a pupil drafting a 'MILF list' that rates the mothers at school.

Charlotte attempts to act offended by the list's existence, noting: 'I do think it's wrong in this day and age that women are still be judged solely on...' but she's cut off and immediately changes her tune upon learning she landed the third spot on the list and Lisa second.

Later on Carrie returns to the recording studio for another attempt at reading her memoir's most emotional chapter but breaks down in tears after being reminded of the tragic moment Big died.

With tears streaming down her face, Carrie again pushes for an actress to provide the commentary, saying: 'I think it's bad for the author to be this emotional, it feels unprofessional.'

Despite still insisting that Carrie should be the one to record, the producers compromise by suggesting she save the chapter about Big until the end.

Heading home from the studio, Carrie bumps into an old friend Bitsy von Muffling (Julie Halston) who is also mourning the loss of her husband, Bobby Fine.

As talk turns to grief, Carrie admits she 'fell apart' during her audiobook recording, saying: 'It was embarrassing. I thought I was doing so well, I got though that whole first year!'

Able to relate after her own trauma, Bitsy responds: 'Honey, the second year is worse than the first, that's the dirty little secret nobody tells you.

'Because time is passing and whatever's happening, he's missing it. So you feel further and further away from him and it's just awful.'

Interesting: Charlotte York ( Kristin Davis ) and Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) are captivated by a 'MILF list' that had been created by one of the pupils at their children's school

Supportive: Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) has been helping girlfriend Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) prepare for the first taping of their autobiographical sitcom

Upsetting: While recording her audiobook, Carrie is unable to keep her composure during the chapters about Big's death, getting emotional and stumbling over her words

Taking on board Bitsy's advice to 'do whatever you do to feel better', Carrie heads out on a giant shopping spree, returning home with several pairs of new shoes.

High on the back of her retail therapy, Carrie then attempts to read the chapter aloud by herself, but after breaking down yet again she realises she can no longer commit to the project, ringing her producer and pretending to have Covid in order to get out of recording the rest.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) has been helping girlfriend Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) prepare for the first taping of their autobiographical sitcom, running lines for the important scene where Che comes out as non-binary to their father.

Feeling invigorated, Miranda then flirts with the idea of getting a tattoo, saying: 'I feel a need to commemorate this moment in my life.

'To remember who I am right now so I don't slide back to the person I used to be.'

After ringing Carrie to get a second opinion, she's fed the same story about Carrie having Covid and in turn tells Charlotte, spreading the lie around the friendship group.

It spreads even further when she realises she'll have to cancel her lunch with Seema and Anthony (Mario Cantone) who quips: 'Now she has Covid? That's very off-trend for her?'

While Carrie is stuck in self-imposed self isolation, Charlotte can't get the news of the school MILF list out of her head.

During a chat with the fellow school mums a name is thrown out into the mix, Milo H, with one mother quipping: 'the nerds are always the pervs.'

Charlotte begins to interject by saying: 'You guys I am not comfortable with this, we're talking about a little boy here...' but is cut off as the door to the principal's office opens and the culprit is revealed.

At which point the camera switches to slow motion, with the schoolboy (played by Wes Williams) seen looking the ladies up and down as he struts past.

As a mum remarks: 'Is that Milo H?' another quips, 'H for hot?' while another makes a sexy growl noise.

With all the women openmouthed, Lisa then quips: 'Why do I feel like Blanche DuBois?' referencing the tragic protagonist in A Streetcar Named Desire who is thrown out of her hometown for sleeping with a teenage boy.

The ladies are later called out for their behaviour by the school principal, who announces during an assembly that 'a group of mothers were overheard objectifying a male student in the hallway.'

Bonding: Heading home from the studio, Carrie bumps into an old friend Bitsy von Muffling (Julie Halston) who is also mourning the loss of her husband, Bobby Fine

Liar: Carrie realises she can no longer commit to the audiobook, ringing her producer and pretending to have Covid in order to get out of recording the rest

Oh dear: Miranda causes a stir at Che's sitcom taping when her phone rings in the midst of Che's big moment, with Miranda being scolded by the audience and producers

Across the country, Miranda is dealing with a crisis of her own after receiving a call from son Brady, who has gone travelling in Europe with his girlfriend.

Having accidentally missed several of his calls because she can't work her new phone, Miranda is shocked to learn that Brady has just split from his partner.

Sobbing down the phone, Brady says: 'Luisa broke up with me', adding: 'A car almost hit me... I wish it had.'

A shocked Miranda admits Brady has scared her with his suicidal comments, instructing him to head back to his hostel immediately and call her from there.

The timing isn't great, however, with Miranda then heading inside to watch Che tape their emotional sitcom scenes.

Predictably, her phone rings in the midst of Che's big moment, with Miranda being scolded by the audience and producers while Che looks devastated.

Having been kicked out of the studio she seeks solace from Charlotte, who assures her she's not overreacting.

Yet her chat with Che doesn't go down as well.

Despite telling the comic she was afraid Brady was suicidal all Che could say was 'you ruined the family scene!'

As Miranda notes that she had her own 'real' family scene to deal with, she tells Che that she's moving back to New York to look after her son.

With the pair unable to see eye to eye, Miranda asks Che not to 'leave things on a yucky note' but it's apparent that the bond between the pair is broken.

Back in New York, it's revealed that Miranda opted for a simple tattoo of her initials on her wrist and she's soon reunited with Brady, reassuring him that she won't be going anywhere soon.

Seema comes to visit Carrie - complete with a Louis Vuitton face mask - before learning that the Covid excuse was a lie to get out of the audiobook.

With Seema asking why she felt like she had to lie to her friends about her struggle, Carrie admits: 'I can't put them through more of this.

'Is there an expiration date on how much grief you can support? I hate feeling sorry for myself.'

With the pair bonding over their shared - albeit dramatically different - trauma surrounding Carrie's lost love and Seema's lost handbag, the ladies decided to take their mind of things by attending the jewellery launch of Carrie's neighbour Lisette (Katerina Tannenbaum).

At the launch they spot a cater waiter stealing all the jewels but when he attempts to mug Carrie for her beloved name necklace, Seema scares him off by pulling out a 'gun', which later turns out to be a novelty lighter.

The following day Seema has another stroke of good luck as she manages to find her beloved Birkin in the street after the thief stole her wallet and tossed the bag.

Caught out: Seema comes to visit Carrie - complete with a Louis Vuitton face mask - before learning that the Covid excuse was a lie to get out of the audiobook

Supportive: The ladies decided to take their mind of things by attending the jewellery launch of Carrie's neighbour Lisette (Katerina Tannenbaum)

Meanwhile, Carrie is comforting Lisette, assuring her that while it may seem like all hope is lost at some point you 'have to get up'.

It's then that she finds the strength to return to the recording studio and read the chapter about Big's death.

The episode ends with Seema and Carrie enjoying a night out with a group of handsome men on holiday from Sydney.

In a twist of irony, Carrie reveals at the end: 'And just like that... I got Covid.
Former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella has paid tribute to late brother Ben on the 15th anniversary of his death.

Brooke lost her 16-year old brother after he was fatally stabbed during a night out with friends in north London on June 29 2008.

The actress has since launched the Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity devoted to tackling knife crime across the United Kingdom, and has named her son after her brother - with whom he shares a birthday.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Brooke, 39, posted images from her childhood with Ben, alongside a poignant passage of text - written by her brother shortly before his death.

Captioning the post, she wrote: '15 years ago today we had to say goodbye to you. They remain the hardest words Ive ever had to say.

Emotional: Former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella has paid tribute to late brother Ben on the 15th anniversary of his death

Close: Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Brooke, 39, posted images from her childhood with Ben, who shared a tight bond with his sister

'I dont seem to have any words left so Ill take some small comfort from yours. I will love you forever Benjamin.'

Ben was out celebrating the end of his GCSEs in Islington, Central London, when he was stabbed 11 times in a brutal five-second attack by three men while walking home from the pub.

Juress Kika, 19, Jade Braithwaite, 18, and Michael Alleyne, 20, were charged with Ben's murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 19 years.

'I was lucky enough that my brother was one of my best friends. I could never put into words what Ben meant to us as a family and what was taken from us that night,' Brooke said.

'He was only here for a short while but he was so very special to us and I am grateful for every day that I got to spend with him.'

She added: 'Its unbelievable to me that I havent seen my little brother for 15 years, as it sometimes feels like just yesterday I heard him laugh or make a cheeky comment. We will love and remember Ben forever and I am so proud of the legacy he has left behind. '

'Today, 15 years on, I am still so heartbroken at the violent and unnecessary loss of such a beautiful boy and the ripple effect it had on so many. I am thinking of my family, Bens friends, the wife he might have loved, and the children he might have had.

'I am even more heartbroken that we havent succeeded in making this world a safer place, a place where sixteen year old boys can make it home to their beds. It can be hard to keep going but I made a promise to my brother all those years ago and I will do all I can to keep it. We will never give up in the fight against knife crime.'

Special day: Thursday, June 29, is also her son Ben's (pictured) first birthday

Tragic: Ben was stabbed to death in June 2008 on a night out with friends when he was just 16 years old (childhood pictures)

Best friends: Despite their nine year age gap, Ben and Brooke were close friends as well as siblings and sweetly posed together holding hands in the childhood photos

Good cause: Since she stopped acting, Brooke has campaigned to tackle knife crime in honour of brother Ben, who was just 16 when he was killed (pictured)

Bens parents, Deborah and George said: 'We would like to say that it gets easier with time, but it truly doesnt. We will always wonder what he would be doing in his life now, who his wife would have been and we would have loved and adored our grandchildren he would have given us!

'Instead we go to the cemetery to visit our Ben and the grief is still as strong as it was from the day he was taken from us, it never goes away. We set up the Ben Kinsella Trust with the legacy and art work he left us in his young life, to educate children about their choices, the consequences and the devastation knife crime brings.

'Ben was always helping others and we think he would be ever so proud of all the work that has been done in his name and the children he has and continues to reach. We will always love and deeply miss him very much.'

Brooke - who played Kelly Taylor in EastEnders in the early 2000s - founded the Ben Kinsella Trust after his death, a foundation she created to raise awareness about tackling knife crime.

She recently admitted that her parents have 'never slept properly again' since her brother was murdered and that while they put on brave faces every day, 'the light went out from their eyes the day he died'.

The night her brother died, her sister Jade, 37, called her at 2am screaming about Ben having been stabbed, after which Brooke alerted her parents, calling it the worst thing she ever had to do.

Determined: Brooke, who was made an MBE for her work against knife crime, criticised that it had been '15 years of pain' during which nothing has changed, but vowed to 'never stop fighting'

Heartbroken: She said that her parents have 'never slept properly again' since her brother was murdered and that while they put on brave faces every day, 'the light went out from their eyes the day he died'

Ben's parents, Brooke and her siblings Jade and Georgia, 29, saw Ben in hospital and the talent agent said she remembers him being 'so cold' she wanted to warm him up.

She opened up about the pain that 'never goes away' and said the killers destroyed their own lives as well as the lives of five people, Ben's family, that night.

Brooke, who was made an MBE for her work against knife crime, criticised that it had been '15 years of pain' during which nothing has changed, but vowed to 'never stop fighting'.

Between 2012 and 2022, knife crime incidents rose by 46 per cent. Last year alone nearly 50,000 offences were reported, according to the Office for National Statistics.

She is calling for a cross-party commitment for the government to open youth clubs so teenagers have a safe place to go to at nighttime.
Jarrod Scott and girlfriend Brioney Prier recently welcomed their daughter Clementine into the world, but it seems the newborn may not be his first child.

The Aussie model and Celebrity Apprentice star, 33, is currently embroiled in a paternity battle with an ex-flame who claims he is the father of her daughter.

Costa Rican model Natasha Fleming claims daughter Alana, five, was conceived during a short tryst with Jarrod in 2017, reports The Daily Telegraph on Thursday.

'I waited because I thought that he needed to mature. When we met, he was 27, and I wanted to give him the time to assimilate to everything,' the talent agency director, 36, told the publication.

'I thought he would be curious as time went by to want to meet his own daughter. I told him I was pregnant in April 2017 and we had a 20-minute phone call.'

Top Australian model Jarrod Scott is currently embroiled in a paternity battle. Pictured

Jarrod Scott and girlfriend Brioney Prier recently welcomed daughter Clementine. Pictured at the Gucci exhibition in Sydney in 2022

Natasha went on to claim that it's been a battle ever since to get Jarrod involved in her daughter's life, and alleges that he's been ignoring her messages on the matter.

Meanwhile, Jarrod, who is adjusting to life as a new father, admitted to having a brief fling with Natasha but said he's unsure if Alana is his child.

'We were both single at the time. I don't know whether what she says about her daughter is true,' he said.

Costa Rican model Natasha Fleming claims daughter Alana, five, was conceived during a short tryst with Jarrod in 2017, reports The Daily Telegraph on Thursday. Pictured: Natasha and daughter Alana

'I waited because I thought that he needed to mature. When we met, he was 27, and I wanted to give him the time to assimilate to everything,' the talent agency director told the publication

'I intend to have a dialogue with Natasha about that, but will do so privately.'

He went on to say Natasha's claims are 'deeply private' and 'have the potential to impact on the wellbeing of two young innocent children'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jarrod to confirm his comment.

Jarrod and Brioney began dating early last year before she quickly fell pregnant.

He told The Daily Telegraph in November he was 'super excited' to announced his girlfriend was pregnant with Clementine.

Natasha went on to say it's been a battle ever since to get Jarrod involved in her daughter's life
Andrew Zolli & Ann Marie Healy in Delancey Place:

The internet was created by the U.S. military as a way to preserve communications to missile silos in the event of a Soviet nuclear attack:

From its inception as a U.S. military funded project in the 1960s, the Internet was designed to solve a particular problem above all else: to ensure the continuity of communications in the face of disaster. Military leaders at the time were concerned that a preemptive nuclear attack by the Soviets on U.S. telecommunications hubs could disrupt the chain of command  and that their own counterstrike orders might never make it from their command bunkers to their intended recipients in the missile silos of North Dakota. So they asked the Internets original engineers to design a system that could sense and automatically divert traffic around the inevitable equipment failures that would accompany any such attack.

The Internet achieves this feat in a simple yet ingenious way: It breaks up every email, web page, and video we transmit into packets of information and forwards them through a labyrinthine network of routers  specialized network computers that are typically redundantly connected to more than one other node on the network. Each router contains a regularly updated routing table, similar to a local train schedule. When a packet of data arrives at a router, this table is consulted and the packet is forwarded in the general direction of its destination. If the best pathway is blocked, congested, or damaged, the routing table is updated accordingly and the packet is diverted along an alternative pathway, where it will meet the next router in its journey, and the process will repeat. A packet containing a typical web search may traverse dozens of Internet routers and links  and be diverted away from multiple congestion points or offline computers  on the seemingly instantaneous trip between your computer and your favorite website.

More here.
Molly-Mae Hague has showed off her love for all things designer on her holiday in Athens, Greece with her boyfriend Tommy Fury and their baby daughter Bambi.

The Love Island star, 24, and the boxer, also 24, are jetting back to the UK on Thursday, after spending time at the luxurious 2,000 per night hotel, Four Seasons.

Over the past week, Molly-Mae has littered her Instagram with holiday snaps.

The television personality has certainly replenished her wardrobe with designer goods, after she lost many when thieves raided her home in 2021.

Over the past few days, Molly has accessorised with a 2,750 Celine Triomphe bag, Tom Ford sunglasses, a 4,920 Chanel bag and a 350 Loewe green bucket hat.

Expensive taste: Molly-Mae Hague has littered her Instagram with holiday snaps and boasts an enviable designer wardrobe (here she is pictured in a 350 Loewe bucket hat)

Pricey: Taking to her page on Thursday, Molly posed for a mirror selfie and showed off her 5,500 black Van Cleef bracelet and a 3,950 cream version

Designer goods: Over the past few days, Molly has accessorised with a 2,750 Celine Triomphe bag and Tom Ford sunglasses

Taking to her page on Thursday, Molly posed for a mirror selfie and showed off her 5,500 black Van Cleef bracelet and a 3,950 cream version.

She also uploaded a snap of her Loewe 325 bag, before a snap of her luggage at the airport - a 2,020 Louis Vuitton holdall and a 645 Rimowa suitcase.

Molly-Mae wrote: 'wish this trip would carry on forever', before adding 'home time'.

Last year, Molly said she no longer splashes the cash on 'really expensive clothes' following the 800k burglary at her former flat.

In October 2021, Molly-Mae and Tommy were in London at her Beauty Works Christmas launch, when an 'experienced gang' targeted their flat and stole a vast quantity of goods, including jewellery and designer products.

Explaining how the terrifying experience changed her spending habits, she said: 'In regards to the jewellery I used to buy, watches, nice bags, really expensive clothes and stuff, I think most definitely, definitely, the interest in that for me has just disappeared since the robbery.

'Why would I ever want to own something that could compromise mine and Tommy's safety? It is absolutely not worth it in my eyes.'

The former Love Island star also revealed she has 'very much moved on' from the event, she admitted to spending 'thousands and thousands of pounds a month having the right security.'

Jetting back home: Molly-Mae also uploaded a snap of her luggage at the airport - a 2,020 Louis Vuitton holdall and a 645 Rimowa suitcase

Splashing the cast: Molly accessorised a Skims dress with a Chanel flap bag with silver hardwear

Money: The television personality also showed a 325 bag from Loewe

Stunning: It comes after Molly showcased her incredible post-partum figure in a blue bikini after previously revealing didn't 'have the confidence' for such a look

Earlier this week, Molly showcased her incredible post-partum figure in a blue bikini after previously revealing didn't 'have the confidence' for such a look after welcoming daughter Bambi in January.

Molly-Mae posed in front of a front a full length mirror and donned a pair of chic white trousers before removing them to show off her matching blue bottoms.

She flaunted her toned abs in the snaps as she accessorised her beach look with a woven clutch and wedges.

The stunner slicked back her blonde tresses into a bun and wore a selection of gold jewellery.

Taking to her Instagram Stories she wrote: 'My DM's are making me [cry emoji]'.

'I spoke on my YouTube about how I don't think i'll ever want to reach for a bikini on holiday again / feel confident in one.... I didn't even bring any with me on this trip!'.

'But today I went to the shop here and bought one because I realised WHO ACTUALLY CARES!'.

She continued: ' The thought of putting on a bikini before the holiday is always much more daunting than doing it in the moment and whilst on the trip... pack the bikini mama's! and my girls who don't normally! I promise that no one's judging / cares'.
When fans think of Liam Neeson, they automatically think of his hit film Taken.

It seems Hollywood producers do as well after his latest upcoming film, Retribution, keeps receiving endless comparisons to the 2008 action thriller.

If Taken 2 (2012) and Taken 3 (2014) wasn't enough, fear not, Retribution also features Neeson receiving a threatening phone call and he is forced to immerse himself in danger in order to save his family.

This time around, Neeson is driving a car with his two children when he gets a call saying that there is a bomb under his seat. He must do whatever the voice tells him or the bomb will go off.

In Retribution, Neeson's character is driving a car with his two children when he gets a call saying that there is a bomb under his seat

Blood on his hands: Neeson finds himself needing to protect his family once again and will do whatever it takes to do so

As the logline for the newly-dropped trailer reads: 'Liam Neeson must keep driving or his family blows up.'

Fans couldn't help but notice how the premise of Retribution seems almost identical to Taken and took to Twitter to point out the similarities.

'Liam Neeson made Taken and then has been stuck in that pocket of action movie type for over a decade lmao (laughing my a** off),' one user wrote.

Another tweeted: 'Liam Neeson been making the same movie since 2008. (And I keep watching).'

'Liam Neeson made a business decision 15 years ago and has not deviated from that plan yet,' a third wrote of Neeson's dedication to his typecast.

Some may say it's strategic that he found what he's good at and sticks to it.

But others seem to view it as redundant and feel that, like his Taken character, his skill set is 'particular' yet limited.

'Liam Neeson in Taken 35: Retribution. He has a particular set of skills...and he means to use them,' one user tweeted.

In both Taken 2 (2011) and Retribution (2023), Neeson and his family are in danger, and he's forced to perform some violent acts in order to save them

The film Taken (2008) follows a retired CIA agent, Bryan, who has a 'particular set of skills' and must put them to use when his estranged daughter is kidnapped in Paris

Danger is calling: In Taken, Neeson's character learns his daughter has been kidnapped with an ominous phone call. Similarly, in Retribution, he learns that there is a bomb under his seat

'Liam Neeson has a very specific set of skills which apparently limits him to only making the same movies over & over,' another complained.

Another sarcastically stated: 'Finally, Liam Neeson does a thriller where he must take revenge for a mysterious threat endangering his family. Glad he's stepping into new territory.'

Others are jokingly pitying Neeson's cinematic family who are consistently the victims in danger in his films.

'Is it a Liam Neeson movie if his family is not in danger?' one fan noted.

Fans couldn't help but notice how the premise of Retribution seems almost identical to Taken and took to Twitter to point out the similarities

Another quipped: 'Liam Neeson should have a special award for "Family Man" he's always saving his family.'

One Twitter user chalks it up to the producers rather than blaming Neeson for the redundancy, writing" '"Research says viewers love it when Liam Neeson is defending his family."'

Meanwhile, some fans noticed a throughline to some of his other films besides the Taken trilogy.

'My family calls every Liam Neeson movie as "Taken: (something)." I imagine we will call this one, "Taken: Speed." Don't get me wrong, we enjoy his movies, it's just that he's kind of stuck in the same role.'

Taken 2 came out three years after Taken. This time, he must protect his family from the wrath of Murad, a man whose son died during Bryan's rescue mission to save his daughter

Taken 3 followed shortly after in 2014 which saw Bryan seeking revenge after his ex-wife, Lenore, is murdered while also continuing to protect his daughter, of course

One user noticed a pattern of Neeson being in danger while traveling in multiple modes of transportation.

'We had Liam Neeson on a plane. We had Liam Neeson on a train. We finally get Liam Neeson in a car. Best believe I'll be watching,' they wrote.

As for the films he's referring to, Non-stop (2014) had Neeson seated for a flight when he receives a string of texts stating he must have the airline send $150 million to an offshore account or a passenger will die every 20 minutes.

In The Commuter (2018), he is on the train home from work when he is contacted and ordered to identify a mystery passenger or the lives of others are at risk.

Another joked that his movies can be created by a 'Mad Libs' style generator that sees him as an ex-military officer whose loved one is threatened while he's traveling.

They wrote: 'Pitching a Liam Neeson movie has to be like Mad Libs by this point. "A mild-mannered former (military profession) is brought back into action when (scary type of person) threatens his (loved one), and he must use (method of transportation) to survive."'

Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Users noticed a pattern of Neeson being in danger while traveling in multiple modes of transportation

Even though most fans know what to expect when it comes to Neeson's films, they still plan on watching and enjoying Retribution.

'Same movie ideas Different story lines I will be watching regardless. Liam Neeson knows how to keep viewers glued to the screen from start to finish,' one fan enthused.

'No matter how many variations of this Liam Neeson dad movies they do, I'll watch ALL of them,' another vowed.

Taken follows a retired CIA agent, Bryan, who has a 'particular set of skills' and must put them to use when his estranged daughter is kidnapped in Paris.

Taken rebooted Neeson's career and inspired two more sequels.

Taken 2 came out three years later. This time, he must protect his family from the wrath of Murad, a man whose son died during Bryan's rescue mission to save his daughter.

Taken 3 followed shortly after in 2014 which saw Bryan seeking revenge after his ex-wife, Lenore, is murdered while also continuing to protect his daughter, of course.

Will Retribution follow his tried and true story map? Fans will have to wait until its theatrical release on August 25 to find out.
Penelope Cruz wowed in not one but two stunning looks as she attended the inaugural Nouvelles Vagues Festival in Biarritz, France as the guest of honour.

The Spanish actress, 49, looked incredible as she firstly stepped out in a semi-sheer patterned maxi dress at a photo call for the new festival, which is dedicated to films about youth.

The black Chanel number featured hues of red, blue, yellow and green and also had pretty ruffled sleeves and a belted detail.

Penelope teamed the outfit with black wedges, a pink handbag and dark sunglasses, while her brunette tresses were left to cascade over her shoulders.

As night fell at the festival, the Vanilla Skit star upped the glam as she slipped into a racy black mini dress.

Stunner: Penelope Cruz wowed in not one but two stunning looks as she attended the inaugural Nouvelles Vagues Festival in Biarritz, France as the guest of honour

Wow: The Spanish actress, 49, looked incredible as she firstly stepped out in a semi-sheer patterned maxi dress at a photo call for the new festival, which is dedicated to films about youth

Penelope, who was the inaugural guest of honor at the event, wowed as she showcased her toned legs in the thigh-skimming number.

She teamed the button detailed pinafore style dress with a towering pair of black heels, further accessorising her look with a white quilted handbag.

The wife of film star Javier Bardem swept her glossy locks into a high ponytail, while highlighting her features with a sleek palette of make-up.

Penelope looked in good spirits as she smiled for snaps and mingled with other attendees at the glam event.

It comes following the news that Scarlett Johansson and Penelope may be working together again.

The actresses memorably kissed in Woody Allen's love triangle story Vicky Cristina Barcelona with Javier Bardem from 2008.

Now Scarlett and Penelope are in talks to work with Michael Fassbender and Owen Wilson in a Netflix film from director Nancy Meyers.

The big-budget movie is currently titled Paris Paramount.

So chic: The black Chanel number featured hues of red, blue, yellow and green and also had pretty ruffled sleeves and a belted detail

Flawless: Penelope looked radiant as she smiled for snaps at the inaugural festival in France

Lovely: Penelope teamed the outfit with black wedges, a pink handbag and dark sunglasses, while her brunette tresses were left to cascade over her shoulders

Oh hello! As night fell at the festival, the Vanilla Skit star upped the glam as she slipped into a racy black mini dress

Work it: Penelope, who was the inaugural guest of honor at the event, wowed as she showcased her toned legs in the thigh-skimming number

Gorgeous: She teamed the button detailed pinafore style dress with a towering pair of black heels, further accessorising her look with a white quilted handbag

It tells the story of an above-the-line filmmaking duo who begrudgingly reunite on set after falling in and out of love with one another.

Nancy is directing from her own script and also serves as a producer on the film.

This marks her first behind the camera since the 2015 flick The Intern.

That drama starred Robert DeNiro as the intern and Anne Hathaway as his type A boss.

Sources say that actor deals for Paris Paramount are yet to be sealed as budgeting on the project is still being worked out.

Netflix has not commented on the news.
Margot Robbie has revealed the secret behind her famous arched foot in the new Barbie film.

In the trailer for the highly anticipated comedy fantasy, Margot is seen stepping out of her high heels to reveal Barbie's feet remain arched, just like the toy.

On Thursday night's episode of The Project, the Australian born actress revealed very little went into getting the shot right.

'There's no special effects, you'd be amazed how few [special effects] there are in this film actually,' she said alongside director Greta Gerwig.

Margot explained it's her own feet in the frame, and she achieved the shot by stepping out of her heels and simply 'held on to a bar' so she was 'sturdy'.

Margot Robbie has revealed the secret behind her famous arched foot in the new Barbie film. Pcitured

In the trailer for the highly anticipated comedy fantasy, Margot is seen stepping out of her high heels to reveal Barbie's feet remain arched, just like the toy

'We did put double-sided tape on the floor so that my shoes stayed still,' she added, before revealing she also had a pedicure prior to filming the scene.

Elsewhere in the episode, Margot suffered an epic Australian slang fail.

The Queensland-born actress, 32, was left speechless when co-host Sam Taunton turned his attention to director, Greta.

'[Barbie] means so much to so many people. I'm not sure if Margot told you but the word barbie means something else in Australia,' he asked Greta.

Margot appeared momentarily taken aback by the question.

Margot Robbie suffered an epic Australian slang fail on The Project

'What does it mean here?' she asked the Melbourne comedian, perplexed.

'Like a barbecue,' he responded, which lead to Margot and co-hosts Hamish Macdonald, Georgie Tunny and Liz Ellis bursting into fits of laughter.

'I'm so Barbie now I can't even...' said Margot. 'A barbie, yeah, having a barbie.'

'Don't blame the blonde hair, blame the jet lag,' she added, laughing it off.

Australians often call having a summer party involving a number of friends and a barbecue, 'having a barbie'.

Margot is currently in Australia to promote Barbie, which will hit cinemas next month.
Emily Ratajkowski bared her taut midriff when she was spotted expertly multitasking in New York City this Wednesday.

The 32-year-old supermodel simultaneously walked her dog and pushed her two-year-old son Sly along in a stroller.

She shares her little bundle of joy with her scandal-struck estranged husband, the movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard.

For her latest outing she slipped into a clinging white crop top and hoisted on a pair of trendily loose-fitted khaki trousers.

Letting her silky dark hair flutter free in the breeze, the I Feel Pretty actress accessorized with a purple-tined pair of shades.

Off she goes: Emily Ratajkowski bared her taut midriff when she was spotted expertly multitasking in New York City this Wednesday

Emily found herself at the center of a controversy this March when DailyMail.com exclusively spotted her kissing Harry Styles on the streets of Tokyo.

The lip-lock set off a furor over the fact that Emily is friends with Harry's ex Olivia Wilde, whom he dated for about two years.

'Olivia and Emily were friends and this is a betrayal,' a source with inside knowledge exclusively informed DailyMail.com.

In a subsequent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Emily dismissed the kiss by saying she was not 'not thinking about guys' but 'sometimes things just happen.'

Emily has led a headline-grabbing love life in the wake of her split from her estranged husband last year.

Her dalliances included Pete Davidson, who went viral for his 'big d*** energy' in 2018 when his then-fiancee Ariana Grande slyly tweeted about his '10 inches.'

She also indulged in a fling with Eric Andre, starring with him in an eye-popping Instagram album where he was nude and she had on nothing but a bra.

In the months after she left Sebastian, she ran around with the steamy DJ Orazio Rispo as well as the comedian Jack Greer.

Baby mine: The 32-year-old supermodel simultaneously walked her dog and pushed her two-year-old son Sly along in a stroller

Looking fab: For her latest outing she slipped into a clinging white crop top and hoisted on a pair of trendily loose-fitted khaki trousers

The way they were: She shares her little bundle of joy with her scandal-struck estranged husband, the movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard; the pair are pictured in 2019

Speculation swirled endlessly around her love life, with one spate of conjecture attaching her to none other than Brad Pitt.

In a Harper's Bazaar profile published last October, Emily was asked if she had ever dated Brad and responded with an expression described as 'unreadable.'

Sebastian, whose credits include the Adam Sandler vehicle Uncut Gems, had a courthouse wedding to Emily in 2018.

The pair welcomed their baby son Sylvester in March 2021, only for their marriage to fall apart last year under a cloud of rumors about Sebastian's fidelity.

When news broke that they had split, a Page Six source said Sebastian 'cheated. Hes a serial cheater. Its gross. Hes a dog.' Emily then added fuel to the conjecture by liking a tweet that read: 'cant believe that little b*** cheated on emrata.'

It emerged this March that Sebastian has faced 'grooming' allegations and been fired by Elara Pictures, the production company of the Safdie brothers, whom he worked with on Uncut Gems and the Robert Pattison starrer Good Time.

Sebastian was at the time tangled up in mediation with the Safdies, alongside his divorce proceedings and custody battle with Emily.

Emily has remained tight-lipped in public about the circumstances leading up to her divorce, telling the Los Angeles Times that she was 'scared' of being more candid because 'Im learning that outspoken women dont often get their children.'
Bella Thorne put on a ghastly performance as she covered herself in special FX make-up to host the 69th Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Thursday.

The American actress, 25, put on a terrifying show which saw fake blood cover her hands and dripped from her mouth.

The ex-Disney star hosted the 69th festival as well as premiering her directorial short film debut Paint Her Red which she wrote, directed and also starred in.

She posed during her horror performance for the photographer as she struck straight into character.

The auburn-haired beauty used special FX make-up to turn herself into a vampire character while she stood against the cinematic backdrop.

Frightening: Bella looked unrecognisable as she dressed up as a bloody vampire character during her performance in Taormina

Freaky: The star donned a strapless velvet dress which synched her torso in at the waist and featured a white stipe of material down the middle of her ensemble

Poker-face: Bella Thorne put on a ghastly performance as she covered herself in special FX make-up for the 69th Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Thursday

She contrasted the red cinema seats against the fake blood that covered her body.

Bella looked unrecognisable as she dressed up as a bloody vampire character during her performance in Taormina.

She completed her frightening transformation with a black and white hooded cape which shielded her shoulders.

The star donned a strapless velvet dress which synched her torso in at the waist and featured a white stripe of material down the middle of her ensemble.

Under her special FX make-up, she opted for a smokey winged eyeliner to exaggerated her features with a pink lip.

Bella added to the drama with red claw nails as she swiped fake blood across her cheek.

Bella posed up a storm against the dramatic background which contrasted her ginger locks.

She looked extravagant as she lifted her mesh cape up in the air to create an angel shape and put on her best poker face with blood dripping on her neck.

Terrifying: The American actress, 25, put on a terrifying staging which saw fake blood cover her hands and dripped from her mouth

Elegant: She posed during her horror performance for the photographer as she struck straight into character

Scary: The ginger beauty used special FX make-up to turn herself into a vampire character while she stood against the cinematic backdrop

Pose: Bella posed up a storm against the dramatic background which contrasted her ginger locks

Vampire: She completed her frightening transformation with a black and white hooded cape which shielded her shoulders

Paint Her Red delivers an unapologetic narrative, both painful and beautiful, exploring the journey of women.

Bella shared the news that she would be attending the event with her 25.2 million followers at the beginning of May.

She wrote: 'We all connect through stories: watching art should be like looking in the mirror.'

'I am very grateful for the opportunity to lead the way in showcasing a new generation of filmmakers.'

The Shake It Up teen star thanked the festival's executive and artistic director Barrett Wissman for the opportunity saying she was honoured to have her film premiere at the festival.

'Now more than ever, its important everyone has their voice heard and given a chance to shine,' she wrote.

Paint Her Red screened as part of the festival's headline Influential Shorts gala which featured a collection of shorts curated by Bella herself.

The actress invited well-known artists as well as new talents she had recently discovered.

Special FX: Bella started her performance off with blood dripping from her mouth

Extravagant: Bella lifted her mesh cape up in the air to create an angel shape and put on her best poker face with blood dripping on her neck

Actress: The ex-Disney star hosted the 69th festival as well as premiering her directorial short film debut Paint Her Red which she wrote, directed and also starred in

Bella Thorne will soon be walking down the aisle as she said 'yes' to entrepreneur and Bad Vegan producer Mark Emms in May.

The couple met last year on the beach in Ibiza at Cara Delevigne's birthday party.

'It was love at first sight as the sun rose,' the American Horror Stories star told Vogue Weddings.

The Imagen Foundation Award winner and her fiance posed together in a sweet photo when they announced the news on social media.

Director and producer: Bella shared the news that she would be attending the event with her 25.2 million followers at the beginning of May
Tom Cruise looked dashing as he joined his co-star Vanessa Kirby at the premiere of their forthcoming blockbuster Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One, in South Korea on Thursday.

The Hollywood legend, 60, who is currently working his way through a promotional tour of the long-running film franchise, opted for a navy suit for the event.

Meanwhile, Vanessa, 35, ensured that all eyes were on her as she slipped into a skintight leather midi dress.

The burgundy, snake print number featured a zip down the back and a daring leg split.

The actress, who plays Alanna Mitsopolis / White Widow in the action film, elevated her frame with a pair of strappy black heels.

Pose: Tom Cruise, 60, looked dashing as he joined his sizzling co-star Vanessa Kirby at the premiere of their forthcoming blockbuster Mission: Impossible 7, in South Korea on Thursday

Red carpet ready: Meanwhile, Vanessa, 35, ensured that all eyes were on her as she slipped into a skintight leather midi dress

She pulled her blonde hair back into a sleek updo and offered the camera a sultry stare as she posed for photos on the red carpet.

The actors were joined by their co-stars Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, as they posed for photos together on the red carpet.

Pom looked sensational in a quirky leather dress, that showed off her lean figure and towering black boots.

The cast were accompanied by director James McQuarrie, who was supported by his wife Heather.

Tom was met by crowds of adoring fans as he took time to pose for photos and sign memorabilia.

It comes after Cruise recently hailed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the perfect entry point into the franchise for newcomers.

The actor starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise.

He told Collider: 'They could start with this film to see and understand that this is all real, all the action is real, its practical. This movie is an epic adventure. Its so lush, filled with practical action and amazing locations.'

Cruise believes the new film has a 'very engrossing story'.

Smart: The Hollywood legend, who is currently working his way through a promotional tour of the long-running film franchise, opted for a navy suit for the event

Beaming: He posed for a photo, offering a heart to the crowds

Cast: The actors were joined by their co-stars Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, as they posed for photos together on the red carpet

Stunning: Pom looked sensational in a quirky leather dress, that showed off her lean figure and towering black boots

Smiles: Simon wore an all-white suit with a black shirt

The cast were accompanied by director James McQuarrie, who was supported by his wife Heather

Fun: Tom was met by crowds of adoring fans as he took time to pose for photos and sign memorabilia

Memories: James made sure to snap a selfie on the red carpet

Sweet: Tom was beaming as he spoke with fans

Exciting: It comes after Cruise recently hailed Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the perfect entry point into the franchise for newcomers

Thoughts: The actor starred in the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise

Praise: The veteran actor also hailed the movie's star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg

The veteran actor also hailed the movie's star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg.

He said: '[The movie has] submarines, it has the desert, it has Rome, beautiful locations in Abu Dhabi, Norway, a train that we built, action on the train, and a very engrossing story with a really beautiful cast, an amazing, very charismatic cast.

'I think when you look at this movie, it really defines what I think about cinema and why because you look at this kind of cast, you look at a brilliant ensemble cast, and the kind of story is very engrossing.'

Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One goes on general release from July 12, 2023.
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Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot made a rare remark on her family life while discussing how motherhood reframed her perspective of life while gracing the cover of Vogue Hong Kong's July issue.

When asked about raising her three daughters, Alma, 11, Maya, five, and Daniella, one, with her husband, Jaron Varsano, the 38-year-old actress revealed the 'biggest thing that changed' was learning 'its not just about me.'

'Im not the most important thing in the world. They are. And theres something just simply healthy about the fact that its not all about you. It puts everything in perspective,' she said of her family. 'And you love, like youve never loved before. Theyre everything to me, Ill do anything for them.'

The former Miss Israel went on to credit her little girls for teaching her how 'to keep on going, even when' she is 'so exhausted' and 'didnt sleep at night and had to shoot in the morning.'

'They taught me that I can do much more than I thought I could,' she raved. 'I went to university to study law, but I wanted to continue becoming an actress. My husband Jaron gave me all the support to pursue any of these avenues. As long as youre going to do what you want to do, then youre giving your children the best example because kids learn the best not by what you tell them, but by what you model to them.'

Gorgeous: Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot made a rare remark on her family life while discussing how motherhood reframed her perspective to life while gracing the cover of Vogue Hong Kong's July issue

She went on to note that she believes that the 'more centered you are with yourself, the better of a model you are with your children.'

As for who her personal 'Wonder Woman' is, Gadot answered her mother, Irit Gadot, who worked as a high school physical education teacher.

'Its a cliche of an answer, I know. But I have such an incredible force of a mum that raised us to be grateful,' the Israeli beauty told the publication. And, I think that grateful people are very happy because they are always happy with what they have.'

Gal insisted that her mom taught her 'to be grateful and to dare.'

'She always put such good healthy seeds of confidence and self empowerment in me and my sister and she is my true wonder woman. And she is just such a good person too,' the mother-of-three raved.

During the interview, Gal also teased her next role in Netflix's upcoming action film, Heart of Stone.

'Im a big fan of Mission Impossible and Bond movies, Gal shares. As a girl, I never had the opportunity to watch myself in one of those. I was always wondering if theres room for something like that, but female driven,' she said.

Her trailblazing character, Rachel Stone, from Heart of Stone, is an international intelligence agent, who is on a race to stop a hacker from stealing its most valuable and dangerous weapon.

Open book: When asked about raising her three daughters, Alma, 11, Maya, five, and Daniella, one, with her husband, Jaron Varsano, the 38-year-old actress revealed the 'biggest thing that changed' was learning 'its not just about me'

'Im not the most important thing in the world. They are. And theres something just simply healthy about the fact that its not all about you. It puts everything in perspective,' she said of her family. 'And you love, like youve never loved before. Theyre everything to me, Ill do anything for them'

Exciting: The performer, who is set to star in Kari Skogland's highly-anticipated biopic Cleopatra, said her story is the 'perfect example of a story' that she wants to tell (pictured on June 17)

Ooh la la! In the high-fashion spread - shot by photographer Greg Swales - Gal showcased her slim 5ft10in figure in a completely sheer Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello dress, which exposed her black panties

Focus on the face! Hairstylist Jenny Cho had an easy job simply slicking Gadot's signature raven locks in to a side-parted updo

Hint of shimmery eye shadow and blush: Make-up artist Jo Baker brought out The Flash actress' bushy brows and beautiful brown eyes with a minimally made-up, flawless complexion

'They do want to see movies with women, if the story is good, if the action is there, if it makes sense,' Gal explained. 'Theyre all for it.'

While speaking about filming action scenes, the actress pointed out that her background in dance has been a huge help.

'Its choreography, they call it action choreography. I love it. You play with your body, you play with your brain,' she said. 'I really enjoy this part. It takes a village and a lot of professionals to shoot action, and to do it in the biggest, edgiest way.'

Gal also pointed out that she has a 'team of stunt women' that she takes 'everywhere' with her, even though she does 'as much of the action as' they let her.

'Its important for me to do this, because I feel like action and the performance is made not just with the choreography but also by the intention of the action,' she stated. 'And to me, its so important to have both. Im lucky to have such a wonderful team of professionals surrounding me. Its all about the people. In everything that you do in life, no matter what field, its all about the people.'

When discussing which types of roles she enjoys playing the most, Gal said she does not 'have a preferred type of character.'

'I think it was so much fun to play the Evil Queen. There was something so delicious with this part because its a fairy tale. Its the first Disney villain. And because its a musical, I could stretch my performance and make it so much more dramatic and so much more animated, that it was just simply delightful,' she said.

Gal added: 'I enjoyed it, and I changed my voice and I did all these different things. And it was just super fun, and I cant wait to watch it. I cant wait to see how you know how it all turns out.'

Classic: Manicurist Shige Taylor painted Gal's bright red glossy manicure for the red-walled shoot

Taking the plunge! Stylist Karla Welch dressed Gadot in designs from Saint Laurent (pictured), Alaia, Dolce & Gabbana, and Tiffany & Co. jewelry

'It takes a village and a lot of professionals to shoot action': The Death on the Nile star has a 'team of stunt women' that she takes 'everywhere' with her, even though she does 'as much of the action as' they let her

'I think it was so much fun!' Gal changed her voice to more authentically portray the Evil Queen in the upcoming Snow White remake

Sweet: As for who her personal 'Wonder Woman' is, Gadot answered her mother, Irit Gadot, who worked as a high school physical education teacher (seen in 2020's Wonder Woman 1984)

The performer, who is set to star in Kari Skogland's highly-anticipated biopic Cleopatra, said her story is the 'perfect example of a story' that she wants to tell.

After reading books about the late Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, Gal said she said: 'Wow, thats fascinating.'

She also stressed that her portrayal will go beyond just Cleopatra's reputation as a 'seductive woman, who had an affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony.'

'The truth is, theres so much more to her. This woman was so ahead of her time. Egypt and what Egypt was back then, was still futuristic to where we are today. I cant say much. But to me, Im so passionate to tell her story and to bring justice to this character, and her legacy and celebrate her and her legacy,' Gal informed readers. 'We have a beautiful script, and I cannot wait to share this story with the world and change the narrative of Cleopatra simply being a seductor.'

On Thursday, the five-foot-ten model shared a picture of her Vogue cover, shot by photographer Greg Swales, with her more than 105 million Instagram followers.

'Thank you for having me @VogueHongKong,' she captioned the image, which showed her dripping in jewels from Tiffany & Co.

Another cover image featured her smoldering at the camera while rocking a figure-hugging black gown and matching gloves.

Additionally, the star shared a behind-the-scenes video from her photo shoot while rocking a black bandeau top and wrist full of stacked gold bracelets.
Timothee Chalamet embarks on a heart-stopping quest to overthrow an empire in a blood-pumping new trailer for Dune: Part Two.

His character Prince Paul is sure to set fans' hearts aflutter in the ad, which features his romance with Zendaya's Chani.

Chani is a tribal fighter who in Part One is a siren from Paul's dreams but who is now his comrade in an armed struggle of resistance.

Paul has united with Chani's desert tribe in their mutual battle against the imperial regime that oppressed her people and killed his father Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac).

Over the course of their trailer, what starts off as an uneasy alliance between Paul and the tribe becomes a joint heroic uprising.

Incoming: Timothee Chalamet embarks on a heart-stopping quest to overthrow an empire in a blood-pumping new trailer for Dune: Part Two

Loved up: His character Prince Paul is sure to set fans' hearts aflutter in the ad, which features his romance with Zendaya's Chani

Teaming up: Chani is a tribal fighter who in Part One is a siren from Paul's dreams but who is now his comrade in an armed struggle of resistance

Striking back: Paul has united with Chani's desert tribe in their mutual battle against the imperial regime that oppressed her people and killed his father Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac)

Going for broke: Over the course of their trailer, what starts off as an uneasy alliance between Paul and the tribe becomes a joint heroic uprising

The trailer sees Paul hellbent on retribution for the duke's death, despite his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) admonishing him: 'Your father didn't believe in revenge.'

Florence Pugh's character Princess Irulan also makes a brief appearance to inform her father the Emperor (Christopher Walken): 'Paul Atreides is still alive.'

Paul meanwhile is far from his wealthy, verdant planet of Caladan and is training with Chani's tribe in their hostile desert climate of Arrakis.

Despite its forbidding appearance and the threat posed by the colossal worms that wreak havoc through the landscape, Arrakis turns out to be a goldmine.

The planet is lusted after for its massive quantities of 'spice,' a substance that does double duty as fuel for interstellar travel and a hallucinogen.

Paul, now on Arrakis, has joined forces with Chani's people, the Fremen, led by a warrior called Stilgar (Javier Bardem), to rebel against the empire that rules them all.

Their common enemy is, however, initially not enough to foster warm relations, as one of the Fremen hisses at him: 'You're not welcome here.'

Chani has to reassure her people that she will not be 'fighting for' Prince Paul, but that to the contrary 'I'm fighting for my people!'

Who's who: The trailer sees Paul hellbent on retribution for the duke's death, despite his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) admonishing him: 'Your father didn't believe in revenge'

Star turn: Florence Pugh's character Princess Irulan also makes a brief appearance to inform her father the Emperor (Christopher Walken): 'Paul Atreides is still alive'

Location, location, location: Paul meanwhile is far from his wealthy, verdant planet of Caladan and is training with Chani's tribe in their hostile desert climate of Arrakis

Place to be: Despite its forbidding appearance and the threat posed by the colossal worms that wreak havoc through the landscape, Arrakis turns out to be a goldmine

Uses: The planet is lusted after for its massive quantities of 'spice,' a substance that does double duty as fuel for interstellar travel and a hallucinogen

Chieftain: Paul, now on Arrakis, has joined forces with Chani's people, the Fremen, led by a warrior called Stilgar (Javier Bardem), to rebel against the empire that rules them all

Not having it: Their common enemy is, however, initially not enough to foster warm relations, as one of the Fremen hisses at him: 'You're not welcome here'

Loyalties: Chani has to reassure her people that she will not be 'fighting for' Prince Paul, but that to the contrary 'I'm fighting for my people!'

As they prepare for their revolt, the romance between Paul and Chani flourishes - and he grapples with the burden of having prophetic visions.

Against the backdrop of his love affair, Paul is also being trained by Stilgar in the skills necessary to become a warrior in Arrakis' brutal environment.

During his training Paul comes face to face once again with his old mentor Gurney (Josh Brolin), who was his family's old weapons master.

Reunited in the desert, the two men embrace and strike up their friendly rapport again amid their revolt against the empire.

Gurney takes a utilitarian view of Paul's visions, telling him to 'use' his status as a 'prophet,' but Paul worries that 'all my visions lead to horror.'

Gently running a hand down his lover's cheek, Paul asks: 'Chani, do you believe in me?' - a question that not only he is asking.

His mother Lady Jessica poses the same query to Stilgar, asking: 'Do you believe in Paul?' and getting the cryptic reply: 'There are signs.'

Meanwhile the Emperor is arraying his own forces against the rebels - including the House Harkonnen, the old rivals of Paul's family.

Love: As they prepare for their revolt, the romance between Paul and Chani flourishes - and he grapples with the burden of having prophetic visions

Learning: Against the backdrop of his love affair, Paul is also being trained by Stilgar in the skills necessary to become a warrior in Arrakis' brutal environment

Grizzled: During his training Paul comes face to face once again with his old mentor Gurney (Josh Brolin), who was his family's old weapons master

Rising up: Reunited in the desert, the two men embrace and strike up their friendly rapport again amid their revolt against the empire

Back and forth: Gurney takes a utilitarian view of Paul's visions, telling him to 'use' his status as a 'prophet,' but Paul worries that 'all my visions lead to horror'

Self-doubt: Gently running a hand down his lover's cheek, Paul asks: 'Chani, do you believe in me?' - a question that not only he is asking

Watchful: His mother Lady Jessica poses the same query to Stilgar, asking: 'Do you believe in Paul?' and getting the cryptic reply: 'There are signs'

Meanwhile: The Emperor is arraying his own forces against the rebels - including the House Harkonnen, the old rivals of Paul's family

Coming together: The bloodthirsty Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) enlists the help of his terrifying nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler)

Nemesis: The bloodthirsty Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) enlists the help of his terrifying nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler)

The bloodthirsty Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) enlists the help of his terrifying nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler).

A stone-cold warrior with a fully shaved head and gleaming, predatory eyes, Feyd-Rautha promises to be a formidable enemy to Paul.

Feyd-Rautha is known for his fearsome skill in duels, shown in the trailer when he fights in an arena resembling the Colosseum.

Paul himself is seen in the sneak peek preparing to face off in what promises to be a hair-raising one-on-one battle with Feyd-Rautha.

The prince also has a confrontation with none other than the Emperor, who tells him softly to his face: 'Your father was a weak man.'

Victorious: Feyd-Rautha is known for his fearsome skill in duels, shown in the trailer when he fights in an arena resembling the Colosseum

Face-off: Paul himself is seen in the sneak peek preparing to face off in what promises to be a hair-raising one-on-one battle with Feyd-Rautha

Unfiltered: The prince also has a confrontation with none other than the Emperor, who tells him softly to his face: 'Your father was a weak man'

To war: Paul and the Fremen assemble for a titanic battle against the empire, and he cries out to them in their language: 'Long live the fighters!' eliciting a deafening cheer

Epic: 'He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it,' says Paul in voiceover as footage plays of him enigmatically gazing at a huge explosion in the distance

In the offing; Dune: Part Two, like its prequel, is directed by the acclaimed Denis Villeneuve whose films include Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049

International: The movie is slated for release on November 3 this year, having filmed last year between July and December in Abu Dhabi, Budapest and Italy

Paul and the Fremen assemble for a titanic battle against the empire, and he cries out to them in their language: 'Long live the fighters!' eliciting a deafening cheer.

'He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it,' says Paul in voiceover as footage plays of him enigmatically gazing at a huge explosion in the distance.

Dune: Part Two, like its prequel, is directed by the acclaimed Denis Villeneuve whose films include Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049.

The movie is slated for release on November 3 this year, having filmed last year between July and December in Abu Dhabi, Budapest and Italy.

Frank Herbert's original novel has become a sci-fi classic and was previously adapted in the 1980s by David Lynch, whose widely derided movie featured such stars as Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Jose Ferrer, Brad Dourif and Sting.
Kevin Costner has claimed the $248,000 a month in child support his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner is demanding is partly to fund her own plastic surgery expenses.

The 49-year-old handbag designer  who reportedly 'blindsided' Costner, 68, when she handed him divorce papers, called the requested amount 'less than the amount needed to maintain the children in their accustomed lifestyle,' reported People Magazine earlier this month.

The former couple share three children together, Cayden 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace 13. Costner also has four adult children from previous relationships.

Costner's forensic account now claims in new court documents obtained by TMZ that the expenses listed among the $248,000 include more than $100,000 in cosmetic surgery for Baumgartner as well as thousands of dollars in boutique shopping, huge ATM withdrawals and other expenses 'not to do with child support.'

Among Christine's listed expenses are credit card bills and her own attorney fees and construction loans.

Battle: Kevin Costner has claimed the $248,000 a month in child support his estranged wife Christine Baumgartner is demanding is partly to fund her own plastic surgery expenses (pictured April 2022)

Family: The former couple share three children together, Cayden 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace 13 (pictured 2015) Costner also has four adult children from previous relationships.

Costner's accountant says these are 'one-time expenses that have nothing to do with child support.'

The documents claims Costner has been paying all of the children's expenses and will continue to do so, saying the amount he is currently paying is the reasonable amount - $51,940 a month.

Documents from earlier this month show that Costner pulled in just over $19.5 million in 2022 with the family's expenses listed as being $6.6 million for the same year. The family's net worth is put at $7.5 million, according to the People report.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for comment.

Baumgartner has recently signaled her willingness to leave the mansion they previously shared, but only as long as she has guarantees that her soon-to-be ex won't leave her penniless.

She has agreed to leave the $145 million mansion on the condition that Costner, 68, agrees to pay any support and fees that a judge orders at an upcoming hearing, according to court filings obtained by RadarOnline.

In the documents, Baumgartner agrees to vacate the premises on August 31 of this year as long as Costner complies 'with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12,' the date of the next hearing in their divorce proceedings.

That arrangement would give her 50 days to find a new place to live and to move in, whereas the prenuptial agreement reportedly stated that she would leave the original home within 30 days of a divorce filing.

She wrote that she was hesitant to leave her home without having a plan and funding in place, if only for the sake of her children, whom she doesn't want to have to move multiple times.

Claim: Costner's forensic account now claims in new court documents obtained by TMZ that the expenses listed among the $248,000 include more than $100,000 in cosmetic surgery for Baumgartner (pictured February 2022)

Overstaying her welcome? Baumgartner was originally required to leave Costner's $145M mansion in Carpentaria (pictured) 30 days after a divorce filing, though she has already passed that deadline

Baumgartner claimed that 'Kevin wants me to rent [a] place without [a] financial plan in place. However, [I] have our three children to think about. It is contrary to their best interests to commit to rental that [I] may not be able to afford, particularly as that would ultimately lead to multiple relocations.

'My goal has been and continues to be maintaining as much stability for our children as possible, which includes having the proper resources and plan in place so that [I] can establish [a] stable home for them, rather than making temporary and inconsistent housing arrangements,' she continued.

Costner was not only the primary breadwinner, but the only person making money recently, and Baumgartner says in her filing that she has no income.

The Yellowstone star was on the hook to help his estranged wife relocate per their prenuptial agreement, but it was a relatively paltry sum for their lifestyle.

Costner would have paid her a reported $1 million to find a new home, but with California's elevated home prices  particularly if she tried to stay near Costner  she may have had difficulty finding something similar to the luxury she and her children are accustomed to.

According to RadarOnline, Costner has deposited $1 million in Baumgartner's bank account to get her to move out of his mansion, and he said he had previously given her $200,000 earlier in their marriage in line with their prenuptial agreement

However, Baumgartner isn't touching the money, as she says doing so would rob her of her ability to contest their prenup's validity.

She has also said that the couple have had no problems on days where Costner was staying at the home, and she says the mansion's size and disconnected living spaces mean they can live together without interacting.

Costner's legal team previously said in court filings that 'Kevin has acted in good faith and has done everything in his power to make the transition as seamless as possible,' according to Insider.

On the calendar: Baumgartner said she will leave on August 31 as long as Costner, 68, complies 'with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12,' the date of their next hearing; still from Yellowstone

Moving money Costner has already put $1M in Baumgartner's bank account to find a new home, but she isn't touching it in order to contest the validity of their prenup; seen in March 2022

He is being represented by the famous divorce attorney Laura Wasser, who reportedly served as an inspiration for Laura Dern's lawyer character in Noah Baumbach's critically acclaimed film Marriage Story, which earned Dern an Academy Award for best supporting actress.

It was previously reported that Baumgartner is seeking $248,000 per month in child support payments. She and Costner share three children: sons Cayden, 15; and Hayes, 14; along with their younger daughter Grace, 13.

However, Costner has said in other filings that he believes he should only pay around $38,000 per month.

Earlier this week, The Sun reported that Costner was 'blindsided' when he was served divorce papers by his wife, as he thought that he would be the first to file.

The Waterworld actor 'sat his family down, told them he and their mum were getting a divorce and his lawyer was getting the paperwork drawn up,' a source claimed to the publication.

'He wanted everything to be peaceful for the sake of his kids and told Christine he didnt want a messy divorce because hed already been through one,' they continued.

But 'first thing the next morning, boom, Christine sneak attacks him and serves him with her own set of divorce papers.

'Kevin was so shocked,' the source added. 'Christine has since made him look terrible, and has continued to do so.'

However, Baumgartner has previously shared a different, less flattering version of how their children learned of their impending divorce.

In a court filing obtained earlier this month by People, she claimed that Costner told the three children about the divorce via a Zoom chat while he was in Las Vegas filming on location.

The handbag designer added that she was not present during the Zoom call, and she noted that she was puzzled about why the children had to be told in that way, as Costner would be returning home in a matter of days.

'I am still confused by his motivation to do this via a very short Zoom session, especially since he was planning on being home five days later,' she wrote.

Significant difference: Baumgartner is seeking $248K in child support per month, but Costner says he should only pay $38K per month

She added that she feared the children might learn of the split from an outside source, and she shared research with him that she had done that indicated a unified front with both parents was the best way to announce the divorce to the kids.

However, Baumgartner claimed that Costner was adamant about sharing the information before her and on his own.

'He disregarded my proposal to do what I felt was right based on research and my relationship with the children. Instead, he insisted that he had the right to tell them that we were getting divorced "first" and tell them privately "without me present,"' she claimed.

It's unclear if the alleged Zoom session could be the same event described by the source, or if there may have been two dates at which Costner spoke to the children about his separation from Baumgartner.
More imported fruits hit Chinese market

People's Daily Online) 11:12, June 29, 2023

More and more foreign fruits are entering the Chinese market, satisfying consumers' diverse tastes, thanks to the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the introduction of policies such as low tariffs, and rapid inspection and quarantine.

China tops the world in fruit production and consumption. It is the worlds largest kiwifruit market. Nearly 70 percent of the world's watermelons and half of apples are consumed in China.

This photo taken in September 2022 shows durians at a fruit stand in Guangxi, China. (Xinhua/Zhao Huan)

Ma Tao is a wholesaler at the Xinfadi market, the largest wholesale market of fruits, vegetables and meat in Beijing.

Ma said he was one of the first wholesalers of Musang King durians in Beijing, and has been engaged in the business for about 15 years. Ma now also runs a business in southeast China's Fujian Province, central China's Henan Province, and northeast China, and owns farms overseas.

"In the first few years, there weren't many varieties of imported fruits in China. At first, kiwifruits from New Zealand and avocados from Peru were particularly popular among domestic consumers," Ma said.

The Xinfadi market currently sells various kinds of imported fruits, from cherries, Australian citrus, pitaya, durians, Sunkist oranges, jackfruits, kiwifruits, bananas, to pineapples from Panama, red pomelos from Thailand, and pears from Belgium.

In 2022, China imported 7.33 million tonnes of fruits, a year-on-year increase of 4 percent, compared to less than 3.45 million tonnes in 2012, and the import value expanded by 8 percent year on year to $14.6 billion. The country's fruit imports doubled in the past decade.

At the Xinfadi market, there are several hundred fruit wholesalers like Ma. "I believe that the imported fruits business will improve thanks to more favorable policies," Ma said.

Among all imported fruits, durians are highly popular among Chinese consumers. Durians topped the list of fruits imported by China in 2022, reaching $4.03 billion, with a total import volume of 825,000 tonnes, nearly double that of 2014. Customs data shows that China's imports of fresh durians grew at a compounded annual rate of 17 percent between 2015 and 2022.

Chen Yanghui, director of fruit procurement and sales of Alibaba's fresh food retailer Hema, said Hema's sales of durians in April this year surged 75 percent from the previous month.

"Consumers have higher demands for the quality and variety of durians. We will import some varieties lesser-known to domestic consumers, including Musang King durians," Chen added.

Although the yield of Musang King durians in Thailand is low this year, Hema will ensure that domestic consumers can taste the fruit at the earliest time possible, Chen said.

Cold-chain technologies ensure the freshness of imported fruits. Not long ago, a chartered plane equipped with cold-chain facilities carrying 18 tonnes of fresh fruits from Thailand arrived at the Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"There are at least two chartered flights a week during Thailand's harvest season of fruits. After the fruits pass customs clearance in Ningbo, they will be first shipped to our stores in east China and then to other cities through our cold-chain logistics network," said Chen.

Customs authorities across China have stepped up efforts to improve customs clearance and facilitate the imports of fruits to a greater extent.

In the first quarter of 2023, the ports of Shanghai handled 380,000 tonnes of dried and fresh fruits and nuts from countries along the Belt and Road, with a total value of 1.75 billion yuan ($242.2 million).

Shanghai's Waigaoqiao Port has handled nearly 300,000 tonnes of quality agricultural products from Belt and Road countries, including Thai coconuts, Vietnamese bananas, Cambodian bananas, and Malaysian durians.

To ensure fast customs clearance of fresh fruits from Belt and Road countries, Waigaoqiao customs in Shanghai has opened a green channel for them.

"Before the imported fruits arrived at the port, we had contacted the importer for information on the fruits and ensure that inspection could be carried out at the earliest time possible," said an official of Waigaoqiao customs.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Suzy Eddie Izzard was back on a Boris bike in west London as she enjoyed a ride through the streets of Soho on Thursday.

The comedian, 61, donned an orange mini skirt and a cropped denim jacket as she wheeled the bike out of the bracket before heading off.

Suzy donned the colourful look with white trainers, a black cross-body bag and red lipstick as she headed out.

Her outing came just hours after she spent a second evening at J. Sheekey seafood restaurant in Leicester Square, opting for a floral frock for the occasion.

The colourful garment featured a V-neckline and billowing sleeves, falling at mid-calf length to expose a pair of white trainers.

Off she goes! Suzy Eddie Izzard was back on a Boris bike in west London as she enjoyed a ride through the streets of Soho on Thursday

Off for a ride? The comedian donned an orange mini skirt and a cropped denim jacket as she wheeled the bike out of the bracket before heading off

Izzard added another pop of colour with scarlet lipstick and accessorised with a small black handbag.

The activist recently revealed her plans to prefix her birth name with 'Suzy' while expressing a desire to retain 'Eddie' for public appearances.

Taking to Instagram earlier this month, Izzard confirmed the change but admitted she was happy for people to continue using her birth name, as well as male pronouns - despite expressing a preference for she/her.

Sharing a brief post, she wrote: 'As people may now well know, I have added the name Suzy to my names.

'So going forward I am preferring Suzy but I dont mind Eddie. And I prefer she/her but I dont mind he/him.

'So no one can really get it wrong unless they call me Kenneth or Sabrina. I am remaining Eddie Izzard in public. Thank you. Suzy/Eddie.'

Days earlier Izzard revealed the abuse she faced after coming out as transgender in the less accepting 1980s.

The popular comedian, who is genderfluid, first came out as trans in 1985 when she was 23.

Time to go! Suzy donned the colourful look with white trainers, a black cross-body bag and red lipstick as she headed out

Out and about: Her outing came just hours after she spent a second evening at J. Sheekey seafood restaurant in Leicester Square, opting for a floral frock for the occasion

Blooming lovely: She opted for a floral frock for the occasion. The colourful garment featured a V-neckline and billowing sleeves, falling at mid-calf length

Finishing touches: Izzard added another pop of colour with scarlet lipstick and accessorised with a small black handbag

She told Good Morning Britain hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shepherd about how she was ostracised by society and 'fought in the streets' after receiving abuse.

'If you were trans you were considered toxic and not part of society. There weren't any conversations when I came out in '85 so it was such a hard mental thing to do because I had to sort of go do it.'

She continued: 'You had to basically go out and if people shouted at you on the street, if they fought you in the streets, you had to fight back and stand your ground.'

In disbelief, Shepherd asked if she was ever actually involved in a physical fight.

Izzard continued: 'Yes. Not a huge amount of times.

'I did have a big fight which I've talked about. There's been a few fights and a lot more people shouting abuse.

That has got less over the years, but then if I go to other places I can get it. I just stand my ground.

'Everything after that is not so hard! Doing stand-up in French and German.'
Supermodel Naomi Campbell has announced that she has welcomed the birth of a baby boy aged 53.

The British fashion star shared the news on social media following the arrival of her second child, saying 'it's never too late to become a mother'.

The Daily Mail can reveal that the baby was born on Saturday, it was known to Naomi's family, close friends and work associates.

It is also believed that the supermodel will bring the baby up on her own, along with her two-year-old daughter.

One source said: 'Naomi is a really strong woman. This is what she has always wanted. She is so very happy.

Congratulations: Naomi Campbell, 53, has welcomed a baby boy with the supermodel announcing the new to Instagram on Thursday

She captioned: 'My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence'

'She is so excited to give her little girl a brother. She is looking forward to the years ahead with so much pride.'

Posting a photo of the child, Naomi could be seen cradling the baby boy while her daughter, two, held his hand.

Wrapped up in what appeared to be a 275 Dolce & Gabbana ivory babygrow set, the newborn's face was turned away from the camera as he lay in his mother's arms.

The supermodel said: 'My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence.

'A True Gift from God, blessed! Welcome Baby boy.'

Naomi's surprise announcement comes after she welcomed her first child, a daughter, in May 2021.

She shocked fans by announcing the birth of her daughter just weeks after walking the Michael Kors runway in New York without a visible baby bump.

In an interview with British Vogue a year later, the model insisted her daughter was not adopted while revealing her face for the first time.

Mother: Naomi's surprise announcement comes after she welcomed her first child, a daughter, in May 2021 (pictured this month)

She did not disclose the method in which she welcomed her daughter, but four years ago credited science with giving her an opportunity to start a family 'whenever she wants', suggesting she was leaning towards using a surrogate.

Offering a first look at her new arrival with a picture of her baby girl, whose name has still not been revealed, Naomi penned: 'A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother.

'So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.'

Naomi was last in a relationship with rapper Skepta in 2018 but enjoyed a fling with One Direction's Liam Payne the following year.

She has also enjoyed high-profile relationships with the likes of Diddy, Robert De Niro, Mike Tyson and Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin over the years.

Although she is notoriously private about her love life, the star has previously stated she is 'on good terms' with her exes and is not believed to be dating anyone new at present.

Family: In an interview with British Vogue, Naomi insisted her daughter was not adopted while revealing her face for the first time

Arrival: Naomi announced she had become a mother with a surprise Instagram post, four years after crediting science with giving her the opportunity to start a family 'whenever she wants'

In March, Naomi celebrated Mother's Day by sharing a slew of rare photographs with her daughter.

Taking to Instagram the model posted a string of snaps, each with her daughter's face covered.

One shot showed her cuddling her little girl, while another showed the mother daughter duo at the beach.

A third was of Naomi holding her daughter in a field, while another showed the toddler in a park.

Another photo showed the supermodel and her daughter sitting inside a carriage on a ride.

Captioning the adorable pictures, she simply wrote: 'Blessing' followed by a series of heart emojis.

Private: Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the model posted a string of snaps, each with her daughter's face covered

Sweet: One shot showed her cuddling her little girl, while another showed the mother daughter duo at the beach

Adorable: In March, Naomi celebrated Mother's Day by sharing a slew of rare photographs with her daughter
Jennifer Lawrence looked glamorous as she was spotted on Thursday in New York City on the set of a commercial shoot.

The Oscar-winning actress, 32, looked captivating in a long black evening gown that matched her black open-toed heels.

Lawrence sported a vampy make-up look with smoky shadow paired with coral gloss and wore her long blonde hair in soft waves.

Throughout the shoot, various crew members could be seen carrying umbrellas to block out the sun as the Oscar-winner walked around various parts of the set during the outside shoot.

At one point, Lawrence was seen talking to someone on her cellphone as several umbrellas closely shielded her from the blazing sun.

Glamorous: Jennifer Lawrence looked glamorous as she was spotted on Thursday in New York City on the set of a commercial shoot

Shade please: The Oscar-winning actress, 32, looked captivating in a long black evening gown that matched her black open-toed heels

Angles: The critically acclaimed actress showed off her best angles during the work day

On the move: JLaw carried her phone in her hand as she worked

Quick chat: The mom-of-one held a phone to her ear, flashing a silver-toned watch

During the commercial shoot, Lawrence was also seen at one point wearing a different outfit that was not only stylish but also showed off her fantastic legs.

The actress's second outfit comprised of a pair of black sunglasses, a black long sleeve mini dress and the same black open-toed heels that she previously wore with the long black evening gown.

For the second look, Lawrence, who turns 33-years-old later this summer, had her hair straightened and slicked back with a black headband.

Lawrence serves as a brand ambassador for several high-end brands and it is believed that the actress was shooting a commercial for Longines, the Swiss luxury watchmaker.

During the shoot, the Oscar-winning actress was seen flashing a shiny silver watch that was on her wrist as she sat in the back of a black luxury car.

Lawrence has served as a brand ambassador for Longines since November 2022 and is one of many celebrities to have partnered with the Swiss watchmaker.

Current Longines brand ambassadors include the likes of Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, Olympic Gold Medal-winning skier Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skier Alex Vinatzer, and Actor Jung Woo-Sung, to name a few.

Dior is one other notable high-end brand that Lawrence serves as a brand ambassador of.

Beauty: The actress commanded attention in her showstopping ensemble

Gorgeous: Jennifer rocked her long tresses loose and in waves around her

Looking incredible: Jennifer posed up a storm in the backless black dress

Pretty: Jennifer sported spoked eye makeup and pink nude lips

Which brand was she shooting for?: Lawrence looked stunning as she posed in the car

Timeless: The stunner shielded her eyes in a pair of classic black Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses

Black dress number two: During the commercial shoot, Lawrence donned a second outfit which consisted of a black long sleeve mini dress and the same black open-toed heels

Personable: The Hollywood A-lister waved to onlookers as she put on a chic display

Since partnering with the fashion giant in 2012, Lawrence has not only appeared in advertisement campaigns for Dior's fashion and perfumes, but has also frequently worn the label to film premieres and award ceremonies.

Lawrence wore a white strapless Dior Couture gown to the 85th Academy Awards ceremony in 2013, where she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.

She also wore a custom made Dior bridal gown to her October 2019 wedding to art gallery director Cooke Maroney.

The couple share a son named Cy, who was born in February 2022.
The newest addition to the Teigen-Legend household has quite the rocking hairstyle.

Chrissy Teigen, who welcomed baby Wren with her husband John Legend via surrogate this month, shared video of her baby boy with an adorably spiky hairstyle that could have been seen at a rock concert.

Teigen, 37, couldn't resist giving a shout-out to the band Simple Plan in the caption as she drew attention to her son's jet black hair.

'the hair. simple plan is shaking,' she captioned the precious clip.

As it turns out, the post caught the attention of Simple Plan - who approved of Wren's look.

He rocks! Chrissy Teigen gave a shout-out to Simple Plan as she showed off her son Wren's adorably spiky hairstyle

'Can confirm... this hair is pop-punk perfection! Congratulations!' the band commented.

Chrissy and John shocked fans Wednesday by announcing the arrival of Wren in a touching Instagram post containing adorable photos of their newborn.

The proud parents had not shared with fans until now that they were expecting another child, but filled followers in on all the details leading up to the birth in their post.

Their child was born on June 19, 2023 and his middle name was inspired by his surrogate, Alexandra.

Wren's arrival comes just months after Chrissy and her husband welcomed their third child together, a daughter named Esti. The couple are also parents to daughter Luna, seven, and son Miles, four.

The happy news came nearly two years after she and John lost their son Jack 20 weeks into her pregnancy. She later revealed that her late son's passing was the result of a life-saving abortion, not a miscarriage as she originally stated.

In her lengthy post, Chrissy mentioned her late son Jack, and described the surrogacy process and watching Alexandra, 'the most beautiful woman', give birth to her child.

Chrissy also described undergoing IVF again and becoming pregnant with Esti, despite initially not wanting to carry another child after losing Jack.

Simple Plan approved! The rock band called the hairstyle 'pop-punk perfection'

Too cute! The youngster is the newest addition to the Teigen-Legend household

Aww: 'the hair. simple plan is shaking,' she captioned the precious clip; Teigen pictured May 2023

They like it! The band gave the hairstyle their seal of approval

'For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted four children. As a little girl, 2 glow worms and 2 cabbage patch dolls were perpetually in my arms, helping me stir in my pretend kitchen, watching Alf with me. We'd sleep together nightly, each getting the same amount of kisses as to not make the others jealous. My mom always searched for the Pound Puppy with 4 pups in her pouch, having no qualms about opening and peeking inside before purchasing.

'After losing Jack, I didn't think I'd be able to carry any more babies on my own. To be honest, I've personally blocked out a lot of my mindset during that time, but one clear memory is being surrounded by people who wanted to make sure I wouldn't go through that pain and loss again.

'In 2021, we reached out to a surrogacy agency, with our first correspondence inquiring about perhaps having 2 tandem surrogates, to each bring us a healthy baby boy or girl. Twins, kinda?!

Surprise! Chrissy and John shocked fans Wednesday by announcing the arrival of Wren in a touching Instagram post containing adorable photos of their newborn

Meet Wren! Chrissy shared this adorable photo of her newborn son Wren

Sharing a moment: Teigen shared this snap of her kissing her surrogate Alexandra's bump

Growing family: Wren joins siblings Luna, Miles, and Esti in the Legend household

'At some point, early in our surrogacy journey, I came out of a therapy session, walked downstairs and said to John - I want to try to carry just one more time. If it doesn't work, we will be okay. We've already seen the worst. I promised I would be okay no matter what happened. I remember saying I just couldn't go on wondering my whole life if I should have tried again.

'And so we restarted the IVF process, the same process that gave us our beautiful Luna and Miles. We made new embryos. We did my transfer, and were so happy to learn it worked - we were pregnant with our little girl, Esti.

'Around this time, we also met the most incredible, loving, compassionate surrogate we could ever imagine, Alexandra. I knew she was a perfect match for us the moment we spoke to her. All our wishes and dreams aligned. I wanted to be her friend, I wanted our children to play, I wanted dinner together, I wanted to lay my head on her belly and be able to feel the hiccups and kicks. I wanted them to be in our lives for as long as time would allow.

'The first embryo we tried with Alex didn't survive, and I will never forget how hard she fought to get ready for a second transfer. How much she gave up of her own body - surgeries to get scar tissue cleared, the mental toll it takes to go through all of that for yourself, much less for other people.

'Our new love': John Legend introduced fans to his new son Wren on his account as well

'Not wanting to rush the process, we took a breath and... were just patient. I laid around, enjoying the first trimester of my pregnancy, with of course a little bit of fear that isn't any different from any other expecting couple. As we crept toward the safe zone of my own pregnancy, we were overjoyed to learn Alexandra had become pregnant with a little boy. Our little boy.

'We ate hot pot to celebrate, watched Vanderpump Rules with our growing bellies, our families blending into one for the past year.'

Chrissy described Wren's birth and profusely thanked Alexandra for carrying their little boy. His middle name, Alexander, was inspired by his surrogate's name.

'Just minutes before midnight on June 19th, I got to witness the most beautiful woman, my friend, our surrogate, give birth amidst a bit of chaos, but with strength and pure joy and love.

Power couple: Chrissy and John pictured at the White House Correspondents Dinner this year

'We want to say thank you for this incredible gift you have given us, Alexandra. And we are so happy to tell the world he is here, with a name forever connected to you, Wren Alexander Stephens. Our hearts, and our home, are officially full. And to our Jack, we know both their angel kisses are from you.'

John shared the good news with photos of the child, including one of him with all four of his tykes. 'Wren Alexander Stephens, our new love,' he captioned the snaps.

The happy news comes almost two years after Chrissy and John tragically lost Jack, 20 weeks into her pregnancy.

Chrissy shared the heartbreaking news with her Instagram followers shortly after the horrific experience, and posted photos of herself in the hospital mourning the loss of her baby.

Parenthood: Teigen, her mother Vilailuck Teigen, Miles and Luna in 2022

Not long afterwards, she revealed she would be unable to carry a child again.

'I love being pregnant, so so much, and I'm sad I never will be again,' she posted on Instagram.

Despite the loss, Chrissy expressed gratitude for her other two children, both of whom were conceived via IVF.

'I'm so lucky for that,' she told People in 2021. 'I just think of it in terms of how blessed I am already, and also there are so many ways to have a child nowadays ... whether it's surrogacy or adoption.

'Coming to terms with not being able to carry again is still really difficult for me because I feel so healthy. I'm like, why?

'But then I think about it as my uterus is just not cooperating with me - and it's not a failure.'

Too cute: The proud parents with Luna and Miles

In keeping with Thai tradition, the hands-on parents planted a tree in their house to honor Jack.

'It's important for us in Thai tradition that we always embrace the ones we've lost, and they're never, ever gone.

'This tree being planted inside the home, the whole reason why I wanted it was so Jack's ashes could be in that soil and he could be with us all the time and grow through the beautiful leaves in this tree,' she said.

'The way Miles and Luna talk about him is so beautiful and reminds me of when I was little talking to my grandpa who was just sitting bedside next to my mom in a little urn,' she said.

'It's all beautiful, and I love that tradition carries down.'
Naomi Campbell announced the arrival of her second child, a boy, at age 53, taking many fans by surprise.

The supermodel shared the news to Instagram on Thursday, alongside a photo of the newborn and her two-year-old daughter.

The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the baby was born on Saturday June 25, it was known to Naomi's family, close friends and work associates.

She largely keeps her private life out of the public eye, with her daughter's name still yet to be announced.

But Naomi has given small insights into her life, as she has previously confirmed her daughter is biologically her's and has given snippets into motherhood.

So, what do we know about Naomi's children and her family? Here, MailOnline takes a look into the mother-of-two's life?

Doting mother: Naomi Campbell announced the arrival of her second child, a boy, at age 53, taking many fans by surprise

Cute: The supermodel shared the news to Instagram on Thursday, alongside a photo of the newborn and her two-year-old daughter, but what do we know about her family life?

How many children does Naomi have?

Naomi has two children, a two-year old daughter and a newborn son.

She first stunned fans by announcing the birth of her first child in May 2021.

Offering a first look at her new arrival with a picture of her baby girl, whose name has still not been revealed, Naomi penned: 'A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother.

'So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.'

In June 2023, the British fashion star shared the news on social media that she had welcomed her second child, saying 'it's never too late to become a mother'.

Posting a photo of the child, Naomi could be seen cradling the baby boy while her daughter, two, held his hand.

Wrapped up in what appeared to be a 275 Dolce & Gabbana ivory babygrow set, the newborn's face was turned away from the camera as he lay in his mother's arms.

The supermodel said: 'My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence.

'A True Gift from God, blessed! Welcome Baby boy.'

A source told The Daily Mail: 'Naomi is a really strong woman. This is what she has always wanted. She is so very happy.

'She is so excited to give her little girl a brother. She is looking forward to the years ahead with so much pride.'

Model mum: She first stunned fans by announcing the birth of her first child in May 2021, four years after crediting science with giving her the opportunity to start a family

Congratulations: In June 2023, the British fashion star shared the news on social media that she had welcomed her second child, saying 'it's never too late to become a mother'

Are the children biologically hers?

Just weeks before the birth of her daughter, the Naomi appeared on the New York Fashion Week runway without a visible baby bump.

She did not disclose the method in which she welcomed her daughter, but four years ago credited science with giving her an opportunity to start a family 'whenever she wants', suggesting she was leaning towards using a surrogate.

The model has since insisted that her daughter was not adopted amid growing speculation regarding their biological parentage.

Speaking to British Vogue in February while posing with her daughter for a cover shoot, the model confirmed: 'She wasnt adopted  shes my child.'

Naomi played coy during the new interview, and despite confirming her daughter is not adopted, refused to elaborate further on her first born.

However, she admitted that very few of her wide circle of friends and family members knew she was planning on becoming a parent.

She explained: 'I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her. But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. Its the best thing Ive ever done.'

Do we know who the father is?

Naomi was last in a relationship with rapper Skepta in 2018 but enjoyed a fling with One Direction's Liam Payne the following year.

She has also enjoyed high-profile relationships with the likes of Diddy, Robert De Niro, Mike Tyson and Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin over the years.

Although she is notoriously private about her love life, the star has previously stated she is 'on good terms' with her exes and is not believed to be dating anyone new at present.

It is believed that the supermodel will bring her children up on her own, The Daily Mail exclusively revealed.

Could it be? Naomi hinted that Lenny Kravitz is her daughter's godfather, as she wished him a happy birthday last month

Who are her children's godparents?

Naomi hinted that Lenny Kravitz is her daughter's godfather, as she wished him a happy birthday last month.

The supermodel took to Instagram to share a duo of snaps of her and the musician, 59, including one of the pair with her two-year-old daughter.

Captioning the shots, she wrote: 'Happy birthday my darling @lennykravitz We love you brother/godfather, you are the ultimate rockstar. Blessings on your special day'.

Naomi has stayed mum as far as the identity of her daughters father is concerned and has never gone public with her little girl's name either.

She and Lenny have been close friends for years and were even rumoured to have dated briefly in 2016, but neither of them has ever confirmed this.

Sweet: Naomi gave a candid insight into motherhood as she admitted she felt 'blessed' to have welcomed a biological daughter at the age of 50 in an interview in February

What details has Naomi revealed about motherhood?

Naomi gave a candid insight into motherhood as she admitted she felt 'blessed' to have welcomed a biological daughter at the age of 50 in an interview in February.

Noting that she 'likes to travel' like her jet-setting mother, Naomi told British Vogue, 'I'm lucky my little one loves to travel like me  no whimpering taking off or landing.

'She's a good girl: she sleeps very well, she hardly ever cries and I'm told she's very alert for her age.'

Naomi continued: 'She's just started waving, which is fun. She laughs a lot. She's almost talking. I think she might walk before she crawls. And she's got six teeth already.'

In July last year, the model revealed that she has a 'great baby whisperer' and that her daughter is growing up to become 'very tough'.

Speaking to BBC News after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of the Creative Arts (UCA), Naomi said: 'She's very tough. She falls down, she doesn't cry. She doesn't cry very much at all.'

When asked if her daughter is a 'good sleeper', she added: '12 hours [sleep]. We got her on 12 hours when she was like two months.

'I have a great baby whisperer.'
Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney are back in front of the camera for season 11 of Vanderpump Rules.

The ladies were spotted shooting the next installment at the charity-run thrift shop BTS in West Hollywood on Wednesday with a member of their production team.

Ariana, 38, was a vision of summertime chic in a moss green tank top, baggy cream trousers, and trendy pink sunnies shielding her eyes.

The reality star, who was betrayed last season by her former partner Tom Sandoval and best friend Raquel Leviss, looked happy and content enjoying some time with her pal and business partner, 36.

She carried a beaded taupe bag and wore a colorful scrunchy along one of her wrists. Ariana also rocked a fresh matte coat of nail polish upon her long nails.

They're back! Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney went thrifting at BTS Thrift Store in West Hollywood on Wednesday as they shot season 11 of Vanderpump Rules

A pair of white platform sneakers elevated her height.

As for Katie, she looked amazing in a silky button down, ripped jeans, and metallic flats.

Her cropped jet black hair was worn down and a pair of stylish Ray-Ban sunnies shaded her eyes.

The ladies examined the merchandise outside, and Katie brought fans along their shopping adventure as she posted a brief video to her stories.

'We thrift,' she wrote.

TMZ reports the women were shopping for their restaurant Something About Her, a new sandwich shop they will soon be opening together.

Insiders told the site they purchased fine china, glassware, and other cute accessories for the shop.

They spent around 3-4 hours filming at the store.

Lights, camera, action! The women were spotted outside the shop with a production member in tow

Summertime chic! Ariana wowed in a moss green tank top and baggy white trousers

Doing their thing! The reality star, who was betrayed last season by her former partner Tom Sandoval and best friend Raquel Leviss, looked happy and content enjoying some time with her pal and business partner, 36

Fun! Katie brought fans along their shopping adventure as she posted a brief video to her stories

Later that day, Lisa Vanderpump shot scenes late into the evening with her husband Ken Todd, Tom Schwartz, and James Kennedy at the restaurant TomTom.

It has just been a few weeks since the airing of the dramatic, three-part reunion which largely focused on Tom Sandoval's affair with Raquel Leviss, which led to the end of his relationship with Ariana after nine years together.

Raquel has been at a mental health facility for the last two months, however it remains unknown if she will be returning for season 11.

According to sources for TMZ, season 11 of Vanderpump Rules was set to go into production on Wednesday but Raquel still has not committed to joining the cast and crew.

Chit chat: The women chatted with a member of their production team

Throwing shade! Katie wore stylish Ray-Bans while Ariana sported pink sunnies

Dig in! TMZ reports the women were shopping for their restaurant Something About Her, a new sandwich shop they will soon be opening together

Moving on! Madix was enjoyed immense fanfare after she got her heartbroken by Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss

Insiders for the publication said that both Bravo production and Raquel's team are 'working hard to get her on the show' but her time at the mental health facility still remains a priority.

The rest of the cast including Ariana and Tom will all be making their return to the highly-popular Bravo program.

During season 10's reunion which aired earlier this month, Raquel was noncommittal about coming back.

At the time she told boss Andy Cohen: 'I don't know. It's in question right now. I want to.'
Sydney's temperatures have plunged in recent weeks.

And Kylie Gillies was well prepared on Thursday, rugging up in a faux fur coat while outside Seven's Martin Place studio.

The Morning Show co-host, 56, donned a Leona Edmiston ruby crop fur coat, valued at a scant $74.99 for the brisk winter outing.

Kylie captioned the post, 'Coat weather much? Sub 10 degrees.. and out comes the fluffy coat.'

The Harris Scarfe ambassador also borrowed a dog named Penelope for the impromptu fashion shoot.

Kylie Gillies was well prepared for Sydney's chilly weather on Thursday, rugging up in a faux fur coat while outside Seven's Martin Place studio

The Morning Show co-host, 56, donned a Leona Edmiston ruby crop fur coat, valued at a scant $74.99 for the brisk winter outing

The upbeat outing comes just weeks after Gillies was brought to tears on live television Friday morning as she spoke about the death of her Channel Seven colleague, hair and makeup artist Garry Siutz.

Kylie broke down while speaking with Garry's daughter Kiya, who was advocating for better skin cancer awareness.

After her father, who was an employee of Channel Seven, died from the disease, Kiya helped kickstart Australia's very first National Skin Check truck.

Morning Show hosts and dear friends of Garry, Kylie and Larry Emdur, invited her to appear on breakfast program to promote the free skin checks.

The CEO and founder of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation Jay Allen also appeared alongside Kiya as they stood in front of the skin check truck.

Kylie captioned the post, 'Coat weather much? Sub 10 degrees.. and out comes the fluffy coat'

It comes after Gillies was brought to tears on live television earlier this month as she spoke about the death of her Channel Seven colleague Garry Siutz (right)

The Morning Show host broke down while speaking with the hair and make-up artist's daughter Kiya (far right with Jay Allen) who was advocating for better skin cancer awareness after her father died of the disease

Plastered along the side of the vehicle were 86 people who had died from melanoma, including the smiling face of Garry.

'The cause has special significance to The Morning Show after we lost one of our very own to the disease in 2021,' Kylie said.

'It's very close for us,' Larry agreed.

Larry, 58, went on to tell Kiya that her father's name is often heard in the corridors of The Morning Show as the colleagues and friends he left behind remember him.

'It's been so lovely to... to hear Garry's name mentioned, isn't it Larry. It's beautiful to hear his name back in the studio,' Kylie said as she broke down

Later in the segment, Jay and Kiya thanked the breakfast show hosts for their support, saying: 'For the team at The Morning Show, thanks for supporting us... this is for life.'

Kylie teared up when she heard the sentiment and struggled to get her next words out, looking to her co-host for support.

'It's been so lovely to... to hear Garry's name mentioned, isn't it Larry? It's beautiful to hear his name back in the studio,' she said as she broke down.
Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive a currency swap agreement for times of crisis, in the latest sign of warming ties as the countries work to smooth over historical antagonisms.

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki announced the agreement after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Choo Kyungho. It was the first time the two countries have held annual financial talks in seven years, though Suzuki and Choo also met in South Korea in May.

Suzuki told reporters that the 3-year currency swap agreement would help reinforce trust in the financial stability of the two countries as a fallback in an emergency. But he emphasised that Japan is fully prepared to deal with fluctuations in the Japanese yen, which has weakened sharply against the US dollar in the past year.

The USD 10 billion swap arrangement expired in 2015 and was not been renewed. Largely symbolic, it allows the South Korean and Japanese central banks to exchange currencies for each country's reserves of US dollars to provide extra liquidity, or cash supplies, in case of a crisis.

The two major Asian economies, both US allies, have recently mended ties as they contend with challenges posed by China and North Korea, despite tensions over issues left over from Japan's 35-year occupation of the Korean Peninsula before and during World War II.

From July 21, Japan plans to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status. That will essentially end a four-year trade dispute that began in July 2019 when Japan removed South Korea from its white list of countries given fast-track approvals in trade as ties deteriorated over compensation for Japanese wartime actions.

Japan's tightening of trade controls against Seoul was in apparent retaliation for South Korean court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean workers for abusive treatment and forced labour during World War II.

Japan also tightened export controls on key chemicals used by South Korean companies to make semiconductors and displays, prompting South Korea to file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation and remove Japan from its own list of countries with preferred trade status.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in March in the first formal summit between the two countries since 2015.

Japan colonised the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945, imposing Japanese names and language on Koreans and conscripting many into forced labour or prostitution in military brothels before and during World War II.

Japan gave USD 800 million to South Korea's then-military-backed government under a 1965 accord to normalise relations which was mainly used on economic development projects driven by major South Korean companies.

A semi-government fund set up by Tokyo offered compensation to former comfort women when the government apologised in 1995, but many South Koreans believe the Japanese government should take more direct responsibility for the occupation.

The two sides also have a longstanding territorial dispute over a group of islands controlled by South Korea but claimed by Japan.
Animals do not have a voice but they surely are living beings. Their welfare is often side-lined on the altars of religious traditions

The contentious issue of animal sacrifice as a hot topic in public discourse never dies. Its recurrence prompts us to reflect on the ethical implications surrounding the ritualistic practice of animal sacrifice. While such reflection is valuable, it is critical to not restrict this conversation to any specific religious observance. In our pursuit of cultivating a society grounded in compassion and justice, we should boldly question and challenge all forms of animal sacrifice, transcending religious demarcations.

The topic of animal sacrifice should not be confined solely to the discourse surrounding Eid al-Adha. This practice possesses deep historical and religious foundations that stretch across a myriad of religious traditions, encompassing Hinduism and Judaism, certain Christian denominations, and myriad indigenous belief systems worldwide. A 2015 study on animal sacrifice in contemporary Hindu rituals estimated that millions of animals are sacrificed each year in India and Nepal alone during festivals like Gadhimai or Navaratri. By channelling the debate onto a single religious community during the period of Eid, we inadvertently run the risk of promoting a skewed narrative. Not only is this unfair, but it also hinders our broader goal of acknowledging the inherent worth of animals and opposing the practice of sacrifice, irrespective of the religious context in which it occurs.

There are pressing concerns regarding the congruence of this practice with our rapidly evolving understanding of animal sentience and rights. Numerous scientific studies have affirmed the complex emotional lives and cognitive abilities of animals, heightening the ethical stakes of our treatment towards them. The distress and pain endured by the animals involved in the sacrificial process cannot be overlooked or minimized. While proponents of these practices might argue in favour of tradition and religious liberty, these considerations must be weighed against the burgeoning global consensus on the imperative of animal welfare and sentience.

To effectively address the concerns related to animal sacrifice, it is important to broaden our perspective beyond Eid al-Adha and instigate a comprehensive conversation that poses challenging questions to all religious communities. It becomes our shared responsibility to stimulate critical introspection and potential revaluation of age-old practices that encompass the ritualistic slaughter of animals. Such an approach facilitates fairness, intellectual sincerity, and respect for all religious traditions while simultaneously advocating for more compassionate and ethical treatment of animals. It is our collective obligation to work towards creating a world where justice and respect for life extend to all beings, transcending the barriers of religion, culture, and tradition.

Indeed, when the conversation around animal sacrifice narrows its focus to a single religion, we inadvertently reduce animals to mere pawns in a larger debate. It is crucial to remember that the core issue at hand involves living, sentient beings who are directly impacted by these rituals. By constraining our focus on one religious event, we risk obscuring the broader issue of animal welfare across diverse cultural and religious contexts.

Animals do not have a voice in these debates, and their welfare is often side-lined when religious traditions come under scrutiny. In this way, they become unwilling pawns in a larger societal game where their intrinsic value as sentient beings is overshadowed by ideological disputes.

Moreover, this limited focus can lead to unintended consequences such as heightened cultural tensions and an unfair portrayal of certain religious communities. It can contribute to an unbalanced narrative that unfairly stigmatizes one religious group, thus deflecting attention away from a comprehensive discussion about animal welfare across all traditions. This can, in turn, allow other practices involving animal harm to continue unexamined and unchallenged.

It is therefore vital to recognize the inherent dignity and rights of animals in these discussions. By doing so, we ensure that they are not merely pawns in a broader ideological conflict, but sentient beings deserving of our respect and protection. Rather than focusing on individual religious practices, our efforts should be concentrated on promoting a universal ethos of compassion and respect for all forms of life, irrespective of the religious, cultural, or traditional contexts in which they occur.

A crucial aspect of this dialogue is promoting alternatives to animal sacrifice. Religious communities can embrace rituals that symbolically embody the spirit of sacrifice without the actual taking of animal lives. Making donations to charitable organizations, supporting animal sanctuaries, or undertaking compassionate actions towards all living beings, can serve as potential alternatives that foster a profound spiritual connection. By accentuating the foundational principles of love, empathy, and justice that permeate most religious doctrines, we can uphold the sanctity of life without resorting to acts of violence.

In our collective journey towards justice, let us ensure that the interests of animals remain at the forefront of our concerns, not a side issue in debates about specific religious practices. Only then can we truly claim to be working towards a more just and ethical world, where all sentient beings are accorded the respect and dignity they inherently deserve.

The writer is an animal advocate and founder of Samayu, applying intersectional solutions for justice and animals.
Barack Obama has shown himself to be unequal to the responsibility of rising to genuine global statesmanship

When Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister, he repeatedly declared Muslims First, 15 per cent of the countrys resources should be earmarked for the Muslims, etc. For some leaders around the world, this has become the starting point for understanding India. Former US President Barack Obama has been one of those individuals who has picked up this delusional understanding of India. Nonetheless, it seems to have crystallized into his opinion of what India is.

Barouk or Barack was the horse that carried the Holy Prophet to heaven from Jerusalem and also brought him back. Husein was the brother of al Hasan, the Prophets grandson who was in line to become the fifth Caliph. These holy names were given to Obama though his mother had him baptized in a church. A special corner of his heart naturally beats for the denizens of the ummah.

After Pakistans breakup in 1971, Obama seems concerned that India too should not fall apart, in his terminology. He might not be aware that India was partitioned in 1947; he was not born then. If fact, most people today would be unfamiliar with the history of how Pakistan and Bangladesh have treated the Hindus, where, from previously being one-third of the population in 1947 they have been reduced to minuscule percentages through persecution, ethnic cleansing and expulsion.

Pakistans founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his senior colleagues wanted an exchange of populations on the lines of what had taken place between the Christians and Muslims of Greece and Turkey respectively, under the auspices of the League of Nations, the predecessor of todays United Nations Organization (UNO). But Indias then-political leaders rejected this proposal, as a result of which India today has some 18 per cent Muslims in its total population.

Islamic countries, like, for example, Turkey, could hardly believe that these Indian leaders could be so gullible. The great sociologist Joseph Ernest Renan believed that a nations total soul had to be one for it to be happy and remain united. The phenomenon to be compared with is the Hindu belief, that the Divine or the Paramatma is the total soul of all living beings. Those whose individual souls are not in tune with the rest of the nation are detached from this nationhood, no matter where they reside. Religion is not crucial to the sense of the nation; what matters is ones attitude.

Had Obamas soul been wholly in tune with the universal, his utterance would not have occurred just when his entire country was celebrating a hugely successful visit by Indias Prime Minister. He would have also worried about the minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh et al. The former American Presidents utterance has only irritated the majority in India and possibly harmed the minority interests. The world at large could not care less.

Pakistans founder Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had said: The problem in India is not that of an inter-communal character but manifestly of an international one, and must be treated as such. So long as this basic truth is not realized, any constitution that may be built will result in disaster and will prove destructive and harmful not only to the Muslims but also to the British and Hindus. It is a dream that the Hindus and Muslims can ever evolve into a common nationality. This notion of one Indian nation has gone far beyond the limits and is the cause of most of our troubles and will lead India to destruction if we fail to revise this misconception in time.

The Hindus and Muslims have different religious philosophies, social customs and literature. They neither intermarry nor interdine and, indeed, they belong to two different civilizations which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their views on life and of life are different. It is also quite clear that Hindus and Muslims derive their inspiration from different sources of history. They have different epics and different heroes in different episodes. Very often the hero of one is a foe of the other and likewise, their victories and defeats overlap. To yoke together two such nations under a single state, one a numerical minority and the other a majority must lead to growing discontent and the final destruction of any fabric that may be so built up for the government of such a state.

The Partition of India made Hindus believe that Pakistan was for Muslims and Hindustan was for Hindus and others. When they woke up after Partition they were surprised to see the Muslims largely where they were, whereas new Hindus had arrived in hundreds of thousands. Hindus felt that their leaders, Hindu or Muslim, had deceived them. Over the decades, people forgot this historical experience. Why on earth is Obama trying to open these wounds all over again?

From the USA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Egypt. There, the grand mufti of Cairo as well as the Indian Bohra Muslim community resident in Egypt tried to do the opposite, though there was very little time to do so. Sadly, Barack Obama, despite his elevation to the worlds highest political office of the worlds leading nation, has shown himself to be unequal to the responsibility of rising to genuine global statesmanship.

(The writer is a well-known columnist, an author and a former member of the Rajya Sabha. The views expressed are personal
The PMs visit garnered US support against China and ensured tech transfer

Indian Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden managed to fire the first gunshot for one of the most significant partnerships of the 21st century between the two countries, during the first state visit of Indian PM to Washington last week. The red carpet welcome events spruced with vegetarian meals prepared by celebrated chefs, Bollywood numbers playing in the background, thousands of Indian Americans lining up streets in Washington DC, and unique gift exchanges between the two countries were straight out of a big budget blockbuster hitting the screens, but with a sharp message of upgraded partnership.

The lengthy joint statement running into 58 paragraphs summed it up as Taken together, the leaders today affirmed that this document, in its breadth and depth, represents the most expansive and comprehensive vision for progress in the history of our bilateral relationship. Still, our ambitions are to reach ever greater heights, and we commit both our governments and our peoples to this endeavour, now and into the future. A large chunk of the blueprint for the future roadmap was dedicated to defining the contours of the technology embrace US and India will undertake, keeping in mind the current and future geopolitical environment. One of the most significant outcomes was India granted a seat to the US-led Minerals security partnership ( MSP).

The US launched MSP last year, bringing in 12 other countries and the European Union to enable diversified private sector investment and catalyse public sector financing. Indian private sector has already announced investments of $650 mn creating one of the largest such Indian investments in the US electric battery industry, creating nearly 500 jobs. However, the potential for this alliance is huge as all of these like-minded countries on board are expected to exchange information and push their private sectors to make investments into building reliable sustainable supply chains of critical minerals. Drones, mobile phones, electric cars, tablets and laptops and high-end defence equipment to name a few, are all dependent on these critical minerals. The MSP promises to be the solution by diversifying the supply chains across these 14 geographies.

The other major outcome of the state visit was India joining the US-led Artemis Accords. A fact sheet released by the White House summarised this as an effort to advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind. India joins 26 other countries committed to peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation that will enable exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA will provide advanced training to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronauts to launch a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024. Space is the next frontier of the India-US partnership, having been in silos till last week. The US has significant expertise in space launches and exploration, and granting India a seat in its wider alliance, signalled an equal partner status to India. Indias space explorations and technology so far are a fraction of what the US, China, and Russia spend, which is also reflected in the poor number of active Indian satellites hovering above us. The minister of science and technology Jitendra Singh summed up the importance of the Artemis Accords as  paving the way for easing restrictions on import of critical technologies in the space domain, especially electronics benefitting Indian companies to develop systems and innovate for US markets. The US-India partnership is daring to explore frontiers that none in both country have tried before.

(The writer is a policy analyst. The views expressed are personal)
ndia and the Philippines on Thursday reviewed the entire gamut of their bilateral ties during talks here between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Sectretary Enrique A Manalo with special focus on defence, maritime security, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes.

Giving details of the parleys, Jaishankar also said our growing economic ties, including trade and investments; development cooperation; health and pharma, tourism, air services, agriculture, fintech, science and technology and space cooperation, also figured.

The two sides noted the importance of greater people to people ties, specifically in tourism and education sectors, he said adding India and the Philippines recognized our strong collaboration in ASEAN and in multilateral forums. As Indo-Pacific countries, underlined our strong convergence on key issues, the external affairs minister said.

In a tweet after the talks, Jaishankar said Just concluded a productive and comprehensive meeting of the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation with Enrique A Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. Our talks covered enhancing contacts and broadening cooperation as we head towards the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties...

Earlier in his opening remarks, Jaishankar said the domestic agenda of both countries is focused on inclusion and empowerment, that business to business is the pathway of going forward, the importance of our defence cooperation, the need to stabilise the Indo-pacific, the importance of respecting rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralismand the fact that we are both democratic Asian Republics. I think all these messages resonate very strongly with us.

He also said from our perspective, we have of course been very keen to engage your Government and I know Prime Minister and President Marcos had a telephonic talk last year.

The visiting Foreign Secretary announced that his country has ratified the updated Air Services Agreement with India. Asserting that India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, including space cooperation, Manalo said he hoped that the two countries can extend it further. Jaishankar and Manalo had last met in Cambodia on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, in November last year.

During the delegation-level talks, Jaishankar underlined the need to stabilize the Indo-Pacific and the importance of the rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism.

In his address, Manalo thanked Jaishankar and the Government of India for the warm hospitality and welcome accorded to him and his delegation. The Philippines Foreign Secretary also noted the various areas of cooperation with India. We attach great importance to our relationship with India. Since the first JCBC, a number of key areas of cooperation have already been discussed and in fact, action is taken, and we hope that we can extend it further to our discussions today.

India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, including space cooperation. Areas cooperation and trade and investment, defence, health, medicine, agriculture, tourism, financial, technology, just to name some, he said.

Manalo also said India was ranked as the Philippines 15th trading partner and that the two countries are working further to cement these ties.

In a lecture on Wednesday here, Manalo had said his country wants to develop a very robust defence partnership with India and is looking forward to procuring military hardware from it.

The defence and security ties between India and the Philippines are on an upswing. In January last year, the Philippines concluded a USD 375 million deal with India for the procurement of three batteries of the BrahMos cruise missile.

A Joint statement issued after the talks said both Ministers committed to develop mutually supportive approaches to regional and international developments.
In a visit that sparked a heated exchange between political parties, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhis trip to strife-torn Manipur became a point of contention between the Congress and the BJP on Thursday. The Congress accused the Modi Government of obstructing Rahuls attempt to reach out to the victims of violence and offer solace, while the BJP criticised Rahuls behaviour as irresponsible, claiming that it had triggered fresh unrest in the State. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the local police, acting on the orders of the Modi Government, halted Rahul Gandhis convoy near Bishnupur. He called it totally unacceptable and a violation of constitutional and democratic norms.Gandhis convoy in Manipur has been halted by the police near Bishnupur. He intended to visit the people suffering in relief camps and extend a healing touch to the strife-torn state. PM Modi has remained silent on the situation in Manipur, leaving the state to fend for itself, Kharge said. Responding to the incident, BJP national spokesperson and Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra criticized Rahul Gandhis visit.
Former Union Minister Srikant Jena has urged the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for action so that a minimum of 27% and ideally 54% reservation for OBC/SEBC communities can be implemented immediately in Odisha in higher education sector from this academic year.

In a letter to the NCBC Chairman Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Jena drew his attention to the deliberate negligence of the Odisha Government towards providing reservations to OBC and SEBC communities in higher education and Government jobs.

The OBC and SEBC communities comprise 54% of Odishas population but receive 0% reservation in higher education despite the 2005 notification by the Government of India to provide a minimum of 27% reservation to the OBC communities. In addition, these communities only get 11.25% reservation in Government jobs instead of 27% as is the norm in all States of India. In contrast, 10% reservation in both higher education and Government jobs has been given under EWS category despite the general category population comprising only 6% in Odisha, said Jena.
New Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo on Thursday made it clear that the Congress in Chhattisgarh will put a united fight in the November assembly polls and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will lead the battle.

He told the media after arriving here from New Delhi that his top priority would now be to maintain the trust of people of Chhattisgarh.

"It would be our responsibility to up a united fight against the BJP in the assembly elections. Like in 2018, this time too we will succeed in having a landslide victory," he said.

Asked why he had been appointed as Deputy Chief Minister for such a short time, Singh said responsibility even for a single day meant a lot for him.

Earlier, Singh Deo expressed his gratitude to senior Congress leaders.

My sincere gratitude to Congress President Khargeji and Sonia Gandhiji for giving me the opportunity to serve Chhattisgarh as Deputy Chief Minister. I also like to thank Rahul Gandhiji for his constant belief in me, he tweeted.

I am very grateful to the people of Chhattisgarh for the affection, love and trust they have shared with me and the constant encouragement to keep working for the best interests of the state.

Along with our Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghelji and all colleagues of the Congress party, we are committed to take Chhattisgarh to new heights of progress and development," he said.
The beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin in Chhattisgarh should not fall in the trap of fraudsters seeking money, the Raipur Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat, said on Thursday.

He urged the beneficiaries to complain if any fee was demanded.

He said housing was approved every year on priority basis. No fee was charged at any stage for housing approval.

If the name of the beneficiary is registered in the permanent waiting list, he will definitely get a house, he said.

A total of 25,025 houses have been completed in Raipur district under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin Yojana. Money has been released for 4,424 incomplete houses of the district according to the level of work done, he said.
IIM Ranchi has undertaken an innovative initiative to establish a "Community Library" at Ranchi Airport on Thursday. This initiative was in collaboration with the Aarambha Foundation and the Airport Authority of India. The idea of community library aligns with IIM Ranchi's strategic plan for 2030 and further reinforces its commitment to engage with citizens through various forums, such as drum, dance, and dialogue, as part of its Human Connect Initiative.

The Community Library at Ranchi Airport aims to provide an enriching and intellectually stimulating experience for all passengers, allowing them to utilize their waiting time by reading books, fostering new ideas, and gaining positive inspiration. Recognizing the transformative power of books, IIM Ranchi believes that they can spark profound changes and contribute to the personal and professional growth of individuals.

As an institution, IIM Ranchi considers the dissemination of management thoughts and the cultivation of deep reflections among citizens to be its institutional responsibility. By establishing this free community library, IIM Ranchi aims to facilitate the spread of knowledge and create meaningful experiences for passengers at Ranchi Airport.

The Aarambha Foundation, renowned for its social initiatives, has played a crucial role in bringing this project to fruition. Their expertise and dedication to promoting literacy and education have been instrumental in the successful implementation of the Community Library.

Ranchi Airport has long been a pioneer in embracing innovative ideas, and the introduction of the Community Library marks another milestone in its journey. The library is poised to enhance the overall passenger experience by providing an engaging and intellectually stimulating environment.

The inauguration of the Community Library took place today in the esteemed presence of Prof. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Director of IIM Ranchi, and K. L. Aggarwal, Airport Director of Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi. Their participation reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a culture of learning and knowledge-sharing.

The Community Library at Ranchi Airport is open to all passengers, providing them with access to a wide range of books across various genres. It is expected to become a hub for intellectual engagement, encouraging individuals to broaden their horizons and explore new ideas.

IIM Ranchi, Aarambha Foundation, and the Airport Authority of India look forward to the positive impact the Community Library will have on passengers, fostering a love for reading and intellectual growth.
The Badrinath National Highway was blocked on Thursday following a landslide triggered by heavy rains near the Chhinka area of the Chamoli district. Hundreds of pilgrims were stranded due to this incident. The stranded pilgrims included those who were on their way to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, as per the officials. Several places in Chamoli received heavy rains late on Wednesday night. Communication services also remained affected in various parts of the district. The district officials said that the authorities concerned started working to clear the rubble to restore traffic along the route immediately after receiving the information about the landslide. The stranded pilgrims were also provided with drinking water and food by the authorities. The Tehsildar Sadar of Chamoli, Dheeraj Rana, who was monitoring the work at the site, said, The Birahi and Chinka road was closed in the morning from around 9 am and it was closed again from 9:30 am to 10:00 am. It will remain closed till the debris is cleared off the routes. He said that the administration had been trying to deploy some machines towards Chinka too to speed up the process of clearing out the debris. The teams of national highways were also involved in carrying out the work of clearing the routes. He said that the police were also present at the spot to provide necessary assistance. Rana said that the routes were expected to be reopened by 6:30 or 7 PM but they were still reported to be blocked at the time of filing the report. For the people who were stuck, the administration had arranged water, biscuits and some snacks. The administration will take all possible measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims, added Rana. Besides this, passengers going from Badrinath to Haridwar were also stopped by the police at the Birhi checkpost for security reasons till the road opens, when the highway was closed due to a landslide. The police also stopped passengers coming towards Badrinath via Karnaprayag, Langasu and Nandprayag and asked them to move ahead only after the resumption of traffic on the route. The authorities have also appealed to pilgrims to plan their visits to Char Dham shrines as per the weather report to avoid inconvenience during monsoon.
The marine products exporters from the country deserve a big salute for another stupendous performance despite the adverse conditions in the global markets. The record-breaking performance during the financial year that ended in March 2023 shows the resilience of the marine products sector comprising fishers, farmers, processors and exporters in the country. Reports in the media quoting Marine Products Export Development Authority chairman DoddaVenkata Swamy stated that the quantity of exports rose to 17,35,286 tonnes compared with 13,69,264 tonnes in the previous year. The export value rose to Rs 63,969.14 crore as against Rs 57,586.48 crore in FY 22. Shrimp continues to be the mainstay of the export income accounting for Rs 43,135.58 crore out of the total export income of Rs 63,969.14 crore. The US is the top destination for Indian shrimp followed by China and the European Union.

The highly successful visit of PM Modi to the US is expected to provide a further boost to the marine products export from the country as the bilateral engagements reach all time high levels. The media reports suggest that the visit has opened new vistas for further consolidation of the economic relations between the two countries. The visit of Modi to Egypt is also expected to open new opportunities for the marine product exporters from the country. Egypt is a big market but their government policies restrict free flow of our products into the market and are presently routed through the UAE.

The significance of the export performance has to be understood in the background of the turbulence in the global shrimp markets caused by a supply glut following large scale increase in aquaculture production in countries such as Ecuador. The resulting knockdown on shrimp price in the global markets took a hit on Indian exporters too as the global shrimp markets turned into a buyers market from a sellers market. The decline in the unit value realisation from shrimp export could be taken as a reflection of the turbulence in the global markets in the wake of the above developments. The important point, however, to note is that despite such adversities Indian exporters managed to record a stellar performance showing the inherent strengths of the marine products value chain in the country. What could be the important takeaway from such an inspiring performance?

Scaling up:

The tremendous scope for scaling up aquaculture production along with a clear focus on improving the farmers income is the most important signal emanating from such an achievement. We should also keep in mind the significance of realising the full potential of the Indian aquaculture in the background of some of the other key sectors of exports facing shakeout due to the increasing trend of protectionism in many countries. A farmer-focused approach has become imperative for the further growth and consolidation of the Indian aquaculture sector mainly on two counts. Aquaculture has become the mainstay of the Indian marine products exports. Even the latest figures show that frozen shrimp sourced mainly from aquaculture farmers accounted for over 70 percent of the export income. Aquaculture farmers, in other words, have become the most important link in the value chain of the marine products sector in the country. As the fundamental building block in the marine products value chain, aqua farmers needed to be assured with a decent and remunerative income in a sustainable manner.

Sustainable Aquaculture:

The practice of sustainable aquaculture holding great potential for enhancing the farmers income has been proven successful in many places. The best example is Ecuador. The emergence of the tiny South American country as a powerhouse in shrimp aquaculture production in the past few years by adopting sustainable aquaculture has gained worldwide attention. Ecuador's success was due to the farmers, policymakers and other stakeholders in the value chain joining together to rescue the sector after the devastation caused by disease outbreak and other shortcomings. We needed to study the Ecuador model and develop a sustainable model that suits the agro-climatic conditions and the business objectives of our country. Farmers, feed makers, hatchers, policymakers, processors and exporters need to be involved in the process so that the existing value chain could be further strengthened and enhanced.

The Union government has designed several schemes as part of the policy initiatives based on the Blue Economy vision at the national level. There is an urgent need to spread the message of these policy initiatives and the schemes at the state and district levels so that the catchment area of the beneficiaries could be widened further. The linkages between the agencies implementing these schemes and the farmers deserve to be further strengthened. The farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain need to be trained to improve their skill sets in handling the financial instruments and incentives offered by various government agencies. For instance, people in the aquafarming sector remained largely unaware of the advantages of adopting green energy systems and the long- term benefits associated with such initiatives.

Domestic Market:

Apart from the export market, the Indian marine products sector also needs to develop a focused approach for catering to the requirements of developing a domestic market. As one of the fastest growing economies with a vibrant middle class with sufficient disposable income, India is a huge market for high-quality and safe protein foods. The technological advancements in storage facilities and improvements in transportation infrastructure have opened immense possibilities for developing a robust domestic market. The signs of an emerging domestic market are already on the horizon. The Indian aquaculture sector needs to focus attention on this emerging possibility and develop the necessary linkages. A well-developed domestic market will also act as a catalyst for a stable price regime as it would help in absorbing the fluctuations in the international markets.

The experiences of Kings Infra Ventures in the last four decades have revealed the importance of following a sustainable practice to ensure a decent remuneration for the farmers. The policymakers need to address the average revenue per farmer that prevails in the aquaculture sector in the country so that we could develop policies to improve the farmers income in tune with the increase in the volume and value of exports. The success in export depends on the efficiency of farmers. The immediate task before us is to develop a policy environment that would be taking care of the needs of the two pivots of the marine products sector  farmers and exporters. The successful practice of such a policy environment would help the marine products sector grow by leaps and bounds in a country with such diversity and potential. The success in achieving nearly Rs 64,000 crore worth exports in a relatively difficult year is a sign of the hidden potential of the country. Sustainable aquaculture is going to be the decisive component of that great potential.

(The author is the chairman of Kings Infra Ventures Limited who also writes on the blue economy and sustainable food production system. Views expressed are personal)
To compensate the people, the Punjab Government has started the process of confiscating the land owned by Pearl Group to further sell it.



Announcing this, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday declared that the State Government will recover every single penny plundered from the people of the State. The properties of the Pearl Group have already been identified in various districts and a legal process has been initiated to acquire these properties. Red Entries have been made in the Revenue records so that no one is able to sell or purchase this property, said Mann.

The Chief Minister said that the Group had done a huge fraud with the people of the State for which it will be made accountable.

He said that the revenue records have already been checked at the grass root level to ensure complete transparency in the process. Topmost priority has been accorded to this work so that this property is confiscated by the Government, he said.

The Chief Minister said that he has directed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to personally supervise this work for its smooth execution in a time-bound manner.

This property will be sold and every penny of the public will be returned back to them. The State Government is committed to ensure that the money of people is returned to them and the exemplary action against the company will act as a deterrent for other fraudster companies, he added.

The development came about four months after the Chief Minister had directed the Deputy Commissioners to identify all the properties of the Pearl Group in their respective districts to initiate the process of making red entries. Directions, to compile a state-level list in consonance with the directions of the Supreme Court and Justice Lodha committee, were also issued.

The State Government, the previous month, had handed over an investigation into the scam by the Pearl group to the state Vigilance Bureau. At that time, the Government had said that efforts would be made by the Bureau, in coordination with the Justice Lodha Committee set up by the Supreme Court, to return the investments of the maximum number of duped investors.

The Vigilance, in May, set up a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Pearl land scam, headed by the VB joint director Kanwaldeep Singh. The SIT is probing two FIRs registered in Ferozepur and Mohali police districts in connection with the scam.

Justifying the transfer of the case to the VB, the government order had read, The Punjab Vigilance Bureau is an independent and specialized agency which has a dedicated Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for investigation of complex economic offenses. Considering the specialized nature of investigations needed in the Pearl scam, and, its inter-state ramifications, the investigations have been transferred to the Vigilance Bureau so that they can be conducted in a fair and transparent manner to unravel the entire Pearl scam.

No person involved in the scam shall be spared and all available evidence would be brought on record. Efforts would be made by Vigilance Bureau, in coordination with the Lodha Committee set up by the Supreme Court of India to return the investments of the maximum numbers of duped investors, the order further read.

The FIRs registered in Ferozepur and Mohali stated that the accused in the Pearl chit fund scam had disposed of assets worth Rs 1,200 crore in an illegal manner. The police had registered an FIR against Pearl Group owner Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, his relatives and officials of the company under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
About a fortnight after the Punjab Polices Special Investigation Team (SIT)  probing the sexual misconduct complaint against Punjab Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak  informed the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) that the complainant has withdrawn the complaint, the national SC panel has asked Punjabs top officials  Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), and the SIT head to appear in person on July 31 at its headquarters in New Delhi.

The Commission, on the orders of its chairman Vijay Sampla, asked the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the SIT head Deputy Inspector General, Amritsar Border Range, Narinder Bhargava, to appear before the Commission at 11 am on July 31 in New Delhi. The directions came after the SIT head had submitted an action taken report to the Commission on June 12.

The Commission, in its orders, has asked the investigating officer of the case to attend the hearing. The Commission also asked the officials to bring an up-to-date action taken report and all other relevant documents including the relevant files, case diaries, and others.

The commission further said that the petitioner may also be asked to be present in the Commission on the day of the hearing.

Going into the background of the matter, the Gurdaspur-based victim, who identified himself as Keshav Kumar, had filed a complaint with the national SC panel against Kataruchak in May, accusing the Minister of sexual misconduct, and sexually harassing and exploiting him on the promise of a government job. In fact, Keshav had on camera narrated the entire sequence of events, highlighting how the Minister had forced him into a relationship on the pretext of giving him a job.

The NCSC had, till date, issued three notices to the State Government asking the Chief Secretary and the DGP to submit the action taken report in the matter.

On the other hand, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit  who had also received a complaint by the Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanding forensic examination of the videos  purported to be of Kataruchak and Keshav  had also sought written three letters to the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asking for action taken in the matter while also furnishing the forensic report of the videos.

Targeting the AAP-led State Government over the issue, the opposition parties have been accusing AAP and the Chief Minister of shielding the tainted Minister, and being anti-Dalit.

In the latest developments, the victim Keshav had withdrawn the complaint in his recent appearance before the SIT. The victim had reportedly told the SIT, headed by DIG Border Range Amritsar Narinder Bhargava, that he had lost his mobile phone, and later someone showed his doctored video having him and the Minister in it.

Informing the national SC panel about the same, the SIT, on June 12, had submitted that the complainant has withdrawn the complaint against Kataruchak.

The SIT had also submitted that it did not make out a case in the first place as Keshav was not minor at the time Kataruchak had an alleged sexual relationship with him, and both the complainant and the accused were Scheduled Castes and the case did not fall within the purview of the SC Commission.
NGO Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) on Thursday emphasized the need to amend the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and stressed the importance of its strict enforcement.

A workshop on 'Media Sensitization' was held at a hotel here with an aim to launch a tobacco free campaign in Chhattisgarh.

The workshop focused on the need to increase awareness on the negative effects of tobacco use.

The tobacco free campaign by the government was appreciated in the workshop.

NGO's Bhawna B. Mukhopadhyay threw light on the state of affairs of tobacco users in Chhattisgarh.
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki (OTC:BKPKF  Free Report) is one of 285 public companies in the BanksRegional industry, but how does it contrast to its rivals? We will compare Bank Polska Kasa Opieki to related businesses based on the strength of its dividends, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation and profitability.

Dividends

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki pays an annual dividend of C$6.80 per share and has a dividend yield of 26.3%. Bank Polska Kasa Opieki pays out 63.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, BanksRegional companies pay a dividend yield of 13.1% and pay out 18.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

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Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Bank Polska Kasa Opieki and its rivals, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Bank Polska Kasa Opieki 0 0 2 0 3.00 Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Competitors 1060 3209 3243 12 2.29

Profitability

As a group, BanksRegional companies have a potential upside of 317.64%. Given Bank Polska Kasa Opiekis rivals higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Bank Polska Kasa Opieki has less favorable growth aspects than its rivals.

This table compares Bank Polska Kasa Opieki and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Bank Polska Kasa Opieki N/A N/A N/A Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Competitors 32.52% 11.69% 0.96%

Institutional and Insider Ownership

30.7% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are held by institutional investors. 15.0% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Bank Polska Kasa Opieki and its rivals top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Bank Polska Kasa Opieki N/A N/A 2.41 Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Competitors $2.69 billion $626.00 million 240.95

Bank Polska Kasa Opiekis rivals have higher revenue and earnings than Bank Polska Kasa Opieki. Bank Polska Kasa Opieki 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

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki rivals beat Bank Polska Kasa Opieki on 10 of the 13 factors compared.

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Company Profile

(Free Report)

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A., a commercial bank, provides a range of banking products and services to retail and corporate clients in Poland and internationally. It operates through Retail Banking, Private Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, Enterprise banking, and Assets and Liabilities Management and Other segments. The company accepts current accounts, saving accounts, and term deposits. Its loan products include mortgage, operating, investment, cash, and consumer loans; loans for corporates, and small and medium enterprises; and commercial real estate financing. The company also provides insurance, asset management, pension funds, brokerage, transactional advisory, leasing, factoring, business consulting, transferable agent, call-center, real estate development, and online banking services. Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. was incorporated in 1929 and is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland.

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Denison Mines (NYSEAMERICAN:DNN  Free Report) (TSE:DML) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Cormark to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Denison Mines to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday.

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Denison Mines Price Performance

Shares of DNN opened at $1.21 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -40.33 and a beta of 1.83. Denison Mines has a 12-month low of $0.91 and a 12-month high of $1.53. The companys fifty day moving average is $1.20.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Denison Mines

Denison Mines Company Profile

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Raymond James & Associates boosted its stake in Denison Mines by 24.6% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 55,640 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $89,000 after purchasing an additional 11,000 shares during the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. grew its position in shares of Denison Mines by 13.6% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 227,088 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $371,000 after buying an additional 27,211 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Denison Mines by 77.6% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 37,009 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $59,000 after buying an additional 16,166 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Denison Mines during the first quarter worth about $135,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Denison Mines by 12.6% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 481,992 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $771,000 after purchasing an additional 53,981 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 29.88% of the companys stock.

(Free Report)

Denison Mines Corp. operates as a uranium exploration and development company in Canada. Its flagship project is the 95% interest owned Wheeler River uranium project covering an area of approximately 300,000 hectares located in the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan. The company was formerly known as International Uranium Corporation and changed its name to Denison Mines Corp.

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Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) had its price target upped by investment analysts at Barclays from $420.00 to $500.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Barclayss price objective would indicate a potential upside of 8.95% from the companys current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $420.00 to $490.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. Guggenheim cut their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $395.00 to $392.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $440.00 to $500.00 in a research note on Friday, May 26th. 3M reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $447.00 to $498.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, May 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $437.90.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

LLY stock opened at $458.91 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $435.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 72.96, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.36. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $296.32 and a 1 year high of $468.53. The stocks fifty day moving average is $430.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $375.77.

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.73 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $6.96 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.87 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.54% and a return on equity of 61.42%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.62 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 8.78 EPS for the current year.

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 107,022 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $459.28, for a total transaction of $49,153,064.16. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 101,248,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $46,501,553,456.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 107,022 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $459.28, for a total transaction of $49,153,064.16. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 101,248,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $46,501,553,456.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 600 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $435.29, for a total value of $261,174.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,978 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,602,163.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,279,783 shares of company stock valued at $510,549,964 in the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LLY. Silicon Valley Capital Partners acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Y.D. More Investments Ltd acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Bogart Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 193.3% in the 1st quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 88 shares of the companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 97.8% in the 4th quarter. Destiny Wealth Partners LLC now owns 91 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laffer Tengler Investments acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. 87.25% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Eli Lilly and Company

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.

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Great Bear Resources Ltd. (CVE:GBR  Free Report) shares were down 2.3% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$28.15 and last traded at C$28.15. Approximately 1,886,525 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 525% from the average daily volume of 301,841 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$28.80.

Great Bear Resources Price Performance

The companys 50-day moving average is C$28.15 and its 200-day moving average is C$28.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 3.85 and a quick ratio of 3.82. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.63 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of -153.83.

About Great Bear Resources

(Free Report)

Great Bear Resources Ltd. operates as a mineral exploration company in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold. Its flagship property is the Dixie project covering an area of 9,140 hectares located in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The company was formerly known as Great Bear Uranium Corp.

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Greggs plc (LON:GRG  Free Report) insider Roisin Currie bought 3,077 shares of Greggs stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 23rd. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 2,632 ($33.46) per share, for a total transaction of 80,986.64 ($102,970.93).

Greggs Stock Performance

Greggs stock opened at GBX 2,574 ($32.73) on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 67.56. The firm has a 50-day moving average of GBX 2,734.16 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 2,657.93. The firm has a market cap of 2.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 2,200.00, a P/E/G ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 1.33. Greggs plc has a 1-year low of GBX 1,650 ($20.98) and a 1-year high of GBX 2,914 ($37.05).

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GRG has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Shore Capital reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Greggs in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a buy rating and set a GBX 2,950 ($37.51) price objective on shares of Greggs in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Liberum Capital cut Greggs to a hold rating and set a GBX 2,800 ($35.60) price objective on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Berenberg Bank raised their price objective on Greggs from GBX 3,000 ($38.14) to GBX 3,200 ($40.69) and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 2nd. Finally, Peel Hunt reaffirmed a hold rating and set a GBX 2,500 ($31.79) price objective on shares of Greggs in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Greggs presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of GBX 2,862.50 ($36.40).

Greggs Company Profile

Greggs plc operates as a food-on-the-go retailer in the United Kingdom. It offers a range of fresh and frozen bakery products, sandwiches, and drinks. The company sells products to franchise and wholesale partners for sale in their own outlets. It is also involved in the property holding, non-trading, and trustee businesses.

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Jefferies Financial Group reiterated their hold rating on shares of GSK (LON:GSK  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a GBX 1,575 ($20.03) target price on the stock.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on GSK. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 1,700 ($21.61) price target on shares of GSK in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. Citigroup reiterated a neutral rating and set a GBX 1,700 ($21.61) price target on shares of GSK in a research note on Monday. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of GSK in a research note on Friday, June 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a GBX 2,000 ($25.43) target price on GSK in a research note on Monday, March 6th. Finally, Barclays restated an equal weight rating and issued a GBX 1,450 ($18.44) target price on shares of GSK in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, GSK currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of GBX 1,590 ($20.22).

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GSK Stock Up 0.0 %

GSK stock opened at GBX 1,402.40 ($17.83) on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 184.80, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.95. The company has a market capitalization of 57.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,230.18, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.31. GSK has a fifty-two week low of GBX 1,280.92 ($16.29) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 2,280.50 ($29.00). The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 1,414.47 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 1,433.51.

GSK Increases Dividend

Insider Activity

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 13th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 18th will be given a dividend of GBX 14 ($0.18) per share. This represents a dividend yield of 0.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 18th. This is an increase from GSKs previous dividend of $13.75. GSKs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 4,912.28%.

In other GSK news, insider Iain Mackay purchased 200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 18th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 1,493 ($18.98) per share, for a total transaction of 2,986 ($3,796.57). In other news, insider Jonathan Symonds acquired 6,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 23rd. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 1,440 ($18.31) per share, with a total value of 86,400 ($109,853.78). Also, insider Iain Mackay acquired 200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 18th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 1,493 ($18.98) per share, for a total transaction of 2,986 ($3,796.57). In the last 90 days, insiders acquired 6,218 shares of company stock worth $8,964,106. 1.75% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

GSK Company Profile

(Free Report)

GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development and manufacture of vaccines and specialty medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare.

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Mister Car Wash, Inc. (NYSE:MCW  Free Report) COO Mayra Idali Chimienti sold 1,696 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.46, for a total transaction of $14,348.16. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 266,078 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,251,019.88. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

Mayra Idali Chimienti also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Wednesday, June 14th, Mayra Idali Chimienti sold 125,000 shares of Mister Car Wash stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.82, for a total transaction of $1,102,500.00.

On Friday, June 2nd, Mayra Idali Chimienti sold 276 shares of Mister Car Wash stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.40, for a total transaction of $2,318.40.

Mister Car Wash Stock Performance

MCW traded up $0.05 on Wednesday, hitting $8.65. 1,120,262 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,288,257. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $8.68 and a two-hundred day moving average of $9.06. Mister Car Wash, Inc. has a twelve month low of $7.80 and a twelve month high of $12.57. The firm has a market cap of $2.67 billion, a PE ratio of 29.66, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Mister Car Wash ( NYSE:MCW Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The company reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.08 by ($0.02). Mister Car Wash had a net margin of 11.16% and a return on equity of 13.15%. The firm had revenue of $225.96 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $231.61 million. On average, research analysts anticipate that Mister Car Wash, Inc. will post 0.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MCW has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Mister Car Wash from $11.00 to $10.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Mister Car Wash from $11.00 to $10.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Mister Car Wash from $13.00 to $11.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mister Car Wash

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in Mister Car Wash by 25.7% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 22,357 shares of the companys stock worth $331,000 after purchasing an additional 4,571 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in Mister Car Wash by 16.4% in the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 184,107 shares of the companys stock worth $2,723,000 after buying an additional 25,960 shares during the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. grew its position in Mister Car Wash by 19.9% in the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 15,536 shares of the companys stock worth $229,000 after buying an additional 2,583 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in Mister Car Wash in the first quarter worth approximately $165,000. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Mister Car Wash in the first quarter worth approximately $63,000.

Mister Car Wash Company Profile

(Free Report)

Mister Car Wash, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides conveyorized car wash services in the United States. It offers express exterior and interior cleaning services. The company was formerly known as Hotshine Holdings, Inc and changed its name to Mister Car Wash, Inc in March 2021. Mister Car Wash, Inc was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.

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Rogers Communications (NYSE:RCI  Free Report) (TSE:RCI.B) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on RCI. Barclays started coverage on Rogers Communications in a report on Monday, May 8th. They issued an overweight rating for the company. Desjardins downgraded Rogers Communications from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $74.31.

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Rogers Communications Price Performance

RCI stock traded up $0.28 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $45.45. The stock had a trading volume of 397,286 shares, compared to its average volume of 309,111. The companys 50-day moving average price is $46.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $46.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.35, a PEG ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 0.52. Rogers Communications has a twelve month low of $36.23 and a twelve month high of $50.16.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Rogers Communications

Rogers Communications ( NYSE:RCI Free Report ) (TSE:RCI.B) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.78 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $2.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.71 billion. Rogers Communications had a net margin of 11.49% and a return on equity of 19.36%. As a group, research analysts predict that Rogers Communications will post 3.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in Rogers Communications by 129.6% during the 4th quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 675 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 381 shares during the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Rogers Communications during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its position in Rogers Communications by 1,059.4% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 800 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 731 shares during the period. ING Groep NV acquired a new stake in Rogers Communications during the 1st quarter worth approximately $50,000. Finally, CVA Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in Rogers Communications during the 4th quarter worth approximately $52,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 40.77% of the companys stock.

About Rogers Communications

(Free Report)

Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in North America. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device financing, device protection, global voice and data roaming, wireless home phone, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device shipping services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands.

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Advantage Energy (TSE:AAV  Free Report) (NYSE:AAV) had its price objective reduced by stock analysts at National Bank Financial to C$11.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, Stock Target Advisor reports. National Bank Financials price target would suggest a potential upside of 27.31% from the companys current price.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. National Bankshares decreased their price objective on Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$11.00 in a report on Thursday. CIBC decreased their price objective on Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$10.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 14th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$11.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Advantage Energy currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$12.97.

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Advantage Energy Stock Up 2.2 %

Advantage Energy stock traded up C$0.19 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting C$8.64. The company had a trading volume of 478,193 shares, compared to its average volume of 849,679. The stock has a market cap of C$1.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.78, a PEG ratio of -3.58 and a beta of 1.86. Advantage Energy has a 1 year low of C$6.79 and a 1 year high of C$12.19. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.92. The business has a fifty day moving average of C$7.56 and a 200 day moving average of C$8.16.

Advantage Energy Company Profile

Advantage Energy ( TSE:AAV Free Report ) (NYSE:AAV) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported C$0.17 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$0.26 by C($0.09). The firm had revenue of C$128.55 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$156.00 million. Advantage Energy had a net margin of 42.45% and a return on equity of 22.92%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Advantage Energy will post 0.7335766 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

(Free Report)

Advantage Energy Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, exploits, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the Province of Alberta, Canada. The company focuses on the development and production of oil and natural gas resource that includes 228 net sections covering an area of 145,920 net acres of Doig/Montney rights in Glacier, Valhalla, Progress, and Pipestone/Wembley.

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Shares of African Rainbow Minerals Limited (OTCMKTS:AFBOF  Free Report) dropped 7.9% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $10.95 and last traded at $10.95. Approximately 538 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 29% from the average daily volume of 759 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.88.

African Rainbow Minerals Stock Down 4.4 %

The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $12.06.

African Rainbow Minerals Company Profile

(Free Report)

African Rainbow Minerals Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a diversified mining and minerals company in South Africa and Malaysia. It explores for platinum group metals, nickel, coal, iron ore, manganese ore, and chrome ore, as well as gold. The company was founded in 1933 and is based in Sandton, South Africa.

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American Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vanguard Information Technology ETF (NYSEARCA:VGT  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 522 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $201,000.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in VGT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in Vanguard Information Technology ETF by 36.8% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,305,682 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $2,014,099,000 after acquiring an additional 1,696,758 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Information Technology ETF by 73,743.6% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,635,747 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,800,114,000 after buying an additional 5,628,115 shares during the last quarter. UBS Group AG increased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Information Technology ETF by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 1,983,595 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $633,580,000 after buying an additional 90,569 shares during the last quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co increased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Information Technology ETF by 67.4% in the 4th quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 1,178,424 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $376,400,000 after buying an additional 474,296 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vanguard Information Technology ETF by 848.5% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 1,039,711 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $332,094,000 after buying an additional 930,095 shares during the last quarter.

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Vanguard Information Technology ETF Stock Up 0.2 %

Vanguard Information Technology ETF stock opened at $434.94 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $406.47 and its 200-day moving average price is $371.29. Vanguard Information Technology ETF has a twelve month low of $291.61 and a twelve month high of $447.92. The company has a market cap of $53.07 billion, a PE ratio of 24.70 and a beta of 1.16.

Vanguard Information Technology ETF Company Profile

Vanguard Information Technology ETF seeks to track the investment performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index, a benchmark of large-, mid-, and small-cap United States stocks in the information technology sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS).

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Shares of B2Gold Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:BTG  Free Report) (TSE:BTO) have been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the four analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $6.46.

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on BTG shares. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of B2Gold in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. They issued an outperform rating on the stock. National Bank Financial lifted their target price on B2Gold from C$7.25 to C$7.75 in a research note on Friday, May 12th. Scotiabank increased their price target on B2Gold from C$7.50 to C$8.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. StockNews.com upgraded B2Gold from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, TheStreet lowered B2Gold from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Friday, June 16th.

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B2Gold Stock Performance

Shares of BTG stock opened at $3.43 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.72 and a beta of 0.96. B2Gold has a one year low of $2.81 and a one year high of $4.40. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $3.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $3.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.69 and a current ratio of 4.00.

B2Gold Announces Dividend

B2Gold ( NYSEAMERICAN:BTG Free Report ) (TSE:BTO) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The basic materials company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.07 by $0.03. B2Gold had a return on equity of 9.94% and a net margin of 14.02%. The company had revenue of $473.56 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $416.00 million. Equities analysts anticipate that B2Gold will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 27th. Investors of record on Friday, June 16th were paid a dividend of $0.04 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 15th. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.66%. B2Golds dividend payout ratio is presently 64.00%.

Institutional Trading of B2Gold

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BTG. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in B2Gold by 4.6% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,343,623 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $10,757,000 after purchasing an additional 103,507 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of B2Gold by 13.7% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 199,062 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $914,000 after buying an additional 24,045 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in shares of B2Gold by 5.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 577,840 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $2,652,000 after acquiring an additional 30,187 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of B2Gold by 30.3% during the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 39,711 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $181,000 after acquiring an additional 9,229 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC boosted its stake in shares of B2Gold by 52.9% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 26,750 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 9,250 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 44.97% of the companys stock.

B2Gold Company Profile

(Free Report

B2Gold Corp. operates as a gold producer with three operating mines in Mali, the Philippines, and Namibia. It operates the Fekola Mine in Mali, the Masbate Mine in the Philippines, and the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia. The company also has an 25% interest in the Calibre Mining Corp.; and approximately 19% interest in BeMetals Corp.

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Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. (NYSE:BSBR  Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Strong Sell by the three brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $5.00.

Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Banco Santander (Brasil) in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company.

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Banco Santander (Brasil) Stock Performance

BSBR opened at $6.26 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $5.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $5.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Banco Santander has a 52 week low of $4.76 and a 52 week high of $6.59.

Banco Santander (Brasil) Cuts Dividend

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The company also recently disclosed a  dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 26th were paid a $0.0816 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, April 25th. This represents a yield of 4.7%.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Banco Santander (Brasil) in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in Banco Santander (Brasil) by 12,833.3% in the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 7,760 shares of the banks stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 7,700 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander (Brasil) during the 4th quarter valued at $64,000. AlphaQ Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander (Brasil) during the 4th quarter valued at $64,000. Finally, Eqis Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander (Brasil) during the 1st quarter valued at $93,000. 14.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Banco Santander (Brasil) Company Profile

(Free Report

Banco Santander (Brasil) SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services to individuals, small and medium enterprises, and corporate customers in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through, Commercial Banking and Global Wholesale Banking segments. It offers deposits and other bank funding instruments; debit and credit cards; digital prepaid solutions; payment platform; loyalty programs; employee benefit vouchers; payroll loans; digital lending and online debt renegotiation platform; mortgages; home equity financing products; consumer credit; and local loans, commercial and trade finance, guarantees, structured loans, and cash management and funding solutions, as well as on-lending transfer services.

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Shares of Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RKT  Free Report) have received an average rating of Reduce from the ten research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have issued a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $7.85.

RKT has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Rocket Companies from $7.00 to $8.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Rocket Companies from $8.00 to $9.00 in a research note on Friday, May 5th. Argus raised shares of Rocket Companies from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, May 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Rocket Companies from $8.00 to $9.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their target price on shares of Rocket Companies from $7.50 to $8.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th.

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Rocket Companies Price Performance

NYSE:RKT opened at $9.40 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $18.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -39.14 and a beta of 2.09. The company has a current ratio of 12.65, a quick ratio of 12.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The companys 50-day moving average is $8.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $8.53. Rocket Companies has a 12-month low of $5.97 and a 12-month high of $11.38.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rocket Companies

Rocket Companies ( NYSE:RKT Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported ($0.18) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.12) by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $666.07 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $754.56 million. Rocket Companies had a negative net margin of 0.67% and a negative return on equity of 8.63%. Research analysts expect that Rocket Companies will post -0.17 EPS for the current year.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of RKT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Rocket Companies by 8.3% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 92,184 shares of the companys stock worth $1,025,000 after acquiring an additional 7,048 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Rocket Companies by 32.1% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 16,693 shares of the companys stock valued at $186,000 after buying an additional 4,056 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of Rocket Companies by 9.2% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 737,843 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,205,000 after buying an additional 61,950 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE boosted its stake in shares of Rocket Companies by 341.4% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 4,414 shares of the companys stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 3,414 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp purchased a new position in shares of Rocket Companies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $52,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 4.41% of the companys stock.

About Rocket Companies

(Free Report

Rocket Companies, Inc, a fintech holding company, provides mortgage lending, title and settlement services, and other financial technology services in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, Direct to Consumer and Partner Network. The company's solutions include Rocket Mortgage, a mortgage lender; Amrock that provides title insurance, property valuation, and settlement services; Rocket Homes, a home search platform and real estate agent referral network, which offers technology-enabled services to support the home buying and selling experience; Rocket Auto, a virtual marketplace where consumers can shop and compare vehicles of many makes and models from a wide network of dealers; and Rocket Loans, an online-based personal loans business.

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Shares of Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE:SQSP  Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of Hold by the sixteen analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $32.00.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Squarespace from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 10th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price objective on Squarespace from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 10th. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Squarespace in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. They issued a neutral rating and a $34.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America boosted their price target on Squarespace from $32.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 8th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Squarespace from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 10th.

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Squarespace Stock Performance

Squarespace stock opened at $29.91 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.04 billion, a P/E ratio of -24.92, a P/E/G ratio of 8.05 and a beta of 0.32. The companys fifty day moving average price is $29.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $26.73. Squarespace has a 1 year low of $16.86 and a 1 year high of $34.38.

Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other Squarespace news, General Counsel Courtenay Oconnor sold 2,091 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.55, for a total transaction of $63,880.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 38,216 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,167,498.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . In related news, insider Paul Gubbay sold 10,124 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.21, for a total transaction of $305,846.04. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 25,239 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $762,470.19. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, General Counsel Courtenay Oconnor sold 2,091 shares of Squarespace stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.55, for a total value of $63,880.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 38,216 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,167,498.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 134,247 shares of company stock valued at $4,211,797. 47.14% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Squarespace by 438.4% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,169,388 shares of the companys stock valued at $100,691,000 after buying an additional 2,580,712 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Squarespace by 56.3% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,645,279 shares of the companys stock worth $93,392,000 after purchasing an additional 1,313,755 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP acquired a new position in Squarespace during the 3rd quarter worth $23,478,000. Two Sigma Advisers LP increased its holdings in Squarespace by 1,608.1% during the 1st quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 526,100 shares of the companys stock worth $16,714,000 after purchasing an additional 495,300 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp raised its position in Squarespace by 390.4% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 579,029 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,113,000 after purchasing an additional 460,967 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.38% of the companys stock.

About Squarespace

(Free Report

Squarespace, Inc operates platform for businesses and independent creators to build online presence, grow their brands, and manage their businesses across the internet. Its suite of integrated products enables users to manage their projects and businesses through websites, domains, e-commerce, marketing tools, scheduling, and hospitality services, as well as tools for managing a social media presence.

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China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:CIHKY  Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 16,700 shares, a growth of 882.4% from the May 31st total of 1,700 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 116,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of China Merchants Bank from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd.

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China Merchants Bank Price Performance

Shares of CIHKY stock traded down $0.01 on Thursday, reaching $23.01. 27,789 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 55,405. China Merchants Bank has a 1 year low of $16.04 and a 1 year high of $33.99. The company has a market cap of $116.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.87 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.86. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $24.17 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.63.

China Merchants Bank Increases Dividend

China Merchants Bank ( OTCMKTS:CIHKY Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The company reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. China Merchants Bank had a net margin of 30.19% and a return on equity of 15.25%. The company had revenue of $12.09 billion during the quarter. Equities research analysts forecast that China Merchants Bank will post 4.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 23rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, July 5th will be paid a dividend of $1.0495 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 3rd. This is a boost from China Merchants Banks previous dividend of $0.98. China Merchants Banks dividend payout ratio is currently 24.74%.

About China Merchants Bank

(Free Report)

China Merchants Bank Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services. It operates through Wholesale Finance Business, Retail Finance Business, and Other Business segments. The company offers current, demand, time, call, savings, notice, and renminbi accounts. Its loan products include personal commercial real estate, consumption, housing, and car loans; loans to finance for studying abroad; micro-business loans; mortgage loans for equipment; joint guarantee, special guarantee, and housing mortgage loan; bank acceptance, discount, liquid capital, and fixed asset loans; and loans for vessels.

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CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corp grew its stake in shares of RB Global, Inc. (NYSE:RBA  Free Report) (TSE:RBA) by 19.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 11,443 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 1,883 shares during the period. CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corps holdings in RB Global were worth $644,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Park Avenue Securities LLC raised its position in shares of RB Global by 22.2% during the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 19,909 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,121,000 after buying an additional 3,615 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank acquired a new position in shares of RB Global during the first quarter valued at about $329,000. Xponance Inc. acquired a new position in RB Global in the first quarter worth about $471,000. WoodTrust Financial Corp raised its position in RB Global by 10.3% in the first quarter. WoodTrust Financial Corp now owns 26,700 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,503,000 after purchasing an additional 2,500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AE Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in RB Global in the first quarter worth about $326,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.34% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Robert George Elton acquired 1,471 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $54.15 per share, for a total transaction of $79,654.65. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 1,471 shares in the company, valued at approximately $79,654.65. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other RB Global news, CEO Ann Fandozzi bought 18,522 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 18th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $54.06 per share, with a total value of $1,001,299.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 116,607 shares in the company, valued at $6,303,774.42. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert George Elton bought 1,471 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 18th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $54.15 per share, with a total value of $79,654.65. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,471 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $79,654.65. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have bought 21,993 shares of company stock worth $1,185,754. Company insiders own 4.32% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

RB Global Trading Up 0.5 %

Several research firms recently issued reports on RBA. National Bankshares raised shares of RB Global from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $61.00 price target for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. OTR Global raised shares of RB Global to a positive rating in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of RB Global from $66.00 to $64.00 in a research report on Monday, March 20th. StockNews.com raised shares of RB Global from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, June 9th. Finally, National Bank Financial raised shares of RB Global from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $61.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $61.57.

Shares of NYSE RBA opened at $58.54 on Thursday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $55.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $57.50. RB Global, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $48.72 and a fifty-two week high of $72.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 59.73, a P/E/G ratio of 5.34 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.16.

RB Global (NYSE:RBA  Free Report) (TSE:RBA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 10th. The business services provider reported ($0.28) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.46 by ($0.74). The business had revenue of $512.40 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $427.18 million. RB Global had a net margin of 6.13% and a return on equity of 5.25%. On average, analysts predict that RB Global, Inc. will post 1.53 EPS for the current year.

RB Global Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 30th were issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 26th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.84%. RB Globals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 110.20%.

RB Global Profile

(Free Report)

RB Global, Inc, an omnichannel marketplace, provides insights, services, and transaction solutions for buyers and sellers of commercial assets and vehicles worldwide. Its marketplace brands include Ritchie Bros., an auctioneer of commercial assets and vehicles offering online bidding; IAA, a digital marketplace connecting vehicle buyers and sellers; Rouse Services, which provides asset management, data-driven intelligence, and performance benchmarking system; SmartEquip, a technology platform that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle; Xcira that provides live simulcast auction technologies; and Veritread, an online marketplace for heavy haul transport solution.

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Coerente Capital Management cut its stake in shares of Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report) by 77.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 8,871 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 30,902 shares during the quarter. Shell accounts for about 0.1% of Coerente Capital Managements investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest holding. Coerente Capital Managements holdings in Shell were worth $510,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC purchased a new stake in Shell during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Corrado Advisors LLC bought a new position in Shell during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Concord Wealth Partners bought a new position in Shell during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, Caldwell Sutter Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Shell in the 4th quarter worth $40,000. 8.52% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SHEL has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley raised Shell from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on Shell from $75.00 to $67.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $2,525.14.

Shell Stock Performance

Shares of SHEL stock traded down $0.08 on Thursday, reaching $59.56. The stock had a trading volume of 2,124,135 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,782,341. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $59.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $59.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.47. Shell plc has a 1 year low of $44.90 and a 1 year high of $62.75. The stock has a market cap of $207.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 0.65.

Shell (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The energy company reported $2.78 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.48. Shell had a return on equity of 20.91% and a net margin of 11.20%. The company had revenue of $89.02 billion for the quarter. Equities research analysts expect that Shell plc will post 8.94 EPS for the current year.

Shell Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 19th were paid a dividend of $0.575 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 18th. This represents a $2.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.86%. Shells dividend payout ratio is 19.07%.

About Shell

(Free Report)

Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the United States, and Rest of the Americas. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, and Renewables and Energy Solutions segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market.

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Commerzbank AG (OTCMKTS:CRZBY  Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,800 shares, a drop of 65.7% from the May 31st total of 16,900 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 34,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.2 days.

Commerzbank Price Performance

OTCMKTS:CRZBY opened at $10.75 on Thursday. Commerzbank has a 1-year low of $5.70 and a 1-year high of $12.75. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $10.81 and a two-hundred day moving average of $10.66.

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Commerzbank (OTCMKTS:CRZBY  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $2.86 billion for the quarter.

Commerzbank Announces Dividend

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

The business also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Investors of record on Friday, June 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.1422 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 1st.

Separately, Bank of America lowered Commerzbank from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a report on Friday, May 19th.

Commerzbank Company Profile

(Free Report)

Commerzbank AG provides banking and capital market products and services to private and small business customers, corporate groups, financial service providers, and institutional clients in Germany and internationally. It operates through two segments, Private and Small-Business Customers, and Corporate Clients.

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Connecticut Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE  Free Report) by 1.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,955 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 36 shares during the period. Connecticut Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Deere & Company were worth $807,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Deere & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $252,000. Engineers Gate Manager LP purchased a new stake in Deere & Company in the 3rd quarter worth $374,000. Fenimore Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Deere & Company in the 4th quarter worth $204,000. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. lifted its stake in Deere & Company by 16.1% in the 4th quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. now owns 3,785 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,671,000 after purchasing an additional 526 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Deere & Company by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 143,047 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $59,061,000 after purchasing an additional 10,584 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.33% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Deere & Company

In related news, CEO John C. May II sold 52,967 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $416.02, for a total transaction of $22,035,331.34. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 109,126 shares in the company, valued at $45,398,598.52. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, insider Pentz Markwart Von sold 27,933 shares of Deere & Company stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $381.59, for a total value of $10,658,953.47. Following the sale, the insider now owns 57,115 shares in the company, valued at $21,794,512.85. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO John C. May II sold 52,967 shares of Deere & Company stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $416.02, for a total transaction of $22,035,331.34. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 109,126 shares in the company, valued at approximately $45,398,598.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 88,010 shares of company stock worth $35,230,351 over the last 90 days. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Deere & Company Trading Down 1.0 %

DE has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Deere & Company from $484.00 to $416.00 in a research note on Sunday, May 21st. Daiwa Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Deere & Company in a report on Wednesday, March 29th. They set an outperform rating and a $440.00 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on shares of Deere & Company from $440.00 to $392.00 in a report on Monday, May 22nd. DA Davidson cut their price target on shares of Deere & Company from $520.00 to $492.00 in a report on Monday, May 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Deere & Company from $500.00 to $493.00 in a research note on Monday, May 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $446.64.

NYSE DE opened at $405.33 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $380.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $402.28. The stock has a market cap of $118.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.00 and a beta of 1.03. Deere & Company has a 12-month low of $283.81 and a 12-month high of $448.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.96, a quick ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59.

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 19th. The industrial products company reported $9.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.57 by $1.08. The firm had revenue of $16.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.87 billion. Deere & Company had a net margin of 15.00% and a return on equity of 43.11%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 33.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $6.81 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Deere & Company will post 31.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Deere & Company Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be paid a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.23%. Deere & Companys payout ratio is currently 16.78%.

Deere & Company Profile

(Free Report)

Deere & Company manufactures and distributes various equipment worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Production and Precision Agriculture, Small Agriculture and Turf, Construction and Forestry, and Financial Services. The Production and Precision Agriculture segment provides mid-size tractors, combines, cotton pickers and strippers, sugarcane harvesters, harvesting front-end equipment, sugarcane loaders, pull-behind scrapers, and tillage and seeding equipment, as well as application equipment, including sprayers and nutrient management, and soil preparation machinery for grain growers.

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Richwood Investment Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED  Free Report) by 2.4% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 5,127 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 125 shares during the quarter. Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $490,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ED. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 42,918,192 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,680,664,000 after purchasing an additional 483,980 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,794,426 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $742,409,000 after purchasing an additional 55,756 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 6,182,332 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $589,238,000 after purchasing an additional 56,681 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 89,231.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,145,861 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $395,142,000 after purchasing an additional 4,141,220 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 33.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,128,579 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $393,495,000 after purchasing an additional 1,030,730 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.30% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on ED shares. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research report on Wednesday, June 7th. They issued a sell rating and a $88.00 target price for the company. Argus raised shares of Consolidated Edison from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $104.00 price target for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 22nd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $86.00 to $90.00 in a research note on Monday, May 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $89.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 7th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $90.38.

Consolidated Edison Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:ED traded up $0.12 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $90.23. The stock had a trading volume of 422,095 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,857,119. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.20. The company has a market cap of $31.27 billion, a PE ratio of 12.84, a P/E/G ratio of 9.44 and a beta of 0.38. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a 12-month low of $78.10 and a 12-month high of $102.21. The companys 50 day moving average is $95.19 and its 200-day moving average is $94.88.

Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.62 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $4.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.01 billion. Consolidated Edison had a net margin of 15.56% and a return on equity of 8.36%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.47 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 4.86 EPS for the current year.

Consolidated Edison Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 17th were paid a $0.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 16th. This represents a $3.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.59%. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio is presently 46.15%.

Consolidated Edison Profile

(Free Report)

Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan.

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CP ALL Public Company Limited (OTCMKTS:CVPUF  Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 178,700 shares, a decline of 71.3% from the May 31st total of 622,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently  days.

CP ALL Public Stock Performance

OTCMKTS:CVPUF remained flat at $1.76 during mid-day trading on Thursday. CP ALL Public has a 52-week low of $1.76 and a 52-week high of $1.76. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $2.09 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.07.

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CP ALL Public Company Profile

(Free Report)

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CP ALL Public Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates and franchises convenience stores under the 7-Eleven name to other retailers primarily in Thailand. It operates through three segments: Wholesale Business, Retail Business, and Management of Rental Spaces in Shopping Centers. The Wholesale Business segment engages in import, export, and distribution of frozen and chilled food with delivery services and focuses on selling consumer products, including fresh food, dry food, and consumer products under Makro brand.

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Decibel Cannabis Company Inc. (OTCMKTS:DBCCF  Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,800 shares, a decline of 69.0% from the May 31st total of 5,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 36,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Decibel Cannabis Stock Down 3.2 %

Shares of Decibel Cannabis stock traded down $0.00 on Thursday, reaching $0.10. The companys stock had a trading volume of 84,321 shares, compared to its average volume of 38,273. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $0.10 and a 200-day moving average price of $0.10. Decibel Cannabis has a 52-week low of $0.05 and a 52-week high of $0.14.

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Decibel Cannabis Company Profile

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Decibel Cannabis Company Inc, an integrated cannabis company, engages in the cannabis cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis flower products in Canada. It is also involved in the extraction, processing, and manufacturing vape cartridges and glass tube packaging for pre-rolls. In addition, the company engages in the cannabis retail business through operating operational retail locations in Saskatchewan, as well as an e-commerce cannabis platform throughout the Province of Saskatchewan; and operational retail locations in Alberta.

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Brookstone Capital Management raised its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D  Free Report) by 12.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 262,563 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 28,775 shares during the quarter. Brookstone Capital Managements holdings in Dominion Energy were worth $15,407,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV lifted its holdings in shares of Dominion Energy by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 10,630 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $903,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. Golden State Equity Partners raised its stake in Dominion Energy by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 7,635 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $649,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd raised its stake in Dominion Energy by 49.8% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 394 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in Dominion Energy by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 40,479 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,440,000 after acquiring an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ergoteles LLC raised its stake in Dominion Energy by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Ergoteles LLC now owns 4,719 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $401,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares during the last quarter. 69.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Dominion Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:D opened at $51.66 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $53.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $56.94. The stock has a market cap of $43.18 billion, a PE ratio of 36.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.70 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.75. Dominion Energy, Inc. has a one year low of $48.47 and a one year high of $86.28.

Dominion Energy Announces Dividend

Dominion Energy ( NYSE:D Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The utilities provider reported $0.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.01. Dominion Energy had a return on equity of 12.67% and a net margin of 7.05%. The business had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.46 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 22.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Dominion Energy, Inc. will post 3.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 2nd were issued a dividend of $0.6675 per share. This represents a $2.67 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 1st. Dominion Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 186.71%.

Insider Transactions at Dominion Energy

In related news, COO Diane Leopold sold 6,250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.16, for a total value of $307,250.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 100,115 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,921,653.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have commented on the company. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Dominion Energy from $60.00 to $57.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 7th. Bank of America cut their target price on Dominion Energy from $54.00 to $52.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Dominion Energy from $63.00 to $55.00 in a research note on Friday, June 9th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Dominion Energy from $58.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Dominion Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, May 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $62.55.

About Dominion Energy

(Free Report)

Dominion Energy, Inc engages in the production and distribution of energy. It operates through following business segments: Dominion Energy Virginia, Gas Distribution, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Contracted Assets, and Corporate and Other. The Corporate and Other segment focuses on corporate, service company, non-controlling interest in Dominion privatization, and non-regulated retail energy marketing operations.

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Chicago Capital LLC cut its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 59.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 180,419 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 263,351 shares during the quarter. Chicago Capital LLCs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $14,926,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EW. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Edwards Lifesciences by 1.2% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 50,911,104 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $4,206,785,000 after buying an additional 604,269 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 27.5% during the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 21,874,280 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,632,040,000 after acquiring an additional 4,712,819 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 104,971.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,399,249 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,148,938,000 after acquiring an additional 15,384,593 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its position in Edwards Lifesciences by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 14,341,102 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,069,990,000 after acquiring an additional 115,268 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,136,243 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $903,771,000 after buying an additional 205,714 shares during the last quarter. 79.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Edwards Lifesciences Stock Performance

EW opened at $90.44 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $54.83 billion, a PE ratio of 37.53, a P/E/G ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 3.01, a quick ratio of 2.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1 year low of $67.13 and a 1 year high of $107.92. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $87.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $81.68.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Edwards Lifesciences ( NYSE:EW Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The medical research company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.39 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 25.81% and a net margin of 27.07%. Edwards Lifesciencess quarterly revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on EW shares. UBS Group started coverage on Edwards Lifesciences in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. They set a neutral rating and a $84.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Edwards Lifesciences in a report on Tuesday, May 30th. They issued an overweight rating and a $102.00 target price for the company. Citigroup boosted their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, April 3rd. Barclays boosted their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $94.00 to $102.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $78.00 to $90.00 in a report on Thursday, April 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $90.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Edwards Lifesciences

In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.81, for a total value of $429,050.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 35,056 shares in the company, valued at $3,008,155.36. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Edwards Lifesciences news, VP Catherine M. Szyman sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.81, for a total value of $429,050.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 35,056 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,008,155.36. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 6,725 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.09, for a total value of $558,780.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 62,824 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,220,046.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 201,151 shares of company stock worth $17,523,816 over the last three months. Company insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile

(Free Report)

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease, and critical care and surgical monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of heart valves; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases.

Further Reading

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EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $107.55 and last traded at $107.08, with a volume of 117214 shares. The stock had previously closed at $105.68.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. BTIG Research increased their price objective on EnerSys from $100.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on EnerSys from $110.00 to $119.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on EnerSys in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company.

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EnerSys Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $4.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 2.64 and a quick ratio of 1.53. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $93.24 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $86.05.

EnerSys Dividend Announcement

EnerSys ( NYSE:ENS Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 25th. The industrial products company reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.44. The business had revenue of $990.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $953.05 million. EnerSys had a return on equity of 14.75% and a net margin of 4.74%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.20 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that EnerSys will post 6.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.175 per share. This represents a $0.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 15th. EnerSyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 16.43%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Andrew M. Zogby sold 10,537 shares of EnerSys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.21, for a total transaction of $1,098,060.77. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 20,495 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,135,783.95. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.78% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Retirement Systems of Alabama lifted its position in shares of EnerSys by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 53,815 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,974,000 after acquiring an additional 585 shares during the period. Dakota Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of EnerSys during the 4th quarter worth $201,000. Carmel Capital Management L.L.C. raised its holdings in shares of EnerSys by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Carmel Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 30,575 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,656,000 after buying an additional 1,625 shares in the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of EnerSys during the 4th quarter worth $215,000. Finally, Ceredex Value Advisors LLC increased its holdings in EnerSys by 85.0% in the 4th quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 235,846 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $17,415,000 after purchasing an additional 108,385 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.17% of the companys stock.

EnerSys Company Profile

(Free Report)

EnerSys provides various stored energy solutions for industrial applications worldwide. It operates in three segments: Energy Systems, Motive Power, and Specialty. The company offers uninterruptible power systems applications for computer and computer-controlled systems, as well as telecommunications systems; switchgear and electrical control systems used in industrial facilities and electric utilities, large-scale energy storage, and energy pipelines; integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, renewable, and industrial customers; and thermally managed cabinets and enclosures for electronic equipment and batteries.

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FCF Advisors LLC grew its position in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 56.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,278 shares of the payment services companys stock after acquiring an additional 3,699 shares during the quarter. FCF Advisors LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $1,695,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Sterling Investment Advisors Ltd. grew its holdings in American Express by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Sterling Investment Advisors Ltd. now owns 1,759 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $260,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares in the last quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC grew its holdings in American Express by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 2,178 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $390,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in American Express by 5.4% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 1,220 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $180,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC boosted its holdings in shares of American Express by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 5,566 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,041,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prospera Financial Services Inc boosted its holdings in shares of American Express by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 4,064 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $601,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.84% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on AXP. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of American Express in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of American Express from $182.00 to $180.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 4th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of American Express from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of American Express from $179.00 to $167.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of American Express from $152.00 to $150.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $174.50.

American Express Stock Performance

AXP traded up $1.70 during trading on Thursday, reaching $171.48. 348,496 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,352,552. American Express has a 1 year low of $130.65 and a 1 year high of $182.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $127.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.18. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $160.79 and its 200-day simple moving average is $161.82.

American Express (NYSE:AXP  Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The payment services company reported $2.40 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.66 by ($0.26). The firm had revenue of $14.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.02 billion. American Express had a net margin of 13.00% and a return on equity of 29.44%. American Expresss revenue for the quarter was up 21.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.73 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that American Express will post 11.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, March 8th that permits the company to buyback 120,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization permits the payment services company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are often an indication that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

American Express Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 6th. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.24%.

About American Express

(Free Report)

American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Global Consumer Services Group, Global Commercial Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. Its products and services include payment and financing products; network services; accounts payable expense management products and services; and travel and lifestyle services.

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FCF Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO  Free Report) by 15.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 765 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the quarter. AutoZone comprises 1.0% of FCF Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. FCF Advisors LLCs holdings in AutoZone were worth $1,880,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. J2 Capital Management Inc boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 4.5% in the first quarter. J2 Capital Management Inc now owns 163 shares of the companys stock worth $401,000 after acquiring an additional 7 shares in the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 5.9% in the first quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 1,156 shares of the companys stock worth $2,842,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. MCF Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 600.0% in the first quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 14 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. HM Payson & Co. boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 41.7% in the first quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 10,739 shares of the companys stock worth $26,399,000 after acquiring an additional 3,159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 15.5% in the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 35,329 shares of the companys stock worth $86,844,000 after acquiring an additional 4,742 shares in the last quarter. 98.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on AZO shares. Bank of America raised AutoZone from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and upped their price target for the company from $2,120.00 to $2,465.00 in a report on Thursday, June 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on AutoZone from $2,750.00 to $2,975.00 in a report on Friday, May 12th. Raymond James upped their price target on AutoZone from $2,650.00 to $2,850.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Truist Financial upped their price target on AutoZone from $2,878.00 to $2,886.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on AutoZone from $2,725.00 to $2,800.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoZone currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $2,716.00.

Insider Transactions at AutoZone

AutoZone Stock Up 0.6 %

In other news, VP Dennis W. Leriche sold 1,420 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,573.04, for a total value of $3,653,716.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 379 shares of the companys stock, valued at $975,182.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . In related news, VP Grant E. Mcgee sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,446.48, for a total transaction of $4,892,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 248 shares of the companys stock, valued at $606,727.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link . Also, VP Dennis W. Leriche sold 1,420 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,573.04, for a total value of $3,653,716.80. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 379 shares of the companys stock, valued at $975,182.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 5,240 shares of company stock valued at $13,125,472 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 2.59% of the companys stock.

AZO traded up $13.99 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $2,451.62. The company had a trading volume of 9,462 shares, compared to its average volume of 168,284. The business has a 50-day moving average of $2,542.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $2,486.48. The company has a market cap of $44.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.68. AutoZone, Inc. has a 1 year low of $2,050.21 and a 1 year high of $2,750.00.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 23rd. The company reported $34.12 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $30.84 by $3.28. The business had revenue of $4.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.12 billion. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 62.38% and a net margin of 14.45%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $29.03 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that AutoZone, Inc. will post 130.36 EPS for the current year.

AutoZone Profile

(Free Report)

AutoZone, Inc retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs.

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First Horizon (NYSE:FHN  Free Report) had its target price boosted by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $13.00 to $13.50 in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s price objective points to a potential upside of 18.11% from the companys previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on FHN. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of First Horizon in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of First Horizon from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $25.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 24th. StockNews.com cut shares of First Horizon from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, May 13th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of First Horizon from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 24th. Finally, SpectralCast restated a downgrade rating on shares of First Horizon in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $19.13.

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First Horizon Stock Up 2.5 %

Shares of NYSE:FHN traded up $0.28 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $11.43. 1,707,312 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,260,438. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $12.29 and a 200-day moving average price of $18.65. The company has a market cap of $6.15 billion, a PE ratio of 7.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.89. First Horizon has a 12 month low of $8.99 and a 12 month high of $24.92.

Insider Transactions at First Horizon

First Horizon ( NYSE:FHN Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.46 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $863.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $871.36 million. First Horizon had a return on equity of 13.53% and a net margin of 24.76%. The companys revenue was up 22.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.38 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that First Horizon will post 1.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In related news, Director Colin V. Reed purchased 25,138 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 4th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $9.96 per share, with a total value of $250,374.48. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 187,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,862,788.92. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other First Horizon news, Director William H. Fenstermaker bought 10,000 shares of First Horizon stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were bought at an average price of $11.62 per share, with a total value of $116,200.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 256,312 shares in the company, valued at $2,978,345.44. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Colin V. Reed bought 25,138 shares of First Horizon stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 4th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $9.96 per share, for a total transaction of $250,374.48. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 187,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,862,788.92. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have purchased 42,036 shares of company stock valued at $436,725 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.55% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Horizon

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FHN. McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in First Horizon during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. BOKF NA purchased a new stake in shares of First Horizon in the 1st quarter worth about $30,000. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Horizon in the 1st quarter worth about $34,000. FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Horizon in the 4th quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Horizon in the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.79% of the companys stock.

About First Horizon

(Free Report)

First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments.

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Shares of Graco Inc. (NYSE:GGG  Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the four brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $82.33.

A number of research firms have recently commented on GGG. William Blair reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Graco in a report on Monday, June 5th. DA Davidson raised their price objective on shares of Graco from $70.00 to $75.00 in a report on Thursday, April 27th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Graco from $75.00 to $83.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Graco in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating for the company. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Graco from $82.00 to $89.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th.

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Graco Price Performance

Shares of Graco stock opened at $84.71 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 3.38 and a quick ratio of 2.07. Graco has a fifty-two week low of $56.76 and a fifty-two week high of $86.30. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $79.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $72.73. The company has a market cap of $14.26 billion, a PE ratio of 29.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.80.

Graco Announces Dividend

Graco ( NYSE:GGG Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The industrial products company reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $529.65 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $501.87 million. Graco had a net margin of 22.44% and a return on equity of 26.12%. The businesss revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.57 EPS. Analysts expect that Graco will post 3.06 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, July 17th will be given a dividend of $0.235 per share. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 14th. Gracos dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 33.10%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Graco news, insider Claudio Merengo sold 21,793 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.32, for a total value of $1,750,413.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 18,286 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,468,731.52. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Graco news, insider Claudio Merengo sold 21,793 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.32, for a total value of $1,750,413.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 18,286 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,468,731.52. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Timothy R. White sold 2,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.77, for a total transaction of $228,879.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 50,782 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,304,790.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 67,358 shares of company stock worth $5,367,802 in the last quarter. 2.98% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Graco

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Graco by 0.7% during the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 177,706 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $12,974,000 after buying an additional 1,200 shares during the last quarter. Toroso Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Graco by 16.0% during the first quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 53,562 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,911,000 after buying an additional 7,372 shares during the last quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Graco during the first quarter worth approximately $772,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of Graco by 48.9% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 580,852 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $42,407,000 after buying an additional 190,670 shares during the last quarter. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Graco by 23.8% during the first quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 3,793 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $277,000 after buying an additional 730 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.47% of the companys stock.

Graco Company Profile

(Free Report

Graco Inc designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment used to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray fluid and powder materials worldwide. The company's Industrial segment offers proportioning systems to spray polyurethane foam and polyurea coatings; equipment that pumps, meters, mixes and dispenses sealant, adhesive, and composite materials; and gel-coat equipment, chop and wet-out systems, resin transfer molding systems and applicators, and precision dispensing solutions.

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Humm Group Limited (ASX:HUM  Free Report) insider Andrew Abercrombie purchased 207,933 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 22nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of A$0.42 ($0.28) per share, for a total transaction of A$88,163.59 ($58,775.73).

Andrew Abercrombie also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Thursday, June 15th, Andrew Abercrombie bought 59,539 shares of Humm Group stock. The shares were acquired at an average price of A$0.42 ($0.28) per share, for a total transaction of A$24,768.22 ($16,512.15).

On Wednesday, May 24th, Andrew Abercrombie bought 475,000 shares of Humm Group stock. The stock was acquired at an average price of A$0.42 ($0.28) per share, with a total value of A$199,975.00 ($133,316.67).

On Wednesday, May 17th, Andrew Abercrombie acquired 213,367 shares of Humm Group stock. The stock was bought at an average price of A$0.43 ($0.29) per share, with a total value of A$91,747.81 ($61,165.21).

On Monday, May 15th, Andrew Abercrombie purchased 591,311 shares of Humm Group stock. The stock was bought at an average price of A$0.44 ($0.30) per share, with a total value of A$262,542.08 ($175,028.06).

On Thursday, May 11th, Andrew Abercrombie bought 217,751 shares of Humm Group stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of A$0.42 ($0.28) per share, with a total value of A$90,802.17 ($60,534.78).

On Tuesday, April 11th, Andrew Abercrombie 2,632,829 shares of Humm Group stock.

Humm Group Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 550.54, a quick ratio of 4.11 and a current ratio of 65.86.

Humm Group Company Profile

Humm Group Limited provides various financial services in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The company operates through four segments: BNPL, New Zealand Cards, Australia Cards, and Commercial and Leasing. It offers buy now, pay later solution under the bundll brand name; humm, an interest-free payment platform with repayment options; long term interest free finance and everyday spend solutions under the humm90 brand; humm pro, a buy now pay later solution for small to medium businesses; Q Mastercard, an interest free credit card; FlexiCommercial, a business financing solution, which includes leasing and chattel mortgages for small and medium businesses; and leasing solutions and SME financing services.

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Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:IMPUY  Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,900 shares, a decrease of 66.9% from the May 31st total of 11,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 194,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Impala Platinum Trading Down 2.3 %

OTCMKTS:IMPUY traded down $0.16 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $6.77. The stock had a trading volume of 73,362 shares, compared to its average volume of 107,184. The businesss 50 day moving average is $8.72 and its 200 day moving average is $10.12. Impala Platinum has a fifty-two week low of $6.62 and a fifty-two week high of $14.06.

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Impala Platinum Company Profile

(Free Report)

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Impala Platinum Holdings Limited engages in the mining, processing, refining, and marketing platinum group metals (PGMs). The company produces platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, and by-products. It has operations on the PGM-bearing ore bodies, including the Bushveld Complex located in South Africa; and the Great Dyke situated in Zimbabwe.

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Leo Lithium Limited (ASX:LLL  Free Report) insider Brendan Borg sold 2,100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of A$1.06 ($0.71), for a total transaction of A$2,226,000.00 ($1,484,000.00).

Leo Lithium Stock Performance

Leo Lithium Company Profile

(Free Report)

Leo Lithium Limited engages in exploration and mining activities in Mali. Its project include the Goulamina lithium project that covers 100 square kilometres land holding in the Bougouni Region of southern Mali. The company was incorporated in 2019 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

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Intrinsic Value Partners LLC lowered its stake in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 2.8% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 17,505 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 495 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company makes up about 0.9% of Intrinsic Value Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Intrinsic Value Partners LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $654,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Silicon Valley Capital Partners purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. US Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Studio Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 494.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 2,754 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 2,291 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Activest Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.11% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance

Shares of WFC stock opened at $40.62 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The company has a market capitalization of $152.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.64, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.12. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $40.45 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $41.88. Wells Fargo & Company has a one year low of $35.25 and a one year high of $48.84.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 14th. The financial services provider reported $1.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.15 by $0.08. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 15.93% and a return on equity of 10.07%. The firm had revenue of $20.73 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.06 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.88 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 4.69 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 5th were paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 4th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.95%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 34.38%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently issued reports on WFC shares. VNET Group restated a reiterates rating on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Wednesday, June 14th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, April 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $49.00 to $45.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $46.00 to $49.00 in a report on Friday, April 14th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $48.71.

Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile

(Free Report)

Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management.

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Wolff Wiese Magana LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (BATS:IEFA  Free Report) by 1.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 18,169 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 258 shares during the period. Wolff Wiese Magana LLCs holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $1,215,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 15.8% in the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,293,965 shares of the companys stock worth $86,502,000 after purchasing an additional 176,238 shares in the last quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 10.4% in the 1st quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC now owns 10,292 shares of the companys stock valued at $688,000 after purchasing an additional 973 shares during the period. Riversedge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 62.5% during the first quarter. Riversedge Advisors LLC now owns 223,842 shares of the companys stock worth $14,964,000 after buying an additional 86,064 shares in the last quarter. New Hampshire Trust grew its position in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 2.8% during the first quarter. New Hampshire Trust now owns 16,647 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,113,000 after buying an additional 450 shares during the period. Finally, Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF by 13.4% in the first quarter. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,220 shares of the companys stock valued at $616,000 after buying an additional 1,087 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF Stock Performance

Shares of iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF stock opened at $66.84 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $67.85 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.18. iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF has a fifty-two week low of $56.55 and a fifty-two week high of $70.84. The company has a market cap of $96.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.29 and a beta of 0.87.

About iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

The iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI EAFE IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed-market stocks in Europe, Australasia and the Far East, and excludes North America IEFA was launched on Oct 18, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF (NYSEARCA:IBDO  Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $25.29 and last traded at $25.28, with a volume of 138292 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $25.28.

iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF Stock Performance

The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.14.

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Institutional Trading of iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IBDO. Ten Capital Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky acquired a new position in iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. Parallel Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF by 99.3% in the 4th quarter. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,493 shares of the companys stock worth $87,000 after acquiring an additional 1,740 shares during the period. Finally, Horan Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $132,000.

iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF Company Profile

The iShares iBonds Dec 2023 Term Corporate ETF (IBDO) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a Bloomberg global index of USD denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds maturing between Dec 31, 2022 and Jan 1, 2024. IBDO was launched on Mar 12, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Keudell Morrison Wealth Management increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) by 19.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,853 shares of the natural resource companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,095 shares during the quarter. Keudell Morrison Wealth Managements holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $280,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of FCX. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in Freeport-McMoRan during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Freeport-McMoRan during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. M&R Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 61.0% during the 4th quarter. M&R Capital Management Inc. now owns 805 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 48.8% during the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 872 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.35% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Freeport-McMoRan

In other news, Director Sara Grootwassink Lewis acquired 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $34.90 per share, for a total transaction of $139,600.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 17,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $621,220. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.78% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Freeport-McMoRan Price Performance

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $35.00 to $38.50 in a research note on Wednesday, June 21st. Raymond James decreased their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $48.00 to $47.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Sunday, April 23rd. StockNews.com lowered shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, June 9th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $24.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, April 21st. Finally, Scotiabank raised shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $41.00 to $50.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $39.13.

Shares of NYSE:FCX opened at $39.22 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average is $37.21 and its 200 day moving average is $39.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a current ratio of 2.79. The company has a market capitalization of $56.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.91 and a beta of 2.00. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $24.80 and a fifty-two week high of $46.73.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 21st. The natural resource company reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.47 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $5.39 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.25 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 12.07% and a return on equity of 11.07%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 18.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.07 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Freeport-McMoRan Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Investors of record on Friday, July 14th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.53%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. Freeport-McMoRans dividend payout ratio is currently 16.76%.

Freeport-McMoRan Company Profile

(Free Report)

Freeport-McMoRan Inc engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals, as well as oil and gas. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Tyrone and Chino in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile.

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LaFleur & Godfrey LLC cut its position in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 8.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 28,260 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 2,695 shares during the period. LaFleur & Godfrey LLCs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $3,239,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EOG. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in EOG Resources by 16.0% during the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,031 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $1,911,000 after buying an additional 2,213 shares during the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. bought a new position in EOG Resources during the first quarter valued at approximately $404,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of EOG Resources in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $278,000. Zions Bancorporation N.A. lifted its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 237.7% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,155 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $138,000 after purchasing an additional 813 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 23.7% in the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 662 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. 89.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on EOG. Piper Sandler lowered their price objective on EOG Resources from $170.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 13th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on EOG Resources from $146.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on EOG Resources from $147.00 to $138.00 in a research note on Monday, May 15th. Citigroup decreased their price target on EOG Resources from $160.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Friday, March 17th. Finally, TD Securities decreased their price target on EOG Resources from $150.00 to $145.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, EOG Resources has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $148.17.

EOG Resources Trading Up 2.0 %

Shares of NYSE:EOG opened at $111.19 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 2.17, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company has a market capitalization of $65.03 billion, a PE ratio of 6.95, a P/E/G ratio of 0.34 and a beta of 1.54. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 12-month low of $92.16 and a 12-month high of $150.88. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $112.59 and its 200-day simple moving average is $118.93.

EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The energy exploration company reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.42 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $6.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.28 billion. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 30.34% and a net margin of 33.83%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 51.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.00 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 17th will be given a $0.825 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 14th. This represents a $3.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.97%. EOG Resourcess payout ratio is 20.64%.

Insider Transactions at EOG Resources

In other EOG Resources news, COO Lloyd W. Helms, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of EOG Resources stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.87, for a total transaction of $579,350.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 149,689 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,344,464.43. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock.

EOG Resources Company Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, and natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its principal producing areas are in New Mexico and Texas in the United States; and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

Further Reading

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Shares of Macquarie Group Limited (OTCMKTS:MQBKY  Free Report) crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $121.13 and traded as low as $116.10. Macquarie Group shares last traded at $117.23, with a volume of 18,245 shares.

Macquarie Group Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $118.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $121.10.

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Macquarie Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 14th. Investors of record on Monday, May 22nd will be issued a $3.0126 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 19th. This represents a yield of 4.2%. This is a boost from Macquarie Groups previous dividend of $0.75. Macquarie Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 144.00%.

About Macquarie Group

Macquarie Group Limited provides diversified financial services in Australia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through four segments: Macquarie Asset Management (MAM), Banking and Financial Services (BFS), Commodities and Global Markets (CGM), and Macquarie Capital.

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Marshall Financial Group LLC cut its holdings in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 61.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,156 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 5,023 shares during the period. Marshall Financial Group LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $768,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Red Tortoise LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC purchased a new position in Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter valued at about $45,000. 79.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Illinois Tool Works news, CAO Randall J. Scheuneman sold 5,425 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $239.23, for a total transaction of $1,297,822.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,870 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,121,970.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Illinois Tool Works Stock Down 0.6 %

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. 3M reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $183.00 to $181.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $240.00 to $236.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $205.00 to $203.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $250.00 to $227.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $228.21.

Shares of Illinois Tool Works stock opened at $248.12 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 0.84. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 1 year low of $173.52 and a 1 year high of $253.37. The firms 50-day moving average is $234.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is $232.17. The stock has a market cap of $75.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.81, a PEG ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 1.10.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.23 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.98 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.27% and a return on equity of 92.13%. The companys revenue was up 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.11 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 2.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 29th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is presently 52.40%.

Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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Marshall Financial Group LLC lowered its holdings in Infosys Limited (NYSE:INFY  Free Report) by 13.1% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 49,742 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 7,507 shares during the period. Marshall Financial Group LLCs holdings in Infosys were worth $868,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of INFY. Echo Street Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Infosys by 260.5% during the third quarter. Echo Street Capital Management LLC now owns 137,737 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $2,337,000 after buying an additional 99,534 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG raised its position in shares of Infosys by 4.8% during the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 5,002,596 shares of the technology companys stock worth $90,097,000 after purchasing an additional 228,170 shares during the period. Aviva PLC raised its position in shares of Infosys by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 682,367 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,755,000 after purchasing an additional 6,909 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Infosys by 10.1% during the 4th quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 15,968 shares of the technology companys stock worth $288,000 after purchasing an additional 1,469 shares during the period. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC raised its position in shares of Infosys by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 11,084 shares of the technology companys stock worth $188,000 after purchasing an additional 916 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 12.16% of the companys stock.

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Infosys Stock Up 0.9 %

INFY opened at $15.76 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $65.17 billion, a PE ratio of 22.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.99. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $15.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.08. Infosys Limited has a fifty-two week low of $14.71 and a fifty-two week high of $20.60.

Infosys Increases Dividend

Infosys ( NYSE:INFY Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 13th. The technology company reported $0.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $4.55 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.73 billion. Infosys had a return on equity of 31.78% and a net margin of 16.37%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.18 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Infosys Limited will post 0.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.2134 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. This is a positive change from Infosyss previous semi-annual dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 1st. Infosyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on INFY. Macquarie cut Infosys from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Sunday, April 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Infosys in a research report on Tuesday, May 23rd. They set an underweight rating and a $14.00 price target on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on Infosys in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Infosys from $21.00 to $18.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 14th. Finally, Citigroup lowered Infosys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, April 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $18.57.

Infosys Company Profile

(Free Report)

Infosys Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides consulting, technology, outsourcing, and next-generation digital services in North America, Europe, India, and internationally. It provides application management and application development services, independent validation solutions, product engineering and management, infrastructure management services, traditional enterprise application implementation, support, and integration services.

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MFS High Yield Municipal Trust (NYSE:CMU  Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 39,300 shares, a drop of 65.5% from the May 31st total of 113,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 61,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.6 days.

MFS High Yield Municipal Trust Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:CMU opened at $3.23 on Thursday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $3.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $3.20. MFS High Yield Municipal Trust has a 12-month low of $2.88 and a 12-month high of $3.71.

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MFS High Yield Municipal Trust Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.011 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 13th. This represents a $0.13 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.09%.

Insider Buying and Selling

Institutional Trading of MFS High Yield Municipal Trust

In other news, major shareholder Saba Capital Management, L.P. purchased 12,046 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $3.20 per share, for a total transaction of $38,547.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 2,899,532 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,278,502.40. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Over the last quarter, insiders have acquired 415,508 shares of company stock worth $1,311,506.

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of CMU. Doyle Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of MFS High Yield Municipal Trust in the first quarter worth about $66,000. UBS Group AG lifted its holdings in shares of MFS High Yield Municipal Trust by 5.5% during the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 459,430 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,778,000 after purchasing an additional 24,080 shares during the last quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in MFS High Yield Municipal Trust by 87.7% in the 1st quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC now owns 1,137,238 shares of the companys stock worth $4,401,000 after acquiring an additional 531,223 shares during the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC purchased a new position in MFS High Yield Municipal Trust in the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, Robinson Capital Management LLC grew its position in MFS High Yield Municipal Trust by 2.4% in the 1st quarter. Robinson Capital Management LLC now owns 715,718 shares of the companys stock worth $2,770,000 after purchasing an additional 17,006 shares during the period. 27.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About MFS High Yield Municipal Trust

(Free Report)

MFS High Yield Municipal Trust is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Massachusetts Financial Services Company. The fund invests in fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in tax-exempt bonds and tax-exempt notes. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against Barclays Municipal Bond Index.

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Newton One Investments LLC lifted its position in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO  Free Report) by 4.4% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 121,053 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 5,116 shares during the period. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF comprises about 2.9% of Newton One Investments LLCs holdings, making the stock its 10th biggest holding. Newton One Investments LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $4,891,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 163.2% in the first quarter. Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLC now owns 16,277 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $658,000 after purchasing an additional 10,093 shares during the last quarter. Greenhouse Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF in the 1st quarter worth approximately $206,000. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 173.9% in the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 62,617 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,530,000 after buying an additional 39,753 shares during the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 15.3% during the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 166,387 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $6,722,000 after buying an additional 22,021 shares during the period. Finally, Tanager Wealth Management LLP raised its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 9.0% during the first quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP now owns 300,598 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $12,144,000 after acquiring an additional 24,845 shares in the last quarter.

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Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSEARCA:VWO opened at $40.51 on Thursday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $40.27 and its 200 day simple moving average is $40.41. The stock has a market cap of $72.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.69. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a twelve month low of $34.88 and a twelve month high of $43.22.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Profile

The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries.

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Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR  Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Piper Sandler from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on IIPR. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Innovative Industrial Properties in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Compass Point dropped their price target on shares of Innovative Industrial Properties to $100.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 17th. Finally, Craig Hallum downgraded shares of Innovative Industrial Properties from a buy rating to a hold rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $125.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 10th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $126.50.

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Innovative Industrial Properties Price Performance

NYSE:IIPR traded down $0.35 on Thursday, reaching $74.30. The stock had a trading volume of 244,578 shares, compared to its average volume of 339,742. The company has a market capitalization of $2.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.20 and a beta of 1.59. Innovative Industrial Properties has a 1-year low of $63.36 and a 1-year high of $125.38. The company has a quick ratio of 17.70, a current ratio of 17.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $69.94 and a 200-day moving average price of $82.52.

Institutional Trading of Innovative Industrial Properties

Innovative Industrial Properties ( NYSE:IIPR Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 8th. The company reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.89 by ($0.46). The firm had revenue of $76.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.80 million. Innovative Industrial Properties had a net margin of 55.72% and a return on equity of 8.22%. Research analysts forecast that Innovative Industrial Properties will post 7.98 EPS for the current year.

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of IIPR. Duality Advisers LP acquired a new stake in Innovative Industrial Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $206,000. Psagot Value Holdings Ltd. Israel acquired a new stake in Innovative Industrial Properties in the 1st quarter worth about $55,000. Callan Capital LLC raised its stake in Innovative Industrial Properties by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Callan Capital LLC now owns 44,869 shares of the companys stock worth $3,410,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares in the last quarter. Toroso Investments LLC raised its stake in Innovative Industrial Properties by 77.5% in the 1st quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 6,265 shares of the companys stock worth $476,000 after purchasing an additional 2,735 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. raised its stake in Innovative Industrial Properties by 319.7% in the 1st quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 5,124 shares of the companys stock worth $389,000 after purchasing an additional 3,903 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.95% of the companys stock.

About Innovative Industrial Properties

(Free Report)

Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc is a self-advised Maryland corporation focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of specialized properties leased to experienced, state-licensed operators for their regulated cannabis facilities. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, commencing with the year ended December 31, 2017.

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Randgold Resources Limited (LON:RRS  Free Report)s stock price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 6,546 ($83.23) and traded as high as GBX 6,862 ($87.25). Randgold Resources shares last traded at GBX 6,546 ($83.23), with a volume of 51,000 shares traded.

Randgold Resources Price Performance

The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 6,546 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 6,546.

Randgold Resources Company Profile

(Free Report)

Randgold Resources Limited is engaged in gold mining, exploration and related activities. The Companys activities are focused on West and Central Africa. The Company operates through the gold mining segment. The Company operates various mines, such as Morila, Loulo, Gounkoto, Tongon and Kibali. The Company is exploring in African countries, such as Mali, Senegal, Cote dIvoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

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Covenant Partners LLC lowered its position in shares of Raymond James (NYSE:RJF  Free Report) by 28.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,093 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,029 shares during the quarter. Covenant Partners LLCs holdings in Raymond James were worth $475,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Czech National Bank raised its position in Raymond James by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 22,660 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,421,000 after buying an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System raised its position in Raymond James by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 12,500 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,336,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its position in Raymond James by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 7,497 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $801,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in Raymond James by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 3,419 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $365,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moody National Bank Trust Division raised its position in Raymond James by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 8,555 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $914,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.14% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Raymond James news, COO Jeffrey A. Dowdle sold 5,281 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.36, for a total transaction of $508,877.16. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 48,314 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,655,537.04. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 9.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Raymond James Price Performance

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on RJF shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Raymond James from $121.00 to $114.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on shares of Raymond James from $136.00 to $112.00 in a research note on Monday, June 5th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Raymond James in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of Raymond James from $130.00 to $100.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $116.86.

NYSE RJF traded up $0.88 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $102.86. The companys stock had a trading volume of 354,167 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,454,941. The stock has a market cap of $21.80 billion, a PE ratio of 13.44 and a beta of 1.02. Raymond James has a fifty-two week low of $82.00 and a fifty-two week high of $126.00. The companys 50-day moving average is $92.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $100.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 0.98.

Raymond James (NYSE:RJF  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.17 by ($0.14). Raymond James had a net margin of 14.01% and a return on equity of 18.43%. The business had revenue of $2.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.89 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.55 earnings per share. Raymond Jamess revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Raymond James will post 8.71 EPS for the current year.

Raymond James Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 30th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.63%. Raymond Jamess dividend payout ratio is currently 22.13%.

Raymond James Company Profile

(Free Report)

Raymond James Financial, Inc, a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments.

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Swiss Re (OTCMKTS:SSREF  Free Report) and Reinsurance Group of America (NYSE:RGA  Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability and earnings.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

24.3% of Swiss Re shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 93.6% of Reinsurance Group of America shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.3% of Reinsurance Group of America shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

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Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Swiss Re and Reinsurance Group of America, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Swiss Re 0 0 0 0 N/A Reinsurance Group of America 0 4 5 1 2.70

Valuation and Earnings

Reinsurance Group of America has a consensus price target of $161.55, suggesting a potential upside of 16.30%. Given Reinsurance Group of Americas higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Reinsurance Group of America is more favorable than Swiss Re.

This table compares Swiss Re and Reinsurance Group of Americas top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Swiss Re N/A N/A N/A $11.77 8.31 Reinsurance Group of America $16.26 billion 0.57 $623.00 million $13.85 10.03

Reinsurance Group of America has higher revenue and earnings than Swiss Re. Swiss Re is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Reinsurance Group of America, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Swiss Re pays an annual dividend of $4.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.5%. Reinsurance Group of America pays an annual dividend of $3.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.3%. Swiss Re pays out 37.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Reinsurance Group of America pays out 23.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Reinsurance Group of America has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years.

Profitability

This table compares Swiss Re and Reinsurance Group of Americas net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Swiss Re N/A N/A N/A Reinsurance Group of America 5.66% 23.94% 1.52%

Summary

Reinsurance Group of America beats Swiss Re on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Swiss Re

(Free Report)

Swiss Re AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides wholesale reinsurance, insurance, other insurance-based forms of risk transfer, and other insurance-related services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Property & Casualty Reinsurance, Life & Health Reinsurance, and Corporate Solutions. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance, including property, credit and surety, engineering, aviation, marine, agriculture, retakaful, and facultative reinsurance solutions; and casualty reinsurance, such as liability, motor, worker's compensation, personal accident, management and professional liability, cyber, and facultative reinsurance solutions. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment underwrites life and health insurance products. The Corporate Solutions segment offers standard risk transfer covers and multi-line programs to customized solutions. It serves stock and mutual insurance companies, public sector and governmental entities, mid-sized and large corporations, and individuals. Swiss Re AG was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

About Reinsurance Group of America

(Free Report)

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated engages in reinsurance business. The company offers individual and group life and health insurance products, such as term life, credit life, universal life, whole life, group life and health, joint and last survivor insurance, critical illness, disability, and longevity products; asset-intensive and financial reinsurance products; and other capital motivated solutions. It also provides reinsurance for mortality, morbidity, lapse, and investment-related risk associated with products; and reinsurance for investment-related risks. In addition, the company develops and markets technology solutions; and provides consulting and outsourcing solutions for the insurance and reinsurance industries. It serves life insurance companies in the United States, Latin America, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and the Asia Pacific. Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri.

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Richwood Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA  Free Report) by 1.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 36,518 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 392 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF makes up about 2.6% of Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $2,612,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. VitalStone Financial LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 172.9% during the 4th quarter. Farmers & Merchants Trust Co of Chambersburg PA now owns 464 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the period. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Field & Main Bank raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 189.7% during the 4th quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 504 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares during the period. 78.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF stock traded down $0.15 on Thursday, hitting $71.57. 2,505,081 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,334,883. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $72.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $70.71. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a 12-month low of $54.61 and a 12-month high of $74.05.

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Funds investment objective is to seek investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by MSCI Inc as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance.

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Richwood Investment Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW  Free Report) by 0.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 5,741 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 31 shares during the quarter. ServiceNow comprises 2.7% of Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in ServiceNow were worth $2,668,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in NOW. New Hampshire Trust lifted its position in ServiceNow by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. New Hampshire Trust now owns 599 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $278,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Mirova lifted its position in ServiceNow by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Mirova now owns 2,525 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $980,000 after buying an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont lifted its position in ServiceNow by 16.7% during the 1st quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 175 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $81,000 after buying an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in ServiceNow by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,673 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $650,000 after buying an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP lifted its position in ServiceNow by 7.0% during the 1st quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 415 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $193,000 after buying an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. 86.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Buying and Selling at ServiceNow

In other ServiceNow news, Director Anita M. Sands sold 1,315 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.75, for a total transaction of $604,571.25. Following the transaction, the director now owns 14,443 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,640,169.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, Director Anita M. Sands sold 1,315 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $459.75, for a total transaction of $604,571.25. Following the sale, the director now owns 14,443 shares in the company, valued at $6,640,169.25. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Gina Mastantuono sold 2,147 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total transaction of $1,180,850.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 6,587 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,622,850. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 29,956 shares of company stock valued at $15,088,178 over the last 90 days. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ServiceNow Price Performance

A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $520.00 to $547.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. 22nd Century Group reissued a reiterates rating on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $548.00 to $560.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 17th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $500.00 to $525.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $536.94.

NYSE:NOW traded down $1.06 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $547.61. 323,982 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,623,167. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. ServiceNow, Inc. has a 1 year low of $337.00 and a 1 year high of $576.68. The company has a market cap of $111.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 279.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.73 and a beta of 1.03. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $506.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $458.54.

ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 26th. The information technology services provider reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.37. ServiceNow had a net margin of 5.25% and a return on equity of 10.18%. The business had revenue of $2.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.09 billion. Sell-side analysts forecast that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 3.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ServiceNow Profile

(Free Report)

ServiceNow, Inc provides enterprise cloud computing solutions that defines, structures, consolidates, manages, and automates services for enterprises worldwide. The company operates the Now platform for workflow automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, electronic service catalogs and portals, configuration management systems, data benchmarking, encryption, and collaboration and development tools.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NOW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW  Free Report).

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Rite Aid (NYSE:RAD  Free Report) announced its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.73) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($1.50) by $0.77, MarketWatch Earnings reports. The firm had revenue of $5.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.32 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.60) EPS. Rite Aids revenue was down 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Rite Aid updated its FY24 guidance to ($4.78)-($4.29) EPS and its FY 2024 guidance to -$4.78$4.29 EPS.

Rite Aid Stock Up 1.6 %

NYSE:RAD opened at $1.55 on Friday. Rite Aid has a one year low of $1.52 and a one year high of $11.61. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $1.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $2.80.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

RAD has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Rite Aid in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on Rite Aid from $3.00 to $1.00 in a report on Thursday, April 27th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Rite Aid

About Rite Aid

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in RAD. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in Rite Aid in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Raymond James & Associates purchased a new stake in Rite Aid in the first quarter valued at $100,000. Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new stake in Rite Aid in the fourth quarter valued at $41,000. AXQ Capital LP purchased a new stake in Rite Aid in the fourth quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC purchased a new stake in Rite Aid in the fourth quarter valued at $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.36% of the companys stock.

(Free Report)

Rite Aid Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates a chain of retail drugstores in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Retail Pharmacy and Pharmacy Services. The Retail Pharmacy segment sells prescription drugs and provides various other pharmacy services and an assortment of products comprising over-the-counter medications, health and beauty aids, personal care products, seasonal merchandise, cosmetics, household items, food and beverages, greeting cards, seasonal and seasonal merchandise, pet care, and a variety of other everyday and convenience products, as well as brand and generic prescription drugs; and a private brand product line.

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Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW  Free Report) CEO Sharon Price John sold 37,398 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.26, for a total value of $757,683.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 602,781 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,212,343.06. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Sharon Price John also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, June 23rd, Sharon Price John sold 16,000 shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.25, for a total value of $324,000.00.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Stock Up 2.8 %

Shares of NYSE:BBW traded up $0.58 during trading on Thursday, hitting $21.10. The stock had a trading volume of 202,119 shares, compared to its average volume of 308,368. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. has a 12-month low of $12.47 and a 12-month high of $26.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $306.58 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.29 and a beta of 1.95. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $21.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $22.71.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Build-A-Bear Workshop ( NYSE:BBW Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 25th. The specialty retailer reported $0.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.01 by ($0.03). Build-A-Bear Workshop had a return on equity of 44.90% and a net margin of 10.29%. The firm had revenue of $120.05 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $124.24 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.89 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. will post 3.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Build-A-Bear Workshop in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BBW. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Build-A-Bear Workshop during the first quarter valued at approximately $524,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Build-A-Bear Workshop by 112.3% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 56,485 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $1,313,000 after acquiring an additional 29,882 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC raised its position in Build-A-Bear Workshop by 567.8% during the first quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 6,331 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $147,000 after acquiring an additional 5,383 shares in the last quarter. KB Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in Build-A-Bear Workshop during the first quarter valued at approximately $480,000. Finally, State Street Corp raised its position in Build-A-Bear Workshop by 7.7% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 230,404 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $5,697,000 after acquiring an additional 16,490 shares in the last quarter. 77.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Company Profile

(Free Report)

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc operates as a multi-channel retailer of plush animals and related products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Direct-to-Consumer, Commercial, and International Franchising. Its merchandise comprises various styles of plush products to be stuffed, pre-stuffed plush products, and sounds and scents that can be added to the stuffed animals, as well as range of clothing, shoes and accessories, and other toy and novelty items, including family sleepwear.

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Sterling Investment Counsel LLC decreased its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD  Free Report) by 5.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 3,260 shares of the consumer goods makers stock after selling 185 shares during the period. Sterling Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV were worth $218,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BUD. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 98,375 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $5,909,000 after purchasing an additional 7,887 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 26,865 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $1,614,000 after purchasing an additional 2,028 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 13.2% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 57,729 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $3,468,000 after purchasing an additional 6,742 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 14.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 35,077 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $2,154,000 after purchasing an additional 4,342 shares during the period. Finally, BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 11.8% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 356,048 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $21,384,000 after purchasing an additional 37,476 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.53% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on BUD shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 12th. HSBC lowered shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 10th. Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from $80.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, June 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $65.00.

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Stock Down 1.1 %

BUD stock opened at $55.90 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $97.11 billion, a PE ratio of 15.03, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.24. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV has a 1 year low of $44.51 and a 1 year high of $67.09. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $59.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $60.48.

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD  Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The consumer goods maker reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $14.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.05 billion. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV had a net margin of 12.78% and a return on equity of 15.38%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.67 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV will post 3.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 4th were issued a $0.611 dividend. This represents a yield of 0.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 3rd. This is an increase from Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NVs previous annual dividend of $0.41. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NVs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 16.40%.

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Profile

(Free Report)

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV produces, distributes, markets, and sells beer and beverages. It offers a portfolio of approximately 500 beer brands, which primarily include Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois; Beck's, Hoegaarden, Leffe, and Michelob Ultra; and Aguila, Antarctica, Bud Light, Brahma, Cass, Castle, Castle Lite, Cristal, Harbin, Jupiler, Modelo Especial, Quilmes, Victoria, Sedrin, and Skol brands.

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Tanager Wealth Management LLP raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 57.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,141 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 1,141 shares during the quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLPs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $318,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. JDM Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. 73.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on ABT shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $136.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Citigroup raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. BTIG Research raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $115.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.26.

Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 0.2 %

In related news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total transaction 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website . 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 the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total value of $909,466.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,786,409.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Shares of ABT stock opened at $107.61 on Thursday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $106.99 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.38. Abbott Laboratories has a twelve month low of $93.25 and a twelve month high of $115.69. The company has a market capitalization of $187.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.05. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 22.36% and a net margin of 13.98%. The company had revenue of $9.75 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.64 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.73 EPS. The companys revenue was down 18.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.39 EPS for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, July 14th will be paid a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.90%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.01%.

About Abbott Laboratories

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Altus Wealth Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 4.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 3,973 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 205 shares during the period. Southern makes up 0.2% of Altus Wealth Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Altus Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Southern were worth $276,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its position in Southern by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 13,547 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $920,000 after purchasing an additional 337 shares during the last quarter. CAPROCK Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter worth $228,000. Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter worth $74,000. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 1st quarter worth $76,000. Finally, Metis Global Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 43.7% in the 4th quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 22,620 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,615,000 after acquiring an additional 6,879 shares during the period. 63.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Southern from $73.00 to $69.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Southern in a research note on Wednesday, June 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $80.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $77.00 to $76.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Southern from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Southern from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Southern presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $74.07.

Southern Price Performance

NYSE:SO traded down $0.22 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $69.65. 1,173,249 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,206,363. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.69. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $71.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $69.70. The Southern Company has a 1 year low of $58.85 and a 1 year high of $80.57. The company has a market cap of $75.95 billion, a PE ratio of 22.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.51.

Southern (NYSE:SO  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The utilities provider reported $0.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $6.48 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. Southern had a net margin of 11.53% and a return on equity of 10.78%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.97 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 3.61 EPS for the current year.

Southern Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 15th were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th. This is an increase from Southerns previous quarterly dividend of $0.68. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.02%. Southerns payout ratio is 90.32%.

Insider Transactions at Southern

In related news, EVP Bryan D. Anderson sold 9,491 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.03, for a total value of $712,109.73. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,119 shares in the company, valued at $2,710,008.57. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Bryan D. Anderson sold 9,491 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.03, for a total value of $712,109.73. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,119 shares in the company, valued at $2,710,008.57. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.48, for a total transaction of $357,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 136,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,741,580.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 205,678 shares of company stock worth $14,888,271 over the last ninety days. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Southern Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It operates through three segments: Gas Distribution Operations, Gas Pipeline Investments, and Gas Marketing Services. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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TrueWealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:DGRO  Free Report) by 31.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,568 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,425 shares during the period. TrueWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF were worth $478,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Herold Advisors Inc. increased its position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 1.1% during the 1st quarter. Herold Advisors Inc. now owns 21,406 shares of the companys stock worth $1,070,000 after purchasing an additional 227 shares during the period. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 0.3% in the first quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 144,910 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,244,000 after buying an additional 467 shares in the last quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 8.8% during the first quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC now owns 65,406 shares of the companys stock worth $3,270,000 after acquiring an additional 5,286 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP raised its position in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 104.2% in the first quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 52,932 shares of the companys stock worth $2,646,000 after acquiring an additional 27,006 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Compass Ion Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF by 5.2% in the first quarter. Compass Ion Advisors LLC now owns 876,633 shares of the companys stock valued at $43,823,000 after acquiring an additional 43,162 shares during the period.

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iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSEARCA:DGRO traded up $0.23 on Thursday, reaching $50.90. 128,981 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,922,726. The company has a 50-day moving average of $50.22 and a 200-day moving average of $50.25. The firm has a market cap of $23.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.16 and a beta of 0.89. iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has a 1-year low of $43.67 and a 1-year high of $52.97.

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF Profile

The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Morningstar US Dividend Growth index. The fund tracks an index of US stocks that are selected by dividends, dividend growth and payout ratio, then weighted by dividend dollars. DGRO was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Waterfront Wealth Inc. lowered its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP  Free Report) by 2.0% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 11,549 shares of the railroad operators stock after selling 238 shares during the period. Waterfront Wealth Inc.s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,324,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Power Corp of Canada purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $40,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Heritage Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 152.5% in the 4th quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC now owns 202 shares of the railroad operators stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Chelsea Counsel Co. purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.04% of the companys stock.

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Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP traded down $0.56 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $202.53. 586,952 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,051,271. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.50, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $123.59 billion, a PE ratio of 17.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 1.10. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $198.62 and its 200-day simple moving average is $201.79. Union Pacific Co. has a 52-week low of $183.69 and a 52-week high of $242.35.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

Union Pacific ( NYSE:UNP Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The railroad operator reported $2.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.57 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $6.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.03 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.91% and a return on equity of 57.75%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.31 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 31st will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.57%. Union Pacifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.94%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

UNP has been the topic of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $191.00 to $184.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 21st. StockNews.com began coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Raymond James raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $225.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Credit Suisse Group cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $237.00 to $235.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Union Pacific from $222.00 to $216.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $217.41.

Union Pacific Profile

(Free Report)

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, and other agricultural users; petroleum, and liquid petroleum gases; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.

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Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR  Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, May 16th, RTT News reports. Investors of record on Monday, July 3rd will be paid a dividend of 0.45 per share by the real estate investment trust on Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.86%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 30th.

Ventas has decreased its dividend by an average of 17.2% per year over the last three years. Ventas has a dividend payout ratio of 750.0% indicating that the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Analysts expect Ventas to earn $3.19 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.80 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 56.4%.

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Ventas Trading Down 0.8 %

NYSE VTR opened at $46.58 on Thursday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $45.63 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $46.58. Ventas has a twelve month low of $35.33 and a twelve month high of $54.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. The company has a market capitalization of $18.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -258.76, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.19.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ventas

Institutional Trading of Ventas

In other Ventas news, Director Walter C. Rakowich sold 1,242 shares of Ventas stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.57, for a total transaction of $52,871.94. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 24,528 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,044,156.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in VTR. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Ventas by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 9,157,232 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $396,158,000 after acquiring an additional 201,327 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Ventas by 25.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,499,776 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $202,715,000 after acquiring an additional 907,148 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Ventas in the 4th quarter worth approximately $185,774,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in Ventas by 3.4% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,993,090 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $246,613,000 after buying an additional 131,839 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in Ventas by 23.8% during the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 3,962,403 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $203,787,000 after buying an additional 761,903 shares during the last quarter. 92.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on VTR shares. Barclays lowered their price target on Ventas from $57.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 25th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Ventas in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. They issued an overweight rating and a $50.00 price objective on the stock. Credit Suisse Group decreased their price objective on Ventas from $51.00 to $50.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Ventas from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Ventas from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 11th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ventas presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $53.55.

Ventas Company Profile

(Free Report)

Ventas Inc, an S&P 500 company, operates at the intersection of two large and dynamic industries healthcare and real estate. Fueled by powerful demographic demand from growth in the aging population, Ventas owns a diversified portfolio of over 1,200 properties in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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Wendell David Associates Inc. cut its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) by 5.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 35,704 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,015 shares during the period. Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $5,682,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Roundview Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 18,803 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,088,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 45.4% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,035,879 shares of the companys stock valued at $559,235,000 after purchasing an additional 1,571,747 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 739,585 shares of the companys stock valued at $82,131,000 after purchasing an additional 6,903 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL raised its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 12.7% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 19,466 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,136,000 after buying an additional 2,194 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 17.5% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 107,175 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,913,000 after buying an additional 15,996 shares in the last quarter. 6.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on NVO. Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock.

Novo Nordisk A/S Trading Down 0.0 %

NYSE:NVO traded down $0.05 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $156.74. The companys stock had a trading volume of 595,502 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,391,658. The firm has a market capitalization of $351.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.26, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.48. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $163.53 and a 200-day simple moving average of $150.34. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 1 year low of $95.02 and a 1 year high of $172.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.86.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $1.27 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.27. The company had revenue of $7.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.86 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 32.53% and a return on equity of 77.39%. Research analysts expect that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 5.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

(Free Report)

Novo Nordisk A/S, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity care, and Rare Disease. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products in the areas of insulins, GLP-1 and related delivery systems, oral antidiabetic products, obesity, glucagon, needles, and other chronic diseases.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit violence-hit Manipur on June 29 and 30 (PTI)

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit violence-hit Manipur on June 29 and 30, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said.

Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and meet people displaced by the ethnic clashes and also interact with representatives of civil society in Imphal and Churachandpur during the visit, Venugopal said.

Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organized by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

"Rahul Gandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit. Manipur has been burning for nearly two months and desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate," said KC Venugopal in a tweet.

Meanwhile, former Manipur CM and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh appealed to the people of Manipur to maintain peace and extend cooperation during Rahul Gandhi's two days visit to Manipur.

"We appeal to the people of Manipur, please maintain peace, calm and extend cooperation during Rahul Gandhi's two-day visit...," he says.

The Congress has been making scathing attacks against the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in Manipur, over their handling of the violence. The party has already demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Notably, the Assam Rifles have evacuated over 50,000 displaced persons from all communities in violence-hit Manipur to date and provided them safe passage, shelter, food, and medicines.

Earlier on June 24, Home Minister Shah assured restoring peace in the state, while the opposition parties questioned PM Narendra Modi's 'silence' on the matter at the all-party meeting on the violence in Manipur.

A meeting was also called by Amit Shah to take stock of the situation in the violence-wracked state. BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and CPI (M) MP John Brittas, among other leaders, were present in the meeting.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. (Image Source: Twitter)

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will leave for Asifabad on Friday to kick off the distribution of podu land pattas to tribals.

Rao was supposed to leave for Karimanagar on Thursday evening by helicopter and stay overnight in Karimnagar before leaving for Asifabad on Friday morning, but bad weather conditions forced the Chief Minister to put off the plan.

Distribution of podu land pattas has been a long-pending demand of tribals who have been cultivating forest lands for generations. They have been demanding ownership of these lands, failing which, they would be left at the mercy of the forest department, with several tussles and killings also being reported over the past few years.

The Chief Minister had promised to resolve this issue during the 2014 and 2018 Assembly polls but it did not materialise so far, due to various reasons.

The Chief Minister also announced to extend Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima benefits to those receiving podu land pattas from the ongoing Vaanakalam season. The aid will be credited to the bank accounts of these beneficiaries soon.
Andhra Pradesh housing minister Jogi Ramesh (Image: Twitter)

Vijayawada: In a strong retort to Telugu Desam state president K. Atchannaidus challenge for an open debate on development, housing minister Jogi Ramesh asked him to have this done in Kuppam, Tekkali, or another place.

Speaking to the media here on Thursday, the minister asked both TD chief Chandrababu Naidu and Atchannaidu whether they knew what were mentioned in their party manifesto from 1995 to 2004 and from 2014 to 2019. He slammed them for removing the manifesto from their partys website.

The minister said that in the last four years of their rule, the YSRC had implemented 99 per cent of their poll promises.

Lauding Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for implementing a series of welfare schemes and developmental works, the minister challenged the TD leaders to come with them to ask 44 lakh mothers about the Amma Vodi scheme, 64 lakh aged persons about social security pension, 80 lakh women and farmers on Aasara and Rythu Bharosa and 26 lakh persons about Cheyutha.

He took a dig at Naidu for reneging on his promise to waive off loans to nearly 80 lakh Dwcra women.

Jogi Ramesh said the YSRC had given away 31 lakh house sites in which construction of 21 lakh houses was in progress and flayed Naidu for opting for legal litigation to avoid allocation of house sites and houses to the poor.

He said the government would organise house warming ceremonies in R-5 zone in Amaravati soon despite the ruckus the TD was creating over the construction of nearly 50,000 houses there for the benefit of the poor.

In a separate development, water resources minister Ambati Rambabu lashed out at Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan for targeting Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and other YSRC leaders. He flayed both Pawan Kalyan and TD chief Chandrababu Naidu for not having any house in AP and, instead, staying in guest houses. "After the elections, Pawan Kalyan would go back to his home in Hyderabad," he said.

The housing minister also flayed Kanna Lakshminarayana and asked him to accept three challenges, by saying who killed Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga, who tried to kill him and whether he would sail with Naidu or switch his loyalty to some other party.
File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: With the state Assembly polls approaching and the country heading for a general election in 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be going in for a Cabinet reshuffle. Soon. Speculation is rife that top leaders of the BJP, such as home minister Amit Shah, BJP president J.P. Nadda and general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, were at the Prime Ministers residence late on Wednesday night to discuss a Cabinet rejig and possible organisational changes. All eyes, within and outside the BJP, are on the Prime Minister as he gets ready to chair a meeting of the full council of ministers on Monday, July 3.

The meeting at the PMs residence also reportedly discussed the possibility of implementing the contentious Uniform Civil Code before the general election. It may be recalled that while addressing a rally at Madhya Pradesh recently, the PM made a strong pitch for the UCC. Incidentally, Uttarakhand, the "Dev Bhoomi" (land of God), is expec-ted to implement the UCC in July. The meeting also went through the feedback received from across the Lok Sabha constituencies.

There are whispers in saffron circles that states which could be looked into for representation in Mr Modis Cabinet may include West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and those in the Hindi heartland. A senior BJP leader felt that there "is a strong possibility of Kerala superstar Suresh Gopi being inducted in the Cabinet". It was learnt that some senior ministers could be shifted to the organisation for party and election-related work.

The BJP is also expected to make changes in the state units of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Speculation is rife that the state governments in Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh and Pushkar Dhami-led Uttarkhand could also go in for a reshuffle. The meeting also ytalked about the BJPs political situation in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

On implementation of the UCC, the BJP will be training its leaders and cadres on how to counter the charges against it with facts. Home minister Amit Shah, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and senior bureaucrats had recently met after the Law Commission had sought fresh suggestions from various stakeholders, including public and religious organisations, on the UCC.
Japan and South Korea agreed on Thursday to revive a $10 billion currency swap deal to strengthen "the regional financial safety net" - a move that comes amid increased geopolitical risks and builds on improving bilateral relations.

The swap deal, which has never been put in action, was first agreed in 2001, designed as a tool to help the two countries cope in the face of a financial crisis. But it was allowed to expire in 2015 amid diplomatic tensions.

"There's increased need to strengthen bilateral ties as global and regional economies face major uncertainty and risks," Masato Kanda, Japan's vice finance minister for international affairs, told reporters.

Also read | S Korean, Japanese leaders meet again to improve ties

He added the currency swap deal was part of their ambition to promote cooperation in a range of areas.

At its peak in 2011, the deal was worth $70 billion.

The revived deal was struck between Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and his South Korean counterpart Choo Kyungho at a meeting in Tokyo on Thursday, marking the first dialogue between finance ministers of the two countries in seven years.

The ministers also discussed the global economy, infrastructure investment and debt problems in developing countries, and the role both countries could play in broader financial cooperation.

The next round of finance talks will be hosted by Seoul in 2024.
Debris and presumed human remains from the Titan submersible have been recovered and returned to land, the US Coast Guard announced Wednesday night, nearly a week after an international search-and-rescue operation ended and the vessels five passengers were presumed dead.

At a Canadian Coast Guard pier in St Johns, Newfoundland, on Wednesday, crews unloaded what appeared to be the Titans 22-foot hull, crinkled and twisted with exposed wires and cables. Images from The Canadian Press showed what looked to be a piece of the hulls siding and other debris being unloaded from the Horizon Arctic, a vessel that had deployed a remotely operated vehicle to search the ocean floor for the submersible.

Also Read  Pieces of shattered Titanic submersible brought ashore in Canada

The debris will be taken to a US port where the Marine Board of Investigation will do further analysis and testing. US medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

In a statement, Pelagic Research Services, which led the deep sea recovery effort, said it had successfully completed offshore operations and was in the process of demobilisation, which marks the end of a mission and a return to the base of operations. The company would not confirm that the debris belonged to the Titan, saying that the investigation was continuing, and referred questions to the Coast Guard.

A crew has been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones, Pelagic Research Services said in its statement.

Why it matters: Debris could lead to clues

J Carl Hartsfield, an underwater vehicle designer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said that recovered debris could contain vital information about what exactly had happened to the Titan. Hartsfield said investigators would be looking for three things: a point of failure of the hull, how pieces of carbon fiber and titanium, the submersibles materials, were connected; and if any electronic data was recoverable.

Also Read  Why the Titanic disaster still enthralls

But it will not be as simple as examining a black box, as investigators do in plane or train crashes. Hartsfield said he believed it was highly unlikely that the submersible had a central data recorder for a disaster. But, he said, data is recorded in different places  hard drives, sonar footage and even possibly cameras  that could help investigators begin to paint a story of what had happened.

The US Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded and has convened a marine board of investigation, the highest level of investigation in the Coast Guard. The board is working closely with other national and international agencies that responded to the event including authorities from Canada, the United Kingdom and France. There is no timeline for the investigation.

Hartsfield, who was consulted during the search but was not part of the recovery efforts, said an investigation could take anywhere from 18 to 24 months.

It seems like a long time, but theres a lot to do, he said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in a statement Wednesday evening that it had inspected, documented and cataloged the wreckage of the Titan and turned it over to the US Coast Guard.

It added that it has finished its preliminary interviews and documents related to the submersibles apparent implosion and that the Polar Princes data recorder, which includes audio from within the bridge of the ship that launched the submersible, was at its laboratory in Ottawa, Ontario, for analysis.

Background: A catastrophic implosion

Almost two weeks ago, five people set off in a submersible vessel to see the remains of the Titanic 12,500 feet under the sea. But not even two hours into the dive, the craft lost communications.

A few days later, debris from the vessel was found on the ocean floor, including the Titans tail cone and other pieces, about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic wreck. The discovery suggested a catastrophic implosion with no survivors, according to the US Coast Guard.

The victims included the founder of the company that operated it, a British business owner and explorer who held several Guinness World Records, a father and son from a prominent Pakistani family, and a French maritime expert.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday the failed mutiny in Russia last weekend had weakened President Vladimir Putin but the implications for his invasion of Ukraine remained unclear.

Speaking in a wide-ranging, hour-long interview with ARD broadcaster, Scholz echoed US President Joe Biden in saying the insurrection by Wagner mercenaries was part of an internal Russian power-struggle and the West was not involved in it.

"I do believe he is weakened as this shows that the autocratic power structures have cracks in them and he is not as firmly in the saddle as he always asserts," Scholz said.

Asked about the impact of the mutiny on the Ukraine war, the German chancellor said the pre-condition for successful peace talks was Russia accepting it needed to withdraw its troops from the country.

"Whether this has become easier or harder through these events is not really clear," he said in the interview recorded on Wednesday afternoon for airing later in the evening.

Scholz said he did not want to participate in speculation about how long Putin would likely remain in office, saying the West's aim in supporting Ukraine was to help it defend itself, not to bring about regime change.

Russian intelligence services were investigating whether Western spy agencies played a role in the aborted mutiny, the TASS news agency quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Monday.

Scholz said he had spoken on Saturday not just with the leaders of the United States, France and Britain but also with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

"We quickly agreed to stay very quiet. We have nothing to do with the conflict in Russia," he said.

Asked if at any point on Saturday he had hoped the mutiny spelled the end of Putin's rule, he said it would have made no sense as it was unclear if what would have come after him would have been better.

Separately, Scholz said he was confident US President Joe Biden would win re-election next year.

"I really do believe that President Biden will be successful in his bid for re-election, because he is not just an experienced politician, but also someone who really works for social cohesion in his own country," Scholz, a Social Democrat, said.

"As such, he wants what is right and is doing what one has to in order to counter Trumpism and other such movements."

Asked if he had any concerns about the health of the 80-year-old Democratic president, he said he perceived no signs Biden would not be able to continue in office.

"He is someone who is fit for his age, also according to his doctors - and this has all been made public - who have no doubt, that he can manage another term," said Scholz.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will address a mega rally on Thursday at Lakhisarai in Munger Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar.

Shah will visit the state for the first time after the June 23 Opposition meeting hosted by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna.

The union home minister is scheduled to arrive at the airport here in the afternoon and will be received by senior BJP leaders, including the party's state president Samrat Choudhary, and union ministers from Bihar.

Also Read  AAP-Congress rivalry upsetting Opposition unity plans

From the airport, the home minister will take a helicopter for Lakhisarai. He will offer prayers at Ashok Dham, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, before addressing a public meeting there," Choudhary told PTI on Wednesday.

Shah last visited the state nearly three months ago.

"All people of the state, particularly those in Munger Lok Sabha constituency under which Lakhisarai falls, are welcome to attend Shah's public meeting where he will expound on the progress made by the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership," Choudhary said.

The Munger Lok Sabha constituency is currently held by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias 'Lalan', the national president of Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which dumped the BJP last year.

Security has been beefed up in the Munger Lok Sabha constituency in view of the union home minister's visit, and drones are being used for aerial surveillance as well, police said.

Shah will leave for New Delhi on Thursday evening.
BJP chief J P Nadda Thursday said agreements on space, FDI and tech support were signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the USA, unlike in the past when PMs used to discuss terrorism during such tours.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Bharatpur, he also targeted the rival parties and claimed that the BJP has eliminated dynastic and vote-bank politics.

"While others have become parties of families, in BJP the party is family," Nadda said.

He said, "Earlier, Indian prime ministers used to discuss terrorism issues during US visits. PM Modi signs agreements on space, FDI, tech support."

Read | In late-night meet, PM Modi huddles with BJP top brass

The BJP national president claimed that now while talking about India, no one refers to Pakistan. "Under PM Modi's leadership, we have achieved the ability to keep the country safe," he said.

Before addressing the rally, Nadda inaugurated the BJP's newly constructed party office in Bharatpur in the presence of former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje and other leaders.

Earlier in the day, leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore, while interacting with reporters in Bharatpur, said, "Uniform civil code is the need of the day. The central leadership will decide on it... There should be one common law for all."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a strong push for a Uniform Civil Code, asking how can the country function with dual laws that govern personal matters, and accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to "mislead and provoke" the Muslim community.
Bengaluru will host the second meeting of Opposition parties around July 13-14 instead of previously-decided Shimla owing to adverse weather conditions in the Himalayan foothills.

This was announced by NCP chief Sharad Pawar at a press conference in Pune on Thursday, saying they have decided to shift the venue because of monsoon conditions.

Sources said the final date as well as whether to hold the meeting for two days would be finalised soon.

Read | Opposition parties didn't meet in Patna for alliance, claims CPI(M) leader Md Salim

While the announcement came as a surprise to some Opposition leaders, sources said a few among them had suggested Jaipur as the alternate venue, as Rajasthan is a poll-bound state where the Congress is in power and a show of strength would have sent a positive message to the voters.

However, it was decided to hold the meeting in Bengaluru after consulting some of the leaders. A senior Opposition leader, who said he was unaware of the change in venue, told DH that if the meeting is happening on June 13-14, then it would be difficult for him to attend as a party meeting is scheduled on that day.

Sources said one of the reasons for shifting from Shimla is that it would be difficult for leaders to reach the city in case there are heavy rains and landslides.

Also, some leaders would be arriving in chartered flights and private jets and it would have been difficult for them to attend the crucial meeting if the weather turned adverse.

At the Patna meeting on June 23, the parties had fixed Shimla as their next destination for a meeting in mid-July and Congress as the host to formulate a common agenda and state-specific plans to unitedly fight the 2024 elections to defeat the BJP.

While 15 parties attended the meeting, it is to be seen whether AAP will be part of the deliberations in Bengaluru as it has warned that it would remain absent if Congress does not announce its stand on the contentious ordinance.

AAP had said that it cannot be part of any alliance with Congress or promise its attendance in the next meeting if it does not publicly announce its support on the contentious Delhi ordinance issue.

More parties will be invited to the Bengaluru meeting than the 15 parties which attended the Patna deliberations. While RLD could not attend the Patna meeting, parties like Forward Bloc, RSP, MDMK, VCK, Muslim League and Kerala Congress (Mani) will be invited to the second meeting.
Offering up the prospect of summering in the cool green monsoon-kissed state to tourists from the scorching sultry deserts of Arab and other Western Asian nations, the Kerala government is readying an aggressive marketing campaign to woo them ahead of summer vacation in the Gulf region that starts next month.

Since Kerala has clocked a record arrival of domestic tourists, it will now aim to steeply raise the footfall of foreign tourists, State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas is quoted as saying in a release issued by his department.

The captivating landscape, the cool monsoon weather and Ayurvedic wellness are the USPs that the tourism department is hoping to cash in on with the foreign tourists from the Gulf.

"This campaign aims to sustain the flow of tourists from the Middle East by providing them a unique experience," Riyas is quoted as having said.

Also Read | 166% rise in foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2023 for January-April period: Tourism Minister

"The aggressive marketing campaign is aimed at wooing travellers to 'Gods Own Country' during July and August when the rainy season makes the states weather pleasant in contrast to the scorching Middle East during the same period.

As such, West Asia is a "highly promising market" for promoting Kerala's monsoon tourism, the tourism department said.

"The campaign is expected to result in an influx of Arab tourists to the captivating landscape of Kerala, where the cool air makes the stay ideal for Ayurveda-based wellness as well," it said in the release.

To make it happen, the government has sanctioned Rs 7 crore to carry out the marketing campaign, which would be primarily focused on airports at Dubai and Doha, it said.

Besides that, monsoon tourism would also be widely advertised across print, radio and visual media in the Gulf, it added.

As a prelude to the campaign, Kerala Tourism had showcased a wide range of its products and themes in Dubai last month during the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market.

It had also conducted road shows in Riyadh, Dammam and Muscat and the early-May events helped to reinforce Kerala's global reputation as a major experiential tourism hub, the release said.

"Kerala Tourism also plans to work out attractive packages for Arab tourists, who often turn up in large groups and spend their vacation in specific destinations. In 2019, around 1.5 lakh tourists from Middle East countries visited the state," the department release said.

Keralas resurgence as a global travel destination in the post-pandemic phase got a massive endorsement when the New York Times and Time Magazine listed the state among the must-visit places in 2023, the release said.
China issues geological disaster alert for rain-hit areas

Xinhua) 11:19, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for possible geological disasters triggered by rain in parts of Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan and Yunnan.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration warned about risks of rain-induced geological disasters in these regions from 8 p.m. Wednesday to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Residents have been advised to take precautions, especially in areas with hidden dangers.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for geological disasters, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
GE is a multi-national conglomerate that was originally incorporated in 1892. The company was founded by Thomas Edison as the Edison General Electric Company and shortened its name to General Electric following a merger with two other early electric pioneers. The name was later shortened again to GE. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts but has operations on a global scale. One of the original 12 Dow stocks, the company was a component of the index for 122 years until its ousting in 2018.

Originally intended to make and market Edisons incandescent lamp and following products, the company grew over the years through mergers, acquisitions, and natural expansion into newly created fields. Among the many early accomplishments is the creation of RCA and NBC which will both become forces of their own. Other major innovations include the worlds first turbine superchargers, industrial gas turbine engines, and the first jet engine. In the field of computing, General Electric Company is credited as being one of the 8 major computer companies of the 1960s and shares responsibility for todays digital world. In regard to its employees, two were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work with the company.

Today GE operates as a high-tech industrial company in Europe, China, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. The company operates through four segments including Power, Renewables, Aerospace, and Healthcare although there are plans in the works to split the company into three separate entities. The three new companies would be GE Vernova (power and renewables), GE Health, and GE Aerospace. The spin-offs are expected to be completed by 2025.

The Power segment offers a variety of turbine engines for power production as well as the full range of services from plant construction to retrofit and refit. The Renewables segment is focused on solutions for renewable energy including wind and hydro and the technology to operate them. The Aviation segment manufactures aircraft engines of all varieties and the Healthcare segment offers technology for imaging, monitoring, diagnostics, and drug discovery to health and medical facilities.

General Electric is committed to helping the world transition to a greener way of life and is exiting the new-build coal-fired power industry. Instead, its advancements in wind, grid efficiency, and natural gas are being deployed around the world helping to reduce emissions and generate cleaner energy for businesses, industry, and communities. The company is targeting 2030 for its own carbon neutrality and 2050 for net zero emissions.
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A Derry school has picked up two top education awards recognising its outstanding commitment to inclusivity and wellbeing.

St Joseph's Boys' School in Creggan won the prestigious National SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) award for 'Most Inclusive Practice Across a School' and the Mental Health in Education 'Pupil Voice' award.

The prizegiving ceremony was part of the Mental Health in Education show held in Peterborough on June 23 and the awards were presented by popular children's author Michael Rosen.

Learning support teacher Paul Quigley, who represented St Joseph's at the event, said winning the award for most inclusive practice, given to the school that best demonstrated a commitment to inclusive practice for all pupils and not just those with additional or SEND needs, was 'very special'.

He said: As a school, we have a very strong awareness of the importance of celebrating diversity and neurodivergent pupils. The teachers here are consistently delivering a 'quality first' approach which caters to pupils of all needs and strives to offer exemplary specialist support.

St Joseph's has introduced a number of innovations designed to help neurodiverse pupils, such as a 'no bell' and 'no loud noises' approach and tailored spaces that include a nurture room, autism-specific classes and a 'lunch bunch' club for pupils who may feel more comfortable in a space with less noise and where they can avail of computers to help build confidence.

An art therapist has been coming in to deliver sessions, while a recent hike to Errigal, consisting of a group of pupils with a range of disabilities including one with partial blindness, proved a great success, literally capturing the spirit of a popular saying at the school which goes, 'There is no mountain too big; you will always climb it'.

Said Paul: What's been really great, too, is how all the boys are totally accepting and understand what this is all about. They're highly aware and look out for these pupils and help guide them around the school.

The second award, for 'Pupil Voice', recognised the school's innovative approach to listening to the voice of all its pupils in its mental health and wellbeing strategy.

Placing the emphasis on the importance of consensus, the school has introduced a number of measures designed to empower the pupils, such as a student leadership team where delegates help shape the school's mission in consultation with the staff.

When she took up her post at the start of the year, said Paul, our new principal, Mrs Ciara Deane, stressed that rapport is an invaluable teaching tool. Connection rather than correction is always emphasised here.

The pupils' ideas are taken seriously and put into action. For example, there was a request for more physical activities so we worked with Creggan Country Park and other external organisations to make more things like happen.

The boys very much feel the vision for the school is all shaped, with the listening ears of teachers and staff offering careful guidance, by their voice. We have had feedback from some pupils this week and they have said they always feel help is readily available to them and that they appreciate the range of activities and learning support tools on offer.

It's just a completely inclusive atmosphere. We have a number of Muslim pupils here and we promote inclusion in that sense, too, and promote the idea that different religions can learn from one another.

We are delighted to have won these awards because they epitomise everything that the school is about.

St. Joseph's Boys' School Year 8 students, from left, Emmett Wilson, Noah Friel and Luca Doran with the Special Needs and Disability Award Most Inclusive Practice Across the School. Included are Fiona Harrigan-Stewart, vice-principal and Liam Quigley, teacher.
Gerry Donnelly is set to walk 65km over four days to raise vital funds in loving memory of his little sister, Eileen Fitzgerald and beloved friend of 37 years, Marie Gormley.

All monies raised from his 40 mile trek are set to be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Gerry has already raised nearly 2,000 with the end goal of raising 6,500- true to the theme of the fundraiser and as he explained, "the magic number."

Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest charities in the UK and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. They also campaign for better cancer care with the goal to reach and improve the lives of everyone who has cancer in the UK.

The Draperstown local said he will walk the full 65km and a couple extra kilometres for good luck.

"It is now or never for my 65th birthday and while I still can," Gerry said "I plan to walk 65km, 1km for each year and a couple extra for luck.

"Eileen and Marie both ran fundraisers for this charity in the past and I feel it would be fitting to do the same in their memory and raise money to help."

The soon to be 65 year old will walk four laps of Lough Fea every day from the 5th of July before completing five laps on the 8th of July- his 65th birthday.

Gerry added: "I would like to thank everyone for supporting my fundraising. It is for such a great cause and the belief and faith you all have in me; I'm truly blown away."

Everyone that sponsors Gerry will also be entered into a prize draw to win a hot air balloon flight based in Draperstown as his good friends have donated the experience.

To sponsor Gerry, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/gerard-donnelly-1683101455404
The North's new non-fatal strangulation law have been welcomed.

Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson (Sinn Fein) said it was "another important step forward in how the criminal justice system, and indeed wider society, tackles the scourge of domestic and sexual abuse, and violence against women and girls".

Ms Ferguson added: "The links between non-fatal strangulation and domestic abuse are well-established. We know that strangulation is used to control and terrify victims, and it can often cause serious physical and psychological injury, including fatal injuries.

"Non-fatal strangulation is widely believed to be a predicator of domestic homicide and it is vital our laws now reflect the seriousness of the offence.

"Strangulation is a vicious and deplorable act and it is right the PSNI now have the tools to prosecute perpetrators effectively.

"The creation of a new offence of non-fatal strangulation is another important step forward in how the criminal justice system, and indeed wider society, tackles the scourge of domestic and sexual abuse, and violence against women and girls.
The decision not to prosecute Soldier B for the murder of Daniel Hegarty (15) has been quashed.

The decision to quash the non prosecution was delivered by Lord Justice Treacy in the Court of Appeal in Belfast this morning.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) now has 28 days to consider its position.

Daniels family have welcomed the Court of Appeals decision and expect the criminal process to continue in Derry.

Daniel Hegarty was one of two people shot dead in Derry during Operation Motorman on July 31, 1972.

Barrister David Heraghty appeared for Margaret Brady, Daniel's sister. He was instructed by Desmond Doherty of Elev8law and led by Michael Mansfield QC.

Counsel for the Public Prosecution Service was Dr Tony McGleenan QC and Mr Mark Mulholland QC appeared for Soldier B, the British soldier who shot Daniel.

Speaking to Derry Now in July 2022, Margaret Brady recalled the soldier who shot Daniel had left him lying in the street.

She said: He stepped over him. He was taken back to Limavady to barracks. He got a sleeping bag and he went in and slept for a couple of hours.

This is a man that murdered a child and he is able to go and grab a sleeping bag and go to sleep for a couple of hours. What kind of human being is he that he could go and do that and my brother lying dead?

He never even assisted Daniel, to see if he was dead or if he needed medical help. He just left him lying dead."
Health and social care workers in the North are paid less than their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland and Britain, according to Maeve O'Neill (People Before Profit).

Ms O'Neill, who is herself a healthcare worker, said: "NHS workers in England, Scotland and Wales, once again earn more than their counterparts in Northern Ireland. Health and social care workers in the Republic of Ireland already get paid significantly more, leaving workers in the North the lowest paid on these islands.

"Pay parity is the most basic demand we should expect, but we actually need and deserve a cost of living pay increase to pay the bills and attract and keep workers in the health and social care service here.

"Workers are being punished for the political failures of Stormont. Our NHS is one of the most valued public services we have, and in order for it to survive, we must looks after the workforce, which begins with paying them properly. It is unacceptable that once again, we are the lowest paid healthcare workers on these islands.

"Workers will not stand by whilst the pay increase we deserve is being held as political leverage. Unions are organising to strike back against this pay injustice."
Israels actions in the West Bank, have been condemned and the International Community has been urged to intervene.

SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, made his remarks following what he described as the "increasing violence and attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities".

Mr Eastwood called for an immediate cessation of acts of aggression and has urged all parties involved to work towards de-escalation and peace.

He added: "Over the past few weeks, horrifying scenes of Israeli settlers attacking Palestinian communities in the West Bank have appeared on social media. People across the world have been shocked by the actions of the Israeli government while the international community looks the other way.

"This year, 37 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, and 24 Israelis have been killed in unacceptable attacks. The world can't simply watch on; the UN and international community must take direct action to address large scale operations by Israeli security forces that have led to more casualties over the last number of weeks.

"The disturbing rise in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is outrageous. Israels government must be held accountable for their actions and there must be through, transparent investigations into acts of violence. The continued demolitions of Palestinian homes, illegal settlement activity, and evictions only intensify the suffering of the Palestinian people.

"I'm urging the international community and the British government to exert their influence on the government of Israel to immediately cease its provocative actions in the West Bank, including settlement expansion and demolitions and to respect international law. This is the only basis for lasting peace."
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Micron signed MoU with Gujarat for India's first private semiconductor manufacturing facility in 3 decades

Days after Narendra Modi's visit to the US, Micron signed an MoU with the government of India's western state Gujarat to set up an ATMP plant, India's first semiconductor manufacturing facility in more than 30 years.

Mint and Reuters reported that Micron and Gujarat government signed an MoU for setting up a US$2.75 billion ATMP facility in Sanand, Ahmedabad. India's central and state governments will provide subsidies of 50% and 20% of the project costs, with the remaining US$8.25 million to be invested by Micron.

According to Micron's statement earlier, the construction of the plant will come in phases, with phase 1, encompassing a planned cleanroom of 500,000 square feet, to become operational by late 2024, and phase 2 of the project will include the construction of a facility in a similar scale to phase 1 to commence operation in the second half of the decade.

Mint quoted Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's union minister of electronics and IT, saying that it typically takes 36-48 months for a chip facility to begin manufacturing, but in India, the first chips are likely to be made in 18 months. According to the report, Micron's facility is expected to bring 5,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs.

The ATMP facility for NAND and DRAM is expected to be India's first semiconductor manufacturing facility in over 30 years. In the 1980s, Semiconductor Complex Limited made chips in India before it was burned down by a fire breakout in 1989. Later, it became a research institute under the Ministry of Electronics and IT of India and could produce chips with 180nm technology nodes.

In mid-2022, Vedanta-Foxconn Semiconductors also signed an MoU with the Gujarat government to set up a wafer fab. NDTV quoted Vaishnaw saying that the reason Micron chose the state to set up the ATMP plant was because of the availability of talent, ultra-pure water, and ultra-stable power.

According to the Gujarat Electronics Policy 2022-2028, the state provides up to 20% of the capital expenditure for companies setting up ESDM (Electronics System Design & Manufacturing) units with a ceiling of INR2 billion, besides other subsidies such as stamp duty, interest assistance, logistics subsidy, and incentive on power tariff and electricity duty.

Gujarat also launched Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-2027, where the state offers fiscal and non-fiscal support, such as 40% of the capital expenditure assistance and one-time reimbursement of 100% of stamp duty and registration fee.

India's memory imports (US$m) Fiscal year Imports Exports Trade balance FY19 1,871.74 12.69 -1,859.05 FY20 1,399.32 6.8 -1,392.52 FY21 913.72 18.56 -895.16 FY22 2,774.67 49.08 -2,725.59 FY23 2,853.86 45.37 -2,808.49 Apr-23 206.92 4.13 -202.79

Source: Department of Commerce of India, June 2023
Ramon.Space attracts funding from Foxconn subsidiary and UMC Capital to provide space-resilient computing

US-based startup Ramon.Space announced today that it has raised US$26 million in funding from Foxconn subsidiary Ingrasys, in addition to the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), an Abu Dhabi-based strategic investment firm. According to a company press release, other funding participants include existing investors of the company, suc as UMC Capital, Grove Ventures, and Deep Insight.

A provider of space-resilient computing infrastructure, Ramon.Space has developed and deployed its software-based computing technology onto satellite computers to store, process and analyze large amounts of data in orbit. Leveraging its in-house radiation-hardened technology to support missions, Ramon.Space's computing platform includes a set of products targeting storage, processing, and communication solutions, namely NuStream, NuPod and NuBox.

The investment from Ingrasys follows the recently announced strategic agreement to manufacture Ramon.Space's computing products globally. The newly secured funding will enable Ramon.Space to grow the organization and continue to commercialize its space-resilient computing platform, reach new markets, and solidify its global presence in response to the surge in demand for advanced computing solutions in space.

"Space-grade computing solutions have become an essential foundation for the evolution of the space economy. The demand from satellite manufacturers, operators and service providers for such solutions is growing, driven by new business models and a goal to maintain agility of services in orbit. This new investment will allow Ramon.Space to scale its organization to meet market needs," said Avi Shabtai, CEO of Ramon.Space. "We are honored to receive a vote of confidence from global leaders as we continue to increase our reach of enabling data-driven insights from space."

"As the world leader in cloud and enterprise computing manufacturing on the Earth, it's a natural step to expand into computing infrastructure in space and we are truly excited to be part of the space industry," said Benjamin Ting, CEO, Ingrasys. "Space computing is the foundation to leverage the infinite potential of space and we recognized that investing and partnering to manufacture Ramon.Space products was the perfect strategic move as they are the leader in this field."

According to Ramon. Space, its technology has already been deployed in space and used in over 50 deep space and satellite missions across the solar system  with zero failures. Ramon.Space has offices in the United States and Israel.
SMIC: industrial and auto sectors not sufficient to support overall industry growth

Leading Chinese foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) held its 2023 annual shareholder meeting on June 28th.

According to SMIC, in the first half of 2023, the overall IC industry in China remained at a low point, with high inventories in the smartphone and consumer electronics supply chains. The demand for existing old products, especially large-volume and low-priced standard products, further declined. In comparison, the industrial and automotive sectors showed relative stability, but their scale was not sufficient enough to support the growth of the entire industry.

Zhao Haijun, Co-CEO of SMIC, stated that based on the company's performance in the first quarter and the performance guidance for the second quarter, SMIC revenue for the first half of 2023 is expected to be around US$3 billion. The company's guidance for full-year 2023 sees a low double-digit year-on-year decline in sales revenue, which also means that the SMIC's estimated sales revenue for 2023 will be around US$6.5 billion, with a gross profit margin of around 20%. Depreciation for the whole year is expected to increase by more than 20% compared to 2022, and capital expenditures are expected to be roughly flat compared to the previous year.

In the face of rapid market changes, SMIC stated that it will make necessary adjustments to the production line to prepare for the next growth cycle.

Answering questions from shareholders at the meeting regarding talent-related issues, SMIC chairman Gao Yonggang pointed out that among the company's current 20,000+ employees, there are over 10,000 engineering talents, making SMIC the domestic semiconductor foundry with the highest accumulation of talents. In addition, as the world's fourth-largest semiconductor foundry, Gao noted that the company's platform and compensation levels are highly competitive in the China's talent market.

"In terms of overall indicators, our talent attrition rate last year was relatively low, and this year should also be in single digits. We allow normal talent flow within the industry, but we can retain key talents, and these people are also willing to strive in SMIC," said Gao.

SMIC revenue analysis by application 1Q22 2Q22 3Q22 4Q22 1Q23 Smartphone 28.7% 25.4% 26.0% 28.6% 23.5% IoT 17.7% 18.1% 20.6% 15.0% 16.6% Consumer Electronics 27.8% 28.6% 25.9% 24.2% 26.7% Others 25.8% 27.9% 27.5% 32.2% 33.2%

Source: SMIC Q1 2023 earnings release
An Tain Arts Centre has been awarded 10,675 in funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Music Capital Scheme, Music Network has today announced.

Established in 2008, the Music Capital Scheme is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and managed by Music Network. The Scheme has enabled many thousands of musicians across Ireland to develop their musical potential and participate in the performance of live music, performing in genres including traditional Irish, classical, folk, jazz, electro-acoustic, rock and pop.

A total of 349,150 in funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has been granted to 76 awardees which will potentially benefit over 5,000 musicians based throughout Ireland.

Commenting on the initiative, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD said:

I would like to sincerely thank Music Network for managing the Music Capital Scheme once again.

This funding allows so many deserving organisations and individuals to receive the support they need to purchase musical instruments and, as a former music teacher, that is such a wonderful thing to be a part of.

Prioritisation was established in the previous round of funding for organisations working with older musicians and musicians with disabilities, and I am very happy to see this priority has been retained.

These organisations include resource organisations and music schools offering inclusive music classes, and choral and instrumental groups with a wide age-range among their membership. The Bluestack Special Needs Foundation and Ceolan Community Group are just 2 of the organisations that received prioritisation on this occasion.

Since its inception 15 years ago, this capital scheme is one of my Departments key funding initiatives and I am so happy that we are once again in a position to financially support the scheme.

Good quality musical instruments are so important to individual musicians and to musical groups, and I have no doubt the benefits of the Musical Capital Scheme funding to the 26 non-professional performing groups and 50 individual musicians based throughout Ireland will be felt for many years to come.

Music Networks CEO Sharon Rollston commented:

Since establishing The Music Capital Scheme together with The Arts Council 15 years ago, we have made 544 awards to individual musicians and organisations, providing access to musical instruments for over 51,000 people.

Our mission is to make high quality live music accessible to communities throughout Ireland, and to support professional musicians to excel in the performance and creation of music.

The number and range of instruments provided through the Music Capital Scheme year-on-year continue to make a significant impact on the quality of, and access to, music making and live music performance across Ireland.

Were very grateful for the continued support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in funding this valuable resource for the music sector.

The Scheme provides funding for the purchase of musical instruments across three categories - Award 1 provides funding to non-professional music and community groups, Award 2 is for established professional musicians while Award 3 supports emerging professional musicians.

In Award 1, funding was awarded across the non-professional music sector, providing a range of community and music groups with financial support.

In total 26 concert/marching/pipe bands, orchestras, samba bands and other music organisations were awarded a total of 175,000 for the purchase of musical instruments across a wide range of genres including Irish Traditional, Classical, Rock, Early Music/Baroque, Popular, Musical Theatre, Jazz and Contemporary.
Louth Senator John McGahon has called for Bus Eireann to allow bus drivers over the age of 70 as the summer season approaches and school transport becomes a pressing concern.

Senator McGahon said that each year, Bus Eireann says they will struggle to find drivers for the number of routes, and yet, they dont allow anyone over the age of 70 to drive.

The Department of Transport should encourage Bus Eireann to reconsider their policy that restricts bus drivers over the age of 70 from working, he continued.

Considering the existing scarcity of bus drivers and its impact on Ireland's transportation network, Senator McGahon believes that age should not be the sole determinant in assessing a driver's capabilities.

Instead, he proposes that factors such as medical assessments, eyesight evaluations, and driving tests should be considered to ensure fairness and safety.

Senator McGahon said: Many drivers over the age of 70 are already working safely on tour buses across Ireland, but they are unable to drive on short school bus routes due to the current age restriction.

As we enter the summer season and face the challenges of school transport, it's essential Bus Eireann reassess its age restriction policy.

"Experienced and safe drivers over 70 should be given equal opportunities based on medical, eyesight, and driving assessments rather than an arbitrary age limit.

It would put hundreds of experienced bus drivers back on our roads.

"We are urging the Department of Transport to engage with Bus Eireann to reconsider this policy for the benefit of both drivers and passengers.

In light of these concerns, Senator McGahon is writing to the Department of Transport to put pressure on Bus Eireann to reevaluate their policy and give capable and safe drivers over the age of 70 an equal opportunity to work as bus drivers.

This policy change would promote inclusivity and ensure that experienced drivers can continue to contribute to the transportation sector while alleviating some of Irelands transport issues concluded Senator McGahon
With a gift to its patrons on this 7-Eleven Day, the multinational convenience store chain 7-Eleven Philippines celebrates another milestone. The brands greatest celebration will take place from July 7 to July 11 during a 24-hour, five-day birthday sale that will feature up to 50% off of more than 300 product categories as well as limited-time discounts on its in-house foods like Crunch Time Chicken, City Cafe, 7-Fresh Siopao, and Big Bite Hotdog.

7-Eleven Day is an additional effort to express gratitude to its consumers who continue to frequent the companys thousands of neighborhood stores, which continue to set the industry standard for store footprint, food innovations, and service improvements. Additionally, 7-Eleven is promoting the holiday this year as a grocery day for the general public, offering significant discounts and bargains on household necessities and cosmetics.

Soft drinks, noodles, sweets, biscuits, chips, bread, and even alcoholic beverages are among the pantry essentials that will be for sale. The five-day event is the ideal opportunity for Filipinos to save money and stock up on personal care items like well-known brands of toothpaste, lotion, and soap because the same discounts and promotions also apply to these brands.

In addition to discounting the pricing of its supermarket items, 7-Eleven is now doing it for its house-made classics. From July 6 to July 11, each order of one-piece Crunch Time Chicken will be discounted by P10; on July 11, small cups of City Cafe and Prima coffee will be discounted by P20; on July 11, all Big Bite Hotdog variations will only cost P23; and on July 11, the various flavors of the 7-Fresh Siopaopancit crab, adobo, asado, and bola-bolawill be discounted by P6.

As it celebrates another year as the preferred convenience store of Filipinos, 7-Eleven pulls out all the brakes to make this sulit sale event feasible, rallying around the idea that consumers deserve this special pleasure.

Visit your neighborhood 7-Eleven location from July 7 to July 11 to take advantage of the sale items. A rigorous quantity restriction for each sale item per customer will be put in place to enable more individuals to benefit from the reductions. Items on sale each day may differ per store. Visit the 7-Eleven website and social media pages for further details and updates.

You may like 7-Eleven Philippines Facebook, follow @711ph on Instagram, and @711philippines on Twitter for more information.
MOST tenants eligible for the newly-introduced rent credit have not taken it up, according to a new survey from Taxback.com.

It found more than 70% of those eligible for the credit have yet to submit a claim.

There were a variety of reasons given for this: 20% say they just have not got around to it; 16% say they do not have the receipts from the landlord that they need to claim; 13% say they are too uncomfortable to ask their landlord for the information they need to submit a claim.

For one in 10, the fact their landlord is not registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) is preventing them from making a claim.

So far, just over 190,000 rent tax credit claims have been made by PAYE taxpayers. However, about 400,000 people are expected to be eligible for the rent credit.

Consumer tax manager with Taxback.com Marian Ryan acknowledges the rent credit is not worth a fortune.

But 500 or 1,000 is a lot of money to leave on the table. It was a laudable move the Government made by introducing it, but for it to work, it definitely needs some tweaking.

The onus cannot be on the shoulders of the tenant to provide such detailed information, and tenants should not be penalised if their landlords are not 100% compliant with private residential regulations.

Were aware of a number of tenants who have hit a wall when they tried to claim the rent credit  simply because their own landlord hasnt registered the tenancy with the RTB. Tenants in such positions have their hands tied.

A landlord who hasnt registered a tenancy with the RTB could be receiving their rent in cash and so there may be no trace of that rent being paid unless a receipt is being provided to the tenant, which may not always be the case.

She points out that given the current housing crisis, all the power resides in the hands of the landlord. If you are a tenant, you dont rock the boat by asking the landlord to do the right thing and register the property.

It is unfair that the tenant is playing the fall guy for a situation that is entirely outside their control.

In order to claim the credit, the tenant has to supply details of the landlords residence status along with the landlords or the property agents tax reference number. While the landlord can choose to supply this information directly to Revenue, if they do not want to do this, the tenant cannot claim.

Ms Ryan concludes, Failure by the Government to address this conundrum  as well as to remove the rule which prevents tenants from claiming the rent credit if their landlord isnt registered with the RTB  will see many people continue to unfairly miss out on the rent credit.

Tax overpaid

We already know that as a nation, we overpay tax. At the end of January, Revenue reported that more than 370,000 tax returns had been processed in respect of PAYE taxpayers who had already filed their return for 2022. Of those, almost 75%, or 275,000, overpaid. Revenue has already refunded these taxpayers to the tune of 193m. Revenues national PAYE manager Aisling Ni Mhaoileoin pointed out when these figures were released in January that the major difference in the 2022 tax year was the introduction of the rent tax credit in the budget.

Unlike usual budget tax credit changes which apply for the following year, this credit applies retrospectively for 2022 and can be claimed on an income tax return for the tax year 2022.

The value of the credit is up to 500 per year for individual taxpayers and up to 1,000 per year for jointly assessed married persons or civil partners.

If you are entitled to this credit but have not yet claimed it, you can now do so in real-time through the Manage Your Tax option in myAccount on the Revenue website.

Ms Ni Mhaoileoin added: All PAYE taxpayers now have access to their preliminary end-of-year statement for 2022 in myAccount. The statement will give them certainty about their pay, tax credits, and overall tax position for the year, allowing them to correct or add to information in their record for the year with Revenue.

The statement is easy to access and readily understandable, and employees are encouraged to review the information contained therein for completeness and accuracy at the earliest opportunity.

Medical expenses

The rent credit is not the only one taxpayers routinely miss out on. Surveys show medical expense tax refunds remain the most common relief claimed in the year.

You generally receive tax relief for health expenses at the standard rate of tax (20%). Nursing home expenses are given at the highest rate (up to 40%). Qualifying expenses include, among other things, doctors and consultants services, maternity care, diagnostic procedures, IVF, non-routine dental work, and those aforementioned nursing home expenses.

The easiest way to claim relief on health expenses is through Revenues myAccount or Ros portals.

You can only claim for expenses that you have receipts for, and only for the last four years. If you have private health insurance, you can claim tax relief on the portion of those expenses not covered by your insurer. For more details, check the revenue site.

Third-level tuition fees

We also know third-level tuition fee payers are missing out on very significant refunds. Tax relief is granted at the standard rate of tax, currently 20%, and there is a limit of 7,000 per course on which you can claim relief.

There is also a disregard amount, which stands at 3,000 for a full-time course and 1,500 for a part-time course. This figure is deducted from your total qualifying fees  but it is only taken away once a year, no matter how many students you are claiming for.

So which courses qualify? The majority of them, it seems. All courses in Ireland that are provided by publicly funded universities, colleges, and institutes of higher education are approved for tax relief. Nor is the relief restricted to Ireland.

Courses provided by publicly funded or accredited universities and institutions in other EU member states are also approved, whether you are studying at a distance or attending in person.

You can choose to claim relief on your tuition fee installments either in the tax year that the academic year began or in the tax year in which you paid the installment. Note too, that while you can claim relief on the student contribution, there are some third-level fees for which you cannot claim. These include capitation fees, registration, and administration fees.

If you have changed job during the year, or if your employment record is punctuated by periods of unemployment, there could well be tax reliefs due to you.

Similarly, if you or your spouse has been made redundant during the tax year, you might not be getting the full benefit of the transferability of allowances. Take the time to sit down and review your affairs and make sure everything is in order and up to date.
Labour Party councillor John Maher has secured cross-party support for a motion he tabled calling on Bus Eireann to come before Cork City Councils Roads and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) to address Cork city bus issues.

The North-East ward councillor said he believes there needs to be more engagement between the bus operator and the council to improve services in the city.

Its simply not good enough that this does not happen on a regular basis considering that we complement each other in seeking what is best for Cork city," he stated.

Ive visited the depot in Capwell, met with senior officials and saw the mayhem in the control room that workers try and navigate daily.

The ordinary workers do an incredible job, day in, day out but our systems and infrastructure leave a lot to be desired.

Our only Park and Ride doesn't open early enough, we have no late-night buses for the Jazz, Christmas, and concerts.

We are the second city, and we need these services," he added.

[It is] interesting to note that we once had these services and when we did, they worked. Yet now they've disappeared."

Mr Maher continued: In my opinion, there isn't enough communication and working together between the local authority and Bus Eireann.

I hope that once this meeting is called, we can talk through the issues and more importantly get solutions to the challenges and improve the bus services for the users and take pressure off staff on the ground."

A spokesperson for Bus Eireann told The Echo it operates Cork city services as part of its direct award contract with the National Transport Authority (NTA).

This contract sets out the level of service Bus Eireann provides and the route, schedule, frequency, fleet and fares are determined by the National Transport Authority, the spokesperson said.

They said Bus Eireann is in continuous engagement with Cork City Council and actively participates in several city council groups, including the Cork Area Strategic Plan Forum and the CASP Transport Committee.

Bus Eireann representatives in Cork are in frequent contact with members of Cork City Council, addressing queries by email, phone and in person.

Councillors are regularly invited to meet local Bus Eireann representatives in Capwell, and Bus Eireann representatives regularly accept invitations to municipal district meetings, they added.
The newly elected Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Kieran McCarthy, has welcomed news that the English Market, has, alongside Cork City Council, launched a campaign to find the markets next new traders.

The announcement of an initiative called Start Your Story, which offers food entrepreneurs the opportunity to start a new business at the world renowned market, came hot on the heels of a call from Cllr McCarthy that the executive of Cork City Council to undertake a more hands-on future-proofing strategy for the market.

Cllr McCarthy had told The Echo on Wednesday morning that during a recent formal visit to the market, several traders had informed him of their concerns about empty stalls lying vacant for too long, the need for repairing the markets roof, and the need for an overall business development plan.

It is an annual tradition for the Lord Mayor to engage with English Market traders in the first few days of office through a meet and greet, he said.

The market is a historic gem down through the ages and dates back to 1788 - just one year after the mayoralty chain was created - and has had many high-end publicity wins and events in recent years. Cllr McCarthy said there had been a number of recent retirements of stallholders, which had left noticeable vacant spaces.

There is a big opportunity to have more foodie start up-stalls. Cork City Council does have a food strategy and through the councils involvement in the local enterprise board it promotes SME development, Cllr McCarthy had said.

New Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, pictured with Helen Morey, A O'Reilly tripe and drisheen, during the Lord Mayor's annual official visit to The English Market, where he met and spoke with traders, tourists and shoppers along the way.Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO

I have made my comments to the councils management team on the market and have asked them to present a strategy for the market at the Councils finance committee. Within two hours of the new Lord Mayors remarks, a press release landed announcing the new Start Your Story campaign.

The English Market is seeking applications and expressions of interest from innovative, artisan and high quality food producers and providers nationwide, the statement read.

Home to many generational family businesses, vacancies at the market are rare, however there are currently four primely placed market stalls available to let to the right candidates.

The letting presents both established and budding food entrepreneurs with the chance to share their passion with the thousands of tourists and locals who shop at the famed food emporium every year.

Brendan Walsh, Property Manager at the English Market said that the campaign represented a unique opportunity to be a part of history and to bring forth a new era of innovative food businesses in the market.

He said all proposals would be welcomed and considered by a specialist panel to ensure new traders selected will be in keeping with the values of the market.

Applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to innovation and sustainable food practices, from low food miles to compostable packaging, will be in strong contention. Responding to the announcement, Cllr McCarthy said that there were massive efforts going on to promote the English Market, and he was delighted to see that there was more joining-of-the-dots thinking going on.

Regular contact between council members, the Lord Mayors office, and the English Market, are clearly paying off, Cllr McCarthy said.

He added, perhaps tongue in cheek, that it showed the benefit of the Lord Mayor being a regular shopper in the English Market.

Full details, terms and conditions and application forms can be found by visiting the English Market website www.corkcity.ie/en/english-market/start-your-story/. Alternatively, business proposals can be shared with Cork City Council at englishmarket@corkcity.ie.
THE coast guard along with their UK counterparts are continuing to search for a missing sailboat which was due to arrive in Baltimore, County Cork six days ago for the Jester Challenge.

The yacht was one of 43 vessels taking part in the Jester Challenge, a non-racing 250-nautical-mile sail from the south west of England to West Cork via the isles of Scilly.

The 25ft yacht 'Minke' set off from Plymouth on Sunday, June 18. Captain Duncan Lougee was the only person aboard the 25ft fiberglass folkboat when it set off. The boat has a white sail and a white hull. Its sail number is FB597.

All of the other boats that had been taking part in the Jester challenge have been accounted for.

A spokesperson for the Jester Challenge stated that Duncan is carrying both an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon) and a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon), neither of which have been activated.

They added that conditions in the Celtic Sea have been generally benign throughout the last week. Hope has not yet lost that after some major setback Duncan is still trying to reach a safe haven. This is a particularly difficult time for Duncans partner Louise, who is showing great fortitude and the thoughts of all the Jester Challengers, past and present are with her.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport told The Echo that the operation is ongoing.

Coast Guard is collaborating with UK MCA in assisting with a request for any sightings or reports of the yacht Minke which was taking part in the Jester Challenge. Coast Guard is making local enquiries and broadcasting marine VHF messages, seeking any reports on sightings of the vessel. There are no reports or information on the vessel being sighted in Irish waters. Operation is ongoing.

The Rhyl Coastguard Rescue Team in Wales also issued an appeal for more information on their social media page.

HM Coastguard has issued regular broadcasts and liaised with the Irish Coastguard, UK police and the RNLI," they said in a statement.
Plans for a new world-class performance and music education facility in Bantry have moved a step closer with the announcement that McCullough Mulvin Architects has been chosen to design the centre.

West Cork Music is a non-profit arts organisation founded in 1995 which presents three international festivals, the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, West Cork Literary Festival and Masters of Tradition.

Renowned for their exceptional quality and idyllic setting, the festivals have grown over more than two decades to become important fixtures in the Irish cultural landscape.

The new venue will provide a world class facility and play a pivotal role in securing a future for music and literature in west Cork, said a spokesperson.

McCullough Mulvin Architects were selected through a public procurement process managed by Andrew P Nugent and Associates over the last year.

The opportunity to work with an arts organisation as celebrated as West Cork Music in developing this important new cultural and civic space in Bantry town is hugely exciting, said Valerie Mulvin, Director, McCullough Mulvin Architects.

We were delighted by the enthusiasm from the design community for this project, said Francis Humphrys, CEO, West Cork Music. The quality of submissions and the teams behind them were extremely impressive.

They confirmed our belief in the need for a purpose-built music centre that will complement the many local spaces our festivals have been privileged to use over the last two decades.

Were thrilled to go on this journey with McCullough Mulvin Architects to bring our dream to life, added Mr Humphrys.

Fianna Fail TD for Cork South West Christopher OSullivan welcomed the news. Fantastic news for Bantry. Another step closer to what will be an amazing addition to West Cork, he said.
Uisce Eireann and Cork County Council have successfully completed repair works and new pumps have been installed following a mechanical failure on Wednesday at a pumping station at Curraleigh Reservoir in Tower.

Following reports of outages yesterday, water services crews were dispatched to resolve the issue and the water utility company said every measure was made to reduce the impact on homes and businesses and restore water supply as quickly as possible.

Impacted areas included Cloughphillip, Kerry Road, Model Village, Dromin Drive and parts of Bawnafinny.

Earlier today water tankers were distributing emergency supplies of water to affected areas in Blarney and Tower.

Uisce Eireanns Pat Britton has thanked the public for their patience while repair works were underway.

We understand how disruptive unplanned outages are for local communities and would like to thank all impacted customers for their patience while crews worked on repairs, he said.

I would also like to thank the water services crews in Cork County Council for their dedication and for working hard to limit the impact on customers and successfully complete the repairs. In addition, thanks to the residents, businesses and elected representatives in the area for sharing our updates and for their patience and understanding as we worked on the repairs.

The company said can take two to three hours following low pressure for normal supply to be fully restored to all areas as water refills the network.

Following this type of work, occasionally issues such as cloudy water (air bubbles), discolouration or internal airlocks may arise.

For advice on how to resolve these issues, please visit www.water.ie/help/supply/after-an-outage/.

The Uisce Eireann care helpline is also open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and members of the public can also contact the company on Twitter @IWCare with any queries.

Uisce Eireann said it regretted any inconvenience caused by this disruption.

Earlier today

Water tankers are distributing emergency supplies of water to parts of Blarney and Tower left without running water following a burst on a high pressure water main from Curraleigh Reservoir early yesterday.

Uisce Eireann said it has arranged that an alternative water supply would be in place from 9am this morning, with water tanker lorries in place at St. Senans Graveyard car park, and supplies would be maintained throughout the day.

The utility company, which changed its name from Irish Water this year, said people were reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tankers and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure as per HSE advice.

Following the burst water main at Curraleigh Reservoir yesterday, dedicated water services crews were dispatched and worked on repairs to reduce the impact on homes and businesses and restore normal water supply, a spokesperson for Uisce Eireann said.

Repairs were completed quickly and reservoirs began to refill, however, a mechanical failure at the pumping station near the cemetery in Tower, is resulting in further outages impacting customers in Cloghphillip, Kerry Road, Model Village, Dromin Drive and parts of Bawnafinny.

Crews are making every effort to reduce the impact on customers and are currently tankering water to the reservoir to increase water levels. Work [continued overnight] to help reservoir levels recover and the network recharge, they said.

Normal water supply had returned to the majority of the area impacted, they added, however, it was taking longer for supply to return fully to some the public, especially those higher ground or at the end of the network.

The company said it was urging homeowners and businesses in Tower and surrounding areas to conserve water.

Pat Britton, of Uisce Eireann, said the company understood how disruptive unplanned outages were and wished to thank impacted the public for their patience while work to restore the water supply as quickly as possible continued.

We are urging customers to continue to conserve water, especially at this time, by not running taps needlessly, taking showers instead of baths and to postpone using dishwashers and washing machines where possible, he said.

Following these types of repair works, the company said, occasionally issues such as cloudy water or air bubbles, discolouration or internal airlocks may arise.

For advice on how to resolve these issues, the company urged people to visit www.water.ie/help/supply/after-an-outage/.

The Uisce Eireann spokesperson added that the company understood the inconvenience caused by unplanned outages and thanked people for their patience.

The Uisce Eireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates please visit the Water Supply Updates section.
A psychiatrists report is to be prepared in advance of sentencing of a climate change protestor who threw soup on a painting in the Crawford art gallery in Cork.

Judge Marian OLeary was told of a prior history of mental health difficulties experienced by Thomas Shinnick.

Inspector Brendan McKenna said the 27-year-old had a number of convictions. As well as facing sentence for causing damage to the painting in the course of his protest, the defendant also pleaded guilty today (June 29) to resisting arrest, refusing to give his name and engaging in threatening behaviour, arising out of an incident where he boarded a Bus Eireann bus at Model Farm Road, Cork, refused to pay the fare and refused to leave the bus.

Insp McKenna said Shinnick narrowly missed punching the garda who responded to a call to the bus on May 3, 2022 and said to the officer, you are lucky I didnt stab you, Ill stab you the next time".

Defence solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher, said the young man was not in any kind of trouble with the courts until the age of 24 when his mental health issues arose. Mr Kelleher said this culminated in him falling out with his family in Buttevant, and sleeping rough on the streets of Cork and with Cork Simon Community.

However, Mr Kelleher said the accused had been doing much better this year, and had been in accommodation in Charleville for the past four months. He said Thomas Shinnick was being supported by his parents who would repay the 450 to the gallery for the damage to the painting, and he said a scheme operated partly under the Simon community was also offering him support. He added the defendant was studying and ultimately hoping to find employment.

Judge OLeary said she would require an updated psychiatrists report and adjourned sentencing on both matters until September 14.

Guilty Plea

Shinnick pleaded guilty earlier in the week to causing criminal damage and being in possession of a screwdriver.

He addressed the court earlier this week and said: I did no damage to the painting which was behind glass. I would never have done it if it wasnt behind glass. I did not kill anyone but climate change will. I recognise that it is a ridiculous action and I am not saying everyone should be throwing soup at paintings. I am not a criminal. I am a scared little kid trying to fight for their future.

Approximately a third of the worlds food is wasted," he added. "That is 1.3 billion tonnes a year. Many people are living off soup kitchens in this country. My choice of vegetable soup from Penny Dinners was intended to be a reference to the current cost of living crisis in Ireland.

The governments Climate Action Plan is murderous, issuing new oil and gas licences. The Climate Action Plan is very aspirational and lacks substance.

The young man then made some personal remarks about himself and concluded by saying: I would describe what I did as disruptive, non-violent direct action.

Thomas Shinnick, who is originally from Kilcolman West, Buttevant, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage to the painting - George Atkinsons Anatomical Study - at the gallery on Emmet Place, Cork. The painting is protected by glazing. The painting was not permanently damaged but the clean-up cost 450.

He also admitted being in possession of a screwdriver on the same occasion without a lawful excuse.
The same shop in Cork city was struck four times in one week by a man who used his Zimmer-frame to carry out his shoplifting crimes.

40-year-old Martin Anderson of St Johns Well, Fairhill, Cork, has been jailed for 10 months for his latest series of thefts.

He stole from Holland & Barrett on Patrick Street, Cork, four times in one week.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the accused went there on May 5 and stole 26 worth of items. Two days later he went back and stole property to the value of 90. He stole even more on May 11 when he put 140 worth of items into the seat of his walking frame, and the following day he did the same  stealing 110 worth of property.

The total of 366 worth of items stolen from this store included cosmetics, vitamin tablets, turmeric oil and Argan oil.

But these were not his only theft offences as he stole dresses from Born in Merchants Quay and clothing from Penneys in Wilton and TK Maxx on Cornmarket Street, as well as 73 worth of items from Phelans Pharmacy on Patrick Street.

Sgt Davis said that when gardai arrested Martin Anderson on May 16, he defecated in the public office of the Bridwell Garda Station.

Anderson pleaded guilty to all of these offences  eight thefts and one count of causing criminal damage.

Judge Kelleher imposed the total of ten months and revoked the suspension on another ten-month sentence. Those sentences will run concurrently.

Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said the accused did not get his first conviction for theft until 2022.

He has a longstanding alcohol difficulty. Approximately three years ago he developed an acquired brain injury directly related to alcohol consumption. He is now walking with the help of a walking aid. He has developed a compulsive type of behaviour as a result of the brain injury."

Judge Kelleher accepted the defendant has a brain injury but he said he was using his walking aid to commit these repeat offences.

The judge said he was being told that the accused was unable to walk or function unaided but he said this ran contrary to what the accused appeared to be able to do when he was shoplifting.

He can be seen concealing goods in his walker. He is  in my view  abusing his position, Judge Kelleher said.
Gardai are asking for the publics assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 60-year-old Mark Atkinson, who was last seen in Carrigaline on Wednesday 1st February 2023.

Mark is described as being approximately five foot nine inches in height with a slim build, brown eyes and short white/grey hair.

Mark has a distinctive Chelsea FC lion tattoo on his left arm above the elbow.

Gardai and Marks family are concerned for his welfare.

Anyone with any information on Marks whereabouts is asked to contact Carrigaline Garda Station on 021 491 9370, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
By Mike Bedigan, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Oscar-nominated Irish actors Paul Mescal and Kerry Condon are among the hundreds of new people invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The organisation announced on Wednesday it had extended membership invitations to 398 individuals who had distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures.

Kerry Condon (Ian West/PA)

Mescals fellow best actor nominee Austin Butler, and best supporting actor winner Ke Huy Quan were also among the actors to be invited.

Quans Everything, Everywhere, All At Once co star Stephanie Hsu was also listed, as were the films directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, and British stars Nicholas Hoult and Lashana Lynch.

US pop superstar Taylor Swift was also listed as being invited, following her work on Where The Crawdads Sing, starring Daisy Edgar Jones, and Cats.

An Irish Goodbye (Ian West/PA)

Tom Berkeley and Ross White, whose short film An Irish Goodbye won the Oscar for best live action short film, were invited in the Short Films and Feature Animation category.

The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership, said Academy president Janet Yang.

They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide.
James Cox

Breaking Bad star Dean Norris is in Dublin and was spotted in iconic fast food restaurant Leo Burdock.

He popped into the takeaway on Tuesday and posed with fans.

A picture on their Facebook account was captioned: "Another legend @deanjnorris dropping into the flagship @leoburdockireland Christchurch."

Norris, 60, starred as Hank Schrader alongside Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman) and Bryan Cranston (Walter White) in the smash-hit Vince Gilligan series.

He isn't the only Breaking Bad star in town, as Giancarlo Esposito is also in Dublin where he is working on a new project.

Esposito played Gus Fring, a ruthless drug lord and fast-food mogul in Breaking Bad.

Esposito visited some of Dublin's top spots, such as the Forty Foot in Dun Laoghaire, where he posed for photos with some "young bucks". He also posted photographs from Trinity College's library and the Apples and Atoms statue outside the Institute of Physics.
Haunting images of undernourished children hit our screens daily, innocent victims of an unjust world of bone-dry rivers and mounting climate challenges.

However, Concerns frontline staff in five of the worlds poorest countries are working on an innovative EU-funded programme to tackle childhood malnutrition and its underlying causes, and so prevent it recurring.

Childhood malnutrition is one of the greatest injustices the world is currently facing, with 45.4 million children under five years of age acutely malnourished in 2020. The scale of malnutrition is shocking and unacceptable, the Global Coordinator of the Enhanced Responses to Nutrition Emergencies (ERNE) programme Aoife Black said. Against this background the EU deserves major credit for funding an innovative response to the issue.

Nyahok Diew with her 10-month-old daughter Nyariek who was treated for malnutrition a health care centre in Unity State, South Sudan, which is supported by Concern as part of the ERNE programme. Photo: Ed Ram/Concern Worldwide

Over the last three years, the programme has helped over 1.2 million people in five of the worlds poorest countries  Ethiopia, Niger, Republic of Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The multi-pronged approach adopted by ERNE combines lifesaving emergency nutrition treatment and prevention and preparedness activities to help make communities more resilient to malnutrition in the longer run.

Were not just putting a band aid on things  we're trying to solve the problem and prevent it from recurring, so that eventually these communities can survive without humanitarian aid and be in charge of their own lives, Aoife explains.

The multi-faceted approach ranges from providing practical and financial support to local health facilities (including training, equipment and renovating clinics), to providing emergency cash payments to vulnerable communities. It also includes training health workers to proactively monitor malnutrition and disease trends to pre-empt spikes in demand for healthcare by providing additional staff or medical supplies in advance.

Aoife Black, Global ERNE Programme Co-ordinator, with Gashaneh Woldie, Concerns Programme Co-ordinator in Ethiopia (foreground) and other members of Concerns Ethiopia ERNE Programme Team meeting women who are part of a Mother to Mother Support Group in the drought-stricken Somali region of Ethiopia. These support groups are a key part of the ERNE programme and help provide much needed training and resources to women to help them ensure their children receive good nutrition in the early years of their lives.

Ive been lucky enough to visit some of the programme areas and witness the incredible field work being done by our staff, Aoife said. One of the villages I visited in Ethiopia had a river running through the middle of it that has completely dried up. No rain has fallen and the community there have endured extreme drought conditions for the past three years.

Their crops have failed, which is especially devastating as a lot of these communities would be highly dependent on pastoralism and raising livestock. They have herds of camels that they are dependent on for both milk and meat. But because those camels now don't have any water to drink, theyre dying in huge numbers. The result is that families simply don't have enough food, leading to high levels of child malnourishment.

The point is hammered home by Concerns use of a Family MUAC  a tape used to measure childrens mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for early detection of malnutrition. Many of the children being supported through the ERNE programme have such tiny arms that they fall into the MUACs red zone  a circumference of less than just eleven centimetres.

Abdiwasa Mahamed Abdi (4) being measured a MUAC band, as he attends a malnutrition screening at Legahida, Ethiopia, with his mother Nimo and his brother Abdirahaman (3). Photo: Conor O'Donovan/Concern Worldwide

Despite the sad circumstances behind its use, the band is a source of optimism for those being treated through the ERNE programme. MUAC is such a powerful tool that enables parents to manage their own childrens health, Aoife explains.

Empowering the local communities in the five countries involved is a key element of the ERNE programme. Whats special about ERNE is that it does so much more than provide life-saving treatment and assistance  because it's a three year programme with such a multi-sectoral approach, we're able to look at some of the underlying root causes of malnutrition."

Education has been one of the key steps in making these communities more self sufficient  specifically, education aimed at challenging existing gender norms.

For many of the communities we work in, gender inequality is quite prevalent. Mothers and fathers might not share the same roles or the same level of responsibility within the household. Fathers would typically be quite hands off in terms of raising children and might not understand exactly how a child needs to be fed, so what we've tried to do with this programme is introduce an element of education for both mothers and fathers. We teach them that the first thousand days of a childs life are the most critical period for their nutrition, as it aids their brain development and sets them up for life. Its why we focus so much on children under five years of age, and why wed recommend breast feeding in the first part of a child's life.

Once both parents are armed with that information, we're seeing many families beginning to change their behaviour. Fathers are taking more responsibility for the child rearing, being more supportive to their wives, and in turn women feel able to speak up more within the home, contribute to decision making, and control resources so as they can feed their families and nourish their children well."

The programme has had to overcome many challenges since it began in 2020. Like everyone, the Concern Worldwide staff were forced to react at lightning speed when the Covid-19 pandemic began that year, and to change their ways of working practically overnight.

For the ERNE programme, which had been nailed down for 2020-2023 specifically under a Pilot Programmatic Partnership between Concern and the EU, the timing was challenging.

Abudayabou Malam Hadabi (35) with four of his children. His youngest child, 13-month-old Mahamadou, was severely acutely malnourished is receiving emergency therapeutic food at a Concern-supported health centre in Kalfou Rahi, Niger. Photo: Darren Vaughan/Concern Worldwide

The context in which we started this programme was incredibly difficult, Aoife reflects. At field level we were suddenly faced with all kinds of lockdowns and restrictions, meaning our staff couldnt get out to work directly with communities. Local staff in health facilities were restricted from doing their jobs and were seeing people who were badly in need of health nutrition treatment.

We found solutions, like everyone, we pivoted and worked really hard to adapt the programme to remote working. We linked in with local governments around their restrictions. At local level we were supplying masks to people so they could visit health facilities and supplying protective clothing to health workers, applying social distancing  all the things we were doing in Ireland, we were facilitating that in these five other countries too.

The pivoting was more than worth it  as the ERNE programme draws to a close this year, it leaves behind a number of huge achievements. Over 100,000 acutely malnourished children have been successfully treated through the programme, while practical and financial support has been provided to 304 health facilities in the five countries involved. In addition, Concern have educated 16,000 mothers and 2,777 fathers about nutrition and good hygiene practices through community support groups.

We hope there will be lasting impact from this programme, but we also know the scale of needs is huge and continues to grow, Aoife says. Were facing very big challenges in terms of climate change, conflict, instability  profound global challenges. So we foresee this type of humanitarian aid will continue to be needed for some time to come, and were currently exploring options to continue the programme into the future.

To find out more about ERNE, and how you can support Concern Worldwide with their future work, visit www.concern.net/knowledge-hub/ERNE
DISHA Bose currently lives outside Cork city, close to the setting of her highly enjoyable new book Dirty Laundry.

This is a delectable story of female rivalry and intrigue, nestled somewhere between Desperate Housewives and Murder She wrote, only set in Cork, like.

When Bose wrote the book, she was actually living in an estate in Ballincollig, and as far as shes concerned, the setting could really be anywhere.

I have travelled a lot in my life. I was born in India but my father was in the air force so we moved all over. I left India when I was 20 myself and travelled to the UK and New Zealand and Ireland.

I spent time examining female behaviour and the power dynamics in female relationships. This is what the book draws upon, and really the themes are universal. The rules of engagement among women are universal.

The three female characters in the book, Ciara, Mishti, and Lauren, are far from likeable yet are absolutely relatable and recognisable. This might have something to do with the fact they are heavily drawn from the authors experience, and also from hours spent scrolling online.

During lockdown, we were horribly isolated, like everyone. We also had a nine-month-old baby and had no family support. I turned to social media for advice and for information. I was met with this glossy version of motherhood. It was totally disconcerting. Everyone else seemed to be getting it right and I was absolutely getting it wrong. Luckily, I was able to channel that feeling, of comparing myself to perfection, into the book.

Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose.

Ciara is Boses insta-perfect character, a woman who spends her days cultivating the perfect image of a life, torturing her frenemies with every update, every message, every glib reminder of her absolute and unparalleled awesomeness.

I derived so much material from the comments section on social media.

There are so many warring camps up there between mothers, whether its to do with breastfeeding or baby slings or sleep training. Women are bombarded with information and that much information carries the threat of misinformation.

All three characters come with a back-story, generously offered by the writer, though not at the expense of the fast-moving romp of a page-turning plot.

My ultimate point is we should remember to be kind to one another. All of the characters in the book are exaggerations of people Ive met in person or online. Whats worth noticing is that even though they are living close-by and are all mothers, their life experiences have been very different. They react differently for this reason.

Mishti, for example is a complete outsider and this affects how she behaves.

Mishti, an Indian woman newly arrived in Ireland, who is in an unhappy arranged marriage, is an important character for Disha Bose, even though she has little in common with her.

I left India young and my parents never pushed me towards marriage. I ended up marrying an Irish man, so in many ways I am nothing like her. But as a reader, I was tired of reading quality commercial fiction and not seeing myself in there. It was really important for me to have a south Asian character.

The men in the novel are less significant than the women says Bose, and for good reason.

They are essential to the plot in that the women dance around them, but I didnt think too deeply about them.

Despite our best efforts, men are still less involved than women in bringing up children.

My husband is a very involved father but he was happy just to go with it when our daughter was born. I was the one going through all the research online. In the past, our mothers and grandmothers relied on books and their midwives. We have social media. I wonder if they had it better.

The quality of Boses writing puts this book above your average light summer read.

The author explains that she studied literature in great depth during her college years, has always been a serious reader of all genres, and recently completed an MA in UCD.

I wanted to write a psychological page-turner with an Indian character I could relate to.

The author has been pleased with positive responses from women and surprisingly, from male readers too.

I knew mothers would relate to this book, that theyd recognise the world of standing outside pre-schools, but I was surprised by how many men enjoyed it too.

Bose finishes our chat with a reference to her new book. She remarks that it is entirely different in both genre and tone: I wrote this book in the height of lockdown. There is a deep loneliness there and a cautionary tale about what a lack of kindness can do. Where I was mentally is absolutely reflected on the page. My latest work, which Im just finishing, is totally different.

Having executed this genre so well, Im keen to read more from this promising Cork-based author.

Disha Bose will appear at 11.30am on July 13 at Bantry Library as part of the West Cork Literary Festival. Dity Laundry is published by Viking.
WAKEFIELD  Fashion industry commentator Ken Pucker  who recently made waves with an article in which he branded the sector's focus on circularity a diversion  is the latest guest on the Big Closets, Small Planet podcast.

Pucker, a professor of the practice at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Massachusetts, and a former COO with Timberland, explained his thinking to host Mike Schragger.

For him, circularity is the latest winwin solution offered by Sustainability Inc  as he dubs the companies, NGOs and consultants engaged on reducing fashions footprint  in an attempt to decouple economic growth from environmental impact.

The full podcast, published in partnership with Ecotextile News, is available below.

Pucker, who explained his theory at length in an article, A Circle That Isnt Easily Squared, in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, surprised Schragger by saying that he did not think that overconsumption was the real driver behind unsustainable practices in the fashion and apparel industry.

It is certainly a vital driver, but I would lift up one level to see what it is that drives overconsumption, he said. And I would start with the system structure rules and incentives that promote overconsumption.

Unfettered capitalism had served humanity well by reducing poverty and increasing life expectancy over the last 50 years, but on the other hand the global population had doubled, production had tripled, and carbon emissions had also soared, he said.

If you go back 50 years, the prevailing wisdom then was that to coexist with nature, business had to be regulated, he argued.

However, the International Chamber of Commerce then successfully sought to promote a different message  one that said development led by business could ensure a sustainable future.

They were supported by well-intentioned academics, consultants, NGOs, executives and investors  Sustainability Inc as Pucker describes them  who had also been advocating for voluntary corporate-led solutions.

Two current examples of that are the ESG movement in the world of finance and the circularity movement in the world of fashion, he said. Circularity, like all winwin solutions, is rooted in hope.

It represents the best answer, I think, to the industrys key sustainability question, which is, how can the fashion industry continue to grow unabated while dealing with hitting the limits of growth or resource limitations?

However, it hasnt yet worked at scale. Notwithstanding all the summits and commitments, consultants, and corporate social responsibility reports, today less than 1% of the fashion industry is made in a fully circular loop. So why is it were putting so much faith in this idea?"

Find out more about the Big Closets, Small Planet podcast series HERE.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act has passed in California. The act is the first legislation in the state to protect a species from climate change. It prohibits any person or public agency from importing, exporting, removing, owning, buying or selling western Joshua trees or any of their parts, and the legislation requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with Indigenous tribes and the public, to establish a conservation plan for the species.

The act passed as part of a budget agreement in California and is expected to be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom this week and take effect as law on July 1.

The California Endangered Species Act is our most important biodiversity protection law, and western Joshua trees clearly qualify as threatened, Brendan Cummings, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. As the first species in the state to be protected because of climate change, they deserve the special measures contained in the new conservation act.

Western Joshua trees are native to California and other southwestern states. In California, they span from the Joshua Tree National Park area to the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains. These outlandish trees are actually monocotyledons, or monocots, a type of grass-like, flowering plant.

But Joshua trees face many threats, including wildfires, habitat loss and climate change. A 2019 study found that in a moderate emissions mitigation scenario, the plants habitat within Joshua Tree National Park could still shrink to about 14% of the original range by the end of the century. In a business-as-usual scenario, the Joshua trees livable habitat within the national park would almost entirely disappear.

Worsening droughts will limit their range, and invasive grass species that are prone to higher fire risks also make the Joshua trees vulnerable. Further, the species faces degradation from development.

The Center for Biological Diversity first petitioned for Joshua tree protections, under Californias Endangered Species Act, in 2019. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife set temporary protections in September 2020 but denied permanent protections in April 2022. The Biden administration denied protecting the species under the federal Endangered Species Act in March 2023, Reuters reported.

The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act will require a conservation plan to be created and implemented, and a fund will be established for buying and managing lands for Joshua tree conservation. It also makes killing or removing the trees a crime.

Given the impacts theyre already feeling from climate change and other threats we have to do so much if we want to keep these iconic irreplaceable trees as a part of our landscape, Cummings said, as reported by The Guardian.

The legislation protects the Western Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) specifically, but not the Eastern Joshua tree (Yucca jaegeriana).
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.

During last years United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted. The framework includes 23 goals to reverse species and habitat loss by 2030, including setting aside, protecting and managing 30 percent of Earths marine, coastal and terrestrial areas for nature, known as 30 x 30, according to The Nature Conservancy.

The 30 x 30 initiative has the support of more than 100 countries, evidence of the worldwide push for conservation. However, a new study by scientists from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Wageningen University & Research and Rice University indicates for the first time that protected areas do not keep the tropical mammals living within them from being affected by human activity that occurs outside their borders, a press release from Rice University said.

Living inside protected areas may not automatically protect tropical mammals from the effects of human activities, said Asuncion Semper-Pascual, a postdoctoral researcher at NMBU and lead author of the study, as The Guardian reported. We have evidence that animals are affected by both what is happening inside and outside of the protected areas.

Tropical mammals like the mountain gorilla, jaguar and Sunda pangolin were found to not be fully protected from harmful human activities, even deep inside nature reserves.

Though a generalist species, jaguars (Panthera onca) such as this one in the Caxiuana National Forest in Brazil are more likely to occupy sites farther from the edge of protected areas, which is reflective of specific factors including hunting and prey scarcity in areas accessible to humans. Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network

The study, Occurrence dynamics of mammals in protected tropical forests respond to human presence and activities, was published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The research was based on the most extensive long-term wildlife survey using camera traps ever conducted. It showed how human-generated stressors like habitat fragmentation and population density affect 159 species of mammals in 16 protected areas in three biogeographic regions, according to the press release.

Collected over a number of years, the data is made up of millions of images from more than 1,000 sites that are part of a large network of research stations.

This data set is just phenomenal  it was a herculean effort unlike anything attempted before, said Lydia Beaudrot, an assistant professor of biosciences at Rice and one of the authors of the study, in the press release.

The researchers found that species occupying only specific habitats, called specialists, thrive in areas with little habitat fragmentation. The animals are highly susceptible to humans negative impacts, such as land use and hunting. Generalist species, on the other hand, can survive in a wider array of habitats.

A white-bellied pangolin, for instance, who lives in Ugandas Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is a specialist and would do better by making its way to the more insulated areas of the park, rather than existing along its edges.

What we found is that when the human population density is high in these areas, then these species no longer benefit from being near the border, probably because of pressure from hunting or some other type of human interference, said Semper-Pascual, as reported by The Guardian.

The tayra, a generalist species in the weasel family, is an omnivore who can thrive in grasslands, cropland or forest on the edge of a protected area, but only if the human population density isnt too dense, the press release said.

A tayra (Eira barbara), a generalist species, in Ecuadors Yasuni National Park. Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network

Habitats are more varied at the edge of the protected area, said Semper-Pascual in the press release. There is usually this difference between forest cover and open landscape, such as an area used for agriculture, etc. Some generalist species thrive in this kind of diverse setting because it provides access to different resources.

Having an understanding of how certain species respond to varied human-generated stressors can serve as a guide for the management of protected areas and in setting priorities for conservation. It can do so on a local level by targeting a regions most vulnerable species and on a global level by calling attention to factors of a landscape that have an impact on biodiversity beyond the perimeter of a protected area.

We have to think about the situation holistically, Beaudrot said in the press release. Conservation is going to work best when its tackled in specific contexts and in concert with the people who live there so as to create win-win situations for both the people and the wildlife.

Semper-Pascual added that, As more protected areas are created, we need to think carefully about the factors both within and outside protected areas that influence biodiversity.
IPCEI Funds for KDPOFs Packaging Plant in Spain

KDPOF proudly announced that the European Commission has granted access to the 8.1 billion European investment IPCEI for their projected packaging plant for optoelectronic devices in Spain.

The funding supports us in making our plans of manufacturing ICs in Europe come true in the near future, stated Carlos Pardo, CEO and Co-founder of KDPOF. European fabs only manufacture approximately 10 percent of semiconductors worldwide, making us dependent on Asia and the United States. We will pioneer the manufacturing of automotive optoelectronics in Spain in high volume, thus reducing this dependency.

Close to their headquarter in Tres Cantos, Madrid, KDPOF is advancing a high-quality packaging factory for state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices. In addition, KDPOF is developing a new and innovative optoelectronics packaging technology. It will be applied for the first time to produce the upcoming transceiver IC for high-speed automotive optical communications. Incorporating AI, sensors, and processors in self-driving vehicles requires KDPOFs technology to interconnect all components robustly and inexpensively using fiber optic links within the vehicle. Since 2014, with the launch of the first transceiver, KDPOF leads high-speed optical communications for the automotive industry and has international clients like Daimler.

IC Manufacturing: Silicon Wafer, Assembly and Testing

The manufacture of a chip consists of three fundamental processes: the first is the creation of a silicon wafer that serves as the basis for the microchip, the second is the assembly, and the third is the testing to ensure quality. It is these last two steps that KDPOF brings to Tres Cantos. The manufacturing of the silicon wafer is a process that requires very large volumes to be profitable, and for a small company it can hardly be profitable, added Carlos Pardo. For the latter two phases, which are packaging and testing, the machines needed are relatively inexpensive. These stages can be done at more reasonable volumes, as we have now in the automotive industry. Were excited about building an encapsulation and testing factory in Madrid for large volumes.

IPCEI EU Funding for Microelectronics in Europe

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research, innovation and the first industrial deployment of microelectronics and communication technologies across the value chain. The project, called IPCEI ME/CT, was jointly prepared and announced by fourteen member states: Austria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. The member states will provide up to 8.1 billion Euro in public funding, which is expected to unlock an additional 13.7 billion Euro in private investments.

There are 56 companies participating in this project. Among the Spanish companies are Innova IRV Microelectronics, KDPOF, Openchip, and Semidynamics Technology Services. The proposal has a deadline of development in 2032, although the intent is that the commercialization of products will take place beginning in 2025. It is also expected that these 68 projects will generate a total of 8,700 direct jobs.
One of 2022s cutest  and dare I say best  games is heading to Xbox. Annapurna Interactive announced today that Blue Twelve Studios Stray will arrive on Xbox One and Series X/S on August 10th.

Stray, for those who dont know, casts you as an adorable tabby cat in a cyberpunk, post-human world. This short and sweet adventure will take you only about five to 10 hours to complete, but will leave you thinking about its thoughtful and poignant story long after the credits roll.

Its also one of the most fun games I played last year. Stray perfectly captures all the charm and mischief of our feline friends. Theres a dedicated button for meowing, and all of the environmental puzzles push you to think from the perspective of a cat. Best of all, you can lie down to nap nearly whenever you want. No word yet if Microsoft will offer Stray through Xbox Game Pass, but well update this article once we know more.
Meta's Oversight Board has called for a six month ban on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook and Instagram accounts for inciting violence, it wrote in a news release. It's the second time in the last week that the Board has reversed a high profile Meta review, after a Brazilian user posted a video asking followers to "besiege" government. However, it's the first time the Oversight Board has asked for a head of state to be banned, a decision that may have ramifications for future policy decisions.

Hun Sen, who has led Cambodia since 1985, is facing an election this month. Earlier in the year, he posted a video of a speech telling political opponents he'd "gather CPP (Cambodia People's Party) people to protest and beat you up." Following several user reports and appeals, Meta policy and subject matter experts recommended leaving the post up based on newsworthiness, even though it violated the company's community standards for violence and incitement.

"Given the severity of the violation, Hun Sens history of committing human rights violations and intimidating political opponents, as well as his strategic use of social media to amplify such threats, the Board calls on Meta to immediately suspend Hun Sens Facebook page and Instagram account for six months," it wrote. The suspension is non-binding, but Meta must take down the contested video within 60 days.

In explaining the decision, the Board said that the "harm caused by allowing the content on the platform outweighs the post's public interest value," particularly given the prime minister's reach on social media. The original moderation decision, it added, "results in Meta's platforms contributing to these harms by amplifying the threats and resulting intimidation."

Such behavior should not be rewarded. Meta should more heavily weigh press freedom when considering newsworthiness so that the allowance is not applied to government speech in situations where that government has made its own content more newsworthy by limiting free press.

On top of Hun Sen's ban, the Board advised Meta to make clear that its moderation policies are not restricted to single incidents of civil unrest or violence. It also recommended removing the newsworthiness allowance policy in cases involving incitement of violence, and prioritize reviews involving heads of state and senior members of government. Finally, it asked Meta to reveal the reasoning behind its decision for Hun Sen "and in all account-level actions against heads of state and senior members of government."

The Board's review could set a bar for moderation of other authoritarian leaders in Asia, Human Rights Watch director Phil Robertson told The Post, while calling the takedown request of Hun Sen "long overdue." Facebook famously banned former US president Donald Trump from the platform (and restored his account earlier this year), but has caved to censorship demands in nations including Vietnam. Twitter owner Elon Musk recently justified censorship in Turkey ahead of an election, saying the company has "no actual choice" but to comply with such requests.

The Cambodian government hasn't responded yet to the board's decision, but previously said that the remarks were "only a confirmation of the legal process" in the nation. Hun Sen, who has 14 million Facebook followers, said today that he would halt any active posting on Facebook and use Telegram instead.
EPA calls on food sector businesses to commit to reducing food waste by signing the Food Waste Charter

Approximately 800,000 tonnes of food waste is generated in Ireland each year.

Ireland has committed to halving food waste by 2030 under UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.

Signing the Food Waste Charter is a pledge to take action to reduce food waste.

Membership of the Food Waste Charter is open to businesses

that produce, process, manufacture, distribute or sell food and drink and to supporting organisations that commit to championing the Food Waste Charter within their areas of responsibility.

The EPA today launched a new Food Waste Charter, calling on all businesses and State Agencies operating across the food supply chain to sign up and commit to reducing food waste. Building on the success of the first charter - which launched in 2017 and focused on the grocery retail sectorthis new, more ambitious Charter, expands the call to action to every organisation in Irelands food supply chain.

Businesses signing up to the Food Waste Charter voluntarily commit to measure their food waste, set targets and take action to reduce food waste, and to report annually on progress.

The EPAs Director General Laura Burke, Minister Ossian Smyth (Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy), Minister Charlie McConalogue (Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine), and a number of supporting State Agencies and champion food sector businesses signed the Food Waste Charter at an event today at Farmleigh House, pledging their commitment to this Government of Ireland initiative.

Laura Burke, EPA Director General, said:

With almost 800,000 tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, meeting Irelands commitment to halve food waste by 2030 is very challenging, and we dont have much time. We need to work together; every business along the food supply chain and in the food services sector must play their part to reduce food waste. These businesses are called on to sign the Food Waste Charter and make a commitment to prevent food waste.

Reducing food waste is an important climate action, with global food waste accounting for approximately 10 per cent of global GHG emissions. Food waste is also costly, and many food and drink businesses are looking at more efficient production processes and innovation to reduce and prevent food waste. By signing up and actively engaging with the Food Waste Charter, businesses will have the opportunity to support their climate action goals and reduce their costs.

Speaking at the event, Minister Ossian Smyth, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy said:

The Government is committed to making the circular economy a reality in Ireland and tackling food waste is one of the key steps the food sector must take to help us to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption.

Signing up to the Food Waste Charter is a public demonstration of commitment to a collaborative and collective manner to address food waste. Wasting food that we produce and buy is not only a waste of money but a mismanagement of valuable resources in a time when we all need to make a concerted effort to protect and use our resources wisely.

Minister Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine said:

We all have a role to play in reducing food waste. I call on all stakeholders in the agri-food sector to sign up to the Food Waste Charter and pledge to participate in collective efforts to reduce food waste and food loss and to help ensure there is accuracy and consistency of measurement of food waste across the food supply chain.

Food is a precious and valuable resource. Reducing food waste helps our farmers, fishers, other food producers and our processors to be more viable and resilient, will help us to achieve our climate action targets and improve the sustainability of the food sector. When we reduce our food waste we show our respect for the safe and nutritious food that our primary producers and processors work all year round to provide.

Businesses that sign up to the Food Waste Charter commit to measure (monitor and track their food waste), reduce (identify and take at least one target-based action to reduce food waste) and report (annually on progress towards measurable outcomes and achievements) on their food waste. For more information see: The Food Waste Charter. State Agencies play a key role in supporting the food and drink sector in Ireland. Today five State Agencies (Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Enterprise Ireland, Failte Ireland and Teagasc) pledged their commitment to the Food Waste Charter.

Further information on the Food Waste Charter and how to sign up can be found online.

ENDS

Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie

Notes to Editor

Irelands National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025 sets out 38 Priority Actions to steer our efforts towards achieving Irelands commitment to reduce food waste by 50 per cent by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Food Waste Charter is one of the Key Priority Actions.

The Environmental Protection Agency leads the national food waste prevention programme as part of the statutory Circular Economy Programme. Under the Roadmap the EPA is the lead delivery body for most actions related to the Food Waste Charter and is supported in its delivery by a Food Waste Charter Action Group and other key stakeholders, including the five State Agencies that have pledged their support to championing the Food Waste Charter at todays launch.

In 2020, Ireland generated 770,000 tonnes of food waste across primary production, manufacturing & processing, distribution & retail, restaurants & food services and households. The manufacturing and processing sector was the second biggest producer of food waste (after households at 31%), accounting for an estimated 29% of all food waste produced (219,500 tonnes). For more information see the EPA website.
Thursday, June 29, 2023

April 11, 1966 near near Cam My, Vietnam

Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment finds itself fighting for survival in the rubber plantations of Cam My village. Ambushed by the Vietcong, 80 percent of the company will became casualties. The Joint Rescue Center dispatches two Huskies to extract the fallen men. Airman First Class Pitsenbarger is lowered from one of the choppers to attend to the wounded before having them lifted to the helicopter by cable.

Described by his commander, Major Maurice Kessler, as One of a special breed. Alert and always ready to go on any mission, Pitsenbarger had completed more than 250 missions, including one in which he hung from an HH-43s cable to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier from a burning minefield.

After the first group of men were evacuated, the rescue chopper returned for more. As one of the helicopters lowered its litter basket to Pitsenbarger, who had remained on the ground with the 20 surviving infantrymen, it was struck by a burst of enemy small-arms fire. The pilot realized the helicopter had to leave immediately, as its engine was losing power.

Instead of climbing into the litter basket to evacuate with the helicopter, Pitsenbarger made the courageous decision to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack. He gave a wave-off to the helicopter, which flew away to safety. Despite heavy mortar and small-arms fire, the helicopters were unable to return to rescue Pitsenbarger.

Undeterred, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers, showing resourcefulness and resilience in the face of adversity. He hacked splints out of snarled vines and built improvised stretchers out of saplings to provide much-needed medical aid. When the survivors began running low on ammunition, Pitsenbarger gathered ammunition from fallen soldiers and distributed it to those still fighting. With unwavering resolve, he took up a rifle and joined his comrades in holding off the relentless Viet Cong assault.

Tragically, Pitsenbargers unwavering courage and selflessness led to his ultimate sacrifice. He was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle, and the other clutched a medical kit. While Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, his actions ensured the survival of 60 other men.

The magnitude of Pitsenbargers heroism and sacrifice was recognized posthumously. Initially awarded the Air Force Cross, the second-highest military decoration for valor, his commendation was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In 2000, President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to Pitsenbargers parents, acknowledging his exceptional bravery and sacrifice.
Developed by Failte Ireland, Department of Rural and Community Development and Sligo County Council

First of its kind centre in Ireland positions Strandhill a world-class surfing destination

Centre to drive over 3.4million visitor spend for Sligo region annually

The new National Surf Centre, Strandhill, Co. Sligo will be officially opened today [29th June 2023] by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD, in the company of Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Gerard Mullaney.

This unique visitor experience, which has been developed by Failte Ireland, the Department of Rural and Community Development and Sligo County Council, is Irelands first purpose-built surfing facility and will see Strandhill emerge as a world-class surfing destination. The project received an investment of almost 3million and aims to attract over 40,000* visitors per year by 2028, rising to over 50,000 visitors annually by 2033.

Speaking at the official opening of the National Surf Centre, Strandhill today, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD, said:

I am pleased to officially open Irelands flagship National Surf Centre today. The investment of 1.3million by Failte Ireland in the National Surf Centre will open Strandhill and the surrounding areas to a significant number of new visitors, who want to experience the exceptional surfing culture that this area is known for. Failte Ireland anticipates the visitors attracted to the National Surf Centre, Strandhill will generate revenue exceeding 34million in the Sligo region by 2033, creating new economic opportunities for local communities and indirectly supporting 21 jobs annually. The National Surf Centre, Strandhill creates a fantastic reason for visitors from at home and abroad to come to Sligo, participate in outdoor activities and spend longer in the region.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD said:

I am delighted to visit Strandhill for what is a landmark occasion for Sligo and the entire North West Region. This new state-of-the-art National Surf Centre is going to do so much in terms of attracting visitors, supporting adventure tourism and providing a boost to the local economy. Im pleased that my Department was able to support the Surf Centre with an investment of over 1.1 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. This Fund is having a transformational impact on towns and villages right across Rural Ireland. The project that we are officially opening today is also further evidence of the truly positive difference that our five year rural development policy, Our Rural Future, is having in our communities. This fantastic Surf Centre will be a key new visitor experience in the region and solidify Sligos reputation as a must-visit outdoor adventure destination along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Orla Carroll, Director of Product Development at Failte Ireland added;

Failte Ireland is committed to developing unique visitor experiences and investing in standout attractions, particularly in regional areas. The new National Surf Centre, which has been developed by Failte Ireland in partnership with Sligo County Council and Department of Rural Community Development, is a major new activity tourism amenity that will support the continued development of the activity tourism sector in Sligo. The vision of this project is to reach a wide ranging domestic and international audience, from beginners to advanced surfers, by providing a world-class visitor experience and focal point for tourism on the Wild Atlantic Way. The new centre delivers on Failte Irelands Opening the Outdoors strategic pillar, supporting our ambition to develop Ireland as an internationally recognised Outdoor Activity destination.

Councillor Gerard Mullaney, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council added:

While already renowned nationally and internationally as a prime surfing destination, Strandhills reputation is now further enhanced through the addition of this world-class, first of its kind purpose built surfing facility. This investment strengthens County Sligos positioning as a key tourism hub along the Wild Atlantic Way. Sligo County Council is delighted to have partnered with Failte Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development in delivering this unique visitor experience for Sligo.

The National Surf Centre, Strandhill will serve as a key visitor experience on the Wild Atlantic Way with state-of-the-art surfing facilities and breath-taking views of the ocean and surrounding landscape. Home to three surf schools and the County Sligo Surf Club, it will offer a vast and inclusive programme of services to suit every surfer, from novice to experienced. The centre will solidify Sligos reputation as a must-visit outdoor adventure destination and provide a premium experience that will extend the surfing and outdoor activity season for visitors to Strandhill and the local surfing community.

Overlooking the waterfront in Strandhill, Co. Sligo, the National Surf Centre, Strandhill is a purpose-built architectural building, featuring stunning artwork on the front exterior by Donegal artist and surfer, Barry Britton. The centre provides high quality fully serviced changing, shower and locker facilities with extensive ground floor space to be used for surf class training and demonstrations. It also includes a bespoke surf and leisure retail experience along with a large-scale flexible meeting room which is available for hire.

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June 28, 2023 By Christian Britschgi , RealClearInvestigationsJune 28, 2023

In April 2021, Adele Fox received a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Within a few hours, the 60-year-old resident of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, started feeling shooting pains in her legs, arms, and neck. The pain didnt abate over the next few days. Instead, it got worse and was accompanied by nausea and debilitating fatigue.

Within a few weeks, neurologists affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital diagnosed her with several serious conditions they say were a result of her COVID-19 vaccine, including small-fiber neuropathy (which causes a painful tingling in the extremities) and Sjogrens Syndrome (which leaves patients pained and fatigued, and in extreme cases, can damage internal organs).

This shot, which was supposed to get Fox back to normal, instead left her with diminished ability to work and enjoy life. Persistent physical therapy and experimental treatments shes taken since have done little to alleviate her symptoms.

I used to do so much, and now its a struggle, she says. Sometimes you just get down.

With her medical bills mounting and her condition not improving, Fox sought compensation for her damaged health. Federal liability protections prevent the vaccine-injured from directly suing vaccine manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson. Instead, claimants have to go to the federal government for compensation.

But as Fox would soon learn, the government has two starkly different injury programs for vaccines. One operates like a civil court with a neutral judge, lawyers on both sides, and a guaranteed right of appeal. In recent decades, it has approved about 75% of claims and pays out hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

The other, which handles COVID-19 vaccines, has rejected almost every claim brought to it, awarding less than $10,000 since the pandemic. And in a nation nearly numb to the pandemic's toll and its scandals, the program is adding seething frustration atop lasting injury to Fox and people like her in a little reported aftermath to the governments much criticized performance on vaccines  ranging from erratic booster advice to broad-brush vaccine mandates that cost people their jobs.

Fox filed her claim two years ago, submitting hundreds of pages of medical documents about her condition and diagnoses. Shes nevertheless one of the 10,887 people still waiting on a decision. Youre not even hearing anything from the organization thats supposed be helping you, she says. The phone keeps ringing, no one is emailing, nobody is doing anything.

The federal agency overseeing the program, the Health Resources and Services Administration, said in a statement to RealClearInvestigations that the current number of claims significantly exceeds the previous volume in the program and that the program has hired additional staff to address this growth in claims, and the Presidents budget requests additional funding to support the additional staffing needed to process claims.

Tale of Two Compensation Programs

The governments two contrasting vaccine compensation programs are similarly named and thus easily confused. The first, Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was created in the 1980s and covers most routine vaccines. The second, the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), is a result of war-on-terror legislation in 2005 and now covers COVID-19 vaccines. Their bureaucratic differences help explain why a nation that has spent trillions of dollars on COVID relief programs has provided almost no assistance to people harmed by the vaccines that the government encouraged, and sometimes required, them to take.

The earlier program was supposed to shore up pharmaceutical companies willingness to make childhood vaccines in the face of persistent vaccine injury lawsuits, while also giving the vaccine-injured a fair and expedited process for compensation.

The vaccine-injured would not sue pharmaceutical companies. Instead, theyd petition the government in Federal Claims Court, where special masters (judges) would decide cases. Compensation came from a government-administered trust fund paid for by excise taxes levied on vaccine manufacturers.

Between 2006 and 2021, this court adjudicated cases from 10,602 petitioners and issued compensation to 7,618 of them. The compensation trust fund sits at $4 billion and pays out about $200 million in compensation and attorneys fees each year.

This earlier program bears little resemblance to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, where the COVID-vaccine cases of Fox and many others are languishing.

It was meant to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to be part of the federal response to one-off, one-in-a-million events like a bioweapon attack or an outbreak of a deadly pandemic. Although almost one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the United States, and health authorities say boosters could become as common as the annual flu shot, it remains the only way people harmed by the shot can receive compensation.

It's far from guaranteed theyll get it.

Before the pandemic, this program received a little over 500 claims and had paid out compensation to only 30 people  mostly for H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine injuries. In just the past two years, it has been asked to make decisions on over 10,000 injury claims related to COVID countermeasures.

As of June, it made decisions on just 919 of these COVID-related claims and rejected 894 of them. It has so far paid out only $8,593 in compensation to just four people who were injured by a COVID vaccine. The program has deemed another 20 people eligible for compensation, but has yet to pay them.

Its not a judicial process either. Rather, its an administrative process overseen by Health Resources and Services Administration, which is housed within Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). People file a claim and government medical reviewers decide whether to pay out or not. Thats an awkward arrangement, given that HHS is deciding whether to pay for damages caused by products it approved and in some cases mandated. Because its an administrative process, theres no right to counsel and no neutral arbitrator. A denied claimant can file for reconsideration with HRSA, but otherwise has no right to appeal.

Unlike the earlier program, the CICP offers no compensation for pain and suffering and doesnt pay attorneys fees. Most successful claimants have received compensation totaling a few hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars. The highest award for a COVID-19 vaccine injury sufferer was $3,957.66 to a person who got myocarditis (a heart condition) from a vaccine.

It also has shorter filing deadlines. People have to file a claim within one year of vaccination, a much shorter window than the earlier programs standard of three years from the onset of symptoms. Of the 894 claims that CICP has rejected, 444 of them were for missing the filing deadline.

CICP also only awards compensation in cases where theres compelling, reliable, valid, medical, and scientific evidence that someones injury is linked to a covered countermeasure. HRSA describes this as a high evidentiary standard. Renee Gentry, a practicing vaccine injury lawyer who directs the Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic at George Washington University, says its a much higher bar than what the earlier vaccine injury compensation program requires, which contributes to a much lower rate of successful claims.

The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Programs nature as a small emergency program has seen its capacity strained by a flood of COVID-related injury claims. Of the 11,806 COVID-related claims filed, 10,887 are still pending. Those four cases where COVID compensation was paid out didnt come until after April 2023, over two years since the first vaccines were administered.

Pain and Suffering

The shortcomings of CICP are all too apparent for the people who are forced to wade through it. Even folks who seem to have done everything right are left waiting or disappointed by the program.

Fox filed her claim in May 2021, which was relatively early in the immunization campaign. She also had clear diagnoses from well-credentialed doctors linking her conditions to her COVID-19 vaccination. Fox says she provided the program with no shortage of documentation as well.

After filing all that paperwork, she hasnt been idle either. After months of not hearing anything back from CICP, Fox started to reach out repeatedly to anyone she thought might be able to move the needle. She spoke repeatedly with representatives from Sen. Jeanne Shaheens and Rep. Chris Pappas offices. She also kept calling program administrators, trying to figure out what was taking so long.

Im sure they saw my number, and said Ah, Fox, oh no, not her [again], she jokes.

Her congressional representatives did reach out to CICP on her behalf. That was at least effective at getting program administrators to call Fox personally twice, once in July 2022 and again in June 2023. But each time, they could only offer her reassurance that her paperwork had been received. On both calls, Fox says she was told that the program was vastly overburdened by the flood of COVID-19 claims it had received. She, like thousands of others, would have to wait.

The few decisions on COVID-19 claims that have trickled out havent offered much relief to the people whove received them. That includes Cody Flint, one of the 894 people whove had their COVID-related claims rejected.

Flint was vaccinated in February 2021, when he received a single Pfizer dose. He says that he started to feel headaches and had affected vision within 30 minutes of the shot. He was still experiencing symptoms two days later when he headed to his job as a crop-dusting pilot.

While flying that day, he started to experience extreme tunnel vision, followed by a sensation he describes as a bomb [going] off in my head. He barely managed to get his plane back to his runway, where his coworkers found him slumped over his controls and shaking.

He was diagnosed with perilymphatic fistula (or tear of the inner ear) caused by elevated intracranial pressure  which could only be relieved through repeated draining of his spinal fluid. Given the timing of his symptoms and the fact that hed passed a flight physical just a couple weeks prior, his doctors said his condition was almost certainly caused by the vaccine. His injury prevented him from returning to work as a pilot, and his mounting medical bills saw him draw down all of his savings.

In April 2021, Flint filed a claim. In May 2022  just a few weeks after Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith asked HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra about his case specifically in a committee hearing  Flints claim was rejected. The programs medical reviewers told Flint that it was more likely his injuries were caused by barotrauma from flying a plane.

He petitioned for a reconsideration of his case. His doctors argued that there was no way hed have experienced barotrauma from flying just a few hundred feet off the ground. Commercial airliners, they noted, are pressurized at 6,000 to 8,000 feet of elevation. Flints lawyers also submitted recent studies linking the symptoms hed experienced to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Nevertheless, a separate medical reviewer at HRSA upheld the CICPs initial denial in January 2023. That letter succinctly stated that HHS has no appeals process beyond this reconsideration and there is no judicial review of a final action concerning CICP eligibility.

Efforts at Reform

The federal governments liability protections for COVID-19 vaccines arent scheduled to expire until the end of 2024. Once they do, those claiming a vaccine injury will be able to pursue claims against vaccine manufacturers in state courts.

While liability protections remain in effect, the federal program is injured claimants only potential source of compensation.

Whether or not the HRSA succeeds in boosting staffing in line with its statement to RCI, those seeking compensation have started to get organized. Theyve formed the group React19, which is dedicated to advocating for additional research into the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Its grown into a network of tens of thousands of people who say they suffered adverse injuries from the shot. Flint, the pilot, is on its board of directors.

Its a very pro-vaccine community, says Christopher Dreisbach, the groups legal affairs director. You say anything about vaccine injuries, youre branded as anti-vaxxers. We are pro-science, we are not political. Were just dealing with a very politicized issue.

He says the politicization of vaccines has made their efforts at compensation reform a challenge.

When the CICP, and the 2005 Pandemic Response and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act that created it, were first being debated, Republican lawmakers were its main advocates, while its main critics were Democrats. The partisan politics of the program and liability protections for pharmaceutical companies has done a 180 since COVID.

In 2005, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee argued during the House floor debate on the PREP Act that the laws liability shield would leave injured healthcare workers with little protection or chance of compensation. Come 2023, she would return to the floor of the House to argue in favor of mandating those same healthcare workers receive a vaccine covered by the PREP Acts liability shield.

The PREP Acts harshest critics during COVID, meanwhile, have mostly been Republicans.

I call the PREP Act medical malpractice martial law, says Rep. Thomas Massie, who complains that its liability shield is both incredibly broad and improperly preempts state law. I think its sort of anathema to the way our government is set up. I found it hard to believe that Congress would pass something, much less that a Republican president would invoke it.

In March 2022, Sen. Mike Lee introduced a bill that would have amended CICP to give claimants the same framework for pursuing compensation as the VICP. They could file in Federal Claims Court and receive an expedited, judicial adjudication of their injury claim.

Gentry argues that it would be far simpler to just move the COVID-19 vaccines into the VICP program, which already has a successful track record of adjudicating injury claims. In order for that to happen under the law that created the VICP, the CDC needs to recommend the vaccines for routine administration to children (which has already happened) and vaccine manufacturers would have to start paying excise taxes. That latter condition will require action from Congress.

VICP needs a number of updates as well, says Gentry, including expanding the number of special masters to handle the backlog of cases and increasing the available levels of compensation (which havent been updated since the 1980s).

Increasing the number of special masters is particularly important if the VICP program is going to be expected to process tens of thousands of COVID claims, she says. But she argues its the best way of getting the vaccine injured out of CICP and into a program that will work for them. If youre taking away someones constitutional right to sue, you really have to give them a reasonable and meaningful alternative and thats what this program is, for all of its faults, says Gentry.

While efforts at reform in Washington lumber on, React19 has started a privately funded compensation program thats thus far paid out $552,000.
Judge Michael Moses of Yellowstone County at a court hearing on July 11, 2022 (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan).

The district court judge presiding during a two-year court battle over how the state allowed residents to change a birth certificate didnt just strike down a 2021 law as unconstitutional. He held the state in contempt, ordered it to pay the plaintiffs attorneys fees for the entirety of the months-long litigation, and issued a scathing rebuke to the Montana Attorney Generals Office for how it handled the case.

Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael G. Moses issued the order on Monday and struck down a 2021 law that had technically been enjoined for two years and would have required a surgical procedure in order to change a birth certificate.

Moses had issued a temporary injunction against the law shortly after it was enacted, which meant a previous 2017 law would be in effect. However, on seven different instances (a point Moses highlighted in bolded all caps), lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana went to court trying to enforce compliance with the injunction, as well as a reinstatement of the previous birth certificate procedures.

Neither the Montana Attorney Generals Office nor staff for Gov. Greg Gianforte could be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday morning.

Whats Next? Since both the State of Montana and the ACLU agreed the law should be declared void, the question of changing birth certificates remains somewhat murky. A 2022 rule the state tried to implement remains just that  a rule  and isnt afforded the same weight as law. During 2023, though, Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, sponsored Senate Bill 458, which narrowly defined sex as male or female, and would not allow changes to that category under most circumstances. Many saw the move as an end-run attempt to stop transgender residents from changing their birth certificates.

Each time, the state responded with a litany of legal and technical excuses, including an appeal to the Montana Supreme Court to argue that Moses orders had been vague, an argument the high court rejected.

On June 1, the ACLU attorneys argued for a second time for contempt charges to be brought against the state for refusing to re-institute the 2017 process for changing birth certificates. Though a new assistant attorney general had recently taken over the legal case, he told the court that he had his hat in his hand, and could find no defense for why the attorney general or the Gianforte administration had not complied with the court order.

The court respects the candor of the new defense counsel to finally come before this court with hat in hand. However, defense counsel could not provide a legitimate explanation of any kind for the continued noncompliance of his clients, Moses wrote. There is no legal justification for defendants continued refusal to follow court orders after numerous clarifications by this court and the Supreme Court of Montana.

Plaintiffs requested that defendants be held in contempt of court. While this court refrained from such a decision in September 2022 after defendants initial refusal to follow the temporary injunction, such restraint is no longer valid.

Moses found the state in contempt, struck down the law as violating both the state and federal constitutions, and invoked a legal doctrine meant to reimburse a private organization for having to enforce constitutional laws that rightly should have been the state of Montanas to enforce. Because of that, the judge ordered the state to pay for all legal costs associated with the trial because it refused to follow the courts decisions.

(The State) repeatedly disobeyed a lawful order from this court, showing their contempt for this judicial body and the judicial system as a whole, Moses said. In the hearing held June 1, plaintiffs stated that defendants had managed to completely frustrate the entire process of the preliminary injunction. This court agrees.

Alex Rate, legal director for ACLU-Montana, said that beyond striking down the law as unconstitutional, the ruling sent a powerful message about what happens when court orders are disobeyed.

There are consequences, Rate said.

On the matter of law, Moses said Senate Bill 280 was impermissibly vague  a side which both the state and ACLU eventually agreed upon. Both sides, for different reasons, said the law was too vague.

Here, the court confronts a statute that both sides have agreed cannot be enforced because it is premised on a factual impossibility, the court said. Because the law cannot be complied with in any application, it is void on its face.

Rate said that eventually, even attorneys had to admit the law was impossible to defend.

The unfortunate reality is that we rely on courts as the last bastion and protection of our democratic rights and values, Rate said.

Rate said costs for the ACLU and the attorneys working on the case, as well as expert witnesses called on to provide testimony, will be totaled soon, but he was not able to hazard a guess at the total bill. Moses held out a possibility of a hearing if there was a dispute over the legal fees in the ruling, but remained hopeful the lawyers could negotiate a settlement.

Because the issues surrounding SB 280 were directly related to due process in both the federal and state constitutions, Moses spent considerable time in the 20-page ruling building a step-by-step basis for why he was awarding the attorneys fees. In his ruling, he zeroed in not on the lawmakers who passed the vague law, but how the state Attorney Generals Office, as well as Gianforte administration, refused to comply with the law, and failed to protect citizens rights:

In this case, the government fought to enforce a law that they later conceded was unconstitutional. It was necessary for plaintiffs, as a private party, to bring this case in order to vindicate a critical constitutional right. Further, plaintiffs exerted considerable effort over nearly two years in order to enforce the Due Process Clauses of the Montana State Constitution and the United States Constitution. Not only did they have to enforce constitutional rights, plaintiffs also had to exert additional effort to enforce this courts preliminary injunction and order from the Supreme Court. Defendants were in contempt of court for large portions of this litigation.

The post Birth certificate rule is unconstitutional, judge holds state in contempt, liable for entire suit appeared first on Daily Montanan.
When Congress returns to Capitol Hill after its Fourth of July district work period  17 days long for the House and 16 days for the Senate  members face two enormous tasks with little time to complete either.

On Sept. 30, the 2018 Farm Bill expires and, simultaneously, the federal government needs a new budget in place to open its doors Oct. 1.

It will take a mighty effort for either to get done. In the three months between July 1 and Oct. 1, the House is scheduled to be in session just 24 days and the Senate for 30 days.

Difficult fight

The biggest, most difficult fight will be passing the 2024 federal budget. In a good year, much of that wonky, tedious work goes on behind the scenes as key committee chairs, ranking members, and staff debate, schmooze, and compromise to hammer out a spending plan few members like but most can swallow.

In a bad year, it can be hand-to-hand combat that often turns into a multi-trillion-dollar game of chicken with a government shutdown as the ultimate threat.

And 2023 is a bad year  but not for the usual partisan reasons.

Instead, this battle features House Republicans warring with other House Republicans over how deep to cut 2024 federal spending despite the debt-raising deal hammered out between Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden in late May.

Mr. McCarthy and his leadership team, reported the New York Times June 15, blindsided Democrats  by setting allocations for the 12 annual spending bills at 2022 levels, about $119 billion less than the $1.59 trillion allowed for in the [May] agreement to raise the debt ceiling.

McCarthy also blindsided most Republicans  especially in the Senate  who thought they had a deal with the White House that gave Congress the green light to get both a budget bill and Farm Bill done before the Oct. 1 deadline. Not so.

Stuck by SNAP

Now everyone is stuck as moderate Republicans try to remove a monkey wrench thrown into the already-creaky gears of a deeply divided government by a handful of hard-right House Republican monkeywrenchers.

And there are no easy ideas on how to do it. In fact, reported Politico recently, GOP hardliners are still fuming over the deal  McCarthy struck with  Biden to raise the debt limit earlier this month, especially a provision that could expand the number of people on federal food aid.

Ah, yes, food aid or SNAP, the Supplemental Food Assistance Program, that now gobbles up 80% of all Farm Bill dollars.

Dems see it as an integral part of federal programming to support families in need; hardline Republicans view it as a too-costly, fraud-ridden program (despite the lack of confirming evidence) that promotes government dependency.

Pragmatic members in Congress, Dem and Repub alike  not to mention almost every farm and commodity group  see SNAP as the political bridge to bring broad urban support to government farm programs. Without those non-farm votes, most political handicappers agree, there would be no Farm Bill.

Todays same anti-food aid tactic was used by Republican hardliners during the 2018 Farm Bill fight. The results, reminds Politico, helped to sink a partisan House GOP farm bill on the floor. It took another seven months to get the final bill done.

Importantly, it wasnt Democrats that propelled the 2018 bill to victory; it was the Republican-majority Senate [that] eventually stripped the House GOPs steep SNAP restrictions from the final legislation that delivered its eventual passage.

Dems in charge

This time around, however, the Dems run the Senate and their Ag Committee boss, Michigans Debbie Stabenow, recently announced that Congress is done discussing SNAP work requirements in the wake of the [McCarthy-Biden] debt limit talks.

Stabenows message didnt register with Speaker McCarthy. In private, reported Politico in mid-June, the speaker has told fellow Republicans that  to appease hardliners, the party will need to at least push for stricter work requirements 

Appeasing hardliners may allow McCarthy to maintain his tenuous grip on his job, but it wont make any farmer or ranchers job any easier if theres no Farm Bill come Oct. 1.
COLUMBUS  The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is asking the public to report wild turkeys and ruffed grouse observed throughout the summer for the annual brood survey.

Wildlife biologists use turkey and grouse brood surveys to estimate population statuses. Brood surveys rely on public reports of turkeys and grouse seen in July and August, when female birds and their young are most active. Community scientists are encouraged to submit observations on the Wildlife Reporting System webpage at wildohio.gov or on the HuntFish OH mobile app.

Observers of wild turkeys are asked to report the number of gobblers, hens and young turkeys (poults) seen. Information collected about ruffed grouse includes the number of adults and young viewed. Record the date and county where the observation occurred and include as many details as possible with your report. Biologists have tracked summer observations of wild turkeys since 1962, and grouse since 1999.

Similar brood surveys are conducted by other states throughout the wild turkeys range. Information submitted to Ohios brood surveys helps predict future population changes and guide management decisions.

Stats

Wild turkey brood surveys in 2021 and 2022 showed above-average nest productivity that benefitted turkey populations after several years of below-average results. The statewide average poults per hen in 2022 was 3, and in 2021 it was 3.1. The 10-year average is 2.7 poults per hen.

Regionally, the average poults per hen was 2.4 in central counties, 3.8 in the northwest, 3.3 in the northeast, 2.8 in the southeast, and 2.4 in the southwest. Turkey brood success is largely influenced by weather conditions, although habitat, predators, and more are factors as well. Because of habitat availability, Ohios turkey populations are strongest in the eastern and southern counties.

Beginning in 2023, the division of wildlife is conducting ongoing research on wild turkeys in coordination with The Ohio State University. Biologists are using GPS transmitters to track the movement, survival, and nesting activities of 49 hens in eastern Ohio. This project is part of a multi-state research collaboration involving Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Turkeys had disappeared from Ohio by 1904, and their return is a conservation success story. The division of wildlife restored turkeys in the 1950s by releasing birds from other states. Today, turkeys can be found across Ohio. Turkeys prefer a mix of wooded and open habitat and are often seen in the morning in fields near forests.

Ruffed grouse inhabit Ohios heavily forested regions. Grouse occur in the greatest numbers in young, regenerating forests, especially those less than 20 years old. Habitat loss has driven grouse population declines since the 1980s. In addition, susceptibility to West Nile Virus has likely caused further population declines since the early 2000s.

For more information on grouse and turkey, visit the wildlife species page at wildohio.gov.
KENT, Ohio  As part of Gov. Mike DeWines H2Ohio initiative, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources celebrated the Bird Family Bog Rehabilitation Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, June 23. The new project in Portage County will be used to help improve water quality in the region.

The 170-acre property is along the Cuyahoga River watershed in Kent, Ohio. The Bird Family Bog project will help improve water quality by preserving the bog and transforming formerly farmed land into future wetlands. The land was acquired by the West Creek Conservancy using $697,000 from the H2Ohio initiative, along with funds from the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program. West Creek carried out the restoration and reforestation work. Future plans include paved trails and new wetlands.

The ribbon cutting headlined a bioblitz event, where members of the community visited the bog to help identify as many species and plants as possible in one day.

The Portage Park District will provide additional habitat management with plans to open the area to the public with a paved trail. The Nature Conservancy is working to create new wetlands around the bog.
Drought planning is being stepped up amid the potential for the hottest June on record, as the farming sector continues to work to improve drought resilience.

At the most recent meeting of the National Drought Group (NDG), experts highlighted a decline in reservoir and groundwater levels in parts of England.

The NDG - made up of senior decision-makers from the Environment Agency, government and key farming groups - met to discuss the current situation across England and action being taken to ensure there is a plentiful water supply over the coming months.

The driest February in 30 years was recorded across the UK, followed by the wettest March in 40 years, and June is set to be the hottest on record.

NDG members heard that the farming sector is working to improve drought resilience, to ensure water availability for the short and long term, helping overall food security.

It follows the government recently unveiling its Plan for Water, including a further 10 million through the Water Management Grant to fund on-farm reservoirs.

At yesterday's meeting, NDG members heard that the Environment Agency would extend its use of technology, such as eAlerts, to share abstraction notices with farmers more quickly.

This technology is currently used by six Environment Agency operational areas and will be rolled out across the country.

Meanwhile, satellite data will be used to assess the moisture content of crops and soil, which can be compared with any irrigation restrictions in the area.

This may indicate whether or not abstractors are working within their licence conditions and assist the Environment Agency with compliance checks.

Simon Hawkins, chair of the NDG and director operations South East at the Environment Agency, said the group would continue to work with farmers to manage resources.

He said: The recent heatwave has served as a reminder that we need to prepare for weather extremes and act now to ensure resilient water supplies.

The Environment Agency, water companies and partners are working to handle drought risk; with our staff managing abstraction licences to balance need, ensuring water companies implement their drought plans, working with farmers to manage resources, and rescuing fish in areas where river levels are extremely low.

We all have a role in easing pressures on our precious water supply to protect the environment, our wildlife and ensure clean and plentiful water for future generations.

As of Tuesday 20 June, total reservoir stocks for England are at 83% of their total capacity, the meeting heard, following a mix of exceptionally wet or very dry months.

However, Devon, Cornwall and parts of East Anglia are still suffering from drought despite average rainfall earlier this year.

In August last year, South West Water implemented a temporary use ban for most of Devon and Cornwall which remains in place.

Moreover, South East Water implemented a temporary use ban in Sussex and Kent on Monday 26 June 2023, following an increased demand for water due to hot weather.

The NDG meeting heard that environmental pressures are also being felt in the Lake District and North East.

In the Lake District, Haweswater and Thirlmere saw a decrease of 13% in reservoir stocks between the end of April and end of May 2023.

In the North East, the Teesdale reservoir group saw a 13% drop over this time.
The government has announced new action to reduce peat carbon emissions and support farmers following recommendations from the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force.

To support the management of lowland peatlands, the government has confirmed it will take forward all the recommendations made by Robert Caudwell, chair of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force.

Running between 2021 and 2022, the group was tasked with improving the condition of Englands farmed lowland peat.

Its recommendations, unveiled today, include public money for wetter modes of farming on peat soils, raising the profile of lowland agricultural peat soils and creating viable opportunities in private finance.

Others include new investment in water storage, management and control, as well as adopting the task forces roadmap to commercially viable paludiculture (farming on rewetted peat).

Peat soils contain over half the countrys terrestrial carbon stores and serve as a potent nature-based solution against climate change.

However, today, just 1% of Englands lowland peatlands remain in a near-natural state.

Robert Caudwell, chair of the task force said: All the evidence demonstrates that reducing carbon emissions from lowland peat is vital as part of the United Kingdom governments plan to tackle climate change.

The report and the UK governments response are important first steps in a journey that will require partnership between all stakeholders.

"I am confident that the work that is already underway will give farmers opportunities to develop their businesses and contribute to the challenge of net zero.

The government has also announced new funding today, to be distributed across two pilots.

The Lowland Agricultural Peat Small Infrastructure Pilot (5.5m) will support the installation of infrastructure and monitoring technology to enable more control of water levels for the preservation and rewetting of lowland peat.

And the Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot (2.2m) will allow local and water peatland partnerships to collaborate to develop costed water level management plans for lowland peat areas in England.

Twelve projects across England are also set to receive support through the 5 million Paludiculture Exploration Fund grant scheme.

Environment Minister Trudy Harrison added: Our peatlands are invaluable allies in our battle against climate change, housing over half of our terrestrial carbon stores and providing resilience for future farming.

These new measures, which includes funding for innovative new water management schemes, bolster our efforts to protect and improve peat soils  enhancing carbon storage, preserving vital ecosystems, and paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Natural England has agreed to designate all of Penwith Moors as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), despite objections from some farmers and land managers.

The historic moorland landscape, located in west Cornwall, has been given the status in recognition of its national importance for wildlife.

Natural England said the SSSI would "protect an ancient landscape shaped over centuries through the careful stewardship of generations of land managers".

It means farmers and other land managers in the area must apply to the agency for consent to carry out certain activities on the land.

The area has a long history of livestock farming, with many of the 4,000 year old field systems still used for their original purpose.

However, in a response to the announcement, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said it was 'deeply disappointed' as Natural England "chose to ignore the concerns of farmers".

The designation had not taken into account the ability of farmers to make land management decisions in a timely fashion, the group said in a statement.

Natural England has not published a plan for how the site, which covers more than 3,000 hectares, should be managed.

The CLA said: "The lack of detail means that businesses do not know what they will be able to do once the designation commences.

The decision fails to take into account any socio-economic factors. The impact of this SSSI designation will likely be disastrous for many."

Farmers and land managers will now have to apply to Natural England for consent to carry out every day activities, with fears the consent could be temporary, likely take a long time to be considered or may not be granted at all.

The CLA warned that many farmers within the boundary would have concerns as to the ongoing viability of their "already-stretched businesses".

"We call on Natural England to bring forward all management plans and agree sufficient funding arrangements with Defra well before designation is implemented," the group said.

We also believe the designation of Penwith Moors as a SSSI lays bare some of the problems with the designation process more widely that need to be addressed."
A cow and calf combination from the pedigree herd of Santa Maria Polled Hereford cattle sold for 4,100 guineas at a dispersal sale.

The herd, based in Llandysul Ceredigion and owned by Tony Vasami, was included in a sale of 145 pedigree and pure bred Hereford cattle.

The Santa Maria herd dispersal included some of the best bloodlines in the breed.

The sale, held by auctioneers Halls at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on Tuesday, also included reductions from the Humblebee Grange and Moralee herds.

Attracting buyers from across Wales and England, it featured a quality selection of Hereford cows and calves from as far afield as Ceredigion, Preston and Northumberland.

It was a great day for the Hereford breed in Shrewsbury once again, with a near 100% clearance achieved and a very quick trade throughout, said Jonny Dymond, Halls senior auctioneer.

The Santa Maria herd dispersal started with Rempstone 1 Bertha H311 (P), the 2019 champion at the Royal Highland Show and her bull calf Santa Maria 1 AJ, sired by the 2021 champion of Europe Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks.

Split in the ring, Bertha achieved 3,000 guineas as she returned to her breeders M. Ludgate of Oxfordshire, while AJ sold for 1100gns to Ian Braithwaite of Wolverhampton.

The cattle on offer were full of Dendor breeding, both on the dam and sire sides of the pedigree.

It was one of those bred by Aled and Jen Jones, Dendor 1 Greta 29th with bull calf Alcatraz, by Gouldingpoll 1 Stockman, who sold for 3,000gns to Keadyview Livestock Services, Welshpool.

The same buyer secured Claxton 1 Catherine of Aragon, a 2018 born cow with a heifer calf by Stockman at foot, for 2,600gns.

Moralee breeding got in on the act when Moralee 1 Kylie KS S10 with a Moeskear Waterloo bull calf at foot, sold for 2400gns to J. Pudge for her Black Hall Herd.

In-calf heifers peaked at 2,200gns for Sky Hugh 1 Dementer, daughter of Alderville 1 Diane. Due in January 2024 to Goulding Poll 1 Duncan, she was the pick of Messrs J. & R. Hall of Warwickshire.

Maiden heifers were again topped by Sky High breeding in the form of Lady Lambo, daughter of Gouldingpoll 1 Duchess 967 which again sold for 1,800gns to Messrs Pudge.

The Moralee reduction saw trade for young cows and calves, topping at 2,200gns for Moralee 1 Twinkle Gem, a powerful king-size daughter with RHS Prince daughter at foot, who sold to Hesketh Farm, Yorkshire. Other heifers with calves from this home sold to 2,100gns.

Moralee maiden heifers were topped by 14-month-old Moralee 1 Willow Gem, first daughter of Twinkle Gem by Dendor 1 Tecwyn, which sold for 1,650gns to Messrs Pudge.

The Humble Herd reduction, genuine working cattle, rearing calves on grass in the Peak District on a no frills system, was very popular with the buyers.

The cows and calves peaked at 1,700gns for Humblebee Grange 1 Diadem 3rd, bred from the Laxfield Diadem line with a bull calf born in April, 2023 by Fabb 1 Push Over. These outfits consistently sold from 1,450-1,650gns.

The 2020 stock bull Humblee Grange 1 Victory attracted interest and achieved 2,800gns for use on a local dairy farm.
Anthony Mackie has insisted Jonathan Majors is "innocent until proven guilty".

Anthony Mackie has defended Jonathan Majors

The 33-year-old actor was charged with multiple misdemeanour counts of assault and harassment in March and his fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) star thinks society has gone "crazy" by trying to condemn Jonathan before he's gone through the legal process.

Asked about Jonathan's MCU future, the 'Captain America' star told Inverse: "Were a country that was built on everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Thats one of the staples of this country.

Nothing has been proven about this dude. Nothing. So everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Thats all I can say. Its crazy where we are as a society. But as a country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

The 'Creed III' star has been accused of slapping his ex-girlfriend in the back of a taxi after a night out partying in New York City in March, but he has insisted he is innocent, with his lawyer, Priya Chaudhry handing over several surveillance videos and text messages from the alleged victim in an attempt to clear her client's name.

Following a hearing in May, his attorney said she had provided the Manhattan District Attorney's office with "irrefutable evidence" that the alleged victim was "lying" about the facts of the case.

And Priya criticised alleged racism in the investigation as she expressed her frustration that no one is investigating Jonathan's claim he was actually assaulted by his former partner on the night in question.

She said: "When Mr. Majors showed a white police officer the injuries the woman caused him, the white officer got in Mr. Majors' face and taunted him, saying that if the officer were to slap Mr. Majors, the officer wouldn't break his finger."

The 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' actor is charged with aggravated harassment in the second degree, harassment in the second degree, and three counts of attempted assault in the third degree.
John Boyega has finally got a call from Jamie Foxx.

John Boyega has finally got a call from Jamie Foxx

The Star Wars actor, 31, gave an update on the Ray stars health after the 55-year-old Oscar winners daughter Corinne Fox revealed in April her dad had been hospitalised in the middle of production on his upcoming movie Back in Action with a mystery medical condition.

John told People at the Hollywood premiere of his and Jamies film They Cloned Tyrone on Tuesday (27.06.23): He finally picked up the phone. Thank you, bro.

Hes doing well. And then, you know, we (are) just giving him the privacy, and we cant wait for his return.

I gave him the well-wishes directly. I gave him all the well-wishes. So Im just gonna be waiting until he comes back out here. So take your time, Jamie. We love you, bro.

Datari Turner, 44, who co-produced They Cloned Tyrone with Jamie, also said his friend is recovering and expects to be in front of the cameras again soon.

He added: Hes doing amazing. I promise you. Doing really, really good.

(Our director) Juel (Taylor) talked to him yesterday. John Boyega talked to him yesterday. Hes in really, really good shape and spirits. And hell be back on the screen. Hell be back to work very soon.

Jamies co-star Cameron Diaz, 50, has continued to shoot Back in Action with a body double standing in for Jamie.

A source told People the actress wanted to be supportive and help out in any way after her castmates health crisis even though his family has kept his status very quiet.

Jamie, his family and his team have stayed silent on his condition, but his representative has denied a conspiracy theory the Covid vaccination had led to the actor suffering blood clots.

Jamie updated fans on Instagram in May by thanking them for all the love and said he felt blessed.
Melanie Lynskey will "never forget" Julian Sands.

Melanie Lynskey has paid tribute to Julian Sands

The 'A Room With A View' actor went missing while hiking Mount Baldy in California in January and earlier this week, it was confirmed his body had been found by hikers.

Julian's 'Rose Red' co-star has now paid a heartfelt tribute to her friend, with the 'Yellowjackets' star recalling the huge impact he had on her life and the instant connection they struck up.

Sharing a photo of herself dancing with Julian, the 46-year-old actress wrote on Instagram: Julian Sands. I met you on the set of 'Rose Red' in 2000.

'A Room With A View' was a movie I had seen dozens of times, and I adored you in it. I was so nervous I could barely speak to you. When I did finally tell you what the movie/you meant to me, I was struck by your humility, your lack of ego, the absence of any grandstanding. I got the sense that it was a very special film to you but also just a job, in a long line of interesting, eclectic jobs, all of which you were so grateful to have had.

We became fast friends. You bought me so many presents, mostly huge and intimidating non-fiction books and classical music CDs.

You found out Id never been to the opera, and so you came to my apartment one night and picked me up, took me out for champagne, and took me to the opera. You giggled when I yawned.

In return, I played you the entirety of Dr Dres 2001, made you talk on the phone with my boyfriend in New Zealand, and agonized with you over whether to see Billy Bragg or Bright Eyes, both of whom were only in Seattle for ONE NIGHT and oh no whatever would I do.

You were gracious and patient and tons of fun. We lost touch, but I have never forgotten your kindness and I will never forget you. My heart goes out to your family and loved ones. [heart emoji].

Selma Blair was among those to comment on Melanie's post.

She wrote: A beautiful tribute. A remarkable man.

The local sherrif's department confirmed on Tuesday (27.06.23) that remains found by hikers over the weekend were those of the late actor.

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said in an update: "The identification process for the body located on Mt. Baldy on June 24, 2023, has been completed and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood. The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results.

"We would like to extend our gratitude to all the volunteers that worked tirelessly to locate Mr. Sands."

Julian is survived by wife, Eugenia Citkowitz, and their daughters Imogen Morley, 26, and Natalya Morley, 23, and his 37-year-old son Henry from his marriage to Sarah Sands.
The Delhi-Leh bus service is back after almost nine months, offering visitors the chance of a scenic ride again





Indias highest altitude bus service is back in action after almost nine months. The bus service runs from Delhi in the National Capital Region to Leh in the union territory of Ladakh.





The service was unavailable for tourism through the long winter and even further due to heavy snowfall, staying shut for almost nine months.



The journey takes 30 hours one way on the 1,026-kilometre-long route, and goes through four mountain passes. The service runs from Delhi to Leh via Manali and Keylong in the Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.









The special bus run by the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HPTC) will leave Delhi at 3.45 pm. The journey goes through the Rohtang Pass (at 13,050 feet), the Baralacha Pass (at 16,020 feet), the Lachungla Pass (at 16,620 feet; above) and the Tanglangla Pass (at 17,480 feet; main image), and promises stunning views. This is one of the longest bus rides in the country, and the cold desert landscape of Lahaul-Spiti, the four important mountain passes and the mountains always in sight will make it the experience of a lifetime.





The per-person fare for this momentous journey is Rs 1,736 one way. Bookings can be made online for the leg from Delhi to Keylong in Himachal Pradesh and then must be booked at the HRTC counter at Keylong for the further journey to Leh.



Images: Shutterstock



Also Read: Tripura To Spotlight Historic Ujjayanta Palace In Weekend Tourism Hub Plan
With Indian cuisine in focus both globally and locally, there has never been a better time to chronicle Indian culinary culture in all its diversity. Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, herself the custodian of Uttarakhandi food, showcases 16 other women who are each committed to keeping their own culinary heritage alive. These are some of Indias most passionate culinary custodians, who are driving conversations around and exploration of regional, micro regional and community cuisines through media, books, TV, home delivery menus from their own home kitchens, and pop-ups at restaurants.





First read this



Kashmiri Nath

Assamese Cuisine

Kashmiri Nath is a Guwahati-based Assamese culinary chronicler, food consultant and entrepreneur.





Anguli Pitha

Chutneys And Pickles Made With Local Fruits And Herbs

Assamese Food Has Found A Champion In Kashmiri In These Ways

An Assamese Breakfast

This Is What Kashmiri Wants You To Know About Assamese Food

Joha Salwaror Sira Jolpan With Doi And Gur (jaggery)

Follow Kashmiri Here To Access Her Custodianship Of Assamese Food

Next Story : Keep It Real Is The Mantra Of Mansi Zaveri, Author Of 3 Books For Parents

Growing up in verdant Assam as part of a family for whom food played a major role in shaping Kashmiris own love for food. Her childhood captivation with the kitchen manifested itself in a fascination with the unique flavours and traditions intrinsic to Assamese regional cuisine. Realising that so little of it was known outside the region, she was inspired to take her culinary culture to the country and the world and showcase its history and local food habits; she wanted to break the barriers, stereotypes and culture cringe around Assamese ingredients and food. Kashmiri has been hosting pop-ups and food festivals at fine dining spaces all over India. She began using her grandmothers traditional recipes without changing their flavours, and plating them in a modern avatar to make them visually appealing, something nobody had done before with Assamese food. She writes a weekly culinary newspaper column and is working on a book of Assamese recipes in context with history.- Assamese cuisine is rice based; the cuisine boasts 200 varieties of rice including kumal sawal. This local distinctive variety of rice needs no cooking; it is simply soaked in water and is ready to eat.- Assamese cuisine uses khar, an alkali made from the ashes of dried banana plants, as a signature ingredient. With an umami flavour, khar lends Assamese food distinct characteristics.- Fermented food is one of the best-kept secrets of Assamese cuisine. Kharoli (fermented mustard), with its wasabi-like pungency, is a much-loved signature condiment.Instagram: @kashmirinathImages courtesy Kashmiri Nath
Perus apparel exports will drop by up to 30 per cent in the second half this year due to excess inventory of clothing brands around the world, according to Juan Jose Cordova, president of the textile committee of the Association of Exporters (ADEX).

Due to higher sales projections for last year, sales in which was projected to grow by more than 20 per cent, several brands now have excess inventory of more than three to four months, he said.

That is why for the whole year 2023 and especially in the second semester, exports will fall between 20 per cent to 30 per cent because of this problem, Cordova said during the opening of the XlX edition of the Textile Export Forum organised by ADEX.

Excess inventory of apparel brands around the world would lead to a drop in Peru's apparel exports by 30 per cent in the second half this year, Juan Jose Cordova, president of the textile committee of the Association of Exporters said. The domestic market is, however, showing improvement, and this year can see an 'imminent recovery' after the pandemic.

A few brands like North Face and Timberland have overstock ranging from 25 per cent to 75 per cent.

The domestic market is, however, showing improvement, and this year can see an imminent recovery after the pandemic, he was quoted as saying by a Peruvian newspaper.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Sri Lankan foreign minister: Chinese funding important for developing countries

(People's Daily App) 14:10, June 29, 2023

Chinese funding of the developing world is important, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka M.U.M. Ali Sabry during a session about global debt at the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, on Wednesday.

Once developing countries have built infrastructure like roads, road networks and railways, they will then move on beyond that to fields like education, digitalization and renewable energy, and funding will become more transparent and accountable, said Sabry.

"So that it has a direct correlation to job creation and adding assets and value to countries," he said.

"I'm sure the Chinese will do that," said the minister.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The opening of Padma Bridge and the development of Mongla and Payra ports are expected to turn Bangladeshs south-western region into a more popular investment destination in future, a survey by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has found.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the 6.15-kilometer Padma Bridge for vehicular movement on June 25 last year, connecting 21 south and south-western districts with capital Dhaka and other major cities.

The opening of Padma Bridge and the development of Mongla and Payra ports are expected to turn Bangladesh's south-western region into a more popular investment destination in future, a survey by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has found. The authority hopes to expedite development of the planned industrial parks in that region.

Ninety-two per cent of the respondents expressed their willingness to procure land in the economic zones (EZs) for investment, while Chattogram remains their most preferred destination, the survey showed.

Khulna and Barishal regions may become more popular for procuring land in future, it revealed.

Seventeen EZs will be set up across the entire region, while construction of Mongla EZ in Bagerhat is in full gear. Close to that EZ, another EZ will be established on 105 acres dedicated to Indian investors on government-to-government (G2G) basis.

Harun said the two under-construction EZs in Mongla will soon host industrial units.

EZs will also be established in Gopalganj, Khulna, Madaripur, Satkhira and Kushtia in phases, he added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
India and Egypt are striving to increase their bilateral trade from the current $7 billion to $12 billion within a span of five years. Both countries have emphasised the importance of considering a free trade agreement (FTA) to further enhance their mutual trade.

India and Egypt aim to boost bilateral trade from $7 billion to $12 billion over five years, possibly using a Free Trade Agreement. While India is a key market for Egypt's cotton exports, its share in Egyptian fabric and apparel imports remains small. Despite competition in the global apparel market, both countries see potential for growth in trade.

In the textiles sector, India is a prime market for Egypt's Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton exports. Although Egypt imports fabric for its garment industry, India's share remains minimal. Similarly, India holds a small share in Egyptian apparel imports. As a significant apparel exporter, Egypt competes with India on the global market.

Last year, Egypt exported cotton (HSN Code 5201) worth $71.892 million, representing 27.81 per cent of its total export of $258.538 million. According to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro, India was the second-largest market for Egyptian cotton exports, following China.

In 2022, Egypt imported fabric worth $1,304.685 million. Despite being the second-largest supplier after China, India only held a share of 4.47 per cent. The value of imports from India was $58.295 million, while China's supply was valued at $1,114.856 million during the same period.

Egypt is a major apparel exporting country from Africa, which places it in direct competition with India in the global market. Last year, the African country's apparel exports were valued at $2.437 billion.

Conversely, India has minimal exposure in the Egyptian apparel market. Egypt imported apparel worth $5.131 million last year, which constituted 2.24 per cent of its total imports amounting to $228.860 million. India ranked sixth in Egypt's apparel imports, following Turkiye, China, Bangladesh, the UAE, and Vietnam, according to TexPro.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
critic's rating: 3.0/5

Trailer : SatyaPrem Ki Katha

SatyaPrem Ki Katha starts off as a rich girl meets poor guy romance. It ticks all the boxes of the often repeated formula. Then after the interval, it turns serious and segues into mental health territory. It's Sameer Vidwans' homage to such films as Woh Saat Din and Mouna Ragam, which depicted love blossoming between two individuals who get married despite having nothing in common but then find a way forward due to circumstances.Satyaprem (Kartik Aaryan) and Katha (Kiara Advani) meet each other during the garba jalsa in Ahmedabad and sparks fly. The fly in the ointment is that she has a boyfriend. A year later, he learns that she had broken off with her beau. When he comes to meet her, he finds she'd tried to commit suicide and rushes her to a hospital, saving her life. Impressed by his unselfish act and honest ways, her father, who runs a popular sweets shop, wants to marry her off to him, despite Satyaprem not being employed and belonging to lower economic strata than them. Katha initially doesn't want this forced marriage but later agrees. She's uncomfortable with sleeping with Satyaprem and uses his habit of snoring loudly in order to avoid that. But the truth is much deeper and bitter. Katha has been a victim of date rape and hence funds herself in a mental block about sexual relations. It takes a while for Satyaprem to find that out. Once he does so, he realises that instead of trying to consummate his marriage, he should first try to win Katha's heart. How he goes about doing so forms the crux of the story.The film has its heart firmly in the right place. Date rape is a crime which hardly gets reported. Victims are stopped by their own family members from filing an FIR fearing public humiliation. Worse, girls blame themselves for getting into such a situation and don't easily come out of the tragedy. It takes a harsh toll on their mental as well as sexual health. Like it's shown in the film, they can't bear to be near any man, let alone have sex with him. A vast amount of counselling is necessary to help them return to normal. And, of course, love and acceptance of family members is crucial as well.The film shows a plausible scenario where the women of the family are supportive of Katha's plight while her father and father-in-law both find themselves repulsed by it. Thankfully, her husband is woke enough to understand the concept of date rape and supports her thoroughly. The film ends with the positive note of Satyaprem encouraging Katha to file an FIR against her rapist and promising to stand firm with her through thick and thin.Where the film slacks is the editing. It's too slow for its own good. And the dramatic impact of several scenes gets diluted due to inept transitions. Music is another let down. A romantic film needs songs which you can take home to, but that isn't the case here. One wouldn't have minded the film having no songs at all, as they eat into the runtime. Also, the director should have toned down on the melodrama, instead of dialling it up unnecessarily.The supporting cast, comprising Supriya Pathak, Shikha Talsania, Siddharth Randeria, Anuradha Patel and Gajraj Rao are all dependable actors and have brought their A game to the table. It's sad to see Rajpal Yadav doing bit roles once more. Let's hope better times prevail for him. The film's leads, Kiara Advani and Kartik Aaryan, show great camaraderie on screen. They come off as a troubled couple, trying to set things right. Director Sameer Vidwans creates an atmosphere of hesitancy, of awkwardness between them. And the actors too play off each other and shine in those scenes. Kiara Advani and Kartik Aaryan both have more to do in this film than their other releases and show a willingness to push the envelope, trusting the director's vision.All in all, SatyaPrem Ki Katha is a love story with a difference, thanks to the cause it espouses. No means no. Watch the film for its powerful message and for the chemistry between Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani.
critic's rating: 3.5/5

Trailer : Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny is supposedly the last film in the franchise. Considering that Harrison Ford is 80 and the makers have vetoed the idea of recasting someone else as the character, this might well be the case. The franchise was supposedly planned as a trilogy, with Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989), said to be finishing off the series. Then 19 years later, they came back with a fourth film, Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, with Steven Spielberg back at the helm once more. This time, the villains were not the Nazis but the Soviets and the film had a far-fetched storyline featuring aliens.This time around, while the major portion of the film is set in 1969, during the moon mission and Vietnam phase of American history, the film actually starts off like Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981), which was set in 1936 and had the Nazis searching for the Ark of the Covenant, the gold plated chest containing the stone tablets Moses used to inscribe the Ten Commandments. In the present film, the action starts off in 1945. World War II is on its last legs, the Nazis are losing, but theyre still looking for artefacts of power that might help them turn things around. One such device is Archimedes Dial or the The Antikythera mechanism. The mythical device is said to have the properties of finding fissures in time. Brilliant Nazi scientist, Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), possesses a broken half of it and is convinced that if hes able to find the other half, he can alter the course of history. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his friend Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) steal away the device from the Nazis. In a homage to the earlier films, the 1945 portions are filled with chase sequences involving cars, bikes and tuk-tuks and even has a lengthy piece set atop a movie train. While we know most of it is achieved through CGI, the director has been successful in giving it the look and feel of a bygone era. This is true later in the film as well, where Indy rides a horse on the tracks of the New York metro, running straight into an oncoming train. This was so reminiscent of '80s action films that it gave one a feeling of deja vu.The film then shifts to 1969. Indy is retiring as the professor of archaeology. His goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), daughter of Basil Shaw. Shes actually after the Archimedes Dial, as she plans to sell it in Morocco to the highest bidder in a black market arts auction. What she doesnt know is that a group of Nazis, led by Jurgen Voller is after the artefact. Voller is convinced he can time travel with the completed device and secure a better future for Germany, with Nazis emerging as winners. A series of adventures later, Voller, Indy and Helena do manage to travel back in time with the aid of the device. The twist is that they didnt reach 1939, as desired by Voller, but somewhere far, far backEven at 80, Harrison Ford has shown he has the making of a world class action hero. The actor has been de-aged through computer graphics for the 1945 portions and the transition doesnt look half bad. His biggest asset is that he can lend gravitas to a role which is decidedly campy. We know a body double is doing all the running around but such is his charisma that all we see is Ford. His most tender moments come near the end of the film, where he talks with his screen wife, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen). Suddenly, the years fall away, and we see two actors in the prime of their lives, romancing each other in Raiders Of The Lost Ark, exchanging sharp repartee, while dodging bullets. Phoebe Waller-Bridge starts off as the complete antithesis to Indy, a grave robber who goes after antiques not for the sake of knowledge but for money, before getting her moral compass right. She gives the role the required comic touches and is good at action as well. Is she being groomed to take over Indys mantle in the coming years? Well only get to know when something concrete is announced.The film is made with the fans of the franchise in mind and offers them everything they hope for, with loads of nostalgia thrown in. Its a good send off to the legend of Indiana Jones and will make you go back to the original trilogy again.
This July, immerse yourself into the world of compelling stories with MX Player's captivating MX VDesi line-up. The platform has kept the viewers glued to their screens by offering them content in multiple languages and across varied genres. Take a look at the mix of engaging and entertaining slate for July, which is just unmissable.

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5th July 2023 - Legend of Fuyao

Legend of Fuyao is a Chinese fantasy drama about Meng Fuyao (Yang Mi), a young woman born from a divine lotus petal. At 16, she masters an invincible fighting technique and embarks on a journey to collect the secret talisman from five kingdoms that will gain her entry into a sacred land called the Firmament. On her journey, Fuyao falls in love with Crown Prince Zhangsun Wuji (Ethan Juan), who helps her to fight the powerful political forces along the way. With the support of her friends, can Fuyao unravel the dangerous conspiracy originating from the heavens and restore peace to the land? Witness this adventure and unravel the story 'Legend of Fuyao' streaming on MX Player in Hindi from 5th July 2023.

19th July 2023 - Ice Fantasy

Ice Fantasy is a Chinese fantasy drama. Hundred years after the war between the Ice Tribe and the Fire Tribe, the only two remaining royal heirs of the Ice Tribe struggle for power. Prince Ka Suo (Feng Shao Feng) and his younger half-brother, Yong Kong Shi (Ma Tian Yu), are the only pureblood illusionists and royal heirs left in the Ice Tribe. Ka Suo reluctantly battles his brother for the throne, but he wants nothing more than the freedom to be with his lover Li Luo. Kong Shi does everything he can to take the throne away from Ka Suo, while Yan Da (Zhang Meng), the only daughter of the Fire Tribe royal family, is willing to give up everything for Kong Shi. When both Kong Shi and Li Luo suddenly go missing, can Ka Suo protect his kingdom alone when another war breaks out? Watch 'Ice Fantasy' streaming on MX Player in Hindi from 19th July 2023.
Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5 Grand Finale: Asianet is scheduled to broadcast the highly anticipated Grand Finale of their hit reality show, Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5, on Sunday, July 2 at 7:00 PM. Viewers can look forward to witnessing the thrilling winning moments of Bigg Boss Malayalam on this momentous day. This season marks the show's fifth installment, with the second season unfortunately being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you're already subscribed, you can enjoy the "Bigg Boss - Season 5" finale on Disney+ Hotstar at no additional cost.

Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5: Lachu's Revelation About THIS, Leaves Cerena Shocked

Starting July 3rd, Asianet will introduce two new serials to its lineup. "Gouri Shankaram" will air at 09:30 PM from Monday to Friday, while "Kathodu Kathoram" will follow at 10:00 PM on the same days. These exciting new shows are set to captivate viewers on Asianet.



Nadira Chooses To Leave The Bigg Boss House With The Money Box

Currently, there are six contestants remaining in season five: Akhil Marar, Shiju, Cerena, Reneesha, Sobha Viswanath, and Junaiz. In a surprising turn of events, Nadira voluntarily left the house after accepting the money from the money box. This marked the first time a contestant chose this option in Bigg Boss Malayalam.

In an interview given to Asianet, she emphatically asserts that her departure signifies the fulfilment of her goal, leaving the Bigg Boss house with an overwhelming sense of pride.

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"As I reflect on my journey, a surge of joy envelops me, and I stand tall with immense pride. When I entered the Bigg Boss house, I carried a multitude of hopes for my life, and I have no regrets about the decision I made. Being a person driven by ambitious dreams, I view Bigg Boss as the catalyst that kickstarted my aspirations. Now, in the realm of reality, I find myself connecting with the people who closely watched my journey," Nadira said.

Fans are now eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winner of Bigg Boss Malayalam season five.
Nadira's Voluntary Exit from Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5: Nadira Mehrin has voluntarily chosen to step down from Bigg Boss Malayalam season five, and she exited the house clutching the money box.

In an interview given to Asianet, she emphatically asserts that her departure signifies the fulfilment of her goal, leaving the Bigg Boss house with an overwhelming sense of pride.

'Mollywood Version Of Godfather'; Viral AI Video Creator's Apology Video Sparks Privacy Concerns

"As I reflect on my journey, a surge of joy envelops me, and I stand tall with immense pride. When I entered the Bigg Boss house, I carried a multitude of hopes for my life, and I have no regrets about the decision I made. Being a person driven by ambitious dreams, I view Bigg Boss as the catalyst that kickstarted my aspirations. Now, in the realm of reality, I find myself connecting with the people who closely watched my journey," Nadira said.

My initial aim was to remain in the Bigg Boss House for 100 days, striving to reach the coveted finale. By accomplishing that dream, I left the house, yet I remain hopeful that your support and love will continue to accompany me in my life. I cannot fathom how you perceive it, but unexpectedly, more wealth than I ever envisioned has come my way-a remarkable lottery win. I express my gratitude to those who voted for me, contributing to this extraordinary outcome.

Nadira's Impact On Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5

If someone were to inquire for whom Bigg Boss Malayalam season five was created, I would proudly declare, "For me." I also take immense pride in playing a significant role in making a profound impact on the Malayali audience.

"I am elated to say that I have finally found acceptance within my own home. After dedicating six or seven years of relentless effort, I achieved this through my journey on Bigg Boss, and for that, I cannot thank you enough. I embarked on this journey with a distinct purpose, and I am gratified to have achieved that goal. This accomplishment fills me with great pride," Nadira expressed.

Challenging Misconceptions And Imparting Knowledge

Upon entering the House, representing the LGBTQ community to which I belong, I carried a weighty responsibility. My primary objective was to challenge societal misconceptions about this community and impart knowledge.

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In this moment, I firmly believe that I have successfully demonstrated that knowledge through my words and actions, although I remain uncertain about the extent of its impact on you, the viewers.

"I don't believe that there are many who harbour hate towards me. On the contrary, I deeply appreciate your unwavering support. Even my fellow contestants wished for my continued presence. Many of the things I expressed during my time in the house were articulated without guilt, reflecting my genuine thoughts and beliefs," Nadira added.
Bigg Boss OTT 2 new captain: Salman Khan's reality show has managed to keep the audience glued to their television screens with its drama-packed episodes. While the makers are busy churning out new twists and turns, the contestants are leaving no stone to impress the audience. It won't be wrong to say that Fukra Insaan has emerged as one of the most loved contestants of BB OTT 2.

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BIG TWIST BEFORE ELIMINATION

The production house has planned a special twist before the eviction as a popular celebrity will be entering the Bigg Boss house. Abdu Rozik, who made waves during his stint in Bigg Boss 16, will be seen as a special guest in the digital version of the show. While gossip mills suggested that the 19-year-old will be seen as a wildcard contestant, there's no official confirmation.

Before Abdu Rozik's entry, the viewers witnessed the scorching chemistry between Jad Hadid and Akanksha Puri as the duo locked lips with each other. They shared a passionate kiss on the lips after Avinash Sachdev challenged them during a task.

BIGG BOSS OTT 2 NEW CAPTAIN IS

The makers have crowned the new captain of the BB OTT 2 house. While fans expected their Fukra Insaan to emerge as the new captain, there's a big twist in store for the viewers. Abhishek Malhan's team member has become the captain, earning special privileges in the show.

We are talking about Habibi aka Jad Hadid. The model, who has been given the tag of 'serial kisser' Emraan Hashmi by fans, has now earned the right of captaincy. His reign is expected to change the dynamics in the reality show as he shares a close bond with Pooja Bhatt and Akanksha Puri. Will he punish Bebiba Dhurve and support Manisha Rani? Only time will tell.

BIGG BOSS OTT 2 ELIMINATION

Fukra Insaan, Jiya Shankar and Akanksha Puri have been nominated for eviction in Bigg Boss OTT 2. One of them will get eliminated during the Weekend Ka Vaar episode. After Aaliya Siddiqui's mid-week elimination, all eyes are on Salman Khan's episode.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - Coho Collective Kitchens Inc. (TSXV: COHO) ("Coho" or the "Company"), a commercial real estate and food technology company that provides private and shared kitchen and food production space to a variety of businesses, is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements with Independent Trading Group (ITG) Inc. ("ITG") and Hybrid Financial Ltd. ("Hybrid") to provide market making services and marketing services, respectively, to the Company.

ITG, a proprietary trading and market making firm based in Toronto, Ontario, will work with Coho to provide liquidity and stability to the Company's traded securities. In exchange for ITG's services, the Company has agreed to pay a monthly fee of C$5,000 for an initial 3-month term.

Hybrid, a sales and distribution company that connects issuers to the investment community across North America, will partner with the Company on its upcoming unit offering announced on June 15, 2023. Coho has agreed to pay Hybrid a one-time fee of C$30,000 for its services.

As at the date hereof, none of ITG, Hybrid, or any employees of ITG or Hybrid have any direct or indirect interest in the Company or its securities. Subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws, ITG and Hybrid may in the future acquire such interest or a right to acquire such interest. The investor relations agreement between the Company and ITG and between the Company and Hybrid are subject to the polices of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. Coho, ITG, Hybrid, and their respective employees are arm's length parties.

About Coho

Coho is a growth stage, community-driven, commercial real estate and food technology company that provides private and shared kitchen and production space to food companies from start-ups to restaurant groups seeking turnkey solutions and business services. Each of the Company's customers, called "Members", are revenue generating companies that have signed a membership agreement with Coho for an agreed upon term. The concept falls in line with a rapidly growing trend in the food-delivery industry creating a market for delivery-only and/or virtual restaurant concepts. For more information about how Coho is growing and innovating in the commissary space, visit https://www.cohocommissary.com.

Further information is available at https://www.cohocommissary.com/.

About Independent Trading Group

ITG is Canada's only brokerage firm dedicated specifically to professional trading. As Canada's foremost Market Making Firm, ITG provides Market Making and Liquidity Provider services that are objective and focused. With its head office in Toronto, ITG employs real traders and provides real liquidity, with an underlying emphasis on integrity and success.

Further information is available at https://independent-trading-group.com/.

About Hybrid Financial Ltd.

Hybrid is a sales and distribution company that actively connects issuers to the investment community across North America. Using a data driven approach, Hybrid provides its clients with comprehensive coverage of both American and Canadian markets. Hybrid Financial has offices in Toronto and Montreal.

Further information is available at https://hybridfinancial.com/.

Contacts

Andrew Barnes, Chief Executive Officer

andrew@cohocommissary.com

(778) 877-6513

Investor Relations

invest@cohocommissary.com

(604) 243-7355

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy and the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the annual financial statements and MD&A of the Company.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements, except as expressly required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171736
SINGAPORE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New research released today by leading personal finance portal MoneySmart has revealed the top airlines for flight delay and cancellation according to Singaporean travellers.

Whilst air travel can be notoriously chaotic, travellers have seen an even greater increase in flight disruptions in recent years. In the past 12 months alone, the number of Singaporeans searching for 'travel insurance claim' online has risen by 401%.

To understand the issues travellers have experienced with flight disruptions, MoneySmart surveyed over 1,700 Singaporeans who have flown in the past year (May 2022-23) and uncovered the top 12 airlines with the most flight delays and cancellations, according to Sinaporean travellers.

Of those surveyed, Air India topped the list, with almost 4 in 5 (78%) of the airline's customers reporting a delay, while 71% reported a cancellation.

MoneySmart uncovers the airlines Singaporean travellers say they've experienced the most disruptions with and how this affected their travel experiences:

The airlines with the most flight delays, as reported by survey respondents

According to the customer survey, Air India emerged as the top airline with the highest number of delays, as reported by almost 4 in 5 (78%) respondents who had flown with them:

Air China was second, with 7 in 10 (70%) of respondents reporting a delay with them.

Cebu Pacific Air closely followed in third place, with 69% of respondents encountering delays while flying with the airline.

Singapore Airlines, the national carrier, was reported to have caused delays for almost 2 in 5 (38%) of the respondents who flew with them in the past year. However, they ranked ninth among the top 12 airlines in terms of reported delays.

The most common duration of delays reported by survey respondents was 1 to 3 hours, accounting for 40% of respondents. Nearly two-fifths (38%) of travellers reported experiencing delays exceeding 4 hours.

The top 12 airlines with the most delays according to Singaporean travellers:

Airline % of passengers who experienced a delay Air India 78 % Air China 70 % Cebu Pacific Air 69 % Bangkok Airways 62 % Air Asia 47 % China Airlines 46 % British Airways 46 % All Nippon Airways 43 % Singapore Airlines 38 % Philippine Airlines 38 % Scoot 37 % Japan Airlines 37 %

The airlines with the most flight cancellations, as reported by survey respondents

Excluding flight cancellations due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Air India took the top spot again, with 71% of survey respondents who had flown with the airline reporting experiencing a cancellation.

Cebu Pacific Air followed, with 65% who had flown with the airline reporting a cancellation with them.

Air China claimed the third spot, with over two-thirds (64%) of respondents reporting cancelled flights.

The survey reveals that the most common wait time for a replacement flight was 1 to 3 hours (27% of respondents).

The top 12 airlines with the most cancellations according to Singaporean travellers:

Airline % of passengers who experienced a cancellation Air India 71 % Cebu Pacific Air 65 % Air China 64 % Bangkok Airways 62 % British Airways 37 % All Nippon Airways 35 % Air Asia 33 % China Airlines 33 % Philippine Airlines 32 % Singapore Airlines 26 % Cathay Pacific 25 % Japan Airlines 25 %

Compensation for disruption

When it comes to compensation for disrupted air travel, the survey findings shed light on the following key insights:

Compensation for delayed flights:

On average, 42% of respondents who had experienced delays reported not receiving direct compensation from the airline.

receiving direct compensation from the airline. Scoot, the low-cost airline owned by the Singapore Airlines group, compensated only around 23% of the surveyed respondents who experienced delays. This places Scoot as the airline least likely to provide compensation for flight delays, leaving 77% of the affected passengers to bear the financial cost.

Compensation for cancelled flights:

32% reported not receiving direct compensation from the airline for cancelled flights.

receiving direct compensation from the airline for cancelled flights. However, survey responses indicated that Air India - the airline with the highest rate of both delays and cancellations - was least likely to compensate for flight cancellations, with 43% of passengers receiving some.

The percentages of disrupted Singaporean travellers surveyed who received compensation from the top 12 most delayed and cancelled airlines:

Delayed travellers



Cancelled travellers

Airline NET % compensated

Airline NET % compensated Air China 71 %

Air China 74 % Bangkok Airways 66 %

Singapore Airlines 73 % British Airways 64 %

Bangkok Airways 59 % Singapore Airlines 62 %

Cathay Pacific 56 % China Airlines 57 %

Philippine Airlines 56 % All Nippon Airways 53 %

China Airlines 54 % Air India 48 %

British Airways 53 % Japan Airlines 44 %

Cebu Pacific Air 51 % Air Asia 33 %

Air Asia 50 % Philippine Airlines 30 %

All Nippon Airways 50 % Cebu Pacific Air 27 %

Japan Airlines 46 % Scoot 23 %

Air India 43 %

According to respondents who experienced disruptions, the result of flight delays and cancellations has appeared to have a longer-term impact on travel behaviours:

65% now always pre-arrange travel insurance to safeguard against travel disruptions, emphasising the growing recognition of its importance.

62% found their experience to be stressful, substantiating the emotional toll such incidents can have on travellers.

58% now frequently worry about the possibility of future disruptions, indicating a lingering concern affecting their travel plans.

47% expressed extreme disappointment with their airline's handling of delays or cancellations, suggesting a call to improve customer service and support during such frustrating circumstances.

39% admitted that the handling of their disruption has made them not want to fly with the airline again, demonstrating a lasting impact of poor incident management on brand trust and customer loyalty.

Abel Lee, Singapore General Manager at MoneySmart said, "Flight delays and cancellations have an immense impact on one's travel plans.

"Planning for the perfect holiday could all come to waste if we fail to account for these potential risks.

"Our survey has uncovered very recent negative experiences by modern travellers, and we recognise the critical role travel insurance plays in mitigating these risks.

"Travel insurance offers a peace of mind, ensuring that unforeseen disruptions are met with comprehensive support and financial protection that one may not necessarily receive from airlines.

"We believe that every traveller should enjoy a worry-free travel experience."

For more information and to view the full findings and methodology of the survey, please visit: https://www.moneysmart.sg/travel-insurance/flight-cancellations-delays-singapore-ms

If you choose to run this story, please link back to: https://www.moneysmart.sg/travel-insurance/flight-cancellations-delays-singapore-ms

Accompanying infographics may be downloaded here.

Survey Methodology

Research conducted on behalf of MoneySmart by Savanta amongst 1,730 Singaporean adults (aged 18+) who had travelled in the past year. The survey was carried out online between 5 - 15 May 2023.

Amongst all respondents surveyed, 58% said they had experienced a flight delay, and 40% said they had experienced a cancellation.

All data is based on the experiences, perceptions, and reports of the Singaporean travellers from the above survey group.

Appendix

 Google Trends data pulled on 30/5/23 from this page .

About MoneySmart Group

MoneySmart Group is one of Southeast Asia's largest personal finance portals, helping millions of people on their journey to achieve their financial goals.

MoneySmart provides a financial comparison and content platform for consumers to make informed product choices across a range of banking, insurance and investment products. We do the hard work of compiling the information and facts to make it easy for you to compare and choose what's best for you.

Under our Bubblegum brand, we aim to create desirable insurance products and experiences and to become the winning digital insurance brand of the future.

For more information, please visit www.moneysmart.com .

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/singaporean-travellers-reveal-the-airlines-with-most-delays-and-cancellations-in-moneysmart-survey-301866219.html
A combined total of approximately $1.65 million in aggregate proceeds raised from all tranches of the non-brokered private placement.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement of 6,499,688 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.145 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $942,454.76 (the "Private Placement"). The aggregate proceeds raised in both tranches totaled approximately $1,646,805.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one additional share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.20 per Warrant Share for a period of 48 months from the closing date of the Private Placement, provided that if the volume weighted average closing price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (or such other stock exchange on which the Shares are traded) is equal to or greater than $0.25 for any ten consecutive trading days, the Company may at its option to elect to accelerate the expiry of the Warrants by providing notice to the holders thereof, in which case the Warrants will expire thirty calendar days following delivery of such notice.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid arm's length finders (each, a "Finder") an aggregate of $28,173.60 and issued an aggregate of 194,300 warrants (each, a "Finder's Warrant"), representing 7% of the proceeds raised from those purchasers introduced by such Finder and 7% of the total number of Units sold to investors introduced by such Finder, which provide that such Finder may acquire common shares of the Company (each a "Finder's Warrant Share") at $0.145 per Finder's Warrant Share for a period of 48 months from the date of issuance.

The Company intends to use the proceeds raised from the Private Placement for general corporate purposes and market awareness advertising.

5,337,772 of the Units (the "LIFE Units") issued pursuant to the Private Placement were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions and therefore the Shares and Warrants forming the LIFE Units will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement have not, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The Company is also pleased to announce that, pursuant to the indenture between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada dated August 15, 2022, as supplemented by the first supplemental indenture dated September 20, 2022 (collectively, the "Indenture") governing the 10% unsecured convertible debentures in the principal amount of $1,245,000 (the "August Debentures") previously issued on August 15, 2022, and the 10% unsecured convertible debentures in the principal amount of $285,000 (the "September Debentures" and with the August Debentures, the "Debentures") previously issued on September 20, 2022, the Company will issue Shares in satisfaction of interest payments on the outstanding Debentures (the "Interest Payments").

The Company will issue an aggregate of $75,537 worth of Shares at the closing market price on June 29, 2023 to holders of the Debentures in satisfaction of an aggregate of $75,537 in interest payable as of June 30, 2023. Issuance of the Shares is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Interest Payments will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

The Company also announces that it intends to amend the exercise price of certain common share purchase warrants originally issued on August 15, 2022, September 20, 2022, December 21, 2022, December 30, 2022 and January 16, 2023 (collectively, the "Existing Warrants") and the conversion price of the Debentures.

An aggregate of 765,000 Existing Warrants were initially issued with an exercise price of $0.40 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of debenture units. The Company intends to amend the exercise price of unexercised Existing Warrants to $0.20 per Share.

An aggregate of 12,536,538 Existing Warrants were initially issued with an exercise price of $0.25 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of units. The Company intends to amend the exercise price of unexercised Existing Warrants to $0.20 per Share.

An aggregate of principal amount of $1,530,000 of Debentures were initially issued with a conversion price of $0.285 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of debenture units. The Company intends to amend the conversion price of unconverted Debentures to $0.20 per Share.

Amendment of the Existing Warrants and Debentures is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. No action will be required on part of the holders of the Existing Warrants or Debentures to give effect to the amendments.

About Plurilock

Plurilock secures workforces, delivering least privilege access management and advanced IT solutions to commercial and government customers worldwide. With industry-leading artificial intelligence and patented real-time identity confirmation technology, Plurilock combines next-generation cybersecurity with a comprehensive line of products and services that enable teams across North America and the globe to compute safely in a remote work world.

For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact:

Ian L. Paterson

Chief Executive Officer

ian@plurilock.com

416.800.1566

Prit Singh

Investor Relations

prit.singh@plurilock.com

905.510.7636

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.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.



Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171745
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

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.
Representing Asia, the Singaporean chef under 30 stood out in the Competition for his ability to represent his personal beliefs and roots in his signature dish.

MILAN, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As anticipation builds for the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23, which will be held in Milan on 4 and 5 October 2023, S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is pleased to announce that Ian Goh is the winner of the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/9181351-ian-goh-fine-dining-lovers-food-for-thought-award-spellegrino/

The prize, one of three collateral awards of the Competition, is given to the chef who best represents her or his personal beliefs in their signature dish and is voted for by Fine Dining Lovers readers.

With his Heritage lamb signature dish - conceived with the help of his Regional Final mentor Louis Han - the sous chef from one-Michelin-star Nae:um in Singapore wowed the voting public, beating the entries of 14 other talented regional finalists from around the world.

"This dish blends my love of lamb with my hope to highlight my Hainanese heritage," commented Goh. "I couldn't have asked for a better mentor than chef Louis Han, the chef-owner of Nae:um, considering that he himself competed for the same title in 2016. We spent long hours together not only for the training itself, but he also helped me to boost my confidence and mental steadfastness. He brought a wealth of experience and knowledge. Joining the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition was a great experience. I think it gives a platform for young chefs to shine,' he added.

Valeria Raimondi, Fine Dining Lovers' Editor-in-Chief, added: "We're pleased and honoured to assign this edition's Food for Thought Award, a result of online votes from the Fine Dining Lovers community, to Ian Goh. This award puts the spotlight on the message of the dish, its hidden history and the values it reflects: a way to highlight that contemporary cuisine is not only based on innovative technique and refined ingredients but is deeply connected with the thoughts behind every single recipe. We all know how important it is, especially for a young chef who wants to emerge in the international gastronomy landscape, to have a strong personal identity: that's why we're very proud to give recognition to the one voted as the most consistent."

Considering education vital to help nurture the next generation of culinary talents, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy has created a series of inspiring workshops for the young finalists of the three collateral awards to explore the most relevant topics for the industry.

During 'Identity on the plate', Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award finalists - in a discussion moderated by Tom Jenkins, Fine Dining Lovers journalist and Academy representative - explored together with well-known members of the international chef community - Henrique Sa Pessoa, Peter Gilmore, DeAille Tam, Selassie Atadika and Debora Fadul, as well as food writer Paola Miglio - how chefs can express their identity and personality through food, and practice thoughtful innovation.

How does cooking help shape chefs' identities and allow them to express themselves? How do you innovate in the kitchen without losing sight of your role of feeding people well, and how do you remain unique as a chef? These are just a few of the questions the chefs attempted to answer based on their experiences, sparking an inspiring discussion, with Tom Jenkins highlighting as key messages: "Chefs come to cooking at different stages of life and through different routes, there is no 'one size fits all' career path but once they've found cooking and realise they are able to express themselves and talk about all the things that have shaped them through their food, they are hooked. In order to remain unique it's important to stay true to yourself and shut out the noise - that's not to say social media isn't a useful tool, but senior chefs advise young chefs against being unduly influenced by what they see online. Your uniqueness as a chef, what makes you, you - all agree - is your greatest strength and innovation doesn't just apply to what you put on the plate - you can also be innovative in the way that you treat people as we seek to create a better industry for all".

To learn more about the initiative please visit: www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com .

About S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy

Gastronomy has the potential to transform society, shaping a more inclusive, more sustainable future. But doing requires talent. That's why S.Pellegrino has created S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a platform to attract, connect and nurture the next generation of culinary talents. An environment that will empower them through education, mentoring and experience opportunities, as well as through the renowned global competition.

The Academy opens its doors to members from over 70 different countries, ensuring that talent is not constrained by geography, ethnicity, or gender. This is a place where passionate young chefs interact with the most influential players in global gastronomy, and where together they cultivate an inspiring culinary community.

To discover more please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/

About S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna

S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks are international trademarks of Sanpellegrino S.p.A., which is based in Milan, Italy. Distributed in over 150 countries through branches and distributors on all five continents, these products represent quality, excellence by virtue of their origins and perfectly interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of pleasure, health and well-being. Founded in 1899, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. is the leading company in the beverage sector in Italy with its range of mineral waters, non-alcoholic aperitifs and drinks.

Sanpellegrino has always been committed to enhancing this primary good for the planet and works responsibly and passionately to ensure that this resource has a secure future.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2140276/Sanpellegrino_Group_Ian_Goh.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1341607/4101408/SPYCA_Logo.jpg

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Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

SINGAPUR (dpa-AFX) - The Singapore dollar weakened against the U.S. dollar in the late Asian session on Thursday. Against the greenback, the Singapore dollar fell to a 4-week low of 1.3548 from a recent high of 1.3513. At yesterdya's close, the Singapore dollar was trading at 1.3528. If the Singapore dollar extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around the 1.37 area. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
HORIZONTE MINERALS ACHIEVES SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE AT ITS ARAGUAIA NICKEL PROJECT WITH DELIVERY OF ROTARY KILN

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM:HZM))(TSX:HZM) ("Horizonte" or the "Company"), a nickel company developing two Tier 1 assets in Brazil, is pleased to announce that a construction milestone has been achieved at its 100%-owned Araguaia Nickel Project ("Araguaia" or "the Project") in Brazil, following the successful delivery to site of the rotary kiln, a key long lead item.

Jeremy Martin, CEO of Horizonte Minerals, commented:

"The rotary kiln is a key part of the process flow sheet at Araguaia. Its safe delivery to site is therefore an important milestone in the construction schedule given it is one of the key long lead packages. The FLSmidth supplied rotary kiln was designed and built according to the highest industry-leading standards which will allow Araguaia to meet its low cost and low environmental impact targets. The 11 individual sections of the kiln will now be welded together over the course of the next month, before the sections are lifted into place on top of the kiln piers for final welding and alignment.

"We wish to extend our thanks to everyone involved in the massive logistics process required to deliver the kiln to site. It involved multiple stakeholders at federal and state level, along with the teams who have managed the road, river and power line logistics along the route."

FLSmidth, the world's leading supplier of rotary kilns for mining applications, supplied the 110m long kiln after a 10-month design and build process and a four-month journey from factory to Araguaia's Project site. Following delivery to the Port of Outeiro in northern Brazil, the 802-tonne kiln was transhipped onto barges and transported down the Araguaia River and subsequently, back onto the highway for the final section into the Project. As part of the logistics along the route, over 500 power lines had to be lifted to allow the oversize kiln sections to pass through.

About the rotary kiln

The rotary kiln design incorporates several features that improve the efficiency of the reduction process, lowering fuel consumption and supporting our target of becoming a low-cost producer of sustainable nickel.

These features include:

i) optimised to deliver low operating costs and reduced maintenance requirements;

ii) the kiln has the lowest specific heat loss in its class with a specific energy consumption of 489 Mcal/tonne product;

iii) with an integrated electrostatic precipitator, the operation is not only efficient, but it also has one of the lowest particulate emission levels in its class.

Figure 1: One of the convoys carrying the kiln sections making its way to site. The kiln arrived in the Port of Outeiro in northern Brazil and travelled by barge up the Araguaia River to Araguatins before being transported to site by road.

Figure 2: The rotary kiln arriving at the Araguaia Nickel Project. The individual sections of the kiln will be welded together over the course of the next month before being lifted into place and aligned on the kiln piers.

For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact:

Horizonte Minerals plc

Jeremy Martin (CEO)

Simon Retter (CFO)

Patrick Chambers (Head of IR) info@horizonteminerals.com

+44 (0) 203 356 2901 Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)

Ross Allister

David McKeown +44 (0)20 7418 8900 BMO (Joint Broker) Thomas Rider

Pascal Lussier Duquette

Andrew Cameron +44 (0) 20 7236 1010 Tavistock (Financial PR)

Emily Moss

Cath Drummond +44 (0) 20 7920 3150

ABOUT HORIZONTE MINERALS

Horizonte Minerals plc (AIM & TSX: HZM) is developing two 100%-owned, Tier 1 projects in Para state, Brazil, the Araguaia Nickel Project and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt Project. Both projects are large scale, high-grade, low-cost, low-carbon and scalable. Araguaia is under construction with first metal scheduled for Q1 2024. When fully ramped up, with Line 1 and Line 2, it is forecast to produce 29,000 tonnes of nickel per year. Vermelho is at feasibility study stage and is expected to produce 24,000 tonnes of nickel and 1,250 tonnes of cobalt to supply the EV battery market. Horizonte's combined production profile of over 60,000 tonnes of nickel per year positions the Company as a globally significant nickel producer. Horizonte's top three shareholders are La Mancha Investments S.a r.l., Glencore plc and Orion Resource Partners LLP.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the ability of the Company to complete any planned acquisition of equipment, statements with respect to the potential of the Company's current or future property mineral projects; the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the second RKEF line at Araguaia on time, or at all, the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the Vermelho Project on time, or at all, the success of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future exploration, production and development; the costs and timing for delivery of the equipment to be purchased, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates and achieving production in accordance with the Company's potential production profile or at all. Generally, forward-looking information 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks related to: the inability of the Company to complete any planned acquisition of equipment on time or at all, the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the implementation of a second RKEF line at Araguaia on the timeline contemplated or at all, the ability of the Company to complete a positive feasibility study regarding the Vermelho Project on the timeline contemplated or at all, exploration and mining risks, competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks; environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration, mining and other licences; the Company's future payment obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third parties; the Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and regulatory framework within which the Company operates, together with the risks identified and disclosed in the Company's disclosure record available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, including without limitation, the annual information form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the Araguaia and Vermelho Technical Reports available on the Company's website https://horizonteminerals.com/. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

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: Horizonte Minerals PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764530/Horizonte-Minerals-PLC-Announces-Delivery-of-Rotary-Kiln
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

LONDON (dpa-AFX) - IWG Plc (IWG.L), a provider of office spaces and related services, said on Thursday that it remains cautiously optimistic for the rest of 2023. The company has not changed full year 2023 guidance. 'The company is well-positioned to continue to take advantage of future growth, its capital-light strategy and year to date has made improvements on all core KPIs since December 2022,' the company said in a statement. IWG noted that it is committed to reduce its ownership stake in Worka in the medium term. The company is scheduled to release its first-half results on August 8. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Salesforce pledges to invest in AI innovation, customer success and growth in the UK

Company welcomes 14,000 registered attendees to World Tour London: AI Day to hear from customers including Aston Martin Lagonda, Heathrow Airport, Marks Spencer and Santander UK

Salesforce UK employees pledge to volunteer 100,000 hours in their communities in 2023

Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, today announced the company will invest $4 billion in its UK business in the next five years. The announcement comes as Salesforce kicks off its World Tour London: AI Day, the company's largest-ever UK event with more than 14,000 customers, partners, employees and stakeholders registered to attend.

At the event, Salesforce will also unveil its latest AI product innovations, as attendees gather to hear how companies of all sizes and industries are leveraging the power of AI, data and CRM to connect with their customers in a whole new way.

Salesforce is experiencing rapid growth in the UK as companies invest in their digital transformations and leverage the incredible innovation cycle around artificial intelligence. The company has been investing in the UK over many years and today's investment builds on a previous five-year investment of $2.5 billion announced in 2018. This continued investment in the UK will drive innovation and support its growing customer base.

"Salesforce's major investment in its UK business over the next five years is a ringing endorsement of our economy," said UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. "It will strengthen the company's UK presence, increasing capacity, as well as creating vital jobs, reinforcing our position as one of their largest markets outside of the U.S. This investment sits alongside my key priority to grow the economy and pledge to make the UK the best place in the world to start, grow and invest in tech businesses."

"This significant investment builds on our long-standing commitment to the UK," said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO, Salesforce. "The UK is home to some of the world's most incredible, innovative companies, and we're thrilled to work together with them to drive the next wave of digital transformation in this new AI era."

"As an important global tech hub entering a new, fast-moving innovation cycle led by generative AI, the UK has a golden opportunity to unlock long-lasting value for the economy and grow its status as a technology leader," said Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO, Salesforce UKI. "A clear pro-innovation regulatory framework that compels safe and responsible use of AI is vital, and Salesforce is fully focused on bringing secure, trusted, enterprise ready generative AI to UK businesses."

#1 CRM, trusted AI

Salesforce is the #1 CRM provider in the UK according to the latest IDC Software Tracker1

Generative AI is transforming the way we work, and Salesforce is at the forefront of helping customers harness the technology safely and responsibly, with trust at the center. Earlier this year, Salesforce launched Einstein GPT, the world's first generative AI for CRM. This month, Salesforce announced AI Cloud, which brings together AI, data, analytics and automation to provide trusted, open, real-time generative AI that is enterprise ready.

It also launched Salesforce Accelerator AI for Impact, a philanthropic initiative to help purpose-driven organizations gain equitable access to trusted generative AI technologies.

Continuing this momentum at World Tour London: AI Day, Salesforce will introduce its latest generative AI capabilities for Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, transforming how sellers and service teams work and interact with customers.

Leading UK businesses including Aston Martin Lagonda, Heathrow Airport and Santander UK will be at the event to share how they use Salesforce to power their digital transformations and connect with their customers.

UK retailer Marks Spencer is using Salesforce's AI technology to personalize its billions of customer interactions. The brand is increasing the value of its service to millions of customers up and down the country through their daily interactions with the business from website and stores to contact centres and CRM.

Salesforce ecosystem fueling growth across the UK

Salesforce and its ecosystem of customers and partners in the UK is expected to create 271,700 new jobs and 52 billion ($66 billion) in new business revenues by 2026, according to research by IDC. Yet the emergence of generative AI serves as a powerful reminder of the digital skills crisis facing UK businesses.

Salesforce has committed to investing in digital skills training. Last year the company announced a grant of over 1.1 million to support education programs in the UK, and is urging business and government to work together to establish a national online digital skills platform to show people where to access the training they need.

The company is also providing upskilling opportunities through Trailhead, Salesforce's free online learning platform. To date, Trailhead has helped more than 5 million people build their skills and prepare for the future of work with AI. Trailblazers in the UK have earned 2.3M badges on Trailhead.

Salesforce Ventures also continues to fuel innovation within the UK startup community through its Generative AI Fund, part of its commitment to bolster the AI startup ecosystem and spark the development of responsible generative AI. Other investments in the UK include Genesis Global, Onfido, Sequence and Sylvera.

Salesforce's commitment to giving back in the UK

Salesforce's efforts to build a workplace that reflects UK society and champions equality for all have been recognised consistently by the UK's Great Place to Work list. The list named Salesforce the UK's #3 Best Workplace in 2023 and #2 Workplace for Women, representing its commitment to its employees, values and culture.

An important part of Salesforce's culture is its 1-1-1 model of corporate philanthropy, which dedicates 1% of the company's equity, 1% of its employees' time and 1% of its products to giving back. Over the last two decades, Salesforce UK and its employees have spent over 440,000 hours volunteering in their communities. Partners include Business in the Community, Positive Youth Foundation and Movement to Work. The company is committing to volunteering an additional 100,000 employee volunteer hours in 2023.

In addition to giving $12.9 million in strategic grants, employees have raised $4.8 million to benefit local nonprofits and provided technology to 4,000 nonprofits for free or at a significant discount.

More information:

Watch World Tour London: AI Day

For more World Tour London news, visit this page

Learn more about Salesforce Philanthropy

About Salesforce

Salesforce empowers companies of every size and industry to connect with their customers in a whole new way through the power of AI data CRM. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.

____________________ 1 Source: IDC, Worldwide Semiannual Software Tracker, April 2023. CRM market includes the following IDC-defined functional markets: Sales Force Productivity and Management, Marketing Campaign Management, Customer Service, Contact Center, Advertising, and Digital Commerce Applications.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629550585/en/

Contacts:

Fiona Williams

Salesforce PR

pr@salesforce.com
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Adtran Holdings, Inc. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] Adtran Holdings, Inc.: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution 29.06.2023 / 09:21 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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.
The Support Club acknowledges the broad opposition demonstrated amongst unsecured creditors by the holders of Class 8 claims, Class 7 claims and Class 7bis claims to Orpea's accelerated safeguard plan and notes the voting process to be an additional irregularity that renders the whole plan unlawful. It is clear that no jurisdiction can now approve this plan and must consider all the irregularities that have taken place since the beginning, when a lawful approach could have been chosen instead.

While it was anticipated that the affected parties wouldn't support the plan, it should be noted that, following the decision of the Court of Versailles of 22 June 2023, the voting process was not compliant with the French Commercial Code. The Support Club continues to believe the current restructuring plan arbitrarily favors and enriches the French State's investment vehicle, Caisse des depots et consignations (the CDC), the Steering Committee and certain (primarily French) creditors.

In accordance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal of Versailles on 22 June 2023, the Administrators were ordered to classify the parties that held both unsecured and secured claims in a separate class. In not identifying these claims, the vote took place in violation of the decision of the Court of Appeal of Versailles. Hence, the plan cannot be approved in its current form. The Support Club also believes this detrimental restructuring process could severely curtail any future provision of international capital to other projects under the auspices of French law.

The Support Club has also sent a letter directly to the Judicial Administrators, who have failed to call a new vote and consistently refused to engage with the Support Club, with other stakeholders, and to consider an alternative proposal by Concert'O.

Despite the Support Club's entreaties to the Administrator and Orpea, the Support Club regret's Orpea's decision to request a cross class cram down, serving the interests of the CDC and a group of French banks, some of which benefited from the first and second conciliations by having part of their unsecured claims effectively elevated to the detriment of all other unsecured creditors. This would force all creditors to give economics in Orpea to the CDC at a significant undervaluation (and take a large haircut) and without the benefit of a competitive tender process. This should not be sanctioned without the consent of all classes and the group argues that it would breach at least two French laws and would, in effect, be tantamount to a stealth nationalization.

The Support Club says: "The broad opposition to this plan amongst unsecured creditors has been compellingly demonstrated, and we regret that the Administrators have chosen to organise the vote in an unlawful manner.This is yet another example of the Administrators' disregard for the law and shows that the whole process is compromised. This does not permit any jurisdiction to approve the plan.

"The restructuring process has already cost the French taxpayer in excess of 100m in advisory costs alone,1 whilst a number of undisclosed French banks have had their unsecured claims to the tune of 600M repaid at par during the second conciliation process, in a flagrant breach of the principle of equitable treatment of all unsecured creditors. This development is even more concerning for unsecured creditors invested in France, with the Orpea restructuring process continuing to set a terrible precedent. We worry that this precedent will increase the cost of debt capital for all French borrowers and lead to other negative outcomes for future distressed unsecured claims. We note that some other distressed unsecured claims in France have plummeted in value since the recent developments in Orpea.

"The result is that this bungled restructuring proposal has been rejected by the Support Club and a significant amount of unsecured creditors who have followed due law and process."

"We will continue to pursue all legal avenues to properly enforce creditor rights."

About Support Club

The Support Club is a group of funds managed by Fortress Investment Group, Kite Lake Capital, Kyma Capital, LMR Partners and Whitebox Advisors who are unsecured creditors of Orpea SA (a French healthcare provider), representing 497m of Orpea's unsecured claims and managing over $62 billion in AUM.

1 Orpea's 2022 full-year results Q1 2023 revenues (page 6), published 12 May 2023 https://www.orpea-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PR_ORPEA_FYR-2022_Q1-2023slides_EN.pdf

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629146954/en/

Contacts:

Media

ProjectSC@apcoworldwide.com

France APCO

Mehdy Taleb: +33 7 64 45 00 53

UK Camarco

Julia Tilley: +44 7586 722 849

Phoebe Pugh: +44 7817 421 083
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - MAX RESOURCE CORP. (TSXV: MAX) (OTC Pink: MXROF) (FSE: M1D2) ("Max" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of a technical report for its RT Gold Project, located 760-km NNW of Lima in the District of Tabaconas, Department of Cajamarca, Peru. This report, dated March 8, 2023, is titled "RT Gold Project, Cajamarca, Peru" was prepared for Max Resource Corp., by Qualified Person ("QP") Luis Rodrigo Peralta FAusIMM CP (Geo) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The report can be found on the Company's website at https://maxresource.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's Issuer Profile.

"The RT Gold report validates the true potential of the two distinct gold-bearing systems; the CERRO bulk tonnage porphyry zone, and 3-km NW lies, the TABLON massive sulfide zone," commented Max CEO, Brett Matich.

"The new TABLON diamond core assays demonstrate the exceptional near surface high-grade-gold drill results and associated credits of copper, silver and zinc over substantial intervals," he continued.

"The next step is to conduct an environmental survey in preparation for a drilling program to further expand TABLON and to test the outstanding intrusive target at CERRO which has never been drilled," he concluded.

Highlight 2021 drill core re-assay results:

Interval Gold Silver Copper Zinc From DDH No. 26.5m 10.8 g/t 20.7 g/t 0.12% 0.29% 13.4m RT-13 26.3m 3.3 g/t 14.9 g/t 0.25% 0.25% 8.2m RT-6 20.3m 2.2 g/t 4.2 g/t 1.80% 0.29% 9.6m RT-7 10.5m 4.7 g/t 7.9 g/t 0.09% 0.02% 10.7m RT-11 8.6m 6.6 g/t 6.1 g/t 0.05% 0.01% 12.8m RT-15 4.9m 40.1 g/t 12.8 g/t 0.11% 0.04% 16.2m RT-16 12.5m 3.5 g/t 5.2 g/t 0.10% 0.04% 39.4m RT-22 16.4m 3.8 g/t 5.0 g/t 0.07% 0.04% 34.9m RT-29

RT Gold sits along the Cajamarca Metallogenic belt, extending north from Central Peru into Southern Ecuador. This prolific belt hosts a number of world class deposits; In Ecuador, the Fruta Del Norte discovery of 15.49Mozs Au, Mirador with 2.67Mt Cu and 2.74Mozs Au (2008) and the new discovery by Solaris Resources at its Warintza4 deposit with 2.7Mt of Cu and 0.93Mozs Au. On the Peruvian side; Newmont's Yanacocha 8.61Mozs gold (refer to Figure 1).

CERRO hosts several mineralized zones. Soil geochemistry has outlined a 2.0 by 1.5-km gold anomaly, open in all directions with gold values ranging from 0.1 to 4.0 g/t. The soil geochemistry is coincident with IP chargeability. A continuous channel sample across the zone assayed 3.3 g/t gold over a width of 25.5m.

TABLON was drilled in 2001 by Golden Alliance Resources Corp. In February 2021, Max obtained the historic drill core and commenced a re-logging and resampling campaign. The resampling results confirmed thickness and grade of the 2001 historical drill intercepts and reasonably well reproduce the reported grades.

In addition, the gold-bearing mineralization is associated with highly anomalous silver and copper values. The multi element suite of data will allow Max to examine metal ratios and zoning patterns for target generation and geological interpretation purposes (refer Figures 2 to 4 and Table 1 and 2).

Figure 1. RT Gold location.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/171769_fbd97382649ddbd3_001full.jpg

Figure 2. CERRO and TABLON gold geochemistry, TABLON drill hole locations.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/171769_fbd97382649ddbd3_002full.jpg

Figure 3. RT-6 diamond drill core 14.02 to 16.83m.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/171769_fbd97382649ddbd3_003full.jpg

Figure 4. Re-logging historic 2001 diamond drill core.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/171769_fbd97382649ddbd3_004full.jpg

Table 1. TABLON comparative table between historical (2001) and Max Resource intercepts (2021). True widths and orientations are currently unknown.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/171769_fbd97382649ddbd3_005full.jpg

DDH Number UTM E

DATUM PSAD 56 UTM N

Garmin 12 GPS Elevation (m)

Garmin 12 GPS Azimuth

North 360 Dip

Horizontal 0 Length Measured

From collar (m) RT-1 706462 9418622 1918 355 -45 126.19 RT-2 706448 9418611 1916 355 -45 57.92 RT-3 706479 9418667 1955 340 -45 142.65 RT-4 706436 9418644 1948 147 -75 33.54 RT-6 706436 9418644 1948 127 -75 42.68 RT-7 706436 9418644 1948 115 -66 31.71 RT-11 706434 9418684 1985 310 -45 34.75 RT-12 706434 9418684 1985 310 -65 35.67 RT-13 706434 9418684 1985 280 -45 41.76 RT-14 706434 9418684 1985 280 -65 40.24 RT-15 706434 9418684 1985 344 -50 30.79 RT-16 706410 9418661 1976 310 -45 25.91 RT-21 706384 9418645 1976 - -90 24.4 RT-22 706353 9418697 2016 155 -45 69.21 RT-25 706144 9418499 2016 310 -45 39.94 RT-26 706144 9418499 2016 330 -45 33.53 RT-27 706144 9418518 2026 215 -45 45.73 RT-28 706397 9418691 1999 - -90 36.28 RT-29 706397 9418691 1999 180 -60 80.80

Table 2. TABLON 2001 summary of drill collars coordinates, azimuth, dip and length measured from collar.

Next Steps

Commencement of the environmental survey which is a requirement for the drilling application.

Max Resource has exclusive rights to earn 100% of the RT Gold Project

On September 16, 2020, Max optioned the RT Gold Project, which consists of two contiguous mineral concessions within the district of Tabaconas, Peru. On November 4, 2021, the option agreement was amended to change the dates of the payment required.

In accordance with the amended option agreement, Max has the exclusive right to earn a 100% interest, the company must pay the vendors: USD$300,000 on execution of the agreement (paid); USD$300,000 on or before October 20, 2021 (paid); USD$150,000 on or before March 20, 2023 (paid); USD$150,000 on or before March 20, 2024; USD$300,000 on or before March 20, 2025; USD$300,000 on or before March 20, 2026; USD$3,000,000 on or March 20, 2027. Upon acquiring a 100% interest, the vendors will retain a 2.5% net smelter royalty on the commercial production.

Sources:

1.Amended NI43-101 Technical Report Fruta Del Norte Mine Ecuador. By: R.Hochstein, D.El Rassi, J.Cox, N.Lincoln, N.Hemrajani Singh for Lundin Gold Inc. Dated 2023-Mar-29.

2. Technical Report Update on the Copper, Gold, and Silver Resources and Pit Optimizations: Mirador and Mirador Norte Deposits. By: G.Sivertz, S.Ristorcelli, S.Hardy for Corriente Resources Inc. Dated 2006-Nov-30.

3. NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Warintza Project, Ecuador. By: M.Rossi for Solaris Resources Inc. Dated 2022-Apr-01.

4. Newmont Corporation 2022 Mineral Reserves Release dated 2023-Feb-23.

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release was reviewed and approved by Tim Henneberry, PGeo (British Columbia), a member of the Max Resource advisory board, who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

About Max Resource Corp.

Max Resource Corp. (TSXV: MAX) is a mineral exploration company advancing the newly discovered district-scale CESAR copper-silver project. The wholly owned CESAR project sits along the Colombian portion of the world's largest producing copper belt (Andean belt), with world class infrastructure and the presence of global majors (Glencore and Chevron).

In addition, Max controls the RT Gold project (100% earn-in) in Peru, encompassing two distinct systems, CERRO a bulk tonnage gold-bearing porphyry zone, and 3-km to the NW, TABLON a gold-bearing massive sulfide zone. Historic drilling in 2001 at TABLON, returned values ranging 3.1 to 118.1 g/t gold over core lengths ranging from 2.2 to 36.0-metres.

Max is proactive, with the corporate goal of transitioning the CESAR basin towards the mining of copper, the key metal for Colombia's transition to clean energy. The safety of our people and the communities where we operate is most important. We conduct exploration in a manner which supports protection of ecosystems through responsible environmental stewardship.

Source: NI 43:101 RT Gold Project by Qualified Person ("QP") Luis Rodrigo Peralta FAusIMM CP (Geo), 2023.

For more information visit: https://www.maxresource.com/

For additional information contact:

Tim McNultyE: info@maxresource.comT: (604) 290-8100

Rahim LakhaE. rahim@bluesailcapital.com

Brett MatichT. (604) 484 1230

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

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for Max Resources Corp. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171769
~Bitcoin Reigns Supreme in Germany: Top Crypto Choices Revealed, Including Ethereum, NFTs, and Metaverse Projects ~

KuCoin, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, unveils the key findings of its highly anticipated Cryptoverse report on Germany, shedding light on the evolving landscape of the German crypto market. The comprehensive report, based on a survey of adult crypto investors aged 18 to 60 in Germany, highlights the remarkable trends and motivations driving the adoption of cryptocurrencies in the country.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629942011/en/

Recent KuCoin survey report shows that crypto goes mainstream in Germany: 28% of Gen Z crypto users utilize digital currencies for payments. Top crypto choices are also revealed, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, and metaverse projects. (Graphic: Business Wire)

KuCoin's report showcases a surprising surge in crypto interest, with 26% of German crypto users entering the crypto market in the past quarter. Leading the charge in recent engagement are Millennials, who are embracing cryptocurrencies as a potential investment opportunity despite the market downturn.

The report also reveals that 49% of German crypto users are primarily motivated by long-term wealth accumulation. This finding underscores the growing recognition of cryptocurrencies as a viable asset class for investors in Germany, who see digital assets as a means of securing their financial future.

Furthermore, the report highlights the increasing mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies in Germany. A notable 28% of Gen Z users are utilizing digital currencies through credit cards or for online payments, indicating the integration of cryptocurrencies into traditional financial activities. This shift demonstrates the broader acceptance and convenience that digital currencies offer to the younger generation.

In terms of preferred crypto choices, Bitcoin continues to reign supreme among German crypto users, followed closely by Ethereum, NFTs, and Metaverse projects. These findings signify the strong influence and appeal of these digital assets within the German market.

"We are delighted to present our most recent Cryptoverse Report, showcasing Germany's distinctive standing in the global crypto landscape. The country's advantageous regulatory environment, marked by reduced uncertainty and a relatively crypto-friendly framework, has played a pivotal role in fostering cryptocurrency adoption among German citizens. This progress is further bolstered by Germany's tech-driven, innovation-centric economic initiatives, the influence of prominent KOLs, and the existence of robust communities and well-established crypto media outlets. Moreover, the comparatively higher wealth of Germany's population, in relation to other European nations, has facilitated a broader range of investment opportunities, ultimately paving the way for increased crypto adoption and continued growth in the sector." Dorian Vincelloni, Head of Europe Business Development KuCoin.

KuCoin invites industry professionals, analysts, and investors to explore the full Cryptoverse report on Germany to gain deeper insights into the findings.

Visit KuCoin blog to read the full report.

Industry expert quotes on the report:

Prices may fluctuate significantly on a temporary basis, but the report shows that the number of crypto users in Germany is steadily increasing. Contrary to the widespread assumption that cryptocurrencies are only a short-term speculation, the survey results reveal that around half of crypto investors want to hold their coins for the long term. This fact is more than positive.

Doubts may be part of any new technology. This is no different with crypto. The survey results, on the other hand, prove that cryptocurrencies cannot be kept down, especially in Germany. No matter what happens, interest in cryptocurrencies is on the rise and younger generations in particular are aware of this change, as the survey results suggest. There is no way around cryptocurrencies in the long term. Those who understand this in time will be among the winners.

Sven Wagenknecht, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder at BTC-ECHO

The German blockchain and cryptocurrency market is relatively new and still at a nascent stage. With the rise of FinTech, Germany was slower to adopt new payment technologies, causing them to miss out on certain opportunities. However, they are determined not to miss out on the blockchain revolution.

To encourage blockchain startups and founders, the German government has been taking necessary steps. For example, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has launched a blockchain strategy, which aims to create a supportive regulatory framework for blockchain-based businesses. The strategy also aims to promote research and development in this field.

Overall, the German government is taking a proactive approach to encourage the growth of the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. With the right support and investment, Germany has the potential to become a major player in this emerging field. It is no surprise that Germany is the most crypto-friendly country in the world overtaking Singapore in 2022.

Vijay Pravin, Founder and CEO of bitsCrunch

About KuCoin

Launched in September 2017, KuCoin is a global cryptocurrency exchange with its operational headquarters in Seychelles. As a user-oriented platform with a focus on inclusiveness and community action reach, it offers over 700 digital assets and currently provides spot trading, margin trading, P2P fiat trading, futures trading, staking, and lending to its 27 million users in 207 countries and regions.

In 2022, KuCoin raised over $150 million in investments through a pre-Series B round, bringing total investments to $170 million with Round A combined, at a total valuation of $10 billion. KuCoin is currently one of the top 5 crypto exchanges according to CoinMarketCap. Forbes also named KuCoin one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in 2023. In 2022, The Ascent named KuCoin the Best Crypto App for enthusiasts.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629942011/en/

Contacts:

For media inquiries or to request a copy of the report, please contact: media@kucoin.com
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Salesforce.com Inc. (CRM) said on Thursday that it will now invest $4 billion in its UK business in the next five years, that includes AI innovation. This is in addition to its previous five-year investment of $2.5 billion announced in 2018. Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO of Salesforce UKI, said: 'As an important global tech hub entering a new, fast-moving innovation cycle led by generative AI, the UK has a golden opportunity to unlock long-lasting value for the economy and grow its status as a technology leader.' The cloud-based software company is recording rapid growth in the UK as companies invest in their digital transformations and leverage the innovation cycle around artificial intelligence. Salesforce and its partners in the UK are expected to create 271,700 new jobs and 52 billion pounds or $66 billion in new business revenues by 2026, according to research by IDC. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) - Sweden's economic confidence strengthened for the second straight month in June amid stronger confidence in the retail and services sectors, survey results published by the National Institute of Economic Research showed on Thursday.



The economic tendency index rose somewhat to 90.3 in June from 89.3 in the previous month.



Further, this was the highest score since September 2022, when it was 92.8.



The service sector's confidence climbed to 92.4 from 90.4. Both the companies' views of the last three months' demand and the development of the company's operations contributed to the rise.



The retail sector confidence index rose by 1.0 points to 87.2 in June.



Meanwhile, the manufacturing confidence indicator remained largely unchanged in June, with the index falling slightly to 102.3 from 102.4.



Data showed that the index measuring confidence in the construction sector dropped notably to 96.8 in June from 100.3 a month ago.



The consumer confidence indicator improved to a 1-year high of 71.7 in June from 70.3 in May. Economists had expected the index to increase to 78.2.



The increase in consumer confidence was mostly explained by households' less pessimistic views for their own finances in the coming year.



Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Mega-Chance Cyber Security Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen. Hier klicken
Uhuru Corporation is pleased to announce that it has become members of Future Investment Initiative ("FII") Institute, a global non-profit organization from Saudi Arabia to the world with one pressing agenda: Impact on Humanity. Driven by data, FII Institute fosters great minds from around the world to turn ideas into real-world solutions and actions in four critical areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230627335407/en/

Future Investment Initiative Institute logo (Graphic: Business Wire)

The FII Institute was established in 2019 and is funded by its strategic partners including its founding partner, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is Saudi Arabia's premier sovereign wealth fund, as well as its Vision Partner, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment, and international strategic partners like Aramco, EMAAR, HSBC, NEOM, Red Sea Global, SoftBank Vision Fund, and Standard Chartered.

FII Institute's international members are changemakers, coming from a variety of industries, sectors, and backgrounds, to gather under the Institute's "XCHANGE" pillar during its annual FII flagship conference and regional PRIOIRTY summits to discuss global issues, investment, and business opportunities in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Further, guided by experts and partnered with esteemed academia, FII Institute's THINK pillar pursues thought leadership in the service of humanity with its publications and initiatives. Finally, its ACT pillar catalyzes leading innovations aligned with its ESG principles to ensure these ideas to make it out of that lab and into the real world, where they can be deployed in the service of all.

Richard Attias, CEO of FII Institute noted, "We are delighted to welcome members to FII Institute. Each member brings unique expertise, strategies and thought leadership, crucial to supporting our mission. Our members come from leading international organizations and have expressed their eagerness to join the movement coming together to make an Impact on Humanity."

With the philosophy of "creating a sustainable society through technology and outside-the-box thinking," Uhuru supports and promotes digital transformation (DX) and data utilization by companies and society, and is also involved in smart city projects.

Through its membership in FII Institute, Uhuru will strengthen its international collaboration, share its capabilities with the member network, and work toward the realization of a sustainable world for all.

About Uhuru https://uhuru.co.jp/en/ ):

Based on our corporate philosophy "Create a sustainable society with technology and outside the box thinking", Uhuru supports and promotes digital transformation (DX) and data utilization by businesses and society. We provide one-stop access to services such as consulting, and system development based on our in-house products and solutions for edge devices and the cloud. To go beyond the framework of corporate activities and make DX for localities and industries happen, we are working on R&D in the domain of IoT blockchain while advocating ways to introduce and standardize a system for trusted data distribution, an essential factor for smart cities and supply chains.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230627335407/en/

Contacts:

Uhuru Corporation

Yui Tanigaki

TEL: +81-80-3413-8097

Mail: contact@uhuru.jp
A few weeks after the launch of the 1.5bn Late Growth Fund, AVP (AXA Venture Partners) strengthens its leadership team and appoints Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan as General Partner, in charge of the Late Growth Fund for North America.

Previously a Managing Director at Sun Capital, Elizabeth brings over 20 years of experience as a private equity investor in growing, high value technology companies.

Elizabeth will be based in New York and reinforces the leadership team in the US.

AVP accelerates the development of its Late Growth strategy with the appointment of a new General Partner in New York who will be in charge of the Late Growth Fund for North America. Elizabeth is an experienced leader with a very inspiring international background and outstanding track record in the private equity market. Her knowledge of the tech industry, acquired through more than 20 years of growth equity experience, will be highly valuable for the AVP platform and in particular for the new late growth strategy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629916475/en/

Elizabeth de Saint Aignan (Photo: AVP)

Elizabeth was previously at Sun Capital Partners, Inc. ("Sun Capital"), a leading private investment firm focused on investing in market-leading companies as a Managing Director since 2020. Elizabeth led the firm's technology vertical and invested in platform companies Exadel and LoanLogics as well as numerous add-on acquisitions.

Before Sun Capital, Elizabeth was the founding partner of the growth equity strategy at Jump Capital and spent more than seven years at TA Associates in the technology investing practice, leading investments in infrastructure and vertical market software companies. At TA she served on the Board of directors of Gamma Technologies, Answers and Arxan. Elizabeth has experience helping several companies to prepare for their IPOs. Prior to joining TA Associates in 2010, she spent time at Nautic Partners and Bain Company. Elizabeth began her private equity career as an Associate at Summit Partners.

"On behalf of the AVP team, I am extremely happy and proud to welcome Elizabeth as a General Partner at AVP. Elizabeth will contribute to building out our new Late Growth Fund strategy, in particular in North America. With the launch of this new strategy, we now have the capacity to support entrepreneurs along their journey, from early stage to IPO, but also post IPO which is a key differentiator in the market. To support the new strategy, we were looking for an experienced senior investor with a track record in the tech industry. With over 20 years experience as a private equity investor in growing, high value technology companies, Elizabeth is the right profile to reinforce our leadership team especially in New York. In the context of the launch of the new Late Growth Fund, we will in the next few month announce other senior recruitments in Europe to complete the team. I believe that the AVP team, after 7 years of successfully working together, is ready to welcome new members for the next AVP chapter" commented Francois Robinet, AVP Managing Partner.

"I am very happy to join the AVP team and to contribute to the strategy and execution of the Late Growth Fund, as well as participating more broadly in the general leadership of AVP as a new General Partner. I have been impressed by the quality of the AVP platform and by the strong cohesion and culture of the team. I appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit and the strong commitment to building a world-class investment platform, the launch of the new Late Growth Fund being the latest concrete example. I believe my background is very relevant for the new Late Growth Fund as I have been investing in large tech companies for more than 20 years, and have helped several of them in their journey towards IPO. I believe the timing is perfect to launch such a strategy and I am thrilled to be part of it", commented Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan, AVP General Partner.

About AVP

AVP is a global venture capital firm investing in high-growth, technology-enabled companies, with 1.3bn of assets under management through three pillars of investment expertise: early stage, growth stage, and fund of funds. Since its launch in 2016, AVP has deployed capital across 60 technology companies in venture and growth stages in the US and in Europe. The launch of this new product confirms AVP's ambition and commitment to support the best tech companies throughout their full lifecycle. With offices in New York, London and Paris, AVP helps companies scale internationally and offers portfolio companies unique resources to enable them to further accelerate their growth. AVP is part of AXA IM-Alts, the alternative investment business unit of AXA IM.

www.axavp.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629916475/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact: Sebastien Loubry sebastien@axavp.com
TURKU, Finland, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Drug delivery and development company DelSiTech today reported positive topline results from its Phase 1 clinical trial, evaluating the safety and tolerability of DST-2105, DelSiTech's first of its kind, silica-based, long-acting demulcent eye drop product.

DST-2105 is based on DelSiTech's Silica Matrix formulation technology which enables the once daily administration of eye drops in the cul-de-sac of the eye. In total, 24 adult healthy volunteers participated in the double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The results demonstrated that both DST-2105 eye drop product and a corresponding silica placebo eye drop product containing only silica microparticles in silica hydrogel were safe and well tolerated when administered once-daily over a two-week trial period. Furthermore, study subjects reported the technology as comfortable, owing to very brief and mild instillation discomfort.

Kai Kaarniranta, the Principal Investigator of the study, Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief Physician of Department of Ophthalmology in Kuopio University Hospital, in Kuopio, Finland commented: "The human eye is an extremely sensitive organ and as such, it is common for eye drops to cause at least mild discomfort upon dosing. Based on a variety of objective ophthalmic test methods for both the front and back of the eye, DelSiTech's eye drop technology has been proven in this study to be safe and presents no clinically discernible adverse effects. As a healthcare professional, I recognize that developing new strategies to reduce the frequency of administration of eye drops is important. Ultimately, these solutions contribute directly to improving patient compliance and thus therapeutic outcome of ocular drug therapies."

Lasse Leino, Chief Executive Officer at DelSiTech added: "We are very pleased with the results of our first clinical trial. Demonstrating safety and tolerability is the first major step on the path towards commercialization of our Silica Matrix eye drop platform. With this milestone accomplished, we are primed and ready to develop additional ophthalmic products for indications which remain poorly addressed by current treatment options. We have no doubt that the demand for a technology such as ours globally is high."

About DelSiTech

DelSiTech Ltd., located in Turku, Finland, is the leading technology specialist in biodegradable silica-based controlled release of small molecule drugs, biologics, and viral vectors. It develops and commercializes its proprietary drug delivery technology in collaboration with a number of pharma and biotech companies to turn their ideas into novel drug products. For more information, see www.delsitech.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/delsitech-announces-positive-topline-clinical-data-from-phase-1-trial-with-its-sustained-release-eye-drop-platform-301866334.html
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

James Li, director of PV and energy storage systems (ESS) for Sungrow Power Europe, recently spoke with pv magazine about the company's latest offerings. He noted that the PowerTitan 2.0 ESS, which was unveiled at Intersolar, uses all-liquid cooling technology. James Li of Sungrow Power Europe shared insights on the inverter manufacturer's new utility-scale energy storage system (ESS), the PowerTitan 2.0 ESS. Li discussed the purpose of the solution, enhancements over the previous version, regional availability, the successful implementation of all-liquid cooling, and density advantages. pv ...

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.
-- Submission based on completed Phase 3 program in 179 boys demonstrating significant slowing of disease progression with a good safety and tolerability profile --

-- PDUFA goal date set for December 21, 2023 --

Italfarmaco Group announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its filing review and accepted the company's New Drug Application (NDA) for Givinostat. Givinostat is the company's proprietary histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The compound was granted priority review by the FDA with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date set for December 21, 2023.

"The FDA's communication on our NDA and the priority review for Givinostat represents a major milestone for Italfarmaco and is a significant step forward in the search for effective treatments against this debilitating rare disease. In our Phase 3 trial, Givinostat demonstrated that it can slow DMD progression, thereby potentially giving young boys and their families a treatment option to retain motor function," said Paolo Bettica, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at Italfarmaco Group. "We are excited to be a part of the increasing momentum in this area of medicine with new treatments reaching the market and we hope to achieve a positive impact on the lives of younger and older DMD patients, their families and the medical community that serves them.

"This significant accomplishment stands as the best evidence of Italfarmaco's dedication to R&D and the robust clinical development strategy we have followed," said Carlos Barallobre, CEO at Italfarmaco Group. "We are also in the process of submitting an application for market authorization in Europe to facilitate the reach of these advancements to those in need as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

The NDA submission is grounded in Italfarmaco Group's completed clinical development program including the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial EPIDYS which demonstrated positive results assessing the efficacy and safety of Givinostat in patients with DMD (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02851797). The study included 179 ambulant boys 6 years and older, who continued steroid treatment with the addition of an oral suspension of Givinostat for 18 months. The primary endpoint evaluated functional improvement through mean change from baseline in time to climb four stairs in the target population1. Key secondary endpoints included various muscle function and strength tests as well as fat infiltration assessment by magnetic resonance. The study met the primary endpoint with consistent results in the key secondary endpoints. Givinostat continued to demonstrate a tolerability profile in line with previous studies.

Dr. Bettica will discuss Givinostat's mode of action and the clinical results to date at the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy 2023 annual conference on Friday, June 30, 2023, in the "Research Row: Approved or on the Horizon" session.

About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration and is the most common type of muscular dystrophy globally. DMD is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that result in an absence of a functional dystrophin protein, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the structural and membrane stability of muscle fibers. The disease primarily affects boys with symptoms usually seen between two and five years of age that worsen over time with individuals losing their ability to walk. Eventually, heart and respiratory muscles get affected leading to premature death. DMD incidence is approximately 1 in every 3500 6000 male births worldwide.

About Givinostat

Givinostat is an investigational drug discovered through Italfarmaco Group's internal research and development efforts in collaboration with Lorenzo Puri (Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute, San Diego, formerly Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome) and his team, and partnerships with Telethon and Parent Project aps. It is being evaluated for safety and efficacy for the treatment of Duchenne- and Becker- Muscular Dystrophy. Givinostat inhibits histone deacetylases (HDACs). HDACs are enzymes that prevent gene translation by changing the three-dimensional folding of DNA in the cell. Studies show that higher than normal HDAC activity in individuals with DMD may prevent muscle regeneration and also trigger inflammation. Givinostat was observed to slow disease progression, significantly increase muscle mass and reduce the amount of fibrotic tissue and significantly reduce muscle tissue necrosis and fatty replacement (Bettica et al., Neuromuscular Disorders 2016).

About Italfarmaco Group

Italfarmaco Group is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of branded prescription and nonprescription products in more than 60 countries on 5 continents. Italfarmaco Group's research and development expertise is best demonstrated through its HDAC inhibitor development programs, addressing new therapeutic treatments of specialty and rare diseases. Through both marketed drugs and compounds in development, Italfarmaco Group is dedicated to serving patients whose needs remain largely unmet.

1 Target population: Individuals with a baseline vastus lateralis muscle fat fraction (VL MFF) assessed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the range >5% and 30%

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629900551/en/

Contacts:

For media inquiries:

Trophic Communications

Gretchen Schweitzer

+49 (0) 172 861 8540

italfarmaco@trophic.eu
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosted in the Copenhagen Concert Hall, on 27-28 June, Global Fashion Summit convened over 1000 revered representatives from brands, retailers, NGOs, policy, manufacturers, and innovators to transform ambition into action. The Summit was presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit organisation that is accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, under the patronage of HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark.

This year's theme 'Ambition to Action', galvanised participants to transform ambitions into concrete actions that can drive the industry towards more sustainable practices, both socially and environmentally. Under this premise, the event presented content experiences focused on tangible and evidence-based impact, with over half of the programme dedicated to educational and action-oriented business case studies.

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages. The Summit also facilitated more than 10 strategic roundtable meetings that brought together executives and policy makers for productive dialogues on how to address pressing sustainability issues and act accordingly. The content integrated the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda, alongside critical challenges and tangible opportunities relating to some of the key forces that are shaping the fashion industry today: data, policy and storytelling. View the programme.

Attendees heard from 137 speakers including HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark; Antoine Arnault, Image & Environment, LVMH Group; Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director & Founder, JW Anderson and Creative Director, Loewe; Virginijus Sinkevicius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission; Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Chief Delivery Officer, Maersk; Aude Vergne, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chloe; Nicolaj Reffstrup, Founder, GANNI; Fanny Moizant, Co-Founder & President, Vestiaire Collective; Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike; Oscar Garcia Maceiras, CEO, Inditex; Dr. Lewis Akenji, Managing Director, Hot or Cool Institute; Rachel Arthur, Advocacy Lead, Sustainable Fashion, United Nations Environment Programme; and many more. View all speakers.

Prominent brands, retailers and organisations unveiled new actions and initiatives at the event, highlights include:

GFA launched the Global Textiles Policy Forum, a platform for governments and textile industry associations from around the world to: align on an ambitious sustainability pathway for the industry and the global policy frameworks needed; raise and amplify supply chain voices; and spread the likely impact of the EU Textiles Strategy outside of the EU. GFA also launched a new policy matrix to summarise the key legislations going on around the world implicating the textiles industry. Read more.

GFA unveiled responses to the GFA Designer Challenge 2023, presented by Smiley. Heiko Desens, Global Creative Director of PUMA partnered with Nicole McLaughlin whilst, Hillary Taymour, Creative Director of Collina Strada created an alliance with CIRCULOSE. The outcomes were showcased at the Summit alongside the release of two captivating new videos depicting the journeys of designers. Read more.

Fashion Redressed is a brand-new online film series launching in September, presented by the Global Fashion Agenda and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions. You can take a sneak peek at the series and calculate the impact your own wardrobe has on the environment here.

UNEP and UN Climate Change launched The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, a guide for fashion communicators to align efforts to sustainability targets. It shows marketers, imagemakers, media and influencers how to take action through countering misinformation, reducing messages perpetuating overconsumption, redirecting aspiration to sustainable lifestyles, and empowering consumers to demand greater action from businesses and policymakers.

A landmark report from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the Fashion Pact and Conservation International was launched. It maps out how the fashion, textile and apparel industry can implement the first science-based targets for nature. Read more.

The eight members of GFA's newly launched Next Gen Assembly programme in partnership with the Fashion Values Programme and presented by Target, participated in a closed-door Roundtable alongside esteemed industry leaders. The Members were able to candidly share their perspectives and stories. Following the Summit, the stories of the Next Gen Assembly participants will be collated and communicated throughout 2023. Read more.

Industry leaders unite in the CTI Fashion Initiative to drive circularity in fashion. Led by WBCSD, VF Corporation and Deloitte Switzerland, this collaboration will establish harmonized metrics, standards and best practices, anchored by the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for measuring impact, fostering accountability and advancing sustainable value creation. Read more.

Innovation Forum connected fashion companies with sustainable solution providers

This year's Summit also presented an Innovation Forum, enabling small and large companies to meet with 26 sustainable solution providers - equipping them with the concrete tools to quickly turn words into meaningful actions. More than 350 facilitated business meetings between fashion companies and sustainable solution providers took place during the Summit.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, says: "I am filled with a sense of hope following the Summit. This year we focused on turning the aspirational to the actual - championing evidence-based actions that can redesign our business models with net positive at the core, improve the livelihoods of the millions of garment workers and protect and enhance our precious ecosystems. The will and intentions are there, I now look forward to witnessing the shift to implementation to truly transform the industry."

Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition was supported by Principal Sponsor, Maersk, a globally renowned leader in logistics that aims to deliver a more connected, agile and sustainable future for global logistics.

Global Fashion Summit: Boston Edition will take place on 27 September 2023, which will mark the second time the Summit has been hosted outside of Copenhagen in its 14-year history.

For more information about the Summit visit globalfashionsummit.com. Learn more about Global Fashion Agenda at globalfashionagenda.org.

Access to all media materials and images is available via the Global Fashion Summit media bank.

CONTACT:

Contact: press@globalfashionagenda.org

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/21689/3796606/2161560.pdf Ambition to Action: Fashion Leaders Convene in Copenhagen to Accelerate Impact https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/hrh-the-crown-princess-of-denmark-gfs-cph-2023,c3195390 HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/antoine-arnault-and-jonathan-anderson-gfs-cph-2023,c3195389 Antoine Arnault and Jonathan Anderson GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/the-concert-hall-federica-marchionni-gfs-cph-2023,c3195388 The Concert Hall Federica Marchionni GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/innovation-stage-gfs-cph-2023,c3195385 Innovation Stage GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/summit-social-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195383 Summit Social GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/the-red-stage-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195384 The Red Stage GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/arrivals-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195386 Arrivals GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/concert-hall-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195387 Concert Hall GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/atmosphere-gfs-cph-2023,c3195391 Atmosphere GFS CPH 2023

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / PJX Resources Inc. ("PJX" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that field work on the Dewdney Trail Property has begun in preparation to advance and drill test copper-gold-silver mineralization associated with alkalic porphyritic intrusions discovered last year. Recent prospecting has discovered an additional iron-oxide breccia zone with localized copper mineralization. This new zone is approximately 1500 m southeast of a series of stacked bedding parallel quartz veins that contain up to 63 g/t gold.

The new zone expands the potential to discover multiple gold-copper-silver and possible molybdenum deposits related to porphyry intrusions. The zone is approximately 3 km southwest of the Estella Basin where a cluster of intrusions and hydrothermal breccias occur with anomalous gold, copper, silver, molybdenum, arsenic and other elements in soils and rock samples. The zone may also be related to a large (5 km diameter) circular shaped feature defined by an 895 line-km airborne magnetic and Mobile MT (EM) survey flown by Expert Geophysics for PJX over an 80 km area. The Estella Basin and new breccia zone occur proximal to the rim of the circular feature that may reflect the margin of a collapsed pluton at depth. Porphyry copper-gold deposits are known to occur along the margin of plutons.

"It is exciting to find large areas with mineralization at surface that support the potential to discover new world class deposits with critical minerals in an existing mining district with infrastructure." states John Keating, President of PJX. "Far too often we explorers tend to search for deposits in remote regions and/or foreign countries when the potential is right under our nose in our own backyard and can be more easily identified when land positions are consolidated. We plan to drill to test the porphyry intrusions and continue to expand the potential through surface exploration on the Dewdney Trail Property this year. We have also dropped the option on the NZOU Property to focus resources on the Dewdney Trail Property. PJX continues to own 100% of the mineral rights to the large DD Property that is adjacent to and on strike with the NZOU Property."

Corporate Update

The Annual General and Special Meeting of the Company was held on June 20, 2023. The Shareholders of record:

approved the December 31, 2022, Audited Financial Statements;

set the number of directors of the Company at six and re-elected directors John Keating, Linda Brennan, James Clare, Joseph Del Campo, Trygve Hoy, and Victor Bradley;

appointed McGovern Hurley LLP as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year; and

approved the Company's Share Incentive Plan.

"We would like to thank the Director's for standing for re-election and look forward to working with shareholders to explore and discover deposits of critical and other metals essential to society today and in the future", states John Keating.

Qualified Person

The foregoing geological disclosure has been reviewed and approved by John Keating P.Geo. (qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX.

About PJX Resources Inc.

PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver and base metals (zinc, lead, copper, nickel). PJX's properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia.

Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer

(416) 799-9205

info@pjxresources.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

The information in this news release has been prepared as at the date noted above. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Cautionary Note to US Investors:

This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

This press release uses the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable.

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.

SOURCE: PJX Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764453/PJX-Resources-Commences-2023-Exploration-With-Discovery-of-New-Iron-Oxide-Zone-That-Expands-Copper-Gold-Silver-Potential-on-Dewdney-Trail-Property
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQB: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") today announced that a second drill rig has begun drilling at Kodiak's 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in Southern British Columbia. The Company is executing a fully funded drill program of up to 25,000 metres in 2023, focused predominantly on new porphyry targets that have not previously been drilled by Kodiak.

Kodiak recently disclosed that a 3D Induced Polarisation geophysical survey had identified a new drill target from surface to a depth of 600 metres extending below shallow historic copper and gold mineralization of the Man Zone in the northern part of the MPD property (see News Release February 28th, 2023). The second drill rig is now testing this target.

Drilling also continues at the West Zone target in the MPD South (formerly Axe) area where Kodiak recently announced that new drill holes have intersected porphyry mineralization and sulphides (see News Release June 13th, 2023).

Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "Our 2023 drill program replicates the approach that led to our Gate Zone discovery on a suite of compelling new targets, with the aim to discover further high-grade porphyry centres and demonstrate the district-scale potential of the MPD project. We are encouraged by our progress to date and have now added a second drill rig to accelerate the program and test several targets in parallel. I am looking forward to the first batch of drill results from this year's drill program which we expect in July."

MPD is a large, 226 square kilometre land package located near several operating mines in the southern Quesnel Terrane, British Columbia's primary copper-gold producing belt. The project is located between the towns of Merritt and Princeton, with year-round accessibility and excellent infrastructure nearby.

Jeff Ward, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical information contained in this release. Kodiak believes historic results referenced herein to be from reliable sources using industry standards at the time. However, the Company has not independently verified, or cannot guarantee, the accuracy of this historic information.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Kodiak Copper Corp.

Claudia Tornquist

President & CEO

For further information contact:

Nancy Curry, VP Corporate Development

ncurry@kodiakcoppercorp.com

+1 (604) 646-8362

About Kodiak Copper Corp.

Kodiak is focused on its 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 south-central British Columbia, Canada. MPD has all the hallmarks of a large, multi-centered porphyry system. Kodiak has made the Gate Zone discovery of high-grade mineralization within a wide mineralized envelope, and MPD hosts several other targets with similar discovery potential. Kodiak also holds the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project in Arizona, USA, near the world-class Bagdad mine. Kodiak's porphyry projects have both been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits.

Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada.

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 Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors, and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171650
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Small Modular Reactor Market is projected to reach USD 6.8 billion in 2030 from USD 5.8 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 2.3% according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Factors such as the versatile nature of nuclear power and the relative advantages of SMRs such as modularization and factory construction are enabling the growth of the market.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Small Modular Reactor Market"

150 - Tables

80 - Figures

250 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=5001546

Small Modular Reactor Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Size USD 6.8 billion in 2030 Growth Rate 2.3% of CAGR Largest Market Middle East & Africa Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities & Challenges Forecast Period 2023-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Coolant, By Deployment, By location, By Application, By Reactor Type, By Power Rating, By Connectivity Geographies Covered Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe, and Middle East & Africa Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Integration of SMRs with renewable energy sources Key Market Drivers Versatile nature of nuclear power

Gases segment is expected to result in the segment occupying the second largest market share of the Small modular reactor

The gases segment accounted for a share of 22.6% of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. The gas-cooled reactor uses helium as a coolant medium during the operation and can be easily pressurized and maintain a stable high temperature facilitating higher efficiency in the operations. Using gas as a medium in the reactor can stop the occurrence of corrosion on the surfaces of the reactor, which reduces the need for maintenance. These operational advantages are pushing the growth of the gases segment. Gas-cooled reactors use graphite as a neutron moderator and carbon dioxide gas as the coolant.

High-temperature reactors by type is estimated to be the second largest and second-fastest growing market

The high-temperature reactor segment accounted for a 22.6% share of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. High-temperature reactors are Generation IV technology reactors characterized using a graphite moderator and gases such as helium, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen as the primary coolants. The most developed HTRs are high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), which include two main types of reactor designs: pebble-bed reactors (PBR) and prismatic block reactors (PMR). These reactors can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 C and may use fuels that contain uranium enriched up to 20.0%, which has higher enrichment than LWR fuel. These reactors provide immense potential use of thorium-based fuels. HTGRs produce ~40% less high-level waste per unit of energy produced and less plutonium content compared with a single-pass typical cycle of LWRs. The waste reduction is a result of higher thermal efficiencies and increased burnup in HTGRs. The storage and disposal requirement of high-temperature reactors is about 50 times lower for HTGRs compared with LWRs. However, the regulators and designers face several challenges while developing and licensing HTRs, such as limited design experience, lack of construction codes, and unresolved questions concerning fuel development and safety analysis tools.

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Power Generation is estimated to be the fastest growing market

The power generation segment held a 34.15% share of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. SMRs are expected to be used for power generation, as they have simpler designs, economies of series production, short construction times, and reduced siting costs compared with large nuclear power plants. The power generated by SMRs is expected to be economical compared with other low-carbon alternatives and they help reduce carbon emissions and meet new energy demands. SMRs provide a stable and reliable baseload power supply, which makes them suitable for replacing and optimizing the use of retiring coal and other fossil fuel-fired power plants and replacing aging infrastructure. SMRs also have load following capabilities and can be integrated with renewable energies to provide flexible power, as these reactors can vary their output to meet the fluctuations in power produced using renewable energy. SMRs can be used to power isolated grid systems, remote communities, islands, and mining sites. All these factors are likely to boost the growth of the market for the power generation segment.

Grid-Connected segment by connectivity is estimated to be the second-fastest growing market

The grid-connected segment held a 65.03% share of the total Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. Grid-connected SMRs have the potential to complement variable renewable energies, such as wind and solar, and integrate with smart grids and energy parks. SMRs can provide baseload power for grid-connected operations and can vary their output to meet the fluctuations in the supply of power produced by renewable sources. SMRs are expected to phase out conventional coal-fired power plants, as utilities want to replace retiring coal-fired plants with baseload plants of similar size that do not produce greenhouse emissions. SMRs can support grid modernization activities, such as smart grid and load growth, and help replace the existing aging infrastructure. These reactors can restart without receiving energy from the grid. This can help an electricity grid meet the system requirements in terms of parameters such as voltage, inertia, reactive capacity, and frequency when recovering from an outage.

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Marine segment by location is estimated to be the second largest and second-fastest growing market

The marine segment held a 7.36% share of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. SMRs can be deployed in marine environments either as barge-mounted floating power units or underwater power units. Marine SMRs generally use pressurized-water reactor technology. These reactors have long core lives and require little refueling. Marine SMRs provide several flexible deployment options, such as nuclear icebreaker ships and floating nuclear power plants.

Single-module power plant segment by deployment is estimated to be the second largest and second-fastest growing market

The single-module power plant segment held a 76.30% share of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. Single-module SMR plants are stand-alone units that may be used individually to meet niche energy requirements or localized demand. Larger single-module SMR plants could be used to replace small fossil-fuel units or deployed for distributed generation. The licensing of single-module SMRs is expected to be simpler than that of multi-module SMRs, as the current regulatory and licensing frameworks generally rely on an extensive experience base, with single-module larger nuclear plants using light-water reactor technology. Single-module SMRs, especially under 10 Mwe, serve remote locations deprived of electricity and district heating applications. They incorporate all the essential components, such as the power generation unit, turbines, generators, control systems, and necessary support infrastructure, into a single unit.

Upto 100 MW segment by power rating is estimated to be the fastest growing segment in the Small Modular Reactor Market

The power rating of up to 100 MW holds a market share of 16.9% share of the Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. SMRs are characterized by their compact size and modular design. The reactor unit can be manufactured in a factory and transported to the installation site. The modular design allows for scalability, where multiple SMR units can be deployed together to meet varying energy demands. The primary application of a 100 MW SMR is power generation. It can serve as a standalone power plant, providing clean and reliable electricity to communities, industries, or remote locations. The excess heat generated by a 100 MW SMR can be utilized for district heating, where thermal energy is distributed to nearby residential, commercial, and institutional buildings for space heating and water heating purposes.

Europe likely to emerge as the second-largest region in Small Modular Reactor Industry

Europe accounted for a 30.3% share of the global Small Modular Reactor Market in 2022. The scope of the European Small Modular Reactor Market includes Russia, the UK, France, and the Rest of Europe. The Rest of Europe includes Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, Poland, and Romania. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2022, nuclear energy accounted for about 28.4% of the region's electricity generation mix. The region accounted for 30.2% of the global nuclear power consumption.

Investments for the development of SMRs and the shift toward the use of clean energy to combat climate change are increasing the opportunities for the deployment of SMRs in this region. For instance, in November 2020, the government pledged USD 298 million to SMRs in 2021 as a part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Low-Cost Nuclear (LCN) program. In November 2019, UKRI provided an initial match funding of USD 23 million to the UK SMR consortium, led by Rolls-Royce, for the development of a conceptual SMR design. In June 2021, Rosatom (Russia) announced its plans to invest USD 7 billion in new nuclear technologies by 2030. The plan includes the development of four floating power units using RITM-200 reactors (55 MWe each) by the end of 2028 for the Baimskaya Mining and Refining Plant in Chukotka. It also aims to commission a land nuclear power plant that utilizes RITM-200 SMR technology by 2030 for the Kyuchusskoye gold deposit in Yakutia. Rosatom also has plans to launch pilot units, including SHELF and ELENA, in remote regions of the country. It intends on concluding the first export contract for its SMR power plants at the end of 2026. Factors such as the integration of SMRs with intermittent renewable energy and the decarbonization of the energy sector enhance the growth of the Small Modular Reactor Market in Europe.

Key Market Players:

The leading players in the Small Modular Reactor Companies include Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (US), NuScale Power, LLC. (US), Terrestrial Energy Inc. (Canada), Moltex Energy (Canada), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (US), X Energy, LLC. (US), X Energy, LLC. (US), General Atomics (US), ARC Clean Energy, Inc. (Canada), LeadCold Reactors (Sweden), Rolls-Royce (UK), Ultra Safe Nuclear (US), Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Japan), Tokamak Energy Ltd. (UK), SNC-Lavalin Group (Canada), Afrikantov OKB Mechanical Engineering (Russia), China National Nuclear Corporation (China), Framatome (France), U-BATTERY (UK), and Seaborg Technologies (Denmark).

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Recent Developments

In June 2023, Fortum and Westinghouse Electric Company, one of world's leading suppliers of safe and innovative nuclear technology, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore prerequisites for the development and deployment of new nuclear in Finland and Sweden. Any potential investment decisions will be made at a later stage. The collaboration with Fortum is to bring proven and industry-leading, nuclear technology to the Nordic region, delivering added energy security for many generations in the future.

In May 2023, NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: SMR) and Nucor Corporation (Nucor) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to investigate co-locating NuScale's VOYGR small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) power plants to provide clean, reliable baseload electricity to Nucor's scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel mills. The firms will also look into expanding their manufacturing partnership, in which Nucor, North America's largest steel producer and recycler of any form of material, would supply Econiq, its net-zero steel products, for Nuscale projects.

In April 2023, SNC-Lavalin announced its strategic agreement with Moltex on Small Modular Reactor development, thereby extending nuclear energy in Canada. SNC-Lavalin's world-class network of expertise in engineering, licencing and regulatory affairs, cost estimation, supplier qualification and management, quality assurance, and construction and operation planning will be used by Moltex. SNC-Lavalin will work with Moltex to bring in new customers and advance Molter's commercial objectives.

In Jan 2023, Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), Ontario Power Generation (OPG), SNC-Lavalin, and Aecon inked a deal for the installation of a BWROC 300 small modular reactor (SMR) at OPG's Darlington New Nuclear Project site. This is North America's first commercial contract for a grid-scale SMR.

In Feb 2022, Terrestrial Energy Inc. signed an agreement with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Under this agreement, ANSTO will provide technical guidance to Terrestrial Energy Inc. for the conditioning of used reactor fuel from the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) power plants in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and other global markets.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - HighGold Mining Inc. (TSXV: HIGH) (OTCQX: HGGOF) ("HighGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of the 2023 exploration program (the "Program") at the Johnson Tract polymetallic Gold Project ("Johnson Tract", "JT" or the "Project") in Southcentral Alaska, USA. The Project hosts the high-grade JT Deposit with a 1.05 Moz indicated resource at 9.39 g/t gold equivalent ("AuEq"). The 2023 Program plans for an 8,000 meter, two rig drill program in addition to engineering, hydrogeology and environmental studies to support permitting an underground exploration ramp as part of a multi-year 'advanced exploration' plan. Crews are now on site at the Project with drilling to commence imminently.

"With the spinout of Onyx Gold now complete, we look forward to focusing 100% of HighGold's resources to advance the Johnson Tract Project and realize the full potential of this high-quality asset," commented Darwin Green, President and CEO. "The 21,000-acre Project hosts the JT Deposit, which has the rare and attractive combination of high-grade (9.4 g/t AuEq) and exceptional width (averaging 40-meters) and has demonstrated the potential to become a multi-deposit district with the recent Ellis Zone discovery located 4 km to the northeast. Results from the Ellis Zone have been very encouraging (e.g. 6.4m at 599.4 g/t AuEq and 11.9m at 25.3 g/t AuEq*) and we are excited to be back drilling this new discovery that is open to expansion in multiple directions. Our plans include significant exploration drilling to grow the property-wide mineral resource base and to continue testing new targets that are ripe for new discoveries.

"In parallel with ongoing exploration drilling, we have outlined an advanced exploration plan designed to support future underground drilling, engineering and economic studies. Step one of this plan is to establish an expanded airstrip for larger aircraft and to build a 2.6-mile (4 km) road connecting the airstrip and camp to a proposed portal site for which permitting is now underway. Step two consists of developing an underground exploration ramp to support both detailed definition drilling of the JT Deposit and exploration drilling for mineralization to depth and along trend. Plans are to initiate permitting of the exploration ramp in early 2024 after completing additional studies and design work this year."

Exploration Drill Program Details

The objective of the 2023 drill program is to expand the known zones of mineralization at the Ellis Zone and JT Deposit and to test new high-potential target areas. Key drill targets include:

Ellis Zone expansion - Follow-up expansion drilling on 50 to 100-meter centers on the high-grade Au-Ag-Zn-Pb (+Cu) structurally controlled vein and breccia zone. The Ellis Zone shows similarities to the JT Deposit and remains open in multiple directions.

East Difficult Creek (Ellis Zone Regional) - A new interpretation suggests that the mineralized system hosting the Ellis Zone is large and continues north and east under cover, and across syn-mineralization faults. Drilling will test offset and geophysical targets under overburden cover towards the East Difficult Creek prospect.

JT Deposit - A significant east-west cross-fault has been identified south of the JT Deposit as the result of drilling and interpretative work completed in 2022. Drilling will test the continuation of the known mineralization to the south across this fault.

South Valley Target (JT Deposit South) - A blind target under overburden cover located 1 km (1/2 mile) along strike to the south of the JT Deposit. Drilling will test a geophysical anomaly that shares a similar signature to the JT Deposit. Anhydrite alteration, a key alteration type surrounding the JT Deposit, borders the South Valley target.

In addition to drilling, the 2023 exploration program will include geological mapping, prospecting, and soil & rock sampling programs to follow-up and expand on the positive results generated from the 2022 program and refine new drill targets.

Advanced Exploration Plan Details - De-risking the Project

A multi-year advanced exploration plan has been developed for the Johnson Tract project designed to de-risk the JT Project and support future engineering, environmental and economic studies that evaluate the potential for a small footprint, high-grade underground mine. A key component of this plan is to establish an exploration ramp for year-round drilling from underground. The exploration ramp will provide lateral underground access from a proposed portal site located at the base of the mountain to an area immediately adjacent the lowermost portions of the currently defined JT Deposit. The ramp will parallel the trend of mineralization and provide an ideal platform for drilling to both grow the resource and to conduct cost-effective tightly spaced definition drilling of the deepest and highest-grade portions of the JT Deposit. The exploration ramp and all related surface infrastructure including airstrip, camp and 2.6-mile (4 km) access road are located on private lands owned by Cook Inlet Region, Inc., an Alaska Native regional corporation.

Key elements of the advanced exploration plan to be completed in 2023:

Road and Expanded Airstrip Permitting - An application for a Section 404 permit was submitted in May to the US Army Corps of Engineers to lengthen and realign the existing airstrip and constructing of approximately 2.6 miles (4 km) of access road connecting the airstrip and Johnson Tract camp to the proposed exploration portal site. The permitting process for the road and airstrip is anticipated to take eight to 12 months to complete with the objective of having approvals in hand in advance of the 2024 field season.

Geotechnical Drilling for Surface Infrastructure - A shallow geotechnical drill hole program will be completed with a track-mounted rotary drill rig to support final construction design for the road and airstrip, including evaluation of local material sites.

Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Drilling for Exploration Ramp - A program of targeted geotechnical and hydrogeological core drilling (up to 1,500m of drilling) will be completed in support of permitting and design of an underground exploration ramp.

Environmental and Cultural Surveys - Various surveys will be completed to support planning and permitting efforts related to the underground exploration ramp and related infrastructure, with a plan to initiate permitting of the exploration ramp early 2024 to have in hand for 2025. Beyond the above-described Section 404 permit that is currently underway, all other permits and authorizations required for the exploration ramp and related infrastructure will be issued under State of Alaska authority.

Engineering Studies - Includes preliminary studies related to project infrastructure and evaluation of potential development scenarios.

About the Johnson Tract Gold Project

Johnson Tract is a polymetallic (gold, copper, zinc, silver, lead) project located near tidewater, 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, USA. The 21,000-acre property includes the high-grade JT Deposit and at least nine (9) other mineral prospects over a 12-kilometer strike length. HighGold acquired the Project through a lease agreement with Cook Inlet Region, Inc. ("CIRI"), one of 12 land-based Alaska Native regional corporations created by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. CIRI is owned by more than 9,000 shareholders who are primarily of Alaska Native descent.

Mineralization at Johnson Tract occurs in Jurassic intermediate volcaniclastic rocks and is characterized as epithermal-type with submarine volcanogenic attributes. The JT Deposit is a thick, steeply dipping silicified body averaging 40m true thickness that contains a stockwork of quartz-sulphide veinlets and brecciation, cutting through and surrounded by a widespread zone of anhydrite alteration. The Footwall Copper Zone is located structurally and stratigraphically below JT Deposit and is characterized by copper-silver rich mineralization.

The JT Deposit hosts an Indicated Resource of 3.489 Mt grading 9.39 g/t gold equivalent ("AuEq") comprised of 5.33 g/t Au, 6.0 g/t Ag, 0.56% Cu, 0.67% Pb and 5.21% Zn. The Inferred Resource of 0.706 Mt grading 4.76 g/t AuEq is comprised of 1.36 g/t Au, 9.1 g/t Ag, 0.59% Cu, 0.30% Pb, and 4.18% Zn. For additional details see NI 43-101 Technical Report titled "Updated Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Johnson Tract Project, Alaska," dated August 25, 2022 (effective date of July 12, 2022) authored by Ray C. Brown, James N. Gray, P.Geo. and Lyn Jones, P.Eng. Gold Equivalent ("AuEq") is based on assumed metal prices and payable metal recoveries of 97% for Au, 85% for Ag, 85% Cu, 72% Pb and 92% Zn from metallurgical testwork completed in 2022. Assumed metal prices for the Resource are US$1650/oz for gold (Au), US$20/oz for silver (Ag), US$3.50/lb for copper (Cu), US$1.00/lb for lead (Pb), and US$1.50/lb for zinc (Zn).

About HighGold

HighGold is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing the high-grade Johnson Tract Gold-Zinc-Copper Project located in accessible Southcentral Alaska, USA. HighGold's experienced Board and senior management team, are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration.

Ian Cunningham-Dunlop, P.Eng., Senior VP Exploration for HighGold Mining Inc. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.

On Behalf of HighGold Mining Inc.

"Darwin Green"

President & CEO

For further information, please visit the HighGold Mining Inc. website at www.highgoldmining.com, or contact:

Darwin Green, President & CEO or

Naomi Nemeth, VP Investor Relations Phone: 1-604-629-1165 or North American toll-free 1-855-629-1165

Email: information@highgoldmining.com

Website: www.highgoldmining.com

Twitter: @HighgoldMining

*Reported Ellis Zone drill results are for drill hole DC21-010 (6.4m @ 599.4 g/t AuEq) and drill hole DC22-043 (11.9m @ 25.3 g/t AuEq). For additional information please see Company news releases dated Oct 6, 2021, and Sept 12, 2022.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking statements: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively "forward looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's planned drill program and advanced exploration plans are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward- looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171761
MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Luminar Media Group, (OTC PINK:LRGR) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Royale de Monte Carlo "The World's Most Prestigious Vodka" is pleased to announce it has signed an MOU for a distribution agreement with Liquoristerie Madras ("Madras") to provide Royale De Monte Carlo! Ultra-Premium Vodka to its list of more than 50 retailers in Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barthelemy (St. Barts, St. Barth), St. Martin, Les Saintes and Marie-Galante, Starting in Q3/Q4 2023 with 750ml and will expand to add the 1LTR in the following quarters.

The First shipping will be arriving in the port of Guadeloupe Port Caraibes - Port de Pointe-a-Pitre in the upcoming weeks and will be available through Liquoristerie Madras! Royale de Monte Carlo will join other notable brands distributed by Liquoristerie Madras including Madras Rhum!

Liquoristerie Madras Is located in 16, 69002 Boulevard de la Pointe Jarry, Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe is the island most notable Distellery and Liquor distributor serving the French Islands for over three decades.

Last year, the Caribbean insular region of France registered nearly 1.2 million. St. Barts is known for luxurious homes owned by some of the wealthiest people in the world. It's the ideal place to serve and market "The World's Most Prestigious Vodka" Stated Robert Rico CEO of Royale de Monte Carlo.

About Royale de Monte Carlo/ Luminar Media Group, Inc.

Royale de Monte Carlo headquartered in Miami, Florida, is an ultra-premium, icy cool, and deliciously smooth vodka sure to give long lasting euphoric pleasure to any palate it graces. Created and produced by fifth generation master distillers located in the heart of the world- famous Cognac region of France, Royale de Monte Carlo was voted as the "World's Most Prestigious Vodka"TM. https://royaledemontecarlo.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements about our business, or financial condition and prospects, that reflect our assumptions and beliefs based on information currently available. The Company can give no assurance that the expectations indicated by such forward-looking statements will be realized. There may be other risks and circumstances that we are unable to predict. When used in this news release, words such as "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although there may be certain forward-looking statements not accompanied by such expressions. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including risks discussed in the company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors other than as required under the securities laws. The Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Relations Contact:

Robert Rico

305-283-9237

info@royaledemontecarlo.com

Phone: +1 (305) 283-9237

www.royaledemontecarlo.com

INSTAGRAM: @royaledemontecarlovodka

Facebook: https://fb.com/royaledemontecarlovodka

Twitter: https://twitter.com/montecarlovodka

SOURCE: Luminar Media Group, Inc.

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Breaking New Ground with EcoZinc: Advance ZincTek's Solar-Powered Sun Care Innovation Uplifting Industry Standards

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Advance ZincTek, Australia's leading manufacturer of natural Sunscreen Actives, announces the launch of EcoZinc, the world's first solar-powered, non-nano zinc oxide powder for SPF-rated cosmetics and sunscreens. EcoZinc not only minimizes environmental impact, but also achieves a dramatic reduction in carbon emissions-saving over 1011g of CO2 per kilowatt of energy used compared to traditional zinc oxide production.



Solar Installation

Engineered via Advance ZincTek's state-of-the-art ZinClear XP architecture, it ensures unmatched sustainability & uniform particle distribution in five BET ranges. Offering 23.08% more absorbance at a wavelength of 290nm than some competitors, EcoZinc merges top-tier skin protection and sustainability.

"EcoZinc represents a major evolution for both skincare brands and consumers striving to protect their skin and the planet," said Advance ZincTek's Managing Director Geoff Acton. "Our 100% solar-powered manufacturing process testifies to our resolution to spearhead the industry transition towards safer, sustainable sun protection."

EcoZinc's eco-friendly zinc oxide provides an integral solution for reef-safe cosmetics that meet the stringent regulations of regions such as Hawaii, Mexico, and Thailand. Through EcoZinc, companies can eliminate harmful synthetic chemicals from their products, significantly minimizing the impact on marine life.

Advance ZincTek's recent announcement on June 21, 2023, revealed a significant Australian sunscreen manufacturer's commitment to transition to EcoZinc for all their products, indicating a marked shift in industry preference towards safer, sustainable sunscreen ingredients.

Joseph Mizikovsky, product lead for Reef Safe, a new brand leveraging EcoZinc in its formulations, noted the industry's necessity for such a shift. "We're thrilled to be part of the sustainable innovation that EcoZinc brings. Numerous sunscreen brands, including many renowned Australian labels, typically rely on chemical UV filters; however, none have been deemed safe and effective by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration). With EcoZinc, we aim to establish a new standard, prioritizing safety and sustainability to minimize environmental impact, especially in sensitive areas like marine parks and reefs. Zinc oxide remains the only broad spectrum UV filter approved as safe and effective by the FDA," stated Mizikovsky.

Reef Safe's incorporation of EcoZinc into their sunscreen signifies not just the delivery of a product that meets the highest global sustainability and safety standards but also endorses the global shift towards clean, green, and safe sun care solutions.

Fulfilling Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments, EcoZinc provides benefits that directly aid corporate ESG adherence, thereby enabling companies to achieve their sustainability goals while delivering exceptional products.

For more information and to request a sample for your brand, visit https://www.advancezinctek.com/ecozinc.

Contact Information:

Geoff Acton

Managing Director

sales@antaria.com

SOURCE: Advance ZincTek

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764252/Solar-Powered-Sunscreen-EcoZinc-a-World-First-in-Sustainable-Zinc-Oxide-Innovation
The California Driving Tour Bundle includes Four Self-Guided Audio Tours for $19.99

HONOLULU, HI / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Shaka Guide, the makers of Hawaii's highest-rated travel apps, has released its new California Driving Tour Bundle with four full-day audio driving tours for $19.99. These tours include Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Lake Tahoe.

Shaka Guide Self-Guided Audio Tours

Travelers taking a Shaka Guide self-guided audio driving tour.

"California has some of the country's most breathtaking and diverse scenery," says Andrew Fowers, Shaka Guide's CEO and Co-Founder. "From the desert landscapes of Death Valley to the towering granite monoliths of Yosemite, we're excited to share our in-depth audio tours with travelers so they can connect with these places in a completely new way."

The California Driving Tour Bundle comes at the heels of the brand's most recent tour launches - Death Valley, Yosemite, and Tahoe. Each tour was released this month. With the summer travel season in full swing, Shaka Guide is hoping to be a part of visitors' California road trips by providing them with a more enriching experience in these places.

In 2022, California saw over 38 million visitors to its NPS sites, according to the National Park Service's website. Of those visitors, over 7 million visited the three National Parks in Shaka Guide's California Driving Tour Bundle. And Tahoe, which is not a national park, sees approximately 15 million visitors annually.

With this sheer volume of visitors there are real concerns about destination management. "Our app provides travelers with expert information when they're in the destination about to visit a site," says Andrew. "This means we have the ability to provide safety information, sustainable ways to visit these parks, historically accurate stories, and address local sentiment in the moment - this is a really powerful tool for ensuring that visitors are equipped to travel responsibly."

With Shaka Guide this kind of information is woven together naturally with entertaining audio stories. You don't just visit these spots, you get handcrafted stories about the locations you're visiting. The company was founded with the mission to connect people with places through storytelling. As an example, in Shaka Guide's Yosemite National Park Tour you'll hear a 38-minute story about John Muir, who is considered the Father of our National Parks, including how he convinced Teddy Roosevelt to turn Yosemite into a national park.

The current California Driving Tour Bundle will be updated throughout the year as Shaka Guide plans to launch tours for all nine California National Parks by 2024.

"We fundamentally believe that connected travelers are responsible travelers," adds Andrew. "We hope that by creating meaningful experiences and sharing stories people will leave these places better than they found them."

To access the California Driving Tour Bundle download the Shaka Guide app from the App Store or Google Play or purchase on www.shakaguide.com.

Contact Information:

Andrew Fowers

CEO and Co-Founder

andrew@shakaguide.com

SOURCE: Shaka Guide

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764447/Shaka-Guide-Releases-New-California-Tour-Bundle-to-Educate-Entertain-Travelers
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / BeMetals Corp. (TSXV:BMET)(OTCQB:BMTLF)(Frankfurt:1OI.F) (the "Company" or "BeMetals") is pleased to announce commencement of its 2023 exploration program at the Pangeni Copper Project ("Pangeni" or the "Project") in the Zambian Copperbelt. Results from core and aircore drilling during the previous program have been integrated into our geological interpretations to generate new and refined existing targets for testing this year. This year's planned US$2 million exploration program will be pro rata funded by both BeMetals and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security ("JOGMEC").

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT PANGENI COPPER PROJECT CORE DRILLING RESULTS:

G-Target: Drill hole G2-C1 intersected 0.5 metres grading 0.71% copper ("Cu") and 0.5 metres grading

1.19% Cu

D-Prospect: Drill hole D5-C2 intersected 0.5 metres grading 0.62% Cu

P-Target: Drill hole P1-C1 intersected 0.78 metres grading 0.48% Cu

2023 exploration program plans to commence with 5,000 metres of shallow aircore drilling and 2,000

Metres of follow-up core drilling

The recently updated exploration interpretation of the Project has identified new, and refined existing,

compelling targets for copper discovery that possess similar geological settings of world class deposits and mines in the Zambian Copperbelt

Note: Table 1 below provides details of these drilled intersections.

John Wilton, President and CEO of BeMetals stated, "We are encouraged by the core and aircore results from the previous program, and the targets now generated for testing this year. Importantly we have now returned significant copper mineralization at both the G and P targets which are near the interpreted basement unit to the Katangan sediment geological contact. This is the same setting known to host many of the large and often high-grade copper deposits and mines in Zambia.

Field activities commenced this week and will begin with approximately 5,000 metres of shallow, aircore drill testing of targets below the Kalahari sand cover. The lines of aircore drilling are focused on testing significant step outs from Targets G, P, and Q, in the south and southeast area of the Pangeni property, and identifying higher-grade shoots at the D-Prospect. We will also test the northeastern extension of a major structural feature trending across the central area of the Project at the new L-target. The drilling results at Pangeni to date, under the thin but extensive sand cover, and its overall geological setting within the prolific Zambian Copperbelt continue to demonstrate the potential for this project to deliver a large-scale copper discovery."

PANGENI COPPER PROJECT

Figure 1 shows the location of the 2022 program drill holes with related widths and grades of copper mineralization intersected in four of the eight holes completed. Tables 1 and 2 below provide details of the results of the drilling. Following an updated interpretation of all the exploration data to date, the yellow circles in Figure 1 indicate the compelling targets for further exploration in this year's exploration program.

G & P TARGET AREAS

Drill hole G2-C1 intersected 0.50 metres grading 0.71% Cu and 0.50 metres grading 1.19% Cu within a wider anomalous zone of 6.50 metres grading 0.20% Cu from 157.58 metres drill hole depth. The mineralization is formed of chalcopyrite with minor bornite copper sulphides. This mineralization hosted within interpreted basement units is in close proximity to Katangan sediments identified in aircore chips. Aircore lines planned for the 2023 program will step out approximately 400 metres along strike to the southwest and northeast of the G2-C1 drill hole testing the basement unit to interpreted the Katangan sediment contact zone.

Drill hole P1-C1 intersected several zones of copper mineralization including 0.50 metres grading 0.37% Cu from 131.46 metres and 0.78 metres grading 0.48% Cu from 148.80 metres drilled depth. This copper mineralization appears to be hosted in basement units. Drill hole P1-C2 some 1,400 metres to the southeast of P1-C1 intersected a package of carbonate and sandstone units interpreted to be the Katangan sediments. Several aircore lines are planned to the eastern strike extension of this area within the P-Target.

L-TARGET AREA

As indicated on Figure 1, the L-Target is located to the northeastern extension of the major structural feature crossing the central area of the Project. This structural feature is interpreted as a major thrust fault zone cutting through both basement and potentially Katangan units. Such structures are thought to provide the pathways for copper rich fluids moving into stratigraphic and other structural traps forming sediment hosted copper deposits. This zone at Pangeni also hosts the CT-Prospect where copper sulphide mineralization was drilled.

D-PROSPECT AREA

Drill hole D5-C2 provided 0.50 metres grading 0.62% Cu within an anomalous zone of 4.50 metres grading 0.20% Cu from 136.25 metres drilled depth. When combined with previously reported drilling results at this prospect, BeMetals is motivated to target several short lines of aircore drilling. These will test and should identify higher grade shoots of mineralization within the currently identified zones of copper.

Q-PROSPECT AREA

Three lines of aircore drilling will be completed at the Q-Prospect to test the Katangan sediments in close proximity to the basement contact zone and previously drilled copper mineralization.

PANGENI COPPER PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Pangeni Project is located on the western extension of the Zambian Copperbelt, within the Lufilian Arc, underlain by Katangan Supergroup metasediments situated unconformably on basement schists and gneisses, which are covered by a thin veneer of Kalahari sands. The open pit Sentinel Copper Mine is operated by First Quantum Minerals Ltd. some 130 kilometres to the northeast of the Pangeni Project. A number of major international mining companies have identified this region of the Zambian Copperbelt to be prospective for the discovery of tier one copper mines and are conducting extensive exploration work in this region. See Figure 2 for the Project location map.

The Pangeni Project property is geologically prospective for the following deposit types; Basement-hosted Cu (analogues: the Lumwana Deposit), Sediment-hosted stratiform Cu-Co (analogues: Nchanga, Konkola, Nkana, and Mufulira Deposits), other Domes Region Deposits e.g. Sentinel, and Kansanshi, and DRC Copperbelt Deposits e.g. Lonshi, Frontier, Kamoa-Kakula).

Figure 1: Recent core drilling results, prospects & targets for 2023 exploration program, airborne magnetic data (Second vertical derivative)

Table 1: Drill Hole Intersection Results

Target/Prospect, Borehole ID & Interval From

(m) To

(m) Core Interval (m) Cu % G-Target G2-C1 157.58 164.08 6.50 0.20 Including 157.58 158.08 0.50 0.71 Also Including 163.58 164.08 0.50 1.19 D-Prospect D5-C2 136.25 140.75 4.50 0.20 Including 136.25 136.75 0.50 0.62 P-Target P1-C1 131.46 131.96 0.50 0.37* 148.22 149.58 1.36 0.33 Including 148.80 149.58 0.78 0.48 E-Target E8-C1 55.99 56.61 0.62 0.36*

Table 1 Notes: Intertek Genalysis completed the analytical work with the core samples processed at their preparation facility in Kitwe, Zambia. All analytical procedures were conducted in an Intertek Genalysis laboratory in Perth, Australia. Reported widths are drilled core lengths as true widths are unknown at this time. Based upon current data it is estimated true widths range between 80 to 90% of the drilled intersections. A nominal cut-off grade of 0.12% Cu has been used to determine the boundaries of the intersections with no more than 3.5 metres of internal dilution of the intercept. denotes single sample. *Copper oxide mineralization observed.

Table 2: Drill Hole ID, Azimuth, Dip, End of Hole Depth and Collar Coordinates

Drill Hole ID Azimuth Degree Dip Degree End of hole Depth

(m) Easting

(m) Northing

(m) Elevation

(m) Comments D5-C1 315 -60 128.50 175741 8601500 1295 Did not intersect significant Cu D5-C2 090 -60 201.85 175657 8601529 1301 Details reported above & in Table 1 E8-C1 335 -60 150.00 169659 8587292 1220 Details reported above & in Table 1 G2-C1 310 -70 200.80 188666 8590329 1187 Details reported above & in Table 1 P1-C1 315 -60 174.40 187001 8584912 1141 Details reported above & in Table 1 P1-C2 330 -70 173.65 187513 8583605 1132 Intersected sandstones and carbonate units interpreted as Katangan sediments Q3-C2 340 -70 224.70 173112 8584203 1156 Did not intersect significant Cu K2-C1 315 -60 149.90 175291 8588860 1194 Aircore copper anomaly explained by drilled mafic/ultramafic intrusion

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

The results reported here for this core drilling program were analyzed by Intertek Genalysis, an independent and accredited laboratory. Samples were prepared at their facility in Kitwe, Zambia and analytical work conducted in Perth, Australia. The results were determined using multi-acid, near total digest, and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma ("ICP") Optical (Atomic) Emission Spectrometry ("OES"). The core sampling was conducted with a robust sampling protocol that included the appropriate insertion of standard reference material, duplicates, and blanks into the sample stream.

Field operations and management have been provided by Remote Exploration Services ("RES") an independent geological consulting and contracting company. The core drilling was conducted by Blurock Mining Services, of Kitwe, Zambia.

AMENDMENT TO PANGENI PROJECT EARN-IN AGREEMENT

BeMetals is pleased to report it has agreed to extend certain obligations in its option agreement with Copper Cross Zambia ("CCZ") (Further information on the option agreement is detailed in the Company's filed financial statements), including a cash payment of US$350,000 now deferred until June 12, 2024 (a portion of which may be paid in common shares at the option of the Company). Delivery of a preliminary economic assessment and a royalty reduction payment, in order to exercise the initial option, have been extended for as long as BeMetals funds US$ 2 million of annual expenditures on the Project to align with CCZ's underlying agreement with Pangeni Mineral Resources Limited.

Figure 2. Property Location Map

ABOUT BEMETALS CORP.

BeMetals is a precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on becoming a leading metal producer through the acquisition of quality exploration, development and potentially production stage projects. The Company has established itself in the gold sector with the acquisition of a portfolio of wholly owned exploration projects in Japan. BeMetals is also progressing its tier-one targeted, Pangeni Copper Exploration Project in the prolific Zambian Copperbelt with co-funding investor the Japanese state agency JOGMEC ("Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security"). Guiding and leading BeMetals' growth strategy is a strong board and management team, founders and significant shareholders of the Company, who have an extensive proven record of delivering exceptional value in the mining sector, over many decades, through the discovery, construction and operation of mines around the world.

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The technical information in this news release for BeMetals has been reviewed and approved by John Wilton, CGeol FGS, CEO and President of BeMetals, and a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF BEMETALS CORP.

"John Wilton"

John Wilton

President, CEO and Director

For further information about BeMetals please visit our website at bemetalscorp.com and sign-up to our email list to receive timely updates, or contact:

Derek Iwanaka

Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

Telephone: 604-928-2797

Email: diwanaka@bemetalscorp.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (as defined under applicable securities laws), based on management's best estimates, assumptions and current expectations. Such statements include but are not limited to, statements with respect to future exploration, development and advancement of the Kazan Projects in Japan and the Pangeni Project in Zambia, and the acquisition of additional base and/or precious metal projects. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts", "anticipates", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur. 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 expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the actual results of exploration activities, the availability of financing and/or cash flow to fund the current and future plans and expenditures, the ability of the Company to satisfy the conditions of the option agreement for the Pangeni Project, and changes in the world commodity markets or equity markets. Although the Company 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. The forward-looking statements and forward looking information are made as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any forward-looking statements or forward looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as require by law. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.

SOURCE: BeMetals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764431/BeMetals-Commences-2023-Copper-Exploration-Program-at-Pangeni-Project-in-Zambia-Reports-Motivating-Drill-Results-and-Updated-Exploration-Targets
Grab Samples Yield up to 1.125 % Cu, 0.4 % Ni, and 2.35 g/t Au+Pd+Pt at Newly Identified Copper Hill Occurrence

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Prospector Metals Corp. (TSXV: PPP) (OTCQB: PMCOF) (FSE: 1ET0) ("Prospector" or the "Company") is pleased to announce prospecting results identified significant Ni-Cu-PGE prospects at the 100% owned Devon Project in Northwestern Ontario.

Highlights:

A total of 93 grab samples were collected from outcrop and angular boulders ranging from below detection up to 1.125 % Cu, 0.53 % Ni, and 3.54 g/t Pd+Pt, and 0.123 % Co.

At the Copper Hill Occurrence, angular boulders returned assays of up to 1.125 % Cu, 0.4 % Ni, and 2.35 g/t Au+Pd+Pt and 1.015 % Cu, 0.298 % Ni, and 3.81 g/t Au+Pd+Pt. Over a dozen similarly mineralized angular blocks were noted within an area several hundred metres in extent, ranging from 15 cm cobbles up to several angular boulders greater than 1 m in diameter. Most of the boulders were imbedded in reddish matrix-supported glacial till that is up to a few metres maximum thickness and capped by thin organic soil cover, indicating that the boulders were naturally emplaced within the till.

Multiple occurrences along the Pigeon River dykes were identified in outcrop returned assays of up to 0.73 % Cu, 0.53% Ni, 0.114 % Co, and 0.22 g/t Au+Pd+Pt, 0.64 % Cu, 0.437 % Ni, and 0.267 g/t Au+Pd+Pt, and 0.47% Cu, 0.097 % Ni, and 0.404 g/t Au+Pd+Pt.

Highly encouraging results warrant a regional helicopter borne VTEM survey that will help to isolate the sulphidic dykes at or near surface and those obscured under cover.

Stated Jo Price, P. Geo, VP Ex. of Prospector: "The first pass sampling results at Devon offer excellent discovery opportunities exhibiting district scale potential for Ni-Cu-PGE deposits within mafic and ultramafic dyke systems that appear to be mineralised across the property."





Figure 1. Geology and 2023 Sampling results at the Devon Project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1564/171661_48bf6ea3d48878dd_002full.jpg

Devon Project Highlights:

The Devon Project comprises 12,200 hectares acquired through staking, 50km SW of Thunder Bay Ontario, and is road accessible (Figure 1).

The Devon Project lies on the Archean craton margin, covered by a sulfide-bearing sedimentary basin, a known ideal geotectonic setting for major magmatic sulfide deposits. The region is intruded by numerous mafic-ultramafic intrusives (Crystal Lake Gabbro, Pigeon River and Logan intrusives), mostly dyke-form intrusions, which can contain disseminated to locally massive magmatic Ni-Cu sulfides with PGEs. The dykes are emplaced along normal faults which provide ideal conduits for deep seated fertile mafic magmas to rise quickly through the crust without losing their chalcophile elements or PGEs.

Historical occurrences associated with the dykes and mafic-ultramafic intrusions include 0.4% Cu, 0.17% Ni over 12.19m in drill core collared near Crystal Lake 1,2 , and numerous grab samples anomalous in Cu, Ni, and PGE's (For example: 0.51 % Cu and 0.24% Ni, 0.46 Cu % and 0.3% Ni and 2.3% Cu, 1.2% Ni, 0.05% Co, and 0.62 ppm Pd 1,2 ).

Significant portions of the area remain underexplored despite its favourable setting and ease of access. Most of the historic work in the western portion oof the Devon Project area was focused on vein and breccia hosted silver mineralization.

2023 Field Program Summary:

Geological field reconnaissance was conducted on the Devon Project in May 2023 to assess known historical Ni-Cu-PGE occurrences and prospect additional untested areas along the strike extents of some known well mineralized intrusions and gain broader knowledge of the internal characteristics of the various mafic intrusions and their potential temporal relationships.

The mafic intrusions examined range in dip from vertical to nearly horizontal, with dips of 30 to 70 degrees towards to southwest perhaps being the most common. Most of the observed occurrences of disseminated to blebby to locally massive magmatic sulphide mineralization, typically pyrrhotite-dominant with local chalcopyrite rims and chalcopyrite blebs, is contained within the dike-like intrusions.

There are possibly more chamber-like coarse-crystalline, vari-textured gabbroic intrusions similar to the well documented Crystal Lake Gabbro, that appear mineralized with heavily disseminated to locally coarse blebby chalcopyrite-dominant magmatic sulphide mineralization as evidenced by a significant number of angular blocks in the Copper Hill and McCuaig areas in the central portion of the region, 10-12 km WSW of Crystal Lake.

Major Pigeon River dykes form part of an east- to northeast trending swarm that transect the property and are typically 50 -70m in width but are locally up to 150 m wide. The dykes locally bifurcate, as well as change orientation from dykes to sill-form intrusions. These geometric complexities favor accumulation of magmatic sulfides in various structural and intrusive traps.

The Company is evaluating a follow up program comprising additional prospecting work, as well as a helicopter borne VTEM survey that will help to isolate the sulphidic dykes at or near surface and those obscured under cover.

Sampling and QA/QC

The Company has implemented a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the National Instrument 43-101 and industry best practices.

Samples were placed in sealed, tagged bags and driven to the laboratory by company personnel. All assays reported were obtained by both 30g Ore grade Pt, Pd and Au by fire assay and ICP-AES, and 48 Multi-Element Ultra Trace method combining a four-acid digestion with ICP-MS instrumentation at ALS Global in Thunder Bay, Ontario. ALS is an ISO/IEC17025 accredited laboratory. A rotation of certified standards, coarse and pulp blanks were inserted into the sample stream. The company QA/QC, as well as the laboratory inserted standards, blanks, and duplicates were monitored closely upon receiving assay certificates from the laboratory. No issues with respect to the QA/QC of assays have been detected to date.

Qualified Person

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Jo Price, P.Geo., M.Sc., VP Exploration of Prospector, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument NI 43-101 ("NI 43-101").

About Prospector Metals Corp.

Prospector Metals Corp. is a Discovery Group Company with a business model focussed on district scale, early-stage exploration of gold and base metal prospects and create shareholder value through new discoveries. The Company's focus is to identify underexplored or overlooked mineral districts which display important structural and mineralogical similarities with well-endowed mining camps. The majority of the projects acquired by Prospector occur in Ontario, Canada, which is a tier-1 mining jurisdiction with abundant overlooked geological regions with high mineral potential. Prospector engages proactively with local and Indigenous rightsholders and seeks to develop relationships and agreements that are mutually beneficial to all stakeholders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Prospector Metals Corp.

Alex Heath, CFA

President & CEO

For further information about Prospector Metals Corp. or this news release, please visit our website at prospectormetalscorp.com or contact Alex Heath at 604-354-2491 or by email at alexh@prospectormetalscorp.com.

Prospector Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca.

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions:

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the Company's projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company's projects, the Company's objectives, plans and strategies, and other project opportunities. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective,", "strategy", "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. 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 the risk of accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, or the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other agency or governmental clearances, necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, 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

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/171661
Non-invasive brain stimulation treatment now available to patients with anxiety

Electromedical Products International, Inc. (EPI), manufacturer of Alpha-Stim technology, announced today that its Alpha-Stim AID is available for the first time in the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) primary care program for the treatment of anxiety. General Practice Alliance (GPA) in Northampton, in partnership with Spring Social Prescribers, is now offering the safe, clinically proven and CE marked non-invasive brain stimulation device for patients to use at home for up to eight weeks.

"During my thirty-year career as a local GP, I have seen the severity of impact symptoms of anxiety can have on people's lives, and how common anxiety disorders are," said Dr. David Smart of GPA. "Antidepressants and talk therapy treatments aren't always acceptable or effective for everyone, and Alpha-Stim AID offers an additional therapeutic option. Patients now have additional choice to use something that is accessible, effective, and simple to use at home."

According to the UK's Mental Health Foundation, an average of 37.1% of women and 29.9% of men reported high levels of anxiety in 2022-2023.The levels have increased significantly from the 21.8% of women and 18.3% of men who reported high levels of anxiety from 2012 to 2015.

The Alpha-Stim AID is a non-drug cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) device that is CE marked and U.S. FDA cleared to safely and effectively treat anxiety. The device uses low-amplitude (mild) rhythmic electrical signals to modulate large-scale brain network activity patterns. A patented waveform targets the impaired patterns that cause psychiatric symptoms and normalizes brain activity. Prescribed by a healthcare provider, Alpha-Stim provides rapid and lasting symptom relief without the risks of dangerous side effects or addiction.

Patients will use Alpha-Stim for an eight-week course of treatment during which they will have regular contact with their provider. Data will be collected from each patient to demonstrate treatment benefits in order to encourage expansion of the program.

GPA has already submitted a partnership bid to Public Health to extend the service further. The use of Alpha-Stim AID in Northamptonshire is expected to be a catalyst for widespread use throughout the rest of the United Kingdom.

"I'm really proud to be part of a project that offers people new choices and innovative ways to look after their mental health," said Sinead Galvin, administrator for Spring Social Prescribers. The positive results and feedback from the people who used Alpha-Stim AID during the research project surpassed my expectations. I had no idea that a piece of equipment the size of a phone could have such a big impact on people's lives."

Several successful NHS trials have already validated the use of Alpha-Stim AID, including a study carried out by Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT) published in the Open Journal of Depression. It concluded that "the implementation and use of the Alpha-Stim AID were found to reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve health status, and be feasible and acceptable to staff and patients." These results "support the availability of Alpha-Stim AID as a treatment option for people with symptoms of anxiety."

"We are delighted to be part of NHS primary care with partners like GPA and Spring Social Prescribers who see the significant benefits that Alpha-Stim AID can offer individuals experiencing symptoms of anxiety. This further illustrates EPI's mission to speak the language of the brain and improve lives worldwide through our unique neuromodulation therapeutics," said Brian Burke, President of EPI.

About Electromedical Products International, Inc. (EPI)

EPI is a leading medical device company in non-invasive brain stimulation for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and microcurrent therapy for the relief of pain. EPI manufactures the Alpha-Stim brand of patented devices that are FDA cleared to provide fast, safe, and effective treatment of anxiety and insomnia via cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) and pain via microcurrent electrical therapy (MET). Alpha-Stim is available in more than 50 countries worldwide and is available via prescription in the U.S. Learn more at www.alpha-stim.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629537477/en/

Contacts:

Joe Duraes

Pazanga Health Communications

jduraes@pazangahealth.com

(917) 687-6419
Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen.

Total investment in European solar startups surged by nearly 400% year on year in the January-May period. Companies secured $6 billion of new funds, from just $1.2 billion raised during the same period in 2022, according to data from Avent Abacus.Innovation in European solar tech is booming, with $6 billion raised in just the first five months of 2023. According to data compiled by electronics distributor Avent Abacus, total investment in European solar startups is up 398%, from just $1.2 billion raised in the same period a year earlier. Avnet Abacus, which acts as a consultant to engineers when ...

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.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Ophir Gold Corp. (TSXV: OPHR) (OTCQB: KPZIF) (FSE: 80M) ("Ophir" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has confirmed multiple spodumene bearing pegmatite outcrops on its Radis Lithium Property (the "Property"), located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec. The Property is located approximately 70 km east-northeast of Wemindji and proximal to the all-season Billy-Diamond Highway and hydro-power line infrastructure in the region.

Highlights

Confirmation of historically mapped "Lithium Pegmatite" (newly termed 'Chou Showing') returned three (3) outcrop samples of 2.33%, 1.68 % and 1.17%, Li 2 O

Newly discovered spodumene pegmatite , the 'Navet Showing', in the area historically described as tourmaline pegmatite with one (1) outcrop sample assaying 1.26% Li 2 O

Two (2) additional Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum ("LCT") pegmatite outcrops discovered (newly termed 'Courgette Showing') proximal to Navet Showing, assaying 867 ppm and 227 ppm Ta2O5

Shawn Wescott, Company CEO comments: "We are off to an incredible start with only 1.5 days spent on the Property before activities were forced to be paused due to regional forest fires. Ophir now has two (2) confirmed spodumene-bearing pegmatite outcrops proving the potential at Radis. The vast majority of the Property remains unexplored for its lithium potential and we feel that we have just barely scratched the surface from this initial phase of exploration. We look forward to getting back on the ground when conditions allow to aggressively follow-up on these discoveries."

The 2023 exploration program began on June 2nd and extended for just 1.5 days before being paused due to regional forest fires at the request of the ministry (see news release dated June 5, 2023). While on site, field crews targeted the historically documented lithium/spodumene pegmatite outcrop occurrences identified from data compilation. Over this 1.5 day period, a total of eleven (11) samples were collected from ten (10) outcrops and one (1) boulder. Of these samples, four (4) returned values >1.0% Li2O up to a peak value of 2.33% Li2O (Table 1, Figure 1). The results confirm the presence of spodumene pegmatite on the Property at two (2) locations - the Chou Showing (2.33% Li2O) and Navet Showing (1.26% Li2O), separated by approximately 2.1 km.

Additionally, approximately 500 m along trend of the Navet Showing, towards the Chou Showing, two (2) Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum ("LCT") pegmatite outcrops (the Courgette Showing) were discovered. Although poorly mineralized in lithium, both samples returned high-grade tantalum (227 ppm and 867 ppm Ta2O5, respectively). This discovery further strengthens the potential of the trend between the Navet and Chou showings, and highlights the presence of a sizable LCT pegmatite system in the area. As a LCT pegmatite with nominal lithium content, may be immediately proximal to a LCT pegmatite with significant lithium content, the presence of these two (2) outcrops is significant.

Due to the work stoppage, the field team was not able to properly map the pegmatite outcrops discovered, nor complete a significant evaluation of the area surrounding the Chou and Navet showings. The area in between and extensions along strike, including the 300 ft x 70 ft potential spodumene zone identified from historical data compilation (see news release dated March 14, 2023), remain to be fully evaluated. The Company will aggressively follow-up on these initial results as soon as conditions permit access, as well as continue to carry-out its wider lithium pegmatite exploration program as planned across the Property.

Table 1: Assays for grab samples collected from the Radis Property over the 1.5 day program to date

Rock Type Sample Type Li2O (%) Ta2O5 (ppm) Showing Pegmatite Outcrop 2.33 98 Chou Pegmatite Outcrop 1.68 364 Chou Pegmatite Outcrop 1.26 100 Navet Pegmatite Subcrop 1.17 154 Chou Pegmatite Outcrop 0.00 867 Courgette Pegmatite Outcrop 0.00 227 Courgette Pegmatite Outcrop 0.01 211 Chou Pegmatite Outcrop 0.01 87 Navet

The two (2) confirmed spodumene pegmatite showings (Navet and Chou) on the Radis Property are along geological strike of the roughly 8-10 km discontinuous pegmatite outcrop trend present on the adjacent Mia Property, which is host to the Mia Li-1 (2.65% Li2O), Mia Li-2 (2.27% Li2O), and Carte 1879 (1.65% Li2O) lithium occurrences. The 2023 prospecting work has confirmed that the lithium mineralization continues along trend onto the Radis Property, with only a small portion of the target area evaluated.

Management cautions that past results or discoveries on adjacent properties (i.e. Mia) may not necessarily be indicative to the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties (i.e. Radis).

Quality Assurace / Quality Control

All samples were collected in the fieldusing a hammer, chisel and/or a battery operated diamond bladed angle grinder. Locations were obtained using a handheld GPS or tablet with samples placed in pre-labelled sample bags. Metal tags with the sample numbers and flagging tape were left at each sample location. Samples were securely transported by field staff to SGS Canada's laboratory in in Val D'Or, QC for standard sample preperaration (code PRP89) which includes drying at 105C, cursh to 75% passing 2mm, riffle split 250 g, and pulverize 85% passing 75 microns. The pulps were then shipped to SGS Canada's laboratory in Burnaby, BC where they were subsegquently analyzed for multi-element (including Li and Ta) using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-AES/MS finish (code GE_ICM91A50). The Company has relied on the internal lab QAQC for the surface sample analysis. SGS Canada is independent of the Company.

Management cautions that prospecting surface rock samples and associated assays, as discussed herein, are selective by nature and represent a point location, and therefore may not necessarily be fully representative of the mineralized horizon sampled.



Figure 1: 2023 Radis Property prospecting results



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6338/171662_f8903207a4e9cbe1_001full.jpg





Figure 2: Navet Showing outcrop (left) and spodumene mineralization from grab sample which assayed 1.26% Li2O (right)



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6338/171662_ophirfig2.jpg







Figure 3: Chou Showing outcrop with three samples that returned >1.17% to 2.33% Li2O

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6338/171662_f8903207a4e9cbe1_008full.jpg

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, P. Geo., Senior Geologist for Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, who has prepared and reviewed the content of this press release.

Mr. Schmidt has verified all scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release including the sampling and QA/QC results, and certified analytical data underlying the technical information disclosed. Mr. Schmidt noted no errors or omissions during the data verification process. The Company and Mr. Schmidt do not recognize any factors of sampling or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data disclosed in this news release.

About the Radis Lithium Property

In December 2022, the Company entered into an option agreement to earn 100% interest in the Radis Property. The Radis Property consists of 152 claims totalling 7,850.3 hectares and is situated within a volcano-sedimentary sequence (i.e., a g greenstone belt) belonging to the Yasinski group. The greenstone belt over the Property contains at least one known lithium pegmatite and is considered highly prospective for additional lithium pegmatites, hosting a tight regional fold which may provide favourable zones of dilation for pegmatite emplacement.

About the Company

Ophir Gold Corp. is a diversified exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the past producing Breccia Gold Property located in Lemhi County, Idaho. The Company has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Property over a three-year period from Canagold Resources Ltd. (formerly Canarc Resource Corp.) and DG Resource Management Ltd.

The Company also has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Radis Lithium Property over a three-year period from Eastmain Resources Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fury Gold Mines Limited.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Shawn Westcott"

Ophir Gold Corp.

For further information, please contact:

Shawn Westcott, CEO

Phone 1 (604) 365 6681

swestcott@ophirgoldcorp.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable and include statements in this press release related to the exploration and discovery potential of the Property, interpretation of exploration results, and the Company's future exploration plans with respect to the Property. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risk related to the failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of technical reports including feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of preliminary economic assessments, prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171662
BURGESS HILL, England, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ringdale, the provider of FollowMe, has received the Managed Print Certified accreditation from the Managed Print Services Association, the independent, not-for-profit association for the managed print industry. Managed Print Certified is a respected industry credential that signifies the recipient's adherence to best practices for technology service delivery and customer interaction.

This accreditation reflects on Ringdale's commitment to providing the highest level of service, support and knowledge from experienced technical consultants to its customers and partners. Ringdale prides itself as the premium innovator and provider of enterprise and government grade output management solutions ensuring document and print security, with a focus on compliance and data loss prevention within the managed print industry.

The Managed Print Certified accreditation was developed in collaboration with industry experts and leaders to identify businesses that have made a commitment to the highest levels of integrity and sustained quality service for managed print services (MPS). To earn the accreditation, organizations are evaluated on the internal practices and procedures used to run their managed print business and the external activities and operations they engage in with customers and prospects. This process validates the organization's commitment to meet or exceed the best business practices the MPS industry has to offer for end-user organizations.

"The team at Ringdale has always adopted a customer first approach, whether it's the development of our next generation printing platform, or optimizing existing deployed solutions," said Eric Crump, Director of Strategic Alliances at Ringdale. "The Managed Print Certified accreditation provides confidence to our global customers and partners in the knowing that they will receive the highest level of service and support, and direct access to our experienced technical consultants, whatever the market environment."

"A big congrats to Ringdale who have become the first ISV member of the MPSA to attain the Managed Print Certified accreditation," stated West McDonald, President of the Managed Print Services Association. "It's clear they're really invested in making sure they deliver great quality solutions and services, that help enterprise businesses secure and make the most of their print environments. We're genuinely impressed with what Ringdale has achieved and can't wait to see them continue to set the pace in the managed print services field. Fantastic job, Ringdale!"

About Ringdale

Ringdale is a leading innovator in workplace technology and for over three decades has been developing robust solutions that connect people and technology. Today our solutions are used by the world's leading enterprises and government organizations to transform their business and empower their workforce.

With offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan, Ringdale has a strong global partner network and established relationships with the world's leading print manufacturers, including; Brother, Canon, Epson, Hewlett Packard, Fujifilm Business Innovation, Lexmark, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, OKI, Ricoh, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba and Xerox.

For more information, visit: www.followme.ringdale.com

About the MPSA

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves the MPS industry. Its focus is on the development of standards, education and industry guidelines that unite the different segments of the industry that bring value to all those participating. For more information about benefits and memberships, visit www.yourmpsa.org.

Media Contact:

Peter Gumm

peter.gumm@ringdale.com

+44 (0) 1444 871 349

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ringdale-achieves-managed-print-certified-accreditation-301866639.html
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of data, technology, and market infrastructure, today announced record open interest (OI) across its global energy futures and options markets of 50.4 million contracts on June 23, 2023, up 11% year-over-year (y/y).

Across ICE's global oil markets, OI is up 13% y/y at 12.2 million, with OI in Brent futures and options up 14% y/y at 5.1 million. Brent is used to price over three quarters of the world's internationally traded oil and is the most liquid crude oil futures and options market in the world.

ICE's global energy options market is performing strongly, with OI up 18% at 17.8 million. OI across ICE's oil options markets is up 10% y/y at 4.2 million, including up 7% in Brent options. Brent options represent the primary crude oil options market in the world in terms of open interest and volume. OI in ICE's natural gas options markets is up 23% y/y at 13 million, with TTF options hitting record OI of over 1.5 million on June 23, 2023, up 79% y/y.

With Midland WTI crude now deliverable into the Brent Basket, ICE's Midland WTI (Code: HOU) contract has seen OI grow to over 30,000 contracts as participants choose HOU to directly price and hedge Midland WTI exposure. The contract, underpinned by over 4 million barrels per day of supply capacity of Midland-origin WTI direct into Houston, is now seeing 5 million barrels going to delivery each month. Midland WTI barrels deliverable against the ICE HOU contract are deliverable into Dated Brent and the rest of the Brent complex.

Other oil benchmarks performing strongly include ICE Gasoil where OI is up 45% y/y, the highest since January 2022; ICE Dubai (Platts) where OI is up 39% y/y at 834,000; and ICE Murban Crude Oil where OI is up 24% y/y at 51,300 contracts.

"We are seeing our customers take advantage of the liquid energy benchmarks ICE offers, particularly in times of market uncertainty and change," said Jeff Barbuto, Global Head of Oil Markets at ICE. "Utilizing our liquidity and real time pricing to manage their risk exposure globally, customers benefit from the margin offsets available when trading their global energy portfolio at ICE."

Across ICE's global natural gas futures and options markets, OI is up 13% y/y at 32.9 million, with record OI set in ICE's natural gas futures on June 26, 2023, of 19.8 million. ICE offers customers the broadest range of benchmarks to support the liberalization of natural gas including global benchmark TTF, U.S. benchmark Henry Hub, Canadian benchmark AECO, UK benchmark NBP, and ICE JKM LNG (Platts) the benchmark for natural gas for North-East Asia. OI in TTF natural gas is up 40% y/y with record market participation in TTF futures and options, whilst ICE's natural gas liquid (NGL) futures markets have set successive OI records in June hitting a high of 315,188 contracts on June 27, 2023.

About Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes that offer our customers access to mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and operational efficiencies. We operate exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, and clearing houses that help people invest, raise capital and manage risk across multiple asset classes. Our comprehensive fixed income data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers capitalize on opportunities and operate more efficiently. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming and digitizing the U.S. residential mortgage process, from consumer engagement through loan registration. Together, we transform, streamline and automate industries to connect our customers to opportunity.

Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading "Key Information Documents (KIDS)."

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on February 2, 2023.

Category: EXCHANGES

ICE- CORP

Source: Intercontinental Exchange

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629142348/en/

Contacts:

ICE Media Contact:

Rebecca Mitchell

Rebecca.Mitchell@ice.com

+44 7951 057 351

ICE Investor Contact:

Katia Gonzalez

katia.gonzalez@ice.com

(678) 981-3882
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Wells Fargo - Today, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Hello Alice, the fintech helping over one million small businesses access capital, proudly announced the creation of a $70M Equitable Access Fund, with initial funding led by Wells Fargo, that will be developed and deployed over the next five years to improve equitable access to credit and capital amongst small business owners. The fund will provide credit enhancements, including guarantees, loan loss reserves and cash collateral deposits to financing partners to enable them to reasonably increase their risk tolerance to help unlock credit access for underserved high-potential but credit-challenged small business owners.

The fund is part of the Equitable Access Program, which provides increased credit access and financial education to high-potential underserved entrepreneurs with credit challenges. The program is run by Hello Alice and GEN. Wells Fargo provided the initial major grant to start the Equitable Access Fund. Financing Partners of the Equitable Access Fund will include First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), the issuer of the Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard, and select partners in the Hello Alice Financing Marketplace. Additional key partners of the Equitable Access Program include Mastercard and the Kauffman Foundation.

The fund, managed by GEN, addresses significant untapped demand for business credit among small businesses, especially in those run by members of the New Majority, which includes women, veterans, BIPOC, Latinx, those with disabilities, and LGTBQ among other groups. According to Hello Alice data, only 25% of small business owners have applied for a business credit card, and 85% of those applications were denied due to poor credit or lack of credit. Even so, 90% of small business owners without business credit believe a business card would impact their business in a positive way. Through the Equitable Access Fund, these owners gain a pathway to accessing a business credit card, building their credit profile, and eventually qualifying for traditional credit and lending products needed to grow their businesses. The $70 million fund aims to unlock up to an estimated $1 billion in credit access for thousands of small business owners. Hello Alice and GEN will continue to work with and bring on new financing partners over the next several months to build out the fund and support small business owners in need of credit to grow.

"There is an estimated $40 billion annually of unmet financing demand from BIPOC-owned employers that applied for financing, and an estimated $1 trillion in unmet financing demand from all small businesses nationally," said Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz, co-founders of Hello Alice. "The Equitable Access Fund provides credit enhancements that enable our financial partners to reasonably increase their risk tolerance, which ultimately unlocks credit access for those who really need it. We're looking forward to creating more partnerships and bringing more institutions on board to the fund to achieve the goal of equitable access to credit."

"The Equitable Access Fund will open doors for high-potential, credit-challenged entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential as founders, job-creators, and agents of change," said Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network. "While our focus is on the United States credit system, we believe the outcomes of this work will also serve as a case study for other nations to learn from and adapt to support under-served entrepreneurs within their jurisdictions."

The Equitable Access Fund is the latest initiative Wells Fargo has supported as part of its larger commitment to expand community engagement and enterprise philanthropy efforts through the Wells Fargo Foundation. The foundation has a strategic focus on small business growth, financial health, and a sustainable future, which are core tenants of the Equitable Access Program and Fund.

The Equitable Access Program is part of GEN and Hello Alice's commitment to ensuring that all entrepreneurs and small business owners have access to the capital they need to grow the sustainable businesses that power their communities and economies. As part of the program, small business owners will be provided with wrap-around credit-building education and technical assistance through an assessment tool called the Business Health Score, which launched in April 2023. The score provides a comprehensive overview of a business's financial health, which allows small business owners to make informed decisions about how to improve financial performance and achieve long-term success through a real-time recommendation engine. Both the score and the fund provide an avenue for banks to better serve small businesses and demonstrate the lucrative value of investing in the New Majority.

For enterprises or foundations interested in supporting this Fund, please reach out to William Charter at the Global Entrepreneurship Network by emailing charterw@genglobal.org.

###

ABOUT GEN

The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates programs in 200 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross-border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier entrepreneurship ecosystems that create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. For more information, visit www.genglobal.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Kathryn Forrest

kathryn@genglobal.org

ABOUT HELLO ALICE

Founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, Hello Alice, a fintech providing credit, loans and grants, is a free platform serving more than one million small business owners across the United States. Committed to equitable access to capital for the New Majority - women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and entrepreneurs with disabilities, Hello Alice offers funding, education, tools, and curated opportunities. Working with enterprise business services, ecosystem partners, affiliates, and government agencies, Hello Alice provides its growing community with everything they need to grow their businesses. Hello Alice serves a diverse community of business owners across the country. Approximately 68% of owners are BIPOC, 63% are female, and 17% are military-affiliated. For small business owners interested in joining the Hello Alice community, they can sign up for free at www.helloalice.com. To learn more, visit www.helloalice.com, as well as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Renee Rossi

helloalice@relativity.ventures

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Wells Fargo on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Wells Fargo

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/wells-fargo

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Wells Fargo

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764557/Hello-Alice-and-the-Global-Entrepreneurship-Network-Announce-70M-Equitable-Access-Fund


OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Coast Guard has recovered presumed human remains from the debris of the submarine that imploded during a dive to the deep sea to explore the Titanic shipwreck.



The Coast Guard said the debris and evidence recovered from the seafloor at the site of the Titan submersible was unloaded by the Canadian Anchor Handling Vessel M/V Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John's, Newfoundland, on Wednesday.



The Coast Guard said that after consultation with international partner investigative agencies, the Marine Board of Investigation, which is conducting the probe, will transport the evidence to a U.S. port.



U.S. medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of the presumed human remains.



'The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy,' said MBI Chair Captain Jason Neubauer. 'There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again,' he said in a press release.



The MBI will continue evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing regarding this tragedy, the Coast Guard said.



OceanGate's Titan submersible with five people on board left St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, on June 18, and contact with the small underwater vessel was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into the sea.



After an extensive search and rescue effort by multiple agencies from various countries, wreckage of the Titan submersible was located on the ocean floor approximately 500 meters off the bow of the Titanic.



The U.S. Coast Guard declared later that OceanGate's chief executive Stockton Rush, veteran French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Dubai-based British explorer and businessman Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman have died.



The probe is conducted by the Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation in co-ordination with Canadian, UK and French authorities.



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Mega-Chance Cyber Security Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen. Hier klicken
Robert Miller and Cody Tower will join the esteemed association's prestigious Rising Leaders Program, which aims to foster the growth and development of the next generation of leaders in the senior housing industry.

BONITA SPRINGS, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Discovery Senior Living ("Discovery") is pleased to announce and extend congratulations to Robert Miller, Controller, and Cody Tower, Regional Director of Operations, on their nomination and acceptance into the esteemed American Senior Housing Association's (ASHA) Rising Leaders Program. This prestigious program aims to foster the growth and development of the next generation of leaders in the senior housing industry.





Robert Miller

Discovery Senior Living Team Members Robert Miller and Cody Tower join ASHA's prestigious Rising Leaders Program.

ASHA, a leading association in our industry, has been a valuable partner to Discovery. Over the years, Discovery has actively collaborated with ASHA, participating in their events and aligning efforts with their initiatives.

The selection of Robert Miller and Cody Tower for the Rising Leaders Program reflects their exceptional leadership characteristics and commitment to the industry. Their dedication and contributions to Discovery have not gone unnoticed, and this recognition is a testament to their exemplary performance.

"I am truly honored to have been nominated and accepted into the esteemed ASHA Rising Leaders Program. This incredible opportunity not only recognizes my dedication and passion for the senior living industry but also presents a platform for personal and professional growth," said Miller. "I look forward to collaborating with like-minded individuals and learning from industry experts."

Tower said, "I am grateful for this great honor and for the wonderful opportunity. I look forward to representing Discovery along with Robert at a national level. For me personally, and more than anything else, it is most meaningful to be recognized and recommended by our company's leadership."

The Rising Leaders Program for this year comprises a series of exciting events. This includes a virtual Rising Leader discussion featuring an industry luminary, as well as a special Rising Leaders Reception during the Mid-Year Meeting in Park City, UT that was held last week. Furthermore, a reception and dinner are scheduled prior to the Fall Executive Board Meeting/Fall NIC conference in Chicago.

With headquarters in Southwest Florida, Discovery Senior Living currently owns and manages a national, multi-branded portfolio of nearly 200 communities in 36 states.

Contact Information

Heidi LaVanway

Vice President of Marketing

hlavanway@discoverymgt.com

239.301.5330

Related Images

Robert Miller

Discovery Senior Living Team Members Robert Miller and Cody Tower join ASHA's prestigious Rising Leaders Program. Cody Tower

SOURCE: Discovery Senior Living

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764464/Discovery-Senior-Living-Team-Members-Selected-for-ASHAs-Rising-Leaders-Program
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Organicell Regenerative Medicine, Inc. (OTCQB:OCEL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative biological regenerative therapeutics, is pleased to announce the appointment of Howard L. Golub, MD, PhD as its new Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Science Officer (CSO). Dr. Golub has a distinguished background as a highly innovative healthcare executive and entrepreneur with extensive experience serving in C-suite roles - in both early-stage and large companies.

Dr. Golub's exceptional career spans over 30 years of success advancing breakthroughs in the development of clinical therapeutics. Dr. Golub is the founder and a principal at Care-Safe LLC - a clinical research consulting company that supported many biotech/drug/medical device companies to successfully develop and execute clinical research programs. He also served as Vice President of Research and Development at Walgreens Boots Alliance where he developed an innovative program utilizing Walgreen's massive customer database to power clinical trial patient recruitment. Earlier, Dr. Golub was a founder and CEO of CareStat LLC, a 150-person Clinical Research Organization (CRO) in the Boston Area, which was sold in 2008. Throughout his career, Dr. Golub has been a highly successful serial entrepreneur. He was a founder and served as CEO of 3 early-stage healthcare companies - two of which had successful exits.

Currently Dr. Golub also serves as one of the Clinical Leads for an N.I.H. program designed to develop and accelerate accurate COVID-19 testing programs and bring them to market. In addition, from 2003 to 2013 he held an adjunct professorship at the Harvard-M.I.T. joint MS, MBA program and taught a course entitled "Clinical Development for Private Enterprise." Dr. Golub received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and an M.D. from that same prestigious Harvard Medical School-M.I.T. joint program.

"Dr. Golub has a remarkable track record as a healthcare executive and nationally recognized clinical research expert. He and his companies have accelerated the development of many drug and biologic therapies for a diverse group of biotech and pharmaceutical companies," said Harry Leider, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Organicell. Dr. Leider added, "We are thrilled to have Howie join Organicell as Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer to lead our innovative regenerative medicine research programs."

Speaking to his appointment, Dr Golub stated, "I am excited to lead Organicell's R & D program as we have the compelling opportunity to conduct the exciting research that will bring a whole new class of regenerative biologic therapies into clinical practice for important clinical conditions."

About Organicell Regenerative Medicines, Inc.

Organicell Regenerative Medicine, Inc. (OTCQB:OCEL) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company principally focusing on the development of innovative biological therapeutics for the treatment of chronic diseases and the provision of related services. The Company's proprietary products are derived from perinatal sources and are manufactured to retain the naturally occurring bioactive exosomes, hyaluronic acid, and proteins without the addition or combination of any other substance or diluent. To learn more, please visit https://organicell.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will," "believes," "expects," "potential," or similar expressions, involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. We remind you that actual results could vary dramatically as a result of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: potential issues related to our financial condition, competition, the ability to retain key personnel, product safety, efficacy and acceptance, the commercial success of any new products or technologies, success of clinical programs, ability to retain key customers, our inability to expand sales and distribution channels, legislation or regulations affecting our operations including product pricing, reimbursement or access, the ability to protect our patents and other intellectual property both domestically and internationally, and other known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risk factors discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the SEC and available on the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these risk factors. Specific information included in this press release may change over time and may or may not be accurate after the date of the release. Organicell has no intention and specifically disclaims any duty to update the information in this press release.

Investor Relations and Media Relations Contact:

Organicell Investor Relations

Jacqueline Domenech

1-888-963-7881

IR@organicell.com

SOURCE: Organicell Regenerative Medicine, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764470/Organicell-Welcomes-Howard-Golub-MD-PhD-As-Its-New-EVPCSO
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV: MMV) (OTCQB: MNRLF) (FSE: M8M) ("Mineral Mountain" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that R. Dale Ginn has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Nav Dhaliwal has been appointed Executive Chairman of the Company. Messrs. Ginn and Dhaliwal have also been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors.

Mr. Ginn is an experienced mining executive and geologist with over 30 years of experience. He is the founder of over ten exploration and mining companies and has led and participated in a variety of gold and base metal discoveries, many of which have entered production. Mr. Ginn has led or was part of the discovery teams for the Gladiator, Hinge, 007, 777, Trout Lake, Photo, Edleston and Tartan Lake deposits. His contributions have led to approximately 10 million ounces in resource generation as well as over C$500 million in capital raised for exploration and development projects. His experience includes both senior and junior companies such as Goldcorp, Harmony Gold, Hudbay, Westmin, San Gold, Bonterra, Gatling Exploration and others. Most recently, Mr. Ginn led the discovery of the Bardwell/Boomerang Nickel deposit near Timmins, Ontario, for Aston Minerals.

Mr. Dhaliwal is an experienced mining executive, financier, and capital markets expert with a strong track record of value creation. He was the founding CEO of Bonterra Resources Inc., which made the award-winning Gladiator discovery in Quebec. Mr. Dhaliwal raised over $140M for Bonterra and played a key role in the company's market cap growth from $10M to over $200M during the base of the gold market cycle. He has founded several other successful companies in the resource sector, including Gatling Exploration Inc. and Pacton Gold Inc. Mr. Dhaliwal is also the founder of the highly successful RSD Capital which invests in, and provides management and technical expertise to, public and pre-IPO companies. Mr. Dhaliwal has a large, international network of financial connections and has raised over $400M for companies since 2010.

Nelson Baker has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer but continues to serve on the Board. Brian Corrall has resigned as Chairman of the Company and as a director. Barry Coughlan and Steve Albertsen have resigned as directors of the Company. The Company thanks each of Mr. Baker and Mr. Corrall for their services as officers of the Company. The Company also thanks Messrs. Coughlan and Albertsen and wishes them well in their future endeavours.

The Company confirms the Board now consists of:

R. Dale Ginn - President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Nav Dhaliwal - Executive Chairman and Director

Nelson Baker - Director

Trevor Thomas - Director

Terry Lyons - Director

About Mineral Mountain

Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiary Mineral Mountain Resources (SD) Inc., began exploring in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA in July 2012. The Company recognized that the Homestake Gold Trend was not well explored using modern technology and the potential of discovering another similar Homestake-style gold deposit with scale was above average. Since 2012, the Company has expended over $13 million USD in systematic, "state of the art" exploration with a strong technical and highly experienced team largely focused on its 100%-owned Rochford Gold Project physically situated 26 kilometers south of the world's richest and largest orogenic gold deposits, the Homestake Mine.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

MINERAL MOUNTAIN RESOURCES LTD.

R. Dale Ginn, President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Nelson Baker, Director

(778) 383-3972 nbaker@mineralmtn.com

Or visit our website: www.mineralmtn.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information consists of statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information are based on reasonable assumptions, such information does not constitute guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward- looking information. Factors that cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information include gold prices, results of exploration and development activities, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government approvals, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The Company cautions the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on the Company's forward-looking information should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171735
After several successful acquisitions, StatLab announces manufacturing expansion across multiple sites.

StatLab Medical Products (StatLab), a leading global developer and manufacturer of medical diagnostic equipment and supplies, is expanding across multiple manufacturing sites to support business growth after successful acquisition of two UK-based histology consumables and diagnostic equipment companies in 2021 and 2022.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628885270/en/

Expansion construction is underway across StatLab sites. (Photo: Business Wire)

At the StatLab Wales campus housing CellPath operations, a lease has been signed and build-out of a 33,000-square-foot building is underway to support additional manufacturing capacity and provide expanded space for the CellNass sample archiving service. "We've seen strong demand for CellPath cassettes, including PiSmart Cassettes paired with the PiSmart cassette Printer, which reinforces the success of the synergy of our businesses as we expand sales of the PiSmart Cassette printer to the US and beyond," said Stuart Gander, leader of UK business units. "StatLab distribution of large format cassettes in the US has also contributed to record sales over the past 12 months."

StatLab is further building on the CellPath acquisition with the launch of a new manufacturing facility in Arlington, Texas near the existing McKinney headquarters. Injection molding operations at this new 35,000-square-foot facility-with room for future expansion-will give laboratories the confidence of additional US-produced core histology consumables including cassettes. StatLab will also be scaling the successful CellPath sample archiving business to the US at the new Arlington site. The future launch of this archiving service will not only cement StatLab as market leaders in the histology consumables market, but also provide laboratories with a comprehensive off-site solution for sample archiving, allowing them to be stored and retrieved when needed, saving valuable time and storage space.

Joe Bernardo, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO at StatLab, added, "During this exciting period of growth, StatLab continues to prioritize access for laboratories to the highest quality products that ensure the most accurate results. This will continue to be our commitment as StatLab expands manufacturing operations and global reach."

About StatLab Medical Products

Founded in 1976, StatLab Medical Products is leading the way in development and manufacturing of high-quality histology and cytology diagnostic products and labeling and tracking equipment. We partner with anatomic pathology laboratories to provide easy access to over 3,500 high-quality diagnostic products and equipment at excellent prices, delivered with expert support. When you work with StatLab, we're on your team, and you're part of our family. Learn more at StatLab.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628885270/en/

Contacts:

Jessica Baer

630.346.1659
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gone are the days when trading was confined to exclusive establishments or selected professionals as, presently, individuals from various backgrounds are gravitating towards this sphere. Moreover, traders now increasingly prefer platforms that incorporate simplistic interfaces and user-centric attributes for a comfortable market experience. Simply put, accessibility and convenience wield significant influence in the selection of a trading website.

Understanding these facts, Currentcoins has now launched an enhanced and new website with more advanced features and a user-friendly layout. The broker enacts an improved system to empower users to efficiently traverse markets and capitalize on reliable opportunities.

"At Currentcoins, we understand that our clients' success depends on having access to intuitive tools and reliable resources,' stated Kelly O'Brien, Currentcoins Spokesperson. "That is why we invest substantial time and effort into updating our website, ensuring it meets the highest standards of functionality and convenience. Our team works relentlessly to launch this upgraded version of the website, designed to meet the evolving needs of all traders. With a refreshed and easy-to-understand layout, alongside effective features, our ultimate aim is to provide an empowering experience to all market participants."

An upgraded trading experience

Currentcoins is a financial brokerage platform with a notable range of assets and trading services according to industry standards. The brand assimilates swift correspondence channels, valuable educational material, and leading security protocols to establish a supreme trading domain.

"We have always prioritized the convenience of our clients while affirming the security of their funds and information," added O'Brien. "With multiple account options, asset variety, optimum trading tools and encryption protocols, we make sure that our members can trade with confidence. This latest website upgrade is also a testament to our commitment to consistently improving our infrastructure. As we move forward, we will continue to evolve and adapt to meet the evolving needs of the trading community."

About Currentcoins

Currentcoins is a reputable online broker accommodating high-technology trading software and tools suitable for traders from every expertise level. At the forum, clients can trade over 200 financial products and benefit from a cutting-edge trading terminal . The broker also includes seven customized account options with different facilities and deposit limits, hence maintaining a versatile trading arena. In a nutshell, Currentcoins sustains an all-inclusive trading system marked by diverse tradable instruments, analysis tools, and a robust security arrangement.

https://www.currentcoins.org/de/

Logo: https://prnt.sc/J-jkEfyN9X0Z

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/currentcoins-revamped-and-upgraded-website-goes-live-301866947.html
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (FSE: 0NG) (XSTU: 0NG) (the "Company" or "Northern") is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of intent ("LOI") with the city of Baie-Comeau to purchase land for a 200,000 tonne per year Battery Anode Material ("BAM") plant as it advances plans to supply anode material to lithium-ion battery manufacturing plants throughout North America. The LOI, which is subject to financing and receipt of regulatory approvals, gives Northern the right to purchase a 1.2 million m2 property, approximately 300 acres, in the Baie-Comeau port industrial zone, with access to municipal services and infrastructure, for US$1.2 million.

"This is a big step forward in our strategy to be an integrated, sustainable, cost-effective mine-to-market supplier to the booming EV battery manufacturing market and a key player in North America's critical minerals strategy," said Northern Chief Executive Officer Hugues Jacquemin. "From here everything flows. We now know where the facility will be located, how much power it will require and where the power needs to go and can proceed with all the design and logistical work required to begin construction."

There is effectively no capacity in the west to convert graphite mine concentrates into anode material and the EV manufacturers are depending on project proponents such as Northern to fill the void and supply existing and planned lithium-ion battery manufacturing plants throughout North America. The Baie-Comeau BAM plant will be one of the world's largest such conversion facilities and will process concentrates from Northern's mines as well as from other producers that will be coming online. The plant will have one of the lowest CO2 footprints in the industry due to its access to green, hydroelectric power with pricing that is among the most competitive in the world.

'ID Manicouagan is delighted with this agreement, which marks an essential milestone in the development of our partnership with Northern for the implementation of a major graphite processing project in the industrial port zone of Baie-Comeau," said Innovation et Developpement Manicouagan ("ID Manicouagan") President Marcel Cadoret.

"The evaluation of options, and the selection and securing of the industrial site set the stage for the technical, social and economic studies needed to implement plans for one of the largest suppliers of battery materials in Quebec and North America,' said Guy Simard, director of industrial development for ID Manicouagan.

Baie-Comeau is located on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, approximately 400 km north-east of Quebec City in the Cote-Nord economic region and has direct access to the rest of North America via road, rail and a deep water, all-season port. The BAM plant, which the Company expects the first phase would cost in the range of $500 million, and which the Company would target for completion in 2026, will be subject to financing, regulatory approvals and certain other conditions, and is eligible for assistance under programs offered by the province of Quebec, the Canadian and U.S. governments, as well as other assistance by the Manicouagan region and potential Plan Nord incentives.

Northern signs LOI to purchase a 1.2 million m2 property in Baie-Comeau's port industrial zone with access to North America via road, rail and a deep water, all-season port.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4186/171777_b0804e05847e7aca_001full.jpg

About Northern Graphite

Northern is a Canadian, TSX Venture Exchange listed company that is focused on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high value products critical to the green economy including anode material for lithium-ion batteries/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies.

Northern is the only significant graphite producing company in North America and will become the third largest producer outside of China when its Namibian operations come back online. The Company also has two large scale development projects, Bissett Creek in Ontario, and Okanjande in Namibia, that have the potential to generate continued production growth in the future. All projects have "battery quality" graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions.

For media inquiries contact

Pav Jordan, VP of Communications

Email: pjordan@northerngraphite.com

For further information contact

Guillaume Jacq, CFO

(613) 271-2124

Email: info@northerngraphite.com

Qualified Person

Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA P.Geo, the Chairman of Northern, is a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.

For additional information

Please visit the Company's website at http://www.northerngraphite.com/investors/presentation/, the Company's profile on www.sedar.com, our Social Channels listed below or contact the Company at (613) 271-2124.

LinkedIn

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward- looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding, among others, the Company's intentions with respect to the planned construction of a battery anode material processing plant and the Company's intentions with respect to advancing its developments projects to production and developing the capacity to manufacture value added products. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

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/171777
Joe Landsman to retire after 25 years; Dr. Keith Gray to succeed

KNOXVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The board of directors of The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) has selected Dr. Keith Gray as president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2024. Dr. Gray succeeds Joseph "Joe" Landsman, Jr., who today announced his retirement after 25 years with the system.

Effective July 1, Dr. Gray will become president of UTMC with Mr. Landsman serving as CEO. When Mr. Landsman retires on April 1, 2024, Dr. Gray will become president and CEO.

In connection with the transition, Dr. James Shamiyeh, who currently serves as Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations, will become the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He will act as second in command to Dr. Gray, retain all existing responsibilities and add oversight of the physician enterprise to continue enhancing greater continuity of care.

"It has been the privilege of my career to lead UTMC's growth from a $265M to a $1.4B academic health system, extending high-quality care to more East Tennesseans," said Landsman. "I could not be prouder of the contributions the 8,000 committed physicians and team members of UTMC have made to the East Tennessee community during what will be nearly 20 years as CEO, particularly through the pandemic. Together, we have advanced our mission to serve others through healing, education, and discovery."

He continued, "I am extraordinarily pleased that Dr. Keith Gray has been chosen as my successor. His visionary thinking and problem-solving abilities have been central to UTMC's growth thus far and make him a natural choice to lead us going forward."

Landsman came to UTMC in 1999 as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to president and CEO in 2005. Prior to that, Landsman was the Executive Vice President of Zale Lipshy University Hospital in Dallas, Texas, where he also served as its Chief Financial Officer from 1995 to 1997. Landsman serves on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Hospital Association and served as its Chair from 2012 to 2013.

"On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Joe for his 25 years of dedicated leadership, 20 years of which will have been in his CEO role," said Renda Burkhart, Board Chair. "It is hard to overstate the impact of his influence, advocacy, and service on the UTMC and Knoxville communities. We fully expect his legacy of trust, transparency, and partnership to live on in our organizational culture and are fortunate that he will continue as CEO until April 1, 2024, to ensure a seamless transition."

Burkhart continued, "After careful deliberation, the board has unanimously agreed that Dr. Keith Gray is the right person to lead UTMC into its next chapter. His vision for what UTMC can become, his experience as both a physician and an administrator, his deep knowledge of our organization and the Knoxville community and his proven performance over 16 years at the system will make him a highly effective president and CEO."

"I'm honored to have been chosen by the board to build on the foundation Joe and others have laid and am grateful to my family, colleagues, and mentors who have supported my journey," said Dr. Gray. "The next phase for UTMC will include working together to expand clinical services, strengthen educational programs and make new discoveries that provide access to affordable care for more East Tennesseans."

Dr. Gray's and Dr. Shamiyeh's appointments reflect UTMC's commitment to physician leadership at the highest levels of the system.

Dr. Gray joined UTMC in 2007 as a surgical oncologist. Past roles have included Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, Chief-of-Staff, medical director of multiple service lines, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer and his current role, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Gray also co-founded the Physician Leadership Academy, of which he is a graduate.

After completing his undergraduate and medical degrees at Wake Forest University, Dr. Gray did a general surgery residency and surgical research fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a surgical oncology fellowship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. He completed a Master's in Business Administration from the Haslam College of Business in 2014.

Dr. Gray has been perennially recognized as one of the "Top Docs" by Knoxville's Cityview Magazine and received awards recognizing his outstanding patient care, compassion, and leadership. In the community, he is the board chair of the Emerald Youth Foundation and a trustee on the United Way of Greater Knoxville Board.

Dr. Shamiyeh joined UTMC in 2005 as a pulmonary and critical care physician before becoming the medical director of the Heart Lung Vascular Institute in 2016. In 2019, he was named Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer before promotion to his current role as Executive Vice President of Clinical Services in 2022. Dr. Shamiyeh currently oversees the Centers of Excellence, Nursing, Pharmacy, Clinical Services, Hospitalist Services, Perioperative Services, Emergency Services, Clinical Integration, Clinical Process Design, and the Operations Center.

Dr. Shamiyeh led UTMC's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned an undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech, a medical degree from The University of Tennessee College of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency and pulmonary/critical care fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. Dr. Shamiyeh holds a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master of Business Administration from the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

About The University of Tennessee Medical Center:

The mission of The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC), a Magnet recognized hospital also certified by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, is to serve through healing, education and discovery. UTMC is a 710-bed, not-for-profit academic medical center, with a regional network of primary care and specialty care physicians and practices as well as outpatient regional health centers and urgent care locations throughout its 21-county primary service area. The medical center, the region's ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center and state-designated regional perinatal referral center with a Level III private room NICU, is one of the largest employers in Knoxville. UTMC features nine Centers of Excellence, including the Brain & Spine Institute, Cancer Institute, Emergency & Trauma Center, Heart Lung Vascular Institute, Orthopaedic Institute, Center for Complex Medicine, Center for Perioperative Medicine, Primary Care Collaborative and Center for Women & Infants. Visit UTMedicalCenter.org for more information.

Contact Information

Becky Thompson

Vice President of Marketing and Planning

rthompso@utmck.edu

(865) 305-6845

Vanessa Cardinale

vanessa.cardinale@kornferry.com

(703) 955-1665

SOURCE: The University of Tennessee Medical Center

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764289/The-University-of-Tennessee-Medical-Center-UTMC-Announces-CEO-Transition
INDIANAPOLIS, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- International Medical Group (IMG), an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company, has announced a new partnership with MAGNUS International Search & Rescue, a comprehensive emergency management and global on-ground search and rescue service provider based in Israel.

With more than 30 years of experience serving global travelers, MAGNUS will now offer IMG travel medical insurance plans to travelers, exchange students, and global citizens along with a MAGNUS search and rescue membership. IMG insurance plans will allow MAGNUS customers to have proper medical coverage in the event of an illness or injury while traveling outside their country of residence.

"Global instability is a growing concern for travelers around the world, and with many apprehensive about their safety abroad, they feel the need to take preventative measures when planning their trip," said Or Lev, MAGNUS Chief Executive Officer. "MAGNUS is here to prioritize the safety of all travelers, and we believe offering IMG travel medical insurance in conjunction with our search and rescue membership will allow our customers to feel as safe as possible wherever their travels take them."

The MAGNUS suite of services includes crisis response, security risk management, evacuation planning and execution, and 24/7 control centers in Tel Aviv, East Africa, Europe, and Northeast Asia. MAGNUS's global network of high-ranking government officials, search and rescue units, private hospitals, helicopter operators, security professionals, and emergency medical teams ensures local support and rapid assistance to travelers around the world. MAGNUS also utilizes tailor-built technology to provide customers with round-the-clock access to emergency response through satellite location tracking, access to safety and medical assistance experts, weather-related alerts, and more.

"We are proud to partner with MAGNUS to further extend the reach of our best-in-class insurance products to travelers who trust MAGNUS as their search and rescue service provider," said Tamika Bullock, IMG Sales Service Center Director. "Reaching new markets with IMG's safety solutions is a key role in IMG's strategic growth, and we will continue to seek out strategic partnerships with companies like MAGNUS in the future."

For more information on the search and rescue membership MAGNUS provides, please visit https://magnusafety.com/. For more information on the industry-leading travel and health safety solutions IMG offers, please visit www.imglobal.com.

About International Medical Group (IMG)

International Medical Group (IMG), a SiriusPoint company, is an award-winning global insurance benefits and assistance services company that has served millions of members worldwide since its founding in 1990. The preeminent provider of travel and health safety solutions, IMG offers a wide range of insurance programs, including international private medical insurance, travel medical insurance, and travel insurance, as well as enterprise services, including insurance administrative services and 24/7 emergency medical, security, and travel assistance. IMG's world-class services, combined with an extensive product portfolio, provide Global Peace of Mind for travelers, students, missionaries, marine crews, and other individuals or groups traveling, working, or living away from home. For more information, please visit www.imglobal.com.

About MAGNUS International Search & Rescue

MAGNUS is a leading international search & rescue service provider with over 30 years of experience specializing in emergency management and leading evacuations from complex environments. We provide insurance companies, independent travelers, and international organizations with a wide variety of solutions for the inherent risks and challenges of traveling in today's global climate. Specializing in remote, high-risk areas, we combine our highly qualified personnel, comprehensive global communication network, advanced technology and satellite technology, and in-depth intelligence to provide emergency assistance wherever, whenever. MAGNUS's unique search and rescue methodology was developed by combining specialized S&R techniques with the methods of top intelligence organizations to deliver unmatched results and effectiveness in providing safety & emergency solutions. The MAGNUS control center provides 24/7 support from locations worldwide. https://magnusafety.com/

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/456500/International_Medical_Group_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/img-partners-with-magnus-search--rescue-to-offer-travel-medical-insurance-301866153.html
DALLAS, MONTERREY, Mexico, and CHELTENHAM, England, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- iiPay , a global leader in innovative cloud-based payroll software technology, is excited to announce its expansion into Mexico with a new office in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. This strategic move signifies iiPay's increased focus on Latin America and showcases its dedication to providing complete global payroll solutions to global corporations. The expansion of iiPay into Mexico serves as a valuable addition to our already established teams in the U.S., UK, Europe, and Asia.

In conjunction with this global market expansion, iiPay has partnered with Grupo Tress International , a leading HR, Time and Attendance, and Payroll solutions and services provider in Mexico. This powerful combination offers a seamless global payroll solution to small, mid-market, and enterprise clients with key talent in Mexico. With a proven track record serving dozens of Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies, Grupo Tress International brings invaluable expertise, enhancing the client experience.

This strategic partnership combines iiPay's state-of-the-art innovative technology with technology and market expertise of Grupo Tress International, enabling global talent expansion, market share growth, and clients to benefit from an all-encompassing payroll solution. By leveraging this powerful synergy, businesses can optimize their processes, and pave the way for accelerated growth and success. "We are thrilled to partner with iiPay and revolutionize global payroll services" says Julio Andrade, CEO of Grupo Tress International. "Our focus on exceptional client experiences aligns perfectly with iiPay's vision. Together, we will streamline payroll processes and unlock growth opportunities."

"Our expansion into Latin America and Mexico, specifically, marks a momentous achievement for iiPay," emphasizes T. Curtis Holmes, CEO of iiPay. "We are thrilled by the prospects that lie ahead in this key region which presents exceptional opportunities for iiPay to enhance client experiences and deliver a comprehensive global payroll solution. Collaborating with Grupo Tress International empowers us to deliver unparalleled payroll services, enabling multi-national corporations to flourish in an interconnected world while propelling iiPay's growth in the region."

The Latin America market including Mexico unveils opportunities for businesses to embrace with remarkable prospects for businesses to seize upon. In 2022, the state of Nuevo Leon recorded $4.4 billion USD in Foreign Direct Investment, its highest figure since 2010. By establishing a strong presence in Mexico, iiPay embraces the market opportunity, positioning itself to thrive in this dynamic and promising business environment.

Industry experts are equally enthusiastic about the potential and opportunity in the Latin American market. According to Grant Thornton , "the IMF has recently raised its forecasts for GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean by 1.2 percentage points (pp), and now expects GDP growth of 5.8% this year, supported by the performance of Brazil and Mexico."

As iiPay continues to extend its global presence, the establishment of a new office in Monterrey, Mexico underscores the company's unwavering dedication to enhancing the client experience and meeting the ever-evolving demands of businesses on a global scale.

About iiPay:

iiPay is a global leader in innovative cloud-based payroll solutions. With a strong focus on serving Fortune 100, 500, and 1000 clients, iiPay offers an exceptional payroll experience in more than 170 countries. Leveraging advanced data management, analytics, business intelligence, and employee self-service capabilities, iiPay empowers Payroll, HR, and Finance professionals with seamless global payroll management. iiPay's relentless dedication to customer service ensures that every client receives a transformative experience. Discover how iiPay simplifies global payroll operations and drives business success. Experience the power of innovation with iiPay - For Business. For People, http://www.iiPay.com.

About Grupo Tress International:

Grupo Tress Internacional is the leader in HR, Time and Attendance, Payroll, Mexican Compliance, and Employee self-service technology solutions in Mexico. Our portfolio is designed to satisfy every client need, from hybrid, cloud, and even managed payroll solutions. Grupo Tress Internacional works with very large and complex Mexican companies, 60% of the Maquiladora Industry ( INDEX ), and dozens of Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies. With a decades-long history of success and offices in almost 20 different markets, we have a world-class Net Promoter Score of 88%, the best in our industry. For more information, please visit www.tress.com.mx/en/home .

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Miray Cruises announced today the introduction of MV Lara, an extraordinary new world cruise ship that will redefine the realm of extended voyages. After the overwhelming demand received from the initial launch of Life at Sea Cruises, Miray Cruises has now acquired a newer, larger vessel to accommodate the unprecedented enthusiasm from adventurous souls worldwide.

MV Gemini, the former cruise ship that successfully launched Life at Sea Cruises, is slated to continue her Aegean Sea voyages and will now be gracefully succeeded by MV Lara. While larger than MV Gemini, MV Lara will still maintain an intimate feel and experience for the residents onboard who are looking to create a like-minded community at sea for the three-year voyage. Residents will experience a neighborhood-type feel onboard MV Lara and indulge in a sense of community and belonging.

"We are beyond excited to introduce the beautiful MV Lara for this incredible, history-making, 3-year voyage," says Kendra Holmes, CEO of Miray Cruises. "Our fleet is expanding due to the unprecedented demand for our long-duration circumnavigation voyages to responsibly explore every corner of our planet. Our residents are changing their lives for this opportunity, and we are honored to be a part of their personal journeys."

The new vessel will offer Life at Sea Cruises residents an enchanting fusion of amenities and convenience with redesigned staterooms, a business center with offices, a cigar and wine bar, along with other creative offerings. There will also be a 24-hour on-call hospital with complimentary medical visits, learning and enrichment lectures, and opportunities to engage in volunteer and philanthropic initiatives. During the three-year journey, the 42,000 gross ton vessel's voyage will span over 130,000 miles covering 382 ports, 7 continents, and 148 countries.

"Seeing such an overwhelming interest in our itinerary and unique ports where we will always be in summer is truly thrilling," says Ethem Bayramoglu, COO of Miray Cruises. "This is evidence of the allure of our extended world cruise concept and the exceptional experiences that await our residents aboard MV Lara."

The world's first three-year cruise showcases an extraordinary itinerary created by Robert Dixon that encompasses 13 of the Wonders of the World, UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as other mesmerizing locations. At each port of call, travelers will have the luxury of multiple days for unhurried exploration and the freedom to embark on their own unique adventures.

"As the world turns around the sun to create years, Miray Cruises will turn around the world to create a lifetime of memories. Let's do it together!" says Fuat Guven, Vice President of Hotel Operations for Miray Cruises.

Prior to its inaugural departure from Istanbul on November 1st, 2023, Miray Cruises will be hosting a series of welcoming events and revelries in Turkey for all booked residents which coincides with the 100th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of the Turkish Republic. These celebrations will set the stage for the journey of a lifetime, creating unforgettable memories from the very beginning.

Reservations for this extraordinary adventure are available at LifeAtSeaCruises.com.

About Miray Cruises: With nearly two decades of experience cruising the seas, Miray Cruises has owned and operated passenger vessels as a cruise ship hotel management company since 1996. Miray Cruises' headquarters are based in Istanbul, Turkey, with additional offices in Piraeus, Greece and Orlando, Florida. The company manages and operates all marine, technical and hotel departments onboard their vessels. Their newest venture, Life at Sea Cruises, is the world's first and only three-year cruise, which will set sail in November 2023. The inaugural cruise will cover more than 130,000 miles, visiting 382 ports across 148 countries and all seven continents. For more information, visit MirayCruises.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629086070/en/

Contacts:

PR Contact:

media@lifeatseacruises.com
SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Li Peng, Huawei's Senior Vice President and President of the Carrier BG, today called for further innovation in 5G to create new value and unleash digital dividends during his keynote at MWC Shanghai 2023. He said the industry needs to innovate together to meet increasing digital requirements in both the consumer and industrial markets.

Titled Creating New Value with 5G to Unleash Digital Dividends, his speech discussed how 5G is spearheading the development of the digital industry and enabling the digitalization of all industries.

Li said, "The future is now. New business scenarios for people, homes, businesses, and vehicles are delivering new experiences. This is raising higher requirements for network capabilities. Enhanced network capabilities, like 10 Gbps downlink, 1 Gbps uplink, and 100 billion IoT connections, are creating a vast market space in 5.5G for carriers."

Connecting people: Demand for new experience boosts traffic dividends

Currently, the world has over 1.2 billion 5G users. Li explained that the pursuit of the ultimate experience by the large number of users is driving the development of innovative content and applications as well as the construction of 5G networks that can deliver a 10 Gbps experience.

Huawei predicts that these applications and content will also spur a 10-fold surge in traffic. For example, the traffic generated by naked-eye 3D content will see a 3- to 10-fold increase compared with 2D videos. A single New Calling user can generate over 1 GB of data per week while one cloud phone user can generate over 1 GB of data a day.

5G spectrum will also be crucial for achieving the ultimate user experience. Li said that the industry needs access to new frequency bands, including the 6 GHz and mmWave bands, as well as sub-100 GHz spectrum for 5G New Radio.

Huawei has already worked with multiple carriers to perform technical verification for the 6 GHz band. Field tests show that 10 Gbps downlink can be achieved on the 6 GHz band and that the band can also achieve co-coverage with C-band for a single site.

Connecting homes: Huge room for smart life dividends

In the consumer market, skyrocketing demand for new experiences has led to a boom in innovative forms of content and applications, like naked-eye 3D, smart home management, and whole-house intelligence. This has prompted carriers to upgrade home networks that will deliver a bandwidth of 10 Gbps like private lines.

Li explained that Huawei launched the 5G FWA Square solutions, including FWA Pro for ultrafast connectivity, FWA Lite for cost-effective connectivity, and FWA Biz for highly reliable connectivity. These three solutions can help carriers better meet user needs in various scenarios and expand the 5G FWA market.

Connecting industries and machines: A trillion-yuan market

Since 5G commercialization began four years ago, more than 17,000 private 5G networks have been built globally. These networks have turbocharged digitalization in many industries, with clear economic benefits for early adopters in the manufacturing, port, mining, oil & gas, and healthcare industries.

As industrial digitalization becomes more common, more businesses will integrate digital technology into their production processes, and they will require more advanced network capabilities that 5G can provide.

Together with partners, Huawei helped a customer develop the industry's first 5.5G-powered flexible production line. The project found that the 5.5G deterministic network guaranteed ultra-high reliability and reduced latency down to 4 milliseconds in a high-concurrency environment.

Connecting vehicles: A new path for carriers

Li also touched on the popular topic of autonomous vehicles during his speech. Constant progress is being made in the areas of connected vehicles and Internet of Vehicles (IoV). ICT services are essential for intelligent connected vehicles, Vehicle to Everything (V2X), and connected intelligence.

5.5G will help cars sense their surroundings much more clearly. An IoV with advanced sensing is a core component of intelligent traffic light systems, navigation on rainy and foggy days, beyond-line-of-sight sensing, and more. Level-4 autonomous vehicles are expected to hit the commercial market in 2025 and will require massive amounts of computing power and strong networks.

An autonomous car generates hundreds of terabytes of data each day, and needs to upload about one terabyte of that data to the cloud to support AI model training and algorithm updates.

Li said that Huawei will deepen its partnership with the industry to support these huge demands for computing power on clouds and intelligent real-time computing. The connectivity and computing markets are expected to become promising areas of growth for carriers.

MWC Shanghai 2023 runs from June 28 to June 30 in Shanghai, China. Huawei showcases its products and solutions at stands E10 and E50 in Hall N1 of Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Together with global operators, industry professionals, and opinion leaders, we dive into topics such as speeding up 5G prosperity, striding towards the 5.5G era, and intelligent digital transformation. 5.5G creates new business value in areas like the Internet of People (IoP), Internet of Things (IoT), and Internet of Vehicles (IoV), supporting countless industries as they move towards an intelligent world. For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwcs2023 .

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huawei-advocates-better-5g-in-four-areas-to-reap-full-digital-dividends-301867006.html
London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) (OTCQX: IVPAF) is pleased to report that the company's President Marna Cloete has been featured in the newly-released "Changing the face of mining" report from global law firm White & Case LLP, headquartered in New York City, USA, and ARCH Emerging Markets Partners of London, United Kingdom.

The mining industry is going through a period of deep transition as it attempts to carve out a sustainable future, and finds itself grappling with a variety of environmental, social and governance issues, including diversity and inclusion. This new report highlights how far the industry has come in improving female representation, but also how far the industry must go to achieve true gender equality.

The report will be released during a dinner event hosted by the Melbourne Mining Club in London on June 29, 2023, which will also include a keynote address from Glencore Chief Executive Officer Gary Nagle. Ms. Cloete will feature in the report alongside former Anglo American Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Carroll.





Ivanhoe Mines President Marna Cloete

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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In 2012, Women in Mining UK published a global research report on the number of women on the boards of the top 500 listed mining companies from around the world. This report looks at the progress the sector has made on gender diversity at the board level, ten years on. By 2022, there had been a 13% increase of women on boards of the top 500 listed mining companies and a positive correlation was identified between a higher EBITDA margin, a higher return on capital invested, higher ESG scores and the percentage of women on boards.

According to the June 2023 White & Case report: "Promoting diversity in all its forms is essential for businesses to thrive and succeed. Companies that embrace diversity-in ethnicity, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity-have been shown to perform better and be more innovative than those that do not. It is therefore crucial for mining companies to not only increase gender diversity on their boards but also to create an inclusive culture that values and leverages diversity in all its forms. By doing so, mining companies can position themselves as leaders in global industry and drive meaningful change toward a more equitable and sustainable future."

Ms. Cloete commented: "At Ivanhoe Mines, we hold diversity and inclusivity as foundational values. By fostering a culture where everyone's unique identity is acknowledged and celebrated, we continue to achieve great things. As we strategically advance our portfolio of tier-one mining projects on our path to becoming the world's next major mining company, we are committed to creating new opportunities for African people."

"We recently welcomed two female African leaders to our board of directors-Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Delphine Traore-and we are extremely proud of the female leadership across our organization. However, there are always opportunities for improvement, and our dedication to promoting greater diversity in the mining industry remains a top priority. This report highlights how far we have come in just ten years, but there is a lot more work ahead for all of us."

To view the "Changing the face of mining" report, please follow this link: https://www.whitecase.com/insight-our-thinking/changing-face-mining-home.

About Ivanhoe Mines

Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal projects in Southern Africa; the expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the construction of the tier-one Platreef palladium-rhodium-platinum-nickel-copper-gold project in South Africa; and the restart of the historic ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the DRC.

Ivanhoe Mines also is exploring for new copper discoveries across its circa 2,400km2 of 90-100% owned exploration licences in the Western Foreland, located adjacent to, or in close proximity to, the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the DRC.

Information contacts

Investors

Vancouver: Matthew Keevil +1.604. 558.1034

London: Tommy Horton +44 7866 913 207

Media

Tanya Todd +1.604.331.9834

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171788
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Oz Lithium Corporation (CSE: OZLI) (OTC: GRXXF) (Frankfurt: G0A) is pleased to announce evaluation work has begun at the Laguna Santa Maria Project, located in the northwest territory of the Province of Salta, Argentina.

The project is fully permitted and licensed for the production of sodium carbonate, commonly referred to as soda ash, and is comprised of 500 hectares. The project has excellent road access being approximately 60 kilometers from the town of Tolar Grande.

Geo Brand, a Salta Argentina based technical firm are now on site completing a Vertical Electrical Sounding survey over the project area. A total of 8 transects are being completed and are comprised of 15 sounding points every 500 meters per transect. The intent of the program is to confirm the depth potential of the soda ash deposit in relation to the visible surface expression.

Eleven liquid samples and fifteen solid samples have been collected at site by the Oz lithium exploration team. The samples have been collected under the supervision of William Feyerabend, CPG, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101. All samples will be forwarded to Alex Stewart Laboratories (ISO Certified) of Mendoza, Argentina, for chemical analysis and quality evaluation.

Soda Ash Critical to Lithium Carbonate Production

Soda ash is the trade name for sodium carbonate, a chemical refined from the mineral trona or sodium carbonate bearing brines (both referred to as "natural soda ash") or manufactured from one of several chemical processes (referred to as "synthetic soda ash"). The US Geological Survey reports US exports of soda ash to Argentina for 2022 at 165,000 tonnes valued at US$48 million (source: US Mineral Industry Survey, December 2022).

Soda ash is a "critical reagent" in the production of lithium carbonate with the process requiring two tonnes of soda ash for every tonne of lithium carbonate produced. As reported in La Nacion (an online Argentina News Paper) on January 30, 2023, there is an insufficient local supply of soda ash and importing it has various issues and challenges for present and future lithium carbonate producers in Argentina. Management believes a first mover advance exists for the Company with the Laguna Santa Maria Project. Much of the current Sodium carbonate production in Argentina is required by the glass industry. Lithium carbonate producers must import their requirements of sodium carbonate from the world market. The potential demand for soda ash is significant given the expanding lithium production in Argentina.

The Technical and scientific information contained in this news release was reviewed by Mr. William Feyerabend, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Feyerabend participated in the production of this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Adrian F.C. Hobkirk President and CEO

T: 954-684-8040

E: info@ozlithiumcorp.com

W: www.ozlithiumcorp.com

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. We seek safe harbor.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/oz-lithium-crew-on-site-at-laguna-santa-maria-argentina-301867064.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Origen Resources Inc. (CSE: ORGN) (FSE: 4VXA) (the "Company" or "Origen") is pleased to provide an update on its 100% owned LGM property, located in the centre of the Golden Triangle in British Columbia. The LGM property covers a number of significant copper-gold porphyry and gold vein targets, originally discovered by Noranda in the 1990s.

Origen is also pleased to announce it has resumed 100% ownership of the Wishbone property, located adjacent to the 11.3 billion-pound copper, 9.3 million-ounce gold Measured and Indicated* Galore Creek copper deposit, and 10 km west of the LGM property.

Map 1 showing the Origen's LGM and Wishbone properties located in the central area of the British Columbia's world-famous Golden Triangle estimated to host 249 million ounces of gold and 93 billion pounds of copper (DiGeoData estimate - 2021)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Wishbone hosts a series of high-grade gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein and breccia occurrences over the +11 km strike length of the Project.

Gary Schellenberg, Origen's CEO noted "Origen has made considerable progress at LGM to build a cohesive geological model for the LGM Project over the last 3 years. We are now actively looking for partners to continue this process, as we focus all of Origen's resources on its Los Sapitos and Newfoundland lithium districts."

Map 2 showing the LGM property

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The LGM property is a contiguous 26,771 ha property, located along the main access road to the Teck/Newmont Galore Creek copper deposit. The LGM property was acquired by Origen in Spring 2020 and the Company's field programs have re-established historical areas of mineralization, with a particular focus on areas where recent glacial retreat has exposed new prospective zones.

LGM Highlights:

Talus, rock and soil geochemistry surveys in 2020 delineated Cu-Mo and Au targets, similar in tenor and size to those that first targeted the Galore Creek area

ASTER Alteration signatures show a broad zone of Q-S-P and Clay alteration, characteristic of other major deposits in the area

An Airborne VTEM/Magnetics survey in 2021 highlighted large conductors at depth and cross-cutting structures

Scout drilling of 5 holes in 2022 noted distinct megacrystic pophryrytic and pseudoleucite, characteristic of one of the main mineralizing phases at Galore Creek

LGM Overview

The LGM property is underlain by a series of intersecting regional structures that characterize the great deposits in the Golden Triangle district, including the 'Red Line', and by a suite of prospective intrusive rocks believed to part of the Copper Mountain Suite.

Retreating glaciers on the property have revealed broad zones of distinctive quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration associated with a series of megacrystic porphyry dykes. Soil sampling and mapping since the 1990s has delineated several distinct geochemical targets on the LGM property. The Lulu copper-molybdenum-rhenium porphyry target area encompasses the Central, Hidden Zone, Long Ridge, Lucifer and Nulu mineralized zones, covering 4 x 5 km, exhibiting alteration and geochemistry that is characteristic of large nearby porphyry deposits.

2022 Drilling

Origen drilled 5 scout holes at LGM in 2022, with 2 holes targeting the Hidden Gold area, a large gold in talus anomaly on a ridge to the east side of the Central Lulu area. Another 2 holes targeted the Central area and 1 drillhole tested the Long Ridge part of the Lulu copper-molybdenum porphyry target. Long Ridge targets included an interpreted structure that is associated with geochemically anomalous molybdenum and rhenium samples on surface (see NR dated 3 March 2021) and additionally a rounded, vertical EM conductivity target identified in the 2021 airborne geophysical survey (see NR 29 September 2021). A total of 903 samples of half cut core were collected to build a detailed geochemical characterization of the zones drilled and support vectoring toward a porphyry target.

Porphyry dykes similar to the Copper Mountain Plutonic Suite were encountered both in core and surface mapping of the Lulu area.

2022 drilling from the Lulu Central pad consisted of two holes oriented east and west respectively. A total of 347 core samples were collected with results ranging from 8 - 197 ppm Cu, 0.3 - 67.5 ppm Mo and 7 - 518 ppm Zn. The west oriented hole was designed to intersect the extension of a Mo-Re bearing structure identified by talus sampling at Long Ridge in 2020. This structure was intersected and found to be strongly altered by substantial movement of hydrothermal fluids. The east oriented hole targeted a more intense area of clay alteration identified in ASTER remote sensing data interpretation.

The Long Ridge hole was oriented to pass though the Mo-Re bearing structure interpreted to be associated with the geochemical anomalies north of the collar and then at depth it reached the edge of the vertical, rounded EM conductor anomaly. A total of 273 core samples were collected in this hole with results ranging from 11 - 217 ppm Cu, 0.5 - 132 ppm Mo, 6 - 956 ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. In spite of no significant zones of sulphide mineralization, the Company continues to believe that geological units and alteration combined with the new geochemical data supports the larger target of both a Cu-Mo system at depth with an additional Au mineralizing event in the Lulu area.

As anticipated, the majority of the better gold values encountered from drilling at Hidden Gold were associated with a breccia unit. The target gold rich breccia is multi-phase; containing clasts of earlier breccias, indicating a complex and long-lived genesis. In addition to the range of gold values reported, results ranged from 28 - 1292 ppm Cu, 0.2 - 139 ppm Mo, 13 - 405 and ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. Previous interpretation was that the gold bearing structure was steeply dipping and cutting though the ridge in a N-S direction. However, the Company feels that drilling results do not fully explain the elevated levels of gold seen in talus on the ridge. The Company's revised interpretation is that the structure hosting the breccia is dipping to the west in which case the 2022 drilling would have drilled under more mineralized material that is the source of the surface anomalies. Additional drilling from further west on the ridge to intersect a west-dipping structure is warranted.

The Grizzly Area at LGM is a Cu-Au porphyry target defined by a 1200 m x 500 m copper-gold soil anomaly. In 1991, 59m of blast trenching returned encouraging results that included 20m averaging 0.87% Cu and 1.51 g/t Au. This is located near the downslope extent of the copper-gold soil anomaly. In 2008 the first ever drilling at the Grizzly prospect returned grades that were not consistent with grades seen on surface, but still produced wider intervals of lower-grade gold and copper mineralization, including volcaniclastic rocks with moderate to strong K-feldspar - biotite alteration and moderate to locally strong carbonate alteration. Fine grained pyrite and chalcopyrite in volcaniclastics returned 17.38m averaging 0.28 g/t Au and 0.21% Cu. Initial data review and interpretation by Origen's geological team targets the source of the soil anomaly further upslope from the area of 2008 drilling.

Wishbone Highlights:

Map 3 showing the location and rock sampling results from the Wishbone property

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Contiguous with Galore Creek Copper Project

Numerous soil samples greater than 1000 ppm (or 1 g/t) gold

Grab samples as high as 175.7 g/t gold

Airborne results highlighted underlying structures on the property.

Rapidly receding glacial ice has exposed new high grade gold showings.

Wishbone Overview

The Wishbone property is a contiguous 3,971 hectare property located 40km west of Highway 37 and the Bob Quinn airstrip. Glacier retreat in recent years has exposed up to 500m of unexplored area at Wishbone which has resulted in the discovery of a new prospect area called "Rat" with gold values ranging from 0.001 to 175.7 g/t in the 79 rock samples collected. There are an additional 8 other priority target areas at Wishbone, including the Windy, Table and Lynx prospects, which along with Rat have all reported soil samples greater than 1 g/t gold. The Waterfall and Hollywood areas have returned higher copper grades along with visible gold, interpreted to be prospective for volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization, compared to the gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein-style mineralization elsewhere at Wishbone.

Reversion Deal terms

For the 100% return of the Wishbone property, Origen will forgive the outstanding promissory note in the principal amount of $1,860,000 plus the accrued Interest to date of $ 161,879.45 for a total of $2,021,879.45. Origen will assume the underlying agreements related to the Wishbone property.

On behalf of Origen,

Thomas Hawkins

Managing Director

*Source: https://www.gcmc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2014-09-30-Galore-Creek-Reserves-and-Resources.pdf

About Origen

Origen is fully focused on its 100% interest in the Los Sapitos Lithium project in Argentina and its 100% interest in the 33,000 ha Newfoundland Lithium projects, and also holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia, a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM and the 3971 ha Wishbone projects in the mineral-rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia.

Dr. Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101 has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release.

For further information, please contact Gary Schellenberg, Chief Executive Officer, at 604-681-0221.

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 press release.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171792
Global Airlines has agreed terms to acquire a further three A380 aircraft, expending its current fleet to four super jumbos.

The airline also appointed Captain Ian Black and Pierre Madrange to its advisory board.

They will advise the Global Executive Team on a variety of aviation, technical and commercial matters.

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Airlines, the world's newest long-haul airline, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a further three A380s. With the purchase of these aircraft, the airline's fleet development reaches a new milestone with four A380s now lined up for the start of operations in Spring 2024.

The additional aircraft have been purchased for an undisclosed figure and the Global team is now developing plans for their refit and return to service. Further details about the aircraft, the acquisition and the refurbishment will be published in the coming months.

Global Airlines has also announced further appointments to its Advisory Board; Pierre Madrange and Ian Black.

Pierre Madrange is a former French Air Force fighter pilot who later held the position of Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and is a former Vice President of NAVBLUE, an Airbus company. Pierre brings his extensive aviation knowledge to the new airline as well significant expertise in airline operations and P&L management as well as growing leadership functions.

Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. He has flown commercial operations across the Far East, Australasia, India, Dubai, and Europe. He worked for a major UK long haul airline for over 25 years as a senior captain on the Airbus/Boeing fleet. He has extensive experience in long-haul flying and cumulatively has flown 20,000 hours on A330/340-300/340-600 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

At Global, Pierre and Ian will advise the Executive Team and work closely with the Founder and CEO, James Asquith, on airline operations management and airline digitalisation.

James Asquith, Founder and CEO of Global Airlines, said, "We extend our warmest welcome to both Ian and Pierre to the Global Airlines' advisory board, where they will work closely with our team. It is a real testament to the progress we are making that we continue to appoint senior and experienced people to our Advisory Board. I believe we must have one of the most experienced teams of aviation professionals coming together to launch Global Airlines."

"We are also delighted to announce that we have agreed the purchase of a further three A380s to join the Global fleet. As I've always said, the A380 is the best aircraft in the sky, and we will continue to look for further acquisition opportunities."

Pierre Madrange said, "I'm really pleased to be joining the Global Airlines Advisory Board. James is putting together a great team and I want to use my unique aviation network as well as my experience in the industry to help the airline do something new and exciting. A product that passengers will not only want to fly, but also an airline that aviation professionals from around the world will want to work for."

Ian Black said, "Aviation is in my blood and joining the Advisory Board was an opportunity too good to turn down. For any airline, safety is the number one priority and Global will be no different. That commitment to safety is driven by not just the flight crew and cabin crews but every team member of Global Airlines, having a robust and open flight safety culture from the get-go is paramount. Working closely with both James and Richard is a real privilege, to influence the foundations of what will certainly be the very best airline this decade is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Global Airlines plans to use its fleet of owned A380 aircraft to reinvigorate the flying experience, courtesy of the unrivaled spaciousness offered by the super jumbo.

Global Airlines is now focused on working closely with the relevant authorities and partners in preparation for inaugural flights in the Spring of 2024.

About Global Airlines

Global Airlines was launched in 2023 with an aspiration to offer passengers the best way to fly. The airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Holiday Swap and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The airline is led by CEO James Asquith and backed by aviation experts and investors around the world. The airline has commenced an aircraft acquisition programme with one A380 secured and more to follow in the summer of 2023. The inaugural transatlantic flights are expected in the Spring of 2024.

About Capt Ian Black

Captain Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. Commercially, he has flown 20,000 hours on A330, A340-300, A340-600, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

As an ex-RAF fighter pilot, Captain Ian flew F-4 Phantoms during the Cold War and participated in the first Gulf War and the Falkland Islands deployment. He served with the French Armee de l'air, flying combat missions over Bosnia and Iraq on the Dassault Mirage 2000C, where he was also a qualified weapons instructor. Captain Ian's military career included a role as an RAF flight safety officer, responsible for maintaining and improving safety standards.

About Pierre Madrange

Pierre started his career as a fighter pilot in the French Air Force. He then held a number of key executive positions in commercial aviation: Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and Vice President at NAVBLUE, an AIRBUS company. He is currently the President of Madrange & Laubary, an aviation consulting company serving airlines worldwide.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-airlines-agrees-purchase-of-three-more-a380s-and-makes-further-senior-appointments-to-advisory-board-301867068.html
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR HONG KONG, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR WOULD REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR OTHER MEASURES. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN.



Aberdeen, 29th June 2023

Awilco Drilling Plc ("Awilco Drilling" or the "Company") is contemplating a private placement of new Sponsored Norwegian Depository Receipts (the "Offer Shares" or "New Shares") raising gross proceeds up to the NOK equivalent of up to USD 8.1 million (the "Private Placement" or the "Offering").

The Company has received pre-subscriptions from existing shareholders amounting to USD 6.8 million, including inter alia pre-subscriptions by Awilhelmsen Offshore AS (currently holding 50.5% of the share capital), QVT Family Office Fund LP (currently holding 22.9% of the share capital) and Akastor AS (currently holding 6.8% of the share capital).

The Board of Directors (the "Board") intends to conduct, subject to completion of the Private Placement and certain other conditions, a subsequent offering of new Sponsored Norwegian Depository Receipts raising gross proceeds of the NOK equivalent of up to USD 0.4 million at the same subscription price as the Offer Price in the Private Placement to existing shareholders in the Company as of 29th June 2023 (as registered in the VPS two trading days thereafter) who were not wall-crossed in connection with the Private Placement and are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or would (in jurisdictions other than Norway) require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action (the "Subsequent Offering"). Non-tradable subscription rights will be awarded. Completion of a Subsequent Offering is subject to approval by the Board, and the Board may at its discretion decide not to proceed with or cancel any Subsequent Offering. The subsequent offering is expected to be fully guaranteed by Awilhelmsen Offshore AS and QVT Family Office Fund LP.

The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to finance Awilco Drillings' remaining arbitration case concerning Rig 2 against Keppel FELS Limited to its conclusion which is expected to take place no earlier than 4Q 2023 or 1Q 2024.

The subscription price per Offer Share will be NOK 9 (the "Offer Price").

Awilco Drilling has engaged Clarksons Securities AS as financial advisor which will act as Sole Manager and Bookrunner (the "Manager") in connection with the Private Placement.

The Private Placement will be directed towards certain Norwegian and international institutional investors subject to applicable exemptions from relevant prospectus requirements, (i) outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the "U.S. Securities Act") and (ii) in the United States to investors that are either "qualified institutional buyers" ("QIBs") as defined in Rule 144A under the US Securities Act or to "major U.S. institutional investors, as defined in SEC Rule 15a-6 to the United States Exchange Act of 1934. The minimum application and allocation amount has been set to the NOK equivalent of EUR 100,000, provided that Awilco Drilling reserves the right to, at its sole discretion; allocate lower amounts to the extent applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements set forth in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 on prospectuses for securities and ancillary regulations are available.

The bookbuilding period will start on 29th June 2023 at 16:30 CEST and end on 30th June 2023 at 08:00 CEST. Awilco Drilling reserves the right to at any time and in its sole discretion resolve to close or extend the bookbuilding period. If the bookbuilding period is shortened or extended, any other dates referred to herein may be amended accordingly. Allocation of New Shares will be determined on or about 30th June 2023 by the Board at its sole discretion and in consultation with the Manager. The Board will give preference to existing shareholders and pre-sounded investors. Other allocation criteria may include pre-subscription, order size, timeliness of the order, sector knowledge, investment history, perceived investor quality and appliable selling restrictions in the Private Placement.

The Private Placement is structured in two tranches as follows: (i) a tranche 1 consisting of up to 6,846,350 Offer Shares ("Tranche 1") which equals the number of shares the Board may issue based on the current outstanding authorisation to issue new shares granted by the Company's extraordinary general meeting on 8th December 2022, and (ii) a tranche 2 consisting of a number of Offer Shares up to the remaining 2,833,690 Offer Shares ("Tranche 2") in order to raise gross proceeds of up to the NOK equivalent of USD 8.1 million through the Private Placement.

Completion of Tranche 1 is subject to (i) the necessary corporate resolutions by the Board required to consummate Tranche 1 of the Private Placement including final approval by the Board of Tranche 1 and allocation and issuance of the Offer Shares in Tranche 1, (ii) the Pre-Payment Agreement (as defined below) remaining unmodified and in full force and effect and (iii) the Offer Shares having been fully paid and legally issued and delivered in VPS.

Completion of Tranche 2 is subject to (i) completion of Tranche 1, (ii) the extraordinary general meeting of the Company (expected to be held on or about 20th July 2023) (the "EGM") resolving to grant the Board a new authority to issue shares and (iii) the Offer Shares having been fully paid and legally issued and delivered in VPS.

The Company will announce the number of Offer Shares to be issued and allocated in the Private Placement through a stock exchange notice expected to be published on 30th June 2023.

Settlement of the Offer Shares in Tranche 1 is expected to take place on a delivery versus payment (DVP) basis on or about 4th July 2023. DVP settlement of the Offer Shares is expected to be facilitated by a pre-payment agreement between the Company and the Manager (the "Pre-Payment Agreement"). Settlement of the Offer Shares in Tranche 2 is subject to approval by the EGM which will be called shortly after closing of Tranche 1 of the Private Placement and are expected to be delivered, subject to timely fulfilment of the conditions set out above, on or about 24th July 2023.

Warrants: Subject to (i) completion of the Private Placement; and (ii) the EGM's approval of a new authority for the Board to issue shares and grant rights to subscribe for shares on a non- pre-emptive basis, each investor will be granted one (1) warrant for every Depository Receipt subscribed for, allocated and paid for in the Private Placement or the Subsequent Offering (the "Warrant"). Each Warrant will give the investor the right, but not the obligation, to subscribe for one Depository Receipt at a price of NOK 1 per Depository Receipt, subject to the Company undertaking a prior reduction of capital (or otherwise taking steps in accordance with applicable law) to reduce the nominal value of its shares below the GBP equivalent of NOK 1 per share. The Warrants granted in connection with the Private Placement or the Subsequent Offering, as the case maybe, may be exercised by the holders, in full or in part, from 1 January 2024 until the later of (A) 1 February 2024 and (B) the date three months after the arbitral tribunal has issued a final award in the Rig 2 case against Keppel FELS Limited and either (A) the latest deadline for filing an appeal or challenge against such final award has expired without an appeal or challenge being made or (B) a final and non-appealable ruling has been made by the relevant court in respect of such appeal or challenge (the "Exercise Period"). Warrants that are not exercised during the Exercise Period will have no value and will lapse without compensation to the holder. The Warrants are non-transferable and will not be registered in the VPS. The Warrants will be created by way of a warrant deed executed by the Company (the "Warrant Deed"). By subscribing for Offer Shares, applicants will agree to be bound by the Warrant Deed. A copy of the fully executed Warrant Deed will be sent to all applicants who are allocated Offer Shares in the Private Placement or the Subsequent Offering after completion of the Private Placement or the Subsequent Offering (as applicable). The Warrant Deed is governed by English law and is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Any holder of Warrants may exercise such Warrants by written notice to the Company in the form attached to the Warrant Deed. In order to be valid, the notice must have been received by the Company during the Exercise Period. Any Depositary Receipts arising from the exercise of the Warrants will only be issued following the expiry of the Exercise Period. If the Company does not undertake a reduction of capital (or otherwise take steps in accordance with applicable law) to reduce the nominal value of its shares below the GBP equivalent of NOK 1 per share prior to the expiry of the Exercise Period, the exercise price for the Warrants shall be NOK 9 per Depositary Receipt...

The Company has considered the Private Placement in light of the equal treatment obligations under the rules on equal treatment under Euronext Growth Rule Book II and Oslo Brs' Guidelines for equal treatment and is of the opinion that the contemplated Private Placement is in compliance with these requirements. The Company is in urgent need of new capital, and the delays involved in conducting a rights offering would leave the Company without the required funding for a sustained period. Further, the Board intends to carry out the Subsequent Offering following completion of the Private Placement that, if carried out, is expected to allow existing shareholders who are not offered to participate in the Private Placement the opportunity to maintain their pro rata ownership. As a consequence of the Private Placement structure, the shareholders' preferential rights to subscribe for the New Shares will be deviated from.

Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS is acting as Norwegian legal counsel to Awilco Drilling.

For further information about the Private Placement please contact:

Truls Chr. Tran, Head of Investment Banking Clarksons Securities AS: +47 41 40 19 37

Erik Jacobs, CEO of Awilco Drilling; Tel: +47 95 29 22 71



Cathrine Haavind, Investor Relations of Awilco Drilling; Tel: +47 93 42 84 64

The information in this announcement is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation for Awilco Drilling. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange notice was published by Cathrine Haavind, Investor Relations, on the time and date provided.

Important information

The release is not for publication or distribution, in whole or in part directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan Hong Kong or the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia). It is issued for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities, in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. Awilco Drilling does not intend to register any portion of any offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong or the United States.

In any EEA Member State, this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation, i.e., only to investors who can receive the offer without an approved prospectus in such EEA Member State. The expression "Prospectus Regulation" means (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 14 June 2017, as amended Regulation, on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public (together with any applicable implementing measures in any EEA Member State).

This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at persons in the United Kingdom that are (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom this announcement may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only for relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Persons distributing this communication must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so.

The issue, subscription or purchase of securities in Awilco Drilling is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither Awilco Drilling nor the Manager assumes any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions. The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The Manager is acting for Awilco Drilling and no one else in connection with the potential Private Placement in the Company and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release.

Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect Awilco Drilling's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
BOULDER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Ferrell Law Firm is proud to announce its latest initiative aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of the Boulder community during the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. As part of this campaign, the law firm will reimburse individuals up to $30 for rides taken with popular rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, encouraging responsible choices and discouraging drinking and driving.



The Ferrell Law Firm





Colorado Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

Independence Day is a time for celebration, but it is also a time when alcohol consumption tends to increase. Unfortunately, this can lead to an alarming rise in the number of drunk driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Colorado has experienced its fair share of these tragic incidents in recent years.

The Colorado Department of Transportation reported that there were 691 roadway fatalities in 2021, and since 2019, there's been about a 44% increase in the amount of fatalities that involved an impaired driver.

Drunk driving accidents not only cause immeasurable personal loss but also place a tremendous burden on emergency services, healthcare providers, and law enforcement agencies.

Get a Free Sober Ride This Independence Day

To combat this issue and encourage responsible behavior, The Ferrell Law Firm has partnered with local rideshare services to offer reimbursement to individuals who choose to avoid drinking and driving during the Independence Day festivities. By providing up to $30 in ride reimbursements, the law firm hopes to remove any financial barriers that may prevent people from making the right decision to avoid impaired driving.

To participate in the program, individuals must be of legal drinking age and have taken a rideshare service between July 3 and July 5, with their ride originating or ending in Boulder, CO. To claim reimbursement, applicants are required to submit a photo ID, a screenshot of their receipt, and a mailing address to The Ferrell Law Firm via email at mike@colo-dui-lawyer.com. The program is limited to the first 25 submissions, and receipts must be submitted within seven days of Independence Day.

The Ferrell Law Firm's commitment to the safety of the Boulder community extends beyond legal advocacy. With this campaign, they aim to make a tangible difference by providing support and encouraging responsible decisions during a time that often sees an increased risk of drunk driving incidents.

For more information about The Ferrell Law Firm's Independence Day community campaign and how to participate, please visit https://colo-dui-lawyer.com/free-holiday-rides/.

About The Ferrell Law Firm

The Ferrell Law Firm is a leading legal practice based in Boulder, CO, specializing in DUI defense. With a team of highly skilled attorneys, the firm is dedicated to providing expert legal representation and support to individuals facing DUI charges. The Ferrell Law Firm is committed to making a positive impact in the community and advocating for safer roads.

Contact information:

The Ferrell Law Firm

Phone: (720) 687-2795

Email: mike@colo-dui-lawyer.com

Contact Information:

Michael Ferrell

Attorney

mike@colo-dui-lawyer.com

SOURCE: The Ferrell Law Firm, PLLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764235/The-Ferrell-Law-Firm-Launches-Community-Campaign-to-Promote-Safe-Celebrations-on-Independence-Day
DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The innovative AI-powered online store AiMalls is upending the e-commerce industry with its ground-breaking platform that makes use of clever algorithms and a dash of humor. This cutting-edge online store app, set to register and launch its app in Dubai later this year, is slated to revolutionize how customers shop online while empowering small business owners and guaranteeing a safe and tailored user experience.

AiMalls stands out from other merchants on the internet due to its extensive features. The internet presence provides humorous chatbots that operate and specific product recommendations in an attempt to make online shopping fun and convenient. AiMalls has elevated itself to the particular status of the "next big thing" in the world of internet commerce by putting AI authority at its core.

AiMalls CEO and Founder Fred Bruno asserted that his company is not a simply ordinary online merchant. We've incorporated the use of AI (AI) technology, a bit of humor, and other elements into our shopping cart to give those who use it a distinctive and entertaining purchase experience.

The website's primary benefits include computerized categorization of products for simple navigation, amusing chatbots that respond to consumer questions, and tailored recommendations for products based on individual tastes and previous purchases. Additionally, AiMalls offers controlled by speaking purchasing goods, secure processing of payments, recognition of images, and brand integration.

Ferds Juliano, COO and Co-Founder of AiMalls, continued, "We've welcomed the future of retail with open arms. "Our technology offers AI-powered customer service, easily integrates with social media platforms, and uses predictive analysis for inventory management. We're here to completely transform internet shopping.

AiMalls introduced its Affiliate Program in addition to its revolutionary features, giving artists and influencers the chance to make money by endorsing goods from various merchants. By producing content and using affiliate links, producers may earn money from their fan base while giving businesses a fun method to promote their goods.



According to Jean Choy, business development manager and co-founder of AiMalls, "We believe in fostering a community of mutual success and growth." "Our Affiliate Program creates a win-win situation for all parties involved by opening up exciting possibilities for creators and brands alike."

AiMalls is poised to have a huge impact on the e-commerce business with its impending launch. It is anticipated that the platform's dedication to fair processes, tailored experiences, and security would raise industry standards. Due to its distinctive combination of cutting-edge technology, business savvy, AiMalls is positioned as a viable rival in the landscape of the digital marketplace.

Crypt0dev, CTO and Co-Founder of AiMalls, said, "We're pleased to be at the forefront of the AI-powered e-commerce revolution. We're creating a smooth, personalized, and safe journey for both merchants and consumers by leveraging the power of AI. This is only the start of an amazing transformation. Online Live Selling is one of a kind feature of AiMalls, it allows sellers to host live video streams to showcase their products in real time.

The platform AiMalls predicts success stories that will emerge within its community as it prepares for launch. AiMalls is convinced that its affiliations will considerably increase its credibility and drive growth. Partnerships and collaborations are in the pipeline.

Visit https://aimalls.app for additional details about AiMalls and its imminent debut, or get in touch with:

About AiMalls:

AiMalls is an AI-powered online store and platform that utilizes intelligent algorithms to provide a personalized shopping experience for consumers. With a commitment to security, innovation, and a sprinkle of humor, AiMalls aims to revolutionize the e-commerce landscape.

Media Contact:

Person Name: Fred Bruno

Company Name: AiMalls

Email: fred@aimalls.app

Phone Number: +639064726073

City: Dubai

Country: United Arab Emirates

SOURCE: AiMalls

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764612/AiMalls-Unveils-the-Future-of-Shopping-with-AI-Powered-Online-Store
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Regions Bank



By Nestor Mato

"That is what it's all about. People coming and giving back to the community," said Jeanne Wickem. The 77-year-old smiled from ear to ear as Regions Bank associates helped her with home improvements.

Because of work like this, seniors can stay in their homes and remain a vibrant part of this spruced-up block in Central City, New Orleans.

Jericho Road Episcopal Housing and the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank, organized this day of giving back called Bling Your Block. Jericho Road brought members of its construction team, who are part of the program's workforce development initiative. And volunteers from Regions Bank came to help with painting porches, decorating, and landscaping along Barrone Street.

"With the generous assistance of volunteers from Regions Bank and financial support from the Regions Foundation, we aim to 'bling the block' of Baronne Street, providing the seniors in our community with more beautiful and welcoming homes to reside in," said Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Executive Director Nicole Barnes. "This collaborative effort not only uplifts the individual households but also contributes to the overall revitalization and enhancement of the neighborhood."

It's a story that needs to be seen in addition to being told. So, the team from Doing More Today takes you along. Watch the video above.

Want to know more? Jericho Road has a track record of serving New Orleans, including by purchasing and updating homes. People in Jericho Road's Workforce Development Program repair homes, which are then sold to underserved homebuyers. The Workforce Development Program hires underemployed workers and trains them in construction skills.

"Jericho Road has an unwavering dedication to empowering people in New Orleans through education, skills training, and home buying opportunities," added Regions Foundation Executive Director Marta Self. "The Regions Foundation is proud to fund this program that addresses needs for affordable housing and workforce development, providing an upward pathway for all involved."

The Regions Foundation provides grants to a range of organizations supporting education and workforce readiness, as well as economic development, community development and financial wellness. The foundation provided a $40,000 grant to support Jericho Road in its efforts.

Community development is a year-round focus for the Regions Foundation and Regions Bank.

Check out these examples, too:

"A Bold Step Forward." Regions Foundation, Jefferson State Community College Unveil Student Success Center

Supporting Women in Skilled Trades: Regions Foundation Announces $100,000 Grant for Moore Community House

Affordable Housing. Stronger Communities. Regions Foundation Announces Major Investment Benefiting Southeastern Cities

Edging Out Joblessness: Regions Foundation Funds Sarasota Chamber Workforce Readiness Program

About Regions Foundation

The Alabama-based Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

About Regions Financial Corporation

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $154 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,250 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Regions Bank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Regions Bank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/regions-bank

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Regions Bank

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764609/Restoring-Homes-Rebuilding-Communities
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTC Pink: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), an innovative analytics service provider and operator of the Cubeler Business Hub, today provided the corporate update below following the Company's annual meeting of shareholders held on June 27, 2023 (the "Meeting"). This press release is being furnished at the request of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE").

Directors, Officers and Legal Counsel

Following the results of the annual meeting of shareholders, the Tenet's Board of Directors is now comprised of Johnson Joseph, Liang Qiu and Mayco Quiroz. The Company's senior officers are Johnson Joseph, who was reinstated in the role of President & CEO of the Company, and Liang Qiu who continues to serve as the CEO of the Company's Chinese Operations. Tenet expects to reach agreements imminently for the reinstatements of Jean Landreville as Chief Financial Officer, Claude Theroux as Chief Technology Officer and Dr. Luis Rocha as Chief Analytics Officer. Further information in this regard will be provided when arrangements are finalized. The Company's Chief Legal Officer, Wendy Kennish, tendered her resignation on June 28, 2023 and Tenet has retained Wildeboer Dellelce LLP (www.wildlaw.ca) as counsel for all corporate and securities-related matters going forward.

Short-term Plans

Given the current state of affairs at the Company, Tenet will first focus its short-term attention on bringing stability to the Company through dialogue with creditors, suppliers, employees, regulators, capital market professionals who have historically supported the Company and other stakeholders. The Company's management is committed to ensuring that the Company's stakeholders have a good understanding of the Company's plans and objectives as Tenet resumes its focus on the development of the data and analytics aspects of the Company. The Company expects that this will involve allocating resources to completing the remaining pillars of the Business Hub in Canada to permit the Company to access a more diversified pool of SME data and position it to launch its first data-driven products in Canada later this year.

Better disclosure and visibility into Tenet's operations, particularly in North America, will also be a priority in the short-term. That will come in the form of news releases, social media activity and with the upcoming launch of the Company's Tenoris3 subsidiary's website. The Company expects that the launch of the Tenoris3 website will provide investors and the Company's stakeholders with a more detailed comprehension of the Company's planned data-driven and analytics product offering. The website is expected to include conceptual descriptions as well as demos of upcoming products as they are being developed.

Capital Markets Strategy

As a venture-stage company and in order to achieve its objectives, Tenet must ensure it has an effective capital market strategy that permits it to raise capital while still protecting its shareholders' equity as it uses any capital raised to build value for shareholders. To that end, following the Meeting, the Company does not intend to proceed with closing additional rounds of the $3M financing announced on June 1, 2023, of which a total of approximately $800,000 was closed. Instead, Tenet plans to proceed with a series of financings over the next three months for gross proceeds of up to $20M, in which it is expected that some directors and officers of the Company will participate. The Company proposes to close the first round of such a financing on or prior to July 31, 2023, and anticipates that the financing would be priced at the greater of $0.25 per share or unit and the lowest price permitted by the CSE to reflect then-current market conditions. If completed, this would permit the Company to meet its immediate cash needs, invest in its Canadian operations and partially help sustain the growth of its Chinese operations until later rounds of the financing are closed. There can be no assurances that any such financing(s) will proceed or be completed, either on the terms proposed or at all. All financings are subject to the prior approval of the CSE and must be completed in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company is in discussions with prospective investors to finalize the terms and complete the first round of the proposed financing, but at this time, the Company does not have binding commitments with any investors in respect of any such financing(s).

About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.:

Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, includes Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries provide various analytics and AI-based services to businesses and financial institutions through the Cubeler Business Hub, a global ecosystem where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/.

For more information, please contact:

Tenet Fintech Group Inc.

Christina Boyd, Director, Investor Relations and Communications

416-428-9954

cboyd@tenetfintech.com

Johnson Joseph, Chief Executive Officer

514-340-7775 ext.: 501

investors@tenetfintech.com

CHF Capital Markets

Cathy Hume, CEO

416-868-1079 ext.: 251

cathy@chfir.com

Follow Tenet Fintech Group Inc. on social media:

Twitter: @Tenet_Fintech

Facebook: @Tenet

LinkedIn: Tenet

YouTube: Tenet Fintech

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements included in this presentation constitute "forward-looking statements" under Canadian securities law, including statements in respect of future hires of personnel, future financings, the future operations and investments of and in the Company and any statements based on management's assessment and assumptions and publicly available information with respect to the Company. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company cautions that its plans and assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "assumes," "outlook," "plans," "targets", or other similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward- looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, holding company with significant operations in China; general economic and business conditions, including factors impacting the Company's business in China such as pandemics (ex.: COVID-19); legislative and/or regulatory developments; global financial conditions, repatriation of profits or transfer of funds from China to Canada, operations in foreign jurisdictions and possible exposure to corruption, bribery or civil unrest; actions by regulators; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; timing and completion of capital programs; liquidity and capital resources, negative operating cash flow and additional funding, dilution from further financing; financial performance and timing of capital; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by the Company with securities regulators in Canada, the United States or other jurisdictions. We refer potential investors to the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Company's MD&A. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other risks and uncertainties carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171800
DZ Bank AG - Pre-Stabilisation Notice Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW)

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, June 29

Pre-Stabilisation Notice Tap KfW 01/29

DZ BANK AG Frankfurt am Main - Pre Stabilisation

RNS Number: residue number system

Frankfurt am Main, 29. Juni 2023

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

Pre-Stabilisation Notice

Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW)

DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: KfW Guarantor (if any): Federal Republic of Germany Aggregate nominal amount: Tap Size: EUR 1 billion (No Grow) Description: 0,75%, due 1. Januar 2029 Offer price: 88.601% Other offer terms: Fixed, Annual, Act/Act, 172 days accrued, ISIN DE000A2LQSN2 Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilising Managers:





DZ BANK

Morgan Stanley Stabilisation period expected to start on: 29 June 2023 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Frankfurt Stock Exchange

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State
College students Makenzie Skibbie and Danielle Stroinski named Nelson-Jameson Scholars

MARSHFIELD, WI / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Nelson-Jameson Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate prosperity for Nelson-Jameson employees, local communities, and the dairy industry through a diverse range of philanthropic programs, announced the winners of its inaugural University of Wisconsin-River Falls college scholarship program. Two students, Makenzie Skibbie and Danielle Stroinski, achieved the honor of being named a Nelson-Jameson Scholar, and each received a $5,000 award toward college expenses. The scholarship was founded by the Nelson-Jameson Foundation to support the next generation of dairy industry and food science employees.

Nelson-Jameson Foundation UW-River Falls Scholarship Winners 2023

Nelson-Jameson Foundation recipients of the UW-Rivers Falls Scholarship, Danielle Stroinski and Makenzie Skibbie

"We are delighted to congratulate Makenzie and Danielle for their well-deserved Nelson-Jameson Scholar program scholarships," says Amanda Sasse, fourth-generation owner of Nelson-Jameson. "As an organization, Nelson-Jameson has been a devoted steward of the dairy industry for more than 75 years, and we're committed to continuing this legacy by providing opportunities for future generations of talent through the Nelson-Jameson Foundation."

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be enrolled at UW-River Falls, be majoring in Food Science & Technology, and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Makenzie Skibbie will begin her junior year in the fall of 2023 and is passionate about the cheese industry. Danielle is a senior working toward a 2024 graduation and plans to pursue a career in dairy food research & development. The scholarship program will continue annually, with the Nelson-Jameson Foundation awarding two $5,000 scholarships each academic year.

In addition to the scholarship program, the Nelson-Jameson Foundation has committed a total of $150,000 toward the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant Renovation project and secured naming rights for the Pilot Plant's laboratory. Nelson-Jameson will also join the plant's Advisory Committee.

"We're thrilled to further expand our partnership with UW-River Falls, and look forward to being part of the important work that will be conducted in the plant by the industry, students, and faculty," says Sasse.

Both the scholarship program and dairy plant grant were initiated and approved by the Nelson-Jameson Foundation. The Nelson-Jameson Foundation is focused on supporting philanthropic organizations that enhance its core value as a Golden Rule Company. Grants are targeted toward charitable programs related to the food and dairy industries or support charities important to Nelson-Jameson employees and the communities in which they reside.

About Nelson-Jameson

Nelson-Jameson is a fourth-generation, family-owned distributor to the food and beverage industry. From the company's roots in dairy production supplies, it grew to offer a broad range of food processing equipment and services that provide customers with everything they need to manufacture safe, high-quality products. Representing over 850 vendors and distributing over 60,000 products, Nelson-Jameson offers everything from standard equipment to custom production solutions and equipment repair. The company employs more than 260 people in five distribution centers across the United States and at its headquarters in the heart of dairy country in Marshfield, Wisconsin. The dairy industry leader also operates NEXT Logistics, offering delivery services from Wisconsin, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Texas distribution centers.

For more than 75 years, Nelson-Jameson has supported food and dairy processors with products and solutions that keep pace with changing consumer tastes, manufacturing processes, and distribution channels. The company continues to be the supplier of choice for customers in all 50 states and international markets. For more information, please visit: https://nelsonjameson.com

Contact Information

Karolyn Raphael

PR for Nelson-Jameson

karolyn@wingermarketing.com

312-494-0422

SOURCE: Nelson-Jameson Foundation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764595/Nelson-Jameson-Foundation-Announces-UW-River-Falls-Scholarship-Winners
Originally published by Southern Company

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany, through a unique partnership with Southern Company subsidiary, Georgia Power, is currently installing 21 charging stations at nine locations across the base, which will allow up to 96 vehicles to be plugged in on the base simultaneously. The project has been initiated and is expected to be complete by fall.

Georgia Power was awarded the first-ever turnkey electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) solution using the General Services Administration Areawide Contract (AWC). The project will be a model for the Department of Defense (DoD) to use across the country in partnering with a local utility like Georgia Power to design, construct, own, operate and maintain EVSE. It is also the first time the AWC will be used to provide for a holistic and scalable EVSE solution to support both current and future electrification requirements.

The AWC provides a public-private partnership with regulated servicing utility companies to cover utility service needs of Federal agencies within the franchise territory of the supplier for up to 10 years. This unique federal construct allowed MCLB Albany to use the "Make Ready" program to accelerate their plans and maximize the Government's investment. In the Make Ready program, Georgia Power owns, installs and maintains the electrical infrastructure up to the charger itself. The program is available to all business customers and helps remove potential financial barriers to their transition to electric transportation. As a result of this partnership and project, MCLB Albany is uniquely poised to meet the Biden Administration EO 14057 of a 100% zero-emission fleet.

"This modernized energy infrastructure will support our mission and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels," said Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer. "Innovative partnerships and solutions like this make our installations more survivable and the communities they are a part of more resilient."

The EV charging project at MCLB Albany is the latest example of continued successful collaboration between the base and Georgia Power in advancing better energy use and overall modernization, with the base earning national accolades for its efforts.

"This is a great partnership with Georgia Power as the DoD looks into the future. We need to prepare the base and Marine Corps to support a future electric vehicle fleet," said MCLB Albany Commanding Officer Col. Michael Fitzgerald.

This is this just one of many projects underway across the SE that illustrates Southern Company's ability and desire to work with DoD installations to identify and deliver sustainability, resiliency and energy efficiency solutions. It is part of a much broader commitment Southern has made to partner with the federal government in advancing mutual net-zero GHG emission and grid decarbonization goals that benefits both the customers and communities we serve.

"In addition to being essential for national defense, our nation's military bases are powerful economic engines for surrounding communities providing jobs and driving thriving local economies," said Chris Cummiskey, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Solutions and Chief Commercial Officer for Southern Company. "MCLB Albany is a forward-looking military base dedicated to energy innovation and planning for the future, and we're proud of our continued partnership. As the new EV charging stations open across the installation this year, we know the investment that is being made today will benefit the base for years to come."

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, The Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.7 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Southern Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Southern Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/southern-company

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Southern Company

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764615/MCLB-Albany-EV-Charging-Project-Is-a-Model-for-Department-of-Defense
Connecting policy, technology, finance, and people is essential to keep 1.5C within reach.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, meets with His Majesty King Charles III, UK Government ministers, industry leaders across tech and finance, and university students during London Climate Action Week 2023.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber renews his call for world leaders to start delivering on climate finance reform and accelerate technology development ahead of COP28.

"We must stop talking and start delivering. Climate finance is nowhere near available enough, accessible enough and affordable enough - especially for countries in the Global South".

"Money isn't flowing to the places that need it most. Less than 2 per cent of the $1.5 trillion of clean tech finance was invested in vulnerable and low-income countries across the Global South".

"We must create an active partnership between the largest producers of energy, the biggest industrial consumers, technology companies, entrepreneurs, the finance community, investors, governments and civil society".

"It is time to do things differently because we can't afford to rely on business as usual".

"Working together, we will narrow the gap to 2030, deliver a just transition, and mobilize all stakeholders in a new way".

"We will bring everyone the table in a more inclusive process than ever before and institutionalize accountability globally, and within the COP process".

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- During London Climate Action Week 2023, COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, traveled to London to collaborate with British stakeholders to develop holistic ecosystems that connect policy, technology, finance, and people. During his visit, he collaborated with the UK Government on polices which enable greater climate investments, he galvanized investors to fund climate technology, and he consulted with youth climate advocates to help shape the COP28 agenda.



Dr. Sultan Al Jaber met with a wide range of key stakeholders during a visit to London this week, including H.M King Charles III, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP, and Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, the Rt Hon. Lord Zac Goldsmith, as well as business leaders, university students and young climate advocates.

The COP28 President-Designate attended a roundtable on climate solutions joined by H.M King Charles III and attended by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London; Rt Hon. Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero; the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; and the CEOs of HSBC, AstraZeneca, OVO Energy, and Gridserve.

During London Climate Action Week, Dr. Al Jaber said, "If we are going to cut emissions by 43 percent in the next 7 years, we need a holistic ecosystem that connects policy, technology, finance and people. We need supportive policies to stimulate adoption of clean energies and incentivize decarbonization. We obviously need to apply the latest technologies rapidly and at scale. That will require finance and lots of capital across the world, and particularly in emerging and developing economies. And a critical success factor is people. We need capacity building, and skills development to train young people for the jobs of the future. Because we must deliver climate action and socio-economic opportunity at the same time."

"This is a moment of clarity that we must face with total honesty - we need a major course correction, and we need it now. Our goal must be to stop talking and start delivering".

During his visit, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, also held meetings with UK Government Ministers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to discuss key initiatives and areas for collaboration ahead of COP28.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber also visited Octopus Energy and its founding CEO, Greg Jackson, in their London headquarters. They discussed the latest technologies that support the rollout of renewable energy and storage solutions, improve energy efficiency, and help in the race to net zero.

Masdar, the UAE's world-leading renewable energy company that Dr. Sultan al-Jaber chairs, has committed to invest 1 billion in British battery storage, following its acquisition of Arlington Energy. Masdar has partnered with Octopus Energy to license its groundbreaking technology platform, Kraken, to manage its battery portfolio at low cost and with maximum efficiency. The platform aims to manage 100,000 devices and 6GW of energy capacity by the end of 2023. This will help bring more renewables onto the grid quicker and drive down prices.

During one of his visit highlights, Dr. Al Jaber attended a roundtable with university students and young climate advocates. Hosted by H.E Shamma Al Mazrui, COP28 Youth Climate Champion, the consultation sought views from young people to shape the agenda at COP28, including how the President-Designate can help to ensure that the process and outcomes can be more inclusive and equitable.

Addressing the youth consultation, the COP28 President-Designate said "your generation is critical, because you will inherit some of the greatest challenges of climate change and will also provide many of the solutions. Your perspectives must be heard. And you must be empowered to make a difference. We need pioneers like yourselves - who are impatient set new benchmarks."

He also restated his commitment to making COP28 the most inclusive COP ever, by providing "opportunities for youth who have never been included in the process and that come from countries which have seen climate disasters firsthand" through initiatives like the Youth Climate Delegates Program.

In his remarks, Dr. Al Jaber emphasized the need for the voices of young people to be included at COP28 and stated his commitment to called on young people to "bring your passion, your focus and your courage to meet the challenge", reflecting that "it is time to do things differently because we can't afford to rely on business as usual".

Notes to Editors:

COP28 UAE:

COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.

As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake - a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.

The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a "leave no one behind" approach to inclusive climate action.

Youth Climate Delegate Program

Through the International Youth Delegates Program we will support 100 youth to join us from small island developing states, least developed countries and indigenous communities from around the world.

Further information on the Youth Climate Delegates can be found on the COP28 website - https://www.cop28.com/en/youth-delegates

Masdar UK investment

Dr. Sultan al-Jaber was the founding CEO of Masdar, the UAE's leading renewable energy company, and still serves as its chairman.

In October 2022, Masdar acquired Arlington Energy, a UK-based battery energy storage system developer.

Masdar has committed to invest 1 billion in UK battery storage.

In May 2022, Masdar and Octopus Energy Group signed an agreement to use Octopus' groundbreaking technology platform, Kraken, to manage its battery storage portfolio in the UK.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144423/HRH_King_Charles_III_for_Climate_Change.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cop28-president-designate-calls-for-holistic-ecosystem-to-drive-climate-action-during-london-climate-action-week-301867150.html


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar drifted higher against its major counterparts in the New York session on Thursday, as the economy expanded much more than previously estimated in the first quarter and weekly jobless claims decreased unexpectedly last week, strengthening expectations for two more rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.



Data from the Commerce Department showed that gross domestic product jumped by 2.0 percent in the first quarter compared to the previously estimated 1.3 percent increase. Economists had expected the pace of GDP growth to be unrevised.



The stronger than previously estimated growth reflected upward revisions to exports and consumer spending that were partly offset by downward revisions to nonresidential fixed investment and federal government spending.



Data from the Labor Department showed an unexpected pullback in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits in the week ended June 24.



The report said initial jobless claims fell to 239,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised level of 265,000.



Economists had expected jobless claims to rise to 270,000 from the 264,000 originally reported for the previous week.



U.S. treasury yields rose, with the benchmark 10-year yield touching 3.84 percent. Yields move inversely to bond prices.



The greenback appreciated to 6-day highs of 1.0860 against the euro and 0.9001 against the franc, from its early lows of 1.0941 and 0.8943, respectively. The greenback is seen finding resistance around 1.05 against the euro and 0.92 against the franc.



The greenback advanced to more than a 2-week high of 1.2590 against the pound and a 7-1/2-month high of 144.89 against the yen, off its early lows of 1.2666 and 144.13, respectively. The greenback may find resistance around 1.24 against the pound and 148.00 against the yen.



The greenback firmed to a 2-week high of 1.3285 against the loonie and a 3-week high of 0.6050 against the kiwi, reversing from its early lows of 1.3242 and 0.6102, respectively. The greenback is poised to challenge resistance around 1.35 against the loonie and 0.59 against the kiwi.



The greenback rebounded to 0.6599 against the aussie, heading to pierce its previous more than 3-week high of 0.6595. If the currency rises further, it may find resistance around the 0.64 level.



Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Mega-Chance Cyber Security Die KI-Revolution ist in vollem Gange und vor allem ein Bereich wird stark betroffen sein: Cyber-Security. Die Experten sind sich sicher: Mit steigender Entwicklung von KI-Technologien nehmen auch KI-gestutzte Cyber-Attacken zu. Wir zeigen hier, welche Aktien profitieren konnen. Hier klicken
29 June 2023: Hexagon Composites ASA ("Hexagon Composites" or the "Company") refers to the resolutions by the extraordinary general meeting of the Company on 28 June 2023, authorizing the Board of Directors to distribute shares in Hexagon Purus ASA as dividend-in-kind to its shareholders. Hexagon Composites' Board of Directors has today resolved to use the authorization to distribute 0.3432 Hexagon Purus ASA shares per Hexagon Composites ASA shares held, in total 69 199 364 shares. The dividend-in-kind will be distributed to shareholders in the Company as per the expiry of 5 July 2023 (last day including right) as registered with the Company's shareholder register with the VPS as per the expiry of 7 July 2023 (record date). The Company's shares will trade excluding dividend-in-kind on 6 July 2023. The key information is also published as a separate announcement.

The distribution represents 25% of the total number of outstanding shares in Hexagon Purus and will serve to increase the free float in the Hexagon Purus share. The Company believes it is in the interest of the shareholders of both Hexagon Composites and Hexagon Purus that the businesses are operated and directed as independent companies, enabling both businesses to fully leverage their growth potential. The Company intends to retain its current ownership in Hexagon Purus for the foreseeable future, taking into account the TRS referenced below.

Statement from Hexagon Composites ASA to all shareholders in Hexagon Purus ASA related to Hexagon Composites ASA's influence in the Board of Hexagon Purus ASA

On 25 May 2023, Hexagon Purus ASA held its annual general meeting where changes to the Board of Directors were effectuated. Hexagon Composites currently has two (2) out of seven (7) representatives of the Board of Directors of Hexagon Purus ASA, reflecting the Company's intention of a non-controlling ownership position.

To further substantiate the non-controlling ownership position in Hexagon Purus, the Board of the Company has today resolved that for as long as the Company holds less than 55% of the total number of issued shares in Hexagon Purus, (a) the number of board members who are (i) nominated or proposed by the Company, or (ii) an employee or board member of the Company (each in the case of (i) and (ii) a "Hexagon Composites Director") shall be less than 50% of the total number of board members in Hexagon Purus at any time.

Furthermore, due to the Company's longstanding relationship with the Flakk Group, controlled and owned by the chairman of Hexagon Composites ASA, Mr. Knut Flakk, the Board also resolved that in the event (i) Mr. Knut Flakk, or (ii) any representative of himself, or his related parties (in each case a "Flakk Director") are nominated and elected as a board member of Hexagon Purus, the sum of all Hexagon Composites Directors together with all Flakk Directors shall be less than 50% of the total number of board members in Hexagon Purus at any time for as long as the Company holds less than 55% of the total number of issued shares in Hexagon Purus.

The resolutions made are irrevocable until 31 December 2027.

Total Return Swap ("TRS") agreement

The Company has entered into a TRS agreement with its Nordic banking partners, with financial exposure to 13,839,872 shares, equivalent to 5% of Hexagon Purus' issued shares. The price under the TRS agreement is 19.80 NOK and the expiry date of the agreement is 28 June 2024.

Following the sale of 5% shares under the TRS agreement to the Nordic banks, Hexagon Composites' financial exposure in Hexagon Purus remains unchanged at 120,101,133 shares, equivalent to 43% of total shares while the ownership and voting rights will be equal to approximately 38%.

The proceeds from the TRS will improve Hexagon's capital structure and liquidity.

For further information, please contact:

Ingrid Aarsnes, VP Investor Relations & ESG, Hexagon Composites ASA

Telephone: +47 950 38 364 | ingrid.aarsnes@hexagongroup.com

Karen Romer, SVP Communications, Hexagon Composites ASA

Telephone: +47 950 74 950 | karen.romer@hexagongroup.com

About Hexagon Composites ASA

Hexagon delivers safe and innovative solutions for a cleaner energy future. Our solutions enable storage, transportation, and conversion to clean energy in a wide range of mobility, industrial and consumer applications. Learn more at?www.hexagongroup.com and follow @HexagonASA on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachment
HERSHEY, PA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) proudly announced recently that its U.S. business has been Certified by Great Place to Work. This distinguished honor is determined by feedback from current employees - a direct reflection of their firsthand experience at Hershey.

This year's survey of current employees noted pride in their work, trust in the brand and excitement in the company's future as particular strengths for the company. Hershey's U.S. business joins operations in Canada, Brazil, India, Mexico and Malaysiain earning this certification honor.

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

"Great Place to Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place to Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. "By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that The Hershey Company stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

"Our recognition again by Great Place to Work showcases our commitment to providing our employees a fulfilling experience focused on wellbeing, growth and career advancement," said Michele Buck, Chief Executive Officer of The Hershey Company. "We believe that an equitable workplace and culture fosters innovation, collaboration and growth - critical drivers which propel us forward on our journey to become a Leading Snacking Powerhouse."

Hershey's workforce is driven by a people-first culture of co-creation - empowering employees to embrace their authentic selves, take ownership of their work and unlock career potential. The company recognizes that its people are its greatest asset, actively investing in professional development and upskilling opportunities. Below are recent achievements and initiatives around Hershey's employee experience:

Say Hola: Hershey promotes an equitable and accessible workplace by actively investing in employee development programs and adapting its facilities to accommodate different needs. Last year, the company launched its first U.S. bilingual manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pa. 'Say Hola' is a proof point of the company's people-first manufacturing vision.

Hershey promotes an equitable and accessible workplace by actively investing in employee development programs and adapting its facilities to accommodate different needs. Last year, the company launched its first U.S. bilingual manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pa. 'Say Hola' is a proof point of the company's people-first manufacturing vision. National Veterans Business Development Council : Hershey's legacy of supporting the U.S. military dates back to World War I, when the company supplied chocolate to U.S. soldiers. Today, veterans continue to be a key part of our workforce, bringing unique perspectives and experiences. In 2022, under the guidance of our Veteran Business Resource Group (BRG), we partnered with the National Veterans Business Development Council - bolstering our access to diverse supplier networks. In 2023, we aim to deepen these ties and expand military-affiliated hiring across all roles with increasing our veteran hiring goal from 6% to 10. This effort underlines our commitment to diversity and support for those transitioning from military to civilian life.

: Hershey's legacy of supporting the U.S. military dates back to World War I, when the company supplied chocolate to U.S. soldiers. Today, veterans continue to be a key part of our workforce, bringing unique perspectives and experiences. In 2022, under the guidance of our Veteran Business Resource Group (BRG), we partnered with the National Veterans Business Development Council - bolstering our access to diverse supplier networks. In 2023, we aim to deepen these ties and expand military-affiliated hiring across all roles with increasing our veteran hiring goal from 6% to 10. This effort underlines our commitment to diversity and support for those transitioning from military to civilian life. Parental Leave: Hershey is committed to supporting employees and their families through a set of competitive benefits, helping them be well, plan for their future, and balance work and life. As part of this commitment, the company increased salaried parental leave to up to 20 weeks in 2023.

"Great Place to Work Certification underscores our commitment to creating a workplace where our employees can reach their full potential," said Chris Scalia, Chief Human Resources Officer, The Hershey Company. "We know our people can be their best when they feel their best. This means working to make sure everyone here feels supported, inspired and valued. To do this, we are constantly evolving to build a culture that values diversity, builds careers and embraces a strong sense of community."

According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company's profits and have a fair chance at promotion.

We're hiring!

Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: careers.thehersheycompany.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet and communities. Hershey has nearly 20,000 employees in the U.S. and around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries worldwide that drive more than $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop,Pirate's BootyandDot'sHomestyle Pretzels.

For more than 125 years,Hersheyhas been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder,Milton Hershey, createdMilton Hershey Schoolin 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

About Great Place to Work Certification

Great Place to Work Certificationis the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience - specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

About Great Place to Work

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place to Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place to Work-Certified or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces List.

Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and follow Great Place to Work on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE The Hershey Company





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Hershey Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: The Hershey Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/hershey-company

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: The Hershey Company

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764624/The-Hershey-Company-Earns-2023-Great-Place-to-WorkR-CertificationTM
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, June 29

For immediate release

29 June 2023

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 100,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 874.77 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 17 January 2023.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 18,195,544; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 206,795,759.

The figure of 206,795,759 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
Signing of the agreement for acquisition of a stake in OMP MECHTRON

Gradually increase of Grolleau from 49.9% in 2023 up to 100% in 2026

A strategic agreement with a view to creating a European industrial group with 500 employees and 4 industrial sites, posting more than 70m in a whole

a European industrial group with 500 employees and 4 industrial sites, posting more than 70m in a whole Solid industrial and commercial synergies identified

Montilliers - 29 June 2023. Grolleau (ISIN Code: FR0014005ZM5 / Mnemonic: ALGRO) announces that it has signed a strategic agreement for a gradual acquisition in OMP MECHTRON, a global industrial player specialized in the manufacture of metal cabinets, subracks and racks and in the structure of fast charging stations . Under the agreement, Grolleau initially acquires a 49.9% stake in OMP through a reserved capital increase. This announcement follows the press release of 13 February 2023 announcing that the two companies had entered into exclusive negotiations[1] .

This structuring and strategic transaction for Grolleau is subject to the condition precedent of the agreement of the Italian Ministry of Finance, expected before 30 August 2023.

Laurent Marbach, Chairman and CEO of Grolleau, comments: "I am very pleased to sign this strategic alliance with OMP, which holds great potential for our two companies. With this operation, Grolleau intends to become a leading global industrial group and accelerate the development of its business on the export market, enabling us to meet all our customers' international requirements. We also want to work with OMP in a partnership approach aimed at expanding its activities for more integration to capture more added value, and work together on new products based on our respective skills.

Our corporate culture, based on human values, and our industrial history are very similar. Over the past year, our collaboration has got off to a very good start, in a good spirit of collaboration, and we have just won our first contract with a US customer thanks to OMP. We are all fully mobilised to create value for this new entity and to make this merger a success.

At the time of Grolleau's IPO, I was committed to successfully completing an external growth operation that would open up new international opportunities."

Andrea Conte, President and CEO of OMP Mechtron, comments: "This strategic alliance is really important for OMP, especially in the extreme positive moment we are facing. It will enable us to reach more rapidly the output capacity needed in Italy, Mexico and China for the strong increase of demand ongoing in our markets, in particular EV Fast Chargers. The industrial partnership between the two teams will grow respectively the know-how and the value-added offer to our customers.

Our global footprint is already being put in common with Grolleau to support and grow existing customers and new opportunities in Asia, Europe and U.S markets. We look at the complementarity of the two companies as the biggest potential in this deal, as well as the common know how and strong collaboration developed in more than one year already of working together."

A major change of scale for the group: 500 employees and 4 industrial sites in France and abroad

With almost 40 years of industrial history, OMP MECHTRON is an Italian company that manufactures sheet metal assemblies and functional sub-assemblies, ready to be integrated, on behalf of a wide range of leading customers worldwide. The latter are active in similar markets (Telecoms, Railways and Automation & Robotics and EV Chargers), offering strong prospective of commercial synergies for the Group.

The new entity would double the size of Grolleau, from 200 employees at 31 December 2022 to more than 500.

The Group would thus have a cross-border presence with 4 industrial sites (France (Angers), Italy (Milan), Mexico (Guadalajara) and China (Shanghai)). Grolleau will thus be able to offer its existing customers high-quality international support and expand its business opportunities in new global markets.

From a financial point of view, OMP Mechtron achieved a turnover of 32 million in 2022[2] (an increase of around +18% compared to 2021), of which around 70% internationally and 30% in Italy, for an EBITDA level comparable to the objective announced by Grolleau.

Subject to the fulfilment of the condition precedent linked to the Italian government's approval of the transaction (expected before 30 August 2023), OMP will be proportionally consolidated in the accounts at the closing date of the operation until Grolleau becomes the majority shareholder. At that time, OMP will be fully consolidated at 100%.

A gradual increase in capital up to 100% in 3 years' time

This capital operation will give rise to a gradual acquisition of a stake over 3 years. At the closing date of the operation[3], Grolleau takes a 49.9% stake in the capital via a reserved capital increase.

From 2025, Grolleau will increase its stake in successive stages, reaching 100% of the capital in 2026, by exchanging shares and/or in cash on the basis of a valuation multiple indexed to performance.

Solid commercial synergies and first international contract win

The very strong complementarity of the offer and the access to a large panel of international customers are key elements in this strategic transaction for Grolleau.

OMP Mechtron's extensive experience in the manufacture of sheet metal structures and chassis in "indoor" environments, that can be supplemented by Grolleau's strong industrial expertise in integration and testing of "outdoor" environments, will enable the new Group to offer highly technical, fully integrated and innovative solutions to their markets, in particular the one of charging stations, a fast-growing market at OMP Mechtron and GROLLEAU.

First commercial synergies have already begun, as Grolleau has won its first international contract with an american client thanks to OMP. A pre-study request was put in place to provide a highly technical product, with a unique design, specifically designed for this customer.

Next event:

Annual results 2022, Thursday 20 July 2023, before market opens

You can find all the information about Grolleau at: www.grolleau-bourse.com

ABOUT GROLLEAU

Founded in 1950, Grolleau is a French industrial player specialising in the supply of infrastructure equipment to support the development of cities and Smart Territories, which are booming with the deployment of 5G and connected objects.

Grolleau is the recognised specialist in outdoor equipment for protecting and securing the critical technologies that ensure the smooth running of territories (energy and water management, connectivity and telecommunications, green mobility, smart grid). Grolleau is France's No. 1 manufacturer of urban cabinets (telecoms/energy) throughout the country and No. 1er french manufacturer of on-street electric recharging stations.

As a French designer, manufacturer and integrator of its equipment, Grolleau controls the entire value chain, from design to delivery, at its industrial site in Montilliers (Angers), which covers more than 60,000 m2 and employs 200 people. The company posted sales of 34.1m at 31 March 2023 and intends to more than double its sales between 2021-2022 and 2025-26.

INVESTOR RELATIONS

ACTUS finance & communication

Anne-Pauline PETUREAUX

grolleau@actus.fr

Tel. 01 53 67 36 72





PRESS RELATIONS

ACTUS finance & communication

Amaury DUGAST

adugast@actus.fr

Tel. 01 53 67 36 74

[1] Link to the press release

[2] Unaudited data

[3] After the lifting of the condition precedent

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HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Wallis Bank continues to thrive in the first half of 2023. This full-service community bank has achieved milestones already for the year with its personalized customer service and ability to support small business success stories through its various lending products. Below is a list of a few accolades Wallis Bank has received:

Wallis Bank is ranked the #5 top-performing community bank in the nation, with assets over $1 Billion, on the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)'s Independent Banker Best of the Best List. Wallis Bank has consistently been ranked on the Best of the Best list throughout the years.

Wallis Bank continues to be the top SBA lender in the Houston District through the first part of 2023, continuing its status as #1 over the last couple of years.

Wallis Bank ranked in the top quartile for seven out of 11 key performance indicators (KPI) on the CB Resource, Inc. CB Durable Performance Index. This list provides a comparative summary of the bank's performances based on KPIs that represent a three-year average, including the current quarter value and the year-end value of the previous two years.

Wallis Bank was also honored at the Inaugural Houston Business Journal Family-Owned Business Awards on June 15, 2023. This ceremony recognized multigenerational, family-owned businesses that have distinguished themselves via their business accomplishments and contributions to the local community.

Wallis Bank's dedication to providing exceptional lending services and fostering business growth has earned them these esteemed recognitions. With a strong focus on building relationships and personalized customer service, Wallis Bank has become the preferred financial partner for entrepreneurs and small business owners in the region.

For more information about Wallis Bank and its comprehensive suite of financial products and services, please visit www.wallisbank.com.

About Wallis Bank:

Wallis Bank is a full-service, community bank dedicated to providing customized banking solutions to individuals, businesses, and professionals. With a rich history dating back to 1906, Wallis Bank offers a wide range of financial services, including commercial banking, personal banking, a variety of loan services, and digital banking tools for added convenience. Over the years, the company underwent the expansion of additional branches and offices in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

About ICBA:

The Independent Community Bankers of America creates and promotes an environment where community banks flourish. ICBA is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education, and high-quality products and services.

About CB Resource:

CB Resource, Inc. is a risk management and planning firm committed to serving community banks and their industry. CB Resource, Inc. supports its clients with hands-on service and subject matter expertise, all efficiently delivered through its fully integrated platform.

Contact Information

Harley Hurosky

Social Media Specialist

harley.hurosky@wallisbank.com

713-715-9993

SOURCE: Wallis Bank

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764458/Wallis-Bank-Celebrates-Achievements-for-the-First-Half-of-2023
RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Rick Hughes, an industry veteran with over 28 years in the MedTech business, has been named the Managing Director of Uniphar Logistics. Working as a consultant for the past 3 years with the Uniphar Group, Rick identified areas in the supply chain that could be improved for American MedTech companies, including global 3PL solutions, delivering real-time inventory management, IT solutions, and QMS reliability from multiple locations, providing sustainable services and real-time data for medical device manufacturers.

Rick is excited to announce in June 2023 the opening of a brand-new third-party logistics facility designed to support the Medical Device and Life Science Industries starting with 65,000 square feet of temperature-controlled, ISO 13485:2016 certified space. The location is just outside of Raleigh North Carolina's Research Triangle Park (RTP) which is home to more than 500 Pharma, Biotech, and medical device manufacturers. The neighboring 75,000 square feet are currently under consideration for expansion to serve the Uniphar Group business.

North Carolina is recognized as a leader in higher education that supports a steadily expanding force of Scientists, Engineers, and Educators, all emerging from the leading three, Tier 1 Research universities: Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, and NC State University. This Fuels a pipeline of skilled and trained workforce designed to support the growing life science cluster in RTP and as Rick says, "our pool of talent in this area will enable us to provide a level of service that consistently exceeds our customers' expectations".

These factors make this facility a great location to support manufacturers looking for a shared infrastructure for 3PL services and distributing a variety of products, ranging from medical devices with technical service and repair in our GMP rooms to the highly regulated industry of pharmaceuticals. Brian O'Shaughnessy, Commercial Lead over the Product Access division of Uniphar commented, "This facility will allow Uniphar to extend the current services we champion in our current European platforms to open market access for manufacturers with a hybrid model of 3Pl and customized sales channels for a global supply chain solutions, sales, distribution, and marketing strategies."

About Uniphar Logistics: We are part of the Uniphar Group, a 2.1 billion global life science and pharmaceutical distribution company that has established a state-of-the-art pharma-grade 3PL warehouse facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. Our brand-new East Coast Hub will serve Uniphar's global medical and life science clients and North American manufacturers, reaching 70% of the population within two days by ground. The facility offers temperature-controlled storage, including cold chain capabilities, and will provide first-class warehousing, logistics, and support services for the life science industry.

Facility Highlights:

 Temperature Controlled  ISO 13485 Certified  Service & Repair  24/7 Temperature Monitoring  Kitting  Returns and Reverse Logistics Management  Value-Added Services (VAS)  Re-Labeling  Customer Service  Web Order Entry  Advanced Inventory Management  eAdvanced Shipping Notice  EDI/API Integration  36 ft ceilings  Back-up generator

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey and redefine operational excellence!

Press Contact:

Peyton Kelly

pkelly@unipharlogistics.com

SOURCE: Uniphar Logistics

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764430/Uniphar-Group-Appoints-Rick-Hughes-as-Managing-Director-of-Uniphar-Logistics
UK Secretary of State for Education: Have to embrace technology, huge opportunity in education

UK Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: India the world leader in using AI for citizens' welfare

Real lessons to be learnt from India says UK National Cyber Security Centre CEO

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Artificial intelligence and India's technological progress spotlighted at India Global Forum's flagship 'IGF Studio' on Day 4 of UK-India Week 2023.

Calling it a debate between AI and HI, India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the challenge was to ensure Artificial Intelligence does not reduce Human Intelligence. "We don't have any option to judge whether it is good or bad. AI is there today, ChatGPT is there today. The debate that is going on is what about God-gifted human intelligence - this is a debate between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence. Policymakers and academia are concerned about how it will affect normal critical thinking, but we have to accept innovation. How can we use AI in human civilisational development that is the responsibility with us today. Data analytics, AI, ML, AR, BR are new tools to create ease of living in society.

Digitisation is the order of the day. Globalisation, mobility and future skills are the need of the 21st century knowledge-based economy. AI is going to affect, help and promote these things in a big way. As a policymaker, we have to see that AI should not reduce human intelligence - that is the primary ethical aspect of the challenge."

Participating in the conversation with Pradhan, Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education observed, "There have been a couple of different reactions; some people have embraced it, a few have said we should pause it, it is going too fast and we don't know what it is going to do to various aspects of our life. In my experience, you don't get to pause technology, it happens so you have to embrace it. But we are at the beginning of the journey. Every G20 country will be grappling with the same challenges at the same time. There is huge opportunity within education."

India's digital growth was praised by Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, UK . "Who is the world's leader in using AI to improve welfare services? Who is the leader in using AI, design and tech can provide citizens with their rights, social security payments they are entitled to, or providing their citizens the opportunities to progress? It is India! And as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the US Congress, this has been a remarkable progress.

AI can be better utilised in the UK to ensure our citizens rightly get their entitlements and I really want to learn from India and the tech companies and government in India about how we can best adopt some of the remarkable progress we have seen in India."

Identifying cyber co-operation as crucial to the 2030 Roadmap, Lindy Cameron, CEO, National Cyber Security Centre, UK said, "But India goes so far beyond that. The market is huge, both as a set of consumers and also a potential producer of low-cost technology for so much of the globe. So, the standards that India sets, the demands that it makes for its own domestic market will shape how technology is used in so much else of the world. So, we want to be part of the conversation thinking about how to work with that."

Encompassing 12 marquee events with 150 speakers and 2,000+ participants, 'UK-India Week 2023' brings together business leaders, policymakers, and thought leaders from India and the UK to discuss opportunities for further collaboration and growth between the two countries.

For highlights from the day, a list of Speakers, and programme details, click here

Social Media Handles & Hashtag to Follow

Twitter: @IGFUpdates & @manojladwa

LinkedIn: India Global Forum

UKIndiaWeek

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144615/India_Global_Forum.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/have-to-ensure-ai-does-not-reduce-human-intelligence-says-indian-education-minister-dharmendra-pradhan-301867298.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Hypercharge Networks Corp. (NEO: HC) (OTCQB: HCNWF) (FSE: PB7) (the "Company" or "Hypercharge"), a leading, smart electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions provider, is announcing the release of its audited financial results for the three months and seven months ended March 31, 2023, and related management discussion and analysis. The Company's reporting period for the seven months ended March 31, 2023, reflects the Company's change in fiscal year end. These documents will be posted on SEDAR and Hypercharge's website at https://hypercharge.com/investors/.

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company's revenue in the quarter was C$752,673, an increase of 1,373% compared to C$51,097 in the three months ended March 31, 2022. Operating expenses increased from C$940,041 in the comparable period to C$2,160,025 (an increase of 80%) for the three months ended March 31, 2023. This increase is largely attributable to general and administrative expenses in connection with non-cash share-based compensation expenses and non-recurring expenses. The lower operating expenses during the comparable period for the three months ended March 31, 2022 are attributable to the Company's early stages of business, which resulted in lower direct and variable costs during the period.

For the seven months ended March 31, 2023, the Company achieved revenue of C$1,988,007, marking a significant growth rate of 311%, compared to the year ended August 31, 2022. For the comparable seven month period, the Company achieved a year-over-year revenue growth rate of 2,069%.

During this seven month comparable period, operating expenses increased from C$2,563,917 to C$4,921,140 (an increase of 109%), related to: (i) hiring key personnel to further support the Company's sales and marketing efforts, (ii) an increase in research and development initiatives, (iii) general and administrative expenses related to professional fees for audit and legal, (iv) regulatory compliance, and (v) non-recurring corporate issuer fees from the Company's initial public offering.

Total assets as at March 31, 2023 were C$6,404,576, (down from C$9,302,818 for the year ended August 31, 2022). As at March 31, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of C$2,686,157.

"We are pleased to report the audited financial results for the year ended March 31, 2023," said David Bibby, President and CEO of Hypercharge. "We are proud to see the increase in our customer base and their growing confidence in our ability to provide innovative charging solutions reflected in these results."

Business and Pipeline Highlights (during the three months ended March 31, 2023):

As part of the Company's U.S. growth objectives, the Company closed the first four sales orders for customer sites in five states in the U.S., which include Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

Activated 18 new partners that help Hypercharge enter into new markets, sell the Company's products, and assist with installation of chargers. This more than doubled the Company's total number of partnerships (to a total of 37).

Recruited five additional employees in sales, engineering, operations, and finance.

Recent Business and Pipeline Highlights during the Seven Months ended March 31, 2023:

Sold and delivered 489 EV charging stations across eight provinces in Canada.

Developed a growing sales backlog highlighted by completion of three significant sales orders in British Columbia for 748, 128, and 110 Level 2 charging stations. The Company expects to begin phased delivery of these projects in early 2024.

Announced its first roaming agreement with Electric Circuit, enabling both networks' users to access over 4,250 public charging stations.

Delivered its first Level 3 DC Fast Charging stations in Alberta and British Columbia.

Summary of Key Financial Measures:

A summary of selected annual financial information for the last two fiscal years is as follows (expressed in Canadian dollars):

Seven months ended Year ended March 31, 20231 August 31, 2022 Revenue $ 1,988,007 $ 484,218 Net and comprehensive loss 4,451,910 9,641,448 Total assets 6,404,576 9,302,818 Non-current financial liabilities 347,180 90,636

Reflects a seven-month period as a result of the Company's change in year-end to March 31st.

-##-

About Hypercharge

Hypercharge Networks Corp. (NEO: HC) (OTCQB: HCNWF) (FSE: PB7) is a leading provider of smart electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions that offers turnkey technology to multi-unit residential and commercial buildings, fleet operations, and other rapidly growing sectors. Driven by its mission to accelerate EV adoption and enable the shift towards a carbon neutral economy, Hypercharge is committed to providing seamless, simple charging solutions by offering industry-leading equipment and a robust network of public and private charging stations. Learn more: https://hypercharge.com/.

On behalf of the Company,

Hypercharge Networks Corp.

David Bibby, President & CEO

Investor Relations:

Kelsey Letham | Head of Investor Relations

invest@hypercharge.com

604-881-1730

Media Contact:

Kyle Green | Senior Marketing Manager

kyle.green@hypercharge.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "could", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company's growth, commercial developments, delivery timeliness and revenue recognition. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the NEO Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the NEO 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/171819
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CapitalBear , an international brokerage firm, has announced the successful rollout of Options onboarding to its Android users. This new development aims to provide easier access to financial markets for traders of all levels, directly from their Android devices.

How CapitalBear Makes Trading Easy for Beginners

The latest development enables users, regardless of their trading experience, to engage in trading activities directly from their mobile devices.

This integration empowers novice traders to kickstart their trading journey with confidence, benefiting from the user-friendly interface and intuitive functionalities offered by the platform.

Faster Profitability with CapitalBear's 5-Second Options

One notable advantage of the platform is the introduction of 5-second options, providing users with the opportunity to achieve faster profitability.

With expirations as fast as 5 seconds and a profitability rate of 95%, this feature appeals to traders seeking dynamic trading opportunities and swift responses to market fluctuations.

CapitalBear's Recognitions and Awards

The CapitalBear platform has been recognized with several prestigious awards in 2022:

Best Binary Options Provider Global 2022 - International Business Magazine

Best Binary Options Platform Global 2022 - Global Business Review Magazine

Best Trading App 2022 - FX Daily Info

CapitalBear continues to prioritize user experience and accessibility, as evidenced by the recent introduction of options for Android users. This development, along with a diverse range of options and a low minimum deposit of $10 solidifies CapitalBear's position among the leading international brokers in the industry.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144709/CapitalBear.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/capitalbear-expands-android-adaptability-for-options-trading-301867407.html
ANDALUSIA, AL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Step One Automotive Group is thrilled to announce the successful Grand Opening of the Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Andalusia dealership, held on Thursday, June 22. The event was a resounding triumph, thanks to the overwhelming support and participation of the Andalusia community.









The festivities began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m., officiated by the esteemed members of the Andalusia Chamber of Commerce. Joining in the celebration were approximately 250 esteemed guests, including community members and Step One Automotive Group employees.

Highlighting the significance of giving back, a special check presentation took place during the celebration. Step One Automotive Group presented a contribution to the Full Tummy Project, in support of their ongoing efforts to provide essential services to the children of Covington County.

The Grand Opening ceremony provided an opportunity for attendees to explore the newly renovated Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Andalusia dealership. The occasion marked just the beginning of the remarkable community moments that are set to unfold at Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Andalusia.

"We extend our sincerest gratitude to everyone who joined us for this momentous occasion," said Maureen Bierman, Director of Marketing at Step One Automotive Group. "The overwhelming response and warm reception from the community have affirmed our commitment to delivering exceptional automotive experiences and fostering meaningful connections with our customers."

For more information about Step One Automotive Group and upcoming events, please visit www.steponeautomotive.com.

About Step One Automotive Group

Step One Automotive Group is an American company based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, built on a singular dedication to empowering lives through smarter and easier ways of accessing mobility. Step One Automotive Group owns 20 new car dealerships in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, representing 17 brands, including Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram Fiat, Volkswagen, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Genesis, Ford, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati. Step One Automotive Group also owns two standalone pre-owned operations, three wholesale parts operations, and one rental car operation. Out of 18,000 dealerships in the United States, Step One ranks in the top 90 dealer groups in the United States and the top 10 in Florida. Step One employs 787 team members across three states and six cities.

Contact Information

Shantelle Dedicke

President, Frances Roy Agency

shantelle@francesroy.com

307-631-7644

SOURCE: Step One Automotive Group

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764703/Step-One-Automotive-Group-Celebrates-Successful-Grand-Opening-of-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Andalusia
NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / This May, Entergy launched a series of measures to help its low-income and senior customers "Beat the Heat" and save on their utility bills during the hot summer months. This marks the 22nd year of the program, in which Entergy has partnered with local organizations across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to support thousands of vulnerable customers through bill payment assistance and community programs.

"We recognize the economic challenges our customers and communities are currently facing," said Patty Riddlebarger, Entergy's vice president of corporate social responsibility. "We are so proud of our employees who, year after year, continue to rise up to the occasion and exemplify our company mission to help out our most vulnerable customers in need."

So far, the initiatives and resources provided by Entergy totaled more than $4.1 million to help customers stay cool this summer, including:

More than $3 million was donated by Entergy shareholders, employees and customers to The Power to Care program, which provides bill assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities.

Donated $1 million to provide energy efficiency kits for customers.

More than $75,000 in grants were awarded to help provide resources for vulnerable customers, including fans and weatherization events.

Over 2,500 electric fans were distributed to help customers beat high temperatures and save on electricity bills throughout the summer.

More than 800 energy efficiency kits were distributed in parts of Entergy's service area that included money-saving LED bulbs, advanced power strips, bathroom faucet aerators and V-seal weatherstripping.

Neighborhood sweeps were conducted in select, underserved areas and over 50 low-income homes were weatherproofed.

Entergy's "Beat the Heat" initiatives are ongoing and will continue to help customers throughout the summer. To learn more, visit entergy.com/answers.

About Entergy

Entergy (NYSE:ETR) is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We're investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media. WePowerLife



View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Entergy Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Entergy Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764687/Entergy-Donates-41-Million-To-Help-Vulnerable-Customers-Beat-the-Heat-This-Summer
Verified Partner status provides Adcore's clients with enhanced services to help drive customer revenues in 14 geographic regions

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Adcore Inc. (the "Company" or "Adcore") (TSX:ADCO)(OTCQX:ADCOF)(FSE:ADQ), a leading e-commerce advertising management and automation platform to leverage digital marketing in an effortless and accessible way ("Effortless Marketing"), is pleased to announce that Adcore has been selected as a Verified Partner with Amazon, opening up multiple opportunities for its clientele to benefit from enhanced digital marketing programs. Amazon's Verified Partner status expands Adcore's service offering, providing its customers with a suite of benefits designed to maximize return on advertising investments while also granting access to exclusive events, sponsored programs, and co-marketing support.

Verified Partner status grants Adcore's clients access to a suite of offerings. These services will increase product visibility while simultaneously driving traffic to individual product listings with customized ads in prominent positions within search results. Other offerings include target advertising, and Amazon DSP (Demand-Side Platform), providing advertisers with the ability to programmatically buy display and video ad placements utilizing Amazon's first-party data as well as third-party data sources to reach relevant audiences. Analytical tools are also available under the Verified Partner Status label and may include solutions such as tailored display campaigns, video ads, or unique ad formats.

A Verified Partner Status checks off many boxes that advertisers look for when deciding on who to work with to promote their business. Verified Partner status carries a lot of weight in the advertising world and this partnership will assist the Company in attracting new advertisers to the Adcore family based on its status alone, not to mention the many benefits that come with this arrangement for existing clients.

Omri Brill, Adcore's CEO stated: "We are thrilled that Adcore has been recognized as a Verified Partner with Amazon, an incredible accomplishment that would not be possible without the hard work and dedication from our amazing staff. This recognition will benefit our clients as we are now able to offer a plethora of additional services across 14 prominent countries, thereby increasing revenue generation potential. Amazon is the world's premier e-commerce marketing platform. Our association with one of the most recognizable establishments in the world instantly adds credibility to our product and service offerings and will vastly improve our customers' return on investment. Adcore has always strived to empower entrepreneurs, advertisers, and the future of e-commerce through its advertising management and automation platform and this partnership brings us one step closer to realizing our long-term goals."

ABOUT ADCORE

Adcore is empowering entrepreneurs, advertisers, and the future of e-commerce through its advertising management and automation platform. By combining extensive industry knowledge and experience with its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology, Adcore offers a unique digital marketing solution that empowers entrepreneurs and advertisers by managing and automating their e-commerce store advertising and monitoring and analyzing the performance of their advertising budget to ensure maximum Return on Investment. In addition to being named numerous times on Deloitte's Fast 50 Technology list, Adcore is a certified Google Premier Partner, Elite Tier Microsoft Partner, Facebook Partner and TikTok Partner.

Established in 2006, the Company employs over fifty people in its headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel and satellite offices in Toronto, Canada, Melbourne, Australia, Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.

For more information about Adcore, please visit?https://www.adcore.com/investors/ , https://www.adcore.com/blog or follow us on LinkedIn.

ABOUT AMPHY

Founded in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic, Amphy is the world's most diverse 24/7 live online learning marketplace. With Amphy, learners can choose from thousands of classes across hundreds of categories to grow their passions and skills, expand their children's learning opportunities, and much more. Instructors on the Amphy platform join a vibrant virtual teacher community that promotes and supports their success through enrichment seminars, marketing and advertising, and a suite of tools that allow them to run their classes hassle-free and focus on their students. Amphy students gain access to high-quality, personalized classes accessible from 24/7, as well as join a growing community of lifelong learners.

For more on Amphy please visit -?https://www.amphy.com/ and https://blog.amphy.com/ or follow us on LinkedIn,?Facebook,?Instagram and?YouTube.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Company. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

For further information please contact:

ADCORE INC.

https://www.adcore.com/investors/

Martijn van den Bemd

Chief Partnerships Officer

Telephone: 647-497-5337

Email: martijn@adcore.com

Investor Relations

Glen Akselrod

Bristol Capital

Telephone: 905-326-1888 ext 1

Email: info@bristolir.com

Investor Relations Europe

Dr. Eva Reuter

Dr. Reuter Investor Relations

Telephone: +49 (0) 69 1532 5857

Email: e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu

SOURCE: Adcore Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764743/Adcore-Recognized-Under-Amazons-Verified-Partner-Status
STUTTGART, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Lenovo

Lenovo is installing a powerful high-performance computer (HPC) at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), a world-leading research institution in its field. This is expected to be operational by the end of August as HPC partner pro-com ensures seamless integration. The new system is intended to support researchers in their work to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of climate change, in order to subsequently develop strategies for the sustainable existence of mankind and nature. Particular focus will be placed on increasing efficiency and performance over the previous system. HPC systems with Lenovo's Neptune Liquid Cooling technology will be used for this purpose.

Research and sustainability efforts

The new supercomputer offers higher performance, enabling PIK researchers to perform faster and more comprehensive calculations.

An important project of the research institute is the economic shock model Acclimate. This is used to analyze disruptions in over 1.8 million supply relationships affecting more than 7000 economic sectors worldwide. To do this, global supply lines must be recalculated daily to understand the impact of extreme weather events on these relationships. The new HPC system ensures that uncertainties can be estimated more precisely, and predictions improved.

Another area of application for the supercomputer is risk forecasting. For a statistically robust risk assessment, as many extreme events as possible must be considered. The high-performance computer is used to simulate flood events, for example, for possibly affected regions via a combination of climate and hydrological models. With the capacities now available, significantly more experiments can be conducted and thus risks can be predicted more accurately.

In addition, PIK will be able to use the full range of machine learning (ML) methods to solve fundamental problems in climate research. This will allow PIK to continue to be a world leader in contributing to core topics such as climate networks, hybrid or ML-based Earth system modeling, bias correction and downscaling, and predictions of extreme events and abrupt transitions such as monsoon onsets and their associated socio-economic impacts.

Technology and integration

In order to meet the technical requirements and to continue to support the researchers at PIK in the best possible way, the new HPC system at PIK will use the latest version of Lenovo's ThinkSystem SD665 V3 servers with integrated AMD EPYC 9004 processor. The combination of 128 cores with a high base clock of 3.1 GHz as well as a bandwidth of 24 memory channels with built-in DDR5 memory were decisive for the decision for this server. The overall system thus has a total number of over 30,000 cores, 240 nodes and 185 TB of RAM. The GPU used will be NVIDIA's Hopper H100 in SXM form factor, which is specifically designed for HPC and AI applications. In addition, for the AI requirements of the researchers at PIK, the GPU partitions are important as part of the overall solution.

One of the challenges of the project lies in the gradual replacement of the existing system without affecting user operations. For this purpose, the HPC partner pro-com has developed an integration strategy that both minimizes the impact on user operations and enables a rapid system integration including the complex data migration of the existing 5 petabytes of research data.

As part of the previous cooperation with Lenovo, PIK had already integrated the Neptune direct hot water cooling system in such a way that in winter the heating of the PIK building A56 on the Potsdamer Telegrafenberg was provided almost entirely by the HPC system. Now a new technology is used, which was designed individually for the PIK based on the Coolmanager from the German company Waning together with Lenovo and pro-com. This works with increased temperatures and heat extraction, which enables more flexible subsequent use and also offers the possibility of heating other buildings on the science campus in winter using waste heat. The Coolmanager has two redundant heat exchangers as well as full integration into the building control system. Despite the increased performance, the space consumption in the data center remains the same.

"The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research has been setting the standard in sustainability for many years, both through research and technology. Lenovo is pleased to continue to actively support PIK in its efforts," commented Scott Tease, Vice President, General Manager HPC and AI Global at Lenovo. "The increased demand for data analytics, as well as machine learning and AI applications, is a direct result of the relevance of the climate change issue. The new system with integrated Neptune hot water cooling provides the necessary performance while maintaining outstanding energy efficiency."

"We thank Lenovo for being one of the (world's) first customers to deploy 4th generation AMD EPYC processors on Lenovo ThinkSystem servers for productive operation. As an institution dedicated to researching the impact of climate change on natural and social systems with the goal of global sustainability, it was critical for us to be able to deploy the most energy efficient computer systems currently available on the market," said Karsten Kramer, Head of IT Services at PIK. "Working with Lenovo and HPC partner pro-com DATENSYSTEME GmbH to use Lenovo Neptune liquid cooling in combination with AMD EPYC processors offers us a massive increase in computing power over the previous system without exceeding the budget available to the institute for its sustainable power supply from renewable sources."

The inauguration ceremony for the new high-performance computer at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research is scheduled for early next year.



View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Lenovo on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Lenovo

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/lenovo

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Lenovo

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/764673/New-Lenovo-Supercomputer-for-Potsdam-Institute-for-Climate-Impact-Research
Bdeo, a Madrid, Spain-based technology company providing visual Intelligence for the insurance and fleet industries, raised additional 7.5M in funding.

The round saw participation from Armilar, Hollard, The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Iope Ventures and existing investors K Fund and Blackfin.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its international expansion and strengthen its position across Europe and Latin America.

Led by CEO Julio Pernia, Bdeo specialises in Visual Intelligence, a specific type of Artificial Intelligence that optimizes and automates processes for insurance and fleet management companies. The AI-powered Visual Intelligence solution, which integrates into insurer operations, remotely assesses damage to vehicles and homes to accelerate insurance claims and underwriting processes.

The company works with more than 50 insurers such as Reale, Mapfre and Generali in Spain, Ageas in Portugal, Fidelidade in Portugal, Zurich, Allianz and BBVA in the Latin American market, and Hollard in South Africa, and has offices in Mexico, Spain, France, the UK and Italy.

FinSMEs

29/06/2023
Gleamer, a Paris, France-based manufacturer of AI-powered solutions for medical imaging, raised 27M in Series B funding.

The round, which brought the total amount to $36M, was led by Supernova Invest, and Heal Capital, with participation from XAnge, Elaia, Bpifrance via the funds Digital Venture and F3A from France 2030, MACSF, Crista Galli Ventures, and UI Investissement, as well as European radiologists.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its portfolio of solutions, strengthen its European and American teams, and accelerate its international development plans.

Led by Christian Allouche, CEO, Gleamer leverages AI to provide medical imaging solutions that support radiologists and clinicians in their diagnoses. The company has developed a comprehensive suite of AI-powered solutions for standard radiography including BoneView for detecting bone trauma lesions, ChestView for detecting pulmonary pathologies, BoneMeasurement for automating MSK measurements, and BoneAge for automating bone age estimation. All four solutions hold MDR class IIa CE certification in Europe. BoneView has also received FDA clearance for use in adults and children over the age of two. Now serving over 6,500 users in 650 institutions, spanning 24 countries, they process more than a million medical examinations each month.

FinSMEs

29/06/2023
Credit: Marco Silam

Memphis.dev, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based intelligent message broker provider, raised $5.5m in seed funding.

The round was co-led by Angular Ventures and boldstart ventures, with participation from JFrog co-founder and CTO Fred Simon, Snyk co-founder Guy Podjarny, CircleCI CEO Jim Rose, Console.dev co-founder David Mytton, and Priceline CTO Martin Brodbeck.

Led by Yaniv Ben Hemo, co-founder and CEO, Memphis.dev is an intelligent message broker that accelerates development of real-time applications. The company is focused on product evolution with a roadmap including support for GitOps, automation enablement, and reconstructing select APIs so they can be modular and open, enabling the community to self-implement new ones as they are developed. Additional focus areas include multi-tenancy, partitions, and read-replicas. The companys Memphis Cloud, an intelligent open source platform that enables developers to get started with real-time data in a few minutes, builds on the Memphis open source project, to enable a full serverless experience for enterprises with added security and new features that provide stateless stream processing at scale. These include Augmentation of Kafka clusters, built-in schema management, enforcement, and transformation; multi-tenancy for traffic isolation; use-based billing and multi-cloud capabilities.

Memphis Cloud can run alongside Kafka, ensuring messages are delivered in order and without any loss, enabling data segregation and control, providing protocol flexibility and enhancing security.

FinSMEs

29/06/2023
Navigating the dense world of forex trading can be a daunting task. One platform frequently mentioned is Thinkorswim, offered by TD Ameritrade. But what makes this platform stand out?

Csaba Nagy from Pixabay

In this comprehensive review compiled by Traders Union, we will explore the ins and outs of Forex trading Thinkorswim. This information will prove instrumental in shaping informed trading decisions. Traders Union compiled the Thinkorswim review, and traders can approach the platform with a clear understanding of its offerings and shortcomings.

What is Thinkorswim?

According to Traders Union (TU) experts, Thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade is a high-risk broker with a TU Overall Score of 2.27 out of 10. Designed primarily for US residents with substantial capital (upwards of $10,000), this professional stock market broker offers many trading opportunities. However, customer reviews indicate dissatisfaction with the broker, leading to Thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade ranking 176 among 333 companies featured in the TU Ranking.

Advantages and disadvantages of Thinkorswim

Advantages and disadvantages of trading with Thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade, according to TU experts, include:

Advantages of Thinkorswim:

Wide Market Access: Thinkorswim is renowned for its extensive access to global stock exchange markets, including various indices. Beyond this, it enables traders to participate in the Over-the-Counter (OTC) market and perform legal Forex trading, providing a comprehensive market landscape.

Thinkorswim is renowned for its extensive access to global stock exchange markets, including various indices. Beyond this, it enables traders to participate in the Over-the-Counter (OTC) market and perform legal Forex trading, providing a comprehensive market landscape. Advanced Trading Platform: Boasting multi-tiered complex chart analyses, Thinkorswim is among the most sophisticated platforms for securities trading globally. It offers in-depth analysis tools to help traders make informed decisions, thus enhancing their trading strategies.

Boasting multi-tiered complex chart analyses, Thinkorswim is among the most sophisticated platforms for securities trading globally. It offers in-depth analysis tools to help traders make informed decisions, thus enhancing their trading strategies. Reliable Regulation: Licensed by two of the worlds leading regulators, Thinkorswim underscores its commitment to trust and credibility. This dual regulation reinforces confidence among traders, ensuring they operate within a secure and regulated trading environment.

Licensed by two of the worlds leading regulators, Thinkorswim underscores its commitment to trust and credibility. This dual regulation reinforces confidence among traders, ensuring they operate within a secure and regulated trading environment. Optimal Trading Conditions: Thinkorswims competitive edge lies in the optimal trading conditions it provides for individual assets. In addition to offering beneficial trading terms, it further ensures account segregation, providing its traders with an additional layer of security.

Disadvantages of Thinkorswim:

Geographical Limitations: The major drawback of Thinkorswim is its geographical exclusivity, catering solely to traders from the United States. This limitation hampers its global reach, restricting a broad demographic of international traders from accessing its platform.

The major drawback of Thinkorswim is its geographical exclusivity, catering solely to traders from the United States. This limitation hampers its global reach, restricting a broad demographic of international traders from accessing its platform. Complex Interface: While its advanced functionalities are advantageous for experienced traders, they pose challenges for novices. The platforms intricate interface can be daunting for beginners, making it less appealing to traders at the start of their trading journey.

While its advanced functionalities are advantageous for experienced traders, they pose challenges for novices. The platforms intricate interface can be daunting for beginners, making it less appealing to traders at the start of their trading journey. Limited Deposit/Withdrawal Options: Thinkorswim offers a limited range of options for depositing or withdrawing funds, creating obstacles in the process of financial transactions. This limitation can deter traders seeking flexibility and convenience in managing their trading finances.

Thinkorswim offers a limited range of options for depositing or withdrawing funds, creating obstacles in the process of financial transactions. This limitation can deter traders seeking flexibility and convenience in managing their trading finances. High Entry Threshold: The platform primarily targets traders with significant capital, establishing a high entry threshold. This model makes it less accessible for small-scale traders, potentially excluding a considerable market segment.

Evaluation of the most influential parameters of Thinkorswim

Thinkorswim has been assessed on various parameters by TU experts. The scores are as follows:

User Satisfaction: 2.92/10

Regulation and Safety: 2.99/10

Commissions and Fees: 2.63/10

Variety of Instruments: 2.41/10

Brand Popularity: 2.57/10

Customer Support Work: 2.93/10

Education: 3.15/10

Trading conditions for Thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade users

Thinkorswim offers several notable trading conditions. They include a minimum deposit of $0 ($2,000 for margin trading activation), leverage that varies based on the specific trade, and over 70 available currency pairs. Mobile trading is available, but the platform does not offer a PAMM accounts feature. There are also no contests or bonuses.

Ways to Contact Thinkorswim Support

According to the meticulous research by TU experts, there are several ways in which users can contact Thinkorswims support team. Each method caters to diverse client needs, emphasizing Thinkorswims dedication to providing comprehensive and accessible customer service.

Phone Support : Thinkorswim provides phone support for immediate assistance. The contact numbers are readily available on its website.

: Thinkorswim provides phone support for immediate assistance. The contact numbers are readily available on its website. Teletypewriter (TTY) Service : In an inclusive move, Thinkorswim has provisions for people with hearing impairments. The TTY service facilitates communication for individuals who are hard of hearing,

: In an inclusive move, Thinkorswim has provisions for people with hearing impairments. The TTY service facilitates communication for individuals who are hard of hearing, Physical Offices : For clients who prefer in-person interaction, Thinkorswim offers support through its offices located across the United States.

: For clients who prefer in-person interaction, Thinkorswim offers support through its offices located across the United States. Social Networks : With the increasing dominance of social media, Thinkorswim ensures they maintain an active presence on various platforms.

: With the increasing dominance of social media, Thinkorswim ensures they maintain an active presence on various platforms. Fax : In situations where documentation is involved, clients can use the traditional fax method.

: In situations where documentation is involved, clients can use the traditional fax method. Email Support : Clients can write to Thinkorswims email address for less urgent queries or issues requiring a detailed explanation.

: Clients can write to Thinkorswims email address for less urgent queries or issues requiring a detailed explanation. Feedback Form: On the Thinkorswim website, users can find a feedback form for reporting any issues, suggestions, or queries.

In addition, Rakuten Securities is a broker with high risk. TU experts have conducted and published the Rakuten Securities review. To read in detail about this broker, please visit the official website of the Traders Union.

Conclusion

Thinkorswim by TD Ameritrade offers a robust trading platform with various instruments and a commendable regulatory framework. However, it does have limitations, including high-risk trading, geographical restrictions, and a complex interface. We hope that this review by Traders Union offers you the clarity needed to make informed decisions. Please visit the Traders Unions official website for further detailed reviews.
Vesalius Biocapital, a Luxembourg-based specialist life sciences venture capital investor, announced the first close of its fourth fund, Vesalius Biocapital IV, securing over 95m of commitments.

The fund received support from blue chip investors including the European Investment Fund (EIF). Starting immediately Vesalius Biocapital IV is to invest in European life science companies in drug development and digital health. The goal is to build a portfolio of 10-15 companies, providing capital and the teams experience and expertise to support their development.

Now in its sixteenth year, Vesalius Biocapital has a track record of backing companies and has raised over 270m from an investor base for its three previous funds. It has completed over 30 investments with lead or co-lead positions and achieved numerous exits through trade sales and IPOs. These include: Forendo, acquired by Organon; Sword Health sold to a group of private equity investors; Apitope acquired by Chinese company Worg Pharma; and Ogeda acquired by Astellas Pharma.

Vesalius Biocapital IV is targeting 150M and will accept new investors on a rolling closing basis until the final closing in 2024.

Managing Partners include Guy Geldhof, Dr Jean-Christophe Renondin and Stephane Verdood. Partners include Dr Fabienne Roussel and Olivier Houben. The investment team is complemented by Dr David Cristina and Qasim Zawawi who joined as principals and Dr Hayley French and Dr Stephane Heymans who joined as venture partners.

FinSMEs

29/06/2023
There is hope of reconciliation as renowned royal reporter Richard Palmer explained that King Charles would be open to welcoming back Prince Harry and Meghan into the royal fold. He said, Im sure the King would welcome them back. He further noted that the King is keen to mend the family rift, although recent circumstances have prevented them from meeting during Prince Harrys past two visits to the UK.

King Charles eager to mend the rift with Harry and Meghan

But the question is how eager is he to mend the rift within his family, particularly between his son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped down as senior royals in March 2020. Royal expert Richard Palmer revealed to The Express that King Charles would be open to welcoming them back to the UK if they ever decided to return.

As reported in marca.com, the strain on the royal family since Harry and Meghans departure has been felt, especially by King Charles and Prince William. Hes quite keen to heal that family rift, but its obviously very raw and very noticeable. While hes keen to heal that rift, he hasnt met his son the last two times hes been over to the UK, explained the royal expert.

How the rift was built by Harry and Meghan with the Royal British family

Harrys controversial memoir Spare and Netflixs docuseries Harry & Meghan added fuel to the fire damaging the relation with the royal family. Many experts had to say that Prince Harry was the mastermind behind Harrys controversial book Spare. Who gave Prince Harry the confidence to write Spare? I am sure it is Meghan Markle. The proof of his claim comes from Prince Harrys acknowledgment to his beloved wife in Spare. It talks of Meghan Markle being Prince Harrys logical, physical, emotional and spiritual inspiration. Royal biographer Tom Bower suggested that the Duchess of Sussex is the driving force behind the controversial memoir, titled Spare.

Meghan Markle has been cited as Prince Harrys role model. Tom Bower added, His book is really Meghans. Meghan is the person who has dictated this agenda. Meghan Markle has been an agent of destruction, a royal biographer said following the leaking of Prince Harrys memoir Spare which will be officially released on January 10. The royal biographer, Tom Bower also said that Meghan Markle had constantly sought platforms to speak before meeting Prince Harry. She wanted to be Angelina Jolie; a celebrity and a famous influencer. But she was irrelevant. Being with Harry gave her that opportunity and she played him from the start. Harry was groomed by Meghan. Her wedding guests were all Hollywood, not family, which shows her agenda. She always wanted to go back to Hollywood, the biographer said. It is true that Meghan Markle has been an agent of destruction and she understood Harrys vulnerability.

Prince Harry also has mentioned in the acknowledgement section that the book would have been impossible logically, physically, emotionally, spiritually without his wife, Meghan. In the acknowledgement he had written referring to Meghan, Most things would be impossible without you.

Harry and Meghans divorce rumours

According to GB News, their marriage has been far from the fairytale story. They have in fact become a global laughingstock. The question GB News puts forward is whether fazzled Meghan plotting to go her way and leave Harry behind? The news channel say she is ABSOLUTELY separating from him. The channel also says that Harry needs somebody to support him, but Meghan is leading a separate life and she has got a very good agent who is pushing her.

No marriage is a smooth ride, and as for celebrities like Prince Hary and Meghan Markle, the journey is even tougher. Experts explain as to why all is not well in the Duke and Duchess relationship. But my question is who is going to be taking care of their children in the Harry and Meghan conflict?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be heading in different directions five years after their marriage, according to an article published on the fifth wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In fact, according to sources, Prince Harry has a separate room to get away from Meghan Markle. Here are a few people who mentioned that Harry and Meghan are heading for separation.

(With added inputs from agencies)

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India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
As stars rise to fame, they face a variety of challenges, from overkilling performance pressures to hectic commitments that keep actors on their toes at all times. There is no doubt that fame and popularity bring scrutiny. But with stressful schedules and piled up judgments, people forget that stars are humans too. In one such disregard, actress Alia Bhatt has been trolled for slouching on the chair and constantly fidgeting with her hair and rings on the fingers. This was in an interview with People Magazine for promotions of her latest action-thriller, Heart of Stone.

The incident gained resonance after the magazine posted a clip on Instagram. In the video, Alia Bhatt sits alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan, Netflixs Heart of Stone co-stars. The conversation revolved around how the trio balance work and family life as actors.

The actors have been in a groove following several interviews for their upcoming films promotion.

Check out the post below:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by People Magazine (@people)

The incident has again spiked up discussions around how stars are expected to be exemplary always. This can be a bit overwhelming as they can have difficult days too.

The post garnered over 28,000 likes. It gained attention with over 11 lakh views.

Some of the users reactions have been shared below. Check out the comments:

One Instagram user wrote: Why is Alias facial expression so awkward? Alia is trying hard to fit in but failing, wrote another.

A third user wrote: Alia you are not on your couch babe. Is Alia about to sleep? wondered a fourth user.

Another thing that caught users attention was how Gal Gadot led the turn for answering the question while Jamir Dornan roped in, adding snippets to the conversation. While Alia Bhatt, on the other hand, watched as her co-stars talked.

However, things are entirely different closer to home, as Alia Bhatts father, filmmaker Mahesh said he is pleased with the performance, thanks to his daughter Alia. He said in an interview with ETimes: My heart soars with pride when I see her standing with international players like Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. To stand there without being dwarfed by Hollywood, the young of today dont feel lesser when it comes to international talent.

Heart of Stone will stream on Netflix on 11 August.

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India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, Gajraj Rao, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Shikha Talsania, Anooradha Patel, Siddharth Randeria, Rajpal Yadav

Director: Sameer Vidwans

Language: Hindi with Gujarati

From the palpable animosity towards women that pervaded Pyaar Ka Punchnama to a film that deploys a megaphone against sexual assault by men is quite a leap for Kartik Aaryan. But Satyaprem Ki Katha is far from being a feminist film. On the contrary, despite its goal  rare in Hindi cinema  of batting against date rape and marital rape, it does not have the intellectual capacity to grasp the values it claims to espouse or the sensitivity and commitment to effectively uphold them.

If director Luv Ranjans Pyaar Ka Punchnama radiated hatred for women, Sameer Vidwans Satyaprem Ki Katha is a blazing ball of sermons on womens agency even as it robs a woman of the agency to determine her own response to an assault. A film with a male saviour complex is nothing new. Whats unusual here is the laboured and transparent effort to mask it.

The beating heart of this film written by Karan Shrikaant Sharma is clear from the song Gujju Pataka lip synced by Aaryan, playing alongside the opening credits. Jo bhi mujhe karna hai karta hoon bol ke (roughly: I do whatever I want to, unapologetically), it goes. These words are divorced from the leading mans overall characterisation and bio but, well, inconsistency is the scripts most consistent quality. Irrespective of the disconnect with what Satyaprem Ki Katha stands for in its entirety, these are hardly the lyrics to include in a film where the overriding theme is womens consent in sexual relations.

This then is Satyaprem Ki Katha in a nutshell: seesawing between its dual goals of backing womens rights and lionising the male protagonist, including by assigning him lines like these harking back to every film that has ever bol ke peddled aggressive masculinity.

Clue no. 2 to the films questionable commitment to its premise is the wordplay in the title. Aaryan is Satyaprem, Kiara Advani is Katha. Satyaprem Ki Katha thus translates variously to A Story of True Love, Satyaprems Katha (note the possessive case) or The Story of (A Man Named) Satyaprem. All very accurate, because although Katha  the woman, not the common noun  is given plenty of space and a graph, ultimately, this is his story, not hers.

So Satyaprem is a disgruntled youth who failed his final LLB exams and now, along with his father Narayan (Gajraj Rao), takes care of their home. Satyaprems acid-tongued mother Diwali (Supriya Pathak) and sister Sejal (Shikha Talsania) do not lift a finger to do domestic chores. The house runs on the womens earnings. Many are the jokes drawn from this living arrangement in the pre-interval portion. This must be Feminism Minus 101: where a film is positioned as being forward thinking even though it comedifies men doing housework.

Satyaprem loves Katha, but she loves someone else. Circumstances bring them together, and thence the film and the man both switch to warrior and saviour mode.

Pretty much everything in Satyaprem Ki Katha is loud: the sets for most of the song and dance routines, the characters, the emotions, the messianic zeal. No stand is taken without underlining it with the boldest available pen. Oddly enough, just when the narrative seems to have lost its way completely, the writing conjures up chemistry between the lead couple and unexpected moments of tenderness. Just as that tenderness begins to settle in though, melodrama kicks in.

Satyaprem Ki Katha comes a year after Advani and Aaryan rocked the box-office with Bhool Bhulaiyya 2. If you have seen Guilty, you know that Advani has it in her to reach into the soul of a character. Rao, Pathak Kapur and she make something of their roles by digging deep in the films best written scenes. All three are so vastly superior to Aaryan in the acting department that they chew him up each time they share the screen with him while he dips into his stock of two whole expressions. It does not help that filmmakers who cast him are determined to pay tribute to his famous monologue from Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Seriously, its so unfunny.

Such cliches when combined with the leading mans shortcomings and the contradictions in the films politics, make it really hard to forgive it on the grounds that it means well as some might argue. Besides, a closer look suggests that Satyaprem Ki Kathas mess-ups are not quite as innocent as they appear.

Early in this katha, an elderly man persuades his son to visit a young lady, taking advantage of the fact that she is alone at home, to tell her he loves her. Fair enough. The son, supposedly a nice guy, takes Daddys advice to mean: climb the boundary wall of the compound, break into the house. Yes, all this in a film about the meaning of consent. A counter to criticism of this episode has been pre-emptively written into it: it turns out that the woman needs medical attention, and so, the mans unacceptable conduct ends up saving her life.

In Satyaprem Ki Kathas most infuriating passage, a man disregards a survivors wishes and publicises her rape at a social gathering, his attitude being that she has nothing to be ashamed of. Of course she does not, but it is for her to decide who she wants to tell, when and where, you idiot. Again, a counter to criticism of this episode has been pre-emptively written into the script by portraying the woman as being empowered by his actions.

Innocent? I think not.

The films position on allyship is so dangerous that it feels almost frivolous to analyse other aspects, so Ill wrap up this part of the review in quick bullet points. First, the much-discussed remix of Pasoori Nu in Satyaprem Ki Kathas soundtrack is not a patch on the original from Coke Studio Pakistan sung by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill. Second, that said, the scene featuring the song and the entire honeymoon sequence are shot beautifully by Ayananka Bose and his team. Third, at least one product placement in the film is so glaring as to be laughable. Fourth, the film is situated in Gujarat, but barring the Hindi-Gujarati dialogues, the setting is not explored for anything more than surface markers of Gujaratiness. Fifth, Satyaprems interaction with the milkman (Rajpal Yadav) reeks of a casteist, classist mindset that is treated as humour instead. Fifth, the Hindi film industrys conviction that smoking is an important marker of a womans progressiveness is taken a step further in Satyaprem Ki Katha, which pointedly positions a shared cigarette as an indicator of a mans feminism, with no context or depth. Retire this shallow notion, please.

The small and big slip-ups in this katha and even Advanis best moments are put in the shade though by the writers apparent belief that it is okay for a man to badger a woman with support if he believes he is a true ally. At one point, Satyaprem tells Katha: Hero heroine ko nahin bachaayega toh hero kaise banega (If the hero does not save the heroine then how will he become a hero)? Much later, he acknowledges that he has imposed on her his view of whats best for her. And then the film goes right back to doing precisely that. Seriously boys, make up your minds.

Rating: 1.5 (out of 5 stars)

Satyaprem Ki Katha is in theatres

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial

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Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was injured in a shooting on Wednesday.

The Dalit leader, who is also chief of Aazad Samaj Party, was leaving a supporters home in Deoband when two unidentified assailants opened fire on his car.

But who is Aazad? What do we know about the incident?

Lets take a closer look:

Early years

According to The Times of India, Aazad was born in 1986.

Aazad, a follower of BR Ambedkar, comes from Uttar Pradeshs Ghadkhauli village.

Azads father, Govardhan Das, was a principal of a government school.

Aazad told The Quint that his father was discriminated against for years.

My father was a headmaster, but he was frequently humiliated in meetings. In the staff room, his glass of water was kept separate from the other teachers. He told me of hundreds of such instances that he didnt share earlier because he didnt want us to think that we were less than anyone.

As per The Times of India, Azad in 2014 founded Bhim Army alongside Satish Kumar and Vinay Ratan Singh.

The group seeks to empower and emancipate Dalits through education and runs free schools in Uttar Pradesh.

The Dalits of Chhutmalpur are educated and united, Satish told The Quint, So when Chandrashekhar said he wanted to set up an organisation, we decided to help him.

According to The Quint, the Bhim Army first brushed up against the authorities in August 2015 when some Dalit students of a Rajput-run college alleged discrimination.

Thakur boys would force us to sweep the classrooms, Ankit Kumar told the outlet, After games period, the Thakurs would always drink water first, and the Dalits would drink last.

The Bhim Army turned up and sorted out the matter.

If they hit two of our boys, we hit four of theirs and the matter was resolved, Satish Kumar told the outlet.

Rise to fame

According to Indian Express, Aazad first gained fame in 2016 when some Dalit villagers erected a board at the entrance of Ghadkauli village.

The board stated: Da Great Chamar, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Village, Ghadkauli, Welcomes You.

The board was blackened after Thakurs objected to the words Da Great.

The Bhim Army intervened and the board was put up again after days of uproar including stone-pelting on police and lathicharge against Dalits.

In May 2017, Aazad yet again was in the spotlight after Dalit-Rajput clashes in Saharanpur left one man dead and 25 homes burned after a procession to commemorate Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap.

The police named Aazad as an accused in two dozen FIRs for allegedly stoking the protests.

The Bhim Army in May 2017 also carried out a massive protest rally in Delhi  which firmed up his popularity as a Dalit leader.

This fellow has some substance. He is physically strong and speaks well. Have you seen his moustache and the way he keeps twirling it More importantly, he is not afraid of anyone. Did you see how, despite being denied permission, he organised such a big rally in Delhi? This is the kind of leader we need, two youths from a village in Saharanpur told the newspaper in 2018.

According to The Times of India, Aazad was then arrested in June 2017.

The Uttar Pradesh government then slapped provisions of the National Security Act against Aazad.

The Bhim Army chief was held for more than a year before eventually being release in September 2018.

In 2019, Aazad claimed he would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to Indian Express, while Aazad earlier called himself Ravan he dropped this moniker in 2019.

He explained that he did not wish the Opposition to tell voters to choose between Ram and Ravan.

As per The Times of India, Aazad eventually decided not run for the polls in 2019.

Instead, he announced that the Bhim Army would support the SP-BSP alliance and called for the Dalit vote to stay intact to defeat the BJP.

As per The Print, Aazad in 2019 was arrested from Jama Masjid during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Aazadd was charged with under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

Sent to judicial custody after his arrest, Aazad received bail in January 2020.

In 2020, Aazad founded the Aazad Samaj Party.

What do we know about the incident?

According to India Today, the police have detained four people in connection with the shooting.

The police have also recovered the car used in the attack.

Aazad was in a Toyota Fortuner with four others including his brother when the attack occured.

Hindustan Times reported that Aazad told the police his people had identified the assailants.

Their car went towards Saharanpur. We took a U-Turn. Five of us, including my younger brother, were in the car when the incident occurred.

As per The Wire, Aazads Facebook account, sharing photographs of the Bhim Army chief, demanded that the police take strict action against the perpetrators.

The account also demanded the police provide Aazad security.

The murderous attack on Bhim Army Chief and National President Bhai Chandrashekhar Azad in Deoband, Saharanpur is a cowardly act to stop the Bahujan Mission Movement! Immediate arrest of the accused, strict action and National President Bhai Chandrashekhar Azad ji demands security! the Facebook post stated.

Police said Aazad had gone to attend a terhavin ritual at a supporters home Saharanpur districts Deoband.

The assailants fired multiple shots at his SUV when he was leaving.

The assailants were in a car and opened fire on Azads SUV from the right side. A bullet grazed his abdomen. He has been admitted to a hospital and his condition is stable, Superintendent of Police (City) Abimanyu Manglik said.
A wave of anger spread across Islamic nations around the world after an Iraqi in Sweden burned the Quran outside a mosque.

Leaders of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other nations, expressing their displeasure, said such activities had the potential to spark and inflame Muslim sentiments around the world.

Under a heavy police presence, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday stomped on the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholms largest mosque.

Also Read: Sweden sees another Quran-burning protest: Will this hurt its NATO bid?

Police in the Swedish capital had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections, but said later they had opened an investigation into the man over agitation.

The incident occurred as Muslims around the world began marking the Eid al-Adha holiday and as the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia was drawing to a close.

Iraq condemned the Swedish authorities decision to grant an extremist permission to burn the Quran.

These events inflame the feelings of Muslims around the world and represent a dangerous provocation for them, the foreign ministry in Baghdad said.

Iraqs influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr called for a demonstration outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad to demand the removal of the ambassador, charging that his state is hostile to Islam.

Iran joined in the condemnation, calling the Quran burning provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable.

The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it, said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani.

The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities, he added.

Saudi Arabia, which hosted around 1.8 million Muslim pilgrims for the hajj that ended on Wednesday, also denounced the Quran burning.

These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification, the Saudi foreign ministry said.

Freedoms as a ploy

Egypt, the Arab worlds most populous country, called the Quran burning a disgraceful act provoking the feelings of Muslims as they mark Eid.

The Cairo-based Arab League branded the Quran burning an assault on the core of our Islamic faith.

Kuwait called for perpetrators of such hostile acts to be brought to justice and prevented from using the principle of freedoms as a ploy to justify hostility against Islam or any holy faith.

The Quran burning was also condemned by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and by Morocco, which recalled its ambassador to Stockholm.

This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid al-Adha, the kingdom said.

Faced with these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government, Morocco summoned Swedens charge daffaires in Rabat and recalled its ambassador, it added.

Syrias government condemned the disgraceful act on one of the holiest days for Muslims by an extremist with the permission and consent of the Swedish government.

Lebanons powerful Iran-backed movement Hezbollah charged the Swedish authorities were complicit in the crime.

Hezbollah called on Sweden to put an end to such acts rather than hiding behind freedom of speech.

It urged religious authorities and Muslim and Arab nations to take all the necessary steps to compel Sweden and other countries to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and stop the spread of a culture of hate.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it said was a flagrant attack on human rights, values of tolerance, acceptance of others, democracy and peaceful coexistence among followers of all religions.

Further afield, Afghanistans Taliban government, which enforces a strict interpretation of the Quran and Islamic law, also reacted angrily, labelling the Quran burning an act of utter contempt towards this noble religion.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan called the Quran desecration despicable.

It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression, Fidan wrote on Twitter.

Turning a blind eye to such atrocious acts is to be complicit.

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.

The US state department condemned the burning of the Quran while also pressing Turkey to support Swedens NATO bid.

Jordan condemned the act, calling it racist and an incitement, while the Yemeni government rejected the incident as one deliberately provoking the feelings of Muslims around the world on holy Islamic occasions by a hateful extremist movement.

With inputs from AFP

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The brief rebellion led against the Kremlin by the head of the Wagner mercenary forces in Russia last week sent shock waves across the world.

This was no less true in Africa, where some countries have, over the last decade, turned to the Wagner group for security support.

Many states in Africa are contending with multidimensional insecurity. This includes violent extremism, terrorism, insurgency, banditry, communal clashes, sea piracy, separatist violence, kidnapping and oil theft. Non-state actors have entered the scene as security providers.

As a coordinator of observations of organised crime in central Africa at the Institute for Security Studies based in Dakar, Senegal, I believe the recent events in Russia could have three implications for African countries that depend on non-state armed groups for security. These are: rebellion, increased human rights abuses and insubordination to state military authorities.

African countries engaged with Wagner, and with Russia, should take heed. The aborted Wagner rebellion offers distinct lessons for African countries that have invited mercenary troops onto their soil.

Private armies might sometimes prove effective in the battlefield. And militias might be useful in intelligence gathering. But the inability of state authorities to bring them under control casts serious doubt on their overall usefulness.

African states should rather take full responsibility for their security sector reform. This must include repositioning their military and law enforcement agencies to respond effectively to internal and external security challenges.

Non-state actors

African countries have come to depend on non-state actors like Wagner for security in three ways:

co-option of militia groups by the state

the voluntary incursion of vigilante groups into the security space as service providers

state partnership with private military mercenaries.

As security nosedives, some governments have co-opted militia groups to strengthen the state security architecture.

There are a number of examples.

In 2015 the Nigerian government awarded a multi-million naira contract to Oodua Peoples Congress, an ethnic militia, to secure oil pipelines.

Seven years later the Nigerian Senate lent legislative support to the N48 billion pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Global West Vessel Specialist Limited. This is a private maritime security firm founded and owned by Government Ekpemupolo. He was the former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, popularly known as Tompolo.

These contracts were akin to handing over national assets to armed gangs for protection. They were an affront to the Nigerian constitution, which empowers the law enforcement and security agencies as ultimate providers of security.

Voluntary policing to fill the vacuum left by the state is another example. A recent study showed that where people feel insecure and unprotected, they find innovative ways of responding to crime. Some rely on private security and others, especially the poor, rely on community vigilantism. Kenya is an example.

My recent study showed that vigilantes performed strategic duties in Nigerias north-west. They repelled attacks from bandits, rescued kidnap victims and arrested criminals. They also sometimes participated in joint security operations with the police and army.

Borno state has used the Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters to complement military efforts in counter-terrorism operations. They are on governments monthly payroll.

Wagners involvement fits into the third category: state partnership with private military mercenaries.

Wagner has been operating in over a dozen countries in Africa.

In Mali, the state opted to partner with it for security provision. This was prompted by heightened insecurity, diplomatic rows with the peace-keeping mission and the ejection of foreign counter-insurgency forces.

In the Central African Republic (CAR), the mercenaries reportedly started operating in 2018. This was after the government and Moscow agreed to exchange Russian military support and weapons for mining concessions.

In late 2020, CARs security situation deteriorated ahead of general elections. Wagners role switched from support and training to combat.

In 2019 Wagner fighters were deployed to Mozambique to help contain Islamist militants operating in the northern Cabo Delgado province.

Implications

The Wagner rebellion in Russia has three possible implications for African countries.

Rebellion: States in which the Wagner group is operating could witness armed rebellion. In some, the military and police have already ceded critical security operations to the group. For instance, in the CAR, Wagner mercenaries permeate all levels of the country.

Increased human rights abuses: Theres the potential for an increase in human rights abuses and impunity. In countries with Wagner footprints, relevant agencies are increasingly impeded from monitoring and reporting on abuses in areas of Wagners operations.

A human rights investigative mission conducted by the UN in Mali has provided strong evidence that more than 500 villagers were killed by Malian troops and Wagner mercenary fighters.

In the CAR the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project has recorded 180 civilian targeting events involving Wagner mercenaries since December 2020.

Insubordination to military authorities: The Wagner rebellion unfolded in Russia partly to resist an attempt by the Russian defence ministry to bring the group under state control.

This bodes ill for most African states in which Wagner operates.

In most, the countrys army is subordinate to the mercenary group. The rebellion by Wagner against the Kremlin shows the group can support discordant elements in weaker African states to subvert democracy.

In addition, non-state armed groups could draw their cue from the Wagner group and become unaccountable to the military.

Whats next?

African countries that have invited the mercenary troops in should review their security architecture. This must begin with a decoupling of their security policies and operations from mercenaries and non-state security service providers.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhis visit to Manipur has grabbed a lot of attention, especially after his convoy was stopped soon after he arrived in the violence-hit state on Thursday.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed Gandhis visit to the northeastern state of Manipur. The situation in Manipur is due to the legacy issue, in which Congress has played an important role. I dont want to cite those issues because of the sensitivity attached to them, he said.

He added, All Manipur Students Union during a press conference yesterday demanded to boycott Rahul Gandhis visit and enumerated those legacy issues. Many civil society organisations had also given a call that Rahul Gandhi should not come to Manipur and incite sparks.

Rahul Gandhis behaviour is highly irresponsible. Ive always said, Rahul Gandhi and responsibility never travel together, he continued.

Earlier today, a Manipur police official said that Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to move forward as there is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which he was travelling.

Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, weve not allowed him, said Bishnupur SP Heisnam Balram Singh.

Gandhis convoy which was travelling to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area was stopped by the police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from the state capital. He had earlier in the day landed at Imphal from Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state was trying to thwart the leaders visit to the ethnic strife-torn state using autocratic methods.
Amid a huge protest at a residential society in Mumbai after a Muslim resident brought two goats allegedly for sacrificing on Bakrid, the Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure no illegal slaughtering of animals is carried out during the Bakrid festival at a colony in south Mumbai.

Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha is being celebrated on Thursday.

In a special urgent hearing held on Wednesday after the regular court hours, a division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain said slaughtering can be permitted at the Nathani Heights society only if licence is granted by the civic body.

In the event, the Municipal Corporation has not issued a licence to undertake slaughtering of animals at the said place, the officers of the Municipal Corporation with the aid of the police personnel shall take appropriate action in accordance with law to prevent slaughtering of animals proposed for tomorrow (June 29), the court said.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Haresh Jain, a resident of the society, seeking complete ban on slaughtering of animals there.

Advocate Joel Carlos, appearing for the BMC, said a complete ban cannot be issued.

Carlos said the civic bodys officers would inspect the society premises and if there is any violation, then appropriate action would be taken.

The bench in its order said in the event an action is required to be taken, then the police station concerned shall provide appropriate police assistance to the municipal corporation officers.

Protest at Mumbai society after Muslim resident brings goats

A protest erupted at a residential society in Mumbai after a Muslim resident brought two goats allegedly for sacrificing on the occasion of Eid-Al-Adha.

According to reports, Hindu residents allegedly circulated a CCTV video clip of one Mohsin Sheikh bringing in two goats inside his flat.

Tension in Mumbais JP infra society over Qurbani of 2 goats. A man carried two goats with him into the society for qurbani. Other communities show their anger on this. #Mumbai #Qurbani2023 #GOAT pic.twitter.com/NNMqvQuDVs  anuj kumar singh (@sanuj42) June 28, 2023

This prompted a large number of Hindu residents to gather on the society premises in protest, allegedly chanting Jai Shree Ram. They also, allegedly, recited the Hanuman Chalisa.

The Mira Road police intervened to settle the dispute and assured the society members that sacrifice would not take place on the society premises, as per rules.

With inputs from agencies

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National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the central government should think about any possible storm that would come if they implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

They (Central govt) should think that the country is diverse, people of all religions live here, and Muslims have their own Shariat law. They should think about any possible storm that would come if they do that (implement UCC), Abdullah told reporters at Hazratbal after offering Eid-ul Azha prayers.

Abdullah also welcomed the pilgrims visiting Jammu and Kashmir for the annual Amarnath yatra.

I welcome the yatra. I pray to Allah that it is successful and the yatris return with blessings, he said.

During an event in Bhopal recently, PM Modi had made a strong pitch for UCC, saying that the Constitution mentions of having equal rights for all citizens.

PM Modi said the BJP has decided it would not adopt the path of appeasement and vote bank politics and alleged that the Opposition is using the issue of UCC to mislead and provoke the Muslim community.

Pasmanda Muslims, who are backward, are not even treated as equal because of the vote bank politics, the Prime Minister said.

Pasmanda, a term for backward classes among Muslims, often finds a mention in Prime Minister Modis speeches, at party forum as well as government events, and how the government has worked for the deprived without any discrimination.

During his interaction with the party workers, PM asked if a family cannot run on two different rules, then how a country can run on dual rules.

PM Modi said Muslims are being instigated over the issue of the UCC and those who oppose it are doing vote bank politics.

While the Congress and the Opposition criticised PM Modis pitch for the Uniform Civil Code as a diversionary tactic and an instrument of dog-whistle politics, the BJP hit out at the Opposition parties, saying it is there in the Constitution as a directive principle of state policy and there is a Supreme Court decision also in this regard.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar met with visiting Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Wednesday, and both leaders emphasised their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and people-to-people relationships.

Honble Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Mr. Enrique A. Manalo, called on the Honble Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today, according to a tweet by the Vice Presidents official Twitter handle on Wednesday.

Discussions focused on the shared values and complementarities that form the foundation of the two nations. Both leaders underlined their commitment towards imparting a renewed impetus to the India-Philippines bilateral relations, and further strengthening of people-to-people ties, it said.

Enrique Manalo landed in India on Wednesday for a four-day vacation.

On Wednesday, the Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs stated that India and the Philippines are collaborating to raise the voices of the developing world in global discourse and that Manila supports New Delhis efforts to improve not only the effectiveness but also the accountability of the United Nations.

To this day, we (India and the Philippines) are working together to amplify their voices and perspectives of the developing world in all important global discourses, he said while addressing a Lecture on Shared values and common outlook: The journey of Philippines-India Cooperation.

The lecture was hosted by the Indian Council of World Affairs(ICWA).

Stressing the need for a responsive global order, he said, The Philippines appreciates Indias advocacy for a reformed multilateral system that promotes inclusivity, transparency and accountability. Through collaboration and constructive engagement, we help shape a more equitable and responsive global order.

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The central government will be organising an International Conference on Green Hydrogen in Delhi from July 5-7.

The event aims at bringing together the global scientific and industrial community to discuss recent advances and emerging technologies in the entire green hydrogen value chain, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said in a statement.

The event will be the first such conference of this scale on green hydrogen in the country, BS Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said on June 28.

The conference will enable the sector stakeholders to explore the evolving green hydrogen landscape and innovation-driven solutions in the sector, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said.

The conference is being organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, in partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the office of principal scientific advisor to the government of India.

The fundamental aim of the Conference is to explore how we can establish a green hydrogen ecosystem and foster a systemic approach for meeting the global goals for decarbonization through green hydrogen, he said.

Bhalla further said that apart from domain-specific research interactions on hydrogen production, storage, distribution and downstream applications, the conference will also discuss green financing, human resource upskilling and startup initiatives in this area.

In line with the objectives embedded in Indias National Green Hydrogen Mission, a mission launched by the Government of India to help achieve Indias target of Net Zero by the year 2070, various plenary talks, expert panel discussions and technical deliberations will provide domestic and international participants from the industry and research communities an opportunity to dive deep into these national and global priorities.

Electrolyzer production capacity in the world is very limited, this capacity has to come up in India. And for this, it is important that we learn and adopt the appropriate technology for electrolyzer manufacturing as well as for various individual components of the manufacturing process. Through this process, we are creating a platform where experts can talk about various steps of the value chain so that we can learn from others; this would comprise not only production but also marketing and collaborations, he added.

Responding to a question, Bhalla said that about 48 projects on green hydrogen /green ammonia have been publicly announced in India. A lot of them are talking about green ammonia, which totals to the production of around 3.5 million metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen. There is a lot of traction from the industry, as far as green hydrogen opportunity is concerned, he said.

Bhalla said that the government is working on a definition for green hydrogen and expressed the hope that the conference helps to also evolve some global standards for green hydrogen.

He added that there is no standard definition for green hydrogen, with different countries and private organizations coming up with multiple definitions.

It is an evolving field, so every country is learning, so India is going to come up with a definition based on what we believe should be green hydrogen and eventually, we should be having a global standard on the definition of green hydrogen. This should have clear starting and ending points so that we can effectively evaluate our energy transition and adoption of green hydrogen, he added.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched by the centre on 4th January 2023, as part of its decarbonization strategy.

The Mission places significant emphasis on R&D in green hydrogen and aims to make India a global hub of green hydrogen production, utilization, and export.

The Mission will kickstart major interventions in policies and technology to develop a robust Green Hydrogen ecosystem in the country. It seeks to do this by creating demand, strengthening the supply side, and focusing on policy and regulatory frameworks, innovation and affordability.

The Mission will encourage private investment in the sector and enable rapid scale-up, technology development, establish standards & regulatory framework and enable rapid cost reduction. R&D in green hydrogen not only fosters sustainable energy solutions but also opens opportunities for job creation and economic growth in Indias clean energy sector.

By prioritizing R&D, India is poised to become a global leader in green hydrogen technology, paving the way for a cleaner and greener future.

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Indonesian radioecologist concerned about Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into sea

Xinhua) 14:39, June 29, 2023

JAKARTA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese government's plan to discharge Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea may have a negative impact on the ecology of the Pacific Ocean, an Indonesian nuclear expert said.

Murdahayu Makmur, a marine radioecologist with Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency raised her concern about Japan's discharge plan in an interview with Xinhua recently.

The nuclear contaminated water contains the radioactive substance tritium, and with the discharge of a large amount of nuclear contaminated water, there is concern whether the content of tritium in seawater will increase significantly and whether it will have an ecological impact, she said.

In addition, the nuclear contaminated water may contain other radioactive substances besides tritium, the expert added.

Nuclear contaminated water discharged into the sea will be driven by ocean currents and continue to spread. Marine life which move with the currents and the migration of marine fish will also drive the spread of radioactive materials, she said.

The radioecologist noted that if the tritium content in seawater and marine life continues to increase, the entire Pacific coast, including Indonesia, will be affected.

Indonesia is very concerned about the environment and seafood safety in the surrounding waters, and will closely monitor the level of radioactive substances in the surrounding waters, she added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A hospital in Delhi has been fined Rs 1.5 crore for allegedly injecting a woman with an unknown mans sperm instead of her husbands during the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) process.

According to reports, the incident occurred in 2008-2009 when a woman conceived through the IVF process at a west Delhi hospital.

She remained unaware of the goof-up until she delivered twins and got a DNA profile test done. The report revealed that the blood group of one of the twins was AB+, while the blood group of the parent was B positive and O negative.

The report clearly indicated towards negligence while injecting sperm in IVF treatment.

After this, the womans husband filed a complaint at the consumer forum demanding compensation of Rs 2 crore from the hospital, citing mental and genetic problems caused to his family.

The matter remained sub-judice at a special court of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) for nearly 15 years until Thursday when the judge directed Bhatia Global Hospital & Endosurgery Institute and its Chairman and Director to collectively pay Rs 1 crore to the victims family.

The court has reportedly given the hospital 6 weeks to pay the fine. The court also said that if the fine is not paid during this period, 8% annual interest will be charged.

The court also ordered fixed deposits of about Rs 1.5 crore for the twins, which will be divided equally between the two children.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions court also ordered the hospital to deposit Rs 20 lakh in the Consumer Relief Fund of NCDRC.

Along with this, three people including the doctors of the hospital have been ordered to pay Rs 10 lakh each to the complainants.

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A crowd gathered near the regional office of BJP in Imphal in Manipur on Thursday. Police used several rounds of tear gas shells to stop and disperse them.

Visuals from the spot showed police using tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday in Delhi and expressed his governments commitment to maintaining peace and restoring normalcy in the state.

Singh briefed the Home Minister on the situation in Manipur.

He guided us to take all sections of society together and engage civil society and ethnic groups to maintain peace in the state. There is no loss of life since June 13. He also emphasised that peace should be maintained and there should be no loss of lives. We are trying our best to maintain peace and restore normalcy. We will make more efforts, Biren Singh had said.

The Centre also held an all-party meeting on the Manipur situation on Saturday.

The state has been seeing sporadic incidents of violence.

Amit Shah visited the state following ethnic violence and announced a series of measures for restoring peace.

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A scuffle broke out between police and people in violence-hit Manipurs Bishnupur on Thursday where Congress leader Rahul Gandhis convoy was stopped earlier in the day.

VIDEO | Scuffle breaks out between police and crowd in Manipur's Bishnupur where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped earlier today. pic.twitter.com/TjHaT5SBja  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2023

The former Congress presidents convoy remained stuck at Bishnupur for hours after his convoy was stopped by the police, amid allegations by the party that the BJP-led government is trying to thwart the leaders visit to the ethnic strife-torn state.

On the other hand, the BJP claimed that Gandhi was asked to take a chopper as his trip was opposed by various quarters but he was stubborn to travel by road route.

Gandhis convoy which was travelling to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area, was stopped by the police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from the state capital. He had earlier in the day landed at Imphal from Delhi.

Police officials said the convoy was stopped fearing violence along the route. There is a security threat. We cannot take the risk of allowing Rahul Gandhi to proceed, a senior police official said.

The Congress, however, alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and the state are using autocratic methods to stall the visit of Gandhi.

The double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.

He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state, he said.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipurs population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals  Nagas and Kukis  constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

(With inputs from PTI)

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While Manipur violence refuses to die down, in the latest incident armed rioters fired towards village Haraothel, the Indian Army said Thursday.

Casualties too were reported in the area, the army added.

The rioters also attacked Indian Army personnel when the latter were heading to Haraothel village to prevent escalation.

Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing, Indian Army said.

Army deployed in Manipurs Haraothel village

The Indian Army said, build up of large crowds in the area was reported in Haraothel village.

Unprovoked firing by Armed Rioters towards village Haraothel in Manipur commenced at 5.30 am. Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of situation. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters. Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage, the Army added.

Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties, Army added.

/ Unprovoked firing by Armed Rioters towards Village Haraothel commenced at 5.30 AM. Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of pic.twitter.com/Vc2p3rX7OC  SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) June 29, 2023

Rahul Gandhi stopped in Manipur

Despite violence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi went to Manipur but his convoy was stopped by police near Bishnupur.

"Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us?" Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said.

Congress workers and locals staged a protest after Gandhi's cavalcade was stopped by police in Bishnupur.

The Congress leader returned to airport in Imphal from Bishnupur, from where he is expected to travel to the pre-fixed program by helicopter.

With inputs from agencies

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The auspicious occasion of Bakra Eid or Eid al-Adha is being celebrated across the world today. On this holy festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm greetings to people and also to leaders and citizens of Kuwait and Bangladesh.

May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society, tweeted PM Modi on Thursday.

Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 29, 2023

On his own behalf and the people of India, PM Modi through a letter wished Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait; Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; Crown Prince of State of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; Prime Minister of State of Kuwait and to the people of State of Kuwait on the occasion of Bakra Eid.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait said, "In his personal letter, Prime Minister Modi conveyed that the sacred festival of Eid al-Adha is celebrated by millions of Muslims across the length and breadth of India."

"It reminds us of the values of sacrifice, compassion and brotherhood, which are essential in building a peaceful and inclusive world that we all aspire for," the Indian Embassy in Kuwait added.

                                 . @MOFAKuwait https://t.co/RErTbVsqyF  India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) June 28, 2023

PM Modi also extended Eid al-Adha greetings to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina and expressed confidence that the "sacred festival" will bring the people of India and Bangladesh "even closer".

"PM @narendramodi conveyed his warmest greetings to PM Sheikh Hasina and to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha. In his message, PM expressed confidence that the sacred festival will bring the people of India and Bangladesh even closer. @MEAIndia," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh tweeted.

PM @narendramodi conveyed his warmest greetings to PM Sheikh Hasina and to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha. In his message, PM expressed confidence that the sacred festival will bring the people of  and  even closer. @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/8o5hRZLeHn  India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) June 28, 2023

Known as the "Festival of Sacrifice", Eid al-Adha holds significant religious and cultural importance for Muslims around the world.

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National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval held a telephone conversation with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev. The two discussed current issues of cooperation between India and Russia in the field of military.

Patrushev also briefed Doval about the recent turn of events in Russia.

The two discussed prospects for deepening the cooperation between the two nations within the framework of bilateral and multilateral formats. The two sides agreed to continue the dialogue.

The current issues of Russian-Indian cooperation in the field of security and the prospects for their deepening within the framework of bilateral and multilateral formats were discussed in detail. In addition, N. Patrushev informed A. Doval about the latest events in Russia, the Security Council of Russia said in an official statement.

Earlier this year Patrushev met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss issues of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Nikolai Patrushev also attended the 18th Meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states that took place in New Delhi.

During the meeting, Nikolai Patrushev paid special attention to the need to uphold universal human values, prevent interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states as well as counter the policy of unilateral sanctions and restrictive measures.

With inputs from ANI

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PhonePe, a digital payments company, has issued a strong warning to leaders of the Indian National Congress regarding a poster they recently released in Madhya Pradesh, where elections are scheduled later this year.

A poster battle has ensued between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, with both parties adorning walls with posters featuring pictures of prominent leaders from the opposing side, accompanied by QR codes directing people to propaganda.

As part of this campaign, posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have appeared in various parts of the state.

These posters, resembling QR codes found in shops, accused the veteran BJP leader of demanding 50% cut for approving any project.

Additionally, the posters prominently displayed PhonePes brand name and logo.

The state Congress unit shared pictures of these posters on its Twitter handle, captioning it in Hindi, Get 50 per cent, get the work done over the phone. The people of Madhya Pradesh know, they recognize those who take 50 per cent commission.

PhonePe has now responded strongly to this campaign, objecting to the unauthorized use of its logo.

The company clarified that it does not associate with any political campaign or party, and the unauthorized usage of its brand logo by any third party, whether political or non-political, is unacceptable.

They emphasized that the PhonePe logo is a registered trademark and warned that any infringement of their intellectual property rights would lead to legal action.

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

The company also asked the Indian National Congress Madhya Pradesh (INCMP) to remove the posters and banners featuring their brand logo and colors.

The poster campaign in Madhya Pradesh mirrors the strategy employed by the Congress in Karnataka, where it yielded significant political advantages.

In the lead-up to the elections there, posters featuring then Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai, along with slogans like 40 per cent sarkara and PayCM, played a crucial role in the Congress campaign.

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh alleges that it was the BJP who initiated the poster war with the Wanted Commission Nath posters, targeting state Congress chief Kamal Nath.

The BJP, however, denied any involvement and attributed the posters to internal conflicts within the Congress.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting with the Union Council of Ministers on July 3 amid talks of a cabinet reshuffle.

The meeting will be held at the newly-built convention centre in New Delhis Pragati Maidan. The last cabinet meeting was held in January. This meeting, however, holds significance as the Modi-led government completed nine years. Also, the country is set to go to the polls next year.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday the prime minister held discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda and other key leaders at Modis residence.

However, no public announcements have been made yet, Naddas presence at the meeting gave rise to speculations over a possible rejig in the cabinet as well as at state-level.

The last major cabinet shuffle happened in 2021 when over 12 ministers lost their portfolios, including leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad, Harsh Vardhan, Prakash Javadekar, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Santosh Gangwar.

In May, the party also removed Kiren Rijiju as the law minister and made him the head of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

In an effort to ensure another landslide victory in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up efforts with National President JP Nadda scheduled to meet senior leaders from across the country for three days beginning July 6.

Meanwhile, five states  Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana  are slated for assembly elections later this year.

The party has classified the states and union territories into three zones  north, south and east for the purpose of meetings to evolve a cohesive and coherent strategy. The leaders will also be told about the election preparedness efforts to be undertaken in the states.

With inputs from agencies

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Hours after Rahul Gandhis convoy was stopped at Bishnupur by the police on Thursday, a Manipur police official said that the Congress leader was not allowed to move forward as there is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which he was travelling.

Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, weve not allowed him, said Bishnupur SP Heisnam Balram Singh.

#WATCH | Manipur: Bishnupur SP Heisnam Balram Singh, says, Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP pic.twitter.com/B4rBdWuTjI  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023

Gandhis convoy which was travelling to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area, was stopped by the police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from the state capital. He had earlier in the day landed at Imphal from Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state was trying to thwart the leaders visit to the ethnic strife-torn state using autocratic methods.

The double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.

Shri @RahulGandhis convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 29, 2023

The partys state president Keisham Meghachandra alleged that the order to stop Gandhis convoy came from Chief Minister N Biren Singh as everyone was welcoming him.

Police sources said tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy.

We fear a repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur, a police officer said.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on 3 May after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipurs population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals  Nagas and Kukis  constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

With inputs from agencies

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The BJP on Thursday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his visit to ethnic clashes-hit Manipur

The Congress leader who arrived in Manipur today will remain in the state till 30 June during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya in a tweet said that Rahul Gandhi is no messiah of peace just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling.

Malviya also said that not once did the Congress leader visit Manipurs Churachandpur from 2015-17 to meet the victims of ethnic violence that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govts decision to pass three Bills.

Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govts decision to pass three Bills  the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and

Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as anti-Tribal, and a conspiracy by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land, Malviya said in his tweet.

Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govts decision to pass three Bills  the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 29, 2023

He added that nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years adding that his visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for the people but his own selfish political agenda.

Nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. Why didnt Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then? He is no messiah of peace, just a political opportunist who wants to keep the pot boiling, the tweet read.

His visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for people but his own selfish political agenda. There is a reason no one trusts either him or the Congress, Malviya alleged.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhis convoy was stopped in Bishnupur by the police. A Manipur police official said that the Congress leader was not allowed to move forward as there was a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which he was travelling.

With inputs from agencies

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhis convoy was stopped by the police on Thursday on the way to the violence-hit Churachandpur district in Manipur.

Mr Gandhi landed in Imphal earlier today for a two-day visit to a strife-torn state.

Speaking to ANI, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that Rahul Gandhis convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police said that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us, he said.

Around 50,000 people are now staying in over 300 relief camps across the state since ethnic strife started in May this year.

On Friday, Gandhi is scheduled to visit relief camps in Imphal and hold talks with certain civil society organisations, Congress sources said.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipurs population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals  Nagas and Kukis  constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

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Tamil Nadus Governor RN Ravi dismissed jailed DMK leader Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers on Thursday.

A press release issued by the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan said, Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money launderingUnder these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.

Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money launderingUnder these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, Tamil Nadu Raj pic.twitter.com/mKRXNvNnbb  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to move Supreme Court against the governors move.

On 14 June, the DMK leader was sent to judicial custody till 28 June following his arrest by the ED in connection with a money laundering case.

The ED took Balaji into custody after questioning and when he was being taken to Omandurar Government Hospital in Chennai for medical examination, the minister broke down in the car and had to be carried to the hospital.

Raids were carried out at Balajis Karur residence and his office at the state secretariat by the ED sleuths in connection to an alleged money laundering case. In addition to this, the premises of his brother and a close aide in Karur were also raided.

V Senthil Balaji, is Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise in the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will on June 30 inspect flats built on land confiscated from slain gangster Atiq Ahmed.

According to sources, the CM will also be handing over the flat keys to beneficiaries on Friday.

Preparations have been underway for the last 10 days ahead of CMs visit, said Mukesh Kumar, one of the workers doing wall designs for the occasion.

Most of the work is complete. CM Yogi Ji will be coming tomorrow. We have been working for the last 10 days. Only the finishing works are remaining, he said.

Dinesh, one of the residents of the area, said that everyone in the area anticipates the event.

Everyone is excited and happy. We all are going to be benefitted by this project. The works here are almost complete, preparations to welcome the CM are now going on. Also, the cleaning works of the flats is underway, Dinesh said.

As many as 76 flats built for the poor, on land confiscated from slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed in Uttar Pradeshs Prayagraj were allotted through a lottery on June 9.

The lottery was drawn for allotment in the auditorium of Allahabad Medical Association. After verification of 6030 applicants, 1590 were found eligible to participate in the lottery, Arvind Kumar Chauhan Vice Chairman of Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) said.

Beneficiaries will get a flat built on 41 square metres for only Rs 3.5 lakh. Officials said that a flat with two rooms, a kitchen, and toilet facilities costs Rs 6 lakh.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on December 26, 2021, laid the foundation stone for this affordable housing project on 1731 square meters of land after it was freed from the possession of Atiq in the Lukerganj area of Prayagraj.

This project has been taken up by the District Urban Development Authorities (DUDA) under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and as many as 76 flats have been built in two blocks, officials said.

Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal and also in the killing of a key witness in that case, Umesh Pal, in February this year.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead by men posing as journalists on April 15 night this year, while they were being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.

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Jailed DMK leader Senthil Balajis dismissal by Tamil Nadus governor has been slammed by various opposition parties with many questioning the rights of the governor.

A press release issued by the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan said, Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money launderingUnder these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said, The Governor does not have the powers to dismiss him (Senthil Balaji). We will face this legally.

VIDEO | The Governor does not have the powers to dismiss him (Senthil Balaji). We will face this legally, says Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin as Governor RN Ravi removes Senthil Balaji from State Cabinet. pic.twitter.com/oJtjLID8OX  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2023

DMK leader A Saravanan accused Governor RN Ravi of going against the provisions of the Constitution.

Who does the Governor thinks he is? Does he have the constitutional authority (to dismiss Senthil Balaji)? The Governor is undermining the constitution. He is catering to the Sanatan Dharma. The law of the land isnt determined by the Sanatan Dharma. For a Governor, the constitution should be the Bible, Gita, and Quran. He is acting like a clown, trying to appease his political masters. His order isnt even worth the paper it was drafted on. It must be consigned to the dustbin, he said.

Communist Party leader D Raja said, Communist Party of India deplores and disapproves the action of the (Tamil Nadu) governor. There is an elected government, cabinet and CM. How can the governor do such a thing without their consultation?

VIDEO | Communist Party of India deplores and disapproves the action of the (Tamil Nadu) governor. There is an elected government, cabinet and CM. How can the governor do such a thing without their consultation? says CPI leader D Raja on Tamil Nadu governor removing DMK pic.twitter.com/FW4EnRPwC6  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2023

Tamil Nadu governor has done this on diktat from Delhi. He has violated the constitutional scheme of things. BJP is committing acts for which theres no provision in the Constitution, says RJD MP Manoj Jha.

VIDEO | Tamil Nadu governor has done this on diktat from Delhi. He has violated the constitutional scheme of things. BJP is committing acts for which theres no provision in the Constitution, says RJD MP Manoj Jha on Tamil Nadu Governor removing DMK Minister Senthil Balaji from pic.twitter.com/Ef0hOpxNip  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2023

The ED took Balaji into custody after questioning and when he was being taken to Omandurar Government Hospital in Chennai for medical examination, the minister broke down in the car and had to be carried to the hospital.

Raids were carried out at Balajis Karur residence and his office at the state secretariat by the ED sleuths in connection to an alleged money laundering case. In addition to this, the premises of his brother and a close aide in Karur were also raided.
This writer had noted on 13 June, in these columns, that Pakistans Army chief General Asim Munir is in full control of his institution. If anyone had any doubt about this, it should have been settled by Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Ahmed Sharifs almost one-and-a-half-hour press conference on 26 June. Sharif revealed that the Army chief had acted against officers on the basis of the findings of two inquiries held under the forces rules. These inquiries, chaired by Major Generals, and conducted in conformity with army traditions, had examined charges of dereliction of duty in protecting army installations and monuments dedicated to the memory of martyrs from mob attacks on 9 May. On that black day, former Prime Minister Imran Khan and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) was arrested and almost countrywide protests had broken out.

After getting the inquiry reports, Sharif said that the Army chief had followed the principle higher the rank, higher the responsibility. On this basis, three officers, including a three-star general, were removed from service. Besides these dismissals, severe disciplinary action has been taken against 15 officers, including three Major Generals and seven Brigadiers. The dismissed and disciplined officers, whose names Sharif refused to reveal, were found wanting in discharging their responsibilities in defending army installations from mob attacks. The dismissed three-star general is no doubt Salman Fayyaz Ghani who was the Lahore-based IV Corps Commander who allowed his residence, which was once owned by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, to be looted by protesters without offering any resistance.

Ahmed also said that the protesters attacks on army installations in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Chakdara, Timirgera, Multan, Peshawar, Mardan, Quetta, Sargodha, Mianwali and other places were the result of a conspiracy. He went on to say that for over a year, anti-army and anti-army leadership sentiments were being instilled among the people. He asserted that the planners, facilitators and perpetrators of attacks against army installations would not be spared. This was irrespective of their party affiliations or social and economic standing. Thus, the maternal granddaughter of a retired four-star general, the son-in-law, also of a retired four-star general, the wife of a retired three-star general and the wife and son-in-law of a retired two-star general are under investigation. In a clear message to the judiciary, Ahmed said that military courts were held constitutionally valid in the past and such courts had also passed the scrutiny of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Clearly, this comment was made in the context of the Pakistan Supreme Court hearing of a petition against the trial of civilian protesters in military courts.

In his writings, on the events of 9 May, this writer has noted that Army chief Asim Munir cleverly used the attacks by Imran Khans supporters on army installations to diminish popular support for the PTI chief. This is especially borne out by the Armys constant focus on the damage done to the memorials dedicated to Pakistans venerated martyrs. The fact that the protests were so widespread and that no Army officer took on the protesters shows that general orders would have been issued for the Army to show restraint. Obviously, these were interpreted by the commanding officers of the places named by DG ISPR that in no event were they to take action that would result in injuring or killing protesters. This stated, the basic question is why did these officers not strengthen guards to prevent mobs from entering army installations? It is strange that not one commanding officer decided to effectively protect installations under his jurisdiction.

The full drama which was being played out in Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and different Corps headquarters on 9 May will only be known subsequently. It will certainly leak out in dribs and drabs for the dismissed and disciplined officers and their families and friends will not keep quiet in the months and years to come. For the time being, however, it can be said that Munir has taken full advantage of the 9 May events to consolidate his position in the Army and society, flush out officers who may not be fully committed to him, greatly damage Imran Khans popularity and become, as all Pakistan Army chiefs become, the final arbiter of their countrys affairs.

Now that Munir has achieved this, what does the future hold for Pakistan?

A few assessments can be straightaway made:

1. Munir and the Army are not interested in staging a coup, suspending the Constitution, and taking over direct power. That contingency can only arise if there is a complete breakdown of law and order and a full economic collapse. Neither is on the horizon.

2. The International Monetary Funds (IMF) current programme of support  the 23rd in Pakistans history is due to expire on 30 June. The IMF has taken an unprecedentedly tough stand since last October seeking the fulfillment of Pakistani commitments before it releases its next tranche of $1.2 billion of the total remaining amount of $2.6 billion of the pledged support amount of $6.5 billion. Pakistan claims that it has met all its conditions, including modifying its budget for the financial year which begins on 1 July. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been in contact with IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva to ensure that at least a tranche of $1.2 billion is released before the programme expires. IMF representatives have made positive noises. It would seem that the IMF board would agree to the release of US $1.2 billion which would be a signal to international investors that Pakistan has taken steps to stabilise its macroeconomic situation, at least in the short run. That would lead to other donors either rolling over Pakistani debt or extending help to meet commitments for the debt that cannot be rolled over to prevent a default. All this would give Munir breathing space but there is no indication, as yet, that he is willing to make moves to go to the crux of Pakistans economic woes for that will involve a recalibration of its approaches to India. None of his predecessors have done so, though General Qamar Bajwa at least said that primacy should be given to geo-economics.

3. Pakistans Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and his group of Supreme Court judges may continue to trouble Munir and the PDM government on a host of issues, including the conduct of elections and the trial of those involved in the 9 May protests in military courts. However, Munir and Shehbaz Sharif will be able to navigate through the adverse judgements, if they come. Bandial retires in September and Justice Qazi Faez Isa has already been appointed as his successor. He is no pushover but may give space to Munir on the judicial front.

4. It is difficult to visualise Munir allowing Imran Khan to run for elections. By now, some of the PTI leadership has deserted Khan and in the coming months, the Army will seek to reduce the party to a condition that it is unable to make a credible showing in the next elections in Punjab. Without that, Khan and the PTI will be ineffectual in Pakistans politics.

The critical issue that Munir will have to confront is how to manage the coming elections which have been announced for October. If that schedule is to hold, then a caretaker government will have to come in by August end. The PDM will not hold, and again, the two principal parties  Sharifs PML (N) and Bhutto Zardaris PPP  will be in the fray. The path for the real leader of the PML (N) and three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs return to Pakistan has been cleared. That will begin a new chapter in Pakistani politics. It will bring many imponderables in its wake and Munir will have his hands full in managing them even as he has to give attention to the security situation on the countrys western front.

The writer is a former Indian diplomat who served as Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and as secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs. Views expressed are personal.

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Odisha has taken rapid strides in providing safely managed, inclusive water and sanitation services in recent years, emerging as a frontrunner in the sector. The Housing and Urban Development Department, the nodal department for urban development in Odisha, has prioritised the wellbeing of vulnerable groups in solving for challenges in sanitation service delivery and in ensuring the safety and empowerment of sanitation workers. The initiatives undertaken by Odisha serve as an excellent learning model for ensuring the inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable communities, to be replicated across states as best practices.

GARIMA Scheme: Ensuring dignified livelihoods across the sanitation value chain

Making a landmark move in empowering sanitation workers across the sanitation value chain, the Housing and Urban Development Department, Odisha, launched the GARIMA Scheme in 2020. It is a unique state-wide scheme to secure the welfare and dignity of 20,000 sanitation workers exposed to hazardous working conditions which includes being in proximity with sewers, drains, public and community toilets which includes close contact with fecal sludge in toilets, septic tanks and treatment facilities. To this end, the GARIMA scheme has created a corpus fund of Rs. 50 crores to ensure financial and social security benefits for sanitation workers and their families. Additionally, the scheme identifies 5 categories of core sanitation workers as skilled and highly skilled workers, making Odisha one of the first states in India to take this progressive step.

Continuing their efforts towards enabling worker safety, as part of the #SafaiMitraSurakshaChallenge to ensure the occupational safety and wellbeing of sanitation workers, Bhubaneswar took key initiatives for the mechanization of sewer and septic tank cleaning in the city. This includes focus on 100 per cent mechanical cleaning of sewer and septic tanks in the city and the establishment of an Emergency Response Unit (ERSU) as per guidelines issued under Garima scheme for regular monitoring of sewer/septic tank cleaning. Periodic monitoring has resulted in regular reporting by Private Sanitation Service Organisations (PSSOs) and adherence to protocols.

Empowering communities with sustainable livelihoods

For the past few years, the government has been promoting sustainable livelihood initiatives by engaging Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the sanitation ecosystem across all urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state. Around 3, 410 SHGs of women and trans persons are engaged in various interventions in the sanitation ecosystem. In a pioneering move, women and trans persons SHGs and their federations have been engaged in the Operation and Maintenance of fecal sludge treatment facilities in as many as 100 ULBs in Odisha. These services were earlier carried out by male technical staff. Unlike other community engagement models which are largely informal, the model of engaging SHGs for Operation and Maintenance work through a formal contract as a service provider is both unique and professional.

As a major step towards inclusivity, the SeTP (60 KLD capacity co-treatment plant) in Cuttack city (Cuttack Municipal Corporation) was handed over to an SHG for trans communities (Bahucharamata SHG) for Operation and Maintenance in June 2020. Since then, the group has been successfully managing the plant and its work, has exploded many myths, narratives and barriers about involving the third gender in sanitation and public-private partnership.

Bahucharamata SHGs work has been a trailblazer of sorts and has paved the way for the entire trans community to get engaged in not only Operation and Maintenance of additional SeTPs in SWM, but also in collection of parking fees and holding tax in many other cities across the state. Various ULBs in Odisha have deployed SHGs for trans communities in several interventions in the sanitation supply chain; for example, managing battery operated vehicles for waste segregation, Operation and Maintenance of micro-composting centres, collection of property taxes, etc. The Bahucharamata SHG along with Swikriti SHG managing the plant in Bhubaneswar have been crucial in motivating the trans community to be part of the mainstream through public partnerships. Inspired by the Cuttack model, another SHG for trans communities (Surabhi SHG) took up the Operation and Maintenance of the SeTP in Parlakhemundi town in October 2021. In another path-breaking intervention, the Department has handed over the Operation and Maintenance of an 8-MLD Water Treatment Plant to the Bahucharamata group in which 30 more trans persons have been integrated. A similar model has been implemented in Nimapada town in Puri distric, where seven trans persons led SHGs are managing the plant.

Odisha has taken significant steps to ensure not only the inclusion of vulnerable groups in sanitation service delivery, but also the empowerment of these groups by enabling dignified livelihoods. While women and trans persons are often viewed majorly as users of sanitation facilities, they play an important role in ensuring that these facilities are safe, inclusive and accessible when empowered as sanitation professionals. Going a step further, when sanitation workers who are often from vulnerable groups are recognised as sanitation professionals and supported to ensure their safety, and social and financial security, communities are empowered in significant ways. Odisha stands as a stellar example of this, with models that have the potential to be replicated across states in India. By making concerted efforts and adapting the inclusive models established in Odisha to local conditions, states across India can move towards the goal of safely managed sanitation for all by 2030.

Bhawna Prakash and Elisa Patnaik are partner and project manager at Ernst & Young. Ernst & Young is also a part of NFSSM Alliance. Views expressed are personal.

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Every Indian knows that on 2 June, a horrific rail accident in Odisha claimed the lives of nearly 300 people. The accident seems to have been caused by a signalling error. It might not have happened if proper safety safeguards had been in place, and everyone agrees that Indias railways are in dire need of modernization. In the wake of the tragedy, at least this section of the track will surely see long-overdue signalling upgrades.

In a developing country with a GDP per capita of less than $2,500, there are many calls on the public purse, and it is inevitable that somewhere some absolutely necessary safety measures will go unimplemented. That is an explanation, not an excuse. Democracy demands that governments respond to the needs of their citizens.

Thats why Indias Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rushed to the accident site the very night of the disaster, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving the following day. Ostensibly, they came to oversee recovery work. In reality, no one needs a railway minister to pick through wreckage or supervise hospital evacuations. They came to be seen, and to be seen to be responding. They came because they wanted voters to know that they were on the job.

Contrast their response to that of United States President Joe Biden and his Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Americas most recent high-profile rail accident. On 3 February, a freight train carrying highly toxic chemicals derailed in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio. No one was injured in the accident itself, but public health was threatened by leaking chemicals. The enduring image of the disaster was a toxic mushroom cloud caused by the open-air incineration of chemicals by emergency management teams.

For nearly three weeks following the derailment, neither Biden nor Buttigieg visited East Palestine. Instead, they went about their usual business. The president was heavily criticized for visiting Ukraine while Ohio was burning; his transportation secretary was even more vilified for travelling around the country to attend routine ribbon-cutting ceremonies while dodging reporters questions about East Palestine.

Finally, former president Donald Trump visited the town on 22 February, giving out thousands of bottles of Trump-branded mineral water. That spurred the administration to act, and Buttigieg duly visited the town, only to criticize Trump for playing politics with the crisis. President Biden still has not shown up, and likely never will.

Places like East Palestine in small-town Ohio are Trump country. Populated mainly by white working-class families, they tend to be poorer, less educated, and less cosmopolitan than the big coastal cities. President Biden probably wouldnt have had a warm reception there, and so he didnt go. Secretary Buttigieg, a Harvard and Oxford-educated former McKinsey consultant, was not well-received by the people of East Palestine when he did go. He toured the scene of the accident, tweeted a picture, and seemingly left as soon as he could.

The truth is that railroad accidents are quite common. The United States experiences more than 1,000 train derailments a year, and if most of them dont lead to toxic chemical spills in populated areas, thats more down to luck than design. There dont seem to be published statistics on the frequency of signalling errors on Indian Railways, but they are probably just as common. Again, its only bad luck that turns a routine mistake into a deadly disaster.

Politicians cant do anything to influence whether any particular adverse event will turn out to be an innocuous error that escapes public scrutiny or a catastrophic accident that captures the attention of a nation. All they can do is respond. It speaks well of Indian democracy that Indias top politicians dropped everything to appear on the scene of the Odisha tragedy. Their presence wont have done anything practical to assist the emergency response, but it will have reassured a nervous nation that their leaders took the crisis seriously.

Biden and Buttigieg, by contrast, clearly showed that they didnt want to be associated with an industrial accident in a declining section of the country where few people voted for them in 2020or are likely to vote for them in 2024. That indifference reflects poorly on American democracy. Indian democracy has been called many names in recent years, but one thing you cant call it is indifference.

Responsiveness is not the only indicator of the health of a democracy, nor the most important one. But it is an indicator all the same. When Indians are in trouble, Indian politicians at all levels (not only the incumbents in Delhi) are keen to get on the scene and want to be seen to be on the scene. That may not do much to address the challenges that face Indias railways. But it does go a long way toward addressing the challenges that face Indian democracy.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accused Opposition leaders, who had attended the 23 June meeting in Patna, of being involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore.

Calling Bihar chief minister and former BJP ally Nitish Kumar who organised the meeting paltu babu, Shah said the people of the state will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The home minister was addressing a mega rally at Lakhisarai in Munger parliamentary constituency, organised by his party BJP.

Bihar has always raised its voice against corruption. Opposition leaders who attended the June 23 meeting in Patna are involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore. Bihar will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Shah said.

#WATCH | In Lakhisarai, Bihar, HM Amit Shah says, Can a leader who changes house again & again be trusted? Should the reins of Bihar be given in the hands of such a man? He too knows it. That is why, he is sitting in front of Congress house to be the PM of the country. He pic.twitter.com/HvjshHU7qM  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023



In a reference to Kumar who broke ties with the BJP last year to form the Mahagathbandhan government in the state, Shah said leaders who ditched the National Democratic Alliance must be punished.

Shah also questioned the chief ministers track record and asked, Nitish Babu must explain what he has done for Bihar.

He also alleged that the law and order situation has been worsening by the day under the Mahagathbandhan government in the state.

On the other hand, Shah claimed that the state has gained several major infrastructure projects, including medical colleges, expressways, bridges, new railway tracks, 130 MW thermal power plant, during the nine years of the NDA rule at the Centre.

With inputs from PTI

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Women in Afghanistan who lost their jobs in non-governmental organisations by the order of the Taliban have urged the regime to remove the ban at the earliest.

These women said that it is the responsibility of the Taliban government to ensure their employment to support their families, according to TOLO News.

Mashhoda, who worked to support her family financially, said that knowledge and work are the basic right of every person.

Most of the familys breadwinners are women in Afghanistan because they dont have brothers and fathers. Instead of depriving women of the right to work, the government should provide them with the opportunity to work, she said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Taliban said, Work is underway in this regard. In the section that does not have any Sharia problem, God willing, the situation will be favourable.

United Nations special rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett highlighted the countrys sorry state of affairs at the 50th meeting of the Human Rights Council saying that the Taliban has imposed over 50 orders against Afghan women and girls in the past 21 months.

Earlier this month, UNICEF expressed concerns that if international non-governmental organisations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate in Afghanistan, it will affect highly affect the education of the children in the war-torn nation.

As the lead agency for the education cluster in Afghanistan, UNICEF is deeply concerned about reports that over 500,000 children, including over 300,000 girls, could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate and if handovers to national NGOs are done without comprehensive assessment and capacity building, the UNICEF said

With inputs from ANI

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India cannot host a SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) meeting until one of its members stops committing acts of terrorism, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday in a veiled attack on Pakistan.

He also said that India would not put up with a scenario in which terrorism happens by night and trade happens by day.

#WATCH | Delhi: EAM Dr S Jaishankar on SAARC, says, We have a member of SAARC who doesnt conform to the basic requirements of what a good member should beWe cant continue with acts of terrorism and say the cooperation will continue to happen neverthelessIll not allow pic.twitter.com/PUoUk1rRfa  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

To a question on SAARC, Jaishankar at India International Centre said, You have not heard very much about SAARC because, in the last few years, there isnt very much to hear about. We have not had meetings because you have a member of SAARC who doesnt conform to all the basic requirements of what a good membership is, and that is today an obstacle reality for the SAARC to meet. You know I said we cannot continue with acts of terrorism and say the cooperation will continue to happen nevertheless.

So, I think there are issues there and its time to recognise the seriousness of those issues and not allow terrorism to happen by night and trade by day. I dont think the country is well served by that, he added.

Earlier also, Jaishankar had blamed Pakistan for SAARC not being an active organisation. In December 2022, Jaishankar in Varanasi said that the SAARC currently is not active because one member of the SAARC believes that dealing with neighbours is compatible with the factors of cross-border terrorism.

Notably, the SAARC is the regional intergovernmental organisation of eight countries of South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

While talking about having good relations with other neighbouring countries but not with Pakistan, Jaishankar said that they cant have a normal relationship because of cross-border terrorism.

I would say Pakistan obviously is the exception when it comes to the neighbourhood. Again, it needs very little explanation. The fact is that we cannot allow terrorism to be normalized. We cannot allow that to become the basis for getting us into discussions with Pakistan. So I dont think to me, its a fairly common-sense proposition, Jaishankar said.

In fact, if anything, Im still a little perplexed by why we had not arrived at this position earlier. But we have arrived at it now. And the issue really is that until there is a departure from I would say an abrogation of this policy of cross-border terrorism. Clearly, it is not possible to have a normal relationship with that particular neighbour, he added.

With inputs from agencies

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In the ongoing battle against fraud, yet another scam has come to light, this time with the involvement of Ratan Tata, one of the worlds wealthiest individuals. The chairman of the Tata Group took to Twitter on Tuesday to refute rumours regarding his association with the Bitcoin industry.

He categorically stated that he has no ties to the cryptocurrency industry and cautioned internet users to remain vigilant, emphasizing that articles or advertisements linking him to cryptocurrencies are false and intended to deceive citizens.

This incident is not the first time a prominent figure has been falsely accused of fraudulent activities. Anand Mahindra, the head of the Mahindra Group, also faced similar allegations when he invested in cryptocurrencies.

Misleading reports circulated, claiming that banks were fearful and experts were astounded by Mahindras cryptocurrency investments. However, Mahindra clarified that he had not invested any money in cryptocurrencies.

Its extremely common for scammers to fake articles and social media posts from well-known individuals, such as CEOs, business executives or notable individuals with ties to industries such as finance and cryptocurrency, cyber security expert and Senior Staff Research Engineer at Tenable, Satnam Narang told Firstpost.

Mr Ratan Tata highlighted an example of a fraudulent article discussing a fake wealth loophole, which is a timely reminder that is one of the most reliable tools in the scammers toolbox, he added.

The proliferation of online fraud, particularly those involving cryptocurrencies, has become a concerning issue as technology advances. Recently, there has been a surge in WhatsApp scams, where users receive calls from unknown numbers offering employment opportunities.

Unfortunately, many individuals across India have fallen victim to these scams and lost money. Consequently, both Meta (formerly Facebook) and the Indian government have issued warnings, urging users to exercise caution and refrain from responding to such solicitations.

Online content, too, isnt exactly safe, especially if it is coming from an unverified source or channel on a platform like YouTube. Says Satnam, Scammers will leverage the existing audio and video footage of these individuals to craft convincing deep fake footage whereby these individuals talk of alternative investment opportunities including into cryptocurrencies.

Users should be extremely sceptical of posts they see promoted on social media and video footage circulating on sites like YouTube, he added.

To combat these frauds, WhatsApp, for example, has introduced the ability to silence calls from unknown numbers. It is crucial to be cautious if you receive a job offer from an unfamiliar sender on WhatsApp, as falling for these schemes can result in financial losses.

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For centuries, National Geographic has reported on endangered species and the world of flora and fauna. Now, the classic yellow-bordered magazine will soon become extinct as it laid off all of its last remaining staff writers on Wednesday.

The Washington-based magazine will no longer be available on newsstands in the US from next year, according to The Washington Post.

NatGeo magazine was first published in 1888 and has been surveying science and the natural world for 135 years.

The layoff involved over 19 editorial staffers who were notified about their termination in April. This is the latest cutback under the Walt Disney Company which owns National Geographic.

Article assignments will now be assigned to freelancers or pieced together by editors. A small audio department was also part of the layoffs.

The latest layoff is the second over the past nine months. Last year in September, Disney fired six top editors of National Geographic.

Many employees have confirmed the news of layoffs.

NatGeo is laying off all of its staff writers, tweeted Craig Welch, a former senior writer of the magazine.

He added, Ive been so lucky. I got to work with incredible journalists and tell important, global stories. Its been an honour.

My new National Geographic just arrived, which includes my latest featuremy 16th, and my last as a senior writer. NatGeo is laying off all of its staff writers. Ive been so lucky. I got to work w/incredible journalists and tell important, global stories. Its been an honor. pic.twitter.com/VOt6KydD5Z  Craig Welch (@CraigAWelch) June 28, 2023

Another journalist Doug Main said, National Geographic is laying off its staff writers, including me.

Chris Albert, National Geographics spokesperson told The Washington Post, Staffing changes will not affect the companys plans to continue publishing a monthly magazine but rather give us more flexibility to tell different stories and meet our audiences where they are across our many platforms.

What does the future look like for NatGeo?

In a November interview with Axios, the magazines editor-in-chief Nathan Lump said that National Geographic is planning to invest more in social videos as the brand tries to modernise itself.

He added that the company is trying to expand its digital footprint and include more short-form videos to be published on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Our incredible social reach is largely based on our strength on Instagram, which is based on our strength in photography, which is great, he said.

He added, But obviously, we know that video is driving a lot of engagement in social, and thats where a lot of growth is in terms of engagement and users and social platforms. And so, we need to put a lot more emphasis there.

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The significance the 27 EU leaders place on defending their eastern flank from Russian aggression and bolstering Ukraines defence capabilities will be highlighted at Thursdays European Union summit by the participation of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

At the spring summit for leaders, Zelenskyy is scheduled to address the crowd via video connection, while Stoltenberg will partake in an early lunch. The aftermath of the unexpected weekend rebellion in Russia will take up the largest seat, albeit it is not officially on the agenda.

It will be the elephant in the room, said a high-level EU diplomat who asked not to be identified because the summit still had to open.

According to officials from several member states and EU institutions, the unrest and instability brought on by the uprising would force the EU to step up its support for Ukraine with pledges of additional ammunition as well as step-up efforts to prevent fighting and violence from spilling over into the bloc itself.

There is no room for hesitation, said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. We must continue to increase the price of Russian aggression.

Within the EU, some are saying that the effects reach right into the Kremlin.

In any case, they will certainly have a long-lasting impact in Russia, German Chancellor Olof Scholz told the broadcaster ARD. I do believe that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) has been weakened.

Scholz was saying aloud what many EU leaders have been hoping. And they see the increasing impact of 11 sets of sanctions that the EU has imposed in conjunction with the United States as key.

Most EU nations are also members of NATO, and at the July 11-12 alliance summit, they will look to give Ukraine more security guarantees if stopping short of full NATO membership. That approach for more support is expected to be fully endorsed by the time the two-day summit ends.

EU nations have also been providing billions in aid both to beef up military supplies and to make sure Ukraines economy stays afloat. The EU summit will also look more closely to what extent Russias frozen assets from the central bank, estimated at some 200 billion euros, can be used for that.

Several countries fear the legal ground for that is still too shaky and the European Central Bank has warned that confiscating those assets or the profits on them could pose a serious risk to the reputation of the euro. Officials said that some countries want to impose an additional windfall levy on the money to use for Ukraines reconstruction.

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Although Denmark favours Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the western Balkans joining the EU, geopolitical circumstances do not allow for governance changes to be skipped, Finance Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Thursday to the Financial Times.

According to Rasmussen in an interview with Financial Times, the EU runs the risk of importing instability if it lowers its criteria for democracy and corruption in order to speed up the admission of Ukraine and other candidate nations.

A nation must conform its laws to several EU requirements, ranging from labour to the environment, in order to join the EU. Normally, such a procedure takes many years.

Rasmussen said that the EU shouldnt lower the bar but rather support Ukraine with investments and assistance when questioned about Ukraines membership in the EU, according to the Financial Times.

Although Ukraine met two of seven conditions to launch the EU membership process, an EU official familiar with the blocs recommendations to Ukraine said that some key judicial reforms were needed.

In 2019, The European Commission proposed changes to the system for letting new countries into the EU to give existing members more say, after countries including France and Denmark objected to the expansion of the EU to include six countries in the Balkans.

Rasmussen told FT that Denmark had reversed its position and was even open to internal EU reform, including more majority voting, to accommodate new members.

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Following a botched mercenary uprising that was intended to topple the top brass, Russias most senior generals have disappeared from public view. President Vladimir Putin is attempting to regain his power, and there have been unverified rumours of at least one arrest.

Russias top general, Valery Gerasimov, has not made an appearance in public or on official television since the attempted mutiny on Saturday when mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded Gerasimovs surrender. Since June 9, he has also not been referenced in a news statement from the military ministry.

One of Russias three nuclear briefcases, according to some Western military analysts, is held by Gerasimov, 67, the commander of Russias war in Ukraine.

General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine and the man the Russian media dubbed General Armageddon for his strong strategies in the Syrian crisis, is also invisible.

According to a New York Times article based on a US intelligence briefing, he was aware of the rebellion in advance, and Russian officials were investigating him to see if he was involved.

On Wednesday, the Kremlin downplayed the news, claiming that there had been and would continue to be much rumour and conjecture.

Surovikin was detained, according to the military blogger and the Russian-language edition of the Moscow Times, while other military journalists with significant followings in Russia claimed he and other senior commanders were being questioned about their potential involvement in the rebellion.

Reuters could not determine whether Surovikin had been arrested.

Rybar, an influential channel on the Telegram messaging application run by a former Russian defence ministry press officer, said a purge was underway.

He said the authorities were trying to weed out military personnel deemed to have shown a lack of decisiveness in putting down the mutiny amid some reports that parts of the armed forces appear to have done little to stop Wagner fighters in the initial stage of the rebellion.

The armed insurgency by the Wagner private military company has become a pretext for a massive purge in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces, said Rybar.

Such a move, if confirmed, could alter the way Russia wages its war in Ukraine  which it calls a special military operation  and cause turmoil in the ranks at a time when Moscow is trying to stymie a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

It could also cement or elevate the positions of other senior military and security figures regarded as loyal.

There was no official comment on what was going on from the defence ministry.

Winners and losers

Some Russian and Western military and political analysts believe Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, a veteran Putin ally who Prigozhin wanted to bring down with Gerasimov because of his alleged incompetence, may actually now be safer in his job.

I think he (Prigozhin) actually expected something would be done about Shoigu and Gerasimov, that Putin would rule in his favour, Michael Kofman, a Russian military specialist at the Carnegie Endowment think tank, wrote on Twitter.

Instead, his mutiny may have ensured their continued tenure, despite being universally recognised as incompetent, and widely detested in the Russian Federations armed forces.

Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard who used to be Putins bodyguard, appears to be another beneficiary after appearing in public to say his men were ready to stand to the death to defend Moscow from Wagner.

He has spoken of the possibility of getting heavy weaponry and tanks for his forces in the wake of the mutiny.

Gerasimov was conspicuous by his absence when Putin on Tuesday thanked the army for averting a civil war, unlike Shoigu who has made several public appearances since.

Surovikin, Gerasimovs deputy, was last seen on Saturday when he appeared in a video appealing to Prigozhin to halt his mutiny. He looked exhausted and it was unclear if he was speaking under duress.

There were unconfirmed Russian media and blogger reports on Wednesday evening that Surovikin was being held in Moscows Lefortovo detention facility after being arrested.

Alexei Venediktov, a well-connected journalist, said  without citing his sources  that Surovikin had not been in touch with his family since Saturday and that his bodyguards had gone silent too.

Prigozhin, who had spent months vilifying Shoigu and Gerasimov for their alleged incompetence in the Ukraine war, had frequently praised Surovikin who is widely respected in the army for his experience in Chechnya and Syria.

Surovikin, who did a stint as overall commander of the Ukraine war before Gerasimov was appointed to take over, is regarded by Western military analysts and by parts of the Ukrainian military as an effective operator.

He had been spoken of by Russian war correspondents as a potential future defence minister.

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At least one hundred and fifty people were arrested in France after a second night of unrest across the country following the fatal shooting by police of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop.

A night of unbearable violence against symbols of the Republic: town halls, schools and police stations put ablaze or attacked. 150 arrests, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted.

Concern over the situation, President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting with senior ministers on Thursday after riots spread across France overnight over the deadly police shooting of a teenager of North African descent during a traffic stop.

The epicentre of the unrest was in Nanterre, a working-class town on the western outskirts of Paris where the shooting of the 17-year-old boy identified as Nahel took place.

The last few hours have been marked by scenes of violence against police stations but also schools and town halls, and thus institutions of the Republic and these scenes are wholly unjustifiable, Macron said as he opened the emergency meeting.

The fatal shooting has fed into longstanding complaints of police violence from within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major cities in France.

A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, shows two police officers beside a car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting at the teenage driver at close range as he pulls away. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

The interior ministry had said Wednesday that 2,000 police had been mobilised in the Paris region. Shortly before midnight on Nanterres Avenue Pablo Picasso, a trail of overturned vehicles burned as fireworks fizzed at police lines.

Police also clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest, and there was unrest in Amiens, Dijon as well as in numerous districts throughout the greater Paris region, the authorities said.

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth. Prosecutors say the boy failed to comply with an order to stop his car.

Rights groups allege systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies in France, a charge Macron has previously denied.

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Frances Interior Minister said Thursday that 40,000 police personnel will be deployed overnight to quell the rioting that has seized cities and villages in the aftermath of a tragic police shooting.

According to ministries, scores of police personnel have been injured. Eric Dupond-Moretti, the Justice Minister, stated that 130 police officers were injured following the violence after the police shooting of a 17-year-old boy.

All this has to stop, the minister declared. He gave no details about the types and seriousness of the injuries.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who oversees the police, later gave a higher figure of 170 injured.

He said none of the injuries were life-threatening.

A hundred and fifty people were arrested in France after a second night of unrest across the country, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday, following the fatal shooting by police of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop.

The ministry said dozens of police officers were injured during the clashes.

A night of unbearable violence against symbols of the Republic: town halls, schools and police stations put ablaze or attacked. 150 arrests, Darmanin said on his Twitter account.

Police made 150 arrests nationwide during a second night of unrest, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said, as public anger spilled out onto the streets, notably in the ethnically diverse suburbs of Frances big cities.

The epicentre of the unrest was in Nanterre, a working class town on the western outskirts of Paris where the shooting of the 17-year-old boy identified as Nahel took place.

The last few hours have been marked by scenes of violence against police stations but also schools and town halls, and thus institutions of the Republic and these scenes are wholly unjustifiable, Macron said as he opened the emergency meeting.

The fatal shooting has fed into longstanding complaints of police violence from within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major cities in France.

A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, shows two police officers beside a car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting at the teenage driver at close range as he pulls away. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

The interior ministry had said Wednesday on that 2,000 police had been mobilised in the Paris region. Shortly before midnight on Nanterres Avenue Pablo Picasso, a trail of overturned vehicles burned as fireworks fizzed at police lines.

Police also clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest, and there was unrest in Amiens, Dijon as well as in numerous districts throughout the greater Paris region, the authorities said.

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth. Prosecutors say the boy failed to comply with an order to stop his car.

Rights groups allege systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies in France, a charge Macron has previously denied.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has removed India from his annual report on the impact of armed conflict on children, citing measures taken by the government to better protect them.

Guterres said in his report last year, he had welcomed the engagement of the Indian government with his special representative and noted that it might lead to the removal of India as a situation of concern.

In his 2023 report on Children and Armed Conflict, the UN chief said, In view of the measures taken by the government to better protect children, India has been removed from the report in 2023.

Guterres highlighted the technical mission of the office of his special representative in July 2022 to identify areas of cooperation for child protection, and the workshop on strengthening child protection held in Jammu and Kashmir last November by the government, with the participation of the United Nations.

In his latest report, he also called upon India to implement the remaining measures identified in consultation with his special representative and the United Nations.

These include the training of armed and security forces on child protection, prohibition of the use of lethal and non-lethal force on children, including ending the use of pellet guns, ensuring that children are detained as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, Guterres said.

He also stressed the implementation of measures to prevent all forms of ill-treatment in detention and the full implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba said that for the last two years, we have been working very closely with India.

India decided to start a prevention engagement, she said, adding the country indicated that it was ready to start engagement to see if it could put in place measures that could be sustained through time and would allow for it to be removed from the report.

In last years report, Guterres had said he was concerned by the increased number of violations against children verified in Jammu and Kashmir, and had called upon the Indian government to strengthen child protection.

The UN chief had welcomed the legal and administrative framework for the protection of children and improved access to child protection services in Chhattisgarh, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir, and progress in the creation of a Jammu and Kashmir Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

New Delhi had expressed concerns that the 2022 report included situations that are not situations of armed conflict or threats to the maintenance of international peace and security.

In his annual report on children and armed conflict released here Tuesday, Guterres said that globally in 2022, children continued to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict, and the number of children verified as affected by grave violations increased compared with 2021.

The United Nations verified 27,180 grave violations, of which 24,300 were committed in 2022 and 2,880 were committed earlier but verified only in 2022. Violations affected 18,890 children (13,469 boys, 4,638 girls, 783 sex unknown) in 24 situations and one regional monitoring arrangement, it said.

The highest numbers of violations were the killing (2,985) and maiming (5,655) of 8,631 children, followed by the recruitment and use of 7,622 children and the abduction of 3,985 children. Children were detained for actual or alleged association with armed groups (2,496), including those designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations, or for national security reasons, Guterres said in his report.

The United Nations verified the killing (253) and maiming (656) of 909 children (732 boys, 177 girls), attributed to unidentified perpetrators (694), Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-KP) (112), the Taliban (98) and cross-border shelling from Pakistan (five).

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In the latest move to overcome historical animosities, Japan and South Korea agreed to resurrect a currency swap deal during times of crisis on Thursday. The development came after the two countries held annual financial talks for the first time in seven years.

After meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Choo Kyungho, Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki announced the agreement. It was the first time in seven years that the two countries held annual financial talks, though Suzuki and Choo also met in South Korea in May.

Suzuki told reporters that the 3-year currency swap agreement would help reinforce trust in the financial stability of the two countries as a fallback in an emergency. But he emphasized that Japan is fully prepared to deal with fluctuations in the Japanese yen, which has weakened sharply against the U.S. dollar in the past year.

The $10 billion swap arrangement expired in 2015 and had not been renewed. Largely symbolic, it allows the South Korean and Japanese central banks to exchange currencies for each countrys reserves of U.S. dollars to provide extra liquidity, or cash supplies, in case of a crisis.

The two major Asian economies, both US allies, have recently mended ties as they contend with challenges posed by China and North Korea, despite tensions over issues left over from Japans 35-year occupation of the Korean Peninsula before and during World War II.

From July 21, Japan plans to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status. That will essentially end a four-year trade dispute that began in July 2019 when Japan removed South Korea from its white list of countries given fast-track approvals in trade as ties deteriorated over compensation for Japanese wartime actions.

Japans tightening of trade controls against Seoul was in apparent retaliation for South Korean court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean workers for abusive treatment and forced labor during World War II.

Japan also tightened export controls on key chemicals used by South Korean companies to make semiconductors and displays, prompting South Korea to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization and remove Japan from its own list of countries with preferred trade status.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in March in the first formal summit between the two countries since 2015.

Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945, imposing Japanese names and language on Koreans and conscripting many into forced labor or prostitution in military brothels before and during World War II.

Japan gave $800 million to South Koreas then-military-backed government under a 1965 accord to normalize relations which was mainly used on economic development projects driven by major South Korean companies.

A semi-government fund set up by Tokyo offered compensation to former comfort women when the government apologized in 1995, but many South Koreans believe the Japanese government should take more direct responsibility for the occupation.

The two sides also have a longstanding territorial dispute over a group of islands controlled by South Korea but claimed by Japan.

With inputs from agencies

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Dozens of Iraqis gathered on Thursday in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad to protest at the burning of a Koran outside a mosque in the Swedish capital Stockholm, according to a Reuters witness.

Some of the protesters burned a rainbow-coloured flag representing the LGBT community and chanted yes, yes to the Koran.

The governments of several other Muslim countries, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Morocco, issued protests about the incident.

A man tore up and burned a Koran outside Stockholms central mosque on Wednesday after Swedish police granted permission for the protest to take place. After the burning, Swedish police charged the man who carried it out with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

Protesters gathered in Baghdad shortly after populist Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr called for demonstrations outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, expelling the Swedish ambassador and burning the LGBT flag, among other demands.

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A man tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholms central mosque on Wednesday, an event that risks angering Turkey as Sweden bids to join NATO, after Swedish police granted permission for the protest to take place.

Police later charged the man with agitation against an ethnic or national group.

A series of demonstrations in Sweden against Islam and for Kurdish rights have offended Ankara, whose backing Sweden needs to gain entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Sweden sought NATO membership in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine last year. But alliance member Turkey has held up the process, accusing Sweden of harbouring people it considers terrorists and demanding their extradition.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the act in a tweet, adding that it was unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression.

Burning of religious texts is disrespectful and hurtful, the deputy spokesperson for the US State Department told reporters in a daily briefing. What might be legal is certainly not necessarily appropriate, Vedant Patel said.

But he continued to urge Turkey and Hungary to ratify the NATO accession protocol of Sweden without delay. We believe Sweden has fulfilled its commitments under the trilateral memorandum.

Some 200 onlookers witnessed one of the two protesters tearing up pages of a copy of the Koran and wiping his shoes with it before putting bacon in it and setting the book on fire, while the other spoke into a megaphone.

Some of those present shouted God is Great in Arabic to protest against the burning, and one man was detained by police after he attempted to throw a rock.

A supporter of the protest shouted let it burn as the holy book caught fire.

While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed on freedom of speech.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference on Wednesday he would not speculate about how the protest could affect Swedens NATO process.

Its legal but not appropriate, he said, adding that it was up to the police to make decisions on Koran burnings.

Representatives of the mosque were disappointed by the police decision to grant permission for the protest on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, mosque director and Imam Mahmoud Khalfi said on Wednesday.

The mosque suggested to the police to at least divert the demonstration to another location, which is possible by law, but they chose not to do so, Khalfi said in a statement.

Up to 10,000 visitors attend Stockholms mosque for Eid celebrations every year, according to Khalfi.

Turkey in late January suspended talks with Sweden on its NATO application after a Danish far-right politician burned a copy of the Koran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

With inputs from agencies

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China on Wednesday adopted new legislation overseeing the countrys foreign policy, its latest effort to expand a legal toolbox to counter sanctions and other perceived hostile Western actions amid concerns about its impact on foreign business operations in China.

According to a South China Morning Post report, citing observers, the all-encompassing Foreign Relations Law is expected to help Beijing use domestic law to retaliate against sanctions and deter future provocations.

The law was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, the countrys top legislature, according to Xinhua, after a draft had been released in December.

In light of Chinas deteriorating relations with the United States and its allies, Beijing has increased efforts in recent years to strengthen legislation in the field of foreign affairs and use rule of law to carry out international struggle as President Xi Jinping put it in 2021.

Beijing has implemented a number of regulations over the past three years to resist US sanctions, including the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law in 2021, which came after US efforts to utilise its domestic laws to restrain China through a trade war and export curbs since 2016.

Over the past three years, Beijing has introduced a series of regulations aimed at countering US sanctions, including the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law in 2021, which followed US efforts to use its domestic laws to curb China through trade war and export controls since 2016.

According to Wang Jiangyu, a professor at the School of Law at City University of Hong Kong, unlike the anti-sanctions law, the Foreign Relations Law will serve as an umbrella law  that governs Chinas conduct of foreign relations in every respect.

It very much indicates that China is in the process of trying to legalise the conduct of diplomacy and foreign relations  On the other hand, it also reflects the will of [President Xi Jinping] to strengthen national security, South China Morning Post quoted Wang as saying.

Whats the new law?

The new law stipulates that Chinas diplomacy must be conducted under the guidance of President Xis political ideology, known as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and in accordance with the Chinese Constitution, according to the report.

The statute seeks to sum up the countrys existing foreign policy doctrines, reiterating that China would adhere to principles such as non-aggression and non-interference in each others internal affairs, and would oppose hegemony and power politics.

The law states that China upholds world peace and security and promotes common global development. It advocates the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations.

In addition to strengthening rules governing foreign-related areas, the law stipulates that the state should also fulfil in good faith its obligations under international treaties and agreements that China took part in in accordance with the constitution and laws.

Experts voice concerns

Experts have voiced concerns that the new law, aimed at further consolidating the Communist Partys control over the countrys external interactions, could stiffen Beijings Cold War-style confrontation with Washington and make it harder for foreign companies to operate in China, reported South China Morning Post.

George Magnus, a research associate at Oxford Universitys China Centre, expressed concerns that the law could be perceived outside China as part of the countrys aggressive diplomacy, further widening the trust deficit between Beijing and the US-led West.

Henry Gao, professor of law at Singapore Management University, shared those concerns and said the law would make it harder for foreign business operations in China, citing the concentration of the partys power in the name of national security.

It would add further to the uncertainty of Chinas business environment as the party could take actions based on political rather than legal considerations, South China Morning Post quoted Gao as saying.

With inputs from agencies

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday lampooned the Shehbaz Sharif government over arrests of his party leaders, saying that the idea behind this reign of terror is to scare people away from PTI so the assortment of criminals can again be imposed on the nation through rigged elections.

The fascists ruling our country did not even care about Eid when they arrested our ticket holder Rana Aurangzeb last night when he was going to see his family, Imran Khan tweeted.

The idea behind this reign of terror is to scare people away from PTI so the assortment of criminals can again be imposed on the nation through rigged elections. This plan is destined to fail because we are humans not a herd of sheep, he added.

The fascists ruling our country did not even care about Eid when they arrested our ticket holder Rana Aurangzeb last night when he was going to see his family. The idea behind this reign of terror is to scare people away from PTI so the assortment of criminals can again be  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 29, 2023

Earlier today, Imran Khan offered Eid prayers at Zaman Park.

Chairman Imran Khan offering Eid prayers earlier today at Zaman Park! #EidMubarakImranKhan pic.twitter.com/s24erzdbcl  PTI (@PTIofficial) June 29, 2023

On Wednesday, former minister and PTI leader Ali Mohammad Khan was remanded in judicial custody after a magistrate rejected the plea of anti-corruption establishment officials for seeking his 14-day physical remand, Dawn reported.

He was arrested for the sixth time on Tuesday in a corruption case shortly after being released by a special court from Mardan jail, the report said.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday told Dawn that conducting the upcoming elections in the country on the basis of the latest delimitation is out of question as results of the digital census are yet to be formally notified.

The general elections 2023 for the national and provincial assemblies will be conducted as per the limits of the constituencies published by the Commission on August 5 last year, the official said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia has arrested General Sergei Surovikin, the former top commander of Russias military operations in Ukraine in connection with the coup attempt by the Wagner Group, The Moscow Times newspaper reported citing sources.

Nicknamed General Armageddon, Surovikin is one of Russias most well-known and respected military leaders.

He was made the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, earlier this year, in a relegation that was seen as a political rather than a military move.

Surovikin, who has not been seen in public since 24 June when he made an appeal for the mutiny to be called off, has often been praised by Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin who led the brief rebellion.

Surovikin had prior knowledge of Wagner rebellion: US media

Earlier, US newspaper The New York Times reported that Surovikin had prior knowledge of the rebellion by the mercenaries.

NYT cited American officials briefed on intelligence regarding the matter, and reported that the officials were trying to learn if Surovikin helped plan Prigozhins actions.

However, the Kremlin on Wednesday rejected the NYT report as speculation.

There will now be a lot of speculation, gossip and so on around these events. I think this is one such example, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing.

With inputs from agencies

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Support for Russian President Vladimir Putin reached astounding levels ever since he quelled the Wagner groups mutiny against the defence ministry.

The Kremlin has reiterated that the armed rebellion led by Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin last week has not been able to weaken Putins age-old rule.

Moscow late on Wednesday released footage of President Putin walking up to a cheering group of mostly women in Derbent, an ancient city in the Dagestan region of southern Russia.

However, the Russian president is not known for interacting with common Russians, especially since the Covid pandemic, which saw him observe strict isolation rules, with some of those restrictions still in place.

In Derbent, there was an astounding demonstration of support and happiness of the local population, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

He said President Putin could not refuse greeting the crowd.

The data we have show the prevailing and dominating support of the president and the special military operation, Peskov said Thursday using Moscows official term for the conflict in Ukraine.

In the video, Putin can be seen surrounded by men in suits and a cameraman while he reached out to shake peoples hands.

Then, with his jacket off, he waved goodbye and blew a kiss to the crowd, before getting in a car.

He initially condemned the rebelling Wagner fighters as traitors and vowed tough punishment but after the mutiny was halted, President Putin allowed the fighters to go back to their homes, join the regular army or go into exile in Belarus.

With inputs from AFP

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The Wagner mercenary groups mutiny, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, weakened Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, although it was unclear what the long-term effects of the uprising would be.

The weekend revolt has raised concerns about Putins hold on power as Moscows conflict in Ukraine drags on. The insurrection was put to an end when Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered his forces to stop advancing on Moscow.

Scholz stated that the failed uprising surely [would] have long-term consequences in Russia in his first lengthy remarks on the subject.

I do believe that he (Putin) is weakened, Scholz told public broadcaster ARD.

It shows that the autocratic structures, the power structures, have cracks and he in no way sits as firmly in the saddle as he always claims, the German leader said.

But I dont want to take part in speculation about how long hell stay in office  it could be a long time or short, we dont know.

Scholz said Germany and its Western partners would be keeping a close eye on further developments.

Russia is a nuclear power, it is a very powerful country and that is why we have to watch very carefully when dangerous situations arise, he said.

Goal not regime change

Scholz reaffirmed Berlins support for Ukraine and underlined that there could be no peace negotiations until Moscow withdrew its troops.

Anything else would legitimise whats happened, he said. And that is why it cant end up that the war is just frozen there where the line is between the various armies.

He said it was unclear whether the Wagner mutiny would make it easier or harder to end the war.

That is why it is important for Ukraine to do its part to make it (a resolution) possible  that is what it is trying to do with the current offensive.

While stressing that the goal of our support for Ukraine is not regime change in Russia, Scholz added that Western countries were supporting Ukraine so it can defend itself.

Germany, formerly regarded as reluctant to provide arms, is now Ukraines second-largest military aid donor behind the United States.

When questioned afterwards about the possible threats Wagner forces in Belarus presented, Scholz stated that NATO would be closely observing developments.

Private armies are always threatening, even for the countries that maintain them  Russia has now seen that, he told reporters.

Calling it a situation that we are watching with great concern, Scholz said nevertheless that NATO was prepared to defend every centimetre of its territory.

At the same time, I am not currently expecting a change in the situation, he said.

Following the rebellion, Putin ordered Wagner to lose its heavy weaponry, and its fighters to either join the regular armed forces or accept exile in Belarus.

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The Ahmadi community continues to face persecution in Pakistan as police in the Punjab province have issued directives to stop them from organising Qurbani (sacrifice) and marking Eid-al-Adha.

A notice sent to local police stations has asked police personnel to stop Ahmadis from performing Qurbani, as it is offensive to other Muslims, News18 reported.

If any person belonging to the community violates these directives, he could face jail or financial penalty because it will trigger tensions and allow extremist elements to benefit, read the statement.

The number of people from Ahmadi community has been variously estimated to be between 0.22% and 2.2% of Pakistans population. They have often come under religious persecution and discrimination, while a Pew Research Center report states that only 7% of Pakistanis consider the Ahmadis as Muslims.

Freedom to practice religion, not for Ahmadis in Pakistan. Now, Ahmadi families offering Eid prayers, sacrificing animals even within their homes are threatened to be booked for blasphemy under 298-C. pic.twitter.com/HPxBkX7cly  Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) June 28, 2023

In two complaints filed with police, the complainants cited Section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, contending that people from the community can neither call themselves Muslims nor adopt Shaair-i-Islam, Dawn reported.

Section 298-C of the PPC elaborates on the penalty for a person of the Ahmadi group calling themselves a Muslim or preaching or propagating their faith, the report said.

This comes after the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2022 ruled that obstructing non-Muslims from practicing their religion within the confines of their place of worship was against the Constitution.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed a conservative academic who has been vocal in criticising North Koreas human rights record as the nations new unification minister in charge of ties with Pyongyang.

Professor of political science at Sungshin Womens University Kim Yung-hos nomination comes at a time when Yoon is working to draw attention to North Koreas violations of human rights and when tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen.

Yoon said in March that the international community needed to know more about the circumstances in the North.

Kim, 63, worked for the Republican Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments as a presidential secretary for reunification and a human rights ambassador.

The nomination is likely to add strain to ties between the two Koreas. North Korea has long rejected criticism of its rights conditions as part of a plot to overthrow its rulers.

Kim Yung-ho said in a 2019 column that the path to unification would open when North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns regime is overthrown and North Korea is liberated.

I will do my best to resolve North Koreas nuclear issue with a principled approach and build the foundation to improve inter-Korean relations, professor Kim told reporters after the appointment was announced.

A spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party criticised the appointment.

Professor Kim Yung-ho is not the right fit for the position, which needs to lay the ground for unification through dialogue and exchanges, Park Sung-joon said.

Yoons chief of staff, Kim Dae-ki, said the professor would pursue a principle-based and consistent North Korea policy.

Shares of South Korean companies linked to inter-Korean economic cooperation fell after the reshuffle announcement. Apparel makers In the F lost 5% and Hyundai Engineering & Construction was down 2%.

The unification ministrys role ranges from cross-border dialogue and exchanges to studying human rights abuses in North Korea and helping defectors resettle in the South.

But the ministry has seen its standing change along with relations between the neighbours. The two Koreas remain technically at war under an armistice in the 1950-53 Korean War.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has since early last year been testing weapons, including its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile, ramping up tensions with the South and its main ally, the United States.

Thursdays cabinet shake-up also included a replacement for the head of the anti-corruption and civil rights commission, a ministerial post. There was also a string of replacements for vice-ministerial posts, including the appointment of 2008 Olympic gold medallist weightlifter Jang Mi-ran as the second vice minister of culture and sports.

Ministerial appointees are subject to parliamentary hearings but a formal approval is not required.

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Referring to China as a big neighbour, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that any healthy relationship is based on high degree of mutuality and adherence to agreements and departure from what was agreed is today at the heart of the difficult phase that India is passing through with China.

Speaking at the India International Centre on Wednesday, he said, China has been a difficult swing, its a big neighbour, but at the end of the day any relations have to be based on a high degree of mutuality, there has to be respect for each others interests and adherence to agreements reached between us and it is that departure from what was agreed between us which is today at the heart of the difficult phase that we are passing through with China.

At the end of the day, the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship. And the state of the border today is still abnormal, Jaishankar added.

Giving a sharp contrast between Indias ties with China and that with the US, Jaishankar said relations with the latter have been exceptionally good.

Jaishankar cited Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent maiden state visit to the US, and said it was the most productive visit by an Indian Prime Minister.

Today, its a very polarised world, and the global stage is so much more challenging Our relations with the United States are exceptionally well. We have had the most productive visit in history, he said.

#WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar during an event in Delhi, says, Today, its a very polarised world, and the global stage is so much more challengingOur relations with the United States are exceptionally well. We have had the most productive visit in history pic.twitter.com/tGXMAJBYPO  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

We have moved into a positive domain with the US for shaping the world for common purposes. The attention being given to Europe is remarkable The big issue before us is concluding the Free Trade Agreement We are more hopeful than ever before, EAM added.

On Indias relationship with Russia, Jaishankar said that it has been very good and it would be a mistake to reduce its importance.

Our relations with Russia have been kept steady despite all turbulence. We have made our own evaluation over the years regarding the importance of this. It is a mistake to dumb down ties with Russia to just defence dependences. We have an upswing in the economic part of our relations with Russia, he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: Our relations with Russia have been kept steady despite all turbulence. We have made our own evaluation over the years regarding the importance of this. It is a mistake to dumb down ties with Russia to just defence dependences. We have an upswing in the economic pic.twitter.com/wd3bTF0vWk  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

With inputs from agencies

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A British court ruled Thursday that a government plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is unlawful, delivering a blow to the Conservative administrations pledge to stop migrants making risky journeys across the English Channel.

In a split two-to-one ruling, three Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country where migrants could be sent.

But the judges said that a policy of deporting asylum seekers to another country was not in itself illegal, and the government said it would challenge the ruling at the U.K. Supreme Court. It has until July 6 to lodge an appeal.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that while I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

Sunak has pledged to stop the boats  a reference to the overcrowded dinghies and other small craft that make the journey from northern France carrying migrants who hope to live in the U.K. More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain across the Channel in 2022, and several died in the attempt.

The U.K. and Rwandan governments agreed more than a year ago that some migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in small boats would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in the East African country rather than return to Britain.

The U.K. government argues that the policy will smash the business model of criminal gangs that ferry migrants on hazardous journeys across one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes.

Human rights groups say it is immoral and inhumane to send people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to a country they dont want to live in, and argue that most Channel migrants are desperate people who have no authorized way to come to the U.K. They also cite Rwandas poor human rights record, including allegations of torture and killings of government opponents.

Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million pounds ($170 million) under the deal, but no one has yet been deported there.

Britains High Court ruled in December that the policy is legal and doesnt breach Britains obligations under the U.N. Refugee Convention or other international agreements, rejecting a lawsuit from several asylum-seekers, aid groups and a border officials union.

But the court allowed the claimants, who include asylum-seekers from Iraq, Iran and Syria facing deportation under the government plan, to challenge that decision on issues including whether the plan is systemically unfair and whether asylum-seekers would be safe in Rwanda.

In a partial victory for the government, the appeals court ruled Thursday that the U.K.s international obligations did not rule out removing asylum-seekers to a safe third country.

But two of the three ruled Rwanda was not safe because its asylum system had serious deficiencies. They said asylum seekers would face a real risk of being returned to their countries of origin, where they could be mistreated.

Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett  the most senior judge in England and Wales  disagreed with his two colleagues. He said assurances given by the Rwandan government were enough to ensure the migrants would be safe.

The government of Rwanda took issue with the ruling, saying the nation is one of the safest countries in the world.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans, said government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo. Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this.

However Rwanda opposition leader Frank Habineza said Britain should not seek to foist its responsibilities on refugees.

The U.K. is a bigger country than Rwanda, huge resources, unlike impoverished Rwanda, he said. Sending migrants to Rwanda, the U.K. will be relinquishing responsibility of protecting those running to the U.K. for safety.

Yasmine Ahmed, U.K. director of Human Rights Watch, said the verdict was some rare good news in an otherwise bleak landscape for human rights in the U.K.

She urged Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the minister in charge of immigration, to abandon this unworkable and unethical fever dream of a policy and focus her efforts on fixing our broken and neglected migration system.

Even if the plan is ultimately ruled legal, its unclear how many people could be sent to Rwanda. The governments own assessment acknowledges it would be extremely expensive, coming in at an estimated 169,000 pounds ($214,000) per person.

But it is doubling down on the idea, drafting legislation barring anyone who arrives in the U.K. in small boats or by other unauthorized means from applying for asylum. If passed, the bill would compel the government to detain all such arrivals and deport them to their homeland or a safe third country.

It is this country  and your government  who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs, Sunak said. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.
In Nanterre, a working-class district of Paris, protesters set cars on fire and fired fireworks at police on Wednesday. This was the second night of disturbance in the area after a 17-year-old kid was fatally shot there during a traffic check.

In the ethnically varied suburbs of Frances largest cities, there is a pervasive sense of police brutality that has been fueled by the use of fatal force by cops against the adolescent, who is of North African descent.

Just before midnight, pyrotechnics fizzed towards police lines on Nanterres Avenue Pablo Picasso, leaving a path of burning wrecks in their wake.

According to a police spokeswoman, there was turbulence in Amiens, Dijon, and the administrative region of Essonne, south of the French capital, as well as in the northern city of Lille and the southern city of Toulouse.

Instances were recorded at various different places in the greater Paris area, according to French media. The Montreuil town hall, located on the eastern fringe of Paris, was seen in social media videos to be the target of several pyrotechnics.

Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting unexplainable and inexcusable.

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth. Prosecutors say he failed to comply with an order to stop his car.

The interior ministry has called for calm and said 2,000 police have been mobilised in the Paris region.

Rights groups allege systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies in France, a charge Macron has previously denied.

A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, shows two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting at the driver at close range as the car pulled away. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

You have a video that is very clear: a police officer killed a young man of 17 years. You can see that the shooting is not within the rules, said Yassine Bouzrou, a lawyer for the family.

Lawmakers held a minutes silence in the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the shooting seems clearly not to comply with the rules.

The family has filed a legal complaint against the officers for homicide, complicity in homicide and false testimony, the lawyer said.

In a video shared on TikTok, a woman identified as the victims mother called for a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday. Everyone come, we will lead a revolt for my son, she said.

Unusually frank

Tuesdays killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

Frances human rights ombudsman has opened an inquiry into the death, the sixth such inquiry into similar incidents in 2022 and 2023.

Macrons remarks were unusually frank in a country where senior politicians are often reticent to criticise police given voters security concerns.

Two leading police unions fought back, saying the detained police officer should be presumed innocent until found otherwise.

He has faced criticism from rivals who accuse him of being soft on drug dealers and petty criminals and has implemented policies aimed at curbing urban crime, including greater authority for police to issue fines.

Before the violence erupted for a second night, Some in Nanterre had expressed hope the unrest would end swiftly.

To revolt like we did yesterday wont change things, we need to discuss and talk, local resident Fatima said.

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According to two people with knowledge of the situation, US authorities are considering strengthening an export control regulation aimed at reducing the amount of computational power that chips can have in order to reduce the flow of artificial intelligence chips to China.

A comprehensive set of regulations was released by the Biden administration in October of last year with the intention of freezing Chinas semiconductor sector in place while the US spends billions of dollars in subsidies for its own chip business.

Two individuals indicated that an update to those guidelines may appear by the end of July, but one emphasised that such US initiatives involving China frequently have delays.

The US Department of Commerce declined to respond.

Nvidia Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said on Wednesday at an investors conference, Over the long-term, restrictions prohibiting the sale of our data center GPUs to China, if implemented, would result in a permanent loss of opportunities for US industry to compete and lead in one of the worlds largest markets and impact on our future business and financial results.

The Biden administration is reportedly mulling additional limitations on the sale of AI technology to China, according to the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

One of the regulations from October restricted the sale of chips in China that can offer the computing power required to develop artificial intelligence technologies similar to ChatGPT. This restriction immediately had an impact on sales of products from Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and would probably have an impact on future offerings from Intel Corp.

Nvidia, whose dominant position in the AI chip industry helped make it worth $1 trillion earlier this year, would be severely hurt by the potential regulatory tightening.

We do not anticipate that such additional restrictions, if adopted, would have an immediate material impact on our financial results, Nvidias Kress said on Wednesday.

Questions have arisen about how effective the October rule will be in slowing Chinese companies development of AI systems.

Nvidia has made special chips for the Chinese market that comply with the October restrictions, but Reuters reported last month that major Chinese companies such as Tencent Holdings plan to use Nvidias export-compliant chips to cut the time it takes to train huge AI systems by more than half.

The current rule around AI chips involves two restrictions. One restriction focuses on how fast chips can communicate with each other, which is important because AI systems such as ChatGPT require thousands of chips to be chained together. The other restriction focuses on how much computing power the chip can have.

The H800 chip that Nvidia created for the Chinese market, for example, has as much computing power at some settings used in AI work as the companys chip for the rest of the world, but its chip-to-chip speeds are limited, according to a specification sheet seen by Reuters.

Intel declined to comment. AMD declined to comment. Previously, AMD has said the rules will not have an impact on its financial results.

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The United States would increase cooperation and engagement with India in the South China Sea, where China has been at the centre of multiple territorial disputes with regional countries, a senior US diplomat for East Asia on Wednesday.

Tensions are high in contested portions of the sea, which serves as one of the worlds most significant trade channels, carrying more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce.

China claims practically the whole sea as its territory and says conflicts should be resolved by regional governments without outside intervention.

Recently, the US and India declared themselves among the closest partners in the world last week during a state visit to Washington by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasized adherence to international law in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South China Sea.

The US has seen a clear and upward trend of Chinese coercion in the disputed waters, Daniel Kritenbrink told Washingtons Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Asked whether India would have a growing role in the South China Sea and greater cooperation with the U.S. there, Kritenbrink said Yes, adding that there would be greater collaboration among a group of regional powers  the U.S., India, Japan and Australia  known as the Quad.

He said the U.S. focus in the region was on building the capacity of allies, partners and friends that share a vision for a peaceful and stable world.

We will welcome cooperation with any country that embraces that vision. That of course includes India, Kritenbrink said.

Large countries should not bully smaller ones, he added, referring to Chinas disputes with other South China Sea claimants.

The spokesperson for Chinas Washington embassy said Beijings South China Sea position had a solid historical and legal basis, whereas the U.S. was not a party to the disputes and should not be conducting military operations in the area.

If the U.S. cares about the stability of the South China Sea and wants to avoid accidents, I think it needs to stop the reconnaissance operations against China, Liu Pengyu told a news briefing.

The United States has been seeking to revive direct military-to-military contact with China to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to unintended conflict, but China has resisted this.

Though not a South China Sea claimant, India has in recent years stepped up security ties in the region, signalling its intent to play a bigger role in efforts to counter China.

Indias navy said on Wednesday it was sending an active duty missile corvette to Vietnam as a gift, the first warship it has given to any country.

Kritenbrink referred to unsafe manoeuvres by Chinese vessels inside Vietnams exclusive economic zone last month, particularly in the waters around oil and gas installations.

(Chinas) provocative behaviour exacerbates risks for businesses, effectively pushing out the competition and paving the way for the PRC to push a joint development deal with its state-owned firms, he said.

With inputs from agencies

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Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told that his Wagner group would no longer fight in Ukraine as he had refused to sign contracts to bring his mercenaries under the sway of the defense ministry, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday (June 29).

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential lawmaker who chairs the defense committee at Russias lower house of parliament, said the trigger for Saturdays mutiny was Prigozhins disagreement with a demand by the defense ministry that his mercenary group sign contracts.

As you know, a few days before the attempted mutiny, the defense ministry said that all formations performing combat tasks must sign contracts with the ministry, said Kartapolov.

Everyone started to implement this decision everyone except Mr Prigozhin.

Prigozhin said on June 11 that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contract with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, adding that Shoigu was unable to manage military units.

Kartapolov said that after Prigozhins refusal to sign the contracts he had been told that his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine and thus would not receive state money.

As a result, Kartopolov said, Prigozhin, committed treason due to exorbitant ambitions, money and what he cast as an excited state.
The response of Canada to the Khalistani issue seems to be driven by vote-bank politics, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, adding that India will respond if the activities affect on its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.

For us, how Canada has dealt with the Khalistani issue has been a long-standing concern. Because very frankly, they seem to be driven by vote-bank politics, Jaishankar said, while addressing an event on 9 Years of Modi Government: A Foreign Policy Overview at the India International Centre in New Delhi.

The Indias foreign minister has again highlighted that the ties between India and Canada have been impacted in many ways in the last few years due to the Khalistani issue.

India has been persistently asking Canada to restrict pro-Khalistani separatist and extremist elements activities on its soil.

Canadas response constrained by vote bank compulsions

Jaishankar said the responses of Canada have all been, to the best of my understanding, actually constrained by what they regard as vote bank compulsions.

#WATCH | Delhi: Dr EAM S Jaishankar on Canada: They seem driven by vote-bank politics. Their responses have been constrained by what they regard as vote bank compulsions. If there are activities in Canada that impinge on our national security & integrity, then we will have to pic.twitter.com/knNz7z8e9B  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

"We (India) made it very clear and I have done so in public, which is that if there are activities that are permitted from Canada that impinge on our sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, then we will have to respond," the EAM said.

India-Canada ties impacted

It is something which is a continuing conversation with Canada; not always a satisfactory conversation but it is something on which we are very clear. You can see that in many ways in the last few years, it has impacted our ties, Jaishankar said.

There has been a rise in Khalistan activities in Canada over the recent past.

Earlier this month, a controversial tableau depicting the assassination of India's former prime minister Indira Gandhi was parade in Ontario, which drew strong criticism from New Delhi. Apart from Jaishankar and the High Commissioner of Canada in India, Punjabi diaspora settled in Canada too have condemned the tableau.

In March this year, Khalistan supporters protested outside the Indian Embassy in Canada and raised pro-Khalistan slogans.

With inputs from agencies

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Eli Lilly, a drug maker, has developed an experimental weight loss shot, which is an injection to help you lose weight. It tinkers with the bodys hormones that control appetite. The results are phenomenal. Obese patients lost around 24 per cent of their body weight after 48 weeks. These results are much higher than any other anti obesity medication.

Currently, there are numerous players in the weight loss game like Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Amgen. They all promise one thing, which is a slimmer world.

Over the past decade, these treatments have offered very little benefit and too many side effects. But now Lillys newest drug has set the bar much higher by showing that weight can be dramatically cut down by a simple injection. After the news broke out, Lillys shares rose sharply. This shows that Lilly may take the lead in the weight loss market.

Notably, drugs that help shed weight come with a heavy price tag, and are unaffordable for many. Yet the demand continues to surge because people see value in these drugs. Today, 38 per cent of the world population is obese. In 12 years, this could increase to 51 per cent.

Apart from the price, theres also a metaphorical price to pay. Most of these drugs come with a range of similar side effects like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation. As the dosage increases, these issues only get worse. Some even experience increased heart rate.

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Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is headed to China amid heightened tensions between the US, Israels closest ally, and Beijing.

Obviously, the visit has raised eyebrows, at home as well as across the world. In Israel, the move has been criticised as crossing a line that would backfire on the country.



Netanyahu announced the move on Tuesday. A statement from his office said, The upcoming visit will be Prime Minister Netanyahus fourth to China. The US administration was updated on it a month ago.

Netanyahus China visit grabbing eyeballs

World leaders have been keeping a close watch on the Israeli PMs visit China. It is so because, US is Israels closest partner, America and China are at odds, and Netanyahus visit at a time like this sends a message.

Also, Netanyahu has not been to the US in current term as Prime Minister, but he is planning a visit to China, making people wonder whats going on between Netanyahu and Biden.

It is also worth noting that Netanyahu was elected as Prime Minister last December but till date, he has not received an invitation from the White House.

Israel is US biggest ally in West Asia

Israel is Americas biggest ally in West Asia. Also, every year, the US gives Israel billions in aid and they share an unbreakable bond.

But, Biden administration is keeping Netanyahu at an arms length by disagreeing with him publicly. In March this year, Netanyahu proposed judicial overhaul triggered massive protests and among the protesters was US President Biden who suggested that Netanyahu should drop the plan.

Netanyahu, however, played it down, saying, Friends sometimes do have disagreements.

Netanyahu is Israels longest serving PM and has held the post for 15 years during which he dealt with multiple US presidents. He did not share a great rapport with the former president Barack Obama, and now signs indicate that he is getting a snub from Biden and it appears that the Israeli PM is going for the second best option, that is China.

Netanyahu knows that US-China relations are at an all-time low and that his visit to Beijing will make the America alert. But it is too early to say that this is his sole purpose. The Israeli PM may want to achieve better China-Israel relationship.

For the unversed, China has been investing in Israel despite the roadblocks from the US. In 2017, Netanyahu called Israel-China relationship a marriage made in heaven.

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US President Joe Biden made another verbal slip-up, this time stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin was losing the war in Iraq.

Biden was speaking to reporters before his departure from the White House for a trip to Chicago. When asked about Putins weakening position due to the uprising led by a Russian mercenary chief in Ukraine, Biden mistakenly mentioned Iraq.

Its hard to tell really. But hes clearly losing the war in Iraq. Hes losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And its not just NATO, its not just the European Union. Its Japan, its 40 nations, he said, reported Reuters.

Watch:

In a verbal slip-up, US President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was losing the war in Iraq when he meant to say Ukraine https://t.co/sxYjZAMA3o pic.twitter.com/NEKOPIcCsm  Reuters (@Reuters) June 29, 2023

This was the second slip-up in 24 hours. During a campaign fundraising event, Biden initially referred to China when intending to mention India, whose Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had recently visited the White House. He quickly corrected himself, acknowledging the error and expressing that India sought regional cooperation rather than a permanent alliance.

These verbal mistakes are not uncommon for the 80-year-old president. Many Americans have expressed concerns about Biden's age, as indicated by public opinion polls.

In an April 21-24 Reuters/Ipsos poll, approximately 73 per cent of respondents, including 63 per cent of Democrats, considered Biden too old for government service. It is worth noting that Biden's doctor conducted a physical examination in February, declaring him healthy and "fit for duty."

With inputs from agencies

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Sri Lanka, which has been reeling under its worst financial crisis, has got some relief from the World Bank to keep the wheel of its economy running. The World Bank has approved $700 million in budgetary and welfare support to the island nation on Thursday.

The funding to Sri Lanka by the World Bank is biggest since an International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal in March.

Phased approach

Of the total fund, about $500 million will be allocated for budgetary support, while the remaining $200 million will be for welfare support earmarked for those worst affected by the crisis.

Through a phased approach, the World Bank Group strategy focuses on early economic stabilization, structural reforms, and protection of the poor and vulnerable, Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Banks country director for Sri Lanka, said in a statement.

Zervos further said, If sustained, these reforms can put the country back on the path towards a green, resilient and inclusive development.

Sri Lanka expects that the IMFs approved $3 billion bailout will bring additional funding of up to $4 billion from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other multilateral agencies.

Sri Lanka economic crisis

Sri Lanka has been hit by the worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain in 1948 after the countrys foreign exchange hit record lows and triggered its first foreign debt default in 2022.

The country is expected to release a domestic debt restructuring program this week which will focus on how Sri Lanka will push forward reworking its debt with bondholders and bilateral creditors including India, Japan and China.

With inputs from Reuters

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realme launched the realme 11 Pro, the companys latest mid-range smartphone in the number series, in India earlier this month. This is a major upgrade when compared to last years realme 10 Pro, and shares similar specifications as the 11 Pro+, so the price has also increased. Is this the best smartphone to buy under Rs. 25,000? Let us dive into the review to find out.

Box Contents

realme 11 Pro 12GB + 256GB version in Sunrise Beige color

2-pin 80W SuperVOOC fast charger (USB Type-A port)

USB Type C Cable

SIM Ejector tool

Protective case

User Guide and Warranty information

Since it shares the same display and design, I wont go much into the display and design part. You can check out the realme 11 Pro+ review to know more about those details.

Camera

100MP main camera with Omnivision sensor, f/1.75 aperture, OIS

2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture

16MP front-facing camera with f/2.45 aperture

The camera UI in the realme UI 4.0 is familiar. There is Pro mode, Panorma, Flim, Slo-mo, Time-Lapse, Dual-View video, text scanner, starry mode and tilt-shift. There is Dynamic bokeh and Bokeh Flare portrait option for photos. You only get Bokeh Flare portrait option for video. The rear camera offers 12MP output after pixel binning, and the front camera images are 16MP in size.

Daylight shots came out well, thanks to the 100MP sensor, and the dynamic range is better with auto HDR. There is AI mode which recognizes different photo scenes and automatically adjusts camera settings to make boost the colours. 2X is good, and the portrait mode is decent since it has a dedicated 2MP sensor for it.

Low light shots are decent, but you cant compare it with the Pro+ since the 200MP sensor is better. The night mode is useful, but it takes a few seconds to process. There is also a pro mode in night mode for manual tuning. The front camera also does a good job in daylight. It lacks an ultra-wide camera, which is available in the 10 Pro and the 10 Pro+ models.

Check out the camera samples

It can record videos in up to 4K 30 fps, slow motion 1080p at 480fps, 720p at up to 940 fps, which should converted, and the front camera can record 1080p 30fps videos. Portrait video mode is limited to 720p, but the Bokeh Flare portrait offers 1080p output. There is also AI mode and ultra-wide video shooting, but these are limited to 1080p 30fps.

There is OIS and EIS which does a good job. It has an ultra-steady mode which is limited to 1080p 60fps. This doesnt have the ultra-steady max that was present in the Pro+ since it lacks an ultra-wide camera.

Software, UI, Apps and Connectivity

It runs Android 13 based realme UI 4.0 out of the box. It has Android security patch for April 2023. The phone should get 2 Android updates and 3 years of security updates. realme recently pushed an update to disable Enhanced Intelligent Services option after a controversy. The phone has a lot of preloaded apps which can be uninstalled, but come back once the phone is reset.

Out of 12GB LPDD4X RAM, you get 11.29GB of usable RAM, and about 7GB of RAM is free when default apps are running in the background. It also has DRE or dynamic RAM expansion feature, which uses the built-in storage as RAM. This has up to 12GB of additional RAM expansion. Out of 256GB, you get about 224GB of free storage. The phone uses UFS 3.1 storage, an upgrade from UFS 2.2 in the 10 Pro.

The phone has Widevine L1, so that you can play HD content on Netflix and other streaming apps. It supports HDR content on YouTube, but this doesnt work on Netflix.

The realme 11 Pro has support for n1/n3/n5/n8/n28A/n40/n41/n77/n78 Network Bands in India, same as the 11 Pro+, and comes with support for Carrier Aggregation on 4G. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz), VoWiFi / Wi-Fi calling support, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / GLONASS / Beidou. It has OTG support, doesnt have NFC support. Moving on, the call quality is good, and we did not face any call drops and the earpiece volume was loud.

The realme 11 Pros body SAR is 0.532W/Kg and head SAR is at 1.146/Kg, which is well under the limit of 1.6 W/kg (over 1 g) in India. This is also the same as the 11 Pro+.

Performance and Benchmarks

Similar to the 11 Pro+, the 11 Pro is also MediaTek Dimensity 7050 6nm SoC, which is just a rebranded Dimensity 1080 used in several phones. It has 2 x A78 CPUs clocked at up to 2.6GHz, 6x A55 CPUs clocked at up to 2GHz. It has Mali-G68 MC4 and up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM.

The company didnt mention if it has any cooling. The performance is smooth without any lags, and it also offers smooth gaming performance even in graphic intensive games. When you play graphic-intensive games like COD, BGMI and Genshin Impact, it gets a bit hot, but it doesnt get too hot to handle. It reached maximum 45 in our testing indoors in Wi-Fi, which is the same as the 11 Pro+, but this might vary outdoors in 4G or 5G.

That said, check out some synthetic benchmark scores below.

realme 11 Pro+ has also been added, since both have the same SoC, and we have the same 12GB RAM version. This clearly shows almost similar performance to the realme 10 Pro+.

Battery life

Coming to the battery life, the phone packs a 5000mAh (typical) built-in battery, same as the 10 Pro and 11 Pro+. It lasts for a whole day with Wi-Fi, but with 4G or 5G and dual SIMs. I got close to 6 hours of screen on time with over a day of use on Wi-Fi and in 120Hz, same as the 11 Pro+.

Compared to 100W SuperVOOC Charge in 11 Pro+, the 11 Pro 67W SuperVOOC Charge. It can charge up to 50% in about 18 minutes and up to 100% in 47 minutes with the bundled 80W charger. This doesnt show the battery health option, which was present in the 11 Pro+.

Conclusion

At a starting price of Rs. 23,999 for the 8GB + 128GB, the realme 11 Pro is a good cheaper alternative to the realme 11 Pro+ with the same display, performance and battery. The camera is not as good as the 11 Pro+, and it also lacks the ultra-wide camera. 67W charging compared to 100W charging is not a big deal as the phone gets charged fully in less than an hour.

As mentioned in the realme 11 Pro+ review, we hope the company takes care of the bloatware problem, and use a better cooling system for smooth gaming experience.

Alternatives

Lava Agni 2 5G is a slightly cheaper alternative if you can manage with mono speakers, and a slightly smaller battery.

Pricing and availability

The realme 11 Pro is priced at Rs. 23,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model, Rs. 24,999 for the 8GB + 256GB model and the top-end 12GB + 256GB model costs Rs. 27,999. It is available from realme.com, Flipkart and offline stores. It also offers Rs. 1000 discount on HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank cards.

Pros

120Hz Curved AMOLED display is brilliant

Smooth performance

Attractive design

Good battery life with fast charging

Cons

Bloatware

Heats up quickly on intensive gaming

No ultra-wide camera
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The adventures of two boys travelling down the Mississippi River was rejected by librarians in Concord, Massachusetts as being, "rough, coarse and inelegant" and "more suited to the slums than to intelligent, respectable people." To what novel were they referring?



Answer: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn



"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in 1885. In a 1905 statement from the Brooklyn Public Library, Mark Twain's classic novel was removed from its shelves in part because "Huck not only itched but scratched" and "said 'sweat' when he should have said 'perspiration.'" Twain's use of racially charged language by some characters has irked some 21st-century readers. According to the American Library Association, the book was the 14th most-challenged book between 2000 and 2009.

2. In Memoirs v. Massachusetts (1966) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an erotic novel by the English author John Cleland, published in London in 1748, was not obscene. What was the title of Cleland's work?



Answer: Fanny Hill



The original work was published in two volumes and was entitled "Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure". It tells the story of a London prostitute and graphically describes her sexual lifestyle. It was not published legally in the U.S. until 1963 and in 1970 in England.



Memoirs v. Massachusetts was a 1966 landmark decision by the Supreme Court dealing with the 1st Amendment's right to freedom of expression.

3. It is one of the most banned books in schools because of its profanity, racist slurs and a description of rape. To what classic novel am I referring?



To Kill a Mockingbird



Harper Lee's novel has been challenged and banned in school districts across the country and abroad for being "immoral" and because of its use of racially charged language. As recently as 2013, a school district in Louisiana reinstated the book after a 12-year ban.



It was banned in Lindale, Texas in 1996 because "it conflicted with the values of the community". It was removed from an Ontario, Canada's high school English class because of its racial language. Answer:Harper Lee's novel has been challenged and banned in school districts across the country and abroad for being "immoral" and because of its use of racially charged language. As recently as 2013, a school district in Louisiana reinstated the book after a 12-year ban.It was banned in Lindale, Texas in 1996 because "it conflicted with the values of the community". It was removed from an Ontario, Canada's high school English class because of its racial language.

4. The residents of Kern County, California were displeased with the description of their area and banned a 1939 Pulitzer Prize winning novel for being libelous. What novel was it?



Answer: The Grapes of Wrath



"The Grapes of Wrath" is a classic tale of Dust Bowl living. It was banned and burned in libraries in East St. Louis, Illinois because of "objectionable language not fit for anyone's daughter to read". It was banned in Ireland in 1953.

5. Banned in the U.S. and England after its publication in 1922, "Ulysses" was ruled not obscene by a federal judge in 1933. Who authored "Ulysses"?



Answer: James Joyce



"Ulysses" is the story of a man's journey through Dublin. Over a thousand copies were confiscated and burned by government authorities in the U.S. and England. The novel has since been declared a classic. The book is a modernized version of Homer's "Odyssey".



The United States District Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in a landmark opinion ruled that the language in "Ulysses" was not obscene and was protected by the First Amendment.



James Joyce was himself born in Dublin, Ireland. He is considered by many to be one of the most influential writers of 20th century.

6. What series of books was number one on the American Library Association's list of the most banned and challenged books between 2000 and 2009?



Answer: Harry Potter



J.K. Rowling's series was at the same time among the most popular and among the most banned and challenged novels. It was viewed by some that the series had a satanic theme and violence.



Challenging material is the attempt to have the material removed or restricted. Banning is the actual removal or restriction.

7. The publication of what poetry collection cost Walt Whitman his job when it was published in 1855?



Answer: Leaves of Grass



"Leaves of Grass" was way too descriptive of both heterosexual and homosexual lifestyles for the eyes and ears of the 19th Century.

Whitman lost his job at The Bureau of Indian Affairs after the Secretary read it and deemed it immoral.



Nearly every American library refused to purchase a copy.

8. Kurt Vonnegut's novel "Slaughterhouse-Five", based on the author's own personal experiences, has been banned repeatedly for profane language and violence. What experiences did Vonnegut draw upon?



prisoner of war in WWII



The American Library Association reports that school districts across America have banned 'Slaughterhouse-Five" for the book's "explicit sexual scenes, violence and obscene language". In 2011 it was declared "incompatible with biblical principles" in some "Bible Belt" communities.



"Bible Belt", as the term implies, refers to communities, mainly in the southern parts of the US, that practice their religion more fervently than others. Answer:The American Library Association reports that school districts across America have banned 'Slaughterhouse-Five" for the book's "explicit sexual scenes, violence and obscene language". In 2011 it was declared "incompatible with biblical principles" in some "Bible Belt" communities."Bible Belt", as the term implies, refers to communities, mainly in the southern parts of the US, that practice their religion more fervently than others.

9. "A Farewell to Arms" is based on the author's own experiences as an ambulance driver on the Italian front during WW I. Name the author.



Answer: Ernest Hemingway



Not surprisingly, Hemingway's 1929 novel was banned in Italy for nearly 20 years for its depiction of Italy's defeat at the Battle of Caporetto. It was also banned and burnt by the Nazis for being a "corrupt foreign influence". The police in Boston declared it "salacious" even before it was published!

10. What novel, published in 1951, told a coming-of-age story of Holden Caulfield, a nascent teenager dealing with the apprehension of the years ahead?



Answer: The Catcher in the Rye



J.D. Salinger's book became required reading in high schools across America. It told the story of Holden Caufield, who after being expelled from prep school spends two days in New York City. There he encounters all that is part of adult life, the good and bad.



According to the American Library Association "Catcher in the Rye" was the 19th most challenged and banned book between 2000 and 2009. Due to its use of profane language, blasphemy and sexual references, it was removed from the high school syllabus in Issaquah, Washington for being laced with profanities and "part of an overall communist plot".

Source: Author ncterp This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
Iti doresti o presa libera si independenta, care nu da inapoi cand vine vorba de respectarea standardelor profesionale, refuza sa se lase cenzurata, sustine independenta justitiei, transparenta decizionala si valorile democratice. Alege sa o sustii.
Duterte voices concern over U.S. military presence in Philippines

Xinhua) 15:23, June 29, 2023

MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The presence of U.S. military forces and equipment in the Philippines would put the country in danger, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said.

"We are in a bind. If the Americans are here to stay and bring arms ... it would be too pretty naive or stupid for Filipinos to think that the Americans would only bring conventional warheads," Duterte said in a recent interview with a local media SMNI, aired late Wednesday night.

The former president opposed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a military pact allowing the United States to deploy its troops, weapons, and equipment in up to nine military bases within the Philippine territory.

"It's my concern for my country, and an open dialogue is always good," Duterte added.

Filipinos have become concerned over the enhanced military alliance and strategic security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, particularly after the latter had expanded access to the Philippine military bases under EDCA, as well as more extensive joint military exercises in the Southeast Asian country.

Some analysts believe the United States' ulterior goal is to preserve its dominance in Asia at the cost of provocation and even war, and the Filipinos, who will be caught in the crossfire, will suffer the most.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Easily Repairable Nokia G42 5G Launched With Snapdragon 480+ News lekhaka -Subhrojit Mallick

HMD Global has launched a new Nokia phone in the wild. The Nokia G42 joins the ranks of budget smartphones by the Finnish brand, and this one focuses on repairability. Nokia has, of late, been a big proponent of sustainability and has been offering devices that have a smaller carbon footprint and can be easily repaired.

The company is partnering with iFixit to bring repair guides for the Nokia G42, ensuring that consumers can extend the life cycle of the device even after it runs into issues without having to run to a service center. The company will also support the smartphone for five years with after sales parts including displays, batteries, and charging ports.

The Nokia G42 is the company's first repairable 5G smartphone. It is also sustainably built. Let's take a look at the specs and features

Nokia G42: Specifications and Features

The Nokia G42 is built keeping the environment in mind. The back of the smartphone is made from recycled plastic, while it comes in a sustainably made packaging, which is a box made of fully certified FSC Mix material.

Nokia has also tested the smartphone ro survive more knocks with over 2x drop testing and an additional compression testing. It has also made it easy to repair. The two-piece unibody design is made such that any one can easily remove the back cover and replace the parts using iFixit gear.

On the front is a 6.56-inch IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The display has a water drop notch that houses an 8MP front facing camera. The panel is also protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

The Nokia G42 is powered by the Snapdragon 480+ SoC along with 4GB and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. The storage is further expandable via a microSD card. The Nokia G42 runs on Android 13 with HMD Global promising two years of Android OS updates and three years of monthly security updates.

The Nokia G42 is powered by a 5000mAh battery with 20W fast charging. It is also IP52 rated for dust and water resistance and has a headphone jack with a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button.

As for the camera, the Nokia G42 comes with a 50MP primary camera along with a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera.

Nokia G42: Price and Availability

The Nokia G42 has launched in Europe. The smartphone is being offered in Purple and Grey colors, and starts at EUR 249 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The repair components include a new screen priced at EUR 50, while a replacement battery is priced EUR 25 and the charging port assembly is priced at EUR 20.

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Five Eyes Security Partners Meet in New Zealand

By Phil Mercer June 28, 2023

Politicians from the Five Eyes alliance are meeting in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, where migration and security are top of the agenda. The grouping includes the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing accord among five English-speaking democracies. British Home Secretary Suella Braverman is among those attending meetings in Wellington, New Zealand.

War and China likely on agenda

The war in Ukraine and China's growing assertiveness are expected to be discussed at the five-country ministerial talks Wednesday in Wellington. Also on the agenda in the New Zealand capital are cyber security, child sex abuse, and foreign espionage at universities. Delegates are also expected to discuss migration and labor mobility schemes between alliance countries.

Anne-Marie Brady is a professor in the department of Political Science and International Relations at New Zealand's University of Canterbury.

She told VOA Wednesday that the Five Eyes alliance has an important part to play in maintaining global security.

"Because the rules based international order is under such threat by the behavior of Russia and China and the way they misuse their positions in international organizations such as the (U.N.) Security Council, that is leading to increasing prominence of groupings of interested states," said Brady. "That relationship of the five countries in Five Eyes is very important and relevant in a very challenging international environment."

Alliance formed after war

The Five Eyes alliance began between the United States and Britain in the aftermath of the Second World War. Over the next decade, it was expanded to include Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It has had a reputation for secrecy.

Earlier this year, it blamed China for recent cyber-attacks targeting "critical infrastructure" in the U.S. Beijing responded by accusing the English-speaking alliance of spreading disinformation.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been in China this week on an official visit. Tuesday, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both leaders acknowledged the importance of the bilateral relationship. They discussed trade, international relations and the war in Ukraine.

Hipkins said in a statement that his country's "relationship with China is one of our most significant and wide-ranging."

New Zealand's exports to China are worth more than $12.8 billion, or a quarter of the country's total export earnings, according to government data.

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Airmen to see changes in deployment cycles with AFFORGEN

Published June 27, 2023

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Big changes are underway for deployed Airmen as the U.S. Air Force transitions away from the expeditionary Air Force model of force presentation to the Air Force Force Generation model after more than 20 years of contingency operations.

What you need to know:

The Air Force is changing the way it presents and generates forces for the first time in more than 20 years.

The changes are designed to improve Air Force readiness for the high-end fight and to better communicate the capabilities that the service can provide to the Joint Force.

All Airmen, except those assigned to joint positions, will be assigned to one of four phases that deploy on a 24-month cycle, or possibly more frequently for units assigned to the air component to a Combatant Command.

Implementation of the new Air Force Force Generation model will evolve over time.

This change establishes a more structured and predictable cycle to better prepare Airmen for distributed, high-end combat operations by allowing focused time for individual and unit training and certification. The model also seeks to give joint leaders a more accurate picture of Air Force readiness and how the service can better support joint operations while maintaining that readiness.

According to Air Force senior leaders, the Air Force remains unmatched in its ability to provide airpower anytime, anywhere, but the service is now adapting to changes in the strategic environment to continue to fly, fight and win. While today's Airmen are used to operating from main operating bases in uncontested environments, future conflicts will present radically different challenges that make this heard-earned experience less applicable.

AFFORGEN and related concepts are some of the ways the Air Force is advancing its warfighter culture to ensure its ability to win tomorrow's conflicts as part of the joint team.

"We have been able to get away with taking three Airmen from this base, five Airmen from this base, and two Airmen from that base, deploying them and expecting them to come together on day one and be a team," said Lt. Gen. James Slife, headquarters Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, during an AFFORGEN panel at the Air Warfare Symposium March 8. "We don't actually think that's the way the future operating environment is going to permit us to operate."

Slife's comments reinforced comments made by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., during his keynote address on the state of the Air Force during the September 2022 Air, Space and Cyber Conference.

"We need an approach that serves our national security and defense strategies, our joint warfighting concept and recognizes the changing threats and tendencies in the character of warfare," Brown said, emphasizing the need to accelerate the adoption of new operational concepts. "Adoption is making the concepts part of our DNA, part of our culture."

Brown considers AFFORGEN as one the drivers for culture change, particularly in the way the Air Force presents and deploys forces  others are agile combat employment, mission command, multi-capable Airmen and the wing A-staff construct.

Brown instituted his strategic approach of "Accelerate Change or Lose" when he became the Air Force's Chief of Staff because he saw uncontested air dominance was not assured, and AFFORGEN, along with other drivers for change, are a way for the service to maintain its dominance in a changing operational environment.

AFFORGEN establishes a 24-month rotational cycle broken into four, six-month phases: Prepare, Certify, Available and Reset. Airmen and units build readiness through the prepare and certify phases, deploy during the available phase and reintegrate and reconstitute during the reset phase.

While Airmen in joint assignments do not typically support Air Force deployments, they could be tasked worldwide and should ensure they remain ready. Airmen assigned to the air components of combatant commands, such as Indo-Pacific Command or European Command, may deploy for operations and exercises within their specific CCMD's area of responsibility. However, in some cases they may also be tasked to deploy outside of that AOR.

AFFORGEN will continue to evolve as Airmen deploy and provide lessons learned to their units. The Headquarters Air Force Lessons Learned Directorate, along with the Headquarters Air Force Directorate of Operations are the focal points for AFFORGEN-related lessons learned, studies, analyses, assessments, modeling, simulation and policy. In addition, the Air Force Expeditionary Center is responsible for developing a standardized way for commanders to coordinate training, share lessons and mentor their successors.

Force elements

Under AFFORGEN, the Air Force presents capabilities as force elements made up of multiple unit type codes. Each type of FE provides a specific operational capability:

Mission Generation: Provides combat, combat support (those that are specifically identified on the aviation/operational UTC's mission capability statement) and combat service support capability. There are multiple types of MG FEs: Mobility, Air Superiority, Global Precision Attack, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, Long Range Strike, High-Altitude Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Air Refueling, Intra-Theater Airlift and Combat Search and Rescue.

Provides combat, combat support (those that are specifically identified on the aviation/operational UTC's mission capability statement) and combat service support capability. There are multiple types of MG FEs: Mobility, Air Superiority, Global Precision Attack, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, Long Range Strike, High-Altitude Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Air Refueling, Intra-Theater Airlift and Combat Search and Rescue. Open the Airbase: This FE provides capabilities to open an airbase, regardless of follow-on mission(s), including command and control, force protection, cargo and passenger handling, logistics, airfield operations, force accountability, finance and contracting, host nation support, reception and bed-down of follow on forces.

This FE provides capabilities to open an airbase, regardless of follow-on mission(s), including command and control, force protection, cargo and passenger handling, logistics, airfield operations, force accountability, finance and contracting, host nation support, reception and bed-down of follow on forces. Command and Control: This FE provides the capabilities to establish an Air Expeditionary Wing C2 structure and includes initial wing operations, maintenance, mission support and medical group commanders as well as the Air (A) and special staffs.

This FE provides the capabilities to establish an Air Expeditionary Wing C2 structure and includes initial wing operations, maintenance, mission support and medical group commanders as well as the Air (A) and special staffs. Establish the Airbase: This FE provides sufficient forces to support most missions or weapon systems. It integrates with the Open the Air base and C2 FEs as required and provides the earliest capability to enable and sustain the generation of missions.

This FE provides sufficient forces to support most missions or weapon systems. It integrates with the Open the Air base and C2 FEs as required and provides the earliest capability to enable and sustain the generation of missions. Operate the Airbase: This FE enhances combat support and combat services support capabilities beyond what the Establish the Airbase FE provides and brings it to full operational capability.

This FE enhances combat support and combat services support capabilities beyond what the Establish the Airbase FE provides and brings it to full operational capability. Robust the Airbase: This FE provides additional combat support and combat service support to increase the robustness of the capabilities already in place.

This FE provides additional combat support and combat service support to increase the robustness of the capabilities already in place. Demand Force Teams: DFTs are units or capabilities with unique or highly specific combat, combat support, or combat service support capabilities. Examples include the Expeditionary Medical Support System, Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron - Engineer, or Combat Camera squadrons.

In addition to being part of an FE, USAF-funded active-duty Airmen are assigned to deployment phases A, B, C, or D, which replace the previous P-and X-bands. Airmen will begin deploying under AFFORGEN in October, with phase C followed by D, A, and B phases every six months. These phases then repeat every 24-months.



AFFORGEN FEs are intended to be tailorable but not divisible. This means if a joint force commander only requests a specific subset of UTCs from a FE, the remaining UTCs will remain unavailable for use during that AFFORGEN cycle.







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Poland - Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS)

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 23-16

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Poland of an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $15 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Poland has requested to buy phase two of a two-phase program for an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) enabled PATRIOT Configuration-3+ with modernized sensors and components, including: forty-eight (48) PATRIOT M903 Launch Stations; up to six hundred forty-four (644) PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC) 3 Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) missiles; forty-eight (48) Launcher Interface Network Kits (LINKs); twelve (12) Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors (LTAMDS); and twelve (12) Large Tactical Power Systems (LTPS) for the LTAMDS. Also included is communications equipment; tools and test equipment; support equipment; generators; spare parts; repair parts; Global Positioning System PPS (SAASM) receivers; modification kits; U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services for planning, execution, Systems Integration and Checkout (SICO), flight test activities, field office support and training; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $15 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

The proposed sale will improve Poland's missile defense capability and contribute to Poland's military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies. Poland will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors will be Raytheon Corporation, Andover, MA; Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, TX; and another original equipment manufacturer to be selected to develop and produce generator sets for the LTPS. The purchaser has requested offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s).

Implementation of this proposed sale will require approximately forty (40) U.S. Government and/or forty-five (45) contractor representatives to travel to Poland for an extended period for equipment de-processing/fielding, system checkout, training, and technical and logistics support.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law. The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

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Norway - Small Diameter Bomb II

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 23-41

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Norway of Small Diameter Bomb II and related equipment for an estimated cost of $293 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Norway has requested to buy up to five hundred eighty (580) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs) that will be added to a previously implemented case. The original foreign military sales (FMS) case, valued at $18.9 million, included twenty (20) GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. This amendment will increase the MDE and total case values above notification thresholds and thus requires notification of the entire case. Therefore, this notification is for a total of up to six hundred (600) GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. Also included are SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainers (WLCT) and Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainers (PEDT); munitions support and support equipment; unclassified software delivery and support; spare parts, consumables, and accessories; repair and return support; modifications and maintenance support; transportation support; unclassified publications and technical documentation; personnel training equipment and support; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated cost is $293 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

The proposed sale will improve Norway's capability to meet current and future threats by bolstering operational readiness while enhancing air and defense capabilities with a modernized weapon to support the new F-35A fleet. Norway will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Norway.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law. The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-



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Armenia: Joint Press Statement after EU-Armenia Partnership Committee

European External Action Service (EEAS)

28.06.2023

Brussels

EEAS Press Team

On 27-28 June 2023, the EU-Armenia Partnership Committee, established under the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), met for the fourth time in Brussels. This meeting gave the opportunity to the EU and Armenia to discuss the implementation of the CEPA and touch upon other areas of bilateral cooperation.

The EU and Armenia agreed to strengthen their cooperation, emphasising the EU's active engagement in the South Caucasus, and to pursue their efforts for the implementation of the CEPA, recognising the progress made so far. The EU welcomed Armenia's continued commitment to reforms in line with common values, in spite of the difficult security context of the region. The EU stands ready to continue assisting Armenia on the path of the CEPA implementation and in addressing socio-economic challenges, including through the substantial Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) as well as its flagship initiatives.

The Partnership Committee reviewed developments related to the rule of law, in the fields of justice sector, law enforcement, fight against corruption, and the respect for human rights. The EU appreciated the progress in these fields. Yet, the EU recalled the importance of continuous improvement of the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, in order to increase citizens' trust in public institutions. The EU emphasised the need to make additional efforts in eliminating discrimination on all grounds and encouraged Armenia to involve civil society in public consultations on legislative proposals.

The Partnership Committee also reviewed the progress on issues related to transport, energy, environment, climate action and disaster risk management. The EU and Armenia will continue their cooperation to enhance safety at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. While acknowledging Armenia's efforts on renewable energies, energy efficiency and environmental protection, the EU encouraged Armenia to set more ambitious emission reduction targets as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution.

The meeting was also an opportunity to review the cooperation in the field of customs and economic development. The EU underlined the importance of customs cooperation to prevent the circumvention of the EU sanctions on Russia through the territory of Armenia. The discussion also took stock of developments in employment and social policies. As regards education, the EU welcomed the adoption of Armenia's comprehensive Strategy covering the whole education spectrum, as well as its ratification of the Creative Europe Agreement.

The Partnership Committee also touched upon the possibility of launching a visa liberalization dialogue (VLD). In this regard, the EU noted that while the technical requirements for the VLD launch have been sufficiently met, this also requires a political decision. The EU continues encouraging Armenia to bilaterally engage actively with Member States on this topic.

The partners also discussed the regional dynamics and the state of play of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process that takes place in the context of increasingly challenging security situation. The Armenian side provided an update on the blockage of the Lachin Corridor. The EU and Armenia shared concerns on the risks of a humanitarian crisis. The EU and Armenia welcomed the establishment of the EU Mission in Armenia.

Finally, the discussions highlighted the constructive engagement of Armenia in the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service and Mr Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

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EU Military Staff/Military Planning and Conduct Capability: Speech by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the handover ceremony

European External Action Service (EEAS)

28.06.2023

EEAS Press Team

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Excellencies, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee [Gen. Robert Brieger], military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to be here today, as we witness the handover ceremony of the Director-General of the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) and Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), Vice-Admiral Herve Blejean to his successor Lieutenant-General Michiel van der Laan.

It is a great pleasure to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous contribution of Vice-Admiral Blejean during these three years in this function, and to thank him for his contribution to advancing the European Union's security and defence agenda.

When Vice-Admiral Blejean took office in July 2020, we were in the middle of a global pandemic. Three years after, we are witnessing a high intensity brutal war waged by Russia against Ukraine at the Europe's doorstep.

All of a sudden, concepts such as security and defence are no longer something abstract for our citizens. They have become very real and very close to us. And, logically, security and defence have climbed to the top of the political agenda.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has made it even more evident that we live in a world shaped by power politics. We said, some time ago, "Europe is in danger", and now, it looks much more evident.

We live in a world where everything can be weaponised. When security acquires new and multiple dimensions: food security, economic security, [or] climate security. The word 'security' is being accompanied by many others to represent the complexity of our world.

A world where we are constantly confronted with a battle of narratives and offers.

This applies not only to our Eastern border; it applies everywhere. Look to the South, and we will see worrying spots of political, economic and environmental instability that threaten our security, providing a fertile ground for terrorism and organised crime.

If you look at the security landscape, the conclusion is obvious: making the European Union a more capable security provider and strengthening the European Union defence is no longer something optional that you can do or not. It is a necessity.

It is a complete necessity. And history shows us that in the midst of the most difficult crises, the European Union makes the biggest leaps forward.

This has also been the case of the European Union's security and defence agenda in the last years. And this was also thanks to Vice-Admiral Blejean's leadership and determination.

Let us look at what happened in February 2022, when a few days after Russia's aggression [against Ukraine], we adopted the first package of 500 million of military support for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility (EPF).

And so, for the first time ever, the European Union decided to provide lethal support to a country under attack to enable it to defend [itself].

And 16 months after, we have adopted seven - and hopefully another one [soon], eight - support packages, for a value of 3.6 billion, plus an ammunition package of 2 billion, which makes a total of 5.6 billion. And this has incentivised the delivery by Member States, from their side, bilaterally to Ukraine, of over 11 billion of military support from Member States to Ukraine.

On doing that, we have launched a new military mission, which is the most ambitious European Union training mission that we [have] ever set up, [and] that has already trained 24,000 Ukrainian soldiers in less than eight months.

And we have been able to do all this thanks to the unity of the Member States - to the unity of 27 Member States - because unanimity is required to adopt all these decisions. But it is also thanks to the hard work of Vice Admiral Blejean and his team.

Ladies and gentlemen, our security and defence agenda goes beyond our support to Ukraine.

Let us remember that in March 2022, just one month after Ukrainians were attacked by Russia, the European Union adopted the Strategic Compass, our plan of action to strengthen our security and defence policy by 2030, in which we had been working intensively much before we could ever imagine that the war was coming to our borders. We did not know this was going to happen, but we were working on this plan, which today is more important than ever because some of the challenges we were envisaging have become reality.

With that plan, we have put forward concrete proposals for a more effective operational engagement, for a stronger European Union posture on the Maritime, Cyber and Space domains, for more investment in defence cooperation, and for strengthening security and defence partnerships.

And with Vice-Admiral Blejean at its helm, the European Union Military Staff played a crucial role in pushing for progress in all these areas. With its over 200 military active-duty officers - some of you present here - men and women in uniform coming from the 27 Member States, the European Union Military Staff is a unique source of military expertise at the European Union level.

There cannot be a stronger European Union defence, and no real Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) without a stronger European Union Military Staff within the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Three years ago, the Military Planning and Conduct Capability was the operational headquarters for three European Union training missions. Now, this Military Planning and Conduct Capability exercises command and control functions on six of them - twice the number of three years ago.

Again, under your military leadership, dear [Vice-]Admiral Blejean, three new military missions were launched: on Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) - I talked about it already -, new training mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique), and a new partnership mission in Niger (EUMPM Niger). We are now working to step up our engagement in the Gulf of Guinea, on the coastal states where terrorism, coming from the Sahel, is arriving.

Yes, we can say we have made enormous progress compared to 5-10 years ago, but let's recognise also that we still have a long way to go in front of us.

Looking ahead, Ukraine will remain at the centre and at the front of our discussions, but there is also much more to do in the implementation of the Strategic Compass, starting with the necessary reinforcement of Military Planning and Conduct Capability. This is a good occasion to remind our Member States to act on that.

Also making the Rapid Deployment Capacity operational by 2025 - it means tomorrow. With the MPCC operational headquarters will remain a key deliverable of the Strategic Compass.

The first-ever exercise taking place will happen later this year in Spain, and this will be a very important milestone. On this, and on many other issues, the European Union Military Staff will continue to play a crucial role.

And as we thank you, Vice-Admiral Blejean, for your service, let me also take this opportunity to welcome Lieutenant-General Michiel van der Laan who takes over as the new Director-General of the European Union Military Staff and Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability.

My dear [Lieutenant-]General, times ahead will not be easy, you know that. But I am confident that you will take work forward with the same commitment, professionalism and determination that Vice-Admiral Blejean has demonstrated.

And now, it is my honour to present Vice-Admiral Blejean with the CSDP medal for Extraordinary meritorious service.

Cher Herve, cette medaille, c'est quelque chose de plus bien-sur qu'un morceau de metal avec de jolies couleurs. Cette medaille est un gage de reconnaissance pour votre contribution extraordinaire a la defense europeenne. Vous avez ete un exemple exceptionnel de leadership militaire europeen. L'Union Europeenne et moi-meme personnellement, nous avons grandement beneficie de vous et de vos pres de 40 ans d'experience militaire, tant au niveau national qu'international. Je tiens donc a vous remercier pour vos judicieux conseils, vos analyses pointues, votre travail acharne et surtout, pour votre amitie. Ceci va rester.

Je suis certain que beaucoup parmi nous partagent ma gratitude pour ce que vous avez accompli au cours de ces trois annees en tant que Directeur-general de l'Etat-major de l'Union europeenne et Directeur de la Capacite militaire de planification et de conduite. Cela a ete un honneur d'avoir ete votre haut-representant et camarade de beaucoup d'heures de travail pour batir la defense de l'Europe.

Alors que vous abordez les prochains chapitres de votre brillante carriere, je vous souhaite, comme on fait aux marins, "bon vent et bonne mer !". Merci beaucoup, Vice-Amiral.

Thank you.

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Climate and Security nexus: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the press conference

European External Action Service (EEAS)

28.06.2023

Brussels

EEAS Press Team

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Our first Executive Vice-President [for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans] is in charge of climate policy, and climate policy has security [implications].

I am in charge of Foreign [Affairs] and Security Policy, and I have to take into account the climate change as a source of insecurity. That is why we have been working together and presenting together this Joint Communication [on the climate and security nexus] from both point of views - climate [change] as a generator of insecurity and security policy taking account the climate constraints and policies.

We are here to discuss this emerging threat in our security.

Security has become a multidimensional concept. Energy security, economic security, climate security, [or] food security. There are a lot of issues that have 'security' attached to them, which makes the work to fight against insecurity much more complex.

Today, we are here to talk about an existential threat to humanity. More than an insecurity challenge, it is an existential threat: [climate change and] environmental degradation affects peace and security.

There is a map of the world [in the Annex of the Joint Communication] where you can see where the high-level intensity climate incidents have happened. You immediately see that these are the places where big troubles are also happening.

It is a clear coincidence of climate problems and troubles from the point of view of instability, fighting, wars [in the] whole Sahel area, Caucasus, Africa, some parts of South-East Asia, [and] some parts of Latin America. It is amazing how, maybe, there is a correlation that does not explain everything but it is clear that there is a cause-effect issue between climate effects, security and peace.

You, Frans, mentioned some interesting cases, but from my perspective, let me add that people will be on the move: [by 2050], more than one billion people will have insufficient access to water. More than one billion people will have to move just to look [for] water. Soil degradation could rise to 90%, and this awful drought that we are suffering in Europe shows how the vegetation can die, because no [of lack of] irrigation and too much heat.

By the way, our army helicopters cannot fly as high as they used to do because it is too hot, and the engines do not work. So, we have to review all the machinery of our warfare because of the high temperatures. And the demand for food will increase by 60% meaning that more water is needed when water will become less available.

In the Lake Chad basin, for example, serious water scarcity, food insecurity and resource competition are fueling grievances, instability and conflict in the whole Sahelian region.

In Afghanistan - look at Afghanistan, while we talk about the Taliban- [where] the rise of temperatures, lower levels of rainfall, weak infrastructure and water management [systems] threatens the livelihoods of millions of rural Afghans in an already fragile context.

And Afghanistan is building a canal to take water from a river on the border with their neighbours that will divert an important flow of water that Afghanistan certainly needs, but the neighbours say: "Look, this is a war case. If you take the water up the river, we will not be able to maintain our agricultural activities down the river. So, this is a war case."

The Arctic is another example. The Arctic is the new geo-political frontier.

Javier Solana in 2008 said that climate change was a 'threat multiplier'. 15 years later, we see that it is certainly true.

And [we have] to have to work and [on] how to work, let me just mention [some examples]:

A dedicated hub that our European Union Satellite Centre to generate more data and analysis.

Deploying environmental advisers in all our Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations [by 2025].

Setting up a 'Climate, Security and Defence Training Platform' at the European Security and Defence College.

Develop[ing] an EU Climate and Defence Network together with our Member States, greening our armies. We know that the armies are not the greenest thing in the world, but we can do [it], we can make them greener.

Invest[ing] in partnerships and pay attention to the last issue that you mentioned, Frans [Timmermans], the geo-engineering, which should not create a distraction from tackling the root causes of climate change nor offer polluters an avenue for avoiding taking measures.

But certainly, it is something that has to be taken into consideration and [that] has important security consequences because it is in itself, depending on how it is being implemented, an additional danger.

Q&A

Q. It is to touch on the geoengineering topic again. I just wanted you to expand a bit on what talks is the European Union already taking part in on this topic? And which international partners you are most in touch with?

[It is] difficult to explain what we are doing in the European Union: what we are doing at the European Union or what we are doing in the Member States. It is mainly the Member States who are working in this field. We, at the European institutions, do not do any kind of activities in this field, but Member States are doing it. And the problem with this kind of new technologies is the security concern that they represent. It depends on how they are being implemented, and it depends if it is being done in coordination with other countries. That is why the [Joint] Communication takes into account this issue, but we, at the European institutions - as far as I know - are not doing concrete developments of this technology, but we have to look for the regulation of it. It is a matter of regulating what everybody is doing on that.

There are two projects funded by Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, which assess geoengineering and the negative emissions pathways and governance of research. And we are also considering the request for advice via the Scientific Advisory Mechanism.

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European defence industry: Commission welcomes political agreement on support for common procurement between Member States

European Commission

Press release

28 June 2023

Brussels

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the Regulation on establishing the instrument for the reinforcement of the European defence industry through common procurement (EDIRPA) with a budget of 300 million.

EDIRPA will incentivise Member States to commonly procure the most critical and urgent defence products in light of Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. It will strengthen interoperability among Member States for the same products, facilitate cost savings and boost the competitiveness and efficiency of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. Common procurement by Member States is a major step forward towards a more integrated European defence market, offering increased predictability to the European defence industry, allowing it to invest to ramp up its production capacity and to adapt to the current market context.

EDIRPA will support Member States in their endeavour to spend at least 35% of their equipment budget in European collaborative programmes. It will counter the fragmentation of European demand which harms the competitiveness of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

In complement to EDIRPA, the co-legislators are also working towards finalising the negotiations around the Act in Support of Ammunition Production to support more directly the industrial capacity to produce ammunition for Ukraine and EU Member States, as part of the three pillar ammunition strategy agreed between EU leaders.

When adopting the Strategic Compass, Member States committed to spend more and better in defence to better address operational realities and new threats and challenge. By encouraging collaborative procurement, EDIRPA and the upcoming ASAP will support this step change in Member States behaviour.

Next Steps

The political agreement reached by the European Parliament, Council and Commission is now subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission aims at implementing EDIRPA swiftly. The Commission will prepare a work programme assisted by Member States in the Programme Committee.

Background

In response to the Versailles Summit of March 2022, the Commission and High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell presented on 18 May a Joint Communication of the EU defence investment gaps and proposed actions how to address them.

Three dimensions of the gap were identified. A budgetary one - Member States under-invested in defence over the last two decades; a capability one - our armed forces lack some critical enablers, and an industrial one - our EU manufacturing capacities for defence equipment are tailored for peace time.

To help addressing these challenges, the Commission, together with the European External Action Service and the European Defence Agency put in place a Defence Joint Procurement Task Force to assess the most pressing needs from Member States and the EU defence industry's ability to address them.

On 19 July 2022 Commission presented the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Regulation (EDIRPA), aiming at reinforcing defence industrial capabilities by supporting Member States cooperation on common procurement of the most urgent and critical defence products.

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Speech by Minister for Defence Pal Jonson at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2023

Government Offices of Sweden

Published 28 June 2023

Singapore, 3rd of June, 2023



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Plenary Session Four (Topic: Asia's Evolving Maritime Security Order)

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to be here and address this key forum for Asia-Pacific security, which has grown to be so important over the years. The security of this region is increasingly linked to Euro-Atlantic security, and I am happy to be part of a strong European presence. The importance of a strong strategic dialogue between our two regions cannot be overestimated.

For Sweden, this is indeed a special and defining time. We are currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and are on the threshold of becoming a member of NATO.

* * *

The global threat landscape is shaped by increased great power competition and rising tensions both regionally and globally. Basic norms such as rule of law, respect for human rights and free trade are under increasing pressure. The same applies to the rules-based international order established after the Second World War.

The EU and the Asia-Pacific are closely linked both politically and economically, given the interdependence of the economies and the many common global challenges.

Trade between Asia-Pacific and Europe is on a global scale second to none. The Asia-Pacific includes four of the EU's ten largest trading partners. Sweden alone, for example, has more than 300 companies active in Singapore.

With its important waterways, the Asia-Pacific is of utmost importance for EU trade. These include, of course, the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea.

The mutual dependence between the Euro-Atlantic and the Asia-Pacific areas entails, above all, opportunities. This also means that we have to pay close attention to a broad spectrum of risks, from conflict to supply chain disruptions.

* * *

The brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Russia's imperial ambitions to expand its spheres of interest, are closely followed by the countries in the Asia-Pacific.

The interest-based partnership between China and Russia has a direct impact on our interests and security. Let me stress the obvious: increased Chinese support for Russia's war efforts would have very negative consequences.

* * *

Earlier today, we heard Secretary Austin outline the important relations between the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific. It will make its mark on the security dynamics between the two regions.

The state of the Asia-Pacific's evolving maritime security order is a reflection of the global security situation.

This requires cooperation and unity around defending the rules-based international order.

The problems we see today are systemic and will be with us for the long haul. But problems can be managed, and they can be mitigated if we act decisively and in concert. The watchwords for that work must be unity, cooperation and long-term perspective.

Upholding the rules-based order is also the key when it comes to the maritime domain.

I represent a country with an open economy, heavily dependent on trade and connectivity. Hence, Sweden is a firm supporter of the law of the sea and the principle of the freedom of the sea, in particular the freedom of navigation.

Today, freedom of navigation is being challenged in the Black Sea, in the High North and in the South China Sea to an extent that is unparalleled since the end of the Cold War.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] is a cornerstone of the international rules-based order of the oceans and seas. The Convention provides predictability and a basis for peaceful use of the oceans, maritime security, international cooperation and friendly relations among nations.

The EU Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS) is currently being updated and is expected to soon be finalised. The strategy will include proposals for joint efforts for the protection of critical infrastructure at sea. Some of the EU's fundamental interests are focused on ensuring the resilience and protection of critical maritime infrastructure (onshore and offshore).

A number of risks and threats should be addressed. These include the effects of climate change and foreign direct investments. This could be done by promoting information exchange and surveillance of critical maritime infrastructure, including undersea cables, as well as on-ship and port security.

We are all dependent on the marine infrastructure on the seabed. Our houses are heated or cooled by energy from pipelines, our electricity passes through cables on the seabed and our access to internet relies on signal cables on the bottom of the sea. These resources are difficult to protect, not least due to the vast scale of the ocean.

The sabotage of the Nord Stream 1&2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022 made clear that we need to step up the work to protect infrastructure in the maritime domain. This is of outmost importance but at the same time very difficult. An incident in one country's maritime domain highly affects other countries, around the globe.

In the work to increase protection and surveillance of maritime infrastructure, an understanding of all the movements at sea is crucial. For this, an effective Maritime Domain Awareness is key.

Given the distances, the challenging environment, and the transnational nature of the threats, it is crucial that countries work together to successfully handle maritime security. A good example is the Horn of Africa, where several multinational constellations counter threats at sea, such as piracy. Maritime security has global implications and is not just a matter for neighbouring countries, which is why Sweden has been actively engaged in the EU's Operation Atalanta in the Horn of Africa since 2009.

Operation Atalanta is imperative in the protection of sea lines of communication, which are important for transporting goods and the protection of the World Food Programme transports. It is a matter of cost-effective, non-duplicating cooperation and the creation of a common understanding of the maritime security landscape.

Finally, I would like to point out three areas where Sweden and the EU can make a difference to strengthen the ties between the Euro-Atlantic and Asia-Pacific regions.

First, we must work in concert with the US and Canada and other partners around the globe. Close transatlantic coordination and partnership with likeminded partners in the Asia-Pacific is crucial to our common maritime security.

That brings me to my second conclusion - the EU and the Asia-Pacific partners face increasingly similar security challenges and threats. It is essential to cooperate and build partnerships. We attach great importance to deepening partnerships in the region for shared security, connectivity and sustainability. The recent successful Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm was a concrete manifestation of this. Regional cooperation formats like ASEAN are crucial.

For the EU and NATO, cooperation with the Asia-Pacific is becoming increasingly important. It concerns, for example, the EU's strategy for cooperation with the Indo-Pacific. NATO's cooperation with partner countries in the Asia-Pacific forms an important part of the organisation's agenda for 2030. These forums of cooperation range from safeguarding the rules-based international order and increased maritime presence to secure trade routes, to addressing hybrid and climate threats.

For a long time, Sweden has contributed to security in the region in a concrete way through our substantial defence cooperations, especially when it comes to underwater capabilities and air defence and sensor systems, with many countries in the Asia-Pacific. In addition, Sweden can offer expertise on total defence, hybrid, disinformation and cyber. Here we believe we have a mutual interest to deepen cooperation with our partners.

Sweden also takes our contribution to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula seriously. This year is the 70th anniversary of the NNSC mission, where Swedish soldiers have served on the border since 1953.

Finally, I would like to highlight a third area: innovation and joint capability-building in the field of defence - where there is great potential for development. Cooperation on emerging and disruptive technologies is key to achieving this.

Many countries in the Asia-Pacific are well advanced in terms of both civil and military technology, and there is much to be gained by working together, but also by building partnerships based on common interests and technology transfer.

To sum up, my message to you is that the security between our regions is increasingly interlinked and we must deepen our partnership.

Thank you!

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The President in Kyiv: Lithuania supports Ukraine's NATO membership

President of the Republic of Lithuania

June 28, 2023

President Gitanas Nauseda met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine in Kyiv on Wednesday to discuss the agenda of the upcoming Vilnius NATO Summit, Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership, and Lithuanian and EU assistance to Ukraine. The Lithuanian President and Polish President Andrzej Duda were invited to celebrate Ukraine's Constitution Day.

"Lithuania supports Ukraine's membership in NATO. At the NATO Summit in Vilnius, it must be clearly stated that Ukraine is part of the transatlantic security architecture and the way to achieve accession must be defined. Waiving the Membership Action Plan could significantly shorten the path while establishing a NATO-Ukraine Council would facilitate and strengthen cooperation as soon as now," Gitanas Nauseda said at the meeting with the President of Ukraine.

The President pointed out that the Government of Lithuania will soon prepare a long-term programme of support for Ukraine.

"We support and will support Ukraine in the war for as long as it takes, until victory. Lithuania is making an all-out effort to provide military, political, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as it fights the aggressor. This is the choice made by our country, by our people. Lithuania is and will continue supplying weapons to Ukraine. Lithuania is and will be involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine. The people of Ukraine displaced by the atrocities of war are and will be welcome in Lithuania," the President said.

Gitanas Nauseda reaffirmed Lithuania's support for Ukraine in its quest for EU membership.

"I believe that Ukraine will start accession negotiations this year amid the war. Despite the extremely difficult situation, we all see the efforts Ukraine is making to implement the reforms needed for membership. I believe that the European Commission will appreciate this commitment," the President said.

From Kyiv, Gitanas Nauseda will travel to Brussels, where the European Council is meeting on Thursday to discuss further support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

"The aggressor must be held accountable for its actions and crimes. Impunity would lead to new aggressions and new victims. We must ensure that the sanctions already in place are implemented to their full extent and that any circumvention schemes are blocked. In parallel, we need to prepare the 12th package of sanctions to cover new areas. I will address all of this at the European Council tomorrow," the President said.

At his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Gitanas Nauseda underscored the importance of placing legal responsibility on the leaders of the Kremlin regime. Lithuania is one of the initiators of establishing a special international tribunal to investigate Russia's crime of aggression.

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Secretary General welcomes Estonian Prime Minister to NATO for talks on Vilnius Summit

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

28 Jun. 2023

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (28 June 2023) for talks to prepare for the Vilnius Summit.

Addressing last weekend's mutiny by Wagner mercenaries, Mr Stoltenberg called it "an internal matter for Russia", but underlined that "it demonstrates once again that President Putin's illegal war in Ukraine is a big strategic mistake. It has deepened existing divisions and created new tensions in Russia." At the same time, he cautioned against underestimating Russia, saying: "we must continue to support Ukraine, and we must keep our defence strong."

The Secretary General said that since 2014, NATO has significantly reinforced its presence and readiness from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. This includes a UK-led multinational battlegroup in Estonia - which can be rapidly reinforced up to brigade-strength - as well as fighter jets and air defence from Allies helping to protect Estonian skies. Mr Stoltenberg added that Allies have agreed a new rotational model for air and missile defence, allowing for swift transition from air policing to air defence. "At the Summit, we will take the next steps, with new regional plans, assigned forces and capabilities, and an enhanced exercise programme - all backed by over 300,000 troops on high readiness," said the Secretary General.

Support for Ukraine will be another top priority for the Summit, and Mr Stoltenberg welcomed Estonia's leading role in providing critical aid and rallying the international community behind the Ukrainian people. He said that at the Summit, Allies will agree a multi-year package of assistance and upgrade political ties with Ukraine, bringing the country "closer to its rightful place in NATO". Allies are also expected to agree on a more ambitious defence investment pledge, with 2 percent of GDP as a floor, not a ceiling, and the Secretary General praised Estonia for leading by example. He added that the Vilnius Summit will be the first with Finland as a first member, and that work is underway to finalise Sweden's accession as well. "I have called another meeting of senior officials from Turkiye, Sweden and Finland next Thursday. The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO," he said.

Finally, the Secretary General addressed the importance of NATO's KFOR mission in Kosovo, which continues to fulfil its UN mandate impartially. "We call on both parties to refrain from anything that can further escalate tensions, and to return immediately to the EU-facilitated dialogue, which is the only way forward," he said.

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Secretary General meets President Macron, praises France's contributions to NATO

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

28 Jun. 2023

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on Wednesday (28 June 2023) to discuss final preparations for the NATO Vilnius Summit in July.

The Secretary General thanked President Macron for France's vital assistance to Ukraine, as it defends itself against Russia's war of aggression. He stressed the need to continue supporting Ukraine, which will be a major topic on the Summit agenda.

Mr. Stoltenberg commended France for leading the NATO multinational battle group in Romania, as well as for other contributions to the Alliance's deterrence and defence. He also stressed that France will be boosting defence spending by more than one-third in the coming years.

The Secretary General said that NATO-EU cooperation is more important than ever at this grave moment for European security, and welcomed France's strong commitment to further strengthening this strategic partnership.

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A look at the Defence news 19 - 25 June

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 28-06-2023

Last Saturday, the Netherlands thanked its close to 100,000 veterans for their worldwide efforts. The 19th edition of Dutch Veterans Day was held in front of a huge audience in The Hague. One of the event's highlights was the march-past for King Willem-Alexander, with 4,000 veterans participating. At times, they were alternated with heavy materiel, such as a self-propelled howitzer.

The event also had an air element to it, with aircraft and helicopters giving an airborne salute during a flypast. After the march-past, the participants had the opportunity to catch up with comrades they had not seen for ages at a celebration at the Malieveld, which had been completely dedicated to socialising, music, dancing and military shows.

Defence continues to support rehabilitation of Ukrainian military personnel

Since 29 October 2021, 32 Ukrainian military personnel have received treatment at the military rehabilitation centre in Doorn, the Netherlands. Last week the Netherlands Minister of Defence, Kajsa Ollongren, announced during a visit to the centre that Defence remains committed to the rehabilitation of Ukrainian fighters.

Royal Netherlands Navy intercepts over 2,100 kilos of drugs in the Caribbean

Station ship HNLMS Groningen twice managed to thwart drug smugglers in the Caribbean by destroying the engines of their fast boats. Both times, this happened after warning shots did not have the desired effect. During the operations on 22 and 24 June, a total of 1,900 kilos of drugs was seized. It was also announced that on 6 June, 200 kilos of contraband was seized in a similar operation.

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Poland receives first batch of US-made Abrams battle tanks

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 7:22 PM

Poland has received the first shipment of US-made advanced Abrams battle tanks, its defense ministry says, as the European country, a close ally of Ukraine, is striving to boost its military capabilities amid Russia's war in the ex-Soviet republic.

In a statement on Wednesday, Poland's Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced the news, saying that the first batch comprising 14 tanks arrived at the port city of Szczecin.

"The first tanks are already on Polish soil, it's an important day for the Polish army," he told reporters.

This is the first shipment of a deal worth $1.4 billion for 116 Abrams tanks that were previously used by the US Marine Corps.

"This year we will have more tanks and they will form a battalion of Abrams tanks," Blaszczak said.

Polish officials said this week a new service center for Abrams tanks will also open in the country.

In 2022, Poland, a NATO member state, purchased another 250 Abrams in a more modern M1A2 variant, expected to be shipped in late next year.

"Not every country can have such tanks, Poland is the first country outside the United States that will have Abrams tanks in the most modern version," Blaszczak further said.

Back in January, Warsaw announced that it planned to spend four percent of its gross domestic product on defense in 2023.

The European country has signed a number of arms deals, including with the US and South Korea, from whom it ordered K2 "Black Panther" tanks and K9 howitzers.

The country also received the first batch of US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers to deploy in the region bordering Russia in mid-May.

Officials in Warsaw claim that Poland is the world's second-biggest donor (after the US) in terms of military assistance to Ukraine. It supplies Ukraine with tanks, artillery, drones, and other weapons and ammunition.

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US creating obstacles to torpedo Yemen peace efforts: Senior Yemeni official

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 7:17 AM

The head of Yemen's Supreme Political Council insists that Washington is sabotaging efforts aimed at establishing calm across the country, as representatives from warring parties as well as regional and international actors strive toward ending the war.

Mahdi al-Mashat said on Tuesday evening that Washington obstructs any peace initiative to end the war in Yemen unless the plan conforms to its colonialist agendas to benefit from alternative resources such as high-interest loans - something that entails fairly enormous risks to Yemen.

He further emphasized that all arbitrary measures adopted in the occupied areas in southern Yemen are in line with US schemes aimed at legitimizing their presence and enforce their self-serving policies.

Mashat slammed as totally unacceptable the prolongation of the suffering of the Yemeni people, impounding cargo ships bound for Yemen's Red Sea port of Hudaydah in Djibouti, and legitimizing the Saudi-led blockade through the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM).

He also warned the Saudi-led war coalition, backed by Washington, against the continuation of the war and blockade against Yemen, warning that "the deprivation of the Yemeni nation of their assets cannot continue unanswered and without any accountability."

Top Yemeni officials have repeatedly warned of Western-led plots against the Yemeni nations.

Last month, the prime minister of Yemen's National Salvation Government warned of a wicked project developed by certain Western governments and the occupying Israeli regime targeting the unity and territorial integrity of the country.

He said that the scenario has garnered the support of the majority of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.

He added, however, that the Sana'a-based National Salvation Government "nipped the US-engineered plot in the bud and continues to fight off other hostile moves against Yemen."

Saudi Arabia initiated a brutal war of aggression against Yemen in March 2015, enlisting the assistance of some of its regional allies, including the United Arab Emirates, as well as massive shipments of advanced weaponry from the US and Western Europe.

The Western governments further extended their political and logistical support to Riyadh in their failed bid to restore power in Yemen to the country's former Saudi-installed government.

The former Yemeni government's president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi resigned from the presidency in late 2014 and later fled to Riyadh amid a political conflict with Ansarullah. The movement has been running Yemen's affairs in the absence of a functioning administration.

The war further led to the killing of tens of thousands of Yemenis and turned the entire nation into the scene of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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Hun Sen says he won't pardon two high-profile prisoners, cites foreign meddling

He also offers a US$20,000 reward for shooting down drones allegedly coming from Vietnam.

By RFA Khmer 2023.06.28 -- Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday said he won't pardon two of his most prominent opponents - opposition party leader Kem Sokha and Cambodian-American lawyer Theary Seng - who were imprisoned over the last year, saying the decision was necessary in light of recent foreign intervention in Cambodia.

"You are shaking hands while you are stepping on my feet," Hun Sen said during a public appearance in Phnom Penh, using "you" to refer to foreign powers.

"I don't pardon them because I don't trust you," he said. "You intend to destroy me."

Hun Sen in recent months has frequently invoked the specter of national security threats at public appearances ahead of July 23 elections, which he has framed as a referendum on who can best maintain Cambodia's sovereignty.

"From now on, those who seek foreign intervention will stay in prison," he said. "We don't release you. Don't include them in prisoners who will be pardoned or have a reduced prison term. We are stopping foreign intervention in Cambodia."

In May, Hun Sen said that Western diplomats have insulted him in the past by visiting with Kem Sokha while he was under house arrest. He said he doesn't "trust foreigners who insult me, insult my sovereignty, insult myself when they worked with me and at the same time worked with others."

'Let her die. So be it.'

Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017 on treason charges and was finally sentenced in March to 27 years in prison.

Before his sentencing, ambassadors from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States often met with him at his Phnom Penh home.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman went to see him during a June 2021 trip that also included a meeting with Hun Sen. An angry prime minister later said that she secretly went to Kem Sokha's home without informing the foreign minister.

Over the last year, several top U.S. officials have also called for the immediate and unconditional release of Theary Seng, who was sentenced to six years in prison in June 2022 on treason charges.

The sentence prompted condemnation from rights groups and the U.S. government. During a visit to Phnom Penh last August, Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed Hun Sen to free her and other activists held on politically motivated charges.

The treason charges against Theary Seng and 50 other activists stemmed from abortive efforts in 2019 to bring about the return to Cambodia of opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile in France since 2015.

Theary Seng often used costumes to make a political statement. During one court session, she dressed as "Lady Justice," complete with blindfold, scale and sword.

Before her trial, she underscored her readiness to go to jail by cutting her hair during a video interview with Radio Free Asia. After her sentencing, she was transferred to Preah Vihear Prison in the country's far north.

Hun Sen on Wednesday said that even though she has dual citizenship, her case applies only to Cambodia law.

"The bald Apsara is being jailed in Preah Vihear," he said, referring to a female celestial being often depicted in Cambodian culture. "She wants to hold a hunger strike? Let her die. So be it."

'If we don't shoot, they will look down on us'

Hun Sen also spoke again about drones that allegedly have been flying across the border from Vietnam in the country's northeast.

Earlier this week, the prime minister ordered 500 troops and 200 anti-aircraft weapons systems to four provinces to hunt down the drones. He said the aircraft are believed to be operated by "ethnic insurgents" in Vietnam, but Vietnamese authorities have denied that the drones were theirs.

On Wednesday, Hun Sen offered a US$20,000 reward to each military unit that shoots one down.

"Starting this evening, we need to shoot it," he said. "We can afford to shoot between two million to four million bullets. We haven't shot it for a while, this is a chance to test it. We won't be poor by shooting it. If we don't shoot they will look down on us."

He added that at least five drones crossed into Cambodia illegally on Tuesday night.

ADHOC spokesperson Soeung Senkarona told RFA that staff members for the rights group stationed in the four provinces haven't been able to find any information about the alleged drone presence.

"There is no irregularity reported," he told RFA.

Translated by Yun Samean. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

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.

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Asia-Pacific jobs at risk from climate change, but cleaning up can lift growth-report

China and India are best situated to benefit from green policies, says Deloitte Asia Pacific.

By Subel Rai Bhandari for RFA 2023.06.28 -- Hundreds of millions of workers in the Asia-Pacific region are vulnerable to climate change impacts in their sectors, but trillions of dollars could be added to economies during the transition to net zero carbon emissions if the countries seize opportunities, with giants China and India set to benefit the most, a report said Wednesday.

The Asia-Pacific region is regarded as one of the most vulnerable areas globally to climate change impacts, and is poised to experience a temperature increase rate twice as fast as anywhere else.

Approximately 43% of workers in the Asia-Pacific region are employed in vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture, conventional energy, manufacturing, transportation and construction, and so they are particularly susceptible to any disruption, said the new report released by Deloitte Asia Pacific, an accounting firm.

However, the report said that if countries seize decarbonization and green innovation opportunities through a rapid and coordinated transition, they could add U.S. $47 trillion to the region's economies by 2070 and create 180 million jobs by 2050.

Pradeep Philip, Head of Deloitte Access Economics, said that 80% of the skills required for jobs in the increasingly decarbonized economy already exist.

"How governments act individually and collectively to support these workers to adapt, contribute and thrive as our economy transforms will be one of the biggest determinants of equality in the coming decades," Philip said.

"No country can do it alone, but together it is possible to influence a just transition where the benefits far surpass the cost."

Deloitte said 48% of China's total workforce - the highest proportion in the Asia-Pacific region - are employed in industries most vulnerable to the physical impact of climate damage and the economic transition to net zero carbon emissions.

India has 43% of its workforce in vulnerable industries, while in Southeast Asia, 38% of workers are employed in such sectors.

In Laos and Myanmar, Deloitte said that almost half the workforce is engaged in the at-risk agriculture sector.

China, the world's top carbon dioxide emitter, has pledged to reach net zero by 2060 and is currently driving massive growth in the renewable sector.

The Deloitte report said almost two-thirds of the world's renewable energy jobs are in Asia, with China alone accounting for 42% of the global total in 2022.

Since 2020, China's new energy vehicle industry has been booming with policy support from the government. Last year, China sold 5.67 million electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, about 60% of total sales globally.

China has already established 21 undergraduate programs on curbing carbon emissions and carbon neutrality and 42 colleges to train talent in the country, Deloitte said, as part of Beijing's effort to tackle climate change while pursuing economic growth.

Earlier this month, another report said China will account for more than half of the increase in the deployment of renewable power worldwide this year, which would be the largest annual rise in new renewable capacity ever.

However, China also continues to emit record levels of carbon dioxide, with emissions set to rise to an all-time high in 2023.

China's CO2 emissions grew by 4% in the first three months of 2023 compared to last year to hit a quarterly record high of more than 3 billion metric tons, said an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Finland-based independent organization, in June.

The most significant contributors to the growth in emissions were coal-powered electricity generation and higher production of construction materials, mainly steel and cement.

Edited by Paul Eckert.

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.

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For The Ethnic Armenian Leadership In Nagorno-Karabakh, The Walls Are Closing In

By Joshua Kucera June 28, 2023

Ruben Vardanian was struggling to find a good mobile connection for his iPad as he spoke over Zoom from his dark residence in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Sorry, we have no electricity," he said. "It's a challenge."

Rolling blackouts in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh mean regular cuts to the power supply and, as a result, WiFi. That is on top of regular interruptions in the natural gas supply and a blockade on traffic in and out of the territory, imposed by Azerbaijan.

With negotiations advancing between Armenia and Azerbaijan -- the United States opened three days of peace talks between the foreign ministers on June 27 -- and indications that Armenia is prepared to cede control of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, there is a growing sense of doom in the region: not only from its ethnic Armenian population fearful of the future but from the self-proclaimed authorities that govern the region, who are finding themselves increasingly politically isolated.

Armenia's government, which has propped up the de facto Karabakh government for the last three decades, has signaled its intention to end that support, while insisting that the rights and security of the local Armenians be protected under international supervision. On May 22, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian for the first time said explicitly that Karabakh was Azerbaijani territory.

While the de facto Karabakh authorities have remained relatively silent, Vardanian -- a billionaire who had a short, tumultuous tenure as Karabakh's state minister (a position akin to prime minister) before he was dismissed in February -- has stepped up and is now presenting himself as a leader of Armenian resistance to Azerbaijani control of Karabakh.

It is the latest of many reinventions for Vardanian, who is of Armenian descent and was born in Yerevan but spent most of his adult life in Russia. He made his fortune via a banking firm he founded in 1991, which was later implicated in a massive money-laundering scheme. To Armenians, he is better known for his philanthropic work in Armenia and Karabakh.

Pashinian "has no right, legally or morally," to give up Karabakh, Vardanian told RFE/RL over Zoom.

In late May -- the day after Pashinian's controversial statement that Karabakh was Azerbaijani territory -- Vardanian announced the founding of a new organization, Front For The Security And Development Of Artsakh. Using the Armenian word for Karabakh, he said the organization had the "sacred goal of keeping Artsakh Armenian."

In his social media posts, Vardanian has regularly called on Armenians to "fight" for Karabakh to remain Armenian. Speaking to RFE/RL, he said that "fighting is not only taking up weapons, it is explaining our position, explaining that we will not be a part of Azerbaijan."

Armenians have controlled Karabakh since winning the First Karabakh War in the 1990s. But as a result of the Second Karabakh War in 2020, Azerbaijan retook more than half of the territory it had lost in the first war. Now, as it is seeking to reassert full control over the remainder of Karabakh and reintegrate the Armenian population into Azerbaijani state structures, the government in Baku insists that it will treat the territory's tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians as equal citizens.

Few Armenians, however, believe that.

While Karabakh Armenians will supposedly have the same rights as Azerbaijanis, Baku has refused to offer them any sort of special rights or security guarantees. On June 21, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov reiterated that position, arguing that its policy toward Armenians is solely an internal matter.

Many ethnic Armenians fear that the real aim is to ethnically cleanse them from the territory. In land Azerbaijan retook in 2020, researchers have documented the destruction of several Armenian cultural heritage sites, accusations Azerbaijan denies. The authorities in Baku have also used historical interpretations not accepted outside Azerbaijani state circles to deny the Armenian origin of many of these sites. They have also pointed to the widespread destruction of Azerbaijani cultural sites during more than two decades of Armenian occupation.

Baku has taken a strong stance toward the ethnic Armenian leadership that has ruled the territory since the 1990s. From Azerbaijan's perspective, the authorities -- who have never been formally recognized by any other country, including Armenia -- are illegal occupants who built their would-be state on the foundation of the ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of its former Azerbaijani residents during the first war.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently offered an amnesty to officials in the de facto government, but only on condition that they step down from their positions.

"There is only one option left -- to abide by the laws of Azerbaijan, be a loyal and decent citizen of Azerbaijan, throw the false state attributes in the trash, and dissolve the 'parliament,'" Aliyev said in a May 28 speech, which was posted as a transcript on his website. "The 'parliament' should be dissolved, the element calling himself 'president' should surrender, and all ministers, deputies, and others should give up their positions. Only in that case can a concession be made to them. Only in that case can we talk of an amnesty."

Aliyev's speech gained praise from the United States. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that "we welcome President Aliyev's recent remarks on consideration of [an] amnesty." That, in turn, drew criticism from the de facto Foreign Ministry in Karabakh, which said that Washington's endorsement caused "deep disappointment and bewilderment."

"It is inexplicable how in this statement of the president of Azerbaijan, entirely built on open blackmail and coercion, one could find something positive that deserves encouragement," the de facto ministry's statement continued.

The U.S. State Department has repeatedly called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to come to an agreement on ensuring the "rights and security" of the Karabakh Armenians, a formulation that implies Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh, but that the issue should be regulated by a treaty with Armenia. The closed-door talks currently under way in Washington, D.C., are the second negotiations involving the South Caucasus adversaries in two months.

Aliyev's ultimatum to the de facto authorities came amid an ongoing effort to strengthen Azerbaijani control over Karabakh.

In mid-December 2022, Azerbaijani government-backed environmental protesters began obstructing the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. At the end of April, Azerbaijan established a border checkpoint on the corridor and, just as Karabakh Armenians were beginning to overcome their misgivings about using the checkpoint to travel to and from Armenia, Azerbaijan abruptly closed it on June 15. It thus transformed a partial blockade into a complete blockade in which nothing was entering or leaving the territory. Since December, Karabakh Armenians have been saying the restrictions are causing a critical shortage of food and medicines.

Azerbaijan's stated reason for the closure was that Armenian troops fired at the border checkpoint. In recent weeks, Baku has repeatedly accused ethnic Armenian armed forces, known as the Defense Army, of firing on Azerbaijani troops, which the authorities in the de facto capital, Stepanakert -- a city known as Xankendi by the Azerbaijanis -- have consistently denied.

In the most recent incident, Nagorno-Karabakh authorities say four ethnic Armenian soldiers were killed on June 28 by Azerbaijani fire. Azerbajian's Defense Ministry did not comment on the alleged deaths and said that its positions were fired upon from Nagorno Karabakh and that one of its soldiers was wounded.

Despite the sporadic exchanges of fire, the closure of the border checkpoint "is more likely being done to force the de facto authorities into accepting Baku's demands," said Shujaat Ahmadzada, a researcher at the Baku-based Topchubashov Center, which focuses on international relations and security. Those demands are primarily accepting reintegration into Azerbaijan and the dismantling of the Defense Army, Ahmadzada said.

The negotiating position that Armenia has adopted -- its acknowledgement that Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory and its tacit acceptance of the new border checkpoint -- has encouraged Baku's pressure on the Defense Army and other Karabakh institutions, wrote Benyamin Poghosyan, head of the Yerevan-based Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies, in a recent analysis in The Armenian Weekly.

"Azerbaijan has perceived these steps as a de facto green light for a military operation against the Artsakh defense army," Poghosyan wrote.

Amid this pressure, the local authorities in Karabakh have been keeping a low profile, with senior officials saying little about the diplomatic process unfolding around them. The de facto Foreign Ministry in Stepanakert declined to respond to RFE/RL's questions about the negotiations and just pointed to a May 30 statement calling Aliyev's ultimatum to disband "open threats and outright blackmail."

With the Karabakh authorities receding into the background, Vardanian has helped to fill the political vacuum. He is taking aim at what he sees as the resignation among some Armenians to accept an Azerbaijani takeover of Karabakh.

"First, we are trying to consolidate the people [in Karabakh], who have three options: to leave, to accept Azerbaijani rule, or who say, 'No, we will raise our voices together.' So, the first key target is people who live here, the second is the Armenian people" outside Karabakh, he said. "Before you ask anyone for help, you need to raise your own willingness to defend your own future."

Under the cease-fire agreement that ended the 2020 war, Russia has committed to maintaining a peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh until 2025. At that point, Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Russia could veto the extension of the mission. Azerbaijan has not hidden its impatience with the Russian forces on the ground; without fail, Baku's official statements refer to the peacekeepers' presence as "temporary."

Speaking to RFE/RL, analyst Poghosyan said that perhaps the best bet for Karabakh Armenians to retain control of the region -- at least in the medium-term -- could be to maintain the status quo until 2025 and then hope something changes in the international arena that would allow the Russian peacekeepers to stay.

"Then we will see what will happen with Russia/Ukraine, with Azerbaijan itself, with Armenia," he said. If Azerbaijan believes Russia will not withdraw its troops even if Azerbaijan vetoes the extension, then Baku may not risk an open confrontation with Moscow, he added.

Vardanian has publicly broken with the de facto authorities in Karabakh on some issues, most prominently on the government's decision to allow travel through the Azerbaijani checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor, saying the decision amounted to crossing a "red line."

Days later, though, Vardanian met with the region's ethnic Armenian leader and de facto president, Arayik Harutiunian.

"We have a good -- not good, but constructive -- working relationship and a dialogue with them," Vardanian said. "All people here understand the danger we are facing. There can be some tactical disagreements about how to proceed, but I don't see fundamental disagreements."

In Azerbaijan, though, Vardanian is seen as "Moscow's main man on the ground," according to Baku-based analyst Ahmadzada. Harutiunian, among others, is seen as being more cooperative with Armenian President Pashinian and more amenable to working with Baku, he added.

The Azerbaijani government fears that Russia may be trying to block Karabakh's reintegration against the will of the Armenian government.

"Many pro-government and government-affiliated experts are raising the possibility of conducting what they call 'counterterrorism operations' in Nagorno-Karabakh as a show of force to Moscow and its aliases in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is Vardanian," Ahmadzada said. "The scope and scale of the operations are still unanswered questions, but most probably it [would mean] high-precision strikes to the military infrastructure of the Defense Army."

Vardanian declined to comment to RFE/RL on the future of the Defense Army.

"I am not a specialist in this, [but] I know just one thing," he said. "In the situation when you are in a blockade, everyone becomes a soldier. Everyone, from the kids to old men, needs to become a soldier to defend the homeland."

Baku has been encouraged, meanwhile, by efforts from the European Union and the United States to foster negotiations between the Azerbaijani government and representatives of the Karabakh Armenians, Ahmadzada said. Those efforts seem to have borne little fruit thus far, but they did elicit a much-discussed report in the Russian news agency RIA Novosti claiming that the United States was "forcing" representatives from Karabakh to negotiate with Baku, and was threatening that if they didn't cooperate, Azerbaijan would conduct a "counterterror" operation.

Asked about the RIA Novosti report and U.S. efforts more generally to mediate between Baku and Stepanakert, a spokesperson from the U.S. Embassy in Baku offered a statement: "As we know, Russia has a history of pushing out disinformation. We have consistently maintained that peace in the region must include protections for the rights and securities of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. We would welcome any dialogue that furthers this."

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan continues to press for reintegration. After more than a week of a full blockade, on June 24, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov said that supplies of food and other goods could be restored to Nagorno-Karabakh -- but this time via Azerbaijan.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno- karabakh-leadership-peace-talks/32480945.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.

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Azerbaijan, Armenia Exchange Deadly Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh As Peace Talks Get Under Way

By RFE/RL's Armenian Service, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service June 28, 2023

De facto authorities in the breakaway region of Nagorno Karabakh say four ethnic Armenian soldiers were killed early on June 28 by Azerbaijani fire.

Azerbajian's Defense Ministry said in a statement that its positions were fired upon from Nagorno-Karabakh and one Azerbaijani soldier was wounded.

The ministry did not comment on the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities' claim that four of their soldiers had been killed by Azerbaijani fire.

Moscow is "concerned over the increasingly frequent armed incidents and cease-fire violations in Nagorno-Karabakh," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"We call for restraint and for the settling of all vexed questions by peaceful, political-diplomatic means -- in cooperation with the leadership of the Russian peacekeeping contingent," she added.

The reported incident comes as the United States on June 27 opened three days of peace talks between Armenia's and Azerbaijan's foreign ministers in Washington in the latest effort to quell a conflict that has flared repeatedly.

On June 27, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington was encouraged by recent efforts by the two countries to pursue a peace agreement.

"We continue to believe that peace is within reach and direct dialogue is the key to resolving the remaining issues and reaching a durable and dignified peace," Miller said ahead of the talks.

Miller added that the discussions involving Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoian and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov would cover "very sensitive" areas.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the closed-door talks, the second negotiations involving the South Caucasus adversaries in two months.

Russia, which has traditionally been heavily involved in mediating the two sides' longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, currently has peacekeeping troops on the ground to monitor the Moscow-brokered cease-fire that ended six weeks of deadly fighting in November 2020.

The brief conflict, which left more than 2,000 soldiers dead on each side, resulted in Baku regaining control over part of Nagorno-Karabakh that had been occupied by Armenian forces since the end of the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in 1994.

Armenia has repeatedly said that Russian peacekeepers are failing to live up to its promises to protect ethnic Armenians in the mountainous region, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijan's territory but is predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians.

In May, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said any recognition by Yerevan of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan would be dependent on guaranteeing the rights and security of the some 100,000 ethnic Armenians who live there.

Russia has pressed Azerbaijan to allow unhindered traffic through the Lachin Corridor linking the territory to Armenia in keeping with the cease-fire.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on June 23 that the entrance to the corridor had been blocked by Azerbaijan in a move she said increased tensions at a time when Baku and Yerevan are trying to work out a peace treaty.

There have been reports that the corridor has been blocked since June 15. But Baku has insisted that civilians and aid convoys are allowed access to the route, despite concerns expressed by the International Red Cross that the blockage of aid convoys could cause food and medicine shortages.

Baku, which set up a checkpoint along the corridor following months of disruption despite the cease-fire calling for all routes to be unblocked, has said that Azerbaijani activists protesting alleged illegal mining were responsible for any blockages.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nagorno-karabakh- soldiers-killed-azerbaijani-fire/32480236.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.

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Norway to Upgrade Its NASAMS Air Defense System Based on Experience of Others

Sputnik News

20230628

Igor Kuznetsov

While there are 13 nations which use the NASAMS, including Finland, Australia and the US, only Ukraine has experience using this air defense system in real combat, and lost them to Russian Forces.

The Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (NDMA) has turned to a military contractor, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, to upgrade its NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) and communications for troops.

The first contract, worth NOK 365 million ($33.6 million), obliges the company to replace certain NASAMS radar parts.

NDMA air systems division head Brigadier General Jarle Nergard said the upgrade would ensure that the air defense system maintains its ability to detect, identify, and neutralize airborne threats. It would also provide a similar configuration and functionality with other countries' detection systems, enhancing interoperability.

Kongsberg Vice President Kjetil Myhra said the planned upgrade will make use of "advances developed in collaboration with other NASAMS user nations," a list that stretches from Australia to Ukraine, of which only the latter has real combat experience using them.

The second contract concerns the development of combat radios for the Norwegian military in order to secure the tactical communications of the country's land forces to the tune of NOK 320 million (nearly $30 million). Kongsberg president Eirik Lie stressed that the radios must be compatible with existing systems in the Norwegian military inventory, yet ready for the integration of future technologies.

What is NASAMS?

The ground-based mobile air defense system, developed by Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Massachussetts-based Raytheon, is meant to detect, track, intercept and destroy enemy fixed and rotary wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as cruise missile threats.

The NASAMS is equipped with three multi-missile launchers (LCHR), each of which carrying up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. The launchers are linked to the Fire Distribution Center (FDC) and can be placed at a distance of up to 25 km.

The AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range, Air-to-Air Missile) is a dual-role missile used in both air-to-air and surface-launch engagements. The missile has an all-weather, beyond-visual-range capability, an effective firing range of 30 km and flight altitude of 21 km (when fired from ground-based NASAMS). Its extended range ground-launched variant (ER) is capable of intercepting targets at longer distances (50 km) and higher altitudes (36 km).

According to Raytheon, NASAMS is operated by 13 countries, including the US, Norway, Finland, Spain, The Netherlands, Oman, Lithuania, Indonesia, Australia, Qatar, Hungary, Ukraine and one undisclosed country.

Ukraine received NASAMS as part of the massive and ongoing Western arms assistance, starting from October 2022, when the first two systems were delivered. All in all, the Pentagon has pledged to provide Kiev with eight systems and an unspecified amount of ammunition. In order to deliver the additional systems to Kiev, the Pentagon signed a $1.2 billion contract with Raytheon, with a completion date of November 2025.

In January 2023, Canada announced that it would buy one US-made NASAMS system and donate it to Kiev. In March 2023, Norway pledged to deliver two additional systems, having previously trained the Ukrainian forces on how to use them.

Nevertheless, the first of the systems was reported as destroyed by the Russian forces near Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk People's Republic.

 Sputnik

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Sudan's Armed Forces Declare Unilateral Truce on First Day of Eid al-Adha

Sputnik News

20230628

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the head of the Sudanese sovereignty council and commander of the armed forces, announced Tuesday a unilateral ceasefire on the first day of the Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's major holidays.

"On the occasion of the Eid of Redemption, the armed forces announces a unilateral ceasefire on the first day of Eid Al-Adha," the Sudanese armed forces quoted Al Burhan as saying in a statement on social media.

On Monday, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in an interview with Saudi media, unilaterally announced a ceasefire in the country for the period of the holiday.

On April 15, violent clashes broke out between the Sudanese regular armed forces and the RSF paramilitary group, with the epicenter located in Khartoum. The government forces accused the RSF of mutiny and launched airstrikes against their bases.

Burhan issued a decree disbanding the RSF. The parties have since introduced a number of temporary nationwide ceasefires, but the conflict has not been settled yet.

The United Nations estimates that as of June 12, at least 958 people were killed and 4,700 injured in the clashes, while over 2.1 million persons were forced to leave their homes.

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken in a Conversation With Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Council on Foreign Relations

New York City, New York

June 28, 2023



MR HAASS: It is June 28, 2023, and I want to welcome the several hundred people in the room here today, in New York, and the far larger number watching around the country and the world. I want to welcome everyone to the Council on Foreign Relations. For those of you who aren't familiar with us, we're an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, educator, and publisher, dedicated to being a resource for our members, government officials, business executives, journalists, teachers and students, civic and religious leaders, and other citizens, in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy challenges facing this country.

I'm Richard Haass, CFR's president, and this morning we're fortunate to welcome back one of our most distinguished members, Antony Blinken. He's had a long and distinguished career serving as staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and any number of senior positions in the Clinton and Obama administrations. And now, as everyone in this room and beyond knows, he is the 71st Secretary of State.

Speaking of numbers, we here at CFR don't just think of him as 71. (Laughter.) We refer to him as 27. There have been 28 secretaries of state since 1921 when CFR was founded, and Secretary Blinken is the 27th to appear here at CFR and one of 16 to speak here while in office.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Who did you miss, Richard?

MR HAASS: Interestingly enough, it was John Marshall. Can't quite read into that. (Laughter.) Just is. Just is. I guess if you have a name - a plan named for you, you won't be invited back, something like that.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: (Inaudible.) (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: Timing accounts for a lot in life, and our timing could hardly be better. The Secretary has recently traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to China, to Europe, and over the past few days he and his colleagues have been closely monitoring news out of Russia, and all this and more against the backdrop of a war in Europe that has now entered its 17th month. All of which to say, as we are more likely to lack for time than topics, the two of us will begin with a half hour or so of conversation and then open it up to members for questions. Want to say again that today's meeting is on the record.

Again, I want to welcome the Secretary. And I might add, Tony, that you and I - you today have had the sort of day I can empathize with, I can relate to. You go to Morning Joe, then you come to the Council on Foreign Relations. (Laughter.) Welcome.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Thank you.

MR HAASS: Great to have you. Before we get into some detailed questions, I want to take a step back. So we - let's start with your overall assessment of the world. You get up in the morning. Got a lot on your plate. When you look out, where do you see the greatest danger? Where do you see the greatest opportunity?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Before getting into that, let me say two things. First, it is wonderful to be back in this room. I've spent many happy, enlightening hours here, sitting in this audience, occasionally being on this platform. It's great to see so many people together, not just in the virtual space. And one other thing: My understanding is that this is Richard's last event as president of CFR. So it's hard to think of anyone who's done more to make this institution what it is over the last two decades. Extraordinary work. And I think it's fitting to start with, if everyone would, a round of applause for Richard Haass. (Applause.)

MR HAASS: I want to thank him for that, but I'm still going to ask him tough questions. (Laughter.)

SECRETARY BLINKEN: I tried. I tried. So I think for most of us, as we're looking at where we are, I think there's a recognition that we really are at an inflection point. An inflection comes around every few generations where there's such profound changes taking place that in many ways, the decisions that we're making right now are likely to shape what comes next, not just for the next few years but, arguably, for the next few decades. And we're at one of those moments.

I think from where we sit, where I sit - this won't be news to a lot of people in this room - the post Cold War era is over, and there is a profound competition underway right now to shape what comes next. We had a strong consensus coming out of the Cold War. We thought that major power competition was over. We thought we'd have an integrated global economy in which commerce ultimately trumped geopolitical competition. We thought we'd have former rivals working together to deal with big transnational problems. And I think we all thought that political and economic openness would be mutually reinforcing.

And to some extent - I don't want to minimize it - we did have, in many ways, an era of extraordinary progress. I think if you take the Stephen Pinker view of the world and step back and look in the aggregate, at least until the great recession and arguably even until COVID, in the aggregate we did see the world getting safer, more prosperous, a little bit more equal, healthier, wiser. And so I think there was a view that we were on a relatively positive trajectory.

But then, of course, we've seen the emergence of major disruptors that are now, I think, pushing us past that era that we hoped would be lasting but turns out not to be. Obviously, the rise of China that has both the power and the intent to change the system that we're living in. A revanchist Russia that we're dealing with every single day. A panoply of interrelated and, unfortunately, mutually reinforcing transnational challenges, global challenges that we have to find a way to deal with effectively. And with all of that, I think a few things that have - we have all experienced that we're grappling with the consequences of right now - even as arguably inequities between countries grew less, we've seen inequities within them grow.

We've seen information systems proliferate in a way that has gotten beyond what we anticipated: the democratization of information has had all of the unintended and second and third order consequences that people know. We've had a democratic recession around the world. We've made - had something of a democratic recession here at home. And all of these things together have created, I think, a perfect storm moment which makes this an inflection point.

So for us, the challenge is how do we organize ourselves best to deal with that, to deal on the one hand with the emergence or re-emergence of great power rivalries but also with a tsunami of transnational challenges that are having a profound effect on the lives of our own citizens, whether it is health, whether it is migration, whether it's food insecurity, whether it's energy - you all know the list, and we can go down it. And of course the geopolitical competition part, the transnational challenge part, are profoundly interrelated in ways that we can get into.

We have a vision that is clear and unambiguous, what we'd like the world to become: free, secure, open, prosperous. And that's a cliche, but it actually means something. It means societies in which individuals can choose their own lives freely. It means countries that are free to decide what their path will be, who their partners will be. It means an international system that's built around rules transparently, applied fairly and equitably with goods, with information, with people flowing lawfully and freely. And it means technology used to uplift people, not to keep them down.

On the other hand, we have, increasingly, some actors, some countries that want to erase any of the rules, the norms, the standards that we've developed over 75 years as a Western construct that shouldn't apply to them. We have a reassertion in some cases of spheres of influence. We have countries that are using predatory nonmarket practices to gain economic power and influence. We have the weaponization of dependencies, the weaponization of information, and we have assertions that what we see as universal rights are purely internal questions. So they're two very different views of the world; and there may well be a desire on the part of those who have a different view for a world order, but it's an illiberal one and ours remains at heart a liberal one. So there's going to be a contest to shape this future.

As we're thinking about this, and as we're acting on it, I think we start - and I'll be brief - we start with trying to put the strongest possible foundation in place to be able to deal with this changed world, to be able to deal with this competition. It starts with everything we've done to invest in ourselves and our own competitiveness. I can go through the litany, but again, you all know it. But if you look at the investments that have been made over the last almost three years now, they are historic in nature, from the infrastructure bill to the CHIPS Act to the IRA. And I can feel this everywhere I go around the world.

But second, and this is where we come in - where the State Department comes in - working not only to rejuvenate, to revive, and in some cases to reform our alliances and partnerships, but also to build some new ones that are more fit for purpose. And the way I'm thinking about this, Richard, is a phrase that my colleagues are sick of hearing me say, but it's kind of variable geometry.

As you've seen, we've spent a tremendous effort to try to reinvigorate, rejuvenate existing alliances like NATO, like our partnerships in East Asia. I can go down the list. But at the same time, we've also been building fit-for-purpose partnerships, where different collections of countries - and not just countries - other stakeholders, other actors, the private sector, the nongovernmental world - come together to try to tackle discrete problems. We've built coalitions on global health and COVID. We built coalitions on food security. We're about to announce one on synthetic opioids. And in each case, our purpose is to find ways of bringing countries together to effectively deploy their resources, their knowledge, their information to tackle these problems.

I'll end with this, and I know this is something that - Richard, that resonates with you in many of your writings. I came to this with two very basic propositions, and I've seen those propositions, I think, validated by the experience we've had over the last three years. One is that if the United States is not engaged, if we're not leading, then one of two things: either someone else is, and probably not in a way that advances our own interests and values; or no one is, and then you can have a vacuum that's probably going to be filled by bad things before it's filled by good things.

The flip side of that coin is in the 30 or so years that I've been doing this, I don't think there has ever been a greater premium than there is now on finding new ways to cooperate, to coordinate, to collaborate, both with other countries, institutions, and a variety of other stakeholders who are empowered in ways that they were never before and so can be disruptors if you're not getting them on the takeoff, not just the landing.

If you care about climate, if we're 15 percent of global emissions - we get everything right at home - that doesn't account for the other 85 percent. We've got to find ways to bring others along. If you're concerned about what we've experienced over the last three-plus years with COVID, we know that even if we do everything right here, there's another variant out there somewhere that can undermine everything we've done. So we have to build stronger global health systems.

If you care about the technology that's in our pockets that's shaping our lives every day - the norms, the rules, and the standards that go along with that technology - it's probably being shaped in some windowless room in an international organization, so we have to find ways to make sure that not only are we in the room, not only are we at the table, but hopefully we're at the head of the table.

So that's what we've been working to do. And I think on the big issues - on dealing with Russia, on dealing with China - we've managed to build greater convergence with other key players in the international system than we've seen. And on these big global challenges that are having a real effect on the lives of people here too, we're finding new ways to partner with countries, with institutions, to try to get at them, to try to get achievable results. Sometimes it takes a while. COVID's a good example of where we were probably slow off the mark but once we got going we had a real effect.

So that's what I'm concerned with. It's putting in place and acting on these new building blocks, this new variable geometry of a world in which we can advance and shape the post Cold War era.

MR HAASS: And if you were going to just sum that up, is that what from your point of view amounts to a Biden doctrine? I mean, how - what are you trying to - I know you're right in terms of a world defined by geopolitics and transnational issues. You define you want to basically have a liberal world order. To get from here to there, which is what doctrines are all about, how would you sum that up?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: It's summed up really simply in that it starts at home. It starts with our strength at home, with our competitiveness, with the investments we're making; and then it goes to making sure that we are strengthening and as necessary forging new alliances and new partnerships because we can't do it alone. So that - to the extent there's a doctrine, and I always resist doctrines, it really is invest in ourselves at home and build these partnerships abroad.

MR HAASS: Well, if you want to resist doctrines, you've done it well, because you didn't quite give us a bumper sticker.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good. (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: Okay, let's turn to Russia. Let's turn to the news at hand. You said on Sunday that events revealed, quote/unquote, "real cracks" there. So it's a few days later. Is it your and your colleagues' sense that these cracks are widening? Do we know enough? Is it just the opposite; we see these cracks narrowing? What is our sense of what's transpired in the last few days, which way the arrows are going?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, this is a moving picture and I don't think we've seen the last act, and I think we have to have a certain amount of humility in any predictions we make about where this is going. But I think we can say this, or at least we know this much. First, if you take a step back, it is genuinely extraordinary that we've gone from a place where we were 16 months ago where you had Russian forces on the outskirts of Kyiv, they thought they would take the city in a matter of days, they thought they would erase Ukraine from the map as an independent country, to a place where we were this weekend where you had forces moving on Russia's capital, Moscow - mercenaries of Putin's own making.

That, in a way, encapsulates the extent to which this aggression against Ukraine has been a failure across the board for Putin. And we see it by virtually every metric. Russia is worse off economically. It's worse off militarily. Its standing in the world has plummeted. It's managed to wean Europe off of Russian energy in the space of a little over a year. It's managed to help NATO become stronger, more united, and bigger. And of course, it's managed to alienate virtually every Ukrainian and also unite Ukraine as never before.

This last episode showing to some extent the internal dimensions of this failure I think speaks volumes, but I don't want to predict where this is going to go, when it's going to get there. I do know that Putin has a lot of new questions that he has to answer for.

MR HAASS: In some ways you're echoing Prigozhin's critique of - basically of this war.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, far be it from me to - (laughter). Let's keep this in mind: Mr. Prigozhin is, like Mr. Putin, someone who has committed horrific atrocities in Ukraine, in Africa, in Syria. Wherever Wagner goes, death, destruction, and exploitation follow.

But the fact, Richard, that he directly challenged President Putin; the fact that, as you said, he questioned the very premises that Putin has advanced for the war is significant. But again, how this plays out in Russia, it is ultimately an internal issue for them and they're going to have to work through it.

MR HAASS: Okay. So how it plays out I agree with you. One place where we can be more than a bystander is when it comes to policy towards Ukraine. So the question is - we're now in month 17. Given what's happened, do we dial up or down what we say, what we do, differently because of what's happened the last five days?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The short answer is no. I think what we've done and what we're doing in terms of building a pretty remarkable coalition that has sustained itself for 16 months now - I think is actually even more solid than at the outset in terms of its support for Ukraine, exerting pressure on Russia, strengthening our own defensive alliance - we're sticking with that program. The only thing I'd say is that besides the rather extraordinary effort that's been underway to help Ukraine in the moment to make sure that it has everything it needs for this counteroffensive where it's trying to take back more of the land that was seized from it by Russia, there's also a longer-term aspect to this, and it's important in a number of ways.

And the longer-term aspect is this. First, making sure that we're also working in a sustainable way to help Ukraine build up its deterrent and defense capacity for the medium and the long term so that Putin could not repeat this exercise in a year, in two years, in five years. And the flip side of that is something I just came back from in London. There was a reconstruction conference that brought together not only countries that care about Ukraine, not only the international financial institutions, but also the private sector, which ultimately is going to be the difference between a Ukraine that survives and a Ukraine that thrives if the investment's forthcoming.

And this longer-term plan is hugely important in two ways - first, because it is the difference between a Ukraine that actually really succeeds. But second, because the biggest impediment right now to finding peace, a just and durable peace - and we can come back to that - the biggest impediment to getting to how we know this has to end at some point, a negotiation, diplomacy, is President Putin's conviction that he can outlast Ukraine and he can outlast all of us. The more we're able to disabuse him of that notion, the more likely it is that at some point he'll come to the table.

MR HAASS: So building on that, could one element of that be, whether when we get together with our allies in two weeks or some other point, that we extend Ukraine assurances? Charlie Kupchan and I have written about Article 4 assurances under the NATO Treaty; some have advocated Article 5. I think that might be premature. What matters more is what you think. Some have talked about the model of the Israeli relationship. But why not think about assurances for Ukraine which further signals Putin that time is not his friend?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Rich, I think that's exactly right, and I've read carefully what you and Charlie wrote, as I always do. (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: It's in Foreign Affairs magazine. I want to mention that. Get one for the home team.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Available at a news stand near you. (Laughter.)

There are two things that I think are important. One is you're going to see at the NATO Summit a very robust package for Ukraine, political and practical. I'm not going to get ahead of where we land in Vilnius, but I'm pretty confident in that.

Second, at the same time, a number of us are looking - by "a number of us," I mean a number of countries are looking at in parallel, in addition to what happens at NATO, what can we do to just what I said a moment ago, which is to help Ukraine build up its long-term deterrent and defense capacity. And there's a lot that goes into that, but I'm also pretty confident that that's a place we're going to get to.

MR HAASS: So let's go to another place you recently were in, which was China. What is your definition of success? What is a realistic goal for American foreign policy towards China?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: There's - at least in the near term, maybe even in the lifetimes of most people in this room - I don't think a clear finish line. This is more about getting to a place where we have peaceful and maybe somewhat more productive coexistence between us, because the bottom line is this: China's not going away, we're not going away, so in the first instance we have to find a way to coexist and coexist peacefully.

We know we're in an intense competition. We talked about the competition to try to shape the post Cold War era. At the same time, we are determined that that competition not veer into conflict, which would be terrible for everyone involved. And it starts with some basics. It starts with actually building back sustained lines of communication. That was the purpose of the trip I made at the President's behest, to start to build that back. And I think you're going to start to see more engagement in both directions, with senior Chinese officials coming here, senior Americans going there.

Second, it is about dealing directly, clearly, candidly with the profound differences that we have, and at the very least making sure that there's a greater understanding of where we're coming from, what our intent is, and hopefully learning a little bit more from them about where they're coming from and what their intent is. And then, finally, there are areas where, if it's in our mutual interest, we should find ways to cooperate. We talked about that as well.

But this is a long-term competition. As I said, I don't think there's a finish line, but we want to make sure that in that competition we're in a position of strength where we are, as I said, able to shape what comes next. And I think from my perspective, at least, we are approaching this from a position of strength precisely because of the investments we've made in our competitiveness, precisely because of the convergence that we've built with key partners in Europe, key partners in Asia, on how to approach the challenges that China poses.

MR HAASS: So I'm listening to you closely and I was struck by your language, because you said our goal is to coexist peacefully. Well, I'm old enough, as are several people in this room, to remember where "peaceful coexistence" was the phrase that for decades dominated or characterized U.S.-Soviet relations. What are we to read into that?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Only that, again, we're - neither of us is going away, so at a minimum, that has to be, I think, the baseline. As I said, we're determined to make sure that in everything that we're doing, the two different worlds that I tried to sketch briefly and what they might look like - the free, open, prosperous, secure world that we're trying to build; a somewhat more different and more illiberal model that others, including China, are driving toward - that our vision prevails.

MR HAASS: But implicit in the phrase "peaceful coexistence" is less what you're trying to accomplish and more what you're trying to avoid. That was true of the Cold War. Do you think that's a fair characterization of the U.S.-China relationship: it's more what we're trying to avert rather than what we can realistically accomplish?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: No, I think - I think it's both. I think it - we have a responsibility. We have an obligation that we hear from around the world to manage the relationship responsibly, and that gets to the peaceful coexistence part. We hear this demand signal everywhere. But that doesn't mean that we're standing still. It doesn't mean that we're accepting that as the goal, but it is the foundation. And from there, as I say, we're in a competition. We want to make sure that in that competition - that competition to shape this new era - our vision prevails.

MR HAASS: So let me raise what could be the greatest threat to that ability, which is Taiwan. And if I may quote Secretary of State Blinken - (laughter) - I always hate it when people quote me, by the way. Last October you said, referring to Taiwan, "What's changed is this: the decision by the government in Beijing that [the] status quo is no longer acceptable, that they wanted to speed up the process by which they would pursue [unification]."

You just spent time there. You spoke to Wang Yi. You spoke to the foreign - Qin Gang, the foreign minister. You spoke to, obviously, President Xi. What take did you make on their views on Taiwan? Did you come away with any different sense of their either aspirations or, more important, timetables, risk propensities?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Let's start with this. I think my opening premise is that for the better part of five decades, this is a challenge, an issue, that we've actually managed responsibly, and doing that was premised on a few very basic principles. One is that any differences between Beijing and Taiwan would be resolved peacefully, that neither side would engage in unilateral changes to the status quo. And the result of that - the result of a consistent policy through multiple administrations, Republican, Democrat alike, founded on "one China" - has meant that we have managed it responsibly.

I think what changed is this - at least in our judgment; obviously, China has a different narrative. But if you go back to 2016 - not last year, not just in recent months, but if you go back to 2016 - we've seen Beijing taking actions that suggest that the status quo was not acceptable. And we've seen that in some of the military operations that they've been engaged in, the deployment of forces, the exercises, the missile tests, et cetera.

MR HAASS: Sure.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We've seen that in the economic coercion exerted against Taiwan and, for that matter, exerted against countries that have relationships with Taiwan. We've seen that in the effort to pry Taiwan out of the international system. And all of this is a stirring of the pot that is antithetical to the preservation of the status quo.

So one of the things that we've tried to communicate very clearly is not only the consistency of our policy and our approach and our determination to maintain the status quo, but also the concerns not just of the United States but of countries around the world about anything - any actions that would disrupt it.

And there's a very clear reason for this. Even as China, of course, asserts that these are sovereign issues that should be relevant to no one else and of interest to no one else, we all know this: 50 percent of commercial traffic, trade, goes through that strait every single day, 50 percent of container traffic in the world; 70 percent of the semiconductors that we use from everything from our smartphones to our washing machines to our automobiles, made on Taiwan. If there were to be a crisis as a result of actions that either side takes that takes that offline, you've got potentially a global economic crisis. It's one of the reasons - maybe the main reason - that country after country is going to both of us and saying, "We expect the responsible management of this issue to be sustained." That's exactly where we are, and I tried to share that very clearly and directly with our Chinese counterparts.

MR HAASS: Okay, so I agree with you on the stakes and I agree that China over recent decades has, shall we say, moved to change the status quo in certain ways by what it's done militarily and diplomatically. So four times your boss, the President of the United States, has said that the U.S. would help defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China, and four times the White House staff has walked him back. So what is our policy and why aren't we basically telling China, within the context of a "one China" policy, you've done things to increase the threat; we're going to do things to increase the - your understanding that you cannot move against Taiwan with impunity?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Richard? (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: Yes, sir?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We continue to be guided by the "one China" policy based on - (laughter) - the Three Communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances. That hasn't changed and that won't change. (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: Mr. Secretary - (laughter) - we can do all that and still increase the certainty that - with which we communicate to China that we are there for Taiwan if they use coercion.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: And I think it's evident not only in what we're saying but also in what we're doing that we are there for Taiwan. Under the Taiwan Relations Act we've had a longstanding policy of making sure that we could do what's necessary to help Taiwan defend itself. That policy and the sort of rheostat on it also depends a lot on what Beijing is doing or not doing, and that was designed in from the get-go, including in the communiques.

MR HAASS: Okay. Let me raise one other aspect of Taiwan - of China. (Laughter.) So while you were there you raised the fentanyl issue.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yeah.

MR HAASS: And I read the language closely, and I have spent some time in that same building you are. And this was a triumph of diplomatic - diplo-speak.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: Where the two sides agreed to explore the creation of a working group. (Laughter.) Love that. Love that. So there was that. And then I saw that China basically - however you say "not now" or "take a hike" in Mandarin, on establishing mil-mil crisis communications. So my question is on those two issues, am I misreading it?

And then on other issues - for example, China's willingness to participate in the next round of nuclear arms control talks. The last time I raised it with a senior Chinese official he basically said, "No way, we've got to build up our nuclear arms. We're not interested." Do you get the sense that when China is looking at all these issues - where did you come away with optimism? Was it any of these issues? Was it possibly Ukraine? Is there any area where, again, you see some potential upside in China's diplomatic openness?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, just taking the issues that you've mentioned, let's start with fentanyl. And there's a good reason to start with fentanyl. And in a sense, it's really worth pausing on this for a second because, as I suspect most people know in this room, the number one killer - the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 49 is fentanyl.

So if you start from that premise, it makes sense that you'd want to be focusing a lot of your time and resources and effort on that. And we are. And indeed, as I mentioned, in just a couple weeks' time we'll be moving forward with a broader international coalition to deal with this.

And it's a problem and a challenge that we've been facing for some time. We're doing it holistically, by which I mean there's a lot that has to go on in the United States, including reducing demand, dealing with treatment, at the same time major law enforcement challenges. We have our border and making sure to the best of our ability that synthetic opioids can't get over the border with impunity. There's a lot of technology that goes into that. Working with Mexico, where the synthetic opioids are created.

But there's of course, as everyone knows, a China dimension to this problem, because the precursors that go into the fabrication of fentanyl are right now primarily made in China, and they are then diverted - sometimes knowingly, sometimes not knowingly - to criminal enterprises that turn them into fentanyl close to our border and then send them into our country.

So it's profoundly in our interest to see if we can get cooperation from China to deal with this problem. We've had some successes in the past, including their decision a few years ago to stop the exportation of fentanyl itself. But the chemical precursors are where the problem is now. There's a lot that goes into this in terms of trying to elicit that cooperation even as we are taking action against any institute, institution, company, individuals we find that are engaged in this illicit trade.

I believe, based on the sentence that you read, that we're actually getting to a place where we might actually get practical cooperation from China. And this is not as a favor to us. This is because what we're seeing around the world is a demand signal, because fentanyl is now hitting many more countries - we've been the canary in the coal mine. Our market is actually saturated. The criminal enterprises engaged in synthetic opioids are now trying to make markets in other places, including in Europe, including in Asia. And so more and more countries are now raising their voice and saying we need action on this; we need cooperation on this. I don't think China is going to be immune to that.

So I have some modest hope that we can find a way to elicit their cooperation.

MR HAASS: The - just got a few - I want to open up to - let me raise one other geography, which is the Middle East, because again, you were in the kingdom recently. Lots of reports about Saudi interest in security assurances. Lots of talk about Saudi Arabia potentially joining the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with Israel. Where does that stand, and could you see yourself inviting the crown prince to Washington despite our historic differences and President Biden's differences simply because it's a necessary means to an end, which is a closer U.S.-Saudi relationship and a formal Saudi-Israeli relationship?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: So Richard, I think when it comes to that relationship, where it's going, and how potential normalization fits in, start from the premise that we've had a decades-long relationship grounded in security, grounded in energy, and then in more recent years grounded in dealing with terrorism. But now we see all sorts of new potential that goes to the dynamic of regional integration in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia potentially in the middle of it; a de-escalation of conflict and crisis with one notable exception, Iran; and as well, the possibility to partner on game-changing issues and challenges - for example, with Saudi Arabia on everything from developing and meeting the incredible thirst around the world for quality infrastructure, to dealing with new communications networks going forward, including things like open radio access networks, where we're actually working with the Saudis.

It's a long way of saying that, along with the foundational partnership that we've had, there are new horizons that are clear. And of course, we have a big stake - we came in with maybe the worst humanitarian situation in the world being in Yemen, working to end that war.

So there's also a dynamic in place whereby both Saudi Arabia and Israel, of course, are interested in the prospect of normalization. It is incredibly challenging, hard, not something that can happen overnight, but it's also a real prospect and one that we're working on because, as you've alluded to, both the Saudis and Israelis are looking for us to play a particular role in that effort. We're very much engaged in it. And as I said, it's a challenging road, but it's certainly one that's possible.

MR HAASS: Don't you have an added problem, though, which is just as you're trying to do this and perhaps bring the Saudis closer to the Israelis, it can't take place without a context - in this case, the Israeli-Palestinian relationship, which - I've been watching it for 40-plus years, and it seems to me not that far from blowing. You're seeing now the considerable expansion of settlements, considerable expansion of violence, a real absence of centralized Palestinian authority, the most right-wing government we've seen in Israeli history. If we want to have a normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, it seems to me part of a - associated with that has got to be a degree of calm with Israelis and Palestinians. It seems to me we're on the verge of anything but that. Shouldn't we be doing more or couldn't we be doing more to address this, to keep open - particularly to keep open the possibility to calm things and keep open a two-state possibility?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yeah. In short, I agree with you, and what we've 

MR HAASS: That's no fun.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Sorry. (Laughter.) We've told our friends and allies in Israel that if there's a fire burning in their backyard, it's going to be a lot tougher, if not impossible, to actually both deepen the existing agreements as well as to expand them to include potentially Saudi Arabia. And I actually had this conversation just yesterday with my Israeli counterpart. It's a conversation I've had with the prime minister on a number of occasions.

It's also, at least in our judgment as Israel's closest friend and ally, profoundly not in Israel's interest for this to happen, both because of the added degree of difficulty that this presents for pursuing normalization agreements or deepening them, but also because of the practical consequences if - just to cite one example, if Israel were to find itself, either by intent or by accident, responsible for the West Bank with 3 million Palestinians and 500-plus-thousand settlers, what is that going to mean in terms of the allocation of resources, including security resources, that Israel otherwise needs to be concerned about when it comes to Gaza, when it comes to Lebanon, when it comes to Iran? It doesn't really add up.

So on both of those dimensions - and then of course there is the question of the future for the Palestinian people, something that we care deeply about, and we continue to believe strongly that two states is the is the way forward. As distant as that seems, it's hugely important to at least keep a horizon of hope for people who don't have a lot, and in the meantime, to at least try to better their lives day in, day out. We are working on this. We've had - we've brought people together - Arabs, Israelis, Palestinians - in Aqaba, in Sharm el-Sheikh - to try to find a way forward to, in the first instance, de-escalate some of these tensions, to have both sides refrain from taking actions that are simply going to add fuel to the fire. It's an ongoing process. We've had some success, particularly during the holiday season, over Easter, Passover, Ramadan. Now, however, we've seen steps taken, including on settlements, that are moving in the opposite direction.

MR HAASS: Two quick last questions - I want to open up. You mentioned Iran twice. Lots of reports about an informal arrangement out there being discussed, putting some lid on Iranian nuclear capabilities in exchange for some degree of sanctions adjustment. What can you say about that?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: What I can say is this. We've believed from day one two things. We have a commitment that President Biden strongly adheres to, which is that Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon. We also believe diplomacy is the most effective way to actually get that result - the most sustainable and the most effective. So we pursued that path. We tried to see if we could get back to mutual compliance with the Iran nuclear agreement, the so-called JCPOA. And we made a very good faith effort working closely with our European partners and actually, in this instance, working with China and Russia, and at the point at which that looked possible, Iran either couldn't or wouldn't do what was necessary to get back into compliance. And that goes back now many, many months. So there is no agreement in the offing, even as we're - we continue to be willing to explore diplomatic paths.

And at the same time, we've been building up our deterrence, and we have been working closely with partners in the region to do just that, as well as continuing to take a whole variety of measures to push back against Iranian misbehavior in different areas, but there's no - there's no agreement in the offing. I think whether Iran chooses itself to take actions - or maybe better put, not to take actions - that further escalate the tensions not only between us but with other countries, we'll see by their actions.

MR HAASS: Yeah, I'll hold off a last question. Okay. Time for you all. Raise your hand. (Laughter). This is going to be now the longest meeting in the history of the - if we get to it. Raise your hand - we'll get a microphone to you. Keep it short. Let us know who you are. I see in the next to last row. Yes, ma'am. Right there.

QUESTION: Hi, Secretary Blinken, thank you very much. My name is Sara Munoz. I am the deputy world editor for The Wall Street Journal, and I have two questions related to 

MR HAASS: One question.

QUESTION:  wrongfully detained reporter Evan Gershkovich. Can the State Department confirm that they have requested formal consular access for Evan, and is it likely to be granted? And how will the recent events in Russia affect efforts of the U.S. to free those Americans wrongfully detained in Russia?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. From my perspective, I have no greater responsibility than to look out for the safety and well-being of Americans around the world and notably Americans who are being arbitrarily detained - unjustly detained in some fashion. And Evan, of course, is front and center in that. So yes, we of course from day one have sought consular access. We've had some initial access to him. That's been denied more recently. It's something we continue to look for virtually every day. At the same time, we are continuing to explore ways to bring him home - Paul Whelan as well - and many other Americans who are being detained in different parts of the world in an arbitrary fashion. We've brought a lot of Americans home over the last two and a half years, but more to be done. And Evan is front and center in our thinking.

In each of these instances, it's not surprising that there's usually an incredibly challenged relationship with the country in question and maybe even one that's directly antagonistic. That doesn't stop us from working separately and independently to try to bring people home. And as you've seen, we've had some success with that even with countries where we have - where we're really at odds. So I can tell you this: We will continue to do that. We'll continue to work to bring Evan home. We're not going to stop until we get him home.

MR HAASS: Okay. Yes, sir. Jamie.

QUESTION: Jamie Metzel, One Shared World. Hi, Tony.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Hey. Good to see you.

QUESTION: Thank you. Nice to see you. I really appreciated what you said about our world being at an inflection point. At earlier times in history - 1648, 1945 - we've been at inflection points like this - in those cases, after huge crises - and we've had to think structurally about what a global operating system upgrade might look like. How are you thinking about upgrades, whether it's to the UN or new institutions, to try to deal with the challenges we face?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jamie, thanks for the question. It's very much what we're about and what we're focused on. And as I said, it really goes to a few things. First is really trying to - we had to start first just re-engaging, as well as trying to re-energize and rejuvenate some of the existing alliances and partnerships, and I think we've done a reasonable job at doing just that. And a lot of that is just rolling up your sleeves, showing up, being engaged, listening, as well as acting.

But I think one of the things we found is this - and again, no surprise to anyone in this room - institutions, alliances, arrangements that were made 75 years ago or 50 years ago may not necessarily be fit for today's purposes. And so along with trying to reorient, in some cases, the existing arrangements to deal with the challenges of this moment, we have tried to build new partnerships. And there, what we found - and something that you've done remarkable work on over the last year is COVID - is a pretty good example of that. As I said, I think we were a little slow off the mark in terms of our global responsibilities, but once we got going, including working through COVAX to make sure that we were getting vaccines to people around the world free of charge, no political strings attached, we were actually quite effective.

But even in doing that, we noticed that there were - that there were gaps. There were gaps on the last mile in terms of actually getting shots into arms. There were gaps in protecting healthcare workers who are on the frontlines. There were gaps in dealing with misinformation and disinformation that was being used against this global effort. There were gaps in getting other therapeutics to people in need. And this is, of course, particularly acute in Africa. So we built a new coalition of countries that were either particularly interested in this, had particular resources that they could bring to bear, and we called it basically the GAP coalition. And it was not very much in the headlines, but we did it among foreign ministers because to have a real impact and a sustained impact, yes, of course you need all of the expertise - health ministers, et cetera - but to make sure that there's a real political drive and imprimatur on this, it's useful to do it at that level, too. And we put this together, and it was actually quite successful - and we can go through all the different metrics - in actually filling the gaps.

We're doing this across the board. I mentioned the synthetic opioid coalition that we're going to put together and that will be announced in just a couple of weeks' time. We've done this with food insecurity as well. And we also have been doing this in different ways with things that Richard knows well in the Indo-Pacific with the Quad - with India, with Japan, with Australia, with the United States - to try to deliver specific public goods in ways that our countries together, I think, are uniquely placed to do. It actually started, as you know, with vaccines, but now it's expanded out.

So it's exactly this combination of revitalizing existing institutions, reforming them as necessary - the UN is one place where you may have heard the President speak to this at the last General Assembly - we're really intent on trying to pursue - reform the Security Council, reform the institution more broadly. The international financial institutions, multilateral development banks - there's a major effort underway to make sure that they're much more effectively addressing the needs in this moment. We started with the special drawing rights. I think there's more that we can do; we need Congress for that. We're looking at how capital is allocated and allocated in ways that, again, address things like climate change, which is the biggest demand signal - food insecurity. And we're also looking at greater speed and efficacy in the way these institutions function. Janet Yellen and we are working on it very closely together.

So I think it's a combination of all of these things. It's the existing institutions, it's building new ones that are fit for purpose, and as I said, it's also finding new tools, including in the international system.

Last thing is this. This is, in my mind, something that's been very powerful because there really is a recognition, even with countries that have different systems, different political orientations, that there is a common interest, a shared interest in trying to tackle some of these problems, and there is a shared interest in actually establishing some basic rules, basic understandings, and trying to live by them. And we see that play out every single day.

MR HAASS: Let's get a question from Zoom land.

MODERATOR: We'll take our next question from Tomicah Tillemann.

QUESTION: Hi, Secretary Blinken. This is Tomicah Tillemann. It's great to see you and to have you with us. You had touched a couple of times in your remarks on technology and the importance of technology in shaping the evolving world order. You've done a lot of good work at the State Department to build new infrastructure for dealing with that. What will it look like going forward, not only for the State Department but for public institutions generally that have historically struggled to adapt to rapid innovation in other fields?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Tomicah, thank you. One of the things that I've learned the hard way in 30 years of government - I suspect, Richard, you had the same experience - is that governments, the foreign policy apparatus, to some extent the domestic apparatus is usually not great at understanding new technologies, adapting to them, figuring out what government's role needs to be in shaping them and in regulating them. In the foreign policy space, most of us are not brought up in scientific technological disciplines, and that's a deficit. One of the things that we've been trying to do and have done, I think, with some success is actually to build that into the DNA of the State Department.

And as I think you alluded to, we just stood up a new bureau that is focused on digital policy, on cyberspace, on emerging technology to make sure that we have the expertise in hand at the department, that we actually grow it within the department, and the department is seen as a place where there's genuine knowledge, general expertise, and then we can effectively represent the United States in these windowless rooms around the world where so many of the decisions about how technology is going to be used are actually made. And that was done really with - in record time at record speed, and I'm feeling very bullish about the prospects for that.

We have worked very hard as well to strengthen our connections to the entire innovation, science, and technology enterprise that is at the heart of this country's strength. And time doesn't allow me to get into this, but we've done that in a lot of different ways to make sure that we're connected and, to the best extent possible, we're actually a little bit ahead of the curve in understanding what's coming down the road, how that may affect our relationships with other countries, how that's going to affect geopolitics, how that's going to affect our ability to solve some of these big transnational problems that we've been talking about.

Basically, we want a department that's fit for purpose as well, and that purpose has changed. If you look at what really matters to people, of course, the bread-and-butter issues of war and peace, preventing conflict, making peace, doing the day-in, day-out work of relations between countries, that remains our bread and butter. But if we don't have a department that's able to act effectively and efficiently when it comes to technology, when it comes to global health, when it comes to climate, when it comes to food insecurity, when it comes to migration, then we're not being responsive to the big challenges that are affecting people's lives right now. That's exactly the kind of department that we're actually building as we speak, and I think we'll be in a much better place to address these challenges going forward.

MR HAASS: And could you just build on that and say something about your policy towards technology externally in the sense of - what is your thinking about our approach ought to be to AI, whether it is wise and feasible to constrain it? And when it comes to countries like China, is our goal simply to deny them things that are directly useful for national security, or are we actually trying to slow China's growth?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: So on the - let me take the second part of the question first, because this was actually a lengthy part of the conversation that we just had in Beijing. From China's perspective, no surprise to people here, is that our purpose is to contain them, to hold them down to hold them back globally and economically. And the fact of the matter is it's not, and it's also not in our interests to do that. China sees us as being engaged in decoupling. The argument that I made to our counterparts is that if you actually look at what's happening and what's happened, the facts belie that assertion. Our trade with China last year reached the highest level ever. We had more foreign direct investment going to China last year than in any year since 2014. Yes, we have export controls, we have sanctions on individuals and Chinese entities - about a thousand or so, all told. There are 48 million companies registered in China, so that's hardly decoupling; if we've got very targeted restrictions on, I think it's .0001 percent of the companies in China.

At the same time, it's not in our interest to hold them back. We have done, I think, very well in recovering from COVID. Other countries are struggling more. We don't want to be the only engine for growth in the world. We want to see a China that's actually succeeding economically. It's in our interest. But equally - and again, I shared this with our counterparts - how is it in our interest to allow them to get technology that they may turn around and use against us, whether it's in building a very opaque nuclear weapons program and expanding it at a very rapid pace, developing hypersonic missiles, using AI potentially for repressive purposes? It's not in our interest to do that. If they were in our shoes, they would do exactly the same thing. And so the very targeted, very narrowly defined controls that we've put in place are designed to prevent that.

Now, it's an ongoing conversation, but I think it's hugely important.

When it comes to AI more broadly, obviously that's the subject of the day, particularly when it comes to generative AI. We're proceeding in a very deliberate way. There has been a very productive dialogue, conversation, going on between the administration, centered at the White House, and the four companies that basically have developed the foundational platforms for generative AI. And we expect that to lead to a place where there is an understanding, a voluntary understanding, on what some of the guidelines and guardrails will be for the development of generative AI.

The challenge becomes this. One, even if the frontier or foundational platforms agree to this, to the extent that this technology proliferates out beyond them, you have to find ways to get adherence to these guidelines and to these norms. So that's a challenge. And that's just notionally within the United States. Internationally, it's a whole other challenge.

I think, Richard, you're seeing that country after country is recognizing two things. It's recognizing the extraordinary potential for good of this and a desire to channel the technology to good things if you can see the applications in education, in health, in food security, you name it, but of course also the profound risk. So finding ways both collaboratively and voluntarily to de-risk, to focus in, for example, on high-risk applications and to determine what the guardrails will be on that - that's something that we're very much engaged in. We've started this conversation with the European Union. The EU itself has put out some initial legislation on this, but we're very much engaged with them through the - something called the Trade and Technology Council to try to see what we can do. But I think this has to be a broader conversation. I think it's something that China is going to be interested in because it also sees the profound challenges that AI may pose for it.

MR HAASS: Time for one more question. I know I'm going to alienate a lot of people. You can take it out on my successor. (Laughter.) I think that's the only reason - Ed.

QUESTION: Ed Cox, Committee for Economic Development. I'd like to get back to where Richard started with respect to Russia and China. Between the parties, the relations are declared to be very solid now, but traditionally it has been not only ambiguous but antagonistic. Where do you expect that relationship to evolve? And how do you - how could the administration impact it?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: So I think we've seen in real time, including this past weekend, some of the tensions that are inherent in that relationship, which I think we would see, in some ways, as a marriage of convenience but also, to some extent, as a marriage of conviction, the conviction being that the world that we seek to shape is not the same one that, in very different ways and for different reasons, they seek to shape. And so there's some convenience but also conviction in working together.

But I think we see some of the profound tensions and strengths that go to that. China has been trying to get a balancing act right where, on the one hand, it's been supportive of Russia in the international system and then through this aggression against Ukraine. It's done some of its bidding diplomatically; it's tried to advance its narrative, et cetera. At the same time, it tries to present itself as neutral and as a force for peace and for ending the conflict, and that strain is increasingly apparent.

We had some interesting conversations about this when I was in China last week, or two weeks ago. And my hope would be that China actually could play - if we get to a moment where diplomacy has realistic prospects for achieving something and we get to a negotiation, where it actually could play a constructive role, if only because it has a certain amount of influence on Russia and that may be useful when we get there.

But you've seen China again try to advance the proposition that it's trying to, itself, advance peace. It's sent an envoy around. Some of the principles that China put forward in its own plans are good. We support them. We agree, starting with territorial integrity and sovereignty, which is plank one in their plan. So I think it's in our interest, first of all, to see if we can't encourage them to be a more positive actor in bringing this aggression to a close, while at the same time making sure that they don't do things that would only add fuel to the fire - for example, the provision of lethal weaponry to Russia for use in Ukraine, something that they have told us they have not done and will not do, but not only us, they've told that to many other countries. It's something we watch very closely and something that I took up when I was there.

MR HAASS: We're going to end there on a rare upbeat note. (Laughter.) Uncharacteristic, not a precedent, I can assure you. I want to, by the way, just commend, while we're here, the new task force on U.S. policy towards China and Taiwan on cfr.org. It's a really valuable, thoughtful piece of work. If you haven't looked at it, you should.

I want to thank the Secretary of State for two things. One - actually, three things. I want to thank him for being here today, giving us an hour. I want to thank him for being a dues-paying member of the Council on Foreign Relations. (Laughter.) And I want to thank him 

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Where's the discount? (Laughter.)

MR HAASS: And I want to thank him for a career in public service. It really is service. It ain't easy - the travel, the hours. You have a young family. You sacrifice a lot. I just want to thank you for all you do.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. (Applause.)

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Jonathan Lemire, Andrea Mitchell, and Katy Kay of Morning Joe on MSNBC

US Department of State

Interview

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York City, New York

June 28, 2023

QUESTION: It's a pressure campaign against Taiwan. For more on all of this, let's bring in United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Also with us, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell. Thank you both for joining us.

Secretary Blinken, given the war in Ukraine, how is the United States and NATO Allies viewing this rebellion in Russia? How does it change the dynamic, the geopolitical dynamic? And also, did the U.S. know this rebellion was coming?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first of all, Mika, good morning. Great to be with you. This is, and it remains in many ways, an extraordinary moment because I think it's further revealed the failure of Russia's war in Ukraine, both abroad and also at home. And we're seeing some cracks emerge, not just in what's doing on the ground in Ukraine but back toward Moscow. If you put this in perspective, it's really extraordinary. If 16 months ago, if we were sitting here, Russian forces were on the doorstep of Kyiv. They thought they were going to take the city. They thought they were going to erase Ukraine from the map as an independent country.

Now, fastforward 16 months, and you've got forces heading toward Moscow, mercenaries of Putin's own making that he now has to be focused on and worried about. And almost in a nutshell, that epitomizes the failure that he's had in Ukraine. It's still very tough and challenging. The Ukrainians are just starting a counteroffensive to take back more of their territory. But across the board, this has been a failure for Putin and we're now seeing internal cracks emerge, not just the external ones in terms of its prosecution of the war.

QUESTION: There's no question, Mr. Secretary, that Vladimir Putin's weakness and that of his military has been exposed over the last year and a half or so, but when you use the term "cracks" internally, what does that mean specifically? I think some people are skeptical that he would lose his grip on power in a country he has ruled for almost a quarter of a century at this point. When you talk about internal cracks, what do those look like and how do they potentially knock him out of power?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: What we don't want to do is speculate about where this may go, and this is fundamentally an internal matter that the Russians and Putin are going to have to reckon with. But you had a direct challenge to Putin's authority from Prigozhin. You see dissension in the ranks. And it's not as if you need a satellite to figure that out. If you've got a social media account, you could see this debate, this argument going on inside of Russia for months about the prosecution of the war. Prigozhin himself questioned the very premises of the war, whether NATO or Ukraine presented a threat to Russia, which neither does. So that's what I'm talking about. Where that goes, when and how it gets there, that's a matter of speculation. We're relentlessly focused on Ukraine itself, making sure that it has what it needs to defend itself, what it needs to take back the territory that Russia seized from it.

QUESTION: Putin has effectively squashed any opposition to him over the years. Do you believe there are now forces inside of Russia willing but also able to push him aside and to have a regime change inside the country?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, these are decisions, these are choices for Russians to make, not for us to make. As I said, what we're focused on is Ukraine itself. But there's no doubt that what we're - what we've seen just in the last 48 hours are profound questions that Putin is going to have to answer, both questions internally - we've had a lot of questions he has to answer for externally.

Look at where Russia is now as a result of this aggression: weaker militarily, weaker economically, its standing in the world has plummeted, it's managed to get Europe off of Russian energy, it's managed to strengthen NATO - we even have a new member and another new member on its way. It's managed to alienate virtually all of Ukraine and unite the country at the same time. So across the board, this has been a strategic failure for Putin. And to the extent that there are now cracks emerging internally, that only magnifies the problem he's facing.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Andrea.

QUESTION: Ukraine's counteroffensive has been a tough slog. President Zelenskyy has acknowledged that. Does a weakened Vladimir Putin and a divided Russian military help Ukraine, or does a weakened Vladimir Putin perhaps encourage him to be more aggressive and increase the assaults? He has superiority in the air and there's a lot of damage he can do, including, of course, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, the counteroffensive is in its early days, and you heard the Ukrainian secretary of defense say just, I think, yesterday that they have yet to commit the bulk of their forces to this effort. And there's no doubt that it's tough going because the Russians have had months and months and months to put in place defenses. But we just announced additional assistance to Ukraine yesterday. They have what they need to be successful. To the extent that Moscow is distracted by its own internal divisions, that may help. To the extent that the Wagner forces themselves are no longer on the frontlines, that could help because they have been effective. They just literally throw people into a meat grinder of Putin's own making, but that's had some effect. So I think there's some opportunity here for Ukraine 

QUESTION: But?

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  but it is early days. And I think this will play out not over the next days but over the next weeks and months.

QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, we all watched what happened in Moscow over the weekend; so did Beijing. What's your early assessment as to how China views what has happened there - this rebellion - because of their alliance, their tacit support for Russia at this point?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, Beijing has had to walk a very challenging line on this from day one: on the one hand, finding ways to support Russia, including diplomatically, advancing its arguments, its false arguments around the world; and at the same time, trying to seem neutral and trying to present itself somehow as a peacemaker. I think that's getting more and more challenging.

Having said that, when I was in China, we had conversations about the Russian aggression against Ukraine. We agreed that it was something that we needed to keep talking about. There may come a point, if there is an opening, for genuine diplomacy and negotiation where China could play a positive and productive role. That's still, alas, I think far in the future. But I think the - some of the tensions between the dual roles that China is trying to play are more and more apparent.

QUESTION: You obviously met with President Xi just under two weeks ago; had a meeting that you called productive, the handshake moment, and everything that came with it. A couple of days later, President Biden referred to President Xi as a dictator. Do you share that view of President Xi? Is he a dictator?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: One of the reasons that I went to China at the President's behest was to make sure that we had clear, sustained lines of communication to make sure that we can work through our differences to try to prevent the competition that we're in from veering into conflict, and also to see if we can find areas where it makes sense for us to cooperate. But one of the things that I said to our Chinese counterparts is, we are going to say and we are going to do things that you don't like. You do and say a lot of things that we don't like. And we're going to have to work through that. That's what we're doing.

QUESTION: And so that is - does that make him a dictator?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: The President speaks for all of us. He speaks candidly. He speaks clearly.

QUESTION: Katty Kay has a question for you, Mr. Secretary. Katty?

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good morning. I've just come back from a week in Europe, and I was struck by the degree to which people were asking me about two things: one, which is whether Donald Trump would come back again, and that raises concerns about the degree to which allies might start hedging in terms of their policies around China, even around Ukraine, wondering where America is going to head in 2024; but also this split between Europe and America, which is pretty evident, over the question of China. And I was wondering what you're hearing from European allies and what you're saying to try and bring them on board with China and what you're saying to them about their concerns about Donald Trump coming back again, possibly.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Katty, first, great to see you too. And I hate to do this, but I've got to differ with you. I actually think we have more convergence on the approach to China with Europe, as well as with key partners in Asia, than we've seen at any time in recent memory. If you look and listen to what senior leaders in Europe are saying, including Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Union Commission, we could be exchanging speeches, exchanging talking points because we're exactly on the same line, both in the challenge that China presents as well as what we're doing about it. And across the board, we are working very closely together to deal with that challenge.

In fact, one of the things that's evident to me from my conversations in China is that they're concerned with the fact that we have this unity of purpose and unity of action with key European allies, as well as in Asia. I don't see that changing.

Look, all we can do is to focus on the moment we're in and the responsibilities that we have right now. None of us have a crystal ball when it comes to the future, especially when it comes to politics. And at the end of the day, the more successful we are, the more effective we are, both in delivering for our own people and demonstrating that our policies work, the more likely it is they'll be sustained in the future.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, there is reporting that a big focus of your conversations in Beijing were on Taiwan, with China very concerned about a more aggressive, more nationalistic, more independence-minded president, politician being elected in their upcoming elections. And you were stating your own neutrality about a foreign election. What is your impression about their timeline, President Xi's timeline regarding invading or trying to take over Taiwan? CIA Director Burns had said it would be within the next five years. He said that a year ago, and now President Xi has got his third term. Is that more eminent?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Andrea, the main concern that we've had with Beijing's approach to Taiwan is that it seems bent on changing the status quo that's prevailed for more than 50 years and has actually been a successful part of the relationship that we've had with China, making sure that we could maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, making sure that any differences were resolved peacefully, that no one on either side engaged in any unilateral effort to change the status quo. And we've had concerns going back to 2016, not just the last months, that China was acting more aggressively when it comes to Taiwan.

So we had a very direct, very lengthy conversation about this. They have concerns about our policy. I clarified to the extent it needed to be clarified that our policy hasn't changed. We abide by, we stick to the long standing "one China" policy. And as I said, our expectation is that any differences will be resolved peacefully.

But what Beijing needs to understand is this is not just a concern for the United States; it's a concern for virtually the entire world. You've got 50 percent of the commercial container traffic - world trade - going through that strait every single day. You've got 70 percent of the semiconductors that the world relies on for our smartphones, for our automobiles, for our dishwashers made on Taiwan. If there were to be a crisis of China's making over Taiwan and you took all of that offline, you'd have a global economic crisis. And that's why country after country is making it clear to China that their expectation is that China will manage this responsibly. Certainly, that's what we're working to do. It's really important that we have these clear, candid, direct, lengthy exchanges on this so that they know exactly where we're coming from, and they can also share what concerns them.

QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, the President is heading overseas in about two weeks' time, going to Europe, the NATO Summit in Vilnius being the centerpiece. Preview, if you will, what his message is going to be there. But more importantly, Finland is coming in, Sweden is (inaudible) on the verge, with Turkiye having objected in the past but President Erdogan having now gained re-election. Are you confident that he will drop his resistance to Sweden joining the Alliance? And if so, could it even happen at that summit?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well first, Jonathan, I think the message for Vilnius is clear, and it's been the message that we've had all along, which is our greatest strength among allies is in our unity. And the unity that we've seen from day one - from before day one - of the Russian aggression has been extraordinary, and I think some people had doubts about whether it could be sustained. On the contrary, it's stronger than ever, and that can be seen in NATO itself, which is stronger than it's ever been. As you said, it's already admitted one new member, Finland, and I'm confident that Sweden will be joining Finland very soon. And we're working on that.

That too has been a profound failure of Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine. It's extraordinary. No one would have imagined before the Russians went in that Finland and Sweden would be members of NATO. I don't think anyone would have imagined that NATO itself would be growing stronger and stronger. And the irony is NATO has never presented a threat to Putin. It doesn't have any designs on Russia. It's a defensive Alliance, and yet Putin's obsession with it has actually created a stronger Alliance.

QUESTION: We're already 16 months into the war. February 24th of last year is when Vladimir Putin invaded. It's already been a long war, and many people talking about potential off-ramps for Vladimir Putin, ways to end this war in a peaceful manner. But the Ukrainians say: Well, we're not gonna give up anything; we were the ones invaded; I'm not giving territory to Vladimir Putin for his war of aggression. So as you sort of game this out and talk to leaders on both sides and in Europe, what is a reasonable way - what is a reasonable path to peace from where we are right now?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, Willie, you're exactly right that we have one of these rare instances - because so much of what we do around the world is in shades of grey. This is pretty black and white. You've got an aggressor; you've got a victim. And one thing we can't lose sight of when we're talking strategy, we're talking how does this end, we're talking the events of this weekend - we can't lose sight of what this actually means day-in, day-out, the human dimension. Just yesterday, the Russians went at another civilian area in Kramatorsk, destroyed a pizzeria where people were eating their meal. Just pick one day in April, an attack on a city called Uman hundreds of miles from the frontlines - early morning, before dawn, civilian building destroyed by Russian missiles. A father, a guy named Dmytro, runs to his children's room, opens the door to their room - Kyrylo, 17, Sofia, 11 years old - opens the door - the room is gone; his kids are gone - just two of the six children killed that one day in April.

So let's not lose sight of this. But stepping back from that, we've all been very clear that this ultimately is going to end with diplomacy, with a negotiation. The main impediment to that right now is President Putin's conviction that he can somehow outlast Ukraine and outlast the rest of us. That's not going to happen. And I think one of the things you'll see at NATO is a demonstration of our enduring commitment to Ukraine, not only in the moment, not only in the immediate terms of helping it with the counteroffensive, but also in helping it build up over time a strong deterrent and defense force so that Putin can't repeat this in a year, in two years, in five years.

The sooner President Putin internalizes that, the sooner there's a chance to get to a genuine negotiation. The terms of a settlement ultimately have to be up to the Ukrainians, but we know some basic principles. Peace has to be just and durable, and by just I mean that it has to account for the basic principles at the heart of the UN Charter - territorial integrity, sovereignty - these have to mean something. We can't validate someone's seizure of another country's territory by force. That would be a Potemkin piece.

QUESTION: So Mr. Secretary, I just want to build on Willie's point there. Given the Ukrainian determination, where are we in this war? Are we still in the beginning stages? Are we looking at another winter ahead? And is there any concern that the U.S. Congress or support around the world might wane?

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Everything I'm seeing, Mika, is that the support remains, it remains strong, it remains bipartisan, and it remains transatlantic, and beyond transatlantic. We have about 50 countries, including well beyond Europe, who are all supporting Ukraine. And my strong sense is that people remain deeply committed to this, deeply committed to making sure that Ukraine emerges and emerges with a just and durable peace. That's the focus. No one can tell you when this is actually going to end. What we can tell you, what I can tell you is that our commitment is there and we're determined to make sure that Ukraine comes out in a good place, in a place that is genuinely just and durable.

QUESTION: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, thank you very much for coming on Morning Joe. And Andrea Mitchell, thank you as well. We'll see you at noon on Andrea Mitchell Reports right here on MSNBC. Thank you both.

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Guterres condemns Israel's recent advancement of plans to build in occupied West Bank

28 June 2023 - The Secretary-General condemned on Wednesday Israel's recent advancement of plans for over 5,500 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank. He also denounced the retroactive regularization of three outposts adjacent to the settlement of Eli.

A strongly worded statement by the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions. Antonio Guterres, it says, urged the Government of Israel to halt and reverse the expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to immediately and completely cease all settlements activities there and to respect its relevant legal obligations.

The statement refers to the Monday's advancement of plans for over 5,500 housing units in Israeli settlements in Area C of the occupied West Bank, including the retroactive regularization, under Israeli law, of three settlement outposts adjacent to the settlement of Eli.

Settlements impede peace

Antonio Guterres emphasized that Israel's persistent expansion of settlements, including in East Jerusalem, "deepens humanitarian needs, fuels violence, increases the risk of confrontation, further entrenches the occupation, and undermines the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination".

The UN chief warned that the ongoing settlements are eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and viable sovereign Palestinian State, based on the pre-1967 lines and impede the ability to achieve a viable two-State solution, and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.



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Northeastern Nigeria: malnourished children fighting for their lives

28 June 2023 - Millions are facing hunger and children's lives are on the line in northeastern Nigeria amid a protracted conflict and intensifying climate change. In the face of this, the UN's humanitarian response in the region is underfunded, humanitarians told journalists in Geneva on Wednesday.

The UN's top humanitarian official in the country Matthias Schmale informed that severe hunger is affecting 4.3 million people in Nigeria's Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. The number of children under five at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition has doubled in one year to reach 700,000.

Describing the situation in the region, Mr. Schmale said: "I have been to Borno and the other two states several times, I've seen mothers fighting for lives of their malnourished children in nutrition stabilization centres." The children he spoke to complained about being hungry for days.

"Those of us who are parents must imagine what it's like when you cannot ensure your children have enough to eat," he emphasized.

Drivers of crisis

The "catastrophic" situation is primarily the result of more than a decade of insecurity linked to non-State armed groups, which prevents people from farming and earning income from the land, Mr. Schmale said.

Another harmful factor is climate change and extreme weather impacts. Last year saw the worst floods in ten years in Nigeria, which affected more than 4.4 million people across the country, not just the north-east.

Soaring prices of food, fuel and fertilizers have exacerbated the crisis, and the response remains severely underfunded. The UN official said that out of the $1.3 billion in humanitarian funding needed for the region, only 25 per cent has been secured so far.







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Navy Reserve Squadron Completes First-Ever Deployed C-40A Clipper Reconfiguration with Support from Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force

US Navy

28 June 2023

From Chief Mass Communication Specialist Chelsea Milburn, Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan -- Sailors assigned to the "Conquistadors" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 57 achieved a major logistics milestone, completing the first-ever deployed C-40A Clipper reconfiguration while on a forward-deployed detachment at Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan with assistance from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), May 17.

A C-40A Clipper is capable of three configurations: all cargo, all passenger, or combination. The VR-57 team worked late into the night May 16 after the aircraft arrived at 6:30 p.m. to ensure the reconfiguration or "re-rig" from combination to all passenger would be complete the following day for lifts supporting Carrier Air Wing (CVW-5).

"VR-57's INDOPACOM detachment was tasked with re-rigging aircraft 836 from a combination configuration to a passenger configuration in order to support CVW-5 for their upcoming underway period," said Detachment Officer in Charge Cmdr. David Perez. "The passenger configuration gives us the ability to move 121 passengers, compared to the 69 passenger capacity in the combination configuration."

In order to accomplish the reconfiguration, the VR-57 required the use of a K-loader. Though all of the U.S. K-loaders were in use during the required time frame, the squadron was able to coordinate with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) to use a JMSDF K-loader and forklift, as well as assistance from several JMSDF personnel.

"The whole process involved our aircrew and maintenance guiding the JMSDF forklift into our hangar, retrieving the pallets containing the seats and closets required to finish the reconfiguration," said Perez. "The pallets were then loaded onto the K loader, which was guided to the aircraft by our loadmasters. Following the unloading of all pallets, we gave a big thanks to our JMSDF partners and handed out some challenge coins. The JMSDF personnel were amazing to work with, and we were very grateful for their support."

In addition to being a shining example of success born from teamwork with a partner nation, the accomplishment highlighted the caliber of the detachment's personnel.

"The re-rig was a success solely due to the resourcefulness, professionalism and hard work of our detachment maintenance personnel," said Perez. "Without their hard work, the whole thing would have not happened. I'm incredibly lucky to have such an amazing maintenance team out here in Atsugi with me. Having aircraft 836 in the passenger configuration made the entire detachment's lives a lot easier when we eventually did fly the lifts for CVW-5."

VR-57 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Ryan King echoed Perez's sentiments regarding the hard work of the detachment personnel, with an added nod to Perez's and Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Norris "Chuck" Herron's leadership.

"Lt. Cmdr. Perez and Chief Herron were both absolutely instrumental in this success," said King. "Their leadership, along with the hard work of our Sailors, were the only reason we were able to pull this off."

VR-57 is one of eleven squadrons assigned to the Navy Reserve's Fleet Logistics Support Wing (FLSW). FLSW, with coordination by the Navy Air Logistics Office (NALO), remains the Navy's only source of dedicated air logistics, providing critical support around the globe with the K/C-130T Hercules and C-40A Clipper.

Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve (CNAFR) mans, trains and equips the Naval Air Force Reserve in order to provide enduring operational support and strategic depth to Navy forces that win in combat.

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Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Returns to San Diego from Deployment

US Navy

28 June 2023

From Courtesy Story

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (Nimitz CSG) returned to San Diego June 28, concluding a seven-month deployment to U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operations (AO).

Sailors assigned to Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) and the embarked air wing of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 returned home with the arrival of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in San Diego. Nimitz will depart San Diego for its return to homeport in Bremerton, Washington at a later date.

Hawaii-based ships attached to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), returned to homeport on June 20 and 27, respectively.

"For seven months, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group demonstrated our ironclad commitment to partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region," said Rear Adm. Jennifer Couture, commander, CSG-11. "During this deployment, Sailors of every rank and rate displayed a vigorous work ethic and a humble devotion to duty and I want to thank them and their families for their sacrifice. I am humbled to serve alongside determined professionals and observe their excellence at every level. Our strike group returns home stronger, smarter, and more resilient than ever before."

While in the U.S. 7th Fleet AO, CSG-11 conducted deterrence and presence operations; multinational exercises; integrated multi-domain training; long-range maritime strike exercises; anti-submarine warfare; information warfare operations; air defense operations; multiple ship navigation; and formation maneuvering and refueling-at-sea operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet.

Nimitz executed six port calls - Guam; Singapore; Busan, South Korea; Laem Shabang, Thailand; Sasebo, Japan and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - and hosted two formal "Big Top" receptions in South Korea and Thailand. The aircraft carrier also embarked foreign dignitaries, military officials, ambassadors, and international media, and operated with the joint force and several nations, including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea and Singapore. Alongside allies and partners, the Nimitz CSG's presence in U.S. 7th Fleet reinforced the United States' commitment to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Nimitz - the oldest-serving U.S commissioned aircraft carrier in the world - completed its 350,000th arrested aircraft landing on April 22, 2023 while sailing in the South China Sea. The milestone was piloted in an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the "Fighting Redcocks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 by Capt. Craig Sicola, Nimitz commanding officer, and Cmdr. Luke Edwards, commanding officer of VFA 22. Nimitz is the first active U.S. aircraft carrier to reach this milestone.

Nimitz's embarked air wing consisted of the "Fighting Redcocks" of Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 22, "Mighty Shrikes" of VFA-94, "Kestrels" of VFA-137, "Blue Diamonds" of VFA-146, "Sun Kings" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 116, "Cougars" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139, "Battlecats" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73, "Screamin' Indians" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 and "Providers" of Fleet Logistic Support Squadron (VRC) 30.

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CMF Counter-Piracy Admiral Meets European Task Force Commander Aboard Italian Warship

US Navy

28 June 2023

From Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain -- The commander of a Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-piracy task force met with the commander for a European naval task force aboard an Italian warship that was pierside in Bahrain, June 23.

Republic of Korea Navy Rear Adm. Ko Seung-bum, commander of Combined Task Force 151, visited Italian Navy Rear Adm. Mauro Panebainco, commander of Task Force 474, aboard Italian frigate ITS Rizzo (F595).

The leaders discussed current maritime operations, opportunities for regular information sharing and closer collaboration. They also received a briefing from Cmdr. Valerio DI Giammatteo, Rizzo's commanding officer, on the ship's capabilities.

Task Force 474 is the operational arm of naval coalition called the European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz. The partnership, consisting of eight nations, protects navigational rights of regional mariners in Middle East waters.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Task Force 474 and ITS Rizzo's capabilities in the maritime environment," said Ko. "As CMF has demonstrated, international cooperation and collaboration are vital to ensure that all maritime trade remains protected and unhindered from safe and free navigation in regional waters."

As one of CMF's five operational staffs, Combined Task Force 151 focuses on counter-piracy missions in the Middle East. The multinational team includes nearly 30 personnel from a dozen country.

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CNO Speaks at CSIS AUKUS Discussion

US Navy

Speech by Adm. Mike Gilday

Date Published 28 June 2023

WASHINGTON

Below is a transcript of the remarks as delivered:

Dr. Charles Edel: Good afternoon. Welcome to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. I'm Charles Edel, a senior advisor and the Australia Chair here at CSIS. I'm really pleased to welcome everyone here in this room and all the hundreds if not thousands of you who are watching online.

I'm particularly excited to welcome our distinguished guests who have come for this really important conversation on both the military and the strategic implications of AUKUS. A collaboration between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, AUKUS aims to boost the defense capabilities, enhance technological integration, and expand the industrial capacity of all three of our nations.

First announced in September 2021, AUKUS is comprised of two distinct pillars. Pillar 1 is a trilateral effort to support Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. Pillar 2 focuses on expanding advanced technology that our three nations will use together, including cyber capabilities, hypersonics and counter hypersonics, quantum, artificial Intelligence, other undersea capabilities, and a range of other capabilities.

AUKUS, as you can tell, is an extraordinarily ambitious program, and we're just beginning to understand the scale of those ambitions. This means investments into our own and our allies' systems, a real linking of Asian and European allies, an integrationto a larger degreeof our industrial capabilities. The ambition of this undertaking has grown commensurately with the scale of the challenge that we are all presented with. AUKUS was undertaken against the backdrop of a deteriorating security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically, centering around the explosive growth of China's military capabilities and the increasingly aggressive use to which those military capabilities are put. Those two trends have heightened security concerns in the region and motivated AUKUS members to begin aligning their strategies and respond to the challenges posed by Beijing.

So, when you look at AUKUS, please remember that it has more than one objective. It's meant to transform the industrial shipbuilding capacity of all three nations. It's meant as a technological accelerator. It's meant to reestablish what Penny Wong has called strategic equilibrium in the Indo-Pacific region. And ultimately, it's meant to be a model for how the United States works with and empowers its closest allies.

But if AUKUS's ambitions are expansive, so too are the challenges that it faces, including its long term political support and financial resourcing, the ability to scale up submarine production, the necessity of finding the skilled workers who are going to be building those submarines, the challenges of reforming our regulatory system and the way that we control our most sensitive technology, and, of course, the overriding imperative of providing deterrence now and not in a 10-year-time.

Now, to discuss AUKUS and its strategic and military significance, I'm extraordinarily honored to be here today with two of its extraordinary driving forces, Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, and Dr. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator of Indo-Pacific Affairs at the White House. I don't think I need to introduce them, but I will introduce them just so that everyone knows exactly who we're dealing with here.

Admiral Gilday is the son of a navy sailor and the 32nd Chief of Naval Operations. A surface warfare officer, he is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds master's degrees from Harvard Kennedy School as well as the National War College. At sea he has deployed aboard the USS Chandler and Princeton and Gettysburg, and has commanded USS Higgins, USS Benfold, Destroyer Squadron Seven, Carrier Strike Group Eight, and U.S. Fleet Cyber Command.

As a flag officer, he has served in joint positions as director of NATO's Joint Force Command Lisbon; as chief of staff for the Naval Striking Group and Support Forces NATO; director of operations for both U.S. Cyber Command and Joint Staff; and he has recently served as director of Joint Staff and began serving as the 32nd CNO on August 22, 2019.

Dr. Kurt Campbell serves as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council. He was previously chairman and chief executive officer of The Asia Group. From 2009 to 2013, Dr. Campbell served as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was formerly CEO and co-founder of the Center for New American Security.

He is the author or editor of ten different books and received his B.A. from UC San Diego and his doctorate in international relations from Oxford University. I'm extraordinarily humbled that you've chosen to have this conversation with us. I'd like to invite both of you up to stage so we can get on with the conversation. Thank you.

Dr. Kurt Campbell: Is my mic on?

Dr. Edel: I hope it is.

Dr. Campbell: So, I did not know this, but we both have served aboard the same ship. I was on the Princeton as well - so we'll have to compare notes after this. So, thank you. (Laughter.)

Dr. Edel: In fact, that's going to be the entirety of our conversation today. (Laughter.) I'd actually like to start with a very basic, but perhaps expansive question, for Admiral Gilday.

From a military perspective, what is AUKUS intended to accomplish?

Admiral Michael Gilday: Well, in your eloquent remarks, you mentioned this destabilizing environment in the Indo-Pacific, in a region that is so critical for global prosperity. And so, I think AUKUS is among a number of initiatives that the United States is undertaking with its allies and partners in order to provide more stability in the region, more predictability in the region. And I think the stability piece is very important.

There's also a deterrence against any malign behavior aspect of this that I think is key.

In terms of our navies working together, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia, some would say it's a natural next step for us. We've been working together for one hundred years now, over one hundred years. So, this would be an obvious evolution in terms of where we go, not only in terms of interoperability, but AUKUS takes it to a new level in terms of interchangeability, particularly with SSN AUKUSwhich will be a held common to two of the three nationswith many of the components that are common to U.S. submarines, and so that's a great leveler for all of us in terms of interchangeability.

I also just would foot stomp the points that you made on technical interoperability as well. The technical exchange and the partnership that we gain in industry is going to be key here in terms of knocking down barriers with respect to the transfer of technology and information. And I think that in areas like quantum and AI, unmanned, the possibilities are really limitless here. And we would be self-limiting if we didn't take great advantage of the opportunities that AUKUS will present in that regard.

Dr. Edel: Perfect. If we start from the military objectives, increasing our interoperability, interchangeability, as you've said, as we hear in Australia a lot too, when we broaden out a little bit, Kurt, thinking about the strategic objectives of this, we should note that AUKUS is not the only thing that we're doing in the region. And I'm curious from your vantage point at the White House, how AUKUS sits within some of the other efforts that we're undertaking as we try to build something that creates more strategic equilibrium.

Dr. Campbell: Thanks, Charles. And first of all, thank you very much for holding the session today. I think it's important for there to be a greater understanding of what we're trying to accomplish collectively in the Indo-Pacific.

And I also want to pay my respect to the Admiral and to the role he's played in everything that the United States is undertaking both at sea and also in the Indo-Pacific region more generally. I would say, if you look at a range of efforts, unilateral, bilateral, multilateral, you see the evolution of a strategy that places the Indo-Pacific squarely at the center of future endeavor.

And you've heard me said before, Charles, that involves, first of all, trying to just erect a bipartisan agreement about how we will conduct ourselves in the Indo-Pacific, investing in the necessary capabilities in the United States more generally, with the recognition that technology will be at the core of arenas of competition going forward, and then, a series of actions with respect to bilateral and multilateral engagements.

And I'll just run through some. We're going to talk today largely about AUKUS. But there's the Quad. There are trilateral engagements that we've undertaken in Northeast Asia. We've sought to build on closer ties with Japan, with South Korea, with the Philippines. You will have seen last week, I think, a pretty substantial diplomatic initiative to open a much closer period of strategic orientation and partnership between the United States and India.

This is all about basically sending a signal of our determination, Charles, to not only maintain peace and stability, but to stabilize, protect, and secure the operating system of the Indo-Pacific, which has basically propelled historic levels of growth, lifted people out of poverty, provided a larger sense of well-being in the Indo-Pacific, and is something worth very much preserving as we go forward.

And we'd also argue that some of those benefits have very much affected China as well. So, what we're doing fundamentally is in the larger interest of the maintenance of that peace and stability that has largely prevailed in the Indo-Pacific.

I would say the other elements of AUKUS, that are important, are that we are increasingly linking efforts in Europe to our endeavors in the Indo-Pacific. As the Admiral indicates, we have an extraordinarily strong partnership between the U.S. and the Royal Navy that has flourished over 70 years. We've never taken a step like this before. We decided, largely because of the unique quality and the close partnership of our relationship with Australia, to take this step and to link not only Great Britain and the United States with Australia, but basically to link the theaters in a more substantial way, a process that has, in many respects, been accelerated through the tragic conflict in Ukraine.

So, I think AUKUS is part of a larger determination of the United States to act in decisive, innovative ways to signal that we're going to play a powerful, important, and enduring role in the Indo-Pacific now and into the future. And I do also want to just underscore that I do believe that each of the countries went into this with their eyes wide open, understanding the challenges, understanding that this is not just a week or two of celebration. We're all in it for the challenges ahead. And this is not something that will be accomplished in a short period of time. This is a long-term partnership that I think we're all up for.

Dr. Edel: I felt quite lucky that we can take both military and strategic perspectives at once.

And as we've talked about stability and trying to inject more stability into the region, as we've talked about China, it's not a secret to say that Beijing has responded adversely across the board to the announcement of AUKUS.

And yet AUKUS is not intended to provoke China. In fact, when President Biden was out in San Diego, I'm going to read this, he said, "AUKUS has one overriding objectiveto enhance stability in the Indo-Pacific amid rapidly shifting global dynamics."

And I'd like to get a little bit more granular and ask how you see it doing that? How does building up U.S. and allied capabilities enhance stability? And how does it contribute to deterrence? Admiral, if you'd like to start.

Admiral Gilday: I think the administration has been very transparent in terms of the path that we're on to executing AUKUS, in terms of both planning and execution, with not only Americans, but also more broadly with people around the globe.

And so, it's a phased approach that's been very transparent; in terms of our beginning to conduct more port visits with the Australians; to then forward deploying our submarinesperhaps up to fourout of HMS Sterling near Perth; to then co-crewing those submarines with the Australians in a very deliberate manner; and then finally getting us to a point where Australia's sovereign readying and can then take custody of the sale of U.S. submarines, and eventually produce their own.

All the while we are working hand in glove with them and the U.K. in terms of creating the ecosystem that's so important to maintaining a nuclear force that we have had in the United States since the 1950s. And there is a culture there that doesn't take any shortcuts, that is self-assessing and self-correcting. That culture becomes very, very important. And it isn't something that just appears overnight. It has to be ingrained in a cadre of sailors that are passionate about what they do and serious about what they do.

So, I think that there are many layers and elements to this that we've been sharing. As Dr. Campbell said, that 18-month consultative period, we have been wide open in terms of the challenges from an industrial standpoint, from an investment standpoint.

In America, we believe that we can do anything, but some days when I sit back and I think, boy, if we had to start a nuclear submarine program from a cold start today, that is a big leap. And so, again, I think to the -- to the point of your question, we've been very transparent here in terms of a deliberate approach. Among those senior uniformed leaders, we have been absolutely committed to a relationship that's grounded on trust.

And so, we have been committed to having candid, transparent, private, non-attributional discussions about risk, about being completely honest with each other in terms of how we see this progressing, about areas where perhaps we need to accelerate where we can but take a deliberate approach and perhaps even slow down in areas where we think we need to tell our civilian leadership that we are taking on too much risk.

Dr. Campbell: If I could just add one other thing to what the Admiral said. I also think we fully recognize that nuclear propulsion provides the ability to deploy for extraordinarily long periods of time at greater distances, and also provides the opportunity to operate in an increasingly challenging environment. So, the survivability that nuclear powered submarines provide, I would argue, is unmatched.

And then the added ability to be able to deploy conventional ordnance from great distances has enormous, game-changing, strategic significance in a variety of projected scenarios.

And so, it provides survivability, flexibility, much greater operational dexterity, and as the Admiral indicates, it is a partnership that will be developed over decades frankly. And so, this is a big deal.

And I would say we are already reaping some of the rewards. We always worked with Australia as the closest possible partnership. But this, I think the Admiral will be the first to say, this is going to elevate that. And we're seeing that already. We're engaging in a way that is unprecedented. And we will only grow from here.

Dr. Edel: It's great. I hope the two of you don't mind if I take the prerogative as Australia Chair to pretend to be Australian and therefore be really blunt or maybe that's just the New Yorker in me. (Laughter.)

But if we have these great ambitions, let me stay on Pillar 1 for a second here, to help grow the capabilities, have a game changing capability for the Australians, the natural question is, do we have the submarines?

We know that we are mandated by Congress to be producing two Virginia-class submarines per year. For a variety of reasons, we're producing plus or minus 1.2 submarines per year at this point.

Admiral, I'd love to get your comments about when we see that the initial announcement, was the sale of three Virginia-class submarines with a potential of two more down the road, where do those submarines come from? Should those be submarines that we already have? Should they be future production? How does the industrial capabilities of all three nations play into this because it is a number game at this point?

Admiral Gilday: It's too early to give you an answer on precisely where those submarines will come from. Whether that's excess capacity, or whether that comes out of U.S. inventory. Our goal, and you can see the testimony to it, is the significant investment that the U.S. Congress is supporting in terms of industrial base, $650 million last year and another proposed $750 [million] in the 2024 budget, and a proposed $3.4 billion [investment in industrial base], I think, over the over the five year defense plan. So a significant investment across a number of different areas: workforce development, shipyard infrastructure, strategic outsourcing to smaller companies to take some of the pressure off the two shipyards, supply chain development. Another would be areas like additive manufacturing, where we're trying to leverage some of the best new technological advances in manufacturing from around the world and apply it to the submarine program.

So, we're trying to put the industrial base in a position where they can increase their productivity. The priority still being the Columbia-class submarine at one a year, and then two SSNs.

We're aspirational at this point with respect to reaching the goal of two SSNs a year. But all the indicators we have right now say that we are gaining momentum in terms of closing on that. I can't give you a specific date when we expect to close on two, but we're headed in the right direction.

I think that puts us in a better place, or the intent would be to put us in a better place, with whatever administration might finally make the decision. With the Congress, it'll play in a very serious kind of way in terms of laying out options, understanding the risks upfront, and then presenting a recommendation in terms of moving forward. But we're working very closely with Congress right now. They have legislations that they need to pass in order for all this to come together eventually.

In short, we do not underestimate the difficulties that lie ahead, and I think it goes right to the points that we made earlier that this foundational trust piece here becomes really, really important.

And in terms of mil-to-mil relationships, we're talking about a 30-year endeavor here. Well, we're talking about a forever endeavor, but in terms of the phases that I spoke to, you're talking about 30 years - and so while administrations will change in the three countries, hopefully the mil-to-mil relationships provide some sort of a shock absorber where you can always count on those relations as being foundational to execution.

Dr. Edel: Curious on the ally piece on this because at least on my quick but not so quick glance, this is a fairly unprecedented move where not only are we undertaking investments into our industrial base, our submarine industrial base here, as is the U.K., as is Australia, but all three nations to a certain degree are taking investments into allies' industrial bases too. And as far as I can tell, this is unprecedented, in wartime, it's probably unprecedented in peacetime too.

Dr. Campbell: Just on that Charles, and I very much agree with what the Admiral said that one of the points of AUKUS when Prime Minister Sunak, Prime Minister Albanese, President Biden met in San Diego was to underscore some of the features of how we're going to proceed next little while.

We have an unprecedented commitment of Australia into our industrial base to basically focus on improving, what I would argue, is the jewel in the crown, which is our submarine capacity, which frankly needs more resources. It needs more focus. And they're not only providing it, but they're helping us understand the kinds of investments that the Admiral indicates.

And I would simply say, Charles, that it is not just the ability to build two submarines a year of the attack variety that you were describing, it is also getting a troublingly large number of submarines that are in drydock and are in repair back into the water and deployed more quickly.

And I think the truth is we do have a plan that will allow us to meet the requirements that are laid out in AUKUS.

But I would also just remember that when submarines are provided from the United States to Australia, it's not like they're lost. They will just be deployed by the closest possible allied force.

In many cases, you could make the argument that that enhances deterrence, which I would, and, frankly, creates more capacity. And that's really the reason why I'm grateful for the way that you asked these questions.

The strategic significance of AUKUS is that both Australia and Great Britain have made a fundamental decision to align with us strategically, not just now, but as the Admiral indicates, into the distant future.

And I would say that it was not very many years ago that if you had to make an argument which countries might be prepared to reorient more closely with other countries in the region like China, Great Britain and Australia were two countries that ten years ago flirted with different kinds of orientations, and that period is changed fundamentally.

Dr. Edel: On this issue of enhancing deterrence, let me stick with this because it's a delicate question, but it's also an important question. Here we have the "crown jewels", as you said, again, we're still talking about Pillar 1. And we're talking about whether or not you think there is a significant risk of taking these "crown jewels" and delivering our most important capability to a sovereign, foreign, extraordinarily well trusted ally, who depending on circumstances may or may not be there when the balloon goes up.

Admiral, I'm curious how you think about that. I understand the enhancing part, but how do we wrap our heads around this?

Admiral Gilday: I think we put ourselves in a position, with respect to mil-to-mil, where we're ready to go in whatever configuration the governments are willing to go. So, whether it's two or three, we have to be ready to be able to flex and to adjust.

I'm not trying to be evasive. It's just that those are directions that we would get and we would execute accordingly.

Dr. Edel: Can I have you [Dr. Campbell] underscorebecause you said a second ago that having Australia have this capability has the potential to actually enhance deterrencecan you explain why you think that is?

Dr. Campbell: The truth is I think, your first question Charlie, which is about what steps we are trying to take, I think the most important steps are to recognize that the current strategic environment is favored with the United States being able to operate, engage with more and more partners. It creates a greater sense of ballast at the strategic level and much more uncertainty with potential provocateurs.

And so, I think that these steps are very strategically sound. And they are steady. I believe they are bipartisanyes there may be a group of people now that talk more about the United States acting alonebut I think there is a proud, bipartisan tradition that recognizes that the United States is most effective when we operate and engage with other partners with us.

And no, you cannot predict every scenario in the future, but I would not have any doubts about positing that the ability to operate much more effectively, to create confidence that the U.S. is a stabilizing force and we want to be associated with them has to be overall beneficial to the maintenance of peace and stability.

I feel quite confident that the strategic calculus favors these kinds of agreements. I do think this is a major source of stability.

I do believe Charlie, one of the things you have not raised, I think we need to do more. There are going to be nations who have questions who are going to raise them in diplomatic fora, the IAEA, and elsewhere. I want to commend Australia for the work they've done in the Pacific, for the work they've done in Southeast Asia. But we need to do more, we need to constantly be on the informational front foot, indicating that, you know, this propulsion capability will be undertaken with all the requirements of the IAEA and the NPT fully, appreciating that these will not be nuclear arms, these are conventional forces, conventional capabilities.

And I think, if we continue at it, we will gain more and more understanding of what we're undertaking. I will say that I see that in my own deliberations. Initially at the outset, because there were uncertainties and questions, people would say, well, we need to know more. I'm finding more and more interlocutorsSingapore, the Philippines, India, Japan, South Korea, most of the countries of Europefully understand the strategic circumstances and the calculus that went into this. And I'm increasingly confident thatmaybe not always openly and directly, but certainly behind closed doorsmany, many countries understand the rationale for why we've done it, why we did it, and frankly, are impressed that we did it.

Dr. Edel: On this score of opening up a wider front of nations to choose that this might be in their security interest, either explicitly or implicitly. We've heard ever since the March 13 announcement of more nations that I would describe as 'Pillar 2 curious.'

Pillar 2 looks really interesting. We've heard this from New Zealand. We've heard this from South Korea, and we've heard this from France, too. And I'd be curious, as we shift a little bit away from the conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines (you have to underscore those points all the time), what do we think the prospects are for expanding Pillar 2 to cooperate with other nations?

In the statement from the White Houseif you're not tracking these quite as closely as we are here, we have noted that there has been a call to broaden out AUKUS and Pillar 2, but that's about the full extent of the statement. So, I'd be curious to get both of your take on the ability to expand this outward beyond these three nations?

Admiral Gilday: I think there's a huge potential to do that in selected areas. I think that's where I would begininstead of a wholesale invite for nations to Pillar 2, I would look at certain areas where nations bring technology to bear that is going to make a difference, and that we have high trust and confidence that we can share that information back and forth. The preponderance of R&D, not only in the United States but in the world, that is being done not only by governments, but also by industry. We need to leverage that. That's the intent of Pillar 2is to leverage that and to hit the accelerator.

The United States DoD is sometimes very slow in terms of how we transition new technology to actually fielding it. And so, we're trying to use, in some ways, Pillar 2 to accelerate that significantly. So, we can take disruptive technologies in some of those areas that I mentioned before, to get them on the table.

Dr. Campbell: I don't think I could say it any better than the Admiralthat was extremely well articulated. I do believe that there are going to be some areas where some allies and partners have some either direct or niche areas where they can assist in a larger endeavor. And that might be in hypersonics. That could be in cybersecurity. Or it could be in antisubmarine warfare. There are a number of areas that we will explore as we go forward.

I think the key is going to be, what do you bring to the table? And are you able to do it in such a way that is going to be practical and operational? So, we're not just looking for theoretical applications and partnerships, but practical, real efforts that will enhance defense capabilities. And so yes, I will say that we are in conversation with a variety of countries who are interested. And frankly, it goes far beyond just those countries. And we're grateful for the fact that countries are interested in it. It's a positive. And we will explore those appropriately. I think all three countries have made clear that under the appropriate circumstances, we would be prepared to work collaboratively with other partners who bring capacity to the challenge.

Dr. Edel: So not a club join, but something for those nations who have the resources and capabilities to actually go after this.

Dr. Campbell: Yeah. And I think that's going to be importantthis is not just what you receive, but what you bring.

Dr. Edel: Gotcha. We've gotten a lot of questions, in the press and online, about some of the challenges that we have. And Admiral you already started to talk about this, about how we share technology, how we can collaborate, how we can actually get money into our system from others. And so, this begins to dive down into the weeds of, you know, technology transfer, export control, and ITAR reform.

I got this questionwhich is emblematic of a lot of questions we're going to get. This is from Eli Cook at The Cohen group: "AUKUS marks a major enhancement of U.S.-Australian defense cooperation. While progress has been made towards the agreement, many commentators note existing U.S. export controls like ITAR have proved complicated and inhibiting, given the apparent urgency of the situation." His question, but also, I think a lot of people's question, is: "Do you agree with that assessment? If so, what progress is being made on this front to break down some of those barriers?" Because, given the urgency of the challenges that both of you have described, and some of the slowness of our system, reimagining what it might look like, I'm curious of your two cents about what we look like in terms of reforming the system at this point?

Admiral Gilday: Well, first and foremost, I think leveraging this as a presidential initiative helps break down barriers. I think that you need to understand what those barriers are to technology transfer in each individual case. And I think they need to be raised, discussed; the risk needs to be clearly understood. And then we look at how we mitigate and break down those barriers. There are technologies that exist today, like zero trust as an example, that we can leverage in these technology transfer frameworks, that would definitely mitigate or drive down risk, and perhaps answer a lot of questions or mitigate apprehension that some might have. We are in conversations with Congress right now, about AUKUS and the legislative proposals that are required, in order to move forward. And some of those involve the very things that you mentioned.

Dr. Campbell: The Admiral has given a really good answer. I would just begin with where he began, which is that this has been mandated by the president. So, this is not a whether-to, it's a how-to. And I just think sometimes that simple crystallized fact helps quite a lot in complex bureaucratic situations. So, we're under clear instructions to move in that direction. I would make that point number one.

Number two, I also think we recognize that we're moving into an environment where we need to work more effectively with allies and partners. And that begins with working more effectively with our closest allies and partners. And this is a classic, critical early case study of taking the necessary steps to make sure that you're working in a way with Australia and Great Britain, in which we won't point to inhibitions as being things that have made this ambitious program moving slower than it should be. So, I think we fully recognize, that's the second point I would make.

And the third is that, as the Admiral indicated, we're in the midst of very substantial discussions, both internally inside the government, but also with Congress, about how to take those steps. And so yes there is substantial debate that is ongoing about whether this process will be fulfilled. But I would simply say that everything I've seen signals that the U.S. government, the Australian Government are taking this just as seriously as possible. and that we are seeking to address exactly the points that you've laid out for us, Charles.

Dr. Edel: And this is extraordinarily challenging, because we're figuring out for the first time in 40 plus years how we're going to collaborate and safeguard and tighten those safeguard controls between all three of us.

On that final question for me, then I'll make sure that we hit the audience. Admiral, you talked about the fact that we're moving into the world of nuclear stewardship in a way that we are sharing in a sense that we haven't undertaken since we did it with the Brits multiple decades ago. As Australia starts this up from zero, when we think about the lessons of nuclear stewardship, what are things that we need to think about managing? I mean, that's an enormously large question. But from the diplomatic, political, legal area, what are some of the challenges that we have to get ahead of when we think about protecting and safeguarding this technology?

Admiral Gilday: You know, at one point as we were talking about AUKUS between heads of Navy, I pulled out and I reviewed Admiral Rickover's comments in 1979 after the Three Mile Island disaster. He talked about the core principle that we have established in the Navy nuclear propulsion community and that we have never wavered from to this day. Everybody that serves on a nuclear-powered vessel understands those tenants that Rickover lay down in the 1950s. And so, he talked about the difference between the civilian nuclear community and the Navy. And the fact that that, you know, the Navy's requirements are more rigorous, just based on the operating environment. But staying true to them and holding each other accountable in that type of environment becomes very, very important. And I think it can keep you out of trouble.

And so, I won't speak to the big policy issues, but I'll just say, at the end of the day, as I said earlier, that the bumper sticker is "there are no shortcuts." We need to stay focused, our navies, in terms of what we're going to do, and that we're going to do it together safely.

Dr. Campbell: One of the great things about the Navy is that its leadership encourages using history as a guide to help think through this period. And the fact is that no, we're not starting from scratch. We have almost 80 years of experience. So, the Australians have an enormous backlog legacy and foundational support from the United States around best practices. And I just don't think you can underestimate the importance of that, number one.

And when you look at the challenges, the focus primarily, and which is to be expected, has been on costs, and around other issues associated with a nuclear program. But the real challenge is creating a cadre of highly skilled, motivated individuals who are going to be prepared to work both in industry and onboard submarines. And I will tell you I'm very pleased to say that process has already started substantially. And the naval officers and enlisted that are serving from Australian forces in American schools are doing extraordinarily well. And we're going to build on that, and it will be done in Great Britain as well.

So, I do think it's important to remember Charles, that this is not starting from scratch. I've watched the brotherhood and the partnership that the Navy has brought to this. Yes, at the outset, some skepticism, some uncertainty, appropriately so. But I've watched them make the internal commitment that they're going to do what they can to help Australia, as Great Britain will, to mount this enormous challenge. And because we've done it, and we know how to do it, we have high confidence that we can help them along this path.

And so, yesit's enormously challenging. But we have an enormous amount of capacity to convey, and knowledge and experience that will come in handy, that will be irreplaceable, and that will be the best indicator of success.

Admiral Gilday: We graduate our first group of Australian submariners from our Nuclear Power School in Charleston, in just over a week's time, so we're very proud of that.

Dr. Campbell: And they're all above the mean. All of them are above the mean and not just a couple of them. These are guys that are excelling. And we're going to double down on this. That commitment is powerful and impressive.

And so, when you look at the challenges chart, Charles, on whether this will be sustained politically, I have every indication that it will be sustained politically in the United States and Australia. I believe, for reasons like the Admiral said, that the ballast in our boat will be the armed forces, will be the Navy, will be our commitment of our defense establishments that now we must complete what we started.

I also believe that politically, after extensive discussion between Republicans and Democrats here, both parties, and others in Australia, that we have the necessary understanding about what's involved here.

And I do believe that there will be challenges ahead. But at the same time, I think people accept those, and we didn't doddle and do nothing with that 18-month period. We essentially explored and interrogated all of these problems together. And we were extremely direct about what this was going to need, the number of people that are going to need to be trained.

And yes, there is a tendency to say, oh my gosh, are people really aware of what's going to be necessary? I don't think that it's possible with an endeavor of this magnitude, to be able to identify everything. But I've rarely seen a process more significant, more attuned to the challenges as opposed to just thinking about the parade when we're celebrating the victory. And so, I'm quite confident and bullish that our three countries and our capacities are up to this challenge.

Dr. Edel: I just note, one of the byproducts of that intensive 18-month endeavor, particularly when we're dealing with the international community that has questions about this, is that here at CSIS we hosted Rafael Rossi, the head of the IAEA, who said that this was undertaken as an unprecedented step in the most transparent fashion possible, and has a clean bill of health from the IAEA to this point.

So, any other information that's out there is not tracking with where the IAEA is at on that. I know that was a first goal for the administration.

Dr. Campbell: And you cannot have a country that is in better standing at the IAEA and at the NPT than Australia is. And so, I completely agree with that. I think if anything, we probably have to do a better job of promulgating this storyline. And we will.

Dr. Edel: Alright, that's enough from us here. I know there are lots of questions here. Will Mauldin, I saw your hand go up. So please stand up, identify yourself, and ask a succinct question.

Q: Thanks Charlie, or I guess I should say Charles. Yeah, Will Mauldin with the Wall Street Journal.

All these submarines and allies in the region got me thinking about the potential for incidents or unexpected events with China or other nations. And for those of us in Beijing last week, with Secretary of State Blinken, we found out that there was not a breakthrough in terms of getting a military-to-military channel going to work with China. So, I'm wondering, is it worth loosening sanctions on the Chinese defense minister to get some kind of military-to-military channel going? Or, you know, how would that help? Or what do you do in terms of incident? Thank you.

Dr. Campbell: I can start, thank you. So look, China's inhibitions around military-to-military crisis prevention mechanisms and communication capabilities are long standing there. This is not a recent phenomenon. We do believe that it is important for the United States and China to take the necessary practical steps that would enable effective communication to deal with an unintended set of circumstances, or an accident, or a mishap. And we will continue to articulate the rationale for why these are important, particularly as our forces increasingly rub up against one another and operate in closer proximity.

I will simply say thatand if you do, it's been reported in The Wall Street JournalChina has undertaken some of these steps with other countries in Southeast Asia. I think they recognize the value of them. But for a variety of reasonsand we would say that they extend beyond simply restrictions placed on senior officersthat the Chinese have been reluctant, historically, to undertake these efforts.

We're going to continue to make the case both as Secretary Austin did at Shangri La, and as we try to do in all of our undertakings. That it is necessary, prudent, and indeed expected that the United States and China take the necessary steps to have those lines of communication to deal with unexpected circumstances.

Like a spy balloon that makes its way across the United States, which no one had anticipated. But in fact, the necessary mil-to-mil communications were lacking in that set of circumstances. And so, I think we will continue to make the arguments about why these are necessary. And we believe that the diplomacy that you experienced last week with Secretary Blinken and the Chinese leadership is a good step. And we will continue to take those steps to improve dialogue and discussion with China as part of our larger strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral Gilday: So, from an operating standpoint, operating in international airspace and on the seas, we follow the internationally recognized rules. And as you all have seen, from videos that we've released when we've been in close contact with, whether it's the Russians or the Chinese, our commanding officers out there have been very clear and unambiguous in terms of communicating very directly to their counterparts and other ships and aircraft what our intentions are, how we're maneuvering, what we're going to do next, in accordance with international law.

To avoid any kind of provocations, it is really important that we remain unemotional, and with a high degree of professionalism in terms of how we operate. As you would expect we would.

Dr. Edel: Washington time, let me take maybe two questions here at once. Peter and then Annelise, please.

Q: Yeah, thanks very much. Hi, Peter Martin from Bloomberg News.

A question for both of you. I guess there is a disparate set of technologies listed in Pillar 2. But I think a lot of people, including me, still find the whole pillar a little bit theoretical. So, if you could talk through what some of those technologies will actually mean for deterrence.

And then, I would be professionally negligent if I didn't ask Kurt what the events of the last 72 hours mean for Xi Jinping's big bet on Vladimir Putin. Thank you.

Dr. Edel: Alright that's two, and we're going to add a third question on top of it. That means you get to choose which ones you answer to. (Laughter.) Annelise?

Q: Hi, Annelise Nielsen from Sky News Australia.

Mr. Campbell, from the Australian perspective, we're very strategically aligned with the U.S. now with AUKUS. We're still suffering from some serious economic coercion from China in the meantime. And quite specifically, I'm thinking of the case of my former colleague Cheng Lei, who has been detained in China for two years. No progress in her case yet. What is the U.S. doing to support her case, and also for Australia dealing with Chinese coercion?

And to the Admiral, also in a similar vein, we're onboard with AUKUS now, but Australia is quite strategically vulnerable until these submarines come online. What's happening in the meantime to ensure that Australia is not left vulnerable?

Dr. Edel: Alright, those are four questions. Pick your poison. (Laughter.)

Dr. Campbell: I'll start with some of these. I don't want the Admiral to have to venture into unfair ground, but he'll figure out the ones that are the right ones for him. (Laughter.)

So look, I would say that when our senior diplomats engage with Chinese interlocutors we do raise cases of generally citizens and others that we believe are being arbitrarily or inappropriately held in China. I'm not going to go into all the details. And I will also say that we coordinate with Australia as well. So, I'll just begin with that. On the issue of economic coercion. I think you will have seen some of the statements that came out of the G7, an unprecedented recognition among allied democracies about the challenge that this poses, and the need to take collective steps. And I think there is a deeper recognition that what Australia has experienced, and frankly, handled with greater effectiveness than probably any country on the planet.

But those activities of economic punishment that have been perpetrated against Australia, we've seen it against Europe in various circumstances, the Philippines, South Korea. I think we recognize the challenge that this presents to both national economies, but also the global economy. And I think we've sought to undertake a broader effort, not only as part of our direct diplomacy, but working with other countries to gather capacity in which to address these issues directly with Chinese interlocutors. And it is a significant and serious continuing issue on the global stage.

To Peter's good questions, I would say that the lion's share of what we've focused on to date has been to ensure that Pillar 1, that the foundational understanding, capabilities, legal requirements are essentially ready for lift off. And that's been our dominant focus.

I think I would argue appropriately that we also believe that we have also begun efforts associated with Pillar 2. Part of what we are doing is a kind of cataloging with various countries of areas where we've seen particular progress, particular areas of technological capacity that we might seek to build upon. I think I did identify some of the areas that I think had been candidate topics. Those are by no means meant to be exclusive. We are exploring other opportunities as well.

Peter, I think what I would simply say is kind of watch this space, we are in substantial discussions now associated with Pillar 2 at the same time that we're trying to make sure that, again, the foundational steps are in good shape with respect to launching Pillar 1 effectively. On your second question, I think it would be fair to say that recent developments in Russia had been unsettling to the Chinese leadership. And I think I'll just leave it at that. Thank you.

Admiral Gilday: In terms of Pillar 2, most of the things that we're working on right now, with both the U.K. and Australia, are classified. But I would say that the examples that I can speak about involve AI and unmanned, which are closely linked. The AI being the plug on top of the water bottle, which would be the platform.

And so, we're doing work in the Middle East. We're about to do more in South America. And we'll join both the Australians and the Brits for a big unmanned exercise that the Australians are going to host in the fall.

With respect to deterrence, in July we will commission the USS Canberra, in Sydneythe first US ship to be commissioned in a foreign country. And so, one example of us stepping forward a little bit, perhaps, that has some deterrent value. We don't do that very often. And so, this would be the first time. I think the partnership is alive and well. And we're trying not to self-limit with respect to what we're going to do together in the future.

Dr. Edel: Again, for those of you who don't obsessively cover every twist and turn on AUKUS, I would refer you to some of the pubs, even the social media that the Department of Defense have put out, specifically around AI and unmanned systems, and specifically around efforts that have been undertaken in the U.K. over the last month.

Peter, I would just like to say, before we wrap, I would really like to underscore the unprecedented nature of the endeavor that we are on. We are hinting our way, we are picking our way towards a new way of trusting our allies here to strengthen them in order to strengthen ourselves. That is something that we haven't done in at least 70-year time, if not more than that.

I'd really like to thank both of you not only for taking the time, but for the extraordinary efforts that you've put into this, and pointing the way forward for actually making sure that we have that stability that we need. If everyone could join me please.

Dr. Campbell: Could I say one last thing on the way out Charles?

Admiral Gilday is coming to the end of an incredible period of leadership of the Navya life of service and commitment.

And the last couple of years have been some of the most challenging. And so, the person who deserves so much credit for making sure that we're asking the right questions, that we're attacking the problem effectively, is Admiral Gilday. And so, as we're wrapping up today, I'm going to do my clapping for him.

Admiral Gilday: Kurt, thank you.

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Analyst: US Carrier, Prime Minister's Visits to Vietnam 'No Coincidence'

By An Hai June 28, 2023

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's four-day visit to Beijing, which coincided with the June 25 arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam, appears to be an example of Hanoi's balancing act between the United States and China, analysts said.

The U.S. Navy's USS Ronald Reagan arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam, for a scheduled five-day port call on June 25, the third time a U.S. aircraft carrier has visited the country since 2018.

That same day, Chinh arrived in Beijing at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang for an official visit.

"China regards Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a welcome statement that included remarks from Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, who is traveling with the prime minister.

"Vietnam regards its relations with China as its top priority, pursues the one-China policy with a clear-cut stance, and firmly supports the development and growth of socialism with Chinese characteristics," said Son.

The visit by the only U.S. Navy carrier operating in the Indo-Pacific is a highly visible development in U.S.-Vietnam relations.

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Chinh and described the two nations "as friends who know each other well," citing cooperation in areas as varied as people-to-people cooperation, China's Belt and Road infrastructure projects, and trade, according to China's officialXinhua News Agency.

"The carrier visit comes as Hanoi faces growing challenges from China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and as Washington continues to push for raising ties to the level of a strategic partnership," said Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow with the Wilson Center's Asia Program.

Shared concern about China

The United States and Vietnam are marking the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership at a time when the two countries share an increasingly close trade relationship and similar concerns about China's growing power in the region.

"This visit marks a special occasion as our countries celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, showcasing our shared commitment to a prosperous and secure future," said a U.S. State Department spokesperson in an email to VOA this week.

The U.S. reestablished diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995, 20 years after the fall of Saigon  now Ho Chi Minh City  marked the defeat of U.S. ally South Vietnam.

"We're excited to come to Vietnam and appreciate the welcome our strike group has received," Rear Admiral Pat Hannifin said in a press release on June 25.

"Visits like this reinforce our partnership and commitment to confronting shared challenges in the maritime domain. They also provide a great opportunity for our Sailors to engage with the Vietnamese people and culture," he said.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said the USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Danang, scheduled to end on June 30, is an "ordinary exchange" that is "meant to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world," the official Vietnam News reported.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on June 26 responded to a question about the carrier's visit to Vietnam.

"We hope that efforts to grow relations and have exchanges and cooperation between relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity," she said.

Agreement to manage disputes

On Monday, China's Li and Chinh agreed that Beijing and Hanoi should manage their differences in their South China Sea dispute, according to China's official Global Times. Vietnam is just one of the nations in the region disputing China's territorial claims to the resource-rich waters.

On Tuesday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu met his Vietnamese counterpart, Phan Van Giang.

During the meeting, Li said China is willing to work with Vietnam to strengthen high-level communication and cooperation between the militaries of the two countries, according to Reuters.

Phan told Li that the Vietnamese military is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with Beijing in politics, border defense and personnel training, according to the Global Times.

Planned 'bamboo diplomacy'

Analysts say the visits by the diplomats and the U.S. aircraft carrier were not coincidences, adding that they were well planned by Hanoi, with both visits showing proof of Vietnam's so-called "bamboo policy" of balancing the interests of competing powers.

The phrase was coined by the general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, in 2016. It describes Hanoi's "unique and special foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, flexibility, and diversification of relations" according to the official Vietnam+.

"Obviously, China is unhappy" whenever a U.S. aircraft carrier visits Vietnam, Raymond Powell, director of Stanford University's Project Myoushu in the South China Sea, who observed recent Chinese research vessels entering Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, told VOA in a phone interview.

"To see the third U.S. aircraft carrier visit to Vietnam  and I think that's a very positive step  it is something that's clearly for Vietnam. It takes quite a lot of coordination and political will to allow a U.S. carrier visit," Powell said.

Asked about the USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Vietnam, Mao, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told Agence France-Presse on June 26, "We hope that efforts to grow relations and have exchanges and cooperation between relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity."

A day earlier, she said of Chinh's visit, "We believe the visit "will strengthen the sound momentum of growth in bilateral relations and promote solid progress in our deepening comprehensive strategic cooperation."

Christy Lee, Jihan Ham and Le Nguyen contributed to this report.

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Ukraine, China, Migration - EU Summit Tackles a Raft of Sticky Issues

By Lisa Bryant June 28, 2023

The war in Ukraine remains high on the agenda as European Union leaders meet Thursday and Friday in Brussels, just days after the Wagner group's short-lived revolt in Russia. Other hot-button issues to be discussed include European defense, relations with China, and immigration.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin's uprising last weekend has added a new element of instability for the EU when it comes to the war in Ukraine  with Eastern European countries especially worried about Wagner mercenaries moving to nearby Belarus.

The Brussels summit also comes ahead of a key NATO summit in Vilnius next month. Kyiv is pushing for a so-called "political" invitation to join the transatlantic alliance. EU member Sweden also hopes to join NATO as early as July.

At a meeting earlier this week of EU foreign ministers, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the revolt in Russia makes Europe's support for Ukraine even more important.

"Because what has happened this weekend shows that the war against Ukraine is cracking Russian power and affecting its political system," he said.

EU member states agreed last week to strengthen sanctions against Russia, including a measure that would make it possible to punish countries that help Moscow to avoid them.

The Kremlin says it will retaliate with more travel bans.

"The EU has really held together on this," said Judy Dempsey, the editor of the Strategic Europe blog for the Carnegie Europe policy institute. "The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a German, has been steadfast in her support  political, financial, social support  for Ukraine and particularly for the President Zelenskyy."

The Ukraine war also has revived longstanding calls, especially by France, to beef up the EU's own defense capabilities, including by jointly procuring military supplies. That will also be on the table in Brussels.

A new Munich Security Conference report criticizes the EU's defense capacity and cooperation, faulting a lack of leadership by countries like France and Germany.

Analyst Dempsey is also critical.

"There's an awareness by some of the European member states that Europe has to really boost its capabilities and security capabilities as well  to actually defend their own territories and backyards, but the record on that is miserable," she said.

Another tricky summit topic: relations with China, which both Brussels and Washington say they want to "de-risk" without breaking ties.

China's new Premier Li Qiang visited European capitals this month amid EU concerns of economic dependence on Beijing, including for its green energy transition.

"There's no doubt that this charm offensive the Chinese are now doing in Europe is all about dividing the Americans from the Europeans, dividing the Europeans among themselves," said analyst Dempsey.

There's another divisive issue  migration. Leaders at the Brussels summit will discuss expanding controversial deals with countries like Tunisia to stem migration. Critics say that won't fix the problem. Backdropping the discussions is the sinking of a migrant vessel off Greece earlier this month that killed hundreds of people.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 28 June 2023 - Day 490

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 early on the morning of 22 June 2023, Ukrainian Armed Forces struck the Chonhar road bridges between the Crimean Peninsula and Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast.

These bridges service one of two main road supply routes between Crimea and Kherson. The route over the Chonhar bridges are the most direct route from Russia's Crimean logistics hub at Dzhankoi and the Zaporizhzhia sector, where Russia is currently defending against a major Ukrainian offensive. The temporary closure of the route caused vital Russian logistics convoys to take at least 50% longer to reach the front via alternative routes.

Reports indicate that Russian authorities almost certainly constructed a pontoon bridge replacement crossing withing 24 hours of the attack; it is highly likely that crossings are limited to military traffic only. The speed with which an alternate crossing was constructed indicates how vital this route is to the Russian military efforts in occupied Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that that night, the Russian occupiers struck another blow with Iranian attack UAVs of the "Shahed" type. 6x kamikaze drones were destroyed by the Air Defense Forces of Ukraine.

During the day June 28, Russian forces launched 2x missile and 44x air strikes, carried out about 20x MLRS attacks from on Ukrainian settlements and Armed Forces positions. Unfortunately, not only some infrastructure was destroyed, but civilians suffered.

The threat of missile and air strikes across Ukraine remains high.

Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, and Mar'inka axes, heavy battles rage on. About 20x combat clashes took place during the day.

Volyn' and Polissya axes: no significant changes detected. There are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russian forces carried out an airstrike in the Ruska Lozova area of the Kharkiv Oblast. They shelled with mortars and artillery more than 25x settlements, such as Leonivka, Chernihiv Oblast; Novovasylivka, Znob-Novgorodske, Nova Huta, Vovkivka in the Sumy Oblast, as well as Veterinarne, Kozacha Lopan', Mali Prohody, Hatishche, Pletenivka, Bochkove, Nesterne, Krugle and Budarki in the Kharkiv Oblast.

Kup'yans'k axis: more than 20x settlements, including Kolodyazne, Figolivka, Novomlyns'k, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kindrashivka, Kup'yans'k, Masyutivka, Kislivka, Berestov of the Kharkiv Oblast, were shelled by artillery and mortars.

Lyman axis: Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensive operations near Rozdolivka. They carried out airstrikes at Bilogorivka, Luhansk Oblast, Zvanivka and Viimka, Donetsk Oblast. More than 10x settlements, in particular, Nevs'ke, Bilogorivka of the Luhansk Oblast and Torske, Verkhn'yokam'ians'ke, Rozdolivka of the Donetsk Oblast, were shelled by artillery.

Bakhmut axis: Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensives in the vicinities of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Bila Hora and carried out an airstrike at New York of the Donetsk Oblast. About 15x settlements, including Vasyukivka, Orihovo-Vasylivka, Markove, Khromove, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivs'ke, Ozaryanivka, Pivdenne in Donetsk Oblast, were under Russian artillery fire.

Avdiivka axis: Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinities of Avdiivka and conducted an airstrike there. They shelled more than 10x settlements. In particular, Berdychi, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Karlivka and Pervomais'ke of the Donetsk Oblast were affected.

Mar'inka axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled all Russian attacks in the area of the city of Marinka, at the same time, Russian forces launched an air strike within this settlement. At the same time, he carried out artillery shelling in the areas of about 10 settlements, including Maryinka and Pobyeda of the Donetsk Oblast.

Shakhtars'k axis: the Russian occupiers carried out unsuccessful offensives near Novomykhailivka. Airstrikes in Prechistivka and Makarivka areas of Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces shelled more than 15x settlements, including Kostyantynivka, Paraskoviivka, Novomykhailivka, Prechistivka, Zolota Niva, Vilne Pole, Storozheve, Blagodatne, Makarivka, and Rivnopil' of the Donetsk Oblast.

Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces are on the defensive, and concentrate their main efforts on preventing the advance of Ukrainian troops. They carried out airstrikes in Levadny and Malaya Tokmachka areas of Zaporizhzhya Oblast. The adversary shelled about 30 settlements. Levadne, Olhivs'ke, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Charivne of the Zaporizhia Oblast got under Russian fire; Mykhailivka, Havrylivka, Odradokamyanka, Mykolaivka, Olhivka, Burgunka, Lviv, Ivanivka, Naddniprians'ke, Antonivka, Kherson, Komysany, Dniprovs'ke, Yantarne, Berehove, Tomina Balka, Sofiivka of the Kherson Oblast and Ochakiv of the Mykolaiv Oblast.

Due to the outbreak of viral diseases, the Russian occupiers were forced to initiate measures to stabilize the sanitary and epidemiological situation in a number of settlements of the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson Oblast, which were affected by the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP. The invaders engaged the workers of communal services to dismantle the rubble and collect the dead as a result of the flood. As a result of a search and recovery work, more than 60x bodies were found only on June 24-25 of this year. In order to hide the real number of victims, the command of the russian occupying forces made a decision to bury the dead in mass graves without taking DNA samples and placing any marks on the burial place.

Ukrainian Air Force carried out 11x strikes on Russian manpower concentrations, 5x anti-aircraft missile systems and 1x the Russian control point.

Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit an ammunition warehouse, 11x artillery units at firing positions, 3x anti-aircraft defense systems and Russian forces' EW station.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that Russian Aerospace Forces have carried out high-precision strikes on oil refinery and fuel storage facilities that support the AFU troops in Donbas.

All the assigned targets have been neutralised. The goal of the attack has been reached.

The AFU continued unsuccessful attempts at offensive actions in South Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions.

In Donetsk direction, during active defence activities, the units of the Yug Group of Forces have successfully repelled five enemy attacks close to Artyomovsk, Pervomayskoye, Petrovskoye and Vesyoloye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems have neutralised over 240 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, and one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system.

In South Donetsk direction, close to Vremevka salient, as a result of the courageous actions of the units, aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems of the Vostok Group of Forces, two enemy attacks of up to a motorised infantry company have been repelled close to Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops continued air, missile and artillery strikes on enemy reserve concentration areas near Orekhov, Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka and Yablonevoye (Zaporozhye region).

The actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group have been disrupted close to Marfopol (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses were up to 235 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, as well as D-20 and Msta-B howitzers.

In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by Ground-Attack and Army aviation, and artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of enemy manpower and hardware near Sinkovka and Kislovka, Timkovka (Kharkov region) and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

One Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group has been eliminated near Timkovka (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses were over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as three motor vehicles.

In Krasny Liman direction, the competent and well-coordinated actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces have repelled two enemy attacks close to Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic) and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Operational-Tactical Aviation and artillery have hit units of the enemy 21st, 42nd, 63rd and 67th mechanised brigades, and the 15th Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine close to Chervonaya Dibrova, Nevskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), and Yampolovka, Terny and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The activities of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been disrupted near Serebryansky forestry.

The enemy losses were 115 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, three pickup trucks, one Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and one D-30 howitzer.

In Kherson direction, the skilful actions by Russian troops and artillery eliminated an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance unit attempted to land and entrench itself on the northern part of Antonovsky Island.

The enemy losses were up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, as well as Msta-B, D-20, and D-30 howitzer.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 93 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware in 134 areas.

A temporary command post of the 56th AFU Motorised Infantry Brigade has been hit close to Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic).

The battalion command and observation posts of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade and the enemy 10th Mountain Assault Brigade have been hit close to Predtecheno and Vesyoloye (Donetsk People's Republic).

One missile and ammunition depot of the AFU 47th Artillery Brigade has been destroyed near Novopavlovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Air defence facilities have intercepted three Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles and 6 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles.

In addition, 8 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed close to Opytnoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Karmazinovka, Privolye, Ploshchanka, Oborotnovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Balochki and Peremozhnoye (Zaporozhye region).

In total, 444 airplanes, 240 helicopters, 4,812 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 air defence missile systems, 10,395 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,132 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,254 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 11,256 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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Virginia Cyber Brigade Leads Cyber Shield 2023

By Lt. Col. Ellis Parks, North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs June 27, 2023

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- In the early 2000s, the Defense Department and the National Guard Bureau realized that cyber threats were on the rise and would only become more prominent in the United States and abroad. In response, the Virginia National Guard activated the 91st Cyber Brigade in 2017.

Based in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the brigade is the country's first and only Army National Guard cyber brigade. The brigade's five cyber protection battalions each employ two cyber protection teams (CPTs).

All CPTs within the brigade have been validated against U.S. Cyber Command standards. The teams perform annual recertifications conducted by the 169th CPT, an all-Active Guard and Reserve CPT that falls directly under the 91st Cyber Brigade.

Although there are prescribed standards to conduct CPT evaluations, there are no defined standards to conduct evaluations for their higher battalion headquarters. Because of this, the 91st Cyber Brigade began evaluations of battalion staff utilizing the Battalion Commander's Mission Essential Task List in 2022.

Army Cyber Command, along with leadership from the 91st Brigade, chose the Cyber Shield 2023 exercise to recertify the 179th CPT. Recertification is required every two years.

"The 179th must demonstrate that they are able to effectively hunt and clear malicious cyber activity from a DOD network, as well as enable hardening and further assessment of the affected environment," said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 William Bayse, cyber warfare technician for the 91st Brigade.

This year, the 91st Brigade brought more than 200 Soldiers to participate in Cyber Shield. The brigade took control of the process June 2 in place of U.S. Army Col. Jeffrey Fleming and his Cyber Shield plans team.

The 124th CPB plays an important role this year in which their joint staff is taking part in the evaluation process.

"The 169th CPT will be evaluating the 179th this year here at Cyber Shield," said U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Perham, training officer for the 91st BDE. "[The 179th] will be evaluated based on the battalion's mission essential tasks but the battalion staff is also being evaluated on their staff actions."

The annual event ensures that CPT teams can meet the enemy threat with the most recent and relevant knowledge of the cyber dimension. For the 91st BDE leadership, Cyber Shield is the culminating event for re-evaluating their yearly training plan for the battalions.

"Specialization is key," said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Keith Roberson, assigned to the 91st Brigade. "Cybersecurity is a massive field. Teams would do well to be extremely deliberate about finding required niches and ensuring that they align with the talents found within their formations."

There are an estimated 2,200 cyberattacks every day, equating to more than 800,000 people hacked yearly, costing the nation more than $6 trillion in 2022. The 91st uses this vital information to train and deter attacks.

"We hope Cyber Shield not only helps us evaluate our different battalions," said U.S. Army Col. Russell McGuire, 91st Cyber Brigade commander. "We hope that [Cyber Shield] better prepares us for the mission to support the defense of cyberspace operations."

Cyber Shield 2023 began May 30 at the Professional Education Center in Little Rock. National Guard members from 36 states, 15 international state partners from five nations, and civilian agencies came together to conduct CS23.

Army Sgt. Hannah Tarkelly contributed to this story.

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Peters Report Finds Significant Intelligence Failures by FBI and DHS in Lead-Up to January 6th Capitol Attack

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Media | Majority News

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Investigation Found that Agencies' Failure to Effectively Assess and Share Threat Information Left Law Enforcement Unprepared to Respond to Capitol Breach

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a new report detailing the results of his investigation examining intelligence failures by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) in the lead-up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The report found that FBI and I&A received numerous tips and were aware of significant online posts threatening violence at the Capitol, yet they failed to accurately assess this intelligence and share the information with law enforcement partners. Peters' investigation found that these missteps contributed to the security planning failures that left frontline officers unprepared for the violent mob that breached the Capitol and disrupted the peaceful transfer of power. The findings build on a bipartisan investigation and report Peters led in 2021 detailing security, planning and response failures related to the attack. The report released by Peters today addresses previously unanswered questions about how the FBI and I&A severely misjudged the threat level.

"Despite the high volume of tips and online traffic about the potential for violence - some of which the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis were aware of as early as December 2020 - these agencies failed to sound the alarm and share critical intelligence information that could have helped law enforcement better prepare for the events of January 6th, 2021," said Senator Peters. "My report shows there was a shocking failure of imagination from these intelligence agencies to take these threats seriously, and there is no question that their failures to effectively analyze and share the threat information contributed to the failures to prevent and respond to the horrific attack that unfolded at the Capitol. I'll continue pressing for our national security apparatus and intelligence agencies to learn from their missteps so that an attack of this nature never happens again."

READ THE FULL REPORT: "Planned in Plain Sight: A Review of the Intelligence Failures in Advance of January 6th, 2021"

READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The report's key findings include:

FBI and I&A received numerous early warnings, tips, and other intelligence about plans for violence on January 6th;

FBI produced only two limited raw intelligence documents related to January 6th, both issued the night before the attack, and I&A did not issue any intelligence products specific to January 6th;

Despite claims by some agency officials and analysts, FBI and I&A have authority to monitor open-source intelligence, including social media - and agency guidelines require them to report certain online threats; and

FBI and I&A failed to follow agency guidelines on the use of open-source intelligence.

The report's key recommendations include:

Conduct internal after-action reviews on the intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination processes in the lead-up to January 6th;

Improve FBI and I&A policies, guidelines, and procedures for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence to partner agencies;

Improve inter-agency coordination for significant events and consider designating a lead federal agency; and

Responsibly reassert Congressional oversight authorities over the Executive Branch.

While public reporting and previous congressional investigations have shown that the FBI and I&A had intelligence about plans for violence on January 6th, Peters' report provides new information about the sheer volume of warnings these agencies received that indicated the potential for violence. The investigation also shows that despite having this information, agencies repeatedly downplayed the threat level and failed to effectively share the intelligence with law enforcement partners. The report also shows that FBI and I&A struggled to use open source intelligence - with appropriate restrictions to protect Constitutional rights - such as social media posts to monitor and assess threats to lawmakers and the Capitol. For example, the Committee obtained internal emails from I&A where - even after rioters breached the Capitol - analysts had difficulty deciding whether online posts calling for violence at the Capitol indicated that there was a reportable threat. Finally, the investigation found that multiple federal agencies failed to coordinate to ensure frontline security personnel were prepared to defend the Capitol. The report makes several recommendations to ensure that the FBI and I&A address their failures in the days and weeks leading up to the Capitol attack.

As Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has long pressed the federal government to do more to combat domestic terrorism, including white supremacist and anti-government violence. Last Congress, he released an investigative report that found while independent experts and national security officials call white supremacist and anti-government extremist violence the most significant terrorist threat facing our nation today, counterterrorism agencies like the FBI and DHS are still not taking adequate steps to effectively address this growing threat.

###

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Russian IT Expert Detained In Kazakhstan At U.S. Request As Moscow Pressures Almaty

By RFE/RL June 28, 2023

Kazakhstan has detained a Russian IT expert at the request of the United States for cybercrimes, setting up another showdown between Washington and Moscow over extradition.

Nikita Kislitsin, a senior executive at one of Russia's top cybersecurity firms, was detained after he landed in Almaty on June 22, Russian media reported.

The United States has accused Kislitsin of buying personal data obtained through the 2012 hack of Formspring, a now-defunct social media site that allowed users to receive answers to questions.

Russia has protested the detention, calling on Kazakhstan not to carry out the U.S. request.

A top Russian diplomat in Kazakhstan, Consul-General Yevgeny Bobrov, was quoted in Russian media reports on June 28 as saying that the diplomatic mission had sent a note to the Central Asian nation's Foreign Ministry, urging it not to move quickly on the extradition.

Bobrov's note included requests to give full details of Kislitsin's detainment on June 22, provide Russian diplomats access to Kislitsin, and not to extradite the Russian citizen to the United States in an expedited manner, TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies said.

Kazakh officials have not commented on the reports.

In the meantime, Russia filed its own extradition request after suddenly filing criminal case against Kislitsen. The Tver district court in Moscow said it issued an arrest warrant for Kislitsin in connection with an investigation into illegal access to computer data in Russia, adding that a legal request will be sent to Kazakhstan to extradite Kislitsin to Russia.

The case is the latest in a long series of court battles between Washington and Moscow for alleged Russian hackers detained at the request of the United States in third countries.

The United States has over the past decade successfully extradited dozens of Russian citizens charged with cybercrimes from third countries, especially Western nations, leading Moscow to accuse Washington of "hunting" Russians.

The extradition of Kislitsen could be tougher than other cases because of Russia's close ties with -- and influence over -- neighboring Kazakhstan, a former Soviet state.

"If Kazakhstan wants to be prudent, it may delay the extradition" to see how things shake out in Russia, William Courtney, the former U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan from 1992-95 and an analyst at the Washington-based think tank Rand Corp, told RFE/RL. "Kazakhstan has to manage their risks."

FBI Interview

Kislitsin, a prominent member of the Russian cyber underground in the early 2010s, was interviewed by the FBI in Moscow nearly a decade ago as part of an investigation into the hack of several U.S.-based companies, including LinkedIn, Dropbox, and Formspring. He was later charged with buying personal data from the Formspring hack.

Investigators in the United States say Kislitsin and his associates stole personal data and passwords of 117 million people and offered them to potential buyers.

In his meeting with FBI agents, Kislitsin was notified of his rights by the FBI agents, according to filings in U.S. federal court. Kislitsin indicated that he was "open for collaboration" and wanted to "mitigate problems."

Kislitsin's current employer, F.A.C.C.T., confirmed on June 28 that Kislitsin is under temporary detention in Kazakhstan at the request of the United States.

"According to the information available to us, the claims against Kislitsin are not related to his work at F.A.C.C.T., but are related to a case more than 10 years ago, when Nikita worked as a journalist and independent researcher," the company said in a news release.

The company also disputed his detention in Kazakhstan, saying it believes there are there are no legal grounds for it.

The U.S. State Department told RFE/RL in an e-mail that it does not comment on pending extradition matters, including whether or not a particular request has been made.

Yevgeny Nikulin, the mastermind of the hacks of the U.S. companies and an acquaintance of Kislitsin, was extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic in 2018 and sentenced to more than seven years in prison. He was released from jail earlier this year and deported back to Russia.

Prior to being charged by the United States, Kislitsin in 2013 joined Group-IB, one of the most prominent Russian cybersecurity firms.

Group-IB has gained international recognition over the years, signing an agreement with Interpol in 2017 to become an official private-sector partner of the international crime fighting organization.

In September 2021, Russia arrested Group-IB co-founder Ilya Sachkov, a well-respected cybersecurity expert, accusing him of treason.

Sachkov, who was a recipient of a Kremlin award two years earlier, asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to transfer him to house arrest to no avail.

His case was finally turned over to a Moscow court earlier this month. A trial date has yet to be set. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Following sanctions imposed on Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Group-IB spun off its Russia business to focus on international markets.

After the split, Kislitsin remained with the independent Russian business, which is now called F.A.C.C.T.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-russia- extradition-united-states/32480996.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.

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Chinese Cybercrime Syndicates in Myanmar Now Target Victims Worldwide

By Ingyin Naing June 28, 2023

Organized criminal groups from China operating on the Thai-Myanmar border are threatening internet users worldwide with online scams and financial fraud, using trafficked "cyber slaves" to carry out their crimes, according to a new report by the congressionally established United States Institute of Peace in Washington.

The groups have been pushed out of China by Chinese authorities and are now operating in bordering Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Despite what is characterized by the report as a "global security threat," little has been done to stop the growth of these criminal enclaves.

The online scams and fraud, which had been aimed at Chinese nationals, "are now targeting global audiences," USIP country director for Myanmar Jason Tower told VOA via Zoom.

Monday's USIP report titled, "A Criminal Cancer Spreads in Southeast Asia," states that the criminal organizations, which were once primarily involved in illegal online gambling, have now begun using a new form of fraud known as "pig butchering" or, in Chinese, "shazupan."

These scams are referred to as "pig butchering," Tower said, "because the aim is to fatten targets up before slaughtering them." They are being "perpetrated on U.S. nationals, and people from across Europe, Japan, and many other countries around the world," he added.

This type of scam originated in China, and involves building a deep, often romantic relationship with the victim online over time," Tower explained.

"The scammer introduces some form of investment scheme, and continues tricking the victim by creating the impression that it is yielding large returns. Once the scammer has identified that the victim has committed all of his or her financial resources, the pig is slaughtered a I.e., the scammer disappears with the money, deeply harming the victim both financially and psychologically."

In Myanmar, these scams are operated out of Shwe Kokko, a newly built town in Karen state, bordering Thailand, in what appears to be an autonomous development zone established over the past few years. According to the USIP report, there are "at least 17 distinct crime zones," which "now provide an estimated 5 million square meters of criminal office space along a 31-mile stretch of the Moei River on the Myanmar border with Thailand alone."

The area is controlled by Chinese criminal investors in partnership with the Border Guard Force, or BGF, a Karen ethnic minority militia under Myanmar military control. "Not only Shwe Kokko ... the whole area [is being] converted into a series of criminal enclaves," Tower said.

Cyber slavery crisis in Shwe Kokko

The USIP report, co-authored by Priscilla Clapp and Jason Tower, describes how, after Chinese workers left the area and returned to Beijing during the COVID pandemic, criminal groups "lured jobseekers from around the world with attractive high-tech jobs," before "trafficking them across borders into cyber slavery to work in financial schemes."

"Many of these cyber slavery victims end up in Shwe Kokko," Tower told VOA. They come from places like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia with the promise of well-paying jobs, but when they arrive, they find a much different situation."

Shwe Kokko is a large illegal-gambling town on the Myanmar-Thai border initially developed by Yatai International Holdings, a group led by a "key Chinese criminal, She Zhijiang." According to the USIP report, Zhijiang and other transnational criminals made alliances with the BGF, receiving "land and support" from the Myanmar junta-backed force. After Zhijiang's arrest in 2022, the BGF had "control of a massive criminal empire, vastly increasing its wealth and power," the report says.

"Initially, what this unholy alliance of the Border Guard Force and these Chinese criminal organizations were involved in doing was building cities to host illicit online gambling, and online fraud operations that targeted Chinese nationals largely back in China," Tower said.

"There are over 30 countries' nationals who've been trafficked into that area along the Moei River," Tower told VOA.

The Singapore-based Straits Times estimates that about 1,000 Malaysians are being forced to work in Shwe Kokko. The Indonesian Embassy in Yangon, with the help of locals, ransomed some Indonesians from the border town in May, according to the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Sources close to the Border Guard Force, who wish to remain anonymous for their own safety, told VOA that the 20 released Indonesian citizens paid a fee of about $8,500 each to the BGF for their release.

Eight Filipinos who were forced to work as cyber slaves were rescued in February, according to the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The men were recruited online to work in customer support in Thailand. "Instead... they were brought to Myanmar and were forced to trick individuals into investing in cryptocurrency," the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The trafficking victims are also children. A 16-year-old Burmese boy who worked in Shwe Kokko described his experience to VOA by phone. "There are numerous computer workshop buildings and approximately 200 employees per building in Shwe Kokko," he said.

"I was required to work daily at the computer from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and perform online financial schemes at a set rate every day. If you are unable to complete the task at the specified rate, your pay will be reduced accordingly. We created fake online shopping websites such as Amazon and Shopee to defraud and steal from online shoppers. We also created online games to deceive and extort players," he said.

China chooses wrong partner

"China's role is two-fold ... both on the perpetrator side, as well as the victim side," Tower said. "China has been involved in a crackdown on some of these criminal networks now for about two decades. So, you've seen largely PRC-affiliated transnational criminal actors pushed out of China, yet able to continue perpetrating crimes in other jurisdictions."

China has said that they have been working with the Myanmar junta to address criminal activities in the border areas. On May 2, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited Myanmar and met the junta Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in the capital, Naypyidaw.

According to a post on the website of China's Foreign Ministry on the day after their meeting, Qin urged the Myanmar authorities "to crack down on internet fraud by taking concrete measures, coordinate efforts with various departments to continue advancing the China-Myanmar-Thailand joint combat operation, and rescue trapped Chinese nationals in a timely manner."

Tower warns, however, that the junta "simply has zero political will and zero capacity to deal with these issues."

At the military junta's request, Thailand's Provincial Electricity Authority cut off power to Shwe Kokko early in June. "But that's not going to work," Tower said, "because they have generators down there, and the activity is continuing. So, while China's trying to implement some sort of a crackdown, it's really working with the wrong partner in Myanmar, the military just simply is not going to be able to address these problems."

On May 31, the Myanmar state-owned publication Global New Light said that "China and Myanmar were cooperating to combat transnational crimes."

Need for global action, political will

Tower told VOA that the issues of forced labor and cyber slavery by "scam syndicates" is not a problem only in Myanmar, but is becoming "deeply embedded across Southeast Asia, and is spanning out into other jurisdictions around the world. It needs "global leadership on this," he continued.

ASEAN member countries such as current chair Indonesia and Malaysia have been part of recent efforts to stem these types of transnational crimes with the creation of a nonbinding forum known as the Bali Process, established in 2002 to fight against illegal immigration and human trafficking. However, "Myanmar is the place where the ability to respond is the weakest," Tower told VOA.

"It's really very much a mixed bag where some countries are calling for more to be done. Other countries have less political will," Tower says. "In the case of Myanmar, there's really almost no political will to deal with this issue."

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China releases rule on outdoor drone flying, forbids foreign drones mapping, testing radio parameter

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jun 28, 2023 09:06 PM

China has released a provisional regulation on drones, from their designing and production to flying, to prevent safety risks and facilitate the development of related industries with the preservation of aviation safety, public safety and national security as its core.

Issued by China's State Council and Central Military Commission, the regulation on the outdoor flight management of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will come into effect in 2024.

According to the regulation, drones cannot be used to film military facilities, distribute propaganda materials containing laws-violating contents or leak the country's secrets and data to overseas entities. Foreign UAVs or those operated by foreign personnel are not allowed to engage in flight activities such as mapping and radio parameter testing on China's territory.

The forbidden flying areas for UAVs included airspace near the airports, national boundaries, military administrative zones, gas station, power plants, storage areas of inflammables and explosives, as well as major revolutionary memorial sites and immovable cultural relics, said the regulation.

To enhance quality monitoring of UAVs' design, production, maintenance and assembly, the regulation requires an identification code for each product and qualifications for users and operators.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on June 28, 2023

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

CCTV: An ROK media outlet recently reported that according to an anonymous source, the Japanese government obtained beforehand the draft report of the IAEA Task Force reviewing Japan's discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and raised substantive revision suggestions, exerting inappropriate influence on the conclusion of the final report. The media report also says that Japanese officials made political donations worth over EUR 1 million to the staff of the IAEA Secretariat. Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: The report has come to our serious attention. The Japanese government has a responsibility to give a credible explanation and the public also needs a response from the IAEA Secretariat. What's in that report has increased the world's concern over Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. People have every reason to question the impartiality and objectivity of the final review report of the IAEA Task Force.a

China's position on the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean is consistent. The discharge affects the common interests of the international community. It is not Japan's domestic affair. China urges Japan to take seriously both international and domestic concerns, stop forcibly proceeding with its ocean discharge plan, handle the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, safe and transparent way and subject itself to rigorous international oversight. We also hope that the IAEA Secretariat will act in an objective, professional and just manner, fully respect and adopt the views of experts of all parties in the Task Force and present a review report that can withstand the test of science and history, instead of endorsing Japan's discharge plan. The world is watching with eyes wide open.

Reuters: According to reports, when asked about China supporting Ukraine's goals of reclaiming regions now occupied by Russia, China's envoy to the EU Fu Cong said "I don't see why not". Did Fu indeed say this? And is this also the Chinese government's position?

Mao Ning: China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear-cut. We believe that all sides need to work towards creating enabling conditions for a political settlement of the crisis through dialogue and negotiation.

CRI: According to reports, Bernardo Arevalo, a presidential candidate in Guatemala, said in an interview on June 27 that Guatemala needs to formulate its foreign policy independently based on its national interest. If he wins the election, he will seek to develop friendly relations with China and the Taiwan region on the basis of mutual respect. What's your comment?

Mao Ning: There is only one China in the world. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. Standing up for the one-China principle is the right thing to do. It has the overwhelming support of the international community and represents the trend of the world. We are convinced that more countries will choose to stand on the right side of history and make the right decision that serves the fundamental and long-term interests of their countries and peoples.

RIA Novosti: The White House press corps reported that US President Joe Biden said China had huge problems, but did not go into detail. What's China's comment?

Mao Ning: I haven't seen the remark you mentioned. When it comes to having problems, I suppose all countries, the US included, face challenges as they work to achieve development and progress. In China's case, with the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the solidarity and hard work of the Chinese people, we have the ability and confidence to tackle any challenge ahead and realize greater development. Meanwhile, we hope the US will concentrate on solving its own problems and play a constructive role in making the world stable and prosperous.

Yonhap News Agency: It was reported that the newly revised counter-espionage law will come into effect on July 1. Some commented that after the implementation of the law, foreigners in China will have difficulties in searching and storing statistics of the Chinese side. There are also concerns that it will limit the reporting activities of foreign journalists. What is China's comment?

Mao Ning: Every country has the right to safeguard national security through domestic legislation, which is a universal practice. China is advancing law-based governance on all fronts and will continue to uphold the rule of law, conduct law enforcement and protect lawful rights and interests of individuals and organizations in accordance with the law. There is no need to associate the counterespionage law with reporting activities of foreign journalists. China always welcomes media outlets and journalists of all countries to conduct interviews and run stories in China in accordance with laws and regulations and we will provide facilitation and assistance to them. As long as one abides by laws and regulations, there is no need to worry.

AFP: Another question on Mr. Fu Cong. He explicitly said yesterday that Beijing could back Ukraine's aims of reclaiming its 1991 territorial integrity, which includes Crimeaathe peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Does the Chinese government support Ukraine's aims of reclaiming its 1991 territorial integrity?

Mao Ning: I am not aware of how Ambassador Fu Cong put it exactly. China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. On the question of Crimea, we hope this issue can be resolved through political means.

Beijing Daily: It is reported that after recently visiting the detention center at the GuantAnamo Bay, a UN special rapporteur pointed out that the US subjects detainees to ongoing inhuman treatment and the US government should be responsible for their action, make apology and provide assistance and reparation to the victims. What's China's comment?

Mao Ning: In the past two decades and more, it has been revealed many times that inmates were abused in the detention facility at the GuantAnamo Bay, causing outrage in the international community. The US has promised time and again to close the detention center, yet till today dozens of individuals are still imprisoned in the facility at the GuantAnamo Bay and only few of them have been indicted or convicted.

Over the decades, the US has set up "black sites" in at lease 54 countries and regions in the name of the "war on terror" to secretly detain "suspected terrorists", carry out arbitrary detention and use torture to extort confessions. The detention center at the GuantAnamo Bay is just the tip of the iceberg. The "black sites" are a typical example of the US trampling on the rule of law and infringing on human rights. The US needs to earnestly reflect upon its deplorable record on human rights, apologize and provide reparation to the victims and hold those who authorized and inflicted tortures on detainees accountable.a

The Asahi Shimbun: A question on the IAEA and the treated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. If the IAEA releases a report with science-based assessments early next month, will China respect it?

Mao Ning: I'm afraid I cannot answer this hypothetical question as the IAEA report has not come out yet. China's position on Japan's planned discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean is consistent. We hope Japan will take seriously both international and domestic concerns and stop forcibly proceeding with its ocean discharge plan.

We also hope that the IAEA Secretariat will act in an objective, professional and just manner, fully respect and adopt the views of experts of all parties in the Task Force and present a review report that can withstand the test of science and history.a

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Blinken: No US goal for China but peace

President Joe Biden alludes again to China's faltering economy during a campaign event.

Alex Willemyns for RFA 2023.06.28 -- There's no "finish line" for U.S. foreign policy toward China besides maintaining peace, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday, even if Beijing and Moscow seek to build an "illiberal" world order.

The comments came less than two weeks after Blinken made a visit to Beijing that U.S. officials described as an effort only to reopen talks with their Chinese counterparts, and which delivered little more.

Speaking at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Blinken said in the near-term and "maybe even in the lifetimes of most people in this room" there is no "clear finish line" for the United States when it comes to Beijing except to maintain peaceful relations.

"The bottom line is this: China's not going away, and we're not going away," Blinken said. "We have to find a way to ... coexist peacefully."

He added that the "post-Cold War era" where "commerce ultimately geopolitical competition" was now over and that there is a "profound competition underway right now to shape what comes next."

"We want to make sure that in that competition, we're in a position of strength where we are able to shape what comes next," Blinken said, adding that the alternative would be a new "illiberal" world order where a few world powers dictate terms to countries around them.

Taiwan at heart of dispute

Asked by CFR President Richard Haass, who hosted the event, about his comments last year that Beijing had decided that the decades-old status quo on Taiwan was no longer tenable, Blinken doubled down.

He pointed to recent Chinese military operations and exercises, "economic coercion exerted against Taiwan, and for that matter exerted against countries that have relationships with Taiwan," and efforts to exclude Taiwan from institutions like the World Health Organization.

"All of this is a stirring of the pot. That is antithetical to the preservation of the status quo," Blinken said.

The United States, by contrast, always communicates "our determination to maintain the status quo," he said, because that's what most of the world wants in the Taiwan Strait.

He noted that "50% of commercial traffic and trade goes through that strait every single day" and 70% of the world's microchips are made on the self-governing island that Chinese President Xi Jinping last year vowed to "reunite" with the mainland using force if necessary.

"On Taiwan, if there were to be a crisis as a result of actions that either side takes that takes that offline, you've got potentially a global economic crisis," he said. "It's one of the reasons - maybe the main reason - that country after country is going to both of us and saying we expect the responsible management of this issue to be sustained."

But Blinken also said that any geopolitical competition with China did not mean that the United States wanted to curb its economic growth.

"It's not in our interest to do that," he said.

Mixed messages

Blinken's trip to Beijing earlier this month initially appeared to ease tensions between Washington and Beijing after nearly a year of rising discord that began with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's August trip to Taiwan and peaked with the February spy balloon incident.

However, U.S. President Joe Biden angered Beijing just days later when he used a campaign event ahead of the 2024 election to call Xi a "dictator" who was "embarrassed" by the alleged Chinese spy balloon and by China's current "real economic difficulties."

Blinken defended Biden by saying he always spoke "candidly" and for all Americans, even as China's foreign ministry protested the remarks.

Speaking at another campaign event in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Tuesday night, Biden questioned "China being this great power" that will be able to rewrite the international order in its favor.

He said its efforts to do so had by contrast united "the rest of the world" against it, and he again alluded to the country's economic difficulties.

"China has enormous problems a enormous problems," Biden said. "I'm not going to get into it right now. But the idea that they are going to be able to do things that they thought they could do is not accurate."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Wednesday said she had not seen Biden's remarks and appeared circumspect.

"When it comes to having problems, I suppose all countries, the U.S. included, face challenges," Mao said, adding that China's government was confident it was tackling issues facing the country.

"Meanwhile, we hope the U.S. will concentrate on solving its own problems and play a constructive role in making the world stable and prosperous."

Talk it out

At a separate event on the South China Sea dispute at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said he was encouraged about U.S.-China ties in the wake of Blinken's trip.

He said he was only disappointed that Beijing was still denying military-to-military communications with the United States on the apparent basis that "somehow that will embolden the United States."

"I'm a diplomat, so this should come as no surprise, I believe in diplomacy," he said. "I believe in talking to people. I believe in keeping those channels of communication open at all times, and so we were gratified that through the secretary's visit, I think we've reestablished and reopened those senior level channels of communication."

"In the coming weeks, you're likely to see more senior level exchanges," Kritenbrink said, reiterating that he wished that would be extended to the military sphere. "Two militaries the size and capability of the U.S. and China, we always need to be talking to one another."

Edited by Malcolm Foster.

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.

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China's ruling party expels Beijing official for possessing banned books, journals

Works by supreme leader Xi Jinping now dominate sales rankings, drawing comparisons with Mao's Little Red Book

By Gu Ting and Jing Wei for RFA Mandarin 2023.06.28 -- Chinese Communist Party investigators have expelled a high-ranking official in the Beijing city government for possession of banned political books and journals, as the authorities continue to purge unapproved content and replace it with official propaganda that sticks to the party line.

The Beijing branch of the party's disciplinary arm, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, announced on June 25 it had expelled former state assets supervisory official Zhang Guilin for "serious violations of discipline and law," paving the way for a criminal prosecution.

"The investigation found that Zhang Guilin's political awareness was weak, and he kept and read books and periodicals with serious political issues," the commission said in a statement reported by state news agency Xinhua, which didn't elaborate on the nature of Zhang's chosen reading material.

Government censors already routinely remove dissenting opinions and criticism of the government from social media and other online platforms, but the party now appears to be targeting a quieter, slower way to transmit information - books and journals that can slip into the country under the official radar, or be ordered from overseas publishers.

According to Xinhua, Zhang had also accepted favors and failed to disclose "sexual transactions," with disciplinary officials calling for "stern punishment." Zhang's case has been handed over to the state prosecutor's office for prosecution, it added.

Zhang is the latest in a long line of high-ranking Chinese officials to be accused of secretly keeping and reading books "with serious political issues."

Authorities in Shanghai announced earlier this month that former Dongfang.com editor-in-chief Xu Shiping had been expelled from the Communist Party after accusations of "hiding and reading prohibited books," as well as misuse of public funds and abuse of official power.

In recent years, former Changsha deputy mayor Chen Zehui, former Huainan deputy mayor Li Zhong, former Chongqing state security police officer Li Bin have all been expelled from the party and removed from their posts for bringing banned books into the country.

'Serious political issues'

Chinese Communist Party rules define "books and periodicals with serious political issues" as reading matter that opposes government policy, undermines party unity and "smears the image of the party and the country" or "insults party and government leaders."

Earlier this month, Shanghai dissident Ji Xiaolong stood trial for criticizing premier Li Qiang's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic while he was party secretary, something the court viewed as "insulting the country's leaders."

Books and articles that "distort the history of the party and the military" are also forbidden, according to Articles 45 and 46 of the "Regulations on Disciplinary Action in the Chinese Communist Party."

China already has laws protecting the reputation of its revolutionary heroes and martyrs, and has jailed people for questioning the official view of history.

Former party school professor Deng Yuwen, who now lives in the United States, said party officials have always kept and passed around banned books and journals, however.

"Even during the extreme era of the Cultural Revolution, they didn't manage to ban them completely, and it's even less likely they can do that now," Deng told Radio Free Asia. "I believe that all of the senior cadres in the party likely have such books."

"It's fine until [a political power play] happens, then it's considered a violation of party rules," Deng said.

According to Deng, the key factor affecting party officials' careers is the degree to which they can demonstrate their absolute political loyalty to supreme leader Xi Jinping.

Key tool for purges

Wang Ruiqin, a former member of the Qinghai branch of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, agreed.

"The private possession and reading of books and periodicals with serious political issues is very common," Wang said. "Especially among the younger officials ... who have enjoyed the benefits of the economic reform era [that began in 1979]."

"This political accusation is likely to be an important tool for the purging of dissenting opinions in internal power struggles," she said. "It will also have a 'chilling effect' on other party members and officials."

As the ruling party moves to ensure that only the official narrative is read, heard or seen by its citizens, the works of Xi Jinping and the party charter have moved to the top five sales slots during the past two months, calling to mind the era of Chairman Mao's Little Red Book.

Out of the top 20 highest-selling publications in May and June, 7 are writings or speeches by Xi Jinping.

In top place is Volume 2 of "Selected Readings from Xi Jinping's Works, while Volume 1 ranks second.

In third place is the party charter, or constitution, while Xi's report to the 20th party congress in October is in fourth spot.

Fifth and sixth places are taken up by Xi's writings on governance and a study outline of Xi's thinking "in the new era."

'Politics by decree'

Zhejiang-based scholar Jiang Yi said the last time a leader's writings took up all of the top spots in book sales rankings was under late supreme leader Mao Zedong, whose Little Red Book of selected works became a huge nationwide bestseller.

"A supreme Chinese leader is once more dominating book sales rankings, and the era of politics by decree has returned," Jiang said.

He said the rankings were likely the result of a massive system-wide orchestration that involves mass orders by government departments and state-owned enterprises and compulsory orders using party or government funds.

"Political books like that are actually pretty boring, so it's quite a tough call to have Xi Jinping's writings dominate half of the sales rankings, given the huge variety of books available," Jiang said.

Former 1989 student leader and current affairs commentator Ji Feng said China is currently living through the Cultural Revolution 2.0.

"These books have all been funded by the taxpayer, and have nothing to do with the market economy," Ji said. "It's all about propaganda and political correctness, just as it was with Mao Zedong's anthologies."

Feng Chongyi, a professor at the Sydney University of Technology in Australia, said the move is a mistake, however.

"How can they regress to such a point all of a sudden?" Feng said. "This is an insult to the intelligence of regular citizens, not to mention the publishing industry, professors, and scholars."

"It's the restoration of totalitarianism, and it's a tragedy for the whole nation," he said.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Paul Eckert.

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.

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Uyghur forced labor is focus of German, French and U.S. scrutiny

Volkswagen, Zara and Temu are among brands called on to monitor their supply chains.

By RFA Uyghur 2023.06.28 -- A string of multinational companies - including German car giant Volkswagen, Spanish clothier Zara and China-based online retailer Temu - have come under renewed scrutiny this month for allegedly inadequate efforts to determine whether Uyghur forced labor is used in their supply chains.

In Europe, a prominent human rights organization and two other organizations filed a complaint on June 21 with German authorities alleging that Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW haven't taken appropriate measures to prevent or eliminate forced labor in the making of their automobiles.

In the United States, a report from the U.S. House Select Committee on China said that Temu has failed "to maintain even the faAade of a meaningful compliance program."

And Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing and the owner of the Zara clothing chain, Inditex, are the subjects of a lawsuit filed this month by The European Uyghur Institute in Paris and several other nongovernment organizations.

The complaint at the Tribunal Court of Paris alleges that the brands continue to ignore human rights abuses in Xinjiang and have profited from forced labor.

"It's up to the economic players to show that their products are not sullied by forced labor," institute's president, Dilnur Reyhan, told Nikkei Asia.

China has come under harsh international criticism in recent years for its severe rights abuses of the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, including forced labor.

The U.S. government and several Western parliaments, including the German Bundestag, have declared that the abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the far western part of China amount to genocide or crimes against humanity.

Clamping down

In response, more Western governments are clamping down on companies whose products and supply chains involve Uyghur forced labor.

Both the German complaint and the U.S. House report cited recent laws passed in their countries aimed at halting Uyghur forced labor.

The June 21 complaint from the Berlin-based organization European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, or ECCHR, was the first filed regarding the Uyghur issue since the implementation of a new law in January that requires German companies to take appropriate measures to prevent or eliminate forced labor.

The ECCHR, as well as the World Uyghur Congress and the Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany, cited a report from Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom last year that documents the presence of forced labor throughout the entire automobile supply chain in the Uyghur region.

"While companies like Volkswagen may deny their direct use of forced labor, our inquiry focuses on whether they can guarantee that their suppliers refrain from employing Uyghur forced labor," said Yalqun Ulughyol, a researcher at Sheffield Hallam University.

Volkswagen has a joint venture factory with its Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp. in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are also connected to forced labor as well through their supply chain, the complaint said.

VW has defended its plant, where workers now perform quality checks on assembled vehicles, saying that it is a typical joint venture operation in China and that there have been no signs of mistreated laborers.

The companies have stated that they strictly enforce human rights standards in their supply chains, but ECCHR said "multiple reports have consistently confirmed that independent factory audits are impossible. Therefore, companies cannot rely on audits to fulfill their human rights due diligence."

Prompts VW audit

Still, in response to the university's report, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blum stated on June 21 that the company intends to carry out an independent audit of the Urumqi factory later this year.

Nicolai Laude, the head of Integrity and Sustainability Communication at Volkswagen, told RFA's Uyghur service that he was unaware of the complaint and couldn't comment on its specific details.

But he said that Volkswagen rejects "all forms of modern slavery, including forced labor and human trafficking."

"In cases of severe violations, such as the use of forced labor, if suppliers fail to rectify their actions, contracts with them would be terminated," he said.

The German Supply Chain Act empowers the country's Federal Office of Economic and Export Control, or BAFA, to investigate companies that fail to fulfill their obligations in prohibiting forced labor. It allows for the imposition of fines if necessary and even the suspension of government contracts for up to three years.

"The companies have not presented supporting documents proving that they are adequately responding to the risk of forced labor in supplier factories in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region," the ECCHR said in the complaint to BAFA.

Tilman Massa of the Association of Ethical Shareholders, told RFA that there has been "a lack of transparency in the actions of the three German car companies."

"Even the shareholders in their annual general meetings, they don't answer our questions about what exactly they are doing in China," he said. "Officially, they tell us that they fulfill all the human rights due diligence obligations but without saying how exactly.

"So what we hope with the complaint is that the corresponding state authority can use their new powers in the supply chain due diligence law to really investigate what exactly the German car companies are really doing to make sure they don't have forced labor in their supply chain in China."

'Contaminated with forced labor'

Meanwhile, the U.S. House report - "Fast Fashion and the Uyghur Genocide" - said that Temu doesn't have any system to ensure compliance with the the December 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, or UFLPA, which blocks the importing of goods produced by forced labor in Xinjiang.

Temu, launched in the United States last September by a Shanghai-based company, offers heavily discounted products on its online platform that are mostly shipped to consumers directly from China.

"American consumers should know that there is an extremely high risk that Temu's supply chains are contaminated with forced labor," the June 22 report said.

The report was a follow-up to an initial May report that called for changes to the "de minimis" threshold for customs inspections.

The threshold allows foreign fast-fashion websites like Temu and Shein - a China-backed global fashion e-tailer that's based in Singapore - to ship their goods direct-to-consumer without being subject to the UFLPA if the package is worth less than $800.

Temu and Shein are likely responsible for more than 30% of all packages shipped to the United States, last week's report said.

"Despite facilitating millions of purchases by Americans each year, when asked, Temu did not report any compliance or auditing system to independently verify that the tens of thousands of sellers who list on Temu are not selling products produced with Uyghur forced labor," it said.

"Temu's current compliance plan relies almost entirely on its China-based third-party sellers that send shipments to the United States with insufficient data to facilitate appropriate customs scrutiny," it said.

'Xinjiang cotton'

Temu does require its 80,000 sellers to agree with a "Third Party Code of Conduct" that includes boilerplate language saying that the company has "a zero-tolerance policy" for the use of forced labor. But the language doesn't mention Xinjiang or the UFLPA, the report said.

The report included a screenshot of an item listed for sale on Temu described as a pendant with "Xinjiang cotton."

"In response to our inquiry, Temu acknowledged that it does not have a policy in place to prohibit the sale of goods from Xinjiang," the report said.

The committee said it would continue its efforts to scrutinize the supply chains out of China, as well as "the relevant business practices of Nike, Adidas, Shein, and Temu."

On Tuesday, Temu posted a position on LinkedIn for a U.S.-based compliance officer who would develop policies and procedures for anti-money laundering, licensing requirements and reporting obligations.

Another posting showed that Temu is also searching for a lawyer to help the company create a protocol for screening merchandise. The job postings were first reported by Reuters.

Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.



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China In Eurasia Briefing: What The Wagner Rebellion Means For Xi

By Reid Standish June 28, 2023

What The Wagner Rebellion Means For Xi

The dust is still settling on the weekend mutiny launched by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his private Wagner mercenary group that shook Russia and exposed new cracks in Russian President Vladimir Putin's power at home.

But what does it mean for China and its leader, Xi Jinping, who has been Moscow's -- and Putin's -- strongest supporter since the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine?

Finding Perspective: As Wagner forces seized a major Russian military hub and ordered an armed march on Moscow on June 24, Chinese officials were silent. Chinese state media provided straight, factual coverage as events unfolded on the ground and, unsurprisingly, offered no sympathy for Prigozhin or Wagner, and instead largely echoed rhetoric from Putin's speech about the need for law, order, and stability.

It wasn't until Sunday, June 25 -- after the convoy to Moscow was turned around following a deal brokered by Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka between Putin and Prigozhin -- that Beijing broke its silence.

"This is a matter of Russia's domestic affairs," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "China supports Russia in safeguarding national stability and delivering development and prosperity."

That same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko flew to Beijing for what was said to be a scheduled meeting, where he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

"Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the Chinese-Russian political trust has continued to deepen," Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said following the meeting.

Why It Matters: Xi now has to balance continuing support for Putin with hedging for the possibility that the Russian leader's time in power could be cut short.

Xi's partnership with Putin is based on a cocktail of ideology and pragmatism, and several Chinese scholars have argued that Prighozin's rebellion could limit the pragmatic appeal of the Kremlin.

Yu Jianrong, a prominent Chinese public intellectual, posted a video to his more than 7 million Weibo followers of Russians in Rostov-on-Don reacting angrily to police moving into the city, where he suggested there was some level of public support for Wagner: "I really don't know what's going on in this country," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Yu Sui, a professor at the China Center for Contemporary World Studies, told the China Daily newspaper the mutiny "undoubtedly rings an alarm bell for Russia" and that the episode reminded him of "the Chinese saying about feeding a tiger and then inviting trouble."

Shen Dingli, a Shanghai-based international relations scholar, told the Guardian that he believed the events would lead to Russia's increased dependence on China and that Beijing would take "a more cautious stance on Russia."

As Minxin Pei, a professor at Claremont McKenna College, wrote in a recent piece for Bloomberg, the invasion and Putin's actions since have provided Xi with a steady stream of lessons "too precious not to learn" when it comes maintaining support of the military, the absence of private armies, and keeping less personalistic control of the state.

When it comes to Prigohzin's rebellion, Mei writes, it's "a reminder to Xi that nationalism is a double-edged sword."

Expert Corner: Taiwan's Prague Moment

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu recently made his second visit to Prague, where he spoke at a conference and sat front row to watch a speech by Czech President Petr Pavel, marking the first time a Taiwanese minister and European head of state shared a room together.

You can read my full report here, but I've chosen some notable passages by both Wu and Pavel:

Wu on China and Russia: "What we are witnessing is that the two authoritarian forces are collaborating with each other, trading ever more with each other, and feeding more into the hunger for expansion."

Wu on Europe's role: "In order for Taiwan to stay strong and resilient and to have the courage to continue the policy of maintaining the status quo, we do need support from our European friends."

Pavel on how Europe should engage with China: "We should do it the same way that China does to us. Let's not create dependencies. Let's do business and let's cooperate when it is beneficial to both sides -- but let's keep in mind that China's long-term interests and values are not compatible with ours."

Do you have a question about China's growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and I'll get it answered by leading experts and policymakers.

Three more stories from Eurasia

1. A Softer Line From Brussels?

The European Union Council summit is set to take place later this week and, according to a leaked draft of the post-summit statement obtained by RFE/RL, the council is still juggling how best to handle its complex economic and geopolitical relationship with China.

The Details: The leaked draft mostly focuses on economic measures, reaffirming the 27-country bloc's "multifaceted policy approach toward China" and that "despite their different political and economic systems, the European Union and China have a shared interest in pursuing constructive and stable relations."

The document seen by RFE/RL for the June 29-30 meetings says the EU will continue with its de-risking plans and keep diversifying away from dependencies on China in critical industries, but it clarified that Brussels "does not intend to decouple or to turn inward."

After apparently walking back some tougher past rhetoric on the economic front, the draft also appears to adopt stronger language on Taiwan.

While reaffirming the bloc's "One-China policy," it states: "The East and South China Seas are of strategic importance for regional and global prosperity and security. The European Union is concerned about growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. The European Council opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion."

2. The Latest On Montenegro's Chinese-Built and Finances Highway

Montenegro will end a deal with Western banks that protected it from increased debt on a controversial Chinese loan for nearly $1 billion used to build a highway, my colleague Lela Scepanovic from RFE/RL's Balkan Service reports.

What You Need To Know: The move is the latest chapter in the saga of Montenegro's controversial highway -- which was built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and financed by the Export-Import Bank of China with an immense loan -- and created long-term economic risk by saddling the country with debts to Beijing that once totaled more than a third of the state budget.

In exiting the deal that converted its dollar debt to the Chinese bank into euros, the country's finance ministry said on June 14 that it "earned approximately $64 million" after reverting to the recently strengthened dollar.

The ministry said it will use that money to help make its next debt payment to China in January.

3. The 11th Sanctions Package

The EU adopted its 11th sanctions package on June 23 and for the first time added companies registered in China to its list of entities aiding Russia's war in Ukraine, although it limited the number at the last minute.

What It Means: The new sanctions package looked to hit third parties from circumventing existing restrictions, especially products like semiconductors and radio equipment given their potential military applications.

The EU list added companies registered in China -- specifically, Hong Kong -- Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Armenia.

Eight Chinese companies were named in a draft document seen by RFE/RL, but five were removed after the Chinese government made a commitment to put pressure on them, according to a Reuters report.

Their removal may have stemmed from a reluctance within the EU to avoid aggravating ties with Beijing.

Across The Supercontinent

Kazakh Crosshairs: Bekzat Maksutkhan, the head of Naghyz Atajurt, an unregistered advocacy group in Kazakhstan that works with families who have relatives missing in China's vast repression system in Xinjiang, says he was questioned and fined by Kazakh authorities on June 19, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

Kazakh authorities have moved to silence activism around the treatment of ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang in recent years, and Maksutkhan is one of the few still working on the issue inside the country.

One More? Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Overchuk said in an interview that talks between the Eurasian Economic Union -- which comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia -- and Iran are in their final stages and could lead to a free trade agreement by the end of the year.

Chemical Central: According to leaked Hungarian government documents obtained by Direkt36, China is aiming to transport a significant part of its chemical production destined for Europe by rail to Hungary.

The plan, which is backed by the Hungarian government and in the later stages of negotiations, would look to supply Europe's battery factories and other industrial plants from Hungarian chemical trade hubs.

Middle Corridor: Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov and his Georgian counterpart, Irakli Garibashvili, held new talks about increasing oil transit through Black Sea ports and building more infrastructure along the Middle Corridor that brings good to and from China and Europe, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

One Thing To Watch

Russia's war in Ukraine saw a flurry of sanctions unleashed on Moscow by the United States and its allies. But could the same be done for China after an invasion of Taiwan?

According to a new study by the Atlantic Council and Rhodium Group, the answer is yes in theory, but getting there may be too many obstacles to overcome.

Washington and its allies would face tough choices in deciding how far to go in pressuring Beijing, struggle to find unity among partners, and have to deal with a China that has more tools than Russia in being able to cushion the blow.

According to the study, sanctions against Chinese industry would likely be narrowly targeted at specific companies and industries where China is highly dependent on G7 countries but where the United States and its allies rely little on Chinese exports. One example mentioned is China's aerospace sector, which is heavily dependent on foreign-sourced engines and avionics.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-eurasia- briefing-standish-wagner-rebellion-xi/32480326.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.

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Blinken: US Seeks to Coexist Peacefully With China

By Nike Ching June 28, 2023

The United States has to find a way to "coexist peacefully" with China amid intense competition, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, noting that Washington is not economically "decoupling" from Beijing and that bilateral trade last year hit a record high.

"China is not going away. We are not going away," Blinken told a New York audience during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. "We have to find a way to coexist and coexist peacefully."

Days after Blinken concluded his meetings in Beijing with senior Chinese officials, he said the U.S. relationship with China is "a long-term competition" without a "clear finish line."

As the United States is considering measures to limit the flow of U.S. money and technology to China because of national security concerns, the top U.S. diplomat said, "we want to make sure that in that competition, we're in a position of strength" and "able to shape what comes next."

Yellen's China visit

Blinken's remarks came ahead of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's expected trip to Beijing in the coming weeks. He highlighted the fact that bilateral trade between the two countries continues to expand despite tensions over issues such as advanced semiconductors and Beijing's persecution of Uyghurs.

"Our trade with China last year reached the highest level ever. We had more foreign direct investment going to China last year than any year since 2014," said Blinken, adding U.S. export controls and sanctions on Chinese entities affect only a very small fraction of companies operating in China.

Yellen has warned of the economic downside of decoupling with China and called for a deepening economic relationship between the world's two largest economies.

But U.S. officials are also facing tough questions from critics who want the Biden administration to take a harder position on China.

This week, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley a 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, called for Washington to revoke China's permanent normal trade relations status until the Beijing government helps eradicate the flow of chemicals used to create fentanyl.

In an event hosted by the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute on Tuesday, Haley said she would push American companies to leave China.

"China is much more than just a mere competitor. Communist China is an enemy. It is the most dangerous foreign threat we've faced since the Second World War," she said.

Taiwan provocations

In Beijing last week, Blinken said the U.S. is concerned with China's military provocations in the Taiwan Strait as Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, plans to hold a presidential election in 2024.

Blinken also reiterated to China that the U.S. remains opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo, expects the peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences, and does not support Taiwan independence.

On Wednesday, Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, asked Blinken why Washington can't communicate to China with greater certainty that "we are there for Taiwan if they [China] use coercion."

"I think it's evident not only in what we're saying, but also in what we're doing, that we are there for Taiwan," Blinken responded. "Under the Taiwan Relations Act, we've had a long-standing policy of making sure that we could do what's necessary to help Taiwan defend itself."

Blinken added that China's "deployment of forces, the exercises, the missile tests" since 2016, "economic coercion exerted against Taiwan," and its efforts to "pry Taiwan out of the international system" are "antithetical to the preservation of the status quo."

The People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over Taiwan. The U.S. "acknowledges" but does not "endorse" the PRC's position.

The State Department has said the U.S. does not take a position on Taiwan's sovereignty under Washington's "One China" policy.

Some information for this report came from Reuters. VOA's Mandarin Service contributed to this report.

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The Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:47, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The following is the Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China:

The Law on Foreign Relations of the People's Republic of China

(Adopted at the Third Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on June 28, 2023)

Table of Contents

Chapter I General Principles

Chapter II Functions and Powers for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Chapter III Goals and Mission of Conducting Foreign Relations

Chapter IV The System of Foreign Relations

Chapter V Support for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Chapter VI Supplementary Provision

Chapter I

General Principles

Article 1 This Law is enacted pursuant to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China to conduct foreign relations to:

-- safeguard China's sovereignty, national security and development interests;

-- protect and promote the interests of the Chinese people;

-- build China into a great modernized socialist country;

-- realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation;

-- promote world peace and development; and

-- build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Article 2 This Law shall apply to the conduct by the People's Republic of China of diplomatic relations with other countries, its exchanges and cooperation with them in the economic, cultural and other areas, and its relations with the United Nations and other international organizations.

Article 3 The People's Republic of China conducts foreign relations and promotes friendly exchanges under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Important Thinking of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Article 4 The People's Republic of China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, and observes the five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

The People's Republic of China keeps to a path of peaceful development and adheres to the fundamental policy of opening to the outside world and a strategy of opening-up for mutual benefit.

The People's Republic of China observes the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and endeavors to safeguard world peace and security, promote global common development, and build a new type of international relations. It is committed to settling international disputes by peaceful means and opposes the use of force or threat of force in international relations, hegemonism and power politics. It remains true to the principle that all countries are equal regardless of size, strength or level of development and respects the development paths and social systems decided upon independently by the people of all countries.

Article 5 The conduct of foreign relations by the People's Republic of China is under the centralized and overall leadership of the Communist Party of China.

Article 6 The State institutions, armed forces, political parties, people's organizations, enterprises, public institutions, other social organizations, and citizens have the responsibility and obligation to safeguard China's sovereignty, national security, dignity, honor and interests in the course of international exchanges and cooperation.

Article 7 The State encourages friendly people-to-people exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries.

Those who make outstanding contribution to international exchanges and cooperation shall be honored and awarded pursuant to applicable regulations of the State.

Article 8 Any organization or individual who commits acts that are detrimental to China's national interests in violation of this Law and other applicable laws in the course of engaging in international exchanges shall be held accountable by law.

Chapter II

Functions and Powers for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Article 9 The central leading body for foreign affairs is responsible for policy making, deliberation and coordination relating to the conduct of foreign relations. It considers and formulates the State's foreign relations strategy and related major principles and policies, and provides guidance for their implementation. It is responsible for top-level design, coordination and holistic advancement of work concerning foreign relations, and supervises its implementation.

Article 10 The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee ratify or denounce treaties and important agreements concluded with other countries, and exercise functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee actively conduct international exchanges, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with parliaments of foreign countries as well as international and regional parliamentary organizations.

Article 11 The President of the People's Republic of China represents the People's Republic of China, conducts affairs of state, and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 12 The State Council manages foreign affairs, concludes treaties and agreements with foreign countries, and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 13 The Central Military Commission organizes and conducts international military exchanges and cooperation and exercises functions and powers relating to foreign relations pursuant to the Constitution and other laws.

Article 14 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China conducts foreign affairs in accordance with the law and undertakes matters relating to diplomatic exchanges of Party and State leaders with foreign leaders. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs enhances guidance, coordination, management and service for international exchanges and cooperation conducted by other government departments and localities.

Other central and government departments conduct international exchanges and cooperation according to their respective scope of responsibilities.

Article 15 Diplomatic missions of the People's Republic of China abroad, including embassies and consulates in foreign countries as well as permanent missions to the United Nations and other international intergovernmental organizations, represent the People's Republic of China abroad.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs exercises overall leadership over the work of Chinese diplomatic missions abroad.

Article 16 Provinces, autonomous regions and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall carry out international exchanges and cooperation within the specific scope of mandate authorized by the central authorities.

People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall manage matters relating to international exchanges and cooperation in areas under their administration in accordance with their functions and powers.

Chapter III

Goals and Mission of Conducting Foreign Relations

Article 17 The People's Republic of China conducts foreign relations to uphold its system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, safeguard its sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, and promote its economic and social development.

Article 18 The People's Republic of China calls for putting into action the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and endeavors to advance a foreign affairs agenda on multiple fronts, at different levels, in various areas and of multiple dimensions.

The People's Republic of China works to promote coordination and sound interaction with other major countries and grow relations with its neighboring countries in accordance with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of enhancing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. Guided by the principle of sincerity, delivering outcomes, affinity and good faith and the vision of promoting common good and shared interests, it works to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries. The People's Republic of China upholds and practices multilateralism and participates in the reform and development of the global governance system.

Article 19 The People's Republic of China upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the fundamental norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits. It participates in the development of international rules, promotes democracy in international relations, and works for economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

Article 20 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable global security, and endeavors to strengthen international security cooperation and its participation in mechanisms of global security governance.

The People's Republic of China fulfills its responsibilities as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; it is committed to safeguarding international peace and security and upholding the authority and stature of the United Nations Security Council.

The People's Republic of China supports and participates in peacekeeping operations mandated by the United Nations Security Council, observes the basic principles of the peacekeeping operations, respects the territorial integrity and political independence of sovereign countries concerned, and maintains a position of fairness.

The People's Republic of China is committed to upholding international regimes of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. It is against arms race; it opposes and prohibits proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in any form, fulfills relevant international obligations, and is engaged in international cooperation on non-proliferation.

Article 21 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of global development which is equitable, inclusive, open, cooperative, comprehensive, well-coordinated, innovation-driven and interconnected. It endeavors to promote coordinated and sustainable development of the economy, the society and the environment and well-rounded human development.

Article 22 The People's Republic of China respects and protects human rights; it is committed to the principle of universality of human rights and its observance in light of the realities of countries. The People's Republic of China promotes comprehensive and coordinated development of all human rights, carries out international exchanges and cooperation in the field of human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and works for the sound development of the global cause of human rights.

Article 23 The People's Republic of China calls on all countries to rise above national, ethnic and cultural differences and uphold peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity.

Article 24 The People's Republic of China stays true to the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, respects diversity of civilizations, and promotes exchanges and dialogue among civilizations.

Article 25 The People's Republic of China plays an active part in global environmental and climate governance and endeavors to strengthen international cooperation on green and low-carbon development; it is committed to jointly enhancing global ecological conservation and building a global system of environmental and climate governance that is fair, equitable, cooperative and beneficial to all.

Article 26 The People's Republic of China is committed to advancing high-standard opening-up. It develops foreign trade, actively promotes and protects, in accordance with the law, inbound foreign investment, encourages external economic cooperation including outbound investment, and promotes high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is committed to upholding the multilateral trading system, opposes unilateralism and protectionism, and works to build an open global economy.

Article 27 The People's Republic of China provides foreign aid in the form of economic, technical, material, human resources, management, and other assistance to boost economic development and social advances of other developing countries, build up their capacity for sustainable development, and promote international development cooperation.

The People's Republic of China carries out international humanitarian cooperation and assistance, strengthens international cooperation on disaster prevention, mitigation and relief and helps recipient countries respond to humanitarian emergencies.

In providing foreign aid, the People's Republic of China respects the sovereignty of recipient countries and does not interfere in their internal affairs or attach any political conditions to its aid.

Article 28 The People's Republic of China carries out, as needed in the conduct of foreign relations, exchanges and cooperation in educational, science and technology, cultural, public health, sports, social, ecological, military, security, the rule of law and other fields.

Chapter IV

The System of Foreign Relations

Article 29 The State advances the rule of law in both domestic and foreign affairs and strengthens foreign-related legislative work and the system of rule of law in foreign affairs.

Article 30 The State concludes or accedes to treaties and agreements in accordance with the Constitution and other laws and fulfills in good faith obligations stipulated in such treaties and agreements.

Treaties and agreements that the State concludes or accedes to shall not contravene the Constitution.

Article 31 The State takes due measures to implement and apply treaties and agreements to which it is a Party.

The implementation and application of treaties and agreements shall not undermine the sovereignty of the State, national security and public interests.

Article 32 The State shall strengthen the implementation and application of its laws and regulations in foreign-related fields in conformity with the fundamental principles of international law and fundamental norms governing international relations. The State shall take law enforcement, judicial or other measures in accordance with the law to safeguard its sovereignty, national security and development interests and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations.

Article 33 The People's Republic of China has the right to take, as called for, measures to counter or take restrictive measures against acts that endanger its sovereignty, national security and development interests in violation of international law or fundamental norms governing international relations.

The State Council and its departments adopt administrative regulations and departmental rules as necessary, establish related working institutions and mechanisms, and strengthen inter-departmental coordination and cooperation to adopt and enforce measures mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Decisions made pursuant to the first and second paragraphs of this Article are final.

Article 34 The People's Republic of China, on the basis of the one-China principle, establishes and develops diplomatic relations with other countries in accordance with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

The People's Republic of China, in accordance with treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to as well as the fundamental principles of international law and fundamental norms governing international relations, may take diplomatic actions as necessary including changing or terminating diplomatic or consular relations with a foreign country.

Article 35 The State takes steps to implement sanction resolutions and relevant measures with binding force adopted by the United Nations Security Council in accordance with Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues notices to release the sanction resolutions and measures mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The government departments concerned and the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and cities directly under central government jurisdiction shall take actions to implement such sanction resolutions and measures within the scope of their respective functions and powers.

Organizations and individuals in the Chinese territory shall comply with the notices issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related actions taken by government departments and localities, and shall not engage in any activity in violation of the above-mentioned sanction resolutions and measures.

Article 36 The People's Republic of China confers privileges and immunities to diplomatic institutions and officials of other countries, and to international organizations and their officials in accordance with relevant laws as well as treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to.

The People's Republic of China confers immunities to foreign states and their properties in accordance with relevant laws as well as treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to.

Article 37 The State shall take measures as necessary in accordance with the law to protect the safety, security, and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations overseas and safeguard China's overseas interests against any threat or infringement.

The State shall strengthen the systems and working mechanisms and build the capacity to protect its overseas interests.

Article 38 The People's Republic of China protects the lawful rights and interests of foreign nationals and foreign organizations in its territory in accordance with the law.

The State has the power to permit or deny a foreign national entry, stay or residence in its territory, and regulates, in accordance with the law, activities carried out in its territory by foreign organizations.

Foreign nationals and foreign organizations in the territory of China shall abide by its laws, and shall not endanger China's national security, undermine social and public interests or disrupt social and public order.

Article 39 The People's Republic of China strengthens multilateral and bilateral dialogue on the rule of law and promotes international exchanges and cooperation on the rule of law.

The People's Republic of China shall engage in international cooperation in law enforcement and judicial fields with other countries and international organizations in accordance with treaties and agreements it concludes or accedes to or in line with the principles of equality and reciprocity.

The State strengthens and expands its working mechanisms for international cooperation in law enforcement, improves its systems and mechanisms for judicial assistance, and promotes international cooperation in law enforcement and judicial fields. The State strengthens international cooperation in areas such as combating transnational crimes and corruption.

Chapter V

Support for the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Article 40 The State shall improve its system of integrated support for conducting foreign relations and strengthen its capacity to conduct foreign relations and safeguard national interests.

Article 41 The State shall provide funding required for conducting foreign relations and establish a funding mechanism that meets the need of conducting foreign relations and is commensurate with China's economic development.

Article 42 The State shall strengthen capacity building of personnel working in foreign relations and take effective steps in related work such as training, employment, management, service and support.

Article 43 The State shall promote public understanding of and support for its conduct of foreign relations through various forms.

Article 44 The State shall strengthen capacity building for international communication, enable the world to learn more about and better understand China, and promote exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations.

Chapter VI

Supplementary Provision

Article 45 This Law shall come into force on July 1, 2023.

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Analysts: China's Plans for Cuba May Go Beyond Spy Base

By Xiaoshan Xue June 29, 2023

Top U.S. lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to brief Congress on the spy station China is allegedly building in Cuba, but American analysts fear that China's plans for America's backyard may go beyond intelligence gathering.

If a war over Taiwan were to break out, these analysts warn, the Chinese military could operate in Latin America and the Caribbean to disrupt U.S. military operations or even strike the continental U.S.

In a June 22 letter to CIA chief William Burns and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, requested that detailed information on China's activities in Cuba be provided by July 14.

The lawmakers' concern originated with a June 19 Wall Street Journal report quoting current and former U.S. officials as saying that China is negotiating with the Cuban government to establish a joint military training facility in the island nation just 166 kilometers from Florida. The enterprise could lead to the stationing of Chinese troops at the facility and expansion of Chinese intelligence-gathering against the U.S.

"It is imperative that we understand in full detail: the exact nature and objectives of the PRC's intelligence gathering in Cuba and military partnership with the regime; the implications of such efforts for U.S. national interests; and what the Biden administration is doing to mitigate such efforts and deter their further expansion with Cuba and the Western Hemisphere," the letter says.

"The American public needs to be assured that their government unequivocally condemns this escalation, and is working to do everything in its power to counter it," the lawmakers wrote.

Some US success

Blinken told NBC's "Meet the Press" on June 25 that Washington had made its concerns clear to Beijing and Havana and had had some success in preventing China from building military bases overseas.

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of a select committee on U.S.-China strategic competition, told VOA Mandarin in a June 26 email, "If true, this [WSJ] report illustrates yet again why it is foolish for the Biden administration to shelve defensive actions and disclosures simply to secure a diplomatic audience with General Secretary Xi [Jinping]. The [Chinese Communist Party] is the only party seeking to upend the peaceful status quo, and prioritizing endless dialogue over competitive policies invites aggression."

VOA Mandarin emailed the Chinese Embassy in Washington for comment on the latest developments but has not received a response. The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 20 that he was unaware of this situation.

However, a June 26 op-ed in China's official Global Times referred to U.S. alarm as "the disinformation campaign hyping up the so-called Chinese spy base in Cuba."

If established, a Chinese facility in Cuba could have military and strategic consequences for U.S. homeland security, warned Gordon Chang, a distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute think tank.

In a June 23 article, Chang wrote that adding nuclear missile silos in Cuba would give China's People's Liberation Army the advantage of "shorter flight times" a meaning less warning time.

"Moreover, U.S. missile defenses a and radars a are currently oriented to attacks from over the Arctic, from the north. Cuba gives China venues for southern attacks."

Intelligence gathering

David Stupples, professor of electronic and radio engineering at the City University of London, told VOA Mandarin that even if China is unable to station many troops in Cuba, Beijing's outpost there could collect intelligence from U.S. submarines.

Evan Ellis, a professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College who focuses on the region's relationships with China and other non-Western Hemisphere actors, told VOA Mandarin that Cuba may have granted China access to three Soviet-era surveillance facilities as early as 1999 or 2000.

Ellis said the establishment of a new station would create "the opportunity for a semipermanent presence that increases the level of military collaboration and coordination" between China and Cuba.

China's alleged expansion into America's backyard supports its economic and political ambitions and access to critical minerals such as lithium, copper, rare earths and resources such as coal and oil.

Ellis said in a recently published paper, The Strategic Role of Latin America in a Global Conflict Over Taiwan, that part of China's growing involvement in the Caribbean region is that five of the 14 countries in the world that continue to recognize Taiwan diplomatically are located in this region.

Ellis said China could use the proximity of Cuba to deploy special operations personnel, disrupt the U.S. military, and attack the U.S. mainland to snap key supply chains supporting U.S. defense if Beijing attacked Taiwan.

'On, near and over' US

Chang wrote, "A war in Asia will be fought on, near and over the American homeland a perhaps with nukes."

His article also stated that China's People's Liberation Army "could deploy anti-ship cruise missiles in Cuba both to hit U.S. Navy bases in Florida and block the movement of American vessels. China might also put surface-to-air missiles on Cuba, potentially to shoot down planes over the southeast United States."

Gallagher sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on June 20 demanding answers on whether Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, which operate in Cuba, are collecting intelligence on Americans and sensitive U.S. military sites from the Chinese spy base in Cuba.

Stupples said that through intellectual property theft and the development of satellite networks, "China has leapfrogged its signals intelligence capabilities over the past decade, possibly only second to the U.S. in the amount of information it gathers."

Stupples speculated that China might bypass the supervision of the Cuban government and collect cyberintelligence through local private companies and technical personnel.

According to a background report by the Council on Foreign Relations on China's growing influence in Latin America, China's increased presence in Cuba is part of a buildup of military ties, including increased arms sales, military exchanges and training programs, throughout Latin America.

Venezuela remains the region's largest buyer of Chinese military equipment after the U.S. government banned all commercial arms sales to Venezuela in 2006. Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have also bought multimillion-dollar Chinese military aircraft, ground vehicles, air defense radars and assault rifles.

Spread of 'malign influence'

On March 23, U.S. Southern Command Commander Laura Richardson testified before the House Armed Services Committee that she was concerned by "the myriad of ways in which the PRC is spreading its malign influence, wielding its economic might, and conducting gray zone activities to expand its military and political access and influence."

"The PRC is investing in critical infrastructure, including deep-water ports, cyber and space facilities which can have a potential dual use for malign commercial and military activities. In any potential global conflict, the PRC could leverage strategic regional ports to restrict U.S. naval and commercial ship access. This is a strategic risk that we can't accept or ignore," she said.

She mentioned "dual use" Chinese-funded or -owned civilian projects or ones that could be used for military purposes. These include at least 11 facilities Beijing is operating for tracking activities in space a including one with deep space capacities in Argentina a and surveillance capabilities.

Short of military intervention to remove China's military assets in Cuba, Ellis said the U.S. needs to show a very strong hand to demonstrate that it won't "forgive and forget and go to the next thing."

"I have every reason to believe the PLA is preparing for the war," he said. "The PLA is not going to allow the U.S. to fight an away game like it fought with Saddam Hussein in Iraq."

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.

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Elite defections a warning to Kim Jong Un: North Korean defector

ROC Central News Agency

06/28/2023 08:31 PM

[Editor's Note: This is part one of a three-part series that shares the views of defectors from North Korea as the country becomes increasingly isolated. The series includes interviews with two defectors and an expert on North Korea, which will be published in the coming days.]

Seoul, June 28 (CNA) Defections by members of North Korea's elite class, who generally have no trouble meeting their basic needs, are a warning to the Kim Jong Un regime and catching the South Korean government's attention, a North Korean defector told CNA recently.

There are waves of North Korean diplomatic defections every three to five years when those diplomats' stints abroad end and they have to return home, said Kim Kwang Jin, who himself was posted in Singapore before defecting to South Korea in 2003.

But the reasons behind the defections have evolved over time, and the more recent motivations paint a troubling picture for the regime's future.

"In the past, people who defected did it mostly because of life and death situations, but now the incentives have become more diverse, with the most important one being that North Korea has no hope and no future," Kim said.

In recent years, news of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) diplomats defecting or attempting to do so has surfaced in Europe and other places in the world, and it is the defection of these elites that should have Kim Jong Un worried, Kim said.

The phenomenon, he said, signaled the severity of the North Korean regime's problems to the extent that it insisted on launching missile tests and taking provocative action even when the country was in dire straits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"After living overseas for seven to eight years, they know everything they need to know. Going back is like spending a lifetime with their families in a prison. Many people must be struggling with whether to leave (defect)," Kim said about his former colleagues.

"I hope they don't hesitate and come to contribute to facilitate the reunification (of North and South) and a better future for North Korea," Kim said in an interview with a CNA reporter.

Kim once worked for the DPRK government's overseas banking operations in Singapore to manage a slush fund, known as the "revolutionary fund," for then leader Kim Jong Il.

He decided to fly with his family to South Korea in 2003 when he was summoned to return on suspicion of leaking the regime's information to foreign nationals.

Time for a new approach

Kim currently leads the Center for North Korea Human Rights at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), a think tank run by South Korea's National Intelligence Service.

In his position, he has been able to see how the engagement policy championed by the administration of former South Korean President Moon Jae-in failed to rein in North Korea's weapons development, leading him to call for a new approach by the international community to deal with the regime.

The Moon administration had hoped to persuade North Korea to pursue denuclearization by holding seminars and other diplomatic negotiations, but the policy was proved wrong, he said.

"The policy backfired. North Korea's nuclear weapons have only been strengthened," Kim Kwang Jin said. "It is doubtful, to say the least, that there is even a 1 percent chance of North Korea being willing to denuclearize."

Over the past 20 years since his defection, Kim Kwang Jin said he has consistently upheld the view that denuclearization is not possible for North Korea.

"The current instability and provocative behavior of North Korea is the result of the North Korean regime, not the choice of the North Korean people," he said, and he advocated a harder line in dealing with the regime because it has shown no willingness to cooperate on denuclearization.

The goal, Kim said, should be to bring about societal change and ultimately regime change, which could involve cutting off sources of income for North Korea's government and strengthening sanctions, including banning exports of gasoline.

It might also mean pressing the regime to lift restrictions on access to the internet, food, and freedom of expression, Kim said, because "human rights are the Achilles' heel of North Korea."

Preaching human rights in North Korea is not only consistent with universal values, it is also critical to facilitate a shake-up of the hereditary legitimacy of North Korea regime, he said.

"Other than admonishing the North Korean regime, we must also let people in North Korea know that they have the right to live a better life," he said, though Kim acknowledged the difficulty in achieving that because it will require Beijing's help.

China blocking change

Kim Kwang Jin called on the international community to continue to keep tabs on North Korea by documenting the situation in the country, urging China to recognize the status of North Korean refugees, and rescuing female North Korean trafficking victims, among other things.

"There is a lot that needs to be done," he said.

China and Russia, North Korea's traditional allies, have worked against ongoing efforts by Seoul, however, to urge the international community to eliminate North Korea's sources of illegal income derived from technology and intelligence theft by hackers, he said.

"The main reason for China's lack of cooperation is primarily influenced by the U.S.-China rivalry. China does not want to change the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and is unlikely to participate in oppressive actions against North Korea," he said.

Moscow is not likely to actively participate in international sanctions against Pyongyang either because Russia has relied on North Korea for military backing for its invasion of Ukraine, which has led to closer bilateral relations, he said.

Beijing has more influence over Pyongyang than Moscow because China accounts for 90 percent of North Korea's foreign trade and is where North Korea dispatches its people to earn money and send remittances to help with its foreign exchange reserves, he said.

"If China took action, it would strengthen the severity of the sanctions," he said.

Complicating matters for countries trying to influence North Korea from the outside on denuclearization or human rights, Kim Kwang Jin argued, were the internal maneuverings at the top of the government.

Interviewed in the early years of Kim Jong Un's rule, which began in 2011, Kim Kwang Jin predicted then that his regime would be much more fragile than the reigns of his father and grandfather.

The execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013, and the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, in 2017 both demonstrated the significant challenges Kim Jong Un faced in consolidating power, Kim Kwang Jin has said in previous interviews.

Now, more than 10 years into Kim Jong Un's rule, although the internal governance structure has changed, it still remains fraught with pitfalls for his rule, Kim Kwang Jin told CNA.

Citing Jo Yong Won, secretary of the Organization and Guidance Department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), Kim Kwang Jin observed that the close confidant of Kim Jong Un might pose a challenge to Kim Jong Un's rule in the future.

Seen as second-in-command of the WPK, Jo Yong Won has portrayed himself as a "low-key" party official, but he is "very ambitious," Kim Kwang Jin said.

Meanwhile, the fact that Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, emerged publicly one after another as the faces of the North Korea regime were also indicative of the instability of Kim Jong Un's grip on power, Kim Kwang Jin observed.

By giving prominence to Kim Yo Jong in the same way as his father did to elevate his aunt, Kim Kyong Hui, Kim Jong Un was aiming to craft an authoritarian image of himself similar to that of his father, helping to consolidate his power, Kim Kwang Jin said.

Kim Kyong Hui held key positions in the WPK, including being a Central Political Bureau member, and also played an important role in the early years of Kim Jong Un's rule.

But she has rarely appeared in public since the execution of her husband, Jang Song Thaek, in 2013.

The appearance of Kim Ju Ae in the political sphere may be a response to rumors of Kim Jong Un having health issues or an attempt to prevent the excessive power of Kim Yo Jong.

Under such circumstances, Kim Jong Un has pinned his hopes on his achievements in nuclear development because he believes that only success on weapons and missile technology can stabilize his regime, according to Kim Kwang Jin.

(By Ariel Liao and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

Enditem/ls

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June 28, 2023

Transcript

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Remarks Welcoming German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to the Pentagon

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III; German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Well, Mr. Minister, welcome to the Pentagon. It's great to have you here for your first time as minister of defense, and as you said, you've been here before, but this is your first visit as minister of defense.

We've been seeing a lot of each other lately, including at the recent NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels and at the meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. And that's especially important during this dangerous time for European and global security. Russia has launched a cruel and unprovoked invasion of its peaceful neighbor, Ukraine. But Germany has committed itself to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and its right to live in freedom. And Boris, I look forward to working even more closely together to defend our common security and our shared values.

As Russia continues its reckless war of choice, I appreciate everything that Germany has done to strengthen Ukraine's capabilities. Your security assistance and training contributions for Ukraine's defenders have been invaluable, and we must keep pushing hard to help Ukraine succeed. We're in a key moment in Ukraine's fight for its sovereignty, so I look forward to your insights on how we can meet the urgent challenges ahead.

I'd also like to discuss NATO's pivotal role in European security, especially as we prepare for the July summit in Vilnius, and I should say again how much we appreciate your support for our increased force presence as we moved to reinforce our eastern flank allies last year.

We'll also talk about other key issues in our bilateral defense relationship and ways that we can do even more together. That includes demonstrating our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. As always, we're grateful for your generous support for our service members and their families who are stationed in Germany. I can't thank you enough for that, Boris.

So we've got a lot to talk about today, and again, thanks for making the trip. I look forward to a great discussion. Over to you, Mr. Minister.

DEFENSE MINISTER BORIS PISTORIUS: Thank you very much, Lloyd. Secretary of Defense, and I'm really very, very glad to be here, first time for the Office of Defense Minister, but not the first time in general. I'm really -- I came in office in a very, very special time to -- to say it diplomatically, and I will never forget from my first day in office, that Thursday before my first UGDC meeting in Ramstein, and my first visitor to my new office was Lloyd Austin after just winning the parliament and giving -- and giving the oath. That was a very impressive meeting, and afterwards, we met again in Ramstein and talked about Leopard tanks, and only a couple of days later, we succeeded in finally giving green light, so to speak, to our Leopard tanks to be delivered to Ukraine. And from that point onward, we have really a very, very close exchange and very close relation between our countries before, of course, too, but that special issue, even afterwards. And since then, really, we achieved a lot to support Ukraine, which was and is, and unfortunately, will stay necessary, absolutely, and therefore why I'm very glad that we succeeded in May to making an aid package 2.7 billion euros for Ukraine and being now the second-biggest donator for Ukraine after the United States. I'm proud about of that because I always emphasize I'm a child of the Cold War, and I grew up with a -- with a confidence that the United States at the top of NATO and our NATO allies will always defeat our -- defend -- our freedom and our security if it came -- it comes -- to the case.

And that we used to be the eastern flank at that time, and nowadays there is the Baltic -- the Baltic states, Poland and other countries are the new eastern flank, so we have a special and special responsibility for the protection of the eastern flank, too. Therefore, I'm sitting here. Therefore, I'm sitting in UDCG. Therefore, we are all together one for support of Ukraine and for the security of the Eastern European countries.

And for me, it's a -- like a special -- special order to myself and to my colleagues in Germany to do everything which is possible and as long as it takes to support Ukraine in the horrible war against Russia, and we need to con- -- to convince everybody in Europe. Well, I -- I -- I correct. We don't have to convince everybody, anybody, because it's truth all over the world, and we're confident that the United States is our most important ally in the NATO. I myself, I'm a convinced transatlantic German, so therefore I'm very glad to be here; very looking forward to our discussion and of -- at most, looking forward to continuing our really tremendous cooperation. Thanks a lot.

SEC. AUSTIN: Well, Mr. Minister, we're delighted to have you. Look forward to a great conversation.

Thanks, everybody.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3442916/

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June 28, 2023

Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius

Pentagon Spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius today as part of the robust and long-standing U.S.-Germany bilateral relationship.

The two leaders discussed Russia's unprovoked and premeditated invasion of Ukraine, with each leader complimenting the resiliency and resolve of the Ukrainian people and Armed Forces. Secretary Austin thanked Minister Pistorius for Germany's significant assistance and contributions to Ukraine. He also thanked Minister Pistorius for German support to bolster NATO's Eastern Flank, including support to U.S. and NATO force deployments to and through Germany.

The leaders also discussed a range of other global challenges, including issues in the Indo-Pacific. Secretary Austin commended Germany on the release of its National Security Strategy and its reaffirmation to increase defense spending to meet the two percent Wales Pledge commitment. They agreed to remain in close contact on the myriad issues of mutual interest impacting transatlantic security.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3442842/

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June 28, 2023

By Joseph Clark , DOD News

U.S., German Defense Officials Pledge Continued Support for Ukraine

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pledged today to continue their close partnership in supporting Ukraine and defending their countries' shared values.

The two leaders met at the Pentagon during Pistorius' first official visit to Washington as defense minister.

Austin noted that the Pentagon meeting marked his counterpart's first official visit to the U.S., remarking that he and Pistorius have seen a lot of each other lately a including at recent meetings of the NATO defense ministers and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

"And that's especially important during this dangerous time for European and global security," Austin said. "Russia has launched a cruel and unprovoked invasion of its peaceful neighbor, Ukraine. But Germany has committed itself to supporting ... Ukraine's sovereignty and its right to live in freedom."

The U.S. has pledged to stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary to defend against Russia.

Toward that end, the Biden administration has committed more than $40.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. The U.S. also leads an alliance of more than 50 countries in rallying behind Ukraine through the contact group.

Austin praised Germany for its contributions to Ukraine's defense forces.

"As Russia continues to direct this war of choice, I appreciate everything that Germany has done to strengthen Ukraine's capability," Austin said. "Your security assistance and training contributions for Ukraine's defenders have been invaluable, and we must keep pushing hard to help Ukraine succeed."

Austin said Ukraine is at a "key moment" in its fight for sovereignty, and he welcomed discussion with Pistorius on how the U.S. and Germany can meet the urgent challenges ahead.

In May, Germany announced 2.7 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, including dozens of Leopard tanks, air defense systems and armored personnel carriers among other items.

Pistorius said that Germany, a country that once was on NATO's eastern-most flank, has a "special responsibility" to continue to defend the alliance.

Beyond Ukraine, Austin said he looked forward to discussing "other key issues in our bilateral defense relationship and ways that we can do even more together."

He also said that discussion would include ways the U.S. and Germany can work together to demonstrate their "shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

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INS KIRPAN SETS SAIL TO VIETNAM

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

INS Kirpan will be handed over to Vietnam People's Navy post arrival in Vietnam

Posted On: 28 JUN 2023 7:13PM by PIB Delhi

During the recent visit of Gen Phan Van Giang, Minister of Defence of Vietnam, to India from 17 - 19 Jun 23, Hon'ble Raksha Mantri had announced gifting of in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam. Towards executing the same, INS Kirpan has cast-off today from Visakhapatnam on her final journey from India to Vietnam.

INS Kirpan is the third indigenously built Khukri class missile corvette, currently in active service in the Indian Navy. The ship is fitted with an array of weapons and sensors and has participated in various operational and humanitarian assistance operations. As part of her final journey from India to Vietnam, INS Kirpan set sail from Visakhapatnam today and will be handed over to Vietnam People's Navy post arrival in Vietnam. Officers and personnel of the Eastern Naval Command led by VAdm Sanjay Vatsayan, Chief of Staff, bid farewell to the ship at a ceremonial function at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.

India and Vietnam share historical linkages and existing relations are strong, multifaceted and rooted on cultural and economic pillars. The relationship between the two countries was upgraded from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Sep 2016. In the defence sector, the cooperation is based on mutual strategic interests, a shared vision for regional stability and upholding the rules based international order. After the signing of an MoU on Defence Cooperation by the two countries in November 2009, the relations have grown over the past decade. In June 2022, the two Defence Ministers have also signed a 'Joint Vision Statement on India - Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030'.

In the maritime domain, both the navies engage extensively through frequent operational interactions, structured periodic dialogues and information sharing mechanisms. This Navy to Navy cooperation also encompasses a wide array of initiatives aimed at capacity building and capability enhancement, including supply of spares, repair of ships, deputation of instructors, and regular goodwill visits by Naval Ships and delegations.

The transfer of an indigenously built in-service missile corvette, INS Kirpan, from Indian Navy to Vietnam People's Navy reflects India's commitment to assist its like-minded partners in enhancing their capacity and capability. The transfer of INS Kirpan to Vietnam resonates India's vision of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and 'Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)'. This is the maiden occasion of gifting a fully operational corvette by India to any Friendly Foreign Country.

*****

VM/PS

(Release ID: 1936047)

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INS TRISHUL ARRIVES IN SEYCHELLES TO PARTICIPATE IN SEYCHELLES NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS ON 29 JUN 23

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 28 JUN 2023 6:39PM by PIB Delhi

INS Trishul made a port call at Seychelles as part of Operational Deployment reflecting India's cordial ties with her maritime neighbours. During the visit, the Commanding Officer paid courtesy calls to H.E. Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and senior defence Leaders of Seychelles Armed Forces. He also called on High Commissioner of India to Seychelles, Mr Kartik Pande,.

The ship prior entry into port, undertook joint EEZ surveillance. His Excellency Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles welcomed the joint EEZ surveillance with Indian Navy which has helped in fostering the existing maritime cooperation between the two countries.

During the interactions, Brigadier Michael Rosette, CDF, Seychelles Defence Forces highlighted the strong relations between India and Seychelles. Col Jean Attala, Chief of Staff, Seychelles Defence Forces and Col Kunal Sharma, Military Advisor to Seychelles Defence Forces were also present.

The ship is scheduled to participate in the Seychelles National Day celebrations on 29 Jun 23.

VM/JSN



(Release ID: 1936027)

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IAF CONDUCTS CAPSTONE SEMINAR FOR THE SECOND 'WARFARE & AEROSPACE STRATEGY PROGRAM'

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 28 JUN 2023 5:23PM by PIB Delhi

The Indian Air Force today conducted a Capstone Seminar at the Air Force Auditorium, New Delhi, marking the culmination of the No. 2 Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Program (WASP). The seminar was conducted under the aegis of the College of Air Warfare and Centre for Air Power Studies.

WASP is a strategic education programme of 15 weeks duration which was started in 2022 and is structured to provide the participants with a deep understanding of strategy. The broader aim is to nurture critical thinkers who can blend cross-domain knowledge to generate policy-driving ideas at the strategic level. For the No 2 WASP, eight officers underwent intensive training in the fields of Strategy, Military History, Civil-Military relations, Higher Defence Organisation, Aerospace Power, Information Warfare, Technology and Hybrid Warfare.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), delivered the keynote address of the Seminar which was attended by senior officers from all three services, Defence Attaches, senior bureaucrats, aerospace power scholars, academia and established defence correspondents. He stated that the endeavour of programmes such as the WASP is to prepare future military leaders in the cerebral domain by promoting the habit of reading. The knowledge thus gained must lead them to the question of 'How to think', rather than 'What to think'. It is this self-learning that will equip tomorrow's leaders to think creatively to continuously evolve strategy as the strategic environment changes around them.

The CAS stated that human capital will always be supreme and should therefore be nurtured. Emerging technologies would however remain symbiotic with human intellect, thereby necessitating the need to absorb and adapt with it continuously. He added that he was glad to note the performance of the officers who had undergone the WASP last year. He said that he was looking forward to the current graduates and those following them, filling key posts in the Indian Air Force.

Finally, the CAS complimented the mentors who had guided the student officers through the programme and expressed a desire that they continue with the same zeal in the forthcoming editions of the WASP.

In the first session of the Seminar, the participants presented their papers on the topic of 'India and the Emerging New World Order: Future role of IAF towards India's Regional and Global Aspirations'. This was followed by the second session, which saw them discussing 'Advantages of Application of Airpower towards an integrated Indian Continental & Maritime Approach'.

***

ABB/AM/AS



(Release ID: 1935955)

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White House, Reporters Condemn Harassment of Journalist Over Questions to Indian PM

By VOA News June 28, 2023

The White House has condemned an online harassment campaign targeting a Wall Street Journal reporter who asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his human rights record during a joint press conference last week.

During the event with President Joe Biden and Modi at the White House last Thursday, reporter Sabrina Siddiqui asked the prime minister about discrimination against religious minorities in India.

Siddiqui then became the target of online abuse, primarily from Modi's supporters. The White House Correspondents' Association says the reporter has been "subjected to intense online harassment," with people wanting to know the motive for the question and asking about her religion and heritage.

Biden administration officials earlier this week denounced the harassment.

"It's completely unacceptable, and it's antithetical to the very principles of democracy that ... were on display last week during the state visit," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later said, "We're committed to the freedom of the press" and "condemn any efforts of intimidation or harassment of a journalist."

Her questions

At the press conference, Siddiqui said, "There are many human rights groups who say your government has discriminated against religious minorities and sought to silence its critics." She asked, "What steps are you and your government willing to take to improve the rights of Muslims and other minorities in your country and uphold free speech?"

Speaking through an interpreter, Modi responded, "In India's democratic values, there is absolutely no discrimination, neither on basis of caste, creed or age or any kind of geographic location.

"Indeed, India is a democracy. And as President Biden also mentioned, India and America a both countries a democracy is in our DNA. The democracy is our spirit. Democracy runs in our veins. We live democracy."

Before becoming prime minister, Modi had been denied a U.S. visa for several years over "severe violations of religious freedom."

Since becoming prime minister in 2014, he has been criticized for his Hindu nationalist policies that are said to discriminate against Muslims, as well as for crackdowns on press freedom.

Poor ranking

India ranks poorly in terms of media freedom, with Reporters Without Borders putting the country at 161st out of 180 countries, where 1 has the best environment for journalists.

The media watchdog has said journalists there are exposed to violence and that members of the Hindu far right "wage all-out online attacks" on anyone with opposing views.

The attacks often are directed at women, with personal details shared online that put the reporters' safety at greater risk, the watchdog says.

The White House Correspondents' Association also expressed support for Siddiqui.

"The WHCA stands by Sabrina and the questions she chose to ask. In a democracy, journalists shouldn't be targeted simply for doing their jobs and asking questions that need to be asked," WCHA President Tamara Keith said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Wall Street Journal also condemned the harassment as "unacceptable."

The harassment facing Siddiqui underscores global press freedom trends.

Reports show that female journalists face disproportionate harassment online as a result of their coverage. In one survey, 73% of journalists identifying as women said they experienced online violence in the course of their work.

The South Asian Journalists Association also backed Siddiqui.

"We want to express our continued support of our colleague @SabrinaSiddiqui who, like many South Asian and female journalists, is experiencing harassment for simply doing her job. Press freedom is the hallmark of any democracy and PM Modi leads the world's largest democracy," the group said in a tweet.

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Iran will never compromise on its security: Intelligence minister

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 28, 2023

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib has extended his gratitude to the government of Albania for taking "independent actions" against the anti-Iran Mujahedin-e Khalq (MKO) terrorist organization.

"Security is not a matter that Iran would make a deal over, or compromise on," Khatib said on Wednesday.

The intelligence minister issued a warning to all countries that harbor the "dream" of disrupting Iran's security, especially those that played a role in the recent riots in the country.

"Countries that support terrorists must be aware that the security of Iran and the preservation of peace and calm for its people are the top priorities for the Islamic Republic," he stated.

The comments came a week after MKO terrorists clashed with Albanian police during a court-ordered search of their camp in the city of Manez. At least two people were killed and 36 others wounded in the clashes, a security source told IRNA.

Albania's Special Court against Crime and Corruption had authorized the search due to concerns that the MKO had been involved in terror and cyber attacks.

Albania has agreed to host the MKO after the terrorist outlet was expelled from Iraq, where they had been hosted and armed by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Following the raid on their camp, Iran called on the Albanian government to correct its mistake in hosting the MKO, a group that is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Iranian civilians and officials.

**2050

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Iran takes Canada to UN's top court for breaching Tehran's state immunity

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 6:51 PM

Iran has launched legal proceedings at the UN's top court against Canada for breaching Tehran's state immunity by designating the country a sponsor of terrorism under "false and wrongful" allegations.

A statement by the Iranian government's website said Tehran wants the the International Court of Justice to compel Canada to stop violating the Iranian government's immunities as a sovereign state in Canadian courts and avoid repeating such breaches of international law in the future.

Iran's filing to the court also demands compensation from Canada.

It said the violations began in 2012, when Ottawa listed Iran as a terror sponsor under "false and wrongful" allegations and then seized property and assets belonging to the Iranian government.

The statement said Canada has continued this "wrong process" in spite of repeated protests by Iran.

"Iran, through this move, once again showed [its adherence] to its principled position on the peaceful settlement of differences and commitment to the rule of law regarding relations between countries," the statement said, expressing hope that Canada will change its "political approach" and stop violating its obligations.

Tehran said Canada had breached international law by court rulings ordering Iranian assets to be handed over to victims of various attacks that Canada blames on groups backed by Iran.

The Hague-based court confirmed in a statement that Iran had launched legal proceedings against Canada on Tuesday.

Iran said in its filing to the court that "Canada has adopted and implemented a series of legislative, executive, and judicial measures against Iran and its property [since 2012] in breach of its international obligations," said the statement.

"Iran respectfully requests the Court to adjudge and declare that by failing to respect the immunities of Iran and its property, Canada has violated its international obligations toward Iran," it added.

It also said that Iran demanded compensation from Canada for the "violation of its international obligations", and asked the ICJ to tell Ottawa to overrule any judgments against Tehran in Canadian courts.

Tehran has also filed a case against Washington over using billions of dollars in assets frozen to compensate victims of alleged terror attacks.

In March, ICJ judges ruled Washington had illegally allowed courts to freeze assets of some Iranian companies and ordered Washington to pay compensation, but left the amount to be determined later.

Canada's 'systemic' rights violations

The statement by the Iranian government also rejected Canada's frequent accusations that Iran supports terrorism and violates human rights.

The statement said Canada has systematically violated human rights, supported the "dominating and interventionist" foreign policies of the US, and has acted as an accomplice in the Israeli regime's inhumane crimes in Palestine and southwest Asia.

"It shouldn't be forgotten that the Canadian government has in its anti-human rights record the genocide of hundreds of native indigenous children at compulsory schools and the mass burial of these innocent children," it said, referring to recent discoveries of hundreds of graves of indigenous children at former government-run compulsory boarding schools in Canada.

Canada broke off diplomatic ties with Iran and closed its Tehran embassy in a surprise move in 2012, citing various reasons including Iran's support for Syria, its nuclear work and alleged threats to the Israeli regime.

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Iran's police chief signs MoU with Russia's National Guard on expansion of security cooperation

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 5:49 PM

Iran's police chief Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia's National Guard on expansion of military and security relations between Tehran and Moscow.

Radan signed the agreement with Russia's National Guard chief Viktor Zolotov on the second day of his visit to Moscow on Wednesday.

According to Iran's official news agency (IRNA), "the development and expansion of security and law enforcement cooperation, [and] the exchange of experience to deal with the factors that create insecurity are among of the axes of this memorandum."

Radan also made a visit to the National Guard Memorial Museum in Moscow after signing the cooperation memorandum.

Iran's police chief, accompanied by a delegation, traveled to Russia on Tuesday to enhance security cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport, Iran's police chief described the visit as a "very good beginning" of closer cooperation between Iran and Russia.

Also on Wednesday, Radan met with the secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev, to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Radan and Patrushev exchanged views on interaction between the special services and law enforcement agencies of Iran and Russia, and signed a memorandum to jointly combat drug trafficking, organized crime and smuggling.

Russian media reports said the police chiefs of the two countries would also discuss the fight against terrorist organizations in Eurasia and could exchange experience on countering attempts by Western intelligence agencies to destabilize the situations in Iran and Russia, and organize riots.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Russia in January 2022 and described his trip as a milestone in the promotion of ties between Tehran and Moscow.

Iran's top general invites Russia defense minister to visit Iran

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri held a phone conversation with Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday.

The two military officials discussed the expansion of military cooperation between the two countries as well as the latest developments in the region.

General Baqeri also offered an invitation to the Russian defense minister to pay a visit to Iran.

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MKO's fate should serve as lesson to other terror groups, warns Iran's top general

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 7:49 AM

Iran's top general says the fate of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group should be a salutary lesson to those anti-Iran groups that betrayed the Iranian nation and now revel in the support of the enemies.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri made the remarks in a message on Tuesday on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of a deadly attack by the MKO terrorists which killed scores of Iranian officials, including then-Chief Justice Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti.

He said the terrorist attack can serve as a symbol of the oppression brutally imposed on the Iranian people, whose only crime was their demand for independence and rejection of any foreign domination.

At this time, however, no European country is willing to provide shelter to the MKO terrorists, Baqeri added.

On June 28, 1981, a powerful bomb went off at the headquarters of Iran's Islamic Republican Party (IRP), where the party's leaders were holding a meeting. The bombing killed scores of Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Beheshti. The MKO is known to have carried out the attack.

The MKO has carried out numerous terrorist attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979. Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks over the past four decades, about 12,000 have fallen victim to MKO's acts of terror.

In his message, Baqeri also pointed to the June 28, 1987 chemical attack on the Iranian city of Sardasht in West Azarbaijan Province by Western-backed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and censured the inaction of international human rights bodies vis-A -vis the two inhumane acts.

The top Iranian general said the global silence exposed the double standard of international bodies before all freedom- and justice-seeking people in the world.

He further criticized the use of human rights as a tool by colonial powers to impose their "illegitimate demands" on other countries, saying independent nations will not be supported by international bodies and laws if they decline to be dominated.

Over 100 people were killed in the Sardasht attack and thousands more were exposed to chemical agents.

After three decades, many of the survivors of the chemical attack still have to live with the long-term respiratory and even psychological effects of inhaling mustard gas used in the attack.

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Iranian Authorities Arrest Associates of Iran's Top Sunni Leader Accused Of 'Disturbing Public Minds'

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda June 28, 2023

Several associates of Molavi Abdolhamid, the imam of southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan and Iran's top Sunni leader, have been arrested by Iranian authorities. The arrests were confirmed by a media outlet close to the Revolutionary Guards, who accused the detainees of "disturbing public minds."

Local news reports last week quoted unnamed sources as saying that a recent assassination attempt against Abdolhamid, orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), had been thwarted and the would-be perpetrator was arrested.

One June 27, the Tasnim News Agency, known for its close ties with the IRGC, dismissed the recent reports of a conspiracy to assassinate Abdolhamid as "rumors."

The agency quoted what it said was an "informed source" as saying that "rumors" about an alleged plot to poison Abdolhamid that had been circulating on social media were fundamentally false.

The agency said several individuals were arrested for allegedly spreading the "rumors" and a judicial case was initiated against them.

The news of these arrests follows a report by the HAALVSH, a group that monitors rights violations in Iran's Baluchistan region, about the "violent arrest" of Abdolhamid's grandson, Abdolnassir Shahbakhsh, on June 27.

Shahbakhsh was reportedly arrested on his way to the Makki Mosque, which is run by Abdolhamid.

The same day, June 27, 23-year-old videographer and photographer Osama Shahbakhsh, who worked for the Makki Mosque, was taken into custody by security forces. The circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear.

On June 24, Abdolvahed Shahlibar, a prominent member of the Makki Mosque, was arrested following a summons to the prosecutor's office. He was subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location.

These arrests come amid increasing pressure on Abdolhamid and his associates.

In December, a leaked document from the hard-line Fars agency said Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told security and military officials that rather than arresting Abdolhamid, who is a vocal critic of the government, they should try and smear his reputation.

The government has unleashed a brutal crackdown on the months of unrest -- one of the deepest challenges to the Islamic regime since the revolution in 1979 -- that erupted following the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.

Abdolhamid has said senior officials, including Khamenei, were "responsible" for the killing of protesters during a November 30 massacre in Zahedan.

Since Amini's death, more than 500 people have been killed in the police crackdown, according to rights groups. Several thousand more have been arrested, including many protesters, as well as journalists, lawyers, activists, digital rights defenders, and others.

Sunni Muslims are in the majority in Sistan-Baluchistan Province in southeastern Iran, where Abdolhamid is based, but make up only about 10 percent of the population in Shi'a-dominated Iran overall.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-arrest-associates- abdolhamid-sunni-leader/32480578.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.

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Myanmar airstrikes leave ten people killed in Sagaing region: Reports

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 6:56 PM

A Myanmar military airstrike on a village has reportedly killed ten civilians as fighting ravages swathes of the country since a military coup in 2021 toppled Myanmar's democratically-elected government and put the junta at the helm.

Media reports quoting local sources said on Wednesday that a military jet dropped three bombs on Nyaung Kone village in the northern Sagaing region on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Ko Zaw Tun, an anti-coup fighter from the village, ten people were killed and eight wounded in the aerial attack.

"There was no fighting, but they came to bomb the village," he said, adding 11 houses had been destroyed in the raid.

A resident of Nyaung Kone also said he and other locals had cremated the dead later that evening.

"We did not know what their (the military's) next plan is. So, we just held funerals for them as soon as we could," he was quoted as saying.

Images published by local media showed people working to douse smoldering debris and ash, and a large building in ruins.

Also in April, the military bombed a gathering in Sagaing that locals said killed about 170 people.

The United Nations said in March that the Myanmar military carried out more than 300 air strikes in the last year in its efforts to crush out resistance to the junta.

The development comes as the junta is facing ever-growing resistance nationwide from People's Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations.

Rights groups accuse the military of extrajudicial killings, razing villages and using air strikes as collective punishment of its opponents.

Myanmar has been in chaos since the military seized control on February 1, 2021. The UN estimates that some 14,000 people have been arrested and at least 2,000 killed since then.

Late last year, the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of the first ever resolution on Myanmar in more than seven decades, calling on the military rulers to end violence and release all political prisoners.

The 15-member Council urged the junta to "immediately release all arbitrarily detained prisoners," including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

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Myanmar junta uses Telegram as 'military intelligence' to arrest online critics

Activists say informers scour social media and report dissent to the regime via the app.

By RFA Burmese 2023.06.28 -- Telegram is becoming the messaging platform of choice for fans of Myanmar's junta, who are using it to report on critics - some of whom have gotten arrested.

For example, actress Poe Kyar Phyu Khin recently posted a video entitled "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (Our True Leader)" to the TikTok social media platform ahead of the jailed former state counselor's June 19 birthday, prompting several users to post photos of themselves bedecked in flowers and express their best wishes.

Incensed by the post, supporters of the military junta - which took control of the country in a February 2021 coup - took toTelegram to demand that Phyu Khin and those who responded to her be arrested.

On the night of Suu Kyi's birthday, junta security personnel showed up at the door of Phyu Khin's home in Yangon and took her into custody. Pro-junta media reported the arrest and said that some 50 people had been detained that week alone for "sedition and incitement."

This is the new reality in post-coup Myanmar, where backers of the military regime regularly scour the internet for any posts they deem critical of the junta before using Telegram to report them to the authorities, activists say.

Telegram has become a "form of military intelligence," said Yangon-based protest leader Nang Lin.

"It may look like ordinary citizens are reporting people who oppose the military, but that's not true," he said. "It's the work of their informers. It's one of the junta's intelligence mechanisms. In other words, it's just one of many attempts designed to instill fear in the people."

'Online weapon'

In a similar incident, rapper Byu Har was arrested on May 24, just days after being featured on pro-military Telegram channels for a video he published on social media in which he complained about electricity shortages and said that life was better under the democratically elected government that the military toppled.

Additionally, authorities arrested journalist Kyaw Min Swe, actress May Pa Chi, and other well-known personalities after pro-junta Telegram channels posted information about them changing their Facebook profiles to black to mourn the more than 170 people - including women and children - killed in a military airstrike on Sagaing region's Pazi Gyi village in April.

"Military lobbyists and informers go through these comments and ... report the owners of the accounts to Han Nyein Oo, who is a major pro-junta informer on Telegram," said an activist in Yangon, who declined to be named out of fear of reprisal. "Then, because of a small comment, the poster and their families are in trouble."

London-based rights group Fortify Rights also recently reported on the junta's use of Telegram as an "online weapon" against its critics.

"We can say that they are increasingly using Telegram channels as an online weapon as one of various ways of instilling fear in the people so that they dare not speak out," the group said in a statement.

RFA sought comment from Telegram's press team but was forwarded to an automated answering system, which said that the company "respects users' personal information and freedom of speech, and protects human rights, such as the right to assembly."

The answering system noted that Telegram "plays an important role in democratic movements around the world," including in Iran, Russia, Belarus, Hong Kong and Myanmar.

The founder of the Telegram channel is Russian-born Pavel Durov. In 2014, he was forced to leave the country and move to Saint Kitts and Nevis, a small Caribbean island nation, because he refused to hand over the personal information of Ukrainian users to Russian security services during the Crimea crisis in Ukraine.

Telegram headquarters is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Attempts by RFA to contact junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun regarding the regime's use of pro-military Telegram accounts to arrest people went unanswered Wednesday.

Arrests violate constitution

Thein Tun Oo, the executive director of the Thayninga Institute of Strategic Studies, which is made up of former military officers, told RFA that claims the junta uses Telegram to track down its critics are "delusional."

"If you feel insecure about Telegram, just don't use it," he said, adding that "such problems" are part of the risk of using the app.

But a lawyer in Yangon, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing security concerns, told RFA that even if the junta isn't gathering information about its opponents on Telegram, arresting and prosecuting someone for posting their opinions on social media is a blatant violation of the law in Myanmar.

"It's not a crime to post birthday wishes for someone on Facebook, whether it's for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or anyone else," he said. "These arrests are in violation of provisions protecting citizens' rights in the [military-drafted] 2008 constitution."

Pro-junta newspapers often state that action will be taken against anyone who knowingly or unknowingly promotes or supports Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw made up of deposed lawmakers, and any related organization under the country's Counter-terrorism Act, Electronic Communications Law, and other legislation.

According to a list compiled by RFA based on junta reports, at least 1,100 people have been arrested and prosecuted for voicing criticism of the junta on social media or sharing such posts by others since the military's Feb. 1, 2021, coup d'etat.

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

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.

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Junta claims near-complete census in Myanmar, but experts say that's impossible

The census is a major step in preparation for an election at unknown future date.

By RFA Burmese 2023.06.28 -- Myanmar's junta claims that it has completed a census that accounts for nearly 90% of the population ahead of planned elections, but critics and political analysts say that's impossible given the turmoil and fighting wracking the country.

The military regime, which overthrew the democratically-elected government in February 2021, has said it will hold elections this year, but no date has been set. Western governments and international rights groups say that any election held under the junta is unlikely to be free or fair.

Last week, pro-junta media outlets reported that a census comprising 87% of Myanmar's population of about 54 million people had been collected as part of a pilot program ahead of that vote.

But observers said there was no way that the regime had accurately collected census data for nine out of 10 citizens in the current state of crisis, with an estimated 1.5 million people who have been displaced from their homes.

"[Junta officials] held an emergency meeting last Friday about the elections at the Yangon region government office ... [but] they themselves don't even know what to do in these circumstances," said an election observer, who declined to be named for security reasons.

"They've included names of people who no longer live at their address or have died in their collection of the population census," he said. "Some of them are in foreign countries ... Frankly speaking, they are struggling to even get 25%."

According to the Union Election Commission, or UEC, there are currently 63 political parties in Myanmar: 50 that have applied for registration to participate in the elections and 13 that have applied to establish new parties.

Junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said during a Jan. 23 meeting with the UEC that an election must be held under any circumstances.

Census data 'completely unreliable'

However, political analyst Than Soe Naing told RFA on Tuesday that since the UEC has been unable to form sub-election commissions in states and regions across the country, it cannot effectively collect the population census or hold an election.

The United Nations estimates that there are around 1.5 million internally displaced persons in Myanmar, many of whom are living in the country's jungles after fleeing conflict between the military and anti-junta groups in their villages and townships.

"The only place the UEC can collect the population census numbers is from government offices in cities and towns, so their population data is completely unreliable," he said.

Than Soe Naing also suggested the junta is preparing to hold an election "just for a show," and pointed out that it has been unable to even announce an exact date.

Tun Aung Kyaw, the spokesman for the ethnic Arakan National Party, went further to suggest that it wouldn't even be possible to hold an election in Myanmar next year, due to the security and military situation in the country.

He added that parties that applied for recognition under a recently passed political party registration law ahead of a March 28 deadline are required to hand over information about their present status, members and financial accounts within 90 days in order to obtain final legal status.

"That's why these political parties are not in position to stand firmly," he said.

Meanwhile, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, or USDP, whose officials are mostly former military generals, is systematically preparing for the junta's elections, holding frequent party meetings and organizing events around the country.

Attempts by RFA to contact USDP leaders and spokespersons for comment on their preparation for the election went unanswered Tuesday.

Reflecting the people's will

Regardless of the junta's success in its efforts to carry out a census and ready the country for a ballot, it must be the people who will determine the political fate of the country, said Bo Bo Oo, a former NLD lawmaker for Yangon region's Dala township.

"A one-sided election under the control of the military junta will not win any support from the people," he said. "Any attempt to win the people's support should be done in ways that reflect the people's will."

The NLD won Myanmar's 2020 general election with more than 80% of the vote, but the military seized power on allegations of vote fraud, which it has yet to present evidence to support. The UEC under the junta also dissolved the NLD in March after its leadership chose not to re-register under the new registration law.

While the junta has yet to announce a date for the election, it has said that national census data will be complete by Oct. 1, 2024.

Political analysts say that the junta intends to use an election to legitimize its rule and secure power in Myanmar for the long term.

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

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.

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Monk killed in Myanmar junta air raid on Sagaing region monastery

Bombs also killed 11 locals in jet attacks on 2 villages.

By RFA Burmese 2023.06.28 -- Junta air raids on two Sagaing region villages killed 12 civilians including a monk, locals told RFA Wednesday.

They said 11 people from Pale township's Nyaung Kone and one from Pi Tauk Kone village died in Tuesday's attack.

A school teacher from Nyaung Kone, who didn't want to be named for security reasons, told RFA the air force dropped three 500-pound bombs around the village monastery, killing one monk and 10 locals.

"It happened when I was teaching children at school," the teacher said.

"I used to hear the plane approaching but this time I didn't hear it until the bomb exploded. The bomb's fragments and dust flew towards our school. Some people were already dead when I arrived at the scene of the explosions. Some are injured and receiving emergency medical treatment."

The monk was named as 55-year-old Kay Mar. Six men and two women, aged between 41 and 70, died on the spot. Four of the dead were relatives of the monk.

An 18-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man were critically injured and died in Pale Township Hospital on Tuesday night.

All the bodies were cremated on Tuesday night.

Residents said six more people were injured and receiving treatment in the village.

A member of the People's Administration Group of Pale township said that the junta attacked the village with Russian-made Yakovlev Yak-130 jet, destroying the monastery and 13 houses.

Locals said a woman died and another was injured in a separate air raid on Pi Tauk Kone village on Tuesday night.

The names and the ages of the dead and injured are not yet known because it is difficult to contact Pi Tauk Kone by phone.

RFA called Sagaing region junta spokesperson Aye Hlaing on Wednesday but nobody answered.

There were 454 airstrikes across Myanmar between January and April 2023, according to independent research group Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, resulting in 292 deaths.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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.

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Pakistan and EU held 13th Joint Commission meeting

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The 13th Pakistan - European Union (EU) Joint Commission Meeting took place on 23 June in Brussels. The meeting served as an occasion to exchange views on all areas of the Pakistan-EU cooperation.

The EU assured that it has a strong interest in working together and deepening its relations with Pakistan. The EU also welcomed the participation of Pakistan in the second Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum held in Stockholm. Pakistan recognized the importance of sustained engagement, particularly in areas such as trade and development cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue cooperation on emerging challenges of food and energy security, and climate change.

Besides bilateral cooperation, both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues. Pakistan emphasised its grave concerns on the human rights and humanitarian situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The EU reiterated its position concerning the war against Ukraine. Both sides stressed the need to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, in full respect of the principles of international law and the UN Charter.

Pakistan - EU Sub-Group meeting on Democracy, Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights

The Joint Commission was preceded by the Sub-Group meeting on Democracy, Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights. Pakistan and the EU discussed a wide range of human rights related matters, such as the operating space for civil society organisations, preserving freedom of expression and opinion and the growing problem of disinformation. The EU recalled the importance of ensuring access to justice in line with international standards, such as the ICCPR. Pakistan and the EU also exchanged views on freedom of religion or belief and the rights of persons belonging to minorities and vulnerable groups and concerns about anti-Muslim hatred. Pakistan shared the steps taken to strengthen access to justice as well as reforms related to the application of the death penalty. They also discussed the reform of the mercy petitions procedure. The EU reiterated its position on the abolishment of death penalty and emphasised the need to pursue the reform process. The EU welcomed the progress made by Pakistan on the anti-torture legislation.

With regards to electoral reforms, Pakistan underscored that it had welcomed independent observers in the past to monitor elections in the country.

Pakistan - EU Sub-Group on Trade

The Pakistan - EU Sub-group meeting on Trade also preceded the Joint Commission. A range of trade topics at the multilateral (WTO), plurilateral and bilateral levels, including market access issues and other areas of specific interest and cooperation were on the agenda. They agreed on the importance of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). The EU presented the state of play of the ongoing negotiations on the renewed Generalised Scheme of Preferences applicable from 2024. Pakistan's reform agenda towards the full implementation of the 27 international conventions related to GSP+ was recognized. The new GSP Plus Scheme was also discussed, for which beneficiary countries will have to reapply, once the new Scheme is finalized.

Pakistan - EU Sub-Group on Development Cooperation

The Joint Commission was also briefed about the outcomes of the Sub-Group on Development Cooperation. Pakistan and the EU welcomed the cooperation and took stock of the progress under the previous and ongoing EU Multi Annual Financial Framework. Pakistan and The EU also exchanged views on future programmes and longer-term development needs. The EU informed about the Global Gateway, the EU's strategy for connecting the world through investments and partnerships - to be delivered through Team Europe approach - under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) as the main financial tool. Pakistan reiterated appreciation for the EU's commitment in support of its Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) following the floods of last year, which was also demonstrated at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan, held in Geneva in January 2023. Pakistan and the EU agreed on the need to explore further collaboration with European IFIs to boost Global Gateway infrastructure investments' financing.

Other issues of common interest

Pakistan and the EU emphasised the importance of comprehensive cooperation on migration management, including return and readmission under the framework of Pakistan-EU Joint Readmission Agreement. Both sides also agreed to intensify cooperation in the fight against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. The EU expressed sincere condolences on the loss of Pakistani lives in a tragic shipwreck on the Mediterranean Sea.

Both sides also underscored the significance of Pakistan-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue which aims to open pathways for legal migration, besides curbing illegal migration. They also expressed satisfaction over holding of the inaugural meeting of the Migration and Mobility Dialogue in Islamabad, which was preceded by the Joint Readmission Committee meeting and the technical round table for the Talent Partnerships. The EU also acknowledged Pakistan's generosity in hosting Afghan refugees.

Pakistan and the EU acknowledged the importance of future cooperation on security matters. In this connection, they welcomed the resumption of the Counter-terrorism (CT) Dialogue.

They also discussed the need to expand cooperation in the area of climate change and environment, as well as in the fields of education, culture, science and technology, connectivity and digitalisation. They appreciated the significance of Pak-EU knowledge partnership, in particular the growing participation of Pakistani students under the Erasmus Mundus scholarship programme. Both sides also agreed to explore research collaborations under the Horizon Europe Programme.

The Joint Commission was co-chaired by Ms Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service, and Dr Kazim Niaz, Secretary, Economic Affairs Division, Government of Pakistan.

It was agreed to hold the next session of the Pakistan-EU Joint Commission in Islamabad in 2024.

Jointly issued from Islamabad and Brussels

28 June 2023

129/2023

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South Korea Sanctions Ex-Citizen for Working on Behalf of North Korea

By Eunice Kim June 28, 2023

South Korea has for the first time placed sanctions on a former South Korean national for setting up business entities to bypass United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea and its nuclear weapons program.

Choi Chon Gon is suspected of engaging in illicit financial deals on behalf of Pyongyang, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday, including co-investing in a Russia-based trade company, Epsilon, with a North Korean.

Choi fled South Korea while under investigation by local authorities, Yonhap reports, and is now based in Vladivostok, having acquired Russian citizenship.

The 66-year-old set up a front company, Hanne Ulaan, in Mongolia in 2019 through which authorities in Seoul believe he acquired goods for Pyongyang, including foodstuffs, estimated to be worth more than $7.6 million.

South Korea also put sanctions for the first time on his North Korean accomplice, So Myong, of North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank in Vladivostok, and the company they co-invested in, Epsilon, as well as Hanne Ulaan in Mongolia.

North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank, responsible for the regime's overseas currencies, was placed under sanction by the United Nations Security Council in 2017.

Seoul hopes that by casting a wide sanctions net centered around Choi, they can prevent the former national from accessing South Korean financial resources, as well as raise awareness of the group's operations.

Choi and Hanne Ulaan were mentioned in a U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee panel of experts' report in 2021 which noted that Mongolian authorities had frozen $13,800 in funds after documents flagged their suspected ties to North Korea.

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Sergey Karaganov: Here's why Russia has to consider launching a nuclear strike on Western Europe

27 Jun, 2023

If things continue as they are, Moscow will have no choice but to use the ultimate weapon

By Professor Sergey Karaganov, honorary chairman of Russia's Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and academic supervisor at the School of International Economics and Foreign Affairs Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow

This month, there has been an active debate in Russia about the possibility of Moscow preemptively using nuclear weapons. Which would be at variance with the established doctrine. It began after the publication of an article by ProfessorA Sergey Karaganov, which prompted a wide response from the domesticA expert community.A

While Karaganov has been advocating relaxing the rules, others have different opinions: for example,A Fyodor Lukyanov thinks the West cannot be 'sobered up' by using the bomb, andA Ilya FabrichnikovA believes Russia should not 'take NATO's bait' and unleash the ultimate weapon.A

This is Karaganov's follow up response to his critics.

During over seventy years of mutual deterrence, atomic weapons have saved the world. People just took this for granted. However, now we see that things have changed and the unthinkable is happening: the West is responsible for a major war in the underbelly of a major nuclear power.

The official history of the creation of these weapons is known, but in my opinion there is also a higher power at play. It is as if the Lord God saw that a large part of humanity had gone mad, having started two world wars in a generation, and gave us these nuclear weapons, which are weapons of the apocalypse. He wanted them to be, to be in the front of our minds, at all times, and to scare us.A

But now people have lost their fear.

Over the last few decades in the United States, Western Europe and even partly in Russia, what I call "strategic parasitism" has spread: the belief that there can never be a major war and that there will never be a major war. People are accustomed to peace, and it is on this basis that modern Western ideology has grown. In addition, there is now an unprecedented amount of propaganda around, to an extent unprecedented even during the Cold War.A

People are simply being fed lies, and they are afraid to say what they really think. As a result of more than 70 years of peace, the public's sense of self-preservation has become dysfunctional, and it is further stifled by the extraordinarily virulent agitprop, part of which claims that Russia would never be able to attack Western Europe.A

Official Western propaganda pumps the idea that the West can do anything it likes and Moscow will just put up with it. This has now become very clear and vivid.

In recent years, Russia has begun to strengthen its nuclear deterrent, but the steps taken so far are woefully inadequate. We, too, became complacent at some point, following Western theories and recklessly overestimating the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, which the West is now exploiting, and not by accident either. The little bureaucrats there keep saying: no, the Russians will never use nuclear weapons.A

They do not want to hear anything different under any circumstances, as they don't want to interrupt their desire for an endless war in Ukraine. Because their military-industrial complex is greater than ours, they just want to wear us down.

I hope we never use nuclear weapons, but the fact that we refuse to allow their use in all situations except in the case of mortal danger to the state itself seems to me to be reckless.

The US is tying Russia's hands in this way, hoping that in the long run this long war will cause an internal implosion. And, as a result, this would radically weaken its main rival, China, which will be left to fend for itself.A

This is a strategic plan that is absolutely clear.

At the same time, having already thrown the Ukrainian people into the furnace, the Americans are pushing the Western Europeans into the same place, destroying the status they have held for five centuries. This policy also solves another problem a it destroys the Old World as a strategic player and potential competitor. In turn, the captured West European elites are driving their countries and peoples into the ground.A

We would like to believe that our adversaries will come to their senses. Because if they don't, Russia's political-military leadership will be faced with a terrible moral choice and the need to make a hard decision. But I believe that our president must demonstrate his willingness to use nuclear weapons at some point.

But the question is who could and should be the target of such an attack. The Americans, as we all know, have been shamelessly lying when they say that we are preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Ukraine. This is monstrous nonsense, absolutely malicious, because of course the Ukrainians are a miserable, deluded people who are being driven to slaughter. But they are still our people, and we are not going to hit them.A

If there are to be nuclear strikes, they should be aimed at countries in Western Europe that have been most supportive of the mercenary regime in Kiev.

Fortunately, we have begun to take steps up the ladder of nuclear deterrence. But we need to move faster and more decisively, even though their use would be, of course, a monstrous step and should be avoided if possible. But as the vector of development of the West, its elites and society aA and its movement towards anti-human and post-human values show a all this clearly indicates an objective drift to an eventual thermonuclear war. We have to interrupt this process and save the world a avoiding, of course, super-violent actions if possible.

We have time, but we must realize that it is rather short. We have to use these few years to solve the problem of the West, to make it step back and mind its own business, because now, to distract from its own internal issues, it is trying to start wars all over the world.

Launching the current military operation was an important aA and certainly correct aA step, although in my view it should have been taken earlier. There are a number of other moves that can be made. In particular, it is worth making it clear to everyone in the West that any attack on Belarus will be equated to a blow to Russia and will have similar consequences.

Possible Russian measures could also include missile redeployments, tests of our strategic missiles at close range, as well as psychological actions and even the severing of diplomatic relations with those countries that play the most active Russophobic roles. Also possible is a measure such as warning all Russian speakers, all citizens of the former Soviet Union, and all people of goodwill to leave places that are potential targets of a nuclear strike. This too could be a potentially powerful tool of deterrence. And all these people do not have to go to Russia: let them go to other states that do not have military facilities and do not help the Kiev regime and do not supply it with weapons and money - there are many such countries. People should return to Russia not out of fear, but out of their own free will.

When discussing a hypothetical atomic attack on Western Europe, the question arises: how would the US answer? Virtually all experts agree that under no circumstances would the Americans respond to a nuclear attack on their allies with a nuclear attack on our territory. Incidentally, even Biden has said so openly.

Russian military experts, however, believe that a massive conventional retaliatory strike could follow. It could be pointed out that this would be followed by even more massive nuclear strikes. And they would finish off Western Europe as a geopolitical entity. Which, of course, would be undesirable because, after all, we are to some extent Europeans and, to use Dostoyevsky's words, the old European stones are not alien to us.

When discussing such scenarios, the subject of China and its position inevitably comes up. Our strategic goals are the same, but our operational goals differ, of course. And if I were Chinese, I wouldn't be in a hurry to end the conflict in Ukraine, because it diverts US and Western attention and military power away from them and gives Beijing an opportunity to accumulate strength.

It's a perfectly normal, I would say respectful, position. And of course I do not want nuclear weapons to be used. First of all, for moral and ethical reasons: I think the Chinese and I agree on that.

And secondly, because the Chinese still have a small nuclear capability, it is undesirable for them to start a military and political competition in this area right now. In ten years' time they will have a first-class nuclear capability (and even in five to seven years' time their situation will change), and then the best option to prevent a major thermonuclear war will be to have a more powerful China in the front line, with Russia supporting and covering it, as the Chinese are supporting us now.

I fully understand the moral anguish of people who say: under no circumstances is the use of nuclear weapons conceivable or acceptable. To which I reply: my friends, I respect pacifists, but they exist and live in this world only because soldiers fight and die for them, just as our soldiers and officers are fighting now in Ukraine.

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Video address to the final session of the 10th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions

June 28, 2023

10:50

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ms Valentina Matviyenko, Ms Natalya Kochanova, friends,

I am happy to welcome the participants and organisers of the 10th Forum of Russian and Belarusian Regions in the hospitable capital of Bashkiria.

To begin with, I would like to note that regional cooperation, which is growing stronger with every year, is the heart of truly allied relations between Russia and Belarus, of integration processes in the Union State.

For more than ten years, our forum has been bringing together regional governors, lawmakers, heads of ministries and departments, representatives of business and expert communities, public and youth organisations of our two countries - all those who are developing friendly, neighbourly ties between Russia and Belarus.

Almost all regions of the Russian Federation and their Belarusian counterparts maintain mutually beneficial and multifaceted contacts. Our Far East, Siberia, the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol have intensified the development of partnerships with our Belarusian colleagues. The new regions of Russia are also interested in joining interregional interaction.

As I was told, overall about a thousand Russian and Belarusian delegates came to Ufa. Either they took part in the forum's official programme or in the events around it - the exhibition of regional economic achievements, a joint session of the Russian and Belarusian chambers of commerce and industry or the meeting of young parliamentarians.

I know that you had truly useful and lively discussions on the entire range of urgent practical issues of bilateral partnership and development of the Union State. Among the issues being resolved with the direct participation of the regions I want to mention the deepening of industrial cooperation, implementation of agrarian projects, introduction of advanced information technology, expansion of humanitarian ties and tourism exchanges, and support for public organisations and volunteer movements.

Importantly, you signed more than a hundred cooperation agreements and commercial contracts. This impressive result is bound to promote further economic development between Russia and Belarus and strengthen interconnectedness of our economies.

I would like to emphasise that in terms of trade volume, Belarus is Russia's number one partner among the CIS countries and fourth in the world. Last year, our trade increased by 12 percent to exceed 3 trillion rubles. This positive trend continues to strengthen; in January-April of this year, mutual trade increased by another 11 percent.

Numbers that high became possible due to, among other things, the active integration work in the regions. This work is aimed at lifting trade and administrative barriers, alignment of legislation of the two countries in the economic, social sphere, fulfilling, in a coordinated manner, the goals of national development and improving the well-being of people.

I would like to remind you that 28 industry-specific programmes approved by the Supreme State Council of the Union State have been consistently implemented since 2021. Their main purpose is to create a level playing field for the economic entities in our countries. Common financial and energy markets and transport space are being built in a concerted effort; coordinated macroeconomic, technological, industrial, agricultural and digital policies are being pursued.

Russia and Belarus are doing their best to ensure the stable operation of their economies and their immunity to the negative impact of sanctions. It goes without saying that achieving success in this matter would be difficult, or even unrealistic, without a close region-to-region partnership.

Amid unfavourable external circumstances with some Western countries refusing to cooperate and unfriendly countries closing their markets to us, Russian and Belarusian regions are doing much to expand mutual trade, which helps preserve production facilities and reorient supplies to consumers in our two countries.

Thus, exports to Russia from Belarus increased by over 70 billion rubles, because machinery and equipment, food, chemical, textile and other products that were previously sent to the West are now being sent to Russia.

With Russia's support, a number of Belarusian regions started implementing new import-substitution investment projects worth 80 billion rubles in industries such as mechanical engineering, machine tools, microelectronics and a number of others. A full cycle of competitive high-tech manufacturing is being created.

Joint regional initiatives aimed at increasing cooperation in research, education and cultural spheres, and at preserving common historical memory and combating the falsification of history deserve special mention. In particular, the first Forum of Historians of Russia and Belarus was held in Moscow in early June.

I would like to mention in this context the Memory Train project advanced by the upper chambers of the two countries' parliaments. Schoolchildren from Russia and Belarus, other EAEU member states, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan travelled by train to visit memorial places of the Great Patriotic War and took part in the forum's youth programme in Ufa.

I would like to thank the Forum's organisers and participants for their work, which, to reiterate, will further strengthen strategic cooperation between Russia and Belarus.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Belarusian friends on the occasion of your state holiday - Independence Day, which will be marked on July 3. We wish the Belarusian people happiness, peace and prosperity.

Thank you for your attention.

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Lukashenko says Wagner chief Prigozhin has arrived in Belarus

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 4:06 PM

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has confirmed that the leader of the Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has arrived in Belarus, days after the group's brief armed mutiny in Russia over the weekend.

Speaking on Tuesday, Lukashenko stressed that Prigozhin was "indeed in Belarus today," adding that he had offered the mercenary group an abandoned military site where they could "put their tents while thinking what to do next."

Several days after Prigozhin's 36-hour armed rebellion, Lukashenko said it was in fact an "interpersonal conflict" between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Prigozhin which "escalated into this fight."

Accusing Russian forces of striking and killing "a huge amount" of his fighters, Prigozhin, whose forces have been fighting alongside those of Russia in Ukraine, said over the weekend that his forces crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia on June 23, entering the city of Rostov-on-Don.

The group's leader also threatened that his men would destroy anyone who stood in their way, claiming that his forces had shot down a Russian military helicopter that "opened fire on a civilian convoy."

However, the mutiny came to an end after Prigozhin agreed, via an agreement brokered by Lukashenko, to turn his troops back from their march to the Russian capital in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Moscow dropped charges against Prigozhin and said he was free to go to Belarus.

While hailing his own role in halting the recent mutiny, Lukashenko said: "We need to be more attentive to such military collectives if we have spawned them. And we need to respond to their requests in time."

Russian authorities are preparing to transfer the Wagner group's heavy weapons into the regular military and the fighters have been told that they can either sign regular army contracts, go home or head to Belarus.

Addressing some 2,500 members of the military, the security forces, and the National Guard inside the Kremlin's Cathedral Square on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said they "de facto stopped the civil war" over the weekend.

"You saved our homeland from turmoil, and actually stopped civil war," Putin told the troops. "You have defended the constitutional order, the lives, security and freedom of our citizens. You have saved our Motherland from upheaval."

Prigozhin released an 11-minute recording Monday, explaining that the armed march he led in Moscow over the weekend was "to demonstrate our protest, not to topple the government."

Wagner troops in Belarus can spell trouble: NATO

In a related development on Tuesday, Eastern European NATO countries warned that Wagner forces in Belarus were a cause for concern, stressing that such mercenary troops would create greater regional instability.

This is while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that the US-led military alliance is ready to defend itself against any threat whatsoever, referring to the increased military buildup in NATO's eastern flank in recent years.

"We have sent a clear message to Moscow and Minsk that NATO is there to protect every ally, every inch of NATO territory," he said.

"We have already increased our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance and we will make further decisions to further strengthen our collective defense with more high-readiness forces and more capabilities at the upcoming summit," Stoltenberg added.

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NATO chief cautions members not to underestimate Russia's military might

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 11:08 AM

NATO member states should not underestimate the Russian military power, despite the short-lived mutiny against it by the Wagner group, said the chief of the US-led military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, while pointing out that it has increased its readiness to confront Russia in recent days.

"We all saw the events in Russia over the last [few] days. These are internal Russian matters," Stoltenberg said at a press conference in The Hague on Tuesday.

"At the same time, we must not underestimate Russia," said the head of the bloc, adding that NATO members will continue their military support for Kiev and send "a clear message of our commitment" at a summit in Lithuania next month.

Stoltenberg went further to claim that Ukrainian troops were "making progress" in their offensive against Russia, arguing that the more territory Kiev manages to retake, "the stronger their hand will eventually be at the negotiating table."

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian forces have suffered significant losses while failing to breach defensive lines in Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia Region.

A significant number of German-made Leopard 2 heavy tanks and US-made Bradley combat vehicles were destroyed or abandoned during Ukraine's offensive operations this month.

The New York Times cited US officials earlier this week as saying that Ukraine had failed to capitalize on the sudden Wagner mutiny.

The unrest broke out late on Friday, taking less than a day, when the private military company's boss Evgeny Prigozhin made a reconciliation with the authorities. The Wagner fighters have returned to their bases since then.

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After Prigozhin's Mutiny, Russia's Elites Wait For The Fallout

By Robert Coalson June 28, 2023

Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has reportedly entered exile in Belarus following an aborted mutiny that challenged Russia's military command, and rattled the Kremlin.

But, despite the efforts of President Vladimir Putin and his administration to project an air of confidence and stability, the fallout from the Wagner rebellion is likely only just beginning, experts say.

The murky deal that defused the immediate crisis and sent Prigozhin to Belarus was only the climactic scene "before the intermission" in a still unfolding drama, Ruben Megrabyan, Yerevan-based political scientist, told RFE/RL's Russian Service.

Analysts have assumed Prigozhin would not have carried out his mutiny unless he expected active support from key military and intelligence officials, many of whom reportedly share his disdain for Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's General Staff.

The relatively ease with which Wagner forces seized Rostov-on-Don, a city close to the Ukrainian border that is home to Russia's southern military command, and their unhindered movement north toward Moscow are seen as circumstantial indications of possible support.

"The Wagner mercenary group boss was counting on solidarity from senior army officers," Russian political analyst Mikhail Komin wrote in an analysis for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, "and since he came close to reaching Moscow without encountering any particular resistance, he might not have been completely mistaken."

Prigozhin has called in the past, Komin said, for Shoigu, a longtime Putin loyalist, to be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev. A hard-nosed commander, Mizintsev was dubbed the "Butcher of Mariupol" for his conduct of the devastating, but ultimately successful, siege of the Azov Sea port city in early 2022.

'Crash Test Of Loyalty'

Further, Prigozhin has suggested that General Sergei Surovikin, who was until January the overall commander of Russia's so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine, replace Gerasimov.

Surovikin coordinated closely with Prigozhin during Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war, which began in 2015.

Surovikin, who has commanded Russia's aerospace forces, also may have had "had advance knowledge of Prigozhin's plans," The New York Times quoted anonymous U.S. officials as saying on June 28.

In the early hours of the uprising, a video of Surovikin was published on Telegram calling on Wagner troops in Ukraine not to join the mutiny and urging them to stop.

The New York Times story also noted that "American officials have an interest in pushing out information that undermines the standing of General Surovikin, whom they view as more competent and more ruthless than other members of his command."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report as just one of many examples of "speculation" about the mutiny.

The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, citing unnamed Western intelligence sources, reported that Prigozhin originally intended to abduct Shoigu and Gerasimov "during a visit to a southern region that borders Ukraine." That trip was canceled after the Federal Security Service got wind of the plot, the paper said.

The uprising was a "crash test of loyalty" in the Defense Ministry that "has become the pretext for mass purges in the armed forces," the war-focused Telegram channel Rybar wrote on June 28.

The channel, which is linked to a former Defense Ministry official and which has published detailed reports from inside the Russian military along with accurate maps of the Ukraine invasion, asserted that Russian officers were already being removed for purported failures of supply and mobilization, but "the formal excuse was their support of [Wagner]."

Rybar also claimed that airborne forces commander General Mikhail Teplinsky had de facto taken over command of operations in Ukraine, although Gerasimov retained the position formally.

'Near-Death Experience'

In the days following the failed mutiny, Putin and his administration tried to convey an impression of unity, confidence, and stability. On June 27, Putin met with security officials and with troops that purportedly helped suppress the revolt.

Andrei Kolesnikov, a former Russian journalist who is now an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment, said such a show of bravado, however, had the opposite effect.

"It was a mistake for the Kremlin to create such a show of his gratitude because, by doing so, Putin demonstrated his weakness and his fear," Kolesnikov told RFE/RL. Putin "is showing that Prigozhin really frightened him."

Under such circumstances, the past personal loyalty of Shoigu, Gerasimov, and others might be the deciding factor, some analysts said.

"I think [Prigozhin] actually expected something would be done about Shoigu and Gerasimov, that Putin would rule in his favor," wrote Michael Kofman, a veteran observer of Russia's military, on Twitter. "Instead, his mutiny may have ensured their continued tenure, despite being universally recognized as incompetent, and widely detested in the [Russian] armed forces."

Rob Lee, a military analyst and senior fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, agreed.

"Political loyalty trumps competence, even during a war critical to [Putin's] political survival," he said in a post to Twitter.

That analysis was bolstered by statements made on June 27 by Viktor Zolotov, a former Putin bodyguard who now commands the 300,000-strong National Guard.

After meeting with Putin, he said his forces would soon be given heavy weaponry, including tanks, to help ensure government security.

Zolotov "emerged...as one of the few apparent winners in the regime's near-death experience," Simon Shuster, a Time magazine correspondent, wrote in an analysis.

Putin has created a sort of "political Twister," referring to the popular game in which players must maintain their balance while taking up increasingly awkward positions, journalist Galina Sidorova wrote in an essay.

"The last one standing wins," she wrote. "Putin, who has unleashed his own personal political Twister, has now played too much, moving his minions around. And the whole country is now reaping the fruits of his games."

'Hard Times' Ahead

Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, however, may feel they are among the losers, experts said.

The Russian military is facing an accelerating Ukrainian counteroffensive, and its already shaky morale could suffer further if doubts grow about commanders' loyalties.

"The bottom line is that the morale and motivation of Russian troops, I am sure, has been shaken," Ukrainian military expert Mykhailo Samus told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. "And this process will accelerate as the war goes on. I think that Putin's statements...have only added to the doubts about what is happening in Russia. I think hard times are just beginning for Russia's officers and soldiers."

RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Yelena Rykovtseva and Current Time correspondent Igor Sevryugin contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-prigozhin- wagner-elites-fallout-mutiny-putin/32480863.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.

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Africa Or Death? Prigozhin Unlikely To Remain In Belarus For Long

By Todd Prince June 28, 2023

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the 62-year-old former petty criminal-turned-restauranteur-billionaire warlord, has tackled many difficult assignments over the years as a Kremlin fixer: from propping up kleptocratic, authoritarian African rulers to sacking the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

Now, following an aborted mutiny that challenged Russia's military and handed President Vladimir Putin a major political crisis, Prigozhin stands on the precipice of his most daunting assignment yet:

Staying alive. Or staying out of prison. Or both.

Four days after his Wagner troops raced toward Moscow, then withdrew following a deal brokered in part by Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Prigozhin's whereabouts were still unclear.

Prigozhin was in Belarus, Lukashenka said on June 27, though there was no independent confirmation of that.

'If I Were Prigozhin, I'd Be Looking Over My Shoulder Constantly'

Putin has gone on the record saying that the one thing he cannot forgive is betrayal. He has backed that up over the years through violence, sometimes lethal, meted out to those whom he believes have turned on him or the nation.

On the morning of June 24, after Prigozhin's forces had taken the headquarters of Russia's southern military district in Rostov-on-Don, Putin denounced his erstwhile ally as a "traitor" and conveyed a stern warning of impending consequences.

"As a general rule, Putin doesn't let traitors get off lightly. So I would imagine that Prigozhin's days are numbered," said Thomas Graham, who served as Russia director on the White House National Security Council in the mid-2000s.

"If I were Prigozhin, I'd be looking over my shoulder constantly," he told RFE/RL. "Belarus wouldn't be the safest place to be."

Under Putin's leadership, Russian special services have carried out assassination attempts against "traitors" on foreign soil, including Western nations.

Aleksandr Litvinenko, a former Federal Security Service officer who died in London after being exposed to a highly radioactive isotope, and Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer and double agent who was nearly killed in the U.K. by a Soviet-era nerve agent, are two of the best-known examples.

Belarus, a Russian ally, would be even easier for Russian agents to infiltrate.

But the Kremlin's intentions, or those of Russian intelligence agencies -- where Prigozhin is believed to have allies and supporters -- remains unclear.

The Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, said on June 27 that it was dropping "armed mutiny" criminal charges against Prigozhin and Wagner members.

Given Putin's harsh rhetoric and his historic condemnation of traitors, some experts said that appeared to be a sign of weakness.

Putin's allies and supporters, however, have said that crushing the Wagner rebellion would have been far worse for Russia, and for the president, whose public support -- founded on maintaining stability and prosperity -- has begun to slip amid the sputtering Ukraine invasion.

For his part, Prigozhin hasn't been seen since the evening of June 24, where supporters snapped selfies and posed alongside his SUV as he left the city of Rostov-on-Don.

He did post an audio message to his Telegram channel on June 26 saying that Lukashenka had reached out "to find solutions to enable the Wagner group to continue its work in a legal manner." He did not give his whereabouts.

Lukashenka, speaking a day later to Belarusian military officers in Minsk, said that Prigozhin had arrived in the country.

That same day, a private business jet previously used by Prigozhin landed at a military airbase outside the Belarusian capital, Minsk. RFE/RL could not confirm whether the mercenary leader was on it.

"The last thing [Prigozhin] wants to do is go to Belarus and give up control of Wagner," Dmitri Alperovitch, a Russia expert and chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a Washington-based think tank, said in a June 26 podcast. "I am not sure that is how it is actually going to play out."

Onward and Upward?

Even if Prigozhin's presence in Belarus is confirmed, the larger question is whether he will stay there or move on to another country -- for example, to one of several African countries where his companies and his soldiers have had business operations for years.

Olga Romanova, a Russian political commentator and former journalist, doubted Prigozhin would remain in Belarus due to security concerns.

"I think he will [leave Belarus] very quietly and will suddenly emerge somewhere in Africa, if he emerges at all," she told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. "I don't think that Prigozhin will live a long life. He definitely won't survive until the end of the year."

How he would get to Africa is another question.

The United States has sanctioned the mercenary group, as well as a host of affiliated companies and individuals, for "meddling in and destabilizing countries in Africa, committing widespread human rights abuses, and appropriating natural resources."

Prigozhin himself was indicted by the United States in 2018 for allegedly interfering in the U.S. presidential election two years earlier.

That would make it challenging for him to fly to Africa, even on his private jet.

Prigozhin's ascent has been meteoric: rising from a hot-dog salesman in St. Petersburg to a powerful billionaire catering Putin's lavish events, then running a state-sanctioned mercenary force active in Africa and the Middle East.

The businessman turned his focus to Ukraine last year as Russia's invasion struggled, in part amid a shortage of manpower. He bolstered Wagner's numbers with convicts from Russian prisons and tossed them into the assault on Bakhmut, largely capturing the city in May, the first major Russian victory in 10 months.

Buoyed by  pyrrhic victory in Bakhmut that he said cost the lives of some 20,000 Wagner fighters, Prigozhin lambasted Russia's military leadership, accusing it of mismanaging the war effort and withholding supplies to Wagner.

Putin, possibly fearing Prigozhin's autonomy and growing popularity, agreed to bring Wagner's forces under the direct control of the Defense Ministry by July 1. Many experts say that was a major factor in triggering the mutiny.

Prigozhin saw the decree as an "existential threat" to his business empire, Catrina Doxsee, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said during a June 26 podcast.

The future of the Wagner Group itself is unclear.

The Defense Ministry said that the group's fighters would turn over their military equipment to the army. Putin also complained publicly that Wagner had received 80 billion rubles, or about $1 billion, over the past year in state funding, a signal that Wagner finances could be under investigation by authorities.

Some men who have fought for Wagner said they would never agree to serve under regular Defense Ministry command.

Belarus Connection

Though Lukashenka claimed he stepped in to resolve the mutiny, experts said he might have simply been a messenger brought in to spare Putin the embarrassment of negotiating with a rebel.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov appeared to back Lukashenka's claim, saying the Belarusian leader and Prigozhin had known each other for 20 years.

While Lukashenka in 2020 arrested and deported more than 30 Wagner members he accused of seeking to foment unrest, he may want to keep them around for his own needs this time around, experts said.

Wagner fighters -- who may number as many as 25,000 -- are considered to be some of the most experienced in the Russian military.

"If their commanders come to us and help us [and] tell us what is important right now...that's priceless," Lukashenka said on June 27.

Belarus does not need to fear the sudden Wagner presence in the country, he said, because his government "will keep a close eye on them."

Lukashenka "may be playing his own game" with this deal, said Mark Katz, a Russia specialist at George Mason University near Washington, D.C.

"Having Prigozhin in Belarus is a certain degree of leverage," he told RFE/RL. Lukashenka is "no puppet of Putin."

Katz said the agreement was hatched so quickly, and that Lukashenka, Putin, and Prigozhin are so suspicious of one another, that it may unravel. It was also highly possible that Prigozhin would be assassinated in a few months, he said.

"The possibility of these guys turning on each other is pretty high," Katz said. "There is a mix of greed and fear at work here on the part of all the major actors. None of them can trust each other."

Putin's Pitch

It is unclear if Wagner forces will follow Prigozhin to Belarus should the mercenary leader choose to stay there. Prigozhin claimed that only about 2 percent of his fighters were willing to sign a contract with the Defense Ministry.

Speaking on state TV on June 26, Putin made a hard pitch to entice Wagner men to ditch Prigozhin and join the Russian armed forces, which is still facing manpower issues in Ukraine.

There are reports that Lukashenka's regime has begunbuilding a camp for up to 8,000 Wagner fighters in Osipovichi in the center of the country.

"It's hard for me to imagine that Putin is going to allow Prigozhin to settle in Belarus with his fighters," Graham said. "Why can't Prigozhin do from Belarus what he did from eastern Ukraine?"

Lukashenka "can't protect him," he said.

With reporting by Current Time and RFE/RL's Belarusian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/prigozhin-future-belarus- africa-assassination-putin/32480897.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.

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Kremlin Assesses Prospects of Wagner Group Operations in CAR

Sputnik News

20230628

The Wagner Group could possibly continue its work in the Central African Republic (CAR), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, explaining that there is cooperation at the state level between Russia and the CAR, while the military advisors would continue their operations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier announced that the work of Russian instructors in the CAR would continue, with several hundred individuals currently present in the country.

Subsequently, Western media outlets quoted Fidele Gouandjika, special adviser to the president of CAR, as saying that if Wagner withdraws, the country's authorities will accept any other security group that the Russian leadership decides to send to the country.

"We have cooperation with CAR at the state level, and we will continue it. It is supported by the necessary agreements. And, of course, our military advisers will continue their operations in the necessary and required number," Peskov told reporters in response to a relevant question.

On Friday, June 23, forces of the Wagner Group (PMC) seized the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, following accusations leveled against the Russian Ministry of Defense of allegedly striking the group's camps. Both the Russian military and the Federal Security Service have denied the allegations.

On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed that he had spent the entire day negotiating with Yevgeny Prigozhin, as agreed upon with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As a result of the talks, the Wagner group leader accepted Lukashenko's proposal to stop the movement of his troops in Russia and take measures to de-escalate the situation.

Putin guaranteed that the Wagner group fighters would have the opportunity to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, return home, or move to Belarus.

A Sputnik

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Biden: Putin 'Absolutely' Diminished by Wagner Group Mutiny

By Ken Bredemeier June 28, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin had "absolutely" been weakened inside his country by last weekend's short-lived mutiny led by mercenary Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

But Biden, speaking to reporters at the White House, said it was "hard to tell" the extent to which Putin had been diminished.

"He's clearly losing the war in Iraq," Biden said, meaning to refer to Putin's 16-month war against Ukraine. "He's losing the war at home. And he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And it's not just NATO. It's not just the European Union. It's Japan. It's ... 40 nations."

Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, echoed Biden's comments when speaking with VOA's Russian service on Wednesday: "On balance, Putin is much weaker today than he was just four or five days ago. Elites in Russia, soldiers in Russia are all watching this and wondering, 'What's happened to our leader?'

"And I think that's good. Because a weakened Russia might do less in terms of damage, principally in Ukraine," McFaul said.

Prigozhin intended to try to capture Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's general staff, during a visit to a southern region that borders Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported. But Russia's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service, found out about the plan two days before it was to be executed, according to Western officials, forcing Prigozhin to move ahead with his rebellion more quickly than he had planned.

Prigozhin arrived in Belarus on Tuesday at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a Putin ally who claimed that he had to talk the Russian leader out of killing Prigozhin in retribution for the Wagner Group's advance on Moscow last Saturday. Prigozhin called off the rebellion against Putin and his defense leaders well short of a confrontation with Russian troops on the outskirts of the capital.

Lukashenko on Saturday negotiated with Putin over Prigozhin's departure for Belarus, but it still is not clear where Prigozhin is in Belarus, how many fighters accompanied him or how long he plans to stay there.

Putin has promised Prigozhin's safety in Belarus, and according to Belarusian state media, the authoritarian Lukashenko has urged Putin to not kill Prigozhin.

"I said to Putin, 'We could waste [Prigozhin], no problem. If not on the first try, then on the second.' I told him, 'Don't do this,'" Lukashenko said during a meeting with security officials, according to state media.

Western countries have sanctioned Lukashenko, 68, for cracking down on opposition figures and allowing Russia to attack Ukraine last year from Belarusian territory, while more recently letting Russia store tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for possible use in the conflict in Ukraine.

While pledging that Prigozhin would be safe in Belarus, Putin has expressed mixed views about the Wagner Group since the rebellion against his authority and the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry. Putin has characterized Wagner's leaders as traitors but said the rank-and-file mercenaries "really showed courage and heroism" in their fight against Kyiv's forces.

"When push came to shove, he [Putin] found a way to avoid starting a civil war. He found a way to avoid bloodshed, and maybe he's found a way to get rid of his Wagner problem and his Prigozhin problem that has been festering for a long time," McFaul told VOA.

Also Wednesday, media reported that General Sergei Surovikin, the head of the Russian aerospace forces and until January 2023 Moscow's supreme commander in Ukraine, has not been seen in public since Saturday. In a video posted to the messaging app Telegram, he condemned the rebellion and urged the Wagner militia members to return to their bases.

Surovikin coordinated closely with Prigozhin during Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war, which began in 2015, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

Prigozhin's arrival in Belarus came as Putin said Tuesday that Moscow had paid $1 billion between May 2022 and May 2023 to fully fund the Wagner mercenary fighters, contrary to claims by Prigozhin that he had financed his mercenaries.

"The content of the entire Wagner Group was fully provided by the state, from the Ministry of Defense, from the state budget. We fully funded this group," Putin told defense officials in televised remarks. Russia once denied the existence of the Wagner Group, but it has advanced Russia's interests in several African and Middle Eastern countries.

Many of the Wagner fighters in Ukraine were convicted criminals freed from Russian prisons on the promise that if they fought in neighboring Ukraine for six months, the remaining portions of their sentences would be rescinded.

As it has turned out, however, many of the Wagner recruits were poorly trained, were ill-equipped for warfare on the front lines in Ukraine and were quickly killed.

In addition to Russia's payments of salaries and incentive awards to the Wagner troops, Putin said Prigozhin's food and catering business was paid nearly another $1 billion to feed Russian troops.

"I do hope that as part of this work, no one stole anything, or let's say, stole less. But we will, of course, investigate all of this," Putin said of the state's funding of Wagner and Prigozhin's catering company.

Prigozhin said earlier this year that he had always financed Wagner but had looked for additional funding after Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.

Prigozhin said Monday that his troops' advance on Moscow had not been an attempt to overthrow the Russian government and that he remained a patriot. Prigozhin for weeks had complained that Russian defense officials had not provided his troops enough ammunition.

Putin has assailed the Wagner advance on Moscow as an armed rebellion and ordered that Wagner lose its heavy weaponry while its fighters either join the regular armed forces or accept exile in Belarus.

Russia's Federal Security Service announced Tuesday that it was closing an investigation into the armed mutiny.

In a statement carried by Russian news agencies, the FSB said those involved "ceased activities directed at committing the crime." Not prosecuting the fighters was part of an agreement late Saturday that ended the mutiny.

Russia's Defense Ministry also said Tuesday that the Wagner Group was preparing to transfer heavy military equipment to the Russian military.

The U.S. intelligence community "was aware" that the mutiny orchestrated by Prigozhin "was a possibility" and briefed Congress "accordingly" before it began, according to a source familiar with the issue, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Biden said earlier this week, "We made clear we were not involved. We had nothing to do with this." Biden's message that the West was not involved was sent directly to the Russians through various diplomatic channels, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. He did not characterize Russia's response.

VOA's Russian service and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Military announces rare detection of Russian warships near Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

06/28/2023 12:03 PM

Taipei, June 28 (CNA) Taiwan's military has made a rare sighting of Russian warships near Taiwan's waters and closely monitored their movements before they sailed away.

In a statement Tuesday night, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it detected two Russian corvettes at about 11 p.m. sailing north in waters off eastern Taiwan before leaving the military's monitoring range from Suao Township in Yilan County heading southeast.

The military monitored the passage of the ships by deploying joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance methods and dispatching planes and ships to follow their movements, the MND said.

The MND did not provide further details, including how far away the two Russian warships were from Taiwan's coast, or identify the two vessels.

Taiwan's military regularly makes public the movements of Chinese warships operating near Taiwan and of foreign warships, mostly from the United States, traveling through the Taiwan Strait, but it has rarely detected Russian warships navigating in the region.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ls

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Taiwan appealing to Guatemalan presidential candidates to keep diplomatic ties: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

06/29/2023 12:45 PM

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Taiwan is seeking the support of the two leading presidential candidates in Guatemala for continued bilateral diplomatic relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Taipei said Thursday, when asked about one of the frontrunners' recent comment that he would pursue closer ties with China if he wins.

MOFA spokesman Jeff Liu () told CNA that Taiwan, through its embassy in Guatemala, has extended congratulations to the two frontrunners, who emerged after the June 25 first-round election and are set to compete in the runoff in August.

Former Guatemalan first lady Sandra Torres, the candidate of the National Unity of Hope party, had said earier in an interview with Japanese media that if elected president, she would bolster Guatemala's diplomatic and commercial ties with Taiwan and consider establishing a special economic zone, with preferential taxes, to attract more Taiwanese investment to her country.

Bernardo Arevalo of the social democratic party Movimiento Semilla, however, said this week that if he wins in August, he would pursue closer links with China.

"We need to work on our trade relations and expand them in the case of China," Arevalo, a 64-year-old center-left congressman and son of a former president, said in an interview that aired Tuesday on the Con Criterio radio program in his country.

Guatemala needs a foreign policy based on it interests, said Arevalo, who scored a surprise performance in the first-round, as he was polling in eighth place among the cluster of candidates in the presidential election.

"Let's be the owners of our foreign policy," he said, adding that no one else should dictate his country's position.

Arevalo also said he would also seek "to maintain good political relations with the Republic of China in Taiwan, within the framework of mutual respect."

Asked to comment on Arevalo's statements, MOFA spokesman Jeff Liu () told CNA Thursday that the ministry is paying close attention to the latest developments leading up to the Aug. 20 presidential runoff in Guatemala.

MOFA will continue to highlight to both presidential candidates "the results of the cooperation between Taiwan and Guatemala and to actively seek their support" for maintaining the bilateral ties, Liu said.

Taiwan will also continue to work closely with the Guatemalan government on all cooperation projects for the benefit of the people in both countries, no matter who wins the upcoming Guatemalan presidential runoff, he said.

The runoff has become necessary as none of the candidates gained 50 percent of the vote in the June 25 election. The two frontrunners, Torres and Arevalo, obtained 15 percent and 12 percent of the vote, respectively.

Guatemala has maintained diplomatic relations with the Republic of China -- Taiwan's official name -- since 1933 and is currently one of only 13 countries worldwide that does so.

Taiwan has lost nine diplomatic allies since President Tsai Ing-wen () assumed office in May 2016, with the most recent loss occurring in March when Honduras switched diplomatic allegiance to the People's Republic of China.

Honduras was also the fifth Latin American country to switch ties to Beijing since Tsai took office.

Tsai's administration has come under pressure due to its refusal to accept a compromise agreement between Taiwan's previous Kuomintang administration and China, under which they acknowledged that there was only "one China," with each side free to interpret what "one China" meant.

Beijing, however, has never publicly recognized the second part of that interpretation.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/pc

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US Congress members' provocation on Taiwan question 'may interrupt Washington's attempt' to engage China

Global Times

By Yang Sheng and Liu Xuanzun Published: Jun 28, 2023 09:22 PM Updated: Jun 28, 2023 10:40 PM

After US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit earlier this month, Washington's senior diplomats and officials are keeping in touch with their Chinese counterparts to seek further engagement, including a reported trip to China in July by Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, but all these attempts might be derailed by some US politicians, as their provocations on the Taiwan question and moves to push "decoupling" will make it difficult to stabilize the China-US tension, Chinese analysts said on Wednesday.

A US bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers landed in Taiwan on Tuesday for a three-day visit, according to the American Institute in Taiwan, CNBC reported. The delegation was scheduled to meet with Tsai Ing-wen, the regional leader of the island, on Wednesday.

The visit comes at a sensitive time for China-US relations. Rogers' visit to Taipei comes as the Biden administration is taking several steps aimed at stabilizing the bilateral relationship with China, which reached a low point in February, after the balloon incident, according to CNBC.

At the same time, some Republicans are urging Blinken not to renew the "Agreement between the United States and the People's Republic of China on cooperation in science and technology" (STA), a four-decade-old agreement between the US and China that provides for scientific and technological cooperation, according to US media outlet the National Review on Tuesday.

These moves show that many hostile forces and politicians within the US are trying to damage the China-US relationship even further rather than stabilizing and managing the tense situation, but while the Biden administration is asking for further engagement with China, it does not show enough sincerity to balance these negative impacts, said experts.

According to US media, Yellen plans to visit Beijing in early July for the first high-level economic talks with her new Chinese counterpart, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the scheduling.

On Tuesday, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng spoke on the phone with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, according to the website of the Chinese embassy, but no information about visits of senior officials was mentioned.

Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that "Blinken's trip was not to repair the damaged China-US ties, but to seek communication to make sure there was no loss of control over bilateral relations. So it's natural that the US is continuing its provocations and even pushing forward confrontation and decoupling in some fields."

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, said that "China wants to stabilize the bilateral relations, but unfortunately, it seems like the US, whether its politicians in Congress or in the White House, wants to ensure that China-US relations continue to worsen and are muddying their efforts to stop this dangerous trend."

The US strategy on China has been finalized, so just like the past, seeking engagement with China will not affect their provocations against China, and China will not expect the US to completely stop provocations and confrontations, Ni said. "For China, we can just retaliate against them [the US] when we must, and talk to them when it's necessary."

Latest provocation

The Taiwan question is the most sensitive topic of the China-US relations, and China always fights back when the US provokes. The bipartisan delegation of US Congress members led by Rogers to the island of Taiwan, is definitely a provocation that could further destabilize the China-US tension, experts said.

The US House Armed Services Committee, chaired by Rogers, is responsible for oversight of the US' annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill that covers the operations of the Pentagon, including the annual defense budget and others, according to the committee's website.

Under Rogers, the House Armed Services Committee passed the NDAA bill for the fiscal year 2024 earlier this month that encourages joint military drills between the US and the island of Taiwan and exchanges among officials, in addition to military sales, direct commercial sales and industrial cooperation to build up the island of Taiwan's asymmetric defense capabilities, Taiwan media reported.

The delegation led by Rogers will likely promote more defense and military collusions between the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and the US, particularly arms sales, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US is looking to equip the island of Taiwan into a "porcupine," a move that attempts to make a reunification-by-force operation by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) (the last resort taken under compelling circumstances) as costly as possible, with the ultimate goal of suppressing China's development, the expert said.

Unlike Ukraine which shares land borders with NATO countries, the island of Taiwan is isolated and is only 200 to 400 kilometers away from the Chinese mainland, so it would be almost impossible for the US to deliver military aid after a potential conflict starts. It is presumed that a large number of anti-ship, anti-aircraft and land attack missiles and other systems including reconnaissance and guidance units delivered beforehand would more or less cause troubles to the Chinese mainland, the expert said.

The US delegation will also represent the interests of US arms firms, which are eyeing huge profits from such arms sales, analysts said.

PLA's response

On Wednesday morning, the defense authority on the island of Taiwan said in a press release that it spotted 11 PLA aircraft and four PLA vessels around the island over the past 24 hours, with three of the detected aircraft crossing the so-called median line of the Taiwan Straits and entering the island's self-proclaimed southwest air defense identification zone.

The PLA has been regularly holding military exercises and patrols around the island of Taiwan over the past few years.

On Saturday, eight PLA J-10 fighter jets, allegedly for the first time, approached the 24-nautical-mile line of the island, the island's defense authority reported at the time. The 24-nautical-mile line is often used to describe the contiguous zone, which can extend up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline.

The island's defense authority said on Tuesday that "if any of the PLA aircraft or vessels enter the island's 'territorial airspace or territorial sea,' the armed forces on the island will counterattack on order," media on the island reported.

Chinese mainland experts said that since Taiwan is part of China, its so-called territorial airspace and territorial sea are China's, and it is completely legitimate for the PLA to operate on Chinese lands and seas.

The PLA now not only holds an overwhelming advantage in the Taiwan Straits against the secessionist armed forces on the island of Taiwan, it also has the capability to deny potential external interference forces like the US, observers said.

This fact will not be changed by some arms sales or joint military exercises between the US and the island of Taiwan, and such salami-slicing moves will only force the Chinese mainland to take further concrete steps to safeguard national unity, analysts said.

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US always adheres to 'America First', and Taiwan will not be an exception: Taiwan Affairs Office

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jun 28, 2023 07:00 PM

Regarding recent military collusion between the US and the Taiwan island, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, slammed the US on Wednesday saying that they will always prioritize their own interests, and Taiwan will not be an exception, calling Taiwan island "a pawn will eventually be sacrificed" .

Over recent days the US has continuously hyped up the enhancement of Taiwan's so-called defense capabilities and reserve forces. On Friday, the US Senate Committee on Armed Services passed a bill on national defense policy and budget for the next fiscal year that will include provisions calling for military cooperation with the island.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, in turn, has recently introduced measures including the "3+1 plan" for male university students to serve in the military for one year during their four years in college, as well as lowering the requirements for individuals from China's Hong Kong and Macao to serve the armed forces.

Responding to the military collusion, Zhu said at that the current tension in the Taiwan Straits is primarily instigated by anti-China forces in the US and pro-independence factions on the island. While some US politicians claim to desire peace and stability in the region, they are actually accelerating the militarization of Taiwan and exacerbating the tension. While for the DPP authorities, they assert that "war is not an option for Taiwan," but meanwhile intensifying reliance on external forces to pursue independence through military means.

Zhu cited a number of past examples. In July 2022, US politicians proposed that "Taiwan's conscription should be extended by at least one year to ensure combat readiness." By December, the DPP announced the extension of mandatory military service for conscripts to one year.

In December 2022, the US passed the national defense authorization act for fiscal 2023 with the proposal to "ensure Taiwan's comprehensive defense mobilization." In February this year, the DPP followed up on the plan by amending the preparation act for comprehensive defense mobilization.

In December 2022, the US expressed its intention to establish a regional emergency response reserve depot for Taiwan, and in March 2023, the DPP confirmed that they were in talks with the US to convert the East Asia stockpile to the island.

These "coincidences" are evident proof that with the DPP betraying the interests and future of the Taiwan people, and that the US is accelerating the transformation of Taiwan into a powder keg, Zhu said. The young people of Taiwan are being used as cannon fodder, sacrificial pawns and victims of the DPP's appeasement to the US.

The US has always prioritized "America First," and Taiwan will not be an exception, Zhu said, and the chess piece will eventually become a necessary sacrifice for Washington.

The spokesperson urged the US to cease military contact with Taiwan, halt arms sales and refrain from engaging in actions that harm and undermine the region. She also urged the DPP authorities to abandon their illusion of relying on external forces for independence and to cease their acts of selling out and bringing troubles to the island.

The US government has made clear its commitment on the Taiwan question on numerous occasions, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated it during his recent visit to China, said Zhu when commenting on Blinken's remarks that the US does not support "Taiwan independence."

"Taiwan independence" is a dead end, Zhu said, warning DPP authorities that collaborating with external forces to provoke and pursue independence and fabricating lies about "international support" cannot deceive the people of Taiwan.

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Chinese Taipei reports 2 Russian warships in its vicinity

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 7:48 AM

The US-backed Chinese Taipei has reported detecting two Russian warships passing in the vicinity of the self-ruled island, adding that it deployed surveillance ships and aircraft to monitor their movements.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry declared in a statement late Tuesday that the Russian warships had been seen "sailing from south to north in the waters off our eastern coast" as of 11 pm local time (15:00 GMT).

It added that they "departed from our response zone" in a southeasterly direction off the port city of Suao, where there is a naval base.

Earlier in the day, Russian media reported that a detachment of ships from Moscow's Pacific Fleet had entered the southern parts of the Philippine Sea after "crossing the South China Sea."

Russian warships have conducted routine maritime exercises, including "a simulated naval battle to repel a missile attack of a simulated enemy from the sea" during long-range sea crossings, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.Taipei did not specify how far the warships were from the island's coastline.

Russian warships passing near the island is rare, though Chinese vessels and aircraft pass through the area regularly.

The development came as Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea have joined Washington in imposing US-led sanctions against Russia over Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine.

This is while the US military routinely deploys warships and warplanes to the South China Sea to assert what it claims as its "right" to "freedom of navigation" in the the region.

China, however, is strongly opposed to US military presence in the region and often acts to drive US warships approaching its territorial waters.

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Philippine president says still studying U.S. proposal on Afghans' resettlement

Xinhua) 16:42, June 29, 2023

MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines continues to study the proposal of the United States to make the country a transit area for Afghan nationals being resettled in America and other regions, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos said on Thursday.

Marcos told reporters that neither side has reached a deal regarding the Afghans.

"We continue to study (the proposal). Let's see if there's a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines," Marcos said, adding that it would be possible that both sides won't find a way to make it happen.

Marcos said discussions are underway on whether the Philippines can manage the processing of Afghans' visas. Manila wants to ensure the next step if "things start to go not as planned," he added.

Marcos said multiple issues, such as security and logistics, are under scrutiny.

Although the Philippines has a long tradition of taking in refugees, as it did during World War II, Marcos said the case of the Afghan nationals involved differences.

"These are not refugees. They are an entirely different class of (people). They are Afghan nationals being resettled by the United States in the United States and other places. We are only going to be a transition area," Marcos said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Bipartisan US delegation meets with Taiwan President Tsai

The 9-member congressional representatives include 4 members of the House Armed Services Committee.

By Chris Taylor for RFA 2023.06.28 -- A U.S. congressional delegation, led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican, and comprised of nine bipartisan members, met with President Tsai Ing-wen Wednesday after arriving in Taiwan the previous day.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, in her welcoming remarks, thanked the delegation for visiting Taiwan.

Speaking in Mandarin, she said, "By visiting Taiwan, you are demonstrating your support for Taiwan-U.S. relations."

As is usually the case with such visits, no announcement has been made about the details of the discussions with Tsai, and they will likely only be made public when the delegation returns to the U.S.

It is the largest-scale visit by U.S. congressional members in recent years. Discussions will cover Taiwan-U.S. relations and regional affairs.

Rogers and his delegation arrived on a U.S. executive plane. Foreign Minister Joseph Wu was scheduled to host a welcome banquet on Wednesday night. The group will leave Thursday.

It's the third time this year that Congress representatives have made public trips to Taiwan, but the first time Rogers has done so.

Joining him are Democratic ranking members Adam Smith, Joe Courtney, and John Garamendi from the House Armed Services Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda, David Rouzer, Gary Palmer, James Moylan, and Cory Mills, according to a Chinese-language news release from the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China 'sparks' expected

Rogers chairs the committee charged with funding and oversight of the U.S. military, which can be expected to generate some sparks in China,

The People's Republic of China has disputed territorial claims on democratic Taiwan, otherwise known as the Republic of China, and has threatened to take the island by force if it cannot be brought to heel by peaceful efforts.

"It's a big deal. They're obviously not here for fun," one source told RFA, asking not to be identified due to the delicate nature of the visit.

An American Taiwan-based legal source, also requesting anonymity for the the same reason, said, "China has gotten away with a lot because the U.S. can pay attention to one or maybe two issues at once. Now China has the U.S.'s full attention."

Another American long-term resident of Taiwan was more cautious. "I would be surprised and disappointed if such delegations were not traveling to Taiwan," he said, asking to remain nameless so as to speak freely.

"Members of Congress should feel the need to educate themselves on issues they will need to address, and getting first-hand information on the ground is one of the best ways to do that. China's attempts to bully Taiwan, especially in the context of the Ukraine war, underscore the importance of having that information."

The current visit is the first time the chairman and ranking members of the House Armed Services Committee have jointly led a delegation to Taiwan in recent years, with one Taipei-based source saying it recalled Congress's passing of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 after the U.S. diplomatically recognized the People's Republic of China.

The TRA authorized the continuation of commercial, cultural and other relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, and also declared that the U.S. would provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character and consider any threat to Taiwan's security as a matter of grave concern.

Pro-Taiwan

The delegation members represent both parties' leaders from the committee and its significant subcommittees. Rogers, who is pro-Taiwan, along with Smith, are both members of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus and support initiatives to strengthen Taiwan-U.S. security relations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in Mandarin that as the global and regional security situation is under threat by authoritarian expansion and China's continuous attempts to change the status quo, U.S. congressional leaders from military, foreign affairs, and appropriations committees are organizing heavyweight delegations to Taiwan.

This shows strong bipartisan support for Taiwan and a significant commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, the Chinese-language statement said.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently finalized the review of the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2024 fiscal year. The Armed Services Committee's draft pointed out the problem of delays of deliveries of U.S. military sales to Taiwan and demanded a report from the U.S. Secretary of Defense by March 1, 2024, outlining the benefits and challenges of jointly producing arms and ammunition with Taiwan.

In a hearing on Indo-Pacific security by the House Armed Services Committee this April, Rogers noted that China had tripled its military budget over the past decade and is actively pursuing military expansion and modernization.

A spokesperson for the Armed Services Committee declined to comment on whether the committee members currently in Taiwan are discussing the joint production of arms and ammunition with Taiwan, according to U.S. reports.

Frozen diplomacy

Rogers' visit to Taipei comes just over a week after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in an effort to stabilize U.S.-China relations, which are commonly regarded to be plumbing unprecedented depths since diplomacy was officially established nearly five decades ago.

President Joe Biden's comments about Chinese President Xi Jinping being a dictator in the aftermath of the Blinken visit likely put any thaw in the diplomatic freeze on hold.

Anti-Chinese sentiment is on a simmering boil on Capitol Hill, where one of the only issues that both sides of the political divide agree on is the importance of "de-risking" trade with China and de-escalating the risk of conflict by making China aware that there will be no backdown if China acts on its reiterated threats of hostility in the Taiwan Strait.

The presence of four House Armed Services Committee members in Taiwan, including its chairman, is not expected to bring Beijing any closer to the bargaining table, but China has yet to officially react, and it was not possible to reach its foreign ministry for comment.

Edited by Mike Firn.

Updates to add reasons sources requested to remain anonymous.

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.

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Taiwan's youth falling victim of DPP's collusion with U.S.: mainland spokesperson

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 11:00, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The young people of Taiwan are falling victim to the military collusion between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities and the United States, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, pointed out that the United States is speeding up the process of arming Taiwan with the help of the DPP authorities who are betraying the future of the island and the interests of local people.

Anti-China forces in the United States and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces are the culprits of the current tensions across the Taiwan Strait, according to the spokesperson.

Zhu said the mainland urges the United States to stop selling arms to Taiwan and sever its military connection with the island, and warns the DPP authorities to abandon their illusions and end their actions that harm Taiwan.

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Spokesperson slams DPP for stigmatizing mainland's support for Taiwan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:07, June 29, 2023

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is willing to offer more support for the entry of agricultural and aquatic products from Taiwan island, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks after Taiwan's mainland-affairs authorities claimed that the mainland was making use of economic interests to "divide" Taiwan, referencing the resumption of sugar apples entering the mainland from the Taiwan region.

While farmers in Taiwan are glad about the resumption, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have taken an opposing attitude and are stigmatizing the mainland's endeavors, the spokesperson said.

The attitude of the DPP authorities shows that they fear closer relations across the Taiwan Strait, and do not care about the interests of local farmers, Zhu said.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Slams Another Quran-Burning Incident in Sweden

Sputnik News

20230628

ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that another incident of Quran burning in Sweden was unacceptable and accused the Stockholm authorities of "complicity in a crime."

Earlier in the day, media reported that the Swedish police allowed a protest action featuring the burning of a Quran near the main mosque in Stockholm on the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's major holidays.

"I condemn the heinous act committed in Sweden against our holy book, the Holy Quran, on the first day of the blessed Eid al-Adha. It is unacceptable that these anti-Islamic acts are allowed under the pretext of freedom of speech. Turning a blind eye to such heinous acts is complicity in a crime," Fidan said on Twitter.

In April, the Stockholm Administrative Court ruled that the Stockholm police's refusal to issue a permit for the Quran burnings near the Iraqi and Turkish embassies was unfounded. The police later appealed the decision in court.

In January, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the right-wing Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned copies of the Quran in Sweden in protest against the Turkish leadership. In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Stockholm should not count on Ankara's support for its NATO membership bid.

A Sputnik

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June 28, 2023

Release

Readout of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Ms. Sasha Baker Meeting With U.K. Ministry of Defence Director General Security Policy Mr. Paul Wyatt

Department of Defense Spokesman Lt. Col. David Herndon provided the following readout:

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Ms. Sasha Baker met with U.K. Ministry of Defence Director General Security Policy Mr. Paul Wyatt today at the Pentagon to discuss current matters important to the U.S.-UK defense relationship.

The three leaders discussed a range of defense and security issues including the war in Ukraine, the upcoming NATO Summit, and each country's approach to security in the Indo-Pacific region.

They expressed their commitment to continuing to strengthen the U.S.-UK special relationship.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3442624/

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Federal Council rejects export request for Leopard 1 A5 tanks destined for Ukraine

The Federal Council - Swiss Government

Bern, 28.06.2023 -- On 28 June, the Federal Council rejected a request from Ruag AG concerning the export of 96 Leopard 1 A5 tanks destined for Ukraine as it is inconsistent with applicable law. It has therefore given priority to Switzerland's commitments as a neutral country and to the reliability of its application of the rule of law.

On 27 April, Ruag AG submitted an export request to SECO for the re-sale of 96 used and non-operational Leopard 1 A5 tanks. The tanks are currently in storage in Italy and would require refurbishment in Germany before being re-exported to Ukraine.

The Federal Council has concluded that the sale of the 96 tanks is not possible under the law as it stands. In particular, such a sale would contravene the War Materiel Act and would result in a shift from Switzerland's policy of neutrality.

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China's position on Ukraine crisis 'consistent and clear,' Chinese Foreign Ministry says following Fu Cong's interview with Al Jazeera on Crimea

Global Times

By Chen Qingqing Published: Jun 28, 2023 05:36 PM

In response to the latest remarks of the Chinese envoy to EU Fu Cong at Al Jazeera addressing Ukraine's 1991 territorial integrity, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday China's position on Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear.

"We believe that all parties should create conditions for a political settlement of the crisis through dialogue and negotiation," Mao Ning, spokesperson of the ministry, told at a press conference on Wednesday.

Mao's comments were made following Al Jazeera on Tuesday publishing an interview with Fu whose remarks were interpreted as that China could back Ukraine's aims of "reclaiming its 1991 territorial integrity, which includes Crimea question."

"I do not know Ambassador Fu's specific statement, but as I just said, China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and very clear. With regard to your mention of Crimea, we also hope that Crimea can be resolved through political channels," Mao said.

In a recent interview with Al Jazeera and two other media outlets, when Fu was asked about whether he supports Ukraine's goals, "which includes reclaiming other Ukrainian regions now occupied by Russia," the Chinese diplomat said, "I don't see why not."

Some Chinese observers believe that Fu's quotes were taken out of the context with ill-intentioned motives of creating discord between China and Russia or creating pressure on China over the Ukraine crisis, and some chose to spin the remarks as "China unexpectedly supports Ukraine's desire to liberate Crimea."

"China's position on the Ukraine's territorial claims have not changed, but the Western media is now trying to create ambiguity from clarity, creating new pressure on China," Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Fu's remarks are considered to be a reiteration of China's consistent position as China does not recognize the reality of the change of sovereignty in Crimea, but it does not explicitly support one party's territorial request, the expert said.

However, Al Jazeera and other media outlets interpreted his words as "China supports Ukraine's territorial claim", which is an over-interpretation, Cui noted.

In response to questions on whether China would recognize the referendum results in Crimea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a media briefing on March 17, 2014 that China always respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries.

The Crimean issue should be resolved politically within the framework of law and order, and all parties should exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may exacerbate tensions, the ministry said.

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MoD purchases NASAMS launchers for Ukraine, will also transfer armored personnel carriers, ammunition

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2023-06-28

International cooperation

The Ministry of National Defence responds to the continued brutal Russian missile attacks against military and civilian targets in Ukraine and to Ukraine's request for urgent assistance in strengthening air defence: two medium-range NASAMS air defence system launchers will be purchased for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On June 27 the Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence signed the acquisition contract with Norwegian company Kongsberg.

"We are purchasing upgraded NASAMS missile launchers which will be fully ready for integration with the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire control units thus supplementing and extending its NASAMS operational capability donated by Norway and U.S.," says Minister of National Defence Arvydas AnuAauskas.

The contract is worth approx. EUR 9.8 million. Lithuania will also arrange the transfer and hand-over of the equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine which will take place in the coming three months. The Ministry of Defence of Norway will contribute to the assistance with a donation of NASAMs launcher maintenance equipment.

NASAMS medium-range air defence system are used in the Lithuanian Armed Forces as well.

The military assistance package is also planned to comprise ten M113 armored personnel carriers, thus making it to the total of 72 such vehicles donated by Lithuania.

Lithuania placed an order for 12.5 million rounds of ammunition for Ukraine to be produced in 2023, 2.5 million of it will be handed over to Ukraine shortly. Thousands of rounds of anti-tank ammunition for grenade launchers will follow soon as well. With this assistance package, Lithuania's contribution to Ukraine's defence will exceed half a billion euros.

The Ministry of National Defence has also made a commitment to continue the support to Ukraine in the long-term by endorsing a military assistance plan covering at least 200 million of euros assistance in 2024-2026.

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The President: Ukraine defends its Constitution with blood

President of the Republic of Lithuania

June 28, 2023

On Wednesday, President Gitanas NausAda, together with Polish President Andrzej Duda, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and participated in Ukraine's Constitution Day celebrations.

At the event marking the 27th anniversary of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President emphasized that Ukraine has been defending its Constitution with blood since 2014.

"Ukraine defends its freedom and independence with blood. It defends its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It defends the rule of law and the freedom of self-determination. It defends language and culture. The flag and the coat of arms. The path it has defined in the Constitution - integration into the free Western world. Into the European Union and NATO," the President said.

Gitanas NausAda expressed his admiration for the strength of the spirit of Ukrainians and their belief in Ukraine's ultimate victory.

"Ukraine will never stand alone. Because it defends what belongs to us all. What is written down in the Constitution of every democratic state. What is invincible. Today, Ukraine is defending the freedom of all of us," the President said.

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OSCE supports discussions on use of constitutional justice tools to defend human rights in Ukraine in times of war

OSCE | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

28 June 2023



Ukrainian and international legal professionals, civic activists, experts and youth join a series of events under the Constitution Week initiative to discuss how to better use constitutional justice for defending human rights in times of war. The initiative, organised by the OSCE Support Programme in partnership with the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, culminated on 28 August 2023, the country's Constitution Day with the International Conference "The Constitution of Ukraine and the Triad of European Values: A Eurointegration Perspective". The event enabled Ukrainian and foreign constitutional judges, practitioners, academics and international experts to review the importance of the triad of European values - democracy, human rights, and the rule of law - to play their role during the armed conflict.

"We commend the resilience of our Ukrainian partners, of your institution, to continue to uphold the values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law - our common values, enshrined in international legal instruments, in the Helsinki Final Act. They have inspired and guided us for nearly 50 years. We stand by these principles even as in minds of many people this war has placed a big question mark near them", said Pierre Baussand, the OSCE Support Programme Manager welcoming participants of the Conference.

The discussions during the conference will also help to further align Ukraine's constitutional justice with European constitutional tradition and international law.

In a separate occasion, on 27 June a joint effort with the Aspen Institute Kyiv engaged leaders of legal profession in dialogue cafA "Constitutionalism under Extreme Conditions: Dialogues on Justice during the Times of War". 30 judges, lawyers, MPs, top government officials, human rights activists, journalists, opinion leaders discussed the challenges and shared future visions of Ukrainian constitutionalism.

"War against Ukraine poses extreme challenges to the constitutional order, Ukrainian society and democratic institutions. At the same time, it is an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to the constitutional values and democratic future of Ukraine,A - said Vitalii Gatseliuk, member of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine - This dialogue, in my opinion, is key ingredient in forging nation-wide consensus on Ukraine's post-war future."

On 26 June 2023 the OSCE Support Programme offered the youth - future lawyers - an opportunity to explore challenges and discuss prospects for constitutional justice reform, with special focus on the use of constitutional complaint. The Youth Constitutional CafA engaged law students in dialogue with peers and leading constitutional experts and Constitutional and Supreme court judges on access to justice on practicalities of constitutional justice under current conditions; national and international remedies in human rights protection.

These project efforts are part of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, implemented with financial contributions from participating states and partners, full list of donors is available here.

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US Congress pushes Biden to send cluster bombs to Ukraine

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 10:38 AM

A bipartisan panel of US lawmakers is urging Joe Biden's administration to send mass-destructive cluster munitions to Ukraine, in a move that could help Kiev inflict heavy casualties on Russia forces and raise serious human rights issues.

In a letter sent to US President Joe Biden on Friday, Joe Wilson, Steve Cohen, and Victoria Spartz, a bipartisan group atop the Helsinki Commission, urged the White House to send enhanced dual-purpose conventional munitions, better known as DPICMs, to Ukraine to assist in an ongoing counter-offensive.

The weapon, which can be fired from artillery shells and scatter up to 88 bombs across the battlefield, could help Ukraine break through Russian tanks and dug-in positions. But if not cleared, bombs can be left to kill and maim civilians long after the war is over.

But the pressure to send artillery cluster bombs has intensified inside the US government and on Capitol Hill, as the Pentagon has sent or is preparing to send weapons at the top of Ukraine's list, starting with howitzers and ending with F-16s. And with Russia successfully clinging to the dragon's toothed trench lines, the pressure is only getting stronger.

"[T]ransferring DPICMs to Ukraine presents an opportunity to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a powerful capability to use against the Russian army and mercenary forces," the lawmakers wrote to Biden on Friday.

"Let us use this untapped, vast arsenal in service of Ukrainian victory, and reclaiming Europe's peace." The letter was sent to Biden before Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin staged an abortive mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin that managed to take control of a Kremlin military logistics hub in Rostov-on-Don over the weekend before petering out.

Russia hawks, including some Republican lawmakers, have argued that the Biden administration has been too slow to approve sending battle tanks and begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, hindering Ukraine's ability to launch a successful counterattack.

Biden administration has sent more than $40 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia first launched its military operation in February 2022. The United States and other NATO allies have been decisive in preventing Russia from winning.

Foreign Policy previously claimed that Ukraine quietly received DPICMs from other NATO allies, such as Turkey, which began sending US-designed cluster munitions to Ukraine last fall.

However, according to lawmakers, the US has a much larger arsenal of these weapons which can be fired from 155mm howitzers that the Biden administration first provided to Ukraine last year.

Cluster bombs are banned under the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), an international treaty that addresses the humanitarian consequences and unacceptable harm caused to civilians by cluster munitions through a categorical prohibition and a framework for action.

The weapons can contain dozens of smaller bomblets, dispersing over vast areas, often killing and maiming civilians long after they are dropped.

The convention bans all use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster bombs. More than 100 countries have signed the treaty, but the United States has not.

According to media reports, Ukrainian troops also fired cluster munitions against Russian positions in an effort to take territory in the eastern Donbas region earlier this year.

As the bomblets scatter randomly, experts worry that civilians could easily mistake them for toys or debris.

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Twin Sisters Among Those Killed In Russian Shelling Over The Past 24 Hours

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service June 28, 2023

More than a dozen civilians, including two 14-year-old twin sisters, have been killed in Russian strikes on Ukraine over the past day, regional officials said on June 28.

In the latest strike, three civilians in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region were killed by Russian shelling on June 28 as the casualty toll from a missile attack the previous evening in the neighboring Donetsk region rose to 11 dead and 61 wounded.

Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synehubov announced on Telegram that "three civilians in the village of Vovchanskiy Khutory were killed near their homes" as a result of the June 28 attack. The Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's office reported that a 69-year-old woman was injured in the strike and was fighting for her life.

The shelling came as Russian forces continued their aerial assault around the country and rescuers continued to search for survivors of the deadly missile strike that targeted the Donetsk region city of Kramatorsk on the evening of June 27.

Veronika Bakhal, spokeswoman for the Donetsk region emergency services, told Ukrainian television on June 28 that as of midday "rescuers have recovered the bodies of 10 people from the rubble" in Kramatorsk. Authorities later raised the number of dead to 11.

Bakhal said eight people had been rescued alive and at least three more were believed to still be trapped among the debris.

Kramatorsk was targeted by two Russian missiles on June 28 in the evening, with one hitting a crowded restaurant and shopping center in the city center and a second hitting a village on the outskirts of the city in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

The 14-year-old twin sisters were among the victims, according to a Telegram post by the Kramatorsk City Council, which said that "a Russian rocket stopped the beating of the hearts of two angels."

Early on June 28, Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko wrote on Facebook that the body of a boy had been pulled from the rubble. An 8-month-old baby was injured but there was "no threat to his life," the National Police said in a message on Facebook.

The head of the Donetsk military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said 18 multistory buildings, five schools, and two kindergartens had been destroyed in addition to the shopping center and pizzeria, which was reportedly frequented by journalists, aid workers, and soldiers.

The second missile that hit the outskirts of the city left five injured. A third missile hit buildings in Kremenchuk, a city in central Ukraine's Poltava region, but no casualties were reported.

In a related development, Ukrainian authorities on June 28 arrested a local man accused of directing the strike on the Kramatorsk city center, which reports indicated was carried out using either an S-300 surface-to-air missile or an Iskander ballistic missile.

Kramatorsk is a major city in the Donetsk region that houses the Ukrainian Army's regional headquarters and is likely a key objective in any Russian advance to the west. It has been a frequent target of Russian attacks.

It was hit on May 2 by rockets fired from a Tornado multiple-rocket launcher. Russian forces claimed a railcar full of ammunition was destroyed in that strike.

In April 2022, 63 people were killed in a Russian strike on Kramatorsk's main railway station. At least two other strikes have hit apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure in the city this year.

In response to the outcry over the attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 28 claimed Russia only carries out strikes "that are in one way or another linked to military structure."

Moscow has repeatedly denied shelling the civilian population in Ukraine despite evidence and testimony to the contrary.

As of June 18, the UN confirmed 9,083 civilian deaths in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, said that the attacks on Kramatorsk showed that Russia "deserved only one thing as a consequence of what it has done -- defeat and a tribunal."

In Washington, the White House condemned Russia for its "brutal strikes" against Kramatorsk and would continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself and to regain territory occupied by Russian forces.

"We condemn Russia's brutal strikes against the people of Ukraine, which have caused widespread death and destruction and taken the lives of so many Ukrainian civilians," a spokesman for the White House National Security Council said on June 28.

The spokesman added that President Joe Biden told Zelenskiy on June 25 that the United States "will continue to stand with Ukraine and provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself against Russian aggression."

On June 27, the Pentagon announced a new military package for Ukraine worth up to $500 million that will include the provision of Bradley fighting vehicles, Stryker armored personnel carriers, and other equipment.

Zelenskiy said on Twitter that he was "sincerely grateful" for the latest arms delivery, while the Russian Embassy in Washington said the new package by the United States "only confirms its obsession with the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on the Russian Federation."

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force reported early on June 28 that six Iranian Shahed drones launched "from the southeastern direction" by Russian forces overnight had been shot down.

The Ukrainian military also said that its ongoing counteroffensive in the east of the country continues with a focus on the Lyman, Bakhmut, and Maryinka fronts.

Amid concerns that the counteroffensive has gone more slowly than expected, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told the Financial Times on June 28 that Ukrainian forces have made "certain gains" that the country's military leaders had not made public to avoid exposing troops.

Reznikov also said that most of Ukraine's troop reserves, including brigades equipped with modern Western weapons, have not been used in the counteroffensive.

In a speech to parliament on Ukraine's Constitution Day on June 28, Zelenskiy said he would not accept any peace proposal that turns Russia's war on his country into a frozen conflict.

Zelenskiy's remarks signaled that he remains opposed to any peace plan that freezes territorial gains made by Russia since it began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Zelenskiy has drawn up a 10-point peace "formula" that includes restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and the restoration of Ukraine's state borders.

Meanwhile, the Lithuanian and Polish presidents visited Kyiv on June 28 to meet Zelenskiy and show support for Ukraine's bids to join NATO and the EU, ahead of summits by both bodies.

EU leaders hold their regular summit in Brussels on June 29-30 this week, and NATO is holding its annual summit in Vilnius in two weeks.

Zelenskiy has been pressing in particular for the NATO summit to include a "political invitation" for Ukraine to join the Western military alliance.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-kramatorsk-russian- missiles-crowded-civilian-deaths/32478461.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.

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Belarus Gave Ukrainian Businessman Firtash Diplomatic Immunity To Prevent His Extradition To U.S., Report Finds

By Current Time June 28, 2023

Belarusian authorities have reportedly provided Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash with diplomatic immunity to prevent his extradition from Austria to the United States, where he is wanted on corruption charges.

A report by Deutsche Welle said on June 27 that it became known at a hearing of the Higher Regional Court in Vienna earlier this month that as of 2021 Firtash has the status of an aide to a Belarusian envoy at a UN agency, which his lawyers insist give their client diplomatic immunity and therefore he cannot be extradited.

The Austrian Justice Ministry, meanwhile, says Firtash has never been properly accredited at the UN office in Vienna and therefore cannot be considered as a person who has diplomatic immunity.

A regional court in Austria ruled in mid-June to send Firtash's case back to the first instance to assess the legality of Firtash's diplomatic status and his immunity from prosecution, Deutsche Welle reported on June 27.

The court said on June 16 that it concluded that new facts and evidence in the case have raised concerns over a February 2017 court decision to extradite Firtash to the United States, adding that the case must be sent for retrial to find out if the new information is true and is sufficient enough to block his extradition.

Firtash, once a powerful ally of Ukraine's ousted Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, faces a U.S. indictment accusing him of a conspiracy to pay bribes in India to mine titanium, which is used in jet engines.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Firtash was arrested in Austria in 2014 and then freed on 125 million euros ($136 million) bail, kicking off a still-unresolved legal saga.

A Vienna court initially ruled against extradition on the grounds that the indictment was politically motivated, but in February 2017 a higher court overruled the decision and concluded Firtash must be extradited.

Last month, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said Firtash, along with managers of companies under his control, had been served with "notices of suspicion" of embezzlement.

According to the SBU, the damage Ukraine's State Treasury suffered from the embezzlement activities allegedly committed by Firtash's group in Ukraine's gas transit system are estimated at up to 18 billion hryvnyas ($484 million) between 2016 and 2022 as part of a "large-scale scheme."

In June 2021, Kyiv imposed sanctions on Firtash, accusing him of selling titanium products that Ukraine said ended up being used by Russian military enterprises. Firtash denied the allegations at the time.

With reporting by Deutsche Welle

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-ukrainian-firtash- diplomatic-immunity-extradition-us/32480565.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.

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Russian Forces Strike Oil Refining, Fuel Storage Facilities in Ukraine

Sputnik News

20230628

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have carried out strikes at oil refining and fuel storage facilities that support Ukrainian troops in Donbas, all designated targets were hit, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The Russian Aerospace Forces carried out strikes with high-precision weapons at oil refining and fuel storage facilities to ensure the Ukrainian armed forces' grouping in Donbas. All designated facilities were hit. The purpose of the strike was achieved," the ministry said in a statement.

Decimation of Saboteurs

An Ukrainian sabotage group has been destroyed in the Kherson direction during an attempt to enter the Antonovka island, the Russian Defense Ministry added.

"In the Kherson direction, skillful actions of Russian troops and artillery fire destroyed an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance unit while trying to land and secure the northern part of Antonovka Island," the ministry said in a statement.

Fruitless Counteroffensive Efforts

Russian troops have repelled five attacks by Ukraine in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours.

Ukrainian troops continued to attempt offensive operations in the Donetsk, South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions over the past day, the ministry added.

"In the course of active defense in the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Group of [the Russian armed] forces successfully repulsed five enemy attacks in the areas of settlements ... in the Donetsk People's Republic," the statement read.

As a result, Ukraine lost 240 military, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, as well as a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, the statement read.

Additionally, Russia repelled two attacks by Ukrainian troops near the Vremevka ledge over the past 24 hours, the ministry said, adding that Kiev lost 235 soldiers, two tanks, three armored vehicles and other pieces of military equipment in the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions.

Destruction of Ammunition Depots

The Russian military has destroyed a Ukrainian military's ammunition warehouse in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry added.

"A warehouse of missiles and ammunition of the 47th artillery brigade of the armed forces of Ukraine was destroyed near the settlement of Novopavlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry stressed that Russian forces hit point of temporary deployment of command personnel of the 56th motorized infantry brigade of Ukraine in Kramatorsk.

A Sputnik

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Lithuanian President Says Vilnius Acquires 2 NASAMS Air Defense Systems for Ukraine

Sputnik News

20230628

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Lithuania has purchased two NASAMS short- to medium-range ground-based air defense systems for Ukraine, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Wednesday, expressing hope that the NATO summit in Vilnius would bring more collective decisions on arms supplies to Kiev.

"Lithuania has acquired two NASAMS launchers that will be transferred to Ukraine ... Looking forward to more collective decisions on support to Ukraine at the #NATO summit in Vilnius," Nauseda tweeted.

In February, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said that Vilnius had handed over Stinger man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) to Kiev and sent its military to Ukraine to train the country's troops to operate the weapons.

Western countries have been providing financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's military operation in February 2022. The support evolved from lighter artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023. For the past months Ukraine has been pushing to be supplied with fighter jets. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev.

Previously, Lithuanian president arrived to Kiev with unannounced visit to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss the military aid to Ukraine and NATO bid negotiations.

A Sputnik

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Russia's attempts to undermine the organisation will fail: UK statement to OSCE

At the Chair's Annual Security Review Conference, Director Matt Baugh underlines that the UK's support to Ukraine and the OSCE will endure.

28 June 2023

Thank you Chair, thank you Secretary General and thank you to our keynote speakers for their remarks. I would like to start by reiterating the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine. I would also like to pay tribute to North Macedonia for their work chairing the OSCE this year under such challenging circumstances.

When we convened in this forum last year, the European security situation had fundamentally changed. Through its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia - enabled by Belarus - shamelessly violated core OSCE principles and the UN Charter. Principles on the non-use of force, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Tragically, as we meet today, the situation has not improved. More lives lost, more people displaced, more infrastructure destroyed, and more environmental damage needlessly inflicted.

We continue to confront Russian aggression repeatedly in this room, challenging the lies by which the illegal invasion was justified. The world need not take only our word. Putin's own henchman confirmed that the invasion was built on a lie. My Foreign Secretary, speaking to Parliament on Monday, highlighted Prigozhin's words: "there was nothing out of the ordinary before 24 February 2022." Prigozhin himself said that Russia's Defence Ministry was "trying to deceive both the President and the nation ... that there was incredible aggression from the Ukrainian side with NATO support ready to attack Russia". This is important. The Russian government's lies have been exposed by one of Putin's own.

Chair, Russia continues to show contempt for the OSCE and its work. Not least as we meet today, as a Chair's Conference, after Russia blocked the adoption of the Annual Security Review Conference agenda. More broadly, Russia continues to weaponise the OSCE's consensus principle, obstructing the work of the organisation by delaying critical decisions on its budget and mission mandates.

Russia also seems intent on dismantling the architecture of confidence and security building mechanisms. After withdrawing from the Treaty on Open Skies shortly before it launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has now declared its intention to withdraw from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty. We will discuss this in more detail at the Conference of States Parties tomorrow, but this is further evidence of Russia's willingness to sabotage mechanisms, decades in the making, for its own short-term gain.

Chair, last week, together with Ukraine, the UK co-hosted the Ukraine Recovery Conference - which sent a clear message that a community of nations and organisations stand with our Ukrainian friends as they face this immediate threat. We are particularly grateful to the Secretary General for her participation. For our own part, the UK is committed to providing the capabilities that Ukraine requires, whether long-term economic and fiscal support, or our support for its own defence. Sanctions imposed by the UK and a range of international partners are also having deep and damaging consequences for Putin's ability to wage its war - catalysing their longest recession for over 25 years.

Chair, the UK will stand by the OSCE. Despite Russia's irresponsible and hostile attitude towards this organisation, the OSCE continues to demonstrate its considerable value. From the early warning provided by the Vienna Document to the most recent invocations of the Moscow Mechanism. From Central Asia to the Western Balkans, the OSCE's presence on the ground shows the value of the organisation every day. The Forum for Security Cooperation continues to hold important discussions on thematic priorities focused on Ukraine, including Children & Armed Conflict for the very first time. And earlier this year, 46 States endorsed the update to the annual voluntary questionnaire on Women, Peace & Security under the Code of Conduct (on Politico-Military Aspects of Security) - the first since its creation in 2011. I say this to prove - as if we needed it - the OSCE is both valuable - and valued.

As Europe's regional security organisation, the OSCE has decades of experience supporting States to manage and resolve conflicts. Experience that can help Ukraine rebuild and recover. A toolbox, missions and instruments that continue to matter to the wider region too. Notably in Georgia, Moldova, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Western Balkans and Central Asia - including managing the situation in Afghanistan.

Chair, Russia's attempts to undermine the OSCE will fail. The OSCE is unique. The OSCE continues to matter; and, with our support, it will endure.

Thank you.

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As a full member of NATO, Ukraine will guarantee that peace and freedom will prevail in our region - Head of State, presenting the guidelines of the Ukrainian Doctrine

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 23:41

Ukraine will reinforce the partnerships and alliances in which it participates; in particular, it has already made the European Union stronger and will strengthen NATO, as it will be a donor of security for the whole of Europe and the world after the victory. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy when presenting the guidelines of the Ukrainian Doctrine at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine.

"Ukraine has always relied and will continue to rely on alliances. Russia, on the other hand, views all its neighbors as slaves or enemies. Obviously, the world is and will be on our side. Obviously, Ukraine is strengthening and will continue to strengthen the partnerships and alliances in which it participates," the Head of State emphasized.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine has already historically strengthened the European Union and given the European unity such power that the European Union has never had.

"Every postulate for which the European Union was created is now working to the maximum throughout its existence. European values have never been as effective as they are now. The Ukrainian component is what the EU has been lacking. And it is no longer a dream, it is a reality," he noted.

The President reminded that Ukraine has gained the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union, and this year it is to start a dialogue on full membership in the EU.

"We all have to consider the European Union for Ukraine not only as a value-based and economic union, but also as security for Ukraine. The European Union is economic and institutional security for Ukraine. And Ukraine is a factor of unity for the European Union," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.

The Head of State also said that Ukraine's accession to NATO would eliminate two fundamental weaknesses of the Alliance: doubts about the real application of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and the opinion that the Alliance allegedly has aggressive goals.

"We are now a recipient of security assistance. But the victorious Ukraine will be a donor of security for our region, for the whole of Europe, for the whole world. And Ukraine is already a donor of moral strength. Anyone who cooperates effectively with Ukraine becomes a co-defender of the international order and universal values," the President said.

According to him, no one any longer doubts that Ukraine is capable of defending itself and its allies.

"Secondly, everyone in the world has seen that Russia's war against Ukraine is unprovoked and criminal - aggressive and genocidal. Ukraine's accession to NATO will be a powerful signal to the world that this is an Alliance that protects and will protect, and this is an Alliance that has the experience of winners and the moral superiority of winners - winners in a completely just defense," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

In his opinion, after Ukraine's victory over the aggressor, the allies will want Ukrainian combat brigades to be deployed on the land of our neighbors.

"Because Ukraine is a country of strength, everyone can see that. NATO will guarantee security for Ukraine, and our Defense and Security Forces will guarantee security and protection for other NATO members," the President said.

In order for this to become a reality, the Head of State is convinced that all our partners in the Alliance should stop looking back to the Kremlin when making important decisions, because Ukraine's victory will free the world from the problem of dangerous Russia.

According to him, regardless of how the global agenda on Russia develops, Ukraine will have the necessary weapons to protect itself and its allies from any Russian encroachment on our sovereignty and people's security.

"As a full member of NATO, Ukraine will guarantee that peace and freedom will prevail everywhere in our region," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

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Russia and its accomplices must feel that the price of their terror will only increase for them - address by the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 22:49

Dear Ukrainians!

First of all, regarding yesterday's Russian attack on Kramatorsk. Today, work continued all day at the site of the attack. Unfortunately, the death toll has increased. Russian missiles claimed the lives of 11 of our people, including three children. My condolences to the families. More than 60 people were injured and wounded.

Today, the Security Service of Ukraine together with the police special forces detained the person who coordinated this terrorist attack. They hit an ordinary cafe in Kramatorsk, a popular pizzeria. Neighboring houses, shops, and a gas station were damaged. An ordinary city, an ordinary life. There may still be people under the rubble.

Everyone who helps Russian terrorists destroy life deserves the maximum punishment. And this applies not only to some collaborators. Everything is clear about them. These are people without humanity. Anyone in the world who does not understand that one cannot be an accomplice of a terrorist state must be held accountable by the entire international community. The spotter is being charged with treason. The possible punishment is life imprisonment. Accomplices of a terrorist state must be treated as betrayers of humanity.

We will continue our work to strengthen international sanctions against Russia and its accomplices. They must feel that the price of their terror will only increase for them. And we will continue our global legal work to ensure that international instruments work in one way or another to punish all Russian terrorists and the aggressor state itself.

Today, in my address to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the occasion of Constitution Day, I spoke, in particular, about justice. I spoke about internal justice, which is about accountability for violations of law in Ukraine. And about justice in relation to the Russian-Ukrainian war - about Russia's accountability for war crimes. The policy of justice will be one of the foundations of the Ukrainian Doctrine, a fundamental document that will determine the course of our country for decades.

We need such a document. Everyone in Ukraine, all our neighbors, everyone in the world should know what our national goal is, what we consider to be the end of this war, and how we are going to live after this war. No matter what the occupiers try to do against us and no matter what kind of terror they use, they will not be able to break Ukraine. They will not succeed in knocking us off the path that leads the occupiers to accountability for everything they have done against us and that leads us to our guaranteed security and lasting freedom.

Ukraine and everyone in the world who stands with us in defense of freedom will also stand in defense of justice. Justice for all those whose lives were taken by Russian terror, whose fate was broken by the Russian war. Eternal memory to all our people, to all Ukrainian children who were killed by Russian savages!

I would like to briefly report on the day.

The Presidents of Lithuania and Poland, Gitanas NausAda and Andrzej Duda, paid a visit.

A very timely and useful visit on the eve of Vilnius. The format of the talks was both joint and bilateral. Weapons for Ukraine. By the way, thank you, Gitanas, Mr. President, for the decision to purchase and transfer NASAMS systems to Ukraine, as it is very much needed. We discussed common political challenges in the entire region and between our countries. Of course, we also talked about the launch of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union, which we expect to happen this year.

I met with Chief Master Sergeant of the 47th separate mechanized brigade "Magura" Valerii Markus. We talked about the war, our warriors, and our defense.

We also discussed the reform of record keeping in military structures. Less paperwork and bureaucracy, more digitalization. We discussed the reform of the sergeant corps. It was a good conversation. Thank you for the chevrons!

Today, on the Constitution Day of Ukraine, I had the honor to award our warriors and hand over state awards to the families of our heroes. It was very emotional, very honorable. I am proud of our warriors! I am grateful for everything and for the saved life of Ukraine!

Congratulations to everyone on Constitution Day and, most importantly, I wish us all, each and every one in our country, to multiply freedom, glory and independence of Ukraine! And so it will be!

I also congratulate all Muslims of Ukraine and the world on the beginning of Kurban Bayram. May we all achieve peace for our country, for our countries, for our children. A fair and just peace.

I thank everyone who is fighting and working for Ukraine! I am grateful to each and every one who is now in combat, at combat posts and in positions. Thank you, warriors, for your new advancement!

Glory to Ukraine!

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Ukrainian Formula provides for fair peace, therefore it has universal benefit for the world

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 22:20

The Ukrainian Peace Formula will be useful for all peoples of the world who seek a true, just peace. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy when presenting the guidelines of the Ukrainian Doctrine at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine.

"Ukraine has proposed the Peace Formula, the only comprehensive and fair plan to overcome both the Russian aggression and all its consequences. The content of the points of the Peace Formula and the Formula itself are in line with the UN Charter and supported by the UN General Assembly. More than 25 international documents have declared support for the Peace Formula, including statements and declarations by the G7, the European Union, and the Council of Europe," the President noted.

According to him, Ukraine is bringing together the world majority for the full implementation of the Peace Formula and is preparing a Global Peace Summit that will allow all nations to show their leadership in the implementation of certain points of the Formula.

The Head of State emphasized: Ukrainians have proved that Russia should not be feared, because it loses when it meets bold and confident resistance.

"The free world has all the weaponry, sanctions, political, economic and, most importantly, value-based advantages that allow it to build a complete defense against any Russian encroachment and blackmail. And this is no longer a dream, it is a reality. Together with our partners, we have already started building such a system of advantages," the President said.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the victory, Ukraine will use the moral force it has gained to modernize existing international institutions, as it already sees the interest of various leaders and nations. In particular, it is about a fair reform of the UN Security Council, where the Russian aggressor is still present and abuses the veto.

"We see that the coalitions and approaches we have developed to overcome Russian aggression and its consequences, having worked for Ukraine, are capable of ending other wars and removing dormant sources of destruction and death - the so-called "frozen conflicts" - from the face of the earth," the Head of State is convinced.

According to him, peace must be fair, and this is the kind of peace envisioned by the Ukrainian Peace Formula, and therefore it has universal benefit.

"Ukraine will never agree to any option of a "frozen conflict", any! On the contrary, Ukraine will help all other nations of the world striving for a true, just peace with our Peace Formula," the President emphasized.

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President of Ukraine suggests developing a policy of heroes for Ukrainian warriors

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 21:21

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggests that the future Ukrainian Doctrine should include a policy of heroes aimed at meeting the needs of combatants and war veterans. The Head of State said this when presenting the guidelines of the Doctrine at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine.

"The Ukrainian state needs new principles of gratitude to you, gratitude to all those who fought in the war for Ukraine's freedom and independence. The invaluable experience of Ukrainian warriors should be effectively used in the process of ensuring real security for the world," the President said.

Among the components of the policy of heroes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy named ensuring the state's demand for warriors who want to continue serving Ukraine and the people after the war is over.

A platform should also be developed to export Ukrainian defense knowledge, practices, and experience gained by our troops during hostilities.

"Ukrainians will be able to share their successful experience of effective defense against full-scale aggression in peacekeeping missions, particularly under the auspices of the UN, international training missions, etc., because after the victory we will have even more of such important and valuable experience... All this is a huge opportunity for Ukraine and our heroes," the Head of State is convinced.

The unique combat experience should also be used in the new system of military education in Ukraine, the President noted.

"Ukrainian warriors and all those who train Ukrainian warriors should know that real practice will be the basis of the new Ukrainian military education. The state will integrate the training programs that have now proven their effectiveness, as well as the real combat experience of our soldiers and sailors, sergeants, foremen, officers, and our generals, into the military education system," he said.

In addition, the President believes that full integration of veterans into the social and economic life of the country should be ensured, in particular by means of acquiring a related civilian specialty, creating a system of support for warriors and their families based on the principle "equal with equal".

"The state must create a system of support for the warriors and the families of our warriors that will guarantee them that their every emotion and need will be understood by the person helping them, because this person has gone through the war, has gone through losses, has gone through everything that needs to be understood to be effective in integrating veterans into social and economic life. Warriors are the most effective helpers for other warriors, and the relatives of our warriors are the most effective helpers for other relatives of warriors," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President also called for the introduction of a real national standard of the barrier-free environment for heroes: new requirements for urban planning, infrastructure, public space, transport, social and educational systems, and business environment.

"Ukraine needs to create the strongest rehabilitation industry in Europe. This applies to both the construction of rehabilitation centers and the training of relevant personnel. The state will facilitate the creation of the necessary number of jobs not only to provide rehabilitation for our people, but also to enable us to become a global exporter of practices of recovery and integration into post-war life for absolutely everyone who has experienced and suffered from war," the Head of State said.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine should implement the world's best practices and the most effective policies so that Ukrainians do not have to endure the pain, stress and trauma of war.

"In particular, we must finally fairly legalize cannabis-based medicines for all those who need them, with appropriate scientific research and controlled Ukrainian production," the President added.

Veterans should also be involved in the civil service in Ukraine, and should be part of councils at various levels, including the Verkhovna Rada.

"Hiring veterans is an honor for any business. Helping veterans start their own business is an honor for the state, for every community, for every business association, and for anyone who knows what it means to be at war. And this should not be a dream, it should be a reality in Ukraine," he said, adding that it should become a large-scale national task.

According to the Head of State, the culture of heroes, including the memorialization of the war and the experience of Ukraine's victory, should become an important component of the policy of heroes.

"Creating a Pantheon of Heroes and a National Military Cemetery. Establishment of a National Museum of the Russian-Ukrainian War and a system of local museums that will honor the memory of the war and preserve the experience of victory for future generations of the Ukrainian people," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.

It is also about creative reflection on the experience of the war, exporting the experience of our victory through culture, creating an official history of the war, defining a national canon of interpretation of the war with Russia - the participants in the war, its key events, stages, Russian war crimes and achievements of the Ukrainian resistance.

"A new cultural policy regarding our heroes of different times who fought for Ukraine's freedom and independence, and the reburial in Ukraine of all our heroes who are buried abroad. This is very important," the Head of State stressed.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Gitanas NausAda hold meeting in Kyiv

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 19:48

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a bilateral meeting with President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas NausAda, who is visiting Kyiv.

The head of the Ukrainian state said that the visit of the Lithuanian colleague on the Constitution Day of Ukraine is another confirmation of significant and timely support from Lithuania.

Zelenskyy thanked NausAda for defense assistance to Ukraine, which reached about 1.5% of Lithuania's GDP.

Separately, he noted today's decision to buy two NASAMS launchers by the Republic of Lithuania to transfer them to Ukraine.

"Thank you for the decisive step to strengthen our defense capability and defend Ukrainian skies and citizens from enemy attacks," the Head of the Ukrainian State said.

The leaders agreed on positions on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius. In this context, the President of Ukraine expressed his gratitude to the President of Lithuania for the effective support of our country's movement toward membership in the Alliance.

Zelenskyy also briefed his colleague on the situation at the front and the current needs of the Ukrainian troops to continue the defense and de-occupation of Ukrainian territories.

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Presidents of Ukraine and Poland hold bilateral meeting in Kyiv

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 19:32

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a bilateral meeting with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, who is visiting Kyiv.

The head of the Ukrainian state said that Duda's presence in Ukraine on Constitution Day is an important signal of support for our country, especially on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the defense assistance that Poland provides to our country. The President of Ukraine also highly appreciated Warsaw's leadership in creating a tank coalition and active participation in the coalition of fighters, in particular, the willingness to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

The Ukrainian head of state informed his Polish colleague in detail about the situation on the battlefield and the key needs of Ukraine at the front in order to speed up the liberation of Ukrainian territories from Russian invaders.

The leaders coordinated positions on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius. Zelenskyy highly appreciated the position of the President of Poland regarding the political invitation of Ukraine to NATO membership.

The heads of state separately discussed several topical issues of bilateral cooperation.

"We have repeatedly found solutions to complex issues together. This will correspond to the high level of relations and the spirit of strategic partnership between the two states," the President of Ukraine said.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with presidents of Poland, Lithuania in Kyiv

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 18:34

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda and President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas NausAda, who arrived in our country on a visit.

Congratulating Ukraine's friends and partners, Zelenskyy noted the importance of their visit today - on the Constitution Day of our state.

"Such a meeting is an obvious signal of support for our freedom and our Europe, our desire to live freely and according to the law. I want to thank you, Gitanas. Very grateful for everything. I thank you Andrzej. I thank the nations and states, Lithuania and Poland, for the crucial daily support of Ukraine - defense, political, economic, and humanitarian," the Head of State said, addressing the leaders of Lithuania and Poland during a joint meeting with media representatives following the negotiations in Kyiv.

Separately, Zelenskyy thanked Lithuania for its strong decision to buy two NASAMS air defense systems to transfer them to Ukraine.

"This is really necessary for us, our people - Ukrainian men and women," he said.

At the meeting, the leaders of the three countries discussed the entire range of current security issues. Zelenskyy briefed his colleagues on the active actions of the Ukrainian troops at the front, which make it possible to liberate our land step by step.

The parties discussed preparations for the NATO summit in Vilnius.

"There is a real opportunity to make the decisions of the Summit really necessary for the whole of Europe. It depends only on whether these decisions will be in the interests of the real strength of the Alliance, that is, aimed at inviting Ukraine to NATO," the President of Ukraine said.

Attention was also paid to Ukraine's European integration. Zelenskyy said that our state expects to start negotiations on EU membership already this year and thanked partners for their support.

"Of course, we talked about the Peace Formula and our preparation for the Global Peace Summit, which will unite different states for the sake of one goal - the real overcoming of Russian aggression. Russia will lose this war, no one in Europe doubts that. And we will achieve peace and real long-term security for our nations. Together, in unity, strengthening each other, strengthening our Alliances, in particular NATO, strengthening the European Union and our common European way of life," the Ukrainian Head of State said.

On the occasion of Constitution Day, the President of Ukraine once again thanked friends and partners - Lithuania, Poland, as well as their nations, who provided shelter to Ukrainians from the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion.

For his part, President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda congratulated Zelenskyy and the entire Ukrainian people on Constitution Day and said that his visit today with the President of Lithuania proves once again that Ukraine is sovereign, independent, proud, free, and will remain so because it will win the war with the Russian aggressor. He expressed hope that the war would end with Ukraine returning all its territories within internationally recognized borders.

Duda named the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine on the way to full membership in the North Atlantic Alliance among the most important tasks of the Vilnius Summit.

"We are deeply convinced that Ukraine's security is the security of all of us. These are our common interests - to make NATO as strong as possible in our part of Europe. And very shortly - for Ukraine to become a full member of the Alliance, one of the armies of the Alliance, to which Article 5 of the NATO Charter applies," he said.

The President of Poland also assured support for our country's aspirations to become a full member of the European Union.

The leader of the Republic of Lithuania said that his country supports Ukraine's membership in NATO, and the upcoming summit in Vilnius should speed up our country's entry into the Alliance.

NausAda also expressed hope that the Ukrainian state will start negotiations on joining the European Union already this year.

The President of Lithuania said that he admires the strength of the spirit of Ukrainians, showing the determined desire of our people to defeat the enemy.

NausAda said that soon two NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system launchers, which his country purchased to defend the Ukrainian sky, would arrive in Ukraine.

"We must support Ukraine as much as necessary on the way to victory. This is the decision of our state and our people. Lithuania will provide arms to Ukraine and participate in the recovery. People who were forced to leave Ukraine because of the war will feel very good in Lithuania," the leader of the Republic of Lithuania said.

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On 27th anniversary of Ukraine's Constitution President proposes reference points of future Ukrainian Doctrine for discussion, presents state awards

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 16:16

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine, during which he proposed reference points of the future Ukrainian Doctrine for nationwide discussion.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, government officials and representatives of the diplomatic corps also attended the session.

As Zelenskyy noted during his speech in the session hall of the parliament, Ukrainians have already shown that courage gives freedom and will prove that freedom gives success. "We will make it a Ukrainian axiom: freedom gives success," he said.

The President congratulated all citizens on the Constitution Day of Ukraine, which, despite everything, retains its free soul and is governed by its people.

Zelenskyy is convinced that Ukrainian society needs a new system, new rules, and new opportunities because, for a very long time, public institutions and representatives of the state treated Ukrainians cruelly, disparagingly, and predatorily.

"We will create a new and much stronger Ukraine! Let's all decide together what kind of winner Ukraine will be. Just as we protect freedom and independence together," the President said.

"As the Constitution lays the foundations, we need a Doctrine for our state. Clear, not blurred, bold Doctrine. For Ukraine, which is on its way to victory. And for Ukraine, the winner. This Doctrine should answer all the fundamental questions about Ukraine and our future - for ourselves, for our neighbors, and for everyone in the world," the Head of State said.

Based on the results of discussions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, communities, media, on educational, public and business platforms in Ukraine, the text of the Ukrainian Doctrine will be developed and approved at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Separately, Zelenskyy invited Ukrainian warriors: from soldiers, sailors, and sergeants to generals, to participate in the discussion of the provisions of the future document.

"No one has the right to determine Ukraine's fate without asking them, our heroes. And I ask each member of the defense and security forces of Ukraine - to the extent that the conditions of war allow - to participate in our nationwide discussion on the Ukrainian Doctrine," the Head of State said.

As the guarantor of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President proposed five main reference points before the start of the nationwide discussion on the Ukrainian Doctrine.

The first is the philosophy of our victory.

The second is the global nature of Ukrainian security.

The third is the policy of heroes.

The fourth is the policy of justice.

The fifth is the transformation in 10 years (new foreign policy, economy, relations between the state and society, development of territories, education and science, culture, and level of security and freedom in Ukraine).

"These are the directions that can be laid out in these or other specific points that the nation will determine as important," the President said.

"Freedom is the child of indifference, and security is the brother of courage. The victorious Ukraine will be a country worthy of its heroes," the Head of State said.

After the speech, Zelenskyy presented the Gold Star orders to servicemen who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, and handed over the orders to members of the families of soldiers awarded this title posthumously.

In particular, Colonel Serhiy Yaremenko received the order from the hands of the President. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of the territory of our country, units of the anti-aircraft missile brigade under his leadership have destroyed a total of almost 490 enemy targets.

The Head of State presented the Gold Star of the Hero of Ukraine to the commander of the assault company of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant Oleksandr Kovalenko. In August 2014, he joined the Aidar volunteer battalion, as part of which he defended Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. After the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against our country, he inflicted significant losses on the enemy in manpower and equipment many times, personally capturing a serviceman of the Russian army. He repeatedly led the assault operations of the company in Donbas. The territory, which the infantry of the Wagner PMC was taking for four months, was liberated in four days by the assault company led by Oleksandr Kovalenko.

Zelenskyy also handed over orders to relatives of servicemen who were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

In particular, the awards were given to the families of tank platoon commander Lieutenant Vitaliy Sapylo and senior tank platoon driver mechanic Oleksandr Lukianovych, who on February 25, 2022, during the defense of Ukraine's borders with Belarus, destroyed up to 30 pieces of Russian military equipment, but in an air attack near the village of Ivankiv, Kyiv region, they suffered injuries incompatible with life.

The President also handed over the Gold Star of the Hero of Ukraine to the family of the tank commander of the tank platoon, chief sergeant Oleksiy Seniuk, who, after the start of the full-scale Russian offensive, participated in the defense of the city of Chernihiv and died on February 27, 2022, while performing a combat mission.

The highest state award was also given to the mother of the deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile battery, Lieutenant Vitaliy Movchan. On the day of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the anti-aircraft missile unit led by the lieutenant identified and destroyed the air targets of the enemy, bombing the positions of Ukrainian troops in Donbas. However, enemy Mi-24 helicopters, using the complex terrain, struck Vitaliy Movchan's combat vehicle.

The Head of State also handed over the order to the mother of junior lieutenant Yuriy Blokha, who died on March 2, 2022, in Mykolaiv region. He secured the departure of the security platoon, thereby saving the lives of the personnel, but in the enemy's mortar fire, he received a wound incompatible with life.

The award was given to the family of the artilleryman, senior soldier Oleksandr Labunsky, who, together with the commander of the rocket artillery battery, destroyed columns of Russian troops moving toward Kyiv and came under enemy fire. The serviceman died while performing a combat mission.

The order was also awarded to the mother and sister of Lieutenant Bohdan Korniychuk, who since 2020 participated in the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas and defended Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion. At the beginning of March 2022, in Donetsk region, he was withdrawing the combat equipment of the unit from under the strikes of Russian artillery, entered into an unequal battle with the enemy, and was mortally wounded, but at the cost of his life, he helped the rest of the tank company unit regroup and repel the invaders.

The Head of State handed over the Gold Star to the family of Staff Sergeant Serhiy Kulyk, an instructor for the training of artillery units of the Training Center of the International Peacekeeping and Security Center of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Ground Forces Academy. At the beginning of March 2022, near the city of Bucha, Kyiv region, during the battle with the Russian occupiers, Serhiy Kulyk called in a fire on his own position and saved the lives of his comrades. Thanks to his courageous actions, a mass attack of the enemy was repulsed, and the manpower and equipment of the Russian army were destroyed.

The award was also given to the family of the deputy commander of the mechanized brigade, Captain Viktor Otserklevych. The captain repeatedly conducted in-depth reconnaissance behind enemy lines. At the beginning of April 2022, Viktor Otserklevych led subordinate personnel out of the enemy encirclement in Luhansk region. He got behind the wheel of an armored personnel carrier and drove to an observation post captured by the enemy, where he destroyed the Russian invaders at the cost of his own life. Thanks to this, the entire staff left the ring.

The President handed the order to the relatives of the commander of the mechanized platoon, Lieutenant Yulian Stupak, who died in early March 2022 during the liberation of the settlement of Husarivka, Kharkiv region. The lieutenant personally destroyed the enemy's tank, which enabled the units to gain more advantageous positions. Later, he covered the platoon's exit and died heroically, saving the lives of the personnel.

Those present observed a moment of silence in memory of those who died fighting for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy also presented the award of the President of Ukraine Cross of Combat Merit to senior sergeant Halyna Kozachenko, senior sergeant Dmytro Hneva, soldier Serhiy Kolinko, lieutenant colonel Vasyl Krasovsky, major Bohdan Kuzmenko, colonel Ivan Lukashevych, and major Ivan Ursatiy.

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Every war ends in peace, but this peace must be on terms that are fair to us - Andriy Yermak in the Amanpour program on the President's Peace Formula

President of Ukraine

28 June 2023 - 11:59

The Ukrainian Peace Formula is a comprehensive set of solutions, the implementation of which will allow achieving sustainable and just peace in Ukraine, as well as creating a framework for security around the world based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law. This was stated by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak during his participation in the Amanpour program on CNN.

Speaking to Christiane Amanpour, a leading international TV host, Andriy Yermak described the details of the meetings that the Ukrainian delegation recently held in Copenhagen with national security advisors and political advisors to the leaders of Brazil, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the EU, Italy, India, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the United States, TArkiye, Ukraine, France, and Japan on the implementation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.

"We talked about the future. We talked about peace, about the principles of the United Nations. It was a very important and successful meeting. I look forward to continuing these consultations," he said.

Andriy Yermak said that the Ukrainian side emphasized that such consultations should be based on President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. At the same time, Ukraine is ready to discuss its points with all states that respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, the principles of the UN and international law on which the Ukrainian Peace Formula is based.

According to him, the participants of the meeting positively noted this format of consultations and agreed to continue this work to further elaborate on the issue of holding the Global Peace Summit in the future.

Andriy Yermak also expressed Ukraine's position on expectations from the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11-12. In particular, the Head of the President's Office noted that Ukraine seeks to receive a clear signal regarding its future membership in the Alliance, as well as interim security guarantees until the moment of accession to the Alliance, which will help continue the fight against Russian aggression and prevent the recurrence of such invasions in the future.

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Latest in Ukraine: Man Accused of Assisting Russian Attack on Kramatorsk Pizza Place

By VOA News June 28, 2023

Latest developments:

Pope Francis' peace envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, traveled to Moscow weeks after a visit to Kyiv, with the Vatican saying he seeks "a solution to the tragic current situation" of the war in Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin is a diminished figure after the short-lived mutiny by Wagner Group mercenaries.

-----

Ukraine's counterintelligence service said Wednesday that it had arrested a man it accused of helping Russia direct a missile attack that hit a popular pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk, killing at least 11 people and wounding another 61.

The restaurant has been frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers as well as local residents. The Security Service of Ukraine provided no evidence for its claim that the arrested man had filmed the restaurant and had told the Russians about it.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov repeated Russia's claim that it does not target civilians.

The strike during dinnertime on Tuesday was one of several Russia launched on Ukrainian cities throughout the evening and into early Wednesday.

Emergency services posted photos of rescue teams searching through the rubble at the restaurant.

Kramatorsk is west of the front lines where fighting is taking place in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine.

A Russian strike on the city's railway station in April 2022 killed 63 people.

Ukraine also reported a Russian missile strike Tuesday in Kremenchuk, which came exactly a year after a Russian attack there killed at least 20 people at a shopping mall.

"Each such manifestation of terror proves over and over again to us and to the whole world that Russia deserves only one thing as a result of everything it has done a defeat and a tribunal, fair and legal trials against all Russian murderers and terrorists," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday.

Air defense

Lithuania said Wednesday it was buying two Norwegian-made NASAMS air defense systems for Ukraine's military.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced the deal as he visited Kyiv for talks with Zelenskyy.

"The NASAMS launchers will reach Ukraine in the near future," Nauseda said on Facebook.

Zelenskyy welcomed the move, tweeting that he was grateful to the Lithuanian leader.

"This is an important and timely contribution to protecting Ukraine's sky and saving lives of Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed the main directions of transformation that Ukraine should implement in a decade

President of Ukraine

29 June 2023 - 00:26

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes to envisage in the Ukrainian Doctrine the main directions of transformation that our country should undergo in ten years. He said this when presenting the guidelines of the future document at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine.

"In this time, we have to overcome a path that other nations have been overcoming for decades, and this is true. The victorious Ukraine will get special attention and trust from the world, and every manifestation of such attention and trust should be directed to the development of Ukraine and all aspects of life in our country," the President emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the first concrete goal for Ukraine is to reach a GDP level of a trillion dollars, and our country's potential is capable of ensuring this.

The second point is to reject the idea that the cheapness of Ukrainian labor is a competitive advantage.

"Our goal is to reach a level of wages that could be determined by the formula "neighbors in the European Union plus 30%". This is a goal, a fair goal, for this war. The victorious Ukraine will rely primarily on skilled labor. And therefore, on education," the Head of State said.

The President also emphasized the need to spread the English language, as in the modern world it is the language of global cooperation, business, science and global communication.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy defined the third most important task as the return home of as many of our citizens who have left the country as possible. To do this, it is necessary to create as many jobs as possible.

"The transformation of every sector of the economy, every social practice, and all spheres of public administration must answer the question of how many new jobs a particular solution or initiative will create in Ukraine," he said.

The President also called for the formation of a new policy of supporting parenthood and childhood. According to the Head of State, the second and third child in a family should be happiness, not a limitation of opportunities.

A special Mriia app will be created to help families, it will support everything related to parents and children: services that parents and children need, development and education, security and contact with the state. Ukraine's digital transformation team will present this Mriia in the autumn, as stated by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Head of State also emphasized the importance of protecting business, as economic leadership provides security.

"Everyone who creates new jobs in Ukraine creates the basis for Ukraine's economic leadership. The victorious Ukraine will protect the right of every person to work as long and as hard as he or she wishes. We need to modernize labor legislation," he stressed.

According to the President, the seventh point of the transformation of the state should be a new rational tax agreement between the state and society and real legalization of property.

"I am a supporter of tax cuts. But now, in this time of war and Ukraine's obvious dependence on cooperation with financial donors, we cannot afford to cut taxes. But when the victorious Ukraine becomes a donor to the world itself, our level of opportunities will be higher. Reduced taxes should mean increased tax compliance," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

He noted that digitalization offers tremendous opportunities to simplify relations in the field of taxes, customs and other areas where there is a meeting or any contact between a citizen and an official, a businessman and an official. Therefore, we should strive to introduce automatic digital procedures in these areas.

As part of the transformation, Ukraine will be rebuilt, so after the victory, our country will become the largest construction site in Europe.

"We need to rebuild hundreds of towns and villages, thousands of infrastructure facilities, hundreds of thousands of houses. This will give a boost to the economy. We have to forget about our past as a raw material exporter. The victorious Ukraine is a country of high value added goods. It is a country where regulations allow the development of any business that is an innovator in its field and where intellectual property is protected. The victorious Ukraine is a country that exports security, services, experience, culture, and, in general, the results of intellectual activity, technological products more than any raw materials," the President noted.

Our state will also develop cooperation and economic relations with all global players, including India, Africa, Latin America, the Arab world, and China, and Ukraine's energy potential allows us to be one of the guarantors of energy security in Europe, particularly through the development of nuclear and "green" energy, the Head of State is convinced.

In addition, the victorious Ukraine must become a country that has implemented pension reform so that everyone who works today has decent support in the future. In this context, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on MPs to take steps to ensure this reform.

The President is also convinced that the victorious Ukraine should be a country where culture is an export industry.

"Currently, the cultural sector needs at least one percent of GDP per year as a basic level for survival. But it is clear that the industry should and must be more ambitious. Ukrainian courage has indeed awakened a tremendous interest of people from different countries in us, in Ukrainians, in our cities and villages of Ukraine. Every such interest is an opportunity," he said.

According to the Head of State, Ukrainian society also needs a new policy of protecting public space in cities and communities, a new museum and memorial policy, a new policy of books and book publishing, writing and reading, translations of foreign books for Ukraine and the spread of the Ukrainian language and Ukrainian books in the world, support for bookstores, audiobooks and digital subscription services, rethinking our libraries, etc.

In addition, Ukraine needs a new cinematography policy and support for filmmaking, and the world should make movies about Ukraine and in Ukraine.

The Head of State also drew attention to the need for a new territorial policy for each region liberated from Russian occupation. This should be a very detailed and at the same time holistic, visionary transformation policy.

The President emphasized the issue of internal security.

"Russian aggression has shown us what security standards are needed for life. Accessibility of shelters - maximum. Schools - with a shelter. Hospitals - with a shelter. Houses - with a shelter. Ukrainians will trust specific things that provide specific security," he stressed.

In this context, there is a need to resolve the issue of weapons that people have and will have, to address the issue of demining and meet the needs for its implementation, the issue of everyday security of people, etc.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the neighborhood policy the final guideline.

"A strong neighborhood is always the result of very different, very profound things. In fact, a successful neighborhood can summarize any of our other successes in our country, in our region, and in global relations. Economy and culture. Defense and security. Transport and communication. Education and attitude to history. Interaction between states and interaction between us, between people... All this determines the quality of neighborhood. It determines whether there is understanding between neighbors," the Head of State summarized.

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TOKYO, June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Electronic Weighing Machines Market Size accounted for USD 3.8 Billion in 2022 and is estimated to achieve a market size of USD 5.4 Billion by 2032 growing at a CAGR of 3.5% from 2023 to 2032.



Electronic Weighing Machines Market Highlights and Stats:

In 2022, the global Electronic Weighing Machines market was valued at USD 3.8 Billion, and it is projected to expand to USD 5.4 Billion by 2032. The market is expected to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.5% during this period.

The major drivers of growth in the Electronic Weighing Machines market include increasing adoption in various industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and retail, as well as the need for accurate and efficient weight measurement solutions.

Some of the key players in the Electronic Weighing Machines market include Mettler-Toledo International Inc., Sartorius AG, A&D Company Ltd., and Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC.

Electronic Weighing Machines are used for various applications, including weighing goods, ingredients, and raw materials. They provide precise measurements, improve operational efficiency, and ensure compliance with weight regulations.

Electronic Weighing Machines Market Report Coverage:

Market Electronic Weighing Machines Market Electronic Weighing Machines Market Size 2022 USD 3.8 Billion Electronic Weighing Machines Market Forecast 2032 USD 5.4 Billion Electronic Weighing Machines Market CAGR During 2023 - 2032 3.5% Electronic Weighing Machines Market Analysis Period 2020 - 2032 Electronic Weighing Machines Market Base Year 2022 Electronic Weighing Machines Market Forecast Data 2023 - 2032 Segments Covered By Type, By Distribution Channel, And By Geography Electronic Weighing Machines Market Regional Scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa Key Companies Profiled A&D Company, Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix, LLC, BONSO Electronics International Inc., Doran Scales, Inc., Essae-Teraoka Pvt. Ltd., Fairbanks Scales Inc., Kern & Sohn GmbH, Mettler-Toledo International, Inc., Sartorius Group, and Shimadzu Corporation. Report Coverage

Market Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Competitive Analysis, Player Profiling, Regulation Analysis

Electronic Weighing Machines Market Analysis

The Electronic Weighing Machines market has witnessed significant growth in recent years. This growth can be attributed to the increasing adoption of weight measurement solutions across various industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and retail.

Electronic Weighing Machines are essential for accurate weight measurement in manufacturing processes, ensuring quality control and compliance with standards. In the logistics industry, these machines enable efficient handling and shipping of goods by accurately measuring their weight. Retailers rely on electronic weighing machines to ensure pricing accuracy and fair trade.

Advancements in technology have led to the development of highly accurate and user-friendly electronic weighing machines. These machines are equipped with features such as digital displays, connectivity options, and advanced weighing algorithms, making them more efficient and convenient to use.

Leading players in the Electronic Weighing Machines market include Mettler-Toledo International Inc., Sartorius AG, A&D Company Ltd., and Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC. With the increasing demand for accurate and efficient weight measurement solutions, the market is expected to continue growing, with further advancements in technology and expanded applications.

Electronic Weighing Machines Market Trends:

Integration with IoT and cloud-based platforms: Electronic weighing machines are increasingly being integrated with IoT and cloud-based platforms, enabling real-time data monitoring, analysis, and remote management of weighing processes.

Advanced connectivity options: Electronic weighing machines now offer wireless connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing seamless integration with other devices and systems for data sharing and automation.

Smart features and automation: The market is witnessing the adoption of electronic weighing machines with smart features like automatic weight calibration, self-diagnosis, and programmable settings, improving efficiency and reducing manual intervention.

Mobile and portable weighing solutions: There is a growing demand for mobile and portable electronic weighing machines that can be easily transported and used in various locations, catering to the needs of mobile businesses and field operations.

Growth Dynamics in the Electronic Weighing Machines Market:

The growth of the Electronic Weighing Machines market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for accurate and efficient weight measurement solutions across various industries.

Technological advancements in electronic weighing machines have led to improved accuracy, precision, and user-friendliness, making them indispensable in manufacturing, logistics, and retail sectors.

The market also benefits from the need for compliance with weight regulations and standards, ensuring fair trade and quality control. Electronic weighing machines provide reliable and traceable weight measurements, contributing to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, the growing focus on automation and digitalization in industries drives the adoption of electronic weighing machines. These machines can be seamlessly integrated with other systems, such as inventory management and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, improving overall operational efficiency and data accuracy.

The market's growth is also supported by the increasing emphasis on sustainability and resource optimization in industries. Electronic weighing machines enable precise measurement of raw materials and ingredients, minimizing waste and optimizing resource utilization.

Additionally, emerging trends such as e-commerce and the expansion of the retail sector contribute to the demand for electronic weighing machines. Accurate weight measurement ensures pricing accuracy and reduces losses due to incorrect pricing or underfilled packages.

Electronic Weighing Machines Market: Reasons for Slowdown

The growth of the Electronic Weighing Machines market may face some challenges.

Firstly, limited adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) due to cost considerations and lack of awareness about the benefits of electronic weighing machines.

Secondly, the availability of counterfeit or low-quality electronic weighing machines in the market, leading to concerns about reliability and accuracy.

Thirdly, the high initial investment required for advanced electronic weighing machines with smart features and connectivity options may hinder their adoption, particularly in price-sensitive markets.

Moreover, the market's growth may be affected by stringent regulations and standards related to weight measurement, as compliance can add complexity and cost to businesses.

Lastly, the emergence of alternative technologies or innovative solutions for weight measurement, such as non-contact sensors or artificial intelligence-based systems, could potentially disrupt the electronic weighing machines market.

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Segmentation of the Electronic Weighing Machines Market:

By Type

Kitchen Scale

Retail Scale

Laboratory Scale

Health Scale

Gem & Jewelry Scale

Other

By Distribution Channel

Offline

Online

Electronic Weighing Machines Market Regional Analysis:

The North American region holds the largest market share in revenue terms, driven by the high adoption of electronic weighing machines in manufacturing, logistics, and retail industries. The presence of major players and the focus on technological advancements contribute to the region's market dominance.

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the fastest growth in the electronic weighing machines market due to the rapid industrialization and expanding retail and e-commerce sectors. The region's emerging economies and increasing investments in infrastructure and manufacturing facilities propel the demand for accurate weight measurement solutions.

Europe is a significant market for electronic weighing machines, with a focus on quality control and compliance in manufacturing and trade activities. The presence of stringent regulations related to weight measurement contributes to the market's growth.

The MEA and South American regional markets have a smaller market share but are expected to grow steadily, driven by increasing industrialization and the need for accurate weight measurement in various sectors.

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Key Players in the Electronic Weighing Machines Market:

Some of the prominent companies operating in the electronic weighing machines market include Mettler-Toledo International Inc., Sartorius AG, A&D Company Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Shimadzu Corporation, MinebeaMitsumi Inc., Precia SA, Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Adam Equipment Co. Ltd., and OHAUS Corporation.

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NEWTOWN, Pa., June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating claims regarding data privacy violations by Genworth Financial (GF) (NYSE:GNW). GF learned of suspicious activity on or about May 30, 2023, but waited until June 22, 2023 to notify its customers of the breach. To join this case, go HERE .



Background on GF

GF is a Fortune 500 life insurance company based in Virginia.

What happened?

On or about May 30, 2023, GF was notified by a third-party vendor that a breach had occurred exposing approximately 2.5 million of GFs customer personal information. GF notified its customers of the breach by a post on its website on June 22, 2023. Information that was exposed includes: name, date of birth, address, insurance policy information including policy numbers, social security numbers and employee ID numbers.

How can I protect my personal data?

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating bringing a class action lawsuit to seek legal remedies on behalf of customers who may have had their sensitive personal and patient data compromised by the GF data breach.

For more information, please contact:

Marc H. Edelson, Esq.

Eric Lechtzin, Esq.

EDELSON LECHTZIN LLP

411 S. State Street, Suite N-300

Newtown, PA 18940

Phone: 844-696-7492 or 215-867-2399 ext. 1

Email: medelson@edelson-law.com

Web: www.edelson-law.com

About Edelson Lechtzin LLP

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is a national class action law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and California. In addition to cases involving data breaches, our lawyers focus on class and collective litigation in cases alleging securities and investment fraud, violations of the federal antitrust laws, employee benefit plans under ERISA, wage theft and unpaid overtime, consumer fraud, and dangerous and defective drugs and medical devices.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. No class has been certified in this case, so 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. Your ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Westford, USA, June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to SkyQuest, the patient portal market growth of electronic health records (EHRs) is being driven by two key factors: the rising demand for EHRs and the increasing adoption of a patient-centric approach by healthcare payers. EHRs are becoming increasingly popular as the healthcare industry continues transforming digitally. These digital systems enable the collection, storage, and exchange of patient health information in electronic format, offering numerous benefits such as improved data accessibility, enhanced care coordination, and reduced medical errors.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Patient Portal Market."

Pages - 242

Tables - 61

Figures 68

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A patient portal is a web-based access point that connects with electronic health records (EHR) systems, primarily focusing on providing patients access to their health records. Through a patient portal, individuals can securely access and manage their personal health information. One of the critical features of patient portals is the ability for patients to share their health information with healthcare providers, facilitating remote communication and reducing the need for in-person visits.

Prominent Players in Patient Portal Market

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.

Athenahealth, Inc.

Cerner Corporation

CureMD Healthcare

eClinicalWorks LLC

Epic Systems Corporation

GE Healthcare

Greenway Health LLC

McKesson Corporation

MEDHOST, Inc.

Meditech

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC

NXGN Management, LLC

Nextech Systems, LLC

NueMD

Optum, Inc.

Practice Fusion, Inc.

QSI Management, LLC

RelayHealth Corporation

WebPT Inc.

Web-Based Segment is Expected to Grow the Market Due to the Numerous Advantages Offered by Web-Based Patient Portal Software

The web-based segment of the patient portal market held a significant market share of 66%, establishing its dominance in the industry. This dominance can be attributed to the numerous advantages offered by web-based patient portal software. One key benefit is the provision of automatic software updates, ensuring that the portal remains up-to-date with the latest features and security enhancements without requiring additional effort from the user.

The market in North America emerged as the dominant market player, capturing a substantial share of 43.8% in the global patient portal market. This market dominance can be attributed to the region's significant technological advancements in the healthcare sector. Countries such as the United States and Canada have successfully integrated IT technologies into their healthcare systems, which has led to improved patient care, enhanced operational efficiency, and streamlined healthcare processes.

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Cloud-Based Segment is Expected to Dominate the Market Due to the Comprehensive View of Patient Information

The cloud-based segment of the patient portal market is anticipated to experience significant growth. This growth can be attributed to several factors that make cloud-based portals attractive to healthcare companies. One key advantage is the real-time interaction facility provided by cloud-based solutions, allowing healthcare organizations to share and merge data from various systems seamlessly. This enhances collaboration and enables a comprehensive view of patient information, improving care coordination and better patient outcomes.

Regional markets in Europe are expected to secure a significant market position as the second dominant player in the global patient portal market. This can be attributed to the region's increased focus on deploying healthcare IT and telehealth initiatives and the ongoing digitization of healthcare procedures. European countries have actively invested in healthcare IT infrastructure to enhance patient care, improve access to medical services, and streamline healthcare processes.

A comprehensive analysis of the major players in the patient portal market has been recently conducted in a report. The report encompasses various aspects, including collaborations, mergers, innovative business policies, and strategies, providing valuable insights into key trends and breakthroughs in the market. Furthermore, the report scrutinizes the market share of the top segments and presents a detailed geographic analysis. Lastly, the report highlights the major players in the industry and their endeavours to develop innovative solutions to cater to the growing demand.

Key Developments in the Patient Portal Market

Recently, a prominent collaboration took place between Epic Corporation and Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital. The partnership aimed to integrate the electronic health records (EHR) system of Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital with Epic's MyChart patient portal. The MyChart portal, developed by Epic, empowers patients by providing convenient access to their test results, secure messaging with caregivers, appointment scheduling, payment execution, and prescription refill requests.

Allscripts, a leading electronic health record (EHR) solutions provider, recently joined Medfusion to offer their clients the highly regarded Medfusion patient portal. This collaboration enables physician practices that utilize Allscripts EHR and practice management systems to benefit from the features and functionalities provided by the top-ranked Medfusion patient portal.

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Key Questions Answered in Patient Portal Market Report

What specific growth drivers are projected to impact the market during the forecast period?

List the top companies in the market and explain how they have achieved their positions of influence.

In what ways do regional trends and patterns differ within the global market, and how these differences shape the market's future growth?

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New York, United States , June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market Size is to grow from USD 1.9 Billion in 2022 to USD 5.8 Billion by 2032, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.8% during the forecast period.

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Messages are transmitted via sound waves through a system known as underwater acoustic communication. The frequency range used for underwater audio communication is frequently between 10 Hz and 1 MHz. Out of all the alternatives available, using headphones is the most preferred method for having these chats. Growing environmental awareness, increased use of acoustic navigation for underwater locating, and widespread use of underwater acoustic modems in naval defense are all factors that will likely cause the worldwide underwater acoustic communication market to grow throughout the forecast period. One of the key reasons driving the market is the rising acceptance of underwater acoustic communication for exploration, security, and surveillance by different end-users. As risks to national security increase, countries like the USA and Canada are increasingly employing underwater acoustic communication systems for naval and security purposes in unmanned underwater vehicles. The issues with underwater communication are expected to be solved with the aid of more research and development.

The market for underwater acoustic communication is being driven by the growing need for secure and dependable communication among end users in the defense and homeland security sectors. The growing usage of underwater acoustic modems in naval defense is a crucial factor impacting the market's growth. With the addition of more autonomous underwater vehicles and newly developed sensors that provide alternatives for surveillance and threat identification, demand for underwater acoustic communication technology is rising. The market for underwater acoustic communication will also profit from the growth of undersea exploration initiatives and the increasing demand for environmental protection. Furthermore, it is predicted that because of the sluggish transmission and delayed delivery brought on by the slower sound speed in the water, market growth would be constrained. Water has a slower sound speed in contrast. This leads to issues like signal absorption, delayed delivery, data loss due to geometric spreading, etc. These factors might obstruct the exchange of information, which would limit the market. Furthermore, bandwidth may be impacted by underwater circumstances. These substances are thought to prevent growth.

Browse key industry insights spread across 210 pages with 135 Market data tables and figures & charts from the report on, " Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Interface Platform (Sensor Interface and Acoustic Modem), By Application (Environmental Monitoring, Pollution Monitoring, Hydrography, Oceanography), By Communication Depth (Shallow Water, Medium Water, Long Water Full Ocean), By End User (Oil & Gas, Military & Defense, Homeland Security, Scientific Research & Development, Marine), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2022 2032". Get Detailed Report Description Here:

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The acoustic modem segment is dominating the largest market share during the forecast period.

The worldwide underwater acoustic communication market is divided into sensor interfaces and acoustic modems based on the interface platform. The sector with the biggest revenue share among these is the acoustic modem segment, which will rule the market throughout the projected period. It is projected that the growing importance of underwater acoustic modems in naval defense to support communication systems would propel the expansion of the acoustic modem industry. These systems are used for a variety of operations, including command and control, communication among divers, and remote underwater monitoring.

The environmental monitoring segment is influencing the largest market growth over the forecast period.

The worldwide underwater acoustic communication market is divided into many groups based on application, including environmental monitoring, pollution monitoring, hydrography, and oceanography. These sectors are all led by the environmental monitoring section, which is mostly used to assess and monitor the effects of near-shore infrastructure development and construction on the local ecology and the marine life below the surface.

The medium water segment is leading the market with the largest market growth during the forecast period.

The global market for underwater acoustic communication is divided into three categories based on communication depth: shallow water, medium water, and long water whole ocean. Due to new requirements for effective monitoring and secure process control systems emerging as a result of rising environmental consciousness among the general public and businesses, the medium water segment is dominating the market with the largest revenue share during the forecast period.

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North America is expected the second-largest growing region over the forecast period.

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), which the US uses for a variety of defense missions, including anti-submarine warfare, security, and surveillance in response to rising security concerns in these countries, are influencing the significant market growth during the forecast period in North America. UUVs' growing use in both the defense and commercial sectors might therefore propel market growth in North America. Additionally, government workers can monitor the environment by using underwater communication gear. It is possible to evaluate how oil and gas firms act in relation to their environmental impact. These technologies enable businesses to monitor environmental contamination and take measures to decrease it. It is also possible to see climate change.

Competitive Analysis:

The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the global market along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market. Major vendors in Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market include KONGSBERG, Ultra, EvoLogics GmbH, Hydroacoustics, Inc., Gavial Holdings, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, UniEnergy Technologies., Thales Group, Mistral Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Proserv UK Ltd., RTSYS, Subnero Pte. Ltd., JPAnalytics, SEAGNAL SAS, Underwater Wireless Modem & Communication Devices, Aquatec Group Ltd., BaltRobotics, and Nortek AS, and many others.

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Recent Development

In August 2022, Researchers at Stanford University created a robot that can go deep underneath plane wrecks and other ruinous areas. Its operators could have the same perspective as OceanOneK's underwater expeditions. OceanOneK's 3D camera captures the underwater landscape in breathtaking color, and its arms and hands can get close to those of a diver.

In March 2022, Kongsberg Maritime introduced the cNODE Mantis, a new member of the cNODE product family of acoustic modems that offers the unusual capability of broadcasting a live video feed for a range of subsea installation operations.

Market Segment

This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2022 to 2032. Spherical Insights has segmented the Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market based on the below mentioned segments:

Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market, By Interface Platform

Sensor Interface

Acoustic Modem

Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market, By Application

Environmental Monitoring

Pollution Monitoring

Hydrography

Oceanography

Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market, By Communication Depth

Shallow Water

Medium Water

Long Water Full Ocean

Global Underwater Acoustic Communication Market, By End User

Oil & Gas

Military & Defense

Homeland Security

Scientific Research & Development

Marine

Underwater Acoustic Communication Market, By Regional Analysis

North America US Canada Mexico



Europe Germany Uk France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific

South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa



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Company announcement no. 05, 2023/24 (inside information)

Allerd, 29 June 2023









Matas Group (Matas) has today signed an agreement with Axel Johnson AB (Axel Johnson) to acquire 100% of the shares in the market leading Swedish beauty company KICKS Group AB (KICKS Group) at an enterprise value of DKK 1,336 million and at an equity value of DKK 698 million1. In 2022/23, KICKS Group had pro forma adj. revenues of DKK 3,126 million of which ~60% in Sweden, ~30% in Norway and ~10% in Finland2. ~30% of revenue was online sales with the remainder served through 226 stores across its three markets. Pro forma adj. EBITDA in 2022/23 was DKK 305 million2. The acquisition will be fully debt financed and closing is expected in Q3 of the calendar year 2023.

Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg, CEO of Matas, says: With the acquisition of KICKS Group, we are creating the Nordic leader in beauty and wellbeing through the addition of the KICKS and Skincity banners. KICKS Group and Matas are an excellent match and by combining our two complementary businesses, strong omnichannel positions and passionate organisations and shared culture of customer service, we will lead the Nordic beauty market. I look forward to welcoming our approximately 1,700 new Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish colleagues to the group. United, we will strive to always be the first choice for beauty and wellbeing in the Nordics to the benefit of both our customers, colleagues, partners, and shareholders.



Mia Brunell Livfors, CEO of Axel Johnson says: Together with management and employees in KICKS Group, we have succeeded in developing KICKS Group from a retail chain with modest online sales to an omnichannel player with a leading customer offering across all channels. We are confident that Matas is the right future owner to further strengthen KICKS and Skincitys customer propositions in a highly competitive beauty market, as part of the leading Nordic group in beauty and wellbeing."





Compelling strategic rationale

The Nordic market for beauty and wellbeing is estimated to be around DKK +65 billion. Jointly, Matas and KICKS Group will operate the #1 beauty omnichannel retail concept in the Nordics with Matas leading in Denmark and KICKS Group leading in Sweden and Norway and as a contender for market leadership in Finland.

Through the combination, Matas and KICKS Group will be able to better serve customer demand for larger assortment, new brands, access to stores, fast, convenient and inspiring online shopping and keep a continued focus on personal and expert advisory and service.

KICKS and Skincity will remain as individual banners and will continue to have a head office in Stockholm.

United, Matas and KICKS Group will serve +5 million club members in four Nordic markets with almost 500 stores, leading online shops, +3,800 skilled colleagues, and offer a curated portfolio of third-party brands, own brands and services.

The combined group has pro forma adj. 2022/23 total revenue of DKK 7,616 million (of which DKK 2,121 million are online sales) with a 15% pro forma adj. EBITDA margin2.

In addition, both companies proven track records of digital transformation will enable accelerated digitalization, with online shopping continuing to grow faster than the overall market. Combined, Matas and KICKS Group can unlock new opportunities to grow profitability and gain significant cost advantages and synergies from consolidation of operations, IT infrastructure and administration, hereby strengthening long-term competitiveness and growth.





Key transaction details

Matas will acquire 100% of the shares in KICKS Group for a cash consideration at closing of SEK 1,100 million (DKK 698 million) 3 .





. Enterprise value of SEK 2,063 million (DKK 1,336 million) including estimated assumed net debt of SEK 13 million (DKK 8 million) and estimated lease liabilities of SEK 951 million (DKK 630 million) as of 31 March 2023 4 .





. KICKS Groups pro forma adj. EBITDA in 2022/23 was DKK 305 million, incl. DKK 176 million adjustment from IFRS 16 reclassification. Pro forma adj. EBIT in 2022/23 was DKK 62 million 2 .





. Stand-alone EBITDA improvement in KICKS Group of DKK ~40 million 3 expected from ongoing integration of Skincity and supply chain transformation project centred around a new automated warehouse in Rosersberg, Sweden.





expected from ongoing integration of Skincity and supply chain transformation project centred around a new automated warehouse in Rosersberg, Sweden. Transaction multiples of 4.7x pro forma adj. 2022/23 EBITDA and 22.9x pro forma adj. EBIT on a standalone basis.





Transaction multiples of 4.1x pro forma adj. 2022/23 EBITDA and 15.1x pro forma adj. EBIT incl. improvements from Skincity integration and supply chain transformation.





Transaction will be fully debt financed within the existing gearing target of less than 3.0x based on consolidated pro forma adj. EBITDA with estimated closing date in Q3 of the calendar year 2023.





Minimum DKK 100 million 3 in EBITDA improvement from synergies once fully phased in by 2025/26, related to increased operating leverage, customer loyalty, similarities and overlaps in business models, services and marketing strategies, as well as IT and digitalization agendas, expected to be fully achieved within three years after closing.





in EBITDA improvement from synergies once fully phased in by 2025/26, related to increased operating leverage, customer loyalty, similarities and overlaps in business models, services and marketing strategies, as well as IT and digitalization agendas, expected to be fully achieved within three years after closing. Estimated integration costs of approx. DKK 100 million 3 , with the majority in the first financial year.





, with the majority in the first financial year. Expected positive EPS percentage accretion by 2024/25, and double-digit percentage accretion by 2025/26.





The transaction is expected to close in Q3 of the calendar year 2023 and is not subject to any regulatory approvals as relevant turnover thresholds are not met due to e.g. limited geographical overlap.





Financial guidance for 2023/2024 for the existing business, as provided in Matas Annual Report 2022/23 on 31 May 2023, is maintained. Revised financial guidance for 2023/24 will be communicated at time of closing. Matas will maintain its annual dividend and share buyback policy to amount to at least 20% of adjusted profit after tax.





About KICKS Group

KICKS Group consists of the leading omnichannel retailer KICKS with 3.3 million club members and the #1 online skincare clinic, Skincity.

KICKS offers a full-service concept with makeup, fragrances, professional skincare and haircare in Sweden, Norway and Finland based on a curated offering of brands and private label products to which KICKS has selective or exclusive distribution rights. With approx. 1,700 trained beauty advisors and an up-to-date omnichannel solution that integrates 226 physical stores and e-commerce, KICKS offers personal and inspiring beauty services and about 25,000 products from +300 brands.

Skincity is an online skincare clinic in Sweden, Norway and Finland offering a curated assortment of professional skincare and skincare makeup in combination with an online customer support comprised of certified skincare therapists.

In 2022/23, KICKS Group pro forma adj. revenue was DKK 3,126 million and pro forma adj. EBITDA was DKK 305 million corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 10%. Pro forma adj. EBIT was DKK 62 million2.





Skincity integration and Supply Chain Transformation (SCT) project

In the autumn of 2022, Axel Johnson decided to integrate Skincity, which until then was operated as a separate entity within Axel Johnson, into KICKS Group, and close down Skincitys loss-making activities outside Sweden, Norway and Finland. While Skincity continues to operate as a separate banner, all backend functions including sourcing, IT and administration have been integrated into KICKS Group generating significant cost savings.

Furthermore, KICKS Group is in the process of opening a new automated one-warehouse-for-all-channels warehouse outside Stockholm, as part of an ongoing supply chain transformation (SCT) project. The new warehouse supporting both KICKS and Skincity will open in Q3 of the calendar year 2023 and is expected to lead to significant efficiencies primarily within organisational, freight and packaging savings.

When fully implemented from 2024/25, the combined EBITDA impact of the ongoing integration of Skincity and the SCT project is expected to amount to DKK ~40 million3 uplift on a standalone basis compared to the 2022/23 pro forma adj. EBITDA of the KICKS Group.





Advisors

FIH Partners is acting as financial advisor to Matas and Gorrissen Federspiel is acting as legal advisor to Matas on the transaction.





Conference call



Matas will host a conference call for investors and analysts on 29 June 2023 at 10.00 am (CET). The conference call and presentation can be accessed via Matas investor website, investor.Matas.dk, or via this link: https://matas-events.eventcdn.net/events/investor-briefing-june

Video conference access numbers for investors and analysts:

DK: +45 78768490

UK: +44-203-7696819

US: +1 646-787-0157

PIN: 915912

Please call five minutes before the conference call begins.





Contacts

Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg

CEO, phone +45 48 16 55 55

Per Johannesen-Madsen

CFO, phone + 45 48 16 55 55

Klaus Fridorf

Head of Communication, phone +45 61 20 19 97





About Matas

With revenues at DKK 4.5 billion, Matas is Denmarks largest health and beauty retailer. Matas was established in 1949 as a chain of independent materialists. Today, Matas is a listed, integrated omnichannel retailer with own brands, 1.9 million Club Matas members, 260 physical stores and matas.dk, the second most visited web shop across all categories in Denmark as well as multiple other speciality web shops.





Notes

1) Based on an agreed fixed equity value of SEK 1,100 million at a SEK/DKK exchange rate of 0.6343 (as of 27 June 2023) and estimated assumed net interest bearing debt and lease liabilities of SEK 963 million as of 31 March 2023 at a SEK/DKK exchange rate of 0.6630 (as of 31 March 2023)

2) Based on a SEK/DKK exchange rate of 0.6888 (average of April 2022  March 2023)

3) DKK figures based on a SEK/DKK exchange rate of 0.6343 (as of 27 June 2023)

4) DKK figures based on a SEK/DKK exchange rate of 0.6630 (as of 31 March 2023)





Forward-looking statements

This announcement contains statements relating to the future, including, but not limited to, statements and expectations regarding Matas future financial result, business strategy and future targets. The words may, will, should, expect, anticipate, believe, estimate, plan, predict, intend or variations of these words, as well as other statements regarding matters that are not historical fact or statements regarding future events or prospects, constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on Matas reasonable expectations and forecasts at the time of this announcement. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and a number of other factors, many of which are beyond Matas control. This may have the effect that actual results may differ significantly from the expectations expressed in the announcement. Without being exhaustive, such factors include general economic and commercial factors, including market and competitive conditions, supplier issues and financial and regulatory issues. Although Matas believes that the estimates and projections reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, they may prove materially incorrect, and actual results may materially differ.

Matas undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

Attachment
Nashville, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ovation Fertility scientists contributed to four pieces of research accepted for poster presentation at the ESHRE virtual 39th Annual Meeting. The event, hosted by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, was held this year in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 25-28, 2023.





The Ovation scientific team is incredibly excited about the opportunity to present our collaborative efforts and works in Copenhagen this year, says Ovation Vice President of Scientific Advancement Matthew Tex VerMilyea, PhD, HCLD/CC. We are honored that our latest research contributions to the field of IVF have been made available to share with other fertility scientists from all over the world. This outstanding work is a true testament to our strong bonds with industry leaders to bring novel advances to the patients we serve.





The Ovation delegation contributed to four poster presentations at the Copenhagen event.





Differences in fertilization, blastocyst, and ploidy rates in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) versus conventional insemination for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)

M. Kaye1, K. Kaskar2, K. Silverberg1, M. VerMilyea2

1Texas Fertility Center, Reproductive Medicine, Austin, USA

2Ovation Fertility Austin, Embryology and Andrology Laboratories, Austin, USA

Embryo morphological grade and day of vitrification can impact the outcome of a single euploid frozen embryo transfer (FET)

J. Matucha1, B. Bopp2, M. WIll2, E. Will2, K. Oleary2, G. Adaniya1

1Ovation Fertility Indianapolis, Carmel, Indiana, USA

2Midwest Fertility Specialists, Carmel, Indiana, USA

An artificial intelligence algorithm demonstrates optimal performance for evaluating embryo genetic status at 120 hours post-fertilization

S.M. Diakiw1, J.M.M. Hall1-3, M.D. VerMilyea4,5, A.Y.X. Lim6, C. W. Chan6, J. Aizpurua7, J. Amin8, T.V. Nguyen1, D. Perugini1, M. Perugini1,9

1 Life Whisperer Diagnostics (a subsidiary of Presagen), San Francisco, California, USA, and Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

2 Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia

3 School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005 Australia

4 Ovation Fertility, Austin TX, USA

5 Texas Fertility Center, Austin TX, USA

6 Alpha IVF & Women's Specialists, Petaling Jaya, Selangor 47810, Malaysia

7 IVF-Spain, Alicante 03540, Spain

8 Wings IVF Womens Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380054, India

9 Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Continuous in-situ monitoring of female hormone levels as a tool to improve the efficacy of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment

G. Hatami Fard1, T. VerMilyea2, A.L. Schaffgotsch3, S. Ivanova4

1Impli Health, Research, London, United Kingdom

2Ovation Fertility Embryology, Austin, USA

3Impli Health, Management, London, United Kingdom

4Imperial College London, Mechanical Engineering, Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom

Additionally, Dr. VerMilyea was selected to serve as moderator at ESHREs FujiFilm Irvine Scientific Corporate Product Theater, leading discussion on a topic in which he has long been a research leader: Artificial intelligence applications in IVF.





The abstracts for all Ovation presentations are available for review at OvationFertility.com/Research.





Ovation recently joined US Fertility, the nations largest partnership of physician-owned fertility practices, to create the leading fertility platform in the United States.





About US Fertility

US Fertility, the nations largest partnership of physician-owned and physician-led top-tier fertility practices, is united under a shared mission: to drive innovation and leverage best practices both to enhance the patient experience and improve treatment outcomes. To date, US Fertility/Ovation has helped more than 200,000 individuals and couples build their families through their fertility services. Our collective clinical and operational expertise provides our fertility partner practices with advanced business and digital solutions that streamline and enhance the delivery of exceptional patient care. https://www.usfertility.com

About Ovation Fertility

Ovation Fertility is a national network of laboratories providing leading-edge treatment through leading reproductive experts. Ovations IVF and genetics laboratories, along with affiliated physician practices, work collaboratively to raise the bar for IVF treatment, with state-of-the-art, evidence-based fertility services that give hopeful parents the best chance for a successful pregnancy. Physicians partner with Ovation to offer their patients preimplantation genetic testing, frozen donor services, surrogacy services, and secure storage for frozen biomaterials. https://www.ovationfertility.com



Note: The selection of abstracts for publication in the ESHRE press program does not imply endorsement by ESHRE of the products and/or services that Ovation Fertility offers.

Attachment
Dublin, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Sensors Market Report 2023-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Overall world revenue for Smart Sensors Market will surpass US$442.90 billion in 2023



Sensors Are an Essential Component of the Internet of Things Perception Layer



A sensor is a device that can respond to a stimulus and generate an electrical signal in response. Traditional sensors generate output signals that must be further interpreted to determine what the sensors are registering. A smart sensor is a system that combines a sensing element, a signal processor, and a microprocessor.

Traditional sensors are part of an open feedback system, in which the sensor performs the predetermined action regardless of the current system. Smart sensors, on the other hand, are a component of a closed feedback system in which the sensor only performs the required action in relation to the current system. Sensors are an essential component of the Internet of Things' perception layer, as well as the foundation and premise for its realisation.

Sensors, the front-end device that is the main source of data, have shown rapid development with the construction of smart cities, the rapid development of big data, and the increasingly widespread application of the Internet of Things. The sensor network is another name for the IoT (Internet of Things).



What Questions Should You Ask before Buying a Market Research Report?

How is the smart sensors market evolving?

What is driving and restraining the smart sensors market?

How will each smart sensors submarket segment grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2033?

How will the market shares for each smart sensors submarket develop from 2023 to 2033?

What will be the main driver for the overall market from 2023 to 2033?

Will leading smart sensors markets broadly follow the macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual national markets outperform others?

How will the market shares of the national markets change by 2033 and which geographical region will lead the market in 2033?

Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

What are the smart sensors projects for these leading companies?

How will the industry evolve during the period between 2023 and 2033?

What are the implications of smart sensors projects taking place now and over the next 10 years?

Is there a greater need for product commercialisation to further scale the smart sensors market?

Where is the smart sensors market heading and how can you ensure you are at the forefront of the market?

What are the best investment options for new product and service lines?

What are the key prospects for moving companies into a new growth path and C-suite?

You need to discover how this will impact the smart sensors market today, and over the next 10 years:

Our 361-page report provides 137 tables and 191 charts/graphs exclusively to you.

The report highlights key lucrative areas in the industry so you can target them - NOW.

It contains in-depth analysis of global, regional and national sales and growth.

It highlights for you the key successful trends, changes and revenue projections made by your competitors.

Leading companies and the potential for market growth

ABB (ABB Ltd.)

Analog Devices, Inc.

Eaton Corporation plc

Infineon Technologies AG

Microchip Technology Inc.

NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NXP)

Robert Bosch GmbH

Siemens AG

STMicroelectronics N.V.

TE Connectivity

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Overview



2 Executive Summary



3 Premium Insights

3.1 Global Smart Sensors Market by Region

3.2 Sensor Type Segment

3.3 Technology Segment

3.4 Component Segment

3.5 End-users Segment



4 Market Overview

4.1 Key Findings

4.2 Market Dynamics

4.2.1 Market Driving Factors

4.2.2 Market Restraining Factors

4.2.3 Market Opportunities

4.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4 PESTLE Analysis



5 Global Smart Sensors Market Analysis by Sensor Type

5.1 Key Findings

5.2 Global Smart Sensors Market Attractiveness Index by Sensor Type

5.3 Temperature & Humidity Sensors

5.4 Touch Sensors

5.5 Pressure & Flow Sensors

5.6 Motion & Occupancy Sensors

5.7 Water Sensors

5.8 Position Sensors

5.9 Light Sensors

5.10 Ultrasonic Sensors

5.11 Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) Sensors



6 Global Smart Sensors Market Analysis by Technology

6.1 Key Findings

6.2 Global Smart Sensors Market Attractiveness Index by Technology

6.3 Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)

6.4 Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)

6.5 Microsystem Technology (MST)



7 Global Smart Sensors Market Analysis by Component

7.1 Key Findings

7.2 Global Smart Sensors Market Attractiveness Index by Component

7.3 Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC)

7.4 Global Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) Market Size Estimation Forecast, 2023-2033 (US$ Bn)

7.5 Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC)

7.6 Transceivers & Amplifiers

7.7 Microcontrollers

7.8 Global Microcontrollers Market Size Estimation Forecast, 2023-2033 (US$ Bn)



8 Global Smart Sensors Market Analysis by End-User Industry

8.1 Key Findings

8.2 Global Smart Sensors Market Attractiveness Index by End-User Industry

8.3 Consumer Electronics

8.4 Global Consumer Electronics Market Size Estimation Forecast, 2023-2033 (US$ Bn)

8.5 Industrial Automation

8.6 Biomedical & Healthcare

8.7 Automotive

8.8 Global Automotive Market Size Estimation Forecast, 2023-2033 (US$ Bn)

8.9 Aerospace & Defence



9 Global Smart Sensors Market Analysis by Region

9.1 Key Findings

9.2 Regional Market Size Estimation and Forecast

9.3 COVID-19 Impact Analysis: Recovery Scenarios (V, U, W, L)

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/w9vvl2

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.
Dublin, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Agricultural Testing Market by Sample (Soil, Water, Seed, Compost, Manure, Biosolids, Plant Tissue), Application (Safety Testing, Quality Assurance), Technology (Conventional, Rapid) and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, Row) - Global Forecast to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The agricultural testing market is projected to reach USD 9.8 billion by 2028 from USD 6.7 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 7.1%

The agricultural testing market is a sector that focuses on safety testing and quality assurance of agricultural products. It involves various analytical techniques and methodologies to assess the safety, quality, and compliance of agricultural commodities, including crops and agricultural commodities.

The primary objective of agricultural testing is to ensure that agricultural products meet the required standards and regulations for human consumption, export/import, and overall market acceptance; Agricultural testing is carried out by various stakeholders, including government regulatory bodies, private laboratories, and quality control departments of food companies.

The agricultural testing market has experienced significant growth in recent years due to several factors. Increasing consumer awareness about food safety, stringent regulations regarding pesticide residues, and the need for quality assurance throughout the supply chain are some of the key drivers of market growth.

Additionally, globalization of the food trade has created a demand for reliable testing services to ensure compliance with import/export requirements.

By sample, soil is projected in high demand during the forecast period.

Soil testing is a vital component of the agricultural testing market due to its importance in optimizing crop production, ensuring environmental sustainability, and promoting the efficient use of resources.

By understanding the nutrient levels in the soil through regular soil testing, farmers can apply fertilizers more strategically and in appropriate quantities. Soil testing provides information on the existing nutrient content in the soil, allowing farmers to make informed decisions about nutrient application rates.

By matching the nutrient application to the specific needs of the crops and soil, farmers can minimize the risk of excessive nutrients reaching water bodies. Growing environmental consciousness among consumers, governments, and organizations has increased the focus on sustainable agricultural practices. Soil testing plays a vital role in promoting environmental sustainability by reducing nutrient runoff, preventing water pollution, and minimizing the ecological impact of agriculture.

As a result, there is a rising demand for soil testing services from farmers and agricultural stakeholders who want to adhere to sustainable practices. This increased awareness and demand contribute to the growth of the agricultural testing market.

By application, quality assurance is projected in high demand during the forecast period.

Consumers are becoming more conscious about the quality and safety of the food they consume. They demand transparency, traceability, and assurance that the agricultural products they purchase meet certain quality standards.

As a result, there is a growing need for quality assurance services in the agricultural testing market to ensure that products comply with safety regulations, meet specified quality parameters, and are free from contaminants. Also, governments and regulatory bodies have implemented stricter regulations and standards for agricultural products to ensure food safety and protect public health.

Compliance with these regulations is mandatory for producers and exporters. Quality assurance services play a crucial role in helping agricultural businesses meet these requirements by conducting comprehensive testing, verification, and certification processes.

By technology, rapid technology is projected in high demand during the forecast period.

Rapid testing technologies provide quick and efficient results compared to traditional testing methods. They significantly reduce the time required for sample preparation, analysis, and result generation. This time efficiency is crucial for agricultural businesses as it allows for faster decision-making and enables timely interventions in crop management, quality control, and safety assurance.

Also, the rapid testing technologies often offer the advantage of portability and on-site testing capabilities. This means that samples can be tested directly at the farm, processing facility, or point of production, eliminating the need to transport samples to off-site laboratories.

On-site testing provides real-time results, allowing immediate actions to be taken based on the test outcomes, such as adjusting fertilizer applications, making quality control decisions, or ensuring food safety at critical control points.

Europe will significantly contribute towards market growth during the forecast period.

Europe has rigorous regulatory standards for food safety, quality assurance, and environmental protection. The European Union (EU) has implemented strict regulations and directives governing various aspects of agricultural production, including pesticide residues, heavy metals, mycotoxins, GMOs, and organic farming.

Compliance with these standards requires extensive testing and analysis throughout the agricultural supply chain. The demand for agricultural testing services has grown in response to these regulations, driving market growth in the region. Also, consumers in Europe have become more conscious about the quality, safety, and sustainability of the food they consume.

They demand transparency, traceability, and assurance that agricultural products are produced in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner. This heightened consumer awareness has created a need for comprehensive agricultural testing services to ensure compliance with quality standards and provide verifiable information to consumers. The market has grown to meet this demand.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 246 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $6.7 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $9.8 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.1% Regions Covered Global

Premium Insights

Stringent Safety and Quality Regulations for Agricultural Commodities to Drive Market

Pathogen Testing to Dominate Market During Forecast Period

Spectrometry and Chromatography Segment to Dominate Market in 2023

Quality Assurance Segment to Account for Largest Share of European Agricultural Testing Market in 2023

US Accounted for Largest Market Share in 2022

Market Overview

Drivers

Stringent Safety and Quality Regulations for Agricultural Commodities

Increase in Outbreaks of Foodborne Illnesses

Growth in Industrialization and Resulting Disposal of Untreated Industrial Waste into Environment

Restraints

Improper Enforcement of Regulations in Developing Economies

Opportunities

Technological Advancements in Testing Industry

Expansion of Agricultural Exports

Challenges

High Cost of Agricultural Testing

Limited Awareness About Importance of Food Safety

Macroeconomic Indicators

Increase in Organic Agricultural Farm Area

Industry Trends

Value Chain Analysis

Research and Development

Input

Agricultural Testing

Distribution

Marketing and Sales

Post-Sales Services

Supply Chain Analysis

Upstream Process

R&D

Sample Collection

Midstream Process

Transportation

Testing of Sample

Downstream Process

Final Result

Distribution

Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customers' Businesses

Technology Analysis

Integration of Robotics, Computer Vision, and Machine Learning for Weed and Pest Detection

Biosensors

Market Map

Manufacturers

Service Providers

Technology Providers

Government Authorities

Case Studies

Enhancing Crop Yield and Quality Through Advanced Agricultural Testing: Case Study with Agsource

Case Study 1: Improved Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products Through Advanced Testing

Supporting Sustainable Agriculture Through Accurate and Reliable Testing: Case Study with Sgs

Case Study 2: Helping a Coffee Producer Ensure Product Quality and Safety with Comprehensive Testing Services

Company Profiles

Key Players

Sgs

Eurofins

Intertek

Bureau Veritas

Als Limited

Tuv Nord Group

Merieux

Asurequality

Rj Hill Laboratories Limited

Scs Global

Agrifood Technology

Apal Agricultural Laboratory

Agvise Laboratories

Lgc Limited

Waters Agricultural Laboratories

Other Players

Advanced Analytical Testing Laboratory

Elements Material Technology

American Environmental Testing Laboratory, LLC.

Trace Genomics

Pace Analytical

Agrosmart

City Analysts

Alpha Analytical, Inc.

Agrocares

Source Molecular

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
An exclusively designed five-piece custom luggage collection created for VistaJet Members who fly on the Global 7500 fleet;

Limited-edition travel companions thoughtfully crafted for global travel that seamlessly bridge business and leisure;

Internationally renowned design, boasting over eight decades of Italian craftsmanship.





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This collaboration brings together two pioneering brands passionate about travel and committed to delivering exceptional quality through thoughtful design and precise execution. Working with Valextra, VistaJet has crafted a travel collection that is a fitting complement to the industry-leading Global 7500 aircraft, embodying elegance and timeless design for global travel that bridges business and leisure.

Global travel requires solutions that transcend trends and retains practicality. The inspiration behind this limited-edition set was to create the items you need to travel the globe for business and leisure in distinctive style. To complement the seamless global travel experience offered by VistaJet on the Global 7500 aircraft, the Valextra collection provides pieces designed for every season, suiting every style, and fitting every journey  offering something to all our Members who fly with us on this game-changing aircraft.

 Matteo Atti, VistaJets Chief Marketing Officer.

VistaJets Global 7500 fleet offers ultimate versatility in the onboard experience, with a cabin comprising four true living spaces and a range for journeys of up to 17 hours non-stop providing unparalleled service, comfort and safety. Partnering with Valextra, a brand internationally renowned for its timely design and craftmanship, the five-piece custom luggage set has been created exclusively for VistaJet Members who require the same exceptional quality from their travel experience. Inspired by the Valextra archive, each piece has been thoughtfully crafted to be suitable for any occasion and any destination.

The collection includes the classic Avietta travel bag, the Boston travel bag, the Costa suitcase in small and medium, and a slimline passport holder. Each piece is offered in Valextras signature shade of Pergamena White as well as London Smoke and is lined in branded VistaJet red silk. All items are created from Valextra signature Millepunte calf skin and are characterized by distinctive design details and handcrafted touches, including Valextras iconic hand painted black lacquered Costa edging and VistaJets trademark winglet.

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--ENDS--

Information

VistaJet | press@vistajet.com

About VistaJet

VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. With its iconic silver and red service, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world.

Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJets signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours, to fly them anytime, anywhere.

VistaJet is part of Vista  the worlds first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset free solutions across its Members fleet of over 360 aircraft to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet US Inc. is an Air Charter Broker that does not operate aircraft. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S.

About Valextra

Founded by Giovanni Fontana in 1937, Valextra is one of Italys most renowned and discerning leather goods brands. Taking inspiration from its hometown of Milan, Valextras handbags and luggage encapsulate its commitment to engineering beauty to conceive meaningful everyday objects of desire.

From the iconic Tric Trac wrist bag, first conceived in 1968, to the Iside handbag that arrived in 2011, preservation and innovation are symbiotic in Valextras approach to craft and construction. Signature details, such as the black lacquered Costa edging; the fine, hand painted Inchiostro lines; and our famous shade of Pergamena White have endured as discreet yet distinctive signatures that make Valextra recognisable around the world.

Attachments
Dublin, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Doppler Ultrasound Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Device Type (Trolley-based, Handheld), By Application (Radiology, Cardiology, Obstetrics & Gynecology), By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global doppler ultrasound market size is expected to reach USD 2.24 billion by 2030, advancing at a CAGR of 3.60% from 2023 to 2030.

The market growth is attributed to the rising technological advancements, and increasing prevalence of chronic disorders such as cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disorders.



According to a study conducted by WHO, approximately 17.9 million people die every year due to cardiovascular diseases, accounting for 32% of the total deaths globally. As per the CDC, in 2019, around 26,530 deaths were caused due to AF, and it is expected to affect 12.1 million people in the U. S. by the end of 2030. Doppler ultrasound technology can detect a patient's pulsation rhythm, which in turn, is increasing its demand in cardiovascular disease diagnosis.



Moreover, according to the National Cancer Institute, in 2022, 19,880 new cases and 12,810 deaths were reported due to ovarian cancer in the U. S. The use of Doppler ultrasound in detecting ovarian cancer, owing to its characteristics such as its non-invasiveness, convenience, and repeatability, is anticipated to fuel the demand for the market over the forecast period.



The pandemic has impacted the market negatively, owing to inconsistencies in manufacturing, supply chain disruptions, and postponements in installations. However, key players in the market, such as GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, Koninklijke Philips N. V., Hitachi Ltd., Esaote SpA, Samsung Medison Co., Ltd, and Analogic Corporation are driving the market growth by engaging in various strategic initiatives such as partnerships, acquisitions, new product launches, and expansions.



For instance, in September 2022, the Philips Foundation entered a cross-continental multi-year partnership with RAD-AID, a non-profit organization in the U. S. The aim of this partnership is to promote and encourage the use of diagnostic ultrasound solutions to 50 million people across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and North America.

Companies Mentioned

GE Healthcare

Siemens Healthineers

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation

Fujifilm Holdings Corporation

Hitachi Ltd.

Esaote Spa

Samsung Medison Co., Ltd

Mindray Medical International Limited

Analogic Corporation

Doppler Ultrasound Market Report Highlights

Based on device type, the trolley-based segment accounted for the largest market share of 64.1% in 2022, owing to its enhanced capabilities such as better mobility, diagnosis, and decision-making. The handheld segment is expected to show the fastest growth during the forecast period from 2023 to 2030

Based on application, the radiology segment dominated the market with a share of 25.48% in 2022. The segment growth is attributed to the increasing awareness regarding the wide application of Doppler ultrasound in vascular, abdominal, and obstetric imaging. The cardiology segment is anticipated to advance at the fastest CAGR of 4.1% over the forecast period

Based on end-use, the hospital segment had the largest market share of 47.2% in 2022, owing to the rising demand for handheld Doppler ultrasound devices in OPDs and in-patient departments

North America dominated the market with a share of 34.2% in 2022, owing to the presence of favorable government policies and well-developed healthcare infrastructure in the region. Moreover, the presence of prominent players in the market is fueling the growth. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR of 4% over the forecast period

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 90 Forecast Period 2022 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $1.67 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $2.24 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 3.6% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1 Methodology And Scope



Chapter 2 Executive Summary



Chapter 3 Doppler Ultrasound Market Variables, Trends & Scope

3.1 Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping, 2022

3.2 Regulatory Framework

3.3 Market Dynamics

3.3.1 Market Driver Analysis

3.3.2 Market Restraints Analysis

3.4 Doppler Ultrasound: Market Analysis Tools

3.4.1 Industry Analysis - Porter's Five Forces

3.4.2 Swot Analysis, By Pest

3.5 Impact Of Covid-19



Chapter 4 Doppler Ultrasound Market: Segment Analysis, By Device Type, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

4.1 Definitions & Scope

4.2 Device Type Market Share Analysis, 2018 To 2030

4.3 Doppler Ultrasound Market, By Device Type, 2018 To 2030

4.4 Market Size Forecasts And Trend Analysis

4.4.1 Trolley-Based

4.4.1.1 Trolley-Based Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

4.4.2 Handheld

4.4.2.1 Handheld Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 5 Doppler Ultrasound Market: Segment Analysis, By Application, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

5.1 Definitions & Scope

5.2 Application Market Share Analysis, 2018 To 2030

5.3 Doppler Ultrasound Market, By Application, 2018 To 2030

5.4 Market Size Forecasts And Trend Analysis

5.4.1 Radiology

5.4.1.1 Radiology Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

5.4.2 Cardiology

5.4.2.1 Cardiology Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

5.4.3 Obstetrics And Gynecology

5.4.3.1 Obstetrics And Gynecology Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

5.4.4 Others

5.4.4.1 Others Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 6 Doppler Ultrasound Market: Segment Analysis, By End-Use, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

6.1 Definitions & Scope

6.2 End-Use Market Share Analysis, 2018 To 2030

6.3 Doppler Ultrasound Market, By End-Use, 2018 To 2030

6.4 Market Size Forecasts And Trend Analysis

6.4.1 Hospitals

6.4.1.1 Hospitals Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

6.4.2 Diagnostic Imaging Centers

6.4.2.1 Diagnostic Imaging Centers Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

6.4.3 Home Care

6.4.3.1 Home Care Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)

6.4.4 Academic & Research Institutes

6.4.4.1 Academic & Research Institutes Market, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 7 Doppler Ultrasound Market: Regional Market Analysis, By Device Type, By Application, By End-Use, 2018 To 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 8 Doppler Ultrasound Market - Competitive Analysis

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ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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NEW YORK, United States, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zion Market Research has published a new research report titled Machine-To-Machine (M2M) Connections Market Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, and Forecasts 2023  2030 in its research database. According to the latest research study, the global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market size was worth at USD 20.5 billion in 2022 and it is expected to surpass around USD 29.1 billion mark by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.5% during the forecast period 2023 to 2030.

The report analyses the global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections market drivers, restraints/challenges, and the effect they have on the demands during the projection period. In addition, the report explores emerging opportunities in the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections industry.

Get a Free Sample PDF of this Research Report for more Insights - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/machine-to-machine-m2m-connections-market







(A free sample of this report is available upon request; please contact us for more information.)

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market Overview:

Machine-to-machine (M2M) connections are automated systems in which machines or devices communicate with one another through a network without the need for human intervention. They include sensors, RFID, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) or cellular communications links, and autonomic computing software, which is built to support a network device in autonomously analyzing data and making choices. They interpret data into actions that can be automated and preprogrammed. They operate through data endpoints (DEP), communication networks, and data integration points (DIP) to access sensor data and deliver it to a network. By reducing equipment maintenance and downtime, they contribute to cost savings.

M2M connections also increase income by showcasing new business opportunities for field service of devices. By proactively monitoring and maintaining equipment, they enhance customer service before it breaks down or when it is urgently needed. They are incorporated into supply chain management (SCM) and warehouse management systems (WMS) and used for remote monitoring. Additionally, M2M connections are becoming more and more popular due to their ability to continually send and receive small amounts of data.

Global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market: Growth Factors

One of the main factors driving the machine-to-machine connections market's growth at the moment is the increased need for M2M connections, which allow electronic appliances and other technologies to manage activities in real-time. In addition, there is an increase in the building of infrastructure and the advancement of procedures for diagnosis and treatment to offer patients all over the world high-quality healthcare services. This is providing a positive market outlook, along with the expanding use of modern medical equipment for remote patient monitoring.

Additionally, the machine-to-machine connection market is expanding as a result of the growing need for automation and efficient predictive maintenance systems across a variety of sectors to increase operational effectiveness and gather real-time data. In addition, the market is expanding due to the rising installation of smart security systems to enhance home security and the growing usage of different smart home products to accomplish household tasks quickly and have more control over the home environment. The need for M2M connections is also being stimulated by the expanding use of digital wallets and online payment systems for cashless transactions.

Directly Purchase a Copy of the [226+ Pages] Report | Quick Delivery Available - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/machine-to-machine-m2m-connections-market



Report Scope

Report Attribute Details Market Size in 2022 USD 20.5 Billion Projected Market Size in 2030 USD 29.1 Billion CAGR Growth Rate 4.5% CAGR Base Year 2022 Forecast Years 2023-2030 Key Market Players NXP Semiconductors, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Cisco, AT&T Intellectual Property, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, Intel Corporation, Thales Group, Vodafone Group, Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., U-blox, Fanstel, CommSolid GmbH, Afero., Revogi, Virscient Limited, Deutsche Telekom AG, Sierra Wireless, and T-Mobile USA, INC among others. Key Segment By Technology, By End-use Industry, and By Region Major Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East &, Africa Purchase Options Request customized purchase options to meet your research needs. Explore purchase options





Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market Segmentation:

The global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections industry is segmented based on technology, end-use industry, and region.

Based on the technology, the global market is bifurcated into wired and wireless. The wireless segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increasing use of short-range wireless connectivity technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee.

Based on the end-use industry, the global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections industry is divided into automotive & transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, consumer electronics, utilities, retail, security & surveillance, and others. The healthcare segment is expected to hold a major share of the market over the forecast period. The growth in the segment is attributed to the use of M2M in various applications of the healthcare industry such as remote patient monitoring, telemedicine and telehealth, medical asset tracking and management, and others. For instance, remote patient monitoring involves the use of connected devices to monitor patients' health conditions remotely. M2M connections enable the seamless transmission of vital signs, patient data, and real-time alerts from wearable devices, sensors, and medical equipment to healthcare providers. This segment is driven by the need for continuous monitoring of patients with chronic conditions, reducing hospital readmissions, and improving patient outcomes. Thereby, driving the segment growth.

The global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections market is segmented as follows:

By Technology

Wired

Wireless

By End-use Industry

Automotive & Transportation

Manufacturing

Healthcare

Consumer Electronics

Utilities

Retail

Security & Surveillance

Others

For More Information Visit - Machine-To-Machine (M2M) Connections Market By Technology (Wired And Wireless), By End-Use Industry (Automotive & Transportation, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, Utilities, Retail, Security & Surveillance, And Others), And By Region - Global And Regional Industry Overview, Market Intelligence, Comprehensive Analysis, Historical Data, And Forecasts 2023  2030

Competitive Landscape

Some of the main competitors dominating the global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections market include -

NXP Semiconductors

Texas Instruments Incorporated

Cisco

AT&T Intellectual Property

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd

Intel Corporation

Thales Group

Vodafone Group

Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

U-blox

Fanstel

CommSolid GmbH

Afero.

Revogi

Virscient Limited

Deutsche Telekom AG

Key Insights from Primary Research:

According to the analysis shared by our research analyst, the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections market is likely to expand at a CAGR of around 4.5% during the forecast period (2023-2030).

In terms of revenue, the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections market size was valued at around US$ 20.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 29.1 billion by 2030.

The market for machine-to-machine (M2M) connections is expanding as a result of the increased use of the internet and increased attention to machine-to-machine connections worldwide.

Based on the technology, the wireless segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period.

Based on the end-use industry, the manufacturing segment is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period.

Based on region, North America is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period.

Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/machine-to-machine-m2m-connections-market



Key questions answered in this report:

What is the market size and growth rate forecast for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections industry?

What are the main driving factors propelling the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market forward?

What are the leading companies in the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Industry?

What segments does the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market cover?

How can I receive a free copy of the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Connections Market sample report and company profiles?

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20232030

Market Dynamics  Leading Trends, Growth Drivers, Restraints, and Investment Opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis By Technology, By End-use Industry, and By Region

Competitive Landscape  Top Key Vendors and Other Prominent Vendors

Request for Customization on this Report as per your requirements - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/7295



(We tailor your report to meet your specific research requirements. Inquire with our sales team about customising your report.)

Regional Analysis:

North America is expected to capture the largest machine-to-machine connection market share over the forecast period. Some of the largest telecom players, including AT&T, Verizon, Cisco, and many more, are based in the region and are constantly investing in expanding and improving their infrastructure to stay up with technological breakthroughs. Additionally, the introduction of 5G is projected to boost the growth of M2M connections throughout the projection period. According to Ericcson's Mobility Report for June 2019, the region is predicted to have close to 270 million 5G subscribers, accounting for more than 60% of mobile subscriptions. Thereby, driving the market growth in the region.

By Region

North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America

Europe France UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin America



Recent Developments

In July 2021, the privately held antenna providers Proant AB and Proant Asia Limited, with headquarters in Ume, Sweden, and Hong Kong, respectively, have been successfully acquired by Abracon, LLC, a pioneer in the passive component market. With an emphasis on wireless M2M and IoT applications, Abracon will incorporate Proant's antenna product line, which spans 150 MHz to 8 GHz.

To know an additional revised 2023 list of market players, request a brochure of the report: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/machine-to-machine-m2m-connections-market



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Still, Looking for More Information? OR Want Data for Inclusion in Magazine, Case Study, or Media?
New York, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Piezoelectric Devices Market by Product, Material, Element, Application and Region - Global Forecast to 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p04648404/?utm_source=GNW

Devloping alternative materials to PZT ceramic materials having similar properties is one of the major challenge in the market.



Market for piezoelectric transducers to hold second-largest share during the forecast period.

Piezoelectric transducer is expected to have second largest market size in terms of product during the forecast period.Piezoelectric transducers use the piezoelectric effect to measure changes with respect to acceleration, force, pressure, strain, and temperature.



They produce an electric output voltage by converting these parameters into an electric charge.Piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers transmit and receive ultrasonic waves used in sensing and imaging applications.



These devices possess the properties of both sensors and actuators.



Market for piezoelectric crystal segment is expected to hold the significant share during the forecast period

Piezoelectric crystals are small-scale energy sources.They change their shapes in small amounts, mostly in nanometers, and generate electricity whenever subjected to vibrations or external mechanical stress.



When a mechanical force is applied for ultrasound applications, piezoelectric crystals are automatically deformed and produce a tiny voltage, which is used for producing and detecting ultrasonic sound waves.



Market for healthcare application segment to witness highest growth during the forecast period

The healthcare application is expected to record the highest CAGR in the piezoelectric devices market during the forecast period.The healthcare sector depends on advanced techniques, including imaging, diagnostic scanning, and robotic surgeries, to provide the best possible care to patients.



Medical device manufacturers are aware of the benefits of integrating piezoelectric components and materials into life-saving medical devices such as respirators, ventilators, and atomization systems.



Germany is expected to have largest market size in Europe during the forecast period

Germany is one of the largest manufacturing hubs for automobile companies in Europe.Technological innovations in the automotive sector of the country contribute to the growth of the piezoelectric devices market in Germany.



Along with the automotive industry, piezoelectric devices are also likely to be adopted in industrial and manufacturing, consumer electronics, and healthcare applications. As Germany has the largest automotive sector, it witnesses a higher consumption of piezoelectric actuators, motors, and sensors.

In the process of determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews have been conducted with key industry experts in the piezoelectric devices space. The break-up of primary participants for the report has been shown below:

 By Company Type: Tier 1  40%, Tier 2  40%, and Tier 3  20%

 By Designation: C-level Executives  40%, Directors 40%, and Others  20%

 By Region: North America 40%, Asia Pacific 30%, Europe  20%, and RoW  10%

The report profiles key players in the piezoelectric devices market with their respective market ranking analysis.Prominent players profiled in this report are include CeramTec GmbH (Germany); CTS Corporation (US); Kistler Group (Switzerland); Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co.



KG. (Germany); piezosystem jena GmbH (Germany); Piezo Technologies (US); Aerotech Inc. (US); APC International, Ltd., (US); Mad City Labs, Inc. (US). Apart from these, Kinetic Ceramics (US), Johnson Matthey Piezo Products GmbH (Germany), PI Ceramic (Germany), Piezo Solutions (US), DYTRAN INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED (US), Piezomechanik Dr. Lutz Pickelmann GmbH (Germany), PiezoMotor (Sweden), PCB Piezotronics, Inc. (US) are among a few emerging companies in the piezoelectric devices market.



Report Coverage

The report defines, describes, and forecasts the piezoelectric devices market based on product, material, application, element, operation mode and region.It provide detailed information regarding drivers, restraint, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of piezoelectric devices market.



It also analyzes competitive devlopements such as product launches, acquisition, expansion contract, partnership and action carries out by the key players to grow the market.



Reasons to Buy This Report

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in the market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue for the overall piezoelectric devices market and the subsegments.The report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insight to position their business better and plan suitable go-to-market startergies.



The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provide them information on key drivers, restraint, opportunities, and challenge.



The report will provide insights to following pointers:

 Analysis of key drivers ( High adoprtion of piezoelectric devices in aerospace & defense industry), restraints (High costs associated with piezoelectric materials), opportunities (growing use of piezoelectric nanomaterials in electronic devices) and challenges ( Devloping alternative materials to PZT ceramic materials having simaliar properties) of the piezoelectric devices market.

 Product development /Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologises, research & development activities, and new product & service launches in the piezoelectric devices market.

 Market Development: Comprehesive information about lucrative markets, the report analyses the piezoelectric devices market across various regions.

 Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new product & services, untapping gegraphies, recent devlopements, and investments in the piezoelectric devices market.

 Competitive Assesemnet: In depth assessment of market share, growth strategies, and services, offering of leading players like CeramTec GmbH (Germany); CTS Corporation (US); Kistler Group (Switzerland); Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG. (Germany); piezosystem jena GmbH (Germany) among others in piezoelectric devices market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04648404/?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.



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Canadians are encouraged to visit quakerborough.ca to purchase a QUAKERborough Welcome Kit, with 100% of proceeds supporting Food Banks Canada while supplies last







Since 1902, the Quaker brand has proudly called Peterborough, Ontario, Canada home.

TORONTO, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Located on the shores of the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Quaker Canada knows what it means to be part of a warm community  a place they like to call QUAKERborough. Since 1902, its plant has stood as a proud pillar within the Canadian city, producing quality food for Canadian tables nationwide. The good folks of Peterborough have welcomed Quaker with open arms, and now the brand is on a mission to return the favour by being the best neighbour it can be and inspiring others to do the same.

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on taking care of one another, and in a recent national survey commissioned by Quaker Canada, 93% of Canadians report that its important for them to be perceived as a good neighbour. However, with only 28% of Canadians feeling a very strong sense of community within their neighbourhoods, theres opportunity to reconnect with each other now more than ever. Thats why, this Canada Day, the Quaker brand is inviting Canadians across the country to join them in extending a warm welcome to their neighbours with a QUAKERborough Welcome Kit.

Canadians are encouraged to gift the care package to a fellow neighbour, which is filled with beloved Quaker pantry staples made by the hardworking team in Peterborough, Ontario and a limited-edition QUAKERborough crewneck made in collaboration with Canadian-made clothing brand, Province of Canada. With more than half of Canadians expressing that a friendly greeting or offering a helping hand makes for a good neighbour, gifting a QUAKERborough Welcome Kit is a great way to do just that.

Throughout the month of June, the Quaker team has been delivering our QUAKERborough Welcome Kits to new Peterborough residents in collaboration with the New Canadians Centre, but we know that a neighbourly gesture can transcend city limits and that warmth and kindness should have no boundaries, says Logan Chambers, Senior Director of Marketing, PepsiCo Canada. Places with great food, kind neighbours and a warm welcome exist all across Canada, and were motivated to inspire community connection and encourage Canadians to make a positive difference in someones day.

Want to join the Quaker Warm Welcome movement? Starting June 29, Canadians can visit quakerborough.ca to purchase a QUAKERborough Welcome Kit. 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of each kit will be donated to Food Banks Canada, so Quaker can continue to help nourish families from coast-to-coast.

About Quaker Canada

A leader in the Canadian food industry for over 130 years, the Quaker brand features a power-packed line of nourishing food products with a wide range of choices. For more information, please visit quakeroats.ca .

About PepsiCo Foods Canada

PepsiCo Foods Canada is comprised of the Frito Lay Canada and Quaker Canada businesses. The company employs over 6,000 Canadians with seven manufacturing plants and sales and distribution facilities from coast to coast. Frito Lay Canada is the country's largest snack food manufacturer and the company's brands include Lay's, Doritos, Tostitos, Ruffles, Smartfood and Cheetos. The Quaker brand portfolio includes a wide range of wholesome cereals, oatmeal, rice and corn snacks and snack bars, and features other prominent brands such as Life, Quaker Chewy, Harvest Crunch and Crispy Minis. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.ca .

About Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 4,750 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who in March of last year made nearly 1.5 million visits to these organizations, according to our 2022 HungerCount Report . Over the past 10 years, as a system we've sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared nearly $168 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity  while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.

Survey Methodology

This Maru Public Opinion survey conducted on behalf of Quaker Canada was undertaken by the sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue . 1,513 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists were surveyed from June 6, 2023 to June 7, 2023. The results of this study have been weighted by education, age, gender, and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 3.0%, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding.

SOURCE PepsiCo Canada

Media Contact

Jennifer Nagy

jennifer.nagy@citizenrelations.com



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78417fb3-d38a-4089-950b-2428a40d635d
New York, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Europe Feminine Hygiene Products Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis by Product Type and Distribution Channel" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06470881/?utm_source=GNW





According to the Womens Environmental Network (WEN), half of the UKs women population flush tampons away; approximately 1.52 billion menstrual items are flushed down Britains toilets yearly. Thus, environmentally friendly sanitary napkins, panty liners, and tampons, among other feminine hygiene products made of natural fibers, are a viable choice. Organic cotton, jute, banana fiber, and bamboo are among the natural absorbent fibers. They are widely available and biodegradable, with a minimal carbon footprint. Using these fibers also lowers the production costs of feminine hygiene products. The absorbency and retention properties of these natural fibers make them a preferred choice over conventional options. Banana fiber, bamboo fiber, jute fiber, and a combination of cellulose-based hydrogel have a similar absorbency rate as compared to synthetic superabsorbent polymer (SAP). Similarly, in place of non-biodegradable polyethylene and polyurethane, a bio-based plastic made from starch can be utilized as a barrier sheet. A few European companies that create eco-friendly products include Shethinx, Saaltco, and Wearedame. For instance, Boots sells plant-based applicator tampons that are both affordable and eco-friendly. Moreover, companies are adopting novel technologies, and launching reusable panty liners and sanitary pads, which are impermeable, chlorine-free, and reusable/washable. For instance, in May 2021, Zorbies launched washable and reusable incontinence underwear with expanded coverage and absorbency for women.



Thus, the increasing adoption of reusable and eco-friendly feminine hygiene products is expected to create a new trend in the market during the forecast period.



The Europe feminine hygiene products market is segmented on the basis of product type, and distribution channel.Based on distribution channel, the market is segmented into supermarkets and hypermarkets, drug stores and pharmacies, health and beauty stores, online retail, and others.



The supermarkets and hypermarkets segment held the largest share of the market in 2021, whereas the online retail segment is expected to register the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2028.Supermarkets and hypermarkets are large retail establishments that sell a wide range of products, including groceries, personal care, and household products.



Consumers prefer buying products such as sanitary pads, tampons, intimate hygiene washes and sprays, and hair removal products from supermarkets and hypermarkets due to the availability of various brands under one roof.Smart arrangement and display of products in supermarkets and hypermarkets allow shoppers to find the right product quickly.



Moreover, these stores offer multiple payment options, attractive discounts, and a pleasant shopping experience.



Manufacturers of feminine hygiene products usually prefer selling their products through supermarkets and hypermarkets owing to high customer footfall at these stores. Many leading European feminine hygiene product manufacturers sell their products through Tesco, Boots, and other supermarkets.



Based on country, the Europe feminine hygiene products market is segmented into the Germany, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Rest of Europe.In 2021, the Russia accounted for the largest share of the Europe feminine hygiene products market.



Russia is one of the important markets for feminine hygiene products owing to the high female population in the country and the growing importance of menstrual health among women. According to the World Bank data, in 2020, Russia had the most female-biased sex ratio in the world with 0.864 males to every female. Rising disposable income, increasing number of women in corporates, and growing awareness of intimate health and hygiene among Russian women are some of the key factors driving the growth of the feminine hygiene products market. Also, the rapidly advancing organized retail sector is further supporting the growth of the feminine hygiene products market across Russia.



Edgewell Personal Care Co, Kimberly-Clark Corp, Lune Group Oy Ltd, Me Luna GmbH, Mooncup Ltd, Ontex BV, Essity AB, Wuka Ltd, Cotton High Tech SL, Procter & Gamble Co. are a few of the major players operating in the Europe feminine hygiene products market. These companies have their presence in both developed and developing countries, which provides lucrative opportunities for their growth, and further drives the Europe feminine hygiene products market growth.



The overall Europe feminine hygiene products market has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.



Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants to validate the data and gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managersalong with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leadersspecializing in the Europe feminine hygiene products market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06470881/?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.



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Beijing, China, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The grand moment of the 2nd anniversary of the operation of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway arrived on June 10, 2023. To celebrate the contribution of this railway to Nigeria's economic and social development, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), the construction company, held an online celebration event.





Julius Haruna is a communication engineer at China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), a subsidiary of CRCC, responsible for communication work along the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, ensuring the safety of every passenger. In a video during the event, he said, "Personally, I have learned a lot of technical knowledge in engineering communications; nationally, I am grateful for the opportunities that Lagos-Ibadan Railway has brought to Nigeria, and we're indeed a community with a shared future."

Since its official operation in June 2021, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway has transported over 1.1 million passengers. Ayokunmi Obisesan, a businessman featured in the event's video, is the general manager of a Nigerian agricultural export company. Due to work reasons, he travels between Lagos and Ibadan every week frequently. He expressed his gratitude through the video: "The Lagos-Ibadan Railway allows me to travel between the two cities within a day. My work efficiency has greatly improved, and I can meet new business partners during the journey!"

The construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway promotes Nigeria's economic and social development and lays a solid foundation for deepening and expanding the cooperation between China and Nigeria. Lan Yuanhong, the Chinese representative of CCECC in Nigeria, mentioned in a behind-the-scenes interview that the company has played an active role in helping local communities build public facilities, carry out educational support activities, and strive to build harmonious community relations with the local people in Nigeria.

Over the years, projects such as the Kajola Wagon Assembly Plant, Lagos Light Rail Blue Line, and Abuja Light Rail, undertaken by CRCC, have continued to promote Nigeria's socio-economic development and deepen the influence of "One Belt, One Road" in West Africa. Looking towards the future, CRCC stated that it would uphold the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration and offering more comprehensive and high-quality integrated "Investment, Construction & Operation" services to more regions, thereby supporting various countries' economic and social development.

CompanyChina Railway Construction Corporation Limited

Contact Person: Wang Ying

Email: wangying@crcc.cn

Website: https://english.crcc.cn/

Telephone: 010-52689209

CityBeijing, China

Disclaimer:



This announcement is not directed at any investors or potential investors, and does not constitute an offer to sell  or a solicitation of an offer to buy  any securities, and may not be used or relied upon in evaluating the merits of any investment. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects and/or opinions expressed in this release are subject to change without notice. The contents in here should not be construed as or relied upon in any manner as investment, legal, tax, or other advice.
ATHENS, Greece, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, today announced that on June 26, 2023, it signed a term loan facility with DNB Bank ASA for up to US$100 million with maturity date up to December 2029, subject to mutually agreed margin reset at the end of the fourth year. Yesterday, it concluded the drawdown of US$100 million, secured by ten vessels. The proceeds from the loan facility refinanced other loan facilities with an aggregate outstanding amount of approximately US$68.7 million, namely two existing loan facilities with ABN AMRO Bank N.V. of approximately US$31.4 million and of approximately US$37.3 million (maturity dates in June 2024 and in May 2026) related to the same ten vessels. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay transaction costs and expenses incurred in connection with the loan agreement and/or general corporate purposes.



On June 20, 2023, The Company also signed a term loan facility with Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Norge for up to US$22.5 million with maturity date in June 2028. On June 27, 2023, it concluded the drawdown of US$22.5 million, secured by four vessels. The proceeds from the loan facility refinanced the existing loan facility with an outstanding amount of approximately US$20.9 million, with Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Norge (maturity date in March 2024) related to the same four vessels. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay transaction costs and expenses incurred in connection with the loan agreement and/or general corporate purposes.

Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet currently consists of 42 dry bulk vessels: 4 Newcastlemax, 10 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 7 Panamax and 10 Ultramax (including a partial interest through a joint venture arrangement in one Ultramax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet, is approximately 4.7 million dwt with a weighted average age of 10.19 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release.

About the Company

Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on short to medium-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, including risks associated with the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Pune, India, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on Biostimulants Market Size Report, Share, Demand, Growth Strategy, Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028- COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis  by Product, Mode of Application, Crop Type, and Geography, the Biostimulants Market size is expected to grow from US$ 3.11 billion in 2022 to US$ 5.79 billion by 2028; it is estimated to register a CAGR of 10.9% from 2022 to 2028.





Download PDF Brochure: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00003199/





Global Biostimulants Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

The key players operating in the global biostimulants market include BASF SE, UPL Limited, Valagro, Gowan Company, Total Corbion PLA, FMC Corporation, ILSA S.p.A., Haifa Negev technologies LTD, ADAMA, Rallis India Limited, and AgriTecno Biostimulants and Plant Nutrition. Players operating in the global biostimulants market focus on providing high-quality products to fulfill customer demand. They are also focusing on strategies such as investments in research and development activities, and new product launches.





Biostimulants Market Report Scope, Segmentations, Regional & Country Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in USD 3.11 Billion in 2022 Market Size Value by USD 5.79 Billion by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 10.9% from 2022 to 2028 Forecast Period 2022-2028 Base Year 2022 No. of Pages 150 No. of Tables 115 No. of Charts & Figures 115 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Product, Mode of Application, and Crop Type Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends Companies Covered BASF SE, FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Green Dot Bioplastics Inc, Novamont SpA, Kingfa Science and Technology Co Ltd, NatureWorks LLC, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp, Plantic Technologies Ltd, TotalEnergies Corbion BV, and API SpA





In 2022, Europe held the largest share of the global biostimulants market. The European Union's stringent rules on environmental safety and support for organic agriculture have paved the way for a flourishing biostimulant market in European countries, such as Germany, Italy, the UK, Spain, and France. For instance, in Germany, the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) developed a regulatory framework for "plant strengtheners" (PS) that corresponds to biostimulants, as defined under Section 2.1. Commercial products containing more than 5% of seaweed extracts cannot be considered PS. Significant changes have been made to regulating crop inputs in Spain over the past few years. According to the new regulations, fertilizers must be regulated before selling. However, the sales of OMDF (other means of plant defense), into which most biostimulants fall, can be carried out with prior registration. In addition, inventions in plant biostimulants targeting specific agronomic needs are attracting new customers in Europe. For instance, Arysta LifeScience launched a new biostimulant that improves the quality of fruit and vegetable yields while relieving stress in the UK. The product contains GA142, an active ingredient found in seaweed harvested in North Brittany, where the tides are some of the highest in the world. The GA142 is extracted within 24 hours using a unique cold manufacturing process to retain fresh seaweed's operational characteristics and ensure a consistently high-quality product.





Surging Demand for Organic Products Propelling Demand for Biostimulants

Biostimulants are biologically developed fertilizers used to increase plant productivity and development in addition to nourishing agricultural products. A biostimulant boosts plant growth and development throughout the crop life cycle, i.e., from seed germination to plant maturity. Most biostimulants use raw material from organic sources, so they do not damage crops, while conventional chemical fertilizers and growth regulators can damage crops if not used in recommended dosages. Moreover, many government organizations, manufacturers, and suppliers in different countries worldwide are initiating favorable schemes to encourage organic and advanced farming activities. This initiative is leading to the increasing popularity of organic products. Increasing awareness among farmers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, about the benefits of biostimulants is another factor boosting the market's growth. Additionally, consumer shifting preferences toward organic and healthy food are boosting the demand for biostimulants





Biostimulants Market: Segmental Overview

Based on product, the global biostimulants market is segmented into humic substances, amino acids, microbial stimulants, seaweed extracts, and others. In 2022, the seaweed extracts segment dominated the market. The humic substances segment registered highest CAGR during forecast period. Based on made of application, the global biostimulants market is segmented into foliar spray, seed treatment, and soil application. In 2022, the foliar spray segment dominated the market and registered highest CAGR during forecast period. Based on crop type, the global biostimulants market is segmented into cereals and grains, oilseeds and pulses, fruits and vegetables, turf and landscape, and others. In 2022, the cereals and grains segment dominated the market. The turf and landscape segment registered highest CAGR during forecast period.





Buy Premium Copy of Biostimulants Market Growth Report (2022-2028) at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00003199/





Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Biostimulants Market

The COVID-19 pandemic affected economies and industries in various countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South & Central America (SAM), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA) with lockdowns, travel restrictions, and business shutdowns. These shutdowns disturbed global supply chains, manufacturing activities, delivery schedules, and essential and nonessential product sales. Various companies announced possible delays in product deliveries and a slump in future sales of their products in 2020. Further, the bans imposed by various governments in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America on international travel forced several companies to discontinue their collaboration and partnership plans. All these factors hampered the chemicals & materials industry in 2020 and early 2021, thereby restraining the growth of various markets related to this industry, including the biostimulants market.





Go through further research published by The Insight Partners: (Purchase with 10% Instant Discount):

Agricultural Biological Market- The market accounted to US$ 7,148.8 Mn in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.9% during the forecast period 2019 - 2027, to account to US$ 21,141.0 Mn by 2027.

Bionematicides Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

Biofertilizers Market - The market was valued at US$ 2,214.93 million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 4,474.43 million by 2028. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% from 2021 to 2028.

Soil Fertility Testing Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis

Crop Micronutrients Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis





About Us:

The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.





Contact Us:

If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:

Contact Person: Ankit Mathur

Sr. Vice President  Research

E-mail: sales@theinsightpartners.com

Phone: +1-646-491-9876

Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/biostimulants-market
Lorman, Mississippi, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bernard Osher Foundation recently awarded Alcorn State University a $50,000 grant and $1,000,000 endowment gift to support the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program.

The funding will support reentry to the university for individuals between 25  50 years old and expand scholarship offerings from 10 to 20 per year.

We are appreciative to the Bernard Osher Foundation for its generous gift to Alcorn State, said Dr. Ontario Wooden, interim president. We were founded on the principle of providing access to the underserved. This gift will allow us open doors of educational opportunity to students who may have stopped the pursuit of their education due to various life circumstances. I would like to thank the team for their work to secure the grant and endowment.

Osher Reentry Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate students who have experienced a gap in their education of five or more years and are pursuing their first bachelors degree.

The university's goal is to provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students reentering to complete their degrees by reducing financial barriers.

According to the Foundations website, the Bernard Osher Foundation, founded in 1977, makes grants and endowment gifts to colleges, universities, and other non-profit organizations in four program areas  post-secondary scholarships, lifelong learning institutes for seasoned adults, select integrative medicine programs, and arts and educational organizations. The Foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts.
Staten Island, NY, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of Independence Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgages held on the homes of over 30 Gold Star and fallen first responder families in their entirety and presented a catastrophically injured veteran with a mortgage-free smart home.

The Foundation welcomed USMC Staff Sergeant Benjamin Webb, a Purple Heart recipient, to his new Union Beach, New Jersey home on June 28th.

Its been a long road, a long struggle, many dark days of worry, of wondering, and hoping, of praying, and waiting but not anymore. I never stopped believing this day would come, that I would be able to come home, here in my little corner of the world,said SSgt Webb.

SSgt Webb served four overseas deployments, three to Afghanistan and one to Iraq. During his 15 years of service to his country, he suffered multiple concussions and shrapnel wounds from RPG and IED blasts. He was awarded 3 Purple Hearts and retired in 2017.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundations Smart Home Program builds specially-adapted smart homes, giving Americas catastrophically injured veterans some of their day-to-day independence back and delivers them mortgage-free to these American Heroes.

Having a mortgage free home has improved my life immensely not just mentally, but both physically and emotionally, Im able to enjoy life again. This home will cater to my everyday physical needs, it is such a relieving feeling, said SSgt Webb.

This year, as we celebrate July 4th, I am honored to hand over the keys to a home that will deliver financial and personal independence back to Staff Sergeant Ben Webb, who has given so much to this country we all love, said Frank Siller, Chairman & CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Tunnel to Towers also ensured that 31 Gold Star and fallen first responder families who lost loved ones in the line of duty will be able to celebrate Independence Day in their forever homes.

On June 14, 2022, El Monte Police Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana were shot and killed when they responded to a domestic violence call at a motel. Tunnel to Towers paid off the mortgages held on both of the fallen officers' homes.

Corporal Paredes wife, Janine, said Tunnel to Towers has provided her family with a sense of stability as they grieve the tremendous loss of a husband and father.

Because of Tunnel to Towers, I am able to raise my children in the only place they have ever called home. A place where all their memories of their father live. Michael worked hard to create this life for us, and he would have been honored to be recognized by such an amazing Foundation, said Janine Paredes.

Officer Santanas wife, Sasha Santana, added, Nothing will ever replace my husband, but knowing my children will still have their home to grow up in gave me some light amid all this pain.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundations Fallen First Responder Home Program pays off the mortgages for the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty, pass away from 9/11-related illnesses, and leave behind young children.

To learn more about the 31 fallen heroes and the families they left behind, visit T2T.org. Please consider joining us on our mission to provide mortgage-free homes to these heroes by donating $11 per month.

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to do good, by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001. Visit T2T.org to learn more and follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Washington, DC, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Todays decision by the US Supreme Court to prohibit the use of race as a factor in college admissions constitutes a major setback for higher education and for our democracy. It greatly complicates the efforts of colleges and universities to design holistic admissions policies that advance their distinctive missions and to create educational environments and experiences that produce the learning outcomes they seek for their students.

In nine states, race-based affirmative action had already been prohibited in public institutions of higher education. If, as Justice Louis Brandeis famously observed, the states are laboratories of democracy, then the results of those experiments are already in: prohibiting consideration of race in college admissions results in sharp declines in the enrollment of students from historically underrepresented groups. It is reasonable to expect that todays decision will nationalize those unconscionable trends, raising even higher the barriers to educational opportunity and socioeconomic mobility for the historically marginalized.

The decision is also a major setback for educational excellence. Preparation for work, citizenship, and life in an increasingly diverse society that is inextricably connected to a larger global community requires a diversity of backgrounds, identities, and outlooks among students. Notwithstanding the well-developed research base demonstrating the educational benefits of such diversity, todays decision overturns four decades of precedent recognizing a corresponding state interest in student body diversity. In restricting the ability of colleges and universities to create diverse student bodies, the Court today has made it more difficult to ensure all students will have access to this essential component of educational excellence.

Todays decision must also be considered in the broader context shaped by a recent increase in government actions undermining academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Foundational to American higher education, these closely interrelated principles both enable and preserve the freedom of inquiry and expression necessary to pursue truth wherever it may lead, to increase the store of knowledge, and to drive innovation and discovery.

After the Supreme Court rescinded the constitutional right to abortion in June 2022, several states moved quickly to ban or severely limit access to abortion. Colleges and universities in those states are now subject to government restrictions affecting not only campus health services but also the education and training of doctors and other medical professionals. Meanwhile, since January 2021, about one-third of states across the country have passed so-called divisive concept laws that impose restrictions on the content of school and college curricula, excluding from instruction and discussion an array of topics related to race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and US history and culture. To these abridgments of the academic freedom to determine what is taught, the Court has now added an abridgment of the academic freedom of colleges and universities to decide whom to enroll.

In the face of ongoing efforts to avert a national reckoning with racism by raising the false flag of critical race theory, to prevent the stories and perspectives of the historically marginalized from informing our understanding of history, and now to foreclose on the educational aspirations of students of color, AAC&U reaffirms its commitment to antiracism and racial equity. We will continue to work with and on behalf of our members to promote truth-telling and racial healing on our campuses and in our communities and to acknowledge and confront racialized practices that marginalize students of color. Further, AAC&U reaffirms its commitment to the bedrock principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. We will work with and on behalf of our members to ensure that todays Supreme Court decision does not arrest or reverse progress to expand educational opportunity and access to liberal education.

About AAC&U

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org.

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Dallas, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dickeys Barbecue Pit is offering barbecue lovers across the country a chance to celebrate Independence Day with their Legit. Texas. Barbecue.

Be the star of your Fourth of July party with tender barbecue meats and delicious sides from the Texas-style barbecue brand. Guests can pick up their grub in store or Dickeys will bring the patriotic cue to you. If youre relaxing at the lake with the family, or cooling off with friends at home, Dickeys has a variety of BBQ menu items to offer with their Party Packs:

Picnic Pack (starting at $35.90)  one choice of meats, two large sides and four slices of Texas toast. Feeds six to eight. Family Pack (starting at $61.60)  two choices of meats, three large sides and six slices of Texas toast. Feeds four to six. XL Pack (starting at $84)  three choices of meats, four large sides, eight slices of Texas toast. Feeds six to eight. BYB Wings & Ribs Party Pack (starting at $134.40) - A combination of 18 ribs and 24 wings, mac and cheese, coleslaw, rolls, and barbecue sauce with ranch dressing. BYB Original Party Pack (starting at $140)  Enjoy two lbs. of pulled pork, 2 lbs. of chopped brisket, large coleslaw, large barbecue beans, large potato salad, rolls, relish and sauce. Feeds 10-12.

The July 4th weekend is the height of barbecue season and we're fortunate to be able to share Dickeys with barbecue enthusiasts across the country, said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO Dickeys Capital Group , We cant wait to share our variety of pit-smoked barbecue at firework shows and family gatherings on this special day.

Guests can also purchase Dickeys barbecue meats by the pound such as  competition-style brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, polish sausage and marinated BBQ chicken. Make sure to order in advance on dickeys.com , in store or on the Dickeys App.

To learn more, follow Dickeys Barbecue Pit on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter . Download the Dickeys Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play .

About Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the worlds largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by the Dickey family. For the past 80 years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests in 44 states Legit. Texas. Barbecue. At Dickeys, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickeys proudly believes theres no shortcut to true barbecue and its why our name isnt BBQ. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers eight slow-smoked meats and 12 wholesome sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. Dickeys Barbecue has 550 locations across the United States and eight other countries.

Dickeys was named to Newsweeks 2022 Americas Favorite Restaurant Chains list and USA Today 2021 readers choice awards. Dickeys won first place on Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, been named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur and named to Hospitality Technologys Industry Heroes list. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the countrys 50 most influential women in foodservice in Nations Restaurant News, was recognized by Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list and honored by Dallas Business Journal. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine and QSR Magazine. Dickeys Barbecue is part of Dickeys Restaurant Brands which has more than 700 restaurants nationwide including brands Wing Boss, Trailer Birds, Big Deal Burger and bbqathome.com. DRB is led by CEO Roland Dickey Jr. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

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BALTIMORE, Md., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Royal Farms is getting their groove on with their 6th annual ChickenPalooza starting July 1, 2023! This years Disco themed swag will be available to purchase online and in-store and includes t-shirts, sunglasses, and groovy mini chicken toys. Beach locations will also have a limited-edition beach towel for sale. Meal deals include $6 2-piece chicken boxes (white, dark, and tenders) and the Royal Farms Chicken Sandwich with classic, spicy, and deluxe options. Beer and wine locations will sell the World-Famous Lager, a collaboration with local brewery Heavy Seas. The Lager is perfectly brewed to pair with Royal Farms World-Famous fried chicken. This charitable event is something to get stoked about!



This year, Royal Farms will be donating .10 cents of every 2-piece chicken box sold to a local charity in each of the states that they operate. This years recipients are the Special Olympics Virginia (Virginia), Operation Second Chance (Maryland), Martinsburg Union Rescue Mission (West Virginia), Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center (New Jersey), Food Bank of Delaware (Delaware), Corolla Wild Horse Fund (North Carolina), and Kisses for Kyle (Pennsylvania). Pepsi will also donate $10,000 through their Better Together campaign. The festive chicken boxes have a QR code that will link to a website where customers can vote where they want to see each donation to go.



Four lucky entrants will win free chicken for a year through the ChickenPalooza sweepstakes. There is no purchase necessary to enter the sweepstakes. Free chicken for a year prize will be awarded as eight $100 Royal Farms Gift Cards. To enter to win the contest and view official rules and guidelines, please visit www.royalfarms.com/chicken-palooza.

Customers can earn Royalty points for each purchase during and after ChickenPalooza by signing up for RoFo Rewards on the Royal Farms mobile app or on RofoRewards.com. RoFo Rewards Members will be able save money throughout the year, earn fuel discounts, receive rewards for everyday purchases, and redeem other surprise freebie offers.

How to Register as a RoFo Rewards Member

Download the Royal Farms app here: https://engagement.punchh.com/b/royalfarms and click "Sign Up" to create a RoFo Rewards account. You can also visit https://www.roforewards.com/register/ to create an account.

About RoFo Rewards

By registering a RoFo Rewards card or downloading our app you gain access to special member offers and can earn rewards points on purchases. Every time you visit Royal Farms and make a purchase, you'll receive 2 points for every dollar you spend, and one point for every gallon of gas you purchase. If you upgrade your card to RoFo Pay, you will also receive a discount on gas when you use your RoFo Rewards card to pay at the pump except for New Jersey Stores. You can keep track of points and offers at www.royalfarms.com/rewards or by downloading the RoFo Rewards app on your phone.

For more information about please contact Shelby Kemp at skemp@royalfarms.com.

About Royal Farms

Royal Farms is a renowned operator of fast and friendly neighborhood convenience stores with nearly 300 locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Royal Farms opened its first store in Baltimore, MD in 1959 under the name White Jug. Today, the chain has locations in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Royal Farms has been satisfying customers hunger for Real Fresh food served Real Fast. The Royal Farms Kitchen is well known for its Always Fresh, Never Frozen World-Famous Royal Farms Chicken that is lightly hand-breaded and pressure-cooked in Trans Fat Free cooking oil to golden brown perfection. Royal Farms Western Fries are hand-cut from fresh Idaho potatoes, hand-breaded, and cooked right in store. Most locations are open 24 hours, 365 days a year. For more information about Royal Farms, visit: www.royalfarms.com

Contact:

Aliyah Atayee

aatayee@royalfarms.com
New York, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Supreme Courts rulings today striking down race-based admissions in higher education place new barriers in the path of students of color already contending with systemic racial discrimination in our schools and reverse a half-century of progress on racial equity in education.

Affirmative action has opened the doors to opportunity and socioeconomic mobility for communities that have historically been shut out of higher education because of their race, ethnicity, income, or identity. Race-conscious remedies for discrimination are grounded in the Constitution and nearly 50 years of Supreme Court precedent.

The rulings in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina represent a radical assault on these traditions by a far-right majority on the Court.

Despite this setback, we will continue to work together with our grantees, partners, and allies to ensure that all students have access to quality education, with the knowledge that when everyone has accesswhatever their color or heritagewe all benefit.

These decisions deny students of color a fair shot, and deny this country the benefits of the immense, diverse talents of the full American community, said Laleh Ispahani, executive director of Open Society-U.S. In light of today's rulings, the Open Society Foundations remain firmly committed to advancing a multiracial, multiethnic democracy with human dignity, in every sector of American life, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin.
CALGARY, Alberta, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Lynx Air announced the resignation of its President and CEO, Merren McArthur, who is leaving for personal reasons.



McArthur is the founding CEO of Lynx Air, having joined the airline in June 2021, leading the airline to its first flight launch in April 2022, followed by a successful first year of operations. McArthur will continue in the role until the end of September, allowing time for the selection and appointment of a new CEO.

I want to thank Merren for her significant contributions to Lynx Air over the past two years, said Bill Franke, Chairman of Lynx Airs board of directors. Merren has overseen the strategy, launch and rapid growth of Lynx Air during one of the most challenging periods in aviation history. The airline has developed a strong brand within the Canadian market and is well positioned to continue offering ultra low fares to its passengers.

Says McArthur, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead Lynx Air from the early planning phase to launch and beyond. I truly believe in Lynx Airs vision to inspire more Canadians to fly, providing a great flying experience at an ultra-affordable price. It has been a great privilege to lead the talented team at Lynx Air, whose passion and commitment knows no bounds. Together they are transforming the Canadian aviation landscape forever.

She continues, I would like to thank the Lynx Air board of directors and my executive leadership team for their support and guidance. While I will miss my colleagues and friends at Lynx, it is time to return to my family in Australia.

Once appointed, the new CEO will lead the airline through a rapid growth phase as it expands its fleet to 46 aircraft over the next three to four years.

Media contact:

Paula Worthington

Worthington PR

paula@worthingtonpr.com

403-585-2429

About Lynx Air

Lynx Air (Lynx), Canada's leading ultra-low-cost airline, is on a mission to make air travel accessible to all, with ultra-affordable fares and a customer-focused flying experience. The airline was recently awarded Youngest Fleet in North America by ch-aviation. Lynx operates a brand-new fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, bringing an elevated customer experience to low-cost travel in Canada. These ultra-efficient and reliable aircraft reduce Lynxs carbon footprint, making Lynx one of Canadas most sustainable airlines. Lynx is a privately owned Canadian airline with the financial backing and industry expertise required to transform the Canadian aviation landscape.

Visit FlyLynx.com or connect with Lynx on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to learn more.
Washington, D.C., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When historically Black college and university (HBCU) presidents founded UNCF (United Negro College and Fund) in 1944, only small numbers of Black students were admitted to predominantly White American colleges and universities. Our founders knew that a college education was important, and they created UNCF to raise dollars to support HBCUs and the hundreds of thousands of students who attended them. For 79 years, UNCF has worked tirelessly to support Americas HBCUs and their students. We have raised over $5 billion and supported more than 500,000 students on their college journeys. HBCUs have built Black Americas middle class, and UNCF scholarships have helped students pay for their college degrees and move upward economically.

Along the way, HBCUs and UNCF have urged all American colleges and universities to provide educational opportunity to Black and other students of color. Why? Because we believe that all higher education institutions have an important role to play to ensure equitable educational opportunity for students who, because of race, have been marginalized and excluded. Open opportunities for earning college credentials help ensure access to todays careers and financial security.

This Supreme Court ruling will close the door to educational opportunity for many Black students and students of color who want to attend non-HBCUs.

With this new ruling, UNCF knows that more students will turn to HBCUs for their college educations. We also know that our HBCUs will do everything they can to meet increased student demand. So, today, UNCF is asking all Americans to contribute to UNCF and to HBCUs to help more students earn college degrees, compete successfully for well-paying jobs in competitive career fields, and move from poverty into the middle class.

America needs HBCUs now more than ever, and UNCF needs all Americans support to do our important work.

Contribute today!

And join us in declaring that A mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in!

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About UNCF

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 15% of bachelors degrees, 5% of masters degrees, 10% of doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students in higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
Chichester, UK, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Independent Care Company, Guardian Angel Carers, Explains the Need for Inclusivity Within the UK Home Care Sector



Guardian Angel Carers, a UK home care agency across 16 territories, advocates for greater recognition within the home care sector to acknowledge the diversity and breadth of need for high-quality, regulated care in a home setting for those outside of the scope of care in older age.

While many home care agencies focus on care services for older adults, and conditions such as Dementia, Alzheimers and frailty, the established agency advises that this approach disregards a significant group of younger people who require the same compassion, skill and assistance to remain comfortable and independent in their own homes.

UK Home Care Demographics and Statistics

Homecare.co.uk, the independent review site, reports that 814,000 individuals in England received domiciliary care in 2020, and almost 1 million across the UK, with projected significant increases in demand primarily due to an ageing population.

The Department of Health and Social Care expects that 57% more older adults, aged 65 or above, will require adult social care by 2038, compared to 2018.

However, these reports are based on care for older adults and those above statutory retirement age, seemingly missing out on swathes of families and individuals who rely on private home care providers for emotional, sympathetic, practical and personal care assistance in their homes.

In many cases, those with chronic diseases, degenerative conditions or mobility issues, and at a younger age, can be missed where the benefits of person-first care in the private and independent environment of their homes can make a profound difference to their quality of life and holistic well-being.

Although residential nursing and care homes can accommodate younger residents with complex needs and people who require specialist assistance with feeding and everyday tasks, Guardian Angel Carers indicates that the gap in provision within the home is significant and growing.

The Importance of Accessibility and Inclusivity in Private Home Care Provision

Standards around equality and inclusion apply across the health and social care sector, but the division between adult social care and childrens services is often a concealed hindrance, where those who do not fall within the remit of any specific local service are left without the essential support they require.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence report on the promotion of dignity through inclusion and involvement specifies older adults and loneliness, without recognising that this exact scenario can exist for thousands of young and midlife adults who require home care to help them to cope with medical conditions, cognitive ability or mobility.

Assumptions that home care is reserved for older adults are incorrect, and many circumstances, such as disability, injury or illness, mean people of all ages develop short or long-term requirements for nursing, personal or home care services.

Provisions for PMLD (profound multiple learning disabilities) adults are better established. Still, many families who neither qualify for at-home nor residential care support do not meet the eligibility requirements for home care agencies working primarily with older adults, and find it hard to access the guidance, assistance and support network they need.

How Private Home Care Agencies Can Dispel Misconceptions Around Care Accessibility

Guardian Angel Carers, an independent network of home care franchise, including a Lincoln home care branch and Chichester, West Sussex HQ, highlights that awareness and understanding are crucial for agencies already under significant pressure to expand their capacity to meet the needs within their local communities.

Guardian Angel Carers Head of Operations, Vikki Craig-Vickers says: For us, the need to support and assist the communities we serve is the fundamental reason we exist, and we often work closely with families and individuals who have, for too long, found that they do not fit the mould, and therefore lose out on both private and public sector home care support.

Adults of any age may require personalised, family-feel assistance tailored to their preferences, whether professional care adapted to a specific condition or health issue or practical, kind and empathetic support while managing chronic diseases and mobility issues.

We encourage every UK home care agency to consult, reflect and learn, identifying ways to make services originally designed solely to meet the requirements of older adults more inclusive and, essentially, accessible, shoring up those voids that can mean those in the greatest need of assistance from skilled, warm and friendly carers find that assurance is hard to come by.

Read more about Guardian Angel Carers - Guardian Angel Carers Announces Latest Good CQC Rating For Farnham Home Care Team

Media Contact:

Vikki Craig-Vickers

03333 660550

www.gacarers.co.uk



About Guardian Angel Carers:

Guardian Angel Carers is a leading home care provider dedicated to delivering compassionate, personalised care services. With a strong focus on independence, dignity, and quality of life, the company supports individuals in the comfort of their own homes, offering a range of services from companionship to complex care needs.

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Source Company  https://www.gacarers.co.uk/




Vancouver, B.C, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CryptoBlox Technologies Inc. (the Company or CryptoBlox) (CSE: BLOX), is pleased to announce, further to its news release dated June 19, 2023 (the Prior Release), that it has completed its acquisition (the Acquisition) of Red Water Acquisition Corp. (Redwater), a company specializing in crypto mining technology.



As discussed in the Prior Release, Redwaters air-cooled data centers and advanced heat recapture products have obtained development rights in Sturgeon County, Alberta, Canada, for its operations. This site will serve as the foundation for Redwater's state-of-the-art crypto mining facility, designed for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Both CryptoBlox and Redwater share a common commitment to sustainable and responsible practices in the crypto-mining industry. Through Redwater, CryptoBlox intends to invest in energy-efficient solutions and environmentally friendly mining practices, aligning with its vision of promoting a greener and more sustainable future for the blockchain ecosystem.

The completion of the Acquisition marks a significant milestone for CryptoBlox as it strengthens its position as a leading player in the crypto-mining industry. "Redwaters experience in crypto-mining aligns with our strategic vision of providing comprehensive blockchain solutions, commented CryptoBlox Interim CEO, Taryn Stemp. Together, we plan to unlock new opportunities and deliver unparalleled value to our clients and partners.

As compensation for the Acquisition, the Company has issued a total of 118,280,800 common shares of the Company (the Closing Consideration Shares) at a deemed price of $0.05 per Closing Consideration Share to the vendors of Redwater (the Vendors), and will issue another 101,719,200 common shares of the Company (the Deferred Consideration Shares) at a deemed price of $0.05 per Deferred Consideration Share to the Vendors upon the completion of certain milestones being met by Redwater and the Vendors, for aggregate consideration of 220,000,000 common shares of the Company, having a deemed transaction value of $11,000,000.

On behalf of the Company,

Taryn Stemp,

Chief Executive Officer

About CryptoBlox Technologies Inc.

CryptoBlox Technologies Inc. is a blockchain technology company with diversified portfolio of fintech blockchain services, blockchain battery technologies and applications, and crypto mining facilities under development. The Companys acquisition of Redwater marks a significant milestone in its plan to meet the fast-growing demand for cost-effective cryptocurrency infrastructure in North America. By integrating its mining facilities into power generation facilities in Alberta, and using state-of-the-art operations techniques, the Company will be positioned to achieve a high degree of financial optionality and long-term operational certainty that can deliver some of the cleanest and lowest-cost mining operations in the world.

For further information about the Company, please visit https://www . cryptoblox.ca or call 236-259- 0279.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about managements view of future events, expectations, plans, and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward- looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements respecting: the future plans and operations of the Company and Redwater; and the expected benefits to the Company and Redwater from the Acquisition. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statement will prove to be correct. 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.

The CSE (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.
Lorman, Mississippi, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An Alcorn State University professor has been recognized for his outstanding achievements in conservation research.

Dr. Girish Panicker, director of the USDA Conservation Research Program and a tenured professor, is the recipient of the 2023 International Conservation Research Award from the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS).

The SWCS, a leading nonprofit scientific and educational organization advocating for conservation professionals and science-based practices, programs, and policies, recognizes Panickers outstanding contributions to conservation research.

This is a great recognition for me and Alcorn State, said Panicker. I was so blessed that I got the job here. Dr. Bristow sent me to work on my Ph.D., and I came back to Alcorn because I knew that this project of conserving soil and water could help around the globe. Our research goes to so many countries around the world.

Panickers achievement has earned him international recognition for his decades-long dedication to the conservation research field in the United States.

As the director of the Conservation Research Center at Alcorn, established by the USDA/NRCS and USDA/ARS in 1988, Panicker has curated the largest global C-factor (Cover and Management) databank on horticultural crops. With over 140,000 readings on 45 crops and an investment of over $6.5 million, this information is utilized worldwide for erosion prediction, nutrient management, conservation planning, and combating soil erosion and climate change.

It is an extreme honor to acknowledge Dr. Panicker for recently receiving the 2023 International Conservation Research Award, said Dr. Dexter Wakefield, interim dean of the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. Dr. Panicker represents our schools brand through his groundbreaking research that impacts our nation and the world. He has experimented with blueberries to prevent lung cancer and coronary heart disease. Moreover, he has collaborated with the U.S. government impacting organic fertilizers, studied and produced muscadines with research designed to move toward eliminating breast cancer, and researched cover crops producing information for erosion prediction, nutrient management, and climate change. Most of all, Dr. Panicker impacts everyone he meets as an extremely personable person. I salute Dr. Panicker for a job well done and exemplifying the true ideals of scholarship and service to the profession.

His groundbreaking research on C-factor technology including his 42-page technology transfer bulletin is available on the websites of prominent land grant universities and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Graduate students as well as conservationists, rely on this resource to prevent soil erosion and address climate change challenges.

Born and raised in the Land of Spices in Kerala, India, Panickers passion for horticulture and agronomy was nurtured on his familys farm. Inspired by his moms commitment to natural farming and education, Panicker excelled academically. He obtained a bachelors degree in agriculture from the University of Kerala. His journey took him across continents, working with the Indian government and the United Nations to broaden food access and combat starvation in West Africa.

His quest for knowledge led him to Alcorn State University, where he earned a masters degree in agronomy. Later, he pursued his Ph.D. in horticulture with a specialization in pomology at Mississippi State University.

He has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Pride of India Award and the 2020 Organic Achievement Award from the American Society of Agronomy, among a host of others.

Panickers depth of research and knowledge in the field has led him to become a highly respected scholar and sought-after presenter at conferences around the world.

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VANCOUVER, June 28, 2023 - NGEx Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: NGEX) ("NGEx Minerals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the election of Mr. Alessandro Bitelli to the Company's Board of Directors at the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2023. View PDF version

Mr. Bitelli brings extensive expertise to the Board as a Chartered Professional Accountant of British Columbia, with a career spanning over 40 years in the mining industry and public accounting. Throughout his career, he held the position of Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") in multiple public companies and has been an integral part of the senior management teams of various Lundin Group of Companies from 2007 to 2023. Most recently, Mr. Bitelli served as CFO of Lundin Gold Inc., a gold mining company, from 2016 to 2023. Additionally, and most notably, he served as CFO for Red Back Mining Inc., a gold mining company with operations in Africa, from 2007 to 2010, which was acquired by Kinross for an impressive $9.2 billion in 2010. Mr. Bitelli also serves as a non-executive director on various other publicly listed companies.

Mr. Bitelli replaces Mr. David Mullen, who did not stand for re-election.

William A. Rand, Chair of NGEx Minerals, commented, "We are pleased to welcome Alessandro to the Board of NGEx Minerals. Alessandro is well known in the industry, having held significant leadership positions within the Lundin Group of Companies for numerous years, and we welcome his extensive financial expertise and his firsthand experience in leading resource companies of all stages. Alessandro's skillset will be a strong complement to our Board as we advance our mineral properties. I would also like to extend a sincere thanks to Dave, who has been with the Company since its inception and for many years prior as a board member of predecessor companies. Through his invaluable contributions and guidance, Dave has helped to shape NGEx Minerals into the leading mineral exploration company that it is today, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours."

ABOUT NGEX MINERALS

NGEx Minerals is a copper and gold exploration company based in Canada, focused on advancing its Los Helados copper-gold project located in Chile's Region III and testing the nearby Potro Cliffs exploration target located approximately 12 kilometres to the southwest in San Juan Province, Argentina. Both projects are located within the Vicuna District which includes the Josemaria and Filo del Sol deposits. Los Helados and the Potro Cliffs target lie along the same major north-northeast trending structure that controls the Filo del Sol deposit.

NGEx Minerals is the majority partner and operator for the Los Helados Project, subject to a Joint Exploration Agreement with Nippon Caserones Resources Co., Ltd. which operates the Caserones open pit copper mine located approximately 15km north of Los Helados through a subsidiary that is subject to a recently announced agreement whereby Lundin Mining Corp. will acquire a controlling stake.

NGEx Minerals' near-term objectives are to continue drilling for extensions of the high-grade Fenix and Alicanto Zones identified at Los Helados in early 2022, and to complete an initial drill campaign at the Potro Cliffs exploration target.

The Company is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "NGEX". NGEx Minerals is part of the Lundin Group of Companies.

On behalf of NGEx Minerals,

Wojtek Wodzicki,

President and CEO

Additional information relating to NGEx Minerals Ltd. may be obtained or viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.NGExminerals.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The information contained in this news release was accurate at the time of dissemination but may be superseded by subsequent news release(s). The Company is under no obligation, nor does it intend to update or revise the forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE NGEx Minerals Ltd.
MONTREAL, June 29, 2023 - Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA) (OTCQX: AYASF) ("Aya" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce it has acquired the Tirzzit Project ("Tirzzit"), a collection of seven permits located 25 kilometers from the Zgounder Silver Mine in the Kingdom of Morocco. This acquisition adds a historical mine with a significant amount of proprietary data as well as a prolific land package with tremendous potential.

Transaction Highlights

On close of the Tirzzit acquisition,

Aya will control 100% of Tirzzit in Morocco

Aya is paying a total consideration of approximately US$4.9 million 1 including US$800,000 in cash as well as 622,728 Aya shares

including US$800,000 in cash as well as 622,728 Aya shares Aya acquires the following:

Seven permits, comprising five exploration permits and two mining licenses, one of which hosts a high-grade historical copper ("Cu") mine



Historical data including drill results and geophysics, which Aya will use to launch fieldwork to enhance its understanding of Tirzzit



A property totaling 67.7 square kilometers ("km")

The transaction remains subject to final TSX approval and regulatory approval in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Aya shares issued pursuant to the transaction are subject to 4-month statutory hold period, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities law.

_____________________________ 1 Total value estimated using a share price of CAD$8.666/share and an exchange rate USD/CAD: 1.3162

Tirzzit Potential

Historical copper mine offering near-surface silver and copper mineralization potential, with historical drilling intercepts of up to 3.5% Cu

Mineralization of historical deposit remains open in three directions

No systematic exploration program using modern methods

Easy road access and proximity to infrastructure

"The acquisition of Tirzzit fits with our objective of expanding our mineralized footprint in Morocco, and accretively growing our resource base. It also provides long-term exposure to a new potential mining district within trucking distance of Zgounder. Very little exploration has been carried out to date on the new permits, offering our team an opportunity to quickly unlock value for all stakeholders. We look forward to launching an exploration program and maximizing value in the near term," said Benoit La Salle, President & CEO.

Next Steps

Aya will adopt a systematic approach to its exploration of Tirzzit, starting with a deeper analysis of historical data, including drilling data, and by launching a fieldwork program on the properties before year-end 2023. Depending on the results, a first drill program is envisaged in 2024.

Mineralization

The Tirzzit deposit lies within the western segment of the Tazoult inlier. The geology of the properties is composed by Precambrian and Infra-Cambrian formations, so-called "Serie de Base" overlain by dolomites and limestones. The copper mineralization is mainly hosted within calcareous siltstones and sandstones to sandy dolomites in the upper portion of the "Serie de Base" Formation.

Access

The Tirzzit properties are located some 225 km from Agadir on well-maintained paved highways, N10 and P1706, that run east for 205 km to Taliouine in the Taroudant province. Most of the remaining 12 km to the property are traveled on a paved road to the village of Tassousfi. The seven permits are located almost contiguously, within 25 km of Zgounder.

Qualified Person

The technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by David Lalonde, BSc, Head of Exploration, and a Qualified Personas defined in National Instrument 43-101. He has not verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying the technical information in this news release since such data is historical and the original drill core is not available.

About Aya Gold & Silver Inc.

Aya Gold & Silver Inc. is a rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-producing mines and historical resources. Aya's Moroccan mining assets are complemented by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which is being advanced to feasibility.

Aya's management team maximises shareholder value by anchoring sustainability at the heart of its production, resource, governance, and financial growth plans.

For additional information, please visit Aya's website at www.ayagoldsilver.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Aya's future growth and business prospects (including the timing and development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and other opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "deliver", "plan", "scheduled", "trends", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend", "ability to" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements and information with respect to the exploration and development potential of Zgounder and the conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources into Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, future opportunities for enhancing development at Zgounder, and timing for the release of the Company's disclosure in connection with the foregoing. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Aya cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions, and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the closing and timing of financing, the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, the presence of artisanal miners, obtaining regulatory permits for on site work, importing goods and machinery and employment permits, the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates (including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), the price of silver, the price of gold, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, anticipated future estimates of free cash flow, and courses of action. Aya cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of silver gold and other key inputs, changes in mine plans (including, but not limited to, throughput and recoveries being affected by metallurgical characteristics) and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Aya, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Aya's 2022 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2023, and in other filings of Aya with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Aya does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs, and opinions change. Nothing in this document should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Aya securities. All references to Aya include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.

Appendix

SOURCE Aya Gold & Silver Inc.
June 29th - Rockport, Canada - New Age Metals Inc. (NAM) (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J) ("NAM" or the "Company" is pleased to announce the positive results of a new independent Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 for the River Valley Project, a wholly-owned palladium-platinum-copper deposit located 60 km east-northeast (100 road km) of Sudbury, Ontario. This new PEA was developed by a group of independent consultants; namely P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (mining, scheduling, project economics); D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd. (mineral processing and metallurgy); Knight Piesold Ltd. (tailings facility, water management, and rock mechanics); and Story Environmental (environment and community). The Mineral Resource Estimate upon which this new PEA is based was done by P&E in 2021.

PEA Highlights

Pre-Tax NPV(5%): $289M; After-Tax: $135M

Pre-Tax IRR: 16%; Post-tax IRR: 11%

Annual Production: 2.5 Mt of potential process plant feed at an average grade of 1.19 g/t PdEq and process recovery of 71.5%, resulting in an average annual payable Pd production of 47,400 oz.

Total Tonnes Processed over Life of Mine: 38.6 Mt/16 years

Pre-production Capital Requirement: $268.7M

Average Unit Operating Cost: $30.98/t

Assumed Metal Prices: US$2,150/oz Pd, US$1,050/oz Pt, US$1,830/oz Au, US$4.00/lb Cu

River Valley Process Feed: Treated in an on-site conventional sulphide flotation plant to produce a saleable PGM-enriched Cu concentrate to be transported off-site for smelting and refining.

Project Enhancement Opportunities: Increased metal recoveries and expanded Mineral Resources



Harry Barr, NAM Chairman & CEO, stated: "The PEA results released today are positive with a post-tax NPV(5%) of $134 M CAD, an IRR of 11% and 16 years of palladium, platinum and copper production. Compared to the 2019 PEA, this 2023 PEA envisions a smaller, higher-grade operation with lower CAPEX, expanded underground mining and reduced open pit mining, and a much-smaller environmental footprint. These encouraging results are based on the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate, which was produced in accordance with current CIM standards and guidelines, to provide feed to an on-site 2.5 Mtpa process plant. The next steps include targeting areas for drilling to convert Inferred to Indicated Mineral Resources, expanding current Mineral Resources, the discovery of new mineralized zones, and to testing of promising new technologies for improved metal recoveries, all for incorporation into future, more advanced economic studies."

PEA Summary*

The site plan layout for the new River Valley PEA is shown in Figure 1 below.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1. New PEA site layout plan for the River Valley Palladium Project.



Figure 1 shows five open pits and two underground portals that have been used in the engineering design of the Project, the proposed process plant site, low-grade stockpile, waste rock storage facilities, tailings storage facility, and site infrastructure. The Project as represented in Figure 1 has an area of 38.8 km2, which reflects a major reduction from the 126.5 km2 site plan area in the 2019 PEA.

The parameters of the PEA are summarized in Table 1.



Table 1. PEA Summary Parameters

Assumptions Palladium Price (Base case) US$/oz 2,150 Exchange Rate US$:CDN$ 1.35 Production Profile Total Tonnes Processed 38,640,000 Process Plant Head Grade PdEq g/t 1.19 Mine Life (years) 16 Daily process plant throughput (tpd) 6,850 Palladium Process Plant Recovery (%) 71.5 Total Payable Palladium Equivalent Ounces 735,000 Average annual Palladium Production Ounces 47,400 Operating Costs ($ per tonne processed) Unit Average LOM Operating Costs 30.98 Open Pit Mining Costs 12.63 Underground Mining Costs 60.61 Processing Costs 12.69 G&A 2.01 LOM Average Cash Cost US$/oz Pd 1,241 Capital Requirements Pre-Production Capital Cost ($ M) 268.7 Sustaining Capital Cost (Life of Mine) ($ M) 163.0 Project Economics Royalties (%) 3 Royalty Payable After $1.5M Buy Down to 1.5% ($ M) 35.4 Taxes (M $) 255.0 Pre-Tax Cumulative Undiscounted Cash Flow ($ M) 599.0 NPV (5% Discount Rate) ($ M) 289.0 IRR (%) 16 Payback (years) 6.2 After-Tax Cumulative Undiscounted Cash Flow ($ M) 344.0 NPV (5% Discount Rate) ($ M) 135.0 IRR (%) 11 Payback (years) 6.9

PEA operating costs and capital costs are presented in Tables 2 and 3.



Table 2. Operating Cost Summary

Operating Cost Unit LoM Open Pit Mining Cost $/t mined 2.95 Open Pit Mining Cost $/t processed 12.63 Underground Mining Cost $/t processed 60.61 Process Cost $/t processed 12.69 G&A $/t processed 2.01 Unit LoM Average Operating $/t processed 30.98

Table 3. Capital Cost Summary

Development Capital Initial (Y-2, Y-1) ($ M) Sustaining ($ M) Total LOM ($ M) Open Pit Development and Equipment 37.0 59.4 96.4 Process Plant 119.2 119.2 On-Site Infrastructure 17.4 17.4 Electrical Powerline 30.0 30.0 Tailings Management Facility 17.0 27.0 44.0 Owner's Costs 10.0 10.0 Underground Mine Development 37.1 37.1 Reclamation Bond and Closure 16.3 16.3 Contingency 29.9 18.1 48.0 Total Capital 268.7 163 431.7

*This PEA was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-01") Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects. It was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. with D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd., Knight Piesold Ltd. and Story Environmental. Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be classified as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic variability. The Company plans to file the PEA Technical Report ("Technical Report") on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days of the date of this press release. All currency is stated as CDN$ unless indicated otherwise.

Opportunities to Enhance Project Value

Two major opportunities to enhance Project value are: 1) improved metal recovery; and 2) increased Mineral Resources.

1)Improved Metal Recoveries

HYDROMETALLURGICAL OPTIONS The main focus of this PEA from a processing stand point is conventional milling and flotation with upgrading of the resultant copper concentrate to a marketable product. The final concentrate (copper and PGMs) would be shipped to specific smelters to treat the River Valley product as a part of the revenue stream.

As an alternative to shipping to smelters, pressure leaching and metal precipitation options to recover platinum group metals ("PGMs"), gold and base metals will be investigated. Several PGM deposits worldwide are currently being subject to hydrometallurgical testing as a potentially economic alternative to base metal smelters.

Alternative Flotation Applications. Conventional flotation of the River Valley material has thus far been unable to produce a high-grade marketable smelter concentrate for maximum net smelter returns.

The expected concentrate grades based on the recent testing at SGS Lakefield were detailed in New Age Metals press release dated August 9, 2022.



Preliminary scoping work has been completed on the River Valley material utilizing two flotation alternatives to produce a higher-grade rougher concentrate and also possible increases in PGM recoveries. The two technologies being investigated are the Woodgrove flotation and the Glencore (Jameson) cell techniques.

Rhodium Recovery & Marketability. Additional work in this area would be beneficial for the Project,

due to the high metal price of rhodium. The testwork recently complete showed the ability to recover rhodium in the final concentrate, albeit not at a saleable threshold grade for the smelters. Review of the rhodium mineralogy and process alternatives is recommended.

2) Increased Mineral Resources

The distribution of the current Mineral Resources at River Valley is shown in Figure 2.

Major infill, expansion and exploration drill programs are planned to: 1) convert Inferred to Indicated Mineral Resources at the Lismer and Varley Zones; 2) expand current Mineral Resources at depth and along strike at the Dana South, Banshee, Lismer Ridge, Varley and Azen Zones; and 3) test targets and delineate mineralized zones that show potential for inclusion in future Mineral Resource modelling, particularly in the footwall to the River Valley Intrusion, as guided by geophysical survey and 3-D geological modelling results.

The drilling programs are slated to commenced in H2 2023, subject to financing.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2. Distribution of pit constrained Mineral Resources at $15/t NSR cut-off. The priority mineralized zones for infill, expansion and exploration drilling are labelled red. Note that the Pine Zone is not exposed at surface.

M&I = Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, Ind: = Indicated Mineral Resources, Inf = Inferred Mineral Resources.

PEA Details

Mineral Resources

The details of the 2021 updated Mineral Resource Estimate were announced in a Company press release dated October 5, 2021. The effective date of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate is September 14, 2021. At cut-offs of CDN$15/t NSR (pit constrained) and CDN$50/t NSR (out-of-pit), the Mineral Resource Estimate consists of: 89.9 Mt grading 0.54 g/t Pd, 0.21 g/t Pt, 0.04 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, or CDN$47.58/t NSR in the Measured and Indicated classifications; and 94 Mt grading 0.35 g/t Pd, 0.16 g/t Pt, 0.04 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, or CDN$31.69/t NSR in the Inferred classification. Contained metal contents are 2.3 Moz Pd+Pt+Au in the Measured and Indicated classifications and 1.6 Moz Pd+Pt+Au in the Inferred classification Table 4.



Click Image To View Full Size

Notes: Class = Classification, Meas + Ind = Measured and Indicated classifications.

1 Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

2. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

3. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could potentially be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

4. The Mineral Resources were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions (2014) and Best Practices Guidelines (2019) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

5. The Mineral Resource Estimate is based on US$ metal prices of $1,850/oz Pd, $900/oz Pt, $1,600/oz Au, $3.00/lb Cu, $16/lb Co, $6.50/lb Ni, $8,000/oz Rh, $18.50/oz Ag. The US$:CDN$ exchange rate used was 0.75.

6. The NSR estimates use flotation recoveries of 80% for Pd, 80% for Pt, 80% for Au, 85% for Cu, 25% for Co, 90% for Ni, 80% for Rh and 65% for Ag and smelter payables of 80% for Pd, 80% for Pt, 85% for Au, 85% for Cu, 50% for Co, 90% for Ni, 80% for Rh and 65% for Ag.

7 The pit optimization used a mining cost of $2.25/t mined, combined processing and G&A costs of CDN$15/t, and pit slopes of 50. The out-of-pit Mineral Resources used underground mining, processing and G&A cost of CDN$50/t.

8 Out-of-pit Mineral Resources were determined to be potentially extractable with the longhole mining method.

The predominant contribution of Pd + Pt to the NSR value (86%) is particularly noteworthy, given the rarity of such primary platinum-group metal deposits in secure and established global mining jurisdictions.

The Mineral Resource Estimate is sensitive to the selection of reporting NSR cut-off values for pit constrained Mineral Resources. At a cut-off of $CDN25/t NSR, pit constrained Mineral Resources are presented in Table 5.



Click Image To View Full Size

Mining: OP & UG

The River Valley Project is planned to be mined by both open pit and underground methods. Initial mining would be by open pit at the northwest end of the Deposit, close to the proposed process plant site.

A series of five open pits would be mined, starting at Dana North Zone and progressing in a southeasterly direction to the Varley Zone. The Dana North Pit contains approximately half of the mineralized process plant feed. Higher grade underground mineralization is planned to be mined during production years two to seven, and will total approximately 3 Mt of process plant feed. The underground mining method is planned to be sublevel longhole stoping with cemented rock backfill.

The average open pit strip ratio is envisaged to be 3.4:1 over the life-of-mine. It is anticipated that a fleet of 90 t haul trucks, 10 m3 excavators, and 254 mm diameter hole rotary drills will be utilized, following industry standard conventional open pit mining techniques.

Mineral Processing

The new PEA annual process feed rate to the River Valley process plant will be 2.5 Mtpy (6,850 mtpd) of mineralized material. The process plant remains as previously designed to produce a single copper sulphide and PGM concentrate. The dewatered and dried concentrate would be hauled off-site for smelting.

Simplified process plant details are as follows:

Run-of-Mine (ROM) to be crushed in a single primary jaw crusher to 150 mm sizing (380 mtph); SAG mill in closed circuit with a recycle pebble crusher and ball mill to produce flotation feed (310 mtph); Rougher flotation, regrinding of the associated concentrate, three-stage cleaning circuit to produce the final concentrate; Concentrate dewatering, filtering, drying for shipping to the smelter; Tailings thickening prior to pumping to the tailings management facility (TMF); Standard process water recovery would be from the associated thickeners and return water from the TMF area. Make-up water for the process would be from one the lakes on the Property; and Power for the facility will be provided by a dedicated 44 kV feeder line from Crystal Falls Transformer Station.

Initial discussions with Hydro One (suppler and builder) have been completed regarding options, capital and $/kwh estimates.

Tailings & Water Management

Tailings Management. The Tailings Management Facility ("TMF") would consist of a two-cell valley impoundment to provide safe and permanent storage for tailings for the first seven years of the mine life. The remaining tailings would be stored in the Dana open pit when it has been mined out. The TMF impoundment would be developed by constructing three embankments (North, Divider, and South Embankments) using the downstream construction method. The embankments will be constructed in stages to suit the tailings storage requirement throughout the first seven years of the mine life.

Thickened tailings slurry would be delivered to the TMF at a solids content of approximately 55% by mass. The tailings are expected to be non-acid generating. Inert waste rock and processed waste rock from open pit mine development would be used to construct the TMF embankment. The upstream face of the embankment would be lined with a 100 mil HDPE geomembrane overlying non-woven geotextile.

The geomembrane will be tied into bedrock along the upstream toe via a concrete plinth.

Water Management. Site contact water would be managed within sediment basins, the Water Management Pond ("WMP"), open pits, and the TMF. The sediment basins would collect runoff from the site infrastructure areas for sediment control prior to routing the collected water to the WMP immediately north of the TMF. The WMP would be used to temporarily store supernatant water from the TMF, contact water from site infrastructure, and inflows into the open pits and underground workings. The WMP would provide reclaim water to the processing plant. Excess water would be pumped to the water treatment plant and subsequently discharged to the environment.

The primary water management objectives include:

Provide temporary containment of the Environmental Design Flood ("EDF") within the TMF basin during operations;

Provide temporary storage and conveyance of the Inflow Design Flood ("IDF") via spillways from the TMF and WMP;

Maintain a small supernatant pond within the TMF basin by transferring runoff and supernatant to the WMP on an ongoing basis via pump barge and pipeline;

Collect and manage contact water via surface water management measures;

Maximize reclamation of contact water from the WMP to the process plant. This approach will minimize freshwater requirements and water discharge volumes; and

Treat and discharge excess supernatant water, mine water (pit and underground inflow), and contact water to the environment, as required during the mine life, via the wastewater treatment and discharge systems.

Environment, Community, ESG



Since the 2019 PEA, NAM has worked to reduce the proposed environmental footprint of the Rive Valley Project. The new 2023 PEA concept replaces open pit mining adjacent to Pine Lake with underground mining and significantly reduces the size of the Project's remaining open pit mines. Therefore, the Project no longer requires the construction of dams within Pine Lake and eliminates the associated impact on fish and fish habitat. By extracting higher-grade material from underground, NAM would also reduce the rate of mining and processing for the Project. This modification would reduce the footprint of the process plant and waste rock areas, and reduce the size of the processing equipment, which in turn would reduce the carbon footprint of the Project.

The River Valley Project is situated on the traditional territory of Temagami First Nation and Nipissing First Nation. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Temagami First Nation in 2014 and amended in 2017. Temagami First Nation has assisted with the completion of baseline archaeological, surface water quality, groundwater, and hydrology studies and members of the community also participated in a site visit in September 2022. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Nipissing First Nation in

late-January 2022. In 2023, NAM anticipates that Nipissing First Nation will also participate in the Project's ongoing baseline environmental data collection. Regular Project updates are provided to each of these communities.

The Project will be required to obtain numerous provincial and federal approvals and permits.

It is anticipated that the Project will be subject to both provincial environmental assessments and a federal Impact Assessment. The Project will proceed with a coordinated process to increase efficiencies and reduce duplication of effort during these assessments. However, the permitting for the Project will be less onerous now, than that for the much larger Project presented in the 2019 PEA.

NAM has developed an Environmental and Social Governance ("ESG") Strategy and will prepare an ESG Sustainability Report annually to disclose and communicate ESG-related information to NAM's stakeholders. The first ESG Sustainability Report is posted on NAM's website. As outlined in its ESG Strategy, NAM is committed to managing and operating their assets in a manner that is protective of human health and safety and the environment. It is NAM's policy to comply, in all material respects, with applicable health, safety and environmental laws and regulations.

Project Economics & Sensitivities

The economic results of the PEA are summarized in Table 6 on an after-tax basis. The sensitivities and the impact of cash flows have been calculated for 20% variations against the base case.

Table 6. Project Economics Sensitivity

Project Sensitivity Analysis Pd Price Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% US$/oz 1,720 1,828 1,935 2,043 2,150 2,258 2,365 2,473 2,580 NPV (CDN$ M) -31 12 55 95 135 174 217 252 295 IRR (%) 4 6 8 9 11 13 15 16 18 OPEX Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% Cost Per Tonne 25 26 28 29 31 33 34 36 37 NPV (CDN$ M) 213 193 174 154 135 115 95 76 56 IRR (%) 17 15 14 12 11 10 9 8 7 CAPEX Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% CAPEX (CDN$ M) 345 367 389 410 432 453 475 496 518 NPV (CDN$ M) 242 220 190 160 135 105 79 53 21 IRR (%) 16 15 14 12 11 10 9 7 6

The Project is sensitive to Pd recovery. A 20% increase in Pd recovery, possibly resulting from hydrometallurgical treatment, results in an increased after-tax 5% discount rate NPV of $250M and an after-tax IRR of 16%.



About the River Valley Project

The River Valley Palladium Project is located 100 road-km east from the City of Sudbury.

The Project area is linked to Sudbury by a network of all-weather highways, roads and rail beds and is accessible year-round with hydro grid and natural gas power nearby. River Valley enjoys the strong support of local communities, like the Village of River Valley, 20 km to the south. Fully executed Memorandum of Understandings are in place with two local First Nation groups. Environmental baseline studies re-commenced in 2020 are planned to continue through 2023.

About NAM

New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions; a Platinum Group Element division and a Lithium/Rare Element division.

The PGE Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North America's largest undeveloped Platinum Group Element Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska, and plans to complete a surface mapping and sampling program in 2022.

The Company's Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements, such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. The Company has announced its preliminary $2 million 2023-2024 exploration budget that will cover the first 4 months of the program. A larger budget has been submitted to our partner Mineral Resources Ltd. and we expect it to be approved this summer. Further Exploration plans for 2023 include geophysical surveying, summer field work (which will include mapping, lithogeochemistry, MMI soil geochemistry, biogeochemistry, channel sampling), and permits/ archaeological surveys. The Company has a partnership with Mineral Resource Limited (MRL, ASX: MIN), a top global lithium producer to explore and develop the Company's lithium project portfolio in Southern Manitoba. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. The Company is actively seeking an option/joint venture partner for our newly acquired Northman, McLaughlin Lake, and South Bay Lithium Projects in northern Manitoba, and its road-accessible Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska.

Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to info@newagemetals.com or Harry Barr at Hbarr@newagemetals.com or Farid Mammadov at Faridm@newagemetals.com or call 613 659 2773.

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If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign-up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news.

Qualified Person



This PEA was prepared under the supervision of Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. The metallurgical testwork, process plant design and cost estimates were prepared by David Salari, P.Eng. of D.E.N.M Engineering Ltd. The tailings facility and water management were prepared by Jessica Breault, P.Eng., the rock mechanics design input was prepared by were prepared by Ben Peacock, P.Eng. of Knight Piesold Ltd. The Environmental, Community and ESG write-up was prepared by Maria Story, P.Eng., of Story Environmental Inc. Mr. Puritch reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. William Stone, P.Geo., Lead Geoscience Consultant for New Age Metals, is the Company Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Harry Barr"

Harry G. Barr

Chairman and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as "continue", "efforts", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "confident", "intend", "strategy", "plan", "will", "estimate", "project", "goal", "target", "prospects", "optimistic" or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Company's ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Copyright (c) 2023 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, June 29, 2023 - Etruscus Resources Corp. (CSE: ETR) (OTC: ETRUF) (FSE: ERR) (the "Company" or "Etruscus") announces the completion of the Company's 2023 Phase One drill program (the "Program") at its Lewis Property (the "Property") in Newfoundland. The Property is road accessible and is situated 5 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway in the Gander Gold Belt, approximately 10 km west of New Found Gold's Keats Zone discovery. The geological team is now working on data compilation and assay results are expected within the coming weeks.

Drill Program Highlights:

A total of 8 diamond drill holes were completed, totaling 969 m for the inaugural drill program on the Property;

First pass drilling tested multiple chargeability anomalies as well as north and northwest striking structures, with plans to follow up on the areas that return the best gold grades;

The entire length of drill core has been sampled and is being analyzed by fire assay for gold with expected results within two weeks. Multi-element analysis has also been initiated and will be returned later; and

A third payment relating to the option agreement on the Property has been confirmed with the vendors.

Stephen Wetherup, VP of exploration, commented, "The team is very pleased with how much we have been able to accomplish with the limited drilling of phase one. We tested multiple chargeability anomalies along three major trends and have already highlighted areas to prioritize for follow up." He went on to say, "The affordability of drilling on this Property as well as low mobilization cost has allowed the team to gather significant geological information with limited capital spent. In addition, there was no requirement to use any of the allocated contingency meterage we had set aside for any unforeseen issues with the Program. Overall, a very efficient program was executed."

Due to the successful completion of the Program, Etruscus' Board has decided to move forward with the next payment of the option agreement. The Company has notified the vendors and confirmed payment will be made in the coming weeks.

The Program was designed to test geophysical anomalies coincident with anomalous Au-As-Sb in soils and high-grade gold mineralization in surface rock samples (see May 11, 2023 news release). All holes utilized oriented core allowing the team to better understand the structural trends for targeting in future drill programs. Due to the early season Program, we expect assay results will be returned promptly, and the Company looks forward to releasing them in the upcoming weeks.

About Etruscus

Etruscus Resources Corp. is a Vancouver-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of precious metal mineral properties. The Company's assets include the Lewis Property in central Newfoundland, which is under option to acquire a 100% interest, and the 100%-owned Rock & Roll and Sugar properties comprising 28,270 hectares near the past producing Snip mine in Northwest B.C.'s prolific Golden Triangle. Etruscus has exploration properties in two of Canada's most active gold camps.

Etruscus is traded under the symbol "ETR" on the Canadian Securities Exchange, "ETRUF" on the OTC and "ERR" on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Etruscus has 43,435,361 common shares issued and outstanding.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Press Release may contain statements which constitute 'forward-looking' statements, 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 and operating performance of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities or performance 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. Such risks, uncertainties and factors are described in the periodic filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including quarterly and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis, which may be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 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 herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. 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 intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither the CSE Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Etruscus Resources Corp.
VANCOUVER, June 29, 2023 - At the request of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, Vortex Energy Corp. ("Vortex" or the "Company") wishes to confirm that the Company's management is unaware of any undisclosed material change in the Company's operations that would account for the recent increase in market activity.



Vortex Energy Corp. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in North America. The Company is currently advancing its Robinson River Salt Project located approximately 35 linear km south of the town of Stephenville in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador covering over 17,000 hectares. Leveraging the Robinson River Salt project, the Company is also exploring the development of technologies to efficiently store green Hydrogen in Salt Caverns. Vortex also holds the Fire Eye Project, which is located in the Wollaston Domain of northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Paul Sparkes

Chief Executive Officer, Director

+1(778)819-0164

info@vortexenergycorp.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.
VANCOUVER, June 29, 2023 - Silver Bull Resources Inc. (TSX: SVB, OTCQB: SVBL) ("Silver Bull" or the "Company") announces that it has commenced international arbitration proceedings against the United Mexican States ("Mexico") under the Agreement between the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada (the "USMCA") and the North American Free Trade Agreement (the "NAFTA"). The Arbitration arises from Mexico's unlawful expropriation and other unlawful treatment of Silver Bull and its investments resulting from the illegal blockade of Silver Bull's Sierra Mojada project.



The arbitration has been initiated under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States process, which falls under the auspices of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), to which Mexico is a signatory.

Silver Bull officially notified Mexico on March 2, 2023 of its intention to initiate an arbitration owing to Mexico's breaches of NAFTA by unlawfully expropriating Silver Bull's investments without compensation, failing to provide Silver Bull and its investments with fair and equitable treatment or full protection and security, and not upholding NAFTA's national treatment standard. Silver Bull held a meeting with Mexican government officials in Mexico City on May 30, 2023, in an attempt to explore amicable settlement options and avoid arbitration. However, the 90-day period for amicable settlement under NAFTA expired on June 2, 2023, without a resolution.

Despite repeated demands and requests for action by the Company, Mexico's governmental agencies have allowed the unlawful blockade to continue, thereby failing to protect Silver Bull's investments. Consequently, Silver Bull will seek to recover an amount of approximately US$178 million in damages that it has suffered due to Mexico's breach of its obligations under NAFTA, which includes sunk costs of approximately US$82.5 million, usually considered minimum damages in such cases.

The Company has engaged Boies Schiller Flexner (UK) LLP ("BSF"), an international law firm with extensive experience in international investment arbitration concerning mining and other natural resources, to act on its behalf. The BSF Team will be led by Timothy L. Foden, a noted practitioner in the mining arbitration space.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim Barry"

Tim Barry, CPAusIMM

Chief Executive Officer and Director

INVESTOR RELATIONS:

1 604 687 5800 info@silverbullresources.com

Cautionary note regarding forward looking statements: This release may contain certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "intend" or other similar words). Any forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide Silver Bull security holders and potential investors with information regarding Silver Bull, including management's assessment of Silver Bull's future plans and financial outlook. Any forward-looking statements reflect Silver Bull's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made and as such are not guarantees of future performance. As actual results could vary significantly from the forward-looking information, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking information and should not use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. We do not update our forward-looking information due to new information or future events, unless we are required to by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to the company's filings under Silver Bull's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Leading up to the coronavirus pandemic, there was a stigma against federal assistance programs and other federal handouts. However, COVID-19 crushed the fiscal independence of many states and millions of Americans now depend upon federally assisted unemployment benefit payments, small business support and stimulus checks to endure the economic shutdowns.

The first round of stimulus relief funneled $150 billion in relief to states, while the second round passed in December 2020, didnt provide any direct payments. For the American Rescue Plan Act, passed in March, states will receive $195 billion in payments. Yet some states will receive far more than others. A new report from WalletHub reveals to what extent each state is reliant upon the federal government for assistance, and which states are more self-sufficient.WalletHub compared all 50 states across two key dimensions: State Residents Dependency and State Governments Dependency. Each dimension was evaluated by three metrics, which were each weighted through a double 50-point-based system. Within State Residents Dependency, return on taxes paid to the federal government was worth 37.5 points and share of federal jobs was worth 12.5 points; within State Governments Dependency, federal funding as a share of state revenue was given a full weight of 50 points.

Based on these calculations, New Mexico, at 86.57 points, ranked as the most federally dependent state overall and the state with the greatest resident dependency. Louisianas state government ranked the most dependent on the federal government. Kansas ranked least federally dependent overall, earning just 10.62 points. Delawares residents and Virginias state government were ranked least federally dependent of those categories.

Eight of the 10 most federally dependent states were Republican, while seven of the 10 least federally dependent states were Democratic, which suggests that overall Republican states are more dependent upon federal assistance than Democratic ones.

Zoe Manzanetti

Additionally, when the amounts of contracts, grants and other financial assistance from the federal government that each state received were analyzed, those figures also supported the Republican dependency trend. The highest amounts of federal grants and other financial assistance were given to four of five Republican states in each category. Only two of the five states that received the most federal contracts voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, but four of five of the states that received the least supported Joe Biden.

Not all experts agree on how the federal government should determine state allocations or whether some states should subsidize others.

One of the roles of governments is to create an equitable society, says Charles E. Menifield, dean of the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark. Equity is an outcome of a budget decision whether it is stated or unstated. Will the allocation assist a state (person) in improving the well-being of its residents?But establishing equity is difficult when there is disagreement as to which programs should be a state and local responsibility and which should be a federal responsibility. Some experts, like Christopher Z. Mooney of the University of Illinois, Chicago, believes that the U.S. Constitution is very clear in its 10th Amendment, that as much should go to the states responsibilities as possible. But Miami Universitys Mark Morris explains that however the distribution occurs, it will never be perfect and there will always be discrepancy.

Fair does not mean equal, he says. We use a political process to make these decisions, so someone will always consider it unfair no matter what metric is used.
BIDI Group poised to take advantage of AfCFTA

Business Desk Report Business News Jun - 29 - 2023 , 03:36

BIDI Group, a firm into cleaning for oil marketing companies, is poised to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which has created over 1.3 billion consumers for businesses in Africa.

Towards that, the firm is in active discussions with relevant agencies and institutions on procedures to export products under the new single market.

With a presence already in Cote d'Ivoire, the firm intends to leverage more on its experience to make the best out of the single market initiative.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BIDI Group, Benjamin Armstrong, who made this known in an interview with the media after the launch of BIDI Group products in Accra, stated that the firm would take keen steps to become a major player in the export space to create more jobs for Ghanaians.

We have asked the director in charge of health and safety to look into AfCFTA and we believe that very soon we will have the required permit to be able to start exporting through the single market.

With the success of BioBlast in Ghana, BIDI Group plans to expand its market to other West African countries, starting with Cote d'Ivoire, where the company already has an office. Additionally, the company is in talks with partners in Nigeria to distribute the product there, he said.

The products

The products, BioBlast Disinfectant and BioBlast HD Cleaner, that have been introduced onto the Ghanaian market are significant breakthroughs in the fight against harmful pathogens.

These innovative products have received certifications for human exposure safety from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States and the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) in Ghana.

BioBlast Disinfectant, a solution for killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi, uses activated aqueous solution of Hypochlorous acid produced using Electro-chemical Activation (ECA) Technology.

This revolutionary disinfectant offers a non-toxic and environmentally friendly alternative for both domestic and commercial use, prioritizing health and safety without compromising effectiveness.

Major milestone

Mr Armstrong said, "We are proud to introduce BioBlast Disinfectant and BioBlast HD Cleaner to the Ghanaian market. These products represent a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide safe and effective cleaning solutions.

We believe that the non-toxic and environmentally friendly nature of BioBlast will revolutionize the field of disinfection in Ghana and beyond."

"In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for effective pathogen elimination has become more evident than ever.

Traditional cleaning agents often contain harmful chemicals that pose risks to human health. With BioBlast Disinfectant and BioBlast HD Cleaner, we offer a breakthrough solution that prioritizes health and safety without compromising on effectiveness," he said.

Production

BioBlast HD Cleaner, another product introduced by BIDI Group, is produced through Electro-Chemical Activation (ECA) technology, transforming weak salt brine into a powerful cleaning agent.

This all-purpose cleaner is non-toxic, chemical-free, and easy to use. It can be sprayed, wiped, dipped, or misted, making it suitable for institutional, industrial, and commercial applications.

Previously, BIDI Group faced challenges in cleaning tanks due to regulations prohibiting the use of chemicals in these environments.

To overcome this obstacle, the company conducted extensive research and developed the locally manufactured product called BioBlast.

This alternative product not only resolved the cleaning challenges but also created job opportunities, employing approximately 200 workers.

The manufacturing plant has a production capacity of 6,000 to 20,000 liters of the BioBlast product, allowing for continuous 24-hour production.

What sets BioBlast apart from its competitors is its non-chemical nature, making it safe for humans, animals, and the environment.

Unlike cleaners that contain alcohol, benzene, or harmful acids, BioBlast is biodegradable and does not harm the ecosystem.

This unique product has positioned BIDI Group as a leader in tank cleaning services, particularly in the downstream petroleum sector, in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire.
BoG fines Fidelity Bank , First National over Forex trading breaches

Graphic.com.gh Business News Jun - 29 - 2023 , 08:31

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has fined Fidelity Bank and First National Bank GH12,000 each for violating laws on forex trading in Ghana.

The BoG in a notice published Thursday [June 29, 2023] also suspended the forex licences of the two banks from June 29 to July 28, 2023.

The GH12,000 each fine represents 1000 penalty points each for breaching sections 3.4, 3.5, and 3.9 of the Ghana Interbank Forex Market Conduct rules.

Given the license suspension, customers of these banks may have to now look elsewhere to do their forex business within this period.

Section 3.4 of the rules states that Licensed Foreign Exchange Dealers (LFXDs) are required to update indicative quotes for buying and selling US dollars at regular intervals, on the Reuters and Bloomberg information systems. Indicative quotes shall be updated at intervals of no more than 30 minutes.

Forex trading in Ghana

Section 3.5 also states that all interbank FX trades must be booked on the Reuters platform and appropriately confirmed within five (5) minutes after the trade is concluded. These trades must also be reported in the daily FX report submitted to the Bank of Ghana.

The BoG in a notice said the two banks breached these sections of the guidelines and therefore cautioned forex market players including banks, forex bureaus, forex brokers, and money transfer operators (MTOs) to adhere strictly to the applicable forex market regulations and guidelines.

First National Bank on temporary hold on foreign exchange license

Meanwhile, First National Bank Ghana has confirmed that it has temporarily halted the processing of new or pending foreign exchange transactions for 30 days due to ongoing engagements with the Bank of Ghana.

A press release issued on Thursday [June 29 2023] by Delali Dzidzienyo, the Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs said: "to minimise any possible disruptions, we have made temporary arrangements with partner banks to initiate and complete foreign exchange deals for and on behalf of First

National Bank Ghana and its clients, should the need arise."

"As a bank, we hold ourselves to the highest operational and regulatory standards in every aspect of our business."

"We are committed to reaching an amicable resolution with the Bank of Ghana for the restoration of our Foreign Exchange license," it added.

Temporary suspension of Fidelity Bank's foreign exchange license by Bank of Ghana

On its part, Fidelity Bank in a press release stated: "We refer to Bank of Ghanas notice to the public, of a suspension of our Foreign Exchange trading licence, and wish to reiterate that this does not in any way affect Fidelity Banks normal banking operations."

"While we address the reporting concerns raised by our regulator, we have in the interim reached agreements with our partner banks to aid in seamless completion of foreign exchange transactions on behalf of Fidelity Bank.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this announcement may have caused, and we reassure all our valued customers that we are actively engaging the Bank of Ghana to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

"All Branches, Agent Points and digital platforms continue to provide our customers with the full range of financial services as usual.

"As a Bank, we strive to maintain the highest levels of operational compliance across all our business activities, and we are fully committed to engaging the Bank of Ghana to resolve this situation," it added.
BoG suspends forex licence of two banks

Emmanuel Bruce Business News Jun - 29 - 2023 , 11:58

The Bank of Ghana has suspended the forex license of Fidelity Bank and First National Bank Ghana for a period of one month, beginning June 29, 2023.

The two banks were also fined a combined 1000 penalty points each for breaching sections 3.4, 3.5, and 3.9 of the Ghana Interbank Forex Market Conduct rules.

Given the license suspension, customers of these banks may have to now look elsewhere to do their forex business within this period.

Section 3.4 of the rules states that Licensed Foreign Exchange Dealers (LFXDs) are required to update indicative quotes for buying and selling US dollars at regular intervals, on the Reuters and Bloomberg information systems. Indicative quotes shall be updated at intervals of no more than 30 minutes.

Forex license

Section 3.5 also states that all interbank FX trades must be booked on the Reuters platform and appropriately confirmed within five (5) minutes after the trade is concluded. These trades must also be reported in the daily FX report submitted to the Bank of Ghana.

The BoG in a notice said the two banks breached these sections of the guidelines and therefore cautioned forex market players including banks, forex bureaus, forex brokers, and money transfer operators (MTOs) to adhere strictly to the applicable forex market regulations and guidelines.

First National Bank on temporary hold on foreign exchange license

Meanwhile, First National Bank Ghana has confirmed that it has temporarily halted the processing of new or pending foreign exchange transactions for 30 days due to ongoing engagements with the Bank of Ghana.

A press release issued on Thursday [June 29 2023] by Delali Dzidzienyo, the Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs said: "to minimise any possible disruptions, we have made temporary arrangements with partner banks to initiate and complete foreign exchange deals for and on behalf of First

National Bank Ghana and its clients, should the need arise."

"As a bank, we hold ourselves to the highest operational and regulatory standards in every aspect of our business."

"We are committed to reaching an amicable resolution with the Bank of Ghana for the restoration of our Foreign Exchange license," it added.

Temporary suspension of Fidelity Bank's foreign exchange license by Bank of Ghana

On its part, Fidelity Bank in a press release stated: "We refer to Bank of Ghanas notice to the public, of a suspension of our Foreign Exchange trading licence, and wish to reiterate that this does not in any way affect Fidelity Banks normal banking operations."

"While we address the reporting concerns raised by our regulator, we have in the interim reached agreements with our partner banks to aid in seamless completion of foreign exchange transactions on behalf of Fidelity Bank.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this announcement may have caused, and we reassure all our valued customers that we are actively engaging the Bank of Ghana to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

"All Branches, Agent Points and digital platforms continue to provide our customers with the full range of financial services as usual.

"As a Bank, we strive to maintain the highest levels of operational compliance across all our business activities, and we are fully committed to engaging the Bank of Ghana to resolve this situation," it added.
How popping a pimple on your face can kill you

Health.com Showbiz News Jun - 29 - 2023 , 09:41

Although rare, popping acne(pimple) in the "danger triangle"previously known as the "triangle of death"may cause an infection of the face or head. The "danger triangle" consists of the area from the corners of your mouth to the bridge of your nose.

An infection of that area can lead to cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST), or a rare blood clot in your cavernous sinuses. A blood clot in your cavernous sinuses can delay blood flow from your brain.

Due to the risk of life-threatening infection, you may wonder if and how it's OK to pop pimples on your face. According to dermatologists, here's what you need to know about the "danger triangle" and when (if at all) you can pop pimples on your face safely.

What Is the 'Triangle of Death'?

The "triangle of death" is an old term for what many experts now call the "danger triangle."

"The area of the face connecting the nose to the corners of the mouth is thought to be a particularly dangerous area of the face because of their close connection to the brain," Joshua Zeichner, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, told Health.

The best way to see the triangle is to form one with your fingersconnecting the tips of your thumbs, then the tips of your pointer fingers. On your face, the top of your triangle is on the bridge of your nose. The base starts at either corner of your mouth and extends across the bottom of your upper lip.

Risks of Popping Pimples in the Danger Triangle'

The "Triangle of death" is an old term which experts now call "danger triangle"

The phrase "danger triangle" might sound slightly extreme when talking about pimple popping. Still, practicing care near that area of your face is critical. Picking at or scratching pimples on that area is not wise since it can allow bacteria to enter and cause infection.

In general, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) does not advise that you pop your pimples. You may push the contents of the pimple deeper into the skin, leading to complications like permanent scarring and more painful and noticeable acne.

Infection

Popping a pimple in the "danger triangle" runs the risk of a potentially life-threatening infection. As a result, Cystic Acne (CST) may develop, in which a blood clot forms in your cavernous sinuses and blocks blood flow from your brain.2

"The cavernous sinus is the name of a large vein that drains blood to the brain, creating a connection from our outside to our inside," said Dr. Zeichner. In other words, the infection in a pimple on your nose has a somewhat clear path to your brain.

For that reason, "any infection in that area is a little bit higher risk," Alok Vij, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic, told Health.

"In the event that you pick a pimple, and an infection develops, the worst-case scenario is that the infection spreads from the skin through this sinus," explained Dr. Zeichner.

CST is a dangerous disorder, but recognising the symptoms right away minimises the risk of death and complications. CST symptoms include:

Fever

Headache

Paralysis of the muscles that control eye movements

Swelling around the eyes

More Noticeable and Painful Acne

Frequently touching your face increases the risk of more acne.4 When you pop pimples, bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil push further into your skin. As a result, more swelling and redness occur, making acne appear more noticeable and painful.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

At-home treatments can help get rid of and prevent acne. Still, some people may have more stubborn acne than others.

Consult a dermatologist if you notice:

At-home treatments do not get rid of or prevent acne within several months

Cysts

Emotional distress or social anxiety about acne

Redness around pimples

Scars form as acne clears

Worsening acne
We are very ready for Grammys Asakaa Boys

Edith Mensah Showbiz News Jun - 29 - 2023 , 10:30

A KUMASI-based music group, Asakaa Boys, have expressed their readiness to own the bragging rights as the first winners of the new Ghanaian Drill genre category in the 2024 Recording Academy of the United States popularly known as the Grammy Awards.

The nine-member group made up of OKenneth, Jay Bahd, Kawabanga, Cedi City Boy, Reggie, Kwaku DMC, Sean Lifer, Rabby Jones and Braa Benk, and credited for pioneering Ghana Drill, indicated that it will be an easy pass for them to grab the award next year because they have what it takes to meet the criteria and beat any contender hands down.

It would be recalled that Ghanas Drill and Highlife music were recently recognised as part of relevant African music styles for the Best African Music Performance category to be rolled out in the 2024 edition of the Grammy Awards.

The Best African Music Performance category is one of the three new slots that have been added to the prestigious awards scheme. The other two are Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording.

In an exclusive interview with Graphic Showbiz, Braa Benk, who spoke on behalf of the group which emerged in late 2019, said the news of the inclusion of Ghana Drill only meant one thing for them; to work even harder to be the first act to be named the category's winners at the upcoming Grammy Awards.

We are really just humbled by the fact that a reputable award scheme like the Grammys has recognised us and noticed what we are doing. The announcement has been an exciting experience for us and we have been greatly inspired to do more to grab a nomination and subsequently; that is where our focus is now.

Bringing the award home depends on the effort we put in and how we push our work out there for the world to see our full package. We believe when we put our minds to it and work hard, we can make very good strides. We have been ready for whatever comes our way and theres no limitation to how far our music could reach, he told Graphic Showbiz.

Braa Benk pointed out that just because the Asakaa Boys spearheaded Ghana Drill music, did not mean they were closed off to other acts who would want to explore the space of the music type.

We dont mind seeing other people from other countries hopping on to this genre because when we started this, our goal was to break barriers and have other people embrace it.

We know Amapiano music is a South African thing, but we have artistes from other countries hopping on it. Thus, if we have others doing Ghanaian Drill and eventually pick the Grammys, it will still mean a lot to us because what we started in our little space will be going places, he concluded.

Read also: We both have daughters, lets see what life throws at them -Yvonne Nelson to Sarkodie
World's Largest Cruise Ship Sets Sail for the First Time in Initial Sea Trial  See Photos!

People Showbiz News Jun - 28 - 2023 , 10:37

Royal Caribbean's record-breaking Icon of the Seas is drawing closer to its debut in January 2024 after completing its first phase of sea trials in Europe.

Set to be the worlds largest cruise ship and the company's first Icon-class ship, the vessel has been under construction at Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, according to an official release.

The cruise will offer vacationers the worlds largest waterpark at sea, dubbed Category 6 and featuring six water slides. Icon of the Seas also offers a "resort getaway," a "beach escape," a theme park and over "40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained," according to the company.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Inside, it will feature a one-of-a-kind accommodation: the "Ultimate Family Townhouse," which Royal Caribbean describes as a three-story "sprawling adventure-filled pad" with an in-suite slide, a karaoke station, and hidden areas to discover.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

The ship's 20 decks will include Royal Caribbean's first-ever dueling piano bar, eight "neighborhoods," the largest pool at sea and experiences for thrill-seekers like Crown's Edge, described as "a fear-inducing challenge thats part skywalk, part ropes course, part thrill ride and an all-out test of your courage."

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.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Royal Caribbean's Private Island Will Feature the Tallest Waterslide in North America

The ship weighs in at an estimated 250,800 tons and measures close to 1,200 feet long. It also holds about 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members, according to CNN.

Over 450 specialists have run four days of preliminary tests on the ships main engines, bow and propellers, as well as checking noise and vibration levels, a release shared.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

"Between preparations and the trials, the important step in the journey to bring Icon to life involved more than 2,000 specialists, hundreds of miles traveled, four 37- to 67-ton tugboats and more than 350 hours of work," according to the release.

All of that will prepare the cruise for its second round of sea trials later this year, ahead of its debut out of South Florida in January 2024.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Would You Take a 3-Year Cruise? Ship Will Visit 135 Countries on All 7 Continents for $30,000 Per Year

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Alleged fake national security operative, fake presidential staffer arrested for visa fraud

Gloria Apprey Life Jun - 29 - 2023 , 13:30

Two persons, Sylvia Naa Dodua Wristberg and Patrick Torto, have been apprehended and arraigned at an Accra Circuit Court on charges of defrauding a man of GH32,000.

They were said to have claimed that the amount was to help secure a visa for the man's wife.

The accused persons allegedly posed as national security operative and a presidential staffer, respectively, when the victim applied for his wife to accompany him to a nurses' conference in Canada.

Corporal Rachel Saim, the investigator, said that the accused persons were also wanted by the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for similar fraudulent activities.

Sylvia, the first accused, appeared in the court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah on June 9, 2023 and pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit and committing the crime of defrauding by false pretence.

The court granted her bail in the amount of GH100,000, requiring two sureties, one of whom must own a landed property. The case was adjourned to July 12, 2023, to allow the prosecution to prepare its disclosures.

Facts

Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor, the prosecutor, who presented the details of the case in court, said the complainant, Dominic Acquah, is an X-Ray Technician residing in Agona-Nkwanta in the Western Region, while the first accused, Sylvia, is an unemployed resident of Cape Coast in the Central Region.

According to the prosecutor, in April 2023, the complainant applied to attend an international congress for nurses through an acquaintance, who submitted his documents to Kenpong Travel & Tours for biometric enrolment and an appointment date at the Canadian Embassy in Accra.

Chief Inspector Ahiabor said in the same month, the complainant received a phone call from the second accused, Torto, who introduced himself as the protocol officer of the Presidential Office of Ghana-Annex at Ridge, Accra, and as a national security operative.

Torto mentioned Sylvia, the first accused, as his immediate supervisor, claiming that she was an aide to the First Lady.

He assured the complainant that they could use the President's letterhead to secure a visa for his wife.

The prosecutor explained that Torto invited the complainant and his wife to the Presidential Office at Ridge, Accra, where they had a meeting at the car park.

Torto, promising to facilitate the visa processing, accompanied the complainant to Kenpong Travel & Tours, collected all his documents, and took his wife's passport.

Chief Inspector Ahiabor added that Torto demanded GH20,000 as payment to secure the visa. The complainant paid GH10,000 through a mobile money number registered in the name of the first accused, Sylvia. The total sum of Gh32,000 was demanded and paid by the complainant through the same mobile money number on several occasions.

The prosecutor said in order to appear credible, the accused persons purchased round-trip flight tickets from Accra to Takoradi, to enable the complainant and his wife to gain travel experience.

Chief Inspector Ahiabor said on May 20, 2023, when the complainant was asked to come to Accra for the visa, the accused persons could not be reached. The complainant visited the office only to discover that their identities were fake.

The prosecutor said on May 31, 2023, the first accused, Sylvia, was arrested in Cape Coast by personnel from the Ministry of National Security, Accra, based on intelligence.

The complainant identified Sylvia as one of the perpetrators. Although the second accused, Torto, managed to escape, efforts were underway to apprehend him.
3 Christ Embassy members charged for flouting COVID-19 law acquitted and discharged

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Jun - 29 - 2023 , 19:34

The Accra Circuit Court has acquitted and discharged three members of the Christ Embassy Church who were standing trial for breaking COVID-19 restrictions during a youth concert in 2021.

Flashback: Police investigate Christ Embassy for flouting COVID-19 protocols

Christ Embassy's 'Pneumatica Night': 4 charged for breaching COVID-19 protocol

Alex Asomani, Wilson Delali Agyemang and Kumi Nutifafa were set free after the court held that the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) , the law which gave legal basis to the offences levelled against them had been declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The decision by the court followed an application by counsel of the accused persons, Nanabanyin Ackon, who argued that the decision of the Supreme Court had nullified Act 1012 and therefore by law his clients were deemed not to have committed any offence in the first place.

A nullified enactment is legally void and has no substance. It had no recognition or life under the law and that nothing can be founded on it, same shall collapse and no legal effect shall be given to it, Mr Ackon submitted.

Charges

On April 30, 2021, the Youth wing of Christ Embassy Youth organised a concert at the Fantasy Dome.

Asomani, Agyemang and Nutifafa, who were youth leaders of the church were arrested by the police and charged with conspiracy not to comply with restrictions imposed on large religious gathering, failure to comply with restrictions imposed on religious bodies, namely, duration of service to two hours maximum.

The trio could have faced up to 10 years imprisonment based on the sentencing regime in Act 1012.

Per Section 6 of Act 1012, a person who fails to comply with the restrictions imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection 1 of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1,000 penalty unit (Gh12,000) and not more than 5,000 penalty units (Gh 60,000) or to a term of imprisonment not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.



Unconstitutional law

On May 31, this year, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously declared Act 1012 as unconstitutional.

The court held that Act 1012 violated the constitution because it allowed the President to declare a state of emergency and impose restrictions without the laid down procedure as stipulated by Article 31 of the 1992 Constitution.

We hold that Act 1012 is inconsistent with Articles 21 and 31 in so far as it deals with matters that are ,more qualified for a declaration of a state of emergency , without recourse to Article 31. Article 31 is the gateway for dealing with public emergencies with such magnitude such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

To the extent that Act 1012 contravenes Article 21, 31, 32, 58 (2) and 93(2) of the 1992 Constitution, we strike down Act 1012 as unconstitutional and therefore null and void, the court held.

The seven-member panel was presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, with Justices Nene Amegatcher, Prof. Nii Ashie-Kotey, Avril Lovelace Johnson, Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, Prof. Joy Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi.
Agenda 111 progressing steadily; Trede project to be completed by end of 2023 - Nsiah Asare

Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor Jun - 29 - 2023 , 16:40

Construction works on the first Agenda 111 facility at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoman District in the Ashanti region is progressing steadily on schedule.

The facility is gradually taking shape with most of the physical structures erected.

The contractor has said the project is on schedule.

This came to light when the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare paid a working visit to the site on Thursday, June 29, 2023 to monitor the progress of work on the project which started on August 17, 2021.

The ministry also used the occasion to brief the media on the progress of work on all Agenda 111 projects throughout Ghana.

Graphic Onlines Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports from Trede that, the Minister of Information said so far, 88 contracts out of the 111 have been awarded and construction works have started on 54 of the projects.

Progress

Dr Nsiah-Asare said the monitoring team has, so far, visited 33 out of the 54 project sites and expressed satisfaction at the progress of work at all the sites.

On the average, he said, most of the contractors have done about 52 per cent of works on all the project sites visited and was hopeful that by the end of the year, the majority of them would be completed and commissioned.

So far, he said the Trede project was the one at advanced level of the completion with 62 per cent of work completed. We are sure of commissioning it by the end of the year [2023].

Dr Nsiah Asare explained that even though most of the contracts were expected to be completed within 18 months, there were some delays due to some contractual issues but gave the assurance that majority of the projects would be completed within the reign of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Agenda 111 project

The Ghana Health Infrastructure Project better known as the Agenda 111 project consists of the construction of 101 district hospitals in areas without district hospitals and the construction of two psychiatric hospitals for the middle and the southern belts, seven regional hospitals and the rehabilitation of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

Works were yet to start on the psychiatric hospitals for the middle and northern belts.

Termination of contract

Dr Nsiah-Asare has cautioned contractors working on the projects to speed up work or risk having their contracts terminated.

He said the government would not tolerate any delay on the project and called on the contractors working on the various projects to keep to the timelines.

Already, three contractors working in the Ashanti Region have had their contracts abrogated for failing to meet the key performance indicators.

We wont shy away from terminating the contract if a contractor fails to meet the performance indicators, he warned.

Abandoned

He debunked the claims that the projects have been abandoned due to non-availability of funds.

He explained that due to the importance of the project, the government set up a special purpose vehicle to prosecute the projects.

So far, he said all the contractors who have submitted their certificates have been paid for the work done.

Ashanti Region

He said the projects have been zoned into eight zones and Ashanti region falls into Zone 8 and is benefiting from 17 out of the 111 projects.

While works have started on most of the projects within the region, he said some of the districts were yet to start due to some challenges with land.

As a result, he said the projects had to be redesigned from the single stack to a double stack storey building to make use of the available land.

He cited Asokore-Mampong, Bantama and Kwabenakwa as some of these districts having challenges with land for the project.

Notwithstanding the redesigning, he said all the projects would have the same facilities as the rest.

Jobs and training

The former Director General of Ghana Health Services said when completed, each facility would provide employment to not less than 100 health workers and indirect employment of 100 others and also create other business in the health value chain for the surrounding communities.

Again, he said the new facilities would also serve as a training ground for health workers and expand access to healthcare in the country.

Background

The president on August 17, 2021 cut the sod for the construction of the Agenda 111 hospital project.

Each hospital facility is planned as a single-story campus featuring Patient Reception & Processing, Administration, Pharmacy, Labs / Diagnostics, OPD, Physiotherapy, Public Health, Accident & Emergency, Surgical Ward, Paediatric Ward, Maternity Ward, Isolation Ward and four state of the art theatre for surgery.

There are provisions for a mortuary, waiting and security pavilions, accommodation facility for families and doctors (separated), a laundry, waste management and energy centre, kitchen, central store and maintenance yard.
CAA, Expertise France sign MoU to expand music industry

Juliet Akyaa Safo Jun - 29 - 2023 , 06:45

The Creative Arts Agency (CAA) and Expertise France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake a project aimed at expanding the music industry in the country.

The project, Creation Africa-Ghana, is funded by the French government through the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Ministry of Economy, with a grant of 500,000.

The objective of the project is to promote a good economic model and make artistic careers more accessible and credible while promoting Ghana's artistic heritage.

It would target young people and support the social and economic inclusion of all actors in the sector who participate in music production.

Project

The two-year project will, among others, enable the transfer of skills, access to the global copyright market by Ghanaian rights holders and the development of businesses between the music industries of the two countries.

Specific components of the project included support to structuring the music industry sector, ensuring remuneration and protection for persons who create and/or produce their works.

Others included a plan to create venues for the dissemination of music and innovating and developing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in music festivals between France and Ghana.

Agreement

The project followed the commitment from the two countries to develop partnerships with entrepreneurs in the music sector.

The Chief Executive of CAA, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, expressed her excitement for the partnership and hoped that the country would get to a point where players in the music industry would have ownership of their works.

She said the agreement was part of efforts to professionalise the creative industry platform and make it more habitable for artists to produce, sell and own their work.

She said it was also a step towards digitising the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) and offering workshops to build the capacities of the creative arts industry on copyright.

Our main purpose within the CAA is to promote visibility, to educate and to protect, and the agreement is a step towards protecting our music industry, she said.

She expressed the hope that the agreement would have a ripple effect on the industry, in terms of how artists are paid and how royalties are collected and dispersed.

Co-constructive project

The French Ambassador, Jules-Armand Aniambossou, also expressed his excitement that the co-constructive project would benefit the two countries by stimulating the private sector in the music industry.

These efforts have been fruitful and have led to collaborations between French and Ghanaian artists, concerts associating French and Ghanaian artists in Accra and Paris and, finally, a dialogue on the collective management of copyright in Ghana.

It shows the will of both France and Ghana to renew their relationship, and will be followed by a project called Creation Africa-Ghana to support young entrepreneurs in the Cultural and Creative Industries, he added.

The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC), Mark Okraku-Mantey, stated that the creative arts industry if treated well, would generate enough revenue for the country to survive economically.

The Creative Arts Law demonstrates that the country is ready to regulate the industry; the agreement is, therefore, timely, he noted.

He urged the creative arts industry to collaborate with the parties for the project, stating that the implementation of the project would help sanitise the industry in terms of copyright.

He promised that the CAA and MoTAC would play their part in the agreement to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
Dispute resolution: Judge affirms judiciary-traditional authorities partnership

Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Jun - 29 - 2023 , 06:53

A Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, has stated that the Judiciary will continue to partner traditional authorities in resolving disputes in the country.

The Judiciary has found the traditional authorities of the various communities as partners in our quest to serve the public through resolving disputes that are taken to the courts and law enforcement agencies, he said.

Justice Pwamang noted that the essence of the collaboration over the years between the Judiciary and the chieftaincy institution in determining criminal cases was to ensure peace and unity in society.

Courtesy call

Justice Pwamang said this when he led a four-member delegation of the Judicial Council to pay a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, and his elders in his palace last Monday.

Among the delegation was a Justice of the High Court, Justice Aboagye Tandoh, the National President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, a government nominee on the Judicial Council, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa, and the Deputy Director of Communications, Judicial Service of Ghana, Rosemary Gaisie.

Background

On March 10, 2023, two persons who had been sent by the paramount chief to invite the Presiding Judge of the Bolgatanga High Court two, Justice Alexander Graham, for a discussion, were cited for contempt.

The two were the Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii and the Secretary of the traditional council, Richard Sunday Yinbil.

The court found them guilty of contempt and accordingly made them sign a six-month bond to be of good behaviour at the Upper East Regional Police Command before they were released.

Justice Graham, who was the acting Supervising High Court Judge of the Upper East Region, vacated his post a week after he convicted the two persons.

He left Bolgatanga following death threats and attacks at his residence.

Another judge posted there also left due to similar reasons and the Bolgatanga High Court currently has no judge, the Daily Graphic has learned

Long-standing cooperation

Justice Pwamang said the long-standing cooperation between the Judiciary and traditional authorities had never compromised the independence of the Judiciary in administering justice without fear or favour to all manner of persons who appeared before it.

He stated that another aspect of cooperation between the Judiciary and traditional authorities had been in the area of customary arbitration and mediation, whereby at times, the courts found it appropriate to encourage or even involve traditional authorities in that regard.

This often happens when traditional authorities are called upon to mediate or arbitrate in disputes that are filed in court but which the judges take the view that they would be best resolved amicably out of court, Justice Pwamang averred.

He also emphasised that the gesture by the Judicial Council was not intended to affect the decision of the judge that later led to an explanation by the paramount chief, both of which gained media attention.

Justice Pwamang stressed that the processes and procedures of the court could appear intricate to the uninitiated and that the incident involving the emissaries of the paramount chief was one of the procedures of the court.

This may not be easily appreciated by most people but the judge exercising his jurisdiction the way he deemed appropriate under the circumstances that were presented to him, he said.

Justice Pwamang also implored the media to be circumspect in their reportage on issues relating to conflicts and the courts, saying we expect the media to at all times check with the right sources to ensure that their reportage does not inflame passions.

He noted that as the fourth estate of the realm, the media should remember that it is our collective responsibility to ensure peace in our communities at all times for mutual benefit.

Teamwork

In his remarks, Tongraan Nanlebegtang reiterated that the invitation he extended to the judge was in good faith and without malice as it was intended for them to have frank discussions.

He expressed gratitude to the Judicial Council for calling on him to patch the differences so that they could continue to work together going forward.

While publicly accepting in good faith what he discussed with the delegation in camera, Tongraan Nanlebegtang commended the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, for making efforts to address the issue.

As a council, we have taken everything in good faith, everything that happened is in the past and should remain as such, he stated.
"It is not right" that Quayson is going through daily trial when others are not - Bagbin

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Jun - 29 - 2023 , 14:22

"It is not right" that James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament-elect for Assin North constituency is going through a daily criminal trial when others are not going through the same process, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin has said.

"I tell them, and I tell the judges, it is not right. If it is done to everybody, I have no problem but if it is done selectively, I have a problem."

"What we are doing is rule by law, not rule of law, and I think that we should move away from that. For democracy to succeed, the pillar is rule of law.

"The law is not centre of democracy, that is one of the errors in our [1992] constitution, read through our constitution and you'll see the law is a respecter of so many people. So many people in Ghana are above the law. You can't have democracy [with that] and so we need to work at it seriously and this [is why] the constitutional review is something we must take up."

The Speaker of Parliament was speaking during a visit to the office of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra to meet with management and the editorial staff.

The Speakers working visit to Graphic was to interact with management and staff at the editorial department.

This is aligned with the Speakers desire to strengthen Parliament-Media Relations.

It is the first official visit of the Speaker to a media organisation since he was elected Speaker of Parliament on January 7, 2021.

He was accompanied by some staff from his office.

James Gyakye Quayson will be sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North today [June 29], the Speaker of Parliament, said during the meeting.

Parliament is resuming sitting today [June 29], following the abrupt end of proceedings last Tuesday.

This was due to the lack of quorum required for a parliamentary business to go on, as many Members of Parliament (MPs) on both the Majority and Minority sides travelled to the Assin North Constituency in the Central Region to join the political campaign and monitoring of the by-election.

Gyakye Quayson will be in court this morning for his criminal trial after which he will go to Parliament for the swearing in.
Nzulezu, Jomoro communities flooded

George Folley and Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu Jun - 29 - 2023 , 01:35

One of the most visited tourism destinations in the country, Nzulezu, has been engulfed by floodwaters, the first time in decades.

Also known as the village on stilts, the community succumbed to the floods alongside other places such as Elubo, Beyin, Ghana Nungua and Fawomaen, all in the Jomoro Municipality.

This is the latest effect of torrential rain in many parts of the Western Region for several days.

The downpour caused River Amanzule on which the village sits to break its banks, leading to the floodwaters engulfing the stilts and flooding other communities across a vast area.

The frontage of the carnal, the footbridge leading to the village and the reception centre of Nzulezu are inaccessible, while residential facilities on a long stretch near the river are also under water.

Homes and streets at Beyin, Elubo and Ghana Nungua have been taken over by floodwaters, compelling residents to take shelter in some schools.

The most affected communities include Apremdo, Awusedjoe, Ayiem and many communities along the Takoradi-Tarkwa road.

Last Friday, many commuters on the stretch recounted harrowing experiences when the portion of the road at the Saint Mary Boys Senior High School got flooded.

At Ewusedzoe, most residents living in low lying areas around the Butre River had to relocate to the houses of relatives occupying hilly areas.



Evacuation

Nzulezu, the popular tourism site, remained the most affected by floods in the municipality and all residents, about 480, have been evacuated.

The floods also led to the displacement of thousands of residents in the Jomoro Municipality and as such require urgent national attention to support the efforts of the municipal assembly.

The residents of the affected areas, who have also lost valuables and personal belongings, are currently putting up in classrooms and other public buildings.

Urgency

The Coordinating Director of the Jomoro Municipal Assembly, Joyce Angmorteh, said currently, the people needed urgent attention.

They need clothing, food and some medical items due to the weather, she said.

We have made some arrangements in the communities hosting them to ensure that some hot meals are prepared for them and for those in the classrooms and other public places, we have rented mattresses for them, Mrs Angmorteh said.

At Nzulezu, due to its strategic location, what we did was to first arrange with the assembly members to get both manual and motorised boats to move everybody to Beyin, the coordinating director said.

At the moment, the assembly is doing everything to ensure the communities affected are provided with some level of support to keep them at fairly or comfortable high temperatures and safe, while we continue to assess other communities, Mrs Angmorteh added.

She explained that the assembly had tasked the municipal office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to assess the extent of the floods and the displaced people to help with the management of the situation.

The Municipal NADMO Officer, Simon Amoah, said from his preliminary assessment, the most affected area was the village on stilt, adding they were in the middle of the river and we have moved the entire community from their comfort zone to classrooms on land, therefore, we have to fend for them.

He said they needed a lot of support for their upkeep until the Amanzule River got to its normal level.

An assembly member at Beyin, Patrick Agbovi, said the current situation required support from all quarters the assembly is doing its best  but the truth is that aside from Beyin and areas we know already there are many others.

We need more support for our people, considering the level of the river now, it will take a long time to recede, hence the need for support, he said.

At the time the Daily Graphic visited, those from Nzulezu who were putting up in the classroom were up and resting on the corridors of the school.

Mr Agbovi said the schools were on vacation, therefore, the evacuees could spend some two weeks before school reopened.

Takoradi, Tarkwa stretch

Last Friday, commuters from Takoradi to Tarkwa could not use the road at the portion at the Saint Mary Boys Senior High School due to floods.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded as they could not pass through the floods, coupled with the poor road surface which compelled the commuters to walk from Baehu to Apremdo, wading through floodwaters for minutes to board vehicles to Takoradi with their luggage.

The commuters had to be guided or carried through the marauding floodwaters.

The situation cut the movement of vehicles coming from Takoradi to other parts of the Western Region, particularly Tarkwa, Sefwi Wiawso, Elubo, Axim and Atuabo.

The Saint Mary Boys Senior High School area has been described by commuters as flood-prone.

Some drivers told the Daily Graphic that the bad road, including the lack of drainage system in the Apowa area, contributed to the annual flooding.

A driver, Mieza Bonzu, said in spite of several appeals to the Ghana Highways Authority, nothing had been done.

Some drivers, however, took advantage of the situation to charge exorbitant fares to the chagrin of commuters.

A German volunteer, Heize Karl, said he was disappointed and expressed the hope that solutions would be found to solve the perennial occurrence.
Queenmothers seek involvement in governance

Emmanuel Bonney Jun - 29 - 2023 , 06:12

Queenmothers have demanded their active involvement in the decision-making process in customary land management in the country.

That, they said, would help improve transparency and accountability in land management.

"The queenmothers may then benefit from the proceeds from the allocation of land and also take part in deciding the proper use of revenue for the benefit of the entire community," they said at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Series on Constitutional Review, on the theme:

Reviewing Ghana's 1992 Constitution: Viewpoints from the Queenmothers Platform, in Accra last Tuesday.

Position

Stating one of the positions of the group, Upiibor Galla Tabasu Linda of the Saboba Traditional Area in the Northern Region said Article 267 (6)(a) reserved "25 per cent of the stool land revenue to the stool for the maintenance of the stool in keeping with its status."

She, however, noted that the distribution of stool land revenue in the Constitution did not include queen-mothers.

"This is unfair and needs redress.

Queenmothers play complementary roles with their male counterparts.

"They occupy stools which similarly require maintenance and they also incur expenditure to preserve their status as queens and mothers of their communities and carry out their functions," she said.

She, therefore, called for the creation of a chamber of queenmothers at the regional and national levels to ensure their active involvement in issues of national interest.

That, she said, would enhance the mobilisation and engagement of queen- mothers in policy engagements and national development processes.

Recommendations

Presenting the recommendations of the platform, the Paramount Queen Mother of Assin Atandansu Traditional Area, Nana Abena Gyamfua, said with respect to the constitutional provisions on the distribution of stool land revenue, there needs to be a constitutional amendment to include queenmothers.

Moreover, she said a change in attitude of public institutions and public officers was essential, adding that public land sector institutions should be more gender-sensitive and play their part in ensuring the fair treatment of queenmothers.

They should insist on fair gender representation in their contact and dealings with traditional land-owning groups.

They should ensure that queenmothers and female traditional leaders are represented during discussions on matters involving land and were relevant to traditional authorities.

The public agencies should consider amending their internal procedures to accommodate the gender dimension, she emphasised.

Nana Gyamfua also stressed the need for qualified queenmothers to be considered for selection and appointment on equal terms with their male colleagues to serve on public boards and commissions.

She said that explicit provision was needed to advance the cause of gender equality.

Review

Setting the tone for the discussion, the President of the Queenmothers Platform, Ghana, Nana Amponsah Dokuah III, made five proposals on some key areas which needed constitutional review.

The areas, she said, were of interest to queenmothers, women, youth and the socio-economic development of the country.

Among other things, she called for the recognition, visibility and legitimacy of queenmothers as traditional leaders, as well as their participation in customary land governance.

Our analysis of the 1992 constitutional provisions reveals a distressing case of discrimination against queenmothers and women in Ghana, confirming the existence of gender inequalities within land administration.

It is evident that women, particularly queenmothers, face significant barriers in accessing and controlling productive resources such as land, she said.

Regrettably, Nana Dokuah noted that the opportunity for queenmothers to actively participate in customary land governance was severely limited.

Despite the recognition of the need to address gender inequality in land administration through various national and international legal and policy documents, she said many challenges persisted.

Consequently, it is imperative to enact concrete amendments to the Constitution that not only address these issues in legislation but also promote their implementation in practice.

In addition, it is crucial to highlight the significance of queenmothers assuming the role of acting in the absence of chiefs, she said.

Granting that authority to queen- mothers, she said, would ensure continuity and stability in leadership, while safeguarding the governance of communities during their temporary absence.

She explained that the creation of the National and Regional Houses of for Queenmothers would serve as a formal platform for their representation and participation in decision-making processes at the national and regional levels.

By recognising and empowering queenmothers, we can forge a path towards true gender equality and inclusivity in both customary land governance and broader leadership roles.

Let us work together to champion these necessary constitutional amendments, fostering a more just and equitable society for all, she said.

Other speakers

The Founder and Executive Director of COLANDEF, a non-governmental organisation, Nana Ama Yirrah, said with the existence of the National House of Chiefs, it was equally important to have such a consultative platform for queenmothers.

She also called for a constitutional framework for the sharing of stool land revenue so that queenmothers would have their share of the proceeds.

The Paramount Queenmother of the Penyi Traditional Area, Her Royal Majesty, Mamaga Hoeftewo, observed that the current Constitution lacked emotional intelligence which was essential for the formulation of policies as a nation.

The General Secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Jantuah, who chaired the event, said there was the need to ensure that women were included in the House of Chiefs, since in the matrilineal setting, a chief was not enstooled without a queen mother.

"So why are we not in the house of chiefs because we are also chiefs but only females?"

she quizzed.Contributing to the discussion, a Member of the Council of State, Sam Okudzeto, said the essence of the event was to fill the gaps in the Constitution with the aim of improving upon it to enable it to become a workable document for the benefit of the country.

A former Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Dr Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh, described queenmothers as the doyens of development.
YEA secures jobs for 84,000 youth in 6 months

Donald Ato Dapatem Jun - 29 - 2023 , 06:30

The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has provided employment opportunities for over 84,000 youth in various sectors of national life in the first half of the year.

The number, which is in excess of its 2023 target by 16 per cent, involves modules under its traditional mandate.

Officials said the agency also created some jobs for the youth under the innovative modules carved out to ensure that more Ghanaian youth got skills and employment.

Giving the breakdown, the Chief Executive of the YEA, Kofi Baah Agyapong, said the employment opportunities included 15,000 Community Protection Assistants; 6,000 Community Health Workers; 1,500 Youth in Prison Support and 5,000 more in the area of Entrepreneurship (Trade and Vocation) being executed in collaboration with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP).

The rest, he added, were the revamped and remodelled Youth in Sanitation, which had employed 45,000 youth; Artisan Directory, 500; and Job Centres, 11483, making up the 84,483 youth from its traditional modules.

He added that through innovative models, it had commenced a programme with the National Insurance Commission (NIC), where senior high school graduates and first degree holders were being trained to fill vacant positions at the various insurance companies.

He said already, 6,000 people had been enrolled.

Mr Agyapong said the YEA had liaised with Blue Space, an online insurance company, with 2,000 youth trained by the company.

Under the arrangement, the beneficiaries get clients for the company on commission basis in addition to their monthly allowances.

Garment

Mr Agyapong said the authority was on the verge of opening a new opportunity for those interested in the garment and apparel industry.

He said under this new model, dubbed Garment and Apparel Training and Employment Programme, the agency was rolling out a programme to create sustainable opportunities for young people interested in tailoring, general dressmaking and industrial sewing.

He said the trainers who would be selected would be provided with financial support to train the youth who would also be provided with some stipend to be able to undertake the training.

Transition

Mr Agyapong said the agency had put in place an elaborate and effective transition plan that would ensure that more of the beneficiaries transitioned to some of the models or embarked on their own enterprises after the minimum of two years of engagement.

He said with those in the health sector, the authority had started assisting them to secure admission forms and prepare them to enter nursing training institutions, among other forms of support.

Mr Agyapong noted that in discussions prior to the training, it was agreed in principle through the signing of the memoranda of understanding that the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ghana Health Service would offer the youth working under their schemes a quota when it came to employment or recruitment.

He said because the young ones, after their training, would become familiar with the environment of the police, the prisons and the health service, recruiting them into those services was considered a priority.

He said some of them had also been saving and preparing to enter tertiary institutions, adding that our models are giving hope and support for the youth to realise their vision and potential to contribute their quota towards the development of the country.
Gyakye Quayson to be sworn in as MP for Assin North today

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Jun - 29 - 2023 , 09:46

James Gyakye Quayson will be sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Assin North today.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin made this known this morning [June 29].

Parliament is resuming sitting today [June 29], following the abrupt end of proceedings last Tuesday.

This was due to the lack of quorum required for a parliamentary business to go on, as many Members of Parliament (MPs) on both the Majority and Minority sides travelled to the Assin North Constituency in the Central Region to join the political campaign and monitoring of the by-election.

Gyakye Quayson will be in court this morning for his criminal trial after which he will go to Parliament for the swearing in.

The Speaker of Parliament was speaking during a visit to the office of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to meet with management and the editorial staff.

The Speakers working visit to Graphic was to interact with management and staff at the editorial department.

This is aligned with the Speakers desire to strengthen Parliament-Media Relations.



It is the first official visit of the Speaker to a media organisation since he was elected Speaker of Parliament.

He was accompanied by some staff from his office.

Writer's email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow @enochfrimpong Follow @Graphicgh
'Quayson is jail bound' comment: Gyakye Quayson cites President Akufo-Addo in appeal filings

Graphic.com.gh Politics Jun - 29 - 2023 , 05:35

James Gyakye Quayson, the Member of Parliament-elect for Assin North has filed an application appealing the Accra High Court ruling for his criminal trial to be heard on daily basis.

In an affidavit signed by Justin Pwara Teriwajah, Quayson's lawyer, he argued that the High Court judge in her ruling to allow daily trial for committed "errors of law."

A portion of his affidavit said the ruling of the court had taken a political turn with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo making prejudicial comments on the back of the ruling.

He said the president had emphasized a comment by the Attorney-General to the effect that Gyakye Quayson had been irresponsible in opting to contest for a parliamentary seat when he was facing criminal charges.

"That, apparently emboldened by the ruling of the court on 23rd June 2023, the extremely prejudicial, unjustified and insulting remarks of the Attorney-General were escalated to the level of the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

"That, at a campaign rally for the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the President made many prejudicial remarks, including some to the effect that the voters in Assin North Constituency should not vote for a candidate who could end up in prison."

On the substantive case, Quayson has filed an application for Stay of Proceedings pending the determination of his appeal on grounds of several errors of law committed by the trial judge which he said breached his right to a fair trial

Related articles:
Trust, transparency cure for vigilantism  Dr Osei-Kufuor

Shirley Asiedu-Addo Politics Jun - 29 - 2023 , 05:47

A Peace and Development lecturer with expertise in Security at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Patrick Osei-Kufuor, has advocated trust and transparency as the cure for vigilantism in the electoral process.

While commending the Ghana Police Service for the measures adopted for last Tuesdays Assin North by-election, Dr Osei-Kufour said the stakes for the 2024 general election were higher and required a lot more to keep the country's peace.

Speaking with the Daily Graphic on the Assin North by-election, Dr Osei-Kufuor, who is also the Vice Dean of the School of Development Studies, said a lot more was needed to ensure a incident-free polls in 2024.

"For 2024, the tension is heightened, especially when the opposition party, having had this resounding victory of 57 per cent, feels that they can win the election.

There is that optimism that they are going to win the election.

But it is the voters who would decide.

And so you need an efficient police service that is trusted by the opposition and the incumbent.

"If we have an efficient police service that is trusted by both the NPP and the NDC, obviously, we can have a peaceful election in 2024," he said, adding that problems arose when one party did not trust the police service.

He said the posture that had been maintained by the police in the last two by-elections was commendable and called for collaborative engagements with other state security agencies to support the peace effort for the 2024 elections.

Police

Dr Osei-Kufuor observed that the unarmed policemen policy, which was the first layer of security measures, worked fine, saying the mere presence of policemen having guns removed trust and scared people off.

However, he said, the police had a proper backup response plan for the election in case of any incident.

He said though it was known that there were a lot of vigilante groups that hard-trooped to the Assin North constituency, the transparency and acts of trust by the police rendered the vigilantes almost useless.

He said citizens were also becoming discerning and awake and once there was a trusted system, the activities of the vigilantes would not be required.

He said it was a big plus for unarmed police officers to be able to handle the election peacefully.

He said the police also worked hard at Assin North to remove all doubts and uncertainties with the election and worked to ensure the stakeholders were clear with the processes and their roles, which he said calmed all parties involved.

He said the police had gradually made progress with time from the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections.

Dr Osei-Kufuor, said if the police, who were usually assumed to work for the incumbent party, had worked at an election where the opposition had managed to win by more than 15 percentage points, then trust was being built, and he urged the police to work to maintain such trust.

He said if there were doubts about the security agencies, political parties would beef up security in the form of political vigilantes, which could lead to violence.

Dr Osei-Kufuor, said the police needed to build its capacity and that of other security agencies on election security and engage with the Electoral Commission (EC) and the political parties in ensuring a peaceful 2024 election.

Proactive strategies

For the 2024 election, he said the security organisations must be proactive with operational and tactical strategies to be able to provide security for the elections and respond to other security uncertainties that will assure citizens of their security.

He commended the EC for the work done, which contributed to the peace of the by-election, and further urged the EC to enhance transparency by educating citizens, to make the process easier for all.
Aemetis, a renewable natural gas (RNG) and renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced that its Aemetis Biogas subsidiary is operating the Central Dairy Project production facilities 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and has exceeded the RNG production plan by approximately 20% during Q2 2023.

The June 21st announcement by the federal EPA of the Renewable Volume Obligation for years 2023, 2024 and 2025 significantly increased the mandate for the D3 Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) generated by RNG. Each MMBtu of dairy RNG generates 11.7 D3 RINs and the Aemetis Five Year Plan expects 1 million MMBtu in year 2025. The price of D3 RINs has already increased about 30% to $2.85 since the RVO was announced last week. Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis

In 2016, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1383, limiting the emission of methane from dairy lagoons in California, which includes approximately 1.7 million dairy cows at more than 1,000 dairies. Aemetis Biogas was formed as a subsidiary of Aemetis, Inc. in 2018 to build a network of assets to capture methane from dairy lagoons, focused on the 80 dairies that are existing feed customers of the Aemetis ethanol plant and other local dairies that supply milk for cheese production and other products.

In January 2023, Aemetis Biogas completed and commissioned several digesters, a 40-mile biogas pipeline, a central biogas-to-RNG production facility and a PG&E gas pipeline interconnection unit. Currently, 37 dairy digesters are under development or under construction, and seven dairy digesters are fully operational.





Funding for Aemetis Biogas includes $30 million of financing from Third Eye Capital (Toronto, Canada); $23 million of grants from the California Department of Food & Ag and the CPUC grant program through PG&E; and planned funding of $100 million during 2022 and 2023 of 20-year, USDA-guaranteed loans under the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) as a part of ongoing annual funding of approximately $100 million per year from the REAP program during the buildout of 65 dairies in the next four years.
After four years of development work, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen vehicle and its development project are entering its next phase as the first vehicles enter a pilot fleet of less than 100 vehicles.





The fleet is being deployed internationally for demonstration and trial purposes. This active driving experience will be the first chance for people not involved in the development process to gain a direct impression of what the BMW iX5 Hydrogen has to offer.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen developed on the basis of the current BMW X5 was first unveiled as a concept at the IAA show in 2019. Initial prototypes were then made available at the IAA Mobility 2021 for visitors to experience in action as shuttle vehicles.

The BMW Group produces the fuel cell systems for the pilot fleet at its in-house competence center for hydrogen in Munich. This technology is one of the core elements in the BMW iX5 Hydrogen and generates a high continuous output of 125 kW/170 hp.

A chemical reaction takes place in the fuel cell between gaseous hydrogen from the tanks and oxygen from the air. Maintaining a steady supply of both elements to the fuel cells membrane is of crucial importance for the drive systems efficiency. In addition to the technological equivalents of features found on combustion engines, such as charge air coolers, air filters, control units and sensors, the BMW Group also developed special hydrogen components for its new fuel cell system. These include the high-speed compressor with turbine and high-voltage coolant pump, for example.

The BMW Group sources the individual fuel cells from the Toyota Motor Corporation. The two companies have been collaborating on fuel cell drive systems since 2013.

Fuel cell systems are manufactured in two main steps, based on the individual fuel cells. The cells are first assembled into a fuel cell stack. The next step involves fitting all the other components to produce a complete fuel cell system.

Stacking of the fuel cells is largely a fully automated process. Once the individual components have been inspected for any damage, the stack is compressed by machine with a force of five tonnes and placed in a housing. The stack housing is manufactured in the light metal foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut using a sand casting technique.

For this, molten aluminum is poured into a mould made from compacted sand mixed with resin in a process specially designed for this small-series vehicle.

The pressure plate, which delivers hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel cell stack, is made from cast plastic parts and light-alloy castings, also from the Landshut plant. The pressure plate forms a gas-tight and water-tight seal around the stack housing.

Final assembly of the fuel cell stacks includes a voltage test along with extensive testing of the chemical reaction within the cells. Finally, all the different components are fitted together in the assembly area to produce the complete system.

During this system assembly stage, further components are fitted, such as the compressor, the anode and cathode of the fuel-cell system, the high-voltage coolant pump and the wiring harness.

In combination with a highly integrated drive unit using fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology (the electric motor, transmission and power electronics are grouped together in a compact housing) at the rear axle and a power battery with lithium-ion technology developed specially for this vehicle, the powertrain channels maximum output of 295kW / 401 hp onto the road. In coasting overrun and braking phases, the motor also serves as a generator, feeding energy back into a power battery.

The hydrogen needed to supply the fuel cell is stored in two 700-bar tanks made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). Together these hold almost six kilograms of hydrogen, enough to give the BMW iX5 Hydrogen a range of 504 km (313 miles) in the WLTP cycle. Filling up the hydrogen tanks only takes three to four minutes.

Summary of the technical data, performance, fuel consumption and range figures for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen:

Maximum output of overall drive system: 295 kW/401 hp

Electric continuous output of the fuel-cell system: 125 kW/170 hp

Maximum output of the battery (lithium-ion technology): 170 kW/231 hp

Maximum output of the highly integrated electric drive unit: 295 kW/401 hp

Capacity of the hydrogen tanks: 6 kg hydrogen (gaseous)

Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph) < 6 s

Top speed: Over 180 km/h (112 mph)

Hydrogen consumption in the WLTP cycle: 1.19 kg/100 km

Range in the WLTP cycle: 504 km (313 miles)

Production at Munich pilot plant. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is being built in the BMW Groups pilot plant at its Research and Innovation Center (FIZ) in Munich. This is the interface between development and production where every new model from the companys brands is made for the first time. Around 900 people work there in the body shop, assembly, model engineering, concept vehicle construction and additive manufacturing.

They are tasked with ensuring that both the product and the manufacturing process are ready for series production. In the case of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, specialists in hydrogen technology, vehicle development and initial assembly of new models have been working closely together to integrate the cutting-edge drive and energy storage technology.
On Monday night I was driving along Dewar Drive in Rock Springs when the car in front of me swerved. I saw something in the road, then saw it move. As I slowed down and swerved to avoid it I realized it was a dog. In my rearview mirror I saw it leave its hunkered down position and start running, with a limp, to avoid oncoming cars.

Feeling flustered, I kept driving, thinking I hoped the poor thing would get off the road and be safe. But then my thoughts kept going. It was obviously hurt, it didn't look like any owners were around, where would it go, and would it be alright?

I quickly pulled over and drove through parking lots to circle back to the direction I'd seen the dog running. Then I saw a group of three young women huddled together, holding the dog. About the same time as I reached them, so did another woman.

The dog, a small female that appeared to be a Shiba Inu and didn't have a collar, was calm while she was being held and wrapped her in a blanket. Her back leg was hurt and she had cuts on her body and above her eye, as well as some blood around her nose and mouth that had us all concerned.

We all set to work calling around to find a vet that could take a look at her right away. We also called RSPD dispatch and had two officers come to evaluate and help us consider what to do. After weighing the options, Jordan Nomura and Ava Penner ended up taking the dog home, and a little later Kylie Bosh and her aunt Kayla Lane were able to get her to a vet. Ashley Hernandez also posted the dog's photo on the Facebook group "Missing & Found Animals Sweetwater County WY."

Thankfully, the story has a happy ending. Nova, the dog, didn't have any internal bleeding or serious injuries, just some scratches and bruises, which the vet said was amazing. Ashley was able to communicate with people on Facebook to get in touch with the owner, who met with the others at the vet and got Nova home safe and sound.

I'm relieved I got to know this happy ending instead of just wondering and hoping that the dog I saw would be ok. If I hadn't stopped, I wouldn't have known.

That got me thinking about the times we stop to help, and the time we don't.

Ultimately, in this case, the fact that I stopped didn't make a huge difference in what happened. It was the others who stepped in so much to help and took care of the situation. But what if they hadn't stopped? Who knows what could have happened to poor Nova.

I recently watched the film "A Man Called Otto." In it there is a scene where an old man falls onto a train track with an oncoming train. People on the platform gasp and pull out their phones to record, but just stand there. Only the grumpy old Otto jumps down onto the track to help the man up.

When I watched the scene, it felt a little exaggerated, especially with its portrayal of teenage influencers who livestream what happened, just to turn the camera on themselves with smiles and tell the audience to "follow us." I thought, "surely in real life people would jump to help, not just jump to livestream."

Maybe I'm just not comfortable accepting a reality where the vast majority of people won't help, even if I know that's often the case. I'm also not comfortable with the overly judgmental view of the younger generation who are portrayed as only caring about their phones and themselves - especially because on Monday night several of the women who went above and beyond to help were from that younger generation.

But also, I get it. I understand that lots of times, regardless of age, people just don't stop. They don't jump in. They think "someone else will help."

I get it because too many times I am that person. I think that someone else who is more qualified and able to help than I am will come along. Sometimes that's probably true. But I don't actually know that in any given circumstance.

If we all tell ourselves that "someone else will help," then none of us will actually be that someone else.

So I'm encouraging everyone - be the person who stops.

Obviously, this comes with caveats. Always do what you need to in order to keep yourself safe. Prioritize the things that matter. Recognize the situations when you might make things worse instead of better.

But when you have the ability, which most of us do more often than we want to admit, be willing to stop, to check to see if anyone else is helping, to jump in when no one else is, to reach out to people who could. This could be for a hurt or lost animal, someone broken down on the side of the road, the quintessential little old lady needing to cross the street, or anything else imaginable.

We've seen times in our community where someone stopping to help made a drastic difference, like when Ryan Pasborg smelled smoke and ended up saving the lives of the Wadsworth family. There are also countless times people stop to help that largely go unrecognized, like Jordan, Ava, Kylie, and Ashley stopping to help Nova. They're all important.

I'm proud we live in a community where people regularly do stop to help. Let's all keep that going.
Few summertime holidays elicit as much excitement as the Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day in the United States. Each year, family, friends and revelers anticipate the arrival of the holiday so they can host barbecues, enjoy the sun, listen to their favorite summertime tunes, and commemorate the freedoms afforded by the monumental events that led to the holidays establishment.

Independence Day became a federal holiday in 1941, but July 4th has stood as the birth of American independence for much longer. July 4th marks a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. According to PBS, the colonies were forced to pay taxes to Englands King George III despite having no representation in the British Parliament. Taxation without representation became a battle cry and was one of several grievances colonists had with Great Britain.

Conflict between the colonies had been going on for at least a year before the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in June of 1776, says Military.com. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from England. Two days later, on July 4, 1776, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence is an historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer of the declaration writing committee charged with putting the colonies sentiments into words. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia was one of the first people to present a resolution for American independence, and his commentary was the impetus for the formal Declaration of Independence. A total of 86 changes were made to Jeffersons original draft until the final version was adopted. The signing of the document helped to solidify independence, and eventually lead to the formation of the United States of America.

A total of 56 delegates signed the document. Although John Hancocks signature is the largest, it did not hold more weight than the other signatures. Rather, rumor has it, Hancock signed it so large so that the fat, old King could read it without his spectacles. However, the National Archives says it was also customary that, since Hancock was the president of the Continental Congress, he be the first person to sign the document centered below the text.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence on July 6, 1776. The first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphias Independence Square on July 8, 1776.
Lydia Borzea prays at the Memorial to the Unborn in the Rock Springs Municipal Cemetery. The crowd of marchers at the Sweetwater County March for Life stopped at the memorial to listen to one of the event's special speakers and to take time to pray.

A crowd of over 50 people set off from Rock Springs City Hall Saturday morning, making their way up C Street. They were led by three members of the Chariots of Light on their motorcycles and a side-by-side with a wooden sign surrounded by flowers reading "Sweetwater County March for Life."

At the front of the crowd, men held a large banner with a picture of a baby that read "Children are a Gift from God." Behind them were members of the Knights of Columbus carrying banners for the organization, and after that came the rest of the crowd - men, women, children, even dogs, many of whom were holding signs with messages like "Pray to end abortion," "Jesus forgives and heals," and "Adoption is the loving option."

Before the crowd set off, Rock Springs Mayor Max Mickelson addressed them.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to exercise your rights to speak for what you believe in," he said.

Mayor Mickelson noted that while thinking of America's history and progress, he knows there is still room to grow and improvement to make, but he believes "the overall tone has been one of progressing from wrong to right. And part of how we make that happen is what you all are doing today," he continued, "so I very much appreciate you taking the time to express that and to take charge of that right and to ensure that we all move into a better and more perfect union."

Before getting on his motorcycle to lead the march, Pastor Gene Emerson from Restoration Ministries also spoke to the crowd and prayed for the event. He shared the lyrics of a song called "Little Ones," which asks the question, "Who will stand up for the little ones?"

"That's what we're doing today," Pastor Emerson said.

Other local pastors and clergy members spoke at various points throughout the march, including Deacon Luis Hernandez, Father Bill Hill and Pastor Mechell Williams. Each speakers shared thoughts on the harm of abortion, scripture passages, and prayers.

Eventually the march made its way to Inside Connection, the pregnancy resource center located in the historic nurses' building by the old county hospital at the top of C Street. Before having a free lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs cooked and served by members of the Rotary Club, the crowd gathered one more time to hear remarks from Inside Connection's Executive Director Kim Seymour.

"Here we are, a year later from the overturning of Roe v. Wade," Seymour began. "It's very exciting that for 50 years we marched for that, and it was not in vain. You guys planted seeds, and now we're seeing a harvest."

Seymour noted that in the year since Roe v. Wade was overturned, there have been 25,000 fewer abortions, as well as 61 abortion mills that have closed. Twenty states have also enacted pro-life laws, including Wyoming, and thirteen states have completely banned abortion.

Seymour also pointed out that while the Wyoming legislature did pass two pro-life bills, those bills are on hold because of a judge in Teton County and pro-choice groups across the state.

But, whether or not laws change doesn't mean hearts have changed, Seymour said.

"We have to change the hearts of our culture, and we do that by speaking truth and speaking truth in love," she said. "We need to speak truth in love to these women and these families. And that's what we do here at Inside Connection. We do that by offering them their options in love. We offer them their first ultrasound where they are able to see the life on ultrasound. We do that through our parenting classes. We do that through our post-abortion support. Because regardless of their decision, we need to love them where they're at. We need to support them."

Another resource Inside Connection offers is a new "Beyond the Birth Program" and benevolent fund, Seymour explained. This is specifically designed to help women who are considering abortion because of factors like not having enough resources, wanting to finish college, needing daycare, and other situations.

"If they choose life, we will help support them not only before and during their pregnancy, but after as well," Seymour said.

Seymour also noted some of the specific "truths" Inside Connection wants to share about abortion, specifying: "Abortion is not healthcare. Miscarriage is not the same as an abortion. An ectopic pregnancy that needs treatment is not the same as an abortion. Life begins at conception and every life has purpose."

As the crowd sat on the grass outside Inside Connection, eating their lunch and spending time talking together, Seymour reflected on the march, saying she was "excited to see a good gathering," especially since there were several other events going on the same day.

While she has participated in March for Life events in the past, Seymour said this is one of the first years she'd been directly involved in the planning.

"Usually it's Knights of Columbus that organizes it and gets it going and Sweetwater County Right to Life," she explained. While those groups were still very involved in organizing and hosting this year's event, Inside Connection also stepped in to help.

Seymour explained that previous marches have taken place in January, and last year's event was in March, but both timeframes left the participants fighting the Wyoming weather. So this year it was decided to have the march in June, which is Life Month, and specifically to have it on June 24, the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

When it comes to the purpose and benefit of doing a march, Seymour said it's not necessarily a protest and is not intended to "cause any more vitriol" than what's already out there. Instead, it keeps people in the pro-life movement informed and involved.

"To just stand for life, and to stand for truth, and to do it in love" is the purpose of the march, Seymour said. "We're going to do what we can to let people know we still are standing for life and we're still in the fight, because there's still a lot that we can do."

Star photo by Hannah Romero Participants in the Sweetwater County March for Life made their way through Downtown Rock Springs holding banners and signs to share their cause.

When it comes to Inside Connection, the past year has been an important one. It's been a little over a year since the organization moved into the historic nurses' building, and they've been expanding programs and services to help their clients ever since.

"Abortion-minded clients have come in and said 'thank you, thank you for not making me feel pressured and thank you for walking me through all my options,'" Seymour said.

She pointed out that one of the main purposes of Inside Connection is to help women make informed decisions, rather than making decisions because they feel like they have no other options and they feel hopeless.

That mission remains the same, even when it comes to the impact of being one year post-Roe v. Wade, Seymour said.

"People have asked us here at Inside Connection how that Roe v Wade decision affected us, and it really didn't, because we're here regardless," she said. Whether or not abortion is legal, they will continue offering their services, she explained, because "there's still women who need our help."
The University of Guam Press continues their suicide prevention efforts with the launch of their new journal entitled breathe. The press will also be hosting an art and poetry collage workshop using prompts from the journal.

The journal which is inspired by the poetry book and short film Dry Nights by Pep Borja, includes a collage of poetry, photographs and various artforms to help spark creativity as well as creative prompts to encourage readers to reflect on their lives, loved ones and the things that bring them joy.

During times of crisis, it is important to take a moment to reflect on our experiences and find strength and comfort in the gift that is our breath. We hope the breathe. journal can be a space for people, especially our youth, to find solace and the freedom to express themselves, said UOG Press Director of Publishing Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero in a release from the Press.

This journal is part of a larger initiative the Press started in 2021 to raise awareness about our islands high suicide rates and the value of creative expression in suicide prevention. We hope it will be a useful resource for organizations working with youth and for our wider community as we recover from the devastation of Typhoon Mawar.

The journal is published with support from the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Centers Focus on Life Program.

The launch and workshop

To register for the workshop email uogpress@triton.uog.edu.

The launch for the journal will be from 4 to 6 p.m. July 7 at the Guam Public Library in Hagatna. The journals will be available online and in local bookstores the following day for $12.

For every sale, $2 will be donated to upcoming suicide prevention projects and partnerships and 500 copies of the journal will be donated to youth and community organizations across the island.

For more information, contact Via Justine De Fant at defantv@triton.uog.edu or 671-735-2153. To learn more about UOG Press visit uogpress.com.
One month after Typhoon Mawar lashed Guam with 140 mph sustained winds, recovery efforts are still underway to restore critical services.

The medical industry has been putting in substantial efforts due to an influx of patients, with the closure of some clinics or utility issues.

Among those supporting the response efforts are Specialist Alora Finey and Private First-Class Chase Camacho, both combat medics with the Guam National Guard.

I knew, immediately after the typhoon, after seeing all of the damage, that I needed to help out, said Finey. I wanted to help out.

Finey and Camacho are on Territorial Active Duty, which is a type of National Guard mobilization ordered by the governor during emergencies. They are tasked to help Guam Memorial Hospital cope with the surge of patients following the Category 4 storm. They work alongside four other Guard medics to help the full-time emergency room staff conduct triage, collect vitals, transport patients, and more.

Sheryl De Guzman, unit supervisor of the GMH Emergency Room, said the surge of patients following Typhoon Mawar has not been seen since the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a staff already stretched thin, De Guzman says the presence of the Guard makes a difference.

They really make a difference, especially with a lot of patients reporting into the ER, said De Guzman. But were striving and surviving, just like everyone else.

Camacho, whose mother also serves in the Guam National Guard, said the staff at Guam Memorial Hospital has treated him like family, and hes learned a lot of skills from the partner agency.

I would like to say thank you to all the nurses and the ER staff here. Theyve been really supportive, said Camacho. And thank you to the Guard for giving me the opportunity to give back.

Finey and Camacho are part of approximately 200 Guam Army and Air National Guard troops involved with typhoon recovery efforts, alongside U.S. Army Pacifics Task Force West and Joint Region Marianas, in support of FEMA and the lead agencies of the government of Guam under Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.

Missions have included traffic control, route clearance and debris translocation, emergency commodity distribution, roof repairs and more.

With these issues of staff, patients and resources, it is unfortunate that others are trying to still make matters difficult.

Gun threat

As of Wednesday, Guam Regional Medical City deployed heightened security measures in response to an internal gun threat.

The Guam Police Department and the Guam International Airport Authority K9 Unit were immediately contacted and conducted searches through the employees locker, belongings, and personal vehicle. The employee was taken into GPD custody as of Wednesday morning.

Until further notice, GRMC has limited access points to the hospital and has increased security staffing throughout the premises.

All patients, except Emergency Department patients, and visitors will enter and exit through the Main Lobby and are subject to security wanding. Visitation policies will remain.

Employees and contractors are required to enter and exit at their designated access points:

Main Lobby Entrance: All

East Side Entrance: For physicians and staff that are authorized to park in the east side parking

Main ED Entrance: For physicians and ED staff only

All employees are required to comply with a full bag search. All vendors and outside contractors are subject to comply with all the restrictions outlined. Any deliveries from vendors and outside contractors are requested to coordinate and call the respective departments for access assistance.

Access to stairwells adjacent to parking areas have been temporarily closed. Security personnel will conduct frequent roving patrols every 30 minutes to all parking areas.

The safety of our patients and employees is paramount, stated Bernie Lobaton, GRMC Vice President of Support Services. Anything that threatens safety is handled urgently and thoroughly. We are thankful for the assistance of Guam Police Department, the Guam International Airport Authority K9 Unit, and the cooperation of our staff in response to this matter.
52 years after opening its first restaurant on Guam, McDonalds is preparing for its 6th location in Mangilao.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the establishment Thursday morning.

The establishment will be competing with numerous other restaurants in close proximity as the new McDonalds will be right beside Mobil Mangilao, which already contains a Subway and a Chatime inside. The new facility is also right beside the local diner, Michelles Coffeeshop, and across the street from Papa Johns, Dominos, Winchells and Jamaican Grill.

However, the Ayuyu family simply sees this opportunity as another step into expanding their services.

We took over the McDonalds business in Guam about 7 years ago, said Joe Ayuyu Jr., Vice President of McDonalds Guam and Saipan. This marks our second newly created McDonalds in our long-term plan, with McDonalds in Yigo being the first. We look forward to bringing the new McDonalds of Mangilao to everyone.

According to Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, this will only bring good things to the village as she recognized Mangilaos mayor, Allan Ungacta.

You have a flourishing community and great businesses that help, said Gov. Leon Guerrero. You have restaurants, two great post-secondary institutions of learning, George Washington High School, a private clinic and soon you will even have a hospital here in Mangilao.

In regards to the effect this will have on Mangilao, Mayor Allan can only expect more visitors to the village.

This is going to bring a lot of friendly hospitality, said Ungacta. It reaches out to all ages with the kids in GW High School, the colleges and the families nearby, so we wholeheartedly invited them to come into the community.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero also noted the positive impact that McDonalds created under the Ayuyu family in Guam.

Its one of the biggest employers in the Marianas, said Gov. Leon Guerrero. The family is very employee-oriented and socially responsible.

The social and corporate responsibility was visible Thursday morning as McDonalds of Guam and Saipan donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with the recovery from Typhoon Mawar.

Joe and Marcia Ayuyu, owners of McDonalds Guam and Saipan, relayed their appreciation to all in attendance, which also included Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, members of the Guam legislature and executives from Matson.
It has been about a month since Typhoon Mawar had left its destructive mark on the island.

Typhoon Mawar, classified as a Category 4 storm, battered Guam with wind gusts exceeding 150 miles per hour and torrential rainfall that triggered widespread flooding.

The islands power grid suffered significant damage, resulting in islandwide blackouts, leaving communities in darkness. However, the Guam Power Authority has been in the process of restoring power throughout the island.

With the majority of the households power coming back within the past few weeks, many residents expressed their relief.

Lynn Rose Taitague, from Inalahan, had her power and water restored in just two weeks after the typhoon left the island.

As long as we got the water we are good. Power can come later but gratefully the lord has blessed us with power and the support from GPA and all the other crews that came in, they really helped us, said Taitague.

Taitague shared that her family stay in a high area and was under the impression that they would be greatly affected by the typhoon. However, they were spared from the 150 mile per hour gusts of winds.

We werent really touched in our area, although we were up high, we just built stronger foundations and structures, so thats what really helped us, said Taitague.

Tamuning resident Anita Techaira also had her power and water restored within two weeks after the typhoon and said that her recovery process has been going smoothly.

For Techaira, green waste and other debris was not a problem for her; however, since she lives in an apartment so much of the damages stem from water damage due to heavy rain during the typhoon.

There was rain that came in from the ceiling and then the aircon, and it got flooded and things got mildew, said Techaira.

Moving at a snails pace

Other residents that still do not have power a month after the typhoon find the restoration process to be moving very slowly.

Albert Samana, from the village of Sinajana, is one of the many that still dont have power. He shared that on his street, some have power while others dont.

Everyone around us now got power, and I got a text from GPA that they dispatched a group to us but its been already two weeks and still no power, said Samana.

GPA has been coming around but they only stay on the other side of the road. When they come and look at our power, they just look at it for five minutes and they leave, added Samana.

Samana has tried to contact GPA in hopes of having his power situation fixed.

I tried to call them and nobody answered so I text them. These guys are doing the best they can, said Samana.

Samana shared that he has been busy cleaning around his area with his son, removing fallen trees and branches.

Another resident, Roland Selvidge, from Mongmong, had his power back for a week and then lost it.

Im happy that Ive had power for a week, but after that Im in the dark. I am still in the dark, said Selvidge.

When asked about his recovery process, Selvidge had his own thoughts on the matter.

I cant believe Ive experienced other typhoons, but this one is moving at a snails pace, said Selvidge.

Selvidge also shared his frustrations on what has been hard for him in the past few weeks because he is on a fixed income. One of his main challenges of being on a fixed income and having no power is food storage.

With his refrigerator not running, Selvidge had no choice but to throw away some food because they spoiled.

Me throwing away food is not a natural thing but this is the second time I had to throw food away because I have no way of keeping it, said Selvidge.

There are days that Im hungry, and theres nothing that I can do about it, added Selvidge.

On top of the challenges with the power and the food, Selvidge had damage to his property due to the heavy rain and wind that made its way into his household.

I lost everything from water damage. Thats the cards that was dealt to me and so be it; I deal with it, said Selvidge.
Sahuma Minagahet

Bevacqua: The meaning behind the quote outside the Guam Museum




Haiti - Politic : El Salvador will open a cooperation office in Haiti





Within the framework of the 57th meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Central American Integration System (SICA) held in Belize, Salvadoran Vice President Felix Ulloa informed that Juana Alexandra Hill Tinoco Minister of Foreign Affairs of his country and his Haitian counterpart Jean Victor Geneus had signed in Washington D.C. an agreement for the opening of a cooperation office in Port-au-Prince in terms of security and humanitarian.



An announcement in response to the June 23 resolution of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington D.C. which advocates urgent international assistance to strengthen the Haitian police https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39848-haiti-flash-the-oas-approves-a-resolution-for-the-immediate-restoration-of-security-in-haiti.html



For his part, the Dominican President Luis Abinader reiterated his concern "[...] in the face of the serious situation affecting Haiti, in the economic, social, political and humanitarian spheres, which hinders the development of its institutions and its citizens."



Recalling that the crisis in Haiti involves a "disproportionate burden" on the Dominican Republic, in particular because "it generates social tensions and strong budgetary pressure on social and health services https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-39874-haiti-health-haitian-ambulances-bring-parturient-women-to-give-birth-in-the-dr.html that his country is obliged to provide to Haitians in an illegal migratory situation..."



S/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2023/06/28 | Source

In the first half of 2023, the small screen was dominated by actresses it is no exaggeration. In recent years, female-centered narratives have dominated the drama market, and actresses in their 40s and 50s with both star and acting skills have stood out. It is quite different from the days when the main roles were given to young juniors over the years and their roles were limited to someone's mother.

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Song Hye-kyo (42), who led the Netflix original series "The Glory" craze, Jeon Do-yeon (51), who showed the potential of 'K-Ajumma' in tvN's Saturday-Sunday drama "Crash Course in Romance", Lee Bo-young (44), who proved trustworthy in "Agency", Uhm Jung-hwa (54) who created a new life character with "Doctor Cha" and Ra Mi-ran (48) who showed ardent motherly love in "The Good Bad Mother" are who we are talking about.

 Bravo Song Hye-kyo! "The Glory" takes over globally

Song Hye-kyo hit the small screen with "The Glory" in the first half of this year. "The Glory" depicts a meticulous and desperate revenge of a woman who has been shattered by school violence in her childhood. It drew attention even before the broadcast as hit-maker Kim Eun-sook reunited with Song Hye-kyo after the 2016 drama "Descendants of the Sun". Song Hye-kyo played the role of Moon Dong-eun, a victim of school violence in the drama. Unlike her appearance which was mainly seen as the main character of romance, she transformed into an incarnation of revenge. "The Glory" topped Netflix's global top 10 TV (non-English) category thanks to the passionate performances of actors including Song Hye-kyo and Kim Eun-sook's unique writing skills. Song Hye-kyo said, "Bravo, that's cool! He also left famous lines such as 'Park Yeon-jin' and 'Yeon-jin, I'm very excited right now'.

 Jeon Do-yeon, the original rom-com queen makes it big with "Crash Course in Romance"

The original rom-com goddess is back. Jeon Do-yeon returned to the screen after about a year and two months with "Crash Course in Romance". It depicts a sweet and bitter romance between the owner of a national side dish store and a Korean math instructor on the battlefield of private education. In this work, Jeon Do-yeon plays the role of Nam Haeng-seon, the owner of a side dish store, and works with Jung Kyung-ho, who plays Choi Chi-yeol, a one-strike lecturer. Jeon Do-yeon's romantic comedy performance was the first in 18 years since "Lovers in Prague". Jeon Do-yeon, who has made a strong impression as a thematic and heavy character in recent years, showed off her sweet chemistry with Jung Kyung-ho, who is 10 years younger than her, taking full advantage of her unique lovely charm to overshadow the gap of time. "Crash Course in Romance" which started with 4% of the first episode (based on Nielsen Korea's nationwide paid households), ended with a high rating of 17% with a steady rise.

 Lee Bo-young, a great job in "Agency"

Lee Bo-young raised her value with her passionate performance in "Agency". "Agency" is an office drama that depicts the process of an orphan who became the first female executive of an advertising agency VC group to create her career beyond the first and to the best position. Lee Bo-young plays the role of an orphan who is so thorough that she is called a 'money-sociopath'. She focuses on performance and skills and only runs toward money and success. Lee Bo-young, who plays a goal-oriented career woman, captivated viewers with her strong acting transformation. "Agency", which realistically expresses office workers' in-house politics, raised viewership from 4.8% to 16%, and Lee Bo-young, who performed well, was recognized as the No. 1 contributor to ratings.

 Uhm Jung-hwa, new life character in "Doctor Cha"

All-around entertainer Uhm Jung-hwa added another representative work as "Doctor Cha". It is a drama about Cha Jung-sook's torn life from a 20-year housewife to a 1-year resident. Uhm Jung-hwa plays Cha Jung-sook, a career-short housewife who sacrificed her career as a doctor for her family, giving viewers laughter and empathy. It is evaluated that Uhm Jung-hwa's potential, which has accumulated acting skills by appearing in numerous works for more than 30 years, has once again shone. In the drama, she also had a pleasant couple chemistry with Kim Byung-chul, who plays her husband Seo In-ho. "Doctor Cha" who melted the growth period of 'ajumma' Cha Jung-sook in the medical genre, broke the highest viewer rating (18.5%) of JTBC dramas this year with Uhm Jung-hwa's brilliant passionate performance. Uhm Jung-hwa rewrote her life character as Cha Jung-sook.

 "The Good Bad Mother" Ra Mi-ran's excellent performance

Ra Mi-ran proved the true value of a famous actress through "The Good Bad Mother". It is a touching healing comedy in which Jin Young-soon, who had no choice but to become a bad mother for her child, and her son Choi Kang-ho, who became a child mentally, find lost happiness. Jin Yeong-soon, played by Ra Mi-ran, is a character who loses her husband in her final trimester, runs a pig farm alone, and raises her son as a prosecutor. However, even her son was diagnosed with full-body paralysis due to a mysterious traffic accident, and Jin Yeong-soon was diagnosed with a limited time with stomach cancer, stimulating viewers' tear glands. Ra Mi-ran was well-received for portraying Jin Yeong-soon, who lived such a difficult life, with a wide spectrum of acting. As a famous actress, she added immersion with in-depth emotional acting. "The Good Bad Mother" surpassed double-digit ratings within eleven episodes of the show, achieving a successful conclusion with a 12% viewer rating in the final episode.
Published on 2023/06/28 | Source

New Ju Ji-hoon stills added for the upcoming Korean movie "Unofficial Operation" (2022)

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Directed by Kim Seong-hun

With Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon,...

Formerly known as "Ransomed" (, pi-rab)

Synopsis

In Beirut 1986, during the Lebanese civil war a Korean diplomat is taken hostage without a trace. Two years pass and long forgotten, a young diplomat Min-joon receives a phone call proving that the hostage is still alive. With the given mission, Min-joon is sent to Beirut to save the hostage with a bag of ransom money. However, Min-joon gets into trouble as soon as he sets foot in Beirut. As luck would have it, Min-joon manages to flee from the airport with help from a local taxi driver Pan-soo who he stumbles across. Despite the distrust toward Pan-soo of his obvious mischievousness, the two unlikely allies must navigate the demolished, war-raging streets of Beirut to bring the long-awaited hostage back home.

Release date in Korea : 2023/08/02
BOONE, N.C.  Avery High School graduate Kendall Clark has been named the recipient of the 2023 Girls on the Run of the High Country scholarship and will receive a $1,000 toward her first year of tuition at Appalachian State University.

Girls on the Run of the High Country has offered a scholarship for the past four years, said Mary Sheryl Horine, outreach director for App States Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services, which organizes GOTR and other community outreach initiatives.

We love seeing how our alumni take the lessons learned during Girls on the Run and apply them to their academics and their personal lives, said Horine. Reading the applications underscores what a difference these programs can make in a girls life and gives some insight into why the program continues to grow throughout the region.

Signing up for Girls on the Run as a fifth grader at Newland Elementary School taught Clark lessons in perseverance and confidence, she said.

On our very first practice in fifth grade, I learned that Girls on the Run was more than just running, Clark wrote in her scholarship application. It was building connections with the other girls, becoming more confident in our bodies and our strengths, persevering to run harder and faster, and overall having a great time.

After elementary school, Clark continued participating in Girls on the Run-related programming, including Heart & Sole at Avery Middle School, and found a niche as a runner in high school.

I didnt start out a great runner, and I thought that I would never get better, she wrote, but I kept working to push myself, and I ended up running stronger than ever at the official 5K. I have carried this perseverance throughout the years, both when I ran Heart & Sole for middle school and joined cross country in high school.

In addition to participating in cross country, Clark was president of Avery High Key Club and participated in Beta Club, Spanish Club and the Environmental Club. During high school, she was also an active community volunteer, donating more than 350 hours of her time to various organizations.

Even with my activities outside of running, I still apply this mindset to working hard on my academics, being a good member of my community through volunteering and with my peers, Clark wrote.

The Girls on the Run High Country scholarship is designed for a past participant in Girls on the Run programming with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who has been admitted to and planning to attend App State. To learn more about Girls on the Run of the High Country, visit https://gotr.appstate.edu.

Courtesy of Appalachian State University
(Banner Elk) Banner Elk Presbyterian Church invites the community to help celebrate its 130th Anniversary during the month of July. With the theme of Celebrate our Past, Cultivate our Future, the series of events will include special worship services. Each of the five July Sundays will feature a different history focus at the 9 AM & 11 AM worship services with the themes of Believe, Heal, Care, Teach and Rejoice. The last Sunday, July 30, will be their second annual Old Time Favorites Hymn Sing.

This is a celebration for our church and the entire community, says Rev Whit Malone, church pastor. Banner Elk Presbyterian has such a humbling and inspiring history. And with the support of so many across Avery County, it has been a beacon of hope since 1893. The church has a long history of working hand-in-hand with residents to address needs in our community, and we plan to keep doing that for another 130 years!

Additional Events will include a history walking tour by the Banner House Museum, guided hike to Resurrection Hill, picnic in the park, and service projects. To help locally, the church will collect personal care products for Feeding Avery Families to give to those in our county who need a helping hand. Members will deliver the items during their service day there on July 26.

A global missions fundraiser throughout the month will purchase cook stoves for families in Guatemala  part of Presbytery of Western North Carolinas Guatemala Partnership. Most families cook over open wood fires, causing health and economic problems. The goal is $5,000 to buy and install 25 stoves.

The church has a fascinating history in the early days of the remote village of Banner Elk. Rev. Edgar Tufts arrived in 1895 to begin his lifelong work of service to the people of the mountains. In addition to rallying the town to help build the stone church in 1914, he started a college, orphanage and hospital. His bride Mrs. Bessie Tufts arrived in 1897, bringing the first piano in Banner Elk. She taught piano and the love of singing to many.

Rev. and Mrs. Tufts found many eager young minds with no opportunities for education, so they invited youth to their home to read. Next, they began a one room school in their attic. Word about the preachers school spread across the mountains with requests for a boarding school. In 1900, Lees-McRae Institute began with 12 girls.

As Rev. Tufts traveled and visited families in the mountains, his heart was burdened with the numerous orphans he met. Thus, the Grandfather Orphanage was established in 1914, later becoming Grandfather Home for Children. He was also instrumental in the formation of Avery County and bringing electricity to the valley.

The first physicians in Banner Elk were recruited by Tufts. Dr. W.C. Tate and his bride, Maude Malcolm, moved to Banner Elk from Knoxville in 1910. He became one of most beloved and trusted saddle-bag doctors in western North Carolina. On many winter nights when Dr Tate returned home on his horse, his wife had to go outside and pour hot water over his feet which had frozen in the stirrups. He later led the building a series of hospitals in Banner Elk.

Banner Elk Presbyterian Church is located at 420 College Drive, adjacent to the college campus. For more information, go to https://bannerelkpresbyterian.org/130th.

Courtesy of Banner Elk Presbyterian Church
A previously unknown mosquito species, Culex modestus, has been found in Finland for the first time. This discovery marks the 44th mosquito species identified in the country and the northernmost observation of this particular species in Europe. Prior to this finding, similar species were observed in the Leningrad region of Russia and the Skane region of Sweden, both further south than Finland.

The discovery was made by Lorna Culverwell, a researcher from the Department of Virology at the University of Helsinki. The new mosquito species was found in insect samples collected by Culverwell from the coastal areas of Finland during the summer of 2022. Through examination of the mosquito's genitalia and DNA analysis, Culverwell confirmed the species to be Culex modestus.

"While only one specimen of this species was found, it is unlikely to be the only representative of its kind in Finland," Culverwell stated.

No Infectious Threat in Finland

Culverwell emphasizes that this finding is a valuable addition to the distribution map of mosquitoes. Up-to-date information on mosquito species' prevalence enhances our understanding of the potential disease vectors, such as viruses or parasites, that may be transmitted by mosquitoes.

In Southern Europe, the Culex modestus mosquito is known to transmit the West Nile virus between birds and either humans or horses. The West Nile virus, belonging to the Flavivirus genus, typically causes mild infections with symptoms including fever, headache, and muscle pain. In rare cases, the virus can lead to neurological complications. To date, the West Nile virus has not been detected in Finland.

"Finnish citizens should not be concerned about this mosquito discovery, as there have been no reported infections in humans or horses in Finland. However, this finding serves as a reminder of the importance of knowing which mosquito species inhabit our surroundings. By understanding the diseases that mosquitoes can potentially transmit elsewhere in the world, we can better investigate the likelihood of future infections," explained Culverwell.

Increasing Need for Insect Knowledge Due to Warming Climate

Many mosquitoes belonging to the Culex genus, such as Culex pipiens and Culex modestus, maintain the West Nile virus within bird populations. For humans to become infected, a mosquito must first feed on a virus-infected bird. It would then take several days for the virus to be present in the mosquito's saliva, allowing for transmission to humans upon biting. Occasionally, the virus can be passed directly from infected female mosquitoes to their eggs.

"At present, the transmission of the virus to humans or horses is highly unlikely due to the multiple species involved in the transmission cycle. Firstly, the West Nile virus would need to be present in local or migratory bird populations, which has not been observed in Finland. Secondly, only one Culex modestus mosquito has been found in a single location. To enable transmission, a larger population of these mosquitoes would be required to interact with bird populations. They would also need to survive long enough to bite humans or horses," Culverwell clarified.

Since 2012, Culverwell has collected over 111,000 mosquito samples from Finland. It remains unclear how long representatives of the Culex modestus species have been present in the country, and it is also unknown whether the discovery location represents a more permanent population of this species.

Further research is needed to assess the short-term and long-term implications of this finding on both bird and mosquito populations, according to Culverwell.

"Studying Finnish mosquito populations is crucial, especially considering that climate warming is likely to alter the abundance of mosquito species. While some species may disappear, warmer winters may facilitate the expansion of more southern species into Finland. Many mosquito species found in Southern Europe have the potential to transmit diseases not yet present in Finland. Research is necessary to understand the disease agents present in each region and the risks they pose to animals and humans," concluded Culverwell.

The research was published in the Journal of the European Mosquito Control Association on June 25, 2023.

HT
One in three working-age men who voted in the parliamentary elections chose the Finns Party, according to a report. The party choice is still strongly linked to gender, age, and education. Approximately half of the men voted for either the Finns Party or the National Coalition Party, with both parties receiving about a quarter of the support among men. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) was the top party among women, with approximately a quarter of them voting for the party.

The Finns Party was the most popular party in all age groups except for those over 65.

Among retirees, the top parties were the National Coalition Party and the SDP. When age and gender are combined, the differences become more pronounced. Among relatively young women aged 18-44, 24% voted for the SDP, while approximately 15% evenly supported the Greens, National Coalition Party, and Left Alliance. The Finns Party is distinctly a party favored by men: 33% of men aged 18-64 voted for the Finns Party, and nearly three-quarters of the party's total votes came from male voters.

According to the report, Sanna Marin is overwhelmingly the most popular party leader among Finns. Anna-Maja Henriksson, Li Andersson, and Sari Essayah also receive high ratings. The lowest ratings are given to Maria Ohisalo, Annika Saarikko, and Hjallis Harkimo. Many of the report's analyses reveal significant contradictions between liberal and conservative values: women, on average, tend to be more liberal than men.

There are also conflicting political issue preferences in Finland. Supporters of the Greens, National Coalition Party, and SDP hold the most positive views on Finland's EU membership, while Finns Party supporters are the most dissatisfied. The report's analyses show that there is significant dissatisfaction with the social and healthcare reform based on welfare regions. Among individual policy issues, support is highest for Finland's NATO membership. The report also indicates that Finns support democratic governance, and the majority of Finns have trust in key democratic institutions. Satisfaction with the Marin government as a whole is high, with only over half of Finns Party voters expressing dissatisfaction with the previous government.

The research conducted before and immediately after the parliamentary elections was presented today at the Suomi Areena event in Pori. The English-language report was compiled by political science professors Kimmo Gronlund and Kim Strandberg, with a total of 15 contributors. The report consists of 17 chapters that extensively cover voting and political opinions. It is based on responses from the Citizen Opinion Survey funded by the Academy of Finland, with a maximum of 3,885 respondents.

HT
Different cities in Finland have interpreted the guidelines and laws regarding Airbnb accommodations in varying ways. In an effort to bring about change, the largest cities in Finland have established new rules for renting through Airbnb or similar platforms. These cities aim to achieve a consistent interpretation of short-term rentals with the introduction of these new regulations. However, the municipal building authorities retain discretionary powers and can decide whether to intervene in specific cases.

The divergent practices can be attributed to the different needs of individual cities when it comes to allowing or restricting short-term rental activities. While some cities in Finland prefer minimal intervention in the Airbnb market, others have sought to significantly tighten regulations. With the implementation of the new rules, the building control departments in the so-called "topten cities" aim to establish a more unified perspective. Topten cities include Helsinki, Oulu, and Tampere, while Rovaniemi is not part of this group.

"It is still permissible to rent one's own apartment, for example, during a vacation. This aspect remains unchanged. However, professional and continuous accommodation activities may require a change in the designated use of the apartment," emphasized Jenni Valkama, the leading legal expert at the Finnish Property Management Association.

How can a housing company address disruptive accommodation activities?

The majority of temporary rental activities proceed smoothly, but there are instances where such activities cause disturbances or friction within housing companies. In such cases, residents easily contact the property manager or the board of directors, whose responsibility it is to investigate the matter.

"It is advisable to first discuss the issue with the owner of the apartment since they have the best opportunity to influence how and to whom the apartment is temporarily rented. Following the discussion, if necessary, the housing company can issue a warning and provide instructions to the apartment owner to bring about a change in the situation. Only after these measures, if the desired outcome is not achieved, it would be reasonable to consider initiating a takeover procedure," explained Valkama.

Valkama added that a takeover procedure always poses a risk to the housing company, as it requires substantial grounds and strong evidence. An apartment can be taken over by the housing company, for example, based on noise or other similar disturbances. In the case of Airbnb rentals, a takeover may be possible if continuous and significant disruptions and nuisances arise from the rental activity.

"At present, there are no intervention measures available if the issue does not involve significant disruptions," Valkama stated.

Caution advised for buyers of new properties

Following the popularity of Airbnb among travelers in the post-pandemic era, Finland has witnessed the first development of a so-called "Airbnb building." This building is currently under construction in Oulu, with a zoning change underway, designating it as a combination of residential and commercial units. For those who do not wish to purchase a home in such a new development, it is recommended that potential buyers thoroughly review the articles of association before finalizing any transactions.

"Buyers should always check the designated purpose of the units in the articles of association. If the purpose of the unit is stated as a residential or commercial unit, it allows for conducting business activities within the premises. The articles of association may also contain other provisions regarding short-term rentals," advised Valkama.

New government program aims to clarify legislation

The upcoming government term aims to address short-term rentals through legislation. The new government program includes a commitment to clarify legislation concerning the rental of properties and accommodation businesses to better meet contemporary needs. The program highlights the government's desire to ensure the prerequisites for short-term rental activities while also enhancing the ability to address potential issues. In practice, the goal is to facilitate housing companies' intervention in disruptive situations and the takeover of apartments.

"Short-term rentals are here to stay, but the government program acknowledges the existing challenges associated with such rentals, which are currently difficult to address. It is hoped that through legislative changes, we can obtain better tools to tackle these issues," concluded Valkama.

HT
Members of the Parliament voted 95 for and 86 against re-affirming confidence in the minister  a margin that was smaller than the number of opposition members who were absent from the vote.

MINISTER of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila (PS) on Wednesday survived a motion of no confidence submitted over what has been called his flirtation with fascism and white supremacy in campaign ads, public events and social media messaging.

Hanna Holopainen (Greens) called for the vote of no confidence on Tuesday.

[Junnila] has as recently as this spring hosted a visit of these kinds of factions to the Parliament. Minister Junnilas ties to the far right have already kindled dismay and disapproval around the world. Promoting Finnish companies exports cant rest on the shoulders of this kind of minister, she was quoted saying by Helsingin Sanomat.

Junnila last week expressed his regret about making what he said were silly and childish jokes about the numbers 88 and 14  the former a reference to the Nazi salute Heil Hitler and the latter to a white supremacist slogan coined by David Lane, a founding member of the American white supremacist group The Order.

His campaign slogan in the 2015 parliamentary elections was Gas.

Researchers have pointed out that shrugging off such references as jokes is a common feature of messaging by the radical right.

A large part of messaging by the radical right is veiled in humour and irony. That makes it difficult to decipher whats said seriously and whats said jokingly, Riku Lof, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, stated to STT on Tuesday.

Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday wrote that the motion of no confidence had the potential to topple the coalition government comprised of the National Coalition, Finns Party, Swedish Peoples Party and Christian Democrats.

Anna-Maja Henriksson, the chairperson of the Swedish Peoples Party, asked the Finns Party to replace Junnila as the minister of economic affairs, but the request was turned down vehemently by Riikka Purra, the chairperson of the Finns Party. Purra reportedly made it repeatedly clear to the ruling coalition that a successful motion of no confidence would signify the collapse of the government.

Neither Henriksson nor Purra ultimately caved in, according to the newspaper.

Purra refused to replace Junnila, whose nomination the newspaper described in an editorial as a deliberate provocation as the party tries to walk the fine line between conduct that is acceptable but normalises rhetoric that has been previously unacceptable. The Swedish Peoples Party, in turn, mostly backed the motion of no confidence, with seven of its lawmakers voting for it and three casting a blank vote.

Ultimately Junnila, as well as possibly the entire government only eight days into its term in office, survived because 12 members of the opposition were absent from the plenary session. The government, though, appears to have a minister that does not enjoy the confidence of all the ruling parties.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) stated to reporters after the vote that the day was perhaps not the most pleasant but added that he is satisfied that the issue has been resolved.

Purra was reluctant to comment on the events in detail. Weve already had some differences. The most important thing is that the ruling coalition won. Minister Junnila got the confidence, and thats my takeaway, she commented to Helsingin Sanomat in the Parliament House.

This is how well now move forward, summed up Henriksson.

The Swedish Peoples Party, she also reminded, voted for the government programme by a clear margin. Our starting point is that Junnila has learnt from this, as he has said.

The events were address yesterday also during a panel discussion at Suomi-Areena, a public debate event held annually in Pori, Satakunta, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Annika Saarikko, the chairperson of the Centre, described the events as unusual, viewing that had the opposition been fully represented the motion of no confidence would have succeeded.

Absent from the vote were five members of the Social Democrats, four members of the Centre, three members of the National Coalition, and one member from each the Green League and Left Alliance.



Jani Makela, the Finns Partys representative in the panel discussion, voiced his disappointment that valuable debate time had been spent to discuss matters of secondary importance in the Parliament.

We have actual problems, too, in this country, like debt and unemployment.

The Green League and Social Democrats targeted their criticism particularly at the National Coalition.

Were very disappointed with the National Coalition. I doubt weve seen the last of this, viewed Sofia Virta, the chairperson of the Green League.

Youre wrecking Finlands country image in a single week. I understand that the minister [Junnila] is scheduled to make an export promotion visit to Israel and Germany. Does the National Coalition allow this? asked Ville Skinnari (SDP).

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Aspartame, one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners in the world, is set to be classified as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a leading global health body. This decision, expected to be announced in July, has sparked a contentious debate between the food industry, regulators, and health organizations.

Aspartame is commonly found in various products, ranging from diet sodas like Coca-Cola to chewing gum like Mars' Extra, and certain Snapple drinks.

The IARC, along with the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm, will categorize aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time. This assessment is based on a comprehensive evaluation of all available published evidence regarding its potential hazards.

It is important to note that the IARC's evaluation does not consider the safe consumption levels of a particular product. Recommendations for individual consumption come from the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization's Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), as well as national regulatory bodies. These entities provide guidelines on the safe intake of aspartame and other food additives.

Previous IARC rulings on different substances have raised concerns among consumers, leading to lawsuits and prompting manufacturers to reformulate their products or seek alternatives. Critics argue that the IARC's assessments can be confusing for the public.

Both the JECFA and the WHO committee on additives are also reviewing the use of aspartame this year. The findings from their evaluations will coincide with the IARC's decision, which will be made public on July 14th. The JECFA has previously stated that aspartame is safe for consumption within accepted daily limits. National regulators, including those in the United States and Europe, have widely supported this view.

While the IARC and JECFA assessments are currently confidential, an IARC spokesperson explained that they are complementary. The IARC's conclusion represents the initial step in understanding the carcinogenicity of a substance, while the additives committee focuses on risk assessment and determining the probability of harm under specific conditions and levels of exposure.

However, there are concerns from industry and regulators that conducting both assessments concurrently could create confusion. Letters from U.S. and Japanese regulators have called for coordination between the two bodies to avoid misunderstandings among the public. The request also suggested releasing the conclusions on the same day.

Industry representatives, such as the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) and the International Council of Beverages Associations, have expressed concerns about the IARC's review of aspartame. They argue that the IARC is not a food safety body, and its assessment is not scientifically comprehensive, heavily relying on discredited research. They believe the review may mislead consumers and deter them from choosing safe low-sugar options.

Studies on aspartame have been conducted extensively over the years. An observational study in France involving 100,000 adults found a slightly higher cancer risk among individuals who consumed larger amounts of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame. Additionally, a study from the Ramazzini Institute in Italy in the early 2000s suggested a link between aspartame and certain cancers in mice and rats. However, the first study did not prove that aspartame caused the increased cancer risk, and questions were raised about the methodology of the second study.

The IARC's June review considered approximately 1,300 studies. Aspartame is authorized for use globally by regulatory bodies that have thoroughly reviewed all available evidence. Major food and beverage companies have staunchly defended their use of aspartame, although some have made adjustments to their recipes in response to consumer preferences and health concerns.

The classification of aspartame as a possible carcinogen by the IARC aims to stimulate further research that will enable agencies, consumers, and manufacturers to draw more conclusive conclusions. However, it is expected to reignite debates surrounding the IARC's role and the overall safety of sweeteners.

In related news, last month, the WHO published guidelines advising consumers against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. This sparked controversy within the food industry, which argues that such sweeteners can be beneficial for individuals seeking to reduce their sugar intake.

As discussions and evaluations continue, it is important for consumers to stay informed about the latest research and guidelines from reputable health organizations and regulatory bodies.

HT
Harry Styles performs at the Brit Awards in the O2 Arena in London, Feb. 11, 2023

(JTA) - Pop star Harry Styles gave a shout-out to a pair of Orthodox Jewish friends who walked close to six miles to attend a concert of his at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Jewish Chronicle reporter Tash Mosheim, who was at the show, heard Styles tell the crowd of 90,000 that he was grateful for Ben and Meredith Winston's efforts to show up at the gig, which opened its doors well before sundown on Shabbat. The couple walked from their home in Hampstead, an outlying area of London, to avoid violating the laws of Shabbat.

The Winstons have been close with Styles throughout his rise t...
LOS ANGELES (JTA) - The White House recently released a detailed strategy for combating antisemitism, complete with more than 100 action items.

One thing not on the list? Comedy.

That's where Jewish celebrities such as Howie Mandel, Rachel Bloom and Michael Rapaport came in on Wednesday night at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, at a so-called "Roast of Anti-Semitism."

As event organizer Dani Zoldan put it, the comedy show was focused on "making fun of people that hate Jews."

Emceed by longtime standup and occasional TV actor Elon Gold - who joked that there were no Proud Boys in the audi...
(JNS)  A new Italian film that tells the real-life story of a Jewish child papal authorities removed from a family and baptized secretly in the mid-19th century is drawing criticism from some Jewish leaders, including Romes chief rabbi.

The historical drama Rapito (Kidnapped), directed and co-written by Marco Bellocchio, recently debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. It explores the story of Edgardo Levi Mortara in a narrative loosely based on the book Il Caso Mortara by Daniele Scalise, which was highly critical of the papal role in the scandal.

In 2016, Steven Spielber...
(JTA)  One spring morning in 1934, two little girls followed their mothers to a corner grocery store in Amsterdam. The mothers, hearing each other speak German to their daughters, discovered they were both Jewish refugees who had recently fled Nazi Germany. The two girls peeked shyly at each other from behind their mothers skirts, one of them slight with dark, glossy hair, the other taller and fairer.

Those two girls were Anne Frank and Hannah Pick-Goslar. One was to become the most famous victim of the Holocaust, whose diary documented two years in hiding before the Nazis found her f...
Hebrew is one of the oldest spoken languages in the world and the sacred language of the Jewish people. It is the only language ever to be revived as a spoken language - nearly 2,000 years after it ceased being one.

A Brief History of Hebrew

Hebrew was the language spoken in biblical times by the ancient Israelites. One of the original names for this language, and the one it is called today, is ivrit, because it is the language spoken by a people called the ivrim, or the Hebrew people. But it goes by many names in ancient Jewish texts, most frequently lashon hakodesh - the holy tongue....
WASHINGTON (JTA)  Some 65 U.S. senators from both parties have urged the Biden administration to finalize Israels entry into the Visa Waiver Program by Sept. 30.

Israel has sought to join the program, which enables citizens to travel to the United States without a visa, for decades. Currently, Israelis who do not hold citizenship in any of the 40 countries in the waiver program must apply for permission to travel to the United States, a process that typically results in a visa but can be extensive.

The letter, sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary A...
(JTA)  The Arkansas House of Representatives approved a resolution encouraging trade with Israel that specifically mentions Judea and Samaria, the biblical name for the West Bank favored by Israels government.

The resolution, approved last month by the Republican-led chamber, declares that the State of Arkansas, which lies in Americas heartland, has a special kinship with Judea and Samaria, Israels biblical heartland and notes that cities across Arkansas bear the names of biblical cities throughout Judea and Samaria, such as Bethel, Hebron, Shiloh, Salem, and nume...
(JNS)  While the Biden administration is denying it, the fact is that in recent weeks the United States and Iran have been holding indirect talks regarding Tehrans nuclear program.

According to U.S. officials and Western diplomats, in the weeks and months after the unofficial death of attempts to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement, the Biden administration conducted several whats next meetings. What emerged from these meetings was the idea of a new kind of a nuclear deal, one based on freezing Irans nuclear program, not halting or...
(FORT LAUDERDALE)  A recently appointed member of the District Advisory Council for the Broward County Florida School Board, Laurie Cardoza Moore, a nationally recognized pro-Israel advocate, was among the first to commend the Fort Lauderdale based Board for their removal of local educator Naima Khan-Ghany from her recently re-appointed positions on both the countys School Board Diversity Committee and the Human Relations Committees.

Earlier this month, Cardoza Moore was in urgent communication with the office of Dr. Jeff Holness of the Broward school board and called for the removal...
(JNS)  Social-media networks are being exploited by Palestinian terror factions to boost the recruitment of minors, an Israeli military source has told JNS.

The source noted that although the trend of recruiting minors is not new, its current form and scope are both relatively new phenomena.

In 2004 during the Second Intifada, 16-year-old Hussam Abdo, who was stopped at a Huwara military checkpoint wearing a suicide-bomb belt, made headlines across the globe.

Since then, however, the smartphone revolution and the arrival of social media networks have created many new recruitment oppor...
(JTA)  The Sackler family, the Jewish billionaires whose marketing of the painkiller drug OxyContin fueled the United States ongoing opioid epidemic, will receive full immunity from all civil legal claims in exchange for spending up to $6 billion on addiction treatment and prevention programs.

The decision to grant immunity by a federal appeals court panel Tuesday effectively ends the thousands of civil lawsuits that have been filed against Purdue Pharma, the Sacklers company, over opioid deaths.

But it clears the way for the company to declare bankruptcy, a move considered essenti...
(JNS)  The Southern Poverty Law Center is a Montgomery, Ala.-based nonprofit that according to its website was founded in 1971 to ensure that the promise of the civil rights movement became a reality for all.

Before reaching that first paragraph on the groups site, however, comes the SPLCs self-identification as a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people.

SPLC is often quoted in news articles as an authority on...
(JNS)  The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for a scenario in which Israels Arabs join its enemies in wartime, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There are 10 military battalions training for this thing. Although it is still not enough, they are preparing exactly for this day, said Netanyahu.

The prime minister made the remarks in response to questions from lawmakers during a recent closed-door session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Kan Bet, Israels Public Broadcaster, reported on Monday.

Lawmakers asked Netanyahu if Israel...
(JTA)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke by phone with Elon Musk on Sunday, calling the businessman and Twitter CEO a person whose intelligence and contribution to humanity I greatly appreciate.

The tech mogul, currently the worlds richest individual despite notching steep losses at Twitter, has drawn controversy for his tweets about the Holocaust survivor and liberal megadonor George Soros and about Israeli data on COVID-19. The U.S. antisemitism envoy, Deborah Lipstadt, decried the Soros tweets as trafficking in antisemitic tropes, while Israels health...
(JTA)  For years, as the Sackler name fell from art museums, colleges and even a wing of Shakespeares Globe Theater amid revelations about the familys contributions to the opioid crisis, it remained very much attached to the medical school at Tel Aviv University.

Now, three weeks after the Jewish family that produced the opioid OxyContin agreed to spend up to $6 billion on addiction treatment and prevention in exchange for immunity from civil claims, the university has announced that the family has kindly agreed to remove their name from the medical school.

For the last 50...
(JNS)  Results from a Wall Street Journal-NORC poll released this year confirmed that Americans are deviating from religious faith. The study found 39 percent percent of those surveyed said that religion was very important to them, a sharp decline from the 62 percent who felt the same 25 years ago.

A schism within the Jewish community appears to be emerging as a result of this trend. According to the Pew Research Centers latest analysis of Jewish Americans, young adults are much more likely than those 65 and older to identify as either Orthodox or unaffiliated.

Thus, the...
The Tonys, the awards for the Best of Broadway, were really interesting this year. Their diversity, their power and their depth showed a rather new attitude on Broadway towards the acceptance of reality.

Most interesting to me was the winner of best Musical. The Tony was awarded to the revival of a show from 1998. It tells, with strong musical accompaniment, the story of Leo Frank, a young Jewish factory manager in Atlanta who was accused of raping and killing a 13-year-old factory worker, Mary Phagan, at the pencil factory he managed. Lets start with that fact. Mary Phagan was 13...
(JNS)  In a decidedly unsurprising verdict, the man who murdered 11 Jews in the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh has been found guilty. Now, Robert Bowers faces a second judgment: The court must determine whether he will receive the death penalty.

Three congregations were using the Tree of Life facility at the time of the massacreNew Light, Dor Hadash and Tree of Life itself. According to The New York Times, There has not been agreement among the three congregations or within them about whether Mr. Bowers should be sentenced to death.

This is also unsurprisin...
(JNS)  In response to former President Donald Trumps withdrawal from his predecessor Barack Obamas 2015 Iran nuclear deal, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden announced that, if elected, he would reenter the deal and work with our allies to make it longer and stronger.

This, Biden claimed, would curb Irans nuclear ambitions and moderate its malign behavior. He was and is wrong.

The mere fact that Biden claimed to be seeking a longer and stronger deal puts the lie to Obama and his Secretary of State John Kerrys repeated claims that the 2015 deal blocked all path...
(JNS)  Al-Sharif [the Arabic/Muslim name for Jerusalems Temple Mount] belongs exclusively to the Muslims, proclaimed Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations General Assembly on May 15.

Notwithstanding a preponderance of biblical, historical and archeological evidence, Abbas, UNESCO and other Israel-haters steadfastly deny any Jewish connection whatsoever to the Temple Mount.

Although Israel recognizes centuries of Arab-Muslim presence in the Holy Land, research provides overwhelming proof of a millennia-old Jewish history in the region, with a locus on...
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the following statement today after the courts decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and SFFA v. University of North Carolina, et al.:

The Supreme Court ruling today weakens efforts to make higher education more accessible to members of historically underrepresented groups. People of color have been excluded from attending medical school and joining medical organizations for generations. While progress has been made, there is still a significant deficit in the number of Black and Latino doctors and medical students.

We need more health workers, especially those who look like and share the experiences of the people they serve. This builds trust between provider and patient, and helps to improve the overall quality of care. This ruling will make it even more difficult for the nations colleges and universities to help create future health experts and workers that reflect the diversity of our great nation. The health and wellbeing of Americans will suffer as a result.
There is nothing more ubiquitous to a north Indian Hindu home than a tiny diary with a chocolate brown cover that mentions auspicious days and festivals as per the Hindu panchang or calendar. Popularly known after its eponymous publishing house, the Gita Press diary is unique because it is cheap and complete. Along with the Kalyan, a slim, monthly magazine that contains treatises from the Ramayana and various Puranas, the Gita Press has published over 150 million copies of various texts. Conferring it the 2021 Gandhi Peace Prize is fair recognition for its contribution in disseminating spiritual thought. Albeit couched in the idiom of Hindu religious mythology, its works have a universal appeal  a far cry from the accusation that they are communal or divisive, as some scholars would have us believe. Gita Press has been conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 (File Photo)

ALSO READ | Like awarding Godse: Jairam Ramesh on Centre's decision to confer Gandhi Peace Prize on Gita Press

It is in that context that Akshay Mukuls deeply researched book, Gita Press and the making of Hindu India that was published by Harper Collins against a study funded by the New India Foundation, merits cross-examination.

It is admitted by Mukul at the outset that the Gita Press was set up in 1923, not out of any proselytizing mission but out of a desire to extend the knowledge of Gita amongst Hindus itself, beyond satsang groups that were patronized by the more privileged, like the founder businessmen: Jaydayal Goyandka and Hanuman Prasad Poddar. A little later, Mukul writes about the objective for setting up the Gita Press: At the forefront was religious philanthropy in the name of saving sanatan Hindu dharmaan obscurantist version of it. He also refers to the founders of the Gita Press as the foot soldiers of sectarian organizations like the RSS etc. However, he does not explain why he uses the word obscurantist or how the founders did the bidding of the political outfits. Mukul uses the atmospherics of the day to build his case: Malaviya (Madan Mohan) had a deep impact on Gita Press, providing it ample fodder during the communally rife period between 1940 and 1947. The birth of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1925 in Nagpur, with which Gita Press would later forge a close alliance, completed the overall scenario in which Kalyan got a firm footing. Again, no passages are quoted to elucidate how Kalyan or other publications were used to entice Hindus towards communal politics. Nor later, when he states that But the aspect of Gita Press and Kalyan that has the greatest significance in present times is the platform it has provided for communal organizations like the RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and many others. In fact, he contradicts his own thesis when he writes that In just over two decades, Gita Press became an attractive platform for the liberal and orthodox Congress elements as well as those preaching and practising strident Hindu nationalism,  the latter being Mukuls endeavour to conflate Hindu culturalism with Hindu nationalism.

ALSO READ | Founded in 1923, now worlds largest publisher: The 100-year journey of Gita Press

He accepts that the Gita Press adhered to its principle of non-aggression, especially towards sects and religions it considered within the pale of Hinduism. He gives the example of the proposed special edition of Kalyan on Shakti, for which the SGPC recommended removal of references to Sikh Gurus as being worshippers of Durga. This was duly acceded to.

On one hand Mukul writes of Gita Press as being political and that Gita Presss advocacy of militant nationalism in the 1940s through the powerful print medium of Kalyan was not the reflection of a standalone publishing house but the collective voice of Hindu nationalist organizations like the RSS, Hindu Mahasabha and others. On the other hand, he acknowledges Hanuman Prasad Poddar as having said, Kalyan should not get involved in this. Instead, it should concentrate on propagating humanity, ideal behaviour and devotion to gods  It is not about losing subscribers but principles.

An attempt has also been made to depict the Gita Press as anti-Gandhi. At the same time, it is also chronicled that it was with Gandhi that Poddar had forged his most significant long-term relationship, about how he went out of his way to keep in touch with the jailed Devdas Gandhi and that Gandhi was extremely fond of Poddar. Gita Press published several pieces written by Gandhi. Likewise, Gita Press appreciated Sardar Patels work because he had begun the project of protecting Indian culture by announcing the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple in Dwarka, Gujarat. Similarly, he notes how the Gita Press also eulogized Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi upon their assassination lauding their sacrifice to the nation.

Misleadingly, the personal statements of Poddar (and various religious ideologues) and of various groupings such as the Gosewak Samaj have been assumed to be the official position of the Gita Press as a publishing house, merely to paint it with a communal brush. To protray Poddars public musings as the views of the Gita Press would be as fallacious as to ascribe Mukuls misconceived inferences as the views of his publisher Harper Collins.

At a personal level, the examples from the Ramayana, Mahabharat and the Puranas that I have gleaned from schooltime readings of the Kalyan and other Gita Press publications have only made me more spiritual. They have never dissuaded me from being respectful of other religions and communities. Some of my best friends today are non-Hindus.

More than Mukuls book it is Aakar Patels review of Mukuls book that is fallacious to the point of being ludicrous. Published in the August 2015 edition of India Today it carried a picture of a slithering snake behind a trident and a saffron backdrop with the title, Akshaya Mukul's first-rate analysis of the Gita Press reveals how putrid some aspects of Hindu nationalism are, and said: It is frightening and sobering that the Hindu political consciousness should have come out of such criminal nonsense.

Hanuman Prasad Poddar maintained, to borrow from Mukul, Whatever is good in Kalyan is due to the grace of god and whatever is wrong could be ascribed to me. Praise makes one arrogant. Criticism should be considered truth. There is a belief that President Rajendra Prasad was keen that Poddar should be conferred the Bharat Ratna but that he turned it down because he had made it his own and the Gita Presss policy not to accept any public awards. Teji Bachchan, mother of the famous Amitabh, had described him as the fountainhead of knowledge and as God incarnate. The Gandhi Peace Prize to the Gita Press is thus a fitting tribute, as much to Poddar as to his dauntless creation.

(The author is a former Secretary Government of India. Views expressed here are solely of the author)
Daily Horoscope Predictions says, risks make you stronger A happy romantic relationship is what your daily horoscope predicts for you. Despite challenges, you will do professionally well. Today is good for investments. Cancer Daily Horoscope Today, June 30, 2023: A happy romantic relationship is what your daily horoscope predicts for you.

Be sensitive in the relationship and share emotions without a barrier. Today your performance at the office will be appreciated by the managers. Financial investments will keep the day prosperous. Be careful about your health as minor issues may happen today.

Cancer Love Horoscope Today

Catch up with the best moments of love. You both are blindly in love. As your partner is sensitive, it is important to handle things carefully. Spend more time together and talk to share your emotions. Some Cancer natives will receive a proposal from a co-worker or friend which may be a surprise. Those who wish to take the relationship to the next level can consider marriage today.

Cancer Career Horoscope Today

Be ready to take over assignments today. Despite the minor challenges, you will be successful in accomplishing them. Healthcare professionals as well as people working with the judiciary will handle some cases of public interest. Copyeditors, graphic designers, and IT professionals may quit their job to join someone for a better package. Entrepreneurs may launch a new partnership and can also expand the business to new boundaries.

Cancer Money Horoscope Today

Prosperity will bless you today. There will be wealth to meet up your every demand. Some Cancer natives may also get income from part-time jobs. Utilize this to buy a vehicle or a property. Some Cancer natives would need wealth for marriage at home. Students would need finance to move abroad for studies. You wont need a bank loan today but you may repay an earlier one.

Cancer Health Horoscope Today

Those who have a history of cardiac problems must be careful today, especially in the first half of the day. Kidney ailments will also be common among Cancer natives. Females may complain about gynecology-related problems which would need medical attention. Do walk both in the morning and evening as this can keep you healthy. Drink plenty of water as well.

Cancer Sign Attributes

Strength: Intuitive, Practical, Kind, Energetic, Artsy, Dedicated, Benevolent, Caring

Weakness: Insatiable, Possessive, Prudish

Symbol: Crab

Element: Water

Body Part: Stomach & Breast

Sign Ruler: Moon

Lucky Day: Monday

Lucky Color: White

Lucky Number: 2

Lucky Stone: Pearl

Cancer Sign Compatibility Chart

Natural affinity: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces

Good compatibility: Cancer, Capricorn

Fair compatibility: Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius

Less compatibility: Aries, Libra

By: Dr. J. N. Pandey

Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert

Website: https://www.cyberastro.com

E-mail: caresponse@cyberastro.com

Phone: 9717199568, 9958780857

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The London-based investigative journalists whose earlier books include The Exile, Deception and The Siege, lays bare the US official policy of torture or Enhanced Interrogation as the CIA calls it. This book focuses on the case of Abu Zubaydah, a stateless Palestinian, who grew up in Saudi Arabia, and was held six months after 9/11 and accused of being number three in the Al-Qaida. Tortured in custody, two decades on, he continues to remain imprisoned in Guantanamo, incommunicado forever, without being charged with any crimes. The Forever Prisoner includes extensive reporting and interviews with key protagonists, information from thousand of previously classified official documents, drawings by detainees, and excerpts from diaries that provide a comprehensive picture of the CIA torture program. The authors state the CIA mischaracterised Abu Zubaydah  for their own ends  and then falsified his role, aims and actions, to better the CIA, and its relationship with the White House. CIA had vastly inflated Abu Zubaydahs connections to Osama Bin Laden, lied about his knowledge of future attacks, and then covered up the wrongdoings by destroying or hiding evidence of abuse, they write. Based on their research and what they discovered over the course of five years, and eventually corresponding with Abu Zubaydah via letters, the authors believe almost everything ever written about Abu Zubaydah was wrong. Theyre hoping the book goes some way to setting his record straight. The entrance to Camp 1 in Guantanamo Bays Camp Delta (Kathleen T Rhem / American Forces Press Service)

464pp, 2598; Black Cat

How does your book challenge or expand upon the existing knowledge in the public domain about the treatment and torture of detainees by the US government at the black sites, in Thailand, for example, particularly focusing on Abu Zubaydahs detention and his enhanced interrogation there?

The two principals in this CIA experiment were Zayn Abu Zubaydah and Dr James Mitchell. The former was a stateless Palestinian, who grew up in Saudi Arabia, seeking education in Pune and Mysore in India, and becoming a wealthy self-made merchant, before signing up to train for jihad in Afghanistan. Injured almost immediately, he was evacuated out of the war zone, to become, over the next decade, a logistics facilitator for others seeking training, before his capture by the ISI and CIA in Pakistan, in 2002. It is worth noting that the ISI was rewarded with millions of US dollars for giving up Abu Zubaydah. The ISI had learned where he was through the ISI-sponsored Lashkar-e-Toiba that helped jihadists flee Afghanistan after 9/11. After turning him in for reward money, the ISI then went along with the US story that Abu Zubaydah was an Al Qaeda leader responsible for 9/11 and planning a second wave of attacks against the United States.

James Mitchell was also self-made and rose from a blue collar family and considerable poverty to become a well-regarded military psychologist, who served for many years  repeatedly promoted and decorated  for helping US armed forces personnel survive or prepare for potential capture and interrogation. After 9/11, Mitchell volunteered to come out of retirement and assist the CIA in interrogating captives, having claimed they were trained to resist interrogation  something that was untrue and based on a misreading of available information by a psychologist with absolute no understanding of the culture in which Abu Zubaydah and others operated in  but also a man, who on a personal level was overcome, if not defined by his rampant Islamophobia. Dr Mitchell was also motivated by Agency talk that there was a second, devastating wave of attacks planned on US soil, potentially involving a dirty bomb or some kind of WMD.

Abu Zubaydah and James Mitchell met for the first time at a CIA black site in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand  housed in the holiday home of a Thai general, who was friendly with the CIA station chief in Bangkok.

In our book, the detainee and his interrogator talk deeply and fluidly about their lives, what led them to this fateful meeting, and what the consequences were for both of them: devastating and life changing in both cases.

But if these two  the detainee and interrogator contracted to the CIA  are the principals in this story, we also got to many others who have never talked about this program openly or publicly, including the CIAs chief counsel, its contracting interrogators, the Agency officer who designed and commissioned portable black site interrogation units that could be dropped off around the world, and, of course, the psychologists whose false science underpinned the program, and some of those detained within it, their families and loved ones.

As well as primary sources, we also obtained thousands of documents released by the legal process of disclosure in US courts where lawyers are still attempting to explore war crime charges against the CIA, and habeas corpus actions etc. These documents were often heavily redacted, and so we worked with lawyers from Yale to get them released in full using Freedom of Information Laws. We repeatedly sued the CIA, winning numerous unredactions. Eventually, we had thousands of cables and reports from medics, intelligence officers, White House lawyers, Justice Department officials, and even FBI notebooks filled during the first, pre-CIA interrogation sessions with Abu Zubaydah in March and April 2002.

The human sources and archive of official documents  which ran to thousands of pages  and drawings by detainees, their diaries  make this the most complete picture to date of the CIA torture program and it demolishes key planks of the CIA and White House reasoning in commissioning the torture program. The book also demonstrates its horrifying global consequences and exposes wholesale the lying and law breaking by spies and officials (elected and not) in the US and Europe.

US Army troops in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on April 26, 2004. The US troops, who were at a chemical storehouse that exploded in Baghdad appeared to have included members of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) hunting for weapons of mass destruction. (Ceerwan Aziz CLH/REUTERS)

How effective, in the end, was the CIAs torture program in eliciting actionable intelligence from detainees, or in preventing the second wave of attacks and making the US  and the world  safer?

There was no useful intelligence derived from the torture program. Much of was obtained was either demonstrably false or dangerously misleading. The CIA knew this and continued to lie and was so worried about what it was commissioning in its black sites that it sought to indemnify all of its staff officers, who were given assurances they would never be prosecuted for war crimes, but also a verification from the US Justice department that Abu Zubaydah would never be released, not for who he was, but because of what he had endured.

There was, almost certainly, no credible second wave of attacks. Instead, these threats were misread or manufactured by the CIA that was trying to recover from the reputational damage of failing to stop the 9/11 attacks. Just like there were no WMD in Iraq  the principal reason for invading Iraq  and the intelligence for which was almost wholly derived from the torture of a detainee who, wanting the pain to stop, made up a claim that Al Qaeda had aided Saddam in manufacturing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, having been told to say as much by his interrogators  who were supervised by the CIA.

Abu Zubaydah was verifiably never in Al Qaeda, and  as the evidence shows - he did not plot or help fund 9/11, or any other attack on the US and the West. He did not support Osama bin Laden and had never sworn a bayat to Al Qaeda. As a Palestinian, his focus was Israels occupation of his homeland, Palestine. As his lawyers describe it, Abu Zubaydah was not Hollywood innocent, meaning that he devoted his life to jihad, but he was not who the CIA portrayed him as. Projecting Abu Zubaydahs capture as a major victory in the war on terror, that the US president, George W Bush, the CIA, and numerous high officials also falsely claimed it as a victory against Al Qaeda.

Torture did not work as the evidence shows. It undid the US rules bound system, the international conventions and rules of war, undermining the US psychological advantage also, leading to a proliferation of disappearances and torture utilised by US allies, including India, Thailand and the Philippines. The US program commissioned illegal acts by Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and many, many other nations that are now facing court cases brought by Abu Zubaydah and others. Now, when Washington DC points at Russias president Vladmir Putin and accuses the Russian military of war crimes in Ukraine, the Kremlin points to CIA black sites, torture, and the post 9/11 wars. The same goes for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia whenever Washington raises the spectre of Jamal Khashoggis gruesome murder.

Not only did torture fail to deliver the truth  at any time  but the mistreatment of captives did not make the US (or the West) safer, and in fact led to a proliferation of attacks on Western aid workers, journalists and service personnel, who were captured, tortured and killed in revenge.

The torture program was trialled on Abu Zubaydah in Thailand, the prisoner becoming Patient Zero, but it became a template, which then proliferated throughout the US military, as well as CIA and US Special Forces, from Abu Ghraib (and those appalling photos), to Camp Cropper, Guantanamo, and Bagram and hideous American torture centres with nick-names like the Salt Pit.

As a result, the original goals of all operations post 9/11 were completely undermined. Instead of justice for the victim families of 9/11, there was none. No trials have happened. No convictions have been secured. And many of the cases have been frustrated by the compromised evidence derived from torturing suspects, leading to a probability that there might never be any convictions for 9/11.

You write in the book that the CIA had vastly inflated Abu Zubaydahs connections to Osama Bin Laden, lied about his knowledge of future attacks, and then covered up the wrongdoings by destroying or hiding evidence of abuse. Why are detainees like Abu Zubaydah, who have never been charged with any crimes, still imprisoned in Guantanamo even as there is no clear evidence of their involvement in terror attacks?

The CIA falsified the materials on Abu Zubaydah prior to his arrest, projecting him to be something he was not. They then doubled down on these lies after his capture, to present his detaining as an early victory in a war, that Abu Zubaydah had played no part in. He was a mirage, and having created this false figure, no one could or would back down. His torture was ramped up, despite protests from doctors, the FBI, and medical orderlies, but also from within CIA, and other US agencies.

His treatment in Thailand, and then his rendering to other black sites, including a bleak villa hidden in the forests of North Eastern Poland, and a riding school in Lithuania  and finally Guantanamo Bay  meant that he was a living witness  albeit a massively damaged one  to a US covert program built on lies that had undermined America, endangered Western lives, that had done colossal damage to a detainee and then others. His continuing imprisonment honours a pledge given to the CIA that Abu Zubaydah would never be released in case he talks about what the US did to him  and others.

The image released by militant group Al Faran of hostages taken in Kashmir in 1995. (HT Archive)

You mention that the psychologist behind the CIAs controversial enhanced interrogation program threatened to involve the FBI when you initially went to interview him at his home. How did he and other such sources, who were initially reluctant to speak to investigative journalists like you, ultimately end up cooperating, providing valuable information while researching for this book?

One reason Dr Mitchell agreed to talk was because we had already told the story of one of his closest friends. We had investigated the kidnappings of 1995 in Kashmir  by so-called Al Faran. Don Hutchings was an American hostage, who had lived in the same city as Mitchell  Spokane, in Washington State. Mitchell was a psychologist and Hutchings was a psychiatrist. They and their wives loved trekking and mountain climbing. Mitchell had looked after Dons dog, when he and his wife Jane had left Spokane for Srinagar. The vanishing of Don, who would never been seen again, was a prime reason for Mitchells rampant Islamophobia. Our search for Don, and Al Faran, and our narrating the story of disappearances in Kashmir was enshrined in our book The Meadow.

From Dr Mitchell, we reached out to fellow psychologists, Agency officers, analysts and contractors  and on the other side to Al Qaeda members, religious scholars, detainee families and detainees. We built a pyramid of participants  visiting all of them personally  apart from Abu Zubaydah, with whom we communicated, eventually, by letter.

Abu Zubaydah, the central figure in your book, has a complex background, including his involvement with jihadists in the past. You write that he did not authorize or approve this book. How difficult was it to write about such a multifaceted character, and what were the reasons why the US government was so determined to keep him incommunicado forever?

We are all complex figures, morally and emotionally, and treating all contributors sensitively and truthfully is all we ever pledged to do. We did not want to portray anything in a black and white fashion, and rather that the whole truth be accessible, even if it is complex.

A man can support violent struggle but not for the causes ascribed to him. He could be convicted of membership of an armed outfit but acquitted of claims that he had planned and participated in terror. A criminal court would have tried to determine the truth and presented a judgement, assisted by a jury.

The CIA actions mischaracterised Abu Zubaydah  for their own ends  and then falsified his role, aims and actions, to better the CIA, and its relationship with the White House.

It is possible for a person to be incomplete, controversial, and hold views you dislike, but for him not to be the terrorist the Agencies made him out to be. A complex truth was what we were prepared for  and this is what we arrived at.

Its conclusions are not complex. The detainee was not in Al Qaeda. He did not plan or carry out 9/11. He had not trained other detainees to resist torture. He willingly co-operated with FBI and others but was still tortured. From that moment on, there was nothing of use that he told anyone. On his part, he wanted to cooperate with our book because he was sick and tired of reading books written by famed writers that still portrayed him as an evil Al Qaeda mastermind. As we discovered, over the course of five years of corresponding, almost everything ever written about Abu Zubaydah was wrong. We hope that The Forever Prisoner goes some way to setting his record straight.

The towers of the World Trade Center billow smoke shortly after being struck by hijacked commercial airplanes in New York in this file photo taken on September 11, 2001. (Brad Rickerby/REUTERS)

The dissenting Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has said that the story of Abu Zubaydahs time at the Polish black site remains unclear. How does your book contribute to a better understanding of what happened to him there?

We got to the contractors who worked there, and the CIA officers who designed the site, and had it built. We knew, by the end, for this place, and many others, how they were designed, for what purpose, what happened inside them  and the consequences. Both James Mitchell and Abu Zubaydah described this place to us, the latter also drawing pictures.

The book also includes testimonies from other interrogators at the Polish black site and exclusive material from Abu Zubaydah himself. How do these accounts shed more light on the treatment of detainees and the techniques used during interrogations?

We finally got to understand the syllabus for torture  or Enhanced Interrogation as CIA called it. And we finally could explain how this syllabus proliferated, in ways unknown before. We explained how new interrogators were trained and used live detainees as training props. We revealed how some detainees died or/and vanished  and how the illegal sites were used for training and interrogation, as well as finally pointing to the locations of the licensed CIA black sites, mapping its network.

We have been able to quantify the damage done  physically and psychologically  to detainees. Most were destroyed by the process, and might never recover, and yet their medical records were also classified so as to be made inaccessible. More than 20 years on, they all remain in US military detention at Guantanamo Bay, where they are denied the most basic medical and psychological care.

The experiment was an utter failure. Its repercussions are calamitous.

There are references in the book to the involvement of CIA headquarters and the decision-making processes regarding the treatment of detainees. What was the role of the highest leadership at the CIA headquarters? Were there any conflicts or dissent in the top leadership during the operation of these black sites?

The books documents through primary sources  executive officers, and government lawyers, using also CIA cable and memos and reports  the chain of command. It went from the top down, and horizontally it reached from the White House to the Treasury and US Justice, to CIA, FBI and the Pentagon. These were not a few bad apples. The entire establishment collaborated and approved.

Authors Cathy Scott-Clark & Adrian Levy (Courtesy the subjects)

What impact are you hoping this book will have on the public understanding and perception of the CIAs covert interrogation program and the use of torture in the context of counterterrorism efforts?

Obviously, we would hope that Abu Zubaydah  who has never been charged and who is now acknowledged by the US military as not responsible for 9/11 or an Al Qaeda affiliate  will one day be released.

We hope there is justice for the 9/11 victim families. More pressing and yet harder to describe, we wanted to trigger a debate on torture and the rules bound system. In our popular culture, on the show Homeland, and in Jack Bauers 24, and throughout the movie Zero Dark 30  all series and films made with the co-operation of the CIA  audiences have repeatedly been told that torture works.

At the International Spy Museum in Washington DC, there was a voting counter erected outside a display on Enhanced Interrogation, and visitors could push a button to say if torture worked or not. A majority pushed the button to say torture works. When it clearly is immoral and does not!

Many populists around the world are undermining the judiciary, sponsoring disappearances and extra judicial killings, and trying to fast track justice to fit their own ends.

This story, exhaustively documented, shows what can happen. How society unravels. And how countries become un-safer and often weaker internationally.

How important is it for the US government to acknowledge what it did to Abu Zubaydah as he remains in prison more than 20 years on, and also take responsibility for past human rights abuses and torture of detainees in their prisons in order to restore public trust and the credibility of its institutions?

It would be a huge step forward but it will never ever happen.

Majid Maqbool is an independent journalist based in Kashmir.
India June 26, 2023: LT Foods, a Consumer Food Companys flagship brand Daawat Basmati Rice has created a unique occasion for Biryani lovers across the World by celebrating World Biryani Day across the globe on the 1st Sunday of every July, 2nd July of this year. Daawat Basmati Rice is providing an opportunity to all Biryani lovers to express their adoration for this dish that has distinctive Indian flavours but still enjoys universalized appeal across countries and cultures. This day calls for Biryani Lovers across the world to celebrate this exemplary dish by enjoying Biryani with their friends and family in their own inimitable ways and keep the Biryani mania going.

Many of the popular dishes from multiple cuisines have their own dedicated day. This has inspired Daawat Basmati Rice to coin World Biryani Day to celebrate the worlds most favourite dish.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ritesh Arora, CEO India & Far East Market, LT Foods Ltd. said, Biryani is more than a product, it is a celebration of being together. The love for Biryani is truly universal cutting across countries & cultures, transcending all age groups. As one of the leading Global Basmati Rice brands, Daawat believes Biryani should have a special day, an occasion to celebrate this delectable iconic dish, an appetite for which can almost never be satiated. LT Foods is committed to facilitate the consumers to celebrate the World Biryani Day with its flagship variant Daawat Biryani and recently launched Daawat Biryani Kit. Biryani Day ko aaiye, jashn ke iss din ko biryani ke saath banaiyein aur manaiyein.

To create awareness of World Biryani Day, Daawat Basmati Rice will be launching an extensive 360-degree multi-country digital campaign supported by a television, digital, radio campaign, an outdoor and an influencer both national and regional marketing initiative, which will all culminate on the 2nd of July with on-ground events as well.

Daawat Basmati Rice is the finest Basmati and it is available across 60 countries. The premium heirloom rice grain is aged to perfection with unmatched aroma and rich flavours making the Biryani made from Daawat a total standout. Daawat has also recently launched a Biryani Kit for the convenience of cooking authentic & delicious Biryani at home in three distinct variants Hyderabadi, Kolkata, and Lucknow.

Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio.
Edtech major Byju's is growing slowly but sustainably and is close to achieving profitability at the group level, the company's CEO Byju Raveendran said on Thursday. Byju Raveendran of Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd (Livemint)

The company organised a town hall with Raveendran to allay apprehensions about the uncertainty around the company's growth and its future.

According to sources, who attended the town hall, Raveendran said that issues with USD 1.2 billion Term Loan B lenders are being resolved through discussion and hopeful of a positive outcome in the next few weeks without the court's intervention.

"Byju shared that BYJU'S is close to achieving profitability at the group level, demonstrating the company's commitment to financial management and optimization of operations," a source said.

He said that despite the challenges faced by tech companies globally, BYJU'S has made substantial progress towards this significant milestone.

BYJU's had set a timeline to achieve profitability by March 2023.

"He said that BYJU'S is now growing slowly but sustainably and most of its business verticals are in good shape, relatively speaking," the source said.

Several reports have emerged around BYJU'S financial performance, debt burden, delay in filing financial results and the latest being investor in the firm Prosus lowering valuation in the firm to USD 578 million for 9.6 per cent stake.

Prosus' 9.6 per cent stake value pegs the edtech firm's valuation at around USD 6 billion instead of USD 22 billion claimed by BYJU'S.

Amid all the controversies, a Delaware Court recently passed an order in favour of BYJU'S giving the company a significant boost in its fight against various controversies.

"Byju shared an important update that the TLB dispute is being resolved through constructive discussions, and the company is confident about achieving a positive outcome in the next few weeks without court intervention," another source said.

Raveendran said that constructive discussion with lenders signifies the company's ability to navigate challenges and find solutions through proactive engagement.

The CEO clarified to employees about the director's and auditor Deloitte's resignation.

"Byju highlighted the strategic decision to appoint BDO as BYJU'S statutory auditors for the next five years which led to Deloitte's exit. He said that a mutually agreed-upon decision has been taken to focus on efficient and timely audits going forward," the source said.

Raveendran during the town hall said that the company is now actively expanding and diversifying its board to reflect the scale, scope, and reach of operations, which is a routine practice for large companies.

He touched upon concerns around the viability of edtech as an industry.

He said that edtech is not a 'pandemic phenomenon' but a permanent fixture in education.

"Byju reassured that BYJU'S has weathered storms before and emerged stronger. He exhorted his team to rise above the noise and work with the resilience and determination that is found in the DNA of BYJU'S," the source said.

Another source claimed that employees did not ask any questions about lay-offs and provident fund deposits.

"Raveendran said that the company has been under crisis multiple times and has come out stronger. So they will come out stronger this time too," the source said.

An email query sent to BYJU'S elicited no reply.

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Information technology (IT) giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has sacked six employees and banned six staffing firms in wake of the recruitment scam which shook the tech industry.



Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran at the company's annual general meeting said the company is probing role of three employees in connection with the case pertaining to receiving favours from staffing firms in the appointment of contractual workers, PTI reported.



We found six employees who did not follow the ethical conductwe have banned all those six employees and also the six companies", he said, while not disclosing further about the employees being investigated.



While responding to the question from shareholders, Chandrasekaran said the IT services behemoth had got two separate complaints regarding the appointment of contractual workers, one in United States and another in India in late February and March.



He added that about two-three per cent of the overall resources the TCS employees are such business associates, and there are 1,000 such staffing firms empanelled with the company across 55 countries.



The Tata Sons chairperson said he cannot quantify what favours the guilty employees had received. However, the sacked employees behaved in a manner that they favoured certain firms. Tata Consultancy Services.(Mint file)

According to report, Chandrasekaran said TCS will review the business associate supplier management process and identify the weakenesses. It will also tighten the selection process to avoid such incidents in the future, he added.

Some media reports had claimed that the company suspended some employees for violating the code of conduct and some had estimated the scam to be worth 100 crore.

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Xiaomi India is slashing its workforce to less than 1,000 employees as part of a restructuring process, the Economic Times (article beyond paywall) reported on Thursday. The cost-cutting measures come amid a slump in market share accompanied by increasing scrutiny from government agencies, the report stated, quoting past and present employees. Xiaomi India has been reducing the headcount steadily since the start of the year.(File)

Last week, the Chinese smartphone brand sacked around 30 workers out of the nearly 1,400 to 1,500 staff it employed in the beginning of 2023. The company is likely to lay off more people in the coming months, the report added.

Decisions regarding the rejig and changes to internal structures were in the hands of the Chinese parent, the report said. The move aims to improve operational efficiency, streamline its organisational structure and optimise resource allocation. The headcount has steadily decreased since the beginning of the year amid a review of the company strategies.

Citing a senior Xiaomi executive, the report added that the top leadership had designed a performance improvement plan (PIP) based on which non-performing employees could be fired.

As with any company, we take headcount decisions based on the markets state and business projections, the report quoted Xiaomi in a statement, adding that the firm continues to hire talent when and where needed.

Xiaomi India's shipments dropped to 5 million in the first quarter of 2023 from 7-8 million a year ago. After being the top smartphone brand in India for 20 straight quarters, it fell to the third rank behind Samsung and Vivo with a market share of 16%.

Earlier in June, the Enforcement Directorate issued showcause notices to Xiaomi India, its officials and three banks under the Foreign Exchange Management Act for alleged foreign exchange violation of more than 5,551 crore. The notices were issued to Manu Kumar Jain, former MD, and Sameer B Rao, director and chief financial officer.

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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
The dream of settling down abroad stood shattered for a Rajoana Khurd resident after his wife allegedly duped him of 70 lakh on the pretext of taking her to Australia on a spouse visa. After moving abroad, the woman stopped taking his calls and snapped all ties with him. Ludhiana man eying spouse visa duped as wife snaps ties after moving abroad. (HT FILE)

Sudhar police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the woman Akashdeep Kaur, who is settled in Australia, her father Bhupinder Singh of Gondwal village, Raikot, and mother Nachhatar Kaur.

The FIR has been lodged following the statement of Manjinder Singh of Rajoana Khurd. The complainant told police that he wanted to move abroad. He came in contact with Akashdeep Kaur, who was settled in Australia, through an acquaintance. The woman stated that she needed some money to complete her studies in Australia and promised that she would help him move abroad on a spouse visa.

The complainant stated that he married Akashdeep on May 5, 2018. Five days after the marriage, she went back to Australia with a promise to take him along later. He added that the accused had taken 70 lakh from them.

In 2022, however, she blocked his number and her parents too had stopped taking his calls.

Upon realising that he had been duped, Manjinder filed a complaint with the police on February 8, 2023.

Sharing further details, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Jaswinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said Bhupinder Singh and his wife Nachhatar Kaur had joined the investigation, but Akashdeep did not record her statements with the police.

A case under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (Criminal breach of trust) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.

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The spouses of some city councillors are also accompanying them on the Goa study tour to look into the working of the states garbage processing plant, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed. The Goa study tour has been organised by Chandigarh MC to look into the working of the states garbage processing plant. (HT File)

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, AAP leader Damanpreet said, The BJP and Congress councillors who have gone on the tour are accompanied by their spouses. Why should the taxpayers of Chandigarh pay for the traveling expenses of these people. Dadumajra dumping ground is the reason why people live near it suffer from various diseases, including cancer. Why was no initiative taken to solve this issue first. We condemn this wastage of public money through such useless tours.

He added that it is not a study tour but a lobbying tour where BJP is trying to win the support of Congress to get their votes.

Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said that Congress and BJP have gulped down crores of rupees in the name of clearing this dumping ground. Contracts were given many times but always to their favourite companies to loot the public money. There are BJP and Congress councillors, nominated people who are supporters of BJP-Congress and nine officers on the tour but what was the need to take such a big team for a study tour when taxpayers are footing the bill? Why take nine officers on such a tour?, he asked.

Meanwhile, Hitesh Puri, chairman, Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) said, Spouses should not be part of the study tour as it does not remain a study tour and becomes a leisure tour for it lacks seriousness. The plan for the tour has been chalked out. Each year, the MC sets aside 50 lakh for study tours. This tour will cost about 25 lakh. Study tour has always been under a cloud.

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Panjab University (PU) was able to reverse its trend of slipping rankings, and climb to the 1,001 to 1,200 bracket in Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, 2024, released on Wednesday. Chandigarh-based Panjab University is one of the pioneer educational institute of the country. HT Photo

PU had been on a downward spiral for years, sliding from the 701+ category in 2016 and 2017 to the 1,201-1,400 category in 2023 (see box).

PUs jump in rankings can be attributed to improved scores in all parameters of the rankings as compared to last year. In academic reputation, PU improved from 5.5 to 6.7. In employer reputation, it improved from 3.2 to 5.9. In faculty-student ratio, it improved from 5.2 to 5.6. In citations per faculty, it improved from 17 to 21. In international students ratio, it improved from 1.7 to 1.8.

Three new parameters were introduced in the rankings this year. These include international research network in which PU scored 1.9, employment outcomes in which it got 29.8 and sustainability in which it got 2.2.

Speaking about the result, PU vice-chancellor Renu Vig said, This is an encouraging result for us and we had been working in a focused manner on all the parameters to improve the varsitys rankings.

Private universities of the region, including Chandigarh University (CU), Gharuan, and Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, also improved on their rankings and were placed in the 771-780 bracket. Both had been in the 801-1000 bracket last year. Only one Indian university, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay made it to the top 150 of the world rankings, by clinching the 149th spot. A total of 45 Indian universities made it to these rankings.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, chairing a National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) on Thursday, disagreed with a proposal to appoint some officials in the education department, citing ongoing vigilance cases against them, officials aware of the matter said. They said Kejriwal also objected to transferring some officials out of the education department. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also approved the requests of some female officers, who had demanded a transfer from the post of sub-registrar on personal or humanitarian grounds. (ANI)

The NCCSA, which is empowered to take decisions regarding the transfer and posting of officers, also has the Delhi chief secretary and the principal secretary (home) as its members. The body takes decisions by consensus, and the two bureaucrats, who are appointed by the Centre, can agree to pass a proposal even if the CM is opposed to it, officials said.

A Delhi government official privy to the developments in the closed-door NCCSA meeting said, The CM has halted the proposal for the appointment of some officials in the education department due to ongoing cases of vigilance against them. There was a proposal to remove some competent officers from the education department, which the CM objected to and stopped the proposal.

Kejriwal also approved the requests of some female officers, who had demanded a transfer from the post of sub-registrar on personal or humanitarian grounds. The Delhi LG is still sitting on the minutes of the first meeting and has not processed the file, the official quoted above said.

However, NCCSA did not consider a proposal to appoint several Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers who were recently shifted to Delhi and are awaiting posting.

The LG office did not comment on the matter.

HT reached out to chief secretary Naresh Kumar and principal secretary home Ashwini Kumar, but both declined to comment on Thursdays proceedings.

The NCCSAs Thursday meeting  the second the body has met  was originally scheduled to be held on June 28, but was postponed because Naresh Kumar had a prior engagement.

On May 19, the President promulgated the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 which nullified a May 11 Supreme Court order that reinforced the authority of the Delhi government in controlling bureaucrats in all but three domains  land, police, and public order. The ordinance had provisions for NCCSA. The ordinance gave the LG, an official appointed by the Union government, the final say on transfers and postings of bureaucrats in Delhi and created a new cadre for the national capital.

Since the promulgation of the ordinance, Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have slammed the Union government and said it has rendered the elected government redundant.

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Narrow, crowded lanes with a web of overhead hanging wires, lined up with shops selling just one commodity,clothes  all kinds, all sizes, variety of fabric, colours, make and prices. Welcome to east Delhis Gandhi Nagar market, arguably Asias largest hub of readymade garments. PREMIUM The Gandhi Nagar wholesale garments market in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Several shop owners confirm that the market was started by a group of five businessmen who started the business of readymade garments from their shops, created as an extension of their homes, in 1972-73. They say it started out as an experiment since readymade garments werent very popular in the 70s. Most people would buy the fabric and get their clothes stitched. My father was one of the five traders who started shops here. He came here from Sadar Bazaar and started this shop in 1970. Our sales tax number dates to 1971. However, what began as an experiment quickly thrived into a popular business with the popularity of readymade garments picking up. Now, the business has gone international. We have exported to more than 20 countries that I can instantly think of, said Lalit Suri,57, who graduated from Delhi Universitys Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1971 and joined his father Kuldeep Suris business. They together run Pommy Garments, where they sell ladies wear such as kurtis, leggings, and suit sets.

The Gandhi Nagar wholesale cloth market is battling congestion and lack of civic amenities, say shopkeepers. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Evolution of the hub

Gandhi Nagar, postal code Delhi - 110031, used to be a residential area till 1972-73. The first five shops that started in those years were soon joined by sellers from across the Yamuna who used to run shops in the weekly markets and sourced their garments from Gandhi Nagar. Eventually more traders, who usually sourced their stock from wholesale markets in Sadar Bazaar and Azad Market, joined in leading to business volume growing faster at Gandhi Nagar. According to KK Balli, president of the market association, the relatively new market grabbed attention because the initial traders here worked hard to source garments from across the country, providing a huge variety to businesses in Delhi at their doorstep. When a shop owner or trader comes here, he can collect all varieties of clothes from across the country in one carton, in one market and at the most reasonable rate. He will get the best cotton clothes from Kolkata (West Bengal) and Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu), woollens from Ludhiana (Punjab), chikankari kurtis from Lucknow (UP), textile and hosiery from Gujarat and all kinds of readymade garments from any part of the country, said Balli. By 1975-76, traders in Gandhi Nagar were providing readymade clothing from Kolkata and hosiery from Ludhiana to traders in Delhi and neighbouring areas by sourcing it directly from suppliers, which helped them keep the prices low. A host of garment businessmen from Ludhiana, a huge textile and garment hub in north India, migrated to Gandhi Nagar in the 1980s during the insurgency in Punjab. Traders from Assam also came here. Migrations enriched Gandhi Nagar with people who were involved in garments business for decades, said Ved Prakash, one of the biggest and oldest businessmen in Gandhi Market and specialises in mens garments. Ved Prakash, shifted to Gandhi Nagar with his two brothers, from Panipat in Haryana,with their parents in 1958. The family started selling coal from their house in Gandhi Nagar, and then started a flour mill, later a grocery shop and then began the readymade garments business.

Shopkeepers say that when the market started out in the 70s, it was as an experiment since readymade garments werent very popular then. Most people would buy the fabric and get their clothes stitched. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Shopkeepers in the area say that most of the fabric from Tiruppur comes to his shop first before going to any other market across the country. Tiruppur is the leading source of hosiery, knitted garments, casual wear and sportswear.

Soon, Gandhi Nagar replaced the older hubs of Sadar Bazar for traders from across the country who sourced garments from Delhi. Hundreds of small shopkeepers based out of tier 2 and tier 3 towns around Delhi also started flocking to Gandhi Nagar, mostly because of the sheer variety and attractive prices. As demand quickly outran supply, many businessmen diversified into manufacturing. Most of the cotton clothes were sourced from Mangla Haat in Kolkata. But soon, the manufacturers there could not keep up with the rising demand. Production in the 70s and 80s was slow. I have seen traders who would spend two days in Delhi and the rest of the days in the week travelling. They would board a Rajdhani from Delhi and reach Kolkata, buy clothes and return the next day. On the third day, they would sell off their entire stock in a day, and then board the train again the next day for Kolkata, said Balli. By early 1990s, Gandhi Nagar, once a residential colony, completely turned into Asias largest readymade garments market with over 14,000 shops and 5,000 manufacturing units. Several people who started out selling garments have now turned manufactures with some running their factories in Gandhi Nagar only, and same having their units on outskirts of Delhi such as Tronica City and Noida Sector 63. Scale of operations Traders say that while there has never been any quantification of the business numbers, the shops across the market do business of over 250-300 crore per day. This is even after most shop owners said that business is down by 60-70% since the Covid-19 pandemic. After the shops mushroomed by late 90s, several transporters also started setting up within Gandhi Nagar. As of now, there are over 50 transport companies running their operations from Gandhi Market. For most of the wholesale orders, these transporters now act as agents who take the orders from consumers, inform the shop owners, collect the packed goods and receipt from the shops in smaller carts and get these loaded onto large trucks parked along the main road between Subhash Road and Ashok Bazaar, said Vikas Jain, a trader who specialises in mens bottomwear and his father was also one of the initial few who started business in the early 1970s. Several shop owners say that the presence of transporters has thrown the traffic situation in the area in utter disarray. One of the biggest concerns is traffic in this area, as it is completely mismanaged and there is no parking space even outside the market. Most shop owners who live outside use cabs for their everyday commute. Regulating traffic is one of the most urgent needs here, said Suri. Located in a busy lane that is hardly 10-feet-wide sandwiched between two shops, Suri says that his shop had wholesale customers from across the world waiting outside. There was no space to move in these lanes as it was filled with wholesale dealers. While there would be 10 customers inside, 20 others were standing outside ready to place their orders. We had 18-hour workdays. But after Covid, we have just about 30-40% of our business left, said Jain. Readymade garments from Gandhi Nagar were regularly exported to Russia, parts of USA and UK, Canada, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Uganda and other African countries. However, export is hardly 20% of what they used to be before Covid, say shop owners.

The revamp project will focus on immediate and pressing concerns of local traders, besides provisions of public facilities such as drinking water and public toilets. A CCTV camera network and security monitoring system will be installed, and street lighting and street furniture will be redesigned. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Problems, way forward

Having come up at what was basically a residential area, Gandhi Nagar market lacks basic infrastructure need to support at such a huge business hub. There are illegal expansions of the buildings, encroachments, narrow roads that make the movement of vehicles a nightmare, dangerous overhead wires that are a safety hazard, no provisions for measures needed to tackle disasters and basic issues such as poor sanitation and maintenance. There is a lot of encroachment. Most shops have encroached upon road space than even the size of their shops. The traffic is completely unregulated and always in a jam because of movement of large consignments as well as customers who usually travel on foot, said Jain. Prakash said, There is an urgent need for more public toilets, especially for women. The firefighting systems need to be upgraded and its network has to be widened. Also, the road space should also be expanded in a way that in an emergency, firefighting vehicles can enter without hindrance. The revamp plan Last week, the Delhi government announced plans to redevelop Gandhi Nagar as an international garments hub. The plan, to be implemented in two phases, has its roots in a major revamp market plan announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in its state Budget 2022-23 which was aimed at fostering growth and kickstarting the economy after the slump due to Covid-19 induced restrictions. The redevelopment will be executed in two phases, Delhi government officials said, taking into consideration the ongoing economic activities in the area. The first phase of the project will focus on immediate and pressing concerns of local traders, besides provisions of public facilities such as drinking water and public toilets. Additionally, installation of comprehensive CCTV camera network and security monitoring system, redesigning of street lighting and street furniture, and implementation of a visual information system will also be a part of the first phase. Under the second phase, the government will focus on urban redesigning and architectural enhancements of the market. Officials added that efforts will be made to promote the area through national and international marketing campaigns, digitisation of area information, firefighting facilities, and upgradation of existing infrastructure. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be responsible for executing the project, while the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi, will design its new layout, According to Balli, the market redevelopment plan will help market to expand its international footprint that has been lost due to Covid-19 slump. However, there is also a need for better marketing. Gandhi Nagar developed solely because of the immense hard work by the local traders. We never went looking for customers. The demand had always been more than we could deliver. We now need to improve marketing to expand our businesses, said Balli. Experts say it is necessary to organise the market to help ease trade for both sellers and customers. Gandhi Nagar developed as an unorganised market that is difficult to navigate and it is essential to organise it. It is important to have multi-storeyed development to decongest the area. There should be a long mart-like lane created with clear demarcation in the areas for domestic as well as export sales. There should also be a separate area for surplus goods where wholesale export buyers can directly visit and buy without much negotiation. This will reduce the hassles of buyers and will also ensure display by all traders without monopoly, said Lalit Thukral, regional incharge of northern India, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).

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Delhi minister Atishi is set to be given the additional portfolios of finance, planning and revenue after lieutenant governor VK Saxena approved a proposal moved by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for a portfolio reshuffle in his cabinet, officials in the LG office aware of the development said on Thursday. Atishi was inducted into the Delhi cabinet in March, after former deputy chief Manish Sisodia and former health minister Satyendar Jain tendered their resignations following their imprisonment. (HT Archive)

The portfolio change will come into effect after a notification is issued.

The reshuffle led to yet another row between the Aam Aadmi Party government and the LG office Delhi government officials alleged that the file is still pending with Saxena, but the LGs office denied the claim.

Atishi was inducted into the Delhi cabinet in March, after former deputy chief Manish Sisodia and former health minister Satyendar Jain tendered their resignations following their imprisonment. The Kalkaji legislator was given the charge of public relations department on June 1, and also holds the power, education and tourism portfolios, amongst others.

Minister Kailash Gahlot currently holds the finance and revenue portfolios, while Gopal Rai is the development minister. With the additional portfolios of finance, planning, and revenue, Atishi will now be in charge of 12 departments.

An official in the LG office said that a notification about the cabinet reshuffle could not be issued on Thursday because it was a holiday, and is likely to be issued on Friday.

A Delhi government official hit back, alleging that the file for the portfolio reshuffle was pending with Saxena for the last four days.

The LG office rejected the claim, with the official quoted above saying, The LG received the file on Tuesday and approved the portfolio reshuffle on Wednesday.

However, the Delhi government official claimed that the LG was yet to give approval to the file as on Thursday. This is to clarify that the LG has not yet given any approval to the cabinet reshuffle proposal. If at all the LG office still wishes to stand by its baseless claims, it must produce a copy of the order or any other relevant evidence to prove the same, the official said.

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Delhiites woke up to heavy rain on Thursday and can expect light to moderate thunderstorms throughout the day, according to the India Meteorological Department. Along with a cloudy sky, the minimum temperature may hover around 26 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature at 36 degrees Celsius, the IMD predicted. Commuters make their way through the waterlogged Delhi-Gurugram Expressway service road following heavy rains,(PTI)

According to the weather department, the national capital may witness rainfall till Sunday. Parts of Noida also witnessed a downpour on Thursday. Lucknow and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, too, experience rainfall.

Waterlogging been reported in several parts in Delhi while an 'orange' alert has been issued in the city by the weather department.

Bringing respite from the scorching heat, the monsoon arrived in Delhi on Sunday, two days before its scheduled onset. As of Tuesday, Delhi received a total rainfall of 79.5mm  an excess over Junes long-period average (LPA) of 74.1mm. Reportedly, this is the first time in three years that the June LPA was surpassed.

In Mumbai, moderate showers are expected to continue for the next three hours, as per the Met department. The Met Department tweeted: Extremely heavy rainfall has occurred at isolated stations and very heavy at some stations during last 21 hours.

Earlier, an orange alert for Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Nashik, Pune and Satara was issued by IMD. Gujarat is also expected to experience heavy to very heavy rains for the next 5 days.

IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and sub-Himalaya West Bengal, Sikkim, Konkan, Goa and Madhya Maharashtra on July 1.

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West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said on Thursday that sentinels of democracy shouldnt sound its death knell. His statement came on the backdrop of violence in the run-up to the state panchayat elections scheduled for July 8. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose (File Photo)

This is a challenge to the Constitution, the democracy and the people of India. It cant go on like this. This has to end. Those who are supposed to be sentinels of democracy, shouldnt sound the death knell of democracy. What is happening in the field is very disturbing, Bose said while interacting with media persons at Siliguri in north Bengal on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the governor met representatives of political parties in the hills. The opposition alleged that some candidates were not allowed to file nomination papers.

I would like to go to the field, interact with victims and understand for myself what is the real ground-level situation. Yes, I would like to be a ground-zero governor so far as election violence is concerned. The politics of intimidation, the politics of murder and the politics of threat has to go and it will go, he added.

On June 16, Bose had visited one of the violence-hit areas near Kolkata A day after four persons were killed in clashes following the violence across the state. He had said that political violence will not be tolerated, asserting that there will be action and no alibi for inaction.

Meanwhile, politically motivated clashes continued in some pockets of West Bengal ahead of the crucial three-tier panchayat elections scheduled for July 8 after a fresh skirmish broke out between workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar on Wednesday.

The clashes which have continued since panchayat polls were announced earlier this month have already claimed 11 lives and have left dozens injured.

On Wednesday crude bombs night a clash broke out allegedly between two groups the ruling TMC. A TMC worker was allegedly shot dead, and six others sustained bullet injuries at Dinhata in the same district on Tuesday morning.

Earlier this week, one person was killed in a crude-bomb explosion in Murshidabad district. In Cooch Behars Gitaldaha, the house of an independent candidate was attacked. Last week, at Dantan in West Midnapore, a BJP candidate was allegedly beaten up by TMC workers.

The Calcutta high court has already ordered the deployment of central forces across the state in the run-up to the polls. The court also had pulled up the state poll panel.

The State Election Commission (SEC) declared the poll dates on June 8. Violence erupted at multiple places soon after the nomination process started on June 9.

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Only 9.03% of candidates for the July 8 three-tier panchayat polls in West Bengal withdrew nomination by the June 20 deadline, the state election commission (SEC) informed the Calcutta high court on Thursday, adding that the corresponding figure stood at 17.66% in the last polls held in 2018. (Representative Photo)

The division bench of chief justice T S Sivagnanam had asked the SEC to file a report after several petitions were filed by Opposition parties alleging that hundreds of candidates were threatened and forced to withdraw by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Reacting to the data furnished before the court by SEC, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] alleged that comparing five-year-old figures with new ones cannot justify the ongoing violence which has so far claimed 11 lives and injured dozens since June 9, when the filing of nomination started.

Also Read: Sentinels of democracy shouldnt sound its death knell: West Bengal governor

The violence does not show any change in the pattern West Bengal has gotten used to by now. The figures dont mean anything because lots of dummy candidates have been put up by the ruling party to project that polls will be fair, said Bengal BJPs former president Rahul Sinha.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty alleged that many did not file nominations as they were stopped, threatened and assaulted by the TMC goons.

Can SEC also tell the court how many people could not file nomination papers because they were threatened and assaulted? The question of withdrawal comes after that, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said.

Meanwhile, dismissing the allegations raised by the Opposition, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, Never before did opposition parties field so many candidates. They are shouting only to draw media attention because they dont have the political strength to win.

The elections will be held at three-tier panchayats in 20 districts and two-tier panchayats in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. The official results will be announced on July 11, three days after polling.

According to figures compiled by SEC, 206,295 people, including independent candidates, are contesting for the control of 73,887 seats across the three tiers.

In gram panchayats, where the number of candidates is 63,229, the highest among the three tiers, the TMC is contesting 61,591 seats, followed by the BJP with 38,475 candidates and the CPI(M) with 35,411 nominees. Congress is contesting only 11,774 gram panchayat seats.

In the 2018 single-phase election, TMC won 34% eats uncontested, whereas 23 people died during the election process. Of them, 12 were killed on the day of polling even as the state government said sporadic violence during the election claimed only six lives.

Also Read: West Bengal panchayat polls: Political clashes continue in the state

This year, more than 9.5% seats have already been won uncontested with TMC accounting for the biggest chunk of these seats spread across gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads.

On Wednesday, the division bench of the chief justice ordered the SEC to file a report by July 3 on how it plans to deploy central armed police forces (CAPF) across Bengal before the polls.

On June 15, the division bench ordered that CAPF must be deployed across the state amid polling and ongoing violence across the state.

The SEC informed the division bench on Wednesday that although it had sought 822 companies of CAPF from the Centre, 458 companies were yet to arrive in Bengal.

The Calcutta high court had directed the poll panel to deploy more central forces than deployed during the 2013 panchayat polls. At least 82,000 security force personnel were deployed in 2013.
A day after Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on his car at Deoband in Saharanpur district on Wednesday evening, a case of attempt to murder and SC/ST act was registered by the Uttar Pradesh police, officials said. The incident took place at Gandhi Colony in Deoband when Azad was returning in an SUV after attending a programme. (Facebook)

Azad Samaj Party member Manish was driving the vehicle when unidentified assailants fired at Azad on Wednesday around 5pm in Deoband area of district Saharanpur.

He sustained a bullet wound on his waist and was admitted in a community health centre at Deoband for treatment. He was later shifted to district hospital of Saharanpur.

Also Read: Bhim Army chief shot at by car-borne assailants in Uttar Pradesh

ADG of Meerut zone Rajeev Sabharwal said that a case has been lodged on the complaint of Manish under section 307 of IPC (Indian Penal Code) and SC/ST act. Investigation is underway to arrest the assailants.

Meanwhile, reports about recovery of assailants Haryana number registered car was circulating on social media.

ADG Sabharwal did not divulge any details on the development.

ADG, however, confirmed that there were four assailants in the car who fired at Azad.

The incident took place at Gandhi Colony in Deoband when Azad was returning in an SUV after attending a programme, police said.

The assailants were in a car and opened fire on Azads SUV from the right side. A bullet grazed his abdomen, Saharanpur (City) superintendent of police Abimanyu Manglik said.
Following a delayed monsoon in Mumbai, the city is now experiencing intense rainfall this week. However, according to the latest weather updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), India's financial capital is anticipated to receive comparatively less intense showers and heavy to very heavy rainfall at only isolated places on Thursday. (Weather in India Live Updates) Muslims devotees shelter under a plastic sheet while offering Eid al-Adha prayers during a rainy morning in Mumbai on June 29, 2023. (AFP)

Rains in Mumbai today? Here's what IMD predicts

Moderate rainfall continues to occur over Mumbai. It is likely to continue during the next 3 hours (till 11:00 am on Thursday). Extremely Heavy rainfall has occurred at isolated stations and very heavy at some stations during the last 21 hours, IMD said in a tweet.

The Indian government weather forecast agency added that the heavy rainfall intensity is likely to continue on Thursday as well and is likely to decrease gradually from Friday. (ALSO READ: Cloudy skies, rain to continue till July 4)

This week's Mumbai weather forecast

Day Alert Intensity Probability Thursday Yellow Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely Friday Yellow Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely Saturday Green Moderate very likely Sunday Green Moderate very likely

What are the tide timings predicted in Mumbai

High Tide

08:48am : 3.54 metre

20:09pm : 3.44 metre

Low tide

2:25pm: 2.35 metre

02:46am on Friday: 1.07 metre

ALSO READ | Mumbai rain: IMD issues orange, yellow alerts for parts of Maharashtra

Mumbai rains: Average rainfall in Maharashtra's capital

From Wednesday 8:00am to Friday 8:00am, Mumbai received an average rainfall of 93mm, while the eastern suburbs recorded 127mm and the western suburbs experienced 123mm of rainfall.

Tree collapse in Byculla area claims one life, injures another

One person died and another was injured in a tree collapse incident in Mumbai's Byculla East area. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), two individuals were trapped when a banyan tree collapsed.

A 22-year-old Rehman Khan was declared dead upon arrival at JJ Hospital, while a 20-year-old Rizvan Khan was admitted for treatment and is stable.

This incident marks the third tree-related fatality in Mumbai since yesterday.

(Inputs from HT Correspondent)
You came to power under exceptional circumstances. What have been the big wins in this one year? Shiv Sena will never merge with the BJP, it will remain independent. We have no interest in killing that party. You need all kinds of parties to accommodate the voter base, said Devendra Fadnavis, in an interview with Hindustan Times. (Anshuman Poyrekar/ HT Photo)

Maharashtra, which had come to a near standstill, has been given a fresh momentum. Take Mumbai, for example. When I was the CM (2014-2019) I had given approval for 337 kilometers of Metro but the Metro 3 (from SEEPZ in Andheri east to Colaba) was stalled after that. Work on the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link was slowed down, the bullet train project was stalled. We have removed all the road blocks. Part of the coastal road will be operationalised by the end of the year and so will the Trans-harbour Link. The new airport at Navi Mumbai will start next year while the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Highway is already operational. We have already started two Metro lines in Mumbai and another four lines are scheduled next. There is not a single project that they (MVA) can showcase. But even more tragically, for 30 months that they were in power, the cabinet sub-committee on investment did not sit, not a single investment proposal was approved by them. Surely, Covid cant be held responsible for that. We have, in one year, cleared proposals for 1.5 lakh crore and MoUs for a similar amount are being negotiated. I am satisfied with the momentum that we have generated.

There is a feeling or call it a belief that Mumbai is rapidly losing out to Gujarat.

When India is growing at the rate of 7.5%, its not only on the back of Maharashtra, other states are growing too. For the longest time, we did nothing about our infrastructure and which is why we lost out on the IT boom because Mumbai became unaffordable. The thumb rule for IT companies is that they cannot afford rent thats higher than 50 per sq ft. But five years down the line, especially after MTHL is operational, Navi Mumbai will become the hub of IT, AI, life sciences and bio-tech because land will become affordable; 65% of Indias data centre capacity is created in Navi Mumbai. Bengaluru will eventually lose out on account of the same problem that beset Mumbai--they have not created the infrastructure.

But for all this to happen smoothly, political stability will be the pre-requisite. The Shiv Sena, as we knew it, no longer exists; the MVA is fairly formidable while BJP, of course, is the central pole. Everything points to a major political churn. What do you see emerging from this?

Maharashtra sees this kind of churn every 15-20 years. It happened in the late 70s, in the late 90s, and the same happened in 2019. Parties come and go all the time. We are in a state of sankraman (transition). Something good will emerge from this.

In 2019, when your falling out happened with the Shiv Sena, was it only about chief ministership? Four years on, you are in power with a faction of the Shiv Sena and a Sainik is chief minister.

There had been no discussion (in 2019) about chief ministership for Uddhav Thackeray. It was clear that we were fighting the election under my leadership. Modiji, Amit bhai, Naddaji and he himself had said that Devendra Fadnavis would be CM. But he changed later (after a fractured mandate). Had we accepted his terms at that time, we would have looked like a weak party, we couldnt afford to be taken for granted. Politics is all about perception. It could have affected us in other states too.

You have said that Uddhav Thackeray refused to take your calls at that time. But if Amit Shah or Prime Minister Modi himself would have called, things could have been different perhaps?

Main koi chhota aadmi hoon? Chillar aadmi hoon? (Am I a small fry?). Youve been my partner for 5 years, I have been leading the alliance, youre not taking my calls, why would my leaders call you?

Were you surprised by his eventual stance to go with the MVA?

Totally! If there are ten things that are apparent, another ten go on in the background in politics. The things that I may have done for him, some work he may have asked me to do for him, some personal matters that I may have taken care of. After all thatif I had been in his place I would have picked up the phone and said that Modi or Amit Shah should speak directly to me. Utna toh courage dikhao, but to not even take calls! Pawar saab and I fight every day but we speak often.

In a recent interview you said Sharad Pawar betrayed you after initially agreeing to form the government in 2019. But it wasnt Sharad Pawar alone who betrayed you. Ajit Pawar too went back after being sworn in as your deputy. Would you trust him ever again?

I dont blame Ajit Pawar. We had decided to form the government in consultation with Pawarsaab. But then Mr Pawar backed out and the SC verdict was such that the MLAs who came with him would have been disqualified. He said, Tell me what to do, If you want I can do (political) suicide. He had honoured his end of the bargain so we asked him to carry on, we dont blame him.

You formed a government without Sharad Pawar having given any final commitment?

How do you know that? It was in fact beyond that. Portfolios, guardian ministers everything had been worked out with him.

So, what went wrong?

Double play.

So you were first betrayed by Uddhav Thackeray and then betrayed again by Mr Pawar

(Cuts in) I have no problems with Mr Pawar. He was not an ally, he was just being an opportunist. We are in politics, and thats what we do. My gilein-shikwein (complaint) is with Uddhavji. What he did was back-stabbing.

Well, in the last one year you have annihilated his party.

Well, if you do wrong to someone you have to pay the price.

So, no question of ever politically reconciling with Uddhav Thackeray?

No chance.

Is that also because you think hes a spent force politically?

I wont say that. I think hes not a serious politician.

Why do you say that?

I dont say it. Pawarsaab himself has written this in his memoirs. If a seasoned politician like him, who is also his ally, is saying that, it must mean something. Pawarsaab has said he (Thackeray) doesnt have political acumen, he never went to Mantralaya

And you agree with Pawarsaab?

I do (laughs).

So, theres great bonhomie between you and Mr Pawar now?

We agree only on this, on the rest we have our disagreements.

You said youre not against Muslims but only against the policy of appeasement, then why is the communal temperature in the state rising? You, who have been so measured in your public speech, have been intemperate saying things like Aurangzeb ki aulaad etc.

What I actually said was that Aurangzeb cannot be a hero in India. Certain Muslim-dominated areas started eulogizing Aurangzeb. His posters began appearing, processions were carried out in his name. That is when I said, he who killed thousands of Hindus, desecrated temples, cannot be a hero of any nationalist Muslims. In that context I said, Yeh Aurangzeb ki aulaadein kaha se aa gayi, and I added that this was being done by design. I didnt use that for all Muslims.

One argument is that this is in response to the Sakal Hindu Samaj rallies. Isnt polarization being stoked in Maharashtra?

These rallies were in response to instances of love jihad in places like Ahmednagar. When (aggrieved) people went to the police-- this was in MVAs time -- they would not take them seriously. Thats when the morchas started. There was no violence in SHS rallies, barring one. Although, certain inflammatory speeches were made in some of the rallies and we acted against them. We gave notice to the organizers too.

When you took over as a young, fresh-faced chief minister in 2014, you had seemed so progressive, but now one gets the sense that you have changed.

This is a perception created by the media. I can give you 200 instances of decisions I have taken that are genuinely progressive, but no one talks about them while one statement I make, is twisted out of context. Unfortunately, whether its the media, or us politicians, we only talk on narrative rather than basic issues.

The whole political discourse has become so coarse in Maharashtra.

I squarely blame Sanjay Raut for lowering the political discourse in Maharashtra. Every morning, the Marathi channels reach his house and he holds forth talking rubbish. We too have to then respond in a similarly low fashion because in politics if someone hits you, you cannot offer the other cheek. But why is the media interested in what a chillar paper like Saamana writes?

What is your relationship with Mr Eknath Shinde like?

We complement each other. His strength is his work on the grassroots level while I am seen as a (good) administrator. The most important part of our relationship is that in my behaviour I am always mindful of protocol, always one step behind him. In his behaviour too, he never makes it seem as if I am his deputy. There is mutual respect.

You said in an interview that you were shocked when you were made deputy CM.

It was my proposal that Mr Shinde should be made CM. I had told the PM and Amit bhai that only if he was CM would the government be stable, and his people will have faith in us. After some deliberation they agreed and asked me what Id like to do. I said, either I could be state BJP chief or part of the national executive. This was agreed upon. I was euphoric and then Amit bhai called saying I had to be part of the government, that Naddaji was going to make an announcement to the effect. It cant be, I said. People will think of me as greedy for office. The PM then called and said, This government is not an experiment, if you stay out of the cabinet even your own party colleagues will not listen to you.. My wife was abroad, I had no one to turn to, I called my mother for advice. If Modiji has said so, then you must join the government, she told me.

There is some talk of Mr Shindes party eventually merging with the BJP.

It will never merge with the BJP, it will remain independent. We have no interest in killing that party. India is a diverse country and Hindus are also diverse. You need all kinds of parties to accommodate the voter base.

You mentioned your wife. She is a vocal, independent person which is unusual among political wives.

I dont agree with all her views and nor do I like or appreciate all her views, but then she may think the same about my views. She has her own identity and personality. Though I do tell her that the society we live in expects you to be quiet and if you dont want to be quiet then you have to be ready for the consequences. Unfortunately, people expect that I should control her but we are not living in some past century. The one thing on which I have serious disagreements with her is that since shes not in politics, she should not air her political views.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Surendra P Gangan Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra governments administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others. ...view detail
Former INX Media CEO Indrani Mukerjea, who is currently on bail in a case related to the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora , shared an Instagram note on her thoughts about sisterhood and the inner peace she discovered during her time in Mumbai's Byculla women's prison. Indrani Mukerjea had been in jail since 2015 and was granted bail by the Supreme Court in May of last year. Indrani Mukherjea. (HT archive)

In a note shared on her Instagram handle, Mukerjea discussed how women in captivity exhibit genuine joy and support for each other. She mentioned receiving unwavering support from her fellow inmates, something she didn't find outside the prison walls. She highlighted that in her darkest moments, while facing misfortune, many people who were once known to her eagerly seized the opportunity to hold grudges and tear her apart.

Read Indrani Mukerjea's full post here:

"Last night I stayed awake and kept thinking about the corridors of the Byculla Undertrial Prison. My heart was filled with empathy for the innocent women in captivity. The suffocation of being in prison, incarcerated for something you haven't done is hell of a kind I wish upon nobody. But I can't deny, in my darkest days, I found inner peace too.

Locked away in the confines of prison, a remarkable truth dawned upon me - women in Byculla Undertrial Prison possessed an extraordinary absence of malice towards each other. Behind the cold iron bars, I observed something truly captivating. While people in the outside world often mask their true emotions, women in this secluded realm danced with genuine joy for one another. Their happiness radiated from their souls when good fortune befell a fellow inmate.

Also Read | My phone could be tampered with: Indrani claims before CBI court

When misfortune had cast its dark shadow upon me a few years ago, several individuals who'd known me, eagerly seized the opportunity to settle old scores, nurse their grudges, and tear me apart.

However, it was within this unforeseen realm of captivity that I was truly enlightened. Here, the true embodiment of female camaraderie and sisterhood unfolded before my eyes. There was unwavering support. Amidst the desolation of prison life, I discovered a profound truth: there is an unbreakable bond that unites women; they have an unparalleled capacity to uplift and fortify one another.

In the shadows of those grey prison walls, I witnessed the authentic essence of sisterhood, where women stood resolute, shielding each other from the relentless storm. It was an experience that transcended the confines of those prison bars, etching its mark deep within my soul. Forever changed, I emerged from that chapter of my life with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and resilience of female companionship, a testament to the enduring power of sisterhood."

Sheena Bora case

Indrani Mukerjea, along with her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamwar Rai, is alleged to have strangled Sheena Bora, daughter from her first partner, inside a car in Mumbai on April 24, 2012. The next day, they disposed of her body in a forest in the nearby Raigad district.

Mukerjea has consistently claimed that Sheena was not murdered but is alive, asserting that she had gone abroad for her education in 2012. However, she could never provide any evidence to support her claims. In January this year, she reiterated that Sheena Bora was alive and allegedly seen at the Guwahati airport by two lawyers.

During the cross-examination of Rahul Mukerjea, the son of her ex-husband Peter Mukerjea, Mukerjea maintained that Rahul had remained in contact with Sheena even after April 2012.

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Mumbai: The celebrations of Bakri Eid in Nalasopara East turned tragic for a family on Thursday when two cousins drowned in a well while returning from a mosque after offering namaaz. One of them slipped in and drowned, police officials said, adding that the other also died in an attempt to save his cousin. An accidental death report (ADR) has been registered in the matter and further investigations are underway. Based on the statements of the eyewitnesses and locals it seems to be an unfortunate accident but we are investigating the case and have also called for the CCTV camera recordings of the neighbourhood to confirm that there was no foul play involved, added the police officer. (HT PHOTO)

According to the police, the incident occurred around 11.30am when Aman Shaikh, 19 and Adnan Shaikh, 21, were returning to their house in Appa Nagar in Tulinj, Nalasopara East. Aman and Adnan were sitting on the edge of the well. They were waiting for their other cousins and relatives to take their goats for sacrifice to the local butcher house, an officer from Tulinj police station said.

Imran Shaikh, 27, a relative of Aman and Adnan as well as an eyewitness to the incident, told police that as the two were sitting on the edge of the well, it started raining suddenly and they decided to take cover. When the two got up to run inside a house, Aman slipped and fell inside the well, he told the police.

As Aman did not know how to swim and Adnan knew swimming, he immediately jumped inside to save Aman. We saw the incident and began shouting for help and waited but the two never surfaced on the water, said Imran.

We were going to celebrate Eid together by sacrificing the goats together like every year. This year, however, the two youngsters from our families are lost. The celebration has turned into a funeral for us, Imran said.

After waiting for a few minutes when Imran could not see his brothers, he immediately called up the fire brigade and the police. The fire brigade searched the well. At 12.20pm their bodies were fished out of the well, the police officer said.

An accidental death report (ADR) has been registered in the matter and further investigations are underway. Based on the statements of the eyewitnesses and locals it seems to be an unfortunate accident but we are investigating the case and have also called for the CCTV camera recordings of the neighbourhood to confirm that there was no foul play involved, added the police officer.

The bodies of both men were sent for postmortem to the hospital.

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After the Noida Power Corporation Limited (NPCL) issued notices to 15 sectors in Greater Noida over alleged power theft, residents said that representatives from the Federation of RWAs in Greater Noida met with officials on Wednesday, urging them to retract the notices. A delegation of representatives met with Sarnath Ganguly, NPCLs vice president, to inform him of the situation and request the discom to withdraw the notices. (HT Photo)

According to Devender Tiger, a resident of Sector Beta 1 and president of Federation of RWAs in Greater Noida which includes representatives of 40 RWAs of the area, in June, the NPCL served notices to at least 15 Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs), accompanied by electricity bills ranging from 30,000 to 1 lakh.

The notices were addressed to the respective RWAs where the NPCL alleged that the sector has been stealing power from the meters of Greater Noida authority streetlights and electricity poles. However, these notices have been sent wrongly, said Tiger.

He further added that the notices pertained to the power usage in the sectors common areas, such as the guard room electricity and decorative lights at the main sector gates.

Tiger said, Since the sectors lack separate meters for common area facilities, we are compelled to obtain power connections from other meters. Consequently, the NPCL has charged us exorbitant amounts and accused us of power theft.

A delegation of representatives met with Sarnath Ganguly, NPCLs Vice President, to inform him of the situation and request the discom to withdraw the notices. Deepak Bhati, the federations General Secretary, said, We requested officials to provide separate meters for common area power usage, and all RWAs are willing to bear the cost. However, the notices already served should be retracted.

Officials said that they would investigate the matter. Ganguly said, We have listened to the residents grievances but have not made any assurances regarding withdrawing the notices. We will hold another meeting with the residents to devise an action plan for resolving the issue of meters for common area facilities in sectors. We will also investigate the notices that were sent.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ashni Dhaor Ashni Dhaor is a correspondent with Hindustan Times. She covers crime, education, health, politics, civic issues and environment in Ghaziabad city. She graduated from Delhi University in 2015 and has since been working with Hindustan Times since. ...view detail
Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO), the apex body of seven Naga tribes in Eastern Nagaland has welcomed the Centres proposal to create an autonomous council comprising six districts of the state. An ENPO delegation had met union home minister Amit Shah in December last year. (ANI image)

This development comes days after the central government had proposed autonomous territorial powers for six eastern districts of Nagaland to be governed by the ENPO to resolve an ongoing demand for a separate state, people familiar with the matter had said.

ENPO, representing the Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir, and Yimkhiung communities had been demanding for a separate state since 2010 mainly due to socio-economic backwardness.

Also Read: Centre proposes autonomous council in east Nagaland amid demand for separate state

According to the ENPO, following series of formal parleys with the government of India since 2015 and the state government, the Centre recently offered the formation of Frontier Naga Territory with legislative, executive, administration, and financial autonomy.

This new autonomous councils performance will be reviewed after a period of 10 years to assess its efficacy to fulfil the aspirations of the people of eastern Nagaland.

Also considering the sentiments of our Naga brothers and sisters towards unity and togetherness we have accepted the proposal without insisting on dividing the Nagaland State, ENPO said in a statement on Tuesday.

We stand on the threshold of this dialogue; we hope to move forward courageously with the prayers and blessings of our fellow Nagas to a future where we can be equal contributors to the prosperity of our Naga fraternity, it added while appealing to the state government and other Naga communities to extend their support towards fulfilling the demand of the people of the region.

Meanwhile, after postponing the consultative meeting scheduled to be held on Friday on the issue, the chief minister Neiphiu Rio-led Nagaland cabinet held a meeting on Wednesday instead in Kohima.

According to people privy to the meeting confirmed to HT that the Centres proposal for formation of Naga Frontier Territory was discussed.

They, however, refused to divulge further details.

Meanwhile, some political observers in the state while supporting the granting of autonomous powers to the six ENPO districts have expressed their reservations that the Centre might not be able to implement its proposal soon as it could have political ramifications in the northeast region given the ongoing Manipur crisis.

According to a government official, on condition of anonymity said, the Centre cannot afford to jump into implementing its proposal on ENPO as there are a few modalities that are yet to reach a consensus between the Centre and ENPO.

Even if things are finalised, the central government will have to think twice before actually implementing the autonomous council to ENPO, considering the current situation in Manipur, the official said.

Naga Peoples Front (NPF) legislator Kuzholuzo Nienu observes that if the Centre is prepared to talk about an autonomous regional council for ENPO, it should apply the same yardstick to the Manipur crisis.

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Tripura chief minister Manik Saha has ordered a magisterial enquiry after seven people, including three children and three women, were electrocuted to death during the Ulto Rath (the return of Lord Jagannaths chariot) procession in Unakoti districts Kumarghat on Wednesday. Soon after the incident, CM Manik Saha rushed to Kumarghat and met the injured people in the hospital. (Twitter Photo)

Apart from the seven deceased, another 16 were injured after the crest of a chariot came in contact with high tension power transmission lines during the procession in Kumarghat.

Saha also announced 4 lakh compensation for the kin of the deceased, 2.5 lakh for those who have sustained over 60% burn injuries and 75,000 for those who suffered 40-60% burn injuries.

In addition to that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 2 lakh for each of the deceaseds families, and 50,000 for the injured from the PM Relief Fund.

The mishap during the Ulta Rath Yatra at Kumarghat is saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected, the PMO said on Twitter.

Soon after the incident, Saha rushed to Kumarghat and met the injured people in the hospital.

The state government will bear the expenses of treatment of all the injured devotees. If required, patients will be sent to other states for better treatment. We have already asked for an enquiry headed by the Unakoti district magistrate. We shall take proper action after receiving the report, the CM told the reporters in Kumarghat last night.

State power minister Ratan Lal Nath also asked the DGM of Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd, Kumarghat to probe the incident and submit a report to the government at the earliest.

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Four children were crushed to death after a compound wall of an agro factory at Chandrapura GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) in Halol taluka of Panchmahal district collapsed on Thursday afternoon, police said. The boundary wall of the factory collapsed around 2pm on Thursday (Twitter/@PTI)

The victims families hailed from Madhya Pradesh and had migrated here to work as labourers, police said.

According to an official at Halol town police station, six people, all labourers, who resided in makeshift huts adjacent to the boundary wall of the factory, were buried under the debris of the wall, which collapsed around 2pm on Thursday.

The incident took place amid heavy rainfall, which appears to have weakened the structural integrity of the wall, leading to its collapse, said police.

Also Read: Tripura: 6, including 2 children, die of electrocution during yatra procession

Several parts of south Gujarat have received heavy rainfall in the last two days and more showers are expected.

Police said that emergency services were dispatched to the scene, where the rescuers worked to recover the bodies of the victims.

The deceased children were identified as Abhishek (4), Gungun (2), Muskan (5), and Chiriram (5).

One survivor, a 26-year-old woman, was rushed to a hospital in Vadodara for urgent medical attention, police said, adding, another survivor, a 25-year-old woman, was admitted to a hospital in Halol town.

Two more labourers were shifted to the hospital for treatment, but they were lucky to have escaped unhurt and were soon discharged, officials added.

Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the wall collapse, said police.
The Tripura police on Thursday, in a major crackdown against illegal drug trade in the state, arrested two drug peddlers and recovered a massive heroin cache worth 13.8 crore from them, officials said. (Representative Photo)

Dhalai district superintendent of police (SP) Avinash Rai said the drug bust had taken place based on a tip-off and preliminary investigation suggests that the drug cache had originated in Mizoram and was headed for Bangladesh.

We have registered a case and arrested two persons, both residents of Boxanagar in Sepahijala district. Preliminary inputs suggest the drug was headed for Bangladesh. A part of it was meant for local consumption as well. Further investigation is going on, said the SP. Police have identified the arrested drug peddlers as Mahabul Alam and Piklu Bhowmik.

Also Read: Tripura CM orders magisterial enquiry into electrocution deaths during Rath Yatra

Ambassa sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Suman Majumder said the drug was recovered from a Mahindra Thar Jeep bearing number TR01 BU 0234 travelling through Ambassa based on the tip-off.

Earlier this month, Tripura Police claimed in a statement that Tripura is in the second position in northeast India in terms of the seizure of narcotics items and first in the region for the destruction of seized drugs.

Tripura has an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh and it is still unfenced in several patches due to local disputes centring border alignment and land acquisition.

Tripura chief minister Manik Shah has given a free hand to security forces to eradicate drug abuse in the state. A release from the Tripura chief ministers office earlier this week said that the Nesha Mukt Abhiyan (drug-free campaign) in Tripura has succeeded in the detection of narcotics, building awareness against the menace, and detention of drug peddlers

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With the Maharashtra government giving in principle approval to the launch of an amnesty scheme for boosting the redevelopment of as many as 40,000 old MHADA houses in the city, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Pune president Jagdish Mulik along with former deputy mayor Siddharth Dhende on Thursday met revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and finance department secretary Nitin Kareer for the same. Maharashtra government gave in principle approval to the launch of an amnesty scheme for boosting the redevelopment of as many as 40,000 old MHADA houses in the city (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

Mulik said, We demanded that the old stamp duty be applied for redevelopment of the MHADA homes. The government should apply stamp duty at the ready reckoner rate of the year in which these flats were purchased. Many citizens handed over the flats to others and at that time, stamp duty was not applied. Now, the government is asking to pay stamp duty but citizens are not able to pay it.

Dhende said, There are more than 40,000 MHADA units that have become old and dilapidated. But citizens are not able to carry on redevelopment of these structures. Mainly, people from lower income groups are living in these houses. The Maharashtra government offered an FSI of 3 for redevelopment of these houses but various rules are creating hurdles in the path.

Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil has instructed the administration to launch the amnesty scheme for MHADA homes in Pune to help speed-up redevelopment works.
Pune: Pune police commissioner Retesh Kumaar on Thursday suspended seven police officials for showing laxity during official work in the vehicle vandalism cases lodged at Sahakarnagar police station. Pune police commissioner Retesh Kumaar on Thursday suspended seven police officials for showing laxity during official work in the vehicle vandalism cases lodged at Sahakarnagar police station. (HT FILE)

Kumar, in his order issued late on Thursday evening, ordered suspension of Sahakarnagar police station incharge Savlaram Salgaonkar, inspector (crime) Manoj Eknath Shendge, assistant police inspector Sameer Vitthal Shende, sub-inspectors Hasan Maqbool Mulani and Maruti Govind Waghmare, and constables Sandeep Jairam Potkule and Vinayak Dattatreya Jambhale.

The suspension order will be in place till completion of the inquiry instituted against them under the Maharashtra Police Act. The order is related to showing negligence in duty related to repeated vehicle vandalism cases reported in the area.

On June 27, 10-15 persons got into a fight and vandalised ten vehicles, two shops and one office in Aranyeshwar. The incident had taken place a week after a criminal on record and his seven associates damaged 26 two-wheelers at Taljai Vasahat.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will not make its stand clear on Uniform Civil Code (UCC) unless Law Commission decides on the 900 suggestions it has received on the issue , party chief Sharad Pawar said in Pune on Thursday. NCP chief Sharad Pawar. (HT PHOTO)

The NCP president also made it clear that the union government should first introduce reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies before talking about the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

After Centre asked Law Commission to consider the issue of Uniform Civil Court, it has received around 900 suggestions. We do not know what these suggestions are. Unless the commission studies these suggestions and accordingly makes recommendation to Centre, NCP will not make its stand clear, said Pawar.

According to NCP chief, there has been different opinions among some communities in India. I heard that Sikhs have a different take on the issue. Till we find out what the communities like Sikhs, Christians and Jains think, it wont be appropriate for us to make our stand clear. But before that, reservation should be given to women in assemblies and the Lok Sabha, which is a long-pending demand, he added.

Pawar also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become restless after the Opposition parties meeting in Patna.

Next Oppn meet

The next meeting of Opposition leaders has been shifted from Shimla to Bengaluru owing to the prevailing weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar informed on Thursday.

According to NCP chief, the next meeting of the opposition parties will take place at Bengaluru on July 13-14.

At this meeting, the future plan of action on how to go forward in the upcoming (Lok Sabha) election would be discussed. The discussion will also be centred on how power is misused to stoke communal tension in states, Pawar said.

Pawar said despite violence in Manipur, Centre is not taking adequate steps. Manipur is burning, but the Modi government is not taking any steps to bring the situation under control, the NCP chief said.

Looking at the current situation in various parts of country and the opinion that people have about this government, there is scope for believe that Centre is trying to divert attention by speaking about Uniform Civil Court, Pawar said.

The NCP chief claimed further that in Opposition-ruled states, especially Left-ruled Kerala and Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, the BJP has failed to make any meaningful political inroads and had not received any support from the people.

The BJP is not in power in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, he said in support of his argument.

Pawar claimed further that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on his maiden State visit to the United States when the first Opposition meeting took place, grew restless after learning of it.

His remark came in response to PM Modis claim on Tuesday in Bhopal that the Opposition leaders are unsettled as they have come to realise that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was on course to win the 2024 general elections.

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Of the Congresss three victories in the winter of 2018, Chhattisgarh was arguably the most spectacular. The party overcame the loss of its entire frontline leadership in the state  they were wiped out in 2013 in a devastating Maoist attack  to displace the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) 15-year-long rule. Yet, its win was marred by a fractious battle for chief ministership between Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo. Eventually, Mr Baghel won but tensions continued to simmer between the two regional stalwarts, eventually spilling into the open in September 2021, when scores of lawmakers travelled to Delhi as both sides attempted a show-of-strength. Even as those close to Mr Singh Deo insisted that the party leadership had promised him rotational chief ministership, rumours of a change in guard and friction swirled. But Mr Baghel held on, and Mr Singh Deo retreated to the background. This is the context in which the Congresss surprise decision to anoint Mr Singh Deo as deputy chief minister just six months before assembly polls must be understood. For a party that is often accused of being too passive in resolving factional battles, the decision is proactive and indicates that the party is trying to take lessons from past debacles. After his elevation, Mr Singh Deo, who earlier held the health portfolio, has made the requisite conciliatory noises and affirmed the need to fight the upcoming polls unitedly. This must be music to the ears of the Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge. Two aspects merit note. PREMIUM Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel with his deputy-designate TS Singh Deo. (PTI)

One, the resource-rich state has played an important role for the Congress in the past five years, especially as it was, for some time, one of only two states the party controlled directly. As some internal assessments note, Chhattisgarh also represents the best chance for the Congress to register a rare victory against the BJP this year in a bipolar contest; the latter is riven by factionalism in its local unit. A victory in Chhattisgarh will boost the Congresss stock in the fledgling Opposition bloc and give it greater bargaining heft ahead of the 2024 general elections. This cannot happen without projecting unity.

Two, this moment also poses a risk. The Congress must be careful to not repeat its misguided strategy that muddled its campaign in Punjab last year  after choosing Charanjit Singh Channi to replace Amarinder Singh as CM, the party vacillated until the last possible moment to name him the CM candidate, ensuring that the rank-and-file were divided and distracted. With deep factionalism in another poll-bound state, Rajasthan, the Congress needs to ensure that this truce, howsoever uneasy, holds.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi has announced that it will hold mock or practice test for National Exit Test (NExT) on behalf of the National Medical Commission (NMC). Final year MBBS students can apply for it on next.aiimsexams.ac.in. AIIMS to hold NExT mock test, apply on next.aiimsexams.ac.in (Mohd Zakir/HT Photo)

The application process consists of three sequential stages: Registration & basic candidate information, generation of exam unique code (EUC) and completion of application for mock/practice, July 2023.

The registration process started on June 28 and will end at 5 pm on July 10.

NExT mock test is scheduled for July 28, 2023.

The application fee is 2,000 for General/OBC candidates and it is 1,000 for SC, ST and EWS applicants. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are exempted from paying the exam fee.

NMC has also published the information brochure of the NExT mock test and it is available for download from next.aiimsexams.ac.in. Candidates can check the exam pattern and other key information inside it.

NExT mock test information bulletin

Notification

Direct link to apply.
NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Thursday said a claim that a trailer of the film, 72 Hoorain was denied certification by the body was misleading, adding that the application was under process. Mumbai: Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit speaks during the trailer launch of his upcoming movie 72 Hoorain, in Mumbai on June 28 (PTI)

Misleading reports are being circulated in certain sections of media that a film and its trailer titled Bahattar Hoorain (72 Hoorain) has been refused certification by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it said in a statement.

Contrary to the reports, CBFC states that the film Bahattar Hoorain (72 Hoorain) was granted A certification and the certificate was issued on 4-10-2019.

It added that at present, the trailer of the said film is under due process which was applied to CBFC on 19-6-2023 and examined in accordance with the Guidelines issued under Section 5B(2) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

The applicant was asked for requisite documentary submissions under intimation and upon receipt of the same, certification was granted subject to modifications. A show cause notice communicating the modifications was issued to the applicant/filmmaker on 27-6-2023 and the same is pending for the applicants response/compliance, the board said.

Ashoke Pandit, who is the co-producer of 72 Hoorain, on Wednesday questioned the CBFC on its stand. In an interview with ANI, Pandit questioned the CBFC demand to make some changes to the trailer, saying the trailer only comprises of shots from the move.

As producers, filmmakers of this industry, we have asked a very genuine question. The film to which you have given a censor certificate, which won a national award and was liked, it is from that (fillm) that the shots have been taken in the trailer. If you liked and clapped for the same shots in the film, then what is the problem with the trailer? We need the answer. They have to answer this question, he said.

Helmed by two-time National Award winner Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, 72 Hoorain is slated to release on July 7. The film is produced by Gulab Singh Tanwar, Kiran Dagar, and Anirudh Tanwar and is co-produced by Ashoke Pandit. Earlier, the films team unveiled the teaser of the film in 10 languages. 72 Hoorain stars Pavan Malhotra and Ameer Bashir in the lead roles.
Film producer, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's estranged wife Aaliya Siddiqui recently talked about her relationship with the actor. She also briefly commented about Kangana who once talked about their feud and said her words have no value.' Aaliya starred in Bigg Boss OTT 2 where she admitted that her identity is limited to being Nawazuddin Siddiqui's wife, however, she wishes to change it. Also read: Aaliya Siddiqui admits her identity is limited to being a star-wife Nawazuddin Siddiqui's estranged wife Aaliya Siddiqui talked about Kangana Ranaut.

Aaliya and Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Over the past few months, Aaliya made news with her relationship with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It began when she filed cases against Nawazuddin, his brother and his mother. She had accused Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his family of harassment during their separation. Earlier this year, she claimed the actor had thrown her and their two children  daughter Shora and son Yaani out of his Mumbai house. This was followed by a defamation suit filed by Nawazuddin against Aaliya. The two are said to have reached a settlement amid their property dispute.

Aaliya on Kangana Ranaut

Talking about Kangana who came out in support of Nawazuddin during the dispute, Aaliya said, "I dont pay attention to Kangana because her words hold no value. She pokes her nose in everything, she keeps speaking about everyone. In my opinion, her words have no meaning.

She further said that Kangana talked about Nawazuddin only because he was starring in her maiden project Tiku Weds Sheru. "I will not give any importance to Kangana in my life. Nobody apart from Kangana said anything because Kangana had to support Tiku weds Sheru. She is the producer and she has to save her film. She is known for raising her voice in the wrong thing. If someone has to poke anyone, it will be Kangana, she added.

Previously Aaliya had shared posts on social media, claiming she was being harassed at Nawazuddin's house. Later, the actor issued a statement and said that he was being painted as the bad guy. Reacting to it, Kangana Ranaut had written on social media, "Was much needed @nawazuddin._siddiqui saab silence does not always give us peace I am glad you issued this statement.

Kangana on Nawazuddin

In February, Kangana first came out in support of Nawazuddin. She said, Nawaz sir is being humiliated like this outside his home...he gave his everything to his family, he stayed at a rented place for several years..he used to take a rickshaw to TWS shoot. Only last year he bought this bungalow and now his ex-wife came to claim it...so sad.

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Sonam Kapoor made sure she was the biggest stunner at the reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate UK India week on Wednesday. The actor represented India in a light green floral saree by Rohit Bal and added the English touch by wearing a white overcoat on it. She was styled by sister Rhea Kapoor. Also read: Blind teaser: Sonam Kapoor plays a visually-impaired police officer in search of a serial killer. Watch Sonam Kapoor wore a saree and an overcoat for the reception.

Sharing the pictures of her look for the evening on Instagram, Sonam wrote, Representing in @rohitbalofficial for the reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate UK India week. What a beautiful day and so happy I got to wear a sari in the gorgeous London summer.

Who all liked Sonam's look

Anand Ahuja reacted to her post, wiiiilldddd along with heart eyes emojis. A fan wrote, Oh my! How beautiful. Many called her gorgeous and "stunning". A comment also read: Absolutely beautiful. All from Malaika Arora, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Arjun Kapoor to Bhumi Pednekar and Disha Patani liked her post on Instagram.

More about the reception at 10 Downing Street

The reception was hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his official residence and office in 10 Downing Street and is a part of India Global Forum's flagship event UK-India Week, which is being held from June 26-30 in London. UK-India Week 2023 is the 5th iteration of IGF's flagship event, a weeklong programme that seeks to honour and strengthen the longstanding partnership between these two countries by providing a platform to spotlight crucial topics, including politics, trade, business, sustainability, inclusion, and innovation.

Sonam to make her film comeback

On Tuesday, Sonam saw the teaser release of her comeback film, Blind. It stars Sonam as a cop chasing a serial killer despite her visual impairment. Directed by Shome Makhija, Blind also stars Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak, Lilette Dubey, and Shubham Saraf. The film is a Bollywood remake of the 2011 Korean crime thriller of the same name, directed by Ahn Sang-hoon. Blind is set to stream on the Jio Cinema from July 7, two days ahead of her birthday.

Sonam was last seen in 2019 film The Zoya Factor opposite Dulquer Salmaan. Blind will be her first film after the birth of her son Vayu.

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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
Suhana Khan is all set to make her acting debut with Zoya Akhtar's The Archies. The film's teaser was unveiled at the Netflix Tudum event in Sao Paulo. Now, in a new photoshoot, Suhana looked fresh and confident in a white outfit. (Also read: Shah Rukh Khan sends best wishes to baby' Suhana Khan after her Archies trailer release) Suhana Khan from her latest photoshoot.

Suhana's new photoshoot

Suhana looked radiant in a new photoshoot, pictures of which were shared on Instagram. Suhana opted for a white outfit with blow-dried hair that were left untied. She also chose minimal makeup for the look, and peeked confidently into the camera. Pictures from the photoshoot were shared by the photographer on Instagram, who also tagged Suhana in the caption of the post.

Reactions to Suhana's new pictures

Commenting to the new pictures, Navya Naveli Nanda reacted with a baby face and red heart emoticon. Manish Malhotra added red heart emoticons in the comments. Maheep Kapoor commented with fire emoticons. Many also praised how beautiful she looked in the white outfit. "This is a very beautiful girl (red heart emoticon)" said one. Another comment read, "Angelll" so beautiful and gorgeous!

About The Archies

The Archies is a live-action musical based on the characters of the popular American comics of the same name. The upcoming Netflix film is billed as a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers of Riverdale, a fictional hill station, to a new generation in India, the streamer said.

Set in the year 1964, The Archies is a coming-of-age musical following the lives of Riverdale's favourite set of teenagers - Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel and Dilton. Seen through the lens of the unique Anglo-Indian community, The Archies explores friendship, freedom, love, heartbreak and rebellion. Apart from Suhana, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, Mihir Ahuja, Yuvraj Menda and Aditi Dot are also part of the film.

Next film with Sujoy Ghosh?

A few days ago, a report did the rounds of the internet that Sujoy Ghosh will be helming the next film of Suhana Khan, which will be released in the theatres. Shah Rukh Khan and Sujoy Ghosh have worked together in the capacity of producer and director in Badlaa starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu. The duo will now be reuniting in multiple capacities for this yet another film. Its an action thriller, and other details have been kept under wraps for now. Even Sujoy is excited to explore a new genre as a director." said the Pinkvilla report.

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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
Jamie Foxx, the acclaimed actor and entertainer, is still on the journey to fully regain his health after a medical complication in April, according to an exclusive source. While details about his condition remain undisclosed, those closest to the 55-year-old star are assuring the public that he is receiving the best care and working hard towards recovery. Maintaining a tight-knit circle of support, Foxx's inner circle remains discreet about his current health situation. Oscar-winning US actor Jamie Foxx has been hospitalized with an unspecified medical complication but is in recovery.(AFP)

He is getting the best care and working hard to recover right now, but he is still not himself, a source told People. He has the tightest circle around him.

Positive Updates from Co-Stars

During the Los Angeles premiere of the film "They Cloned Tyrone," Foxx's co-star John Boyega shared a heartening update. Boyega revealed that he recently spoke with Foxx on the phone, expressing his gratitude for the actor's response. He reassured fans that Foxx is doing well and emphasized the importance of privacy during this time. Boyega conveyed his well wishes directly to Foxx and expressed his excitement for the star's eventual return.

Datari Turner, co-producer of the film and close collaborator of Foxx, echoed Boyega's optimism. Turner revealed that Foxx is in excellent shape and high spirits, stating that director Juel Taylor and Boyega spoke to Foxx recently. Turner confidently stated that Foxx will soon be back on the screen and ready to resume his work.

Recovery Updates and Media Speculation

Foxx's daughter, Corinne Foxx, first broke the news of her father's hospitalization on April 12 via an Instagram statement. She shared that Foxx had experienced a medical complication the previous day and was currently recovering. At the time, Foxx was filming the Netflix movie "Back in Action" with Cameron Diaz.

On May 3, Foxx himself posted a message on Instagram expressing gratitude for the love and support he had received during his recovery. While the details of his medical condition remain private, Foxx's statement reassured fans that he was feeling blessed.

Corinne Foxx later addressed the media speculation surrounding her father's health in a second statement on May 12. She dismissed rumors and confirmed that Foxx had been out of the hospital for weeks and was recuperating well. She even shared that he had been playing pickleball recently, expressing appreciation for the prayers and support received. Corinne teased an exciting work announcement to come in the following week.

Also read | Jamie Foxx is recovering well, reveals family member: Report

Ongoing Recovery Journey

Since Corinne's update, there have been no further updates on Foxx's recovery from his family. While the specific details of his health situation remain undisclosed, Foxx's loved ones and colleagues continue to convey optimism and a positive outlook. As Foxx focuses on his recovery and receives the best care available, fans eagerly anticipate his eventual return to the screen, eagerly awaiting news of his upcoming projects.
The Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts announced their fresh list of 398 new members joining them this year. Among international stars such as Taylor Swift and Ke Huy Qwan, several Indian names also made it to the list. (Also read: Karan Johar shares post after UK Parliament honours him: One of those days where I pinch myself) Karan Johar, Ram Charan and Jr NTR are just three of the many Indian artistes to join the Academy.

Indian names on the list

Desi names include RRR actors Jr NTR and Ram Charan, producer Karan Johar and Siddharth Roy Kapur, directors Mani Ratnam and Chaitanya Tamhane, music directors MM Keeravani and Chandrabose, casting director KK Senthil Kumarand documentary maker Shaunak Sen. Also on the list are Bela Bajaria (executive, Netflix), Rafiq Bhatia (music, Everything Everywhere All At Once), Andrij Parekh (cinematographer, The Zookeeper's Wife), Shivani Pandya Malhotra (executive, Red Sea Film), Shivani Rawat (executive, ShivHans Pictures), Girish Balakrishnan (production and technology), Kranti Sarma (production and technology), Haresh Hingorani (visual effects, Laal Singh Chaddha, Zero), P.C. Sanath (visual effects, 5 Rupees, Baahubali: The Beginning).

398 new people is about half the figure of recent years as the academy scaled back after working to double the number of women and non-white members, following calls to boycott the glitzy Oscars and an angry social media backlash under the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite due to a lack of diversity.

More about the new members

The Academy now has more than 10,000 members. These members will have various roles including, but not limited to voting for the nominees for the annual Oscars ceremony.

Of the 2023 class, the academy said 40 percent identify as women, 34 percent belong to underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, and 52 percent are from 50 countries and territories outside the United States.

Seen as the apex body of the Hollywood film industry, the Academy issues a single round of invitations annually. Only Academy members can vote for Oscar winners. Next year's Oscars are set to take place on March 10.

"The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership. They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines, and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide," said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang.

Earlier this year, multiple Indian artistes made a splash at the Oscars. MM Keeravani and Chandrabose lifted the Oscar for Best Song for RRR's Naatu Naatu. Indian production The Elephant Whisperers won Best Documentary Short. Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes was also nominated in the Best Documentary category.

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Marvel's Wastelanders: Star-Lord plot

Marvel's Wastelanders: Star-Lord is set in a shadowy alternate future of the Marvel Universe in which the villains have finally won and the heroes are nothing but a bad memory. Peter Quill and Rocket are a little paunchier, a little slower, and a lot saltier than they were during the glory days of Guardians of the Galaxy. They quickly discover the Earth isn't what it used to be either when they crash land 30 years after Doctor Doom takes over a barren, desolate wasteland and all the world's Super Villains seized control, including outlaw Ghost Riders and the bloodthirsty Kraven the Hunter. Discover secrets, experience thrilling action sequences laced with humour, and delve into complex character dynamics as the story unravels across the immersive soundscape of an audio series.

The series comprises six seasons in total, each focused on a different Marvel Super Hero. The first season, Marvel's Wastelanders: Star-Lord, premiered exclusively on Audible from June 28, 2023, with subsequent seasons releasing throughout 2023 and 2024.

Saif on voicing Peter Quill

Sharing his excitement at the launch of his first audio project, actor Saif Ali Khan said in a statement, "Star-Lord is a fan-favourite character in the Marvel universe. To bring this character and his inspiring story to life through my voice has been a novel and exciting experience. Marvel's Wastelanders on Audible has allowed us to reimagine Star-Lord's journey in a unique way, where each listener has the freedom to paint their own vivid picture of this extraordinary tale. I look forward to hearing what the audiences have to say because I have thoroughly enjoyed myself playing a Super Hero."

Saif Ali Khan's other projects

Apart from this, Saif was recently seen in the pan-India film Adipurush alongside actors Prabhas and Kriti Sanon. The movie is an adaptation of the epic Ramayana. He will be next seen in the film Devara alongside actors Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor.
Tom Cruise on Barbenheimer

Tom took to Instagram on Wednesday to lend support to the upcoming double feature of Oppenheimer and Barbie on July 21. He posed with Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie in front of the posters of both the films with tickets in hand. He wrote in the caption, I love a double feature, and it doesnt get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwigs Barbie.

Not just Barbie and Oppenheimer

In the same Instagram post, Tom also sent a shoutout to the new release, Harrison Ford-starrer Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. He wrote, Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indiana Jones and creating one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. You have given us countless hours of joy, with a picture of him and McQuarrie posing with tickets in front of a poster of the movie.

On supporting the theatrical experience

At the recent world premiere of his action thriller Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One in Rome, Tom said, My goal as a child was to make movies and travel the world. And not just be a tourist, but to work and live there, and understand their culture. You look at my movies, and I've had that, because of everyone who's enabled me and allowed me to entertain them. It's a privilege that I've never taken for granted. It's my passion to make movies. It's my passion to entertain you. And I'll always fight for big theatres and that kind of experience for everyone.

Rumours of his rift with Nolan

Tom's shoutout to Oppenheimer comes a few weeks after reports of him objecting to Universal Pictures' deal with IMAX theatres to release Nolan's new explosive film shot on an IMAX camera, on July 21 and hold it for three weeks. This would thus curtail the IMAX run of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, that would release only nine days prior to July 21.

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Amid their ongoing divorce proceedings, Kevin Costner's estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has reportedly agreed to leave the luxurious $145 million mansion they once shared. However, her departure comes with a single condition that is adding a twist to the situation. Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner attend the Los Angeles Premiere of "Black or White" held at Regal Cinemas.(Invision/AP)

Despite their prenuptial agreement stating that Baumgartner had 30 days to vacate the property after filing for divorce on May 1, she has remained in the residence. Recent court documents reveal that she is now willing to leave but only if Costner provides additional financial guarantees.

Securing Financial Support

Baumgartner is requesting that Costner agrees to cover any support fees that the judge orders him to pay during an upcoming hearing. According to the proposed arrangement, she would leave the premises on August 31, 2023, provided that Costner complies with the court's support and fee orders on July 12. This would give her 50 days to pack up and find a new home.

Considering the Children

Baumgartner's hesitation to leave without a solid financial plan is rooted in concern for their three childrenCayden Wyatt, Hayes Logan, and Grace Avery, aged 15, 14, and 13, respectively. She argues that multiple relocations would be disruptive to their stability and not in their best interests. In her filing, she highlights the importance of establishing a stable home for the children and having the necessary resources to do so.

Costner's Financial Contributions

Previous reports indicate that Costner has already provided Baumgartner with over $1.2 million for his prenuptial obligations. According to TMZ, he has offered to contribute $30,000 per month for a rental house as part of his child support obligations. Additionally, he is willing to advance an extra $10,000 for her moving costs.

Divorce Proceedings and Custody

Last month, Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner, citing "irreconcilable differences" after 18 years of marriage. In her filing, she requested joint custody of their three children but did not seek spousal support. Costner responded by filing for joint custody as well, demonstrating his commitment to shared responsibility in raising their kids.

The divorce proceedings continue as both parties navigate the financial and custodial aspects of their separation.

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Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who is currently filming for Indian version of Citadel, has shared a new picture of herself. She is seen in an orange cutout dress, posing on a staircase. She also took a dig at herself while sharing the picture on her Instagram Stories. Her post also hinted that she will now be seen more in dresses other than her usual athleisure wear. Also read: Samantha Ruth Prabhu talks about 1 year of myositis diagnosis; opens up on doing poojas, her 'professional failures' Samantha Ruth Prabhu shared a new picture of herself.

Sharing the picture, Samantha wrote, On days that I remember I own more than sweats and oversized shirts hallelujah the dresses are finally coming out, along with smiley with sunglasses emoji.

Samantha Ruth Prahu shared a new picture on Instagram Stories.

Samantha wraps up her show's Serbia schedule

Samantha and co-star Varun Dhawan have finished work on the Serbia schedule of the India chapter of the Prime Video series Citadel. On Saturday night, Varun shared a picture with Raj & DK and co-actor Saqib Saleem on his Instagram Stories to announce the completion of the Citadel schedule. "It's a wrap in Serbia boys and girls," he captioned the photo. Samantha posted a snap of a dessert plate on her Instagram Stories, bidding adieu to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. "Until we meet again Belgrade," she wrote.

More about Citadel's Indian version

Billed as a "local Original spy series", the currently untitled project hails from Prime Video and AGBO, the production banner co-founded by Hollywood filmmaking duo Russo Brothers. Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, who previously collaborated with Prime Video on The Family Man and Farzi, serve as showrunners and directors on the upcoming show. It has been written by Sita R Menon along with Raj & DK, who also serve as executive producers under their banner D2R Films. The original Citadel was headed by Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden and has been renewed for the second and third seasons.

Samantha's other projects

Samantha was last seen in Shaakuntalam. Based on Kalidasa's work, it is the story of Shakuntala and her courtship with King Dushyant, and the curse of rishi Durvasa which made Dushyant forget his love for the 'apsara'-like Shakuntala.

Besides Citadel, she also has the romantic film Kushi opposite Vijay Deverakonda. The first song titled Na Rojaa Nuvve from the film released last month. It is scheduled to release on September 1.

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In an emotional sneak peek of the upcoming episode of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian bared her heart to her sister Khloe Kardashian about her ex-husband, Kanye West. Kim Kardashian was married to Kanye West for eight years.

As Khloe asked if she was doing okay, Kim couldn't hold back her tears any longer. With her head leaned back, she cried out, "I'm not okay!"

With tears streaming down her face, a distraught Kim, 42, sought comfort in her sister's shoulders. "I just can't," she sobbed.

In her confessional, Kim expressed her pain, saying, "He's so different from the person I married. That's the person I loved and remember. I'd do anything to have that person back."

Kim and Kanye, who divorced in March 2022 after six years of marriage, had a whirlwind relationship. They started dating in 2011 and welcomed their first daughter, North, in 2013. They tied the knot in 2014 and expanded their family with three more children via surrogacy: Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.

On a recent episode of The Kardashians, Kim opened up about Kanye's erratic behavior, which included online attacks and allegations against her loved ones.

"It's heartbreaking to see someone you truly loved and built a family with become so different," Kim confessed in a heartfelt confessional.

While reflecting on her journey, Kim admitted, "Sometimes I feel like if he hits rock bottom, that's his own path to figure out. I used to reach out to everyone behind his back, telling them it'll be okay, giving him another chance. But I just don't have that energy anymore."

In a candid interview with Vogue Italia, Kim shared her journey of rediscovering herself and finding strength after her divorce from Kanye.

"I feel like a whole new person," she revealed. "My previous confidence relied heavily on having a partner whose opinion I valued. But now, I'm at a point where I want to do what's right for me."

Kim Kardashian's resilience and determination to move forward shine through as she embraces her new chapter, leaving the past behind.

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The Night Manger Part 1, consisting of four episodes, released back in March and left viewers on the edge with its plot twists and unanswered questions. As Part 2 releases this Friday on June 30, here's a refresher of what we know so far and what remains to be answered. (Also Read: The Night Manager creator Sandeep Modi reveals how Tom Hiddleston reacted to show, wanted to talk to Aditya Roy Kapur) Will Anil Kapoor's Shelly manage to blow the cover of Aditya Roy Kapur's Shaan in Part 2?

The Night Manager is the Indian adaptation of the British thriller series of the same name, that itself is based on a book by John le Carre, and aired on BBC One in 2016. The Hindi version is created by Sandeep Modi, and stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome and Saswata Chatterjee among others. It's available on Disney+ Hotstar.

The plot so far

Shaan Sengupta (Aditya) is a night manager at a Dhaka hotel. He tries to rescue a 14-year-old girl married to the majority stakeholder of the hotel, Freddie Rehman, through communication with RAW officer Lipika Rao (Tillotama), only for her phone to get bugged. The girl is consequently killed by the men of Shelly Rungta (Anil), the gang lord who's been colluding with Freddie. This leaves Shaan in a deep trauma. He quits his job and moves to a hotel in Shimla.

Two years later, when Shelly, his wife Kaveri (Sobhita) and his men visit Shaan's hotel, Shaan spies on them and sends confidential information to Lipika. She visits the hotel soon after and urges Shaan to go into a deep cover as Shelly's right-hand man in order to expose his dark secrets. Lipika helps Shaan orchestrate a notorious track record so that he ends up reaching out to Shelly as an international fugitive. He even saves his daughter from a fake kidnapping, allowing Shelly to take him to his secret hideout.

After Lipika helps eliminate Shelly's current right-hand man BJ (Saswata), Shaan is able to infiltrate the gang by gaining Shelly's trust and wooing Kaveri behind closed doors. Shelly appoints Shaan as his new right-hand man, making him one step closer to his mission of taking Shelly out from the inside.

Questions that remain unanswered

There are majorly three questions that remain to be answered, and the trailer of Part 2 leaves no stones unturned in addressing them.

The biggest of them all: Will Shelly be able to see through Shaan's conspiracy? In the trailer, Shelly is heard saying, Humare ghar mein deemak lag gaye hain. Unhe samay se hatana padega nahi toh poore ghar ko aag lagani padegi (There are termites in our home. We'll have to get rid of them soon or we'll be forced to put the whole house on fire"). At the end of the trailer, Shelly even asks Shaan as directly, There's a mole among us. Is it you, Shaan?

The second question: How will the dynamics between Shaan, Shelly and Kaveri play out? We saw in Part 1 that Kaveri seems to be drifting towards Shaan sexually. The two are seen making love in the trailer of Part 2. Kaveri even says, Usko shaq hone laga hai (He's started to feel suspicious), referring to Shelly's knowledge about Kaveri and Shaan's secret affair.

And the third question: Who is Shaan? What's his past? In Part 1, we often see glimpses of Shaan's visions from a traumatic past, yet we don't get to go deeper into them. In Part 2 trailer, when Lipika tells him, Wo tumhe zinda nahi chhodega (Shelly would kill you), Shaan replies, Pehle bhi kaun sa zinda tha (I wasn't alive before this anyway), referring to his traumatic past yet again. Part 2 would hopefully reveal what that past is and throw more light on what the protagonist, the night manager, is really made of.

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Since October 2021, when the Chhattisgarh government gave its final nod to the five million tonnes per annum capacity Parsa coal mine, there has been an unofficial stay on mining because the village residents of Hariharpur, Salhi and Fatehpur in Hasdeo say they never consented to the diversion of 841 hectares (ha) of forest land for it  an essential step in the process before mining permissions in forest land can be granted. PREMIUM Tribals and activists have been opposing coal mining in the Hasdeo Aranya forests, saying it will damage the biodiversity of the region

The open-cast mining project falls within the districts of Surajpur and Surguja. Activists have claimed that around 700 people will be displaced and around 841 ha of dense forest will be destroyed due to the Parsa mining project. According to the 2009 census of the forest department, around 92,000 trees were expected to be axed but now, in 2022, the number of trees is likely to be far higher, they added.

HT has seen letters sent by the gram sabhas to former Chhattisgarh Governor Anusiya Uikey and the Chhattisgarh government seeking an inquiry into how the Union environment ministrys forest advisory committee granted a final forest clearance to the mine on October 21, 2021, based on what theyre calling a farzi (fake) Gram Sabha.

Another mine in Hasdeo Arand, the Parsa East Kete Basan (PEKB) is also under the scanner, as a case is pending in the Supreme Court, which has challenged mining in the region because of its impact on the fragile ecology and biodiversity of the forests.

Hasdeo Arand is one of the largest contiguous stretches of very dense forest in central India spanning 170,000 hectares and has 23 coal blocks. In 2009, the environment ministry categorised Hasdeo Arand to be a No-Go zone for mining because of its rich forest cover but opened it again to mining because the policy was not finalised.

The application in SC on PEKB refers to a National Green Tribunal judgement of 2014 which sought details on conservation significance of the block and; whether it is a migratory route for animals; its endemic flora and fauna, among others. The Chhattisgarh government commissioned a study five years after the NGT order was passed. The expenditure for the study was borne by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL), which owns the mine and which has a direct conflict of interest, the application filed by advocate Sudiep Shrivastava stated.

The Chhattisgarh government commissioned the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (IFRE) to do the study which, in turn, engaged the Wildlife Institute of India. The ICFRE report recommended that no mining should be permitted in the region except in the ongoing portion of the PEKB mine in Hasdeo. The WII also underlined that no further area in Hasdeo Arand should be broken up for mining, that the PEKB coal blocks are a habitat for rare, endangered, and threatened fauna and that the habitat connectivity between Hasdeo Arand area and Achanakmar tiger reserve, Boramdeo and Kanha tiger reserve is strong, and may support sporadic tiger dispersal. In line with WIIs report, the application sought that SC prohibits all mining in the Hasdeo Arand forest region. The application will be heard on July 18.

HT reported on March 5, 2021, that forest clearance for phase 1 of the PEKB coal block involving the diversion of 762 ha was granted in March 2012 for 15 years for an annual capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). But in less than nine years, the mine had nearly exhausted its reserves. The mine sought an additional forest land of 269.845 hectares during phase 1 of their project which the Union ministry granted.

Why is mining in Hasdeo Arand a contentious issue?

Both these mines are owned by RRVUNL, while the coal mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) operations have been awarded to Adani Enterprises. The Washington Post reported on June 5 that there may be a common thread to the government crackdown on an independent public policy think tank, a law firm, and an environmental group. On September 7, Indian tax authorities simultaneously raided three seemingly unrelated nonprofit organisations and each was seen to be standing in the way of a particularly contentious projecta coal mine in a lush forest in central India called Hasdeo Arand, the report said.

Concerns over mining in Parsa, however, began in 2021. HT reported on October 30, 2021, that the grant of stage II or final forest clearance to Parsa opencast coal mine had led to widespread protests by the affected villagers. Villagers of Fatehpur, Hariharpur and Salhi had alleged that Gram Sabha consent was forged for stage 1 approval and that the grant of forest clearance by the Centre was premature.

First thing is the gram sabha did not approve the diversion of this forest. It was forged. Secondly, for us tribals, the entire Hasdeo Arand forest is like our bank account. We depend completely on it for food and fodder. We will be devastated if we are thrown out of our forest, Ramlal Karyam, who was in Delhi to meet Congress leaders at the time, had said.

It is mandatory for the district collector to complete the process of recognition and vesting of forest rights in accordance with the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 for the entire forest land indicated in the proposal; obtain the consent of each Gram Sabha having jurisdiction over the whole or a part of the forest land indicated in the proposal under forest conservation rules.

Thereafter, the villagers raised the issue of the reportedly forged Gram Sabha consent with the Chhattisgarh government and former Governor, Anusiya Uikey. According to a letter dated February 22, 2022, addressed to the then Governor, Uikey, villagers said it had been three months since they lodged a complaint with the Chhattisgarh government seeking an inquiry into the forged consent but no inquiry had been ordered. They feared that they would be displaced from their villages even before the complaint was investigated, as the Union ministry had already granted the final approval to the project.

In 2021 villagers also met regarding their complaint with Uikey. In a letter dated October 25, 2021, Uikey had written to Chhattisgarh chief secretary, Amitabh Jain recommending that an inquiry be made into allegations of forged gram sabha by villagers especially because the issue pertained to Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (or PESA), 1996. There has been no inquiry yet. On the ground, there is no mining in the Parsa block. It is an unofficial stay on mining. Villagers are waiting for their concerns to be addressed, said Bipasha Paul, environmentalist, and member of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.

HT sent queries to Adani Enterprises on June 12 seeking a response on whether mining in the Parsa block in Chhattisgarh was continuing, and whether there was a stay on the work pending the SC hearing. Adani Enterprises responded saying that the RRVUNL was better placed to provide details. JP Maurya, secretary of mining, Chhattisgarh also did not answer HTs calls. Union environment ministrys Parivesh website states that the proposal is approved. The estimated cost of the project is 1960 crore.

According to the locals, mining is continuing in a part of the PEKB block, The SC hearing is scheduled for July 18. We have sought a direction that no further area from Hasdeo Arand be put up for mining. This is what WII had recommended. The union environment ministry ignored the findings, said Sudiep Shrivastava, an environmental lawyer based in Bilaspur who is the respondent in the case.

Rajasthans power woes

The unannounced stay in mining has raised concerns in Rajasthan where 50% of power generation for the state depends on coal from captive mines in Chhattisgarh and the rest is sourced mostly from Coal India mines according to officials who did not wish to be named.

Its interesting that in spite of being a large solar power generator, most of the generation is utilised in other states while Rajasthan continues to depend on thermal power. Efforts are being made to address the concerns of local communities in Parsa, an official said.

Smooth operation of PEKB coal mine is the utmost critical requirement for Rajasthan. Around 4340 MW of power stations are dependent upon coal from the captive coal mine. Sustained power generation from these Power plants is critical for the State of Rajasthan, said RK Sharma, chairman and managing director at RRUVNL.

HT reported on June 25 that Chhattisgarh asked the Central government to stop auctioning nine of the 23 coalfields located in pristine forests around the Hasdeo Arand and Mand River catchment since mining in these areas would harm local ecosystems. The auction of the nine coal blocks will have an impact on the lives of people in 24 villages and would destroy local ecology, the state government said in a June 23 letter to the Union coal secretary.

Chhattisgarh assembly on July 26, 2022, had resolved to get all coal blocks in the Hasdeo area to be cancelled. The coal ministry was informed about the resolution on September 19, 2022, Jai Prakash Maurya, special mining secretary of the Chhattisgarh government, said in the letter. I have been directed to inform the state governments objection to the proposed auction of nine block blocks in the area.

On March 29, the Centre announced the seventh round of its coal mine auction, which has 101 mines, including Tara block in Chhattisgarhs Hasdeo Arand forests and Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh. Tara has a forest cover of 81%, of which very dense forest (VDF) cover is about 15.96sq km (1,596 ha) of the block; Mahan has a forest cover of 97% with very dense forests covering 3.72sq km (372 ha) of the block.

The article has been amended to correct Bipasha Paul's place of work. An earlier version mentioned that she worked with Jan Abhivyakti. She now works with Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.
Recent study by Gallup finds that 99% of women in India want to learn new tech skills. How can we support greater women participation to build a diverse and vibrant start-up industry? Entrepreneurship is the engine of a thriving economy, driving growth and nurturing innovations that help us race to the podium faster. When firing on all cylinders, this engine can accelerate businesses, and at a start-up, the most exciting action comes from the drivers at the steering wheel. Agile and unconstrained, start-ups solve new problems, anticipate unknowns, and look around corners. While their ability to think bigger, differently, and more courageously is crucial to success, their pace, creativity, and innovation are enhanced by diversity. Gender equality (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As per DealStreetAsia, start-ups in Southeast Asia with only women founders received 0.6% of total venture capital funding in 2021, as compared to India, where start-ups founded by only women received 0.3% of the total venture capital funding. However, 2022 presents a different picture, where there has been an upsurge of investment in start-ups that are led by women, particularly at early stage. As per a recent report by market intelligence platform Tracxn, early-stage funding nearly doubled for women-led start-ups from $550.5 million in 2021 to $1.1 billion in 2022. While this marked shift is an indicator of rise in multiple ID&E activities across industries, more needs to be done to plug the gender gap and this change must come from the top.

A 2020 McKinsey survey found that companies with more than 30% women executives were more likely to outperform companies with fewer women executives, and in turn these companies were more likely to outperform those with even fewer women executives, or none at all. To make the start-up race more inclusive for women, business leaders and investors need to fully understand the value of a diverse team and take urgent steps to level the start line. To achieve this, leaders must create opportunities with the right funding, knowledge, and digital skills.

In the last few years, we have seen a groundswell of support coming from women-focused venture capital firms like HerCapital, education platforms like Tigerhall, and non-profit women advocacy groups like the Indian Women's Institutional League (IWIL). As organisations recognise the need for change, they are collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) on programmes that are designed to provide women founders the resources, visibility, and access to grow their business. These accelerator programmes are designed to support women founders in APAC region to overcome challenges, whether entrepreneurial or systemic, by providing them access to an active peer community, curated resources, and networking and mentorship opportunities with business leaders and investors. Ongoing programmes such as AccelerateHer and ASEAN Women Founders Mentorship Program are designed to enable women founders to build, grow, and scale successful technology businesses.

In our experience working with founders, those that master the twin levers of technology and talent significantly boost their chances of success. The will to digitally upskill in the APAC region is strong, which is fortunate because a digitally savvy workforce that includes more women is key to a successful digital economy. A recent Gallup study found that 99% of women workers in India (75% in APAC) are extremely or very interested in receiving training in at least one digital skill, and 71% in India attribute increased salary as a result of their digital skills training. However, two in three women workers in India (67%) also affirmed that a lack of knowledge of available programs is a barrier to receiving training.

Self-paced digital learning programmes like AWS re/Start are designed to provide unemployed and underemployed individuals with the flexibility to build up their digital knowledge for an entry-level career in technology. Given the learning opportunities available today, countless founders are challenging the notion that you have to be from the tech world to build a startup. Cloud democratises access to technology, which in turn has the potential to open opportunities and encourage the economic participation of all members of society. With cloud, someone in their garage or dorm room can access the same scale and cost structure as the largest companies in the world.

A supportive landscape, greater technological possibilities, and democratised learning, is enabling women founders to seize more opportunities to prove whats possible today.

While technology makes innovation possible, its people who get the real work done, and the more inclusive a team is, the better it will function. In the words of Hardika Shah, founder and CEO of Kinara Capital, a fintech firm that is leading financial inclusion for small businesses, Change begins at the top. Incorporating inclusivity as a core value and promoting women in leadership roles helps to build a strong culture.

To achieve gender equity in the start-up industry, it is imperative to make the journey inclusive for all.

This article is authored by Gaurav Arora, director and head of start-up business, Asia Pacific and Japan, Amazon Web Services, Singapore.

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Patna: A 55-year-old Muslim man was allegedly lynched by a group of cow vigilantes that accused him of transporting beef in Bihars Saran district, police officials said on Thursday. Yellow police tape is displayed at a crime scene after a motorist was shot in the head along the 2700 block of south 80th Street in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., November 1, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Lott/Files

At least 20 people were detained in connection with the incident, which took place in Bangra village under Jalalpur police station area, between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Security was subsequently stepped up to avoid escalation of the matter, police said.

Saran superintendent of police (SP) Gaurav Mangla said the deceased, Mohammad Zahiruddin, was a resident of Manjhawali village under Gaura police out-post. Zahiruddin worked in a bone factory and was on his way to work when his container truck broke down.

As his container truck broke down near Batraha Bazar, a group of nearly 40 cow vigilantes arrived there to help but found a smell from the vehicle. They forced him to open the container, a police officer said, asking not to be named.

As Zahiruddin opened the container, the vigilantes found few bones and suspected him of transporting beef. They brutally thrashed the man till police arrived at the spot and rushed him to Sadar hospital where he succumbed to injuries, the officer added.

Police said samples of the bones recovered from the container were sent for forensic tests and a probe is underway to ascertain if the deceased was transporting beef. They did not immediately ascertain if the vigilantes were linked to any right-wing organisation.

The law in Bihar, Bihar Preservation and Improvement of Animals Act, 1955, bans the slaughter of cows and calves but allowed bovines either 15 years or older or disabled to be slaughtered.

Following the killing, police stepped up security in Bangra village to prevent any untoward incident. Additional forces have been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident. The body of the deceased was handed over to the family after postmortem, Mangla said.

The SP said that a first information report (FIR) was registered against eight named accused and 30 unidentified people under sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code. While 20 suspects have been detained, efforts are on to nab the remaining, he added.

QUOTES FROM DECEASEDS FAMILY

The incident came nearly four months after a 56-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of transporting beef. The deceased, Naseem Qureshi, was a resident of Hasanpur village in Siwan area. HOW MANY people were arrested in the case.

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Amid political row over the case against Bharatiya Janata Partys IT cell chief Amit Malviya for sharing a video mocking Rahul Gandhi on social media, the saffron party doubled down on its allegations against the Congress leader over his recent visit to the United States, which they linked to the controversial billionaire George Soros. Hungarian-born US investor and philanthropist George Soros.(AFP)

The flashpoint between BJP-Congress comes as Malviya was booked by the Karnataka police on Wednesday under various sections 153(A), 120(B), 505(2) and 34 of the IPC for promoting enmity between different groups social groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and conspiracy. Reacting to the action, the BJP charged the Congress party for abuse of power to "suppress the truth" and Union minister Smriti Irani said the party was "in receipt of information with regards to an FIR against a position taken by the BJP with regards to Rahul Gandhi's US visit.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Irani alleged that Rahul Gandhi, during his US visit taken on May 30, "hobnobbed" with people having suspicious credentials, including close aides of billionaire investor George Soros, who wants to destabilise" the democratically elected government in India.

Who is George Soros?

1)A vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Soros recently created a controversy during the 2023 Munich Security Conference when he said he expected a democratic revival in India, making a reference to the Gautam Adani Group-Hindenburg crisis, in which the US short seller alleged business malpractices by the industrial conglomerate.

2) With a net worth of about $8.5 billion, Soros is the founder of the Open Society Foundation. The organisation supports civil society groups around the world to advance freedom and democracy. He has been repeatedly slammed by the BJP over attempting to intervene in India's democratic processes.

3) The 92-year-old billionaire was born in Hungary in 1930 and lived through the Nazi occupation of 19441945. Soros hails from a Jewish family and moved to London in 1947. There, he worked part time as a railway porter and a night-club waiter to fund his education at the London School of Economics, the Open Society's website states.

4) He emigrated to the US in 1956 and launched his own hedge fund in 1973 and later became one of the most successful investors in the history of the US.

5) Among his other endeavours, Soros is also known for his infamous wager against the British pound in 1992. He helped to force the currencys withdrawal from the exchange-rate system that preceded the establishment of the euro. Soros made a staggering $1 billion in profits from his huge short positions as the currency crashed in what became known as Black Wednesday.

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Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday lashed out at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in Bihar's Lakhisarai district, calling him a Paltu Babu (Mr U-turn). Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Bihar BJP President Samrat Choudhary during a public meeting in Lakhisarai district. (PTI)

Shah said, Paltu babu Nitish Kumar was asking what was done (by the Centre) in nine years. At least have some regard for those with whom you sat and due to whom you became the Chief Minister. A lot of work was done by PM Modi across the country in these nine years.

He also asked former ally Kumar to explain what he has done for Bihar. He has merely changed his alliance partners.

Further lashing out at the chief minister, Shah said, Can a leader who changes house again & again be trusted? Should the reins of Bihar be given in the hands of such a man? He too knows it. That is why, he is sitting in front of Congress' house to be the PM of the country. He doesn't want to be the PM, he is just fooling Lalu Yadav at this age. He wants to stay here in Bihar and has gathered all rivals of BJP.

Shah's visit came days after 32 leaders from 15 Opposition parties met in Patna last week and all but one of them vowed to jointly take on the BJP and forge a common agenda ahead of the 2024 national elections.

Attacking the meeting of Opposition parties and their promise of unity, Shah said, that leaders who ditched NDA should be strictly punished. He further said, These 20 [Opposition] parties are the ones who indulged in corruption & scams of 20 lakh crores from 2004-2014.

Shah also said that the law and order situation has been worsening by the day under Mahagathbandhan government.

Stating that the state of Bihar has always raised it voice against corruption, Shah said, Bihar will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in 2024 polls.

Calling it a strange party, Shah also attacked the Congress. He said, Congress is a strange party. A leader is launched for the first time in politics. We come from a party where a leader is not launched but the public launches him. But Congress has been launching Rahul baba for 20 years now. But he doesn't launch. This time too, Congress made a failed attempt to launch him in Patna

Further speaking of terrorist attacks in India, Shah said that when they took place during the Congress government, Sonia-Manmohan government did not give any answer, used to sit in Delhi like Mouni Baba, but when there were attacks in Pulwama and Uri during PM Modi's tenure, Modi ji responded within 10 days. By doing surgical strike and air strike, entered the house of Pakistan and killed.

Shah also accused Opposition parties and leaders including Congress, JD(U), TMC's Mamata Banerjee, and RJD of feeding Article 370 in their lap like a child. They used to say that if Article 370 is removed, rivers of blood will flow in Kashmir, Rahul Baba did not even dare to throw a pebble away from the rivers of blood.

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NEW DELHI: Armed rioters fired at security forces in Manipurs Kangpokpi district when the soldiers were on their way to a village after reports of unprovoked firing on Thursday morning, an army spokesperson said. The armys Spear Corps said that the troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage (Twitter/Spearcorps)

The spokesperson said the troops responded in a calibrated manner and that there were unconfirmed reports of some casualties among the armed rioters.

In a post on Twitter, the Indian Armys Spear Corps said troops were on their way to village Haraothel to prevent escalation of violence following reports that armed rioters had carried out unprovoked firing at 5:30am. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters. Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing. Additional columns moved to the area, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that there were reports of large crowds gathering at the spot and that the situation was being closely monitored.

At least 115 people have died and nearly 40,000 displaced in the ethnic clashes which first erupted on May 3 in Churachandpur town after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed court-ordered tweak to the states reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders.

According to state police estimates, at least 3,500 weapons were looted by mobs over the past month. There have been multiple instances of rioters using these weapons. Besides, security forces are also having to deal with instances of mobs led by women stopping them from working.

The army on Monday released a video that put together purported visuals from a number of operations and levelled four serious allegations  that women activists were helping rioters flee, interfering in operations during the day or at night, interfering in the movement of logistics, and digging up the entry to the Assam Rifles camp to cause delays.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is putting the finishing touches to a plan that it will launch in July to strengthen the party organisation, which could see some cabinet ministers in the government moving to organisational posts (a change that would necessitate a cabinet reshuffle), and to finalise its campaign strategy and refine its candidate selection process ahead of the five state elections later this year and the national elections next year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda during a meeting on April 9. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address a meeting of the council of ministers on July 3.

According to a party functionary who asked not to be named, three big meetings between the central leadership of the BJP and state-level functionaries have been scheduled for July 6, 7 and 8, where changes in the organisation at the central level and the state will be decided. This person added that meetings between the party brass  BJP president JP Nadda, Union home minister Amit Shah, national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh  and state leaders that took place in the national capital over the past one month were a precursor to these.

These meetings will be crucial for (finalising) organisational changes, assessing the performance of lawmakers, legislators and party functionaries for the process of candidate selection and identifying state-specific issues on which the campaign will be mounted, the functionary said.

A clutch of states will be clubbed together at the meetings, spread over three days for logistical purposes, said the functionary. For instance, leaders from states in the northern region such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will meet in Delhi on July 7. A day earlier, the meeting will be in Assam of the states in the east and north-east. On July 8, leaders of the southern and western regions will meet in Hyderabad.

There have been complaints from the cadre about leadership crisis, intra-party fractures and the fatigue factor related to some leaders, and along with these, demands to effect changes in the state units ahead of elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana later this year, a second functionary said. Similar demands have also come from others states as well. But these changes are not only based on complaints; ahead of elections, the party leadership normally rotates people around. Sometimes those in government (ministers) are brought back to the party fold and others are deputed in their place, added this person who asked not to be named.

There has been speculation that some of the ministers who are members of the Rajya Sabha could be given tickets to contest elections, while some others may be drafted for election-related work. These ministers will be replaced by leaders from the states, representing different castes and to balance regional aspirations.

The BJP is the only party that has politically empowered the economically and socially backward castes. In the last reshuffle that took place in (July) 2021, 27 OBCs were inducted, while 12 were from Scheduled Castes, 11 women and 8 from the Scheduled Tribes, said the second functionary.

Hyperlocal issues in each of the states, from finding the right candidates, to picking issues that resonate on the ground will be examined at the meetings. For instance, in Madhya Pradesh, anti- incumbency and the fatigue factor is a major issue. In Telangana, while the party has a strong base and leaders in Hyderabad, Mehboobnagar and the northern parts, there is a leadership crisis in the rest of the state, said the second functionary. While the BJP is hoping to benefit from the schism in the Congress camp in Rajasthan, a reunited party unit in Chhattisgarh has added to its woes in the state where it is facing a leadership crisis.

PM Modi is the crowd puller and the face of all elections, but the experience from the past elections shows we need strong chief ministerial candidates as well. This issue is particularly important in Rajasthan and MP where the CM candidate is key to electioneering, this person added.

The functionaries said the party will focus on state specific campaigns and on building a strong local leadership to counter the opposition parties that are coalescing to take on the BJP in 2024. The partys social engineering formula that seeks to bring together diverse caste groups, its social welfare schemes, and development pitch are being fine-tuned to counter the oppositions election promises. The electoral loss that the party faced in Himachal and Karnataka, largely attributed to the popularity of the Congresss guarantees that promised free units of power, cash incentives, and other freebies has nudged the party to revisit its strategy of dubbing welfare measures as freebies, said a third leader.

Feedback from the ground being an integral part of the election strategy, the party has also deployed 2600 vistaraks (part timers) to spend a week in 2600 mandals across the five-poll bound states from July 1. A discussion on the BJPs ties with the allies will also be part of the meetings.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) hasnt been able to finalise its investigation into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput even after three years for want of response from the US on its queries related to technical evidence, people familiar with the development said. Sushant Singh Rajput. (Hindustan Times)

The premier anti-corruption agency sent a formal request in 2021 to California-headquartered Google and Facebook, asking them to share details of all deleted chats, emails or posts of the actor so that it could analyse the content and understand the background to the events of June 14, 2020, the day Rajput was found dead at his apartment in Mumbai.

Also Read: Rhea Chakraborty recalls people labelling her after Sushant Singh Rajput's death

India and the US have a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) under which both sides can gain access to information in any domestic investigation, which otherwise may not be possible.

We are still waiting for a response from the US on this technical evidence, which may help us take the case to a logical conclusion. The case is pending finalisation (because of this), said a CBI officer, who didnt want to be named.

HT first reported in November 2021 that CBI had approached the US authorities for information in the case.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who represents Sushant Singhs family, said he was not aware of the request for technical evidence but added that CBI is trying to give a slow death (to the case).

Also Read: Manav Kaul says Sushant had a bigger hotel room than him during Kai Po Che shoot

Meanwhile, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed in an interview with a TV channel on Wednesday that some individuals have claimed that they possess substantial evidence regarding the case and that the state has reached out to them and requested they submit the evidence to the police., He added that the state was in the process of examining the credibility of presented evidence.

HT reached out to CBI to ascertain whether it was the recipient of any fresh evidence, as claimed by Fadnavis, but the agency did not respond.

CBI said after taking over the investigation in 2020 that it was looking into all aspects in the actors death. Among the angles it is exploring are abetment of suicide charges against his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty; and whether the actor took the step under any professional pressure.

It has already examined dozens of people including the actors friends, staff, his doctors, actress Chakraborty and her family members, and several members of the film fraternity. It has also studied the findings of the medical board of AIIMS, which after studying the post-mortem examination and viscera reports, concluded in September 2020 that the actors death was a case of suicide. Singhs family has, however, called the findings faulty.

Also Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's MS Dhoni The Untold Story to re-release in theatres

CBI said in a statement in December 2020 that it was probing the case using the latest scientific techniques. During the investigation, advanced mobile forensic equipment including the latest software has been used for extraction and analysis of relevant data available in the digital devices and also for analysis of dump data of the relevant cell tower locations related to the case.

The agency had also visited several cities including Aligarh, Faridabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Manesar and Patna to collect evidence and record statements.

Mumbai police, which initially looked into the case, didnt find any foul play.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Neeraj Chauhan Neeraj Chauhan, senior associate editor with the National Political Bureau of Hindustan Times, writes on security, terrorism, corruption, laundering, black money, narcotics, and related policy matters while covering MHA, ED, CBI, NIA, IB, CVC, NHRC, CAG, Income Tax department, etc. ...view detail
A social and political activist here has lodged a complaint against PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti in Nawabad police station in Jammu for "spreading misinformation" and levelling "fake and irresponsible" allegations against Army. PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti.(HT Photo)

Bodh Raj Sharma in his police complaint said that People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief shared a message on her Twitter account which may be described as "provocative" and requested the police to lodge an FIR against her under relevant sections of the law.

Sharma in his complaint said that it was "irresponsible" on the part of Mehbooba Mufti to post a message against the army "without any proof," and that too just before the Amarnath Yatra.

He warned that if no action is taken against the PDP chief he will be forced to approach the court.

Notably, Mehbooba Mufti had on Saturday tweeted that she was "shocked to hear about army troops storming into a mosque at Pulwama" and "forcing" people to chant a religious slogan.

However, later she cited a media report and thanked the army for launching a probe into the incident.

"Thankful to @ChinarcorpsIA for taking swift action in the Zadoora incident. Only genuine accountability will restore trust between civilians & armed forces. Kashmir is the only state where a pilgrimage like Amarnath Yatra coincides with Eid. This is the spirit of Kashmiriyat," she said in a tweet on Wednesday evening.
New Delhi: Confusion persists over the applicability of TCS (tax collected at source) up to 20% from October 1 on foreign remittances through international credit cards under the liberalised remittance scheme (LRS), two experts said, requesting anonymity, even as the finance ministry officials indicated on Thursday that credit card transactions conducted abroad while the user is in India (on international shopping sites, for instance) would attract the levy. Representational Image

At present, individuals making transactions through international credit cards while overseas will not attract TCS, the officials said.

Also Read: Govt should consider junking TCS on LRS

Transactions through international credit cards, while being overseas, would not be counted as LRS and hence would not be subject to TCS, one of them said.

However, there are some technical nuances that need to be resolved before implementing the new LRS rules, which is why the government on Wednesday pushed the July 1 deadline to October 1, the officials added.

The applicable TCS rates on credit cards will be zero up to an expenditure of 7 lakh, beyond which it would attract 20%, the second official said. The key difference here is only in the case of payments for overseas tour programmes. Such payments, by any mode, will attract 5% TCS till 7 lakh and 20% over 7 lakh, the official added.

It is, however, not immediately clear whether the transactions carried out while abroad will be brought under the TCS net in future. Expenditure through credit cards while overseas is not included in LRS as on date and will continue till a further decision on the matter. No date has been specified for this, the second official said.

One of the experts mentioned above said the government would have to seek approval of Parliament before enacting the new TCS rates. Probably, most of the confusion will be cleared when the matter comes to Parliament in the coming Monsoon session, he said.

Experts criticised the move as multiple tax rates would make the system complicated and lead to a compliance nightmare. They also pointed out that the move is also a roundabout way of reducing the overall LRS limit of $250,000 a year.

HT on May 20 wrote that the governments move effectively reduced the LRS limit. If the idea is to reduce the amount Indians can spend or invest overseas in a year, or use to buy assets such as houses or stocks, then it is anti-reformist, and goes against the original reasons why LRS was introduced. If the idea is to crack down on untaxed income finding its way overseas  a cumbersome process given that even credit card spends are on the radar anyway  going after individual violators perhaps makes more sense than a sweeping rule change, it pointed out.

Confusion also persists over deadlines for various types of transactions, a second expert said.

Interestingly, the government has also decided to postpone its decision to bring payments made by international credit cards, while overseas, within the purview of LRS. However, no date has been specified for such inclusion so far. As of now, such payments will not be subject to TCS. Thus, there should be no TCS if Indians book their foreign travel (such as flights, hotels, etc) independently (using credit cards), rather than through tour packages, said Kunal Savani, partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Shruti KP, partner at law firm Induslaw, said the government should reconsider the proposed rate of 20% above 7 lakh too.

It puts unnecessary cash flow pressure on taxpayers, while not serving any additional purpose for the government, as far as garnering tax revenues is concerned since ultimately the TCS is available as credit to the taxpayer, she said.

According to Russell Gaitonde, partner at consultancy firm Deloitte India, the press release issued by the ministry on Wednesday on the new TCS rule on foreign remittances that will now come into effect from October 1, instead of July 1, will provides banks more time to update their IT systems. While one can continue to debate whether the increased TCS rate of 20% is very high, and ought to have been lowered, at least the government in yesterdays press release has made it unequivocally clear that it is committed to increasing the TCS rate from 5% to 20%, therein indirectly signalling that it wishes to discourage the sizeable outflows that are being annually made overseas by Indian residents through the LRS route, he said.

Amit Singhania, partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, said, It appears that usage of international credit cards while in India had always been considered and counted towards LRS. However, usage of international credit cards while outside of India was excluded from LRS. This distinction of usage in India or outside of India will continue till 30th September 2023 and w.e.f. 1st October, any usage of international credit card for drawal of foreign currency will be counted towards LRS.
Late on Wednesday night, with less than six months to go for a crucial assembly election, the Congress announced the appointment of TS Singh Deo as Chhattisgarhs new deputy chief minister. Singh Deos relationship with chief minister Baghel, both of whom vied for the top spot when the Congress swept to power in 2018, has often been fractious, with MLAs being paraded in Delhi in shows of strength, and Singh Deo even resigning from one of his ministries. In an interview with HT a day after his appointment, Singhdeo said that the idea of his being deputy CM was first floated in 2022, that the party must work together, and that while Baghel is captain and he is vice captain, there will be collective leadership. Edited excerpts: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo (Twitter)

When was the idea of you being deputy chief minister first floated?

There was some mention of it after I had left the panchayat department [in July 2022]. The decision had to be taken by the high command and whenever the high command told me whatever they wanted, I would have abided by that.

But if it was mooted at that point, why the delay?

I could not have an interaction with the high command. That has taken quite some time.

Will this appointment not seem like a climb down from the sense that you were in the running for chief minister but are now deputy chief minister?

It may [seem like a climb down] but it may also not. If you see it from the point of view that nothing was happening and the five-year period [of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh] is coming to a close, then the high command has given you some recognition.

Chhattisgarh is heading into an election in six months. Have there been any other promises made to you particularly in your areas of influence?

Nothing as such from the high command, but the overall idea is that we should be working unitedly.

What is your sense of the state of play in Chhattisgarh?

Five months to go now. In fact, we have three months before the code of conduct sets in. Then from October and November another two months of campaigning. I am looking at a clear majority. Very optimistically and not too unrealistically, I expect a climb up from where we are. In another five or so seats; we can cross 75. If you take other possibilities in mind, two-thirds would be sixty. So my sense is between 60 and 75 seats.

If you had to mark down two areas of concern politically for the Congress in Chhattisgarh, what would they be?

We have to look after the statewide interests of government servants. Our manifesto mentioned a lot of things for them. That needs addressing to whatever extent is possible. The second would be in tribal areas where the Sarva Adivasi Samaj is there. They contested the Bhanupratappur by election. Before this they were purely a social organisation. We have to make every attempt to make sure we work together towards a common cause which is the betterment of the tribals in Chhattisgarh and the development of their area.

Does this decision mean now that it is clear that chief minister Baghel is the chief ministerial face or is it about that oft-used term collective leadership?

There will be collective leadership. That is the essence of the parliamentary form of government. The prime minister or the chief minister is the first among equals. That is an accepted situation wherever there is a cabinet style government. That will apply. As the sitting chief minister, he will lead the team.

There has always been talk of the fissures in your relationship with the CM. Since the announcement, what have the two of you spoken about?

Even earlier they [conversations] would be fairly tension free. [laughs] . We were able to talk to each other and conversations were never an issue. Even now, we are fairly warm with each other.
Here are todays top news, analysis, and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meets people displaced by the violence in Manipur, at a relief camp in Churachandpur,(PTI)

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On the auspicious occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm greetings to Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of State of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of State of Kuwait and to the people of State of Kuwait, through a letter on his own behalf and the people of India. On Wednesday, PM Modi conveyed greetings to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha.(HT_PRINT)

"In his personal letter, Prime Minister Modi conveyed that the sacred festival of Eid al-Adha is celebrated by millions of Muslims across the length and breadth of India. It reminds us of the values of sacrifice, compassion and brotherhood, which are essential in building a peaceful and inclusive world that we all aspire for," stated Indian Embassy in Kuwait.

On Wednesday, PM Modi conveyed greetings to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha.

He expressed confidence that the sacred festival will bring the people of India and Bangladesh even closer.

"PM @narendramodi conveyed his warmest greetings to PM Sheikh Hasina and to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the holy festival of Eid al-Adha. In his message, PM expressed confidence that the sacred festival will bring the people of India and Bangladesh even closer. @MEAIndia," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh said in a tweet.

Eid-al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, holds significant religious and cultural importance for Muslims worldwide. It falls on the 10th day of Dhu'l-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.
NEW DELHI: German ambassador Philipp Ackermann on Thursday called on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and discussed ways to strengthen ties between the two countries. Ackermann later said in a tweet that this was his first courtesy call to the Congress leader and that he was encouraged by the cross-party support for relations with Germany. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann later tweeted photographs of their meeting (Twitter/kharge)

Kharge, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, also posted photographs of his separate meetings with Ackermann and the outgoing Australian high commissioner Barry O Farrell.

India was amongst the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the Federal Republic of Germany. Today, Germany is amongst Indias most valued partners, both bilaterally and in the global context. Met H.E. Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of Germany in India, and deliberated upon the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries founded upon common democratic principles and marked by a high degree of trust and mutual respect. the Congress president said in on Twitter.

Kharge also tweeted a photograph with Australias outgoing high commissioner. India and Australia have several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer cooperation and multifaceted interaction. Our strategic partnership has grown in strength and in importance, Kharge said in a post on Twitter.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhis visit to Manipur was marked by high drama on Thursday after his convoy was initially blocked from travelling to violence-hit Churachandpur district over security concerns, prompting the former parliamentarian to eventually take a government-owned helicopter to the region that has seen several deadly clashes since ethnic riots erupted eight weeks ago. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi waits inside a car after his convoy was stopped by police, in Bishnupur, on Thursday. (PTI)

His visit to the state, the first by a senior Opposition leader since the violence fulminated on May 3, also set off a pitched political battle between the Congress and the BJP, which governs the state, as the former accused the latter of using autocratic methods to stall Gandhi. The BJP, in turn, said Gandhi was trying to stoke violence in the tense state.

Gandhi arrived at Imphal airport at noon on Thursday amid tight security and set off by car to Churachandpur, 60km away. The police, however, stopped his convoy later in Bishnupur town and asked him to return, citing law and order concerns.

I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters in Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. Its very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority, Gandhi tweeted from Bishnupur, amid negotiations with the police that lasted for hours. Meanwhile, local residents gathered in the area, demanding Gandhi be allowed to pass, with police firing teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

Gandhi turned back later and returned to the airport in Imphal, the state capital, from where a helicopter arranged by the state administration flew him into Churachandpur. The law-and-order situation on the ground isnt very good and there were chances that miscreants would set off grenades along the highway. So, he was advised to take a helicopter to go to Churachandpur, Bishnupur superintendent of police Heisnam Balram Singh told ANI.

As he reached Churachandpur, Gandhi interacted with people displaced by the violence, first at the Greenwood relief camp in Tuibuong, then at the government college in Hiangtam. He also interacted with representatives of civil society organisations in Hiangtam. During his interaction at YPA Hall at Hiangtam, Gandhi said, I have come to listen to and understand what is happening and to try and bring back peace. At least 115 people have died in the violence between the tribal Kuki groups and the majority Meitei community so far.

Gandhis visit kicked off a row between the Congress and BJP.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attempt to stop Gandhi and tweeted, PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself. Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi.

The ruling BJP, however, called the allegations baseless and said that the Congress had been informed in advance that the law and order situation was not conducive for him to travel to Churachandpur by road.

But despite those warnings, he chose to go... As some people in Bishnupur were protesting Gandhis visit, the police stopped his convoy. He had to turn back and return to Imphal, said Sambit Patra, senior BJP leader and party in-charge for Manipur.

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The armed forces and national security planners are elated with GE-HAL F-414 engine manufacturing deal as the proven high-performance engine is said to be technologically much superior to the Chinese indigenously produced jet engine WS-10, which itself is a derivative of the Russian AL-31 series engine that powers the SU-30 MKI fighters. PM Narendra Modi at Capitol Hill on June 22.

After talking to national security planners, former Indian Air Force chiefs and fighter pilots, the Hindustan Times has learnt that though the Chinese fighters including the J-20 are flying on derivatives of Shenyang WS-10 engines, intelligence reports and assessments indicate that the PLA Air Force is struggling with serviceability, downtime, and performance of the engine. China is now testing WS-15 engine on its J 20 aircraft, which will give the fighter a super cruise (flying at supersonic speeds without use of afterburner and hence lowering the heat signature of the platform) capability which is a must for a stealth fifth generation fighter.

It is quite evident that the Chinese reverse-engineered the Russian AL-31 engine to produce the WS-10 series of jet engines. The Indian assessment based on performance of Chinese aircraft in Pakistan inventory and PLAAF aircraft shows that the engine is facing issues albeit it is flying and performing. The Chinese are prone to overstating the performance of their fighters through the state owned media, said a former IAF chief. The PLAAF brought in the J-20 fighters into the western theatre command at the height of the stand-off in East Ladakh to counter the newly acquired Indian Rafales but the so-called fifth generation fighter did little flying and was only used to deter the IAF from any adventure.

While India too has been unsuccessfully trying to develop its own indigenous engine since 1996, the national security planners are pleased with GE's offer to produce F-414 engines in India under transfer of technology to power Tejas Mark II and perhaps upgrade it to manufacturing a higher thrust engine at a later stage. With the Tejas Mark II demonstrator with GE-414 engine ready to take to the skies next year, the IAF, DRDO and the HAL are on the same page on the high-performance capability of the American GE-414 engine.

While there is no doubt that the Chinese capability on jet engine manufacturing is growing by the day, no neutral air force would buy a WS-10 engine as its first choice. Even though the Chinese system is opaque, the jet aircraft of Chinese origin with the Pakistan Air Force are facing downtime and serviceability issues. Although the proof of the pudding lies in eating, the Chinese engine would be 60 percent of what the PLAAF is projecting as they still rely on Russian fighters to show their muscle against Taiwan, said a top fighter pilot.

With India planning to manufacture some 500 GE-414 engines to power six squadrons of Mark II fighters, the IAF should be in fighting fit condition towards the end of the decade as aircraft of Russian origin like MiG-29 fighters are phased out and the indigenous Tejas series of fighters inducted.

While India has been negotiating with the US on manufacture of F-414 jet engines under 100 per cent TOT since 2012, it was only effort by former DRDO, IAF chiefs led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that clinched the deal with Biden administration this month. No wonder it is called the Doval Deal in Washington.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shishir Gupta Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel. ...view detail
India is set to negotiate with the United States on the acquisition of MQ9B HALE drones, with New Delhi seeking a competitive deal in the procurement through a foreign military sale process, sources in the defence ministry said.



As India goes ahead to acquire the Predator drones, here are 10 things to know about this deal. India will acquire MQ 9B Predator drone from the US.

1. According to sources, the ministry has only accorded the Acceptance of Necessity to acquire 31 MQ 9B HALE Drones, and no serious negotiations have begun now.

2. As of now, only the United States has these drones. China has been trying to acquire it but has not been able to do so. Once procured, these drones will give India new capabilities. The country's adversaries are worried and may try to scuttle the acquisition process, sources added.

3. The next step in the process includes Letter of Request to the Biden administration and getting the Letter of Offer and Acceptance from US govt. This letter will be granted by the US government after approval from the US Congress.

4. Following this, the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNS) will finalise the terms of agreement before it goes for approval by the Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS). Only then the actual price and terms of the contract will be known, sources added.

5. US defence firm General Atomic has offered India 31 MQ9B drones at a price of $ 3.072 billion, which is subject to negotiations. Some of them will be bought off the shelf and some made in India.

6. According to sources, the requirement of 31 drones for the three Services is based on a scientific study of India's needs and requirements while taking into consideration the geographical and maritime neighbourhood and recommended by Integrated Defence Services.

7. The procurement will involve some transfer of technology (ToT). New Delhi is looking at a minimum of 15-20 per cent ToT. The government will negotiate more and will get some critical technologies.

8. The sources added that the acquisition is not against Aatmanirbhar Bharat as the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing Tapas, a drone in MALE category. The MQ9B is a high altitude drone and has long endurance.

9. The Indian Navy is already working with ADE and DRDO on TAPAS and the technology also has applications in civilian use  in developing unmanned flights.



10. This agreement will help establish India as a hub for manufacturing drones, sources added.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shishir Gupta Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel. ...view detail
India will negotiate a competitive deal with the US for 31 MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to boost the Indian militarys strength, it will involve transfer of critical technologies, help bridge the technological gaps faced by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in developing such systems indigenously, and the number of drones to be bought is based on the operational requirements of the armed forces, senior officials aware of the matter said on Thursday. India will negotiate a competitive deal with the US for 31 MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to boost militarys strength (HT Photo)

The acquisition process, under the foreign military sales (FMS) programme --- Washingtons government-to-government method of selling US-built platforms, will be transparent, said one of the officials cited above asking not to be named.

The officials mounted a spirited defence of the highly anticipated deal for the drones in the backdrop of the Congress party attempting to corner the government by raising questions related to pricing, the acquisition procedure, technology transfer, the numbers sought to be bought and how self-reliance in defence was being pursued.

To be sure, Indias defence acquisitions council (DAC) --- the countrys apex weapons procurement body, has only accorded its acceptance of necessity (AoN) to buy the 31 MQ-9B General Atomics high altitude long endurance (HALE) drones. Under Indias defence procurement rules, the AoN by the council is the first step towards buying military hardware.

The deal is still a long way off.

Negotiations are yet to begin. There are many next steps in the FMS process. The price and terms of the contract will be finalised towards the end of the process. We will negotiate a competitive deal, said a second official. On June 15, the DAC gave the clearance for buying the drones in the run-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US. Fifteen UAVs will be for the navy, and eight each for the army and the Indian Air Force.

The officials explained the FMS process.

India will issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in early July mentioning the tri-services requirements, details of equipment and terms of the procurement. The US will respond with a letter of acceptance (LOA) after which India will begin negotiations with the US, duly factoring in the price and terms offered by Washington to other countries.

The contract negotiation committee will then finalise the terms of agreement. It will have to be approved by the PM-headed Cabinet Committee on Security. Thats when we will know the actual price and contract terms, said a third official, who also asked not to be named.

To be sure, US firm General Atomics has offered the 31 drones to India for $3.07 billion. This, however, is subject to negotiations, he said. The estimated cost of the drones includes weapons, sensors, ground control stations, ground data terminals, ground handling equipment, spares and logistics support, HT has learnt.

Even the current price offered by the US is better than what other countries are paying for the MQ-9Bs in different configurations, the officials said, citing data from the US governments Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The current estimated cost for India is 812 crore per RPAS, while average cost for other countries that have ordered MQ-9Bs works out to around 1,275 crore, said one of the officials.

According to DCSA data, the total estimated programme cost for four MQ-9Bs for Belgium and Taiwan is $600 million each. This works out to $150 million per drone. The cost stands at $2.97 billion for 18 RPAS for the United Arab Emirates, which works out to $165 million for each drone. At $3.07 billion, the cost in Indias case is around $99 million per drone.

India will also negotiate a higher element of technology transfer. It is looking at doubling the element of technology transfer that is currently on offer --- from 8-9% to 15% to 20%, the officials said. To be assembled in India, the versatile platform will have the capability to strike targets with its on-board weapons, it will be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); and its other roles include electronic warfare, defensive counter air and airborne early warning.

The proposed deal found mention in the June 22 joint statement issued by the US and India during Modis first state visit to the US. It said General Atomics will establish a comprehensive global MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility in India to support the countrys long-term goals to boost indigenous defence capabilities.

Ten drones are likely to bought off the shelf while the remaining 21 will be assembled in India, the officials said.

The number of drones to be bought has been arrived at based on a scientific study factoring in the requirements of the three services and taking into consideration the vast expanse of Indias land and maritime borders, the officials said.

The proposed deal is not against the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat as India currently does not have any drone in the HALE category, the officials said. The Tapas drone being developed by the DRDO will not have the same capability as it is in the medium altitude long endurance (MALE) category, they said.

The two platforms are different in weight, endurance, speed, altitude ceiling and payload carrying capability, said the third official.

The deal for the MQ-9Bs will help establish India as a hub for manufacturing drones, said another official.

The Indian Navy currently operates a pair of unarmed MQ-9B drones leased from the US three years ago to boost its ISR capabilities. The drones 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.

The drones have also been used for intelligence collection along the countrys northern borders where India has been locked in a border row with China for more than three years, a tense period that has seen a significant military build-up on both sides of the contested Line of Actual Control.

The acquisition of armed drones gained urgency after the military standoff with China in the Ladakh sector began in May 2020, increasing the Indian militarys need to enhance its vigil along the disputed border and stay prepared for any contingency.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit out at the Manipur government for using 'autocratic methods' to stop Rahul Gandhi from providing a healing touch in the violence-hit state. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrives at Imphal airport, Manipur. (PTI)

Read here: Rahul Gandhi likely to take chopper after convoy stopped by cops in Manipur

His comments came after Rahul Gandhi was stopped by Manipur Police near Bishnupur fearing violence on the way to Churachandpur. After arriving in Imphal on Thursday, Gandhi was scheduled to meet the violence-hit people at the camps.

"Shri @RahulGandhi s convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state," Kharge tweeted.

Attacking PM Modi, Kharge added, "PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself. Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms."

"Manipur needs peace, NOT confrontation," he further said.

The Congress leader will now take a chopper from Imphal to Churachandpur. Gandhi is on a two-day visit to the conflict-ridden state, which the party called a trip to spread message of "love and brotherhood."

Read here: Rahul and responsibility dont travel together': BJP after Cong leader's convoy stopped in Manipur

Several party leaders reacted to the incident. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said cops were not allowing Rahul Gandhi's car to proceed while people standing on the sides were waving to him, while, the party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Gandhi was simply carrying the message of peace and love but the BJP was scared.

Ahead of Gandhi's visit, the All Manipur Students Union' condemned the successive governments in the state. "The present communal crisis in Manipur is a result of the political blunders that have been committed by the successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time and Congress has a big role to play," the union said.

The situation in Manipur is tense as the clashes between the Kuki and Meitei tribes escalated to large-scale violence nearly two months ago. So far, the violence has claimed around 100 lives and displaced at least 35,000 people.
Raipur: Senior Congress leader TS Singh Deos appointment as Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister evoked a mixed response in the party on Thursday, as a section of leaders exuded confidence that his elevation would end the factionalism in the state unit, ahead of the upcoming elections, but a few others also sought elevation of home minister Tamradhwaj Sahu for the same role. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo, on Wednesday. (Twitter)

Assembly elections for 90 seats are slated to be held later this year.

On Wednesday, Singh Deo, who was locked in a power tussle with chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, was appointed as deputy chief minister by the Congress, months ahead of the crucial assembly elections. The two leaders have mostly shared a fractious relationship since 2018, as both vied for the top post, after the Congress swept to power in that years elections and dislodged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by winning 68 of 90 seats.

Singh Deos elevation is an important decision by the party high command. We all know that he has considerable influence across Chhattisgarh and within the party. The decision (on his elevation) will have a huge impact in Surguja and plains of Chhattisgarh, Congress MLA from Raipur, Vikas Upadhayay, said.

According to party functionaries, Singh Deo has considerable influence in north Chhattisgarh, specifically in Surguja region, where the Congress won all 14 seats in the 2018 elections. The newly-appointed deputy chief minister represents Ambikapur assembly constituency in Surguja region.

However, a Congress leader said the party should have appointed Sahu as the second deputy to Baghel, keeping in mind that the former was also in the race for the chief ministers post in 2018, and taking into account his considerable influence among Sahu voters. The Sahus form around 15% of the total electorate and according to political experts, two-third of the community voted for the Congress in the last elections.

Now, it will be difficult for us because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will fan this issue, the leader said, seeking anonymity.

A second leader, from Delhi, who also did not wish to be named, said that Singh Deos appointment is likely to impact the highhandedness of Baghel.

The impression that Baghel controls the political narrative of the state will definitely take a hit. Singh Deos elevation will be seen as dressing down of Baghel by the high command since the rivalry between the two and attempts by Baghel to curtail Singh Deos powers are something with which everyone is familiar, the leader said.

Political experts raised concerns over the possibility of a backlash.

The tussle between the two stalwarts of Chhattisgarh Congress ended on a surprising note with Singh Deo having to settle as deputy to Baghel. The move, while ensuring no factionalism in the party, has a possibility of triggering backlash from the Sahus since their leader, Tamradhwaj Sahu, was not elevated along with Singh Deo, political commentator Sudeip Shrivastava said.

...The Sahus are crucial in the sense that the community is mostly in the OBC fold and had voted in large numbers for the Congress in 2018, shifting their traditional loyalty from the BJP, he added.

Shrivastava also pointed out that the BJP has appointed MP Arun Sao as chief of its state unit, in a bid to woo the Sahu community. Now, the Congress has the task to keep the support of the community intact as it was in 2018, he said.

A few Sahu leaders, however, dismissed apprehensions that the community is upset with the party high commands decision.

This is a myth that Tamradhwaj is the only Sahu face in Chhattisgarh now. After coming to power, Baghel has given 22 posts as members and chairman of boards and commissions to Sahu leaders. Around 30 Sahu leaders are holding important posts in the Chhattisgarh government. Secondly, the community also feels that Tamradhwaj has not delivered after becoming a minister.. Hence, most of the Sahu leaders have now challenged the clout of Tamrdhwaj, said a senior Sahu leader, wishing not to be named.

Meanwhile, a third Congress leader said that more important appointments are likely in the next few weeks. We have indications that more appointments will be made in the next few weeks because the party is working on fault lines, the leader said, also seeking anonymity.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ritesh Mishra State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh. Reports Maoism, Politics, Mining and important developments from the state. Covered all sorts of extremism in Central India. Reported from Madhya Pradesh for eight years. ...view detail
Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of India including Delhi and Mumbai leading to waterlogging issues. India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for Mumbai and orange alert for Delhi on Thursday. IMD said, Delhi NCR may witness rainfall till Sunday. Children during Monsoon rainfall in Ajmer, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (PTI)

The southwest monsoon, despite a delayed onset and weak start, is now expected to cover the entire country over the next two-three days, nearly a week before its expected date, the IMD said on Wednesday. If the predictions come true, the monsoon would have taken only 22 days to cover the entire country, even after its onset over Kerala was delayed by a week.

The southwest monsoon has further advanced into remaining parts of north Arabian Sea and some more parts of Rajasthan on Wednesday, IMD said in its bulletin. The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) now passes through Bikaner (Rajasthan), Narnaul (Haryana) and Firozpur (Punjab).
New Delhi: The belief that men have been hunters and women have been gatherers in foraging societies is likely an inaccurate representation, a study published this week has contended after finding that in 79% of various groups they studied, they found evidence of women being hunters too. Sethlobogabotshelo Phuduhudu (left) talks to her husband Letshwao Nogayame in front of their home in Kaudwane village, about 200km from Gaborone, Botswana, on December 12, 2006. Nagayame and some 1,000 other Bushmen were one of the world's last surviving hunter-gatherers who foraged for wild plants for 20,000 years (Pic for representational purpose only). (REUTERS)

The study, by researchers from Seattle Pacific University in the US and published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on June 28, 2023, said it found mounting archaeological evidence from across human history and prehistory to challenge that notice.

For instance, women in many societies have been found buried alongside big-game hunting tools.

For the study, researchers went through ethnographic reports of foraging societies found in the Database of Places, Languages, Culture and Environment (D-PLACE).

The current project gleans data from across the ethnographic literature to investigate the prevalence of women hunting in foraging societies in more recent times. Evidence from the past one hundred years supports archaeological finds from the Holocene that women from a broad range of cultures intentionally hunt for subsistence. These results aim to shift the male-hunter female-gatherer paradigm to account for the significant role females have in hunting, thus dramatically shifting stereotypes of labour, as well as mobility, added the paper.

This database contained information on at least 1,400 human societies, of which researchers chose to investigate 391, and data were compiled from literature on 63 different foraging societies.

The paper quotes a 2017 discovery of a well-known burial in Sweden that revealed an individual alongside weapons and equipment associated with high-ranking Viking warriors.

The analysis also claimed that women are actively involved in teaching hunting practices and that they often employ a greater variety of weapon choice and hunting strategies than men.

The 63 foraging societies quoted in the paper include 19 from North America, six from South America, 12 from Africa, 15 from Australia, five from Asia and six from the Oceanic region. Of the 63 societies analysed, 50 (79%) of the groups had documentation on women hunting.

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New Delhi: Top Opposition leaders on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his push for the uniform civil code (UCC), warning that there could be law-and-order issues if customary laws were subsumed under a common law, even as senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders dismissed the criticism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI)

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said the central government should give reservation to women and said the stance of the Sikh, Jain and Christian communities should be cleared. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin denounced the PM, saying the BJP wanted to disturb law-and-order in the country.

But Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said enactment of UCC will be made possible with the help of everyone and said citizens had to decide between those who followed the policy of tushtikaran (appeasement) and those who stand for santushtikaran (satisfaction)  terms first used by the PM in his speech two days ago.

When every citizen of the country is equal, then policies and laws governing them should also be equal, the minister said in Madhya Pradesh.

Modi spoke to BJP booth workers at an event on Tuesday and made a strong case for UCC, a divisive issue that is part of the directive principles of state policy of the Constitution but is considered politically controversial. These days, people are being provoked by the UCC. You tell me, if there is one law for one person in a home, and another law for another person, can that house function? Modi asked. As the crowd roared in denial, Modi said, Then how can a country work with such a hypocritical system? We have to remember that even the Constitution of India talks of common rights.

The comments came roughly two weeks after the Law Commission of India announced it was examining the fractious issue and asked for suggestions from individuals and civil society organisations.

The debate around UCC is decades old. But it is also seen as deeply divisive, especially among many Muslim communities who fear that a common code might wipe out their unique practices. Some tribal groups have also threatened to protest if UCC is implemented, expressing concern that a common law governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and maintenance, among other issues, might infringe on their unique customs and rituals.

Speaking in Pune, Pawar said his party will decide its stand after the government clarified certain things. Recently, PM Modi spoke about UCC. Our view is that the central government has given this issue to the Law Commission and it has sought proposals from various organisationsLaw Commissions, like responsible institutions, should study and work on the proposal/suggestion, Pawar added.

The second thing is that the stand of Sikh, Jain and Christian communities should be cleared. I am worried about one thing, I heard that the Sikh community has a different stand, he added.

In Chennai, Stalin criticised Modi. They want to disturb law and order, create communal clashes in the country, Stalin said. Modi is saying that there cannot be two different laws in the country. He believes that he will win again by increasing communal issues and creating confusion in the country. I am sure the people are ready to teach a lesson to the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections, he added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah also opposed UCC, saying there could be a backlash. Our country is diverse and so, they should rethink the implementation of UCC. People of different religions live here. Muslims have their own Shairat law and if they (Union government) implement UCC, there could be backlash or possible storm, he said after Eid prayers.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)  which has opposed UCC  asked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to clarify his stand. Manns Aam Aadmi Party has extended in principle support to a common code.

Union minister of state Ashwini Kumar Choubey expressed hope that the government will bring UCC at the earliest. UCC will satisfy all sections of the society since all want to live together in peace and make progress, he said.

(with agency inputs)

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Hyderabad Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Telangana on July 8. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Telangana on July 8 to take part in a couple of official events, a statement from the state Bharatiya Janata Party said.

According to the statement, the Prime Minister will lay foundation stone for the railway wagon overhauling centre at Kazipet in Hanamkonda district and also a mega textile park at Warangal.

Later, Modi will address a huge public meeting at Warangal for which the BJP is making all arrangements, the party statement said.

The Prime Ministers visit to Telangana assumes significance in the wake of the internal wrangling in the party in the state. He is expected to have a brief interaction with senior BJP leaders of the party and give them a direction on how to go about with the strengthening of the party ahead of the assembly elections in Telangana.

Meanwhile, the BJP high command announced postponement of the meeting of BJP presidents of 11 states to be held under national president J P Nadda at Hyderabad on July 8, in the wake of the PMs visit, the statement said.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience. ...view detail
On the day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began his two-day Manipur visit, the All Manipur Students Union issued a statement saying that the violence in the state was a result of blunders committed by previous governments, especially the Congress party. **EDS: IMAGE VIA AICC** Imphal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrives at Imphal airport, Manipur, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (PTI Photo)(PTI06_29_2023_000074A)(PTI)

Secretary General of All Manipur Students Union (AMSU), during a press conference, said on Thursday, The present communal crisis in Manipur is a result of the political blunders that have been committed by the successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time and Congress has a big role to play. In 2012, the Congress party deleted four Gram Panchayats and one Zila Parishad constituency which were part of the Imphal West district from the Manipur Panchayati Raj system and they were allotted to come under the autonomous district council of Kangopi district. It had further enhanced the dreamland of Kuki nation state.

He further said questioned the Congress on why the Panchayati raj system was removed from some areas in Imphal west.

Noting that Gandhi was visiting Manipur, he further said, We think that he [Rahul Gandhi] is answerable as the leader of the Congress partyand if the party is not answerable, there is no point of their presence in Manipur.

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday was stopped by Manipur Police about 20 kilometres from Imphal near Bishnupur as the police feared violence along the route. After arriving in Imphal, Rahul Gandhi was on his way to Churachandpur where his convoy was stopped. At Churachandpur, Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to meet those displaced by the ethnic clashes in the state at a camp.

He also said that if the Congress party did not respond, the AMSU would boycott all the party leaders in Manipur and all national Congress leaders visiting the state.

Further he appealed all the political parties, cutting across party lines and civil society organisations, student organisations, women organisations, community organisations and all the responsible stakeholders in Manipur not to create division and take political advantage.

He added that people should take creative and constructive steps forward and join hands together to bring inclusive peace in Manipur.

AMSU general secretary ended the press conference by appealing to the Indian government to not bring President's rule in Manipur. He said, The present chief minister in Manipur should not be changed and there should be no double administration in Manipur, and Im sure that we will take the right measures to safeguard or age-old historical identity and political identity which our forefathers had got it for many millennia.

BJP leaders on AMSU Statement

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell head Amit Malviya, responding to AMSU's statement, said, In a massive loss of face, All Manipur Students Union, on the eve of Rahul Gandhis malafide visit to Manipur, releases a statement blaming the Congress for creating (in 2012) all the problems Manipur is facingIt should have been embarrassing but then Rahul is incorrigible.

BJP Tripura secretary took to Twitter to respond to AMSU conference saying, In anticipation of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Manipur, the All Manipur Students Union has issued a statement attributing the Congress party with the responsibility for the various challenges that Manipur currently confronts, dating back to 2012. Very shameful for @INCIndia!

BJP leader Priti Gandhi said, Hours before Rahul Gandhi's politically motivated visit to Manipur, 'All Manipur Students Union' has released a statement blaming the Congress for creating the problems that Manipur is facing today. Over to you, @RahulGandhi!!

North East Students' Organisation questions PM Modi's silence

The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) on June 23 questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over violence in Manipur.

The PM must end this silence and take result-oriented steps. This silence is proving his lack of sense of responsibility towards the region, NESO president Samuel Jyrwa and secretary-general Mutsikhoyo Yhobo said last Friday.

NESO's chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjya said, Both the state and central governments have failed to control the violence. It didn't stop even after the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Along with AMSU, the representatives of All Assam Students' Union, Karbi Students' Union, Garo Students' Union, All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union, Naga Students' Federation, Tripura Students' Federation and Mizo Zirlai Pawl were present at the meeting.

Manipur violence

At least 115 people have died in the clashes that first broke out on May 3 in Churachandpur town after tribal Kuki groups called for protests against a court-proposed tweak to the states reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei community.

Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders.

The authorities clamped a curfew and suspended internet, pumping in additional security forces to force a break in the spiralling clashes.

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After massive outrage over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy being stopped at Manipur's Bishnupur, the Manipur Police has issued a statement.



Bishnupur Superintendent of Police (SP) Heisnam Balram Singh said there is a possibility of a grenade attack on the route through which the Congress leader was travelling.



Seeing the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and advised him to travel to Churachandpur via helicopter. There is a possibility of a grenade attack along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, we've not allowed him, Singh told ANI.



After his convoy was stopped by the police, Rahul Gandhi returned to Imphal airport. He is likely to travel to Churachandpur by a helicopter. The former Congress president will meet the victims at relief camps situated there. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with KC Venugopal at Manipur's Bishnupur where his convoy was stopped.(ANI/Twitter)

Protests had erupted during Rahul Gandhi's visit in the northeastern state. The police had to fire teargas shells to disperse the protesters. The Congress cried foul after Gandhi's convoy was stopped by the police.



Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over violence in Manipur, accusing him of leaving the state to fend for itself.

Referring to PM Modi, the Congress chief tweeted,Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms. Manipur needs peace, NOT confrontation.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday was stopped by Manipur Police about 20 kilometres from Imphal near Bishnupur as the cops feared violence along the route. After arriving in Imphal, Rahul Gandhi was on his way to Churachandpur where his convoy was stopped. At Churachandpur, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to meet the people at the camp, displaced by the ethnic clash in the state. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said cops were not allowing Rahul Gandhi's car to proceed while people standing on the sides were waving to him. "We are not able to understand why they have stopped us," Venugopal said. Gandhi is likely to take chopper from Imphal to Churachandpur Rahul Gandhi arrived in violence-hit Manipur on Thursday.(AICC )

Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's Manipur visit, the All Manipur Students Union' issued a statement condemning the successive governments in the state. "The present communal crisis in Manipur is a result of the political blunders that have been committed by the successive governments that have ruled Manipur over time and Congress has a big role to play," the union said. "In 2012, the Congress party deleted four Gram Panchayats and one Zila Parishad constituency which were part of the Imphal West district from the Manipur Panchayati Raj system and they were allotted to come under the autonomous district council of Kangopi district. It had further enhanced the dreamland of Kuki nation state," the students' union said in its statement.

Rahul Gandhi was going to meet the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP government stopped them on the way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. The people in power have a strong hatred for peace, love and brotherhood. But they should remember... This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love, the Congress tweeted.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinare said Rahul Gandhi was simply carrying the message of peace and love but the BJP was scared. "The Manipur Govt which has failed to protect people and control the violence in the state has stopped Shri Rahul Gandhis convoy - under instructions from the Modi govt. What are they scared of? Rahul ji is simply carrying the message of peace, love, healing and humanity," Shrinate tweeted.

Several BJP supporters questioned Rahul Gandhi's Manipur visit since he is not an MP anymore while BJP's Amit Malviya asked why Rahul Gandhi never visited Manipur between 2015 and 2017 when there was ethnic violence.

The situation in Manipur is tense as there have been clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities.

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Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar next meeting of leaders from opposition parties will be held at Bengaluru on July 13 and 14.



PM Modi has become restless after opposition parties meet in Patna, the NCP chief said, referring to the June 23 huddle which leaders from 15 opposition parties had attended in the Bihar capital. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar (HT PHOTO)

The opposition leaders who had met at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's residence had earlier announced they would meet in Shimla on July 10-12. The meeting would be held to prepare an agenda for moving ahead together while working in the respective states to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2024.

Nitish Kumar had termed the huddle a good meeting and added that the opposition parties had decided to fight the elections together. The huddle was attended by opposition leaders including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.



However, differences erupted between the Congress and AAP over the Centre's ordinance which curtailed the power of Kejriwal government in Delhi. After the meeting, the AAP released a statement slamming Congress for not clearing its stand on the ordinance.



The AAP also declared that it will be difficult for it to attend future meetings of opposition parties where Congress is present.



However, the BJP has been dismissive of the opposition leaders' meet, calling it a photo-op. Today, a photo session is going on in Patna where entire leaders of the Opposition have assembled on one stage. They want to convey a message that they would challenge the BJP, NDA and Modi ji. I would like to tell them that despite their attempts, unity among them is not possible, Union home minister Amit Shah had said in a public meeting on the day opposition leaders had met in Patna.

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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
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in fear after the Patna opposition meet called by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and that is why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to exploit communal issues to win the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections to remain in power. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin (File Photo)

Stalin was speaking in Chennai at the wedding of a party members family where he rallied people to vote for a secular party to form the Union government.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief slammed the Centre and PM Modi over the governments handling of the Manipur situation.

Also Read: Kapil Sibals swipe on PM Modi over UCC remarks: Why now after 9 years

Pointing out the violence which has left at least 115 dead and more than 40,000 displaced, Stalin criticised the ruling BJPs handling of the law and order situation in the northeastern state.

Stalin said that Manipur has been burning for 50 days but the prime minister has not yet got time to visit the state. Even an all-party meet by Union home minister Amit Shah was held after 50 days of violence, he said.

This is how the BJP-led state and central government functions, added Stalin.

He further denounced PM Modis push for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during his in his first public meeting after returning from the US.

Addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Bhopal on Tuesday, Modi made a strong pitch for a UCC, saying the Constitution calls for equal rights for all citizens.

He also brought up triple talaq, discrimination against Pasmanda Muslims, and the oppositions unity meet in Patna. While making a strong push for UCC, PM Modi on Tuesday said that India cannot run with two laws when the Constitution of India talks about equality for all.

Modi said that UCC will be implemented and there cannot be two different laws in the country. He believes he can win again by giving rise to communal issues and creating confusion in the country. I am sure, people are ready to teach a lesson to the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Stalin said.

He said that the government in Tamil Nadu is functioning based on a Dravidian model. Since the party formed the government in May 2021, DMK has consistently delivered their electoral promises.

Also Read: On PM Modis UCC push, AAPs in principle support: However, it should be

For this to continue, I want to ask the people of Tamil Nadu, to be ready and decisive to bring a government at the Centre who is secular, who will support us and who will keep up state autonomy, Stalin said.

On the BJPs attack that the Congress and DMK follow dynasty politics, Stalin recounted an event when he was imprisoned for a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency. At that time, the Chennai prison did not allow families to meet the prisoners though the law permitted it, said Stalin.

He said that his late father and five-time chief minister M Karunanidhi had warned of a hunger strike in front of the prison if he and his other party workers are not permitted to meet their family members. Thalaivar Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) had said only after families meet all the prisoners, will I meet my son. He didnt consider only me as his son but he considered all party cadres, every prisoner, his son. So the PM is right in describing us as family politics, said Stalin.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Divya Chandrababu Divya Chandrababu is an award-winning political and human rights journalist based in Chennai, India. Divya is presently Assistant Editor of the Hindustan Times where she covers Tamil Nadu & Puducherry. She started her career as a broadcast journalist at NDTV-Hindu where she anchored and wrote prime time news bulletins. Later, she covered politics, development, mental health, child and disability rights for The Times of India. Divya has been a journalism fellow for several programs including the Asia Journalism Fellowship at Singapore and the KAS Media Asia- The Caravan for narrative journalism. Divya has a master's in politics and international studies from the University of Warwick, UK. As an independent journalist Divya has written for Indian and foreign publications on domestic and international affairs. ...view detail
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in fear after the Patna opposition meet called by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and that is why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to exploit communal issues to win the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections to remain in power. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin attacks PM Modi saying BJP is harming communal harmony to win the upcoming LS polls. (PTI)

Stalin was speaking in Chennai at the wedding of a party members family where he rallied people to vote for a secular party to form the Union government.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief slammed the Centre and PM Modi over the governments handling of the Manipur situation.

Pointing out the violence which has left at least 115 dead and more than 40,000 displaced, Stalin criticised the ruling BJPs handling of the law and order situation in the northeastern state.

Stalin said that Manipur has been burning for 50 days but the prime minister has not yet got time to visit the state. Even an all-party meet by Union home minister Amit Shah was held after 50 days of violence, he said.

This is how the BJP-led state and central government functions, added Stalin.

He further denounced PM Modis push for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during his in his first public meeting after returning from the US.

Addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Bhopal on Tuesday, Modi made a strong pitch for a UCC, saying the Constitution calls for equal rights for all citizens.

He also brought up triple talaq, discrimination against Pasmanda Muslims, and the oppositions unity meet in Patna. While making a strong push for UCC, PM Modi on Tuesday said that India cannot run with two laws when the Constitution of India talks about equality for all.

Modi said that UCC will be implemented and there cannot be two different laws in the country. He believes he can win again by giving rise to communal issues and creating confusion in the country. I am sure, people are ready to teach a lesson to the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Stalin said.

He said that the government in Tamil Nadu is functioning based on a Dravidian model. Since the party formed the government in May 2021, DMK has consistently delivered their electoral promises.

For this to continue, I want to ask the people of Tamil Nadu, to be ready and decisive to bring a government at the Centre who is secular, who will support us and who will keep up state autonomy, Stalin said.

On the BJPs attack that the Congress and DMK follow dynasty politics, Stalin recounted an event when he was imprisoned for a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency. At that time, the Chennai prison did not allow families to meet the prisoners though the law permitted it, said Stalin.

He said that his late father and five-time chief minister M Karunanidhi had warned of a hunger strike in front of the prison if he and his other party workers are not permitted to meet their family members. Thalaivar Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) had said only after families meet all the prisoners, will I meet my son. He didnt consider only me as his son but he considered all party cadres, every prisoner, his son. So the PM is right in describing us as family politics, said Stalin.

National Mahila Morcha president of the BJP and Coimbatore MLA Vanathi Srinivasan questioned if criticising and cursing other parties from a wedding is the DMKs idea of Dravidian model. We think it is inappropriate to do such politics during a good event like a wedding. You (DMK) have no right to talk about a democratic party like the BJP, said Srinivasan. Prime Minister Modi spoke 100% truth in Bhopal. UCC is the need of our times.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Divya Chandrababu Divya Chandrababu is an award-winning political and human rights journalist based in Chennai, India. Divya is presently Assistant Editor of the Hindustan Times where she covers Tamil Nadu & Puducherry. She started her career as a broadcast journalist at NDTV-Hindu where she anchored and wrote prime time news bulletins. Later, she covered politics, development, mental health, child and disability rights for The Times of India. Divya has been a journalism fellow for several programs including the Asia Journalism Fellowship at Singapore and the KAS Media Asia- The Caravan for narrative journalism. Divya has a master's in politics and international studies from the University of Warwick, UK. As an independent journalist Divya has written for Indian and foreign publications on domestic and international affairs. ...view detail
Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi on Thursday dismissed arrested DMK minister V Senthil Balaji from the council of ministers, a move he appeared to back down from later at night, amid criticism from the state government that said the governor had no authority to do this. HT Image

Officials in Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalins office late on Thursday confirmed the governor had asked for the plan to be kept in abeyance, pending the attorney generals legal opinion.

An official in the CMs office confirmed, It has been conveyed to us that the order should be kept in abeyance and that the governors office is reaching out to the attorney generals office for more clarity.

However, the drama over Ravis move  which experts said lacked either constitutional or legal basis  played out all day, incensing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in the state.

A statement from Raj Bhavan said that Balaji had been abusing his position as a minister, influencing the investigation, and obstructing the due process of law and justice. There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of Thiru V.Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including fair investigation that may eventually lead to breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Under these circumstances, Honble Governor has dismissed Thiru V.Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, the statement added.

In response, Stalin told reporters that the Governor had no authority to sack a minister. We will face it legally, Stalin said.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate P Wilson added that even if the state does not take the matter to court, the Governors press note has no locus standi. Its null and void. Can a governor dismiss an entire cabinet or a minister on his own? Wilson asked.

Indeed, the Constitution is very clear that the governor has no powers in such matters.

Constitutional experts said that the governors move may not withstand legal scrutiny.

Article 164 of the Constitution says the chief minister shall be appointed by the Governor and other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the chief ministers advice, said a former public prosecutor who did not wish to be named. He cited the recent observations of the Madras HC, in a case which sought to remove Balaji, citing Article 164.

Balaji, who held the electricity, excise and prohibition portfolios, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegations that date back to 2014 when he was transport minister in the AIADMK government. He joined the DMK in 2018. On the day of his arrest, Balaji dramatically collapsed, undergoing a beating heart coronary artery bypass in a Chennai hospital on June 21 and has been hospitalised since. On Wednesday, his judicial custody was extended until July 12.

Ravi said that Balaji faced serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases including corruption, cash for jobs scam and money laundering. Some more criminal cases against him under Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the State Police, Raj Bhavan said.

Tamil Nadu Speaker M Appavu said, Under the Indian Constitution, the decision of cabinet portfolios is the prerogative of only a chief minister. He said that he had received no prior information from the Raj Bhavan.

This is not the first conflict to erupt between Stalin and the Governor. On June 16, in another statement, Ravi had said that he did not agree with Balajis continuation in the cabinet as he faced criminal proceedings for moral turpitude. He had however accepted the chief ministers recommendation for Balajis portfolios to be reallocated. Balaji has remained a minister without a portfolio since then.

In recent days, Ravi has also come under fire for claiming there were no bills pending with him, while a RTI application filed by The Hindu revealed that there were 13.

Most states ruled by parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have seen relations between the central government appointed governors and the state government deteriorate. The states have alleged that governors such as Ravi serve as agents of the Central government, while the governors have , in turn, alleged misgovernance.

The governor is the Constitutional head of the state so he has every right to appoint and dismiss ministers, state BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy told HT. He has taken the right decision, morally and legally in dismissing Senthil Balaji. People are saying this unprecedented. Let this be the precedent. Let Stalin go to court. Lets discuss this in court.

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Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi has reportedly put in abeyance his order dismissing Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet, which he passed without consulting chief minister MK Stalin. Balaji is accused in a money laundering case. Former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji.

The governor will take the Attorney General of India's advice in the matter, the reports added.



Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, the Raj Bhavan said earlier in its statement.



Chief minister MK Stalin opposed the governor's move. The Governor doesn't have rights, we will face this legally, he was quoted by ANI as saying.



Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case on June 14, is in judicial custody till July 12. He has been hospitalised after being arrested in an alleged cash-for-jobs case dating back to 2014 when he was the transport minister under the previous AIADMK government. He joined the DMK in 2018.



The arrested minister had undergone a bypass surgery in a private hospital in Chennai on June 21. The ED had opposed the shifting of Balaji to a private hospital. After the Madras high court allowed the DMK leader to do so, the probe agency had moved the Supreme Court. But the top court refused to stay the high court order.

Balaji was a minister without portfolio and those handled by him were re-allocated to his cabinet colleagues Thangam Thennarasu and S Muthusamy. The DMK leader's arrest had triggered a flashpoint in the Tamil Nadu governor vs govt tussle.



On the day Balaji was arrested, chief minister MK Stalin had sent a file to the governor informing him about the arrested minister's portfolios to be re-allocated to two other ministers. But the governor returned the file, stating that the CM's reasons were misleading and incorrect. Stalin is said to have called a meeting and sent another file to the governor, pressing him to accept the portfolio changes, which were accepted.

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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
Four Indian Skimmer hatchlings, born on a sand patch in a barrage in Uttar Pradeshs Bijnor, have been washed away over the past couple of days, after an increased discharge of water into the dam, said conservationists who were observing the endangered bird. Four Indian Skimmer hatchlings, born on a sand patch in a barrage in Uttar Pradeshs Bijnor, have been washed away (PTI)

Six Indian Skimmer eggs laid on the same sandbar  a partially exposed ridge of sand in a water body were washed away earlier this month after supply into the barrage was turned up.

The hatchlings would have taken flight in just around 10 days, said the conservationists, adding that the birds could have been saved had authorities cut off the flow of water into the barrage and held it at the upstream Haiderpur wetland.

We observed that the irrigation department discharged more water than it usually does. This submerged the sandbar completely, said Ashish Loya, who leads the nest guardian project at Wildlife Trust of India.

They should have accumulated water in the Haiderpur wetland upstream. There were only 10 days left for the hatchlings to fly. But because of heavy rain, the river has swollen and there was discharge of more water, he added.

This is the third time the rare birds hatchlings or eggs have been washed away from the barrage in two months. A current swept away 20 eggs in May, said conservationists.

Experts implored authorities to coordinate with experts to ensure the safety of rare birds in such situations.

The Indian Skimmer normally nests around April and May. In May, they nested and laid 20 eggs, but all of them were washed away because of the increase in water level. From next year we should coordinate effectively and the Irrigation department should respond in time so that this critical habitat for Indian Skimmer can be retained, Loya said.

Asad Rahmani, former director of BNHS and veteran ornithologist, said that improved preparation was vital to prevent such incidents.

It may not be feasible to control the flow of water every time. But we can sensitise them to help the birds whenever possible. Indian Skimmers need sand bars surrounded by deep waters. That also keeps them safe from dogs. Lets try to be better prepared for next year. They can be expected to nest around the same place, he said.

HT reached out to DFO Kanahiyalal Patel for a comment but did not get one immediately

The Indian skimmer is found in the coastal estuaries of western and eastern India. It resides primarily on larger, sandy, lowland rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes and, in the non-breeding season, in estuaries and coasts.

The bird, having an estimated population of 3,700-4,400 in south Asia, according to BirdLife International 2021, has been under threat as human activities gnaw away at its habitats.

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Members of Parliament will no longer have to depend on English or Hindi translations in Parliament and can listen to proceedings in their own languages in the new Parliament building if a plan mooted by Lok Sabha secretariat is implemented. The new Parliament was recently inaugurated. (ANI/PIB)

The idea, pitched by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, will not only lead to promotion of Indian languages in Parliament, but also make it convenient for MPs .

On June 28, Lok Sabha secretariat issued a circular on Realtime two-way interpretation facility (simultaneous interpretation) in all 22 languages in Schedule 8 of the Constitution of India and invited employees of the Lok Sabha secretariat to test out the plan in two regional languages, Kannada and Telugu.

A senior Lok Sabha official said: Lok Sabha Speakers plan will bring a major shift in the way regional languages are used in Parliament. In the existing system, any member who wants to speak in a language other than Hindi and English is encouraged to give prior notice to the Presiding officer of the House to help the secretariat arrange an interpreter in advance.

In the new system, translators will in real time, interpret all important proceedings such as the budget announcements, debate on bills or the discussion on the Presidents speech in 22 languages. This service will be available to all MPs in the chamber as well as visitors and journalists in the gallery, said another official. Neither official wished to be identified.

Members of some states, especially from South India, like to speak in their own language. Its not that they dont know Hindi or English, but speaking in their mother tongue helps them connect better with their constituency back home. It might be especially useful as the Lok Sabha distributes video clippings of the speeches to the MPs, said P Sreedharan, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha.

But the former top bureaucrat of the Lok Sabha also underlines that finding a suitable interpreter is usually difficult. In my times, I remember taking seven auditions for filling up an interpreters post.

A third senior official said that 43 officers have been selected for the interpreters pool and they have shifted to the estate management branch for testing interpretation facilities in the new building.

The new Parliament building, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28 amidst a boycott by many Opposition parties, will have a modern information and technology system and MPs will get a personal tablet at their desk to browse important data or documents for quick reference.

A large space spread over two floors for the Prime Ministers Office, a separate office for the Special Protection Group and room for all the central ministers are also being prepared in the new Building.

Officials added that only a handful of essential parliamentary departments such as the Table Office, Legislation branch, Notice office and the parliamentary reporters branch will shift to the new building right now. The bulk of the current workforce will continue to operate from its existing offices in the upper floors of the old building, library building and the parliament annex.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Saubhadra Chatterji Saubhadra Chatterji is Deputy Political Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on both politics and policies. ...view detail
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced compensation of 2 lakh for the next of kin of the people killed in Tripura's Ulta Rath Yatra mishap and 50,000 for those seriously injured. Devotees participate in the Bahuda Rath Yatra (return journey) of Hindu deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, at Jagdalpur in Bastar district, Wednesday,(PTI)

Seven people died and 16 others sustained injuries after being electrocuted during the Ulta Rath Yatra in Tripura's Unakoti district on Wednesday.

"The mishap during the Ulta Rath Yatra at Kumarghat is saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected," PM Modi said in a tweet.

"Rs. 2 lakh ex-gratia from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs. 50,000 would be given to those injured in the mishap in Tripura," he aded.

Chief Minister Manik Saha also visited the site and personally assessed the situation. Expressing his disbelief, he stated that such an unfortunate incident had never occurred in the history of Tripura.

Two children are also among the injured.
The release of the draft for delimitation of assembly and parliamentary seats in Assam by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 20 has led to a war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition. Though there is no change in the number of assembly and Lok Sabha seats  126 and 14 respectively  the draft has redrawn areas of almost all constituencies, leading to much heartburn. The last delimitation exercise in Assam took place nearly five decades ago in 1976. PREMIUM The draft has proposed renaming 24 assembly and three Lok Sabha seats, (Pics for representation)

The draft has proposed renaming 24 assembly and three Lok Sabha seats, altering the areas they cover and changing reserved seats to unreserved and vice versa. In the draft, the number of assembly seats reserved for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) seats have increased from eight to nine and from 16 to 19, respectively.

The seats of several political bigwigs including senior ministers such as industry minister Chandra Mohan Patowary (Dharmapur), excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya (Dhalai) and panchayat and rural development minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass (Patacharkuchi) will cease to exist. Handloom and textile minister Urkhao Gwra Brahma, who is from the BJPs alliance partner United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) and represents the Chapaguri seat will also lose his seat. Another UPPL colleague Assam assembly speaker Biswajit Daimary who won from the Paneri constituency stands to lose his home constituency.

The question of illegal infiltrators

The BJP and its allies, Asom Gana Parishad and the UPPL claim the draft, if implemented in its present form, would ensure the protection of the rights of indigenous people implying that there would be fewer seats for Bengali-speaking Muslims, who migrated to Assam from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and are regarded as illegal infiltrators in the state. While only those people from Bangladesh who entered Assam after March 24, 1971, can be legally regarded as 'illegal immigrants, in Assam many indigenous groups view even those who came to the state prior to that date as falling in the same category.

Muslims comprise around 34% of Assam's population (as per 2011 census) and estimated Bengali-speaking Muslims with origins in Bangladesh comprise around 70-75% of that figure. They exercise a decisive role in 35-40 assembly seats. There are 31 Muslim MLAs and 2 Muslim MPs in Assam.

Several seats which are now represented by Muslim MLAs would see redrawing of boundaries and they will get included in other seats and parts of it get divided into nearby seats with Hindu majority. Three such assembly seats have been reserved for scheduled tribe and scheduled caste candidates in the draft effectively making Muslims non-eligible.

Polarising views on the delimitation draft

The Jalukbari seat, which Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma represents since 2001, has been redrawn and divided into three parts. "I am feeling very saddened by this news. However, I welcome the draft as it accurately reflects the sentiments of Assam," he said after the release of the draft.

"It shouldn't be a bother if the draft proposal gets implemented. I had represented Sorbhog seat earlier, but in 2021 it contested from Patacharkuchi and won," told panchayat raj minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass to journalists. Kumar's Patacharkuchi seat will cease to exist as per the draft.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma feels the draft will secure the interests of indigenous Assamese from illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh, which the Assam Accord of 1985 signed after a six-year agitation and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) seeking to identify non-citizens in the state, which was updated in 2019, failed to achieve.

If this draft gets approved and is implemented in its present form, people of Assam will be dominant in 102 seats and will be able to elect their representatives, the CM said while addressing a rally in Lakhimpur as part of the BJPs campaign for the 2024 general elections.

Clause 6 of the Assam Accord stated that constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards would be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. In July 2019, a high-level committee was set up by the Centre to facilitate the implementation of Clause 6. The committee submitted its recommendations to the Assam government in February 2020. The report and its recommendations are yet to be implemented.

In 2015, the process to update the NRC for Assam, which was first published in 1951 to identify immigrants in the state, was undertaken under the supervision of the Supreme Court. In August 2019, the final list, which excluded 1.9 million applicants, was made public. But the list is yet to be notified by the Registrar General of India and several petitions opposing the list and seeking a review  including one by the Assam government  are pending in the Supreme Court.

The Opposition parties in Assam, however, dont share the views of the BJP and its allies on the delimitation draft.

It seems that the draft was prepared in a hurry by the election commission under pressure from the BJP and specifically CM Sarma. A petition seeking a stay in the delimitation process is pending in the Supreme Court and the next date of hearing in it is slated for next month. But the draft was released before that, said Congress state unit president Bhupen Kumar Borah.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president and Lok Sabha MP, Badaruddin Ajmal said his party wont support the current draft at any cost and blamed the BJP for manipulating the draft for electoral gains. Accusing the BJP of trying to reduce Muslim representation, he said the party will approach the EC to demand changes in the draft.

We suspect that this exercise was done to target AIUDF and religious minorities. There seems to be no rationale or logic behind it as some villages have been removed from existing panchayats and geographical contiguity and administrative factors have also been overlooked, said AIUDF MLA from Dhing, Aminul Islam, whose seat will cease to exist as per the draft, because the Dhing seat will cease to exist.

The promise to support the interests of indigenous people was the BJPs election slogan in 2014 ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and in 2016 before the assembly polls, and helped bring the party to power in Assam for the first time, experts said.

But nothing much has happened on the ground. A case in point is the implementation or non-implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The narrative on protecting the rights of the indigenous people has become a political gimmick. Its just rhetoric without much substance. Does drawing and redrawing of boundaries of constituencies safeguard or guarantee protecting the rights of the indigenous people? said Akhil Ranjan Dutta, professor of political science at Gauhati University.

Other experts said that only a federal set-up where state legislatures and autonomous councils have substantive power to define and legislate on issues concerning the rights of indigenous people regarding land, water and ecology, would help protect them.

I think the delimitation exercise doesnt have anything to do with the protection of rights of indigenous people. The Hindutva narrative that you can protect the rights of the indigenous by saving seats from East Pakistan-origin Muslims is not that of commoners, said Dutta.

History of delimitation in Assam

The last delimitation exercise in Assam was undertaken in 1976 based on figures from the 1971 census. A fresh delimitation exercise in 126 assembly seats and 14 parliamentary seats is being done on the basis of 2001 census figures.

The fresh delimitation exercise in Assam was earlier suspended in 2008 following suggestions by the then Congress government in the state that it might create law and order problems.

The process restarted on January 1 this year after the state government gave assurances that the law and order situation in Assam was conducive at present to conduct the exercise.

Following the release of the draft, the EC has invited suggestions and objections from political parties and other groups till July 11. A team from the commission will visit Assam again next month for the public hearing on the draft proposal.
Former law minister Kapil Sibal has taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asking how "uniform" is his proposal and does it cover Hindus, tribals and the northeast. Kapil Sibal, Senior leader addresses during the mega rally organized at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.(Hindustan Times)

Addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Bhopal on Tuesday, Modi made a strong pitch for a UCC, saying the Constitution calls for equal rights for all citizens.

The prime minister also accused the opposition of using the UCC issue to mislead and provoke Muslims.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Sibal, a Rajya Sabha MP, said, "Prime Minister: Pushes for Uniform Civil Code, accuses Opposition of instigating Muslims. Questions: 1) Why now after 9 years? 2024? 2) How 'uniform' is your proposal: Covers : Hindus, Tribals, North-East, All? 3) Every day your Party targets Muslims. Why? Concerned now!"

The Law Commission had, on June 14, invited views from all the stakeholders, including members of the public and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue.

Earlier, the 21st Law Commission, the term of which ended in August 2018, had examined the issue and solicited the views of all stakeholders on two occasions. Subsequently, a consultation paper on "Reforms of Family Law" was issued in 2018.

The 22nd Law Commission, which recently got a three-year extension, has now restarted the process and sought views from the stakeholders by July 13.

A UCC typically means a common law for all citizens of the country that is not based on religion. Personal laws and laws related to inheritance, adoption and succession are likely to be covered by a common code.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday alleged Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had shunned all political principles and accused Opposition parties, which recently held a joint meeting in Patna , of being involved in scams worth 20 lakh crore. Union home minister Amit Shah. (ANI)

Shah, who arrived for a days visit to Patna, also said that all attempts of the Congress to project Rahul Gandhi as a mass leader had failed.

Addressing a mega rally in Lakhisarai, Shah referred to Kumar  a former ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  as paltu babu (one who changes stances) and accused him of fooling his current ally and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, Lalu Prasad. Kumar was the host of the opposition meeting in Patna.

The Union minister also took a dig at a meeting of Opposition parties in Patna on June 23.

These parties are the ones who indulged in corruption and scams worth over 20 lakh crore from 2004-2014 Bihar will give a befitting reply to the corrupt leaders... leaders who ditched the NDA will be punished by voters, he said.

The Union home minister targeted Kumar for questioning the work done by the Centre in the past nine years.

Paltu babu Nitish Kumar was asking what had been done (by the Centre in nine years). At least have some regard for those with whom you have shared power and because of whom, you became the chief minister. A lot of work was done by Prime Minister Modi across the country in these nine years, he said.

In August last year, Kumars Janata Dal (United) broke its alliance with the BJP to re-align with the RJD.

Since then, the BJP has often called Nitish paltu babu, accusing him of backstabbing the party and blaming his prime ministerial ambition for his decision.

Shah attacked Kumar for joining hands with a party of scamsters.

You became the chief minister while opposing Lalu Prasads animal husbandry scam. Can a leader, who changes his house repeatedly be trusted? Should the reigns of Bihar be given in the hands of such a man? Nitish always changes his alliance partners and is simply misleading Lalu ji. He is not trustworthy He has shunned all political principles, he said.

Prasad, a former chief minister, was convicted and sentenced in a number of fodder scam cases. He is currently out on bail and is likely to play a key role in bringing opposition parties together ahead of the 2024 polls.

Shah also said that all attempts of the Congress to project Rahul Gandhi as a mass leader had failed.

Hitting back at Shah, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said: He can only tell lies. All work has only been done by the state. The BJP is nervous. They are not going to win more than 100 Lok Sabha seats this time.

JD(U) chief state spokesman and MLC Neeraj Kumar took strong exception to Shahs remarks on Kumar. It is not appropriate for a home minister to make such disparaging remarks against an elected chief minister. I am forced to say that Shah is himself an expert in linguistic hatred and language corruption.

The Congress dubbed Shahs visit as an effort to spread hatred. Shahs visit was nothing but an effort to spread hatred. The truth is that the presence of PM Modi is enough to incite hatred and spread poison in society. When Manipur is burning, the home minister is making rounds of Bihar, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Akhilesh Prasad Singh said.

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A day after surviving an assassination bid, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad on Thursday demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath while alleging that the CM is providing protection to criminals. Bhim Army leader Chandra Shekhar Aazad.(ANI)

Read here: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan shot at in UPs Saharanpur

"I was fighting for my life but the criminals are still roaming free. This can't be done without the protection of those in power. I believe that this is an acute negligence by the Government. Chief Minister has not said a word, it shows that he is protecting the criminals," the Bhim army leader told ANI.

In a note posted on Twitter, he said, My 56-inch chest is real, not fake. The fatal attack on me is a failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the responsibility of the government and I am also a responsible citizen of the state.

"Earlier, these people used to misuse ED, CBI and Income Tax officials for this, then they started getting fake police encounters done and now government-backed criminals have started using guns and bullets to eliminate opposition leaders," he said.

The chief minister should take moral responsibility for protecting criminals and resign immediately, he said.

Read here: Attempt to murder case filed after attack on Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad

The Bhim army leader was discharged from the Saharanpur's SBD Hospital today day after he was admitted yesterday following attack on his convoy.

A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Aazad's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday.

Later, in a video message, Aazad advised his supporters to remain calm and asserted that he will keep on fighting constitutionally.

The vehicle used in the assassination bid was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night, while the police on Thursday registered a FIR at the Deoband police station based on the complaint of Aazad's aide Manish Kumar.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik visited Aazad at the hospital on Thursday and enquired about his health. Punia demanded the arrest of those behind the attack as soon as possible.

Read here: Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia meet Chandrashekhar Azad, demand arrest of attackers

In Lucknow, Bhim Army activists handed over to a government official a memorandum addressed to the governor demanding Z-plus security for Aazad.
US chip-maker Micron Technology inked a pact with the Gujarat government for setting up a semiconductor manufacturing facility at Sanand worth $2.75 billion ( 22,500 crore approximately). At the event in Gandhinagar, the company said that it will create 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs. (Twitter | Gujarat CMO)

At the event in Gandhinagar, the company said that it will create 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs.

The semiconductor chips produced in Sanand will be used across India and exported globally. The first chip from this plant is expected within 18 months, it said.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel and union minister for railways, communications, electronics and information technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw were present in the event.

Also Read:With a historic joint statement, India and US inaugurate a new chapter in ties

The Gujarat government handed over the Offer Cum Allotment (OCA) letter to Micron for the allotment of 93 acres of area at Sanand Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) Estate.

Micron Technology will establish assembly and test facility, wherein it will focus on transforming wafers into ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit packages, memory modules and solid-state drives.

This facility will further attract many more players from the entire semiconductor supply chain into Gujarat.

It will also inspire global semiconductor giants and MNCs to set up high-tech manufacturing in Gujarat.

The Gujarat government announced the Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-2027 in July last year, making it the first state in India to introduce a dedicated policy aimed at attracting investments in the chip manufacturing sector.

The MoU signing is a novel step towards PM Narendra Modis $10 billion Semicon India Program to create an Aatmanirbhar Bharat in global semiconductor supply chain manufacturing, the government said in a statement.

PM Modi had met Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra at his recently-concluded US visit.
Actor Janhvi Kapoor attended the Animal Ball in London to mark the 20th anniversary of the wildlife conservation charity Elephant Family. Many Indian celebrities, including fashion designers - Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Anita Dongre - attended the ball. King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla also made an appearance. Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor also represented India at the star-studded occasion. She wore a Manish Malhotra creation for the event and stole the spotlight. Janhvi Kapoor attends the Animal Ball in London with Manish Malhotra. (Instagram)

Janhvi Kapoor attends the Animal Ball

Bollywood's favourite designer Manish Malhotra took to Instagram to share pictures of Janhvi Kapoor from the Animal Ball. Janhvi wore an antique gold gown, a floor-sweeping long coat, and a Maharaja Lion Mask from the designer's latest collection specially designed for the event. "The mask - made from ethically-sourced feathers and topaz crystal - is a symbol of strength and a paragon of protective leadership," Manish Malhotra revealed on his social media. Check out Janhvi's pictures in the radiant and elegant ensemble below.

Janhvi Kapoor's Animal Ball ensemble decoded

Janhvi Kapoor's sleeveless golden gown features halter straps, a plunging neckline, a midriff-baring cut-out on the side, a long train on the back, a backless detail, and a mermaid silhouette accentuating her enviable figure. The shimmering crystals and sequin embellishments added the oomph factor to the ensemble.

Janhvi Kapoor and Manish Malhotra at the Animal Ball. (Instagram)

Janhvi paired the gown with a bronze gold-coloured long jacket featuring exaggerated sleeves and a floor-sweeping train at the back. Lastly, she ditched jewellery with the heavily-embellished attire and opted for the Maharaja mask and high heels to complete the look.

Fan calls Janhvi Kapoor a princess

Meanwhile, fans loved Janhvi's regal look for the gala and filled the comments section with praise. Her cousin sister, Shanaya Kapoor, dropped heart-eye emojis. A few other fans posted heart and fire emoticons. Another user commented, "Gorgeous." One fan wrote, "She is a princess."
Last night, the makers and star cast of Satyaprem Ki Katha hosted a grand star-studded film premiere in Mumbai. Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani, the lead stars of Satyaprem Ki Katha, attended the screening. Several other Bollywood stars, including Kiara Advani's husband Sidharth Malhotra, Pooja Hegde, Mrunal Thakur, Manushi Chhillar, Rajpal Yadav, Johnny Lever, Jamie Lever, Saiee Manjrekar, and more celebs also got clicked at the screening by the paparazzi. All the stars came dressed in stylish attires. Scroll ahead to find out who wore what to the starry event. Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani-Sidharth Malhotra, and Pooja Hegde attend Satyaprem Ki Katha screening. (Instagram)

(Also Read | Kiara Advani with Kartik Aaryan at Satyaprem Ki Katha Jaipur event stuns in mirror jacket with floral bra top and pants)

Who wore what to the Satyaprem Ki Katha screening

Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra

Kiara Advani arrived at the Satyaprem Ki Katha screening with her actor husband, Sidharth Malhotra, and her mom and dad. The star chose a beauteous ethnic off-white look for the occasion. She slipped into a floral embroidered anarkali kurta featuring a plunging neckline, full-length sleeves, and pleated long ghera. She styled it with matching Palazzo pants and an embroidered net dupatta. Centre-parted wavy locks, a bindi, jhumkis, blushed minimal makeup, and nude lips rounded off the look. Sidharth complemented her in a denim shirt, white round-neck tee, and acid-washed light blue distressed denim jeans.

Kartik Aaryan

Kartik Aaryan, the lead star of Satyaprem Ki Katha, slipped into a black button-down shirt and dark blue denim jeans for the grand screening event. He styled his casual-chic look with black dress shoes, a trimmed beard, and a back-swept messy hairdo.

Pooja Hegde

Pooja Hegde made heads turn at the Sayaprem Ki Katha screening in a cobalt blue dress featuring shoulder straps, a plunging sweetheart neckline, criss-cross detail on the front, side cut-outs, a back slit, midi hem length, and a figure-hugging silhouette highlighting her figure. She styled the ensemble with black heels, a shoulder bag, dainty earrings, bracelets, centre-parted open wavy locks, blushed cheeks, nude lip shade, and striking glam picks.

Mrunal Thakur

Mrunal Thakur chose a chic black dress for the Satyaprem Ki Katha screening, bringing glamour to the occasion. Her sleeveless ensemble features a deep neckline, a gathered design, an asymmetric hem, a side thigh-high slit, and a figure-hugging silhouette. She wore it with embellished high heels, a sleek necklace, dainty ear studs, matching rings, side-parted open locks, and striking makeup picks.

Manushi Chhillar

Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar chose a silk slip dress for the Satyaprem Ki Katha premiere event. She wore a green-coloured ensemble featuring white floral patterns, noodle straps, a gathered design on the bust, a cut-out on the front, and a midi hem length. She styled the outfit with a top handle bag, open locks, and minimal glam.
Eid-ul-Adha or Bakra Eid, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of the most important Islamic festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide as this joyous occasion commemorates the profound act of sacrifice by Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his willingness to offer his son as an act of obedience to Allah (God). The traditions associated with Eid-ul-Adha hold deep meaning and significance, emphasising the values of faith, selflessness and gratitude. Eid-ul-Adha traditions: The meaning and significance of sacrifice on Bakra Eid (Photo by Twitter/HazelnutsisCool)

Meaning and significance of sacrifice:

The origins of Eid-ul-Adha can be traced back to the story of Prophet Ibrahim, who received a divine command to sacrifice his son as a test of his devotion to Allah. As Ibrahim prepared to carry out the sacrifice, Allah intervened and replaced his son with a ram, signifying that his willingness to submit to Allah's command was sufficient.

This act of sacrifice exemplifies unwavering faith, trust and obedience to God. On Eid-ul-Adha, the act of sacrifice holds profound meaning and significance for Muslims. It symbolises and commemorates the ultimate act of devotion and obedience to Allah (God) demonstrated by the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).

Obedience to Allah: The story of Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son as commanded by Allah exemplifies the importance of complete submission and obedience to God's will. The act of sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha serves as a reminder for Muslims to prioritise their faith and trust in Allah above all else. Lessons of Sacrifice: Eid-ul-Adha serves as a reminder of the profound lessons learned from Prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice. It encourages Muslims to embody the values of sacrifice in their daily lives, sacrificing their own desires, ego and material possessions for the sake of pleasing Allah and benefiting others. Trust and Faith: Prophet Ibrahim's unwavering trust in Allah's plan and his willingness to offer his son as a sacrifice, display the depth of his faith. Eid-ul-Adha emphasises the significance of placing absolute trust in Allah's wisdom, even in situations that may seem challenging or incomprehensible. Gratitude and Remembrance: The act of sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha is a gesture of gratitude to Allah for His countless blessings and provisions. Muslims express their gratitude by sacrificing an animal and sharing the meat with family, friends and the less fortunate. This practice reminds them to appreciate the provisions they have received and to be mindful of the needs of others. Selflessness and Generosity: The sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha reflects the values of selflessness and generosity. Muslims are encouraged to share the meat from the sacrificed animal with those in need, fostering a sense of compassion, empathy and solidarity within the community. This act reminds individuals to prioritise the well-being and welfare of others, especially those who are less fortunate. Atonement and Spiritual Cleansing: The act of sacrifice is also seen as a means of seeking forgiveness and spiritual purification. By sacrificing an animal, Muslims acknowledge their own shortcomings and sins, seeking Allah's forgiveness and striving for a renewed sense of purity and righteousness. Unity and Brotherhood: Eid-ul-Adha promotes unity and brotherhood among Muslims. The act of sacrifice is performed collectively and the meat is shared with family, friends and the wider community. This practice strengthens bonds, encourages social cohesion and reminds individuals of their shared responsibilities towards one another.

In summary, the meaning and significance of sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha encompass obedience to Allah, trust and faith, gratitude, selflessness, generosity, atonement, unity and the embodiment of important moral values. Through the act of sacrifice, Muslims seek to strengthen their relationship with Allah, demonstrate their devotion and foster a spirit of compassion and empathy towards all members of their community.

Eid-ul-Adha traditions:

The traditions associated with Eid-ul-Adha emphasise the values of sacrifice, selflessness, gratitude and compassion for others. By participating in the rituals and embodying these values, Muslims not only strengthen their connection with Allah but also foster unity, generosity and empathy within their communities hence, Eid-ul-Adha is a time of celebration, reflection and a renewed commitment to living a life of faith and service to others.

Here are the traditions of Eid-ul-Adha that are universal for all Muslims worldwide -

The central ritual of Eid-ul-Adha involves the sacrifice of an animal, typically a sheep, goat, cow or camel. This act symbolises Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his beloved son and serves as a reminder of the importance of selflessness and obedience in the face of adversity.

The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives and friends and one for the less fortunate, ensuring that the act of sacrifice extends beyond the individual or family to benefit the wider community.

On the day of Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims gather at mosques or open prayer grounds to perform a special congregational prayer known as the Eid prayer. The prayer is led by an imam and includes specific supplications, praising Allah for His blessings and acknowledging the significance of Prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice. Imams often deliver sermons that highlight the lessons of sacrifice, emphasising the importance of obedience to God and compassion for others.

Eid-ul-Adha is a time of joy and celebration, bringing families and communities together where people dress in their finest attire and exchange warm greetings of "Eid Mubarak" (Blessed Eid).

Families engage in acts of charity, giving gifts and sharing meals as it is a time for forgiveness, reconciliation and strengthening bonds with loved ones.

Many Muslims also visit the graves of their departed loved ones, offering prayers and seeking blessings for the deceased.

Eid-ul-Adha emphasises the spirit of generosity and charity where Muslims are encouraged to extend their support to those in need by providing food, clothing or financial assistance while the act of sharing the sacrificial meat with the less fortunate fosters a sense of compassion and solidarity, reminding individuals of their responsibility to care for the vulnerable members of society.
Festivals are the perfect time to reclaim and celebrate the rich legacy of our families through customs and food. On Eid-ul-Adha, take an inspiration from these chefs and prepare a delicacy for your loved ones. Eid-ul-Adha is incomplete with biryani. To add more fun to the celebrations, make goat biryani or choose from other recipes.

Goat Biryani

Ingredients:

Dawat Rice  1kg

Salt  3 tbps

Kewra Water  4 tbps

Rose Water  4 tbps

Cinnamon Stick  10 nos

Green Cardamom  10 nos

Clove  12 nos

Bay Leaf  5 nos

Mace Javitri  5 nos

Lemon Juice  4 tbps

Rice cooking cream  half cup

Desi ghee  half cup

Mint  9-10 nos

Coriander  5 gms

Brown onion  10 gms

Yellow chilli  2 tsp

Biryani masala  2 tsp

Saffron  1 gm

Mutton Yakhani:

Goat  750 gm

Ghee  125 gm

Curd  1 cup

Yellow chilli powder  1 tbps

G G Paste  5 tbps

Onion  1 cup

Mutton Stock  750 ml

Salt  1 tbps

Biryani masala  2 tsp

Haldi  1 tsp

Biryani masala base:

Green cardamom  10 nos

Mace  40 gm

Procedure:

Step 1: marinate the goat with g/g, salt, curd. Keep it aside overnight.

Step 2: take a deg, add clarified butter and whole spices when crackled add onion slices. Let the onion turn to golden brown add the ginger garlic paste, yellow chilli powder. Keep saute well, when the ghee starts oozing out, add marinated goat into the deg. Add salt and curd and keep stirring as curd tends to curdle. Add the mutton stock and keep it aside to simmer for 25 mins. After 25 mins, check the tenderness of mutton. Strain the mutton jus and piece separately.

Step 3: take a deg, add above mutton jus, cream, ghee, biryani masala, saffron, mint, keora water, rose water, together and cook well. Add the mutton pieces and wait for the rice for further layering.

Step 4: soak the rice for at least half an hour. Keep water for boiling with salt. Bundle all the whole spices in a muslin cloth and dip in the boiling water to extract the flavours. Check the salt and add the soaked rice into the boiling water. When the rice starts simmering, then slow down the flame to hold the temperature. Add lemon juice. When the rice are cooked 70%, start first layering as for the top layer, rice will be cooked completely.

Step 5: take deg, pour over the yakhani sauce (step 3) and add the first layer of rice. Keep layering the biryani with the yakhani and cooked rice, 3 layers are preferred. Add mint leaves, brown onion, keora water, saffron water and keep on a dum for at least 15 mins. Serve hot with curd.

Recipe by chef Kush Koli, head chef, SAGA, Gurugram.He says, Earlier Mughals used to eat extremely spicy biryani but gradually they started consuming biryani with less spices and more aroma. Its not heavy for your stomach.

Meat Pulao is something not to be missed this eid.

Meat Pulao

Ingredients:

Mutton Curry Cut  250 gms

Fortune Oil  5 tabs

Onion  150 gms

Green Chilly  15 gms

Ginger  25 gms

Garlic  25 gms

Salt - 1 tabs

Chilli Powder - 1 tabs

Turmeric Powder  1tabs

Black Pepper - 1 tabs

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tabs

Curd  70 gms

Coriander Powder  1 tabs

Cumin Powder  1 tabs

Basmati Rice  70 gms

Desi Ghee - 75 gms

Cinnamon Stick - 5 gms

Bay Leaf - 5 gms

Green Cardmom - 2 gms

Clove - 2 gms

Coriander Fresh  1 tabs

Mint - 25 gms

White Sesame Seed - 75 gms

Tamrind - 50 gms

Method:

Heat the ghee in a pan and add cardamom, peppercorns, red chillies and cloves. Then add onions and cook till transparent. Add the meat, salt and chilli powder and all spices. Stir fry till the meat is opaque and add two cups of water. Bring toa boil and lower the heat and cook covered till meat is tender. Strain the meat and keep it aside. Measure the liquid and make up to three cups by adding hot water. Mix liquid, meat and rice together. Bring to a boil lower the heat and cook covered for five minutes. Served with mint raita and sesame chutney.

Recipe by chef Ashish Singh, Corporate Chef, Dhansoo Cafe, Gurugram. He says, There is a place in CP where this guy cooks meat pulao and I has been visiting there since I was a child. So this recipe is from that place.

Namak Gosht

Ingredients

1.4 tbsp Ghee

2.1 kg Mutton with fat (and  kg bones)

3.3 tbsp Ginger & Garlic paste

4.1 Red Onion, large

5.1 tbsp Coriander, crushed

6.1 tbsp black pepper

7.1 tbsp cumin seeds, roasted & crushed

8.1 tbsp salt or to taste

Steps

To prepare the meat and bones, heat the ghee in a skillet and add everything to it. Fry until the colour changes, around 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the paste of ginger and garlic for an additional 2 minutes. Cook the onion slices, then stir in the dry spices. Mix and cook for a few minutes.

Put in enough water to completely submerge the ingredients. Turn the heat down low and cover the pot for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

When the meat is fork-tender, increase the heat and evaporate the water (or gravy) until oil separates.

Serve with fresh lemon juice.

Recipe by chef Sadaf Hussain. He says, This is one of my favorite Eid recipes and my mother always used to make this. It is simple and focuses on the quality of meat and not on the spices. It also keeps your stomach light so that you can then get straight into Biryani or qorma in the evening.

Meat (Gosht) Lahoriya

Ingredients

Mutton Curry Cut 1000 gm

Onion 200 gm

Tomato 175 gm

Mustard Oil 250 ml

Turmeric 3 gm

Coriander Powder 10 gm

Kashmiri Chilly Powder 10 gm

Red Chilly Powder 5 gm

Garam Masala 3 gm

Nihari Masala 15 gm

Desi Ghee 50 gm

Maida (Refined Flour) 200 gm

Bay Leaves 2 nos

Whole Black Pepper 2 gm

Black & Green Cardamom 3 gm

Cinnamon Stick 2 gm

Cloves 1 gm

Onion Paste 500 gm

Curd 100 gm

Ginger Garlic Paste 250 gm

Salt 50 gm

Method (4 portions of approx 250 gm each)

Marinate the mutton in curd and ginger-garlic paste, and set aside for an hour

Heat oil

Add all whole spices, followed by the onion paste

Saute till onion paste browns lighty

Add marinated mutton curry cut and mix well and allow to cook

After 15 mins add tomato

Mix well and allow to simmer till the mutton approx 80% cooked

Add nihari masala and curd and mix well

Simmer the entire mixture in a closed vessel till mutton is cooked tender

Best eaten with Tandoori Roti or Naan

Recipe by Jaibir Kohli, the fourth generation owner of Pritam Da Dhaba

Turkish Adana Kebab

Mutton leg boneless 300gms

mutton fat 70 gms

red chilli roasted 5gms

onion roasted 20gms

jeera roasted powder 5gms

sumag powder 5gms

garlic 10gms

salt 5gms

cayenne powder 5gms

banana chilli 10gms

roasted tomato 40gms

turkish bread 80gms

refined flour 100gms

yeast 0.5gms

water 70gms

sugar 3gms

salt 3gms

oil 5gms

Turkish Bread

On a clean flat surface, add refined flour and make a well.

Add yeast, sugar, water and mix it. Add this to flour

Knead it to smooth dough.

Add salt, oil and knead it again.

Keep it aside, cover it with a damp cloth and allow to ferment for one hour.

Knock back the dough, and divide it to portion of 80 gms and set aside to proof.

After 30-40 mins, take one portion and roll it to a flat circle.

Bake it in oven and serve.

Adana Kebab

In a bowl, add raan meat, mutton fat, red chilli roasted, onion roasted, roasted jeera powder, sumag powder, garlic, salt and mix it.

Finely mince it through a mincer and keep it aside for 20-30 mins.

Apply it on a seekh and roast it in tandoor.

Once done, brush it with paprika butter.

Serve it with charred banana chilli, roasted tomatoes and turkish bread.

Recipe by chef Ajay chopra

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In a relationship, emotional wear and tear are bound to happen. Be it going through a relational crisis or a trauma or simply trying to strengthen the bond with our partners, we often feel the need to connect with them on a deeper level. "Whether you find yourself in a committed partnership, recovering from a relationship crisis, or simply longing for deeper connection, these six essential steps serve as a guiding path for both healing and growth. Like the ebb and flow of a river, we move through these stages repeatedly, immersing ourselves in the depths of understanding and mastery. With each cycle, we gain wisdom and insight, learning to navigate the intricacies of each stage with increasing depth and finesse," wrote Therapist Jordan Dann as she explained the steps by which we can deepen the connection with our partner: Steps to deepen your relationship(Unsplash)

ALSO READ: Why do we crave intimacy in a relationship?

Re-commit: With time we learn of the exits and the shortcomings of our own commitments. One of the hardest things to do in the relationship is to commit to the partner we are with. As we learn to re-commit, we close the exits by which we can leave the relationship and find ways to stay connected with the person we are with.

Re-vision: Every relationship has their own set of goals, visions and values, with time, we need to come back to the same and revise them to manifest them together in the relationship.

Reprocess frustrations: Holding on to the past mistakes, grudges and frustrations will bring more negative energy into the relationship. We need to learn to address them and find ways to cope with them.

Insight and behavioral change: Being more insightful about our own triggers and differences will help in gradual behavioral changes, urging the partner to also change in a positive way.

Re-image: When we initiate the changes, we also bid goodbye to the image of the old relationship, and welcome the new one.

Re-romanticise: Romaticising the partner and the relationship again will help in growing deeper connections, binding us to our partner.

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In a review meeting with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on April 29, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised the need for continuously improving taxpayer services and organising interactions with taxpayers to understand their issues and suggestions. PREMIUM SAMVAAD with taxpayers has been the key since the launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1, 2017,

SAMVAAD with taxpayers has been the key since the launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1, 2017, and CBIC has been at the forefront in establishing channels of communication with taxpayers. Just before the launch of GST, a portal, Manthan, was launched to provide a calendar of GST awareness campaigns such as GST-Bharati and GST-Oneness. More than 10,500 such awareness campaigns nationwide were organised by CBIC between March 2017 and October 2018. This trend continues till date, and wide outreach programmes are regularly carried out, the latest being an outreach session in Indore on June 24, where 15 trade bodies deliberated on 60 topics with senior officers. The finance minister has been attending such interactive sessions with taxpayers and officers personally.

Another unique experiment was starting a Twitter handle, askGST_GOI, in May 2017. This was first-of-its-kind, real-time, knowledge-sharing handle, operated by a team of 20 dedicated officers, replying to all types of queries with a maximum time lag of three hours. CBIC disseminated information in a crisp manner on all major initiatives in GST and customs, from recommendations of the GST Council to due date reminders. The social media platforms of CBIC and GST Network issued clarifications and advisories to taxpayers on various topics on a regular basis. Grievances are also redressed in a coordinated manner between CBIC and GSTN. More than 98.3% grievances received in the last 12 months have been resolved within 24 hours.

GST is a landmark legislation, transforming the existing indirect taxation structure, subsuming all indirect taxes, and bringing in a new era of one nation, one tax. Any change of this magnitude makes users anxious, especially on a technical subject. This gave birth to another first in 2017, GST Ki MasterClass, a concept in which senior officers explained GST law in a simple language to taxpayers, which was telecast live on national channels and social media. Another unique initiative was interacting with taxpayers in a town hall format. Next came a series of myths at the time of the GST launch; these were clarified on a real-time basis in social and print media. Multiple FAQs were released in English, Hindi and 10 vernacular languages. The feedback and action room established in the ministry of finance was instrumental in collating data through all sources on various myths and misinformation prevalent across the country.

During an interaction with taxpayers in Srinagar in November 2021, the finance minister said, Service to taxpayers is service to the people. The vision of Jan Bhagidari is enshrined in GST facilitation, from the setting up of GST Suvidha Kendras in 2017 to 75 taxpayer facilitation centres across 70 cities in November 2021. In addition, 24/7 CBIC mitra helpdesks manned by trained agents are operational.

As GST progressed from 1 lakh crore collection in April 2018 to Rs. 1.87 lakh crore in April 2023, the measures of facilitation also kept evolving. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2019 said, We are committed to hearing all issues being faced by people and placing them in front of the GST Council. Feedback from the people is most important for us.

Keeping taxpayers concerns as the prime focus, many special refund drives are regularly organised. It is notable that 29,230 GST refund claims involving Rs.11,607 crore were resolved during the Covid lockdown period between April 8 and May 24, 2020, to provide relief to business entities

There has been regular knowledge-sharing with taxpayers through various webinars on GST organised in English and vernacular languages. More than 300 such webinars on various topics have been held. These webinars were effective during the pandemic as they offered clarity without physical interaction on various relaxations being provided by the government in return filings and other procedural requirements, including refund procedures.

Taxpayers are key to robust GST collections and deserve recognition for their support. Keeping this in mind, CBIC in 2021 introduced the concept of issuing appreciation certificates to taxpayers to honour their contribution to the GST success story. These certificates instil a spirit of nation-building among taxpayers. Taxpayers facilitation has been at the core of the GST regime, and CBIC would continue to leverage technology to serve taxpayers.

Upender Gupta is chief commissioner, CGST and Aditya Yadav is deputy director, NACIN. The views expressed are personal
U.S. officials are considering tightening an export control rule designed to slow the flow of artificial intelligence chips to China by clamping down on the amount of computing power the chips can have, according to two people familiar with the matter. The US and China are battling for semiconductor supremacy

The Biden administration last October issued a sweeping set of rules designed to freeze China's semiconductor industry in place while the U.S. pours billions of dollars in subsidies into its own chip industry.

An update to those rules may come by late July, two sources said, but one cautioned that such U.S. actions involving China often get delayed.

The U.S. Commerce department declined to comment. (ALSO READ | Will resolutely object if US curbs investment in semiconductor industry: China)

Nvidia Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said on Wednesday at an investors conference, "Over the long-term, restrictions prohibiting the sale of our data center GPUs to China, if implemented, would result in a permanent loss of opportunities for U.S. industry to compete and lead in one of the worlds largest markets and impact on our future business and financial results."

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that the Biden administration was considering new restrictions on exporting AI chips to China.

One of the October rules limited the sale in China of chips that can provide the computing power needed to create artificial intelligence technologies similar to ChatGPT, a move that immediately impacted sales of products from Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc, and would likely affect future offerings from Intel Corp.

ALSO READ: US chip-maker Micron signs MoU worth 22,500 crore with Gujarat government

The possible rule tightening would hardest hit Nvidia, whose strong position in the AI chip market helped make it worth $1 trillion earlier this year.

"We do not anticipate that such additional restrictions, if adopted, would have an immediate material impact on our financial results," Nvidia's Kress said on Wednesday.

Questions have arisen about how effective the October rule will be in slowing Chinese companies' development of AI systems.

Nvidia has made special chips for the Chinese market that comply with the October restrictions, but Reuters reported last month that major Chinese companies such as Tencent Holdings plan to use Nvidia's export-compliant chips to cut the time it takes to train huge AI systems by more than half.

The current rule around AI chips involves two restrictions. One restriction focuses on how fast chips can communicate with each other, which is important because AI systems such as ChatGPT require thousands of chips to be chained together. The other restriction focuses on how much computing power the chip can have.

The H800 chip that Nvidia created for the Chinese market, for example, has as much computing power at some settings used in AI work as the company's chip for the rest of the world, but its chip-to-chip speeds are limited, according to a specification sheet seen by Reuters.

Intel declined to comment. AMD declined to comment. Previously, AMD have said the rules will not have an impact on its financial results.
Videos that capture acts of compassion by humans for animals never fail to leave people amazed. One such incident of kindness was captured on camera in Amritsar. It shows a member of the Amritsar police department helping a dog that somehow got its head stuck in a car bumper. The department took to Twitter to share the video and it is wonderful to watch. The image shows a policeman from Amritsar helping a trapped dog. (Twitter/@cpamritsar)

A heartwarming act of compassion! In a touching incident, a dog got trapped in a car bumper. An Amritsar police official came to the rescue. With great care and skill, safely freed the dog, ensuring its well-being, they wrote as they posted the video.

What does the video show?

The clip opens to show head constable Palwinder Singh trying to free the dog that had its head stuck inside a car bumper. Carefully and gently, he keeps on working until the dog gets free.

Take a look at this kind gesture by the Amritsar policeman:

The video was posted on June 28. Since being posted a day ago, the video has accumulated more than 14,000 views. Not just that, the clip has also gathered close to 500 likes. People posted various comments while reacting to the clip.

Heres how Twitter users reacted to the video of the dog being rescued:

Great work, praised a Twitter user. Noble work sets good examples, joined another. Salute to the cop for his efforts, added a third. Respect, wrote a fourth.
After Spotify abruptly and embarrassingly ended deal with them reports suggest Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are taking their talents to the world of scripted content with their Netflix deal. The couple is said to be developing a prequel to Charles Dickens' classic novel Great Expectations, titled Bad Manners, which will delve into the origin story of the iconic character Miss Havisham. FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wave as they visit One World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., September 23, 2021. (REUTERS)

Details about the project are still scarce, but sources have revealed to The Wall Street Journal that the series aims to reimagine Miss Havisham as a strong and independent woman navigating a patriarchal society. However, it remains uncertain whether Netflix will greenlight the show for production.

Harry and Meghan inked a production deal with Netflix in September 2020 under their production company, Archewell Productions and their first venture with the streaming giant, the documentary series Harry & Meghan, made a splash with record-breaking viewership upon its debut in December.

Netflix has confirmed that the partnership between the streaming platform and Archewell Productions is far from over. "The bond with Archewell Productions is one we deeply value. Harry & Meghan launched as Netflix's most spectacular documentary debut to date," a representative was quoted by The Messenger. "Our exciting journey with them isn't ending anytime soon. We're currently collaborating on numerous projects, including the much-anticipated documentary series Heart of Invictus."

Prince Harry's highly anticipated docu-series on the Invictus Games is nearing completion, but unfortunately, Meghan Markle's animated children's series, 'Pearl,' met an untimely cancellation in May of last year. The couple's tryst with media world have faced several setbacks, including rejections for proposed projects such as a sitcom featuring a male lead in a similar vein to 'Emily in Paris,' as well as a family-friendly LGBTQ+ show that was deemed too reminiscent of 'Heartstopper.'

Netflix contract reports come after Markle's podcast, Archewell Audio, was not renewed by Spotify, with whom the couple had a reported $20 million deal. Markle's recent signing with talent agency WME has been seen as a sign of a new chapter for the Duchess of Sussex and talks are ongoing with other platforms regarding the potential relocation of Archewell Audio.

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Controversial influencer Andrew Tate once again found himself in the spotlight for his misogynistic mindset, but this time he took it a step further by dragging his own mother into his derogatory comments. Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate tweets about his mother, gets called out

Over the years, Tate's fame has skyrocketed due to his contentious and hyper-masculine viewpoints. While much is known about his father, Emory Tate, an accomplished chess player with an International Masters title, very little information is available about their mother, Eileen.

In a recent tweet, Andrew Tate compared his parents, portraying his father as a genius chess player and CIA operative, while dismissing his mother as a mere "dinner lay" with "absolutely zero in common." He went on to place his father on a pedestal, claiming that his mother only provided meals and kept the house clean, while remaining largely silent. He concluded by stating that he loved his mother, reinforcing his distorted perspective on what men supposedly desire.

Tate's tweet garnered support from individuals like Regular George, who echoed his sentiments, claiming that women today fail to understand male nature and what men truly want. @ManlyMindBytes chimed in, suggesting that if a woman listens to Cardi B, it's time to find a better partner.

However, critics quickly countered Tate's statements. One critic sarcastically remarked that it seemed like his father had low expectations, as valuing "healthy meals" and a "quiet" wife seemed to be the extent of his priorities. They humorously added that romance novels were probably not on his reading list. Another critic, @Cyclonejane47, reminded readers that Tate had previously revealed his parents' divorce when he was ten, and his father, despite having a high IQ, failed to provide any financial support. This left his mother and children to spend time in a homeless shelter before finding accommodation in public housing.

Andrew Tate's tweet and the subsequent responses expose his deeply ingrained misogynistic beliefs, highlighting a concerning lack of respect for women and a disregard for their aspirations and individuality. By using his parents' dynamic to support his flawed argument, Tate reveals a troubling mindset that perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes and undermines the progress made towards gender equality.

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It has been little over a week since the devastating implosion of the Titanic submersible that resulted in the demise of its five passengers. Yet OceanGate Expeditions continues to advertise trips to the Titanic ruins on its website. OceanGate website is still advertising Titanic expeditions

Two excursions have been planned for 2024, from June 12-20 and June 21-29. Furthermore, the 2023 mission has been stated as currently underway.

Also Read | Trips to Titanic halted after fatal sub implosion, unlikely to resume again

Screenshot of the OceanGate website

The cost has been stated as $250,000 per person. This includes one submersible dive, private accommodations, all required training, expedition gear, and all meals while on board, according to the site. A maximum of six people are allowed and the minimum age must be 17 years.

According to the website, accommodations include a stateroom as the bedroom and a single shared bathroom. The sub also provide wi-fi.

Along with these details, the website continues to share pictures of scenes from the expedition as well as videos of people sharing their experiences.

Screenshot of the OceanGate website

Intrepid travelers will sail from the Atlantic coast of Canada for an 8-day expedition to dive on the iconic wreck that lies 380 miles offshore and 3,800 meters below the surface, says the OceanGate website.

The marketing continues with, You dive will provide not only a thrilling and unique travel experience, but also help the scientific community learn more about the wreck and the deep ocean environment. Every dive also has a scientific objective and you can learn more about the research we support here

Screenshot of the OceanGate website

The trip spans over 8 days and 7 nights. The trip begins at St. John's in Newfoundland, Canada. The dive to Titanic's wreckage begins on day 3 and starts to return on day 7. On day 8 they return to St. John's.

Furthermore, the website mentions some content experts who might join expeditions. On top of the list is Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, the renowned Titanic expert who lost his life on the tragic latest expedition.

Screenshot of the OceanGate website

Others aboard the submersible were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, 61, British billionaire Hamish Harding, 58, prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman Dawood.

On June 18, the Titan submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion. It is suspected that all passengers suffered an immediate death.

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Washington: Slamming the US Supreme Courts decision barring race to be considered as a factor in college admissions, President Joe Biden has said it rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress, termed it severely disappointing, and asked colleges to consider the adversity a student had overcome in determining admissions and continue their quest to create racially diverse student bodies. President Joe Biden speaks on the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in Washington, on Thursday. (AP)

In defining the adversity a student had overcome, Biden asked colleges to consider the financial means of students and their families, where a student grew up and went to high school, and the personal experiences of hardship including racial discrimination.

Biden also clarified that affirmative action did not mean preferring the unqualified over the qualified, but while choosing from those already qualified, factoring in race among other parameters. He strongly defended the idea of diversity, in colleges, companies, armed forces, and acknowledged that there continued to be discrimination in the US which had to be addressed.

Biden was speaking at the White House on Thursday, hours after the SC delivered its verdict, with six judges declaring that race cannot be a factor in determining admissions as it violated the provision of equal protection under law, while three liberal judges held that not considering race in an unequal society will perpetuate inequality.

In his remarks, Biden backed the dissenting judgment and said, For 45 years, the Supreme Court recognised that colleges were free to use race not as the determining factor but as one of the factors among many among the qualified pool of applicantsThe court has ended affirmative action in college admissions and I disagree with that decision.

He said that many people wrongly believed that affirmative action means admitting unqualified students over qualified students. Thats not how it works. Colleges set up standards, every student has to meet standards and then they look at other factors. The President said one of Americas greatest strengths was diversity and cited the example of the American military, the finest fighting force in the history of the world as a model of diversity. Colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. The nation is stronger.

Biden said that while talent, creativity and hard work could be found everywhere, equal opportunity was not everywhere. He pointed out that students belonging to families earning the top one percent of incomes were 77% more likely to gain admission to elite institutions than those belonging to the bottom 20% of family incomes on the wealth ladder. We cannot let this decision be the last word. We cant change what America stands forgiving everyone a fair shot. We have never lived up to it fully, but we have never walked away from it.

Biden then offered guidance to colleges in a manner that was consistent with the judgment but also used loopholes embedded in it. The President said colleges must not abandon their commitment to ensuring diverse student bodies. I propose a consideration - the adversity a student has overcome. They must first be qualified applicants and meet grades and test scores; once that is met, then diversity should be considered, including the students lack of financial meanswhere student grew up and went to high school, and hardships the student faced, including racial discrimination.

Discrimination still exists in America, Biden said thrice, adding that the SC decision didnt change that.

The White House was quite clearly prepared for the verdict, for minutes after Biden spoke, it issued a factsheet about the actions the administration was taking to offset its impact. The White House said that the administration was providing colleges and universities with clarity on what admission practices and additional programmes to support students remained lawful; it was convening a national summit on educational opportunity; it was releasing a report on strategies to increase diversity and educational opportunity, including meaningful consideration of adversity; increasing transparency in college admissions and enrollment practices; and supporting states in analysing data to increase access to educational opportunities for under served communities.

As Biden was walking out, he was asked if this was a rogue court; the President responded, It isnt a normal court.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prashant Jha Prashant Jha is the Washington DC-based US correspondent of Hindustan Times. He is also the editor of HT Premium. Jha has earlier served as editor-views and national political editor/bureau chief of the paper. He is the author of How the BJP Wins: Inside India's Greatest Election Machine and Battles of the New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal. ...view detail
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are regrouping after their Spotify deal didn't go as expected. Although disappointed by the way news of their departure from the platform broke, the couple is determined to move forward and return stronger than ever. Despite challenges, Meghan and Harry have exciting plans in the works as they set their sights on a new chapter. Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak during the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival at the Great Lawn, Central Park.(AFP)

Spotify Deal Fallout

Behind-the-scenes sources reveal that Spotify failed to release a statement highlighting their positive collaboration with Meghan, which left the couple feeling let down. Additionally, the royal duo wasn't meeting Spotify's content expectations, leading to the premature end of their deal. The fallout included the cancellation of Meghan's "Archetypes" podcast, prompting criticism from Spotify executive Bill Simmons.

Facing Backlash

Amidst a barrage of negative press, Meghan and Harry are feeling frustrated with the continuous onslaught. The couple is tired of people taking cheap shots at them and seeks to rise above the criticism. However, they remain undeterred and determined to forge ahead.

Despite the disappointment, Meghan and Harry have numerous exciting projects in the pipeline. Their setbacks have only fueled their determination to come back stronger and make a positive impact. The couple aims to continue uplifting and entertaining audiences while highlighting diverse perspectives and voices.

Archetypes Podcast

Meghan's podcast, "Archetypes," gained attention with its diverse guest lineup, featuring interviews with Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, Mindy Kaling, and Issa Rae. While the show's first season received praise, news broke that it would not be renewed for a second season at Spotify. However, Meghan remains committed to developing more content for her dedicated audience on another platform.

Challenging Rumors

Amidst the speculation surrounding their work ethic, including rumors that Meghan wasn't present during podcast interviews, Andy Cohen stepped forward to defend the duchess. He dismissed the notion as an "insane rumor" and confirmed that he had indeed conversed with Meghan for their recording. Cohen emphasized that Meghan's podcast revolves around conversations with people, making it implausible for her to be absent.

Also read | Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's partnership with Netflix continues to thrive

The Netflix Partnership

Alongside their Spotify deal, Meghan and Harry signed a significant agreement with Netflix following their departure from royal duties. Despite the Spotify setback, Netflix remains committed to the partnership and expressed their support for the couple. Collaborative projects, such as the upcoming documentary series "Heart of Invictus," are still in progress.
The alleged Chinese spy balloon that passed over the United States earlier this year, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the two nations, used American-made surveillance gear to spy on citizens, the Wall Street Journal reported in an exclusive. The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, U.S. February 4, 2023.(REUTERS file)

A probe into the incident carried out by the US found that other than commercially available US gear, the balloon was equipped with more specialised Chinese sensors and other equipment to collect photographs, and other information during its eight-day passage over the US states and some parts of Canadian territory, WSJ said.

The preliminary conclusions from the investigation were drawn after analysing the debris recovered after the balloon was shot down by the US military off the South Carolina coast on February 4. The probe showed that the craft collected photos and videos but didnt appear to transmit them back to China.

The findings also supported the conclusion that the craft was intended for spying, against China's claim that it was meant for weather monitoring.

According to the report, US officials stated that they traced purchase orders for certain equipment found on the balloon, probed link between the purchasers and the Chinese government.

Bloomberg reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China did not provide a response to the request for comment. Additionally, Reuters reported that both the White House and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are also yet responded for comments.

This development follows Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to Beijing, marking the highest-ranking visit by an American official to China in five years, as both countries attempt to mend their relations.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States Supreme Court delivered a groundbreaking ruling on affirmative action, which prohibits colleges from using race as a factor in admissions decisions. This decision has ignited a fierce debate over the merits and drawbacks of affirmative action. Supporters argue that it is a necessary tool to correct historical injustices, while critics claim it is a form of discrimination. With the Court's ruling, the implications for college admissions and the pursuit of diversity are being closely examined. Students from Washington Adventist University look at their phones as news of the Supreme Court's decision pertaining to affirmative action is released outside the U.S. Supreme Court Building on June 29, 2023 in Washington, DC.(Getty Images via AFP)

The case, filed by the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), alleges that Harvard and UNC's admissions processes unfairly discriminate against Asian American applicants. Critics argue that these institutions prioritize racial diversity at the expense of more qualified Asian and white students. The SFFA contends that these universities' policies violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection clause.

From Identity Awakening to Advocacy

The decision that has stirred intense debate across the nation, the Supreme Court ruling on Harvard and UNC's affirmative action policies has ignited conflicting viewpoints among Americans.

The decision, though regarded as just by some, has also been met with frustration from many. Race is an intricate matter, entangled with a long history of racism within the US. While Black Americans continue to endure the lingering effects of their ancestors' mistreatment, it is not difficult for me to empathize with the sentiments of White and Asian Americans who feel marginalized.

The Rise of Holistic Admissions

Following the ban on affirmative action in California's public university system, institutions like Berkeley sought alternative methods to maintain diversity. The adoption of "holistic admissions" enabled universities to focus on qualitative assessments rather than solely relying on grades and test scores. However, critics argue that this approach still achieves the same outcome as affirmative action, albeit indirectly.

The Fisher Case and the Emergence of Students for Fair Admissions

Abigail Fisher's lawsuit against the University of Texas in 2012 highlighted the growing discontent surrounding race-based admissions. This case led to the establishment of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), an organization dedicated to dismantling affirmative action. SFFA subsequently filed lawsuits against Harvard and the University of North Carolina, asserting that their admissions policies violate civil rights laws.

Asian Americans Caught in the Crossfire

Critics of affirmative action argue that it disproportionately affects Asian American applicants, limiting their chances of admission to elite universities. The cases against Harvard and UNC shed light on allegations of bias against Asian American students. Supporters of affirmative action, however, maintain that holistic admissions consider a broader range of factors beyond test scores and grades.

Clash of Perspectives

The Supreme Court's ruling has ignited a clash of perspectives. Calvin Yang, an SFFA member, shares his personal experience of being rejected from elite universities despite exceptional qualifications. Yang and others argue that Asian Americans face prejudice and stereotypes in the admissions process.

On the other hand, proponents of affirmative action contend that it ensures diversity and opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

With Supreme Court's ruling the future of race-conscious admissions hangs in the balance. The decision will undoubtedly shape the landscape of higher education and influence ongoing discussions about diversity, equity, and opportunity.
Protesters shot fireworks at police and set cars ablaze in the working class Paris suburb of Nanterre on Wednesday, in a second night of unrest following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop there. Firefighters extinguish burning vehicles during clashes between protesters and police, after the death of Nael, a 17-year-old teenager killed by French police officer at a traffic stop, in Nanterre, Paris suburb, (REUTERS)

The use of lethal force by officers against the teenager, who was of North African origin, has fed into a deep-rooted perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse suburbs of France's biggest cities.

Shortly before midnight, a trail of overturned vehicles burned as fireworks fizzed at police lines on Nanterre's Avenue Pablo Picasso.

Police clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest and there was also unrest in Amiens, Dijon and the Essonne administrative department south of the French capital, a police spokesman said.

French media reported incidents in numerous other locations across the greater Paris region. Videos on social media showed dozens of fireworks being directed at the Montreuil town hall, on the eastern edge of Paris.

Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting "unexplainable and inexcusable".

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth. Prosecutors say he failed to comply with an order to stop his car.

The interior ministry has called for calm, and said 2,000 police have been mobilised in the Paris region.

Rights groups allege systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies in France, a charge Macron has previously denied.

A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, shows two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting at the driver at close range as the car pulled away. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

"You have a video that is very clear: a police officer killed a young man of 17 years. You can see that the shooting is not within the rules," said Yassine Bouzrou, a lawyer for the family.

Lawmakers held a minute's silence in the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the shooting "seems clearly not to comply with the rules."

The family has filed a legal complaint against the officers for homicide, complicity in homicide and false testimony, the lawyer said.

In a video shared on TikTok, a woman identified as the victim's mother called for a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday. "Everyone come, we will lead a revolt for my son," she said.

UNUSUALLY FRANK

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

France's human rights ombudsman has opened an inquiry into the death, the sixth such inquiry into similar incidents in 2022 and 2023.

Macron's remarks were unusually frank in a country where senior politicians are often reticent to criticise police given voters' security concerns.

Two leading police unions fought back, saying the detained police officer should be presumed innocent until found otherwise.

He has faced criticism from rivals who accuse him of being soft on drug dealers and petty criminals and has implemented policies aimed at curbing urban crime, including greater authority for police to issue fines.

Before the violence erupted for a second night, Some in Nanterre had expressed hope the unrest would end swiftly.

"To revolt like we did yesterday won't change things, we need to discuss and talk," local resident Fatima said.

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A hundred and fifty people were arrested in France after a second night of unrest across the country, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday, following the fatal shooting by police of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop. A man walks past a bonfire in a residential area during clashes in Toulouse, southwestern France. (AFP)

The ministry said dozens of police officers were injured during the clashes.

"A night of unbearable violence against symbols of the Republic: town halls, schools and police stations put ablaze or attacked. 150 arrests," Darmanin said on his Twitter account.

The use of lethal force by officers in the working class Paris suburb of Nanterre against the teenager, who was of North African origin, has fed into a deep-rooted perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse districts of France's biggest cities.

The interior ministry had said Wednesday on that 2,000 police had been mobilised in the Paris region, and shortly before midnight on Nanterre's Avenue Pablo Picasso, a trail of overturned vehicles burned as fireworks fizzed at police lines.

Police clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest, and there was also unrest in Amiens, Dijon and the Essonne administrative department south of the French capital, a police spokesman said.

The Nanterre prosecutor is scheduled to update media on an ongoing investigation into Tuesday's fatal shooting of the teenager at an 11:00 press conference.

President Emmanuel Macron has convened a cabinet crisis meeting for Thursday, his office said.

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The controversy surrounding Meghan Markle continues to escalate as royal insider Angela Levin weighs in on the credibility of the Duchess of Sussex. In a recent interview, Levin expressed her doubts about Meghan's reputation for telling untruths and the potential impact it could have on her plans to write a memoir. With the ongoing public scrutiny and skepticism surrounding Meghan's narratives, the former actress may face an uphill battle in gaining public trust. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.(AFP)

A Tarnished Reputation

Levin, known for her books on the royal family, such as "Harry: Conversations With a Prince" and "Camilla: From Outcast to Queen Consort," asserts that Meghan has lost all credibility due to her history of telling untruths and exaggerating stories. According to Levin, this tarnished reputation will likely impede the public's willingness to believe any claims made in Meghan's memoir.

She has lost all credibility, Levin stated. People wont believe it because she has a reputation for telling untruths or exaggerating hugely, so it doesnt make any sense.

Lack of Credibility

Speaking on GBNews, Levin shared her concerns about Meghan's future reputation, stating that her lack of credibility will only worsen over time. She emphasized that people in the United Kingdom, as well as other countries, perceive Meghan as untruthful and lacking talent. This perception could further damage the credibility of any future narratives she presents.

Potential Disaster

Levin believes that if Meghan does release a memoir, it may initially attract attention and generate sales out of curiosity. However, she predicts that overall, it will be a disaster for Meghan, as her credibility issues will hinder the book's reception. With doubts already surrounding Meghan's reliability, the public's skepticism could cast a shadow over the memoir's impact.

Repetitive Narratives

Levin also questions the necessity of Meghan and Harry repeatedly resorting to the same narrative against the royal family. She suggests that the couple's version of events is widely known, raising the question of what new information Meghan's memoir could offer. Levin argues that continuously targeting the royal family with verbal attacks may have diminishing returns, especially since the family has shown their ability to move on without Harry and Meghan's presence.

Painful Absence

Levin highlights the apparent pain caused by Meghan and Harry's absence from high-profile royal events. Their non-attendance at recent celebrations, such as King Charles's birthday and the coronation, signifies that the royal family doesn't depend on their presence. This reality emphasizes the diminishing relevance of Harry and Meghan within the royal circle.

As speculation mounts about Meghan's potential memoir, questions arise about the fresh insights it could provide. Given Meghan and Harry's extensive public discussions about racism, mistreatment, and mental health struggles within the royal family, it remains to be seen what new information Meghan's book could bring to the table. However, it's important to note that no official confirmation has been made regarding any literary endeavors from the Sussexes' camp.

Also read | Can Meghan and Harry's Spotify bust rise back from ashes? Royal couple looking for possibilities of brand revival

Other Projects

In the midst of these speculations, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are actively involved in various other projects. They are set to release "Heart of Invictus" on Netflix, a special highlighting the inspiring stories of service members preparing for the Invictus Games. Furthermore, rumors circulate about their plans to create a TV series titled "Bad Manners," reimagining the character of Miss Havisham from "Great Expectations." Despite the ongoing controversies, the couple remains engaged in their creative pursuits.

Also read | Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's partnership with Netflix continues to thrive
The worlds largest cruise ship- Icon of the Seas- officially sailed for the first time in preparation for its highly anticipated 2024 debut. Royal Caribbeans newest and largest is set for its inaugural voyage on January 27 next year. The ship has since made its return to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. The Icon of the Seas is seen.

Every type of family and kind of adventurer can make memories together and on their own terms without compromise across record-breaking thrills, relaxing ways to chill, a neighborhood designed for young families, more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained, and more, Royal Caribbean said in its latest press update.

Here's all you need to know about the Icon of the Sea:

More than 450 specialists are conducting tests on the main engines, bow, propellers, and noise and vibration levels of the ship. The ship has a suspended infinity pool at sea which is surrounded by a multilevel terrace, whirlpools. It also has a variety of seating and dedicated bar. Royal Caribbean designed Icon of the Seas to give seafarers a chance to pick the best of perks from different kinds of vacations, it said. The ship also includes attractions like six-slide waterpark, seven full-size swimming pools, an aqua park for families and a swim up bar. The first cruise is already sold out. Starting in February 2024, visitors can begin their journey in Miami and spend seven nights onboard sailing through eastern or western Caribbean.

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An Indian origin driver, Rajinder Pal Singh, aka Jaspal Gill, who admitted to illegally helping hundreds of Indians cross Canada-US border has been sentenced to three years in prison. Indian origin Uber driver jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians from Canada to US(Representational Image: Unsplash/Paul Hanaoka)

49-year-old was a key member of a smuggling ring who took $5,00,000 for plying over 800 Indian citizens using ride-hailing app Uber.

Singh, who pleaded guilty in February is a resident of California, has been sentenced in a US district court to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to transport and harbour certain aliens for profit and conspiracy to commit money laundering, said Acting US Attorney Tessa M Gorman.

Over a four-year period, Singh arranged for more than 800 people to be smuggled into the US across the northern border and into Washington state, said Gorman.

According to the statement made by Gorman, it was asserted that Singh's actions posed not only a security threat to Washington but also exposed the smuggled individuals to various security and safety risks throughout their arduous smuggling journey from India to the United States, which often spanned weeks.

Gorman emphasized that Singh's involvement in this conspiracy took advantage of the aspirations of Indian nationals seeking a better life in the US, while burdening the smuggled individuals with an overwhelming debt that could reach up to $70,000. Starting from July 2018, Singh and his co-conspirators utilized Uber as a means of transportation for people who had illegally crossed the border from Canada to the Seattle area.

Over the period spanning from mid-2018 to May 2022, Singh orchestrated over 600 trips, facilitating the transportation of Indian nationals who had been smuggled into the US.

The US Customs and Border Protection has reported a sharp rise in number of people caught crossing the border illegally from Canada into the United States in the past six months.

Between October and March, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered a total of 100 individuals who had crossed the Canada-U.S. border from Manitoba into either North Dakota or Minnesota. This six-month tally surpasses the total number of illegal border crossers encountered by U.S. authorities throughout the entire previous year.

(with PTI inputs)

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Former President Donald Trump's criminal indictment on charges of mishandling government secrets appears to have dented his popularity among Republicans  but only slightly - according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the North Carolina Republican Party convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. June 10, 2023. (REUTERS)

Sixty percent of Republicans now have a favorable view of Trump, down slightly from April, when 68% of Republicans said they had a favorable view of the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner. The poll found 38% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, an uptick from 30% in April.

The dip suggests some Republicans could be growing weary of Trump's never-ending legal drama after he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on federal criminal charges. Trump, who was also indicted on separate charges in New York this spring, pleaded not guilty this month to 37 felony counts accusing him of improperly storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, concealing them from investigators and refusing to turn them over when subpoenaed.

Overall, Americans are more likely to have an unfavorable view of Trump than a favorable one, 63% to 33%, similar to April. The poll was conducted June 22-26, after the full indictment became public and after Trump's not guilty plea.

The poll also finds that U.S. adults overall are slightly more likely than they were earlier in the year to believe the former president acted illegally in his handling of classified documents stashed at Mar-a-Lago. Just over half, 53%, now say he broke the law, compared with 47% in the April AP-NORC poll. But most of that increase is attributable to Democrats.

An overwhelming majority of Democratic voters, 84%, now say they think Trump broke the law in connection to the documents, compared with 75% who said so in April.

When it comes to Republicans, however, only about a quarter say Trump acted illegally in the Mar-a-Lago case, about the same as in April. An additional 29% said he acted unethically but did not do anything illegal, while 26% said they believe he did nothing wrong, with the rest saying they didn't know enough to say.

They include Patty Faber, a registered Republican who lives north of Phoenix and was dismissive of the charges.

Its a bunch of hooey, said Faber, 62, who runs an RV park. Should he have taken all that stuff home? No. But other presidents have also taken things home. She noted that President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence were also found to have classified documents in their possession  though neither has been accused of trying to conceal the documents from or lying to investigators.

Still, Faber, who has supported Trump in the past, said that while she would be ecstatic to see him return to the White House, she would much prefer the party nominate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently a distant second in the polls.

He has a better chance of winning the general election. Trump is carrying too much baggage now, she said.

Others' feelings were more complicated. Nancy Tobeck, 74, a Republican in Crossville, Tennessee, believes Trump may have potentially broken the law. But if he did, she said, I dont think it was deliberate.

Its a hard one because I think he might have done something wrong by not giving them all over. But I also understand that he had things in there. So its kind of half and half on that, she said. I do believe that it is politically motivated, though.

Tobeck, who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said the indictment had not changed her feelings about Trump because she had already soured on the former president after he refused to accept the results of the 2020 election.

Still, the numbers make clear the challenges faced by Trump's GOP rivals, who have struggled to respond to charges that would, in any other era, spell a candidate's demise. While former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley called Trump's alleged actions reckless and Pence has said he can't defend the very serious allegations," the candidates have also criticized the Justice Department, reflecting GOP voters' deep skepticism of federal law enforcement.

Besides the charges he faces in Florida, Trump was indicted in New York in March in connection to hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to women who alleged sexual encounters with him. And he faces additional potential charges in other jurisdictions.

In Georgia, a prosecutor is investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. And in Washington, special counsel Jack Smith continues to investigate Trump's election lies and their aftermath, including the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The poll finds half of U.S. adults believe Trump broke the law in his alleged attempt to interfere in Georgias vote count during the 2020 presidential election. Slightly fewer, 45%, say his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection were unlawful.

Just 35% of U.S. adults say he acted illegally in allegedly covering up the hush money payments  a slight decrease from the 41% who said he had in April, just after the indictment in that case. In particular, 57% of Democrats now say Trump acted illegally in that case, down from 68% in April. Just 13% of Republicans say Trump acted illegally in that case, the same as in April.

Nearly all U.S. adults have read or heard at least a little about Trumps federal indictment, with Democrats being slightly more likely than Republicans to say they have heard a lot.

All that attention has proved a challenge for Trumps GOP rivals, who have been grappling with how to break into the spotlight.

Some voters are already sick of the drama.

Paul Schwartz, 38, a truck driver from Pocatello, Idaho, identifies as an independent but voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 because he saw him as the better of bad options.

While he says hes no fan of Trump  Ive always disdained the man," he said  Schwartz sees the indictment as nothing but a witch hunt" and mudslinging that has no point."

I believe people are trying to swing opinions on things that are completely irrelevant to how someone governs the country," he said, arguing that what matters are candidates positions on issues like abortion and immigration.

Plus, he said: We know these are detestable human beings. Theyre politicians. Thats a job requirement."

___

The poll of 1,220 adults was conducted June 22-26 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

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When Joe Biden came out in public on Wednesday, odd marks that were seen on his face shocked many reporters prompting a reply from the White House which said that the US president has sleep apnea and is using a medical machine for the same. The marks were from the mask that he was using which helps him breathe at night. US president Joe Biden speaks with members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.(AP)

Joe Biden has been using a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) that gently pumps air into a mask over the mouth and nose during sleep, holding the airways open for the sleep apnea- a disorder that cause a person to stop breathing while asleep, White House informed.

Sleep apnea prevents restful and healthy sleep and the condition can cause serious complications. But it is often very manageable, especially with close adherence to prescribed treatments. The symptoms include seizures in which one temporarily stops breathing during sleep, gasping for air during sleep, snoring, and daytime fatigue due to lack of sleep. It can also result in poor memory and lack of concentration.

Since when does Joe Biden have sleep apnea?

Joe Biden disclosed about him having sleep apnea in 2008 but is using a machine now, White House officials said. The lines on his face were apparent when the US president delivered a speech in Chicago.

As per the American Medical Association, approximately 30 million people in the US may have sleep apnea, though only about 6 million are diagnosed with it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" ...view detail
The Kremlin said that it hoped US president Joe Biden meant to say Ukraine rather than Iraq when he made a verbal slip-up. Joe Biden had earlier said that Russian president Vladimir Putin was "losing the war in Iraq" when he meant to say Ukraine. Speaking to reporters before departing the White House on a trip to Chicago, Joe Biden was asked if the Russian leader had been weakened by the brief uprising led by a Wagner mercenary chief. US president Joe Biden.(AFP)

"It's hard to tell really. But he's clearly losing the war in Iraq. He's losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And it's not just NATO, it's not just the European Union. It's Japan, it's 40 nations," he said.

Asked about the health of the 80-year-old US president, the Kremlin said it could not comment.

Earlier Joe Biden corrected himself at a campaign fundraising event - referring to China when he meant India. "You probably saw my new best friend - the prime minister of a little country that's now the largest in the world, China - I mean, excuse me, India. India is not looking for a permanent alliance, but they're looking for some hedge against - in the region," he said.

This comes as public opinion polling shows that a majority of Americans have concerns about Joe Biden's age while his doctor declared him healthy and "fit for duty" in February after a physical examination.

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worldA committee of British lawmakers on Thursday slammed allies of Boris Johnson in Parliament for trying to interfere with their investigation into whether the former prime minister lied about rule-flouting parties in his office during the coronavirus pandemic. British Ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson(AP)

The House of Commons Privileges Committee said senior Conservatives, including past Cabinet ministers under Johnson, took it upon themselves to undermine procedures of the House of Commons.

It said Johnson allies  including former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and ex-House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg  mounted vociferous attacks on the committee on social media, radio and television. The forums for the attacks included shows hosted by Dorries and Rees-Mogg themselves on a right-wing news channel, the panel said.

They and several other legislators called the ethics probe into Johnson a kangaroo court, a witch hunt and a miscarriage of justice  echoing language used by the embattled former prime minister.

The eight Johnson allies called out in the report include Zac Goldsmith, a member of the House of Lords and a serving Foreign Office minister.

The committee  which has four Conservative members and three from opposition parties  said the goal of such statements was to frustrate the intention of the House that the inquiry should be carried out, or to prevent the inquiry coming to a conclusion which the critics did not want.

Earlier this month the committee issued a scathing report on Johnsons behavior over the partygate scandal, saying he lied about lockdown-breaching parties and was complicit in a campaign to intimidate those investigating his conduct.

The committee said Johnsons actions were such a flagrant violation of the rules that they warranted a 90-day suspension from Parliament, though he avoided that ignominy by resigning as a lawmaker after the committee gave him advance notice of its findings.

The committees report was endorsed by the House of Commons last week by a vote of 354 to 7.

The committee does not have the power to sanction the lawmakers it accused Thursday of intimidation  only the Commons as a whole can do that. It recommended that lawmakers pass a motion stating that, Members of this House should not impugn the integrity of that Committee or its members or attempt to lobby or intimidate those members or to encourage others to do so.

It will be for the House to consider what further action, if any, to take in respect of Members of the House referred to in this special report, the committee said.
Washington In the wake of the Supreme Court verdict on race and college admissions, a recent Pew Research Centres study on the attitude of Asian-Americans about the idea of affirmative action busts myths, particularly given that the community has been pitted against African-Americans in the battle for more space in higher educational institutions. People walk around Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday. (AFP)

In a survey of Asian-Americans released this June, Pew found that 74% of the whole community had heard of affirmative action. And among those who had heard of it, 53% said it was a good thing. But a majority said that ethnicity or race should not be considered a factor in admissions.

Sixty percent of the Indian-Americans surveyed said affirmative action was a good thing, while only 13% said it was not and 26% said they didnt know. Devesh Kapur of the Johns Hopkins University, who was an adviser on the study and has written the definitive book on Indian-Americans, said that this finding was in tune with what he had found in an earlier study in 2004  where a plurality of Indian-Americans backed affirmative action.

The Pew study notes, Indian adults (60%) are more likely than Korean (50%), Vietnamese (48%) and Chinese (45%) adults to say affirmative action is a good thing. Chinese adults who have heard of affirmative action are among the least likely to say it is a good thing  27% of Chinese adults who have heard the phrase say it is a bad thing, and 28% say they dont know.

The partisan divide is clear though in the responses. The study notes that about two-thirds (64%) of Asians who identify as Democrats or lean towards the Democratic Party say affirmative action is a good thing, while only 32% of Asian Republicans or Republican-leaners say the same. While 11% of Asian Democrats say affirmative action is a bad thing, 39% of Asian Republicans say this.

But having noted this, the Pew study also finds that only 21% of Asian adults say colleges should consider race and ethnicity when deciding which students to accept. Similar shares of Indian (77%), Chinese (76%), Filipino (76%), Vietnamese (76%), Korean (72%) and Japanese (70%) American adults express this view. Among them, more Asian immigrants (80%) than those who are US born (64%) say race and ethnicity should not be considered in admissions.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prashant Jha Prashant Jha is the Washington DC-based US correspondent of Hindustan Times. He is also the editor of HT Premium. Jha has earlier served as editor-views and national political editor/bureau chief of the paper. He is the author of How the BJP Wins: Inside India's Greatest Election Machine and Battles of the New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal. ...view detail
In the aftermath of the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions, Republican party member and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy took to social media to express his strong views on the matter. Known for his sharp wit and outspoken nature, Ramaswamy didn't hold back in his reaction video and tweet. Republican U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.(REUTERS)

"Affirmative action is the single greatest form of institutional racism in America today," Ramaswamy declared boldly. Promoting the concept of meritocracy, Ramaswamy argued that the pursuit of "equity" is fundamentally incompatible with it.

Unafraid to make predictions, Ramaswamy warned, Mark my words: 'elite' universities will now start to play complex games to achieve the same results using shadow tactics like deprioritizing test scores.

Affirming his candidacy for 2024 Presidential elections, he deemed such actions unlawful and pledged to instruct the Justice Department to put an end to these alleged illegal practices.

Beyond affirmative action in colleges

But Ramaswamy's aspirations didn't stop at college admissions. He went on to express his intention to repeal Lyndon Johnson's Executive Order 11246, a move he described as "disastrous." This executive order mandates that federal contractors, encompassing around 20% of the U.S. workforce, adopt race-based hiring preferences.

According to Ramaswamy, this policy has led to qualified white or Asian applicants being disfavored, which, in his view, generates resentment and condescension toward black and Hispanic hires.

Taking a firm stance, Ramaswamy proclaimed, "Everyone loses in the end." He emphasized the need to restore a "colorblind meritocracy" once and for all, where opportunities are solely based on individual abilities and achievements, without regard to race.

While Ramaswamy's outspoken remarks may polarize opinions, his strong convictions resonate with many who advocate for a more merit-based society. As the debate on affirmative action continues to unfold, his words serve as a catalyst for discussions surrounding race, equity, and the future of admissions and hiring practices.

Also read | Equality, meritocracy, diversity! What does US court's ruling on affirmative action entail for Asian-Americans?

As the political landscape evolves, it remains to be seen how Ramaswamy's pledges and vision for a "colorblind meritocracy" will resonate with voters and shape the broader conversation on affirmative action and racial equity.
Republican congressman Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin has raised eyebrows with his unconventional theories about UFOs. During an appearance on the Pat McAfee show, Gallagher suggested that unidentified flying objects could be an "ancient civilization" that has long been concealed on Earth but is now starting to reveal itself. With ongoing investigations into government-held technology, Gallagher's statements have added a new dimension to the debate surrounding UFOs. Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., listens during a hearing of a special House committee dedicated to countering China, on Capitol Hill,(AP)

Investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

The House Oversight Committee, led by chair James Comer, has launched an investigation into claims that the government possesses technology of extraterrestrial origin. This move follows revelations made by Airforce veteran David Grusch, who alleged that the government had acquired "non-human origin technical vehicles" containing "dead pilots." The investigation aims to shed light on these claims and explore the potential truth behind UFO sightings.

Terminator Theory and Ancient Civilizations

Gallagher delved into two intriguing hypotheses during his appearance on the show. He mentioned the "Terminator" theory, speculating that UFOs could be humans from the future. Another possibility he raised was the existence of an ancient civilization that has been hiding on Earth and is now emerging. These speculations captured the attention of the audience and sparked comparisons to popular culture references like the Transformers franchise.

Adversarial Nations and Advanced Technology

While discussing the worst-case scenario, Gallagher expressed concerns that UFO sightings might involve advanced technology developed by rival nations. He specifically mentioned China's potential weapons developments as a starting point for his interest in the UFO discussion. The congressman highlighted the importance of exploring this possibility to ensure national security.

Testimonies and Whistleblowers

Gallagher confirmed that the investigation into UFO claims involves multiple whistleblowers who have held high-level clearances within the government. However, due to their fear of repercussions, they have chosen to remain anonymous. The congressman emphasized the need to create an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their experiences without facing ridicule or stigmatization.

Resistance Within the Bureaucracy

Gallagher shed light on the challenges faced when seeking information from the defense department and intelligence community. He disclosed that his requests for information regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena have yet to receive a response from U.S. intelligence agencies. The congressman believes that fostering open discussions on the topic will help break down resistance and encourage transparency.

Both the Department of Defense and NASA have publicly stated that they do not possess evidence of extraterrestrial life or government programs dedicated to reverse-engineering alien technology. While Gallagher's theories add an intriguing twist to the UFO discourse, the official stance remains unchanged.

Also read | Cover-up alert! Senator Marco Rubio reveals high-ranking officials spill UFO secrets in explosive investigation

Mike Gallagher's recent appearance on the Pat McAfee show has stirred up the discussion surrounding UFOs. By introducing the possibilities of an "ancient civilization" and humans from the future, the Republican congressman has added a new layer of speculation to the ongoing investigations into UFO sightings. As the inquiry progresses, the hope is to encourage open dialogue and destigmatize discussions about UFOs, ultimately striving for greater understanding of these mysterious phenomena.

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A palace aide had once grabbed a journalist's microphone at an event attended by King Charles III in 2015. The video was shot when Charles was still the Prince of Wales and was attending a royal event at the time when a political scandal was breaking about a series of letters he had written to politicians. It has been widely shared on social media. King Charles III during a special industry showcase event.(Reuters)

The scandal was called the "black spider memos" by UK press because of King Charles' style of handwriting. The letters then became a subject of intense debate as it was revealed that the prince had written them to politicians with his concerns regarding policy areas such as social housing and the environment. The monarch was criticised as royal family members usually do not comment or interfere in matters of UK politics and policy.

In response the palace had then said, The Prince of Wales cares deeply about this country, and tries to use his unique position to help others. He has devoted most of his working life to helping individuals and organisations, to make a difference for the better of this country and the world.

In 2018, the monarch addressed criticism leveled at him in a BBC documentary marking his 70th birthday.

The idea, somehow, that I'm going to go on in exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two, the two situations, are completely different," he said.

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Kyiv said Thursday the time had come for NATO to clarify its stance on war-torn Ukraine's membership, ahead of a key alliance summit next month. Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.(AFP)

"Ukraine continues to work actively with all NATO allies to convince them that the time for clarity on Ukraine's membership in the Alliance has come," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted after speaking by phone with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The future relationship between Ukraine and NATO is expected to be a key question on the agenda of a NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12.

Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Zelensky argued that Kyiv's battle-hardened troops would help strengthen NATO -- not weaken it -- when Ukraine will be "victorious."

"We are now a recipient of security assistance," Zelensky said.

"But a victorious Ukraine will be a donor of security for our region, for the whole of Europe, for the whole world."

Stoltenberg said this week it was crucial to keep supporting Ukraine against Russia's invasion and that NATO allies would thrash out a path to Kyiv's membership of the alliance.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly raged about NATO's eastward expansion, accused NATO members of taking part in the Ukraine conflict by donating arms to Kyiv and said the West planned to break up Russia.

Even Zelensky himself acknowledged this month that Ukraine would not be able to join NATO before the end of the Russian invasion.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year has galvanised the Western military alliance, set up almost 75 years ago, to face off against the Soviet Union.

But members of the military bloc are split over Ukraine, with Stoltenberg saying all members agree to stick by a 2008 pledge that Ukraine will become a member at some undefined point.

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Kyiv said Thursday that its forces were making slow gains around Bakhmut and were engaging in "fierce" fighting with Russian forces around the embattled east Ukraine town. An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region. (AP)

"We have advances near Bakhmut and are continuing. We are moving," the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a post on social media.

Russian forces, aided by fighters from the Wagner mercenary group, announced their capture of Bakhmut in May after months of gruelling warfare for the now-destroyed town that once was home to some 80,000 people.

Ukrainian forces have since been posting painstaking grains around the flanks of the city after announcing a highly-anticipated counter-offensive earlier this month.

Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar separately said Thursday that Ukrainian forces had seized the "operational advantage" around Bakhmut and were on the offensive.

"Our troops are gnawing away at every meter of the enemy's land in this fierce battle," she said in a statement, adding: "They are making progress".

"The enemy is trying to hold their positions, conducting counter-attacks but is gradually retreating after suffering losses".

The Russian defence ministry has not recently conceded any lost ground around Bakhmut and said in its latest military briefing that it was repelling Ukrainian attacks in the eastern Donetsk region.

The complete capture of the industrial territory is now Moscow's main military goal in the invasion launched last February and the Kremlin has claimed Donetsk and three other Ukraine regions are part of Russia.

Moscow said last week that Ukrainian forces were taking advantage of an aborted uprising by Wagner forces inside Russia to prepare attacks around Bakhmut.
Chinese fashion company Shein's PR efforts to respond to backlash over allegations of company using hazardous materials and abusing its factors workers has garnered further anger against the fast fashion brand. The Shein Group Ltd. headquarters in Singapore. (Bloomberg)

Now people are trolling six US-based influencers who traveled to China and Singapore on Sheins expense, as social climbers.

According to videos and statements posted by the creators, these marginalized, plus-size and non-white women, were extended an invitation to visit its factory in Guangzhou, China, and its headquarters which is situated in Singapore. They claimed that they weren't not paid for their attendance or asked to post any content about the factory on their social media accounts.

However, videos depicted the influencers lounging in fancy hotel rooms, relishing a multi-course dinner, and exploring Guangzhou city. What attracted prime attention was their Chinese factory. The factory was radiant and untarnished as though it was built just for their visit.

The Shein team is shown to be welcoming as they directed the influencers with sparkling smiles. The influencers saw the production line as they walked through it and took a shot at operating at the shipping station. One of the influencer busted out about how high-tech the factories are, she mentioned that workers were paid generously, and how delighted they were about encouraging the brand as now they have victimized how shein manufactures its clothes.

Netizens are wondering isn't what they call promotion?

Dani DMC, one of the influencers, indirectly addressed the issue of poor working conditions. In a now-deleted video which was posted by her on her Instagram account, she punned about being an "investigative journalist." Later she mentions that she spoke to a factory worker who was "surprised by all the rumours that had been spread in the US."

What was shown was controversial to what the world knows about Shein's dismal working conditions. In 2012, a Public Eye report exposed Shein by highlighting that workers in Guangzhou were getting inadequate wages for working 75 hours for weeks with just one day off in a month.

Irrespective of Shein's well known known human rights violations, the six influencers acclaimed it as 'life-changing.' Shein Singapore's Instagram posted a video of the influencers expressing their gratitude. One of the influencers Sudduth said, It is so nice to look around the table and see women that look like me. Whereas Saavedra added, 'I'm only 21 and so the fact that I have opportunities like this is crazy.'

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South Africa: PSC inundated with pension related complains

Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner, Anele Gxoyiya, says the Commission has been inundated with various complaints from political parties, trade unions and members of the public regarding pension benefits.

These complaints, according to Gxoyiya, concern challenges experienced by ex-government employees in accessing pension benefits.

There has to be a transparent process in place to track where the main problems are regarding pension queries and complaints, he said.

Addressing media on Thursday, the Commissioner said in certain instances, pension beneficiaries are located in remote areas and their banking details are incorrect, and the beneficiaries take too long to respond.

The majority of delays are often because employers have not paid over contributions to the fund, although it is the responsibility of the fund to ensure that contributions are paid, Gxoyiya said.

He said in some instances, members have tax issues and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) then withholds the benefits.

This is beyond the control of the GEPF. The other delay is that the employer often submits insufficient and incomplete documentation.

The reason for the rise in complaints is heightened by public awareness about unclaimed benefits, although the unwelcome downside is that tracing agents have been submitting a large number of complaints. Members are charged a fee by agents who provide little information to the Government Employee Pension Ombud (GEPO).

Members are also not aware that GEPO offers a free public service and potential claimants may contact them directly, Gxoyiya said.

He said the GEPO has received fewer complaints from ex-government employees from the former Ciskei and Bophuthatswana.

In relation to pension redress, the Government Pension Administration Agency (GPAA) has begun to review the pension policy in contact with the Minister of Finance.

Both these institutions are the primary client of beneficiaries and are answerable to their pension enquiries without fear, favour, or prejudice in the interest of the maintenance of an effective and efficient organization, Gxoyiya said.

In 2023, the GPAA received 2 637 resignations and discharges from the Public Service due to misconduct.

Gxoyiya said the PSC is of the view that there is a need for policy interventions to mitigate the pension challenges.

This is because the delays of the pension fund have led to untold suffering on the part of dependents and beneficiaries, who would have submitted all the documents on time and yet their benefits are unpaid for a number of years.

There is also a need for government to make sure that pension systems are integrated so that people do not suffer as is the current situation.

The issue of the TBVC [Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei] employees needs strategic interventions to force government to find a way of integrating and updating information because former employees and their children are suffering because at that point in time, they were in the homelands that they did not choose to be part of, Gxoyiya said.

Gxoyiya also expressed concern about public servants who exist the system because they want to cash-in their pensions and later come back in the public Service.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-06-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Titanic tragedy has divided the internet between those who mourn the death of 5 passengers who plunged to death with the ill-fated submersible and mockers who can't keep calm with their insensitive jokes and cruel celebrations. TOPSHOT - (COMBO) This combination of pictures created on June 21, 2023 shows Titan submersible passengers (L-R, top to bottom) Hamish Harding, OceanGate Expeditions of their CEO and founder Stockton Rush, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, director of a deep ocean research project dedicated to the Titanic, and Suleman Dawood and his father Shahzada Dawood(AFP)

Why is there no empathy? Are we living in an age where someone's tragedy is a celebration for another?

Family of all five who died in the tragic incident is now left with coping with an unimaginable loss as jokes about their loved one and the other wealthy passengers trend across social media.

The jokes started even when the rescue team was in the deep sea trying to find ways to bring back the passengers alive. Many started mocking the Titanic after they learnt the wealthy passengers spent thousands to get onto the submersible. According to reports each passenger was charged, $250,000.

Twitter user Osama Dorias is being called out for cheering death of Titan passengers

Its folks out here STRESSED about the student loan freeze ending in august and you want me to feel sorry b/c some white male billionaires got into an unregulated submersible at $250,000 a pop to see a boat they coulda just googled?! You want me to have empathy for THEM..?!?! tweeted Cindy Noir.

Also Read: 'Presumed human remains' found in wreckage of Titan submersible: US Coast Guard

Joshua Doss went viral on TikTok claiming why it's hard to empathise with the billionaires and poor people are not just jealous. "People are dying every single day as a result of policy failures that billionaires are actively lobbying for," said Doss. Like, suppressing wages for record profits during a global pandemic and hoarding wealth.

The satirical newspaper "The Onion" also made waves during the submersible search by pointing out the incredible wealth of the passengers with headlines like "Critics Say Submersible Should've Been Tested With Poorer Passengers First," and "Coast Guard Sends Another Submersible Full Of Billionaires After The First One."

Doss argues the satirical responses should make people uncomfortable because they exemplify just how fed-up people are with America's growing wealth gap.

'Millions of working-class people react really un-compassionately to the death of another human being, right? Matter of fact ... it should be scary. The actions that billionaires and large corporations are making are really, really having a deep emotional effect on middle- and working-class people.'

The Titanic tragedy took place a week after hundreds died in a boat capsize off southern Greece. The boat carrying migrants that capsized after apparently rebuffing offers of help.

Why are some lives worth more than others, several asked as the world watched Titanic tragedy unfold.

Even former US President Barrack Obama criticized the excessive media coverage afforded to the submarine incident compared to the tragic sinking of the fishing boat.

"People see Robert Downey Jr. get paid $50 million for the Avengers and they're like, 'Oh, well, he deserves that, right? I mean, Robert Downey Jr., he deserves that, right?' And people complain at the same time, like, Oh, actors get paid too much money', claims Jesse Walker, an associate professor of marketing at Ohio State University.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vertika Kanaujia Vertika Kanaujia is Editor Audience Growth at Hindustan Times and oversees the websites coverage of business news, health, technology and internet culture. She is a Chevening Scholar and a Columbia Journalism University Fellow. Vertika has been a journalist for more than 18 years. After starting her career as a business journalist in TV she has worked with various leading news channels. You can email her at vertika.kanaujia@htdigital.in. ...view detail
The World Bank has approved USD 700 million in financing to help Sri Lanka to recover from the current economic crisis and provide relief to the poor and vulnerable people, the biggest funding tranche since the IMF deal in March. Cash-strapped Sri Lanka is currently struggling with the worst economic crisis in history. Of this amount, USD 500 million have been assigned for budgetary support and USD 200 million for social security.(AP)

In 2022, the economy had contracted by over seven per cent as the economic difficulties forced people to take to the streets with protests across the island nation that also led to the ouster of Sri Lanka's powerful Rajapaksa family from politics.

The World Bank Board of Directors Wednesday approved USD 700 million in financing to help Sri Lanka to recover from the current economic crisis and provide relief to the poor and vulnerable people, the Washington-based bank said in a press release.

Of this amount, USD 500 million have been assigned for budgetary support and USD 200 million for social security.

This is the biggest financial relief to Sri Lanka since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached an agreement with Sri Lanka last March to provide an Extended Fund Facility of USD 2.9 billion.

In March, the IMF approved a USD 3 billion bailout programme to help Sri Lanka overcome its economic crisis and catalyse financial support from other development partners, a move welcomed by Colombo as a "historic milestone" in the critical period.

Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis, sparked by years of mismanagement and the raging pandemic.

The World Bank said its Board of Directors approved USD 700 million in financing for two operations to help Sri Lanka implement foundational reforms that restore macroeconomic stability and sustainability, mitigate the impact of current and future shocks on the poor and vulnerable, and support an inclusive and private-sector-led recovery and growth path.

The Sri Lanka Resilience, Stability and Economic Turnaround (RESET) Development Policy Operation (USD 500 million) will support reforms that help improve economic governance, enhance growth and competitiveness, and protect the poor and vulnerable.

It will provide budget support in two equal tranches against agreed prior actions, it said.

The World Bank Wednesday announced that its Board of Directors discussed the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Sri Lanka, which aims to help restore economic and financial sector stability and build a strong foundation for a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery.

This CPF comes at a time when the country is navigating a severe economic crisis that is having devastating impacts on peoples lives and livelihoods and which demands deep reforms to stabilize the economy and protect the poor and vulnerable.

Sri Lankas poverty rate is estimated to have doubled from 13.1 to 25 per cent between 2021 and 2022an addition of 2.5 million poor peopleand is projected to increase by another 2.4 percentage points in 2023.

The extent of the crisis in Sri Lanka is unprecedented, but offers a historic opportunity for deep reforms to reset the countrys economic storyline, said Faris H. Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka.

The CPF supports this shift. Through a phased approach, the World Bank Group's strategy focuses on early economic stabilization, structural reforms, and protection of the poor and vulnerable. If sustained, these reforms can put the country back on the path towards a green, resilient and inclusive development.

A strong and engaged private sector is crucial for Sri Lanka, especially in overcoming the economic crisis. Sri Lankans urgently need jobs and livelihood opportunities to rebuild lives affected by the crisis, said Shalabh Tandon, Acting Regional Director for IFC South Asia.
Washington: Race cannot be a factor in determining admissions to colleges and universities in the United States , the Supreme Court has said, in what is a victory for White-American and Asian-American groups but a setback to the policy of encouraging racial diversity through affirmative action that has propelled African-Americans in the American higher education system. Education supporters demonstrate outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on Thursday. (AFP)

Six SC judges, all conservatives nominated by Republicans to the bench, voted against considering race as a factor, while three judges, all liberals nominated by Democrats to the bench, voted in favour of considering race as a factor.

The court was delivering a judgment in two separate but related cases regarding admission practices in the University of North Carolina (UNC) and Harvard University. At UNC, the petitioners, a group called Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), claimed that there was discrimination against White and Asian-Americans by giving preference to Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans. In Harvard, SFFA claimed that there was discrimination against Asian-Americans. SFFA claimed that these admission provisions violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Both universities, in their defence, spoke of their measures as adding to educational diversity.

The majority verdict

In the majority verdict, the court said that the judiciary had, in past verdicts, permitted race-based college admissions only within the confines of narrow restrictions; such programmes must comply with strict scrutiny; may never use race as a stereotype or negative; and must, at some point, end. Respondents admission systems fail each of these criteria and must therefore be invalidated under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the majority declared.

The court said that the admission systems were not sufficiently measurable to permit judicial review; did not articulate a meaningful connection between the means employed and goals pursued of educational benefit of diversity; failed to comply with 14th amendments provision that race must not be used as a negative or stereotype by Harvard admitting fewer number of Asian-American students; and lacked a logical end point.

Because Harvard and UNCs admission programmes lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admission programmes cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection ClauseMany universities have far too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the colour of their skin. This Nations constitutional history does not tolerate that choice, the majority verdict penned by SC Chief Justice John G Roberts Jr said. Three other conservative judges wrote concurring judgments.

The dissent

In their dissenting judgment, Justices Sonya Sotamayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson  incidentally all three women, with Jackson also the first Black woman to be on the bench  said that the court had, long ago, determined that the guarantee of racial equality in the 14th amendment could be enforced through race-conscious means in a society that is not, and had never been, colourblind.

The limited use of race for the limited purpose of promoting racial diversity, after the historic Brown vs Board decision of 1956 which recognised the necessity of racially integrated schools, had helped equalise educational opportunities for all students of every race and background and had improved racial diversity on college campuses, the three justices argued.

Today, this court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. The Court cements a superficial rule or colourblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter. The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society, the judges declared in a powerful dissent.

Offering an outline of Americas history with slavery, Civil War, Reconstruction, the era of segregation, and civil rights movement, the three judges said that ignoring race will not equalise a racially unequal society and that equality required an acknowledgment of inequality. They pointed out that both UNC and Harvard had sordid legacies of racial exclusion to offer context for their current policies.

The Asian-American versus Black-American fault line

The verdict, which comes almost exactly a year after the SC struck down national protection for abortion rights unleashing a spate of restrictions and outright bans on abortion in a number of Republican-ruled states, is set to become a political issue and inaugurate a new chapter in social fault lines in the American society.

The Democrats have long enjoyed the support of a multi-racial coalition, which includes a majority of both Asian-Americans and Black-Americans. But given the focus of Asian-American communities on higher education, and the clear tensions that the case highlighted between their aspirations and those of Black-Americans who, with their history of exclusion, seek space in the higher educational structure, the fault lines within this coalition may well intensify. Republicans will seek to leverage this internal fault line as they made inroads into Asian-American groups.

But there was an effort by Democrat-leaning Asian-American groups to bridge the gap. In a statement soon after the verdict, AAPI Victory Alliance, a group that seeks to enhance the voice of Asian-American, Pacific-Islanders and Native Hawaiians in politics, expressed its discomfort in framing the issue as between the two communities.

The alliances chairperson Tung Nguyen said the verdict undid decades of work. I question the worth of an admissions letter to an elite world where anti-Asian hate is rampant because we have purchased it by trading away racial solidarity against white supremacy. AAPI alliances executive director Varun Nikore said that the majority of Asian-Americans backed affirmative action for Black people, women and other minorities; studies had shown prospects for admission for Asian-American students increased with race conscious policies; and educational institutions can still provide targeted help to support students.

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Washington The Supreme Court (SC) verdict barring race to be considered as a factor in determining college admissions has sharpened the divide between liberal and conservative Indian-American politicians on party lines. People exit Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday. The US Supreme Court the use of race and ethnicity in university admissions, dealing a major blow to a decades-old practice that boosted educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities. (AFP)

The responses are striking because the issue has brought to fore the tensions between Asian-American students who are assumed to see in the SC verdict a possibility of an increase in their own prospects for admissions to elite educational institutions based on merit, and African-American students, who see in the verdict yet another instance of the historic denial of opportunity, entrenchment of inequality and reluctance to level the playing field on the grounds of ground of merit. Democratic politicians are seeking to maintain their broad racial coalition, while Republican politicians are seeking to maintain inroads into Asian-American population with the verdict.

On the Democratic side, Congressional progressive caucus chair Pramila Jayapal, soon after the verdict, tweeted that it was a terrible ruling. Ensuring that people from all corners of this country are represented at colleges and & universities is part of what makes America so unique, and this decision will hurt communities of colour and result in a loss in diversity of thought in education. She added that the groups hurt by Thursdays decision included low-income students and those facing systemic barriers to educational opportunities. Affirmative action supports their paths to a quality education and economic mobility, but now, college access will be more limited to the wealthy few.

Her colleague in the party and US House of Representatives, Ro Khanna, said that the Supreme Court was doing a terrible disservice to the future leaders of the country in a multi-ethnic and multiracial democracy. He said the decision would not just harm Black and Latino students but also White and Asian-American students who would be deprived of an opportunity to understand their own country.

At the other end of the political spectrum, Nikki Haley, a nominee for the Republican ticket for President, a former governor of South Carolina and a former US ambassador to the United Nations, celebrated the verdict.

The world admires America because we value freedom & opportunity. SCOTUS re-affirmed those values today. Picking winners & losers based on race is fundamentally wrong. This decision will help every student  no matter their background  have a better opportunity to achieve the American dream, Hailey tweeted.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a candidate for the Republican nomination for President, hailed the verdict and called affirmative action the single greatest form of institutional racism in the US. As the SC had struck it down in college admissions, he promised to end it in every sphere of American life if elected President. While Ramaswamy has little chance of getting the nomination, he has become highly visibly in the American public sphere since announcing his bid.

The Indian-origin candidate added that meritocracy and equity were fundamentally incompatible and said he would even repeal an executive order that mandated race based hiring preferences for federal contractors. Top companies now regularly disfavour qualified applicants who happen to be white or Asian, which spawns resentment and condescension toward black and Hispanic hires. Everyone loses in the end. Time to restore colourblind meritocracy once and for all, he said.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Prashant Jha Prashant Jha is the Washington DC-based US correspondent of Hindustan Times. He is also the editor of HT Premium. Jha has earlier served as editor-views and national political editor/bureau chief of the paper. He is the author of How the BJP Wins: Inside India's Greatest Election Machine and Battles of the New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal. ...view detail
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious student admissions programs currently used at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in a sharp setback to affirmative action policies often used increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses. Harvard University: Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts(Unsplash)

The justices ruled in favor of a group called Students for Fair Admissions, founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, in its appeal of lower court rulings upholding programs used at the two prestigious schools to foster a diverse student population.

The affirmative action cases represented the latest major rulings powered by the Supreme Court's conservative majority. The court in June 2022 overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide and widened gun rights in a pair of landmark rulings.

Many institutions of higher education, corporations and military leaders have long backed affirmative action on campuses not simply to remedy racial inequity and exclusion in American life but to ensure a talent pool that can bring a range of perspectives to the workplace and U.S. armed forces ranks.

According to Harvard, around 40% of U.S. colleges and universities consider race in some fashion.

Harvard and UNC have said they use race as only one factor in a host of individualized evaluations for admission without quotas - permissible under previous Supreme Court precedents - and that curbing its consideration would cause a significant drop in enrollment of students from under-represented groups.

Critics, who have tried to topple these policies for decades, argue these policies are themselves discriminatory.

Many U.S. conservatives and Republican elected officials have argued that giving advantages to one race is unconstitutional regardless of the motivation or circumstances. Some have advanced the argument that remedial preferences are no longer needed because America has moved beyond racist policies of the past such as segregation and is becoming increasingly diverse.

The dispute presented the Supreme Court's conservative majority an opportunity to overturn its prior rulings allowing race-conscious admissions policies.

Blum's group in lawsuits filed in 2014 accused UNC of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard of bias against Asian American applicants.

Students for Fair Admissions alleged that the adoption by UNC, a public university, of an admissions policy that is not race neutral violates the guarantee to equal protection of the law under the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment.

The group contended Harvard, a private university violated Title VI of a landmark federal law called the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

Lower courts rejected the group's claims, prompting appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the justices to overturn a key precedent holding that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body.

Affirmative action has withstood Supreme Court scrutiny for decades, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white student, backed by Blum, who sued the University of Texas after being rejected for admission.

The Supreme Court has shifted rightward since 2016 and now includes three justices who dissented in the University of Texas case and three new appointees by former Republican President Donald Trump.
Indian students pursuing courses in Australia can apply to work in the country without visa sponsorship for up to eight years from July 1 under the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) which will open up to 3,000 spots. Indian professionals from fields including engineering, information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, renewable energy and mining are also eligible for this visa, the new rules say. Australia Student Visa: The Australian flag flies .(Reuters)

The scheme will offer a new mobility pathway for Indian graduates and early career professionals with skills in targeted fields to live and work in Australia for up to two years. This comes as Australia proposed overhauling its immigration system to incorporate more highly skilled workers into the country. The country also aims to smoothen the path to permanent residency, Australian government had said in April.

Visa process for high-skilled professionals will be made quicker and easier and steps would be taken to retain international students, the government had then said.

Additionally, temporary skilled visa holders, who were unable to apply for permanent residency, will be able to do the same by the end of this year.

In September last year, Australia raised its intake of permanent migrants to 195,000, up by 35,000, as it faced widespread staff shortages.

Now work restrictions for all the student visa holders will be re-introduced and capped at 48 hours per fortnight as well from July 1. However, this rule doesn't apply to individuals working in the aged care sector as they can continue to work unrestricted hours until December 31, 2023.

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The dramatic weekend rebellion by a mercenary warlord in Russia that challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin was punctuated by dramatic language from the key protagonists  and some long silences  as the world held its collective breath at the biggest challenge to Putin's rule of more than two decades. (ALSO READ: Top Russia general knew about mutiny against Vladimir Putin beforehand? Gossip') Face masks depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, owner of private military company Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin, centre, and Chechnya's regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, left, are displayed among others for sale at a souvenir shop in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin incited a rebellion against Russia's military leaders and sent his troops toward Moscow but aborted his mutiny when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered an agreement that included exile for the warlord in Belarus. Though short-lived, the revolt rattled Russian power circles, tarnished Putins aura of complete control and gave Ukrainians hope that Russian infighting could help them.

Many questions remain unanswered about how Prigozhin managed to get 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Moscow with little resistance. But a lot of words went back and forth. Here is a look at the past several days with a focus on comments by key figures  Prigozhin, Putin and Lukashenko  as well as by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden. (ALSO READ: Russian missile devastates Ukrainian pizza parlor, claiming 11 lives)

DAY 1: THE REVOLT GETS UNDERWAY

Prigozhin had been hurling expletive-laced insults at Russias military brass for months before escalating his confrontation on Friday night. In a significant challenge to the Kremlin, he argued that Russia's stated reasons for invading Ukraine  a threat from NATO and neo-Nazis  were lies.

The evil embodied by the countrys military leadership must be stopped, the 62-year-old shouted in a recorded statement released Friday. He said his forces werent seeking to challenge Putin and other government structures, but that: Justice in the armed forces will be restored, and then justice will be restored in all of Russia.

His troops have carried out war atrocities in Ukraine, Syria and Africa, and Prigozhin doesn't oppose the war in Ukraine. He wants it prosecuted more effectively. His forces, boosted by tens of thousands of convicted felons conscripted from prisons, have been some of the most effective in the 16-month war.

For months, he accused the military brass of starving his forces of ammunition. A video in May showed him standing in front of the bloodied bodies of his slain troops yelling obscenities at Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, calling them weak and incompetent and blaming them for the carnage.

They came here as volunteers and they died to let you lounge in your mahogany offices, Prigozhin shouted. You are sitting in your expensive clubs, your children are enjoying good living and filming videos on YouTube. Those who dont give us ammunition will be eaten alive in hell!

Prigozhin, who said he had 25,000 troops to march towards Moscow with him, vowed that his troops would punish Shoigu and urged the army not to offer resistance: This is not a military coup, but a march of justice.

DAY 2: PUTIN ADDRESSES THE NATION, PRIGOZHIN RETREATS

As Prigozhin's forces set up camp in Rostov-on-Don, Putin made a televised address to the nation Saturday morning calling the uprising a stab in the back and vowing harsh punishments for its organizers.

Without mentioning Prigozhin by name, Putin denounced anarchy and fratricide. He compared the actions of the rebels with the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution that led to civil war and the collapse of imperial Russia.

The fact that he never mentioned Prigozhin by name, just as he never mentions the name of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny, is itself meaningful, argues Konstantin Sonin, a Russian professor of political economy at the University of Chicago. It means that he takes the situation extremely seriously and he is rattled inside, Sonin said.

Prigozhin initially said his fighters would not surrender, as we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.

Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland, he said.

The Russian military was fortifying the defenses around Moscow, and Lukashenko told Prigozhin he was about to get "squashed like a bug, he later recalled.

By the evening, Lukashenko had brokered a deal promising Prigozhin immunity from prosecution even though his forces had shot down Russian helicopters and a military communications plane, killing about a dozen airmen. It was a remarkable outcome given that many other Russians have been imprisoned for the smallest of antiwar gestures.

Zelenskyy said Moscow was suffering full-scale weakness and that Kyiv was protecting Europe from the spread of Russian evil and chaos.

Prigozhin ended Saturday with crowds cheering him and his Wagner troops, and they began their retreat.

DAY 3: PRIGOZHIN AND PUTIN GO SILENT, MOSCOW RETURNS TO NORMAL

After a day of such drama, the world on Sunday awaited news about Prigozhin's whereabouts and fate. In Moscow, life was returning to normal. People packed cafes and there was little sign of the counterterrorist regime of restrictions on movement and enhanced security declared the day before. Anchors on state-controlled television stations cast the deal ending the crisis as a show of Putins wisdom and aired footage of Wagner troops retreating.

Prigozhin went completely silent. When The Associated Press wrote to his press office, it got a reply saying: "He says hi to everyone and will answer the questions when he gets a normal connection. Many questions continued to swirl, including if Prigozhin would be taking a larger contingent of Wagner fighters with him to Belarus  and whether he himself would go there.

Meanwhile, Biden spoke to Zelenskyy and reaffirmed unwavering U.S. support, the White House said.

Zelenskyy said he told Biden that the aborted rebellion in Russia had exposed the weakness of Putins regime.

DAY 4: PRIGOZHIN, PUTIN AND BIDEN SPEAK

After his day of silence, Prigozhin issued an 11-minute audio statement on Monday in which he denied trying to attack the Russian state and said he acted in response to a deadly attack on his force. We started our march because of an injustice, he said.

Putin, in his first public comments since the rebellion, said Russias enemies had hoped the mutiny would succeed in dividing and weakening Russia, but they miscalculated. He identified the enemies as the neo-Nazis in Kyiv, their Western patrons and other national traitors.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the special services were investigating whether Western intelligence services were involved.

Early in the war, President Biden went off-script during a visit to Warsaw and said of Putin: For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power. But faced with what looked to many like a possible coup, Biden became decidedly cautious.

Biden denied any involvement by the U.S. or NATO in the rebellion led by Prigozhin, who also who ran the Internet Research Agency, which organized an online interference operation during the 2016 U.S. election that brought Donald Trump to power.

We made clear that we were not involved. We had nothing to do with it, Biden said. This was part of a struggle within the Russian system.

DAY 5: PRIGOZHIN ARRIVES IN BELARUS

A private jet believed to belong to Prigozhin flew from Rostov to an air base southwest of the Belarusian capital of Minsk, according to data from FlightRadar24. Belarusian President Lukashenko confirmed that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus, and said the warlord and some of his troops were welcome to stay for some time at their own expense.

Meanwhile, Moscow said preparations were underway for Wagners troops fighting in Ukraine, to hand over their heavy weapons to Russias military.

Russian authorities also said they closed a criminal investigation into the uprising and were pressing no armed rebellion charge against Prigozhin or his followers. Still, Putin appeared to set the stage for financial wrongdoing charges against an affiliated organization Prigozhin owns  or at least cast him in a negative light.

Putin also sought to project stability and authority. In a Kremlin ceremony, the president walked down the red-carpeted stairs of the 15th century white-stone Palace of Facets to address soldiers and law enforcement officers, thanking them for their actions to avert the rebellion.

Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for 29 years while relying on Russian subsidies and support, made clear he saw the events as an existential threat to his own state, which has become a vassal of sorts to Russia.

If Russia collapses," he said, we all will perish under the debris.
Following World Refugee Day last week, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and the Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent) are pleased to announce their partnership which will see them collaborate in encouraging the worlds hospitality industry to support refugees economic integration.

Both organisations will work together to educate the worlds hospitality industry on how they can help connect refugees to work in the industry.

The local hospitality sector will be encouraged by the Alliance to identify ways in which they can support Tents missions and programmes. In its work with refugees, the Alliance has helped to create Hospitality Unite, a hubwhich hosts hospitality jobs for refugees and displaced people.

The Alliance has a wide reach in the hospitality sector, representing over 50,000 properties and 7 million rooms globally. This partnership combines the Alliances expertise and global network with Tents ambitions to mobilise the private sector to connect refugees to work.

Sustainable Hospitality Alliance CEO, Glenn Mandziuk, said: We are delighted to be working with Tent in helping and empowering refugees. We look forward to sharing knowledge and resources with Tent with the aim to encourage the hospitality industry to make a difference. As we implement our new 5-year strategy, our work with important partners such as Tent can help make Net Positive Hospitality a reality  where the industry gives back more than it takes.

UK Director for Tent, Jen Stobart, said: Hiring refugees is not only the right thing to do, its also the smart thing to do from a business point of view. In many countries, the hospitality sector is suffering from labor shortages while many refugees are eager to find a job and rebuild their lives. We are proud to partner with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance to encourage more companies in their network to hire refugees.

About the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance brings together the hospitality industry and strategic partners to address key challenges affecting the planet and its people, local destinations and communities. They develop practical free resources and programmes to create a prosperous and responsible hospitality sector that gives back more than it takes. Their members represent over 50,000 hotels  totalling 7 million rooms  and include world-leading companies including Choice Hotels International, Marriott International, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, BWH Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group, as well as regional brands. Their network also includes other parts of the hospitality value chain, including owners, investors and suppliers, to further drive joined up action on sustainability, and accelerate the industry on the path to net positive hospitality. For more information, please visit: www.sustainablehospitalityalliance.org

About the Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent)

With more and more refugees displaced for longer periods of time, businesses have a critical role to play in helping refugees integrate economically in their new communities. Tent was launched in 2016 by Hamdi Ulukaya, the CEO and founder of Chobani  a multibillion dollar food company in the U.S.  to mobilize global businesses to fill this gap by helping connect refugees to work. Today, Tent is a network of over 300 major companies committed to hiring, training, and mentoring refugees. Find out more at www.tent.org.
Destinations that are exploring ways to welcome more travelers in the coming decade can learn from Amadeus Traveler Tribes 2033 global study. Following in-depth research that involved interviews with 22 experts and surveys of over 10,000 travelers from 15 countries, four distinct Traveler Tribes unfolded, each group having its own unique interests and future behaviors. To stay ahead of the competition and prepare for 2033, destination management organizations (DMOs) can look at each Traveler Tribe in detail and consider how to adapt to their evolving attitudes now.

Pioneering Pathfinders

As the largest of the Traveler Tribes  43% of the travelers who participated in the research  Pioneering Pathfinders have a distinctive mindset. They enjoy the process of planning ahead over being impulsive and, of all the groups, are the most comfortable with the role technology plays in travel. Sustainability is at the top of their agendas, and they will make trip adjustments, if need be, in order to travel more sustainably.

By promoting extended stays and off-season travel, destinations can welcome travelers for longer periods of time and help combat over-tourism while appealing to this groups sustainable mindset. Turismo de Tenerife, the DMO responsible for Tenerife, Spains tourism sector, worked with Amadeus to launch a strategic digital ad campaign to increase their year-round competitiveness and welcome more environmentally friendly visitors. Media and advertising campaigns can also provide clarity on the environmental impact of each visit by analyzing what each visitors preferred mode of transport is prior to or following a booking. This benefits the traveler, as they are better able to plan their travel and the DMO can learn to better cater to specific needs and audiences.

To better engage with this Traveler Tribe, destinations can also focus on their tech and sustainability efforts. By implementing virtual reality and artificial intelligence into their marketing tactics, destinations can improve their storytelling and elevate the visitor experience. Take the example of the Singapore Tourism Board, as they partnered with Google to enhance the in-person traveler experience with storytelling. Through the use of AI, they helped immerse visitors in the locations history and learn about places of interest in some creative new ways.

Excited Experientialists

This Traveler Tribe has an open-minded outlook and is driven by a thirst for unpredictability and unique accommodations. They enjoy living in the moment, avoid planning ahead, and seek real-life, thrilling experiences over material possessions.

DMOs seeking to connect with this audience can promote lodging options and experiences that are only available in that particular destination. One DMO that has begun to do this is the Greek National Tourism Organization, which recently leveraged Amadeus Media Solutions to entice travelers to visit Athens and Thessaloniki for a Greekend. The ads featured the Acropolis, a main tourist attraction in Athens  one of the top destinations in the world.

By using first-party data in combination with Amadeus proprietary ad-serving technology, destinations that partner with Amadeus can reach travelers who are still unsure of which place to visit  like Excited Experientialists  while they research competing destinations. Even more meaningful are bespoke attribution models that allow these destinations to measure a tangible campaign return on advertising spend, meaning actual conversions or travelers who have visited a specific location.

Memory Makers

With half this Traveler Tribe aged 42 and over, Memory Makers are defined as cautious and conservative, seeking affordable options to see the world and make memories. Loyal to people and the places they visit, they tend to trust recommendations from others and will happily return to previous, well-known destinations.

Destinations looking to attract Memory Makers can frame their marketing and advertising campaigns around picture-perfect escapes paired with affordability, carefully targeting specific age groups when deploying tactics. As this tribe tends to work with travel advisors or travel agents when booking travel, DMOs can reach this segment by advertising on global distribution systems (GDSs), travel agents preferred booking channel. Destinations can build their brand awareness, promote their top attractions, and advertise their e-learning platforms to upskill travel experts across GDSs.

Travel Tech-fluencers

Typically young business travelers, Travel Tech-fluencers have a forward-looking perspective and appreciation for technology; however, they also have concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy. This group places a special emphasis on sustainability, until it results in an inconvenience. 82% of them say sustainable solutions dictate their decisions unless they must invest a significant amount of time or money to book a sustainable journey.

With remote work gaining more and more traction, destinations can build custom messaging geared toward Travel Tech-fluencers highlighting the benefits of working remotely in their locations. Countries like Spain, Ecuador, the Bahamas and Indonesia have implemented digital nomad visas, and can secure more applicants by promoting this type of visa on social and programmatic ad channels. Destinations can also make selecting sustainable solutions easier for this Traveler Tribe, by specifying the environmental impact of each activity or transportation option and partnering closely with eco-friendly accommodations or restaurants that source from local vendors.

To discover more about Amadeus Traveler Tribes research and the latest drivers of change in the hospitality industry, visit our website.

About Amadeus

Amadeus powers more personalized and authentic travel experiences. Our solutions are designed to enrich every stage of the traveller journey and help hospitality providers acquire, service, and retain guests by profitably driving demand and converting them into loyal fans.

Backed by over 30 years of experience, we design open, cutting-edge software to provide the most efficient, trusted, and reliable systems for our customers. With experts in 175+ countries, we have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and a desire to enable our hotel partners to create memorable guest experiences.

To find out more about Amadeus, visit www.amadeus-hospitality.com.

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Alison Guillot

Amadeus
After two consecutive six-month periods of robust growth in occupancy and room rates, almost half of the European hoteliers anticipate 2023 to yield the highest revenue in the history of their establishment. At Booking.com, our success is defined by the success of our partner hotels, resorts, guest houses, B&B, vacation rentals, and all other travel lodgings imaginable. And we are glad to learn from them that travel is finally back!

this Barometer mirrors the hopes and fears of European hospitality professionals  women and men who work hard to delight their guests and offer unforgettable experiences.

Booking.com has teamed up with Statista Inc. to bring you the second edition of the European Accommodation Barometer and shed light on the latest economic performance, challenges, and expectations of Europes hoteliers.

On the one hand, this comprehensive survey of over 1,000 respondents reflects the current sentiment within the industry and is a useful basis for decision-making and policy formulation. And on the other, this Barometer mirrors the hopes and fears of European hospitality professionals  women and men who work hard to delight their guests and offer unforgettable experiences.

the overall sentiment is nothing short of extraordinary!

European Accommodation Barometer: Mapping Hoteliers Sentiment Source: Statista

Stakeholders within travel & tourism and beyond are eagerly awaiting a rebound, given the size and importance of our sector. After all, in 2019  the last pre-pandemic reference year  travel & tourism was responsible for over 22 million jobs (11.2%) of the EUs total workforce and contributed 1,3 trillion (or 9.5%) to the blocs economy. But what shape will the recovery take? Can the sector outpace the average GDP growth rate again?

Assessing the next six months, every second travel property in Europe is feeling cheerful.

Hard times dont last forever

Breathing a sigh of relief after a few tumultuous years, the majority of hoteliers view the recent past in a positive light. In fact, the overall sentiment is nothing short of extraordinary! For every accommodation in Austria that assessed the developments over the last six months as poor, there were 81 who thought they were good or very good. Even for countries with a lower ratio, like France and Greece, the celebratory mood eclipsed the pessimism six to one.

While positive trends are observed across Europe, there are regional disparities. Spain, Portugal, Austria, and the Nordic countries are more optimistic about the current state of affairs and future outlook, while France, Italy, and Greece have more subdued assessments.

Assessing the next six months, every second travel property in Europe is feeling cheerful. One-third are neutral, and only one in ten is feeling gloomy. Portuguese hoteliers are the most optimistic about the future, having seen some of the strongest growth in occupancy and room rates.

Spain and Greece expressed the most upbeat revenue outlook, reflecting their popularity among summer vacationers. More than others, the beach and seaside establishments expect 2023 to be a record-breaking year. Tellingly, 57% of accommodations see the increased appreciation for travel as a significant business opportunity. And, to top it all off, occupancy levels and room rates have increased for the majority of European accommodation businesses over the past six months.

Government policies

Accommodations across Europe recognize the importance of government policies vis-a-vis their business success. Even in countries where this sentiment is a bit more subdued, like France, UK, and The Netherlands, the ratio of respondents who believe that policies matter is two to one versus those who do not.

European Hoteliers Are Growing Less Critical of Government Policies Source: Statista

There is less of a consensus when it comes to the impact of the said government policies. Hoteliers in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Grece still view them as mostly harmful. At the same time, their counterparts in Portugal, The Netherlands, and the Nordics consider government policies to be beneficial as far as their expected net impact.

While COVID-19 and travel restrictions are becoming less significant concerns, energy costs remain the top challenge for the accommodation industry. Furthermore, the survey respondents are worried about the macroeconomic conditions, staffing, and rising costs of inputs. Overall, the perception of challenges the industry faces has increased compared to the previous Barometer.

knowledge is power. At Booking.com, we understand the importance of giving voice to key players in the European accommodation industry.

Emerging Opportunities Ranked by European Hoteliers Source: Statista

Infrastructure investments have been identified as a top priority, but European hoteliers also envisage a prominent role for their governments in the area of labor upskilling, investments in destination marketing, and digitalization of government services.

Challenges Faced by Individual and Chain Hotels

The survey reveals significant differences between individual hotels and chains, with independently managed properties facing greater challenges across all metrics covered in the accommodation barometer. They encounter more difficulties accessing capital; plus, their occupancy and room rates have seen slower growth.

European Chain Hotels Have a More Positive Business Sentiment vs. Independent Properties Source: Statista

Chain businesses are feeling bullish: around two-thirds (64%) anticipate a positive or very positive development in the next six months, up from 42% in 2022. Furthermore, the expectations for future performance are also higher for chain businesses compared to independently-managed establishments

Larger hotels and those with higher star ratings are in a better position than smaller ones with lower star ratings.

the current rates of AI adoption are low. Perhaps, this reflects the very essence of what it means to host guests and to run a hotel: a human-experience-centric business at its core.

AI adoption

In the second edition of the European Accommodation Barometer, we introduced a question on AI, given its newly found prominence. By leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence, hoteliers can streamline operations, improve guest experiences, and drive revenue growth. But the current rates of AI adoption are low. Perhaps, this reflects the very essence of what it means to host guests and to run a hotel: a human-experience-centric business at its core.

AI Uptake in the European Accommodation Sector Source: Statista

When it comes to the adoption of AI, hoteliers in the Nordic region were the most invested, with 13% saying they use it already. In The Netherlands, 32% of hoteliers were keen to start deploying AI in the next six months.

Onwards and upwards

As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. At Booking.com, we understand the importance of giving voice to key players in the European accommodation industry. Our goal is to generate insights and empower decision-making by our stakeholders, be they governments, parliaments, researchers, opinion leaders, travel sector financiers, or hoteliers themselves. Fortunately, there is reason for optimism. Europes accommodations are hopeful about their prospects, and the recovery is gathering speed. Given the vital importance of the travel and tourism sector to Europes economic success, we can all celebrate this remarkable comeback.

European Accommodation Barometer (2023 Summer Edition) Source: Statista & Booking.com

View source
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Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The hospital closed in 2014; Berkshire Health Systems purchased the assets and restores many of the medical services with the exception of surgery and inpatient beds.

BHS Makes Plans to Reopen North Adams Regional Hospital



A section of Second North was closed off and the patient rooms mothballed when Berkshire Health Systems took over in 2014. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Turns out North Adams Regional Hospital has been on life support the last nine years.

The hospital closed in 2014 but Berkshire Health Systems is hoping to resuscitate the dormant medical center and reopen up to 25 inpatient beds.

And return the name of "North Adams Regional Hospital."

Darlene Rodowicz, BHS president and CEO, said Wednesday that the health system has been working with Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh and Gov. Maura Healy's office on what is needed "to bring the North Adams campus fully back to life with inpatient services."

"The reason back in 2014 and on that we were so interested in bringing services back to North Adams is because we do believe that care should be as local as possible," she said. "We also believe in systems of care. So what we can handle locally, we should handle locally."

BHS officials anticipate having inpatient services by winter, pending licensing and regulatory approval, and restoration of surgical services. There are plans for community forums later in July or early August to keep area residents informed of the process.

"This is very exciting news for all of us in North Adams and our surrounding communities. It really provides us an opportunity to have consistent, high-quality convenient care in North Adams," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "BHS continues to invest in the community, which we want. But we really need to have inpatient care here in North Adams. ... this really provides an opportunity to be taken care of right in your own community."

The closure of the 129-year-old hospital in March 2014 was a shock to the North County system. More than 500 jobs were affected and thousands of people in Northern Berkshire and Southern Vermont had to look further north or south for medical care.

Berkshire Medical Center stepped in two months later to provide continuity of care, including 24-hour emergency service. BHS purchased the assets of the bankrupt Northern Berkshire Healthcare that September with the goal of bringing medical services back to the campus, which has included the emergency satellite facility, doctors' offices, imaging, lab facilities, wellness counseling and dialysis treatment.

Reopening the hospital has been out of reach until changes last November to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations for rural "critical access hospitals." The former officials at North Adams Regional had tried for that designation back in 2011 as a way to stabilize its finances through higher Medicare reimbursements. But a CAH couldn't be within a 35-mile radius of another hospital and its application was rejected.

Rodowicz said the 35-mile rule hasn't changed ... but, the federal government's definition of a connecting highway has. Route 7 is now considered a "secondary" road because it is a two-lane rather than four-lane and that drops the required distance between hospitals to 15 miles.

The new North Adams Regional will essentially be a mirror of the 24-bed Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, which has the Critical Access Hospital designation.

"We really believe in systems of care. And if you really want to manage some of the chronic conditions that often lead to hospitalization, you need to make sure that it's accessible for everyone, not just for the folks that can afford to drive to Boston and have a great family support system but for those that may live alone or do not have the support system," Rodowicz said. "Care should be as local as possible. And this is an opportunity to do that."

BHS has invested millions in the former hospital campus (which had undergone renovation some years before it closed) but a section of Second North, one of the "new wings" built in 1970, was essentially mothballed for future use.

"We've been preserving an inpatient unit since the closure of North Adams in 2014," said Rodowicz. "We're bringing that back up to code, making sure all the gases work in the headwall so that we can accommodate inpatients. I think there's an elevator upgrade that we're doing. And other than that, we really don't need to do a whole lot more to be able to bring in services back to the campus."

The medical/surgical rooms will all be private and encompass the former intensive care units. The restoration of inpatient beds also means the "satellite" emergency services will become a full emergency department since it will be able to admit patients.

"I really believe that a lot of our residents put off some of their care, because they dread going down to Pittsfield for procedures and especially people who have to stay in the hospital," said Macksey. "It's just great news. It's great news for the elderly, the young, for all of us, and I am very excited about this and I look forward to working with BHS as they expand more services."

The mayor said she's been pushing for inpatient care in her talks with BHS, as had her predecessors.

"I think this is a really big win for the residents and in North Adams and the surrounding communities to have access to inpatient care right here," she said, adding she was looking forward to the parking lot being filled up and more jobs created.

Bart Raser, chair of the BHS Board of Trustees, said, "this investment in re-establishing inpatient beds in North County represents a new chapter, not only for North Adams but for our system's ongoing efforts to improve the health and overall quality of life of the many communities we serve across Berkshire County."

Rodowicz said the reopening will be phased in and she imagined there are employees in Pittsfield who will want to return to North Adams.

A state-commissioned report by Stroudwater Associates following the hospital's closure concluded that a CAH with 19-21 beds would be sustainable in North County. Rodowicz said sustainability would be critical in determining further services, such as maternity.

"We continue to look at what the needs are in the community. And the priority. So right now we're able to look at the med-surg needs and meet that need," she said. "Once we get that up and running, we'll continue to look at everything but we always look through the prism of need and sustainability while we're considering other services."
Clark Art Presents Weekly Watercolor Program

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Clark Art Institute offers drop-in watercolor painting on Thursdays in July and August (July 6, 13, 20, and 27 and August 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31) from 14 pm.

The weekly program takes place on the Clark Center's Fernandez Terrace.

Visitors are invited to pick up a miniature watercolor kit and try their hand at plein air painting on the Clark's 140-acre campus. See the landscape with new eyes after getting inspired by the Clark's special exhibition, Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth, or by the permanent collection galleries.

Watercolor kits include paint, paper, miniature palette, and optional painting prompts. Pick up a kit on the Fernandez Terrace (or, in case of rain, in the Family Room, located on the lower level of the Clark Center).

This program is presented in conjunction with the Clark's special exhibition Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth. On view in the Clark Center through October 15, 2023, the exhibition is the first in the United States to reveal how the artist animated nature to convey meaning. The exhibition features approximately eighty paintings, prints, and drawings, organized thematically to reinforce how Munch used nature to express human psychology, celebrate farming practice and garden cultivation, and question the mysteries of the forest as Norway faced industrialization.

Free and open to the public. No registration required.
Local Higher Ed Officials React to Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  Massachusetts officials were quick to react Thursday to a pair of U.S. Supreme Court rulings that dealt a blow to generations of efforts to achieve equity in higher education through affirmative action efforts.

In a 6-2 decision, with Justice Keganji Brown Jackson recusing, the court struck down the affirmative action program at Harvard University. And in a 6-3 decision, the court similarly ruled against a program at the University of North Carolina.

Williams College President Maud Mandel quickly announced that the decisions will not change the college's "core values" of diversity, inclusion and access.

"We especially want to reassert Williams' commitment to racial diversity, given that race was the central issue in both cases," Mandel wrote in a letter to the college community. "We are committed to modifying our processes as necessary to continue seeking and supporting a diverse, vibrant and exceptional learning community within the new legal context."

Mandel referred to Chief Justice John Roberts' decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which covered both cases, as "complex and  accompanied by concurrences and dissents." The Williams president said the decision will take time to analyze and assess for its full implications.

Mandel also co-signed on a statement released Thursday morning by Gov. Maura Healey addressing the court's decision.

"We will continue to break down barriers to higher education so that all students see themselves represented in both our public and private campus communities," Healey wrote. "Massachusetts, the home of the first public school and first university, will lead the way in championing access, equity, and inclusion in education.

"We want to make sure that students of color, LGBTQ+ students, first generation students, and all students historically underrepresented in higher education feel welcomed and valued at our colleges and universities. Today's decision, while disappointing, will not change our commitment to these students."

Berkshire County Community College President Ellen Kennedy and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President James Birge also signed on to Healey's statement, as did the commissioner of the Department of Higher Education, the president of the Massachusetts Senate and the speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. MCLA's former president, Mary Grant, now president of Massachusetts College of Art and Design, is also a signatory.

Jackson recused herself from the Harvard decision because of her work on the school's board of overseers but authored a dissenting opinion in the UNC case.

"With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life," she wrote. "And having so detached itself from this country's actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve America's real-world problems.

"No one benefits from ignorance. Although formal racelinked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and today's ruling makes things worse, not better."

Mandel's message to the Williams College community was signed jointly by the chair of the school's board of trustees and ends with a promise to find new ways to continue to strive for diversity.

"Williams is a remarkable intellectual community in which we see excellence and diversity as fundamentally connected," Mandel wrote. "Although today's decision has closed off certain established paths toward that vision, especially in regards to race, we will work within the new bounds of law to ensure that the promise of a great liberal arts education remains open to people of all identities, backgrounds and perspectives."
Efforts to save North Adams Regional Hospital have dwindled over the years, but its advocates have never given up hope.

North County Reacts With Excitement, Cautious Optimism to Hospital News

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  There was one group that refused to give up on the North Adams Regional Hospital for years.

The North County Cares Coalition, made up of residents and former employees at the hospital, advocated at first weekly and, as time went on, every anniversary since 2014 to keep the idea of the hospital alive.

Even when no one seemed to be listening. And promises by state officials seemed to go nowhere.

"The North County Cares Coalition appreciates all the effort s being made to re-establish a small hospital with 25 in patient beds by BHS," the group responded in a statement sent by Manns and Richard Dassatti on its behalf. "This is a much-needed positive step and the Coalition would be happy to work with BHS and any other interested parties to help bring this project to fruition. We look forward to hearing more from BHS on this matter over the summer."

Berkshire Health Systems announced on Thursday its decision to pursue a Critical Access Hospital designation for the North Adams campus and to restore up to 25 inpatient beds. BHS purchased the assets of the bankrupt Northern Berkshire Healthcare a few months after the hospital's closure and restored many of its services and staff.

Another coalition member, Rachel Branch, was much more enthusiastic when informed of the news. At first she didn't believe it, but when shown the article on iBerkshires, she literally jumped for joy.

"This is like prayers being answered," she said. "I'm beside myself with disbelief and joy. ...

"For me personally having lost so many family members to the illness of addiciton, this is beyond words to express."

Branch, whose great-grandfather Arthur Gallup bought the land for the hospital and funded the original building's Children's Wing, has had Northern Berkshire Community Television repeat her "Solutions Rising" series highlighting the loss of the hospital and what it cost the community on every anniversary.

She, too, though wasn't completely convinced it would happen.

"Our North County Cares Coalition will be keeping a close eye on this actually happening," she said.

The closure of the hospital and Berkshire Medical Center's standup of a satellite emergency facility on the campus meant long trips for the local ambulance service.

The turnaround time for an ambulance going to Pittsfield or Bennington, Vt., was 90 minutes to 2 hours, while transporting to North Adams kept a vehicle out of service for 15 to 20 minutes, Northern Berkshire EMS General Manager John Meaney Jr. said days before the emergency room closed.

"This is welcomed news for our community and the EMS system in Northern Berkshire County and Southern Vermont," he said on Thursday while out of town. "We look forward to working with BHS in the coming months as they transition to restoring a full service hospital."

A statement by Massachusetts Nurses Association co-Chairs at Berkshire Medical Center Alex Neary and Gerri Jakacky and North Adams campus emergency department representative Ruth O'Hearn also said the restoration was welcome news after a decade of advocacy and that they looked forward to working BHS to "ensure the re-opening process is smooth and respects the needs of patients, nurses, and all caregivers.

"As nurses, we are thrilled that our patients will have better access to essential inpatient care closer to their homes. We have joined with the North County Cares Coalition and other advocates for many years, calling for the return of an inpatient hospital to North Adams. The announced beds will help restore some of what our communities lost in 2014, though nothing can replace the years of diminished access to care," their statement reads.

The MNA statement said there was no "moral justification" for the closure and lambasted the decision by hospital's previous owner three-days notice in violation of state law.

"The abrupt and unnecessary closure of North Adams Regional Hospital forced tens of thousands of people to find care further away from their communities, making it harder for them to recover from injury and illness and placing their lives at risk," they said.

Nancy Bullett, a former city councilor, had lobbied strongly to keep the hospital open and was cheered by the news.

"I worked at NARH for 17 years. My grandson was born the day the announcement if the closing and discharged the day they closed," said Bullett. "I was just talking about the days when four floors were open, before the north wing was built. I believe this is a positive step for the future. Our community in evolving and growing and a full service medical facility is an essential part of the resurgence of North Adams! Coming back strong!"

Dr. Paul Donovan had worked at NARH for 22 years and been president of its medical staff, leaving several years before its closure. Since then, he's written a meticulously researched three-volume history on the hospital , which closed weeks before its 130th anniversary.

Now on staff at Berkshire Medical Center, the orthopedist learned through internal email of the reopening.

"I think it's great news for Northern Berkshire, especially North Adams and I hope BHS is successful in their application for both designation as a critical access hospital but also reopening with inpatient beds," he said. "[BHS has] done a good service in the area and the fact that they're even contemplating open up the inpatient beds, I think is very good."

Asked if he will now have to add a coda to his hospital history, Donovan responded that he thought his writing days were over, but "maybe so."

"It sounds like that might be approved by 2024, that would be the 10-year anniversary of [NARH] closing so it would be appropriate," he said.
Coins.ph, the most established crypto brand in the Philippines, is offering an opportunity for businesses and community leaders to be a part of the countrys crypto revolution with the launch of the new affiliate program.

Key stakeholders can now share their passion for crypto with their audiences by providing them with significant discounts when they sign up with Coins.ph. Affiliates can receive as much as 60% commission for every trade made and are also entitled to a wealth of exclusive benefits, including referral rewards, VIP support, and joint marketing campaigns.

As a pioneer in the industry, Coins.ph has built a robust platform that empowers individuals and businesses to seamlessly navigate the world of cryptocurrencies. The affiliate program reinforces Coins.ph's commitment to fostering a vibrant crypto community, enabling both existing and new users to capitalize on exciting opportunities.

This is the first major community building product release from Coins, as it will reward our users and partners through deeper engagement and involvement, said Wei Zhou, Coins.ph CEO.

Since its launch in 2014, Coins.ph has been the go-to platform for Filipinos who want to start their crypto journey in a safe and secure way. Security is a priority in this platform, as it is fully regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and is the first ever crypto company in Asia to receive both Virtual Currency and Electronic Money Issuer licenses from a central bank.

"At Coins.ph, the safety and security of our users is paramount. We operate under regulation by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas and work closely with them to build and operate a platform that allows Filipinos to safely transact and store their crypto. adds Wei Zhou.

Now with over 18 million users nationwide, Coins.ph has expanded its offerings to payments and Web3 services and has onboarded over 40 tokens, ranging from established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin ($BTC) and Etherum ($ETH) to new tokens like Dogecoin ($DOGE), Arbitrum ($ARB), and Pepe ($PEPE). Before the launch of this new affiliate program, Coins.ph had already established partnerships with well-known crypto personalities such as Gamefi Community Leaders KookooCrypto and Spraky, Talent Agencies MetaSports and Tier One, Trading Platform Investagrams, PBA Player Jared Dillinger, NFT Platform Ownly, Crypto Trading communities like Manila Crypto Club and Pinoy Learn and Earn, and Web3 focused events place Keepers and Draper StartUp House.

There is no limit to the number of friends and followers that affiliates can invite through this program. Referees, meanwhile, will receive as much as 20% discount on every trade for 90 days. Interested businesses and community leaders can sign up for the affiliate program by filling out the application form and reviewing the terms and conditions.

In addition to the affiliate program, Coins.ph also invites crypto enthusiasts to bring their family and friends into the crypto world and receive rewards through the standard referral program.

Be a Coins.ph affiliate and unlock exciting opportunities in the world of cryptocurrency through this link. You can also visit Coins.ph to learn more about the affiliate program and the benefits offered to affiliates.
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Even Amelia Dimoldenberg cant believe shes hosting A-lister Jennifer Lawrence on her YouTube interview series, Chicken Shop Date.

The British internet personality built a following by interviewing UK grime and rap artists in chicken shops under the comedic pretence of taking them on a date. She quickly gained fans for her deadpan style and exaggerated awkwardness.

In recent years, Dimoldenberg has seen her profile grow as shes hosted red carpet ceremonies including Vanity Fairs Oscars party and had high-profile guests on her show including Ed Sheeran, the Jonas Brothers and Louis Theroux (the latter of whose appearance spawned one of the biggest memes of 2022 and a hit remix by Duke & Jones: Jiggle Jiggle).

Nevertheless, Lawrences appearance coming Friday (30 June) represents Dimoldenbergs biggest guest to date.

When I saw this even I screamed, Dimoldenberg, 29, wrote in response to a tweet announcing the Hunger Games stars forthcoming episode.

Lawrence is currently promoting her new movie No Hard Feelings, in which she plays an Uber driver who, after losing her license, answers a Craigslist ad from two parents looking for someone to date their geeky, 19-year-old son before he goes to college.

The 32-year-old star will be hoping to fare better than her last chicken-related interview appearance.

Lawrence quickly went viral for her recent display on Hot Ones  another popular YouTube series hosted by Sean Evans who interviews celebrities as they eat progressively spicier chicken wings.

Tears and snot began running down Lawrences face after she ate the spiciest hot sauce in the line-up: Da Bomb Beyond Insanity hot sauce, which has a rating of 135,600 Scoville Heat Units.

As she tried to grapple with the heat, she took sips from other glasses in front of her while crying: I dont know what to do, nothing helps! Is my face OK?

In a subsequent interview, the actor admitted that she violently threw up after the interview.

No Hard Feelings is now showing in the UK.
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India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday arrived in the violence-hit north-eastern state of Manipur for a two-day visit as his party continued to question prime minister Narendra Modi's absence.

Mr Gandhi, a member of the Congress party and a former MP, is scheduled to visit relief camps for people displaced by the two-month-long ethnic violence.

In one of worst flare-ups in decades, Manipur has seen more than 100 deaths and 40,000 people have been displaced in clashes between the majority Meitei and Kuki communities.

Mr Gandhi is the first opposition leader to visit the strife-torn region since the clashes ensued in May.

He was received in the capital Imphal by former state chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and the convoy set out to travel to Churachandpur to visit relief camps. However, his convoy was stopped by local police at Bishnupur, nearly 20km from Imphal, citing security reasons.

"Rahul Gandhi cannot be allowed to go ahead. We are worried about his security. The arson-like situation persisted even last night as well. Rahul carcade could be mistaken as someone coming to attack Churachandpur," Heisnam Balram Singh, the Bishnupur superintendent of police was quoted by India Today as saying.

Mr Gandhi was forced to return to Imphal, while his party alleged that the state and federal governments, both run by the BJP, were using "autocratic methods" to stall his visit.

The "double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.

Local media cited police sources to report that tyres were burnt on the highway in the Bishnupur district and stones were thrown at the convoy.

Houses, churches, temples, shops and businesses have been torched amid widespread violence in the state raging over the demand of Meiteis to seek tribal status for access to economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education.

Indian Army personnel patrol during a combing operation at Kanto Sabal village near Imphal (AFP via Getty Images)

The Kuki community has opposed the Meitei communitys inclusion in the list, fearing opportunity and job loss due to the groups demographically and politically advantageous position.

Prior to the violence, the Kuki villagers were reportedly evicted from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipurs population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while Nagas and Kukis make up another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Several rounds of peace talks between the groups have failed and sporadic incidents of violence and arson continue to deepen the crisis in the state governed by prime minister Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Charred remains of official residence of Manipurs minister Nemcha Kipgen in Imphal, which was set ablaze by mob in Manipur (AFP via Getty Images)

Federal home minister Amit Shah visited the state early this month and met community leaders to restore peace.

But the opposition has repeatedly questioned the prime ministers stoic silence, while asking state chief minister N Biren Sigh to resign from his post.

Ten leaders of opposition parties in Manipur had submitted a letter three-page memorandum to the Prime Ministers Office to request a meeting with him before his state visit to the US.

In Manipur, people raised posters showing Mr Modis face with the words: Still missing. Have you seen this man? Status: blind and deaf.
 Close Canadian wildfires spread haze over New York City

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The US is currently battling extreme weather events, with millions of people under air quality alerts across the Midwest and Northeast while southern states including Texas are battling dangerous heatwaves.

Smoke from more than 500 wildfires burning in Canada is blanketing large areas across the country and causing unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality conditions for residents.

As of early Friday morning, more than 100 million people were under air quality alerts.

Toronto had the worst air quality in the world of all major cities, followed by Washington DC, according to IQAir.

Meanwhile, almost 60 million people were under heat alerts on Wednesday as dangerous temperatures continued to grip southern states and parts of Mexico.

The relentless, triple-digit heatwave  exacerbated by the climate crisis  entered its third week. The severe conditions have caused 13 deaths in Texas and led to a spike in emergency room attendance across the state.

At least nine inmates  including two men in their 30s  in Texas prisons have died of heart attacks or unknown causes since the start of the sweltering heatwave.
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The second significant religious festival of Islam, Eid al-Adha, will begin on Wednesday (28 June) this year.

Eid al-Adha is one of two Eids, or days of celebration for Muslims worldwide, in a year, the Muslim Council of Britain explains. The festival coincides with the completion of Hajj, which millions of people partake in every year.

Known as the festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha commemorates the prophet Ibrahims readiness to sacrifice his son in order to demonstrate his dedication to God.

Here is everything you need to know about Eid al-Adha:

What is its significance?

During the festival of Eid al-Adha, Muslims acknowledge the devotion of Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son, Ismail, under the order of Allah SWT (God).

Ibrahim, also known as Abraham, is a prominent figure in Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

This story in different versions is in the Quran, the Bible, and the Old Testament, which shows the common heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, states the United Religions Initiative.

According to the Quran  the sacred religious book of Islam  just as Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God replaced Ismail with a lamb, which was sacrificed instead.

This command from Allah SWT was a test of Prophet Ibrahims willingness and commitment to obey his Lords command, without question. Therefore, Eid al-Adha means the festival of sacrifice, states UK-based charity Muslim Aid.

What is the difference between Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Adha and Eid-al-Fitr are the two major religious festivals observed in the religion of Islam.

Eid al-Fitr, which was celebrated in May in countries across the world, translates in Arabic to mean the feast of the breaking of the fast.

The festival marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month which involves Muslims fasting during daylight hours for 29 to 30 days.

Eid al-Adha coincides with Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.

In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Show all 19 1 / 19 In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy), where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj A Muslim pilgrim prays as another takes a photo on the Mount Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Mount Arafat during the Hajj EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray by the Namira Mosque on the plains of Arafat during Hajj Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims pray by the Namira Mosque on the plains of Arafat during Hajj Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj A Muslim pilgrim wheels his children on a wheelchair towards Mount Arafat AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Pilgrims circle the Kaaba as they pray in the Grand Mosque of Mecca ahead of the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims arrive at the plains of Arafat Reuters In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims shelter from the sun under a bridge near Mecca EPA In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims walk towards Namirah mosque on Mount Arafat during the Hajj AP In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or the Mount of Mercy) during the Hajj AFP/Getty In pictures: Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for Hajj Muslim pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat (or Jabal ar-Rahmah) during the Hajj AFP/Getty

When is it?

This year, Eid al-Adha begins on Wednesday 28 June and ends on Sunday 2 July.

How is the date of Eid al-Adha decided?

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, meaning the dates of annual events may vary on an annual basis in accordance with the phases of the moon.

Eid al-Adha takes places on the 10th day of the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah.

Dhu al-Hijjah is the 12th and most sacred month of the Islamic year, during which observant Muslims travel to Mecca for Hajj.

All able-bodied adults of the Islamic faith are expected to complete Hajj at least once in their lifetimes.

How is the festival celebrated?

As Eid al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice made by the prophet Ibrahim, Muslims typically celebrate the festival by carrying out a Qurbani, meaning sacrifice in Arabic.

The animal that is sacrificed  which is usually a goat, sheep, cow or camel  is separated into three parts.

At least one third of the meat from the animal must go to poor or vulnerable people, states international aid organisation Islamic Relief.

Traditionally, a Muslim would keep one third of the meat for their family and give the final third to their neighbours.

During the morning of Eid al-Adha, a special prayer called Salat al-Eid is recited in honour of the festival, ahead of the Dhuhr prayer at noon.

Muslims traditionally dress in fine clothes in celebration of Eid al-Adha, in addition to exchanging gifts.

Eidi is the Arabic word for a gift given to children by relatives during Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.

What food is eaten during Eid al-Adha?

While Eid al-Fitr is known as sweet Eid, Eid al-Adha is contrarily known as salty Eid.

As such, the food eaten during the second festival is predominantly savoury, including the animal which is sacrificed during the observance.

Arabian pastries called Maamoul are also eaten during both Eid festivals, as well as at night during the holy month of Ramadan.

Maamoul are made using ingredients including dates and nuts, and are often served in a ball or cookie shape.

How do you wish someone a happy Eid?

The phrase widely used to wish someone a happy Eid during Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr is Eid Mubarak.

In Arabic, this phrase translates to mean Blessed Eid.
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Hailey Bieber has divided fans after she appeared to attend her friend Stephanie Shepherds wedding in a white dress.

Over the weekend, Bieber, 26, was accompanied by her husband Justin Bieber as they attended the Beverly Hills nuptials, where they were joined by fellow celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Malika Haqq, according to photos of the festivities shared by the DailyMail.

For the occasion, the Rhode Skin founder opted for a white, backless, long-sleeved gown with a high neck. She paired the look, which she later shared photos of on Instagram, with teal eyeshadow, a pale blue fur purse, and simple jewellery.

According to the photographs, Justin wore an oversized white button-down shirt and black trousers for the wedding of Shepherd, Kardashians former assistant, while the Skims founder, her mother, and Haqq were all photographed in black gowns.

On social media, Biebers outfit choice has sparked criticism from fans, with some questioning the models choice to wear white to a wedding.

The only thing I want to know is why the f*** you wore white to a WEDDING, one person commented under Biebers photos, while another asked: Why is she wearing white to a wedding???

Isnt it against wedding law to wear anything close to white to a wedding? someone else wrote. Im not even hating but its a huge yikes

According to Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, who previously spoke to The Independent, the rule against wearing white still applies for most weddings, as she noted that white is still reserved for the bride and that guests should select another colour when choosing an outfit.

As for why guests should avoid white for a wedding, wedding dress designer Madeline Gardner previously told The Knot that it comes down to the most important thing to keep in mind, not upstaging the bride.

Although many of Biebers fans questioned her dress choice, others argued that the models dress was actually light blue.

Her dress is light blue, not white, one person claimed in the comments under Biebers Instagram post, while another said: Before yall start with your think pieces the dress is baby blue. She wore baby blue head to toe.

However, others suggested that, even if Biebers dress was light blue, the light shade meant that it was still a breach of wedding etiquette. This is too close to white I fear, one person tweeted.

Is it me or is that dress pretty much white, someone else wrote in response to the photos of the couple.

While most were in agreement that guests should generally avoid wearing white to a wedding, others pointed out that Shepherd may have requested that attendees wear either white or black to her nuptials.

The theme was white and black right? Because it doesnt make sense for this woman to be in WHITE at a wedding. Ill be giving the benefit of the doubt, one person tweeted.

Although Shepherd did not post photos from the wedding, Swizz Beats shared an album of photos taken during the reception, in which Alicia Keys could be seen wearing a green dress.

Bieber was not the only guest who faced backlash over the outfit she wore to the wedding, as fans also questioned the appropriateness of Kardashians dress, which featured a bra-style top and a skirt with cut-out details. Is she going to a club or a wedding? one critic asked.

Shepherd, who previously held the role of COO of Kardashians KKW company before parting ways with The Kardashians star, married Larry Jackson, the former global creative director at Apple Music who recently created music company Gamma.

Olivia Wilde faced similar criticism earlier this year after she wore a white gown to Colton Underwoods wedding to Jordan C Brown.

The Independent has contacted a representative for Bieber for comment.
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Chrissy Teigen says her heart is officially full after welcoming her fourth child with John Legend via surrogate.

The US model thanked her surrogate, Alexandra, for the incredible gift as she announced the news on social media.

The couples baby boy is called Wren Alexander Stephens, in tribute to the surrogate.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, Teigen, 37, said she had always wanted four children and referenced the pregnancy loss she and Legend suffered in 2020 when they were expecting another son.

After losing Jack, I didnt think Id be able to carry any more babies on my own, she wrote. In 2021, we reached out to a surrogacy agency, with our first correspondence inquiring about perhaps having two tandem surrogates, to each bring us a healthy baby boy or girl.

At this time, Teigen said she had told Legend that she wanted to try to carry just one more time and they restarted the IVF process to conceive their daughter Esti, who was born in January.

The couple had also met Alexandra, who was the most incredible, loving, compassionate surrogate we could ever imagine, Teigen said.

But for anyone looking into surrogacy, how does it actually work?

Jemma Dally, a partner from the surrogacy, child protection and international childcare care department at Goodman Ray, explains what couples need to know about the process.

What are the different types of surrogacy?

Couples  known in legal terms as the intended parents  might choose to use a surrogate if the woman is physically unable to carry a baby, or it would be dangerous for her to do so, or a male same-sex couple want a family. There are two types.

Firstly, host or gestational surrogacy is when the surrogate womans eggs are not used, and instead an embryo is transferred to the surrogate. The embryo may be created from the egg and sperm of the intended parents (so the child is 100% biologically related to them) or using either their egg or sperm, together with donor sperm or a donor egg.

Secondly, traditional surrogacy is when the surrogates egg is used to conceive the child  and the sperm used is that of the intended father.

It is not illegal for a surrogacy to happen where the egg and sperm are both from a donor. It is, however, not possible to obtain a parental order [to ensure the child is legally theirs] unless at least one of the intended parents has a genetic connection to the child, says Dally.

Is it legal to advertise for a surrogate?

[In the UK] its a criminal offence to advertise that you are willing to enter into a surrogacy arrangement; looking for a woman to act as a surrogate mother; looking for people who want a surrogate to carry a child; and are able to negotiate or facilitate a surrogacy arrangement, Dally says. This applies to adverts in print, online, TV or radio. That includes a post on social media.

Its also illegal for a third party who receive payment, or expect to, for negotiating or facilitating the arrangement, but this doesnt apply to non-profit organisations.

So how do couples find a surrogate? Most people who arrange it in the UK will know their surrogate  a family member or close friend who has agreed to act as a surrogate for them, says Dally. If they dont know each other, its likely the parents have gone through a non-profit organisation.

Are couples allowed to pay a surrogate?

Dally says this is an area thats often misunderstood. The law allows intended parents to pay a UK surrogate reasonable expenses, but theres no definition of whats reasonable, and no fixed amount that a court would consider as reasonable.

The issue of large payments usually comes up in international surrogacy arrangements.

Who are the legal parents when the child is born?

The surrogate will always be the childs legal mother  regardless of whether her eggs are used to conceive the child or not, says Dally.

Furthermore, if the surrogate is married or in a civil partnership at the time she starts to carry the child  her spouse will legally be the childs second parent (unless they didnt consent to the surrogacy).

She says if the surrogate is not married then there is a choice as to who the second parent is  provided it was done through a licensed fertility clinic (if not, it will be the sperm donor) and a legal parenthood form has been signed before conception.

If no forms are completed and the surrogate is not married, then the intended father will be the second legal parent automatically, if he is the biological parent, says Dally. The legal mother, i.e. the surrogate, is responsible for registering the childs birth.

Can the surrogate change her mind after the birth?

Yes. Surrogacy arrangements are not enforceable under UK law, says Dally. If one of the parties changes their mind, or the circumstances change, the arrangement is not legally binding. It doesnt matter if it was set out in writing or not.

So yes, this means that the surrogate could decide she wants to keep the baby, or have a role in the childs life  whether the baby is biologically her child or not.

It also means that the intended parents could walk away from the surrogacy arrangement, leaving their surrogate with a baby they did not want or expect to have responsibility for.

How do the intended parents become the legal parents?

To legally become parents of the baby, couples have to apply to the High Court for a parental order. This transfers legal parenthood and parental responsibility from the surrogate (and her spouse/civil partner if relevant) to the intended parents, says Dally.

There are several conditions that need to be met for the order to be granted including; its been made within six months of the birth (although usually the child will already be living with them), you permanently live in the UK and at least one of you is genetically related to the child.

Major reforms are being proposed, however, which may enable couples to become a surrogate childs legal parents at birth.

For legal advice on surrogacy visit goodmanray.com
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Kevin Costners estranged wife Christine Baumgartner has reportedly said she will move out of their home in California, as long as her ex-husband provides further financial support as determined by the court.

The former couple are locked in a disagreement over Baumgartners continued presence in the beachfront house they shared together in Carpenteria, California, after she filed for divorce in early May.

New court documents reportedly show that Baumgartner, 49, promised to move out of the house on 31 August if Costner, 68, agrees to pay a higher amount in monthly child support, according to TMZ. Earlier this month, she reportedly asked a judge to force the Yellowstone star to pay $248,000 (approximately 196,000) per month in child support for their three teenage children.

Baumgartner is arguing that the figure is less than the amount needed to maintain the children in their accustomed lifestyle. She is also requesting that Costner pay 100 per cent of the childrens private school tuition fees, extracurricular activities and healthcare expenses. Both are seeking joint custody of the children.

According to People, the amount Baumgartner is seeking is more than six times the $38,000 (approximately 30,000) a month that Costner offered. He has alleged that his ex-wife is refusing to vacate their home since she filed for divorce, in spite of a clause in their pre-nuptial agreement that requires her to move out within 30 days.

Under the conditions of their pre-nup, Baumgartner is entitled to a settlement of $1.4m. Costners net worth is estimated to be upwards of $250m, with Variety reporting that he was getting paid $1.5m per episode of his hit show Yellowstone, making him the best-paid actor on TV in 2022.

In legal documents, Costner said that Baumgartners agreement to move out was and is unconditional. It also noted that after his divorce from first wife Cindy Silva in 1994, to whom he reportedly paid a $80m settlement, he found himself without a home base He never wanted that to happen again.

Baumgartner cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce filing and listed their date of separation as 11 April.

Kevin Costner and his wife Christine Baumgartner at the Oscars in 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

A representative for Costner told Fox News at the time: It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.

We ask that his, Christines and their childrens privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.

The pair are due for a case management conference on 5 July.

Costner and Baumgartner married in 2004 and share three children, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13. The Bodyguard star was previously married to Silva for 16 years before they divorced in 1994, and also share three children together.

Costner also has a son with Bridget Rooney, who was born in 1996.

The Independent has contacted Costners representatives for comment.
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It seems that Kris Jenner has no idea how much In-N-Out Burger costs in a new episode of The Kardashians.

The latest episode in season three of Hulus The Kardashians saw Khloe Kardashian surprising big sister Kim Kardashian with a girls trip to Las Vegas for her 42nd birthday, but bad weather conditions forced the group to return to Los Angeles.

However, the famous family decided to then redirect their trip to the popular California burger joint, In-N-Out Burger. As the group arrived at the fast food chain in feather boas and sequined tops, famous mom-ager Kris Jenner said she had some money to pay for the food.

As everyone placed their orders, the 67-year-old ruffled through her purse to give her daughter Khloe some cash. However, the Good American founder lightly teased her mother when she saw how much money Kris was willing to give her.

I dont know how the f*** you have never been to a fast-food restaurant. We dont need hundreds of dollars, Khloe said to Kris, after appearing shocked when her mother didnt know how much food at the restaurant would cost.

My mom gave me $100, she told the camera. She tried to give me $300. I dont think she realised how much fast-food restaurants are.

Kim Kardashian ended up ordering a plain cheeseburger with light onions, as well as three orders of cheese fries for the group. The In-N-Out cashier then rattled off the entire order to Khloe, which included several cheeseburgers with grilled onions, pickles and fries, six soft drinks, and a chocolate shake. Their total order came to be $59.20, which Khloe paid for with the $100 bill that Kris had given her.

This isnt the first time Kris Jenner has been called out by Khloe Kardashian for being slightly out-of-touch. In season one of The Kardashians, Jenner yelled at a driver to leave the car as she accepted a phone call from Travis Barker asking to marry her eldest daughter, Kourtney Kardashian.

( HULU)

Sir, can I ask you to leave us alone for five minutes? I just want to do something real quick. Thank you, she told the driver off-camera. Kris checked to make sure the driver, who was now outside of the car, had his drivers seat window rolled up, but realised that the trunk was still open.

Louder, she said: Close the trunk! at which point Khloe corrected her mother for yelling, saying, Youre yelling at a f***ing guy.

Khloe then rolled down her window and said to the driver in a quieter tone: Excuse me, sir, would you mind closing the trunk for a moment? Thank you so much.

She reminded her mom: Its not what you say, its how you say it.

Fans cringed later in season one, when Kris Jenner and her daughter Kylie enjoyed a day of normal activities, which included shopping for their own groceries, pumping their own gas, and visiting a car wash. Kylie and Kris really called the drive-thru car wash a tourist attraction, rich people really do live on another planet, one person tweeted in response to the scene.

Meanwhile, Jenner was also accused of being tone-deaf after admitting that she forgot she owns a condo in Beverly Hills during season two of The Kardashians.

The third season of Hulus reality series The Kardashians premiered on 25 May. New episodes of The Kardashians drop every Thursday on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK.
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Armie Hammer has reportedly reignited a romance with an old flame, after finalising his divorce from ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers, three years after she first filed.

The disgraced Call Me By Your Name star was photographed vacationing in Italy this week with a blonde woman, who has been identified by TMZ and PageSix as his former girlfriend Lisa Perejma.

Hammer, 36, was first spotted in Portofino on Tuesday (27 June), where he and Perejma went to a restaurant together. In pictures published by PageSix, the pair were seen kissing across the table and holding hands as they walked around the popular tourist spot on the Italian Riviera.

On Wednesday (28 June), TMZ published photographs of Hammer and Perejma in Santa Margherita, a 16-minute drive from Portofino, as they strolled through the city together.

Photographers told the publication that the pair went to a pizzeria, where they had a coffee and chatted, as well as sharing a kiss. They were first romantically linked in early 2021 but had reportedly split up by February 2022.

It comes just over a week after Hammer and Chambers, 40, settled their divorce. The former couple separated in July 2020 after 10 years of marriage following allegations that Hammer had abused multiple women.

Hammer was also accused of rape by one woman. He has vehemently denied any criminal wrongdoing, but admitted to being emotionally abusive and treating people poorly.

It was announced at the end of May that he would not face sexual assault charges following a lengthy investigation into the allegations. Los Angeles County DAs office said there was insufficient evidence to charge the actor with a crime.

Hammer and Chambers reportedly reached an agreement over their property and child and spousal support issues in settling their divorce. They share two children, eight-year-old Harper and six-year-old Ford Douglas Amand.

Armie Hammer Divorce (2018 Invision)

In February, Chambers spoke out for the first time about the various allegations her ex-husband faced and said she was learning things as the public was when they first emerged in 2021.

Speaking to Elle, the TV personality said: I was like, There are no words. What the f***?

According to reports, Chambers has moved on from her relationship with Hammer and has been dating someone else for over six months. Most recently, she posted an Instagram Story featuring an unnamed man to whom she referred as her bf (boyfriend).

Following the allegations, Hammer lost his talent representation and was dropped from several projects, including the film Shotgun Wedding, Broadway play The Minutes, and TV series The Offer.

Hammer in 2019 (Getty Images)

The Social Network star spoke out for the first time since the claims against him were made in February when he gave an interview to Air Mail. He alleged that he had been sexually abused as a child by a youth pastor and described a recent suicide attempt.

In the wake of the abuse allegations, Hammer said he walked out into the ocean and swam out as far as I could and hoped that either I drowned, or was hit by a boat, or eaten by a shark.

Then I realised that my kids were still on shore, and that I couldnt do that to my kids, he added.

Hammer said he is now sober after going to rehab in May 2021, and that he is now a healthier, happier, more balanced person. Im able to be there for my kids in a way I never was. Im truly grateful for my life and my recovery and everything. I would not go back and undo everything thats happened to me.

The Independent has contacted Hammers representative for comment.

If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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Monica Bellucci has spoken publicly about her relationship with Tim Burton for the first time, after the pair sparked rumours that they were dating in February.

The Italian screen siren, 58, said she loves the 64-year-old filmmaker and that their meeting was something that rarely happens in life.

In a new interview with Elle France, Bellucci said: What can I say Im glad I met the man, first of all.

Its one of those encounters that rarely happens in life I know the man, I love him, and now Im going to meet the director, another adventure begins.

I love Tim, she added. And I have great respect for Tim Burton.

The pair were spotted walking arm-in-arm and sharing a kiss outside The Ritz Paris hotel on Valentines Day. They had reportedly been already dating for four months by then, after they saw one another at the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon in October 2022.

They first met 16 years ago on the red carpet at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, but reportedly reconnected in Lyon.

The Matrix Reloaded star was an honorary guest at the Lumiere Film Festival and presented Burton with the Lumiere lifetime achievement award.

Currently, the model and actor is shooting Beetlejuice 2 with Burton in London.

Tim Burton reacts as he receives the Lumiere Award from Italian actress Monica Bellucci during the award ceremony of the 14th edition of the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, central-eastern France, on October 21, 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

Bellucci told the magazine: I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving.

Tim Burtons films talk about that a lot.

The Edward Scissorhands director was previously in a long-term relationship with Helena Bonham-Carter. They were together for 13 years before separating in 2014 and share two sons, Billy, 20, and Neil, 16.

The former couple famously lived in adjoining houses in Belsize Park and later connected the properties, but kept their living situation separate.

The Crown star spoke candidly about her and Burtons separation last year and described it as a painful divorce although the pair had never married. She is currently dating art historian Rye Dag Holmnoe, who is more than 20 years her junior.

Meanwhile, Bellucci has been married twice before, to Italian photographer Claudia Carlos Basso, and then to French actor Vincent Cassell.

Her marriage to Basso lasted just six months. She married Cassell in 1999 and divorced in 2013, and they share two daughters, Deva and Leonie.

In 2009, Cassell described Bellucci as his first real love and said that although working together doesnt work for some married actors, it did for them.

Its fun to spend all day with someone you like, but we keep work and life separate, he said at the time. We dont lie in bed comparing scripts before going to sleep.
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The Prince of Wales had an amusing reaction as he was told a cheeky story about his grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince William visited the East Belfast Mission at the Skainos Centre in Northern Ireland on Tuesday as part of his Homewards initiative to combat homelessness in the United Kingdom. During his visit, the royal was told an anecdote about Prince Philips work with the charity, which provides a range of homeless support.

According to Hello! magazine, William was being shown around the centre by Reverend Brian Anderson when the minister stopped to tell him a story about his grandfather. The reverend recalled how Prince Philip had used some expletive-filled language during his last visit to the charity in 2008, when he asked why the new building for the East Belfast Mission had not been built yet.

He just immediately asked, Why dont you just give them the money? the reverend told William about his grandfather. There was an expletive in there but Im not going to say that. And three weeks later the money turned up.

The father of three replied, That sounds like my grandfather.

As he greeted well-wishers outside the East Belfast Mission, he reportedly smiled as he told the crowd: The Reverend has been telling me stories about my grandfather.

The royal also joked that he will be in trouble after hugging one fan during his walkabout in Belfast. Ill get into big trouble, William said, after he hugged 57-year-old Debbie Johnston.

(Getty Images)

Following the Duke of Edinburghs death in April 2021, the Prince of Wales shared a touching tribute to his grandfathers commitment to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family.

I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life  both through good times and the hardest days, William said in a statement.

(Getty Images)

He also made reference to his wife  Catherine, the Princess of Wales  and their three children, Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her, William said. I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure, as well as his mischievous sense of humour!

My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen in the years ahead, he added. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.

The Prince of Wales visit to Northern Ireland comes as part of his mission to launch Homewards, a five-year project from The Royal Foundation that seeks to tackle homelessness.
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The head of the embattled Paris Olympics in 2024 says hes bracing for intense scrutiny and criticism as French police investigate Games-related contracts. But Tony Estanguet defiantly insists that the probes bear no comparison with corruption and ethics scandals that have for decades dogged the Olympic movements flagship money-spinning event.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Estanguet, a former Olympic canoeing star who is now the face and chief organizer of the Paris Games, said he was working in their bustling Olympic HQ when the building on the outskirts of Paris was raided by police last week.

Its the first time this has happened to us, so we were surprised, he said. We said, Yes, of course, take all the information you need.

The Paris 2024 president vigorously defended colleagues whose homes also were searched. Estanguet, 45, detailed multiple layers of internal and external checks, including continuous scrutiny by state auditors, that he and other Olympic organizers work under as they manage a budget of billions of euros.

No Paris 2024 employee awards contracts alone, the decision is always collective, he insisted.

I dont want this adventure to be remembered as having been badly managed, he said.

He said he expects the financial probes to continue even past Frances first summer Olympics in a century.

I am ready for that and I know that it is part of this kind of adventure. Well be inspected intensely, criticized hugely, he said.

Estanguet, who won Olympic gold medals at the 2000, 2004 and 2012 Games, rejected any comparison between the two police investigations scrutinizing Paris contracts and previous scandal-tainted Olympics, including but not limited to those in Tokyo in 2021 and Rio de Janeiros bribery-plagued Games of 2016.

Its unfair to say that were like the others, he said. Unfortunately, things went off course in the past and I think were all being lumped together a bit, although I can tell you that were being very careful and everyone here has to be very careful because there is no room for error.

In the hour-long AP interview, Estanguet also addressed other issues crucial to the success of the first Olympics with spectators returning after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He boldly predicted that security preparations for the groundbreaking opening ceremony on July 26 will turn Paris into the safest place in the world.

With just over a year to go, Estanguet also said its fine that Paris still has a lot of unfinished work.

There are lots of things that arent ready. But thats normal. I used to be a top-level athlete. Its never good to be ready a year beforehand, he said.
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Virgin Galactic is to launch its first commercial flight to the edge of space.

A three-man crew from Italy will be on board the rocket plane operated by British billionaire Sir Richard Bransons company, along with an astronaut instructor, and will carry out 13 scientific research experiments.

Among other things, they will measure the air quality with a view to informing future long-term missions, and record how certain liquids and solids interact in microgravity conditions and in different temperatures.

The launch of the spacecraft, called VSS Unity, is due to take place at 4pm British time from Spaceport America in New Mexico, and the flight will last 90 minutes.

The spaceflight, dubbed Galactic 01, will collect data through wearable payloads and sensors, and autonomous payloads mounted in the cabin.

Virgin Galactic said its first commercial spaceflight represents a new era in government-funded, commercial human-tended research missions.

The launch comes a month after Sir Richards Virgin Orbit announced it was ceasing operations months after a mission failure in the UK.

In January the company based in California sought to complete the first satellite launch from UK soil, with hopes the mission would be a major stepping stone for space exploration from the UK.

But the LauncherOne rocket failed to reach orbit and saw its payload of US and UK intelligence satellites dive into the ocean.
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MPs who ruled that Boris Johnson lied to parliament with his partygate assurances are expected to publish a follow-up report detailing attempts to interfere with the inquiry.

The Privileges Committee published its report into the former prime minister earlier this month, concluding he committed repeated contempts of Parliament by deliberately misleading MPs with his partygate denials before being complicit in a campaign of abuse and intimidation

The seven-person panel, which was chaired by veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman but had a Conservative majority, used its 106-page report to warn Mr Johnsons most vocal defenders that they would face scrutiny themselves through a special update into attempts to undermine its work.

From the outset of this inquiry there has been a sustained attempt, seemingly co-ordinated, to undermine the committees credibility Privileges Committee

It is expected that the follow-up document will be published on Thursday.

According to sources cited by The Guardian, the special report will raise issues encountered by the committee during its initial inquiry, including whether statements by Mr Johnsons supporters could be considered a contempt of Parliament in their own right.

In its partygate report published on June 15, the Privileges Committee said: From the outset of this inquiry there has been a sustained attempt, seemingly co-ordinated, to undermine the committees credibility and, more worryingly, that of those members serving on it.

The committee is concerned that if these behaviours go unchallenged, it will be impossible for the House to establish such a committee to conduct sensitive and important inquiries in the future.

The House must have a committee to defend its rights and privileges, and it must protect members of the House doing that duty from formal or informal attack or undermining designed to deter and prevent them from doing that duty.

We will be making a special report separately to the House dealing with these matters.

After the publication of the partygate conclusion, which recommended that Mr Johnson should have faced a 90-day suspension if he had not quit Parliament, the former prime minister and his allies stepped up their attacks.

Mr Johnson, who quit as an MP in protest after learning of the inquirys intention to hand him a lengthy enough punishment to potentially trigger a by-election in his seat, said the committee had reached a deranged conclusion.

In his resignation statement, the former Tory leader labelled the investigation a kangaroo court that was akin to a witch hunt.

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, one of Mr Johnsons most vocal supporters, urged voters to turf out Tory MPs who backed the committees report.

Any Conservative MP who would vote for this report is fundamentally not a Conservative and will be held to account by members and the public. Deselections may follow, she said on the day of the reports publication.

That did not deter MPs from voting overwhelmingly to back the report, with only seven voting against the committees findings and 354 voting in favour.

Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith called the MPs conclusions spiteful, vindictive and overreaching.

Former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke  who was knighted in Mr Johnsons resignation honours  said the punishment dealt out by the committee was absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, another honoured by Mr Johnson, suggested the committees fundamental judgment was wrong.
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Catholics in England and Wales are being urged to follow Pope Franciss teaching on migrant rights and oppose the Governments tough new asylum seeker law.

The charity Cafod wants its supporters to press their MPs to vote down the Illegal Migration Bill after highlighting the 86-year-old pontiffs call for maximum respect for the dignity of each migrant.

Judges on Thursday ruled that a key element of the Governments Bill  which seeks to deport asylum seekers who arrive via unauthorised routes to their country of origin or a third country such as Rwanda  was unlawful.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgment that said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country.

No one can remain excluded because of his or her place of birth, much less because of privileges enjoyed by others who were born in lands of greater opportunity Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti

Cafod, the international development arm of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said the Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be.

It will send an email on Saturday to thousands of its supporters, urging them to press their MP to vote down the Bill, arguing that it effectively shuts the door on people who need our protection.

While the flagship legislation has been passed by the Commons, recent bruising defeats in the Lords mean there is set to be so-called parliamentary ping-pong as MPs consider amendments made in the upper chamber.

In his papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti, published in 2020, Francis said: No one can remain excluded because of his or her place of birth, much less because of privileges enjoyed by others who were born in lands of greater opportunity.

The limits and borders of individual states cannot stand in the way of this.

There are thought to be around four million Catholics in England and Wales, with worshippers taking their lead on moral issues from the Popes teachings, which are informed by the Bible and Christian traditions.

Aisha Dodwell, head of campaigns at Cafod, told the PA news agency: If passed, this inhumane legislation will be a stain on the countrys reputation.

People fleeing conflict and persecution are dying in their thousands as they try to find safety for themselves and their families.

Yet, instead of recognising the dire situation these people are in, the UK Government is seemingly doing everything it can to make their lives even harder.

Pope Francis has urged world leaders to build bridges not walls and to welcome, protect and integrate people without distinction.

But the Illegal Migration Bill represents everything Pope Francis asks us not to be, which is why we are urging Catholics to speak out against the Bill and show we are a country that welcomes people who need our help.

Cafod said that, while its focus as an aid agency tends to be on overseas projects in more than 40 developing countries, it felt compelled to act on Franciss call for the world to defend refugee and migrant rights.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to contest Thursdays legal ruling on his administrations legislation, which he has dubbed the Stop The Boats Bill.

The Tory Party leader has made preventing small boats of migrants crossing the English Channel one of his top five pledges to the electorate ahead of a likely general election next year, arguing that it is the best way to crack down on human trafficking.

The Bill aims to ensure those who arrive in the UK without permission will be detained and promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.

In an economic assessment published this week, Home Office officials calculated that ministers could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

Last year 45,755 people were detected to have made the perilous journey.
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Rape suspect Nicholas Rossi has told his extradition hearing he could not raise his arms above his head, despite visibly doing so the previous day.

Rossi, 35, is facing extradition in connection with a string of rape allegations in the US, which he is accused of faking his own death to evade.

Giving evidence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, Rossi said he is not able to raise his arms above his head because he is so unwell.

But in court on Wednesday, Rossi raised his hand on two occasions in order to attract the attention of his defence agent Mungo Bovey KC.

He also said he is not paralysed but claimed his leg muscles have been so badly atrophied he is unable to walk or support himself.

Rossi also refuted claims by HMP Edinburgh GP Dr Barbara Mundweil about his use of an electric wheelchair.

In her evidence on Wednesday, Dr Mundweil said there is no medical reason for Rossi to use a wheelchair and that while he uses an electric wheelchair in court, he uses a manual version in prison.

He said: The entire population of HMP Edinburgh would testify that fellow prisoners push those in wheelchairs.

They are called pushers and they are paid 2.50 per week.

Advocate depute Alan Cameron put to Rossi that no-one can trust a word he says against the background of the extradition and he will say anything to avoid it.

Rossi replied: I have considered going to the United States to simply prove I am not Nicholas Rossi.

He also claimed he has been neglected and mistreated to the extent he has suffered physically and psychologically.

During cross-examination by Mr Cameron, Rossi was unable to answer a question about his parents names.

He claimed documents relating to his birth parents are in the custody of an individual in Ireland.

He added: Prior to that law (birth tracing Act) being enacted, it was illegal for an adopted adult to ascertain those records (in Ireland).

He told Mr Cameron he will submit the documents when they are in his possession.

Rossi then repeated a series of claims, saying he is the victim of a conspiracy by the Crown Office, and made serious allegations about Utah state prosecutor David Leavitt.

Later on Thursday, the court heard from two Utah lawyers who speculated on the kind of sentence Rossi might receive if he is successfully extradited.

Joshua Baron, a criminal defence lawyer based in Salt Lake City, said that Rossi could be sentenced for five years to life in prison if he is convicted of obstructing justice.

Rossi was first arrested in December 2021 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where he had been receiving care for Covid-19.

He does not consent to his extradition and insists he is Irish orphan Arthur Knight  but he was found by a court last year to be Rossi.

The hearing before Sheriff Norman McFadyen continues.
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A key witness who alerted authorities to Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner has claimed that he let slip that she didnt scream when she was kidnapped.

In his first public interview, Helge Busching explained that his former acquaintance appeared to incriminate himself in the disappearance of the three-year-old girl.

Helge said that he learned of Brueckners true nature before the disappearance of McCann after he stole some videotapes and a gun from his house.

Christian Brueckner was identified as the primary suspect in 2020 (Italian Carabinieri)

The video clips purportedly showed Brueckner sexually abusing an elderly woman and teenage girl in Portugal. Helge recounted: The victim said This borders on rape! and he just said Shut up. Thats when I knew what kind of guy Brueckner was.

After leaving Portugal, Helge told the German outlet Bild that he crossed paths with the suspect at a music festival in Spain in 2008.

He asked me, dont you go to Portugal anymore and do business there?. I said, no, since the girl disappeared there, there have been too many police checks for me and I dont need that at all, Helge said.

[The topic of Madeleines disappearance] came up and I said: Anyway, I dont understand how the little one could have disappeared without a trace.

Christian had drunk two or three beers, and he said: She didnt scream.

I thought: He knows that. He has something to do with it. But he also checked that I understood that and then left at night.

A search was conducted of the Algarve reservoir in May which had been visited by Brueckner (PA)

Helge claimed that hed approached German authorities after finding the videotapes but that a policeman told him to keep quiet.

He also said that he tried to inform Scotland Yard about Brueckner in 2008 via the dedicated hotline but failed to receive a response.

I called Scotland Yard back in 2008, he said At the Maddie hotline. I said I knew someone who might have something to do with it and gave them the name. But nothing happened there. Nothing! I was never called back.

In 2017 I had just served a prison sentence in Greece. When I heard about the 10th anniversary of the disappearance, I remembered. Apparently the call didnt help at all.

So I contacted Scotland Yard again. Then they listened to me.

Madeleine disappeared while her parents were sat at a restaurant 55 metres from their apartment (PA Media)

In what has been described as the most heavily reported missing person case in modern history, Madeleine disappeared in May 2007 while staying with her parents at a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz.

Her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, had been dining with their friends at a restaurant 55 metres away when they discovered she was missing during a routine check at 10pm.

The case has remained unsolved for 16 years with no body discovered, however German prosecutors have stated their belief that she was killed.

Brueckner was identified as the primary suspect in 2020, with authorities conducting a major search of a remote Algarve reservoir in May as part of their investigation. It is believed that the jailed paedophile had regularly visited the mile-long peninsula and had described it as a little slice of paradise when living near the Praia da Luz resort.

Brueckner has previous convictions for child sexual abuse, drug trafficking and is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for raping a 72-year-old pensioner.
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A Metropolitan Police sergeant has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in the sea on his stag night.

Sergeant Laurence Knight, 34, is said to have met the woman, a stranger, in Brighton city centre in the early hours of July 17 2021.

Prosecutors said the pair walked to the beach together, stripped down to their underwear and ended up in the sea, where sexual activity took place.

Knight, of Leyton, east London, was charged with rape and sexual assault following the incident, and denied both charges.

The Met suspended him from duty.

He was found not guilty of rape by a jury at Southwark Crown Court following more than seven hours of deliberations. Jurors were not asked whether that verdict was unanimous or a majority decision.

He was convicted of sexual assault by a majority of 10 to two.

He will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

The woman had earlier been out for dinner and drinks and was with a friend when they came across a jovial group of men who seemed confused about where to go as they were on a night out and the pubs were closing, the court heard.

In her police interview she told officers Knight wanted to go into the sea and she did not wish to but he persuaded her, telling her it was his stag night, he was meant to be having fun but it was turning into a rubbish night.

Jurors heard that the defendant looked as though he was going to cry so the woman said yes and took off her dress because she did not want it to get wet.

Knight went behind the woman in the water and moved her underwear, which is when the alleged sexual activity took place, the court was told.

The woman said she repeatedly told Knight to stop and reminded him that he was getting married in two weeks, jurors heard.

Afterwards, jurors heard, the woman got dressed, told her friend what had happened and called 999.

She claimed a friend of the defendant told her: Larry wants me to tell you that hes sorry.

She said she has experienced a range of feelings since that night, including feeling sick and being unable to sleep or eat properly.

In his evidence to the jury, Knight claimed it was the woman who suggested going into the sea and she who first touched his penis.

He said he then touched her vagina for a few seconds, thinking it was consensual, before she made the comment about his imminent wedding and they returned to the shore. He denied he had any intention to penetrate her.

Asked during cross-examination why he went into the sea with her, he replied: Quite honestly, I quite enjoyed having the attention. It was a very spur-of-the-moment request from her, it was not discussed before.

Having had some alcohol and being the stag and being the one that everything was deflected towards, I suppose the phrase is peer pressure.

Asked who the peer pressure was coming from, Knight said: I may have applied it myself.

The court heard that he tried to send the woman a Facebook message on July 21 that year, saying: You are not (the woman) that went for a dip in the sea on Friday whilst her guy friend looked after her bag?

The defendant, who worked for a charity and as a teacher before joining the police, told jurors he had sent the message to acknowledge I was embarrassed. She was younger, perhaps less mature and she was the one that stepped in and stopped it going any further.

He said he later deleted the message because he became worried that his fiancee would see it.

He also told jurors his initial reaction to his arrest was believing he was being subjected to an extended prank from the stag do.
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A Court of Appeal ruling which found that Government plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful was determined on the basis of evidence and the judgment did not support or oppose any political view, one of the appeal judges said.

In a 161-page judgment on Thursday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, supported by Lord Justice Underhill, found there were substantial grounds to think that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda faced real risks of torture or inhuman treatment, or that their claims for asylum would not be properly determined in the east African nation.

The ruling overturned the High Courts finding that the east African nation could be considered a safe third country for asylum seekers.

However, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett  who heard the appeal with the other two judges in April  disagreed, saying he would dismiss the challenge.

In the judgment, Sir Geoffrey said the court needed to look at the situation in Rwanda for asylum seekers alongside the assurances given by the authorities and the agreement between the two countries, the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP).

He described the MEDP policy as a politically sensitive one which has attracted significant public and media attention.

Sir Geoffrey continued: Notwithstanding that position, the case must be determined on the basis of the evidence and of accepted and familiar principles of public law.

Nothing in this judgment should be construed as supporting or opposing any political view of the issues.

The judge noted it was accepted the UK Government has huge experience of diplomatic relations with the Rwandan authorities.

He also said that Home Office lawyers had argued that in the light of the detailed guarantees and assurances in the MEDP and the longstanding relationship with Rwanda and its financial and other incentives to perform on its obligations, what happened in the past was of limited, if any, real significance.

However, Sir Geoffrey disagreed, finding: I do not accept that the past and the present can either be ignored or side-lined as the Home Office suggests.

The likelihood of promises being performed must, anyway in part, be judged by reference to what has happened in the past and the capacity and capability of the entity making the promises to keep them, the judge added.

In his decision, Sir Geoffrey referred to evidence from the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, who said there were several deficiencies in the legal rights of asylum seekers in Rwanda.

Sir Geoffrey said the UK Government acknowledges that Rwanda is a one-party state which reacts unfavourably to dissent, adding: It is not an answer to say that Rwanda will have accepted the people sent under the MEDP, because the advanced information they will have about them will be limited and they may form adverse political opinions once there.

Lord Justice Underhill, who largely supported Sir Geoffreys conclusions, said the Court of Appeal was concerned with the risk to the group as a whole to whom the asylum policy is intended to be applied.

The judge said there was evidence of a culture of, at best, insufficient appreciation by Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration officials of Rwandas obligations under the refugee convention, and at worst a deliberate disregard for those obligations.

Lord Justice Underhill said the UNHCR had alleged that the Rwandan authorities were biased against asylum seekers from the Middle East and Afghanistan, calling the figures statistically frail.

He continued: But I do not believe they can be disregarded, particularly when taken with its evidence about the views expressed by senior Government of Rwanda officials that they should have sought asylum nearer to home.

The appeal judge said there was no evidence that showed the Rwandan government has entered into the agreements in bad faith.

He continued: There is no reason to suppose that it does not wish to ensure that relocated individuals have their asylum claims determined fairly and effectively.

But aspiration and reality do not necessarily coincide.

I have reached the conclusion that the Rwandan system for refugee status determination was not, as at the relevant date, reliably fair and effective, Lord Justice Underhill concluded.

However, in his dissenting judgment, Lord Burnett said the High Court had not considered whether it was safe for substantial numbers of people to be immediately sent to Rwanda.

He continued: Similarly, the voluminous papers in this case identify hypothetical special problems it is said that some groups of people would face.

But we are not considering whether it would be safe for every conceivable type of person to be sent to Rwanda.

He also said: In much of the political hyperbole which surrounded the announcement of the Rwanda policy there was talk of Rwanda, within a few years, being a destination for thousands of asylum seekers who arrived irregularly in the United Kingdom.

However, Lord Burnett said that the High Court was told that the physical capacity for housing asylum seekers in Rwanda was limited to 100.

The most senior judge in England and Wales later said that there would be both formal and informal monitoring of anyone who was deported to Rwanda.

As well as the formal monitoring described in the agreement itself and arrangements by the British High Commission, Lord Burnett continued: With the assistance of lawyers in England, those unwilling to be removed to Rwanda would have been engaged in resisting on all available grounds.

In referring to informal monitoring I have in mind the reality that anyone removed to Rwanda, with their internet connected mobile phone, will be in a strong position to raise any personal concerns that they are not being treated in accordance with the agreement.

The judge also said that while there was certainly evidence of poor practice in the Rwandan asylum system, there will, no doubt, be changes in respect of those considered under the agreement with the United Kingdom.

But the question is whether the system as a whole can be relied upon to deliver appropriate outcomes, he added.

Lord Burnett concluded that the people bringing the appeal fall short in proving there are substantial grounds to believe there is a real risk they would face torture or inhuman treatment in Rwanda.
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A huge air-and-sea search has been launched for a sailor who has been missing for a week since he left Devon to travel to Ireland.

Aircraft and helicopters have been out looking for Duncan Lougee, who left Plymouth on Sunday, 18 June, as part of a challenge for solo sailors.

He had been due to stop at the Scilly Isles in his yacht Minke, but he was last seen near Helford River in Cornwall the next day, Monday.

The Minke was heading for Ireland via the Scilly Isles (HM Coastguard / SWNS)

The Minke had been due in Baltimore, Co Cork, a week ago, 22 June, but there has been no contact from him since he left.

Neither of Mr Lougees two distress beacons has been set off, and coastguards have issued an urgent appeal for information.

Organisers of the Jester Challenge event say all the other skippers and yachts taking part either arrived at Baltimore in southwest Ireland or retired to another port.

Mr Lougee, from Dedham, Suffolk, who is reportedly in his late sixties, is an experienced yacht broker, boat builder and sailor, according to a Facebook post.

He has many miles of sailing including a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic and three trips from Plymouth to the Azores and back, according to the information thought to be from a family friend.

He has even done this trip to Baltimore in Ireland before, she wrote.

He is also a volunteer for a blood-delivery emergency response organisation in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

Mr Lougee with his emergency response motorbike (Facebook / SERV Suffolk & Cambridgeshire)

Mr Lougees family are said to be frantic.

The Jester Challenge is not a race, but an event to try out sailing skills. In evenly numbered years, single-handed sailors travel from Plymouth across the Atlantic. In odd years, including 2023, they sail to Ireland.

The search has involved three HM Coastguard aircraft, an aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth, a coastguard helicopter and an Ireland Coastguard helicopter, as well as RNLI lifeboats from Falmouth and Angle, and a coastguard rescue team.

Challenge organisers said that despite the best efforts of Falmouth Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Irish coastguard, including a fixed-wing search between the Scillies and Baltimore, Minkes whereabouts were still unknown.

Everyone involved in the search for Duncan and Minke is perplexed by the absence of any sign of her position.

Duncan is carrying both an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon) and a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon), neither of which have been activated.

The sailor disappeared last week ( SWNS)

Conditions in the Celtic Sea have generally been benign throughout the last week, further contributing to the puzzle.

Hope has not yet been lost that after some major setback, Duncan is still trying to reach a safe haven.

This is a particularly difficult time for Duncans partner, who is showing great fortitude during the wait for some firm news and the thoughts of all the Jester Challengers, past and present, are with her.

HM Coastguard said the Minke was a 25ft fibreglass folkboat with a white hull and white sails, with sail number FB597.

Coastguard officials said they had issued regular broadcasts and liaised with the Irish Coastguard, UK police and the RNLI in an effort to trace Mr Lougee.
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Police on Wednesday arrested a pensioner on suspicion of murder after a 77-year-old woman was found dead in her home in west London.

Metropolitan Police officers found her body in Harold Road, Ealing, just before 7pm on Sunday following concerns for her welfare. While the officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service, the woman was pronounced dead there.

The investigators arrested a 74-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of murder before he was taken to hospital due to concerns for his health.

A special post-mortem conducted on Tuesday, 27 June found the cause of the womans death to have been a head injury, with police adding that the suspect and victim were known to each other.

Detective superintendent Rebecca Reeves said: "I know that local people will be shocked by this incident and additional foot patrols are being conducted to reassure the community.

"Our colleagues from the Specialist Crime Command are progressing their investigation. One person has been arrested and we arent seeking anyone else in connection with this incident.

"I encourage anyone with concerns to speak with officers on patrol or contact their neighbourhood policing team.

"Our thoughts are very much with the victims family."

Additional reporting from PA
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Falklands War hero Simon Weston has joined veterans and cross-party MPs in renewed calls for the government to unseal secret files on the bombing of the Sir Galahad.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship and its sister vessel Sir Tristram, which was moored next to it, became sitting ducks for Argentian Air Force attacks on 8 June 1982. The ships were consumed by fire, killing 56 men and injuring another 150 in the bloodiest event of the war.

An official inquiry, held in private in 1982, found a delay in offloading the Welsh Guards from Sir Galahad was confused by the number of people involved in decision making but was not negligent. A trove of witness statements and other documents put before the inquiry at the time have not been made public and are due to remain sealed until 2065.

Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel said the secrecy around the operation seemed like an institutional cover-up, while former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who served in the Scots Guards, said it was important veterans did not die before the truth was uncovered. Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda who is campaigning on behalf of his constituents, said: The aim is to get to the truth, whatever that truth may be.

A recently uncovered account of the attack, given by Captain Robin Green who commanded Sir Tristam, has shed new light on the folly of the attempted landing of men near Fitzroy.

In the statement, released to Falklands veteran Colonel Crispin Black through a freedom of information (FOI) request, Cpt Green recalled that the operation was hastily mounted without sufficient thought or planning. He said that he did not receive the extra air raid ammunition that he had requested and that the fine weather left the ships fully exposed for enemy air attack.

Simon Weston survived the bombing of the ship RFA Sir Galahad (PA)

Mr Black, a retired colonel who has written a book about the disaster, told an event in parliament on Monday that veterans needed full disclosure of the information presented to the 1982 inquiry.

None of us, whatever happened to us on that day, are whining about that. It was a war. But we havent had the truth and that is what this is about, he said.

He pointed to the secrecy of the navy-dominated inquiry, saying: We cant see witness statements, we dont even have a list of witnesses. We dont even know who sat on the inquiry board. Why cant we know who gave evidence and what they said?

The Ministry of Defence has refused to release further documents relating to the inquiry under FOI because they include personal data and publishing the information would constitute a breach of confidence.

Survivors coming ashore from the Sir Galahad, after it was hit by an Argentinian air attack at Bluff Cove, the Falkland Islands (PA)

Following the disaster, some people blamed the Welsh Guards for not leaving the Sir Galahad earlier and Mr Weston, who suffered 46 per cent burns to his body in the bombing, addressed the pain caused by these accusations. He said: I want the snipping and the lies and the rumours to end. We suffered enough then, we shouldnt suffer any more. All we want back is our good name.

Katie Gibby, who was just five months old when her father Mark Gibby died in the attack, told the meeting of MPs and campaigners: I was 10 years old when I first saw a picture of his ship on fire. I looked and I thought why is that ship in broad daylight? And I was only 10. Us families deserve the truth and I dont want to wait another 40 odd years to hear it.

Landing Ship Logistic RFA Sir Galahad ablaze after the Argentine air raid on June 8th at Bluff Cove near Fitzroy settlement on East Falkland (PA)

Sir Iain described the disaster as a massive screw up. What the hell were they doing there? On a boat, unable to land the men first, sending the equipment on before them, and in broad daylight when there was an absolute requirement for air defence. We have to have all this information out. Not just for everyone to know  but so it never happens again.

And Dame Patel said there seems to be lots of missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, adding: It seems self-evident that there has been an institutional cover-up, there is no doubt about that.

Sir Bernard Jenkin MP said there was no excuse to leave those stones unturned now. He said the disclosure would alleviate the suffering of veterans and help the Navy learn lessons from the very bad command chain that contributed to the disaster.

Iain Duncan Smith said we have to have all this information out (PA)

A government spokesperson said: The losses of RFA Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad due to enemy action were a tragedy. The sacrifice made by those onboard will not be forgotten, and we remain grateful to all the armed forces personnel and civilians who bravely served in the Falklands conflict.

A Board of Inquiry was convened in 1982 to investigate the losses and we remain confident in the boards findings and recommendations.
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A gambling addiction contributed to the death of a devoted father, an inquest has concluded.

Luke Ashton, 40, had been making as many as 100 bets a day online and had previously accumulated 18,000 in debts, with betting company Betfair admitting they shouldve done more to protect him.

Before his death on 22 April 2021, Ashton had lost 5,000 in one month alone and there had been a clear escalation in his gambling activity, however his behaviour was not flagged as being high-risk.

His wife Annie told Leicester Coroners Court that her husband had been suffering from a gambling addiction that he did not understand and was causing him pain and harm.

After admitting to her in 2019 that he had taken out loans for his gambling, she helped him pay off his debts and suggested he see a counsellor.

She was under the impression her husband had stopped gambling and believed that he resumed online betting during the pandemic when he was furloughed from his full-time job.

Examinations of his phone records showed that he gambled early in the morning and late at night while she was in bed, with evidence he was placing larger bets in the weeks before he died in order to chase his losses.

Mr Ashton, pictured with his wife Annie, lost 5,000 in one month alone (Family handout)

Economist and gambling expert Professor David Forrest told the inquest that he believed Betfair had failed to identify that he was at risk of harm, despite the red flags in Ashtons betting activity.

He added that he was very surprised that his gambling had not been spotted by Betfairs algorithm and that the interventions had been weak.

By the time of his death, Ashton had been sent eight automated emails asking him to consider how much time he spent on the Betfair site, and asking whether he wanted to take a time out.

If Betfairs machine-learning algorithm had correctly identified him as high risk, a number of further steps would have been taken, including a phone assessment or a forced ban on his account.

Richard Clarke, the managing director of Betfairs parent company Flutter, admitted that the firm could have done more at the time and that their model had failed to identify Mr Ashton as a high-risk customer.

Looking at Lukes activity in March 2021, it does look like we shouldve done more, he said. Looking at the tragic outcome we have here, we would have loved to have done more. Things have changed a lot since then.

A number of changes have been implemented since 2021, including a strict monthly net deposit limit for customers who return from self-exclusion, as well as financial vulnerability checks.

Following criticism from Dr Forrest that Betafairs threshold for identifying harm was too high, Philip Kolvin KC, representing Flutter, said lowering the threshold could have placed an unmanageable load on the company.

While accepting changes have now been made to prevent a customer in similar circumstances from repeating Ashtons pattern of betting, Betfair says it is confident the company complied with the rules and the regulatory framework.

In a report on his death, addiction specialist Professor Clare Gerade said that Ashton was suffering with a longstanding and pervasive gambling disorder and not depression.

On the day before his body was discovered at a property in South Yorkshire, he had informed his wife he was travelling to Scotland for delivery work and turned off his mobile phone.

Mrs Ashton contacted the police the following day after his colleagues confirmed he had not been asked to go to Scotland, and he was traced to an AirBnb where he was found dead.

In a tribute to her husband, Mrs Ashton said: Luke was a bright, happy and bubbly person, who easily made friends. I first met Luke in 1992, in secondary school, and even then, he had an intelligent, witty sense of humour with a mesmerising, cheeky, unforgettable giggle.

She added: Our children wanted for nothing, he was a real rock to us all, but in reality, he masked his own pain, to protect us from what he was going through.

Coroner Ivan Cartwright came to a narrative conclusion that Mr Ashton died as a result of his own actions.
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A 13 year-old girl who went missing has been found after a major police search.

Carmelle Hepi, who had travelled alone to London from Barnsley, was found by officers on Thursday at an address in south west London.

Four males have been arrested in connection with the investigation. One remains in custody and the other three have been bailed pending further enquiries. More than 50 investigators from across the organisation were involved in the search, working closely with South Yorkshire Police, and scouring hours of CCTV.

Supt Gabriel Cameron, South West Command, said: We are delighted that Carmelle has been found safe and well and will soon be reunited with her family. The scale of this operation reflects our serious concerns about her welfare. This is an example of how when the Met works as a team and with others we can achieve a great result.
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Nicola Bulleys concerned family contacted emergency services to seek help for her increased alcohol use just days before she was reported missing, an inquest has heard.

Mental health clinician Theresa Lewis Leevy told Preston County Hall she had responded to a call made by Ms Bulleys partner Paul Ansell and her sister on January 10, and attended their home address alongside a police officer and a paramedic.

We were greeted by Nicolas partner and sister and shown to the living room where we had a conversation about increased alcohol use since Christmas time and a conversation about concerns for Nicolas welfare, she said.

Nicola Bulleys partner Paul Ansell described her as an incredible mother to their two children (Nicola Bulley/Facebook)

During this meeting, Ms Bulley remained in her bedroom wearing leggings and appeared intoxicated. However, when asked if she had appeared depressed, Ms Leevy told the court: No, not that I could ascertain at the time.

Giving evidence, her sister Louise Cunningham said that Ms Bulley had been absolutely fuming that an ambulance had been called, with the event serving as a realisation and leading her to stop drinking alcohol.

At the time of her death on January 27, the 45-year-old mortgage adviser was not under the influence of alcohol, with toxicology reports showing only a therapeutic level of paracetamol and beta-blocker propranolol in her system.

Her General Practitioner, Dr Rebecca Gray, informed the inquest that Ms Bulley had been prescribed propranolol in February 2019 after presenting with symptoms of anxiety. Since July 2021, she had also been struggling with the menopause and had been given HRT medication.

However, she added: There is nothing on the notes or records from 2012 where theres been any mention of her feeling suicidal or of self harm.

While she had suffered a blip over Christmas 2022, her partner Mr Ansell said: The blip over the Christmas period happened but in January she was back to herself, looking forward to the future and everything was on the up.

Her body was found a mile downstream from the bench where her phone had been discovered (Press Association Images)

He described her as an incredible mother, whose primary focus had been on her two daughters, aged six and nine, with her springer spaniel Willow acting as a third child.

Several members of Ms Bulleys family became emotional during the second day of her inquest, which heard details of her medical history and her final interactions with loved ones.

Mr Ansell had become concerned for his wifes whereabouts after she failed to return from a dog walk by 10am, despite having scheduled work calls for later that morning.

At 10.48am, he texted Have you got lost? only to be told minutes later that Willow had been found running loose, with Ms Bulley nowhere to be found.

He said that the couple had enjoyed a normal morning before she took the children to school, and that Ms Bulley had been delighted with her recent career progress.

A post-mortem gave her cause of death as drowning in the River Wyre (PA)

She had a good day the day before (she went missing), came home full of beans, excited with work, with the meetings she had and plans for the year, he said.

The mother-of-two was last seen alive at 9.10am while walking her dog along the River Wyre after dropping her children at their primary school. Yesterday, the inquest heard from several witnesses who saw Ms Bulley walking along the riverbank while on her mobile phone.

Shortly after 9.30am, a passer-by discovered her dog and her phone, which was still logged onto a Microsoft Teams work call.

After being contacted at 10.54am by their childrens school, Mr Ansell contacted 999 to report her disappearance, with Lancashire Constabulary launching a high-risk missing persons investigation.

Her body was not discovered until February 19, just over a mile downstream from the bench where her mobile phone had been left.

A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as drowning, with a Home Office pathologist confirming that there was no evidence of third party involvement.

Her two-day inquest is due to conclude on Tuesday afternoon.
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A Royal Air Force recruitment drive to boost diversity discriminated against white men, an inquiry has found.

In 2020 and 2021, 161 candidates, who were either women or from ethnic minority backgrounds, were accelerated into training places ahead of other candidates.

The RAF said it accepts the drive amounted to positive discrimination as set out by a Ministry of Defence report, adding it will not make the same mistakes again.

Former Group Captain Lizzy Nicholl quit her role as head of the drive because she received legal advice which said it was in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

The report said: We found that concerns were raised at the time by R&S [recruitment and selection] staff but that those who led the initiatives believed that they were pushing the boundaries of positive action rather than acting unlawfully.

It added: We found that the chain of commands reaction to the former Group Capt R&S was overly defensive and not properly considered whether she might have been justified in what she said regarding previous acts of positive discrimination or the legality of what she was asked to do; and that insufficient effort had been made to determine the facts.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton said in response: The belief at that time, based on the understanding of the recruiting process and interpretation of the legal advice, was that this practice demonstrated acceptable, positive action. We now know that it did not, and I apologise unreservedly to all those affected.

We accept that some men were discriminated against. This included a group of 31 individuals, who likely missed the opportunity to qualify for a 5,000 joining bonus. We have identified those people and are retrospectively offering to award them any financial payment they missed out on.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace said the RAF had made a significant error (PA Wire)

Those involved in Recruiting and Selection throughout this period acted with the best of intentions; but it is clear that people responsible for implementing these policies did raise concerns at the time, and the way in which long-term aspirational goals set by senior leadership to improve diversity in the RAF were translated into personal performance targets was wrong.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace, speaking at a press briefing at Canada House in central London on Thursday, said: The other point to note is that while the whole thing has been, I think, a significant error and indeed a cause for regret for the RAF, they didnt lower the standard.

They discriminated against those people that were applying [with people] who were above the standard, so our military level wasnt put at risk. However, the treatment of the people applying, it was wrong, unsatisfactory.
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Further sanctions have been unveiled against Russia as the UK announced a ban on Kremlin-linked individuals and businesses from accessing British legal expertise.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said a new law would be introduced on Thursday preventing UK lawyers from advising Russian companies on certain business deals in a move designed to thwart Moscows war machine in Ukraine from benefitting economically from world-leading legal knowledge.

Officials said the sanction could impact Russias ability to obtain legal advice on everything from trade deals between global corporations to international money lending.

Russia is highly dependent on western countries for legal expertise, according to the MoJ, with the UK previously exporting 56 million in legal services to Russian businesses every year.

The UK legal system underpins many international contracts and businesses, and we will no longer allow Russia to benefit from our knowledge and expertise Justice Secretary Alex Chalk

Justice secretary and lord chancellor Alex Chalk said the sanction would further isolate Moscow on the world stage.

It is the latest step by the UK government to punish Russian president Vladimir Putin  who faced an internal rebellion by the mercenary Wagner Group at the weekend  since the start of his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In total, 19bn of UK-Russia trade has been wholly or partially sanctioned, based on 2021 trade flows, according to Government data.

Mr Chalk said: The UK legal system underpins many international contracts and businesses, and we will no longer allow Russia to benefit from our knowledge and expertise.

The Russian regime must be held to account for its violation of international law, and these sanctions are increasing the economic pressure to further isolate the Russian government from the rest of the world.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly said: We continue to crack down on Russias war machine, hold Putin to account and make it harder for him to inflict suffering on the Ukrainian people.

Today we are further strengthening the UKs sanctions approach, increasing measures to block Russia from benefitting from UK legal expertise.

The UK stands steadfast in our pledge to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
The government has lost the latest stage of the long-running legal battle over the 140m Rwanda deal, in a devastating blow to Rishi Sunaks vow to stop the boats.

When the agreement was signed in April 2022, ministers claimed it would deter crossings, but the record numbers that followed last summer forced them to back-pedal and claim the effect would not be seen until flights to Rwanda started.

They have not, and now will not until a final showdown at the Supreme Court gives an absolute ruling on whether Rwanda is not a safe country to receive asylum seekers forcibly deported from the UK.
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The 140m deal to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda has been ruled unlawful, in a major blow to the governments pledge to stop the boats.

It lost the latest stage of the long-running legal battle over the plan after Court of Appeal judges concluded the African nation is not a safe country. Flights will remain suspended ahead of a showdown at the UK Supreme Court.

Rishi Sunak said he believed the Rwandan governments assurances that there would be no risk to asylum seekers, adding: While I respect the court I fundamentally disagree with their conclusions.

Follow The Independents live blog on the latest developments followingt he ruling

Rwanda is a safe country ... we will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal granted an appeal by asylum seekers selected for deportation, who were backed by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), on the grounds of Rwandas safety but dismissed other arguments.

The outgoing lord chief justice, Lord Burnett, said: The High Courts decision that Rwanda is a safe third country is reversed. Unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected, removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful.

He said the decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy, which has already seen Kigali paid 140m and the government spend more than 1m on legal costs.

Judges found that ministers were wrong to rely on unevidenced assurances from Rwanda that seriously deficient processes would be improved. They found that:

the Home Office ignored the past and the present situation in favour of promises by Rwanda

it failed to probe the disappearance and death of migrants sent to Rwanda under a previous deal with Israel, and a mass shooting of refugees by police during a 2018 protest

the government responded to damning evidence from the UN Refugee Agency with statements dependent on information from the Rwandan government

Home Office officials were too ready to accept assurances which were unevidenced

Rwanda does not have systems in place to legally and safely process asylum seekers from the UK

The Rwanda plan is a core part of the prime ministers pledge to stop small boat crossings, and an important pillar of the new Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to see all small boat migrants detained and deported without asylum claims being considered.

Rishi Sunak says he 'will not rest' until small boats are stopped

The PM previously told parliament that no flights would leave for Kigali until legal challenges had been resolved, and that will take several more months.

Without the Rwanda agreement, the government currently has nowhere to deport asylum seekers.

Yvette Cooper, Labours shadow home secretary, said the court judgment shows that Rishi Sunak has no plan to fix the Tories small boats chaos and his only idea is completely unravelling.

Time and again, ministers have gone for gimmicks instead of getting a grip, and slogans instead of solutions, while the Tory boats chaos has got worse, she added. The Rwanda scheme is unworkable, unethical and extortionate, a costly and damaging distraction from the urgent action the government should be taking.

The ruling was celebrated by refugee charities, who called for the government to scrap the policy once and for all, and instead invest in Britains asylum system and clearing record backlogs.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: The threat of being sent to Rwanda has been causing huge distress, anxiety and trauma to those we work with, who have already been through so much.

We hope that the government will take this opportunity to rethink its approach, which would cause great human suffering and damage the UK's reputation as a country that values human rights and offers those claiming asylum a fair hearing on British soil.

Suella Braverman extended the deal in March, to cover modern slavery victims as well as asylum seekers (PA)

Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the government of Rwanda, said it takes issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees.

Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work, she added. When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support theyll need to build new lives in Rwanda.

A group of 10 asylum seekers from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Sudan and Albania challenged the Rwanda policy on eight grounds. Lawyers representing the Asylum Aid charity unsuccessfully argued that the way people are selected for the scheme and given the opportunity to resist deportation is unlawful.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) also intervened in the battle, telling the Court of Appeal that safeguards in the agreement signed by Priti Patel in April 2022 do not exist or have never been used, and that it had never known Rwanda to treat asylum seekers in the ways promised.

Lord Burnett reconsidered the case with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill, after the High Court ruled in December that the Rwanda deal was lawful.

They were divided on the issue of whether Rwanda was a safe country to receive asylum seekers, and made a majority ruling with the Lord Chief Justice dissenting.

Demonstrators outside the Royal Courts of Justice during the legal battle (PA)

Sir Geoffrey and Lord Justice Underhill found there were substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they faced persecution or other inhumane treatment, when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum.

The two judges said their conclusion was based on evidence that the countrys system for deciding asylum claims was inadequate, and that assurances given to the UK do not establish that the necessary changes have taken place.

Lord Burnett, however, said assurances given by the Rwandan government were sufficient to ensure that there is no real risk of asylum seekers being returned to countries where they face harm.

During a hearing in April, the Court of Appeal was told that the Home Office breached several legal duties in deciding that Rwanda was a safe country to receive refugees, and failed to properly investigate the outcome of a similar deal with Israel which operated from 2013 to 2018.

A barrister representing men selected for deportation described Rwanda as an authoritarian one-party state, which imprisons, tortures and murders those it considers its opponents.

The court heard that asylum seekers previously sent from Israel were detained without the opportunity of claiming asylum, disappeared, smuggled to Uganda and some died while attempting to journey towards Libya.
 Close Suella Braverman says she respectfully disagrees with Rwanda ruling

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Home secretary Suella Braverman has insisted its not over yet as she doubled down on her Rwanda asylum plan, after it was ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal.

The plan to forcibly deport small boat migrants to the African nation was blocked on Thursday, with judges concluding it is not a safe country to receive asylum seekers from the UK.

The Court of Appeal had granted an appeal by asylum seekers selected for deportation after the High Court ruled in December that the plan was lawful. Following Thursdays judgement, Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagreed and would appeal to the Supreme Court.

That process will take several more months and threatens the passage of the new Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to see small boat migrants detained and deported without asylum claims being considered.

Addressing the Commons, Ms Braverman insisted the British people will no longer indulge the polite fiction that we have a duty or infinite capacity to support everyone in the world who is fleeing persecution, adding: It is unfair on those who play by the rules and who want to see an asylum system that is fit for purpose.
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Parts of England were hit by a 3.3 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday night, with residents in Staffordshire reporting a rumbling that rattled windows and doors.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed the tremor, which struck at 8.21pm and had an epicentre 7.3km below the village of Tean, between Stoke-on-Trent and Uttoxeter.

Reports described an initial rumbling, then a bang and said the earthquake felt more like a shunt, like something had hit something.

It is the largest of 21 earthquakes to hit the UK in the last two months, comfortably beating two 1.8 magnitude tremors felt on the Isle of Mull in May.

It falls some way short of the record earthquake in the UK, which the BGS records as a 6.1 magnitude tremor in the North Sea, about 75 miles north-east of Great Yarmouth, on June 7 1931.

Mark Begg, 30, told the PA news agency that he was at home in Uttoxeter when he felt "a very large shake".

He said he checked around the house to see if I could see anything and after noticing there were no signs of damage I concluded it was most likely a mini earthquake.

Tom, 38, in Cheadle, Staffordshire, said: I was sitting watching an episode of Only Connect with my wife on YouTube and as we opened another bottle of wine the whole house shook.

I thought either one of the children had fallen out of bed or something else had happened.

People took to social media to share their experience.

Quite relieved to hear that there was an #earthquake in Staffordshire. I felt the movement but had looked for other explanations, wrote a user.

Definitely felt in Uttoxeter, didnt realise it was an earthquake thought the crash was something to do with the neighbours building work, wrote another user.

The BGS says it detects and locates between 200 and 300 earthquakes in the UK each year.

Between 20 to 30 earthquakes annually are felt by people with the others only recorded by sensitive instruments.

Additional reporting from the wires
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A woman tricked by an undercover police officer into a fictional romantic relationship has hit out at the abuse of power and compared the behaviour of those involved to a gang culture.

Lindsey, who is one of a number of women to give evidence in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, condemned the practice by what should be a trusted institution of public servants and argued women who were duped into relationships with officers did not meaningfully consent.

The political and trade union activist told The Independent she launched legal action against the Metropolitan Police seven years ago over her treatment but her case remains unresolved.

Her comments come as a heavily delayed inquiry into the conduct of a shadowy Metropolitan Police unit between 1968 to 1982 found its undercover tactics were not justfied and the unit should have been shut down. It is the first part of an inquiry looking at the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) and its successor the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU).

Lindsey, the pseudonym she has been given in the inquiry, warned stark questions remain about the integrity of both the police and their lawyers.

We did not meaningfully consent to these relationships, she added. The police protect themselves and not the public  their behaviour is akin to a gang culture.

Discussing her relationship with the undercover police officer, she recalled how she met an approachable, intelligent, humorous and self-effacing man in 2001 who had attached himself to political activists she knew.

He arrived [using fake name] as Carlo Neri, and his enthusiasm and likeability led to his acceptance within this group, who he went out of his way to meet and befriend, she added. He made it clear from very early on that he was unhappily single and looking for a relationship. We were introduced and began a relationship soon afterwards, which lasted for almost a year, and had an emotional impact far longer.

Lindsey said that even though their relationship came to a sad end, she long regarded it as one of a handful of important relationships Ive had in my life until she learned the shocking truth about his identity in 2015.

Lindsey called for answers on the motivations behind the undercover work and called for the information still held on the women who were duped to be released.

She said: We want to know, as a group of women and a wider group of activists, why this huge, sophisticated and expensive surveillance operation, targeting thousands of people who were working to achieve positives in our society  social, political, environmental, family justice and fair treatment for humans and animals  was encouraged to spy for almost 50 years.

And why there are thousands of files still held on us by the police and security services. We want to see these files.

She said she can only reach the conclusion it constitutes an endeavour by that class of people who hold power, to retain that power  in their own interests and against the interests of us as the public.

The economic protection of corporations seems equally a motivating factor for this spying  and this raises the thorny question of corporate spies  a subject we are unlikely to ever find much about, Lindsey added.

These anti-democratic spying operations, and the abuses that resulted, were not the work of a few rogue officers  I hold some blame for the individual spies, but the real problem was the managers who tasked these officers, heads of the police, security services like MI5 who were recipients of the files and directed some of the targeting.

She said the high number of applications for officer anonymity in the inquiry, both relating to their real and cover names was a blow, explaining that many had been granted anonymity.

If we dont even know who the officer pretended to be then we wont know what their activities were whilst deployed, Lindsey explained. Years of experience has taught me that police individuals and organisations arent above hiding their unsavoury truths.

The Undercover Policing Inquiry is examining serious allegations of systematic abuses by undercover policing units spanning four decades.

It was announced in 2015 by then-home secretary Theresa May after a groundswell of outrage over women being duped into sexual relationships with undercover officers, as well as the blacklisting of trade union activists, and officers using the names of dead children without getting permission from bereaved relatives.

Campaigners have uncovered at least 30 women who had relationships with officers, while undercover officers are believed to have spied on more than 1,000 predominantly left-wing activist groups from 1968 to at least 2010.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said the force acknowledged the immense hurt and distress caused to those women who were deceived into a relationship by an undercover police officer, and we apologise for this.

The representative added: These sexual relationships were totally unacceptable, as well as being deceitful and wrong. We are cooperating fully with the Undercover Policing Inquiry, which will be examining this case and others like it.

The spokesperson said they could not comment on specific cases as legal proceedings are ongoing.
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The Foreign Secretary is expected to call for an expansion of the United Nations Security Council to better respond to international crises such as Russias invasion of Ukraine.

James Cleverly will use a speech at Chatham Houses London Conference to call for a reinvigorated multi-country system that is equipped to deal with the most pressing global challenges, including Moscows attack on Kyiv, tackling unlawful migration, the technological revolution and climate change.

The UN Security council currently has five permanent members  the UK, US, China, Russia and France, with 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

Mr Cleverly will argue that, with the world currently living through a turning point in the history of humanity, the make-up should change, urging permanent African representation and membership for India, Brazil, Germany and Japan on the international security panel.

In the 2020s, as in the 1940s, we are living through a turning point in the history of humanity Foreign Secretary James Cleverly

The G20 should also be widened, Mr Cleverly will tell the conference, with permanent membership for the African Union, a body that has a membership of 55 countries.

According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, he will say the UK wants to work with as broad a coalition as possible on worldwide challenges and that it should be obvious that the voice of the poorest and most vulnerable countries must be heard strongly in the multilateral system.

In his speech on Thursday, the Foreign Secretary will call for reform of international finance institutions, including changes to make it simpler to unlock climate finance.

He will press for a shake-up of the World Trade Organisation to reflect todays digital economy, according to officials.

He will also raise the need for a multilateral approach to regulation when it comes to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spent recent months positioning the UK as the prospective home of a global AI regulator.

The Foreign Secretary is expected to say: Global multilateralism brings the sheer heft that is needed to tackle humanitys most fundamental challenges.

Thats why the United Kingdom cares deeply about multilateralism. Were deeply invested in it. And we want it to succeed and thrive.

Because a world without multilateral institutions would be immeasurably worse.

Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine is a calculated assault on the UN Charter, and on the central principles of an international order that was designed, above all, to bring an end to all attempts at conquest and annexation.

But war is not our only challenge.

In the 2020s, as in the 1940s, we are living through a turning point in the history of humanity.

A period of dizzying and rapid economic, demographic, technological and social change.

On migration, Mr Cleverly is expected to say the UK will not be found wanting when it comes to rising to the moral challenge the world faces.

Stopping illegal migration to the United Kingdom begins with ensuring that the poorest people in the world have access to clean water, sanitation, basic healthcare and education, he will say.

At the event on Thursday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will be awarded the Chatham House Prize in recognition of his contribution to international relations.

Mr Zelensky hopes to make a short live virtual address to the conference with a special representative collecting the award on his behalf, according to the institute.

Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, said: The people of Ukraine have faced a relentless onslaught in this brutal invasion.

President Zelensky has united his nation in resistance and counter-offensive, and demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy. I am delighted that he has accepted our award in recognition of these efforts.
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Updated job title, second par

The potential for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the NHS could be limitless but the pace of its rollout should balance safety with efficiency, according to an expert.

Dr Adam Dubis, associate professor and programme lead in digital health and entrepreneurship at University College Londons (UCLs) Global Business School for Health, told the PA news agency AI could help in several areas, such as how long it takes until patients are seen.

He said: The potential impact on the NHS is limitless. We are well aware of the long wait times to get into the GP and routine follow-up care.

Having AI-enabled assistants will help triage these and provide necessary support for those waiting.

A system optimised by AI which sees the sickest first, for whom intervention is still possible, is more time and cost efficient.

In some parts of the NHS, AI is currently being used to analyse images, such as mammograms, and support radiologists in making decisions.

We need to continually work together to understand the power of AI and how it can improve healthcare efficiency and quality, and work to aggregate the data needed to become better Dr Adam Dubis

However, Dr Dubis said AI does have several limitations.

He added: The biggest issue is that AI technology learns from what it has previously seen.

We frequently read about the hundreds of thousands or low millions of health records being aggregated to develop some of these AI tools.

However, when we compare these numbers to the tens of billions of images available for AI tools like self-driving cars, we see the problem.

The errors in self-driving cars make international news, so we know that even with all that data, these tools are not perfect.

Given the regulations around data sharing, it is very difficult to aggregate enough data to learn all parameters of humanity and disease.

We need to continually work together to understand the power of AI and how it can improve healthcare efficiency and quality, and work to aggregate the data needed to become better.

The Government recently committed 21 million to rolling out AI more widely on the NHS, with trusts invited to apply for a portion of the funding.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the technology could help cut NHS waiting lists ahead of winter.

We need to apply the same standards to any AI tools which are responsible for patient care. Above all, we need to address safety and explain the ability to move forward Dr Adam Dubis

On Tuesday, Dr Raj Jena, an oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said AI could be used to treat more cancers.

He led a research team which found that a system he helped design was freeing up radiologists time.

Dr Jena created Osairis using a 500,000 grant from NHS AI Lab and it is currently being used in the head and neck and prostate cancer departments at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

The system helps doctors draw around healthy organs prior to a patient being given radiotherapy. The crucial step ensures healthy tissue is protected.

Dr Jena now hopes the technology can be used for the likes of breast and lung cancer, as well as brain tumours.

And, in June, NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said more uses for AI in the NHS were on the horizon.

However, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting argued that the technology is not being deployed fast enough.

Dr Dubis said the rollout of AI in the NHS should balance safety with efficiency.

He added: I agree that we need to move faster, but this needs to be done in a safe way.

Any traditional drug or tool that is implemented into a clinical workflow needs to go through extensive clinical trials to show safety and efficacy, and to provide a rationale for why it works.

We need to apply the same standards to any AI tools which are responsible for patient care. Above all, we need to address safety and explain the ability to move forward.

The debate around how AI should be regulated going forward is ongoing and Dr Dubis called for people to be educated about the technology and its potential.

He said: We need to work on both the development, but also the education.

For years, futurists have said that peoples jobs will be replaced within a few years, yet the mass layoffs have not come.

There are technological reasons for this, but also human factors. Some jobs, like medicine, need to be done by an emotional and engaged entity.

We are a long way removed from providing these sorts of assets to a computer.

These trade-offs will provide some push-back and place a check on advancement.

As long as the same levels of scrutiny are applied to AI as any other clinical tool, the progress will be safe going forward. It was not long ago that medicinal chemistry made rapid advances in new therapeutic methods.

At that time there was the fear over what these substances would do. In the meantime, there were some failures, but there were also great advancements in health and life expectancy.

AI will have the same life course as medicinal chemistry.

Growth will be regulated by checks and balances both from official channels such as regulatory bodies and human factors  the needs and desires of the people.
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Watch as Nicola Sturgeon gives evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry on Thursday, 29 June.

The former Scottish First Minister, who was in office during the pandemic, has been called to give evidence to the inquiry's first module which is examining the UK's resilience and preparedness for the pandemic.

Hearings are set to last for six weeks.

Ms Sturgeon's appearance comes after the inquiry heard testimonies from top Scottish health executives including Caroline Lamb, chief executive of NHS Scotland, Gillian Russell, director for Safer Communities in the Scottish government from 2015-2020 and current director of Health Workforce, and Jeanne Freeman, former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

Other UK politicians, including Matt Hancock and David Cameron, have been called to give evidence to the inquiry.

The former health secretary, who was one of the Tory government figures responsible for orchestrating lockdown rules before being forced to quit in June 2021 after footage emerged of him breaking his own social distancing guidelines, apologised for Covid deaths as he gave evidence.

Mr Hancock admitted that the UK was not properly prepared for the pandemic and claimed that officials were more concerned with counting bodybags than preventing the spread of the virus.

He also said that pre-pandemic plans to protect care homes had been terrible, saying the care sector was in nowhere near good enough shape when Covid struck.
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A series of disturbing attacks launched by Boris Johnsons allies against MPs investigating his Partygate lies have undermined British democracy, a scathing privileges committee report has found.

The damning new dossier said Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries, Priti Patel, serving minister Zac Goldsmith and others made unprecedented and unacceptable attempts to damage the work of the cross-party inquiry.

The committee said the MPs should now consider whether the actions of Johnson allies should be considered a contempt of parliament and what further action to take  raising the possibility of suspensions.

The MPs catalogued the most disturbing examples of a co-ordinated campaign to interfere with the work of the committee in a 14-page report condemning the former PMs most feverent backers.

Their aim was to influence the outcome of the inquiry, impede the work of the committee by inducing members to resign from it, and to discredit the committee as a whole, the report said.

Singling out Lord Goldsmith, Mr Rees-Mogg and Ms Dorries, the committee said it was particularly concerned about attacks mounted by experienced colleagues  including a serving minister of the Crown, a former leader of the House and a former secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport.

The report causes another major headache for Rishi Sunak. The committee made clear that his ministers cannot sit on their hands  urging the government to table a motion backing the committees latest conclusions.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt responded to the Partygate report by announcing that MPs would get the chance to debate it on 10 July. I hope this reassures the House how seriously the government takes these matters of privilege.

The report recommended that the Commons approve the report to show that MPs should not impugn the integrity of the committee.

It also suggested the House should be asked to agree that undermining the committee is itself capable of being a contempt of parliament. The committee said it will be for the Commons to decide what further action, if any, to take against the named MPs.

Jacob Rees-Mogg compared committee to communist China (PA Wire)

Pressure was particularly applied to the Tory MPs on the seven-member panel, and sustained attempts to undermine and challenge the impartiality of Labour chair Harriet Harman were made by Boris backers, the report found.

This unprecedented and co-ordinated pressure did not affect the conduct or outcome of our inquiry, it said. However, it had significant personal impact on individual members and raised significant security concerns.

Earlier this month the privileges committee found Mr Johnson guilty of repeated contempts by deliberately lying and being complicit in a campaign of abuse and intimidation against MPs.

The panel chaired by the veteran Labour MP also used its 106-page report ealier this month to warn Mr Johnsons defenders they would face scrutiny themselves in a special update.

In a bitter resignation statement Mr Johnson  who quit as an MP after learning that the committee would hand him a punishment set to trigger a by-election  labelled the investigation a kangaroo court and akin to a witch hunt.

Nadine Dorries urged voters to turf out Tory MPs who backed the committees report (Getty)

Sir Jacob compared the committee to communist China, while fellow loyalist Ms Dorries urged voters to turf out Tory MPs who backed the committee, threatening deselections.

Four separate remarks by Ms Dorries were criticised in the report, along with two comments made by Mr Rees-Mogg about a kangeroo court. It highlighted the ex-culture secretarys tweet suggesting that MPs on the panel may have been promised safe seats or gongs.

Ms Dorries dismissed the findings and accused the committee of trying to close down free speech. They need to grow up and put on their big girl and boy pants and stop crying about hurty words, she told TalkTV on Thursday.

The committee also objected to comments by Ms Patel on GB News in March 2023, in which she said: I dont want to name people, but, you know, it is a fact, the lack of transparency  the lack of accountability ... I think there is a culture of collusion, quite frankly, involved here.

Lord Goldsmith had retweeted a tweet calling the inquiry a witch hunt and kangaroo court, undermining the committees work by claiming that evidence was totally irrelevant to it.

The Lib Dems said Mr Sunak should now sack Lord Goldsmith  who remains minister for the Commonwealth, energy and the environment at the Foreign Office  if he wants to show any shred of integrity.

Zac Goldsmith agreed inquiry was witch hunt and kangeroo court (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Thangam Debbonaire, Labours shadow Commons leader, said it was yet another example of the prime ministers weakness and failure to hold his own ministers to high standards that Zac Goldsmith is still a government minister.

Boris backers Brendan Clarke-Smith, Andrea Jenkyns, Michael Fabricant and Mark Jenkinson were also named in the special report.

Mr Clarke-Smith, who had said the committeee was worthy of a banana republic, said he was shocked and disappointed to be named, saying it raises serious questions about free speech in a democratic society.

Mr Fabricant said I stand by my statement, having questioned the calibre, malice and prejudice of the committee. Mr Jenkinson, who had dubbed a witch hunt, said the special report was another perfect example of gross overreach.

The work of Lord Cruddas and Lord Greenhalgh as part of their Conservative Democratic Organisation were also singled out. The report highlighted posts in the CDOs Conservative Post website urging Tory committee members to quit and calling the inquiry deeply flawed, biased and unfair.

Firing back on Twitter, Lord Cruddas denied that he had intimidated the committee, claimed he was being defamed and argued that he was the victim of class snobbery.

It is defamatory of me and I suspect it is yet more snobbery directed at someone from the working class who has succeeded in life from these career politicians, tweeted the Johnson ally. He added: If they dont want people noticing they are a kangaroo court then they should hop less.

Labour accused Mr Sunak of allowing senior members of his own party to undermine and attack Britains democratic institutions  urging the PM to offer clear condemnation of his Conservative colleagues.

The Liberal Democrats called for Mr Sunak to investigate whether Mr Johnson agreed to hand honours to MPs who defended him over Partygate. This looks like a gongs for cronies scandal, deputy leader Daisy Cooper said.

The campaign to undermine the committee did not deter MPs from voting overwhelmingly to back the Johnson report, with only seven voting against the committees findings and 354 voting in favour.
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Nicola Sturgeon was told off at the Covid inquiry for getting on her soap box and criticising the impact of Brexit.

Scotlands former first minister condemned the threatened Tory no-deal Brexit of 2019, arguing that it damaged the UKs ability to prepare for health emergencies.

Appearing at the public inquiry on Thursday morning, the ex-SNP leader went on to say: Every aspect of Brexit has been a false economy.

Inquiry lawyer Hugo Keith KC rebuked Ms Sturgeon for straying into politics, telling her: That is a witness box, not a soap box.

Ms Sturgeon said there had been a need to divert resources from emergency planning on potential pandemics because Boris Johnson, then prime minister, had threatened to crash the UK out of the EU without an exit deal.

She said Scottish government ministers were not at all happy, but had no choice but to switch focus to prepare for the grim warnings in the UK governments Operation Yellowhammer report  including major supply chain disruption.

It was a matter of deep regret and frustration for us at the time, she said. We had no choice but to do that planning. I deeply regret any consequences that had for our emergency planning in other areas.

Questioned if this was a false economy, the senior SNP figure said: I think every aspect of Brexit has been a false economy  before being chastised by the inquiry lawyer.

Ms Sturgeon, under intense pressure in recent weeks over a police investigation into SNP finances, also told the Covid inquiry that the Scottish government she led during the Covid crisis did not accept the worst-case scenario of the pandemic.

The former first minister said: It was our determination from the outset to suppress it to the maximum.

Boris Johnson had threatened a no-deal Brexit in 2019 (AP)

It followed an astonishing attack on Whitehall thinking by former health secretary Matt Hancock at the Covid inquiry earlier this week  claiming officials were more concerned with counting bodybags than preventing the spread of the virus.

Mr Hancock admitted he had signed off on resources being reallocated away from his own department to support emergency planning for the threatened no-deal Brexit  saying he wasnt enthusiastic about it.

But he said no-deal Brexit planning had helped the government plan for the movement of medicines when Covid arrived, saying Britain had come within hours of running out at the height of the crisis.

Nicola Sturgeon arrives at Covid inquiry hearing (PA)

Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon admitted that Scotland had no specific plan for a non-flu pandemic before Covid struck. The former first minister said there was some thinking around high-consequence infectious diseases which were not flu.

She told the Covid inquiry the government she led during the pandemic did our best... but did not get everything right.

The former SNP leader added: The pandemic may be over but for many people their suffering continues and there is not a day that passes that I dont think about that.

Former Scotland health secretary Jeane Freeman told the inquiry that, while Scotland could have better handled the pandemic, there was ultimately no plan that could have helped the country cope with Covid.

Recommended Hancock says government was more concerned with counting bodybags than stopping Covid spread

Earlier, Sir Jeremy Farrar, a former member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said the creation of a so-called red team to constructively challenge scientific thinking from the outside could add a different perspective to a future pandemic response.

Sir Jeremy said that Independent Sage tried to work like a red team but unfortunately, for reasons others can debate, sometimes it became more confrontational than perhaps was constructive.
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A senior Tory has called for a zero tolerance approach to sexual assault for future political candidates in the wake of groping claims against mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski.

Caroline Nokes, the chair of Parliaments Women and Equalities Committee, said Mr Korskis candidacy was like a cloud hanging over women in politics and called for all candidates to sign a code of conduct or charter before being allowed to run for office.

She said this would make sure it is explicit what sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.

Her comments came after Mr Korski quit as a candidate for the Conservative nomination to contest next years mayoral race.

The move followed allegations, which Mr Korski categorically denied, made by TV producer Daisy Goodwin who accused the former front-runner of groping her after a meeting in Downing Street a decade ago.

Shortly before he stepped down, Ms Goodwin said three more women had contacted her with similar experiences since she went public on Monday night.

In a statement, Mr Korski said he had decided with a heavy heart to withdraw from the race.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Ms Nokes said it was the right decision for him, for the Conservative Party, and in fact for women in politics.

You cant have clouds like this hanging over us, she said.

Daniel Korski denies allegations he groped Daisy Goodwin at No 10 (PA/Getty)

She said the political world had been rocked by a series of really unpleasant allegations in the past year, including Tory MP Neil Parish watching porn in the Commons as well as other MPs using class A drugs and facing allegations of inappropriate touching.

Asked if she thought the vetting process for political candidates was rigorous enough, Ms Nokes said: No, I dont.

She added: It is important that all political parties work together to draw up a code of conduct for future candidates  to make sure it is absolutely explicit what sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.

And then candidates be required to sign up to some sort of code of conduct or charter before theyre ever allowed to run for office.

It is really important that all parties work together to make sure that we dont see a recurrence of this sort of behaviour, this sort of allegation in the next parliament.

Weve got 12 months now to sort it out.

Mr Korski admitted that he told Tory HQ about Ms Goodwins groping claim against him but said was put on the shortlist for the mayoral race anyway.

Ms Nokes added: We need to have a zero tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour by men in politics towards women.
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Rishi Sunak's election hopes suffered a major blow on Thursday as the Conservatives were hit by two political bombshells in the space of an hour.

In just 60 minutes the prime ministers flagship stop the boats plan was ruled unlawful and it emerged seven of his MPs could be suspended from parliament as allies of Boris Johnson were accused of disturbing attacks on democracy.

As her government came under increasing pressure over its Rwanda policy, the home secretary Suella Braverman hit out by claiming the system was rigged against the British people.

There was also more misery in the mortgage market as even the average five-year fixed-rate loan edged closer to 6 per cent.

Labour sought to take advantage of the disarray, with Sir Keir Starmer accusing Mr Sunak of being weak and leading a divided party that is incapable of governing.

At the moment you want the government to step it up, its sitting it out, he said, arguing about the behaviour of their own MPs [while] its families that are paying the price.

And senior Tories warned the prime minister he had to deliver on his pledges, including on small boats, before the next general election after disastrous local election results in June.

A potential hammer blow was delivered to the Rwanda plan to send those who arrive in the UK on small boats to Rwanda when the Court of Appeal concluded the African nation is not a safe country.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagrees with the Court of Appeals ruling that the Governments Rwanda plan is unlawful (PA Wire)

Mr Sunak said he fundamentally disagreed with the finding and would appeal to the Supreme Court, telling voters your government  should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs.

But flights will remain suspended ahead of the showdown and ministers do not expect any hearing to take place until the autumn at the earliest.

Just an hour before the bombshell ruling was announced, seven Tory MPs and a serving minister in Mr Sunaks government were named in a damning report which accused Mr Johnsons allies of a coordinated campaign of interference which put unprecedented pressure on the committee investigating if he lied to parliament over Partygate.

The committee said the Commons should consider whether the attacks could be considered a contempt of parliament and what further action to take.

Mr Johnson dramatically resigned as an MP earlier this month after the same committee recommended he face a lengthy suspension for contempt for misleading parliament repeatedly over Partygate.

But the findings immediately triggered another bout of Tory infighting.

Key Johnson ally Ms Dorries doubled down on her remarks, saying of the cross-party committee: If they dont want to be accused of being a kangaroo court, they should stop hopping so much.

They should put on their big girl and boy pants and stop crying about hurty words, she added.

Suella Braverman doubled down on her support for the plan in the Commons despite the ruling (Parliament TV)

Brendan Clarke-Smith, who had commented that the committee was worthy of a banana republic, said the findings raised serious questions about free speech in a democratic society.

Another Tory named in the report, the peer Lord Cruddas, also said the committee should hop less. The prime minister is facing calls to sack or at least condemn Foreign Office minister Lord Goldsmith, one of those named and shamed in the report. But in what will be seen as a sign of the tensions within the Conservative Party over the issue, Downing Street declined to criticise those MPs cited.

Other pressures bubbled to the surface as Ms Braverman came under pressure from Conservative MPs over the partys failure to deliver the Rwanda policy.

Mr Sunak has explicitly told voters to judge him on his pledge to halt the flow of small boats from France.

Conservative MP Aaron Bell told Ms Braverman: My constituents in Newcastle-under-Lyme expect us to stop the boats.

A senior Tory MP told The Independent the party risked losing the faith of those who wanted to see migrants sent to Rwanda, while, at the same time, alienating leaving so-called polite Tories who abhor the idea.

And a former Tory No 10 adviser Tim Montgomerie warned that even if Jesus Christ returned to Earth and became Tory leader the Conservative Party is doomed at the next election.

In response, Ms Braverman lashed out at what she called phoney humanitarianism hindering efforts to stop Channel crossings.

Conservative MPs including ex-ministers Sir Edward Leigh and Mark Francois suggested the UK seeks a derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to assist in deportation efforts.

A government source said: The government is committed to delivering on its five priorities- halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, cutting waiting lists and stopping the boats.
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Scotlands former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and former deputy first minister John Swinney will give evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Thursday.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly said the pandemic was one of the hardest things she has ever had to deal with in her political career.

In her resignation speech as first minister, she said: Leading this country through the Covid pandemic is by far the toughest thing Ive done.

It may well be the toughest thing I ever do. I certainly hope so.

Now by no stretch of the imagination was my job the hardest in the country during that time.

But the weight of responsibility was immense and its only very recently, I think, that Ive started to comprehend, let alone process, the physical and mental impact of it on me.

Scotland, like other countries throughout the world, was dealing with a virus which was unknown and new Jeane Freeman, former Scottish health secretary

On Wednesday senior Scottish government officials began giving evidence to the inquiry.

Jeane Freeman, the former cabinet secretary for health and sport, said that while Scotland could have better handled the pandemic, there was ultimately no plan that could have helped the country cope with Covid-19.

She said: There were certainly areas where Scotland could have been better prepared in terms of the underlying structure and delivery of all those recommendations.

But Scotland, like other countries throughout the world, was dealing with a virus which was unknown and new.

So in that sense, I dont believe there is a plan that would have been possible that would have been able, in and of itself, to cope with Covid-19.

The inquiry will also hear from Sir Jeremy Farrar, former director of the Wellcome Trust and current chief scientist at the World Health Organisation.

He will be joined by Catherine Frances, director general for local government, resilience and communities at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
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Nigel Farage has said life in Britain is becoming completely unlivable after claiming his bank accounts were closed in revenge for Brexit.

The former UKIP leader said the banking group he has been with for 43 years phoned him two months ago to say we are closing your accounts.

Mr Farage described the bank as a subsidiary of a big banking group with a very prestigious name, but said he would not name them just yet.

The arch-Brexiteer said the banks chairman claimed the move was a commercial decision, but that he believed it was serious political persecution.

In a six-minute rant, posted on Twitter, Mr Farage said British banks are part of the big corporate structures who did not want Brexit to happen. He claimed to have subsequently been denied personal and business accounts by seven other banks.

The corporate world will never, ever forgive me, he added.

Mr Farage said his role in the campaign which saw Britain leave the European Union was a possible reason why his accounts had been shut down.

Nigel Farage said that without a bank account you dont actually exist (Reuters)

They know, if I hadnt done what I did, with the help of thousands of people in our peoples army, there never would have been a referendum, let alone a victory, he said.

Mr Farage added: I am the one that is to carry the blame.

The now GB News presenter said that without a bank account you effectively become a non-person.

You dont actually exist, he claimed. He said he may be able to process payments with the help of a financial technology firm, but that he would not be able to access a debit card, earn interest on his deposits or take out a mortgage.

I wont really be able to exist and function in a modern 21st century Britain, he said.

I am beginning to think that perhaps life in the United Kingdom is now becoming completely unlivable because of the levels of prejudice against me, Mr Farage added.

The issue may fundamentally affect Mr Farages future living in the UK, he said.

Mr Farage suggested other reasons for his accounts being closed could include him being categorised as a politically exposed person, which drives up costs for banks.

He added: A third reason, a few months ago in the House of Commons, Sir Chris Bryant said, using Parliamentary privilege, that I had received large sums of money directly from the Russian government.

The truth is, I did not receive a penny from any source with even a link to Russia.

I wonder whether that is whats given me part of the problem.
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Scotlands First Minister has said he looks forward to representing the people of Scotland at a key event in Edinburgh to mark the coronation of the King and Queen.

Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland  the oldest crown jewels in Britain  at a national service of thanksgiving at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday July 5.

The ceremony is a key part of Royal Week, with the King and Queen undertaking several engagements in Scotland.

Humza Yousaf said: Next week, Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen with a series of events to mark their Coronation.

I will attend the Service at St Giles Cathedral and I look forward to representing the people of Scotland at this historic event Humza Yousaf, First Minister

Highlights include a peoples procession, a royal procession, a national service of thanksgiving and dedication, and a gun salute in Edinburgh.

Many different people, charities and organisations from across the country will be involved. I will attend the Service at St Giles Cathedral and I look forward to representing the people of Scotland at this historic event.

Any members of the public who wish to get involved will be able to follow TV or radio coverage, or view events in person along the Royal Mile. Space will be limited so those planning to come should arrive early and be prepared for whatever the weather may hold.

The ceremony involves a peoples procession of about 100 community groups collecting the honours from Edinburgh Castle.

The procession will then be escorted to the cathedral by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and its Shetland pony mascot, Corporal Cruachan IV, supported by cadet musicians from the combined cadet force pipes and drums.

Meanwhile, a royal procession will travel from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the cathedral, with the public lining the Royal Mile to view both processions.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will be attending.

A 21-gun salute will fire from Edinburgh Castle at the end of the St Giles service, before the royal procession travels back to the palace.

The Stone of Destiny will be in the cathedral during the ceremony, and there will also be a fly-past by the Red Arrows following the event.

Anti-monarchy campaigners Republic will hold their first protest since the coronation on May 6, when six demonstrators from the group were arrested.

They have branded the event a pointless vanity parade.

Scottish republican group Our Republic will hold a rally at the Meadows.

Police Scotland said it has been engaging with protest groups ahead of the service.

Assistant chief constable Tim Mairs said: Our priority is public safety and a policing plan is in place to maintain peoples safety, ensure the safe delivery of this significant event, enable peaceful protest and minimise disruption.

Decisions about how to police protests require us to balance complex and often competing rights and issues.

We have a legal duty to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest. Our human rights-based approach and legislation that applies in Scotland is unique amongst UK policing.

Campaigning and demonstration is a legitimate, necessary and vital part of life. Abusive, threatening behaviour or activity intended to disrupt the event that risks public safety is not legitimate protest.

Traffic restrictions and temporary road closures will be in place around the Royal Mile and police advise the public to plan ahead.
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The return of devolved government in Northern Ireland is not inevitable and depends on how the UK Government responds to DUP concerns about the Windsor Framework, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The DUP leader was speaking as party leaders held a meeting at Stormont Castle to discussion preparations for the restoration of the Assembly.

But Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy said the discussions would only have value when the DUP took the decision to bring back the powersharing institutions.

The Stormont Assembly has been in flux for more than a year amid DUP protest action over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Windsor Framework was agreed by the EU and UK earlier this year as a way to reduce red tape on trade between GB and NI.

But the DUP has insisted it will not return to Stormont until the Government provides further legislative assurances around Northern Irelands place within the UK internal market.

None of this means that the restoration of devolution is inevitable  that requires the Government now to respond to the concerns that we have raised with them about what we feel are shortcomings in the Windsor Framework Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

Speaking following the weekly leaders meeting with the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Jayne Brady, Sir Jeffrey said he has put proposals in a paper to the UK government around the framework and awaits their response.

He said there had been a useful conversation about the preparations for the return of devolved government.

Were content to continue engaging in those kind of conversations and doing some ground work now so that if and when an Executive is restored we can hit the ground running in terms of tackling issues that need to be prioritised, he said.

Obviously none of this means that the restoration of devolution is inevitable  that requires the Government now to respond to the concerns that we have raised with them about what we feel are shortcomings in the Windsor Framework in relation to the UK internal market, the management and operation of the UK internal market.

So were waiting on the Government to come back to us and respond to those concerns and to the specific proposals we have put to them.

Asked for a potential timescale for Stormont returning, Sir Jeffrey said: I see no reason why we cant in the next few weeks make real progress.

The timetable is outside our gift, its really down to the Government now to respond to the issues we have put forward.

That in some parts will require legislation and hopefully that legislation can be brought before Parliament quickly.

Mr Murphy said the discussions had focused on the formation of an executive and budgetary issues.

He added: These will only have any value if we actually take a decision to have an executive back in place, that is the conversation we want to be having.

While these discussions are useful preparation, the real discussion will only take place when the DUP signal they are intending to return to the executive.Mr Murphy added: There is one party leader has a decision to take. We have heard about the five point plan, the eight-person panel, the seven tests, we now have an 18-page document.

There is one decision to be taken, that people who are waiting on cancer treatments and other medical services, people who are trying to get their kids through special education programmes, there is one decision that they want to hear from Jeffrey Donaldson, that is that he is going to lead from the front and actually listen to the public and take a decision to go back into government.

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said the meeting had included discussions about a potential request to the UK Government about a financial package for Northern Ireland.

He added: This phase of the process is coming to an end but we dont really have a political process to take this forward.

That is a source of massive frustration, not just for us, but I daresay for the people of Northern Ireland who want to see a government in place.

We have to have a negotiation with the UK Government, that would be best done from a sitting executive, or in the teeth of a restored executive.

Mr Farry warned that the situation should not be allowed to drift over the summer.

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said: We are really moving on to now where the political decisions can be made.

A lot of work has been done here by the civil service on things like the programme for government, the deficit in our finances.

But we are now in a place where we are going to have to make political decisions and that is going to take political leaders getting in a room together and making those decisions.

That is the direction we are now moving, and that is likely to take place over the next number of weeks and months to try and get something in place before we have the investment conference in September.
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The Defence Secretary has suggested that Ukraine could skip some Nato membership checks to help fast-track the war-torn countrys accession to the defensive alliance.

Ben Wallace said Sweden and Finlands quick route to joining opened a very fair question about whether Kyiv should be given the same treatment as it looks to beat back Russias invading forces.

But the Cabinet minister conceded that other members have a different view and that, with consensus required around new members, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to see a seat created for him around the Nato table at its summit in Vilnius next month.

The comments build on similar sentiments expressed by the Foreign Secretary last week at Londons Ukraine Recovery Conference, with James Cleverly arguing that Ukraine was already delivering on the action plan asked of it by Nato.

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan Defence Secretary Ben Wallace

Senior Conservative MP Mr Wallace was speaking alongside Canadian defence minister Anita Anand at Canada House in central London after the pair engaged in bilateral meetings ahead of Canada Day on July 1.

The former Scots Guard, asked at a press briefing whether the Lithuania gathering would see efforts to progress Ukraines accession, said Britain had supported Ukraines membership since the Bucharest summit in 2008, where the process was started with helping Kyiv to build its Nato capabilities.

I think it went from an associate member and the next discussion was a membership action plan, said Mr Wallace.

Obviously, Sweden and Finland didnt have any of that and I think that opened a very fair question about should we just skip that at Vilnius and say, subject to other conditions, Ukraine should be able to come in and join.

After all, they are going to have some of the most experienced land forces in Europe and probably be one of the most heavily-armed countries in Europe.

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan, but of course we have to put some realism in this space, that there are 31 members of Nato now and we have to all move together.

And, yes, the direction of travel should be towards Nato membership.

But I cant promise that at the Vilnius summit youre going to resolve those 31.

I think what we could be able to do is remove more barriers for Ukraine so that when this is over Ukraine moves towards more security guarantees and more support.

Canadas Ms Anand suggested Ukraine still had hurdles to overcome before it could be welcomed into the alliance, saying that when the conditions are right, we will support Ukraines accession to Nato.

Sweden and neighbouring Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and quickly signalled their intention to join Nato.

There had been hopes that Swedens application might have been ratified in Vilnius, but Hungarys parliaments decision to postpone its ratification looks to have delayed Stockholms accession.

Mr Wallace also delivered a withering putdown of Russias military leadership during the press conference, comparing defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff General Valery Gerasimov to Laurel and Hardy for their failure on the battlefield.

Mr Wallace was also asked about unconfirmed reports that the fate of several top Russian generals is unclear, having not been seen since the aborted internal revolt led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, over the weekend.

Speculation has focused on General Sergei Surovikin, who has links to Mr Prigozhin and has not been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to the march on Moscow.

The Defence Secretary said he did not know what has happened to any of these people.

He remarked Mr Prigozhin had gone off to Belarus for a summer holiday and Wagner had been dissipated.

What I would say is, from the UK point of view, if General Gerasimov and Minister Shoigu are still in charge, the huge amounts of failure they have delivered on the battlefield will no doubt continue, he said.

If it means Laurel and Hardy are still running the Russian armed forces and the campaign, then that is to the benefit of the Ukrainians.
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Watch as Joe Biden speaks on the US Supreme Courts decision to strike down affirmative action.

Justices on Thursday 29 June ruled that private and public colleges and universities may not consider race as a factor in admissions.

For more than 20 years, colleges and universities have used affirmative action to help establish a diverse group of accepted students which contributes to a more positive education experience.

But now, higher education institutions will no longer be allowed to consider race as a factor in admissions. Instead, students who wish to have their race or culture considered in their application will have to volunteer the information in their personal essays.

The new ruling is a result of the consolidated cases Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College.

Since its founding in 2014, SFFA has filed over 20,000 lawsuits on behalf of students and their parents who claim students did not get accepted to a selective university due to their race.
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An eleven-year-old boy from Ohio was killed in a freak accident after a dog inside the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) he was riding jumped on the gas pedal.

The victim and his 12-year-brother were riding a side-by-side in the Crum area of Wayne County when the tragedy unfolded around 2.30pm on Monday.

An 18-year-old family friend was driving and a dog was also inside the vehicle.

According to the Kermit Volunteer Fire Department, the dog jumped on the floorboard and landed on the gas pedal, causing the side-by-side to veer of and over an embankment.

All the kids that [were] in the side-by-side are great kids, Fire Chief Wayne Williamson told WSAZ. Who would have ever thought a house dog would jump down in the floorboard of a side-by-side and do that? he said.

The boy was pronounced dead at the scene, while his brother was treated at the hospital for minor injuries.

The children were visiting family from Gallia County and had asked to go on a last ride before having to return home.

Its just heartbreaking for everybody, Mr Williamson said. Everybody involved needs all the prayers they can get.
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Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen confessed to the 2017 killings of teenage best friends Libby German and Abby Williams in a jailhouse phone call with his wife, according to bombshell court documents.

A trove of 118 court documents was unsealed on Wednesday, revealing the 50-year-old local CVS workers shocking confession to wife Kathy Allen in the months following his sudden arrest last October.

In the 3 April phone call, from the Westville Correctional Facility where the accused killer is being held awaiting trial, Mr Allen allegedly admitted several times that he carried out the brutal murders.

On April 3, 2023, Richard M. Allen made a phone call to his wife Kathy Allen, the court documents read.

In that phone call, Richard M. Allen admits several times that he killed Abby and Libby.

Investigators had the phone call transcribed and the transcription confirms that Richard M. Allen admits that he committed the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.

Mr Allens wife abruptly ended the phone call following her husbands confession, the documents state.

The suspect  who was on police radar back in 2017 but slipped through the net for more than five years due to a clerical error  also confessed in jailhouse calls to his mother, the documents state.

In total, court documents state that he confessed at least five times.

Following the bombshell 3 April call with his wife, Mr Allen broke the tablet he used to call and text people and has not communicated with people in months, the documents state.

In a dramatic court hearing earlier this month, both the prosecution and the defence revealed that Mr Allen had made incriminating admissions about the murders in the seven months since his arrest  but the nature of those confessions was not previously known.

Richard Allen leaves court after hearing on 15 June (Fox59)

Mr Allens defence attorneys have argued that Mr Allens confessions cant be trusted due to his current mental state.

In another court document, the defence argued that his attorneys visited him one day after the 3 April call and found him to be schizophrenic and delusional and suffering from psychotic symptoms.

While behind bars, the married father has been wetting down paperwork and eating it, and refusing to eat or sleep, the documents state.

The defence is seeking to have him moved from Westfield Correctional to a county jail in Cass County, like other inmates awaiting trial. They claim he is being treated like a dog in the state prison and that his mental state has deteriorated to the extent that he is unable to participate in his own defence.

As well as the bombshell confessions, the trove of court documents also reveals new details about the murders of the teenage best friends for the first time.

Both Libby and Abby are believed to have been killed with a knife, suffering wounds caused by a sharp object, the filings state. A gun is also believed to have been used in the crime, after an unspent bullet was found by the victims bodies.

Some items of the girls clothing was also missing and Libbys iPhone  containing the infamous video of Bridge Guy  was found underneath her body at the scene.

Articles of clothing from the girls were missing from the scene, including a pair of underwear and a sock, documents state.

Of the 137 documents in the case, 19 remain seales by the judge including a list of witnesses that includes names of juveniles and the unredacted probable cause affidavit.

Libby German (left) and Abby Williams (right) pictured together (Facebook)

Mr Allens trial date has been set for 8 January 2024  almost seven years on from the brutal murders of Libby, 14, and Abby, 13, who went out one day together and never returned.

On 13 February 2017, the two best friends set off on a hike along the Monon High Bridge Trail in their hometown of Delphi.

During the walk, Libby posted a photo of her best friend on Snapchat as they walked along the Monon High Bridge.

Minutes later, Libby captured a video of a man  known as bridge guy  dressed in blue jeans, a blue jacket and a cap walking along the abandoned railroad bridge. In the footage, the man tells the two girls: Guys, down the hill.

Later that day, the teenagers were reported missing when they failed to return to a spot where a family member was picking them up.

The next day  Valentines Day 2017  their bodies were discovered in a wooded area less than half a mile off the trail along the side of Deer Creek. Their cause of death has never been released with a previously-released search warrant application only detailing that they were killed with some type of weapon and lost a lot of blood.

For more than five years, the girls devastated families waited for answers in the case.

Then, in late October 2022, Mr Allen  a local man who served the victims families in his job at the Delphi CVS store  was arrested and charged with their murders.

According to investigators, Mr Allen is the so-called bridge guy captured on camera by the victims.

The suspect forced the two victims down the hill and led them to the location where they were murdered, according to his probable cause affidavit.

The criminal affidavit, which was partially redacted and released in November, previously revealed that the local man was finally tied to the February 2017 murders through a bullet found at the bloody crime scene.

Ballistics confirmed that an unspent .40 caliber round found close to the bodies of the teenage victims came from Mr Allens Sig Sauer Model P226.

The firearm  which he owned since 2011  was found during a search of his home last October and both he and his wife Kathy told police he was the only person with access to it, the documents state.

Libby German posted a Snapchat as the girls walked along the trail (Snapchat)

The bombshell document also revealed that, in Libbys cellphone footage, one of the victims mentions the word gun  suggesting that their attacker was armed with a firearm and was using it to coerce the victims.

In a police interview on 13 October, Mr Allen told investigators he had no explanation as to how the spent bullet ended up near the bodies of the two teenage victims, the document states.

The accused killer said he had not been on the property where the unspent round was found, that he did not know the property owner, and that he had no explanation as to why a round cycled through his firearm would be at that location, it says. The property owner  Ron Logan  was also previously tied to the case. He died in 2020.

The defence is currently seeking to throw out this key ballistics evidence from the case, questioning the analysis of the unspent bullet.

As well as the ballistics evidence, Mr Allen was also tied to the killings after his vehicle was spotted parked close to the trail in an odd manner as if to conceal the license plate, the affidavit previously revealed.

Several witnesses also reported seeing a creepy man matching the description of bridge guy around the time of the murders while one person said they saw a muddy and bloody man leaving the trail around two hours after Libby and Abby were last seen alive. The witnesses did not see anyone other than bridge guy on the trail at the time, the affidavit reads.

The married father to a daughter had been on law enforcements radar back in 2017 after he admitted to being on the trail the day the girls were killed.

During a 2017 interview with police, Mr Allen confessed to being on the Monon High Bridge Trail that afternoon but denied any involvement in the murders and insisted he had never seen the two girls that day.

Despite placing himself at the scene of the crime at the time of the murders, he slipped through the net due to a clerical error.

The sudden arrest of the local man almost six years on from the murders marked a major break in the case.

But the investigation is far from over with officials saying that they believe Mr Allen may not be the sole person involved in the killings.

Prior to Mr Allens arrest, investigators had been searching for information about a catfishing account which was in contact with Libby on the day she was killed.

The man behind the account  Kegan Anthony Kline  was tied to the 2017 murders in December 2021 when investigators urged the public to come forward with information about a bogus online profile named @anthony_shots.

Kline, 28, confessed to using the fake profile to groom underage girls, get them to send him nude photos and their addresses, and try to get them to meet him in person.

Richard Allen sometime prior to his arrest (left) and now he is behind bars (right) (Provided )

In a 2020 police interview, a transcript of which has been seen by The Independent, Kline admitted that he had communicated with 14-year-old Libby on Instagram and Snapchat through the catfishing profile before she died.

The transcript revealed that he had exchanged photos with the teenage girl and that Libby had communicated with the fake profile on the very day that she and Abby were murdered.

On 25 February 2017 - less than two weeks after the two girls were brutally killed  police carried out a search of Klines home in Peru.

Kline has never been charged in connection to the murders.

However, he has been behind bars for the last two years on a string of child sexual abuse and child exploitation felonies.

In March, he pleaded guilty to all 25 counts against him.

He then fired his attorney and said he planned to withdraw his guilty plea  before walking this back again. He is awaiting sentencing in July.

Last month, he told The Murder Sheet podcast in a jailhouse interview that he has information about the murders but that police dont want to hear anything I have to say.
 Close Bryan Kohberger arrives at court hearing

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Bryan Kohberger is in a fight for his life as he may now face the firing squad if convicted of the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle.

On Monday, prosecutors announced they plan to seek the death penalty against him. In Idaho, the use of firing squad as an alternative death sentence method to lethal injection will go into force on 1 July  ahead of his October trial.

Now, the 28-year-olds attorneys are seeking a trove of evidence from prosecutors which they say is key to him being able to defend himself.

Arguments about some of this evidence were heard in a court hearing on Tuesday, where the judge compared the case to that of Lori Vallow.

Judge John Judge pointed to the equally high-profile Idaho murder case as he warned the media about the use of cameras in the courtroom, saying that if they continue to focus only on Mr Kohberger, cameras could be banned altogether.

It also emerged this week that Mr Kohberger was convicted of theft nine years before he allegedly brutally stabbed the four University of Idaho students to death in Moscow.
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Murdered student Kristin Smarts body may have been buried in the backyard of Paul Floress mother, according to soil tests done by a group of California engineers.

Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life for the 1996 murder of Smart, who was attending Cal Poly University when she disappeared. Her body has never been found.

Tim Nelligan is an engineer and Cal Poly graduate who met Smart weeks before she went missing and is now working to locate her remains.

Kristin Smart, then 19, was last seen on her college campus in 1996 (FBI)

The intent here was not to solve a crime but rather to help a family find their daughter, he told CBS News Sacramento.

The team of engineers have carried out soil tests that show a heat map identifying a possible decomposing body.

He says that the location of the tests was the back fence line of Susan Floress home in Arroyo Grande, the same location that investigators served a search warrant in 2020.

A neighbour allowed the team to take samples capturing the soil gases in a test that is certified by the government Environmental Protection Agency but it is not used by law enforcement.

Heat map of soil tests carried out by engineers looking for remains of Kristin Smart (CBS News Sacramento/Tim Nelligan)

What that shows are very high concentrations of the total VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, associated with human decomposition, Mr Nelligan said.

The group has shared its findings with law enforcement and Smarts family.

Prosecutors said that Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart while trying to rape her in his dorm room (San Luis Obispo Sheriffs Office)

I cant answer specifically about Kristins body but I think that the test shows we have a significant number of compounds that have a clear indication that there is some type of decomposition of a body going on in this location, said engineer Steve Hoyt said.

And Mr Nelligan added: As far as the investigation goes, thats really not our scope.

The San Luis Obispo sheriffs office issued a statement saying it could not make a comment.

Until the appeals process in the Smart murder case is finished, they arent able to make any comments at this time.

Smart disappeared in May 1996 after attending an off-campus party, and witnesses told investigators that Flores was the last person seen with her.

Prosecutors said that Flores killed her while trying to rape her in his dorm room. His father, Ruben, was found not guilty by a jury of being an accessory to the crime.
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A Mississippi sheriff fired deputies accused by two Black men of entering their home where they allegedly tortured and attempted to sexually assault them.

The firing of the white Rankin County deputies came two weeks after Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker made the shocking claims and filed a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that the deputies entered the home in Braxton in January, handcuffed the men then kicked, waterboarded and used Tasers on them. It also claims that one deputy placed his gun in Mr Jenkinss mouth and shot him, lacerating his tongue and dislocating his jaw.

Throughout the nearly two-hour ordeal, the six deputies would punch and beat two handcuffed men at will, hurting and humiliating both Jenkins and Parker. Deputies also repeatedly and gratuitously kicked the men as if they were animals while they lay subdued and handcuffed, the lawsuit states.

And it added: In their repeated use of racial slurs in the course of their violent acts, (the deputies) were oppressive and hateful against their African- American victims. Defendants were motivated on the basis of race and the color of the skin of the persons they assaulted.

It is claimed the deputies tried to use a sexual device against the two men and forced them to shower together.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court in Mississippi on 12 June, names Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey and the six deputies as defendants and seeks $400m in damages.Due to recent developments, including findings during our internal investigation, those deputies that were still employed by this department have all been terminated, Sheriff Bailey told reporters on Tuesday.

We understand that the alleged actions of these deputies has eroded the publics trust department. Rest assured that we will work diligently to restore that trust.

The sheriff would not say how many deputies had been fired or provide their names to the media. He would also not answer any additional questions about the incident.

He has previously said that his deputies went to the home for drug enforcement activities, reported WAPT.

There is no body cam footage of the incident, according to The Clarion-Ledger, and the Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.

Unfortunately, Jenkins has suffered permanent physical injuries, permanent cognitive damage, long-term psychological damage, permanent disfigurement, and impairment, the suit states.

Mr Parker also needed medical attention for injuries suffered during the incident, according to the lawsuit.
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Law enforcement officials have released the bodycam footage of an officer gunning down a shooter who killed eight people, including three children, at a Dallas-area shopping mall.

The edited five-minute video shows the final moments of the 33-year-old gunman Mauricio Garcia, after he rained bullets from an AR-15-style rifle at the Allen Premium Outlets on 6 May.

The footage from the body camera worn by an Allen cop shows the officer telling two children outside the mall to wear their seatbelts and be good.

Seconds later, the sound of rapid gunfire erupts from the mall. The children and a woman, whose face have been blurred, run away as the officer radios in the report, grabs his rifle from his car and dashes toward the gunfire.

As he runs, the panting officer shouts at people to move and get out. He then tells the dispatcher, I believe we've got a mass shooter and shouts at the gunman to drop his weapon.

"I'm passing injured (people)," he adds.

The officer continues to run through the outside galleries of the outlet. About four minutes into the video, the officer opens fire with at least a half-dozen shots.

An instant later, the officer shouts: "Drop the gun!" and then reports: "I've got him down!"

Another officer then confirms the gunman is dead.

"This video shows how quickly a routine interaction with the public turned into a life-and-death situation," Allen Police chief Brian Harvey shared in a news release.

"The officer recognised the danger, ran toward the gunfire and neutralized the threat  and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful."

The video was released a day after a grand jury cleared the officer of wrongdoing, indicating that the use of force was justified under Texas law".

Three members of a Korean American family - Kyu Song Cho, Cindy Cho, and their 3-year-old son, James Cho, were killed by the mass shooter last month.

Also killed were Aishwarya Thatikonda, 27, sisters Daniela Mendoza, 11, and Sofia Mendoza, 8; security guard Christian LaCour, 20; and Elio Cumana-Rivas, 32.

Hundreds of shoppers fled from Allen Premium Outlets, a large outdoor shopping centre, after gunfire erupted at about 3.30pm local time.

The gunman drove to the mall with several weapons and opened fire as soon as he stepped out of his vehicle, police said, without revealing a motive for the attack.

Garcia used one of eight legally purchased guns he had brought to the mall, authorities said.

The killer had no criminal record, but investigators are looking into his possible neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs.

Garcia was wearing black body armour and a patch on his chest that suggested he may have harboured extremist ideologies, law enforcement sources told The Washington Post.

The gunman reportedly left a long trail of online posts describing his white supremacist and misogynistic views. He described mass shootings as sport and posted photos showing his large Nazi tattoos and a favorite passage in the Hunger Games books marked with a swastika drawn in green highlighter.
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A Florida couple who sued Stockton Rush for refusing to refund their $210,000 deposit for a Titanic shipwreck tour have dropped the lawsuit after the OceanGate Expeditions CEO was among five to die in a catastrophic implosion last week.

Marc and Sharon Hagle filed a lawsuit in February claiming Rush had repeatedly cancelled a deep-sea dive they had booked on the Titan submersible in 2018.

After Rush was confirmed to have died on the Titan during an ill-fated trip to the famed North Atlantic shipwreck on Sunday 18 June, the couple said the honour, respect and dignity of the victims were more important than their claim.

Follow the latest updates on the missing Titanic submarine here

Like most around the world, we have watched the coverage of the OceanGate Titan capsule with great concern and enormous amount of sadness and compassion for the families of those who lost their lives, the Hagles said in a statement toFox 35.

In light of these tragic events, we have informed our attorneys to withdraw all legal actions against Stockton, the statement read.

We honour their zest for life, as well as their commitment to the exploration of our oceans.

Marc and Sharon Hagles dispute with OceanGate began in 2016 when they signed a contract and paid deposits in the hopes of becoming among the first of the deep-sea exploration companys paying customers.

In mid-2017, the Hagles became suspicious that the submersible vessel, then known as the Cyclops 2, was not going to be ready by the planned departure date, according to the lawsuit filed in Orange County.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush had been accused of defrauding Florida couple Marc and Sharon Hagle

The court filing states that the Hagles wanted to pull out of the expedition, and requested a refund of their $20,000 deposits.

They claim that Mr Rush visited them at their Florida home in September 2017 to convince them the trip would be going ahead as planned.

Mr Rush described what could be expected during the adventure, they claimed.

In January 2018, the couple alleged they were forced to pay the full deposit of $210,258 to secure two berths on the Titan.

Expeditions were then repeatedly cancelled, and when they requested a refund in 2019 were told they had to agree to go on a Titan dive in 2021.

They further alleged that OceanGate had failed to hold their deposit in a separate escrow account.

The Titan vanished without a trace around 100 minutes into a 4,000m dive to the Titanics wreck on Sunday 18 June.

A debris field was detected by a remotely operated vehicle on Thursday, and the US Coast Guard later revealed the vessel suffered a catastrophic implosion, killing all five aboard, soon after it submerged.

A US Navy acoustics system detected an explosion near to the Titanic wreck on Sunday, but aircraft, ships and underwater drones continued to search for the vessel for another four days.

Rush died along with Pakistani father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, British billionaire Hamish Harding and prominent French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet.
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The search for what remains of the Titan submersible and its passengers concluded this week, as human remains were found on the sea floor and debris from the vessel returned to dry land in Canada.

Large pieces of wreckage from the Titan was seen being transported to St Johns harbour in Newfoundland on Wednesday by the Horizon Arctic ship, where they were unloaded by a crane.

The Coast Guard announced just hours later that presumed human remains had been found on the sea floor. They will now be formally analysed.

While the search has ended, investigations will continue for some time into what caused the catastrophic implosion of the sub, killing all five passengers on board.

The resting place of the Titanic lies about 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at a depth of around 12,500ft below the surface, with trips to visit it typically involving a two-hour descent.

Particular details about the Titan, a cramped metal cylinder accommodating four passengers and a pilot, emerged soon after it first went missing.

Measuring 22ft long by 9.2ft across and 8.3ft high, the sub consists of an aerospace-grade carbon fibre hull with titanium hemispheres at each end, as well as a fibreglass hull insert to shield the passengers and electronics from condensation.

The Titan making its descent (PA)

A real-time monitoring system provides a running analysis of the impact changing pressure is having on the hull as the craft descends deeper and deeper into the ocean in the interests of safety.

The vessel weighs 10,432kg in total and can travel at a maximum speed of three knots, made possible by Four Innerspace 1002 electric thrusters.

The tourists and scientists who typically ride in it are able to look out via a large viewport window, their perspective enhanced by Sub C Imaging 4k Rayfin exterior cameras that capture the surrounding marine environment in a live feed that is displayed on a large digital display.

The Titan vessel has gone missing with five people on board (PA)

There is little by way of comfort inside but there is a toilet, although privacy is limited because it is situated right next to the viewing window.

Most astonishingly, the craft is controlled by a generic video games controller  specifically a Logitech F710 Wireless PC Gamepad from 2011, according to gaming expert Matthew Ruddle  and, rather than using a GPS for navigation, it communicates with a tracking team aboard a surface ship, in this case the Polar Prince, via text messages.

A clip of a CBS Sunday Morning featurette about the sub from November 2022 that has gone viral in light of this weeks disaster shows OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who was aboard the vessel that imploded after vanishing on Sunday, cheerily pointing out handles affixed to the ceiling of the craft that he says he bought from Camper World but denying that the vessel has been MacGyvered or jerry-rigged.

Theres no switches and things to bump into, we have one button to turn it on, Mr Rush explained to reporter David Pogue.

An interior view of the submersible used to tour the wreck of HMS Titanic (PA)

Everything else is done with touch screens and computers, and so you really become part of the vehicle and everybody gets to know everyone pretty well.

The Titan was reportedly built with the help of a team of engineering consultants from Nasas Marshall Space Flight Center, who offered guidance during the development stage.

Speaking to GB News, David Scott-Beddard, chair of the British Titanic Society, outlined how unique the proposition offered by the company is, explaining: The OceanGate Titan, this particular submersible, is the only one currently capable in commercial use that can take passengers down to the wreck... Its one of only five submersibles that can reach this depth.

Titan prepares to launch from its submersion platform on a test run (OceanGate/YouTube)

Similarly, G Michael Harris, a specialist Titanic expedition leader who said he has previously worked with the pilot of the stricken Titan, told Jesse Waters on Fox News: More people have been to outer space than to this depth of the ocean and when youre diving in these situations you have to cross your Ts, dot your Is, you have to have everything absolutely perfect and by the book... Throw in a bunch of tourists and a new sub that was created over the last several years its not looking good.

As to the experience of being a passenger on the Titan, New Yorker Mike Reiss, who said he had made three dives in it, told BBC Breakfast that the sub is a beautifully designed craft, I cant disparage it, but its meant to go down further than any other vessels can go... If its down at the bottom, I dont know how anyones going to be able to access it, much less bring it back up.

He continued: The phrase we keep hearing is theyve lost communication and Ive gotta say I did three separate dives, I did one dive to the Titanic and two more off the coast of New York and every time they lost communication.

The Titan on dry land (PA)

And, again, this is not to say this is a shoddy ship or anything. Its just, this is all new technology and theyre learning it as they go along.

You have to remember the early days of the space programme or the early days of aviation where you just make a lot of mistakes on the way to figuring out what youre doing.

OceanGate Expeditions founder and CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman were on board the Titan. All five passengers died in the implosion.
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The man replacing a coveted prime-time cable television slot once occupied by right-wing figurehead Tucker Carlson is a longtime Fox News presence who honed his reputation on the network with brash man-on-the-street interviews and derisive commentary attacking Democratic officials and his liberal rivals.

Jesse Watters has been with the network for more than two decades, wearing the influence of a generation of Fox News stars and right-wing radio figures that preceded him.

The changeup follows Carlsons departure from the network in the aftermath of a pair of lawsuits and a $787.5m settlement reached with a voting machine company that sued Fox and its leadership for defamation.

A rotating lineup of hosts filled the 8pm hour in the weeks that followed. Watters  who helmed the previous hour  will permanently fill that later slot in the networks schedule with his Jesse Watters Primetime.

Unlike Carlson, he lacks a well-defined ideological agenda, apart from looking for ways to own the libs on whatever the news of the day is, according to MSNBC columnist Paul Waldman.

There may be plenty of Fox viewers who will happily tune in to that for an hour each night. But Watters is effectively an internet troll who happens to be on TV, he wrote. If you want a detailed breakdown of the latest right-wing obsession, hes not the one youd seek out; if on the other hand you merely want someone to smirk while delivering a zinger about Hunter Biden, Watters is your man.

Like Carlson, Watters comes from a prominent media family and is a product of exclusive East Coast private schooling.

But unlike Carlson, who arrived at Fox after on-air roles at competing networks MSNBC and CNN, Watters is something of a Fox company man, moving up in the ranks over more than 20 years while adopting the hostile posture and talking points of some of its biggest stars, with a self-satisfied grin.

Watters ascribes his political awakening to watching Republican members of Congress on C-SPAN. From there, he devoutly listened to right-wing radio and pundits like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, whose influence is seared into his provocative personality.

Fox News personalities, from left, Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity and Greg Gutfeld will helm the networks primetime lineup. (AP)

By 2011, Watters helmed his own recurring segment on Bill OReillys The OReilly Factor.

His Watters World reports would rely on man-on-the-street interviews, quick edits and frequent cutaways to movie clips to ridicule frequent right-wing targets, from college campus culture to people experiencing homelessness.

Those reports and his other statements on the network over the years have drawn widespread criticism and accusations of sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and election denialism, including incendiary statements aired days before the attack on the US Capitol.

In one of his segments in 2015, Watters interviewed homeless New Yorkers at Penn Station to accuse them of breaking the law. He would go on to declare homeless people an invasive species on his own programme in 2022.

A 2016 Watters World segment from Manhattans Chinatown was widely derided as a racist and stereotype-driven production that prompted a rare response from Watters. My man-on-the-street interviews are meant to be taken as tongue-in-cheek and I regret if anyone found offense, he said.

That same year, it was revealed that he was accused of stalking and harassing journalist Amanda Terkel seven years earlier, an incident that led to an altercation between Watters and another journalist at an afterparty following a White House Correspondents Association dinner. I was at this party trying to enjoy myself. This guy came up to me. He starts putting it in my face, Watters later said. I was friendly at first, and then he started getting a little obnoxious. Things happened, and I regret it happened, and thats all it is.

On The Five, the networks roundtable talk show on which Watters has been a longtime co-host, he claimed without evidence in 2019 that women reporters sleep with sources all the time in an apparent reference to the portrayal of a journalist in the film Richard Jewell.

In 2021, Watters encouraged the audience at a conservative political conference to ambush Dr Anthony Fauci and deliver a figurative kill shot against the nations leading infectious disease expert. Fauci, then the chief White House medical adviser, called on Fox to fire Watters. The network defended him in a statement and promoted him a few weeks later.

He also has repeatedly defended Mr Trump, including a warning that people better be careful and that the left doesnt understand what theyre getting themselves into following news of the former presidents criminal indictment in New York City.

The Independent requested comment from Fox regarding Watters statements. A spokesperson for the network provided a network statement announcing the lineup changes.

FOX News Channel has been Americas destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years and we are thrilled to debut a new lineup. The unique perspectives of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld will ensure our viewers have access to unrivaled coverage from our best-in-class team for years to come, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in the statement.

Right-wing media watchdog group Media Matters has chronicled Watters controversial on-air statements throughout his time at the network.

Crowning odious Jesse Watters as the new face of Fox News is a reflection of Foxs dogged commitment to bigotry and deceit as well as an indication of their desperation to regain audience share, Media Matters president Angelo Carusone said in a statement.

It wont work, though. Foxs audience abandoned the network post-Tucker, and those viewers never returned, he added. Jesse Watters buffoonish segments of bigotry and culture war vitriol wont fix that problem for Fox; hes a liability and a ticking time bomb.
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The company that operated the doomed submersible that imploded in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean is still advertising expeditions to the Titanic wreckage on its website.

Reports emerged last week that OceanGate Expeditions closed its doors indefinitely after its CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diving expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old Suleman died when the companys Titan sub imploded while on a tour to the Titanics wreck.

But more than 10 days after the tragedy - and a week after it was confirmed, the OceanGate website still features available dates for two separate eight-day expeditions next year.

One pilot, one content expert and three mission specialists  or passengers without any previous experience needed who pay $250,000 participate in every dive. OceanGate not only hosted tours to the famed shipwreck, but also to the Azores Archipelago in Portugal and to the Bahamas.

Expeditions to the Titanic began in Newfoundland, Canada, where a ship set sail from St Johns port on a 400-nautical-mile journey to the wreck site. The doomed expedition last week was on its third day when the Titan was launched onto the sea and lost contact with its mothership just one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.

The companys future is now uncertain, as industry experts have told the New York Post that all planned expeditions to the Titanic have been called off.

The Explorers Club said it knows of no plans still in place for scientific exploratory trips to the Titanics wreck 12,500 feet below the oceans surface. Commercial expeditions have also been reportedly grounded. The Independent has reached out to OceanGate for comment.

The company previously faced backlash over a since-deleted job advert for a sub pilot position.

The post, which was featured on Indeed and OceanGates website, remained visible four days into the frantic search for the missing passengers. It was removed sometime on 23 June, a day after the US Coast Guard announced that debris from the Titan had been found 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.

Large pieces of debris from Titan were transported to St Johns harbour on Wednesday by the Horizon Arctic ship, where they were seen being unloaded by a crane. The Coast Guard announced just hours later that medical professionals will formally analyse presumed human remains found on the debris.

Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic (The Canadian Press via AP)

(The Canadian Press via AP)

Speaking after the evidence was recovered, the Marine Board of Investigations (MBI) chairman, Captain Jason Neubauer, said: I am grateful for the coordinated international and inter-agency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths.

The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy.

There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

The USCG said the MBI intends to transport the evidence to a port in the US where they will be able to facilitate further analysis and testing.

The MBI will continue evidence collection and witness interviews to inform a public hearing about the incident, the USCG added.

This photo provided by OceanGate Expeditions shows a submersible vessel named Titan used to visit the wreckage site of the Titanic (AP)

Safety investigators from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada made inquiries on Titans main support ship, the Polar Prince, after it docked in St Johns harbour on Saturday. The TSB said it has inspected, documented, and catalogued the materials from the debris of Titan for its safety investigation.

The safety body said its investigation team has taken possession of the deep-sea vessels voyage data recorder, which has been sent to its engineering laboratory in Ottawa for further analysis.

The TSB said it will continue to cooperate with the US, UK, and France in accordance with international agreements, as they are substantially interested states under the International Maritime Organisation Casualty Investigation Code.
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The Supreme Court ruled that private and public colleges and universities may not consider race as a factor in admissions, striking down the precedent set in the landmark case Grutter v Bollinger (2003).

For more than 20 years, colleges and universities have used affirmative action to help establish a diverse group of accepted students, which contributes to a more positive education experience.

But now, higher education institutions will no longer be allowed to consider race as a factor in admissions. Instead, students who wish to have their race or culture considered in their application will have to volunteer the information in their personal essay.

The new ruling is a result of the consolidated cases Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College.

In a 6-3 decision, the conservative majority of the Court ruled in favor of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) in the case concerning the University of North Carolina.

The same majority sided with SFFA in the case against Harvard, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson reclusing herself due to her ties to Harvard.

The case

The ruling was based on a pair of cases brought forth by the anti-affirmative action organisation SFFA, which is headed by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum.

Since its founding in 2014, SFFA has filed over 20,000 lawsuits on behalf of students and their parents who claim students did not get accepted to a selective university due to their race.

In Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College, Mr Blum represented a group of anonymous Asian American students who were rejected from Harvard College and claim it was because of their race.

Though Harvard is a private university, it receives federal funding making it subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination.

The students argued that Harvard places a quota on the number of Asian American students it accepts every year thus participating in racial discrimination. Harvard denies this.

In Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina, Mr Blum represented white and Asian American students rejected from the Univeristy of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill who alleged that UNC prioritised race in applications and awarded under-represented minority students.

SFFA claims UNC, a publicly-funded university, violated the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Protestors in favor of affirmative action protest in front of the Supreme Court during oral arguments (Getty Images)

The case drew commentary and criticism from people from both parties.

Concurring opinions

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment applies without regard to any difference of race, of color, or of nationality and therefore must apply to every person.

Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it, Justice Roberts wrote.

For [t]he guarantee of equal protection cannot mean one thing when applied to one individual and something else when applied to a person of another color.

Both programmes lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programmes to work in that way, and we will not do so today, Justice Roberts wrote.

Supreme Court Justices (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

While the ruling says race may not be a conscious factor in admissions, it does not prevent universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected their life so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas gave a lengthy history of race-based admissions citing specific statistics from universities that indicate race-conscious admissions take away from a students individual value.

Justice Thomas expressed optimism that a student of color can show their capabilities and accomplishments without using race as a factor.

While I am painfully aware of the social and economic ravages which have befallen my race and all who suffer discrimination, I hold out enduring hope that this country will live up to its principles so clearly enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States: that all men are created equal, are equal citizens, and must be treated equally before the law, Justice Thomas wrote.

For many years, Justice Thomas has spoken out against affirmative action, though there has been some debate as to whether he benefitted from it when he attended Yale Law School in 1971.

Justice Thomas claimed that being accepted to the school due to his race made him insecure in his technical abilities as a lawyer.

Dissenting opinions

More than 60 individuals and organisations filed briefs in support of Harvard College and North Carolina University, emphasising the detrimental effects that ruling in favor of Students for Fair Admissions would have.

Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, responded to the ruling saying: Let me be clear - affirmative action exists because we cannot rely on colleges, universities, and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sotomayor criticsed the decision writing: Ignoring race will not equalise a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.

Today, the Court concludes that indifference to race is the only constitutionally permissible means to achieve racial equality in college admissions. That interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is not only contrary to precedent and the entire teachings of our history  but is also grounded in the illusion that racial inequality was a problem of a different generation.

She added: Entrenched racial inequality remains a reality today.

In a strong dissenting opinion, Justice Jackson countered much of the argument Justice Thomas laid out.

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colourblindness for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life, Justice Jackson wrote.

It would be deeply unfortunate if the Equal Protection Clause actually demanded this perverse, ahistorical, and counterproductive outcome. To impose this result in that Clauses name when it requires no such thing, and to thereby obstruct our collective progress toward the full realisation of the Clauses promise, is truly a tragedy for all of us.

The ruling will likely have repercussions beyond higher education institutions, extending to elementary, middle and high schools as well as workplaces and more as it opens a door for challenges to racial diversity programs.
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The US Coast Guard has recovered presumed human remains from the sea floor near the debris of the doomed Titanic sub and will now carry out a formal analysis of it.

The announcement was made hours after large pieces of the submersible Titan, which was destroyed in a catastrophic implosion near the wreck of the famed liner, were lowered onto a Canadian pier after being salvaged from the depths of the Atlantic.

The remains will be transferred from St Johns, Newfoundland to a US port on a Coast Guard cutter for further analysis by medical experts.

Debris from Titan sub unloaded in Newfoundland, Canada

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, renowned French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman were aboard the Titan when it imploded last week.

The submersible lost contact with its mothership Polar Prince just one hour and 45 minutes into its 13,000ft descent to the wreck of the Titanic on 18 June, sparking a desperate four-day search.

Search and rescue teams using a deep water ROV finally found debris from the Titan around 1,600ft from the bow of the Titanic, and have been working to bring them to the surface ever since.

Coast Guard officials had said that the bodies of the victims may never be recovered because of the unforgiving condition on the ocean floor, but that the salvage operation was taking all necessary steps to ensure that any remains found would be recovered.

After consultation with international partner investigative agencies, the Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) intends to transport the evidence aboard a US Coast Guard cutter to a port in the United States where the MBI will be able to facilitate further analysis and testing, the Coast Guard said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

US Coast Guard ship arrives in the harbor of St Johns, Newfoundland (AP)

United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident.

The Coast Guards leading investigator welcomed the recovery of the remains.

I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths, stated Marine Board of Investigation chair Captain Jason Neubauer.

The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

Titan was made of carbon fibre and titanium, weighed 23,000 pounds, and had room for five adults, according to OceanGate.

Pelagic Research Services, the company that operated the ROV that made the previous debris findings, said on Wednesday that its team had successfully completed off-shore operations and was now in the process of demobilisation after 10 days of work.

The Coast Guard said last week that the US Navy had detected sounds that matched an implosion or explosion sometime after the sub vanished and before rescue efforts were launched. Rescue efforts continued at the time because the information was not definitive, the Coast Guard said.
 Close Titan submersible wreckage brought ashore after fatal implosion

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OceanGate Expeditions, the company that launched the doomed Titan submersible trip to the wreckage of the Titanic, has ceased operations.

A small message in the top-left corner of OceanGates website reads: OceanGate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations.

The announcement comes a full two weeks after the submersible imploded while carrying five people, sparking an international search, rescue and recovery operation.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Suleman Dawood all died in the implosion.

The company has come under scrutiny in the weeks following the tragic accident as former employees, former passengers and experts in the industry have criticised OceanGate for embarking on a potentially dangerous trip in the questionably designed submersible.

OceanGates decision to cease operations comes just after the companys former finance director claimed she quit after CEO Stockton Rush asked her to captain the Titan once he fired the crafts original chief pilot David Lochridge.
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Voice recordings and other data will be reviewed as part of a US Coast Guard-appointed expert boards probe into the catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible last week.

American and Canadian marine authorities have announced investigations into the circumstances that led to the vessels malfunction after its chambers were found in a sea of debris 1,600ft from the wreck of the Titanic.

US Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer, who is chairing the investigation, said during a press conference on Sunday that he has summoned a Marine Board of Investigation, the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard. The boards role is to determine the cause of the tragedy in order to pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary.

Voice recordings between the Titan and its mothership Polar Prince will be reviewed by investigators. The motherships crew is also being interviewed by different agencies.

Investigators with the Coast Guard have mapped the accident site and salvage operations are expected to continue, Cpt Jason Neubauer said. Once the investigation is wrapped  a timeline has not been laid out  a report with evidence, conclusions and recommendations will be released.

Im not getting into the details of the recovery operations but we are taking all precautions on site if we are to encounter any human remains, Cpt Neubauer told reporters. At this time a priority of the investigation is to recover items from the sea floor.

Coast Guard investigators are working along with the US National Transportation Safety Board, as well as the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the French Marine Casualties Investigation Board and the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) boarded the Polar Prince over the weekend to conduct interviews after the vessel returned to its port in St Johns in Newfoundland with its flags at half-mast. The TSB said the of investigators had been deployed to St Johns to gather information, conduct interviews and assess the occurrence.

Capt. Jason Neubauer, chief investigator, US Coast, right, speaks with the media along with US.Coast Guard Rear Adm. John MaUGER (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The TSBs chair, Kathy Fox, said that the crew was interviewed to collect information from the vessels voyage data recorder and other vessel systems that contain useful information, according to CNN.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Coast Guard said one of its vessels would remain on the scene and would provide assistance and support to the recovery and salvage operations as requested by Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Boston.

Several safety concerns about the Titan have emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy. A lawsuit filed by a former OceanGate employee in 2018 and obtained by The New Republic listed visible flaws with the vessel that were reportedly ignored by senior management.

Submarine experts had also signed a letter expressing unanimous concern with the companys decision not to seek outside evaluation and testing before bringing passengers down to the Titanic. The Independent has contacted OceanGate for comment on the allegations.

Crew members of the Polar Prince prepare to dock the ship as it arrives at the Coast Guard wharf in on Saturday, June 24, 2023 in St. John's, Newfoundland (AP)

Officials from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada board the Polar Prince, the main support ship for the Titan submersible (PA)

A 2019 post on OceanGates website stated that the Titan was not classed by major marine operations because those certifications do not ensure that operators adhere to proper operating procedures and decision-making processes  two areas that are much more important for mitigating risks at sea, according to CNN.

The company has not publicly addressed those allegations but it issued a statement mourning the deaths of the five passengers.

On board the watercraft were OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Suleman Dawood.

These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the worlds oceans, the release read.

Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.
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The CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, said the beer should be about bringing people together after it faced months of backlash following its brief partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

In an appearance Wednesday on the programme CBS This Morning, CEO Brendan Whitworth said the company has become entangled in divisive conversations it should not be a part of.

I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive, Mr Whitworth said. And Bud Light really doesnt belong there. Bud Light should be all about bringing people together.

At the moment, that is not whats happening. Bud Light last month lost its spot at the top of the beer sales charts to Modelo as some conservative customers continue to boycott the beer following the advertisements featuring Ms Mulvaney.

Mr Whitworth declined to answer directly when asked whether the campaign featuring Ms Mulvaney was a mistake.

Theres a big social conversation taking place right now, and big brands are right in the middle of it and its not just our industry or Bud Light, Mr Whitworth said. Its happening in retail, happening in fast food. And so for us what we need to understand  deeply understand and appreciate  is the consumer and what they want, what they care about, and what they expect from big brands.

Despite being given ample opportunity to do so, Mr Whitworth did not directly defend the corporations decision to partner with a trans influencer or to support the trans community more broadly at a time when that community is facing a barrage of legislation targeting its rights in states across the country.

Bud Light has supported LGBTQ since 1998, so thats 25 years, Mr Whitworth said. And as weve said from the beginning, well continue to support the communities and organisations weve supported for decades. But as we move forward, we want to focus on what we do best: which is brewing great beer for everyone.

The controversy over corporations politics is not limited to Bud Light. Disney, Target, Nike and a number of other brands have also been the target of the rights ire in recent years for taking stances on social issues at odds with conservatives.

Target recently announced its decision to remove some Pride month merchandise from its stores after facing criticism from conservatives for its relative support of the LGBTQ+ community. The Starbucks Workers Union, meanwhile, accused Starbucks of restricting Pride decorations from certain stores.
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NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be key figures at Thursday's European Union summit, underscoring the importance the 27 EU leaders attach to protecting their eastern flank from Russian aggression and beefing up Ukraines defense capabilities.

Zelenskyy is set to address the gathering by video link and Stoltenberg will have an early lunch at the spring summit for leaders. But the biggest seat will be set aside for an item that is not officially on the agenda: the fallout from the stunning weekend mutiny in Russia.

It will be the elephant in the room, said a high-level EU diplomat who asked not to be identified because the summit still had to open.

Officials from several member states and EU institutions said the chaos and instability created by the rebellion would not only force the EU to double down on its support for Ukraine with commitments for more ammunition but also intensify efforts to make sure fighting and violence does not spill over into the bloc itself.

There is no room for hesitation," said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. We must continue to increase the price of Russian aggression.

Within the EU, some are saying that the effects reach right into the Kremlin.

In any case, they will certainly have a long-lasting impact in Russia, German Chancellor Olof Scholz told the broadcaster ARD. I do believe that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) has been weakened."

Scholz was saying aloud what many EU leaders have been hoping. And they see the increasing impact of 11 sets of sanctions that the EU has imposed in conjunction with the United States as key.

Most EU nations are also members of NATO, and at the July 11-12 alliance summit they will look to give Ukraine more security guarantees, if stopping short of full NATO membership. That approach for more support is expected to be fully endorsed by the time the two-day summit ends.

EU nations have also been providing billions in aid both to beef up military supplies and to make sure Ukraine's economy stays afloat. The EU summit will also look more closely to what extent Russia's frozen assets from the central bank, estimated at some 200 billion euros, can be used for that.

Several countries fear the legal ground for that is still too shaky and the European Central Bank has warned that confiscating those assets or the profits on them could pose a serious risk to the reputation of the euro. Officials said that some countries want to impose an additional windfall levy on the money to use for Ukraines reconstruction.

___

AP reporter Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this story.
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The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has released evidence that casts significant doubt on GOP claims that the FBI ignored evidence that President Joe Biden accepted a bribe from a Ukrainian energy mogul during his time as vice president.

In a letter to House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin reminded his GOP counterpart that Congress has had evidence that directly contradicts the allegations levied against Mr Biden in an FBI form which Republicans have claimed to be proof of alleged corruption on the part of the president.

As part of the impeachment inquiry against then-President Trump, Congress learned that ... the Ukrainian oligarch and the owner of Burisma, whom Republican Committee Members appear to have identified as the source of the allegations memorialized in the Form FD-1023, squarely rebutted these allegations in 2019, Mr Raskin said.

The Republican accusations against Mr Biden have largely been based around similar claims floated nearly four years ago by Rudolph Giuliani, the disgraced former New York City mayor who in 2019 traveled to Ukraine to help then-president Donald Trump dig up dirt on Mr Biden, who was then preparing to launch his candidacy in the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Giuliani and his allies met with FBI officials to accuse Mr Biden of having accepted millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for pushing Ukraines then-president, Petro Poroshenko, to fire his countrys top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, in the waning months of the Obama administration.

Mr Shokin later claimed that this was the reason he was fired, and Republicans  most notoriously Mr Giuliani  have said Mr Bidens work urging Mr Poroshenko to sack Mr Shokin was a personal errand, even though Mr Biden was expressing the wishes of the US government, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and other Western entities when he communicated the Obama administrations demand that Mr Shokin be shown the door.

An FBI informant, who The Independent previously identified as most likely being Mr Giuliani, alleged that Mykola Zlochevsky, the founder of Burisma  the Ukrainian energy firm which employed Mr Bidens son Hunter as a board member  paid the then-vice president $5m to push for Mr Shokins firing.

But according to a transcript of an interview with Mr Zlochevsky which Giuliani associate Lev Parnas provided to Congress during the first impeachment of Mr Trump, the Burisma founder said years ago that his company never had any contact with the elder Mr Biden.

In his letter, Mr Raskin wrote that the Ukrainian executive explicitly and unequivocally denied the allegations of bribery. He said Mr Zlochevsky also denied (1) that anyone at Burisma had any contacts with then former Vice President Biden or his representatives while Hunter Biden served on the Burisma board, and (2) that former Vice President Biden or his staff in any way assisted Mr. Zlochevsky or Burisma.

Mr Raskin added that the full factual context surrounding the [FBI form] including Mr. Zlochevskys statements contradicting the reported information  is crucial to properly understanding these allegations.

In this case, that context includes not just repeated and failed efforts in 2019 and 2020 by Mr. Giuliani, Senate Republicans, and Trumps Justice Department to find support for these allegations, but also clear evidence that then-Vice President Bidens actions carried out the policy of the United States, its allies, and its international partners to combat corruption in Ukraine, he said.
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Former President Donald Trump's criminal indictment on charges of mishandling government secrets appears to have dented his popularity among Republicans  but only slightly - according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Sixty percent of Republicans now have a favorable view of Trump, down slightly from April, when 68% of Republicans said they had a favorable view of the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner. The poll found 38% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, an uptick from 30% in April.

The dip suggests some Republicans could be growing weary of Trump's never-ending legal drama after he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on federal criminal charges. Trump, who was also indicted on separate charges in New York this spring, pleaded not guilty this month to 37 felony counts accusing him of improperly storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, concealing them from investigators and refusing to turn them over when subpoenaed.

Overall, Americans are more likely to have an unfavorable view of Trump than a favorable one, 63% to 33%  similar to April. The poll was conducted June 22-26, after the full indictment became public and after Trump's not guilty plea.

The poll also finds that U.S. adults overall are slightly more likely than they were earlier in the year to believe the former president acted illegally in his handling of classified documents stashed at Mar-a-Lago. Just over half  53%  now say he broke the law, compared with 47% in the April AP-NORC poll. But most of that increase is attributable to Democrats.

An overwhelming majority of Democratic voters  84%  now say they think Trump broke the law in connection to the documents, compared with 75% who said so in April.

When it comes to Republicans, however, only about a quarter say Trump acted illegally in the Mar-a-Lago case, about the same as in April. An additional 29% said he acted unethically but did not do anything illegal, while 26% said they believe he did nothing wrong, with the rest saying they didn't know enough to say.

They include Patty Faber, a registered Republican who lives north of Phoenix and was dismissive of the charges.

Its a bunch of hooey, said Faber, 62, who runs an RV park. Should he have taken all that stuff home? No. But other presidents have also taken things home, she said, noting that President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence were also found to have classified documents in their possession  though neither has been accused of trying to conceal the documents from or lying to investigators.

Still, Faber, who has supported Trump in the past, said that while she would be ecstatic to see him return to the White House, she would much prefer the party nominate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently a distant second in the polls.

He has a better chance of winning the general election. Trump is carrying too much baggage now, she said.

Others' feelings were more complicated. Nancy Tobeck, 74, a Republican in Crossville, Tennessee, believes Trump may have potentially broken the law. But if he did, she said, I dont think it was deliberate.

Its a hard one because I think he might have done something wrong by not giving them all over. But I also understand that he had things in there. So its kind of half and half on that, she said. I do believe that it is politically motivated, though.

Tobeck, who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, said the indictment had not changed her feelings about Trump because she had already soured on the former president after he refused to accept the results of the 2020 election.

Still, the numbers make clear the challenges faced by Trump's GOP rivals, who have struggled to respond to charges that would, in any other era, spell a candidate's demise. While former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley called Trump's alleged actions reckless and Pence has said he can't defend the very serious allegations," the candidates have also criticized the Justice Department, reflecting GOP voters' deep skepticism of federal law enforcement.

In addition to the charges he faces in Florida, Trump was indicted in New York in March in connection to hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign to women who alleged sexual encounters with him. And he faces additional potential charges in other jurisdictions.

In Georgia, a prosecutor is investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election. And in Washington, special counsel Jack Smith continues to investigate Trump's election lies and their aftermath, including the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The poll finds half of U.S. adults believe Trump broke the law in his alleged attempt to interfere in Georgias vote count during the 2020 presidential election. Slightly fewer  45%  say his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection were unlawful.

Just 35% of U.S. adults say he acted illegally in allegedly covering up the hush money payments  a slight decrease from the 41% who said he had in April, just after the indictment in that case. In particular, 57% of Democrats now say Trump acted illegally in that case, down from 68% in April. Just 13% of Republicans say Trump acted illegally in that case, the same as in April.

Nearly all U.S. adults have read or heard at least a little about Trumps federal indictment, with Democrats being slightly more likely than Republicans to say they have heard a lot.

All that attention has proved a challenge for Trumps GOP rivals, who have been grappling with how to break into the spotlight.

Some voters are already sick of the drama.

Paul Schwartz, 38, a truck driver from Pocatello, Idaho, identifies as an independent but voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 because he saw him as the better of bad options.

While he says hes no fan of Trump  Ive always disdained the man," he said  Schwartz sees the indictment as nothing but a witch hunt" and mudslinging that has no point."

I believe people are trying to swing opinions on things that are completely irrelevant to how someone governs the country," he said, arguing that what matters are candidates positions on issues like abortion and immigration.

Plus, he said: We know these are detestable human beings. Theyre politicians. Thats a job requirement."

___

The poll of 1,220 adults was conducted June 22-26 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
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Former President Donald Trump celebrated the Supreme Courts decision to reject affirmative action programmes at US colleges and universities on Wednesday morning, calling it a a great day for America.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said that the ruling was amazing.

This is a great day for America, Mr Trump wrote. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world.

Mr Trump continued in his post to say that he supports an all merit-based college admissions process.

Our greatest minds must be cherished and thats what this wonderful day has brought, Mr Trump wrote. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

The Supreme Courts ruling against race-conscious admissions programmes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina was one of the most highly anticipated of the year, and it broke along ideological lines in the latter case with the courts six conservatives voting to ban the practice and its three liberals voting to keep it. The vote was the same in the Harvard case, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recusing herself.

US colleges and universities have been allowed to use race as a factor in their admissions processes for decades, with many arguing that the ability to consider race when evaluating applicants and constructing classes is valuable and necessary in a multiracial society with a history of virulent white supremacy.

Mr Trump, at one point in his life, agreed. In an interview with Chuck Todd during his first campaign for president in 2015, the former president stated that he had no opposition to affirmative action programmes.

Im fine with affirmative action, Mr Trump said then. You have to also go free market, you have to go capability, you have to do a lot of things, but Im fine with affirmative action. Weve lived with it for a long time, and Ive lived with it for a long time. And Ive had great relationships with lots of people, so Im fine with it.

Gov Ron DeSantis campaign attacked Mr Trump for his prior affirmative action position in the aftermath of the Supreme Courts decision, captioning a clip of Mr Trumps interview with Todd with the words Sad day for affirmative-action advocates.

President Joe Biden, meanwhile, decried the Courts decision  saying Wednesday that this is not a normal court. The Court is expected to hand down its decision on Mr Bidens student loan forgiveness programme tomorrow morning.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams accused a white woman of speaking to him like he was on a plantation after being asked a question about his housing politics in an appearance at a town hall event in Washington Heights.

Mr Adams was seated along with a number of other officials at a table in the front of a gymnasium when a woman got up to ask him about rent increases at rent-stabilised apartments that are set to affect millions of New Yorkers.

Why in New York City, where real estate is controlling you, Mr Mayor, why are we having these horrible rent increases this year and last year? the woman asked.

Mr Adams approach to the direct question was to focus not on the substance of the womans question, but rather the style in which she asked it.

Ok first, if youre going to ask a question, dont point at me and dont be disrespectful to me, Mr Adams replied. Im the mayor of this city. And treat me with the respect I deserve to be treated. Im speaking to you as an adult  dont stand in front like you treating someone thats on the plantation that you own. Give me the respect you deserve and engage in the conversation.

Some members of the audience applauded Mr Adams response.

Up in here in Washington Heights, treat me with the same level of respect I treat you, Mr Adams continued. So dont be pointing at me, dont be disrespectful to me  speak with me as an adult, because Im a grown man. I walked into this room as a grown man, and Im going to walk out of this room a grown man. I answered your question.

A number of observers criticised Mr Adams for using racial identity politics to apparently try to insulate himself from a legitimate question about his policie.

Mr Adams, who won a closely-contested race to follow Bill de Blasio as mayor in 2021, has sharply divided opinion during his first term in office. Hes routinely criticised by progressives for his pro-corporate, pro-police policies, and his approval rating has dropped over the last year.

Last week, Mr Adams vetoed a package of housing bills passed by the New York City Council  angering housing activists and a number of fellow Democrats. New York City is currently one of the least affordable cities in the United States for working people.
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A January 6 fugitive had two guns and 400 rounds of ammunition in his van when he was arrested close to the home of former President Barack Obama this week, federal authorities said.

Taylor Taranto, 37, was arrested on Thursday outside the Obamas Washington DC home hours after he shared a social media post from former president Donald Trump which revealed his predecessors address.

Taranto was arrested on charges stemming from his activities during the Capitol riot two years ago. Law enforcement also discovered materials for a Molotov cocktail in his vehicle.

The matter is being reviewed by the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Mr Taranto was detained by the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department and federal law enforcement, and charged with being a fugitive from justice.

Arresting officers requested MPDs Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team to perform a vehicle sweep of the individuals van near the location of the arrest, MPD said in a statement, according to CNN. There is no active threat to the community and this incident remains under investigation.

Mr Taranto reposted a Truth Social post by Mr Trump which included an article containing the address of the Obamas as well as a number of other Democrats. Mr Taranto added his own comment: Got them surrounded!

The 2017 article shared by Mr Trump was a piece in The Phyllis Schlafly Report, named after the conservative activist who passed away in 2016. It included the home address of the Obamas.

In a live stream, Mr Taranto told his audience that he also had a detonator, according to Mediaite.

The shocking scene played out in the wealthy neighbourhood of Kalorama on Thursday. Mr Taranto was chased by police and Secret Service while he ran towards the home of the Obamas and warned authorities that he had an explosive device.

CBS News reported that he fled after being spotted by Secret Service, who had apparently been alerted to his intentions after Mr Taranto made threats during recent live streams on social media.

Mr Taranto had an active arrest warrant related to the attack on the Capitol when he was captured near the former presidents home, according to CBS.

DC police confirmed to The Independent that Mr Taranto had been charged with being a fugitive from justice pursuant to another arrest warrant and that officers had conducted an explosives sweep of his vehicle.

This afternoon, MPD and our federal law enforcement partners arrested 37-year-old Taylor Taranto, of no fixed address, in the 2400 block of Kalorama Road, Northwest. He has been charged with Fugitive from Justice, pursuant to an arrest warrant. Arresting officers requested MPDs Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team to perform a vehicle sweep of the individuals van near the location of the arrest. There is no active threat to the community and this incident remains under investigation, wrote an MPD spokesperson.

It wasnt immediately clear if Mr Obama or any members of his family were home at the time of the incident.

The former president was in DC earlier this week for lunch with his former VP, incumbent President Joe Biden, as the latter begins the long work of running for re-election.
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An attempt by Fox News Jesse Watters to mock President Joe Biden for mixing up Iraq and Ukraine went comically awry when the host managed to confuse so countries himself.

Watters, a longtime Fox News anchor who was recently announced as Tucker Carlsons replacement on the network, was discussing two recent gaffes by Mr Biden that saw the president say Iraq when he meant to say Ukraine.

Commenting on the internal uprising in Russia that left its president Vladimir Putin on the back foot over the weekend, Mr Biden said Mr Putin was clearly losing the war in Iraq and losing the war at home in the latest in a series of verbal blunders for the gaffe-prone president.

But Watters attempt to chide Mr Biden flopped when he commented that the president comes out and confusing Iraq with Afghanistan, adding: Fine, just dont send Iran $800bn, referencing the aid the US has sent Ukraine since Russia invaded at the beginning of 2022.

Despite Watters derision falling flat, Mr Bidens increasing repertoire of muddling up words and countries has not gone unnoticed  being widely reported in both right and left-wing media outlets, with clips of such gaffes viewed thousands of times on social media.

Joe Biden says Putin is 'losing the war in Iraq'

And with the 2024 election on the horizon, questions persist about the suitability of Mr Biden, who at 80 years old is the oldest sitting president in US history, followed by former President Donald Trump, to continue in the role for a second term.

However, the president himself has insisted his age is not an issue.

With regard to age, I cant even say how old I am, I cant even say the number. It doesnt register with me, Mr Biden recently said of his age potentially being an issue for voters.

I respect them taking a hard look at it  Id take a hard look at it, as well. I took a hard look at it before I decided to run, and I feel good. I feel excited about the prospects, he added.
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Former vice president Mike Pence visited with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine even as many Republicans sour on support for Ukraine, CNN reported.

The House of Representatives impeached Mr Pences former running-mate, former president Donald Trump, after Mr Trump asked Mr Zelensky, then newly elected to the presidency, to investigate Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election in exchange for sending military aid to Ukraine. The Senate later acquitted Mr Trump.

But Mr Pence visited three places in the nation as it continues to face an assault from Vladimir Putins Russia. The former vice president met with locals and laid a wreath at memorials for people killed in the war against Russia.

The American people are praying with you, supporting you in Ukraine, he reportedly told families in Irpin.

Samaritans Purse  a nonprofit run by Franklin Graham, the son of noted evangelist Billy Graham  organised the visit to Ukraine. Samaritans Purse also organised his visit to Ukraine in March 2022 shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Pences visit to Ukraine comes as the Republican Party increasingly opposes aiding the embattled nation. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said last year that the House GOP would not offer a blank check, and Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene has proposed legislation to audit all aid that went to Ukraine. In addition, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis said in a questionnaire to now-former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that supporting Ukraine was not in the United States interest and called the war a territorial dispute.

But earlier this year, Mr Pence gave a speech at American University stressing the need to support Ukraine.

Make no mistake: This is not Americas war, he said. But if we falter in our commitment to providing the support to the people of Ukraine to defend their freedom, our sons and daughters may soon be called upon to defend ours.
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President Joe Biden said he strongly, strongly disagrees with a Supreme Court decision to strike down the decades-long use of affirmative action in college admissions in a press conference on Thursday.

Discrimination still exists in America. Todays decision does not change that, Mr Biden said.

The courts conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, saying race can no longer be considered as a factor in university admissions.

The landmark ruling overturns generations of affirmative action, which began in the 1960s as a way to increase diversity after the hard-won success of the civil rights movement.

President Biden urged colleges not to let the ruling be the last word siding with dissenting Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that, for too long universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Justice Clarence Thomas  the nations second Black justice, who had long called for an end to affirmative action  wrote that the decision sees the universities admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.

However, Justice Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

I believe our colleges are stronger when theyre racially diverse. Our nation is stronger because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation. We cannot let this decision be the last word.

The rulings come from two consolidated cases, Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College.

Both were brought by anti-affirmative action organisation, Students for Fair Admissions, headed by conservative legal strategist Edward Blum.

While the court upheld such programmes in a decision nearly two decades ago, the newly-emboldened conservative majority swept away any legal justification for them in Thursdays opinions.

In a 6-3 and 6-2 decision, it claimed the use of race-conscious admissions was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Now, higher education institutions will no longer be allowed to consider race as a factor in admissions. Instead, students who wish to have their race or culture considered in their application will have to volunteer the information in their personal essay.

Asked about the courts decision to strike down a long-standing precedent, Mr Biden remarked: This is not a normal court.

Leaders from Harvard said in a letter that they would comply with the courts decision but emphasised that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.

Mr Biden said he will direct the Department of Education to find ways to improve diversity without using race as a conscious factor in admissions and recruiting.

The Harvard Black Students Association called the courts decision detrimental, adding that it poses a significant threat to the future of the Black community on and beyond our campus.

It is evident that the college application system cannot maintain holistic evaluation without taking into consideration how race profoundly influences our experiences, perspectives, and identities in multifaceted ways, it wrote.

Derrick Johnson, president and chief executive of the NAACP, said in a statement: In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a wilful ignorance of our reality.

Discussions around affirmative action have generated debate among Republicans and Democrats for years. Those in support of it believe it is necessary to create fair and equal opportunity for students of color because higher education institutions have failed at creating diverse student bodies.

Those against affirmative action believe it puts other students, such as white or Asian American students, at a disadvantage.

Donald Trump celebrated the ruling, saying it was the result everyone was waiting for in a post on Truth Social.

Were going back to all merit-based  and thats the way it should be! the former president wrote.

Mr Trump appointed three of the six conservative justices on the Court while president: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

His former vice president, Mike Pence, also expressed support for the courts decision, tweeting: I am honored to have played a role in appointing three of the Justices that ensured todays welcomed decision.

He added: There is no place for discrimination based on race in the United States, and I am pleased that the Supreme Court has put an end to this egregious violation of civil and constitutional rights in admissions processes, which only served to perpetuate racism.

The ruling could have repercussions beyond higher education institutions, extending to elementary, middle and high schools as well as workplaces and more as it opens a door for challenges to racial diversity programs.
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The Department of Justice is prepared to seek indictments against multiple figures in former president Donald Trumps orbit and may yet bring additional charges against the ex-president in the coming weeks, The Independent has learned.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the department has made preparations to bring what is known as a superseding indictment  a second set of charges against an already-indicted defendant that could include more serious crimes  against the ex-president in the Southern District of Florida.

But prosecutors may also choose to bring additional charges against Mr Trump in a different venue, depending on how they feel the case they have brought against him in is proceeding.

The Independent understands that prosecutors decision on whether to seek additional charges from a grand jury  and where to seek them  will depend in part on whether they feel the Trump-appointed district judge overseeing the case against him in the Southern District of Florida, Aileen Cannon, is giving undue deference to the twice-impeached, now twice-indicted former president.

The team of federal prosecutors working under Special Counsel Jack Smith is currently prepared to add an additional 30 to 45 charges in addition to the 37-count indictment brought against Mr Trump on 8 June, either in a superseding indictment in the same Florida court or in a different federal judicial district. In either case, they would do so using evidence against the ex-president that has not yet been publicly acknowledged by the department, including other recordings prosecutors have obtained which reveal Mr Trump making incriminating statements.

Additionally, it is understood that Mr Smiths team is ready to bring charges against several of the attorneys who have worked for Mr Trump, including those who aided the ex-president in his push to ignore the will of voters and remain in the White House despite having lost the 2020 election.

One of those figures is Mr Trumps erstwhile personal attorney, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mr Giuliani, whose law license was suspended in New York and Washington as a result of his allegedly making multiple false representations while seeking to help Mr Trump overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, reportedly participated in a voluntary interview with prosecutors working under the supervision of Mr Smith, the Justice Department special counsel whose office brought charges against Mr Trump earlier this month.

Rudy Giuliani reportedly gave a voluntary interview with prosecutors working with special counsel Jack Smith (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

It is further understood that Mr Giulianis cooperation with prosecutors was undertaken as part of what is known as a queen for a day deal, under which the ex-mayor can avoid indictment for anything he tells prosecutors about during the interview.

This will allow the disgraced former federal prosecutor to avoid some charges, but a source familiar with the matter has said Mr Smiths office will most definitely bring some charges against Mr Giuliani for his work on Mr Trumps behalf in the weeks between the November 2020 election and the 6 January 2021 attack on the Capitol.

The Independent has also learned that Mr Giulianis proffer session with prosecutors dealt mainly with Mr Trumps machinations during that time period as he sought to find a way to remain in the White House for a second term, even against the will of the voters whod handed Mr Biden the keys to the White House by way of majorities in key swing states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona.

In a statement to The Independent, Mr Giulianis political adviser Ted Goodman said the ex-Trump attorneys meeting with prosecutors was entirely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner but declined to elaborate further on the current status of Mr Giulianis dealings with the justice department.

There's nothing more to say on this matter, he added.

The ex-president and the ex-New York City mayor are also understood to be among the numerous targets in a state-level investigation in Georgia focusing on Mr Trumps efforts to pressure Peach State officials to unlawfully overturn Mr Bidens shock victory there.

That probe, which is being conducted by Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, is expected to result in multiple indictments which could be unveiled as early as next month. Ms Willis, who last year oversaw a special purpose grand jury probe into efforts by Mr Trump and his allies to reverse his loss to Mr Biden in Georgia, is reportedly considering indictments against the ex-president, his former attorney, top Republican figures in the state, as well as Mr Trumps final White House chief of staff, ex-North Carolina congressman Mark Meadows.

Trumps former chief of staff Mark Meadows (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Mr Meadows, who testified before the Georgia special grand jury last year, is also cooperating in the Justice Department probe into Mr Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Earlier this month, The Independent reported that Mr Meadows had given evidence before a Washington DC grand jury under Mr Smiths supervision as part of an agreement that would see him eventually plead guilty to lesser federal charges in exchange for his testimony against Mr Trump and other figures.

Recommended Chris Christie says McCarthy spoke correctly about Trump the first time

Although Mr Meadows attorney, George Terwilliger, previously vehemently denied that Mr Meadows had entered any pleas of guilty to any crimes in response to that previous report, it is understood that the ex-congressman has signed an agreement with the Department of Justice which memorialises his obligations to cooperate with any prosecution against Mr Trump or others in the ex-presidents orbit in exchange for consideration that will spare him considerable legal jeopardy.

Representatives for Mr Trump and Mr Meadows did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.
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Three investors in the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that took Trump Media public have been indicted for insider trading concerning the deal, making $22m in alleged illegal trades.

Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick were named in a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday (29 June) in Manhattan federal court.

All three were charged with trading in securities of Digital World Acquisition Corporation (DWAC) based on non-public information about the companys planned business combination with Trump Media & Technology Group  founded by former President Donald Trump  the parent company of social media platform Truth Social.

They were arrested on Thursday morning in Florida.

In 2021, the three investors were invited to invest in DWAC and another SPAC. After signing non-disclosure agreements, they were provided with confidential information, including the planned deal with Trump Media. They were prohibited from using this knowledge in the open market.

According to the indictment, after making initial investments into DWAC through the initial public offering process, Mr Garelick was given a seat on the board of directors, which gave him access to valuable non-public information about the planned merger. He provided these updates to his co-conspirators, calling it intelligence.

The defendants bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before the news of the Trump Media business combination was public. In addition to their own purchases, they also passed the information to their friends on a trip to Las Vegas, to Michael Shvartsmans neighbours, and to Gerald Shvartsmans employees at a furniture supply store.

After DWACs merger with Trump Media was announced publicly on 20 October 2021, the stock and warrant holdings significantly increased in value. The defendants and the individuals they tipped then sold their DWAC securities for a significant profit.

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Michael Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick have been charged with five counts of securities fraud under Title 15, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; Gerald Shvartsman has been charged with three counts.

All three defendants have also been charged with one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
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An implosion that killed five crew onboard the Titan submersible is now the focus of investigations by agencies from four countries.

The sub was destroyed less than two hours into a dive to the Titanic shipwreck on 18 June, claiming the lives of OceanGate Expeditions CEO Stockton Rush, father and son Shahzada and Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

Secret US Navy listening devices detected an anomaly near the Titanic shipwreck soon after the Titan departed from its support ship the Polar Prince, which is believed to be the moment sub suffered a catastrophic implosion of its carbon fibre hull.

Follow the latest updates on the missing Titanic submarine here

A desperate search for survivors continued for four days until a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) found a debris field that was later identified to be parts of the missing submersible. On 28 June, the US Coast Guard revealed that presumed human remains had been recovered from the sea floor near the debris.

Hopes had been raised when the US Coast Guard revealed that sonar devices had detected banging sounds coming from the search zone, a vast area of the North Atlantic Ocean twice the size of Connecticut.

The source of the banging sounds has not been identified, but experts have put forward several theories about their possible origin.

What were the banging noises?

On Tuesday 20 June, buoys detected tapping sounds coming from the search area, raising slim hopes that survivors could yet be found.

We dont know the source of that noise, but weve shared that information with Navy experts to classify it, US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger told CBS This Morning.

The sound was detected at 2am local time by a Canadian P-3 aircraft.

It first came every 30 minutes and was heard again four hours later, the internal government memo obtained by CNN states.

The noises were picked up again on Wednesday 21 June.

Officials admitted that the noises were inconclusive and were being analysed by Navy experts as the search and rescue operation was still in full swing.

With respect to the noises specifically, we dont know what they are, to be frank with you, Captain Jamie Frederick of the First Coast Guard District told reporters on Wednesday.

Mystery banging sounds were detected during the search for the Titan sub (OceanGate Expeditions)

On 22 June, Carl Hartsfield, an expert with the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution, told CBS News there were many possible explanations for the sounds.

The ocean is a very complex place, obviously  human sounds, nature sounds, and its very difficult to discern what the sources of those noises are at times, he told the news site.

The large number of vessels that were in the area would also emit noises picked up by sensors.

Some experts suggested that the banging sound was the noise of debris  from either the Titanic or the Titan  in the ocean.

Jeff Karson, professor emeritus of earth and environmental sciences at Syracuse University, told Mail Online while the search was underway that the noise could be a complicated echo coming from sounds bouncing around the Titanic debris field.

Its just not bouncing off of one thing. Its bouncing off a bunch of things. And its like, you know, dropping up a marble into a tin can. Its rattling around and that would confuse the location, he told the publication.

He said the suggestion that the banging sounds may have been linked to survivors was wishful thinking.

Is it really banging or just some unidentified sound? I think that is a more accurate description right now, he said last Wednesday.

Stefan Williams, a professor of marine robotics at the University of Sydney, told Insider the sounds may have been created by marine wildlife such as whales.

He said there had been reports of marooned submarine crews banging on the vessels hull to signal their location, and that acoustic noise will travel.

Chris Parry, a former British Royal Navy commander, told TalkTV the sounds could have come from any number of underwater sources.

You get a lot of mechanical noise in the ocean. Trying to differentiate it from tapping noises is a fools errand.
 Close Holes up to 2ft deep were dug up in the reservoir search, in the hope of unearthing clothing fibres, local media reported

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Police officers who scoured a reservoir in Portugal in the search for Madeleine McCann have warned against hope as they hit a fresh roadblock in their investigation.

A large section of the Barragem do Arade reservoir was cordoned off in May, about 30 miles from where three-year-old Madeleine went missing in Praia da Luz 16 years ago.

It is believed that the main suspect in the case, convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner, regularly visited the reservoirs peninsula and had described it as a little slice of paradise.

But detectives searching the reservoir have now said there is no compelling evidence Madeleine is there.

Holes up to 2ft deep were dug up in the reservoir search, in the hope of unearthing clothing fibres, local media reported.

But despite initial hope, German public prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told newspaper Bild: Please dont expect too much.

This comes after a former friend of Brueckner, Helge Busching, claimed that the jailed paedophile had told him she didnt scream during a conversation about the missing three-year-old.

He told Bild he revealed the crucial information to Scotland Yard in 2008 but was ignored.
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France has seen six consecutive nights of violence and unrest after police shot a 17-year-old boy during a traffic check in Paris.

Thousands have been arrested since clashes first erupted on Tuesday night in and around the Paris suburb of Nanterre where Nahel Merzouk was killed.

"I lost a child of 17-year-old, they took my baby," the mother said in a TikTok video.

"He was still a child, he needed his mother. This morning he gave me a big kiss and told me he loved me. I told him be careful and I loved him."

According to his mother, they both had left the house together. While he went to get a McDonalds takeout, she left for work.

"And then I am told they shot my son, what can I do," the heartbroken woman said.

"I only had him. I didn't have 10 like him. He was my life, my best friend. He was my son, He was my everything."

LIle-Saint-Denis city hall damaged during the riots in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

Aftermath of clashes between protesters and police in Mons-en-Baroeul northern France (REUTERS)

This photograph taken 29 June 2023 in Brest, western of France shows a Biocoop, an organic supermarket partly burnt, two days after a 17-year-old boy was shot in the chest by police at point-blank range in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

The victim's grandmother, who also remained unidentified said: I will never forgive them. My grandson died, they killed my grandson. We are not happy at all, I am against the government."

They killed my grandson, now I don't care about anyone, they took my grandson from me, I will never forgive them in my life, never, never, never.

A video shared on social media showed two police officers beside a Mercedes AMG car, with one shooting at the teenage driver at close range as he pulled away.

He died shortly afterward from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

The teenager, who was too young to hold a full license in France, was driving illegally, a source familiar with the investigation told Reuters.

The Nanterre prosecutor said the boy failed on Tuesday to obey the officers orders.

A lawyer for Nahel's family, Yassine Bouzrou, said they want the police officer prosecuted for murder instead of manslaughter.

He said he would file an additional complaint for false testimony over the allegation that the victim had tried to run over the police officer.

President Macron said the killing was inexplicable and inexcusable and called for calm. Nothing justifies the death of a young person, he told reporters in Marseille on Wednesday.
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The stones and fireworks flew towards the police from the hands of protesters, and it was not long before vehicles were ablaze  acrid black smoke drifting into the air and mixing with the tear gas released into the crowds by officers.

This is war, said one protester as he loaded his pockets from a flower bed in preparation for the advancing police. These were the latest clashes in a spate of violence stretching into a third evening in the wake of a teenager shot dead by police during a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

The officer involved in the shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M is facing preliminary charges of voluntary homicide and was placed under arrest, as President Emmanuel Macron struggles to contain spiralling public anger over the killing.

There have been more than 180 arrests, with around 40,000 officers deployed across France on Thursday evening to quell any further clashes, with around 5,000 in the Paris suburbs alone.

Local authorities in Clamart, about five miles from central Paris, imposed a nighttime curfew until Monday. Valerie Pecresse, who heads the greater Paris region, said all bus and tram services were halted after 9pm as people prepared for more violent protests.

It's millions of euros of public service gone up in smoke, it's millions of public money from working-class neighbourhoods, Ms Pecresse said of the clashes. It's irresponsible, it's wrong, and it has to stop.

The afternoon began with the largely peaceful march  with thousands participating  in honour of the French-Algerian teenager, led by his mother Mounia. That was in stark contrast to the clashes across the previous two nights, where fires were set and official buildings like town halls were attacked.

As for the march, Nahels mother was leading the crowd from the roof of a rented van when the procession came to a halt at the Place Nelson Mandela in Nanterre  just metres away from where her son was shot  when the tear gas rolled in. She later told broadcaster France 5 that she doesnt resent the whole police force - just the officer who fired the lethal shot that killed her son.

A march in tribute to Nahel in Paris on Thursday (Reuters)

"I don't blame the police," Mounia said, before adding that the officer "didn't have to kill my son".

A police presence had been notably absent throughout the 90-minute marche blanche for Nahel on Thursday afternoon, but the crowds chants were directed at them: No justice, no peace. When the lines of officers finally appeared, those mourning Nahels death finally had a target for their anger.

There had been no signs of violence before the first canisters of tear gas dropped into the crowd, but as soon as the clouds began to billow, dozens of protesters retaliated with fireworks pointed in the direction of armoured police cars. Loose concrete was thrown at nearby buildings, smashing their glass facades, while a nearby digger was set alight. Protesters scrawled Vengeance for Nahel across buildings and bus shelters.

Protesters march in Paris after fatal police shooting of 17-year-old

The unrest has spread to other French cities, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north, as frustrations over police violence erupted in scenes reminiscent of the Paris riots of 2005. Then, unrest convulsed France for three weeks and forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police. Two officers were acquitted in a trial 10 years later.

This time the spark was the shooting of Nahel during Tuesday's morning rush hour. He initially failed to stop after the Mercedes AMG he was driving, with two passengers inside, was spotted in a bus lane. Two police officers caught up with the car in a traffic jam.

A fire burns in the Paris suburb of Nanterre (EPA)

When the car made to drive off, one officer fired at close range through the driver's window. Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

He added: "The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met".

Lawyers for Nahel's family have called the killing "an execution". A view shared by Green party leader Marine Tondelier who said that "what I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight".

The officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a car chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt after the teenager allegedly committed several traffic violations. The lawyer for the charged officer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, told French media: "Having devoted his life to protecting people and ensuring the law is respected, he is now being detained for having had to use his firearm as part of his job."

Mounia, the mother of Nahel during the march in Nanterre (Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

Nahel  who was too young to own a full driving license in France  was known to police for previously failing to comply with traffic stop orders, Mr Prache said.

Police initially said one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car towards him. That version was quickly contradicted by a video circulating on social media. The video shows two police officers beside a Mercedes AMG car, with one shooting at the driver at close range as he pulled away.

Nahel was an only child raised by his single mother, who is studying for an electricians certificate, according to French media. He had also joined a community rugby project. The lawyers for his family said he was well liked locally, while his grandmother Nadia called him a good, kind boy.

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said. A figure that was noted by some of the placards in the march. There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

A protester in Nanterre (Anthony Cuthbertson/The Independent)

President Macron has called the killing unforgivable but at an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis on Thursday he called the attacks on public buildings and other violence totally unjustifiable.

The professionals of disorder must go home, the interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, said, speaking from the northern town of Mons-en-Baroeul, where several municipal buildings were set alight.

He said while there is no need yet to declare a state of emergency  a measure taken to quell weeks of rioting in 2005  he added: The states response will be extremely firm.

He also said that scores of police had been injured throughout the clashes with protesters.

Residents around Nanterre are preparing for a long night on Thursday, with parking spaces emptying around the centre as people fear their car being set alight. Several burnt-out vehicles still line the road from last night, with authorities unable to clear it in time before todays trouble broke out.

Several fires were already burning by late-evening  with one engulfing the ground floor of a building, where a bank is located  and the sound of sirens could be heard all over Nanterre.

The whole sky is black, says one protester, who asked not to be named. The police caused this mess.
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Italys culture and tourism ministers have vowed to identify and punish a tourist filmed carving names into a wall of the Romes Colosseum  a crime that in the past has resulted in hefty fines.

Video of the incident went viral on social media, at a time when Romans have already been complaining about hordes of tourists flooding the city in record numbers this season.

An English-speaking man was recorded scratching Ivan + Hayley 23 into a brick at the nearly 2000-year-old monument on Friday with a key.

The suspect, who is yet to be identified, turned around and grinned as a bystander asked: Are you serious, man?

Italys culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano shared the video, calling it a very serious, unworthy and a sign of great incivility that a tourist defaces one of the most famous places in the world, the Colosseum, to engrave the name of his fiancee.

I hope that whoever did this will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws, he added.

Tourism minister Daniela Santanche also said she hoped the tourist would be sanctioned so that he understands the gravity of the gesture. Calling for respect for Italys culture and history, she vowed: We cannot allow those who visit our nation to feel free to behave in this way.

If convicted, the man could face a fine of at least 15,000 (12,866) and even a possible prison sentence.

Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum, said the carabinieri were tracking down the suspect and we will see if we can get him.

Italians criticised the tourist on social media, accusing him of absolutely despicable behaviour.

Americans always think they have ownership over everything they set foot on, wrote one Twitter user.

However, this isn't the first time that tourists have been fined for defacing the Unesco world heritage site.

In 2014, a Russian tourist was fined 20,000 (17,000) for engraving a K on a wall, and given a suspended four-year jail sentence.

The following year, two American tourists were also cited for aggravated damage after they carved their names in the monument.

Italian tourism lobby Federturismo, backed by statistics bureau ISTAT, has said 2023 is shaping up as a record for visitors to Italy, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels that hit a high in 2019.

The Colosseum was the Roman Empires biggest amphitheatre and remains Italys most popular tourist attraction.
 Close Crimean Bridge badly damaged after multiple blasts in early hours

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Russia is imposing restrictions on British diplomats, demanding they give five days notice before travelling further than 75 miles in retaliation against hostile actions.

Moscow summoned senior diplomat Tom Dodd to its foreign ministry to tell him of the move on Thursday.

He was also given a dressing down for Britains support of what the Kremlin deems Ukraines terrorist actions and for allegedly obstructing Russian diplomacy in the UK.

British diplomats, apart from the ambassador and three other top officials, will have to give at least five days notice of travel outside the 75-mile free movement zone.

The move came after MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore urged Russians angry at president Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine to spy for Britain.

He told them our door is always open and we will work to bring the bloodshed to an end

Elsewhere, Chinas consulate building in Odesa has been damaged in a Russian missile and drone attack, a Ukrainian official said.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper posted a photograph showing the building with broken windows.
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Russia's most senior generals have dropped out of public view after the failed mutiny by the Wagner mercenaries  with speculation swirling in Moscow that at least one of them has been detained.

That man is General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, who is deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Armed forces chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, has also not appeared in public or on state TV since the aborted mutiny on Saturday when mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded Mr Gerasimov be handed over. Nor has he been mentioned in a defence ministry press release since 9 June.

Mr Gerasimov, 67, is the commander of Russia's war in Ukraine, and the holder of one of Russia's three "nuclear briefcases," according to some Western military analysts.

A New York Times report, based on a US intelligence briefing, said on Tuesday that Mr Surovikin had advance knowledge of the mutiny and that Russian authorities were checking whether he was complicit.

The Kremlin on Wednesday played down the report, saying that there would be a lot of speculation and gossip. On Thursday, it declined to answer questions about Mr Surovikin, referring journalists to the defence ministry, which has not yet made a statement about him.

Asked if Vladimir Putin, still had trust in Mr Surovikin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not give an answer either way. He said only that Mr Putin worked with the defence minister and chief of the General Staff rather than someone of Mr Surovikin's rank.

The Russian-language version of The Moscow Times and one military blogger reported Mr Surovikin's arrest, while some other military correspondents who command large followings in Russia said he and other senior officers were being questioned by the FSB security service to verify their loyalty.

Both he Associated Press and the Financial Times said on Thursday that Surovikin had been detained, citing people who were familiar with the matter.

Rybar, an influential channel on the Telegram messaging application run by a former Russian defence ministry press officer, said a purge was underway.

He said the authorities were trying to weed out military personnel deemed to have shown "a lack of decisiveness" in putting down the mercenary mutiny amid some reports that parts of the armed forces appear to have done little to stop Wagner fighters in the initial stage of the rebellion.

"The armed insurgency by the Wagner private military company has become a pretext for a massive purge in the ranks of the Russian armed forces," Rybar said.

Such a move, if confirmed, could alter the way Russia wages its war in Ukraine and cause turmoil in the ranks at a time when Moscow is trying to thwart a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

It could also cement or elevate the positions of other senior military and security figures regarded as loyal.

There was no official comment on what was going on from the defence ministry.

Some Russian and Western military and political analysts believe the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, a veteran Putin ally who Mr Prigozhin wanted to bring down along with Gerasimov because of his alleged incompetence, may actually now be safer in his job.

"I think he [Prigozhin] actually expected something would be done about Shoigu and Gerasimov, that Putin would rule in his favour," Michael Kofman, a Russian military specialist at the Carnegie Endowment think tank, wrote on Twitter.

"Instead, his mutiny may have ensured their continued tenure, despite being universally recognised as incompetent, and widely detested in the Russian Federation's armed forces."

General Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard and once Putin's bodyguard, appears to be another beneficiary after appearing in public to say his men were ready to "stand to the death" to defend Moscow from Wagner. He has spoken of the possibility of getting heavy weaponry and tanks for his forces in the wake of the mutiny.

Mr Gerasimov was conspicuous by his absence when Mr Putin thanked the army for averting a civil war on Tuesday, unlike Mr Shoigu who has made several public appearances since.

Mr Surovikin, Mr Gerasimov's deputy, was last seen on Saturday when he appeared in a video appealing to Mr Prigozhin to halt his mutiny. He looked exhausted and it was unclear if he was speaking under duress.

Dara Massicot, an expert in the Russian military at the RAND Corporation think-tank, said that something looked odd about the video, in which Mr Surovikin has an automatic weapon on his lap.

"I noted a few days ago, there was something very off here.He's not wearing his insignia or rank tabs. 30+ years in the military and he's not got them on, even at night? Nope," she wrote on Twitter.

There were unconfirmed Russian media and blogger reports on Wednesday evening that Mr Surovikin was being held in Moscow's Lefortovo detention facility after being arrested.

Alexei Venediktov, a well-connected journalist, said  without citing his sources  that Mr Surovikin had not been in touch with his family since Saturday and that his bodyguards had gone silent too. He said, however, that Mr Surovikin was not being held in Lefortovo.

Mr Prigozhin, who had spent months vilifying Mr Shoigu and Mr Gerasimov for their alleged blunders in overseeing the war in Ukraine, had frequently praised Mr Surovikin, who is widely respected in the army for his experience in Chechnya and Syria.

Mr Surovikin, who did a stint as overall commander of the Ukraine war before Mr Gerasimov was appointed to take over, is regarded by Western military analysts as an effective operator and had sometimes been mooted by Russian war correspondents as a potential future defence minister.

Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London, said Mr Surovikin's removal, if true, could be more destabilising to Russia's war effort than Saturday's mutiny, "especially if other associates of Prigozhin/Surovikin start to get purged.

"Surovikin [is] a brute but also one of the more capable Russian commanders," Mr Freedman said on Twitter.

Reuters
The mutiny by the Wagner mercenaries over the weekend raised hopes that the turmoil in Russia would dramatically propel Ukraines offensive to recapture territory occupied by Moscow.

The rebellion humiliated Russias president Vladimir Putin and rattled his regime as forces marched on Moscow, before turning around after a last-minute deal, meaning the Kremlin did not have to redeploy troops from Ukraine to tackle the insurgency.

Ukraine is mounting attacks in a number of areas along the 965km (600 miles) frontline, but that progress will not be easy. A Ukrainian colonel told The Independent his countrys forces have to deal with multiple lines of defence constructed by the Russians in the build-up to the long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive.
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Watch as Volodymyr Zelensky receives an award from British think tank Chatham House on Thursday 29 June.

The president of Ukraine has been awarded a prestigious prize for his leadership and contribution to international relations.

Chatham House has hailed Mr Zelenskys transformation from actor-turned-novice politician to wartime leader as nothing short of extraordinary.

The former actor has unified his nation in defiance of a formidable foe, the think-tank said in a statement.

He has also created a new form of modern diplomacy and leadership through his use of social media and direct communication with world leaders, marshalling a wide-ranging coalition in support of Ukraine at the United Nations and beyond.

Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox added: President Zelensky has united his nation in resistance and counter-offensive, and demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy.

Mr Zelensky is expected to make a short virtual address to Chatham Houses annual conference on Thursday, with a special representative collecting the award on his behalf.
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A top Russian general has reportedly been arrested for having knowledge of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's weekend rebellion.

General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict, has been missing since Saturday when his troops launched an armed revolt.

Wagner mercenaries left Ukraine to seize a military headquarters in a southern Russian city, before turning around some 200km from Moscow and their boss abruptly calling off the uprising.

The 56-year-old second-in-command of the Russian armed forces is said to be under interrogation.

"Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhin's side during the uprising" and they have gotten ahold of him," the Moscow Times quoted a source as saying.

Alexei Venediktov, the editor-in-chief of the shuttered Ekho Moskvy radio station, on Wednesday wrote on Telegram that General Surovikin has not been in contact with his family for three days.

US officials on Wednesday said the general was sympathetic to the mercenary chief, although it was unclear if he actively supported it.

The Kremlin, however, played down the report, saying that there was and would be a lot of "speculation and gossip", suggesting that Vladimir Putin had not given in to Mr Prigozhins demands for an imminent reshuffle of the Russian military's top brass.

Rybar, an influential channel on Telegram run by a former Russian defence ministry press officer, said a purge was underway.

He said the authorities were trying to weed out military personnel deemed to have shown "a lack of decisiveness" in putting down the mutiny amid some reports that parts of the armed forces appear to have done little to stop Wagner fighters in the initial stage of the rebellion.

"The armed insurgency by the Wagner private military company has become a pretext for a massive purge in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces," said Rybar.

The Wagner Group is a private military company under the control of Mr Prigozhin that cut its teeth in deployments to Crimea and eastern Ukraines Donbas region in 2014 and has since dispatched troops to several conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, including the Syrian Civil War.

In Russias invasion of Ukraine, Wagner has proven indispensable, but an apparent power struggle between the Kremlin and the outspoken Mr Prigozhin has led to the group having its wings clipped by Moscow.

The friction escalated to a crisis point on Friday 23 June, when Mr Prigozhin accused his countrys defence ministry, Sergei Shoigu, of destroying his fighters and concocting lies to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Mr Prigozhin called for armed mutiny in an explosive rant on Telegram in which he vowed to stop the evil of the Kremlins top brass.

The Wagner Groups leader did not go after Mr Putin in his tirade, instead alleging that for more than a year and over 350,000 casualties into the war  a large part of which Mr Prigozhins group is responsible for  the Russian president had been deceived by Mr Shoigu.

Apart from Mr Surovikin, another top general has been away from public view since the mutiny or mentioned in a defence ministry press release since 9 June either.

Valery Gerasimov is the commander of Russia's war in Ukraine, and the holder of one of Russia's three "nuclear briefcases," according to some Western military analysts.
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Watch as Muslim pilgrims perform the symbolic Hajj ritual of stoning pillars representing the devil in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, 29 June.

The pilgrims collect pebbles from a site known as Muzdalifa before heading to Mina to cast them.

Worshippers must throw 21 pebbles at each of the three 25-metre (82ft) pillars that represent the Devil in a symbolic rejection of temptation.

The final three days of the Hajj coincide with the festive Eid al-Adha holiday, when Muslims around the world slaughter livestock and distribute meat to the poor.

Eid al-Adha is one of two Eids in a year and is known as the festival of sacrifice, commemorating the prophet Ibrahims readiness to sacrifice his son in order to demonstrate his dedication to God.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated in May and is the feast of the breaking of the fast marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month when Muslims fast during daylight hours for 29 to 30 days.
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With its musical name, Indian Ocean atmosphere, French connections and faintly bizarre animals and plants, Madagascar is genuinely unique. Even its baobab trees offer a lesson in biodiversity: while mainland Africa makes do with a single species, Madagascar has six.

This remarkable island nation is scattered with precious fragments of tropical forest where frogs chirp, chameleons wobble and helmet vangas flash through the trees. But its the lemurs, of course, that shine out: with their foxy faces, bright eyes and fluffy fur, theyre the creatures that everyone wants to see. Happily, Madagascars best nature guides have an excellent knack for finding them.

Travel restrictions and entry requirements

Visitors from the UK can obtain 30-day tourist visas for free on arrival at Ivato International Airport, Antananarivo. Since 11 August 2022, arriving travellers have not been required to show proof of their Covid-19 vaccination or test status. There are no Covid-related restrictions in place in Madagascar.

Read more on Africa travel:

Best time to go

Ranomafana National Park hosts some of the islands lush rainforests (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

May to November brings the best, driest weather, with temperatures hovering around 20-25C by day and 10-15C by night; perfect for forest walks. To spot baby lemurs and see birds in their brightly coloured breeding plumage, arrive between September and November. For humpback whale-watching around Ile Sainte Marie, July and August are best.

If escaping the crowds is your priority, you dont melt in the sun and youre focusing on the arid south (or are prepared to contend with serious downpours further north), the hot, quiet months of January to March are worth considering.

Top cities and regions

Parc National dAndasibe-Mantadia

Imagine a rainforest, and its sure to look something like Andasibe-Mantadia: a shady green jungle of ferns, waterfalls and mighty hardwood trees, their branches looped with vines. It takes around three hours to drive here from the capital, Antananarivo, a journey that offers glimpses of the rural poverty that drives Madagascars conservation woes. But while many hectares of forest outside the park have been cleared for fields and timber plantations, Andasibe-Mantadia is hanging on. Local guides will lead you along dappled paths in search of sifakas, bamboo lemurs and indris, the large lemurs whose howls reverberate through the trees.

Nosy Be

Popular with French and Italian tourists, the ylang-ylang scented island of Nosy Be (pronounced Noosh Beh) has the kind of sandy, palm-fringed shores that lovers of beach holidays dream of. Despite having a greater concentration of hotels than anywhere else in Madagascar, it hasnt lost its character. During the four-day Festival Donia in May or June, the island is at its liveliest, with local bands strutting their stuff. There are mouse lemurs, zonosaurus lizards and other rainforest creatures here, too, in the Lokobe Reserve.

Parc National dIsalo

A target for travellers overlanding from Antananarivo to Tulear in southwest Madagascar, Isalo National Park is laced with inviting hiking trails, leading through monumental, Jurassic-era landscapes. Striking rock formations, apparently assembled by giants, dot the plateau, among sandstone cliffs and canyons. Although rain falls relatively rarely, streams gurgle through the park, filling swimming holes and sustaining fire-resistant palm trees.

Morondavas famous avenue of baobab trees captured at sunset (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Allee des Baobabs and Kirindy Private Reserve

Strikingly photogenic, Morondavas famous avenue of baobab trees is an icon of Madagascar  as is the mysterious fossa, an elusive, short-haired mammal thats related to the mongoose, but looks like a cat-dog hybrid; fans of the Madagascar movies know them as King Juliens evil enemies. You can track them in the dry, deciduous forest of Kirindy Reserve, where giant jumping rats and pygmy mouse lemurs are also found.

Reserve Privee Berenty

If your heart is set on capturing close-up photos of Madagascars perkiest, quirkiest primates, head for Berenty. Cavorting along the footpaths and around the grounds of this long-established primate research centre are ring-tailed lemurs with curious expressions and long stripy tails, plus Verreauxs sifakas, goofy lemurs with a dancing gait. Its not the most natural of settings, but its an enchanting place to spend time.

Best under-the-radar destinations

Parc National de Masoala

Breathtakingly remote but well worth the effort it takes to get here, Masoala National Park in northwest Madagascar is a vast swathe of coastal rainforest, crammed to the treetops with life. Tuck yourself away in a delightful little eco-lodge, and you can design your own mini-adventures  kayaking along quiet creeks with bird book at the ready, or spotting chameleons in the foliage hanging over the beach. With a nature guide, you can head deep into the forest by day or (even better) after dark, for close encounters with red ruffed lemurs, lizards and frogs.

Ile Sainte-Marie

Far quieter than Nosy Be, with just a smattering of places to stay, the unspoiled island of Sainte-Marie, also known as Nosy Boraha, was a pirates refuge in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its now better known as a refuge for whales: in late June each year, migratory humpbacks arrive from Antarctica to raise their calves in the calm waters between Sainte-Marie and mainland Madagascar. Local conservation organisation Cetamada, which is working in partnership with marine biologists to protect the whales and their habitat, can advise on how to watch whales by boat without harming them.

The lemurs, with their foxy faces and fluffy fur, may be the islands biggest selling point (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Tsingy de Bemaraha

The eerie but strangely beautiful expanses of grey limestone karst pinnacles, needles, crevasses and caves found in northwest Madagascar are Unesco World Heritage listed. Theyre known as tsingy, which, aptly enough, means place where you cant walk, but the locals have solved this problem by creating steps, trails, rope bridges and walkways, allowing fit and agile hikers to negotiate the spiky labyrinth of stone. Unexpectedly, perhaps, sifakas and woolly lemurs eke out an existence here, as do a great many species of birds, including buttonquails and harriers that are unique to Madagascar.

Best things to do

Lemur-watching

Madagascan primates have been evolving in isolation for more than 60 million years  long enough for them to bear little resemblance to monkeys, apes and humans. Theyre mostly forest-dwelling and tragically, due to rampant logging, their habitat has dwindled to isolated pockets. One of the best ways to help reverse this trend is to visit national parks and community reserves as a paying ecotourist. There are over 100 species to discover. On guided forest hikes, youre sure to find some, leaping through the trees or staring charismatically into the distance.

Nocturnal nature walks

If your heart is pounding at the mere thought of walking through a tropical forest after dark, relax: Madagascar is one of those magical places where dangerous animals are to all intents and purposes absent. Gear up your courage, grab a torch and follow your guide: your reward will be a sneak peek at a secret world. Scanning the trees for eyeshine and listening out for calls, you may encounter dwarf lemurs, comet moths, scops owls and perhaps the theatrically named satanic leaf-tailed gecko. Fascinatingly, youll also spot roosting birds, snuggled on branches; conscientious guides will make sure you dont disturb them.

Getting around

Madagascar is the worlds second largest island nation, with spectacularly diverse landscapes. Many visitors book a guided tour of the highlights with transport included, but its also possible to travel independently.

Since distances are considerable and many of Madagascars rural highways are in a lamentable condition, the best way to cover several regions is to hop around with Air Madagascar. Unfortunately, theyre notoriously unreliable, changing flight times and dates with minimal notice; prepare accordingly.

On the ground, public transport tends to be rickety and crowded, so hiring taxis for short outings and renting a vehicle with a driver/guide for longer trips is a good investment.

Madagascars surrounding islands have the white sands and pristine waters that beach holiday dreams are made of (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

How to get there

Madagascar is in the Indian Ocean, off Africas eastern coast. For all but the hardiest of sailors, the only practical way to arrive is by plane.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Antananarivo at present. The cheapest route is with Kenya Airways, flying via Nairobi in 19 hours. A faster alternative is Ethiopian Airlines, flying via Addis Ababa in 14.5 hours.

Money-saving tip

Airlines, tours and hotels offer low-season rates between mid-January and March. Weather-wise, this can be a challenging time to visit, with heavy rain drenching the centre and north, and cyclones battering the east coast. However in the south, rainfall remains low all year round.

FAQs

Whats the weather like?

Tropical: humid in the northeast, arid in the southwest and temperate in the central highlands. The coolest, driest months are May to October.

What time zone is it in?

GMT+3.

What currency do I need?

Malagasy Ariary (MGA). Tourism businesses accept ariary and euros. You can change pounds sterling at banks or withdraw ariary from ATMs.

What languages are spoken?

Malagasy and French. Tourist guides speak multiple languages, including English.

What health precautions should I take?

Consult your GP about anti-malarials and vaccinations.

Read more on the best winter sun hotels
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Airports across the United States have been plunged into chaos leading into the July 4 holiday weekend as thousands of passengers were hit with flight disruptions.

Airlines in the US will be looking to steady operations after a week of flight delays and cancellations , as the number of people flying has continued to increase after dipping to its lowest levels during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nearly 9,000 flights were disrupted on Wednesday, according to FlightAware. United Airlines was hit the hardest, with over 750 cancellations and 1,317 delays.

According to a report by the Associated Press, the delays are being exacerbated by thunderstorms that battered the northeast. On Tuesday, 6,500 flights were delayed and around 1,900 were cancelled on the East Coast, as nearly 10,000 flights were impacted in total.

United Airlines, with a major hub in Newark, New Jersey, canceled about 786 flights, or 26 per cent of its schedule on Tuesday. JetBlue canceled 16 per cent of its flights, as per FlightAware.

As of Thursday morning, United Airlines was still trying to catch up, Good Morning America reported. The airline carrier had cancelled over 300 flights, or about 10 per cent of its operations, by the time the show was broadcast.

With over 52,500 scheduled flights, travel is expected to peak on Thursday  likely to be the biggest travel day of the long holiday period.

A spokesperson for United Airlines told Fox Business the disruptions were due to several consecutive days of severe weather and lingering thunderstorms in the Northeast along with FAA Federal Aviation Administration) staffing constraints.

We estimate that over 150,000 customers on United alone were impacted this weekend because of FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wrote in a memo to employees Tuesday night.

Baggage sits unclaimed at LaGuardia Airport amid delays on Tuesday (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department the FAA falls under, told GMA the airline carrier seems to have some issues that are specific to it.

Statistics make clear that FAA availability issues are not even close to being the number one cause of delays and cancellations, Mr Buttigieg said, adding that we do want more cushioning in terms of the air traffic controller workforce.

The FAA has admitted that it is understaffed at key facilities, including one in the New York City region.

Last week, the Transportation Departments inspector general said in a report that the FAA has made only limited efforts to adequately staff critical air traffic control centers and lacks a plan to tackle the problem, according to the Associated Press.

Pictures obtained by the Daily Mail capture chaos at different airports across the United States; in one photograph, travellers can be seen crowding a United Airlines customer service booth at Houston airport.

Another shows baggage pile-up at JFK in New York. In a photo taken at LAX in Los Angeles, travellers can be seen forming long queues at the check-in counters.

A passenger at Newark airport, Dean Wheelan told GMA: Its my third day here, I was supposed to fly to Miami. We lost our cruise, we had to pay for it. And now they cant find our bags.

Margo and Jason Osborne, who were impacted by a United flight cancellation in Newark, reported seeing people looking for unaccompanied minors and heard about stranded travelers who spent hours in line or slept at the airport.

All these poor people are literally just sitting there at the mercy of a company who is not doing anything to help them, Margo told the Associated Press. There is zero customer service right now.

In a statement to GMA, a spokesperson for United Airlines said it wil be on-track to restore operations by the holiday weekend, and will be asking off-duty flight attendants to work those flights.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.
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Services on a major section of Londons 19 billion Elizabeth line have been suspended because of a swan.

Passengers on board trains reported being told the bird was blocking part of the route.

Transport for Londons (TfL) website stated there are no services between Heathrow Airport in west London and Abbey Wood in south-east London  via the centre of the capital  due to an obstruction on the track.

It added that there are severe delays on the rest of the line.

National Rail Enquiries said there are animals on the railway.

Passengers reported being held on trains  which do not have toilets  for up to hour due to a swan on the tracks at Paddington.

One Twitter user wrote: I have been trapped on the Elizabeth line for an hour because of a swan on the line.

Another posted: You are an absolute shambles @TfL. I cannot believe you closed the entire Elizabeth line for a swan on the tracks.

Has nobody been on the shooing course. How hard is it to move a swan?

The Elizabeth line stretches from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport to Shenfield in Essex and Abbey Wood.

It opened in May 2022 at an estimated cost of 18.9 billion. Since then, more than 150 million journeys have been made on it. Updates to the lines timetable last month mean trains now run from Shenfield in Essex, through east London to Heathrow Terminal 5 all day. The airport will now receive six Elizabeth line trains per hour. The new timetable also means trains will now run roughly every two-and-a-half minutes at peak times across Paddington and Whitechapel in central London.

Also last month, the Prince and Princess of Wales travelled on line through central London on Thursday on their way to visit the Dog & Duck pub in Soho to hear how it was preparing for the coronation of King Charles III.
A former school security officer who failed to confront the gunman who killed 17 people in the 2018 Parkland school shooting has been found not guilty of child neglect.

Scot Peterson, who was a Broward County sheriffs deputy and worked as a resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, sobbed as the verdict was read out on Thursday 29 June.

In 2019, he was charged with seven counts of neglect of a child, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury.

Florida prosecutors had accused Mr Peterson of neglecting his training and his duty by failing to enter the school building while the gunman fired on students.
RTE employees staged a protest outside the Irish national broadcasters headquarters over a scandal involving undisclosed payments totalling 345,000 to its highest-paid star Ryan Tubridy.

The broadcasters board has said that between 2017 and 2022, Tubridy received the series of payments above his annual published salary.

Dee Forbes, who has stepped down as director general, was directly involved in aspects of underwriting an agreement with a commercial partner for payments to the former Late Late Show host, interim deputy director-general Adrian Lynch said.

The Irish government has ordered an external review into governance and culture at the broadcaster.
Vladimir Putin kissed a young girl on the head as he visited the Russian Republic of Dagestan on Wednesday, 28 June.

The Russian president greeted locals in the Caspian seaside city of Derbent, in the mostly Muslim region, on the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Putin visited an ancient citadel and a historic mosque, met with officials, and talked to residents.

It is Putin's first non-official trip since the Wagner mutiny, led by the group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, was announced and called off last weekend.
If theres one thing that doesnt surprise me about the fact that an English-speaking tourist was caught defacing the ancient walls of the Roman Colosseum with his and his fiancees initials, its Italys viral outrage. As an Italian, take it from me: viral outrage is what we do. My countrys media landscape froths with a constant swell of stories that arouse rage and indignation rather than considered analysis and reflection on the difficult state of the Belpaeses culture heritage. Its what gets us out of bed in the morning before our first cappuccino.

For the Colosseum, as well as countless other monuments in the Eternal City and around Italy, this latest vandalism, while despicable, is nothing new (the silly tourist chiselled the words Ivan + Hayley 23 into the brickwork of the Colosseum in full view of shocked onlookers). Humans have a long-standing obsession with leaving their mark, and the Romans were known for their enthusiasm for graffiti more than two millennia ago. In fact, for the archaeologists who brought the buried city of Pompeii back into the light, the numerous graffiti they found on the walls of the main houses or near the inns were celebrated as a treasure trove: they told them everything about ancient Romans daily life. Politics, war, family disputes, love and pleasure: the topics of ancient graffiti are among the most disparate.
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In a 6-3 party line decision, the extreme conservative Supreme Court decided that affirmative action in higher education is illegal. Schools are no longer allowed to consider the reality of racial discrimination and disadvantage as one factor in admissions  a decision which will almost certainly reduce the number of Black students on college campuses.

The Courts decision is frustrating and ugly. But it is not surprising. On the contrary, it is perfectly in line with the United States long and ongoing racist tradition of working to deny education to Black people.

Education is a path to advancement. Educated people have a better chance of entering the professions, of accruing more wealth, of becoming self-sufficient and of advocating for themselves. Many white people, though, have not wanted Black people to advance, and certainly have not wanted them to advocate for themselves. Black education is a threat to white supremacy. People who support white supremacy, therefore, have long fought Black education.

Slavers before the Civil War were determined to restrict Black education. States like Virginia and South Carolina passed laws making it illegal to teach enslaved people to read or write; punishments included fines and corporal punishment. Frederick Douglass writes that nothing made his enslaver more angry than to see me with a newspaper, and recounts trading bread to white boys in return for reading instruction. It is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country, he concludes.

White opposition to Black education continued after the Civil War. Black communities set up schools quickly, and Black children and adults alike were desperate to learn. But support from the government was sporadic, and trailed off after the end of Reconstruction. States spent three times as much on white students as on Black students  disparities enabled by the fact that most Black students were forced into inferior, segregated schools.

Black people faced other restrictions as well. Richard Wright wrote about how racist laws prevented him from applying for a library card in Memphis during the late 1920s. He had to withdraw books surreptitiously using the card of a white man who was willing to help him.

The Supreme Courts 1954 decision in Brown v Board of Education was supposed to end segregation in schooling and open the way for equality of education. It prompted massive resistance from Southern white communities and white politicians. Some states passed laws withdrawing state funds from integrated schools. Prince Edward County, VA, simply closed its public school system altogether for five years.

The popular public myth is that federal government pressure eventually forced southern whites to relent, and schools were integrated. However, the truth is a good deal less cheerful. Resistance to integrating schools never stopped, in the south or the north.

School busing programs, intended to integrate schools, were quite successful and raised both Black and white student achievement in places like Charlotte, North Carolina. But backlash was intense and violent. There were white riots in Boston. Powerful northern white politicians like then Senator Joe Biden fought against busing, as southern white politicians had fought against desegregation.

Ultimately busing for integration was abandoned. Indeed, integration as a goal was largely set aside. School debates now focus on raising test scores, the roles of teachers unions, and charter schools. You will rarely hear city, state, or national leaders call for efforts to integrate schools. Instead, as Noliwe Rooks chronicles in Cutting School: The Segrenomics of American Education, white parents moved to suburbs, or to charter schools and magnet schools, draining resources and attention from neighborhood schools. Scholars refer to this as opportunity hoarding.

As a result, schools remain poorly integrated, even though the US population is growing more diverse. According to a recent report, more than a third of students attend a same-race or same-ethnicity school. Nearly seven in 10 Black students attend schools where a majority of children are Black or students of color. Black students also are segregated in less affluent neighborhoods; seven in 10 attend high poverty schools, in contrast to only one in three white students.

And since schools are funded in large party by poverty taxes, this means that Black students disproportionately attend schools with fewer resources. High poverty schools spend as much as 15.6% less per student than other schools. Inevitably, Black student achievement remains lower than that of white students.

Affirmative action in colleges was meant to acknowledge and try to address this history of stubborn racist animosity to Black education. For hundreds of years, Black children have been prevented from learning, pushed into inferior schools, denied educational resources and denied opportunities. Bright, motivated students who are Black are less likely to have access to honors courses, to test prep, to multiple school activities. A Black student and a white student with the same level of achievement are not equal; the Black student has overcome historical and ongoing discrimination and disadvantage.

Racism has put up barriers to Black students getting a higher education at selective institutions. Affirmative action attempts to undo some of that racism. As Justice Sotomayor said in her dissent to the majority Supreme Court ruling, Ignoring race will not equalise a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.

Historically, though, and still today, many people  and especially many white people  do not want equality. White Americans have fought for hundreds of years to enshrine a two-tier educational system, with white people on the top and Black people on the bottom. The heirs of those who fought to prevent Frederick Douglass from reading the newspaper have a lot to cheer about today.
For many, cash is still king. Those over 55 and/or living in rural areas are the most likely to predominately use physical currency. Photo: Getty

Banks have been accused of spinning to consumers to encourage them to cut down on their use of cash.

It comes after the banking lobby group published new figures on the use of contactless card payments and online banking, but the Banking and Payments Federation data makes no reference to the use of cash.

Michael Kilcoyne, chairman of the Consumers Association of Ireland, accused banks of spinning to accelerate the move towards digital payments.

There is a lot of spinning going on with the banks. They are trying to get us away from using cash to go contactless. They will then start charging for that, Mr Kilcoyne said.

He said banks were not charging for the use of contactless cards at the moment. But he claimed the banks were trying to encourage the use of contactless cards and would implement charges in the future.

The Banking and Payments Federation Ireland said in a statement the use of contactless payment cards shot up by almost 18pc in the first three months of the year.

Almost three million payments a day are made with contactless cards.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 29th

Asked about the use of cash, it said it did not have any figures on that.

Commenting on the figures, head of payments at the Banking and Payments Federation Gillian Byrne said: Todays report shows the continued shift by consumers towards contactless payments with volumes surging by nearly 18pc in Q1 2023.

The average payment value reached 17.05, up from 16.40 a year earlier.

The EU published a package of reforms this week, among them measures to preserve the role of cash.

Under the proposed rules pharmacies and other essential retailers could be forced to accept cash payments under a new EU law.

The draft regulation, which has first to be adopted by MEPs and governments, was tabled by the European Commission on Wednesday, June 28 in a bid to reassure consumers that the EU is not abandoning cash as it moves ahead with its plans for a digital euro.

It pre-empts Finance Minister Michael McGraths own access to cash law, which he has promised to introduce next year.

Under the new EU rules  which would be directly applicable in Irish law once adopted  the commission could order the Government to ensure banks in certain regions maintain a certain number of ATMs or that post offices or newsagents offer cash services.

The EU would only intervene if cash falls below certain limits and the Government fails to take action itself.

The digital euro might replace cash, but cash is here to stay, said EU economy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni.

The package proposes to formally make euro notes and coins legal tender in a bid to avoid people without bank accounts or having difficulty making electronic payments being excluded.

Irish people continue to have a strong attachment to cash. This was reflected in the fact that AIB was forced into a U-turn this time last year when its proposed withdrawing cash services and taking ATMs out of 70 of its branches.

And results of a survey conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes for the Department of Finance last year show that one in five consumers use cash solely.

This number is highest amongst those who are 55 years or older and those who live in rural areas.

On This Day In History - June 29th
Dublin remains the second most popular European city for US software companies when establishing a regional headquarters here, according to new research.

However, the report from the Irish-American venture capital firm Frontline says London is by far the most favoured landing city for American firms, with three in four US software companies choosing it to establish a European headquarters.

Dublin attracts about one in 10 American tech companies while Amsterdam comes third, with about 3pc.

Frontlines European Expansion Report, which measured data from 200 US software firms, indicates that other big European tech hubs, such as Berlin and Paris, remain far behind London and Dublin as a landing city for American companies. This, the report says, is down to a combination of taxes, local regulation and pre-existing clusters of multinational software companies in the UK and Ireland which allow for hiring.

London, Dublin and Amsterdam have always been the most popular first landing locations for US startups and they have only extended their dominance in recent years, the report said.

Today, over 90pc of sales-focused expansions land in one of those three locations  up from 57pc only 10 years ago. Londons popularity dipped following the Brexit referendum in 2016, but has since recovered to maintain its status as the most favoured location by a large margin.

The report says that Dublin scores very well on the depth of inside sales, customer service and junior engineering talent, but has limited senior leadership available to hire.

The main difference between the top three locations is the availability of more generalist senior talent, where London has a substantial advantage, it says.

For companies selling into enterprise customers through field sales teams, London is likely to be the default answer. However, for companies targeting mid-market and SMB customers, Dublin has a deep talent pool with experience scaling inbound sales teams to cover most of Europe from a single location.

The report notes that choosing a European city to base a headquarters is sometimes different to landing in the strongest regional tech ecosystem.

This is partly due to the regulatory and operating environment, it said.

The UK and Ireland is not only the most straightforward to enter, but it also presents the largest addressable revenue opportunity for most companies, said the report.

While Germanys GDP is the largest in Europe, more stringent regulatory and business requirements make entering the market more challenging. As a result, the UK and Ireland are the obvious first choice for companies expanding into Europe.

This week, Frontline emerged as a significant winner in the weeks biggest global tech deal, the $1.3bn acquisition of artificial intelligence firm MosaicML by Databricks.

The US wing of the venture capital firm was one of several financiers that invested a total of $64m in the San Francisco startup.
A view of the entrance to Google's European headquarters building on Barrow Street, in Dublin's Grand Canal docks area. Photo: Artur Widak/Getty Images

Google has scrapped its latest augmented reality (AR) headset that was meant to rival headsets from Apple and Meta, according to reports.

The search giants Project Iris headset was abandoned earlier this year, Insider reported, making it the second major set of smart glasses to be ditched following Google Glass.

The latest AR glasses were first teased last year at Google I/O, with a video showing wearers using the device to translate conversations in real-time.

What were working on is technology that enables us to break down language barriers, Max Spear, a product manager at Google, said in the video.

Making access to information just instant and intuitive, and by doing that technology fades into the background.

Since the glasses were teased, Apple has unveiled its Vision Pro headset and Meta has shown off its latest Quest 3 goggles, which will be available later this year.

Google Glass on display in Belfast cIty centre, Northern Ireland. Photo: Artur Widak/NurPhoto

Googles aborted project comes eight years after the firm discontinued its Glass smart glasses for consumers, and just months after it stopped producing the enterprise version.

It follows the departure of Clay Bavor, Googles chief of augmented and virtual reality, with the companys focus now switching to AR software rather than hardware.

One AR software platform is Android XR, which is being built for a headset under development at Samsung. A Micro XR platform is also rumoured to be in the works, which is expected to run on AR smart glasses rather than larger mixed reality goggles.

One unnamed employee told Insider that Google was aiming to created the Android for AR, referring to the tech giants hugely popular mobile operating system.

A spokesperson for Google declined to comment.

Samsung announced at its Galaxy Unpacked event in February that it had partnered with Google and Qualcomm to make a mixed-reality platform.

No details were given about what the product might look like, with the company saying more information would be given later this year.

We are working to create a new era of highly immersive digital experiences that blur the line between our physical and digital worlds, said Qualcomms Cristiano Amon.

With our Snapdragon XR tech, Samsungs amazing products, and Google experiences, we have the foundation to make this opportunity a reality.
Schwarzenegger has discussed his life and his determination to become the greatest action hero of all time (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Arnold Schwarzenegger has recalled how his accent and impressive physique turned from liabilities to assets in Hollywood, after having been told he would never make it as a movie star.

The actor and former California governor said he had not listened to the multiple naysayers who told him his dream of being on screen was impossible.

During a talk in Los Angeles to mark the release of his new limited edition, two-volume book, Schwarzenegger discussed his life and his determination to become the greatest action hero of all time.

Beginning the talk he said: I always tell people they are correct when they say that Im a typical American kind of success story, but theyre wrong when they say Im self-made.

Schwarzenegger first starred in Conan The Barbarian in 1982 (Ian West/PA)

If I was self-made, I would be sitting here by myself So Im a product of millions of people helping me.

He went on to thank his millions of fans worldwide and those who had helped him throughout his career.

Schwarzenegger first starred in Conan The Barbarian in 1982, before being approached to play his most famous role of the terrifying cyborg assassin in 1984s The Terminator.

The first Terminator movie was pretty much in the beginning of my career, he said.

What was interesting about that is because I always had people my whole life saying no you cant do that, Oh, this is impossible.

Thats why one of the other routes to success obviously is dont listen to the naysayers because theres always people around to say no, its impossible.

When I started getting tired of bodybuilding competitions (I thought) there must be something else that is kind of very risky and I have to work hard  something new that I could go after, and it was acting.

He continued: I remember that agents and managers, studio executives, always saying to me forget it Arnold forget about acting. No one has ever made it with a German accent.

Schwarzenegger said he had been offered parts in Nazi films or as small roles as a bouncer, due to his voice and stature, but continuously told he would not be a leading man.

A few years later he was offered the role in Conan after being told without Schwarzenegger, we would have had to build him.

Schwarzenegger praised the brilliance of Jim Cameron and described him as the number one director in the world (PA)

So then comes (director James) Cameron and Terminator one, he said.

He says you know what makes this movie so successful and why people really bought it is because you talk like a machine your German accent works to such an advantage.

So all of a sudden Im saying wait a minute, now this is an asset to have the German accent  to talk like me.

Its an asset to have a body like me, and all those schmucks in Hollywood were saying you will never get the job. You can never be a leading man.

So this was the unbelievable turnaround.

Schwarzenegger went on to praise the brilliance of Jim Cameron and described him as the number one director in the world.
Hotels in the Irish capital are engaged in rampant price gouging on the dates of US pop star Taylor Swifts concerts, a TD has claimed.

There is not a hotel room available in Dublin for less than 350 euro on the dates of the Eras tour shows next year, Independent TD Thomas Pringle told the Irish Parliament.

The Donegal representative said he was highlighting the Swift concerts as the star has many young fans who will travel with their parents, as he raised the matter with Irish premier Leo Varadkar during Leaders Questions on Wednesday.

There was huge excitement last week when Swift announced her world tour, which will visit the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on June 28 and 29 2024.

Mr Pringle said while many young people are preoccupied with securing tickets for the shows, their parents are anxious about being able to afford accommodation.

He blasted a disgraceful display of greed.

From looking at booking.com this morning, there isnt a single hotel room available in Dublin for under 350 euro for either of the nights of the Taylor Swift concerts, and they are on next year, he said.

As if that isnt expensive enough, we have in recent days seen rampant price gouging from Dublin hotels, some raising the price of a room from 359 euro to an incredible 999 euro for the night of the concert, and this was before the tickets have even been released.

Taylor Swift will play two nights in Dublin in a years time (Ian West/PA)

And its not just hotels that are guilty of price gouging  one landlord has a two-bedroom apartment they priced at 20,000 euro for the same weekend.

He said the issue is nothing new or unique and has happened before with concerts and sporting events, and pressed Mr Varadkar on what he would do about it.

Responding, Mr Varadkar said he has spoken to hoteliers on the matter and said they have their own story to tell.

He said there is a dilemma in that there are not enough hotels in the city of Dublin, but with the ongoing housing crisis they dont want to see more new hotels being built, but new houses instead.

I have spoken hoteliers about this. They have their story to tell, and their story to tell us that the coverage in the media has been unfair, he told TDs.

He said hotels told him that if you try to book a hotel more than a year in advance, you get the rack rate, which is not necessarily the rate that they charge, adding that they wanted that point to be made.

Ive made the point very strongly back to them, and it is that price gouging and taking advantage of people and hiking prices on very popular weekends is bad business. Its how your business gets a bad reputation, its how your city or town gets a bad reputation and its how your wider industry gets a bad reputation, and it doesnt make good business sense in the long term, he said.

And we saw that happen before when Dublin in particular but Ireland in general got a reputation for being a very high-cost place to visit, and I hope theyll take that point on board.

Mr Pringle blasted a sad response.

Surely the Government has to take some take some action at some point  the Government can actually prevent it (price gouging) from happening, he said.

Mr Varadkar hit back, saying Mr Pringle had not suggested any proposals or solutions.

Youve been very critical of the Government, of hoteliers, of everyone and of me personally  you havent actually put forward a constructive solution. So if you have one, put it forward and we will give it consideration, he added.
Five counties now have larger populations than before the famine period, the Central Statistics Office has said in its latest census release.

Census 2022 found that Irelands population had passed the five million mark for the first time since 1851 and now stands at 5,149,139 people, up 8pc since the last census.

However, compared to 1851, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Louth have surpassed their corresponding pre-famine totals.

Some of the largest counties by population around the time of the famine were Cork, Galway, Tipperary and Mayo, but the number of people living in these counties is still below 1851 levels.

The census found Cork had the highest percentage of residents born in the county at 418,259, or 72pc of residents.

Meanwhile, Meath had the lowest percentage of residents born in the county, at 71,356 or 32pc of residents. Nearly 60of the 5.1 million people usually resident in the State were living in the county of their birth.

It was revealed earlier this month that Drogheda is biggest town in Ireland, bolstering calls for the Co Louth district to be re-classified as a city.

According to the CSO, Drogheda town has a population of 44,000. The survey also revealed that the only towns with populations above 30,000 were all in Leinster.

The largest town in Munster was Ennis with a population just under 28,000, Letterkenny was the largest in the province of Ulster (22,500), while Sligo was the biggest town in Connacht (20,500).

There were 49 large towns in Ireland with a population of more than 10,000 people on census night. Ten of these towns had an average age of just under 36 and were mostly located in Dublin or surrounding counties such as Meath, Kildare and Laois.

Looking at the oldest and youngest towns in the country, Balbriggan in Dublin was the youngest large town with an average age of 33.6 years. In contrast, 14 large towns were among the oldest in the country with an average age of 39 years or over. Clonmel was the oldest large town with an average age of 40.8 years.

There were 112,548 households that moved in the year prior to the 2022 census. Of these households, 61pc moved into a rented property, 23pc moved into a property bought with a mortgage or loan and 11pc moved into a property bought without a mortgage or loan.

In the year prior to the census, more than 265,000 residents moved home within Ireland. Just under 30pc of these moves were to a different county.

Members of the public were asked to fill out their census forms on April 3 last year.

The survey revealed the average age of the population increased from 37.4 in 2016 to 38.8 in 2022. In 2011, the average age was 36.1.

The average age of the Irish population has increased by 1.4 years since 2016, while the proportion of the population identifying as Catholic has dropped by 10 percentage points.

The number of people with dual Irish citizenship was 170,597, which represents a 63pc increase over the six-year period.

People born in Ireland account for 37pc of this group.

The largest groups of dual Irish citizens were Irish-UK, Irish-American, Irish-Polish and Irish-Australian.

Among the Irish-UK citizens, 87pc were born outside Ireland. This was more balanced for Irish-American (55pc born outside Ireland) and Irish-Polish (50pc) citizens.

The CSO also found a drop from 87pc to 83pc in the proportion of people who reported their health was good or very good since 2016.

RELIGION

There was a fall in the proportion of the population who identified as Roman Catholic from 79pc (3,696,644) in 2016 to 69pc (3,515,861) in 2022. The No Religion category increased from 451,941 people to 736,210. The Church of Ireland category showed little change but remained the second largest religious category with 124,749 people (2pc).

The Church of Ireland remained the second largest religion at 124,749, with its figures not notably rising or falling since the last Census.

Mayo had the highest proportion of Roman Catholics at 80pc of the countys population, closely followed by Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon and Galway County, all reporting 79pc. Dublin, meanwhile, had the lowest, at 53pc.

EDUCATION AND THE IRISH LANGUAGE

There were 150,000 people who had finished education at age 15, a drop of 150,000 since 2016, while the number of people who finished full-time education when they were 25 years or older was up 48pc to nearly 375,000.

The numbers who speak Irish increased by 6pc between 2016 and 2022 to 1,873,997.

Of the people who said they could speak Irish, 623,961 spoke Irish daily within and outside the education system.

POPULATION CHANGES

Ireland's population increased by 8pc (387,274 people) to 5,149,139 in the six years between April 2016 and April 2022. All counties showed population growth, from 5pc in Donegal, Kilkenny, and Tipperary, to 14pc in Longford. The east of the country showed strong growth, with an increase in Meath of 13pc followed by Fingal (12pc) and Kildare (11pc).

POPULATION BY AGE AND SEX

The highest increase in population was in the over-70s, at 26pc, while there was a 4pc fall in the numbers of people aged 25 to 39. The average age of the population increased from 37.4 in 2016 to 38.8 in 2022, continuing the trend of an ageing population from 2011 when it stood at 36.1.

There were 2,544,549 males and 2,604,590 females in the country, or 98 men for every 100 women.

CARERS

The number of unpaid carers increased by 53pc to more than 299,000 between 2016 and 2022.

There were increases in the proportion of the population providing unpaid care across most age groups. People aged between 50 and 59 were the group most likely to be providing regular unpaid care. It should he noted that there were a number of changes to the question on unpaid carers on the 2022 census form which may affect comparability with the previous census, the CSO warned.

MARITAL STATUS

Single people aged 15 and over made up 43pc of Ireland's population, compared with 41pc in 2016. There were more single men (52pc) than women (48pc), Married people, including those who were re-married and people in a same-sex civil partnership, accounted for 46pc of the population aged 15 vears and over, down from 48pc six years ago

VOLUNTEERING

In April 2022, 711,379 people reported that they regularly engaged in volunteering activities. The largest numbers of volunteers were in sport followed by community, social/charity, religious and political areas. Males were most likely to volunteer in a sporting organisation while females were more likely to volunteer in their community.

CHILDCARE

Just under one in three children under the age of 15 was in childcare in 2022. The most common type of childcare used was a creche or a similar facility. These provided care to 139.899 children in April 2022. The second most common type of childcare was provided by an unpaid relative or family member to 92,118 children.

HOME OWNERSHIP

The proportion of owner-occupied dwellings continued to fall, down from almost 70pc to 66pc in the 11 years from Census 2011 to 2022. The number of households who rented their accommodation from a private landlord rose by 7pc to 330,632 between April 2016 and April 2022.

REMOTE WORKING AND COMMUTING

Nearly 750,000 people  a third of workers  indicated that they worked from home for at least some part of their week. Four out of five business, media and public service professionals availed of remote working. The proportion of workers in the science, research, engineering and technology professionals group who ever worked from home was also high at 78pc.

There was a 7pc increase in the number of people who cycled to work, bringing the number to more than 60,000. The number of people who drove to work increased by 4pc to 1.2 million between 2016 and 2022. There were 4pc fewer people commuting to work by train, Luas, or Dart.

There were 176,276 unemployed people who had lost or given up their previous job

The number of retired people increased to nearly 658,000, up by 21pc from 2016.

BROADBAND

Almost 80pc of households had a broadband internet connection in 2022, up from 71pc in 2016 and 64pc in 2011.

TIME CAPSULE

Of the 1.8 million occupied private households enumerated during Census 2022, 348,443 (19pc) completed the Time Capsule. The completion rate by county ranged from 16pc to 21pc. Complete data on the time capsule will be released in further reports later this year.

Todays publication is the first in a series of reports on Census 2022. The CSO said it would publish eight themed reports throughout the rest of 2023, that explore exploring a range of topics including housing, homelessness, religion, disability, and carers in greater detail".

Small Area Population Statistics will also be published in September.

Cormac Halpin, senior statistician in the census division, said: The publication of Census 2022 results could not have been achieved without the overwhelmingly positive response from the public and we thank everyone who completed their census form on April 3, 2022. We would also like to thank everyone involved in the Census 2022 campaign culminating in todays successful publication of the results.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 29th
It is the 60th day of strikes by air traffic controllers so far this year.

Ryanair has cancelled five flights in and out of Dublin Airport today due to a strike by French air traffic controllers.

The airline said it has been forced to cancel approximately 130 flights to and from France due to the industrial action.

The French civil air authority asked airlines to cancel their flight schedules for Beauvais, Brest and Carcassonne airports due to the industrial action.

Two departures from Dublin  one to Rodez and another to Beauvais, Paris  are cancelled today, along with an arrival from Rodez and two arriving flights from Beauvais.

It is the 60th day of strikes by air traffic controllers (ATC) so far this year, Ryanair said in a statement.

All affected passengers have been notified via email and SMS with all the information you need to change your flight or request a refund, they added.

We advise all passengers travelling to/from France to monitor the Ryanair app/website for the most up to date information regarding your flight.

The airline apologised to passengers for the cancellations or delays related to the strikes, adding that they are entirely outside of Ryanairs control.

Ryanair encouraged passengers to sign their petition calling on the EU Commission to take action to protect EU passengers and overflights during repeated French ATC strikes.

Ryanair has been forced to cancel over 4000 flights due to the strikes so far this year, the airline said.

"It is unacceptable that France uses Min Service Legislation to protect French flights during these repeated ATC strikes, while overflights, none of which are operating to/from France, suffer all these cancellations, the airline said.

"This is unfair. The EU must act now to protect overflights and the EU Single Market.
Eight things we learned from RTE bosses at the Oireachtas Media Committee

RTE bosses were grilled for four-and-a-half hours by TDs and senators on the inner workings of the 345,000 which the State broadcaster paid top presenter Ryan Tubridy but did not declare over a number of years.

1. The mystery 120,000 paymentthat wasnt

When the scandal first broke, the national broadcaster said Mr Tubridys earnings for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 were understated by 120,000.

But RTE chiefs told the committee that the 120,000 wasnt paid, even though the issue is under investigation.

Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster then asked if it was 50,000, 50,000 and 20,000 over the three years and he said: Yeah.

2. Ryan Tubridy was due a "loyalty bonus" of 120,000 at the end of his contract

That was never paid, it was never accrued for in the accounts. But for an unexplained reason, that 120,000 was credited against his earnings in between 2017 and 2019.

Thats under investigation at the moment by Grant Thornton, said Mr Collins.

3. Verbal agreements

Mr Lynch said when the "verbal guarantee" was given on May 7 via a Microsoft Teams call, Mr Tubridy's earnings should have been declared.

Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne said Noel Kelly is able to dictate contracts to RTE and said it was unbelievable that RTE operates on partially verbal agreements.

4. Dee Forbes was asked to resign

Chair of RTE Board, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, revealed that she asked director general Dee Forbes for her resignation on June 16.

Later on in the committee, Ms Ni Raghallaigh said she did not tell Media Minister Catherine Martin during her meeting last Saturday that she sought Ms Forbes resignation.

5. Director general and chief financial officer knew of 75,000 since early March

Mr Collins said he knew since early March of the issues surrounding the 75,000 payments despite earlier in the committee saying they were only made aware around St Patricks Day.

The issue was flagged whenever it was, early March at that stage. I was spoke to, the director general was spoke to.

6. Ryan Tubridy is not coming back to RTEyet

When asked by Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe what are the editorial reasons behind Mr Tubridy being off air, Mr Lynch said:

We wouldnt give our platform or airwaves to someone who is a public figure or who is involved in a controversy. Ryan Tubridy entered a lawful contract with RTE, he said.

This is not an editorial issue, this is a significant failure in terms of controls.

7. Patrick Kieltys pay

A committee within RTE has to meet on Friday over Mr Kieltys pay but Media Committee chair and Fianna Fail TD Niamh Smyth asked if his salary could be published on Friday evening or Monday morning at the latest.

8. Snipes between Board chair and CFO

Chief financial officer Richard Collins said several times throughout the course of the meeting that the 75,000 payments were signed off by director general Dee Forbes.

From a control point of view I took comfort from the fact that they were approved by the director general, he said at one stage

However, RTE Board chair, Suin Ni Raghallaigh, spoke about cultural issues within the organisation and at one point, perhaps inadvertently, appeared to snipe at Mr Collins.

I accept that we have a cultural issue within the organisation - its a culture thats in there that accepts, Well, thats approved by the DG so were not going to talk about it.
Jacob Christians attempt to retrieve a bucket which had drifted out into water sparked off a tragic chain of events

Divers at the scene of the tragic accident at Lough Kiel in Donegal. (North West Newspix)

Jonathon Christian was aged 53 and his son Jacob was 17 when they both perished at Lough Keel

A teenager's attempt to retrieve a bucket which had drifted out into water during a fishing trip with his father sparked off a tragic chain of events which saw them both drown in a Co Donegal lough.

Jonathon Christian was aged 53 and his son Jacob Christian was 17 when they both perished at Lough Keel near Kilmacrennan on June 18, 2020.

The pair had been enjoying a day out along with another son, Benjamin, 15, when both got into difficulty and lost their lives in the water.

The father and two sons had travelled to Ireland from the Isle of Man where they lived as they also owned a property in nearby Ballyheerin in Kilmacrennan.

Details leading up to the tragedy had been given at a previous inquest.

However, the inquest was adjourned after Jonathon's wife Eileen expressed concerns over aspects of his mental health and capacity to look after his sons.

The initial inquest at Letterkenny Courthouse heard a deposition from Benjamin Christen.

He told how their bait box had fallen into the water and Jacob tried to swim after it but a ripple pushed the bucket out further.

Jonathon had initially called to his son to come back.

Benjamin added: "Jacob tried, but he couldn't swim back in."

Divers at the scene of the tragic accident at Lough Kiel in Donegal. (North West Newspix)

After initially trying to throw a life ring to Jacob, Benjamin and Jonathon both jumped into the water to try and bring Jacob to safety.

"I started to go down and dad helped me back onto the rocks. I looked back out and both were gone," added Benjamin.

Declan Foley, who looks after the pump house at Lough Keel, told the inquest how he saw Benjamin sitting on the rocks with his head down, wearing no top, shoes or socks.

Mr Foley said the boy was crying and asked him for help. He told Mr Foley: "I couldn't save them. I couldn't save them. They went under."

Detective Garda John Madigan, a scenes of crime investigator, said the water just beyond the rocks was around six-feet deep. Beyond this point, the depth would be much greater, the inquest heard.

Roisin McBride, the officer in charge at Mulroy Coast Guard, said she received a call at 2.56pm from the Marine Rescue sub centre at Malin Head requesting assistance after two people were reported to have entered the water.

Ms McBride arrived at 3.16pm and a boat was launched at 3.26pm. Four teams of two combed the shoreline to assist in the search, while the 118 rescue helicopter arrived soon after.

At 3.59pm, the body of Jonathon Christian was brought ashore, while the body of Jacob Christian was located at 6.38pm.

Pathologist Dr Gerry O'Dowd performed post mortems at Letterkenny University Hospital and concluded that death was due to drowning.

Toxicology tests showed both father and son tested negative for the presence of alcohol and drugs.

Reopening the inquest, Coroner for Donegal, Dr. Denis McCauley told how Mr Christian had been filming the trip on his phone and unknowingly captured some of the final moments before he placed the phone on rocks.

The phone showed some harrowing footage but also provided the inquest with vital evidence of what had actually happened.

He said it ultimately showed what had transpired at the lough and that both father and son died as a result of an accident.

Addressing Mrs Christian's concerns over her husband's mental health, Dr McCauley went through a number of issues.

The inquest was told that Mr Christian's family was concerned over his mental state and he was admitted involuntary under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act on May 8, 2020. He was under inpatient care until June 2, 2020.

After being released from this care he was prescribed olanzapine, but none of the medication showed up in toxicology tests which were carried out on his body.

Mrs Christian was concerned that there may have been restrictions imposed regarding travel and interacting with his children.

However, the inquest heard that no formal restrictions were in place after his release from the hospital.

Garda Ciaran Langan also told the inquest that he carried out a welfare check on June 10, 2020 when he called to the family's Donegal property.

Gardai spoke to all individuals at the house over a period of around 15 minutes and found no issues. He recalled the tragic day of June 18, 2020 when Gardai received a report of a father and son entering the water at Lough Keel.

Garda Langan told how Benjamin Christian informed him that his father and brother entered the water and went under the surface.

Footage on the mobile phone of Jonathon Christian showed the white basin being washed out and captures Jacob Christian entering the water. The footage stops when Jonathon Christian places the phone down.

Dr McCauley said the video footage was unpleasant to watch but helpful. The hand movements reaching for the bucket forced it to go out further.

The inquest heard that a discussion had taken place between the parties about whether or not to go after the bucket. Sergeant Fergus McGrory said that leave it, leave it could be heard on the video footage.

Dr McCauley said the water was very still, but also very cold on the day in question.

Dr McCauley said that the medical history of Jonathon Christian was sought and a report was obtained from Dr Marina Hudson, a consultant at a psychiatric hospital on the Isle of Man.

Leading up to May 2020, Jonathon Christian appeared to have a history of relapsing psychosis and he responded well when he was on medication, but he tended to stop taking his medication and would become agitated and disturbed.

Ms Eileen Christian was concerned over her husbands state and he was admitted involuntary under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act on May 8, 2020. He was under inpatient care until June 2, 2020.

During that time, he had two periods of release under supervision which was said to have went well. The Crisis and Home Management team followed up and were happy with his progress. Mr Christian informed them of his intention to leave the Isle of Man and they werent concerned.

While Mr Christian assured a consultant, who followed up with a call after he came to Ireland, that he was taking his medication, Dr McCauley said it appeared that that was not the case.

Dr McCauley said the statutory agencies engaged appropriately before he left the Isle of Man

Ms Eileen Christian told Gardai how she visited the morgue at Letterkenny University Hospital to identify the bodies of her husband and son where she was met by porter Sean McDaid.

I just wanted Jacob to open his eyes, Ms Christian said. Ms Christian told the inquest how Jacob was a strong swimmer, but her husband was not a swimmer.

Dr McCauley said the mental state of Jonathon Christian on June 18, 2020 is unknown.

He said this was only of importance if a decision made on the day was out of character or something that a normal person wouldnt do.

The decision to go fishing on the lake with his two sons was normal. A father and two sons went to go fishing and a small incident escalated into a terrible tragedy. The presence of the video is incredibly sad and upsetting, but it does give a view of what happened.

The medical finding in the case of Jonathon Christian and Jacob Christian was drowning.

Dr McCauley said the absence of a video would give rise to a concern about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Regardless of his mental state, this was an accident, he said.

Dr McCauley said he was comfortable in bringing in a finding of accidental death in both cases.
A heroic mother who drowned after bravely trying to save her son after he got into difficulty off a Cork beach will be laid to rest in her native Poland.

Mother-of-two, Joanna Wisniowska (34), died after a tragedy off Ballycroneen strand in east Cork on Sunday afternoon despite a massive search and rescue operation being launched within minutes of the alarm being raised.

She had courageously gone to the aid of her 10-year-old son who was in difficulty in the water. She managed to get him to safety of offshore rocks before she was swept away by a rip current.

Joanna was from Strzyzow in Poland, in the Carpathian district to the east of Krakow, but had been living in Cloyne in east Cork for several years with her husband and two children.

A funeral service will be held for Ms Wisniowska at 7pm in St. Colman's Church, Cloyne, tomorrow evening, Friday, June 30.

Her body will be flown home to Strzyzow thereafter, where she will be buried.

A death notice on Rip.ie says Ms Wisniowska was the beloved wife to Maciek, loving mother to Stanley and Zosia.

"Sadly missed by her parents Alicia and Tadeus and her beloved sister Magdalenia and brother-in-law Piotor, nieces Laura, Otylia and Alice, mother-in-law Kristina and remembering her late father-in-law Maciek. Sadly missed also by her sisters-in-law Emilia and Joanna and their husbands Darek and Rija, her nephews Michael, Lena & Viktor, her dear friends, neighbours, work colleagues from Castlemartyr Resort and the Cloyne community, the death notice reads.

Ms Wisniowska was employed in the tourism and hospitality industry and had worked at Castlemartyr Resort for a time. She was also a certified massage therapist.

The family were deeply involved in the local community and were keen fans of water sports.

Cloyne locals described her as pleasant, quiet, hard-working and utterly devoted to her family.

East Ferry Rowing Club paid a heartbreaking tribute to the brave mother.

"It was with shock and great sadness that we learned today of the tragic passing of Joanna Wisniowska," a club official said.

"We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Maciej, her partner, Stanisaw, her son, Zofia, her daughter and all extended family and friends.

"Maciej and Stanisaw are both rowers with East Ferry Rowing Club.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by today's tragic news. May Joanna rest in peace."

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 29th
Use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)  which thousands of Irish women rely on to relieve symptoms of the menopause  is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimers disease, a large study suggests.

The Danish study reported an increased risk in long-term users of menopausal hormone therapy, but also those who are on it for the short term.

The findings align with the largest clinical trial carried out on this topic, the research in the British Medical Journal said.

Although a causal link remains uncertain, findings should be investigated in future studies, it said.

There has been a big swing back to HRT in Ireland and other countries in recent years as debate around the menopause has escalated and it is increasingly the go-to remedy for hot flushes, brain fog and joint pain.

The researchers in the new study call for further examination to explore if the observed association in this study between menopausal hormone therapy use and increased risk of dementia illustrates a causal effect.

In a linked editorial, researchers argue that while this study has several strengths, the observed associations should not be used to infer a causal relationship between hormone therapy and dementia risk.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 29th

There was a shortage of some HRT patches here last year with figures showing their use had risen up to 7.5 times compared to 2019.

Large observational studies have shown that the long-term use of menopause hormone therapy is associated with development of dementia, confirming findings from the Womens Health Initiative Memory Study, the largest clinical trial on this topic.

But the effect of short-term use of hormone therapy around the age of menopause, as is currently recommended, remains to be fully explored.

The researchers, led by Nelsan Pourhadi of the Danish Dementia Research Centre at Copenhagen University Hospital, assessed the association between the use of combined oestrogen and progestin  synthetic progestogen  therapy and the development of dementia according to the type of hormone treatment, duration of use, and age at use.

Drawing on national registry data, they identified 5,589 cases of dementia and 55,890 age-matched dementia-free controls between 2000 and 2018 from a population of all Danish women aged 50-60 years in 2000 with no history of dementia.

Other relevant factors including education, income, hypertension, diabetes, and thyroid disease were also taken into account.

The average age at diagnosis was 70 years. Before a diagnosis, 1,782  or 32pc  of cases and 16,154, 29pc, of controls had received oestrogen-progestin therapy from an average age of 53 years. The average duration of use was 3.8 years for cases and 3.6 years for controls.

The results show that, compared with people who had never used treatment, people who had received oestrogen-progestin therapy had a 24pc increased rate of developing all cause dementia and Alzheimers disease, even in women who received treatment at the age of 55 years or younger.

Rates were higher with longer use, ranging from 21pc for one year or less to 74pc for more than 12 years of use.

The increased rate of dementia was similar between continuous (oestrogen and progestin taken daily) and cyclic  daily (oestrogen with progestin taken 10-14 days a month) treatment regimens.

Use of progestin-only therapy and vaginal oestrogen only were not associated with the development of dementia.

This is an observational study and cannot establish cause and the researchers were not able to isolate vascular dementia from other types of dementia or distinguish between tablets and other ways to take hormone therapy, such as patches.

The researchers cannot rule out the possibility that women using hormone therapy have a predisposition to both menopausal vasomotor symptoms  such as hot flushes, night sweats  and dementia.

However, this was a large study based on high-quality treatment data with a long follow-up time.

The authors said: Further studies are warranted to determine whether these findings represent an actual effect of menopausal hormone therapy on dementia risk, or whether they reflect an underlying predisposition in women in need of these treatments.

This view is supported by US researchers in a linked editorial, who say confounding factors could be producing a spurious signal for higher dementia risk in younger women using hormone therapy for either a short or long duration.

On This Day In History - June 29th
Union members protest about ongoing failure of local councils to address concerns.

Water workers who are members of the Unite trade union will strike in 10 local authorities across the country tomorrow.

The local authority water workers say they are taking industrial action due to shortcomings in a new framework for the future delivery of water services.

In a statement, Unite said members would protest about ongoing failure of local councils and their representative associations to address these concerns.

Local authorities in Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council, Louth County Council and Waterford City and County Council have been notified about the industrial action.

Carlow County Council, Tipperary County Council, Cork City and County Council Galway City Council have also been issued with notice.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage called the strike notice by Unite "wholly unjustified and disproportionate, adding that Minister OBrien was calling on the union representatives to call off their strike action and not cause unnecessary difficulties for the public.

They added that plans were being put in place to ensure the continued supply of water services tomorrow.

Members of the union believe there are shortcomings in the Framework for the Future Delivery of Water Services document put forward by the Workplace Relations Commission last year.

Unite members rejected these plans, pointing to the ongoing failure of local authorities and their representative association to engage with Unite regarding what the union believes to be shortcomings in the framework agreement.

They are seeking a commitment that members transferring to Uisce Eireann will retain their public service status and a strengthening of existing commitments regarding the protection of local authority workers involved in water services delivery.

Members are also seeking a removal of service and age barriers for those wishing to avail of a redundancy option and an amendment of the framework to specify a date and wording for a referendum enshrining public ownership and management of Irelands water system in the Constitution.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said the department was aware of the planned strike action by Unite and is closely following developments.

They added: Uisce Eireann and local authorities are in regular contact with each other, as well as with the department, and are working together to put appropriate plans in place to ensure the continued supply of water services.

The demands by Unite are not in line with the approach taken by the other unions representing water services workers as part of the ITCU group of unions.

"Recent commitments given by Minister OBrien to water services workers on protection of earnings and allowances should provide adequate reassurance to Unite members that they will benefit from the multiple options available to them under the Framework.

Minister OBrien and the department had every confidence in the framework and believed it was the right way forward for all the parties to the transformation process, they added.

"For workers, in particular it sets out the options that will become available generally, and empowers each worker to decide voluntarily on the option which is best suited to their own individual needs.

"The strike notice by Unite is wholly unjustified and disproportionate, and Minister OBrien is calling on the union representatives to call off their strike action and not cause unnecessary difficulties for the public.

The planned course of action as outlined previously is to bring forward a referendum proposal on water ownership for consideration by Government in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a proposed referendum on housing once the Housing Commission has reported to Minister OBrien on that matter.

"In this way, it is intended that definitive proposals, including timelines, for referenda on water and housing will be considered by Government in due course.
The chief financial officer of the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board did not appear before an Oireachtas committee today as it emerged a financial matter had been identified at the organisation.

Instead, the Public Accounts Committee was told chief financial officer (CFO) Donal OShea was on a voluntary period of leave since yesterday and could not come before it.

I cannot say anything that would prejudice any investigation that might take place, and I recognise that we are funded by the taxpayer, said Darragh OLoughlin. the new chief executive of the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB).

He said he preferred not to answer whether the individual asked to take leave, or was asked to take leave.

Gordon Conroy, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, said he had learned yesterday of a matter, financial in nature, which caused some concern.

He immediately informed Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and a review would take place as a matter of urgency, Mr Conroy said.

Fianna Fail TD Cormac Devlin said a bombshell has been dropped this morning.

Mr OLoughlin replied: To describe it as a bombshell is not unreasonable in the circumstances.

He told Mr Devlin that there were five members of staff in the finance department of the IHRB and the chief financial officer had been in post for six years.

Mr Devlin said it was frustrating nobody from the finance department had been brought to the PAC, given its financial role.

"Any relevant disclosures will be made imminently, in no more than days, Mr OLoughlin said, adding that he had discovered the issue only at 10.40am on Tuesday this week while preparing for PAC.

Mr Devlin said he was beginning to think there was a bit of competition for headlines today. He said he was in shock at the revelations.

He said: The hints in the name  the regulatory board.

The IHRB was established in 2018.

Meanwhile the committee also heard details of how Mr OLoughlin replaced former CEO Denis Egan, who recently took an early-retirement package of 384,870, which was far beyond the terms of a severance scheme.

Such a payment was not in the interests of horse racing in Ireland and was 58pc larger than should have ben paid out, said James OConnor TD.

The PAC was told Mr Egan had not had a contract for his employment.

Comptroller and Auditor General Seamus McCarthy said his understanding was that the contract did not exist.

Mr OLoughlin replied: Either it doesnt exist, or it is not in our possession.

He said he could not reveal details of earnings in the absence of a waiver, because of advice received in relation to GDPR and privacy law.

The CEO nonetheless said he believed all the decisions taken were in good faith and in the interests of Irish racing.

But the C&AG said that, in general, there was an expectation that CEO salary details in the public sector could and should be provided.

Was the governance around this what it should have been? Clearly not, said Mr OLoughlin.

But he said he trusted in the bona fides of those involved and that they believed it was in the best interests of the sport.

Mr OConnor said the facts, insofar as they were disclosed, were flabbergasting.

Catherine Murphy TD, of the Social Democrats, said: Given this is the regulatory body, it certainly doesnt align with how things would be ordered. I would have thought that was self-evident.

The committee was told there was an extensive non-disclosure provision to the former CEOs departure. Mr Egan left in September 2021 after 19 years and 10 months in his post.

On This Day In History - June 29th
Possible that secret pay scandal influenced Ryan Tubridy decision to step down from Late Late Tubridy last week denied it had an any impact on his decisionMy own opinion is maybe the taxpayer was defrauded  chief financial officer Richard CollinsTDs react with fury as CFO says: I dont know what my exact salary is off top of my headMr Collins eventually reveals he earns in region of 200,000 with a 25,000 car allowanceCFO says Dee Forbes told him 75,000 invoices were for pandemic consultancy fees to Noel KellyAct designed to deceive  RTE chair on secret paymentsRTE will publish top 100 earners

RTE used its controversial barter account to pay 275,000 for tickets and travel for clients for the Rugby World Cup, 10-year IRFU tickets and the Champions League Final in 2019.

In 2019, 111,000 was spent for travel and hotels to bring clients to Rugby World Cup. Spending on 10-year IRFU tickets cost 138,000. Expenditure on Champions League final in 2019 cost 26,000.

The expenditure was described as RTE chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh as outrageous.

"Expenditure like that should go through the procurement system. I do believe thats now been put in place, she said.

It comes as chief financial officer Richard Collins said there is not fraud involved here after referencing legal advice they had received in relation to the barter account payments to Ryan Tubridy.

My own opinion is maybe the taxpayer was defrauded, he said.

Sinn Fein TD John Brady asked the CFO if he wanted to make a statement to the gardai after saying it was his opinion that the taxpayer was defrauded.

Mr Collins said he would seek legal advice.

Barter account

Moya Doherty, former chair of the RTE board, said the definition of barter fund struck her as a horrific definition.

None of us knew of the existence of this barter fund which was outside of the financial department and therefore not reported to us, she said.

She said it was staggering and absolutely shocking that the barter fund was not reported to the RTE board.

It raises the bigger issue of the tension between commercial and public service.

Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster brought up a U2 Croke Park U2 concert several years ago and asked how much RTE paid for people to attend it.

A coach was hired to bring guests from Drumcondra to Croke Park.

Ms Munster asked whether any family members were there.

My husband probably came with me, yes, as every guest had their partner, commercial director Geraldine OLeary said.

She said every media company formed relationships with its clients.

RTE board member Robert Shortt said the first time he heard of the barter account on March 21 in an audit and risk committee meeting.

Fianna Fail TD James OConnor asked whether there was a Las Vegas style-culture, a Celtic Tiger-culture, within the broadcaster.

Mr Shortt said the joke in RTE was that the RTE Guide magazine was the perk, because they may get that free when it is published  but not the Christmas edition.

He added that the process was dragging the organisation through enormous damage and that the decision to suspend outgoing director-general Dee Forbes was not taken lightly.

Tubridy and Late Late Show

Meanwhile, interim director general of RTE Adrian Lynch has admitted it is possible a looming controversy around 75,000 payments influenced Mr Tubridys decision to step down from the Late Late Show.

Sinn Fein TD John Brady asked whether the uncovering of these payments could have well influenced Mr Tubridys decision to step down from the Late Late Show.

Mr Brady referenced how Mr Lynch said yesterday that Mr Tubridy could have not known what was going on in the background when he made his announcement to step down.

Mr Lynch said. I was trying to work out the day the director of content had told me that Ryan Tubridy had come into his office to tell him that he was stepping down.

RTE CFO reluctant to answer when asked about his salary

Mr Lynch said he had sent a list of potential presenters to the director of content on March 13.

So in my mind, I didnt realise the CFO had contact from the auditors, he said.

Mr Brady asked: Ryan Tubridy could well have been informed by somebody that this process or these concerns had been raised? .

Mr Lynch replied: Based on the information from yesterday, its possible.

Mr Brady asked: So it would be reasonable to say that this process, the uncovering of these payments, could well have influenced Ryan Tubridys decision to step down from his role as presenter of the Late Late Show?

Mr Lynch replied: Its possible if you look at the information.

Last week, Mr Tubridy denied that his decision to step down from the Late Late Show had anything to do with the scandal.

Meanwhile, incoming director general of RTE Kevin Bakhurst will reconstitute the executive board of RTE, Mr Lynch has said.

In a statement to the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Lynch said said the executive board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective and failed to ensure good governance in relation to the Tubridy payments.

Adrian Lynch, interim DG

Mr Lynch said the board had deep regret regarding what has emerged in recent days. For this serious breach of trust with the public, we apologise.

I have spoken to Kevin Bakhurst last night. I understand that his first task will be a reconstitution of the executive board of RTE, Mr Lynch said in his opening statement, a written copy of which was submitted shortly before the meeting was due to kick off.

It is a fact that the application of governance procedures at executive board level allowed for the partial and incomplete sharing of information, so that individual members of the executive either did not have access to information, or had information withheld from them.

It is true that the executive board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective, and failed to ensure good governance in this matter. Collectively, owing to the siloed style of procedures at executive, and an overreliance on the prerogative asserted by the director-general, we did not receive a comprehensive evaluation of Ryan Tubridy's contract in full, including the way in which the payments were treated. We acknowledge and accept this failure by those members of the executive who were aware of the contract.

The Executive Board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective" RTE Interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch says

Mr Lynch added that he had no knowledge that RTE had directly paid Ryan Tubridy.

He said from what I can see a commercial decision was made on May 7, 2020.

He said the director general, Ms Forbes, gave an undertaking to NK management that RTE will pay the bill if the commercial deal didnt work out.

RTE representatives arrive for PAC committee meeting

Siun Ni Raghallaigh, chairperson

Chairperson Siun Ni Raghallaigh described the secret payments as an act designed to deceive.

"As a trained accountant and a former financial controller, I am appalled as to how payments were recorded and presented in the RTE accounts, she said.

"What was the motivation here? It appears to me that this was an act designed to deceive.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh said she intended to publish RTEs top 100 earners as soon as was practically possible.

She said the director of content would have had some of the information regarding Mr Tubridys payments, even though they are not at the committee.

Mr Lynch said he  as well as the director of content, the chief financial officer, somebody from the RTE legal department and the DG  were "the people who would be aware" of Mr Tubridy's contract.

He said there was a "further" agreement to "underwrite" the commercial agreement.

It appears to me that this was an act designed to deceive" RTE Board chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh says

Richard Collins, chief financial officer

Chief financial officer Richard Collins said there is not fraud involved here after referencing legal advice they had received.

My own opinion is maybe the taxpayer was defrauded, he said.

SF TD Imelda Munster asked Mr Collins when exactly he found out about the 75,000 invoices after he said yesterday the issues were raised with him early March.

On March 7, Deloitte approached Mr Collins, he said. They raised the issue of the invoices there and asked me what they were for.

He asked the DG, Ms Forbes, and she told him they were consultancy invoices relating to services provided during Covid by Noel Kelly Management.

The services were in relation to how RTE structured its operations [during the pandemic], he said.

[Noel Kelly] was giving advice to how we dealt with sponsors.

I got a high-level response from the DG. Deloitte werent happy with the response.

I didnt give the nod, I never gave the nod.

He said he was told it was for advice Noel Kelly had provided on how RTE structured itself and presented itself during Covid.

"[Ms Forbes] gave what appeared to be a plausible explanation," he said.

Ms Munster said this was "ridiculous".

Chair Brian Stanley asked Mr Collins whether he was told the payments related to agents.

If I said agents, I would correct that, said Mr Collins.

Siun Ni Raghallaigh says RTE is examining no longer dealing with agents going forward

He said he was told they related to consultancy services that Noel Kelly had provided during Covid.

Your explanation here is ridiculous, Mr Stanley said.

Mr Collins was also asked by FG TD Colm Burke whether consultants are obliged to charge VAT for invoices.

He said there is no VAT charged for invoices for UK companies, as was the case here.

Mr Collins said labelling the invoices as consultancy fees was a sparse description.

He said in hindsight he should have asked questions.

The barter account sat outside the normal system, Mr Collins said.

Mr Collins said Deloitte didnt raise any other issues bar the consultancy invoices, which we now know relate to the 75,000 payments to Ryan Tubridy.

He said the barter company had a fee of 35pc to deal with the invoices.

In hindsight, yes, I should have gone a step further in 2020 and should have shut [the barter account] down or brought it further under [RTE] finance control, Mr Collins said.

"I'm not here to justify the barter account. I wasn't happy with the barter account when I saw it first."

In an extraordinary series of events, the CFO revealed he is paid a base salary of 200,000 plus car allowance of 25,000.

This came after pressure from enraged TDs and Mr Stanley after John Brady asked him his salary.

Mr Collins initially declined to say how much he is being paid, saying it is a private matter.

Mr Stanley intervened, saying that the chair of the board said top salaries would be published.

I dont know what my exact salary is off the top of my head, Mr Collins said.

This was met with fury from TDs.

I believe my salary is around 200,000 plus a car allowance of 25,000 but its in and around that, Mr Collins said finally.

Meanwhile, when questioned by Green TD Marc O Cathasaigh, Geraldine OLeary said neither she nor Renault was aware that RTE had underwritten the contract.

RTE board member Anne OLeary said Grant Thornton had an awful lot of work to do and it took them three months to carry out the first report.

I thought the internal audit procedure had really improved things, she said when asked about the changes she has seen in her time in RTE.

She said the 75,000 payments were completely a shock to her.

Dee Forbes resignation

The recommendation for Ms Forbes to resign came from the audit and risk committees report.

I thought what had occurred was significantly serious enough to ask for a resignation, Anne OLeary said.

Subsequently to that, she decided not to reply to our letter.

Ms Forbes was then suspended, she said.

There was a response by letter either on the Sunday or the Monday, a legal representative from RTE told the committee.

Earlier today, Leo Varadkar said Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly must give their side of the secret payments story to the TDs and senators inquiring into the controversy.

Answering questions on his way into an EU leaders Brussels summit dominated by the war in Ukraine, the Taoiseach also said the Government was committed to funding public service broadcasting.

But he insisted that not all of the licence fee funds should go to RTE and should be shared more fairly.

Mr Varadkar said the two committee hearings at Leinster House were getting important evidence from the state broadcasters senior managers and board members. He also repeated his call for Ms Forbes to come to the committee hearings.

There are other people who could shine a light on this and they include Ryan Tubridy, they include his agent, and they include Dee Forbes. And I think they should be willing to come before the committee and answer questions, he told reporters.

There are procedures and they will be treated fairly and I think that it would be the right thing for them to do their part. They may have a story to tell and I think its right that they should be allowed to tell their side of the story.

The fact that they would not, or that they would refuse, would be a matter of concern to me.

The Taoiseach insisted future RTE funding options and the current controversy were separate issues. He said the broadcaster had an important job to do to regain public confidence and this was best done by telling the Oireachtas committees the full truth of what happened about secret payments.

Mr Varadkar said he and the Government were committed to funding public service broadcasting. But most people now believed that there was more to public service broadcasting than RTE and the service was not entitled to all the licence fee revenue.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh revealed at the committee she had phoned Media Minister Catherine Martin this morning and apologised for not telling her she had asked Ms Forbes to resign.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh told the committee she asked for Ms Forbes to resign on June 16 but this was not forthcoming.

Ms Forbes was suspended and later resigned

However, her being asked to resign was not relayed to the minister by the chair in their meeting last Saturday.

The chair, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, did ring me this morning and explained, apologised, for any disquiet caused because of that. But it really was to do with due process and individuals rights, Ms Martin said.

She said she was told Ms Forbes was suspended as soon as it happened.

I was informed as soon as the decision was taken to suspend.

She said the meeting on Saturday was focused on getting to the bottom of the numbers which had emerged the day prior  that top presenter Ryan Tubridy was paid 345,000 more than had been made public.
A bothy is a simple, remote dwelling that you can stay in for free

Ryvoan Bothy in the Cairngorm National Park. The bothy is maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association. Photo: Getty

Big nights out dont get much wilder than bothying. A bothy is a simple, remote dwelling that you can stay in for free  these no-frills cottages and cabins are places to rest your head, with four walls, a roof, a sleeping platform and, if youre lucky, a wood-burning stove.

While bothies are basic, they often come with epic views  these shelters are usually found in mountain passes, on the shores of lakes, hidden in the woods and perched on Britains most rugged shores.

The Mountain Bothy Association, a charity that does great work maintaining around 100 bothies, offers hikers and mountain bikers unhindered access to some of the UKs most spectacular landscapes  and, unsurprisingly, most bothies are in Scotlands mountains and stretches of wilderness.

One reason that bothies are so special is that you have to earn the right to stay in one  by getting there in the first place. Many are far from any signs of civilisation, such as Ben Alder Cottage in the Central Highlands, which requires a 16km pilgrimage just to reach it. Others are just an easy hour or twos walk or cycle, such as Ryvoan in the Cairngorms (below), reached by a wide path through tall pine trees and along the shores of the glassy clear waters of An Lochan Uaine, the Green Loch, an amazing place for a wild swim.

Theres a bothy to suit just about everyone, from riverside cabins such as Bob Scotts Hut in the Cairngorms to The Lookout on Skye, a former coastguards station, and photogenic Kearvaig in Cape Wrath, often called Scotlands most beautiful bothy and complete with a white sand beach, a roaring fire and even a disco ball.

All of these magical places are free to use, but part of the culture of bothying is respect  for other users and for the landscape around you. Most hikers follow the Bothy Code, packing up their rubbish and often leaving behind useful bits and bobs such as matches or dried food. Theres a sense of camaraderie around these unique shelters, too  if you share a bothy with strangers, youll likely sit around the fire swapping stories of your hiking feats as well as snacks.

Ryvoan Bothy in the Cairngorm National Park. The bothy is maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association. Photo: Getty

All of these magical places are free to use, but part of the culture of bothying is respect  for other users and for the landscape around you

When I headed to the Scottish Highlands as part of Helly Hansens Open Mountain month, I decided to finally tackle a hiking-and-bothying route Ive always dreamed of. Assynt in the south-west of Sutherland is one of the least densely populated areas in the whole of Europe, let alone the UK, and instead of roads and inhabitants, some of Scotlands most impressive mountains call it home.

Towering over it all is the isolated peak of Suilven mountain at 731 metres high. The crown jewel of Assynt requires a 19km round trip trek and a painfully steep 500-metre ascent to reach the summit  but its all worth it once you step onto the mountain ridge and are rewarded with panoramic views from the dome-like peak. On a hot, clear June morning, I could see vast mountains and deep lochs stretching all the way to the sea below me.

I was just a brief visitor to this corner of wilderness  so whats it like to work in the rugged remoteness of Assynt year-round?

Assynts charm is its sparse population, says Tim Hamlet, the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team Leader and Helly Hansen partner. Scotland is well known for its mountain chains in the highlands mountainous ranges, yet Assynts standalone peaks are a true thing of beauty, and it has a one-of-a-kind marrying of mountains and the sea.

Suilven is also legendary British mountaineer Sir Chris Boningtons favourite view from a mountains summit  quite something for such an experienced, decorated mountaineer!

Tim has some tips for anyone heading out into the mountains he helps to keeps safe.

If its your first time to Assynt, ensure you plan and prepare for your venture from start to end. If you are a lone traveller, share your plan with a friend or family member, with expected times for your arrival and departure.

In an emergency, call 999 and ask for police, then mountain rescue. Make sure your phone is fully charged and you are carrying a portable battery pack. Ensure you are wearing high-quality, durable kit and gear that is fit for purpose, and is waterproof and breathable.

Assynts standalone peaks are a true thing of beauty, and it has a one-of-a-kind marrying of mountains and the sea

Back down in the valley, the only sign of the human hand in the landscape was the snug and inviting Suileag bothy in Suilvens foothills. By bothy standards, this shelter is smart, spic and span, with two separate bedrooms sleeping up to eight people each on wooden platforms, plus an open fireplace and windows that perfectly frame the mountain summit. Itd be a cosy haven on a winters day, when you could light a fire and warm up by the flames  a kind soul had even left some candles and an inch or two of whisky behind.

On the hot, still evening when I arrived, the bothy was pleasingly cool and shady and, best of all, kept the cloud of angry midges that had been following in my wake all day firmly outside. I had the place to myself, so I made tea, lit candles and watched the midsummer sun set slowly outside as I laid out my sleeping bag on a wooden platform.

In the middle of the night a rumbling storm suddenly broke overhead, and as lightning flashed and rain thundered down on the tin roof I was warm, dry and grateful for the solid stone walls around me.

What more could you want from a night in the wild?

Follow the Bothy Code

Respect other users: Leave the bothy clean and tidy with dry kindling for the next visitors. Make other visitors welcome and be considerate to other users.

Respect the bothy: Dont leave graffiti or vandalise the bothy. Take all rubbish home with you, including perishable food, which attracts vermin.

Respect the surroundings: If there is no toilet at the bothy, bury human waste out of sight. Use the spade (often provided, but bringing your own small shovel is a good idea), keep well away from the water supply and never use the vicinity of the bothy as a toilet. Never cut live wood or damage estate property. Use fuel sparingly.

Respect agreements with the estate: Observe any restrictions on use of the bothy, for example during stag stalking or at lambing time.

Respect the restriction on numbers: Large groups and commercial groups should not use a bothy.

Sian explored Assynt as part of Helly Hansens Open Mountain month, an initiative to inspire and enable people of all abilities to get outdoors with events across the world.

Check out Sians collection of walking routes to amazing bothies, mapped on Komoot.
Alarm bells on undeclared cash went off before Late Late exitPatrick Kielty nails down role and now wants his salary publicDee Forbes was asked to resign, as Taoiseach slaps management

Anne O'Leary, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, Robert Shortt yesterday ahead of an appearance at the Oireachtas Media Committee. Photo: Frank McGrath

Ryan Tubridys future in RTE is now in grave doubt as the scandal around his secret payments widens.

In another bruising day for the national broadcaster, it emerged Tubridy is out of contract, talks on a new deal are suspended and its not clear if he will return at all.

RTE sources indicate he certainly wont be back on air this side of the summer as an investigation into his payments continues.

Coming under intense scrutiny, the broadcaster disclosed it made a 1.2m settlement with Revenue over bogus self-employment.

Eight things we learned from RTE bosses at the Oireachtas Media Committee

RTE chiefs will appear before the Dail Public Accounts committee today to be quizzed on the saga.

At the Oireachtas Media Committee yesterday, Tubridys departure from The Late Late Show was described as an incredible coincidence as it was announced the day before RTEs board found out about his payments. RTE now admits senior executives were told about the payments issue weeks before his shock departure.

But his Late Late Show replacement, Patrick Kielty, is nailing down his role and wants his salary to be made public.

RTEs board and executive are also still under pressure following an unconvincing performance before the Media Committee. In a slapdown of the RTE management, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it was not credible for them to claim former director general Dee Forbes was the only one who knew about the misreported payments to Tubridy. And it was revealed that Ms Forbes was asked to resign two weeks ago, but the Government was never told by the RTE chair.

But there is a real shadow over Tubridys future now with conflicting accounts of the status of his contract.

RTEs acting director general, Adrian Lynch, refused to be drawn on whether Tubridy will be back on the radio.

At the moment, obviously, for editorial reasons, its impossible for Ryan Tubridy to be back on air, he said.

We wouldnt give our platform or airwaves to someone who is a public figure or who is involved in a controversy, he added later.

RTE board and executives leave after grilling over Tubridy payments

When asked about the Irish Independent reporting that Tubridy disputes RTE claims that his contract is finished, Mr Lynch said he is getting paid the radio portion now.

His radio and television contract went until the end of May. Then it was radio only, he said.

A new contract to take account of him giving up The Late Late Show but continuing with his RTE Radio 1 show has yet to be agreed.

The outcome of a second investigation by accountants Grant Thornton into payments to Tubridy will take up to four weeks.

Tubridys earnings for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 were understated by 120,000. The presenter was due a loyalty bonus of 120,000 at the end of his contract.

But RTE chiefs told the committee that the 120,000 wasnt paid and was an adjustment made to the figures, yet the matter is under investigation.

But for an unexplained reason, that 120,000 was credited against his earnings in between 2017 and 2019. Thats under investigation at the moment by Grant Thornton, RTE chief financial officer Richard Collins said.

Meanwhile, the new Late Late Show presenter Kielty wants to make public his RTE pay package, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Kielty walked away in silence on Sunday when asked by the Irish Independent whether he would be willing to disclose his pay. He also replied when asked about the RTE payments scandal: Ill need a few more beers before I could talk about that.

Anne O'Leary, Siun Ni Raghallaigh, Robert Shortt yesterday ahead of an appearance at the Oireachtas Media Committee. Photo: Frank McGrath

RTE bosses have confirmed Kieltys contract to present the show has been signed by both sides. The stations management also said they would be happy to publish the salary  if Kielty agreed. Kielty has indicated to RTE he wants his salary to be known.

RTE acting director general Mr Lynch also said Kielty was recently informed of the impending issue around Tubridys pay. As soon as we were aware as an exec board, he was warned it was coming, Mr Lynch said.

Mr Varadkar told the Fine Gael parliamentary party that the controversy was very damaging for RTE. The Fine Gael leader told colleagues the country needs a public service broadcaster and that change and accountability from RTE are so important.

The Government is threatening to bring in an outside expert to run the organisation if the existing management cannot get on top of the crisis.

Yesterdays committee hearing has done little to quell growing Coalition anger over RTEs handling of the crisis. Last night, a senior coalition source said they now expect a second Grant Thornton report into the pay debacle to be ready in a few days.

RTE always made a virtue of holding everyone to account and to a high standard yet wont apply those standards to themselves. They need to get with the programme, the source said.

The expedited timeline came after Media Minister Catherine Martin instructed RTE to accelerate delivery of the report and criticised the broadcaster which had earlier indicated it would take four weeks.

Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism and Culture has said RTE must put the full facts about undisclosed payments to Ryan Tubridy in the public domain (Nick Bradshaw/PA)

In a statement Ms Martin said the hearing had not calmed the considerable disquiet over a lack of accountability.

A government source said RTE executives were Jesuitical with some of their answers and described revelations during the committee hearing that RTE paid a 1.2m settlement to Revenue for bogus self-employment as astonishing.

The chair of RTE board Ms Ni Raghallaigh revealed that she asked Ms Forbes for her resignation on June 16. She said one of the recommendations from the Audit and Risk Committee was to ask for Ms Forbes resignation. She still has the option to come before the committee, she said.

Ms Forbes resignation was not forthcoming, said Ms Ni Raghallaigh.

I sought her resignation, it wasnt forthcoming and then we went into a disciplinary process.

I was advised we couldnt say she was suspended because of labour laws.

She said the board made her suspension public due to the damage that it was doing to RTE.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh said she did not tell Ms Martin during their meeting on Saturday that she had sought Ms Forbes resignation.

Also at the committee, RTE bosses said some presenters are ambassadors for cars and do have cars, which is done through their agents or themselves.

RTE management also clarified executives knew since early March of the issues surrounding the 75,000 payments to Tubridy, despite earlier in the committee saying they were only made aware around St Patricks Day.

The issue was flagged whenever it was, early March at that stage. I was spoken to, the director general was spoken to, Mr Collins said.

Chair of the Media Committee, Fianna Fail TD Niamh Smyth, also asked for figures for Toy Show The Musical. The musical has now been abandoned.

RTE director of strategy Rory Coveney told her this is commercially sensitive. This was rejected by the chair and Mr Coveney said: Well consider it and come back to you.

Additional reporting by Melanie Finn Amy Molloy and Seoirse Mulgrew
Ellen Coyne: Womens pain is routinely disregarded by the medical community  especially if you mention the P word
With regard to the ongoing controversy surrounding the mis-stated published earnings of Ryan Tubridy, the following statement by RTE omits one obvious point: No member of the RTE executive board, other than the director general, had all the necessary information in order to understand that the publicly declared figures for Ryan Tubridy could have been wrong.

Surely, it goes without saying, following his own second statement that Ryan Tubridy and indeed his agent did have the necessary information to understand, question and clarify that the publicly declared information was wrong.

It seems that while RTE is keen that Dee Forbes be thrown under the bus and the executive board be absolved of any blame, it remains obvious there are questions that still need to be satisfactorily answered.

Stephen OHara

Carrowmore, Co Sligo

Politicians could also do with restoring their trust with the taxpaying public

Notwithstanding the fiasco that RTE has brought upon itself, the self-righteous attitude and scarcely disguised baying for blood by some politicians has, if anything, compounded the situation.

No less than two Oireachtas committees  public accounts and then arts and media  very quickly scheduled time to interrogate RTE executives. Then, in the context of this scheduling, came very public warnings against stonewalling, hiding behind ongoing processes or investigations and cautioning as to the opportunity for RTE to come out quickly and comprehensively.

This, with populist indications of widespread political fury at RTEs sinning, smacks of hypocrisy from a group who could purposefully review its level of trust with the Irish public.

Michael Gannon

St Thomas Square, Kilkenny

Better for all if RTEs top star had cleared up this matter at the time

Perhaps one consolation for Ryan Tubridy while on leave from RTE is he will have plenty of time to read about himself in the newspapers.

On one hand I am annoyed with RTE but on the other I feel some sympathy for Ryan, but he should have highlighted the discrepancy between his actual earnings and that reported by RTE annually.

Richard Whitty

Swords, Co Dublin

Who among us can really cast a stone at a man who made a mistake?

May I compliment Billy Keane on his article about the RTE pay affair in last Saturdays paper (Ryan is human like the rest of us  itd be wrong to cancel his career over this, Irish Independent, June 24). He put into words my exact thoughts on the subject. No one wants pity but do I feel sorry for Ryan Tubridy. Its nothing short of a witch-hunt after the poor man.

As Billy Keane put it, Ryan made an error of judgment. But which of us hasnt made such an error? Let this matter be sorted quickly and let the man move on from it.

Triona Byrne

Co Wicklow

Dail could hold another committee hearing once Dee Forbes is well again

As I understand it, Dee Forbes is too unwell to attend at the Oireachtas committee meetings this week because shes unwell.

Fair enough.

Shouldnt the invite stay open until her health recovers?

Damien Carroll

Address with editor

Television licence fee evasion rates should also be correctly stated

At a session of the Oireachtas Communications Committee on December 10, 2019, into the spending at RTE, a spokesperson for RTE stated, that the television licence evasion rate stands at 13pc, leading to a revenue loss of 25m a year.

Those figures are incorrect as the evasion rate stands nearer to 55pc; culminating in a loss of revenue of 100m yearly to the state. The reason for this huge loss of revenue is because television licence summonses are served by An Post by registered post addressed to the defaulters.

More than 57pc of those prosecutions will not be successful as the defaulter will not sign for the registered letter or the defaulter will not open the door when the post-person calls.

The post-person will try again the next day to try to effect service of the summons on the defaulter. If unsuccessful, the post-person will then leave a docket in box note asking the defaulter to collect that item at their nearest post office; they never do and An Post will then have to apply for that summons to be struck out.

Nor does An Post at the court hearing apply for an order of substitute service to have that summons served by ordinary post on the defaulter.

Edward Mahon

Clonskeagh, Dublin

We need to talk to Joes stand-ins to find out what they earn on Liveline

In regard to Joe Duffys payments for his work at RTE of 351,000 a year, consisting of 51,000 for television work and 300,000 for radio work, RTE should now also disclose to its listeners how much it pays to all presenters of Liveline.

As Joe is sometimes missing from Liveline, RTE should now also disclose how much extra payments were made to Joes stand-ins such as Katie Hannon, Colm O Mongain, Philip Boucher-Hayes and so on.

This would be the real cost paid to the Liveline presenters by RTE.

Martin Heneghan

Dublin 3

Latest abortion proposals go beyond what the Yes campaign had envisaged

I am almost at a loss to describe the recent decision by most TDs to vote in support of an abortion bill  Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Amendment) Bill 2022  that would decriminalise abortion in all circumstances, allow for abortion on demand up the sixth month of gestation and remove the life-saving three-day period of reflection.

These provisions go beyond what was recommended in the flawed report on the operation of our existing abortion law and fly in the face of all assurances provided to voters during the referendum campaign.

Oireachtas members are out of step on this issue. Many Yes voters will be as appalled as I am that we have arrived so quickly at a point where safeguards are being abandoned to satisfy the legislative ambitions of abortion advocates who will not stop until the unborn child is left without a shred of legal protection.

The dreadful bill must be stopped.

Siobhan Nic Cathail

Co Ros Comain
Artists showcasing and selling their sketches and paintings on the railings of St Stephen's Green in Dublin is a tradition long enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

However, earlier this month, Irish Independent's special correspondent, Paul Williams, found a worrying aspect in the weekly exhibitions when he discovered a notorious British sex trafficker, David Archer, was among the budding artists.

The rogue landlord made 18m from prostitution rackets in London, where he forced vulnerable women to work in his brothels.

Archer moved to Dublin following his release from a UK prison in March after serving six years of a 13-year sentence.

Paul Williams, the Irish Independent's special correspondent, tracked him down and speaks to presenter Kevin Doyle about what he found.
Minister Norma Foley chatting to Junior Infants Abagail O Keeffe, Katie Power, Emily Tarrant and Daisy Mae O Dea and their Teacher Annmarie O Riordan during the official opening of Scoil Naomh Padraig, Kanturk. These children are in the first Junior Infants Class that started school last September when the school opened.

The Junior Classes at Scoil Naomh Padraig sang for the visitors at the official opening of the School last week

Minister for Education Norma Foley unveiled the plaque and officially opened Scoil Naomh Padraig in Kanturk last Friday morning, with Principal Eilis Finnegan, Minister Patrick O Donovan, Bishop William Crean and Board of Management Chairman Michael Walsh. Photos by Sheila Fitzgerald

Some of the Scoil Naomh Padraig, Kanturk pupils who explained what they like best about their school at the official opening ceremony last week

Scoil Naomh Padraig Kanturk Principal Eilis Finnegan making a presentation to Michael Walsh, Chairman of the Board of Management, during the official opening of the school last Friday

Minister for Education Norma Foley said she was delighted to visit Kanturk to officially open the state-of-the-art Scoil Naomh Padraig campus, a multi-million euro new school building on a green field site.

Minister Foley thanked Principal Eilish Finnegan, Deputy Principal Daniel Woods and the Chairperson of the Board of Management, Michael Walsh, for organising the event which was attended by local representatives Michael Creed TD, Michael Moynihan TD, Minister Patrick ODonovan, MEP Sean Kelly and local representatives.

She also paid tribute to the Board of Management, Bishop William Crean, members of the wider school community, representatives from the diocese and public representatives who all had input into the creation of this wonderful new school.

Speaking at the event Minister Foley said: I think it was Plato who said nothing ever is, it is always becoming. I think the amalgamation and the story of education here in Kanturk is one that has evolved and developed over generations. I think it is remarkable that when we look back to the 1860s and we look today to 2023 we can see that great evolution.

It would be remiss of us not to pay tribute to those who planted the seed back then and I am pleased to be joined here today by the Mercy Sisters who started the journey that led us here today.

As we celebrate all that we have become and will continue to become into the future we acknowledge too those who went before us. It would be remiss of me too if I didnt continue to extend my gratitude to the many hands and hearts that have contributed to and continue to contribute to the story of this school. I salute your generosity, I salute your fealty and loyalty to the school and your determination to do the very best for the school.

To the parents, I want to welcome you here today for what is the official opening of your school building. I am a strong believer in partnership in education and fundamental to that spirit of partnership is the role of parents and guardians. I am so cognisant of the great richness that is given to the school by the parents.

The greatest gift and resource we have in education is our young people. But if parents and guardians didnt have the confidence in the education sector and most especially here in Scoil Naomh Padraig to send their young people into the school then we would be naught. We would have no purpose.

So thank you to the parents and guardians for standing with us here and supporting us in this school and I know that it is your view that you are repaid many fold by the education the children and young people receive here every day.

To the staff I want to acknowledge the great work that goes on in this school, providing excellence in education on a daily basis.

I too want to acknowledge that we have a large number of students coming into our system, particularly from the Ukraine and from all over the world and they are so, so welcome. They join our school communities quite seamlessly and flawlessly because we have that approach in education where there is a place for everyone. That is a testament to the staff who accommodate that every single day.

To the students, who have been so fantastic here today I want to say thank you. On arrival here today I was greeted by a beautiful guard of honour, wonderful music and all provided by the students. They are great ambassadors for the school community.

This is a new chapter for the school looking forward to the future. But they always say tus maith leath na hoibre, a good start is half the work. This has been a tremendously positive and good start here because of the strong collaboration and cooperation. But most especially because of the students here who give so much every single day.

The talented pupils of Scoil Naomh Padraig sang and played for the visitors and played a role in the various presentations that were made. MC for the event was Michael Breen and speakers included Principal Eilis Finnegan, Deputy Principal Daniel Woods, Michael Walsh, Chair of the Board of Management, Bishop William Crean, Canon Toby Bluitt, Fr. John Magner, Minister Patrick O Donovan, Carlos Figueira, Senior Architect Office of Public Works and Amanda Higgins representing the Parents Council.
A mother-of-one who had been sleeping on a friends couch after she was made homeless absent-mindedly walked out of a shop with clothing in a basket, a court has heard.

Lisa Colgan (39) was caught on CCTV cameras and she was stopped by security staff.

She had been suffering from anxiety, her lawyer said.

Judge Gerard Jones ordered Colgan to donate 200 to the LauraLynn Foundation and struck out the charge, leaving her without a conviction.

The defendant, of Rathbeale Crescent in Swords, admitted theft from Marks & Spencer in Blanchardstown on April 17, 2023.

Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court gardai were called to the department store shortly after 1pm after security staff reported that they had stopped a shoplifter.

Sgt Callaghan said Colgan took clothing and groceries, valued at 403.

She was stopped and the property was recovered in a resalable condition. The court heard Colgan had never been in trouble before.

Defence solicitor Valerie Buckley said the defendant was a single mother with one child.

Ms Buckley said that at the time of this incident, Colgan was homeless and was sleeping on a friends couch.

The defendant was in a very difficult situation for herself and her young child at the time and was suffering with anxiety, Ms Buckley said.

She asked the judge to be lenient and leave Colgan without a conviction.
Breaking Bad's Dean Norris visited Burdock's, while fellow star Giancarlo Esposito was pictured at the Forty Foot

Two stars from the hit series Breaking Bad have been spotted taking in the sights of Dublin in recent days.

US actor Dean Norris has been seen in a number of pubs and restaurants across the capital on his visit to Ireland.

Taking to social media, the actor shared a photo of his son celebrating his 18th birthday, drinking his first legal pint of Guinness in a pub in Dublin.

My son turned 18 in Dublin. His first legal Guinness, he said.

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Earlier this week, Norris was also spotted in the well-known fish and chip restaurant Leo Burdocks in the south inner city.

The restaurant took to social media to share a picture of the star behind the counter with smiling staff.

Another legend Dean Norris dropping into the flagship Leo Burdock Ireland Christchurch, said the post.

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The 60-year-old starred as Hank Schrader in the hit crime drama series Breaking Bad alongside actors Bryan Cranston (Walter White) and Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman).

Meanwhile, Norris is not the only Breaking Bad star in town this week.

Actor Giancarlo Esposito declared his love for Ireland over the weekend on his first day of filming a new project in Dublin.

The actor, who played Gus Fring in the hit show and the spin-off Better Call Saul, said he loves the f***in Irish and has so much love in an Instagram post.

Visiting my buds in Ireland! So much love! 1st day on set for a new project coming up soon! he said.

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Am I ready? You bet I am! More to come, he said,

Also got to hang with the Irish young bucks at Forty Foot, I love the f***in Irish!

Esposito shared a series of photos of his travels around Dublin, including a selfie at the iconic swimming spot in Dublin.

In one photo, the actor stands with his arms crossed alongside a group of young Irish fans.

Another shows the 65-year-old star visiting Trinity College Dublin.

Actress Sharon Stone was among well-wishers responding to the post, she said: We love you too.

The Mandalorian actor was recently named in the cast of an upcoming monster movie from Universal.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 29th
The entrance to the Belgard Quarry in Tallaght. Pic: Google Maps

Concerns have been raised over the level of dust and poor air quality for residents living near a quarry in south Dublin.

The Belgard Quarry in Tallaght covers 750 acres, one of the largest quarries in Ireland, and has between 20 and 25 years left of mining.

Residents living near the quarry, operated by Roadstone, have expressed concerns over the level of dust and air pollution.

Councillor Louise Dunne said: The air quality and also the dust particles on windows, covering cars.

It has been an issue arising over the years and I know the residents of Fettercairn and around Belgard have had the same issue.

I lived in the proximity of the quarry for 20 years and my house used to shake every Friday. I also suffer from asthma, but since moving out my asthma isnt as bad.

My own car used to be covered, the washing used to be covered. It is definitely having an impact on the air quality around the area.

Councillor Cathal King said the issue has been ongoing since the estates were built and since Roadstone started quarrying there.

I think an independent company should be brought in to do some monitoring of dust levels, he added.

A report from the council said five complaints have been received so far this year in relation to the quarry.

These complaints generally involve the aftermath of the weekly blasting operation that occurs every Friday afternoon at 2.45pm, said the report.

This year, we have visited the homes of residents in Brownsbarn, Silken Park and Dunmore Park areas who complained of a variety of issues, but primarily vibration, and dust emanating from the quarry.

Environmental Health personnel were last on site in the Roadstone Quarry on Friday, June 9, in an enforcement capacity to witness and monitor the rockface explosion that afternoon.

In addition, as part of their planning and environmental compliance process, Roadstone must provide SDCC every quarter with all details for their vibration and air monitoring data sites.

In total, they have monitoring equipment at eight fixed perimeter locations right around the quarry.

The report said results obtained for this year show average monthly compliance with dust deposition levels.

However, it is normal practice that such air quality complaints result in a follow up visit to the quarry by Environmental Health, that same day.

On two recent occasions, the dust complaints were attributed to sprinkler maintenance issues and were rectified, said the report.

It added that Roadstone take their environmental responsibilities seriously and are proactive in their approach to rectifying problems as they arise.

A spokesperson for Roadstone said: Roadstone is committed to being a good neighbour and playing a positive role in the communities in which we operate.

We have a longstanding and very positive relationship with residents and the local community near our quarry at Belgard.

Blasting is subjected to continuous environmental monitoring and conducted in line with international best practice guidelines and rigorous local regulatory and planning requirements.
Celebration comes amid plans to create 30 more jobs on the island

ENERCON celebrates 25 Years in Ireland while officially opening its new centre in Killerisk, Tralee in a move set to create 30 new jobs. Pictured at Enercons Ireland head offices in Tralee on Thurdsay were actor Simon Delaney, Sean Kelly MEP, Managing Director ENERCON Ireland Noranne Stack, Stephen Murphy of ENERCON Ireland from Miltown and Johan Terpstra, CEO ENERCON Western Europe. Photo By Domnick Walsh

ENERCON celebrates 25 Years in Ireland while officially opening its new centre in Killerisk, Tralee in a move set to create 30 new jobs. Pictured at Enercons Ireland head offices in Tralee on Thurdsay were actor Simon Delaney, Sean Kelly MEP, Managing Director ENERCON Ireland Noranne Stack and Johan Terpstra, CEO ENERCON Western Europe. Photo By Domnick Walsh

WIND energy company Enercon expects to create 30 more jobs across the island over the coming year in an expansion largely focused on its Kerry headquarters in Tralee.

The construction of the purpose-built office, training, warehouse facility and service station in Killerisk, Tralee, represents a major investment by the company which it said demonstrates its deepened commitment in the Irish market.

It said it expects to expand here as the onshore wind industry develops further.

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly officiated at the opening of the new 1,900m2 facility in Tralee on Thursday, where staff were delighted to welcome him as well as special guest for the occasion Simon Delaney.

It formed a celebration that also marked Enercons 25 years in the Irish market, in which time theyve erected nearly 700 turbines with an installed capacity of 1.4GW.

The company has been operating in the onshore generation market since 1984, with 7,000 turbines to its name globally.

Managing Director of Enercon Ireland Noranne Stack said thanked customers for their loyalty and support.

The loyalty and support of our customers over the past 25 years has been fundamental in shaping the trajectory of our growth and maturity as an organisation. I want to offer a genuine thank you to all of our customers for this loyalty and support. We are looking forward to continuing this growth alongside our colleagues and customers.
Louth TDs and local politicians have condemned the recent assault on a gay couple in Drogheda, and called for those who carried it out to be brought to justice.

I have been engaging with the couple who were subjected to these horrendous attacks last weekend. I have referred to it on the Dail last week and I am meeting the two men, along with my colleague Cllr. Emma Cutlip, this week, explains Louth TD Ged Nash.

This has no place in our community and our society. There is no excuse or justification for homophobia or alleged homophobic related violence. Not now. Not ever. End of story.

While we have made huge strides in making Ireland a better place in which to be an LGBTQI+ citizen, unacceptable incidents like this are becoming all too frequent and we have a long way to go before Ireland becomes the beacon for LGBTQI+ citizens we know it can be.

Sinn Fein TD Imelda Munster also denounced the incident, saying under no circumstances should these thugs get away with this.

"These are two law abiding citizens going out for a walk with their dog when they are attacked in broad daylight because of who they are. It was a horrible experience for them and absolutely wrong, added Deputy Munster. Who do these gang of thugs think they are? They must be tracked down and brought to justice for what they did.

It was a frightening incident and everyone in Drogheda is shocked and angry."
Arklow Municipal District and Arklow Library recently welcomed local students, parents and teachers from primary schools to a prize-giving event to mark 50 years of Irelands EU membership.

A competition was held throughout May to mark the anniversary, with students asked to complete an EU Fun Fact Trail by visiting the Library in Arklow and the District Offices and picking up some fun facts along Arklow Main Street.

All individual entries from participating schools are on display in Arklow Library, and each entrant took home a prize for participation. Prizes were also awarded to primary schools that had participated.

Welcoming the students, Cllr Tommy Annesley, Cathaoirleach of Arklow Municipal District, expressed his admiration for the colourful display of entries and commended the pupils for their participation in the competition.

He thanked the Department of Foreign Affairs for allocating funding to the District to hold the competition celebrating Irelands 50 years membership of in the European Union and went on to say that it was fantastic to see the staff from the library and Municipal District working in partnership to hold such an event and hoped to see many more.

Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Emer O'Gorman offered her congratulations to all the students who entered the competition and welcomed the collaboration between the Municipal District and Library.

Each participant received a goodie bag and each primary school received a small prize to acknowledge their efforts.
Councillor Gerry Walsh told the elected members of Greystones Municipal District (GMD) Council, that it was an honour to serve as Cathaoirleach for the last 12 months, as the Annual General Meeting got under way on Tuesday, June 27 to elect a new Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach.

While Cllr Walsh alluded to some of the issues that are still unresolved as he leaves the seat, he was keen to focus on the positives, referring in particular to the tremendous work of Greystones Tidy Towns, the People of the Year Awards, the Christmas lights and the joy they brought to the town, as well as the return of the St Patricks Day parade and the good will that came in its wake. On that, Councillor Lourda Scott even remarked that if I ever need a rabbit pulled out of a hat at the last minute she would be contacting him, such was its success in trying times.

Councillor Mark Barry, who was absent on the evening, was elected Cathaoirleach, with Councillor Stephen Stokes voted in as the new Leas Cathaoirleach.

Cllr Barry has lived in Greystones for the past 18 years, where he is well known in GAA circles. He is the current manager of the Wicklow minor hurling team, the vice-chair of local club Eire Og and also sits on the board of management of Greystones Community National School.

A member of the Social Democrats since the foundation of the party, Cllr Barry has been a long-time team member of Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmores team and has worked closely with her on a number of campaigns in the area.

Chairing the June 2023 meeting of GMD, Cllr Stokes, on his re-election as Leas Cathaoirleach, said: "It is a privilege to serve the Greystones District again in this capacity. I will aim to make a positive impact for all residents in Charlesland, Delgany, Greystones, Kilcoole, Killadreenan and Newcastle.

"I would like to pay tribute to the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr Gerry Walsh. He did an excellent job chairing the meetings with cordiality. Cllr Walsh leaves a remarkable legacy, especially in relation to his leadership with the Greystones St Patrick's Day Parade. I am also looking forward to working with the new Cathaoirleach, Cllr Mark Barry. I believe that Cllr Barry has been a good addition to the Greystones Municipal District, and will make a terrific Cathaoirleach."

Cllr Stokes previously served on Greystones Town Council from 2009-2014. During this time he served as Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Greystones. He is a graduate of UCD, where he completed a BA in History and Politics and an MA in American Studies. Over the years, he has been involved in many issues locally, including the Greystones Dog Park and the outdoor chess tables.

One such initiative saw Cllr Stokes take responsibility for opening the Charlesland Dog Park on bank holidays.

Cllr Stokes has significant experience working in education. He works as the Dublin Director of the Foundation for International Education (FIE) a not-for-profit study abroad provider that brings American students to Ireland. In his spare time, he plays chess for the first team of Bray-Greystones Chess Club. He is an honorary life member of the club, for services to youth chess.

"I would like to thank Cllr Derek Mitchell for proposing my nomination, he added, and Cllr Lourda Scott for seconding it. I am thankful to all of my fellow councillors for their warm words of encouragement. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead."
A number of community celebrations took place around Bray, Greystones and elsewhere in Co Wicklow

Tony and Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Esmay and Donal Flynn, Anna Mazzarotto and Susan Grogan, at the New Road street feast in Greystones.

Reconnecting with the neighbourhood is what this years Street Feast was all about  although, if you were only getting to hear about it this year, then you are more than likely the person who this initiative is aimed at.

On the go for 13 years now, organiser Sam Bishop, from Newtownmountkennedy, said that what began as the germ of an idea for a youth project among a group of four friends, turned into something bigger when the need for building communities came to mind with the huge growth in new estates around the country and people no longer knocking on each others doors.

In the beginning, it was envisioned that the idea to get people together would only work in an urban setting but communities can get together anywhere there is space and in Wicklow on Sunday, June 25, there were 80 events registered, with 35 in Greystones alone and 12 in Bray  Bray has a bit of work to do, but as Sam pointed out, many went ahead without being officially registered, such as the one in the Peoples Park, so we can reserve judgment on Brays community spirit until next year.

To point to its growing popularity, there were 432 street feasts registered in Dublin.

The Department of Rural and Community Development is the core funder of the project, with additional funding provided by Wicklow County Council.

Registration entitles you to a party pack, with all you need to create the right atmosphere  bunting, streamers, hats and so on and Sam says the free bits and bobs do help get the numbers.

Its not about making everyone best friends but is more about fostering a culture of caring and encouraging people to check in on each other without fear, Sam adds.

Without bemoaning the dreaded neighbourhood Whatsapp groups, where people can air their grievances without interacting at all, he believes that people should instead rediscover how to navigate issues by coming together to have a conversation in public.

While the idea to promote large-scale street parties was looked at, Sam believes smaller, neighbourhood affairs are far more conducive to relationship building. Its a feast, but its not a festival, after all.
Britain

LATEST | GB News presenter Dan Wootton says he is victim of witch hunt over claims he offered cash for sexual images
My friend wants to bring her kids along to my birthday weekend but I dont want them there
Fires could be seen burning at some intersections in the suburb and protesters shot fireworks at police, video from the suburb showed (Christophe Ena/AP)

Protesters angry after police shot a 17-year-old boy dead set cars and buildings ablaze in Paris suburbs and unrest spread to some other French cities and towns Wednesday night and Thursday morning, despite increased security efforts and the presidents calls for calm.
Man arrested after Irish woman (20s) allegedly drugged and raped on Greek island

The man has been accused of drugging the woman, taking her to a beach and sexually assaulting her, according to local reports.

Faliraki in Rhodes, Greece

Neil Fetherstonhaugh Thu 29 Jun 2023 at 18:16






One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.
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Image Credit: Twitter/Anand Mahindra

Top industrialists, Reliance Industries chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani and Mahindra and Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra, were a part of the Indian business delegation to the United States during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic America tour.

Along with Ambani and Mahindra, 3rdiTech co-founder Vrinda Kapoor, Zerodha and True Beacon co-founder Nikhil Kamath were also in the delegation.

Apart from the serious business talk, Mahindra, who had attended the India-US Hi-Tech Handshake event, dropped a picture on Twitter with some fun.

On a lighter note, Mahindra shared a picture where he was spotted with Ambani and Vrinda Kapoor waiting for an Uber ride.

Mahindra termed it as "Washington Moment".

Mahindra tweeted, "I suppose this was what they would call a Washington moment. After the tech handshake meeting yesterday, Mukesh Ambani, Vrinda Kapoor & I were continuing a conversation with the Secretary of Commerce & missed the group shuttle bus to the next lunch engagement.

"We were trying to call an Uber when we ran into NASA astronaut Sunita Williams @Astro_Suni. Time for a selfie & we also asked if we could hitch a ride on her space shuttle instead of an Uber"

I suppose this was what they would call a Washington moment. After the tech handshake meeting yesterday, Mukesh Ambani, Vrinda Kapoor & I were continuing a conversation with the Secretary of Commerce & missed the group shuttle bus to the next lunch engagement. We were trying pic.twitter.com/gP1pZl9VcI  anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 25, 2023

Prime Minister Modi's four-day visit to the US caught attention both in India and the US.

From US President Joe Biden to Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Modi's bonhomie with top business magnates and leaders was among the key moments of his historic trip.
Residents of Thaska oppose the proposed construction of government buildings on forest lands. Photo by Sat Singh.

The Thaska village in Haryana is known for its enormous and well-branched Salvadora trees. Some village residents are opposing the construction of the government buildings, However, those supporting the proposal claim that newer construction would mean more livelihood opportunities for the village youth. Mongabay-India writer Sat Singh reports

Some residents of a village in Haryana are opposing the proposed construction of government buildings on forest lands, home to the iconic Salvadora trees. The villagers say it will hinder the ecological balance of the area.

Thaska is a village in the Gohana sub-division of the Sonipat district, situated in the northern part of India. It is known for its enormous and well-branched Salvadora trees, which are said to have antibacterial and hypolipidemic capabilities. The village has over 1,200 houses and 100 acres of forest land, according to Thaskas revenue records.

Land in Thaska was identified for a government rice mill and police headquarters but there are differences over whether the land and trees should be protected or made way for infrastructure development and connectivity.

Haryana is among the states with the lowest forest cover (3.59 per cent) in the country, according to the central governments think tank NITI Aayog.

Ramesh Dutt, who is supervising the village administration, said in mid-2022 the state government had requested land for constructing a state co-operative service and marketing institution known as the Haryana State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (HAFED), and the police line department. He added that the village panchayat had passed a proposal on March 8, 2023, to allot 15 acres of forest land to the state government.

The land with trees has been unused for decades. After consultation (among elected members of village panchayat), we passed a resolution and sent it to the government, Dutt said.

Felling the trees hampers ecology of the area

For more than a month, residents have been in a conflict with the sarpanch (head of the village) and his supporters over the resolution to allocate a portion of the forest land for the construction of government buildings. Residents say the ancient Salvadora trees are deeply ingrained in the history of the village and represent a significant cultural and ecological heritage.

Bhalle Singh, 94, the oldest resident of Thaska, told Mongabay India that the trees are considered the collective identity and heritage of the village. In 1995, when floods ravaged old Rohtak, including Sonipat, the residential areas were submerged in water, Singh said. However, these elevated lands where the trees reside, served as our saviours.

Last month, on May 31, the residents formed a 21-member committee called the Rashtriya Paryavaran Ayum Van Suraksha Parmarth Trust (National Environment and Forest Protection Trust), which seeks to prevent the trees from being felled.

Rajkumar Shastri, president of the committee, told Mongabay India that the forest land comprising Salvadoras has been maintaining ecological balance in many ways. In the absence of any other water body, the pond located here is being used for drinking purposes by animals of nearby villages, he said. There is a restriction on felling of Salvadora trees, as it takes decades to grow a single tree and our village has thousands of such trees. No other village in Haryana has so many Salvadora trees.

Thaska village in Haryana is home to Salvadora trees. Photo by Sat Singh.

The committee has handed over a written complaint to Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra and the District Development Panchayat Officer, seeking their intervention from felling the trees on forest land.

Land cannot be used for commercial activity, say villagers

Narender Kumar, secretary of the committee, said that in the mid-1960s, the state government offered to distribute the forest land among residents, but the move was vehemently opposed and it was decided that it should be preserved as grazing land for animals. The village panchayat is the only custodian of this land but cannot sell or part this land for any other commercial activity, he added.

Committee president Shastri added that those supporting the proposal to allot forest land for government buildings have their agricultural land adjacent to it. They expect land prices to increase if the government makes construction here, he added.

Meanwhile, Dutt said that those opposing the proposal are against the development of the village. If the government sets up its department, then connectivity would increase with the city, and village youth may get some opportunities to earn their livelihood. Otherwise, the village youth have no other way to make their living, except agriculture, Dutt added.

He said that to make up for the felling of trees, more plantations could be done on the sides of government buildings for restoration of the ecology and environment.

One of the oldest living residents of the village considers the Salvadora trees as part of the collective identity and heritage of the village. Photo by Sat Singh.

Rajpal Chahal, the District Development Panchayat Officer, told Mongabay India that the government identified village land in Thaska for setting up the police district headquarters and rice mill, and they are aware of the ongoing issue as the village residents have lodged their resentment. He added that several villagers had submitted a memorandum regarding a large number of iconic trees present at the proposed site.

A report was sought from the district forest officer that mentioned that trees on the proposed land are old and need to be preserved, Chahal said. The report will be submitted before the competent authorities and the final decision will be taken by them.

Meanwhile, the Sonipat District Forest Officer, Rajesh Vats, said that the land where these trees are located is not under the jurisdiction of the forest area, but if the administration plans to chop them down, he would intervene and speak to them about preservation of the trees.
Representational Image | Credit: UNI

Islamabad/UNI: A terrorist was killed and three others were injured during a military operation in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan army, confirmed a fire exchange took place between security forces and terrorists in the Tirah area of the Khyber district bordering Afghanistan, resulting in one death and three injuries.

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, said the ISPR, adding that the sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists in the area.

On Tuesday, the Counter Terrorist Department of police in the country's eastern Punjab province foiled a major terror bid and arrested nine terrorists during intelligence-based operations.
Image Credit : Image tweeted by @INCMP

Bhopal: Digital payments platform PhonePe has warned Congress of legal action for using its name and logo in posters targeting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan amidst an ongoing poster battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.

The company has urged the Congress party to remove the posters or face legal consequences.

The posters feature a QR code with the Chief Minister's face and read: "50% laao, PhonePe kaam karao (pay 50% commission to get your work done).

The regional branch of the Congress party shared videos on its official Twitter account featuring these posters that have appeared in various cities including Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Sehore, Rewa, Mandsaur, Ujjain, Bhind, Balaghat, Budhni, and several others. It is worth noting that Budhni happens to be the Assembly constituency represented by Shivraj Chouhan.

On Monday, PhonePe reacted to the posters, saying it "objected to the unauthorised usage of its brand logo by any third party, whether political or non-political."

The company said any unauthorised use of the logo would invite "legal action", and urged Congress to remove the posters.

"PhonePe objects to the unauthorized use of its brand logo by any third party, whether political or non-political. We are not affiliated with any political campaign or party. PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company. Any unauthorized use of Intellectual Property Rights of PhonePe will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters with our brand and logo," the company tweeted.

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra said with the posters Congress has revealed it engaged in dirty politics.

"The dirty politics of Congress has come to the fore. Nothing to say after the 'Phonepe' tweet," he said, according to news agency ANI.

He denied that BJP had any role in spreading posters, accusing veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath of corruption and mocking him as Corrupt Nath.

"BJP engages in clean politics and does not do dirty tricks like Congress," he said.

"The public knows that you [Congress] are blaming others to hide your corruption. FIR has been registered in Burhanpur, Chhindwara and will take action against it," he said.

#WATCH | The dirty politics of Congress has come to the fore. Nothing to say after the 'Phonepe' tweet. The public knows that you are blaming others to hide your corruption. FIR has been registered in Burhanpur, Chhindwara and will take action against it: Madhya Pradesh Home https://t.co/ILXUFhjpEL pic.twitter.com/Eo6blo7C1G  ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) June 29, 2023

On June 23, posters of the Congress leader emerged in the Shahpura locality of Bhopal. These posters labelled him as "Corrupt Nath," listed him as "wanted," and associated him with various "scams."

The posters also included a QR code with the message "Scan kare, scam se bachne ke liye" (Scan to protect yourself from scams).

Congress had admitted that its posters on Shivraj Chouhan were a retaliation to posters on Kamal Nath.
Chennai/IBNS: In a controversial move, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has dismissed jailed Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers without consulting Chief Minister MK Stalin, adding more fuel to the already existing bitterness with the state's DMK government.

Balaji, who is in jail and faces serious criminal proceedings in several corruption cases including a cash-for-jobs scandal, was retained as a minister without portfolio by Stalin.

However, with the Governor's unilateral decision now, Balaji will now lose his ministerial position.

In an official statement, the Raj Bhavan said Balaji "is facing serious criminal proceedings in several cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering."

"Under these circumstances, the Governor has dismissed Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect," it said.

The DMK government plans to challenge the move in the Supreme Court, media reports said.

A court in Chennai on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate earlier this month. He will be in judicial custody until July 12.

Hours before that, the Supreme Court had allowed him to be moved to a private hospital, where he underwent heart surgery. Before that, he was being treated at a government hospital for complaints of uneasiness and chest pain.

The ED had moved the Supreme Court against a Madras High Court order that had also allowed Balaji to be shifted.

The DMK government and the Governor's office have been at loggerheads for months leading to disagreements over several issues, most notably, the Governor's refusal to assent to legislation passed by the state assembly.

The DMK had last year petitioned President Droupadi Murmu, alleging unconstitutional conduct by Governor Ravi and his failure to sign a substantial number of bills passed by the Assembly.
New Delhi is set to host the 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations (SCO) Council of Heads of States on 4th July 2023 in the virtual mode. The rotating presidency of this pan-Eurasian organization came to India from Uzbekistan in the historic city of Samarkand in September 2022.

Interestingly, Uzbekistan had actively supported Indias membership of the SCO, the Memorandum of Obligation of which was also signed under Uzbekistans presidency in the Tashkent Summit in June 2016.

SCO is a nine-member grouping that spans across Eurasia and covers regions like central, south, east and west Asia. It is said to be the world's largest regional organization, with a contribution of about 23 percent of the Earths total landmass, 40 percent of the world's population and 30 percent of global GDP.

Apart from its geographical and political expanse, the vitality of the SCO also lies in its historical and cultural roots. This grouping represents the confluence of five major ancient civilizations, namely Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Russian and Central Asian.

Indias membership of the SCO can be seen as a natural culmination of its expanded engagements with the larger Eurasian region. Since 2017, India has constructively contributed to this organization in content and spirit. It has introduced a number of new initiatives that have received solid backing from the other member states.

At the June 2018 Summit at Qingdao-China, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi gave the template of SECURE; where S stands for Security, E for Economy, C for Connectivity, U for Unity, R for Respect (for each others territorial integrity), and E for Environment. This template, which beautifully reflects PMs vision for Indias activities in SCO, has also been selected as the theme for Indias presidency, which is towards a SECURE SCO.

In Indias quest for the secure SCO region, the role of the like-minded nations becomes important. Uzbekistan is not only a founding member of the SCO, but it is also a significant player in the region. It occupies a central location, as it shares a border with all other Central Asian Republics (CARs) and Afghanistan.

With a population of about 35 million, it is the most populous country in the region. Almost 50 percent of the total Central Asian population live in Uzbekistan. Moreover, it is abundant in natural resources, especially oil, natural gas, uranium and gold. Lastly, because of its proximity with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan has been susceptible to different security challenges. Nonetheless, the government has taken several measures for dealing with those.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has made steady progress in various arenas. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, under his Development Strategy, has introduced a number of reforms in the fields of administration, legal system, economy, and foreign policy. His attempts to drastically improve relations with the CARs have resulted in enhanced cooperation in the region. Uzbekistan has also played a solid role in the matters of connectivity and security, which were reflected in the SCO presidency theme last year.

Uzbekistan has contributed significantly to the operation of the organisation. The executive committee of SCOs Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is permanently stationed in Tashkent. Uzbekistan has hosted the SCO presidency four times in the past. During the 2022 presidency, more than 80 events were organized covering various sectors and about 40 documents were signed during the summit.

Issues relating to trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation were given the topmost priority. Shavkat Mirziyoyevs proposed initiatives such as the SCO trade fair, SCO special economic zones, international conference on food security and SCO transport forum were well-received by the other heads of states.

After taking over the chairmanship, India has also hosted as many as 134 meetings including 14 ministerial meets. PM Modis three specific ideas: start-ups and innovation, traditional medicine and millets were part of the larger plan of events. The first-ever initiatives like SCO Digital Exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage, SCO Young Scientists Conclave, Consortium of SCO Economic Think Tanks, SCO Start-up Forum and the SCO Business Conclave with special emphasis on MSMEs were extremely successful.

Some of these Indian initiatives can be seen in line with those by the Uzbek side. This synergy comes from the people-centric approach of our leaders and their similar worldview. These countries have introduced programmes in sectors like trade, agriculture, climate change, disaster management, health, education, tourism and culture.

Both during their respective presidencies have come up with several initiatives to intensify trade and economic cooperation.

Secondly, Uzbekistans emphasis on food security and climate resilient agricultural practices finds resonance in Modis push for the millets, which simultaneously promotes sustainable agriculture and nutrition.

One of the areas where India and Uzbekistan enjoy incredible synergy is tourism. In his speech in Samarkand, Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed declaring 2023 as the year of tourism development in the region. An agreement on cooperation in tourism was also adopted in that summit. Consequently, Varanasi was designated as the first-ever tourism and cultural capital of the SCO. On 17th March, the meeting of SCO tourism ministers was held in Varanasi, which discussed promotion of tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

SCOs prime focus has always been on security and counter-terrorism, which was also reflected in Indias presidency. In the meeting of defence ministers on 28th April, the Indian minister affirmed commitment to building defence capabilities of the SCO nations and urged for collective action towards eliminating terrorism.

Furthermore, India has been advocating a cause of peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan with an inclusive government. This is also echoed in Uzbekistans stance on promoting peace and socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan.

In the nutshell, one can see the growing synergy between India and Uzbekistan within the SCO. India, while celebrating its 75th anniversary of independence, is hosting G20 and SCO summits. This reflects its expanding global and regional footprints as well as its pragmatic multilateral foreign policy approach. While there are certain challenges within the SCO, it is interesting to see how India is making a mark in its strong areas. Here, cooperation with like-minded countries like Uzbekistan assumes significance.

(Dr Rashmini Koparkar is Assistant Professor, Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The opinion expressed is of the writer)
Image: Vikramjit Kakati/Pixabay

The tune of the famous song mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu from Aradhana peeped in and out of my mind as the steam engines whistle pierced the air. Yes, I was taking a trip by the same Toy Train on this breezy summer day and couldnt help remembering Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in the superhit romantic film of the 60s.

It was Joy Ride for me as a tourist, going from Darjeeling to the Ghum station on a round trip.

The Toy Train or Darjeeling Heritage Railway (DHR) as it is called today, is something of legend. It was built between 1879 and 1881. It runs on 610 mm narrow gauge between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling on an 88 km long track. In 1999, it was declared a World Heritage Site.

As the quaint train ran parallel to the road and tourists in cars aiming for Darjeeling clicked photos and waved at us, I tried to think of the times way past in British colonial days when the sahibs had to make the arduous journey from capital Calcutta (now Kolkata), via Siliguri, before the train came up. Darjeeling- the Queen of the hills, attracted the whites as magnet in the sweltering summer. Tea plantations were also coming up in the area and transporting the tea chests was also becoming a problem.

As one description goes, between Siliguri and Darjeeling, there was a Tonga service which ran on a cart road  todays main Hill Cart Road. It took almost two weeks to reach here from Calcutta (now Kolkata). First, one had to travel by a steam engine train to Sahibgunj in the valley. From here, passengers had to cross the Ganges by steamer, take a bullock cart to another point for another river crossing followed by another bullock cart journey of 100 miles upto Siliguri. From here, they had to take a bullock cart or horse-drawn Tonga which itself took two days. Whew!

An agent of the Eastern Bengal Railway, an Englishman Franklin Prestage travelled to Darjeeling this way and on return proposed to the government about laying a steam tramway from Siliguri to Darjeeling. The proposal was accepted in 1879 and construction began that year. By March 1880, the track was laid as far as Tindharia station and from Siliguri to Darjeeling in July 1881. The companys name was changed to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

The construction itself was very challenging. It used a unique Zig Zag system of switches to tackle the steep terrain; at some points it even reversed directions. There is an anecdotal story of how an engineer solved the problem tackling the ascending terrain. He was dancing with his wife in the ballroom and shared his frustration with her. The wife apparently said, If you cant go forward, why dont you go backward drawing a simile to the dance steps- a reversal is allowed in the dance if one was stuck in a corner. The engineer had a brainwave. So at some points the train reverses to get the momentum to go forward.

The steam engine is apparently quite a water guzzler. When our little train stopped at some point and we wondered if it had broken down, actually it was for feeding water to the engine. Soon we were at the famous Batasia Loop. The route has a number of loops, an engineering marvel, and the Batasia Loop is the most spectacular. On a clear day, you can see the magnificence of the Himalayan Range from here. Alas, that day was foggy with a smattering of rain. The stopover also has a tall war memorial in memory of the Gorkha soldiers in conflicts in independent India. A short break of 15 minutes for a photo op, and perhaps to cool the engine, we were on the way to Ghum, Indias highest railway station at 2, 258 metres.

On the right side of the station you can see Baby Sivok , the oldest toy train engine which started operating in 1881. A stairwell in front to go up over the station there is a small and neatly kept museum which traces the DHRs journey from colonial times. Many of the objects here have been donated by British families whose predecessors worked with the railways. It was fascinating to see old lamps which railwaymen used displayed in a row, paintings depicting the Darjeeling station and Ghum station those days, logos of companies which helped build the railway, etc. Suddenly, you go back to an age when cars and diesel engines were futuristic words in the hills.

In the UK, an organisation called Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society was founded in 1998 with membership from across twenty countries with the aim of promoting peoples interest in DHR. The railway has also been depicted in an Indian postage stamp.

I wish I could spend more time in the museum but the clock ticked away and it was time to return to Darjeeling. The Joy Ride was going to be over, I regretted. On the return journey I was thinking this time of another iconic film Barfi which did an extensive shooting on the train.

(Photos by author / Unsplash / Pixabay / Wikipedia )
Image: Unsplash

VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, is now providing UK Visa services via Premium Application Centres at four Radisson Hotel Group properties in India.

Customers who choose to submit their documents and enroll in biometrics will get a range of complimentary services and refreshments at any Radisson Hotel group properties, according to a VFS Global release.

Christina Scott (Acting British High Commissioner to India) said: Indian visitors, professionals, and students make an immensely positive contribution to the UK. Indian travellers receive the largest share of UK visas issued globally and are integral to the unique living bridge that connects our countries. That is why we have our largest network of visa application centres right here in India, and it is great to see that number increase further thanks to this new partnership between VFS Global and Radisson hotels."

Zubin Saxena (Managing Director & Area Senior Vice President - South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group) said, We are delighted to partner with VFS Global for a strategic initiative that offers convenience to UK visa applicants at our hotels. Through the opening of these new visa centres, we look forward to extending the warm hospitality and exceptional services of the Radisson Hotel Group and providing customers with convenient access to plan their international travel.

VFS Global has a long-standing relation with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in India since 2004 and ensures their services across India.

The partnership with Radisson Hotel Group provides additional and conveniently located touchpoints to our customers. UK visa customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at these locations that they do at our Visa Application Centres, as well as experience the comfort and hospitality offered by the Radisson Hotel Groups properties, Prabuddha Sen (Chief Operating Officer-South Asia, VFS Global) said.
Representational image by Marcus Lenk on Unsplash

Brantford/IBNS: On behalf of Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for Ontario , an announcement of a combined $3 million investment to fund 49 new affordable homes in Paris, near the City of Brantford was made earlier this week, a news release has said.

With a total of 49 units, the new four-storey apartment building will offer accessible living with barrier-free apartments including units specially designed for people experiencing sensory loss, such as low vision and hearing loss.

The apartment will also include affordable rentals for survivors of domestic violence, Indigenous people, and small families with mixed-income levels and some households even receiving rent assistance and subsidies.

With common space the building will also feature amenities on the main floor such as laundry, a common area and electric scooter parking.

Residents will be close to amenities such as public transportation, grocery stores, pharmacies, schools, and employment opportunities.

Funding provided for this project includes $2.45 million from the federal government through the National Housing Strategys National Housing Co-Investment Fund, $260,000 from the provincial and federal governments through Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI), and $340,000 from the provincial government through Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF).

Construction of the project started Spring 2023 with a completion date estimated in December 2024.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
Do you spend a lot of your time on the internet and see websites always asking for permissions on your laptop? Websites can get access to your camera, microphone, display, location data, media files, contacts and even device activity.

Websites usually request access to these variables through a prompt each time. While some websites legitimately require these permissions to function, you might have given access to some websites by mistakes.

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Here's how to change permission settings in Chrome, Safari, and Edge.

Managing permissions in Chrome

Click on Settings >> Privacy and security >> Site settings. Scroll down to to the Permissions tab, under which you'll be able to a list of permissions that websites have asked for.

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For the full list, click on Additional permissions. Here, you can manage which websites have access to what on your device. You can revoke permissions and also set a default setting.

Managing permissions in Safari

On Safari, clicking on Settings >> Websites will show you a list of permissions on the left. On the right side, users can see the list of websites that currently have access to those permissions. Here, you can change the default settings between Ask, Deny, or Allow.

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Managing permissions in Edge

Permissions on Edge may be managed the same way they're managed on Chrome. Go to Settings >> Cookies and Site Permissions to see the full list of options that are available.

By clicking on All sites, users can see and control individual website permissions. The three available options are Ask (Default), Allow, or Block.

Microsoft

Users can also assess each permission from the Site permissions page. Click on the permission you wish to manage and two lists will be visible to you - one for blocked sites and another for sites with access.

By keeping your permissions in check, you can prevent malicious websites from having access to your system. What do you think about this article? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
We're constantly being treated to amazing visual treats from Mars, all thanks to NASA's Perseverance rover. First, we got the image of an "alien door" (of course, it wasn't a door) and now we have got a picture of a donut-shaped rock.

The rock has a large hole in its centre. Naturally, conspiracy theorists had their own set of reasoning for this hole. May be an alien toilet, or a sort of egg?

NASA

That's very unlikely though. It is most probably a meteorite that fell to Mars. The image, snapped on June 23, was shared on Twitter by the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI).

"@NASAPersevere took a picture using the SuperCam Remote Micro-Imager on 23 June 2023 of a donut-shaped rock off in the distance," SETI wrote.

Remains of a large meteorite

SETI claims that the rock could be a "large meteorite alongside smaller pieces," but many Twitter users have other ideas. A user excitedly wrote, "Just say it!!! There is life on Mars," while another user endearingly said, "Alien toilet!"

maybe some kind of egg ^^   (@leavnewg) June 26, 2023

Alien toilet!  Ivan Salazar (@EMP_Wrecker) June 26, 2023

"It's the ruins of a well from a technologically advanced pre-ice age civilization. They were on Mars too," another said.

It's the ruins of a well from a technologically advanced pre-ice age civilization. They were on Mars too.



Just ask @Graham__Hancock  Oxfords Not Brogues     (@Tancred1098) June 26, 2023

Also read: All-Women Crew For Future Mars Mission Could Be More Efficient And Cost-Effective

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But SETI's explanation is the one that makes most sense, considering meteorites are regularly spotted by rovers on Mars. Earlier this year, NASA's Curiosity Rover captured an image of a meteorite nicknamed 'Cacao' while the Opportunity rover clicked a picture of a meteorite dubbed 'Block Island' in 2009.

Also read: Four People Set To Inhabit Ultra-Realistic Mars-Like Base On Earth



In 2020, NASA launched its Mars mission including the Perseverance rover that is currently searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. The rover is currently exploring an ancient river delta in the Jezero Crater that once had a lake.

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What do you think about this new image? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
Tourism is a vital industry that promotes cultural exchange, economic growth, and mutual understanding between nations. Many countries warmly welcome tourists worldwide, allowing them to explore diverse landscapes and experience unique cultures.

However, tourists must remember their responsibility as visitors and ensure their actions do not disrupt or harm the natural environment.

Twitter

While tourism can be beneficial, instances arise where tourists, intentionally or unintentionally, create inconvenience and disturbance to the delicate flora and fauna of their destinations.



According to a report by the Bangkok Post, two Chinese tourists have faced legal consequences for their actions captured in photographs that emerged on social media.

The tourists were found guilty and sentenced to jail, along with fines. The incident occurred during a diving expedition near Koh Racha Yai, where the individuals were photographed stepping on coral reefs and using starfish for selfies.



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The pictures gained attention online, prompting authorities to take action against the tourists.

According to the police, Sanyang Qin and Wen Zhang, accompanied by a representative from the travel agency, were brought to the Chalong station for questioning.

The incident took place on Thursday when three Chinese tourists were accused of engaging in activities such as holding starfish and climbing on coral reefs to capture pictures while diving at Ao La near Koh Racha Yai.

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After the tourists shared their photos and videos on social media the following day, marine protection officials promptly reported the incident to the police. A thorough investigation conducted by the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resource Conservation Center confirmed that the accused individuals were indeed involved in unlawful actions.

During the questioning, the two tourists acknowledged their wrongdoing.

The police accused them of violating a ministerial directive to safeguard marine resources on Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi islands.

After collecting evidence, the police plan to present the case before the court. Authorities are trying to locate another tourist who is wanted for the same offense.

In recent times, Thai authorities have displayed a growing commitment to the preservation of their marine environment. They have implemented new regulations and guidelines to safeguard coral reefs and protect endangered marine species.

Additionally, they have taken measures such as temporarily closing entire islands to allow the natural surroundings to recover from the impacts of excessive tourism.

(With agency inputs)

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Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the "Festival of Sacrifice," also known as "Bakrid", is a significant Islamic holiday celebrated by billions of people worldwide. This joyous occasion marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage and commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. According to Islamic tradition, as Ibrahim prepared to carry out the sacrifice, God intervened and provided a ram as a substitute. This event symbolises faith, obedience, and submission to God.



Eid-ul-Adha is a time of celebration, reflection, and gratitude. It emphasises the importance of sacrifice, faith, and helping those in need. It is also an occasion for Muslims to come together, strengthen community bonds, and share joy and blessings.

In India, Eid Al Adha will be celebrated on June 29, 2023. Markazi Chand Committee of Lucknow announces the Eid-ul-Adha date as June 29, 2023, as Dhul Hijjah crescent moon was sighted on Monday evening ie June 19.

On this auspicious day, Muslims gather with their loved ones to exchange heartfelt greetings, messages, wishes, and quotes. In this article, we bring you a comprehensive collection of Eid Mubarak greetings for Eid-ul-Adha 2023 or Bakrid 2023, enabling you to express your love and blessings to your friends, family and loved ones.

Eid-ul-Adha 2023 (Bakrid) best Greetings to send loved ones:

1. May the blessings of Eid-Ul-Adha fill your life with joy, peace, and prosperity. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha 2023!

2. Wishing you a blissful and joyous Eid-Ul-Adha. May this auspicious occasion bring happiness and success to your doorstep. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha Mubarak!

3. As you offer your sacrifices on this blessed day, may Allah accept them and shower His mercy upon you. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

4. May the spirit of Eid-Ul-Adha bring you closer to Allah and fill your heart with contentment and gratitude. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha to you and your family!

5. On this auspicious day, may your prayers be answered, and your sacrifices be rewarded with blessings. Eid Mubarak!

6. May the divine blessings of Allah bring you hope, faith, and happiness on this Eid-Ul-Adha and always. Eid Mubarak!

7. May the joys of Eid-Ul-Adha be multiplied and the spirit of brotherhood and love prevail. Happy Eid-Al-Adha to you and your loved ones!

8. On this special day, may Allah's blessings be with you and your family. Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Eid-Ul-Adha 2023!

9. May the magic of this Eid bring lots of happiness and fill your life with countless blessings. Bakrid Mubarak!

10. Sending warm wishes on this blessed day. May Allah's blessings be with you today and always. Happy Bakrid!

11. May the choicest blessings of Allah fill your life with peace, joy, and prosperity. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha Mubarak to you and your family!

12. On this sacred day, may Allah bless you with wisdom, strength, and happiness. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha 2023!

13. May the divine blessings of Allah bring you immense joy and fulfillment. Eid Mubarak to you and your loved ones!

14. Wishing you a delightful Eid-Ul-Adha filled with celebrations, love, and togetherness. Happy Eid-A-Adha!

15. May this Eid-Ul-Adha bring abundant happiness and success to your life. Eid Mubarak to you and your family!

16. May Allah's blessings shine upon you and your family on this joyous occasion. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

17. As we celebrate this holy festival, may the love and grace of Allah be with you. Eid Mubarak!

18. May this Eid-Ul-Adha bring you closer to your loved ones and strengthen the bonds of friendship and family. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

19. Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Eid-Ul-Adha. May all your prayers be answered. Eid Mubarak!

20. May the divine blessings of Allah fill your life with happiness, success, and prosperity. Happy Eid-Al-Adha!

21. May the spirit of sacrifice and devotion inspire you on this blessed day. Eid Mubarak!

22. May the blessings of Allah be a guiding light in your life and bring you closer to success and happiness. Happy Eid-Al-Adha 2023!

23. On this auspicious occasion, may your heart be filled with compassion, love, and forgiveness. Eid Mubarak to you and your family!

24. May the joyous festivities of Eid-Ul-Adha bring harmony and prosperity to your home. Eid Mubarak!

25. Sending you warm wishes of Eid-Ul-Adha filled with love, laughter, and endless blessings. Eid Mubarak!

26. May the holy occasion of Eid-Ul-Adha bring peace and tranquility to the world. Eid Mubarak!

27. Wishing you and your family a joyous Eid-Ul-Adha, filled with moments of togetherness and happiness. Bakrid Mubarak!

28. May your sacrifices be accepted, and your prayers be answered on this blessed day. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

29. May the spirit of Eid-Ul-Adha illuminate your path towards success and bring you closer to your dreams. Eid Mubarak!

30. As you share the joy of Eid-Ul-Adha with your loved ones, may your bond strengthen and your love multiply. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

31. May the blessings of Allah fill your life with prosperity, good health, and endless opportunities. Eid Mubarak!

32. On this sacred occasion, may your faith and devotion be rewarded with peace, happiness, and fulfillment. Happy Eid-Al-Adha!

33. May the divine blessings of Allah bring you immense happiness, and may all your wishes come true. Eid Mubarak!

34. As we celebrate Eid-Ul-Adha, let us remember those in need and extend a helping hand. Bakrid Mubarak to you and your family!

35. May the joyous spirit of Eid-Ul-Adha brighten your life and bring you closer to your loved ones. Eid Mubarak!

36. On this holy day, may Allah shower His blessings upon you and grant you success in all your endeavors. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

37. Wishing you a peaceful and prosperous Eid-Ul-Adha, filled with love, laughter, and blessings from above. Eid Mubarak!

38. May the magic of this blessed day fill your heart with happiness and your life with prosperity. Eid Mubarak to you and your loved ones!

39. May the beauty of Eid-Ul-Adha surround you and bring you moments of joy, peace, and contentment. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha 2023!

40. On this joyous occasion, may Allah's mercy and blessings be bestowed upon you and your family. Eid Mubarak!

41. May the spirit of sacrifice and devotion inspire you to achieve great heights. Eid Mubarak!

42. May the blessings of Eid-Ul-Adha bring you closer to your goals and aspirations. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

43. As you celebrate the spirit of Eid-Ul-Adha, may your life be filled with happiness, peace, and prosperity. Eid Mubarak!

44. May this Eid-Ul-Adha be a new beginning for you, filled with opportunities and success. Eid Mubarak!

45. On this auspicious occasion, may Allah's blessings be with you and your loved ones. Eid Mubarak!

46. Wishing you a memorable Eid-Ul-Adha filled with laughter, joy, and delightful moments. Eid Mubarak!

47. May the blessings of Allah be showered upon you and your family, today and always. Eid Mubarak!

48. May the spirit of unity and togetherness bring you closer to your loved ones on this Eid-Ul-Adha. Happy Bakrid 2023!

49. May your faith and devotion be rewarded with Allah's mercy and blessings. Eid Mubarak!

50. As you celebrate Eid-Ul-Adha, may your home be filled with love, peace, and prosperity. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

51. May the divine light of Allah guide you on the path of righteousness and lead you to success. Eid Mubarak!

52. Wishing you a blessed Eid-Ul-Adha, filled with harmony, good health, and happiness. Eid Mubarak!

53. May this Eid-Ul-Adha bring you moments of reflection, gratitude, and spiritual enlightenment. Eid Mubarak!

54. May Allah's blessings be with you on this joyous occasion and always. Eid Mubarak to you and your family!

55. May the sacrifices you make on this Eid-Ul-Adha bring you closer to Allah and His infinite blessings. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha!

56. Wishing you a peaceful Eid-Ul-Adha, where love and kindness prevail. Eid Mubarak!

57. May the joyous celebrations of Eid-Ul-Adha fill your heart with happiness and your life with prosperity. Eid Mubarak!

58. As you share the joy of Eid-Ul-Adha with your family and friends, may your bonds grow stronger. Eid Mubarak!

59. May this Eid-Ul-Adha bring you immense joy and fulfill all your desires. Eid Mubarak!

60. On this sacred day, may Allah bless you with abundant blessings, grace, and success. Happy Eid-Ul-Adha Mubarak!

Eid ul-Adha or Bakra Eid has great significance for Muslims. Thus, Bakrid prayers are also an extremely important part of festive celebrations. If you are offering the Bakrid prayer with the family, an adult male member must lead the prayer as an Imam.

Eidul-Adha Takbir

Eid ul-Adha 2023: How To Perform Eid ul-Adha Namaz And Bakra Eid Prayers | theislamicinformation.com

Eid ul-Adha Prayer: First Rakah

Once you have formed the congregation, follow this step-by-step guide to performing Eid ul-Adha salah at home.

- First and Foremost perform Ghusl, the ritual of taking a bath in an Islamic way.

- Then perform Wudhu, to performing salah.

- Recite Niyyat to perform salah.

- Then recite Takbiratul Ihram and ask dua from the Almighty.

- Then begin performing salah by giving seven takbir and reciting Surah Al Fatiha.

- Then recite another surah from the Holy Quran.

- Complete the first Rakhat and perform Rukhu by reciting Subhanna Rabbiya l-azim three times.

- Then stand and recite Sami Allahu liman hamidah Rabbana walaka-l-hamd.

- Perform first Sujud Subhanna Rabbiya l-ala.

- Rest on your knees and recite Rabbighfirli wa-rhamni wa-jburni wa-rfa'ni wa-rzuqni wa-hdini wa' afini wa'fu 'anni. Or just say Rabbighfirli.

- Then perform the second Sujood.

Eid ul-Adha Namaz: Second Rakah

- In the second rakhat recite Surah Al Fatiha and another surah from the Holy Quran.

- Then perform Takbir five times.

- Post the sujood chant the following Tasyahhud,

- At-tahiyyatul lillahi was-salawatuth wa tayyibatu Assalamu alaika ayyuhan-nabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Assalamu alaina wa ala ibadillahis-salihin.

- Asyhadu an la ilaha illallah, wa asyhadu anna Muhammadar abduhu wa Rasuuluhu

- Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin, wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik 'ala Muhammadin, wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid.

- Then recite Rabbana Taqabbal Minna innaka antas Sameeaul Aleem.

Finally, end Eid ul-Adha 2023 prayers by reciting Assalamu alaykum wa-Rahmatullah on your right side and your left side as well.

End the prayers with a Salaam.
OceanGate Expeditions, the company responsible for the ill-fated submersible that suffered a catastrophic implosion in the Atlantic Ocean, continues to promote expeditions to explore the wreckage of the Titanic on its official website.

Twitter

Recent reports revealed that OceanGate Expeditions has temporarily suspended its operations following a tragic incident involving the company's CEO, Stockton Rush, British billionaire Hamish Harding, French diving expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman.



The unfortunate event occurred when the company's Titan sub unexpectedly imploded during a tour of the famous Titanic wreck.

Twitter

Despite the tragic incident that occurred more than ten days ago and the confirmation of the incident a week ago, the OceanGate website continues to display available dates for two separate eight-day expeditions to the Titanic wreckage scheduled for next year.



Each dive includes one pilot, one "content expert," and three mission specialists (passengers without previous experience) who pay $250,000 for the opportunity.

In addition to Titanic tours, OceanGate offered trips to the Azores Archipelago in Portugal and the Bahamas.

Isabeljohnson25

The expeditions to the Titanic typically originated in Newfoundland, Canada, where a ship departed from the port of St. John's for a 400-nautical-mile journey to the wreck site. The ill-fated expedition last week was on its third day when the Titan submersible was deployed into the sea.



Sadly, it lost contact with its mothership just one hour and 45 minutes into its descent.

The future of OceanGate is now uncertain, as industry experts have informed the New York Post that all planned expeditions to the Titanic have been canceled.

The Explorers Club has stated that it is unaware of any scientific exploratory trips still scheduled for the Titanic wreck, which lies 12,500 feet beneath the ocean's surface. Commercial expeditions have also reportedly been put on hold.

The company had previously faced criticism for a job advertisement seeking a submersible pilot, which was later deleted.

The post remained visible for four days while searching for the missing passengers. It was eventually taken down on June 23, one day after the US Coast Guard announced the discovery of debris from the Titan, located 1,600 feet away from the bow of the Titanic.

NYT

Large sections of the Titan's debris were transported to St. John's harbor by the Horizon Arctic ship and were observed being unloaded by a crane. Shortly after, the Coast Guard announced that medical professionals would analyze presumed human remains on the debris.



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Riccardo Muti was in total control to the very end. He had signalled the last note of his final Orchestra Hall concert as Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director on Sunday when several people started to applaud. His back to the audience, the 81-year-old conductor snapped out his right arm and baton, demanding silence to frame Beethovens Missa Solemnis.

Moments later, he relaxed his shoulders, setting off seven minutes of sustained applause. It needs a moment of tranquillity to think about, he said the next day. Mutis 13 seasons as music director were celebrated with Sundays subscription finale, and he ended his tenure on Tuesday night the way it began: with a free concert in Millennium Park, although the denouement of Florence Price's Andante moderato and Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony was played in a smoky haze caused by Canadian wildfires.

Also read: Madonna rushed to NYC hospital after being unresponsive due to bacterial infection

His 540th performance with the orchestra and 508th as music director wasnt a final goodbye. While the search for a successor goes on, Muti agreed to conduct the CSO for six weeks in each of the next two seasons and was bestowed the new title of music director emeritus for life.

Riccardo Muti shakes hands with Concertmaster Robert Chen after the concert

Muti first worked with the CSO at the 1973 Ravinia Festival and hadnt led the orchestra in 32 years before a 2007 European tour. Players responded with 60 letters asking him to lead them and he became the CSOs 10th music director for 2010-11. He conducted the orchestra for 10 weeks per season in Chicago plus three or four on tour, taking programs to schools and even prisons.

Hes made it a more cohesive ensemble, CSO president Jeff Alexander said, a more lyrical, to be sure, a more flexible ensemble.

Muti determined 27 orchestra appointments, just over a quarter of the current roster, and listened to auditions for bass on Monday. He weaved his sound into the legacy left by predecessors Fritz Reiner, Jean Martinon, Georg Solti and Daniel Barenboim. Muti programmed Verdi operas in concert along with Italian symphonic works and living American composers.

Everybody spoke about the brass of the Chicago Symphony. Nobody spoke about the strings. Nobody spoke about the woodwinds, Muti said Monday in his photo-filled office beneath the auditorium. Now the woodwinds are fantastic, and Im proud that the majority of the woodwinds you have seen are all young, all chosen by me in the auditions. They have a completely different sound. They were always very well known for Wagner, Bruckner, the German repertoire. So they needed I think to have also some Mediterranean light.

Riccardo is applauded after conducting the orchestra and chorus in Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis"

Born in Naples, Muti also had lengthy tenures with Italys Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (1968-80), Londons Philharmonia Orchestra (1972-82), the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-92) and Milans Teatro alla Scala (1986-2005).

In every place, I have been chosen by the musicians, he said. And this is not an expression of arrogance from me, but Im proud of this. I didnt have a powerful agent or politician here and there. No, I am alone.

He walks on and off stage with shoulders back and chin up, his once black hair now grey and white but still thick and spilling over the collar of his perfectly tailored double-breasted suit. He insists the conductors job description is to go on stage dignified.

Maybe I will try to come back different, my dear friends, he told the audience following Friday nights concert. For example, now its very fashionable to be a bit more casual on the podium. Maybe I will go on the podium with short trousers, yellow hair.

Also read: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaanis first song Tum Kya Mile out: Alia, Ranveer romance against azure Kashmir sky

Muti studied with Antonino Votto, the first assistant of Arturo Toscanini, who played the cello at the 1887 premiere of Verdi's Otello. So the line -- Verdi, Toscanini, Votto and myself. It is a sort of connection, Muti said. I belong to another period of making music, of approaching the scores, of asking for a lot of time for rehearsals, especially in opera.
The 23-year-old Greek is also accused of theft.
A United Nations humanitarian official in Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, has revealed that severe hunger is affecting at least, 4.3 million people in some states in Nigeria, such as Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Schmale disclosed this to journalists in Geneva on Wednesday that the number of children under five at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition had doubled in one year to reach 700,000.

Describing the situation in northeast Nigeria, Schmale said: I have been to Borno and the other two states several times.

READ MORE: Nigeria Ranked Among Countries With Highest Poverty, Pollution

Ive seen mothers fighting for lives of their malnourished children in nutrition stabilisation centres.

Those of us who are parents must imagine what its like when you cannot ensure your children have enough to eat, he said.

Schmale also added that the catastrophic situation is primarily the result of more than a decade of insecurity linked to non-State armed groups, which prevents people from farming and earning income from the land.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that another harmful factor affecting these parts of the country is climate change and extreme weather impacts.

Last year saw the worst floods in 10 years in Nigeria, which affected more than 4.4 million people across the country, not just the north-east.
Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna Central Senator has mocked former President Muhammadu Buhari after he reportedly pleaded not to be probed by his successor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Information Nigeria understands there are claims that Tinubu had assured Buhari that he wont probe him and his close aides.

According to the socio-political commentator, Buhari was allergic to being probed and blamed after he did same to his predecessor.

READ ALSO: Support Tinubu, Renounce Support For Peter Obi  Ohanaeze Ndigbo To Igbo Leaders

He also recalled via Twitter that Buhari blamed the previous administration for Nigerias problems while in office.

They arrogantly oppressed, dispossessed, and killed the poor and the innocent and without remorse seek divine blessings for their injustice and inequity.

Buhari probed and blamed all the ills and vices of this country on the previous administrations but he is allergic to being probed and blamed, he tweeted.
No fewer than eleven persons have died on Thursday, while eight others sustained injuries in a ghastly accident that happened along the Edo state section of the Benin-Lagos expressway.

The accident which involved a Toyota Hiace 18 seater bus and a truck belonging to Dangote, occurred around 11am at the Ovia bridge notorious for accidents due to a failed section of the road and the poor state bridge which runs across the river.

According to The Punch, the truck which was heading towards Benin from Lagos on top speed rammed into the bus that was said to have slowed down at the failed portion of the road, killing 11 persons on the spot and injuring several others.

READ ALSO: 18 Burnt To Death, 12 Injured In Kano Road Accident

An eye witness who spoke to The Punch said, The Toyota Hiace bus going to the east en route Edo State slowed down at the bad portion of the Ovia river bridge, but the Dangote truck that was on top speed rammed into it, killing some passengers and injuring others.

It was gathered that some of the occupants of the bus and victims were coming from Lagos after attending a programme organised by a popular Lagos-based church

The Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Paul Okpe confirmed the accident.

He said, We had a crash on the bridge at Ovia River this morning. A truck ran into a Toyota Hummer Bus and 11 persons lost their lives and eight persons injured. Both the dead and the injured were moved to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital by our ambulances. Three vehicles were involved.

The truck ran into the Hummer but after narrowly missing a Kia vehicle. The three vehicles are in the police station not far from our office at the Toll Gate.

For the possible cause, we are leaving that to our Accident Investigations department to establish, but it was the truck that ran into the vehicles and the casualties were in the bus, he added.
France on Thursday, approved a new law requiring social media platforms like TikTok to verify users ages and obtain parental consent for those under 15 years in an effort to protect children online.

The legislation is part of a string of recent moves by the government to reduce childrens screen time and protect them from cyberbullying and other crimes.

The landmark law would be applied as soon as possible, Digital Transition Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the exact date the age verification bill will come into force remains unclear following Thursdays Senate approval, as no specific date was set and the European Commission has yet to check it that it conforms with EU law.

The sites will have a year to comply with the policy for new subscribers, and another two years to apply the requirements to existing users.

Lawmakers concerns ranged from pornography to cyberstalking, unattainable beauty standards and the attention-grabbing, addictive nature of the platforms, which pose a particular risk for youth.

Existing regulations mainly focused on collection of personal data have failed to have an impact on childrens access to social media.

Sites are in theory closed to those under the age of 13 in France.

But with some users signing up from just eight years of age, according to the French National Commission for Technology and Freedoms (CNIL), more than half of children aged 10-14 use social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram.

The new law will explicitly require sites to obtain approval of a users parent or guardian if they are under 15, using technical solutions that comply with guidelines set out by the French Arcom regulator.

Social media firms who breach the law will face a fine of up to 1 percent of their global revenues.

The law will also allow parents to request suspension of accounts belonging to their children under 15, and will require sites to offer tools to limit the time children spend on the platform.

It will not be enough to put an end to concerns of childrens safety online, admitted the lawmaker who spearheaded the act, Laurent Marcangeli, on Wednesday.

He further called for advancements in age verification technology online and heavily investing into digital education for parents, children and teachers.

French lawmakers recently put forward another bill to childrens image rights against abuses by parents on social networks, which still needs to be drafted into law.

In March, measures against childrens overexposure to screens were also introduced in parliament.

Next week, minister Barrot is expected to defend a bill to secure and regulate the digital space, which includes measures requiring porn sites to check that their users are of legal age.
At the event, Obi said the behavior, character and conduct of public officers must be in consonance with what society requires today.

Obi made this known at St Faiths Anglican Cathedral, Awka during the funeral service of the late Dean of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev Maxwell Anikwenwa.

We cant continue to preach for people to make sacrifice without sacrificing. The sacrifice must start from the leaders, visibly and measurably because the people are suffering and we must now be at the forefront of the suffering, the former Anambra State governor said.

Obi described the late Anikwenwa as not only a man of God, but a great Nigerian who contributed meaningfully beyond his pastoral work, but also contributed immensely in building a better Nigeria.

READ MORE: Support Tinubu, Renounce Support For Peter Obi  Ohanaeze Ndigbo To Igbo Leaders

Those who know him well, must testify that he was involved in advocating for a better Nigeria, good governance and everything, Obi said.

The Primate, Church of Nigeria, Most Rev Henry Ndukuba, who presided at the ceremony said . Anikwenwa truly lived by the principles the Anglican Church is known for.

According to him, having done his work successfully on earth, the renowned cleric had gone home to rest.

He said: Death comes to all as leveler. The Lord has called home one of the Patriots of the Anglican Church.

 He was the pioneer Bishop of Awka and Dean of Church of Nigeria. He lived on the principle of service to God and was a true servant of God who loves his people
Anita Brown, the American lady who accused Davido of getting her pregnant, has reacted after her private videos began circulating on social media.

In a tweet, she denied being a porn star, adding that any video of her that people have seen was probably with her ex from years ago.

Dont ever play with my name talking porn star. NOT TRUE. Any video yall will ever see of me was prolly with my ex from years ago. Oh well. Get over it!

READ ALSO: American Lady Accuses Davido Of Impregnating Her, Leaks Private Chats

Nextttttttt! Its nothing that can be said that i cant own! I dont owe yall anything, because yall are not God, she said.

Furthermore, she added that she hasnt slept with a bunch of celebrities and that people actually know her.

In her words, Yall cannot defame my name in the United States. Anybody whos somebody knows how militant i actually am.

And no! I actually havent slept with a bunch of celebrities. Thats EXACTLY WHY, yall cant defame my name when it comes to the the USA. People ACTUALLY know me! She added.

This comes after Anita claimed that she was pregnant for Afrobeats superstar, Davido, and shared screenshots of their conversation on social media.

See her post below:
The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 503 suspects for various offences bordering on banditry, cattle rustling, culpable homicide and other related crimes.

DSP Muhammed Jalidge, the Commands Spokesman, disclosed this during a parade on Thursday.

He stated that the Command arrested the suspects within the space of one month.

READ ALSO: Three Arrested Over Killing Of Naval Officer In Ondo

Among those paraded were Ismail Mohammed of Maijere Village, Saminaka in the Lere Local Government Area of the state, who kidnapped and later killed his brother, Kabiru Mohammed, after collecting N120,000 as ransom from the family.

Jalidge added that several weapons, including money, were recovered from the suspects.

The Police Command in its duties of securing the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens of Kaduna State, has succeeded in arresting five Hundred and three (503) suspects for various crimes which include; armed Banditry, armed Robbery, handsets/handbags snatching, cattle rustling, culpable homicide, rape, shop breaking, theft, vandalization of rail tracks and other related crimes, he stated.
Police operatives in Ogun State have reportedly arrested a young lady, identified simply as Alice, for allegedly stabbing her married lover, Ayinde Isreal, to death in Itori Ewekoro area of the state.

According to InstaBlog9ja, Isreals wife travelled with their one-year-old child for the Ileya celebration and he took advantage of their absence to invite his side chick home.

However, they got into an argument and she allegedly stabbed him to death with a knife on Tuesday evening, June 27.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Student Stabbed To Death In Canada

A source who spoke to InstaBlog9ja said, The guy is a married man and his wife went to his familys house to celebrate Ileya and he brought his side chick to his matrimonial home the same day his wife left.

He and the side chick had issues and the girl stabbed him on his neck. We took him to two hospitals before he gave up.

The girl is currently at Ifo police station, here in Ogun state.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that, during his campaign period, he drew inspiration from the spirit of Emi Lokan a Yoruba phrase meaning Its my turn, which he invoked from the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Tinubu had on June 3, 2023, set the social media on fire when he vented his frustration during a presidential campaign in Abeokuta, saying it was through his efforts that the ex-President, Muhammadu Buhari, made it to Aso Rock after failing thrice.

It was during the event that he blurted out his now famous quote, emilokan (Its my turn).

It is my time. Im educated. Im experienced. I have been serving people for a long time. Bring me the presidency, it is my turn, Tinubu had insisted.

Tinubu made the statement while addressing the APC delegates in Ogun State.

His outburst evoked mixed feelings from Nigerians, with many loyalists of the party including the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, saying the remarks were meant to slight the president and Ogun State governor.

Tinubu made this known during the Presidents visit to the Awujales palace in Ijebu-Ode on Thursday.

However, Tinubu recalled how the controversial statement became a significant motif for him and his supporters during his campaign.

READ MORE: Tinubu Visits Traditional Rulers In Ogun On Thursday

He also reflected on the hardship brought about by the Central Bank of Nigerias cash swap policy during the election period.

He stated that these challenges compelled him to invoke the spirit of freedom, particularly in the South West state.

I invoked the spirit of freedom in Ogun, the president said while speaking at the palace of Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu Ode.

He added, It is a homecoming and I owe so much to all of you and there is so much to thank you for. Because of the way you have taken me and the way youve responded to me, all I can say is thank you.

To many of you, thank you for being there for me and being there for the country. You demonstrated so much loyalty, so much commitment and voted at a very crucial time.

Your monies were confiscated. The cash swap didnt work. It was terrible then. I realised that and I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom for which we are noted for.

I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba (referring to Awujale). The spirit of Baba  Emi lokan (its my turn), thats Baba. The spirit for being blunt and that is him.

And the second spirit is that of money (Naira scarcity), ama dibo ama wole (we will vote and we will win) even if there is no money. And that, ever since, has been the spirit that is driving me to serve.
Barely some days after his return from first presidential trip to France and UK, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been scheduled to visit some prominent traditional rulers in Ogun State on Thursday.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that President Tinubu will visit Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode including the Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona in Ijebu-Ode and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in the state capital.

READ MORE: Tinubu Returns To Nigeria After Paris, London Trips

An aide to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Babatunde Olaotan, made this known in an invitation letter sent out to All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and supporters, on Wednesday.

Olaotan, however did not disclose the reason for the Presidents visit to the two traditional rulers.

The message read, Youre cordially invited by Governor Dapo Abiodun  CON to welcome His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  GCFR who will be paying us a visit tomorrow, 29th of June, 2023 in Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta.

All our party leaders, elders and supporters in Ogun East Senatorial District should converge at Awujales place by 8:30am while our party leaders, elders, members and supporters in Ogun Central and Ogun West should gather at the Alakes place by 10.30am, it read.

Recall that Tinubus last visit to the state was on January 25, 2023, when his presidential campaign train stormed Abeokuta, where he alleged a plot by some forces to sabotage the general elections.
A Supreme Court in the United States has banned the use of race and ethnicity in university admissions, dealing a major blow to a decades-old practice that boosted educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities.

The top courts decision on Thursday came in response to lawsuits that challenged the policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) by claiming race-conscious student admissions programmes discriminate against white and Asian-American applicants.

READ MORE: US Court Jails Nigerian Five Years For Money Laundering

The ruling is the latest by the conservative-dominated court to advance right-wing political causes, and it could have significant implications for US college enrolment and diversity on campuses across the country.

Reacting to the courts decision on Thursday, President Joe Biden, while calling on universities to continue to advance diversity in spite of the ruling, by considering race-related factors like adversity.

Biden said: Ive always believed that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed, and that every generation of Americans, we have benefited by opening the doors of opportunity just a little bit wider to include those whove been left behind.

We cannot let this decision be the last word on it,

College admissions are zero-sum. A benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former group at the expense of the latter, Biden said.
People in Ocean City watch as the Fourth of July bike parade passes on July 3, 2021. Read more

Total spending on food for July Fourth celebrations is expected to jump more than $1.5 billion this year, from $7.7 billion to $9.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federations annual survey.

Households anticipate spending an average of more than $93 on food alone.

If you are one of the nearly 90% of Americans who plan to celebrate in coming days, expect to save big on gas and spend less on dairy products.

If youre buying fireworks, theyll cost about the same as last year, if not a bit less, depending on what youre purchasing.

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The Inquirer analyzed the weekly ShopRite ad, data from the American Automobile Association and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and spoke to business owners to get a sense of July Fourth prices.

Year-over-year comparisons are from this July 2022 analysis.

Heres more on how much you can expect to spend on Independence Day staples in the Philadelphia region:

Fireworks

Fireworks prices have plateaued after seeing a big bump between 2021 and 2022, an increase attributable in part to skyrocketing shipping costs.

Phantom Fireworks Flashing Thunder Candle will cost you $19.99 this year, the same price as last year. In 2021, the same product cost $14.99.

Alan Zoldan, Phantoms executive vice president, and Jessi Dragoiu, the companys purchasing and product development manager, said they expect firework prices to keep decreasing, with even a bigger drop anticipated for next summer because of stabilized shipping costs.

The new inventory that is in is certainly cheaper, said Zoldan, but leftover, more-expensive inventory remains from previous years, an issue present across the industry.

Phantom has several locations in Southeastern Pennsylvania, including a showroom in Upland, and customers seem to be spending on average about the same as they have in previous years.

This year, they may be getting a little more bang for their buck, Dragoiu said.

Burgers

For at least one local retailer, Bubba Burgers are back at 2021 levels, with a four-pack costing you $12.99 at ShopRite this week.

When not on sale, however, the same package costs you $14.99, the same price as last year.

Cheese

The cost of cheese has dropped since last year, though it isnt back at 2021 levels. A pound of American cheese will cost you $4.99 at ShopRite this week, compared to $5.99 last June. Two years ago, the same amount went for $3.99.

Hot dog/hamburger rolls

While the buns may be the least expensive item in your shopping cart, they may be one of the only items that will cost you more than last year. The price of hot dog and hamburger rolls have continued to rise, with an eight-pack going for $1.25 at ShopRite. Thats up from $0.99 last year and $0.89 in 2021.

Ice cream

We all scream for (savings on) ice cream. A 46-ounce container of Turkey Hill is on sale for $3 this week at ShopRite, down from $4.29 typically. Last year, it would have cost $4.49, up from $3.49 in June 2021.

Gas

If youre driving somewhere for a BBQ or long weekend, expect your tank of gas to cost less than it did last year. Mid-grade gas has been hovering around $4 in Pennsylvania, down from $5.33 a year ago.

We may be in a bit of a demand lull heading into the July Fourth holiday, AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement. Drivers are benefiting financially, with 20 gallons of gas costing nearly $30 less than last year.
The Jackson family from Pennsauken sits along the Camden waterfront with Philadelphia and the Ben Franklin Bridge in a smoky haze in the background on June 7. Read more

Diamond could finally breathe again. After weeks of missed school, hospitalizations, intense treatments, and no clear answers, I felt we were finally turning the corner on her asthma treatment.

Chatting before her most recent appointment, the eighth grader rattled off her lengthy medication list and calmly explained how she used her inhaler each morning. She said shed rejoined the softball team and cheerleading, went to her eighth grade dance, and was looking forward to graduation.

Then, smoke from wildfires in Canada settled over Philadelphia and raised the regions air quality index to the most hazardous levels in years.

I first met Diamond in the fall of 2022 as a part of the Perelman School of Medicines patient shadowing program. The goal is for medical students to see health care through the eyes of the patient. She struggled with asthma flare-ups and allergen sensitivity. Some of her attacks were so severe that they required hospitalization.

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Even without smoke from Canadian wildfires, Philadelphia is ranked by the American Lung Association as one of the cities with the worst air quality. As of 2018, nearly 18% of Philadelphia School District students had asthma.

When climate change worsens Philadelphias already dirty air, students like Diamond will suffer. Poor air quality following the wildfires reached record-breaking levels for the Philadelphia region, but experts warn that climate change will continue to increase the risk of air quality deterioration.

Air pollution wreaks havoc on our bodies, which cant handle such thick, irritant-filled air. The tiny PM2.5 particles given off by car exhaust and forest fires are too small to be filtered out by our immune system. Reams of research have found that air pollution harms respiratory function, increases the risk of heart disease, and harms pregnant people.

Climate change is already changing how we think about medicine. When medical students are presented with a clinical vignette  the story of a patient as they walk into the office  we are trained to build a differential, a list of all the possible ailments that could contribute to that persons concerns.

After this week, I will be adding climate change to every future differential.

When Diamond walks into the clinic, her symptoms are inextricably linked to the air she breathes. Diamond spent Philadelphias worst air quality days in June lying in bed, worried she would miss her middle school graduation due to the air quality. Her school closed one day because the air was so hazardous.

As a future physician, I plan on asking all of my patients about their air quality, inquiring if their neighborhood is near a factory or expressway. When parents express concern that their kids might be in harms way, I will show them pictures of how to make an air purifier out of a box fan and HVAC filters. Ill talk to them about masking outdoors and help brainstorm indoor activities for their kids.

The air improved in time for Diamond to walk across the stage and accept her well-earned middle school diploma. The temporary reprieve was welcome. But as the planet heats up, forest fires will become more common across North America.

I worry how this will affect patients with asthma, like Diamond, and others with medical conditions that make them sensitive to poor air quality. Climate change is more than a political disagreement; climate change is a medical risk to us all.

Alex Nisbet is a medical student at the Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. Follow him on Twitter @alexfnisbet.
Nurses' unions have been lobbing for the Patient Safety Act. In this photo, health-care workers hold protest signs during a rally on Thursday, January 13, 2022, at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Read more

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a bill that would require nurse staffing minimums in hospitals, bringing the state closer to enacting a measure that proponents said will address patient safety and help retain nurses in bedside jobs.

The Patient Safety Act would make Pennsylvania among the nations first states, behind California, to enact specific staffing-level requirements for nurses in hospitals. Nurses unions have advocated for the measure, which many hospital systems and trade groups oppose. Critics say the requirements are unrealistic and may force rural and small hospitals to reduce services or even close.

Under the legislation, each hospital unit has to meet specific staffing ratios based on the level of care delivered. For example, one nurse for each patient in active labor during childbirth, or every two patients in intensive care.

Hospitals failing to meet the requirement would be fined.

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 READ MORE: Pennsylvania takes step to become the second state to require nurse staffing minimums in hospitals

The measure passed in a 119-84 vote. More than a dozen Republicans joined the Democrats who voted in favor of the bill on Wednesday afternoon.

Rep. Tarik Khan, a Democrat representing parts of Northwest Philadelphia, spoke about his time as a hospital nurse. He said that nurses juggling too many patients are prone to errors.

Nurses like me know all too well the fear of going to work and feeling like theyre going to harm a patient because of the effects of unmanageable workloads, Khan told the chamber.

Other Democratic lawmakers advocated for the bill by sharing personal stories, such as of family members who were ignored in their last days because nurses were too busy, or of medical errors that ended costing their loved ones their lives.

I rise in support of HB106, and in memory of my Aunt Julia who passed away so unnecessarily and so tragically in a hospital that was tremendously understaffed, said Rep. Christina Sappey, a Democrat from Chester County.

Nurses unions lobbied in favor of the bill and celebrated the vote. Maureen May, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, called Wednesday a historic and proud day for nurses.

Legislators listened to the most trusted profession in the country, the Temple University Hospital nurse said in a statement.

Republican opponents said the bills fines would be financially devastating to smaller and rural hospitals. Rep. Kathy Rapp, a Republican from Warren County, said that fines can be up to $127,500 a day.

This bill creates a one-size-fits-all approach to mandating staffing ratios with extreme sanctions for our hospitals, said Rapp, the Republican chair on the House Health Committee.

Hospitals may be forced to admit fewer patients to avoid violating the law, critics added, and even without a mandate are struggling to fill nursing positions.

It is unrealistic to assume that a rigid mandate will bring to the bedside the tens of thousands of nurses who will be needed, in the specialties and geographic areas where they will be needed, Nicole Stallings, president and CEO of a hospital trade group, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, said in a statement after the vote.

 READ MORE: As many nurses say they plan to leave bedside care, these Philly-area grads cant wait for their first hospital job

California is the only state that currently mandates nursing levels. The law took effect there in 2004 and it did not lead to the negative fallout that opponents feared, Linda Aiken, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania, told the committee in a hearing last month. She noted that Pennsylvania has sufficient registered nurses, just not enough nurses providing patient care in hospitals.

Her analysis of the bill found that if Pennsylvania hospitals had the staffing levels it would require, the state could prevent 1,155 hospital deaths and 771 hospital readmissions every year.

Oregon lawmakers passed a nurse staffing-ratio bill last week.

In Pennsylvania, the bill now goes to the Republican-controlled state Senate, where its chances of passing are uncertain.
Pennsylvanias Medicaid regulators last week issued a notice warning nursing homes of unusual swings in their payment rates for the coming year.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services officials provided no details, but an Inquirer analysis showed that twice as many nursing homes as last year are facing a cut of 5% or more in their daily Medicaid rate.

On the other end, less than half as many as last year could see their rates go up by 5% or more, according to rates published Saturday by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

The volatility comes right as new staffing requirements take effect. Beginning Saturday, the states nursing homes must start fulfilling staffing ratios for the first time. For example, the new Department of Health regulations require one nurse aide for every 12 residents during day shifts. Next July, the ratio goes down to 10 residents per nurse aid during day shifts.

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The new Medicaid rates causing concern among DHS officials are not final. State lawmakers still have to agree to a budget for fiscal 2024, and federal regulators have to approve the rates.

Meanwhile, industry representatives are worried that some nursing homes might not survive significant cuts.

COVIDs aftermath affecting rates

DHS calculates the rates using a formula required by state law. The General Assembly would have to come up with a fix for the new rates, and Gov. Josh Shapiro would have to approve it.

There is only so much money allocated to support the care of individuals that cannot otherwise afford it on their own, said Eric Heisler, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, a trade group of long-term care facilities. Increases to some facilities result in decreases to others because the changes must net out to zero, he said, creating winners and losers.

Regulators cite the aftermath of COVID as a big factor in the rate turmoil. A full year of COVID-19 expenses was included in the new calculation, which is based on three years of audited cost reports. The most recent reports included the rates from calendar year 2020 and the fiscal year that ended June 20, 2021, according to the nursing home trade group.

The midpoint for what Medicaid would pay Pennsylvanias 591 nursing homes that accept Medicaid is $234.77 a day. After lawmakers approve the state budget, DHS will adjust that figure based on the amount of money appropriated for nursing homes.
Frankford High School announced its return-to-school plan after it closed due to asbestos, and some students will return in person, after all. Read more

Some Frankford High students will return to the storied Oxford Avenue building in September, after all  a shift in plans after officials had initially announced damaged asbestos would keep students and staff out for the entire 2023-24 school year.

Students in grades 10 through 12 will be in the schools annex  what is now being called the new wing  and the ninth grade will relocate to Roberto Clemente Middle School, on West Erie Avenue in North Philadelphia, district officials announced Thursday.

The schools long-term future is still uncertain; district officials have said that Frankford may need to be razed and rebuilt.

 READ MORE: Philly schools are ramping up asbestos work but are three years away from meeting federal requirements

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Damaged asbestos first closed Frankford in April, when officials initially said the closure would be short-term. But they soon learned that inaccurate environmental records did not tell the whole story, and damaged asbestos was located in areas throughout the building. Frankford students were forced to learn virtually for the last months of the 2022-23 school year.

Leaders had hoped to keep the school  900 students, plus staff  together in one location in close proximity to Frankford, but no suitable location could be found.

While we were unable to accomplish our ultimate goal of getting all of our students and staff into a single space, we believe that this model will still provide a great learning experience for our students and allow us to maintain the school culture that has been established here at the Home of Champions, principal Michael Calderone wrote in an email to Frankford families.

Monique Braxton, district spokesperson, said Frankfords old wing will be sealed off, and that workers will spend the summer reconfiguring the annex and ground-floor gymnasium for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Abatement of damaged asbestos in those areas has been completed and air testing was conducted where abatement took place, Braxton said in a statement. Other environmental issues, such as lead paint, will continue to be addressed with updates regarding progress forthcoming.

More than 300 Frankford freshmen will occupy Clementes third-floor classrooms but share a cafeteria and auditorium with 350 Clemente students and 320 students attending the Linc, a district high school whose facility is also on the same campus. They will receive shuttle bus service from Frankford, and will be able to return to Frankford in time to participate in after-school activities if they choose.

Arrival and dismissal times for the Frankford freshmen and Linc and Clemente students will be staggered, Braxton said.

 READ MORE: Frankford High School, shut out of its building because of asbestos, rallies: You cant shut us out

Braxton said the decision to split Frankfords students came from district and school leaders, parents, and community members, and underscored that the district has improved its asbestos management program in the past year, with better recordkeeping and more resources for environmental work.

The school year is scheduled to begin Sept. 5.

I know the uncertainty of our future has been a tremendously stressful time for all of us. I hope that with this new information, we can all get back to the business of gearing our students and ourselves back up for the 2023-2024 school year, Calderone wrote. We will continue working to provide a safe and engaging learning environment for our students regardless of where they are. The bricks and mortar that house us do not make us a school; rather, it is we the people that make Frankford High School what it is.
Moms for Libertys annual summit will be held June 29-July 2 at the Marriott. Many liberal organizations have promised to protest. Read more

Moms for Liberty, the controversial parental rights group, is descending on Philadelphia on Thursday for several days of speeches from GOP presidential contenders and sessions about sex education, gender ideology and capturing school board seats.

The event is expected to receive national attention, with former president Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both speaking. And protests are expected.

 READ MORE: Why Trump, DeSantis, and GOP rivals are flocking to the Moms for Liberty convention in Philadelphia

Heres what to know about the event.

Why is Moms for Liberty in Philly?

Moms for Liberty, which started in Florida in 2021 in opposition to pandemic measures, is having its second annual summit, in Philadelphia. The group, which claims 285 chapters in 45 states  including in the Philadelphia region  expects 650 to attend the event, which begins Thursday night and ends Sunday. (The event is sold out; tickets started at $249.)

Moms for Liberty has said Pennsylvania represents its second-largest membership base, and that Philadelphias history provides a backdrop for its focus on preserving American values.

Why is Moms for Liberty controversial?

The group has targeted diversity education and how LGBTQ issues are handled by schools  becoming a prominent voice in a conservative movement that has accused public schools of indoctrinating students around race, gender, and sexuality. Members have pushed to ban books they contend are pornographic; critics note that books about LGBTQ people or people of color have been disproportionately targeted by the efforts.

The group has opposed accommodations for transgender students; the description for one panel session at this weekends summit begins: There is no such thing as a transgender child.

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 READ MORE: Why Moms for Liberty was designated an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center

The Southern Poverty Law Center recently designated Moms for Liberty an antigovernment extremist group, saying its views are conspiracy propagandist. Some chapters have been linked to groups like the Proud Boys. Earlier this month, an Indiana chapter apologized for quoting Adolf Hitler (He alone who OWNS the youth, gains the future) in its newsletter.

Whats happening at the summit?

Top GOP presidential contenders will be addressing attendees Friday inside the downtown Marriott, where most of the summit will be held. DeSantis will headline the morning, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley midday.

Trump is expected to speak around 4 p.m., joined by Florida Congressman Byron Donalds. (Another GOP presidential candidate, entrepreneur and anti-woke activist Vivek Ramaswamy, is scheduled to speak Saturday.)

Others speaking over the course of the weekend include Jaimee Michell, head of Gays Against Groomers  a term that has been used to falsely accuse LGBTQ people of preying on children; North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a GOP candidate for governor who has said theres no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth; and Chris Elston, an activist who goes by Billboard Chris, who travels wearing a billboard that reads, Children cannot consent to puberty blockers.

 READ MORE: More groups of historians denounce Moms for Liberty event at Museum of the American Revolution

The summit also includes numerous panel discussions, with sessions led by the conservative Leadership Institute on how to run winning school board campaigns. Moms for Liberty says its hoping to play a bigger role in school board races nationally, although it posted a losing record in Wisconsin school board races earlier this year.

Among other panel topics: whether comprehensive sex education is sexualizing children, how foundations and foreign governments are bringing radical content into our schools, and George Washingtons leadership.

The event isnt limited to the Marriott. A welcome reception Thursday night at the Museum of the American Revolution will feature the president of WallBuilders, a Texas organization dedicated to presenting Americas forgotten history and heroes whose leaders have argued against the separation of church and state.

Whats the controversy involving the Museum of the American Revolution?

Museum staffers have demanded that leadership cancel Thursdays welcome reception, saying in a petition that we do not feel that any dollar amount is worth endangering the safety of the museum staff members in the building on the day of the event, serving as a host to a group that does not stand with our values, and damaging the museums reputation that we have all worked so hard to build.

Museum leaders  who have said staff dont have to work Thursday night if they feel unsafe  have defended their hosting of the event, saying their aim is to share diverse and inclusive stories about our nations history with the broadest audience possible. But they have continued to receive pushback, with numerous historian groups denouncing the decision.

Will there be protests?

Numerous liberal advocacy groups are planning to protest starting Thursday afternoon outside the Marriott. Among those announcing protests, including by handing out banned books: Campaign for Our Shared Future, People for the American Ways Grandparents for Truth, and the AIDS activist group ACT UP Philadelphia, and the Young Communist League.

The latter two groups have announced a Stop Moms for Hate dance party protest, starting outside the Museum of the American Revolution Thursday night and resuming outside the Marriott Friday morning.

Moms for Liberty says it will have an extensive private security team on-site at all times, and has instructed attendees not to engage with protesters. (A Safety Tips section on the event website includes a link to information about Pennsylvanias concealed carry reciprocity agreements.)
Thomas Dambo's latest art installation features a 20-foot troll made of entirely recycled material. The troll's name is "Big Rusty" and is in Hainesport, N.J. Read more

A 20-foot troll now has been created in Burlington County as part of a new art installation.

Named Big Rusty, the troll is made entirely of trash, or treasures as recycled art activist Thomas Dambo calls it. Hikers and art enthusiasts got to meet the trash-adorned troll in Hainesport on Wednesday.

For Dambo, the troll launches his Way of the Bird King sculpture series. Dambo and his team of 22 builders will construct 10 permanent sculptures using recycled materials all over the country, including in Vermont, Michigan, and Washington state.

Ive tried to convince the world that we should not let the world drown in trash; we should praise our trash and we should see the value in our trash, Dambo said.

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This isnt Dambos first troll series. The Copenhagen-based artist has a number of large troll sculptures across the world, including in France and Germany, after getting his start as a graffiti artist and rapper.

Dambo said his work with conservation art and the troll figurehead itself are derived from his childhood books and time spent as a rapper, where he learned how to create intricate backstories for works of art.

Dambo also said his love for recycled art started as a kid, when he would go dumpster diving with his father, and he wants to show people that trash can be treasure, especially amid increasingly large landfills and climate change.

Dambo said he wants to emphasize to those visiting the troll that its not just about the troll itself, its about the journey to get to the exhibit as well. Dambo said he picked the New Jersey location  off Route 38 near the South Branch Rancocas Creek  because its an abandoned pottery studio thats now being turned into a park.

In fact, some of the scrap materials from the abandoned studio, including parts of the roof and loose bricks, are used for the troll itself.

I hope that they will see that we can make something of what is just considered worthless or discarded, Dambo said. I hope people will see the size of my sculptures and will ultimately just be a marketing campaign for changing how we recycle trash.
A cyclist rides with their mouth and nose covered on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on Thursday. Read more

The air quality in Philadelphia dropped to unhealthy levels for all residents Thursday as smoke from wildfires in Canada continued to move into the area.

Both Philadelphia and the entire state of Pennsylvania remained under a code red air quality alert Thursday, as winds from the west blew smoke-filled air from the Midwest into the region. Delaware and Camden County also issued code red alerts, while New Jersey remained under a code orange alert.

Late Thursday afternoon, Pennsylvania issued a statewide code orange for Friday, meaning the air would still be unhealthy but not as bad. Philadelphia did not issue any late updates but a spokesperson said city officials also expected the air quality to improve.

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The air quality index in Philadelphia as of 8 p.m. Thursday was 172, according to government data, enough to place the city in the red unhealthy for all category. City pools were closed on Thursday, and summer camps run by the city were moved indoors.

This alert means that the air is unhealthy to breathe, and some members of the general public may experience health effects, the Philadelphia Department of Health said in a statement.

The city recommended residents consider canceling outdoor events and gatherings and close all windows and doors to minimize air pollution in the home. If you must go outdoors, the city suggested, wear a high-quality mask and avoid areas of high congestion, such as main streets or highways.

The city said residents who need a KN-95 mask can pick up one for free at the following locations:

Four of the five Health Department resource hubs (Mount Enon is closed this week.) All Philadelphia Police Districts Philadelphia Fire stations

Poor air quality in Philadelphia will linger into Friday

Alex Dodd, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said forecast air quality levels would remain at red unhealthy levels for eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware throughout the day and into the evening Thursday.

With west winds, its going to stay pretty consistent, Dodd said. We dont really see it getting much better [Thursday].

 READ MORE: Expect a hot, smoky summer in much of America. Heres why youd better get used to it.

Most of New Jersey is expected to have better air quality than Pennsylvania, and Dodd said a sea breeze at the Jersey Shore should offer even more relief.

According to the latest forecasts, the poor air quality is expected to linger into Friday, but winds from the south should help push away some smoke to the north. Dodd said rain and thunderstorms are expected to move in Friday night or Saturday, which should help improve the quality of the air.

Rain is really efficient at pulling that particulate matter out of the air, Dodd said.

What is the air quality index?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pulls data from gauges that measure various pollutants in real time. In this case, the EPA uses data collected by Philadelphias Air Quality Management Services.

The EPA sets limits for each pollutant for its air quality index (AQI). The level of each pollutant is color-coded based on the highest daily AQI value at selected monitors. The Philadelphia Health Department lists six levels, from lowest to highest: green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and maroon  a level considered hazardous.

Earlier this month, Philadelphia reached the maroon hazardous level, the worst air quality since at least 2008 if not before, according to historical EPA data. The poor air quality forced people across the city indoors and led to several events, including a Phillies game, to be canceled or postponed.

What is PM2.5?

PM2.5 is fine particulate matter defined as concentrations of 2.5 microns or smaller. Its of special concern because the particles are so small  far smaller than the width of a human hair  and are easily inhaled. The World Health Organization says PM2.5 is responsible for the biggest proportion of health effects from air pollution.

Locally, the biggest typical sources of PM2.5 are emissions from gas and diesel-powered vehicles. Power plants are also a source. The particles form when emissions react in the air.

But wildfires burning in multiple Canadian provinces and territories contain a mixture of gaseous pollutants and PM2.5 is a chief component.

Particle pollution refers to a mix of solid and liquid droplets in the air. Some particles are so small that they are visible using only an electron microscope. Those particles can penetrate both indoors and outdoors because of their small size. During wildfires, concentrations can rise so high that particles are visible to the naked eye as part of the mix of gases in a haze.

Staff writers Robert Moran and Frank Kummer contributed to this article.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday, September 16, 2022. Read more

Less than a year after a bitter, nearly three-week long strike, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its workers are once again locked in a dispute  this time over a raise that was due to go into effect Saturday.

The raises were part of the contract agreement that ended the 2022 strike.

Its really a punch in the gut for a lot of folks, said Adam Rizzo, president of the PMA union, an affiliate of AFSCME DC47.

The disagreement involves a differing interpretation in contract language about longevity pay increase between the union and their managers, which became clear in a meeting between the parties on Wednesday, according to Rizzo.

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Maggie Fairs, spokesperson for the museum, said the union is trying to apply different contractual language than what museum management ultimately agreed to after years of negotiation.

She called it perplexing and unfortunate and accused the union of attempting to reopen negotiations unilaterally.

According to both sides, the contract calls for employees who work 25 hours or more a week to get a $500 annual longevity raise if they have had 5, 10, 15, or 20 years of service on July 1, 2023. Employees who work less than 25 hours get a $250 raise.

Rizzo said the union believes that workers who have reached any of those anniversaries by Saturday should receive the raises.

The museums position is that the raises will be paid only to employees who reach those specific work anniversaries during the three-year contract period.

If you hit your five-year anniversary next week, youll get $500, but if youve been working here for 11 years, youll get nothing, Rizzo said. It basically means only a handful of folks who work at the museum in the bargaining unit are going to receive anything at all.

Fairs said the longevity increases will recognize employees on their anniversary dates for their service.

Their contributions to the museum are deeply felt and honoring them in this way was the goal when we reached agreement on the longevity terms, she said.

The union, which represents about 190 workers, has filed a grievance. It has also started a petition protesting the contract interpretation.

Rizzo said that the union legally cannot strike but that it may consider taking other actions if progress isnt made.

The workers strike last fall coincided with museum director Sasha Sudas start on the job. During the nearly three-week walkout and picket, many workers complained about her absence through the labor dispute.

When an agreement was reached, Suda spoke about reconciliation.

Rizzo said that staff meetings have taken place but that this new development may harm progress made.

Whats so troubling about this, is [that] ... the strike was really challenging for the institution and for the workers within the institution as a whole, he said.

Sasha Suda has been talking a lot about healing and building equity into the institution. And then here we are with Sasha telling us they are going to put the longevity clause into effect in such a way that it creates more inequities.

In the workers contract, they received salary increase, four weeks of paid parental leave, and lowered-cost health-care benefits.

The museum recently increased general admission ticket prices from $25 to $30.
A Philly man has listed a bathroom mirror covered in graffiti for $400. He says it's a small price to pay for a piece of Northern Liberties dive bar history. But Facebook trolls say otherwise. Do you know where the mirror's from? Read more

For the ripe price of $400, you can be the new owner of an old mirror.

This week, a Philly man listed a bathroom mirror thats covered in paint pen graffiti and stickers on Facebook Marketplace. In the listing, he says its from a now-closed Northern Liberties dive bar location.

Want something unique and different for your urban powder room? the listing goes on to say, This is it.

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The post doesnt specify the mirrors original home. Instead, the seller  John Rodgers of Pennsport  says hell knock $50 off the asking price to a buyer who can identify its origin.

Within days of being listed, screenshots of the post spread online. In South Silly, a private and popular neighborhood group with more than 12,000 members, the marketplace listing was predictably dragged.

I dont know whats worse, one commenter wrote. The fact that this man is trying to get $350 for this mirror or the term urban powder room.

Another neighbor called it the best stupidest thing theyve seen in a while  Seriously, I have so many emotions over it.

One user even suggested the mirror could be a fake, saying it looks a little too clean.

Rodgers told The Inquirer the mirror is real. He said he salvaged it five years ago as the bar  which he declined to name  was being torn down for new construction.

This mirror was being taken out for trash, he said. I just so happened to be walking by and snagged it before it was shattered in a dumpster.

He added that since the listing has spread, hes received tons of messages, but most have been trolls with lowball offers.

I suppose some non-designy types think its trash or a money grab, Rodgers said. But he insists its the price to own a piece of local history.

When hes not running things at the 215 Guys  a local web design company  Rodgers spends his time salvaging. His other listings include an old Petes Auto Garage sheet metal sign that was repurposed into a St. Philip Neri Church Flea Market advertisement and a 1930s curio cabinet from a nuns residence on Second and Moyamensing.

Ive been salvaging and selling since  forever, he said. In my college days at Temple, it was old SEPTA signs. While in San Francisco for six years, it was MUNI signs and nice trash finds.

Rodgers attributes a large garage to supporting his side hustle. He recently saved and refurbished a pair of midcentury Scandinavian-style wooden chairs that hes selling for $600.

A lot of things Ill keep and use since theyre dope, he said. Sometimes a friend or guest says whoa, thats awesome. Where did you find that? and Ill respond: the trash.

Still, despite pressing Rodgers for more details, mums the word on the mirrors source.

The mystery is fun, he said.
Salt and peppered sunny side up eggs cooking at Darnels Cakes at 444 North 3rd Street in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Read more

Phillys breakfast sandwiches arent as vaunted as its cheesesteaks and hoagies, but the city is rife with excellent examples. Good Morning America spotlighted two contenders, Darnels Cakes and Middle Child, on Thursday as part of its summer-long United States of Breakfast segment.

The competitors and judges  former Eagle Jon Runyan, chef Michael Solomonov, and Action News anchor Alicia Vitarelli  assembled at Bok Bar early this morning to determine which Philly contestant would advance to a four-way final round in New York City tomorrow. Fans and most of Phillys sports-team mascots cheered them on.

The two breakfasts in consideration were a bacon, egg, and cheese from Darnels Cakes, served on a buttermilk biscuit and drizzled with Thai chili-shallot aioli; and the pastrami, egg, and cheese from Middle Child, sandwiched by toasted rye from Merzbachers.

We bake our biscuits fresh, in-house every day, Darnels founder Kyle Cuffie-Scott said on the broadcast. Theres 216 layers of butter, flour, eggs, sugar ... its a light, fluffy, flaky, melt-in-your mouth sensation. Darnels co-owner Joe Lope explained the just-runny egg sandwich is topped with applewood-smoked bacon and a blend of Gruyere, cheddar, and Parmesan. (You can get the sandwich for $8.25 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their Old City cafe Monday through Friday.)

Our sandwich is all about simplicity, said Middle Child owner Matthew Cahn, running through processes for the delis cured, smoked, steamed pastrami and the scrambled-to-order eggs. Its all about deceivingly simple  four simple ingredients, no crazy anything, but everything done right. (Get the sandwich at Middle Child Clubhouse in Fishtown for $13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., every day but Monday.)

In the end, while Solomonov pronounced Darnels biscuits one of the best biscuits ever, he voted for Middle Child and was joined by Vitarelli for a tie-breaker.

Middle Child will face off against competitors from Houston, Cleveland, and Boston on Fridays edition of GMA. The winner gets $10,000.

 READ MORE: The 11 best breakfast sandwiches to eat in Philly right now
The University of Pennsylvanias campus in Philadelphia on Thursday. Read more

At the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most selective colleges in the nation, students expressed concern Thursday over the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to eliminate the use of race as a factor in college admissions.

At Penn, I already feel underrepresented, and I just know this decision is going to lead to less Black students ending up in our incoming classes, said Yomi Abdi, a Wharton sophomore who is Black. All of our progress is disappearing.

The Supreme Courts ruling is expected to have its greatest impact on universities like Penn, which only admits single-digit percentages of applicants. In fall 2022, 7.9% of Penns 9,889 undergraduates identified as African American or Black, while 10.5% were Latino, and 5.2% two or more races. Meanwhile, 27.5% were Asian and 30.8% white.

 READ MORE: The Supreme Court has ruled to end race-based admissions in colleges. This is what Philly-area schools are saying.

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In a statement to the university community, Penn President Liz Magill and Provost John L. Jackson Jr. acknowledged the ruling will require changes in the universitys admissions process, which for decades has considered race as one factor in the review process.

But in the hours after the decision was released, they did not detail what those changes may look like.

We are studying the courts opinion to ensure that we admit students in compliance with the law, they wrote. Second, we remain firm in our belief that our academic community is at its best when it is diverse across many dimensions.

Whitney Soule, Penns vice provost and dean of admissions, addressed the decision on the admissions blog.

What will not change, she wrote, is our commitment to creating a diverse community as central to the educational experience at Penn. ... Access to a broad community of learners enriches the college experience for everyone, and better prepares students of all backgrounds to succeed in a global society.

In the court cases, plaintiffs had accused both Harvard and the University of North Carolina of discriminating against Asian and/or white students through the use of race-conscious admissions policies. The lawsuits were brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded by Edward Blum, a conservative activist who has spent years battling affirmative action policies.

Abdi said she immediately couldnt focus at her finance internship when the Supreme Court decision was announced Thursday morning. As opinion editor of the Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper  a position that forces her to write often about race on campus  Abdi is hyperaware of how the end of affirmative action could make Penns already predominantly white campus whiter.

Abdi is originally from Chicago, which stopped considering race in selective public school admissions in favor of socioeconomic factors in 2009, the year Abdi entered kindergarten.

She felt a chilling effect even on the day she got accepted to Penn in 2020.

 READ MORE: Here's what leaders are saying about the Supreme Court decision on conscious admissions at colleges

I was raised in a so-called merit-based system, yet I was constantly in a lot of white environments, said Abdi, who recalled hearing gossip from classmates who pinned her Wharton acceptance on affirmative action, diminishing her intelligence. People blamed me to make them feel better about themselves.

Shes curious to see how the end of affirmative action in its current form changes the conversation around belonging at elite institutions: People arent going to be able to say, Oh, you got in because youre Black.

Emily Hyunh, a rising Penn senior from Maryland studying health policy, said she wholeheartedly disagrees with the Supremes Court decision, recalling how Californias decision to end the practice in the 1990s has made their prestigious public universities less diverse over time.

Having diverse populations creates safe spaces, said Hyunh. As an Asian person attending a predominantly white institution, I know the value of having places where I can speak freely to people who know what its like to be Asian here.

At Penn, although Asian students proportion of the undergraduate population is almost equal to that of white students, that hasnt stopped the community from having its own set of struggles. Students and professors in the Asian American Studies Department had to fight administrative cuts to keep the program afloat while its law school still hasnt decided whether it will keep employing Amy Wax, a professor with a history of anti-Asian comments.

When Hyunh got accepted to Penn in 2020, she recalls comments that diminished her acceptance on both ends of the spectrum.

Some people told me I had an advantage getting in because Im not white, she said, while others upheld the idea that affirmative action hurt her chances overall.

Huynh believes the biggest misconception the court and affirmative action critics have about the policy is that it harms high-achieving Asian students who have burned themselves out for a chance to attend elite institutions.

All this does is put Asian people against other minorities, when in reality, we are still minorities, she said.

Megha Neelapu, another rising Penn senior and an organizer with Fossil Free Penn who is South Asian, agrees.

I do think there has been a lot of conservative propaganda ... pushed on our community, Neelapu said. Affirmative action actually benefits the most marginalized within the Asian community, like Southeast Asians or Pacific Islanders, and that goes underdiscussed.

The Center for American Progress and other think tanks have pointed out that several Asian diasporas in the United States, such Cambodian and Hmong communities, benefit from affirmative action because they face a lot of barriers to college access, like a lack of high-quality public schools.

Neelapu said the biggest misconception that underpinned todays Supreme Court decision is that we live in a meritocracy.

Theres this fundamental assumption that racism and racial inequality dont exist anymore, she went on, and thats not true.
Students from Philadelphia hold photos of gun violence victims at a rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol pressing for stronger gun control laws, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Harrisburg. Read more

In the wake of recent inner-city crime waves, including Philadelphias record-setting homicide rates the last few years, Pennsylvanians were treated to accusations by Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Jim Kenney, and other Democrats that their crime and violence problems are the fault of lawmakers in Harrisburg. Weve also heard criticisms of legislative gridlock, standstill, and failure to act on so-called commonsense gun laws.

The way I see it, infringing on any constitutional right is not common sense.

The people of Pennsylvania went to great lengths to protect the right to bear arms in our constitution when they wrote, The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.

At issue are two bills: one empowering authorities to remove guns from someone allegedly exhibiting signs (or red flags) theyre about to harm someone, and another requiring background checks for private transfers of firearms (misleadingly called a gun show loophole). Both bills have passed the Pennsylvania House, and are under consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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I share the desire to have safer streets and fewer crimes. But law-abiding gun owners shouldnt be punished for the offenses of criminals.

I share the desire to have safer streets and fewer crimes.

Instead, as with every gun control law (even if it could pass constitutional scrutiny), supporters have to show how a proposed gun law will 1) actually solve the problem, 2) cause more benefit than harm, and 3) be obeyed by criminals.

I understand the desire to prevent shootings before they occur. But when linking red flag laws to a reduction in suicides or violence, the evidence is inconclusive, while states that enact such laws barely use them. Whats more, these laws are vulnerable to subjective definitions and abuse by malicious actors. More importantly, red flag laws risk violating state and federal due process protections, including the Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendments, which ensure Americans receive fair treatment by the justice system. We cannot deprive Americans of fundamental rights, even when aiming to prevent violence.

Likewise, RAND Corp. analyses show that the link between background checks and the reduction of either mass shootings or total homicides is, at best, inconclusive. Most mass shooters obtain their firearms legally (often by passing background checks at licensed dealers), while most criminals simply steal or otherwise obtain guns illegally. For all we hear about gun show loopholes, only 0.8% of prisoners who used guns acquired them through actual gun shows. All of this suggests further restricting lawful transfers between citizens will do little to curtail criminal theft and black markets.

If weighed by their potential to solve gun violence, these laws fail entirely.

Now to the second question: Will these laws cause more benefit than harm? Well, in crime-plagued Philadelphia, applications for carry permits have skyrocketed, rising from around 11,000 in 2021 to over 70,000 in 2022  an increase of more than 500%. According to reports, women comprise over half of new applications, with lawful firearms ownership also soaring among people of color. Consequently, incidents of self-defense are on the rise in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, since taking office, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has fired 31 prosecutors, reduced cash bail, released many criminals, and refused to prosecute many gun crimes, stating that focusing resources on arrests and convictions for illegal gun possession was not a viable strategy. His soft-on-crime behaviors have been criticized even by his own party. Meanwhile, law enforcement is suffering from staff shortages and retirements, prolonged 911 response times, and low morale.

Somehow, we are asked to believe that imposing costly new barriers on the ability of residents (including women and people of color) to protect themselves will reduce crime, but refusing to prosecute criminals will not.

 READ MORE: The growing ranks of Black gun owners | Jennifer Stefano

Because gun control makes it harder for people to defend themselves, these bills seem destined to worsen, not improve, the plight of our communities.

And finally, to question three: Can we get criminals to comply? This is always the hardest burden for gun control laws, which are only as good as compliance and enforcement. Theres nothing to suggest that a person intending to commit a crime will be deterred from doing so by either of these laws. Relying solely on signs, stickers, or statutes is not enough to deter lawless behavior.

If solutions are to be practical, effective, enforced, and not infringe on fundamental rights, these gun laws fail completely. We shouldnt waste time on ineffective laws that burden vulnerable communities while leaving criminal behavior undeterred.

Instead, we must protect the right to self-defense, and not let misguided laws disarm law-abiding citizens. That begins with empowering victims, not criminals.

Cris Dush (R., 25th District) is chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee and chair of the new Senate Second Amendment Caucus.
Supporters march during a rally in support of affirmative action policies outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 31. Read more

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court upended decades of precedent when it declared unlawful the practice of colleges and universities considering race in the admissions process. The practice, which is commonly known as affirmative action and was upheld by the court as recently as 2003, allowed institutions of higher education to consider race as one of many factors when evaluating students applications.

The courts decisions in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina, however, now prevent both public institutions and private institutions receiving public funds from directly considering race as a factor, including in a limited manner.

By eliminating race-conscious admissions, this court has pulled the rug out from beneath students of color nationwide who aspire to get ahead in our society. But although the court has severely disadvantaged those students, all hope is not lost. There are still actions government leaders and colleges and universities can take to ensure students of color are not entirely shut out from the American dream for generations to come.

 READ MORE: Supreme Court could drop wrecking ball on another legal precedent | Opinion

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The original purpose of affirmative action was to level the playing field for students of color  who remain at a significant disadvantage when it comes to college admissions, despite all the progress thats been made.

Dont believe us? Just consider Philadelphia, where most of the students in our public schools are Black, and where schools are underfunded relative to other school systems in the state by more than $1.1 billion  or more than $5,500 per student. The typical student from nearly any other Pennsylvania district  who is most likely white  has therefore likely received a better high school education than a student in Philadelphia, and may therefore have an advantage when applying to college.

If colleges and universities are less able to help ease that disparity, then its up to our public schools to step up.

First, state and local leaders must do everything in their ability to rebuild and invest in public education, to help provide students of color with an equal opportunity at college admissions. In Pennsylvania, this means the General Assembly must provide public school districts with equitable resources to adequately address their students needs, and close the funding gap that separates higher-income districts from lower-income ones. The General Assembly can do so by allocating funds that are proportional to the needs of each school district, which would put Pennsylvanias funding system in compliance with a recently decided Commonwealth Court decision that requires the state to provide every student access to a comprehensive, effective, and contemporary system of public education.

An equitable funding system will address the needs of Black and Hispanic students and subsequently give them the best shot at college admissions.

Its hard to see this as anything but a cultural backlash.

Second, colleges and universities must find other ways to level the playing field for students of color by shifting their recruiting, admissions, and financial aid practices. That includes demystifying the admissions process, which requires engaging in early, robust, and ongoing outreach to students of color in elementary through high school.

This work by higher ed is especially important in communities where public schools are underfunded. Institutions should meet students of color where they are  in their neighborhoods, at their churches, and online  in addition to employing traditional recruitment mechanisms. Schools cant just make it easier for students of color to apply; they also have to make it easier for these students to afford to attend, which means boosting financial aid for students of color, who have a harder time affording higher education amid rising costs.

Third, we must all stay focused on what the rulings actually mean. They apply only to admissions in higher education and have no direct bearing on other contexts in which race-conscious practices are essential. They are not giving a green light to companies to nix their programs that recruit employees of color, or to universities who are seeking to scale back other diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Although critics will almost certainly use this decision to undermine those other efforts, we dont have to let them succeed.

The courts conservative majority has attempted to deny people of color access to an important avenue of social and economic mobility. Its rulings in these cases are yet another sign that we are a nation recoiling from its own racial and ethnic diversification. Its hard to see this as anything but a cultural backlash.

But this nation belongs to people of color, too, and we deserve equal opportunity in every facet of American life. Well just have to keep fighting for it.

Devontae Torriente and Ty Parks are students at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Mayor Jim Kenney during a press conference in the mayors reception room on Wednesday, July 6, 2022. The mayor and the administration provided an update on the shooting that occurred on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway during the citys Fourth of July concert and fireworks. Read more

Across the city, Philadelphians are preparing to observe the anniversary of American independence.

But amid the festivities and fireworks of the Fourth of July, we have another reason to celebrate: our fast-approaching freedom from a mayor who declared his early independence from leading our city.

Because July Fourth isnt just the anniversary of when our nation broke free from Great Britain. Its also the anniversary of the night Jim Kenney broke our trust with a now-infamous gaffe after a shooting on the Parkway.

Kenneys cringey comments  Ill be happy when Im not here, when Im not mayor, and I can enjoy some stuff  may have been analyzed as much as the Declaration of Independence. They will probably make his obituary one day. Im surprised theyre not already included on his Wikipedia page.

But just as the document signed in Philadelphia in 1776 served as a catalyst for our nations freedom, the words uttered by Kenney 246 years later  for which he later apologized  should serve as similar motivation. To break free from the cycle of officials who prioritize ambitions over service, comfort over duty, and who forget  they always forget  the public part of being a public official.

Philly, it is time to declare our independence from elected officials who quit on a city that deserves more.

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And that includes every person privileged enough to be chosen to sit in a position of power, from row offices to City Council.

We elected you. It is an honor  with a good salary, and an outrageously generous summer vacation package for councilmembers, who get a 12-week summer recess. At the very least, we expect you all to do your jobs to the fullest every day.

No doubt Kenney faced unprecedented challenges as mayor of the poorest big city in the nation: a global pandemic, a racial reckoning (that mostly wasnt), record gun violence that has affected hundreds of families. But in another startling admission last July, Kenney said he mostly hadnt met with the families of homicide victims since he was first sworn in as mayor in 2016. He later tried to clarify that, too.

Too late.

And boo-hoo.

Being in charge is hard, and unforeseen challenges are all part of the job that Kenney ran for  twice. So is being the citys biggest cheerleader. But even when things went right in Philadelphia, Kenney still struggled to even crack a smile.

When an ebullient Gov. Josh Shapiro celebrated the reopening of temporary lanes on I-95 12 days after a tanker truck carrying thousands of gallons of gasoline crashed and burst into flames, taking out a chunk of the highway and claiming the life of the trucks 53-year-old driver, Shapiro turned to Kenney.

Mr. Mayor, they said it couldnt be done.

They say a lot of things, Kenney responded.

Ill admit, the quip made me laugh. Kenneys always been good for a one-liner. But what hes not good at is fulfilling the most basic of expectations; instead, he scowls or gets defensive or just disappears when the city needs him most.

Two years after the start of the pandemic, he described going to City Hall as a trudge when reporters asked for in-person meetings, and he was mostly absent after the city was plunged into a bottled-water-buying panic in March after some pollutants from a chemical plant made their way into the Delaware River.

Forget Wheres Waldo? Wheres Kenney? could have easily turned into a citywide pastime.

Thats a legacy Kenney will have to live with. But its also one that has left a lasting impact on a city that  just six months before Kenney exits City Hall  often feels unstable, unsafe, and uncertain of its future.

So now its up to us to forge a path forward by electing a mayor who is unwavering in their commitment to the progress of the city  on its best days, and on its worst. We need a mayor who will demonstrate the kind of dedication desperately needed to regain our sense of security and pride.

Maybe that person will be Cherelle Parker, who in May won the Democratic primary and is poised to make history as the citys first female mayor. Or maybe  although not likely in a mostly Democratic city  it will be David Oh, the uncontested Republican candidate who will face Parker in November, and who would also make history as Philadelphias first Asian-American mayor.

Whoever is lucky enough to become Philadelphias next mayor needs to be all in  all of the time.

In remarks after her victory, Parker talked about her approach in the run-up to the general election in November.

You all know I will not take my foot off the gas, Parker said.

I like that. We need to demand that kind of sustained intensity from whoever leads our city next  someone who will show the same commitment to serving the people of Philadelphia on their last day as mayor as on their first. Our city deserves nothing less.
Commenting on her departure, Rowell said: Having been at APRA for just over 21 years and an executive board member and deputy chair for 10 years now, I decided over a year ago that I would not seek a further five-year term. From a good governance perspective, it feels appropriate for APRA to follow the approach to tenure and succession planning that we expect of the entities we regulate. However, it also feels like the right time for me to pursue other challenges and have a bit more flexibility, including to spend more time with my husband who has been retired for a few years now.
PetSure and Hollard have temporarily paused new policy sales for some insurance products as a result of ASIC concerns regarding target market determination (TMD), said the spokesperson. PetSure is committed to swiftly resolving these concerns by working constructively with the regulator in relation to the TMD. Existing customers can make pet insurance claims as normal.
Australia was not part of our roadmap but when approached by one of the largest insurance companies in the region wanting to partner with us exclusively, it makes perfect sense for us to stand up this project. Beyond Australia, we can also see the applicability of this product version in other hot climatic regions like Southern Europe where the stop taps are also outside, Foster said.
I believe we have already seen some mining companies, banks and major retailers announce their position, he said. Many insurers already have a documented response to reconciliation so I would see any stepping forward as an affirmation of those views that they hold.
It is available to anyone who is looking, Orf said. Although, it only offers up to $250,000 in coverage for residential buildings and an additional $100,000 for contents. On the other hand, commercial risks are eligible for building limits up to $500,000 and up to $500,000 for contents.
RT Specialty employees held an event at the companys downtown Los Angeles office to reveal to Lylah that her wish would finally be granted after having been delayed due to the pandemic.
This post is part of a series sponsored by IAT Insurance Group.

The most successful fleets are those that have a proactive safety culture and do more than what is dictated by federal and state regulations. They take full advantage of the resources available to them, such as telematics, dash cameras, traction control technologies, established driver training, and follow their hiring and retention strategies accordingly. In addition, they engage in industry best practices and continuously look for ways to improve safety  entertaining suggestions and recommendations from others such as consultants or their insurance carriers Loss Control team.

Here are four case studies of fleet motor carriers utilizing available resources to address safety concerns:

1. North Carolina-based general freight trucking company | Fleet size: 33 power units

During a routine visit to a motor carrier, our Loss Control Specialist found this motor carrier had 92% of their drivers employed or leased to them for more than one year, which exceeded the 70% benchmark for retention rates. They also determined that the motor carrier had an accident frequency below 8% during the current and prior two policy terms. Both indicated strong risk management practices and helped IAT bind their business for the next policy term.

During the policy term, however, retention rates and accident frequency both became a concern. Retention rates dropped below 65% and their accident frequency and accident severity increased.

An IAT Loss Control Specialist assisted the owner and the safety director in evaluating the causes of the issues. It was determined that the motor carrier had not been adhering to its own standards for hiring and retaining drivers.

IATs Loss Control team helped this fleet reinstitute and adhere to a proactive safety culture. This helped them identify driver training needs and corrective actions. Due to these changes, the motor carrier incurred no additional losses and driver retention rates improved.

2. Central Illinois-based general freight trucking company | Fleet size: 40 tractors and drivers

This company is seen as having a strong, proactive safety culture  one that goes above and beyond what is required by the regulations. They are always looking for different ways to promote safety with their employees. Even with this safety and risk management approach in place, they wanted to look for further ways to improve their practices.

Working with their IAT Loss Control Specialist, the freight company developed a CMV driving tips program similar to that promoted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.[1] To enable success, they incorporated their own in-cab camera data for a firsthand look at what can go wrong, and in some cases, what has gone wrong, and they discussed ways to avoid these concerns going forward.

Heres how they do it: The motor carrier saves various short video clips of their camera data to show their drivers near misses, actual accidents, mistakes by others, and distracted driving. Drivers are then asked to consider what they could have done differently or how the situation could have been avoided altogether.

As a result, the company has experienced an increase in driver-initiated discussions about safety and driving techniques and enhanced its safety awareness communication across the entire operation. They continue to look for proactive and different ways to bring improvements to their overall safety culture.

3. St. Louis-based trucking company | Fleet size: 56 tractors and drivers

Form and manner violations are very common  making up 25% of all roadside inspection violations. These violations develop if a driver fails to complete all the required fields on their record of duty status on paper or electronic logs. This St. Louis-based trucking company was accumulating form and manner violations far beyond acceptable standards.

To address the issue, their IAT Loss Control Specialist helped them develop mock inspections on their property. When drivers came to the yard, they were required to complete a mock roadside inspection with imitation DOT officers who pulled drivers over and performed various levels of inspections with the fleet of drivers and equipment. They focused on the big picture of a roadside inspection, but also on form and manner violations. Because of the initial success of the program, the trucking company continues to use it during new driver orientation and will bring back mock audits for the entire fleet every six to 12 months. The success of these inspections has helped lower their HOS Basic score from 80% to 55%.

4. Phoenix-based trucking company | Fleet size: 20 power units

As a company with a proactive safety culture, this motor carrier wanted to reinforce the importance of pre-trip inspections with their drivers. So, they prepared a tractor with two out-of-service violations and six non-out-of-service violations at their terminal. As drivers returned to the terminal after their load was complete, they were asked to perform a pre-trip inspection on the prepared equipment and identify all violations.

Drivers who could not find all the violations had to review that information with their safety director to avoid future violations that could have been discovered during a quality pre-trip inspection. Now its part of their ongoing training and orientation process with new drivers. These efforts can help the business reduce costs of potential inspections, violations, and accidents, all a direct reflection of their proactive safety efforts and culture. The company found success in implementing this procedure. It increased driver awareness and although early in the implementation to see noticeable CSA score improvement, the total number of violations have started to decline.

The key to preventing safety issues

The common denominator among these four stories is each fleets willingness to accept and carry out best practices to prevent safety issues and control loss. They leverage available resources, including their insurance carriers resources, to proactively monitor and improve their safety programs. With this approach, fleet motor carriers can position themselves for greater future success.

ASK A LOSS CONTROL REPRESENTATIVE

Have a question on how to mitigate risk? Email losscontroldirect@iatinsurance.com for a chance to see your question answered in a future blog.

By Nick Martin

[1] Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration CMV Driving Tips  Overview, February 10, 2015.

Topics Profit Loss
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Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, Inc., which bills itself as the industry leader in specialty polymers, has agreed to a settlement with New Jersey officials over cleanup and compensation for the discharge of so-called forever chemicals and other pollutants near its plant in West Deptford.

The deal includes financial commitments of nearly $393 million, according to Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Shawn M. LaTourette. The deal is still subject to public comment and court approval.

Forever chemicals, or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are manmade substances that were commonly used to make products like Teflon and Scotchgard and have been shown to be highly resistant to degradation and to accumulate in the human body.

The chemicals are associated with adverse health effects. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has called PFAS an urgent public health and environmental issue. The EPA has taken several steps in recent years to tighten regulations for the chemicals. In June, the EPA warned that several compounds found in drinking water pose health risks even at levels so low they cannot currently be detected.

For more than 30 years, Solvays West Deptford site has manufactured industrial plastics, coatings, and other chemicals. Solvay serves the automotive, batteries, smart devices, consumer goods, building and construction, healthcare, oil and gas, and other industries.

The proposed $393 million settlement calls for Solvay to pay for remedial activities at and in the vicinity of its West Deptford facility; provide financial support for certain public water system upgrades necessary to remove PFAS from drinking water; compensate the public $75 million for natural resources injured by the discharge of hazardous substances; and pay DEP $3.7 million for its costs in efforts to eliminate the chemicals.

Some of the settlement will be allocated to address PFAS impacts to certain public water systems and private potable drinking water wells, even where the source of the PFAS contamination is disputed, according to DEP. Affected public wells are in Bellmawr, Brooklawn, East Greenwich, Gloucester City, Gibbstown, Mount Royal, Paulsboro, Westville, and Woodbury. Affected private wells are in West Deptford, Logan, Deptford, Greenwich, and Swedesboro.

In March 2019, the New Jersey DEP issued a statewide directive to five companies  Solvay, DuPont, Dow DuPont, Chemours and 3M  requiring them to provide DEP with an accounting of their use and discharge of PFAS chemicals in the state and ordering them to address the injuries to natural resources including regional potable groundwater resources.

According to DEP, Solvay did not fully comply with DEPs directive. In November 2020, the DEP sued Solvay and the prior owner and operator of the West Deptford facility, seeking to compel action.

Officials say that since the lawsuit was filed, Solvay has taken steps to reduce the use and impacts of PFAS at its siteincluding eliminating the use of PFAS in Solvays process aids for manufacturing and implementing additional treatment of the facilitys wastewater effluent streams.

Solvay is the first company named in the original directive to reach a proposed settlement with the state.

For years, corporations, including Solvay, have put financial gain over our clean drinking water and the health of millions of people. They have blatantly ignored the dangers posed by the PFAS forever chemicals that accumulate in our environment and in our bodies. New Jersey has pursued those who thought they could leave their mess to someone else to clean up, said AG Platkin. This settlement is a historic step that requires Solvay to finally take meaningful responsibility for PFAS and other contamination at their site.

Other Actions

New Jersey is one of several states suing manufacturers over forever chemicals. Others include California, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.

Major chemical firms are facing litigation and, in some cases, settling. On June 23, 3M Co. said it had reached a $10.3 billion settlement with a group of U.S. public water systems to resolve water pollution claims tied to forever chemicals. The company said the settlement would provide the funds over a 13-year period to cities, towns and other public water systems to test and treat contamination of PFAS.

3M Co.also announced it will stop making forever chemicals and aim to discontinue their use in products by the end of 2025.

The 3M announcements followed news earlier this month that Chemours Co., DuPont de Nemours Inc. and Corteva Inc. had also had reached a $1.19 billion agreement to settle claims that they contaminated U.S. public water systems.

Manufacturers have also been involved in multimillion dollar settlements over forever chemical contamination in Michigan and Vermont and some manufacturers are facing lawsuits on behalf of firefighters because PFAS have been used in chemical foam they have been using for decades.

Topics New Jersey Manufacturing Chemicals
OneDegree Hong Kong Ltd., a virtual insurance firm, raised $27 million in a fresh funding round to fuel an Asia expansion and investments in artificial intelligence.

The company attracted fresh cash from global financial institutions as well as additional capital from its biggest existing backers such as Gobi Partners, BitRock Capital and Sun Hung Kai & Co., Alvin Kwock, the firms co-founder said in an interview this week. He declined to name the new investors since their strategic partnership will be announced later.

Having first focused on pet insurance, the seven-year-old firm has since expanded into parcel, fire, home and health products. It also insures digital assets from hacking and malware and theft.

The firm raised $28 million in a funding round in 2021. It now expects to need one more funding round before considering an initial public offering, according to Kwock, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. veteran.

Based on our profitability schedule, we expect to generate profit by the end of 2024, Kwock said. The digital insurer was approached do to a SPAC listing last year, but the firm will not go public until it has larger business scale and turns profitable, he said.

OneDegree posted an underwriting loss of HK$74.4 million in 2021, widening from HK$28.1 million in the year before, according to the Insurance Authority.

A fast growing business is now digital asset insurance as Hong Kong seek to establish itself as a hub for the crypto business. The Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kongs market regulator, has required insurance coverage for firms to be approved for a virtual asset trading platform license.

OneDegree has received more than 100 digital asset insurance inquiries so far this year, of which half of the potential clients are outside Hong Kong, said Kwock.

The firm recently reached a partnership to integrate Microsoft Corp.s artificial intelligence service into its automated chat box and cybersecurity solutions.

The company has been providing their technology platforms to Malaysian, Taiwanese and Vietnamese insurance companies and Kwock is seeking to expand across Asia, with the Middle East as the next target.

With assistance from Kiuyan Wong.

Photograph: Visitors at Victoria Peak at dusk in Hong Kong, China, on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Photo credit: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg

Copyright 2023 Bloomberg.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers Funding
Britain and the European Union signed a long-delayed post-Brexit cooperation pact in financial services on Tuesday, but the rapprochement is unlikely to restore EU access for the City of London anytime soon.

The memorandum of understanding on regulatory cooperation was part of Britains deal in exiting the European Union but put on ice amid clashes with Brussels over trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, since resolved by the Windsor agreement.

I think its fair to say we have turned a page in our relationship based on the Windsor Framework, EU financial services chief Mairead McGuinness told a press conference where she and UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt signed the MoU.

Bank of England Proposes Further Reforms to Insurers Capital Rules to Cut Red Tape

The first meeting of the new regulatory forum is due in the autumn, allowing both sides to discuss regulatory changes, international developments or risks to markets, she said.

We are absolutely delighted on the UK side to be able to sign this memorandum of understanding, we also see it as an important turning point, added Hunt.

UK and EU financial markets are deeply interconnected, and re-building a constructive, voluntary relationship is of benefit to both sides, Hunt said.

Industry bodies TheCityUK, AFME, Investment Association, UK Finance and the City of London welcomed news that the MoU has finally been signed after a long wait.

This resolution will support UK financial services to once again engage productively with the EU for the benefit of both our economies, City of London policy chief Chris Hayward said.

But Etay Katz, a financial services lawyer at Ashurst, cautioned: Fundamentally, the EU is competing with the UK for financial business and thus we do not expect any meaningful concessions from the EU other than those dictated by self-interest or systemic considerations.

The MoU sets up a forum of treasury, regulatory and European Commission officials, similar to what the EU already has with the United States.

Since Britains financial sector lost unfettered access to the EUmarket of over 400 million people due to Brexit, Brussels has made it clear the MoU will not be a forum for negotiating better access for UK financial services.

To deepen its capital market post-Brexit, the EU is preparing to approve a law that would require banks in the bloc to shift clearing of euro derivatives from London to centers like Frankfurt.

After Brexit, London was overtaken by Amsterdam as Europes top sharetrading venue as trading in euro-denominated stocks shifted from the UK to the bloc, prompting Britain to reform its rules in a bid to shore up Londons role as a global financial center.

(Additional reporting by William James, editing by Iain Withers, Louise Heavens and Mark Heinrich)

Photograph: A general view of the skyline of the financial district, is seen by the River Thames, in London, on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Topics Europe Uk
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Marsh, Chubb and Everest Insurance.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Marsh Names Butler as UK Cyber Leader

Marsh, the insurance brokerage business of Marsh McLennan, announced the appointment of Kelly Butler as UK cyber leader, effective October 2023. Butler will be based in London and report to Beth Thurston, CEO, UK Financial & Professional Lines (FINPRO).

In this role, Butler will be responsible for the strategic development and delivery of Marsh UK cyber insurance and placement capabilities. She will also work closely with Marsh McLennans cyber risk experts to develop integrated risk and advisory services that support clients in managing rapidly evolving cyber threats.

Butler is currently based in Melbourne and is chief client officer and cyber practice leader, Pacific. She joined Marsh in 2016 and has had a variety of senior cyber insurance roles, overseeing the firms client advisory and placement services for cyber risk throughout the Pacific region, and serving as a senior cyber adviser for Marshs largest clients.

***

Chubb Appoints ODonnell to COO, Global Reinsurance

Chubb Ltd. announced that Michael ODonnell has been appointed chief operating officer, Global Reinsurance. Currently, he serves as division president of Chubb Tempest Re USA. In his new role, ODonnell will continue to have responsibility for the U.S. operations of Chubb Tempest Re while expanding his remit into the strategic and tactical operations of the companys global reinsurance operations.

The appointment is effective immediately. ODonnell will continue to report to Jim Wixtead, senior vice president, Chubb Group, and resident, Chubb Tempest Re.

ODonnell has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He joined Chubb Tempest Re Bermuda in 2006 as a casualty treaty underwriter. He was then promoted to senior vice president with responsibility for ACE Tempest Re USAs workers compensation and alternative risk business units as well as oversight of its claims operations. Since 2014, he has been responsible for Chubbs U.S. property/casualty assumed reinsurance operation. Prior to Chubb, he was with General Reinsurance Corp., where he underwrote the casualty facultative business.

***

Everest Insurance Taps Marsh McLennans Leney to Head Asia Pacific Region

Everest Insurance, the insurance division of Everest Re Group Ltd., has appointed Scott Leney as head of Asia Pacific for its International Division, effective Nov. 6. He will be based in Sydney, Australia and will report to Adam Clifford and Jason Keen, co-heads of Everest Insurance International.

With an exceptional 30-year track record leading global risk management teams across the Asia Pacific region, Leney will oversee the insurance divisions business strategy and growing portfolios both in Asia and the Pacific, led by Ben Carey, head of Asia, and Christian Colombera, head of Pacific, respectively.

Leney joins Everest from Marsh McLennan where he was most recently head of Risk Management for Asia & Pacific and country corporate officer for Australia. He was also a member of the Marsh Asia executive team responsible for leading its senior risk managers and developing strategic solutions for the companys largest clients.

Prior to that, Leney was CEO of Marsh Australia, where he led the expanded Australian business during the successful integration of JLT Australia. He also served as CEO of Marsh Pacific and was a member of the Pacific Executive Committee and the International Executive Committee. Leney is currently deputy president and board member of The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from Deakin University.

Topics Cyber Leadership Chubb
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The lead negotiators for Johnson & Johnsons proposed $8.9 billion settlement of thousands of talc lawsuits faced intense questioning in U.S. bankruptcy court on Wednesday about how much support the company has for the deal.

During a multi-day court hearing in Trenton, New Jersey, attorneys for plaintiffs alleging that J&Js baby powder and other talc products sometimes contained asbestos and caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma drilled down on J&Js public statements that it has secured commitments from over 60,000 current claimants for the settlement, and that the majority of talc claimants support it.

The deal has divided lawyers representing cancer victims, many of whom claim that J&J has created the illusion of widespread support for a settlement that would deny plaintiffs just compensation.

Johnson & Johnson is attempting to use the second bankruptcy of its subsidiary LTL Management to resolve all current and future claims stemming from its talc products.

LTLs first attempt to do that was dismissed in April after a U.S. appeals court ruled that it was not in sufficient financial distress to be eligible for bankruptcy protection. LTL quickly filed for bankruptcy again, arguing that its second effort has won more support from plaintiffs.

J&J has said its talc products are safe and do not contain asbestos.

Attorneys representing cancer victims, along with the U.S. Justice Departments bankruptcy watchdog, have called for LTLs second bankruptcy to be dismissed as an abuse of U.S. bankruptcy law.

J&J faced 38,000 talc lawsuits before LTLs first bankruptcy filing in October 2021, but the total number of claims will include many more individuals who have not yet sued J&J. The proposed settlement would resolve all of those unfiled claims, as well as any future claim alleging that a J&J talc product caused cancer.

Moshe Maimon, an attorney for cancer victims opposed to the settlement, said that four law firms represent a majority of the 60,000 claims counted by J&J, and he pointed out that none of those firms clients have yet agreed to support the deal.

Attorneys who support the settlement confirmed Maimons interpretation when questioned on Wednesday, saying they would recommend the deal, but their clients could make up their own minds.

Mikal Watts, an attorney who supports the deal and says he has 17,000 talc clients, said that he did not agree with J&J statements about secured commitments.

I think the PR department didnt consult with legal, Watts said. Its sloppy.

Watts, who led the plaintiffs-side negotiations on the settlement, also said that he is still vetting many of his clients to ensure that they have valid claims against J&J.

Jim Murdica, J&Js outside counsel and lead negotiator on the settlement, defended J&Js public statements and disagreed when Maimon suggested that Watts clients should not be counted as supporters. Murdica also said that there are many more law firms that support the settlement than the ones that have publicly done so, but he would not identify any of them when asked.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Kaplan, who is overseeing LTLs bankruptcy, ordered Murdica to stop making certain claims about support for the settlement without backing them up.

Kaplan prevented Murdica from testifying that LTL has more support than it has disclosed, that LTL has the support of a majority of claims, and that plaintiffs lawyers would face threats or intimidation if they spoke up in favor of the deal.

The hearing is expected to last all week.
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Bob Rusbuldt  set to retire in about two months as chief executive of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (The Big I)  was relinquished of his duties after an interview he conducted with Fox News host Jesse Watters at an April conference, the association said.

Watters joined Rusbuldt on stage at the Big I Legislative Conference in Washington. During the interview, Watters made a crude comment questioning the gender of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a June 28 CNN report.

In its statement June 29, The Big I said it wanted to sincerely apologize and clarify its position.

The Big I strives to be a fair, open, and inclusive organization and we do not condone racist, sexist, or homophobic statements or behavior, the organization said. In response to this incident, we had Mr. Rusbuldt relinquish his operational duties immediately following the Legislative Conference and in advance of his retirement in September. It is disappointing to see Mr. Rusbuldt end his 37-year career at the Big I in this way.

The association had not previously announced Rusbuldt was relieved of his duties.

Only Watters comments were reported, but The Big I referred to statements Rusbuldt said during the interview, adding that it does not in any way condone or agree with any of Mr. Rusbuldts statements, but we must take full responsibility for them.

We deeply regret that this incident occurred at an event that is intended to celebrate our organization and its membership, added The Big I. We have been working with our DEI team internally and externally since the event on ways to foster a more inclusive and respectful culture and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.

Rusbuldt, the longest tenured chief executive in the history of the association, told its national board of directors last September of his decision to step down. Charles Symington was named Rusbuldts successor.

Topics Agencies
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Five teenagers were killed when their car ran off a curving street and landed in a southwest Florida retention pond where it went underwater, authorities said.

It happened either late Sunday or early Monday, killing everyone inside. The crumpled Kia sedan was pulled from the water on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, Fort Myers Police confirmed their identities as Eric Paul, 19; Jackson Eyre, 18; Amanda Ferguson, 18; Breanna Coleman, 18; and Jesus Salinas, 18.

The News-Press in Fort Myers reported that Paul, Eyre, Ferguson and Coleman worked together at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, and had gone out together to get fast food after finishing their Sunday night shifts. The steakhouse was closed Monday so their friends and families could grieve together at a dinner where flowers were placed alongside their framed pictures.

Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Florida Auto Numbers
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A federal judge in Georgia has given preliminary approval to a $2.3 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that charged USAA Casualty Insurance Co. with underpaying for taxes on totaled vehicles.

The Court finds, subject to the final fairness hearing  that the settlement agreement is fundamentally fair, adequate, and reasonable, U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May wrote in the order this week.

The final hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 13.

Some 9,000 Georgia policyholders had joined the suit, one of several class actions around the country that have been filed against USAA, State Farm, Geico and other auto insurers. Lead plaintiff Jahazel Black, of McDounough, Georgia, argued in the 2021 complaint that in her case, USAA reimbursed only $49.25 to cover the ad valorem tax paid when Black purchased the vehicle.

That was well below the $345 that should have been paid under the actual cash value terms of the policy and under Georgia law, the plaintiff said. Other plaintiffs in the class had similar underpayments, the complaint noted. In its answer to the suit, USAA denied the allegations and said its ad valorem tax manual speaks for itself.

USAA also must pay almost $573,000 in attorney fees, the courts order notes.

The suit is similar to others that have alleged that auto insurers have systematically underpaid taxes and fees to insured motorists, which amount to a few hundred dollars per plaintiff. In August 2022, San Antonio-based USAA agreed to settle a class action suit in Mississippi, which held that the insurer had underpaid on hundreds of auto claims. The suit was handled by the same plaintiffs law firm that has led other class actions.

Geico Insurance in 2022 also was the subject of a similar class action in Georgia. State Farm was sued in Illinois on similar grounds. State Farm in 2022 also settled a class action brought in Alabama, charging that the cost of labor on home repairs was depreciated, something not allowed by state law.

But a Massachusetts judge last week denied class certification in a lawsuit against Safety Insurance and Commerce Insurance, over the resale value of repaired vehicles.

USAA officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday about the Georgia settlement.

Topics Lawsuits Auto Claims Georgia
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Insurance carriers do not have to pay for an engineering report if its not used in the repair of a property and is not covered by the policy, a Florida appeals court ruled Wednesday in a rebuke of one of the insurance industrys most prolific opponents.

The decision could ultimately save property insurers thousands of dollars and could help stem the practice of billing for unnecessary forensic reports in assignment-of-benefits roof claims, one of the insurance lawyers in the case said.

This is a big one because its the first decision that looks at these engineering reports, said attorney Joshua Beck, of Boca Raton, who represented Peoples Trust Insurance Co. in the case.

Floridas 4th District Court of Appeal found that The Kidwell Group and its sister firm, Air Quality Assessors, which have filed hundreds of lawsuits against Florida property insurers in recent years, failed to show that its engineering report was part of the repair cost, as specified by the Peoples Trust homeowners policy.

At trial, the trial court erred by denying the motion for a directed verdict because AQA, in fact, failed to prove that its engineering report was a cost to repair or replace under the policy, Judge Cory Ciklin wrote in the June 28 opinion.

The dispute began after Hurricane Irma plowed across much of south Florida in 2017. Peoples Trust, headed by former Florida Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher, settled the Pembroke Pines homeowner claim for $30,000. That was more than the cost of a new roof needed on the house, the appeals court noted.

The homeowner had obtained a public adjuster on the claim, though, and had assigned some benefits to the Kidwell Group and Air Quality Assessors, headed by well-known contractor Richie Kidwell. AQA provided a forensic report on the cause of the damage, signed by licensed engineer Anibal Flores. After the settlement, AQA sent Peoples Trust a bill for $3,500 for the report. The insurer refused to pay.

AQA then filed suit against the insurance company, claiming breach of contract, and won at trial. Peoples Trust asked the trial court for a directed verdict, setting aside the jury verdict. The judge denied that and the insurer appealed.

Some Floridians may wonder about the cost effectiveness of an insurance company spending thousands of dollars in legal fees to fight a $3,500 invoice. In many cases, insurers have simply accepted those invoices and eaten the cost. But Beck argued that the practice had to stop. Kidwell and other contractors have utilized the unneeded-engineering-report tactic in many, many claims, for too long, adding to Florida insurers heavy loss expenses, he said.

AQA has filed thousands of these lawsuits against every carrier in the state, Beck said Wednesday. So you say its only $3,500 dollars, but you take that and multiply it exponentially. Are carriers supposed to pay $3,500, thousands of times, for something thats not owed?

Both sides in the case agreed that the engineering report was never used by the roof repairers, the court noted. The contractor hired by the homeowners testified that he never saw the report. And the Peoples Trust expert witness, a general contractor, testified that in his 47 years of construction and roof work, he had never obtained an engineering report.

Engineering assessments are important in some cases, such as sinkhole claims, but are not usually needed in home roof repairs, Beck noted.

Based on the evidence offered at trial, no reasonable jury could have determined that the engineering report was a cost to repair or replace the roof, and, accordingly, the trial court should have granted the insurers motion for a directed verdict, the 4th DCA opinion reads.

The court also found that the trial judge, Kathleen McHugh, gave improper instructions to the jury: The verdict form did not ask the jury whether the engineering report was a cost factor in the roof work, and was not given the opportunity to answer that crucial question.

Kidwell said Wednesday that he was disappointed in the outcome, and plans to ask the court for reconsideration.

We believe that the provision of engineering reports, like the one we provided in this case, is a vital part of the recovery and rebuilding process, he said in an email. Yet, the decision by the appeals court appears to discount this service as an outsider expense rather than a necessary part of repairing or replacing damaged property. This contradicts our experience and understanding of homeowners needs following such destructive events.

He argued that the engineering report was used to negotiate the settlement and was, in fact, helpful in repairing the property. Kidwells attorney, Chad Barr, of Altamonte Springs, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Kidwell has prevailed in some Florida appeals in the last few years, but has lost on others. After the Florida Legislature in May 2022 barred assignees of benefits from collecting attorney fees, Kidwell was quick to challenge the law. But a Leon County judge dismissed the suit.

With the Florida Legislatures December ban on assignment of benefits agreements altogether, the engineering reports will likely be less of an issue in coming years. But they could still come into play in first-party suits by policyholders in claims disputes.

Topics Florida
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Pfizer Inc. (PFE) generates revenue globally through the development, manufacture, and sale of a broad range of biopharmaceutical products. These products are derived from biological sources, such as organs and tissues, microorganisms, or animal fluids, and are obtained through biotechnological processes. Pfizer works across developed and emerging markets and collaborates with other companies to develop therapies and medicines.

The company operates in highly competitive and often highly regulated markets. The pharmaceutical industry requires significant spending on research and development. Pfizers main competitors include Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK), Switzerland-based Novartis AG (NVS), Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY), Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

Key Takeaways Pfizer develops and manufactures drug treatments to promote health and prevent disease.

The companys revenues have recently declined due to a decrease in revenues from the Covid-19 vaccine.

Pfizer's business segments are Global Biopharmaceuticals and Business Innovation. The former segment consists of all of Pfizer's drug products.

In June 2023, the company announced the approval of two new drugs by the FDA. One to treat alopecia areata and the other to treat growth hormone deficiency.

Pfizers Financials

In May 2023, Pfizer announced financial results for the first quarter (Q1) of its 2023 fiscal year (FY), which ended April 2, 2023. The company reported net income attributable to common shareholders of $5.5 billion, a decrease of 29.5% compared with the year-ago quarter. Revenue for the quarter decreased by 28.8% year over year (YOY) to $18.3 billion.

The company said it lost 26% in revenues operationally due to an expected decline in Comirnaty, its Covid-19 vaccine. The company says it expects to grow its non-Covid products by 7% to 9% in 2023 as the near-term product launches are expected to happen in the second half of the year. Non-Covid product revenue grew 5% YOY.

Pfizers Business Segments

Pfizer separates its business into two separate operating segments: Global Biopharmaceuticals and Business Innovation. Within the first segment, the company provides a breakdown of revenue, but not profits, across the following three segments: Primary Care, Specialty Care, and Oncology. The Business Innovation segment is small, with two contributing products: Pfizer CentreOne and Pfizer Ignite.

Below is a look at each of Pfizers Global Biopharmaceuticals segments and its Business Innovation segment in more detail.

Primary Care

The Primary Care segment consists of the former Internal Medicine and Vaccines portfolios. The products seek to treat cardiovascular diseases, migraines, and women's health. It also creates vaccines for all ages with a focus on infectious diseases. In addition, it contains products for the treatment and prevention of Covid-19. Products include Eliquis, Nurtec, Premarin, Prevnar, Comirnaty, and Paxlovid.

The Primary Care segment saw revenues drop by 39% to $11.5 billion. It made up 63% of total revenues for Pfizer.



Specialty Care

The Specialty Care segment consists of the former Inflammation and Immunology portfolio, which caters to chronic immune and inflammatory diseases. It is also made up of the former Rare Diseases portfolio, which includes brands for therapeutic areas with rare diseases, such as amyloidosis, hemophilia, endocrine diseases, and sickle cell disease. This segment also includes the former Hospitals portfolio, which is a portfolio of sterile injectable and anti-infective medicines. Products include Xelijanz, Enbrel, Inflectra, Cibinqo, Medrol, and Zithromax.

The Specialty Care segment saw revenues increase by 3.1% to $3.6 billion. It made up 19.8% of total revenues for Pfizer.

Oncology

Oncology seeks to develop innovative treatments for breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, ovarian, renal, hematologic, and other forms of cancer. Key products include Ibrance, Xtandi, Inlyta, Retacrit, Lorbrena, and Braftovi.

The Oncology segment saw revenues decrease by 3.8% to $2.86 billion. It made up 15.6% of total revenues for Pfizer.

Business Innovation

In Q1 2023, Pfizer established the Business Innovation segment that includes Pfizer CentreOne. This is the company's global manufacturing and contract development unit and a supplier of specialty pharma ingredients, as well as Pfizer Ignite, which provides "strategic guidance and end-to-end R&D services to select innovative biotech companies that align with Pfizers R&D focus areas."

This segment saw revenues decrease by 8.3% to $310 million. It made up 1.7% of total revenues for Pfizer.



Pfizers Recent Developments

In June 2023, Pfizer announced that the FDA approved its LITFULO drug, which is for adults and adolescents with severe alopecia areata. This is the only treatment approved for adolescents suffering from this disease.

The FDA also approved Pfizer's drug NGENA in June 2023. The drug is for pediatric growth hormone deficiency. Patients for this drug will be aged "three years and older who have growth failure due to inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone."


PepsiCo (PEP) is best known for its carbonated cola beverage, Pepsi, and its rivalry with Coca-Cola (KO). The company's expansion strategy began in 1965 with a merger between Pepsi-Cola and snack-food company Frito-Lay. As a global leader in packaged foods, snacks, and beverages, PepsiCo has used acquisitions to expand its core businesses to include a portfolio of popular brands.

As of June 2023, PepsiCo posted a market capitalization of $252 billion and an annual net income of $8.9 billion. In 2022, food accounted for 58% and beverage 42% of the company's sales, with a net revenue of $86.4 billion.

Key Takeaways PepsiCo began strategic acquisitions beyond the beverage market in 1965 when it purchased Frito-Lay.

In 2001, PepsiCo acquired Quaker Oats for $13.8 billion.

PepsiCo sold Tropicana, Naked, and other select juice brands to PAI Partners in 2022 but retains a 39% non-controlling interest.

PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA)

PBNA includes world-famous proprietary brands like Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, and Aquafina. It also includes partnership brands like tea variants from Lipton and coffee with Starbucks. In 2022, PepsiCo sold Tropicana, Naked, and other select juice brands to PAI Partners while retaining a 39% non-controlling interest in a newly formed joint venture, Tropicana Brands Group (TBG), operating across North America and Europe.

This division creates and distributes licensed products from Keurig Dr. Pepper, like Dr. Pepper, Crush, and Schweppes, and juices from Dole Food Company, Inc. and Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. PBNA accounted for 30% of net revenue for PepsiCo in 2022.

Frito-Lay North America (FLNA)

Frito-Lay resulted from the 1961 merger between the manufacturer of Fritos corn chips and the snack-food delivery company started by Herman W. Lay. Four years later, the company merged with Pepsi-Cola to form PepsiCo.

The acquisition of Frito-Lay marked Pepsi's first venture beyond the beverage market.

Frito-Lay has grown dramatically in size to become Pepsi's biggest profit producer. In fiscal year (FY) 2022, Frito-Lay North America accounted for 44% of operating profit, more than double any other division. Frito-Lay generates its profit stream from 29 different snack brands, including Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, Sun Chips, Tostitos, Cracker Jack, Miss Vickie's, Rold Gold, Ruffles, Smartfood, and more.

Quaker Foods North America (QFNA)

The Quaker Oats name is more than 140 years old and was trademarked in 1877 with the U.S. Patent Office as a breakfast cereal. The company, then called German Mills American Cereal, would later merge with American oats millers to become the American Cereal Company in 1888 and the Quaker Oats Company in 1901.

In 2001, the company was acquired by Pepsi. The acquisition bolstered Pepsi's portfolio of food brands with additions such as Pearl Milling Co., Cap'n Crunch and Life cereals, and Pasta Roni. Quaker Oats also enriched PepsiCo's beverage portfolio with the sports-drink brand Gatorade. In 2022, QFNA accounted for 4% of the net revenue and 4% of the operating profit of PepsiCo.

Europe

The European sector includes a range of beverages, food, and snack products. Established brands in this market include Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, Ruffles, Walkers, and Quaker cereals. This segment contributed 15% to the net revenue for PepsiCo in 2022.

Africa, Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA)

AMESA contains snack brands like Lays, Kurkure, Chipsy, Doritos, Cheetos, and beverages like Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP, Mountain Dew, and Aquafina. It includes partnership brands like Lipton iced tea products with Unilever (UL). This market contributed 6% to operating profit in 2022.

Latin America (LatAm)

The LatAm division includes beverages, food, and snack products, including leading brands Toddy, Sabritas, Marias Gamesa, and Emperador. LatAm accounted for 11% of PepsiCo's net revenue in 2022.

Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and China Region (APAC)

APAC manufactures and distributes many of Pepsi's largest brands, including Cheetos, Doritos, 7UP, Aquafina, and Quaker, and this segment has an alliance in juices with Tingyi in China. In 2022, APAC accounted for 6% of PepsiCo's net revenue.



Which Segment, Food or Beverage, Leads PepsiCo's Net Revenue? In 2022, food accounted for 58% of net revenue, while beverages accounted for 42%.

How Does PepsiCo Contribute to Sustainable Agriculture? PepsiCo cites that 90% of crops like potatoes, whole corn, and oats are sustainably sourced globally as of 2022.

How Does PepsiCo Contribute to Recycled Packaging? In December 2022, PepsiCo set a packaging goal that 20% of beverage servings will be delivered in reusable models by 2030.

The Bottom Line

Once a beverage company, PepsiCo began strategic acquisitions in 1965 when it purchased Frito-Lay. The company operates through seven segments to support brands, including Quaker Oats, Lipton, Doritos, and Gatorade.
Vancouver, British Columbia - June 29, 2023 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Origen Resources Inc. (CSE: ORGN) (FSE: 4VXA) (the "Company" or "Origen") is pleased to provide an update on its 100% owned LGM property, located in the centre of the Golden Triangle in British Columbia. The LGM property covers a number of significant copper-gold porphyry and gold vein targets, originally discovered by Noranda in the 1990s.

Origen is also pleased to announce it has resumed 100% ownership of the Wishbone property, located adjacent to the 11.3 billion-pound copper, 9.3 million-ounce gold Measured and Indicated* Galore Creek copper deposit, and 10 km west of the LGM property.

Map 1 showing the Origen's LGM and Wishbone properties located in the central area of the British Columbia's world-famous Golden Triangle estimated to host 249 million ounces of gold and 93 billion pounds of copper (DiGeoData estimate - 2021)

Wishbone hosts a series of high-grade gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein and breccia occurrences over the +11 km strike length of the Project.

Gary Schellenberg, Origen's CEO noted "Origen has made considerable progress at LGM to build a cohesive geological model for the LGM Project over the last 3 years. We are now actively looking for partners to continue this process, as we focus all of Origen's resources on its Los Sapitos and Newfoundland lithium districts."

Map 2 showing the LGM property

The LGM property is a contiguous 26,771 ha property, located along the main access road to the Teck/Newmont Galore Creek copper deposit. The LGM property was acquired by Origen in Spring 2020 and the Company's field programs have re-established historical areas of mineralization, with a particular focus on areas where recent glacial retreat has exposed new prospective zones.

LGM Highlights:

Talus, rock and soil geochemistry surveys in 2020 delineated Cu-Mo and Au targets, similar in tenor and size to those that first targeted the Galore Creek area

ASTER Alteration signatures show a broad zone of Q-S-P and Clay alteration, characteristic of other major deposits in the area

An Airborne VTEM/Magnetics survey in 2021 highlighted large conductors at depth and cross-cutting structures

Scout drilling of 5 holes in 2022 noted distinct megacrystic pophryrytic and pseudoleucite, characteristic of one of the main mineralizing phases at Galore Creek

LGM Overview

The LGM property is underlain by a series of intersecting regional structures that characterize the great deposits in the Golden Triangle district, including the 'Red Line', and by a suite of prospective intrusive rocks believed to part of the Copper Mountain Suite.

Retreating glaciers on the property have revealed broad zones of distinctive quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration associated with a series of megacrystic porphyry dykes. Soil sampling and mapping since the 1990s has delineated several distinct geochemical targets on the LGM property. The Lulu copper-molybdenum-rhenium porphyry target area encompasses the Central, Hidden Zone, Long Ridge, Lucifer and Nulu mineralized zones, covering 4 x 5 km, exhibiting alteration and geochemistry that is characteristic of large nearby porphyry deposits.

2022 Drilling

Origen drilled 5 scout holes at LGM in 2022, with 2 holes targeting the Hidden Gold area, a large gold in talus anomaly on a ridge to the east side of the Central Lulu area. Another 2 holes targeted the Central area and 1 drillhole tested the Long Ridge part of the Lulu copper-molybdenum porphyry target. Long Ridge targets included an interpreted structure that is associated with geochemically anomalous molybdenum and rhenium samples on surface (see NR dated 3 March 2021) and additionally a rounded, vertical EM conductivity target identified in the 2021 airborne geophysical survey (see NR 29 September 2021). A total of 903 samples of half cut core were collected to build a detailed geochemical characterization of the zones drilled and support vectoring toward a porphyry target.

Porphyry dykes similar to the Copper Mountain Plutonic Suite were encountered both in core and surface mapping of the Lulu area.

2022 drilling from the Lulu Central pad consisted of two holes oriented east and west respectively. A total of 347 core samples were collected with results ranging from 8 - 197 ppm Cu, 0.3 - 67.5 ppm Mo and 7 - 518 ppm Zn. The west oriented hole was designed to intersect the extension of a Mo-Re bearing structure identified by talus sampling at Long Ridge in 2020. This structure was intersected and found to be strongly altered by substantial movement of hydrothermal fluids. The east oriented hole targeted a more intense area of clay alteration identified in ASTER remote sensing data interpretation.

The Long Ridge hole was oriented to pass though the Mo-Re bearing structure interpreted to be associated with the geochemical anomalies north of the collar and then at depth it reached the edge of the vertical, rounded EM conductor anomaly. A total of 273 core samples were collected in this hole with results ranging from 11 - 217 ppm Cu, 0.5 - 132 ppm Mo, 6 - 956 ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. In spite of no significant zones of sulphide mineralization, the Company continues to believe that geological units and alteration combined with the new geochemical data supports the larger target of both a Cu-Mo system at depth with an additional Au mineralizing event in the Lulu area.

As anticipated, the majority of the better gold values encountered from drilling at Hidden Gold were associated with a breccia unit. The target gold rich breccia is multi-phase; containing clasts of earlier breccias, indicating a complex and long-lived genesis. In addition to the range of gold values reported, results ranged from 28 - 1292 ppm Cu, 0.2 - 139 ppm Mo, 13 - 405 and ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. Previous interpretation was that the gold bearing structure was steeply dipping and cutting though the ridge in a N-S direction. However, the Company feels that drilling results do not fully explain the elevated levels of gold seen in talus on the ridge. The Company's revised interpretation is that the structure hosting the breccia is dipping to the west in which case the 2022 drilling would have drilled under more mineralized material that is the source of the surface anomalies. Additional drilling from further west on the ridge to intersect a west-dipping structure is warranted.

The Grizzly Area at LGM is a Cu-Au porphyry target defined by a 1200 m x 500 m copper-gold soil anomaly. In 1991, 59m of blast trenching returned encouraging results that included 20m averaging 0.87% Cu and 1.51 g/t Au. This is located near the downslope extent of the copper-gold soil anomaly. In 2008 the first ever drilling at the Grizzly prospect returned grades that were not consistent with grades seen on surface, but still produced wider intervals of lower-grade gold and copper mineralization, including volcaniclastic rocks with moderate to strong K-feldspar - biotite alteration and moderate to locally strong carbonate alteration. Fine grained pyrite and chalcopyrite in volcaniclastics returned 17.38m averaging 0.28 g/t Au and 0.21% Cu. Initial data review and interpretation by Origen's geological team targets the source of the soil anomaly further upslope from the area of 2008 drilling.

Wishbone Highlights:

Map 3 showing the location and rock sampling results from the Wishbone property

Contiguous with Galore Creek Copper Project

Numerous soil samples greater than 1000 ppm (or 1 g/t) gold

Grab samples as high as 175.7 g/t gold

Airborne results highlighted underlying structures on the property.

Rapidly receding glacial ice has exposed new high grade gold showings.

Wishbone Overview

The Wishbone property is a contiguous 3,971 hectare property located 40km west of Highway 37 and the Bob Quinn airstrip. Glacier retreat in recent years has exposed up to 500m of unexplored area at Wishbone which has resulted in the discovery of a new prospect area called "Rat" with gold values ranging from 0.001 to 175.7 g/t in the 79 rock samples collected. There are an additional 8 other priority target areas at Wishbone, including the Windy, Table and Lynx prospects, which along with Rat have all reported soil samples greater than 1 g/t gold. The Waterfall and Hollywood areas have returned higher copper grades along with visible gold, interpreted to be prospective for volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization, compared to the gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein-style mineralization elsewhere at Wishbone.

Reversion Deal terms

For the 100% return of the Wishbone property, Origen will forgive the outstanding promissory note in the principal amount of $1,860,000 plus the accrued Interest to date of $ 161,879.45 for a total of $2,021,879.45. Origen will assume the underlying agreements related to the Wishbone property.

On behalf of Origen,

Thomas Hawkins

Managing Director

*Source: https://www.gcmc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2014-09-30-Galore-Creek-Reserves-and-Resources.pdf

About Origen

Origen is fully focused on its 100% interest in the Los Sapitos Lithium project in Argentina and its 100% interest in the 33,000 ha Newfoundland Lithium projects, and also holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia, a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM and the 3971 ha Wishbone projects in the mineral-rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia.

Dr. Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101 has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release.

For further information, please contact Gary Schellenberg, Chief Executive Officer, at 604-681-0221.

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 press release.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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The Government should consider putting even more money than it currently plans into the National Reserve Fund in 2024 in order to avoid the temptation of taking measures that could overheat the economy in a possible election year, the Economic and Social Research Institute has said.

It comes as the ESRI forecasts that the budget surplus is set to balloon to 15.5bn in 2024, from 9.8bn this year, reflecting the huge value of tax receipts continuing to flow into the exchequer.

Kieran McQuinn, an economics professor at the ESRI, said:

If the receipts are as big as envisaged then there is a case for possibly even increasing the receipts going into the National Reserve Fund as a way of ensuring that policy does not contribute to overheating.

The ESRI said it supports the Government putting aside windfall or excess tax revenues to address the States long-term pension liabilities, which may also involve the setting up of a sovereign wealth fund.

It also potentially backs using some of the funds to address bottlenecks in housing and healthcare.

From an economic perspective, the challenge is not to fuel overheating because clearly, the economy is running very hot at the moment, Mr McQuinn said.

The ESRI report predicts the remarkable growth of the Irish economy is set to continue, despite the pandemic and the cost-of-living crises.

However, they warn that, for the first time in years, valuable exports from the multinational pharma giants are faltering.

Many of the worlds largest pharma companies, including Pfizer, have major facilities here and have made outsized contributions to Irelands corporation tax revenues.

Conor OToole, associate research professor at the ESRI, said the economy had weathered the inflation shocks from war in Ukraine and from the damage to global supply chains.

In a sense, it really is a tale of two economies again, with the domestic economic performing robustly, Mr OToole said, citing near-record low levels of unemployment, a recovery in construction, and very healthy public finances.

Meanwhile, counter to what we had expected, there is weakness in export growth due to a slowdown in pharma companies, he said.

The ESRI anticipates some sort of fall in household utility bills in the coming months should the drop in wholesale gas and electricity prices be passed on.

On housing, it said the fallout from the pandemic and surging building material costs will peg the output of new houses to 27,000 homes this year and that, helped by easing inflation, 30,000 homes will be built in 2024.

The growth in house prices had slowed significantly this year and in real terms had fallen after taking inflation into account.
The offering in Kinsale is always evolving, with the established outlets adding new and intriguing dining options and a number of new outlets opening virtually every year.

With such a wealth of great options to choose from, here's a guide of the spots you definitely don't want to miss!

Whats New?

In June, Kinsale saw two new spots open in town that are both worth taking a nose.

The Collector describes itself as a coffee-ish concept store, and theres no denying its a super intriguing drinks menu: Fizzy Americano is an espresso topped with soda water and a twist of orange, or a Latte-inspired flambeed dessert of caramelised bananas. Regular coffees and an equally leftfield menu of teas is also available.

Seeds Bakery Kinsale is the new venture from an Irish and French duo bringing the flair of patisserie and the robustness of modern Irish bread baking together in a diminutive space which will no doubt flourish, as all the best independent bakeries do in Ireland.

Where to Eat?

Best for Michelin: Bastion retained its one-star rating earlier this year and remains a shining exemplar of fine dining in the town. St Francis Provisions received a Bib Gourmand for their freewheeling, Mediterranean-inspired dishes where menus are curated daily, the vibe all San-Fran, and wine pure and natural.

Best for Views: Book yourself a seat in De Courceys Restaurant at the Old Head Golf Links for a taste of pure luxury with Kinsales best oceanic view of the Atlantic and the Old Heads old man of the sea. This is lobster and champagne territory at its best.

Best for Breakfast: Blue Book property Perryville House is well known for its sumptuous and elegant breakfast thats worth getting out of bed for! With honey from their own honeybees, meats and vegetables sourced from Kinsale, its a smorgasbord of locally produced delicious things.

Best for Brunch: OHerlihys Cafe, or OHK Cafe, is a multi-generational family-run cafe. Brunch is hugely popular, so time your arrival well or book in advance. The menu changes seasonally, with a commitment to the best quality produce, simple but brilliant cookery and friendly service make it the spot to hang out for the middle meal of the day.

Fishy Fishy restaurant and Blue Room wine Bar in Kinsale, Ireland.

Best for Lunch: The famed Fishy Fishy is almost a byword for Kinsale food by now. Martin Shanahans famous fish restaurant is much loved for a reason. Super fresh fish and seafood, whip-smart service, and great wines on Corks Riviera.

Best for Cake: Take a short drive out of Kinsale to the vibey village of Ballinspittle. Once famous for its statue of the Virgin Mary moving, its now more famous for a diva of a different kind. Diva Boutique Bakery on the square has everyone smitten with their incredible sweet and buttery treats. The double peanut butter chocolate brownie is off the scale.

Diva Boutique Bakery, a favourite with lovers of fine bread when visiting Kinsale.

Best for On The Go: Wednesdays, head for the Farmers Market to fill up on your grab-and-go needs. Every other day, head to Gourmet Pantry for fresh, scratch made salads, sandwiches, savouries, sweets and drinks designed with the picnicker in mind.

Best for Provenance: Finns Farmcut does everything right. Pasture-raised beef and lamb from their own farm cooked over charcoal and served with delicious sides. Its love at first bite, and when that first bite must be steak, it has to be Finns.

Best for Family: Everyone has a memory of eating fish and chips on the wall outside Dinos. Kinsales best-loved chipper does everything right: fresh fish, great chips, tailor-made for families.

Supper Club, Kinsale.

Best for Cocktails: No one shakes up a cocktail like the folks at The Supper Club, but the food here is also exquisite. Best advice? Pick a bunch of the small plates, sides and desserts to share then methodically work your way through each brilliant cocktail.

Best for Wine: Over 200 wines, many by the glass, poured by the best sommeliers in Kinsale makes The Black Pig Wine Bar the go-to place for anyone curious about wine. The food is always classy, too.

Publicans Mary ONeill and her son Brian at the Tap Tavern in Kinsale.

Best for Nightcap: Kinsale is strewn with great traditional Irish pubs, but its hard to resist the pull of a cosy nightcap in The Tap Tavern or The Greyhound.

Where to Stay

From the elegant charms of Perryville House and The Giles Norman Townhouse to the sleek modern appeal of Blue Haven Hotel and Kinsale Hotel and Spa. A characterful array of accommodation options awaits in Kinsale, perfect for laying the head down after having your fill of all the wonderful things to eat, drink, see and do.

Set in 90 acres of woodland, and overlooking Oysterhaven Bay, Kinsale Hotel and Spa is located just outside the main hub of Kinsale while offering a secluded sanctuary to rest and unwind.

Perryville House, Kinsale.

The storied Actons Hotel, set just back a little from the waters edge with inviting lawns and a stones throw from all the main Kinsale nightlife, is a favourite spot for many visitors. Expect quintessential Irish charm and hospitality at this elegant property.

Any closer to the sea and youd be paddling in it, the Trident Hotel offers a touch of luxury with the best coastal views on Kinsale Harbour. Awake to the sound of clinking masts, lapping seas and sea breezes, and enjoy in-house dining inspired by the marine larder on its doorstep.

The Blue Haven Hotel relishes its long-standing reputation as Kinsales luxury boutique foodie hotel. From the champagne terrace, its mahogany-hewn bar, or their creative award-winning on-site restaurant fine dining experience, Rare 1784, an experienced and friendly accommodation team is matched with a talented team of chefs, sommeliers and mixologists all under one roof.

Watch Out For

The Mad Hatter's Taste of Kinsale, on the 14th October [www.kinsalegoodfoodcircle.ie]. Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and the March Hare on the Mad Hatters Taste of Kinsale for an escorted foodie walking tour around eleven members of Kinsales Good Food Circle restaurants who will prepare spectacular dishes from their kitchens bearing testimony to the culinary skills of the chefs of Kinsale. All accompanied by fine wines, beers and water from our gracious festival sponsors. Tickets sell out fast, so dont be late..!
It's been a great summer for the diminishing numbers of people who still cut turf. Due to the prolonged dry spell, many had the harvest home by mid-June, earlier than usual.

Scattered sods, which fell from tractor trailers onto the roads in the highland countryside straddling the borders of counties Cork, Kerry and Limerick, told the story.

Sometimes the term bogman is a putdown. The renowned essayist, columnist and observer of human behaviour, Con Houlihan, would vehemently disagree  unsurprisingly, for he was proud to call himself a bogman.

He had high regard for the men with whom he worked in the bogs above his native Castleisland, County Kerry, appreciating their wisdom and understanding of nature. In a season in the bog, you will see a mans inner being revealed as surely as you would in Dalymount, or Croke Park, or Lansdowne Road," he wrote.

AI2Peat aims to use AI to map and monitor Ireland's existing peatlands in order to support peatland restoration and biodiversity. The team includes data scientists from CeADAR. Take a look at the newly launched https://t.co/3VC9p4VNLr for more info.#biodiversity #DataScience https://t.co/CK38odicPW  CeADAR Ireland (@CeADARIreland) June 8, 2023

We wonder what the late Con, an exceptionally bright, knowledgeable man, would make of news that CeADAR, Irelands centre for applied artificial intelligence (AI,) is exploring how AI can monitor and protect our peatlands and boost biodiversity through restoration.

A research team also plans to use information gathered by drones, satellites, and citizen scientists to develop an all-Ireland mapping solution; to identify peatland areas under threat from erosion, exploitation, and climate change, and to select areas of high conservation value.

Large-scale peat excavation with machinery from a bog in County Tipperary

Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon and plant life. Over decades, however, drainage of bogs for farming, forestry, and turf-cutting on an industrial scale has turned these areas from carbon sinks to carbon emitters.

Peatlands cover around 17% of the countrys land surface. Amid calls for a ban on turf-cutting, their protection has become a sensitive issue in rural Ireland.

Dr Oisin Boydell (Lead, CeADAR)

The AI project also involves the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre. Dr Oisin Boydell of CeADAR, said they hope to influence policy around environmental protection, climate change and biodiversity.

A key member of the team is Dr Shane Regan, a senior NPWS scientist and a peatlands expert, who said the State has an enormous challenge in protecting a vast array of habitats, with the majority of peatlands in poor condition.

Improvements in the ways we can remotely detect high-quality areas for protection, and areas that can potentially be restored with intervention measures, will be enormously beneficial and help direct financial resources to areas where they are most needed," Dr Regan stated.

Its not that long ago since bogs were regarded as wastelands, only fit for tree-planting and even dumping. Now, theyre seen as natural treasures to be protected and restored, aided by several Government-funded schemes.
Cmere, whats the story with 99 Anxiety? My old doll do love a 99 and I can wave bye-bye to Sunday night sex if I dont stop and get her one when were out for a spin.

The problem is I do suffer from mild anxiety and Im terrified that some of the ice cream will melt on my car seat while shes nibbling away at the flake in 99 like some class of a squirrel.

So Im always trying to guide her away from the 99 and on to a more manageable ice cream, like your Classic Magnum or maybe a Loop the Loop.

The Old Doll is very unpredictable, so some days shell go grand, Ill have a Loop the Loop, but then another time, its foot down, I want the 99.

And Im sweating then like, dont mind the Flake girl, you can have that at the end, and shes all, thats a crime against nature Dowcha Donie, you want the flavour of the Flake coating your mouth before you start the licking.

The next 2 minutes  her average Flake eating time  are the longest two minutes of my life as the ice cream starts melting down the side of the cone onto her hand, my nerves would be fierce at me.

How can I put her off the 99s for good?

 Dowcha Donie, Blackpool.

My niece is an expert in Aversion Therapy. I rang her there and said whats an Aversion Therapist? She said, someone with a made-up medical title. I said, what would you use to put a northsider off a 99? She said a very long pole. I said, why? She said, in case I touched off them by accident. #Snobby

Hello, its Rosealeen here in Ballydesmond.

You dont want to admit you read a book up here in Duhallow or word will go round that youre Jean Paul Fecking Sartre.

Berna spotted a gap in the summer festival schedule there for mid-July and wasnt she to me over to my place like a whippet with diarrhoea, saying we should host a weekend of culture up here in Ballydesmond, attract in the kind of man who has read something other than the programme for a Junior B League Final.

So we launched a three-day programme of events under the banner title of Not the Kind of Thing Youd Get in Scartaglin  you dont want to miss the slightest opportunity to have a dig at that shower of soap-dodgers across the border.

Well, bad cess to finding a free artist in Ireland in July, the only intellectual we have booked so far is a guy that can sing the song Wagon Wheel in Latin. (Hes known as The Professor in Clonmel.)

Well never hear the end of it if this festival is a flop, theyre only waiting for us to put a foot wrong in the self-styled University of Knocknagree. So like, can you get your hands on a few English intellectuals for us?

 Rosealeen, Ballydesmond.

My niece is an intellectual, you should see the state of her hair. I said, whats the best way to attract an English artist to Ballydesmond. She said, tell them its in West Cork.

Its getting steamy on our WhatsApp group Douglas Road Stunners Who Cant Believe You Didnt Get a Mobile Sauna for your Summer Barbecue.

Lorna_Horny4MyKen posted, soz bee-atches, its game over on the summer barbecue competition front, I have booked a mobile sauna for ours, well put cold water in the Jacuzzi, it will be like Sweden out the back Chez Lorna, youre all welcome, dont wear green it will just clash with your envy.

Chloe_Loadee said, One mobile sauna! One! Thats as lame as a Kanturk woman in cheap shoes Lorna, Im having two saunas at my bash, upp dinn (thats the Swedish for up yours.)

Honestly, Audrey, who needs Netflix this summer when the stunners are serving up drama like this?

Between yourself and myself, Im in the bottom half of the wealth league on Douglas Road, please dont publish this or someone will paint Struggling on our gates.

Anyway, three mobile saunas might be a stretch  do you think its worth it?

 Jenni, Douglas Road.

Saunas are awful, you end up looking like a prune. That reminds me  whats the difference between A Douglas Road Stunner and a Prune? A few people actually like prunes.

Now listen up Paddy, Im bringing my best friend's wife to Cork for a dirty weekend because Im a member of the British Establishment and this sort of thing happens all the time.

Now this filly has a soft spot for your man Liam Neeson, particularly his portrayal of Michael Collins and she has promised me all sorts if I bring her to the Collins birthplace which Im told is near Clonakilty.

Could you be so kind as to tell me is it a good idea to bring her, there given that I am obviously the wrong type for the spud-munchers in your Rebel County?

 Lord Edmund DServant-Spanker, London.

My sister lives near Clonakilty, dont ask me why. I rang her there and said, whats the welcome like for English people below in Clon? She said, pretty good as long as they dont have dreadlocks and a rescue whippet. #Hippy #MakeARun4It
A committee has been told that it is possible the undisclosed payments controversy had a bearing on Ryan Tubridys decision to step down as the host of The Late Late Show in March.

Adrian Lynch, interim deputy director general of RTE, had previously told Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that based on the timeline, he did not believe it was linked to him stepping down.

So what Id actually done was trying to work out the day the director of content had told me that Ryan Tubridy had come into his office to tell him that he was stepping down. So, I went back and checked my email because Id sent him an email with a list of potential presenters and that was on, I think, it was March 13, Mr Lynch said.

So, in my mind, I didnt realise that actually the CFO had had contact from the auditors on  whatever it was  March 10 or whatever. So, just to clarify that.

Sinn Fein TD John Brady asked: Okay, so Ryan Tubridy could well have been informed by somebody that this process or these concerns had been raised? Mr Lynch said: Based on the information from yesterday, its possible.

You can watch proceedings at the PAC here:

It comes as RTEs new director general is set to reconstitute the broadcasters entire executive board in his first action as Director General.

Kevin Bakhurst, a former head of news and current affairs at RTE, is set to take over the top job from Mr Lynch on July 10.

In his statement to the PAC on Thursday afternoon Mr Lynch told those present that having spoken to Mr Bakhurst on Wednesday evening he understands his first task will be a reconstitution of the executive board of RTE.

The nine-person committee has come in for a great deal of criticism in recent days for a perceived lack of oversight, leading to a scandal involving undeclared payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy.

The PAC meeting comes after a number of questions were left unanswered by the executives after they appeared before the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday.

Mr Lynch told the PAC on Thursday: It is true that the executive board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective, and failed to ensure good governance in this matter.

Collectively, owing to the siloed style of procedures at executive, and an overreliance on the prerogative asserted by the director general, we did not receive a comprehensive evaluation of Ryan Tubridys contract in full, including the way in which the payments were treated, he said.

We acknowledge and accept this failure by those members of the executive who were aware of thecontract.

The PAC also heard that auditors Deloitte triggered concerns to the RTE executive after it was told that a 75,000 payment for Mr Tubridy had been billed as consultancy services payable to his agent Noel Kelly as to the structure of RTE during Covid.

RTE Interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch (left), Commercial Director Geraldine O'Leary, Chief Financial Officer Richard Collins (right) and Strategy Director Rory Coveney arriving at Leinster House, Dublin. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Chief financial officer Richard Collins was told by former director general Dee Forbes in early march, on foot of queries from Deloitte, that the payments were due to the agent, rather than Mr Tubridy himself.

Mr Collins told Sinn Feins Imelda Munster that Deloitte were not happy with the response he had given, and proceeded to raise the matter with the executive, which in turn commissioned an investigation by Grant Thornton.

RTEs commercial director said either Noel Kelly or Ms Forbes came up with the terminology of consultancy fees, repeating a claim from Wednesday that she could not recall who exactly.

Geraldine OLeary said: It was either Noel Kelly or the director general, but Im not sure which one. So, in the absence of being 100% certain, I believe it is correct to say that I dont remember  because I dont.

I have been trying to find that information since March of this year. Ive been through the whole Grant Thornton forensic account. I have been 100% honest all the way through and I told Grant Thornton that I would not make a statement I could not 100% (stand over).

Earlier, Fianna Fails James OConnor had asked whether the godlike power wielded by Mr Kelly had ever been questioned by RTEs executive.

Did the board never have that discussion, he said, adding that Mr Kellys power in that regard was not tenable, a statement to which RTE chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh replied I dont disagree.

Meanwhile, pressure has been mounting on the chairwoman of the RTE board Siun Ni Raghallaigh after she revealed that Media Minister Catherine Martin was kept in the dark about the fact Ms Forbes had been asked to quit.

Ms Forbes had been invited to appear before the PAC, but cannot attend due to ill health.

Ms Forbes quit on Monday having been suspended the previous week. RTE first announced last Thursday that between 2017 and 2022 Mr Tubridy had received 345,000 more than what the broadcaster had officially declared to the Government and the public.

At the media committee grilling on Wednesday, politicians accused the executive board of throwing Ms Forbes "under a bus", and of trying to distance themselves from the undeclared payments scandal.

It was also revealed that some senior members of the executive board of RTE became aware of accounting issues in "early March", up to two weeks earlier than had previously been indicated, and a number of weeks before Mr Tubridy announced that he would be stepping down from The Late Late Show.

Mr Tubridy is expected to be off the airwaves for some time as interim director general Adrian Lynch told the media committee that it is "impossible" for him to come back at the moment due to "editorial reasons".

Earlier, the Taoiseach said Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly should appear before Oireachtas committees if asked.

Speaking in Brussels this afternoon, Leo Varadkar said the PAC and media committee were working to get to the bottom of the "clandestine payments" at RTE and both Mr Tubridy and Mr Kelly, as well as former director general Dee Forbes, "may have a story to tell".

Read More Patrick Kielty to earn 250,000 per year for hosting Late Late Show

Oireachtas webcasting is provided by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service, in association with HEAnet, Ireland's National Educational and Research Network.
Ireland is an accepting and welcoming country generally but still has disappointing attitudes toward members of the Traveller and Roma communities, a new Government report has said.

While the majority of people would be comfortable living next door to people with different nationalities, genders, sexual orientation, disabilities, religious beliefs or marital status, there were more negative attitudes to the likes of Travellers, people who are transgender, and people with criminal records according to a new survey.

This report is based on a survey designed by IPSOS, in collaboration with several Government departments and different civil society groups, with results derived from just over 3,000 interviews.

Participants were asked questions such as how comfortable would you be if a x person was living next door/in the nearest house to where you live and how comfortable would you be if one of your children was in/are in a love relationship with a y person?.

Overall, 46 groups were asked, including existing equality groups and groups that experience discrimination that are not equality groups, such as a person with a criminal record for violence.

People were asked to rate how comfortable theyd be out of 10 living next to a person in these groups, with 10 being very comfortable and 1 being very uncomfortable. The average score across all of these groups was 8.6.

In general, there were six well below the average such as a person who is a Traveller or a Roma (7.1 out of 10), a person with alcohol addiction (6.7) or drug addiction issues (5.1) or people with a criminal record for violence (4.2) and selling drugs (3.7).

Compared to the last such survey conducted in 2017, the report noted that it was disappointing to see that the level of comfort with members of the Travelling Community has fallen from 7.5 to 7.1.

Relationships

On the question of whether a person would be happy for their child to be in a relationship with someone from a particular group, there were 11 groups that scored less than an eight of 10.

This included an asylum seeker (7.9), a Muslim (7.9), a person who is bisexual (7.7), a person with mental health difficulties (7.0), a person who is non-binary (7.0) or trans (6.9), a Roma (6.4), a Traveller (6.3) and a person with alcohol addiction (6.3) or drug addiction issues (3.4).

On the other hand, elsewhere in the survey, it found that 76% of people think the Government should help asylum seekers while 87% feel that Ireland should help people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Furthermore, 72% of people feel immigrants contribute a lot to Ireland.

Independent Living Movement Ireland, in response to the survey, said there were general trends of acceptance for people with physical, sensory or intellectual impairments, but worryingly disabled people who experience emotional distress are less accepted.

ILMI chair Des Kenny said: The worrying statistics in this report highlight that prejudice is real for many groups in society.

From an ILMI perspective we are concerned about what the impact is for any group, but also recognising that there are disabled Travellers, disabled Roma and disabled people with issues with substance misuse who will undoubtedly face added levels of exclusion from society.
Europe's highest court has found Ireland guilty of failing to protect more than 200 sites marked for conservation going back almost 20 years.

Check out our Sustainability and Climate Change Hub where you will find the latest news, features, opinions and analysis on this topic from across the various Irish Examiner topic desks and their team of specialist writers and columnists.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that Ireland had failed to protect 217 out of 423 defined as so-called special areas of conservation (SAC) identified in 2004.

Natura 2000 consists of around 27,000 land and marine sites which are protected under the EU's Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, collectively known as the Nature Directives.

The EU's Habitats Directive aims to protect more than a thousand species, including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish invertebrates, and plants, and 230 characteristic habitat types, aimed at ensuring such species and habitat types are maintained or restored to a favourable conservation status.

The European Commission asked Ireland to take action back in 2013 on SACs, following up a number of times in the decade since.

As well as court costs, Ireland is now on the hook for fines from the commission for its failures. Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Niall O'Donnchu, said the judgement in this case was anticipated.

"We are all aware that across Europe there is a huge effort required in relation to the protection of nature and biodiversity. This is something that the NPWS takes extremely seriouslyour mission is to protect nature, and we are committed to delivering on this."

He echoed Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan's claim that the judgement reflects the position prior to January 2019 and that Ireland has since ramped up its action.

Mr Noonan said: "I am studying the judgment carefully with my colleagues in the NPWS and in consultation with the Attorney General, and do not propose to comment in detail immediately, other than to say that we recognise the importance and the significance of the judgment and the findings of non-compliance with the Habitats Directive.

It is important to note that the courts findings refer to the position in January 2019. This Government has made very considerable progress in recent years.

"We are transforming and renewing the NPWS and have created a dedicated directorate to lead on the implementation of conservation measures across all of Irelands Natura 2000 sites.

"I am confident that we will respond to this judgment swiftly with positive and constructive actions in order to bring Ireland into full compliance.

Mr O'Donnchu said Ireland has "come a considerable distance" since 2019 and that the NPWS will engage with the EU Commission on a roadmap.

"It is our firm intention that the judgement will spur NPWS on to further action. Our natural world is at the core of everything we do, and everything we produce as a country. We need to work together to ensure that it is healthy, protected and thriving long into the future.

There are currently around 40 EU cases against Ireland related to the likes of water quality, biodiversity protection failure, and failures in designating special areas of conservation.
Todays big news is tomorrows fish and chips wrapping paper.

Or so it used to be.

In a time of digital communications, news normally disappears into the digital ether within 48 hours, rarely being heard of again.

Such is the case with the scandal of this states industrial schools.

On Tuesday, the Education Minister Norma Foley got approval from the Cabinet for supports for survivors of these institutions.

The measures include access to enhanced medical cards, the availability of education grants, and an advocacy centre.

The development came two years after a representative group of survivors presented the minister with a report on the needs of this elderly constituency. That report was nearly two years in the making.

So four years on, the minister delivered her proposals, presumably taking account of the survivors' report, yet managing to avoid implementing most of their recommendations.

Muted response

The development on Tuesday brought barely a shrug from the body politic or the media.

It was all so different 14 years ago when the Ryan Report was published.

Everybody across the public square was falling over themselves to express shock, anger, offer empathy, and pledge to do whatever can be done to ease the pain of survivors in the late years of their lives.

The report, resulting from a commission of investigation chaired by Judge Sean Ryan, laid bare the outrage that had been perpetrated on generations of children behind the high walls of institutions.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny: 'All I can do is speak as a citizen, the leader of my party, and the father of a young family...'. Picture: Conor Healy Photography.

Enda Kenny, the taoiseach at the time, spoke eloquently for the nation as society digested the contents.

I regret the inadequacy of the words that I will use to deal with the Ryan Commission Report, he told the House.

I cannot speak with the conviction, truth of recollection, or vividness of the nightmare through which so many of our young children went to grow into adulthood.

"All I can do is speak as a citizen, the leader of my party, and the father of a young family and try to imagine what those young boys and girls went through in the torture of their minds, given the extent of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

The religious orders involved coughed up over 100m to go towards restitution.

A new agency, Caranua, was established to fairly distribute resources and assist survivors negotiate the latter stages of their lives with a new cushion. Around 6,000 survivors contacted the agency and their experiences ranged from good to appalling.

On a number of occasions, Oireachtas committees raised problems with management in Caranua on foot of complaints from survivors about how they were being treated.

Consultative forum

That process came to an end in 2019 and as a follow-on, a consultative forum was established to examine how best to continue assisting survivors.

The forum met with the minister on two occasions and produced a solid report in 2021 detailing what was required.

One of the main proposals involved some form of an enhanced pension for survivors, many of whom were living in poverty at the latter stages of hard lives.

They were placed in these schools by detention orders in most cases, and forced to work in the schools baking bread, the report outlined.

Shoemaking, working on the farm, construction, when they should have been in school.

"In the summertime they were hired out to local farmers to work in their fields, picking potatoes and later when aged 16 was reached, sold to local farmers.

The report went on to make the case why survivors who were subjected to forced labour against the law, with the connivance of the state, during their childhoods should now qualify for an enhanced pension.

This whole area of abuse has been totally ignored and not covered by the redress board, the report went on.

This State pension should be paid at a comparable rate to a civil servant having served 21 years at grade A.

'Crumbs'

There was no provision for any such pension in this weeks proposals brought to Cabinet. Instead, there was what one survivor on the representative forum described as crumbs from the table.

I brought up about the pension in the Zoom meeting the minister had with us after she told the cabinet what she was doing, Tom Cronin, who spent time in the Upton industrial school in Cork.

Education Norma Foley. Picture: Moya Nolan

I told her there was money there to be used and in our report, we were emphatic about why that kind of pension was needed by a lot of survivors.

I didnt get any response. What the minister is hoping for is just to put the whole thing to bed.

"In my opinion, survivors have been used and abused through all these processes since the Ryan report.

That view may not be universal among survivors, but Tom Cronin also sat on the board of Caranua before he resigned over what he said was the manner in which it was being run, particularly in attitudes towards the survivors the body was set up to assist.

If the government is intent on putting the matter to bed, it is well on the way to achieving that. The public anger has dissipated.

The media caravan has moved on to other issues. The outrage at the blighting of lives through childhood abuse of one sort or another is now focused elsewhere.

That matters such as this appear to be gauged according to transient public opinion tells plenty about where priorities lie.
A European space telescope is ready to embark on a million-mile journey to uncover the mysteries of the dark universe.

The two-tonne probe, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, will be heading towards an area in space known as the second Lagrange point, where the gravitational forces of Earth and the sun are roughly equal, creating a stable location for the spacecraft.

The aim of the mission is to shed light on two of the universes greatest mysteries: dark energy and dark matter.

Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed

Professor Tom Kitching, of UCLs Mullard Space Science Laboratory  one of four science co-ordinators for Euclid, said: The puzzles we hope to address are fundamental.

Are our models of the universe correct? What is dark energy? Is it vacuum energy  the energy of virtual particles popping in and out of existence in empty space?

Is it a new particle field that we didnt expect? Or it may be Einsteins theory of gravity that is wrong.

Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed.

Euclid being secured on SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket (ESA/SpaceX/PA)

Euclid was due to be launched last year on a Russian Soyuz rocket but after the Ukraine invasion, the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a deal with Elon Musks SpaceX to use its Falcon 9 rocket.

Scheduled for launch on July 1 at 4:11pm Irish time from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US, Euclid will take a month to reach its destination.

Scientists from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory have led the development of the optical camera known as VIS  a science instrument that will take images of the distant universe.

Professor Mark Cropper, leader of the VIS camera team, said: The VIS instrument will image a large swathe of the distant universe with almost the fine resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope, observing more of the universe in one day than Hubble did in 25 years.

The data will allow us to infer the distribution of dark matter across the universe more precisely than ever before.

The galaxies being imaged are up to 10 billion years old so we will also see how dark matter has evolved over most of the universes history.

Euclids VIS instrument being inspected during vibration testing at Centre Spatial de Liege, Belgium (CEA/ESA/PA)

The universe on this scale has not yet been seen in this level of detail.

The Open Universitys Centre for Electronic Imaging (CEI) has been involved in developing the detectors for the VIS instrument and testing how these will perform in the harsh radiation environment in space.

The team will continue to monitor the detectors during the mission.

Dr Jesper Skottfelt, who led the CEI team at the Open University, said: After 15 years of CEI involvement in the Euclid mission, it is exciting to see the spacecraft being launched.

The high-performing detectors will equip Euclid to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe.

Euclids six-year mission aims to scrutinise the dark universe to better understand why is it rapidly expanding.

It will make use a cosmic phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, where matter acts like a magnifying glass, bending and distorting light from galaxies and clusters behind it, to capture high-quality images.

These images will help astronomers gain insights into the elusive dark matter  particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light.

Dark matter cannot be seen directly but scientists know it exists because of the effect it has on objects that that can be observed directly.

They believe it binds together galaxies creating the environment for stars, planets and life.

The mission will also explore dark energy, which is thought to push galaxies apart, causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate.

It is thought that dark energy and dark matter together make up about 95% of the universe.

The probe also carries an infrared light instrument, called NISP, which is being led by scientists in France and aims measure the distance to galaxies, which will shed light on fast the universe is expanding.

Professor Andy Taylor of the University of Edinburgh, who leads the gravitational lensing data analysis for Euclid, said: This is a very exciting time for astronomy, and cosmology in particular.

Euclid is designed to answer some of the biggest questions we have about the universe.

Professor Amara, director of the University of Portsmouths Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), was one of the first people to propose the idea for the telescope 18 years ago, and was involved in its design and specification during the early stages.

He said: Theres a part of me that cant believe this is actually happening.

In 2005, a tiny group of us launched this idea.

Now almost 20 years later, close to 3,000 people have worked together to make this dream a reality.

The next phase, where we actually measure the universe, is going to be incredibly exciting. Who knows what new discoveries await us?
The US Supreme Court has struck down affirmative action in college admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

The courts conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), the nations oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the colour of their skin.

He added: Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Truly a tragedy for us all

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

Echoing her dissent, US President Joe Biden said he strongly, strongly disagrees with the courts ruling. He urged colleges not to let the ruling be the last word.

They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America, Mr Biden said from the White House.

He said colleges should evaluate adversity overcome by candidates.

President Joe Biden said he strongly disagrees with the courts ruling (Evan Vucci/AP)

In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  the courts first black female justice  called the decision truly a tragedy for us all.

Justice Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote: With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colourblindness for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.

The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.

Two former presidents offered starkly different takes on the high court ruling.

Former president Donald Trump wrote on his social media network that the decision marked a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded.

Donald Trump said the decision marked a great day for America (AP)

While former president Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.

The Supreme Court had twice upheld race-conscious college admissions programmes in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.

But that was before the three appointees of former president Donald Trump joined the court.

At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.

Lower courts also had upheld the programmes at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants.
A Texas grand jury has declined to indict rapper Travis Scott in a criminal investigation into a massive crowd surge that killed 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston, his attorney said Thursday.

Lawyer Kent Schaffer confirmed that the grand jury had met and decided not to indict his client on any criminal charges stemming from the concert. Schaffer said he was not sure what charges the grand jury had considered.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and prominent European figures who are forming a working group to address ecological damage from the Russian invasion.

The meeting in the Ukrainian capital came as fighting continued around the country.

The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said two people were killed in the regions capital in a Russian strike that hit residences, a medical facility and a school where residents were lined up to receive humanitarian aid.

Another person was killed in a morning strike on the village of Bilzoerka, the regional prosecutors office said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, third from left, poses for a photograph with Greta Thunberg, third right, vice president of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala, centre, ex-deputy prime Mminister and ex-minister of foreign affairs of Sweden Margo

The presidential office said on Thursday morning that at least eight civilians died in Russian attacks during the previous 24 hours.

The working group on the environment includes Ms Thunberg, former Swedish deputy prime minister Margot Wallstrom, European Parliament vice president Heidi Hautala, and former Irish president Mary Robinson.

Mr Zelenskyy said forming the group is a very important signal of supporting Ukraine. Its really important, we need your professional help.

Ms Thunberg said Russian forces are deliberately targeting the environment and peoples livelihoods and homes. And therefore also destroying lives. Because this is after all a matter of people.

The working group will address ecological damage from the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

The objectives of the working group are evaluating the environmental damage resulting from the war, formulating mechanisms to hold Russia accountable, and undertaking efforts to restore Ukraines ecology.

In Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill met Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican envoy for seeking peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Mr Kirill, a supporter of the war, said: It is very important that the Christian communities of East and West take part in the process of reconciliation, according to video circulated by the Russian church.
Virgin Galactic has blasted off to the edge of space, marking the companys first commercial spaceflight.

After reaching an altitude of around 50,000 feet at 4.30pm UK time, the mothership, VMS Eve, released the rocket plane called VSS Unity with three Italian astronauts on board.

Those inside the spaceship unfurled an Italian flag after reaching a state of weightlessness, having been given the all-clear to unbuckle and enjoy zero gravity for a few minutes.

They then returned to their seats and strapped themselves back in ahead of the return journey.

Around 15 minutes later, the crew, including an astronaut instructor, landed safely back on Earth at Spaceport America in New Mexico, having conducted 13 scientific experiments.

British billionaire Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic tweeted: Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic01! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed smoothly at @Spaceport_NM.

He later said it was a historic moment, writing in Italian what a fantastic flight! and well done.

One of the astronauts wore a special suit that measured biometric data and physiological responses.

Another conducted tests using sensors to track heart rate, brain function and other metrics while in microgravity.

A third experiment assessed how certain liquids and solids mix in that environment.

The spaceflight, dubbed Galactic 01, lasted 90 minutes, with the planes touchdown on the runway prompting cheers and claps by Virgin Galactic staff.

The company will eventually be taking paying customers on spaceflights, and says it has sold around 800 tickets over the past 10 years.

Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villadei holding up an Italian flag as he and other Italian researchers experienced a few moments of weightlessness (Virgin Galactic/PA)

While they initially went on sale for 200,000 dollars (158,000) each, tickets now cost 450,000 dollars (356,000) per person.

The company said early fliers have already received their seat assignments.

Thursdays spaceflight came a month after Mr Branson's Virgin Orbit announced it was ceasing operations months after a mission failure in the UK.

In January, the company based in California sought to complete the first satellite launch from UK soil, with hopes the mission would be a major stepping stone for space exploration from the UK.

But the LauncherOne rocket failed to reach orbit and saw its payload of US and UK intelligence satellites dive into the ocean.
Myanmar junta forces have attacked resistance groups in Sagaing Region, killing at least 35 fighters in four days, according to rebel groups.

At least 14 resistance fighters, including a deputy battalion commander from Sagaing District Peoples Defense Force, were killed in the east of Sagaing Township on Wednesday, according to a group spokesman.

Eleven comrades, including a deputy battalion commander, were ambushed and killed while they were moving into position to attack junta forces at Ta Laing village, he said.

He added that three patrol team members were earlier killed.

We suffered heavy casualties as a result of negligence. Junta troops took advantage of our patrol team before they ambushed our resistance forces, he said.

The ambush reportedly broke out on the Sagaing-Myitkyina road between Ta Laing and Sint Kaing villages.

Pro-junta Telegram channels released a video on Wednesday showing the 14 bodies before they were cremated by junta troops.

The channels posted pictures of seized weapons and ammunition.

The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.

Junta troops divided into two groups and raided Ta Laing, Sint Kaing and Sa Mun villages in Sagaing Township on Wednesday.

The troops purportedly left the township on Thursday.

On Monday, another Sagaing District PDF commander was abducted and killed in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region.

His teenage son, a member of the PDF, and two other comrades were killed by junta troops while they were trying to free their leader.

On Sunday morning, 17 resistance members, including two female combatants, and three civilians were killed in Sagaing Township when junta troops raided a resistance camp and nearby villages on an Irrawaddy riverbank, according to resistance forces.
The junta-controlled central bank is laying the foundation to allow the use of Russian Mir cards in Myanmar by December, according to Russian state-owned news agency RIA.

It quoted Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) governor Than Than Swe as saying that the cards could be used in Myanmar within six months, once technical issues are resolved and mutual certification for connecting national payment systems, especially for cross-border transactions, is completed.

We can start using Russias Mir cards in Myanmar and our cards in Russia. Implementation of all this may take some time, but I expect that this will happen in December this year, Than Than Swe told reporters at the five-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which ended on June 18.

Junta officials announced plans to use the Russian cards in August of last year as they faced increasing financial sanctions and dwindling foreign reserves, particularly U.S. dollars.

Mir, which means Peace, is a card-payment system for electronic fund transfers established by the Central Bank of Russia in 2017, following sanctions. Mir card is operated by the Russian National Card Payment System.

The CBM and regime officials have discussed a partnership with the Central Bank of Russia and signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate payment systems between the two countries, said Than Than Swe.

In a report released on Tuesday, the World Bank said that over the six months to June, the regime has imposed additional administrative restrictions on outbound financial transactions, and extra scrutiny of imports.

Restricted access to foreign exchange has made it more difficult for companies in Myanmar to import necessary supplies, the World Bank report said.

Than Than Swe, who was appointed by the junta, held talks with the chair of the Bank of Russia at the St. Petersburg forum. The talks on cooperation between the two countries, ranging from capacity-building initiatives, financial cooperation, and mutual payments through integrated systems.

Russia created Mir to avoid reliance on Visa and MasterCard, which have since stopped operating in the country. The withdrawal of Visa and MasterCard from Russia led to increased use of Mir cards in the country. However, Mir cards are unwelcome in most other countries.

They are accepted in a handful of former Soviet republics and a few countries, like Vietnam, offer limited use of the cards. Last year, state banks in Turkey suspended the use of Mir cards over fears of U.S. sanctions on the Russian National Card Payment System.

If the Mir card is used in Myanmar, it will allow direct payments between the Russian ruble and the kyat, but its use will be very limited.

U Moe, a banking expert in Yangon, said the Russian cards will be used by foreign nationals visiting Myanmar for pleasure or business, not by Myanmar citizens travelling abroad.

People from Myanmar will be able to use cards from local banks, for example KBZ or AYA, overseas through the JCB payment [system], he said. However, they will only be able to use Mir cards in countries that accept them, he explained.

He described the effort by the junta to accept Mir cards in the country as a preparation of the regime to make it more convenient for tourists or businessmen from Russia to visit Myanmar.

For most Myanmar people, we have nothing to do with it since we cant even use [Mir cards] in Thailand or Singapore, he said.

Than Than Swe agreed that allowing the cards to be used in Myanmar was aimed at increasing tourism. She told reporters at the St. Petersburg forum that she hopes for an increase of flows from both countries in the tourism sector.

This may be wishful thinking.

Russia is not near the top of the travel list for Myanmar citizens seeking vacations, while efforts to attract Russian tourists to Myanmar have so far failed.

Both countries are locked out of international financial networks by sanctions.

The junta is desperately attempting to alleviate a currency crisis that is worsening as international sanctions increase.

It is considering joining the New Development Bank operated by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to help offset its isolation.

The junta is attempting to integrate Myanmar into the Russian payment system to maintain its foreign exchange reserves and stabilize the kyat, financial experts said last year when the idea was first proposed.

New sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury on June 21 on two junta-controlled banksMyanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bankwere designed to make it more difficult to facilitate foreign-currency exchange within the country that enabled transactions between the military regime and foreign weapons suppliers.

Since the February 2021 coup, Myanmar has imported goods and materials worth at least US$1 billion, including from Russia, according to the U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Former National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker U Win Myint Aung is being interrogated by the civilian National Unity Government after being arrested by Sagaing Region resistance forces for allegedly collaborating with the junta, said NUG spokesman U Nay Phone Latt.

U Win Myint Aung was detained by the Peoples Defense Force under the NUGs Ministry of Defense and handed over to the Peoples Security Force (PSF) for questioning, the spokesman said.

We have received complaints against him. He will be punished in line with the law if he is found guilty, or released if he is found innocent. We will find out soon, the NUG spokesman told The Irrawaddy.

The former NLD central executive committee member was living in Saipyin village in Sagaings Depayin Township, and was arrested by a local resistance group on June 8 while travelling to visit his jailed brother in Shwebo.

A member of Depayin Township PDF said they had evidence that U Win Myint Aung collaborated with the juntas military following the coup. Documents asking junta authorities to provide help for local people affected by Mays Cyclone Mocha were also found in his possession at the time of arrest, he said.

U Win Myint Aung signed a document promising not to participate in anti-junta activities and has acted according to the wishes of the regime. Resistance forces arrested him in response to complaints from the public. He was handed over to the PSF on June 7, and we heard that [NUGs] Home Affairs Ministry is interrogating him, the spokesman said.

The former lawmaker, who represented Depayin Township in the Lower House, went into hiding in the wake of the February 2021 coup. Junta troops raided his house on August 18, 2021, and arrested his wife, one of his sons, and his younger brother, U Hsan Lin. All three were given prison sentences.

U Win Myint Aungs wife and son were released on January 4 in a junta amnesty. His younger brother remains behind bars.

The NLDs central executive committee expelled U Win Myint Aung along with members U Phyo Min Thein, Daw Sandar Min and U Toe Lwin in March for allegedly misusing the partys name and collaborating with the junta.

A few days before the NLD was dissolved by the junta in March, U Win Myint Aung and another ex-NLD member visited Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw Prison where the ousted State Counselor is being held. However, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi refused to meet with them.

U Win Myint Aung is the first former NLD lawmaker to be arrested by an NUG-affiliated group. He is reportedly under house arrest at a friends home and is in good health.
Resistance groups say they have inflicted heavy losses on Myanmar junta forces on an important supply route in Myaing Township, Magwe Region.

Resistance groups urged people to avoid the Myaing-Kanma highway that is a major logistic route for the junta and its allied Pyu Saw Htee militias, according to Myaing Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) that coordinated the attacks.

The groups have given pro-regime villages along the highway until mid-July to leave their homes.

On Tuesday morning resistance groups said they used eight heavy landmines to ambush a junta vehicle between two pro-regime villages on the highway, killing at least seven troops and militia allies.

The vehicle and road were destroyed, according to Myaing PDF.

On Tuesday afternoon, four junta vehicles from Pakokku Township were ambushed with four landmines between Kanma and Kan Taw village on the highway.

A soldier was killed and six others injured, according to Myaing PDF.

The resistance groups said they used a drone to drop bombs on regime sentries on the highway.

An aerial video shows regime sentries driving away after a drone bomb explodes near their position.

Two more mine ambushes were carried out on junta vehicles from Pakokku between Kanma and the pro-regime village of Twin Ma on Tuesday.

At least two vehicles have been stopped from reaching Myaing, the PDF said.

Regime forces shelled nearby villages in response.

On Wednesday morning, resistance groups ambushed junta troops from Myaing near the pro-regime village of Tha Yet Kan on the highway, reportedly killing two soldiers.

Nearly the whole of the highway has been destroyed by resistance landmine attacks, the PDF said.

The resistance groups said they would restore the road after the revolution.
Myanmars military regime has cut phone and internet services in Loikaw, Kayah (Karenni) State amid fierce fighting between Myanmar military and resistance forces, according to the residents.

Residents said Ooredoo and Atom phone and internet services were cut on Tuesday.

It has been three days since we were able to use Ooredoo and Atom phone lines. Although Mytel and MPT are available, most of the residents dont use them. So, it is hard for locals, a Loikaw resident told The Irrawaddy.

The resistance stronghold of Kayah State has experienced fierce fighting for the past two years. Currently, battles are being waged in southern Kayah State and Mese and Hpasawng townships.

Public communications were cut shortly after several-dozen regime soldiers including battalion commanders surrendered to the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) and resistance groups in Mese Township near the Thai border, in the largest such surrender since the popular uprising erupted in 2021.

Units of the Karenni National Peoples Liberation Front (KNPLF), which serves as the Border Guard Force (BGF) under the Myanmar military, recently defected to join fighting against regime troops in southern Kayah State, resulting in fierce clashes in Mese.

A Karenni Civil Society Network spokesman said phone and internet services in other Kayah townships had been cut for a long time and Loikaw was the last to suffer.

Amid such an unstable situation, people need to listen to the news. The cut is keeping the public in the dark, he told The Irrawaddy.

The junta has blocked internet access in the resistance stronghold of Sagaing Region since last year.
According to numerous postings on social media, a united front consisting of ethnic resistance armies and Burman resistance groups known as Peoples Defense Forces, or PDFs, is waging a successful war against the army of the junta, which seized power in Naypyitaw on Feb. 1, 2021. Some foreign analysts have even claimed that the alliance is made up of 100,000 ethnic fighters and as many as 65,000 men and women are under the command of the PDFs, and that they together control most of the country. If those grossly exaggerated figures and outlandish claims were taken at face value, the days of the so-called State Administration Council (SAC) would be numbered and Myanmar could soon become the democratic, federal union that the resistance is said to be fighting for. It may be correct to say that the SAC-appointed government in Naypyitaw is the most incompetent the country has had since independence in 1948. The civil war has also spread from the ethnic-minority inhabited areas in the frontier areas to the Myanmar heartland, and the SAC has been unable to exercise control over some previously peaceful parts of the country.

But the bitter truth is that Myanmar has a long and troubled history of failed attempts to forge pan-ethnic resistance frontsand the main, divisive issue has always been Burman-ethnic minority relations. And it should be remembered that there are also conflicts between the various ethnic minorities. There is long-standing animosity between the Kachin and the Shan in Kachin State, and Shan, Kachin and Palaung have overlapping claims to territory in northern Shan State. The Wa, now in eastern Shan State, want their own state, which the Shan may not agree to. Rakhine State is torn apart by conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims, and Karen and Mon rebels have been fighting over territory adjacent to the Thai border. Myanmar may not have as many as 135 national races, a figure that has more to do with numerology (1+3+5=9, the militarys lucky number) than reality, but the country is nevertheless the home of a multitude of ethnic groups, and successive post-independence governmentsas well as forces that for decades have resisted central authorityhave all failed to create the shared sense of nationhood and belonging that everyone has been talking about since the Panglong Agreement was signed in 1947.

The very first resistance front was set up in 1949, so only a year after independence. It was called the Peoples Democratic Front and comprised the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), the Communist Party (Red Flag), the Peoples Comrade Party (PCP), the Revolutionary Burma Army (RBA), and the Arakan Peoples Liberation Party (APLP). Despite the fact that all of them were leftist and had similar ideologies, it failed to achieve anything noteworthy on the battlefield. The PCP, an offshoot of Aung Sans erstwhile militia, the Peoples Volunteer Organization, surrendered in 1958 and so did the APLP, which was set up in 1945 and led by U Sen Da, an Arakanese monk and nationalist leader. What remained of the RBA, pro-communist defectors from the Burma Army, merged with the CPB.

In 1956, four ethnic resistance armies, the Karen National Union (KNU), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Mon Peoples Front and a Pa-O group led by U Hla Pe forged an alliance called the Democratic Nationalities United Front, but it ceased to exist when the Mon and the Pa-O surrendered in 1958.

A broader, pro-communist alliance called the National Democratic United Front was set up in 1959 and had six members: the CPB, the Karen National United Party (KNUP; a leftist Karen faction), the KNPP, the Chin National Vanguard Party, the New Mon State Party (NMSP), and a Pa-O faction. It was dissolved in 1975 over disagreements with the CPB, for which class was more important than nationality. Splits occurred within the ethnic groups as well, as some were still more sympathetic to the CPB and others were not.

In the early 1960s, some of the ethnic resistance armies tried to unite their respective forces under the banner of the Nationalities Liberation Alliance. It consisted of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KNPP, the Kawthoolei Revolutionary Council (KRC), and Noom Suk Harn, a Shan group. Largely dysfunctional, it was dissolved when KRC chairman Saw Hunter Thwame surrendered in 1963. Two years later, the KNU, the KNPP, the Kayan New Land Party (KNLP; a Padaung group), the Zomi National Front (ZNF; a Chin group) and the War Council of the Shan State Army (SSA) set up the United Nationalities Front, which was dissolved after only a year of existence.

An alliance called the Nationalities United Front was set up in 1967 comprising the KNUP, the KNPP, the KNLP, the NMSP, the ZNF and the Shan State Nationalities Liberation Organization (later known as the Shan State Nationalities Peoples Liberation Organization, the SSNPLO, a leftist Pa-O group.) The NMSP left the Nationalities United Front in 1969, considering the alliance too leftist. The front was eventually dissolved in 1973. In that year, the more moderate Revolutionary Nationalities Alliance was formed consisting of four members: the KNU, the KNPP, the KNLP and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the political wing of the SSA.

The KNU, now led by the legendary General Bo Mya, was instrumental in bringing several groups together in the base area the Karen rebels controlled on the Thai border. As a result of his efforts, the Revolutionary Nationalities Alliance was succeeded in 1975 by the Federal National Democratic Front, which a year later changed its name to the National Democratic Front (NDF). Over the years, the NDF became the only alliance that had regular meetings, usually at the KNUs Manerplaw headquarters on the Thai border. It also managed to maintain at least a semblance of unity among the ethnic resistance armies. But it also experienced splits, as well as disputes within its various member organizations, mainly over the question of whether they should or should not cooperate with the CPB. The communists demanded that other groups should made declarations accepting the leadership of the CPB, a predominantly Burman-led organization. That in turn led to splits within ethnic groups such as the SSA/SSPP and even the KNU went through a sometimes bloody power struggle between leftists and rightists.

The original members of the NDF were the KNU, the KNPP, the SSPP, the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Lahu National United Party (LNUP), the United Pa-O Liberation Organization (UPNO), and the Palaung State Liberation Organization (PSLO). The UNPO resigned in 1977 and was replaced in 1980 by the Pa-O National Organization (PNO). The NMSP joined in 1982 and the KIO in 1983; the Wa National Organization (WNO) in 1983; the Lahu National Organization (LNO) in 1987 (replacing the LNUP, which had resigned from the front in 1984); the National United Front of Arakan replaced the ALP in 1988; and the Chin National Front (CNF) joined in 1989. The KNLP resigned in 1977 but rejoined in 1991. The PNO, the PSLP and the SSPP were expelled from the NDF in 1991 because they had entered into peace agreements with the government. In the early 1990s, the NMSP, the KNPP, the KNLP and the KIO also made peace with the government while the Wa on the Thai border merged with the much more numerous Wa forces of the former CPB, which had collapsed following a mutiny among the mainly hilltribe rank-and-file of its army in April 1989. In late 1989, the combined force became the United Wa State Party and Army (UWSP/UWSA).

Following the collapse of the communist insurrection, a handful of ethnic groups that had been allied with the CPB formed the All Nationalities Peoples Democratic Front: the SSNPLO, the KNLP and the Karenni State Nationalities Peoples Liberation Force. A smaller Burman group called the Democratic Patriotic Army (DPA), which the CPB had set up after the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, also joined the front. But by 1994, the DPA was gone from the scene and the other groups entered into ceasefire agreements with the government.

The ceasefire agreements of the early 1990s led to the demise of the NDF as well, and it was not until 2011 that an attempt was made to form a new alliance of ethnic resistance armies. It became known as the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and, initially, brought together 11 groups, the most powerful being the KIA, the KNU and the SSA/SSPP, and it even had a unified, armed wing called the Federal Union Army (FUA). But, before long, six of the groups made their own, separate peace agreements with the government. Like all peace agreements before those, they were based on the same principle: the ceasefire groups were allowed to retain their respective armiesand to engage in any kind of business. Fundamental political issues were never on the table, and it was, in effect, nothing more than a divide-and-rule policy from the side of the military. The FUA never became a properly organized armed force, and by 2017 the UNFC had ceased to exist.

In 2016, representatives of the KIA, the Arakan Army (AA), the Kokang-based Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) set up the Northern Alliance, which actually proved to be quite successful on the battlefields of Kachin State and northern Shan State. The AA, whose home base was in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, was included because it had been trained by the KIA and fought alongside the MNDAA in the Kokang region.

That front was enlarged in 2017 as seven groups formed an alliance called the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC): the KIA, the TNLA, the MNDAA, the AAand the SSA/SSPP, the UWSA and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA; based in Mong La in eastern Shan State, the NDAA was one of four local armies that emerged from the CPB after it collapsed in 1989). The FPNCC was set up at the UWSAs Pangkham (Panghsang) headquarters, and it has appealed to China to help find a solution to Myanmars civil wars. Parallel to the FPNCC, the TNLA, the MNDAA and the AAand, off-and-on, the KIAfight under the banner of the Brotherhood Alliance, sometimes referred to as the Northern Brotherhood Alliance. But the peace agreements of the 1990s and the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, which the Myanmar military initiated in 2015, have made it impossible for the ethnic armed organizations to establish any united front that could take part in meaningful peace talks. Massive foreign aid to dubious peace projects during the period 2011-2021 has also divided the groups, rather than help them unite behind common political demands.

But long before the peace agreements of the early 1990s, which led to the demise of the NDF, and more recent events, splits had also occurred between the ethnic groups and what should have been their Burman allies. In 1969, a number of prominent Burman politicians formed what was called the Parliamentary Democracy Party (PDP), whose aim was to resist General Ne Wins military dictatorship. Led by former and ousted prime minister U Nu, it included several of the legendary Thirty Comrades who had gone to Japan with Aung San during World War II and later went back to drive out the British. The PDPs Patriotic Liberation Army (PLA) was led by one of them, Bo Let Ya. They set up bases on the Thai border where they in 1970 signed a pact with the KNU and the NMSP called the National United Front. The SSA was invited to join as well, but declined when U Nu made no firm commitment to federalism. The movement began to dwindle when U Nu left Bangkok for India in 1973, and those who remained became the Peoples Patriotic Party (PPP), led by Bo Let Ya. But they soon fell out with the KNU, also over issues related to federalism, and Bo Let Ya was killed by the Karen in 1978. Nearly all remaining members of the PPP surrendered during a general amnesty in 1980.

After the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, about a dozen Burman and ethnic groups set up the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), but it became defunct when the KIA began to negotiate a separate peace deal with the government in 1993, which was finalized in 1994. Members of the National League for Democracy, who had been elected in 1990 but prevented from taking up their posts, also fled to the Thai border area, where they formed the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) and an expanded front called the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) with KNU leader Bo Mya as the official president. But the Burmans and the ethnic groups never agreed on any political issues and the DAB, the NGCUB and the NCUB soon faded into oblivion.

Those who have had the patience to read this far must find the clutter of acronyms of major, middle-sized and small and insignificant groups, shifting alliances, splits and surrenders truly bewildering, and it all seems like an absolute mess only very few outsiders would even want to try to make sense of. But it reflects the complexities of Myanmars ethnic resistance and its complex relationships with Burman groups, whether leftist or rightist. Even so, it has not prevented foreign peacemakers from coming up with easy solutions based on suggestions of dialogs and talks about reconciliation.

In this regard, the Swiss and the Norwegians have been especially destructive, dealing only with people they know and pouring vast amounts of money into what they call the peace process, which isnt and never was a genuine effort to solve Myanmars decades-long civil wars. Nor do we need those more recent, extravagant accounts of the situation on the battlefield today, but sober assessment of the strength and policies of the various groups, realizing that there is no nationwide entity comprising Burman outfits as well as ethnic armed organizations. Three of the main ethnic armies, the UWSA, the NDAA and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), have substantial investments in commercial enterprises in SAC-controlled areas and are not even involved in any fighting with the Myanmar army. Instead, the RCSS has fought fierce battles with the TNLA and the SSA/SSPP. And the PDFs are local forces that are not under any effective, common command.

This is a war that neither side can win. The anti-SAC forces are not well-equipped enough to defeat the much more heavily armed Myanmar army, which, in turn, is stretched out on too many fronts to be able to crush the resistance. Besides, the Myanmar army has tried to do precisely that for more than 70 years, and not succeeded. What has been lacking is a genuine analysis of what has caused the never-ending civil wars, and how the ethnic issue that is at the heart of the problem should be addressed. But that can be done only by the peoples of Myanmar themselves and, if outsiders want to play a role, they should refrain from giving bad advice based on poor insights into the history of Myanmars civil wars, failed alliances and misguided peace efforts as well as insufficient understandings of the intricacies of the countrys ethnic politics. Westerners especially must rid themselves of their White-Messiah Complex and start listening to people who matter instead of patronizing them. Only then can we, to paraphrase what Winston Churchill said during World War II, see not the end and not even the beginning of the endbut, perhaps, the end of the beginning of a process that could lead to peace.
Thursday, Jun 29th, 2023 (12:01 am) - Score 384

A new Lords Committee report has today become the latest to try and tackle the age-old problem of Digital Exclusion (i.e. getting everybody online and ensuring they have the right skills). The Committee finds that the scale of the problem is a direct consequence of political lethargy and highlights the UK Governments lack of a credible plan.

According to the report, some 1.7 million households have no mobile or broadband internet at home. Up to a million people have cut back or cancelled internet packages in the past year as cost-of-living challenges bite. Around 2.4 million people are unable to complete a single basic task to get online (e.g. opening a web browser) and over 5 million employed adults cannot complete essential digital work tasks.

NOTE: Around 75% of UK premises can already access a gigabit broadband network (c. 45%+ via just Around 75% of UK premises can already access a gigabit broadband network (c. 45%+ via just FTTP ), while around 98% can access 30Mbps+ and roughly 99% for 10Mbps+.

Historically, such issues have been down to a mix of obstacles, such age (the oldest pensioners are less likely to be online), disability, the lack of basic IT skills (skills shortages cost the UK economy 63bn each year) and low incomes / money. In some areas, the lack of a viable fixed line or mobile broadband connection can be another issue, although this only impacts a small portion of users.

In response, the Committees report calls on the Government to demonstrate leadership, not least by urgently publishing a new digital inclusion strategy and establishing a cross-departmental government unit with a direct line into Number 10. The new strategy should, they say, focus on several key areas.

The Five Key Recommendations  Act decisively to help with cost of living: to prevent more people becoming digitally excluded over the next 12 months the Government should cut VAT on social tariffs (available to those on state benefits) and work with businesses to help to scale-up internet voucher initiatives. It should ask public sector organisations to donate old devices to digital inclusion initiatives and encourage businesses to do likewise.  Invest in basic skills: the most basic digital skills are now as important as maths and literacy. They should feature more prominently in schools, apprenticeships and adult learning courses. This is about teaching people the basics, not coding. More attention also needs to be paid to interventions that do not involve qualificationscommunity organisations in particular are key to delivering local-level interventions. Businesses must be engaged to help equip employees with the most basic skills.  Boost digital inclusion hubs: there is inadequate support for community-based digital inclusion hubs. Domestic and international evidence suggests place-based inclusion support works. The Government should build on existing examples in the UK, focusing on libraries and other local amenities.  Prioritise competition alongside local benefit: the Government is backing vital telecommunications upgrade programmes. But smaller providers may be crowded out. This would mean less market competition and fewer digital exclusion benefits provided by local alternative networks who connect and support poorly served communities. This trade-off deserves more attention from Ofcom and the Government.  Future-proof public services: the Government must review the increasing use of predictive machine-learning tools in public services. Digitally excluded groups are likely to be poorly represented in some datasets that inform algorithmic decision-making. They face a growing risk of marginalisation as a result.

The suggestion of a cut to VAT on cheaper Social Tariffs from broadband ISPs and mobile operators (often indicating a reduction from 20% to 5%) is nothing new, and the industry has called for that on multiple occasions. But thus far the Government has shown no indication of a desire to implement it.

The report also calls on ISPs to improve their advertising of Social Tariffs to help take-up, which is already a common thread from Ofcom and the Government too, and there has been some progress on this front (here). But BT has previously warned that such tariffs could become unsustainable if everybody who is eligible were to adopt them.

On top of that, its interesting to note that the report touches on the issue of alternative network (AltNet) providers in the rollout of full fibre (FTTP) networks, albeit by warning Ofcom that smaller providers are at risk of being crowded out. But the catch is that quite a few of those smaller AltNets are now overbuilding each other, so this isnt just a matter of the big vs smaller players. Everybody is also under pressure from rising costs and the need to meet take-up targets. Suffice to say that we do expect more consolidation and, past a certain point, the consequences of natural market dynamics are difficult to avoid.

Baroness Stowell, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee, said: The Government has bold ambitions to make the UK a technology superpower and centre of AI development, but we cant deliver an exciting digital future when five million workers are under skilled in digital and nearly two and half million people still cant complete a single basic digital task. Tackling digital exclusion isnt as sexy as searching for the next tech unicorn, but we cant compete as a global player without getting the basics right. We have found a distinct lack of leadership in Government to tackle this issue. It is shocking that a digital inclusion strategy has not been produced since 2014 and the Government sees no need for a new one. It is vital we get a grip of this now. The cost of living crisis has made access to the internet unaffordable for many. We need urgent action to ensure people arent priced offline. This should include scrapping VAT on social tariffs and more efforts to promote their availability. The Government should also work with the private sector to expand internet voucher schemes and set an example by making more public sector bodies donate old IT equipment to digital inclusion projects. Digital exclusion is a moving target. As technology develops people currently confident using IT at work and home will need to keep refreshing their skills to avoid being left behind. We cant assume younger people are digital natives who wont need to develop new skills. We need to ensure everyone and all age groups have the digital skills they need to operate and the opportunities to keep developing those skills as technologies change.

At this point, its worth noting that, over the years, weve seen plenty of drives to resolve the digital skills problem and get everybody online, yet the issue remains. But as the new report itself recognises, making things digital does not necessarily make them better and not everyone wants to be online, or online all the time.

Suffice to say that forcing everybody online, such as by providing no alternatives, perhaps isnt the right approach and, as a result, maintaining accessible services and offline alternatives are essential to ensuring people are not left behind in an increasingly connected world. But the Government could definitely be doing more to help than they are now.




"Canada Day is celebrated every year on July 1, a day on which the divisions between Upper and Lower Canada, between East and West, ceased to exist and a single country was founded," the Embassy detailed in a Spanish-language press release.





"Just like Peru, Canada is geographically diverse. It is a country with a unique cultural, ethnic, and linguistic mix in the world, multicultural since its origins; a country where a quarter of its population was born abroad," it added.





As part of this celebration, the Canadian summer solstice was reenacted with cherry trees, the beach around Lake Ontario, and popular sugar shacks where people can eat everything based on maple syrup.





An important historic relationship





"This celebration, the first of its kind in the post-pandemic (stage), could not be complete without the perfect Peruvian complement represented by the winter solstice," the Canadian Embassy expressed.





Canada Day in Lima was attended by distinguished guests, business partners, as well as by civil society and government representatives.









In turn, Peruvian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ignacio Higueras underscored the long, broad, and deep relationship of cooperation between both countries.





(END) NDP/MVB

At the international level, Canada is a staunch defender of human rights, democracy, and a rules-based world order, Canadian Ambassador to Peru Louis Marcotte affirmed during Canada Day celebrations held recently in Lima.Published: 6/29/2023
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.
?? #AlertaEpidemiologica #SGB | Para conocer los detalles, ingrese al siguiente enlace: https://t.co/clzMm3g2JF pic.twitter.com/SmuRzqv16M
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has again falsely accused the Armenian Armed Forces of opening fire at their military positions on the border in a renewed disinformation campaign, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia warned Thursday.

The statement disseminated by the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan as if on June 28 from 10:35 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire against the Azerbaijani combat positions located in the eastern and southwestern parts of the border is disinformation, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said in a statement.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The diamond industry is booming in Armenia, with several companies engaged in negotiations on opening production plants in the country. An Indian diamond producer recently opened a plant in Armenia.

Precious and semi-precious stones, precious metals and related products were the most exported goods in the past few months in Armenia (508 million 61,2 thousand USD  a 3,9% growth compared to the previous years same period).

Ministry of Economy Head of the Strategic Sector Division Arevik Margaryan said the growth in exports is mostly associated with diamonds and jewelry products. The growth is related with both the geopolitical situation and the activities of the diamond producers in Armenia.

The Indian VDA Diamonds company registered in Armenia in July 2022, and they began production in July this year in Abovyan, she said, adding that the company has invested 10 million dollars in the Armenian city.

7-8 companies are actively engaged in diamond production in the country.

ADM Diamonds, an Armenian producer, is working with innovative technologies and is considered a regional leader in making fancy-cut diamonds.

Diamonds are mostly exported to CIS and EEU countries, with some volumes also to other countries. In 2022 Armenia exported over 34,8 billion drams of diamonds to EEU countries compared to the 2021 figure of 17,3 billion. Exports to other countries amounted to 727 million drams, which is close to the 2021 number.

The economy ministry official says that Armenias high-quality professionals ensure high-quality product. Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Patek Philippe, Hermes and other brands are buying diamonds cut in Armenia. For example, the Armenian Arevak and Shoghakn companies are the official suppliers of diamonds to Tiffany & Co and other leading brands. They ensure quality, Margaryan said.

New investments will be made in the sector soon, according to the official. Other Indian companies are now conducting negotiations on opening plants.

They take into account our professional potential. For example, one of the companies has plants also in Russia and they noticed that there are highly qualified Armenians among the workers. So they decided that Armenia would be more convenient for opening a new plant. Our economic situation is also beneficial for them, as well as the governments support programs such as the infrastructure-for investments, the economic modernization project and the customs duty exemption for imports of equipment, which await new investments, Margaryan said. In addition, jewelry and diamond production is officially a strategic direction in the governments list of primary areas of industrial development.

Most of the gold jewelry is exported to Russia, Kazakhstan, other CIS countries, as well as the U.S., the UAE, Turkey, Belgium and other countries.

In 2022, Armenia exported 2,1 billion dram worth of gold jewelry to EEU countries. Exports to other countries stood at 1,5 billion drams.

Anna Grigoryan
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The EU has condemned an apparent threat to members of the European parliament by Azerbaijans ambassador to the EU, Vagif Sadigov.

Sadigov, who also serves as the countrys ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, tweeted on 23 June in response to a visit by a delegation of MEPs to Armenia which travelled close to the border with Azerbaijan.

An EU spokesperson told OC Media that they were aware of the tweet.

We condemn such behaviour which is totally unacceptable for an Ambassador accredited to the EU, the spokesperson said.

Sadigov tweeted an image and description of an Azerbaijani-produced sniper rifle with the following caption:

They know what they are doing to protect themselves. The Istiglal IST-14.5 anti-materiel sniper rifle produced in Azerbaijan has the effective firing range of about 3,000 m. Guys, keep clear of Azerbaijani state border

They know what they are doing to protect themselves. The Istiglal IST-14.5 anti-materiel sniper rifle produced in Azerbaijan has the effective firing range of about 3,000 m. Guys, keep clear of Azerbaijani state border... pic.twitter.com/k9isu9iQyo  Vaqif Sadqov (@VaqifS) June 22, 2023

Nathalie Loiseau, an MEP who chairs the European Parliaments Security and Defence Subcommittee and who led the delegation to Armenia, reacted angrily to Sadigovs tweet on Monday.

Is this a threat towards Members of the European Parliament? Does it really come from an [Azerbaijani] diplomat? To what level has Azerbaijans diplomacy fallen?, she tweeted.

Is this a threat towards Members of the European Parliament ? Does it really come from an Azerbaidjani  diplomat  ? To what level has diplomacy fallen ? Disrespecting an ICJ decision and taking 120 000 human beings hostage, there is nothing to be proud of. Is it what makes https://t.co/N0N8WPSGLA  Nathalie Loiseau (@NathalieLoiseau) June 26, 2023

Disrespecting an ICJ decision and taking 120 000 human beings hostage, there is nothing to be proud of. Is it what makes you lose your nerves? We, Europeans with strong values, arent impressed. We will continue to support peace and respect for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Arif Shahmarli, who served as Azerbaijans ambassador to the EU from 20002007, and to the Council of Europe from 20062012, also condemned Sadigovs actions.

It is ridiculous and unacceptable for an educated and experienced diplomat like Vagif Sadigov to write such a tweet, it is a pity, Shahmarli told OC Media.

Personally, I regret this kind of behaviour, because these kinds of steps will not bring good things to Azerbaijan. On the contrary, it is an action that will be used against Azerbaijan at a time when peace negotiations are ongoing.

The fact that he uses the Azerbaijan-made ISTIGLAL sniper rifle in his rhetoric on Twitter is similar to President Aliyevs rhetoric, in my opinion, Shahmarli said. Maybe this was an ordered post.

It seems that Azerbaijani diplomats have already switched to harsh rhetoric, he added.
YEREVAN,JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. The United States is deeply disturbed by the loss of life in Nagorno Karabakh, U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has said regarding the June 28 unprovoked Azerbaijani attack on Nagorno Karabakh which killed 4 Nagorno Karabakh troops.

Patel said theres been no change in the schedule of the Armenia-Azerbaijan ongoing foreign ministerial talks in Washington D.C.

We are deeply disturbed by the loss of life in Nagorno-Karabakh, and we offer our condolences to the families of all of those who were killed. These latest incidents underscore the need to refrain from hostilities and for a durable and dignified peace. The U.S. is committed to assisting the parties in achieving this goal, and Secretary Blinken is directly engaged in the peace process. Direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and reaching a durable and dignified peace. Yesterdays meetings with the foreign ministers were constructive, and we continue to build on those discussions today and tomorrow as the peace talks continue. So theres no change in the schedule, Patel said, adding that the U.S. will continue to work on this.

The Azerbaijani military bombarded Nagorno Karabakh positions on June 28 with artillery and drone strikes, killing four troops.
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Review of Ghada Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel (London: Pluto Press, 2023).

Munich (Special to Informed Comment)  Following the inauguration of a far-right government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December 2022, the Israeli occupation machinery in Palestine has been turbocharged. In February 2023, the Israeli government approved the construction of over 7,100 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. This week, it advanced plans for a further 5,700 settlement homes, breaking the annual record in only 6 months. The new settlers will add their numbers to the 700,000 Israelis already living in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the last months have seen armed settlers in the West Bank increasingly attack Arab villages, taking advantage of the passivity of Israels authorities. In February, and again in March, Jewish settlers rampaged through the Palestinian town of Huwara, south of Nablus. Last week, the settlers attacks against Palestinian villages went on for five days. Among other acts of violence, settlers torched at least two homes in Umm Safa near Ramallah and left at least one Palestinian dead and 12 injured in Turmus Ayya, also close to Ramallah.

The events of the first half of 2023, after the inauguration of the most right-wing government in the history of Israel, have made even clearer what many already believed, namely that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is not a real possibility. Ghada Karmi, a Palestinian physician and former Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs, is one of the observers who have long perceived the need to think beyond the two-state solution.[1]

In her latest book, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, Karmi provides a historical overview of the conflict in Palestine before introducing her two key arguments. Firstly, that the two-state solution is dead. As she puts it, it is probable that no greater illustration of the triumph of hope over reality exists than the two-state solution.[2] Karmi enumerates some of the factors that make the establishment of two separate states in Israel-Palestine impossible: the Judaization of Jerusalem and the West Bank, the isolation of the Gaza Strip, the construction of the West Bank Wall, and the unfeasibility of even a limited return of Palestinian refugees to the small and densely populated West Bank.



Ghada Karmi, <One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel. Click here.

Karmi builds on a long tradition of Palestinian intellectuals who discarded the option of a two-state solution. Back in 1999, following the collapse of the Oslo Accords he never believed in, Edward Said wrote that it was time to speak about sharing the land that has thrust us together, sharing it in a truly democratic way, with equal rights for each citizen. Meanwhile, in a recent book, Azmi Bishara noted that the two ethnic groups are no longer separable in practice and cannot live in two separate states, so they must find a way to coexist equally in one.[3]

This brings us to the second main argument in Karmis book, namely that the only way out of the current conflict is the reunification of Palestines shattered remains in a unitary state for all its inhabitants.[4] The author examines the two main variations of the one-state solution proposed over the decades. On the one hand, we find bi-national proposals, which imply that Arabs and Jews would share a country but remain ethnically separate. Bi-nationalism is an option that has lost ground in recent times. On the other hand, the secular democratic model proposes a political entity based on individual citizenship and the principle of one-person-one-vote. Karmi prefers this second option.

She argues that bi-nationalism would never do away with Arab and Jewish claims to the whole land, and considering the military and economic superiority of the Jewish population, Arabs would be second-rate citizens in the joint new country. The reality of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship clearly supports her views. Furthermore, considering the religious and ethnic complexity of both Israeli Jews and non-Jewish Arabs, Karmi points out that a secular democratic society would better reflect Palestines multiculturalism.

Karmi puts forward some proposals for the materialization of a single secular democratic state in Palestine, such as the need for the Palestinian Authority to move from being a pseudo-government of a non-existent state with unrealistic aims into a campaigning body that leads the equal rights project.[5] Even so, Karmi is much more convincing when arguing about the impossibility of a two-state solution and the benefits of a secular democratic model than she is when explaining how this secular democratic state would come about.

This is not to say that the author is naive, because she is clear about the fact that an equal rights system will be different to accomplish, and can only be done in stages.[6] Still, some of the major obstacles in the way of a single secular democratic state in Palestine remain relatively unexplored in Karmis book. She notes that Israels exploitation of Palestines land and resources would be a serious challenge to face before the creation of a secular democratic state.[7]

The problem, though, is even more complex. Legal and political equality would mean little without social equality. This is why Mazen Masri, a Senior Lecturer at the City Law School, University of London, remarks that reparations, which should include restitution of property would be needed to sustain a one-state option in Palestine, as they would contribute to addressing the current state of economic inequality between Palestinians and Israelis.[8] The per capita GDP annually in Israel is currently over $44,000 US whereas the figure for the West Bank and Gaza barely overcomes the $3,000-mark.

In May 2021, after the Israeli crackdown on the Jerusalemite neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah and the beginning of Israels new offensive against the Gaza Strip, Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel initiated massive protests and boycotts that came to be known as the Unity Uprisings. Karmi describes the uprisings as marked by an exhilaration, a feeling that something was changing.[9] Considering that pro-Palestinian voices in Europe and the US were stronger than ever in the wake of the uprisings, she writes that the tragic routine of Israeli brutality, Palestinian defiance without result, and international indifference, was being challenged at last.[10] In the Unity Uprisings, where Palestinian resistance presented a united front, Karmi finds hope for the creation of a secular democratic state in the whole of Palestine. The unbalance of economic and military power between Israel and the Palestinians makes one think that Karmi might be too optimistic. But at the same time, one hopes that Karmis optimism is not misplaced.

[1] Ghada Karmi, Palestinians Need a One-State Solution, The Guardian, December 20, 2012, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/20/one-state-solution-palestinians-israel.

[2] Ghada Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel (London: Pluto Press, 2023), p. 87.

[3] Azmi Bishara, Palestine: Matters of Truth and Justice (London: Hurst and Co., 2022), p. 286.

[4] Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, p. 169.

[5] Ibid., p. 150.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid., p. 148.

[8] Mazen Masri, Constitutional Frameworks for a One-State Option in Palestine: An Assessment, in Rethinking Statehood in Palestine: Self-Determination and Decolonization Beyond Partition (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2021), p. 228.

[9] Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine-Israel, p. 157.

[10] Ibid.
Source New Mexico )  The fight to have same-sex marriage recognized by the Navajo Nation continues during Pride Month.

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Seth Damon signed and sponsored legislation that would recognize same-sex marriages within the Navajo Nation during the Navajo Nation Pride opening ceremony on June 23.

The prohibition against same-sex marriages does not uniformly welcome or support the well-being of all Dine, Damon said. The purpose of the legislation Im sponsoring is to ensure that all Dine are welcome within the four sacred mountains and to recognize all marriages within the Navajo Nation.

The legislation also amends other provisions within the Navajo Nation Code to conform with this repeal, but the traditional Navajo wedding ceremony involving a man and woman shall remain unchanged.

Since 2005, same-sex marriages have been prohibited when the Navajo council overwhelmingly voted to pass the Dine Marriage Act, even a second time to override a presidential veto of the act.

At the time, same-sex marriages were prohibited throughout the country, although there was a growing sentiment to legalize marriages for all. This led to a number of regional ordinances designed to define marriage as between one man and one woman. President George W. Bush would even lean on the definition during his re-election campaign in 2004.

This spurred the Navajo council to pass its Dine Marriage Act, which has remained intact, even after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015.

We feel its in the best interest of the Navajo Nation to repeal Title 9 so that everyone can enjoy the full benefits of legal recognition of their marriages within the Navajo Nation, whether our relatives are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, non-gender specific, two-spirit, or Nadleehi, Damon said in a press release.

However, some progress has been made in recognizing the tribes LGBTQ+ citizens with the 24th Navajo Nation Council passing a resolution in 2020 to establish Dine Pride Week to be held every third week in June to protect Navajo Nation citizens from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status among other things.

We see ourselves as sacred human beings, Alray Nelson, Dine PRIDE co-founder and executive director, said. And with that knowledge, we teach every LGBTQ young person not only is the Navajo Nation on the right side of history, but its leaders also support our community.



Navajo Nation Council Delegate Seth Damon (far right) sponsored and signed Legislation 0139-23, which aims to repeal Title 9 of the Navajo Nation Code to recognize same-sex marriages. Damon is joined by former 24th Council Delegate Eugene Tso (left). (Photo courtesy of Navajo Nation Council Communications)

Eugene Tso, a former Navajo Nation Council delegate, joined Damon at the signing ceremony. He introduced similar bills in June 2022 and in March 2022. The March bill was voted down in its early committee meetings, ultimately never passing.

We live with people we love. There should be no discussion about it when this legislation comes to the floor, Tso said in a statement. Why would you debate it? This is who we are. Were Dine.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was in attendance at the legislation signing where along with Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya and Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley became the first Navajo leaders to proclaim June 18-25 as Navajo Nation Pride Week.

He acknowledged what Damon introduced and said it will be up to everyone here to submit their comments for its passage.

The legislation began its five-day public comment period on June 23 and will end before tribal council committees will hear it on June 29. Comments can be emailed or mailed. More information is here.
( Foreign Policy in Focus )  At the forefront of todays cohort of right-wing, nativist Know-Nothings are those who specifically attack the U.S. military for the wokeness of its policies and practices.

The military continues to wrestleinternally and externally, in its training, its policies, and its practiceswith a wide array of manliness-threatening LGBTQ and transgender issues. This struggle even extends to the use of gender-neutral, inclusive, non-threatening pronouns. Service academies and war collegeseducational institutions supposedly devoted to intellectual development and critical inquiryhave felt obliged, if not obligated, to address long-standing issues of racial disparity, dominance, and rage in their curricula. The enduring ideological question of whether environmental and climate conditions should be a matter of priority concern for the military remains a subject of visceral debate. On top of all this, the Army is removing the names of Confederate generals (like Benning, Bragg, and Hood) from Army installations and associated landmarks. Although mandated by Congress, this renaming process has provided yet another pretext for finger-pointing.

What critics deride as wokeness is, for the military, seed corn for institutional vitality. Faced with the many divisive forces at play in American society today, as well as its own internal ethical shortcomings, the military needs wokeness among those in uniform now more than ever.



Image by VintageBlue from Pixabay

Like cancel culture, virtue signaling, and critical race theory, wokeness has regrettably been distorted into a pejorative. Yet, at its core, wokeness conveys critical self-awareness and altruistic allegiance to the rights and just treatment of others. It is this pure formnot its distorted, pejorative antithesisthat a military rhetorically committed to the virtues of good order and discipline (selfless self-discipline) and unit cohesion (unifying unity) needs more of. Effectively, wokeness is where the Golden Rule (Love they neighbor as thyself) meets the National Motto (Out of many, one).

The cabal of anti-woke critics consists largely of lawmakers who have never actually served in uniform. Non-veteran Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), for example, has said: Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea. Non-veteran Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has similarly claimed: Our military must stay focused on their mission, remain apolitical, and not be subject to woke indoctrination. And, in introducing the Restoring Military Focus Act, non-veteran Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) has opined: The Pentagons job is to develop our men and women in the Armed Forces into a united, lethal, and battle-ready force to defeat our enemies and defend our interests. It is not supposed to be a woke social engineering experiment wrapped in a uniform.

What isnt clear is whether these critics are concerned that allocating time to the dialogue and training at the heart of a humanistically-grounded approach to wokeness would unjustifiably steal time from warfighting preparation or whether anti-woke polemicizing is merely a rhetorical dog-whistle for the barely concealed racism, sexism, and homophobia they embrace in their heart of hearts.

Lets consider, as we must, the larger context of civil-military relations, based on a social contract of mutual rights, obligations, and expectations among the three parties to the relationship: the military, its executive and legislative civilian overseers, and society as a whole. To sustain a truly healthy state of civil-military relations, the military must fulfill the expectation and the obligation to be operationally competent, a source of sound strategic advice, politically neutral, and, perhaps above all else, socially responsible.

Social responsibility is indeed the baseline minimum expectation for an institution that cuts such a broad swath across society and reaches even into other societies. A socially responsible military, were one to exist, would be representative of society, affordable, worthy of prestige without asserting special privilege, and morally superior without being morally arrogant. Such a military would, in other words, practice what it preaches and set an example of professionalism worthy of the trust and confidence of society at large.

The U.S. military, however, is a long way from demonstrating sufficient social responsibility. Consider some of the incidents that hit the news on just one day alone: May 18. The commander of an Army chemical weapons depot was suspended, a Marine who embraced far right-wing beliefs pleaded guilty for his involvement in January 6, and an Indiana Army veteran was convicted of killing a Muslim man in a road rage incident.

These arent random, isolated incidents committed by a few solitary bad apples in an otherwise healthy barrel. Having tracked such incidents since the initial days of the Clinton administration, I can attest to the fact that hundreds of such instances of misconduct by those in uniform occur annually. Simply ask (and answer) these questions: Is there racism in the military? Yes. Is there sexism, gender discrimination, and various forms of sexual abuse in the military? Yes. Is there homophobia in the military? Yes. Is there even religious discrimination, persecution, and harassment in the military? Yes.

To be sure, each of the armed services and the Defense Department has espoused a set of core values like loyalty, courage, service before self, and devotion to duty. But these core values are little more than window dressing for public consumption. There is little evidence to indicate that they actually reflect or guide the behavior of those in uniform. They were at some point dictated from on high, rather than emerging bottom-up from a consensus-based institutional process.

A strategically effective military must commit to being socially responsible in order to align itself with its own professed values. Wokeness, in other words, is a matter of consistency for the military as well as a matter of achieving institutional and societal justice (which is the view of a majority of Americans as well).

Lets, then, ignore the anti-woke agitators who dominate the airwaves and give more credence to the likes of Pat Ryan (D-NY), newly minted U.S. representative, West Point graduate, and combat veteran. I have zero time for the political distractions and BS, and I will very aggressively call that out, he said last January. The ultimate irony to me, a lot of people calling this out havent spent a single day in uniform, and I think that certainly shows in how theyve conducted themselves.
HIGHLIGHTS

Closing of A$10 million (approximately C$8.97 million) cornerstone investment in Novo (the  Financing ) by De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) ( De Grey ) via the issuance of 35,223,670 common shares of Novo ( Shares ) at a price of approximately C$0.255 per Share, representing an undiluted 11.6% post-Financing position in Novo

) by De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) ( ) via the issuance of 35,223,670 common shares of Novo ( ) at a price of approximately C$0.255 per Share, representing an undiluted 11.6% post-Financing position in Novo De Grey to advance Becher Gold Project and adjacent tenements through an earn-in and joint venture (Egina JV) and earn a 50% interest by incurring A$25 million on exploration within four years (with a minimum commitment of A$7 million over 18 months)1

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (TSX: NVO, NVO.WT & NVO.WT.A) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to advise that the previously announced Financing with De Grey1 has now closed following Toronto Stock Exchange acceptance of notice of the Financing and conditional approval of the listing of the Shares issued under the Financing. Gross proceeds of approximately C$8.97 million / A$10 million were raised through the issue of 35,223,670 Shares. The Financing was conducted at a price of approximately C$0.255, and De Grey now holds an undiluted 11.6% position in Novo.

Argonaut PCF Limited (Argonaut) of Perth, Western Australia received a cash finders fee of A$0.5 million (approximately C$0.45 million) in connection with the Financing.

The Shares issued in the Financing are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on October 29, 2023, along with an additional voluntary contractual hold period (the Contractual Hold Period) expiring on June 28, 2024. However, if the Company has not received a formal listing decision letter for its proposed dual listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)1 by December 28 2023, the Contractual Hold Period will expire on December 28, 2023. The Shares will be subject to orderly sale restrictions subsequent to the expiry of the Contractual Hold Period.

Commencing on December 28, 2023 and subject to De Grey maintaining at least a 12.5% undiluted interest in Novo at all times (the Nomination Threshold), De Grey has a one-time right to nominate a director to Novos board. However, if Novo has not received a formal listing decision letter from the ASX regarding its proposed dual listing by December 28, 2023, the Nomination Threshold will decrease to 10%. De Grey also has the right to participate in any raising conducted in conjunction with the ASX listing such that it holds up to a maximum undiluted post-financing interest of 12.5% of Novo.

The net proceeds from the Financing will primarily be used by Novo to fast-track exploration at the Companys key projects, including Nunyerry North, Balla Balla and Belltopper, as well as for general working capital purposes.

There is no guarantee that the Company will list on the ASX or will be granted approval to do so.

ABOUT NOVO

Novo explores and develops its prospective land package covering approximately 10,500 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, along with the 22 square kilometre Belltopper Project in the Bendigo Tectonic Zone of Victoria, Australia. In addition to the Companys primary focus, Novo seeks to leverage its internal geological expertise to deliver value-accretive opportunities to its stakeholders. For more information, please contact Michael Spreadborough at +61-419-329-687 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or Leo Karabelas at +1-416-543-3120 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Novo Resources Corp.

Michael Spreadborough

Michael Spreadborough

Executive Co-Chairman and Acting CEO

Forward-looking information

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, the use of the net proceeds from the Financing and the intention to undertake an IPO on the ASX. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, receipt of ASX approval to the dual listing of Novo, customary risks of the resource industry and the risk factors identified in Novos annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is available under Novos profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

1 Refer to the Companys news release dated 21 June 2023.
June 29th, 2023 - TheNewswire - Rockport, Canada - New Age Metals Inc. (NAM) (TSXV:NAM); (OTC:NMTLF); (FSE:P7J) (NAM or the Company is pleased to announce the positive results of a new independent Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 for the River Valley Project, a wholly-owned palladium-platinum-copper deposit located 60 km east-northeast (100 road km) of Sudbury, Ontario. This new PEA was developed by a group of independent consultants; namely P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (mining, scheduling, project economics); D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd. (mineral processing and metallurgy); Knight Piesold Ltd. (tailings facility, water management, and rock mechanics); and Story Environmental (environment and community). The Mineral Resource Estimate upon which this new PEA is based was done by P&E in 2021.

PEA Highlights

Pre-Tax NPV(5%): $289M; After-Tax: $135M

Pre-Tax IRR: 16%; Post-tax IRR: 11%

Annual Production: 2.5 Mt of potential process plant feed at an average grade of 1.19 g/t PdEq and process recovery of 71.5%, resulting in an average annual payable Pd production of 47,400 oz.

Total Tonnes Processed over Life of Mine: 38.6 Mt/16 years

Pre-production Capital Requirement: $268.7M

Average Unit Operating Cost: $30.98/t

Assumed Metal Prices: US$2,150/oz Pd, US$1,050/oz Pt, US$1,830/oz Au, US$4.00/lb Cu

River Valley Process Feed: Treated in an on-site conventional sulphide flotation plant to produce a saleable PGM-enriched Cu concentrate to be transported off-site for smelting and refining.

Project Enhancement Opportunities: Increased metal recoveries and expanded Mineral Resources

Harry Barr, NAM Chairman & CEO, stated: The PEA results released today are positive with a post-tax NPV(5%) of $134 M CAD, an IRR of 11% and 16 years of palladium, platinum and copper production. Compared to the 2019 PEA, this 2023 PEA envisions a smaller, higher-grade operation with lower CAPEX, expanded underground mining and reduced open pit mining, and a much-smaller environmental footprint. These encouraging results are based on the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate, which was produced in accordance with current CIM standards and guidelines, to provide feed to an on-site 2.5 Mtpa process plant. The next steps include targeting areas for drilling to convert Inferred to Indicated Mineral Resources, expanding current Mineral Resources, the discovery of new mineralized zones, and to testing of promising new technologies for improved metal recoveries, all for incorporation into future, more advanced economic studies.

PEA Summary*

The site plan layout for the new River Valley PEA is shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1. New PEA site layout plan for the River Valley Palladium Project.

Figure 1 shows five open pits and two underground portals that have been used in the engineering design of the Project, the proposed process plant site, low-grade stockpile, waste rock storage facilities, tailings storage facility, and site infrastructure. The Project as represented in Figure 1 has an area of 38.8 km2, which reflects a major reduction from the 126.5 km2 site plan area in the 2019 PEA.

The parameters of the PEA are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. PEA Summary Parameters

Assumptions Palladium Price (Base case) US$/oz 2,150 Exchange Rate US$:CDN$ 1.35 Production Profile Total Tonnes Processed 38,640,000 Process Plant Head Grade PdEq g/t 1.19 Mine Life (years) 16 Daily process plant throughput (tpd) 6,850 Palladium Process Plant Recovery (%) 71.5 Total Payable Palladium Equivalent Ounces 735,000 Average annual Palladium Production Ounces 47,400 Operating Costs ($ per tonne processed) Unit Average LOM Operating Costs 30.98 Open Pit Mining Costs 12.63 Underground Mining Costs 60.61 Processing Costs 12.69 G&A 2.01 LOM Average Cash Cost US$/oz Pd 1,241 Capital Requirements Pre-Production Capital Cost ($ M) 268.7 Sustaining Capital Cost (Life of Mine) ($ M) 163.0 Project Economics Royalties (%) 3 Royalty Payable After $1.5M Buy Down to 1.5% ($ M) 35.4 Taxes (M $) 255.0 Pre-Tax Cumulative Undiscounted Cash Flow ($ M) 599.0 NPV (5% Discount Rate) ($ M) 289.0 IRR (%) 16 Payback (years) 6.2 After-Tax Cumulative Undiscounted Cash Flow ($ M) 344.0 NPV (5% Discount Rate) ($ M) 135.0 IRR (%) 11 Payback (years) 6.9

PEA operating costs and capital costs are presented in Tables 2 and 3.



Table 2. Operating Cost Summary

Operating Cost Unit LoM Open Pit Mining Cost $/t mined 2.95 Open Pit Mining Cost $/t processed 12.63 Underground Mining Cost $/t processed 60.61 Process Cost $/t processed 12.69 G&A $/t processed 2.01 Unit LoM Average Operating $/t processed 30.98

Table 3. Capital Cost Summary

Development Capital Initial (Y-2, Y-1) ($ M) Sustaining ($ M) Total LOM ($ M) Open Pit Development and Equipment 37.0 59.4 96.4 Process Plant 119.2 119.2 On-Site Infrastructure 17.4 17.4 Electrical Powerline 30.0 30.0 Tailings Management Facility 17.0 27.0 44.0 Owner's Costs 10.0 10.0 Underground Mine Development 37.1 37.1 Reclamation Bond and Closure 16.3 16.3 Contingency 29.9 18.1 48.0 Total Capital 268.7 163 431.7

*This PEA was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-01) Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects. It was prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. with D.E.N.M. Engineering Ltd., Knight Piesold Ltd. and Story Environmental. Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be classified as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic variability. The Company plans to file the PEA Technical Report (Technical Report) on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days of the date of this press release. All currency is stated as CDN$ unless indicated otherwise.

Opportunities to Enhance Project Value

Two major opportunities to enhance Project value are: 1) improved metal recovery; and 2) increased Mineral Resources.

1) Improved Metal Recoveries

HYDROMETALLURGICAL OPTIONS The main focus of this PEA from a processing stand point is conventional milling and flotation with upgrading of the resultant copper concentrate to a marketable product. The final concentrate (copper and PGMs) would be shipped to specific smelters to treat the River Valley product as a part of the revenue stream.

As an alternative to shipping to smelters, pressure leaching and metal precipitation options to recover platinum group metals (PGMs), gold and base metals will be investigated. Several PGM deposits worldwide are currently being subject to hydrometallurgical testing as a potentially economic alternative to base metal smelters.

Alternative Flotation Applications. Conventional flotation of the River Valley material has thus far been unable to produce a high-grade marketable smelter concentrate for maximum net smelter returns.

The expected concentrate grades based on the recent testing at SGS Lakefield were detailed in New Age Metals press release dated August 9, 2022.

Preliminary scoping work has been completed on the River Valley material utilizing two flotation alternatives to produce a higher-grade rougher concentrate and also possible increases in PGM recoveries. The two technologies being investigated are the Woodgrove flotation and the Glencore (Jameson) cell techniques.

Rhodium Recovery & Marketability. Additional work in this area would be beneficial for the Project,

due to the high metal price of rhodium. The testwork recently complete showed the ability to recover rhodium in the final concentrate, albeit not at a saleable threshold grade for the smelters. Review of the rhodium mineralogy and process alternatives is recommended.

2) Increased Mineral Resources

The distribution of the current Mineral Resources at River Valley is shown in Figure 2.

Major infill, expansion and exploration drill programs are planned to: 1) convert Inferred to Indicated Mineral Resources at the Lismer and Varley Zones; 2) expand current Mineral Resources at depth and along strike at the Dana South, Banshee, Lismer Ridge, Varley and Azen Zones; and 3) test targets and delineate mineralized zones that show potential for inclusion in future Mineral Resource modelling, particularly in the footwall to the River Valley Intrusion, as guided by geophysical survey and 3-D geological modelling results.

The drilling programs are slated to commenced in H2 2023, subject to financing.

Figure 2. Distribution of pit constrained Mineral Resources at $15/t NSR cut-off. The priority mineralized zones for infill, expansion and exploration drilling are labelled red. Note that the Pine Zone is not exposed at surface. (M&I = Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, Ind: = Indicated Mineral Resources, Inf = Inferred Mineral Resources).

PEA Details

Mineral Resources

The details of the 2021 updated Mineral Resource Estimate were announced in a Company press release dated October 5, 2021. The effective date of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate is September 14, 2021. At cut-offs of CDN$15/t NSR (pit constrained) and CDN$50/t NSR (out-of-pit), the Mineral Resource Estimate consists of: 89.9 Mt grading 0.54 g/t Pd, 0.21 g/t Pt, 0.04 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, or CDN$47.58/t NSR in the Measured and Indicated classifications; and 94 Mt grading 0.35 g/t Pd, 0.16 g/t Pt, 0.04 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu, or CDN$31.69/t NSR in the Inferred classification. Contained metal contents are 2.3 Moz Pd+Pt+Au in the Measured and Indicated classifications and 1.6 Moz Pd+Pt+Au in the Inferred classification Table 4.

Notes: Class = Classification, Meas + Ind = Measured and Indicated classifications.

1. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

2. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

3. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could potentially be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

4. The Mineral Resources were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions (2014) and Best Practices Guidelines (2019) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

5. The Mineral Resource Estimate is based on US$ metal prices of $1,850/oz Pd, $900/oz Pt, $1,600/oz Au, $3.00/lb Cu, $16/lb Co, $6.50/lb Ni, $8,000/oz Rh, $18.50/oz Ag. The US$:CDN$ exchange rate used was 0.75.

6.The NSR estimates use flotation recoveries of 80% for Pd, 80% for Pt, 80% for Au, 85% for Cu, 25% for Co, 90% for Ni, 80% for Rh and 65% for Ag and smelter payables of 80% for Pd, 80% for Pt, 85% for Au, 85% for Cu, 50% for Co, 90% for Ni, 80% for Rh and 65% for Ag.

7. The pit optimization used a mining cost of $2.25/t mined, combined processing and G&A costs of CDN$15/t, and pit slopes of 50. The out-of-pit Mineral Resources used underground mining, processing and G&A cost of CDN$50/t.

8. Out-of-pit Mineral Resources were determined to be potentially extractable with the longhole mining method.

The predominant contribution of Pd + Pt to the NSR value (86%) is particularly noteworthy, given the rarity of such primary platinum-group metal deposits in secure and established global mining jurisdictions.

The Mineral Resource Estimate is sensitive to the selection of reporting NSR cut-off values for pit constrained Mineral Resources. At a cut-off of $CDN25/t NSR, pit constrained Mineral Resources are presented in Table 5.

Mining: OP & UG

The River Valley Project is planned to be mined by both open pit and underground methods. Initial mining would be by open pit at the northwest end of the Deposit, close to the proposed process plant site.

A series of five open pits would be mined, starting at Dana North Zone and progressing in a southeasterly direction to the Varley Zone. The Dana North Pit contains approximately half of the mineralized process plant feed. Higher grade underground mineralization is planned to be mined during production years two to seven, and will total approximately 3 Mt of process plant feed. The underground mining method is planned to be sublevel longhole stoping with cemented rock backfill.

The average open pit strip ratio is envisaged to be 3.4:1 over the life-of-mine. It is anticipated that a fleet of 90 t haul trucks, 10 m3 excavators, and 254 mm diameter hole rotary drills will be utilized, following industry standard conventional open pit mining techniques.

Mineral Processing

The new PEA annual process feed rate to the River Valley process plant will be 2.5 Mtpy (6,850 mtpd) of mineralized material. The process plant remains as previously designed to produce a single copper sulphide and PGM concentrate. The dewatered and dried concentrate would be hauled off-site for smelting.

Simplified process plant details are as follows:

Run-of-Mine (ROM) to be crushed in a single primary jaw crusher to 150 mm sizing (380 mtph); SAG mill in closed circuit with a recycle pebble crusher and ball mill to produce flotation feed (310 mtph); Rougher flotation, regrinding of the associated concentrate, three-stage cleaning circuit to produce the final concentrate; Concentrate dewatering, filtering, drying for shipping to the smelter; Tailings thickening prior to pumping to the tailings management facility (TMF); Standard process water recovery would be from the associated thickeners and return water from the TMF area. Make-up water for the process would be from one the lakes on the Property; and Power for the facility will be provided by a dedicated 44 kV feeder line from Crystal Falls Transformer Station.

Initial discussions with Hydro One (suppler and builder) have been completed regarding options, capital and $/kwh estimates.

Tailings & Water Management

Tailings Management. The Tailings Management Facility (TMF) would consist of a two-cell valley impoundment to provide safe and permanent storage for tailings for the first seven years of the mine life. The remaining tailings would be stored in the Dana open pit when it has been mined out. The TMF impoundment would be developed by constructing three embankments (North, Divider, and South Embankments) using the downstream construction method. The embankments will be constructed in stages to suit the tailings storage requirement throughout the first seven years of the mine life.

Thickened tailings slurry would be delivered to the TMF at a solids content of approximately 55% by mass. The tailings are expected to be non-acid generating. Inert waste rock and processed waste rock from open pit mine development would be used to construct the TMF embankment. The upstream face of the embankment would be lined with a 100 mil HDPE geomembrane overlying non-woven geotextile.

The geomembrane will be tied into bedrock along the upstream toe via a concrete plinth.

Water Management. Site contact water would be managed within sediment basins, the Water Management Pond (WMP), open pits, and the TMF. The sediment basins would collect runoff from the site infrastructure areas for sediment control prior to routing the collected water to the WMP immediately north of the TMF. The WMP would be used to temporarily store supernatant water from the TMF, contact water from site infrastructure, and inflows into the open pits and underground workings. The WMP would provide reclaim water to the processing plant. Excess water would be pumped to the water treatment plant and subsequently discharged to the environment.

The primary water management objectives include:

Provide temporary containment of the Environmental Design Flood (EDF) within the TMF basin during operations;

Provide temporary storage and conveyance of the Inflow Design Flood (IDF) via spillways from the TMF and WMP;

Maintain a small supernatant pond within the TMF basin by transferring runoff and supernatant to the WMP on an ongoing basis via pump barge and pipeline;

Collect and manage contact water via surface water management measures;

Maximize reclamation of contact water from the WMP to the process plant. This approach will minimize freshwater requirements and water discharge volumes; and

Treat and discharge excess supernatant water, mine water (pit and underground inflow), and contact water to the environment, as required during the mine life, via the wastewater treatment and discharge systems.

Environment, Community, ESG

Since the 2019 PEA, NAM has worked to reduce the proposed environmental footprint of the Rive Valley Project. The new 2023 PEA concept replaces open pit mining adjacent to Pine Lake with underground mining and significantly reduces the size of the Projects remaining open pit mines. Therefore, the Project no longer requires the construction of dams within Pine Lake and eliminates the associated impact on fish and fish habitat. By extracting higher-grade material from underground, NAM would also reduce the rate of mining and processing for the Project. This modification would reduce the footprint of the process plant and waste rock areas, and reduce the size of the processing equipment, which in turn would reduce the carbon footprint of the Project.

The River Valley Project is situated on the traditional territory of Temagami First Nation and Nipissing First Nation. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Temagami First Nation in 2014 and amended in 2017. Temagami First Nation has assisted with the completion of baseline archaeological, surface water quality, groundwater, and hydrology studies and members of the community also participated in a site visit in September 2022. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Nipissing First Nation in

late-January 2022. In 2023, NAM anticipates that Nipissing First Nation will also participate in the Projects ongoing baseline environmental data collection. Regular Project updates are provided to each of these communities.

The Project will be required to obtain numerous provincial and federal approvals and permits.

It is anticipated that the Project will be subject to both provincial environmental assessments and a federal Impact Assessment. The Project will proceed with a coordinated process to increase efficiencies and reduce duplication of effort during these assessments. However, the permitting for the Project will be less onerous now, than that for the much larger Project presented in the 2019 PEA.

NAM has developed an Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) Strategy and will prepare an ESG Sustainability Report annually to disclose and communicate ESG-related information to NAMs stakeholders. The first ESG Sustainability Report is posted on NAMs website. As outlined in its ESG Strategy, NAM is committed to managing and operating their assets in a manner that is protective of human health and safety and the environment. It is NAMs policy to comply, in all material respects, with applicable health, safety and environmental laws and regulations.

Project Economics & Sensitivities

The economic results of the PEA are summarized in Table 6 on an after-tax basis. The sensitivities and the impact of cash flows have been calculated for 20% variations against the base case.

Table 6. Project Economics Sensitivity

Project Sensitivity Analysis Pd Price Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% US$/oz 1,720 1,828 1,935 2,043 2,150 2,258 2,365 2,473 2,580 NPV (CDN$ M) -31 12 55 95 135 174 217 252 295 IRR (%) 4 6 8 9 11 13 15 16 18 OPEX Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% Cost Per Tonne 25 26 28 29 31 33 34 36 37 NPV (CDN$ M) 213 193 174 154 135 115 95 76 56 IRR (%) 17 15 14 12 11 10 9 8 7 CAPEX Sensitivity % -20% -15% -10% -5% Base Case 5% 10% 15% 20% CAPEX (CDN$ M) 345 367 389 410 432 453 475 496 518 NPV (CDN$ M) 242 220 190 160 135 105 79 53 21 IRR (%) 16 15 14 12 11 10 9 7 6

The Project is sensitive to Pd recovery. A 20% increase in Pd recovery, possibly resulting from hydrometallurgical treatment, results in an increased after-tax 5% discount rate NPV of $250M and an after-tax IRR of 16%.

About the River Valley Project

The River Valley Palladium Project is located 100 road-km east from the City of Sudbury.

The Project area is linked to Sudbury by a network of all-weather highways, roads and rail beds and is accessible year-round with hydro grid and natural gas power nearby. River Valley enjoys the strong support of local communities, like the Village of River Valley, 20 km to the south. Fully executed Memorandum of Understandings are in place with two local First Nation groups. Environmental baseline studies re-commenced in 2020 are planned to continue through 2023.

About NAM

New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions; a Platinum Group Element division and a Lithium/Rare Element division.

The PGE Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North Americas largest undeveloped Platinum Group Element Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska, and plans to complete a surface mapping and sampling program in 2022.

The Companys Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements, such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. The Company has announced its preliminary $2 million 2023-2024 exploration budget that will cover the first 4 months of the program. A larger budget has been submitted to our partner Mineral Resources Limited and we expect it to be approved this summer. Further Exploration plans for 2023 include geophysical surveying, summer field work (which will include mapping, lithogeochemistry, MMI soil geochemistry, biogeochemistry, channel sampling), and permits/ archaeological surveys. The Company has a partnership with Mineral Resource Limited (MRL, ASX: MIN), a top global lithium producer to explore and develop the Companys lithium project portfolio in Southern Manitoba. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production. The Company is actively seeking an option/joint venture partner for our newly acquired Northman, McLaughlin Lake, and South Bay Lithium Projects in northern Manitoba, and its road-accessible Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Project in Alaska.

Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Harry Barr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Farid Mammadov at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613 659 2773.

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This PEA was prepared under the supervision of Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. The metallurgical testwork, process plant design and cost estimates were prepared by David Salari, P.Eng. of D.E.N.M Engineering Ltd. The tailings facility and water management were prepared by Jessica Breault, P.Eng., the rock mechanics design input was prepared by were prepared by Ben Peacock, P.Eng. of Knight Piesold Ltd. The Environmental, Community and ESG write-up was prepared by Maria Story, P.Eng., of Story Environmental Inc. Mr. Puritch reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. William Stone, P.Geo., Lead Geoscience Consultant for New Age Metals, is the Company Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Harry Barr

Harry G. Barr

Chairman and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as continue, efforts, expect, believe, anticipate, confident, intend, strategy, plan, will, estimate, project, goal, target, prospects, optimistic or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Companys ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - HighGold Mining Inc. (TSXV: HIGH) (OTCQX: HGGOF) ("HighGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of the 2023 exploration program (the "Program") at the Johnson Tract polymetallic Gold Project ("Johnson Tract", "JT" or the "Project") in Southcentral Alaska, USA. The Project hosts the high-grade JT Deposit with a 1.05 Moz indicated resource at 9.39 g/t gold equivalent ("AuEq"). The 2023 Program plans for an 8,000 meter, two rig drill program in addition to engineering, hydrogeology and environmental studies to support permitting an underground exploration ramp as part of a multi-year 'advanced exploration' plan. Crews are now on site at the Project with drilling to commence imminently.

"With the spinout of Onyx Gold now complete, we look forward to focusing 100% of HighGold's resources to advance the Johnson Tract Project and realize the full potential of this high-quality asset," commented Darwin Green, President and CEO. "The 21,000-acre Project hosts the JT Deposit, which has the rare and attractive combination of high-grade (9.4 g/t AuEq) and exceptional width (averaging 40-meters) and has demonstrated the potential to become a multi-deposit district with the recent Ellis Zone discovery located 4 km to the northeast. Results from the Ellis Zone have been very encouraging (e.g. 6.4m at 599.4 g/t AuEq and 11.9m at 25.3 g/t AuEq*) and we are excited to be back drilling this new discovery that is open to expansion in multiple directions. Our plans include significant exploration drilling to grow the property-wide mineral resource base and to continue testing new targets that are ripe for new discoveries.

"In parallel with ongoing exploration drilling, we have outlined an advanced exploration plan designed to support future underground drilling, engineering and economic studies. Step one of this plan is to establish an expanded airstrip for larger aircraft and to build a 2.6-mile (4 km) road connecting the airstrip and camp to a proposed portal site for which permitting is now underway. Step two consists of developing an underground exploration ramp to support both detailed definition drilling of the JT Deposit and exploration drilling for mineralization to depth and along trend. Plans are to initiate permitting of the exploration ramp in early 2024 after completing additional studies and design work this year."

Exploration Drill Program Details

The objective of the 2023 drill program is to expand the known zones of mineralization at the Ellis Zone and JT Deposit and to test new high-potential target areas. Key drill targets include:

Ellis Zone expansion - Follow-up expansion drilling on 50 to 100-meter centers on the high-grade Au-Ag-Zn-Pb (+Cu) structurally controlled vein and breccia zone. The Ellis Zone shows similarities to the JT Deposit and remains open in multiple directions.

East Difficult Creek (Ellis Zone Regional) - A new interpretation suggests that the mineralized system hosting the Ellis Zone is large and continues north and east under cover, and across syn-mineralization faults. Drilling will test offset and geophysical targets under overburden cover towards the East Difficult Creek prospect.

JT Deposit - A significant east-west cross-fault has been identified south of the JT Deposit as the result of drilling and interpretative work completed in 2022. Drilling will test the continuation of the known mineralization to the south across this fault.

South Valley Target (JT Deposit South) - A blind target under overburden cover located 1 km (1/2 mile) along strike to the south of the JT Deposit. Drilling will test a geophysical anomaly that shares a similar signature to the JT Deposit. Anhydrite alteration, a key alteration type surrounding the JT Deposit, borders the South Valley target.

In addition to drilling, the 2023 exploration program will include geological mapping, prospecting, and soil & rock sampling programs to follow-up and expand on the positive results generated from the 2022 program and refine new drill targets.

Advanced Exploration Plan Details - De-risking the Project

A multi-year advanced exploration plan has been developed for the Johnson Tract project designed to de-risk the JT Project and support future engineering, environmental and economic studies that evaluate the potential for a small footprint, high-grade underground mine. A key component of this plan is to establish an exploration ramp for year-round drilling from underground. The exploration ramp will provide lateral underground access from a proposed portal site located at the base of the mountain to an area immediately adjacent the lowermost portions of the currently defined JT Deposit. The ramp will parallel the trend of mineralization and provide an ideal platform for drilling to both grow the resource and to conduct cost-effective tightly spaced definition drilling of the deepest and highest-grade portions of the JT Deposit. The exploration ramp and all related surface infrastructure including airstrip, camp and 2.6-mile (4 km) access road are located on private lands owned by Cook Inlet Region, Inc., an Alaska Native regional corporation.

Key elements of the advanced exploration plan to be completed in 2023:

Road and Expanded Airstrip Permitting - An application for a Section 404 permit was submitted in May to the US Army Corps of Engineers to lengthen and realign the existing airstrip and constructing of approximately 2.6 miles (4 km) of access road connecting the airstrip and Johnson Tract camp to the proposed exploration portal site. The permitting process for the road and airstrip is anticipated to take eight to 12 months to complete with the objective of having approvals in hand in advance of the 2024 field season.

Geotechnical Drilling for Surface Infrastructure - A shallow geotechnical drill hole program will be completed with a track-mounted rotary drill rig to support final construction design for the road and airstrip, including evaluation of local material sites.

Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Drilling for Exploration Ramp - A program of targeted geotechnical and hydrogeological core drilling (up to 1,500m of drilling) will be completed in support of permitting and design of an underground exploration ramp.

Environmental and Cultural Surveys - Various surveys will be completed to support planning and permitting efforts related to the underground exploration ramp and related infrastructure, with a plan to initiate permitting of the exploration ramp early 2024 to have in hand for 2025. Beyond the above-described Section 404 permit that is currently underway, all other permits and authorizations required for the exploration ramp and related infrastructure will be issued under State of Alaska authority.

Engineering Studies - Includes preliminary studies related to project infrastructure and evaluation of potential development scenarios.

About the Johnson Tract Gold Project

Johnson Tract is a polymetallic (gold, copper, zinc, silver, lead) project located near tidewater, 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, USA. The 21,000-acre property includes the high-grade JT Deposit and at least nine (9) other mineral prospects over a 12-kilometer strike length. HighGold acquired the Project through a lease agreement with Cook Inlet Region, Inc. ("CIRI"), one of 12 land-based Alaska Native regional corporations created by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. CIRI is owned by more than 9,000 shareholders who are primarily of Alaska Native descent.

Mineralization at Johnson Tract occurs in Jurassic intermediate volcaniclastic rocks and is characterized as epithermal-type with submarine volcanogenic attributes. The JT Deposit is a thick, steeply dipping silicified body averaging 40m true thickness that contains a stockwork of quartz-sulphide veinlets and brecciation, cutting through and surrounded by a widespread zone of anhydrite alteration. The Footwall Copper Zone is located structurally and stratigraphically below JT Deposit and is characterized by copper-silver rich mineralization.

The JT Deposit hosts an Indicated Resource of 3.489 Mt grading 9.39 g/t gold equivalent ("AuEq") comprised of 5.33 g/t Au, 6.0 g/t Ag, 0.56% Cu, 0.67% Pb and 5.21% Zn. The Inferred Resource of 0.706 Mt grading 4.76 g/t AuEq is comprised of 1.36 g/t Au, 9.1 g/t Ag, 0.59% Cu, 0.30% Pb, and 4.18% Zn. For additional details see NI 43-101 Technical Report titled "Updated Mineral Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Johnson Tract Project, Alaska," dated August 25, 2022 (effective date of July 12, 2022) authored by Ray C. Brown, James N. Gray, P.Geo. and Lyn Jones, P.Eng. Gold Equivalent ("AuEq") is based on assumed metal prices and payable metal recoveries of 97% for Au, 85% for Ag, 85% Cu, 72% Pb and 92% Zn from metallurgical testwork completed in 2022. Assumed metal prices for the Resource are US$1650/oz for gold (Au), US$20/oz for silver (Ag), US$3.50/lb for copper (Cu), US$1.00/lb for lead (Pb), and US$1.50/lb for zinc (Zn).

About HighGold

HighGold is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing the high-grade Johnson Tract Gold-Zinc-Copper Project located in accessible Southcentral Alaska, USA. HighGold's experienced Board and senior management team, are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration.

Ian Cunningham-Dunlop, P.Eng., Senior VP Exploration for HighGold Mining Inc. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.

On Behalf of HighGold Mining Inc.

"Darwin Green"

President & CEO

For further information, please visit the HighGold Mining Inc. website at www.highgoldmining.com, or contact:

Darwin Green, President & CEO or

Naomi Nemeth, VP Investor Relations Phone: 1-604-629-1165 or North American toll-free 1-855-629-1165

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.highgoldmining.com

Twitter : @HighgoldMining

*Reported Ellis Zone drill results are for drill hole DC21-010 (6.4m @ 599.4 g/t AuEq) and drill hole DC22-043 (11.9m @ 25.3 g/t AuEq). For additional information please see Company news releases dated Oct 6, 2021, and Sept 12, 2022.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively "forward looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's planned drill program and advanced exploration plans are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward- looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
VANCOUVER, BC and HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Reyna Silver Corp. (TSXV:RSLV; OTCQX:RSNVF; FRA:4ZC) ("Reyna'' or the "Company") announces that drilling has commenced at its 100% owned Batopilas Project in Chihuahua, Mexico. The 1,850-ha Batopilas Project encompasses Mexico's historically highest-grade silver district, which produced 300 Moz at average grades of 1,500 g/t Ag with native silver as the main ore mineral.

The project seeks significant undiscovered portions of the mineralized system, including both the exceptionally high-grade historically mined silver and previously unrecognized gold-rich mineralization. The gold and silver mineralization appear to reflect at least two mineralization events that exploited the same structures. This coincidence provided the opportunity to leverage the two styles of mineralization to understand the overall district framework better.

The 3,000 m drilling program will test targets generated over the past year following recognition of the overlapping gold and silver mineralizing events (see Press Release of April 12, 2022). Systematic, district-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys revealed multiple coincident anomalies that create high-potential drilling targets. Key targets include Pastrana (particularly the 14k Zone), Escritorio, Banda Este, Animas, and Las Vacas (See Figure 1.). Drillholes are designed to also intersect multiple newly identified features lying above the main targets.

"We're delighted to have rigs turning again on targets arising from our recognition of previously unsuspected gold mineralization in this historically prolific silver district," said Jorge Ramiro Monroy, CEO of Reyna Silver. "Since we discovered minable widths of high-grade gold last year, we've conducted systematic mapping, sampling, structural and geophysical studies that have led to an exciting inventory of new drilling targets."

The systematic, district-scale exploration program was initiated after:

Trenching on projections of known structures to the northeast of the historic mining area revealed silver mineralization grading 305 g/t to 42,302 g/t Ag, as well as, significant gold mineralization grading as high as 21.4 g/t Au (see Press Release of February 4, 2021). This was the first time significant gold was found in the district.

Drilllhole BA21-30 intercepted 3.2 m (core length) grading 703 g/t Ag and 3.03 g/t Au revealing the NE-trending Cobriza vein (see Press Release of September 8, 2021).

Hole BA21-34, drilled farther to the northeast along the trend, intersected 0.25 m grading 36.1 g/t Au (see Press Release of April 12, 2022).

Hole BA21-42A in the Orochi area cut 3.65 m of 8.1 g/t Au at 180 m downhole (see Press Release of April 12, 2022).

The gold and silver mineralization appear to reflect at least two mineralization events that exploited the same structural system. This coincidence provided the opportunity to leverage the two styles of mineralization to understand the overall district framework better.

Figure 1: Key target area resulting from the combination of sampling, geophysics, and structural studies includes Pastrana, Escritorio, Banda Este, Las Vacas, and Animas.

Sampling Program

Over 2,700 samples were collected through detailed selective sampling along previously underexplored structures and outcrops as well as old mine workings. The first 1,500 samples revealed: additional gold mineralization southeast of the historic district; additional structures carrying a combination of gold and silver mineralization; and recognition of surface expressions of mineralized structures (See Press Release from September 13, 2022).

Within the 357 highest-grade samples collected, 4.6% returned values between 150 g/t and 2290 g/t Ag; and 3.0% were between 1.0 g/t and 12.85 g/t Au (See Tables below for details of the result highlights).

In Banda Este, gold mineralization returning values of up to 27 g/t Au were found in the N-S trending "Veta Rojas" zone. This parallels the Teodoro and Orochi zones to the north (where the first significant gold mineralization was found in 2022), which reinforces this exciting target (See Table 2).

Extension to the N-NE of the historic main Todos los Santos vein. This is an area of high potential, including opportunities to find blind secondary vein splays off the main vein.

Values up to 2,290 g/t Ag in veins of the Santo Domingo-San Miguel-Nevada group, where 10 important veins were mined historically. Potential lies mainly to the SW through an explored zone about 800 meters long in Reyna Silver claims (See Table 1).

In the Pastrana area, values of up to 14,000 g/t Ag (hence the 14k Zone name) were reported along major structures trending north towards the Cobriza intersection, where high-grade silver mineralization was found in 2021 (See Press Release from September 13, 2022).

Reassaying of historic MAG silver holes identified gold mineralization in Holes BA07-18 and BA08-25.

Table 1. Highlights of Silver Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Ag (g/t) 203324 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.15 2290 203327 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.15 2080 203408 Select Vein Ventura 3 Mine 0.04 1450 203306 Select Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.1 1000 182129 Channel Vein Penasquito Mine 0.3 506 182118 Channel Vein Penasquito Mine 0.45 484 203478 Channel Vein Porfirio Diaz Tunnel 0.2 407

Table 2. Highlights of Gold Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) 203739 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.45 27.4 203526 Rock Chip Vein Banda Este 0.1 12.3 203685 S no elect Fracture Banda Este 0.35 11.7 203733 Select Vein Banda Este 1.8 8.2 182051 Channel Fault Banda Este 0.4 4.7 203428 Channel Fractures Ventura Mine 0.3 4.6 203697 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.2 4.5 203694 Select Vein Banda Este 0.2 4.4 203732 Select Vein Banda Este 0.9 4

Table 3. Highlights of Silver & Gold Combination Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) 203682 Select Fracture Banda Este 0.15 7.4 981 203319 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.25 6.2 370 182012 Channel Fracture Banda Este 0.3 3.1 443 203465 Channel Vein Porfirio Diaz Tunnel 1.5 2.5 334 203625 Rock Chip Banda Este 2.5 919

Table 4. Highlights of Silver, Lead, and Zinc Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) 182058 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.2 0.7 181 18.1 182139 Channel Vein Penasquito Mine 0.35 0.6 333 2.9 182143 Channel Vein Cata San Andreas 0.3 0 297 1.9 9.7 203319 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.25 6.2 370 1 1.2 203367 Channel Fault Mina La Nevada 1.9 0.3 370 13.4 1.1

Geophysics program

Figure 2. A projection of the 3D geophysics overlaid on the topography of the Batopilas project at an azimuth of 290 and plunging 20 degrees. Notice the strong transition on the left side representing the Roncesvalles fault.

Geophysics

A detailed 11.2 kilometer-line Audio Magneto-Tellurics (AMT) geophysical survey was undertaken to outline major structures and features that control vein orientation, dilatant zones and location of mineralization. As hoped, high-angle discontinuities were revealed that appear to coincide with structures that were historically mined for high-grade silver at high elevations during the Colonial era. These results confirm both the extent of dominant features historically associated with significant mineralization in the district as well as supporting geological targets to be tested in the upcoming campaign. Case in point is the Roncesvalles Vein-Fault, one of the largest features in the Batopilas District, and long considered to be one of the main controls on silver mineralization. The geophysics in this area highlights the fault and also shows a number of related untested features (See Figure 2). The new geophysics also highlights an anomaly parallel to the Cobriza vein where MAG Silver drilled 100 m of anomalous Ag, Pb, and Zn in Hole BA08-21 and over 350 g/t Ag in Hole BA07-19.

Structural Study

A combination of underground and surface studies were conducted by expert ore deposit structural geologists to understand the controls on the geometry of historic ore shoots and the surface expressions of the mineralization- including the newly identified gold-bearing structures. They identified subtle features in the relationship of certain structures with each other that combined with the geophysics and sampling reinforces the current targets.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Dr. Peter Megaw, Ph.D., C.P.G., the Company's Chief Exploration Advisor and Qualified Person, reviewed the technical aspects of the exploration projects described herein and is responsible for the design and conduct of the exploration program and the verification and quality assurance of analytical results. Dr. Megaw is not independent as he and/or companies with which he is affiliated hold Net Smelter Royalties on the Guigui and Batopilas Projects that predate Reyna Silver acquiring them.

ABOUT REYNA SILVER

Reyna Silver Corp. (TSXV:RSLV) is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company focused on exploring for high-grade, district-scale silver deposits in Mexico and USA.

Reyna's principal properties are the Guigui and Batopilas Properties in Chihuahua, Mexico. Guigui covers the interpreted source area for the Santa Eulalia Carbonate Replacement District (CRD) and Batopilas covers most of Mexico's historically highest-grade silver system. The Company also has an option to acquire 100% of the Medicine Springs property in Nevada, USA, as well as the early-stage La Durazno and Matilde and La Reyna mineral properties in Mexico.
Combined Length of 375 m in Three Distinct Vein Zones Uncovered to Date

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") is pleased to announce the results of surficial stripping of veins and vein systems at the Campbell-Crawford area, including the interpreted Angus Vein and two other nearby, parallel veins (McNamara and Clark). Surface stripping of these veins to date has uncovered a combined intermittent surface length exposure of 375 m and these veins have the same potential for bonanza-grade silver at depth as the Angus Vein (see Kuya Silver news releases dated April 4 and May 30, 2023). The Company is also pleased to announce final results for the 2023 Phase 1 drilling campaign including the Campbell-Crawford, North Drummond and Silver Leaf areas (holes 23-SK-01 to -07, -09 and -010), which includes the discovery of an additional buried mineralized vein at Campbell-Crawford.

Highlights:

Three veins and/or veins systems, including the interpreted surface expression of the Angus Vein, have been uncovered on surface at Campbell-Crawford and the adjacent Airgiod area, for a combined length to date of 375 m

All three veins and vein zones remain open along trend and have a similar east-west orientation: The Angus Vein is exposed for 175 m along strike (aside from a 75 m gap) and the vein zone is up to 3.60 m wide The newly uncovered McNamara Vein, located 20 m north of the Angus Vein, is exposed for 75 m and open in both directions with a vein zone up to 1.00 m wide The newly uncovered Clark Vein, intermittently exposed for 125 m along trend (maximum 25 m continuous exposure), occurs 225 m northwest of the Angus Vein on the adjacent Airgiod property

The Angus and Clark veins host visually- or pXRF-identified but sporadic cobalt and/or nickel mineralization, which, similar to the Angus Vein discovery, may be associated with silver. Based on Kuya Silver's exploration model, bonanza-grade silver-cobalt would potentially occur in these veins at depth near the lower Nipissing Diabase rock contact (see Kuya Silver news releases dated April 4 and May 30, 2023)

Final drill results from the 2023 Phase 1 program indicate an additional mineralized vein zone at Campbell-Crawford, trending north-south, that was intersected too deeply. Silver-cobalt content would be expected to increase towards surface and at the intersection with the Angus and McNamara veins

Additional mineralized veins, ranging up to 108 g/t silver, 1.18% cobalt and 0.98% nickel, were intersected in drilling at North Drummond, Silver Leaf and Campbell-Crawford

David Lewis, Kuya Silver Vice President Exploration, commented: "Exposing the vein systems at Campbell-Crawford on surface has been extremely beneficial to our efforts, especially the orientation, continuity and density of veining (Figure 1). Our current understanding is that the exposed veins at Campbell-Crawford match with the mineralization we intersected at depth, specifically the 2,400 oz/t silver mineralized Angus Vein and subsidiary mineralized veins. The recognition of two additional vein zones helps us expand the potential size of the target area. The extent of the veins, which is up to 175 m per vein, remains open in all directions and the vein zone width is especially encouraging. The lack of higher-grade mineralization on surface is not surprising - if the veins were highly mineralized, the area would most likely have already been mined. I am very excited to follow up on these targets at depth with our next drill campaign."

Figure 1- Vein maps showing distribution and extent of surficial veining relative to 2023 drilling by Kuya Silver. AgEq* calculation information is provided in Table 1.

Campbell-Crawford and Airgiod surface stripping

To date, three veins and/or veins zones have been stripped and exposed along trend. The southerly vein at Campbell-Crawford is currently interpreted to be the surface exposure of the Angus Vein, which was drilled in early 2023 with silver assays of 15,372 g/t over 3.34 m (discovery hole 23-SK-08) and 2,424 g/t over 2.49 m (hole 23-SK-13 - see Kuya Silver May 30, 2023 news release). The vein is exposed for 75 m along strike plus, 70 m further away, for an additional 30 m for a total 175 m length. Cobalt and nickel mineralization occur sporadically in the vein on surface, but the major silver intersection was at depth along the lower Nipissing Diabase rock contact at approximately 225 m vertical depth. The vein dips steeply (80) south and strikes east-west (085) through the majority of the exposed zone rotates anticlockwise to the southwest (075).

A second vein, hereby named the McNamara Vein, is located 20 m north of the Angus Vein. It has a similar orientation to the Angus Vein, containing primarily calcite on surface. In drilling, low-grade cobalt and arsenic values were intersected. These metal assemblages are directly comparable to drilling results of the Angus Vein, suggesting that the McNamara Vein may host silver and/or higher-grade cobalt at depth. On surface, the vein is exposed for 75 m and, in one area, is up to 0.30 m wide within a wider vein zone of up to 1.0 m and with an orientation matching the Angus Vein.

At the adjoining Airgiod property, a third vein was exposed. This vein, hereby named the Clark Vein, is exposed for 25 m, then sporadically for an additional 100 m, for a combined 125 m total length with historic pits on both sides. Sporadic visually-identified cobalt mineralization occurs in the western blast pit along this vein. The orientation of this vein matches the Angus and McNamara veins.

Although these veins and vein zones were identified and documented in the early history of the camp (1900s to 1910s), very little follow-up work was done as they are not highly mineralized at surface (Sergiades 1968). Drilling by Kuya Silver in early 2023 intersected silver at approximately 225 m depth at Campbell-Crawford and the similar target horizon at Airgiod would likely be approximately 250 m deep.

Silver-Cobalt and Base Metal Mineralization Intersected At North Drummond Target

Drilling was completed at three target areas: North Drummond (23-SK-01 to -03), Silver Leaf (23-SK-04 to -06) and Campbell-Crawford (23-SK-07 to -13). See Table 1 and 2 for mineralized intervals and drill hole information.

At North Drummond, drilling was targeting the extension of known mineralization from previous drillholes, including hole FCC-18-0093, which intersected 639 g/t silver and 0.61% cobalt over 2.20 m in two proximal veins. Hole 23-SK-01 terminated before the target in a void at 75 m. Hole 23-SK-02 intersected several mineralized veins, including 108 g/t silver, 1.18% cobalt with base metals over 0.33 m. Hole 23-SK-03 intersected 27 g/t silver, 0.23% cobalt with base metals in two veins over 1.70 m. The base metals, which sometimes occur with cobalt and silver in the mineralized veins, tend to be associated with, but distal to, the highest-grade silver-cobalt mineralization. It is worth noting that copper and nickel were recovered from some of the historical mines in the camp as a by-product (Sergiades 1968).

Drilling at the North Drummond target remained below the ideal target horizon and barge drilling on Kerr Lake will most likely be required for follow-up work.

At Silver Leaf, two previously-unknown mineralized veins were intersected when testing the extent of the North Vein at Silver Leaf and Crown Reserve, including 0.15% cobalt over 0.30 m at 113.49 m depth and 55 g/t silver, 0.06% cobalt over 0.30 m at 131.1 m depth. Two follow up holes were drilled with no significant results.

At Campbell-Crawford, several branches of a mineralized, north-south striking vein were intersected at depth. These veins were intersected in hole 23-SK-07 at a depth of 294 m, 299 m, 303 m, and 335 m, ranging from a vertical depth of 40 to 75 m below the Nipissing Diabase contact. Highly anomalous silver and cobalt grades range up to 14 g/t silver and 0.02% cobalt over 3.00 m (303.00 m depth), and this vein was not recognized in the surface stripping program. The intersection of this north-south trending vein with the east-west trending McNamara and Angus veins are high priority targets for follow-up drilling.

Note: Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a rapid and non-destructive analytical method used to precisely measure the point source (or spot) elemental composition of materials. Portable XRF measurements were captured using a handheld Thermo-Scientific Niton XL3t instrument, which was professionally calibrated in 2021 by Elemental Controls in Mississauga, Ontario.

Flow Through Financing

Kuya Silver announces it intends to complete a non-brokered flow-through private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CAD$1,500,000, with option to increase up to an additional CAD$1,000,000 (the "Offering"). Under the Offering, the Company will issue flow-through units (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of CAD$0.44 per FT Unit. Each FT Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company that qualifies as a "flow-through share" for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Common Share") and one-half of one (1/2) non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) non-flow-through common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") at price of CAD$0.60 per Common Share for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for expenditures that qualify as Canadian Exploration Expenses, within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada), to carry out exploration programs on the Company's Canadian properties.

In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay finder's fees to qualified non-related parties, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange").

All securities issued under the Offering, including securities issuable on exercise thereof, will be subject to a hold period expiring 4 months and 1 day after issuance, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws.

Hole number From To Length Ag Co AgEq* Comments m m m g/t % g/t Significant Mineralization 23-SK-02 203.67 204 0.33 108 1.18 569 Includes 0.12% Cu, 0.95% Pb, 1.29% Zn 23-SK-03 161.3 163 1.7 27 0.09 60 Includes 0.79% Cu, 0.66% Pb Including 161.6 162 0.4 93 0.85 425 Includes 3.01% Cu, 2.09% Pb, 0.11% Zn Anomalous Mineralization 23-SK-02 157.6 158.02 0.42 32 0.01 36 Includes 5.24% Pb, 4.46% Zn And 161.06 161.38 0.32 6 0.04 20 Includes 0.74% Pb, 4.64% Zn And 225 227 2 2 0.01 6 Includes 0.16% Pb, 0.63% Zn And 246 247 1 31 0.03 44 And 265 266 1 29 0.01 31 23-SK-03 66 67 1 18 0.01 22 Includes 0.31% Cu, 0.83% Pb, 0.48% Zn And 72.5 73 0.5 23 0.00 24 Includes 0.78% Cu, 0.27% Pb, 0.13% Zn 23-SK-04 113.49 113.79 0.3 0 0.15 60 And 131.1 131.4 0.3 55 0.06 78 23-SK-09 281 282.58 1.58 37 0.01 41 Includes 0.73% Cu, 2.23% Zn 23-SK-10 241.53 243 1.47 16 0.02 24 Includes 0.12% Cu, 0.20% Zn

Table 1- Significant and anomalous mineralization intersected in drilling. Vein intersections do not represent true widths of mineralization. AgEq* was calculated using silver (Ag) and cobalt (Co) grades only, with values captured on June 28, 2023. Silver price of $22.71/oz ($USD) and cobalt price of $28,500.00/tonne ($USD) were used.

Hole ID Easting Northing mASL Azimuth Dip Depth 23-SK-01 601802 5247933 320 293 -40 74.56 23-SK-02 601806 5247945 320 293 -40 300 23-SK-03 601811 5247956 320 299 -40 252 23-SK-04 601077 5247878 312 0 -65 186 23-SK-05 601077 5247878 312 340 -65 192 23-SK-06 601077 5247878 312 20 -65 198

Table 2- Collar coordinated and drill orientations from the North Drummond and Silver Leaf drilling. Drill information from the Campbell-Crawford drilling can be located in the Kuya Silver news release dated April 4, 2023. All units are in meters and coordinated are presented in UTM NAD83 Zone 17N.

References

Sergiades, A.O. 1968. Silver Cobalt Calcite Vein Deposits of Ontario; Ontario Department of Mines, Mineral Resources Circular No. 10, 498p.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The drill core samples were logged and sampled with limestone blank material and standard reference material added in sample sequence and/or following visual identification of silver or cobalt mineralization. The samples were cut or split perpendicular to veining by core saw and were secured in labelled vinyl sample bags. Samples were shipped to AGAT Laboratories in Mississauga, Ontario, where they were weighed, crushed and pulverized. At AGAT Labs, samples were digested by 4-acid and analyzed by ICP-OES (maximum undiluted detection limit of 500 g/t silver).

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. David Lewis, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Kuya Silver and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadianbased mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada.

For more information, please contact:

David Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 3984493

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.kuyasilver.com

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information," including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, any discussion of the potential of exploration targets, assay results and the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering, is forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
DALLAS, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - enCore Energy Corp. ("enCore" or the "Company") (NYSE American: EU) (TSXV: EU) announced today that Mr. Dain McCoig has been appointed as the Director of Technical Services effective immediately. Mr. McCoig brings over 15 years of experience at enCore's South Texas plants where he was focused on uranium extraction and In-Situ Recovery (ISR) processing. Mr. McCoig is responsible for engineering and technical support on all projects within the Company's production pipeline.

Mr. Dain McCoig, PE Director of Technical Services

Mr. McCoig began his career in 2004 as the Plant Engineer for Uranium Resources Inc. (URI) at the Kingsville Dome ISR Uranium Central Processing Plant (CPP) in South Texas, now owned by enCore Energy. As URI's Plant Superintendent, Senior Engineer, Manager of Operations and Vice President, Operations, Mr. McCoig worked on URI's South Texas and New Mexico projects. He was involved in all aspects of the uranium extraction process, including design, construction, operations and reclamation. Mr. McCoig oversaw the startup of the Rosita CPP (now owned by enCore Energy), the Kingsville CPP and the Vasquez project. He most recently served as Vice President of Operations during the construction of a graphite facility in Alabama before returning to the uranium extraction industry. Mr. McCoig has a BSc in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Paul Goranson, Chief Executive Officer, stated: "I am pleased to work with Dain again, a welcome addition to the strong technical team at enCore. His knowledge and previous experience at our processing plants is invaluable. An experienced team is our best asset as we simultaneously push the Rosita CPP and Alta Mesa CPP back into production."

South Dakota Mineral Industries Association

enCore congratulates Mr. Jon Winter, enCore's Permitting and Regulatory Affairs Manager, recently appointed as a Director of the Board of the South Dakota Mineral Industries Association (SDMIS). Find out more about the SDMIA here: https://sdmineralindustries.org/

About enCore Energy Corp.

enCore Energy Corp., America's Clean Energy Company, is committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable domestic nuclear energy by becoming the next United States uranium producer in 2023. enCore solely utilizes In-Situ Recovery (ISR) for uranium extraction, a well-known and proven technology co-developed by the leaders at enCore Energy. In-Situ Recovery extracts uranium in a non-invasive process using natural groundwater and oxygen, coupled with a proven ion exchange process, to recover the uranium. Uranium production is planned at enCore's licensed and past-producing South Texas Rosita Processing Plant in 2023, and at its licensed and past-producing South Texas Alta Mesa Processing Plant in 2024.

Future projects in enCore's production pipeline include the Dewey-Burdock project in South Dakota and the Gas Hills project in Wyoming, along with significant uranium resource endowments in New Mexico providing long term opportunities. The enCore team is led by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of ISR uranium operations and the nuclear fuel cycle. enCore diligently works to realize value from other owned assets, including our proprietary uranium database that includes technical information from many past producing companies, from our various non-core assets, and by leveraging our ISR expertise in researching opportunities that support the use of this technology as applied to other metals. enCore is also committed to working with local communities and indigenous governments to create positive impact from corporate developments.

Neither the NYSE American nor the TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain information contained in this news release, including any statements regarding future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "is expected", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; the ability of enCore to implement its business strategies; and other risks. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation exploration and development risks, changes in commodity prices, access to skilled mining personnel, the results of exploration and development activities; production risks; uninsured risks; regulatory risks; defects in title; the availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government approvals and unanticipated environmental impacts on operations; risks posed by the economic and political environments in which the Company operates and intends to operate; increased competition; assumptions regarding market trends and the expected demand and desires for the Company's products and proposed products; reliance on industry equipment manufacturers, suppliers and others; the failure to adequately protect intellectual property; the failure to adequately manage future growth; adverse market conditions, the failure to satisfy ongoing regulatory requirements and factors relating to forward looking statements listed above which include risks as disclosed in the Company's annual information form filings. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of management. Such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes and readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based 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.
VANCOUVER, BC, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Targa Exploration Corp. (CSE: TEX) (FRA: V6Y) (OTCQB: TRGEF) ("Targa" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Offering will consist of the sale of: (i) hard dollar units of the Company (each, an "HD Unit") at a price of $0.40 per HD Unit; (ii) flow-through units of the Company (each, an "FT Unit") at a price of $0.46 per FT Unit; and (iii) Quebec super-flow-through units of the Company (each, a "Super FT Unit" and together with the HD Units and FT Units, the "Units") at a price of $0.46 per Super FT Unit. Aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering are expected to be at least $3,000,000, consisting of a combination of HD Units, FT Units and Super FT Units with a maximum of 3,750,000 HD Units, 2,000,000 FT Units and 3,125,000 Super FT Units being offered.

Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one-half of a common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.70 until the date which is 24 months following the Closing Date (as defined below). Each FT Unit and Super FT Unit will be issued as a "flow-through share" as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each Super FT Unit will also be issued as a "flow-through share" as defined in section 359.1 of the Quebec Tax Act with respect to purchasers in Quebec.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for exploration of the Company's lithium projects and for working capital purposes. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Units and Super FT Units will be used to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures. The Company has agreed to renounce such qualifying expenditures with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2023, in an aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of the gross proceeds raised from the issuance of FT Units and Super FT Units.

Closing of the Offering is anticipated to occur on or about July 20th, 2023 (the "Closing Date") and is subject to customary closing conditions. In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay finder's fees to eligible finders. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of 4 months and a day from the Closing Date.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About Targa

Targa Exploration Corp. (CSE: TEX | FRA: V6Y | OTCQB: TRGEF) is a Canadian lithium exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium mineral properties with headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia. Targa's lithium project portfolio consists of ten projects in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan and covers over 275,000 hectares of prospective ground, most of which has never been explored previously for lithium.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "ForwardLooking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forwardlooking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forwardlooking statements or information. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: required regulatory approvals and fulfilling other closing conditions related to the Offering; closing of the Offering and the Closing Date; the use of the proceeds raised from the Offering; and the exploration and development of the Company's properties.

Forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Targa, future growth potential for Targa and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of lithium and other metals; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Targa's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect Targa's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information and Targa has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: price volatility of lithium and other metals; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mineral exploration activities in Canada; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in Targa's management discussion and analysis and other public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information. Although Targa 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 anticipated, estimated or intended. Targa does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe Ambassador Arman Khachatryan delivered a speech at the Committee of Ministers meeting, addressing the illegal Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, the gross violations of the ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh and ongoing provocations. He presented the latest attack by Azerbaijan which left four Nagorno Karabakh soldiers dead.

Azerbaijan is attempting to commit ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh through the blockade, the gas and power supply cutoff, hate speech and threats, the ambassador warned.

Khachatryan presented the Ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which warns that the current situation could lead to the population of Nagorno Karabakh leaving their homes, calls for a direct dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and urges an immediate deployment of a fact-finding mission of the CoE.

A PACE recommendation on Lachin Corridor addressed to the Committee of Ministers is pointing out the humanitarian and human rights crisis facing the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijans unilateral actions. The Armenian representative called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the premeditated human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

An exchange of views took place during the meeting with PACE President Tiny Kox and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic. The Armenian ambassador stressed the importance of the involvement of PACE and the Human Rights Commissioner in addressing the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor.
MONTREAL, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA) (OTCQX: AYASF) ("Aya" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce it has acquired the Tirzzit Project ("Tirzzit"), a collection of seven permits located 25 kilometers from the Zgounder Silver Mine in the Kingdom of Morocco. This acquisition adds a historical mine with a significant amount of proprietary data as well as a prolific land package with tremendous potential.

Transaction Highlights

On close of the Tirzzit acquisition,

Aya will control 100% of Tirzzit in Morocco

Aya is paying a total consideration of approximately US$4.9 million 1 including US$800,000 in cash as well as 622,728 Aya shares

including in cash as well as 622,728 Aya shares Aya acquires the following: Seven permits, comprising five exploration permits and two mining licenses, one of which hosts a high-grade historical copper ("Cu") mine Historical data including drill results and geophysics, which Aya will use to launch fieldwork to enhance its understanding of Tirzzit A property totaling 67.7 square kilometers ("km")



The transaction remains subject to final TSX approval and regulatory approval in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Aya shares issued pursuant to the transaction are subject to 4-month statutory hold period, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities law.

_____________________________ 1 Total value estimated using a share price of CAD$8.666/share and an exchange rate USD/CAD: 1.3162

Tirzzit Potential

Historical copper mine offering near-surface silver and copper mineralization potential, with historical drilling intercepts of up to 3.5% Cu

Mineralization of historical deposit remains open in three directions

No systematic exploration program using modern methods

Easy road access and proximity to infrastructure

"The acquisition of Tirzzit fits with our objective of expanding our mineralized footprint in Morocco, and accretively growing our resource base. It also provides long-term exposure to a new potential mining district within trucking distance of Zgounder. Very little exploration has been carried out to date on the new permits, offering our team an opportunity to quickly unlock value for all stakeholders. We look forward to launching an exploration program and maximizing value in the near term," said Benoit La Salle, President & CEO.

Next Steps

Aya will adopt a systematic approach to its exploration of Tirzzit, starting with a deeper analysis of historical data, including drilling data, and by launching a fieldwork program on the properties before year-end 2023. Depending on the results, a first drill program is envisaged in 2024.

Mineralization

The Tirzzit deposit lies within the western segment of the Tazoult inlier. The geology of the properties is composed by Precambrian and Infra-Cambrian formations, so-called "Serie de Base" overlain by dolomites and limestones. The copper mineralization is mainly hosted within calcareous siltstones and sandstones to sandy dolomites in the upper portion of the "Serie de Base" Formation.

Access

The Tirzzit properties are located some 225 km from Agadir on well-maintained paved highways, N10 and P1706, that run east for 205 km to Taliouine in the Taroudant province. Most of the remaining 12 km to the property are traveled on a paved road to the village of Tassousfi. The seven permits are located almost contiguously, within 25 km of Zgounder.

Qualified Person

The technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by David Lalonde, BSc, Head of Exploration, and a Qualified Personas defined in National Instrument 43-101. He has not verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying the technical information in this news release since such data is historical and the original drill core is not available.

About Aya Gold & Silver Inc.

Aya Gold & Silver Inc. is a rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-producing mines and historical resources. Aya's Moroccan mining assets are complemented by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which is being advanced to feasibility.

Aya's management team maximises shareholder value by anchoring sustainability at the heart of its production, resource, governance, and financial growth plans.

For additional information, please visit Aya's website at www.ayagoldsilver.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Aya's future growth and business prospects (including the timing and development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and other opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "deliver", "plan", "scheduled", "trends", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend", "ability to" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements and information with respect to the exploration and development potential of Zgounder and the conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources into Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, future opportunities for enhancing development at Zgounder, and timing for the release of the Company's disclosure in connection with the foregoing. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Aya cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions, and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the closing and timing of financing, the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, the presence of artisanal miners, obtaining regulatory permits for on site work, importing goods and machinery and employment permits, the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates (including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), the price of silver, the price of gold, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, anticipated future estimates of free cash flow, and courses of action. Aya cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of silver gold and other key inputs, changes in mine plans (including, but not limited to, throughput and recoveries being affected by metallurgical characteristics) and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Aya, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Aya's 2022 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2023, and in other filings of Aya with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Aya does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs, and opinions change. Nothing in this document should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Aya securities. All references to Aya include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.

Appendix
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newcore Gold Ltd. ("Newcore" or the "Company") (TSX-V: NCAU, OTCQX: NCAUF) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing pursuant to which the Company issued 33,333,332 units of the Company at $0.15 per Unit (the "Units") for aggregate gross proceeds of $4,999,999.80 (the "Offering"). The securities were offered under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined below).

Luke Alexander, President and CEO of Newcore stated, "We are pleased to be welcoming a new institutional investor and would also like to thank our existing shareholders for their continued support. Management and the Board of Directors also meaningfully participated in the financing, continuing to be strongly aligned with shareholders by way of an approximate 21% equity ownership post financing. In a difficult market, we have been able to secure funding that allows Newcore to continue to advance and de-risk the development of our Enchi Gold Project in Ghana. This funding will allow us to complete additional drilling and development work as we prove out the district scale potential of the property."

Each Unit consisted of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.20 per Common Share at any time on or before June 28, 2024.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund exploration and development activities at the Companys 100% owned Enchi Gold Project in Ghana, as well as for general corporate and working capital purposes.

The Units were sold to purchasers pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (the "LIFE Exemption") under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106  Prospectus Exemptions. The securities issued in the Offering pursuant to the LIFE Exemption will not be subject to a statutory hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

In connection with the completion of the Offering, the Company paid $25,125 to certain arm-length third parties who assisted in introducing subscribers to the Offering.

Certain directors and management of the Company (the "Insiders") participated in the Offering. Participation by the Insiders in the Offering was considered a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as the Insiders are directors or senior officers of the Company. The Company was exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the Insiders participation in the Offering in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101.

The securities offered have not, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a U.S. person. "U.S. person" and "United States" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

About Newcore Gold Ltd.

Newcore Gold is advancing its Enchi Gold Project located in Ghana, Africas largest gold producer (1). Newcore Gold offers investors a unique combination of top-tier leadership, who are aligned with shareholders through their 21% equity ownership, and prime district scale exploration opportunities. Enchis 216 km2 land package covers 40 kilometres of Ghanas prolific Bibiani Shear Zone, a gold belt which hosts several 5 million-ounce gold deposits, including the Chirano mine 50 kilometers to the north. Newcores vision is to build a responsive, creative and powerful gold enterprise that maximizes returns for shareholders.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Newcore Gold Ltd.

Luke Alexander

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Mal Karwowska | Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

+1 604 484 4399

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.newcoregold.com

(1) Source: Production volumes for 2022 as sourced from the World Gold Council

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes statements that contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). 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 involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the use of proceeds from the Offering, magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; and future exploration prospects.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. The assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Newcore. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Newcore believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Newcore cannot provide any assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information also involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Newcore to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: risks related to the speculative nature of Newcores business; Newcores formative stage of development; Newcores financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold and other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, unusual or unexpected geological formations); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Newcore disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. 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.
The death toll from a Russian missile strike on a restaurant in eastern Ukraine rose to 11 on Wednesday, including children, as the Kremlin insisted Russian forces only hit military-linked targets.

The latest tragedy came as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been "weakened" by the Wagner mercenary group's mutiny but that the ultimate consequences of the rebellion remained unclear.

Three children were among the dead and at least 56 people were injured in the strike on the Ria Pizza restaurant in the town of Kramatorsk.

The eatery was popular with soldiers and journalists in one of the largest towns still under Ukrainian control in the east.

"The bodies of 11 people, including three children, have been pulled out of the rubble, 56 people were injured, including one child," Ukraine's emergency services said on social media.

Military doctor Galyna said she was near the restaurant when it was struck.

"We were in an apartment and we heard an explosion," she said, adding there were numerous injured inside.

"It's horrible and very sad, but I am not surprised that a missile arrived here. It was a place where you could come and have a delicious lunch and coffee.

"I myself have sat there more than once."

"Strikes are only carried out on objects that are in one way or another linked to military infrastructure," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"The Russian Federation does not carry out strikes on civilian infrastructure," he added.

- 'Pariah around the world' -

Days after Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin's aborted rebellion -- widely seen as the biggest threat to Kremlin authority in decades -- Scholz said it would "surely have long-term consequences in Russia".

"I do believe that he (Putin) is weakened," Scholz told public broadcaster ARD.

"It shows that the autocratic structures, the power structures, have cracks and he in no way sits as firmly in the saddle as he always claims," the German leader said.

"But I don't want to take part in speculation about how long he'll stay in office -- it could be a long time or short, we don't know."

US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Putin was "losing" the war in Ukraine but that it was too early to tell whether he had been weakened by the Wagner group's aborted rebellion.

Asked by reporters at the White House whether Putin was now weaker, Biden said: "It's hard to tell, but he's clearly losing the war" in Ukraine and "he's losing the war at home."

Putin is now "a pariah around the world," Biden added in brief remarks.

In a meeting with a leader of the Caucasus republic of Dagestan, parts of which were aired on state television, Putin on Wednesday said that he "didn't doubt" that he had support of Russians during the mutiny.

A day after Belarus welcomed Prigozhin into exile, Polish President Andrzej Duda warned the presence of Wagner troops in the Moscow-allied neighbour could pose a potential threat to the region.

"It is difficult for us to exclude today that the presence of the Wagner Group in Belarus could pose a potential threat to Poland, which shares a border with Belarus, a threat to Lithuania... as well as potentially to Latvia," Duda told reporters during a visit to Kyiv.

A feud between Wagner and the Russian army had escalated for months, with Prigozhin making increasingly scathing statements against the generals' handling of the offensive in Ukraine, blaming them for thousands of Russian losses.

According to a Wall Street Journal report Wednesday, Prigozhin aimed to detain the heads of the Russian military in the mutiny, but they discovered his planned rebellion early and avoided capture.

- 'War crime' -

Kyiv has said the mutiny's influence on fighting was minimal.

"Unfortunately, Prigozhin gave up too quickly. So there was no time for this demoralising effect to penetrate Russian trenches," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN in a video published Wednesday.

The bloody conflict is now 16 months old, with mass casualties on both sides and a rising civilian toll.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it had evidence that Russian troops had summarily executed at least 77 detained civilians.

"It is a war crime... it's also a gross violation of international human rights law," said Matilda Bogner, head of the mission.

Lithuania said Wednesday it had bought two Norwegian-made NASAMS air defence launchers for Ukraine and would deliver them within three months.
Thirty-one days of hearings, 106 witnesses and civil parties heard, 288 hours of debate: on trial in Paris since May 10 for genocide, crimes against humanity, complicity in crimes against humanity and conspiracy to participate in these crimes, Philippe Hategekimana was on June 28 found guilty on almost all charges.

The former Rwandan gendarme  who obtained French citizenship in 2005 under the name Philippe Manier - was accused of multiple murders and massacres committed on the territory of the Nyanza gendarmerie, where he was chief warrant officer, in the southern Rwandan province of Butare.

The accused pleaded his innocence to the bitter end, insisting that at the time of the massacres he had left the region and that he helped several Tutsi families to escape. "The genocide did take place, I witnessed it. But I have nothing to reproach myself for," he declared on June 20. At the start of his trial, Hategekimana talked about his life before and after the genocide, but throughout the hearings he refused to comment on the events of which he is accused, stating only that he was not present.

"What do we know about Philippe Hategekimana?" asked public prosecutor Celine Viguier on June 26. "No comment" was probably the phrase he uttered the most, along with "I don't know this witness". Recalling that no member of the accused's family came to testify, she continued: "The feeling we get is that Mr Philippe Manier doesn't want us to know too much about him, so that we stick to the version of himself he's willing to give. And it was this version that the two prosecutors set out to dismantle, piece by piece, in a presentation lasting almost five hours, at the end of which they requested a life sentence.

The contradictions of Biguma

Starting with the question of his presence in the Nyanza region from April 23 to May 1994 during the bloody days of the massacre, Hategekimana asserted that he was either leaving or had left, transferred to Kigali. "Should we believe him?" asked Celine Viguier. "His statements have varied so much, depending on the person questioning him. The former gendarme, she recalled, over time gave different departure dates, declaring himself unsure of the precise day -- "It was so long ago," he told the examining magistrate -- while several "corroborating testimonies" placed this departure "in mid-May" at the earliest, the prosecutor stressed. Hategekimana "has a peculiar relationship with the truth", she asserted, saying he invented a past for himself when he applied for asylum, but also in the resume he produced as part of his job search. He also changed his name several times. As for the nickname "Biguma", by which victims and witnesses referred to him throughout the proceedings, the accused only denied it in the final days of the trial, during his final interrogation, added her colleague Louisa Ait Hamou. "Philippe Hategekimana is 'Biguma'," she said, "and that's how we'll refer to him.

The public prosecutor set out to demonstrate inconsistencies in the accused's account. She pointed to the fact that he could remember few colleagues names although he claimed to have been head of human resources at the Nyanza gendarmerie, said he had not heard of Nyabubare hill despite it being in the area, nor the burgomaster Narcisse Nyagasaza, whom he was accused of killing. How could he not know him?" Louisa Ait Hamou exclaimed. "Even under normal circumstances, the gendarmes had to deal with the civil authorities in their sector. And Narcisse Nyagasaza was one of the few elected Tutsis in the region.

Lies or inaccuracies?

Unlike that of the accused, the accounts of witnesses such as Israel Dusingizimana have not varied, the prosecutor noted. Dusingizimana, convicted of genocide in Rwanda, recounted the coordination between Interahamwe militia and the accused with his gendarmes during the massacre on Nyabubare hill. "There are so many concordant accounts," asserted Celine Viguier, taking the example of two witnesses "who know absolutely nothing about each other" but described the same scene where the chief warrant officer shot a woman in labour on Nyamure hill. While crimes against humanity and genocide can now be documented in real time, this was not the case at the time of the events," she argued. What we have left are the accounts of the victims, the survivors. And these survivors are few, because so many Tutsis were massacred. Nobody was supposed to be left to tell what happened in Rwanda at that time.

These stories are "rare and precious," she stressed. We're not saying that all accounts must be taken seriously, but we must differentiate between lies and inaccuracies. Every testimony must be assessed in light of the passage of time. Can we blame a person who has lost his whole family for not remembering the exact day and time, where they were, the make or colour of a car?

Hategekimana's only response to these victims was a flagrant lack of empathy," asserted Viguier. She noted that the accused, in his last statement, "said he sincerely sympathized with the suffering of the victims -- but he called them liars". On the contrary, during his psychological examinations, "Mr. Manier talked about his own suffering, his own losses", particularly during the Rwandan Patriotic Front (armed opposition that seized power in Rwanda in July 1994) attack on a camp where he had taken refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo. No one disputes the RPF's crimes, but no one can call them genocide, and they in no way erase what happened before," the prosecutor said. But these crimes allow the genocidaires to turn the narrative on its head. Instead of perpetrators, they become victims. And that's exactly Mr. Maniers narrative."

"We have a defendant who disputes all the charges, who on the contrary presents himself as a victim, who expresses no empathy, who doesn't hesitate to lie, and who has never allowed the court to know who he really is," she added. Yet, far from being a mere executor, Hategekimana instigated genocide in the Nyanza region. France cannot be a safe haven for genocidaires."

"We have a real credibility problem"

France cannot take responsibility for an unfair conviction, the defence retorted. On June 27, in a four-part plea, Hategekimana's lawyers asked the court for an acquittal on all charges. And the defence countered the prosecutions arguments about contradictions and gaps in the testimony given over the past two months.

Attorney Margarita Duque spent over 40 minutes unravelling the many testimonies about crimes committed at roadblocks across the region - "hearsay evidence"  while her colleague Fabio Lhote tackled those about the Nyamure Hill massacre. Let's do a little arithmetic," he suggested. Of the 18 people interviewed, four have never heard of Biguma, ten are repeating what they were told, and the four remaining testimonies are questionable because confused, misleading and given by people convicted of genocide. On the events at Isar Songa, it's even more blatant: 12 people were interviewed, nine of whom had never heard of Biguma, and not one eyewitness could attest to Philippe Hategekimana's presence there!"

Many witnesses varied their accounts from what they told investigators to what they said in court hearings, he asserted, claiming to have seen the accused at the scene of the events or heard someone say Biguma had arrived, and then saying they learned after the event that Biguma was involved. "We have a real credibility problem. Did you see him or not see him? Hear him, not hear him? People are not consistent," said the lawyer with a flourish of his arm. It gives you an idea of the power of rumour, and that's what this case is all about."

Unlike other witnesses, the numerous civil parties in this case do not take an oath to tell "the whole truth", the lawyer said. "The word of the accused is as good as theirs, we must remember.

No genocide denial

Yet this word has been denied time and again, Duque protested, with the accused presented in such a way that every one of his actions is open to question. "Mr. Manier decided to exercise his right to silence; the civil parties considered this a confession. How can exercising a right be considered a confession? She said the victims may have touched her "personally", but that "we must also understand that the majority of them did not know Mr. Manier, they simply heard that all they had to do was come and testify here to get some answers". As for the genocide denial accusations she believes have been levelled at the defence during this trial, she brushed them aside: "Mr. Manier himself does not deny the genocide. And to use his words: acknowledging one's innocence is not the same as denying the suffering of the victims."

Testimonies are indeed the "backbone" of this case, stressed lawyer Alexis Guedj. And when a case is based "solely on testimonial evidence, the least that can be done is ensure that these testimonies are unassailable". On the Nyabubare Hill massacre, "we heard from around 20 witnesses, and all to arrive at what conclusion? What is certain, what is intangible, what is truly in the realm of evidence, perfect proof that we can believe, whether we are lawyers on not?"

Attacking the evidence of convicts

But the defence particularly attacked the word of former genocidaires from the Nyanza region, convicted in Rwanda and appearing in custody. Their words were highly incriminating for the accused, placing him at the heart of the events. Mr. Philippe Hategekimana is presumed innocent," recalled Guedj, "and his word is weighed against that of people convicted of horrific crimes, which is given more credit? And you, the jurors, ask is that the justice I must render?

"Is it possible to judge without asking the question of false witnesses and detainees? lawyer Emmanuel Altit continued. Anyone who has followed the Rwanda trials knows that the credibility of imprisoned witnesses is an issue. How could it be otherwise in a country that is not governed by the rule of law?

The previous day, the women prosecutors spent almost half an hour castigating the defence suggestion of a plot by Kigali. "As soon as witnesses directly implicate the accused, the defence deems them liars and manipulators. Many of them were attackers, and we have to call them what they were: murderers. But what's in it for them to testify?" said Celine Viguier. The public prosecutor pointed out that, under Rwandan justice, convicts who have admitted the facts and asked victims for forgiveness have benefited from remissions of sentence. But those who have not pleaded guilty have never obtained anything, and "certainly not" in exchange for testimony. And besides, "why would Rwanda go out of its way to convict an innocent gendarme, a 'little fish' to quote his wife?" asked the prosecutor.

"It's simple: because he's here, exposed because of the denunciation against him," replied Altit. "The Rwandan regime is dictatorial. Such a regime needs legitimacy, and what better legitimacy than to stand up for the victims of genocide? In addition, it makes possible to point the finger at France, accused of having supported the genocidaires." For this lawyer, Hategekimana is nothing less than a "scapegoat", caught up in a "political balance of power that is beyond him".

Doubt thrown out

Yet, you don't even need to enter this debate, he told the jurors. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defence doesn't have to prove anything. The defence has to show the weaknesses, the gaping holes in the case. It must point out the doubts, and there is an ocean of doubts. Guedj said the main problem was the evidence. "Youre being pushed to convict on the basis of a case built on sand, he argued. Does France have such a strong guilt complex because it let this genocide happen? And is the Court of Assizes being asked to shoulder this responsibility? There's nothing worse than convicting a man on hearsay, on gossip. And, rereading the jury oath, he recalled like his colleagues that "doubt must benefit the accused".

After a long deliberation, the court decided that there was no doubt.
Actress and Girls' Generation member YoonA has been captivating the viewers with her new K-drama. Apart from her character as the charming Cheon Sa Rang, she is leaving people amazed at the jaw-dropping price of her outfit in "King the Land."

YoonA's Two-Piece Outfit Costs THIS Much

YoonA is playing the role of Cheon Sa Rang, a bright and diligent hotelier, in JTBC's rom-com "King the Land." But apart from her bubbly character, the public has been eyeing her stylish outfits.

In "King the Land" episodes 3 and 4, where Cheon Sa Rang joined her boss Gu Won (Lee Junho) in working on their promotional content for King Hotel, she wore expensive-looking ensembles.

Eyed-eagle fans quickly noticed a specific outfit of hers and looked it up online, and they found out that the luxurious two-piece outfit from Dior has a whopping cost of 12 million KRW, or about 9,200 USD!

In addition, it has been said that the fashion pieces are made of wool silk blend material with elegant vertical incision details.

Over Dior Korea's website, the jacket costs 6.4 million KRW (4,925 USD). The matching see-through skirt with ecru-dotted embroidery of multiple layers is priced at 6.3 million KRW (4,850 USD).

Aside from acing her character, YoonA is also bringing fashion onto the screen with her style. May it be a simple shirt and a pair of jeans, the lead star never fails to stun with her chic taste and beauty.

YoonA Exhibits Elegant Style in 'King the Land'

Adding to her recent fashion ensembles in "King the Land" is the ribbed knitted dress from Self-Portrait and the yellow small bag from Delvaux. She wore this in episode 2 during her appearance at the airport.

YoonA also looked dazzling in Miu Miu's sequined tweeted jacket and matching sequined tweed miniskirt paired with white two-inch heels.

On her first day at King Hotel, Cheon Sa Rang flawlessly pulled off a classy jacket and suit pants from Jigott.

The actress also looked simple yet aesthetic with her cozy lettering zip sweatshirt and matching pants from MUDIDI.

These are just some of the outfits that YoonA confidently pulled off in the series. As the drama continues, fans and viewers are already looking forward to more ensembles that the actress will wear.

What can you say about the news? 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.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Mr. Kumar Iyer, Director General, Economics, Science and Technology at the UKs Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, will visit Armenia on 29-30 June to discuss with Armenian authorities issues of common interest, the British embassy in Yerevan said in a press release.

During his visit, Mr. Iyer will meet with Armenian Government officials and representatives of financial entities. The discussions will focus on Armenias upholding of international sanctions and how the UK can support in this regard.

Furthermore, Mr. Iyer will have the opportunity to witness Armenia's flourishing tech scene as he visits educational and business centres. He will also pay a visit to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan.

The visit of Mr. Kumar Iyer underscores the commitment to deepening bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Armenia, according to the embassy.
Allow me to share with you two remarkable stories that unfolded before my very eyes in the course of this past week. The lessons learned resonate deeply within my soul, and it is my hope that they will awaken your true essence.

It was June 3rd, a busy Saturday prior to Memorial Day. The atmosphere at home brimmed with excitement as we celebrated my wifes birthday. After a nice family dinner, we agreed to accompany the birthday girl to her favorite mall on the outskirts of town. Unbeknownst to us, our plans would encounter an unexpected spoiler, quietly lurking in the shadows.

As we approached the mall, the whole place buzzed with raw energy. The allure of last-minute holiday bargains had drawn throngs of eager shoppers, creating a frenzy of activity. Traffic was an absolute nightmare, with cars jostling for position, desperately trying to find a parking spot. It seemed as if everyone had descended upon the mall at the same time.

Amidst the chaotic queue, a worn-out red Toyota Camry emerged, defying traffic norms. The driver, in a display of frustration, threw his hands up and sneered, swiftly overtaking us with reckless abandon. The cars tail swung wildly, colliding forcefully with our vehicle, sending a shiver down our spines. The impact was jarring, leaving us stunned.

Caught in the aftermath of its daring move, the Camry skidded off the track and teetered on the edge of total disaster. Miraculously, the driver, a middle-aged man, emerged from the wreckage unscathed and continued on his way, as if nothing had happened. He showed no interest in checking if anyone was hurt, but his car bore the weight of the damage it had incurred.

Story number two:

I dialed my friend, the one I often meet at our favorite watering hole in town. However, on this particular day, as the phone rang, I discovered that he wouldnt be able to join me. A somber tone weighed heavily in his voice. Long story short, a dear friend of his wife, who had come to spend a joyful vacation with his family, had been struck by a merciless blowher life cut short by malignant breast cancer that ravaged her body, leaving devastation in its wake.

The entire narrative, from the shocking diagnosis to the untimely passing, unfolded within a span of four weeks. As I sit here, penning these words, the deceased lies in the morgue, her presence a stark reminder of the fragility of life.

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian Jew, psychiatrist, neurologist, and Holocaust survivor, was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, during the Holocaust. He endured immense suffering and tragically lost his parents, brother, and wife.

Frankls observations while navigating through those harrowing life experiences formed the foundation of his psychological approach, which he named logotherapy. This approach revolves around the profound belief that discovering meaning and purpose is crucial for human well-being. These invaluable insights were eloquently chronicled in his renowned masterpiece, Mans Search for Meaning.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Viktor Frankls timeless words resonate with a depth that can reshape our lives. Picture this: a chaotic moment at the mall, where danger seemed imminent as a reckless individual jeopardized the safety of me and my loved ones.

What if I had succumbed to my anger, chasing him down, plunging into a regrettable altercation? What if he possessed a firearm, eagerly seeking any excuse to extinguish a life? Thankfully, none of those nightmarish scenarios unfolded. Why? Because I heeded Frankls wisdom and embraced the significance of that vital space.

Within the complex tapestry of human connections, we are bound to cross paths with individuals who radiate negativity, displaying unpleasantness, rudeness, or a critical disposition. However, amidst this intricate web, a profound truth emerges: their abrasive conduct often serves as a veiled reflection of their own internal battles, unresolved struggles, and deep-rooted insecurities. Its not about you.

One more thing: Lifes fleeting nature demands that we ceaselessly chase after our dreams, unburdened by the trivial setbacks that pepper our journey. Like everyone else, the young lady harbored boundless aspirations, only to be abruptly silenced by the call of death. Let her story awaken within us a profound realization: While we toil diligently towards our goals, we must not neglect the very essence of life itself.

Here are a few tips: Prioritize experiences over material acquisitions; if you havent found your lifes passion, make it your mission to discover it. The joy it brings will spill over into all aspects of your life. Keep in mind that lifes fairness isnt guaranteed, yet the true tragedy lies not in its brevity but in our reluctance to wholeheartedly embrace it while we still can.

As we bid farewell to the young mother whose life was tragically cut short, let her spirit shine brightly, igniting hope and inspiration in each of us. May her grieving family find solace and uncover moments of joy amidst the ashes of sorrow. Amen!

Osmund Agbo is a pulmonary physician.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. On 27-28 June 2023, the 4th Meeting of the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement (CEPA) took place in Brussels. The delegation of the Republic of Armenia headed by Mr. Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, participated in the meeting. As a result of the discussions, the following Joint Press Statement was adopted:

On 27-28 June 2023, the Armenia-EU Partnership Committee, established under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), met for the fourth time in Brussels. This meeting gave the opportunity to the EU and Armenia to discuss the implementation of the CEPA and touch upon other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Armenia and the EU agreed to strengthen their cooperation, emphasising the EUs active engagement in the South Caucasus, and to pursue their efforts for the implementation of the CEPA, recognising the progress made so far. The EU welcomed Armenias continued commitment to reforms in line with common values, in spite of the difficult security context of the region. The EU stands ready to continue assisting Armenia on the path of the CEPA implementation and in addressing socio-economic challenges, including through the substantial Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) as well as its flagship initiatives.

The Partnership Committee reviewed developments related to the rule of law, in the fields of justice sector, law enforcement, fight against corruption, and the respect for human rights. The EU appreciated the progress in these fields. Yet, the EU recalled the importance of continuous improvement of the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, in order to increase citizens trust in public institutions. The EU emphasised the need to make additional efforts in eliminating discrimination on all grounds and encouraged Armenia to involve civil society in public consultations on legislative proposals.

The Partnership Committee also reviewed the progress on issues related to transport, energy, environment, climate action and disaster risk management. Armenia and the EU will continue their cooperation to enhance safety at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant. While acknowledging Armenias efforts on renewable energies, energy efficiency and environmental protection, the EU encouraged Armenia to set more ambitious emission reduction targets as part of its Nationally Determined Contribution.

The meeting was also an opportunity to review the cooperation in the field of customs and economic development. The EU underlined the importance of customs cooperation to prevent the circumvention of the EU sanctions on Russia through the territory of Armenia. The discussion also took stock of developments in employment and social policies. As regards education, the EU welcomed the adoption of Armenias comprehensive Strategy covering the whole education spectrum, as well as its ratification of the Creative Europe Agreement.

The Partnership Committee also touched upon the possibility of launching a visa liberalization dialogue (VLD). In this regard, the EU noted that while the technical requirements for the VLD launch have been sufficiently met, this also requires a political decision. The EU continues encouraging Armenia to bilaterally engage actively with Member States on this topic.

The partners also discussed the regional dynamics and the state of play of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process that takes place in the context of increasingly challenging security situation. The Armenian side provided an update on the blockage of the Lachin Corridor. Armenia and the EU shared concerns on the risks of a humanitarian crisis. The EU and Armenia welcomed the establishment of the EU Mission in Armenia.

Finally, the discussions highlighted the constructive engagement of Armenia in the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service and Mr Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
The government of Uganda and the European Union have today signed a commitment for implementation of the forest restoration project geared at protecting Ugandas declining forest cover.

New data from the UN showed this week that Africa lost around 14,000 sq miles of tree cover in 2022.

The development also comes a day after the National Policy Committee on Environment moved to implement a presidential directive banning timber exports

Addressing the EU delegation at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala this morning, Nabbanja said the 40 million euro 10-year project that kicked off in November last year will see the most affected forests such as Bugoma and Mabira prioritised.

She also revealed that more than 150,000 jobs are expected to be created over the 10-year period.

She has meanwhile asked local timber exporting companies to adhere to a presidential directive that is aimed at reversing the worrying trend of forest cover depletion.

Primary tropical forests are critical for nature, climate, and people.
By The East African

A quadripartite summit of four regional blocs has demanded an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in an effort to end the decades-long war.

The resolution was made by heads of States and government of the East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas), International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and Southern African Development Community (Sadc) at a meeting held in the Angolan capital Luanda Tuesday. The instability in mineral-rich east DRC is a concern all over the globe.

On Monday, the United States warned that withdrawing UN peacekeepers from the DRC, which Kinshasa has suggested take place after December elections would be premature.

Last week, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that since March 2022 alone, 5.7 million people have been displaced in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and hurl. Overall, 6.2 million people have fled their homes across the country  the highest number in Africa. Read more
By AFP

A Paris court on Wednesday found a former Rwandan military policeman guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1994 slaughter in his home country and sentenced him to life in prison.

The court said it had found Philippe Hategekimana, 66, guilty of nearly all the charges against him.

He fled to France after the genocide, obtaining refugee status and then French nationality under the name Philippe Manier.

The trial of Hategekimana, which began last month, was the fifth such trial in France of an alleged participant in the massacres.

More than 800,000 people were killed between April and July 1994 according to UN figures, most of them from the Tutsi minority.

Plaintiffs accused Hategekimana of using the powers and military force conferred to him through his rank in order to take part in the genocide.

He denied the charges.

France, one of the top destinations for fugitives from the massacres, has tried and convicted a former spy chief, two ex-mayors, a former hotel chauffeur and an ex-top official in similar trials since 2014.

But it has generally refused requests to extradite suspects to Rwanda, prompting President Paul Kagame to accuse Paris of denying Rwanda jurisdiction.
Tech advances, policy support point road to the future Driverless vehicles may sound like something from science fiction, but they are racing into daily life sooner than many people expected, experts said. These vehicles have immense potential to be a revolutionary technology to transform lives and open a new chapter in intelligent transportation, they added. In some Chinese cities, robotaxis can now be hailed through ride-hailing apps for travel to destinations such as subway stations, commercial areas and residential communities. Users only need to input the pickup and drop-off points and the number of passengers. A few minutes later, a self-driving taxi approaches. The commercialization of autonomous driving technology will gain momentum in China in the next few years, buoyed by continuous technological innovation and considerable policy support, the experts said, adding that the nation is at the global forefront of research and development and the use of such cutting-edge technology. Chinese technology companies are stepping up efforts to accelerate the commercial use of self-driving vehicles. For example, in March, local authorities in Beijing granted autonomous driving permits to tech giant Baidu and self-driving startup Pony.ai to run fully driverless robotaxis on open roads in the Chinese capital, with no driver or safety operator in the car. The two companies are each allowed to provide up to 10 autonomous vehicles in a designated area of 60 square kilometers in Yizhuang, a southern suburb. In case of emergency, a remote safety supervisor takes control of the vehicle via an online assistance platform. Baidu recently announced it had obtained licensing for commercial operation of its fully driverless ride-hailing service in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Its robotaxis are authorized to provide such a service with no safety operator in the car. With this new license, Baidu's Apollo Go robotaxis will be allowed to operate across an area of 188 sq km in Shenzhen from 7 am to 10 pm daily. This year, Baidu plans to put an additional 200 fully autonomous driving robotaxis into operation nationwide and build the world's largest fully driverless ride-hailing service area. Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, said the company aims to expand services on its autonomous ride-hailing platform Apollo Go to 65 cities in 2025, and to 100 cities in 2030. "The massive cost reduction will enable us to deploy tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles across China. We are moving toward a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a cab today," Li added. Apollo Go currently covers more than 10 cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong. In recent years, China has introduced a series of policies to promote the development and commercialization of self-driving technology. In November, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security unveiled a draft guideline to expand road tests for autonomous driving vehicles nationwide. In August, China released its first national draft guideline on the use of self-driving vehicles for public transportation. That month, authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, and Yongchuan district, Chongqing, granted Baidu the first permits issued in China to charge fares for fully driverless ride-hailing services in designated areas. As autonomous driving technology continues to mature, the sector is poised to consolidate in coming years. A report by global consultancy IHS Markit said the market size of China's self-driving taxi services is expected to surpass 1.3 trillion yuan ($181.5 billion) by 2030, accounting for 60 percent of the ride-hailing market nationwide. Lyu Jinghong, an analyst of intelligent mobility at research company BloombergNEF, said, "Continuous testing on public roads, eased regulations, as well as cost reductions in autonomous vehicle manufacturing, will help accelerate the deployment and commercialization of self-driving cars." Noting that China has caught up with the United States in developing autonomous driving, Lyu said clear regulations at national level will encourage local governments and autonomous driving companies to quicken the use of self-driving technology, which is crucial for achieving commercialization targets. BloombergNEF's 2022 Electric Vehicle Outlook said China will operate the world's largest robotaxi fleet with some 12 million autonomous vehicles by 2040, followed by the US, with about 7 million such vehicles. Other Chinese tech companies, such as Pony.ai, WeRide and Didi Autonomous Driving, the self-driving technology arm of Didi Global, are stepping up efforts to launch self-driving taxi services in an attempt to bolster large-scale commercial use of growing transportation solutions. In April, Pony.ai announced it was the first and only company to receive a permit to operate fully driverless robotaxi services in an 803 sq km area in the Nansha district of Guangzhou. Lou Tiancheng, cofounder and chief technology officer of Pony.ai, said, "The inclusion of autonomous vehicles in the unified and standardized management of taxis proves that both government policy and the public are increasingly accepting robotaxis as a form of everyday transportation." Pony.ai has signed partnerships with OnTime, Chinese carmaker GAC's ride-hailing app, and Caocao, another ride-hailing platform, in an effort to deploy more robotaxis on the streets and gradually improve public trust in autonomous driving. As of April, the startup had accumulated more than 21 million km of autonomous driving globally and nearly 200,000 fee-charging robotaxi orders. Yang Diange, a professor at Tsinghua University's School of Vehicle and Mobility, said, "L4 self-driving technology will first be deployed in taxis, trucks and some designated areas, and large-scale application of such technology in private vehicles might be seen by 2030." Commercial operation of self-driving vehicles will promote the iteration and innovation of technologies, and help enterprises explore reasonable business models, thus allowing autonomous driving technologies to create more value, Yang added. In addition, Didi Autonomous Driving started commercial operations in Huadu district, Guangzhou, by accepting fee-based orders in March. It has deepened its partnership with GAC Aion New Energy Automobile Co, a Chinese new energy vehicle maker, to establish a joint venture to mass-produce electric robotaxis. Jiang Zheng, a self-driving expert at the research and development center affiliated with GAC Group, said: "Autonomous driving is definitely the future development direction of the automobile industry. It not only solves traffic safety problems, but also greatly improves the efficiency of transportation, brings economic benefits, and liberates people from repetitive driving." Zhang Xiang, a researcher at the Jiangxi New Energy Technology Institute, said the manufacturing costs of driverless vehicle components, such as lidar sensor systems, have fallen as advances have been made in self-driving technology and related industrial chains have matured. Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a sensing method that uses laser light to determine the presence, shape and distance of objects. A report in 2021 from global management consulting company McKinsey& Co said that by 2030 China will become the world's largest market for self-driving vehicles, with revenue from sales of such new vehicles and mobility services expected to exceed $500 billion. Li Xinbo, an automotive industry expert at China Auto Information Technology Co, said more efforts should be made to strengthen construction of intelligent transportation infrastructure, such as the 5G-enabled vehicle-to-everything system, which supports the transfer of information from a vehicle to moving parts of the traffic system to improve efficiency. Huge potential In addition to robotaxis, autonomous driving trucks can now be seen in designated areas of China, such as ports, mines and industrial parks. Experts said there is huge development potential for driverless vehicles in the logistics sector, and the core value of self-driving trucks is to liberate manpower when there is a serious shortage of drivers in that sector. Autonomous trucking startup Plus is increasing mass production and global deployment of its autonomous driving technology. It has developed autonomous trucks in collaboration with FAW Jiefang, China's oldest and largest truck manufacturer, and completed a driverless L4 truck demonstration on Wufengshan highway, Jiangsu province, in June 2021. David Liu, CEO and cofounder of Plus, said: "Thanks to the convergence of machine learning and artificial intelligence, big data, mobility and advanced sensors, the autonomous revolution is on the horizon. Trucks are one of the best applications of autonomous driving in the near term, and this application is close to becoming reality." Jiang said that compared with self-driving passenger-carrying robotaxis, routes for autonomous trucks are more likely to be fixed to provide certain conditions for the large-scale commercialization of autonomous driving technology. "Logistics companies see rising demand for autonomous trucks, which can help increase work efficiency, save labor costs, and reduce delivery and transportation costs," Jiang said, adding that he is bullish about the prospects for autonomous trucks. Wang Bo, research manager at market consultancy International Data Corp, said there have been significant improvements in autonomous driving technologies covering computer chips, lidar sensors, cameras and related computing capacities. Moreover, fast-growing generative AI technology, which refers to algorithms trained with huge amounts of data that can generate content such as images, text, audio and video, and is the key technology underpinning ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, is expected to be applied to electric and assisted-driving cars. Smart electric vehicle company Jidu Auto, a joint venture established by Baidu and carmaker Geely Holding Group, said it will integrate Ernie Bot, a large language model and ChatGPT-like product launched by Baidu, into its cars to develop the world's first large language model powered by AI interactive experience for smart vehicles. Xia Yiping, CEO of Jidu Auto, said intelligent driving features are a key selling point for the manufacturer's cars, as they boast years of intelligent driving research and development from Baidu. In March, Chinese carmaker Changan launched its Yida sedan, the nation's first mass-produced model to feature Ernie Bot. The vehicle will improve users' interactivity with itself, Changan said. Ouyang Minggao, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a professor at Tsinghua University, said the worldwide frenzy surrounding ChatGPT will have a far-reaching impact on intelligent driving this year, making the programming of self-driving technology simpler, and leading to a new AI revolution.
YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan visited on June 29 the residence of U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien to extend congratulations ahead of the U.S. Independence Day.



President Khachaturyan congratulated Ambassador Kvien, the Embassy Staff and the people of the United States on the national holiday and wished them success, Khachaturyans Office said in a press release.



The President emphasized the importance of US support in the implementation of democratic reforms in Armenia and the development of Armenia following independence.



During the discussion, ideas were exchanged on the current agenda of Armenian-American relations and the consistent development of multi-level cooperation.
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YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received the delegation headed by James O'Brien, Head of the US Department of State's Sanctions Coordination Office, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.



The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the dynamic nature of the development of Armenian-American relations and emphasized the support of the US administration in promoting democratic reforms in our country.



The interlocutors referred to the processes taking place in the region and the international arena, as well as various issues of mutual interest.



Issues related to the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulted by the illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan's provocative and aggressive actions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and on the line of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, the progress of negotiations on the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the Armenian-Turkish process were discussed.


Some unique geology gives Lindian Resources' Kangankunde rare earths project a green advantage, said Alistair Stephens, CEO of Lindian Resources.

On June 20, 2023, Stephens spoke to Kitco at the 15th Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials 2023 in Henderson, Nevada.

Lindian Resources (ASX:LIN) is an ASX-listed Australian company advancing its Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi. The company describes the project as globally significant in grade, quality and size. The project hosts carbonite intrusive with outstanding grades of up to 23.7% total rare earth oxide.

The company describes the metallurgy as simple. Kangankunde sits on top of what used to be a large sunken volcano. The huge pressure and heat from the magma melted limestone to create a magnetite containing NdPr (neodymium and praseodymium) - two of the world's most sought-after rare earth elements.

Importantly, the company says that Kangankunde mineralization, monazite, has consistently low levels of the radionuclides uranium and thorium in all drilling assays to date.

"It's non-radioactive, which is extremely unusual for a monazite because that can be kind of a stumbling block for rare earth projects," said Stephens.

Low radioactivity has significant environmental social governance advantages, Lindian contends. Processing and transportation are cheaper. The premium surcharges for rare earths can be avoided.

The project is also close to logistical infrastructure.

In the coming weeks the company plans to release a maiden mineral resource based upon a 14,000 meter drill program.

Coverage of the 15th Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials 2023 was sponsored by Lindian Resources (ASX:LIN).
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(Kitco News) - Rainbow Rare Earths (LSE: RBW) announced on Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Bosveld Phosphates to allow 100% ownership of the Phalaborwa rare earths (REE) project in South Africa.

The company said that under the terms of the agreement, Rainbow will receive an immediate 85% interest in the unincorporated joint venture that holds the rights to Phalaborwa, with Bosveld holding the remaining 15%.

This updates the original project co-development agreement, which envisaged Rainbow earning a 70% interest in Phalaborwa further to the completion of a pre-feasibility study on the project, it added.

Under the terms of the agreement, Rainbow will pay Bosveld US$5 million in cash in July 2023.

Rainbow noted that under the agreement, the company is also being granted a call option to acquire the remaining 15% of the joint venture owned by Bosveld, in return for US$7 million of equity in the company, at any time from 31 October 2023 until 31 December 2025.

The Phalaborwa REE project, located in South Africa, comprises a total mineral resource estimate of 30.4 Mt at 0.44% TREO contained within unconsolidated gypsum stacks derived from historic phosphate hard rock mining.

The company said that the Phalaborwa preliminary economic assessment has confirmed strong base line economics for the project, which has a base case NPV10% of US$627 million, an average EBITDA operating margin of 75% and a payback period of less than two years.

According to a press release, pilot plant operations will commence in 2023, with the project expected to reach commercial production in 2026.
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(Kitco News) The U.S. government imposed new sanctions against Russia's Wagner Group, targeting companies it said were engaged in illicit gold mining operations to help fund the mercenary force.

The U.S. Treasury Department introduced sanctions on four companies in the United Arab Emirates, Central African Republic and Russia. It accused them of being connected to the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and helping boost the mercenaries' presence in Ukraine and some countries in Africa.

"The targeted entities ... have engaged in illicit gold dealings to fund the Wagner Group to sustain and expand its armed forces, including in Ukraine and Africa, while the targeted individual has been central to activities of Wagner Group units in Mali," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

Companies targeted include Central African Republic-based Midas Ressources SARLU and Diamville SAU, Dubai-based Industrial Resources General Trading, and Russia-based Limited Liability Company DM. All are said to have connections to Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The goal is to hinder the mercenary group's ability to finance itself. Under the sanctions, the U.S. will block any financial transactions of the sanctioned companies while prohibiting U.S. persons from dealing with them.

"The Wagner Group funds its brutal operations in part by exploiting natural resources in countries like the Central African Republic and Mali," the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement. "The United States will continue to target the Wagner Group's revenue streams to degrade its expansion and violence in Africa, Ukraine, and anywhere else."

New sanctions come just days after the group attempted mutiny in Russia with a march on Moscow. However, the U.S. State Department pointed out that these sanctions are unrelated to the aborted mutiny attempt over the weekend.

"Recent reporting indicates that the Wagner Group is working to expand its gold mining and processing operations in N'dassima in CAR, potentially earning the organization significant new income," the WSJ quoted the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control as saying in a notice. "The U.S. government is committed to addressing the relationship between gold and the illicit revenue streams that contribute to and fund conflicts, corruption, and other concerns in sub-Saharan Africa."

The U.S. Treasury also sanctioned Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, a Russian national with reported close connections to Wagner units in Mali.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the Wagner Group received $2 billion from Russia in the past year, calling on Prigozhin's catering firm to be investigated. "I do hope that, as part of this work, no one stole anything, or, let's say, stole less, but we will, of course, investigate all of this," Putin said.

Following the aborted mutiny, Prigozhin and some of his fighters were allowed to leave for Belarus.

The Wagner Group was formed in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula. It has sent thousands of Russian soldiers to Ukraine, many recruited from Russian jails. The mercenaries are known for some of the bloodiest battles in Ukraine. The militia also fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali, and other countries.
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(Kitco News) - Atlantic Lithium (AIM: ALL) (OTCQX: ALLIF) today announced exceptional results of its definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Ewoyaa lithium project in Ghana, West Africa.

The project development involves open cut mining of several lithium-bearing pegmatite deposits, conventional dense media separation processing and supporting infrastructure to target the production of spodumene concentrate and secondary product by Q2 2025.

In a statement, the company said that using conservative pricing, the DFS outlines 3.6Mt concentrate production over a 12-year mine life, delivering US$6.6bn life of mine revenues, a post-tax NPV8 of US$1.5bn and an IRR of 105%.

Atlantic Lithium added that the study indicates payback within only 19 months and maintains a low capital intensity, further reinforcing Ewoyaa's position among the leading pre-production hard rock lithium assets globally.

The company noted that the DFS incorporates mineral resource estimate of 35.3Mt @ 1.25 Li2O and conservative LOM concentrate pricing of US$1,587/t, FOB Ghana Port.

Atlantic Lithium also said that the project benefits from close proximity to operational infrastructure, low energy and water-intensity process flow sheet, proximity to potential off-takers and skilled Ghanaian workforce within surrounding communities.

CEO Keith Muller commented, "The definitive feasibility study has reaffirmed the Ewoyaa lithium project's impressive economic outcomes and profitability potential, providing improved confidence in Ewoyaa's ability to become a significant, near-term producer of spodumene concentrate.

Atlantic Lithium is a lithium company advancing a portfolio of lithium projects in Ghana and Cote dIvoire through to production. The companys flagship project, the Ewoyaa project in Ghana, is a significant lithium spodumene pegmatite discovery on track to become Ghanas first lithium-producing mine. The company signed a funding agreement with Piedmont Lithium towards the development of Ewoyaa.
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(Kitco News) - K92 Mining (TSX: KNT) reported Wednesday that two individuals have been fatally injured following an incident involving a vehicle on the underground main incline at Kainantu on June 28.

The company said that mining operations have been suspended while an investigation is being completed, adding that other activities, including processing stockpiles, have not been impacted.

K92 Mining noted that its emergency services responded to the incident, the appropriate authorities have been notified and a thorough investigation is underway.

CEO and Director John Lewins stated, On behalf of K92 Mining, we extend our deepest sympathies, heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and co-workers of our two colleagues during this exceptionally difficult period.

K92 Mining is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu gold mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine.
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(Kitco News) - Global payments processor Mastercard continues to be one of the most active companies in the adoption of blockchain technology as the firm has announced the launch of the Mastercard Multi-Token Network (MTN), a solution designed to support interoperability within the blockchain ecosystem.

Our vision for MTN is to provide a set of foundational capabilities designed to make transactions within the digital asset and blockchain ecosystems secure, scalable and interoperable  ultimately enabling more efficient payment and commerce applications, Raj Dhamodharan, Executive Vice President of Digital Asset, Blockchain Products and Partnerships at Mastercard said in the announcement.

According to Dhamodharan, the MTN is built on four pillars of trust that aim to meet key needs in the digital asset industry: trust in counterparty, trust in digital payment asset, trust in technology, and trust in consumer protections.

On the topic of counterparty trust, Dhamodharan said, Effective identity management and permissions are essential to building trusted networks. To address this pillar, MTN will leverage Mastercard Crypto Credential to offer a set of common verification standards and infrastructure, in turn enabling trusted interactions among consumers and businesses using blockchain networks.

He noted that the company's recent work on the Australian central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot uses the same technology to secure transactions, and several of Mastercards partners are already working with the firm to enable transfers on public chains.

For trust in digital payment assets, Dhamodharan highlighted Mastercards efforts in testing the use of tokenized commercial bank deposits between several financial institutions, which were settled through Mastercards existing network. MTN will support and complement these efforts by enabling regulated payment tokens to power financial applications, he said.

Regarding trust in technology, Dhamodharan said Scalability of blockchain networks and interoperability among them are critical technologies required for safe transfers of tokens and assets.

Our work with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), in partnership with Cuscal Payments and Mintable on its CBDC pilot, demonstrates how CBDCs issued by the RBA could be used to make seamless purchases of assets from allow-listed entities on the public blockchain, he said. MTN aims to offer these capabilities across all supported payment tokens and networks in a scalable manner.

And to address trust in consumer protections, the MTN will draw on [Mastercards] years of experience developing standards and rules for our card network to provide a common framework for a community of users with shared interests, Dhamodharan said. This includes clear rules of the road that prioritize strong consumer protections, stability and regulatory compliance.

A beta version of MTN will be released in the UK this summer to serve as a testbed for developing live pilot applications and use cases with financial institutions, fintechs and central banks. The first phase of testing will focus on tokenized bank deposits, and Mastercard plans to make the platform available to additional markets around the world over time.

We believe that digital asset and blockchain technologies [will] one day become critical infrastructure for storing and moving value, Dhamodharan said. In bringing the power of 24/7 operations, programmability and immutability to all aspects of the economy, blockchain capabilities and tokenization can reach their full potential, delivering true transformation. Our goal [with MTN] is to support the wider digital asset industry and interested parties to help fortify confidence in its future.

Along with its efforts in the blockchain-based payments arena, which includes the launches of Crypto Secure and Crypto Source in October, Mastercard also has a six-month fintech accelerator program that is designed to assist startups with the expansion and commercialization of their products and services.

The company also participated in the New York Feds 12-week pilot project in collaboration with commercial banks to explore the creation of a digital dollar.

And in January, Mastercard partnered with the layer-two blockchain platform Polygon to launch its Web3-based Mastercard Artist Accelerator program, which is designed to help connect artists from around the world with notable mentors and a dynamic fanbase as they learn and create in Web3. To celebrate the platform's launch, the payment provider released its limited edition Mastercard Music Pass non-fungible token (NFT) in April, which the company said is key to unlocking the accelerator platform.
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(Kitco News) - Nova Royalty (TSXV: NOVR), a copper and nickel-focused royalty company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with an arms length private party pursuant to which Nova will acquire an existing 0.25% NSR royalty on the Tatogga property in British Columbia, Canada.

According to a press release, the Tatogga property contains the Saddle North copper-gold-silver deposit owned by Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) (TSX: NGT).

Nova said it will also be granted a right of first refusal with respect to an additional 0.25% NSR royalty owned by the seller covering the same area as the royalty.

The aggregate purchase price for the transaction is $3,750,000.

Saddle North is a gold-rich copper porphyry deposit located in the Golden Triangle in northwest British Columbia, Canada.

Before being acquired by Newmont in 2021, Saddle North was owned by GT Gold, which published a maiden resource estimate for Saddle North in 2020, which included 1.81 billion pounds of copper, 3.47 million ounces of gold, and 7.58 million ounces of silver contained in indicated resources, and 2.98 billion pounds of copper, 5.46 million ounces of gold, and 11.64 million ounces of silver contained in inferred resources.

Importantly, the company said that the potential merger between Newmont and Newcrest, which owns 70% of the nearby Red Chris copper-gold mine, has the potential to unlock synergies for the development of Saddle North and the larger Tatogga property.

Interim CEO Hashim Ahmed commented, The acquisition of the Tatogga royalty further demonstrates Novas ability to execute on our strategy of sourcing and securing royalties on high-quality copper projects from third party holders. The Saddle North deposit has a significant copper-gold-silver resource and is situated in B.C.s Golden Triangle, one of Canadas premier mining camps.

Additionally, Tatogga is owned by Newmont, an industry-leading mining company with a proven track record of success. We view this transaction as an accretive acquisition that improves both the quality and value of Novas portfolio.
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(Kitco News) - Russia's Polymetal, a senior global silver and gold producer, said today that the company will not meet the scheduled timetable of the re-domiciliation to the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in Kazakhstan.

As announced by the company and pursuant to the shareholder circular published on 10 May 2023, the Board sought approval of the shareholders to re-domicile the company from Jersey to the AIFC in Kazakhstan. The requisite resolutions were passed at the general meeting on 30 May 2023.

"Whilst the company continues to pursue fulfilment of the remaining conditions required to implement the re-domiciliation, it acknowledges that it will now not meet the scheduled timetable as a result of delays in anticipated processes on which the re-domiciliation is contingent," Polymetal said in a press release.

Importantly, the company noted it confirms that the re-domiciliation will not occur prior to the week commencing 31 July 2023, at the earliest.

"The re-domiciliation is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions and will proceed provided the Board can be assured at all times of continuing compliance with all applicable sanctions,' it added.

Polymetal International plc is a top-10 global gold producer and top-5 global silver producer with assets in Russia and Kazakhstan. The company has a portfolio of ten producing gold and silver mines and a pipeline of future growth projects.
1685 | July 18, 2023 16:22 Support provided at the cost of trampling on the dignity of people in a humanitarian catastrophe cannot be accepted.Artsakh NGOs welcomed the letter of European partners

1554 | July 14, 2023 18:02 Tents installed in Stepanakert's Renaissance Square

1544 | July 14, 2023 17:42 President Harutyunyan addresses international players with urgent appeal to prevent the impending catastrophe

1541 | July 17, 2023 22:12 If the situation of the people of Artsakh does not normalize, we will resort to tougher measures. Arayik Harutyunyan

1407 | July 14, 2023 10:07 Nationwide Movement rally underway in Stepanakert

1376 | July 14, 2023 14:28 Azerbaijan fires again at Armenias Yeraskh village plant being built with foreign investments

1357 | July 14, 2023 12:06 Participants of the rally presented their demands to the ICRC Artsakh office

1298 | July 18, 2023 09:16 Azerbaijan again falsely accuses Armenia of opening gunfire
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid provocations and de-escalate tensions during his meeting with the foreign ministers of the two countries.

June 29, 2023, 10:50 White House NSA Jake Sullivan calls on Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs to avoid provocations and de-escalate tensions

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: Good to host Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov together at the White House today. I encouraged Armenia & Azerbaijan to continue making progress toward peace, as well as to avoid provocations and de-escalate tensions in order to build confidence, Sullivan tweeted.
More than 400 arrested as third night of violent protest sweeps France after 17-year-old shot dead by police
MISSOURI  Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says he directed over a dozen universities and municipalities across the state to "immediately end race-based affirmative action policies to ensure compliance with the Constitution and federal law," on Thursday, according to a press release.

Bailey's action comes directly after the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v President and Fellows of Harvard College on Thursday, which declared that race could not be considered as a factor in college admissions decisions.

In response, the UM System said some programs and scholarships that use race or ethnicity as a factor for admissions and scholarships will be discontinued.

"We will abide by the new Supreme Court ruling concerning legal standards that applies to race-based admissions and race-based scholarships," the UM System said in a statement Thursday.

Mun Choi, UM System President, said diversity on campus is still important to him, and it will be a priority.

"We're going to look at diversity very broadly to develop a high quality pool of students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences," Choi said. "And choose the very best students to attend our universities."

The UM Board of Curators President, Michael Williams, also commented on the SCOTUS decision, and he said students should not view this as an unconquerable challenge, but as an opportunity.

"Every challenge is an opportunity," Williams said. "It's not whether or not I agree with this decision, it's how do I now accept this and move forward."

All financial aid commitments that have already been awarded to returning and incoming students will be honored.

Bailey's demand was sent through a letter to a list of recipients including the UM System, Missouri State University, St. Louis Major Tishaura Jones, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, along with others, the press release said.

Bailey stated through the letter that all Missouri institutions must now identify all policies they have that give "preference to individuals on the basis of race" and immediately cease "implementation of such policies."

He also wrote that he intends to "ensure that the constitutional rights of all Missourians are protected, including those who would be harmed by race-based policies that are unlawful under the rulings issued today."

Missouri politicians react to SCOTUS ruling

Cori Bush, congresswoman for Missouri's 1st District, released a statement against the SCOTUS ruling, writing that the court has a "dedication to moving backwards."

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"Colleges and universities must ensure students benefit from the diverse perspectives and experiences of qualified students from all backgrounds. This is yet another example of why we must double down on our efforts for Court reform, pass the Judiciary Act, and reclaim democracy, Bush wrote in a press release.

She also addressed the decision through tweets, and said that "affirmative action continues to help level an uneven playing field."

Mark Alford, congressmen for the 4th District, praised the SCOTUS decision through a tweet on Thursday.

Emanuel Cleaver, congressman for the 5th District, tweeted his disagreement with the court's decision, tweeting it was a "devastating decision for students of color who already face system buried to equitable education." He also wrote that "justice will prevail" in the march toward racial justice in America.

Eric Burlison, congressmen for the 7th District, tweeted the court's decision was a "big win."

SCOTUS ruling information

The SCOTUS ruled 6-3 in the University of North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, as Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson recused herself. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the conservative majority.

"Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today," Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.

Roberts also wrote that the decision does not stop universities from "considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise."

In an extensive dissenting opinion, Justice Sonya Sotomayor wrote, "Although the Court has stripped out almost all uses of race in college admissions, universities can and should continue to use all available tools to meet societys needs for diversity in education."
Ballast Inc. increased its position in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWF  Free Report) by 0.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 27,709 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the quarter. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF comprises about 2.8% of Ballast Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Ballast Inc.s holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF were worth $6,770,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brookstone Capital Management raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 16,523 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $4,044,000 after acquiring an additional 582 shares during the period. Domani Wealth LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 17.7% in the 1st quarter. Domani Wealth LLC now owns 72,005 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $17,593,000 after acquiring an additional 10,844 shares during the period. Chicago Capital LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Chicago Capital LLC now owns 2,565 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $627,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the period. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 9.5% in the 1st quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC now owns 2,541 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $621,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the period. Finally, RTD Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. RTD Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 143,684 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $35,106,000 after purchasing an additional 2,026 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:IWF traded down $0.36 on Thursday, hitting $270.60. 124,121 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,474,340. The companys 50 day moving average price is $256.65 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.35. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF has a one year low of $202.05 and a one year high of $275.91. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 1.08.

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Profile

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of equity securities of Russell 1000 index issuers with relatively higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth.

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The United States is deeply disturbed by the loss of life in Artsakh Republic, U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has said regarding the June 28 unprovoked Azerbaijani attack on Artsakh which killed 4 Artsakh servicemen.

June 29, 2023, 11:46 U.S. 'deeply disturbed' by loss of life in Nagorno Karabakh - State Department spox

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: We are deeply disturbed by the loss of life in Nagorno-Karabakh, and we offer our condolences to the families of all of those who were killed. These latest incidents underscore the need to refrain from hostilities and for a durable and dignified peace. The U.S. is committed to assisting the parties in achieving this goal, and Secretary Blinken is directly engaged in the peace process. Direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and reaching a durable and dignified peace. Yesterdays meetings with the foreign ministers were constructive, and we continue to build on those discussions today and tomorrow as the peace talks continue. So theres no change in the schedule, Patel said.
BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA  Free Report) and Atmus Filtration Technologies (NYSE:ATMU  Free Report) are both auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership, earnings and profitability.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares BorgWarner and Atmus Filtration Technologies top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio BorgWarner $15.80 billion 0.71 $944.00 million $4.09 11.67 Atmus Filtration Technologies N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

BorgWarner has higher revenue and earnings than Atmus Filtration Technologies.

Analyst Ratings

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score BorgWarner 0 4 7 0 2.64 Atmus Filtration Technologies 0 0 5 0 3.00

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for BorgWarner and Atmus Filtration Technologies, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

BorgWarner presently has a consensus price target of $52.73, suggesting a potential upside of 10.52%. Atmus Filtration Technologies has a consensus price target of $24.33, suggesting a potential upside of 11.42%. Given Atmus Filtration Technologies stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Atmus Filtration Technologies is more favorable than BorgWarner.

Profitability

This table compares BorgWarner and Atmus Filtration Technologies net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets BorgWarner 5.97% 14.85% 6.58% Atmus Filtration Technologies N/A N/A N/A

Insider and Institutional Ownership

91.8% of BorgWarner shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.5% of BorgWarner shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

BorgWarner beats Atmus Filtration Technologies on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About BorgWarner

(Free Report)

BorgWarner Inc. provides solutions for combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Air Management, E-Propulsion & Drivetrain, Fuel Injection, and Aftermarket. The Air Management segment offers turbochargers, eBoosters, eTurbos, timing systems, emissions systems, thermal systems, gasoline ignition technology, smart remote actuators, powertrain sensors, canisters, cabin heaters, battery modules and systems, battery packs, battery heaters, and battery charging. The E-Propulsion & Drivetrain segment provides rotating electrical components, power electronics, control modules, software, friction, and mechanical products for automatic transmissions and torque-management products. The Fuel Injection segment develops and manufactures gasoline and diesel fuel injection components and systems. The Aftermarket segment sells products and services to independent aftermarket customers and original equipment service customers. This segment provides a range of solutions, including fuel injection, electronics and engine management, maintenance, and test equipment and vehicle diagnostics. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers of light vehicles, which comprise passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks; commercial vehicles, including medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, and buses; and off-highway vehicles, such as agricultural and construction machinery, and marine applications, as well as to tier one vehicle systems suppliers and the aftermarket for light, commercial, and off-highway vehicles. The company was formerly known as Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. BorgWarner Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

About Atmus Filtration Technologies

(Free Report)

Atmus Filtration Technologies Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells filtration products under the Fleetguard brand name in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa, and internationally. It offers fuel filters, lube filters, air filters, crankcase ventilation, hydraulic filters, and coolants, as well as fuel additives. The company's products are used in on-highway and off-highway commercial vehicles; and agriculture, construction, mining, and power generation vehicles and equipment. It serves original equipment manufacturers, dealers/distributors, and end-users. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Atmus Filtration Technologies Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Cummins Inc.

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Brookstone Capital Management lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:EFAV  Free Report) by 2.6% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 382,642 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 9,710 shares during the quarter. Brookstone Capital Managements holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $26,567,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in EFAV. VAUGHAN & Co SECURITIES INC. lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. VAUGHAN & Co SECURITIES INC. now owns 122,984 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,320,000 after purchasing an additional 1,588 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP raised its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF by 81.2% during the first quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 10,747 shares of the companys stock worth $727,000 after acquiring an additional 4,815 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $58,000. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $651,000. Finally, Advocacy Wealth Management Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $680,000.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of BATS EFAV opened at $67.27 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.01 and a beta of 0.60. iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF has a 52 week low of $64.68 and a 52 week high of $76.51.

About iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF

The iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF (EFAV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of developed-market equities, ex-US and Canada, selected and weighted to create a low volatility portfolio subject to constraints including sector exposure.

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Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG  Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the nine research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation, four have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned 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 $24.63.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on KRG. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on Kite Realty Group Trust from $26.00 to $28.00 in a report on Monday, May 8th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Kite Realty Group Trust in a report on Tuesday, May 23rd. They issued an underweight rating and a $20.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on Kite Realty Group Trust in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. Barclays raised their target price on Kite Realty Group Trust from $27.00 to $28.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Kite Realty Group Trust in a report on Monday, April 24th. They set a neutral rating and a $23.00 price objective on the stock.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kite Realty Group Trust

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in KRG. Raymond James & Associates lifted its stake in shares of Kite Realty Group Trust by 32.3% during the first quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 116,703 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,657,000 after acquiring an additional 28,495 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 14.5% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 67,735 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,542,000 after purchasing an additional 8,554 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 18.9% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,700 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $153,000 after purchasing an additional 1,067 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. bought a new stake in Kite Realty Group Trust in the first quarter valued at about $448,000. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can increased its holdings in Kite Realty Group Trust by 16.8% in the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 26,095 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $601,000 after purchasing an additional 3,760 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.48% of the companys stock.

Kite Realty Group Trust Stock Down 1.0 %

Kite Realty Group Trust Announces Dividend

KRG opened at $21.67 on Friday. Kite Realty Group Trust has a fifty-two week low of $16.42 and a fifty-two week high of $23.10. The business has a 50-day moving average of $20.55 and a 200-day moving average of $20.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.92. The company has a market capitalization of $4.75 billion, a PE ratio of 722.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.37.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a $0.24 dividend. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 6th. Kite Realty Group Trusts dividend payout ratio is currently 3,201.07%.

Kite Realty Group Trust Company Profile

(Free Report

Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE: KRG) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in Indianapolis, IN that is one of the largest publicly traded owners and operators of open-air shopping centers and mixed-use assets. The Company's primarily grocery-anchored portfolio is located in high-growth Sun Belt and select strategic gateway markets.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NYSEAMERICAN:NBY  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Sunday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the biopharmaceutical companys stock.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of NYSEAMERICAN NBY opened at $0.75 on Friday. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has a 1-year low of $0.48 and a 1-year high of $12.64. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $0.90 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.41 million, a PE ratio of -0.13 and a beta of 2.69.

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NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NYSEAMERICAN:NBY  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($4.33) EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $3.64 million for the quarter. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 21.09% and a negative return on equity of 18.62%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

About NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals by 57.5% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 201,222 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 73,500 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC boosted its position in NovaBay Pharmaceuticals by 260.4% during the 1st quarter. Virtu Financial LLC now owns 163,451 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 118,099 shares during the period. Finally, Armistice Capital LLC acquired a new stake in NovaBay Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth about $289,000.

(Free Report)

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, develops and sells eyecare, skincare, and wound care products in the United States and internationally. It offers Avenova Spray, a solution for removing foreign materials, including microorganisms and debris from skin around the eye, such as the eyelid; and wound care products, which are used for cleansing and irrigation as part of surgical procedures, as well as treating certain wounds, burns, ulcers, and other injuries under the NeutroPhase and PhaseOne brands.

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Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Free Report) had its price objective raised by Bank of America from $39.00 to $45.00 in a research report released on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Southwest Airlines in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Southwest Airlines from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the company from $64.00 to $39.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Finally, Barclays downgraded Southwest Airlines from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and cut their target price for the company from $42.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Friday, March 10th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $44.71.

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Southwest Airlines Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of LUV opened at $35.47 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.40 and a beta of 1.14. Southwest Airlines has a 1 year low of $28.40 and a 1 year high of $41.76. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $31.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $33.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 1.19.

Southwest Airlines Dividend Announcement

Southwest Airlines ( NYSE:LUV Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The airline reported ($0.27) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.21) by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $5.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.73 billion. Southwest Airlines had a return on equity of 6.99% and a net margin of 2.65%. The firms revenue was up 21.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.32) earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Southwest Airlines will post 2.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 12th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 21st will be given a $0.18 dividend. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 20th. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southwest Airlines

In other Southwest Airlines news, EVP Ryan C. Green sold 4,936 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.94, for a total value of $147,783.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,361 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $789,248.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Southwest Airlines

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LUV. CoreCap Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC grew its position in shares of Southwest Airlines by 247.5% during the 1st quarter. Samalin Investment Counsel LLC now owns 702 shares of the airlines stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Pacific Center for Financial Services bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Finally, First Community Trust NA bought a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors own 75.81% of the companys stock.

About Southwest Airlines

(Free Report)

Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provide scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a total fleet of 770 Boeing 737 aircrafts; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.

Further Reading

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StockNews.com cut shares of CEL-SCI (NYSEAMERICAN:CVM  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note released on Monday morning.

Separately, EF Hutton Acquisition Co. I reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $10.00 price target on shares of CEL-SCI in a report on Thursday, March 9th.

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CEL-SCI Stock Up 2.2 %

Shares of NYSEAMERICAN CVM opened at $2.28 on Monday. CEL-SCI has a 1 year low of $1.86 and a 1 year high of $5.42. The firms 50 day moving average price is $2.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $2.66. The firm has a market cap of $101.96 million, a P/E ratio of -2.81 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 2.01 and a current ratio of 2.37.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CEL-SCI

CEL-SCI ( NYSEAMERICAN:CVM Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, May 12th. The company reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that CEL-SCI will post -0.69 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in CVM. Swiss National Bank grew its position in CEL-SCI by 7.4% in the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 101,700 shares of the companys stock worth $400,000 after acquiring an additional 7,000 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in CEL-SCI by 338.3% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 58,299 shares of the companys stock valued at $229,000 after purchasing an additional 44,999 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in CEL-SCI during the 1st quarter valued at about $57,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in CEL-SCI during the 1st quarter valued at about $3,037,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its position in CEL-SCI by 400.6% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 343,458 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,350,000 after acquiring an additional 274,854 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 12.42% of the companys stock.

About CEL-SCI

(Free Report)

CEL-SCI Corporation, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the research, development, and manufacturing of immune systems for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The company's lead investigational immunotherapy is Multikine, a Leukocyte Interleukin injection, which has completed a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for patients, who are diagnosed with locally advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

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Wolff Wiese Magana LLC grew its stake in shares of Ford Motor (NYSE:F  Free Report) by 1.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 145,489 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after acquiring an additional 2,159 shares during the period. Ford Motor accounts for 1.5% of Wolff Wiese Magana LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Wolff Wiese Magana LLCs holdings in Ford Motor were worth $1,833,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Chicago Capital LLC bought a new stake in Ford Motor in the first quarter worth $128,000. Park Avenue Securities LLC grew its position in Ford Motor by 45.0% during the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 109,052 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $1,374,000 after buying an additional 33,829 shares in the last quarter. American Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ford Motor during the first quarter valued at approximately $127,000. Hedges Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Ford Motor by 27.4% during the first quarter. Hedges Asset Management LLC now owns 69,700 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $878,000 after buying an additional 15,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Ford Motor by 8.5% in the 1st quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 83,018 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $1,046,000 after buying an additional 6,508 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 53.20% of the companys stock.

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Ford Motor Price Performance

Shares of F stock opened at $14.78 on Thursday. Ford Motor has a 1 year low of $10.61 and a 1 year high of $16.68. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16. The firms 50 day moving average is $12.59 and its 200-day moving average is $12.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $59.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.82, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.54.

Ford Motor Dividend Announcement

Ford Motor ( NYSE:F Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The auto manufacturer reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $39.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $37.42 billion. Ford Motor had a return on equity of 19.99% and a net margin of 1.75%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 21.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.38 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Ford Motor will post 1.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 26th were given a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, April 25th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.06%. Ford Motors payout ratio is 84.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on F. TheStreet upgraded shares of Ford Motor from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. Benchmark lifted their price objective on Ford Motor from $19.00 to $20.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Citigroup raised Ford Motor from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the stock from $12.80 to $16.00 in a report on Monday, June 5th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Ford Motor from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the company from $13.00 to $16.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 30th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded Ford Motor from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $12.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $14.78.

Ford Motor Profile

(Free Report)

Ford Motor Company develops, delivers, and services a range of Ford trucks, commercial cars and vans, sport utility vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. It operates through Ford Blue, Ford Model e, and Ford Pro; Ford Next; and Ford Credit segments. The company sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors and dealers, as well as through dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments.

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Yellow Cake plc (LON:YCA  Free Report)s share price was up 0.8% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as GBX 411.43 ($5.23) and last traded at GBX 410 ($5.21). Approximately 469,758 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 43% from the average daily volume of 823,505 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 406.80 ($5.17).

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 552 ($7.02) target price on shares of Yellow Cake in a report on Wednesday, April 26th.

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Yellow Cake Stock Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average of GBX 401.12 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 390.92. The company has a market capitalization of 831.23 million, a P/E ratio of 854.17 and a beta of 0.36.

About Yellow Cake

Yellow Cake plc, a specialist company, operates in the uranium sector. It is involved in the purchase and holding of uranium oxide concentrates; and exploitation of other uranium-related opportunities. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Saint Helier, Jersey.

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By Donald Kirk



The legacy of history is unpredictable, erratic, sometimes generous, more often capricious and jeering.



If anybody had told me, when I was a journalist in "South" Vietnam five or six decades ago, visiting the marine press center in Da Nang, the large port city on Vietnam's central coast, that someday a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier would make a port call, I would have assumed the forecast was based on the U.S. winning the war.



For sure, one would not have imagined that one of America's biggest warships would be welcome if "North" Vietnam were to defeat "South" Vietnam. What could be more ridiculous than the notion of an American aircraft carrier arriving in Da Nang with the full authority and blessing of the Communist rulers of a united Vietnam? I would have shrugged off such an impossible prospect as a ridiculous joke.



But what do you know, the USS Ronald Reagan showed up in Da Nang on a courtesy call intended to show the enduring friendship of the Americans and the Vietnamese, under the thumb of the Communist victors in Hanoi. There it is, as the GIs used to say, in an expression of fatalism, boredom and acceptance of the war as they came to know it in those days when the Americans knew they were not fighting to win.



The turnaround in the sentiments of Vietnam's Communist rulers owes its origins to one overwhelming concern: The fear that China will attempt to hold sway over the whole country as in bygone centuries. Fiercely though they fought the French, the Americans and the American-armed-and-advised "South" Vietnamese, the "North" Vietnamese were always waiting for their showdown with the real imperial masters, the Chinese.



Never mind that the Chinese had armed and equipped the "North" Vietnamese for their anti-colonial and anti-imperial wars. The leaders in Hanoi could never stand for having to bow before them. They are not at all willing for the Chinese to tell them what to do, and they are extremely unhappy about Chinese claims to natural gas and oil deposits beneath the South China Sea.



No, latter-day Vietnam would rather not risk a war with China after a nasty border conflict in early 1979 that ended with the Chinese declaring a victory and going home. Hanoi believes its troops taught the Chinese a lesson. Would the outlook of the American-backed Saigon regime have been much different? Had the Americans and their one-time southern allies fought off the North Vietnamese, it's safe to assume America's friends in Saigon would have been as authoritarian as the government that now rules all of Vietnam from Hanoi.



The fate of Vietnam leads to comparisons with Korea. Scholars have been predicting the demise of the North Korean regime for years, but it never seems to happen even though the North again faces the pestilence of poverty, hunger, and disease. The situation may not be as dire as it was in the 1990s when two million North Koreans are believed to have died, but Kim Jong-un's refusal to back down on his nuclear-and-missile program must be taking a toll. The man will not stop wasting money on costly weapons that by any reasonable standard he cannot afford.





One wonders, 50 or so years from now, how the North-South drama will have played out. Even if Kim dies of diseases associated with obesity, no one dares predict the fall of the Kim dynasty. If he is finally unable to rule, he still has a powerful younger sister, and he has also nurtured an inner circle of high-ranking party leaders who may feud with one another but will agree on the need to perpetuate his legacy.



Prophesying Korea's future is as risky as it would have been to try and predict that of Vietnam. As a correspondent. I visited American aircraft carriers off the coast, where warplanes were catapulting off the decks on bombing missions over "North" and "South" Vietnam, where the North Vietnamese had established base complexes in the jungles, and also bombing portions of the Ho Chi Minh trail network over which Hanoi was shipping men and supplies into the South.



These days several hundred thousand Koreans are in Vietnam, to which South Korea sent a total of 300,000 troops at the behest of the Americans during the Vietnam War. No one could have predicted the presence of so many South Koreans in Vietnam after reports of massacres by South Korean troops.



Nor would anyone be so bold as to predict a happy ending in the perpetual contest for control over both Koreas.





Donald Kirk (www.donaldkirk.com) covers the North-South confrontation from both Washington and Seoul.


The Tatoyan Foundation led by Armenias former human rights defender, Arman Tatoyan, has published a new report on Azerbaijans state-level policy of Armenophobia.

June 29, 2023, 15:32 State policy of Armenophobia further deepened in Azerbaijan, ex-ombudsman says

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: Tatoyan states Wednesdays deadly Azeri attack which killed four Armenian soldiers in Artsakh is part of Baku's deepening hostile policy towards Armenians.

"Yesterday, the Azerbaijani armed forces killed 4 Armenian servicemen in Artsakh, who were defending their homeland, their homes and families," the ex-ombudsman wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

This newly published report presents facts and objective evidence on the actual situation and what will happen. This is the natural consequence of Azerbaijani animosity and state policy of Armenophobia, which they not only did not abandon, but further deepened, he said.
Yuhan-Kimberly CEO Chin Jea-seung, left, shakes hands with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh at his presidential residence in Ulaanbaatar, June 23. Courtesy of Yuhan-Kimberly



By Kim Jae-heun



Personal care manufacturer Yuhan-Kimberly celebrated the 20th anniversary of its reforestation project in Tujiin Nars, Selenge Province, and held a ceremony there, the company said Thursday.



Yuhan-Kimberly started the project in 2003 in cooperation with the Northeast Asian Forest Forum and the Mongolian government to restore the forests and prevent desertification in the Tujiin Nars region, which was severely damaged by large fires in 1988.



The company's continuous efforts and mutual cooperation with its partners resulted in cultivating 3,250 hectares of Yuhan-Kimberly Forest in the region. It is 11 times bigger than Yeouido and is considered a successful example of desertification prevention and forest restoration.



CEO of Yuhan-Kimberly Chin Jea-seung, Director of the Northeast Asian Forest Forum Park Jong-ho and Director General of the Department of Forest Policy and Coordination of Mongolia Byambasuren Oyunsanaa attended the anniversary ceremony held at Yuhan-Kimberly Forest.



"When Yuhan-Kimberly declared its goal to plant 1 billion trees in Mongolia, I visited Yuhan Kimberly Forest in Tujiin Nars and talked about the possibility of the project to the people of Mongolia. It is that much of valuable asset and very meaningful to us. I want to thank Yuhan-Kimberly for its efforts during the past 20 years," Oyunsanaa said.



The CEO also met with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh at his residence in Ulaanbaatar on June 23, who expressed gratitude for Yuhan-Kimberly's achievement. The company also shared the result of its 20 years of reforestation projects with the president.



"Yuhan-Kimberly Forest is a meaningful achievement done by various stakeholders, including the Northeast Asian Forest Forum, the Mongolian government and local residents, who agreed on the importance of restoring the forest to prevent desertification. We will continue our efforts to preserve its value," Chin said.




The Metropolitan School District of Steuben Countys Board of Trustees approved Hendry Park Elementary for a book vending machine. Hendry Parks PTO initially applied for a grant through the Steuben County Community Foundation and received the funding. The school will place the machine in their library.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

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Israel is not giving the Iron Dome air defense system or other weapons to the Kiev regime because of its concerns that they might end up in Irans possession, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Thursday.

June 29, 2023, 17:46 Israel not to hand over Iron Dome to Kiev for fear it falls into Irans hands  PM

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: "I think, its important to understand that we are concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands," he said.

Netanyahu pointed out that if that happens, Tehran would be able to use Israeli weapons against Israel. He noted that Israel is a densely populated country and so far, it has been avoiding major casualties because the Iron Dome system was shooting down 95% of the missiles targeting Israels population centers. "Now, if that system would fall in the hands of Iran, then millions of Israelis would be left defenseless and in peril," he added.
Although only three members were present physically in their concert, the group made Shawols feel that "SHINee is five" by "including" the late Jonghyun through THIS special gesture.

'SHINee Is Five': Heartwarming Reason Taemin Stood Away From Minho & Key

In an online community and social media platforms, Shawols (SHINee fandom) became emotional after one fan explained why Key and Minho were seen stuck together, while Taemin stood away from them during their recent concert.

From June 23 to 25, the members held a three-day concert, "SHINee World VI: Perfect Illumination," at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in Seoul.

Aside from this is a special concert to commemorate its 15th debut anniversary, the show became more meaningful as it was their first physical concert in Korea in six years and nine months in the aftermath of their military enlistment and pandemic.

Unfortunately, leader Onew wasn't able to join the team after suspending his activities due to health reasons.

Despite this, Key, Minho and Taemin pushed through with the scheduled concerts.

During the concert, spectators were impressed by how there were only three members physically, but there was no shortage in terms of vocals, raps, and dance. Minho, Key, and Taemin didn't make fans think they were only a trio performing, but as a complete group - with their special gestures reminding viewers that SHINee is "five."

One Shawol took to Twitter to emphasize this heartwarming act by pointing out that Key and Minho were always together while Taemin stood away from them.

    

        ?  3           pic.twitter.com/t883Kr6zQO  in.. (@lovein_tm) June 26, 2023

"It may be just me who felt that way, but at first, I wondered why Minho and Kibum (Key's real name) were stuck together when they were standing. But after watching the performance on the third day, I realized that Taemin and Minho (left space) for Jonghyun's place."

It was speculated that the members left the space for the late Jonghyun to make fans feel he was also with them.

To explain this, SHINee members often take pictorials and appear in public, standing in the order of Onew, Taemin, Jonghyun, Minho, and Key.

The members are also aware of this fact  Minho actually posted a photo on Instagram on the 27th and tagged SHINee members' Instagram IDs in the order above, which left fans in tears.

Shawols who saw this left comments such as:

"I'm crying so much."

Let's be happy SHINee."

"I really miss Jonghyun."

"SHINee is always five."

SHINee Dominates iTunes' Top Album Charts in 43 Regions With 8th Studio Album 'HARD'

Meanwhile, SHINee, who returned to the music scene on June 26 with their eighth full-length studio album "HARD," showed their unrelenting popularity by breaking personal records even after 15 years in their career.

Upon release, SHINee topped the iTunes Top Albums chart in 43 regions around the world, with Sweden, Slovenia and Panama added.

It has reaffirmed the high interest of global music fans by topping the worldwide iTunes album chart, China's largest music platform QQ music digital album sales chart, Japan's Recochoku Daily Album Ranking, and Korea's song and album chart.

They also recorded 105,714 sold albums on the first day of its release, setting its personal best record.

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Eunice Dawson.
NEW YORK  Fed up with hundreds of bootleg pot shops, New York launched new inspections this month aimed at getting rid of the unlicensed stores that are troubling the state's fledgling legal marijuana market. You will be caught, the governor vowed.

But anyone who expects to see the stores shape up or shut down might need patience.

Two weeks after the enforcement push debuted with authorities issuing violation notices and confiscating contraband weed at 11 Manhattan storefronts, only two appeared to have closed when an Associated Press reporter visited, and two others were no longer selling marijuana products.

At the rest, it was business as usual.

In some shops, customers came and went right past the ILLICIT CANNABIS SEIZED notices inspectors had posted in the windows. Other retailers apparently took down the signs, ignoring their stated warnings of additional penalties for doing so. A couple of stores advertised marijuana products on sidewalk signs. And another was thick with pot smoke from customers enjoying their purchases in its lounge.

Auburn-area cannabis businesses raided, ordered to cease sales Unlicensed cannabis dispensaries in the Auburn area were raided by law enforcement Tuesday and ordered by the state to cease sales.

For all of the promotion about its new initiative, the state won't immediately shutter the illegal shops, which have been operating with relative impunity throughout New York City.

The enforcement effort arrived this week in Cayuga County, where authorities raided I'm Stuck at 9 E. Genesee St. in downtown Auburn and the Weed Warehouse on Crane Brook Drive in Aurelius, both sites owned by David Tulley, of Lyons, who has also opened four locations in Wayne County. Law enforcement and state officials could be seen removing bags full of products from the sites on Tuesday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Auburn store remained closed.

The state inspections are just a first step toward hefty fines and, potentially, closure and even criminal prosecution. Still, regulators hope this will be a turning point in weeding out illegal sellers and giving authorized ones more room to flourish.

To the citizens that want us to go out and padlock on day one: We do have to afford a due process system," explains state Office of Cannabis Management enforcement director Daniel Haughney. As you see the process actually play out, step by step, it will get to a point where youre not going to see these illicit shops out there any longer.

A manager at one of the first 11 shops that were cited declined to discuss it. Managers and owners of those that hadn't shut down didn't respond to requests for comment.

Since New York legalized recreational marijuana use in March 2021, it has struggled to enforce the new regulations on sales.

The state limited the amount of pot someone can have for personal use and allowed for criminal charges, including felonies, for illegally possessing and selling larger amounts. But officials have stressed that they don't want to recriminalize the drug after striving to make up for decades of prosecutions.

New York set aside its first dispensary licenses for people who had pot convictions or relatives who did, planned to find and outfit storefronts for them to lease, and more. But those complexities helped slow the rollout. Just 15 approved retailers have opened in a state of nearly 20 million people, compared to the 25 dispensaries that opened in the first three months of legal sales in neighboring Vermont, which has only about 650,000 residents.

Unlicensed sellers rushed to fill the vacuum in New York. That has happened in some other states, but scale and density have made the problem especially visible in New York City, where shops have appeared every couple of blocks in some neighborhoods.

New NY rules would allow big, out-of-state pot sellers into market early The change is all the more devastating to small pot operators by the state's slow rollout of its legal cannabis dispensary program.

Their proliferation is irking lawmakers and licensees alike.

The most frustrating part is that theres just not a clear understanding within the public about the difference between a licensed dispensary and an unlicensed dispensary, since the latter are operating so openly, said Arana Hankin-Biggers, president of a licensed Manhattan dispensary called Union Square Travel Agency.

She emphasizes that buying legal means that products have been tested at state-approved labs and follow labeling and other rules. She notes that half her dispensary's proceeds go to a nonprofit partner that helps formerly incarcerated people. Yet those selling points vie with the sheer abundance of unauthorized options nearby.

Price comparisons between the licensed and unlicensed sellers are difficult because of the range of products and stores; also, licensed sellers collect state taxes that illicit shops likely do not. Hankin-Biggers said Union Square Travel Agency's prices are competitive, and sometimes lower.

The state cannabis office started trying to oust unauthorized marijuana stores last year by sending warning letters. But at the time, it didn't have the clear authority that it now has for inspections, fines and other consequences.

Meanwhile, some local officials took action. New York City has towed trucks suspected of selling weed, sued shops, and, with the state's help, inspected over 600 smoke shops since November on suspicion of illegal sales of pot or other items. Those inspections have led to more than 1,000 violation notices, 100 arrests, $15 million in fines and millions of dollars' worth of seizures, Mayor Eric Adams' office said.

New York City is doing everything in its power" to tackle the problem, mayoral spokesperson Kayla Mamelak said in a statement that commended the state's new efforts. Meanwhile, the city could levy new fines against illegal weed shops' landlords under a measure the City Council passed last week, and that Adams appears likely to support.

The state's new powers come from legislation that Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed into the state budget in May. It allows for inspections, seizures, fines that can reach $20,000 a day plus possible tax penalties, and, in some cases, closing shops and going after landlords.

After an inspection and seizure, retailers are entitled to an administrative hearing to determine whether theyll be fined. In order to lock the doors, the state would have to go to court and demonstrate that the public health, safety, or welfare immediately requires such a step.

Arrests, while possible, are not the focus point, as the state hopes that fines and seizures will persuade illegal sellers to stop, Haughney said.

Hankin-Biggers said she's already seen an impact. The first inspections included several unauthorized shops near her licensed dispensary, and some then pivoted to other products or apparently closed.

Im super-hopeful, she said. It's going to take some time, but I think were starting to finally make progress."

For more AP coverage of recreational marijuana: https://apnews.com/hub/recreational-marijuana
MORAVIA  Village of Moravia residents are suggesting changes they want to see in their community through an economic development grant.

Around 60 people attended a meeting Wednesday night to get community input on possible uses for the $2.25 million New York Forward grant the village has secured.

In February, the village was announced as one of the central New York region winners for the program, which is focused on bringing government funding to smaller areas hoping to revitalize their downtowns. Moravia's original application for the program included a $6.5 million plan with 18 proposed projects, half of which would either renovate or restore nine buildings on Main Street in the village. Other projects included on the application were improvements to Ethel Fuller Park, providing broadband service in public areas and creating a history trail.

Phil Schaeffing, associate and senior planner/urban designer for Stantec, the state's consulting firm for New York Forward projects in central New York, talked about the program's intent at Wednesday's event held at the village fire station.

"This funding is meant to go towards making projects happen that will create new public spaces, that will turn empty buildings into new uses, and that generally will help make downtown an even better place for you, the residents, your neighbors," he said. "Make it a place that neighbors want to stop by and spend money at local businesses and just generally contribute to the economy and character here at the village."

Cayuga County village wins $2.25M NY Forward grant for downtown projects The village of Moravia has won a $2.25 million grant through the state's NY Forward program to support downtown revitalization projects.

While all project ideas are being encouraged at this stage, Schaeffing later noted that when applications are being turned in for the program, it is helpful for these potential projects to have additional funding largely secured, along with project drawings and ownership of the site.

"What we will be doing through this planning process starting today and through this fall is to ultimately develop what's called a strategic investment plan and that plan is going to talk a little bit about what the village is like today, what's going really well, what can be improved, what sort of challenges you're facing and then it's going to have a list of projects that are recommended by a local planning committee for the state to consider for this implementation funding," Schaeffing said. "These are meant to be projects that are more than just an idea, they're pretty far along, they own the property, they have a lot of their funding lined up and they need a little more money to be able to get over that hump and to break ground and get going."

That strategic investment plan is meant to be "sort of the road map not just for this New York Forward plan and implementation funds, but even going into the future as the village pursues other funding sources, looks at other projects, this sort of sets the stage" for other possible improvements in the future beyond this funding, he continued.

This process is a partnership between Moravia's local NY Forward planning committee  which includes village residents and business owners  the community, the state and Stantec, and other consulting firms. Schaeffing later said consultants will be able to help out with fleshing out aspects of these potential projects.

In October, the local planning committee will submit the projects and the amount of money requested for each to the state, which will ultimately approve which endeavors get funded.

Schaeffing emphasized the importance of implementable projects as opposed to simply "good ideas" that don't have a way forward at the movement and said the projects should be large enough to make an impact in the downtown area. Another requirement of the selected projects is that ground can be broken on them within two years of getting the funding.

Schaeffing also noted that "for new building projects, there are certain energy efficiency requirements that the state wants those projects to be able to make to be able to meet the state's climate goals."

Megan Morsch of Highland Planning, the public engagement consultant for central New York's NY Forward winners, asked people in the audience to write down project ideas and priorities they would like to see within these projects. Groups formed tables and were asked to put together their top top priorities. At least one person from each group presented their conclusions.

Priorities and ideas mentioned included preserving and acknowledging the village's history, economic development, new shops and restaurants, parking and improvements to the Ethel Fuller Park.

After the kickoff meeting, resident Lee Iannone said she was happy with how it went.

"I loved how many people showed up for it, I love that they're getting our opinions on things and the generational amount of history that was in this room was amazing," she said.

The village of Moravia's website said project proposals need to be turned in by July 23 to be considered by the local planning committee.

Gallery: Moravia wins NY Forward grant
Sri Lankas candidate Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam was elected to the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families at the election held on 27 June 2023 at the United Nations in New York.

Ambassador Kariyawasam is a retired career diplomat and has previously served in the Committee three times, during which he was also the Chairperson during the Committees initial formative stages.

In addition to Ambassador Kariyawasam, candidates from Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Turkiye, Mexico and Burkina Faso got elected to the seven member Committee. Sri Lanka obtained the second highest number of votes together with Algeria.

In the post pandemic context, and the prevailing global economic situation, migrant workers are facing enormous challenges while contributing to the growth of economies across the world. The nomination of a candidate to the Committee by Sri Lanka is an endorsement of the countrys commitments to protecting and promoting rights of migrant workers.

The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW) is a body comprising of 14 independent experts that works to protect the rights of migrant workers around the world and monitors the implementation of the Convention, an important International Human Rights Treaty.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

28 June 2023
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The body of a 25-year-old transgender person with stab injury was found early Thursday near Japanese Park in Rohini area, police said.

Reacting to the murder, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reiterated his government's demand for control over the Delhi Police.

Also Read | Delhi Weather Update by IMD: National Capital To Witness Light to Moderate Rain With Cloudy Skies Over Next Five Days.

"Delhi Police should be handed over to the people of Delhi as LG Sahib and Amit Shah Ji are unable to do anything. And for how long will the people of Delhi continue to tolerate?" Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

"There is an atmosphere of fear among the people all over Delhi. But they have no time, no intention and no plan to provide security to the people of Delhi. After all, how long will people tolerate? You cannot have power without responsibility and accountability," he added.

Also Read | France Riots: Paris-Area Town Imposes Overnight Curfew in Response to Rioting Over Police Killing of Teen.

According to police, the body was recorded around 4 am. It has stab wound in the chest and postmortem examination will clear whether the victim was stabbed once or multiple times, they said.

Forensic experts have examined the spot and suggested that the incident took place in another area and later the body was dumped near the park, a senior police officer said.

A case has been registered at Prashant Vihar police station and the investigation is being carried out. Some suspects have been identified and teams formed to nab the accused, the officer said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Pune, June 29: The next meeting of Opposition leaders has been shifted from Shimla to Bengaluru owing to the prevailing weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar informed on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Pune on Thursday, the NCP patriarch said, "Owing to prevailing wet weather and heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, the venue of the meeting (of Opposition leaders) has been shifted from Shimla to Bengaluru. The meeting would be held on July 13 and 14." Patna Opposition Meeting Begins: 15 Parties Join Forces At Opposition Meet to Collaborate in General Elections 2024 (Watch Video).

He informed further that the decision on shifting the grand Opposition meeting was taken on Thursday. In the inaugural meeting earlier in Patna, top Opposition leaders, including Pawar, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal United (JDU) chief Nitish Kumar, Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, among others, had resolved to put up a united fight against the BJP government at the Centre in next year's Lok Sabha elections.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, the Congress national president announced that the Opposition parties would carry forward the process of building a rainbow alliance against the Centre at their next meeting in Shimla.

Kharge had said the agenda before the next Opposition meeting, the second of its kind after Patna, would be to flesh out a roadmap on moving ahead together "while working in our respective states to fight BJP in 2024".

"At this meeting, the future plan of action on how to go forward in the upcoming (Lok Sabha) election would be discussed. The discussion will also be centred on how power is misused to stoke communal tension in states," Pawar said on Thursday.

The NCP chief claimed further that in Opposition-ruled states, especially Left-ruled Kerala and Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, the BJP has failed to make any meaningful political inroads and had not received any support from the people.

"The BJP is not in power in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and West Bengal," he said in support of his argument.

Pawar claimed further that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on his maiden State visit to the United States when the first Opposition meeting took place, grew restless after learning of it.

His remark came in response to PM Modi's claim on Tuesday in Bhopal that the Opposition leaders are unsettled as they have come to realise that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was on course to win the 2024 general elections. 'Get Married, It's Not Too Late Even Today': Lalu Prasad Yadav's Advice to Rahul Gandhi Makes Everyone Laugh at Opposition's Press Conference in Patna (Watch Video).

"Wo baukhala gaye hain (They have become flustered). So, they have started to hold meetings... A few days ago a photo session was organised by them (Opposition) and if you see the photographs, you will realise that every person in the photo has their own history of scams. Every photo is a guarantee of corruption and scams. Everyone together is a guarantee of at least Rs 20 lakh crore corruption. Congress alone has carried out scams worth lakhs of crores. The RJD, TMC, NCP all of them have a long list of scams," PM Modi said while addressing party booth workers in Bhopal on Tuesday.

(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 29: No black dresses, compulsory attendance, suspension of classes between 10 am to 12 pm are among the guidelines issued by Delhi University colleges for the live telecast of the varsity's centenary celebrations to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi will attend the closing ceremony of the Delhi University's (DU) centenary celebrations as the chief guest on June 30.

Hansraj College, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College and Zakir Husain Delhi College have made it compulsory for students and faculty to attend the live telecast of the event. In a notice issued on Wednesday, Hindu College teacher-in-charge Meenu Srivastava laid out seven-point guidelines mentioning that students will be given five attendances for participating in the live streaming. PM Modi Back in Action in India! Prime Minister Narendra Modi Chairs Key Meeting Hours After Landing in Delhi From Landmark Visit to US and Egypt (Watch Video).

The presence of all students is mandatory during the live streaming of the event. The entry to college should be done by the beginning of the first period, that is, 8:50 am to 9 am in order to avoid any traffic diversion or disruptions later in the DU campus, the guidelines read. You need to carry your I-card. No black dress is to be worn that day. Students attendance is mandatory and they will be given five attendances for attending the live streaming and it will be submitted to the college, they said.

Asked about this notice, Hindu College principal Anju Srivastava said the administration has not issued any such notice. It appears there is some misrepresentation. (This notice has) not (been) issued by the college. I have no idea, she told PTI. However, she did not deny that the notice is not genuine. I have mailed to students and all faculty informing them about the live telecast and urged them to attend it. There is no attendance compulsion, Srivastava added. Delhi Education Minister Atishi Marlena Releases Rs 100 Crore Fund for 12 Delhi University Colleges.

In a notice, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College said, On this occasion, all teachers with their students and non-teaching staff must attend the live web telecast programme in the college." It said a detailed report will be submitted to the university. As per the directions of the University of Delhi, all staff members other than the newly appointed teachers who are physically present at the multipurpose hall, University of Delhi, are mandatorily required to remain present in the college library to view the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations, the Zakir Hussain Delhi College said in its order.

PTI reached out to principals of several other colleges of the varsity. They, however, maintained that they have only requested the students and faculty to attend the event and that there is no attendance for the same. The Delhi University administration also clarified that they have not made attendance compulsory, adding the live telecast is being arranged so that those who cannot make it to the event can watch the same.

Registrar Vikas Gupta said the varsity has not issued any order about compulsory attendance. We have informed the colleges that we are doing a live telecast of the event as all students cannot attend it. The colleges have made the arrangements. We have not made attendance mandatory, he told PTI.

Meanwhile, Ramjas College, Miranda House and Kirorimal College also maintained that they have not made attendance compulsory, but have urged students, teaching and non-teaching staff to attend the event. Dyal Singh College said, Our college shall be telecasting the said event live and all students and teachers are therefore requested to be present in College on 30.06.2023."

Miranda House principal B Nanda, Ramjas College principal Manoj Kumar Khanna and Kirorimal College principal Dinesh Khattar also confirmed that attendance is not compulsory for the prime minister's event. We had informed the university that several students and teachers are interested in attending the event, and that is why they told us that a live telecast would be done. The students themselves are very keen. We have not made it compulsory for anyone, Nanda said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Cuttack (Odisha), Jun 29 (PTI) The death toll in the June 2 train accident in Odisha's Balasore district mounted to 293 on Thursday as a 24-year-old Bihar resident succumbed to his injuries at SCB Medical College and Hospital here, officials said.

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The deceased has been identified as Manish Kumar, a resident of East Champaran district of Bihar.

Also Read | UIDAI: Aadhaar Card Based Face Authentication Transactions Touch All Time High of 10.6 Million in May 2023, E-KYC Transactions Cross 254 Million.

He died around 1.30 pm while undergoing treatment at the central ICU of the hospital.

Kumar was admitted to the hospital on June 3 with critical injuries.

As many as 287 people had died at the accident spot, while five people later succumbed to their injuries in Cuttack and one in Bhadrak.

The triple accident took place near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore district involving Chennai-bound Coromandel Express from Shalimar, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train.

Twenty-two other injured people were undergoing treatment at the state-run SCBMCH, of whom five are in the ICU and 17 are admitted to different wards, hospital sources added.

Meanwhile, 81 bodies which were yet to be identified and handed over to their family members were preserved at the AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

Around 84 people have given their blood samples for DNA sampling as there have been multiple claimants over one body.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Jun 28 (PTI) A 22-year-old woman, who eloped and got married a year ago, was shot dead allegedly by a family member in Alipur Aterna village here, with police suspecting it to be a case of honour killing.

The incident took place in the Budhana police station area of the Muzaffarnagar district on Wednesday evening.

Also Read | One-Tap-One-Tree Campaign in UP: Uttar Pradesh To Distribute Over 5-Lakh Free Tree Saplings With Each New Tap Connection To Expand Green Cover in State.

The victim, Farhana, had returned to the village after getting married in court a few days ago. She was on her way to buy medicines when she was shot dead allegedly by a family member, police said.

The accused fled following the killing. The body has been sent for post-mortem, Deputy SP Vinay Gautam told PTI on Thursday.

Also Read | 'Sparsh Darshan' Banned at Kashi Vishwanath Dham During Saawan for 59 days from July 4.

The village head claimed the victim's family did not approve of the relationship and this might have led to the killing.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Relations:Leaders stress joint building of the Belt and Road President Xi Jinping reaffirmed on Tuesday Beijing's commitment to high-level opening-up, advancing Belt and Road cooperation and upholding true multilateralism, during separate meetings with heads of government from four countries. The president met in Beijing with the prime ministers of Barbados, New Zealand, Mongolia and Vietnam on the sidelines of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, during their official visits to China. He welcomed the countries to share opportunities from China's high-quality growth as the nation moves forward on its own pathway to modernization. Barbados During his meeting with Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Xi said the fact that Beijing is moving forward with Chinese modernization through high-quality development will usher in new opportunities for the Eastern Caribbean country and bilateral cooperation. He called on both sides to deepen political mutual trust and support each other on issues related to each other's core interests and major concerns. It is important for Beijing and Barbados, as two developing nations, to expand pragmatic cooperation and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the joint building of the Belt and Road, in order to advance cooperation on infrastructure development, digital economy, climate change, renewable energy, agriculture and healthcare, Xi said. He appealed for greater unity and cooperation in the developing world to practice true multilateralism, oppose Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and safeguard the basic norms of international relations and fairness and justice in the international arena. Xi expressed China's "full understanding" of the concerns of small island developing states like Barbados regarding climate change, and he pledged to further enhance South-South cooperation in this regard, providing assistance and support to developing countries. Mottley applauded China's achievements in poverty eradication and enhancement of public well-being, saying that the Global Development Initiative proposed by the Chinese president "demonstrated outstanding global leadership" and will contribute to common prosperity and development for all nations and people, as well as to better tackling of global challenges. Barbados hopes to strengthen cooperation with China on the response to climate change, as well as water resources, healthcare and tackling the digital divide, she said, adding that her country opposes decoupling or the severing of supply chains. New Zealand In talks with New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, President Xi underscored that China's efforts to seek self-reliance and self-improvement are never about closing its doors, but rather about better connecting its domestic and international markets. China, with its vast land and huge population, can only seek its development based on its own strength, he told Hipkins, who is making his first visit to Beijing since taking office in January. An open China is crucial to achieving its modernization, Xi said, adding that Beijing will remain unwavering in advancing high-level opening-up and better protecting the legitimate interests of foreign investors. Xi reiterated that China considers New Zealand a friend and partner, expressing willingness to work together with New Zealand to embark on a new era in bilateral relations and ensure the long-term stability and progress of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. The two sides should continue to see each other as partners instead of rivals and opportunities rather than threats, and should consolidate the foundation for bilateral relations, he said. He highlighted the implementation of the upgraded version of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, as well as promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and providing a better business environment for each other's enterprises. The two nations should jointly uphold true multilateralism and the free trade system and jointly respond to global challenges such as climate change, he said. Hipkins said his country attaches great importance to ties with China, and he called upon both sides to continue deepening cooperation in economy, trade, education, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. Differences should not define the bilateral relations, and what is important is to maintain candid exchanges and mutual respect and put aside differences while seeking common ground, he said. Mongolia President Xi highlighted the need for China and Mongolia to adhere to mutual respect for national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as respect for the development path independently chosen by each country, and to support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns. He told visiting Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene that developing long-term, good-neighborly relations is a strategic choice made by both countries and fully caters to the fundamental interests of the two peoples. Noting that China is a partner that Mongolia can trust and rely on, Xi said that the nation is willing to continuously deepen friendly relations with Mongolia, strengthen mutual trust and cooperation and inject more stability and certainty into the region and the world. He said that China actively advances global environmental governance and is willing to cooperate with Mongolia on desertification control. Saying that China and Mongolia are both developing countries with broad common interests and similar standpoints on international and regional affairs, Xi underlined the need for both countries to firmly defend multilateralism and build a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice, cooperation and win-win results. Oyun-Erdene said that Mongolia adheres to the one-China principle and supports China's stance on the Taiwan question as well as issues related to Tibet and Xinjiang. Mongolia supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, all proposed by Xi, and is willing to work closely with China to continue to respect and support each other's choice of development paths and the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road. Vietnam President Xi called for China and Vietnam to jointly oppose decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains and the act of politicizing economic and technological issues, in order to uphold international fairness and justice, during talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. While enhancing bilateral cooperation, the two countries should jointly safeguard their own development rights and interests, and promote the international order becoming more just and reasonable, creating a peaceful and stable external environment for the modernization drive of both nations, he said. Facing the increasingly grave and complex international situation, China and Vietnam should uphold the spirit of equality, mutual benefit, solidarity and cooperation, join hands to seek common development, and inject greater stability into a world full of challenges, Xi said. He called on China and Vietnam, both socialist countries, to enhance the quality of joint building of the Belt and Road, strengthen the alignment of their development strategies, give play to their complementary advantages, and accelerate pragmatic cooperation in fields such as infrastructure, smart customs and green energy. The Vietnamese prime minister said that the sustained and stable development of the Vietnam-China relationship has always been the strategic choice and top priority of the Vietnamese party and government. Vietnam firmly pursues the one-China policy and supports China's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said. He added that Vietnam opposes the politicization of economic issues and is willing to work closely with China to prevent and respond to various risks and challenges and avoid any forces that would divide the Vietnam-China relationship.
Saharanpur, June 29: Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday registered a first information report (FIR) at the Deoband police station in Saharanpur district in connection with June 28 incident in which unidentified assailants shot at Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Aazad in the Deoband area.

The condition of Aazad, the leader of Aazad Samaj Party who was hospitalized after the shooting incident is now reported to be stable, police said. The FIR has been lodged based on the complaint of Chandra Shekhar's accomplice, Manish Kumar. Ramcharitmanas Row: Uttar Pradesh Police Lodge FIR Against Samajwadi Partys Swami Prasad Maurya and Others for Burning of Pages From Hindu Epic.

Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad Attacked:

#WATCH | On the attack on him in Saharanpur, UP earlier today, Bhim Army leader Chandra Shekhar Aazad says, "I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters & workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight pic.twitter.com/UFPTn3VIbk  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

According to the FIR, provisions of offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act has been een imposed along with the charges of attempt to murder against the attackers.

Aazad's convoy was attacked by armed men in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. The Bhim Army chief has appealed to his friends and supporters to maintain peace.

Chandra Shekhar Azad Attacked in Saharanpur:

Morning visuals from SBD Hospital in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh where Chandra Shekhar Aazad, national president of Aazad Samaj Party - Kanshi Ram is admitted after his convoy was attacked by armed men in Saharanpur yesterday. pic.twitter.com/tbzcb2m7hM  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023

"I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters, and workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight constitutionally. I am fine with the love and blessings of crores of people," Azad told ANI from hospital here. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Out To Buy Milk, 35-Year-Old Woman Shot Dead Outside Her Home in Meerut, Investigation Underway.

Abhimanyu Manglik, Superintendant of Police (City), Saharanpur, told ANI that he had met with and spoken to Aazad who will be discharged after a checkup on Thursday. The official added that the probe is on and the accused behind the shooting will be arrested soon.

"I had a word with his doctor also, and he told me that Azad's vitals are stable...he will be discharged tomorrow after check-up, the probe is on. The accused behind the attack will be arrested soon, " the official said.

"The bullet grazed his stomach. His condition is stable, he is out of danger. Police will investigate the matter and will take all the necessary action," SSP Saharanpur Dr Vipin Tada said.

Aazad said his younger brother was also in the car when the incident occurred. "I don't remember well, but my people identified them. Their car went towards Saharanpur. We took a U-Turn. Five of us, including my younger brother, were in the car when the incident occurred..," the Bhim Army chief said.

(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 29 (PTI) Cube Highways Trust (Cube InvIT) on Thursday said it has secured Rs 1,030 crore funding from International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The funds raised through this deal will be utilised for a special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by Cube InvIT.

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The transaction was finalised on Wednesday, it said in a regulatory statement.

"Cube InvIT successfully secured Rs 1,030 crore through long-term listed non convertible debentures (NCDs) from the International Finance Corporation (IFC)," it said.

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Cube Highways Trust has a diversified portfolio of 18 toll and annuity road assets with an aggregate length of 1,423.60 kilometres. These road assets are located across 11 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, the statement said.

Cube Highways Trust is engaged in implementing the public-private partnership (PPP) model in the country's highways sector to operate and manage highway projects in association with the Centre and state governments.

It is backed by a diversified investor base, including I Squared Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, Abu Dhabi's sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company, and Japan Highways International BV.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kabul [Afghanistan], June 29 (ANI): Afghan migrants who were deported by Turkey have complained of mistreatment by Turkish border forces, claiming that they were beaten and tortured after they were arrested, TOLO News reported.

TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul.

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Abdul Rahman, 24, said that migrants face harassment while being deported.

"They told us you are a son... What are you doing here? I (said) I am obliged to in order to find a piece of bread," he said, as per TOLO News.

Also Read | S Jaishankar Takes Hard Stand on Ties With China, Says 'State of Border Will Determine State of Relationship'.

"The refugees are in fact facing problems with job opportunities, resettlement challenges and lack of identification. The Islamic Emirate should pay attention in this regard," said Asifa Stanikzai, a refugee rights activist.

TOLO News interviewed a number of Afghan deportees from Turkey who claimed to have been beaten by Turkish forces.

"They have beaten us very badly with steel. They broke my feet," said Sarwar, a deportee.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that around 2 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan within the past two years.

He said that the process of deportation should be done without any harassment.

"The Islamic Emirate is in contact with Turkey about this issue so they treat the Afghan refugees with good behaviour. However, there are also legal issues and (Turkey) doesn't accept the refugees," the Taliban spokesman added.

Earlier, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation reported that countries hosting Afghan refugees have violated refugees' rights against Afghans, as per TOLO News. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, Jun 29 (AP) Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Israel's statehood and to reaffirm his nation's special relationship with the United States, congressional leaders announced on Thursday.

The world is better off when America and Israel work together," said the announcement from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "Eleven minutes after declaring independence in 1948, the United States was the first to recognise the state of Israel, and today, we continue to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two democracies."

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McCarthy addressed Israel's parliament in May. It was the first time in 25 years, a sitting speaker of the House had addressed Israel's Knesset, and it came in a period of fraught relations between Israel's government and President Joe Biden.

McCarthy noted that the only other president of Israel to address a joint meeting of Congress was Herzog's father, President Chaim Herzog, more than 35 years ago.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed Congress three times  most recently in 2015, when Republican leaders invited him to deliver a speech railing against then-President Barack Obama's emerging nuclear agreement with Iran. The speech infuriated the White House and fellow Democratic leaders.

Biden, then Obama's vice president, was travelling abroad and did not attend Netanyahu's address  when the vice president normally would have sat behind the Israeli leader during those remarks.

Netanyahu, who returned to office last December, has known Biden for decades. But the two have disagreed over Netanyahu's proposed overhaul of Israel's judicial system, which critics see as a move toward authoritarianism, as well as his hard-line government's expansion of West Bank settlements and punitive measures against the Palestinians. Netanyahu's position runs in direct opposition to Biden's moves to boost US-Palestinian relations.

Biden said in March there were no plans to invite Netanyahu to the White House in the near term. In a challenge to Biden, McCarthy said in May that he would invite Netanyahu to speak to Congress if Biden doesn't.

House Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, R-Calif., had invited Herzog to address Congress last year, and Schumer met with Herzog in Israel during a visit in February. Schumer said Herzog has always been a great leader and is particularly influential at this time.

This invitation to speak at a joint meeting of Congress is a testament to the decades of bipartisan and bicameral support for Israel that transcends party politics and I look forward to welcoming him to the Capitol, Schumer said. (AP)

(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 29: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and visiting Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo co-chaired the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) here on Thursday. The two leaders discussed a number of key areas of cooperation including cooperation in trade and investment, defence, health, medicine, agriculture, and others. The visiting Philippines Foreign Secretary announced that his country has ratified the updated Air Services Agreement with India.

Stating that India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, including space cooperation, Manalo said that he hoped that the two countries can extend it further. "A warm welcome to @SecManalo of Philippines on a pleasant monsoon morning in New Delhi. Our 5th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation today will prepare our partnership for the future," tweeted Jaishankar prior to their meeting. Jaishankar and Manalo had last met in Cambodia on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, in November last year. S Jaishankar Takes Hard Stand on Ties With China, Says State of Border Will Determine State of Relationship.

During the delegation-level talks, the External Affairs Minister highlighted the necessity to stabilize the Indo-Pacific and the importance of the rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism. "The importance of our defence cooperation, the need to stabilize the Indo-Pacific, the importance of respecting rule of law and promoting inclusive multilateralism and the fact that we are both democratic Asian republics. I think all these messages really resonate very strongly with us from our perspective," said Jaishankar.

"I would also like to express my appreciation for your participation in the Voice of Global South Summit. And I truly believe today that we are two countries who share so much, who look at global developments and continental developments with so much convergence and who have so many economic complementarities that our commission will surely be very productive," he added.

Meanwhile, Manalo in his address thanked Jaishankar and the Government of India for the warm hospitality and welcome accorded to him and his delegation. The Philippines Foreign Secretary also noted the various areas of cooperation with India. "We attach great importance to our relationship with India. Since the first JCBC, a number of key areas of cooperation have already been discussed and in fact, action is taken, and we hope that we can extend it further to our discussions today. EAM S Jaishankar Says Large Part of World Sees Us As Development Partner, Second Image of India Is of Economic Collaborator (Watch Video).

India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, including space cooperation. Areas cooperation and trade and investment, defence, health, medicine, agriculture, tourism, financial, technology, just to name some," he said. Manalo also said that India was ranked as the Philippines' 15th trading partner and that the two countries are working further to cement these ties. "With the expected growth in economies of both countries, we are committed to even extending this, increasing this by creating an environment which will foster greater business partnerships and relationships in a way that mutually benefits both our countries," the Philippines Foreign Secretary said.

"And finally, I'd like to note that we have also progressed since we both opened Consulates General in each other's countries not long after our gaining independence. And my delegation here with me today is even more optimistic in the future of our cooperation relationship," he said. India and the Philippines will this year celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Islamabad, June 29: Four terrorists were killed and three more were left injured during an operation by the Pakistan military in the tribal districts of Bajaur and Khyber, Dawn reported. The first operation was conducted in the Inayat Kalli area of Bajaur district over suspicion of the presence of a terrorist, named Shafiullah. The accused was wanted in several target killings, suicide attacks and bomb explosions, and carried a bounty worth 2 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR).

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an intense exchange of fire took place between the security forces and militants in the Mamond area of the district, and weapons and ammunition were recovered from their possession. "The terrorists were involved in activities against security forces as well as in the killing of innocent citizens," Dawn quoted the statement. Pakistan Cops Click Selfies With Terrorists Dead Body, Make TikTok Video After Tying His Body With Armoured Truck in Peshawar.

In another incident in Tirah Valley of Khyber district, one terrorist was killed and three others sustained injuries in an exchange of fire with the security forces during the operation. An ISPR statement said the terrorist was killed during an operation, adding that an intense exchange of fire took place between the security forces and terrorists. "Sanitisation of the area is being carried out in order to eliminate other militants," Dawn quoted the statement.

Earlier on June 19, four police personnel and two soldiers of the Pakistan security forces were injured in different attacks by unidentified armed men in Bara tehsil of Pakistan's Khyber district on Sunday. On June 4, Two Pakistani Army soldiers were killed during an exchange of fire with terrorists in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported, quoting the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). India Slams China at UN for Blocking Move To Designate Pakistan-Based LeT Leader and 26/11 Accused Sajid Mir As Global Terrorist.

In another incident, two soldiers were killed in Pakistan's Singwan, the country's bordering region with Iran, in a gun battle with terrorists on June 1.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Geneva [Switzerland], June 29 (ANI): Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP) raised concerns and miseries of religious minorities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at a symposium organised here.

Interfaith International organised a symposium on Freedom of Religion, Human Rights and Politics on Wednesday.

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At the outset of the symposium, Kashmiri expressed his gratitude towards Dr Charles Grave, Secretary General of Interfaith International, for providing space to highlight the plight of suffering minorities.

"Some governments are not ready to give space for religious minorities. Every government has their own agenda but only the democratic countries recognised our basic rights but all those countries where there is no democracy are not ready to give us a taste to human rights," he said.

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The rights activist further noted the floating problems of the PoK.

"And we are the unfortunate as we are divided forcefully and now our area which is under Pakistani occupation used as a launching pad for the terrorist activities and nobody is ready to open their eyes to see what happened," he added.

Kashmiri recalled a recent incident where 22 children hardly 17-18 years old were kidnapped following which their parents protested but were threatened and asked to not say anything regarding these missing children.

He said, "It is one of the prescribed organisations who kidnap them and now they are in that prescribed organisation for study. And the government of Pakistan is saying then it has dismantled all the terroristic infrastructure and all the organisations out there, but it is an open secret that still the terrorist activities are going on in our areas and the people are protesting."

Kashmiri then spoke about the oppression of Muslim minorities who live in China.

"It is a very sad story regarding the Muslims who lived in China, their miseries, their freedom of expression, their freedom of religion is totally compromised," he said.

In China, Muslims have no right to practice their religious beliefs and become a victim of personal liking and disliking of the systems as they are not pro-people they are not pro-democracy and they do not believe in religious harmony," exiled chairman of UKPNP concluded. (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 York, Jun 29 (PTI) The US sees a growing role for India in the disputed South China Sea and there will be a collaboration between Washington and New Delhi in this strategically vital region, a top Biden administration official said, amid growing Chinese aggression in the area.

These remarks were made by Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink on Wednesday at the Thirteenth Annual South China Sea Conference by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

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China claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea (SCS) as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Responding to a question on if Kritenbrink sees a growing role for India in the South China Sea and if there will be US-India collaboration in this, Yes, I do. And yes, I think we will. he said.

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Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming that the ownership of territory belonged to China for hundreds of years.

The US is periodically deploying its naval ships and fighter planes to assert freedom of navigation.

Kritenbrink said the growth of the US-India partnership and certainly the revitalisation and expansion of the activities of the Quad - the grouping with Australia, Japan, India and the US - are some of the most significant strategic developments I think I've seen in my lifetime.

He added that this is not limited to the US-India issue per se.

"I think our focus across the entire region, again, is building the capacity of allies, partners and friends, and for all countries who share that vision that we want to live in a world that's peaceful and stable.

We're all countries, large and small, that follow the same rules. We will welcome cooperation with any country that embraces that vision. That of course includes India. I think it includes most of our partners across Asia, he said.

Kritenbrink said the US maintains that all South China Sea claimants should comport their maritime claims with international law, as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

We also believe that South China Sea claimant states should be able to exercise, without interference, threats or coercion, their sovereign rights and jurisdiction over natural resources in their exclusive economic zones and on their continental shelves.

In the joint statement issued last week during the State Visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden reiterated their enduring commitment to a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous India-Pacific region with respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and international law.

Both leaders expressed concern over coercive actions and rising tensions, and strongly oppose destabilising or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force.

Both sides emphasised the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas, the joint statement said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Actor Sanjay Mishra's Hindi short film Giddh (The Scavenger) has won the Asia International Competition at the renowned Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023. The actor was also honoured with the 'Best Actor' award at the festival, with the Best Short Film win officially qualifying Giddh to compete at the Oscars, making it a strong contender for the short film category. Sanjay Mishra Shares Experience of Living in Varanasi Ashram for a Month.

A raw social commentary, Giddh acts as a mirror to society and impartially speaks about many of the harsh realities that most would turn away from. Striking a chord with global audiences, Giddh was erlier also selected as the finalist by the jury of the USA Film Festival 2023. Additionally, the short film was also one of the official selections in other esteemed international short film festivals, including the LA Shorts International Film Festival 2023 and the Carmarthen Bay International Film Festival 2023.

Speaking about the global reception of the film, Sanjay Mishra said: "I am deeply humbled and grateful for the overwhelming global reception that our film Giddh has received. It has been an unforgettable journey, and the experience of collaborating with such an incredible crew will forever stay with me. Blind Trailer: Sonam Kapoor Is on Hunt for a Serial Killer in This JioCinema Crime Thriller (Watch Video).

We faced challenges head-on, pouring our hearts into every scene, and witnessing the magic that unfolded before our very eyes. As I look back on the countless hours of hard work and unwavering dedication invested in this project, I am profoundly moved by the reception and recognition that our labor of love has garnered," he added.

Produced by Ellanar films and co-produced by Amdavad Films, Giddh will be helmed by National award-winning director, Manish Saini who is known for his work in Gujarati cinema movies such as Dhh, and Gandhi and Co.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2023 04:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Raipur, June 29: A portion of an under-construction bridge has collapsed due to heavy rains in Chhattisgarh's Durg district. According to officials, as the portion of the bridge was under-construction, it could not take the pressure of the increased water flow of the river and hence gave way. The bridge was being built at Triveni Sangam ghat -- the confluence of three rivers - Shivnath, Aamner and Sagni - in Durg to connect the Silli and Nankatti villages.

Construction on the bridge, which is estimated to cost Rs 16.4 crore, had begun on November 11, 2020, and it was supposed to have been completed on April 11, 2022, as the various reports suggested. D. K. Maheshwari, executive engineer of the bridges department, told the media that the contractor was asked to dismantle the structure ahead of the monsoon season, but he failed to do so. Bihar Bridge Collapse Video: Portion of Temporary Bridge On River Ganga in Vaishali Washes Away, People Stranded

A Portion of a Bridge Built at Triveni Sangam Ghat in Chhattisgarh Collapses (Watch Video):

VIDEO | A portion of an under-construction bridge collapses due to heavy rains in Chhattisgarh's Durg district. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/Uqgea2we0f  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2023

"Contractor did not dismantle the structure despite clear instruction. Only the staging and shuttering have been washed away. No concrete had been poured," Maheshwari added. However, he further added that the collapse of the portion of the bridge has resulted the loss of nearly Rs 12 lakh, which will be borne by the contractor and a show-cause notice will also be issued. Bihar Bridge Collapse: Pipa Pul Bridge Connecting Hajipur With Raghopur Village Washed Away in Ganges (Watch Video)

Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has slammed the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh accusing the latter of indulging into corruption. State BJP president Arun Aao said, "This bridge being built at Sagni Ghat in Durg district, home of the Chief Minister, could not be completed even after crossing its construction period and got washed away."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2023 05:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
German auto giant BMW has decided to manufacture the plug-in hybrid versions of its X3 SUV in South Africa. The carmaker has announced that the production of one of the popular models from its stable will start from 2024. BMW has committed to an investment of 4.2 billion rand, roughly converted to around $225 million, to update its facility located in Rosslyn, near Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa.

BMW has been manufacturing the X3 SUVs at the Rosslyn facility since 2018. In the past five years, the German carmaker has manufactured around three lakh X3 SUVs, which have been also exported to other African nations like Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia. Now, these models will also be exported outside of Africa. The carmaker plans to upgrade the facility to manufacture electric and plug-in hybrid models soon.

BMW has produced over 1.5 million vehicles from Rosslyn facility since it began operations. The facility, which currently has a production capacity of around 75,000 units per year, is known for manufacturing the 3 Series sedan since 1983, and the X3 SUV since 2018. "From 2024, we will produce the BMW X3 in South Africa as a plug-in hybrid and export it all over the world," Milan Nedeljkovic, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW South Africa, said in his statement. "With an investment of 4.2 billion rand (over 200 million euros), the Rosslyn plant will be enabled for electromobility," he added.

Besides the African nations, BMW aims to export the X3 plug-in hybrid SUV to other countries like the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.

The X3 SUV is currently BMW's best-selling model in South Africa. It rivals the likes of Audi Q3, Mercedes GLC and Volvo XC60 among other luxury SUVs. BMW offers the third generation X3 SUV with both petrol and diesel engines. The upcoming fourth generation X3 SUV is currently undergoing road tests and is expected to be launched some time next year.

First Published Date:
Bhopal, June 29: Amid ongoing poster war between the BJP and Congress in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, digital payments company PhonePe has objected to the use of its logo in the posters warning of legal action.

In a statement, PhonePe has objected to the unauthorised usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. "We are not associated with any political campaign or party," it said. BJP Unleashes Poster War Against CM Nitish Kumar in Patna Ahead of Opposition Meet.

Poster War in Madhya Pradesh:

Poster war intensifies in Madhya Pradesh, after BJP put up posters of Kamal Nath calling him "Wanted Corruption Nath" Congress put up posters of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan with a slogan 50% laao; phone pe kaam karaao. pic.twitter.com/Zx8KgENQKt  Ashok Upadhyay (@ashoupadhyay) June 27, 2023

"PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorised use of PhonePe's intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour."

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said the government will take action on the matter, if Phonepe lodges the complaint. The minister claimed that objectionable posters of CM Chouhan were put up by Congress workers. Poster War in Karnataka: Banners of DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah as Next CM Heat Up Political Atmosphere as Congress to Name Chief Minister Today (Watch Videos).

"Congress is playing dirty politics to hide its internal conflict. Congress workers were seen putting up posters in Chhindwara, Gwalior, Narsinghpur, Bhopal and other places. CCTV footage revealed that Congress workers have put up these objectionable posters," Narottam Mishra said while talking to the media persons on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday filed a case against unidentified persons in connection with objectionable posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan which have emerged in Gwalior.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Singh Chandel stated that a case has been registered under the relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections at the Padao police station following a complaint regarding the objectionable posters of the chief minister.

The accused in the FIR have not been identified and further investigation was underway, he added. The posters featuring a QR code and a picture of Chouhan with the message: "50% Lao, Kam Karao" (bring 50 per cent and get the work done) along with the name of a leading online payment app, PhonePe, have come up in several cities of Madhya Pradesh, including Gwalior, in the last few days.

Poster war between Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress chief Kamal Nath has escalated ahead of the Assembly polls. Objectionable posters of Chouhan and Kamal Nath were put up with QR codes in Bhopal last week, and have sprouted across the state. At first, the objectionable posters of Kamal Nath were put up at market premises in Bhopal, in which he was accused of ''corruption" during his 15-month Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. Next morning, similar posters of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan were put up in various places.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 29, 2023 02:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
In a tweet, Sibal, a Rajya Sabha MP, said, "Prime Minister: Pushes for Uniform Civil Code, accuses Opposition of instigating Muslims. Questions: 1) Why now after 9 years? 2024? 2) How 'uniform' is your proposal: Covers : Hindus, Tribals, North-East, All? 3) Every day your Party targets Muslims. Why? Concerned now!"
Bolivias Presidentwas today (29 June) analysing whether to dismiss his interior minister,, after a split in the ruling party caused the minister to lose a vote of confidence over his role in a scandal over police involvement in the sale of stolen cars.

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On 28 June Mexicos Presidentconfirmed that the navy ministry (Semar) was taking over control of Mexico City (CDMX)s Benito Juarez International Airport (AICM).

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On 28 June the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Corte-IDH) ordered the release of Nicaraguan bishop imprisoned in Nicaragua on charges widely considered trumped up.

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On 28 June Brazils Presidentmet Canadas foreign minister,, in Brasilia to lay the groundwork for further bilateral cooperation, on issues ranging from trade to security.

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The OceanGate implosion may have a few answers to some questions as some of the Titanic submarine's debris has been taken ashore. Several human body parts have also reportedly been found where the debris was.

A ship called Horizon Arctic was seen unloading parts of the missing Titanic sub called the Titan, in St John's, Canada, on Wednesday. Among the debris found were the sub's landing frame and a rear cover, says the US Coast Guard.

Photos of the wreck being unloaded included a piece that contained a porthole, but its window was missing. Also being unloaded was what appeared to be the Titan's tail section as well as a metal part full of the imploded submersible's wirings.

According to the BBC, five major pieces have so far been salvaged and have been taken to Canada. An investigation has already been launched to look into the disaster, though reports indicate that it is still in its initial stage. Officials are now trying to find out what caused the OceanGate implosion and make recommendations on how to prevent future tragedies.

All five aboard the submersible were killed, including OceanGate CEO and the sub's pilot, Stockton Rush. The others who died are British billionaire businessman Hamish Garding, Pakistani billionaire Shahzada Dawood, his teen son Suleman Dawood, and French diver and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet.

Human Remains Also Found Among Titanic Submarine Debris

The Titanic submarine debris was not the only thing found near the Titanic wreck but also human remains. These presumed human remains were pulled from the ocean depths on Wednesday and are already in Canada.

READ MORE: OceanGate Implosion: MrBeast Admits He Was Invited To Join Titanic Sub

NBC News reported that medical professionals are now studying what they believe to be human remains. It is still unknown if they indeed belong to one of the five missing Titan passengers or if those body parts found were human at all.

As for the Titan's wreckage, it was reportedly found around 12,500 feet underwater and already on the ocean floor. While experts are looking at the possible human remains, the pieces of the imploded OceanGate sub will be transported to the United States. where it will be investigated by the Marine Board of Investigation.

What Were the Banging Sounds Heard During Search for Missing Titanic Submarine?

With the sub's remains finally found, it raises a few questions: what was that banging noise picked up by a Canadian search plane while searching for the Titan?

Investigators found that the sub likely imploded less than two hours into the ill-fated trip. The implosion was heard by US Navy listening devices soon after the Titan departed, and it was believed that the implosion stemmed from its carbon fiber hull.

However, a Canadian P-3 aircraft detected some banging sounds on June 20, a few days after the sub went missing. According to The Independent, these banging sounds were heard every 30 minutes and were heard again four hours later.

So far, officials have ruled that the noises were "inconclusive." The noise is still being analyzed by Navy experts, though Captain Jamie Frederick of the First Coast Guard District admitted that they do not know what they are.

READ MORE: James Cameron Criticizes OceanGate on Sub Implosion

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: BREAKING: First photos released of recovered Titan submersible wreckage - NBC News
The body camera footage of the Texas mall shooting at Allen Premium Outlet was made public Wednesday following a grand jury's decision not to indict the officer involved in the shooting, according to WFAA.

After reviewing the available evidence, the Texas Rangers and the Collin County District Attorney's Office presented the evidence to the grand jury, who concluded that the officer's use of force was justified under Texas law.

The released body camera footage provides a perspective from the officer's point of view. The video has been edited to conceal the faces of civilians and victims, with certain language removed as per Allen police.

READ NEXT: Texas Mall Shooting: Gunman's History

Texas Allen Mall Shooting Body Cam Video

During the video, the officer's initial interaction with a woman and her children takes a sudden turn as loud pops disrupt the conversation.

Sensing the urgency, the woman quickly moves herself and her children away while the officer retrieves a rifle from his patrol vehicle and notifies dispatch about the gunshots.

With a sense of purpose, the officer swiftly runs towards the stores, following the escalating sound of gunfire. Urgently, he instructs people to evacuate the area and seek shelter, according to NBCDFW.

Approximately one minute and forty seconds after the initial shots, the Texas police officer arrives outside H&M, where he encounters the first victims.

Growing breathless, he communicates his assessment to dispatch, recognizing the gravity of the situation and expressing his intent to reach the scene as quickly as possible.

About three minutes into the incident, the officer returned fire at the gunman. As the shooting subsides, he cautiously approaches the suspect while coordinating with other arriving officers.

Moving forward, the officer relays his progress over the radio, stating that he is advancing toward the gunman's location and urging fellow officers to exercise caution to avoid friendly fire. He confidently reports, "I got him down."

Five minutes after the shooting commenced, law enforcement at the scene confirmed the neutralization of the shooter.

In response to the incident, Allen Police has requested an independent review from the International Association of Chiefs of Police to evaluate the event comprehensively.

The goal is to gain valuable insights and best practices for future training and emergency response.

The Texas Allen Mall Shooting

The tragic Texas mall shooting on May 6 resulted in the devastating loss of eight lives, leaving at least seven others injured and causing profound trauma for numerous individuals, The Dallas Morning News noted.

The victims who tragically lost their lives in the incident were Cho Kyu Song, 37; Kang Shin Young, 35; James Cho, 3; Daniela Mendoza, 11; Sofia Mendoza, 8; Christian LaCour, 20; Elio Cumana-Rivas, 32; and Aishwarya Thatikonda, 26.

The officer involved in the incident, whose identity has not been disclosed, has declined interview requests through his attorney.

Following a thorough review, a Collin County grand jury determined on Tuesday that the officer acted appropriately.

Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey acknowledged the rapid escalation from a routine interaction to a life-and-death situation captured in the video footage.

"The officer recognized the danger, ran toward the gunfire, and neutralized the threat - and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful," he said.

READ MORE: Chicago Mom, Son, 'Falsely Arrested'

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WATCH: Bodycam Video Shows Officer Track and Kill Mass Shooter at Allen Outlet Mall - From PoliceActivity
McKeeva Bush, the former premier of the Cayman Islands serving as a legislator, has been charged with rape and indecent assault on Wednesday, authorities say.

Bush pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against him. The charges stem from a case in 2000. Police noted that they had no comment on the charges aside from confirming that the "senior politician" has already appeared in court via Zoom.

The embattled former Cayman Islands premier recently spoke to the Associated Press regarding these charges, saying that he rejected and denied the charges and that he pleaded not guilty. He called the accusation "malicious," and said this was an "evil plot" against him.

"All I have to say in relation to this, the latest in the series of malicious charges against me is the "Truth will come out," the Cayman Islands politician told the AP. "This is done by someone I have never had any contact with."

The former premier has had an extensive list of infractions, including being accused of groping a female employee at a casino in Florida in 2017. He pleaded not guilty on that as well, though the charges were later dropped. He was also investigated and found not guilty of theft and abuse of office nearly ten years ago.

Bush has also pleaded not guilty to charges of him assaulting two women last year during a regional tourism event in the British Caribbean territory and is now awaiting trial for that case.

Former Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush Remains Defiant

This latest sexual assault allegation is said to have been in relation to a criminal complaint of a sexual nature dating back to 2000." However, McKeeva Bush defended himself by claiming that these charges were political in nature.

READ MORE: Zoe Saldana Movies: 5 of Her Most Iconic Roles

"I am due to travel in a couple weeks time overseas, representing the Cayman Islands at the Commonwealth Parliamentary business session, and here comes this malicious accusation and charge against me, said to have occurred 20 years ago," the former premier said.

According to the Cayman Compass, Bush also claimed, that he will "make no apologies for my unswerving commitment to justice and human rights on behalf of those without a voice." This was in reference to his recent efforts to raise the issue of reform of banks' mortgage lending practices.

Who Is McKeeva Bush?

McKeeva Bush MP previously served as the speaker of the House and a former premier of the Cayman Islands. He currently serves as the Father of the House of Parliament as he has been serving as the representative of West Bay for almost 40 years now, even though he has been hounded nu corruption and sexual assault allegations.

According to the Cayman News Service, Bush pleaded guilty to assaulting the manager of a Seven Mile Beach bar in 2020 and was sentenced to 60 days in jail over the attack. Since then, Bush has denied any wrongdoing and blamed the victim for the assault.

Bush previously stepped down as premier back in 2012 after a vote of no-confidence from parliament. He also resigned as Speaker of Parliament in October 2022 after he was accused of sexual harassment. He has constantly denied any wrongdoing.

READ NEXT: US Virgin Islands: 5 Most Beautiful Places to Visit During Your Next Getaway

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Cayman Islands Premier Arrested - Cayman Compass
Republican presidential hopefuls are now piling in on former President Donald Trump for using campaign donations to fund his ongoing legal battles.

Trump has been facing various investigations over the last few months, including fraud cases against the Trump Organization, his E. Jean Carrol Civil Rape Case, his classified documents scandal, his porn star hush money payment scandal, his Georgia election meddling investigation, and the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in all of these cases.

A large portion of the ex-POTUS' campaign funds is now being used for his legal fees, with the fine print in Trump's WinRed donation page increasing the amount being diverted to his controversial Save America PAC going from 1% to 10%.

The Independent noted that his taking funds from his political campaign to his legal defense is a sign that the many court battles he is facing have already put a strain on the former president's finances.

Trump has had a history of using his legal troubles to fire up his base and get donations from them. After the 2020 elections, the Trump campaign pleaded with donors to contribute to his "Official Election Defense Fund," citing that the elections were stolen. That fund actually did not exist.

In addition, the Trump campaign had been squeezing money from his supporters through an overlooked and opaque fine print. Several Trump supporters have now complained that they had made donations they had not intended to make, some of which were worth thousands of dollars. This made some donors cancel their credit cards to avoid the recurring payments to the Trump campaign.

READ MORE: Donald Trump's Fake Electors Take Immunity Deals

Republican Rival Chris Christie Pushes Back Against Donald Trump's Campaign Funds Usage

Trump, who had been constantly touting his wealth, was slammed by his GOP presidential rivals over the usage of campaign funds for his legal fees. One of the loudest is former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The former governor recently spoke to Politico in an interview, saying that Trump is "the cheapest S.O.B. I've ever met in my life." He added, "What Donald Trump is good at is spending other people's money."

Christie did not hold back, saying, "This is a billionaire who refused to pay his lawyers with his own personal money, and instead, men and women out there who believe in him and wanted [him] to be elected president are donating money to try to forward his candidacy ... and he's diverting that money to pay his own legal fees."

The former governor also pointed out, "He is the richest candidate in this race, yet he is using public money to pay his legal fees. He should be ashamed of himself."

Republican Presidential Candidate Asa Hutchinson Also Slams Donald Trump

Another presidential rival also spoke out against Trump: former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. He stated, "Donald Trump is not fighting for us, but is using us to pay his legal bills."

According to MSNBC, the Republican candidate also added, "He is using small dollar donations from supporters to do this. Americans struggle to make ends meet, while one of the (self-proclaimed) richest men in the country leverages them into paying his debts."

READ NEXT Donald Trump Reacts After Losing Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Chris Christie booed after criticizing Trump - AP Archive
Okaya EV, an electric two-wheeler manufacturer has announced a new monsoon cashback scheme for the customers. This new scheme is valid till 31st July 2023. Consumers purchasing from the Faast series scooter will be eligible for attractive cashback rewards or stand a chance to win an exotic 4-day/3-night trip to Thailand worth Rs. 50,000.

With this offer, the customers can avail the following cashback amounts: 5,000, 2,000, 1,500, 1,000, and 500. Additionally, a few lucky winners will have the opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Thailand valued at 50,000. The trip is valid for a single person only.

To participate, customers need to purchase an Okaya EV Faast series electric vehicle, which includes the Faast F4, Faast F3, F2B, and F2T models in the Faast series product line during the scheme period.

Apart from this, the manufacturer recently announced a price hike for its electric scooters, owing to the subsidy reduction by the government of India under the amended FAME 2 scheme. The Okaya Faast F4, Faast F3, Faast F2B, and Faast F2T electric scooters' pricing has been increased significantly, revealed the EV manufacturer in an official release.

Also Read : Okaya electric scooters become pricier after FAME 2 subsidy cut. Know more

Okaya EV has said in its official statement that the price hike was necessary to align with the reduction in government subsidies for electric scooters. With the revised pricing, the Okaya Faast F4 now costs 139,951 compared to 113,999 before, while the Faast F3 now costs 129,948 compared to 104,999 before. The Faast F2B now costs 110,745, compared to 94,999 before and the Faast F2T is priced at 107,903, up from 91,999.

The EV manufacturer has said that the Okaya Faast F4 electric scooter's consumers were eligible for a subsidy of 66,000 before. However, due to the subsidy reduction, the revised amount for the scooters has been set to a maximum of 22,500, which impacted the overall pricing strategy of the manufacturer.

First Published Date:
President Joe Biden launched his economic initiative, dubbed "Bidenomics," in Chicago on Wednesday, strategically leveraging a strengthening economy over a year ahead of the next Election Day.

Highlighting the United States' remarkable economic growth among the world's leading nations since the onset of the pandemic, Biden emphasized the addition of over 13 million jobs, surpassing the job creation records of previous presidents within a shorter timeframe, per Chicago Sun-Times.

Delivered within the grandeur of the Old Post Office's lobby, his 37-minute speech illuminated the essence of "Bidenomics" in action.

Biden articulated his economic vision, which prioritizes fostering middle-class and bottom-up growth, diverging from the top-down approach of the past.

He asserted that such an approach benefits all segments of society, with the wealthy still prospering while affording an upward trajectory for the less privileged.

He says, "The poor have a ladder up, and the wealthy still do well. We all do well."

The event featured a backdrop adorned with blue banners proudly displaying the term "Bidenomics" alongside its foundational pillars.

Receiving applause from the audience, Biden expressed his satisfaction with the label, stating, "I'm happy to call it 'Bidenomics.'"

READ NEXT: Joe Biden Gets Crucial Supreme Court Win

'Bidenomic' Origin

The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, known for their critical stance on Joe Biden's economic policies, initially introduced the term "Bidenomics" without intending it to be complimentary, Chicago Sun-Times noted.

However, recognizing the potential branding power associated with the term, the Biden team strategically decided to embrace it and prevent it from becoming a pejorative label.

This approach draws parallels to the term "Obamacare," coined by Republicans to express their disdain for President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare program, the Affordable Care Act, enacted in 2010.

Over time, Obama's advisors realized that allowing the opposition to define the term would be detrimental. As a result, Obama began using the term with pride, reclaiming it and reshaping its narrative.

Today, "Obamacare" is widely recognized as a nickname for the various programs related to health insurance coverage, healthcare costs, and preventive care.

Likewise, "Bidenomics" is poised to become a prominent slogan, a powerful shorthand promoting Joe Biden's economic policies.

Just as "Reaganomics" entered dictionaries as a term describing President Ronald Reagan's trickle-down economic agenda, Biden's enthusiastic adoption and promotion of "Bidenomics" represent a straightforward method of championing his vision.

General Public Remains Pessimistic About the Economy

Public sentiment regarding the national economy continues to reflect pessimism, with only 30% of adults describing it as good, according to NORC.

This figure remains relatively unchanged from the previous month when discussions between President Joe Biden and congressional Republicans focused on raising the country's debt ceiling, with 24% viewing the national economy favorably.

There has been slight variation regarding Biden's job performance, with 41% of the public expressing approval, a figure like the previous month.

In contrast, 58% disapprove of his performance. The economy remains a weak point for the president, as only 34% of the public approves of his handling of economic matters, while 64% express disapproval. Approximately 40% of respondents agree with Biden's healthcare and foreign policy approach.

Among Democrats, 72% approve of Biden's overall job performance, but only 60% approve of his handling of the economy. In contrast, only 10% of Republicans approve of Biden's job performance or economic policies.

There is a generational divide among Democrats, with those under 45 less likely to approve of the president's performance overall (65% compared to 78% among older Democrats) and his handling of the economy (47% compared to 70% among more senior Democrats).

Democrats are more likely to view the economy positively compared to Republicans. However, younger Democrats exhibit a more negative outlook toward the economy, with 68% considering it poor, compared to 39% among Democrats aged 45 and older.

READ MORE: Body Cam Footage Shows Cop's Response to Texas Mall Shooting

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Biden introduces 'Bidenomics' plan, focuses on middle class growth - From MSNBC
A dispute exposed earlier in June between members of Easton City Council exploded into a heated debate during the councils meeting Wednesday night in City Hall.

Councilwoman Taiba Sultana during a June 13 council meeting found herself being forced to defend a post shed made on her Councilwoman Taiba Sultana Facebook page with a video of the May 31 arrest of Lance Wheeler. Wheeler, who had lost a primary bid for a council seat earlier in May, faces charges including assault and threats related to his job as a Wilson Area School District van driver last summer.

This just happened, Sultana had posted the afternoon of Wheelers arrest in the 1000 block of Ferry Street in Easton while he was helping to collect donations for those displaced by the massive Memorial Day fire in the 900 block Ferry Street. I am outraged!

Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and Councilman Ken Brown were critical of the post, saying it angered city police and came out before all the facts of Wheelers arrest by Wilson Borough police were known. Easton police could be seen in the video, standing by since the arrest in a borough investigation occurred in the city. Police Chief Carl Scalzo was there at the earlier meeting in June looking for clarification of what Sultana meant, as she maintained she had done nothing wrong and was voicing outrage over Wheelers arrest while he was helping his community.

Toward the end of the councils meeting Wednesday night, Sultana shared a lengthy statement, claiming shed been demonized and marginalized by her fellow elected officials and that her post had been misinterpreted. She is in her first term on the all-Democrat council, while Panto and Brown have decades in office between them. Sultana had challenged Panto in Eastons 2019 mayoral election before being elected to the council in 2021.

I am a woman and Muslim and want every race to be treated equally, not marginalized and targeted, Sultana said Wednesday while seated at the council dais, saying residents of Easton elected me to represent them and I will keep representing them.

Today I refuse to accept the status quo and will not allow a group of men to intimidate a woman of color, she continued. My constituents sent me here to work for them without being bullied ... .

Sultana maintained she had done nothing wrong with her Facebook post and demanded an apology, which would not come during the meeting. Panto countered that she hadnt apologized to Easton police for posting the video showing them as Wheeler was taken into custody.

Around 45 people were displaced May 29 as wind-whipped flames raced through 15 row homes in Eastons 900 block of Ferry Street.

Two days later, Wheeler was handcuffed by Wilson Borough police while helping out at 1021 Ferry St. Elected in 2021 as a Pennsylvania state constable in the West Ward, he is accused of threatening and yelling at three boys ages 12, 14 and 16, while they were passengers on a school transportation van he was driving last Aug 29 through the borough.

Wilson police had tried to get Wheeler to arrange for him to turn himself in at a local magisterial district court office, but he refused to come in, according to Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck.

The borough police knew where Wheeler was going to be in the city as part of the relief efforts and fulfilled their duty of taking him into custody as Easton police looked on, Panto said. Brown at the earlier meeting in June cautioned Sultana about speaking out before all the facts are known, and about how elected officials statements can be perceived.

Sultana continued during Wednesdays meeting to raise the race of some of the city residents she represents. Wheeler is Black and lives in Easton. So is Brown, who pushed back on Wednesday, raising what he called his tagline of one city, one community. He also brought up his painful past that followed his move to Easton from Philadelphia public housing while in elementary school. His brother, Carlton Brown Jr., was killed by Easton police in October 1974, and Ken Brown on Wednesday recalled his promise to his slain brother that Id fight to change my name for the good.

You dont know my story, he told Sultana, who responded with her own history of having been homeless, a single mother and finding a home in public housing. She asserted she saw no one standing up for me as why she ran for and was elected to council.

The discussion eventually culminated in an incredulous Panto saying Sultana isnt the only council member who cares about Eastons non-white residents. Within the next minute or so, Panto moved for adjournment and the meeting ended.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Employees at Starbucks in Lower Nazareth Township who chose to picket outside the store on Wednesday said they will return to work on Thursday.

Today was only intended to show our support for the national strike in support of LGBT rights and contract negotiations, Rhea Pitt, a spokesperson for the employees, said.

The weeklong national strike being called the Unfair Labor Strike with Pride protest began over the weekend to coincide with LGBT Pride celebrations. In total, some 120 stores participated, according to reports by The Associated Press. Only about 20 locations were actually forced to close, however, the report said.

Pitt said the Lower Nazareth Township location was not required to close because strikebreakers were called in to keep the store running on Wednesday. A Starbucks representative confirmed some employed parties chose to work in the store on Wednesday.

Striking employees began lining up outside the coffeehouse at 3712 Nazareth Road around 8 a.m. on Wednesday and continued picketing, even after they were required by law enforcement at the request of Starbucks and the propertys manager to relocate their lines to a median along Route 248, until 1 p.m, Pitt said. Colonial Regional police described the strike to lehighvalleylive.com as peaceful.

Andrew Trull, senior manager of corporate communications at Starbucks, confirmed the company did ask the protesters to move away from the store, to avoid obstructing customers from entering and exiting. He said a later decision by the property manager to have the protesters vacate the property entirely was not made by the company.

I want to make it clear that at no time were they asked to stop protesting, Trull told lehighvalleylive.com on Wednesday. It is their right to engage in those activities.

Starbucks Corp. has officially referred to the weeklong boycott a smear campaign, according to the companys website.

Earlier this week, the company filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board over Starbucks Workers Uniteds claims that dozens of its stores were not allowed to put up Pride month decor.

It is inaccurate to report that Starbucks has issued a ban on Pride decorations as there has been no change to company policy on this matter, Trull said in a statement on Wednesday. We unwaveringly support the LGBTQIA2+ community.

Starbucks Workers United is the organizing force behind the national strike wave and union-building effort for employees of the $113 billion coffeehouse chain.

Both groups have continued to move slowly, and sometimes not at all, on contract negotiation since October last year.

That same month, the National Labor Relations Board issued its first complaint against the company for failing to bargain in good faith with workers after representatives for the company walked out of the room during five collective bargaining sessions.

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Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_on Twitter.
A Bedminster Township couple who ran a custom furniture business is charged with ripping off more than 40 customers of nearly $118,000, according to a news release Thursday.

Austin D. Smallacombe, 36, and Amanda Smallacombe, 35, are accused of accepting payments for custom furniture they never built. They ran A&A Custom Furniture out of their home on Katie Lane, according to the release from the Bucks County District Attorneys office.

The Smallacombes couldnt be reached for comment because they were sent to Bucks County Prison. Neither of them has an attorney listed on online court records. An email sent to their business wasnt immediately returned.

Since June 14, 2022, Bedminster, Hilltown and Newtown township police talked to victims from Bucks, Berks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties, the release says.

In most cases the victims didnt receive the furniture they ordered, the release says. In some cases they received poor quality furniture with numerous defects, it says. Police determined the Smallacombes used the money on personal expenses.

One victim accused Austin Smallacombe of blaming the weather or medical issues for the delay in getting his furniture. He was promised a refund but didnt get it, the release says.

The Smallacombes were arraigned June 22 on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, deceptive business practices, making false statements, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal conspiracy.

Austin Smallacombe failed to post 10% of $900,000 bail and Amanda Smallacombe failed to post 10% of $500,000 bail, the release says. Her bail was reduced on Tuesday.

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Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
This weeks storms brought downpours, flooding and even a tornado. They did not bring an end to the drought affecting Pennsylvania.

This weeks report from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows 65% of Pennsylvania still experiencing moderate drought. The report released Thursday is based on conditions as of Tuesday morning.

After a mostly snowless winter and dry spring, five straight days of measurable rainfall in the Lehigh Valley did have an effect. The Slate Belt, for instance  site of some of the heaviest rain and Mondays tornado  is now merely abnormally dry in the Drought Monitors report, a designation that still applies to more than 90% of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Most of Pennsylvania is still under moderate drought and New Jersey is "abnormally dry" in the June 27, 2023, report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.US Drought Monitor

Pennsylvania State Climatologist Kyle Imhoff said the rain helps ease drought concerns but does not erase them. There are still places where soil moisture and groundwater levels are below average which are other metrics the U.S. Drought Monitor uses for assessment, he said, adding that two to four weeks of persistent rain should lift areas into abnormally dry status.

A statewide drought watch is still in effect for Pennsylvania and the DEP is asking residents to reduce water use. The states drought task force considers precipitation, river flows, groundwater levels, soil moisture and public water supply in its drought designation. The task force next meets on July 6.

Current weather radar

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Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
Almost 120,000 has been allocated towards five Laois Heritage projects.

The funding, which is being delivered through the Heritage Council, will go towards seven projects in Laois.

The investment includes 5,443 set aside for the Abbeyleix Bog project, 2,542 for Clough Tidy Towns for Graveyard mapping of Clough and Bordwell, 2,134 for Donaghmore Famine Workhouse and Agriculture Museum, 5,810 to the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration Society for the Conservation and Digitisation of the Col Fitzmaurice Commemoration archive.

A further 33,000 has been allocated to Laois County Council for conservation measures and 50,000 has been granted to Historic Houses of Ireland for conservation projects in Laois. A further 20,000 is going to a Nore Vision (NRCT) for a project in Laois and Kilkenny.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Sean Fleming welcomed the funding for Laois heritage projects.

The Government funding through the Heritage Council grant will go towards supporting seven heritage-led regeneration plans across Laois, he explained.

Im glad that the Heritage Council has approved almost 120,000 worth of grants for local heritage-led regeneration projects in Laois.

Our rich heritage needs to be protected and this funding will ensure important conservation projects continue in Laois, said Minister Fleming.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- AcMotion, a Chinese automotive X-by-wire product developer, recently announced the completion of its angel round financing in June.

The investment was from CWB Capital and the Mingyue Lake International Smart Industry Innovation Park.

Photo credit: AcMotion

With the completion of this funding round, AcMotion will further expedite its research and development efforts and industrialization of automotive wire-control products. Leveraging its independently developed core technologies, the company aims to provide customers with safe, reliable, energy-efficient braking solutions, positioning itself as a core supplier in China's electric intelligent vehicle industry.

Established in August 2020, AcMotion focuses on the fields of intelligent driving and new energy vehicles. Its core development platform, ARTEMIS, enables the development of wire-control braking, wire-control steering, and chassis domain controllers. Additionally, the company has successfully entered the market with its modular intelligent skateboard chassis, Swan, which has been deployed in logistics, sanitation, industrial parks, as well as research and education scenarios, showcasing the company's expertise in software-defined chassis.

"In the future, AcMotion will continue to expand into the high-level wire-control chassis domain, with a focus on new energy vehicles and autonomous driving. By deepening cooperation with major automakers, we will continuously enhance our product and service offerings, providing customers with stable and reliable wire-control chassis solutions on a large scale," stated Wei Jing, CEO of AcMotion.
As Heritage Week approaches the Laois Heritage Officer wants to let local people know who he is and why they should embrace the inheritance.

Thomas Carolan, from the Royal County of Meath, was appointed as the new Heritage Officer for Laois County Council in April replacing Catherine Casey.

He has big shoes to fill as Ms Casey played a significant role in helping to protect and promote Laois heritage while in the role for almost two decades. She now works for the Heritage Council of Ireland. However, her successor wants to build on those achievements.

With a background in history and environmental management studies, the Council says the new officer brings a variety of experience to the role  having worked as an archaeologist, in environmental education, and most recently as a Community Water Officer with the Local Authority Waters Programme.

A statement said the role of the Heritage Officer is to promote and document heritage strategically, but also very much to engage on a community level  either by supporting groups and individuals to access grants to restore significant heritage sites and buildings or organising heritage awareness events throughout the year.

A diverse range of experience is ideal for the broad remit and responsibilities of a Heritage Officer  from natural to built and cultural heritage, the scope of the role covers a lot of areas and thats what makes it so interesting, said Mr Carolan who hails from Navan.

A big focus of the year is always National Heritage Week, which celebrates Irelands cultural, built and natural heritage. It brings together volunteers, community groups and heritage enthusiasts to share their experience, knowledge culture and practices.

This years theme is Living Heritage and invites people to explore the traditions and practices, knowledge and skills passed down through generations. Heritage Week 2023 takes place from 12th  20th August and people can register events though the Heritage Week website Home | National Heritage Week 12  20 August 2023 or contact Thomas as their local Heritage Officer for more information.

Mr Carolan is looking forward to this year's events.

I love the Living Heritage theme of Heritage Week this year, and really want to encourage people to use this opportunity to hold an event highlighting some aspect of our traditions, practices, knowledge, and skills. That could be anything from the historic use of medicinal herbs, regional crafts, or a deep understanding of a specific area or townland of Laois, he said.

National Biodiversity Week, which took place from the 19th  28th May is also a big date on the heritage calendar.

This year Laois Heritage Office was able to support a number of events for Biodiversity Week as well as helping to highlight other events happening around the county.

There was a dusk chorus at Abbeyleix Bog hosted by the Laois branch of Birdwatch Ireland, as well as Nature Photography Display showcasing images of the stunning biodiversity of Abbeyleix Bog running throughout the week in Abbeyleix Library.

Abbeyleix Library also held a Biodiversity-themed family craft event, making bug collage. In Camross, the Heritage Officer in partnership with the Local Authority Waters Programme held an event to highlight the pristine water of the River Delour, showing people the rich biodiversity present in the river which indicates is used as an indicator of a healthy habitat.

The new Heritage Officer encourages local people to embrace their county.

There is such rich heritage in Laois in terms of its history, significant events, important sites, and wildlife. People in the county might be aware of it, but Im determined to do my utmost to spread the word about Laois heritage to the rest of the country and beyond, he said.
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Irish Rail staff struggled to contain their frustration as two railway bridges and a crossing were struck by trucks in the space of an hour today.

The national rail carrier took to social media to detail the collisions and vent their frustration.

They stated that bridges were struck in Portlaoise and in Pearse Street in Dublin at 3.20pm today. An hour later at 4.20pm a level crossing at Serpentine, Dublin was struck by a truck.

Reckless driving by three #dumbtruckers causing delays up to 30 mins, trains have resumed, working to clear delays ASAP, they said it a Tweet.

Truck hits bridge Pearse St, Dublin at 15:20hrs

Truck hits bridge Portlaoise at 15:20hrs

Truck hits level crossing Serpentine, Dublin at 16:20hrs



Reckless driving by three #dumbtruckers causing delays up to 30 mins, trains have resumed, working to clear delays ASAP.  Iarnrod Eireann (@IrishRail) June 28, 2023

Meanwhile, a spokesperson said new bridge warning systems would be in place in Portlaoise by the end of the year.

The tender process is ongoing. We expect that the system will be installed and operational by the end of the year, the spokesperson said when asked how the project was progressing.
The powerful Dail committee chaired by Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley has had its remit widened to interrogate RTE's management on the Tubriday deal because he says the transparency payments to presenters is of "significant public interest".

The Sinn Fein TD will lead other politicians in the second day of question of the bosses in Leinster houses when the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) meets at 1.30pm on Thursday, June 29.

A statement said the meeting is being held to examine matters relating to recent revelations regarding the transparency of RTEs reporting of payments to a presenter, and related contractual, corporate governance, and accounting arrangements.

It added that the meeting will examine commercial arrangements entered into by RTE and its presenters, including those underwritten by RTE, which have impacted on and relate to the spending of public money.

It will be attended by current and former representatives of RTE. Also appearing will be officials from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media led by the Secretary General, Ms Katherine Licken,

Dep Stanley explained why the PAC has got involved and what's on the agenda.

The Committee of Public Accounts plays a significant role in ensuring accountability and transparency in the way public money is allocated, spent and managed. Our role as the guardian of public finances is to ensure that taxpayers receive value for money for every euro spent by the Exchequer. This includes the licence fee and any other public funds allocated to RTE to fulfil its public service remit.

While the Secretary General of the Department is accountable to the Committee for its oversight of the public funds it provides to RTE, RTEs accounts are not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, and consequently, the matter of the examination of RTE in this regard would in normal circumstances not fall within the remit of the Committee.

However, as the recent and ongoing revelations regarding the transparency of RTEs payments to presenters are a matter of significant public interest, the Committee sought and received an extension of its Orders of Reference to facilitate its examination of these matters.

"This examination will include the corporate governance arrangements at RTE in the context of the significant public funds it receives on an annual basis and commercial arrangements entered into by RTE which have impacted on, and relate to, the expenditure of public monies. These matters for discussion and examination have arisen in the context of recent and ongoing revelations regarding RTEs payments to presenters, he said.

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV if you tap HERE.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

A statement said the PAC is a standing committee of Dail Eireann that focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money.
The Minister for the Environment is inviting people across the country, including in County Kildare, to have their say on the next Climate Action Plan.

Minister Eamon Ryan launched Climate Conversations 2023 yesterday (June 27) and is encouraging anyone interested in submitting their thoughts on climate change to do so.

He said, "We set up the National Dialogue on Climate Action to allow people right across the country to share their views on what climate change means to them, what we can do about it, how we can make for a better world here at home as well as the wider planet.

"There are a whole lot of different ways that you can make your contribution and have your voice heard. We encourage everyone to be part of the conversation. Some 9,000 people have done it in the past two years and we expect it to be bigger and better this year.

"We look forward to hearing your view, hearing your voice, and working together to tackle climate change."

Over 4,000 people across the country engaged in Climate Conversations 2022, with the findings directly informing the Climate Action Plan for 2023.

People who may be particularly affected by Ireland's transition to carbon neutrality are particularly encouraged to engage with this year's process.

Minister Ryan continued: "Everyone, including Government, communities, industry and individuals, will need to work together to make Ireland carbon-neutral for a sustainable future.

"There is a huge task still ahead of us to bridge the gap between where we are now and where we need to get to by 2050.

"But thats why its so important for people to have their say on how we can all contribute to our ambitious goals, and how that will affect their lives in practical ways and importantly how we, as a government, can engage, enable, and empower people to adapt and realise the opportunities this transition presents."

Anyone can visit the Climate Conversations portal and share their views here.
Forensic Science Ireland - which provides scientific assistance to the gardai - has come under fire from a judge.

FSI routinely analyses suspected drug finds for An Garda Siochana.

Judge Desmond Zaidan criticised the organisation at Naas District Court after hearing that no information was forthcoming to identify a likely cannabis find worth a reported 11,000.

It is a small task to analyse cannabis. I get the same thing over and over and people are wondering why the case lists are getting longer, Judge Zaidan said, having been told that no confirmation was available identifying the substance.

Commenting on a lack of resources he said the country is in the middle of a boom.

He said the case cannot be put back because the State does not have a certificate.

He added: It should be straight forward to analyse cannabis.

FSI staff are dealing with a five month backlog which has been attributed to a rise in the number and complexity of cases, according to The Irish times.

This caseload far exceeds per-pandemic levels and delays in analysing drugs have caused frustration in legal cases because this can mean that suspects have to spend longer times in custody.

Apart from Judge Zaidan, judges sitting elsewhere around the country have raised the issue.

Longford District Court was told it can take between 14 and 18 months to get a drug analysis certificate from FSI and this may result in come cases being struck out.

The number of cases referred to FSI sice 2918 has increased by 40% and last year the gardai sent more than 10,000 samples to be analysed.

It has been estimated by FSI that the current backlog for drug cases amounts to about five months and according to FSI it is not unusual for it to have a backlog..

The agency is in the process of moving to new premises at Backweston, near Celbridge, which cost 400m to build.

In the meantime what are described as cramped facilities at Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park are being used.

Read more Kildare news
The Arts Council of Ireland has apologised after mistakenly awarding a 25,000 grant to over 140 people.

The embarrassing error was made yesterday (June 28), when letters were issued to 141 applicants informing them of their success in receiving the Next Generation Artists award.

The award offers a maximum grant of 25,000 to twenty promising artists across all disciplines at early but pivotal stages in their careers.

In a statement following the blunder, the Arts Council today (June 29) stated, "The Arts Council yesterday made a regrettable error. We issued letters to 141 applicants for the Next Generation Artists award, incorrectly indicating that an award would be granted. We then emailed all affected to inform them of our error and we apologised unreservedly.

"Our mistake has understandably caused upset and disappointment and, for this, we are truly sorry We have now put in place additional checks for the issue of decision letters to prevent a repeat of this error.



"Supporting artists is a core goal of the Arts Council and we sincerely apologise to the artists that we let down on this occasion. For any further questions or concerns, please email awards@artscouncil.ie."

The Arts Council yesterday made a regrettable error.

We issued letters to 141 applicants for the Next Generation Artists award, incorrectly indicating that an award would be granted.

We then emailed all affected to inform them of our error and we apologised unreservedly. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/xpfComqVe1  The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaion (@artscouncil_ie) June 29, 2023

The Artists' Union of Ireland, Praxis, responded to the apology with their own statement, which read: "We received word today that 100+ artists in Ireland received an email from the Arts Council of Ireland saying they were receiving one of 20 Next Generation Awards. They then received an email rescinding the award without an adequate apology for the mistake.

"The level of distress that this has caused highlights the financial precarity we face. As artists we know Arts Council awards like this are a primary source of income. We can only imagine the sense of relief these artists felt when they thought they were funded.



"We offer our solidarity with the artists this has affected. We want to remind you that we are here as a union to support our members. We are actively working to improve conditions in the sector and develop a more stable working environment for all artists in Ireland."

We received word today that 100+ artists in Ireland received an email from the Arts Council of Ireland saying they were receiving one of 20 Next Generation Awards. They then received an email rescinding the award without an adequate apology for the mistake. pic.twitter.com/eSKdcAfE3H  Praxis - Artists' Union of Ireland (@Praxis_Union) June 28, 2023

Artists also expressed their frustrations with the unfortunate situation online, with writer Trudie Gorman stating, "Today the [Arts Council] emailed me saying I had been awarded 25k through the Next Gen award. They then emailed to say "ignore that, it was an error." I am beyond heartbroken. I thought I'd finally escaped poverty. I had hope."

Another hopeful also commented online, stating, "Big thanks to the Arts Council for emailing me at 4pm to say I'd been awarded a 25,000 grant, and then emailing me ten minutes later to say "whoops, nope, admin error!""

Poet Robin McNamara stated, "Appalling! Telling a poor unfortunate individual they are getting 25k in funding only to snatch it away right from under their noses without any idea of the consequences of your incompetence."
Leitrim has lowest rent in country, says report

Leitrim has the lowest average rent in the country, so says a new report from the Residential Tenancies Board.

Average monthly rents in Leitrim stood at 800 per month that's compared to 2,063 per month in Dublin.

Yvonne Noone of Gallagher Auctioneers told the Leitrim Observer that in comparison to spiralling rent costs in the capital, everywhere else is low. In comparsion to Dublin and Galway, everywhere is low; Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mullingar, Longford; they would all be low. It's all relevant to areas and infrastructures and jobs and all of that.

She said that for those hoping to rent, there is very little out there at the moment; anything that comes in, goes quite quickly so to say that Leitrim has the lowest rent in the country, I would debate that.

The findings of the report are based on a three bedroom house in new tenancies in the last three months of 2022.

In Longford the average rent in quarter four of last year was 965 with Roscommon recording average rent of around 880.

Ms Noone also commented on the property market saying that houses are currently selling well. The sales market is very very busy. Houses are achieving great prices.
Engie CEO Thierry Saegeman (L), Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (R), after a deal was done to extend the two nuclear reactors, in Brussels on June 29, 2023. HATIM KAGHAT / AFP

French energy group Engie and the Belgian government signed a deal on Thursday, June 29, extending the life of two nuclear reactors by a decade after Russia's war in Ukraine prompted Brussels to delay its nuclear exit. Belgium had planned to abandon nuclear power in 2025 but it decided last year to keep it for another 10 years as European nations scrambled to find alternatives to Russia's energy exports.

"This agreement is important for our energy future and for Belgian households," Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said in a statement. "It strengthens our electricity supply, reduces our country's energy dependence and guarantees the production in Belgium of low-carbon and cheap electricity.".

Wedged between nuclear-powered France and gas-and-coal-dependent Germany, Belgium has relied on an ageing stable of seven nuclear reactors operated by Engie for about half of its electricity needs.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Reform of European electricity market stumbles on nuclear

The promise of a gradual phase-out of nuclear power has been enshrined in Belgian law since 2003, and the decision to delay the moratorium was fiercely resisted by the Greens party. The plan outlined last year saw Belgium's fragile coalition government agree to extend the operating lives of the Doel 4 reactor near the port city of Antwerp and Tihange 3 near Liege until 2035.

The deal with Engie was sealed after fraught negotiations over the future costs of nuclear waste management. The French firm said on Thursday the costs were set at 15 billion ($16.4 billion) and would cover the waste from Engie's seven nuclear plants in Belgium. Engie will also have to pay 8 billion for the future dismantling of the plants.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On June 28, GAC AION, the new energy vehicle subsidiary of GAC Group, signed a memorandum of cooperation at the 2023 Thai-Chinese Business and Commerce Conference. This announcement marked GAC AION's official entry into the Thai market, signaling the beginning of the globalization of the AION brand.

Photo credit: GAC AION

According to the plan, GAC AION will establish its Southeast Asian headquarters in Thailand within this year, and preparations for local production of vehicles in Thailand are already underway. In the future, GAC AION will deepen its presence in the Thai market and gradually expand its influence to Southeast Asia and neighboring regions, achieving an integrated approach to global research, production, supply, and sales.

Currently, GAC AION holds a prominent position in the domestic new energy vehicle market. According to the previously announced sales data, the automaker sold a total of 45,003 new vehicles in May this year, marking a year-on-year increase of 114% and a month-on-month growth of 10%. This is the third consecutive month that GAC AION's monthly sales exceeded 40,000 vehicles, demonstrating a continuous month-by-month upward trend.

From January to May this year, GAC AION's cumulative sales reached 166,323 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 119%. The company ranks third in terms of retail sales volume among Chinas domestic new energy vehicle manufacturers. The top two positions are occupied by BYD and Tesla, with retail sales volumes of 923,343 vehicles and 219,893 vehicles, respectively.

GAC AION has set a sales target for this year to reach 500,000 vehicles and strive for 600,000 vehicles. As of May, the completion rate has already exceeded 33%.

It is worth noting that in addition to GAC AION, GAC Group has also formulated the "NEXT" plan this year, aiming to achieve synchronous development of EV and XEV. The plan seeks to maintain GAC AION's leading advantage in the pure electric vehicle field while promoting GAC Trumpchi's successful transformation into a new energy vehicle technology enterprise. For GAC AION, international expansion will be a key focus of its business this year.
March in tribute to Nahel M. in Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. SARAH MEYSSONNIER / REUTERS

All times Paris time (GMT +2).

6:30 pm  Here's the situation at 6:30 pm.

The police office who killed Nahel M., 17, on Tuesday, was charged with voluntary homicide on Thursday afternoon and remanded in detention.

Thousands gathered in Nanterre, the Parisian suburb where Nahel was killed, to hold a march in tribute to the young man. Police fired tear gas and clashed with demonstrators.

The Paris region and other French cities have prepared for a third night of unrest. Forty thousand police officers will be deployed throughout the country. Buses and trams in the Paris region will stop running at 9 pm.

Click here for the latest updates:

Read more Police officer charged with voluntary homicide in French teen's killing

5:57 pm  Night-time curfew in Clamart until July 3

Following the fire on a tram in Clamart, south of Paris, on Wednesday, the municipality decreed a curfew between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am starting Thursday and lasting until Monday, July 3. "As a precautionary measure and to ensure the safety of people and property, the City of Clamart has closed public facilities and canceled events until Sunday, July 2, included," according to the town's website.

5:52 pm  Former French prime minister dismisses claims that the law on the use of weapons by police officers, amended in 2017, equals a 'license to kill'

Former Socialist prime minister and interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve denied on Thursday that legislation amending the rules governing the use of service weapons by police officers, which he pushed through in 2017, was a "license to kill," as asserted by some politicians this week. "This text is not at all a text that tells police officers 'you can shoot,'" Cazeneuve told Agence France-Presse.

"It's a text that says: 'You can only shoot when you're in a situation of self-defense.' Outside the framework of self-defense, a force that is not proportionate and leads to tragedy can be the subject of a criminal conviction for police officers." According to the law, "someone who drives off with a vehicle and does not threaten anyone with death with his vehicle cannot be shot," stressed Cazeneuve. "This law was passed in the specific circumstances of the 2015 and 2016 terrorist attacks [in Paris and Nice] when the question arose as to how police officers could interrupt a terrorist's murderous journey."

5:21 pm  Police officer charged with voluntary manslaughter and remanded in custody

The police officer who fatally shot 17-year-old Nahel M. on Tuesday was charged for voluntary manslaughter on Thursday and remanded in custody, said the Nanterre public prosecutor's office. Earlier, prosecutor Pascal Prache said he had requested the officer be remanded in custody. "The prosecutor's office considers the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met," the magistrate told reporters.

5:11 pm  The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris urges 'not to react with violence'

Chems-Eddine Hafiz, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, said "dismay, grief, and anger are legitimate" following the death of Nahel M. on Tuesday, but he "particularly calls on young people not to react with violence." The Grand Mosque of Paris "invites them to make their voices heard and to demonstrate peacefully for Nahel's memory to be respected and for justice to be done," Hafiz said, adding a "message" would be broadcast on Friday by the imams of the Grand Mosque and its federation during their preaching.

5:09 pm  Pictures from the march

On the sidelines of a march in tribute to Nahel M., Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. MICHAEL ZUMSTEIN/VU FOR  LE MONDE 

A firefighter extinguishes a burning car at the end of a march in tribute to Nahel M., Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

Demonstrators walk through tear gas after a march for Nahel M., in Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. MICHEL EULER / AP

Mounia, the mother of Nahel M., during a march in tribute to Nahel M., Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

4:50 pm  'I don't blame them, but we are losing all legitimacy'

Part of the procession retreated from the Nanterre-Prefecture RER train station at the end of the march in tribute to Nahel M. Several young people dressed in black destroyed a bus shelter, set fire to garbage cans, and smashed up the entrance to a Credit Mutuel bank branch. "I don't blame them, but we're losing all legitimacy," said a demonstrator, observing the scene. Traffic has resumed in the surrounding streets in a confused fashion. Police continue to fire tear gas.

4:37 pm  Buses and tram services in Paris region will end at 9 pm

Valerie Pecresse, the president of the Ile-de-France region, which encapsulates Paris and its suburbs, said services of buses and trams would end at 9:00 pm on Thursday. "Buses & trams will not run tonight from 9:00 pm to ensure the protection of agents & passengers," she said on Twitter. Ile-de-France Mobilites, the authority in charge of public transport, confirmed the decision with Le Monde, adding that metro and RER (commuter train) services would be unaffected.

4:18 pm  Clashes on Place Nelson-Mandela in Nanterre

A small group of marchers and the police clashed at the end of a march paying tribute to Nahel M. Black smoke billowed after a fire broke out, buildings were vandalized, and road signs taken down. The police continued to charge and fire tear gas. The air was saturated. A large part of the procession observed, filmed, and commented on the scene from the esplanade located next to Place Nelson-Mandela, which offers an elevated view.

4:11 pm  6,200 marched in Nanterre, authorities say

Around 6,200 people were marching in Nanterre on Thursday afternoon in tribute to Nahel M., according to the prefecture.

4:03 pm  Paris region chief requests public transport to be closed in areas affected by urban violence from 9:00 pm on Thursday

Valerie Pecresse, the president of the Ile-de-France region, which encapsulates Paris and its suburbs, said she had requested public transport to be closed in areas affected by urban violence from 9:00 pm on Thursday after two trams and 11 buses caught fire the day before. "I don't want people moving around at night in neighborhoods where there has been violence," she said. "There are risks (...) I won't put either drivers or travelers at risk despite the inconvenience it may represent for the population."

On the sidelines of a march for Nahel M., in Nanterre, France, on June 29, 2023. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

3:51 pm  Lawyers of victim's family ask for a transfer of the case

The lawyers of Nahel M.'s family said on Thursday they lamented the fact that "the public prosecutor has concealed the possible complicity of the second police officer in voluntary manslaughter and the possible forgery of public documents resulting from the shooter's initial false statements." This decision "not to open an investigation into all the alleged offenses confirms that it is essential for this case to be transferred so that magistrates from another court can investigate objectively, independently and impartially," they said in a statement.

3:42 pm  Police fire tear gas at marchers

Part of the march paying tribute to Nahel arrived in front of the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture in Nanterre, close to where the 17-year-old's car crashed. Police fired tear gas toward the marchers, leading to crowd movements and dispersal.

3:34 pm  'It's going to be worse than in 2005'

Next to a wrecked car, three local 14-year-olds (they spoke to Le Monde on condition of anonymity) were rehashing the recent sequence of events. "It's getting hostile here. It's more tense," said one of them. "It's going to be worse than in 2005." Although they were too young to have experienced these events, they are still very much present in their minds: "Our older brothers told us about it. They told us it was shameful what had happened."

Read more In 2005, three weeks of rioting shook France after the deaths of two teenagers

Driving without a license is a rather trivial matter in the neighborhood, they admitted. "If he can drive, why not," said another young man of Nahel M. They were shocked by the video that circulated on social media. "If a policeman says to me, 'I'm going to put a bullet in your head,' of course I'm going to start up again," they said. The three knew Nahel M. at least by name and did not seem ready to forgive the policeman. It was unclear whether or not they participated in the two nights of rioting following Nahel M.'s death and, if so, at what level. Do their parents know? "Deep down, when we come home late, they suspect something. They don't want to read our name in the paper the next day. But we're doing it for France."

3:12 pm  Education Ministry says around 50 schools have been damaged

The Education Ministry said on Thursday "some fifty school structures have been affected to varying degrees" by the incidents following Nahel M.'s death, leading to the closure of "around ten" of them on Thursday. The ministry said the affected structures are concentrated in Versailles, Creteil, and Lille.

2:51 pm  March in tribute to Nahel M. proceeds

The victim's mother, perched on a pickup truck and wearing a "Justice for Nahel" T-shirt, opened the march in tribute to 17-year-old Nahel M. from the Pablo-Picasso housing estate in Nanterre, followed by hundreds of participants grouped behind a banner bearing the same slogan and cries of "justice for Nahel!" and "never again!", according to Agence France-Presse witnesses.

They also chanted, "No justice, no peace" and "Everyone hates the police." Some carried posters reading "The police kill," "How many Nahel were not filmed?" and "Our lives are in danger."

Mounia, the mother of Nahel, a teenage driver shot dead by a policeman, gestures as she sits atop a truck during a commemoration march for her son, in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, on June 29, 2023. BERTRAND GUAY / AFP

2:40 pm  'I tell myself it could happen in my family'

An imposing, compact crowd began strolling through the streets of Nanterre to pay tribute to Nahel in a white march. Oleia, 32, came from Fresnes, southeast of Paris. "I'm a mother," she said, "so I tell myself it could happen in my family."

"It's always the same stories, the same types of children who are targeted. The system is racist; it's based on race," Oleia said. "As a black child's parent, I know he can be perceived as an aggressor. I teach him to be docile, so he doesn't get into trouble. We know it's risky for our children to be out in the public space."

2:10 pm  March in tribute to Nahel M. prepares to set off

Around a thousand people have gathered on the outskirts of the Pablo-Picasso housing estate in Nanterre to pay tribute to Nahel M., in a march bringing together the teenager's family, residents, and local and national elected representatives. Community mediators, wearing red T-shirts, were seen trying to organize the procession, instructing participants to remain calm.

Attendees hold a banner reading "Justice for Nahel", during a commemoration march for the teenage driver shot dead by a policeman, in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, on June 29, 2023. BERTRAND GUAY / AFP

1:58 pm  Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne calls for "appeasement"

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne spoke in Garges-les-Gonesse, north of Paris, where damage was reported overnight. "The death of young Nahel is a tragedy, and I understand the emotion it arouses, Borne said, adding "Nothing justifies the violence that occurred last night."

13:04 pm  40,000 police officers deployed

Some 40,000 police will be deployed across France on Thursday to deal with any further protests, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said. Around 5,000 police will be deployed in and around Paris, he said.

12:45 pm  Policeman to be charged with homicide

On Thursday, a prosecutor said the policeman's use of his firearm did not meet the legal conditions under which such force can be used.

Pascal Prache, state prosecutor in the area where the killing took place, also said that the policeman was being taken before a magistrate on Thursday with a view to charging him with homicide, and added he was demanding the officer remain in custody.

12:30 pm  Macron calls for calm

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne was to visit Garges-les-Gonesse north of Paris where the mayor's office was set on fire overnight. Macron also said it was time for "remembrance and respect" as Nahels mother called for a march in his honor on Thursday on the square where he was killed.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (C-L) speaks to the press in front of the burnt facade of the Hotel du ville in Garges-les-Gonesse, north of Paris on June 29, 2023. STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP

What happened

Nahel M., 17, was shot in the chest at point-blank range in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday in an incident that has reignited debate in France about police tactics. The teenager was killed as he pulled away from police who tried to stop him for traffic infractions. A video circulating on social media showed two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head." The police officer then appears to fire as the car slowly drives off.

Clashes first erupted after the video emerged, contradicting police accounts that the teenager was driving directly at the officer.

Wednesday night anger spread to Toulouse, Dijon, and Lyon, as well as several towns around the Paris region where around 2,000 riot police had been deployed. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on Twitter that the violence was "intolerable."

Cars and bins were torched in parts of Paris and nationwide overnight, and protesters launched fireworks at riot police, who fired flashball projectiles. A tramway was set alight in a Paris suburb.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged calm after 150 people were arrested and public buildings attacked in protests over the police killing of a teenager that has incensed France.

Our coverage

On the ground Article reserve a nos abonnes Second night of violent protests in Paris suburb after police killing of teenager

Reactions Article reserve a nos abonnes Macron walks tightrope between left and police unions

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Clashes erupt in Paris suburbs after police officer kills 17-year-old driver
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Council President Charles Michel at the European Political Community summit in Moldova on June 1, 2023. KAY NIETFELD/DPA

In a letter addressed to the heads of state and government a few days before meeting with them in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, Charles Michel, president of the European Council, invited them to "draw up a working plan" to prepare for the enlargement of the European Union (EU), as Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans countries come knocking at the door. "We need to take a serious look at the process of this integration and at our absorption capacity," he stressed.

Faced with the Russian threat, the 27 member states are now convinced that the best response is, increasingly, to support Kyiv, and to link its destiny to that of the European family. At the same time, they can't ignore Chisinau or the Balkans, which are growing impatient after so many years in the EU's waiting room; too much despair could drive them into Moscow's clutches. Nor can they avoid the question of the cost of enlargement, both financially and politically, which promises to be very weighty.

When they granted Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status a year ago, not all Europeans were convinced that this was a wise decision. Berlin, Paris and The Hague were reluctant. But geopolitical rationale prevailed. They therefore half opened their doors to Kyiv, asking it to implement a series of reforms so that negotiations for its accession to the EU could begin.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Von der Leyen: 'In the long term, it is impossible for Ukraine not to be a member of the EU'

Since then, the fighting has continued, the war has taken hold and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has continued to put the Europeans under pressure. "Politically, it's complicated to send any message other than that of opening negotiations," said Sebastien Maillard, director of the Jacques Delors Institute. Even so, Ukraine remains a long way from EU social, economic, environmental and rule-of-law standards.

EU member states divided on the way forward

In the space of a year, Ukraine has made only slight progress along the path mapped out for it by the 27 member states. According to an initial assessment by the European Commission on June 21, only two of the seven conditions required to confirm its candidate status have so far been met: judicial reform and the defense of media independence. As for the rest  minority rights, "de-oligarchisation," anti-corruption efforts, etc.  they have not been met. "A country at war cannot implement certain reforms," stated a European diplomat.

In October, the Commission will present an in-depth report on the subject. "It is unlikely that it will not recommend opening accession negotiations. The question will be: should conditions be attached to the opening of negotiations, as [they are] for the granting of candidate status? It will all depend on the war, on the political logic," continued the same source. The 27 will then discuss the matter at the European Council in Granada (Spain) in October, before taking a decision in December.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in his office in Jerusalem, on June 25, 2023. ABIR SULTAN / AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had "thrown out" a key provision of his controversial judicial reform plan that has sparked one of the country's biggest-ever protest movements. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Thursday, June 29, Netanyahu said he intends to press on with the reforms, but without a clause that aimed to curb the supreme court's powers and give politicians a greater say in the selection of judges.

"I already changed a few things right after the original proposal was put forward," Netanyahu said. "I said that the idea of an override clause where the parliament, the Knesset, can override the decisions of the supreme court with a simple majority, I said, I threw that out."

When the journalist asked whether the provision will be reintroduced in future, Netanyahu said: "People just don't know, they don't follow. I said it's out." Netanyahu's office, when contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), declined to comment further.

In March, as mass protests were backed by sweeping industrial action, Netanyahu had announced a "pause" to allow for talks on the reforms, which were moving through parliament and split the nation. In the interview, he said he had sought to have a "broad consensus" with the opposition, but on June 14 Israel's two main opposition leaders, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, pulled out of negotiations.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Israel passes controversial budget cementing autonomy for ultra-Orthodox community

The proposals have sparked one the country's biggest protest movements, with tens of thousands taking to the streets every week since they were announced in January. Netanyahu's government, a coalition between his Likud party and extreme-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies, argues the changes are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary. But opponents of the plan believe it could open the way to a more authoritarian government.

The proposed changes to the justice system have also drawn intense criticism from the international community, with Israel's close ally the United States questioning the entire program. US President Joe Biden has said he was "very concerned" over the proposed reforms, saying in March that "they cannot continue down this road, and I have sort of made that clear."

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Right wing protesters come out in force to support Israel's Supreme Court reform
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) in Brussels, on June 29, 2023. JOHN THYS / AFP

NATO countries have agreed to extend the mandate of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and will make a formal announcement next week, diplomats said on Thursday, June 29.

Former Norwegian premier Stoltenberg, at the helm of the Western military alliance since 2014, already had his tenure prolonged a year, to October, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Multiple diplomats at NATO confirmed that its 31 member states had reached a consensus to prolong the tenure of Stoltenberg, 64, for another year after struggling to find a suitable replacement by a summit in Lithuania in two weeks.

Others seen as potential candidates, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and British Defence Minister Ben Wallace, have recently dropped out of contention.

United States Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith did not confirm any agreement. But she told journalists an announcement on the secretary general's position would likely be made "in the days ahead." "A possible extension of Jens Stoltenberg is an option that allies are looking at," Smith said.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes Jens Stoltenberg: 'Ukraine will become a member of NATO'
THE ARRIVAL of a telephone kiosk in Carrigkerry village in 1971, filled a big void in the locality. It was a godsend to us all but especially for people who had relations abroad. It allowed quick contact with loved ones who were in England or further away.

Correspondence to secure a telephone kiosk for Carrigkerry was ongoing for three years, and Limerick County Council earlier turned down the application because the population was not sufficient to justify its presence. Following representations by the late TD Dennis Jones, the kiosk was granted and installed.

At that time the traditional letter that was sent on a weekly basis, was the only contact across the divide until its arrival. On its installation the local news, joyful tidings of births, engagements, and marriages, and sad conversations about sickness and deaths could be discussed in real time.

House phones were still very scarce, around the locality at the time, with only a handful of people able to afford them. The telephone kiosk served a very important function in the early days, as it provided people with a line to the outside world. It was in great demand and people had to wait their turn to use it. Some people became famous for the amount of time they spent inside the box, and many was the prayer that was recited in their direction by other users.

Most of the local calls were to the priest, the guards, the doctor, the vet or the AI man.

Money was scarce and some coins used were not even legal! Washers of a certain diameter and pushouts from galvanised junction-boxes used by electricians were often pressed into action.

When decimal currency was introduced in 1971 it took a while to have the phones adapted. The new decimal 1p coin was exactly the same size as the old sixpence and worked very well. Another favourite trick was to block the return-chute with a piece of rolled up cloth or twine and to return for the proceeds when a number of people had pressed Button B without getting any refund. Necessity was the mother of all inventions, when a call had to be made.

In the days when one went through the operator there was the story of the cash struck man who phoned his friend looking for the loan of a tenner only to be told, Its a bad auld line, I cant hear you. When the request was repeated it was, once again, met with, I cant hear you. At this stage the operator cut in with, I can hear him perfectly. The answer was ready, You give him the loan of the tenner, then.

The phone kiosk was used by courting couples who did not own a car, for a squeeze and a quick kiss, in those innocent days. Doing the rounds at the time was the Dublin joke, What do northside girls use for protection? A phone-box.

A person often the worse for wear, snatched a few hours sleep there before making their way home. When a person that was not that well liked would be retiring it would be said, theyre holding their retirement party in a phone-box.I recall a few lines from the late Jim Reeves song He will have to go that was receiving air play at the time.

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone

And lets pretend that were together all alone

Ill tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low

And you can tell your friend there with you hell have to go.

The first Irish telephone box was installed on Dawson Street, Dublin in 1925. It helped create one of the first links to the outside world. A 1925 Irish Times newspaper report stated that the telephone boxes were designed so as to present a pleasing appearance and be in harmony with the surrounding buildings.

The 31st International Eucharist Congress was held in Dublin, in June 1932. At the time it was hugely significant in terms of asserting the identity of the Irish Free State as a leading catholic nation.

The city went under a dramatic makeover, which included the roll out of a number of telephone boxes. The popularity of the Irish telephone box led to their installation throughout the island. They brought news of births and deaths and played a central role in the lives of those both lovesick and homesick. Speaking to a son or daughter who had immigrated to America would have been a rare treat for the families they left behind.

The increase of mobile phones was blamed for the decline and potential demise of the phone box, a 20th-century symbol of communication that had attained such cultural resonance that it had made its way into a Blondie song, a Hitchcock film and a Harry Potter book, and provided the main stage for Colin Farrell in Phone Booth.

It began to make a big impact around the start of the millennium, and the need for the telephone kiosk lessened as many people changed to instant communication in their hip pockets, and handbags.

The telephone kiosk in Carrigkerry stood for a few years as a reminder of times past with the door open and the phone hanging by its cord. The light inside was extinguished and the national call came for their withdrawal in 2007. Very low levels of customer usage were given as the reason.

Eircom implemented a public consultation process prior to the removal of any of their payphones. Removal notification notices were placed on all targeted boxes for a period of six weeks, which allowed residents, and local authorities to submit their views in writing to Eircom.

The cull of Eircom phone boxes saw 24 being removed in Limerick, with all but one located in rural areas. The areas affected were Ardpatrick, Ashford, Athlacca, Baggotstown, Ballyhahill, Ballyneety, Caherelly, Carrigkerry, Creeves Cross, Croagh, Feenagh, Feohanagh, Glenroe, Grange, Headleys Bridge, Herbertstown, Kilcolman Knockaderry, Manister, Martinstown, Nicker, Ratheenagh, and Rathkeale.

Phone boxes have played in our collective consciousness as social hubs and lifelines to other worlds since they first graced our pavements in the early 1920s as standalone concrete structures with solid walls and wooden doors.

Their look evolved as they sprouted on footpaths all over the country, so that by the telephone box heydays of the early 1990s, there were more than 8,500 in operation around the country. In 2009 the number of public phones in Limerick were cut to 85 with 32 remaining in Limerick city.

Following their demise after 80 years of use, they have become but quaint memories of an older generation regaling their grandchildren with tales of adventure, or romance conducted through whispered confidences in that semi-private box in the middle of the village, or at the end of the road with a queue of people waiting their turn to converse.
IT HAS been a privilege to be allowed to do the work of the Lord, said Fr Sean O Longaigh at a Mass to mark his golden jubilee as a priest.

The celebratory ceremony in St Marys Church, Askeaton took place on the exact date that 50 years ago he was ordained a priest - June 17, 1973.

In his homily, Fr O Longaigh, a native of Dromcollogher, said much has changed in the last half a century but human nature has not changed.

In day to day life the goodness of so many has always stood out and, particularly, when visiting the sick and the housebound I have been greatly impacted by their faith, said Fr O Longaigh, who thanked one and all in the overflowing church for attending and the pastoral council for organising it.

He spoke of the support of so many people - his family and fellow priests, both alive and who have gone to their God, and people who were so kind to him in the parishes he served in.

Fr O Longaigh was asked recently if he ever regretted becoming a priest.

Never, not even for a day, was his reply.

It confirms his decision as a young man to enter the then minor seminary for the Diocese of Limerick. Afterwards he attended St Patricks College, Maynooth.

Fr O Longaighs first appointment was to St Endas Community School in Limerick city. He was also appointed diocesan adviser on religious education for second level schools and over some years held various positions in the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (now called Accord).

In 1981, he volunteered to take part in the Limerick Mission to Africa, undertaken with the St Patrick's Missionaries, Kiltegan. Over the next four years he worked in Nigeria.

On his return, Fr O Longaigh was appointed curate in Croom as well as chaplain to the local St Marys Community College and to the shared chaplaincy of Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. After serving in Croom for 11 years he was appointed as curate in Askeaton-Ballysteen in 1996. In the following year he succeeded Canon OConnor as parish priest.

Apart from the people of the parish and his pastoral work, Fr O Longaigh has a wide range of interests. He has a great interest in history and reading, loves the outdoors and is a passionate supporter of the Limerick hurlers.

Appropriately, he was presented with a Limerick jersey on the night which featured refreshments and music at the Top of the Town bar.
THE OVERALL number of people claiming Carers Allowance across Ireland has increased by more than 3% with a total of 93,609 claims in the last year.

According to new data, the highest number of claims were made by residents in County Cork (10,335) while Leitrim had the lowest number of claims (795).

Nationally, there were 90,833 claims in the period between May 2021 and May 2022 - before the changes announced in Budget 2022 came into effect.

The increase in claims, since June 2022, following changes that were made allowing more people to qualify for Carers Allowance.

Speaking in the Dail, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys explained: As part of Budget 2022, I introduced measures which allow carers to have a higher weekly household income and a higher level of savings, and still qualify for a Carers Allowance payment. These measures included an increase in the income disregard from 332.50 to 350 for a single person and from 665 to 750 for a couple. In addition, the amount of capital disregarded in the means test increased from 20,000 to 50,000."

The minister made her comments in reply to a question from Fianna Fail TD Jim O'Callaghan.

Carer's Allowance is a social assistance payment in which the carer is means-tested.

Means include spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and includes earnings, property excluding their own home or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income such as occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.

To apply for Carer's Allowance, carers can go to their local social welfare office and pick up an application form or download it through the Citizens Information website.

There may only be one application form per person you are caring for.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- According to Qichacha, a Chinese corporate database, CATL Changan Power Battery Co., Ltd. (referred to as CATL Changan) was incorporated on Jun. 28 with a registered capital of 1.5 billion yuan.

Qichachas information shows that CATL Changan's business scope includes battery manufacturing, battery sales, R&D of emerging energy technologies and new materials, etc. The company is jointly owned by CATL, Shenlan Technology Co., Ltd. (the entity behind the Deepal brand), and Changan Automobile.

The joint venture is registered in Yibin city, Sichuan province.

UNI-K iDD; photo credit: Changan Auto

As early as Feb. this year, Changan Automobile announced its intention to jointly establish a battery joint venture company with Chongqing Changan New Energy Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Changan New Energy") and CATL.

At that time, the announcement stated that the registered capital of the joint venture company was 1.5 billion yuan, with Changan Automobile contributing 285 million yuan, accounting for 19%; Changan New Energy contributing 450 million yuan, accounting for 30%, and CATL contributing 765 million yuan, accounting for 51%.

According to Changan Automobile's plan, it will rapidly advance the development of the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector in the future, with the goal of achieving 1.2 million units of NEV sales, accounting for 40% of its total sales by 2025. By 2030, the target is set at 2.4 million units, accounting for 60% of its overall annual sales.

In terms of product introduction plan, by 2025, the Changan brand will launch 27 new NEV models. To be specific, six will be under the brand of the Deepal brand including the Deepal S7, four will come from the the Avatr brand, five will be from the iDD series, five will be contributed by the Changan Qiyuan sequence, and seven will be under the umbrella of Cakc Auto including intelligent logistics vehicles and electric pickups.
NEW DELHI : The resignation of Deloitte Haskins & Sells Llp as the auditor of Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd, which runs the online learning platform Byjus, has exposed a gap in the regulatory framework for auditors, a person informed about the governments regulatory response in the case said.

The oversight of audit regulator National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) extends only to statutory auditors of listed companies, banks, insurers, power utilities, and large unlisted public limited companies but excludes private limited companies, no matter how big they are, the person said on condition of anonymity.

View Full Image Graphic: Mint

Therefore, NFRA faces a challenge in looking into the issue of auditor resignation in this case and concerns around the delay in financial reporting, the person said.

This concern around auditors of private limited companies remaining outside the ambit of NFRAs oversight is significant in the context of the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem and the mushrooming of unicorns, many of which remain private limited entities but raise substantial capital and, in some cases, have a vast customer base.

This certainly makes a case for amending the NFRA Rules of 2018, which defines the public interest entities, the auditors of which come under the regulators ambit, according to the person.

Emails sent to the ministry of corporate affairs, NFRA, Think and Learn, and Deloitte on Monday seeking comments for the story remained unanswered at the time of publishing the story.

Mint reported on Tuesday that the corporate affairs ministry was examining the nature of enforcement action it needs to pursue in the wake of the resignation of Deloitte Haskins & Sells Llp last week as the auditor for Think and Learn. The options range from an inquiry in the form of seeking information, an inspection of books of account that is a more formal step meant to check compliance or a full-fledged investigation.

Independent regulators such as registrars of companies and NFRA and probe agencies such as the Serious Fraud Investigation Office are within the ministrys regulatory ecosystem.

However, not everyone is keen on tightening the regulatory framework for auditors, and some experts suggested that the self-regulator of the accounting and audit profession Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), can address any governance issue relating to entities outside NFRAs mandate.

Byjus case may be an exception. Large investors in private limited companies, who sit on their boards, are astute and financially very well-informed, and they remain aware of the developments in the company. NFRA may focus its resources on companies where the public interest is involved," said Ved Jain, a former president of ICAI.

Startups are expected to innovate, and greater regulatory burden is not in their interest. ICAI is entrusted with the task of addressing governance issues of entities which are outside the mandate of NFRA," said Vijay Kapur, a former director at ICAI.

NFRA has so far taken stringent action in the case of what it regards as wrongful audit engagement and compromise in the case of auditor independence and has flagged cases where the quality of financial statements needed improvement. Its orders seek to make auditors who sign financial statements more diligent about their task, as investors make decisions based on these documents.

On Monday, the regulator issued an order explaining that quitting an audit assignment does not absolve a statutory auditor of its responsibility to report fraud noticed during the audit. It is a misconception among auditors that resigning from audit engagement will absolve them from the consequences of not reporting fraud, NFRA said.

An expert on the regulatory framework for statutory audit said NFRAs mandate also covers any company, person, or corporate body on a reference made to the authority by the central government in the public interest.

The ministry of corporate affairs can make a reference to NFRA about cases which have witnessed delays in financial reporting and auditor resignation, and NFRA can look into such cases whether it is listed, unlisted public limited or private limited company. It is not that NFRA cannot look into private limited companies which have raised concerns around financial reporting and audit," said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity.
NEW DELHI: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has directed the removal of Prag Distillery Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tilaknagar Industries Limited, from the liquidation proceedings. In addition, the NCLT order permits the reinstatement of the board of directors to resume management operations. Located in Andhra Pradesh, Prag Distillery has an annual bottling capacity of approximately six lakh cases.

Tilaknagar Industries Ltd, known for the Mansion House brand, had previously reached an agreement with Standard Chartered Bank, the financial creditor of Prag Distillery, to settle all outstanding dues owed by the subsidiary. Pursuant to this agreement, Tilaknagar Industries made a payment of $2.25 lakh to Standard Chartered Bank on behalf of Prag Distillery.

Prag Distillery was admitted for the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in June 2017 by NCLTs Mumbai bench. The application had been filed by Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), its financial creditor. It had defaulted on its loan repayments to the bank and its financial position was unsustainable and it was likely to become insolvent in the near future, nor did it have a viable business plan to turn around its financial situation.

In August 2018, NCLT ordered the liquidation of Prag. It was also alleged by the liquidator in 2019 that Prag filed an application with the NCLT alleging that certain preferential transactions had been carried out by the directors of the company prior to the initiation of the CIRP process. It was alleged that a transfer of 43.85 crore in preferential transactions had happened to Tilaknagar Industries Ltd during 2015-16 and 2016-17.

The liquidator expressed concern that these transactions had harmed the creditors of PDL and should be prevented. Upon investigation, the NCLT determined that the preferential transactions were indeed conducted and had adversely affected the interests of PDLs creditors. Consequently, the NCLT issued an order to nullify the preferential transactions.

Now, TI, its parent company, had also entered into a settlement agreement with the only other financial creditor of Prag Distillery, DCB Bank Ltd., and settled their dues in full.

In addition, the company paid an amount of about 14 crore in full to settle all the operational creditors of Prag. Three of them had filed their claims before the liquidator. It has also settled all the dues owed to its subsidiarys employees. Prag has about 100 employees.

Standard Chartered Bank approached the liquidator to withdraw the application filed against Prag Distillery which was approved by stakeholders with 100% votes. Pursuant to the same, the liquidator filed an application at NCLT for withdrawal from liquidation.

In an exercise of its discretionary power, the NCLT pronounced the order stating that Prag Distillery Pvt Ltd is out of liquidation and paved the way for the reinstatement of the companys Board of Directors.
Procter & Gamble India will invest 2,000 crore to establish a new personal healthcare manufacturing facility in Gujarat. This will be their ninth plant in India, manufacturing popular brands like Ariel, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Oral-B, Pampers, Pantene, Tide, Vicks, and Whisper.

The new plant spread across a 50,000 sq metre area in Sanand will produce products that are part of P&Gs global healthcare portfolio, especially digestives, a company statement said.

"This facility will be operational over the next few years and is set to become an export hub for P&G globally, as it will help P&G India in serving consumers across the globe," it said.

Besides, this will also help create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, thereby offering a significant boost to the local economy, it added.

P&G India CEO LV Vaidyanathan announced a new investment during a meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The facility will enhance P&G's existing manufacturing footprint in India and marks the second major investment in the Indian FMCG sector by an MNC in the past year.

The new unit "will use state-of-the-art technology to manufacture superior products in the digestive wellness space and is designed to be fully automated based on the modern concept of Industry 4.0. This concept employs futuristic technology, including the latest vision systems for quality checks, robotic equipment for material movement and operator cockpits to name a few," it said.

"The investment is being planned through an unlisted private company and does not impact any of the listed public companies of the P&G group in India," the company said.

Earlier in September, global food & beverage conglomerate Nestle SA announced plans to invest 5,000 crore in India in the next three-and-a-half years to accelerate its core business in the country and leverage new growth opportunities.
Porsche, the renowned German automobile manufacturer known for its high-performance sports cars and SUVs, last week announced its plan to develop an electric speedboat with the Austrian shipbuilder Frauscher.

The two firms are working together on Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air Speedboat with a delivery deadline in 2024.

Measuring nearly 8.7-meter (28.4-foot) long, the day cruiser is based on Frauscher's existing 858 Fantom Air and is powered by Porsche's Premium Platform Electric, which will underpin future models including the upcoming electric Macan, Bloomberg reported.

The helm-stand and the interior trimmings including seats and upholstery will design by Studio F.A. Porsche. The day cruiser will be built in Frauscher Shipyard in Ohlsdorf, Austria.

The Stuttgart based auto maker said the cruiser can carry up to nine passengers and offers a swimming platform, sun lounge area, two bimini tops for shade, a refrigerator, a premium sound system, and Porsche-designed seats and upholstery.

Though, Porsche declined to specify performance specifics including the cruising range and duration for charging. But Porsche is promising a boat using electric technology designed for roadgoing vehicles. The Porsche Fantom Air will uses the same electric platformwhat Porsche calls its Premium Platform Electric (PPE)as the Macan EV due at dealerships in 2024; that includes a lithium-ion battery with a total capacity of around 100 kilowatt-hours, an electric motor and other related power electronics linked to the 800-volt technology.

The Volkswagen subsidiary said the electric speedboat will likely cost around 600,000 ($655,000). The automaker said Frauscher 858 Fantom Air on which the cruiser is based starts at $250,000 new and costs around $300,000 on the used market.

The 850 Fantom Air Speedboat isnt Porsches first foray into watercraft. In 2008, Porsche Design, the studio and brand Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded in 1972, released the Porsche Fearless 28, a speedboat made to resemble the Porsche Carrera GT supercar. That one was powered by the same V-10 engine used in the Dodge Viper, reported Bloomberg.

Volkswagen Groups most profitable marque has also promoted a 22-foot boat made by Seven Seas Yachts called the Hermes Speedster, which was made to evoke the Porsche 356 vintage car. The company is currently investigating further applications for its powertrain in other boat sizes, the report said.

Though, the pre-orders for the day cruiser are open now, with the first 25 boats slated for delivery in 2024, the company has not shares much information of the 850 Fantom Air Speedboat and is promising to give details and images of the yacht only in September this year.

(With inputes from agencies)
An MoU has been signed between the Gujarat government and Micron Technology, America's largest semiconductor memory IDM on Wednesday. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw were present at the event. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw termed it to be a historic day for India."

"Today, Semiconductor chip manufacturing's MoU was signed in Gujarat. Semiconductor is a foundational industry. India's first chip manufacturing plant will be set up in Gujarat's Sanand by Micron Technologies," said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Later Vaishnaw tweeted, Historic Day for India... Thanks to PM @narendramodi Ji's comprehensive semiconductor mission"

This came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

Micron Technology will invest USD 2.5 billion (INR 22,500 crore) to establish an ATMP (assembly, test, marking, and packaging) facility in Gujarat's Sanand GIDC-II, the Gujarat government announced on Wednesday.

The MoU is a watershed moment for India because the domestic semiconductor ecosystem will get a boost as other associated industries for raw materials and finished products related to this sector will be drawn to Gujarat, a release said.

Micron Technology will establish an Assembly and Test facility wherein it will focus on transforming wafers into ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit packages, memory modules, and solid-state drives.

The establishment of this facility will prove to be a game-changer in India's semiconductor manufacturing sector. It will provide 20,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, i.e., 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect, it said.

A significant investment in India by Micron Technology was announced by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, during his meeting with the Prime Minister in the US recently. This investment aims to boost India's Semicon Program through the establishment of a semiconductor assembly, test, marking, and packaging (ATMP) facility in the country.

Micron Technology will invest USD 2.5 billion, i.e., more than INR 22,500 crore, to establish an ATMP facility in Gujarat's Sanand.
BPCL rights issue: The board of directors of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has considered and approved fund rising through issuance of rights issue. The Maharatna company aims to raise up to 18,000 crore through the rights issue. The public sector undertaking (PSU) company informed Indian stock market exchanges in this regard and said that BPCL rights issue price, record date and other details will be shares in near term.

BPCL rights issue details

Informing Indian stock market bourses about the rights issue, BPCL said, "In continuation to our letter dated 22.6.2023 and in terms of Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations & Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, this is to inform you that the Board at the meeting held on 28.6.2023 has approved the proposal for raising capital up to an amount not exceeding 18,000 crore (Rupees Eighteen Thousand crores only). This capital will be raised by way of issue of equity shares on rights issue basis to eligible equity shareholders of the Corporation as on the record date (to be notified subsequently), subject to all statutory approvals and in accordance with all applicable laws including the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018, as amended from time to time."

"The detailed terms of rights issue including but not limited to the issue price, right entitlement, record date, timing, and terms of payment will be intimated separately after approval of the Board in due course," the Maharatna company said.

HPCL, IOC to follow shoot

BPCL rights issue decision taken by the central government to infuse more equity in the state-owned oil manufacturing company. In budget 2023, the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced to provide 35,000 crore capital support to oil making PSU companies  HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd), BPCL and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). So, stock market is expecting issuance of rights from IOCL and HPCL as well.

In fact, IOCL has recently announced to double its authorised share capital citing, It is hereby informed that the Board of Indian Oil at its meeting held on 24th June 2023 has approved the proposal for seeking approval of the members at the ensuing Annual General Meeting for increase in the Authorized Share Capital of the Company from 15,000 crore (Rupees Fifteen Thousand crore) divided into 1,500 crore (One Thousand Five Hundred crore) equity shares of 10 (Rupees Ten) each to 30,000 crore (Rupees Thirty Thousand crore) divided into 3,000 crore (Three Thousand crore) Equity Shares of 10 (Rupees Ten) each."
Stock in focus on Friday: CCL Products (India) Ltd  world's largest private label coffee manufacturer  will be one of the stocks in focus during Friday deals as the company has turned into a billion dollar company as the coffee stock has hit $1 billion market cap in recent rally. This coffee stock is one of the multibagger stocks that Indian stock market has produced in last few years, especially in bounce back after the Covid-19 sell off. The coffee brand said that the feat was achieved on large scale production advantage and innovations, which is core of the company's growth.

CCL Products share price history

As mentioned above, CCL Products shares are one of the multibagger stocks of the Indian stock market. In last one month, CCL Products share price has ascended to the tune of 8 per cent whereas in last six months, this coffee stock has surged around 25 per cent. In year-to-date (YTD) time, this stock has risen from 545 to 667 apiece levels, delivering to the tune of 22 per cent return to its positional share holders. However, in last one year, this multibagger stock has delivered 75 per cent return to its shareholders.

This multibagger stock is one of those stocks, that has delivered stellar return to its shareholders in post-Covid rebound. In last near three years, this stock has surged from around 175 to 667 per share, delivering near 300 per cent return to its long term investors in this time.

CCL PRODUCTS INDIA More Information

The coffee company is in news these days for setting up new manufacturing plant at Continental Coffee Park in Kuvvakolli village in Tirupati district in Andhra Pradesh, with an investment of 400 crore.

On factors that helped CCL Products to become a billion dollar company, Challa Rajendra Prasad, Founder & Chairman at CCL Products India Ltd said: Thirty years ago when I saw that Indian coffee beans were being exported as raw materials, I thought why shouldnt we do the value addition in our own country and then export the finished products? This way, our country will earn more foreign exchange and, in the process, generate more employment as well. With this objective, I started Continental Coffee Ltd. (CCL) and set up our first factory at Duggirala. With the help of our marketing partners across the world, we were able to focus on creating customised products for each customer across the world. As a result, today we are the largest private label coffee manufacturer in the world."

CCL Products shares are available for trade on both NSE and BSE and it ended on Wednesday with a trade volume of 1,10,983 on NSE. Its 52-week high is 669.95 whereas its 52-week low is 360.55 per share on NSE.
When Quants ESG Fund delivered a handsome 26% return in the past year, thereby securing the top position in the ESG (environmental, social, and governance) mutual fund category, it raised quite a few eyebrows. For one, socially conscious investors did not seem to be convinced by its outperformance.

Rating agencies werent impressed either. For instance, Morningstar gave the fund a below-average ESG rating, the lowest rating in that category. The remaining seven schemes by other funds in the same category were assigned either a high or above average rating.

Morgan Stanley Composite Index (MSCI) also put Quants ESG fund among the lowest-rated funds in the sustainability category. The global rating agency assigned Quant ESG BBB rating. All five other funds except Kotak ESG Opportunities Fund and SBI Magnum ESG fund were given an A rating.

Yet, Quants low ESG ratings did not seem to bother investors at all. And so, assets under management (AUM) of Quant ESG went up more than 12 times from 14 crore to 165 crore since its inception in 2020.

Quant ESGs problem was not confined to ratings alone. Some of the stocks selected by the fund were questionable. Adani Enterprises, a stock that was largely responsible for the funds outperformance, has not been in the good books of ESG rating agencies. Sustainalytics calls the company high risk and ranked it last in the traders and distributors category. MSCI assigned the stock laggard status and pushed it to the bottom of that category, and Crisil gave it a below average rating.

According to Fisdom research, Quant MF and Surat-based NJ Mutual Fund were the only asset management companies (AMCs) that had a sizeable allocation to Adani group stocks as of December 2022, before the Hindenburg report on the group unleashed a storm in the Indian markets. Many institutional investors avoided Adani group stocks, citing a lack of transparency. Quant ESG Fund, too, exited Adani Enterprises in August 2022.

View Full Image Is Quant ESG true to label?

To be sure, the perception of a good ESG company can vary. The ambiguity arises when there is no single authority or formula to decide which companies are socially conscious and which are not. This has resulted in many rating agencies giving opposite ratings to the same company.

For instance, Refinifitiv has ranked Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) among the top 3 companies out of 204 firms in the oil and gas sector, whereas Sustainalytics has classified it under severe risk, the lowest rung.

MSCI calls Asian Paints a leader in ESG but Sustainalytics sees the paints firm as high risk. MSCI also tagged Adani Ports a laggard , the worst in the ESG category, while Sustainalytics ranked it one of the best in the world.

Quants investment strategy?

The scheme information document (SID) explaining Quant ESGs investment strategy gives little clarity on how the fund house filters stocks. It mentions that the focus will be on the longer term impact of ESG issues rather than unduly weighting factors currently occupying market attention."

This statement, however, does not explain the funds high churn rate. Quant ESGs turnover ratio is 258% whereas the average turnover ratio in the category (excluding Quant ESG) is just 26%. Invesco India ESG fund has the second highest turnover ratio of 41%. Ideally, to reap the benefits of long-term ESG factors, fund managers hold stocks for a longer period and avoid frequent churning.

There is more to it than meets the eye. Mint found that the contents of the section What are the investment strategies? in Quants SID are exactly the same as that of Axis ESG fund. But, despite having the same strategy, both the schemes have an overlap of just about 10%. Axiss churn rate is a mere 24%. Strangely, for two funds that claim to follow the same framework for stock selection, they have two drastically different ways of deploying investor money.

The SID also states that the investment strategy of the scheme will be to invest in a basket of securities based on combining existing traditional fundamental, bottom-up financial analysis along with a rigorous analysis on the environmental, social and governance aspects of the company."

This statement rings alarm bells since the use of words like traditional fundamental, bottom-up financial analysis is in stark contrast with Quant AMCs claims on managing investments. For starters, Quant AMC is not the typical fund house that invests using fundamental analysis. Instead, it relies on VLRT, a complex data-driven framework, to buy and sell stocks. It reportedly spent more than 180 crore on collecting data.

Mint also found that Quant AMC did not mention the VLRT framework anywhere in the SID of its ESG portfolio whereas it was for the remaining 12 equity schemes they run. Surprisingly, no holding in the ESG portfolio is unique, meaning other schemes run by them have the same stocks. So, RIL is a recurring theme in all its MF schemes. In fact, all stocks represented in Quant ESG funds have allocation in its other MF schemes, showing a convergence in the way stocks are selected.

Quant Mutual Fund did not respond to a questionnaire sent by Mint till press time.

Nirav Karkera, head of research at Fisdom, said that Quant is looking at ESG from a very different perspective than what is generally accepted by most other mutual funds. Along with a differentiated perspective, the ESG fund is also managed with relatively higher agility. Such agility is visible across other portfolios as well. In line with most of its funds, even the ESG fund exhibits a relatively higher churn," said Karkera. This could have led to its outperformance but one must take a closer look at the fund houses perception of ESG and if it still aligns with what an investor seeks from ESG-focused fund, he added.

While the ratings assigned to the fund is dismal, there is no real gold standard in terms of ESG norms, especially in the Indian context. International rating agencies methodology may not be directly applicable to Indian companies considering the difference in operating and regulatory environment, in ESG context specifically.

Investor safety

ESG investing is getting increasingly popular in the country and there is pressure on the market regulator to avoid ESG mutual funds from turning into a marketing gimmick. In recent times, responsible investing has gained momentum and, notably, seven of the 10 ESG mutual funds were launched in just the past three years.

Subsequently, the securities exchange board of India (Sebi) came out with consultation reports on three fronts: ESG disclosures, ratings, and investing.

On ESG investing, Sebi has proposed stricter disclosure norms to ensure that mutual funds are staying true to their tag. The regulator has sought clarity on the kind of ESG strategy the fund is following, reasonable assurance from a third party as to whether the fund is following its stated strategy, adhering to disclosure on votes cast on company resolutions, and is maintaining case studies on portfolio companies, among others .

Further, Sebi has proposed five sub-categories for ESG fund management. This means AMCs would be allowed to launch multiple ESG schemes following different strategies if the proposals become law.

Also, fund managers would be required to explain the funds ESG strategy on an annual basis, how they engage with holding companies, escalations raised by the fund manager to companies, and specific comments on the underlying companies.

Sebi is trying to nudge ESG rating providers (ERPs) to consider the domestic context while rating companies. For this, they will need a unique set of metrics that can be measured in the Indian context.

Sebi is also trying to improve the quality of data coming from corporates. Among other things, Sebi wants to uncover the ESG practices of a companys supply chain participants and make audited disclosure for a set of ESG metrics mandatory. This will be implemented in a phased manner, starting with the top 1,000 companies based on market capitalization.

Till such time though, many fund managers will consider ESG to be just another trick to lure investors in the name of responsible investing. Many fund managers also argue that socially responsible filters can be applied to existing funds and that there is no need to create a separate ESG fund.
Before choosing a mutual fund (MF), investors should do a proper risk analysis of the funds before they invest in them. They must weigh the pros and cons of different categories of mutual fund schemes- flexi cap, multi-cap, index fund focussed funds, among others.

Flexi-cap mutual funds

Flexi-cap schemes invest in securities across market capitalisation such as large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap. The minimum investment in equity and equity-related instruments should be 65 percent of the total assets of the scheme in flexi-cap mutual funds. This category was launched in November 2020.

Best Flexicap Mutual Funds

Dr. Ravi Singh, Vice President and Head of Research, at Share India, has shared three top flexi-cap mutual funds for the best return on your money

1)JM Flexicap Fund with 17.15% return in one year

2)HDFC Flexi Cap Fund with 16.93% return in one year

3)ICICI Prudential Flexicap Fund with a return of 15.39% in one year

Vinit Khandare, CEO and Founder, MyFundBazaar listed three top funds for investing in flexi-cap

1)HDFC Flexi Cap Fund

2)ICICI Prudential Flexi Cap Fund

3)Edelweiss Flexi Cap Fund

Tax and investment expert Balwant Jain suggested one best flexi-cap mutual fund

1) Parag Parekh

Pankaj Mathpal, MD & CEO at Optima Money Managers listed one top fund for investing in flexi-cap

1)ICICI Prudential Flexi Cap Fund- Pankaj MAthpal

Here are ten equity flexi-cap funds that have produced lucrative SIP returns in one year as per Value Research.

Ten best flexi-cap MF schemes

JM Flexicap Dir- 32.13

360 One Focused Eqt Dir- 30.18%

HDFC Flexi Cap Dir- 30.10%

DSP flexi Cap Dir- 27.33%

Franklin Ind Focuses Eqt Dir- 26.75

Bank of India Flexi Cap Dir- 26.64%

Edelweiss Flexi Cap Dir- 25.88%

Canara Robeco Focuses Eqt Dir- 25.86%

Franklin Ind Flexi Cap Dir- 24.37

Bandhan Focussed Equity Dir- 23.22%

Meanwhile, investors continued to park their money in mutual funds, with contributions in SIPs reaching a new high of 14,749 crore in May.

This robust inflow has led to assets under management of SIP rising by five per cent to 7.53 lakh crore last month from 7.17 lakh crore in April.

The surge in SIP inflows amid higher cancellations shows that new investors continue to invest more money than the average ticket size.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sangeeta Ojha A business media enthusiast. Writes on personal finance, banking and real estate. Read more from this author
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Jun. 28, Liuzhou Wuling New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd. (referred to as Wuling NEV), which is affiliate to Wuling Motors Holdings, launched its fire new brand LINXYS, with the brands first model, dubbed LINXYS Gold Truck (Huangjin Kain Chinese Pinyin), hitting the market at the same time.

Photo credit: Wuling Motors Holdings

The LINXYS Gold Pickup comes in two trim levels, the Shidai (meanding Era) Edition and the Xianfeng (Pioneer) Edition, with official prices set at 89,800 yuan and 93,800 yuan, respectively. It is available in two body colors, Brilliant Gold and Clear Sky Silver.

At the launch ceremony, Yuan Zhijun, President of Guangxi Auto, Chairman of the Board at Wuling Motors Holdings, and Chairman of Wuling New Energy, stated that Wuling NEV will focus on both commercial and passenger vehicle segments, catering to both domestic and overseas markets. They will meticulously study both pure electric and hybrid technologies, while establishing a dual financial chain of self-sufficiency and market financing.

Wuling NEV aims to achieve a sales target of 1 million vehicles by 2030 (500,000 in the domestic market and 500,000 in overseas markets), said Mr. Yuan.

LINXYS will concentrate on the new energy commercial vehicle market and gradually introduce hybrid and pure electric models. In the future, it plans to offer a comprehensive range of micro, medium, and large-sized vehicles, including micro and small trucks, as well as point-to-point logistics vehicles, creating a full matrix of products.

Based on a profound understanding of the pain points associated with traditional fuel and electric vehicles, LINXYS has come up with a groundbreaking solution: the "hybrid small truck", said the automaker.

Photo credit: Wuling Motors Holdings

The LINXYS Gold Truck incorporates the "Lingqing" super linear hybrid system, pioneering the application of extended-range technology in the mini truck segment and becoming the industry's first hybrid small-sized truck capable of both refueling and recharging, presenting a completely new form of power.

With a maximum torque of 320 Nm and a maximum power output of 163hp, it delivers fast acceleration and powerful climbing ability, with a gradient capability of up to 27% even when fully loaded.

Photo credit: Wuling Motors Holdings

With the adoption of the Atkinson cycle and a dedicated extended-range system, the new model achieves a high thermal efficiency of 40.01% and a 40% improvement in fuel economy. Its comprehensive fuel consumption under standard conditions is only 3.6 liters per 100 kilometers, according to the carmakers introduction.
Some metallurgy and design issues have been identified in the indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter after detailed scrutiny of the choppers, said people familiar with the matter on Wednesday, adding that the flaws are being fixed.

The scrutiny came after a string of accidents involving the platform that had forced the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) to ground their fleets, according to a report published by the news agency PTI.

They also informed the choppers that were grounded to resume their operations following the completion of the safety audit.

The Indian Navy, the IAF, the Army and the Coast Guard have a total of over 325 ALH Dhruv helicopters and all of them underwent technical checks following the incidents of accidents, they said.

The ALH Dhruv helicopters are designed and developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The ALH Dhruv is a twin engine, multi-role, multi-mission helicopter in the 5.5 tonne weight class.

In 2002, the certification of the utility military variant was completed and that of the civil variant was completed in 2004. The deliveries of production series helicopters commenced from 2001-02 onwards.

The Indian Army temporarily suspended the operations of ALH Dhruv choppers in May this year. The choppers had been grounded for more than a month after two accidents involving helicopters of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

The crashed ALH Dhruv helicopter was on an operational mission in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army aviation Corps' helicopter made a precautionary landing on the banks of the Marua river in the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir due to a technical glitch, said Indian Army's Northern Command HQ in its statement.

Two pilots and a technician were on board and suffered injuries due to the emergency landing. All three of them have been safely evacuated and are undergoing treatment at Command Hospital, Udhampur.

(With PTI inputs)
Eid-al-Adha 2023: Bakrid festivities, prayers, customs in pics

1 min read

Bakra Eid, also known as Eid ul-Adha, is being celebrated in several countries today. Muslims commemorate the story of Abraham by sacrificing animals as an act of devotion to Allah. They also attend mosque prayers, share meals, and give alms to the less fortunate.

Premium (File Photo) Muslims offering Namaz in Jammu, India on September 13, 2016. Eid al-Adha is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. (Photo by Nitin Kanotra / Hindustan Times)

Bakra Eid also known as Bakrid, Eid al-Adha, Eid Qurban, or Qurban Bayarami, is observed during the month of Zul Hijjah/Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Several countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, and others are celebrating Eid today, June 29. The festival commemorates the story of Abraham, also known as Prophet Ibrahim, who had a recurring dream of sacrificing his son, Ismael, as an act of obedience to God. Ibrahim shared these visions with his son and explained that it was Allah's command. Ismael, who was also a devoted follower of Allah, willingly agreed to fulfil God's wishes. However, Satan attempted to tempt Ibrahim and dissuade him from carrying out the sacrifice. Nonetheless, Ibrahim bravely dismissed Satan's influence by pelting stones at it. Here is how Eid ul-Adha is celebrated in various regions across the country: On the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid-ul-Adha by honoring the act of sacrificing what they hold dear to express their devotion to Allah. They offer sacrifices of goats or sheep in commemoration of the sheep sent by Allah through Jibreel. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain offers namaz in Bihar's Supaul, on the occasion of Eid ul Adha.

Muslims believe that although the meat and blood do not reach Allah, it is the sincere devotion and love of His followers that truly reach Him.

They also attend the mosque to perform Eid al-Adha namaz (prayer) after the sun has fully risen but before the Zuhr prayer time (midday prayer). They begin the festivities by offering morning prayers at the mosque and subsequently carry out the ritual of sacrifice, symbolizing self-sacrifice and expressing gratitude to Allah.
Eid-ul-Adha 2023: From PM Modi to Rahul Gandhi, top leaders extend their wishes

1 min read

Top political leaders from Rahul Gandhi to Mallikarjun Kharge extended their wishes on the occasion of Bakrid

Premium Muslims perform a morning prayer marking the Eid al-Adha holiday on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, June 29, 2023. (AP)

Several countries in the world including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan are celebrating Eid on June 29. Bakra Eid also known as Bakrid, Eid al-Adha, Eid Qurban, or Qurban Bayarami, is observed during the month of Zul Hijjah/Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid al-Adha wishes by top leaders : Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his wishes on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, he wrote on Twitter, Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!" Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge shared his wishes on the occasion of Bakrid through his Twitter account. He wrote, The festival of Eid-al-Adha epitomises the noble values of sacrifice, trust and forgiveness. On this joyous occasion, let us all firmly resolve to strengthen the bonds of fraternity and build a peaceful, harmonious and progressive society. Eid Mubarak !" Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while sharing wishes wrote on Twitter, Eid Mubarak! May this auspicious occasion bring peace, prosperity and happiness to all." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also shared his wishes on Twitter, he wrote, Eid Mubarak! Warm greetings on Eid al-Adha. May the festival further the spirit of brotherhood and compassion."

Congress party shared wishes on the occasion of Bakrid, writing, Eid Mubarak to all! May this auspicious festival bring happiness, prosperity & bountiful blessings."
Bakra Eid also known as Bakrid, Eid al-Adha, Eid Qurban, or Qurban Bayarami, is observed during the month of Zul Hijjah/Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Several countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, and others are celebrating Eid today, June 29.

On the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid-ul-Adha by honoring the act of sacrificing what they hold dear to express their devotion to Allah. They offer sacrifices of goats or sheep in commemoration of the sheep sent by Allah through Jibreel.

The meat from these sacrifices is divided into three equal parts - one portion is kept for the family, another is shared with relatives, and the remaining portion is distributed among the poor and needy.

Muslims believe that although the meat and blood do not reach Allah, it is the sincere devotion and love of His followers that truly reach Him.

They also attend the mosque to perform Eid al-Adha namaz (prayer) after the sun has fully risen but before the Zuhr prayer time (midday prayer). They begin the festivities by offering morning prayers at the mosque and subsequently carry out the ritual of sacrifice, symbolizing self-sacrifice and expressing gratitude to Allah.

In addition, Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha by relishing delicious food, giving alms to the less fortunate, and gathering with family, relatives, and friends to share joy and love.

Festive feasts include delectable dishes such as mutton biryani, mutton korma, mutton keema, bhuna kaleji. Desserts like sheer khurma and kheer are relished on this day.

Bakra Eid 2023: Wishes and messages to share with your loved ones

May the divine blessings of Allah fill your life with peace, prosperity, and happiness. May this Eid-al-Adha bring you closer to your family and friends, and may your bond grow stronger. Eid Mubarak!

Sending you warm wishes on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. May your day be filled with delicious food, beautiful moments, and cherished memories. May Allah's blessings be with you today and always. Eid Mubarak!

As we celebrate this holy festival, I am grateful to have you by my side. Wishing you a blessed and prosperous Eid-Ul-Adha.

May the teachings of Allah and his prophet be your companion throughout your life. May this Eid al-Adha bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to you and your family!

No shadows to depress you, only joys to surround you, God himself to bless you; these are my wishes for you. Today, tomorrow, and every day. Have a prosperous Eid al-Adha.

On this joyous occasion of Bakrid, may Allah shower His blessings upon you and your family. May your life be filled with success, happiness, and prosperity. Eid Mubarak!

May the beauty of Bakrid, fill your life with happiness, peace, and fulfilment. May your prayers be answered and your dreams come true. Wishing you a blessed Eid filled with love and joy. Eid Mubarak!

Allah will guide you to achieve the dreams that you have always aspired to fulfil. Have faith in him. I send my best wishes to you on this Eid-ul-Adha.
Farooq Abdullah, National Conference chief, on Thursday said that the Central government should consider India's religious diversity and the potential challenges before implementing Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Abdullah said, ""They should rethink about it. This is a diverse nation, people of different races and religions live here and Muslims have their own shariah law." The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar said the government should think and rethink about the consequences of implementing the UCC. They should keep all this under consideration and instead of pushing it through, they should think of the consequences. They should think about any possible storm that would come if they do that (implement UCC)," he added.

His remarks come two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for UCC and wondered how a country can function with dual laws that govern personal matters.

Modi on Tuesday said the opposition is using the issue of UCC to mislead and provoke the Muslim community.

"You tell me, in a home, how can there be one law for one member and another law for another member? Will that home be able to function? Then how will the country be able to function with such a dual system? We have to remember that even in Indias Constitution, there is a mention of equal rights for all," he said.

"These people (opposition) level allegations against us but the reality is that they chant Musalman, Musalman. Had they really been (working) in the interests of Muslims, then Muslim families would not have been lagging in education and jobs," he said.

His remarks faced strong criticism from opposition parties such as AIMIM, Congress, RJD, and DMK.
French billionaire and luxury brand magnate Bernard Arnault is in China this week, social media posts showed, the latest visit by a foreign executive keen to reconnect to the world's second-largest economy.

The world's second-richest man after Elon Musk and chairman of LVMH group, Arnault was seen in Beijing visiting the upscale SKP mall and the Sanlitun Taikoo Li shopping centre Tuesday, posts widely circulated on Weibo showed.

He was then spotted in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Wednesday, where he toured the International Finance Center and other upscale stores, posts said.

Chinese state media also reported the visit was taking place, citing the social media videos.

Arnault is accompanied by two of his children -- Delphine, who heads the Dior perfume and fashion brand, and Jean, director of watch development and marketing at Louis Vuitton -- videos showed.

China is critical to the luxury market, and before the pandemic made up a third of all global luxury goods spending.

The pandemic hit the industry hard, with China's share of the market sinking to 17 percent in 2022, according to analysts at UBS, who have said that 2023 will be the "year of the Chinese consumer".

"The Chinese clientele is much more important than it was in 2019," LVMH's financial director Jean-Jacques Guiony recently told journalists.

Arnault's LVMH group -- which includes dozens of brands including Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Kenzo -- has continued to post strong revenue and profit growth despite global economic headwinds.

Arnault has said he is "optimistic about the Chinese market".

This week's visit to China is far from his first.

In a 2007 interview with Time magazine, the French tycoon said he had travelled to China "maybe twenty times" and praised the country's economic potential.

He is one of a number of foreign businessmen to visit the country since the end of its zero-Covid regime, which barred all but essential travel to China for almost three years.

This month, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates visited Beijing, where he met with President Xi Jinping and hailed the country's successes in fighting Covid, according to state media.

And in May, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with top officials in the Chinese capital, before heading to Shanghai to visit his company's Gigafactory on the outskirts of the city.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi emphasised the need for peace in Manipur on Thursday amid a two day visit to the northeastern state. The remarks also came mere hours after his convoy on its way to Churachandpur to visit relief camps. The police had dubbed it a precautionary measure to prevent recurrence of violence. Following a multi-hour wait, Gandhi had returned to Imphal and taken a chopper to his destination.

I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. Its very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," he tweeted. Gandhi had arrived in Imphal earlier on Thursday for a two-day visit that included meeting people affected by ethnic violence. His convoy was halted by the police near Bishnupur leading to a multi-hour delay. He had eventually returned to the capital city before reached Churachandpur in a helicopter. Gandhi went to a relief camp and interacted with the inmates.

Party leaders have accused Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh of ordering officials to stop the convoy. The BJP meanwhile contends that Gandhi had been asked to take a chopper but "stubbornly" decided to travel by the road route. Reportedly, top police and administration officials had accompanied him in the helicopter.

The local police had used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators - some of whom wanted him to proceed to Churanchandpur, while others opposed his visit. Gandhis supporters, including a large number of women, hit the streets at Bishnupur demanding that he be allowed to go to Churachandpur.

At least 100 people have been killed in ethnic clashes in Manipur since the beginning of May this year, thousands of homes have been burned and shops and businesses vandalized. Authorities have moved nearly 40,000 people to safer places.

(With inputs from agencies)
Britains trade minister Kemi Badenoch said any FTA deal with India will not contain broader immigration commitments or access to Britain's labour market for Indian workers, temporary business visas are only part of Free Trade Agreement talks, Reuters reported Thursday.

The British trade minister was speaking in response to a query about the governments stand "on migration and mobility in relation to a UK-India trade agreement," and avoids "disruptive political off-stage noises."

Badenoch said in a written response to lawmakers said "An FTA with India will not contain commitments on immigration or provide access to the UK domestic labour market."

"There will also be no agreement to anything which undermines the principles or functioning of the UK's points-based immigration system, or which undermines the UK's ability to control its own border" Reuters reported quoting Badenoch as saying

The British trade minister further said the FTA negotiations would discuss business mobility, "which would make it easier for highly skilled professionals to deliver services in each other's markets on a short-term and temporary basis."

Negotiators were also exploring provisions to facilitate the mutual recognition of professional qualifications where it might be possible with regulators, Badenoch added.

The trade minister has previously warned that the deal may not have everything that the services sector would want.

The trade minister did not make reference that when the FTA negotiations would conclude, saying that she would update lawmakers "in due course" on the talks.

Last year British interior minister Suella Braverman sparked a controversy with her comments about the possible impact of Indian migrants in trade talks, citing concern both with any "open borders migration policy with India" and those who overstay visas.

Britain launched trade talks with India in January last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stressed that he won't sacrifice quality for speed in negotiations
Monsoon has hit almost the entire country and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange and yellow alerts in several parts of the country.

The weather office in its latest update also said that active monsoon conditions is likely to continue over Northwest, Central and West India during next two days. It further added that the southwest monsoon is also likely to advance into remaining parts of India during the next two days.

In Himachal Pradesh, incessant rains has led to a flood-like situation in Himachal Pradesh. The heavy rain has disrupted the normal life of people. For today, the local Met office has issued a yellow alert, warning of moderate to heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places and thunderstorm and lightning on June 30, July 1 and 2.

Mumbai, which was lashed by rains yesterday, will witness relatively less intense showers on Thursday, IMD said in a release. Mumbai is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall only at isolated places on Thursday, it said, issuing a yellow alert for the city. BMC has predicted heavy to very heavy rain to continue in Mumbai over the next four to five days in the financial capital. "There is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rains in Mumbai in the next 4-5 days," BMC officials said. The Met department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in six districts of Maharashtra issuing an orange alert for the districts of Thane, Raigad, Palghar (all three adjoining Mumbai), Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Nashik.

In Kolkata, Heavy rain lashed Kolkata and its adjoining places on Wednesday affecting normal life and causing traffic snarls. The Met Department has forecast heavy rain in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas till Thursday morning. The weather office forecast heavy rain in the sub-Himalayan districts of Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar for the next two days.

In Delhi, the weather office has forecast cloudy sky and ligh to moderate rain/ thundershowers today. The maximum and minimum temperature would be around 36 and 26 degree Celsius respectively.

In Goa, The onset of monsoon in Goa has prompted authorities to close the beaches for any kind of activities, but tourists still flock to the seafronts, though in lesser numbers.

Check IMD's weather forecast here

Northwest India:

-Light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana during next two days.

-Heavy to Very Heavy rainfall very likely over Uttarakhand on 28 and 29th June.

Central India:

-Light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy falls with thunderstorm and lightning over Madhya Pradesh during next two days.

-Very heavy rainfall very likely over West Madhya Pradesh during 28th-30th.

West India:

-Heavy to very Heavy rainfall is very likely over Konkan and Goa, Gujarat State and Ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra during next four days.

East & adjoining Northeast India:

-Heavy to Very Heavy falls very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Assam & Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh during next four days.

-Heavy rainfall also likely over Bihar during 28-30 June.

South India:

-Light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall very likely over Kerala and Mahe, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka during next four days.

-Heavy rainfall also likely over Coastal Karnataka during next four days; Kerala on 29th June and 2 July, South Interior Karnataka on 2nd July.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Ulta Rath Yatra case in which seven people lost their lives after coming in contact with a high-tension wire in the Unakoti district. At least seven people were electrocuted to death during the Ulta Rath Yatra, while 16 others sustained burn injuries.

The Tripura government will provide an ex-gratia of 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the Ulta Rath Yatra tragedy, while 2.5 lakh will be granted to those who have received severe burn injuries. The chief minister also visited the accident site and assessed the situation.

After taking stock of the situation, Manik Saha said, The state government has decided to provide ex-gratia of 4 lahks to the next of kin of each deceased & Rs. 2.5 lakh for those who suffered severe (above 60%) injuries & Rs. 74,000 for those who have been partially (40-60%) injured. Also passed an instruction for conducting a probe into the incident by a committee headed by District Magistrate and submit the report."

Manik Saha also asserted that such an incident has never happened in the history of Tripura. We cannot express in words the magnitude of this unfortunate incident. During the Ulto Rath Yatra, the chariot came in contact with a wire, leading to its electrocution. Those who were on the stairway of the chariot died on the spot, while those inside the chariot remained unharmed. This incident is truly unfortunate and unimaginable."

"As soon as I heard about the incident, I personally spoke with Minister Tinku Roy and former Minister Bhagaban Das, who were in Kumarghat, and informed them that I would be coming. I have visited the site and tried to understand the situation. Such an incident has never happened in the history of Tripura. We express our deepest condolences," CM Manik Saha said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, has announced an ex-gratia of 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and 50,000 for the wounded.

The wounded were rushed to Fatikroy, Kumarghat, and GB Pant hospitals. Manik Saha said he has visited hospitals to meet the victims of the Ulta Rakh Yatra tragedy.

"The government has decided to bear all the expenses for the treatment of the injured. We have also decided to provide immediate relief measures from the government, offering 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Individuals with burn injuries exceeding 60 per cent will receive 2.50 lakh, while those with burn injuries ranging from 40 to 60 per cent will be given 74,000," stated the CM.

(With agency inputs)
JACKSON, Miss.Mississippi will implement age verification regulations starting on July 1. Similar to age verification measures in Virginia, Utah, Louisiana and several other states, this law requires porn websites to request government identification, a credit card number or other identifying documentation to confirm that a user is aged 18 years or older to access adult content.

According to adult industry trade group the Free Speech Coalitions legislative tracker, Senate Bill 2346the identifier for the new law during the 2023 legislative sessionis considered a Louisiana AVS law copycat, referring to the succession of recently adopted age verification laws across various states modeled after Louisiana's, which went into effect January 1 of this year, making it the first state in the union to implement an age verification requirement to access pornography online. Utah followed shortly, resulting in MindGeek-owned Pornhub.com and all other sites in the MG portfolio geo-blocking all IP addresses from the state.

The Free Speech Coalition has filed suit in federal district courts challenging the age-gate laws in Utah and Louisiana on grounds that they violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

In regard to Virginias new age verification law, which also takes effect July 1, as well as similar ones moving toward implementation in other states, including Mississippi, FSC director of public affairs Mike Stabile told AVN Tuesday that the coalition is looking at potential suits in every state that has passed this law.

Upon review of the legislation in Mississippi, the age verification requirements are aligned with the proposals presented in states across the country. Senate Bill (SB) 2346 will require the use of commercial age verification systems or valid government ID on websites that contain a substantial portion of material that may be harmful to minors, the FSC action center notes.

In the engrossed text of the bill, signed by Gov. Tate Reeves on April 18, the Republican majority in the Mississippi state legislature managed to codify anti-porn talking points surrounding the effort to restrict otherwise First Amendment-protected forms of expression on the internet. Under the bill, the legislature finds that pornography contributes to ... the hyper-sexualization of teens and prepubescent children and may lead to low self-esteem, body image disorders; an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages, and increased desire among adolescents to engage in risky sexual behavior, among other points debunked by mainstream sexual health experts.

For example, UCLA sexual health researcher Nicole Prause referred to the scientific reasoning used to push through the age verification law recently adopted in Texaswhich is similar but much more far-reaching than Mississippi'sas completely fabricated.

Age verification is an increasingly hot topic in the adult industry as states across the union, as well as in Western European countries like France, shift towards implementing mandatory identity verification through a variety of proofing methods.
Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told that his Wagner group would no longer fight in Ukraine as he had refused to sign contracts to bring his mercenaries under the sway of the defence ministry, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.

Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, an influential lawmaker who chairs the lower house of parliament's defence committee, said the trigger for Saturday's mutiny was Prigozhin's disagreement with a demand by the defence ministry that his mercenary group sign contracts.

"As you know, a few days before the attempted mutiny, the defence ministry said that all formations performing combat tasks must sign contracts with the defence ministry," said Kartapolov.

"Everyone started to implement this decision... everyone except Mr Prigozhin."

Prigozhin said on June 11 that his Wagner fighters would not sign any contract with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, adding that Shoigu was unable to manage military units.

Kartapolov said that after Prigozhin's refusal to sign the contracts he had been told that his mercenaries would no longer fight in Ukraine and thus would not receive state money.

As a result, the lawmaker said, Prigozhin, committed treason due to "exorbitant ambitions", money and what he cast as an "excited state".
Starting July 1, Indian graduates in Australian tertiary institutions can apply for work without sponsorship for up to eight years. Work hours for international students increase to 48 hours per fortnight, and a two-year work visa extension is granted, several news reports cited.

India and Australia recently entered into a migration and mobility partnership pact aimed at creating new avenues for students, academic researchers, and business professionals. As part of this agreement, a special program called the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES) has been established. MATES will provide 3,000 annual openings for young professionals from India, granting them the opportunity to spend two years in Australia without the need for visa sponsorship.

MATES is designed as a temporary visa program and targets graduates from recognized Indian universities with degrees in specialized fields of study. Eligible occupations for the MATES Visa include engineering, mining, financial technology, artificial intelligence, information and communication technology, agricultural technology, and renewable energy. To be eligible for the MATES visa program, candidates must be below the age of 31, have obtained their education from a recognized and verified university, and be in the early stages of their careers.

Details regarding the fee and visa processing time for the MATES visa are yet to be announced.

Australia had previously expressed its intentions to revamp its immigration system in order to expedite the entry of highly skilled workers into the country. The government aims to attract skilled migrants by streamlining the visa process for high-skilled professionals and implementing measures to retain international students.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described China as an important neighbouring country to India and underscored the importance of mutual respect and commitment to agreements in order to uphold a positive and constructive relationship.

Speaking at the India International Centre on Wednesday, he acknowledged the challenges in the India-China relationship, stating that the abnormal state of the border remains a key factor in shaping the overall relationship. "The difficult one on the big stage has obviously been China.

And I would say it's a subject on which I have spoken and spoken publicly before. At the end of the day, for us, we recognize it's a neighbour, it's a big neighbour. It's today a very significant economy and significant power. But at the end of the day, any relationship has to be based on a high degree of mutuality," Jaishankar added.

Giving a sharp contrast between India's ties with China and that with the US, Jaishankar said relations with the latter have been "exceptionally good". Jaishankar cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent maiden state visit to the US and said it was the most productive visit by an Indian Prime Minister.

"There has to be respect for each other's interests, sensitivity for each other's interests, and there has to be an adherence to agreements which were reached between us. And it is that departure from what was agreed between us, which is today at the heart of the difficult phase that we are passing through with China.

Jaishankar stressed, The bottom line there is at the end of the day, the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship. And the state of the border today is still abnormal."

Speaking about the current global landscape, Jaishankar acknowledged the increased polarization and complexities on the global stage. He emphasized that India's relations with the United States are extremely strong and characterized by exceptional success.

Jaishankar further emphasized that the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States was the most fruitful and productive visit ever recorded in history. "We have moved into a positive domain with the US for shaping the world for common purposes. The attention being given to Europe is remarkable... The big issue before us is concluding the Free Trade Agreement... We are more hopeful than ever before," EAM added.

On India's relationship with Russia, Jaishankar said that it has been very good and it would be a "mistake" to reduce its importance.
Google Doodle celebrates the 200th birthday of Italian poet, philosopher and scholar Giacomo Leopardi. Leopardi is recognised as one of the greatest writers of the 19th century for his poetry and philosophical works.

Leopardi was born in the small provincial town of Recanati in 1798, at a time of political turmoil in Italy and Europe caused by the French Revolution. He was an avid reader from an early age, spending much of his time in his father's library, and his aristocratic background gave him access to private tutoring by priests from an early age.

Also Read: Google Doodle celebrates Cameroonian train driver Martin Dibobe

At a very young age, Leopardi developed fluency in Latin, ancient Greek and Hebrew which later helped him become a philologist, scholar studying history and the development of languages.

Leopardi fell in love with ideas from the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement that promoted reason and logic over superstition. He was passionate about his beliefs and went on to become one of the most radical thinkers of his time." the search giant explained

By the age of 14, Leopardi had translated many Latin and Greek classics. He had also written a manifesto criticising one of Rome's most influential men called Pompeo in Egitto (Pompey in Egypt). Later on, he went on to write many philological works and poems like L'appressamento della morte (The Approach of Death), Inno a Nettuno (Hymn to Neptune), and Le rimembranze (Memories).

The Italian poet was marred by ill health for most of his life and eventually became blind in one eye. Leopardi wrote lyric poetry for the rest of his career like Canti (songs) and Canzoniere (Songbook). He explored the themes of patriotism, unrequited love and reflections on human existence in his writings. Leopardi settled in Naples in 1833 and died owing to edema and other complications in the year 1837.
The GE-HAL F-414 engine manufacturing deal has brought great joy to the armed forces and national security planners due to the engine's exceptional performance and technological superiority.

As per a report by HT, this achievement is particularly significant as it surpasses the capabilities of the Chinese indigenously produced jet engine, the WS-10. It should be noted that the WS-10 engine is derived from the Russian AL-31 series engine, which currently powers the SU-30 MKI fighters.

According to information obtained from national security planners, former Indian Air Force chiefs, and fighter pilots, the Hindustan Times has learned that the Chinese fighters, including the J-20, are currently equipped with variants of the Shenyang WS-10 engine.

However, intelligence reports and assessments suggest that the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is facing challenges related to the serviceability, downtime, and overall performance of these engines.

In an effort to overcome these issues, China is currently conducting tests on the WS-15 engine, which is intended to be installed on the J-20 aircraft. The WS-15 engine is expected to provide the fighter with a "super cruise" capability, allowing it to fly at supersonic speeds without using the afterburner. This feature is crucial for a stealth fifth-generation fighter, as it helps reduce the heat signature of the aircraft.

It is quite evident that the Chinese reverse-engineered the Russian AL-31 engine to produce the WS-10 series of jet engines. The Indian assessment based on performance of Chinese aircraft in Pakistan inventory and PLAAF aircraft shows that the engine is facing issues albeit it is flying and performing. The Chinese are prone to overstating the performance of their fighters through the state owned media," said a former IAF chief.

During the height of the stand-off in East Ladakh, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) deployed the J-20 fighters to the western theatre command as a response to India's acquisition of Rafale jets. However, it has been reported that the J-20, touted as a fifth-generation fighter, was not extensively used for actual flying operations.

Despite India's unsuccessful attempts since 1996 to develop its own indigenous engine, national security planners are satisfied with GE's proposal to manufacture F-414 engines in India under a technology transfer arrangement. These engines will be used to power the Tejas Mark II fighter aircraft, with the potential for future upgrades to manufacture higher-thrust engines.

The collaborative effort between the Indian Air Force (IAF), Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has led to the development of a Tejas Mark II demonstrator equipped with the GE-414 engine, which is expected to take flight in the coming year. All parties involved are in agreement regarding the high-performance capabilities of the American GE-414 engine.

While there is no doubt that the Chinese capability on jet engine manufacturing is growing by the day, no neutral air force would buy a WS-10 engine as its first choice. Even though the Chinese system is opaque, the jet aircraft of Chinese origin with the Pakistan Air Force are facing downtime and serviceability issues. Although the proof of the pudding lies in eating, the Chinese engine would be 60 per cent of what the PLAAF is projecting as they still rely on Russian fighters to show their muscle against Taiwan," said a top fighter pilot.

Since 2012, India has been engaged in negotiations with the United States regarding the manufacture of F-414 jet engines under a 100% Transfer of Technology (TOT) agreement.

However, it was the combined effort of former DRDO and IAF chiefs, along with the guidance of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that ultimately secured the deal with the Biden administration this month. The agreement has garnered attention in Washington and is often referred to as the "Doval Deal" due to Ajit Doval's significant role in its successful conclusion.
A man tore up and burned Koran outside Sotckholm's central mosque on the Eid holiday after Swedish police granted permission for the protest, an event that risks angering Turkey as Sweden bids to join NATO, according to a report published by Reuters.

A series of protests against Islam and for Kurdish rights have offended Ankara in Sweden, the country which needs Ankara's back to gain entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Sweden sought NATO membership in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. However, its alliance member Turkey has held up the process and accused the European country of harboring people it considers terrorists and demanding their extradition.

In a tweet, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the act and said it was unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression.

Burning of religious texts is disrespectful and hurtful. What might be legal is certainly not necessarily appropriate. We believe Sweden has fulfilled its commitments under the trilateral memorandum," the deputy spokesperson for the US State Department told reporters in a daily briefing.

Police officials later charged the man who burned Koran with agitation against an ethnic or national group, Reuters reported.

Around 200 onlookers witnessed one of the two protesters tearing up pages of a copy of the Koran and wiping his shoes with it before putting bacon in it and setting the book on fire, while the other spoke into a megaphone.

Some of those present shouted "God is Great" in Arabic to protest against the burning, and one man was detained by police after he attempted to throw a rock. One of the supporters also shouted let it burn as the holy book caught fire.

While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed on freedom of speech.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference on Wednesday he would not speculate about how the protest could affect Sweden's NATO process.

"It's legal but not appropriate," he said, adding that it was up to the police to make decisions on Koran burnings, as per Reuters reports.

Representatives of the mosque were disappointed by the police decision to grant permission for the protest on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, mosque director and Imam Mahmoud Khalfi said on Wednesday.

Up to 10,000 visitors attend Stockholm's mosque for Eid celebrations every year, according to Khalfi. Turkey in late January suspended talks with Sweden on its NATO application after a Danish far-right politician burned a copy of the Koran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

(With Reuters inputs)
In the working-class Parisian suburb of Nanterre, protesters engaged in clashes with the police and set cars on fire on Wednesday.

As reported by Reuters, this unrest occurred for a second consecutive night following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop in the area. The incident involving the use of lethal force against the teenager, who had North African heritage, has reinforced the long-standing perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse suburbs of France's major cities. As the night progressed, a stretch of overturned vehicles blazed while fireworks were directed towards the police lines on Nanterre's Avenue Pablo Picasso. Protests escalated into clashes between the police and demonstrators in multiple cities across France. In the northern city of Lille and the southwestern city of Toulouse, as well as in Amiens, Dijon, and the Essonne administrative department near Paris, unrest was reported, according to a police spokesperson. French media outlets covered incidents in various other locations within the greater Paris region. Videos circulated on social media displaying a large number of fireworks being aimed at the Montreuil town hall, situated on the eastern outskirts of Paris. Earlier, President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting "unexplainable and inexcusable".

A police officer is currently under investigation for voluntary homicide due to his involvement in shooting the young individual. Prosecutors have stated that the officer failed to follow an order to stop his vehicle.

In response to the unrest, the interior ministry has appealed for calm and announced the mobilization of 2,000 police personnel in the Paris region.

Rights organizations have accused law enforcement agencies in France of harboring systemic racism, a claim that President Macron has previously denied.

A video shared on social media, verified by Reuters, shows two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting at the driver at close range as the car pulled away. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds, the local prosecutor said.

"You have a video that is very clear: a police officer killed a young man of 17 years. You can see that the shooting is not within the rules," said Yassine Bouzrou, a lawyer for the family.

Lawmakers held a minute's silence in the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the shooting "seems clearly not to comply with the rules."

The family has filed a legal complaint against the officers for homicide, complicity in homicide and false testimony, the lawyer said.

In a video shared on TikTok, a woman identified as the victim's mother called for a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday. "Everyone come, we will lead a revolt for my son," she said.

Tuesday's killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

According to a Reuters count, there were three similar killings in 2021 and two in 2020. The majority of victims since 2017 were found to be Black or of Arab descent.

In response to the incident, France's human rights ombudsman has initiated an investigation into the death. This marks the sixth inquiry of its kind in 2022 and 2023, focusing on comparable incidents.

President Macron's comments were notably candid, which is uncommon in a country where politicians at higher levels frequently refrain from criticizing the police due to voters' concerns about security, Reuters reported,

Two prominent police unions have defended the detained police officer, asserting that he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. The officer has faced criticism from his opponents, who claim that he is lenient towards drug dealers and minor criminals.

He has implemented measures to combat urban crime, such as granting police officers increased power to issue fines. Prior to the onset of the second night of violence, some residents in Nanterre had expressed optimism that the unrest would quickly subside. "To revolt like we did yesterday won't change things, we need to discuss and talk," local resident Fatima said.
Last weeks mutiny attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhins Wagner mercenary army has undoubtedly weakened Vladimir Putin personally: He publicly promised a forceful response and a harsh punishment for the traitors," then accepted a compromise brokered by Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and allowed Prigozhin to leave the country unpunished, with pretty much his entire force.The more important question, however, is whether the turbulence has weakened the system that runs Russia.

Alexey Navalny, the jailed Russian opposition leader who has never led a violent riot, wrote in a Twitter thread that he learned of Prigozhins escapade while on trial for a seemingly endless list of offenses against the government:

And when, a minute later, they were telling me about the seizure of Rostov, the helicopters that had been shot down, and the armed column heading for Moscow to kill that bastard Shoigu," and the masked bailiffs were also listening and nodding, I kept expecting someone to suddenly yell You got punk'd"! But no one did. Instead the prosecutor came in and we continued the trial in which I stand accused of forming an organization to overthrow President Putin by violent means.

No wonder Prigozhin was calmly making arrangements to move to Belarus while Navalny faced yet more years and years behind bars for daring to speak up about the regimes corruption  and not much more. Navalny is much more of a threat to the system than Prigozhin, even if the latter managed to do more damage to Putin personally in one tense day than the former in almost two decades of political activity.

Russia under Putins leadership is easy to see as a personalist dictatorship. The president has almost unlimited powers under Russias much-rewritten, much-abused constitution, and Putins place in the government system is so central that  at least ostensibly  even minor decisions cannot be made without his approval. That, however, is not how the system really works, as one of the regimes top intellectual architects Gleb Pavlovsky kept repeating in his final years to anyone who would listen.

A political scientist and spin doctor who worked for the Kremlin during the early Putin years but ended up as a regime opponent, Pavlovsky died earlier this year. Yet his books about System RF" (the initials stand for the Russian Federation), written in the 2010s, still provide perhaps the best existing explanation for what happened during the Wagner mutiny  and for the Ukraine invasion that led to it.

Putin the man, in Pavlovskys view, is little more than the user of the Putin signature." He is not a dictator because he runs a fluid state" government rather than a rules-based one. He stays on top by dividing and ruling rather than by taking responsibility for decisions.

The system that elevated him to the top largely had been built under his predecessor Boris Yeltsin. It is defined by agility, insolent risk-taking, greed for others resources and a need always to be a step ahead of adversaries, Pavlovsky wrote in 2015:

System RF emerged from the Soviet Unions collapse as a highly mobile one. Now it is not restricted by ideology and it easily combines a lack of openness with a liberal approach to others assets. It doesnt care if people flee it or read about it on the internet. It is highly resistant to protest that could have ruined the Soviet system. Its new foundation is that its omnivorously unprincipled, capable of taking initiative in breaking and discarding any norm.

This mode of operation is in evidence in both the Ukraine invasion and the handling of Prigozhins machinations. Putin  or System RF, as Pavlovsky would have argued  radically broke rules in both cases, showing agility and flexibility above all, confounding expectations and always, even in extreme adversity, trying to stay ahead of events.

Russians in positions of power big and small have condoned this way of acting because they have adjusted to coexisting with the predatory system and acquired a stake in its continued existence. This support comes, however, with a caveat, according to Pavlovsky:

It is useless to try to incite this coalition to protest against its own interests. But someday it will betray the state: Just feed us and you can do what you like! In this sense the Putin majority, passive and conformist in its basic attitudes, will one day become apocalyptic for Russia. It has, after all, already proved that, to preserve its position and emotional balance, its willing to accept any tyrannical moves inside and outside the country.

This all-important group of bureaucrats, managers, media personalities, law enforcers didnt rise to Putins defense when his authority was threatened by Prigozhins fighters marching on Moscow. Officials, officers, even Kremlin propagandists merely watched from the sidelines. Had the Wagner founder not been offered a chance to avoid a bloody confrontation and make a fresh start in Lukashenkos Belarus, its conceivable that the majority would have accepted Prigozhin  or, more likely, one of his establishment sponsors and allies  as the new leader, on the conditionthat the system itself would function more or less as before.

The lack of military success in Ukraine and the obvious cracks in Russias domestic security  Lukashenko said on Tuesday that the Kremlin managed to assemble only a ragtag force of some 10,000 armed men, including cadets and cops, to defend Moscow against the Wagner raid  have made Putin replaceable. Pavlovskys coalition," the backbone of System RF," is not violently opposed to a change at the top  but only if theres a guarantee that it will continue to be fed." Prigozhin  or any of his backers among generals and senior officials, now under a cloud of suspicion thanks to their indecision and Prigozhins devotion to his private interests and those of his mercenary commanders  would have provided such a guarantee because they are part of the system.

By contrast, someone like Navalny would be hugely disruptive in the coalitions" eyes. If such an outsider mustered the force necessary to storm the Kremlin and a few other buildings in Moscow  its clear now that Wagner, with up to 10,000 hardened fighters, actually had the capability  the systems stakeholders at every level would risk ruin, whether as part of a lustration process or as victims of a serious effort at institution-building. Thats why Navalny is being tried for alleged plans to overthrow the regime  and Prigozhin will not stand trial for an actual attempt to do so with armed force (even if, in keeping with System RFs nature, he may suddenly drop dead from extrajudicial causes).

Its important to make a clear distinction between System RF and Putin, who merely personifies it now. If the personality changes but the system remains, any benefit to Ukraine and the West will be only temporary.

Leonid Bershidsky, formerly Bloomberg Opinions Europe columnist, is a member of the Bloomberg News Automation Team. He recently published Russian translations of George Orwells 1984" and Franz Kafkas The Trial."
It is time to heed the Constitution, and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his ruling last June overturning Roe vs Wade . Such democratic sentiment was a staple of the US abortion debate long before the American courts Republican majority overthrew Roe with its ruling in Dobbs vs Jackson Womens Health Organization . After all, who were these unelected judges making decisions for Americans? Contentious, complicated issues belonged in state legislatures, where elected representatives, close to people, subject to their influence and vote veto, would render a more judicious outcome.

In a concurring opinion in Dobbs, Justice Brett Kavanaugh declared that the court would no longer meddle in the debate. Instead, those difficult moral and policy questions will be decided, as the Constitution dictates, by the people and their elected representatives through the constitutional processes of democratic self-government."

So, a bit more than a year later, how is democratic self-government" going?

In Wisconsin, the reversal of Roe left the state subject to an 1849 law banning abortion outright (when its population was about 305,000). The state legislature, dominated by Republicans as a result of gerrymander magic, has not overturned the 1849 law and has rejected calls to legalize abortion. In March, some Republican Assembly members proposed modifying the 1849 ban to make exceptions, but only for rape and incest and to clarify" when doctors could perform an abortion to save the life of a mother. Both the Democratic governor and Republican Senate majority leader declared it a non-starter.

The legislatures proposal not a response to the will of the people. In a decade of polls taken prior to the Dobbs ruling by Marquette University Law School, roughly 60% of Wisconsin voters regularly said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. In a poll of likely voters taken in Wisconsin last September, only 37% supported a ban with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Only 5% said they wanted a total ban.

The irony is not only that the Republican legislature, the peoples elected representatives," dont care what people want. Its that these legislators are insulated from electoral consequences for their failure to represent the whole public. The states legislative maps are expressly designed to deliver Republicans almost two-thirds of legislative seats with about half of the overall state vote. This outlandish gerrymander that makes it possible to disenfranchise so many voters was blessed by none other than Alito and four other Republican appointees to the US Supreme Court.

But how are the peoples elected representatives" faring in delivering popular sovereignty on abortion elsewhere?

Republicans in Ohio approved a ballot measure, scheduled for August when turnout is expected to be low, to raise the threshold for passing statewide ballot measures from a simple majority to a super majority of 60%. As AP reported , the August measure is aimed at thwarting an effort to enshrine abortion rights in the states constitution this fall." The move to seize power from people is backed by the gun lobby, another minority faction that relies on Republicans for unpopular laws.

Elsewhere, Missouri Republicans are eager to counter the popular will in similar fashion, as are Republicans in North Dakota. In Arkansas, they succeeded in making the ballot initiative process more cumbersome for the states people.

Roe vs Wade always struck me as a pretty sketchy act of constitutional legerdemain. But as a political compromise, it was both brilliant and more credible than the US Supreme Courts return of power to the peoples representatives." Roe acknowledged the nations overall ambivalence on abortion while giving women the power to decide on an individual case-by-case basis.

Roe was also popular. It clearly still is. In a Pew Research Center national poll last fall, 62% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases; 57% disapproved of the Supreme Court overturning Roe, with 43% strongly disapproving.

Alitos co-partisans in state legislatures do not appear terribly interested in what individuals, let alone the people," think about abortion rights or much of anything else. Time and again, the Republican party has shown it is committed to imposing factional rule, replacing the people," the polyglot of America, with the chosen group looking to Make America Great Again.

Government of the people, by the people, for the people? One year after the momentous overturning of Roe, returning the issue of abortion to the peoples representatives has proved to be just another joke on democracy. bloomberg

Francis Wilkinson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering U.S. politics and policy.
Foreign policy is a strange terrain where even the best laid plans of nations have to be moulded and remoulded, constructed and deconstructed, depending on the plans of other actors. Much as nations would like to think that they have it all planned out, their friends and adversaries often end up surprising and challenging their long-held assumptions. Most of foreign policy, as a result, ends up not what nations plan for themselves, but what others end up doing to them. Policymakers may feel that they are in the driving seat, but more often than not, it is external factors that shape the trajectory of nations. Structural realities transcend personal predilections and ideological preferences.

Indias strategic community is emotional about Russia and there are good reasons for that. When the West shunned and ostracized India, then Soviet Union stood by India through thick and thin, providing strategic cover to New Delhis foreign policy aspirations. Bilateral ties between the two nations have withstood the test of time. Even after the demise of the Soviet Union, all Indian leaders since the end of the Cold War tried to maintain strong ties with Russia, hoping against hope that the Cold War romance could be rekindled. From Narasimha Rao to Narendra Modi, all invested in the relationship to ensure that the two nations could continue to work on areas of mutual interest.

Yet, the relationship has been on a downward spiral despite the best efforts of New Delhi. And it is primarily because of the choices that Russia has been making. Russias inability to emerge from its economic stasis, Tsarist ambitions on its periphery, cosying up to China, and more recently its aggression vis-a-vis Ukraine have all been exposing Russian strategic weaknesses and making a robust Russia-India partnership all the less likely. Many in the Indian strategic community wax eloquent about Russias strategic importance for India, but the relationship just refuses to take off for all the efforts being put in by Indian policymakers.

The India-US relationship, on the other hand, presents a striking contrast. Indian policymakers often talk about standing up to the US. It is a barometer of Indian strategic autonomy. Resisting American pressure, real or fictitious, is a badge of honour. Despite growing convergence with Washington ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Indian leadership has been wary of being seen as closely allied with the US. It took the threat of a prime ministerial resignation for Manmohan Singhs party to rally behind him in support of the civil nuclear deal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi did declare in 2016 that the hesitations of history" were over when it came to India-US ties, and he has indeed managed to carve out a strong partnership with Washington. But even with this remarkable convergence, a formal alliance with the US remains out of the question. There is no political support within India for it.

Structural changes, however, have their own ways of manifesting themselves. Even as many in India would have preferred a more hands-off engagement with the US, the changing global and regional balance of power has produced a strategic reality that New Delhi has not been able to ignore. Chinas rise and its aggression has made a strong India-US partnership a veritable necessity. The re-emergence of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) and its sustained momentum is a testament to the strategic imperative for regional players in the Indo-Pacific to create mechanisms and instruments for managing power shifts in the region.

It is in this context that one must view the debate on Indias engagement with Nato. Recently, the US Senates India Caucus Co-Chairs, Mark Warner and John Cornyn, declared that they would introduce legislation to give India Nato plus five defence status. This came after the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recommended that the inclusion of India in Nato Plus would strengthen global security and deter Chinese aggression.

This saw a swift response from New Delhi, which declared that the Nato template doesnt apply to India."

It is certainly true that at the moment any discussion on Indias engagement of any kind with Nato would be a non-starter. New Delhi doesnt do military alliances goes the popular theology. And perhaps India will never enter one. But just as the US is recognizing the need to work with a partner like India which doesnt fit the mould of a traditional treaty ally that Washington is used to dealing with, India should also recognize that in international relations, structural realities trump everything else. If China continues with its assertive and aggressive foreign policy agenda vis-a-vis India, New Delhis options will have to evolve accordingly. Ideological rigidity has not served India well in the past and it is unlikely to help India in the future.

Modis visit to the US last week was an acknowledgement that for all the Indian strategic communitys desire to keep away from Washington, the pulls and pressures of foreign policy have ended up making the India-US partnership the most consequential one for India. And if this trend continues, many other shibboleths of the past will end up biting the dust. Indias no to Nato may also be one of them.

Harsh V. Pant is professor of international relations, Kings College London, and vice president for studies at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi
ANNAPOLIS, Md.An archaic sex law prohibiting oral and anal sex between consenting adults in the state of Maryland is officially off the books, according to a press release from the nonprofit Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Through action taken by the state legislature this past session, the so-called Unnatural and Perverted Sexual Practice Act, which made any sexual activity that is outside of traditional vaginal penetration a criminal act, was decriminalized. The change in the statute is scheduled to impact all of the Old Line State beginning on October 1 of this year.

The prohibition of consensual sexual activity between adults is a violation of our human rights and bodily autonomy, notes Woodhull in its press statement. We cannot allow antiquated and discriminatory laws to remain on the books and leave us vulnerable to prosecution. Woodhull submitted testimony to the Maryland state legislature in February 2023, written by foundation president and chief executive officer Ricci Joy Levy, calling for the repeal of the act, which has systematically oppressed members of the local LGBTQ communitiesespecially gay men.

In a 2022 op-ed for The Baltimore Sun endorsing an eariler version of the bill to repeal the "perverted practice" statute, Harford County assistant public defender Bradley S. Clark called the act patently unconstitutional. He went on to write, As a public defender, I have represented several clientsall of them gay menwho have been charged with violating [this law] in just the last year. I have heard their disgust and shame and disbelief as they wonder aloud how such a law can even exist.

The United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantee us a right to privacy, Levy wrote in Woodhull's February submission to the state legislature. That right was upheld by the Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas. The question before the court was whether the protections of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment were violated when two gay men ... were arrested and charged with violating the Texas laws against sodomy. The court ruled that the Texas laws were flagrantly unconstitutional and rendered sodomy laws all over the country null on the same groundsa decision rendered in 2003.

Levy pointed out that one of the most recent attempts to punish LGBTQ individuals with a felony Maryland perverted practice charge, punishable with up to 10 years in prison and fines, occurred in 2021. The Washington Blade reported that gay men were charged with Perverted Sexual Practice violations in a raid on an adult book store. Counsel speaking to the Blade assailed the charges as unconstitutional.
The Sixteenth Finance Commission (16th FC) is likely to be appointed soon. It is a good time to reflect on some challenging issues of fiscal federalism that the 16th FC may have to face.

First, there is the intersecting domain of the Finance Commission and Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council. The latters decisions impact the own tax revenue flows of states and, more importantly, the size of the central tax revenue pool which is to be shared among the central and state governments as per the recommendations of Finance Commissions. Clearly, Finance Commission projections of state and central tax revenues, and recommendations based on them will be impacted by decisions taken by the GST Council. This was a major concern during the 15th FC deliberations when GST revenues were highly volatile, the GST administration was yet to stabilize and the GST Network IT platform was still problematic, especially for the preparation of e-way bills. This greatly exacerbated the challenges the 15th FC was facing in making revenue projections because of the unprecedented contraction of the economy in 2020-21 in the wake of the covid pandemic. Fortunately, most of these problems have been sorted out and GST has now emerged as a large and buoyant source of revenue for both the Centre and states.

Recent demands for greater centralization of expenditure assignment is another issue. India has a quasi-federal system. For purposes of legislation, regulation and administration, Schedule 7 of the Constitution assigns 97 subjects to the Union List, including all key subjects dealing with national security, external relations, Union finance, banking, foreign trade and major infrastructure. Another 66 subjects are assigned to the State List and 47 to the Concurrent List. But for concurrent-list subjects, in the event of differences between any state or states and the Union, the latters view will be decisive. Similarly, if there is any conflict between Union and State legislation, Union laws will prevail. Finally, even for State subjects, the Union government can and does intervene through centrally sponsored schemes in which it incentivizes states to take up the Centres chosen schemes by financing a part of the cost of these programmes.

The case for further centralization of this quasi-federal system mainly rests on economic considerations. The analytical literature has long established that private benefits are maximized when the jurisdictional assignment of a subject closely corresponds with the spatial benefit spread of public interventions under the subject. However, private benefit maximization has to be set off against possible cost savings from scale economies and lower transaction costs with greater centralization. Further, there is the issue of externalities. If social benefits or losses can spill over across boundaries of a lower-level jurisdiction, it requires assignment of the subject to a higher-level jurisdiction with wider spatial coverage. Finally, equity considerations may require greater centralization to enable the provision of comparable levels of public or merit services for all citizens in a country.

These economic arguments for greater centralization have to be seen in the context of larger political considerations and the distribution of political power across different levels of government. This question became important when non-Congress parties came to power in several states in the late 1960s, demanding greater de-centralisation. It is again a major political issue today, with non-Bharatiya Janata Party governments in power in several states. A change in the assignment of subjects under schedule 7, whether towards greater centralization or greater decentralization, will entail constitutional amendments. How this plays out will depend a great deal on the political profile of the country after the 2024 general elections.

Another issue is the third tier of government. Though the Constitution referred to the importance of local governments and Panchayati Raj institutions, it left it to the states to decide what functions from the state list in the 7th schedule should be further delegated and assigned to local governments. Subsequently, the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments spelt out detailed lists of subjects that should be assigned, respectively, to Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs). But once again, it was left to the state legislatures to decide which functions, funds and functionaries should be assigned to PRIs and ULBs. Not surprisingly, there has been little progress in such assignment in most states, since it would empower elected PRI and ULB representatives at the cost of state legislators. State governments also correctly point out that it is difficult to transfer functions to PRIs and ULBs, which typically have very low capacity. However, the capacity of these institutions cannot be strengthened unless they are provided the resources to build such capacity. It is a chicken and egg problem. To help break this conundrum, the 13th, 14th and 15th FCs have all attempted in different ways to ensure substantial fund flows to PRIs and ULBs.

Vijay Kelkar, chairman of the 13th FC, suggested that consolidated funds should be created for PRIs and ULBs, funded by earmarking a share of the central GST and state GST for them.

So far, except in one or two states, there have been no serious reforms to empower the third tier of government. However, if the electoral success of legislators at the state level comes to depend on empowering the elected representatives in PRIs and ULBs, that could set in motion a whole different political dynamic. Bottom-up dependence could gradually replace the prevailing system of top-down political patronage.

These are the authors personal views.

Sudipto Mundle is chairman, Centre for Development Studies.
The BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya, wasted no time in responding to Rahul Gandhi 's visit to Manipur, dismissing him as a political opportunist rather than a messenger of peace. Malviya questioned why Gandhi had not visited Manipur when the Congress government was in power and accused him of having a selfish political agenda.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in violence-hit Manipur, where he plans to spend two days engaging with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur. The Congress has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the Manipur violence, and Gandhi's visit is seen as an attempt to highlight the issue and hold the government accountable.

Malviya said in a tweet, Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence

Nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. Why didnt Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then? He is no messiah of peace just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling. His visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for people but his own selfish political agenda. There is a reason no one trusts either him or the Congress, he added
For the first time, scientists have observed faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe. On Wednesday, they reported that they were able to hear" what are called low-frequency gravitational waves which are the changes in the fabric of the universe that are created by huge objects moving around and colliding in space.

Maura McLaughlin, co-director of NANOGrav, the research collaboration that published the results in The Astrophysical Journal Letters said that Its really the first time that we have evidence of just this large-scale motion of everything in the universe."

As per NASA, Gravitational waves are invisible, however, are incredibly fast. They travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second). They squeeze and stretch anything in their path as they pass by.

Gravitational waves, first predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the most energetic events in the cosmos, such as black hole mergers and neutron star collisions. Detecting and studying these waves provides invaluable insights into the fundamental nature of the universe.

Scientists sometimes liken these ripples to the background music of the universe.

Earlier in 2015, scientists used an experiment called LIGO to detect gravitational waves for the first time and showed Einstein was right. But so far, those methods have only been able to catch waves at high frequencies, explained NANOGrav member Chiara Mingarelli, an astrophysicist at Yale University.

Those quick chirps" come from specific moments when relatively small black holes and dead stars crash into each other, Mingarelli said.

In the latest research, scientists were searching for waves at much lower frequencies. These slow ripples can take years or even decades to cycle up and down, and probably come from some of the biggest objects in our universe: supermassive black holes billions of times the mass of our sun.

Galaxies across the universe are constantly colliding and merging together. As this occurs, astronomer Szabolcs Marka of Columbia University, who was not involved in the study, explained that scientists think the massive black holes at the centres of these galaxies also join together and engage in a dance before collapsing into one another.

The black holes send off gravitational waves as they circle around in these pairings, known as binaries.

Supermassive black hole binaries, slowly and calmly orbiting each other, are the tenors and bass of the cosmic opera," Marka said.

No instruments on Earth could capture the ripples from these giants. So we had to build a detector that was roughly the size of the galaxy," said NANOGrav researcher Michael Lam of the SETI Institute.

The results were released this week. It included 15 years of data from NANOGrav, which has been using telescopes across North America to search for the waves. Other teams of gravitational wave hunters around the world also published their studies, including in Europe, India, China and Australia.

The scientists pointed telescopes at dead stars called pulsars, which send out flashes of radio waves as they spin around in space like lighthouses.

These bursts are so regular that scientists know exactly when the radio waves are supposed to arrive on our planet  like a perfectly regular clock ticking away far out in space," said NANOGrav member Sarah Vigeland, an astrophysicist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. But as gravitational waves warp the fabric of spacetime, they actually change the distance between Earth and these pulsars, throwing off that steady beat.

By analyzing tiny changes in the ticking rate across different pulsars  with some pulses coming slightly early and others coming late  scientists could tell that gravitational waves were passing through.

The NANOGrav team monitored 68 pulsars across the sky using the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico and the Very Large Array in New Mexico. Other teams found similar evidence from dozens of other pulsars, monitored with telescopes across the globe.

So far, this method hasnt been able to trace where exactly these low-frequency waves are coming from, said Marc Kamionkowski, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved with the research.

Instead, its revealing the constant hum that is all around us  like when youre standing in the middle of a party, youll hear all of these people talking, but you wont hear anything in particular," Kamionkowski said.

The background noise they found is louder" than some scientists expected, Mingarelli said. This could mean that there are more, or bigger, black hole mergers happening out in space than we thought  or point to other sources of gravitational waves that could challenge our understanding of the universe.

Researchers hope that continuing to study this kind of gravitational waves can help us learn more about the biggest objects in our universe. It could open new doors to cosmic archaeology" that can track the history of black holes and galaxies merging all around us, Marka said.

Were starting to open up this new window on the universe," Vigeland said.

(With inputs from Associated Press)
For the recurring series Thats Debatable, we take on a contentious issue of the day and present two spirited argumentsone in favor and the other emphatically opposed.

THERE ARE two basic mindsets about travel research: Some travelers pore through a guidebook, while others do a deep dive online, clicking links about their destination of choice. Both methods have pluses and minuses, as two writers with wanderlust debate here, on whether to lug a dog-eared guide or pray for good WiFi wherever they go.

Yes, having tangible information in a guidebook keeps useful information at the ready.

My South America On a Shoestring" guidebook was not exactly backpacker-friendly, but in 2009, sans smartphone or laptop, I lugged that 1,112-page travel tome around for almost a year exploring the continent on a solo trip.

An element of nostalgia fuels my bookish penchant for guidance thats tangible, not digital.

Fourteen years ago, traipsing without technology meant a reliance on the maps I ripped from that Lonely Planet edition each time I stumbled bleary-eyed off a bus in a new city or village in search of a place to sleep. When deciding where to go next in Brazil, Argentina or Colombia, I relied on the books suggestions, its hidden gems and remote enclaves. Now, one can find similar tips via an online search, but between algorithm changes, ChatGPT-generated lists, and opportunistic bloggers who might have enjoyed a free stay in exchange for a glowing online post, my loyalty remains with the experts responsible for a guidebooks content.

Through the years, guidebooks have let me plan ahead but also given me the confidence to go with the flow. Travel involves flexibility, no matter how much you research and plan. A guidebook on Vietnam steered me away from the lovely, albeit touristy, Hoi An, and led me to Quy Nhon, a charming coastal town with few foreign visitors.

And when researching ryokans in a Japan guidebook before my honeymoon in 2016, I appreciated the tip to book these inns six months in advanceexcellent advice as it turned out. No bride wants to be told theres no room at the ryokan.

Perhaps this nugget of booking wisdom exists online, but would I have discovered it in time? That brings me to another point: Guidebooks hold lots of valuable facts in one place. Sure, the internet has infinite sources, but I have a finite number of hours for research. A guidebook is a field guide to funall the cool places to sleep, eat, visit and ogle. Plus, whats more reliable when Wi-Fi gets wonky? You know my answer by now.

Dog-eared pages, sticky tabs, orange highlighted passages, notes scrawled in the marginsfor me, guidebooks are the ultimate travel companion: inspiring, flexible, generous, clever and astute. I love the handy 5-, 7-, 10-day itineraries and the reliable advice from getting here" strategies to what time of year to go, plus essentials" on tipping etiquette, safety notes and more.

On occasion, I feel inspired by online travel stories, but those narratives wont get me from A to Z.

Stacey Lastoe

No, a smartphone has up-to-the-minute and easily accessible destination details.

I had not purchased, used or even seen a travel guidebook in so many years that I was surprised to discover six linear feet of the dusty volumes occupying two lower shelves of our homes library. Clearly, I once found them valuable, especially DKs Eyewitness Travel series.

But now the downsides (their weight, bulk and inherent datedness) are apparent. Having the information for a destinations landmarks, restaurants and abodes all in one place used to matter, but my cellphone contains multitudes. It can also snap a photo of a menu, business card or town square and store it, weightlessly.

Grand Tour guidebooks like Baedekers offered their well-vetted imprimatur, sending all the right people" to all the right (read same") places. Instagramthe Devils eye-candygets dissed for similarly pointing people en masse to the chalk cliffs in Sussex or azure waters in Bali. An IG search for Jaipur" might lead to Villa Palladio (Villa-Palladio-Jaipur.com), the hotel with photogenic crimson-on-crimson decor, but also to @travelsofsamwise, written by a historian with an informative perspective on India.

Im hardly a webmaster of insider travel sites, but I do have a quick routine for tailoring trips to my interests by scanning municipal websiteslike EsMadrid.comwhich offer travel tips and routes tailored to short or longer stays. My typical searches are for the best small museums, gallery districts and local flea markets.

For me, those places tend to segue into cool neighborhoods where local designers, worthwhile restaurants and other spots unique to that city abound. Once I have a place to start, I unwind, because I prefer exploring to following an itinerary.

Granted, I grew up with a wherever the wind takes us" travel philosophy. My father once flew 12 of us to New Orleans for the Super Bowl with no hotel plans beyond insisting we stay in the French Quarter (we did, at the Monteleone no less).

I recently guided my own family on a four-day getaway to Geneva, under the threat of rain. With a rental car and our smartphones, we had our pick of beautiful cities such as Dijon and Beaune in France or Lucerne or Gstaad in Switzerland, to outrun the clouds. And outrun them we did, finding sunny days in Bern, Gruyeres and finally Geneva, once the rain left the lakeside city. To finesse that freewheeling plan the old-school way, wed have needed multiple guidebooks and lots of Swiss francs for all the pay phone calls to hotels.

Andrew Ferren
Apple's innovative device, the Apple Watch, once again demonstrated its life-saving capabilities. According to a recent report by Apple Insider, a user named Alexander Laserson encountered a head injury after falling off a ladder. However, his Apple Watch Series 8 intervened by promptly alerting emergency services and informing his spouse through its fall detection feature.

As per the report, the fall was so severe that it rendered Laserson unable to respond to the fall detection alert, which is designed to activate within about a minute and swiftly inform emergency services and designated contacts. Fortunately, Laserson's wife arrived on the scene shortly after the incident and was able to coordinate with emergency responders using the Apple Watch.

Later, Laserson was quickly taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The medical staff promptly administered the required treatment, including stitching his wounds with seven stitches. Expressing profound appreciation for the life-saving capabilities of the Apple Watch, Laserson conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to Apple for enabling such a swift response during his moment of crisis.

In a similar incident of Apple device saving lives, a 29-year old woman is credited Apple Watch for detecting life-threatening blood clots in her lungs. Kimmie Watkins from Cincinnati, as reported by Local12 says that the Watch detected an irregular heartbeat of 178 beats per minute while she was asleep. She was taking a nap when the Watch alerted her as she had been feeling light-hearted and dizzy.

"I was asleep for about an hour and a half before my watch woke me up with this alarm that said that my heart rate had been too high for too long. So for over 10 minutes, it was too high," she told the publication.

She added, "I'm very lucky and that, if my nap hadn't ended, that my partner would have found me, maybe asleep on the couch, not actually sleeping instead of what did happen."

Watkins then consulted a doctor for medical examination. As per the report, she was told that she is suffering from a saddle pulmonary embolism. The condition limits blood flow through both lungs and has a 50% fatality rate.

Dr. Richard Becker, a cardiologist at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine explained that a saddle pulmonary embolism is the most severe and life-threatening of all, because it's a blood clot that saddles both the blood vessel to the right lung and to the left lung.

At present, Watkins is on blood thinners and is reportedly working on getting her stamina back. In the report, Watkins says she proudly wears their Apple Watch and is hopeful that her experience will encourage others to do the same. "It might be seen as staying too connected or something, but I think it can be helpful in a health sense, and not just in a connect to people sense," she said.
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has settled his child support case in Arkansas, reaching an agreement with the mother of one of his children, resolving a dispute that became a legal headache for him in recent months.
Jimmie Johnson's in-laws were killed Monday at a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, according to police.
The Open Doors: Art in Action gallery welcomes the community to its 19th exhibition: Elemental Change: Reframing Our Climate Future.

Starting in 2018, Sue Norris, now co-chair of the gallery alongside Dan Dooley, wanted to start displaying art in the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany located on North Beaver Street. A short while later, the Open Doors: Art in Action gallery was launched.

Showcased each month during Flagstaffs First Friday ArtWalk, the gallery changes its theme throughout the year. Norris explained the mission of the exhibit is to raise awareness and educate the community on social, environmental and justice issues through art.

In the past, themes have included incarceration, indigenous views of water, the US/Mexico border and more. This years theme of climate change revolves around the four elements: air, water, earth and fire.

The exhibit features a variety of artistic mediums and work by Shawn Skabelund, Bryan David Griffith, Lauren Raine, Kathi Baron, Susan Lamb, Larry Stevens and NAU Honors students.

For Norris, getting artists aware of the exhibit and convincing them to submit a piece of work that fits the theme is a time-consuming and laborious process. Every once in a while she will be approached by a curious artist looking to get their art in the show, but she does most of the research herself.

A lot of it is cold calling, Norris said. I cold called the jail, I cold called the judges, I sent them a fancy email and then I followed up with a phone call.

Norris explained how beneficial connections are. Once she finds a source, they can usually connect her with a new artist and build a relationship from there. Not only does this take a lot of trial and error to figure out but it also takes hours on the phone to coordinate and organize, starting sometimes up to six months before the exhibit opens.

In addition to the art displays and based on that months theme, a rotating cast of guest speakers are brought in to contextualize the work. In the past, Norris explained, she has brought in sheriffs, professors, filmmakers and others to elaborate on the issues at hand.

I try to bring in local nonprofits or institutions to inform people of the subject, Norris said. Get them involved, get them interested and maybe, they'll volunteer.

At Julys First Friday event, Stefan Sommer, a retired professor of ecology who serves on the board of directors of the Northern AZ Climate Change Alliance will be the guest speaker for the earth element.

Climate change is the issue of our species and of the globe, Sommer said. It's crazy what's happening. It's insane what's coming.

In a discussion about his element, Sommer explained how studies have shown species all around North America shifting northward in search of cooler temperatures. The warming atmosphere is making the environment inhospitable to these species, and Sommer said this is happening on the San Francisco Peaks as well.

In the late nineties, there was a projection for ponderosa pine that it would be outside of its natural range of growing conditions by the time we reached two times CO2, Sommer said. We are projected to reach that this decade.

Since Flagstaff is home to the largest continuous ponderosa pine forest, this affects the local environment drastically. Sommer said large amounts of trees dying off contribute to excessively dry landscapes around northern Arizona, which are more susceptible to wildfires.

Communicating this complex information can be difficult, but Sommer said it is necessary to engage and empower people to take climate change action.

For some people, the data doesn't really speak to them, the human disasters speak to them more solidly, Sommer said. To others, the beauty of art can get their attention and get their emotions involved in climate action We need every possible avenue of ways to reach people about climate change because it is the overwhelming issue of our time and it might be the last issue that our species faces ever.

The Art in Action themes are intended to build support and awareness around issues that concern Flagstaff and the surrounding communities. These groups are taking action and doing their part to combat the inevitable consequences of climate change.

Within northern Arizona, wind as a clean source of energy is beginning to pick up popularity. Sommer explained Babbitt Ranches is putting in a 161-megawatt wind power plant, while there is also a wind farm being built south of Winslow with 477-megawatts. A few smaller plants are popping up across different cities as well.

In just a couple of years, we are going to have 1,424-megawatts of clean electricity on hand in northern Arizona, Sommer said. The time to go electric is now. That's more than we would use in Flagstaff at the present moment, even if everybody shifts to electric vehicles and we start using electricity at a higher rate.

Along with spreading awareness about these social issues, the focus of the exhibit is connecting the community to these artists.

We don't take any commission at all, Norris said. We just connect the buyer to the artist.

Connecting to Flagstaffs music scene is another goal Norris said the gallery has. Before COVID-19, local musicians would play at the shows and Norris said she enjoyed being able to give those artists the opportunity for a paid gig.

The church has recently received a grant from the Diocese of Arizona, and Norris said the objective is to use those funds to bring a new lighting system into the space and start paying local musicians to come to the shows once again.

The focus of the art gallery is connecting with the community through and through, and Norris said she has no plans to deviate from that original mission.
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Local politicians are pushing for improvement works to be carried out at two dangerous junctions in south Longford.

The calls were made by Fianna Fail councillors Pat OToole and Mick Cahill concerning the R392 and the L52122 at Forgney as well as the Carrickboy to Carrickedmond crossroads.

Cllr OToole lobbied for county council intervention on the former with his party colleague adopting a similar course of action on the latter.

We had a serious accident there about two months ago and there has been a lot of near misses, said Cllr OToole.

As you approach this junction from Forgney Church it is particularly dangerous with a hill, making it very hard to see from where the junction is.

There is a house there with high hedging in front of it which is a problem as well.

Engineer Brian McNeela, who visited the junction personally in recent weeks, said efforts to improve sight line visibility for motorists would be examined both in the short and long term.

We will add this junction to the list of low cost safety schemes and in the short term I will arrange for additional signage to be installed, he said.

Cllr Cahill, meanwhile, spoke out on the need for high impact signs to be installed on the N55 coming down the hill from Carrickboy towards Carrickedmond crossroads.

The long serving councillor said such a measure was needed in order to prohibit motorists from overtaking on the section of road.

This junction is quite a serious junction on the N55. From Carricboy to Ballymahon, people might not realise there is a junction at the bottom of the hill, he said.

What I would be asking is we try to highlight better the danger of overtaking on that hill.

There should be no overtaking as we have had serious incidents there.

Really what would be effective is for that road to be widened and that might require an upgrade of the road.

Council officials are expected to write to Transport Infrastructure Ireland executives over the coming days in an attempt to secure financial support to carry out improvements at the junction.
Edgeworthstowns Community Library was full to capacity last Thursday evening as it played host to the launch of a special commemorative book to mark the centenary of An Garda Siochana.

'Celebrating the Centenary of An Garda Siochana in Longford' is arguably one of the most colourful, insightful and meticulously devised chronology of the State's law enforcement agency you are likely to get your hands on.

Dozens of serving, retired officers and their families watched on as the end product marking several months of painstaking behind the scenes efforts by the publications 12 strong committee was formally unveiled.

It was an evening tinged with as much celebration as it was melancholy as moving tributes and presentations were made in honour of deceased members of the force.

Acclaimed local historian David Leahy, who officially launched the 132 page book, said its contents, carrying in-depth insights into the life and times of members from one end of the county to the other ticked every box when it came to local history.

In what was one of his last public engagements before stepping down as Longford County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Turlough McGovern singled out the endeavours of joint editors Eamon Brennan and retired garda sergeant Jim McDonald in bringing the publication to fruition.

He said the experiences encountered by the States guardians of the peace over the past 100 years could not be understated.

When the first guards came to Longford the Civil War was going on, things were very difficult at the time, he said.

One of the greatest achievements of the State was to dedicate a force that should be unarmed and since then the guards have enjoyed the confidence and support of all communities.

His opposite number, in the form of Ballymahon Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr Paul Ross said the book represented a key archive in the various experiences of a force that was held in the highest of esteem by Longfords 40,000 plus citizens.

Equally, the Fine Gael local politician said the local organisations role in leading the rollout of a much heralded community text alert scheme and more recent Community Safety Partnership Scheme, were further illustrations of that common acceptance.

This book brings it a step further in terms of digging deep into what happened in Longford over the last 100 years and its a very interesting insight into the changes, methods and technologies that have been gone through, he said.

In an evening filled with conratulatory sentiments, special praise was set aside for the book's designer, Edel Fallon of Bottlegreen Design and county archivist Martin Morris.

Chief Superintendent for the Roscommon/Longford Garda Division, Ray McMahon reserved a special mention for the books main protagonists alongside centenary chairperson and Longford Superintendent Seamus Boyle.

I suppose this started off at the beginning of 2022 when I asked the superintendents in the local area to produce something to meaningfully commemorate and acknowledge all the members we have, he said.

When Seamie told me he was teaming up with Jim McDonald and Eamon Brennan I knew we were going to have something really, really special.

Superintendent Boyle followed suit, saying the evening underlined his own sense of personal fulfilment in an establishment he had spent over three decades dedicating his professional career to.

I am so proud to have joined such a significant organisation, he said.

From the beginning of the State, An Garda Siochana have been part and parcel of the fabric of Irish society.

When you look back at all the good things we have done from the very start of the State to todays date, we have been involved in all good things in society and we dont get the credit we deserve.

You dont join the guards to get praise, but we have all worked hard and its only from working on this centenary celebrations that I realised the significance of the organisation I joined.

From the evidence of last Wednesday evening, that level of mutual satisfaction and pride could not have been more palpable.

*All proceeds from the sale of 'Celebrating the Centenary of An Garda Siochana in Longford', priced at 15, will go towards Longford Hospice Homecare.
RTE is bidding against itself in the fees it pays its highest earners, the chairwoman of the broadcasters board has said.

Siun Ni Raghallaigh had been asked by the Oireachtas Media Committee whether anybody at RTE should be paid more than the Taoiseach.

While the Taoiseach is currently paid just over 217,000 euro a year, presenter Ryan Tubridy was revealed to have been paid 515,000 euro in both 2022 and 2021.

The published figure before last week was an annual fee of 440,000 euro.

Livelines Joe Duffy is the second highest RTE earner, on 351,000 euro, and radio presenter Claire Byrne is on 280,000 euro.

When asked about RTE fees and salaries being higher than that of Irelands premier, Ms Ni Raghallaigh said: I said it earlier that my opinion is that RTE is bidding against itself in the market and thats part of the culture as well, maybe that applied at some point in time, but thats not the way the market is working  I think we all know that.

And therefore the market will decide, but RTE has to act in relation to that and identify the influence that they have in the marketplace in that sense, and so that in itself would determine the level in the market.

RTE interim director general Adrian Lynch also confirmed that RTE would be prepared to publish details of Patrick Kieltys salary as the new Late Late Show host, if the Co Down-born comedian was happy with it.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh said the pay deal relating to Kielty has yet to come before the boards remuneration committee.

The deal was agreed with the chief financial officer.

On Wednesday evening, RTE News reported that Kielty wants to make his fee for presenting The Late Late Show public once it goes through the appropriate processes.
A senior legislator has urged the government to pay more attention to the management of elevators in residential buildings as the safety risks they pose increase with age. Xiao Jie, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, expressed his concern while reporting to the committee on the implementation of the Special Equipment Safety Law. Adopted by the NPC in June 2013, the law went into effect on Jan 1, 2014. It defines special equipment as that which may pose major risks to people and their property. Examples of special equipment include boilers, gas storage and pipes, elevators and passenger ropeways such as chair lifts and cable cars. Xiao's report was compiled based on feedback from inspection tours taken by lawmakers to various provincial-level regions, including Liaoning, Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. "The potential safety hazards of residential elevators cannot be ignored. In recent years, problems with aging residential elevators have gradually emerged," Xiao said, citing Zhejiang and Fujian as examples. Zhejiang has 86,000 residential elevators that have been in operation for more than 15 years, while Fujian has 32,000 such elevators. The figures represent roughly 10 percent of their total elevators, he said. Due to the lack of mechanisms to assess the safety risks of the elevators, many of them operate with hazards for an extended period of time, he said. "We urgently need to address the safety risks of the old equipment," he continued. The vice-chairman noted various factors that have been hindering the safety management of aging residential elevators. For example, multiple entities are involved in their upkeep, including building owners, property management companies and maintenance providers. This often leads to a lot of buck-passing when it comes to dealing with problems, he said. Some property management companies choose to outsource maintenance services at prices as low as possible, making it hard to guarantee the effectiveness of the maintenance work, he added. Furthermore, in some major cities, owners are not so willing to provide necessary funds to repair and maintain elevators. Though some local governments offer subsidies and even pay all the expenses needed to upgrade some elevators in residential buildings that have no property management services or maintenance funds, only a small number of aging elevators have been upgraded, Xiao said. More money and a long-term mechanism are needed to address the problem and ensure safety, he added.
The Mountain Line public bus system in Flagstaff will receive from the Federal Transit Administration a $16.3 million grant to help build a new maintenance facility.

Mountain Lines grant was one of 130 awards totaling nearly $1.7 billion from President Joe Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for transit projects in 46 states and territories, the transit agency announced Wednesday.

The money comes as work on Mountain Lines new downtown connection center project is underway already. That project also includes new administrative offices, freeing up space for improved bus maintenance structures at their current location at Kasper Drive.

Work on the improved maintenance facility will begin when the new downtown facility opens and Mountain Lines administrative and customer service teams relocate to that space.

Officials said the new facility will improve and expand maintenance capabilities, and create the capacity for Mountain Lines transition to a zero-emission fleet.

We appreciate U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, and Arizona Reps. David Cook and Mae Peshlakai for their leadership and support of our grant application, said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. Mountain Line proudly services and maintains our entire fleet, and this new facility will allow our team to effectively take care of our vehicles now and as we grow into the future.

For more information on the grant funding, visit https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-17-billion-help-put-better-cleaner-buses.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: June 29 2023

Tyshaun Johashen was allegedly intoxicated when he struck a 24-year-old woman as she crossed Babylon Turnpike in March.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Freeport man was arraigned on aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges for allegedly driving drunk and striking and killing a 24-year-old woman as she crossed the street in March 2023.

Tyshaun Johashen, 32, was arraigned yesterday before Judge Robert Bogle on charges of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (a C felony), Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony), Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a D felony), Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony), Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (an unclassified misdemeanor), Reckless Driving (an unclassified misdemeanor), two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol (unclassified misdemeanors), Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree (an E Felony), Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Second Degree (an unclassified misdemeanor), and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree (an unclassified misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded not guilty, and bail was continued at $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, and $2.25 million partially secured bond. Johashen is due back in court on August 1, 2023. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison.

This defendant, driving despite having his license suspended because of a pending DWI charge in New York City, was allegedly three times the legal limit for alcohol when he struck and killed Mia Pollidore as she simply tried to cross the street, said DA Donnelly. As we prosecute this case, we are also entering what is known as the 100 deadliest days on our roadways. I urge everyone taking to Nassau Countys highways, parkways, and streets to exercise their common sense: do not drink and drive. We cannot lose another life to drunk driving.

DA Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on March 1, 2023, at approximately 7:02 p.m., the victim, 24-year-old Mia Pollidore, was walking westbound across Babylon Turnpike just south of the intersection of Babylon Turnpike and Carroll Street. The defendant, driving a 2018 Nissan Sentra, was allegedly highly intoxicated while driving southbound on Babylon Turnpike when he struck the victim as she crossed the street.

The victim suffered trauma to her head and legs and was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:11 p.m.

Johashen was arrested at the scene by members of the Nassau County and Freeport Police Departments.

The defendants drivers license had been suspended in September 2022 pursuant to a pending DWI prosecution in Queens.

Senior Assistant District Attorneys Tara DePalo and Brianna Ryan of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau are prosecuting the case. The defendant is represented by Richard Langone, Esq.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: June 29 2023

Benefit To Support SOFOs Environment and Educational programs and Initiatives.

The South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO), the only state-of-the-art natural history museum on the South Fork of Long Island, will host its 34th Annual Summer Gala Benefit (The Nurturing Power of Nature) to honor acclaimed environmentalists and humanitarians on Saturday, July 29, 2023, at 377 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike from 6:00 pm-10:00 pm. This event will benefit SOFOs educational and environmental programs and initiatives empowering families to be responsible stewards of our planet and starting the conversation.

This years summer gala will be co-hosted by actor, director, screenwriter, narrator and producer Liev Schreiber and SOFO Founder Andy Sabin, as they honor some special friends of SOFOs. The evening Host Committee will include Sissi Bohlen, Carole Crist, Anke & Jurgen Friedrich, Kimberly Goff, Julia Haart, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, Kim & Greg Lippmann, Rolise Rachel, Susan & David Rockefeller, Ada Samuelsson, and Sammi & Scott Seltzer. Conservationist Kris McDivitt Tompkins, who stars in the new documentary Wild Life, will also make a special remote guest appearance.

Honorees for the evening will include Yvon Chouinard, environmental champion who have made the extraordinary move to transfer ownership of Patagonia to two new entities: Patagonia Purpose Trust and the Holdfast Collective with every dollar that is not reinvested into Patagonia being used to protect the planet; Dan & Rae Emmett, nature enthusiasts who led Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers Green Building Initiative, and established the number-one environmental law program in the country; and Basil Seggos, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Co-Chair of the States Climate Action Council, who oversees programs that promote a clean, healthy, and accessible environment, including protecting and restoring New Yorks air, lands and waters; combatting climate change; and enforcing State environmental laws and regulations. Annette Sabin, the Matriarch of the Sabin Family, will receive the Posthumous Animal Advocate Extraordinaire Award for her love of nature and wildlife, which was a constant inspiration to her son Andy Sabin, who co-founded the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) with other naturalists in 1988.

The VIP cocktail reception will be held from 6 pm-7 pm with a tasting menu by acclaimed chefs from Almond Restaurant & Bar, Peter Ambrose, Bamboo Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Bell & Anchor, The Beacon, Centro, East Hampton Grill, Hen of the Woods, Old Stove Pub, Page at 63 Main, Saaz, 1760 Homestead Farm and Shellworks. Music will be provided by Alfredo Merat.

The honoree presentation, seated dinner, auction, and dancing will take place from 7 pm-10 pm. The event will be catered by Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs Catering with flowers by Designs by Mark Mason, coffee drinks by Hampton Coffee Company and music by DJ Epic. Beverages for the evening will be provided by Amagansett Wines & Spirits, Channing Daughters Winery, Lalo Tequila, Michael Cinque, J.A. Baczewski Monopolowa Gin & Vodka, Kidd Squid Brewing Co., Soiree Mocktails, Springs Brewery, Talkhouse Encore and Top Hops Craft Beer.

Media sponsors include Dans Papers, The Express News Group, James Lane Post, Social Life Magazine and Southforker.

VIP Tickets are priced at $1,400 and general admission tickets are priced at $550. VIP tables range from $6,000 for six people, $10,000 - $50,000 for ten guests and more. Personalized sponsorship packages are also available for $2,750 to $50,000. For VIP tickets, tables, and business sponsorship opportunities, call Diana Aceti, Director of Development at 631-903- 7217 or email dianaaceti@gmail.com. General admission tickets can be purchased online athttps://sofo.org/summer-gala or by calling 631-537-9735.

The mission of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) is to stimulate interest in, advance knowledge of, and foster appreciation for the natural environment, with special emphasis on the unique natural history of Long Islands South Fork. SOFO is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 nature organization chartered by the New York State Department of Education. SOFO is located at 377 Bridgehampton, Sag Harbor Turnpike, PO Box 455, Bridgehampton NY 11932, http://www.sofo.org , and is open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, call 631-537-9735. SOFO is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 nature organization chartered by the New York State Department of Education.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: June 29 2023

Fugitive Wanted for Aggravated Assault and Making Terroristic Threats, officials say.

On June 28, 2023, Deputy Sheriff Investigators from the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office Warrant Bureau arrested John Ford, 64, of West Babylon, as a fugitive from justice from the State of Georgia on felony charges of Aggravated Assault and Making Terroristic Threats. Ford was arrested at his home in West Babylon on an outstanding warrant out of the Bartow County Sheriff's Office in Georgia.

Ford was the subject of a federal investigation. The Suffolk County Sheriffs Office Warrant Bureau investigators assisted the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Regional Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in making this arrest. Ford will be arraigned this afternoon at Suffolk County First District Court on the above charges pending extradition to Georgia.

Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr. commends the hard work of the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office Warrant Bureau. Our Deputy Sheriff Investigators work closely with our Federal and State partners to bring fugitives like John Ford to justice. I thank them for their hard work and dedication.

For more information on the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, please visit www.SuffolkSheriff.com.
In the wake of Wagners mutiny, Viktor Zolotov, the head of Rosgvardia, Russias National Guard, said his troops will receive tanks and other heavy equipment. This appears to be a reaction to Rosgvardias experiences in Ukraine and during the Wagner rebellion.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Kremlins Cathedral Square, Zolotov noted that Rosgvardia currently lacks tanks and long-range heavy guns. But he said Moscow will supply Rosgvardia with this equipment, depending on funding. He did not provide a timeline.

Zolotov made his announcement ahead of a speech in which President Vladimir Putin thanked Russian security personnel following the Wagner mutiny. Zolotov claimed he and Putin had already discussed the issue, which the Rosgvardia chief emphasized is now very acute. After Putins address, Zolotov reiterated that his troops will receive tanks and long-range heavy weapons.

Created in 2016, Rosgvardias primary purpose is to squash so-called color revolutions. Zolotov, who has led the service since its inception, previously served as a bodyguard to Putin. Rosgvardia can also perform auxiliary military functions, such as rear security and territorial defense. Rosgvardia personnel have deployed to Syria, where they reportedly perform missions such as defusing explosive devices and escorting humanitarian cargo.

When it was formed, Rosgvardia absorbed various institutions previously subordinate to Russias Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD). Among them were the Internal Troops, the OMON riot police, and the SOBR quick-reaction police for combating organized crime and terrorism. These forces are stationed throughout Russia. In 2016, Zolotov claimed Rosgvardia would comprise over 340,000 military and civilian personnel. The Internal Troops are the largest of Rosgvardias forces, allegedly numbering around 170,000 personnel as of that year.

While part of the MVD, the Internal Troops initially had some tanks. The services 93rd Mechanized Regiment, armed with T-62 main battle tanks and PT-76 amphibious light tanks, fought in Chechnya. But in 2006, the Internal Troops transferred their tanks to the regular Russian military. They also relinquished their artillery, although the service eventually re-established an artillery regiment in Chechnya in 2010, equipped with D-30 towed howitzers.

Rosgvardia troops typically operate BTR-80/82A(M) armored personnel carriers and lightly armored vehicles such as the Patrul-A, Tigr-M, and Ural-VV, along with various types of trucks. They also have some BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles. Moscow considered reintroducing tank units in the Internal Troops but ultimately sided against it when creating Rosgvardia, believing the service did not need tanks for its missions.

In Ukraine, however, Moscow thrust Rosgvardia into a role for which it was not trained or equipped. In addition to securing the rear and patrolling occupied cities, some Rosgvardia personnel have participated in combat. Notably, two Rosgvardia units reportedly manned Russias second line of defense near Balakliya, Kharkiv Oblast, when Ukraine launched its rapid counteroffensive there last September. They were quickly overwhelmed.

Rosgvardia also found itself outgunned during the Wagner mutiny. As Wagner columns sped toward Moscow, Rosgvardia forces took to the streets, scrambling to establish roadblocks and defensive positions at key highways leading into the capital. Some spetsnaz (special forces) from the Russian military appear to have joined.

Had Wagner not halted its advance, Rosgvardia would have had to face off against a much heavier force. Wagner had received a large amount of equipment from the Russian military, including various types of tanks and BMP-2/3s, plus transporters to carry them long distances. The group also received tube artillery pieces and multiple-launch rocket systems, along with several types of air defense systems and even some fixed-wing aircraft. (None of those aircraft were spotted during the mutiny.)

Likely with these experiences in mind, a Rosgvardia spokesman argued on Tuesday that equipping Rosgvardia with tanks and additional artillery would help it combat threats both in Ukraine and at home. Alexander Khinshtein, a State Duma deputy who previously served as an advisor to Zolotov, claimed that Putin had already agreed to up-arm Rosgvardia before the mutiny. But Khinshtein expressed hope that the rebellion would accelerate that decisions implementation.

As Zolotov noted during his announcement, arming Rosgvardia will cost money. Khinshtein said he spoke with Rosgvardia colleagues who confirmed that the service will not receive equipment seized from Wagner. The Russian Defense Ministry says its units will get that equipment. According to Khinshtein, Rosgvardia will purchase its new equipment through Russias annual state defense order.

That means Moscow, if it goes through with Zolotovs plans, will need to reallocate some of its finite funding and production capacity away from arming its regular military. Russia already has its hands full trying to replace the militarys enormous losses in Ukraine and equipping new formations Moscow intends to establish. Rosgvardia will also need to stand up units to receive the new equipment and train personnel to operate, supply, and maintain it.

So, if Rosgvardia does receive tanks, it probably will not happen until after the war is over.

John Hardie is the deputy director of FDDs Russia Program and a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
(Sharecast News) - Stocks in London underperformed peers on either side of the Atlantic as another batch of mostly better-than-expected economic data out of the States pushed government bond yields in the US and the UK higher.

The FTSE 100 dipped 0.38% to 7,471.69 and the second-tier index was down 0.77% to 18,270.73

In parallel, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Gilt was up by seven basis points to 4.384%.

Nonetheless, for Chris Beauchamp at IG, it wasn't just the latest US data that was dampening risk appetite in the next to last session of the second quarter.

"The potential demise of Thames Water has investors running scared, and London's listed utilities are under pressure as a result. Fears of a domino effect in the industry are at fever pitch, though no other specific names have yet been mentioned," he said.

"But to add to that, UK yields are on the up once again, diminishing the attractiveness of dividend stocks, of which utilities make up a healthy constituency."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, over the week ending on 24 June, initial unemployment claims fell by 26,000 to 239,000.

That was their largest decline for 20 months, although Ian Shepherdson believed the dip was likely "more noise than signal".

Perhaps, but an upwards revision to first quarter US GDP growth from 1.3% to 2.0% added to investors impression of an economy displaying welcome resilience.

Former N.Y. Fed chief William Dudley wrote in a Bloomberg column that the rout in long-term US Treasuries had further to run.

On home shores, the Bank of England said that Britons' net borrowing slowed from 1.5bn in April to 1.1bn in May (consensus: 1.5bn).

Further afield, at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China, former IMF deputy managing director, Zhu Min, said Beijing was likely to disappoint those holding out for massive stimulus.

3i pleases, B&M European Value Retail less so

Dutch discounter Action is on track to deliver another strong quarter of profit growth, owner 3i Group said on Thursday. In a brief trading update ahead of its annual general meeting, the blue chip investment firm said the retailer had seen "very strong" sales growth in the year to date, with like-for-like sales up 22% by the end of week 25.

B&M European Value Retail reported a 13.5% rise in group first quarter revenue, in line with expectations, as consumers sought lower prices amid the cost of living crisis. Like-for-like sales in the UK were up 9.2% as both grocery and general merchandise categories performed "very well, driven by consistently strong and positive LFL transaction numbers."

UK insurer Direct Line said rectifying unfair motor claim payments over a five-year period to 2022 would not have a "material financial impact" on this year's results. The company was on Wednesday ordered by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority to carry out a review of total losses where vehicles had been written off after it admitted it had underpaid some car and van insurance customers.

Asos co-founder Nick Robertson sold just over one millon pounds of shares in the digital fashion retailer.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,471.69 -0.38%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 18,270.73 -0.77%

techMARK (TASX) 4,442.89 -0.70%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Barclays (BARC) 151.32p 2.01%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 540.20p 1.96%

3i Group (III) 1,910.50p 1.54%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 677.60p 1.35%

Glencore (GLEN) 438.40p 1.01%

Vodafone Group (VOD) 74.34p 0.92%

HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 618.80p 0.90%

Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 2,818.00p 0.57%

NATWEST GROUP (NWG) 235.30p 0.56%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,983.50p 0.51%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 552.00p -6.54%

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 600.00p -4.73%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 148.70p -4.56%

WPP (WPP) 816.80p -4.04%

Tesco (TSCO) 246.90p -3.52%

Severn Trent (SVT) 2,593.00p -3.50%

United Utilities Group (UU.) 976.20p -2.82%

Convatec Group (CTEC) 203.00p -2.50%

Unite Group (UTG) 857.50p -2.39%

Burberry Group (BRBY) 2,087.00p -2.39%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Serco Group (SRP) 154.70p 8.57%

Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 1,820.00p 4.60%

Capita (CPI) 28.32p 3.21%

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 343.40p 2.63%

Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 170.80p 2.52%

3i Infrastructure (3IN) 309.00p 2.15%

Wood Group (John) (WG.) 135.10p 2.04%

Senior (SNR) 175.00p 1.63%

Molten Ventures (GROW) 263.00p 1.23%

4Imprint Group (FOUR) 4,735.00p 0.96%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 718.00p -7.53%

Bank of Georgia Group (BGEO) 2,940.00p -6.67%

Ferrexpo (FXPO) 88.80p -6.48%

Urban Logistics Reit (SHED) 113.80p -6.11%

Tritax Eurobox (GBP) (EBOX) 51.20p -5.71%

Babcock International Group (BAB) 283.20p -5.35%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 133.90p -5.30%

IWG (IWG) 132.20p -5.00%

IntegraFin Holding (IHP) 238.60p -4.71%

TR Property Inv Trust (TRY) 265.00p -4.50%
Chelsea Taylor-Gruters grew up wandering the halls of the historic Weatherford Hotel in downtown Flagstaff. In her telling, she wasnt wandering alone.

I grew up in the building ... the ghosts were just normal to me. It wasnt scary whatsoever. Theyre friendly. Theyre here, Taylor-Gruters said.

Her family moved in when she was just over a year old. Taylor-Gruters ended up feeling connected to the building's history and some of its former occupants.

My dad bought the building in 1975, and my mom came around in 1981 when she first started working here. A year went by, they fell in love and I came around. Theyve just been building it up and up through the decades, Taylor-Gruters said.

For more than a decade of her own childhood, she could be found in the basement -- which is now the home of the Gopher Hole -- talking with a spirit she calls Algernon, or attempting to make friends with a ghost she refers to as Matilda.

This year, she shared her story and the stories of some of the hotels alleged supernatural guests with professional haunt hunters when paranormal investigators Zak Bagans and Aaron Goodwin from the Travel Channels "Ghost Adventures" paid the Weatherford Hotel a visit earlier this year.

Along with a production crew, Bagans and Goodwin travel to haunted destinations to meet witnesses and experts to piece together the haunted history of each site.

The production team reached out to the Weatherford in January and started filming in February, according to Drew Purcell, the Weatherford's manager. The crew conducted all-night investigations at the historic downtown building, searching for signs of paranormal activity.

The episode that was shot in Flagstaff launched the brand-new season of "Ghost Adventures" last week. The recent episode focused exclusively on the very spirits Taylor-Gruters considers her childhood companions.

I was very much friends with the ghosts inside the building. Im an only child, Taylor-Gruters said. Wed hang out in the hallways, and I had a night watch lady who used to work here ... she was a medium. She would always catch me in the basement or upstairs and ask me why I was there and Id tell her why, and shed be like, How do you know these things? Id say, 'Because they had told me.'

'Their craft'

In describing what it was like having a film crew in her place of work and former home, Taylor-Gruters said it was an interesting experience.

They had cameras everywhere where you didnt expect them to be. Then youd go down a hallway and realize you were being filmed, but no one is there. They were very professional, and very into their craft. They knew what they were doing for sure, she said.

In a gripping scene in the episodes trailer, a crew member faints for what appears to be no apparent reason.

Honestly, I was looking at it kind of cynically, but I ended up really enjoying it. I thought they did a good job, Purcell said. Im not scared of this place at all -- not to discount any supernatural claims. If there is anything supernatural, it doesnt seem too negative to me, but that episode was legitimately frightening.

Taylor-Gruters echoed that the Weatherford has always felt very safe, at all hours of the day and night.

That doesnt mean she hasnt witnessed a few things that might make the casual observers hair stand on end.

Late one night, between 2 and 3 in the morning, Taylor-Gruters was getting The Gopher Hole ready for its initial opening. She was cleaning glasses and talking casually with a friend when something happened that startled her companion so much they ran scared from the basement.

We had a glass shoot off a drink rack ... across my face and hit the mirror down in the basement when we were doing renovations, she said. My friend just ran out the door and went across the street with the Kinlani Building right there. They just left me here. I was a little confused, but not scared. I pretty much knew what it was. I just cleaned it up, and from there on weve had little things that happen from time to time, Taylor-Gruters said.

She said the basement bars security cameras have occasionally captured odd images of people sitting alone at the bar.

We caught on our security cameras someone sitting on this chair. One second theyre there, one second theyre not there. It kind of looked like someone from 'The Ring.' A woman with really long black hair sitting in a white dress, she said, gesturing at a seat in front of the bar.

In addition to being home to several operating bars, the Weatherford Hotel is allegedly home to several signature spirits. The first, according to Taylor-Gruters, spends much of their time in the basement.

Algernon, she said, is dark, benign and an attraction for paranormal tourists hoping to glimpse a ghost with their own two eyes.

We have him on footage in some of our security cameras. We have various people who come in from all over the world. They like to do ghost adventures for themselves with their rods, and walk the halls late at night and try to capture things, she said.

Another phantom apparition Taylor-Gruters has encountered she described as a woman in white.

A woman in white is a type of female ghost often recognized by spooky spirit chasers. They typically are dressed, unsurprisingly, in white and are associated with tragedy.

She wanders upstairs and looks for her lost love, so I assume that its the woman in white who is in her wedding dress, Taylor-Gruters said. The story apparently is that they had their honeymoon here. There was a snowstorm. The husband worked from the railroad station and got stuck in the snowstorm. She thought that he wasnt coming back to her, so she took her life. He came back and found her and had taken his life. Theyre just kind of wandering for each other.

The Weatherfords spooky occupants draw the attention of ghost hunters on the silver screen, and amateur paranormal adventurers alike.

Before the crew from "Ghost Adventures" paid visit to the Weatherford this year, the hotel was featured on another television program produced for the Travel Channel called "Dead Files."

In Episode 12 of Season 14, that shows two-person team investigated possible paranormal activity in Flagstaff more generally. Former homicide investigator Steve DiSchiavi and physical medium Amy Allan focused on the building for a portion of Special Investigation: The Hauntings of Flagstaff.

When we were filming 'Dead Files,' I was talking about the glass flying across the bar and it happened again in this bar in front of a room full of people. It was pretty interesting, because it was like they were listening to us, Taylor-Gruters said.

Its clear that the Weatherfords spooky side is drawing interest from professional and amateur ghoul groupies, but what keeps the ghosts themselves occupying the historic hotel?

Purcell said hes got at least some idea.

Theres a good chance were the oldest continually operating hotel in Arizona. There are some hotels that were founded before we were but have been closed at various times. Weve been a hotel since we opened in 1900. Thats a lot of people coming through the doors, Purcell said.

Outside of the supernatural, Purcell said, the Weatherford has a lot of history and character to offer.

I think that even with these hauntings that are so well-documented, theres a lot of very trustworthy people that have these experiences; even with the negative stuff, theres just so much love in this place. Even if its the worst-case scenario, the goodness of this place wins. Going back to John Weatherford founding the place, to Henry and Sam [the current owners] saving it. Were here a lot by ourselves, and we both believe in the stuff, but we dont find it scary, he said.

The new episode of "Ghost Adventures," Fear in Flagstaff, aired for the first time on June 21. It is available to stream on Discovery+ or Max on Prime Video.
BAGHDADIraq has condemned as racist and irresponsible the burning of a copy of the Koran by an Iraqi living in Sweden during a protest authorized by the police.

Under a heavy police presence, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday stomped on the Koran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholms largest mosque.

Police had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections, but said later it had opened an investigation into the Koran burning which sparked anger across the Muslim world.

KORAN PROTEST. Salwan Momika protests outside a mosque in Stockholm on June 28, 2023, during the Eid al-Adha holiday. Momika, 37, who fled from Iraq to Sweden several years ago, was granted permission by the Swedish police to burn the Muslim holy book during the demonstration. AFP

The incident occurred as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The Iraqi government in a statement issued late Wednesday strongly condemned the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Koran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds.

These acts demonstrate a hateful and aggressive spirit that goes against the principles of freedom of expression, it said.

They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred.

These irresponsible actions, in direct conflict with the values of respect for diversity and the beliefs of others, are unequivocally condemned.

Morocco also condemned the Koran burning and recalled its ambassador to Stockholm late Wednesday.

This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid al-Adha, it said in a statement.

Faced with these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government, Morocco summoned Swedens charge daffaires in Rabat and recalled its ambassador, it added.

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Koran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.

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Filipinos should support the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund as it is a vehicle for the countrys sustained economic growth in the years ahead.

That was the main point of National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon when she appeared before a media forum recently.

She gave assurances that the MIF, which is our version of whats called a Sovereign Wealth Fund in other countries, has ample safeguards or safety nets to ensure proper and transparent utilization and prevent mismanagement.

First of all, she pointed out, Congress will have oversight functions over the MIF, which will eventually become the Maharlika Investment Corporation or MIC.

The MIF will have both internal and external auditors who will submit regular reports its financial performance.

The oversight committee will include seven members each from the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Another important provision is that the countrys social protection institutions such as GSIS, SSS, Pag-IBIG and PhilHealth will be prohibited from investing in the fund, a provision clearly stipulated in the version recently passed by the Senate.

The National Treasurer also pointed out that government financial institutions (GFIs) in the country have ample resources to support the MIF.

She said Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines each have investible funds.

Landbank, owned by the government, has P1.3 trillion in investible funds, but will infuse only P50 billion into the MIF, or roughly three percent.

The DBP, on the other hand, has P850 billion in investible funds, but will put in just P25 billion into the MIF.

To the argument raised by critics that the MIF should consist solely of surplus funds, de Leon noted that even countries with no current account surplus such as Indonesia, India and Vietnam, have established their own sovereign wealth funds to support their priority development projects.

She cited the case of Indonesia which also has its sovereign wealth fund, the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA).

Indonesia, like the Philippines, she said, is also operating on a fiscal deficit.

But the government contributed $2 billion to set up the INA and also transferred assets worth $3 billion.

So, even while they have a fiscal deficit, they still went ahead and provided capital for the INA.

The MIF will be used to invest in a wide range of assets, including foreign currencies, fixed-income instruments, domestic and foreign corporate bonds, commercial real estate and infrastructure projects.

And just as important, it is fully aligned with the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework and 8-point Socio-Economic Agenda of the Marcos administration that envisions sustained economic growth in the years ahead.

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With a stunning face and killer body, Pauline Amelinckx is in her best fighting form which augurs well on her goal to win the countrys second Miss Supranational title.

The 27-year-old Filipino-Belgian from Tubigon, Bohol, is poised to give the 60-plus contestants a run for their money in her quest to bring back the crown last held by Mutya Datul in 2013.

Amelinckx, who spent her pre-teen years in her father Pauls hometown in Antwerp, Belgium, before moving to the Philippines, has gained initial momentum in her quest for the title after topping Group 10 and advancing to the top 10 semi-final round of the Suprachat Challenge.

A graduate of International Studies at the Doctors University in Cebu in 2017, and worked as a sales consultant, the articulate Amelinckx got to impress with her intellect and wisdom, besting the delegates from Hongkong, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, Ukraine, the USA, and Zimbabwe.

Amelinckx, an islander living close to the ocean, is a marine conservation advocate and gives support to the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, an organization that helps provide boats to transport children from their homes in coastal areas to school.

Miss Supranational Philippines 2023 PAuline Amelinckx

Seeing everyone at the sendoff, having my mom there with me, it was humbling and filled me with so much joy and gratitude. I came to realize even more how incredibly blessed I am to be surrounded by so many talented people who are willing to share their time and energy with me on this journey, said the beauty queen.

The finals of the 14th Miss Supranational 2023 will be held at Strzelecki Park Amphitheater, in Nowy Sacz, Poland, on July 14, where the winner will succeed Miss Supranational 2022 Lalela Mswane of South Africa.

Pre-arrival favorites include Peru, Venezuela, India, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Colombia, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines.

* * *

Mutya Queen brings home Miss Environment International 2023 crown

For the stunning and sexy Shannon Robinson, winning recently as Miss Environment International 2023 in Mumbai, India is a life-defining moment.

Last year, Robinson, at 28, took a final shot for a beauty title and joined the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant. She fell short, finishing as Mutya ng Luzon or first runner up, duplicating her mother, Raquel Mababangloobs placement in the 1989 edition.

But a window of opportunity opened for Robinson when she was chosen by Cory Quirino, president of Mutya organization, to represent the country in the India-based pageant, following the awarding of the national franchise to MNP.

I channeled the power of our country and its environment, all its wrath, all its beauty, and all its resilience for the finals of the competition. I have given everything to be deserving of the main title, said Robinson who also bagged the Miss Congeniality special award.

Describing herself on Instagram as someone who is warm, fun(ny), sweet and snarky, the actor and model, who was born to a Filipina mother and Irish father, is just being true to and confident in herself.

I won my dream award, Miss Congeniality (Miss Active). To be awarded or recognized for my kindness is just an affirmation that I am becoming the woman I strive to be in life and that I can be proud of the way Ive presented myself, being kind should always be at the forefront, Robinson enthused.

When Robinson was asked during the pageants final round, Where would you want to live if given the chance, village or city?, she answered, Right now, the city, so I would have access to leaders, younger generation. Villages is something that I always go home to visit. My family personally comes from a small village, but change has to happen from the top, so I have to get to the top to make it.

While Robinson chose to present as her platform in the pageant, the protection of the Philippine Ocean, she is also an advocate for the welfare of rescue dogs and cats, as well as in supporting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. This community has so much history and has contributed so much to culture and society, and the fact that they cant have equal rights is something that I have a hard time accepting, she said.

* * *

A glittering night for married beauties

Newly crowned Mrs. Universe Philippines 2023 North Pacific Asia Maria Steia Sian from Valenzuela City

Advance Aesthetics professional Arlene Cris Damot was named Mrs. Universe Philippines 2023 during finals held at Rizal Park Hotel. A Nursing graduate at La Consolacion College and Doctor of Medicine at AMA School of Medicine, Damot started her career working in general surgery, otolaryngology, and dermatology at Global Doctors Malaysia.

Her court of honor includes Mrs. Universe Philippines  North Pacific Asia 2023  Maria Steia Sian, Mrs. Universe Philippines  Northeast Asia 2023 Monaliza Hernandez Salenga, Mrs. Universe Philippines  Pacific Continental 2023  Miraflor Rodis, Mrs. Universe Philippines  West Pacific Asia 2023  Betchay De Dios, and Mrs. Universe Philippines- Continental Asia 2023  Shirley Garcia.

Produced and presented by the Mrs. Universe Philippines, headed by national director Maria Charo Calalo (aka Charo Laude), and 2xsist Events Productions, the Coronation Night dubbed Daydreaming in Spring 2: Flowers in Bloom, also saw the crowning and sashing of four Mrs. Universe Philippines FDN Ambassadress Queen Advocates.

These four are Queen Health Advocate Ambassadress Samantha Bernardo, Mrs. Universe Philippines Tourism 2023 Andrea del Rosario, Mrs. Universe Philippines Classic 2023 Jean Saburit, Mrs. Universe Philippines Celebrity Icon Ambassadress 2023 Marietta Subong (aka Pokwang), and Mrs. Universe Philippines Ambassadress Queen Advocate 2023 Marichelle Ackerman.

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Can We Live in a World without Silver?

The World Silver Survey is an annual report published by The Silver Institute since 1990. It provides market participants with supply and demand statistics for critical sectors of the silver market, along with price and trade data.



The 2022 World Silver Survey reported a global silver deficit of 154 million ounces, the most significant since 2015. The 2023 World Silver Survey reported a global silver deficit of 129 million ounces, the second-largest since 2015.

Year / Silver Deficit





2023 129 million ounces





The increasing use of silver in renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, EVs, and batteries.

Silver is used extensively in various electronic components, mobile phones, and computers, characterizing the growing demand for silver from the electronics sector.

The sharp increase in apps, social media, crypto mining, and streaming services (including YouTube, TikTok, Vimeo, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount, Prime Video, and AppleTV). These combined use enormous volumes of servers and high-end computers for developers.

Silver is the best conductor of electricity, leading to its incorporation in countless emerging technologies.

The popularity of silver as an investment asset is spiking worldwide, including in BRICS countries as they are fighting Federal Reserve note dollar hegemony.

High silver use (demand from the industrial and investment sectors) created this deficit against a backdrop of underinvestment in mining and flat-lining production.Meanwhile, most silver is mined as a byproduct of other metals, including copper, zinc, and gold  meaning higher silver prices do not necessarily bring out more mine supply.Here is a table summarizing the silver deficits reported in the past two World Silver Surveys:154 million ounces283 million ouncesThe global silver market faces a structural deficit due to many factors, including:

Even as it documents supply deficits, the World Silver Survey appears to have overlooked a few areas of silver consumption.

Solar Panel Improvements Not Captured by World Silver Survey

Whether we like it or not, the World is shifting away from fossil fuels towards so-called renewable energy. Solar, wind, and battery technologies require massive amounts of raw materials to be produced, but virtue-signaling government leaders haven't figured this out quite yet.



The World Silver Survey, when calculating silver use in solar panels, used outdated specifications. It was looking at PERC panels. However, two new solar panel developments are now considered superior to the older PERC panels, and they use more silver.



Firstly, TOPCon solar cells are a type of PERC solar cell with a textured oxide passivation layer on the front of the cell. This layer helps reflect light back into the cell, increasing efficiency.



Secondly, HJT solar cells have a heterojunction between the p-type and n-type silicon layers. This heterojunction helps to reduce recombination losses, which increases the efficiency.



Perhaps most significant is the development of double-sided panels.



Solar farms now use double-sided panels. Double-sided solar panels are more efficient than single-sided solar panels because they can absorb sunlight from both the front and back. This means they can generate more electricity from the same space.



The Silver Institute did not capture the TopCon and HJT, meaning they reported outdated specs over the silver loads per panel. They reported 80mg of silver per panel vs. the HJT panel, which uses up to 220mg per panel.



The solar panel specs are written in Chinese. Perhaps Silver Institute researchers still need to translate the Chinese specs.



And when you start installing double-sided panels, you're doubling the silver use.

Military Use of Silver

The U.S. Navy uses silver-zinc batteries in its nuclear submarines. These batteries provide backup power for a submarine's nuclear reactor. The silver-zinc batteries are very efficient and can provide power for up to 72 hours.



For each sub, a typical battery uses 100 pounds of silver. There are over 150 nuclear submarines worldwide, totaling 15,000 pounds of silver. There are 218,750 troy ounces in 15,000 pounds. This statistic is for nuclear subs equipped with silver-zinc batteries.



All of the world's military use of silver is also not listed in the World Silver Survey.



The bottom line is this: Silvers widening array of uses is pressuring available supplies, and the delta between silver use and silver production may already be larger than thought.

Jon Forrest Little graduated from the University of New Mexico and attended Georgetown University's Institute for Comparative Political and Economic Systems. Jon began his career in mining industry and now publishes "The PickAxe" which covers topics surrounding precious metals, energy, history, and politics.

MoneyMetals.com

 2023 Jon Forrest - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2022 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




HOLYOKE  With just weeks left before the Eastfield Mall closes forever, the owners of Donovans Irish Pub announced their new location this week.

The bar will move to the current Slainte restaurant at 80 Jarvis Ave. in Holyoke, owners Frank and Justine Garaughty wrote in a message to patrons.
Summer 2023 just started, but one major celestial event in 2024 is likely to have people across the country, including across New England, booking hotels in preparation.

Next year on April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible from North America as it makes its path from Texas all the way northeast to Maine. This path of totality indicates when and where the 32 million people living along that path are expected to see the eclipse happening, weather pending, according to Thrillist.

Viewers outside of the paths of the eclipses will not experience a total solar eclipse or annular eclipse, but they may still see a partial eclipse. In March, NASA released a map detailing the trajectory of both the 2024 total solar eclipse and the 2023 annular solar eclipse, which is expected to go in the opposite direction when it starts Oct. 14, 2023.

Zeroing in on the end of the path, where the eclipse is visible in parts of the Northeast. All of southern New England  Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island  are expected to have a partial view of the eclipse, as they are not within the path of totality. That honor goes to northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Outside of the eclipse paths, purple and yellow lines on the map show the percentage of the Sun that will become covered by the Moon at different locations for the total and annular eclipses, respectively. For example, the purple line that passes near New York City and Providence, Rhode Island, indicates that the sun will become about 90% obscured in those cities during the peak of the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Credit: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Cities like Providence, New York City and Boston will likely have a partial view of the eclipse, only the sun will be about 90% obscured in those cities during the eclipses peak. Further north, cities like Montpelier and Burlington in Vermont; towns in New Hampshire like Stewardstown and Pittsburg; and the northern end of Maine above Bangor and Calais is where the eclipse is expected to best be visible  again, weather pending.

Read more: Video from International Space Station shows outer space view of Cape Cod

NASAs map also indicates what times they think the eclipse will be in totality. For example, peak totality in Burlington is expected to be between 3:25 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. If you decide to head towards western New York, specifically Rochester or Buffalo, you can see the eclipse at peak totality at 3:20 p.m. and at 3:25 p.m. if in Syracuse.

Buffalo will see about three minutes and 40 seconds of darkness, while Burlington gets around three and a half minutes, travel website InsideHook reported in May. They added that Burlington will be one of the last places in the United States to experience totality, and viewing parties are already scheduled in Buffalo Harbor State Park and Niagara Falls State Park.

By 5:16 p.m., the path exits North America off Newfoundland, Thrillist reported. Thrillist noted too that even though its about a year away, hotels and even cruise lines are already booking reservations for stargazers coming far and wide.

After this eclipse concludes, people will have to wait a good while before the next total solar eclipse graces the skies  Aug. 22 and 23, 2044, according to timeanddate.com.

NASA posted a video on YouTube showcasing its map and the two eclipse paths, which can be watched below or at the link here.
Stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect today, June 29, just ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

But the start of those restrictions now represents one of the latest implementations in recent memory.

The restrictions, which ban campfires and certain types of grills outside developed sites, are put into place as forests become dry and the risk of catastrophic wildfire grows.

Over the last 22 years, if you average it out, kind of the median start date is May 19, Flagstaff District Ranger Matt McGrath told the Arizona Daily Sun. So here we are about six weeks later.

Normally by this point in time, McGrath said, stage 2 fire restrictions would have been implemented. On average, stage 2 restrictions go into effect on June 5.

And we're just going into stage one; its really been a unique season, McGrath said.

That unique season came from one of the wettest winters on record and unusual early spring rains combining to push the fire season back several weeks. Indeed, forest officials across northern Arizona found themselves in the unique position this year of managing wildfire while simultaneously conducting prescribed burns on other sections of the forest.

On top of winter snows and unusual rains, National Weather Service meteorologist Benji Johnson said rain in early June further pushed back the fire season, as did unusually cool weather throughout much of the spring.

Throughout May, temperatures this year were about 3 degrees cooler on average than 2022.

That trend continued into June, Johnson said. So far, the month has been about 6 degrees cooler than in 2022.

June so far has been much cooler than last year, and I think most people have noticed that, Johnson said. And that also helped stave off the fire concerns. But now we're finally getting into hot, dry and windy weather, something that we hadn't seen for much of the springtime, something that we usually see earlier in the year.

On Sunday, the temperature gauge at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport recorded its first 80-degree day of the year.

Johnson said as the region moves into the Fourth of July weekend, that hotter and drier weather -- and windier conditions -- is only expected to continue.

We are a little bit behind schedule, but we're gonna be making up for that because the next week is expected to be warm and above average for most of Arizona, Johnson said.

Over the holiday weekend, high temperatures in Flagstaff are expected to be in the upper 80s and even into the low 90s. The same goes for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

And in the Verde Valley and at the bottom of the Canyon, temperatures could range between 105 and 110 degrees, Johnson said.

If we are still forecasting that, we'll have to issue an excessive heat warning for the Inner Canyon, because they're more sensitive to the heat impacts there with all the tourism, Johnson said.

For forests across northern Arizona, that hot, dry and windy weather means the fire danger has quickly risen from its relative lows throughout much of the spring. Throughout this past week, the National Weather Service has issued several red flag warnings for fire.

Given that change in the weather, the lack of rain on the horizon and the number of visitors that forests are likely to get this weekend, McGrath said it was the right time to finally pull the trigger on stage 1 fire restrictions.

Just this weekend, McGrath said, crews identified and put out two human-caused fires across the district, before they could spread. But that job becomes a lot more difficult with the change in weather, and when more people are in the forest.

It was warm last weekend, but it wasn't super warm. It was breezy, but it wasn't super windy. But say we had another week of hot, dry and windy like we have right now. If we had that fire next Sunday, it would probably be a different story, much more of a challenge to suppress, McGrath said.

Camping ban effect

In terms of keeping people out of the forest, and reducing the risk for fire, the district has one more tool in its belt across a large swath of area around Flagstaff.

Earlier this year, the district expanded a preexisting camping ban across sections of the forest north of Flagstaff. The area had already had a year-round campfire ban, but McGrath said the district has found that where there are campers, campfires often follow -- even if they are officially banned.

In many of those areas, especially northeast of Flagstaff, McGrath said, they often saw what they called nonrecreational campers staying long-term in the area, increasing the risk of a human-caused fire.

Indeed, last year's Tunnel and Pipeline fires both started in the area where camping was allowed but campfires were already prohibited.

With the new restrictions, all camping in the area is prohibited, and McGrath said the change in policy has proven successful.

So we've had a lot more success in that area, avoiding camping. And by doing that, we really reduced the number of campfires, McGrath said. For the month of May, it was kind of an educational thing. We weren't citing people, we were just saying, Hey, this is a new change, you may no longer camp here."

McGrath added: "You'll see now it took a couple of weeks for people to start trickling out of there, and now nobody else is moving in.

Monsoon outlook

Of course the stage 1 restrictions could be rescinded should the region get some precipitation, but as of now, Johnson said monsoons are likely to come later than usual this year.

The NWS forecasts show it could be a week or so after the Fourth of July until a monsoonal pattern starts to bring new precipitation to the region, Johnson said.

While the signs of the monsoons are still far off, Johnson said they are present, just not in northern Arizona.

We don't forecast for southeastern Arizona, but they're actually getting thunderstorms right now. Like in Douglas and Bisbee, theyre getting thunderstorms. And there's more substantial thunderstorms south of the border in Mexico, and there's a line of thunderstorms along the Sierra Madre Occidental, the mountains in western Mexico, Johnson said. Thats something you'd want to see if you're looking forward to the monsoon setting up, but it does take a while for that moisture to start pushing up here.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Lawyers for environmentalists and tribes urged a U.S. appeals court on Tuesday to overturn a judges decision to allow construction to begin on a huge lithium mine in Nevada earlier this year before the plans were in full compliance with federal law.

A lawyer representing four conservation groups seeking to halt the project said a U.S. district judge in Reno illegally exceeded her authority when she refused to revoke the mines operation plan in March despite her conclusion that federal land managers had violated the law in approving parts of it.
Amanda Dabrowskis sister called him a pathetic human being and wished him pain worse than he inflicted on her sister when he killed her. Her father called him the monster who inflicted unimaginable pain on a family.

But Carlos Asencio wasnt in the courtroom for them to face.

Asencio, convicted nine days ago of first-degree murder for the July 3, 2019 attack that left Dabrowski dying on the floor of OConnors Restaurant in Worcester, waived his right to be present at the sentencing hearing Thursday.

He told Worcester County Superior Court Judge Janet Kenton-Walker that he knew he would automatically be sentenced to life without parole.

Read more: Carlos Asencio found guilty of murder of Amanda Dabrowski

There is only one outcome of what Ive been sentenced to, therefore do I have to be in that room when that occurs, he asked, to which Kenton-Walker told him he could waive his right to be present.

Asencio told Kenton-Walker he was taking medicine for anxiety, PTSD, borderline personality disorder and schizoaffective disorder, but asked whether those medications or his conditions affected his ability to understand the proceedings and the rights he was waiving. He said, I think Im normal today.

Kenton-Walker allowed Asencio to sit in a cell in the courthouse, but had court officers establish a videoconference link so that Asencio would still hear the proceedings and the sentence.

Dabrowskis sister, Victoria Dabrowski, spoke first at the sentencing, testifying that she and her sister had been planning to spend more time together shortly before her death to catch up on missed time.

I could count on her for absolutely anything, she said.

She also thanked the bystanders who had tried to stop Asencio and help her sister.

Victoria Dabrowski called Asencio a liar, a manipulator ... a pathetic human being.

I hope your days are long and the minutes tick by slowly, and I hope the consequences of your actions bring more pain in your lifetime than you ever caused my sister, she said.

Victoria Dabrowski, the sister of Amanda Dabrowski, testifies at the sentencing for Carlos Asencio, convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of her sister.Dave Thompson

Ed Dabrowski, Amandas father, remembered his late daughter as a beautiful, smart young lady ... equal parts smart, confident, funny and caring, who loved Jeopardy as a child, calling it jeepy.

She was one, he said, who helped others through difficult times and showed them anything is possible if you have the drive and desire.

Referencing her enthusiasm for wine, he addressed her in his statement, asking Amanda, please have a glass ready as we join you in heaven someday.

You may now rest in peace knowing the monster cannot hurt anyone ever again.

Ed Dabrowski, the father of Amanda Dabrowski, testifies at the sentencing for Carlos Asencio, convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of his daughter.Dave Thompson

Through his attorney, Asencio offered a brief statement saying his thoughts and prayers go out to any victims and saying he would dedicate his life to helping others who suffer from mental health conditions.

Kenton-Walker imposed a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder conviction, as well as nine to 10 years on the conviction of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for the stabbing injury to Allen Corson.

What happened during Carlos Asencios trial?

Asencios weeklong trial established the details of the stabbing and the events leading up to it, from Asencio stabbing Dabrowski 58 times in 15 seconds, to the Google locator app that pinged Asencios phone when she arrived at OConnors, to the concerning items a local couple living on the streets of Worcester found after spending a few days with him.

Mexican and Canadian money, bus tickets in different names, New England transit schedules and the couple, Lydia Willey and Richard Contreras, traced Asencios itinerary after he entered Canada. Asencio told mental health professionals he entered Canada after what he described as a fight at Dabrowskis home on Easter 2019. Dabrowski reported it then as a home invasion and an attack that she fought off.

Asencio also admitted to reentering the United States illegally from Mexico, doctors testified.

Asencios defense highlighted his self-reported mental health problems, including a psychologists testimony that Asencio reported hearing commanding voices in his head, and that he believed the only way to stop them was to do what they told him  kill Dabrowski then himself.

A psychiatrist testifying for the prosecution said she believed Asencio more likely suffered from borderline personality disorder, and testified he performed poorly on tests designed to determine if he was faking or exaggerating symptoms.

The jury deliberated for between three and four hours before returning its verdict on June 20.
Carlos Asencio will not be present in court as he faces a life sentence behind bars for the murder of Amanda Dabrowski.

Asencio appeared in Worcester County Superior Court Thursday and informed Judge Janet Kenton-Walker that he wished to waive his right to be present.

After asking questions assessing Asencios understanding of the hearing and his mental state, Kenton-Walker ruled he made the decision freely and voluntarily.

Asencio wrote a statement for his attorney to read during the hearing, and was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.

Asencio was found guilty of first-degree murder earlier this month for stabbing Dabrowski to death at OConnors Restaurant in Worcester in 2019.

Asencios defense contended that he was not criminally responsible for killing Dabrowski due to a psychotic disorder, though the prosecution introduced evidence that he was faking his symptoms.

Witnesses testified that Dabrowski was alive and communicative after being stabbed 58 times the night of July 3, 2019, despite the efforts of bystanders to stop Asencios attack and help her.

Asencio was also convicted of assault and battery with a deadly weapon for stabbing Allen Corson as he tried to subdue Asencio.

Five days of testimony established the minute, brutal details in the case, from Asencios 15-second attack, to the Google locator app that pinged Asencios phone when Dabrowski arrived at OConnors, to the concerning items a local couple living on the streets of Worcester found after spending a few days with him.

Mexican and Canadian money, bus tickets in different names, New England transit schedules and the couple, Lydia Willey and Richard Contreras, traced Asencios itinerary after he entered Canada. Asencio told mental health professionals he entered Canada after what he described as a fight at Dabrowskis home on Easter 2019. Dabrowski reported it then as a home invasion and an attack that she fought off.

Asencio also admitted to reentering the United States illegally from Mexico, doctors testified.
After the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that affirmative action violates the Constitution, an organization known for defending civil liberties insisted colleges and universities still bear a responsibility to create diverse campuses.

The American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement shortly after news broke of the Supreme Courts decisions on race-based admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote for the 6-3 majority that the two colleges programs unavoidably employ race in a negative manner and involve racial stereotyping in an unconstitutional way.

In a news release, the ACLU argued that the courts decision restricts the schools abilities to fully address systemic racial inequalities present in higher education and that it hinders the ability of a university to select its student body.

The Supreme Courts decision today does not change the responsibility of colleges and universities to increase educational opportunities for students of color, said ReNika Moore, the director of the ACLUs Racial Justice Program, in a statement.

The ACLU highlighted parts of the courts ruling where Roberts wrote that the values of diversity on college campuses are commendable goals.

The Supreme Courts decision will not prevent schools from considering an applicants discussion of how race has impacted their life.

Roberts wrote in the opinion: Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

The courts ruling, however, emphasized that students must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race.

The ACLUs statement urges universities and colleges to continue to promote diversity goals and that the courts decision does not bar institutions of higher education from continuing to discuss race as part of the application process.

Colleges have long touted diversity as imperative to creating enriching educational environments for all students  our institutions of higher education must double down on that commitment and advance policies that ensure every student gets a fair shot, Moore said.

In fact, colleges can still consider race in alternative ways and students can continue to discuss race and how it has shaped their character or unique abilities in the college admissions process, Moore said.

Traci Griffith, the director of ACLU of Massachusetts racial justice program, called the Supreme Courts decision an attempt to discount the impacts of race on students experiences.

The movement against affirmative action is part of a larger effort to rewrite our nations history, erase the lived experiences of people of color, and obstruct our full and equal participation in our democracy, Griffith wrote in a statement.

Read more: Controversial book policy in Ludlow fails without a vote

Griffith compares the ruling to efforts to ban books in school curriculums and prevent discussions of race from happening at all in academic settings.

Were seeing books by Black and LGBTQ authors banned from school curricula in an attempt to stop students at all levels from learning and talking about race and gender in public schools. We will continue to fight these discriminatory policies, Griffith said.
SPRINGFIELD  Frank and Justine Garaughty met at Donovans Irish Pub in the Eastfield Mall. And seven years ago  worried a place theyd come to love would close  Frank, an engineer, and Justine, a merchant mariner turned process-serving constable, bought the business and took over the lease at the mall.

We werent here for four months when Macys closed, Frank Garaughty said. That was a blow.

A series of setbacks came for Pioneer Valleys first enclosed mall built in 1968. JCPenney closed its store in the Eastfield Mall in 2011, and Sears left in 2018, which led to the March announcement that the mall would close July 15 and all 40 remaining businesses would have to either close or relocate. New owners Onyx Partners Limited have plans to demolish and redevelop the 45-acre property.

This week, the Garaughtys announced plans to move from the soon-to-close mall to the building they are in the process of buying at 80 Jarvis Ave. in Holyoke, the current site of Slainte, an Irish restaurant.

The owner of Slainte, Jake Perkins, is leaving the business, the Garaughtys said. They held off announcing the move while Perkins informed his staff. The Garaughtys said they hope to retain their 20-or-so employees. They also hope to hire employees currently at Slainte.

Donovans last day at Eastfield Mall will be no earlier than July 15. The Garaughtys hope to open in Holyoke in the fall. Holyoke officials have scheduled a hearing on the new liquor license for July.

The Garaughtys are buying the building.

It was really important to us that we buy and not lease anymore, Justine Garaughty said.

Frank Garaughty said folks have been asking about the new location for months and making suggestions. All the while theyve been negotiating for the Slainte building since January or so.

We must have visited 15 locations, he said.

They will rename the restaurant in Holyoke as Donovans.

Slinte Restaurant at 80 Jarvis Ave. in Holyoke will be the new Donovan's This is the main dining room seen in 2018.

We are going to take as many of the familiar favorite dishes with us, Justine Garaughty said. All the things that people love. We hope to take it with us. That includes the great regulars weve had for years.

They plan to book musicians.

And theyll relocate decor, some of which dates back to before Mike and Diane Donovan started the business in 2000 and the Eastfield mall space was a German place called Black Forest.

92 1 / 92 Eastfield Mall through the years: Flashback photos MassLive.com Staff

Its just going to be turned to dust in a little while, Frank Garaughty said, predicting the impact of demolition.

Justine Garaughty said the Slainte kitchen in Holyoke offers some more flexibility, so she hopes to include some popular features of Perkins menu.

And well have the view in Holyoke, she said.

The couple spoke Thursday as they greeted the early lunch crowd, many of them regulars they know by name.

At Eastfield Mall Thursday, the scene was reminiscent of the last day of school, with folks packing up and moving on. The Old Navy closed June 23, and the space is empty save for the logo on the floor.

A crew dismantled the kiosk Piercing Pagoda Thursday. The familiar jewelry spot was headed to a refuse bins parked outside.

Only the floor logo remains at the closed Old Navy location in the Eastfield Mall on Boston Road in Springfield. The mall closes forever July 15. (Jim Kinney/ The Republican)

Merchants with mall kiosks were allowed to take them with them when they relocated.

The arcade games still beeped but nobody was there to play them.

The store called A Dollar is moving to the nearby Walmart plaza. The Mall Barber moved to Wilbraham. A clothing store left a sign saying its moving to 518 Main St. in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield but took all sign of its name.

The the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation Springfield Empowerment Center  a food bank and free source of toiletries and cleaning supplies  says its in the final stages of securing a new location at 4-8 White St. in Ludlow.

Mall manager Dave Thompson said after July 15 he and his team will be in charge of cleaning and clearing the mall, determining what can be salvaged, sold or given away before demolition. The property will have security.
SPRINGFIELD  The citys bustling June 8 to June 11 weekend brought a crowd of 50,000 visitors thronging MGM Springfield.

The weekend featured the Ironman 70.3 Western Massachusetts half-triathlon, a performance by comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and two shows by pop sensation Bruno Mars on consecutive nights. Also, psychic Matt Fraser had two stage shows at MGMs Aria Ballroom, the Free Music Fridays concert series presented Brass Attack, and ROAR! Comedy Club welcomed Brian Glowacki that weekend.

The 50,000 total crowd estimate over the four days was reported Thursday at a Massachusetts Gaming Commission meeting held remotely and archived on Youtube. It was part of a short rundown on June activity at all three Massachusetts casinos  MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park  delivered by Burke Cain, Investigative and Enforcement Bureau Gaming Agents Division chief for the state Gaming Commission.

MGM Springfield didnt say when asked Thursday what its average daily crowd looks like. But when the $970 million casino first opened nearly five years ago in August 2018 it drew 150,000 over three days.

In the week following the events, the MassMutual Center announced that all the concerts and the race that weekend brought $3.5 million in economic activity to Springfield.

The MassMutual Center hosted Fey and Poehler and Mars as well as hosting the athletes village for Ironman. MGMs parking deck is the main parking now for the arena while the Civic Center Garage is being rebuilt.

Thursday, Cain also announced that MGM Springfield reopened its 15th poker table earlier this month. Its been a gradual reopening for the poker room which opened in 2018 with 23 tables but cut the number to just 13 tables when COVID restrictions eased in 2021 and allowed it to reopen at all.
After the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday against the use of affirmative action in higher education, which presents a barrier for colleges to diversify their student bodies, colleges and universities in Mass. have responded.

We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences, said Harvard University in a press release.

In a 6-3 decision, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, said Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hills admissions practices, which consider an applicants racial background, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Harvard said that for almost a decade, the university has vigorously defended its admissions system and for the coming weeks and months, will continue to preserve its essential values while also complying with the courts new precedent.

What did UMass say?

University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan and the chancellors of the five UMass campuses, said in a press release that university system officials are working with the provosts and admissions directors on the five UMass campuses to assess how their admissions process will be influenced by the SCOTUS decision.

The University of Massachusetts will continue to follow the law, and will do so while sustaining its deep and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, said the release. We believe this is essential to the advancement of academic excellence and critical to the preparation of our students to succeed in a global economy.

What did MIT say?

Ahead of the SCOTUS decision, MIT President Sally Kornbluth said in a press release on June 7 that at their community, there is a great deal at stake stating that the ruling may pose a serious challenge to sustaining, in future classes, the diverse mix of undergraduate and graduate students who make MIT the place it is today.

MIT Dean of Admissions Stu Schmill said in a statement on June 7, that it will take time to interpret and implement its practical meaning, and that MIT will turn our full attention to understanding its impact on our work.

What did MGH Institute of Health Professions say?

Todays decision by the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action is not surprising, said Paula Milone-Nuzzo, president of the MGH Institute of Health Professions, in an email. But it is inherently disappointing and marks a significant setback for the higher education landscape.

Milone-Nuzzo called their admissions process holistic noting their institution considers multiple variables when admitting students.

We look at the whole person, which includes their academic background, their contributions to society, and their passion for improving the systems of health care delivery that are currently flawed. We dont set quotas based on race and we admit students based on their academic portfolio, their commitment to working with us to achieve our mission and those who have values consistent with the MGH Institute core values, said Milone-Nuzzo.

What did Tufts say?

Diversity and inclusion are at the very foundation of the transformational experience at Tufts, said Tufts University in a press release.

Over the past year, Tufts said it has a working group of stakeholders and experts that have been meeting to evaluate the universitys policies and programs to understand which ones may need to be altered to conform to an adverse decision.

Tufts also has a newly formed executive strategy group that will be analyzing the courts decision and reasoning to create a specific plan that will continue their diversity efforts while respecting the law.

What did Holy Cross say?

College of the Holy Cross President Vincent D. Rougeau said in a press release that he is disappointed by this decision and concerned about the implications for higher education and our country.

As the son of Black civil rights activists, I am disheartened, said Rougeau. Affirmative action was an important tool, albeit one of many, that colleges and universities could use to expand opportunity for underrepresented students and build diverse learning communities.

 ... We will continue to recruit and welcome a diverse, talented student body. We will strengthen our efforts to grow financial aid for low-income and Pell-eligible students with the support of our Holy Cross alumni and supporters, he said.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association condemned the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling on affirmative action, the decision whether to factor race in college applications, according to a statement released by the associations leadership on Thursday morning.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the use of affirmative action in higher education, creating a major barrier for colleges to diversify their student bodies.

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, said Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hills admissions practices, which consider an applicants racial background, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In a statement from Massachusetts Teachers Association President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy, the educators stated the decision is ending decades of established law to create a more equitable process in college admissions.

Max Page, president of Massachusetts Teachers Association, speaks during the rally in front of Springfield City Hall Friday evening, Apr. 28, 2023. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

As a union of educators from preK through higher education dedicated to providing everyone fair and equal access to high-quality public education, we condemn the Supreme Courts decision today, the statement began.

By striking down affirmative action, the court is widening the racial education gap and turning back decades of progress. This decision will have harmful consequences for all students  but particularly Black, Latino, Asian-American and Pacific Islander, and Indigenous students.

The MTA said pursuing higher education is one of the most effective means of achieving a healthier democracy and providing socioeconomic mobility, and added that it has never been a fair process in the United States for all to equally achieve it.

Indeed, even as the Supreme Court has thrown out the use of race as a consideration in admissions, preferences for the children of wealthy donors, children of alumni and athletes remain, all of which skew our admissions toward those with longstanding class and race privilege, the MTA said.

The association called public colleges and universities to action, stating the institutions had an even greater responsibility than their private counterparts to allow all residents who are ready for college to make entry and to walk away with a degree.

The MTA added, however, that even with the now-killed legislature that allowed for colleges to consider race in applications for diversification, students of color still face substantial barriers in gaining entrance and completing their degrees.

Now, with the current ruling on affirmative action, those barriers have exponentially heightened, the MTA said.

In Massachusetts and throughout the nation, the cost of attending a public college or university in many cases remains prohibitive, the MTA said, listing tuition and fees, associated costs like books and housing, and the financial aid relative to those costs have gone down.

Borrowing to attend public higher education has increased  both in terms of the numbers of students needing loans and the amount of those loans  and that growing debt burden is falling hardest on our BIPOC students, the MTA said.

Demanding that this action begins in Massachusetts, the MTA offered passing of the Cherish Act in the state legislature as a step towards the goal of access to high-quality, debt-free public higher education to achieve racial and economic justice, its statement read.

Other provisions of that bill will improve availability of support services for Asian-American, Black, Latino and other marginalized, nontraditional and first-generation students, increasing the likelihood of success in their academic and career pursuits, the MTA said.

Though it recognized the state legislature does not have the power to overturn the SCOTUS ruling, the association said there is more that can be done to protect and improve higher education in the state despite the current laws.
A Bronx, New York man pleaded guilty to attempting to traffic more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Springfield.

In Springfield federal court Wednesday, Chanty Reynoso Vasquez, 28, of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorneys Office District of Massachusetts.

Read more: Carlos Asencio sentenced to life without parole for murdering Amanda Dabrowski

Authorities arrested Reynoso Vasquez with more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Springfield on March 30, 2022. Officials said Reynoso Vasquez was intending to distribute the drug.

Read more: Three families file lawsuit over body parts stolen from Harvard Medical School

Reynoso Vasquez is scheduled to be sentenced for the intent to distribute charge on Nov. 20. The charge carries a maximum life prison sentence, six years of supervised release and a $5 million fine, according to federal prosecutors.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday ruled to end the consideration of race in college admissions, but, in a lengthy opinion, the nations highest court offered some leeway for applicants to talk about their racial background.

The 6-3 opinion has ruled that both Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills race-conscious admissions practices violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Although the ruling now prohibits universities from considering race, the Supreme Court ruled that nothing in their opinion should discourage universities from considering a students discussion of how race impacted their life in their admission essay. However, universities are prohibited from establishing an applicants race through their essay.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting from the Courts majority opinion, described the allowance for universities to consider a students race in their application essay as putting lipstick on a pig.

The Courts opinion circumscribes universities ability to consider race in any form by meticulously gutting respondents asserted diversity interests, Sotomayor wrote. Yet, because the Court cannot escape the inevitable truth that race matters in students lives, it announces a false promise to save face and appear attuned to reality. No one is fooled.

Sotomayor criticized the Supreme Courts requirement for students to discuss their racial identity in essays solely in relation to individual qualities like courage, leadership, unique ability, and determination. The associate justice argued that the Courts demand reinforces a misleading narrative of admissions preferences at Harvard University and UNC being solely based on race.

Elite schools like Harvard University have the most to lose from the Supreme Courts decision, according to James Murphy, the deputy director of Education Reform Now. Competitive colleges heavily rely on race-conscious admissions to maintain a highly selective yet diverse student body.

Without affirmative action, colleges may have to rely on other practices to bolster Black and Hispanic enrollment, such as giving preference to low-income students. However, in states like Michigan where affirmative action has been banned since 2006, Black and Hispanic college enrollment has declined, according to an amicus brief the University of Michigan system filed to the Supreme Court last year.

The decision stemmed from two lawsuits filed by the Student for Fair Admissions, a conservative nonprofit, against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In each suit, the plaintiff claims that the elite colleges race-conscious admissions practices were racially discriminatory.

Edward Blum, a conservative legal strategist and president of the nonprofit, argues that policies that consider race as a factor have no place in college admissions.

Beginning today, Americas colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts opinion, the Students for Fair Admissions said in a press release Thursday. These obligations compel the removal of all racial and ethnic classification boxes from undergraduate and postgraduate application forms.

The group also said it intends to file lawsuits if universities continue to defiantly flout the Supreme Courts decision.

In a statement, Harvard University said that although it is committed to admitting a student body reflective of the multiple facets of human experience, it will work within the confines of the Supreme Courts ruling.

For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent, the University wrote in a press release. In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Courts new precedent, our essential values.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  The U.S. Department of Justice announced it will be funneling more resources toward addressing the alarming rate of disappearances and killings among Native Americans.

As part of a new outreach program, the agency will dispatch five attorneys and five coordinators to several regions around the country to help with investigations of unsolved cases and related crimes.

Their reach will span from New Mexico and Arizona to Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Michigan and Minnesota.

Attorney General Merrick Garland acknowledged that the crisis has shattered the lives of victims, their families and entire tribal communities.

"The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families, Garland said in a statement.

The announcement came as a special commission gathered in Albuquerque for one of its final field hearings as it works to develop recommendations on improving the response from law enforcement and coordination within local, state, tribal and federal justice systems.

The commission started its meeting with a prayer and a moment of silence as four colorful skirts were displayed at the front of the room in honor of those who have gone missing or have been trafficked or killed.

Some commission members read the names of victims to be remembered, including Ashlynne Mike, an 11-year-old Navajo girl who was abducted, sexually assaulted and murdered in northwestern New Mexico in 2016.

With seemingly insurmountable jurisdictional challenges, members of the federal commission have a difficult task ahead. Over the next three days, they will be listening to more heartbreaking stories from Native American families who have had loved ones vanish or turn up dead.

The goals of the 37-member commission include tracking and reporting data on missing-person, homicide and human trafficking cases and increasing information sharing with tribal governments on violent crimes investigations and other prosecutions on Indian lands.

Aside from making recommendations to the Interior and Justice departments, the commission also is tasked with boosting resources for survivors and victims families, such as providing access to social workers and counselors.

Elizabeth Hidalgo Reese, a member of Nambe Pueblo and senior policy advisor for Native American affairs at the White House, acknowledged the emotional toll that comes from victims and families sharing their stories.

We need to understand this problem from every angle, we need to explore every possible solution," she said at the start of Wednesday's hearing. So we do need to hear from all of you.

Leanne Guy, the founding executive director for the Southwest Indigenous Womens Coalition, was among the commissioners who said they repeatedly hear about frustrations that stem from families not having any communication with law enforcement about the status of their loved ones' cases.

Guy's sister-in-law, Laverda Sorrell, vanished more than 20 years ago. Her family has seen federal agents come and go and no new leads despite rewards being offered.

Guy, who is Navajo, said she's hopeful the recommendations that come from the commission's painstaking work will transcend politics and presidential administrations.

How we put this together will be very, very critical, she said. We don't want it to just sit on the shelf. We're hoping this creates meaningful change because we've been dealing with this crisis forever. We need to figure out how to move forward."

Fellow commissioner Patricia Whitefoot of the Yakama Nation broke down in tears recounting the difficulties she had getting information about her sister's case over the decades. Daisy Mae Heath disappeared in 1987, and it wasn't until recently that DNA tests confirmed that remains found in a remote area of the reservation in 2008 were hers.

It's difficult to say how angry you are about all of that and the anger that family members may carry, Whitefoot said.

The state, federal and tribal law enforcement agents and lawmakers who made up the panels talked about challenges with recruiting, retention and funding. They also pointed to a lack of training when peppered with questions by the commission.

Commissioner Amber Kanazbah Crotty, who also serves on the Navajo Nation Council, said it's not only a law enforcement challenge but one that involves sustainable funding for public health services that could help prevent violence within communities.

How do we provide those wrap-around services?" she asked the panelists. "These are very complicated questions that I'm asking you. But this is a complicated crisis.
President Joe Biden said that the Supreme Court walked away from decades of precedent with its decision to rule affirmative action unconstitutional on Thursday.

In remarks delivered from the White House, Biden spoke briefly about the courts decision and stated he felt disappointed by the Supreme Courts 6-3 ruling that found race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the Constitution.

Discrimination still exists in America. Todays decision does not change that, Biden said. I strongly disagree with the courts decision.

Biden stressed in his speech that many people have drawn incorrect conclusions about affirmative action and dedicated a solid portion of remarks to explain that students must first be qualified applicants in order to be considered for affirmative action.

Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students, Biden said. This is not how college admissions work.

Biden pointed out that colleges first lay out a set of standards every student must meet, such as grades and test scores, and only after those initial standards are met, can universities and colleges consider additional factors such as race.

While talent, creativity and hard work are everywhere across this country, equal opportunity is not everywhere across this country. We cannot let this decision be the last word, Biden said. While the court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for.

Biden said he is directing the U.S. Department of Education to analyze what practices could build more diverse student bodies. He is also asking officials to review practices such as legacy admissions, which generally benefit members of the wealthy upper class.

He also encouraged American colleges and universities to not abandon their diversity goals and instead use a new standard that measures the amount of adversity college applicants must overcome.

If a student had to overcome adversity on their path to education, colleges should recognize and value that, Biden said. Our nations colleges and universities should be engines of expanding opportunity for upward mobility, but today, too often, that is not the case.

He cited a recent study that found that students from families that belong to the top 1% of income in America are 77 times more likely to get into elite colleges than students from the bottom 20% of income.

As Biden walked away from his speech, a reporter asked whether the Supreme Court was rogue.

This is not a normal court, he responded before leaving.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the use of affirmative action in higher education, a decision that presents a major barrier for colleges to diversify their student bodies.

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, said Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hills admissions practices, which consider an applicants racial background, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In a lengthy 237-page opinion, the Supreme Court ruled, the Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause. Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority opinion, with Sotomayor writing that the consideration of race has helped equalize educational opportunities for people from all backgrounds and helped improve racial diversity on college campuses.

Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress, Sotomayor wrote. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

Jackson, who recused herself from ruling on the Harvard case, but ruled on the UNC-Chapel Hill case, wrote in her dissent that race-conscious admissions practices, help address racial inequality, to the benefit of everyone.

Our country has never been colorblind, Jackson wrote. Given the lengthy history of state-sponsored race-based preferences in America, to say that anyone is now victimized if a college considers whether that legacy of discrimination has unequally advantaged its applicants fails to acknowledge the well documented intergenerational transmission of inequality that still plagues our citizenry.

Although the Supreme Court has ruled against the use of race-conscious admissions, the Court did say that nothing in their opinion should discourage universities from considering a students discussion of how race impacted their life in their admission essay. However, universities are prohibited from establishing an applicants race through their essay.

The decision stemmed from two lawsuits filed by the Student for Fair Admissions, a conservative nonprofit, against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In each suit, the plaintiff claims that the elite colleges race-conscious admissions practices were racially discriminatory.

Edward Blum, the conservative legal strategist and president of the nonprofit, argues that policies that consider race as a factor have no place in college admissions. Blum  and his supporters  believe that race-conscious admissions place either unfair advantages or disadvantages toward an applicant based on race. Instead of affirmative action, Blum believes colleges and universities should be using more merit-based systems where students are admitted solely on their academic qualifications.

The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a students race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled, the Students for Fair Admissions said in a press release. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our countrys civil rights laws.

The SFFA stated that the Supreme Courts decision reestablishes the foundational principles of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, quoting the words of former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Beginning today, Americas colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to strictly abide by the Supreme Courts opinion, the group said. These obligations compel the removal of all racial and ethnic classification boxes from undergraduate and postgraduate application forms.

The group also said that it intends to file lawsuits if universities continue to defiantly flout the Supreme Courts decision.

For decades, our nations most elite universities have given preferences to the children of alumni, faculty and staff, athletes, and notably, substantial donors, the SFFA said. These preferences have been vigorously defended by these exclusive schools even though court records revealed that they have diminished individualized student diversity at nearly every competitive school in the country. The elimination of these preferences is long overdue and SFFA hopes that these opinions will compel higher education institutions to end these practices.

Both colleges have defended their admissions policies, stating they consider multiple factors in a students background, never solely relying on race.

In a statement, Harvard University said that although it is committed to admitting a student body reflective of the multiple facets of human experience, it will work within the confines of the Supreme Courts ruling.

For almost a decade, Harvard has vigorously defended an admissions system that, as two federal courts ruled, fully complied with longstanding precedent, the University wrote in a press release. In the weeks and months ahead, drawing on the talent and expertise of our Harvard community, we will determine how to preserve, consistent with the Courts new precedent, our essential values.

Although the lowers courts have ruled in favor of the universities, the new ruling from the majority conversation Supreme Court will harm Black and Hispanic student enrollment, experts predict.

Abyssinia Haile, a rising senior at Minnechaug Regional High School, hopes to get into the highly selective Georgetown University and is among many students of color worried that the decision may lock her out.

If we look at history, it took hundreds of years for many top 20 universities to open their doors to Black students, Haile said. And even then, there are so many complexities when it comes to the adversities that we are faced with when applying to these schools. Most of us arent legacies, have access to college counselors or the resources to forge these connections between prestigious universities.

Elite schools like Harvard University have the most to lose from the Supreme Courts decision. Competitive colleges heavily rely on race-conscious admissions to maintain a highly selective yet diverse student body. Without affirmative action, colleges may have to rely on other practices to bolster Black and Hispanic enrollment such as giving preference to low-income students. However, in states like Michigan where affirmative action has been banned since 2006, Black and Hispanic college enrollment has declined.

If the goal is an individualized admissions process, where were really giving every student a fair assessment of their academic talent and potential, then we should be accounting for all of the variables that either are going to act as tailwinds or headwinds and classes one race as another, Jonathan P. Feingold, an associate professor at Boston University School of Law said. And given that race and racism operate in ways that overlap with but are different from class advantage or disadvantage, we cant do the work of race or that variable simply by focusing on class.

This a breaking news story, more information will be provided as it becomes available.
Smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires is expected to move into Western Massachusetts on Thursday creating poor air quality for the second time this month.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has posted an air quality alert and is advising people who have heart or lung diseases such as asthma as well as older adults, children and teenagers to avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion, follow asthma action plans, keep medications handy and watch for symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.

The air quality is expected to be poor through at least early Friday morning in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Berkshire and Worcester counties, officials said.

More details about forecasts and air quality are available at MassDEPs MassAir website.
SPRINGFIELD  Mayor Domenic J. Sarno called again for bail reform after a spike in deadly shootings in a neighborhood beset by crime despite police patrols.

During a press conference at police headquarters Thursday, Sarno, Police Superintendent Cheryl C. Clapprood, elected officials and community leaders condemned a spasm of violence around the School, High and Union streets neighborhood.

They vowed to pour more resources into policing, including overtime pay and expanding surveillance coverage within the departments Crime Analysis and Real Time Analysis Center.

Sarno and Clapprood highlighted factors that keep police swimming upstream against a tide of street violence. At the top of their list are judges who let violent criminals make bail, only to see the defendants go out and commit new and at times more dangerous crimes.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno holds up a "Text-A-Tip" information card during a press conference at police headquarters about an uptick in crime. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 6/29/2023

Alleged case in point: Hiram Martinez, 38, was arrested Wednesday for the fatal shooting of James L. Brown, 34, four days before. Police said Martinez had been released on bail awaiting trial on aggravated rape and gun charges when he allegedly shot Brown dead on School Street. Officials said he was out selling drugs in the neighborhood within a day.

This individual is a poster child, a poster child for bail reform, Sarno said of Martinez, whose bail was revoked Thursday after he was charged with murder and drug crimes.

According to Springfield police department spokesman Ryan Walsh, Martinez was in possession of 40 grams of crack cocaine and 50 bags of heroin during his arrest.

Court records show Martinez was initially held without the right to bail after allegedly raping a woman and holding her at gunpoint in Chicopee last year.

But in June of 2022, Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey released Martinez on a GPS monitoring bracelet and an order to earn gainful employment and stay away from his alleged victim. His defense attorney months later successfully petitioned to shed the GPS monitoring.

Carey did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is customary for judges not to discuss their rulings outside of a courtroom.

Clapprood said such releases have a chilling effect on surviving victims and witnesses to violent crimes.

Not only are we not getting witnesses to talk, were not getting victims [to talk] because they reason the perpetrators will just be back on the street the next day, Clapprood said.

She added street criminals seem to be getting bolder, despite a heavy police presence in certain areas.

Our presence alone is not a deterrent. Were more of an inconvenience and theyll just move a few blocks over, Clapprood said.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez called for "safe zones, whether it be a church or other trusted locale, where residents can share information safely ... We have a problem with a few actors who are fighting for turf and making money in the wrong way. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 6/29/2023

The superintendent said the Hampden County Sheriffs Department has agreed to take certain civil responsibilities off the departments hands, including delivering restraining orders and court summonses. Those tasks were previously handled by uniformed Springfield officers.

Brown was one of two victims of that shooting, though a second man lived. Also on June 24, a separate shooting claimed the life of Felipe DeJesus, 39, near the intersection of High and Union streets. Another man was injured in that gunplay and is recovering.

Thirty-four and 39 years old? No reason to live? No purpose in life? No one to live for? Clapprood asked rhetorically.

Those deaths followed a double-homicide on Union Street earlier in June. Following those shootings, the police department and partner agencies conducted an eight-day sweep in the neighborhood that yielded 44 arrests and included a prostitution sting and seizures of illicit guns and drugs.

Sarno said the vast majority of those defendants were back on the street within a day or two.

The month of June has seen six homicides in Springfield  all by gunfire. None are believed to be related, according to Capt. Trent C. Duda, head of the detective bureau and within that, the homicide unit. There are just eight detectives devoted to investigating homicides.

Sarno urged anyone with information about city crime to use the Text-a-Tip phone app to offer tips anonymously.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to CRIMES, or 274637, and then beginning the body of the message with the word SOLVE.

In addition to Massachusetts State Police leaders and members of Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchis office, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, and City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce attended Thursdays press briefing.

Springfield city councilor Lavar Click-Bruce speaks during a press conference at police headquarters about an uptick in crime in Springfield. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 6/29/2023

Gonzalez said on the state level, elected officials are working on bail and gun reform bills. As a native of the city, he recommended establishing havens for people to share information on crime privately.

We need to encourage safe zones, whether it be a church or other trusted locale, where residents can share information safely, the legislator said. We have a problem with a few actors who are fighting for turf and making money in the wrong way.

Click-Bruce said he was encouraged by Sarnos commitment to throwing more funding at policing and lauded police for struggling to keep up with crime.

Thats a yeomans job and its tough out here, he said.
As a Massachusetts man was dying of lung cancer, he decided he would donate his body to Harvard Medical School in the hopes he could save someone else from the kind of suffering he was enduring, according to a lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court.

On June 1, 2019, Glenn Wilder Sr. died and his body was donated.

After two years, the family was given remains of what they were told were Wilders, according to the lawsuit. The remains sat in the garage office of the family business, so that Glenn, Jr. could still go to work with his dad every day.

But in June, the lawsuit reads, Wilders family learned his remains had been involved in the Harvard Medical morgue scandal. Harvard Medical School morgue manager Cedric Lodge, 55, is accused of stealing dissected portions of cadavers that were donated to the school, such as heads, brains, skin and bones, according to court documents.

Lodge took them to his home in New Hampshire, officials claim. And using social media, Lodge and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the stolen body parts, court documents read.

The indictment, which was filed June 14 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, stated it started in 2018 and continued until March 7.

The new lawsuit filed by Morgan & Morgan is on behalf of three families, Glenn Wilder Sr., Marshall Jolotta and Joseph Gagne.

The lawsuit states the families, along with hundreds of other families, generously entrusted the remains of their loved ones, per their wishes, to Defendants in the hope and expectation that this final act of service and kindness could help others by training a new generation of doctors, and by supporting the opportunity for new medical and scientific discoveries and a greater understanding of human life, anatomy and disease.

However, to their absolute shock and horror, the families who placed this deep trust in Defendants have learned that, instead of caring properly for and protecting the remains entrusted to them, Defendants abandoned them in a facility that was a place of freakish desecration, where, according to the indictments, criminals were allowed to roam and pick over loved ones remains for bits like trinkets at a flea market, the lawsuit reads.

Court documents claim Katrina MacLean, 44, of Salem, Joshua Taylor, of Pennsylvania, and others purchased the body parts and they were shipped through the mail. Although sometimes, court documents said, MacLean and Taylor were allowed inside the morgue to choose what remains to purchase.

The investigation has led to charges against multiple people in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Overall, six people have been indicted on charges of trafficking stolen human remains.

Harvard called the crimes morally reprehensible and that the school was appalled.

These remains were not mere cadavers to which no respect was owed, the lawsuit states. They were the last physical remnants of beloved fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, sisters, wives.

The lawsuit also details the horror from the families of Marshall Jolotta and Joseph Gagne.

Jolotta served in the Navy and wanted to entrust his remains after death to science, the lawsuit states.

He felt that, through this generous gift, he could help others, and he wanted to help make young doctors better, it read.

He died Nov. 25, 2017.

Harvard took possession of the remains and held them for nearly two years, after which Harvard returned what it claimed to be the cremated remains of Mr. Jolotta, the lawsuit reads. Per Marshalls wishes, those remains were comingled with his beloved wifes cremated remains and scattered on family property, so that they could rest in peace together.

Gagne was a plumber and taught his children the importance of making the right decisions in life, and of living a life of compassion, doing what you can for others.

His body was donated to Harvard Medical School in 2018, the lawsuit states.

All three remains were among those abandoned in and subjected to a horror house of desecration and disrespect at Harvard and left in the unsupervised and unrestricted hands of a criminal, the lawsuit reads.

Jonathan Sweet of Keches Law Group claimed between 350 and 400 bodies are believed to have been involved.

Keches Law Group also filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of the families involved. It was filed against the President & Fellows of Harvard College (the legal name for Harvard University) and Lodge.

Medical schools like Harvard have a duty to ensure [donated remains] are handled properly and with decency and to ensure they are used for their intended purpose of scientific study, Keches Law Partner Jeff Catalano said.

After the trauma of losing a loved one, Catalano said sometimes the only thing they can latch onto, is that their loved ones remains are going to be used for an important scientific purpose.
It wouldnt be fair. That was one of the objections raised at a recent State House hearing on a bill that would lessen the reliance on zip codes in setting auto insurance premiums.

It wouldnt be fair to people who live in the suburbs, an insurance industry official suggested to the Legislatures Joint Committee on Financial Services. They would pay more.

Thats a hard argument to swallow, given that the system today is patently unfair to people who, because they live in cities, pay far higher premiums than residents of small towns.

The current system of setting rates, in effect, imposes a tax on people who live in our states cities, a levy that falls disproportionately on low-income people of color.

Thats whats unfair  and what should be changed.

A bill introduced by state Sen. Pavel M. Payano, a Lawrence Democrat, would still allow geography to play a role in rates, but to a lesser degree. Payanos legislation (S.730) is modeled on Connecticuts system, where insurance companies can account for location in their actuarial tables, when setting premium costs, but not rely on them alone. Connecticut requires insurers to consider statewide averages on claims as one-quarter of its calculation. Where a driver seeking insurance lives can still account for three-quarters of that part of the companys math.

Even that small adjustment is saving money for people who live in Connecticuts cities, by shifting costs. A study Payano cites found that premiums declined by as much as 10.6% in urban Hartford after insurers made that change in Connecticut; rates rose 3.4% in suburban communities.

In testimony on Beacon Hill last month, Frank OBrien of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association held to the industrys familiar argument that, to paraphrase Freud, geography is destiny. OBrien said higher urban car insurance rates are a product of congestion and said Payanos bill would result in suburbanites subsidizing the insurance costs of city residents.

The picture is far more complicated than that.

For starters, consider that people who drive into cities from the suburbs are responsible for much of the traffic congestion. They get into accidents too.

Also, there is evidence that geography alone isnt what skews rates. An analysis by Consumer Reports and ProPublica found that disparities in auto rates between minority and white neighborhoods are wider than differences in risk alone can justify. The project examined rates and claims in California, Illinois, Texas, and Missouri. Insurers have long argued that they need to charge more in cities because heavier traffic results in more accidents.

The Consumer Reports/ProPublica study found differing costs for premiums could not be blamed on locations and number of crashes.

Insurers were charging premiums that were 30% higher in minority-majority zip codes, the organizations found, compared to whiter neighborhoods with similar accident costs.

This disparity may amount to a subtler form of redlining, the study said.

Payano told his State House colleagues last month the same holds true for Massachusetts.

He said data from the states Merit Rating Board shows that drivers in places that are home to the highest percentages of people of color pay, on average, 90% more than drivers in less diverse communities. The state board tracks driving records and accident claims.

The playing field is ridiculously uneven. Again citing Merit Rating Board data, Payano told the joint committee that drivers in urban communities with excellent safety records have paid more for premiums even than drivers with recent histories of traffic violations  or those found to be at fault in crashes.

Live in a predominantly white town like Longmeadow and get in a crash? You could still pay less for insurance in Massachusetts than a safer driver in Springfield.

Rates can differ by as much as $1,000 a year. These disparities place an undue burden on low-income city residents.

The Republican used a calculator provided by the state Division of Insurance, combined with U.S. Census data, to illustrate the inequity of the current system.

A driver in Springfield who has held a license for 14 years and not been in an accident for five years could pay as much as 59.3% more than a similar driver, with the same model car, in the town of Longmeadow. Springfields median household income in 2021 was $43,308 and Blacks and Latinos constitute 68.3% of its population; in Longmeadow, where Blacks and Latinos make up 6.8% of the population, the median household income $129,780.

Payano calls his measure an Act relative to reducing racial and socioeconomic inequities in auto insurance premium pricing.

The purpose, the bills text says, is to reasonably limit the difference in rates and premiums between territories, thereby diminishing the disparate impact on policyholders.

We think Payanos proposal is measured, incremental and entirely reasonable  and deserves to move ahead in this legislative session.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday overturned the use of affirmative action in higher education in a 6-3 decision made by the courts conservative majority.

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, said Harvard Universitys and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hills admissions practices, which consider an applicants racial background, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Several Massachusetts politicians watched the news happen and took to social media to respond.

Gov. Maura Healey released a joint statement with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and 130 advocacy groups, elected officials and higher education leaders that said she will continue to break down barriers to higher education so that all students see themselves represented in both our public and private campus communities.

Todays Supreme Court decision overturns decades of settled law, the statement read. In the commonwealth, our values and our commitment to progress and continued representation in education remains unshakable... Our academic competitiveness, the future of our workforce and our commitment to equity demand we take action.

In Massachusetts  home to the first public school and first university  our commitment to equity, inclusion, and representation in education remains unshakable. pic.twitter.com/cWo7LikV19  Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) June 29, 2023

Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler tweeted Healeys statement and added that Todays decision does not change our commitment to our students, especially students of color, LGBTQ+ students, first-generation students, and all those historically underrepresented in higher education.

Todays decision does not change our commitment to our students, especially students of color, LGBTQ+ students, first generation students, and all those historically underrepresented in higher education. https://t.co/GCXXbSTNWA  MassEducation (@MassEducation) June 29, 2023

Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta quoted from the dissenting opinion written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Deeming race irrelevant in law does now make it so in life' Kenyatta tweeted. No one benefits from ignorance.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson with the dissent of the century:



Deeming race irrelevant in law does now make it so in life No one benefits from ignorance. pic.twitter.com/yf46BSXFsZ  Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) June 29, 2023

Let-them-eat-cake-obliviousness, slammed Pressley in her own tweet. In her official statement, Pressley said the decision by the far-right extreme Supreme Court will only exacerbate the systemic oppression that has barred Black, brown and other marginalized students from equitable opportunities.

Let-them-eat-cake-obliviousness  Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) June 29, 2023

This damning decision to overturn decades of legal precedent and ban race-conscious admissions is just the latest in the white supremacist assault on equity in education, but we cant back down in this fight, continued her statement. Universities must affirm their commitment to racial and ethnic diversity, and we must legislate  at all levels of government  to address the structural barriers that contribute to deep racial disparities in educational access.

Sen. Ed Markey chastised the court by calling it extremist in a tweet.

The far-right, extremist majority on the Supreme Court just struck down affirmative action  a critical tool for colleges and universities to advance racial justice, equity, and diversity across the United States, Markey said.

The far-right, extremist majority on the Supreme Court just struck down affirmative actiona critical tool for colleges and universities to advance racial justice, equity, and diversity across the United States. Well be live in Boston at 1pm to respond.  Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) June 29, 2023

Rep. Lori Trahan tweeted that the idea that stopping colleges from thinking about race when admitting students protects Black and brown students is ridiculous.

This decision turns back the clock on the progress made to ensure more equitable access to higher education, particularly prestigious schools, she said. Once again, this decision by the Supreme Court will benefit the wealthy and well off  folks with the money and connections to access more exclusive schools  while the students who pay the price will be from disadvantaged communities who have been traditionally overlooked.

The notion that prohibiting colleges from considering race as a factor for admission protects Black and brown students is ridiculous. This decision turns back the clock on the progress made to ensure more equitable access to higher education, particularly prestigious schools. 1/2 https://t.co/6XqdqMHQTl  Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) June 29, 2023

In her own statement, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said the fight for equity and inclusion goes on.

We are extremely disappointed by the Supreme Courts decisions today, which ignore the dark and traumatic parts of our history and refuse to contend with the ongoing reality of racism and racial inequities harming Black and brown people across our country, including in higher education, she said in her statement. In the face of these decisions, we will press forward in the fight for equity and inclusion, break down arbitrary and unnecessary barriers to education and keep Massachusetts thriving.
Almost two-thirds of Massachusetts is under an air quality alert on Thursday due to smoke from hundreds of wildfires stretching across Canada drifting its way to the United States and across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection issued these alerts to cover all of Western Massachusetts and most of Central Massachusetts, covering cities like Orange, Barre, Northampton, Fitchburg, Springfield and Worcester, according to the National Weather Service.

This marks the second time in June that these fires have caused air quality in Massachusetts to be poor and unhealthy. These alerts advise people with asthma, heart or lung diseases, as well as older adults, children and teenagers, are advised to avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion, follow asthma action plans, keep medications handy and watch for symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.

Air quality alerts also notify people that concentrations of fine particulates in the air may approach or exceed unhealthy standards, the weather service said. The current alerts in place for parts of Massachusetts are in effect until 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the Weather Channel.

Read more: Where to buy face masks for unhealthy air quality from Canadian fires

Several Massachusetts cities to the west and in the states interior were labeled with moderate air quality Thursday morning, according to the air quality-tracking website AirNow.gov. Springfield, Pittsfield, Ware and Worcester, among others, all shared this label, with the Cape and Islands also exhibiting moderate air quality not as a result of smoke.

As of Thursday morning, Eastern Massachusetts is not affected by smoke and has no air quality alerts warning residents to avoid prolonged outdoor activities.

Exactly 500 fires are burning across Canada, ravaging parts of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Northwestern Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. From that number, 257 fires have been declared out of control as 17.7 million acres have burned. The agency reported five new fires as of Thursday.

Air quality alerts in western New York warned of unhealthy air, which can leave eyes itchy and cause respiratory problems even for healthy people. Air is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive individuals in central New York, while Upstate New York will be breathing what is essentially second-hand smoke, Syracuse.com said as it receives smoke that traveled to the Midwest from Canada.
The current housing market in Worcester has created a dire situation that has led to an increase in the homeless population and requests for services across the board, Central Mass Housing Alliance (CMHA) representatives told reporters Thursday.

In February 2022, 622 single adults made up the sheltered and unsheltered homeless population, according to CMHA data. A year later that number jumped by around 30% to 810. Unsheltered people are more likely to seek out services in winter months as opposed to the summer when they can survive on their own more easily in warmer temperatures, so the winter count is closer to the actual homeless population, according to CMHA Quality Coordinator Jack Morant.

The number of homeless families has also shown an upward trajectory, with the average number of homeless families in the first five months of the year jumping from 530 in 2022 to 648 in 2023, according to CMHA data, a 22% increase.

The citys annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count, which counts the size of the homeless population on a particular day, found that 2,278 people were being supported with shelter, transitional permanent housing, or rehoused by homeless service providers in the city of Worcester on Jan. 3. The number does not include 55 people who were unsheltered on that day.

The causes for the rising homeless population include a low rental vacancy rate, a subsequent increase in area rents, a gap between wage increases and increased rent costs and the lifting of the eviction moratorium, according to CMHA.

Around a decade ago, Worcester had a rental vacancy rate in the double digits, according CMHA Quality Coordinator Jake Moran. The 2021 rental vacancy rate in Worcester was 3.3%, according to Moran, who said its expected to continue to drop.

The vacancy rate includes high-end luxury apartments, Moran said, so only a portion of the units that make up 3.3% vacancy rate are appropriate for the demographic that CMHA serves.

As the number of available units drop, its hard for landlords to resist the temptation to raise rents when they are getting so much interest in a single unit, CMHA Public Education and Advocacy Director Etel Haxhiaj said. Haxhiaj also serves as District 5 City Councilor but was not speaking in her role as a public official.

The area rent calculated by the real estate website Zillow rose from $1,110 in March 2015 to $1,854 in March 2023 in Worcester.

The annual Out of Reach report prepared by the National Low Income Housing Coalition found that in order to afford the fair market rent of $1,634 for a modest two-bedroom apartment in the city and its surrounding areas, a worker would need to earn $31.44 per hour or $65,600 per year if they were working a 40-hour week.

The report also found the typical wage in Worcester and its surrounding towns is $18.22 per hour, meaning they would need to work 69 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.

There are 80,000 people in the city of over 200,000 that are at or below $40,000 in household income, according to CMHA data.

When there are so many renters and so few units, it also opens up the possibility for discrimination, according to Haxhiaj.

CMHA CEO Leah Bradley used the analogy that when 10 people are playing musical chairs, and there are nine chairs, the person who is the most vulnerable is likely the one not getting the chair. Meaning that people with disabilities, families and people using rental assistance programs can be overlooked by landlords when theres no way to measure if they are breaking affirmative action laws.

In Massachusetts, landlords that purchase properties also have the ability to evict the current tenants with no cause and then raise rents for new tenant.

Since the moratorium on evictions lifted in the state on Oct. 18 2020, there have been 3,081 evictions in Worcester, CMHA reported. The number is likely an undercount, according to Moran, because people who dont want an eviction on their records might leave right when their landlords ask to avoid getting an eviction on their record.

Middle income houses are also struggling to afford housing in the city, according to CMHA data 51,775 households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.

Studies have found that it is not financially sustainable to pay more than 30% of your income on rent, according to Moran. This leaves the households that are paying more than that one missed paycheck or one health crisis away from homeless, Haxhiaj said.

While there are programs to help, the waiting list for federal vouchers with Worcester Housing Authority is over 10 years long and the state-funded Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program has limited funds and strict eligibility rules, according to CMHA.

There are also 31 unsheltered people who currently have vouchers through funding from CMHA but are still unable to find a place they can afford, according to Bradley.

Haxhiaj called the barriers of getting from homeless encampments to permanent supportive housing quite robust.

While the CMHA presented a difficult picture of the current housing crisis, Haxhiaj said it was important to look at the solutions.

CMHA is recommending additional state and federal housing vouchers targeted to low-income households in Worcester, affordability requirements for new developments that are receiving state and federal funding like the states Housing Development Incentive Program, reasonable guard rails around rent and rent increases, improving coordination between agencies serving low-income populations and protection for those facing evictions.

Currently almost all of those people facing evictions go through housing court without a lawyer. CMHA is calling for state funding to provide lawyers for those individuals so they dont have to go up against their landlords alone, according to Haxhiaj.

There is also currently no way to document when and where rent increases are happening and for how much, Haxhiaj said. CMHA has had people come to them for services who have had landlords increase their rent by $1,500 per month.

CMHA is also calling for the creation of more multi-family housing, not just in the city, but also surrounding towns. The Point-in-Time count for surrounding communities has also shown a jump in homelessness there.

The city of Worcester has taken steps to address the housing crisis, but Bradley said more needs to be done.

In the past year, the city has passed an inclusionary zoning ordinance that will require developments with 12 or more units to reserve 15% of their habitable square footage for renters/buyers who earn 80% of the area median income (AMI) for the city or 10% for those who earn 60% AMI. Affordable housing advocates argued that the ordinance didnt go far enough.

The city has also dedicated $15 million of American Rescue Plan Act to an Affordable Housing Trust Fund and recently moved $2 million of ARPA funding to provide rental assistance and preserve existing affordable housing with the Affordable Housing Preservation Program.

The city manager is also looking to create a Housing Production Plan, which details the housing needs of a community and develops solutions to address those needs.

Bradley said in a press statement released earlier this month that the steps the city has taken are not enough and addressing the problem will take a multi-pronged approach to prevent displacement, housing instability and homelessness.

The approach should include creating housing for households at the lowest income levels, providing rental assistance to keep renters stably housed and passing tenant protection legislation.

We encourage the City and the surrounding towns to consider a policy of relaxing zoning restrictions to allow for more multi-family housing in high-opportunity neighborhoods, traditionally zoned for single-family homes, and to build the political will to combat Not in My Back Yard efforts, Bradley said.
Worcesters chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is planning to publicly read a seminal speech about Independence Day and its relationship with slavery from one of American historys notable Black thinkers on Friday at Worcester Common.

The NAACP chapter plans to read What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, a July 5, 1852, speech given by Frederick Douglass to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, New York, according to the National Endowment of the Humanities, an event sponsor.

In the speech, Douglass lauds the victories of independence from the British in 1776 and the countrys state of perseverance less than a century later. This came less than a decade before the outbreak of civil war between the North and South.

But Douglass addressed the ironies of freedom expressed each Fourth of July while Black men, women and children remained in enslaved throughout the South.

This Fourth July is yours, not mine, Douglass said in the second part of the speech. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?

Douglass went on to ask if the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice in the Declaration of Independence extended to slaves and freedmen. Towards the end of the address, he concluded, I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.

NAACP President Fred Taylor will start the event on Friday by discussing the state of race relations in the U.S. today, Patch reported. This will be followed by a performance of Lift Every Voice and Sing by Chapella.

The NAACP chapter invites local residents to help read the address. The event is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. To read or download a copy of Douglass speech, visit the National Endowment for the Humanities website at the link here.
On May 23, 2023, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution calling on President Biden to create Baaj Nwaavjo Itak Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. This proposed monument would set aside 1.1 million acres of National Forest, State Trust, and Bureau of Land Management lands around the Grand Canyon National Park, which would protect the area from further uranium mining exploration and development. This National Monument effort represents the culmination of many years of advocacy to permanently protect the Grand Canyon and its watershed.

Tourism and recreation, including that centered around the Grand Canyon, is a major economic driver for Coconino County and the region. Flagstaff and Coconino County is often recognized as one of the top places for outdoor recreation and activities in the country with premier hiking, biking, climbing and river rafting. A National Monument extends our outdoor and recreation focus and further enhances the tourist-based economy of Coconino County.

Headwaters Economics has studied the economic impact of regions where National Monuments were enacted. Looking closely at 17 of the regions. Headwaters Economics found that these areas experienced economic growth in the key areas of population, jobs, real personal income, and per capita income.

The Headwaters Economics study showed no decline in traditional use occupations like logging, mining, and ranching over the same period. For context regarding uranium mines and jobs, the still active Pinyon Plain (aka) Canyon Uranium Mine employs around a dozen people. While tourism and outdoor recreation produces thousands of jobs and adds millions to Coconino Countys economy, uranium mining is not an economic driver for Coconino County. Given that the potential uranium in the area makes up less than 2% of the uranium within the country, uranium mining is also not an economic driver for Arizona.

Most importantly, uranium mining poses a threat to the fragile and critical springs and waters in this area. Potential contamination is a risk to the indigenous tribes that call the Canyon home. This is especially so for the Havasupai Tribe who live at the base of the Grand Canyon.

The Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe have borne the brunt of this toxic legacy of hundreds of abandoned uranium mines that have not been cleaned up. On tribal lands, radioactive uranium mines contaminate water and soil, many sites still await expensive cleanup efforts, while area residents continue to deal with the harmful and deadly health impacts of extended exposure to these longstanding hazardous sites.

There are still roughly 600 mining claims on lands around the Grand Canyon that could be activated if this land isnt protected from uranium mining, so it is critical that this vital cultural and natural area be preserved and protected from the detrimental impact of uranium mining.

Setting aside this area with the Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument Area would improve local economies, preserve significant tribal cultural sites, protect natural areas that are essential for the recreation & tourism economy, and prevent further contamination of the critical Colorado River Plateau Watershed.

The Biden administration should designate the Baaj Nwaavjo Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument to protect the area from uranium mining, while preserving existing uses like grazing, timber harvest, and outdoor recreation.
A WOMAN whose ancestors emigrated from Ballinrobe to Australia during The Great Famine has paid a poignant visit to the towns former workhouse.

Lyn Nashs great-great-great-grandmother Catherine Joyce was among 26 orphan girls who travelled from Ballinrobe workhouse to Australia on the Panama ship on October 6, 1849.

She is also related to Ann Honor Solan, who married Ms Nashs other great-great-great-grandfather before he started a family from whom Ms Nash is descended.

From 1848 to 1850, 4,114 orphan girls were transported from Irish workhouses to Australia under what became known as the Earl Grey programme. The scheme was created to relieve financial pressure on the countrys over-crowded workhouses and to supply the colony with domestic labour and young women.

After arriving, the girls typically became domestic servants before marrying into Australias disproportionally male-dominated population.

Less than 1 percent of the orphans transported to Australia perished along the journey  far less than the proportion who died on so-called coffin ships that sailed from Ireland to America during the same period.

To this day, up to 30 percent of Australians claim Irish ancestry.



Emotional visit

LAST Friday, Ms Nash made an emotional visit to the place where her descendants spent much of their youth.

According to her research, Catherine Joyce and Ann Honor Solan  who were 19 and 18, respectively, when they were transported  were not related, but they were still listed as sisters.

Ms Nash first contacted local historian Averil Staunton in 2017, starting the conversation about her Ballinrobe connections.

The intensity of that experience had identified those girls, who were not blood-related, as being sisters. Thats how strong that experience was to those girls, said Ms Nash, who described her visit to Ballinrobe workhouse as a great honour.

Im happy to be there, Im happy to be part of it and Im happy to share my story and to view your stories and to make that connection with people, she told The Mayo News.

Speaking at an event in Ballinrobe library to mark Ms Nashs visit, which was organised by Averil Staunton, who is also an active member of Ballinrobe Writers Group.

Bernadette Moran from Ballinrobe Writers Group described Ms Nashs homecoming as a proud day for Ballinrobe.

Sitting right in front of us is a proud descendant of that harsh regime of 19th-century Ireland, when famine stalked the land and fear enveloped the core of their beings. What a proud day for Ballinrobe as we welcome home one of our own. Cead mile failte. One-hundred-thousand welcomes.

Fellow group member Imelda Hughes then read a poem called Flight of The Orphans, which she dedicated to the memory of Catherine Joyce.

The gathering was also addressed by songwriter Brendan Graham, who composed Orphan Girl in honour of the Earl Grey Orphans.

Ms Nash then formally presented two volumes of her family history to Austin Vaughan of Mayo County Library.



Private moment

MEMBERS of Ballinrobe Writers Group accompanied Ms Nash to the last intact part of Ballinrobe workhouse, which is now used as a commercial premises.

After arriving, she spent a private moment in the very room where men and boys were separated from their families upon arrival at the workhouse.

She was then joined by the rest of the group, who were then given a talk from Averil Staunton on the history of the building.

The afternoon concluded with a visit to the workhouse burial grounds, where Ballinrobe Writers Group have recently installed a memorial corner to remember those buried there.



MORE For more on Lyn Nashs fascinating story, see the Living section of next weeks Mayo News.



Oisin McGovern



A WOMAN whose ancestors emigrated from Ballinrobe to Australia during The Great Famine has paid a poignant visit to the towns former workhouse.

Lynn Nashs great-great-great-grandmother Catherine Joyce was among 26 orphan girls who travelled from Ballinrobe workhouse to Australia on the Panama ship on October 6, 1849.

She is also a descendant of Ann Honor Solan, who became the mistress of Ms Nashs other great-great-great-grandfather.

From 1848 to 1850, 4,114 orphan girls were transported from Irish workhouses to Australia under what became known as the Earl Grey programme. The scheme was created to relieve financial pressure on the countrys over-crowded workhouses and to supply the colony with domestic labour and young women.

After arriving, the girls typically became domestic servants before marrying into Australias disproportionally male-dominated population.

Less than 1 percent of the orphans transported to Australia perished along the journey  far less than the proportion who died on so-called coffin ships that sailed from Ireland to America during the same period.

To this day, up to 30 percent of Australians claim Irish ancestry.



Emotional visit

LAST Friday, Ms Nash made an emotional visit to the place where her descendants spent much of their youth.

According to her research, Catherine Joyce and Ann Honor Solan  who were 19 and 18, respectively, when they were transported  were not related, but they were still listed as sisters.

Ms Nash first contacted local historian Averil Staunton in 2017, starting the conversation about her Ballinrobe connections.

The intensity of that experience had identified those girls, who were not blood-related, as being sisters. Thats how strong that experience was to those girls, said Ms Nash, who described her visit to Ballinrobe workhouse as a great honour.

Im happy to be there, Im happy to be part of it and Im happy to share my story and to view your stories and to make that connection with people, she told The Mayo News.

Speaking at an event in Ballinrobe library to mark Ms Nashs visit, which was organised by Averil Staunton, who is also an active member of Ballinrobe Writers Group.

Bernadette Moran from Ballinrobe Writers Group described Ms Nashs homecoming as a proud day for Ballinrobe.

Sitting right in front of us is a proud descendant of that harsh regime of 19th-century Ireland, when famine stalked the land and fear enveloped the core of their beings. What a proud day for Ballinrobe as we welcome home one of our own. Cead mile failte. One-hundred-thousand welcomes.

Fellow group member Imelda Hughes then read a poem called Flight of The Orphans, which she dedicated to the memory of Catherine Joyce.

The gathering was also addressed by songwriter Brendan Graham, who composed Orphan Girl in honour of the Earl Grey Orphans.

Ms Nash then formally presented two volumes of her family history to Austin Vaughan of Mayo County Library.



Private moment

MEMBERS of Ballinrobe Writers Group accompanied Ms Cash to the last intact part of Ballinrobe workhouse, which is now used as a commercial premises.

After arriving, she spent a private moment in the very room where men and boys were separated from their families upon arrival at the workhouse.

She was then joined by the rest of the group, who were then given a talk from Averil Staunton on the history of the building.

The afternoon concluded with a visit to the workhouse burial grounds, where Ballinrobe Writers Group have recently installed a memorial corner to remember those buried there.



MORE For more on Lyn Nashs fascinating story, see the Living section of next weeks Mayo News.
THE new chairman of Mayo Down Syndrome has warned of a massive knock-on effect if they are unable to provide basic services.

Knock native James Carty has called on parents of people with Down Syndrome to consider taking up the vacant positions of Secretary and Treasurer.

The positions were recently vacated by Deirdre OMalley and Paula Murphy at the organisations recent AGM.

An EGM will now take place on July 4 in order to fill the positions.

Writing in an email, Mr Carty warned that the future of the branch was in serious jeopardy if the positions were not filled.

Mayo Down Syndrome currently assists over 150 people living with Down Syndrome in accessing speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

It also organises activities and fun days for its members.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Mr Carty said the organisation would struggle to organise such activities and services without a serving treasurer or secretary.

The way it works is whatever government funding there is goes to Down Syndrome Ireland, the top branch. Then we have to make applications to them to access money and its not always the easiest, explained the Knock-based garda.

With that in mind we do put on different fundraisers to raise money on a local initiative on the local branch. That then, the money we use to fundraise goes into paying for these services for our members, subsidising our members as best we can.

If you cant supply the services youd be afraid of our members, falling back, for lack of a better way of saying it, added Mr Carty, that they wouldnt have the access to the speech and language and that they wouldnt have access to occupational therapy which would delay their ability to become more inclusive in society. That goes without saying.

My greatest ambition is that my own daughter would be running around with everybody and her speech wouldnt be affected. To have that in place we need all these therapies, he continued.

For every member and members family in it we need a fully functioning committee. Theres a possibility that wed lose out on being able to supply these services for so many parents.

Not having the events means that members miss out on the inclusive part and being part of the wider community.

If one child might have a problem some other parent might have experienced it in the past and are able to pass on advice. Theres a massive knock-on effect if were not able to provide these services overall.

Mr Carty, who is a son of the late Mayo TD John Carty, said that Mayo Down Syndrome has access to limited funding from Down Syndrome Ireland and, therefore, does the bulk of its fundraising locally.

If we have a fully functioning committee and have people to represent us and to go out and do the fundraising, he said.

It just means that we are able to raise more funds to put on these services for our members and to give them a better quality of life, to have them on a level footing as everybody else.

The EGM of Mayo Down Syndrome will take place on July 4.

Anyone who cannot attend the meeting but is interested in joining their committee can email MayoChairperson@downsyndrome.ie.
The global wound cleanser product market is expected to generate US$ 1.83 billion in revenue by the end of 2022 and US$ 2.53 billion by the end of 2033 at a CAGR of 3.0%.

The wound cleanser products market plays a critical role in promoting wound healing and showcases significant growth potential. Wound care is a vital aspect of healthcare, and effective wound cleansing is essential for proper healing and prevention of infection. The market for wound cleanser products offers a wide range of solutions that aid in the removal of debris, bacteria, and foreign substances from wounds, facilitating the healing process.

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Wound cleanser products are available in various formulations, including saline solutions, antiseptic solutions, and enzymatic cleansers, among others. These products are designed to provide gentle yet effective cleansing, removing contaminants and preparing the wound bed for optimal healing. With advancements in wound care technology, the market offers innovative solutions to meet the diverse needs of healthcare professionals and patients.

The growth potential of the wound cleanser products market is driven by several factors. The increasing prevalence of chronic wounds, such as pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and venous leg ulcers, fuels the demand for advanced wound care products, including cleansers. Additionally, the aging population and rising incidence of chronic conditions contribute to the market expansion. Moreover, the growing focus on evidence-based wound management practices and infection prevention drives the adoption of wound cleanser products.

Looking ahead, the future of the wound cleanser products market holds significant promise. Ongoing research and development efforts aim to improve the efficacy and safety profiles of these products, focusing on innovation in wound cleanser formulations and delivery systems. Collaboration between wound care experts, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders is vital to drive advancements in wound cleansing techniques and optimize patient outcomes.

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In conclusion, the wound cleanser products market plays a crucial role in promoting wound healing and preventing infection. The markets growth potential is driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds and the growing emphasis on evidence-based wound care practices. It is essential for healthcare providers, industry leaders, and policymakers to collaborate and invest in this market, driving innovation and ensuring that patients have access to effective wound cleanser products for optimal wound healing.

Companies Covered in This Report 

ConvaTec Group plc

Smith & Nephew plc

Reckitt Benckiser Group plc

B.Braun Melsungen AG

Coloplast A/S

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Molnlycke Healthcare

3M

Medtronic Plc

Integra LifeSciences Corporation

Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. Company

Angelini acraf S.p.A.

Integra LifeScience

Hollister Incorporation

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Key Segments of the Wound Cleanser Products Industry Research

By Product:

Wetting Agents Saline Wound Solutions Potable and Sterile Water

Antiseptic PHMB Povidone Iodine Hydrogen Peroxide

Moisturizers Aloe Glycerine

Others

By Form:

Sprays

Solutions

Foam

Wipes

Gels

By Wound Type:

Acute Wounds Surgical Wounds Traumatic Wounds

Chronic Wounds Vascular Ulcers Diabetic Ulcers Pressure Ulcers Surgical Ulcers Traumatic Ulcers

Burns

By End User:

Hospitals

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Clinics

Long-term Care Centers

Home Care Settings

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

South Asia

East Asia

Oceania

Middle East & Africa

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by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, June 28, 2023

Google is disputing the accuracy of new research that indicates that Google has been violating its own standards for placing ads on third-party websites about 80% of the time.

The research in question, by brand analysis firm Adalytics, based on data from more than 1,100 brands and billions of ad impressions between 2020 and 2023, gained attention through a Wall Street Journal report this week.

In addition to displaying ads on YouTube, Googles proprietary cost-per-view, choice-based TrueView platform serves video ads to millions of apps, and across the web to sites in the Google Video Partner (GVP) program. Advertisers buying the skippable, in-stream TrueView ad format are supposed to pay only "for actual views of their ads, rather than impressions," per Google's own description. Googles policies state that TrueView ads must be skippable (after five seconds, a prompt should ask viewers if they want to skip the rest of the ad) and audible, and that video ad plays must be initiated by viewer action, not passive user scrolling.

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But Adalytics' report asserts that "for years, significant quantities of TrueView skippable in-stream ads, purchased by many different brands and media agencies, appear to have been served on hundreds of thousands of websites and apps in which the consumer experience did not meet Googles stated quality standards. For example, many TrueView in-stream ads were served muted and auto-playing as out-stream video or as obscured video players on independent sites. Often, there was little to no organic video media content between ads, the video units simply played ads only."

One example cited by the Adalytics report: 90% of the budget for one Fortune 500 brand's in-stream, skippable TrueView campaign, costing tens of thousands of dollars, ended up going to GVP mobile apps and websites, and only 10% to YouTube channels.

Large TrueView campaigns can cost upwards of $75,000, according to the report.

Running on "small, muted, out-stream, auto-playing or interstitial video ad units running on independent websites and mobile apps" may have cost media buyers "up to billions of digital ad dollars," Adalytics asserts.

According to WSJ's coverage, Samsung, Disney+ and Johnson & Johnson, as well as government entities including the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Army and Medicare, are among the advertisers that have been affected.

Google must fix this and fully refund clients for any fraud and impressions that failed to meet Googles own policies, Joshua Lowcock, global chief media officer at ad agency UM Worldwide, told WSJ.

Some ad buyers have asked for refunds, according to statements provided to the Journal, although Google is said not to have issued any makegoods on challenged TrueView buys as yet.

In response to the assertions, Google told WSJ that the research makes many claims that are inaccurate and doesnt reflect how we keep advertisers safe, and that it adheres to strict policies for ad placements on third-party sites, regularly removing ads from partner sites that violate their policies.

Google also said that it will take any appropriate actions once they have been given the opportunity to review the full report.

Note: This article has been updated. Following posting, Google sent press a link to a blog in which the company says it seeks to "set the record straight about the options available to advertisers and the investments we make in ensuring brands can reach high-quality audiences across this [GVP] partner network."

Among other points, Google asserts that the "overwhelming majority" of video ad campaigns (TrueView is not specifically mentioned) run on YouTube, but video advertisers "can also run ads on GVP, a separate network of third-party sites, to reach additional audiences, if it helps them meet their business objectives." Adding GVP sites can be effective in increasing a campaign's targeted reach, Google says.

Google also says that advertisers "can clearly see that their ads may run on third-party sites via GVP during the campaign setup," that they have the option to opt out at any time, and that they can also decide where their content may appear.

In addition, Google asserts that 90% of ad inventory across the GVP network is viewable, and that in addition to enforcing strict policies for GVP publisher sites through internal practices, Google partners with independent third-party verification companies including DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science and Moat.
by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, June 28, 2023

The TV industry loves succession stories. And by that, I dont mean the recently concluded HBO (or is it Max?) series, but the succession of iconic on-air TV personalities.

Probably one of the biggest stories I ever covered was when I reported on the succession of Johnny Carson, including his surprise Carnegie Hall upfront announcement of his retirement, NBCs decision ultimately to name Jay Leno his successor, and then David Letterman bolting from the network for CBS.

So I wasnt surprised by the amount of TV industry attention generated by Pat Sajaks announcement that after 40 years as host of Wheel of Fortune, he is retiring from the show, or Tuesdays news that Ryan Seacrest is succeeding him.

Not since the late Alex Trebek (who actually hosted Wheel as a fill-in for one week in 1980) stepped down as the long-running host of Jeopardy! has the succession of a game-show host generated more media buzz.

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Not including Trebek, there have actually been four Wheel hosts, starting with Chuck Woolery, Sajak and Rolf Benirschke and Bob Goen. The latter two hosted daytime versions. And of course, this doesnt include the multitude of hosts of international versions of Wheel.

In the 24 hours since Seacrest was announced as the shows new host, Google News has indexed 44 major news stories about it, making it by far the biggest in the current TV industry news cycle.

Other current TV industry news cycle also include:

The California legislature passing the California Film and Television Tax Credit 4.0 program to help boost the industry beleaguered by a writers' strike.

Residual coverage about another game show, The Price is Right, leaving its Television City soundstage for a new home.

The Weather Channels deal gaining access to Vizios streaming app.

A bunch of reviews about the second season of FXs The Bear.

A story about the time Jimi Hendrix punched out guitarist Richard Lloyd, who later co-founded the rock band Television (sorry, Google keywords can be all-encompassing, but that story tickled me enough to include it anyway).

In any case, Seacrest's turn at the "Wheel" clearly is the industry's biggest story right now -- and for the most part, the coverage has been, as they say, "positive sentiment." But one story stuck for me as being especially insightful about broader industry trend: the cult of celebrity.

"The idea that Sony Pictures Television would appoint someone relatively unknown as the figurehead of one of its most valuable properties was farfetched. But it wasn't always that way for a genre of television that minted such celebrities like late 'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek, Bob Barker of 'The Price is Right' and current 'Wheel of Fortune' emcee Pat Sajak," Associated Press media writer David Bauder observed, going on to call Sajak "the last of his breed."

I remember covering Sajak at early NATPE conventions in the early 80s when he was indeed a nobody. I remember riding down the elevator in the Las Vegas Hilton with him, thinking that he looked like someone I know, but not someone famous. Exactly the kind of guy Americans liked letting into their homes. And over time, Sajak, Trebek, and their breed became famous for being the kind of people we let into our homes.

I have no idea if Seacrest will be one of those. Personally, I'm not sure I'd want him in mine, but I have no doubt "Wheel's" ratings will hold up, if only because it will continue to have someone else they like having over: Vanna White -- who generated 49 stories indexed on Google News in the past 24 hours, partly because Seacrest's appointment solidified her role as the show's ongoing co-host, but also because of a sidebar that she is long overdue for a pay raise.

My advice to Sony Pictures Television: Give Vanna a bump, if you want to stay inside America's homes.
by Fern Siegel , June 29, 2023

Everyone is welcome in Massachusetts.

To underscore that sentiment, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism launched a new campaign  "Massachusetts For Us All"  to highlight the diverse and inclusive nature of the state.

The work features members of the LGBTQIA+ community in out-of-home ads posted on highway billboards across New England, Florida, Texas and New York and promoted on social media.

The creative work was done by Boston-based Think Argus.

"At a time when other states are misguidedly restricting LGBTQIA+ rights, we are proud to send the message that Massachusetts is a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for all. The 'Massachusetts For Us All' campaign sends a clear message that Massachusetts stands for freedom and civil rights," said Gov. Maura Healey.

The "Massachusetts For Us All campaign launch coincides with Healeys address to the Irish Senate on June 27 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland.

Massachusetts acknowledged a right to marry in 2003, making it the first state in the union to allow same-sex marriage.

"Our tourism industry plays an important role in Massachusetts economic health and prosperity, said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao."This campaign encourages tourism throughout the state, reminding everyone  they are key to the success of our communities."

An earlier spring campaign, Take A Moment, running through September, reveals various attractions, including Tanglewood, a beautiful venue in western Massachusetts featuring the music of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops, the Cape Cod National Seashore, where visitors can bike 44,000 acres of coastline and boat rides across Gloucester Harbor.
by Colin Kirkland , June 28, 2023

After months of speculation, TikTok has plans to launch its first online retail store in the United States as soon as next month.

According to a report by Semafor, the ByteDance-owned social media platform will use the store to feature its own line of Chinese products, taking on e-commerce giants like Amazon, Shein, and Temu.

While TikTok's current Shop feature invites brands to pay a commission to sell their products on its platform, this new store will be fully run by the social giant, which plans to purchase its own inventory and leading logistics and customer service.

Most items, ranging from kitchen gadgets to toys, will come from manufacturers in China, according to the report by Semafor.

Users will still be able to purchase goods from both TikTok Shop and the new store through a dedicated e-commerce tab within the app or communal hub.

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TikTik Shop has been tested in the U.S. since last November with the goal of importing a version of Chinas $400 billion livestream shopping industry to the U.S. However, the feature has yet to gain traction in the West, where there is still no widespread live-shopping culture outside of QVC.

The original TikTok Shop venture launched as part of a larger company initiative referred to by TikTok as Project Aquaman, which includes plans for global fulfillment centers (or warehouses) meant to create an ecommerce supply chain with streamlined delivery and returns for customers -- a potential necessity if TikTok truly wants to compete with U.S. e-commerce giants like Amazon.

Last week, the company confirmed it was testing its Trendy Beat shopping feature in the U.K., where products and sold and shipped to users by a Singapore-based company owned by ByteDance, TikToks parent company.

TechCrunch uncovered a trademark application for Trendy Beat in the U.S., signaling that the feature may expand further in the West.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, June 28, 2023

Search engines are once again under fire from some of the top news publishers. The New York Times, News Corp, and IAC are among the companies that are discussing the formation of a coalition to address how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) will impact advertising, websites, search, content, and more.

Other publishing giants involved include Vox Media, Advance, and Axel Springer, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter.

And while a coalition might not be formed, the challenge is on the mind of publishing executives and company lawyers attempting to secure copyrights and intellectual property rights for content.

As the WSJ points out, collaboration among competitive publishers is rare, and the talks are indicative of the existential threat generative AI technology represents both to the industry and society.

GAI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create various types of content such as text, images and audio.

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Publishers are concerned about tools that provide information directly to users, eliminating the need to follow links from search engines such as Google and Bing to information sources, such as articles.

Behind the news publishers is the News Media Alliance, a group pushing for U.S. legislation that would allow publishers under a specific size to collectively negotiate for compensation from Google, Facebook, and others that aggregate content in news feeds.

For years, publishers have had concerns about search engines and social platforms scraping news content and turning summaries into snippets that appear on the platforms.

GAI makes it easier for search engines to provide a comprehensive summary of articles and content without requiring the reader to click through to the publisher.

Firstly, our content is being harvested and scraped and otherwise ingested to train AI engines, News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson said at a recent industry event, per the WSJ. Secondly, individual stories will be surfaced in specific searches. And thirdly, our content will be synthesized and presented as distinct when it is actually an extracting of editorial essence.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman earlier this year told the WSJ that the company has considered and done a lot with fair use, a legal provision that allows for copyright material to be used without permission in certain circumstances. Altman also said OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT-4, has struck deals for content, when warranted.
by Ray Schultz , June 28, 2023

Fake news has spread so rapidly that only 48.2% of Americans are confident they can recognize false information on social media, according to a study by BonusFinder.com published for World Social Media Day on June 30.

Of the consumers polled, 46.3% admit they have fallen victim to fake news, 41.76% have believed a phony story, and 30.3% have shared information that later turned out to be false.

Men claim to be the least gullible in this regard: 62.13% say they can spot a fraud, versus 35.1% of women. Of non-binary/non confirming individuals, 33.33% say they can detect a fake.

But geography may be a more telling variable:. 87.5% of Oregonians confessed they would struggle to spot real information from false. Next were residents of Maryland and New Mexico (80%), Kansas (78.3%) and Missouri (75.8%).

In contrast, 76% of New Yorkers were confident in their ability to recognize fakes, followed by Nevada (67.3%) and Idaho (63.6%).

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Age is another factor: 69% of millennials are confident in their fake-spotting abilities, along with 51.3% of Gen Z and 42.7% of Gen X.

The least confident are baby boomers (29%) and members of the silent generation (18.2%).

In another finding, 47.46% believe they can tell the difference between a real and a fake video on social media.

In general, people are more confident that they can find a controversial opinion on social media: 53.47% say they can. Drilling down, that includes 66.17% of men, 41.65% of women, 22.22% of the trans-gendered and 50% of non-binary.

On another front, 44.54% have had an argument with someone on social media, and 28.19% have done so with a celebrity.

Conspiracies and misinformation are thriving in social media as the technologies advance faster than societys understanding of them, says Fintan Costello, managing director of BonusFinder.com.

Costello adds, In the digital landscape where imagination runs wild and the line between fact and fiction gets increasingly blurred, it is more important than ever to learn to discern the fake information from the truth."



BonusFinder.com surveyed 3,015 U.S. respondents.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, June 29, 2023

Search on ecommerce websites and across enterprises has improved in the past few years but still, most of the technology is not on par with Google or Bing.

On ecommerce sites, consumers often cannot find what they want and abandon their search without making a purchase. On enterprise sites, employees often spend hours searching for the documents and information they need to finish a project.

Peter Curran, GM digital commerce at Lucidworks, believes the company has changed that, and attributes various types of artificial intelligence (AI) to making search much better. Large enterprises have complicated ways to serve the market, which makes it more difficult to find information across internal platforms, he said.

The company makes search technology for two reasons: ecommerce websites where people buy things online, and onsite search across company databases and cloud servers for employees looking for things like contracts or client records.

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Lucidworks commissioned Forrester Research to build a Total Economic Impact Study on the company. The study required Forrester to interview five customers and create a composite organization, a combination of two or more organizational structures, such as design, manufacturing, and retail. This organization has 1,000 employees that generated ecommerce revenue of $750 million annually.

The interviews and financial analysis found that the composite organization would benefit by $17.48 million over three years versus costs of $3.56 million, adding up to a net present value (NPV) of $13.92 million and an ROI of 391%. The results beat scores compared with competitors such as Algolia, and Elastic Search, including a 391% three-year ROI.

For example, a very large, unnamed B2B ecommerce IT distributor participated in the study. The company sells keyboards, laptops and other electronics, and supports between 50,000 to 100,000 custom catalogs for its customers. The laptop the company sells to Boeing is different than the one sold to Honda because the laptop is configured differently.

If a consumer buys a jar of mayonnaise on the East Coast vs. the West Coast the name of the brand will differ, such as Hellmans vs Best Foods, Curran said. He added that the platform offers an alternative to out-of-stock items in its ecommerce platform.

The objective of building the composite framework and conducting the study was to identify the cost, benefit, flexibility, and risk factors that affect investment decisions.

Forrester took a multistep approach to evaluate the impact that Lucidworks can have with an organization.
The prevalence of polymelia alone in the Indian population is difficult to ascertain; however, the prevalence of birth defects as a whole is 61 to 69.9/1000 live births. Since polymelia is an extremely rare condition, it is plausible that it forms only a minute fraction of the total prevalence of birth defects.

Polymelia is a rare birth defect in which the affected individual has more than the usual number of limbs, usually five or more limbs. In this congenital defect, the extra limb is most commonly abnormal in shape and size and may appear as a shrunken limb. The presence of extra limbs, higher than the normal number is technically termed as supernumerary limbs. Polymelia can be in the form of dipygus deformity , which is a severe congenital anomaly in which the body axis forks along the abdomen and the lower extremities such as the pelvis and legs become duplicated, giving rise to two pelvises and four legs.

The type of polymelia depends on the position at which the accessory limb is attached to the body. Thus, polymelia can be classified as follows:

Cephalomelia: Extra-limb attached to the head

Extra-limb attached to the head Pyromelia: Extra-limb attached to the pelvis

Extra-limb attached to the pelvis Thoracomelia: Extra-limb attached to the thorax

Extra-limb attached to the thorax Notomelia: Extra-limb attached to the backbone

Polymelia can be caused by one of several factors:

Genetic Factors: These include defects in the chromosomes and transgenes. One or more genes may undergo a change, technically termed a mutation. Sometimes, a part of a gene may be missing. These changes can result in improper cell division and/or proliferation, leading to polymelia. In this genetic birth disorder, conjoined twins can sometimes be formed in which one of them undergoes degeneration while still in the womb, but its shrunken limbs may remain attached to the remaining fetus, thereby giving rise to polymelia.

External Factors: Exposure to infectious agents, medications, and chemicals during pregnancy can influence the pattern of gene expression that can lead to polymelia. The thalidomide disaster is a classic example, where pregnant women consumed an innocuous cough syrup containing the drug thalidomide and gave birth to children having multiple limb defects like polymelia, amelia, phocomelia, polydactyly, abnormal hand position (AHP), limb reduction defects (LRD), and arthrogryposis. Exposure to the rubella virus, commonly known as German measles, as well as toxic chemicals such as hydrocarbons, can also give rise to congenital birth defects.

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The signs and symptoms of polymelia are quite obvious. These include presence of limbs that are more than the normal number. This congenital anomaly is responsible for the extra number of limbs, as a result of which more than two arms or more than two legs are formed. Sometimes the limbs may be rudimentary or may be greatly deformed and disproportionate in size.

Prenatal (prior to birth) screening of fetuses while still in the womb offers a convenient way to identify birth defects associated with abnormalities in the limbs, so that timely preventive measures can be instituted. Prenatal diagnosis should be carried out by a multidisciplinary medical team so that a proper diagnosis can be established and institution of possible treatment strategies such as orthopedic surgery can be planned.

Commonly used diagnostic strategies include the following:

Fetal Ultrasonography: Fetal ultrasonography is the diagnostic tool of choice for detection of visible fetal abnormalities such as limb defects. Ultrasonography can effectively reveal the presence of polymelia, while the fetus is still in the womb. The general build of the patients body, fetal position, quality of the ultrasound machine, and operator skill have a major impact on the diagnostic efficacy of prenatal ultrasonography.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): MRI can be used to detect fetal limb abnormalities. However, this technique is very rarely used in clinical practice for detecting fetal malformations, largely due to lack of knowledge of fetal anatomy and pathology, which is required for proper interpretation of the images.

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Crucial Information Impacting Diagnosis: The medical history of the mother as well as a detailed family history influences a correct diagnosis. Therefore, the following aspects should be considered:

Maternal History:

Diabetes mellitus

Propensity for formation of blood clots (hypercoagulability)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or other autoimmune diseases

Myotonic dystrophy

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Exposure to teratogens

Family History:

Congenital limb abnormalities

Recurrent miscarriage

Stillbirths

Mental retardation

Inherited disorders

Consanguinity

Treatment requires surgery to detach the soft tissue between the false limb(s) and other adjacent structures. Typically, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon would carry out the operation under general anesthesia. The surgery is quite complicated and involves the removal of the extra limbs from the body, taking utmost care not to excise other structures. A successful surgery is a life-changing event for the infant. However, the surgery can sometimes lead to disability and other complications.

Polymelia can be prevented by carrying out a thorough prenatal screening to detect any birth defects before the child is born. In case of any severe anatomical abnormalities such as supernumerary limbs, the gynecologist may advise the medical termination of pregnancy in a timely manner.

Health Tips
1 in 5000 babies are born with this problem where there is no opening at the anus; therefore the baby cannot pass stools normally. Often the opening is connected by a fistula to a wrong place. It may be in to the urinary tract in boys or the birth canal in girls. Sometimes there is no connection any where and these babies have bowel obstruction because this.

Detection of Ano Rectal Malformation

Babies generally pass the first black stool within few hours; if this does not happen one has to inspect the bottom for presence of a normal anal opening; in babies with this problem it is absent or very narrow or wrongly located.

Problems of Ano Rectal Malformation

30% of these babies can have kidney problems; 25% - 50% can have problems with spine and spinal cord. They may also have cardiac problems, limb anomalies; and problems in food pipe (Oesophageal atresia and tracheo oesophageal fistula).

The new opening created becomes narrow (anal stenosis) in 20-30% requiring dilatation or further revision surgery. Constipation is a problem in 30-40%. Soiling and poor control of stools can be a problem in 30-40%. These problems are more in children with high anomaly and associated spinal problem. There can also be problems with urine control in children with associated spinal defects.

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Treatment of Ano Rectal Malformation

The paediatric surgeon has to assess whether the problem is a low one or high one. If the bowel ends low, especially in a boy child, a single operation to establish communication called anoplasty is performed. If the bowel ends higher or in a girl child, two stage operation is required. The immediate treatment is to create a stoma (colostomy); where bowel opening is created on the surface of tummy. This involves general anaesthesia. Once the stoma starts working (2-3 days) feeds can be started. The stoma enables the baby to pass stools normally, feed and grow.

The definitive operation involves a pull through performed at around 8-12 months, where the bowel is pulled down and stitched to the normal anal location. It is done under general anaesthesia and involves 7-8 days stay.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that typically appears during the first two years of life. It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.

This article focuses on autistic disorder or classic autism.

Autism results due to a neurological disorder that affects the normal brain function. There is no single cause known for autism.

As compared to a normal child, autistic children do not reach the developmental milestones like crawling, walking or saying the first word on time. Autistic children are not slow learners or of a lesser intelligence quotient (IQ).

Instead, they are very special children who have difficulty in communication and social interaction. They often come across as those who remain engrossed with restricted and repetitive behavior patterns. No two people with autism will have exactly the same symptoms. Therefore, health care providers think of autism as a spectrum disorder.

Autism lasts a lifetime. It begins in childhood and persists into adolescence and adulthood. Some may be able to live independent and productive lives while others might have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support.

There is no cure, but there are quite a few treatment options available for autistic children. Psychosocial interventions include behavior and communication therapies and medicines to control symptoms. Early treatment can be beneficial to autistic children and can make their life much easier and help them become self-reliant.

Children with mild autism may be integrated into the general society with treatment and guidance. But most people with autism are often subjected to stigma, discrimination and human rights violation. Globally they lack adequate services and support systems. Thus interventions have to be combined with broader actions that would include them in mainstream society.

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occurs in 1 in 160 children worldwide.

This estimate is an average and is on the lower side. Some controlled studies predict higher numbers.

Prevalence in many low-and middle-countries is still unknown.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 1 in 68 children in the United States to have autism-related disorders. This has increased compared to a number of 1 in 88 kids in 2012.

It is estimated that prevalence is increasing globally due to awareness, better diagnostic tools and criteria and better reporting.

There is no single cause for autism. Most cases involve a complex and variable combination of genetic risks and environmental factors that influence early child development.

Genetics: That autism disorder has a genetic basis is evident due to a pattern of autism in many families.

Around 100 genes have been identified that are related to autism and around 60 genes have more than a 90% chance of contributing to autism.

A number of rare gene changes or mutations have also been associated with autism. These gene changes termed de novo mutations or new mutations appear spontaneously in sporadic cases where there is no family history of autism. They contribute to the risk of the disease.

According to a study conducted in California and published in the journal Cell, de novo mutations mostly thought of as spelling mistakes that change a single letter of the DNA code are now believed to be actually structural variants where there are insertions or deletions of entire words or sequences of the DNA code. The rate at which these mutations occur is at a surprisingly high level of 20%.

The study says that autistic children do not seem to have more mutations compared to neurotypical children but the mutations present in them are more likely to disrupt genes that are involved in brain development.

Epigenetic Factors: In the presence of a genetic predisposition to autism, influences by epigenetic factors (non-genetic or environmental in nature) can increase a childs risk to autism. Nutrition, drugs and mental stress are some of the epigenetic factors.

Epigenetic changes occur when the bases in the DNA are modified rather than its sequence.

Research is still going on to find out more about the risk factors that can increase the chance of a baby being born with autistic disorder.

Some of these factors include -

Diet

Exposure to pesticides and phthalates

Drugs like terbutaline to stop premature birth

Valproic acid used to control seizures

Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers

Mercury poisoning

Inability of the body to make proper use of vitamins and minerals

Vaccine sensitivity owing to thimerosal that is a common preservative in multi-dose vaccines.

According to a research report in American Journal of Epidemiology, some possible causes of autism are related to the process of birth and related environment such as:

Breech position of the baby or difficulties in delivery that might reduce oxygen supply to babys brain

Low Apgar score (Apgar score is the index used to assess the condition of a newborn at birth and at five minutes after birth.)

Parental history of schizophrenia or similar forms of psychosis, depression, and bipolar disorder

Advanced parental age at the time of conception

Maternal illness during pregnancy

Children suffering from autism are affected in three ways -

1. Communication problem with their parents and people around them

Problems in communication are one of the key symptoms of autistic children.

They talk very less. The level of communication varies with each child. Some children remain mute for life.

They are slow in picking up language skills. It may be as late as 5 or 6 years of age.

Autistic children may speak using only a word or two to form a sentence, or be monosyllabic. At times, they may simply repeat the words that are being said to them.

They find it difficult to understand the cues of conversation and the nuances of how communication bounces back to and fro from a set of participants.

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2. Problems with Social Interaction

Autistic children have problems with social interactions.

They cannot make new friends.

The children remain withdrawn and do not play interactive games.

They avoid eye contact or may not respond to eye contact or smiles.

They prefer to spend time alone.

They exhibit lack of empathy.

3. Repetitive Behavior

Repetitive behavior is also an integral part of the world of autistic children.

They get stuck at a single play or topic. Autistic children can spend hours lining up cars or objects, or get engrossed in a particular type of behavior involving any object.

Autistic children get upset if anyone disturbs their work, accidentally or otherwise. Their world moves in a set pattern and anything that disturbs the pattern upsets them. Even their daily routines need to be followed in exactly the same manner.

They exhibit repetitive body movements.

Diagnosis is important for autistic children, because the earlier they are diagnosed, their chances of improvement and blending into the general society remain higher.

Early treatment can bring enormous beneficial effect on autistic children. Yet only about 50% of the autistic children in the preschool age are diagnosed on time.

Early Diagnosis: Autism is evaluated by the behavioral characteristics of the children. Children below the age of three may be diagnosed as autistic if they have one or more impairments in the area of communication, socialization, or restricted behavior. This is diagnosed during the baby checkups in the first two years of life. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a screening test also if the child has siblings or other family members with autism or are born preterm or with a low birth weight.

Some possible ways to identify autism is if the child does not -

Babble or baby talk by 12 months

Point out things by the end of first year.

Utter a word by the middle of the second year.

Speak two-word sentences by the end of two years

Respond to their own name

Make eye contact

Interact socially

Play with toys

Laugh or smile

Once diagnosed with autism, additional evaluation has to be done by health specialists as there is no biological test for diagnosing autism. Specialists like a developmental pediatrician, a child psychologist or psychiatrist or a speech-language pathologist can assess cognitive and language abilities and age appropriate skills needed to perform daily self chores.

Late Diagnosis: Sometimes signs of autism are missed when younger. They may be diagnosed later when

Older children have difficulties in subtle communication and have trouble understanding sarcastic tones or humor.

Adults realize they are socially withdrawn and verbally challenged.

Autism cannot be treated by drugs but a combination of various interventions may be used to get the maximum benefit for an autistic child.

Interventions commonly practiced are the following:

1. Behavioral programs address social skills, attention, sleep, play, anxiety, parent interaction and challenging behaviors. Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) is the basis of behavioral therapy that tracks a childs progress in improving his skill.

Lovaas Method

The Lovaas method was developed by Ivar Lovaas, Ph.D., at the UCLA Clinic for the Behavioral Treatment of Children. This is a behavior modification therapy which works with some children. This takes one-to-one interactions for about 40 hours a week. It is also known as Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) and teaches skills in a controlled step-by-step way.

2. Education and Learning Programs:

TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children

TEACCH is not a learning aid, rather it is a behavior management program designed to integrate predictable behavior for an appropriate social situation in an autistic child. This helps the child learn the skills necessary for self-care. The program uses structured learning methods to teach behavior modifications. This increases the child's affinity for routines and rituals that keeps them happy, but leaves little scope for the child to accept transitions and changes. The method works quite well with low functioning autistic children.

3. Medications:

Medications to a certain extent will be able to help relieve the symptoms of the autistic child in controlling behavior and other expressions of the disorder but not the cause. With medications, the parents may find it easier to handle their autistic children.

Antipsychotics like risperidone and aripiprazole should be used only in children with severe symptoms as they have intense side effects. They help reduce emotional distress, aggression, hyperactivity and self-injury.

like risperidone should be used only in children with severe symptoms as they have intense side effects. They help reduce emotional distress, aggression, hyperactivity and self-injury. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors or antidepressants like fluoxetine and citalopram.

or like fluoxetine and citalopram. Stimulants and other hyperactivity drugs like methylphenidate , guanfacine and a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

like methylphenidate and a combination of Chelation therapy that uses substances to remove heavy metals from the body when they are considered to be the cause.

4. Other Treatments and Therapies:

Sensory Integration Therapy

In this process, children are made aware of their senses like rolling, swinging, jumping and spinning by physically experiencing them. This is done by special therapists who are trained to use such methods.

Play Therapy

The therapist plays with the child and lets the child guide the sessions. The aim is to help the child communicate and learn the everyday functions of daily life.

Music Therapy

This therapy uses music, including singing to music, playing instruments, and movements with music. This helps the children with developmental disabilities as it uses nonverbal interactions and facilitates play to encourage the children to socialize with others.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

This method is designed to increase communication skills. The training manual written by Lori Frost, MS and Dr. Andrew Bondy provides all the necessary information to implement PECS effectively.

Auditory Integration Training (AIT)

Originally meant as an intervention to cure deafness, this therapy tries to increase a person's sensitivity to distinguish sounds at different frequencies. For certain kinds of autism this therapy gives result especially in making such children lose some of their aversions to certain sounds.

Autism is a unique disorder that differs from child to child whose prognosis is influenced by the cause of the disease and the presence of any other condition present in the child.

While speech problems and other symptoms might reduce when older, the core problems like social interactions remain.

Some experts suggest that factors like

An intelligent quotient (IQ) above 50

Ability to speak before age six

Having a useful skill

can help in a better outcome.

The prognosis for autistic individuals has vastly improved compared to 30 years ago due to the timing and the level of interventions. Some adults with autism work in mainstream jobs while others work in special environments supervised by managers trained to work with people with learning disabilities.

Communication and social interactions are the main difficulties they face all the way from home, to school and later at work. Hence they continuously need encouragement and moral support to help them lead independent lives.
Marburg hemorrhagic fever first became significant during an outbreak in Marburg and Frankfurt - Germany when infected monkeys brought for research purposes from Uganda caused an accidental spread among humans.

Marburg fever is caused by the Marburg viruses - Marburg virus (MARV) and the Ravn (RAVV) virus, which are animal viruses wherein the initial infection arises from an animal to human contact, after which it spreads through person-to-person contact. The Marburg virus is highly virulent, capable of setting off an outbreak with many fatalities.

Marburg and Ebola virus diseases are clinically similar and viruses that cause them belong to Filoviridae family (filovirus).

The virus is native to the African fruit bat Rousettus Aegyptiacus and the bat does not show any symptoms of the disease. Primates (monkeys and humans) when infected with the virus display severe symptoms.

From time to time sporadic cases of Marburg fever are seen in Uganda, mostly when workers from the Mining Industry come in contact with infected bats. Poor hygiene and personal care result in spread of the fever among the community.

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Spread of the Virus from animals-to-humans occurs through:

Contact with body fluids : Contact with blood while killing the animals or while cooking or eating the infected animals will result in spread of the virus. Scientists who studied infected monkeys have also been found to contract the disease.

: Contact with blood while killing the animals or while cooking or eating the infected animals will result in spread of the virus. Scientists who studied infected monkeys have also been found to contract the disease. Contact with bat guano: Mine workers and tourists who come in contact with wastes from bat like urine and faeces also get infected.

Spread from person-to-person:

Although this virus originates from animals, person-to-person spread is very rapid and occurs when there is contact with the infected individual. An infected person does not become infectious nor will not spread the infection till the individual begins to display symptoms of the disease:

Caregiver - Relatives or friends who look after the infected person are often infected as they fail to protect themselves appropriately

- Relatives or friends who look after the infected person are often infected as they fail to protect themselves appropriately Doctors and other hospital staff - Doctors and hospital staff who treat patients may be associated with an accidental cut leading to spread of the disease

- Doctors and hospital staff who treat patients may be associated with an accidental cut leading to spread of the disease Re-using injections and syringes- Reusing injections or using the same syringe for multiple patients will result in the spread of the disease. Cash torn hospitals in Africa witness extensive spread of the disease due to reusing of the syringes.

Researchers - Research scientists who handle primates for their experiments are also at increased risk of infection.

- Research scientists who handle primates for their experiments are also at increased risk of infection. Preparing the dead for burial- The disease spreads when people prepare the body for burial without protective gear.

The incubation period of Marburg fever ( i.e. time interval from infection to onset of symptoms) varies from 2 to 21 days. Symptoms include the following:

Maculopapular rashes that develop in the head, neck and stomach

High fever

Severe headache

Chills

Nausea

Vomiting

Abdomen pain

Cramping

Muscle pain

Sore throat

Chest pain

Fatigue

Watery diarrhea

Joint pain

Excessive weight loss

Delirium

Jaundice

Severe haemorrhagic manifestations result in some form of bleeding from multiple areas like the nose, ear, gums and rectum. Death is largely due to severe hemorrhage.

The curious factor about this virus is though there is no cure or vaccination for this disease, some people survive while others do not. The reason behind this remains unknown. People who do recover from the fever, do so after a long period of time, sometimes even take months to regain their strength, They may exhibit the following signs:

Inflammation of the eye, liver or the testis, or all three

Loss of hair

Headaches

Excessive weight loss

Sensory changes

Hepatitis

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Initially Marburg fever resembles malaria or typhoid, which makes diagnosis difficult. This is especially true when the case is unique and not part of an outbreak. The risk is determined by whether

The individual has travelled to Africa or Marburg fever prone areas in the recent past

The individual was associated with a person/animal infected with the virus

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is detected by a number of different tests:

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Assay

Isolating the virus by cell culture

Antigen detection tests

There is no specific anti-viral drug for the Marburg virus, nor is there any vaccination, though scientists are working almost overtime to find effective means of protection. Studies have shown that mutations in the glycoprotein of the virus are responsible for their successful evasion of the immune system. During infection, the host immune cells recognize certain regions of the virus which help them host an immune response. However, the Marburg virus has been found to have structural flexibility that prevents recognition by the hosts immune system, which results in the flourishing spread of the disease.

Treatment for Marburg fever, therefore, depends on the symptoms exhibited by the host.

Blood pressure monitoring and maintenance

Oxygen support

Fluid administration

Treatment of secondary infections

Blood transfusions

Though there are no specific treatment methods for Marburg hemorrhagic virus in humans, there are several studies that are being carried out on primates like monkeys and apes. Notable of those is the use of Si RNA. Sixteen monkeys were infected with the virus and injected with the Si RNA at varying stage of the disease progression, from 30 minutes after injection of the virus to 3 days. All monkeys that were injected with the Si RNA survived while the controlled monkeys which did not receive the Si RNA injection died.

Other studies detail the identification of new antibodies that are found to be effective against Marburg virus.

A disease of any kind is detrimental to health and more so with Marburg fever as there is no specific treatment while the virus is highly virulent. Therefore, it is better to be cautious to safeguard health.
Among the various causes of hearing loss , noise-induced hearing loss is a significant occupational health hazard. Industrial audiology is a branch of audiology that deals with persons who face hearing problems due to noise at work place. Workers of certain industries and occupations who are at risk of noise-induced hearing loss include:

Factories for garments, machinery and manufacturing items

Construction

Jobs involving loud music like musicians and orchestra conductors

Mining industry

Jobs involving the personnel to use drilling and other machinery

Airline ground maintenance

Truck, bus or train drivers

Agriculture and farming with machinery

Military, police and firefighters

Sources of non-occupational noise include high-volume music and church bands and exposure to noise from traffic during travel. Children may be exposed to high levels of noise from some toys that make noise; they may be affected by long term exposure to traffic noises.

Hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise is the major avoidable cause of permanent hearing loss. Frequent exposure to loud sounds for a long period of time can result in damage to hair cells of the inner ear that are the sensory receptive cells of sounds that pass on the information of sound to the auditory nerve. Loud sounds cause numbness to these hair cells, but if the period of exposure to these loud sounds is prolonged, the cells can be permanently damaged.

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The World Health Organization defines disabling hearing impairment in adults when the permanent hearing threshold is 41 decibels or greater. The audiogram of a person with noise-induced hearing loss typically shows a dip in the high frequencies, while the hearing thresholds at lower frequencies may lie within the normal limits.

Damage to the hearing due to loud music or other types of noise exposure depends on the pitch, loudness and the duration of exposure to noise. However, since hearing loss is not painful, the gradual decrease in hearing sensitivity usually goes unnoticed. Some symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss include tinnitus, feelings of pressure or fullness in the ears and reduced speech discrimination in a group conversation.

Excessive noise exposure also causes other problems including the following:

Tinnitus that can cause stress and depression if exists for long hours

Increased cardiovascular disease risk due to stress

Increased risk of accident and injury

Psychological effects like irritability and depression

Cognitive deficits like memory loss and impaired decision making, due to psychological disturbances

Industrial Audiology

Industrial audiology services are provided by audiologists who cater to the workers susceptible to occupational hazard of being exposed to loud noises. Detailed audiological assessment is carried out for the personnel and comprehensive and accurate reports on hearing and noise assessments are provided. Preventive measures of noise-induced hearing loss are advised and relevant measures are taken.

The role of an industrial audiologist in the occupational hearing conservation program includes designing, implementing and coordinating occupational and community hearing loss prevention programs. The hearing conservation program includes workplace noise sampling, educating workers and employers about noise levels and harm it can do to hearing, continuous hearing assessment programs, evaluating candidacy for hearing protection devices and evaluating the effectiveness of the noise control programs.

Identification and amelioration of noise-hazardous conditions: Identification of situations, environments and sources of loud sounds has to be done. Ideally, all worker exposures to noise should be controlled below at a level equivalent to 85 decibels with exposure duration not more than 8 hours to minimize occupational noise induced hearing loss. Levels of noise, sources of noise and the duration of the presence of noise have to be identified in the workplace. The noise may be continuous, variable, intermittent or impulsive and these patterns also may be responsible for damage to hearing.

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Measuring workplace noise levels and conditions: Work place noise levels have to be measured using sound level meter or noise dosimeter to find out the exact levels of prevailing noise. Subjective indicators of potentially hazardous noise levels include the following conditions:

Noise level inside is louder than a busy traffic noise.

Raising voice to talk to people standing 3 feet away.

Using higher volume levels of television or radio after being exposed to loud noise.

Audiometric evaluation, identification of hearing loss and monitoring: Continuous and ongoing evaluation of hearing testing and monitoring can help in identifying temporary threshold shifts in hearing caused by noise. A typical audiogram for a noise-induced hearing loss shows hearing loss in higher frequencies. Pre-employment hearing evaluation, base-line hearing evaluation, monitoring hearing test and action plan for hearing conservation are the basic steps taken. Inspection of ear canals and middle ear for presence of wax and infections need to be checked periodically.

Employee educational programs on prevention of exposure to loud noises: Seminars and workshops have to be conducted on regular basis to educate about how employees can protect themselves from being exposed to loud noises. The education and motivation sessions is held for both management and employees, so that everyone can understand that hearing conservation is a matter of high priority. Employees can also be encouraged to contribute by raising questions and concerns and also by pointing out the procedures that are not practically implementable. Alternatives can be suggested, too.

Engineering and administrative controls to prevent noise exposure: Engineering controls of noise levels include structural modifications of the place or replacing the noisy equipments with low-noise tools and machinery. Maintenance and lubrication of machinery and equipments can alleviate the noise to a certain extent. Distance or barriers between the sound source and the employee must be safe, or better still the noisy machinery can be enclosed in a cabin or room. Sound absorbers and sound proofing of the structures close to the noise production can be done to dampen the loud sounds.

Administrative controls include adjustments like:

Operating noisy machines when less number of people are working

Limited amount of time allotted to persons working close to noise source

Providing quiet areas and intervals to help the hearing to recover

Positioning of workers away from the source of noisy machines.

Hearing Protective Devices (HPD): A personal hearing protection device is a device that can reduce the level of sound entering the ear. Evaluation of a suitable hearing protective device has to be done. Some of the ear protective devices include earmuffs, ear plugs, ear canal caps and custom-made earplugs. The employees requirements, personal preferences, noise exposure levels, hearing ability, mobility and other work environment factors are some of the things to be considered while advising a suitable protective device. Ensuring that these devices protect hearing effectively requires constant monitoring with hearing tests, active participation of management, employees and the professionals involved in the hearing loss prevention program operators.

An effective hearing conservation program must be implemented by employers in industries where the workers are exposed to sounds more than 85 decibels for a period of 8 hours or more. The hearing conservation program must aim to prevent occupational hearing loss, preserve and protect hearing ability, educate the management and employees to take preventive measures seriously and conserve their hearing.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the large intestines. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis are repeated attacks of pain, diarrhea and bleeding from the rectum. The disease also has long periods of remission when a patient is free of attacks followed by relapse or recurrence. Though the disease does not have any age or sex predilection, it often tends to affect younger individuals.

This inflammatory bowel disease closely mimics another disease called Crohn's disease that also falls under the same category and presents a similar picture of pain, bleeding from the rectum and loose stools.

Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis differ in that ulcerative colitis almost always involves only the large bowel whereas Crohn's can occur in any part of the digestive tract.

Ulcerative colitis tends to run in families and was for some reason is not seen in Asians, Africans, South Americans and people from Eastern Europe. The incidence is higher in Whites and people of Jewish descent however increasing globalization is reducing this trend.

Ulcerative colitis affects less than 0.1% of the population and has an incidence of 35 to 1100 per 100,000 in the United States.

Though the cause is unknown, it is touted to be an immune-linked disorder; an attack, responds to steroids and immunosuppressant drugs. Like other diseases of immune origin, there is no cure for ulcerative colitis.

The severity of ulcerative colitis symptoms depends on the extent of involvement of the intestines, with limited involvement causing milder symptoms. Extensive involvement or pan colitis can give rise to repeated diarrhea, bleeding, and severe crampy pain, necessitating intense medical treatment. The chronic form of the disease gives the patient a wasted look. Malcolm B. Docherty, M.D, wrote about the chronic disease as follows -

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"Oh give me carcinoma of the spine.

Or crazed from lues let my spirit fly;

But suffer not misfortune to be mine

From Chronic Ulcerative colitis to waste away and die."

A fulminant colitis with fever or perforation may require surgery.

Barium enemas were used in the past to diagnose the condition, nowadays; actual visualization of the ulcers with biopsy is possible with the help of a colonoscopy.

Regular follow up is mandatory in those with early onset and long duration of illness as this condition can often lead to colonic cancer in the long run.

Interesting To Know

The first description of Ulcerative Colitis dates back to 640 BC and many physicians up to 170 AD including Hippocrates described a condition with a type of chronic diarrhea associated with blood and ulcerations of the bowel. Ulcerative Colitis as a specific pathology was described by Wilks and Moxon in 1875 and they called it "Inflammation of the large intestine or idiopathic colitis". Crohn's disease of the colon was not recognized as a separate entity until May 13, 1932 when Dr. Crohn presented a paper on "Terminal Ileitis" to the American Medical Association; this was published later that year with the title "Regional Ileitis: A Pathologic and Chronic Entity," under the authorship of Crohn, Ginzburg and Oppenheimer.
Urinary Incontinence is an uncontrollable urinary leakage. Normally, during urination muscles in the bladder tighten to move urine into the tube-shaped urethra. At the same time, the muscles around the urethra (urinary sphincter) relax and let the urine pass out of the body. When the bladder muscles and / or the sphincter muscles dont work the way they should, urine can leak. It can be temporary or persistent and is more common with aging. Women are more commonly affected compared to men, and this can be attributed to hormonal changes, pregnancy .

Pregnancy Due Date Calculator, childbirth, and anatomy of the urogenital tract. Many women experience urinary incontinence at some stage in their lives and small amount of urine leakage can occur due to laughing or a cough or due to lifting heavy items(1 Trusted Source

Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults



Go to source).

Urinary incontinence can cause significant morbidity and lead to depression. It can also cause skin problems. Fortunately, most patients can be effectively treated.

Stress incontinence - Urine leaks as a result of increased abdominal pressure which occurs with severe physical activity, exercise or lifting heavy object or even with cough or sneezing. Pelvic muscle weakness is the usual cause of stress incontinence.

Urine leaks as a result of increased abdominal pressure which occurs with severe physical activity, exercise or lifting heavy object or even with cough or sneezing. Pelvic muscle weakness is the usual cause of stress incontinence. Urge incontinence - This happens when there is a sudden urge to pass urine, but one is unable to visit the restroom in time due to bladder muscle irritability resulting from Urinary tract infection, Diabetes, and Neurological diseases.

This happens when there is a sudden urge to pass urine, but one is unable to visit the restroom in time due to bladder muscle irritability resulting from Urinary tract infection, Diabetes, and Neurological diseases. Overflow incontinence - Overflow incontinence occurs due to incomplete emptying of the bladder causing bladder distension with frequent or constant dribbling of urine. It is seen in patients with enlarged prostate, and neurological disorders.

Overflow incontinence occurs due to incomplete emptying of the bladder causing bladder distension with frequent or constant dribbling of urine. It is seen in patients with enlarged prostate, and neurological disorders. Functional incontinence - It is due to physical or psychological factors that interfere with reaching the restroom in time. Arthritis, Dementia are some of the causes of functional incontinence.

It is due to physical or psychological factors that interfere with reaching the restroom in time. Arthritis, Dementia are some of the causes of functional incontinence. Mixed incontinence - This is a combination of more than one type of incontinence(   Trusted Source

Urinary Incontinence



Go to source Trusted Source

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Temporary or short-term causes of incontinence can include:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and Incontinence

UTI is accompanied by other symptoms like frequency, dysuria or burning and urgency. It is only when the urgency is uncontrollable that it can lead to incontinence and this is called urge incontinence.

Episodes of UTI or cystitis in young women is not uncommon when they become sexually active. In fact Honeymoon Cystitis: The Unexpected Part of Your Vacation is well recognized that can affect recently married women.

Urinary tract infection in females is more common due to the short urethra and the proximity of the vagina and anal passage.

In male it usually occurs among children or after the age of 50 years.

Prostatitis affects men

It is the inflammation of the prostate gland. Common symptoms include increased frequency, urgency, dysuria, nocturia, weak stream, incomplete voiding, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle pains, and joint pains. The urgency can occasionally cause incontinence.

Urine analysis with culture, fractional urine studies with cytology, and transrectal ultrasound to check the prostate morphology are useful in making a diagnosis(3 Trusted Source

Overview of Overactive Bladder, Prostatitis, and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms for the Primary Care Physician



Go to source).

Pregnancy too can Cause incontinence

During pregnancy, the uterus places extra pressure on the bladder as it expands and causes incontinence which goes away in the weeks after delivery.

Medications as a cause: Diuretics, Sedatives, muscle relaxants and antidepressants.

Beverages / Food: Certain drinks (coffee, decarbonated drinks and alcohol), Spicy/citrus food, and Artificial sweeteners can lead to urgency and urge incontinence.

If the incontinence is long stranding and chronic further investigation maybe required to establish the diagnosis.

These include Stroke, Spinal injury, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple sclerosis, Brain tumor, among others can lead to urinary incontinence by interfering with the nerve signal that acts on the bladder/sphincter(4 Trusted Source

Urinary Incontinence in Neurological Disease



Go to source).

Multiple sclerosis and urinary incontinence

Multiple sclerosis is an immune-related inflammatory disorder affecting the central nervous system. It commonly presents with paresthesias, muscle cramping, bladder/bowel/sexual dysfunction, optical neuritis, ataxia, tremors, dysarthria, facial twitching with weakness, heat intolerance, cognitive problems, among others. The diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation and investigations. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spine, and lumbar puncture with Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis usually help in concluding the diagnosis. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis shows oligoclonal bands and intrathecal immunoglobulin G(5 Trusted Source

Urinary incontinence in multiple sclerosis: prevalence, severity and impact on patients' quality of life



Go to source).

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Spinal cord neoplasms as a cause of incontinence:

It is the tumor (primary tumor or metastatic tumor that has spread to the spinal cord) of the spinal cord causing compression of the cord, or the nerves that arise from the spinal cord innervating various organs like bladder, bowel, among others. The presentation varies depending upon the affected nerve.

Bowel dysfunction presents with urinary hesitancy, urinary incontinence or urinary retention. The diagnosis may be done with plain X - rays, MRI of the spine, nuclear scan of the spine, and by checking the post-voidal residual volume.

Spinal epidural abscess:

Spinal cord trauma as a cause of urinary incontinence:

It is the abscess in the epidural space of the spinal cord, which causes compression of the cord due to expansion leading to sensory and motor symptoms. Common symptoms related to bladder dysfunction include urinary hesitancy, urgency, incontinence, or retention of the urine Blood investigations and MRI of the spine are helpful in forming a diagnosis.This kind of trauma can result in sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunction. The presentation varies depending on the level of the injury. The loss of bladder control can result in urinary incontinence or incomplete voiding of the bladder.

Along with the history, plain X-ray of spine, MRI of the spine and measurement of the post-void residual volume using ultra sound helps in forming a diagnosis.

Long standing Diabetes:

Weakness of pelvic floor muscle in women is often caused by child birth

As the women age the hormonal changes after menopause can make the muscles even weaker. This can results in incontinence of both urine and bowel(   Trusted Source

Pelvic floor dysfunction



Go to source Trusted Source

Uterine prolapse:

The incontinence is due to increased production of urine and also due to peripheral neuropathy that can affect the bladder function.It is the descent of the uterus from its normal position through the pelvis into the vagina.

Common symptoms include feeling pressure in the pelvis with pain, pain during intercourse, urinary incontinence, feeling of urgency/frequency, excessive vaginal discharge, and protrusion of the tissue through the vagina. Pelvic ultrasound and blood investigations are helpful in forming a diagnosis.

Following prostate cancer surgery

After prostate surgery sometimes the urinary sphincter maybe damaged and can lead to incontinence.

After endoscopic or radical surgery of the prostate for cancer the sphincter muscle can get damaged leading to stress incontinence. This may require continence pads for a few days or months(7 Trusted Source

Post-prostatectomy incontinence: Etiology, evaluation, and management



Go to source).

Urinary incontinence is a symptom that can be seen in various conditions like:

Obstruction and Urinary Incontinence

Enlarged prostate:

Constipation:

Medical history:

Physical exam:

Urine samples:

Ultrasound:

Stress test:

Cytoscopy:

Urodynamic testing:

Pad test:

  Trusted Source

Diagnosis of Bladder Control Problems



Go to source Trusted Source

Frequently Asked Questions

This condition can cause in men over 50 years to suffer from frequency during both day and night, prolonged voiding, urgency and urge incontinence.can exert pressure on the bladder and can lead to incontinence.Frequency of urination, how often does leak happen and how much urine leaks each time, and how long have symptoms been present are some of the questions asked. While at home, it might be recommend to keep track of any leakage in a journal for a few days. All this information can help establish a pattern with leakage, which often points to a specific type of incontinence. History of other medical conditions and medications is also very important.To look for any physical reason that could be causing the incontinence. This could include looking for a distended bladder, neurological signs, doing a pelvic exam in women and checking the size of prostate in men.Urine analysis and Culture to test for infections or blood.This is a painless test that uses sound waves to create an image of your internal organs. This imaging test will allow to look at the bladder / prostate and assess the emptying ability of your bladder in a non-invasive way.During this test, the patient is asked to cough to see if any urine leaks due to this action. cystoscope is a thin flexible tube with a camera on the end that can be inserted into your urethra and bladder to get a close look at the inside the lower urinary tract.This testing involves several tests that check how much the bladder can hold and how well the urethral sphincter muscle is working. This testing may involve inserting a tube into the bladder that will fill the bladder up with fluid and measure the pressure in the bladder.Patient is given a pad to wear, which will catch any leaked urine. At the end of the test, this pad is weighed to see how much urine was lost().

1. Which doctor should I consult in case of Urinary incontinence?

It is best to consult a Urologist.

2. Who is at increased risk of getting urinary incontinence?

Factors like aging, obesity, diabetes, women (due to pregnancy, child birth, menopause, and female anatomy that lead to loss of strength in the pelvic muscles), and neurological disorders increase the risk of developing urinary incontinence.

3. What are the types of urinary incontinence?

Depending upon the mechanism causing urinary incontinence, there are various types. They are:

Stress incontinence

Urge incontinence/Overactive bladder

Functional incontinence

Overflow incontinence

Mixed incontinence

Transient incontinence

4. How is urinary incontinence diagnosed?

Urinary incontinence is diagnosed on the basis of symptoms, such as how often you are required to empty the bladder, when is it happening, and how often are you experiencing it, history of other medical conditions that you are having, medications that you are on, and related investigations. Tests like ultrasound abdomen, cystoscopy, urine analysis, and urodynamic studies are useful in concluding the cause for urinary incontinence.

5. What are the treatment options available for urinary incontinence?

Treatment may be with behavioural treatment, drugs, devices, and surgery. Certain lifestyle changes can also help cope with this situation.
A group of blue-throated bee-eaters gathered recently on a sandbar in Xiangyang, Hubei province. [Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of blue-throated bee-eaters gathered recently on a sandbar in Yuliangzhou, Xiangyang, Hubei province, attracting bird enthusiasts and nature lovers.

The birds, acclaimed by many as the most beautiful small birds in China, are known for their distinctive blue throats and feathers that display a variety of colors, including blue, green, chestnut and black.

In summer, the birds nest and breed in regions south of the Yangtze River. They are commonly found in open areas near the edges of forests and sparse woodlands, in shrubs and on grassy slopes.

A group of blue-throated bee-eaters gathered recently on a sandbar in Xiangyang, Hubei province. [Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of blue-throated bee-eaters gathered recently on a sandbar in Xiangyang, Hubei province. [Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A photo shows a blue-throated bee-eater on a sandbar in Xiangyang, Hubei province. [Photo by Zhang Xiaofeng/For chinadaily.com.cn]




Yellowstone County prosecutors have dropped criminal charges accusing a Billings Senior High School student of threatening a shooting.

The single count of intimidation filed against the student was dismissed after prosecutors found there was no evidence he actually authored a threatening message written inside a bathroom stall.

I am very happy with this outcome, said Tyler Dugger, who represented the student in court. It was certainly an ordeal for my client for the last six months. He wasnt able to attend school in person. He had to adhere to a curfew. He wasnt able to be a part of track and field.

In December 2022, the Gazette previously reported, the Billings Police Department confirmed that a Billings Senior High School had been arrested after officers investigated a threat posted to a social media account used by the student. The Billings Gazette is not identifying the student as he is a minor and still enrolled at Billings Senior High. The threat itself was a photo of a message written inside a bathroom stall warning of a shooting at the school. Following the students arrest by the school resource officer, Duggar said, a janitor washed away the original message.

The photo went viral, and was one of several threats made to schools in Billings and across the state that month that spurred lockdowns and an investigation from the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation. None of threats were substantiated and no students were harmed in the wake of the threats. Law enforcement attributed the threats to an elaborate hoax.

What my client did do was what millions of people do when they reach out using social media, Duggar said.

Duggar credited Hojae Chung with the Yellowstone County Attorneys Office for concluding the student was only using his First Amendment rights to make commentary.
Workers at the site of a collapsed railroad trestle that sent a train crashing into the Yellowstone river on Sunday have removed a second tanker car containing asphalt.

The bridge collapse derailed 17 train cars, 10 of which went into the water. The tankers that landed in the river were carrying molten sulfur and liquid asphalt. Both the sulfur and the asphalt solidified into chunks when it went into the water.

Construction of a causeway continued Wednesday to provide recovery workers access to the cars in the river. Additional site preparation work on the east side of the river will also improve access to the rail remaining cars.

Once the access work is complete, crews will begin transferring the contents of the derailed asphalt cars on the east side of the bridge that did not enter the river.

Representatives from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks have visited the site and implemented an emergency closure on portions of the Yellowstone River in Stillwater County.

The Yellowstone River is closed to all public access one mile upstream and 2.5 miles downstream of the Twin Bridges Road railroad bridge until further notice.

Unified Command personnel continue assessing asphalt material downstream, along with water and air quality monitoring. A shoreline assessment and cleanup plan is in progress based on assessment and monitoring data.

Strategies for assessing potential impacts are being developed. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) has been activated, and trained personnel are on-scene to provide veterinary care if needed.

For the safety of both the public and the animals, the public is advised not to touch or approach oiled or injured wildlife. Dogs should also be kept away. There have been no reports of impacted wildlife.

To report observed asphalt material submit information to: rpderailment@mtrail.com.

For more information, please visit the response websites at: https://response.epa.gov/stillwatertrainderailment
Army Spc. Daysha Cartagena and her husband, Staff Sgt. Isaiah Cortez, were looking forward to the birth of their daughter in October 2021. The pregnancy hadn't been easy; Cartagena's legs and ankles were swollen, and her blood pressure had been erratic.

When she began feeling contractions, Cartagena went to Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, where she was examined and sent home, told she wasn't ready yet to have her baby. She repeated the process two more times before finally returning to Womack, her contractions coming in painful waves seconds apart, the baby's heartbeat plummeting with each squeeze. Again, she was told she wasn't dilated enough to give birth, but by then, she was leaking brown, bloody fluid, and she was allowed to stay at the hospital.

It was the middle of the night, and Cartagena was given medication to move the process along. By 6 a.m., the doctors on call decided she needed an emergency Cesarean section. Three hours later, she had the surgery, but by then, her daughter's heartbeat was faint, she was pale and barely breathing.

Read Next: Research on Psychedelics, Marijuana as Alternative Treatment for Vets Advancing in Congress

"She was blue. She didn't scream. And there was this sudden shift inside the room as [the staff] looked at each other. It's like panic inside that room," Cartagena said during a recent interview with Military.com.

Cartagena's daughter's Apgar score -- a health assessment of a baby at birth on a 10-point scale, with 10 being the goal -- was 2.

The baby, Mya, was flown by civilian helicopter to WakeMed in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a process in which a person's blood is removed from their body, scrubbed free of carbon dioxide and then oxygenated and circulated back through.

It had been determined that Mya had inhaled and swallowed meconium -- a baby's first bowel movement -- during labor, which can cause constriction of the airways, respiratory distress, pneumonia, brain damage resulting from an oxygen deficiency and death.

Mya's parents believe the problem was tied to the long labor and delayed C-section.

The baby was transferred to Duke Medical Center, where she spent two weeks on ECMO and six weeks total, hospitalized.

Then the bills came: $12,166.40 for the air ambulance; $61,634.80 from WakeMed; $594,564.88 from DukeHealth.

The dual military couple uses sick call or military health facilities for their own health care and never had seen a medical bill for themselves. They contacted the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System and the Defense Department's health program, Tricare, to ensure that Mya was enrolled. They sought help from customer service at Womack and legal experts.

Nothing worked. When the collections letters and calls started coming -- at home, at work, on the couples' cell phones -- Cartagena asked other Army moms on social media about medical debt, but no one seemed to be facing such enormous bills.

In frustration, Cortez turned to Reddit, posting a snapshot of the latest balance he owed Duke: $633,455.81.

"We've been dealing with tricare [sic] for over a year trying to get them to pay the medical bills and they keep giving us the run around saying that it's been resolved but a month later we'd get calls from billing telling me the authorizations have been denied," Cortez posted. "Has anyone dealt with this before or know which avenues I can take?"

He received a slew of responses and upvotes, offering suggestions, advice and empathy.

And then one response, from Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston's public affairs shop, wrote "Dm me."

Cortez sent a direct message. And within hours, he said, "Magically everybody wants to help." While Grinston's office does not respond to every plea for assistance or complaint from soldiers on the internet, the enormity of the bill and Cortez's own admission that he had contacted Tricare and was being told he needed to complete a malpractice claims form with Womack before the civilian bills were paid drew Army leadership's attention, according to a service member familiar with the proceedings who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal Army deliberations.

More than 100 million American adults -- roughly four in 10 -- have outstanding medical bills, debt worth more than $195 billion. Not only is carrying excessive medical debt stressful on family members and household budgets, it can prevent patients from receiving health services in the civilian sector and ruin credit ratings, making it difficult for those who carry it to qualify for a home or car loan or prevent them from getting an advanced degree, according to a 2022 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on health issues.

Service members in theory face less of a risk of medical debt, given the health care promised them by the military branches, but the fact that many use some combination of base and civilian care can lead them down a path toward debt as well.

Officials contacted leadership at Fort Liberty and learned that baby Mya's case had fallen through the cracks. She had not been assigned a case manager to help the family with the complexities of medical billing, and her mother's records were incomplete, missing information as a result of a changeover to the Defense Department's new electronic health records system, MHS Genesis.

Now, Womack and Tricare are working with the couple and the private hospitals to solve the claims and to clear the couple's credit reports of any red flags generated by the long-standing billing issues.

"We have the best Soldiers in the world and I'm happy to advocate wherever I can," Grinston said in an email to Military.com. "Anytime a Soldier has an issue, I'd ask they keep their leaders engaged and give them the opportunity to counsel and mentor. Those leaders should escalate to the appropriate level on behalf of their Soldiers."

Military.com contacted the WAMC press office on Friday to ask about the billing. A public affairs officer on Monday said the commander was being briefed that afternoon on the case, and they would respond to a request for information following the briefing.

On Tuesday, Shannon Lynch, a public affairs specialist with WAMC, provided the hospital's response: "Womack Army Medical Center is working with the family and TRICARE to help resolve the issue," Lynch wrote.

When pressed to answer specific questions about the case, Lynch cited the law that protects a patient's right to privacy regarding their health information, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

She did not answer generic questions about WAMC's policies regarding case manager assignments or assisting patients with Tricare billing -- questions that do not involve patient privacy concerns.

"Womack Army Medical Center honors every patient's privacy by following Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) laws and associated regulations," Lynch wrote in a followup email to Military.com.

A spokeswoman for Humana, the contractor that manages the Tricare East Region, described the case as a "complicated situation" and requested more time to respond, but did not by publication.

Cartagena believes that her delivery delays were linked to staff shortages in Womack's labor and delivery department. When changing duty stations to Fort Liberty, she faced difficulties getting an appointment and went six weeks without a prenatal checkup.

Across the Defense Health Agency, numerous obstetrics and gynecology units have faced shortages. In April 2022, providers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, reported that staffing shortages were delaying appointments and pushing patients to civilian medical facilities more than an hour away, and in one case reported by Military.com, a Marine wife went 12 weeks without a prenatal appointment after moving to Camp Lejeune from Quantico, Virginia.

At Naval Hospital Bremerton in Washington, closure of labor and delivery negatively affected patients, including a service member who miscarried after spending eight hours in a waiting room at a civilian facility.

Sailors at the Pacific Northwest base reported challenges getting appointments, even those required prior to a deployment or permanent change of station move.

And earlier this month, pregnant mothers at Kadena Air Base in Japan were told to plan for delivering their babies at a civilian Japanese hospital or return to the continental United States for their deliveries.

While the Defense Health Agency said that hospital diversions were unnecessary, the announcement highlighted the severe, acute staffing shortages at Naval Hospital Okinawa, which provides the bulk of medical care to U.S. service members and their families on the island in the Japanese archipelago.

In 2017, Congress gave the Pentagon broad authority to reevaluate and potentially scale back military medical facilities and outsource more care to the communities surrounding bases.

In some areas, such as Bremerton and Okinawa, military leaders have had to rethink the reform efforts. In March, Lester Martinez-Lopez -- assistant secretary of defense for health affairs -- said the Defense Health Agency is working to "increase the efficiency" of clinics in Japan so that more appointments are available.

Also in March, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the service would review downsizing at Naval Hospital Bremerton to ensure that all health services can continue.

"I want to assure you that I personally have discussed this with the Office of Secretary of Defense, with the deputy, with the secretary of defense himself," Del Toro said during a hearing before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.

Cortez and Cartagena say they are considering filing a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act for malpractice they believe resulted in Mya requiring a feeding tube for the first four months of her life and treatment that damaged her vocal cords.

Cartagena wants some accountability at the hospital, which she said has lost many of her medical records during a changeover to a new electronic medical records system, MHS Genesis.

"Womack [at one point] was saying that my daughter was never born in the hospital. How do you mess that up? I literally had [a] C-section there," Cartagena said. "And now they said I had my C-section on Oct. 6, 2021, which is false because my daughter was born Oct. 24."

Nonetheless, the parents said, they are grateful for their Army units, which provided assistance they described as "great" and "so supportive," and feel blessed that the Sergeant Major of the Army's office helped them.

Still, they said, it shouldn't have taken a "powerful man" intervening to get their problem fixed.

"No one [at Womack or base legal] ever said, 'Hey, there's an office that you can go to that will help submit a claim for your daughter,'" Cartagena said. "It's really sad."

Nearly 2, Mya is a healthy toddler who continues to have issues swallowing but otherwise appears to be on track developmentally and physically.

Grinston, who is expected to retire from the Army in August, said he was glad to help.

"I'm glad to hear Mya is doing much better and I wish all the best to Daysha and Isaiah throughout their careers," Grinston wrote in a statement to Military.com.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: Veterans Receive Golden 'Tickets' Canceling Their Medical Debt
An airman involved in a plot to steal ammunition from Fairchild Air Force Base was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to probation after he cooperated with investigators.

Shawn Robson, a noncommissioned officer in charge of the base's Combat Arms Training Management section, will have to serve 18 months of probation. He pleaded guilty in March to possession of stolen ammunition .

While Robson had ammunition at his home, he said in court Wednesday that he was unaware of a larger plot, which included online statements supporting the seizure of the U.S. Capitol building, and cooperated with the FBI as soon as they confronted him with new information.

Due to his cooperation, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed to a sentence below the guideline of 6 to 12 months in prison followed by probation, instead recommending probation alone.

Ahead of sentencing, Robson apologized. His attorney noted Robson has mental health issues related to his time in the military and stemming from this incident.

"I'm very sorry for my mistake that I made," Robson said. "I wasn't thinking in my right mind."

Because of his crime, Robson will be discharged from the Air Force and plans to work at a grocery store to provide for his four children, he said in court.

"I will accept my punishment with humility," he said.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Robson to 18 months of probation along with a $4,000 fine. Robson also must complete a mental health evaluation and subsequent treatment.

The sentence was a "fair and sufficient punishment considering all the other consequences of your actions," Rice said.

Robson is one of six airmen from the base indicted in a scheme that was discovered after John Sanger, the lead defendant, was linked to a social media account that in December 2020 called for violent seizure of the U.S. Capitol building, which came to pass several weeks later. In that post, Sanger wrote "They defrauded our election system and are still getting away with it. That means this system has run (its) course. People have to die."

The FBI and Air Force's Office of Special Investigations recruited an undercover agent to befriend Sanger, who took the agent shooting at the Fishtrap Recreation Area after sharing messages in which Sanger "acknowledged he is a racist and blames the United States' woes on Jews and African Americans," according to an FBI affidavit filed in support of Sanger's indictment.

The undercover source recorded Sanger and Eric Eagleton, another member of the scheme, discussing stealing ammunition from the base for target practice.

Robson told authorities he was responsible, and authorities from the FBI and the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations recovered roughly 3,000 stolen rounds of ammunition at his home.

Robson was not present at the shooting range, according to court records.

Eagleton has since pleaded guilty to possession of stolen ammunition, and was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison. Another indicted conspirator, Jonah Pierce, pleaded guilty in April to a charge of receipt of stolen government property. Authorities found in his home between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds of ammunition and a red-dot optic device for aiming, both stolen from the base.

Prosecutors want Pierce to serve six months, the same as Eagleton, according to court records. He's scheduled to be sentenced July 6.

Fellow defendants Nathan Richards and Austin Limacher are scheduled to go to trial with Sanger on Sept. 11. They face up to 10 years in prison.

Sanger is in custody, while the other defendants had been released from jail awaiting trial or sentencing. Rice granted a request from Sanger to move the trial from this month to September in order to resolve his "discharge and potential court-martial," according to court records.

___

(c)2023 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.)

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Five months after a fuel tank at a Space Force observatory spilled 700 gallons of fuel atop a sacred Hawaiian volcano, officials are still trying to determine how much of the soil has been contaminated.

In the months since the fuel spill at a facility perched on the 10,023-foot summit of Haleakala, a volcano on the Hawaiian island of Maui, the Department of the Air Force has been working on cleanup efforts with local and federal agencies. In that time, workers had removed an estimated 84,000 pounds of soil, but crews are still working to see how deep the fuel may have saturated into the ground.

"We are taking deliberate actions as we work to safely restore the sacred grounds at Haleakala, while taking into account regulatory and cultural needs at the site," Lt. Col. Phillip Wagenbach, 15th Space Surveillance Squadron commander, said in a press release earlier this month.

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On June 16, a contract was awarded to GSI Pacific, a Native Hawaiian-owned company, which will take soil samples at depths of 40, 80 and 100 feet in an attempt to build an underground "map of fuel contamination depth and breadth," according to a press release.

That work -- the second phase of the cleanup efforts -- was supposed to last for two weeks, but could face delays if there's inclement weather on Haleakala. A Space Force spokesman said Thursday the efforts appeared to be on schedule.

Haleakala is a culturally and religiously significant site for native Hawaiians, according to the National Park Service, and it is considered to be a dwelling for the gods and is a place where priests perform ceremonies.

The Space Force also hired Dane Uluwehiokalani Maxwell, a local born in Pukalani on the slopes of Haleakala, to monitor the excavation and provide cultural advice. Maxwell's grandfather was a notable critic of the space telescopes' early development.

Maxwell told Military.com in a phone interview on Thursday that the progress was steady, but that there were sensitivities that needed to be taken into account with the sacred soil.

"It's going as good as it can for something that has impacted the culture pretty severely," Maxwell said. "I know a lot of new territory is being explored to try to accommodate and work with cultural concerns. It's been a process and is another good exercise; I just wish it wasn't at the expense of a diesel spill."

The spill was blamed on a diesel fuel pump for a backup generator that failed to shut off on the evening of Jan. 29, according to the Space Force. A float -- a piece that helps monitor fuel levels -- inside the fuel tank was defective, the service said.

The Jan. 29 spill was the latest incident that has marred relationships between Native Hawaiian groups and the Department of Defense. Nearly a month after the spill, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall made a 5,000-mile trip from Washington, D.C., to the island and gave a speech saying the situation "harmed our reputation."

Maxwell acknowledged that there's a long history of protest against military construction and the presence of troops on the Hawaiian islands, with the fuel spill on Maui seen as another example of that strife.

"When it did happen, it was just, you know, 'Here's another instance of why we shouldn't have these facilities in our most sacred spaces,''" Maxwell said. "So, there's a lot of angry individuals."

The 700-gallon fuel spill at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, which is home to the Defense Department's largest optical telescope, according to the Space Force's website, was only a fraction of the 20,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked in a much larger incident at the Navy's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility near Honolulu in 2021.

At least 93,000 people living in military housing on and around Pearl Harbor were affected by the massive jet-fuel spill. More than 5,000 gallons eventually seeped into the ground and tap water.

That contamination forced thousands to leave their residences, and those who stayed had to rely on bottled water for months. In 2022, the Pentagon announced that the World War II-era bulk fuel farm would be closed and drained.

Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir, commander of Space Forces Indo-Pacific, told Military.com during the Air and Space Forces Association's conference in Colorado in March that the situation on Maui differed from Red Hill due to the fact that there are no residents and no water sources at the top of the volcano.

But Mastalir added it was still important to repair trust with the Hawaiian community and added, "You rebuild that relationship by spending time and you listening to the local people." He said he has spoken with protesters who have come to the site, as well as numerous community leaders.

"Haleakala is a little bit different than the concern we saw in O'ahu with Red Hill; it's really more about the sacred land upon which we operate," Mastalir said. "Recognizing that that is a privilege, not a right, and recognizing that if the Space Force is going to continue to operate, that we're going to do so responsibly like we have done for the last 30 years."

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: Fuel Spill on Sacred Hawaiian Volcano 'Harmed Our Reputation,' Air Force Secretary Says
When Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated "Oppenheimer" hits theaters, his story about the "Father of the Atomic Bomb" might include a footnote about Theodore Hall. Hall was the youngest physicist working on the Manhattan Project, the American research project to build a nuclear weapon during World War II.

Hall was only 18 in 1944, when he was recruited to help discover the critical mass of uranium and work on the implosion mechanism for the plutonium bomb. In less than a year, with the end of the war in Europe in sight, the Manhattan Project's scientists knew Nazi Germany would never be able to create a bomb. Hall began to worry that American dominance with the new weapon could be dangerous.

He decided to help the Soviet Union develop its nuclear weapon by passing on the Manhattan Project's secrets to the USSR. Magnolia Pictures' documentary, "A Compassionate Spy," from two-time Academy Award nominee Steve James ("Hoop Dreams"), follows Hall's journey from teenage prodigy to atomic spy.

On July 16, 1945, the U.S. detonated "Trinity," the first-ever atomic weapon explosion, in New Mexico's Jornada del Muerto desert. Most of the Manhattan Project's staff were elated. A few, however, didn't want to join the party. Some believed that an American monopoly on atomic weapons could lead to repeated uses of the weapon or worse: a nuclear catastrophe.

Hall and several other key scientists and engineers, worried the United States could devolve into a fascist state, began handing over classified nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. Experts believe the Soviets would have created a nuclear weapon without their help, but the espionage sped up their work by several years.

The main reason he did it, according to his own interview in the documentary: "Compassion."

Hall was not the most devastating spy in the Manhattan Project, but he provided the process necessary for purifying plutonium and handed over the specifications for the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb the Americans dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. He worked for the USSR under the code name MLAD (meaning "young") until 1945, when he returned to Harvard.

After the war, Hall was not suspected of being a Soviet asset. He finished a master's degree and a doctoral degree at the University of Chicago. It was in Chicago where he met his wife, started his family and began his civilian scientific career. That career took him into the field of electron microscopy, and he moved to England to take a job at Cambridge.

He didn't know that the FBI's counterintelligence operations had caught on to some of the other Soviet spies working on the Manhattan Project. He didn't even know there were other spies in the project. Using secretly decrypted Soviet communications, the United States caught atomic spies Klaus Fuchs, Alan Nunn May and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, among others.

Some of the intercepted Russian cables implicated Hall, but the information was withheld by the U.S. government, because they didn't want the USSR to know they'd broken Soviet codes. Hall was never tried for spying. He died in Cambridge, England, in 1999 at age 74.

"A Compassionate Spy" is a documentary thriller that follows the life of Theodore Hall from Harvard, through the war and his espionage years and into his later life, all through the eyes of his wife, to whom he admitted his crimes during their marriage.

The film will be released in theaters and on demand Aug. 4, 2023.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on LinkedIn.

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A creative architect from Hengshanwu in Zhejiang province has turned the fortunes of his flagging hometown around by transforming it into a homestay resort. "I am a returnee, and people here call me the village chief," Chen Gu told a group of visitors as he showed them around his brainchild Villa & Resort, a cluster of homestays, cafes and nightclubs tucked away in the rugged mountains of Anji county. The 52-year-old pointed to an outdoor billboard illustrating the project. It carried a selection of photos reminiscent of the village's past: muddy dirt roads, garbage piles, stinky waterways and bare hilltops due to mining activities more than 20 years ago. "It was once a 'hollowed-out village'," he said, referring to the exodus of younger people that has beset many rural communities across China. "When I took over the village in 2012, just a few older residents were left." Despite the downsides, the village today is thriving and is only a three-hour drive from most major cities in Zhejiang, as well as neighboring Jiangsu province and Shanghai. The new highways and tunnels, part of a provincewide campaign in recent decades to foster urban-rural equality, make the travel possible. The people that can be found in the areas nearby have underpinned Chen's design: he envisioned a hideaway serving urbanites who wish for a two-night getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. A graduate from a renowned fine art school in Beijing and longtime freelance architect before returning to Anji in 2005, Chen said he was not a fan of bulldozing everything and starting from scratch. He has a fondness for the beauty of rural landscapes, where building materials for homes, such as stone and timber, are mostly sourced locally and blend into the environment. He worked with a State-owned tourism company to buy the standalone farmhouses from villagers and moved their former owners to a nearby community. Chen carried out a thorough evaluation of the 20 homes, and renovated most of them for safety and aesthetic considerations, but largely kept their original looks. They also built more to bolster capacity. Advertisements were posted to recruit "tenants" to run businesses inside the farmhouses, such as homestays, restaurants and dress shops, and also venues including a library and a swimming pool. After interviews, Chen ended up with 35 business owners who are from a mix of regions from the inland city of Xi'an to Hong Kong. "We help them design and decorate their businesses and offer training courses," he said, adding that the tenants pay rent and hand over a part of their revenue in return. "Here you can have almost every cuisine, from Chinese to Western to Japanese," he said. With an aim to provide an immersive experience, Chen bundles the services on offer into tourism packages that visitors can buy with a lump sum. For example, parents taking one child along can follow the designed route and first have lunch at a waterfront restaurant  formerly a farmhouse by a fish pond  and then check in at a nearby homestay. Then they get a ticket for an afternoon dessert at a cafe where people can also read and work. Children can be sent to take handicraft courses or follow an instructor to learn about plants at a nearby tea plantation. Last year, Villa& Resort received more than 350,000 visitors. The resort is the epitome of the shift made by rural areas in Zhejiang province to pursue sustainable development. In the early 2000s  when Xi Jinping was Party chief of Zhejiang  the Green Rural Revival Program was launched provincewide to improve the rural living environment. In the decades that followed, the program has morphed and expanded to reduce the urban-rural gap in a range of areas such as income and public services. Now the coastal province is among the wealthiest in China with the narrowest urban-rural wealth gap.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Smaller meat and poultry operators in 17 states including North Dakota will receive $115 million in grants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday, as the agency continues efforts to shift a decadeslong trend on consolidation in food production.

The USDA grants are the latest in a series of awards President Joe Biden's administration has made that are intended to increase meat and poultry processing, benefiting farmers and providing more job opportunities in largely rural areas.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grants at an event in Des Moines with farmers, meat processors and business owners who have benefited from the USDA's emphasis on helping small farmers find new markets and adding smaller processors to a meat industry now dominated by a handful of giant companies.

Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, noted that 7.5% of farms now receive 89% of all farming income. While Vilsack said those big operations are important, it is vital for small farmers to receive a greater share of the income in order to reverse population and wealth declines in rural communities.

Changing consolidation trends will take time, Vilsack acknowledged, but he said without that change the U.S. would see fewer farm families, fewer customers for small town businesses and fewer kids in rural schools.

The worst thing of all is, parents and grandparents at the coffee table having to hear their children and grandchildren explaining why they are leaving, Vilsack said.

The funding announced Thursday includes 10 awards to recipients in 12 states totaling $77 million through a program that finances the startup or expansion of meat and poultry processing plants. The awards include $15 million to Mountain West Economic Development in Montana to expand slaughterhouse operations in the state's Flathead Valley, and $800,000 to the Farmers Union Foundation for smaller processors in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The USDA made five awards totaling $38 million through a slaughterhouse expansion program that will help independent producers in five states.

Projects receiving funding are in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

Projects in North Dakota that are receiving grants are the Fort Yates-based Oyate Community Development Corp., $15 million to boost meat processing on the Standing Rock Reservation; and the Rural Development Finance Corp., $10 million for low-interest financing for processors to increase capacity. The RDFC is a nonprofit linked to the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives and the North Dakota Rural Telecommunication Cooperatives.

USDA Rural Developments role in ensuring that rural states like North Dakota have access to the capital necessary to expand local meat processing capacity helps our small businesses, producers, consumers and rural communities, USDA Rural Development State Director Erin Oban said.
Lakesia Butler and her 8-year-old daughter, Torrie, stopped at the A&M Peanut Shop in downtown Mobile on Monday to purchase a bag of peanuts and head over to Bienville Square for an afternoon of squirrel feeding.

My kid loves it, said Butler, 31, of Mobile.

Its a general tradition shared by generations of Mobilians. But questions about the Eastern gray squirrel that populates the park are surfacing ahead of the Mobile City Councils vote next week on a $3.2 million park overhaul to the nearly 200-year-old Bienville Square.

The most disturbing of them: Are the mothers castrating their young?

Every one of the males we removed were castrated, said Michael Niemeyer Jr. of Fairhope-based Wildlife Solutions.

Niemeyer was hired in late 2021 to trap and remove about two dozen squirrels from the park due to concerns from city officials about an overpopulation of the furry mammals destroying trees and chewing wires.

The concerns have been relayed to Mobile officials, including the Downtown Mobile Alliance, which is spearheading the revitalization efforts to the historic park following damages it sustained from Hurricane Sally in 2020.

Its an uncomfortable truth but that is what is happening, Niemeyer said. There are five to six males who have a pretty good life, and they rule the roost.

Castration myth

Biologists say the claims are more myth than reality. The stories of squirrels castrating their young, they say, have been told for years.

Biology is a funny thing and anything is possible, said Todd Steury, associate dean for academic affairs at the College of Forestry at Auburn University. But Ive heard that myth before and Ive caught a lot of squirrels. I never have seen one castrated.

John Koprowski, a leading expert on the ecology and conservation of squirrels, said the squirrel castration myth has been told for very long time and has no truth to it.

He said its a common question that he often receives and is one he addressed during a podcast he did a little more than a year ago for The Meateater, an outdoor hunting TV series and website.

Male squirrels undergo an annual cycle where their testes shrink outside of the breeding season to about 5 to 10% of breeding season size and are withdrawn  actually move through a canal  out of the scrotum and into the abdomen so that it appears they have been castrated, said Koprowski, dean of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming.

He said the testes will descend and enlarge when breeding season occurs anew. The eastern gray squirrels found at Bienville Square mate twice a year  from December to February, and from May to June.

How many males will have descendant testes, appears (to be) related to body condition and food availability plus age to a lesser extent, but it is not uncommon to have all of the males with abdominal testes outside the breeding season, Koprowski said. Strange process to be sure.

Steury said from an evolutionary standard, it makes no sense that a mother would handicap her own children through castration.

He said the entire concept of mammal castration is hard to fathom.

Any animal could castrate some other unrelated animal to prevent competition, but even when thinking of that, my initial sense is if the animal can do that, then why not just kill the young? he said. And there are plenty of animals that do that. Bears, wild cats. The idea of castrating a young animal seems specific, and its not easy. Its a good way to get hurt. If you fight, you wont stick your face between another animals legs.

Squirrel concerns, legacy

Despite the castration myth, the squirrel population continues to be abundant within the downtown park despite the trapping and removal of the animals.

Steury said that from a wildlife perspective, its not ideal to have squirrels being fed during human interactions. He said the activity can cause damage to the areas where they live.

Mobile city officials have long had that concern, and Mayor Sandy Stimpsons administration has attempted to thwart the issue through punitive action before. In 2015, a resolution called feed the squirrels was tabled by the Mobile City Council after the administration pitched $500 fines for anyone caught feeding wild animals within city limits. Squirrels were listed among the animals banned in the feeding resolution.

Council members, at the time, viewed the plan as too stringent and passed on the fines.

The efforts to trap and remove squirrels in late 2021 came amid concerns from the Stimpson administration about damage cause to the oak trees that populate the park.

The bureaucratic attention paid on the feisty animals has generated a following, and the squirrels are a bit of a cultural symbol during the citys annual Mardi Gras festivity. The Mystic Squirrels of Bienville (SOBs) were formed a few years ago and are a growing Mardi Gras organization that participates in the annual Joe Cain Day Procession. The group also serves as a fundraiser for the Mobile Arts Council.

Bienville Square's feisty and abundant squirrels inspired the name of a Mardi Gras society that participates in the Joe Cain Procession that winds through downtown Mobile, Ala., during the Sunday before Mardi Gras Day. (Mike Kittrell/AL.com)

But what to do with the squirrels is likely to loom as the city invests millions of dollars to renovate their Bienville Square home. Plans for revitalizing the park by the city, the Downtown Mobile Alliance and the Downtown Parks Conservancy began shortly after it sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Sally.

The council will vote on a contract soon with Mobile-based JPayne Organizations LLC that includes reinstalling the iconic cast-iron Ketchum Fountain removed for repairs in 2021. The contract also includes the construction of a new fountain basin, addition of a brick seating wall, new paving around the fountain, and LED lighting to illuminate the structure.

Niemeyer said his contract for trapping and removing the squirrels is completed, and he is unsure if his company will be asked to return to resume its work. A city official was not available for comment.

They havent told us to prepare for next year, he said.

Steury said that the squirrels, even after a large number are removed, are likely to bounce back in population.

Squirrel populations can grow very fast, he said. Its possible that they did remove a lot of squirrels. They are flexible. Its unlikely they would get to such huge numbers that they die out and crash.

Steury said the only way for the squirrels to leave Bienville Square is if they were no longer fed, or if the trees did not produce acorns.

That is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

I dont have an objection of people feeding the squirrels, said Councilman Ben Reynolds, who raised questions about the scope of the Bienville Square project during Tuesdays meeting, and who is inquiring about a more in-depth plan for the proposed upgrades. There is nothing the city can do to stop from happening that Id support.

For Butler, thats good news. It means more bonding time with her daughter during lazy and hot summer afternoons.

We come out here about three times a month, she said. And its to feed the squirrels. Thats why I come here.
MACKINAW CITY, MICH.  Visitors this weekend to Colonial Michilimackinac can enjoy a different kind of fireworks show.

After sunset on July 3, interpretive staff dressed as British soldiers will fire all of the historic forts artillery, with a cannon firing for the grand finale and the Mackinac Bridge serving as the backdrop.

This event allows us to share some new and exciting elements of Michilimackinac with our visitors, said Craig Wilson, chief curator for Mackinac State Historic Parks.

Colonial Michilimackinac is a reconstructed 18th-century fort and fur-trading village in Mackinaw City, at the tip of Michigans mitten.

The event is free, with donations are encouraged; gates open at 9 p.m. Entrance for the event will be on Straits Avenue, west of the Mackinac Bridge, across from the Fort Fudge Shop. This event is subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather.

For more information visit mackinacparks.com.
In the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May 2020, public debate seemed to race to opposite poles: Defund the police; or vigorously enforce the laws and support police unquestionably.

Protestors took to the streets in a super-heated atmosphere that was reminiscent of the social turmoil of the Vietnam War era. Meeting in the middle for constructive solutions to police-community turmoil seemed elusive, if not naively optimistic.

But a remarkable vote of the Ann Arbor City Council last week showed what practical progress might look like when it comes to making community policing more equitable. In that draft vote, the council voted 9-0 to forward a law that would ban police traffic stops for minor offenses, such as a loud muffler, outdated registration or cracked windshield. A final vote is set for July 6.

City officials are saying theres little evidence that stopping someone for a broken taillight, thinking there might be some more serious crime they can uncover by pulling them over, has a great public safety benefit, said Ryan Stanton, who covers city government for The Ann Arbor News.

The data shows what it does is disproportionately target Black people. So thats what the city is trying to avoid here  they are trying to put an end to racial profiling.

The use of profiling was in the spotlight nationally after Floyd was detained and suffocated by police based on suspicion of using counterfeit money at a convenience store. Police tactics, especially pretextual stops for minor offenses, came under scrutiny and debate.

Council Member Cynthia Harrison, D-1st Ward, is the citys first Black council member in 15 years. Spurred by national data showing traffic stops disproportionally target minorities, she and the Ann Arbor Police Oversight Commission worked with Eastern Michigan University to analyze police traffic stop data from 2017-2019 in Ann Arbor.

Youve got someone who has great personal experience with these types of issues taking the lead on this issue here, Stanton said.

If Harrison had a hunch, it was dead on. The results of the study, published this week by MLive, should end debate about whether there is a difference in policing based on race.

Our analysis identified significant disparities across every dimension examined, with non-white motorists being stopped and searched more frequently and white motorists being stopped and searched less frequently than would be expected in every instance, states the draft report produced by the EMU researchers.

Every dimension  in every instance. Let that sink in. So, this isnt Ann Arbor leaders simply pushing an ultra-progressive social agenda. This is quantifying a problem of extensive, systemic bias and taking practical steps to address it.

Ann Arbor is unique in Michigan with its Driving Equality Ordinance, but the focus on police tactics is not. Grand Rapids is still reeling in the wake of a police shooting of a Black driver in April 2022  a confrontation that was sparked by a routine traffic stop.

In the cities of Jackson and Saline, questions surrounding police chases of motorists are raw after the deaths of two teenagers and multiple serious injuries that occurred when drivers fled separate attempted traffic stops.

And just this past week, MLive published the results of a review of a cultural issues within a Michigan State Police post that saw three officers charged and two commanders demoted and reassigned for violent encounters with Saginaw citizens. Those details emerged from Freedom of Information Act requests from Bay City Times reporter Cole Waterman for the investigative report.

These problems have existed in communities since well before Floyds death, noted Sara Scott, director of local news and investigations for MLive. But everything that has happened since has heightened the need for in-depth coverage of the role of police, especially as that relates to racial minorities, she said.

Our job is to go into those communities, do the fact finding, find the data and trends and then use our expertise to analyze that and provide some context to our readers, she said. Hopefully, that context will lead to solutions.

Solutions can be elusive in some instances because the roots of the problems can be complex. For example, Scott pointed out, the reason the State Police has troopers in Saginaws inner city is because the community lacked the resources to police itself effectively.

But Ann Arbor is showing that some problems are obvious and the solutions perhaps closer at hand. It just takes a hunch, some clear-cut data and the resolve to make a community a better place for all.

Ann Arbor in the last few years has really been building up an equity focus on all that it does in city government, Stanton said. This is just the latest iteration of that. The citys really taking a progressive approach to recognize the disproportionate impacts on people of color and other minority groups and trying to adjust for that.

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John Hiner is the vice president of content for MLive Media Group. If you have questions youd like him to answer, or topics to explore, share your thoughts at editor@mlive.com.

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TRAVERSE CITY, MI  Theres a new pup on the job in Northern Michigan.

The Traverse City Police Department formerly introduced the public to its new police dog, K9 Kilo, on Thursday.

Kilo, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois born in Mexico, was placed into service on May 26. Kilo will replace K9 Drago, who retired in February after serving the department since 2017.

Drago was sold to his handler, officer Adam Verschaeve, for $1.

Kilo will continue Dragos legacy by serving the Traverse City community as a narcotics detection dog alongside his handler, officer Ben Snyder.

Our K9s are trained and certified in tracking, obedience, handler protection, building, article, and area search, a statement said. Our department is pleased to offer our community and other local law enforcement agencies such well-trained K9 teams. Our K9 teams work extensively together to stay sharp, prepared, fit, and healthy so that when called to duty they are ready and waiting.

Kilo comes to the TCPD through a generous donation from a Traverse City resident who is a longtime TCPD K9 program supporter.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - A traffic crash has blocked all southbound lanes of traffic on U.S. 23 in Ann Arbor.

The Michigan Department of Transportation reported the crash at 2:42 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, on U.S. 23 at the Geddes Road exit 39, which initially shut down the left lane of traffic.

At 2:50 p.m., all lanes of traffic near the exit were closed due to the crash.

The nature of the crash was unknown, and it was unclear how long the shutdown would last.

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Authorities on Thursday afternoon canceled an Amber Alert for a child believed to have been abducted in Fargo on Wednesday.

The child was believed to be with Breanna Ziegler and Terell Decoteau. Ziegler and Decoteau were ordered by the courts to turn over Beatris because the child may be in danger of bodily harm, according to authorities. They announced early Thursday that they had located Terell Decoteau.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Bicycles left abandoned in Ann Arbor can go on a long journey after theyre impounded by police and go unclaimed by their owners.

Currently the police department sells off impounded bikes, which usually wind up in a land far, far away, also known as New York, where theyre sold in lots for not very much at all, said City Council Member Dharma Akmon, D-4th Ward.

Under an ordinance change sponsored by Akmon and approved by City Council on June 20, abandoned bikes  sometimes left behind by University of Michigan students leaving town  now can be donated to nonprofit organizations.

That will allow them to be repaired and put to use by local residents who need a bike and cant afford one, Akmon said, mentioning Common Cycle, a nonprofit bike co-op at 416 W. Huron St., that can help do that.

Impounded bicycles at the Ann Arbor Police Department garage on June 27, 2023.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

This is a community-based organization thats dedicated to empowering Ann Arbor to ride bicycles, she said. They already have a program in place to repair donated bicycles and distribute them to local residents for use in the community.

The organization works with partners like the Delonis Center homeless shelter, Ozone House and Community Action Network to get bikes to people in need, Akmon said.

Akmon credited Senior Assistant City Attorney John Reiser for pointing out the city code had been requiring impounded bikes that go unclaimed to be sold at public sale. He suggested a better option would be to donate them so residents in need could have them, and council members agreed.

Impounded bicycles at the Ann Arbor Police Department garage on June 27, 2023.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Ann Arbor police impounded 24 bicycles from January 2020 through January 2023, four of which were released to their owners, eight sold at auction, six were awaiting a six-month hold before being auctioned off and six others were logged as evidence in criminal matters, Reiser said.

Although the city receives between $100 and $500 annually from the sale of impounded bicycles, the storage and administrative costs exceed that amount, Reiser told council in a memo, noting the police department has used the online police auction site propertyroom.com to sell impounded bicycles.

That company employs a truck to periodically drive across the United States to pick up impounded property from police departments, including the AAPD, he wrote. The impounded bicycles are driven to Farmingdale, NY, then grouped together and sold as lots. Not much money is realized from the sale of most impounded bicycles.

Examples of current bids for used bicycles were 15 bicycles for $1, 11 for $4, five for $1 and several individual bicycles for $1, Reiser wrote in his memo, noting winning bidders must pick up purchased bicycles at a warehouse in New York.

The ordinance change approved by council now gives the police department the option of either selling the bikes at a public sale or donating them to a tax-exempt organization.

The change was sponsored by Akmon, Erica Briggs, Ayesha Ghazi Edwin, Travis Radina and Chris Watson.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.

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LAPEER COUNTY, MI  The second suspect in the 2011 Lapeer County murder of Andrea Eilber has been taken into custody, according to police officials in Montana.

Chadwick Shane Mobley, 42, was taken into custody in Lincoln County, Montana, according to a post on the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office Facebook page Wednesday, June 28.
WYOMING, MI  The state is investing $20 million in a project to construct a pedestrian bridge over busy 28th Street and eventually create Wyomings first downtown area.

In Michigans $82 billion budget passed Wednesday, June 28, lawmakers approved the $20 million in grant funds that Wyoming city leaders say will speed up the undertaking dubbed City Center.

The investment from the state allows us to expedite the City Center project and complete most of the phased project immediately, said City Manager John Shay. Watching this project come to fruition is a success for our entire community and we are deeply thankful to Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, and state Rep. John Fitzgerald, D-Wyoming, for putting a spotlight on our community infrastructure project.

Related: Michigans $82 billion budget brings record spending to all corners of state government

Wyomings City Center project is intended to eventually create a downtown area in the city off of 28th Street between Burlingame and Clyde Park avenues. With 76,501 residents in the 2020 U.S. Census, Wyoming is Kent Countys second-largest city.

The project is estimated to cost between $36.8 million and will see the construction of a pedestrian bridge over 28th Street, a public plaza and 4.6 miles of new trails connecting to parks and trail systems.

In addition to the state funds, Kent County has allocated $6 million in federal stimulus funds to the project, and Wyoming has put forward $10 million in city funds. Another $800,000 is coming from a federal grant.

Officials previously said the 600-foot-long pedestrian bridge will provide a safe crossing over the busy street and reunify the citys northern and southern portions. It is expected to open to the public in spring 2024. The trails are expected to be completed by spring 2025.

Utility lines off of 28th Street between Burlingame and Clyde Park avenues will also be buried to facilitate the bridge build and create more of a downtown feel, city officials previously said.

The pedestrian bridge near Hook Avenue will connect to a proposed roughly $65 million private development with commercial spaces and housing on the south side of 28th Street.

Related: Pedestrian bridge, $65M private development are the catalysts for Wyomings new downtown

The developer, Magnus Capital Partners, is tentatively planning to construct three buildings, each five stories tall, on the former Studio 28 movie theater complex property off of 28 W. Place (Hook Avenue) in the area of the new pedestrian bridge.

Together, these construction projects will provide a catalyst for the citys new downtown, Wyoming officials said.

Because of this funding, we can fully implement all trails, streetscaping enhancements and a public plaza, said Nicole Hofert, the citys director of community and economic development. Through ongoing collaboration between the city and private investor Magnus Capital, we have been able to implement a community vision for how we can make the 28th Street corridor more livable and accessible for all.

Hofert previously told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that while the city had popular gathering places, like Rogers Plaza, a downtown was never really developed in the city. As a suburb of Grand Rapids, she said the citys development pattern along 28th Street has been more linear, aligned with the sprawl of strip malls to the east.

She called the City Center project transformational.

We refer to this as a transformational project for Wyoming, and I truly believe that, Hofert said. This project has the potential of not only bringing hundreds of new residents to the community and locating them in a new downtown, but also making connectivity to the neighborhoods to provide safe crossings over 28th Street with new commercial, office space, etc.

I absolutely believe this is going to be the catalyst that is going to launch that effort.

Hofert has said the city is talking with other developers and property owners along 28th Street, examining what they can do to their sites and possibly make new investments.

In six or eight years, the city will assess the development pattern and potentially build another pedestrian bridge over 28th Street to serve as the other cap to the citys downtown.

Fitzgerald, a former member of the Wyoming City Council, said the project will put Wyoming on the map as the preeminent suburb in metro Grand Rapids.

For months, my colleagues and I listened to our constituents about their priorities, and this budget reflects those priorities and works for all people across Michigan. I am grateful to have brought home more than $30 million to the 83rd House District, Fitzgerald said.

Notably, $20 million has been awarded to the city of Wyoming for a transformational infrastructure project that will create economic opportunity for the people of this community and put Wyoming on the map as the preeminent suburb in metro Grand Rapids.

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KENT COUNTY, MI -- A former Kent County sheriffs deputy recently acquitted of misdemeanor assault has died following a brief illness.

Marcelo Aranda, 45, died June 19 in Leon, Mexico, according to a fundraiser page organized to benefit his family.

The cause of his death was not immediately known.

Aranda was fired from his Kent County Sheriffs Department job last year, not long after an Aug. 19 incident at an I-96 rest stop near Lansing. Aranda

Aranda was off-duty, driving west on the freeway when some type of altercation occurred with another driver. Both Aranda and the other driver pulled off at a rest stop.

The other driver, who was partially paralyzed, claimed Aranda then assaulted him and pulled him from his vehicle. At trial, Arandas attorney claimed the off-duty deputy was among many motorists who witnessed the other vehicle speeding and moving erratically on the freeway.

Aranda believed the other driver to be drunk and wanted to keep him from driving. The other driver was, in fact, charged with drunken driving.

Aranda was acquitted of an assault and battery charged in May following a trial.

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.

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI  As mental health issues like anxiety and depression have surged among children and teens in recent years, experts say theres one thing families need to know: Talk to your kids, even if its hard to get through to them.

In todays society, its extremely important to talk with your child, said Mel Atkins, Grand Rapids Public Schools executive director of community and student affairs. Be observant, and dont be afraid to have the conversations. And if you need support having the conversations, theres resources out there to help.

Local mental health experts discussed the rise in youth mental health challenges, and what families and schools can do to address it, in a community forum hosted by GRPS Wednesday, June 28. The event featured a panel discussion with experts, followed by an opportunity for the community to ask questions.

The forum was intended to start conversations with GRPS families about how youth mental health relates to school safety, in the wake of four separate incidents this past school year where GRPS students brought guns  loaded and unloaded  into school buildings.

Panelist Abigail Averill, a licensed professional counselor with the Restored Counseling Group, acknowledged that it can be hard to tell if a teenager is just being a moody teen, or if theres a deeper problem going on that needs to be addressed.

But she encouraged parents and caregivers to start conversations with their kids, so that their kids know they have an adult who cares.

99% of the kids that I encounter, theyre like, no one ever asked me that, Averill shared Wednesday.

Anxiety, depression and substance abuse are some of the major issues that kids and teens are struggling with today, said panelist Kathryn Knox, another therapist with Restored Counseling Group. And when children dont know how to express what theyre going through, that can make them feel isolated.

We tend to minimize anxiety and depression as, Oh, those are just nerves, or theyre just having a bad day, Knox said. But anxiety and depression can become a pervasive issue in a childs life. And when youre that young and you dont necessarily have the words or the verbiage to describe the experience youre going through, it could be really traumatizing to add to that experience.

The isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health struggles among kids and teens, Atkins said. On top of that, kids are dealing with increased pressures from social media, home and school.

Its kind of all coming at once, I would say, he told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.

Mental health struggles can cause kids to shut down or act out in school, Atkins explained. It could also lead to students missing school.

GRPS has seen a rise in chronic absenteeism compared to before the pandemic, and GRPS officials believe mental health challenges could be partly to blame, Atkins said.

We know that kids are showing up a lot less than they were pre-pandemic, he said. Right now, 42% of our kids are chronically absent, meaning they miss at least 10% of the school year regardless of the reason. A large percent of that reason now is, weve found is, it could be due to mental health.

Wednesdays forum drew around 50 attendees, which included GRPS parents, school staff and community members. Board members Kimberley Williams, Jordoun Eatman and Jose Rodriguez were also in the audience.

During a Q&A with the panel, GRPS parent Wafa Adib-Lobo asked panelists for suggestions on some real, practical things GRPS could implement in school buildings to help children deal with mental health challenges.

The panelists suggested things like integrating social and emotional learning into classrooms, and taking time with students to breath and slow down during the day.

Panelist Kerby Killingham, licensed professional counselor and owner of the Decisions Counseling Group, shared the importance of acknowledging the barriers that many children come to school with each day.

There are many kids in GRPS who are homeless, or dont know where they will get their next meal from, Killingham explained. Those kids arent going to have the emotional capacity to deal with their mental health, because theyre too focused on the real life struggles theyre facing, he said.

A lot of times, you have to acknowledge those barriers in their lives and you have to remove those if you really want to have a clean slate to focus on positive processing in the mental health field.

GRPS Superintendent Leadriane Roby said the district plans to continue conversations with families about youth mental health and school safety, with more forums and opportunities for dialogue in the coming months.

We want to talk about what is happening in the minds and the hearts of our scholars, she said. Weve seen too many devastating incidents over the last several months that have taken place both locally and nationally, that we cannot ignore the need for having conversations around mental wellness and mental health.

GRPS saw a rise in gun-related incidents this school year, with four separate instances where young students brought a weapon into their school. GRPS leaders said thats the highest number of guns that have ever been confiscated in a single school year.

Roby instituted a districtwide backpack ban on May 10, in response to the fourth incident where a child brought a gun to Stocking Elementary School. The ban remained in place through the end of the 2022-23 school year, in an effort to try and prevent more students from bringing guns to school.

On Wednesday, Roby told families that school leaders are currently discussing the backpack ban and what the next school year will look like. She said she expects to announce a decision by the end of July.

She also said school leaders are currently testing and piloting weapons detections systems to see which systems could be a good fit for GRPS.

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CLARK LAKE, MI  Clarklake Community Church served its community for 152 years before it closed three years ago.

Its new owner is hoping to put the building back into service in a different way.

The former church at 9224 Hyde Road was bought by Diane Smith, owner and director of Countryside Montessori School in Hillsdale County, on May 9. She said she plans to turn it into a Montessori school for the Clark Lake area.

Theres such a high demand for quality programs, Smith said. The parents (in Hillsdale) have really loved having Countryside in the community.

The church congregation formed in 1868. However, attendance had dwindled to the point that its current members voted in 2020 to dissolve the organization. The current church building was constructed in 1961, and Smith, who bought it for $343,000, said she hopes it will be filled with families again soon.

Related: How a community decided to close its 150-year-old Michigan church

I think itd be our prayer that we would have the same impact on the community, and that we would be an attraction for young families, Smith said. Whether they are needing child care to work or experience the Montessori education.

The Montessori method focuses on childrens interests and hands-on activities rather than typical teaching methods. The Clark Lake school, like the one in Hillsdale County, will be geared toward children ages 3 to 6. Its expected to hold around 100 kids, Smith said.

Smiths plan, she said, is to turn the almost 8,000-square-foot building into four classrooms and a room for after-school activities. Plumbing, heating, installing additional windows and other elements are needed to update the inside of the building, she said.

Her main goal, Smith said, is to highlight certain parts of the buildings history, including the sanctuarys high-vaulted ceilings and its classic stone walls.

We are very excited to have that be quite a showpiece, Smith said. I think the juxtaposition of the childrens small, wood furniture next to that stunning fieldstone will be very beautiful.

Smith said shes keeping her fingers crossed that construction will begin this winter and the school to be able to open in summer 2024.

Feedback so far has been positive from those shes spoken to in the community, Smith said, adding that most people are just excited to see the long-standing building put back to use.

This community has been amazing, they have been so welcoming and we have had the opportunity to meet most of our neighbors, Smith said. Everyone is very gracious and curious and welcoming to us.

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BENTON HARBOR, MI  The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety is looking for information from the public on the death of an 18-year-old man.

The man was found deceased in the alley near 700 Colfax Ave. around 10 p.m. Wednesday, June 28.

Originally, police responded to the area to investigate a 911 call about shots fired.

An autopsy is planned for the 18-year-old at W-Med to determine the cause of death.

The BHDPS is asking for anyone who has information about this incident or witnessed it to call the tipline at 269-214-4297 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-342-7867. BHDPS also takes information or tips from the Ring Neighbor App.

The Benton Harbor police were assisted at the scene by Michigan State Police and the Berrien County Sheriffs Office.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter.

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Editors note: As of Friday morning, June 30, the air quality alert had been extended until 12 a.m. Sunday, July 2.

SAGINAW, MI  An air quality alert for Saginaw and surrounding counties has been extended through Friday, June 30, and public health officials are advising all people to limit their active time outdoors.

An air quality alert remains in effect until 12 a.m. Saturday, July 1. According to information posted on the Saginaw County Health Departments Facebook page Thursday, June 29, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens are advised to:

avoid strenuous outdoor activities;

keep outdoor activities short;

and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

Everyone else is advised to:

choose less strenuous outdoor activities, such as walking instead of running, so you dont breathe as hard;

shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors;

and be active outdoors when air quality is better.

Thursday is an air action day for the entire state of Michigan due to wildfire smoke from Canada. According to the National Weather Service, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has declared Friday, June 30, to be another action day for elevated levels of fine particulate (PM2.5) for Saginaw, Bay, Midland, Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer and Livingston counties. Pollutants are expected to be in the unhealthy for sensitive groups to unhealthy range with some hourly concentrations reaching the very unhealthy range.

Sensitive groups, such as people with lung disease, including asthma, heart disease, and children and older adults, should limit prolonged or heavy exertion. The public is also encouraged to reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning, use of residential wood burning devices, vehicle trips and vehicle idling.

Saginaw County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Delicia Pruitt said people may also consider wearing an N95 or KN95 when outdoors, particularly if they are part of a sensitive group. Masks for adults and children are available for free at the health department, 1600 N. Michigan Ave. And when deciding whether to participate in an outdoor activity or to stay inside, people have to weigh the benefit versus the risks for themselves.

This may happen every year because of global warming, and so we just have to be prepared for that, Pruitt said, noting that checking the air quality and planning accordingly may become part of our daily routines. One thing COVID taught us is that we can adapt, and there are some things we can have fun doing outside, and theres some things we can adjust to do indoors.

Officials also recommend keeping windows closed overnight to prevent smoke from getting indoors and, if possible, run central air conditioning with MERV-13 or higher rated filters, according to the National Weather Service.

For more information, visit www.deqmiair.org or www.airnow.gov.

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.

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The third of three people charged in a signature gathering scheme that knocked half the Republicans running for governor off last years primary ballot has turned himself in after being at large for a week.

Willie Reed, a Florida resident, turned himself in to Michigan authorities on Thursday, June 29. He was arraigned the same day on 27 felony charges before Judge John Chmura in the 37th District Court in Macomb County.

Another two people, Shawn Wilmoth and Jamie Wilmoth-Goodin, were arraigned last week on identical charges while Reed remained on the run.

RELATED: 3 accused of crimes against our democracy in scandal that rocked GOP governors race

Reed stands accused of taking part in a criminal enterprise with the two Wilmoths during the 2022 election cycle through their petition gathering businesses: Petition Reeds LLC, Mack Douglas LLC and First Choice Contracting.

Prosecutors allege the three charged multiple campaigns over $700,000 for valid signature collection efforts during the election cycle, then, upon taking the money, forging thousands of signatures on candidates nominating petitions which were later submitted to the state for review.

All three involved face eight counts of election law forgery, a five-year felony; eight counts of using false pretenses to obtain as much as $100,000, which depending on the financial amounts range between 15- and 20-year felonies; eight counts of using of a computer to commit a crime, a 10-year felony; and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony.

Shawn Wilmoth and Reed, however, also received two additional charges: One count of larceny by conversion and another count of using a computer to commit a crime, both five-year felonies.

RELATED: Signature collectors face felonies from scandal that upended GOP governors race

The announcement from Attorney General Dana Nessels office comes months after half of Michigans Republican gubernatorial candidates failed to qualify for last years August primary due to an invalid number of legitimate petition signatures.

Gubernatorial candidates needed 15,000 valid signatures.

It was later determined the petition gathering groups those candidates used  First Choice Contracting, Mack Douglas and Petition Reeds, which were either owned or operated by Reed and Shawn Wilmoth  had faked a large amount of the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

This, in turn, impacted the campaigns of former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Oakland County businessman Perry Johnson, Byron Center businesswoman Donna Brandenburg and Grand Haven financial adviser Michael Markey. Each failed in their attempts to stave off rejection at a Board of State Canvassers meeting in late May 2022.

Also impacted in the gubernatorial race was Michigan State Police Capt. Mike Brown  who withdrew from the race before the board could rule against his petition signatures  as well as judicial candidates Tricia Dare, John Cahalan and John Michael Malone.

Brandenburgs and Browns campaigns had paid Shawn Wilmoths company, First Choice Contracting, $219,000 in total. Petition Reeds, a Florida company registered to Willie Reed, was paid nearly $51,000 by Johnsons campaign and $15,000 by Ryan Kelleys campaign. Kelley, however, emerged with enough signatures to make the primary ballot.

RELATED: 4 takeaways from Trumps first Michigan speech of 2024 election

As the investigation into the fraudulent signature gathering efforts is still ongoing, Nessel said it was possible more could be charged.

While, certainly, the candidates who were deceived and subjected to fraud were victims of the defendants greed  so too were millions of registered Michigan voters, whether they ultimately cast their ballot in the Republican primary or not, she said.

Yes, many of these are financial crimes were talking about today, but theyre also crimes against our democracy and against the integrity of our system of elections. And, against those voters who may have wanted to support these prospective candidates.

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Democrats passed a record $81.7 billion budget late Wednesday night, committing billions in federal funding and a major surplus to make a statement about the priorities of a state government controlled by Democrats for the first time in decades.

This budget is a statement of our words, House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, said. This budget reflects the priorities of the people.  If we go back home, our constituents will ask us what have you done for us? How have you made our lives better? This budget does that.

Its a budget hallmarked by record spending on traditional Democratic priorities, including education, environmental protection and social services alongside additional spending on public safety, infrastructure and economic development.

Republicans throughout the legislature, however, decried the budgetary process, asserting they had been sidelined by Democratic majorities who only allowed them to review the nearly 1,600 pages of legislation on the day it passed.

Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, who led budget drafting as appropriations chair in the Senate, characterized it as investments inclusive of the whole state.

Michiganders, we dont drive on Republican roads. We dont go to Democratic elementary schools, Anthony said. We are one Michigan and this budget reflects that.

At the same time, its a budget that reflects issues and areas that Democrats have felt were long neglected with Republicans controlling the legislature. The budget includes a litany of individual projects surrounding Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing.

Yes, our large urban cores are mostly Democratic, said Rep. Angela Witwer, D-Delta Township. Its been a very long time since weve had a Democratic majority and they have been ignored.

More than $24.3 billion committed to school funding represents a more than 9% increase from the current years budget. Money given to community colleges and universities increased 2.8% and 13.6%, respectively.

Alongside other programs, the state will pilot universal free breakfast and lunch for all primary school students. It allots $160 million for the idea, along with putting $225 million to reimburse public school teachers up to $400 a month to pay off student loans.

Read more: A new Senate proposal to recruit Michigan teachers: pay their student loans

Chair of the Senate Appropriations K-12 Subcommittee, Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Brownstown Township, said the school budget was put together with the help of educators, parents and students.

We went into the field to listen to their stories, Camilleri said. This is a budget that truly reflects the values of the people of Michigan and equity was a core component of our budgeting process.

The department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy also receives a funding increasing of more than 40%, largely through an infusion of federal funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Whitmer, in February, had proposed about $79 billion in spending, and the versions that passed each chamber in May went above that amount. But in the process of reconciling the House and Senates budgets, the total spending ballooned by another $2 billion.

To pass the budget in time, Democrats needed Republican votes in the Senate to bring the budget into effect immediately. Multiple sources told MLive earmarks for Republican districts helped bring on the necessary Senate votes to grant immediate effect to the budget.

Close to $1 billion has been allocated toward one-time funding that will benefit individual projects in legislators districts, an approach to negotiations that has drawn significant criticism for its lack of transparency.

Republicans in the minority decried what they saw as a lack of cooperation and transparency from Democrats. Rep. Donni Steele, R-Lake Orion, who is on the Houses budget committee, said outside of a few negotiators, Republicans had been locked out of discussions for more than a month.

What ends up happening is that they keep on trying to buy off the votes to get immediate effect, Steele said. I would think that the Republicans that vote for immediate effect, I would be surprised if they didnt get something in their district. And I would think some of the Republicans in the House would get what they want as well.

Rep. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport, was one of the Republican who met with Democrats to finalize the budget.

Lightner said Witwer, the budget committee chair, had reached out to ask for our input on those areas that are important to my caucus, and youll see many of those priorities in these in this bill.

She praised the investments in education as one area where this budget shines. Ultimately five Republicans joined all House Democrats in supporting the main budget, and the general education budget earned the votes of just two.

At least six of 18 Republicans senators joined their 20 Democratic counterparts to support each budget.

In a statement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer deemed the spending a make it in Michigan budget, a new slogan for her economic development agenda.

The Make it in Michigan budget will build a bright future for our state, Whitmer said. It lowers costs on health care, preschool, meals for kids, higher education, housing and workforce training.

The budget will be enacted after Whitmer signs it.

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Michigan health officials are reminding residents to check their local Air Quality Index and adjust their outdoor plans accordingly as unhealthy levels of air pollution can cause short- and long-term issues.

Smoky air from wildfires in Canada have swept into Michigan this week for the second time this month. Doctors and meteorologists have said this could become an issue that comes and goes throughout the summer as the wildfires continue to burn.

Exposure to the smoky air can have short-term health consequences, causing things like shortness of breath, chest tightness, cough, sore throat and irritated eyes. Symptoms can set it quicker and be more serious for individuals with underlying conditions like asthma, COPD, emphysema, allergies and history of heart and lung disease.

Extended exposure to high levels of particulate can lead to long-term effects, explained Dr. Ikenna Okereke, a thoracic surgeon for Henry Ford Health.

Some of these diseases were talking about, you dont see immediately but its the long-term accumulation of exposure that will probably cause this and by the time you get some of these diseases, theyre irreversible and only treated by resection, transplant, and other pretty morbid procedures, Okereke said.

Related: Detroit air quality ranks among worlds worst as wildfire smoke blankets Michigan

Okerekes research has specialized in the health effects of pollution in urban areas. He said the same places where there have been clusters of bad air quality over the last 30 years in Detroit and Wayne County have also had clusters of lung-related diseases.

The Air Quality Index assigns real-time local ratings between 0 and 500. Values of 101 to 150 are unhealthy for sensitive groups with underlying conditions, while values 151 to 200 are unhealthy for the general population.

Michigan has had several communities grading above 200 this week. Thats a sign its dangerous to spend extended time outdoors, Okereke warned. When levels are this high, he absolutely, 100% recommends reconsidering plans that will place you outdoors for an extended period of time.

How long is too long to be outside? Thats not a direct science. Okereke said most healthy people without any lung disease can probably tolerate a few hours, but its going to vary by degree of air pollution and a persons health history.

Theres not really a clearcut set guideline on what amount of time is safe and what amount isnt, said Dr. Devang Doshi, a pulmonologist and allergist for Corewell Health in Royal Oak. Most of us are of the thought that if numbers are very high and you can smell it and it looks foggy, you probably want to minimize your time outdoors.

Okereke also declined to offer specific time limits for exposure, but suggested people use best judgement. Wearing a mask can help reduce exposure. If you begin feeling symptoms like difficulty breathing, a sore throat or cough, its a good idea to get inside.

For parents worried about their children, Doshi recommend treating the poor air quality like a rainy day and keeping kids indoors. If you decide to let them outside, Okereke suggested limiting their time outside and considering more frequent breaks instead of prolonged time outdoors.

Several Michigan doctors and hospital leaders noted increases in asthma complications, respiratory complaints and other related emergency room visits for breathing difficulties over the last week.

Weve seen both asthma and COPD patients, who have been well controlled, presenting with exacerbations requiring an increase in updrafts and steroids, said Dr. Glen Clark, emergency center chief for Corewell Healths Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe. Even otherwise healthy individuals have come in complaining of chest tightness.

The unhealthy smoke can cause problems for animals too. Michigans State Veterinarians Office suggests limiting your pets outdoor time when the air quality is poor. Officials also recommend avoiding strenuous activities and ensuring clean air flow indoors for your pets using fans, air conditioners and air purifiers.

Animals that are being negatively affected by breathing poor quality air may exhibit signs of illness, including coughing, wheezing, and having difficulties breathing. They may also have eye drainage, lethargy, changing in the sound of their vocalization, decreased appetite and third.

Michigan may be in for a smoky summer. MLive Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa said it will be hard to have a large enough wet pattern hit Canada this time of year to put out all of the fires. The usual upper-air wind flow is expected to blow over the wildfires and continue to push smoke into Michigan.

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Michigan had 293,341 traffic crashes in 2022, which resulted in the death of 1,123 individuals.

Last years crash total marked a 4% increase from 2021, though it was an improvement from the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted travel patterns in 2020, according to the states annual traffic crash report published Wednesday, June 28.

Michigan reported 1% fewer traffic fatalities in 2022 compared to the year prior (1,131), however traffic deaths have increased more than 14% since 2019 and the 2022 total was the second-most in a year over the last decade. Out of 365 days in 2022, there were only 23 days in which Michigan did not report a single traffic fatality.

In a recent national report, traffic safety experts indicated the increase in road deaths are likely a result of people taking greater risks including speeding, impaired and distracted driving, and reduced seatbelt and helmet use.

However, Michigan reported fewer drug-related, alcohol-related, and distracted driving crashes in 2022 than in 2021. In fact, those totals were also improvements from 2018 and 2019.

The state did see a year-over-year increase in crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians. Motorcycle crashes declined slightly, however motorcycle deaths increased 4%.

There were also year-over-year increases in:

Work-zone crashes -- 28% from 5,814 to 7,436.

Train-involved crashes -- up 16% from 56 to 65.

School bus-involved crashes -- up 33% from 785 to 1,041.

Deer-involved crashes -- up 13% from 52,218 to 58,984.

Deaths from crashes in which drivers were fleeing police -- up 167% from nine to 24.

A recent report from the national transportation research nonprofit group TRIP identified 1,133 total traffic deaths for Michigan in 2022. Their count was 10 higher than Michigan State Polices tally. A spokesperson for MSP said TRIP used an estimate from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and that the MSP data from Wednesdays report is most accurate.

Below is a deeper look at MSPs 2022 report.

Dangerous actions

Michigan had 10% fewer alcohol-involved traffic fatalities and 9% fewer drug-involved traffic fatalities reported in 2022 compared to the previous year. There were also fewer total crashes involving both drugs and alcohol.

Alcohol was a factor in 9,331 crashes, which resulted in 322 deaths. That was down from 9,557 crashes that led to 357 deaths in 2021.

Meanwhile, there were 2,352 drug-involved crashes in 2022, resulting in 249 fatalities. A year ago, there were 2,999 such crashes and 275 related deaths.

Related: 4 things to know about Michigans expanded distracted driving law

Police determined distracted driving was a factor in 15,441 crashes last year, including crashes that killed 57 people. That was down from 16,543 such crashes killing 59 people in 2021.

Distracted driving includes using a phone or other electronic device both in your hand and hands-free. It can also include other activity in the vehicle, which was the most common form in 2022, as well as your passengers or something going on outside of your vehicle.

Pedestrians and bicyclists

There were 173 pedestrians killed by traffic crashes in 2022, which was down 5% from the year before. However, the 1,897 total pedestrian-involved crashes was an increase of 6%.

Michigan reported 1,340 crashes in which a bicycle was involved. Those incidents resulted in 36 bicyclists being killed, which was up from 29 a year ago.

There were also nine snowmobile deaths and 21 off-road vehicle deaths.

Seatbelts and helmets

Michigans traffic report documented the use of restraints and helmets during fatal crashes.

Among the road deaths for 2022, there were 329 in which a seatbelt was used, 231 in which a seatbelt wasnt used and 186 in which a seatbelt wasnt available. There were also five deaths where a shoulder belt only was used, and one where a lap belt only was used.

The state also identified 128 deaths in which the restraint use was unknown, and only one death in which there was a restraint failure.

A combination shoulder and lap seatbelt was worn in at least 81% of injury crashes involving passenger vehicles. There were 54,212 such injury crashes, compared to 2,490 in which no seat belt was used and 2,434 where no belt was available.

As for helmets, there were 119 deaths in which the rider did not wear a helmet and 33 deaths in which use of a helmet wasnt known.

Helmets werent perfect though, with 85 riders killed despite wearing one. Those deaths werent differentiated between motorcycle, bicycle, snow mobile, or off-road vehicle deaths.

Eighteen bicyclists who were killed did not wear a helmet, compared to five who did. For motorcyclists, 91 who died did not wear a helmet compared to 68 who did.

More than 7 in 10 traffic fatalities were men

Males accounted for 816 of Michigans traffic fatalities in 2022, or 72.7%. The remaining 307 fatalities were female, with zero fatalities noted in the reports non-binary column.

The gender gap is reduced heavily when looking at injury crashes. Males accounted for almost 49% of injury crashes, compared to about 51% females and a small percentage non-binary.

Men also accounted for a substantial number of the states motorcycle (93%), bicycle (97%), and off-road vehicle deaths (90%).

The most common age group for all fatalities was 25 to 34. That group also had the most injury crashes, followed by the 35-to-44 age group.

Drivers accounted for about 50% of the fatalities (556) and about 70% of the traffic injuries (49,046). Passengers accounted for another 155 deaths, and there 173 motorcyclists who died.

When crashes occurred most

November led all other months with 32,560 crashes, followed by October, December and January. Meanwhile, April had the fewest crashes followed by March and July.

June was the deadliest month with 114 fatal crashes, followed by July with 111 and September with 109. The fewest fatalities occurred in February (59), March (63) and April (65).

More crashes occurred on Fridays -- 50,097 -- than any other day of the week, with the fewest crashes occurring on Sundays. As for time of day, the most crashes were reported between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Types of crashes

The most common scenario for a traffic crash in 2022 was the single motor vehicle crash, which accounted for 109,806 crashes or 34%. Those crashes also proved most fatal, making up almost 50% of fatal collisions.

Read-end crashes were the next most common (22%), followed by angle (15%), and side-swipes from the same direction (13%).

Head-on crashes -- straight on and from a left turn -- accounted for less than 4% of total crashes, but 14% of traffic fatalities.

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A roundup of conversations we're having daily on the site. Subscribe to the Reckon Daily for stories centering marginalized communities and speaking to the under-covered issues of the moment.

Even though the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled the use of race as a factor in admissions for public and private institutions of higher learning, many public American colleges and universities have a long way before achieving racial parity, data show.

In fact, an examination of public university enrollments, including predominantly white schools that have been at the center of landmark court cases, reveals that many have a long way to go.

In one case that the court ruled on, plaintiffs from a group known as Students for Fair Admissions claimed that the University of North Carolina discriminates against white and Asian American applicants by giving preference to Black, Native American or Hispanic applicants.

But UNCs student body does not reflect the states racial makeup as a whole. For example, in 2021, just 8% of UNC students were Black compared to 22% of the states overall Black population.

Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans, NAACP President and Chief Executive Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality. The NAACP will not be deterred nor silenced in our fight to hold leaders and institutions accountable for their role in embracing diversity no matter what, he added in part.

UNC mirrors other flagship universities in states where the Black population exceeds national averages, many of which are in the South.

For example, Georgia had a Black population of 33% in 2021, but Black students at the University of Georgia were only 7% of the population; white students made up 69%.

Mississippis Black population as of 2021 was 38%. But the University of Mississippis Black student population was 12% while white students made up 77% in 2021.

Maya Wiley, the chief executive officer of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, noted the contradiction Thursday while on MSNBC.

This is what we have to understand about the public universities. The selective ones, the Ole Misses, where James Meredith literally had to be guarded by US marshals in1963 when he became the first Black person to enter that flagship university in the South. And, frankly, most of the Southern institutions have the lowest proportional representation (in terms of race). That means there are, by definition, not fair opportunities, Wiley said.

Since 2000, the percentage of Black students at public colleges and universities has declined, and colleges in states with the largest Black populations are the least accessible institutions for Black students, according to a 2020 report from The Education Trust.

The real barriers to higher education

Many scholars have long argued that affirmative action is only one step towards making higher education more inclusive; real change must involve removing structural barriers that prevent Black students from having access to higher education.

As Andrew Nichols, senior director of higher education research and data analytics at The Education Trust, told The Hechinger Report in July 2020: Tragically, too many college leaders and policymakers are really standing in the way of racial equity in higher ed.... They have the rhetoric that suggests they value diversity, equity and inclusion, but their actions or their inaction proves otherwise.

Other scholars note that the argument that college admissions should be limited to quantitative factors like grade-point averages, and standardized test scores perpetuate systemic racism.

Standardized tests have become the most effective racist weapon ever devised to objectively degrade Black and brown minds and legally exclude their bodies from prestigious schools, Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to be an Antiracist, wrote in October 2020.

Education has never been equitable and people of color have never had equal access to resources and education as white people, academics note.

Natasha Warikoo, professor of sociology at Tufts University noted: White youths tend to enjoy many privileges in the United States. These privileges include growing up, on average, in more affluent neighborhoods and attending higher-performing schools than Black and Latino youths, even of the same social class; and having parents with more financial resources to support their development.

Black borrowers owe 100% more in student debt than white borrowers four years after graduating, according to Insider. And as of 2020, the average score on the SAT for white students was 1104 (out of 1600), for Asian students 1217, for Hispanic students 969 and for Black students 927.

Experts like Tiffany Jones, the senior director of higher education policy at The Education Trust, encourage institutions to rethink legacy admissions standards and the emphasis placed on standardized test scores in admissions.

There might be barriers in place, but these institutions have enormous power, influence and resources, and we just expect them to use them to fight for Black and Brown students, just like they do [for] anyone else they care about, Jones told The Hechinger Report.

Considering leadership qualities, personal talents, race and ethnicity and family circumstances along with GPAs and test scores minimize the number of institutional barriers to attending higher education institutions.

Unintended consequences?

The defendants in each case  Students for Fair Admissions  claimed that admissions policies at both schools violated federal anti-discrimination laws because they consider race in evaluating applicants in the admissions process.

Students for Fair Admissions is a nonprofit organization that opposes race-based affirmative action policies and has challenged admissions policies at a number of institutions arguing that race-conscious admissions discriminate against white and Asian American/Pacific Islander, or AAPI, students.

However, some AAPI officials say the ruling could have unintended consequences and are using their voices to amplify the importance of enrolling students that contribute to campus diversity.

Rep. Judy Chu, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, wrote in a statement today that the end of race-conscious admissions is unlikely to change the net numbers of Asian American acceptance at elite institutions.

But AANHPI students from low-income, refugee, or indigenous backgrounds will encounter more hurdles to acceptance. Thats no net positive, and its why the majority of AANHPIs in America have expressed support for race-conscious admissions, Chu said.
PAPSS, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, is delighted to announce the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with five African multinational commercial banking groups: Access Bank Group, Ecobank Group, KCB Group, Standard Bank Group, and UBA Group.

These significant partnerships aim to revolutionise the settlement of cross-border transactions across Africa, leveraging on the vast network of subsidiaries and representative offices across major economic centres across Africa.

These MOUs were signed on Monday, 19 June 2023, at the opening ceremony of Afreximbanks 30th Anniversary Celebrations and 30th Annual Meetings held in Accra, Ghana, in the presence of Heads of State and Prime Ministers from Africa and the Caribbean, Heads of continental policy and governance institutions as well as international institutions.

The signature of these Memorandums signifies a monumental step forward in the pursuit of seamless cross-border trade payments throughout the almost 40 countries covered by these Banks. The broad collaboration between PAPSS and African commercial banks will pave the way for enhanced efficiency, transparency, and reliability in intra-African settlement. The adoption of PAPSS's cutting-edge settlement model will streamline operations and empower businesses by providing a secure and technologically advanced platform for cross-border transactions.

As part of this partnership, Access Bank Group, Ecobank Group, KCB Group, Standard Bank Group, and UBA Group will collaborate closely with PAPSS to ensure seamless integration of PAPSS into their existing systems. This collaborative effort will include opening up all their African footprints for PAPSS, facilitating settlement of transactions, encouraging the participation of Fintech in PAPSS via the banks and expanding PAPSS to all the banks current digital channels such as mobile app banking and e-banking.

Commenting on the signing, Professor Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, said: the signature of these MoUs marks a remarkable step towards the realisation of the aspirations of Africas foreleaders, who envisioned the creation of a payment and clearing union about six decades ago. It also draws us closer to domesticating cross-border payments by enabling payments for cross-border trade in African currencies while strengthening African currencies. By leveraging on the vast continental coverage of these African commercial banks, PAPSS will seamlessly facilitate cross-border trade and payments and boost intra-African trade and investments.

Also commenting on the signing, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA, said: the introduction of the new PAPSS Model for onboarding African Commercial Banks and the signing of the MoUs with the five African Commercial Bank Groups signifies a bold step towards the full operationalisation of PAPSS for the benefit of African traders and SMEs in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.

The Chief Executive Officer of PAPSS, Mr Mike Ogbalu III, expressed enthusiasm about these collaborations, stating that "these partnerships with Access Bank Group, Ecobank Group, KCB Group, Standard Bank Group, and UBA Group mark a significant milestone in the journey toward a more integrated and efficient African banking landscape. By embracing PAPSS Commercial Bank Settlement Model, these banks are helping build a robust continental platform for fostering cross-border payments, thereby paving the way for financial inclusion and substantial continental economic development.

These MOUs will be put into effect gradually in partnership with central banks in the countries where the 5 Group Banks operate. Customers of the banks in Africa will be informed through the usual channels of communication as soon as the service becomes available in their countries. PAPSS and the banks will be working towards making this service available towards year-end.
29.06.2023 LISTEN

The Leadership of Kekeli Muslim Community has issued a press release to congratulate Muslims all around the world on the celebration of Eid al-Adha.

According to the leadership of the Muslim Community, the celebration of Eid al-Adha or Festival of Sacrifice is in commemoration of the sacrifice the Great -Grandfather of all Nations (Prophet Abraham PBUH) offered to Allah ( God Almighty).

Through the act of slaughtering his firstborn son, Ishmael in fulfilment of Gods command which God replaced with a ram.

The Festival of Sacrifice reinforces the connection viceregents have with Almighty God through responding to the call to sacrifice animals either camel, goat, ram, or cow.

We use this press release to caution our Muslim brothers and sisters who will be slaughtered to be mindful of the outbreak of the Anthrax disease attacking the animals in some parts of Ghana.

We further appeal that all the symptoms that the veterinary experts have spelt out be taken serious as Islam is about saving lives, the Leadership of Kekeli Muslim Community stated.

In a statement signed by the Public Relations officer, Mohammed Rabiu Adam Mawuli, it noted We further appeal to those successfully slaughtering healthy animals to adhere to the rules on sharing the meat.

Our activities during the festival and beyond should be in line with Islamic teachings as well as the laws of Ghana so as to get the blessings in it and also not find ourselves at the wrong side of the law respectively."
29.06.2023 LISTEN

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has commended the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Police Service, and the electorates for ensuring a largely peaceful Assin North by-election.

According to CODEO, although there were few incidents that occurred during the course of the polls, it acknowledges that the conduct of the polls was consistent with the general rules and regulations which was adhered to by the polling officials.

It however noted that some issues of intimidation and violence were reported.

"At precisely 7:20AM, at Methodist Primary School 2 in Breku, a journalist from Adom TV was interviewing electorates who were in a queue to vote, and he was confronted by a purported executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for conducting an interview at the polling station.

Police personnel located at the polling station swiftly intervened and that prevented the situation from degenerating.

At the Methodist Primary School 2 in Bereku, two electorates were apprehended for taking a snapshot of the ballot paper after voting.

When questioned about their actions, they claimed that an unidentified individual had tasked them to take a picture of the marked ballot as proof in return for a monetary reward. They were nearly arrested by security personnel; the matter was resolved amicably and the alleged offenders were let go, CODEO said in a post-election report.

Read full report below:

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) trained and deployed 15 observers who were classified in two categories to observe polling day proceedings in the Assin North Constituency by- election which was held today on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Among the observers were stationary observers who were stationed at sampled polling stations and observed proceedings from the start of polls to the end of closing, counting and declaration of results at assigned polling stations. At the same time, there were some roaming observers who roamed or visited several polling stations throughout the day in the constituency. As part of their role, the observers impartially observed the process using CODEOs observation checklist and incident forms. This statement highlights observation on the set-up, voting, incidents recorded during voting, closing and counting in polling stations.

Arrival and Set-up for Polls

CODEO observers reported that election officials were present in the vast majority of the polling stations observers arrived before 6:30AM.

Majority of the polling stations observed were opened by 7:30AM with very few opening by 8:00 AM. It should be noted that no polling station was observed to have opened after 8:00 AM

All the observers indicated they were permitted by polling officials to observe the voting when the polling station was officially opened.

Adequate polling officials were present in all the polling stations observed. An average of four polling officials were present in all the polling stations observed.

All the observers indicated that voting booths had been set-up in a manner that allowed eligible voters to mark their ballots in secret.

Majority of observed polling stations were accessible to the elderly and to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Agents for all three political parties National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) were present in most polling stations even before voting commenced.

All polling stations observed had two functioning biometric verification devices.

All voting materials (ballot box, ballot papers, indelible link, voting screen, validating stamp, ink pad) were observed to be present and in adequate quantity. Tactile ballot papers were observed to be present in the applicable polling stations where persons with visual impairment were expected to vote.

Most of the ballot booklets were observed to be serialized and ordered numerically.

All observers indicated that ballot boxes were shown to be empty, sealed, and placed in public view before voting commenced.

Uniformed police personnel were stationed in all polling stations that were observed.

Voting

For all polling stations observed, ballot papers were stamped with the validating stamp before being issued to voters.

Observers reported that no unauthorized person(s) were permitted to remain in the polling station during voting.

No attempted harassment or intimidation of voters or polling officials were observed in polling stations that were covered.

All observers indicated that the vulnerable (elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and Persons with Disabilities) were given priority in the queue to vote ahead of others.

In all polling stations observed, nobody was permitted to vote without going through either biometric or manual verification. However, very few people were permitted to go through the manual verification process before being allowed to vote.

Biometric verification devices functioned very well in most polling stations. However, at the Cocoa Shed Caanan polling station, the biometric verification device failed to function properly for about three minutes. The polling officials quickly resolved the situation by replacing the faulty device with the backup device, and as such the voting process was not halted.

Overall, a majority of the observers indicated that minor or no problems occurred during the voting process.

Closing and Counting

In all polling stations observed, no voter was seen in the queue at 5:00 PM and no one arrived at the polling station after 5:00 pm to vote when polls closed.

No harassment or intimidation of polling officials, agents, or observers was noted during the counting of votes in polling stations that were covered by the observers.

No unauthorized persons were present at the inner perimeter/cordoned area during the counting process in observed polling stations.

At the time of counting, observers reported that there was sufficient light available in all observed polling stations.

All political party agents were permitted to observe the counting processes.

There was no instance in which more ballot papers were found in the ballot box other than that of voters who cast ballots.

After counting was completed, no political party agent requested for a recount of the ballot papers in polling stations that had CODEO observers.

Political party agents from the NPP and NDC signed the declaration of results form for this parliamentary by-election in observed polling stations. Similarly, Presiding Officers in all observed polling stations signed the declaration of results forms. On the contrary, no LPG party agent was noted to have signed the declaration of results form.

Reported incidents

CODEO Observers reported a few incidents that occurred during the course of the polls and these include issues that were verified:

Intimidation: At precisely 7:20AM, at Methodist Primary School 2 in Breku, a journalist from Adom TV was interviewing electorates who were in a queue to vote, and he was confronted by a purported executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for conducting an interview at the polling station. Police personnel located at the polling station swiftly intervened and that prevented the situation from degenerating.

Violation of voting procedure: At the Methodist Primary School 2 in Bereku, two electorates were apprehended for taking a snapshot of the ballot paper after voting. When questioned about their actions, they claimed that an unidentified individual had tasked them to take a picture of the marked ballot as proof in return for a monetary reward. They were nearly arrested by security personnel, however, the matter was resolved amicably and the alleged offenders were let go.

Violent Clash: Around 1:00PM, a convoy of vehicles with NPP occupants, accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Antwi Bosiako (Chairman Wontumi), pursued a vehicle occupied by NDC supporters from a different polling station to D/C Primary School in Praso (located within the Electoral Area with Polling Station Code B170801). During this pursuit, the occupants of the NPP vehicles proceeded to vandalize and damage parts of the NDC vehicle, resulting in commotion and disturbance along the roadside. Security personnel intervened to calm the situation by removing the actors from the vicinity of the polling station to a distant location. However, it was reported that the individuals involved in the altercation fired gunshots and one person was injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Conclusion

CODEO would like to commend the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Police Service and the electorates for ensuring a largely peaceful by-election which was fully concluded after the winning candidate was declared. CODEO acknowledges that the conduct of the polls was consistent with the general rules and regulations which was adhered to by the polling officials. In addition, there were no shortage of materials and the biometric verification devices functioned well to very a large extent without any significant disruptions to the polls in any of the observed polling stations. CODEO condemns the violent incident which occurred in the constituency and nearly blotted the elections.

On this note, the Coalition calls on the Ghana Police Service to urgently investigate the incident and prosecute all persons found culpable to serve as a deterrent.

About CODEO

CODEO is an independent and non-partisan network of civil society groups, faith-based organizations and professional bodies which observe Ghanaian elections. It was established in the year 2000, under the auspices of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) to mobilize Ghanaian citizens to actively participate in the electoral process and to complement the efforts of Ghanas Electoral Commission in ensuring transparent, free, fair and peaceful elections. The Coalition of 42- member organizations has grown to become the largest and most credible domestic election observer body in Ghana which mobilizes citizens and groups to participate in Ghanas electoral processes.

SIGNED:

Albert Kofi Arhin

National Coordinator, CODEO

(For and on Behalf of the Advisory Board)

Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
29.06.2023 LISTEN

The by-election held in the Assin North constituency, Central Region on Tuesday was largely peaceful and transparent, according to the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), the largest domestic election observer body in the country.

However, the polls were also marked by a violent incident that led to one person being injured and hospitalized.

The incident, according to a report from CODEO said, involved supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) near a polling station in the Praso area, where the NDC candidate reportedly had a strong support base.

The report added that the incident disrupted voting in the area for a while but did not cause major disruptions elsewhere in the constituency.

It also noted some incidents of irregularities and misconduct, such as attempts to take photos of marked ballots, malfunctioning of biometric devices, and harassment of a journalist by an alleged NPP executive.

The report did not indicate any significant impact of these incidents on the overall outcome of the polls.

Albert Kofi Arhin, the National Coordinator of CODEO calls on the police to investigate the violent incident and prosecute the perpetrators.

He praised the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Police Service, and the voters for ensuring a largely peaceful and well-conducted by-election.

"The conduct of the polls was consistent with the general rules and regulations which was adhered to by the polling officials. In addition, there were no shortage of materials and the biometric verification devices functioned well to a large extent without any significant disruptions to the polls in any of the observed polling stations," Arhin said in a statement on Wednesday, June 28.He also called

The by-election was held after the incumbent MP, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC was stripped of his seat by Supreme Court ruling in May for holding dual citizenship.

Nonetheless, at the end of the Tuesday poll, Gyakye Quayson secured 57.56% of the vote to beat the NPP's Charles Opoku, who received 42.15%, while the LPG candidate garnered just 0.29% of the vote.

But he still faces charges of perjury and forgery in a criminal case.
29.06.2023 LISTEN

Mr Bill Godson Ocloo, a security analyst, has described as alarming the current spate of crime and insecurity in the country.

He referred to the recent attack on a billion van at fan milk junction near Ablekuma in Accra, which led to the shooting and killing of a police officer and other related prevalent, crimes, were serious national security threats.

Mr Ocloo, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said, looking at the current economic conditions in the country, it should be envisaged that some people are prone to commit crime and other social vices, resulting in serious national security breaches.

The security expert described the killing of the Police officer in the bullion van attack as unfortunate, and called on the Police hierarchy to step up their game to ensure that personnel deployed on various security duties were themselves secured.

We are told in some reports that the slain officer in the bullion van attack died for lack of a bulletproof vest  if this is anything to go by, then more needs to be done by the authorities.

All the necessary apparatus and gadgets must be provided for officers sent out on security duties, to ensure that they are protected in their line of duty to forestall these happenings going forward, he said.

Mr Ocloo called for further training for officers on special duties to ensure that they were able to professionally combat crimes with ample safety for their own lives.

The security analyst further observed that the current ratio of the police to the population of citizens was very low compared to other jurisdictions and called for efforts and support to the Police Service to change the status-quo.

Mr Ocloo advised Ghanaians to be always security conscious and to promptly report suspicious characters to the security agencies, so that their activities could be promptly nipped in the bud.

He further called on the Police to intensify its intelligence gathering to be well informed in advance of the modus operandi of criminals in the interest of the peace and security of the country.

GNA
Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta are expected to appear before Parliament today, Thursday, June 29.

The ministers are to brief the house on measures taken towards addressing flooding in the country.

In the Ashanti Region, for instance, eight persons including an officer with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) died from recent floods.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin wants the Ministers to provide details on how the government intends to deal with the recurring issue.

He therefore directed that the two ministers appear before Parliament to brief the House on measures against flooding.

Still in Parliament, the house is also scheduled to debate the Promotion of Proper Sexual Human Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021.

The bill was presented to Parliament on March 31, 2023, by the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.

Its objective is to criminalise LGBT activities and provide protection for children and victims involved in such acts.

-citinewsroom
How CPC organizes itself is crucial to its leadership: Australian professor

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272586.shtml?id=11

By Global Times Aug 09, 2022

Editor's Note:



For the Chinese people, the past decade has been epic and inspirational. The country, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, has made great endeavors in boosting its economy, deepening reforms, improving the rights of its people and acting as a responsible power globally.



There have been many misunderstandings and vilification toward China outside the country which has experienced decades of extraordinary development. Global Times (GT) reporter Yan Yuzhu talked to Professor David Goodman (Goodman), Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, who has spent many years doing research in different parts of China, about his experience in China and his research on common prosperity, his opinions on the CPC leadership, as well as how he thinks of Western politicization of China-related issues.



This is the 17th article of the series about this special decade.



GT: You have lived in several cities in China over the past decades. What has impressed you the most about the changes in China, especially over the past 10 years?



Goodman: China has changed dramatically. When I first lived in China, I think at the very first year I didn't eat very well. We ate better than most Chinese for sure because we were privileged as foreigners. We had rice but I never had very much meat. So at Christmas time, I went to Hong Kong straight over the border, off the train into McDonald's. Of course, after that, McDonald's came to China, and indeed everything changed in the 1980s. Just look at the standard of living, particularly on the eastern coast where rose the big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Those areas have changed dramatically out of sight. When I first went to Tianjin and Suzhou in the 1970s, these were indeed very poor areas.



And now like all the cities in China, 40 years of dramatic change mean just what it says. You have better healthcare, better street care, and better communications. If you live somewhere like Suzhou, you'll find the new areas of the city have a higher standard of living than much of Western Europe. If you travel as I had done from the Suzhou Industrial Park to London, you'll think you're going to the third world. The eastern part of Jiangsu between Suzhou and Shanghai is so well developed. Even in western China such as Qinghai and Lanzhou, or in Northwest Sichuan, it's better than it used to be, as there is now public transport and roads, whereas in the 70s, it was very difficult to travel around.



GT: You have mentioned that you were born into a left-wing family in Britain, and you have relatives who were communists. How do you understand the theories and ideals of communism? How do you see the role of the CPC in the country's development?



Goodman: Firstly, theories of communism that I grew up in were very much a product of the first half of the 20th century, very much a product of the war against fascism, and very much the impact of industrialization on Western Europe. In that process of industrialization, you had capitalism running rampant and the workers needing to organize.



That isn't the situation now. What drew people to communism in the first half of the 20th century was almost certainly a belief in equality of people, and the need for greater equality and reaching a more equal society. In the pre-industrial societies and in the industrial stage of social development, the privileged are the only ones getting the benefits of change. I think people were attracted to communism, because they thought that opportunities should be made available more freely. In those days, global integration was much less than it is now. We have communications that go around the world, and we have economic integration which dramatically changes how societies are.



When I was a child, if my mother wanted to buy an ironing board, she would have to save almost a month's wages to buy that kind of equipment. Why? Because iron and coal were expensive at that time, and there were only small communities as countries back then were very small as well. If you go onto a world's stage, you can have different value of labor in different places, different ways of production. And that is how China has become one of the great economies of the world by using its comparative advantage of cheap labor at first, and plentiful supplies as well as large market to then grow its size in economy and its power as a result.



So I think communism now has to be something very different, which the state directs whilst accepting that there is an important role to be played by market forces within that framework. I think largely that's what the Communist Party of China is actually doing. It's not easy to get from where we are now to what is seen as being the future perfect society.



A lot of people outside China have talked about the possibility of "China being a liberal democracy," as opposed to the communist democracy. But can you imagine what would happen if there were a liberal democracy tomorrow in China? Some good things might happen, but some really bad things might happen too. First, you need a culture of liberal democracy since you can't just impose it on a country. But in many cases liberal democracy was imposed without a relevant culture and people hoped that things might change for the better. However, it doesn't always work that way, and the two obvious examples of that are India and Japan. Let's not pretend that liberal democracy is the only answer to everything.



David Goodman. Photo: courtesy of Goodman

GT: In an interview, you said that you looked forward to going back to China to do a research project on common prosperity with your Chinese friends. Which regions/areas would you choose to study China's common prosperity?



Goodman: Outside china, common prosperity is being greeted as though it were going back to a Maoist idea of egalitarian which means everybody should be made equal. I don't see it that way. China has a very interesting pilot project in Zhejiang which was reported in the middle of 2021. The starting point seems to be two things: first, there is a need for greater welfare at the local level; second, there's also a need for a reform of public finance, because huge amount of government revenue goes to local government. Unless you're taxing people properly, you're not going to be able to run the government, even if you have all these state-owned enterprises. So how I read the common prosperity is that it's an intent at the local level to bring businesses, local governments, social organizations, and welfare services together, both to fund what needs to be done and provide the service for things like health, education, social services, aged care, and so on.



Very few countries have deliberately sat down and tried to carve out a plan for creating a welfare state in this way. Early in the 1940s, Britain had a plan called the Beveridge Report, which, though, had to be amended as it went along and has been largely abandoned because people got rich, things changed and it wasn't totally successful. However, most countries don't even do it. The US has never gone anywhere close to it, just saying, if you want welfare, you have to work. But there is a need for individuals to be looked after by collective endeavour if they can't look after themselves, and there are many different ways of doing so.



What interests me in China about common prosperity is that this might be a way of doing it in a particular system. Very few systems are like China's. First of all, China is enormous. It's not like Germany, Britain or Japan, but like a series of those countries. So the scale of the welfare is also enormous, and scale also means huge differences within.



As for where we're going to do our project, we've chosen three areas around China to see how it might be possible to see common prosperity emerge: Suzhou, Taiyuan, and Lanzhou. They're not representative of the whole of China, but Suzhou no doubt represents wealthy China, while Taiyuan represents the industrial North, and Lanzhou represents very much the West. They are representative at least some of the patterns of China's development.



"Local" in China is a difficult concept, which is neither like the center nor the provinces. Instead, we are looking at the county level and the prefecture level, investigating the policies and their implementation of common prosperity in those three places in the prefecture level, but also underneath in the urban and rural districts and the county-level cities. In our research, we are going to talk to entrepreneurs and local government officials, including welfare officials, to see how they work.



GT: The CPC has stepped into its second century. What are your expectations for the future of China under the leadership of the CPC?



Goodman: Many predictions about China by other countries have been wrong, and people outside China should learn to expect the unexpected in the country. It's almost as if in terms of economic development, one has to write the rule book of economic development again considering the situation in China.



I was working in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs in the 1990s, doing a report on development in China. Somebody said to me that China was lying about its economic growth statistics. And I said what we should bear in mind is that how is so much growth generated in a country? What's happened in China is not that the whole country has grown at those rates at the same time, but it started in Guangdong, at the growth of rates of 27-30 percent for a number of years.



Then it slowed down, and the high point of growth went around the coast to Fujian and Shanghai. After that, the high growth went up north and came down south again. It brings us back to the question of scale. China is not a single economy, and one has to understand the dynamics of these changes. It's crazy to think that China doesn't have varied difference within just because it is a single political system.



On the level of strategy, it's very important to understand the nature of China. Indeed, a kind of Chinese nationalism and unity is an important part of what the CPC delivers, but the unity is not because it's all the same in China, instead, you can have unity through difference. That will be a more sophisticated way of looking at a country.



So, the way the party organizes itself is crucial to maintaining its leadership of the country in a good way. Without organizing itself properly, the problem will also be huge for the rest of the world since we have a high degree of globalization and economic integration.



GT: How do you feel about Western media and some politicians having long been obsessed with putting a label on China and poisoning the well of China?



Goodman: It's obvious that there isn't enough China literacy outside China. People often make statements about China without knowing it well. They just make statements because they're paid to do so. China literacy can be very low abroad, and over-generating about China is only a start. Then it goes to the discussion that whether China has the right to grow its economy and be a growing superpower. If it does, then that makes a difference to the way that other countries of the world have to see it.



Lawmakers in the US have been saying that China's rise as an economic power is an existential threat to the US, because there will be a second superpower. It encourages war and conflict based on the way that Americans think about themselves: the US is the only country that matters and it has to be in charge.



I think the US is indeed a very strange country. I've been in the US a lot and know it quite well. But I suppose I know China better in lots of different ways, that's why I think some people in the US can be so ignorant. Indeed, there are different problems in China, just as there are in the US, where a Black or a Hispanic in a poor part will definitely suffer a lot. It's very uncomfortable for me when American protestants and white men start talking about human rights and the way the world should be. Countries need to be very careful when they make statements.



I think people of any countries as a whole have a right to speak up about injustice wherever it is. But when someone starts to politicize it and then it becomes a matter of political relations between two countries or a way of starting a war, things will be very awful because it's not a way of trying to solve the problems.
Shouting "death to the cops", hundreds of protesters clashed for a second night with security forces on the outskirts of Paris after a 17-year-old was shot dead by police during a traffic stop. 150 people were arrested nationwide and several public buildings were "burned or attacked" according to the Interior Minister.

Nahel M., 17, was shot in the chest at point-blank range on Tuesday morning. He had been pulled over for breaking traffic rules.

Police initially reported that an officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving at him, but this was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and authenticated by French news agency AFP.

The 38-year-old policeman filmed firing the lethal shot was taken into custody and is under investigation for voluntary manslaughter.

The incident has reignited debate in France about police tactics long criticised by rights groups over the treatment of people in low-income suburbs, particularly ethnic minorities.

In a sign of the seriousness of the situation, President Emmanuel Macron called an early morning crisis meeting of his ministers, the Elysee announced.

Tribute march

The teenager's mother called for a march on Thursday afternoon in the Paris suburb of Nanterre where he was killed, in tribute to her only child.

For a second night, violence erupted after midnight on Wednesday in the Paris region, where around 2,000 riot police had been deployed. Unrest was reported in other French cities, including Toulouse, Dijon and Lyon.

"A night of intolerable violence against symbols of the republic, with town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he announced the 150 arrests figure.

He expressed support for police but added in an apparent swipe at the hard-left: "Shame on those who did not call for calm."

In the region around Nanterre, masked demonstrators dressed in black launched fireworks and firecrackers at security forces.

'Avengers'

AFP journalists saw more than a dozen cars and garbage cans set ablaze and barriers blocking off roads.

Graffiti sprayed on the walls of one building called for "justice for Nahel" and said, "police kill".

In the working-class 18th and 19th districts of northeastern Paris, police fired flashballs to disperse protesters burning rubbish, but instead of leaving, the crowd responded by throwing bottles.

"We are sick of being treated like this. This is for Nahel, we are Nahel," said two young men calling themselves "Avengers" as they wheeled rubbish bins from a nearby estate to add to a burning barricade.

In the Essonne region south of the capital, a group set a bus on fire after forcing all the passengers off, police said, while in Clamart a tram was set on fire.

Prison attacked

In the southern city of Toulouse, several cars were torched and responding police and firefighters pelted with projectiles, a police source said, while authorities reported similar scenes in Dijon and Lyon.

At France's second-largest prison complex, Fresnes, protesters attacked security at the entrance with fireworks, a police source told AFP.

"They did not enter the prison grounds. The police were quickly called in," the source added.

France is haunted by the prospect of a repeat of 2005 riots sparked by the death of two black boys during a police chase. Those protests resulted in around 6,000 people arrested.

(with AFP)
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana's main opposition party, has pledged to prioritise the interests of the Ghanaian people.

In a statement signed by the party's general secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC urged all citizens to join forces with them to rescue the nation from what they describe as the oppressive New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the upcoming December 2024 elections.

The party expressed its gratitude to the constituents of Assin North in the Central region for their unwavering support in the recent by-election.

This by-election was conducted after the Supreme Court nullified the 2020 election victory of NDC candidate James Gyakye Quayson, citing his possession of Canadian citizenship alongside his Ghanaian citizenship at the time of filing his candidacy.

In the by-election, Mr. Quayson successfully retained his seat, securing a significant victory by obtaining 17,245 votes, which accounted for 57.56% of the total valid votes. His closest rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 12,630 votes, representing 42.15% of the total votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu from the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes (0.29%).

The NDC emphasised that Mr. Quayson's resounding endorsement signifies a triumph for truth and justice.

As they move forward, the NDC is urging all Ghanaians to unite under their banner and work together to liberate the country from what they perceive as an oppressive regime.

-Classfmonline.com
Bank of Ghana has cracked down on compliance issues in the forex market by fining and suspending the forex licenses of Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited and First National Bank Ghana Limited (FNB).

The central bank fined the two banks 1,000 penalty points each for breaching sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.9 of the Ghana Interbank Forex Market Conduct rules.

The breaches relate to rules governing proper forex trading practices, transparency requirements and reporting obligations.

In addition to the hefty fines, Bank of Ghana suspended the forex licenses of Fidelity Bank and FNB for a month, from June 29 to July 28, 2023.

"Bank of Ghana will not tolerate any forex market rules violations," said Sandra Thompson, Secretary of Bank of Ghana in the official notice.

"We want a stable, transparent and orderly foreign exchange market that benefits all stakeholders including individuals, businesses and the economy. These sanctions send a clear message that we will not hesitate to act against non-compliant market players," BoG said in a statement on June 29.

The suspensions and fines, according to BoG serve as a warning to all forex market players including banks, forex bureaus and money transfer operators to strictly comply with regulations in order to maintain their forex licenses.
Friday, June 23, 2023 Monrovia, Liberia, In an effort to address the growing wave of violence extremism and insecurity challenges facing West Africa, the Liberia National Police in collaboration with its regional counterpart the West African Police Information System WAPIS along with the global police network INTERPOL formally inaugurated a Data Collection & Registration Center (DACORE). The ceremony was held in Monrovia at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police.

The West African Police Information System (WAPIS) is aimed at providing and tracking information about security related threats across the region through a centralized national system that can be used by authorities for surveillance purposes in maintaining safe environments at regional and international levels.

The first phase of the pilot project began in September 2012 and ended September 2013 with financial assistance from the European Union to four West African nation-states namely; Benin, Ghana, Mail and Niger. Whilst Mauritania as an observer country. The second phase of the project which was initiated in October 2013 to February 2016 saw the deployment of the program in these four pilot countries.

The program brought together state actors and stakeholders from the international community, which included among others, the Resident Representative of the President of the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS Commission in Liberia Her Excellency Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah who applauded the initiative of the center in Liberia. Amb. Nkrumah described the initiative as laudable and very essential to the peace and stability of the region, especially at the time of growing enormous security threats and concerns in West Africa. She stressed the importance of trained security personnel who can protect, defend and combat transnational crimes. In further remarks, she added that the sub-region is being plagued with crimes such as violent extremism and criminality; but with the presence of WAPIS in the region, it will help curb the spread of violence situations and all forms of insecurities.

For his part, Liberia Justice Minister Honorable Cllr. Frank Musa Dean thanked the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS for embracing the WAPIS concept. Minister Dean stressed the importance of WAPIS inauguration in Liberia which will assist in combating transnational crimes and terrorism in all forms at the national, regional, and international levels through digital information sharing in real time.

Also in attendance was the Head of INTERPOL West African Police Information System WAPIS program Mr. Richard Gotwe. Speaking at the program, Mr. Gotwe commended the role of Liberian Immigration Service. He also mentioned some of the security challenges facing West Africa as; durg trafficking, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, terrorism and maritime piracy which are on the rise in the subregion.
Child Online Africa is deeply concerned about the recent incident of TV3 broadcasting inappropriate live content during the Date Rush program that has a general viewership; by extension children included. COAs position is in alignment with the African Charters consideration that the promotion and protection of the rights and welfare of the child also imply the performance of duties on the part of EVERYONE. Therefore, this alarming development highlights the urgent need for stricter content moderation and proactive measures to ensure the protection of our children.

COA also recognizes the child has physical and mental development needs that require particular care concerning health, physical, mental, moral, and social development, as well as legal protection in conditions of freedom, dignity, and security. Exposure to inappropriate content could have serious consequences on a childs emotional well-being, cognitive development, and overall mental health.

The harms associated with exposing children to inappropriate content are numerous and include: Emotional Distress -Psychological Impact -Normalization of Inappropriate Behaviour- Negative Influence on Values and Morals.

We, therefore, call on all stakeholders in the media to prioritize the protection of children by taking immediate steps to rectify this issue. With inspiration from Article 4 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Section 2 of the Childrens Act of Ghana (Act 560), COA recommends the following measures:

1. Strengthened Content Moderation: TV stations must implement robust content moderation policies to ensure that all content, especially that is targeted at the general public; undergoes thorough review and screening before broadcast. This includes setting clear guidelines on what is considered appropriate for young audiences.

2. Pre-Broadcast Screening: Establishing a pre-broadcast screening process to help identify any potentially inappropriate content and prevent it from being aired during programs aimed at the general public, which could include children.

3. Age-Appropriate Content Ratings: Implementing a standardized content rating system which could provide useful and clear guidance to parents and caregivers on the age-appropriateness of the programs, enabling them to make informed decisions about what their children should watch.

4. Collaboration: There is a need for TV station owners and editors, National Communications Authority, National Media Commission and other agencies to team up in establishing best practices, share resources, and develop effective policies that prioritize child safety and well-being.

5. Legislation: we call on regulators and policymakers, especially the parliamentary caucus on Communications, to come up with standards informed by our cultural values and principles to strengthen existing regulations and enforce them effectively to safeguard the best interests of our children while checking some of these excesses.

Children's well-being should be a collective responsibility. We urge the TV station in question to take immediate action to rectify the situation.

Together, we can create a safer, more empowering, and more positive, nurturing media environment for children.

SIGNED

Awo Aidam Amenyah

(Executive Director)
29.06.2023 LISTEN

The Municipal Chief Executive of Ho, Hon. Divine Richard Komla Bosson has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to at least enforce some minimum form of punishment in school despite the government's directives.

The MCE noted that this could guard against indiscipline which has very common among students in various schools.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) in 2017 officially banned all forms of corporal punishment of children in schools in Ghana as part of efforts aimed at promoting a safe and protective learning environment for children.

The GES directed in January 2019 that a Positive Discipline Toolkit which gives alternatives to corporal punishments be adopted by all teachers.

This however urged parents to take on teachers who cane their children as same amounts to an assault on the children.

Speaking on some efforts of the assembly in education promotion and developments in the Ho Municipality on Swiss FM's 'Volta Express Show' Hon. Bosson argued that some of the activities and attitudes of students especially in the Senior High Schools are causing falls in learning and other educational activities in various school which need to be looked at.

?I'm not against the directives of the government of eliminating punishment from our schools but sometimes there should be a little bit of that to scare the child or the student. At times you realized the activities of the student are a clear violation of school ethics but the law says don't punish," he laments.

According to the MCE, the directive also contributes to the fall in learning outcomes.

He added that the government must allow the schools to use minimum forms of punishment to instil discipline.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky are the key figures at a European Union summit underway in Brussels this Thursday, highlighting the importance of protecting the EU's eastern flank from Russian aggression and bolstering support for Tunisia to combat illegal migration across the Mediterranean

Zelensky is to address the gathering by video link and Stoltenberg will have an early lunch at the EU leaders' summit in the European capital, but the biggest seat will be set aside for an item that is not officially on the agenda: the fallout from the stunning weekend mutiny in Russia.

Officials from several member states and EU institutions said the chaos and instability created by the Wagner mercenary group's rebellion would not only force the EU to double down on its support for Ukraine with commitments for more ammunition but also intensify efforts to make sure fighting and violence does not spill over into the bloc itself.

Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has underlined: There is no room for hesitation. We must continue to increase the price of Russian aggression.

Within the EU, some are saying that the effects of the revolt reach right into the Kremlin.

German Chancellor Olof Scholz has remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been significantly weakened by the mutiny, with EU leaders recognising the impact of 11 sets of sanctions that Europe has imposed on Moscow in conjunction with the United States as key.

Ukraine aid, Russian assets

As most EU countries are members of NATO, they will look to give Ukraine more security guarantees, if stopping short of full NATO membership.

That approach for more support for Kyiv is expected to be fully endorsed by the time the two-day summit ends.

EU nations have also been providing billions in aid both to bolster military supplies and to make sure Ukraine's economy stays afloat.

The Brussels summit will also look more closely to what extent Russia's frozen assets from the central bank  estimated at some 200 billion  can be used for that.

Several countries fear the legal grounds for such a move is precarious and the European Central Bank has warned that confiscating Russian assets could pose a serious risk to the reputation of the euro.

Some countries reportedly want to impose an additional windfall levy on the money to use for Ukraine's reconstruction.

Frontex reform

Meanwhile, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is presenting a plan for strengthening the European Union's borders, bringing the reform of the Frontex border agency into the spotlight.

EU leaders will also be looking at ways to help Tunisia stem migrant boat departures for Europe.

This comes two weeks after a boat believed to have been carrying hundreds of migrants capsized off Greece in one of the worst such tragedies in years.

At least 82 people died and many more remain missing in the sinking, which occurred in unclear circumstances.

Amnesty International and other rights groups say the tragedy resulted from Brussels' "Fortress Europe" policy  implemented over the past seven years  since experiencing a huge inflow of Syrian war refugees.

Earlier this month, European Union countries reached agreement on a long-stalled revision of the bloc's asylum rules, that aims to share the burden of hosting asylum seekers across EU countries.

Poland and Hungary  which were outvoted on the plan  have come out strongly against the accord and intend to have it discussed at the Brussels summit.

Aid for Tunisia

Brussels is seeking to extend a tactic it used with Turkey in 2016, which worked to greatly reduce irregular migration flows to Europe in exchange for six billion euros in assistance.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently offered Tunisia more than one billion euros  900 million in long-term aid plus 150 million immediately  if it meets International Monetary Fund conditions for an IMF loan worth nearly 2 billion.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has said Paris wants to see the IMF deal sealed with Tunisia "because it's in the interest of that country, which is a close country and a friendly one".

France has separately announced 26 million in aid to Tunisia to help curb irregular migration across the Mediterranean.
As part of activities marking its second anniversary, Ghanaian law firm Franklyn and Partners on Friday supported orphans at the Network for Intellectual Muslims of Africa (NIMA) Care Foundation to put smiles on the faces of the inmates of the home.

The law firm donated food and provisions worth GH 25,000 including bags of rice, boxes of milo, milk, sugar, cartons of sardines, boxes of biscuits, and assorted drinks.

The leader of the law firm, Kwame Nyampong Esq., observed that his outfit decided to celebrate their second year of existence with the less privileged children in the home in order to put smiles on their faces.

"The essence of our visit is to put smiles on the faces of these orphans. This also happens to coincide with our second anniversary as a law firm, and we couldnt have been happier than to bring this little token to welcome these orphans to be part of our celebration," said Lawyer Nyampong.

He expressed delight at being part of the lives of the less privileged inmates and assured them of continuously contributing their widows might to the Foundation.

An elated Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NIMA Care Foundation, Faisal Bashiru, expressed their appreciation to Franklyn and Partners for their kind gesture and other support to widows in the community.

He said, "The widows in the community are very happy. May the goodness of Allah be with you, and may he protect you from all that you are doing. On behalf of all the orphans, we say a big thank you to you.

"Since its inception two years ago, Franklyn and Partners, as part of its corporate social responsibility, has been supporting various institutions in the country.

During its first anniversary, the law firm celebrated the day with inmates of the Teshie Childrens Home near the Ghanaian capital.

The law firm donated assorted provisions and toiletries worth GH8,000 including 5 boxes of Nutrisnax biscuits, 5 cartons each of milo and carnation milk, and a box of St. Louis sugar cubes.

The rest are 5 boxes of cindy rice, 5 cartons of ocean sardine, 10 packs of Voltic water (7, 7 mineral), as well as 10 (10 ply) toilet rolls.

The group also supported women within the Nima enclave with an amount of GH 15,500 during this years Eid-ul-Fitr celebration.

Franklyn and Partners is an immensely vibrant and diverse full-service corporate and commercial law firm located in Accra.

It has expertise in legal due diligence, oil and gas, minerals, and mining, as well as transport and aviation issues.
On the 27th of June 2023 Ghana's democracy stood tall among other democracies in the world..After a long Legally influenced partisan battle that was ousted from the Ghana parliament and Elected parliamentarian, the people of Assin have spoken. Ghana's democracy has passed the test of the day.

The Italy Chapter of the NDC wants to Congratulate Mr. James Gyekye Quayson for his landslide victory over his contender in the recent by-elections in the Assin North We thank the Flagbearer, the Chairman, the General Secretary, the MPs, and all party supporters who have helped in diverse ways even at the peril of their lives to defend our democracy

Akufo Addo, where is your sting? Your utterances and demeanors don't depict the Lawyer you claimed to be. I believed you have till now not found your Law certificates. Not forgetting your classmates. You are the first to Clear criminals even before they are investigated.

In the same way, you have, together with your partisan Attorney General Jailed Hon. James Gyekye Quayson even before the courts would draw a curtain on the case. Your intimidations could not stop the people of Assin from talking. Power belongs to the people. The Assins have proven beyond all odds that they cannot be taken for granted. For the first time in our democracy, Akufo Addo has turned our democracy into 'Moneycracy''; people have been enticed with money in order to vote in a certain direction.

The Italy chapter Lauded the Gallant men and women of the NDC who have prioritized the National interest, defended the constitution, and supported our democracy. The vigilance put in place, the coalition of the results, and your bravery have given us hope going into the 2024 general elections.

Long live Ghana, Long live Ghana's democracy

EYE ZU

Eye ZA

Ag Sec

DARRAH FRANCIS
Dr. Frederick Oduro, a Senior Lecturer and Dean at the Institute of Local Governance, has praised Ghana Police Service and the Akufo-Addo government for ensuring peaceful by-elections in Kumawu and Assin North constituencies.

Expressing his initial concerns about potential chaos due to the current state of Parliament, Dr. Oduro stated his satisfaction with the conduct of the by-elections.

He commended the Police and the Electoral Commission for their exceptional performance, as well as the political parties and government for their contribution to the peaceful process.

Dr. Oduro highlighted that the absence of issues related to election theft and political vigilantism in these by-elections is a positive development for Ghana's democracy.

He expressed his delight that discussions did not revolve around electoral malpractices or violence, emphasising the importance of nonviolent elections.

Dr Oduro said these in an interview on Accra-based Starr FM.

The Ghana Police Service had previously indicated its preparedness to provide adequate security measures during the by-elections, ensuring an incident-free electoral process.

The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, along with the Police Management Board (POMAB), met with political parties, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and the Electoral Commission, to foster cooperation and maintain a cordial working relationship among all stakeholders.

-Classfmonline.com
The discussion at Davos this year may be part of a move in the right direction toward a more sustainable capitalism, writes economist Joseph Stiglitz.

From paying taxes and liveable wages to advocating government regulations to protect the environment, we need proof corporations are changing.

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the World Economic Forums flagship meeting of the worlds business and political elites in Davos, Switzerland. Much has changed since my first Davos in 1995. Back then, there was euphoria over globalization, hope for ex-communist countries transition to the market, and confidence that new technologies would open up new vistas from which all would benefit. Businesses, working with government, would lead the way.

Today, with the world facing climate, environmental, and inequality crises, the mood is very different. Facebook, willing to provide a platform for mis-/disinformation and political manipulation, regardless of the consequences for democracy, has shown the dangers of a privately controlled monopolistic surveillance economy. Corporate leaders, and not just in the financial sector, have displayed remarkable moral turpitude.

Moreover, multilateralism is under attack. Its strongest defender historically, the United States, now has an administration committed to America First, and to undermining global cooperation, even as the need for cooperation in a host of areas  including peace, health, and the environment  becomes increasingly apparent.

This years meeting highlighted disenchantment with the increasingly dominant American model of shareholder-first, profit-maximizing firms. More than 50 years ago, WEF founder and head Klaus Schwab argued for stakeholder capitalism: enterprises should be accountable for the interests of their customers, workers, communities, and the environment, as well as their shareholders. Some 45 years ago, with Sandy Grossman, I showed in a standard economic framework that maximizing shareholder value would not maximize societal welfare. In speech after speech this year, business leaders and academics explained how Milton Friedmans successful advocacy of shareholder capitalism led directly to the crises we face today  including, in the US, opioid addiction, childhood diabetes, declining life expectancy amid soaring deaths of despair  and the political divisions they have fueled.

To be sure, recognition that there is a problem is necessary if we are to change course. But we also have to understand that the causes of societal maladies go beyond maximizing shareholder value. At the root of the problem is neoliberalisms excessive faith in markets and skepticism of government, which underpins a policy agenda focused on deregulation and tax cuts. After a 40-year experiment, we can declare it a failure. Growth has been lower, and most of the gains went to the top. While this should be obvious, there is no consensus among our business leaders.

Even though the applause for US President Donald Trump, who delivered one of the opening addresses, was the most anemic I have seen for a global leader, almost no one openly criticized him. Perhaps audience members feared a critical tweet or felt gratitude for a tax cut that benefited billionaires and large corporations at the expense of nearly everyone else (indeed, tax rates in the US will rise for some 70% of those in the middle).

Cognitive dissonance  or dishonesty  was on full display. Attendees could highlight the importance of climate change and tout their corporations response to it, and yet welcome Trumps deregulation, which will allow the US, already the leader in per capita greenhouse-gas emissions, to pollute even more.

Moreover, despite much talk about stakeholder capitalism, there was no discussion of reducing CEO and managerial pay to ameliorate growing pay disparities, or of the first element of corporate social responsibility: paying your fair share of taxes by curbing multinational tax avoidance, and ensuring that developing countries get a fair share of tax revenues. This led Rob Cox, global editor of Reuters Breakingviews, to suggest that stakeholder capitalism might be a strategy to unfetter CEOs even more: If they fail to meet profit goals, they could waffle and say they were meeting broader environmental, social, and governance objectives.

Nor were reforms that might increase workers bargaining power, through the strengthening of unions and collective bargaining, at the center of the discussion, even though in Europe such reforms are at the top of the new European Commissions agenda. To their credit, a few US firms, such as PayPal, explained their commitment to paying livable wages, going well beyond the minimum wage mandated by law.

And yet some of the business leaders at Davos this year, especially those from Europe, seemed to have grasped the urgency of responding to climate change and the scope of what is needed. And some have actually taken giant strides. There might still be some greenwashing  banks that talk about energy-efficient light bulbs as they lend money to coal-fired power plants  but the tide has turned.

A few business leaders also recognized that our economic and social maladies will not cure themselves  that even if most businesses were socially motivated, a single-minded focus on profits entails a race to the bottom. A soft-drink company that doesnt want to produce addictive sugar-rich drinks that can contribute to childhood diabetes risks losing out to a less scrupulous enterprise.

In short, unfettered capitalism has played a central role in creating the multiple crises confronting our societies today. If capitalism is to work  if it is to address these crises and serve society  it cant do so in its current form. There must be a new kind of capitalism  what I have elsewhere called progressive capitalism, entailing a better balance of government, markets, and civil society.
Ghanas former High Commissioner to Canada, Nii Ayikoi Otoo has said, Am I not qualified sufficiently to hold any office if I want to? So, why am I sitting here?

Speaking in an interview with Korku Lumor on the Class Morning Show on Thursday, 29 June 2023 at his Spintex residence, the former Attorney General wondered why there are only a few Gas serving in the Akufo-Addo government when qualified people like him are available to serve.

In his view, the indigenous people of the Greater Accra Region have not been treated fairly by successive governments.

We have a Constitution that says that appointments should be based on regional balance, isnt it? And, then you find one Ga woman, Ayorkor Botchwey, as Minister of Foreign Affairs; and then you find one Ga woman, Tina Ayeley Mensah, a deputy minister of health. You think this is treating us fairly? You think this is regional balance? Mr Ayikoi Otoo said.

And then you have the same thing with the Voltarians: One Peter Amewu, is a minister [of Railways] and then you have the deputy minister of trade, [Herbert] Krapa. You think this is the way to go? So when we are talking, we know what we are talking about, he noted.

Again, he noted, while other vested lands are being de-vested for other areas and other stools, we are not getting that one.

Of course, when you clamour and then [when it is] getting to elections, they try to do those things for you. I know that the Nungua people, during Kufuors time, fought  I think  over Borteyman lands and some of them were given out, but one should realise that we rather need special treatment because you created this place as a capital, it was not a no-mans land before you created it a capital; that one of the writers call us urban tribesmen, Mr Ayikoi added.

In his view, the failure of successive governments to develop other parts of the country apart from the capital, Accra, has put a lot of pressure on the lands of the Ga people.

We were living here doing our fishing and farming and we had our land before the British decided to move the capital from Cape Coast to Accra. And, now you decided to put all development projects only in Accra, leaving all the other places; that people feel that without coming to Accra, they cannot live, he observed.

They have come and they need to build houses. Today, if you go to our cemeteries, its becoming a problem to get space for Ga people to be buried, he complained.

He explained that these were cemeteries that we created for ourselves. When we were growing up, non-indigenes who died, well hear, Oh, hell be taken to his hometown. Today, do you hear anything like that? Nobody is going anywhere anymore. So, theyve taken over, completely, all the lands. And, so, we should rather be looked at.

Now, the other issue is this: compulsory acquisition of land for the benefit of the government. Whose lands are being taken? You see the size of the [University of Ghana], Legon, do you realise it is somebodys land that theyve taken? What scholarships do they give them? Do you see the size of Airport? Do you see the size of all the ministries in Accra? The whole of Tema was acquired and they [the indigenes] were pushed to a new place called Tema Manhean if you know the history. Theres a book by G.W. Amarteifio, who helped to do the resettlement; go and look at it, they even had like, I would even call it their country; they had their country, they were living with their president, their chief and then the government decides to acquire it and then turn it into a Tema Industrial Area; and pushed all the people to one side and called it Tema Manhia and New Tema, go and stay there, and thats it, he noted.

He said: When they built the estate, how many Gas benefitted from it? And this is how Atorh Quashie started, Ga mei ashikpon, Ga mei ano ni [campaign] because after the 1939 earthquake in Accra which destroyed a lot of buildings, the government decided to put up estates at Mamprobi and Chorkor but the ministers at the time decided to give them out to non-indigenes.

-ClassFMonline.com
29.06.2023 LISTEN

On Saturday 1st July,2023, students, patrons and alumin of the Ghana Muslim Students Association(GMSA) will converge in Kumasi in the Ashanti to celebrate the success and achievements of the association. This article seeks to explores the remarkable success and contributions made by GMSA alumni and highlights its lasting legacy in shaping a brighter future for Ghana

The Ghana Muslims Students Association (GMSA) has long been an influential force in shaping the lives of Muslim students in Ghana. Over the past 50 years, GMSA has fostered a strong sense of community and provided a platform for the intellectual, spiritual, and social development of its members. Beyond the immediate impact on individuals, GMSA's alumni network has played a crucial role in driving Ghana's socio-economic development.

Education and Professional Excellence

One of the key areas where GMSA alumni have significantly contributed to Ghana's development is through their pursuit of education and professional excellence. GMSA has consistently emphasized the importance of education and has provided support to its members throughout their academic journeys. Through scholarship programs, mentorship opportunities, and educational workshops, GMSA has empowered countless young Ghanaians to pursue higher education, develop vital skills, and contribute meaningfully to Ghana's socio-economic fabric. As a result, GMSA alumni have excelled in various fields such as medicine, engineering, law, business, academia, politics and public service. Their expertise and knowledge have proven invaluable in addressing critical challenges and advancing sectors that are vital to Ghana's socio-economic progress.

Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment

GMSA alumni have also made substantial contributions to Ghana's economic growth by becoming successful entrepreneurs and job creators. Many alumni have established thriving businesses across diverse sectors, ranging from technology and manufacturing to agriculture and finance. By fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, GMSA has played a pivotal role in reducing unemployment rates, stimulating innovation, and driving local economic development. Through their businesses, GMSA alumni have created employment opportunities, contributed to tax revenues, and facilitated skill transfer within the Ghanaian workforce.

Social Welfare and Philanthropy

Beyond their professional achievements, GMSA alumni have demonstrated a deep commitment to social welfare and philanthropy. Drawing inspiration from the core values instilled by GMSA, they have actively engaged in charitable initiatives, community development projects, and humanitarian efforts. From supporting education initiatives for underprivileged children to providing healthcare services in underserved areas, GMSA alumni have made a significant impact on the lives of countless Ghanaians. Their dedication to uplifting society has contributed to a more inclusive and equitable Ghana.

Political Leadership and Good Governance

The influence of GMSA alumni extends to the political landscape of Ghana. Many alumni have emerged as leaders in politics and public administration, working tirelessly to promote good governance, uphold democratic principles, and address the needs of the people. Their deep-rooted values of justice, fairness, and integrity have guided their decision-making and policy implementation, fostering an environment conducive to sustainable development. GMSA alumni have played a vital role in shaping legislation, promoting social cohesion, and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.

Conclusion

As the Ghana Muslims Students Association converge in in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi, it is essential to recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions made by its alumni to Ghana's socio-economic development. Through their achievements in education, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and governance, GMSA alumni have left an indelible mark on the nation. Their dedication to excellence, service, and community upliftment serves as a shining example for future generations. Moving forward, it is crucial to continue nurturing GMSA alumni network, harnessing its collective power, and leveraging the expertise of its members to further accelerate Ghana's progress. Together, GMSA alumni and the wider community can build a prosperous and inclusive Ghana for all.

By: Azure Imoro Abdulai,

Former PRO-GMSA

Kumasi Technical University

Top of Form

Bottom of Form
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has revealed that 88 hospitals out of Agenda 111 are currently under construction.

The project, which involves the construction of 111 hospitals, was inaugurated by President Nana Akufo-Addo on August 17, 2021, with a promise to complete the work within 18 months.

Some districts have faced challenges in acquiring land for construction, leading to doubts about the governments commitment to the projects.

However, the government remains confident that all the hospitals will be completed before the end of President Akufo-Addos second term.

During a press briefing in Trede, Ashanti region, where the project was launched two years ago, Mr Oppong Nkrumah stated that some of the hospitals which are behind schedule have been terminated.

The brief I have is that 88 are currently under construction and it is grouped into eight zones and in those eight zones, you will find 54 projects. We have visited 33 sites so far and we thought that coming to Trede, where it all began, it is important to showcase from Trede all that has gone on so far.

We have also provided you with the reports of the sites that we have visited so far, the majority of them that are doing well, the few of them that are behind schedule. We have also updated you on the ones that we have had to terminate because they are behind schedule.

Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, the Presidential advisor on health, assured that there is sufficient funding available for the completion of the project.

Additionally, he said upon completion, these hospitals will create employment opportunities for nurses and contribute to the overall economic growth of Ghana.

-Citi Newsroom
29.06.2023 LISTEN

In an analogy of a relationship, you can imagine how one feels when you talk to your spouse whose response is either absent minded or simply refuses to heed and keeps repeating the same things you complain about?

Then of course your only option might be to advice yourself which is where we're gradually getting to as a Nation.

It's clear that despite all our talking from morning to morning, nothing seems to change because those we are talking to have deliberately stuffed artificial tree trunks into their ears.

This scenario applies aptly to our politicians when they get into power as if it's some kind of baptism or spiritual embodiment.

You will recall how Ex- President Mahama described himself as having a dead-goat syndrome and going ahead with whatever he wanted without considering whatever the citizenry complained about.

In the same similar syndrome, Nana has followed suit that no matter our complaints he will fulfill his personal promise to God aka the building of his Cathedral.

Well that's not why I'm here today, my issue has to do with the positioning of opposition parties relative to the development of our country when all they do is to engage in the criticism of eventhing negatively.

Further to the extent that actions are taken to ensure that good government policies and programs does not see the light of day to the benefit of the citizenry.

Sadly all there is to this is for them to use it for campaign to assist them come into power?

Recall the posturing of the NDC regarding the IMF bailout to the extent that Party Bigwigs and economic analysts prayed that it never materialises even when the nation needed it badly else the economy will collapse.

Then again how can you blame the Opposition Party when high ranking members of the ruling party says they'll use the IMF money to make sure the opposition Party never comes to power as if the funds purpose is to do that.

Today we have a hung Parliament to the effect that the opposition is making sure no bill is passed whilst the ruling party is also doing whatever they have to ensure a majority to pass whatever bills whether it is in the intetest of the citizens or not.

In all this tug of war it's the country that suffer and therefore never develops simply because the funds that's suppose to be used for development is rather channelled into politics.

You are struggling with the 8years yet you're talking of breaking the 8 instead of focusing on developing the Country.

How many of us remember the company Engineering & Planners aka EnP, well that's the company of former President Mahama's brother Ibrahim Mahama.

During President Mahama's days he was accused of giving contracts to him which I saw nothing wrong with it as long as he qualified to do the job.

In fact Ex President Kufour did not just give a contract to his brother Addo Kufour but gave him a Job in government yet these same people were the ones complaining about John Mahama giving Ibrahim Mahama Contracts.

I remember how the then NPP opposition descended on the Government when they saw him patching the Tema Motorway road which was deteriorating only for us to find out that he was doing it for Ghana for FREE.

I remember how they defamed him just because his brother was the President and he also wanted to serve his country.

Even when they went into opposition the personal attacks on him never stopped till he sent one of them to court and stripped him naked off his properties then they started begging for mercy.

My point here is that if we have people who are ready to give back to Country when they are in power yet you have an opposition whose job is to only Criticize negatively at all cost then I'm at my wits as to how we can develop.

I have seen a lot of brothers, Aunties, Uncles and even Daughters holding powerful positions in this current government but I'm yet to see any of them doing anything personally for Ghana like Ibrahim did with a budget of 150million for the day & night dredging of the Odaw River for FREE.

All I hear everyday is new taxes to the extent of buying fuel at 100ghc per gallon yet the Country has seen No significant Growth.

The saddest part is when the government decides to harvest from where it has not sown.

I'll end by ranting one more time and leave them alone since they've decided to rule by seeing no evil and hearing no evil aka y3n tie obiaa.

This government promised the Music Industry

A Login System Theaters Across the 9 regions A fund for us to do business and for almost 7years they have done NONE OF THEM yet the small small royalties that Ghamro is sharing to its music right members, this government has decided to is hold on to their licence without any tangible reason making the users who already do not want to pay to use our Music for FREE.

I mean who does that apart from our POLITICIANS.

I guess we all just have to stop complaining and when they come around during elections we take whatever they share and vote against them just to bring another set of the same policians like the Assin style.

Maybe only God can save Ghana so we hope one day he'll Give us a True Leader and not these kind of Politrixians.

Long Live Ghana

Long Live the Vhim Crew.

#VhimMoveMent
AZ Forest Ghana field visit

29.06.2023 LISTEN

[Kumasi], GHANA, 28 June 2023  AstraZeneca has today announced the expansion of its global AZ Forest reforestation and biodiversity initiative, including new and expanded projects in Ghana and Rwanda. In Ghana, the expansion will see the total forest area of the Atebubu-Amantin and Sene West landscape restoration project grow to over 8,000 hectares, with an additional 2.2 million trees planted, bringing the total targeted number of surviving trees to 4.7 million. In Rwanda, AstraZeneca has funded a pilot phase of an agroforestry project that aims to plant more than 5.8 million trees over 30 years.

A collaboration between the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA), New Generation Plantation Technical Assistance (NGPTA), and other partners, the project in Atebubu-Amantin and Sene West is a unique partnership, combining natural forest restoration and community lead agroforestry, helping to improve the local economy and create nature-based business models for small-holder farmers. The project is part of a global network of Living Labs, which aim to catalyse the development of circular bioeconomy value chains through landscape restoration, while supporting biodiversity and local livelihoods.

To date, AZ Forest Ghana has recruited over 1,200 farmers from 23 communities, planted over 2 million trees and trained nearly 950 individuals in agroforestry and wildfire prevention and management.

AstraZeneca has also provided funding to accelerate the development of the MuLaKiLa project in Rwanda. MuLaKiLa aims to support local communities and livelihoods through agroforestry and restore the ecological balance of the Mukura Forest-Lake Kivu Catchment Landscape. With the aim to be another Living Lab the project will help more than 30,000 farming households, in what is one the largest forest restoration initiatives in Rwanda.

AZ Forest is AstraZenecas global initiative that, through collaboration with partners and local communities, will see 200 million trees planted and maintained by 2030 across six continents, removing an estimated 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next thirty years. AstraZeneca is the first healthcare company to make this level of commitment to reforestation, recognising that climate change is the biggest threat to human health and that reforestation brings important co-benefits. These include improving food security, combatting air pollution, improving local water quality, lowering surface and air temperatures, restoring habitats for biodiversity, and bringing social and economic benefits for communities.

Dr Pelin Incesu, Area Vice-President for the Middle East and Africa, AstraZeneca, stated: AstraZeneca is committed to building a sustainable future for people, society and the planet, and the AZ Forest expansion in Ghana as well as the new project in Rwanda are a key part of that mission in Africa. By supporting communities to restore degraded lands, we are tackling climate change and fostering resilience and sustainability from the bottom up, creating a more sustainable and healthier future for everyone. This exciting project sits alongside numerous other sustainable healthcare initiatives that AstraZeneca supports across Africa, including Healthy Heart Africa and our Accelerate Change Together for Cancer Care Africa programme, which tackle some of the continents fastest-growing health threats.

Marc Palahi, Chair, Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA), said, I am thankful for AstraZenecas new commitments that allow the CBA to expand the land under restoration in Africa. This initiative and the pilot project in Rwanda are great examples of how corporations, scientists and local communities can work together for the benefit of nature and people.

Honourable Anthony Owusu from Bantama community in Ghana, Multi-Stakeholder Platform Chair, said: Our projects Multi-Stakeholder Platform has created an avenue where both farmers and opinion leaders are brought together to take decisions that benefit themselves, their communities and the environment.

Woman Pauzing Before Planting
29.06.2023 LISTEN

In celebration of the upcoming Ghana Party in the Park event scheduled for July this year, the Ghana Deluxe Group, in collaboration with Aphro Spirit and Akwaaba UK, has announced an exciting giveaway exclusively for Ghanaians residing in the UK.

The promotion aims to enhance the festivities surrounding the event and provide an opportunity for lucky winners to receive fantastic prizes.

Participants in the giveaway stand a chance to win 500 in cash, an exclusive package from Aphro, and complimentary tickets to the highly anticipated Ghana Party in the Park event. To enter, individuals must follow a simple set of rules outlined by the organizers. The promotion and giveaway will run until July 7th, 2023, allowing participants ample time to participate and potentially win these coveted prizes.

Ghana Party in the Park is widely regarded as the largest gathering of Ghanaians in the UK and serves as a remarkable platform for establishing and strengthening cultural connections. The event offers attendees a firsthand experience of Ghana's rich cultural heritage and promises a grandeur celebration. Renowned Ghanaian artists such as R2bees, Medikal, Samini VIP, and many more are set to grace the stage with captivating performances, ensuring an unforgettable musical experience for all.

As part of the event, Coastline Spirits, the official importer of Ghana's award-winning premium spirit, will be showcasing Aphro Palm Spirit. Attendees will have the opportunity to savor drinks crafted from this indigenous Ghanaian brand, adding an authentic touch to the celebration. Furthermore, a wide range of Ghanaian culinary delights will be available, allowing Ghanaian patrons to relish the tastes and flavors of their homeland.

The Ghana Party in the Park is not only a celebration of Ghanaian culture but also an occasion for the Ghanaian community in the UK to come together, network, and forge stronger bonds. With the added excitement of the giveaway, this year's event promises to be an extraordinary experience for all attendees.
29.06.2023 LISTEN

Mr Bright Yampong, the Obuasi West Constituency Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, is urging the party leadership to swiftly relocate construction equipment from the Assin North Constituency in the Central Region.

He believes that the people of Assin North prioritised politics over development and should now face the consequences of their choice.

Yampong argued that the people of Assin North must bear the responsibility for their decision during the by-election organised by the Electoral Commission (EC) to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP).

As residents of the Ashanti Region, he emphasised that their support for the NPP will remain unwavering if the government provides the necessary development projects.

Speaking on Accra 100.5 FM's mid-day news on Thursday, June 29, 2023, Yampong appealed to the government to bring earth-moving equipment to Kwabre and Suame in order to address the poor state of roads in those areas.

He accused the voters of being ungrateful to the government, suggesting that they are not deserving of development initiatives.

In summary, Bright Yampong called on the government to prioritise development projects in Kwabre and Suame, as he believes that the people of Assin North have shown ingratitude towards the government.

-Classfmonline.com
Chamber of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) has issued a directive to its members to suspend power supply to the national grid starting July 1.

This decision comes in response to the governments failure to address the outstanding arrears owed to the IPPs.

In an email sent to its members and obtained by a section of the media, the Chamber instructed each IPP to nominate nothing and not declare an availability to the System Operator from July 1 to July 8, 2023.

The deadline for the shutdown was set by the IPPs after their demands for a 30 percent interim payment of the arrears were not met.

The Chamber of IPPs consists of prominent companies such as Sunon Asogli, Cenpower, Karpowership, AKSA, Twin City Energy, and CENIT, which collectively control 47 percent of Ghanas total power generation mix and contribute 67 percent of the countrys thermal power.

These IPPs argue that the outstanding debt, amounting to approximately $1.73 billion in cedis since January 2021, has severely impacted their ability to access working capital. This has hindered their operations and prevented them from financing essential supplies, particularly those priced in foreign currencies, such as chemicals for water treatment in thermal generators.

Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Independent Power Producers, Distributors, and Bulk Consumers (CIPDiB), expressed concerns about the lack of resources to continue power generation beyond June 30.

Despite their efforts to negotiate with creditors and stakeholders, the IPPs have reached a point where they cannot sustain the supply without payment.

The IPPs have also rejected proposals for debt restructuring, as they cannot justify the situation to their lenders and continue operations amidst mounting financial strain.

The power crisis caused by the IPPs suspension of power supply could have far-reaching consequences for Ghanas energy sector and the country as a whole.

The government must address the outstanding arrears and work towards a sustainable solution to ensure the continuous supply of electricity to meet the needs of businesses and households.

Time is running out, and immediate action should be taken to resolve the arrears dispute to prevent further disruptions to Ghanas power supply.

-DGN online
The Former National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Joshua Hamidu Akamba has accused the New Patriotic Party of distributing money to voters during the Assin North by-election.

According to Mr. Akamba, NPP leaders were seen giving money to voters from a vehicle loaded with cash.

In an interview with TV3 on June 29, he said some voters were persuaded with GHS1000 each while others received GHS250.

The NPP and then one MP, and the other one is the Oda MP (Member of Parliament) and honorable Ntim Forduor, the deputy Minister of Education, indeed they came with a car packed with monies so they were sharing but what they did was that they would give some other people GHS1000 and some other people GHS250.

So I got the information, so by the time we got there, am sure your reporter even saw it. By the time you get there, they will take your card, your voters ID card, they will call your name and give you the money to go and vote, Joshua Akamba stated.

He further asserted that the sharing of money was happening near the polling stations.

They were doing it just close to the polling station so I moved to them and when I was there, your reporter came to me in trying to question what those MPs were doing," he added.

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, 2020 running mate of John Mahama the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said the issue of vote buying is a worrying situation.

The security should be on top of issues, everybody should be worried about allegations of voter inducement because it goes against the rules. Everybody receiving, if those allegations are true, everybody should be worried because it will interfere with the politics that we are practicing, she stated.

James Gyakye Quayson was however declared winner with 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
Mr William Owuraku Aidoo, a Deputy Minister of Energy Thursday briefed Parliament on the state of the Osagyefo Power Barge (OPB) located at Effasu in Jomoro in the Western Region.

He said the power Barge project was initially under the management of Western Power, a subsidiary of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and that the responsibility was transferred to the Volta River Authority (VRA) in 2023.

He was speaking on the floor of Parliament in his response to a question by Madam Dorcas Toffey, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, who asked the Minister what the current state of the OPB at Effasu in the Jomoro Constituency was, especially in terms of its ownership and condition.

Mr Aidoo said in July 2007, the Government of Ghana entered into an unsolicited 20-year lease agreement with the Company Balkan Energy Ghana to refurbish and operate to the power barge, initially using diesel fuel and later using gas to be delivered by the West Africa Gas Pipeline.

He said Ghana sought additional electricity supplies from the Barge to alleviate electricity shortages resulting from reduced water levels at the Akosombo Dam hydroelectric project.

He stated that the Balkans Energy Company promised to begin operations within 90 days, and that plans were announced to increase the barges generation capacity by 60MW, bringing it from its current capacity of 125 MW up to 185MW.

He said however, the barge never operated, and the expansion was not completed.

The Deputy Minister said the Government of Ghana sued in Ghanaian court, seeking to nullify the contract with Balkan Energy and the Balkan Energy blamed ProEnergy, a United States (US) company with which it had contracted, for Balkans inability to bring the generating station online when promised.

He said Balkan Energy and ProEnergy sued each other in US courts, and the Government of Ghana later filed a lawsuit against ProEnergy in US court.

On possession of the Barge, Mr Aidoo said the Ministry of Energy, in a letter dated 16th November 2015 and referenced SCR/DA144/255/01, directed GNPC to take over the ownership of the barge.

He said however, due to the prolonged legal dispute, which prevented GNPC from working on the barge, no maintenance activities could be performed throughout the arbitration, leading to the deterioration from excessive corrosion.

Regarding the third-party assessment of the Barge, Mr Aidoo said in a report dated 10th June 2019, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), under its Integrated Resource and Resilience Planning Project, provided an analysis of the status of the OPB.

He said after performing a technical audit on the Barge, USAID, in its report, recommended that it was not commercially viable to return the OPB to service as the cost of refurbishment would likely far exceed the cost of purchasing a new barge.

Concerning the process for disposal of the Barge, the Deputy Minister said GNPC received a proposal through the Ministry of Energy from Sarfo and Stephen Company, dated 2nd March 2021; stating that the GNPC subsequently received an Expression of Interest to decommission the barge through the Ministry of Energy from Misak Limited, date 2nd March 2022.

In this letter, the Minister directed GNPC to engage Misak Company Limited to decommission the barge and informed GNPC that Misak proposed to give 60 per cent of the revenue from the sale of the scrap to GNPC and retained 40 per cent, he said.

Upon receipt of these letters, GNPC visited the barge site, immediate communities and key Government agencies, including the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Police, on 7th April 2022 to ascertain the condition of the Barge.

Mr Aidoo said from the interaction with the community, chiefs, MCE, and police it was discovered that Misak had already commenced the removal of some parts of the barge and other metals without proper recourse.

He said the team, therefore, engaged the MCE and Police and requested that further dismantling of part of the barge should be prevented until a disposal process was concluded in line with Public Procurement Authority guidelines for the disposal of goods.

He said the GNPC subsequently wrote to the Ministry in May 2022 to inform that immediate steps would be taken to decommission the Osagyefo Barge in accordance with Section 83 and 84 Disposal of Stores, Vehicles, Plant and Equipment of The Public Procurement Act, Act 663 as Amended (Act 914).

He said in line with the Public Procurement Authority guidelines as mentioned above, GNPC constituted a Board of Survey to physically inspect the Barge and recommend the best disposal option.

He said on 9th February 2023, the Board of Survey team visited the Barge site and provided a status update in a report dated 28th March 2023.

He said the team observed that about 90 per cent of the OPB was dismantled.

Mr Aidoo said through interaction with the local community, it was believed that Misak Ltd carried out the dismantling of the barge without engaging GNPC to format an agreement as directed by the Energy Minister.

He said consequently, the Ministry of Energy would prevail on GNPC to continue with the steps as outlined in the Public Procurement Authority guidelines for the disposal of goods to establish the value of the scrap material.

He noted that in addition, the Ministry would engage Misak Ltd to formalize an agreement to share the revenue from the scrap material amongst GNPC, the Project Community and Misak.

GNA
Since the United States seems serious about confronting China in an extended contest for global supremacy, it had better start getting its own house in order. Other countries will not want to ally themselves with a power that rests on increasingly uncertain economic, social, and political foundations.

NEW YORK  The United States appears to have entered a new cold war with both China and Russia. And US leaders portrayal of the confrontation as one between democracy and authoritarianism fails the smell test, especially at a time when the same leaders are actively courting a systematic human-rights abuser like Saudi Arabia. Such hypocrisy suggests that it is at least partly global hegemony, not values, that is really at stake.

For two decades after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the US was clearly number one. But then came disastrously misguided wars in the Middle East, the 2008 financial crash, rising inequality, the opioid epidemic, and other crises that seemed to cast doubt on the superiority of Americas economic model. Moreover, between Donald Trumps election, the attempted coup at the US Capitol, numerous mass shootings, a Republican Party bent on voter suppression, and the rise of conspiracy cults like QAnon, there is more than enough evidence to suggest that some aspects of American political and social life have become deeply pathological. 1

Of course, America does not want to be dethroned. But it is simply inevitable that China will outstrip the US economically, regardless of what official indicator one uses. Not only is its population four times larger than Americas; its economy also has been growing three times faster for many years (indeed, it already surpassed the US in purchasing-power-parity terms back in 2015).

While China has not done anything to declare itself as a strategic threat to America, the writing is on the wall. In Washington, there is a bipartisan consensus that China could pose a strategic threat, and that the least the US should do to mitigate the risk is to stop helping the Chinese economy grow. According to this view, preemptive action is warranted, even if it means violating the World Trade Organization rules that the US itself did so much to write and promote. 1

This front in the new cold war opened well before Russia invaded Ukraine. And senior US officials have since warned that the war must not divert attention from the real long-term threat: China. Given that Russias economy is around the same size as Spains, its no limits partnership with China hardly seems to matter economically (though its willingness to engage in disruptive activities around the world could prove useful to its larger southern neighbor). 1

But a country at war needs a strategy, and the US cannot win a new great-power contest by itself; it needs friends. Its natural allies are Europe and the other developed democracies around the world. But Trump did everything he could to alienate those countries, and the Republicans  still wholly beholden to him  have provided ample reason to question whether the US is a reliable partner. Moreover, the US also must win the hearts and minds of billions of people in the worlds developing countries and emerging markets  not just to have numbers on its side, but also to secure access to critical resources.

In seeking the worlds favor, the US will have to make up a lot of lost ground. Its long history of exploiting other countries does not help, and nor does its deeply embedded racism  a force that Trump expertly and cynically channels. Most recently, US policymakers contributed to global vaccine apartheid, whereby rich countries got all the shots they needed while people in poorer countries were left to their fates. Meanwhile, Americas new cold war opponents have made their vaccines readily available to others at or below cost, while also helping countries develop their own vaccine-production facilities. 3

The credibility gap is even wider when it comes to climate change, which disproportionately affects those in the Global South who have the least ability to cope. While major emerging markets have become the leading sources of greenhouse-gas emissions today, US cumulative emissions are still the largest by far. Developed countries continue to add to them, and, worse, have not even delivered on their meager promises to help poor countries manage the effects of the climate crisis that the rich world caused. Instead, US banks contribute to looming debt crises in many countries, often revealing a depraved indifference to the suffering that results. 2

Europe and America excel at lecturing others on what is morally right and economically sensible. But the message that usually comes through  as the persistence of US and European agricultural subsidies makes clear  is do what I say, not what I do. Especially after the Trump years, America no longer holds any claim to the moral high ground, nor does it have the credibility to dispense advice. Neoliberalism and trickle-down economics were never widely embraced in the Global South, and now they are going out of fashion everywhere.

At the same time, China has excelled not at delivering lectures but at furnishing poor countries with hard infrastructure. Yes, these countries are often left deeply in debt; but, given Western banks own behavior as creditors in the developing world, the US and others are hardly in a position to point the finger. 1

I could go on, but the point should be clear: If the US is going to embark on a new cold war, it had better understand what it will take to win. Cold wars ultimately are won with the soft power of attraction and persuasion. To come out on top, we must convince the rest of the world to buy not just our products, but also the social, political, and economic system were selling.

The US might know how to make the worlds best bombers and missile systems, but they will not help us here. Instead, we must offer concrete help to developing and emerging-market countries, starting with a waiver on all COVID-related intellectual property so that they can produce vaccines and treatments for themselves.
Some Transactional Medicinal Vendors in Tema have defended the ability of a single medicinal plant to treat many illnesses.

They attributed the efficacy of a medicinal plant to its distinct uses by various communities and the type of knowledge that was transmitted to them by their forebears.

People from different geographical places do not have the same information about the usage of a particular plant to heal an illness, Madam Agyawaa Antwi, herbal medicine vendor at Tema Community One has stated.

Madam Antwi was speaking as part of the weekly Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! An initiative of the Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency aimed at encouraging health-related communication.

She said one plant could be used to treat more than 10 diseases.

Madam Antwi emphasised that preparation for curative and preventive medicinal therapy was based on teachings passed down through cultures and genealogy and that some people used medicinal plants to produce food while others used them to treat wounds.

In addition to being utilised as food, cassava leaves are used to treat erectile dysfunction and snakebite. Kola nuts are utilised in traditional treatments as well as being chewed to clean teeth and treat four different ailments, she noted.

Several different ailment cures are created when the cocktail is being created, according to Madam Antwi. The mixture is combined to treat various illnesses because some illnesses exhibit the same symptoms because they have other underlying conditions,

She explained that, just as it was not detrimental practice at hospitals to administer various types of medication to treat a single illness, the same was done in traditional practice with the aim of combining various plants to treat various ailments.

According to traditional healers, the industry, which was primarily supported by illiterate and unexposed people, was as a result of modern education and lifestyle, which caused people to favour Western medical care over traditional medicine and, as a result, to despise medicinal plant treatment.

The collection of Phlegms, rather than the intestine in the stomach, was what was causing the hernia, which is a punctured abdominal cavity at the groin that gives the area the appearance of an unnatural bulge. The early phases of medicinal plants can rectify this.

Another vendor, Kwabena Gyan, claimed that while some herbal remedies for hernias, for instance, could melt away the Phlegms in the early stages, once the groin starts to protrude, only surgery in a hospital could repair the condition.

The difficulty the conventional herb sector had, according to Mr. Gyan, was their inability to make an accurate diagnosis because they relied on the information provided by their consumers.

Before coming to them, I suggest that patients go to the hospital for a proper diagnosis so that the appropriate medication may be given, he said.

The programme also aims at creating a forum for the transmission of health information to impact individuals personal health decisions through better health literacy.

The public health advocacy platform Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility looks at the elements of four different health communication strategies: informing, instructing, convincing, and promoting.

GNA
As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prepares for the upcoming election in 2024, it is important to realign and strengthen its student wing, the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN). TEIN is essential to energizing young voters, spreading the NDC's ideology, achievements, policies and ensuring the welfare of its members.

TEIN serves as a platform to engage and mobilize young voters who are essential in determining electoral outcomes. The student wing organizes voter education campaigns, seminars, and workshops to enlighten students about the NDC's policies and achievements. By actively involving TEIN members in grassroots mobilization efforts, the NDC can effectively reach out to young voters and secure their support.

Also, TEIN acts as a conduit for promoting the NDC's ideology among tertiary students. Through debates, lectures, and discussions, TEIN members are encouraged to understand and articulate the party's vision, policies, and values. This engagement fosters political consciousness among students, nurturing future leaders who can advocate for progressive change within their communities.

TEIN serves as a platform for student representation within the NDC. It provides opportunities for young members to voice their concerns, opinions, and aspirations. By actively participating in party structures and decision-making processes, TEIN members can influence policy discussions and ensure that the voices of young people are heard.

Caring for the wellbeing of TEIN members is paramount to ensuring their active participation and dedication to the party. The NDC, through TEIN, should provide mentorship programs, leadership training, and career guidance to empower its members. Additionally, organizing social events, recreational activities, and forums for networking can foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie among TEIN members.

TEIN should be promoted as a vibrant and inclusive association within the NDC. By highlighting the achievements and contributions of TEIN members, the student wing can attract more young people to join its ranks. This can be achieved through effective branding, social media campaigns, and collaboration with other youth-oriented organizations.

As the NDC gears up for the 2024 election, it is important to realign TEIN towards achieving victory. Mobilizing young voters, promoting the NDC's ideology, advocating for student representation, and catering for the wellbeing of TEIN members are key aspects that must be prioritized. By strengthening TEIN as an association under the NDC, the party can tap into the energy and enthusiasm of young people, ensuring a vibrant future for both the NDC and Ghana as a whole.
Just two days after the Assin North by-election held on June 27, where the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emerged victorious, it has been discovered that the construction equipment intended for improving the deplorable roads in the area had gone missing.

Several women who spoke out in an interview with Accra 100.5 FM's Central Regional correspondent, Nana Tawiah, on the mid-day news on Thursday, June 29, 2023, expressed their dissatisfaction with this sudden disappearance.

These women, who are residents of Dasani and Breku, raised questions about the timing and motives behind the equipment's disappearance.

They voiced their suspicion that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) may have deployed the equipment to gain favour and influence the voters before the election.

The women expressed their disappointment, vowing to hold the NPP accountable for its promises to address the road infrastructure in the area.

They accused the government of shortchanging them and threatened to vote against the NPP in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Earlier, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, had emphasized that the ministry would not rush road construction projects due to a by-election.

He stressed the importance of maintaining quality standards and ensuring value for money.

The minister inspected ongoing road projects in the Assin North Constituency, including the Assin Asempaneye Assin Kushea road and the Assin Praso-Assin Fosu road.

Despite some delays caused by rainfall and changes in the scope of work, the minister expressed the government's commitment to improving road infrastructure in the region.

In light of the missing construction equipment and the women's concerns, it remains to be seen how the situation will be addressed and whether the government will take action to fulfill its promises of road development in the Assin North Constituency

-Classfmonline.com
Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, the NPP's regional chairman for Ashanti Region, has refuted the report of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) that he caused some violence at the just ended Assin North by-election.

Chairman Wontumi stated that he participated in the Assin by-elections to ensure the process was free and fair.

He said We were there to protect our votes there, that is what I can say so CODEO should know exactly what happened.

The fact that CODEO presented this doesnt mean the person did that. I havent done anything. I havent done anything and you see CODEO hasnt talked to me, I am saying it is not true, He said in an interview with TV3 on Thursday, June 29.

CODEO Observers reported a few incidents that occurred during the course of the polls.

The post election report of CODEO noted that issues of violent clash occurred at around 1:00 PM, a convoy of vehicles with NPP occupants accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP Antwi Bosiako (Chairman Wontumi), pursued a vehicle occupied by NDC supporters from a different polling station to D/C Primary School in Praso (located within the Electoral Area with Polling Station Code B170801).

During the pursuit, the report added that the occupants of the NPP vehicles proceeded to vandalize and damage parts of the NDC vehicle, resulting in commotion and disturbance along the roadside.

It indicated that security personnel intervened to calm the situation by removing the actors from the vicinity of the polling station to a distant location.

According to CODEO, it was reported that the individuals involved in the altercation fired gunshots and one person was injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
29.06.2023 LISTEN

In Northern Ghana, where I come from, there is a wise saying that "the wheat does not soak in rain waters when a responsible elder is at home".

This adage may be what is playing in the affairs of the current Islamic World. Undoubtedly, the states of the Islamic World, for far too long, are embroiled in conflicts, wars, trade blockades and deep suspicions.

The rifts and tension within the Islamic World, aside external influences, originate largely from religious ideological differences between two major countries - the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which plays the superpower of the Islamic world, is ideologically inclined to strict wahabi sunni tradition, and its arch rival, Islamic Republic of Iran is the epicentre of the Shiittes.

These different doctrines and ideologies have created in the Islamic World, two dominant opposing major blocks - the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran - each with its allies.

The Iranian regime suspects that Saudi Arabia is covertly responsible for the incessant pressures and sanctions by western countries, which Tehran believes are meant to weaken their country and provide the Saudis the advantage over them.

The Saudis on the other hand believe "an independent and free Iran" is a danger to Middle East regional security and stability. These competing factors and hardline positions by the Saudis and Iranians derail the potency of the Islamic world in asserting its real position as a great global power block.

Needlessly, the Islamic World lost thousands of precious lives, which caused enormous pain and irreparable damage to families and loved ones.

I am confounded by the story of Yemen, Syria and Libya. These conflicts exacerbated due to the increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The unnecessary tensions among the leaders of the Islamic World, who incidentally have more in common to celebrate than to fight, is weakening their bargaining powers.

The lack of mutual trust among Islamic world leaders does not only affect the ordinary people they govern and followers of the Islamic faith, but also has far-reaching consequences on themselves.

The toppling of many leaders in the area is instigated by an external force, and supported mostly by one of the countries in the region. The external actors, cognisant of the lack of cooperation among the Islamic states, promote disaffection in other to exert more influence in the region.

The brotherly leaders will all be in peril in the comity of nations if they utterly fail to read the shifting dynamics of regional and global politics. What has become the sanctions of Biden's administration on President Putin after Saudi Araba refused to increase oil production?

The new waves of cooperation is what the Islamic world requires in order to halt the declining fortunes of their economies, invest in infrastructure and security and increase wealth for its people.

This preceding hardcore diplomatic tussle belies the magnanimity of King Salman Abdul Aziz Ibn Al- Saud.

As a participant of King Salman Abdul Aziz Ibn Al- Saud's Hajj 2023 Guests Program, I am privileged to join other 1,300 guests from about 94 countries across the globe to perform Hajj. The guests program is the King's show of love to his fellow Muslim brothers and sisters around the world.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and obligatory for every Muslim with sound financial means to undertake, at least once in their lifetime. As a royal guest sitting quietly at the lobby of the posh Novotel Mecca Hotel Thakter, a dedicated hotel allocated by the King for his guests, I behold delegates from other countries arrive in groups and being welcomed with pomp and pageantry with Arabian drinks, dates and coffee.

Excitement beams in the faces of delegates and soon, the lobby of the hotel gathered one big Islamic family. Interestingly, the participants, ordinary citizens and professionals, are coming from countries some of which are even not friendly with Saudi Arabia, yet the King is magnanimous enough to invite its people to the Program.

On Saturday 24th June, 72 hours before the formal start of Hajj 2023, King Salman issued a Decree, inviting additional 2,000 people from Yemen, Sudan and families of veterans to join the Hajj.

Per this Decree, King Salma has shown additional love to the global Muslim community. Filled with curiosity, I speak to guests from 53 out of the 96 participating countries in the program about what they think of the program.

There is widespread appreciation of King Salman's generosity. Described by many participants as the father of the Islamic World, the wish of the participants, which reflects the desire of the entire population of the Islamic world, is for King Salman Ibn Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed Ibn Salman to pursue a vigorous pan-Islamic diplomacy to ease tension among Islamic nations if not completely eradicate it.

According to many participants, the recent secret talks between Riyadh and Tehran sent shock waves across some Western capitals. If Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey are on good terms, it will rapidly boost trade and investment in the Islamic world and also improve the security of the Middle East.

The guest's program is not only bringing pilgrims to Mecca to perform Hajj but is also an important means to building new and progressive intra-Islamic fraternity and friendship. The Saudi Vision 2030 is spot on, and aims at transforming the country into a free and prosperous modern state capable of standing up to any country on earth.

As a first-time pilgrim, I, like many others, are extremely impressed by the organizational acumen and competence of the Ministry and officials responsible for the Hajj.

But I have some comments on two issues: wearing sandals or slippers in Masjidul Haram; and the lack of control of taxi operators.

First, as guests of Allah in the hands of the Mecca authorities, I think all pilgrims must comply with a strict no sandals in Masjidul Haram policy.

This will forestall the spread of any possible deadly pandemic. Second, some taxi operators within the precinct of Masjidul Haram are fleecing unsuspecting pilgrims by charging outrageous fares. Believers are enjoined by the Holy Quran and Hadith, the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed(SAW), to support pilgrims and travellers.

This manifested in the behaviour of many residents of Mecca who showed profound love and care to pilgrims, including donation of food, drinks and water.

There is the need for the Mecca authorities to take urgent action to ensure fairness between taxi drivers and pilgrims. One way of doing this is to provide meters in taxis operating in Mecca to ensure pilgrims are treated fairly by taxi operators, majority of whom are not citizens of Saudi.

Away from the mischiefs of taxi operators and back to King Salman.

King Salman has a dependable Crown Prince who doubles as the prime minister. The sterling credentials of Mohammed Ibn Salman, affectionately known as MBS, could do magic for the Islamic world if King Salman deploys him into action.

The charisma of the Crown Prince has to be harnessed to achieve this pan-Islamic unification agenda.

The khutba in Masjidul Nimra in Arafah on Tuesday by His Eminence, Sheikh Yusuf Ibn Muhammad Ibn Saeed perfectly endorsed the views expressed by many of the King's Program guests. The revered scholar's sermon emphasised unity among Muslim nations and their people, an indication that the time is up for the Islamic world leaders to agree to work together in unison to promote growth, prosperity and security for all.

Such feat may not be achieved without agreeing to select a consensus leader who commands the respect of all leaders of the nations, with the influence and capacity to bring others from outside on board.

For 1,300 participants under one roof, the Program organising team efficiently delivered to the admiration of all guests and proved to be a worthy and competent team of dedicated professionals.

Amazing souls such as Gabriel Shabana, a volunteer translator extraordinaire and Mr Abdullah Al-Anazi, spokesman, for the Ministry of Islamic Affairs need to be commended for their profound dedication to duty and for promoting the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

To the crew of Nile TV, a Cairo-based media outlet and especially Ms.Randa Ahmed, thank you for featuring me to comment on the Program of the Kings guests.

With this emerging dynamics and the unification of the Islamic world, the father of the Islamic world, King Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Al-Saud is showing great leadership and its the prayer of all that Saudi Arabia's government utilises the charisma of its dynamic Crown Prince Mohammed Ibn Salman, to rapidly promote the Islamic world unification process to affirm the wise saying that the "wheat doesn't soak in rain waters when an elder is home".

Good health and long reign to you, King of Islamic Unification, Salman Ibn Abdul- Aziz bn Al-Saud.

The Writer:

Mustapha Sanah is a Policy Advocate and Executive Chairman of Northern Development and Democratic Institute, NDDI, a Premier Policy Think-Tank based in Tamale, Ghana.

He also Chairs the Board of Four Private Corporate Bodies. Mr. Sanah is also a Columnist.
The second edition of the Diaspora Ghana Property Awards and Housing Exhibition was held in London over the weekend, bringing together real estate developers from Ghana to showcase their exceptional properties and investments.

The prestigious event took place at the iconic Wembley Stadium, Brent Civic Center, and attracted an audience of industry professionals, investors, and individuals interested in Ghanaian real estate.

The event aims to promote Ghana's booming real estate sector and provide a platform for Ghanaian developers to present their innovative projects to an international audience.

Adom City Estates was honored with the "Mass Social Housing of the Year" award 2023 while Ace Heights took home the prestigious title of "Affordable Luxury Real Estate Brand Ghana."

The company's dedication to addressing the housing needs of Ghanaians, particularly those in lower-income brackets, has earned them widespread acclaim and appreciation. Adom City Estates' win in the "Mass Social Housing of the Year" category is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social impact and community development.

Ace Heights Limited which is also a subsidiary of the Adom Group of companies, is a prominent player in the luxury real estate market, secured the title of "Affordable Luxury Real Estate Brand Ghana."

Several awards went to deserving companies which included Trusted Real Estate Agent Broker of the Year 2023, E Wells Realty & Consultancy,

Best Residential developer Middle income luxurious of the year, Elegant Homes & General Construction Limited, PropTech Innovation of the year, DGM Property and Asset Management System.

Others included the best Real Estate Marketed Company of the year, Sucasa Limited.

Speaking at the event, Ms Irene Agyenkwa, the founder and leader of Ghana Property Awards and African Property Magazine, expressed her satisfaction with the success of the event and its positive impact on the Ghanaian real estate industry. She said, "We are thrilled to witness the growth and innovation within the Ghanaian real estate sector."

In a speech read on behalf of the founder and group Chairman of Adom Group of Companies, Noble Dr Bright Adom, revealed his companys commitment and dedication to providing quality affordable homes to the Ghanaian public with innovation, excellent customer services, impeccable architectural design and impact on the community.
Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, has expressed concern over the unauthorized dismantling of the Osagyefo Power Barge by a private firm named Misak Limited.

The power barge, with a capacity of 125 megawatts, was originally procured by the Jerry Rawlings government in 1999 from Italy at a cost of $110 million under an arrangement with Balkan Energy.

In 2015, the Ministry of Energy directed the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to take over ownership of the barge.

However, due to a prolonged legal dispute, the GNPC was unable to carry out any maintenance activities on the barge, leading to its deterioration from excessive corrosion.

Following an update provided by the Deputy Minister of Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, on the status of the barge, MP Dorcas Affo-Toffey called for legal action to be taken against Misak Limited.

I asked a question to ascertain the status of the power barge and the Minister confirmed that a private company with the name Misak, without proper authorisation and due processes, has significantly dismantled the power barge and sold off the component. What surprises me the most is that there has not been any legal action taken against the company that did this illegal act but rather, the government is seeking to share the proceeds from the sale of the power barge with the company.

She also demanded for a full-scale audit into the disposal of the badge and transparency in the sale of the barge.

As the MP of the area, I am demanding that the right thing be done and the company must be brought to the law and also a full-scale forensic audit into the disposal of the badge be done and finally calling for a high level of transparency in the final sale of the badge.

-citinewsroom
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said "It is not right" to subject Assin North MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson to a daily trial in respect of the ongoing perjury hearing against him.

"I tell them and I tell the judges: it is not right", Mr Bagbin said during a visit to the office of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra to meet with management and the editorial staff.

He added: "If it is done to everybody, I have no problem, but if it is done selectively, I have a problem", he noted.

Mr Bagbin admonished: "What we are doing is rule by law, not rule of law, and I think that we should move away from that".

In his opinion, "For democracy to succeed, the pillar is rule of law".

"The law is not the centre of democracy', he asserted, noting: "That is one of the errors in our Constitution".

The Speaker urged: "Read through our Constitution and you'll see the law is a respecter of so many people".

"So many people in Ghana are above the law", he observed, critiquing: "You can't have democracy [with that] and, so, we need to work at it seriously and this [is why] the constitutional review is something we must take up."

Mr Gyakye Quayson won the Assin North by-election on Tuesday, 27 June 2023 after the Supreme Court declared his 2020 election as null and void due to his dual citizenship at the time of filing to run for office.

The court hearing the criminal aspect of the dual citizenship case against him ruled, in the lead-up to the by-election that he attends court daily for the proceedings.

-classfmonline.com
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (OTCMKTS:CZMWY  Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,000 shares, an increase of 900.0% from the May 31st total of 400 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 11,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Carl Zeiss Meditec Price Performance

OTCMKTS:CZMWY traded up $0.03 on Wednesday, reaching $106.34. The stock had a trading volume of 1,994 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,566. Carl Zeiss Meditec has a 1-year low of $99.29 and a 1-year high of $153.84. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $122.39 and a 200-day moving average price of $132.86.

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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG operates as a medical technology company in Germany, rest of Europe, the United States, Asia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Ophthalmic Devices and Microsurgery. The Ophthalmic Devices segment offers offers products and solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic eye diseases; and systems and consumables for refractive surgery.

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DNB Bank ASA (OTCMKTS:DNBBY  Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 37,600 shares, an increase of 795.2% from the May 31st total of 4,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 202,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.2 days.

DNB Bank ASA Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of DNBBY stock traded up $0.31 on Wednesday, hitting $18.39. 32,817 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 111,170. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.26. DNB Bank ASA has a one year low of $15.58 and a one year high of $20.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.46, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a current ratio of 1.72. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $17.64 and its 200 day simple moving average is $18.44.

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DNB Bank ASA (OTCMKTS:DNBBY  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $2.01 billion for the quarter. DNB Bank ASA had a net margin of 29.38% and a return on equity of 13.54%. Equities analysts forecast that DNB Bank ASA will post 2.16 EPS for the current year.

DNB Bank ASA Increases Dividend

DNB Bank ASA Company Profile

The business also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 12th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 27th were paid a dividend of $1.0048 per share. This is a positive change from DNB Bank ASAs previous dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 26th. This represents a dividend yield of 5.44%. DNB Bank ASAs payout ratio is presently 43.11%.

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DNB Bank ASA provides financial services for retail and corporate customers in Norway and internationally. The company offers personal banking products and services, including savings and investment products; loans, such as home mortgages, and car and consumer loans; pet, home and property, travel, and personal insurance products, as well as insurance products for vehicles; retirement savings products; foreign exchange and treasury activities; and Internet and mobile banking services, as well as cards.

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I met this patient three times, but I only engaged in a conversation with this patient once.

She was a 24-year-old girl from Guangzhou, China, who just came to the USA about half a year ago. She just graduated from the Department of Law in a college in Beijing, and enrolled in Law School at Georgetown University (I was not sure about the program). I was not sure about the trigger of her behavioral problem, though I imagined it could be culture shock, pressure of study or both. She was failing at school, did not attend class and was sent to a mental hospital about 1 week ago.

She is a tall girl with a slim figure. Although I cannot say she is very beautiful, she has straight long black hair, dark eyes, and fair skin. When I tried to talk to her, I found she was disarranged and confused. Although her English was pretty good, she still had problems fully understanding questions or precisely expressing her emotions when talking to nurses and doctors. Therefore, it was necessary for her to have an interpreter during the meeting with her medical team. In one of the meetings, when she was asked how she felt in the hospital, she replied that she was afraid of gunshots which she could hear in her apartment, and in the hospital, although there were less gun shots in the hospital, which was typical hallucination. Besides, she was very sensitive to any noise (imaginary or real), which would make her sleepless. One day, her heartbeat was over 100/min one day, so the doctor ordered an EKG for her, which did not show any problem. Therefore, I believed that she didn't have a heart problem, and her syndrome was the result of her nervousness. In addition, she would not like to talk much about her thoughts and emotions, and claimed that these were painful subjects for her, and would agonize her. She tended to stand up during these conversations and ask permission to leave.

She was a sweet girl with good manners. She called me Sister, and offered me water and snacks when we sat in the day room talking. She tried to write down everything I told her about making steamed buns. I felt like she was the kind, obedient girl who followed the instructions of her parents and her teachers all her life. It is very hard for her to get along with her life without the instructions and support she used to have in China.

I felt my conversation with her calmed her down a little, especially when I talked about the things I experienced when I first came to the USA. Although when I talked about the disturbance caused by covid-19 in China and the USA, she became nervous. Her mother was on her way to DC, and was supposed to meet her in the hospital in a couple of days. Subsequently, she will bring her home after talking to her doctors. She was eagerly waiting for it. When the doctor and I tried to remind her since the hospital did not know her itinerary, it was possible that it would take a little longer for her mother to come to the hospital and take her home than what was originally expected, she was so distressed.

I wished the best for her, and believed that she could fully recover soon after her coming back to China.
EDP  Energias de Portugal, S.A. (OTCMKTS:EDPFY  Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,500 shares, a decrease of 82.8% from the May 31st total of 8,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 36,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days.

EDP  Energias de Portugal Trading Down 0.4 %

EDPFY traded down $0.21 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $49.30. 10,091 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 23,956. The company has a market capitalization of $19.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.82, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.64. EDP  Energias de Portugal has a 52-week low of $38.87 and a 52-week high of $57.63. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $51.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $51.51.

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EDP  Energias de Portugal (OTCMKTS:EDPFY  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The utilities provider reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $4.81 billion for the quarter. EDP  Energias de Portugal had a net margin of 5.44% and a return on equity of 4.24%. Equities research analysts anticipate that EDP  Energias de Portugal will post 3.29 earnings per share for the current year.

EDP  Energias de Portugal Company Profile

EDP  Energias de Portugal, SA engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity in Portugal, Spain, France, Poland, Romania, Italy, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Greece, Colombia, Brazil, North America, and internationally. It operates through Renewables, Networks, and Client Solutions & Energy Management segments.

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Kingfisher plc (OTCMKTS:KGFHY  Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,200 shares, a decline of 83.8% from the May 31st total of 26,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 233,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Kingfisher Price Performance

Shares of KGFHY remained flat at $5.83 during trading hours on Wednesday. 66,023 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 117,559. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $6.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $6.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 1.30. Kingfisher has a 1-year low of $4.48 and a 1-year high of $7.20.

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Kingfisher Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 26th will be given a dividend of $0.1897 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 25th. This represents a dividend yield of 4.42%. This is a positive change from Kingfishers previous dividend of $0.07.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

About Kingfisher

A number of research analysts have weighed in on KGFHY shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Kingfisher from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Kingfisher from GBX 210 ($2.67) to GBX 230 ($2.92) in a research report on Monday, March 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kingfisher has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $252.50.

(Free Report)

Kingfisher plc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies home improvement products and services primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and internationally. The company also offers property investment, finance, digital, sourcing, and IT services. It also operates retail stores under the B&Q, Castorama, Brico Depot, Screwfix, TradePoint, and Koctas brands.

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RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 30,005 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $575,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF during the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 2.3% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 75,326 shares of the companys stock worth $1,703,000 after buying an additional 1,729 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 3.5% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 16,001 shares of the companys stock valued at $361,000 after buying an additional 542 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 3.1% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 54,915 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,242,000 after buying an additional 1,651 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Red Wave Investments LLC increased its position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 0.4% during the first quarter. Red Wave Investments LLC now owns 156,014 shares of the companys stock worth $3,527,000 after acquiring an additional 551 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Stock Performance

PCY opened at $19.43 on Thursday. Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF has a fifty-two week low of $16.20 and a fifty-two week high of $20.32. The companys 50-day moving average is $19.03 and its 200 day moving average is $19.15.

Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Company Profile

The Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (PCY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-dollar-denominated sovereign debt in emerging markets with at least 3 years to maturity. PCY was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco.

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PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (OTCMKTS:PBCRF  Free Report) is one of 270 publicly-traded companies in the BanksRegional industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare PT Bank Central Asia Tbk to similar businesses based on the strength of its profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, institutional ownership, dividends and earnings.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares PT Bank Central Asia Tbk and its competitors gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio PT Bank Central Asia Tbk N/A N/A 0.00 PT Bank Central Asia Tbk Competitors $2.49 billion $680.42 million 271.38

PT Bank Central Asia Tbks competitors have higher revenue and earnings than PT Bank Central Asia Tbk. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk 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.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score PT Bank Central Asia Tbk 1 1 0 0 1.50 PT Bank Central Asia Tbk Competitors 1029 2944 2898 9 2.27

This is a breakdown of current recommendations for PT Bank Central Asia Tbk and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.

As a group, BanksRegional companies have a potential upside of 335.71%. Given PT Bank Central Asia Tbks competitors stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe PT Bank Central Asia Tbk has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Dividends

PT Bank Central Asia Tbk pays an annual dividend of $98.25 per share and has a dividend yield of 16,106.6%. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk pays out 15.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, BanksRegional companies pay a dividend yield of 13.3% and pay out 18.7% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk is clearly a better dividend stock than its competitors, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Profitability

This table compares PT Bank Central Asia Tbk and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets PT Bank Central Asia Tbk N/A N/A N/A PT Bank Central Asia Tbk Competitors 33.88% 10.33% 0.87%

Institutional and Insider Ownership

11.2% of PT Bank Central Asia Tbk shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 30.8% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by institutional investors. 15.1% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

PT Bank Central Asia Tbk competitors beat PT Bank Central Asia Tbk on 11 of the 13 factors compared.

About PT Bank Central Asia Tbk

(Free Report)

PT Bank Central Asia Tbk, together with its subsidiaries, provides banking products and services to individual, corporate, and small and medium enterprise customers in Indonesia and internationally. It offers savings accounts; motorcycle financing, as well as car, housing, working capital, and investment loans; mutual funds and bonds; electronic money services; credit cards; business collection services; and home and eBanking, remittance, and customer services. The company also provides investment financing, working capital financing, auto and multipurpose financing, operating lease, other financing activities, money lending and remittance, securities brokerage dealing and securities issuance underwriting, general or loss insurance, life insurance, Sharia banking, and venture capital services. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk is a subsidiary of PT Dwimuria Investama Andalan.

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Australian REIT Income Fund (TSE:HRR.UN  Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Thursday, June 29th, TickerTech reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a dividend of 0.055 per share on Friday, July 7th. This represents a $0.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 29th.

Australian REIT Income Fund Stock Performance

Shares of Australian REIT Income Fund stock remained flat at C$8.25 during midday trading on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$5.52 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.48. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of C$8.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$8.83. Australian REIT Income Fund has a 1-year low of C$7.52 and a 1-year high of C$10.98.

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Australian REIT Income Fund Company Profile

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Australian REIT Income Fund is an equity mutual fund launched by Harvest Portfolios Group Inc The fund is managed by Macquarie Private Portfolio Management. It invests in public equity markets of Australia. The fund invests primarily in publically listed Australian real estate investment trusts and companies engaged in real estate industry in Australia.

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Ballast Inc. acquired a new stake in American Express (NYSE:AXP  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 1,288 shares of the payment services companys stock, valued at approximately $212,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 118,198.3% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,732,068 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $2,028,913,000 after buying an additional 13,720,460 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in shares of American Express by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,503,902 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,847,452,000 after buying an additional 35,760 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of American Express by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,458,404 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,541,863,000 after purchasing an additional 177,635 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of American Express in the 4th quarter valued at about $911,554,000. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of American Express by 7.5% in the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 5,802,341 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $857,293,000 after purchasing an additional 405,975 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.84% of the companys stock.

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American Express Trading Up 0.8 %

AXP traded up $1.36 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $171.14. The companys stock had a trading volume of 329,047 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,352,552. American Express has a fifty-two week low of $130.65 and a fifty-two week high of $182.15. The stock has a market cap of $127.20 billion, a PE ratio of 17.85, a P/E/G ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.18. The businesss 50-day moving average is $160.79 and its 200-day moving average is $161.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.55.

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 20th. The payment services company reported $2.40 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.66 by ($0.26). American Express had a return on equity of 29.44% and a net margin of 13.00%. The firm had revenue of $14.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.73 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 21.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that American Express will post 11.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Express declared that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Wednesday, March 8th that permits the company to buyback 120,000,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the payment services company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

American Express Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 6th. American Expresss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 25.24%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on AXP shares. Stephens cut their price target on American Express from $149.00 to $146.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 21st. Redburn Partners lowered American Express from a neutral rating to a sell rating and set a $125.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, May 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on American Express from $179.00 to $167.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on American Express from $186.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on American Express from $186.00 to $181.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $174.50.

About American Express

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American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Global Consumer Services Group, Global Commercial Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. Its products and services include payment and financing products; network services; accounts payable expense management products and services; and travel and lifestyle services.

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Chicago Capital LLC increased its stake in Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 8.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,266 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the quarter. Chicago Capital LLCs holdings in Bank of America were worth $379,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC raised its position in Bank of America by 5.7% in the first quarter. Beacon Financial Advisory LLC now owns 22,298 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $638,000 after acquiring an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC raised its position in Bank of America by 1.2% in the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 115,738 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,310,000 after acquiring an additional 1,338 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLC raised its position in Bank of America by 2.4% in the first quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLC now owns 21,761 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $622,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP bought a new stake in Bank of America in the first quarter worth about $314,000. Finally, Sterling Investment Counsel LLC raised its position in Bank of America by 19.5% in the first quarter. Sterling Investment Counsel LLC now owns 30,071 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $860,000 after acquiring an additional 4,901 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.34% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on BAC. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Bank of America from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Bank of America from $39.00 to $35.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 3rd. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on Bank of America from $36.00 to $35.00 in a report on Friday, May 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Bank of America from $38.00 to $34.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Bank of America has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $36.77.

Bank of America Trading Down 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE BAC opened at $28.07 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $223.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.43, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.37. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $28.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $31.01. Bank of America Co. has a 52 week low of $26.32 and a 52 week high of $38.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.82.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.94 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $26.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $25.28 billion. Bank of America had a return on equity of 11.72% and a net margin of 21.85%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.80 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Bank of America Co. will post 3.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bank of America Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 1st. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.14%. Bank of Americas payout ratio is currently 26.43%.

Bank of America Profile

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Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC  Free Report).

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The Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS  Free Report) (TSE:BNS) saw unusually-high trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 1,041,107 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 25% from the previous sessions volume of 1,391,922 shares.The stock last traded at $49.06 and had previously closed at $48.78.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BNS has been the topic of several recent research reports. Barclays downgraded shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 9th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from $86.00 to $77.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group downgraded shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $86.06.

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Bank of Nova Scotia Stock Performance

The firms fifty day moving average price is $49.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $50.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The firm has a market cap of $58.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.58, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.02.

Bank of Nova Scotia Increases Dividend

Bank of Nova Scotia ( NYSE:BNS Free Report ) (TSE:BNS) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 24th. The bank reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.32 by ($0.07). Bank of Nova Scotia had a net margin of 14.16% and a return on equity of 13.99%. The company had revenue of $5.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.91 billion. Analysts expect that The Bank of Nova Scotia will post 5.28 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 27th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 5th will be issued a $0.7851 dividend. This is a boost from Bank of Nova Scotias previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 3rd. This represents a $3.14 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.39%. Bank of Nova Scotias dividend payout ratio is presently 59.92%.

Institutional Trading of Bank of Nova Scotia

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BNS. Coston McIsaac & Partners boosted its stake in Bank of Nova Scotia by 167.9% during the 1st quarter. Coston McIsaac & Partners now owns 501 shares of the banks stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 314 shares during the period. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV boosted its stake in 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 period. Endurance Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in Bank of Nova Scotia by 1,190.5% during the 1st quarter. Endurance Wealth Management Inc. now owns 542 shares of the banks stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. HBC Financial Services PLLC acquired a new stake in Bank of Nova Scotia during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Glassman Wealth Services boosted its stake in 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 period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 37.03% of the companys stock.

About Bank of Nova Scotia

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The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets.

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Barclays PLC (LON:BARC  Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eight brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 239.75 ($3.05).

BARC has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a GBX 270 ($3.43) price target on shares of Barclays in a report on Monday, June 19th. UBS Group set a GBX 238 ($3.03) price target on Barclays in a report on Monday, March 6th. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Barclays in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Barclays from GBX 210 ($2.67) to GBX 180 ($2.29) and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on Barclays from GBX 300 ($3.81) to GBX 320 ($4.07) and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th.

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Barclays Trading Up 0.9 %

LON BARC opened at GBX 149.74 ($1.90) on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of 23.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 449.52, a PEG ratio of -1.09 and a beta of 1.36. Barclays has a twelve month low of GBX 128.12 ($1.63) and a twelve month high of GBX 198.86 ($2.53). The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 154.67 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 161.22.

Insider Activity

About Barclays

In other news, insider Anna Cross sold 68,659 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 154 ($1.96), for a total value of 105,734.86 ($134,437.20). Company insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.

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Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through two segments, Barclays UK and Barclays International divisions. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.

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BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited (OTCMKTS:BHKLY  Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 20,500 shares, a growth of 688.5% from the May 31st total of 2,600 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 29,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.7 days.

BOC Hong Kong Stock Performance

BHKLY traded up $0.05 on Thursday, hitting $61.63. The company had a trading volume of 8,310 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,472. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $61.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $65.24. BOC Hong Kong has a 52-week low of $58.67 and a 52-week high of $79.12.

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BOC Hong Kong Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 21st. Investors of record on Monday, July 3rd will be issued a $2.2985 dividend. This is a positive change from BOC Hong Kongs previous dividend of $1.12. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 30th.

BOC Hong Kong Company Profile

BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited, an investment holding company, provides banking and related financial services to corporate and individual customers in Hong Kong, China, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Personal Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, and Insurance. It offers savings, current, and time deposit accounts; mortgage plans; corporate deposits, and payroll and e-cheques services.

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Game theory is a branch of mathematics that studies strategic interactions. The most famous example is the prisoners' dilemma, in which two separated prisoners must independently decide to cooperate and face minor consequences, or betray the other for potential personal gain, risking severe consequences if both choose betrayal.

A new study from Dartmouth, published in PNAS Nexus, used game theory to develop "unbending strategies" to beat bullies. The strategies in the study, such as memory-one PSO Gambler, WSLS, and Zero Determinant, steer the dynamics toward fairness and cooperation, even when faced with players who try to exploit others.

From Phys.org:
Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 6,480.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,275,932 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after buying an additional 1,256,542 shares during the quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,274,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Live Oak Investment Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, My Personal CFO LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. 74.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Performance

BMY stock traded down $0.08 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $64.01. 2,645,643 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,106,422. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 52 week low of $62.88 and a 52 week high of $81.43. The business has a 50-day moving average of $66.36 and a two-hundred day moving average of $69.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $134.48 billion, a PE ratio of 18.69, a P/E/G ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.44.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.07. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 15.95% and a return on equity of 51.75%. The company had revenue of $11.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.50 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.96 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 8.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Investors of record on Friday, July 7th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 6th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs payout ratio is presently 66.47%.

Insider Activity at Bristol-Myers Squibb

In related news, EVP Rupert Vessey sold 50,385 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $3,378,818.10. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 47,751 shares in the company, valued at $3,202,182.06. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, March 6th. They set a hold rating and a $62.00 price objective for the company. Daiwa Capital Markets began coverage on Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Wednesday. They issued an outperform rating and a $70.00 target price for the company. Barclays reduced their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $66.00 to $65.00 in a report on Monday, May 1st. Credit Suisse Group reduced their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $78.00 to $72.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, 51job reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Friday, April 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $78.00.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Profile

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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Calton & Associates Inc. lowered its position in shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:EEM  Free Report) by 2.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 24,597 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 596 shares during the quarter. Calton & Associates Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF were worth $971,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $2,297,000. Horan Securities Inc. raised its position in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 37.6% during the first quarter. Horan Securities Inc. now owns 11,563 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $456,000 after buying an additional 3,159 shares during the period. Activest Wealth Management purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF in the 1st quarter worth about $66,000. Financial Services Advisory Inc boosted its position in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 12.9% during the 1st quarter. Financial Services Advisory Inc now owns 6,389 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $252,000 after acquiring an additional 729 shares during the period. Finally, Macroview Investment Management LLC grew its stake in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 28.0% during the 1st quarter. Macroview Investment Management LLC now owns 10,927 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $431,000 after acquiring an additional 2,389 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.70% of the companys stock.

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iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of EEM opened at $39.15 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day moving average is $39.29 and its 200-day moving average is $39.40. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF has a fifty-two week low of $33.49 and a fifty-two week high of $42.53.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Profile

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (the Fund), seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded equity securities in global emerging markets, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (the Index).

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Canadian Natural Resources (TSE:CNQ  Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ) had its price target lowered by National Bank Financial from C$105.00 to C$93.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. National Bank Financials target price would suggest a potential upside of 26.46% from the stocks current price.

CNQ has been the topic of a number of other research reports. CSFB decreased their target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$93.00 to C$90.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$86.00 to C$87.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$92.00 to C$94.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. ATB Capital dropped their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$94.00 to C$90.00 in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$90.00 to C$87.00 in a report on Monday, March 27th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five 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 C$89.71.

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Canadian Natural Resources Trading Up 0.9 %

CNQ traded up C$0.68 during trading on Thursday, reaching C$73.54. The company had a trading volume of 1,189,683 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,912,602. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 35.14. Canadian Natural Resources has a 52 week low of C$58.75 and a 52 week high of C$84.25. The stock has a market cap of C$80.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.64, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 2.05. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of C$75.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$76.40.

Insider Activity at Canadian Natural Resources

Canadian Natural Resources ( TSE:CNQ Free Report ) (NYSE:CNQ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported C$1.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$1.62 by C$0.07. Canadian Natural Resources had a net margin of 23.94% and a return on equity of 25.00%. The business had revenue of C$8.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$8.48 billion. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Canadian Natural Resources will post 7.9403315 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other Canadian Natural Resources news, Director Stephen W. Laut sold 60,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$75.46, for a total transaction of C$4,527,600.00. 2.22% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Canadian Natural Resources

(Free Report)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO).

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Canadian Natural Resources (TSE:CNQ  Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ) had its price objective lowered by equities researchers at National Bankshares from C$105.00 to C$93.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. National Bankshares price target would indicate a potential upside of 26.53% from the companys previous close.

CNQ has been the topic of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$92.00 to C$94.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 14th. ATB Capital cut their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$94.00 to C$90.00 in a research note on Monday, April 17th. CSFB cut their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$93.00 to C$90.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Scotiabank upped their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$86.00 to C$87.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Canadian Natural Resources from C$76.00 to C$82.00 in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Canadian Natural Resources presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$90.93.

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Canadian Natural Resources Price Performance

TSE:CNQ traded up C$0.64 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching C$73.50. The company had a trading volume of 1,099,672 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,912,400. The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$75.70 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$76.40. Canadian Natural Resources has a one year low of C$58.75 and a one year high of C$84.25. The firm has a market capitalization of C$80.12 billion, a PE ratio of 8.64, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 2.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 35.14.

Insider Activity at Canadian Natural Resources

Canadian Natural Resources ( TSE:CNQ Free Report ) (NYSE:CNQ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported C$1.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$1.62 by C$0.07. The company had revenue of C$8.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$8.48 billion. Canadian Natural Resources had a return on equity of 25.00% and a net margin of 23.94%. Analysts forecast that Canadian Natural Resources will post 7.9403315 earnings per share for the current year.

In related news, Director Stephen W. Laut sold 60,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$75.46, for a total transaction of C$4,527,600.00. Insiders own 2.22% of the companys stock.

About Canadian Natural Resources

(Free Report)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO).

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Carderock Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin Co. (NYSE:PH  Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 13,009 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $4,372,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AE Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 26.4% in the 4th quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 10,876 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,273 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 17.5% in the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 62,151 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $18,086,000 after purchasing an additional 9,271 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 18.9% in the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 88,744 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $25,817,000 after purchasing an additional 14,116 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 15.0% in the 4th quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 24,302 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $7,072,000 after purchasing an additional 3,176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kentucky Retirement Systems lifted its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems now owns 10,093 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,937,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. 81.62% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In other news, Vice Chairman Lee C. Banks sold 29,764 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.84, for a total value of $9,936,413.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 110,476 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $36,881,307.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, Vice Chairman Lee C. Banks sold 29,764 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.84, for a total value of $9,936,413.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 110,476 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $36,881,307.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP William R. Bowman sold 2,403 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $357.65, for a total value of $859,432.95. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 11,152 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,988,512.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 34,526 shares of company stock worth $11,618,868. 1.37% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Parker-Hannifin Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:PH traded up $1.63 on Thursday, reaching $384.08. The company had a trading volume of 139,985 shares, compared to its average volume of 909,620. Parker-Hannifin Co. has a 52-week low of $235.69 and a 52-week high of $386.10. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $341.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $329.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.32 billion, a PE ratio of 33.12, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17.

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $5.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.01 by $0.92. Parker-Hannifin had a return on equity of 29.14% and a net margin of 8.28%. The business had revenue of $5.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.79 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.83 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 23.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Parker-Hannifin Co. will post 20.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Parker-Hannifin Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 12th were issued a $1.48 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. This is an increase from Parker-Hannifins previous quarterly dividend of $1.33. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.54%. Parker-Hannifins dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.26%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PH has been the subject of several analyst reports. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Parker-Hannifin from $413.00 to $440.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 9th. StockNews.com lowered Parker-Hannifin from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $385.00 to $366.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $376.00 to $383.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $411.00 to $415.00 in a research note on Friday, May 5th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $386.08.

Parker-Hannifin Company Profile

(Free Report)

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors, which control, transmit, and contain fluid; control solutions for extreme corrosion resistance, temperatures, pressures, and precise flow; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment.

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Cardinal Capital Management grew its holdings in shares of The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM  Free Report) by 3.9% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,594 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 97 shares during the quarter. Cardinal Capital Managements holdings in Boston Beer were worth $853,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of SAM. ETF Managers Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Boston Beer in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $676,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its position in Boston Beer by 1,868.7% during the first quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 26,755 shares of the companys stock worth $8,794,000 after acquiring an additional 25,396 shares in the last quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Boston Beer in the first quarter valued at $207,000. Gagnon Securities LLC grew its position in shares of Boston Beer by 11.9% in the 1st quarter. Gagnon Securities LLC now owns 16,375 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,382,000 after acquiring an additional 1,740 shares during the period. Finally, Polianta Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Boston Beer during the 1st quarter worth about $1,183,000. 65.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on SAM. Roth Capital upgraded shares of Boston Beer from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 30th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Boston Beer in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Boston Beer from $300.00 to $311.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Roth Mkm upgraded Boston Beer from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $274.00 to $386.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 30th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Boston Beer from $291.00 to $297.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $307.75.

Boston Beer Stock Performance

Shares of Boston Beer stock opened at $308.67 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $322.10 and a 200-day moving average of $333.86. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. has a 52-week low of $298.36 and a 52-week high of $422.75. The stock has a market cap of $3.79 billion, a PE ratio of 63.51 and a beta of 1.08.

Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported ($0.73) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.32) by ($0.41). Boston Beer had a return on equity of 7.58% and a net margin of 2.82%. The business had revenue of $410.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $412.47 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($0.16) EPS. Boston Beers revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that The Boston Beer Company, Inc. will post 7.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Boston Beer

In related news, CEO David A. Burwick sold 1,644 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $326.38, for a total value of $536,568.72. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 47,910 shares in the company, valued at $15,636,865.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CEO David A. Burwick sold 1,644 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $326.38, for a total transaction of $536,568.72. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 47,910 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,636,865.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider John C. Geist sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $341.35, for a total transaction of $3,413,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 5,573 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,902,343.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 23.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Boston Beer

(Free Report)

The Boston Beer Company, Inc engages in the production and sale of alcohol beverages primarily in the United States. The company's flagship beer is Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It offers various beers, hard ciders, flavored malt beverages, and hard seltzers under the Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, Angry Orchard, Dogfish Head, Angel City, Coney Island, and Havana Lager brand names.

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CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corp lifted its position in Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK  Free Report) by 4.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,567 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 99 shares during the quarter. CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corps holdings in Rockwell Automation were worth $753,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Macquarie Group Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Rockwell Automation by 12.1% during the 3rd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 12,711 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,734,000 after acquiring an additional 1,367 shares in the last quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Rockwell Automation during the 4th quarter worth approximately $206,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its stake in Rockwell Automation by 70.3% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 28,468 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $7,333,000 after purchasing an additional 11,754 shares in the last quarter. Diversified Trust Co increased its stake in Rockwell Automation by 22.0% in the 4th quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 6,878 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,772,000 after purchasing an additional 1,239 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amalgamated Bank increased its stake in Rockwell Automation by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 30,786 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $7,930,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.28% of the companys stock.

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Rockwell Automation Stock Performance

Shares of ROK stock opened at $321.21 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The business has a 50 day moving average of $290.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $283.04. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a 52 week low of $192.90 and a 52 week high of $326.86. The company has a market cap of $36.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.28, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.42.

Rockwell Automation Dividend Announcement

Rockwell Automation ( NYSE:ROK Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The industrial products company reported $3.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.41. The business had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.09 billion. Rockwell Automation had a return on equity of 42.15% and a net margin of 15.82%. The businesss revenue was up 25.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.66 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 12.04 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $1.18 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 11th. This represents a $4.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.47%. Rockwell Automations dividend payout ratio is presently 41.55%.

Insider Transactions at Rockwell Automation

In other Rockwell Automation news, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 4,855 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $315.00, for a total value of $1,529,325.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 64,425 shares in the company, valued at $20,293,875. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Rockwell Automation news, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 4,855 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $315.00, for a total value of $1,529,325.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 64,425 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,293,875. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Christopher Nardecchia sold 489 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $296.56, for a total value of $145,017.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 9,510 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,820,285.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 15,217 shares of company stock worth $4,687,705. Company insiders own 0.64% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ROK has been the subject of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Rockwell Automation from $272.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Rockwell Automation in a report on Tuesday. They issued a hold rating and a $335.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on Rockwell Automation in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Rockwell Automation from $245.00 to $238.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Rockwell Automation from $250.00 to $262.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Rockwell Automation currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $275.63.

Rockwell Automation Profile

(Free Report)

Rockwell Automation, Inc provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates through three segments, Intelligent Devices, Software & Control, and Lifecycle Services. Its solutions include hardware and software products and services.

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Epazz (OTCMKTS:EPAZ  Free Report) is one of 281 publicly-traded companies in the SoftwareApplication industry, but how does it compare to its peers? We will compare Epazz to related companies based on the strength of its institutional ownership, profitability, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, earnings and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations for Epazz and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Epazz 0 0 0 0 N/A Epazz Competitors 370 1388 3090 18 2.57

As a group, SoftwareApplication companies have a potential upside of 29.71%. Given Epazzs peers higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Epazz has less favorable growth aspects than its peers.

Earnings and Valuation

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Epazz N/A N/A 0.00 Epazz Competitors $433.17 million -$7.54 million 627.13

This table compares Epazz and its peers gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Epazzs peers have higher revenue, but lower earnings than Epazz. Epazz is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

32.2% of shares of all SoftwareApplication companies are held by institutional investors. 30.3% of shares of all SoftwareApplication companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Epazz and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Epazz N/A N/A N/A Epazz Competitors -29.99% -259.51% -6.90%

Summary

Epazz peers beat Epazz on 5 of the 8 factors compared.

About Epazz

(Free Report)

Epazz, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs and sells various software programs to business enterprises, hospitals, and government and post-secondary institutions in the United States. It offers EPAZZ BoxesOS v3.0, a Web portal infrastructure operating system that integrates with each organization's back-end systems and provides a customizable personal information system for various stakeholders, including students, faculty, alumni, employees, and clients. The company also provides AutoHire software, an interactive question, and online screening and ranking system; and Desk Flex software that allow businesses make use of office space restrictions by enabling employees to instantly access their workstation tools from various areas in and outside of the office. In addition, it offers Agent Power software, which provides information and tools for call centers to help enhance their workforce management; Integrated Plant Management Control software, a software system design for water and wastewater facility management; and CHMCi, an enterprise solution that includes tools to provide, manage, bill, and track behavioral healthcare and social services. Further, the company provides K9 Bytes, a point of sale (POS) software for pet care applications, such as pet boarding; daycare; grooming; training; and other pet care services, including dog walking and pet sitting. Its K9 Bytes products include scheduling, billing, retail inventory, and general POS capabilities comprising credit and debit card processing, collar printers, digital signature tablets, and biometric/fingerprint identification hardware. Epazz, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of Crown (NYSE:CCK  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note published on Sunday morning.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on CCK. Citigroup lifted their price target on Crown from $103.00 to $104.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Crown from $86.00 to $79.00 in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on Crown from $103.00 to $108.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Crown has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $97.60.

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Crown Price Performance

CCK opened at $85.19 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $82.91 and a 200-day moving average price of $83.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $10.23 billion, a PE ratio of 16.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.06. Crown has a 1 year low of $66.00 and a 1 year high of $102.68.

Crown Announces Dividend

Crown ( NYSE:CCK Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 24th. The industrial products company reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. Crown had a return on equity of 31.41% and a net margin of 4.81%. Crowns quarterly revenue was down 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.01 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Crown will post 6.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 25th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 11th were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 10th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.13%. Crowns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.90%.

Insider Activity at Crown

In related news, Director James H. Miller sold 9,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.86, for a total transaction of $789,198.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 19,801 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,680,312.86. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. National Bank of Canada FI raised its holdings in shares of Crown by 13,132.4% during the 4th quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 2,326,382 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $191,251,000 after acquiring an additional 2,308,801 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Crown by 202.1% during the 1st quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. now owns 3,019,873 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $249,774,000 after acquiring an additional 2,020,200 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Crown during the 4th quarter worth approximately $123,506,000. Eminence Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Crown during the 4th quarter worth approximately $105,665,000. Finally, Cibc World Markets Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Crown during the 4th quarter worth approximately $73,989,000. 90.17% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Crown

(Free Report)

Crown Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies rigid packaging products in Pennsylvania and internationally. It operates through Americas Beverage, European Beverage, Asia Pacific, and Transit Packaging segments. The Americas Beverage segment manufactures recyclable aluminum beverage cans and ends, glass bottles, steel crowns, and aluminum caps.

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Domani Wealth LLC lowered its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWB  Free Report) by 0.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 61,341 shares of the companys stock after selling 107 shares during the quarter. iShares Russell 1000 ETF accounts for about 3.2% of Domani Wealth LLCs holdings, making the stock its 10th largest position. Domani Wealth LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF were worth $13,816,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Prudential Financial Inc. increased its stake in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 9.4% in the 1st quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 32,609 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,155,000 after buying an additional 2,805 shares during the period. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC increased its stake in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 161.7% in the 1st quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 15,778 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,946,000 after buying an additional 9,750 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $238,000. Rosenblum Silverman Sutton S F Inc CA increased its stake in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 13.5% in the 1st quarter. Rosenblum Silverman Sutton S F Inc CA now owns 10,013 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,504,000 after buying an additional 1,190 shares during the period. Finally, Ancora Advisors LLC increased its stake in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 26.3% in the 1st quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 2,510 shares of the companys stock valued at $562,000 after buying an additional 523 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 1000 ETF Stock Performance

iShares Russell 1000 ETF stock opened at $239.84 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $30.26 billion, a PE ratio of 17.92 and a beta of 1.01. The firms 50 day moving average price is $231.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $223.59. iShares Russell 1000 ETF has a twelve month low of $192.01 and a twelve month high of $243.72.

iShares Russell 1000 ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 1000 ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 1,000 largest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index.

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In the town of Listowel in County Kerry, Ireland, 1,137 participants dressed as Dolly Parton to set a unique, never-before-set Guinness World Record for the "largest gathering of people dressed as Dolly Parton." The event, which happened Saturday, was called "Dolly Day."

USA Today:

Instagram posts made on the official event account, @dollydayky, explained the rules and offered inspiration for aspiring Dolly look-a-likes, featuring pictures of recognizable looks worn by the music legend through the decades. Checkered flannels and plenty of denim were the stars of the look books, though photos from the event show off the true piece piece de resistance  a sea of voluminous, curled, bleach blonde wigs.

The event not only brought together a sea of Parton look-alikes but also benefited the local community. The proceeds from the event were directed to the Kerry Hospice Foundation and Comfort for Chemo Kerry. Although there is no existing record to beat, and it might take eight to twelve weeks for Guinness World Record officials to review and certify the attempt, Dolly Day already appears to be a great success.
Donald L. Hagan LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF (NYSEARCA:EWN  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 5,059 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $213,000. Donald L. Hagan LLC owned approximately 0.07% of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in EWN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF by 44.0% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,154 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $91,000 after acquiring an additional 658 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF during the first quarter worth about $313,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF by 214.8% during the first quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 62,083 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $2,628,000 after purchasing an additional 42,360 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new position in iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF during the first quarter worth about $1,723,000. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF by 190.7% during the first quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 39,127 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,656,000 after purchasing an additional 25,668 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF Stock Performance

iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF stock opened at $42.84 on Thursday. iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF has a fifty-two week low of $28.67 and a fifty-two week high of $43.67. The stock has a market cap of $295.60 million, a PE ratio of 12.00 and a beta of 1.08. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $42.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $41.34.

About iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF

iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index (the Index).

Further Reading

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Shares of Earthstone Energy, Inc. (NYSE:ESTE  Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Hold from the five research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have given a hold recommendation and two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $23.33.

ESTE has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Stephens lifted their price objective on Earthstone Energy from $18.00 to $21.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Mizuho lowered their price target on Earthstone Energy from $19.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Friday, May 19th. StockNews.com began coverage on Earthstone Energy in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Benchmark increased their target price on Earthstone Energy from $23.00 to $29.00 in a report on Friday, June 16th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price target on Earthstone Energy from $30.00 to $32.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Earthstone Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ESTE. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in Earthstone Energy by 56.8% during the 1st quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,198 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 796 shares during the period. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Earthstone Energy by 44.7% in the 1st quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 2,393 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 739 shares during the period. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Earthstone Energy in the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Clear Street Markets LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Earthstone Energy in the 4th quarter worth $56,000. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank purchased a new stake in shares of Earthstone Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $67,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.37% of the companys stock.

Earthstone Energy Stock Performance

Shares of ESTE opened at $13.56 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $13.07 and a 200 day moving average of $13.40. Earthstone Energy has a 12 month low of $10.65 and a 12 month high of $17.54. The company has a market capitalization of $1.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 2.09.

Earthstone Energy (NYSE:ESTE  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The oil and gas producer reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.01. Earthstone Energy had a return on equity of 28.38% and a net margin of 28.58%. The firm had revenue of $413.14 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $391.95 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.78 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 110.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Earthstone Energy will post 4.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Earthstone Energy Company Profile

(Free Report

Earthstone Energy, Inc, operates as an independent oil and gas company in the United States. It engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas reserves through drilling and development of undeveloped leases, as well as asset and corporate acquisitions and mergers. The company's asset portfolio includes the Midland Basin in West Texas, Delaware Basin in New Mexico, and the Eagle Ford trend located in southern Gonzales County, Texas.

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ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its position in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS  Free Report) by 8.6% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 3,142 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 296 shares during the period. ERTS Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $610,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,099,021 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $10,839,176,000 after acquiring an additional 601,166 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,787,793 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,220,088,000 after acquiring an additional 255,287 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 9,273,417 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,988,777,000 after acquiring an additional 54,401 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 33.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,730,090 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,343,799,000 after acquiring an additional 1,949,775 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,255,623,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.94% of the companys stock.

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United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:UPS opened at $175.69 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.87 and a 1-year high of $209.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $150.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.09. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $174.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $180.23.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

United Parcel Service ( NYSE:UPS Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The transportation company reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.01. The firm 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 businesss revenue for the quarter was down 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.05 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 10.78 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Investors of record on Monday, May 15th were paid a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio is currently 52.43%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UPS has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on United Parcel Service from $221.00 to $205.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. Credit Suisse Group set a $203.00 target price on United Parcel Service in a research note on Thursday, March 23rd. Atlantic Securities assumed coverage on United Parcel Service in a research note on Tuesday, June 6th. They set a neutral rating and a $162.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $220.00 to $214.00 in a research note on Monday, March 20th. Finally, Raymond James reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $207.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 26th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $191.23.

About United Parcel Service

(Free Report)

United Parcel Service, Inc, a package delivery company, provides transportation and delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States.

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ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (BATS:GOVT  Free Report) by 65.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,855,616 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 734,936 shares during the period. iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF makes up 10.5% of ERTS Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 3rd biggest holding. ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC owned 0.17% of iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF worth $43,384,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in GOVT. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF by 8.2% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 24,695 shares of the companys stock valued at $642,000 after purchasing an additional 1,879 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC acquired a new stake in iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $1,071,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 338,812 shares of the companys stock worth $8,440,000 after buying an additional 10,375 shares during the period. Equitable Holdings Inc. lifted its stake in iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF by 10.4% during the first quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. now owns 406,752 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,132,000 after buying an additional 38,476 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF by 34.3% in the first quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 558,798 shares of the companys stock worth $13,920,000 after buying an additional 142,658 shares during the period.

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iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF Trading Up 0.2 %

GOVT stock opened at $23.04 on Thursday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $23.15 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.13.

iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF Company Profile

The iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (GOVT) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond index. The fund tracks a market-weighted index of fixed-rate nonconvertible U.S. Treasury securities with a remaining maturity of one year or more. GOVT was launched on Feb 14, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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FCF Advisors LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) by 13.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 667 shares of the restaurant operators stock after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the quarter. FCF Advisors LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $1,139,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. ETF Managers Group LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. ETF Managers Group LLC now owns 455 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $777,000 after purchasing an additional 6 shares during the period. Moseley Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. Moseley Investment Management Inc. now owns 283 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $393,000 after purchasing an additional 7 shares during the period. Glassman Wealth Services raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 9.2% in the 4th quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 83 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $115,000 after purchasing an additional 7 shares during the period. Resources Management Corp CT ADV raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Resources Management Corp CT ADV now owns 472 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $655,000 after purchasing an additional 7 shares during the period. Finally, Avitas Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Avitas Wealth Management LLC now owns 935 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,297,000 after purchasing an additional 8 shares during the period. 91.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Chipotle Mexican Grill Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:CMG traded up $11.94 on Thursday, hitting $2,113.43. 54,887 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 290,733. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 1-year low of $1,233.61 and a 1-year high of $2,139.88. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $2,034.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,732.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $58.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 56.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 1.34.

Insider Transactions at Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 25th. The restaurant operator reported $10.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 business had revenue of $2.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.70 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 18.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 43.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other news, insider Laurie Schalow sold 3,658 shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill stock in a transaction on Monday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,066.73, for a total transaction of $7,560,098.34. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,637 shares in the company, valued at $3,383,237.01. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, insider Laurie Schalow sold 3,658 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,066.73, for a total transaction of $7,560,098.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 1,637 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,383,237.01. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,023 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,695.00, for a total transaction of $1,733,985.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 23,347 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $39,573,165. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,346 shares of company stock worth $24,704,401. Company insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently commented on CMG. Credit Suisse Group raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,050.00 to $2,200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. 888 reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,050.00 to $2,200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,600.00 to $1,750.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Finally, Wedbush raised their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,200.00 to $2,300.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 21st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-one have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Chipotle Mexican Grill has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $2,066.93.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Profile

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It offers burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

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Baloise (OTCMKTS:BLHEF  Free Report) and Sun Life Financial (NYSE:SLF  Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations and risk.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

32.9% of Baloise shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 41.7% of Sun Life Financial shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

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Dividends

Baloise pays an annual dividend of $3.09 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.0%. Sun Life Financial pays an annual dividend of $2.21 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.3%. Baloise pays out 27.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Sun Life Financial pays out 57.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Sun Life Financial has increased its dividend for 1 consecutive years. Sun Life Financial is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Profitability

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Baloise N/A N/A N/A Sun Life Financial 8.90% 14.29% 1.16%

Analyst Ratings

This table compares Baloise and Sun Life Financials net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

This is a summary of current ratings for Baloise and Sun Life Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Baloise 0 0 0 0 N/A Sun Life Financial 0 1 2 0 2.67

Sun Life Financial has a consensus price target of $72.78, indicating a potential upside of 42.17%. Given Sun Life Financials higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Sun Life Financial is more favorable than Baloise.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Baloise and Sun Life Financials revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Baloise N/A N/A N/A $11.35 13.41 Sun Life Financial $17.94 billion 1.67 $2.50 billion $3.86 13.26

Sun Life Financial has higher revenue and earnings than Baloise. Sun Life Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Baloise, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Sun Life Financial beats Baloise on 9 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Baloise

(Free Report)

Baloise Holding AG, together with its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the insurance and banking businesses in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg. It operates through Non-Life, Life, Asset Management & Banking, and Other Activities segments. The company offers various non-life insurance products, including accident, health, general liability, motor, fire and other property, marine, credit protection, and legal expenses insurance. It also provides life insurance products, which include endowment policies, such as conventional and unit-linked life insurance; group life insurance products; term insurance; immediate and deferred annuities; and policy riders, including premium waiver, accidental death, and disability. In addition, the company engages in the banking activities in Switzerland; and offers asset management services. Further, it has interests in equity investment companies, real-estate firms, and financing companies. The company sells its products and services to individuals, small and medium sized enterprises, and industrial clients. Baloise Holding AG was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.Baloise Holding AG operates as a subsidiary of Baloise Group

About Sun Life Financial

(Free Report)

Sun Life Financial Inc., a financial services company, provides savings, retirement, and pension products worldwide. It offers term and permanent life, as well as personal health, dental, critical illness, long-term care, and disability insurance products. The company provides financial advice, asset management, and investments related products. It is also involved in mutual fund and investment management businesses. Sun Life Financial Inc was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:GTN.A  Free Report)s stock price was up 5.6% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $9.50 and last traded at $9.50. Approximately 819 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 59% from the average daily volume of 1,976 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.00.

Gray Television Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.98, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a current ratio of 1.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $904.78 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a 50-day moving average of $8.31 and a 200-day moving average of $9.67.

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Gray Television (NYSE:GTN.A  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 5th. The company reported ($0.48) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $801.00 million for the quarter. Gray Television had a return on equity of 18.22% and a net margin of 9.92%.

Gray Television Dividend Announcement

About Gray Television

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be issued a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.37%. Gray Televisions dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.58%.

(Free Report)

Gray Television, Inc, a television broadcast company, owns and operates television stations and digital assets in the United States. As of February 28, 2019, it owned and operated television stations in 91 television markets broadcasting approximately 400 program streams, including approximately 150 channels affiliated with the CBS Network, the NBC Network, the ABC Network, and the FOX Network.

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Greggs (OTCMKTS:GGGSF  Free Report) is one of 62 publicly-traded companies in the Grocery Stores industry, but how does it contrast to its peers? We will compare Greggs to similar businesses based on the strength of its profitability, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, dividends and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Greggs and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Greggs N/A N/A N/A Greggs Competitors 2.07% 14.53% 4.72%

Institutional and Insider Ownership

42.1% of Greggs shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 45.3% of shares of all Grocery Stores companies are owned by institutional investors. 22.8% of shares of all Grocery Stores companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Greggs 0 1 1 0 2.50 Greggs Competitors 1121 2752 3007 114 2.30

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Greggs and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Greggs currently has a consensus target price of $3,140.00, indicating a potential upside of 9,429.59%. As a group, Grocery Stores companies have a potential upside of 34.77%. Given Greggs stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Greggs is more favorable than its peers.

Dividends

Greggs pays an annual dividend of $0.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.6%. Greggs pays out 91.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. As a group, Grocery Stores companies pay a dividend yield of 4.4% and pay out 62.1% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Greggs lags its peers as a dividend stock, given its lower dividend yield and higher payout ratio.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Greggs and its peers gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Greggs N/A N/A 153.72 Greggs Competitors $26.96 billion $611.52 million 196.13

Greggs peers have higher revenue and earnings than Greggs. Greggs is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Summary

Greggs peers beat Greggs on 10 of the 13 factors compared.

About Greggs

(Free Report)

Greggs plc operates as a food-on-the-go retailer in the United Kingdom. It offers a range of fresh and frozen bakery products, sandwiches, and drinks. The company sells products to franchise and wholesale partners for sale in their own outlets. It is also involved in the property holding, non-trading, and trustee businesses. The company also operates through its own shops. Greggs plc was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom.

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Franco-Nevada (NYSE:FNV  Free Report) and Gatos Silver (NYSE:GATO  Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Franco-Nevada and Gatos Silvers net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Franco-Nevada 53.87% 10.58% 10.26% Gatos Silver N/A -5.99% -5.76%

Risk & Volatility

Franco-Nevada has a beta of 0.72, suggesting that its share price is 28% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Gatos Silver has a beta of 2.42, suggesting that its share price is 142% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

Analyst Recommendations

64.2% of Franco-Nevada shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 49.8% of Gatos Silver shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.7% of Franco-Nevada shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 5.8% of Gatos Silver shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Franco-Nevada and Gatos Silver, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Franco-Nevada 1 2 4 0 2.43 Gatos Silver 0 2 0 0 2.00

Franco-Nevada currently has a consensus price target of $174.29, indicating a potential upside of 27.50%. Gatos Silver has a consensus price target of $4.38, indicating a potential upside of 16.98%. Given Franco-Nevadas stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Franco-Nevada is more favorable than Gatos Silver.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Franco-Nevada and Gatos Silvers revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Franco-Nevada $1.32 billion 19.94 $700.60 million $3.51 38.95 Gatos Silver N/A N/A -$43.44 million $0.21 17.81

Franco-Nevada has higher revenue and earnings than Gatos Silver. Gatos Silver is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Franco-Nevada, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Franco-Nevada beats Gatos Silver on 11 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Franco-Nevada

(Free Report)

Franco-Nevada Corporation operates as a gold-focused royalty and streaming company in Latin America, the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Mining and Energy segments. The company manages its portfolio with a focus on precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum group metals; and engages in the sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

About Gatos Silver

(Free Report)

Gatos Silver, Inc. engages in the exploration and production of precious metals. The company primarily explores for silver deposits. The company explores for zinc, lead, copper, and gold ores. Its flagship asset is the Cerro Los Gatos mine located at the Los Gatos District in Chihuahua state, Mexico. The company was formerly known as Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining Corporation and changed its name to Gatos Silver, Inc. in October 2020. Gatos Silver, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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Commercial Metals (NYSE:CMC  Free Report) CEO Barbara Smith sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.65, for a total value of $2,532,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 433,785 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,971,210.25. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Commercial Metals Stock Up 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE:CMC traded up $0.99 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $52.07. 1,003,045 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 989,341. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 2.34 and a current ratio of 3.68. Commercial Metals has a 52-week low of $31.47 and a 52-week high of $58.09. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $46.20 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $49.15. The company has a market capitalization of $6.08 billion, a PE ratio of 6.44 and a beta of 1.26.

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Commercial Metals (NYSE:CMC  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 22nd. The basic materials company reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.84 by $0.18. Commercial Metals had a return on equity of 26.49% and a net margin of 10.72%. The business had revenue of $2.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.32 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.61 earnings per share. Commercial Metalss quarterly revenue was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Commercial Metals will post 7.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Commercial Metals Dividend Announcement

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Commercial Metals

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 12th. Investors of record on Monday, July 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.16 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 30th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.23%. Commercial Metalss dividend payout ratio is 7.91%.

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CMC. Natixis Advisors L.P. raised its holdings in Commercial Metals by 12.5% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 12,638 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $526,000 after buying an additional 1,402 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in Commercial Metals by 14.9% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 13,282 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 1,727 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in Commercial Metals by 11.4% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 44,522 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,853,000 after buying an additional 4,540 shares in the last quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. bought a new position in Commercial Metals during the first quarter valued at about $2,188,000. Finally, Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its holdings in Commercial Metals by 9.9% during the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 69,545 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $2,980,000 after buying an additional 6,259 shares in the last quarter. 82.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on CMC shares. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Commercial Metals from $56.00 to $58.00 in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. StockNews.com raised Commercial Metals from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Commercial Metals from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the company from $56.00 to $60.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Commercial Metals presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $56.80.

Commercial Metals Company Profile

(Free Report)

Commercial Metals Company manufactures, recycles, and fabricates steel and metal products, and related materials and services in the United States, Poland, China, and internationally. The company processes and sells ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals to steel mills and foundries, aluminum sheet and ingot manufacturers, brass and bronze ingot makers, copper refineries and mills, secondary lead smelters, specialty steel mills, high temperature alloy manufacturers, and other consumers.

Further Reading

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General Sergei Surovikin, "the Butcher of Syria," is just fine and not missing at all, says the daughter of this Russian General no one has seen since he was implicated in the Wagner revolt. The evil General is working from his office, she says. When one comes for the king, it is essential to land their shot, and these guys just made Putin look bad. For a moment, it looked like Putin had the second-strongest military force in Russia.

One assumes this is a basement, windowless office wherein General Surovikin will drink no coffee. Neither rapid deceleration illness nor polonium is out of the question here.

The Daily Beast:

"Nothing happened to him, no one arrested him, and he's in his office," Veronika Surovikina was quoted as telling the Baza Telegram channel, known for its contacts in the Russian security services. The Financial Times cited several sources earlier Thursday who said General Sergei Surovikin had been detained, though it wasn't clear if he was facing any charges or just being questioned. The independent Russian outlet iStories, meanwhile, cited sources who said Surovikin had been detained for questioning but has since been released. Questions over his whereabouts and current standing with the Kremlin have run rampant in recent days as the fallout over Prigozhin's armed uprising is expected to lead to a crackdown on any members of the security services who supported him. An arrest would signal that the mercenary boss' so-called justice march was not simply a rogue rebellion but a sign of deeper rifts among the Russian elite.

Has he made any public appearances yet? Must be busy writing apologies.
StockNews.com began coverage on shares of International Tower Hill Mines (NYSEAMERICAN:THM  Free Report) (TSE:ITH) in a research note issued to investors on Sunday. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the mining companys stock.

International Tower Hill Mines Stock Performance

THM opened at $0.39 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $76.01 million, a P/E ratio of -19.50 and a beta of 0.70. International Tower Hill Mines has a 52-week low of $0.38 and a 52-week high of $0.75. The businesss fifty day moving average is $0.49 and its 200-day moving average is $0.52.

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Institutional Trading of International Tower Hill Mines

An institutional investor recently raised its position in International Tower Hill Mines stock. Virtu Financial LLC boosted its holdings in International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (NYSEAMERICAN:THM  Free Report) (TSE:ITH) by 314.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 61,808 shares of the mining companys stock after buying an additional 46,910 shares during the quarter. Virtu Financial LLCs holdings in International Tower Hill Mines were worth $26,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 55.34% of the companys stock.

International Tower Hill Mines Company Profile

International Tower Hill Mines Ltd., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It holds or has rights to acquire interests in the Livengood gold project covering an area of approximately 19,546 hectares located to the northwest of Fairbanks, Alaska.

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Astor Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (BATS:FLOT  Free Report) by 83.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 115,102 shares of the companys stock after selling 589,684 shares during the period. iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF comprises about 1.9% of Astor Investment Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest holding. Astor Investment Management LLCs holdings in iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF were worth $5,799,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. TCP Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF by 22.0% in the first quarter. TCP Asset Management LLC now owns 41,281 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,080,000 after buying an additional 7,438 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank raised its holdings in iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF by 9.8% in the 1st quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 110,707 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,579,000 after acquiring an additional 9,868 shares during the last quarter. TAP Consulting LLC raised its holdings in iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. TAP Consulting LLC now owns 159,868 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,056,000 after acquiring an additional 664 shares during the last quarter. Independent Wealth Network Inc. lifted its stake in iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Independent Wealth Network Inc. now owns 40,297 shares of the companys stock worth $2,031,000 after purchasing an additional 798 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Helen Stephens Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF by 100.5% during the 1st quarter. Helen Stephens Group LLC now owns 16,878 shares of the companys stock worth $850,000 after purchasing an additional 8,461 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF Price Performance

Shares of BATS:FLOT traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $50.80. The company had a trading volume of 845,536 shares. iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF has a twelve month low of $50.76 and a twelve month high of $51.10. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $50.58 and its 200-day simple moving average is $50.46.

iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF Profile

The iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks a market value-weighted index of USD-denominated, investment-grade floating rate notes with maturities of 0-5 years. FLOT was launched on Jun 14, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Tiaa Fsb decreased its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWB  Free Report) by 0.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 753,781 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,542 shares during the quarter. Tiaa Fsbs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF were worth $169,774,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 51.2% in the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,923 shares of the companys stock valued at $433,000 after buying an additional 651 shares during the period. American Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. American Financial Advisors LLC now owns 69,020 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,545,000 after buying an additional 1,742 shares during the period. Horan Securities Inc. raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. Horan Securities Inc. now owns 955 shares of the companys stock valued at $215,000 after buying an additional 51 shares during the period. Sharkey Howes & Javer raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 9.2% in the 1st quarter. Sharkey Howes & Javer now owns 6,002 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,352,000 after buying an additional 504 shares during the period. Finally, HM Payson & Co. raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 2,495 shares of the companys stock valued at $562,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 1000 ETF Trading Up 0.1 %

IWB traded up $0.35 on Thursday, hitting $240.25. The company had a trading volume of 81,718 shares, compared to its average volume of 707,768. The firm has a market cap of $30.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.92 and a beta of 1.01. iShares Russell 1000 ETF has a 1 year low of $192.01 and a 1 year high of $243.72. The companys fifty day moving average price is $231.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $223.59.

iShares Russell 1000 ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 1000 ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 1,000 largest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index.

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Park Avenue Securities LLC reduced its stake in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWF  Free Report) by 21.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 64,289 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 17,249 shares during the period. Park Avenue Securities LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF were worth $15,708,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 145,777.6% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 223,496,182 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $47,881,822,000 after purchasing an additional 223,342,974 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 9.1% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 38,134,434 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $8,169,921,000 after acquiring an additional 3,186,645 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 6.2% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 22,099,282 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,734,550,000 after purchasing an additional 1,283,522 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 16.9% in the 4th quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,718,604 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,225,154,000 after purchasing an additional 828,749 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 13.4% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 5,150,534 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,103,450,000 after buying an additional 608,288 shares during the period.

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iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Price Performance

Shares of IWF opened at $270.97 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $256.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $239.35. The stock has a market cap of $69.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 1.08. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF has a one year low of $202.05 and a one year high of $275.91.

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Profile

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of equity securities of Russell 1000 index issuers with relatively higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth.

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Juniper II Corp. (NYSE:JUN  Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,100 shares, a decrease of 73.8% from the May 31st total of 4,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 196,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in JUN. RPO LLC acquired a new position in Juniper II in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,479,000. Deltec Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Juniper II during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,017,000. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new stake in shares of Juniper II during the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,695,000. Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in shares of Juniper II during the first quarter valued at $7,754,000. Finally, Hudson Bay Capital Management LP grew its position in Juniper II by 140.0% during the 1st quarter. Hudson Bay Capital Management LP now owns 600,000 shares of the companys stock worth $6,228,000 after acquiring an additional 350,000 shares during the last quarter.

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Juniper II Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE:JUN traded down $0.04 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $10.36. 19,374 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 173,618. The company has a fifty day moving average of $10.33 and a 200 day moving average of $10.31. Juniper II has a twelve month low of $9.90 and a twelve month high of $10.78.

Juniper II Company Profile

Juniper II Corp. does not have significant operations. It intends to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company intends to focus its search within the industrials sector in North America.

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Carderock Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH  Free Report) by 1.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,752 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 180 shares during the period. Carderock Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Laboratory Co. of America were worth $3,384,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 45.6% in the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 131 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA purchased a new position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Quent Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 186.3% in the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 146 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. 87.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LH has been the topic of several analyst reports. Credit Suisse Group dropped their target price on Laboratory Co. of America from $304.00 to $288.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 13th. Mizuho reduced their price objective on Laboratory Co. of America from $277.00 to $257.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 16th. StockNews.com began coverage on Laboratory Co. of America in a research report on Thursday, June 22nd. They set a buy rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price objective on Laboratory Co. of America from $265.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Laboratory Co. of America from $285.00 to $275.00 in a research report on Monday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $273.50.

Laboratory Co. of America Stock Performance

Laboratory Co. of America stock traded up $0.77 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $238.71. 212,079 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 605,175. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $223.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $232.57. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The company has a market cap of $21.15 billion, a PE ratio of 21.59 and a beta of 1.04. Laboratory Co. of America Holdings has a one year low of $200.32 and a one year high of $263.13.

Laboratory Co. of America (NYSE:LH  Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The medical research company reported $3.82 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.99 by ($0.17). Laboratory Co. of America had a net margin of 6.78% and a return on equity of 15.56%. The business had revenue of $3.78 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.70 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $6.11 EPS. The firms revenue was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Laboratory Co. of America Holdings will post 16.83 EPS for the current year.

Laboratory Co. of America Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 18th were paid a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.21%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 17th. Laboratory Co. of Americas dividend payout ratio is presently 26.13%.

Insider Transactions at Laboratory Co. of America

In other news, CEO Paul R. Kirchgraber sold 4,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, May 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.91, for a total value of $932,713.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 12,946 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,808,116.86. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, CEO Paul R. Kirchgraber sold 4,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, May 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.91, for a total transaction of $932,713.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 12,946 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,808,116.86. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Mark S. Schroeder sold 1,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.77, for a total value of $325,155.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 6,687 shares in the company, valued at $1,449,540.99. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,697 shares of company stock valued at $2,137,850. Corporate insiders own 0.65% of the companys stock.

About Laboratory Co. of America

(Free Report)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics and Labcorp Drug Development.

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Landis+Gyr Group AG (OTCMKTS:LDGYY  Free Report) traded down 2.4% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $22.44 and last traded at $22.44. 1 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 100% from the average session volume of 540 shares. The stock had previously closed at $23.00.

Landis+Gyr Group Trading Up 2.5 %

The firms 50 day moving average is $22.36 and its 200 day moving average is $19.73.

Landis+Gyr Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

Landis+Gyr Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated energy management solutions to utility sector in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Canada, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers prepayment electricity, commercial/industrial and grid, and non-smart and smart gas meters; heat and water meters and solutions; load control devices; and system deployment, and managed network solutions.

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Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWF  Free Report) by 3.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,316 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 729 shares during the period. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF makes up about 1.4% of Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest position. Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF were worth $5,452,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IWF. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 145,777.6% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 223,496,182 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $47,881,822,000 after purchasing an additional 223,342,974 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 9.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 38,134,434 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $8,169,921,000 after purchasing an additional 3,186,645 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 1,242.7% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 2,894,163 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $608,932,000 after purchasing an additional 2,678,614 shares in the last quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF by 329.8% during the 4th quarter. Polen Capital Management LLC now owns 2,537,512 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $543,637,000 after purchasing an additional 1,947,087 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CI Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $227,744,000.

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iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSEARCA:IWF opened at $270.97 on Thursday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $256.65 and its 200-day moving average is $239.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.68 billion, a PE ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 1.08. iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF has a 1-year low of $202.05 and a 1-year high of $275.91.

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment returns that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of equity securities of Russell 1000 index issuers with relatively higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth.

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Marshall Financial Group LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR  Free Report) by 6.0% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 4,960 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 319 shares during the period. Marshall Financial Group LLCs holdings in Extra Space Storage were worth $808,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of EXR. Private Advisor Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage by 5.6% in the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 1,404 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $289,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 16.5% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 1,502 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $309,000 after buying an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC purchased a new position in shares of Extra Space Storage in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $625,000. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 2,522 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $519,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dakota Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Extra Space Storage in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $332,000. Institutional investors own 96.81% of the companys stock.

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Extra Space Storage Price Performance

Extra Space Storage stock opened at $148.00 on Thursday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $148.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $153.37. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a 1 year low of $139.97 and a 1 year high of $216.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.27, a P/E/G ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a current ratio of 0.27.

Extra Space Storage Announces Dividend

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.38%. Extra Space Storages dividend payout ratio is currently 101.89%.

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Raymond James raised shares of Extra Space Storage from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $185.00 price target for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 4th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Extra Space Storage from an underperform rating to an outperform rating and set a $164.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, June 12th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of Extra Space Storage from $165.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 15th. KeyCorp reduced their price target on shares of Extra Space Storage from $190.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Extra Space Storage in a research report on Monday, May 8th. They set a buy rating for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $171.00.

Insider Activity at Extra Space Storage

In related news, CEO Joseph D. Margolis sold 5,000 shares of Extra Space Storage stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.07, for a total value of $800,350.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 15,144 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,424,100.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.55% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Extra Space Storage Profile

(Free Report)

Extra Space Storage Inc, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of December 31, 2022, the Company owned and/or operated 2,338 self-storage stores in 41 states and Washington, DC The Company's stores comprise approximately 1.6 million units and approximately 176.1 million square feet of rentable space.

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MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Pimco Total Return ETF (NYSEARCA:BOND  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 194,461 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $18,037,000. Pimco Total Return ETF accounts for 6.0% of MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC owned approximately 0.55% of Pimco Total Return ETF at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of BOND. Bank of Montreal Can grew its stake in shares of Pimco Total Return ETF by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 59,855 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $6,120,000 after purchasing an additional 288 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its position in Pimco Total Return ETF by 13.3% in the first quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 32,547 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,313,000 after acquiring an additional 3,826 shares during the period. Founders Financial Securities LLC raised its stake in Pimco Total Return ETF by 47.3% during the first quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 42,587 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $4,335,000 after acquiring an additional 13,667 shares in the last quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV lifted its holdings in shares of Pimco Total Return ETF by 0.9% during the first quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 54,927 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,590,000 after acquiring an additional 481 shares during the period. Finally, Sowell Financial Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Pimco Total Return ETF by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 122,068 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $8,350,000 after purchasing an additional 9,734 shares in the last quarter.

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Pimco Total Return ETF Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of Pimco Total Return ETF stock traded down $0.64 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $91.39. 66,024 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 246,822. Pimco Total Return ETF has a fifty-two week low of $86.61 and a fifty-two week high of $97.81. The company has a market cap of $3.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 56.50 and a beta of 0.18. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $92.04 and a 200 day simple moving average of $92.26.

Pimco Total Return ETF Company Profile

The PIMCO Active Bond Exchange-Traded Fund (BOND) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Barclays U.S. Aggregate index. The fund is an actively managed portfolio that aims to maintain a consistent level of dividend income by investing in a broad array of fixed income sectors and utilizing income efficient implementation strategies.

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The U.S. Supreme Court, in a predictable partisan split, ruled 6-3 that considering race in college admissions is prohibited by the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution [massive PDF]. It's largely the end of affirmative action in higher education [Axios].

The ruling will force colleges to reimagine long-standing hallmarks of the admissions process and likely jeopardize the representation of Black and Latino students on campuses nationwide. The big picture: The court has historically backed affirmative action programs at colleges, including most recently in 2016, when the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to a race-conscious admissions program at the University of Texas-Austin.

Though Chief Justice Roberts anxiously tries to asterisk his way out of it, he knows they've really made it impossible to consider an applicant's experience of racial discrimination as a factor in college admissions, which was largely the point of affirmative action and the entire reason the Republican justices want rid of it.

Unless I'm misreading it, military academies can continue with affirmative action. One might might call this a form of black humor.

There's more than 200 pages here, though, so this and other off-the-cuff reactions to the obvious headlines are exactly that.
Nektan PLC (LON:NKTN  Free Report)s stock price passed below its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 0.85 ($0.01) and traded as low as GBX 0.85 ($0.01). Nektan shares last traded at GBX 0.85 ($0.01), with a volume of 104 shares.

Nektan Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of 2.10 million and a P/E ratio of -0.13. The company has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 0.85 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 0.85.

Nektan Company Profile

(Free Report)

Nektan plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides B2B gaming solutions and services in Gibraltar, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, and internationally. The company provides Evolve, a white label casino technology platform that manages the casino operator experience, including back-office operations.

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New Hampshire Trust lowered its holdings in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) by 16.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,344 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 257 shares during the quarter. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $230,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of TRV. FWL Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. US Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Travelers Companies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC raised its position in shares of Travelers Companies by 203.3% in the 4th quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 364 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 244 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Glass Jacobson Investment Advisors llc bought a new position in shares of Travelers Companies in the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.06% of the companys stock.

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Travelers Companies Stock Performance

TRV stock opened at $168.37 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $38.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.61. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $149.65 and a 1 year high of $194.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $177.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $180.14.

Travelers Companies ( NYSE:TRV Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The insurance provider reported $4.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.64 by $0.47. The firm had revenue of $9.70 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.98 billion. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.41% and a net margin of 7.41%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.22 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 14.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Travelers Companies declared that its board has approved a share buyback program on Wednesday, April 19th that allows the company to repurchase $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the insurance provider to repurchase up to 12.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally an indication that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued.

Travelers Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 9th will be paid a $1.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 8th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.38%. This is an increase from Travelers Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.93. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 34.10%.

Insider Activity at Travelers Companies

In related news, CFO Daniel S. Frey sold 37,316 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $179.08, for a total transaction of $6,682,549.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 11,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,095,773.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Daniel S. Frey sold 37,316 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $179.08, for a total transaction of $6,682,549.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 11,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,095,773.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,246 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $182.85, for a total value of $1,873,481.10. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 14,080 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,574,528. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 59,134 shares of company stock worth $10,617,466. 1.29% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Travelers Companies from $188.00 to $182.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 10th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $182.00 to $186.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, April 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $181.00 to $182.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Barclays raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $179.00 to $185.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Travelers Companies from $196.00 to $204.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 4th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $195.77.

Travelers Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Park Aerospace Corp. (NYSE:PKE  Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Monday, June 12th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 3rd will be given a dividend of 0.125 per share by the semiconductor company on Friday, August 4th. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 30th.

Park Aerospace Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:PKE opened at $13.48 on Thursday. Park Aerospace has a 12-month low of $10.08 and a 12-month high of $16.92. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $13.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $13.50. The company has a market capitalization of $273.37 million, a PE ratio of 25.92 and a beta of 0.53.

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Park Aerospace (NYSE:PKE  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 11th. The semiconductor company reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $13.53 million for the quarter. Park Aerospace had a return on equity of 6.29% and a net margin of 19.85%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Institutional Trading of Park Aerospace

Separately, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Park Aerospace in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Captrust Financial Advisors lifted its position in Park Aerospace by 277.2% during the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 2,139 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,572 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky acquired a new stake in Park Aerospace during the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. FMR LLC lifted its position in Park Aerospace by 542.8% during the 2nd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,709 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 3,132 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in Park Aerospace by 535.1% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,834 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $89,000 after acquiring an additional 5,758 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC acquired a new stake in Park Aerospace during the 3rd quarter worth about $103,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.20% of the companys stock.

About Park Aerospace

(Free Report)

Park Aerospace Corp., an aerospace company, develops and manufactures solution and hot-melt advanced composite materials used to produce composite structures for the aerospace market in North America, Asia, and Europe. It offers advanced composite materials, including film adhesives and lightning strike protection materials that are used to produce primary and secondary structures for jet engines, large and regional transport aircrafts, military aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles, business jets, general aviation aircrafts, and rotary wing aircrafts.

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PINEAPPLE FINANCIAL INC. (PAPL) expects to raise $6 million in an IPO on the week of July 3rd, IPO Scoop reports. The company will issue 1,300,000 shares at $4.00-$6.00 per share.

In the last twelve months, PINEAPPLE FINANCIAL INC. generated $20.4 million in revenue and had a net loss of $3 million.

EF Hutton acted as the underwriter for the IPO.

PINEAPPLE FINANCIAL INC. provided the following description of their company for its IPO: Pineapple Financial Inc. is a Canadian-based mortgage technology and brokerage company that provides mortgage brokerage services and technology solutions to Canadian mortgage agents, brokers, sub-brokers, brokerages and consumers. Through data-driven systems together with cloud-based tools, we believe we offer competitive advantages in the Canadian mortgage industry relative to alternative mortgage broker arrangements. We also provide back office services, together with pre-underwriting support services (collectively, asBrokerage Servicesat) to Canadian mortgage brokerages. In connection with Brokerage Services, we employ and engage several licensed mortgage brokers and agents. In addition, we enter into affiliation agreements with certain licensed mortgage brokers, pursuant to which the Company and the Affiliate Broker enter into an affiliation relationship with the intention of jointly marketing mortgage brokerage and other financial services as affiliated entities. This is sometimes referred to as aswhite labelingat, which allows the Affiliate Broker to sell a mortgage that is branded with its company name to its own client base. We currently operate exclusively in Canada, specifically the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, We have been approved by each of the applicable provincial mortgage regulators to operate in 11 provinces and territories, namely Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Yukon, and 2 provinces to follow are Manitoba and Saskatchewan. We launched our first brokerage office in Alberta on July 1, 2021. We also launched our first brokerage office in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island on May 4, 2022. We expect to open our first British Columbia brokerage office in the second half of 2022 and our first Quebec brokerage office in late 2022 or early 2023. We provide our Brokerage Services for both residential and commercial mortgage opportunities and, in each case, through a proprietary technology called MyPineapple. At the heart of our Brokerage Services is an innovative technology system that provides real time data management and reporting, lead generation, customer relationship management and direct underwriting support, all in one. MyPineapple offers network management capabilities for Users, including hundreds of qualified Field Agents, to create an efficient marketplace for the provision of mortgage lending and insurance industry services. MyPineapple integrates directly with Salesforce, Equifax, OneSpan, G Suite and Filogix and manages the Useras day-to-day business through automated triggers and tasks, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Backed by Salesforce.com, Inc. (asSalesforceat), pursuant to the Salesforce Agreement (defined herein), and built with proprietary code and deep data analytics, MyPineapple syncs up with Usersa calendars and emails, produces robust reporting, advanced analytics, and real-time notifications on marketing communications, and more. MyPineapple is a sophisticated and fundamental tool for revenue growth and relationship development. It plays a significant role in what we believe makes our Brokerage Services distinct and cutting-edge. **Note: Revenue and loss figures are for the 12 months that ended Aug. 31, 2022. (Note: Pineapple Financial Inc. filed its S-1/A on May 16, 2023, and disclosed terms for its IPO: 1.25 million shares at $4.00 to $6.00 to raise $6.25 million. Pineapple Financial Inc. filed its S-1 on Dec. 1, 2022.)A .

PINEAPPLE FINANCIAL INC. was founded in 2015 and has employees. The company is located at Unit 200, 111 Gordon Baker Road North York, Ontario M2H 3R1 and can be reached via phone at (416) 669-2046.

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Campbell Soup (NYSE:CPB  Free Report) had its price target cut by Piper Sandler from $52.00 to $50.00 in a research note published on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on CPB. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Campbell Soup from $55.00 to $51.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Campbell Soup from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Campbell Soup from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, March 9th. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Campbell Soup from $51.00 to $49.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 8th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group upped their price target on shares of Campbell Soup from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, March 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and eight have assigned a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $50.83.

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Campbell Soup Stock Down 1.9 %

Campbell Soup stock opened at $45.32 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.51 billion, a PE ratio of 17.19, a P/E/G ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.36. The companys 50-day moving average is $51.01 and its 200-day moving average is $52.97. Campbell Soup has a fifty-two week low of $44.76 and a fifty-two week high of $57.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.36.

Campbell Soup Dividend Announcement

Campbell Soup ( NYSE:CPB Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 7th. The company reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $2.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.23 billion. Campbell Soup had a net margin of 8.46% and a return on equity of 26.31%. Campbell Soups revenue for the quarter was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.70 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Campbell Soup will post 3.01 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.37 per share. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.27%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 5th. Campbell Soups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.71%.

Institutional Trading of Campbell Soup

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in shares of Campbell Soup by 149.8% during the 1st quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 597 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 358 shares during the period. Gradient Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Campbell Soup by 77.7% during the 1st quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 519 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 227 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Campbell Soup during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Campbell Soup during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Altshuler Shaham Ltd bought a new position in Campbell Soup in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Institutional investors own 50.00% of the companys stock.

Campbell Soup Company Profile

(Free Report)

Campbell Soup Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets food and beverage products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Meals & Beverages and Snacks segments. The Meals & Beverages segment engages in the retail and foodservice businesses in the United States and Canada.

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Proficio Capital Partners LLC grew its position in iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU  Free Report) by 2,286.5% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 52,114,798 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 49,931,103 shares during the period. iShares Gold Trust accounts for 13.3% of Proficio Capital Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its largest holding. Proficio Capital Partners LLC owned about 6.85% of iShares Gold Trust worth $89,627,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. American Trust raised its stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 3.4% in the third quarter. American Trust now owns 11,894 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $375,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC raised its position in iShares Gold Trust by 43.6% in the 4th quarter. Advisory Alpha LLC now owns 9,853 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $341,000 after purchasing an additional 2,992 shares during the last quarter. Acropolis Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Gold Trust in the 1st quarter worth approximately $108,000. Telos Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in iShares Gold Trust in the 4th quarter worth approximately $230,000. Finally, Phoenix Wealth Advisors raised its position in iShares Gold Trust by 5.5% in the 4th quarter. Phoenix Wealth Advisors now owns 11,384 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $394,000 after purchasing an additional 590 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 54.53% of the companys stock.

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iShares Gold Trust Stock Performance

IAU stock traded up $0.01 during trading on Thursday, hitting $36.18. The company had a trading volume of 1,492,339 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,937,192. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $37.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $36.42. iShares Gold Trust has a 12 month low of $30.69 and a 12 month high of $39.04.

iShares Gold Trust Company Profile

iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust.

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New Hampshire Trust lowered its position in shares of Regions Financial Co. (NYSE:RF  Free Report) by 11.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,799 shares of the banks stock after selling 907 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Regions Financial were worth $126,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. CI Investments Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Regions Financial by 991.2% during the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 1,244 shares of the banks stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,130 shares during the last quarter. MCF Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 2,210.5% during the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 1,317 shares of the banks stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,260 shares during the period. Horan Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Regions Financial during the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 715.1% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 1,891 shares of the banks stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,659 shares during the period. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc boosted its position in shares of Regions Financial by 30.2% during the 4th quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 1,951 shares of the banks stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 452 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.71% of the companys stock.

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Regions Financial Price Performance

Regions Financial stock opened at $17.37 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $16.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $19.93. Regions Financial Co. has a 12-month low of $13.94 and a 12-month high of $24.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Regions Financial Announces Dividend

Regions Financial ( NYSE:RF Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 21st. The bank reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.65 by ($0.03). Regions Financial had a return on equity of 16.60% and a net margin of 28.61%. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.55 earnings per share. Regions Financials revenue was up 22.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Regions Financial Co. will post 2.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, June 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 1st. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.61%. Regions Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 34.19%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on RF shares. Truist Financial cut shares of Regions Financial from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $21.00 to $20.00 in a research report on Monday, April 24th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $21.00 to $22.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $26.00 to $23.00 in a research report on Monday, April 10th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Regions Financial from $29.00 to $23.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler decreased their price target on shares of Regions Financial from $27.50 to $25.00 in a research report on Monday, April 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $23.28.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director J Thomas Hill purchased 11,926 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 17th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $16.78 per share, for a total transaction of $200,118.28. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 23,107 shares of the companys stock, valued at $387,735.46. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.32% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Regions Financial Company Profile

(Free Report)

Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services.

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RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (NYSEARCA:RIGS  Free Report) shares were down 0.1% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $22.64 and last traded at $22.66. Approximately 11,942 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 61% from the average daily volume of 30,546 shares. The stock had previously closed at $22.69.

RiverFront Strategic Income Fund Stock Up 0.4 %

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $22.77 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.80.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Arkansas Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of RiverFront Strategic Income Fund by 42.9% in the 1st quarter. Arkansas Financial Group Inc. now owns 20,657 shares of the companys stock valued at $475,000 after acquiring an additional 6,197 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in RiverFront Strategic Income Fund by 158.9% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 51,784 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,227,000 after purchasing an additional 31,784 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Certified Advisory Corp grew its stake in RiverFront Strategic Income Fund by 761.1% in the first quarter. Certified Advisory Corp now owns 123,461 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,838,000 after purchasing an additional 109,123 shares in the last quarter.

About RiverFront Strategic Income Fund

The RiverFront Strategic Income Fund (RIGS) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund is an actively managed global fixed-income portfolio that invests in various types of fixed-income securities without currency limitation. RIGS was launched on Oct 9, 2013 and is managed by RiverFront.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL  Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock investors bought 92,710 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 358% compared to the typical volume of 20,248 put options.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Price Performance

NYSE RCL opened at $103.90 on Thursday. Royal Caribbean Cruises has a 12 month low of $31.09 and a 12 month high of $105.21. The stock has a market cap of $26.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -25.34 and a beta of 2.43. The companys 50 day moving average is $81.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $69.53. The company has a current ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.41.

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Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL  Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported ($0.23) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.71) by $0.48. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a negative net margin of 9.72% and a negative return on equity of 25.86%. The company had revenue of $2.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($4.57) EPS. The firms revenue was up 172.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Royal Caribbean Cruises will post 4.72 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Royal Caribbean Cruises

In related news, CEO Jason T. Liberty sold 36,536 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total value of $2,922,880.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 147,078 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,766,240. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . In related news, Director Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen sold 318,325 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.97, for a total transaction of $24,819,800.25. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 20,167,507 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,572,460,520.79. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . Also, CEO Jason T. Liberty sold 36,536 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total transaction of $2,922,880.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 147,078 shares in the company, valued at $11,766,240. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 729,861 shares of company stock worth $58,020,180. 8.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of RCL. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 21.8% during the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 11,553 shares of the companys stock valued at $968,000 after buying an additional 2,068 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 6.6% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 30,004 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,514,000 after purchasing an additional 1,861 shares in the last quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 2.3% during the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 35,806 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,000,000 after purchasing an additional 818 shares in the last quarter. Aviva PLC raised its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 65.5% during the first quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 54,096 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,532,000 after purchasing an additional 21,415 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential PLC bought a new stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in the 1st quarter worth about $300,000. Institutional investors own 71.08% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $82.00 to $95.00 in a research report on Monday, June 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $78.00 to $88.00 in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises from $65.00 to $71.00 in a report on Friday, May 5th. VNET Group reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a report on Monday, June 12th. Finally, William Blair reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a report on Thursday, May 4th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Royal Caribbean Cruises presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $89.93.

About Royal Caribbean Cruises

(Free Report)

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates as a cruise company worldwide. The company operates cruises under the Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises brands, which comprise a range of itineraries. As of February 13, 2023, it operated 64 ships. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

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Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund (NYSE:NNY  Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,400 shares, a decline of 76.2% from the May 31st total of 10,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 24,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of NNY. Tortoise Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund by 47.9% in the first quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 560,474 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $4,890,000 after buying an additional 181,481 shares during the period. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund by 66.8% during the 1st quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 169,150 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,476,000 after purchasing an additional 67,723 shares during the last quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC boosted its position in Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund by 21.5% during the first quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 368,829 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $3,220,000 after purchasing an additional 65,379 shares during the period. UBS Group AG raised its position in shares of Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund by 13.6% in the first quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 384,900 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $3,358,000 after purchasing an additional 46,005 shares during the period. Finally, Melfa Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund during the 4th quarter worth about $259,000. 18.49% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund stock traded down $0.01 on Thursday, reaching $8.43. 19,415 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 33,626. Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund has a one year low of $7.95 and a one year high of $8.98. The company has a 50-day moving average of $8.48 and a 200 day moving average of $8.49.

Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund Announces Dividend

About Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.028 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.99%.

(Free Report)

Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund, Inc is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of New York. The fund invests in tax exempt municipal bonds, with a rating of Baa/BBB or higher.

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A Daytona Beach Shores cop jailed his 3-year-old son for the crime of being a 3-year-old  he insisted that time behind bars would teach the boy a lesson on potty training.

Lt. Michael Schoenbrod, who co-parents with Det. Sgt. Jessica Long, explained that their lawless son had been "having difficulties" learning how to use the toilet. So last October he reportedly handcuffed and locked the child up "on successive days," later saying their son learned his lesson and "never again poop his pants." The couple is now under investigation.

From HuffPost:
Shares of Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (CVE:SPX  Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Thursday . The company traded as low as C$0.03 and last traded at C$0.03, with a volume of 123000 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.03.

Stellar AfricaGold Stock Performance

The businesss fifty day moving average is C$0.04 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.04. The company has a quick ratio of 2.95, a current ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.03. The stock has a market capitalization of C$2.78 million, a PE ratio of -1.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.33.

About Stellar AfricaGold

(Free Report)

Stellar AfricaGold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in West Africa and Canada. The company primarily explores for gold deposits. It holds interest in the Lullwitz-Kaepelli gold property located in Lacoste and De Sales township in the Charlevoix Area of Quebec; the Birimian Geology, Priko, and Zenoula permits situated in Cote d'Ivoire; the Tichka Est gold project located in the Atlas region of Morocco; and the Namarana gold project situated in region of Koulikoro.

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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Argo Group International (NYSE:ARGO  Free Report) in a report published on Sunday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on ARGO. Raymond James lowered shares of Argo Group International from a market perform rating to an underperform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. Compass Point lowered shares of Argo Group International from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $30.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Monday, March 13th. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of Argo Group International from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a report on Friday, May 26th.

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Argo Group International Price Performance

Argo Group International stock opened at $29.61 on Friday. Argo Group International has a 12-month low of $19.00 and a 12-month high of $38.44. The stock has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.75 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.63 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $29.41.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Argo Group International ( NYSE:ARGO Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 8th. The company reported ($0.31) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.80 by ($1.11). The company had revenue of $419.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $461.90 million. Argo Group International had a positive return on equity of 0.06% and a negative net margin of 9.98%. Analysts forecast that Argo Group International will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ARGO. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in Argo Group International by 200.3% in the 3rd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 440,736 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,489,000 after purchasing an additional 293,991 shares during the last quarter. Grace & White Inc. NY raised its position in shares of Argo Group International by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Grace & White Inc. NY now owns 309,506 shares of the companys stock worth $8,001,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares in the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its position in shares of Argo Group International by 17.3% during the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 4,760 shares of the companys stock worth $123,000 after buying an additional 701 shares in the last quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC bought a new stake in shares of Argo Group International during the 3rd quarter worth about $443,000. Finally, Cordatus Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Argo Group International during the 4th quarter worth about $792,000. 89.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Argo Group International

(Free Report)

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. underwrites specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty markets. The company operates in two segments, U.S. Operations and International Operations. It offers primary and excess specialty casualty, general liability, commercial multi-peril, and workers compensation, as well as product, environmental, and auto liability insurance products; management liability, transaction liability, and errors and omissions liability insurance; primary and excess property, inland marine, and auto physical damage insurance; and surety, animal mortality, and ocean marine insurance products.

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Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE:ALEX  Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

Alexander & Baldwin Trading Down 0.3 %

NYSE ALEX traded down $0.06 on Wednesday, reaching $18.15. The company had a trading volume of 161,063 shares, compared to its average volume of 237,992. The firm has a market cap of $1.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -23.27 and a beta of 1.32. Alexander & Baldwin has a fifty-two week low of $15.80 and a fifty-two week high of $20.75. The business has a 50 day moving average of $18.64 and a two-hundred day moving average of $18.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.28 and a quick ratio of 0.28.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Alexander & Baldwin

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ALEX. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in Alexander & Baldwin by 126.5% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 37,890 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $879,000 after buying an additional 21,161 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. lifted its holdings in Alexander & Baldwin by 25.8% in the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 115,180 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,671,000 after buying an additional 23,639 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Alexander & Baldwin by 38.2% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 37,273 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $864,000 after buying an additional 10,311 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Alexander & Baldwin by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 222,242 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,154,000 after buying an additional 1,058 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its position in shares of Alexander & Baldwin by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 62,528 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,450,000 after buying an additional 7,710 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.20% of the companys stock.

Alexander & Baldwin Company Profile

Alexander & Baldwin, Inc (NYSE: ALEX) (A&B) is the only publicly-traded real estate investment trust to focus exclusively on Hawai'i commercial real estate and is the state's largest owner of grocery-anchored, neighborhood shopping centers. A&B owns, operates and manages approximately 3.9 million square feet of commercial space in Hawai'i, including 22 retail centers, 12 industrial assets and four office properties, as well as 141 acres of ground leases.

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Proficio Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 6,354.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 662,724 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 652,457 shares during the period. Proficio Capital Partners LLC owned approximately 0.20% of The Goldman Sachs Group worth $3,360,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group during the 1st quarter worth $66,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. grew its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1,505.1% during the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 41,300 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $13,633,000 after acquiring an additional 38,727 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 18.5% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 118,609 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $39,153,000 after acquiring an additional 18,540 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 79.4% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 827 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $273,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 118.3% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 310 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $102,000 after acquiring an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. 76.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Transactions at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total value of $2,420,839.59. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 4,334 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,441,791.78. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $337.66, for a total transaction of $1,012,980.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 15,052 shares in the company, valued at $5,082,458.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total transaction of $2,420,839.59. Following the sale, the insider now owns 4,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,441,791.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 33,833,500 shares of company stock valued at $646,620,506 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance

Shares of GS stock traded up $10.64 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $324.30. 1,735,048 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,602,418. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $277.84 and a 12 month high of $389.58. The company has a market cap of $107.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.17, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.41. The companys 50 day moving average price is $329.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $340.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.14 by $0.65. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 9.84%. The company had revenue of $12.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.66 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $10.76 EPS. The Goldman Sachs Groups revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 31.18 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 1st will be paid a $2.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 31st. This represents a $10.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.08%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 35.60%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on GS shares. Oppenheimer reduced their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $440.00 to $437.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $390.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Credit Suisse Group restated an outperform rating and issued a $410.00 price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. JMP Securities raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $460.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $384.00 to $425.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, The Goldman Sachs Group has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $389.17.

The Goldman Sachs Group Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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Tiaa Fsb trimmed its position in Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (BATS:NUSC  Free Report) by 1.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,321,735 shares of the companys stock after selling 45,849 shares during the quarter. Tiaa Fsb owned 8.58% of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF worth $82,213,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in shares of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF by 60.1% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 86,696 shares of the companys stock worth $2,963,000 after buying an additional 32,533 shares during the period. Ipsen Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF during the 4th quarter worth $706,000. Whittier Trust Co. lifted its stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 76,640 shares of the companys stock worth $2,620,000 after purchasing an additional 3,277 shares during the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF by 51.0% during the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 3,966 shares of the companys stock worth $136,000 after purchasing an additional 1,340 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc lifted its stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF by 5.4% during the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 76,966 shares of the companys stock worth $2,336,000 after purchasing an additional 3,959 shares during the last quarter.

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Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of BATS NUSC traded up $0.06 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $36.37. 47,622 shares of the company were exchanged. The stock has a market cap of $1.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.51 and a beta of 1.13. Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF has a 1 year low of $24.96 and a 1 year high of $29.93. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $35.34 and a 200 day moving average of $35.69.

Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF Profile

The Nuveen ESG Small-Cap ETF (NUSC) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Small Cap index. The fund tracks a multi-factor-weighted index of small-cap companies listed on US exchanges. Holdings are screened for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. NUSC was launched on Dec 13, 2016 and is managed by Nuveen.

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TrueWealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 42.9% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,115 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,536 shares during the period. TrueWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $479,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of EFG. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 11.9% during the 1st quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,254 shares of the companys stock valued at $217,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp grew its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 34.0% during the 1st quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 10,468 shares of the companys stock worth $1,007,000 after acquiring an additional 2,657 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,076 shares of the companys stock valued at $392,000 after purchasing an additional 228 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 81.0% in the 1st quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 5,319 shares of the companys stock valued at $512,000 after purchasing an additional 2,381 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Interchange Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF in the 1st quarter worth approximately $266,000.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of BATS EFG traded up $0.13 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $94.36. 556,033 shares of the companys stock traded hands. The company has a market cap of $13.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.89. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $95.33 and its 200-day simple moving average is $91.67. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a one year low of $67.58 and a one year high of $85.81.

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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VTEX (NYSE:VTEX  Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the ten analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $5.41.

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Itau BBA Securities raised VTEX from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $6.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 10th. Piper Sandler reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $5.00 price target on shares of VTEX in a research report on Friday, March 3rd. DA Davidson increased their price target on shares of VTEX from $5.00 to $5.50 in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group lowered shares of VTEX from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $6.50 to $5.00 in a research note on Monday, June 12th.

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VTEX Trading Up 7.2 %

Shares of VTEX stock opened at $4.79 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $4.02 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.96. VTEX has a 12-month low of $2.66 and a 12-month high of $5.48. The company has a current ratio of 4.50, a quick ratio of 4.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The stock has a market cap of $905.26 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -22.81 and a beta of 1.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

VTEX ( NYSE:VTEX Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 9th. The company reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.01) by ($0.03). VTEX had a negative net margin of 24.59% and a negative return on equity of 14.63%. The company had revenue of $42.28 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $41.24 million. On average, equities analysts forecast that VTEX will post -0.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in VTEX in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $8,747,000. Citigroup Inc. grew its holdings in VTEX by 1,707.8% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 10,829 shares of the companys stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 10,230 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in VTEX by 151.7% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 18,349 shares of the companys stock worth $112,000 after acquiring an additional 11,060 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in VTEX by 314.1% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 228,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,406,000 after acquiring an additional 173,400 shares during the period. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new stake in VTEX in the first quarter valued at $3,245,000. 53.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

VTEX Company Profile

(Free Report

VTEX provides software-as-a-service digital commerce platform for enterprise brands and retailers. Its platform enables customers to execute their commerce strategy, including building online stores, integrating, and managing orders across channels, and creating marketplaces to sell products from third-party vendors.

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WealthBridge Investment Counsel Inc. boosted its position in LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB  Free Report) by 2.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 26,060 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after purchasing an additional 610 shares during the period. WealthBridge Investment Counsel Inc.s holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $2,447,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 32,347,352 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,435,108,000 after purchasing an additional 271,342 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,322,280 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $1,266,977,000 after buying an additional 348,169 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,653,467 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $471,534,000 after buying an additional 39,965 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 5,564,134 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $461,990,000 after buying an additional 34,064 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 9.1% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,539,617 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $459,954,000 after buying an additional 464,166 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.58% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on LYB. KeyCorp reduced their price target on LyondellBasell Industries from $84.00 to $81.00 in a research report on Friday, June 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on LyondellBasell Industries from $130.00 to $121.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. StockNews.com began coverage on LyondellBasell Industries in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Piper Sandler upgraded LyondellBasell Industries from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and set a $118.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on LyondellBasell Industries in a research report on Tuesday, June 13th. They set a neutral rating and a $89.00 target price on the stock. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $97.89.

LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance

NYSE:LYB opened at $90.89 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.85 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $90.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $91.15. LyondellBasell Industries has a 1 year low of $71.46 and a 1 year high of $101.30. The company has a market capitalization of $29.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.21.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.80 by $0.70. The company had revenue of $10.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.80 billion. LyondellBasell Industries had a return on equity of 28.95% and a net margin of 6.40%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 22.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.00 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that LyondellBasell Industries will post 9.37 earnings per share for the current year.

LyondellBasell Industries Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 30th were given a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 26th. This is a boost from LyondellBasell Industriess previous quarterly dividend of $1.19. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.50%. LyondellBasell Industriess payout ratio is 54.11%.

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile

(Free Report)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology.

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Windsor Group LTD increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL  Free Report) by 8.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 91,325 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 6,958 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF accounts for about 2.2% of Windsor Group LTDs investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest position. Windsor Group LTD owned 0.06% of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF worth $11,333,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. TIAA FSB lifted its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 10.1% during the 1st quarter. TIAA FSB now owns 500,546 shares of the companys stock worth $62,100,000 after buying an additional 45,911 shares during the period. TrueWealth Advisors LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 185.8% in the 1st quarter. TrueWealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,281 shares of the companys stock valued at $655,000 after purchasing an additional 3,433 shares during the last quarter. Herold Advisors Inc. bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $306,000. Market Street Wealth Management Advisors LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $19,884,000. Finally, Connecticut Wealth Management LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF by 3.4% in the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,442,182 shares of the companys stock valued at $178,924,000 after purchasing an additional 46,873 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Stock Down 0.2 %

QUAL traded down $0.31 during trading on Thursday, hitting $132.81. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,108,962 shares. The firms 50 day moving average price is $127.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $122.59. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a 12 month low of $71.96 and a 12 month high of $88.63. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.30 and a beta of 1.03.

iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Profile

The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector.

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Wolff Wiese Magana LLC increased its position in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras (NYSE:PBR  Free Report) by 66.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,000 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares during the quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLCs holdings in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras were worth $52,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its position in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras by 83.0% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 2,577 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 1,169 shares during the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Federated Hermes Inc. grew its position in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras by 34.3% during the first quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 3,368 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 861 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Salem Investment Counselors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras in the second quarter worth about $56,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 11.09% of the companys stock.

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Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras Trading Down 0.5 %

PBR stock opened at $14.18 on Thursday. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras has a twelve month low of $8.88 and a twelve month high of $16.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $92.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $12.29 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $11.36.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras Cuts Dividend

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras ( NYSE:PBR Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 11th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.13. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras had a net margin of 28.50% and a return on equity of 44.84%. The company had revenue of $26.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $27.26 billion. As a group, analysts anticipate that Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a Variable dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 25th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 14th will be issued a $0.336 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 13th. This represents a dividend yield of 39.1%. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobrass payout ratio is 37.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. StockNews.com upgraded Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $11.50 to $15.50 in a research report on Monday, June 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $12.50 to $16.50 in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $14.67.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras Profile

(Free Report)

Petroleo Brasileiro SA  Petrobras explores, produces, and sells oil and gas in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through Exploration and Production; Refining, Transportation and Marketing; and Gas and Power. It also engages in prospecting, drilling, refining, processing, trading, and transporting crude oil from producing onshore and offshore oil fields, and shale or other rocks, as well as oil products, natural gas, and other liquid hydrocarbons.

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On the afternoon of June 28, 1970, one of the first-ever Gay Liberation Day marches took place, originating on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, directly outside the Stonewall Inn. This event marked the first anniversary of the pivotal Stonewall Uprising. The group of brave marchers, started small at just 200 people, but grew to thousands by the time it ended in Central Park. People came from Washington, D.C., Boston, and college organizations in Rutgers, Yale, and Columbia to march.

This remarkable day, which marked the beginning of what we now know as the Pride parade, is captured in the documentary film Gay and Proud, directed by Lilli Vincenz and archived by the Library of Congress. While there's still a long way to go, these early activists paved the way for the freedoms the community has today.

National Park Service:

The events of the previous decades created the backdrop for the creation of the first modern pride march. This became more like the marches for what we see today, as compared to the events, like the Annual Reminders, in the previous decade. The term "Gay Liberation" had new meaning within the LGBTQ+ community after the Stonewall uprising. Groups like the Gay Liberation Front, the Lavender Menace, and STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, created by Silvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson) rejected their predecessors and often had more radical goals. The old approach in the Annual Reminders and other early picket marches of dressing in suits and dresses with no displays of public affection was no longer accepted. On June 28, 1970, participants, organizers, and the public stepped out on the streets in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles to be loud, to be proud, and to show the public who they were. Not knowing what to expect from the public and the police, the participants in the march that stepped off in Greenwich Village numbered about 200 people. By the time they reached their Central Park destination, their numbers swelled to over 10,000 participants. Something was growing within the community, and it was much more public than ever before.

Gothamist:

Some transgender people who were there at the time said that organizers asked them to march in the back, but they refused. "The trans community said, 'Hell no, we won't go.' We fought for this as much as you did, or even started it," said Victoria Cruz. "And we just mingled throughout the crowd. There was no trans contingent. We just mingled." They started walking very briskly up Christopher Street, because they were scared. There had been bomb threats. People worried they would be shot at, or harassed again by the police. Martin Boyce was there, and he says that afterwards they joked it was "the first run." "I was worried about being single file, because I just watched a program on National Geographic about wildebeests and I saw how the ones on the side were picked off. So I thought I would stay in the middle  but there was no middle."

(Kottke)
Worthington Industries (NYSE:WOR  Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The industrial products company reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.84, MarketWatch Earnings reports. The business had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.37 billion. Worthington Industries had a net margin of 3.97% and a return on equity of 13.98%. Worthington Industriess quarterly revenue was down 19.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.58 EPS.

Worthington Industries Stock Performance

NYSE:WOR traded up $0.90 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $63.37. 295,015 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 166,248. Worthington Industries has a twelve month low of $38.01 and a twelve month high of $65.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.16 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a current ratio of 2.57, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $59.21 and a 200 day moving average of $57.64.

Get Worthington Industries alerts:

Insider Activity

In other news, Chairman John P/Oh Mcconnell sold 17,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.52, for a total value of $977,840.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now owns 1,338,633 shares in the company, valued at approximately $76,998,170.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 39.20% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Worthington Industries

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WOR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Worthington Industries by 6.8% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 195,470 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $10,049,000 after purchasing an additional 12,396 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in Worthington Industries by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 574,534 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $29,538,000 after acquiring an additional 3,213 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Worthington Industries by 41.6% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 38,363 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,972,000 after acquiring an additional 11,272 shares during the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Worthington Industries by 25.0% during the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 17,946 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $923,000 after acquiring an additional 3,592 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in Worthington Industries by 11.4% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 11,947 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $614,000 after buying an additional 1,222 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 45.30% of the companys stock.

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Worthington Industries in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating for the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Worthington Industries from $54.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Friday, March 24th.

About Worthington Industries

(Free Report)

Worthington Industries, Inc, an industrial manufacturing company, focuses on value-added steel processing, manufactured consumer, building, and sustainable mobility products in North America and internationally. It operates through Steel Processing, Consumer Products, Building Products, and Sustainable Energy Solutions segments.

See Also

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Ashok Leyland, the flagship Hinduja company, expects the domestic commercial vehicle industry to grow by 8-10 per cent this fiscal because of record government infrastructure spending, strong replacement demand and a healthy traction from core industries such as steel, cement and mining.



Addressing the shareholders in the companys Annual Report for 2022-23, Ashok Leyland Chairman Dheeraj G Hinduja said the commercial vehicle sales this fiscal was like to exceed the previous peak touched in pre-Covid levels of 2018-19.



The company is fully prepared to take advantage of the anticipated opportunities without compromising on market share and profitability targets, he added.



Also Read: Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland top picks as Motilal Oswal backs CVs on stable outlook



Moving on, it is reasonably expected that in FY24, the demand is expected to exceed pre-Covid levels of 2018-19, Hinduja mentioned.



The company, which has a capital expenditure of nearly Rs 500-700 crore in FY23, is also concentrating on developing alternate fuel technology.



Talking about the product and technology, Hinduja said the auto major is making good progress in alternate propulsion development.



The Chennai-based commercial vehicle maker chairman said the auto expo held at New Delhi in January this year provided a great opportunity to demonstrate the technological readiness for the future, and the company showcased a wide range of alternative fuel products ranging from CNG and LNG, to Battery Electric and Hydrogen ICE and so on.



Also Read: Analysts see nearly 14% upside in Ashok Leyland; here's why



Last fiscal, the company Leyland sold 1,14,247 M&HCVs in the domestic market posting a growth of 75.5 percent over FY22. Its LCV sales stood at 66,669 units, a jump of more than 28 percent over the previous year.



Switch mobility, through which the company is positioning the electric vehicles, has gained considerable momentum in FY23 and has already made a mark in the industry.



The electric LCV is slated for introduction later this year, he said.
The trade group representing nearly all major automakers wants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to soften its proposal to sharply cut vehicle emissions through 2032 saying it is "neither reasonable nor achievable."



The EPA said in April the proposed 2027-2032 standards would cut emissions by 56% compared to the existing 2026 requirements, or 13% annual average pollution cuts.



On Wednesday, it said it would respond after July 5, when a period of public comment ends.



The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents General Motors (GM.N), Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), Toyota Motor (7203.T), Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and others recommended "adopting requirements for 40 to 50% (electric, plug-in electric and fuel vehicles) in 2030 with continued increases through 2032."



The group called the proposal a "de facto battery electric vehicle mandate." The automaker group noted EVs represented about 6% of new light-duty vehicles sales in 2022.



Environmentalists are pressing the Biden administration not to soften the proposal and many are running advertising on social media websites in favor of the EPA plan. Some say the EPA should have proposed tougher rules.



The automaker group sought major changes and argued it should align with President Joe Biden's August 2021 executive order that set a target of 50% of vehicles by 2030 as EVs or plug-in hybrids.



Major automakers in 2021 agreed to a goal of producing between 40% and 50% EVs or plug-in electric hybrids by 2030.



"EPAs standards cannot be met without substantially increasing the cost of all vehicles, reducing consumer choice and disadvantaging major portions of the U.S. population and territory," said the group representing nearly all major automakers except Tesla.



Alliance CEO John Bozzella said in a blog post the EV rules "are out of whack" and suggested "the 60+ percent BEVs by 2030 plan, on the other hand, is a house of cards... It rolls up rosy forecasts (like EV batteries will eventually cost automakers nothing) and other hopeful assumptions."



The group said the EPA proposal "substantially underestimates the cost of batteries while overestimating the availability of consumer and manufacturing tax credits."
Binances European banking partner Paysafe Payment Solutions Ltd will stop supporting the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange from Sept. 25, CoinDesk reported on Wednesday. The crypto exchange will be changing the provider for euro deposits and withdrawals through the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), while the current partner  Paysafe  will no longer be providing these services to Binance users, the report said, citing Binances spokesperson. Binance typically accesses SEPA via payment intermediaries. Paysafe and Binance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The report comes as Binance faces scrutiny from regulators keen to clamp down on money laundering. Earlier this month, Binance and its U.S. affiliate had entered an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to ensure U.S. customer assets remain within the country until a sweeping lawsuit filed by the regulatory agency is resolved. Binance had tied up with Paysafe last year so that its users could deposit sterling via Faster Payments, a network that oversees payments and bank account transfers in Britain. (Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

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Sundaram Alternates, an arm of Chennai-based Sundaram Group, on Thursday launched its fourth high-yield credit fund with a corpus of Rs 1,500 crore. The new fund seeks to raise Rs 750 crore with a green shoe option worth Rs 750 crore, taking the aggregated target size to Rs 1,500 crore. The fund will focus on sub-Rs 100 crore deals, which offers fund diversification as well as attractive risk-rewards, Vikaas M Sachdeva, managing director of Sundaram Alternates, said. The fund will target gross deal returns ranging between 18 per cent and 22 per cent on a senior secured basis, Karthik Athreya, a director and head of strategy at the company, said. Sundaram Alternates has so far deployed over Rs 2,000 crore over the past seven years. The Sundaram Alternative opportunities high yield secured real estate fund  IV is designed to provide investors access to a diversified portfolio of secured realty investments, with a focus on self-liquidating residential projects across key Southern micro-markets, in addition to last-mile financing, project acquisitions, and select rescue financing, among others offering good returns. Its earlier three real estate credit funds have delivered consistent returns to investors over the past five years, the company said in a statement without quantifying the returns. The fund aims to create a largely growth-oriented portfolio and build key developer relationships within the real estate categories of mid-market residential, hybrid, and commercial projects that offer attractive down-side protected returns, the statement said. Around 75 per cent of the fund allocation will be directed towards projects with visible cash flows to ensure downside protection and regular income streams to investors and the remaining will be tactical/opportunistic investments that provide higher returns to boost portfolio performance, Athreya said, adding, the hallmarks of their real estate credit policy have been priority cash flows, amortising investments and our differentiated multi-layered security structures that incentivise timely repayments. Sundaram Alternate Assets, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Sundaram Assets Management Company, caters to the investment needs of high net-worth individuals with offerings across portfolio management services and alternative investment funds.

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Gandhar Oil Refinery has received the green light from the Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to float its initial public offering (IPO). The issue constitutes both, fresh shares and an offer-for-sale (OFS). The company is yet to disclose the price band and the issue date to exchanges. According to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), the IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 357 crore and OFS of 1.2 crore shares by promoters and existing shareholders. DRHP is a document prepared by merchant bankers on behalf of companies that intend to float a public issue through the book-building process. Promoter shareholders (Ramesh Babulal Parekh, Kailash Parekh, and Gulab Parekh) plan to sell a total of 6.75 million equity shares. Additionally, existing investors such as Green Desert Real Estate Brokers, Denver Bldg Mat & Decor TR LLC, Fleet Line Shipping Services LLC, IDFC First Bank Limited, and Amitabh Mishra will offload up to 5.27 million equity shares. Proceeds from the offering will be used for providing a loan to Texol for financing the repayment or pre-payment of a loan facility obtained from Bank of Baroda, investing in capital expenditure, including the purchase of equipment and conducting civil work, to support the expansion of automotive oil capacity at the Silvassa Plant, expand the petroleum jelly and related cosmetic product division at the Taloja Plant, and increase the capacity of white oils by installing blending tanks at the Taloja Plant. The funds will also be utilised for general corporate purposes. Gandhar is a leading manufacturer specialising in white oils with a growing focus on the consumer and healthcare end-industries. Its product range encompasses a diverse selection of speciality oils and lubricants, including white oils, waxes, jellies, automotive oils, industrial oils, transformer oils, and rubber processing oils. These products are marketed under the brand name Divyol. The company caters to c0mpanies like Procter & Gamble (P&G), Hindustan Unilever, Marico, Dabur, Encube, Patanjali Ayurved, Bajaj Consumer Care, Emami, and Amrutanjan Healthcare. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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Over the past few weeks, the Nifty50 index has repeatedly tested the resistance range of 18,880-18,887 levels and remained confined to a narrow consolidation range. However, there has been a recent upward gap and a breakout above the previous high, signaling that the upward momentum is here to sustain.



Additionally, a bullish crossover has occurred as the 100-day MA (moving average) has crossed the 200-day MA, reaffirming the bullish trend.



Given the benchmark index's breakout, it is advisable to consider initiating small new positions in individual stocks. It is recommended to accumulate further at lower levels if the Nifty retraces back to 18,880 levels.



Here are three buy calls for short term:



Reliance Industries: Buy | LTP: Rs 2,529.5 | Stop-Loss: Rs 2,460 | Target: Rs 2,619 | Return: 3.5 percent



After forming a bottom near Rs 2,180 levels in March this year, the stock price of Reliance Industries has been forming higher tops and higher bottoms.



While the stock price was inching higher, it crossed above multiple moving averages of 50-day, 100-day and 200-day MA (moving average). This up move halted near Rs 2,584 levels in this month and experienced a corrective decline. This decline took support near 50-day as well as 200-day MA and now is showing signs of reversal.



Recently there has been a golden crossover where the 50-day MA has crossed above the 200-day MA which adds bullishness to the stock. Thus, one can go long in this stock with a potential up move close to Rs 2,619 (3.5 percent). Any price move below Rs 2,460 can be considered to move out of the stock.







Kirloskar Electric: Buy | LTP: Rs 122.65 | Stop-Loss: Rs 113.90 | Target: Rs 129.6 | Return: 5.6 percent



The stock price of Kirloskar Electric had made a breakout from a Symmetrical Triangle pattern. A breakout from this defined pattern indicates a continuation of the ongoing trend.



Currently, it is re-testing the breakout level which makes it attractive to buy at current levels with a favourable risk-reward ratio. Since the price has been comfortably moving above the multiple moving averages, the underlying trend remains bullish.



Parabolic SAR continues to remain in buy mode. On-Balance Volume continues to remain near 52-week high. The relative strength (RS) has been trending higher, confirming the outperformance compared to Nifty500.



Thus, the formation of higher tops-higher bottoms and breakout from the technical pattern brings in buying opportunities in the stock with a potential gain of Rs 129.60 (8 percent) and maintain a stop-loss at Rs 113.90.







HCL Technologies: Buy | LTP: Rs 1,170.25 | Stop-Loss: Rs 1,149 | Target: Rs 1,230 | Return: 5 percent



Last week the stock price of HCL Technologies made a breakout from a long consolidation pattern which triggers a new buying opportunity. After forming a top near Rs 1,150 levels, the stock witnessed a corrective decline which halted near the 200-day MA and witnessed a rebound.



The rebound in price tested the previous highs and retraced. This led to the development of the consolidation. The stock tested the 200-day MA multiple times before picking up some upside momentum.



Recently, following the price breakout, 50-day MA crossed above the 100-day MA, adding further bullishness to the stock. Currently, the stock price is consolidating near the breakout level making it attractive to buy with a favourable risk- reward ratio.



Thus, going long on this stock is advisable with a stop-loss of Rs 1,149 and can look for a target of nearly Rs 1,230.







Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.



Disclaimer: MoneyControl is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.
It was a historic day for the market as the Nifty50 touched a new milestone of 19,000 mark on June 28, the monthly F&O expiry day. We have seen every sector participate in the rally, while the broader markets continued the uptrend for the third straight session along with benchmarks.



The BSE Sensex hit the 64,000 mark for the first time intraday, rising 499 points to 63,915, while the Nifty50 jumped 155 points to end at a record closing high of 18,972 and formed a bullish candlestick pattern on the daily timeframe.



"This rally was backed by a consolidation breakout observed on the daily chart, indicating a strong upward movement. Additionally, the Nifty index has successfully invalidated a Dark Cloud cover pattern on the weekly chart. It's worth noting that failed patterns often result in more significant price movements than the initial pattern itself," Rupak De, Senior Technical analyst at LKP Securities said.



In the short term, he believes that the overall trend for the Nifty index is expected to remain positive as long as it stays above the support level of 18,700. This level is significant because Put writers, who provide downside protection, are actively positioned there to prevent a substantial decline in the index, he said.



He sees the immediate resistance for the Nifty index at 19,000. If the Nifty convincingly breaks above this level, it may induce an upward movement towards 19,450, he says.



The Nifty Midcap 100 index rose six-tenth of a percent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index gained a third of a percent.







We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades:



Note: The open interest (OI) and volume data of stocks in this article are the aggregates of three-month data and not just the current month.



Key support, resistance levels on Nifty



The pivot point calculator suggests that the Nifty may get support at 18,891, followed by 18,856 and 18,798, whereas in the case of an upside, 19,005 can be a key resistance area for the index, followed by 19,041 and 19,098.



Nifty Bank



The Bank Nifty also extended its upward journey and hit a fresh record high of 44,508, rising 206 points to close at 44,328. The index has formed a bearish candlestick pattern on the daily scale, but on the weekly charts, there was a long bullish candlestick pattern formation.



"The previous resistance level of 44,000 has now transformed into a strong support level, providing a cushion for the bulls," Kunal Shah, Senior Technical & Derivative analyst at LKP Securities said.



On the upside, he believes that the immediate hurdle is now at 44,500, where Call writing is visible. Once this level is surpassed, it is likely to lead to further upside towards the 45,000 mark, he said.



The pivot point calculator indicated that the Bank Nifty is likely to take support at 44,201, followed by 44,120 and 43,988, whereas 44,465 can be the initial resistance zone for the index, followed by 44,546 and 44,678.







Call options data



As per monthly options data, the maximum Call open interest (OI) was at 19,000 strike, with 1.27 crore contracts, which can act as a crucial resistance area for the Nifty50 in coming sessions.



This was followed by 70.16 lakh contracts at 19,100 strike, while 19,500 strike has 55.6 lakh contracts.



The meaningful Call writing was seen at 19,100 strike, which added 23.87 lakh contracts, followed by 19,000 strike and 19,300 strike, which added 20.24 lakh and 11.98 lakh contracts respectively.



Maximum Call unwinding was at 18,900 strike, which shed 90.83 lakh contracts, followed by 18,800 and 18,700 strikes, which shed 84.75 lakh and 24.9 lakh contracts, respectively.



Put option data



On the Put side, the maximum open interest was at 18,900 strike, with 1.12 crore contracts, which can be a crucial support level for the Nifty50 in the coming sessions.



This was followed by the 18,700 strike, comprising 92.54 lakh contracts, and the 18,800 strike, which has 66.79 lakh contracts.



Put writing was seen at 18,900 strike, which added 86.5 lakh contracts, followed by 19,000 strike and 19,100 strike, which added 30.79 lakh contracts and 2.58 lakh contracts, respectively.



We have Put unwinding at 18,700 strike, which shed 41.96 lakh contracts, followed by 18,800 strike and 18,600 strike, which shed 38.31 lakh contracts, and 27.25 lakh contracts, respectively.







Stocks with high delivery percentage



A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in the stock. We have seen the highest delivery in HDFC, United Breweries, Alkem Laboratories, Dr Reddy's Laboratories and LIC Housing Finance among others.







Rollovers



The top 10 stocks which saw the highest rollovers on expiry day include SBI Card, Alkem Laboratories, Hindustan Unilever, Indiabulls Housing Finance and Reliance Industries around 98 percent rollovers.







12 stocks see a long build-up



An increase in open interest (OI) and price indicates a build-up of long positions. Based on the OI percentage, we have seen a long build-up in 12 stocks including Alkem Laboratories, Delta Corp, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, InterGlobe Aviation and Hindustan Unilever.







49 stocks see long unwinding



A decline in OI and price generally indicates a long unwinding. Based on the OI percentage, 49 stocks including HDFC AMC, Dr Lal PathLabs, Dixon Technologies, Metropolis Healthcare and Laurus Labs saw a long unwinding.







5 stocks see a short build-up



An increase in OI along with a price decrease indicates a build-up of short positions. Based on the OI percentage, we have seen a short build-up in five stocks -Marico, HDFC Life Insurance Company, Federal Bank, Bank of Baroda and Aarti Industries.







123 stocks see short-covering



A decrease in OI along with a price increase is an indication of short-covering. Based on the OI percentage, 123 stocks were on the short-covering list. These included L&T Finance Holdings, Shriram Finance, Petronet LNG, RBL Bank and Britannia Industries.







Bulk deals







(For more bulk deals, click here)



Investors Meetings on June 30



DCX Systems: Management of the company will meet Goldman Sachs AMC.



BLS International Services: The company's management will interact with JM Financial Asset Management, BofA Securities India, Steadview Capital Management, and ENAM Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd.



Gati: Officials of the company will meet Abakkus Asset Manager.



V-Guard Industries: The company's officials will interact with Pari Washington Company Advisors, and Nuvama Institutional Equities.



Torrent Power, Zydus Lifesciences, Symphony, Arvind SmartSpaces: Officials of these companies are participating in IIFL's 'Caravan' conference in Ahmedabad.



Clean Science and Technology: The company's officials will be meeting Nuvama Institutional Equities.



Polycab India: Officials of the company will interact with ASK Investment Managers.



VRL Logistics: The company's officials will meet Matthews Asia.



Ramkrishna Forgings: Senior officials of the company will interact with Seven Island PMS.



Electrosteel Castings: The company's officials will meet investors and analysts.



Sobha: The management of the firm will meet analysts and institutional investors.



Heritage Foods: The company's management will interact with DSP MF.



Kaynes Technology India: Senior officials of the company will meet Marshal Wace, ApaH Capital Management, Sumitomo HK, Zaaba Capital, CI Funds, and Janchor Partners.



Stocks in the news



ICICI Securities, ICICI Bank: ICICI Bank said the board members have approved the draft scheme of arrangement for delisting of equity shares of ICICI Securities. The public shareholders of ICICI Securities will get 67 equity shares of the bank for every 100 shares held by them in ICICI Securities. As a result, ICICI Securities will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the bank.



63 Moons Technologies and MCX India: MCX has decided to extend the support services deal with existing software vendor, 63 Moons Technologies for its trading and clearing platform, for six months with effect from July 1, 2023. The service cost is Rs 125 crore per quarter.



Tata Communications: The Tata Group company has entered into an agreement to acquire US-based Kaleyra Inc, for CPaaS business expansion on a global scale. The said acquisition is expected to be completed within 6-9 months and the purchase consideration of $7.25 per share will be in cash only. The aggregate consideration is expected to be around $100 million.



Canara Bank: The public sector lender has received board approval for its capital raising plan for FY24 amounting up to Rs 7,500 crore via debt Instruments.



Zydus Lifesciences: The pharma company has received tentative approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for Palbociclib tablets. Palbociclib is used to treat a certain type of breast cancer.



Bharat Petroleum Corporation: The oil marketing company has received approval from its board of directors for raising capital up to Rs 18,000 crore. This capital will be raised via an issue of equity shares on a rights issue basis to eligible equity shareholders of the Corporation.



ICRA: Sushmita Ghatak has resigned as Managing Director & CEO of ICRA Analytics. The company is in the process of identifying the successor for the said position. ICRA Analytics is a material subsidiary of ICRA.



Fund Flow







FII and DII data



Foreign institutional investors (FII) bought shares worth Rs 12,350 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors (DII) sold shares worth Rs 1,021.01 crore on June 28, provisional data from the National Stock Exchange shows.



Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.



Disclaimer: MoneyControl is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.
Robert G. Shibley will step down as dean of the University at Buffalos School of Architecture and Planning after 12 years in September, but hes still a guru of city planning  and now hes being tapped to lead a new urban planning center at the school.

UB received a $5 million endowment from the Bruner Foundation, which presented an award  the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence  to transformative city projects in the U.S. every other year from 1985 through 2019.

The money will fund the Rudy Bruner Center for Urban Excellence, a research and education center that will use resources compiled over 40 years of the Bruner Award to promote creative thinking about the role of design in city planning. Shibley will serve as the first director of the center while continuing to teach as a SUNY distinguished professor in the architecture school.

UB already maintains the Rudy Bruner Award digital collection documenting the history of urban planning in the U.S. The center will improve access to its materials and documentation of 88 innovative places that have contributed to economic, environmental and social vitality of communities, as well as a research collection of about 1,000 applications for award consideration.

Bruner Award medalists over the years ranged from Chicagos Riverwalk to the Santa Fe Railyard redevelopment to the SteelStacks Arts and Cultural Campus at a former steel plant in Bethlehem, Pa.

Shibley was instrumental in designing the Bruner Award and will help transform it into a research institution, said UB President Satish Tripathi.

The Rudy Bruner Center for Urban Excellence will enhance UBs ability to meaningfully serve society by contributing to peoples well-being where they live and work, Tripathi said. This impactful gift enables our School of Architecture and Planning to greatly advance interdisciplinary knowledge while reaffirming our institutional mission to build a better world for all.

Shibley said the centers work will address the complex web of problems stemming from rapid urbanization, with 278 million people in the U.S. now living in urban areas.

It aims to vastly increase the possibilities for UB and other interested parties to do sponsored work such as learning through case studies, trends and novel approaches to urban development finance, he said.

The Rudy Bruner Award Collection is packed with best practices on urban planning across the continental United States, Shibley added. Engaging faculty, students and partners vested in community and professional practices, the Rudy Bruner Center will mine the collection for theories of practice and an expanded vocabulary for research and teaching that speaks to the full complexity of urban placemaking.

Information on the Rudy Bruner Award can be viewed on its website until it migrates to the UB Bruner Center site later this year.

Meanwhile, UB has named Julia Czerniak, a professor of architecture at Syracuse University, as the next dean of the School of Architecture and Planning.

Czerniak will begin leading the only architecture school in the SUNY system on Sept. 11, UB announced last week.

Czerniaks work focuses on the physical, cultural and ecological potentials of urban landscapes, particularly in deindustrializing cities.

She has been a professor at Syracuse since 1995 and served as associate dean of Syracuses School of Architecture from 2014 to 2022.

ECC Earn to Learn program

SUNY Erie Community College is adding to its career pathways with a new Earn to Learn program to provide scholarships, on-site training and employment to hotel and restaurant management students.

ECC is piloting the program with 10 scholarships funded by the Statler Foundation, founded by the family of late Buffalo hotelier Ellsworth Statler to provide money for improvements to the hotel industry.

The Statler Scholars will be able to attend ECCs hotel and restaurant management classes while earning income in the hospitality industry via partnerships with Visit Buffalo Niagara and member businesses.

To attract and retain new students, higher education institutions must adapt to increase their enrollment, said Kristin Goss, associate professor and chair of ECCs Hospitality/Culinary Arts department.

Likewise, the challenges with recruitment and retention the hospitality industry faces must be addressed. We are excited to align our program with the unique needs of our students and the hospitality industry.

Students who stay employed and graduate from ECCs Hotel Restaurant Management program will receive a signing bonus and full-time employment via the program. The first business partner to sign on is the Buffalo Marriott at Canalside.

Students who enroll in the program will make a two-year commitment to the participating partner, Goss said.

"During this time, the employer has the opportunity to shape and mold the student to fit their specific operational needs," she said.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved withdrawal of the liquidation proceedings against Prag Distillery, an arm of liquor maker Tilaknagar Industries, following a settlement by the company with its financial creditors Standard Chartered Bank and DCB Bank.



With the development, the board of directors of Prag Distillery, situated in Andhra Pradesh, has been reinstated.



Allowing a section 12A plea filed by the liquidator, the Mumbai bench of the NCLT said the proposal to withdraw the petition against Prag Distillery was approved by 100 per cent votes of the Committee of Creditors (CoC).



The financial creditors have also issued a no-dues certificate after receiving USD 22,50,000 as a full and final settlement.



"We allow the withdrawal of the company petition and consequent closure of the liquidation process," NCLT said in its nine-page order passed on June 23.



Section 12A of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code allows the withdrawal of applications filed by financial and operational creditors.



The Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) was initiated against Prag Distillery on June 27, 2017, and the CoC on March 23, 2018 unanimously decided to liquidate the company after it failed to find a buyer.



Earlier, Tilaknagar Industries had entered into an agreement with Standard Chartered Bank, the financial creditor of Prag Distillery, to settle all outstanding dues of the entity.



As per the agreement, an amount of USD 22,50,000 was paid to Standard Chartered Bank by Tilaknagar Industries on behalf of Prag Distillery.



Tilaknagar Industries had also entered into a settlement agreement with the only other financial creditor of Prag Distillery, DCB Bank Ltd.



In addition, the company paid an amount of approximately Rs 14 crore to settle, in full, all the operational creditors of Prag Distillery.



For the fiscal year ended March 2023, Tilaknagar Industries  which owns various brands, including Mansion House Brandy, Courrier Napoleon Brandy, Mansion House Gold Whisky and Blue Lagoon Gin  reported a consolidated revenue from operations of Rs 2,469.27 crore.
Procter & Gamble India said it would invest 20 billion rupees ($243.79 million) to set up a personal healthcare manufacturing facility in the western state of Gujarat. The company will manufacture digestive products that are part of parent P&G's global healthcare product portfolio at the facility, it said in a statement on June 28. The facility will be operational in the next few years and become a global export hub for P&G, the Whisper sanitary napkin maker said. The new facility spans 50,000 square meters in Sanand, Gujarat, and the investment is through an unlisted company and won't affect any listed public companies within the P&G group in India. ($1 = 82.0370 Indian rupees)

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Byju Raveendran, the embattled founder of India's most valued startup Byjus, struck an emotional note in an email to employees, as he sought to reassure them amid escalating crises in the last few weeks.



The email, which covered everything from its board exits to auditor resignations to its standoff with lenders, came hours after a town hall where he covered the same topics.



This company is not just my work; it is my life. For 18 years, I have dedicated more than 18 hours a day to BYJUS, pouring my heart and soul into this mission. And I want to do this for at least 30 more years, said Raveendran, in the email sent in the evening of June 29.



Moneycontrol has seen a copy of the mail.



Raveendran's outreach comes at a time when the edtech company is dousing multiple fires from aggrieved employees to angry lenders to departing board members to delayed financials.



In the email, Raveendran clarified that the resignation of its auditor Deloitte was based on a mutually agreed-upon decision and did not result in the exit of three of its board members.



However, Raveendran went on to add that the mail was not to suggest that the company is not facing tough headwinds.



These challenges have presented us with a unique set of circumstances that demand careful navigation and strategic decision-making. However, despite the uncertainties, I assure you that BYJU'S remains resilient and stable, said Raveendran.



The Byjus chief did not address issues concerning employee layoffs, and delay in appraisals, variable pay and provident fund disbursements. Raveendran, however, said that the recent layoffs at the company were made as a last resort.



Queries sent to Byju's did not receive an immediate response.



My heart goes out to each and every team member who is facing the difficult reality of downsizing, a decision that was made as a last resort and with a heavy heart, he added.



Tough times may test us, but they also reveal our true strength. I assure you that EdTech is here to stay. We are here to stay. We have not come this far to only come this far, added Raveendran.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) banned around six employees and six business associate (BA) firms or staffing firms in relation to the recruitment bribe case, said chairman N Chandrasekaran, addressing several reports and shareholder queries on the issue that came up during the IT services majors annual general meeting (AGM) on June 29.



This was the first time that the senior-most executive from the company openly spoke about the entire investigation process in the case and the way forward, coming after nearly a week of discussions and speculations on the case.



Speaking to the shareholders, Chandrasekaran said, We found six employees who did not follow ethical conduct. While we cannot quantify what favours they got but they certainly behaved in a way that they were favouring certain firms. We have banned all those six employees and six such BA companies. There are investigations pending on three more employees.



The company is also looking at the whole BA supply management process to examine what the weaknesses are, and will completely tidy the process to ensure that we do not have such incidents, he said.



For a Tata Group company, the most important thing expected of every employee is ethical conduct and integrity in operations. That comes ahead of any financial performance. So whenever there is a violation of ethical conduct by any employee, it pains me and all the leaders very deeply. We take it extremely seriously and will take very strong actions, Chandrasekaran added.



What transpired?



According to Chandrasekaran, the wrongdoings were first pointed out by two whistle blowers in February and March.



The complaints were about certain favouritism done and favours received in recruitment of business associates, he said.



TCS has two departments for acquiring talent: the HR and talent acquisition which hires people and resource allocation group which deploys available resources into projects. Whenever there is a talent shortage or a particular skill is not available in a location, the company has a set of BA firms to get contract employees.



At any point in time in the overall deployment of resources, about 2-3 percent of them are such BAs or contractors. The complaint was related to certain individuals in the company working with certain BA firms to be recruiting in their favour, Chandrasekaran said.



He added, There are a large number of BA firms that TCS works with. There is a rigorous process in the company to recruit or qualify a firm to be called a BA firm. There are about a little over 1,000 such firms globally because we need resources in 55 such countries. And each one of them does a certain amount of business depending on their skill availability.



TCS ultimately found two such cases: one in India and the other one in the US. The India one was investigated by a senior executive in the company and the US one by an external official.



No key managerial person involved



Over the past few days, TCS had reportedly blacklisted several partnering staffing firms and sacked employees from its Resource Management Group (RMG) division in relation to allegedly charging commissions from the staffing firms in return of preferential treatment by giving them business.



Sources had earlier told Moneycontrol that the RMG division brought less than 1 percent of the companys overall workforce and the financial impact arising out of these violations is likely to be minimal.



TCS later denied the allegations in a statement. "The recruitment activities in TCS are not handled by the Resource Management Group (RMG) as alleged, therefore the reference to alleged scam in recruitment process is incorrect," it said.



The company had run an internal investigation on these charges after a whistle blower alerted CEO K Krithivasan and COO Natarajan Ganapathy Subramaniam. Sharing the findings of the same, TCS said that the issue relates to "breach of Companys Code of Conduct by certain employees and vendors providing contractors; and no key managerial person of the Company has been found to be involved."



It does not involve "any fraud by or against the Company and (has) no financial impact," it added.
Xiaomi India, one of the country's biggest smartphone brands, looks to bring down its headcount to below 1,000 as the brand goes through an organisational rejig, a slump in market share, and intense scrutiny by government agencies, according to a report in the Economic Times.



The company laid off at least 30 employees over the last week and lined up more heads to roll over the next few months, the report said. Xiaomi India had employed 1,400-1,500 people at the start of this year.



A spokesperson for Xiaomi told ET that the layoff is because of the declining business outlook. "As with any company, we take headcount decisions based on the market's state and business projections," the report quotes a source as saying.



The company added that it continues to hire "when and where needed".



Not an immediate move



The ET report said that this move to trim the workforce may not happen immediately, as the leadership team has not yet identified employees within their teams who are not meeting performance expectations. The final decision regarding retention will be contingent upon individual performance assessments.



The mood within the camp is sombre as the company's declining market share, which is being attributed to internal organisational issues and significant decision-making authority being centralised at the Chinese headquarters, is causing concerns to the existing employees. The company, which was at one time the leading smartphone brand in India, lost its numero uno status to Samsung in Q3 and Q4 of the last fiscal.



In fact, Xiaomi slipped to third position as Vivo leapfrogged to the second slot with a 17-percent market share, according to data. Samsung ranked top with 20 percent while Xiaomi has a 16-percent share of the Indian market, as of Q4 of last fiscal.



In December 2022, Xiaomi laid off 10 percent of its workforce, while earlier this year, Global VP of Xiaomi, Manu Kumar Jain, quit the company after nine years in the organisation.
There are reasons for opposition parties to feel happy about being able to come on one platform in Patna, against the BJP for the 2024 electoral contest. But at the same time they need to realise that the task is unfinished and there are several roadblocks ahead.

Though 15 political parties joined the Patna opposition meet, some parties with sizable support base in their own state were missing from the meeting. Some of them like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Akali Dali and AIMIM were not invited, and some like Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Biju Janata Dal (JD) and Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party decided to abstain from the meeting.

A Beginning Is Made

There is a general feeling that if these 15 parties come together, they should be able to pose a serious challenge to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The argument put forward is that the BJP polled 37.6 percent votes in 2019 and the combined vote share of all the fifteen political parties is also 37.3 percent.

The electoral strength of the 15 parties matches the support base of the BJP. While it is true that the united opposition should be able to pose a challenge to the BJP, defeating BJP in 2024 is not going to be easy despite these 15 parties coming together. There are a few explanations which I would like to offer why, despite opposition unity, defeating BJP in 2024 may not be easy.

Despite the reasonably good start at Patna, several tricky issues remain unresolved amongst these parties. Even if one leaves aside the question of who would be the face of this united opposition against the BJP, there would be the need for a convener or a coordinator to liaise between different parties on various issues. I assume, this may not be difficult, but what is going to be extremely challenging is to work out a seat-sharing arrangement between parties which have agreed to join this united opposition platform.

Devising Seat Sharing Formula

Though Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Left joined the Patna conclave, the three share a troubled relationship, especially in Bengal. While Congress and Left would want their share of seats to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha in Bengal, the TMC may be unwilling to concede a sizable number of seats to them citing its dominant position in the state.

But an alliance of TMC, Congress and Left would be necessary to prevent the forward march of the BJP in the state. If these three had formed an alliance in 2019, going by the arithmetic BJPs tally of Lok Sabha seats won would have declined to 8 from 18. BJP would have lost Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda Uttar, Bangaon, Barrackpore, Hooghly, Jhargram, Bishnupur and Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seats.

No seat-sharing formula is foolproof. There could be either the vote share of the last Lok Sabha (2019) or the last assembly election in the particular state as the benchmark for a seat-sharing formula. Take Congress and Aam Aadmi Party whose relationship has soured even before opposition unity has been achieved or a common front formed.

Assuming that both AAP and Congress are part of a common front against the BJP for the 2024 contest, Delhi and Punjab pose problems. Going by the vote share of parties in 2019, Congress would be at an advantageous position as Congress polled more votes compared to AAP, both in Punjab and Delhi, during the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

But if one goes by the vote share of Assembly elections, AAP would have an upper hand over the Congress. The question would remain, which party is going to bend how much while working out the seat-sharing arrangement.

Spurned Parties Like BSP Matter

There were also important absentees from the Patna meeting. Some parties were not invited and some parties decided to skip the meeting. Excluding parties from the opposition alliance would bring down the index of opposition unity which is going to be essential for challenging the BJP in 2024 as BJP had won 226 Lok Sabha seats by a margin of more than one lakhs votes in 2019.

When BSP contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election in alliance with Samajwadi Party, it won only 10 Lok Sabha seats, but it has pockets of influence across the country with some concentration of vote. Had BSP formed an alliance with Congress in 2019, it would have meant the two adding 12 more seats to their combined tally of 62 (Congress 52, BSP 10 seats). Absence of some political parties from the alliance can affect the chances of the opposition being able to better challenge the BJP.

While it is important for the parties which attended the Patna meeting to remain united, it is equally important to bring more parties into the united opposition fold, if the united opposition is planning to pose a serious challenge to the BJP in 2014.

Sanjay Kumar is a Professor at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). He is also a Political Analyst. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.
It was unsurprising that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was among the first foreign leaders to telephone Vladimir Putin this week to check on him after the mutiny that failed. The Saudi royal expressed his relief at the successful de-escalation and his wishes of further security and stability.



We dont know how the drama that weakened Putin will play out in the coming days, weeks and months  but Im certain of one thing: The Russian leader made OPEC stronger than ever. Remove him, and Saudi Arabia and the rest of the cartel would have a problem. And what the chaos showed Russians, and the oil market, is that they ought to start contemplating a Russia without Putin.



Back in 2016, OPEC was a wounded animal. The shale revolution, which turned the US into the world's largest oil producer, had dented the market power of Saudi Arabia and its allies. Other non-OPEC nations, from Brazil to Russia, were free riding on the cartels efforts to keep oil prices higher than a free market would have dictated. Pundits rushed to write OPEC obituaries.



But in a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hangzhou, China, Putin and Prince Mohammed struck a deal that transformed the oil market. Overnight, Russia dropped decades of opposition to the cartel, joining in a new loosely defined alliance called OPEC+. It would take a couple of months for the deal to become public, but when it did, what emerged was a cartel rivaling its peak influence of the 1970s. The new combination directly controlled 50 percent of the global oil market, up from about one-third before the deal.



It was a win-win pact cemented on money: Prince Mohammed needed higher oil revenue for his modernisation plans, and Putin needed petrodollars to finance his imperialist vision and overcome Western sanctions imposed after his invasion of Crimea two years earlier.



But joining OPEC was hardly celebrated in Moscow. Igor Sechin, head of state-controlled oil giant Rosneft PJSC, wanted a free hand to continue free riding on OPEC, rather than helping the cartel. Others in the petroleum industry were also skeptical, so were many in the ministry of finance and the central bank.



Russia, in any case, didnt join OPEC, as Saudi Arabia would have preferred, but signed a so-called Declaration of Cooperation, in December 2016 in Vienna. The declaration showed that the membership was more a handshake rather than a state project.



But nothing is forever  not even this bromance.



Regime change has historically triggered the biggest shakeups in OPEC. The fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979 and the arrival of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in 1999 made it stronger. Putins departure would probably push it in the opposite direction.



If Putin were to go, it could mean the end of the OPEC+ coalition, not just triggering the exit of Russia, but also of the other nine countries that went along it. Together, the 10 non-OPEC members of the OPEC+ alliance pumped nearly 15 percent of the worlds crude oil last month  not an insignificant amount.



What would follow is unclear, but Saudi Arabia showed the world in early 2020 that its prepared to start a price war, flooding the market and crashing prices, to force Moscow to remain onside. In that scenario, the fall of Putin would be extremely bearish, and the oil market chaos would spread to energy stocks, petrocurrencies such as the Canadian dollar and emerging sovereign bonds like those of, say, Nigeria.



But theres another  bullish  scenario to consider. If Putins fall results in violence, a worst-case scenario could shut down  or seriously interfere with  production of as much as 10 percent of the worlds oil supply. Worse, the outcome could be different warlords  or, say, oligarchs  controlling various parts of the countrys oil industry. That, it goes without saying, would be very bullish for oil prices.



Much like for spies during the Cold War, the savvy oil trader will need to master the art of Kremlinology.



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
Where does India stand in terms of economic competitiveness? It might seem a rude question to ask when the government, and many economists, a large number of them direct or indirect supporters of the NDA government, are quite satisfied that India is doing well and it will be among the top three economies of the world by around 2030.

Chief Economic Advisor to the Government V Anantha Nageswaran told a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) meeting in Lucknow that the Indian economy is an autopilot and it will grow at 7 percent per annum for the next decade because the government has done enough for the momentum to be maintained.

The state of the Indian economy has also to do with its quality, and a key element is how competitive the Indian economy is. In the Swiss-based Institute of Management Development report of World Competitiveness Index 2023, India stands at 40 out of 64 countries.

The Big Picture

This is an overall ranking based on four criteria: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. And apart from factoring the numbers of the economy  annual growth rate, unemployment rate, exchange rate, and foreign fund inflows and outflows  the ranking is based on a survey of company executives at the middle and higher levels, both Indian and expatriates  the condition for expatriates is that they should have stayed in the country for more than a year  and from all sectors of the economy.

Indias ranking was 37 in 2022 and it attracted Indian media attention as an improvement from the 43rd rank in 2021. In the past five years, Indias ranking in the index stood at: 43 in 2019, 2020 and 2021, 37 in 2022 and 40 in 2023. It shows that India is in the middle band or the lower third of the 60 plus countries that have been surveyed. These surveys give only a broad view of the state of affairs and they should be taken as evidence of the big picture.

On the axis of economic performance, India stood at 24 in 2019, 37 in 2020 and 2021, 28 in 2022 and 33 in 2023. In terms of government efficiency, India ranked 46 in 2019, 50 in 2020, 46 in 2021, 45 in 2022 and 44 in 2023. On the axis of business efficiency, India was 30 in 2019, 32 in 2020 and 2021, 23 in 2022 and 28 in 2023. And in infrastructure, India was 55 in 2019, 49 in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and 52 in 2023.

What Rankings Say

The fluctuation in the rankings shows that there has not been much stability in the workings of the economy at various levels. This need not be a dampener, but it will be a useful guide to making the course corrections in the different segments. Progress is a slow process and it is not to be mocked at.

It is unfair to judge the state of the Indian economy on strict criteria from 2019 to 2023 which coincides with the second term of the Modi government because of the Covid-19 disruption in 2020 and 2021, and the war in Ukraine in 2022. The second term of Prime Minister Modi has been an economically stressful period in India and in the world.

But looking at the World Competitiveness Index at five-year intervals from 1997 shows that India has been hovering around the middle and lower-third level in its overall ranking for the past 25 years, and 2007 was the exceptional year when India ranked 27. In 1997 and in 2002 Indias overall ranking in the Competitiveness Index was 41, 35 in 2012 and in 2017.

Prosperity And Competitiveness

These years span the governments of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mamnohan Singh and Narendra Modi, and it shows that the three governments are still in a struggling phase. The rankings issue is much more than a numbers game. It indicates the challenges that the Indian economy faces over the years, and they spread across a wide spectrum.

The thinking in the last 25 years has been that economic growth is the key factor to improve the country. But it looks like growth alone might not bring about the miracle. Arturo Bris, director of the World Competitiveness Centre (WCC) makes a valid observation: A countrys ability to generate prosperity for its people is a key determiner of success. Its not what China does yet and its not what the US does fully yet.

That is a telling comment on the two top economies, with the US ranking ninth in the rankings for competitiveness and China at 21. So, competitiveness has a qualitative edge in the form of these rankings. It is not who is the richest and who is the largest. This should provide a different perspective while looking at the Indian economy at large. Competitiveness should deliver not just growth but many other things, including prosperity for the people.

Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr is a New Delhi-based journalist. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
On June 26, Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General, Inter Services Public Relations (DG-ISPR), disclosed in a press conference at Rawalpindi that three army officers, including a lieutenant general, were sacked for dereliction of duty or complicity in events. Additionally, disciplinary proceedings have been completed against three major generals and seven brigadiers, in what was described as the Armys self-accountability process.

This intent had already come across at the recently concluded 81st Formation Commanders Conference (Rawalpindi, June 7), when Army Chief Asim Munir spoke about a tightening of the noose around the planners and masterminds of the May 9 violence.

Elite Face The Heat

The dismissed officers include Lt Gen Salman Fayyaz Ghani. He hails from a military family: His father retired is a Brigadier and his father-in-law, Capt (retd) Naved Rasul Mirza, is a relative (Mamoo) of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandials wife. Among those disciplined or transferred under a cloud from important positions are Brig Mehr Omar Khan, Commanding Officer of Rawalpindis notorious 111 Brigade, otherwise known in Pakistans history as the coup brigade used by past dictators.

The DG-ISPR pointed out that a granddaughter of a retired four-star general (noted fashion designer Khadija Shah), a son-in-law of a retired four-star star general, the wife of a retired three-star general (Shabnam Jehangir), the wife and son-in-law of a retired two-star general (Rubina Jameel and Mehboob) were also facing this process of accountability due to irrefutable evidence.

These penalties showed that accountability in the Pakistan Army was being carried out without discrimination, irrespective of rank or social status. The press conference also emphasised that military courts were there to stay and had been dealing with culpability of civilians in the past.

CJ Bandials Loosening Grip

It sent a clear warning to an activist higher judiciary under Chief Justice Bandial, which still seems determined to provide some succour to a beleaguered Imran Khan. Three petitions were filed last week (June 19) before Pakistans Supreme Court by senior lawyers Aitzaz Ahsan, Latif Khosa (former Punjab Governor) and another counsel, representing former Chief Justice (CJ) Jawad S. Khwaja, challenging the trial of civilians in military courts.

CJ Bandial set up a nine-member bench to hear the petitions, this time including long ignored senior judges, now CJ-designate Qazi Faiz Isa and the next senior judge Justice Sardar Tariq Masood. Rumours were rife of a quick judgment, before the Supreme Courts summer recess. However, both senior judges desisted from joining. Another judge, Mansoor Ali Shah withdrew from the bench later, forcing an embarrassed Bandial to defer hearings in the case for a fortnight.

On trials under the Army Act, Maj-Gen Chaudhry said in his press conference that military courts were already functioning. After investigations were completed, trial of the 102 miscreants arrested in connection with the May 9 incidents could be held there. The DG-ISPR also said the suspects being tried in military courts would be penalised according to their crimes but they had complete legal rights, including the right of appeal in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Asim Munir Isolates Imran

Though not mentioning Imran Khans name, the DG-ISPR dismissed allegations of a false flag operation made repeatedly before foreign media channels by the former PM. Chaudhry emphasised that investigations held until now had proven that the events of May 9 had been planned for several months, creating a conducive environment first and instigating people against the army. A diabolical narrative based on lies and exaggeration was spread on social media inside and outside the country, he added.

In particular, Chaudhry stressed at the press conference that these actions by the Armys disciplinary institutions became necessary as there was tremendous pressure from families of Army martyrs who had not taken kindly to the desecration of monuments for the shuhada at various places, country-wide, by the violent mobs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He added, the Pakistan Army has resolved time and again that the Constitution is sacred for us and is a reflection of the nations wishes.

The Armys messaging, under Asim Munirs stewardship, thus seems two-pronged  one, clearly indicating that Imrans political future is bleak, as the identified May 9 mastermind. Yet, widespread disgruntlement against the Army in Pakistani civil society and among urban youth, particularly in Punjab needs to be tackled on priority, and given a cleansing balm in days to come. For the moment, senior Army Generals seem to have rallied behind this approach.

Rana Banerji is a former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and said though it is a BJP-ruled state, the Narendra Modi government has not been able to take effective steps to stop the ongoing violence there.



The Union government should take developments in the states which share borders with China and Pakistan all the more seriously, he told reporters.



"There is a conflict going on between two ethnic groups. They are attacking each other, houses are being torched. The state is ruled by the BJP but the Union government is not taking effective steps. The Union government should look into the states which share borders with China and Pakistan with utmost seriousness," said Pawar, a former defence minister.



There should be no politics over such issues, hence representatives of various parties attended a meeting called by the Union government to discuss the situation in the northeastern state, he added.



But Prime Minister Modi and his government are not taking any concrete action, leading to a stalemate in Manipur, Pawar said.



The NCP leader also expressed concern about incidents of communal violence and riots in Maharashtra.



Communal violence broke out in Kolhapur, Sangamner, Nanded, Akola and Amalner and an atmosphere of fear is being created, he said, adding that it reflects the poor law and order situation.



He also spoke about Modi's reference to irregularities in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (commonly referred to as Shikar Bank) at a BJP function in Bhopal.



"Forget the Shikhar Bank, I am not even a member of any cooperative bank. I had never taken any loan from this bank.I do not understand, what was the need to mention the name of Shikhar Bank," he said.



On the delayed monsoon onset, Pawar said if sowing was needed to be done afresh, the state government should ensure easy availability of seeds for farmers.
Four hundred and thirty members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 237 in Niagara and Orleans counties will receive a $32.2 million pension-fix payout, using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

Federal lawmakers announced the payments, three years in the making, on Thursday.

Three years ago, Local 237 was faced with the terrible choice of allowing its pension to go insolvent in seven years or undergo draconian cuts to save it, said John Scherrer IBEW Local 237 business manager. The active and retired members overwhelmingly voted to take these cuts to save our pension.

Scherrer credited Sen. Charles E. Schumer, Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand and Rep. Brian Higgins with working to secure the funding for the union members.

In 2020, the Treasury Department approved an application from the pension plan for IBEW Local 237, which is based in Niagara Falls, to reduce benefits in order to remain solvent. At the time, it was estimated the fund would go insolvent by 2030 without reductions. As of the start of 2018, the plan had $19.3 million in assets and was 29% funded.

Western New York union members of IBEW Local 237 and their families could have lost the benefits they earned over a lifetime of work, through no fault of their own, putting their financial security, retirements, and familys futures at risk, Schumer said.

Schumer said the relief plan includes benefit restoration for beneficiaries whose payments have already been cut, which means some members will be eligible for back pay from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.

In late 2022, thousands of area Teamsters members learned they would have their pensions restored through an infusion of federal funds, five years after their benefits were cut by as much as 29%. They were covered by the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund, which was also in danger of insolvency at the time the cuts were imposed. The funds members included about 3,900 retirees from Teamsters locals 264 and 449 in the Buffalo area.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Thursday accused opposition leaders, who had attended the June 23 meeting in Patna, of being involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore.



Taking on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who organised the meeting, Shah said the people of the state will give a "befitting reply to corrupt leaders" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. While addressing a mega rally at Lakhisarai in Munger parliamentary constituency, organised by his party BJP, the union home minister claimed that all attempts of the Congress to project Rahul Gandhi as a mass leader have "failed".



"Bihar has always raised its voice against corruption. Opposition leaders who attended the June 23 meeting in Patna are involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore-Bihar will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," Shah said.



The union home minister visited Bihar for the first time after the meeting of opposition leaders in Patna last week. Previously, Shah had visited the state nearly three months ago. In a reference to Kumar who dumped the BJP last year to form the Mahagathbandhan government in the state, Shah said leaders who ditched the National Democratic Alliance must be "punished".



He also questioned the chief minister's track record and asked, "Nitish Babu must explain what he has done for Bihar"."Paltu Babu Nitish Kumar was asking what BJP has done in the last nine years (of the NDA government at the Centre)Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has done a lot for the overall growth of the country Nitish always changes his alliance partners and is simply misleading (RJD chief) Lalu ji. He is not trustworthy," Shah alleged.



"The Congress has been trying to launch Rahul Gandhi for the last 20 years. But they failed. Electorates have full faith in Modi ji," the union home minister said.



Shah also alleged that the law and order situation has been worsening by the day under the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state.On the other hand, the union home minister claimed that the state has witnessed several major infrastructure projects, including medical colleges, expressways, bridges, new railway tracks, 130 MW thermal power plant, during the nine years of the NDA rule at the Centre.



Earlier in the day, senior BJP leaders, including the partys state unit president Samrat Choudhary, and union ministers from Bihar welcomed Shah at the airport here.Shah took a helicopter to reach Lakhisarai to address the rally.The Munger Lok Sabha constituency is currently held by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, the national president of Kumars JD(U).
BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday said there has been a major change in Indias image abroad with the focus now shifting to agreements on space, investment and technology.



Addressing a public rally in Rajasthans Bharatpur, he claimed that while talking about India now, no one refers to Pakistan. Before 2014, whenever international leaders discussed about India, they used to say India and Pakistan, Nadda said, adding after Narendra Modi became prime minister, no one links the two countries.



Before 2014, whenever international leaders discussed about India, they used to say India and Pakistan, Nadda said, adding after Narendra Modi became prime minister, no one links the two countries. Pakistan has become secondary, he said.



Before 2014, prime ministers visiting the US used to discuss cross-border terrorism. But now, relations between the two countries have reached new heights under the Modis leadership, the BJP chief said.



Today, there is an agreement on space, cryogenic engines, foreign direct investment and technical support, he said. We do not talk about terrorism because under the leadership of PM Modi, we have achieved the ability to keep the country safe and we are moving forward.



The BJP chief also attacked rival parties over dynastic politics, saying, While others have become parties of families, in BJP the party is family. Omar Abdullahs party (National Conference) is a party of the family, Mehbooba Muftis party (PDP) is a party of the family. In Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal is a family party so is the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, we are fighting against RJD Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav it is the party of a family.



Omar Abdullahs party (National Conference) is a party of the family, Mehbooba Muftis party (PDP) is a party of the family. In Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal is a family party so is the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, we are fighting against RJD Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav it is the party of a family."



In West Bengal, we are fighting TMC, a party of Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Biju Janata Dal of Naveen Patnaik, YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrashekhar Raos party, DMK in Tamil Nadu, Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena  all are family parties, Nadda said.



Attacking the Congress, he said it has also become a party of mother, daughter and son. At the rally, Nadda credited the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana with reducing poverty from 22 per cent to 10 per cent and said that extreme poverty has been brought down to less than 1 per cent.



Before 2014, India was seen as a corrupt nation, he alleged and said Modi has ended vote-bank politics and started a politics based on report card. Attacking the Congress government in Rajasthan, where elections are due later this year, he said the state stood at 29th position in performance in the Centres Jal Jeevan Mission despite getting the highest budgetary allocation under it.



He urged the people to bring the BJP back to power in Rajasthan in the upcoming assembly elections. Under the Congress rule, Rajasthan has become a leading state in crime against women, Nadda alleged.



Before addressing the rally, the BJP national president inaugurated the party office in Bharatpur. This is not an office but a karyalaya which remains open round the clock, Nadda said and referred to it as a Sanskar Kendra for inculcating values among the party workers.



Nadda suggested the BJPs Rajasthan unit president build a library in the building and make books on Bahratpurs history available there. BJP national vice president and in-charge for Rajasthan Arun Singh, partys state unit president CP Joshi, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, and Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore were among the leaders present on the occasion.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has decided to keep the dismissal order of state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being and informed Chief Minister M K Stalin about it, sources said on Thursday. In a late evening communication to the chief minister, the governor said he would consult the attorney general and seek his legal opinion about the move. The order to dismiss Balaji from the Council of Ministers has been kept in abeyance by the governor until further communication, the sources said. Earlier, the governor had dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam. Stalin had said the state government would challenge the governor's decision legally. In an official release, the Raj Bhavan in Chennai had said, "There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state." Balaji "is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice," the release added.

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Eid Al Adha or Bakra Eid will be celebrated in India on June 29 this year. The festival of sacrifice is one of the major festivals of Islam, along with Eid Al Fitar. Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha on the tenth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijja. On this day, devotees offer prayers, sacrifice an animal and distribute food among the needy. The day is typically marked with visits to close friends and family members. While countries like Singapore, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan will also observe Eid al-Adha on June 29, Saudi Arabia will celebrate the festival of sacrifice on June 28.



Here are some Eid Al Adha wishes, messages, quotes, greetings and images you can share with your loved ones:



May the festival of Eid bring you peace, prosperity and joy. Eid Mubarak.



Wishing you a blessed Eid filled with the spirit of sacrifice, unity, and gratitude.



On this blessed day, let us remember those less fortunate and extend a helping hand to those in need. May our acts of kindness and generosity make a difference in their lives, spreading compassion and joy. Eid Mubarak.



Keep Allah in your prayers as you celebrate this auspicious festival of Eid.







May this day remind us of the values of sacrifice, generosity, and unity that lie at the core of Islam. Eid Mubarak.



May the festival of sacrifice inspire you to always do better, help others and strive to be good.



On this auspicious day, I keep you in my prayers and ask Allah to shower you with blessings. Eid Mubarak!



On this Eid, pray that Allah accepts your sacrifice, helps you in your struggles and forgives your sins.







Eid Mubarak! As the blessed occasion of Eid al-Adha dawns upon us, I pray this festival brings you an abundance of happiness, peace, and blessings.



May the spirit of Eid fill your home with love and laughter, and may the feasts shared be filled with delicious delights and the warmth of companionship.



I hope Eid ul-Adha is safe and joyous for you and your loved ones.



May Allah shower His blessings upon you on the festival of Eid



Tamanna aapki sab poori ho jaaye

Ho aapka mukaddar itna roshan

Ki aameen kehne se pehle hi dua aapki qubool ho jaaye

Eid Mubarak!



Saji hai rangon ki mehfil har taraf

Aapko hamari taraf se Bakrid mubarak
A teacher in Italy was sacked after successfully avoiding work for two whole decades. Cinzia Paolina De Lio took her employer to court after she was dismissed in 2017 for showing up to work for only four out of 24 years in the job.



When she did show up to work, De Lio was distracted, made up lesson plans as she went, forgot her textbooks, texted in the middle of class and showed a remarkable lack of preparedness, local media has reported.



A philosophy and literature teacher at a school in Chioggia, near Venice, she used sick leave and holiday time to get out of teaching. She also went on conferences and used that as an excuse to skip school. In her time away from work, De Lio managed to get qualifications in pet therapy and criminology.



During a four-month period in 2015 when she did actually show up to work, according to BBC, De Lio caught the attention of a school inspector who noted that she looked confused and appeared to be making up her lessons as she went along.



Her students complained when she was caught messaging during oral exams and handed out grades that did not line up with how the students actually performed.



After her dismissal in 2017, she took her employer to court and was reinstated on appeal in 2018. However, in a counter-appeal, a judge reversed that decision after discovering that she had shown up to work for only four out of 24 years.



Italys highest court recently confirmed the dismissal after a long-drawn legal battle, according to BBC, but De Lio maintains her innocence. When reached for a comment, she told Italian newspaper Repubblica that she would reconstruct the truth and had documents to prove her story, but could not talk as she was at the beach.
Imagine having the ability to travel the world without worrying about the soaring costs of airfare. For Tom Stuker, a man from New Jersey, US, this dream became a reality three decades ago when he purchased a lifetime pass from United Airlines for $290,000 (Rs 2.38 crores approximately). Little did he know that this investment would transform his life.



Over the past 33 years, Stuker, now 69 years old, has amassed an astonishing record of more than 37 million km travelled. To put this into perspective, the legendary Apollo 11 spacecraft, which carried Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts to the moon, covered a mere 1.5 million km.



Stuker's incredible mileage in 2019 alone surpassed the distance of six trips to the moon, with 373 flights spanning 1.46 million miles. If he had paid for these flights out of pocket, it would have amounted to a staggering $2.44 million.



However, the true value of Stuker's lifetime pass lies not only in the countless miles he has travelled but also in the immense number of frequent flyer miles he has accumulated. In 2009, Stuker crossed the milestone of 8 million km, becoming the first United Airlines customer to achieve such a feat.



Stuker's existence has been nothing short of lavish, with extravagant hotel suites in exotic locations, weeks-long Crystal cruises, and gourmet meals from Perth to Paris. Not limited to personal indulgences, Stuker has used his miles to renovate his brother's house and once cashed in $50,000 worth of Walmart gift cards in a single day. His love for adventure even led him to bid 451,000 air miles in a charity auction to secure a cameo appearance in a Seinfeld episode.



While Stuker has lived a life of opulence through his accumulation of miles, his extensive time spent in the air has not been without its somber moments. Having witnessed the passing of four individuals during his years of flying, Stuker reflects on these incidents.



"All heart attacks," he shares. "I'd met a couple of them, too. Just died right in their seats. The last guy was up in business with me, Chicago to Narita [Tokyo]. They covered him with a blanket and put the seat belt back on. What else could they do?"



Despite the occasional hardships, Stuker remains committed to his jet-setting lifestyle. Together with his wife, he has embarked on over 120 honeymoons, relishing in the freedom that his lifetime pass has provided.



Regarding concerns about the environmental impact of his travels, Stuker dismisses any notion of guilt. In an interview with GQ, he confidently asserts, "I'm not adding to the footprint. The plane is going to fly whether I'm on it or not. It would be much more relevant if I was flying in a private jet. Those are the people who can help the environment much more than I can if they flew commercial."
A 16-year-old boy died after drinking a protein shake on August 15, 2020. Rohan Godhania, an Indian-origin boy from London fell ill after drinking the shake and died three days later at West Middlesex Hospital after he suffered 'irreversible brain damage'. After his death, a senior UK official said that health warnings should be added to protein drinks. As per a report in the Metro, the teen's father had bought the drink for his son to help him build muscle as he was "quite skinny". After Rohan consumed the drink, he suffered from a rare genetic condition called ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, which triggered the breakdown of ammonia in his bloodstream and caused it to build to lethal levels. The post-mortem couldn't identify the cause of death initially, an inquest at Milton Keynes Coroner's Court in Buckinghamshire previously heard, as per the BBC. According to the media outlet, the disease can be triggered by a protein load as well. "Concerning these protein drinks, my preliminary view about them is that I ought to write to one of the regulatory authorities that some sort of warning ought to be put on the packaging of these drinks because, although OTC is a rare condition, it can have harmful effects if someone drinks [one] and it causes a protein spike," Coroner Tom Osborne said. Rohan's organs were donated even before the hospital could identify the cause of his illness.

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NASA has initiated a simulation study with four volunteers in an ambitious endeavour to pave the way for future human missions to Mars. Research scientist Kelly Haston, structural engineer Ross Brockwell, emergency medicine physician Nathan Jones, and US Navy microbiologist Anca Selariu have embarked on an immersive 378-day journey within a 1,700-square-foot facility at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas which imitates the harsh conditions on Mars.



This unprecedented mission, known as the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA), aims to provide insights into the challenges of an actual Mars mission, with NASA scientists closely monitoring every aspect of their experience.



Grace Douglas, the principal investigator of the mission, emphasized the significance of this simulation study during a briefing, stating, "The knowledge we gain here will help enable us to send humans to Mars and bring them home safely."



With the Mars Dune Alpha habitat serving as their confined living quarters, the crew will face a plethora of demanding circumstances, mirroring the harsh reality of life on the red planet.



To replicate the essence of Mars, the crew will be exposed to environmental stressors such as limited resources, isolation periods, and equipment failures. However, one factor that the simulation cannot reproduce is the gravity of Mars, which is approximately 38% of Earth's gravity.



To address this, virtual reality technology will be employed, allowing researchers to observe the crew's participation in spacewalks, habitat repairs, and the removal of dust from their spacesuits and solar panels.



Kelly Haston, the designated mission commander, expressed her profound appreciation for being a part of this study, emphasizing that it "exemplifies some of the best qualities of humankind."



Despite not being trained astronauts, Haston praised her crew as an "amazing group of dedicated individuals who feel very passionate about space exploration and science."







The crew has undergone rigorous preparations for this mission, devoting themselves to mastering various mission activities, including collecting geological samples, maintaining personal hygiene, exercising, and addressing medical needs.



Their communication with family and loved ones will be significantly limited during the simulation, adding to the psychological challenges they will encounter.



While the primary objective of the CHAPEA mission is to gather data and assess the crew's physical and psychological responses, it will also provide vital information for NASA's vehicle planners. The insights gained from this study will aid in designing and optimizing spacecraft for future human missions to Mars.



As the crew entered the Mars Dune Alpha habitat, they received applause from onlookers. With the habitat officially sealed until July 7, 2024, Grace Douglas enthusiastically declared, "CHAPEA mission one is a go."
Euclid, the cosmological mission of the European Space Agency (ESA), is all set for launch on July 1. The spacecraft will lift off from the Astrotech facility located near Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, to start its 1.5-million-km journey to space from where it will unlock the mysteries of the dark Universe.



Basis for Euclid Mission



According to the ESA, 95 percent of the Universe appears to be made up of unknown 'dark' matter and 'dark' energy, the cosmos's invisible components. The mysterious 'dark' components are thought to be the cause of the Universe's accelerating expansion, but their nature and origin are unknown.



Scientists are yet to discover either of these unknown 'dark' components. Euclid is on a mission to discover how they have affected galaxies, galaxy clusters, and the expansion of the Universe itself.



Euclid Mission to uncover mysteries of the 'dark' Universe



ESAs Euclid mission is designed to explore the composition and evolution of the 'dark' Universe, and uncover the great cosmic mystery of dark matter and dark energy from the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2.



In orbit, space telescope Euclid will create a great map of the large-scale structure of the Universe across space and time by observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light years, across more than one third of the sky.



Euclid will explore how the universe has expanded and how large-scale structure is distributed across space and time, revealing more about the role of gravity and the nature of dark energy and dark matter.



What the Mission hopes to achieve



From this wealth of new data, astronomers will be able to infer the properties of dark energy and dark matter more precisely than ever before. This will help theorists pin down the nature of these mysterious components and develop a refined understanding of how gravity behaves at the largest distances.



Track Euclid launch Live



The Euclid space telescope is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, on July 1, 2023, at 11:11 a.m. local time / 16:11 BST / 17:11 CEST. A back-up launch date on July 2 is also planned.



The launch of the Euclid Mission will be aired live on ESA Web TV and on the ESA Youtube livestream. Live coverage will also be available on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the NASA website.



Euclid, a European mission



Euclid is a European mission, built and operated by ESA, with support from NASA's Roman Space Telescope by May 2027. By May 2027, scientists expect to examine the mysterious dark energy phenomenon, and unravel the secrets of dark energy in ways never previously feasible.



NASA is assisting the Euclid mission by providing essential hardware for one of the spacecraft's sensors, supporting the science team, and creating a Euclid data processing centre in the United States.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has honoured Rajindar Singh Dhatt, one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who fought in the Second World War with a Points of Light honour at a UK-India Week reception at 10 Downing Street.



Dhatt, 101, was recognised on Wednesday for his service and his work running the "Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association" to help bring together British Indian war veterans.



Dhatt, based in Hounslow in southwest London since 1963, was born in pre-Partition India in 1921 and fought with the Allied forces during the British colonial period. It is an immense honour to receive this recognition from the Prime Minister, to whom I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for acknowledging the importance and impact of the 'Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association'," said Dhatt.



The journey of establishing this organisation was driven by a deep sense of duty as an ex-serviceman and the vision of fostering unity, support, and camaraderie.



This award serves as a testament to the tireless efforts of countless individuals who have contributed to the success and growth of the association over the years, he said.



Their unwavering commitment and selfless service has played a pivotal role in bringing about positive change in the lives of our ex-servicemen and their families, he added.



Dhatt joined the British Indian Army during the Second World War and excelled up the ranks, being promoted to Havildar Major (Sergeant Major) in 1943. He was later drafted to the Far East campaign to fight in Kohima in northeast India to support the Allied Forces and help break through the Japanese defences, Downing Street said.



After the war, Dhatt returned to India before settling in London with his family. He was later drafted to the Far East campaign to fight in Kohima in northeast India to support the Allied Forces and help break through the Japanese defences, Downing Street said. After the war, Dhatt returned to India before settling in London with his family.



His association recently created an online community for veterans, sharing articles about personal stories and opportunities to connect. Dhatt also continues to speak at memorial events and work with war veteran charities, including the Royal British Legion and the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, telling stories through teaching packs and online resources.



Dhatt said the award is a "momentous occasion" that inspires him to continue making meaningful contributions to society, even as he nears his 102nd birthday.



According to Downing Street, the Points of Light recognise outstanding people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose stories can inspire others towards innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond.



Dhatt's honour coincided with a Downing Street reception celebrating India Global Forum's UK-India Week celebration of the bilateral relationship, where Prime Minister Sunak spoke of Dhatt as an "incredible man" and thanked him for his service as a member of the Indian diaspora "living bridge".
About $4 million worth of state workforce development grants are flowing to organizations serving Western New York.

Statewide, the Office of Strategic Workforce Development awarded a total of $11 million in grants to 17 projects through the third round of the Workforce Development Capital and Pay for Performance programs.

SUNY Jamestown Community College was awarded two Pay for Performance operating grants, worth a combined $1.04 million, and two workforce development capital grants, worth $531,450, for a total of about $1.6 million.

JCC will use the funds to expand its existing Industrial Maintenance Technician and Machining programs, and to develop up to 14 new tech and manufacturing certificate pathways.

Goodwill Industries of Western New York was awarded $862,500 for its Goodskills Career Builder program, to prepare workers from underrepresented populations for further training and career opportunities in technology and manufacturing.

The other grant recipients are: Trocaire College, CaHill Resources and the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology. CaHill serves Western New York as well as Central New York, the Capital region and Long Island.

The projects for Western New York were coordinated through the Western New York Manufacturing and Tech Workforce Coalition.
A land shuffle is in the works at Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park in South Buffalo.

Savarino Cos. is swapping its exclusive rights to four contiguous parcels totaling a dozen acres for one large parcel that is a little smaller but further along in brownfield cleanup.

That way, the Buffalo-based developer can advance its plan to create its own business park within the larger complex, including a 45,000-square-foot retail sales, service and warehouse facility for an as-yet unnamed tenant.

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Under a resolution approved Tuesday by the Buffalo Urban Development Corp.  owner of Lakeside Commerce Park, Savarino will get the next six to nine months to negotiate an agreement with the agency to buy the 9.45-acre property at 193 Ship Canal.

Thats in place of the 12.2 acres it had been planning to acquire at 80, 134, 158 and 200 Ship Canal, under an identical previous exclusivity arrangement from August 2022. That allowed Savarino to conduct due diligence, study the soil and begin conversations with proposed tenants.

The developer planned to use five acres for the unnamed tenant, while reserving seven acres for a mix of build-to-suit light manufacturing, flex office, warehouse and distribution purposes.

At the time, it would have filled up the last remaining land in the park that BUDC carved out and created from the 275-acre former Hanna Furnace Steel Mill property. Buffalo Lakeside now hosts major operations for Sonwil Distribution Center, CertainTeed, Cobey and a solar farm, and its also the planned location for Zephyr Investors planned new high-tech cannabis campus, now in development.

The earlier exclusivity arrangement with Savarino for the four properties included six months of due diligence, with an option for a three-month extension, which the developer exercised for $16,000. It expired last month.

But as that expiration was approaching, the other property became available, after Krog Corp. decided in April not to renew its own exclusivity agreement for 193 Ship Canal, where it had been working on a deal with its own potential tenant.

Since that land was already enrolled in the state Brownfield Cleanup Program, Savarino jumped at the opportunity to switch, and submitted a proposal last month with the same terms. BUDC agreed to apply Savarinos $16,000 payment from the prior agreement toward the acquisition of the new property if a purchase contract is reached.

Meanwhile, the four parcels at 80-200 Ship Canal are now available and being marketed for sale.
June 29, 2023

Ukraine Open Thread 2023-154

Only for news & views directly related to the Ukraine conflict.

The current open thread for other issues here.

Please stick to the topic. Contribute facts. Do not attack other commentators.

Posted by b on June 29, 2023 at 13:57 UTC | Permalink

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The motto for this years edition of Shakespeare in Delaware Park is Where Theres a Will, Theres a Play, and, as the opening production Measure for Measure shows, it may not be the play you are expecting.

Many people setting up camp chairs and picnics on Shakespeare Hill probably dont know what to expect from this play. Measure for Measure is not among the typical high school canon of Shakespeares works (think Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth). But for this production, that unfamiliarity is an advantage.

Director Virginia Monte has pared down and reframed Shakespeares uncertain tale of misguided morality and tenuous mortality, making it clearly a comedy. No longer an Elizabethan problem play, its now set on the seamy side of 1940s California, with a music-filled Art Deco nightclub as backdrop.

The plot is not simple: When the man in charge, known as the Duke (Daniel Lendzian), realizes things are getting out of hand on his turf, he decides to feign his absence in the hopes that his right-hand-man Angelo (Luke Brewer) will be tough enough to get people in the community back in line.

Unfortunately, Angelo overcompensates. He has a young man named Claudio (James Anthony Caposito) arrested for having premarital sex with his fiancee (Amelia Scinta) and sentences him to death. The plot revolves around efforts by Claudios sister Isabella (Gretchen Didio) to save him.

Despite the grim premise, this is a fun show. The action is effectively emceed by Omen Thomas Sade as Claudios spirited zoot-suited pal Lucio, whose carefree attitude serves as assurance that, though all is not well right now, we can relax. It will be well in the end.

Subplots galore swirl around, scored by swinging numbers from the Hathaway Sisters (Scinta, along with Kennedy Lee and Alexandra Montesano), ballads from the jilted Mariana (Solange Gosselin), and blues from Kerrykate Abel as brothel madam Mistress Overdone. The music all comes through loud and crystal clear, thanks to Phil Farugias excellent (as usual) sound design.

Broad comedy is provided by the cuckolded cop Elbow (Den Caldwell) and his nemesis, the prankster Pompey (Lucas Colon). SDP Executive Director Lisa Ludwig and Jeremy Kreuzer are the hapless functionaries caught between the law and doing whats right. Meanwhile, we glance at our digital playbills to keep track of whos who and where we might be in the story.

Not that it matters. This is outdoor summer Shakespeare, meant to be experienced, not critiqued. Still, in an overall enjoyable night, there are some highlights. Caposito, who remarks in the program that he is new to the Bard, gives us the most emotional moment of the evening with Claudios tormented speech to Isabella, begging her to save his life. Abel as the defiant madam, owns the stage whenever shes on it, and Ludwigs slow burn as Escalus  well, shes been here before. And Sade, who hasnt been here before, is completely in his element as he turns Lucio into the leading man.

Add to this the colorfully clever costumes from Jenna Damberger and overall solid performances from everyone on and off the set, and you have a Measure for Measure worth the meeting.

Info: The Shakespeare in Delaware Park production of Measure for Measure continues through July 16 on Shakespeare Hill in Delaware Park (near Hoyt Lake and the Rose Garden). Performances are at 7:15 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is free; donations are accepted. Blankets, folding chairs and food are allowed. The area closest to the stage is reserved for blankets.
Reporter

Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post.
Zaldy Dandan is a recipient of the Best Editorial Writer Award of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the CNMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/.
It was said many times that if Father Joe Bayne hadnt become a priest, he would have been a firefighter.

Just like them, he raced to fires and other emergencies. He had a call number  ES-11. He was at the scene of the crash of Flight 3407 in Clarence in February 2009 in less than 25 minutes.

Instead of deploying hoses and raising ladders, he quelled the pain of trauma and grief with comfort, empathy and prayer. He described his role as a ministry of presence.

His passion, dedication and professionalism are legendary and are second only to his care and compassion, Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo said in a farewell tribute in 2018 as Father Bayne ended his 13-year tenure as the citys first Fire Department chaplain.

A Franciscan friar, Father Bayne left Buffalo for Chicopee, Mass., where he was pastor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Basilica, his orders largest parish, and once again was chaplain for the Fire Department.

From there, he was assigned to Chicago to serve as associate director of formation for the Franciscan Friars Conventual Postulancy Program, where he worked with young men entering the order.

He died June 23 in Chicago. He was 66.

Born in Baltimore, Joseph William Bayne Jr. said that he grew up in a firehouse. His uncles and brothers were in the fire service. His father died in 1977 fighting a high-rise fire.

He attended Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, which is affiliated with the Franciscan Friars Conventual, and joined the order after he graduated in 1975.

Professing his vows on Aug. 15, 1976, he earned a bachelors degree in philosophy in 1980 from St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, Mass., then attended the former St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, where he completed a master of divinity degree and was ordained a priest in 1985.

He served as parochial vicar for parishes in Shamokin, Pa., then came to Buffalo in 1989 when the order asked him to open the Franciscan Center, a shelter for runaway and homeless youth on Seneca Street. He served as its executive director for 29 years.

At a news conference announcing its closing in 2018, he said, We took care of over 4,000 young men who needed a safe place, a place where they could be mentored, a place where they grew and learned some life skills to either return to their families or make it out there on their own.

Father Bayne became the first chaplain for Erie County Emergency Services in 1990. Among the many people he attended were firefighter Donald Herbert and his family as Herbert struggled to emerge from a long coma after a roof collapsed on him during a three-alarm house fire in December 1995.

I listen to peoples problems a lot, the kids who live here and then my fire and emergency people, he told Buffalo News reporter Jane Kwiatkowski in an interview at the Franciscan Center in 2015. They tell me I handle crisis and other peoples issues well. I give them a shoulder and some support without the judgment. ... But its exhausting. Sometimes you have to wring out the sponge by doing something happy.

He was one of the volunteers from Buffalo who went to assist at ground zero five days after the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in 2001.

In a statement about his efforts there published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, he said: I roamed around ground zero in my turnout gear, speaking to the rescue personnel as they came off the smoking burning pile that was holy ground. I shook hands, hugged, gave bottles of water and often prayed quietly with them. I even mustered some smiles and laughter. ... In true St. Francis of Assisi style, I patted and blessed the rescue dogs as they came off the pile after their shift.

He served on the board of directors of the Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services, was a peer counselor on the Western New York Stress Reduction Team and was chaplain for the Town of Hamburg Police Department.

His numerous honors included the Spirit of Mercy Award from Mount Mercy Academy, the Dr. Carl Day Award from the Buffalo Fire Department, the Gaudete Medal from St. Bonaventure University and the Interfaith Award from the National Federation of Just Communities of Western New York.

Survivors include his mother, Jean Gorman Bayne, and a younger brother, George.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Monday in the Church of the Annunciation in Baltimore. A Memorial Mass in Buffalo will be offered at 10 a.m. July 15 in St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St.
A former employee has pleaded guilty to taking more than $110,000 from a fitness center in Clarence, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced.

Sienna D. Foumakoye, 35, of Williamsville, pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to second-degree grand larceny and signed a Confession of Judgment, promising to repay $110,312.48.

Foumakoye was released on her own recognizance. She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when she returns for sentencing Sept. 6.

Prosecutors said she issued fraudulent credit card refunds from the business to customers, but routed the payments to her own bank account. The business was not identified.

 Dale Anderson
A Buffalo man is being held in Erie County Holding Center following his arrest in connection with a shooting incident on the city's West Side on Saturday evening, Buffalo police reported.

Joshua Rodriguez, 24, has been charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, a Class D felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, a Class A misdemeanor.

According to the report, Rodriguez was arrested following a call about shots fired at Lafayette Avenue and Grant Street about 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police said he was apprehended after a shell casing was found next to a crater in the sidewalk apparently caused by a blast from a shotgun.
New Mexico prosecutors: Man accused in deadly movie theater shooting is a danger to the community

New Mexico prosecutors: Man accused in deadly movie theater shooting is a danger to the community View Photo

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A man accused in a deadly movie theater shooting in New Mexicos largest city is a danger to the community and should be held pending trial, prosecutors said in a motion filed Thursday.

They outlined their arguments for keeping Enrique Padilla jailed as the 19-year-old made his first court appearance on charges that include first-degree murder, shooting at an occupied building, conspiracy and tampering with evidence.

Authorities have said that an argument over seating at an Albuquerque movie theater on Sunday evening escalated into a shooting that left one man dead and sent frightened filmgoers scrambling.

The defendant opened fire inside a crowded movie theater, putting the lives of everyone in the room in danger. He shot and killed the victim over seating arrangements, the motion stated. It is clear that the defendant has no regard for the safety of others, and that he is willing to kill over the minor inconvenience of switching seats to watch a movie.

Court records show Padilla has yet to be appointed an attorney who could speak on his behalf, and a detention hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Padilla was treated for a gunshot wound after officers found him outside the theater the night of the shooting.

Witnesses told police that a man later identified as Padilla arrived at the theater with his girlfriend and found another couple in at least one of their reserved seats. Theater staff attempted to help resolve the dispute, but it escalated with a hurled bucket of popcorn, shoving and then gunfire, according to a criminal complaint.

Michael Tenorio, 52, was shot and died at the scene. His wife, Trina Tenorio, said he was unarmed.

Emergency dispatchers received about 20 calls as other people fled the theater.

An off-duty police officer who was at the movie administered emergency aid to Tenorio. The officer witnessed the confrontation but did not see a weapon in the darkened theater, reporting a rapid-fire succession of gunshots before one man in the dispute ran out.
Controversial Cayman Islands legislator and former premier charged with rape and indecent assault

Controversial Cayman Islands legislator and former premier charged with rape and indecent assault View Photo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  A legislator and former premier of the Cayman Islands was charged Wednesday with rape and indecent assault, according to authorities.

McKeeva Bush pleaded not guilty to charges that police said stem from 2000. Police issued no other comment aside from a brief press release noting that the senior politician appeared in court via Zoom.

Bush told The Associated Press in a statement that he rejected, denied and pleaded not guilty to what he called this evil plot and malicious accusation.

All I have to say in relation to this, the latest in the series of malicious charges against me is the Truth will come out, he wrote. This is done by someone I have never had any contact with.

The arrest was the former premiers most recent brush with the law.

Bush was investigated and found not guilty nearly a decade ago on charges including theft and abuse of office. He also pleaded not guilty to groping a female employee at a casino in Florida in 2017, and the charges were later dropped.

Bush pleaded not guilty after being charged with indecently assaulting two women last year at a regional tourism event held in the Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory in the western Caribbean Sea. He is awaiting trial in that case.

Bush stepped down as premier in December 2012 after facing a no-confidence vote. He resigned as speaker of Parliament in October 2022 following accusations of sexual harassment, which he denied.

By DANICA COTO

Associated Press
MONTREAL (AP)  Canada Day fireworks planned for Saturday night in Montreal have been cancelled as air-quality concerns persist because of wildfires burning in northern Quebec.

The Canadian wildfires have shrouded much of the U.S. and parts of Canada in smoky haze.

Stephane Guertin of Tandem Communication, which represents the organizer of the Canada Day event, said Thursday that public health officials were unable to say if smog warnings would persist through Saturday. But he said the organizer did not want to put another pollutant in the air.

Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the countrys confederation.

The announcement comes the day after amusement park La Ronde said it would cancel fireworks scheduled for Thursday because of air-quality concerns.

Dr. David Kaiser, deputy medical director of Montreals public health department, said fireworks shows can lead to high concentrations of air pollutants in nearby areas.

Environment Canada has issued a smog warning for the Montreal and Laval areas due to fine particulate matter from forest fires.

There are 490 fires burning nationally, with 255 of them considered to be out of control. Quebecs forest fire prevention agency is reporting 110 active fires.

Canada has already surpassed the record for area burned. Nearly every province in Canada has fires burning. A record 30,000 square miles (80,000 square kilometers) of Canada has burned, an area nearly as large as South Carolina, according to the Canadian government.
Pence makes a surprise trip to Ukraine and meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and touring the war-torn country as it fights Russian aggression.

Pence, who this month launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for president, has been deeply critical of Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine.

He has called on the U.S. to deliver more military aid to the country and criticized GOP rivals who have questioned the ongoing U.S. involvement, saying there is no room in the party for Putin apologists and pushing back against those who want the U.S. to take on a more limited role on the world stage.

Pence spent roughly 12 hours in the country Thursday, according to an adviser, with stops in Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin, according to NBC News, which traveled with him.

Im here because its important that the American people understand the progress that weve made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest, he told the network. I truly do believe that now, more than ever, we need leaders in our country who will articulate the importance of American leadership in the world.

In addition to his meeting with Zelenskyy, Pence received multiple briefings, including one from Ukrainian officials on the countrys current security situation and one on allegations of human rights violations by Russians accused of abducting Ukrainian children in a bid to weaken Ukrainian resolve, the adviser said.

Pence also participated in a commemoration ceremony to honor Ukrainians killed during the defense of Moshchun during Russias offensive and visited the destroyed Romanov Bridge, where he was briefed on the civilian evacuation efforts.

Pence visited St. Andrews Church and Pyervozvannoho All Saints in Bucha, the site of a civilian mass burial site, and laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St. Michaels Cathedral in Kyiv.

The trip was the second by Pence to the region. In March 2022, he made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian border with Poland, where he crossed into Ukraine and helped deliver aid to the flood of refugees who escaping the wars initial invasion.

Both trips were arranged by Samaritans Purse, an international Christian humanitarian aid organization.

Pences GOP rivals have been far less eager to push for more U.S. involvement in Ukraine, reflecting broader skepticism within the party.

A February poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only about a quarter of Americans  26%  believe the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict, down from as high as 40% in March 2022. Among Republicans that number is even lower, with the number saying the U.S. should have a major role dropping to just 17%.

Both former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who are also seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, have said the defense of Ukraine is not a vital U.S. national security interest. Trump has stressed the humanitarian cost of the war and called for its end. DeSantis once called the Russian invasion a territorial dispute, but later walked back those comments in the face of criticism.

By JILL COLVIN

Associated Press
Ukraines Zelenskyy meets Greta Thunberg and others to address the wars effect on ecology

Ukraines Zelenskyy meets Greta Thunberg and others to address the wars effect on ecology View Photo

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Thursday with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and prominent European figures who are forming a working group to address ecological damage from the 16-month-old Russian invasion.

The meeting in the Ukrainian capital came as fighting continued around the country.

The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said two people were killed in the regions capital in a Russian strike that hit residences, a medical facility and a school where residents were lined up to receive humanitarian aid. Another person was killed in a morning strike on the village of Bilzoerka, the regional prosecutors office said.

The presidential office said Thursday morning that at least eight civilians died in Russian attacks during the previous 24 hours.

Zelenskyy also met former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence who visited Kyiv. Pence, an advocate of U.S. support to Ukraine, is running for the 2024 Republican nomination for president.

We appreciate that both major U.S. parties, the Republican and Democratic, remain united in their support for Ukraine. And, of course, we feel the strong support of the people of the United States, Zelenskyy told Pence, according to the presidential website.

The working group on the environment includes Thunberg, former Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Margot Wallstrom, European Parliament Vice President Heidi Hautala, and former Irish President Mary Robinson.

Zelenskyy said forming the group is a very important signal of supporting Ukraine. Its really important, we need your professional help.

Thunberg said Russian forces are deliberately targeting the environment and peoples livelihoods and homes. And therefore also destroying lives. Because this is after all a matter of people.

The objectives of the working group are evaluating the environmental damage resulting from the war, formulating mechanisms to hold Russia accountable, and undertaking efforts to restore Ukraines ecology.

In Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill met with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican envoy for seeking peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Kirill, a supporter of the war, said It is very important that the Christian communities of East and West take part in the process of reconciliation, according to video circulated by the Russian church.
Austrian police seize drugs and vast trove of weapons in a raid on a far-right biker gang

Austrian police seize drugs and vast trove of weapons in a raid on a far-right biker gang View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  Austrian authorities said Thursday they they have seized large amounts of drugs and a vast arsenal of firearms in a raid on a far-right biker gang tied to organized crime.

Public broadcaster ORF reported that police searched properties in Upper Austria and detained 10 people on suspicion of breaching firearms, narcotics and extremism laws.

Police seized grenade launchers, about 35 rifles, 25 submachine guns, 100 pistols and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition during Mondays raids, ORF reported.

They also confiscated Nazi paraphernalia such as swastika flags, military uniforms and helmets, as well as 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocaine and 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of cannabis.

Officials said the suspects were members of a branch of the Bandidos biker club that has been trying to gain a foothold in Austria. Tabloid daily Krone reported that the raids were sparked by investigations resulting from the 2022 discovery of firearms and ammunition in a vehicle belonging to a German man.
Anti-gang community defense activist Hipolito Mora slain in Mexico View Photo

MEXICO CITY (AP)  The leader of an armed civilian movement that once drove a drug cartel out of the western Mexico state of Michoacan has been killed, authorities confirmed Thursday.

Tributes quickly rolled in for slain self defense leader Hipolito Mora. He was one of the last surviving leaders of Michoacans armed vigilante movement, in which farmers and ranchers banded together to expel the Knights Templar cartel from the state between 2013 and 2014.

Mora was one of the few fighters to reman in his hometown after the struggle, tending to his lime groves. But Mora complained in recent years that many vigilante forces were later infiltrated by the cartels and that gang violence was worse than ever.

He was a man who could not be corrupted, a natural leader, an authentic voice, said Rev. Gregorio Lopez, a Roman Catholic priest who accompanied and participated in the self-defense movement of that time. All the leaders of the movement were in constant danger, and Lopez was known for wearing a flak vest while celebrating Mass.

Because of the dangers and threats Mora faced  a son was killed by a drug gang in 2014  he normally traveled in an SUV with bulletproofing, along with a small guard detail, some of them former vigilantes who had been hired as police officers.

The Michoacan state prosecutors office said unidentified gunmen cut off Moras vehicle and his bodyguards pickup on a street in his hometown of La Ruana. They opened fire, riddling Moras vehicle with bullets, and then set it afire, the office said.

Three other men, believed to be members of his security detail, were also killed. Prosecutors said one of the four corpses matched Moras description.

Gov. Alfredo Ramirez wrote in his social media accounts that we deeply regret the cowardly killing of Hipolito Mora, adding: We will get to the bottom of what happened and justice will be done.

Guillermo Valencia, a leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party in Michoacan, said in a statement that Mora was a man who deserved to be in the history books, not killed the way he was. He never ceased in the struggle, Valencia said.

In 2022, Mora told The Associated Press that the situation in Michoacan had become worse than when he led farmers from his hometown in the fight to expel the Knights Templar cartel in 2013. That cartel was largely disbanded, but it was replaced by the Viagras cartel, also known as Carteles Unidos, which has gone on to kidnap, kill and extort money from farmers and businesses.

In terms of safety, we are worse than ever, Mora said in 2022 following a meeting with senior government officials in Mexico City to demand more protection for Michoacan.

He complained the federal government had been fighting an incursion by the Jalisco cartel into the state, but had done little to combat the homegrown cartels.

They have to fight all the cartels, not just one, Mora said.

Moras criticism was spot on, noted Falko Ernst, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, who said the governments strategy has been to team up with the Carteles Unidos and push the Jalisco Cartel offensive back.

Such a short-term strategy  one pursued by successive state and federal administrations  has not brought peace to Michoacan, and Moras slaying is an illustration of that, Ernst said.

That Hipolito has been under threat for this long, and has been so publicly a number of times like a stone in the shoe of successive governments, that he would perish now, so long after the original uprising, just underlines how acute the actual situation still is, Ernest said.

The first time journalists from AP interviewed Mora in 2013, he and his followers in La Ruana had been cut off from the outside world by Knights Templar gunmen.

Tired of the gangs kidnappings, threats and demands for protection payments, along with it decreeing when farmers could harvest theirs limes, who they could sell them to and what price they would get, townspeople rose up in arms.

Mora led a vigilante force in erecting improvised stone barricades and hanging banners on roads into town reading S.O.S., Women and Children in Danger!

After the vigilantes had held off the cartel alone for months, Mexican troops finally rolled in to rescue them. Mora led a rousing cheer, shouting: This war has been won!

That hope was dashed. Mora was even jailed briefly by the government, and he later ran unsuccessfully for congress and the governorship. He often talked about the sense he knew he might die, but never betray the movement.

Moras last Facebook post came the day before he was killed, showing he had returned to his farm. It included a photo of him and a friend standing in a lime orchard.

Im taking care of my own business. I like the countryside, Mora wrote.

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ and MARK STEVENSON

Associated Press
Hot temperatures on horizon View Photo

Sonora, CA  Local officials are encouraging everyone to take precautions over the coming days as temperatures will be reaching triple digits in many areas.

Temperatures are expected to range between 100-105 degrees in the lower foothills on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and up to 110 in the Central Valley.

Saturday is anticipated to be the hottest day.

Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services has released the information below about public spaces available to take a break from the heat:

Tuolumne County Main Library 480 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370 will be open this week

with normal hours Monday-Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday 10 am- 6pm

with normal hours Monday-Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday 10 am- 6pm Tuolumne Branch Library 18636 Main Street, Tuolumne, CA 95379 will be open this week

with normal hours Tuesday-Thursday 2pm-6pm and Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm

with normal hours Tuesday-Thursday 2pm-6pm and Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm Twain Harte Branch Library 18701 Tiffeni Drive #F1, Twain Harte, CA 95383 will be open this

week with normal hours Tuesday-Thursday 2pm-6pm and Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm

week with normal hours Tuesday-Thursday 2pm-6pm and Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm Groveland Branch Library 18990 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321 will be open this week

with normal hours Tuesday-Thursday 12pm-6pm and Friday-Saturday 10am-2pm

Transportation

For those who need transportation to the Tuolumne County library during hours of operation, please contact

Tuolumne County Transit at 209-532-0404.

Animal Control

Should you need a cooling facility for pets, the Animal Control center is available by calling

(209) 694-2730.

Tuolumne County OES and Tuolumne County Public Health would like to remind individuals to:

Wear appropriate clothing during hot weather, especially for children.

Drink plenty of water and replenish electrolytes.

Stay cool and indoors if possible. Avoid being outdoors during the hottest parts of the day (10am-6pm).

Consider canceling outdoor activities during the heat of the day.

Wear a hat and use sunscreen if you plan to be outside.

Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing.

Pace yourself when working or exercising in hot weather and take regular breaks in the shade.

Check in with your friends and neighbors who may need assistance.

Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstance.

Practice vehicle safety, secure chains, no dragging parts and check tire pressure to prevent sparks.

If you choose to recreate in local waterways, remember that the runoff is still high and cold. Please use

caution, avoid high runoff areas, and use a life jacket.

Calaveras County Cooling Zones:

Calaveras Health Officer, Dr. Rene Ramirez is encouraging everyone to stay in a cool air-conditioned space during the peak heat times this coming weekend. He says, Be sure to pay attention to warning signs of heat-related illnesses, such as heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting, paleness, tiredness, or dizziness. Common heat-related illnesses include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, cramps, sunburn, and rash, and can lead to death. Heat-related illnesses and death are preventable.

Dr. Ramirez notes that cooling zones will be open on Saturday at two locations for those needing a break from the heat.
Australian prosecutor says former Israeli principal feigned mental illness to avoid extradition View Photo

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  A former principal of an Australian Jewish school feigned mental illness in a seven-year battle to avoid extradition on child sex abuse charges, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Malka Leifer fought her extradition in Jerusalem courts from 2014 until 2021, when she was flown from Israel with her ankles and wrists shackled.

Leifer appeared Thursday in the Victoria state County Court for the second day of a sentencing hearing after she was convicted in April of sexually abusing two students between 2003 and 2007 while she was principal of Melbournes ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School for girls.

Prosecutor Justin Lewis told Judge Mark Gamble that Leifer deserved less credit in her sentence for time she spent in custody and under house arrest in her native Israel because she had improperly frustrated and delayed the extradition proceedings.

The District Court of Jerusalem ruled she was fit to stand trial and had been pretending to be mentally ill in order to avoid extradition, he said, and three judges of the Supreme Court of Israel unanimously agreed she could be prosecuted.

Two psychiatrists appointed by the Jerusalem District Psychiatrist reported to the District Court in February 2018 that Leifer did not suffer from a mental illness in the legal sense and was feigning her psychiatric condition in order to prevent her extradition to Australia.

A second assessment, which included a third psychiatrist appointed by the Jerusalem District Psychiatrist, also concluded that Leifer was feigning mental illness.

The District Court then ordered the Tel Aviv District Psychiatrist to appoint a panel of experts to assess her. That panel unanimously concluded in January 2020 that she was mentally fit to stand trial and that she had unquestionably been feigning her inability to function and comprehend her situation, Lewis said.

Before any legal hearing, some psychiatric experts and Leifers lawyers said she experienced a psychotic breakdown, and her hospitalizations were almost always a few days before her case was due in court.

Three panels of psychiatrists conclude that the accused is feigning mental illness in circumstances where the mental illness essentially constitutes some sort of allergy to the legal proceedings themselves, Lewis said. The proceeding had been extended by the acts of the accused in feigning mental illness for that very purpose.

Gamble adjourned the sentencing hearing to a third day. The date has yet to be decided.

He said he had yet to read documents in both sides submissions, including Israeli court records. He was also awaiting an affidavit from Leifers lawyer in Israel about the conditions of her home detention there.

Leifer spent 608 days in home detention and 51 days in custody in Israel before her extradition after a legal battle that strained relations between the Australian and Israeli governments while antagonizing Australias Jewish community.

Leifer, who was born in Tel Aviv, came to Australia in 2000 as the schools head of religion and became principal the following year.

She returned to Israel in 2008 as allegations against her first emerged.

Sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper told the court Wednesday that being sexually abused by Leifer broke their ability to trust and was painful to remember.

The Associated Press does not usually identify victims of sexual abuse, but the sisters have chosen to identify themselves in the media.

Leifer watched proceedings via a video link from a maximum security womens prison in Melbourne.

She is convicted of six charges of rape, each carrying up to 25 years in prison. She was convicted of three charges of sexual penetration of a child, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence, and six charges of indecent assault, which also carries a 10-year sentence. She was convicted of three charges of committing an indecent act with a child, which is punishable by 5 years in prison. There are no minimum sentences.

By ROD McGUIRK

Associated Press
Protesters briefly storm the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest over Quran burning

Protesters briefly storm the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest over Quran burning View Photo

BAGHDAD (AP)  Hundreds of followers of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr briefly stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday in protest of the burning of a Quran in Sweden.

An Iraqi security official said the Swedish Embassy was evacuated by security forces after the protesters breached the building, raising pictures of Sadr and flags of his militia, the Mahdi Army. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak to the media.

Some of the protesters also burned rainbow flags, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.

Iraqi officials didnt make any public statement on the storming of the embassy.

On Wednesday, a man who identified himself in Swedish media as a refugee from Iraq burned a Quran outside a mosque in central Stockholm.

The Iraqi security official said the man was an Iraqi Christian who had previously fought in a Christian unit of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of mostly Shiite militias that were incorporated into the countrys armed forces in 2016.

Police authorized the protest, citing freedom of speech, after a previous decision to ban a similar protest was overturned by a Swedish court.

The act, coming during the Eid al-Adha holiday, drew widespread condemnation in the Muslim world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday suggested that the incident would pose another obstacle to Swedens bid for NATO membership.

Sadr posted a message Thursday to his Twitter followers, calling on them to protest at the Swedish Embassy. He asked them to demand the expulsion of Swedens ambassador to Iraq and for the man who burned the Quran to be prosecuted in absentia and have his nationality withdrawn.

The cleric has called for another protest to be held in front of the embassy on Friday.

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it had summoned the Swedish ambassador and called on Swedens government to take the necessary measures to stop the repeated insults to the Holy Quran. The ministry also called on Sweden to extradite the man who had burned the Quran for prosecution in Iraq.

Legal justifications and freedom of expression do not justify allowing offense to religious sanctities, the statement said.

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ALI JABAR

Associated Press
To hear the regions top Democrats tell it, the partys victories on primary day in four key Buffalo Common Council races established that Buffalo is a city of moderate Democrats who have once again rejected the more left-leaning message of progressive challengers.

Voters want people who are more centrists, who understand the value of working together, said Mayor Byron W. Brown. They dont want angry people whose positions could divide our community.

But the insurgents say they went up against a political machine that took decades to build and will take years to defeat. And while they are disappointed by Tuesdays results, they say theyll regroup and continue on their quest to influence politics in Buffalo.

Were getting smarter, said Matt Dearing, who lost the race for the Ellicott District seat on the Common Council to Assembly staffer Leah Halton-Pope. Were figuring things out. Were poking the bear at least. You have to start somewhere. You have to land some punches. That doesnt mean youre going to win the fight.

Political observers note that Buffalo Democrats in many ways have always differed from those in New York City. The political beliefs of many Western New Yorkers traditionally stemmed from their religious or ethnic backgrounds and their status as union members. They tended to be fiscally conservative and more moderate on social issues than, say, many big-city liberals.

A lot of times these challengers are screaming on social media into the void and are not plugged into the reality of day-to-day governing, said Erie County Democratic Committee Chairman Jeremy Zellner. And you see that reflected in the votes. It wasnt close.

In the marquee council race in the Masten District, endorsed Democrat Zeneta Everhart trounced progressive star India Walton, 67% to 32%.

In the Ellicott District, Halton-Pope, who had the support of Brown and Common Council President Rev. Darius Pridgen, won with 46% of the vote, while Cedric Holloway had 27%, Dearing got 17% and Emin Eddie Egriu got 9%.

Two incumbent council members  Joseph Golombek Jr. in the North District and Rasheed Wyatt in University  received 70% and 66%, respectively, over their progressive challengers, one of whom worked on Waltons mayoral campaign two years ago.

All those people that organize (and say), Were not happy, woe is us, things are terrible, weve got turn the system on its head, not only did they lose but they lost in landslides, Brown said.

Zellner believes progressive candidates like Walton make a lot of noise online with policy proposals and criticism of the political establishment. But they didnt do the hard work to get into office, he said.

I think that you see candidates that are out knocking on doors, following lists of people who vote and who are involved, and doing the work that it takes to get elected, he said. I think maybe their goal is to be loud and to go out and try to influence the debate, but at the end of the day, theyre not doing a very good job of it.

Progressive candidates did raise significant funds, but not as much as their opponents, campaign filings show.

Walton raised $31,316 for her Masten District run. Everhart raised $78,248.

Halton-Pope raised $65,743 for her Ellicott District run. Dearing raised $7,925.

Dearing said resources were a factor in getting his message out to voters.

I couldnt get volunteer help. Everybody was split between so many campaigns, Dearing said. I think I was the best candidate. I didnt run the best campaign. But at the same time, I was up against two very well-oiled political machines.

Those machines, he and other progressives said, know how to get their voters to the polls in a way that first-time or inexperienced candidates typically dont.

I think people want something different, but the people who turn out are the people who turn out every time, he said. I dont know how you beat that, man. I dont know. But I had to try.

Brown rejected the notion that progressive candidates won the contest of ideas but simply couldnt get their voters motivated.

You have to get people excited about your message, inspired by your message, and for them to say that when they were so braggadocios before, when they had so much to say before, is clearly sour grapes, the mayor said.

Zellner suggested the Democratic Party, which supported Walton in 2021 after she beat Brown in a Democratic mayoral primary and which heard her argument for the Masten endorsement this year, was ready to move on from progressive candidates.

Weve turned the page, he said. Were always open for folks to be involved to come and help elect Democrats. But they dont seem to want to do that. They want to seem to build their own thing. And I think last night ... weve officially separated.

Those on the left say they have no plans to disappear from the political scene. Brian Nowak, for instance, is a progressive candidate who organized locally for Bernie Sanders presidential run and will be the Democratic nominee for Cheektowaga supervisor in November.

Our City Action Buffalo, a local political action group that endorsed three progressive candidates, said in a statement that the campaigns demonstrate the need for ongoing progressive organizing.

While our three endorsed candidates did not win their races, it would be a lie to say that they did not win major victories that help to propel our larger movement forward, said executive director Harper Bishop.

Walton, who did not respond to an interview request, said during her concession speech Tuesday that she and other progressives were playing the long game.

The political establishment in Buffalo is centuries old, and weve been organizing in Buffalo for almost three years, Walton said. So we have some catching up to do.
Wall Street execs host Biden fundraisers as president closes out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  President Joe Biden closed out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz Thursday with a pair of Manhattan fundraisers hosted by Wall Street power brokers, a funding push designed to put Biden on strong financial footing for a 2024 White House contest expected to set spending records.

The pair of evening events are Bidens ninth and 10th fundraising receptions of the past two weeks, numbers matched by Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The Biden campaign has been mum before the July 15 reporting date about how much he has raised at the often freewheeling gatherings but is confident about the size.

The reason Im standing here is in large part because of you all, Biden said to a small crowd gathered in a high rise overlooking Central Park. Im not the essential man, but I represent the essential country.

The president is also marshaling the whole of the Democratic Party to dial for dollars, enlisting help from Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois as well as former President Barack Obama, among others.

Obama is featured in a new campaign video to encourage small-dollar online donations before Fridays donation deadline. Biden allies insist that despite polls showing lagging enthusiasm among the Democratic base for the 80-year-old president, his party is solidly behind him.

Ive been doing this for a really long time for a number of presidents and presidential candidates, said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul, major Democratic donor and co-chair of Bidens campaign. Ive never seen from top to bottom, the Democratic enterprise kick into gear this way, from President Obama, governors, senators, congressmen, just across the board  hes gotten outstanding support.

Aides say they are trying to motivate donors, especially small-dollar contributors, to dig deeper early on.

The recent blitz was also a function of Bidens official duties, Katzenberg said, adding that his first, second and third job is to run the country. Biden had foreign trips in April and May, and the weekslong showdown over raising the nations debt limit kept him in Washington. He is set to travel to Europe next month, giving the campaign a narrow window before the historically slow summer season to fit in donor events.

While the first quarter is widely viewed as a benchmark of campaign strength, Katzenberg said there is no urgency right now for Biden to raise or spend vast sums because he lacks a credible primary threat and the election is 16 months away. Still, Biden is aiming to make a statement with the early totals.

Katzenberg said there were very optimistic signals for the Biden campaigns ability to comfortably exceed its 2020 fundraising levels, including strong numbers of first-time Biden donors. Other campaign aides and allies have grown more bullish about the soon-to-be-reported total.

The presidents fundraising events, closed to cameras and with limited media access, feature a far less guarded Biden than the public often sees. He sometimes uses them to test a new campaign line or dish out more candid remarks than in formal events.

On Thursday, he started as he often does, behind the lectern then shifting to a preferred handheld microphone. He talked about his climate agenda, leaning on the lectern as he talked about how hes brought both unions and environmentalists together to talk about climate change.

Did you ever think that would happen? he asked.

Other times, he roams the room and speaks more directly to guests. And he makes a personal nod to the hosts. On Thursday, he talked a lot about climate change  his host, Mark Gallogly, is a former hedge fund investor and climate activist.

During a May fundraiser at the New York home of Greek American shipping magnate George Logothetis, Biden noted that the lessons he learned from his family as a child werent any different than if my mom had been Bidenopoulos instead of Finnegan.

Though his aides make it a point not to engage with prospective 2024 opponents, Biden often does not shy away at these events from criticizing the Republican candidates, from Donald Trump on down.

Ive been stunned at the damage done by the last administration to us internationally and globally. I mean, Ive been stunned how deep it goes, Biden said Tuesday evening in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

And this veiled reference to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a fundraiser in Greenwich, Connecticut: Did you ever think youd go through a time when the No. 2 contender on another team was banning books?

In New York, he criticized Republicans who voted against his spending bills, then tout the projects to constituents. When a baby squealed while Biden was talking about Republicans to Chicago donors Wednesday, the president said, I dont blame you, kiddo.

Bidens sometimes rambling remarks are full of anecdotes about his lengthy time in public office, peppered with references to issues such as tougher gun restrictions and abortion rights that animate Democrats. In more intimate settings, where cameras are barred, the president can open up. For example, he made a rare reference to his personal views on abortion when speaking about the issue at a separate Chevy Chase fundraiser on Tuesday.

Im a practicing Catholic, Biden said. Im not big on abortion, but guess what? Roe vs. Wade got it right. At the same event, he misspoke when talking about the Ukraine war, referring instead to Iraq.

At a fundraiser last week, Biden caused a diplomatic dust-up after calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator  a comment coming hours after Secretary of State Antony Blinken had met Xi as part of a bid to thaw tensions between the countries. Biden insisted his remark would not affect that relationship.

He wants to shake every hand and chat with everyone, Katzenberg said. When theres something that is on his mind, hell say it  and you know, thats what makes him authentic.

Sometimes his fundraisers seem to prove his argument that the U.S. economy has been favoring the wealthy. His second New York venue on Thursday was a swank space called The Pool, where the guests sat on velvet seats and were served specialty donuts with gold leaf. Biden attended events in San Francisco near homes whose Zillow price listings were about four times higher than an average U.S. workers lifetime earnings.

Mr. President, trust me, this is a fancy crowd, Newsom said to polite laughter at one event. I know these folks.

Biden tries to draw connections to a blue-collar past, even as he touches on big-picture issues such as climate change, relations with China and the fate of democracy.

How many of you are from smaller Midwestern towns? he asked. You know what happened when the factory closes. The soul of the community is lost. Not a joke.

Breaking with the level of transparency followed by the Obama campaign when Biden was vice president, Bidens campaign does not share the total amount raised from any individual event.

Those numbers will be shared when the campaign submits its filing to the Federal Election Commission in July, campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said.

We are encouraged by the strong response we are seeing from donors and our grassroots supporters, including a significant number of new donors since 2020, he said in a statement.

___

Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Seung Min Kim and Josh Boak contributed to this report.

By ZEKE MILLER

AP White House Correspondent
A court in Ugandas Makindye division has ordered the administrator of a WhatsApp group to reinstate a member who was ejected from the group.

According to the Daily Monitor, Herbert Baitwababo challenged his removal from the Buyanja My Roots WhatsApp group by its administrator, Allan Asinguza, in court. Baitwababo argued that the group was formed to contribute to charitable works, offer condolences and support to people in the area, and each member was required to pay a membership fee of Sh.30,000.

When Baitwababo asked Asinguza about the process for managing the groups affairs and accountability for funds collected since 2017, he was removed from the group.

The court ruled that Baitwababos removal infringed on his right and freedom of association and ordered the administrator to reinstate him and issued a permanent injunction against further infringements.

Breaking News via Email
Yves here. I must confess to turning my gaze away from the UK and the Emerald Isle, with the Ukraine War, US continued escalation with China, and shifting global tectonic plates consuming a lot of bandwidth. But unless polls changes markedly between now and the general election, Sinn Fein looks set to win the general election in Norther Ireland, which Adam Ramsay predicts will set off the unification of Ireland.

Ramsay explains why this isnt as big a stretch as it seems. The biggie is, by a lot of measures, Northern Ireland in worse economic and social shape than the Republic of Ireland. But that problem cuts the other way. Northern Ireland has depended on subsidies from the UK. Unification would seem destined to lower standards of living in what is now the Republic unless its leaders have some very good ideas about how to boost commercial activity in Northern Ireland. Remember how the integration of Eastern Germany into West Germany dragged down growth, and wage suppression became the policy remedy. Some contend that the lack of a NHS in Ireland is a big impediment to unification.

By Adam Ramsay, openDemocracys special correspondent. You can follow him at @adamramsay. Adam is a member of the Scottish Green Party, sits on the board of Voices for Scotland and advisory committees for the Economic Change Unit and the journal Soundings. Originally published at openDemocracy

If the British state is under the impression that the SNPs crisis has stalled the movement to break up the UK, then its not paying attention to whats happening across the Irish Sea. When Sinn Fein wins the next general election in the Republic  which polls say it almost certainly will  it will have two items on its to-do list.

Tame Irish capitalism. 2) Unite Ireland.

The need for the former is driving the partys popularity. The latter will panic the British state. For the first time in modern history, the UK will have on its border a government intent on breaking it up. The SNP runs Scotland from within a constitutional system controlled by Westminster and without international representation. Sinn Fein will have no such restrictions.

Even the fact of the partys victory will be extraordinary, likely triggering a screech of English nationalism.

And Sinn Fein leading the Republic of Ireland will likely coincide with Sinn Fein leading Northern Ireland. If the Northern Irish Assembly has reconvened by then, the partys leader will be the taoiseach in the south, and its deputy leader the first minister in the north  in a sense, a form of de-facto unity.

You just have to say it out loud to begin to see the implications, says Colin Harvey, a law professor at Queens University in Belfast and a board member of Irelands Future, a non-profit that campaigns for unification. You increasingly hear people talk about a referendum [on Irish unity] happening this decade.

In the Republic

For a hundred years, Sinn Fein in the Republic of Ireland was a historical curiosity. Both of Irelands traditional main parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, emerged as splits from it during the civil war of the 1920s, but since then, the parent party itself has barely registered, its political support inhibited by its association with the IRA.

In the 1997 Irish general election, Sinn Fein got 2.5% of the vote share  the partys best result since 1961. In 2016, it breached 10% for the first time in 90 years. In 2020, led by Mary Lou McDonald, it came first in the popular vote, with 25%, but she was excluded from power by an alliance between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Since then, her partys support has surged above 30% in the polls, consistently leading its rivals by more than 10%. The next election is due by January 2025, and its extremely likely that McDonald will become taoiseach.

The partys growth is largely because it is left-wing. As property prices have surged back since the 2008 crash, younger people have been pushed out of the housing market. Homelessness rates are rising. And Ireland still doesnt have proper universal healthcare, despite long-standing promises from all parties. In the 2020 elections, voters listed healthcare and housing as their most important issues, followed by the economy and climate change. Reunification of Ireland didnt feature.

The opening section of Sinn Feins manifesto that year was clear: Sinn Fein is a United Ireland party. Our core political objective is to achieve Irish Unity. But the party largely won over millennial and Gen Z voters by promising the biggest council-led house-building programme this state has ever seen, rent rebates, mortgage caps and, crucially, an Irish NHS.

Most citizens of the Republic are in favour of a united Ireland, but its not a priority  for now. Just as progressive Scottish voters in 2007 and 2011 backed the SNP primarily to oppose Labours rightward drift but came to embrace the constitutional consequences of doing so, so Sinn Feins new voters in Ireland arent supporting them in order to create a constitutional crisis in Britain. Thats just going to be an added bonus.

Northern Ireland

In the North, The Good Friday Agreement is a beached whale: magnificent, stuck, probably dying. It achieved its main aim. The civil war ended. The peace may be incomplete, but its held firm. Civil war is unlikely to return.

But the era of Northern Irish politics that began with that peace deal 25 years ago has come to an end. The institutions it created  the Assembly and the Northern Irish executive, the North/South ministerial council  have mostly been suspended for the past five years.

Political Protestants, who traditionally identify as British and are used to dominating, already had difficulty swallowing a settlement that left them the first among equals, the biggest minority in a power-sharing arrangement. Now theyve been relegated to second place behind the cultural Catholics  who normally think of themselves as Irish  both in raw numbers, according to the 2021 census, and politically, in the form of Sinn Fein election victories. The result is that the political protestants largest party, the DUP, wont even sit at the table.

The local elections in May brought the most extraordinary sign of change. While Unionists could put Sinn Feins Assembly success last year down to a three-way split in their own vote, this time, the combined vote for nationalist parties was bigger than the unionists. Sinn Fein won its first councillors deep in Loyalist country.

Mostly, this success has come from winning over culturally Catholic women. Polling in 2019 showed men were around 10% more likely to vote for Sinn Fein  perhaps because women were put off by the partys macho image and association with historic paramilitary violence. But while male support has stayed steady since then, female support has shot up over the last year, to the point that women are now around 10% more likely than men to back the party.

But there seems to be something more subtle going on, too. Much of the unionist demise has come from falling turnout among Protestants. For years now, unionist voters I have interviewed have been angry at the DUP over a string of corruption allegations, its failure to stand up to austerity and, for some, its conservative social policies. But they would still show up and vote for them out of fear of a Sinn Fein victory. Now they arent bothering.

So while Sinn Fein leader in the north Michelle ONeills efforts to cosy up to unionist communities  attending the coronation, for example  hasnt persuaded them to vote for her, it seems to have made it harder for the DUP to scare them into turning out to vote against her.

There are other factors making Irish unity look more appealing, too. With the DUP refusing to allow Northern Irelands government to form under a Sinn Fein first minister, the Conservative Northern Irish secretary in Westminster has taken control of finances, setting what many are calling a punishment budget. As one contact  whose job in Northern Irish politics means they must stay anonymous  put it: While that wont motivate [DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson] back into power, it will move us closer to multi-service collapse.

Thanks to staff shortages, an additional 200 special educational needs classes are needed in Northern Ireland by September to meet demand. Better pay and conditions for doctors means NHS Northern Ireland is facing an exodus of staff to the Republic. Even before the pandemic, Northern Irish patients were around 3,000 times more likely to wait more than a year to see a consultant than those in England. In March this year, the BMA warned that Northern Irelands health service is collapsing.

Across the border, the situation looks different.

Ireland is engulfed in a housing crisis, but its homelessness rates are far lower than the UKs, with five times fewer people experiencing homelessness than in Northern Ireland, despite it having almost three times the population. Englands homelessness rate is also more than twice Irelands. In Ireland, the housing crisis is driven by the fact that the average house price has risen to around five times the average wage; in the UK, its seven times.

In the UK, 3.6 babies in every 1,000 live births die within the first year of life; in Ireland, its 2.6. The average Irish person now lives more than two years longer than the average British person and has had nearly three more years of education.

And while both the UK and Ireland have dangerously unfettered capitalisms, Irelands is much more successful. Its raw GDP per capita is more than twice the UKs. (Though to be fair, Irelands figure is puffed up by multinationals registering there for tax reasons, while British equivalents are often in its overseas territories, so not its figure. Per capita Gross National Income figures strip out that fluff, and leave Ireland just 50% richer than the UK.) Average wages are about the same, but Ireland is significantly more equal, with better welfare support.

It is, as Brendan OLeary, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says to me, much, much better to be poor in the Republic of Ireland than it is to be poor in the United Kingdom.

And the capsize of the Catholic Church in the 2010s in the wake of a string of scandals, followed by the magnificent referendums on abortion rights and marriage equality, has meant Ireland started appearing less and less like a bigoted backwater. In 1991, 92% of Irish people identified as Catholic. By 2011, it was 84%. In 2016, 79%. By 2022, 69%. Its influence has fallen even further. Homosexuality was illegal in Ireland until 1993. Now, the country has a gay Taoiseach.

In Northern Ireland, the result of all this has been a remarkable change in attitudes towards a United Ireland.

In June 2013, just 3.8% of people in Northern Ireland told pollsters theyd vote for a United Ireland now. Interviewing people across Belfast around that time, huge numbers told me that, though they thought of themselves as Irish nationalists, they would actually vote against unification to keep the NHS and Britains welfare state. That was before Brexit and a decade of austerity.

More recent polls tend to show support for unity between 30% and 40%, with around 50% opposing and the rest undecided.

Shifting Demographics

The Good Friday Agreement requires the British secretary of state for Northern Ireland to call a referendum if it appears likely that most people would back a United Ireland. For those who support reunification, there is still work to do to pass that hurdle  particularly in reaching the two groups that seem open to the idea.

The first is those OLeary, who leads research into public opinion for the ARINS programme (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South), describes as the wobblies  that is, those who tell researchers that theyve changed their mind on the question more than once. These people are largely older cultural Catholics, he says. Theyd want to see the model that was specifically on offer. Theyre probably more concerned about the potentially unsettling effects of unification on their welfare and their lifestyle.
Yves here. The original headline at KFF Health News, When Will the Doctor See You? underplays the severity of the hollowing out of US health care. KFF has been writing from time to time of the shortfall in US primary care practitioners, with a recent piece on how rural communities entirely without a generalist MD are being served by osteopaths. Mind you, osteopaths have many of the skills of regular doctors, but they are less likely to have a good network for specialist referrals, particularly at tertiary care hospitals.

This article starts with how difficult it is to get good primary care doctors, and how many patients are losing them due to their former MD going to a concierge practice, or having their practice acquired by a bigger group (which means the patient is no longer assured of getting that doctor), or of being relegated to a nurse practitioner.

Now if you are young and/or basically healthy, this sort of downgrading of service might not seem so terrible. But the placebo effect is powerful in medicine. A revolving door of medical staffers will not engender patient trust and could also cause confusion (different doctors might use different language to describe the same condition). Trading trust for profits will lead to worse outcomes on average.

In addition to psychology, theres considerable diagnostic value in having one person see the same patient over time. He will know if the patient over-reports or under-reports the seriousness of issues. Hell learn if the patient really takes good care of himself (claims are often exaggerated). He will be in a position to recognize subtler symptoms, like irritability or loss of muscle mass or skin elasticity that could point to ailments.

By Julie Appleby, KFF Health News Senior Correspondent, who previously spent 10 years covering the health industry and policy at USA Today and also worked at the San Francisco Chronicle and the Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek, California and Michelle Andrews is a contributing writer and former columnist for KFF Health News and whose work has appeared frequently in The New York Times, and also in Money, Fortune Small Business, National Geographic and Womens Health magazines, among others. Originally published at KFF Health News

Lucia Agajanian, a 25-year-old freelance film producer in Chicago, doesnt have a specific primary care doctor, preferring the convenience of visiting a local clinic for flu shots or going online for video visits. You say what you need, and theres a 15-minute wait time, she said, explaining how her appointments usually work. I really liked that.

But Olga Lucia Torres, a 52-year-old who teaches narrative medicine classes at Columbia University in New York, misses her longtime primary care doctor, who kept tabs for two decades on her conditions, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and made sure she was up to date on vaccines and screening tests. Two years ago, Torres received a letter informing her that he was changing to a boutique practice and would charge a retainer fee of $10,000 for her to stay on as a patient.

I felt really sad and abandoned, Torres said. This was my PCP. I was like, Dude, I thought we were in this together!

The two women reflect an ongoing reality: The primary care landscape is changing in ways that could shape patients access and quality of care now and for decades to come. A solid and enduring relationship with a primary care doctor  who knows a patients history and can monitor new problems  has long been regarded as the bedrock of a quality health care system. But investment in primary care in the U.S. lags that of other high-income countries, and America has a smaller share of primary care physicians than most of its European counterparts.

An estimated one-third of all physicians in the U.S. are primary care doctors  who include family medicine physicians, general internists, and pediatricians  according to the Robert Graham Center, a research and analysis organization that studies primary care. Other researchers say the numbers are lower, with the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker reporting only 12% of U.S. doctors are generalists, compared with 23% in Germany and as many as 45% in the Netherlands.

That means its often hard to find a doctor and make an appointment thats not weeks or months away.

This is a problem that has been simmering and now beginning to erupt in some communities at a boil. Its hard to find that front door of the health system, said Ann Greiner, president and CEO of the Primary Care Collaborative, a nonprofit membership organization.

Today, a smaller percentage of physicians are entering the field than are practicing, suggesting that shortages will worsen over time.

Interest has waned partly because, in the U.S., primary care yields lower salaries than other medical and surgical specialties.

Some doctors now in practice also say they are burned out, facing cumbersome electronic health record systems and limits on appointment times, making it harder to get to know a patient and establish a relationship.

Others are retiring or selling their practices. Hospitals, insurers like Aetna-CVS Health, and other corporate entities like Amazon are on a buying spree, snapping up primary care practices, furthering a move away from the Marcus Welby, M.D.-style neighborhood doctor. About 48% of primary care physicians currently work in practices they do not own. Two-thirds of those doctors dont work for other physicians but are employed by private equity investors or other corporate entities, according to data in the Primary Care Chartbook, which is collected and published by the Graham Center.

Patients who seek care at these offices may not be seen by the same doctor at every visit. Indeed, they may not be seen by a doctor at all but by a paraprofessional  a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant, for instance  who works under the doctors license. That trend has been accelerated by new state laws  as well as changes in Medicare policy  that loosen the requirements for physician supervisors and billing. And these jobs are expected to be among the decades fastest-growing in the health sector.

Overall, demand for primary care is up, spurred partly by record enrollment in Affordable Care Act plans. All those new patients, combined with the low supply of doctors, are contributing to a years-long downward trend in the number of people reporting they have a usual source of care, be it an individual doctor or a specific clinic or practice.

Researchers say that raises questions, including whether people cant find a primary care doctor, cant afford one, or simply no longer want an established relationship.

Is it poor access or problems with the supply of providers? Does it reflect a societal disconnection, a go-it-alone phenomenon? asked Christopher Koller, president of the Milbank Memorial Fund, a foundation whose nonpartisan analyses focus on state health policy.

For patients, frustrating wait times are one result. A recent survey by a physician staffing firm found it now takes an average of 21 days just to get in to see a doctor of family medicine, defined as a subgroup of primary care, which includes general internists and pediatricians. Those physicians are many patients first stop for health care. That runs counter to the trend in other countries, where patients complain of months- or years-long waits for elective procedures like hip replacements but generally experience short waits for primary care visits.

Another complication: All these factors are adding urgency to ongoing concerns about attracting new primary care physicians to the specialty.

When she was in medical school, Natalie A. Cameron said, she specifically chose primary care because she enjoyed forming relationships with patients and because Im specifically interested in prevention and womens health, and you do a lot of that in primary care. The 33-year-old is currently an instructor of medicine at Northwestern University, where she also sees patients at a primary care practice.

Still, she understands why many of her colleagues chose something else. For some, its the pay differential. For others, its because of primary cares reputation for involving a lot of care and paperwork and coordinating a lot of issues that may not just be medical, Cameron said.

The million-dollar question, then, is how much does having a usual source of care influence medical outcomes and cost? And for which kinds of patients is having a close relationship with a doctor important? While studies show that many young people value the convenience of visiting urgent care  especially when it takes so long to see a primary care doctor  will their long-term health suffer because of that strategy?

Many patients  particularly the young and generally healthy ones  shrug at the new normal, embracing alternatives that require less waiting. These options are particularly attractive to millennials, who tell focus groups that the convenience of a one-off video call or visit to a big-box store clinic trumps a long-standing relationship with a doctor, especially if they have to wait days, weeks, or longer for a traditional appointment.

The doctor I have is a family friend, but definitely I would take access and ease over a relationship, said Matt Degn, 24, who says it can take two to three months to book a routine appointment in Salt Lake City, where he lives.

Patients are increasingly turning to what are dubbed retail clinics, such as CVS Minute Clinics, which tout in-person and virtual care 7 days a week. CVS Healths more than 1,000 clinics inside stores across the U.S. treated more than 5 million people last year, Creagh Milford, a physician and the companys senior vice president of retail health, said in a written statement. He cited a recent study by a data products firm showing the use of retail clinics has grown 200% over the past five years.

Health policy experts say increased access to alternatives can be good, but forgoing an ongoing relationship to a regular provider is not, especially as people get older and are more likely to develop chronic conditions or other medical problems.

Theres a lot of data that show communities with a lot of primary care have better health, said Koller.

People with a regular primary care doctor or practice are more likely to get preventive care, such as cancer screenings or flu shots, studies show, and are less likely to die if they do suffer a heart attack.

Physicians who see patients regularly are better able to spot patterns of seemingly minor concerns that could add up to a serious health issue.

What happens when you go to four different providers on four platforms for urinary tract infections because, well, they are just UTIs, posed Yalda Jabbarpour, a family physician practicing in Washington, D.C., and the director of the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies. But actually, you have a large kidney stone thats causing your UTI or have some sort of immune deficiency like diabetes thats causing frequent UTIs. But no one tested you.

Most experts agree that figuring out how to coordinate care amid this changing landscape and make it more accessible without undermining quality  even when different doctors, locations, health systems, and electronic health records are involved  will be as complex as the pressures causing long waits and less interest in todays primary care market.

And experiences sometimes lead patients to change their minds.

Theres something to be said for establishing a relationship, said Agajanian, in Chicago. Shes rethinking her decision to cobble together care, rather than have a specific primary care doctor or clinic, following an injury at work last year that led to shoulder surgery.

As Im getting older, even though Im still young, she said, I have all these problems with my body, and it would be nice to have a consistent person who knows all my problems to talk with.

KFF Health News Colleen DeGuzman contributed to this report.
News Editorial BoardHas the progressive wave crested in Buffalo? Its a fair question as candidates from the left were walloped in Tuesdays primary elections for Common Council.

Exhibit A is in the Masten District, where India Walton  the Democratic candidate who overwhelmed Mayor Byron W. Brown in the 2021 primary  was routed by Zeneta Everhart. It was a dramatic turnaround unexplained by the low turnout that typically, and unfortunately, characterizes primary elections.

Without taking anything away from Everhart  a credible and focused candidate  its possible that the political popularity of the progressive left was exaggerated in that high-profile mayoral race, which Brown declined to take seriously  until he lost. Its a conclusion underscored by Browns dramatic November victory as a write-in candidate.

In addition, the political left was energized around the country that year, as the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman continued to reverberate. And, so, another question: Has that passion dissipated?

It wasnt just Walton who fell short for the left on Tuesday. In the Ellicott District, Leah Halton-Pope, a senior adviser to Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, defeated three other candidates, among them, former Assembly staffer Matt Dearing whom she bested by a 3-to-1 margin.

Its not over for Walton and Dearing, who will appear on the Working Families line in the general election, but Buffalos history of supporting Democrats doesnt bode well for their chances. What that history does suggest, though, is that for the first time in nine years, women will hold seats on the Common Council. Thats a healthy change.

Everharts performance in the primary suggests she will bring real passion to the job. Halton-Pope, despite her deep experience, remains something of a question mark, given the vagueness of her ideas during the campaign.

As Democratic Buffalo voters moved toward the center, something different happened in 10th District race for the Erie County Legislature. There, Conservative and Republican voters continued their march to the right. Lindsay Bratek-Lorigo won the Conservative Party primary and also claimed victory in the Republican contest, both against incumbent Jim Malczewski. Bratek-Lorigo is the daughter-in-law of Erie County Conservative Party Chairman Ralph Lorigo.

An insight to their campaigns: Bratek-Lorigo welcomed the endorsement of Carl Paladino, whose record of political extremism prompts many other Republicans to keep their distance. Meanwhile, she and Malczewski both called on the county to declare a preposterous state of emergency in a repugnant effort to keep asylum-seekers from stepping foot in Erie County. It was a sad moment for the good-hearted people of Western New York.

In Niagara Falls, meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Robert Restaino bested two other candidates in that citys Democratic primary, winning 45% of the vote. In an echo of Restainos infamous control issues, the former City Court judge  removed from office after inappropriately jailing 46 people over a ringing cellphone  placed his hand over the camera of a TV reporter who had the temerity to ask how he would rate his performance as mayor.

At least he didnt try to have him arrested. Call it an improvement.

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news and will launch later this year. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

On the campaign trail, there are few issues as reliable as crime.

If the crime rate rises in a city, its often used as an indictment of a sitting administration and provides easy talking points for opponents. If the crime rate falls, politicians of all shapes and sizes take some measure of credit, no matter the factors involved in the drop.

But at the heart of it, the enduring success of crime as a political issue is because it is primarily a matter of individual perception, particularly of personal safety. If the homicide rate for the city inches up, but youve never been touched by it, Nashville seems like a safe place. But for the victim of an assault, every broken streetlight can feel like a potential danger.

With that in mind, lets set aside things a mayor cant control  like much of the local news coverage of crime that often favors the dramatic, sensational or the specific but rarely digs into systemic issues  and look at the landscape of crime and what levers a mayor can pull.

Political strategies for reducing crime usually fall into three buckets: policing, prosecution and addressing underlying causes. The police department reports directly to the mayor  John Cooper chose Chief John Drake to replace a retiring Steve Anderson in 2020  and that line of accountability results in the most direct policies on crime reduction. The district attorney who prosecutes crimes is a state official, and voters gave Glenn Funk a second eight-year term in 2022. He and the mayor talk, but the DA is an independent actor.

By almost every measurable statistic, national violent and property crime rates have plunged since the early 1990s. This is true in Nashville, where the record for homicides was set in 1997 at 112. In 2020, Nashville broke that record with 113, but the city had added roughly 170,000 people in the interim, meaning the rate itself was actually lower. There were 105 last year. Will that bring solace to the families of homicide victims? Absolutely not, but it is a helpful perspective on the city for policymakers.

Crime doesnt affect the city uniformly, either. When you look at the most serious incidents tracked by law enforcement for the FBIs uniform crime report  murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson  there are more significant areas of concentration. In Metro, the breakdown of incidents by council district shows that District 19 (which includes downtown, Germantown and Salemtown) had the highest percentage of both violent and property offenses in 2022. Since its the most visited district in the city  by both tourists and locals  this is understandable, but so is the push by downtown residents for a more significant police presence. District 17 (12South, Wedgewood-Houston, Murfreesboro Pike and Edgehill) and District 2 (North Nashville, MetroCenter and Bordeaux) were the second-highest in a virtual tie. Districts 4 (Nippers Corner and points south) and 35 (Bellevue and points west) were the lowest.

Those statistics are also a measure of calls to the police, an imperfect metric as well. Multiple councilmembers say distrust of the police department means a certain portion of their constituents dont call when they see crime. Suspicion can come from different sources: Police misconduct, immigration status or disbelief that police will be effective were all reasons given.

Because police response can be a blunt tool, some cities, including Nashville, have begun to explore alternative methods, such as introducing mental health professionals when appropriate or using nonprofits as violence interrupters or to help alleviate addiction or poverty.

People talk about crime as if it is consistently going up, says Sekou Franklin, a political science professor at MTSU. Franklin cautions about seeking a single solution, like increasing the size of the police force, to a complex problem. There is no one empirically verifiable solution to solve the issue of crime. Most solutions are actually detached from addressing structural issues that fuel involvement in criminal activities  like poverty, the need for affordable housing, and chronic unemployment.

What has John Coopers administration done about crime?

Mayor Cooper has made fully staffing MNPD a priority  a goal that did not seem achievable just four years ago, says Cooper spokesperson T.J. Ducklo. In his term, Mayor Cooper will have added nearly 500 new police officers while increasing police pay 32 percent over four years.

First-year pay for police officers has risen from $49,000 four years ago to $65,000 in the current budget, and salaries for paramedics and firefighters have been raised 28 percent and 33 percent, respectively, during Coopers term.

Still, MNPD has suffered from some of the same problems as other Nashville institutions and businesses regarding staffing. Retirements, issues with retention and higher cost of living in the area mean that MNPD is about 200 officers short of being fully staffed. Any future mayor who wants to increase the number of sworn officers first has to fill that gap.

Other spending on first responders includes:

$11 million for a new Nashville Fire Department headquarters

81 new fire trucks

Two new helicopters

677 new vehicles and the addition of an overnight shift for servicing them

Body cameras and stun guns for all officers

Investments in crime analysis and evidence management

Cooper also introduced Partners in Care in 2021, a program that pairs mental health and police resources when responding to calls where people suffer a behavioral health crisis. The diversion process has meant that fewer than 4 percent of 1,800 calls resulted in an arrest.

Controversially, the administration pushed a license plate reader program through the Metro Council, despite concerns over data management and how it would be shared. A Cooper aide says that in four months of usage, the program has already assisted in solving more than 60 carjackings. Police officials said during the debate over the devices that LPRs would not be used for expired tags or other minor offenses.

What can the next mayor do?

A high priority is going to be fully staffing the police department. Its a part of the commercials, websites and rhetoric of virtually every candidate in the race. But what happens after that?

Partners in Care is a startup program that has been steadily rolling out, adding Midtown Hills as the fifth precinct with trained personnel in May. While the results have been promising, it will likely need further expansion to become a countywide operation on all shifts. A similar pilot plan, called REACH, points mental health professionals toward low-risk situations where a person is in crisis in an effort to free up ambulance services. But its scope is limited in days and personnel.

While several candidates have addressed school programming from the pre-K side, multiple councilmembers say more programming is needed for middle- and high-schoolers after the school day ends as a way to combat juvenile crime. MNPS currently partners with nonprofits for some of these, but there is room for expansion.

And on the trust side of the equation, the state effectively gutted community oversight boards of law enforcement in the most recent session. Nashvilles COB was added by public referendum in the wake of the police killing of Daniel Hambrick and is popular, so there will be some pressure for a mayor  who has direct oversight  to fill in those gaps.

On the record

We asked the eight mayoral candidates three questions about issues around crime and public safety. Their answers appear here, as the candidates wrote them, in alphabetical order.

Stolen guns are increasingly used in crime. Most guns are stolen from cars, something the police have called a crisis. What would your administration do to stop Nashvillians from leaving their guns in cars?

Heidi Campbell: My administration will work with MNPD to educate citizens on proper gun storage in the home and pursue new solutions that regulate gun storage in automobiles. The largest source of illegal firearms is guns being stolen from cars, and stemming this pathway of weapons for criminal activity will help address crime in Nashville. The state legislature has attempted to tie our hands on the issue through preemption laws, which not only prohibit local gun control regulations but also penalize elected officials who enact them. That will not stop my administration from exploring every option available, including new and innovative proposals that have yet to be tried.

We can start by establishing a Nashville Gun Violence Prevention Task Force including the US Attorney, ATF, the Davidson County Sheriffs Office, MNPD, and community leaders. This group would coordinate investigations into the usage of illegal guns and increase cross-departmental communication. We can also strengthen penalties for illegally possessing or purchasing a firearm in Davidson County and analyze risks at public facilities, including schools, through a Threat Assessment Task Force that would make recommendations on mitigating vulnerability.

Jim Gingrich: On January 17th of this year, MNPD released a statement saying, In the first 17 days of the new year, 57 guns have been stolen from vehicles in Nashville. Neighboring cities, Memphis and Chattanooga, released similar reports. Because of state legislation surrounding gun ownership, the most effective solution will require advocacy at the state level. As with many issues Nashville is facing, by strengthening our relationships across the state and with the state legislature, we can work on policies to keep Nashville safe. There is evidence in the many states that have passed gun safety laws, that these measures work and reduce the number of stolen guns in the hands of criminals. In addition to working with the state on a solution, I will work with stakeholders, community members, MNPD, and gun owners to build awareness and offer incentives around the importance of safe gun storage.

Sharon Hurt: I believe there are two problems here, the first is that a lot of people in Nashville arent used to crime so people leave their cars unlocked which can make it easy for someone to take a gun from a car. We need to run an informational campaign encouraging Nashvillians to keep their cars locked. We can also run a campaign to encourage gun owners to purchase gun safes for their cars. The second problem is that a lot of these guns are being stolen by kids. We need to focus on getting kids out of crime in order to address the root of the problem.

The state legislature currently doesnt penalize people who keep a gun in their car and we wouldnt need to do any of this if the state legislature would pass common sense gun laws and fine people for keeping guns in their cars.

Freddie OConnell: The truth of the matter is that state overreach has ensured that we cant do much thats going to help with this crisis. And it is a crisis. Since the states misguided permitless, open carry policies were enacted, weve seen dramatic increases in the number of guns stolen from vehicles.

Given this, our best tools for now will continue to be education and outreach. As mayor, Ill join our police in doing everything I can to make sure Nashvillians understand the nature of this problem. Someone who steals a weapon does not intend to use it for lawful purposes.

The state preempts Nashville from even issuing citations for guns left in cars, so we need to advocate for storage legislation. This is why Ive joined so many other Tennesseans calling on the state legislature to pass a safe storage bill in their special session. Were not asking for anything other than ensuring that we have the tools to ensure that gun owners are being responsible.

Alice Rolli: Theft of guns is indeed a crisis. As Mayor, Alice Rolli will continue to support efforts currently underway with MNPD related to educating the public on the importance of locking cars and safe storage of guns for residents. Data shows it is not only the guns of Nashvillians being stolen from cars  but also the firearms of many visitors. The Convention Visitor Bureau can continue to amplify messaging for visitors related to safe storage of firearms and continue to explore ways to install gun safes in more hotel rooms and short term rental properties to reduce the likelihood a visitor leaves their gun in their vehicle. As Mayor, Alices administration will evaluate the success of recently appropriated metro funds to increase availability of gun safes and gun storage options across the county and determine if additional funds are needed. Importantly, we will forcefully advocate that penalties for gun theft are enforced. When we do not enforce existing laws related to gun theft we make criminals more bold and victims more helpless.

Vivian Wilhoite: My administration will work with Chief John Drake to stop Nashvillians from leaving their guns in cars. I will conduct a public relations campaign, continue to educate gun owners, be vocal about this issue, and talk about responsible gun ownership. Owning a gun comes with a responsibility. And that includes keeping your firearm out of the hands of our children.

Matt Wiltshire: We need action at the state and federal level to reduce the proliferation of guns, but there are a couple of things we can do locally right away. Gun owners are significantly less likely to have a gun stolen if they store all of their guns locked and unloaded, but more than half of gun owners do not. As Mayor, I will expand on the Metro Health Departments gun lock-by-mail program. Through this program free gun locks are available by mail to anyone who orders one, and the MNPD will equip all of their patrol officers with free locks to distribute as part of their work in the community.

Jeff Yarbro: 1,378 guns were reported stolen in Nashville last year, and we know these weapons are being used to commit crimes including the recent shooting of a Metro detective. Ive already been working with Chief Drake and Rep. Caleb Hemmer on a stronger safe storage law, which would help. But there are two more important steps I would take as Mayor. First, there should be an aggressive public safety campaign to convince those who think of themselves as law-abiding gun owners to actually abide by the law and lock up their guns rather than provide easier access to criminals. Second, we should identify regularly targeted parking facilities and communities so that we can provide more timely guidance to firearm owners to act responsibly to prevent theft and increase patrolling and surveillance. Third, we need to investigate and forcefully prosecute those who are stealing weapons from vehicles.

What is something you support to reduce crime by adults that doesnt involve policing or prosecution? By juveniles?

Campbell: As your mayor, I will support smart policing initiatives through evidence-based and data-driven strategies to tackle chronic crime problems under the advice of Police Chief Drake. By employing organizational efficiencies including telephone and online reporting, call diversion, false alarm reductions, traffic-accident management, and Smart City Technologies, we can simultaneously reduce costs and crime. Infrastructure improvements such as lighting and traffic signal coordination will also increase public safety. Additionally, my administration will work with community partners that are already pursuing violence intervention and support networks for families and youth.

Research has shown time and time again that the less time a juvenile offender spends in a courtroom, the lower their risk of recidivism. That is why intervention and mental health support programs are so important  they are proven, effective solutions to provide the best possible support for struggling youth. As Mayor, I will fully fund these programs and work with the Davidson County Juvenile Court (DCJC), including Chief Judge Sheila Calloway, to identify opportunities for improvement and expansion. Additionally, I will use the Mayors office to increase cross-departmental communication in programs that involve MNPD, MNPS, DCJC, and other community partners to ensure that we are reaching every single youth who needs our help.

Gingrich: There is no more important responsibility of the mayor than keeping our citys residents safe. That starts with ensuring the Metro Nashville Police Department is appropriately resourced. This must be paired with a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary crime prevention strategy integrating community partners, non-profit and faith-based organizations, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Metro Social Services, and Metro Nashville Police Department. And we must build and scale investments targeted toward at-risk and opportunity youth, such as proven cognitive behavioral therapy, after-school programs, workforce development, summer jobs, wrap-around supports, and work-and-learn programs.

Hurt: You have to get to the root of a problem before you get to the fruit of it. I will focus on the root causes of crime and give our kids the resources they need to be successful. It all begins with getting money into our schools, our social services, our recreation centers and our public swimming pools so kids have a place to go after school. Baltimore has successfully piloted a social services based public safety program that has cut violent crime. Perhaps we can focus on community service requirements for offenders, especially our juveniles, so they can learn what it is like to be engaged with the community. As Mayor, I will implement a similar program to ensure Nashvillians are safe and so we set up our kids for a pipeline to prosperity rather than a pipeline to prison.

OConnell: In 2016, our young people told us exactly how to keep them safe. Mayor Barry presided over a Youth Violence Summit coordinated by Lonnell Matthews. I was an active participant in this countywide initiative that solicited input from young people across the city to offer several priorities we still need to address: training and employment; meaningful youth engagement; health awareness and access; restorative justice and diversion; a safe environment and education. The voices of these young people and the work of this summit still matter. When Im mayor, well reinvest in this important work.

One of my most successful collaborations with Mayor Cooper was working with John Buntin and Ron Johnson on creating community safety partnership funding opportunities that resulted in The Village. I will expand upon this work.

We should also implement a Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) to bring together community stakeholders, social service providers, and law enforcement to focus on the places we already know crime is occurring. This approach has worked well in other cities to reduce gun violence.

Ill also work to build our capacity as second responders, including for areas experiencing trauma, so we can solve problems that lead to violence before it occurs and respond thoughtfully if it does. One of the lessons of the Covenant shooting was our need to be prepared for the days and weeks after the crisis is over. Because the trauma remains.

Rolli: Aiding individuals to find the dignity of work or of purpose is the surest path to reducing crime. Many of the countys strongest non-profits supporting assistance to families have received unprecedented sums from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (or TANF) to design new and impactful ways to support families. These funds can support individuals with childcare or other expenses while pursuing additional skills training, certificates, or other education to improve their prospects for finding work. The Rolli administration will ensure greater cross-department collaboration so that common sense solutions including later high school start times and supporting after school programming, sports, or activities at schools, parks, and other community centers are realized so that there are strong available options for youth to have guidance, resources, and opportunities to divert them from criminal activity.

Wilhoite: I would support wholeheartedly to work with our nonprofits to increase services and support for mental health and addiction services. Too often criminal activity is the byproduct causation of a root cause found in poverty, mental health and addiction. I would support programs that allow individuals to turn in their guns without questions. I would support programs that would intervene in the lives of our citizens without them first becoming a criminal defendant. For this to occur, people need to be able to know what resources there are available to help them. I believe this applies to both adults and to juveniles.

Wiltshire: For adults, we must enforce court orders to dispossess violent individuals of their guns.

Tennessee has a system for dispossessing some potentially violent individuals of their guns, but it isnt working like it should. Tennessees current protective-order process has a significant and potentially dangerous loophole, which kicks in once a court orders a domestic-violence abuser to give up his or her firearms. While other states require abusers to turn over their guns to law enforcement, Tennessee allows them to give their guns to a third party, like a friend or a relative. Significantly, our state is the only one in the country that does not require abusers to say which third party, or whether that person is legally allowed to possess a firearm. Whats worse is that our state has no mechanism to ensure that the abuser actually turned over his or her guns to anyone.

As Mayor, I will require that Nashvilles courts have the funding necessary to ensure that domestic violence offenders  along with those deemed to be a threat to themselves or others, if the legislature adopts Governor Lees expanded ERPO proposal this August  comply with dispossession orders. Ill also work to ensure that law enforcement officers have the resources they need to follow up when someone has failed to dispossess.

Partners in Care has been a big success so far. It pairs mental health professionals from Nashvilles Mental Health Cooperative with specially trained police officers, who together respond to 911 calls and other emergencies that may involve a mental health crisis. Once on the scene, MNPD officers stabilize the situation so clinicians can assess the individuals and connect them to the behavioral healthcare they need. As Mayor, I will make its expansion a priority.

For young people we need to make more investments into giving them better opportunities to make good choices. The citys POWER Youth Summer Employment Initiative is a terrific example of a program Id look to support and expand.

Yarbro: Our public safety conversation cannot begin and end with policing and prosecution, which are our response after crimes have been committed. Public safety comes from crime prevention, and there are lots of evidence-based interventions we know work. First, there are infrastructure issues that affect public safety. We know that merely improving street lighting can lead to significant reductions on nighttime crime  and that repairing and activating neglected walkways and public spaces improves public safety. Second, given the high rate of recidivism of those released from prisons, we should invest in the reentry programs like Project Return and the DREAM Initiative that are succeeding in helping the reentering lead productive lives rather than return to criminal conduct. Third, we should support community-based violence intervention programs where non-profits work to break cycles of violence in neighborhoods. Finally, to reduce crimes committed by both juveniles and adults, I would continue to work with Juvenile Judge Calloway to have far earlier and more effective interventions when young people make their first appearance in Juvenile Court. Oftentimes, children come into the system as victims of abuse and neglect. Many of those same children will come to our attention again for truancy, running away from home, or committing petty offenses. We cannot wait until young people have started engaging in violent conduct or using firearms to provide the sustained attention and support they need.

The Community Oversight Board received overwhelming support when it was passed as a charter amendment. Now that the board has been preempted by the state, what will your office do to ensure the objectives of the COB are met?

Campbell: My administration will fully fund civilian oversight of MNPD and will also work to increase trust between the general public and MNPD. The COB described its mission, in part, as, enhancing community-police relations and creating a safer Nashville. While the board may have been preempted, that does not mean many of its central goals cannot be accomplished. Initiatives that encourage communication and trust between law enforcement officers and Nashville residents, like having police walk the beat more often, will be among the top of my priorities as Nashville Mayor. Additionally, I will work with Chief Drake to ensure that MNPD is adopting and following the best possible policies that keep citizens safe while also protecting their rights. As Mayor, I will also explore every possible option, both short and long term, to maintain complaint investigation and resolution pathways.

Gingrich: Every public company, including AllianceBernstein, has an internal audit group that effectively reports to the board of directors, providing independent oversight. Great organizations welcome such scrutiny. Similarly, in our government, it only makes sense there is public oversight. We must work together with stakeholders, the state, MNPD, and the community to build an oversight process.

Hurt: The voters made it very clear that they supported the Community Oversight Board and the state legislature is continuing to ignore the residents of Davidson County. I dont need to get into the Mayors Office in order to ensure the objectives of the COB are met. I am currently sponsoring a bill to bring back the COB as a Council Member. This bill brings back the Community Oversight Board on the municipal level to the greatest extent possible under the new state law. It preserves the original COBs subpoena power via Metro Council and its $2.2 million budget.

As Mayor, I will do even more to keep the COB intact. I will create an Office of Accountability, Efficiency and Enforcement using the architecture of the pre-existing COB as a guideline for its structure. I will re-appoint seven of the original COB members onto the new COB and encourage Chief Drake to continue to implement the recommendations of the Board.

OConnell: Even on the Metro Council, Im already preparing to take the next steps. CM Syracuse and the mayors office have responded quickly to the states actions, and I hope to be part of a successful effort before I leave Council to reconstitute the civilian oversight process consistent with new state law that preempted our original approach.

Despite state overreach, the good news is that the state cannot stop Nashville from including civilian oversight in our approach to accountability, and as mayor, I am committed to ensuring we continue this work.

An accountable police department yields better results for our community, and Chief Drake has been a leader in demonstrating a willingness to partner with civilian involvement. We will need a new mayor, a new oversight community, and the chief to step forward together soon after the election to demonstrate an ongoing good faith effort to ensure that we have the type of accountability that builds confidence and support in our police department. We need all Nashvillians to feel safe and be safe.

Rolli: As Mayor, Alice Rolli will appoint 7 community members to a reconstituted Citizens-Police Advisory Board committed to the importance of citizen perspective as a means to strengthen relationships and ensure trust between the police and the community at large. Alice is committed to appoint community members that represent a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences with the criminal justice system  including victims of crime and those who advocate for the rights of victims of crime, retired police, advocacy organizations related to reducing recidivism, and individuals with a variety of perspectives on the judicial system such as educators, religious leaders, business leaders and other community stakeholders. Our MNPD is held up as a best-practice, nationally, for how swiftly our body-worn camera footage is released  which continually reinforces the importance of transparency and trust in our police force. As Mayor, Alice Rolli will continue to ensure that there is a strong degree of transparency and accountability to citizens  whilst also ensuring that we are efficient in our adjudication of matters referred to the reformulated Citizens-Police Advisory Board.

Wilhoite: On day one, as Mayor, I would ask my legal department and Chief Drake to come up with a proposal that allows us to have the same type of oversight that the people voted to have and to do it in a way that does not run afoul of the recently passed legislation from the state. Transparency and accountability should be the rule, not the exception  especially in police and policing.

Wiltshire: I believe that public trust in public and private entities has eroded over the past several decades. And I believe that transparency and accountability strengthen an organization and its members. The Metro Nashville Police Department has exceptional leadership and the vast majority of its officers and staff demonstrate the highest professionalism.

Any organization with more than 2,200 employees and hundreds of thousands of citizen interactions each year is going to have issues at times. Having a robust and equally professional Community Oversight Board will help to increase public trust in MNPD and the city as a whole.

As Mayor, I will work with the leadership of the MNPD and the Fraternal Order of Police to establish a Community Oversight Board, its authority, responsibilities, staffing and composition. I believe that I have the experience, perspective and disposition to be able to bring the parties together and hold them accountable in the establishment of a well-functioning Community Oversight Board.

Yarbro: It is not possible to maintain a world-class modern police force without the type of transparency, oversight, and accountability that builds public trust and ensures effective policing. In all honesty, Nashvilles citizens should never have had to organize and enact the COB referendum because the City and MNPD should have led the way without the public demand. By comparison, thats what happened in Knoxville, which has had a community oversight panel since 1988. I will work with Chief Drake, officers, Metro Council, those who have worked and led Nashvilles COB, and the community to ensure that Nashville is taking full advantage of the revised law  and that the revived COB has sufficient resources and support to effective oversight.
This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news and will launch later this year. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

Just as the mayoral field finished taking shape in April, Vanderbilts annual poll of Nashvillians came out and made one thing perfectly clear: Whether or not the mayor has control over the Metro Nashville Public Schools system, education should be a top  if not the top  priority of the next administration.

How much of a priority do you think [respondents were given a list of issues] should be for Nashvilles next mayor? the poll question read  and 74 percent responded to education as a top priority. It was the highest-scoring issue in the poll, ahead of crime, affordable housing and homelessness.

MNPS is a big urban school system  the districts 81,000 students put it in the top 40 in the country  and there are multiple challenges to Nashville public schools: Thirty-seven percent of students are economically disadvantaged; 28 percent have limited English proficiency; 14 percent have some form of disability. There are 135 languages spoken by MNPS students in total, and the district is one of the most diverse in the state: Thirty-nine percent of the students are Black, 32 percent Latino and 4 percent Asian. And enrollment is trending down from a high of almost 88,000 six years ago, a result of declining birthrates and migration from the county among school-age populations.

Of MNPS 162 schools, 19 (almost 12 percent) are on the states priority list of underperforming schools  a number that actually has improved in recent years. This year, 34 percent of third-graders face summer school or being held back for a year due to a new state law mandating retention for low test scores in reading. Its not all bad news, though. MNPS placed 48 schools on the states reward list and was named an advancing district by the state.

This is the landscape the next mayor will inherit, all without the ability to hire or fire a single person or select their own leader to run the school district. Thats all reserved for the school board. The mayors only lever is the budget, which past mayors have used in a variety of fashions. For example, Mayor Phil Bredesen traded capital improvements  his administration built 32 schools  for promises from the district on standards.

But even the budget has come under strain. Whether or not you support charters, an increasing percentage of the MNPS budget is devoted to them. The net fiscal impact of charter schools has risen from $60 million in 2013 to more than $250 million in the 2023-24 school year. And as a 2023 report from the Nashville Public Education Foundation notes, more are coming, whether or not the school board authorizes them  despite 2-to-1 public opposition.

As a result of the 2019 law that created the Tennessee Charter School Commission, which can authorize charter schools at the state level, the MNPS School Board no longer has complete control over when or where a public school may open in Nashville, making it difficult for the district to forecast enrollment in its schools and drawing funding away from the district, reads the NPEFs report. Today, the number of state-approved charter schools in Nashville is five, with four additional schools approved to begin operating in the coming years.

And the impact of vouchers will be felt by the district soon. Gov. Bill Lees pilot program, which initially targets Memphis and Nashville, awarded more than 600 vouchers between the two systems, meaning that up to $40 million will go to private schools instead of MNPS.

What has John Coopers administration done on education?

In short, Cooper has thrown a lot of money at MNPS.

This years budget includes an extra $100 million in new operational funds for the district, the largest such increase in the citys history. The bulk of that will go to teacher salaries, raised the year before to be the highest in the state. In 2022, for the first time, family leave was made available for all MNPS employees.

I remember being at McGavock High School during my campaign and learning that teachers did not have this basic benefit, said Cooper when announcing his budget. Teachers were trying to time their family planning around summer vacation. I left that day determined to change that  and we did.

The new money also raises pay for support staff like bus drivers and cafeteria workers, as well as administrators, including principals and associate principals. Both Cooper and the district have emphasized the need to push pay higher in response to the citys skyrocketing cost of living, all without much help from the state. Lee put an extra $1 billion for schools in the state budget, but Tennessees new funding formula means Nashville will see only 2 percent of those dollars, despite having 8 percent of the states students. The rise in teacher pay has come almost entirely from investments at the local level.

Cooper also added more than $10 million for a pilot program to address problems with substitutes and $8 million for free lunches.

Some of the most visible signs of Coopers influx of cash are on the capital side, where 75 schools got improvements to air quality last year and three new schools have been built: a middle school in Cane Ridge, an elementary school in Goodlettsville and a new high school in Bellevue to replace Hillwood, which will open this year. Metro also will make a one-time allocation of $66 million to allow for pre-K space to be carved out of existing school buildings.

What could the next mayor do?

Taking a long view, investing in early childhood education and child care could show substantial benefits down the road.

In his 2012 analysis, Nobel economist James Heckman argued that money spent in the first five years of life has a huge return on investment.

The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families, Heckman writes. Starting at age three or four is too little too late, as it fails to recognize that skills beget skills in a complementary and dynamic way. Efforts should focus on the first years for the greatest efficiency and effectiveness. The best investment is in quality early childhood development from birth to five for disadvantaged children and their families.

Currently, pre-K programs in MNPS are limited, with fees assessed on a sliding scale based on need. Nationally, 11 states have implemented universal pre-K, but Tennessee does not appear prepared to join them, so the issue would require local leadership.

Similarly, MNPS provides some before- and after-school programs in partnership with nonprofits like the YMCA, Backfield in Motion and the Girl Scouts, but the expansion of those programs and days of the week served would require funding.

In the shorter run, a mayor could continue Coopers path of capital investments, though without the benefit of some federal funds the current administration utilized because of COVID-19. Cooper knocked off $397 million from the MNPS Capital Improvement Budget, a list of capital priorities for the district, but thats less than 10 percent of the $4 billion in needs throughout the district as of the 2020-21 CIB.

Another path might be to focus on intensive programs in areas such as reading or English proficiency. As mentioned, the significant number of English learners in MNPS  largely Spanish speakers, but also Arabic, Swahili, Kurdish and Somali  presents the opportunity to make gains in other areas once the language gap is bridged.

Every mayor says they want to be known as the Education Mayor, and there are implications across the board for Nashville if MNPS becomes significantly better. But achieving that title is something few actually have done.

On the record

We asked the eight main mayoral candidates for their positions in three different areas of education. Their answers appear here, as the candidates wrote them, in alphabetical order.

Multiple studies have shown that investment in early childhood education has some of the highest return on investment of any public dollars spent. Would your administration be in favor of funding free universal pre-K for all of Davidson Co.?

Heidi Campbell: Absolutely. Research shows that childrens wellbeing is positively associated with early childhood services, inclusive of formal programming such as preschool and kindergarten; this relationship is especially noteworthy among children with economic disadvantages, putting them at greater risk of poor outcomes for long term wellbeing. The Metropolitan Action Commissions Head Start and Early Head Start Programs of Nashville and Davidson County provide free preschool and pre-k education for financially eligible families with children ages 3-5. These programs currently operate across seven locations, and serve nearly 1,500 children, as the largest providers of early childhood education in our county. As your mayor, I will work with the Metropolitan Action Commission to identify locations and funding to expand the capacity and eligibility requirements of the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, so that more working and middle class families can benefit. This will not only help alleviate childcare burdens for families, but it will also help enrich our children at a critical age in their development, putting them on a long term path for success.

Jim Gingrich: Research has shown as little as three months of pre-K instruction targeted toward the highest needs students has significant impact on academic outcomes. There are many parts of Nashville where there are few if any pre-K options for parents. We should be investing more in pre-K, especially our highest need communities which are those traditionally most underserved. While I am in favor of universal pre-K, as a city we will need strong state and federal support. I will be a strong advocate for those dollars.

Sharon Hurt: I absolutely would be in favor. I dont think theres anything more important than investing in our children and our future.

Freddie OConnell: As mayor, I would work to give our youngest Nashvillians a strong foundation of learning through investing in Head Start and high-quality pre-K. Its a top priority for me, and I was the only mayoral candidate present for the launch of Raising Readers Nashville, the reinvention of the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success. I intend to strongly support this program.

Mayor Barry had it right: a focus on as many high-quality seats as possible as quickly as possible. I think its worth aspiring to universal pre-K, but the research also shows that universal access without quality is not as impactful as a large number of high-quality seats.

While getting our youngest Nashvillians on the path to strong social and emotional development and helping them to become great readers is the best return on investment we can make, the studies youre referencing are economic, so I want to touch on that too. Pre-K is also an investment in parents  our workforce. Childcare wait times and prices have been going up in Nashville. The years leading up to kindergarten are often a patchwork of care providers and family members and camps  I know it has been for our kids. A lot of families have to take long periods of unpaid leave while hoping for a daycare opening, and more and more are finding its less expensive to do that than to pay once they get in. Just like delays or gaps in learning harm our childrens future, the same is true about parents career futures. Nashville needs to support working parents, while helping our kids succeed in school. Moving toward guaranteed after care availability for elementary schools is also a top priority of mine that I chronicled in my 15 fixes Ill initiate on day one as mayor.

Alice Rolli: Federal, state and local funds currently fund the citys sliding scale payment options for families interested in enrolling in Metros Voluntary PreK programs with many families benefiting from free pre-K.

We are in favor of directing budgeted education dollars to their highest and best use and if there are families not able to attend Metros pre-K programs based on the current cost structure, evaluating where our taxpayers dollars can be re-allocated to ensure that we are always funding education programs that are working, in demand by Nashville parents, and producing results for Nashvilles kids.

Vivian Wilhoite: Absolutely. My own pre-K experience was HeadStart. It was the necessary high-quality choice for the Black community at that time. I loved it so much that my mother told me that after being there, I would play like I was the teacher. High-quality pre-K education promotes the development of essential cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills during a critical period of a childs brain development. Access to high-quality pre-K programs can also help narrow the achievement gap for children with disadvantaged backgrounds. Fully funding pre-K education will also give relief to many Nashville families who are working and struggling to find daycare options for their children.

Matt Wiltshire: Yes, but I believe we must start even earlier than pre-K. The first 1,000 days of a child's life are critical, yet half of Nashville parents struggle to find high-quality childcare, and our pre-k programs have long waiting lists. As a parent and step parent of six kids I know what a struggle this can be. This is a workforce issue, and its an opportunity to set children up for success on their first day of Kindergarten in MNPS.

With Nashville facing both a childcare and a teacher shortage, Ill expand on innovative ideas like that of Nashvilles STEM Prep, where they are partnering with Little Wonders Early Learning Center to offer a high quality child care center to both staff and community members on their campus. We should be capitalizing on unused space in our schools and other public facilities that are located in the heart of our communities.

As Mayor Id also like to place Head Start Centers, which are under the purview of the Metro Action Commission, on Nashville State campuses across the city. This is under way in several other cities and Nashville could benefit from offering free Head Start programming to children while their parents pursue post-secondary credentials or degrees to expand their workforce options.

I believe we can do more to braid local, state, federal and private dollars to expand the number of child care and Pre-k seats across the city. This will be an important priority for me as Mayor of Nashville.

Jeff Yarbro: Nashville needs an overhaul when it comes to early childhood education, which should include both high-quality child care options for the first three years of life when approximately 80% of brain development occurs and a strategy for universal, high-quality pre-K for ages 3-5. Without reliable federal or state investment, I think adding one free year of pre-K is not the highest priority investment given the deficiencies across our early childhood education ecosystem. Even the cities doing the best at universal pre-K have a mixed delivery strategy that includes community-based and home-based providers, as well as public schools. We will achieve greater success with a comprehensive strategy focused first on making high-quality education universally accessible to all and likely a longer pathway towards eliminating cost altogether for pre-K.

Gov. Bill Lee's vision for public education includes private school vouchers, an increased number of charter schools and a bypass of local control in urban areas like Nashville. What is your position on each of these issues?

Campbell: Nashville schools have been and always will be a top priority for me as a public servant. The problems many of our students, families, and neighborhoods face are compounded by the fact that our state does not fully fund public education. Tennessee ranks 44th in the country in school funding and we spend about $4,000 dollars less per student than the national average. Under the former BEP formula Nashville public schools were underfunded by an estimated $1B annually, and unfortunately this only got worse when we transitioned to the TISA formula last year. While our city provides over half of the revenue for our state, we receive less than other counties in education funding, particularly if adjusted for cost of living differentials.

Tuition voucher programs seem great in theory, but the problem that advocates dont like to focus on is that they deplete financial resources for public educationwhich ultimately harms more students than it helps. Advocates for voucher programs claim they have increased the number of educational opportunities for families, but evidence suggests school choice benefits the wealthy rather than the economically disadvantaged. There are some good charter schools, and I am not necessarily opposed to the idea of them  however I am opposed to the way we handle funding for charter schools in Tennessee, because it comes directly off the top of our public school budget, draining an already underfunded system. Also, as a state senator I am deeply aware of the controlling partys overall education strategy, and I know that there is a desire among many in that caucus for public schools to fail. We cannot let that happen.

The amount of control that the ideologically motivated Tennessee State Legislature and the Governor want to assert over our municipal autonomy threatens real harm to our city. Unfortunately, the supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature almost guarantee that state overreach into Nashvilles affairs will persist, as long as they feel as though they benefit politically  and theyll continue as long as they underestimate the damage theyre doing. As your mayor, Ill sound the alarm and join forces with our school board and other elected officials in the region to push back on this unnecessary overreach into our affairs. As a state senator Ive built working relationships across the state, and across the aisle, and I will continue to look for ways to work constructively with our partners in the state government while we protect and build our future.

Gingrich: I am a product of traditional public schools and so are my children. I never attended private schools and neither did my children. Nashville ranks at the bottom of large US cities in intergenerational economic mobility, meaning if youre born poor in Nashville, youre more likely to remain poor. Investment in education is the key to changing these statistics. We should not play politics, our focus should be first and foremost on our children and their future. Every parent deserves the opportunity to send their child to a great school. Charter schools can be part of that solution and an investment in all of our public schools is one of my greatest priorities.

Hurt: Im not in favor of private school vouchers.

I appreciate charter schools being available to meet the urgent needs of our students in public schools but I think we need to ensure they dont divert money away from our traditional public schools. I believe charter schools and traditional public schools can peacefully coexist.

I absolutely oppose bypassing local control.

OConnell: I oppose the Education Savings Account approach as well as state authorized charters. If our local school board thinks high-performing charters are working well, Im willing to acknowledge their preferences, but we seem to have hit a reasonable equilibrium. Fundamentally, bypassing local control has not produced demonstrably better outcomes for students. Id love for the governor to resolve the state funding formula so that it doesnt disadvantage urban school districts like Nashville over the next several years.

We are way overdue as a city and a school district in taking necessary steps to ensure that working families can meaningfully choose Metro Schools and have the experience I think all parents envision for their kids. It all goes back to focusing on what matters most to Metro Nashville residents. My girls will be in our public schools when Im mayor, and having that firsthand, real-time experience will undoubtedly change how our city leads on education.

Rolli: Every family in Nashville deserves to send their child to a school that is funded by their tax dollars and which is succeeding and producing results for literacy and career and college readiness. Directionally, I believe that student-based budgeting, where dollars follow the child to their school building, produces the greatest accountability for strong results and strong support of our teachers and families.

Currently, 37 publicly funded schools in Nashville are rated as Reward Schools and the majority of these schools are magnet or charter schools  where parents are actively making a decision to enroll their children. I support these Nashville families in their desire to send their children to schools  including charter and magnet schools  achieving results and funded by their tax dollars.

ESAs or Vouchers are available to about 1 percent of families in Metro Nashville Public Schools  and generally require that the family has been enrolled in Metro Schools and meets income requirements to access the funds. I support this last resort option for families for whom our schools have not been able to serve successfully through traditional zone, magnet, or charter school options.

Wilhoite: I am not against parental choice. If you want to send your child to private school, you should pay your own way. We need to be fully funding public schools, not diverting taxpayer dollars into the coffers of hedge fund investors and corporations seeking to profit off of Nashvilles children. Fully funding our public schools is essential.

Wiltshire: I believe that Nashville should have the best public school system in America and that starts with each parent and child having a terrific traditional neighborhood school as an option for them.

The Governors focus on charter school expansion and vouchers are not the right priorities for Nashville, and only serve to pull critical funding from our traditional neighborhood public schools. Instead, the state and the city should find ways to work together to ensure our schools have the resources, staff and facilities to deliver a world class education to every child in Nashville. As Mayor my focus will be on working closely with Dr. Battle and the district to leverage our citys public and private resources, and our postsecondary institutions, to expand opportunities for every single student in MNPS so that we fulfill their aspirations, and maximize their talents.

Yarbro: As a legislator, I have voted against and spoken out against both private school vouchers and the states overriding of local decisions through authorizing new charter schools at the state level. The decision to use tax dollars to open new schools should be made locally with an honest assessment of the potential impact on the community. MNPS remains responsible for providing high-quality schools to any student across a 528 square mile area  we cant just close a 300-student neighborhood school when 300 kids from across the county use a voucher. I appreciate committed educators wherever they teach and as Mayor would support children and celebrate their successes wherever we find them. But I do believe the constant education fights exacerbated by state policy have made public education harder. The next Mayor must find a way to ensure robust funding, stable instructional leadership, and a coherent citywide vision for education despite these complications.

Statewide, English learners in Tennessee schools make up 8 percent of students. In MNPS, that number is 27 percent. What can your administration do to help close the language gap for those students?

Campbell: As a historically redlined city, Nashvilles public school system continues to be plagued by inequity. In recent years, Metro Nashville Public Schools raised academic achievement standards, but progress has not been even across all parts of town. Overall, MNPS achieved a level five district status in the 2021-2022 school year in the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System, which measures academic growth of students. However the number of priority schools in the district  those performing in the bottom 5% of schools in the state  increased from 16 to 19. The 2022 TNReady scores released last summer show that just under half of white students in grades three to eight are reading on grade level  but even worse, fewer than one in five black and hispanic students, and only one in seven economically disadvantaged students, are reading at the level they should be. Thats an enormous difference.

Closing the achievement gap is an all-hands-on-deck emergency. Every child in Davidson County deserves access to a high quality public education, regardless of where they live, the color of their skin, or how much money their parents earn. In the 2021 fall semester, MNPS introduced the Accelerating Scholars program to provide one-on-one and small group tutoring services in literacy and math, and many EL students have enrolled in addition to their existing EL support programming within MNPS. Accelerating Scholars touts high-dosage tutoring as a transformative educational intervention tool with proven, positive student outcomes  both academically, and in social-emotional learning. Through paid and volunteer tutoring positions, and by recruiting through the non-profit organization PENCIL and Vanderbilt Universitys Tutor Nashville, the Accelerating Scholars program has served more than 7,000 students thus far. As your mayor, I will support MNPS and our community partners to build on the early success of the Accelerating Scholars program. MNPS is committed to serving our more than 18,000 EL students, and as your mayor, I will work with MNPS and community partners to identify and improve inequities, and to expand strategic community support services for our students, families, and neighborhoods.

Gingrich: To train the workforce we need for the 21st century, strong English proficiency is a must. I support not only meaningful investments in our ESL students but also working with the nonprofit, religious, and business community to ensure that students have opportunity to become proficient both inside and outside the classroom.

Hurt: We need to invest in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in primary schools. This will help prepare immigrant and refugee students for success. Such a program will be one of the cornerstones of my Mayors reading initiative. The goal of this initiative will be to have all Metro students reading at grade-level by first-grade. I also really like the current program we have where our multilingual public school students can volunteer to translate for our English-learning students. I love this peer-to-peer concept. Finally, I want to make sure our school documents are available in all the many languages of Nashville. Parents should be able to know what is going on with their childs education.

OConnell: English-language learners deserve the same opportunities to succeed that other students experience, and that equity requires investment. We should invest in educators that speak multiple languages, or want to learn. We should invest in textbooks and learning resources that offer multiple language options. And we need to invest in parents and families, providing them materials in multiple languages so they can help their students at home too. The Metro Schools L.E.A.F. program is a good example of this.

But success is also about making sure these students feel seen. Our daughters have gotten to participate in an annual international potluck at Eakin that celebrates the many languages and cultures present in the school community, and we should look to find opportunities to celebrate every schools diversity in this way. I want our libraries to invest in programs like Project LIT that are as diverse as our residents so the learning can go on year round. As a parent at an International Baccalaureate school, I wish our younger daughter had the world language teacher shes supposed to have. We may have beaten English Only and taken steps to be inclusive, but we can still do better at making multi-lingual youth feel welcome and showing them that their language skills are something to celebrate.

Rolli: In 2021-22 18 of the districts salutatorians and valedictorians received services through the MNPS Office of English Learners. This is a great reminder that with supports for families, students, and teachers we can create successful outcomes for all students. Programs such as Communities in Schools and Conexion Americas Parents as Partners program should continue to be supported and, where possible, scaled. We should look at all schools in the district  whether charter, zone, or magnet  to take best practices that are achieving strong outcomes and ensure that we are emulating those best practices district-wide.

Finally, we should continue to advocate for additional funding for our students. The states new funding formula has surprised many education leaders in how the promise of increased dollars for harder-to-serve populations has not materialized at the rates explained. We are supportive of working together with other districts to advocate for increased funding for EL students to ensure dollars are following the specific needs of children in Tennessee.

Wilhoite: As Mayor, fully funding our public education system is a mandatory prerequisite to fully equipping Director Battle with the tools for our students to achieve and excel. Fully funding our public education system is the start that helps to reduce the statewide percentage on one such issue of closing the language gap. I would also use my voice to encourage Gov Lee to do more statewide.

Wiltshire: Id like to reframe the question. There are more than 140 languages spoken in the homes of MNPS students. That cultural diversity adds character and richness to our community. Data tells us year over year that our teachers in MNPS are serving our English Learners well. In fact, they often outperform native-born students once they exit English Learner programs and move into traditional classrooms.They personify the American dream in many ways.

I believe as Mayor we can leverage our citys resources and Metro departments to ensure our New American families have what they need to help their children succeed. Their dreams for their children are the same as mine and yours. We can work with community organizations to identify the gaps in tools and information that families need to fully engage in their childs education, and in their healthy development and growth. This can include expanding access to translated information on services and programs across our Metro agencies, hiring more interpreters and bilingual staff, and creating opportunities for parents and families to be integrated into their schools and communities in meaningful ways. The fact is that English Learners are not a monolith and they are as diverse as the communities they represent and I want to make sure we are working in partnership with the district and community organizations to really listen to families and students about their needs.

Yarbro: Most critically, the Mayor must ensure sufficient resources to support ELL despite historic underfunding on the state level. Especially in a time of teacher shortages, the Mayor should be a strategic partner in the recruitment and retention of ELL instructors. From the Mayors office, I would also promote a number of community initiatives supporting English literacy. First, across the board, Metro needs to be better at communicating with residents in their native language. Second, using trusted communication channels, we should empower those providing home- or community-based child care with targeted resources to ensure more students arrive for kindergarten with the building blocks to read. Third, I would promote an initiative with Nashville Public Library to develop more extensive native-language programming, as well as English language resources targeted culturally to Nashvilles larger ELL populations. Finally, both I and my administration would maintain relationships with our immigrant and refugee populations so that we will be in a position to listen to their concerns and implement their ideas where feasible.
This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news and will launch later this year. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com.

A woman removes her shoes before entering her tent, placing them next to a home-decor vase arrangement and a seashell windchime. The encampment consists of items like a welcome sign, a hanging chandelier, two solar panels, a battery and a security camera jutting out from a tree.

This woman, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, has lived unhoused for 10 years. Her encampment is one of many being assessed for potential closure under Mayor John Coopers homelessness strategy, now entering phase two just in time for Nashvilles next mayor.

I was in the hospital for four-and-a-half months in ICU, and I got out and everything was gone, everything I worked for, says the woman. People, they judge you out here. They automatically assume that youre on drugs or youre an alcoholic or youre a prostitute, and thats not true.  No matter where you go, for me, I just keep getting thrown out like trash.

Shes one of Nashvilles 1,320 individuals who are chronically homeless. Those individuals make up 62 percent of Nashvilles total 2,129 unhoused individuals, according to the citys January 2023 point-in-time count.

This means 62 percent of Nashvilles unhoused population are unaccompanied  with a disabling condition  continuously  for a year or more or have had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Because of Nashvilles high proportion of chronically homeless people, more people live on the streets for longer periods of time and are more likely to perish on the streets of our city, reads the 2022 Nashville Performance Study of Homeless and Affordable Housing. The mortality rate for those living unhoused doubled from 2016 to 2022, with 176 estimated deaths in 2022, according to Open Table Nashvilles 2022 Homeless Memorial. And the number of individuals living unhoused is on the rise.

Tennessee ranks third among states with the largest increase of unhoused individuals from 2020 to 2022, an increase of 45.6 percent in that time period. Furthermore, Nashvilles number of unhoused individuals has increased 11 percent from 2022. In the United States, the number of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness has increased by 3 percent.

It is becoming increasingly harder to provide affordable housing, as 45 percent of renters and 24 percent of homeowners are cost-burdened, or spend more than 30 percent of their annual income on housing, according to the 2022 Nashville Performance Study of Homeless and Affordable Housing.

Tension has risen on how to solve this issue. Groups like Reclaim Brookmeade Park and Greenway have sounded the alarm about the unhoused populations effect on Nashvilles safety. In August, Tennessee became the first state to make camping on public property a felony.

What has John Coopers administration done to address homelessness?

In October, the Metro Council approved Mayor John Coopers $50 million housing first legislation to address homelessness in Nashville.

The concept is simple: Offer a person housing first, then connect the housed person with supportive treatment services, reads the Metro Homeless Impact Division (MHID) glossary definition of housing first.

This housing-first model is also known as permanent supportive housing, and Metro is choosing to prioritize housing for those living in encampments.

Coopers $50 million is divided into four areas: $25 million to build affordable housing, $9 million to construct temporary interim gap housing, $7 million to incentivize lower landlord rent restrictions and to provide support services grants, and $9 million to provide wraparound services like physical and mental care. These funds are drawn from American Rescue Plan COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.

Is there more money that could be used or needed? Absolutely, says MHID director April Calvin. Were working with our Office of Homeless Services budget going forward, and Mayor Cooper was instrumental in saying, How do we put more money in your budget to help accommodate the people that are suffering outside?

Metros strategy includes two components: outreach in which teams connect encampment residents with services, and a housing surge in which encampment residents are given a choice of either interim housing placement and a pathway to permanent housing, or immediate permanent housing placement, according to a 2022 strategy document.

Calvin refers to this plan as life-saving. The housing-surge process chooses encampments to close based on a prioritization teams rank of vulnerability of population, location characteristics, physically dangerous conditions of the space and environmental health, according to a sample MHID encampment assessment form.

When you have limited resources, then you have to do a prioritization path, says Calvin. Following best practices will allow us to house those that are most vulnerable, to focus on the people, the environment and then the location.

This prioritization path is a point of contention. Vanderbilt professor Beth Shinn and Vanderbilt doctoral candidate Molly K. Richard report for the American Journal of Public Health that prioritization can leave behind groups of people.

Because African Americans are more likely to use shelters than their white counterparts, a rule that prioritizes unsheltered people also favors white people, Shinn and Richard write.

This is not the first time Cooper has been involved in closing encampments.

Before his 2022 housing first plan, Coopers administration prioritized closing the Jefferson Street bridge encampment  one of Nashvilles oldest encampments  and received criticism from advocates, including Open Table Nashville, which said there was not enough available affordable housing to be removing encampment residents.

In phase one of Coopers 2022 plan, the encampments at Brookmeade Park, on Edmondson Pike in Wentworth-Caldwell Park, and at the downtown TA truck stop have been closed, with 135 people housed. Metro officials say housing for residents at the truck stop will continue in phase two.

When an encampment is chosen to be cleared for a housing surge, case managers then prepare residents for the surge and its 30-day notice, assessing the residents needs and desires. Transportation, tubs for belongings, moving resources and education services are provided. The case manager stays in contact while wraparound resources are provided.

Many encampment residents move to interim housing in converted motels or faith-based communities, where the average stay is about 96 days. Calvins goal is an average of 90 days. Once in permanent housing, 87 percent of encampment residents have stayed, compared to the national average of 75 percent remaining in housing, reports Calvin.

Now Calvin, MHID and Nashvilles team of community providers are conducting encampment assessments for phase two of the housing surge. In addition, Nashvilles first Office of Homeless Services is opening on July 1, and Mayor Coopers 2024 fiscal year proposed operating budget would divert funds to 29 employee positions, giving them $1.25 million in a community partnership and support services fund.

In short, Cooper has just begun several programs about to be handed off to the next mayor.

What could the next mayor do?

The next mayor will take office when Nashvilles first Office of Homeless Services is a few months old. It will need mayoral support.

Nashville has an array of helpful resources that do not always work efficiently and effectively together toward a common goal, according to the 2022 Nashville Performance Study of Homeless and Affordable Housing.

One resource, the Continuum of Care program, was combined with the Metro Homeless Commission to form the Metro Homeless Impact Division in 2018. The CoC program gives grant funding to state and local governments, along with nonprofit providers, to collaborate on programs and data acquisition. It was established by the 2009 HEARTH Act through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Additionally, homelessnesss intersection with public health, housing affordability, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and more brings together a wide range of community providers in the city to address the issue. There are also more than 30 Nashville housing options, including emergency shelters, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, permanent housing and more.

Coordination around homelessness is possible, though. Houston, for example, reduced its unhoused population by 63 percent from 2011 to 2022 through a data-driven housing-first model that brought all service providers around the same goal  to make homelessness rare and brief by addressing the chronically unhoused population.

On the record

We asked the eight mayoral candidates for their positions on two different areas of homelessness. Their answers appear here, as the candidates wrote them, in alphabetical order.

Mayor Coopers proposed operating budget would give funds to establish a new Office of Homeless Services on July 1 and divert funds to 29 employee positions, a community partnership fund, and a housing and support services fund as encampment assessments are beginning for phase two of a housing surge program. Do you support the housing-first model that is currently clearing encampments? Why or why not? If so, what type of investment would you be willing to commit to support the housing first model that is in place?

Heidi Campbell: I will absolutely support the development of new affordable housing in our city through both private-public partnerships and potentially city-funded developments during my administration, but I also want to pursue a broader variety of solutions. One of these is ensuring that our unhoused citizens receive the care they need, which is why I will fund and expand mental health programs at Nashville General Hospital; partner with the Mental Health Collaborative to redirect certain 911 calls away from police officers and towards specially trained professionals like paramedics and counselors; and build relationships with organizations like the Sexual Assault Center and the Safe Haven Family Center, to help more people escaping domestic violence get the resources they need. And while I support the current Mayors plan to divert funds towards establishing an Office of Homelessness and subsequently creating a wider net of affordable housing opportunities, we cannot ignore that homelessness is inextricably linked with Nashvilles affordability problems. That is why, in addition to encouraging investment in affordable housing, my administration will also work with community-led organizations to get input on management, planning, and identifying affordable land parcels,

Jim Gingrich: Homelessness is a tragedy, and something that our leaders have failed to effectively address for much too long. There is substantial data to show housing first is the most effective solution. Cities that have been effective in addressing homelessness (e.g., Houston) have done four things: (1) coordinated the effort of various city agencies, non-profits, faith community, and community partners through the mayors office; (2) built sufficient quantities of permanent housing, the large majority being done by the private sector; (3) effectively scaled, supported and coordinated community partners/non-profits to provide the required support services; (4) built robust data-based processes and systems to support the entire effort. Last year, the city began construction of a permanent supportive housing facility of 90 units that will cost just nearly $300,000 a unit. However, we need several thousand units. As mayor, we will take the necessary steps to ensure that our private sector is building this type of housing (e.g., motel refurbishment) as well as more innovative/lower cost solutions (e.g., pre-manufactured housing such as what is going on at Fisk).

Sharon Hurt: Yes, I absolutely support a housing first model. As the Executive Director of Street Works one of our services is providing housing to unhoused people. We follow a housing first model and I have seen this type of program change lives firsthand. Cooper committed $50 million to the Office of Homelessness and I would do the same, if not more. A program like this shouldve happened 20 years ago, were playing catch up now.

Freddie OConnell: Im glad Mayor Cooper is implementing the Office of Homelessness I created and passed with my colleagues in the Metro Council. The lack of coordination during our COVID response revealed a clear need to elevate leadership on homelessness issues to the level of a department head. We should now be able to drive toward a more seamless, silo-free approach to homelessness.

A Housing First model is just that  a person who is unhoused is connected first to housing that is low-barrier before accessing any voluntary supportive services for their physical, mental, and economic health. Its part of our path forward, but it cant be our only plan, because different people have different needs. Some of our neighbors will never be in a condition where they can produce enough income to attain market-rate housing, and some have disabilities or mental health conditions that mean they will always be in need of services unavailable in traditional housing scenarios. We need to ensure that we have capacity for both housing and social services, as well as both temporary and permanent housing options to ensure that some of our most vulnerable neighbors can take the next steps in their lives.

We also have the capacity to bring in far more federal money to support this work and multiply our effort. As mayor, I would continue the work I led as chair of our Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Oversight Committee to ensure our HMIS system is one of the most effective in the country. Having worked on the Metro Homeless Impact Divisions three-year strategic community plan, I know it is also critical to reinvest in our Continuum of Care to increase our competitiveness to earn grants and federal funding. The most important investment well make next is preparing for the landscape when one-time federal dollars we used as part of our COVID response are no longer available.

Alice Rolli: The budget under discussion will be in place through June 2024. The Rolli administration will spend the first 100 days with stakeholders to evaluate both recurring and non-recurring expenses, the priorities of citizens as set through this election, and announce budget adjustments by February 2024. As important as housing are the wraparound services and the accountability needed to not create additional challenges for neighbors in the areas where housing is created. Specifically we must also address mental health issues, job training, literacy skills, addiction recovery and other programming. We will ensure that we are bringing to bear both state and federal dollars available to address these health and public safety issues in the process of clearing homeless encampments.

Vivian Wilhoite: Yes. I support a housing first model. We need to support it with the amount of money needed to get the job done. We also need to look at public-private partnership opportunities to lease metro lands to developers to increase the number of affordable housing units in our city.

Matt Wiltshire: Homelessness is an acute problem our city is facing and I applaud the Mayor for establishing this new Office of Homeless Services and for breaking ground last year on new permanent supportive housing. With that said, this crisis didnt appear overnight and could have been avoided with a long term vision and better planning. We should not be satisfied by this incremental progress. Even with the incremental progress, our city still still lacks the number of supportive housing options we need. Further, weve done a poor job delivering individualized services to treat the addiction, substance abuse, and mental health challenges many folks are experiencing.

I support the housing first model. As Mayor Ill work to build more supportive housing, and bolster our delivery, both within government and the non-profit sector, of wrap-around services.

Jeff Yarbro: Nashville should follow the example of cities like Houston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta that have achieved real and lasting success through the Housing First model. We cannot just seek to make homelessness less visible by pushing the unhoused through the county jail, emergency rooms, encampments, and temporary shelters. That approach is expensive and counterproductive. In cities following that model, the problem gets worse and worse each year. The core problem of homelessness is pretty obvious. Its people living without homes. Nashville should have a two-part strategy. First, we should engage in rapid rehousing to ensure people fall into homelessness rarely, briefly, and only once  because each day or week living on the streets makes it harder to return to health, employment, or housing. Second, for those experiencing chronic homelessness, our priority should be to stabilize housing needs so they can get appropriate case work, treatment for physical or mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and the targeted assistance that is needed. Cities have only succeeded in Housing First efforts when the strategy is adopted community-wide with buy-in from the nonprofit community and faith communities already serving our unhoused neighbors, as well as engaged private sector leadership. Much of the investment is up-front capital and capacity-building expenditures to ensure were actually solving the challenge and eliminating the longer-term operational costs of failing to do so. We need to use both short-term grants, private-public partnerships, and long-term city financing to quickly ramp up the effort that aims toward a rapid surge in both supportive housing resources and the professionals and volunteers needed to do the work both effectively and humanely while aiming toward a more sustainable, lower-cost operational budget in out years. But the right approach is eliminating chronic homelessness in the city rather than merely manage the expenses as an ever-growing problem. Its really a question of political will and leadership.

Tennessee became the first state to make camping on public land a felony in August. As Nashvilles unhoused population continues to grow, do you think homelessness is a safety issue for Nashville? How can safety be secured for both housed and unhoused people?

Campbell: Firstly, I am fervently opposed to this bill, and voted against it in the Senate not just because of its many problems, but also because of its dehumanizing message. While I do think some safety risks can arise with homeless encampments, over-policing and criminalizing these communities will only exacerbate this issue. Instead, I want to work with our community partners that are already pursuing violence intervention and support networks. By supporting the Department of Homelessness and partnering with organizations like Oasis, Open Table, and more, we can ensure that our efforts are community-led and prioritize transition opportunities.

Gingrich: There are many circumstances that can cause an individual to become homeless, such as; job loss, lack of affordable housing, mental illnesses, substance abuse, domestic violence, and/or illness/physical disabilities. Both housed and unhoused individuals' safety will benefit from a solution. The current situation is unacceptable.

Hurt: Homelessness may contribute to our public safety issues. However I believe that it is a symptom rather than a cause itself. The reason we have homelessness and public safety issues in the first place is a lack of money, lack of jobs, lack of opportunity. So to solve the public safety issues for everyone, we need to replace this lack with possibility. We also need to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and drug abuse problems, because often time the stigma is what prevents people from reaching out for the resources they need.

OConnell: I worry about the safety of all of our residents, including the unhoused. I worry the change in state law will become a vehicle for the constant displacement of people who are generally just trying to avoid others and have nowhere else to go. We know that when encampments become unsanitary and unsafe, there are problems for the people camping and others; its important to set expectations about public space, and we should do more to ensure that public health, safety, and sanitation issues are being addressed wherever there are issues. But lacking stable housing isnt a crime, and we shouldnt treat it as one. Neither is mental illness. But we must have options, and the reality is that shelters arent always an option for folks with mental illnesses, disabilities, or those who arent comfortable in faith-based spaces or those who have children or pets. They simply cannot provide the long-term support that people who are at risk of being chronically homeless need. And if we cant provide support for the mental and behavioral needs, or the economic ones, that can lead to crime, then were really just shifting the problem  not fixing it. Well secure safety by using the better data I worked to ensure, the improved federal funding, local funding sources like the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, and a strengthening backbone of local providers to provide housing and services for those for whom it is so often not affordable  our unhoused neighbors.

Rolli: Yes. Homelessness is a major safety issue. Statewide we need more beds in residential mental health facilities, which is being proposed by Chairman Cepicky in the upcoming state legislative session. As Mayor, my administration will vocally demand our District Attorney enforce existing laws related to possession of stolen weapons, drug possession, and assault  irrespective of who is committing the crime in our city. When we fail to enforce our existing laws we are making criminals more bold and victims feel more helpless.

Wilhoite: I believe that being unhoused should never in and of itself be a crime. We must treat people with more respect than that. Rather than giving our unhoused citizens charges we need to be giving them services to get back on their feet. Yes, homelessness could be a safety issue due to the unhoused person not having access to safe and secure housing. Safety can be secured for both the housed and unhoused when we give people the mental health, addiction and treatment services and housing support they need, everyone is safer: both the housed and unhoused.

Wiltshire: Nashvilles affordable housing crisis has greatly contributed to the challenges we face in housing insecurity and homelessness. But this challenge is deeper than the cost of housing. Right now were not providing adequate services for people who are struggling with addiction and substance abuse disorders, experiencing mental health challenges, medical debt, and unemployment. We need a coordinated approach, that follows national best practices, to give folks the services they need.

With all of that said, our focus needs to be on improving the quality of life for everyone. To reclaim our public spaces such as parks and sidewalks, we must ensure the supportive housing programs we invest in actually work.

As a Mayor, I would bring together leaders representing businesses, the faith-community, nonprofits, foundations, and neighborhoods to match any government dollars we invest in implementing a quality supportive housing program. Together we will regularly review and evaluate progress and hold each other and the people we serve accountable. It takes a combined effort to build communities we all want to live in.

Yarbro: Homelessness is a safety issue, but not a safety issue that should be primarily addressed through the criminal justice system. I fought against the legislation to make sleeping in public a felony. Where a person lacks a home or temporary shelter, making it a felony to go to sleep is effectively outlawing the persons existence. Its just wrong. Moreover, that law actually incentivizes individuals sleeping on private property where criminal penalties are less severe. That said, the status quo is unsafe for both the unhoused and the broader community and cannot be tolerated. If we merely clear encampments without a long term plan, well continue to see more and more encampments spring up  and thats bad for everyone. Those in the camps are more likely to be victims of crime and trauma, and we have more public spaces that cant be safely enjoyed by the whole community. We know were facing diminished safety for drivers and pedestrians alike when our residents without residences are a growing number of those dying in traffic fatalities. But fundamentally, the pathway to safety is getting folks into housing and help get their lives back on track  and a punitive approach makes that job harder.
In a matter of weeks, Nashville will elect its fourth mayor in five years.

Following the 2018 resignation of Mayor Megan Barry in the wake of political scandal, the mayors office has been besieged with instability. After being elected to serve for the remainder of Barrys term, David Briley was defeated by fellow former At-Large Councilmember John Cooper in 2019. And after a term plagued by everything from natural disasters and a Christmas Day bombing to a global pandemic, Cooper announced in January that he would not seek reelection.

Voter registration deadline: July 5 Early voting: July 14-29 Election Day: Aug. 3

Then came something of a land rush, with a dozen candidates ultimately qualifying to run for mayor by the May 18 deadline. Since then, the established candidates have participated in an inordinate number of forums, pleading their case to a city that  according to a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling less than one month ago  is roughly 45 percent undecided. In terms of what well call plausible, or viable, candidates  that is, folks who have significant campaign funding  were looking at eight contenders.

State Sen. Heidi Campbell has the support of three fellow Nashville Democratic legislators  Reps. Bob Freeman, John Ray Clemmons and Bo Mitchell  and name ID thanks to her recent race against Andy Ogles for the states gerrymandered 5th Congressional District. With experience as mayor of Nashville satellite city Oak Hill, Campbell prioritizes investment in public education, transportation infrastructure and equity and inclusion.

Kansas City-area native Jim Gingrich is the former COO of Wall Street firm AllianceBernstein and, having moved to Nashville a half-decade ago, is pitching himself as an outsider. Gingrich loaned his campaign $2 million early on, and has gone on record as opposing the citys deal to partially fund a new multibillion-dollar Titans stadium.

At-Large Metro Councilmember Sharon Hurt has served as the executive director of nonprofit Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership as well as HIV/AIDS outreach organization Street Works. Having been elected to countywide office twice, Hurt has name recognition and a track record of public service.

District 19 Metro Councilmember Freddie OConnell entered the race early  in April 2022  and has a record as one of the most progressive members of the council. OConnell voted against the citys Titans stadium deal, and though hes not as well-funded as fellow candidates Gingrich and Matt Wiltshire, that early-June poll shows him doing as well as anyone. He also has the endorsements of five of his fellow councilmembers.

Of the eight candidates profiled here, Alice Rolli is the sole Republican. She has said shed like to increase the number of Metro Nashville Police Department officers, and that shed consider a takeover of the Metro Nashville Public Schools system if charters are not renewed. Her campaign treasurer is David Fox, who narrowly lost to Megan Barry in the 2015 mayoral runoff.

Vivian Wilhoite served two terms as a Metro councilmember before being elected as the Davidson County Property Assessor in 2016. She was the last to officially enter the race, but has the endorsement of District Attorney Glenn Funk and name recognition as a longtime holder of countywide office.

Longtime economic development and housing executive Matt Wiltshire touts his experience working under four Nashville mayors, and has the endorsements of Metro Councilmembers Robert Nash, John Rutherford and Nancy VanReece. Hes also got a lot of money to spend, having raised more than $1 million, in addition to the $350,000 he loaned his campaign early on. He recently secured the endorsement of Nashville's police union.

Another member of Nashvilles legislative delegation, Democratic state Sen. Jeff Yarbro says he has the skills and experience necessary to reorient our relationship with the states Republican supermajority. He was able to transfer $141,000 from his state Senate campaign account to his mayoral campaign and says hed like to focus on building more affordable housing and strengthening infrastructure.

In the four stories that follow  part of a partnership between the Scene and our colleagues at the Nashville Banner, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization  we explore four key issues that will face the citys next mayor: homelessness, education, transit and crime. The Banner also asked all eight of the above candidates for their on-the-record responses to multiple questions for each topic.

The voter registration deadline is July 5, with early voting taking place July 14-29 and Election Day on Aug. 3. With so many candidates in the race, a runoff is exceedingly likely  meaning Aug. 3s two top vote-getters will face off again on Sept. 14. Get registered, get reading, and get to the polls. D. PATRICK RODGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Mayoral Candidates on Transit Nashvilles transit system lags behind peer cities  the next mayor will have their work cut out for them if theyre going to catch up

The Mayoral Candidates on Crime Its one of the easiest issues to invoke, but one of the hardest to address. Heres what the next mayor faces.

The Mayoral Candidates on Homelessness John Cooper brought homelessness to the forefront with a $50 million housing first plan, then dropped out of the race
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov of Bulgaria to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (29 June 2023) to discuss final preparations for the upcoming Vilnius Summit.

Bulgaria is on the front line of some of the gravest challenges we face, and plays an important role in our collective response, said the Secretary General. He praised Bulgarias contributions to Black Sea region security, including by hosting the Italian-led NATO battlegroup, and by participating in Allied naval patrols. He also thanked Bulgaria for playing a key role in NATOs peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and for contributing to NATOs training mission in Iraq.

NATO will continue to support and defend Bulgaria, said Mr Stoltenberg. At the upcoming Vilnius Summit, Allies will further enhance NATOs collective deterrence and defence. They will decide on new regional plans, with assigned forces, exercises, and capabilities. This will involve putting 300,000 forces on higher readiness, backed by substantial sea and air capabilities. NATOs new rotational model for air and missile defence will also help move quickly from air policing to air defence if needed. All this sends a clear message: NATO is ready to defend every inch of Allied territory, the Secretary General stressed.

Stepping up NATOs support for Ukraine will be another top priority for the Summit, including with a multi-year assistance package, upgraded political ties, and by reaffirming that Ukraines rightful place is in NATO. The Secretary General thanked Bulgaria for providing military and humanitarian support to the Ukrainian people, saying that this helps to uphold their right to self-defence as enshrined in the UN Charter.

To continue strengthening NATO and supporting Ukraine, we need to invest more in our security, said Mr Stoltenberg, noting that Allies will agree a more ambitious defence investment pledge at the Summit.


On Monday 03 July 2023, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, and the SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Major General Matthew Van Wagenen, will give a media briefing at NATO Headquarters. The briefing will be on the record, and will focus on the integration of NATO and national military planning.

Media advisory 10:00 (CEST) Briefing with Admiral Bauer and Major General Van Wagenen, NATO Headquarters, 1st floor, Trans-Atlantic / Washington Treaty Room

Media coverage This media event is open to journalists who have annual accreditation to NATO for 2023.

The briefing will not be streamed and video cannot be recorded at this event. Camera equipment will not be allowed in the briefing room.

A transcript will be published on the NATO website after the event. For more information: Contact the NATO Press Office Follow us on Twitter (@NATO and @NATOPress)
I fear Marc Thiessen has been enveloped in his protective cocoon for far too long and lost touch with reality. What else can explain his June 17 column advocating for a Donald Trump pardon? He obviously agrees that all evidence is leading to the former presidents guilt; otherwise why the need for a pardon? To use the words of Dylan Thomas: if Trump were pardoned by President Biden he would not go gentle into that good night. Like a virulent cancer, he would take a pardon as proof of full innocence and return to attack the body politic, moving the Republic closer to its doom. Havent we seen enough to know this is his nature?

Contrary to Thiessens appeal, this would not heal the nation; people have been jailed for the January 6 insurrection initiated by Trump. A Republican majority did not have the backbone to impeach the former president over his actions on that day and attempts to circumvent vote counts in Georgia.

As far as politicizing the justice system, that rests on Trumps shoulders. He wanted absolute fealty from his Attorney General and the head of the FBI. The entire documents debacle originated with the National Archives, an independent federal agency charged with preservation and documentation of government and historical records. Their discovery of gaps in documentation tipped them off to requesting files from the former president who did not fully comply. Once it became suspicious that some missing documents could be top level security the FBI was involved because Trump was not forthright.

Thiessen himself admits that Trump brought this on himself. Robert Hur (a Trump appointee) has been named special counsel investigating classified documents on Biden property and the President cooperated fully. To date the special committee of Republicans in the House have not turned up damning evidence in their investigation of Hunter Biden but they continue to pursue their case.

It does not appear that anyone is getting special treatment, so please stop perpetuating a myth of martyrdom. We have far more important business to address.

Helen Shoff

West Seneca
(As delivered)

Prime Minister Denkov, Nikolai,

Welcome to the NATO Headquarters,

And congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister.

We face the most challenging security environment in decades. And Bulgaria is on the front line of some of the gravest challenges we face.

Your country plays an important role in our collective response.



Since the start of Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, Bulgaria has participated actively in NATOs deterrence and defence in the Black Sea region. You host one of NATOs multinational battlegroups, led by Italy. And your naval forces help to secure the Black Sea, as part of NATO patrols.

In the Western Balkans, Bulgarian troops play a key role in our KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo,

Which is even more important at times of high tension. Your forces also contribute to building more sustainable and effective forces in Iraq, as part of NATOs mission there.

All of these contributions to the Alliance are valued and appreciated. To keep Bulgaria safe, NATO continues to provide strong deterrence and defence in your region. On land, at sea, and in the air. NATO will continue to support and defend Bulgaria.

Strengthening our deterrence and defence will be a key topic for the Vilnius Summit in July. And we just had a good discussion on our final preparations.

At the Summit, we will decide on new regional plans. With forces, exercises and capabilities assigned to them. And we will have more troops on higher readiness, backed by substantial air and maritime capabilities. We have also agreed a new rotational model for air and missile defence. So that we can move quickly from air policing to air defence, if needed.

All of this sends a clear message: NATO is ready to defend every inch of Allied territory.

At the NATO Summit in Vilnius, we will also step up our support for Ukraine. With a multi-year package of assistance, upgraded political ties and by reaffirming that Ukraines rightful place is in NATO.

I thank Bulgaria for providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

This helps the Ukrainians to uphold their right to self-defence, as enshrined in the UN Charter.

To continue strengthening NATO and the support for Ukraine, we need to invest more in our security.

And I count on Bulgaria to commit to the more ambitious defence investment pledge that we will agree at the Summit.

So, Prime Minister, thank you again for coming here and for Bulgarias many contributions to our collective defence and shared security.

So, please  you have the floor.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:

Thank you. We'll go to questions. I will start with the Bulgarian National Television.

Desislava Apostolova, Bulgarian National Television:

Mr. Secretary General, do you see a need to increase the NATO forces in Bulgaria? And what would you say to the Bulgarian citizens who may be afraid of what has happened in Russia recently? Thank you. [Question to Bulgarian Prime Minister].

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:

The mutiny of the Wagner forces at the weekend, they are a reminder of the cracks and increased tensions that the war against Ukraine has created within Russia. At the same time, we need to remember these are internal Russian matters. That is not for NATO to have anything to any role to play in those events. What matters for us is that we continue to support Ukraine because Russia has attacked a sovereign, independent nation in Europe. Ukraine has the right to defend itself, as a right enshrined in the UN Charter. NATO Allies, including Bulgaria continue to provide support to Ukraine.

We have already increased our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. We have actually doubled the number of battle groups and increased the size of them, including our presence in Bulgaria has been increased because we were well prepared when Russia attacked Ukraine in February, last year. This is part of a pattern, the war didn't start in February last year, it started actually in 2014, and since then, NATO has implemented the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence, including with more forces in eastern part of the Alliance. So we will continue to assess the need and at the Vilnius Summit we will also agree new defence plans, new force structure with even more forces at high readiness to be able to quickly reinforce whenever and where needed.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov:

Okay, so Ill translate the questions in English. There were two. The first one was: whether the risk was higher after the last events in [what] we saw in Russia, and the second one was: when we will reach this 2%, like a benchmark of the military expenses. So, the answers are the following. So first, the risk became very clear when Russia invaded Ukraine because it was obvious, for the first time after the Second World War in Europe, someone is ready to break the borders and the last events didn't change much. I mean, we are still in this risk and the best way to reduce this risk is actually to help Ukraine because the victory of Ukraine, victory in the sense that they recovered their territory, is the best way to protect the other countries, including Bulgaria, after this invasion.

Concerning the expenses for defence, this year will be slightly below 1.9. For the next year, we have planned already 2%, and it is in the projection for the budget for next year. And for 2025, we have well above 2% planned because we have some planned investments in the military improvement, in the technical groups that have to be That are planned and have to be paid that year. So it will be a little bit going up and down but definitely we have the commitment to go above 2% as it was decided recently.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:

Thank you very much. We will have time for one more. Wall Street Journal, please.

Dan Michaels, Wall Street Journal:

Thank you, Dan Michaels with the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Secretary General, following up on what you said about the Vilnius Summit and Ukraine, and the commitment to Ukraine. I know Allies are still discussing this in some areas, such as the wording of what kind of pledge will go beyond the Bucharest wording. There is still great differences on this. So can you say anything about where those talks stand and are you confident there will be agreement? And separately, there was another Quran burning in Sweden yesterday. Are you concerned that that will make it complicated or even impossible for Sweden to become a full member by Vilnius? Thank you very much.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:

So first, on the last question, on the burning of the Quran. I understand the emotion and the depth of feeling this causes and actions taken that are offensive and objectionable are not necessarily illegal in sovereign legal systems. We have also seen protests against both Turkiye and NATO over the last weeks in Sweden. I do not like them, but I defend the right to disagree. This is part of freedom of expression. What is important for me is that we have to make progress on finalising the accession of Sweden into the Alliance. I spoke with President Erdogan recently and we agreed to convene a high level meeting of officials here in Brussels, Thursday, next week. It will be the Foreign Ministers, the National Security Advisors and the Chiefs of Intelligence, and they will sit down and address outstanding issues to find a way forward and my message continues to be that Sweden has delivered on all its obligations, including the obligations that Sweden, Turkiye and Finland agreed on at the NATO Summit in Madrid, last year.

Then the other question was on wording, yes. Well, as always, when we are going to make important decisions at summits in NATO, there is a process, there are consultations. This is the way NATO makes decisions. I am confident that we will find a united way forward and find also a united way to address Ukraine's membership aspirations. I think we have to remember that all Allies agree that NATOs door is open, that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance, and that it is for the NATO Allies and Ukraine to decide when Ukraine should become a member and Russia doesn't have a veto on NATO enlargement. The most urgent task is to ensure that Ukraine gets enough donations, military support, so President Putin doesn't win and Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation because without that there is no membership issue to be discussed at all. We will help Ukraine, support Ukraine in moving forward and come closer to NATO, partly by expanding our practical cooperation, help them to be fully interoperable with NATO with this multi-year program for transition from Soviet era to NATO standards, procedures and equipment, and also by strengthening the political ties. We are looking into a way to establish a NATO-Ukraine Council. So, I am absolutely confident that when NATO leaders meet in Vilnius we will send a strong message of support to Ukraine.

Deputy NATO Spokesperson, Dylan White:

That concludes this press point, thank you very much.
3M agrees to $10.3 billion settlement over allegations of contaminating public drinking water with forever chemicals

Industrial conglomerate 3M Co. has reached a $10.3 billion settlement agreement with various public water systems to settle numerous claims of contamination of public drinking water with "forever chemicals."

Considered the "largest drinking water settlement in American history," the latest agreement will include a present value commitment of up to $10.3 billion payable over 13 years, the chemical manufacturer announced on June 22.

According to the firm's securities filing, 3M would pay to remediate public water systems that have tested positive for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the proposed settlement, which must be approved by a federal court. The decision would resolve the case that had been scheduled for trial earlier this month over a 2018 lawsuit brought by the city of Stuart, Florida. As per the city, 3M made or sold firefighting foams containing PFAS that polluted local soil and groundwater and sought more than $100 million for filtration and remediation.

"We have reached the largest drinking water settlement in American history, which will be used to help filter PFAS from drinking water that is served to the public," said Scott Summy, a lead attorney for the water systems suing 3M and other polluting manufacturers, in a statement. "The result is that millions of Americans will have healthier lives without PFAS in their drinking water."

Summy added that the settlement is still subject to the approval of the court. Furthermore, 3M's decision to agree to the deal also does not represent an "admission of liability."

"If the agreement is not approved by the court or certain agreed terms are not fulfilled, 3M is prepared to continue to defend itself in the litigation," said the company in a statement. "3M also will continue to address other PFAS litigation by defending itself in court or through negotiated resolutions, all as appropriate."

3M is currently facing a multitude of lawsuits on PFAS contamination that were not part of the latest settlement. Among the lawsuits are those filed by people with personal injury and property damage claims. U.S. states have also filed lawsuits citing damages to natural resources such as rivers and lakes.

PFAS are used in a wide range of products, including non-stick cookware, stain- and water-resistant fabrics and carpets, as well as cleaning products, paints, water repellents and fire-fighting foams. High levels of PFAS have been linked to health issues, including various cancers, hormonal dysfunction, reproductive issues and adverse effects on immune function. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called PFAS an "urgent public health and environmental issue." (Related: From womb to tomb: "Forever chemicals" can be passed on to babies during pregnancy.)

Settlement could cost 3M as much as $140 billion

The deal followed a similar agreement with three other major chemical companies  Chemours, DuPont and Corteva  all of whom agreed on June 2 to pay $1.19 billion into a fund that will be used to remove PFAS from public drinking water systems.

Furthermore, the initial settlement with the said firms may not be the end of the costs for those companies. The deal, which also requires approval by a judge, would resolve lawsuits involving water systems that already had detectable levels of PFAS contamination, as well as those required to monitor for contamination by the EPA.

However, it does not include some other water systems and it would not resolve lawsuits resulting from claims of environmental damage or personal injury from individuals already sickened by the chemicals. And state attorneys general have filed new suits, some as recently as this week, over the matter.

The New York Times reported that 3M's liability could be even greater, despite its denial. In an online presentation in March, financial research company CreditSights estimated that PFAS litigation could ultimately cost 3M more than $140 billion, though it said a lower figure was more likely.

3M has previously announced that by the end of 2025, it plans to cease all PFAS manufacturing and will work to end the use of PFAS in its products.

Visit Chemicals.news to learn more about the toxins chemical companies release to the environment.

Watch the video below that talks about how PFAS contamination has been more prevalent in drinking water than claimed.

This video is from the Weltansicht channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Regulators STILL allowing toxic BIOSLUDGE to be dumped all over food crops, polluting them with PFAS "forever chemicals."

18 Popular US-made soft contact lenses found to contain high levels of harmful PFAS.

Breakthrough: Canadian scientists develop novel filtration method that permanently removes "forever" chemicals from drinking water.

More than 100 scientists accuse WHO of ignoring risks of "forever chemicals" on human health.

Consumer beware: Study reveals toxic "forever chemicals" in pesticides are entering the food supply.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Investors.3M.com

Reuters.com

ATSDR.CDC.gov

NewYorkTimes.com

Brighteon.com
Spot the difference? This is called Black privilege and its a very real thing

When it comes to LGBTQ and black Americans the USA is by far one of the least racist countries in the world. Gays and minorities are not only a protected class; they are treated like demigods and feted with month-long celebrations and festivities. Even businesses now hire you based on the dark color of your skin. Where else do you know of that is so non-racist that people like Jussie Smollett and countless others have to actually stage race hoaxes to make it seem as if were some KKK cesspool?

(Article republished from Revolver.news)

The fact of the matter is this: youre not the downtrodden group if the entire media, political apparatus, and all US corporations are in your corner. The same cannot be said for white people these days. Whites are constantly demonized by the media and the political apparatus. Qualified white workers are routinely passed over for jobs simply because of the color of their skin. Black privilege has taken over the country, and instead of creating a societal balance when it comes to race relations, the radicalized left wants to eliminate the white race altogether.

NJ 1015:

Rutgers Professor Brittney Cooper branded white people as villains, cheered lower birth rates among whites and predicted their time was coming to an end. Cooper is a professor of African and womens and gender studies. She was appearing on an online conference titled Unpacking The Attacks On Critical Race Theory hosted by The Root Institutes Michael Harriot. She argued white people are committed to being villains in the aggregate, fear losing power and will fight to keep it. The professor termed whiteness an inconvenient interruption in history.

There are numerous other instances of such blatant racism and hatred that are unfortunately promoted within academia, media, business, and politics. And now, its seeped into our justice system. Recently, the Marine Subway Hero, Daniel Penny, was arrested after he saved a train full of people from a crazed, mentally ill homeless man. He was held on a $100k bond. In another Subway Hero incident, a brave young man by the name of Jordan Williams stabbed an ex-con who was attacking his girlfriend on the subway. Mr. Williams was also arrested, but was released with zero bond.

Spot the difference between the two men?

Heres a closeup of the headlines:

Both of these men are heroes, and it is a miscarriage of justice that either was arrested for protecting innocent people from dangerous thugs. We support both of them equally. However, its unfortunate that the U.S. justice system, which ideally should be blind, fails to treat them equally due to the color of their skin. One man is vilified by the media, while the other is handled with care, and his situation is described as emotional.

While America trips over itself to offer support to blacks, other minorities, and protected groups; these days, if youre a white male, God help you, because everyones out to get you.

Read more at: Revolver.news
MUTILATORS UNITE! 250 Hollywood celebrities sign letter demanding Big Tech censor anyone who opposes trans surgeries on kids

(Article by Steve Watson republished from Summit.news)

The letter was sent to the CEOs of Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter by GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and was signed by hundreds of famous names including Amy Schumer, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Apatow, Patrick Stewart and many more.

It states that There has been a massive systemic failure to prohibit hate, harassment, and malicious anti-LGBTQ disinformation on your platforms and it must be addressed, pointing to dangerous posts (both content and ads) targeting transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people.

This disinformation and hate, inadequately moderated on your platforms, plays an outsized role in the sharp increase in real-world anti-transgender targeting and violence, it continues.

The letter further decrees Your policies and corresponding enforcement are inadequate when it comes to mitigating harmful and dangerous anti-LGBTQ content. You must urgently take action to protect trans and LGBTQ users on your platforms (including protecting us from over-enforcement and censorship).

The celebrities specifically cite tech companies allowing people to engage in deadnaming and misgendering as a widespread mode of hate speech across all platforms, utilized to bully and harass prominent public figures while simultaneously expressing hatred and contempt.

The letter then demands to know what the tech companies are going to do to address Content that spreads malicious lies and disinformation about medically necessary healthcare for transgender youth.

The letter states that Specific mitigations on such disinformation must be developed (for instance akin to election and COVID-19 mitigations and rules).

So, essentially, censoring anyone who doesnt completely advocate removing the genitals of children and sterilising them.

Recall that the mitigations employed by big tech against people who expressed opinions on the 2020 election and COVID-19 that were in any way divergent to the establishment narrative were to censor and altogether remove them from the platforms.

This included merely suggesting that the COVID lab leak theory, which is now the accepted probable reality of what happened by several government agencies and scientists, warranted an investigation.

Related:

Meanwhile, in the real world, a new poll from Summit Ministries and McLaughlin & Associates has found that 61 percent of U.S. voters believe that introducing children to transgenderism, drag shows, and LGBTQ+ themes stunts their emotional and psychological development.

The polls also found that 63 percent of respondents believe that those advocating for children to be exposed to these issues are motivated purely by a desire to push a specific cultural agenda.

A further poll found that almost three quarters (73%) want businesses to stay neutral on political and cultural issues, including LGBTQ+, with just over half saying they support boycotting companies that aggressively market that agenda.

Those figures dovetail with another poll conducted by The Trafalgar Group in partnership with Convention of States Action that found 62 percent want companies to remain neutral during Pride month, and that 41 percent say they have taken part in boycotting a company for taking woke public stances.

Read more at: Summit.news
China pledges support for Russia following failed Wagner mercenary rebellion

China has pledged its support for Russia's actions to maintain national stability following the failed rebellion of the Wagner Group mercenaries.

Furthermore, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the aborted rebellion by Wagner an "internal affair."

"As Russia's friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner of coordination for the new era, China supports Russia in maintaining national stability and achieving development and prosperity," said the spokesperson in a statement. (Related: Russia and China pledge friendship, denounce the West.)

In its own statement, Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry acknowledged the Chinese statement: "The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the Russian leadership to stabilize the situation in the country in connection with the events of June 24 and reaffirmed its interest in strengthening the cohesion and further prosperity of Russia."

These statements come after the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, started a 24-hour rebellion that was able to take control over several cities and towns in Russia. This short-lived mutiny culminated in an attempted march toward Moscow with the goal of taking over the city.

This march was halted after Prigozhin accepted a deal from the Kremlin for him and his mercenaries being given safe passage to Belarus where they will remain in exile. In exchange, Russian authorities would drop all criminal charges against Prigozhin and his fighters.

This day-long rebellion was extensively covered by Chinese state media, with state-owned media outlet Xinhua News Agency publishing a Chinese-language article that Russian "representatives from all parts of the nation, dignitaries and religious leaders strongly condemned the incident, and clearly stated that they stood on the side of the Russian federal government, stability and peace."

"China will support Russia while stressing no interference of its internal affairs," said prominent Chinese commentator and military expert Song Zhongping. "Prigozhin realizes that it is difficult to achieve the desired results through this rebellion."

Other Chinese media outlets ran a variety of articles discussing the event, including analyzing scenarios the uprising could lead to, including regime change. However, Chinese Communist Party-owned Global Times noted that the hyping up of the mutiny among the West was meant to create an "illusion" that Russia has many internal contradictions and "the building is collapsing," which is part of an attack by Western media meant to undermine Russia.

Chinese, Russian diplomats meet to discuss strengthened bilateral relations

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang and Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu recently held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, tackling bilateral relations and "international and regional issues of common concern," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

During this meeting, Ma vowed to defend both nations' common interests in the face of a "complex and grim" international environment, and Rudenko promised to continue working together with China "to consistently strengthen" relations.

Furthermore, Ma noted how mutual political trust between Beijing and Moscow has been steadily growing under the leadership of Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

Both sides also "highly praised the current state of Russia-China relations," according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, adding that the meeting also served as an avenue for discussing "prospects for further strengthening foreign policy coordination and cooperation between Moscow and Beijing at multilateral platforms."

Visit RussiaReport.news for more stories regarding the conflicts embattling the Russian state.

Watch the video below discussing Yevgeny Prigozhin's short-lived rebellion.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Was Prigozhin's mutiny a Western intelligence op derailed by Russian spies?

New Energy Market Order: Russia, China, Iran sign over a dozen new trade agreements  mostly concerning energy.

Ukraine launches biggest attack in months as much-hyped counteroffensive begins.

Russian paramilitary Wagner Group said to have captured Ukrainian salt mines as experts predict war will escalate.

Sources include:

MSN.com

CNBC.com

NBCNews.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
Diabetes and obesity drugs linked to thyroid cancer

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Union's (EU) version of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), issued a drug safety signal this week about the elevated thyroid cancer risk associated with certain classes of pharmaceuticals for Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient found in the widely used anti-diabetes and anti-obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, respectively, are linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer in patients who take the drugs in accordance with a doctor's prescription.

Known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, the drugs in question are manufactured by Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Sanofi Winthrop, all of which must submit supplementary information about them to the EMA by July 26, 2023.

While a safety signal does not necessarily imply a direct causal relationship between a drug and the reported adverse event, the EMA uses it to help better determine whether or not a causal link exists by examining whatever the drug manufacturers send its way as part of the supplementary information requirement.

"Novo Nordisk is aware of the signal and the request by EMA and will deliver a thorough assessment of all relevant data to elucidate this topic," said Lars Otto Andersen-Lange, the media relations director at Novo Nordisk, in a statement.

Andersen-Lange added that all associated Novo Nordisk products, including semaglutide, have been on the market for more than a decade, and that the safety data gathered from post-marketing surveillance of the drugs has not shown any "conclusive" evidence tying them to thyroid cancer.

(Related: Did you catch our earlier report about how doctors kill more people today than cancer does?)

Big Pharma criticizes researchers for exposing thyroid cancer risk of anti-diabetes, anti-obesity drugs  says their study contains "important limitations"

As usual, Novo Nordisk and the other drug companies responsible for producing the offending drugs continue to deny that their products are in any way unsafe. In fact, they even went so far as to take aim at the new study exposing the link, claiming it contains "important limitations."

Some of the "important limitations" highlighted by Andersen-Lange includes the absence of validated case identification, inadequate differentiation of recurrent events, potential misclassification of events, and unconfirmed drug exposure, to quote one media source.

The study in question was pioneered by French researchers who looked at data from the French national health care insurance system database. From this, they noticed an increased risk of thyroid cancer among individuals who take the drugs in question, particularly between one and three years of being on them.

Diabetes Care reportedly published two commentaries on the study, one of which suggests that "detection bias" could be making it seem like the drugs cause thyroid cancer when they really do not. The other suggests the study might be invalid because it did not account for obesity as a confounding factor in thyroid cancer.

Interestingly, Novo Nordisk's prescribing information for Ozempic and Wegovy contains a warning about the risk of developing thyroid C-cell tumors. The manufacturer also notes in the prescribing literature that semaglutide is linked to "dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors" in rodents, but that human cancers remain "undetected."

Those with a family history of thyroid cancer are warned against taking Wegovy by the FDA, which seems to be in acknowledgement that something is very wrong with these drugs in terms of their cancer risk.

It turns out that a big factor in Novo Nordisk's success as a drug company is due to semaglutide. The company is now the second most valuable company in Europe, trailing only behind the French luxury goods group LVMH.

The latest news about the scourge of toxic pharmaceuticals can be found at BadMedicine.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Newstarget.com
Ford to lay off 1,000 employees as focus on EVs costs the company BILLIONS

American automobile giant Ford Motor Company is planning to lay off at least 1,000 salaried and contract workers in the United States and Canada as it attempts to offset the costs of transitioning toward more electric vehicle manufacturing

A spokesman for the company confirmed on Tuesday, June 27, that Ford began notifying some of its salaried workers the previous day that job cuts were coming.

The planned layoffs are expected to be concentrated among the company's host of engineers spread out across all three of its business units: Ford Blue, its traditional internal combustion engine division; Ford Model E, its electric vehicle manufacturing unit; and Ford Pro, its commercial vehicles and services division. (Related: Ford halts production and shipping of F-150 Lightning EV due to unspecified battery issue.)

Ford's managers held meetings on Monday, June 26, informing employees that layoffs were coming and that affected teams have permission to work from home for the rest of the week. Affected employees are expected to be notified by the end of the week.

The layoffs are part of the company's "Ford Plus" growth plan. Announced in 2021, this multi-year-long restructuring effort is designed to massively reduce costs.

"Delivering our Ford Plus plan for growth and value creation includes increasing quality, lowering costs, investing in our priorities and adjusting staffing to match the capabilities we need," said the company in an emailed statement. "People affected by the changes will be offered severance pay, benefits and significant help to find new career opportunities."

"Delivering on the plan includes adjusting staffing to match focused priorities and ambitions, while raising quality and lowering costs," said Ford Corporate and Public Policy Communications Director T.R. Reid, in a statement that hews closely with Ford's own official statement on the job cuts. "The actions we're taking this week in the U.S. and Canada are mostly  but not only  related to engineering roles."

Ford is not the only automaker reducing its headcount as it realigns its business priorities to focus more on manufacturing electric vehicles. Jeep parent company Stellantis in April began a voluntary buyout program for about 33,500 employees, while General Motors conducted a similar employee buyout program that was so massive it is expected to cost the company nearly $900 million.

Ford working to trim down its annual spending

This is only the latest round of layoffs for Ford's global business over the past year, including a 3,000-person reduction in the U.S. last summer and a nearly 4,000-person job cut for its European operations initiated earlier this year.

These job cuts caused Ford's employee headcount last year to drop by about 10,000 people to 173,000 employees globally.

Ford's annual costs are between $7 to $8 billion, which executives noted is far too high compared to its rival automakers. CEO Jim Farley himself noted that the company has more work to do to reduce costs as its main business, Ford Blue, is massive and significantly less efficient than the similar divisions of its competitors.

"We can cut the cost, we can cut people, we can do that really quickly and we'll do whatever we need to," said Farley.

Farley further noted that its goal now is to boost the profit margins for its internal combustion engine division as it works overtime to offset the lack of profits coming in from its growing EV wing. Farley said the profitability of EVs is expected to be lackluster for several years as Ford continues to scale up output and work to reduce battery costs.

He warned that making an EV might only start costing as much as making an internal combustion engine vehicle after 2030. Ford already expects to lose $3 billion from its EV business in 2023 just as its internal combustion sector works overtime to help keep earnings afloat.

In its latest quarterly filing in May, Ford said it expected to incur between $1.5 billion to $2 billion in charges in 2023 "primarily attributable to employee separations and supplier settlements."

Labor issues are also expected to be major obstacles to Ford's plan to reduce operating costs. The layoffs come just weeks ahead of the scheduled start of negotiations with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union over a new four-year labor contract for Ford's unionized hourly factory workers.

Ford, Stellantis and General Motors expect to face an especially tough round of talks with a higher-than-usual risk of a strike thanks to the election of new, more militant leadership in the UAW.

Learn more about the state of the American economy at MarketCrash.news.

Watch this clip from Fox Business as "Barron's Roundtable" host Jack Otter interviews Ford CEO Jim Farley about the transition to more electric vehicles.

This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ford expected to announce HUGE losses in EV sales  other automakers are bound to follow suit.

Ford's deal with Chinese EV battery maker sparks security concerns.

Supply chain crunch still affecting automobile industry as Ford's trademark blue oval badges, nameplates run out.

Test finds EV Ford F-150 Lightning has "abysmally bad" towing ability.

Ford recalls electric version of iconic Mustang muscle car, citing manufacturing defect.

Sources include:

JustTheNews.com

WSJ.com

CNBC.com

TheVerge.com

Brighteon.com
FLASHBACK: A timeline of Hunter Bidens years of drugs, addiction, dildos, arrests and multi-million dollar deals thanks to daddy

(Article by Jim Hoft republished from TheGatewayPundit.com)

Hunter Bidens first arrest may have been when he was 18. Hunter was arrested on Jersey Shore related to drug charges in 1988 and had his record expunged.

Many years later and after several stops into drug treatment facilities Hunter joined his father the Vice President on a trip to China in 2013 where Hunter  inexperienced and out of place  was able to secure a $1.5 billion from China for private equity fund which he was forming at the time.

A year later in early 2014 Hunter was discharged from the Navy for testing positive for cocaine.

As Banks Fail and Americans Scramble to Protect Retirement Accounts With Physical Gold and Silver, A Faith-Based Company Shows Them How

Then in April 2014, just a couple months later, Hunter Biden Hunter joined the Board of Burisma Holdings in the Ukraine. Hunter served on the Board until early 2019. Hunter was paid approximately $50,000 a month in his position.

The largest oil and gas company in the Ukraine hired a chronic drug addict only a few months after the addict was removed from the US Navy for doing cocaine.

In 2016 Hunter Biden returned a rental car with a crack pipe with cocaine residue and a small amount of a white, powdery substance.

A used crack pipe, credit cards, a Delaware Attorney General badge, US Secret Service business cards, two IDs belonging to Hunter Biden, son of former VP Joe Biden were found in a Hertz rental car in Arizona.

A lab analysis of the crack pipe revealed it was used to smoke cocaine, not meth, however, no fingerprints were found on the pipe.

And surprise, surprise, the County and City Attorneys offices declined to prosecute Hunter Biden.

Hunter was never charged with a crime in this incident.

In 2018 Hunter fathered a child with a Washington DC stripper while he was dating his dead brothers wife.

In 2018 the IRS placed a tax lien on Hunter Biden seeking $112,805 in unpaid taxes from 2015.

And according to Page Six, Hunter Biden allegedly spent time at Larry Flynts Hustler Club in New York City in 2018. Hunter allegedly ordered pricey booze, was joined by several strippers in a private room while he did drugs and had strippers run to find him a dildo.

In 2020 Hunter Biden was tied to a human trafficking ring with women who appear to be involved in the sex industry, including non-resident alien women in the US who are citizens of Russia or Ukraine.

You wont see this information in the media because they still working overtime to prop up senile Joe Biden as president.

In 2020 The New York Post released a photo of Hunter Biden sleeping with a crack pipe in is mouth like a pacifier.

The New York Post had several photos of Hunter yet to be released from his laptop.

These are just a few of the public allegations against Hunter Biden. After years of drug abuse, there are likely many more episodes not yet public.

Hunter has done quite well for himself despite his addictions thanks to his powerful father.

President Trump was right to call out Hunter Biden at the first presidential debate.

Chris Wallace shut down the discussion.

Trump was right.

And the fact that the liberal mainstream media continues to ignore this massive scandal years later says everything about their integrity and honesty. They have none.

This was first posted before the 2020 election.

Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com
First it was a day, then a month, now transgender Biden appointee Rachel Levine declares LGBT Summer of Pride lasting three full months

The month of June, which LGBT cultists have stolen and redesignated as "Pride Month," is no longer enough : now they want the entireto be declared the "Summer of Pride" as a three-month-long celebration of LGBT perversion.

Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Admiral Rachel Levine, a biological male who pretends he is a woman, officially declared the entire summer as the Summer of Pride in an address from the Biden regime to Americans.

"Happy Pride!" Levine states in the below video. "Happy Pride Month  and actually, let's declare it a summer of Pride. Happy Summer of Pride!"

ADMIRAL LEVINE, Biden's assistant secretary for health, says it's no longer just Pride month  it's a "Summer of Pride" pic.twitter.com/Y84AuBzQo0  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 26, 2023

According to Levine, the Summer of Pride is "an opportunity for change in our communities, states & nation."

"It will take us all, but together we can create a wave of change," Levine added in a statement. "Let the 'Summer of Pride' begin!"

(Related: According to Biden, opposing child sex changes means one is racist and anti-Semitic.)

U.S. Army Special Operations Command posts "intersex-inclusive pride flag" to all social media accounts in celebration of Summer of Pride

Joining Levine's Summer of Pride parade is the United States Army Special Operations Command, which posted an "intersex-inclusive pride flag" on all of its social media accounts this week, prompting criticism from former Green Berets and conservative commentators.

Officially known as the "intersex-inclusive Pride Progress flag," U.S. Army Special Operations Command shared the hideous thing to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, along with the following message to followers:

"USASOC recognizes June as Pride month, celebrating all LGBTQ+ members in our formations. Throughout American history, LGBTQ+ members have not only fought for the right to serve openly, but have also fought in every major war and conflict. Despite the challenges LGBTQ Army Soldiers and Civilians faced, their commitment to service has made our military stronger and the Nation safer."

What makes the intersex-inclusive Pride Progress flag different from the typical Pride flag is that it contains a purple circle on a yellow background, which stands for "intersex."

According to Boston University (BU), "intersex" people are defined as "those whose bodies do not align with the gender binaries of males or females. This includes those with both genitals or other differences."

The reason yellow and purple were chosen as the official intersex colors is because they are meant to be seen as "nonbinary colors," according to BU. The other colors on the flag, including light blue, pink and white, are meant to represent boys, girls and "those who are transitioning, have no gender, or are gender neutral."

"And you jackasses wonder why the military as a whole can't even meet its recruiting goals?" one former Green Beret commented in jest at the flag. "There's only one flag you should be proud of, the one we fought under and many of our brothers and sisters died under."

Sara Carter, a Fox News contributor and host of the "Sara Carter Show," also blasted the command's posts on Twitter, telling the story of her husband who was in Special Operations Command for more than 16 years "and continued to serve beyond."

"... but he fought for the American flag not the LGBTQ flag," she added.

"See, here's the problem  The American flag represents all Americans and the rights we cherish  we don't need the bizarre multi-colored flag to appreciate freedom my husband and so many others (gay or not) risked their lives for or lost their lives for."

The latest news about the transgender and LGBT takeover of American society by pedophile perverts can be found at Transhumanism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

Newstarget.com

Breitbart.com
Trump lauds RFK Jr. as a very good man whose heart is in the right place

Despite their political differences, former President Donald Trump lauded Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) as a "very good man" whose "heart is in the right place."

"He's been very nice to me, I've actually had a very nice relationship with him over the years. He's a smart guy, and a good guy," Trump told Howie Carr during an appearance on the "Howie Carr Show."

"He said, 'Trump's the greatest debater. Just don't debate going against Trump.' I was very honored by the fact he said that. I'm glad he feels that. But he's a very good man, and his heart is in the right place."

The real estate mogul-turned-chief executive also pointed out that the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy is "doing really well in the polls" against incumbent President Joe Biden.(Related: RFK Jr. likes his chances against Biden in 2024 presidential primaries.)

In response to Carr's question about whether he and RFK Jr. had talked lately, Trump said: "No, I haven't. I would, but I haven't."

"We have  a lot of things [in common], you know. He's a common sense guy, and so am I. So whether you're conservative or liberal, common sense is common sense," he added.

The younger Kennedy likewise praised his Republican rival during his appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience." RFK Jr. told podcast host Joe Rogan that Trump has been successful at speaking to the American middle class on their biggest issues.

"The middle class has been wiped out in this country and nobody's talking about it," the Democratic presidential hopeful said. "I think that's why Trump became so popular. He was the one guy talking to those people, and they're angry because nobody's listening to them."

During the same appearance on Rogan's podcast, RFK Jr. also warned that the wipeout of the middle class comes with dire consequences.

"If you don't have a middle class, if you have large aggregations of wealth at the top and widespread poverty below, that foundation is too unstable to support democracy."

RFK Jr. WON'T be joining Trump on an election ticket

RFK Jr. and Trump share several similarities. They share a hatred of the Deep State and are on the crosshairs of the mainstream media. Both candidates also espouse anti-establishment positions such as ending wars driven by the military-industrial complex and promoting free speech.

Given these similarities, many have been floating a possible electoral tandem between Trump and RFK Jr. in time for the 2024 presidential elections. However, the Democratic candidate himself quashed rumors of such a tandem in a tweet back in May.

"Just to quell any speculation, under no circumstances will I join Trump on an electoral ticket," he tweeted. "Our positions on certain fundamental issues, our approaches to governance and our philosophies of leadership could not be further apart."

RFK Jr.'s tweet reportedly followed a comment by former White House chief strategist and podcast host Steve Bannon about a potential Trump-Kennedy tandem. Back in April, the "Bannons War Room" host said RFK Jr. would be a good running mate for the real estate mogul in case former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and news anchor Kari Lake was unavailable.

"If [Lake is] not available to be Trump's vice president, [RFK Jr.] would be an excellent choice for Trump to consider," Bannon said. The erstwhile adviser to the Trump campaign said his suggestion purportedly received a standing ovation during a public appearance.

Visit VoteDemocrat.news for more stories about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his 2024 presidential campaign.

Watch this video explaining why Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. strike fear in the Deep State.

This video is from the Mckenna channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

RFK Jr. claims he can beat Joe Biden in 2024 primary.

TruNews: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential bid a BIG THREAT to the Deep State.

RFK Jr. says HE WON'T JOIN TRUMP, ending rumors of a possible tandem in 2024 presidential elections.

RFK Jr. on corporate media not putting his name in polls: That's OK. All we have to do is win the election.

RFK Jr. tied with Biden in primary poll, 20% of Democrats say they'd vote for Kennedy or Trump over Biden.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

YourNews.com

Newsweek.com

Brighteon.com
News / Local

by Staff reporter

OPPOSITION CCC leader Mr Nelson Chamisa threw his former vice president and ally Mr Tendai Biti under the proverbial bus and rigged the Harare East candidate selection process against him because he believed that the latter had a hand in his failure to secure funding for the forthcoming elections during his recent visit to the United States, The Herald reported.After his bid to secure millions of US dollars to fund his election campaign went up in smoke as the US government shut the door in his face citing a litany of undemocratic practices, and also abuse of previous funds, Mr Chamisa blamed all that on Mr Biti, Washington's preferred opposition leader.Despite feigning unity, insiders said the relationship between the two has irretrievably broken so much that even attempts by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, an ally of both, to get them to reconcile, have failed to restore trust in a bromance where there was never any love lost.After his ill-fated trip to the US, which was undertaken under a veil of secrecy and subterfuge, Mr Chamisa, whose political moniker is "Cobra", decided to manipulate the candidate selection process to ensure Mr Biti would not return to the House of Assembly.On the other hand, Mr Biti is angry that Mr Chamisa is ungrateful because he rescued the party at the MDC-Alliance Gweru congress in 2019 where he availed US$150 000, the sources said.In the US, Mr Chamisa, who had earlier received encouragement from the USAID, sought to coax the American government - through its illicit financing of regime change vehicles - to provide US$37 281 277 million for his election campaign with the immediate need for about US$340 000 for the nomination fees for himself and his candidates.He was also seeking US$10 million for polling agents who would be paid US$200 per day.On top of that he also wanted money to purchase 1 million T-shirts and an equal number of campaign paraphernalia such as bandanas. In all those efforts he drew blanks.Well-placed sources said in his meeting with the US Department of State's Bureau of African Affairs officials, Mr Chamisa was shown unflattering reports from the US Embassy in Harare which were prepared by the Charge de' Affairs Ms Ellaine French and acting mission director Mr Ramses Gauthier."The report that he received stated that CCC was a one-man party, he was told that the US does not support undemocratic institutions, he was told that he did not hold a congress even though he had ample time to do so, in short he was told he did not have a party but was an independent candidate," the source said.Apart from being confronted with details of his undemocratic credentials, Mr Chamisa was also told that his party lacks that intellectual aspect for any serious organisation seeking to win elections, and had no bank account where the money could, if availed, be deposited."On two occasions, the US Embassy requested for financial statements from the then united MDC when former MP Mr David Coltart was the treasurer general but those were never availed with Coltart claiming that he no longer held that position," the source said.Even the dead were not spared, as Mr Chamisa was also told that the US has poured millions into Zimbabwe to push for illegal regime change, but the late treasurer general Mr Roy Bennet failed to account for about US$24 million, while the late Morgan Tsvangirai was accused of abusing resources to build and furnish a mansion for his wife Elizabeth and also handsomely pay for an out of court settlement with his girlfriend Locadia Karimatsenga.The sources said the reports on Mr Tsvangirai and Mr Bennet came from the party's former vice president Elias Mudzuri having been prepared by the party's former treasurer general Elton Mangoma in September 2013.When his mission collapsed, and carrying the unpalatable instruction to democratise his party before seeking any financial assistance from the masters, an incensed Mr Chamisa blamed Mr Biti, the man who he had stripped of the role of deputy party president notwithstanding that he kept his position as president unelected."He strongly believed that he was decampaigned by Biti because he was one of the people who once left Tsvangirai along with Mangoma and Mudzuri, and he also believes Biti expects him to lose the election and then he can take over. So he removed Biti to ensure that he doesn't have him as a potential challenger in Parliament while he is out, that is why he chose Markham (Rusty)," said a CCC insider.But as far as Mr Biti is concerned, Mr Markham won by foul means as he alleges that Mr Chamisa had to bus his loyalists from Kuwadzana Constituency, where he was a former MP, and gave them addresses in Harare East and also party cards to queue behind Mr Markham in the discredited and medieval "bereka mwana voting system".Since the party concluded its contentious candidate selection process under a thick veil of secrecy, amid allegations of manipulation and rigging of the process to remove the old guard and replace them with Mr Chamisa's minions, the papered cracks in the opposition are widening with experts predicting another split before or just after elections.
Klaus Schwab praised CCP for imposing harsh COVID control measures on citizens

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently held a "Summer Davos" event in communist China at which globalist kingpin Klaus Schwab praised the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its "new COVID control measures," which he says were a huge success throughout the "pandemic."

At this 14th so-called "Annual Meeting of the New Champions" in Tianjing, Schwab celebrated the WEF's 40-year partnership with the CCP, which serves as the model government that Schwab would like to see implemented all around the world, including in the United States.

"Premier Li took his office this March at China's National People's Congress at a critical moment when China adopted new COVID control measures and started to boost economic development, social dynamism, and international cooperation," Schwab glowingly stated in worship of the CCP model of tyranny  watch a clip of Schwab speaking at Summer Davos below:

"Premier Li took his office this March at China's National People's Congress at a critical moment when China adopted new COVID control measures and started to boost economic development, social dynamism, and international cooperation": Klaus Schwab #AMNC23 #WEF pic.twitter.com/cWHGl5QNJs  Tim Hinchliffe (@TimHinchliffe) June 27, 2023

(Related: Check out our earlier coverage about how Klaus Schwab, George Soros, and Bill Gates are an "unholy trinity" of globalist workers of iniquity who are the self-appointed architects of the past, present, and future on this prison planet they control.)

The communist Chinese model of government and social control is what Klaus Schwab wants to see everywhere

Schwab went on at the globalist celebratory event to honor Li Qiang, the eighth premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, for his "distinguished career in public service, having led the economic and social development of three major provinces: Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.

"He has also been instrumental in opening up China's capital market, attracting foreign investment, and innovation, and creating new urban areas to address land scarcity," Schwab further stated.

Over the course of its 40-year relationship with communist China, the WEF has and "will continue to fight fragmentation and strive for dialogue, understanding, and collaboration as we stand for a future where nations have to work together for the collective wellbeing of humanity," Schwab further promised.

"We appreciate the long-term support from our Chinese friends. China has made remarkable achievements in economy, in social development, in diplomacy, and in many other areas."

Klaus, the unelected head of the WEF, would go on and on to gush his praise for Premier Li, stating that he is "eager" to learn from Li's "vision on China and the world."

Klaus was referring, in part, to China's communist social credit scoring system, which blocks citizens who disobey the government's orders from being able to participate in society.

"If trust is broken in one place, restrictions are placed everywhere," says CGTN, the name for communist China's social credit scoring entity.

A big reason why communist China has "achieved" so much, to quote Schwab, is because of the invasive technologies it has implemented, including mass surveillance of citizens and so-called "predictive policing," which punishes people for "pre-crimes" that they have not yet committed  and may never have intended to commit.

Those punished under CCP oppression face losing points on their social credit scores, which are designed to reward "good" behavior, meaning obedient-to-the-government behavior, while punishing "bad" behavior, or behavior that the CCP says is unacceptable.

"Under this social credit system, over 30 million people in China are banned from leaving the country, traveling by train or plane, having insurance, renting a home, going to restaurants, and taking out a loan all because of their social credit score," one source reported about how communist China operates.

Want to learn more about the threats of globalism? You can do so at Globalism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Sociable.co

Newstarget.com
More than 300 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members SUE military for $500 million over covid jab mandates

Somewhere around 330 active and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who claim to have been injured by Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) "vaccines" are suing high-ranking members of the Canadian military for forcing the deadly shots on them.

The plaintiffs are asking for $500 million in damages as part of a class-action suit against the higher-ups in the CAF who conspired with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tyrannize members of the Canadian military with injection mandates.

Named as defendants in the suit are Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Lieutenant-General Frances Allen, Minister of National Defence Anita Anand, former deputy minister of national defence Jody Thomas, and various others.

"The CAF shirked its own purpose and rushed an untested product onto its members, mislabeled this experimental gene therapy a 'vaccine,' knowingly made false statements of safety and efficacy, and facilitated its mandate with no option to refuse except for mandatory permanent removal from service," reads a statement of claim filed with the Federal Court on June 21.

"The actions of the CAF and CDS [Chief of the Defence Staff] has resulted in injury to the Plaintiffs, who have consistently worked to prevent this abuse of power from occurring and to protect the members and their families who are experiencing coercion, discrimination, and threat of loss of career and benefits in all instances."

(Related: A massive lawsuit was recently filed against the Biden regime as well for covid jab injuries and deaths.)

Every entity, government or otherwise, that forced people to get covid jabbed against their will is guilty of crimes against humanity

In the fall of 2021 at the height of the covid "pandemic," the CAF imposed a covid jab mandate on all members, resulting in a mass exodus of hundreds of members who refused to roll up their sleeves. These individuals left either through voluntary release or expulsion under code 5(f), "unsuitable for further service," a dishonourable discharge reserved for soldiers with "personal weaknesses," or other issues that the CAF determined to constitute an "excessive burden."

In October 2022, the CAF lessened the jab mandate ever-so-slightly by removing covid injections from the list of shots that all members must receive as a condition of service  but it was already too late as many had already been forced to take covid shots against their will.

Other terms of the lawsuit include allegations that the CAF failed to ensure officers were fully and correctly briefed about all legal and policy issues related to the jab mandates, as well as allegations that the CAF deliberately misused the grievance system to indefinitely delay or stop the relief sought by opposing members.

Instead of focusing on what was best for its members, the CAF instead focused on "political agendas and taking direction from political leaders that is detrimental to operational readiness and effectiveness" with its implementation of covid jab mandates, the lawsuit states.

"It said the CAF gave the plaintiffs no way to meet the mandate by writing the directives in a way that blocked any possible means of complying with them," further reported one media outlet about the suit.

Further, instead of following the legal process under the National Defence Act that allows members to have their cases heard in independent hearings, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) used administrative measures to punish CAF members who refused or otherwise could not comply with the jab mandate.

As increasingly more people become sick or die because they got jabbed for covid, the number of lawsuits will only continue to mounts. Learn more at VaccineWars.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Newstarget.com
Biological male transwoman complains he cant find a gynecologist to treat him

A so-called "transwoman," meaning a biological male who falsely believes that he is now a "woman" after undergoing "gender-affirming" bodily mutilation, is whining all over social media about the fact that he cannot find a gynecologist to examine and "treat" his fake lady parts.

The deep-voiced male, seen dressed in stereotypical women's clothing with long hair, complained while sitting in front of all sorts of brightly colored Pride paraphernalia that gynecologists are "discriminating" against him by refusing to look at his artificial vagina.

"They've got to use a ****ing speculum; they've got to take a sample, that kind of thing," the mentally ill male says  watch below (WARNING: bad language and graphic content):

Man FURIOUS a gynocologist wont take time to do a pretend exam on his non-existent vagina. pic.twitter.com/H1R8woF2Ab  Alex Clark ????? (@yoalexrapz) June 25, 2023

(Related: Don't let them whitewash child mutilations by calling it "gender-affirming care"  there is nothing affirming or caring about promoting bodily mutilation!)

What does this "transwoman" want a gynecologist to do, exactly?

According to dictionary.com, gynecology is defined as "the branch of physiology and medicine which deals with the functions and diseases specific to women and girls, especially those affecting the reproductive system."

With that in mind, one wonders what the mentally deranged male seen in the above clip wants a gynecologist to do, exactly? At best, the guy has a "front hole" that was carved into the spot where his now-destroyed genitals once existed  but that hole is not a functioning vagina in need of gynecological care.

Despite this undeniable fact, this "transwoman" is outraged that no gynecologists want to play along with his twisted delusions by examining whatever it is that he still has left under his pants.

"It's ***ing bull***," the man screams into the camera about his inability to find a willing gynecologist to play along with his fantasy. "I'm pretty ****ing pissed ... it's so hard to find a ****ing gynecologist that can work with me. I just don't understand it."

The guy is right about one thing: he certainly does not understand basic biology and who differentiates a male from a female. Just because he mutilates his genitals, puts on a dress, and grows his hair out or wears a wig does not make him a woman.

There will never be a way for this male to become a woman no matter what he does to his body or appearance. This is not "hate," by the way; it is the truth, and one that more LGBTs need to hear again and again as a reminder that a person is either male or female, a determination that is made based on genes and chromosomes, not play-pretend.

"Because whether it's basic anatomy, reproductive science, DNA sequencing or general morality and ethics, there seems to be quite a bit that simply goes over their heads," writes Brittany M. Hughes for mrcTV about the ignorance of the LGBT trans cult.

"Like the fact that this guy is a man, begging a doctor who specifically treats women to play a role in his delusion."

"If, in fact, the dude in this video has undergone a vaginoplasty, he doesn't need a gynecologist. He needs trauma surgeon to repair the open wound he paid some butcher to carve into his body, followed quickly by a therapist to determine what's gone wrong in his head ... And then, perhaps a biologist  or any person with basic common sense  to explain how all this works."

Transgenderism is a very serious mental illness that ultimately leads to transhumanism and the globalist agenda of erasing natural biology and the two human sexes. Learn more at Transhumanism.news.

Sources for this article include:

mrcTV.org

Newstarget.com
An employee of BlackRock, the world's largest asset management company, was caught on undercover footage from the O'Keefe Media Group (OMG) boasting about how the company allegedly operates behind the scenes. The footage, recorded secretly in New York, exposed the employee's claims of manipulating political systems and profiting from war.

Serge Varlay, a recruiter at BlackRock, was caught on camera explaining the company's involvement in political activities. He said: "You can take this big f***ton of money and buy people. I work for a company called BlackRock It's not who is the president; it's who is controlling the wallet of the president." He cited hedge funds, banks and BlackRock as examples.

The recruiter claimed that senators could be bought for as cheap as $10,000, and he even offered to give the journalist $500,000 to influence politicians. His statements suggested that BlackRock seeks to ensure that politicians align with their interests, regardless of who is in power.

Moreover, Varlay revealed that BlackRock also capitalizes on wars, explicitly mentioning the Ukraine-Russia war. He described the war as "real f***ing good for business," explaining that if Russia destroys Ukraine's grain silos, the price of wheat will increase, leading to substantial profits for those involved in trading. Varlay highlighted the volatility and opportunities for financial gain that arise from such conflicts.

Varlay further disclosed that BlackRock manages an astounding $20 trillion worldwide, emphasizing the unimaginable scale of the company's operations. "It's incomprehensible numbers," he remarked.

The BlackRock employee also said that BlackRock preferred to stay out of the media spotlight and keep a low profile. "They [BlackRock] don't want to be in the news. They don't want people to talk about them. They don't want to be anywhere on the radar." (Related: Everything you need to know about BlackRock, the company that owns the world.)

Is there a connection between Biden crime family and BlackRock?

These allegations have come to light at a time when President Joe Biden is already facing scrutiny regarding Ukrainian bribes and undisclosed financial transactions.

In 2020, the president was allegedly paid $5 million by an executive of the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings. The source, described as "highly credible," provided details of a criminal bribery scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and Mykola Zlochevsky, a top Burisma executive, aimed at influencing U.S. policy decisions.

The FD-1023 form, dated June 30, 2020, recounts the whistleblower's interactions with Zlochevsky from 2015 onward. According to the document, Zlochevsky explained that payments were made to the Bidens due to an ongoing investigation led by Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin.

Zlochevsky claimed that Burisma had to "pay the Bidens" to navigate the challenges of entering the U.S. market during the investigation. The source suggested a payment of $50,000 each to the Bidens, to which the executive allegedly responded by stating that the amount was actually "$5 million."

The document suggests that the $5 million payments were intended as a "retainer" to engage the Bidens in addressing various issues, including the investigation by Shokin. Some sources described the arrangement as a "pay-to-play" scheme. Based on conversations with Zlochevsky, the confidential source believes the $5 million payments to Joe Biden and Hunter Biden occurred.

During his tenure as vice president, Biden publicly acknowledged pressuring Ukraine to dismiss Shokin, who was investigating Burisma Holdings. After the intervention, Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. aid unless Shokin was fired. Supporters of Biden maintain that he acted in line with the U.S. and international community's position against corruption, alleging that Shokin was lenient in tackling corruption cases.

In line with the revelations regarding BlackRock's activities, the pieces of evidence from the "highly credible source" of the FBI raise further questions about the relationship between big finance and political decision-making. The implications of these claims, if true, would be significant, as they could potentially undermine the integrity of the political system and the democratic process.
City in Delaware wants to grant corporations the RIGHT TO VOTE in elections

Delaware has built a reputation for being business-friendly, with the number of companies there exceeding the number of people by almost two to one. Now, one city in the First State wants to grant businesses the right to vote in local elections.

The city of Seaford, which has a population of about 8,000, amended its charter in April to permit businesses to vote in local elections. In a 3-2 vote, the Seaford City Council agreed to permit the inclusion of business entities in the city's voter rolls. Limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, trusts and partnerships would be allowed to cast their ballots under the amended charter.

Seaford Mayor David Genshaw broke the tie with his vote on April 11, as he was also an ardent supporter of the plan. He defended the amendment in an interview with local station WRDE 31: "These are folks that have fully invested in their community with the money, with their time, with their sweat. We want them to have a voice if they choose to take it."

Under the amendment, corporate entities must register as voters with City Hall and add a record of their beneficial owners. City officials are then expected to cross-check these lists with resident voter rolls to avoid double voting. According to Delaware Online, Seaford hosts 234 business entities including LLCs, trusts and corporations.

With the April 11 vote, Seaford joined numerous towns in Delaware that already permit absentee property owners  those owning a property there but do not reside in it  to vote on certain issues such as taxes. However, the new charter need to be endorsed and voted upon by both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly. It also needs the signature of Delaware Gov. John Carney before it can take effect.

According to officials, the amendment also aims to solve low voter turnout in multiple elections. A report by Delaware Online recounted that one election held in April only collected 340 votes.

Letting corporations vote only enables ELECTION FRAUD

The proposed amendment has renewed a debate over how much power businesses should have in local government. Civic interest groups, which think that businesses already have unreasonable influence over politics, have expressed strong opposition.

Jose Santos, a former member of the Seaford City Council, challenged the "rushed" charter change. Claire Snyder-Hall, the executive director of watchdog group Common Cause Delaware (CCD), shared the same sentiment. (Related: Election heroes are stopping fraudulent voting Right now.)

"It was very shocking to see this attempt to have artificial entities have voting rights. We're seeing voter suppression all over the county, and this is the flip side. It's not saying the residents of Seaford can't vote, but it's diluting their votes by allowing nonresidents to vote," she said.

Snyder-Hall stressed that while the proposal outlaws double voting for human residents of Seaford, it permits double voting for out-of-town business owners. She remarked: "If you're a snowbird, you don't get to vote twice  once in Florida and once in Delaware."

According to CCD, other Delaware towns like Fenwick Island, Henlopen Acres and Dagsboro already permit corporations to vote. However, a 2019 instance in the town of Newark showed the dangers of such a proposal. A single property manager who handled numerous LLCs voted 31 times in a town referendum  prompting Newark to revise its rules.

Follow VoteFraud.news for more news about election fraud in America.

Watch this video that discusses the election fraud that happened in Delaware.

This video is from the DIGITALSOLDIERS.TV channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Jim Price: Americans must FIX election system to get the president they really want  Brighteon.TV.

Stunning: Montana election integrity organization found more than 120,000 invalid votes cast during 2020 election.

Connecting the Dots: Forensic computer expert exposes methods used in election fraud  Brighteon.TV.

Arizona Republicans ban the state from using electronic voting machines in future federal elections.

BardsFM host Scott Kesterson: Current US election process is CORRUPTED and BROKEN  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

CBSNews.com

TheDeepDive.ca

Brighteon.com
Consumer Reports: FDAs arsenic limit in apple juice is TOO HIGH and may pose a risk to childrens health

Apple juice seems like a healthy alternative to sugary drinks like soda. However, data suggests this beverage may actually pose a risk to children's health.

Consumer Reports, a consumer advocacy organization, recently criticized the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) final guidance on the limit for inorganic arsenic in apple juice due to concerns about possible health risks to children.

The FDA issued the final guidance on June 1, setting the action level for inorganic arsenic in apple juice at 10 parts per billion (ppb), a level that was first proposed back in 2013. The FDA's testing revealed a decrease in inorganic arsenic levels, with many samples showing levels below 3 ppb and 5 ppb. But some apple juice samples still had levels of 10 ppb, leading to the establishment of the limit at that level.

Consumer Reports challenged the FDAs belief that 10 ppb can be considered a safe level achievable through good manufacturing practices. The organization warned that the importance of lower limits on inorganic arsenic can help protect public health, especially for foods consumed by children.

Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, said "the action level should be lower than 10 ppb based on current science." Ronholm also explained that because the majority of the industry had already met this level, the FDA's action is "virtually irrelevant."

Despite his concerns, Ronholm thinks the FDA's recent ruling is encouraging because it points to a renewed focus on solving the issue of food chemicals and heavy metals. He hopes that the agency will continue to focus on and monitor these issues, taking action as needed if there are "troubling levels of inorganic arsenic in apple juice."

Consumer Reports suggested that the FDA should instead recommend a lower level of 3 ppb. (Related: Michelle Obamas juice brand fails health standards set by her husbands administration.)

Manufacturers can reduce arsenic content in products

The nonprofit organization conducted its own testing in 2018, and results revealed that there were elevated levels of cadmium, inorganic arsenic and lead in 21 out of the 45 tested fruit juices. But the majority of the tested juices had inorganic arsenic levels below the FDA's limit, suggesting that with stricter measures manufacturers can still reduce the content in their products.

Consumer Reports added that its own tests have confirmed that it is both feasible and necessary to establish lower limits on inorganic arsenic in apple juice to protect public health. The organization thinks that stricter regulations are necessary to effectively ensure the safety of consumers.

Some foods contain arsenic because it is often present in the environment where food is produced and processed.

Arsenic can occur naturally or result from human activities like the use of pesticides containing arsenic, or pollution from mining, fracking and coal-fired power plants.

Studies have found that exposure to inorganic arsenic may be linked to several health issues in humans, such as cancer, diabetes, negative impacts on birth outcomes and cardiovascular and neuro-developmental problems.

The FDA admits that it is currently not feasible to completely eliminate arsenic from the environment or food supply. But to address the problem, the agency sets action levels to inform the industry about contamination levels that exceed safety thresholds and could render certain foods unsafe for public consumption.

These action levels serve as guidelines to protect public health from situations where it is impossible to completely eliminate arsenic in products.

According to the FDA's report, an extensive study spanning almost 10 years has shown that the average level of arsenic in apple juice was 4.6 ppb. Shockingly, some samples exhibited significantly higher levels, reaching up to 44 ppb.

The presence of arsenic in apple juice is alarming because it is a product often marketed to and consumed by children, who consume a larger quantity of the liquid relative to their body weight compared to adults.

The FDA also referenced data suggesting a potential link between exposure to arsenic and negative effects on the neurological development of infants and children. The FDA said it will continue to monitor the arsenic levels in apple juice samples. If any testing reveals levels above 10 ppb in certain products, the FDA may take enforcement action to resolve and address the issue.

With further action from groups like Consumer Reports, it is possible to reduce the current limit on arsenic. After all, the majority of the juices tested have inorganic arsenic levels below the FDA's 10 ppb limit.

Watch the video below to know more about the health benefits of organic apple peel powder.

This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Study: Chemical in popular artificial sweetener found to damage DNA.

GULP! Study reveals DANGEROUS levels of heavy metals in many US beverages.

US water infrastructure is COLLAPSING: Toxic arsenic levels detected in NYC tap water, E. coli in Baltimore water supply.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

MyChildrensChoice.com

Brighteon.com
New wave of COVID-19 infections driven by omicron sub-variants hits China

A new wave of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, primarily driven by the XBB sub-lineage of the B11529 omicron strain, has hit mainland China . The communist country has been seeing an increase of COVID-positive people since April.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that as of June 11, there were 2,777 severe COVID-19 infections and 164 deaths. It noted that all recorded cases were caused by the XBB sub-lineage of omicron  with the top three strains identified as XBB.1.9, XBB.1.5 and the Arcturus XBB.1.16 variant.

According to the Epoch Times, several doctors in different hospitals were among those who suffered. A physician at the Beijing Anzhen Hospital named Dr. Bai posted on Chinese social media that he had been reinfected with COVID-19. Bai and a director of the hospital he work at, who was suffering severe symptoms, were both infected by their patients.

Meanwhile, a doctor in Heilongjiang province with the pseudonym Li Yu said: "There are a lot of people being reinfected with COVID-19 and hospitalized. Some elderly people died after being infected." (Related: Asia braces for new wave of coronavirus infections, more countries to see spikes in caseloads.)

Another physician named Dr. Yu from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine put in his two cents on the severity of China's COVID-19 situation in an online article. This severity, he pointed out, is reflected in the increasing number of patients visiting fever clinics. Yu emphasized that individuals with low immunity, advanced age or underlying health conditions are more susceptible to infection and the development of pneumonia.

According to the Epoch Times, the actual number of people infected in the new wave of COVID-19 remains unclear as the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has consistently concealed its true scale. The CCP has also implemented draconian lockdowns and other measures in line with its zero-COVID policy, which it later dropped.

Top doctor predicted outbreak in May

Back in May, China's top respiratory disease specialist Dr. Zhong Nanshan predicted that a new wave of COVID-19 infections is likely to peak in late June. He added that weekly COVID-19 cases in the mainland could reach 65 million in that period.

According to Zhong, one patient infected with the omicron strain can infect more than 30. With the infection difficult to stem, he remarked that the focus of COVID-19 prevention and control for the next wave should be on preventing severe symptoms.

"This is what we expected," Zhong remarked in response to a small peak in infections at the end of April and early May.

Even those infected with COVID-19 decried the different symptoms they experienced. One resident of Shanghai's Pudong district said his father developed "white lung" and died after contracting COVID-19. A Fuzhou resident named A. Liang said "the new wave of infections has been very serious in the past month or so," adding that while the symptoms "are not as severe as the first wave," the disease nevertheless remains "very contagious."

A woman with the pseudonym Wang Yi contracted COVID-19 for the first time and experienced severe symptoms. She hasn't recovered from the infection after more than 20 days. Meanwhile, a woman identified only as Liao from Jiangsu province said she has been experiencing severe symptoms ever since testing positive for COVID-19 on June 12.

"Many COVID-19 patients are having intravenous treatment in the hospital," Liao said. "This virus is terrifying. It is an invisible killer, and people are having lingering symptoms after being infected."

Head over to Pandemic.news for more stories about the resurgence of COVID-19 in China.

Watch this video explaining why the omicron XBB 1.5 variant is more likely to infect fully vaccinated persons.

This video is from the AxeTruth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

China replaces "zero covid" policy with "zero non-covid" in confusing attempt to save economy.

China locks down nearly a million residents in Zhengzhou after 6 new reported cases of COVID-19 in the city.

Suddenly, there's a new wave of "panic buying" of food across China.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

TheEpochTimes.com 2

Brighteon.com
A survey conducted by NBC News from June 16-20 revealed that the vast majority of Americans are not satisfied with the current trajectory of the U.S. under President Joe Biden's leadership.

The survey revealed that 74 percent of respondents believe the country is on the wrong track, while only 20 percent think things are generally headed in the right direction. The poll's findings have drawn comparisons to past elections where voter discontent with the nation's trajectory led to a change in leadership. NBC's Chuck Todd compared it to similar surveys before the 1992 and 2008 presidential elections, which resulted in the Democratic Party reclaiming the presidency from the Republicans.

Meanwhile, The Economist and YouGov conducted a separate poll from June 10-13, gathering responses from 1,500 U.S. adults with a margin of error of 2.9 points. Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) emerged with the highest favorability rating in the said survey.

Results of the poll revealed that RFK Jr. holds a favorable rating of 49 percent among respondents, giving him a net favorability rating of 19 points. (Related: RFK Jr. claims he can beat Joe Biden in 2024 primary.)

Biden and former President Donald Trump shared the second-highest share of respondents viewing them favorably with 44 percent each. Biden's net favorability rating of -9 is just slightly ahead of Trump's -10.

These results came as RFK Jr., the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, emerged as a legitimate primary challenger to Biden. Recent polls have indicated that RFK Jr. has garnered support from approximately one-fifth of Democratic voters, catapulting him into the spotlight and giving him increased media coverage.

Big Tech attacks RFK Jr. and other candidates who threaten the establishment

RFK Jr.'s unexpected rise in favorability ratings has undoubtedly intensified the 2024 presidential race. However, Big Tech companies are trying to block his path to the White House.

While trying to create an Instagram account, RFK Jr.'s official campaign account received an automatic 180-day ban from the Meta-owned platform. RFK Jr. voiced his concerns on his official Twitter account, emphasizing that such actions hinder democratic processes by restricting candidates' access to the public forum.

"To silence a major political candidate is profoundly undemocratic," RFK Jr. tweeted. "Social media is the modern equivalent of the town square. How can democracy function if only some candidates have access to it?"

RFK Jr.'s previous personal Instagram account, which has a following of over 900,000, was banned years ago due to his outspoken stance against childhood vaccines. Despite attempts for reinstatement, the account remains suspended.

In a similar incident, Ramaswamy, a 37-year-old entrepreneur and a Republican presidential candidate, recently made headlines when he accused tech giant LinkedIn of deliberately locking him out of his account. Initially dismissing it as a technical error, Ramaswamy soon discovered that LinkedIn had flagged his posts on topics such as fossil fuels, Biden's ties to China and the climate movement.

According to the social media platform, Ramaswamy's views violated their policies on hate speech, misinformation, and violence. Ramaswamy denied these allegations, labeling them as an attempt to silence him.

"The fact that they're describing it as an 'error' is a lie," Ramaswamy stated. "I stand my ground... I go to the other side's turf, I hold my ground, and I win. I did that with LinkedIn here."

RFK Jr. and Ramaswamy suggest that Big Tech firms are targeting them for their anti-establishment positions. They anticipate further "election interference" that could escalate into a battle surpassing the controversies surrounding Trump's campaign.

"That was just the first shots that were fired," Ramaswamy warned, alluding to the challenges they may face moving forward.

Read more news about RFK Jr.'s run for the presidency in 2024 at VoteDemocrat.news.

Watch RFK Jr. on Epoch TV as he talks about Instagram's censorship of his presidential campaign.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

RFK Jr. talks to the Health Ranger about securing Americas borders and protecting the environment.

RFK Jr. likes his chances against Biden in 2024 presidential primaries.

RFK Jr.: Biden must APOLOGIZE to America, Ukraine for pushing proxy war.

RFK Jr. commits to making America an EXEMPLARY DEMOCRACY again in 2024 presidential bid.

RFK Jr. is pro-Second Amendment, pro-First Amendment, anti-war and pro-border security.

Sources include:
Russia is planning a NUCLEAR ATTACK at Zaporizhzhia power plant, Zelensky claims

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Russia is planning a nuclear attack at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station (ZNPS) in southeastern Ukraine, an accusation Moscow quickly denied.

"Intelligence services have received information that Russia is considering the scenario of a terrorist act in the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant  a terrorist act with the release of radiation," the Ukrainian leader wrote on social media. "They have prepared everything for this. Unfortunately, I have had to remind (people) more than once that radiation knows no state borders. Who it will hit is determined only by the direction of the wind."

The ZNPS, Europe's biggest nuclear power facility, has been under Russian occupation since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling the vast complex, and international efforts to establish a demilitarized zone around the plant have failed so far.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin dismissed claims of Russian troops preparing an attack on the power station. "This is another lie," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"There were just contacts with the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] at the site  a very high assessment. They saw everything, everything they wanted to see."

In early June 2022, the Kakhova Dam collapsed and caused a massive flood in the Kherson area after it was sabotaged. Experts warned of catastrophic consequences if the dam's collapse interfered with the ZNPS' essential water or power supplies. Even the IAEA itself warned that a prolonged absence of cooling water at the plant would disrupt the work of its emergency diesel generators.

Petro Kotin, head of the state-owned company Energoatom that operates ZNPS, nevertheless assured that the drop in water levels at the dam would not affect the level of water in cooling ponds at the plant's spent nuclear fuel storage pools. The ZNPS has six nuclear reactors  five in cold shutdown and one in hot shutdown  and is currently being run by a skeleton crew.

US: No imminent threat to ZNPS

Meanwhile, Russia Today (RT) reported that the U.S. is monitoring the ZNPS. However, it sees no signs of an imminent threat to the facility.

"I'm not going to get into specific intelligence," said John Kirby, spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council. His remarks came as a response to questions about Kyiv's claims. "We have the ability to monitor radioactivity near the plant. We just haven't seen any indication that (a) threat is imminent. But we're watching it very, very closely."

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi also contradicted Ukraine's claims following his visit to the ZNPS. He stated in a report: "The IAEA is aware of reports of mines having been placed near the cooling pond. No mines were observed at the site during the director-general's visit, including the cooling pond."

The remarks by both Kirby and Grossi did not align with the Ukrainian leader's claim of Russia planning to attack the plant. Zelensky's aide Mikhail Podoliak said Moscow had mined the cooling pond at the facility. He also claimed that Russian troops were preparing to carry out "a large-scale terrorist attack [to] stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive and create a depopulated sanitary gray zone."

On the other side, Moscow has accused Ukrainian forces of repeatedly targeting the ZNPS with artillery strikes and attack drones. It has also accused Kyiv of attempting a commando raid to seize the facility at one point. According to RT, the most recent attack on the plant happened on June 9  with Russian air defenses reportedly downing three drones headed for the ZNPS. (Related: Professor Sachs: 'Ukraine needs to stop bombing nuclear power plant and blaming it on Russia.')

Visit UkraineWitness.com for more stories about attacks on the ZNPS amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Watch Newsmax's Carl Higbie discussing the ZNPS being at risk after the Kakhova Dam's destruction below.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Zelensky accuses Russia of planning nuclear "terrorist act" that involves leaking radiation from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Thousands of people forced to evacuate following destruction of Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine.

Experts: Continued attacks on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant could lead to WWIII.

Russia shuts down Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant amid threat of Ukrainian attack.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

TheSun.co.uk

RT.com

Brighteon.com
Swine flu death in Brazil prompts CDC, WHO investigation over possible human transmission

The death of a woman in Brazil due to a rare case of swine flu has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate possible human transmission of the pathogen.

According to the Daily Mail, H1N1 swine flu "spillovers" have been occasionally observed worldwide in individuals who have had contact with infected pigs. However, the 42-year-old woman from the Brazilian state of Parana had never come into direct contact with pigs  suggesting that she caught the virus from another source.

An investigation found that two individuals in close contact with the woman before she died worked at a nearby pig farm. However, both have tested negative for influenza and have not experienced respiratory symptoms. To date, the source of the woman's infection remains unknown.

Brazilian health authorities found that H1N1 was the virus responsible for the woman's death, and that the pathogen was closely related to previously identified samples of H1N1 in the region. The WHO emphasized that sporadic human infections caused by H1N1 and H1N2 strains have been reported in Brazil, with no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission

"Based on the information currently available, WHO considers this a sporadic case, and there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of this event," the global health body said on June 16. "The likelihood of community-level spread among humans and/or international disease spread through humans is low."

Experts continue studies on novel influenza infections

The 42-year-old Brazilian woman died on May 5, two days after being hospitalized. On May 1, she exhibited symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat and abdominal pain. She was admitted on May 3 and transferred to intensive care on May 4, dying the following day.

Health authorities in the South American nation notified the WHO about the case on July 7, following tests that showed the woman's illness being caused by an H1N1 subtype linked to pig infections. However, a spokesperson for the CDC said the U.S. agency had not yet received a specimen from Brazil.

Over in the U.S., swine flu typically jumps from animals to humans, primarily affecting agricultural workers or those attending fairs. Six cases were reported in 2022, with the most recent one occurring in September of that year at a Michigan fairground. The patient reportedly had direct contact with an infected pig.

Since the 2009 swine flu pandemic that claimed the lives of up to 575,000 people worldwide, instances of swine flu infections in humans have been rare. Prior to the Brazilian woman's death, a 37-year-old woman in Vietnam died of the disease in 2019. This prompted authorities in the Southeast Asian nation to quarantine 40 individuals.

According to CBS News, the CDC still conducts extensive studies on sequenced flu viruses each year, comparing their genetic makeup with previous variants affecting animals and humans. Experts in infectious diseases are concerned that future pandemics could arise from flu viruses like H1N1, which pigs can transmit. (Related: The next "pandemic" is already planned: SARS + HIV + H5N1.)

Besides the alarming spread of avian flu among birds throughout the Americas, previous years also witnessed "novel influenza virus infections" when humans came into contact with animals at events such as agricultural fairs.

"Given the severity of illness in the recent human cases, the CDC has also been discussing with partners the feasibility of increasing surveillance efforts among severely ill patients in the ICU during the summer months when seasonal influenza activity is otherwise low," Carrie Reed, a spokesperson for the CDC, stated at a recent webinar with testing laboratories.

Outbreak.news has more stories about swine flu.

Watch this video explaining why swine flu is the greatest scam of the century.

This video is from the SecureLife channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Swine flu vaccine far more dangerous than swine flu itself.

WHO calls for simulation to prepare for next global pandemic.

Swine Flu Deception and Disinformation Exposed.

Swine Flu Smoking Gun? CDC was Combining Flu Viruses in 2004.

Swine Flu Vaccine Linked to Paralysis, Leaked Memo Reveals.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

WHO.int

CBSNews.com

Brighteon.com
News / Local

by Staff reporter

THE High Court has struck off the roll an urgent chamber application by MDC challenging Zimbabwe Electoral Commision's (ZEC) decision to disqualify 87 of their candidates after they failed to pay their nomination fees.The party was seeking a court order instructing ZEC to accept 87 candidate's nomination fees and dismiss their disqualification.Justice Webster Chinamhora ruled that Mwonzora's papers were not in order by virtue of having failed to file nomination papers for his party members seeking to contest for public offices on time.The judge noted that he did not have the jurisdiction to deal with the matter."I am satisfied that the nomination papers were not in order by virtue of the failure to pay the nomination fees."In my view the failure to pay at the same time as the submission of the nomination papers," he said.The judge added there is nothing precluding the parties to approach the registrar and requesting that the appeal be heard on an urgent basis."Given the urgency, I do not believe that there will be any substantial delay under EC8/22."Having upheld the argument of lack of jurisdiction, I will not address the other points. I will strike the matter off the roll with no order as to costs," he ruled.Earlier this week the candidates also filed a second application before the court seeking the same relief.During the hearing, ZEC through its attorney, Tawanda Kanengoni argued that the urgent application was redundant as the appeal filed by the candidates was seeking the same relief.Kanengoni also argued that the court did not have the jurisdiction to deal with the application; it did not fall under the provisions of section 46(19) of the Electoral Act."The remedy created for the challenge sought by this application is one of an appeal not of an urgent application."The application cannot be entertained by this court. The application is made by the MDC. It is not made by any candidates. The right under s46 (19) of the Electoral Act is afforded to the candidate not the political party. The party has no right to challenge the nomination of candidates," he said.MDC, through its attorney Lovemore Madhuku argued that the application was properly before the court as the Electoral Act allowed the court to deal with any matter relating to elections."Here you have a political party and the route that they take is properly provided for. Section 46 (19) says a nomination paper is rejected (10) or declared void (subsection 16). That Section is triggered if a nomination paper has been rejected under subsection 10. Section 46(19) must be restricted to its provisions."I do not think the legislature says the only complaint that can be taken to the court relates to a complaint about the rejection of a nomination application. The electoral court must deal with all electoral matters. Section 161 says that this court cannot try criminal cases. That exclusion must be the only exclusion that is allowed."The judge said there would be no prejudice against either party as the issues raised by MDC, which concern the candidates, would be dealt with in the hearing of the appeal.
MONEY PIT: Thieves stole more than $200 BILLION in Covid-19 aid, federal watchdog group now says

The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) has released new data showing that both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program were heavily abused by fraudsters, particularly at the start of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) "pandemic."

The SBA inspector general released a report revealing that "at least 17 percent of all COVID-EIDL and PPP funds were disbursed to potentially fraudulent actors." People who needed the money, in other words, were ripped off by scam artists who took it for themselves instead.

The SBA estimates that more than $136 billion, or about 33 percent of the total money spent, was illegitimately taken from the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. For the PPP, the SBA estimates that $64 billion was captured illegitimately.

Previous SBA estimates were much lower. They suggested just $86 billion worth of fraud in the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and $20 billion from the PPP.

(Related: Check out our earlier report about fake president Joe Biden's $50 trillion "carbon neutrality" grift.)

Senior SBA official says fraud numbers are bunk, based on "serious flaws"

Back in early June, the Associated Press (AP) reported that about $280 billion worth of covid emergency aid was stolen by scammer, as well as an additional $123 billion that was "wasted" or "misspent."

Both of the aforementioned aid programs were launched by then-President Donald Trump to help those in need to find relief during the worst of the crisis. After all, if big banks and large corporations can always get bailed out on a whim, why not the little people?

It turns out that the two programs were not as airtight as many had hoped. The honor system that was used allowed some bad actors to slip in and take money that was not for them.

One SBA senior official, however, denies that the losses are really as high as the new SBA estimates suggest. Bailey DeVries, SBA's acting associated administrator for capital access, said the inspector general's "approach contains serious flaws that significantly overestimate fraud and unintentionally mislead the public to believe that the work we did together had no significant impact in protecting against fraud."

All in all, the U.S. government disbursed an astounding $4.2 trillion in covid relief, roughly 10 percent of which is estimated by the AP to have been lost to scammers. The big boys all got their massive disbursements, which for some reason is not considered to be fraud in terms of these figures.

Gene Sterling, a senior Biden White House official, of course blames then-President Trump for the losses. Sterling claims that 86 percent of them occurred during the first nine months of the scamdemic when Trump was still in office.

"Two-hundred billion (dollars) is a very big number, but this, again, should be remembered as potential fraud," Sperling clarified. "We think the amount of likely or actual fraud is significantly less, significantly under $100 billion, perhaps around $40 billion."

Regardless of what the number is, Sterling said that "it's unacceptably high" regardless.

According to SBA inspector general Hannibal "Mike" Ware, the new report from his agency "utilizes investigative casework, prior (inspector general) reporting, and cutting-edge data analysis to identify multiple fraud schemes used to potentially steal over $200 billion from American taxpayers and exploit programs meant to help those in need."

"We will continue to assess fraud until were finished with the investigations on these things," Ware added in a recent interview, adding that it could be a long while because his office currently has a backlog of more than 90,000 actionable leads into plandemic relief fraud, which amounts to nearly a century's worth of work.

The covid grift is far from over. Learn more at Plague.info.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

Newstarget.com
By refusing to acknowledge the jabs risks, Trump helps the COVID cult evade accountability

Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly declined to acknowledge the documented side effects associated with the Covid jabs, even as evidence mounts that the shots were not as safe or effective as their manufacturers advertised them to be.

(Article by Shawn Fleetwood republished from TheFederalist.com)

When conservative commentator Sebastian Gorka brought up the issue last Thursday, noting that some of Trumps supporters want him to distance yourself from the vaccines, Trump changed the subject, pointing to the injections accelerated approval under Operation Warp Speed and his opposition to jab mandates.

I have a friend whos, believe it or not, he tends to be liberal and he said, Why dont you ever talk about the fact that you had the vaccines approved in nine months instead of 12 years? Five to 12 years they said it was going to take, Trump claimed. The big thing was there were no [vaccine] mandates.

Similarly, in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier last week, Trump pivoted away from the issue, again noting Operation Warp Speed and referencing a Democrat friend who told him, You may have saved in the world, throughout the world, 100 million people, and you never talk about it.

It remains unclear what data Trump is relying on to claim Covid shots saved 100 million lives  a contention the former president has made several times before.

Last weeks interviews werent the first instances of Trump sidestepping the shots significant side effects, either. The former president sparred with Daily Wire host Candace Owens over the safety and efficacy of the jabs during a December 2021 interview. In a January interview, Trump was asked if he would acknowledge the jabs were not as safe or effective as we were told by the medical community at the time.

While Trump avoided the issue in the former exchange, he tacitly admitted there were studies showing adverse events in the latter but appeared to downplay such reports. He shouldnt.

Looking at the Data

Despite Trumps avoidance of the matter, numerous medical studies have shown there are significant risks associated with getting the Covid shot that were not originally disclosed to the public  chief among them being cardio-related problems.

Last summer, 76 doctors sent a letter to U.K. health officials, urging the government to seriously consider whether to authorize emergency use of Covid shots for infants and young children. In their letter, the doctors pointed to several key points undercutting the rationale for the shots approval, including the low risk the virus poses to children, existing natural immunity, poor vaccine efficacy, and potential long-term harms from the jabs.

There has been great concern about myocarditis in adolescents and young adults, especially in males after the second dose, the letter reads. The emerging evidence of persistent cardiac abnormalities in adolescents with post-mRNA vaccine myopericarditis  suggests this is far from mild and short-lived. The potential for longer term effects requires further study and calls for the strictest application of the precautionary principle in respect of the youngest and most vulnerable children.

The letter was highlighted by Dr. Robert Malone, who helped develop mRNA technology and has been critical of Covid lockdown policies.

Concerns regarding myocarditis and other heart-related problems following Covid vaccination were also highlighted in a study published in October by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. In the analysis, researchers found an 84% increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination and noted that the risk associated with mRNA vaccination should be weighed against the risk associated with COVID-19 infection.

Dr. Marty Makary, a surgeon and public policy researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, cited the study when discussing adverse events related to the Covid jabs during a Fox News interview earlier this year.

Read more at: TheFederalist.com
Trump promises to sign a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states if elected in 2024

At the recent Faith & Freedom Coalition convention in Georgia, Donald Trump promised to sign a bill outlawing all transgender mutilation procedures on children across the entire country if voters reinstall him into the White House in 2024.

The following video shows Trump speaking about how disgusted he is at the transgender craze and what it is doing particularly to young people who are being groomed and indoctrinated into going trans.

"Something else I find hard to believe that I have to even say," Trump told the crowd. "It's so ridiculous. It's so horrible and so ridiculous. I will keep men out of women's sports. And I will sign a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states. Prohibited."

On day one of his presidency, should he somehow overcome widespread election fraud and get elected again in 2024, Trump will also "reinstate the Trump ban on transgenders in the military," he stated.

"Because a warrior should be focused on crushing American enemies, on being strong, on having the image of being strong. They have to be powerful. They have to be strong, especially when you see what's happening in the world today, not catering to radical gender ideology."

"I will sign a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states. And on day one I will re-instate the Trump ban on transgenders in the military."  President Trump Watch?the entire speech: https://t.co/m7dgSE7fnT pic.twitter.com/UpVYAvZ0HG  Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) June 25, 2023

(Related: It is believed that at least one billion people have already died as a result of Trump's Operation Warp Speed scheme.)

All schools pushing CRT, LGBT on students to lose federal funding under Trump

Trump also told the mostly religious crows that upon being installed president for a second term, he will "immediately sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing Critical Race Theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children."

"Can you believe this? Can you imagine saying this 10 or 15 years ago? I will fight for parents' rights," he added.

"I will fight for the direct election of school principals by the parents, the parents of the school. If any principal is not getting the job done, the parents should be able to fire them immediately and select someone who will."

The presumption is that Trump will be the GOP candidate in 2024, so he is already speaking in accordance with that, promising to "not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or masked mandate from kindergarten to college."

Trump's full speech is available for viewing below:

In the comments, someone pointed out that Trump made a lot of promises that he never kept while president the last time around, including most notably his "drain the swamp" rhetoric that never came to fruition.

"Remember all the things this spray-tanned clown promised last time?" this person wrote.

Another expressed support for Trump's statements, noting that they represent "good common-sense policies."

Still another quoted something Trump said after being elected, going back on his statements about "lock her up" in reference to two-time failed presidential wannabe Hillary Clinton.

"That plays great before the election  now we don't care, right?" Trump told a crowd back in 2017 after the inauguration, to which many booed.

"Trump just recently proclaimed to Bret Baier that he did not make any mistakes on his Covid-19 response," wrote another, expressing concerns about another Trump presidency. "That tells me that if Trump is president, lockdowns are on the menu again."

Would you vote for Donald Trump again in 2024? Learn more about his candidacy at VoteRepublican.news.

Sources for this article include:

Summit.news

Newstarget.com
POLLINATOR COLLAPSE: U.S. beekeepers lost an estimated 48% of their honey bee colonies last year

The Bee Informed Partnership recently published their annual Colony Loss and Management Survey , and for the seventh year in a row, the results were grim. According to the survey, the last pollination season was the second most deadly on record for U.S. honeybees. From April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023, US beekeepers lost an estimated 48.2% of their honey bee colonies. The report includes surveys from small and large-sized operations involving 3,006 US beekeepers who collectively manage 314,360 colonies.

Honey bee population decline spells trouble for US agriculture

To put matters into perspective, the 2020-2021 season saw an estimated 51% decline in honey bee colonies, and the 2021-2022 season saw a 39% drop. As the die-off trend continues, there will be ongoing consequences for agriculture and biodiversity, for honey bees pollinate over 100 different crop types and numerous wild herbs.

"Although the total number of honey bee colonies in the country has remained relatively stable over the last 20 years (~2.6 million colonies according to the USDA NASS Honey Reports), loss rates remain high, indicating that beekeepers are under substantial pressure to recover from losses by creating new colonies every year," the report authors wrote.

Shortcuts taken in the honey bee industry and in agriculture weaken the bees immune systems

The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L. Hymenoptera: Apidae) is critical to biodiversity and human survival. Loss of honey bee populations impacts the economy, agriculture, and the health of the environment. In the last ten years, some regions of the world have suffered from a significant reduction of honey bee colonies. The honey bee decline in the USA, in many European countries, and in the Middle East has received considerable attention, mostly due to the absence of an easily identifiable cause.

One of the problems stems from the shortcuts taken by the beekeeping industry itself. Bee keepers use corn syrup and other honey substitutes as bee feed; this shortcut contributes to colony collapse by depriving the insects of compounds that strengthen their immune systems. Bees naturally consume their own honey, which contains compounds like p-coumaric acid. This compound helps strengthen a bees immune system, helping them ward off the diseases that threaten the colonies.

Due to the way the industry works, bee keepers often take shortcuts to maximize their output of honey into the global market. Commercial beekeepers typically harvest and sell all of the honey produced by the bees. The bees are then given food substitutes like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, but these products slowly weaken the colonies. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that widespread agricultural use of honey substitutes, including high-fructose corn syrup, may thus compromise the ability of honey bees to cope with pesticides and pathogens and contribute to colony losses.

To make matters worse, honeybees make contact with many pesticides and herbicides in their daily routine. These pesticides (such as Imidaloprid) harm the honey bees immune systems, exhausting their energy, while encouraging the colonization of mites and new viruses that have more resistant traits. For instance, the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, has been rapidly infesting Apis mellifera and Apis cerana honey bee populations as of late.

According to the Bee Informed Partnership, the most prominent cause of colony death reported by beekeepers over the winter of 2022-23 was varroa and its associated viruses. These parasitic mites introduce new viruses with more resilient traits. Varroa destructor made a host shift to the Western honeybee A. mellifera at the beginning of the 20th century and it continues to grow stronger across Europe, the US, Asia, New Zealand, Africa, and the Middle East. These viruses are more likely to take out honey bee pupa because the pupa is undernourished and exposed to chemical toxins that weaken their immune responses.

Sources include:

BeeInformed.com

CommonDreams.org

Pubmed.gov

Pubmed.gov

Pubmed.gov
The largest aquifer in the world, the Ogallala, which lies beneath Central America, has begun to dry up, which is causing farmers to worry.

Ogallala Aquifer Dries of Drought

The Great Plains are supported by a vast, undiscovered subsurface lake that supplies millions of people with drinking water and supports farming, but the recent drought threatens to dry it up.

Underneath the US states of Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kansas, and Texas is the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest in the world.

The aquifer, which accounts for roughly 30% of the groundwater utilized for irrigation in the US and provides drinking water to over 80% of those residing across the Great Plains, was first used for agricultural purposes shortly after World War II.

However, the essential water supply is running out. Similar to Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which are reservoirs on the Colorado River in the West that are in grave danger of emptying up as a result of the drought that has engulfed the area due to climate change.

Possible Over-Extraction and Lower Water Levels

In the case of the aquifers, it takes time for them to deteriorate, and only over-extraction puts them in danger. However, it would require more than 6,000 years for rainwater to naturally restore it after it is gone.

Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are all experiencing catastrophic drought as of June, which is making the issue worse.

Texas farmers, who own the most farmland in the US, are likewise worried. Crops are in danger as the state continues to experience drought and the aquifer continues to deteriorate.

According to 1,338 monitoring wells that tap into the groundwater, the Ogallala Aquifer's levels have decreased over the past five years, according to a High Plains Underground Water Conservation District 2023 study.

Worried Farmers and Persisting Drought

The Ogallala is supporting all the farmers, according to Eric Simpson, a farm manager in Lubbock, northwest of Texas.

Simpson claims that regardless of what, he will likely still need to draw water from it during the summer because, without the aquifer's supply, only cacti or mesquite trees would thrive in West Texas.

Groundwater levels in west and south-central Kansas fell by two feet last year, according to data gathered from the Kansas Geological Survey in March of this year, alarming farmers in the state. They measured 1,400 Ogallala wells and discovered that there had been a 1.89-foot overall reduction in 2022.

Also Read: 5 Evergreen Shrubs Perfect for Dry Season

Kansas saw one of its driest years ever last year and because of the lack of rain, this increased the use of groundwater. Scientists worry that this may be a trend as the drought persists and climate change gets worse.

Last summer in Nebraska was also exceptionally dry, which increased the amount of water being pumped from the aquifer. According to reports, since the 1950s, the water levels in Chase County have decreased by 100 feet, Newsweek reports.

Within the next century, according to the US Department of Agriculture, the Ogallala could largely dry out. Naturally, the Ogallala Aquifer fills incredibly slowly, so this implies that continual conservation efforts are being made to better safeguard the essential water source.

Restricting water consumption is the major strategy for preserving the submerged lake. Farmers could water their crops with about half the typical quantity of water, according to the USDA. However, this may be simpler said than done as the drought gets worse.

Related Article: Drought from Climate Change Rewrites Lawn Care Rules, UK Experts Say
Locals in Arizona are alarmed by the increasing number of baby hawks discovered on the ground.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department have recently received reports of Cooper's Hawks swooping down on unsuspecting homeowners, which indicates that when the temperature rises beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit, juvenile hawks are becoming old enough to leave their nests and begin to learn how to fly.

Fledging Juvenile Hawks

Local wildlife rehabilitators receive a flood of inquiries from worried residents about baby hawks on the ground as a result of the process, known as fledging. Young Copper's hawks go through a typical stage of development where they are on the ground.

They will continue to be fed by their parents on the ground, and they will eventually learn how to fly. The birds can ascend the tree by moving from branch to branch with their talons.

Even though these baby hawks have feathers, they may still have white down stuck in the spaces between them. When approached, they will sprint pretty well with their heads bowed forward.

What to Do, According to Wildlife Officials:

A baby hawk may have fallen out of the nest owing to severe winds if it has more down than feathers and does not try to flee when approached. It might be put in an "alternate nest," such as a laundry basket or a milk container. This needs to be fastened to the tree where the bird's nest is at shoulder height, with an old, soft towel placed in the bottom.

Additionally, the container may be fastened to a nearby tree that will provide shade. Place the newborn hawk on the new nest so that its parents may feed it, 13News reports.

What to Avoid

Never take young birds out of the wild just because they have left the nest; only take them out of the wild if they are hurt or orphaned. Their biological parents are the ideal people to raise them. A local wildlife rehabber should be contacted if any wildlife is left unattended for longer than 24 hours since it may have been abandoned.

The parents of the young hawks can be very protective before they leave the nest and will even "dive bomb" people or huge animals just passing below the nest. Pets and other commotion should be kept out of the area.

This protective activity stops after the young are on the ground, providing the false impression that they have been abandoned. Parents still provide food for their young on the ground while motivating them to return to the tree or even try flying.

Also Read: Migratory Devil Bird Sets Up Nest in New York in New Migration Patterns

Kathie Schroder, a local wildlife rehabilitator, argued that the baby hawks are not in as much danger as people believe. They occasionally fall prey to bobcats, but other than people and cars, they are largely safe. They must be reared by their parents to teach them how to catch prey on the fly like other birds. They cannot learn that from anyone, not even from addicts. However, a rehabber can assist if one is truly hurt, KGUN9 Tucson reports.

An Arizona Game and Fish Department employee or a rehabber can advise on how to set up an "alternate nest" for the baby hawks. This will keep the fledging hawks off the ground.

It is advisable to leave the birds alone or offer them an alternate nest rather than transporting them to a rehabber, even a nearby bird sanctuary. Cooper's Hawks, capable of "nest jumping," are the only raptors protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to Cooper Area.

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After an angler washed his hands in the Everglades and was pulled off his boat by a shark, authorities issued another warning to visitors to keep their hands inside their boats.

Bitten by a Shark in the Everglades

After capturing and releasing a fish in the Florida Everglades, a fisherman who has only been named Nick was washing his hands, wading it in the waters on the side of his boat.

Things took a dramatic change, though, as a shark charged at him from the murky water and managed to pull Nick by the hand, sending him plummeting headfirst into the waters.

The man can be seen briefly struggling in the water before making it back to the safety of the boat in the video, which was posted online by Captain Mark Gore, an Everglades fishing guide.

After the event, according to Michael Russo, who was on the same boat at the time, they hurried Nick back to the land where park officials assisted in getting him to the hospital.

According to Russo, that day was among his most terrifying boating experiences ever.

The fisherman was crushing the fish at first, and despite their best attempts, some of them were getting eaten by sharks, instead of serving as bait.

When Nick cleaned his hands in the water after releasing a snook, a sizable lemon shark bit him right away. The sharks were not agitated as there was neither chum nor blood in the water, according to Russo.

Shark Problem

In the Everglades, the sharks are no laughing matter, and it is not overstated to advise against people sticking their hands in the water.

To avoid future incidents like this one, Russo hopes that people will learn from this one. The Park Rangers were literally a lifeline as Nick was hurried back to the dock.

In the greatest possible care, he was airlifted to the hospital.

Upon viewing the video, other fishers immediately issued similar cautions.

Authorities have been warning everyone who would listen that there is a serious shark problem in the Everglades and Islamorada, according to Captain Perry Scuderi.

It is a poor idea for anglers to put their hands in the water after releasing fish.

While Captain Mike Venezia is eager to demonstrate the roughly a dozen locations where these lemon shark packs, some individuals weighing more than 250 pounds, are hiding. Because the conditions in infested spots are so poor, anglers can no longer fish there, Unilad reported.

The group that was in the video was snook and tarpon fishing in Flamingo, the Everglades National Park's southernmost administrative center.

Since the Florida Keys are surrounded by seawater from the Atlantic Ocean, it is not surprising to discover sharks there, WTSP10 Tampa Bay.

Also Read: Parasitic Snubnosed Eels Found Inside Mako Shark Heart [See Photo]

Lemon Shark

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, lemon sharks, the kind that is alleged to have bit the guy in the video, frequently enter estuary waters and freshwater areas.

The lemon shark, which may be identified by the bright yellow color of its skin, lives on coral keys and mangrove swamps around the Atlantic Ocean and some of the Pacific Ocean.

Although this shark is a powerful predator underwater due to its stocky build and other physical characteristics, commercial fishers who want to sell and trade the shark's meat and fins frequently target it, according to Oceana.

Related Article: Illegal Shark Fin Shipment Seized in Brazil Weighs Over 30 Tons, Companies Slapped with Fine
Anthropogenic air pollution also accelerates the process of snowmelt, in addition to climate change and global warming.

This is according to a study led by researchers in China who studied the Himalayas, specifically the snow and ice on the Tibetan Plateau.

They concluded that the absence of smog and smoke from human activities such as those coming from transport has reduced snowmelt.

The scientific team involved in the new research paper used various existing data and derived their analysis from the COVID-19 lockdowns in India from March 2020 to May 2020.

The team described these travel restrictions as a "natural experiment" which allowed them to see the impact of reduced anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions from transport and other industries.

Prior to the study, climate scientists often linked rapid snowmelt with increasing temperatures and hot weather caused by the warming of the planet.

However, anthropogenic, or human-induced air pollution is relatively overlooked.

Now, scientists can focus not only on the climate emergency but also to toxic airborne particles invisible to our eyes.

Tibetan Plateau Snow and Ice

In the study published in the journal PNAS Nexus on Tuesday, June 27, researchers from the Beijing Normal University examined the Tibetan Plateau that holds large mass of snow and ice even being outside of the polar regions of Antarctica and Arctic.

They discovered the deposit of particles like mineral dust, black carbon, organic carbon, and radiation contributes to glacier retreat.

The research team acknowledged that anthropogenic pollutant emissions or air pollution affecting the Himalayan region through "transboundary transport" is currently not fully understood.

As a result, the team used multiple satellite data of the region during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns in India.

Also Read: Trees Reduce Air Pollution, Respiratory Problems

2020 COVID-19 Lockdowns

March 2020 is the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the start of national and international travel restrictions.

The PNAS Nexus study said that the COVID-19 lockdown resulted in dramatic decrease in human activities, which allowed the said researchers a unique test to determine the transboundary mechanisms of radiative forcing on snow.

This was made possible as the team got a better view of the atmosphere over the Himalaya during the Indian 2020 lockdown.

The results show that the lockdown was responsible for a 71.6% decrease in anthropogenic air pollution on the Himalaya in April 2020, compared to April 2019.

Anthropogenic Air Pollution

According to the authors, the results show the power of reducing anthropogenic air pollution when it comes to combating snowmelt and ice melt, as cited by Phys.org.

For decades, air pollution has plagued cities and some urban areas in the world's busiest metropolitan.

Emissions of hazardous air particles, coming not only from vehicles and public transport but also from industrial establishments.

In the United States, the largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions comes from fossil fuel burning used for electricity, heat, and transportation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Related Article: Air Pollution to Blame for Stillbirths as Toxic Particles Found in Lungs of Fetuses, Global Study Says
Solar-powered lasers that shoot out sticky toxic gel are being used to kill feral cats in Australia as part of an innovative attempt to control the population.

Poisoning Feral Cats in Australia

Millions of native animals have died as a result of the feral cats' introduction to Australia as an invasive species.

Millions more of native species in the bush, including rare marsupials like numbats and bandicoots as well as reptiles and birds, have perished as a result of these feral cats, according to Newsweek.

They represent a threat to 100 remaining native species and have driven an estimated 27 species to extinction, particularly small marsupials as well as ground-dwelling birds.

In order to avoid unintentionally harming a native animal, the lethal new technology employs lasers to recognize the profile of a feral cat.

Solar-Powered Laser Rigged with Toxic Gel

The feline is then sprayed with a toxic gel by the box-shaped device, known as a Felixer Grooming Trap, which makes the feral cat lick itself to try to remove the gooey stuff, consuming the lethal gel in the process.

The equipment captures a picture each time it sprays a gel squirt so that conservationists can verify that it hit the intended target.

The technology has successfully distinguished between a feral cat and a native animal in countless tests, according to Western Australia's environment minister Reece Whitby.

According to Whitby, these feral cats have a terrible impact on local wildlife. Authorities must take action to offer local animals a chance to survive this ferocious predator.

Each of the 20 sealed poisonous gel cartridges inside the solar-powered devices are automatically reset after use.

The tool can also be used to locate and spray foxes, which European settlers brought to Australia and which have the same disastrous effect on native species.

They can also be set to make a variety of noises that are intended to entice foxes and stray cats.

The gadgets will be set up at locations all around Western Australia, but after receiving federal clearance, they might also be expanded to other states and territories.

Also Read: Annual Feral Cat Hunting Season For Kids Canceled in New Zealand After Vile Emails

New Strategy

Thylation, the company that developed the technology, leased 16 of the devices to the Western Australian government.

Despite the size of the state, advocates of the technology claim that when strategically positioned in areas where cats are known to congregate, such as along fence lines or in a small gully, the devices can be quite successful.

They could also be applied in gated, compact regions where conservationists are attempting to reintroduce endangered animals.

The gadgets require little upkeep and can be employed in situations where killing cats would not be suitable, The Telegraph reported.

They will be used in conjunction with conventional tactics like widespread baiting, which Western Australia will do annually by dispersing up to 880,000 baits for feral cats.

In a conservation reserve in South Australia called Arid Recovery in 2020, the devices were successfully used to assess their effectiveness against cats and foxes.

According to the University of New South Wales' Katherine Moseby, they released 20 Felixers in an area that contained roughly 50 feral cats in addition to other creatures like bilbies and bettongs, ABC News reported.

Related Article: 'Functionally Extinct' Scottish Wildcats Reintroduced to Wilderness in Attempt to Recover From Breeding With Feral Cats - Cairngorms, Scotland
An area known as a "gravity hill" is one where gravity appears to be temporarily acting counterintuitively.

There are several gravity hills in the world, which are known as locations where a geographical optical illusion is perceived by the viewer.

Gravity Hills: An Optical Illusion

Gravity hills, also called spook hills, are optical illusions at their core.

A modest downhill slope may appear to be going uphill due to the local topography. Cars can be observed rolling uphill in opposition to the apparent incline of the road, startling both drivers and onlookers.

The fact that the horizon line is either partially or completely hidden, which distorts observers' impression of up and down, is one of the gravity hill's most crucial characteristics.

Some gravity hills are said to be both places of paranormal activity and optical illusions. The majority of these are local myths and legends, yet local site enthusiasts and tour guides swear by their stories.

Where on Earth

Gravity hills are found where there are no buildings, and narrow, and short roadways, about 50 to 90 meters. This produces an optical illusion that makes uphill appear to be downhill.

Since the 1930s, travelers have been drawn to California's Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, while Florida's Lake Wales is home to Spook Hill, which is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Meanwhile, there is a gravity hill in South Bend, Indiana, that is said to be haunted. Stephen F. Zmyslo wrote about a hill where neutrally moving autos tumble backward in 1973.

According to a tale, a ghost may propel vehicles upward or steal gasoline when the brakes are applied. These fascinating places enthrall with unsettling sensations and misinterpreted sightings.

People continue to be in awe of their parked car's ability to roll up what appears to be a downward slope around the world and in the United States.

Many will pay to wait in line and experience the strangeness that surrounds the Mystery Spot in California, whereas others will be amazed by the stream that appears to be rushing upwards.

Also Read: 5 Times in History That Frogs Fell From the Sky

Defying Gravity

When discussing gravity hills, scientists will point out the facts.

The horizon can't be seen, the trees are shaped differently, and the terrain of the nearby hills offsets the gradient of the road.

Human perceptions frequently fall short of what is in front of people since human brains analyze so much information and cause them to perceive things as they are but the Geography Realm says that science shouldn't take away the wonder of gravity hills.

Geophysicists and surveyors investigated the land and its slopes to comprehend the occurrence.

They found that when the ground tilts in one direction and the road travels in the same direction but at a smaller inclination, the illusion happens.

Gravity hills are typically found in green areas where the road is quite narrow, though they are not always present. There should be no buildings visible.

Buildings provide people's brains with a frame of reference to process the image, ExplorersWeb explains.

The concepts that gravity hills are found where there are no buildings, narrow, and short roadways, and that all comes down to the horizon were also discussed in a 2003 study by psychologists published in the journal Psychological Science.

Either the horizon is obscured in areas with gravity hills, making it difficult to establish a proper point of reference, or it is present but obscures how the hill slopes relative to the surrounding terrain.

Related Article: Uncovering the Mystery of Jacob's Well in Texas: Refreshing, Dangerous Crystal Clear Water
News / Local

by Staff reporter

ZIMBABWEANS are choosing to turn a blind eye on presidential candidate Saviour Kasukuwere's dirty past, United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA) President Elisabeth Valerio has said.Valerio, whose candidature is not yet set after failing to pay nomination fees on time, said she was amazed at how much Zimbabweans were portraying the self-exiled Kasukuwere as a hero' yet he was at one point head of Zanu-PF's system of injustice.Her comments on Kasukuwere came hours before Zimbabweans remembered 2008's fatal attacks on opposition MDC-T supporters, some of which he led.Over 200 opposition supporters across the country were killed by state security agents in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), army, police and ruling party members all intent on ensuring a runoff win for late President Robert Mugabe after his loss to Morgan Tsvangirai.Mugabe had for the first time been officially beaten in a poll for presidency, managing 43.24% against Tsvangirai's 47.87%. Results were withheld for months, during which period the likes of Kasukuwere terrorised mainly rural constituencies ahead of the re-run.According to documents released by the then-Tsvangirai-led opposition, Kasukuwere personally oversaw the assault, poisoning, murder and abduction of over 300 MDC-T supporters during what is regarded as one of Zimbabwe's darkest periods.Kasukuwere, who hails from the Mt. Darwin area in Mashonaland Central Province, is said to have become a willing participant' in politically motivated violence that received widespread condemnation there."Someone said to me today if Jesus himself was on the ballot, Zimbabweans would not vote for him," said Valerio."This got me thinking about all the heroism Kasukuwere has received recently on social media. Are Zimbabweans turning a blind eye and forgetting that for a time Saviour Kasukuwere was the vanguard for much of the injustice and exploitation in our country? Only the amoral would seek refuge in Kasukuwere."Do we no longer know the difference between right and wrong? Have we lost all sense and ethics  perhaps as a consequence of having lived for so long in such a highly corrupt society? Will Zimbabwe ever wake up?"Zimbabweans vote in general elections on August 23 this year.Kasukuwere's name still commands fear in Mashonaland where he operated from.A former CIO operative, Kasukuwere was known as Paraquat at the time, a name derived from his use of the poisonous herbicide on opposition supporters caught by his 300-strong Zanu-PF squad.After spending the majority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's terms exiled in South Africa Kasukuwere has indicated his desire to save' Zimbabwe from the Zanu-PF supremo's blundering administration,He reckons Zimbabweans have suffered enough.Kasukuwere is yet to speak of the 2008 period and has chosen to focus his campaign on the Indigenisation Policy and an array of accolades recorded during Mugabe's tenure."We will not forget the thousands who were displaced, whose livelihoods were destroyed, and their lives changed forever," said Heal Zimbabwe Trust in a statement Tuesday."We continue calling the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to bring healing, reconciliation and wholesome transitional justice to bring finality to this dark chapter in our history."The Special Investigative Units established by Section 133J of the Electoral Act must investigate, (ensure) prosecution and bring to justice all perpetrators of political violence and intimidation."
Canada has finally banned cosmetic product testing on animals, a significant decision that supports the welfare and protection of animals in the country, according to latest reports.

Protecting animals is critical by implementing policies that could save them from cruelty and suffering.

The latest move would help ensure the animal's welfare.

According to the CTV News report, the country joined with 43 other countries, implementing ethical and cruelty-free measures by banning cosmetic products testing on animals.

Banning cosmetic products testing on animals

Based on the report from Canada's Health, banning unnecessary testing was a significant step, as companies are no longer allowed to sell cosmetic products that underwent animal testing.

The report noted the amendments are expected to take effect in December.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos explained that industries, board and policy-makers agreed on the banning of testing products on animals.

According to Health Canada's news release, cosmetics testing on animals decreased globally, and the latest decision would ensure that the country aligns with global standards.

The report added that 43 countries implemented significant policies and measures prohibiting cosmetic product testing on animals, including Australia, South Korea, the UK and EU Union countries.

Furthermore, Canada's Minister of Health explained that the government would work with experts to find cruel-free alternatives in cosmetic testing.

More facts about cosmetic animal testing on animals

According to the Humane Society International, about 500,000 animals become victims worldwide, subjected to cruel animal testing for cosmetic products.

Also Read: About 50 Tiger Sharks Filmed on Feeding on Humpback Whale's Remains on Hervey Bay Coast, Australia

Companies continued to use animal testing because they sought new ingredients.

Meanwhile, Tree Hugger reported that mice, pigs, rabbits and rats are the most common animals used for testing.

Animals undergo testing to look into possible irritation and skin tests. They experience cruel or harsh testing, which could kill them or cause them to suffer from extreme pain.

Based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cosmetics refer to the human body that helps beautify and clean, for example, lipstick, moisturizer, perfume, makeup and hair products.

The reports noted that companies turned to animal tests to determine the safety of new ingredients.

Furthermore, experts explained that animal tests are unnecessary because animals and humans respond differently when they use or are exposed to chemicals or new ingredients.

In Australia, the Human Society International explained that the Be Cruelty-Free Australia campaign significantly called for a ban on cosmetic animal tests in Australia.

The non-animal tests on cosmetic products and regulatory policies are historic in protecting animals from abuse.

In Canada, banning animal testing on cosmetics is a win-win for the country and the love for animals.

The Human Society International emphasized the importance of saving animals and protecting them from cruel methods.

Animal lovers and experts advised people to always check on products if they are considered cruel-free cosmetics.

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For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
Farmers and government water resource managers in the southeastern US face a daunting challenge: how to grow enough food for a growing population while coping with the effects of climate change.

A new computer model developed by North Carolina State University and Manchester Metropolitan University researchers may help them make informed decisions about crop selection and irrigation techniques.

How the model works and what it predicts

The model, called the regional hydroeconomic optimization modeling framework (RHEO), draws on a host of data to forecast yield for four key crops in the southeastern US: cotton, corn, sorghum, and soybeans, as per Phys.org.

The data include long-term and seasonal rainfall forecasts, groundwater level data, soil characteristics, water consumption of each crop, irrigation costs, crop prices, and crop production budgets.

The model uses these data to predict each crop's yield per unit area on a county-level basis. It also predicts each crop's irrigation costs and profits and strategy.

According to the study, the model can compare different scenarios of climate change, water availability, and crop demand to help farmers and water managers optimize their decisions.

The researchers demonstrated the utility of the model by applying it to 31 years' worth of historical data from 21 counties in southwestern Georgia.

They found that the model was able to capture the variability in crop yields and identify irrigation strategies that would reduce costs and increase profits.

Also Read: Insect Pests Attacking Crops Are Developing Resistance to Biopesticides

How the model can help farmers and water managers adapt to climate change

The researchers said that the model can help farmers and water managers adapt to climate change by providing them with reliable information on how different crops and irrigation techniques perform under different conditions, as per EPA.

They say that climate change is expected to cause significant fluctuations in rainfall amounts and patterns in the southeastern US, leading to more periods of drought and flooding.

This will affect crop yields and water availability.

The model can help farmers and water managers plan ahead and adjust their practices accordingly.

For example, they can choose crops that are more resilient to drought or heat stress, or use deficit irrigation strategies that reduce water use but maintain yield.

It can also help farmers and water managers evaluate trade-offs between economic and environmental objectives.

For example, they can balance the benefits of increasing crop production with the costs of pumping groundwater or emitting greenhouse gases.

Furthermore, the model is said to be flexible and scalable, and can be applied to other regions and crops with appropriate data.

Other effects of climate change on agriculture

The researchers also highlighted some other effects of climate change on agriculture that go beyond crop yields and water use. Some of these effects are:

Climate change may alter the distribution and migration patterns of pests, diseases, weeds, and invasive species that affect crops. This may increase crop losses or require more use of pesticides or herbicides.

It may affect the quality and nutritional value of crops by influencing factors such as protein content, starch content, vitamin content, flavor, color, texture, and shelf life. This may affect consumer preferences or market prices.

Climate change may affect food security and food safety by influencing factors such as food availability, food accessibility, food utilization, food stability, food spoilage, food contamination, and foodborne illnesses. This may affect human health and well-being.

It may also affect social and economic aspects of agriculture by influencing factors such as farm income, farm employment, farm labor migration, farm insurance, farm subsidies, trade policies, consumer demand, food prices, and poverty. This may affect rural development and livelihoods.



Related article: Gene-edited Crops Helps the World To Ensure People's Food Security
According to information published by the Finnish MoD on June 29, 2023, Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen has approved the purchase of 17 additional Jurmo-class landing craft along with spare parts, as part of a move to sustain and enhance the mobility of coastal troops until the end of the 2030s.

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Jurmo class landing craft. (Picture source: Finnish MoD)

The landing craft will be supplied by Marine AluTech Oy AB. The procurement, excluding value added tax, is valued at EUR 25.5 million, and is projected to generate domestic employment equivalent to 110 person-years.

With a significant coastline and numerous islands, Finland's geographic conditions present unique defense and logistics challenges that landing crafts, like the Jurmo-class, are well-suited to address.

Firstly, landing crafts are fundamental to amphibious operations. They provide the critical ability to transport troops, equipment, and vehicles from sea to shore.

This becomes vital in scenarios of direct engagement or during defensive maneuvers. In times of conflict, these crafts can deliver troops to the frontline rapidly, even under hostile conditions.

About the landing craft

The craft weighs in at 3.0 tons, with a displacement of 13.9 tons. It measures 14.1 meters in length and 3.65 meters across its beam, with a draught of 0.7 meters.

The installed power comes from two 331kW Caterpillar C7 diesel engines. For propulsion, it utilizes two Rolls-Royce Kamewa FF375 waterjets. The Jurmo-class landing craft can reach speeds of up to 37 knots, or 30 knots when fully loaded, and has a range of 180 nautical miles.

It accommodates a crew of 2 and can transport up to 20 troops. The armament options are versatile and include a 12.7 mm NSV machine gun, a 40 mm grenade machine gun, or a 120 mm NEMO mortar.
News / Local

by Staff reporter

The decision by the Minister of Home Affairs to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit programme has been declared unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.Three judges, sitting as a full bench in the Pretoria High Court, have directed the minister to reconsider the issue "following a fair process" that complies with the relevant laws.Pending the outcome of that process, the permits will remain valid for another 12 months (until the end of June 2024), and ZEP-holders have protection from arrest and deportation.The case was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa after the minister announced the end of the programme in 2021.Subsequently he granted further extensions but remained adamant that the 178,000 permit holders must either apply for other visas, if they qualified for them, or return "home".Read the judgment hereIn the much anticipated ruling on Wednesday, judges Colleen Collis, Gcina Malindi and Mandlenkosi Motha (writing as the court) said the minister had made no attempt to solicit representations from those affected before he took the decision.The first call for representations had been done "after the fact" and was not a "genuine consultation".The invitation was "meaningless", they wrote."By way of illustration, a ZEP-holder, Ms Maliwa, sent an email to the designated address imploring the Minister to Please consider giving us another four years. We have nowhere to stay in Zim and no work.'"To this email the minister's attorneys responded that  the minister is unable to reverse the decision."The judges said throughout the answering affidavit (deposed to by the director-general of the department) there was a "notable disdain for the value of public participation".The judges said the minister's failure to consult, rendered the decision to terminate the programme procedurally unfair and irrational.They said no attempt was made to assess the impact on ZEP holders and their children."As a decision of this consequence impacts over 178,000 permit holders, it would have required proper information on who would be affected, to what degree and what measures were in place to ameliorate this impact."It further requires a careful assessment of the current conditions in Zimbabwe."Before this court, there is simply no admissible evidence from the Minister on whether he took these considerations into account and how."This was borne out by the fact that the director-general and the minister had been "entirely silent" on the impact on families and children in the court papers and in press statements.The minister had also "flatly refused" to engage with any representations from the Scalabrini Centre, saying "there is no scope for reconsideration".On this basis, again, the decision had to be reviewed and set aside.The minister had also not placed any facts before the court showing that he had consulted on conditions in Zimbabwe.The judges said the decision was also an "unjustified" limitation of rights, and therefore must be reviewed and set aside in terms of the Promotion of Administration of Justice Act (PAJA).The judges said their order would preserve the status quo pending the outcome of a fair process and the minister's further decision.They ordered that the minister pay the costs of the application.The judges handed down a separate ruling in a matter they heard at the same time as the Helen Suzman case. This was brought by the Zimbabwean Immigration Federation for an interdict, stopping any action being taken against ZEP holders, pending a review of the minister's decision.The judges granted the interdict.


Major Radio 4 boost for Norfolk children's charity Major Radio 4 boost for Norfolk children's charity

Street Child - an international children's charity founded in Norfolk  has had a major funding boost with news that BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting its Education is Her Right campaign this coming week.
News / Local

by Staff reporter

Businessman Ewan Macmillan has made startling claims he was drunk when he excitedly gushed out secrets about his gold smuggling exploits while branding Vice President Constantino Chiwenga a dunderhead in secretly recorded interviews later aired by Al Jazeera April this year.Together with United Kingdom based preacher and Zimbabwe ambassador at large Eubert Angel, the name-dropping and bombastic dealer emerged as one of the culprits in a dirty gold smuggling and money laundering scandal in Zimbabwe.The self-incriminating interviews were aired by the Qatar based news channel in a documentary titled, The Gold Mafia.The documentary made waves and caused panic within government corridors after President Emmerson Mnangagwa was cast as a possible enabling factor to the money-spinning vice.After two months of possible reflection, Macmillan has since issued a public apology for the discomfort he caused through his comments which he partially blamed on alcohol.In a statement issued on Tuesday, the businessman said what he said on camera was not true."I would like to apologise to my family, to my friends, to fellow Zimbabweans and to all those people that I have offended in my behaviour and comments as shown in the recent Al Jazeera Gold Mafia series."I made many statements under the influence of alcohol that were boastful, untrue, derogatory and malicious that have caused harm to those around me, those in business with me, in the industry that I had worked in, to those in the Zimbabwe banking and financial sectors and those in important positions of authority doing their jobs in Government."I have embarrassed myself and them, and for that I am very sorry," he said.
Press Release By

Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed foreign delegates on Monday at a dinner on the occasion of the G20 Infrastructure Working Group meeting held at Narendra Nagar Tehri.

Chief Minister Dhami tol them that "we welcome and congratulate you from the bottom of heart in this divine alpine and sunshine Himalayan valley - our Uttrakhand state.

Uttarakhand, cradled in the lap of the Abode of Snow and Himalayas is called the "land of gods". This divine land is home to India's spiritual history.

Uttrakhand is also the thriving ground of Yoga and Ayurveda - our ancient Indian system of holistic medicine and spiritual health

"The theme of this year's G-20 is "One Earth, One Family, One Future." This is basically based on the principle "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" given to the world by Indian vedic civilisation, which means 'The world is one family'," the CM noted.

CM Dhami said that the scale of development in any country is measured by the infrastructure of that country. Infrastructural progress should not only be about making roads, railroads, ropeways, or runways, but it should also ease the daily living of common man by providing accessible and sustainable livelihood.

"The rough terrain and multitude of natural hindrances in a mountainous territory make the infrastructural development troublesome and unnatural to some degree. Our innate respect for natural habitats and cultural ecology, as well as the necessity to preserve the natural Himalayan beauty, must come in the way of progress we aspire to achieve. One should not deny the fact that our Himalayan region also has a natural infrastructure to sustain itself, which should not be sidelined for the sake of modernization.

"Therefore, we envision our developmental progress mainly in preservation of our natural resources. We are committed to building around nature and not on nature. Not consume nature but reuse nature in the humble way of simple hill life. Even then, we are prone to massive infrastructural loss, both natural and man made.Our region is home to natural disasters as well, that downturn our developmental ambitions," he said.

"That's why we are rethinking our infrastructural goals only aiming at sustainable development through ecological sustenance. Enivisioned by our respected PM who himself lives a simple yogic life we are on route to build the infrastructure of future which will also be the infrastructure "of nature "when it is sustained" The network of all- weather roads, bharatmala, sagarmala, parwatmala are a few such examples," he added.

The CM said that "I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the respected Prime Minister of our country Narendra Modi, for giving Uttarakhand this opportunity to organize three G-20 meetings. We are feeling proud while fulfilling this important responsibility because it is a big achievement for all the people of Uttarakhand. The idea of our ancient civilization 'Atithi Devo Bhava', always keeps us ready to serve the guests, so I hope that all of you have enjoyed your stay in our state. I am sure that the nectar that will emerge from the brainstorming done by the G-20 Infrastructure Working Group will prove to be helpful in bridging the gap between policy implementation and ecological conservation. In the end, I congratulate all of you on behalf of 1.25 crore people of Uttarakhand and hope that you all will enjoy the cultural evening and Indian dining afterward."

Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed foreign delegates on Monday at a dinner on the occasion of the G20 Infrastructure Working Group meeting held at Narendra Nagar Tehri. Chief Minister Dhami tol them that "we welcome and congratulate you from the bottom of heart in this divine alpine and sunshine Himalayan valley - our Uttrakhand state. Uttarakhand, cradled in the lap of the Abode of Snow and Himalayas is called the "land of gods". This divine land is home to India's spiritual history.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Uttrakhand is also the thriving ground of Yoga and Ayurveda - our ancient Indian system of holistic medicine and spiritual health "The theme of this year's G-20 is "One Earth, One Family, One Future." This is basically based on the principle "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" given to the world by Indian vedic civilisation, which means 'The world is one family'," the CM noted. CM Dhami said that the scale of development in any country is measured by the infrastructure of that country. Infrastructural progress should not only be about making roads, railroads, ropeways, or runways, but it should also ease the daily living of common man by providing accessible and sustainable livelihood. "The rough terrain and multitude of natural hindrances in a mountainous territory make the infrastructural development troublesome and unnatural to some degree. Our innate respect for natural habitats and cultural ecology, as well as the necessity to preserve the natural Himalayan beauty, must come in the way of progress we aspire to achieve. One should not deny the fact that our Himalayan region also has a natural infrastructure to sustain itself, which should not be sidelined for the sake of modernization. "Therefore, we envision our developmental progress mainly in preservation of our natural resources. We are committed to building around nature and not on nature. Not consume nature but reuse nature in the humble way of simple hill life. Even then, we are prone to massive infrastructural loss, both natural and man made.Our region is home to natural disasters as well, that downturn our developmental ambitions," he said. "That's why we are rethinking our infrastructural goals only aiming at sustainable development through ecological sustenance. Enivisioned by our respected PM who himself lives a simple yogic life we are on route to build the infrastructure of future which will also be the infrastructure "of nature "when it is sustained" The network of all- weather roads, bharatmala, sagarmala, parwatmala are a few such examples," he added. The CM said that "I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the respected Prime Minister of our country Narendra Modi, for giving Uttarakhand this opportunity to organize three G-20 meetings. We are feeling proud while fulfilling this important responsibility because it is a big achievement for all the people of Uttarakhand. The idea of our ancient civilization 'Atithi Devo Bhava', always keeps us ready to serve the guests, so I hope that all of you have enjoyed your stay in our state. I am sure that the nectar that will emerge from the brainstorming done by the G-20 Infrastructure Working Group will prove to be helpful in bridging the gap between policy implementation and ecological conservation. In the end, I congratulate all of you on behalf of 1.25 crore people of Uttarakhand and hope that you all will enjoy the cultural evening and Indian dining afterward."
Ramashankar By

Express News Service

PATNA: A day ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shahs visit to Lakhisarai in Munger district, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi called on state governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Raj Bhawan, separately on Wednesday.

Nitish visited Raj Bhawan first and also inspected the ongoing renovation work of Rajendra Mandapam inside the Raj Bhawan premises. He also directed the authorities to accelerate the pace of work and complete it on time. The Rajendra Mandapam hosts swearing-in ceremonies.

Nitish is expected to expand his cabinet before July 10 when the monsoon session of the state assembly begins. The swearing-in of new ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan and so it is necessary that repair work should be completed before July 10, sources said. Soon after Nitish left Raj Bhawan, former Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP MP Modi reached Raj Bhawan and met the governor.

Although it is not known what transpired at the meeting between the governor and Modi, the BJP leader said that it was only a coincidence that he met the governor soon after Nitish. No political meaning should be attached to it, he added. Modi said that it was merely a courtesy visit as both he and the governor were members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

He said he met the governor to congratulate him for running state universities affairs in a better manner. Both leaders held meetings with the governor for around 30 minutes each. Modi expressed his displeasure over the change in the domicile policy of the state government to make candidates from outside the state eligible for their appointment as teachers in government schools.

The speculation over yet another political realignment rose as it was initially rumoured that both Nitish and Modi were together at Raj Bhawan, which turned out to be false later. In Bihar, cabinet expansion is long overdue as two ministers from RJD, Kartikeya Kumar and Sudhakar Singh resigned from their posts. The Congress has also been insisting on more ministerial berths.

PATNA: A day ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shahs visit to Lakhisarai in Munger district, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi called on state governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Raj Bhawan, separately on Wednesday. Nitish visited Raj Bhawan first and also inspected the ongoing renovation work of Rajendra Mandapam inside the Raj Bhawan premises. He also directed the authorities to accelerate the pace of work and complete it on time. The Rajendra Mandapam hosts swearing-in ceremonies. Nitish is expected to expand his cabinet before July 10 when the monsoon session of the state assembly begins. The swearing-in of new ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan and so it is necessary that repair work should be completed before July 10, sources said. Soon after Nitish left Raj Bhawan, former Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP MP Modi reached Raj Bhawan and met the governor.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Although it is not known what transpired at the meeting between the governor and Modi, the BJP leader said that it was only a coincidence that he met the governor soon after Nitish. No political meaning should be attached to it, he added. Modi said that it was merely a courtesy visit as both he and the governor were members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. He said he met the governor to congratulate him for running state universities affairs in a better manner. Both leaders held meetings with the governor for around 30 minutes each. Modi expressed his displeasure over the change in the domicile policy of the state government to make candidates from outside the state eligible for their appointment as teachers in government schools. The speculation over yet another political realignment rose as it was initially rumoured that both Nitish and Modi were together at Raj Bhawan, which turned out to be false later. In Bihar, cabinet expansion is long overdue as two ministers from RJD, Kartikeya Kumar and Sudhakar Singh resigned from their posts. The Congress has also been insisting on more ministerial berths.
Ramashankar By

Express News Service

PATNA: The Bihar government has asked staffers of the state education department not to wear casual outfits such as jeans and T-shirts in the office as the ongoing practice goes against the culture at workplaces.

The state department has issued an order to this effect reminding officers and employees of the dress code.

As per the order, all officers and employees have been asked to come to the office in formal dress only.

This order has been issued by the Director (Administration), Education Department, Subodh Kumar Chowdhary on Wednesday.

In the order, it has been pointed out that it is often seen that officers and employees posted in the education Department are coming to the office in informal casual dress against the office culture, which is against the dignity of the office.

The education department has passed the order to ensure that all officers and employees come to the office in formal dress with dignity.

Earlier, additional chief secretary (education department) KK Pathak had strictly directed officers and employees to record their attendance through the biometric system to improve their punctuality in their respective offices.

Prior to education department, a circular was issued by general administration department about dress code. It looks very awkward to see employees wearing dress of different colours and varieties, said a Bihar administrative service officer.

The Bihar government had, in 2019, banned wearing jeans and T-shirts in the state secretariat, irrespective of the employees' ranks.

The aim was to maintain "office decorum" and the government had asked employees of the state secretariat to wear simple, comfortable and light-coloured outfits in the office.

PATNA: The Bihar government has asked staffers of the state education department not to wear casual outfits such as jeans and T-shirts in the office as the ongoing practice goes against the culture at workplaces. The state department has issued an order to this effect reminding officers and employees of the dress code. As per the order, all officers and employees have been asked to come to the office in formal dress only.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); This order has been issued by the Director (Administration), Education Department, Subodh Kumar Chowdhary on Wednesday. In the order, it has been pointed out that it is often seen that officers and employees posted in the education Department are coming to the office in informal casual dress against the office culture, which is against the dignity of the office. The education department has passed the order to ensure that all officers and employees come to the office in formal dress with dignity. Earlier, additional chief secretary (education department) KK Pathak had strictly directed officers and employees to record their attendance through the biometric system to improve their punctuality in their respective offices. Prior to education department, a circular was issued by general administration department about dress code. It looks very awkward to see employees wearing dress of different colours and varieties, said a Bihar administrative service officer. The Bihar government had, in 2019, banned wearing jeans and T-shirts in the state secretariat, irrespective of the employees' ranks. The aim was to maintain "office decorum" and the government had asked employees of the state secretariat to wear simple, comfortable and light-coloured outfits in the office.
By PTI

RANCHI: At least eight buses parked at a stand here were gutted in two separate incidents but there was no casualty, a police official said.

The fire broke out at the inter-state bus terminus at Khadgarha in the Lower Bazar police station area. There was no casualty as there was no one present in any of the eight buses when the fire broke out, he said.

The first fire incident occurred around 1 pm when four buses were gutted and one was partially damaged.

About a later, a fire broke out in four more buses, parked about 100 meters away from the place of the earlier incident, Khadgarha police outpost in-charge Akash Bhardwaj said.

"Four fire tenders were put into service to douse the fire, which is now completely under control now," he said.

Bhardwaj said, "The exact cause of the fire is yet to be known but there might be a conspiracy to create a disturbance. However, we can reach a conclusion only after investigation," he said.

The CCTV footage is being examined to find out the reason, he said. The president of Ranchi Bus Owners Association Krishna Mohan Singh said the two incidents were due to a criminal conspiracy.

"It is a criminal conspiracy. Two back to back two fire incidents, which gutted eight buses and damaged one, are not possible without a conspiracy," he said.

Singh alleged that there is no facility to fight any fire or any security at the Khadgarha bus stand though more than 350 buses ply to different destinations from there.

"We are scared that more such incidents might take place at night. Ranchi administration should take the incident seriously and provide security to buses," he said.

RANCHI: At least eight buses parked at a stand here were gutted in two separate incidents but there was no casualty, a police official said. The fire broke out at the inter-state bus terminus at Khadgarha in the Lower Bazar police station area. There was no casualty as there was no one present in any of the eight buses when the fire broke out, he said. Fire breaks out at Birsa Munda Bus Stand in #Ranchi, engulfs 8 buses parked there in broad day light.@NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard @santwana99 @Shahid_Faridi_ pic.twitter.com/leusx2NOTigoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); });  Mukesh Ranjan (@Mukesh_TNIE) June 29, 2023 The first fire incident occurred around 1 pm when four buses were gutted and one was partially damaged. About a later, a fire broke out in four more buses, parked about 100 meters away from the place of the earlier incident, Khadgarha police outpost in-charge Akash Bhardwaj said. "Four fire tenders were put into service to douse the fire, which is now completely under control now," he said. Bhardwaj said, "The exact cause of the fire is yet to be known but there might be a conspiracy to create a disturbance. However, we can reach a conclusion only after investigation," he said. The CCTV footage is being examined to find out the reason, he said. The president of Ranchi Bus Owners Association Krishna Mohan Singh said the two incidents were due to a criminal conspiracy. "It is a criminal conspiracy. Two back to back two fire incidents, which gutted eight buses and damaged one, are not possible without a conspiracy," he said. Singh alleged that there is no facility to fight any fire or any security at the Khadgarha bus stand though more than 350 buses ply to different destinations from there. "We are scared that more such incidents might take place at night. Ranchi administration should take the incident seriously and provide security to buses," he said.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure no illegal slaughtering of animals is carried out during the Bakrid festival at a residential colony in south Mumbai.

Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha is celebrated on Thursday.

In a special urgent hearing held on Wednesday after the regular court hours, a division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain said slaughtering can be permitted at the Nathani Heights society only if a licence is granted by the civic body.

"In the event, the Municipal Corporation has not issued a licence to undertake slaughtering of animals at the said place, the officers of the Municipal Corporation with the aid of the police personnel shall take appropriate action in accordance with the law to prevent slaughtering of animals proposed for tomorrow (June 29)," the court said.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Haresh Jain, a resident of the society, seeking a complete ban on the slaughtering of animals there.

Advocate Joel Carlos, appearing for the BMC, said a complete ban cannot be issued. Carlos said the civic body's officers would inspect the society premises and if there is any violation, then appropriate action would be taken.

The bench in its order said in the event an action is required to be taken, then the police station concerned shall provide appropriate police assistance to the municipal corporation officers.

ALSO READ: Delhi HC refuses urgent order on illegal slaughter on Eid

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure no illegal slaughtering of animals is carried out during the Bakrid festival at a residential colony in south Mumbai. Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha is celebrated on Thursday. In a special urgent hearing held on Wednesday after the regular court hours, a division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain said slaughtering can be permitted at the Nathani Heights society only if a licence is granted by the civic body.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "In the event, the Municipal Corporation has not issued a licence to undertake slaughtering of animals at the said place, the officers of the Municipal Corporation with the aid of the police personnel shall take appropriate action in accordance with the law to prevent slaughtering of animals proposed for tomorrow (June 29)," the court said. The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Haresh Jain, a resident of the society, seeking a complete ban on the slaughtering of animals there. Advocate Joel Carlos, appearing for the BMC, said a complete ban cannot be issued. Carlos said the civic body's officers would inspect the society premises and if there is any violation, then appropriate action would be taken. The bench in its order said in the event an action is required to be taken, then the police station concerned shall provide appropriate police assistance to the municipal corporation officers. ALSO READ: Delhi HC refuses urgent order on illegal slaughter on Eid
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of trying to garner publicity by "misusing" NCP president Sharad Pawar's name to outshine CM Eknath Shinde.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Fadnavis in an interview with a TV channel recently claimed Pawar agreed to form a government with the BJP in 2019 and then backed off after three-four days.

Reacting to the deputy CM's claim, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto in a statement said, "After being subdued by Eknath Shinde in advertisements in the past few days, Devendra Fadnavis is now trying to garner publicity on his own, he is therefore misusing the name of Sharad Pawar in interviews, to gain free publicity and outshine Eknath Shinde.

" After the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (then undivided) snapped ties with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

Later, Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy in a hush-hush early morning ceremony at the Raj Bhawan, but the government lasted only 80 hours.

Thackeray subsequently tied up with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) in the state.

In June last year, Shinde led a revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership, leading to a split in the party and the collapse of the MVA government. On June 30, 2022, Shinde was sworn in as the CM with Fadnavis as his deputy.

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of trying to garner publicity by "misusing" NCP president Sharad Pawar's name to outshine CM Eknath Shinde. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Fadnavis in an interview with a TV channel recently claimed Pawar agreed to form a government with the BJP in 2019 and then backed off after three-four days. Reacting to the deputy CM's claim, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto in a statement said, "After being subdued by Eknath Shinde in advertisements in the past few days, Devendra Fadnavis is now trying to garner publicity on his own, he is therefore misusing the name of Sharad Pawar in interviews, to gain free publicity and outshine Eknath Shinde.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); " After the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (then undivided) snapped ties with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. Later, Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy in a hush-hush early morning ceremony at the Raj Bhawan, but the government lasted only 80 hours. Thackeray subsequently tied up with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) in the state. In June last year, Shinde led a revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership, leading to a split in the party and the collapse of the MVA government. On June 30, 2022, Shinde was sworn in as the CM with Fadnavis as his deputy.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Four members of the Kashi royal family have been booked over the alleged theft of some items from Ramnagar Fort.

The FIR was registered at Ramnagar police station on June 25 on a complaint filed by security personnel Rajesh Kumar Sharma deployed at the fort.

According to the complainant, four members of the royal family of Kashi Narsh Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh made way with a bed, some furniture and some important documents from the fort.

The four named as accused in the FIR are Rajkumari Vishnu Priya and Rajkumari Krishna Priya  both sisters of Maharaj Anant Narayan Singh, who is the son of erstwhile king of Kashi Vibhuti Narayan Singh and currently in charge of the fort.

The security guard, in his complaint, also submitted to the police that on the morning of June 25, between 9 am and 10 am, he was told by a worker Kaushalendra Sharma at the fort that the lock of a room belonging to Nanat Narayan Singh on Deodhi Kot side was broken.

Important documents, furniture, and bed were reported missing. When I inquired into the matter, I found that Rajkumari Vishnu Priya, Rajkumari Krishna Priya, Varad Narayan Singh and Ballabh Narayan Singh and their employees, who reside in the fort, stole the items after breaking open the lock of the door.

Consequently, on the basis of the complaint, police lodged an FIR under Sections 380 (theft in dwelling house), 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

As per the local sources, the theft case found its genesis in a property dispute among the royal family members including the three princesses Vishnu Priya, Hari Priya and Krishna Priya and Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh.

The sources claimed that when the police reached the fort on Tuesday for investigation, Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh said that the sisters were staying in the fort.

Kashi Naresh Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh had given immovable property to all three sisters at the time of their marriage. After the death of Kashi Naresh, the sisters started litigation over the property in 2005. As per the police sources, during the investigation, the youngest princess Krishna Priya told the police authorities that some employees of the fort were conspiring against them to create a split among the siblings.

How can we steal something from our own house? wondered Krishna Priya.

Ramnagar Fort is a historical monument and the members of the former royal family still reside there. Tourists come in large numbers to see the fort. For the past several years, there has been a dispute between the three princesses and Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh over the property inside and outside the fort.

LUCKNOW: Four members of the Kashi royal family have been booked over the alleged theft of some items from Ramnagar Fort. The FIR was registered at Ramnagar police station on June 25 on a complaint filed by security personnel Rajesh Kumar Sharma deployed at the fort. According to the complainant, four members of the royal family of Kashi Narsh Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh made way with a bed, some furniture and some important documents from the fort.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The four named as accused in the FIR are Rajkumari Vishnu Priya and Rajkumari Krishna Priya  both sisters of Maharaj Anant Narayan Singh, who is the son of erstwhile king of Kashi Vibhuti Narayan Singh and currently in charge of the fort. The security guard, in his complaint, also submitted to the police that on the morning of June 25, between 9 am and 10 am, he was told by a worker Kaushalendra Sharma at the fort that the lock of a room belonging to Nanat Narayan Singh on Deodhi Kot side was broken. Important documents, furniture, and bed were reported missing. When I inquired into the matter, I found that Rajkumari Vishnu Priya, Rajkumari Krishna Priya, Varad Narayan Singh and Ballabh Narayan Singh and their employees, who reside in the fort, stole the items after breaking open the lock of the door. Consequently, on the basis of the complaint, police lodged an FIR under Sections 380 (theft in dwelling house), 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. As per the local sources, the theft case found its genesis in a property dispute among the royal family members including the three princesses Vishnu Priya, Hari Priya and Krishna Priya and Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh. The sources claimed that when the police reached the fort on Tuesday for investigation, Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh said that the sisters were staying in the fort. Kashi Naresh Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh had given immovable property to all three sisters at the time of their marriage. After the death of Kashi Naresh, the sisters started litigation over the property in 2005. As per the police sources, during the investigation, the youngest princess Krishna Priya told the police authorities that some employees of the fort were conspiring against them to create a split among the siblings. How can we steal something from our own house? wondered Krishna Priya. Ramnagar Fort is a historical monument and the members of the former royal family still reside there. Tourists come in large numbers to see the fort. For the past several years, there has been a dispute between the three princesses and Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh over the property inside and outside the fort.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya By

Express News Service

AHMEDABAD: Around 97 child labourers were rescued in Ahmedabad in June this year. These children were rescued from child labour in 11 different Ahmedabad regions. Children from several states including West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat, were among those rescued.

Statistics from the government show that in the previous year, the Gujarat government's labour commissioner freed 155 children from child labour.

It is also worth noting that the Government of India's National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights wrote to several states on 04/05/23, inviting states to participate in the 'Celebration of the Elimination of Child Labour' campaign from June 1st to June 3rd, 2023.

The central government also appears disinterested in curbing child labour in Gujarat, as indicated by its response to the Lok Sabha on 6 February 2023.

According to the government, a significant reduction occurred in the grants released under the National Child Labor Project Scheme. In 2020-21, a grant of Rs 61.36 lakhs was released, whereas in 2021-22, only Rs 12.23 lakhs were released. Surprisingly, no grants have been disbursed by the government as of 30.01.2023.

The Lok Sabha was informed by the Government of India on 13th March 2023 about the occurrence of 64 Child Labor Act cases in Gujarat during 2019, followed by 39 cases in 2020, and 40 cases in 2021.

However, the statistics presented by NGOs dedicated to rescuing children from child labour in Gujarat paint a different picture.

Indrajit Singh Chauhan, the project coordinator of Prayas NGO said, A collaborative effort with government agencies resulted in the release of children from child labour in 11 distinct regions of Ahmedabad.

During this operation, a total of 11 complaints, or FIR, were lodged at various police stations in Ahmedabad. As a result, approximately 97 children were successfully liberated from labour. It is important to note that these numbers only reflect the efforts of our NGO. When accounting for the involvement of other NGOs and organizations, there is a possibility for the overall figure to rise significantly.

According to Varsha Dave, Deputy Labor Commissioner of the Gujarat Government, the reported instances of child labour until June 2023 amount to a limited 20 cases. However, she highlights a concerning pattern wherein a significant number of child labourers originate from Rajasthan, particularly within the borders of Gujarat.

Gujarat attracts a significant influx of labour, drawing individuals from various states seeking work opportunities. Rajasthan primarily contributes to the presence of children employed in medium-range hotels, as well as in small-to-medium-class hotels, dhabas, and tea shops. Recently, children from Nepal have also been observed working in these establishments," said Varsha Dave.

Child labour in Gujarat is prevalent as families from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan migrate to the region, resulting in the involvement of their children in labour alongside their families," she added.

AHMEDABAD: Around 97 child labourers were rescued in Ahmedabad in June this year. These children were rescued from child labour in 11 different Ahmedabad regions. Children from several states including West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat, were among those rescued. Statistics from the government show that in the previous year, the Gujarat government's labour commissioner freed 155 children from child labour. It is also worth noting that the Government of India's National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights wrote to several states on 04/05/23, inviting states to participate in the 'Celebration of the Elimination of Child Labour' campaign from June 1st to June 3rd, 2023.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The central government also appears disinterested in curbing child labour in Gujarat, as indicated by its response to the Lok Sabha on 6 February 2023. According to the government, a significant reduction occurred in the grants released under the National Child Labor Project Scheme. In 2020-21, a grant of Rs 61.36 lakhs was released, whereas in 2021-22, only Rs 12.23 lakhs were released. Surprisingly, no grants have been disbursed by the government as of 30.01.2023. The Lok Sabha was informed by the Government of India on 13th March 2023 about the occurrence of 64 Child Labor Act cases in Gujarat during 2019, followed by 39 cases in 2020, and 40 cases in 2021. However, the statistics presented by NGOs dedicated to rescuing children from child labour in Gujarat paint a different picture. Indrajit Singh Chauhan, the project coordinator of Prayas NGO said, A collaborative effort with government agencies resulted in the release of children from child labour in 11 distinct regions of Ahmedabad. During this operation, a total of 11 complaints, or FIR, were lodged at various police stations in Ahmedabad. As a result, approximately 97 children were successfully liberated from labour. It is important to note that these numbers only reflect the efforts of our NGO. When accounting for the involvement of other NGOs and organizations, there is a possibility for the overall figure to rise significantly. According to Varsha Dave, Deputy Labor Commissioner of the Gujarat Government, the reported instances of child labour until June 2023 amount to a limited 20 cases. However, she highlights a concerning pattern wherein a significant number of child labourers originate from Rajasthan, particularly within the borders of Gujarat. Gujarat attracts a significant influx of labour, drawing individuals from various states seeking work opportunities. Rajasthan primarily contributes to the presence of children employed in medium-range hotels, as well as in small-to-medium-class hotels, dhabas, and tea shops. Recently, children from Nepal have also been observed working in these establishments," said Varsha Dave. Child labour in Gujarat is prevalent as families from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan migrate to the region, resulting in the involvement of their children in labour alongside their families," she added.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

A 21-YEAR-OLD Mutoko man who attempted to rape his 19-year-old girl neighbour is lucky to be alive after getting instant justice from an angry mob.Tinotenda Ndengenya was arrested by citizens around 3 am after he tried to rape an alert teenager.The matter came to light at Mutoko magistrates courts yesterday where he appeared before magistrate Elijah Sibanda.He was slapped with 12 months in jail and six months were conditionally suspended.Prosecutor Nathan Majuru told the court on March 25 Ndengenya broke into the complainant's room and started fondling the complainant's breasts.The complainant shouted for help and Ndengenya was caught on the door while trying to run away.He blamed alcohol for his shenanigans.Feedback+27610282354simbasitho@bulawayo24.com
By PTI

THANE: Heavy rains pounded Thane and the neighbouring Palghar district of Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, resulting in water-logging in many areas and a number of incidents of tree fall, officials said.

Two persons were swept away in swollen water bodies in the last two days. While the body of one of them was recovered, efforts were on to trace the other person, they said.

A number of cars were also damaged in Thane district in rain-related incidents, the officials said.

A portion of a compound wall of the upscale NRI Complex in Navi Mumbai township of Thane district collapsed on Wednesday night after heavy rains, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Dr Babasaheb Rajale told PTI on Thursday. No person was injured in the incident, he said, adding a few cars parked in the complex were damaged.

In the last 24 hours, there were 26 incidents of tree fall, 15 short-circuits, and five incidents of collapse/partial collapse of houses in Mumbai, as per the civic body.

A 38-year-old man, identified as Kaushal Doshi, received injuries in a tree fall incident at Mamledarwadi junction in the western suburb of Malad, a civic official said.

He was rushed to the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the official said.

A 16-year-old boy from Diva in Thane city was swept away in a swollen nullah on Wednesday night and efforts were still on to trace him, officials said.

Thane city received 200.08 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.

Since January this year, the city has so far recorded 506.46 mm of rainfall, compared to 198.32 mm in the same period last year, he said.

Following heavy rains on Wednesday as well as on Thursday morning, several low-lying areas in Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar townships of Thane were flooded, the district disaster control room said.

Water entered several houses in low-lying areas and Manpada police station in Dombivli, while various offices reported leakages following heavy showers, it said.

Local firemen and disaster management cell teams were on their toes, attending to several calls of water-logging and tree falls in Thane city in which at least half-a-dozen cars were damaged, Tadvi said.

In Palghar, a villager, Devram Ramji Gimbal (45), was swept away in a swollen stream in Wada taluka on Tuesday when he went out to buy seeds for growing paddy, district disaster management cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI.

The body was recovered from the stream on Wednesday and sent to a government hospital for postmortem. A case of accidental death was registered, he added.

THANE: Heavy rains pounded Thane and the neighbouring Palghar district of Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, resulting in water-logging in many areas and a number of incidents of tree fall, officials said. Two persons were swept away in swollen water bodies in the last two days. While the body of one of them was recovered, efforts were on to trace the other person, they said. A number of cars were also damaged in Thane district in rain-related incidents, the officials said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); A portion of a compound wall of the upscale NRI Complex in Navi Mumbai township of Thane district collapsed on Wednesday night after heavy rains, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Dr Babasaheb Rajale told PTI on Thursday. No person was injured in the incident, he said, adding a few cars parked in the complex were damaged. In the last 24 hours, there were 26 incidents of tree fall, 15 short-circuits, and five incidents of collapse/partial collapse of houses in Mumbai, as per the civic body. A 38-year-old man, identified as Kaushal Doshi, received injuries in a tree fall incident at Mamledarwadi junction in the western suburb of Malad, a civic official said. He was rushed to the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the official said. A 16-year-old boy from Diva in Thane city was swept away in a swollen nullah on Wednesday night and efforts were still on to trace him, officials said. Thane city received 200.08 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Thursday, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said. Since January this year, the city has so far recorded 506.46 mm of rainfall, compared to 198.32 mm in the same period last year, he said. Following heavy rains on Wednesday as well as on Thursday morning, several low-lying areas in Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar townships of Thane were flooded, the district disaster control room said. Water entered several houses in low-lying areas and Manpada police station in Dombivli, while various offices reported leakages following heavy showers, it said. Local firemen and disaster management cell teams were on their toes, attending to several calls of water-logging and tree falls in Thane city in which at least half-a-dozen cars were damaged, Tadvi said. In Palghar, a villager, Devram Ramji Gimbal (45), was swept away in a swollen stream in Wada taluka on Tuesday when he went out to buy seeds for growing paddy, district disaster management cell chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI. The body was recovered from the stream on Wednesday and sent to a government hospital for postmortem. A case of accidental death was registered, he added.
Ramashankar By

Express News Service

PATNA: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday alleged that the Congress failed to re-launch its former president Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls at a meeting of Opposition parties in Patna on June 23.

Mounting a scathing attack on the Congress, Shah said it has been launching its leader as the PM candidate in every general election. Even in the Opposition parties' meeting held in Patna recently, the Congress made an abortive attempt to re-launch Rahul as the PM candidate for the next Lok Sabha election, he said. In contrast, it is the people who launch BJP leader Narendra Modi as the PM candidate, he added.

Taking a jibe at Nitish Kumar, Shah said the Bihar CM convened a meeting of more than 20 Opposition parties in the state capital in a bid to project himself as the PM candidate. He has, in fact, sat in the lap of the Congress to fulfill his dream to become PM, he claimed.

ALSO READ | BJP leaders target Opposition meet, Amit Shah says 'photo session' in Patna

Shah said the Opposition leaders' meeting was nothing but a congregation of the corrupt. He alleged that these corrupt leaders have been accused of plundering public money worth Rs 20 lakh crore across the country. He claimed that Nitish Kumar became the chief minister of Bihar with the support of the BJP. Yet he has been raising fingers and asking questions about development, he said.

He said Nitish rose to prominence on the basis of his anti-Lalu and anti-corruption campaign in Bihar. But he has now preferred to seek support of the Congress and RJD, which are embroiled in corruption charges. He lost his credibility due to frequently changing sides, he added.

He said the people of Bihar voted in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In 2014, the NDA had won 31 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and 39 seats in 2019. I am of the view that the people will once again elect Narendra Modi as PM in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as well, he said.

He also highlighted the achievements of PM Narendra Modi in the last nine years and talked about the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, distribution of free ration to the poor, health insurance coverage of the poor upto Rs 5 lakh and tap water connections under Jal Jivan Mission. Earlier, Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary said the people of the state would give 40 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats to the NDA in next year's Lok Sabha polls.

PATNA: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday alleged that the Congress failed to re-launch its former president Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls at a meeting of Opposition parties in Patna on June 23. Mounting a scathing attack on the Congress, Shah said it has been launching its leader as the PM candidate in every general election. Even in the Opposition parties' meeting held in Patna recently, the Congress made an abortive attempt to re-launch Rahul as the PM candidate for the next Lok Sabha election, he said. In contrast, it is the people who launch BJP leader Narendra Modi as the PM candidate, he added. Taking a jibe at Nitish Kumar, Shah said the Bihar CM convened a meeting of more than 20 Opposition parties in the state capital in a bid to project himself as the PM candidate. He has, in fact, sat in the lap of the Congress to fulfill his dream to become PM, he claimed.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); ALSO READ | BJP leaders target Opposition meet, Amit Shah says 'photo session' in Patna Shah said the Opposition leaders' meeting was nothing but a congregation of the corrupt. He alleged that these corrupt leaders have been accused of plundering public money worth Rs 20 lakh crore across the country. He claimed that Nitish Kumar became the chief minister of Bihar with the support of the BJP. Yet he has been raising fingers and asking questions about development, he said. He said Nitish rose to prominence on the basis of his anti-Lalu and anti-corruption campaign in Bihar. But he has now preferred to seek support of the Congress and RJD, which are embroiled in corruption charges. He lost his credibility due to frequently changing sides, he added. He said the people of Bihar voted in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In 2014, the NDA had won 31 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and 39 seats in 2019. I am of the view that the people will once again elect Narendra Modi as PM in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as well, he said. He also highlighted the achievements of PM Narendra Modi in the last nine years and talked about the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, distribution of free ration to the poor, health insurance coverage of the poor upto Rs 5 lakh and tap water connections under Jal Jivan Mission. Earlier, Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary said the people of the state would give 40 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats to the NDA in next year's Lok Sabha polls.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may make some crucial changes within the organisation on Thursday or a day after, to strengthen the party ahead of the next general elections due in 2024 and the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

Late on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with BJPs senior leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda and BL Santosh at his residence and reportedly did some brainstorming over the proposed moves to be taken within the party.

Sources said the meeting held wider discussions over issues such as making some addition to the party organisation and appointing four to five new general secretaries and others at the partys top ranks, to ensure equal representation from across the country.

If sources are to be believed, BJP chief JP Nadda, organisational head BL Santosh or party headquarters-in-charge Arun Singh may announce the final decisions either on Thursday or soon after that day.

Apart from making a well-calculated move within the organisation, the sources also hinted that the PM reviewed the partys preparations for the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, in view of the emerging political situations in each of these states.

The PM might have certainly discussed every aspect of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after speaking about it in Madhya Pradesh on June 27, as UCC has become one of the prime concerns for the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, hinted a senior party functionary, preferring anonymity.

The leaders meeting continued for an hour, with the PM going through every issue minutely and giving a final say on vital issues like making changes in the organisation in a very cautious and calculated manner, according to sources.

Jaishankar's Rajya Sabha tenure to end soon

TNIE has reliably learnt that some discussions were held over the possible reshuffle in the Union Cabinet, as the tenure of some of the BJP Rajya Sabha MPs is soon to end either this month or in the coming months.

External Affairs minister S Jaishankars tenure in the Rajya Sabha will end next month and the election for Rajya Sabha seats that will soon fall vacant has also been announced. Sources said the leaders had discussed this as well and the new face in place of Jaishankar will be fielded soon.

It is believed that the BJP wants Jaishankar to contest Lok Sabha elections from the New Delhi seat and if this is going to be true, the BJP may soon announce a new face for the Rajya Sabha elections in July, to be held for 10 vacant seats.

Everything will be cleared in the next few days after this meeting, a BJP leader said.

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may make some crucial changes within the organisation on Thursday or a day after, to strengthen the party ahead of the next general elections due in 2024 and the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Late on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with BJPs senior leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda and BL Santosh at his residence and reportedly did some brainstorming over the proposed moves to be taken within the party. Sources said the meeting held wider discussions over issues such as making some addition to the party organisation and appointing four to five new general secretaries and others at the partys top ranks, to ensure equal representation from across the country.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); If sources are to be believed, BJP chief JP Nadda, organisational head BL Santosh or party headquarters-in-charge Arun Singh may announce the final decisions either on Thursday or soon after that day. Apart from making a well-calculated move within the organisation, the sources also hinted that the PM reviewed the partys preparations for the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, in view of the emerging political situations in each of these states. The PM might have certainly discussed every aspect of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after speaking about it in Madhya Pradesh on June 27, as UCC has become one of the prime concerns for the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, hinted a senior party functionary, preferring anonymity. The leaders meeting continued for an hour, with the PM going through every issue minutely and giving a final say on vital issues like making changes in the organisation in a very cautious and calculated manner, according to sources. Jaishankar's Rajya Sabha tenure to end soon TNIE has reliably learnt that some discussions were held over the possible reshuffle in the Union Cabinet, as the tenure of some of the BJP Rajya Sabha MPs is soon to end either this month or in the coming months. External Affairs minister S Jaishankars tenure in the Rajya Sabha will end next month and the election for Rajya Sabha seats that will soon fall vacant has also been announced. Sources said the leaders had discussed this as well and the new face in place of Jaishankar will be fielded soon. It is believed that the BJP wants Jaishankar to contest Lok Sabha elections from the New Delhi seat and if this is going to be true, the BJP may soon announce a new face for the Rajya Sabha elections in July, to be held for 10 vacant seats. Everything will be cleared in the next few days after this meeting, a BJP leader said.
Preetha Nair and Ejaz Kaise By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI/RAIPUR: AHEAD of the upcoming state elections and a much-awaited announcement of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top brass has been holding a series of meetings with leaders from the poll-bound states for the last two days in the capital.

Sources said the party is likely to announce a new CWC in the first week of July, eight months after Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the Congress president. Kharge is in the process of appointing new general secretaries, and new chiefs in some state units.

Indicating winds of change after its victory in the Karnataka elections, the party has recently inducted Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil as the new president of the Gujarat Congress unit.

Leaders had attributed the delay in the new CWC to the Karnataka elections and the new provision of inducting 50 per cent of members under 50 years of age into the committee.

Sources said that with the expansion of the CWC to 35 members, Kharge may introduce new faces.

A bigger role for senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also on the cards, while KC Venugopal may continue as AICC general secretary (organisation).

Sources said the party chief may try to pacify Sachin Pilot with a berth in the CWC. However, Shashi Tharoor is unlikely to make it to the committee.

For poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with senior leaders of the state party on Wednesday. The meeting to chalk out poll strategies was attended by Kharge, Venugopal, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, AICC general secretary (Chhattisgarh) Kumari Selja and others.

Party leaders brainstormed on how to project party unity ahead of the assembly polls. The party saw its leaders speaking in different voices following a reshuffle of party general secretaries by the state party chief Mohan Markam.

The move drew adverse reactions from many party leaders, including CM Bhupesh Baghel. The party will fight Chhattisgarh polls as one as we did in 2018, said Selja.

A source said the party has discussed the tussle between Baghel and state Congress president Mohan Markam. The leaders said they wont allow the situation to go out of control.

On Tuesday, Congress brass also held a strategy meeting with leaders of the Telangana Congress, a day after 35 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) members joined the party.

NEW DELHI/RAIPUR: AHEAD of the upcoming state elections and a much-awaited announcement of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top brass has been holding a series of meetings with leaders from the poll-bound states for the last two days in the capital. Sources said the party is likely to announce a new CWC in the first week of July, eight months after Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the Congress president. Kharge is in the process of appointing new general secretaries, and new chiefs in some state units. Indicating winds of change after its victory in the Karnataka elections, the party has recently inducted Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil as the new president of the Gujarat Congress unit.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Leaders had attributed the delay in the new CWC to the Karnataka elections and the new provision of inducting 50 per cent of members under 50 years of age into the committee. Sources said that with the expansion of the CWC to 35 members, Kharge may introduce new faces. A bigger role for senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also on the cards, while KC Venugopal may continue as AICC general secretary (organisation). Sources said the party chief may try to pacify Sachin Pilot with a berth in the CWC. However, Shashi Tharoor is unlikely to make it to the committee. For poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with senior leaders of the state party on Wednesday. The meeting to chalk out poll strategies was attended by Kharge, Venugopal, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, AICC general secretary (Chhattisgarh) Kumari Selja and others. Party leaders brainstormed on how to project party unity ahead of the assembly polls. The party saw its leaders speaking in different voices following a reshuffle of party general secretaries by the state party chief Mohan Markam. The move drew adverse reactions from many party leaders, including CM Bhupesh Baghel. The party will fight Chhattisgarh polls as one as we did in 2018, said Selja. A source said the party has discussed the tussle between Baghel and state Congress president Mohan Markam. The leaders said they wont allow the situation to go out of control. On Tuesday, Congress brass also held a strategy meeting with leaders of the Telangana Congress, a day after 35 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) members joined the party.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Digital wallet-online payment company PhonePe has demanded Madhya Pradesh Congress to remove its logo from the party's posters targeting Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Tweets from PhonePes official Twitter handle read, The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePes intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour. PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.

This comes a day after three office bearers of Congresss student wing NSUI were booked in Chhindwara district for allegedly pasting posters bearing pictures of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Reacting to the tweets, state Congresss media wing head KK Mishra, while denying Congresss hand in those posters, told The New Indian Express on Thursday, Let them (PhonePe) initiate legal action, well reply in the appropriate legal manner.

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Bhopal, posters bearing PhonePes brand name and logo titled 50% Lao PhonePe Kaam Karao: Accepted Mama were found pasted in a few parts of Bhopal, Indore, Singrauli, Chhindwara, Satna and Gwalior.

The posters carrying a QR Code with CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's picture accused the BJP leader of corruption in the poll-bound state.

While the Congress has denied any hand in those posters, the Chhindwara district police, on the common complaint of the local municipality as well as the district BJP, lodged a case on June 26, under IPC Section 504 and the provisions of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, against three local NSUI office bearers, Ajay Thakur, Samarth, Tanul Sharma.

The three were allegedly caught on camera holding and posting the objectionable posters.

Notably, the ongoing war of posters had begun in Bhopals Manisha Market area on June 23, when similar QR Code posters bearing state Congress chief Kamal Naths pictures reading Wanted: Corruption Nath were found on the walls.

While the ruling BJP denied any hand in the posters, Congress leaders protested at Bhopals Chuna Bhatti police station on June 23 afternoon, demanding a case registered against the culprits.

A few hours later on the very evening, objectionable posters with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with the title, Shivraj Nahi Ghotala Raj appeared on the walls at multiple locations, including close to the Vallabh Bhawan, Satpura Bhawan, No 5 Bus Stop and a shopping mall.

The next day (June 24), Wanted: Corruption Nath posters and Mahangai Dayan posters bearing pictures of union minister Smriti Irani (who was visiting Indore the same day) were found in many areas of Indore.

Reacting to the ongoing war of posters, the state Congress president Kamal Nath said on Monday, The dirty poster politics was started by the BJP using some third party. Let them make films, posters or launch websites, its not going to have any effect.

The ongoing poster war revives the memory of the recent Karnataka assembly polls when in the run-up to the polls, the posters with pictures of then Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and the "40 per cent sarkar" and "PayCM" slogans were key elements in the Congress' campaign.

BHOPAL: Digital wallet-online payment company PhonePe has demanded Madhya Pradesh Congress to remove its logo from the party's posters targeting Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Tweets from PhonePes official Twitter handle read, The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePes intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour. PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party. This comes a day after three office bearers of Congresss student wing NSUI were booked in Chhindwara district for allegedly pasting posters bearing pictures of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Reacting to the tweets, state Congresss media wing head KK Mishra, while denying Congresss hand in those posters, told The New Indian Express on Thursday, Let them (PhonePe) initiate legal action, well reply in the appropriate legal manner. PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023 A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Bhopal, posters bearing PhonePes brand name and logo titled 50% Lao PhonePe Kaam Karao: Accepted Mama were found pasted in a few parts of Bhopal, Indore, Singrauli, Chhindwara, Satna and Gwalior. The posters carrying a QR Code with CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's picture accused the BJP leader of corruption in the poll-bound state. While the Congress has denied any hand in those posters, the Chhindwara district police, on the common complaint of the local municipality as well as the district BJP, lodged a case on June 26, under IPC Section 504 and the provisions of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, against three local NSUI office bearers, Ajay Thakur, Samarth, Tanul Sharma. The three were allegedly caught on camera holding and posting the objectionable posters. Notably, the ongoing war of posters had begun in Bhopals Manisha Market area on June 23, when similar QR Code posters bearing state Congress chief Kamal Naths pictures reading Wanted: Corruption Nath were found on the walls. While the ruling BJP denied any hand in the posters, Congress leaders protested at Bhopals Chuna Bhatti police station on June 23 afternoon, demanding a case registered against the culprits. A few hours later on the very evening, objectionable posters with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with the title, Shivraj Nahi Ghotala Raj appeared on the walls at multiple locations, including close to the Vallabh Bhawan, Satpura Bhawan, No 5 Bus Stop and a shopping mall. The next day (June 24), Wanted: Corruption Nath posters and Mahangai Dayan posters bearing pictures of union minister Smriti Irani (who was visiting Indore the same day) were found in many areas of Indore. Reacting to the ongoing war of posters, the state Congress president Kamal Nath said on Monday, The dirty poster politics was started by the BJP using some third party. Let them make films, posters or launch websites, its not going to have any effect. The ongoing poster war revives the memory of the recent Karnataka assembly polls when in the run-up to the polls, the posters with pictures of then Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and the "40 per cent sarkar" and "PayCM" slogans were key elements in the Congress' campaign.
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: Raising the BJP pitch in Chief Minister Ashok Gehlots turf in poll-bound Rajasthan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the world now listens attentively to what India says as its stature has risen in the past nine years. The Defence Minister was speaking at a public rally in Balesar town of Rajasthans Jodhpur district.

The whole world is looking towards India as the countrys position has strengthened manifold, he said. Rajnath also highlighted the works and schemes undertaken in the last nine years of the Modi government.

The huge gathering was organised in the Shergarh Assembly constituency area in Balesar which is a Rajput-dominated area. The visit was an attempt to tap the Rajput votes as the BJP seeks to improve its prospects in the Marwar region of west Rajasthan.

This is the political turf where CM Ashok Gehlot has dominated for the past three decades as Jodhpur is his hometown. Highlighting PM Modis achievements, Singh emphasized that Modis leadership has transformed Indias global standing.

The Defence Minister asserted that the BJP fulfils all promises it makes, whether it is the abrogation of Article 370 or the construction of a grand Ram temple. The BJP has not yet declared a chief ministerial (CM) face for this Assembly polls due in a few months.

In the past four elections, Vasundhara Raje has been the face of the party in Rajasthan, but this time, the party has taken a different approach.

Sources indicate that the party intends to contest the election based on PM Modis popularity. As a result, several party leaders are expected to visit the state in the coming days.

Continuing the series of BJPs prominent leaders addressing public gatherings, BJP chief JP Nadda will hold a meeting in Bharatpur on June 29. Nadda will also inaugurate the new party office building in Bharatpur and hold a meeting with district office-bearers.

The next day, on Friday, Union Minister Amit Shah will also visit Rajasthan. He will address a big rally in Udaipur. The BJP is likely to release a report card of the Modi government.

JAIPUR: Raising the BJP pitch in Chief Minister Ashok Gehlots turf in poll-bound Rajasthan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the world now listens attentively to what India says as its stature has risen in the past nine years. The Defence Minister was speaking at a public rally in Balesar town of Rajasthans Jodhpur district. The whole world is looking towards India as the countrys position has strengthened manifold, he said. Rajnath also highlighted the works and schemes undertaken in the last nine years of the Modi government. The huge gathering was organised in the Shergarh Assembly constituency area in Balesar which is a Rajput-dominated area. The visit was an attempt to tap the Rajput votes as the BJP seeks to improve its prospects in the Marwar region of west Rajasthan.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); This is the political turf where CM Ashok Gehlot has dominated for the past three decades as Jodhpur is his hometown. Highlighting PM Modis achievements, Singh emphasized that Modis leadership has transformed Indias global standing. The Defence Minister asserted that the BJP fulfils all promises it makes, whether it is the abrogation of Article 370 or the construction of a grand Ram temple. The BJP has not yet declared a chief ministerial (CM) face for this Assembly polls due in a few months. In the past four elections, Vasundhara Raje has been the face of the party in Rajasthan, but this time, the party has taken a different approach. Sources indicate that the party intends to contest the election based on PM Modis popularity. As a result, several party leaders are expected to visit the state in the coming days. Continuing the series of BJPs prominent leaders addressing public gatherings, BJP chief JP Nadda will hold a meeting in Bharatpur on June 29. Nadda will also inaugurate the new party office building in Bharatpur and hold a meeting with district office-bearers. The next day, on Friday, Union Minister Amit Shah will also visit Rajasthan. He will address a big rally in Udaipur. The BJP is likely to release a report card of the Modi government.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said police were still recording statements in connection with the alleged suspicious death of Disha Salian, and the case has not been closed.

Salian (28), former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, allegedly died by suicide by jumping from a high-rise building in Malad area of Mumbai on June 8, 2020, a few days before Rajput's alleged suicide.

"Primary evidence is being gathered and its credibility is being ascertained. Some people claimed that they have concrete evidence in the Disha death case, hence it would not be closed easily," Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister, told a news channel.

"The process is going on. Some statements have been recorded and some more will be recorded later," he said.

In December 2022, Fadnavis had announced the setting up of an SIT to probe Salian's death.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said police were still recording statements in connection with the alleged suspicious death of Disha Salian, and the case has not been closed. Salian (28), former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, allegedly died by suicide by jumping from a high-rise building in Malad area of Mumbai on June 8, 2020, a few days before Rajput's alleged suicide. "Primary evidence is being gathered and its credibility is being ascertained. Some people claimed that they have concrete evidence in the Disha death case, hence it would not be closed easily," Fadnavis, who is also the state home minister, told a news channel.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "The process is going on. Some statements have been recorded and some more will be recorded later," he said. In December 2022, Fadnavis had announced the setting up of an SIT to probe Salian's death.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday hit out at the government after Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped by police near Bishnupur in Manipur and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using "autocratic methods" to stall his "compassionate outreach" to those hit by ethnic violence.

"@RahulGandhi ji wants to visit the violence-hit areas to assess the ground situation.



Let him go!



Why is the govt blocking his visit?



What is the hidden agenda?"



Locals voice their outrage over the BJP's decision to stop Rahul Gandhi ji's convoy in Manipur.



The BJP pic.twitter.com/Zx8eyUPQws  Congress (@INCIndia) June 29, 2023

The government action is "totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Gandhi was stopped on his way to Churachandpur to visit relief camps with police officials saying it was a precautionary measure to prevent the recurrence of violence. Later he travelled to a relief camp in a helicopter and interacted with people.

"I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," Gandhi said on Twitter after meeting some victims of the violence at a relief camp.

I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur.



People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. Its very unfortunate that the government is stopping me.



Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority. pic.twitter.com/WXsnOxFLIa  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 29, 2023

In a tweet, Kharge said, "Gandhi's convoy in Manipur has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself."

"Now, his double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms. Manipur needs peace not confrontation," he added.

Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, who accompanied Gandhi, said, "After initially allowing us, our convoy led by Rahul Gandhi was stalled near Bishnupur on the orders of the Manipur CM."

"Such moves are unfortunate and have no place in a democracy. At a time when the victims of Manipur are suffering, Rahul ji is in Manipur to deliver a message of peace and harmony. Manipur today needs a healing touch, not further acrimony. It is our constitutional right to travel across Manipur, interact with the people who have suffered so much, and build bridges between communities," Venugopal said on Twitter.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that it is the duty of every patriot to make efforts for peace and brotherhood in the country.

"Rahul Gandhi ji has gone to share the pain of the people of Manipur and spread the message of peace. The BJP government should also do the same. Why does the government want to stop Rahul Gandhi ji?" she asked.

Gandhi arrived in Imphal on Thursday on a two-day visit to the northeastern state. Police officials said tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy.

A police officer said in Imphal, "We fear a repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur."

The Congress, on its Twitter handle, said Gandhi reached Manipur with the message of peace and love, and asked why the government was scared.

"The BJP government stopped Gandhi on way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. But they should remember. This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love," it said.

After initially allowing us, our convoy led by @RahulGandhi ji was stalled near Bishnupur on the orders of the Manipur CM. Such moves are unfortunate and have no place in a democracy.



At a time when the victims of Manipur are suffering, Rahul ji is in Manipur to deliver a pic.twitter.com/krh1wi76vU  K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) June 29, 2023

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it is "most unfortunate" that the Modi government is preventing the Gandhi scion from visiting the relief camps and interacting with people outside Imphal.

"His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The prime minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive, but why to stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch," he asked.

Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said Manipur is burning for the past two months and there is no rule of law.

"There is so much helplessness that no ray of hope for peace is in sight. Modi ji is 'silent', the Home Minister has shrugged off his failures. It seems as if Manipur is not even on the map of India for the BJP government. In such a situation, when Rahul Gandhi reached Manipur as a 'relief soldier' to heal wounds, he was stopped," he tweeted in Hindi.

Speaking at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the prime minister will not go to Manipur and if Gandhi goes to calm this atmosphere of violence and hatred, Modi will leave no stone unturned to stop him.

"What is the fear after all? Is it that your failure and insensitivity will be exposed or is it that he has enmity with love and peace," she asked.

Shri @RahulGandhi is carrying the message of peace and love in Manipur - but look at the govt and the police - they arent just blocking him but also atta k our own people.



Why is the PM so scared of love and healing? Why?



pic.twitter.com/QgdvOy5mm9  Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) June 29, 2023

"What is the reason that Biren Singh is still the chief minister (of Manipur). Had it been any other government, it would have been dismissed by now. Rahul Gandhi is going to Manipur to ensure that people there do not feel alienated. He is going to spread the message of love, peace, healing and harmony. Why has the prime minister not spoken a word on Manipur? What are they scared about?" she asked.

The Congress spokesperson alleged the prime minister has time to address a party function in Madhya Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has time to visit Bihar and BJP president J P Nadda to Rajasthan, but they do not have time to visit Manipur and wipe the tears of those affected by the violence there.

"We condemn this. Stopping him is a sin. Is meeting someone affected by violence a crime and spreading brotherhood a crime?" she asked.

Nearly 120 people have died and more than 3,000 injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday hit out at the government after Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped by police near Bishnupur in Manipur and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using "autocratic methods" to stall his "compassionate outreach" to those hit by ethnic violence. "@RahulGandhi ji wants to visit the violence-hit areas to assess the ground situation. Let him go! Why is the govt blocking his visit? What is the hidden agenda?" Locals voice their outrage over the BJP's decision to stop Rahul Gandhi ji's convoy in Manipur. The BJP pic.twitter.com/Zx8eyUPQws  Congress (@INCIndia) June 29, 2023 The government action is "totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Gandhi was stopped on his way to Churachandpur to visit relief camps with police officials saying it was a precautionary measure to prevent the recurrence of violence. Later he travelled to a relief camp in a helicopter and interacted with people. "I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," Gandhi said on Twitter after meeting some victims of the violence at a relief camp. I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. Its very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority. pic.twitter.com/WXsnOxFLIa  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 29, 2023 In a tweet, Kharge said, "Gandhi's convoy in Manipur has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself." "Now, his double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms. Manipur needs peace not confrontation," he added. Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, who accompanied Gandhi, said, "After initially allowing us, our convoy led by Rahul Gandhi was stalled near Bishnupur on the orders of the Manipur CM." "Such moves are unfortunate and have no place in a democracy. At a time when the victims of Manipur are suffering, Rahul ji is in Manipur to deliver a message of peace and harmony. Manipur today needs a healing touch, not further acrimony. It is our constitutional right to travel across Manipur, interact with the people who have suffered so much, and build bridges between communities," Venugopal said on Twitter. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that it is the duty of every patriot to make efforts for peace and brotherhood in the country. "Rahul Gandhi ji has gone to share the pain of the people of Manipur and spread the message of peace. The BJP government should also do the same. Why does the government want to stop Rahul Gandhi ji?" she asked. Gandhi arrived in Imphal on Thursday on a two-day visit to the northeastern state. Police officials said tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy. A police officer said in Imphal, "We fear a repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur." The Congress, on its Twitter handle, said Gandhi reached Manipur with the message of peace and love, and asked why the government was scared. "The BJP government stopped Gandhi on way by deploying the police. Rahul ji has gone to Manipur with the message of peace. But they should remember. This country will run on the path of Gandhi, this country will run on the path of love," it said. After initially allowing us, our convoy led by @RahulGandhi ji was stalled near Bishnupur on the orders of the Manipur CM. Such moves are unfortunate and have no place in a democracy. At a time when the victims of Manipur are suffering, Rahul ji is in Manipur to deliver a pic.twitter.com/krh1wi76vU  K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) June 29, 2023 Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it is "most unfortunate" that the Modi government is preventing the Gandhi scion from visiting the relief camps and interacting with people outside Imphal. "His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The prime minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive, but why to stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch," he asked. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said Manipur is burning for the past two months and there is no rule of law. "There is so much helplessness that no ray of hope for peace is in sight. Modi ji is 'silent', the Home Minister has shrugged off his failures. It seems as if Manipur is not even on the map of India for the BJP government. In such a situation, when Rahul Gandhi reached Manipur as a 'relief soldier' to heal wounds, he was stopped," he tweeted in Hindi. Speaking at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the prime minister will not go to Manipur and if Gandhi goes to calm this atmosphere of violence and hatred, Modi will leave no stone unturned to stop him. "What is the fear after all? Is it that your failure and insensitivity will be exposed or is it that he has enmity with love and peace," she asked. Shri @RahulGandhi is carrying the message of peace and love in Manipur - but look at the govt and the police - they arent just blocking him but also atta k our own people. Why is the PM so scared of love and healing? Why?pic.twitter.com/QgdvOy5mm9  Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) June 29, 2023 "What is the reason that Biren Singh is still the chief minister (of Manipur). Had it been any other government, it would have been dismissed by now. Rahul Gandhi is going to Manipur to ensure that people there do not feel alienated. He is going to spread the message of love, peace, healing and harmony. Why has the prime minister not spoken a word on Manipur? What are they scared about?" she asked. The Congress spokesperson alleged the prime minister has time to address a party function in Madhya Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has time to visit Bihar and BJP president J P Nadda to Rajasthan, but they do not have time to visit Manipur and wipe the tears of those affected by the violence there. "We condemn this. Stopping him is a sin. Is meeting someone affected by violence a crime and spreading brotherhood a crime?" she asked. Nearly 120 people have died and more than 3,000 injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3. Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has decided to include chapters on Hindutvas controversial icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the school curriculum of Madhya Pradesh.

The National Education Policy-2020 focuses on imparting India-centric education, which is why were including chapters on the lives of real Indian heroes in the new syllabus, which will be fully based on the NEP-2020. As directed by the chief minister, were going to include in the NEP-2020 based new syllabus, the chapters on the lives of true Indian revolutionaries, including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and Veer Savarkar, MPs Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said on Thursday.

The CM has also directed to include in the new set up and books, chapters on the basic theme and message of Bhagavad Gita and Lord Parashurama, the minister said.

While defending the move to include chapters on Savarkar in the new syllabus and textbooks of schools in the state in this poll year, the minister said, Veer Savarkar is among our great revolutionaries, who was sentenced to double life imprisonment in a single life. He was the first writer to term the 1857 revolution (which was otherwise termed as mutiny) as the war for the countrys independence, owing to which his contribution to Indias war for freedom from British rule is unparalleled. Unfortunately, successive Congress governments in the past neglected our own great revolutionaries, but glorified foreign invaders. Its time to correct it and to ensure that our school children come to know about the inspiring lives of our own revolutionaries that this move is being made.

Opposing the move to include a chapter on Savarkars life in MPs school curriculum, opposition Congresss MLA from Bhopal Arif Masood said, Its unfortunate that they (the BJP government in the state) want to include Savarkar. He apologized to the British and including him in the syllabus is an insult to freedom fighters.

Tweeting over the same issue, state Congresss media wing head KK Mishra, while terming the move of including Savarkar in the MP schools curriculum an insult to the freedom fighters, further questioned, Will the government also teach the school students, the ten-part Savarkar Samagra penned by Savarkar, particularly it's a seventh part, which advocates Gau Palan and not Gau Pujan (cow farming, but not cow worship).

BHOPAL: The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has decided to include chapters on Hindutvas controversial icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the school curriculum of Madhya Pradesh. The National Education Policy-2020 focuses on imparting India-centric education, which is why were including chapters on the lives of real Indian heroes in the new syllabus, which will be fully based on the NEP-2020. As directed by the chief minister, were going to include in the NEP-2020 based new syllabus, the chapters on the lives of true Indian revolutionaries, including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and Veer Savarkar, MPs Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said on Thursday. The CM has also directed to include in the new set up and books, chapters on the basic theme and message of Bhagavad Gita and Lord Parashurama, the minister said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); While defending the move to include chapters on Savarkar in the new syllabus and textbooks of schools in the state in this poll year, the minister said, Veer Savarkar is among our great revolutionaries, who was sentenced to double life imprisonment in a single life. He was the first writer to term the 1857 revolution (which was otherwise termed as mutiny) as the war for the countrys independence, owing to which his contribution to Indias war for freedom from British rule is unparalleled. Unfortunately, successive Congress governments in the past neglected our own great revolutionaries, but glorified foreign invaders. Its time to correct it and to ensure that our school children come to know about the inspiring lives of our own revolutionaries that this move is being made. Opposing the move to include a chapter on Savarkars life in MPs school curriculum, opposition Congresss MLA from Bhopal Arif Masood said, Its unfortunate that they (the BJP government in the state) want to include Savarkar. He apologized to the British and including him in the syllabus is an insult to freedom fighters. Tweeting over the same issue, state Congresss media wing head KK Mishra, while terming the move of including Savarkar in the MP schools curriculum an insult to the freedom fighters, further questioned, Will the government also teach the school students, the ten-part Savarkar Samagra penned by Savarkar, particularly it's a seventh part, which advocates Gau Palan and not Gau Pujan (cow farming, but not cow worship).
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: A day after the attack on Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad, whose waist was grazed by a bullet when he was shot at by unidentified car-borne men in Deoband in Saharanpur district, police recovered what is believed to be the vehicle used in the crime and also detained four suspects on Thursday.

As per police sources, the vehicle was recovered by cops in Saharanpur district late on Wednesday night in the first breakthrough in the case.

Police sources said that the hatchback car -- a Swift Dzire with a Haryana number plate -- was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The vehicle was located with the help of surveillance cameras.

With the help of CCTV cameras, police officials managed to identify four men who drove the car to the house where the vehicle was found. But the men remain untraceable as they had switched off their phones to evade detection by the police, officials said.

Meanwhile, four persons at the house where the vehicle was parked were detained for questioning to get leads in the case, said the sources.

ALSO READ | Dalit leader Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan shot at in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur

An FIR has also been lodged at the Deoband police station in Saharanpur district in connection with the incident. The FIR was lodged based on the complaint of Chandrashekhar's accomplice, Manish Kumar.

According to the FIR, provisions of offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act were imposed along with charges of attempt to murder against the attackers.

Two bullets were fired at Azad's car. The first bullet entered the seat of the vehicle, grazing his waist as it passed through the door. The second bullet hit the back door, narrowly missing him.

According to Saharanpur SP City Abimanyu Manglik, the Bhim Army chief was undergoing treatment at Saharanpur district hospital and his condition was stable. There was heavy deployment of police force on the district hospital premises as a precautionary measure as Mr Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers raising slogans and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.

Meanwhile, Azad issued a video appeal to his supporters from the hospital to remain calm and maintain harmony asserting that he would continue to fight constitutionally.

"I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters, and workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight constitutionally. I am fine with the love and blessings of crores of people," Azad said while convalescing in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Azad Samaj Party's founder member and media in-charge Ajay Gautam said that a memorandum would be sent to the President of India as well as the Uttar Pradesh CM and Governor seeking Z-plus security for their leader.

LUCKNOW: A day after the attack on Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad, whose waist was grazed by a bullet when he was shot at by unidentified car-borne men in Deoband in Saharanpur district, police recovered what is believed to be the vehicle used in the crime and also detained four suspects on Thursday. As per police sources, the vehicle was recovered by cops in Saharanpur district late on Wednesday night in the first breakthrough in the case. Police sources said that the hatchback car -- a Swift Dzire with a Haryana number plate -- was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The vehicle was located with the help of surveillance cameras.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); With the help of CCTV cameras, police officials managed to identify four men who drove the car to the house where the vehicle was found. But the men remain untraceable as they had switched off their phones to evade detection by the police, officials said. Meanwhile, four persons at the house where the vehicle was parked were detained for questioning to get leads in the case, said the sources. ALSO READ | Dalit leader Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan shot at in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur An FIR has also been lodged at the Deoband police station in Saharanpur district in connection with the incident. The FIR was lodged based on the complaint of Chandrashekhar's accomplice, Manish Kumar. According to the FIR, provisions of offences under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act were imposed along with charges of attempt to murder against the attackers. Two bullets were fired at Azad's car. The first bullet entered the seat of the vehicle, grazing his waist as it passed through the door. The second bullet hit the back door, narrowly missing him. According to Saharanpur SP City Abimanyu Manglik, the Bhim Army chief was undergoing treatment at Saharanpur district hospital and his condition was stable. There was heavy deployment of police force on the district hospital premises as a precautionary measure as Mr Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers raising slogans and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers. Meanwhile, Azad issued a video appeal to his supporters from the hospital to remain calm and maintain harmony asserting that he would continue to fight constitutionally. "I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters, and workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight constitutionally. I am fine with the love and blessings of crores of people," Azad said while convalescing in the hospital. Meanwhile, the Azad Samaj Party's founder member and media in-charge Ajay Gautam said that a memorandum would be sent to the President of India as well as the Uttar Pradesh CM and Governor seeking Z-plus security for their leader.
South Africa: PSC concerned about inadequately resourced forensic labs

Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner Anele Gxoyiya says it is imperative that forensic science laboratories are well-resourced with appropriately designed state-of-the-art instruments and are adequately staffed, given the high rate of violent crime in the country.

Gxoyiya said a well-functioning criminal justice system is vital to ensure that citizens are and feel safe.

The forensic science laboratories of the South African Police Service are a key role player within the criminal justice system, with the mandate to support the investigation of crime through the processing of crime scenes, analysing forensic evidence and maintenance of criminal records, he said.

Briefing media in Pretoria during the release of the commissions quarterly bulletin of the Pulse of the Public Service earlier today, Gxoyiya said it was for this reason the commission took the decision to conduct inspections at all the forensic science laboratories across the country.

The key function of the laboratories is to process and analyse case exhibits and draft forensic reports which form the basis of the court testimony during criminal proceedings.

With backlogs, the laboratories cannot fulfil their critical role effectively and are therefore contributing to delays in the criminal justice system and as a result, justice is not served, especially to the most vulnerable.

The PSC is currently monitoring the management of the overall backlog within the laboratories across all the sections with full cooperation from SAPS.

Challenges in the processing and analysis of case exhibits lead to delays in the dispensation of justice and result in various negative impacts, such as delays in cases going to trial.

With the current scourge in gender-based violence-related crimes in the country, especially since COVID-19, delays in the processing and analysis of case exhibits allowing possible repeat offences leading to a failure in the fight against these crimes cannot be tolerated, Gxoyiya said.

Forensic science is the application of scientific methods in the investigation of crime and specifically the examination of physical exhibit material.

The Forensic Science Laboratory of the South African Police Service was formed on 15 January 1971 with the Biology, Chemistry and Electronics Units. A new building complex was occupied in March 1987, with the Ballistic and Question Document Unit (which before this had resided under the SA Criminal Bureau), which was amalgamated with the Forensic Science Laboratory.

In 2000, a decision was made to amalgamate the Explosive Investigation Service with the forensic science laboratory.

In addition to the main laboratory in Pretoria, decentralised offices were established in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban.

The laboratories in Pretoria and the Western Cape consists of all the units, while the Eastern Cape Laboratory has ballistic and chemistry units, and the laboratory in KwaZulu-Natal consists of a ballistics unit.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2023-06-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
News / National

by Tarisai Mudahondo

Outgoing Member of Parliament for Mabvuku/Tafara constituency in Harare James Chidhakwa vows to continue a leader while donating reading books to ten Mabvuku/ Tafara primary schools.Speaking to this publication during the handover Chidhakwa said, "l feel proud of this donation because it's a legacy l am leaving.I am not a politician but a leader, my leading was not about power but the opportunity to lead and l did exceptionally".He said, "During my reign we have 100 women who graduated on handworks across the constituency yearly and we also have 100 youth graduating in leadership and entrepreneurship so it is in me to develop the community because it is my home where l belong and shall forever belong".Mabvuku, Donnybrook, Batanai, Simudzai, Tashinga, Mwanandishe, Tsinhirano, Chimokoto and Tafara 1 primary schools received 10 boxes of books per school.Chidhakwa is also the Social and Economic Justice Ambassador and the African Parliamentary Network on lllicit Financial flows and Tax Zimbabwe Caucus Chair.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The BJP and the AAP on Thursday took a dig at the Congress over T S Singh Deo's appointment as Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister and asked if he will be the party's chief ministerial face in the upcoming elections since people have lost faith in the incumbent CM, Bhupesh Baghel.

A scion of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, Singh Deo is currently holding Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax (GST) portfolios in the state government.

The ruling Congress announced on Wednesday that party president Mallikarjun Kharge had approved the proposal for his appointment as the deputy chief minister.

Reacting to the development, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said Congress president Kharge appointing Singh Deo as deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh is "deeply problematic" as it usurps Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's constitutional mandate.

"Before Karnataka, Baghel used to fund the Congress, but soon after winning Karnataka, once an alternate source of funding was available, he was cut to size," the BJP leader charged in a tweet, adding, "It is a case of Gandhis using a regional satrap, an OBC leader, till it was convenient, and then dumping him. Will Singh Deo now be projected as the CM face since Baghel faces massive corruption charges and has become a liability?" Malviya also asked.

Commenting on the development, the AAP's Chhattisgarh in-charge Sanjeev Jha said that with its decision to appoint Singh Deo as deputy chief minister ahead of the state assembly polls, the Congress has accepted that the people of Chhattisgarh do not have faith in Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

"It's a damage control exercise by the Congress high command but it is not going to help the party in the state as Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has caused a lot of losses to the people of the state by looting its resources," Jha told PTI.

The AAP leader asked the Congress to make it clear who will be the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the assembly polls due to be held this year.

"Congress high command has not cleared the party's stand on this. They should clear their stand if Singh Deo will the face of the party and if there is no faith in Baghel now. There is confusion among people and Congress workers as well (on this issue)," Jha added.

BJP Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao on Wednesday said Singh Deo's appointment as the deputy chief minister at the fag end of the government's tenure was an injustice with him, and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections.

"When time has come to complete the term, Singh Deo has been made deputy chief minister. This is not only insulting to the people of Sarguja but also injustice with Singh Deo," Sao charged.

"The Congress is a sinking ship. With such decisions, the Congress is not going to gain anything. Chhattisgarh people have decided to dislodge the Congress government. Congress is not going to get anything in Chhattisgarh," he added.

Senior BJP leaders and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said the Congress decision to appoint Sigh Deo as deputy chief minister ahead of the assembly polls will have "far-reaching consequences."

"With this decision, the Congress has accepted that elections in Chhattisgarh will not be contested under the leadership of Bhupesh Baghel," he added.

NEW DELHI: The BJP and the AAP on Thursday took a dig at the Congress over T S Singh Deo's appointment as Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister and asked if he will be the party's chief ministerial face in the upcoming elections since people have lost faith in the incumbent CM, Bhupesh Baghel. A scion of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, Singh Deo is currently holding Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax (GST) portfolios in the state government. The ruling Congress announced on Wednesday that party president Mallikarjun Kharge had approved the proposal for his appointment as the deputy chief minister.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Reacting to the development, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said Congress president Kharge appointing Singh Deo as deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh is "deeply problematic" as it usurps Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's constitutional mandate. "Before Karnataka, Baghel used to fund the Congress, but soon after winning Karnataka, once an alternate source of funding was available, he was cut to size," the BJP leader charged in a tweet, adding, "It is a case of Gandhis using a regional satrap, an OBC leader, till it was convenient, and then dumping him. Will Singh Deo now be projected as the CM face since Baghel faces massive corruption charges and has become a liability?" Malviya also asked. Commenting on the development, the AAP's Chhattisgarh in-charge Sanjeev Jha said that with its decision to appoint Singh Deo as deputy chief minister ahead of the state assembly polls, the Congress has accepted that the people of Chhattisgarh do not have faith in Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. "It's a damage control exercise by the Congress high command but it is not going to help the party in the state as Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has caused a lot of losses to the people of the state by looting its resources," Jha told PTI. The AAP leader asked the Congress to make it clear who will be the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the assembly polls due to be held this year. "Congress high command has not cleared the party's stand on this. They should clear their stand if Singh Deo will the face of the party and if there is no faith in Baghel now. There is confusion among people and Congress workers as well (on this issue)," Jha added. BJP Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao on Wednesday said Singh Deo's appointment as the deputy chief minister at the fag end of the government's tenure was an injustice with him, and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections. "When time has come to complete the term, Singh Deo has been made deputy chief minister. This is not only insulting to the people of Sarguja but also injustice with Singh Deo," Sao charged. "The Congress is a sinking ship. With such decisions, the Congress is not going to gain anything. Chhattisgarh people have decided to dislodge the Congress government. Congress is not going to get anything in Chhattisgarh," he added. Senior BJP leaders and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said the Congress decision to appoint Sigh Deo as deputy chief minister ahead of the assembly polls will have "far-reaching consequences." "With this decision, the Congress has accepted that elections in Chhattisgarh will not be contested under the leadership of Bhupesh Baghel," he added.
By PTI

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has decided to keep the dismissal order of state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being and informed Chief Minister M K Stalin about it, sources said on Thursday.

In a late evening communication to the chief minister, the governor said he would consult the attorney general and seek his legal opinion about the move.

The order to dismiss Balaji from the Council of Ministers has been kept in abeyance by the governor until further communication, the sources said.

Earlier, the governor had dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

Stalin had said the state government would challenge the governor's decision legally.

In an official release, the Raj Bhavan in Chennai had said, "There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state.

" Balaji "is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering.

Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice," the release added.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has decided to keep the dismissal order of state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being and informed Chief Minister M K Stalin about it, sources said on Thursday. In a late evening communication to the chief minister, the governor said he would consult the attorney general and seek his legal opinion about the move. The order to dismiss Balaji from the Council of Ministers has been kept in abeyance by the governor until further communication, the sources said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Earlier, the governor had dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam. Stalin had said the state government would challenge the governor's decision legally. In an official release, the Raj Bhavan in Chennai had said, "There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state. " Balaji "is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice," the release added.
T Muruganandham By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The rift between the DMK government and Governor RN Ravi widened on Thursday with the latter dismissing V Senthil Balaji, currently under judicial custody, from the council of ministers. Balaji has been continuing as a minister without a portfolio. This is perhaps for the first time that a governor is taking such a drastic step without any recommendation from a Chief Minister.

A communication from the Raj Bhavan said: "Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a Minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. Currently, he is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the State Police."

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister MK Stalin told reporters, "The governor has no power to dismiss a minister from the council of ministers. We will face this legally."

ALSO READ | PM Modi resorting to 'divisive politics' in a bid to win 2024 LS polls: CM Stalin

The Raj Bhavan communication also said there are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including a fair investigation that may eventually lead to a breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Under these circumstances, the governor has dismissed Balaji from the council of ministers with immediate effect.

On June 16, the governor approved the reallocation of portfolios held by Balaji but said he has not agreed to Balaji continuing as a minister since he is facing interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate. However, within a few hours, the state government passed a G.O. reallocating the portfolios of Balaji to two other ministers and announced that Balaji will continue as a minister without a portfolio.

When contacted, senior advocate KM Vijayan told The New Indian Express, "The governor has no powers to dismiss a minister since including or dropping a minister is the prerogative of the chief minister. The governor has acted beyond the scope of the powers given to him in the Constitution."

CHENNAI: The rift between the DMK government and Governor RN Ravi widened on Thursday with the latter dismissing V Senthil Balaji, currently under judicial custody, from the council of ministers. Balaji has been continuing as a minister without a portfolio. This is perhaps for the first time that a governor is taking such a drastic step without any recommendation from a Chief Minister. A communication from the Raj Bhavan said: "Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a Minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. Currently, he is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the State Police." Reacting to the development, Chief Minister MK Stalin told reporters, "The governor has no power to dismiss a minister from the council of ministers. We will face this legally."googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); ALSO READ | PM Modi resorting to 'divisive politics' in a bid to win 2024 LS polls: CM Stalin The Raj Bhavan communication also said there are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including a fair investigation that may eventually lead to a breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Under these circumstances, the governor has dismissed Balaji from the council of ministers with immediate effect. On June 16, the governor approved the reallocation of portfolios held by Balaji but said he has not agreed to Balaji continuing as a minister since he is facing interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate. However, within a few hours, the state government passed a G.O. reallocating the portfolios of Balaji to two other ministers and announced that Balaji will continue as a minister without a portfolio. When contacted, senior advocate KM Vijayan told The New Indian Express, "The governor has no powers to dismiss a minister since including or dropping a minister is the prerogative of the chief minister. The governor has acted beyond the scope of the powers given to him in the Constitution."
BLS Prakasa Rao By

Statistics has been called the 'poetry of sciences' and 'the soul of scientific inquiry'. It has applications across a wide spectrum of fields, leading to tangible benefits that improve the wellbeing of humanity. With the increasing role of information technology, society has been inundated by a data deluge and it is the statisticians who extract usable information from the mass of noise in these data sets.

It has been said that "A physicist solves a problem in physics using the available knowledge in physics, a chemist does the same thing in chemistry, so also a biologist and an engineer. There is nothing like a statistical problem a statistician is trying to solve with the available knowledge of statistics. His or her job is to help the scientists to solve problems in their discipline by applying available statistical methodology, but more often by developing appropriate new statistical methodology."

Perhaps the most distinguished exponent of this 'invisible science' is Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, a professor whose work more than 75 years ago continues to exert a profound influence. A scientist once said, "A ballet dancer gets her ovation on the spot while she is still warm from her efforts; a comedian gets his laugh across the table but a scientist must expect to wait years for his laugh." Rao was recently awarded the biennial 2023 International Statistics Prize, known as the Nobel of its field, at the age of 102.

In his remarkable 1945 paper in the Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society, Rao demonstrated three fundamental results that paved the way for the modern field of statistics and provided statistical tools heavily used in science. The first now known as the Cramer-Rao lower bound provides a means of knowing when a method for estimating a quantity is as good as any method can be. The second result named as the Rao-Blackwell theorem provides a means of transforming an estimate into a better, in fact optimal, estimate. Together, these results form a foundation on which much of statistics is built. And the third result provides insights that pioneered a new interdisciplinary field that has come to be known as information geometry. Combined, these results help scientists extract information from data efficiently. The monumental work by Rao has not only revolutionized statistical thinking in its time but also continues to exert influence on human understanding of sciences across a wide spectrum of disciplines according to the Chair of the International Prize in Statistics. Rao made distinct and extensive contributions to several branches of statistics and its applications leading to efficient methods of statistical analysis.

ALSO READ | Energy Destinies Part 3: Energy storage - Turning theory into practice

In multivariate analysis, one has to deal with extraction of information from a large number of measurements made on each sample unit. Not all measurements carry independent information. It is possible that a subset of measurements may lead to procedures which are more efficient than using the whole set of measurements. Rao developed a test to ascertain whether or not the information contained in a subset is the same as that given in the complete set. He also developed a method for studying clustering and other inter-relationships among individuals or populations. Using general diversity measures applicable to both qualitative and quantitative data, the method of analysis of diversity was developed by Rao for which he introduced the concept of quadratic entropy in the analysis of diversity.

Combinatorial arrangements known as orthogonal arrays were introduced by Rao for use in the design of experiments. These arrangements are widely used in multifactorial experiments to determine the optimum combinations of factors to solve industrial problems. These have also applications in coding theory. An important result of practical interest resulting from this novel approach is the Hamming-Rao bound associated with orthogonal arrays.

Born on September 10, 1920 in Huvvina Hadagall in Karnataka, Rao went to Andhra University in Visakhapatnam where he obtained his B.A.(Hons) at the age of 19. After deciding to pursue a research career in mathematics, he moved to Calcutta where he joined the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) for training in the subject of statistics. At the same time, he completed a masters degree program in statistics at Calcutta University. Later, Rao obtained his PhD at Cambridge University after which he became a full professor at ISI at the young age of 29.

Together with PC Mahalanobis and JBS Haldane, Rao devised the syllabi for the BStat and MStat degree courses of ISI in 1960. He included a field visit for the students to the ISI campus in Giridih for first-hand experience in conducting crop cutting experiments and collecting data for a short socio-economic survey. The syllabus also included a visit to the Central Statistical Organization for training in official statistics with a grade in a test at the end of the training. All of the students admitted to either BStat or MStat programs at ISI have received stipends during their study years. He was the Head of the Research and Training School of ISI and later its Director. Rao himself participated in teaching work at the institute. He was a strict disciplinarian when it comes to academic activities. He awarded students with a raise in stipend if they performed well but was ready to cut the stipend if the student does not perform well as per the institute norms.

I was a student of Professor Rao while doing a masters programme in statistics at the Indian Statistical Institute and later his colleague at the Delhi Centre of the Indian Statistical Institute. I saw him for the first time in 1960 as a young student aged 17 after completing the masters program in mathematics from Andhra University in 1960. He was awe-inspiring with his international reputation for all students at ISI. Professor Rao did his M.A. in Mathematics from the Andhra University too before he went to Calcutta and Professor Vommi Ramaswamy, Head of the Department of Mathematics at the Andhra university, was his guru as well as mine.

Rao received several awards including the Bhatnagar award and the India Science award from the Government of India, the National Medal of Science from USA and was elected as Fellow of several Academies of Science in India and abroad. In total, he received 39 honorary doctorates from different universities in India and other countries. Several students received their PhD degrees under his guidance. Some of the other rare honours that CR Rao received include a National Award in his name instituted by the Government of India and a Special Postal Cover released in celebration of his 90th birthday in 2010. Rao's hobbies include photography, playing badminton, long walks and writing humorous essays.

ALSO READ | Hakka is the jewel of the much-maligned Indian-Chinese cuisine -- but is it now endangered?

A living legend in statistics who is still active, Rao spent forty years at the Indian Statistical Institute developing statistical activities in India before moving to the US. He is in regular touch with the activities at the CR Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics Statistics and Computer Science (AIMSCS), Hyderabad, named in honour of him, guiding and advising the institute as well as various national and international statistical organisations and university departments of statistics. A visiting Soviet scientist who wanted to meet Dr Rao at his residence was told that he was repairing his car. The scientist met him later in his office room, saw him playing badminton in the evening and had dinner with him in the night. "I have seen the mechanic, the athelete, the scholar and the perfect host, all in one day," he said.

Rao moved to the US after superannuation in India and continued research with renewed vigour, first at the University of Pittsburgh and later at the Pennsylvania State University where he was the Director of Center for Multivariate Analysis as well as Eberly (Chair) Professor of Statistics. He is currently a Research Professor at the University at Buffalo. Rao, who will be celebrating his 103rd birthday on September 10, was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan a few years ago.

Several years ago, a passenger travelling by train to Calcutta by the Madras-Howrah Mail was asked what he did for a living. Perhaps thinking that an accurate reply would not be understood, Rao replied, "I work in a school and I am the headmaster of the school." The school is the famous Research and Training School (RTS) of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and the unassuming passenger was none other than Rao who was the head of the RTS for almost a quarter of a century. We are now celebrating his work over the last 75 years which continues to exert influence. For his distinctive contributions to the field of statistics with applications in all sciences wherever data is involved, it is time that the country honours him with the Bharat Ratna.

BLS Prakasa Rao is INSA Honorary Scientist, C R Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Hyderabad

Statistics has been called the 'poetry of sciences' and 'the soul of scientific inquiry'. It has applications across a wide spectrum of fields, leading to tangible benefits that improve the wellbeing of humanity. With the increasing role of information technology, society has been inundated by a data deluge and it is the statisticians who extract usable information from the mass of noise in these data sets. It has been said that "A physicist solves a problem in physics using the available knowledge in physics, a chemist does the same thing in chemistry, so also a biologist and an engineer. There is nothing like a statistical problem a statistician is trying to solve with the available knowledge of statistics. His or her job is to help the scientists to solve problems in their discipline by applying available statistical methodology, but more often by developing appropriate new statistical methodology." Perhaps the most distinguished exponent of this 'invisible science' is Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, a professor whose work more than 75 years ago continues to exert a profound influence. A scientist once said, "A ballet dancer gets her ovation on the spot while she is still warm from her efforts; a comedian gets his laugh across the table but a scientist must expect to wait years for his laugh." Rao was recently awarded the biennial 2023 International Statistics Prize, known as the Nobel of its field, at the age of 102.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); In his remarkable 1945 paper in the Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society, Rao demonstrated three fundamental results that paved the way for the modern field of statistics and provided statistical tools heavily used in science. The first now known as the Cramer-Rao lower bound provides a means of knowing when a method for estimating a quantity is as good as any method can be. The second result named as the Rao-Blackwell theorem provides a means of transforming an estimate into a better, in fact optimal, estimate. Together, these results form a foundation on which much of statistics is built. And the third result provides insights that pioneered a new interdisciplinary field that has come to be known as information geometry. Combined, these results help scientists extract information from data efficiently. The monumental work by Rao has not only revolutionized statistical thinking in its time but also continues to exert influence on human understanding of sciences across a wide spectrum of disciplines according to the Chair of the International Prize in Statistics. Rao made distinct and extensive contributions to several branches of statistics and its applications leading to efficient methods of statistical analysis. ALSO READ | Energy Destinies Part 3: Energy storage - Turning theory into practice In multivariate analysis, one has to deal with extraction of information from a large number of measurements made on each sample unit. Not all measurements carry independent information. It is possible that a subset of measurements may lead to procedures which are more efficient than using the whole set of measurements. Rao developed a test to ascertain whether or not the information contained in a subset is the same as that given in the complete set. He also developed a method for studying clustering and other inter-relationships among individuals or populations. Using general diversity measures applicable to both qualitative and quantitative data, the method of analysis of diversity was developed by Rao for which he introduced the concept of quadratic entropy in the analysis of diversity. Combinatorial arrangements known as orthogonal arrays were introduced by Rao for use in the design of experiments. These arrangements are widely used in multifactorial experiments to determine the optimum combinations of factors to solve industrial problems. These have also applications in coding theory. An important result of practical interest resulting from this novel approach is the Hamming-Rao bound associated with orthogonal arrays. Born on September 10, 1920 in Huvvina Hadagall in Karnataka, Rao went to Andhra University in Visakhapatnam where he obtained his B.A.(Hons) at the age of 19. After deciding to pursue a research career in mathematics, he moved to Calcutta where he joined the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) for training in the subject of statistics. At the same time, he completed a masters degree program in statistics at Calcutta University. Later, Rao obtained his PhD at Cambridge University after which he became a full professor at ISI at the young age of 29. Together with PC Mahalanobis and JBS Haldane, Rao devised the syllabi for the BStat and MStat degree courses of ISI in 1960. He included a field visit for the students to the ISI campus in Giridih for first-hand experience in conducting crop cutting experiments and collecting data for a short socio-economic survey. The syllabus also included a visit to the Central Statistical Organization for training in official statistics with a grade in a test at the end of the training. All of the students admitted to either BStat or MStat programs at ISI have received stipends during their study years. He was the Head of the Research and Training School of ISI and later its Director. Rao himself participated in teaching work at the institute. He was a strict disciplinarian when it comes to academic activities. He awarded students with a raise in stipend if they performed well but was ready to cut the stipend if the student does not perform well as per the institute norms. I was a student of Professor Rao while doing a masters programme in statistics at the Indian Statistical Institute and later his colleague at the Delhi Centre of the Indian Statistical Institute. I saw him for the first time in 1960 as a young student aged 17 after completing the masters program in mathematics from Andhra University in 1960. He was awe-inspiring with his international reputation for all students at ISI. Professor Rao did his M.A. in Mathematics from the Andhra University too before he went to Calcutta and Professor Vommi Ramaswamy, Head of the Department of Mathematics at the Andhra university, was his guru as well as mine. Rao received several awards including the Bhatnagar award and the India Science award from the Government of India, the National Medal of Science from USA and was elected as Fellow of several Academies of Science in India and abroad. In total, he received 39 honorary doctorates from different universities in India and other countries. Several students received their PhD degrees under his guidance. Some of the other rare honours that CR Rao received include a National Award in his name instituted by the Government of India and a Special Postal Cover released in celebration of his 90th birthday in 2010. Rao's hobbies include photography, playing badminton, long walks and writing humorous essays. ALSO READ | Hakka is the jewel of the much-maligned Indian-Chinese cuisine -- but is it now endangered? A living legend in statistics who is still active, Rao spent forty years at the Indian Statistical Institute developing statistical activities in India before moving to the US. He is in regular touch with the activities at the CR Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics Statistics and Computer Science (AIMSCS), Hyderabad, named in honour of him, guiding and advising the institute as well as various national and international statistical organisations and university departments of statistics. A visiting Soviet scientist who wanted to meet Dr Rao at his residence was told that he was repairing his car. The scientist met him later in his office room, saw him playing badminton in the evening and had dinner with him in the night. "I have seen the mechanic, the athelete, the scholar and the perfect host, all in one day," he said. Rao moved to the US after superannuation in India and continued research with renewed vigour, first at the University of Pittsburgh and later at the Pennsylvania State University where he was the Director of Center for Multivariate Analysis as well as Eberly (Chair) Professor of Statistics. He is currently a Research Professor at the University at Buffalo. Rao, who will be celebrating his 103rd birthday on September 10, was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan a few years ago. Several years ago, a passenger travelling by train to Calcutta by the Madras-Howrah Mail was asked what he did for a living. Perhaps thinking that an accurate reply would not be understood, Rao replied, "I work in a school and I am the headmaster of the school." The school is the famous Research and Training School (RTS) of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) and the unassuming passenger was none other than Rao who was the head of the RTS for almost a quarter of a century. We are now celebrating his work over the last 75 years which continues to exert influence. For his distinctive contributions to the field of statistics with applications in all sciences wherever data is involved, it is time that the country honours him with the Bharat Ratna. BLS Prakasa Rao is INSA Honorary Scientist, C R Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Hyderabad
The Rhode founder's outfit included a back cutout

Hailey Bieber/instagram Hailey Bieber.

Hailey Bieber went against fashion standards when she attended a friend's wedding on June 24.

Bieber, 26, wore an all-white dress to Stephanie Shepherd and Larry Jackson's ceremony. The white, long-sleeved dress by Fanci Club included a high-neck collar and a risque back cutout. She wore small diamond drop earrings and carried a fuzzy blue purse.

It's considered against accepted rules of fashion to wear white to a wedding if you are a guest unless a dress code specifies it is approved. Record producer Swizz Beatz posted photos and videos from the Beverly Hills wedding, appearing to show Shepherd, 33, in a white dress and Jackson wearing a white suit jacket.

Hailey Bieber/instagram Hailey Bieber.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The dress code for the wedding may have been daring, as Kim Kardashian also wore a racy look. The SKIMS mogul, 42, wore a cutout-covered Alaia dress that included a tiny bandeau across her chest. The floor-length skirt featured a zig-zag design that showed Kardashian's thighs and black briefs.

Shepherd was Kardashian's assistant from 2013 until 2017 when the two reportedly had a falling out. In 2018, the two denied there was a feud. Shepherd met Jackson when he managed Kardashian's now ex-husband Kanye West.

After attending Shepherd's wedding in white, Bieber rocked the same color in Los Angeles Wednesday. The Rhode founder wore a white top, frayed denim jean shorts, and a beige trench coat on her way to work.

Hailey Bieber/instagram Hailey Bieber.

Related: Hailey Bieber Proves That a Slinky Little Slip Dress Will Never Go Out of Style

When Bieber began developing her skincare brand, Kardashian was the first person she called for advice. On the latest episode of Who's In My Bathroom? , the supermodel detailed her business journey to the reality star.

"I remember, in the beginning of this, the first person I called for any advice was you, Bieber told the mom of four. I was like, 'Hey, I really dont want to bother you, but like, this is my idea and this is what I want to do. What would you say? How would I start?' "

Bieber wanted to build her business from the "ground up" and Kardashian provided her with the advice she needed. "I remember you giving me so many good pieces of advice in terms of like, 'Heres how I did it. This is a way that worked for me. I think you have to find the way thats going to be the best thing for you as Hailey,' " she recalled. "And that was really valuable advice for me."

Hailey Bieber/instagram Hailey Bieber.

Related: Hailey Biebers Strawberry Red Nails Put a Summer Spin on the Classic French Manicure

Before Bieber launched Rhode, she told PEOPLE the label would stand out among the crowd as a "very curated, edited line of essentials," with the philosophy of "making one of everything really good."

"For me, that spans across all things in my life  [from] beauty [to] how I edit my wardrobe," she continued. "It's like that one really good pair of jeans you're always reaching for. That one really good blazer you keep going back to. That's how I look at skincare as well. That one really good moisturizer you keep reaching for. That one really great hydration product you keep going back to. These formulas are very intentional and very specific so that they can become those curated essentials that you keep going back to."

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UP: Yogi Govt makes record payment of Rs 2.14 lakh cr to sugarcane farmers in 6 years

Lucknow, June 27: The Uttar Pradesh government headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made a record payment of Rs 2.14 lakh crore to sugarcane farmers in the last 6 years, informed an official statement.

UP: Yogi Govt makes record payment of Rs 2.14 lakh cr to sugarcane farmers in 6 years

According to the statement, the Yogi Government has also opened two new mills, reopened four closed ones and expanded 30 mills to empower sugarcane farmers during the period.Soon after taking the reins of Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi chalked out a strategy, according to top priority to the interests of sugarcane farmers and focusing on sugarcane crushing, production and processing, the statement said."The Yogi government first restarted the closed sugar mills in the state and focused on paying the overdue sugarcane price to the farmers. The state government's consistent efforts helped the sugar mills run more efficiently, increasing the amount of sugar produced.On the instructions of CM Yogi, farmers are receiving payments regularly on a priority basis. The government's focus is also on increasing the per-hectare productivity of sugarcane."It is worth mentioning that owing to the Yogi Govt's policies that sugar production in Uttar Pradesh increased from 72.38 metric tonnes in the year 2016-17 to 82.31 metric tonnes per hectare today. The production of sugarcane has increased by 9.93 metric tonnes per hectare in the last 6 years. With this, sugarcane farmers are getting an additional profit of Rs 34,656 at the rate of Rs 349 per quintal per hectare", the statement read.With the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, 120 sugar mills are operating today in Uttar Pradesh, the release stated, adding that in the year 2021-22, 1,016.26 lakh tonnes of sugarcane was crushed by these sugar mills from which 101.98 lakh tonnes of sugar was produced. In 2022-23 so far, 1,098.31 lakh tonnes of sugarcane has been crushed, producing 105.41 lakh tonnes of sugar.In the last 6 years, a record 6,403 lakh tonnes of sugarcane was crushed by the sugar mills, producing a record 683.07 lakh tonnes of sugar. Not only this, two new sugar mills were established in the state and the capacity of 30 sugar mills was expanded with the restarting of 4 sugar mills, which created a total additional crushing capacity of 78,900 TCD in sugar mills, the release added.The statement further said, "The Yogi government implemented an online Khandsari licensing system in UP after making amendments to the Khandsari policy. As a result, 284 new Khandsari units were established in UP, due to which direct and indirect employment was provided to 31,690 people. The State Government has also made a record for the production of ethanol in the country. The production of ethanol in Uttar Pradesh increased from 42.07 crore litres in the year 2016-17 to 160 crore litres today."As per the intention of CM Yogi, the sugarcane department employed women to make them self-reliant, the release said."The department engaged rural women in sugarcane seed production and distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, 3,196 women self-help groups are active with 60,000 rural women entrepreneurs earning their livelihood by producing sugarcane saplings. So far, 38 crore sugarcane saplings/ seedlings have been produced by women's self-help groups and have earned Rs 102 crores from its distribution. Women's self-help groups have played a leading role in adding more varieties of sugarcane and its seeds over the years", the release added.ANI28 June 2023

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Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks Iranian threat with US Secretary of State

Jerusalem, June 28: Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen spoke Tuesday evening with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talks Iranian threat with US Secretary of State

The two discussed the expansion of the Abraham Accords and the setting of a date for the Negev Forum, with the participation of additional countries that Cohen said will join the cycle of normalization of diplomatic ties with Israel."I told him that we condemn events in which citizens take the law into their own hands, but we will fight a war of attrition against Palestinian terrorism, and we will do everything to protect our citizens," said Cohen.The two also discussed promoting the fight against the Iranian nuclear program and the progress of the visa-exemption process for Israeli citizens to visit the U.S." (ANI/TPS)ANI28 June 2023

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J-K: LG Sinha reviews traffic, mobility plan for Amarnath Yatra

Srinagar, June 27: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting with the senior officials of Police and Civil Administrations to review traffic management and comprehensive mobility plan during the Amarnath Yatra.

J-K: LG Sinha reviews traffic, mobility plan for Amarnath Yatra

The LG directed Zone-wise traffic planning on the National Highway-44 in close coordination with concerned departments, District Administrations, Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and Traffic Police to ensure smooth traffic, parking, and pedestrian operations.Time slots for the movement of convoys, livestock, vehicles carrying essential items and horticulture produce should be notified. Strict enforcement of Traffic Advisories, Schedules and cutoff timings must be ensured, the LG Singa directed the officials.Traffic Police, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and other agencies should also deploy more men and machinery to respond to real-time events and to mitigate the effects of a breakdown, he added.The LG instructed the officials of the Traffic Police to utilize Integrated Command and Control Centres for effective traffic, transit and travel demand management.He directed the Divisional Commissioners and Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGPs) to overall supervise the traffic management in their respective divisions.The meeting also discussed the utilization of the Mughal Road, alternate routes, public utilities along Mughal Road and traffic management at Pahalgam and Sonamarg.Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Bhim Sen Tuti gave a detailed briefing on the action plan for the Yatra.ACS Home RK Goyal, DGP Dilbag Singh, Principal Secretary, Public Works (R and B) Shailendra Kumar, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board CEO Mandeep Kumar Bhandari,, all ADGPs, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, SSPs and senior officers attended the meeting.ANI28 June 2023

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Ashes 2023: Lords Test preview as England and Australia lock horns

London, June 28: Australia will look to make their lead 2-0 while England will try to equalize the scorecard in the second test match of the Ashes Series at the historic Lord's on Wednesday.

Ashes 2023: Lord's Test preview as England and Australia lock horns

The Ashes lived up to the expectation as Australia won the opening match by just two wickets on the last day of the first test match.England following their "bazball" approach had declared the first innings at 393 with Joe Root's 118* and Jonny Bairstow's 78.In response, Australia scored 386 with Usman Khawaja's excellent 141 and Alex Carey's 66. However, the England team gave a possible target of 281 to the Australian side to chase. Though the match was very close, the Aussies successfully chased it down at Edgbaston.For Australia, Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers as he had taken four wickets each in both innings. Skipper Pat Cummins also took four wickets in the second innings.On the other, England bowler Stuart Broad took six wickets in the match and Ollie Robinson picked five.England's Playing XI will be without their experienced all-rounder Moeen Ali who was omitted following the finger injury he sustained at Edgbaston last week. Seamer Josh Tongue will join the side in Moeen's absence.Australia squad Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David WarnerEngland squad Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark WoodANI28 June 2023

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China forces Tibetan monks to cut ties with Dalai Lama: Report

Lhasa [Tibet], June 28: The Chinese authorities in Tibet are conducting several raids and searches on monasteries and are forcing monks to sign documents that require breaking all relations with Dalai Lama, the supreme spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, reported Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News).

China forces Tibetan monks to cut ties with Dalai Lama: Report

Starting this month, the Chinese authorities conducted searches of monasteries in Shentsa and Sok counties on the pretext of maintaining security, said a Tibetan living in exile on the condition of anonymity, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on June 26.The exiled Tibetan said, "The authorities search all the residences of the monks and the main shrines in the monasteries."The source, quoted by UCA News, also said, "The monks of Shartsa Monastery are also forced into renouncing ties with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and be a part of anti-Dalai Lama groups."In the previous year, RFA reported that China has made it mandatory for Tibetans working in official government positions to cut all ties with the Dalai Lama as a condition of employment.China considers Dalai Lama, who is living in exile in India for decades, a separatist intending to split the formerly independent region from the control of China, as per UCA News.Chinese forces invaded and annexed Tibet in the 1950s under the pretext that it had always been a part of China.According to the Dalai Lama, he only wants further autonomy for Tibet within China if there is a guarantee that its religion, language, and culture will be preserved.The Shartsa monks can be seen registering their names on a board on the wall in a photo that RFA got from Tibet."We will vigorously take part in opposing the Dalai Lama clique and will remain loyal and devoted to the country (China)," reads the text on the board, according to UCA News.Another exiled Tibetan who wished to remain unnamed claimed that as part of their searches, the authorities had been looking through the monks' prayer manuscripts and books and taking prayer flags from shrines.A monk in exile said, "They did not give any sort of warning before conducting these random searchers," adding, "The monks in these monasteries were summoned for a meeting where they were forced to sign documents renouncing the Dalai Lama and separatism."Tibetans were angered by China's acquisition of their territory because they saw it as an occupation by a foreign power. China violently put down an uprising in Tibet against Chinese control in 1959.Despite Chinese persecution, Tibetans have fought and gave up their lives for independence for many years, UCA News reported.ANI28 June 2023

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J-K: Langar committees begin preparation for Amarnath Yatra on Jammu-Srinagar highway

Udhampur, June 28: With Amarnath Yatra set to commence on July 1, various langar committees have started their preparation on Wednesday, three days in advance, to cater to the pilgrims in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.

J-K: Langar committees begin preparation for Amarnath Yatra on Jammu-Srinagar highway

The arrangements for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra are underway as the committees prepare sheds, cooking resources and other raw materials on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir's Ushampur district. A total of 22 langars have been established this year at various points of the highway (NHW-44).Raj Paul Sultan, the president of one of the Langar committees from Amritsar, says, "We've been working for the last 4-5 days to set up langars in the Thard area on Jammu Srinagar National Highway in Udhampur. We want to finish the work as soon as possible."He said that this is their thirteenth langar as they continue to serve langar for Shri Amarnath Pilgrims."For the first time after many years, the holy Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir starting from 1st July will be 2 months long, and we expect a huge rush of Shri Amarnath Ji Devotees. In view of this our preparation is under way," he added.He mentioned that they were preparing to provide every devotee with rest, food, medical care and other facilities during the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.Tilak Raj, a member of the committee, added that the District Administration of Udhampur is supportive and cooperative, and they have been providing the langar organisers with whatever resources they need such as electricity, water and other materials.He said that they were extremely happy to be able to serve the devotees embarking on the Yatra. He encouraged the devotees to be careful of their well-being while taking the Yatra.The committee serves traditional and healthy Punjabi meals to the devotees in the form of Bandara (or Langar).The 62-day yatra, which commences on July 1 and culminates on August 31, is an important pilgrimage for Hindus who visit the Amarnath Cave, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. It will start from the ancient paths of Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir where pilgrims will set off on their solemn trek.ANI28 June 2023

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Yogi govt to kick off one-tap-one-tree campaign in UP from July 1

Lucknow, June 28: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is set to launch a first-of-its-kind, 'one-tap-one-tree' campaign in the state from July 1.

Yogi govt to kick off 'one-tap-one-tree' campaign in UP from July 1

This two-pronged campaign aims to expand green cover and ensure the provision of tap water in rural areas simultaneously. The state government seeks to plant over five lakh saplings in rural areas and provide safe drinking water in the first week of July, the official release said.Anurag Srivastava, Principal Secretary of Namami Gange and the Rural Water Supply Department chaired a meeting on Wednesday to this effect. Srivastava directed officials to conduct a plantation drive by Jal Samitis and other organizations on a massive scale between July 1 and 7."The Jal Samitis and other organizations have been entrusted with the task of carrying out plantation drives at district, block and Gram Panchayat levels. Members of the organizations will conduct environment-based programmes and spread awareness among villagers regarding saving the environment and water," he said.As per the release the Jal Samitis will educate people about the diseases caused by contaminated water and methods of prevention, as well as raise awareness about techniques to conserve rainwater, he said.Jal-Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh said, "The Yogi government does not only pay attention to the present but is equally concerned about the future. The campaign bears testimony to this." He added that the initiative will ensure that "our future generations have access to clean drinking water and can breathe in a clean environment."The initiative will be launched by the Namami Gange and the Rural Water Supply Department on the instructions of the Chief Minister. Under the 'Har-Ghar-Jal' scheme, each beneficiary will now be provided with a sapling along with a tap water connection in the state.These saplings will be planted by officials and employees of the Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply departments outside the homes of households receiving tap connections, on overhead tanks, at pump houses and at water treatment plants.Uttar Pradesh has provided the maximum tap connections under the 'Jal Samitis' scheme among all states in the country. Around 40,000 to 42000 new tap water connections are provided to families in rural Uttar Pradesh every day.ANI28 June 2023

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Paralympic Fencer Vibhas Sen and Jhatkaa.org come together for the inclusion of disability data in a national health survey

PNN, New Delhi, June 28: Paralympic fencer and disability rights activist, Vibhas Sen, has joined forces with Jhatkaa.

Paralympic Fencer Vibhas Sen and Jhatkaa.org come together for the inclusion of disability data in a national health survey

org, a leading social justice advocacy organisation, to address the challenges of inadequate data collection on persons with disabilities. Together, they are calling for the inclusion of disability-related questions in the upcoming National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Despite the enactment of the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act in 2016, significant gaps persist in the collection of comprehensive data on individuals with disabilities. Recognising the pressing nature of this problem, Sen says it is crucial to find a solution and bridge this data gap.The collection of accurate data plays a pivotal role in determining the allocation of funds for welfare schemes and programmes catering to persons with disabilities. The insufficient availability of funds has a deep impact on their day-to-day lives, limiting their access to necessary support systems and hindering their full participation in society."Through enhanced data collection, extensive research, and effective dissemination, we can ensure equal access to public provisions and spaces for people with disabilities. Data collection can also help in eradicating stereotypes and misconceptions, identifying service gaps, and evaluating the impact of policies and programmes on the lives of people with disabilities. These help us hold governments accountable for their commitment to people with disabilities," said Sen.Disappointingly, NFHS-6, scheduled to commence in a month, has excluded disability-related questions from its survey. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's official statement that "disability data won't change fast" further compounds this neglect. Such exclusion perpetuates a narrow definition of disability and undermines the urgent need to address this issue.To express his concern over this exclusion and challenge the normalisation of a limited perspective on disability, Sen has partnered with Jhatkaa.org. They are jointly demanding that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare incorporates disability-related questions in the survey, encompassing all disabilities listed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.Sen and Jhatkaa.org believe in equality for all and are confident that by uniting the voices of compassionate citizens, they can bring about meaningful change. In order to amplify their demands and ensure they are heard; they urge citizens to show their support by signing the petition onlineFor more information Kindly visit the website(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI28 June 2023

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Jashn-E Gosht: A Month-long Gourmet Mutton Festival by ITC Master Chef Creations

PNN, Bangalore, June 28: ITC Master Chef Creations, known for its exquisite culinary experiences, is all set to host a month-long mutton feast called Jashn-E Gosht in Bangalore by their cloud brand ITC Master Chef Creations.

Jashn-E Gosht: A Month-long Gourmet Mutton Festival by ITC Master Chef Creations

Starting from June 22, the festival will offer a wide range of delectable mutton dishes.The festival will feature exquisite mutton delicacies expertly curated by our renowned chefs of ITC's distinguished culinary heritage. From succulent biryanis and flavourful curries to hearty stews and kebabs, there's something for everyone.The festival will let you indulge in the luscious, abundant flavours of Mutton Nihari, a slow-cooked broth that melts effortlessly in your mouth. Another highlight is their irresistible Bhuna Gosht (Inspired by "the Mande Ka Salon Style" of Aurangabad. And for Bengaluru's Biryani aficionados, a divine serving of succulent Gosht Keema Biryani awaits.These dishes are prepared by ITC's Master Chefs, who have honed their skills over several years and have won accolades from across the globe. The festival is a fantastic opportunity for people to experience the authentic taste of mutton dishes from North West Frontier regions of India.Inspired by quintessential Eid specialties, the festival is an ode to the rich and diverse culinary heritage of India, showcasing the skill and expertise of ITC's master chefs. Whether you're hosting loved ones for Eid, or seeking a fulfilling gourmet memory, a month of mouthwatering mutton delicacies awaits you.The festival promises to be a gastronomical delight for all food enthusiasts. You can enjoy the dishes as part of a curated set menu via Swiggy or Zomato. The menu will include Mutton Nihari, Mutton Curry, Bhuna Gosht, Keema Masala, Keema Matar, Keema Biryani, Mutton Shikampuri Kebab, and Gosht Biryani.Don't miss the opportunity to indulge in a one-of-a-kind culinary experience from ITC Master Chef Creations. For more information, visit their Swiggy and Zomato or follow them on social media @ITCMasterChefCreations.(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI28 June 2023

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Madhya Pradesh govt to open new medical colleges in six districts

Bhopal, June 28: Madhya Pradesh Government on Wednesday decided to open new medical colleges in six districts namely Khargone, Dhar, Bhind, Balaghat, Tikamgarh and Sidhi.

Madhya Pradesh govt to open new medical colleges in six districts

The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held at Mantralaya in the state capital.After the meeting, State Home Minister Narottam Mishra briefed mediapersons about the various decisions taken by the council of ministers."During the meeting, the cabinet approved the proposal to open new medical colleges in six districts of the state which include, Khargone, Dhar, Bhind, Balaghat, Tikamgarh and Sidhi. The council of ministers also approved the proposal of Rs 1335.20 crore for the construction of 33 new innovative CM Rise schools," Mishra said.The cabinet also extended the date for transfers of employees and officers within the districts from June 30 to till July 7, he added.The home minister further said that the council of ministers approved Rs 24000 crores for electricity subsidy. Exemption in destitute fee for procurement of summer moong and urad crops on Minimum Support Price (MSP).Besides, the cabinet approved Rs 1700 crore for two years in the fourth phase of Chief Minister's Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme. Rs 190 crore approved for Seep Amber Complex Irrigation Project Phase 2 in Sehore's Bherunda. Irrigation will be done in 13,457 hectare area and 24 villages of Bherunda tehsil will be benefited with it, the minister added.The home minister also said that the council of ministers also permitted the amendment in Revenue Book Circular (RBC) 6(4) under which compensation amount given in Banana farming damage in natural calamity was increased. The compensation amount was doubled in various categories of the loss.ANI29 June 2023

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Million of hits to e-Court services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts: J-K LG Manoj Sinha

Jammu, June 29: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha lauded the e-Committee of the Supreme Court and the Department of Law and Justice for their efforts to use future technologies and said that millions of hits to e-Court Services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts.

Million of hits to e-Court services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts: J-K LG Manoj Sinha

L-G Sinha was addressing an event organised to mark the foundation stone laying for the new High Court complex of J-K and Ladakh at Raika on Wednesday.Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, the Chief Justice of India laid the foundation stone for the new High Court complex of J-K and Ladakh, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor of J-K, Manoj Sinha; Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.) and Judges of the Supreme Court and High Court.Document Management System (DMS) for the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and National Service and Tracking of Electronic Process (N-STEP) for District Courts were also launched.The Chief Justice of India, Y. Chandrachud, in his address, described the Judicial Officers as front-line warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man who is seeking justice."It is our endeavour that every section of the society, poor or underprivileged have access to Justice. The foundation of the new High Court complex and the newly launched IT initiatives are pioneer steps in bringing reforms in the Justice delivery system," he said.He also stressed encouraging the productive participation of women in the delivery of Justice.Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha congratulated all the Judiciary, and legal fraternity members and expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its support for the mega project."The new High Court complex of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be an integrated complex with state-of-the-art physical infrastructure and modern amenities," he said."Million of hits to e-Court Services every day reflect citizen-centric efforts, ease of justice and digital empowerment," the Lt Governor said."75 years journey of India's independence is witness to democratic institutions fulfilling hope and aspiration of common citizens. Our Constitution as guiding light has ensured prosperity, socio-economic progress and dignity for all," he added.The Lt Governor said the two important IT initiatives for the High Court and all District Courts launched today will make the legal system inclusive and accessible to all.The Lt Governor highlighted various initiatives taken recently in J-K for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) enablement of courts.The Lt Governor also shared the IT initiatives of the UT Government to make the governance process transparent, accountable and responsive.Lt Governor of Ladakh, B. D. Mishra gave a detailed discourse on fundamental duties and highlighted that democracy has to be defended by ensuring that the tenet of justice is upheld.Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union MoS for Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, who joined through virtual mode, expressed hope that the DMS and N-STEP facilities would be milestones in the technology sector and would accelerate the pace of development and progress. He assured all possible financial support and an adequate budget to the Government of J-K for the Judicial infrastructural development.An overview of the functionality of DMS was displayed by a video presentation and the mobile phones for the N-STEP application were distributed to the process servers to mark the launch of the initiative.Judges of the Supreme Court of India and the High Court of J-K and Ladakh; members of the Judiciary and legal fraternity, senior officials of Police and Civil administration were also present.ANI29 June 2023

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Never off Duty says Anil Kapoor as he hosts The Night Manager team at his residence

Mumbai, June 28: Actor Anil Kapoor, on Wednesday, hosted his 'The Night Manager' team at his residence.

'Never off Duty' says Anil Kapoor as he hosts 'The Night Manager' team at his residence

He took to Instagram and shared a group picture with his co-stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Ravi Behl, and director Sandeep Modi, at his house. The team can be seen posing with happy faces on the balcony with the lovely weather.Along with the post, he wrote, "#TheNightManager2, never off duty! @adityaroykapur @sobhitad @tillotamashome @ravibehl @sandeipm @disneyplushotstar @banijayasia @the_ink_factory_"As soon as he shared the post, actor Tillotama Shome commented. She thanked Anil for the snacks. She wrote, "Thank you for the delicious poha and bhel and nimbu paaani."Fans showered love by dropping heart emojis in the comment section.On Wednesday, the cast of 'The Night Manager 2' marked their presence at a press conference in Mumbai.'The Night Manager' is a Hindi remake of the British television drama 'The Night Manager', which was based on John le Carre's novel of the same name. Sandeep Modi produced and directed the next Hindi web series.Aditya plays the lead role of former intelligence officer Shaan Sengupta and Anil Kapoor essays the negative role of Shailendra Rungta. Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee, and Ravi Behl also feature in the web show.The first part saw the clash between Shelly Rungta (Anil Kapoor) and Shaan Sengupta (Aditya Roy Kapur) that left the fans asking for more of the duo.ANI29 June 2023

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THAI welcomes A320 to its fleet

PRNewswire, Bangkok [Thailand], June 29: Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) recently welcomed four Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet in response to growing travel demand of customers.

THAI welcomes A320 to its fleet

The aircraft, offering only Economy class, will be operated on the international routes which are Bangkok - Delhi v.v. (TG323/324) starting 1 July 2023 and Bangkok - Mumbai v.v. (TG351/352) starting 2 July 2023.The addition of Airbus A320 will enhance the airline fleet efficiency and improve aircraft utilization as well as strengthen THAI route network to support the rising travel demands.For further information about flight schedule, booking and ticket issuing, please visit , contact THAI sales offices, or call (+66) 2-356-1111 for THAI Contact Center (24 hours a day).(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI30 June 2023

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The Russian writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy may have been onto something when he wrote the opening line of Anna Karenina: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

A recent study published in Psychological Science and led by a scholar now at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, suggests that when it comes to their brains processing information, people who are not lonely are all alike, but every lonely person processes the world in their own, idiosyncratic way.

Copious research shows that loneliness is detrimental to well-being and is often accompanied by self-reported feelings of not being understood by others. A recent report from the United States Surgeon General's office referred to loneliness as a public health crisis in reaction to the growing number of adults suffering from this condition. Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.

Loneliness is idiosyncratic

While she was a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA, Elisa Baek, assistant professor of psychology at USC Dornsife, sought to better understand what contributes to such feelings of disconnection and being misunderstood. Baek and her team used a neuroimaging technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the brains of 66 first-year college students while they watched a series of video clips. The videos ranged in topic from sentimental music videos to party scenes and sporting events, providing a diverse array of scenarios for analysis.

Before being scanned, the participants, who ranged in age from 18 to 21, were asked to complete the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a survey that measures a person's subjective feelings of loneliness and feelings of social isolation.

Based on the survey results, the researchers separated the participants into two groups: lonely and "nonlonely" (those not experiencing loneliness). They then scanned each participant's brain using fMRI as the participant watched the videos.

Comparing the brain imaging data between the two groups, the researchers discovered that lonelier individuals exhibited more dissimilar and idiosyncratic brain processing patterns than their non-lonely counterparts.

This finding is significant because it reveals that neural similarity, which refers to how similar the brain activity patterns of different individuals are, is linked to a shared understanding of the world. This shared understanding is important for establishing social connections. People who suffer from loneliness are not only less similar to society's norm of processing the world, but each lonely person differs in unique ways, as well. That uniqueness may further impact the feelings of isolation and lacking social connections.

Baek said, "It was surprising to find that lonely people were even less similar to each other." The fact that they don't find commonality with lonely or nonlonely people makes achieving social connection even more difficult for them.

The 'Anna Karenina principle' is a fitting description of lonely people, as they experience loneliness in an idiosyncratic way, not in a universally relatable way." Elisa Baek, assistant professor of psychology at USC Dornsife

Loneliness isn't about having or not having friends

So, does idiosyncratic processing in lonely individuals cause loneliness, or is it a result of loneliness?

The researchers observed that individuals with high levels of loneliness -; regardless of how many friends or social connections they had -; were more likely to have idiosyncratic brain responses. This raised the possibility that being surrounded by people who see the world differently from oneself may be a risk factor for loneliness, even if one socializes regularly with them.

The study also suggests that because social connections or disconnections fluctuate over time, it may influence the extent to which an individual processes the world idiosyncratically.

Looking forward, Baek said she is interested in examining people who have friends and are socially active but still feel lonely. In addition, the researchers are looking at what particular situations lonely individuals process differently. For example, do lonely people show idiosyncrasies when processing unexpected events or ambiguous social contexts in which things can be interpreted differently?

About the study:

Funding for the study came from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Mental Health.
In a recent study published in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, researchers evaluated the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on mass drug administration (MDA) programming. They also provided solutions by neglected tropical disease (NTD) stakeholders for the relaunch of MDA implementation activities.

NTDs are diseases in tropical and sub-tropical regions with limited access to healthcare services, clear water, and sanitation. They are controlled through preventative chemotherapy (MDA) campaigns. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted essential health services, including national NTD programs. Most MDA programs were postponed for six to 12 months; therefore, understanding implementers' perspectives on challenges and opportunities for program relaunch is crucial for maximizing disease control and elimination during public health emergencies.

Our interventions are still here to support communities during the pandemic: Resuming mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases after COVID-19 implementation delays. Image Credit: Magnifical Productions / Shutterstock

About the study

In the present mixed-methods study, researchers summarized the perspectives of Ministry of Health (MOH) Program Managers (PMs) and non-governmental organization (NGOs) representatives working on NTDs in sub-Saharan Africa on COVID-19-related challenges on MDA programs. They also identified opportunities to improve planning and implementation during the MDA program relaunch.

Data from web-based surveys and focused group discussions (FGDs) were deidentified and analyzed. The study included Ministry of Health NTD PMs from Sub-Saharan African regions and their implementation collaborators representing NGOs. Purposive-type sampling was employed to recruit both sets of participants. The team recruited PMs through a regional PM membership database and NGO volunteers through the NTD non-governmental organization network (NNN) list.

The survey was mailed to 1,974 and 48 NGO representatives and PMs, respectively. In addition, all PMs were invited to take part in FGDs. The World Health Organization (WHO) Office for the African Continent created and conducted the online survey as part of the Expanded Special Project for the elimination of NTDs (ESPEN).

The survey was administered between 8 August and 18 September 2020. Three focused group discussions were held over one-hour video chats with the program managers, one in Portuguese, one in French, and one in English. To create codebooks, the tapes were transcribed into English. Following coding, memos were made to describe the findings, and a thematic analysis was performed to determine the main themes. Triangulation was utilized to integrate data and determine divergence or convergence between the qualitative (FGD-based) and quantitative (survey-based) findings.

Results

The web-based survey gathered responses from 10 PMs representing 10 nations (21% response rate) and 37 volunteers representing 25 organizations (2.0% response rate). Even though MDA program activities were discontinued owing to WHO instructions, more than 40% of NGO volunteers and PMS revealed intentions for resuming MDA activities for the PC-NTDs within between six and twelve months of the survey's administration. In total, 37 neglected tropical disease PMs across 17 nations (77.0% response rate) attended the FDGs, and six topics emerged from the survey and focus groups.

The initial three concepts identified COVID-19-associated factors that hampered MDA execution, such as (i) diverting financial resources for COVID-19 mitigation; (ii) difficulties complying with pandemic guidelines; and (iii) community hesitation due to the fear of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The final three concepts discussed possible approaches and proposed strategies for restarting MDA programs in the COVID-19 scenario, specifically (iv) modifying packaging and distribution processes to curtail SARS-CoV-2 transmission; (v) accepting technological advances for maximizing intervention preparation and execution; and (vi) determining possibilities for improving program collaboration between COVID-19 responses and neglected tropical disease campaigns.

The most frequently cited difficulties following WHO guidelines on delaying MDA operations were associated with resource requirements. PM and NGO volunteers, in particular, reported human and financial resource deficits (65% and 50%, respectively) since resources were redirected from NTD efforts to the COVID-19 response. In CDD education (45% and 50%, respectively) and public participation and sensitization tasks (45% and 40%, respectively), 40% and 50% of NGO volunteers and PMs stated difficulties following COVID-19 safety protocols such as social distancing and obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE). Prioritizing spoon use and distributing medicines in premeasured packets could help reduce contact during drug administration.

In addition, schistosomiasis treatment could be administered via dosage poles. Public sensitization strategies could include using public address systems placed on automobiles that allow for physical separation and embedding COVID-19-related health education into community involvement activities. Prioritizing house-to-house medicine delivery (rather than fixed-point distribution) may help preserve physical distance. Instead of relying on written techniques, mobile devices could potentially be utilized to acquire individual- and household-level data to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission risks, simplify essential intervention operations, and perhaps lower program execution costs.

Instead of relying on written techniques, mobile devices could potentially be utilized to acquire individual- and household-level data to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission risks, simplify essential intervention operations, and perhaps lower program execution costs. Meetings could be held online to train healthcare workers and hold planning sessions. Linking NTD initiatives with other health initiatives could aid in the pooling of human and financial resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, lowering the danger of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and optimizing the execution of programs.

Overall, the study findings highlighted critical issues caused by disruptions in NTD program execution and provided practical suggestions for endemic nations to establish robust programs that can operate during and after worldwide pandemics.
A blood-based test developed by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center can efficiently predict an individual's risk of dying from lung cancer when combined with a personalized risk model.

According to new data published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a blood-based four-protein panel (4MP), when combined with a lung cancer risk model (PLCOm2012), can better identify those at high risk of dying from lung cancer than the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria.

These findings build upon previous MD Anderson research demonstrating the combination test more accurately determined who is likely to benefit from lung cancer screening than the USPSTF criteria.

This simple blood test has the potential to save lives by determining the need for lung cancer screening on a personalized basis. Given the challenges associated with CT as a frontline screening method for lung cancer and the fact that most individuals diagnosed with the disease do not meet current guidelines, there is an urgent demand for an alternative approach." Samir Hanash, M.D., Ph.D., co-corresponding author, professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention

For this study, MD Anderson researchers analyzed pre-diagnostic blood samples from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, including 552 individuals who later developed lung cancer and 2,193 who did not. Of the 552 individuals diagnosed during the six-year study period, 70% (387) died from lung cancer.

Using hazard ratios, the researchers assessed the relationship between the risk scores generated by the combination model (4MP + PLCOm2012) and the incidence of lung cancer death. The combination showed improved sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value compared to the 2013 and 2021 USPSTF criteria for predicting lung cancer-specific mortality among individuals who smoked at least 10 pack-years (PYs).

The USPSTF recommends that adults at elevated risk for lung cancer receive a low-dose CT scan each year, which was shown to reduce lung cancer deaths in the 2011 National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). The 2021 USPSTF criteria applies to adults aged 50 to 80 who have at least a 20 PY smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

"For individuals who currently are not eligible for lung cancer screening, a positive test may help to identify those possibly at risk for lung cancer death," said co-corresponding author Edwin Ostrin, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of General Internal Medicine. "We envision this as a tool that could be deployed worldwide, as the future of early detection of this disease."

Lung cancer causes an estimated 25% of cancer deaths. Early detection improves prospects of survival, but most countries do not screen for it. Fewer than half of all U.S. cases are among people who are eligible under USPSTF guidelines.

While the blood test could be implemented as a lab-developed test in the near future, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval likely would require evaluation through a prospective clinical trial.

Hanash is an inventor on a patent application related to the blood test. A complete list of co-authors and their disclosures is included in the paper.

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute (U01CA194733, U01CA213285, U01CA200468, U24CA086368), the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, and the Lung Cancer Moon Shot, part of MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program.
Opioid pain-relieving medicines are not more effective than a placebo in relieving acute back and neck pain and may even cause harm, according to a world-first trial led by the University of Sydney.

The researchers say this is proof that treatment guidelines should be updated to advise against the use of opioids for this purpose.

Over 577 million people worldwide experience low back and neck pain at any one time.

Despite a global push to reduce the use of opioids, in Australia approximately 40 to 70 percent of those who present with neck and back complaints are prescribed opioids for their pain.

The OPAL trial recruited close to 350 participants from 157 primary care and emergency department sites. Participants with acute-meaning sudden and generally short-term-back or neck pain were randomly allocated to a six-week course of a commonly prescribed opioid or a placebo.

Both groups also received standard care including advice to avoid bed rest and stay active. Participants were followed for 52 weeks.

The results of the trial are published in The Lancet today.

What did the study find?

At six weeks, those who received opioids did not have better pain relief than those given the placebo.

Quality of life and pain outcomes at long-term follow-up were better in the placebo group.

Patients who received opioids were at a small but significantly higher risk of opioid misuse 12-months after their short course of medication.

The research team says that according to current back and neck pain guidelines opioids can be considered as a last resort if all other pharmacological options have failed, however, this study is evidence that opioids should not be recommended at all.

"We have clearly shown there is no benefit to prescribing an opioid for pain management in people with acute back or neck pain, and in fact, it could cause harm in the long-term even with only a short course of treatment," said lead investigator Professor Christine Lin from Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, an initiative of the University of Sydney, Sydney Local Health District and Northern Sydney Local Health District

"Opioids should not be recommended for acute back and neck pain full stop.

"Not even when other drug treatments are not able to be prescribed or have not been effective for a patient."

The study complements previous research into opioid use for chronic (long-term) low back pain which found a small treatment benefit, but increased risk of harm.

Global push to reduce opioid use

Reducing the overuse of opioids is a global health priority. Medical authorities around the world have cautioned that due to the significant risk of harm to individuals and society, opioids should only be used where there is evidence that the benefits outweigh the harms.

Co-author Professor Chris Maher said in recent years there has been a shift in focus from opioid to non-opioid treatments for low back pain, with a focus on physical and psychological therapies and simple analgesics such as anti-inflammatory medicines (called NSAIDs).

"This study is further evidence that the first line management of acute low back pain and neck pain should rely on reassurance and advice to stay active, and simple analgesics like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if necessary," said Professor Maher, also of Sydney Musculoskeletal Health.

Harm caused by opioid use

Professor Andrew McLachlan, Dean of Sydney Pharmacy School and co-investigator, said the Lancet study is important and should influence prescribing and dispensing of these medicines as Australia faces rising rates of opioid use.

According to Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, every day in Australia nearly 150 hospitalisations and 14 emergency department admissions involve issues relating to opioid use, and three people die from the harm that results from prescription opioid use.

The possible harmful effects of opioids are well known. They range from minor harms such as constipation and drowsiness to major harms such as dependence, addiction, overdose, and even unintentional death. The findings from the OPAL trial further reinforce the need to reassess the use of opioid pain-relieving medicines as there is limited evidence of benefit and known significant risk of harm." Professor Andrew McLachlan, Dean of Sydney Pharmacy School

The authors note some study limitations including data gaps due to participant attrition and issues with medication adherence consistent with other backpain drug trials. They suggest neither are likely to have impacted the main outcomes of the study.

The trial is a collaboration between the University of Sydney, The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney Local Health District and Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands.
Have you ever felt the strong sensation that someone is behind you, so intense that you turn around, only to see that no-one is there? This is a 'presence hallucination'. Presence hallucinations are particularly frequent but underreported in patients with Parkinson's disease and may appear early on in the course of the disease. They are sometimes ignored by the patient, by clinicians, or brushed off as a simple side-effect of medication.

Now, EPFL scientists have found that patients recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and who have early hallucinations are at greater risk of faster cognitive decline. The results are published in Nature Mental Health.

We now know that early hallucinations are to be taken seriously in Parkinson's disease. If you have Parkinson's disease and experience hallucinations, even minor ones, then you should share this information with your doctor as soon as possible," explains Fosco Bernasconi of EPFL's Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and lead author of the study. "So far, we only have evidence linking cognitive decline and early hallucinations for Parkinson's disease, but it could also be valid for other neurodegenerative diseases." Olaf Blanke, Bertarelli Chair in Cognitive Neuroprosthetics, who leads EPFL's Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience

A long-term clinical study of Parkinson's patients

In a collaboration between EPFL and Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona, the scientists collected data about 75 patients between the ages of 60 and 70 and who were all diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The clinicians and scientists at the hospital conducted a series of neuropsychological interviews to assess their cognitive status, neuropsychiatric interviews about whether or not they were experiencing hallucinations, and electroencephalography (EEG) measurements of the brain's activity at rest.

In analyzing the data, the scientists found that in patients with Parkinson's disease, the cognitive decline of frontal executive function is more rapid in the following 5 years for patients with early hallucinations. The level of cognitive decline over those 5 years is further associated with frontal theta (4-8Hz) oscillatory activity as measured by the EEG during the first visit, but only if you have hallucinations at the onset. For clinically and demographically similar patients, the only difference at the outset is that one group has early hallucinations and the other does not.

Early detection for early treatment

Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's are often detected when it's too late, the disease too advanced, limiting the impact of preventative measures and disease-modifying therapies. Bernasconi, Blanke and their collaborators are aiming to change that, looking for early signs  like minor hallucinations  and ways to promote early intervention for slowing down progression of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms of the disease.

Hallucinations are among the lesser-known symptoms of Parkinson's and are highly prevalent early on in the disease, with one individual out of two experiencing hallucinations regularly. Among the different hallucinations, early hallucinations are indeed a cause for concern since they appear in a third of Parkinson patients before onset of motor symptoms like trembling. Parkinson's disease is traditionally defined as a movement disorder with the typical motor symptoms of resting tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, but it also leads to a wide variety of non-motor symptoms that appear early in the course of the disease.

Hallucinations can be described by a continuum of symptoms, from minor symptoms that usually occur early in the course of the disease like presence hallucinations, to more severe symptoms like visual hallucinations that appear later.

It has also already been established that complex visual hallucinations, like seeing someone who is not there, have been linked to cognitive decline and dementia in Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders like dementia with Lewy bodies. However, complex visual hallucinations usually occur at a later stage of the disease, limiting their use as an early marker for cognitive decline.

"Detecting the earliest signs of dementia means early management of the disease, allowing us to develop improved and personalized therapies that try to modify the course of the disease and improve cognitive function," continues Blanke.

"We aim to have an early marker to identify individuals at risk of a more severe form of Parkinson's disease, characterized by a more rapid cognitive decline and dementia, based on hallucinations proneness. And ideally identify those individuals even before hallucinations actually occur. We are therefore developing neurotechnology methods and procedures for that purpose," says Bernasconi.
A review paper by researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology summarized recent advancements and challenges in the use of cross-frequency coupling (CFC) for neuroscience and cyborg and bionic systems (CBS).

The new review paper, published on May 31 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, provided an overview of the latest developments in CFC research, with emphasis on methodologies, neural mechanisms, and applications in CBS, especially clinical interventions.

CFC has gained great interest as an investigative and translational tool in neuroscience for their association with physiological processing and pathological states." Chien-Hung Yeh, study author, professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology

CFC support advancing the understanding of the neurophysiology of cognition and motor control because it characterizes multi-frequency interactions and reflects how these coupled oscillations contribute to top-down neural transmission. CFC, PAC in particular, provides relatively precise metrics of entangling temporal structure in neural circuits. Of note, to avoid methodological confounds in measuring CFC, the cycled-based permuted nonlinear approaches introduced in this review suggest a feasible path toward a more reliable CFC estimation.

The newly published review summarizes the latest studies on CFC in cognitive processes, and various neurological disorders, including but not limited to Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease, plus discussions over the potential neuromodulation techniques for clinical interventions. For example, in AD an early sign of neuronal dysfunction leading to cognitive impairments could be a reduction in - coupling between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, transcranial alternating current stimulation has been recently shown to modulate this coupling across the frontal-occipital regions, leading to enhance performance in working memory tasks.

Looking forward, CFC can play a vital role in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) by enabling more robust and accurate decoding of neural signals. By capturing the complex interactions between different frequency bands in the brain, BCIs can extract more detailed and informative features from neural activity, facilitating better control and communication between the human brain and external devices. "The ultimate goal is to allow for more seamless interaction between the biological and artificial elements by unlocking the full potential of CFC," said Yeh.

However, there are still significant challenges to overcome in the application of CFC in CBS. One is the efficiency and reliability of evaluating CFC intensities without introducing clear delays or bias. Future research and development will likely precisely decode electrophysiological recordings and then translate CFC biomarkers into controls of CBS devices. Furthermore, these translation uses require rigorous testing and validation to ensure their safeness, effectiveness, and reliability in real-world applications. These involve extensive testing and validation in preclinical and clinical settings, along with continued monitoring and optimization of CFC-based CBS over time.

"The research field of translating CFC findings into a cyborg and bionic system is still in its infancy," said Yeh, explaining that most studies focus on investigating the observation of changes in CFC relative to healthy control populations for monitoring disease progression and assessing therapeutic responses. CFC may offer a deeper understanding of the underlying entangling oscillatory mechanisms of neurological disorders. The review paper calls for researchers, medical professionals, engineers, and other experts to collaboratively marshal the research on CFC metrics into practical applications in CBS.

The research team includes Chien-Hung Yeh, Chuting Zhang, and Wenbin Shi from the Beijing Institute of Technology; Men-Tzung Lo from the National Central University; Gerd Tinkhauser from the Bern University Hospital and the University of Bern; and Ashwini Oswal from the University of Oxford.

The research is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the BIT High-level Fellow Research Fund Program, the MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship, the Swiss National Science Foundation, and the National Science and Technology Council.
A new study from Aarhus University shows that far too many people with psychological challenges do not accept offers of colorectal cancer screening. This is a problem, given the higher cancer mortality for Danes with mental illness.

Approx. 5,000 Danes are struck by colorectal cancer each year. As the disease affects people over 50 years in particular, all Danes between 50-74 are offered a free screening to detect this type of cancer early. But far from everyone accepts the offer, and Danes with mental health issues in particular are less likely to accept the offer. These are the results of a study from the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University, which has just been published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Psychiatry.

The study is the first to investigate the influence of mental illness on participation in a national screening program based on submission of stool samples. And Mette Kielsholm Thomsen, postdoc and the researcher behind the study, is concerned about the results.

We found significantly lower participation in colorectal cancer screening among people with severe mental disorders in psychiatric treatment or on antipsychotic medicine. In fact, people with much more common and milder mental disorders and problems are also less likely to participate compared with people without these disorders and problems." Mette Kielsholm Thomsen, postdoc and researcher

In the study, Mette Kielsholm Thomsen used data from 2,036,352 Danes over 50 years of age who have been offered screening for colorectal cancer. The study shows that participation among men with serious mental disorders is 13.8 percentage points lower than people without mental illness, while this figure is as high as 15.4 percentage points for women. Furthermore, milder mental disorders, e.g. requiring antidepressants or psychological treatment, but not psychiatric treatment, have an influence on whether people take part in screening," says Mette Kielsholm Thomsen.

"We found that people with mild mental illness are also less likely to participate in screening programs. This is a serious problem, because they constitute a relatively large group, and this involves a risk that the cancer will not be detected in time."

Can have serious consequences

The risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer increases with age. The public sector offers this screening program to detect the cancer early and prevent it from spreading. Previous studies have shown that people with mental disorders have the same risk of developing cancer as the general population, although they have higher cancer mortality. Therefore, it is important that screening programs focus on the barrier presented by mental challenges for many Danes, says Mette Kielsholm Thomsen.

"The screening program for colorectal cancer should be adapted to meet any needs, e.g. by practitioners in psychiatry or GPs providing the necessary support for people with mental illness to participate in screening programs."

In screening for colorectal cancer, citizens send a stool sample to be tested. If there are signs of blood in the stool, the citizen is invited to a follow-up endoscopy. However, the study shows that Danes with mental disorders are also less likely to accept the endoscopy, says Mette Kielsholm Thomsen:

"We can see that when they do take part in the screening, there are more often signs of blood in their stools than for the rest of the population, but fewer of them accept the follow-up endoscopy, and therefore they don't complete the full screening program."

Mette Kielsholm Thomsen hopes that the study will contribute to increasing focus on helping Danes with mental illness to participate in, and complete, cancer screening programs.

"I hope that the Danish Health Authority and other relevant stakeholders will take the study seriously and consider how we can reduce the barriers for people with mental illness that obstruct them from participating in preventative health services," she says.
Umamaheswar Duvvuri, MD, PhD, a renowned researcher and innovator in advanced, minimally invasive robotic surgery of the head and neck, has been named the Mendik Foundation Professor of Otolaryngology and the new chair of the Department of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, effective July 1. He joins the institution from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he served as a professor in the Departments of Otolaryngology and Cell Biology, director of robotic surgery in the Division of Head and Neck Surgery, and co-leader of the Head and Neck Cancer Program. He is also a staff physician in the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

Dr. Duvvuri has made significant innovations in the field of head and neck surgery, advancing robotic surgery to perform complex and precise procedures that simultaneously minimize patient impact. His translational research seeks to better understand the mechanisms of treatment resistance in cancer cells. He has served as principal investigator for several investigator-initiated and cooperative group clinical trials. He holds funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I am thrilled to be joining NYU Langone Health, where I look forward to ensuring we continue to provide the best outcomes for our patients with exceptional care and continued innovation, which will include growing the field of head and neck surgery with a focus on integrating the most advanced robotic surgical techniques." Dr. Umamaheswar Duvvuri, MD, PhD

Dr. Duvvuri holds a patent on a novel tactile feedback system for robotic surgery. He completed his undergraduate education, as well as his medical degree and doctorate, at the University of Pennsylvania. His internship and residency were both at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and he completed a fellowship in head and neck surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.

"An innovator in the field of head and neck surgery, Dr. Duvvuri has significantly advanced robotic surgery to perform complex and precise procedures that maximize patient outcomes while lessening detrimental side effects," said Robert I. Grossman, MD, dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health. "His combination of cutting-edge skills, research acumen, and empowering mentorship will propel the Department of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery to new heights of exceptionalism."

Dr. Duvvuri is also a passionate educator, having served as the program director for the advanced training fellowship programs in both head and neck oncology surgery and head and neck oncology and director of academic affairs for the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

J. Thomas Roland Jr., MD, a renowned surgeon and neurotologist who has chaired the Department of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery for the past 13 years, will continue his practice in neurotology, skull base surgery, and hearing restoration, including cochlear implants and auditory brain stem implants. Under his leadership, the department increased the research and clinical faculty fourfold, increased NIH and research funding by more than 800 percent, and grew clinical case volume from 950 surgeries per year to more than 6,000. With his guidance, the department launched several new best-in-class multidisciplinary teams, including those for facial paralysis reanimation, neurofibromatosis, voice and swallowing disorders, and vestibular rehabilitation for adults and children.
More than half of the women surveyed in a study carried out by a team from the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), claim to not have known how to manage their first period. This study, published in the journal BMC Women's Health, analyzes the information received about menstruation, the desired information and the information that has the greatest impact on how menstruation is experienced, and finds that menstrual education in Spain is still deficient.

Menstruation continues to be treated as an uncomfortable subject that has to be hidden and what is hidden is not talked about, is not investigated, is not legislated and does not receive the necessary attention. And menstrual health requires this attention." Sara Sanchez Lopez, researcher at the INGENIO Institute, joint center of the UPV and the CSIC, and lead author of the study

The study was conducted through an anonymous online questionnaire to more than 4,000 people, both men and women born or living in Spain between May 2021 and January 2022. The questions addressed issues such as education received about menstruation, comfort to talk about it, emotions experienced during menarche, menstrual hygiene products, economic impact, and social impact, among others.

Their results are revealing: the four most common emotions reported during the first menstruation were embarrassment (23%), worry (20%), fear (16%), and stress (15%).

The study also shows that 35.7% of the women surveyed did not know much about what their periods were when they first started and 56.1% did not know enough about how to proceed. On the other hand, there are numerous testimonies collected in this study in which menstruation has been the cause of mockery or derogatory comments.

Besides, the research found a trend between the information available on how to handle the bleeding and the number of times people recall experiencing embarrassment, fear, worry, and disgust, suggesting that knowing what to do when they have their first period reduces the likelihood of experiencing these emotions. "Unfortunately, only 5% of the people surveyed remember having received this information at school," notes Sara Sanchez Lopez.

On the other hand, the data indicate that despite all the social changes that have occurred in these decades, the emotions experienced during first menstruation in Spain have not varied significantly from the 1950s to the early 2000s.

"The ambiguity of current legislation regarding the contents on menstruation leaves it up to the discretion of the center or even the teacher how much time to devote to the subject and what contents to include. Often, it is merely named in its biological function as part of human reproduction," says Rocio Poveda Bautista, also a researcher at INGENIO and co-author of the study.

However, the lack of information is not limited to the first rule. This study shows the need for reliable and accessible information on how to manage menstrual pain, symptoms of endometriosis and other similar disorders, or on when to see a specialist. Overall, it concludes that more knowledge is needed about how the menstrual cycle affects the whole body and how it varies throughout life, including menopause.

"This study is intended to serve as a guideline for the creation of efficient legislative and social measures. It is a call to action so that menstrual health education, which is still deficient today, is incorporated into the curriculum, to ensure that every schoolchild in Spain receives basic and reliable information on this topic," concludes Santiago Moll Lopez, from the Department of Applied Mathematics at the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia and co-author of the study.

Along with researchers from the UPV and CSIC, this study has also benefited from the valuable contribution of Dr. Dani Barrington from the University of Western Australia, an internationally recognized expert for her research and activism on menstrual health.
In a study published in The Lancet Microbe, researchers analyzed the most recent knowledge about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen or ribonucleic acid (RNA) persistence in SARS-CoV-2-infected children.

Study: Viral persistence in children infected with SARS-CoV-2: current evidence and future research strategies. Image Credit: FamVeld/Shutterstock.com

Background

Although the knowledge of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its human interaction has advanced a lot since its emergence in December 2019, many unanswered questions regarding the virus could significantly impact both children's and adults' health.

The post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (post-COVID-19) or long COVID condition, where the virus persists in the body, presents one of the biggest hurdles for researchers and patients, including adults and children. The development of long COVID has been associated with a number of biological abnormalities.

Nonetheless, the precise pathogenesis is yet unknown. Presently, the focus is on the persistence of the virus or its components in the human body following initial infection.

About the study

In the present research, the authors evaluated the current data on potential SARS-CoV-2 persistence in pediatric patients, how it may impact the patient, and how it may result in post-COVID-19 conditions.

The researchers performed a literature review and analyzed studies on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigen or RNA in children undergoing surgery, biopsy, or autopsy for either death from the multisystem inflammatory syndrome or COVID-19 or evaluations for post-COVID-19 or other conditions in PubMed.

The review contained 21 articles following the screening and selection of identified studies. The age range of patients who underwent tissue biopsies or autopsies was one day to 17 years.

The team also analyzed why these findings may serve as a basis for future therapeutic and diagnostic studies on SARS-CoV-2 infection. They also included the personal experience of a doctor and patient in the study.

SARS-CoV-2 persistence in adults

Studies evaluating viral persistence and immunopathology in COVID-19 patients that died weeks to months following the initial infection, for any reason, showed compelling evidence that the viral parts could persist in the body.

Recent evidence reveals less efficient or lower SARS-CoV-2 clearance in non-respiratory tissues. Thus, comprehending how SARS-CoV-2 bypasses immune detection is vital for directing future therapeutic methods to promote viral clearance.

In addition, several immunological and anatomopathological studies in immunocompetent and immunocompromised adults demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 antigens and RNA could persist in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary regions.

These events have been observed in patients with the SARS-CoV-2 pre-Omicron variant infections. Hence, these results might not apply to individuals with the Omicron variant infection.

Nevertheless, since there is proof that even Omicron-infected patients develop post-COVID-19 conditions, until disproven, viral persistence might be a possibility even among newly infected patients.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric populations

Of the 21 studies in the present review, eight articles addressed the post-mortem histopathological results and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in tissues of children who had undergone autopsy due to fatal acute illness complications.

Six publications demonstrated the presence of viral RNA in the central nervous system (CNS) and other organs and tissues. Further, no SARS-CoV-2 RNA was identified in samples of the blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), lungs, or brain tissue of a pediatric patient who died due to acute fulminant cerebral edema associated with COVID-19.

In three studies, pediatric patients with COVID-19-linked pneumonia showed RT-PCR-confirmed viral infection of respiratory tissues.

Furthermore, the authors noted that according to 11 studies in the present research, following an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus or at least its parts persisted for weeks to months in children's biological fluids and tissues.

In addition, three articles depicted the post-mortem discovery of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in tissues of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome. One case report demonstrated SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid proteins in the intestinal lamina propria of a young girl with ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms three months following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Two articles described RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 persistence in adenoids and palatine tonsils of children with mild or asymptomatic acute infection. Furthermore, another study depicted SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by RT-PCR in the CSF of a 17-year-old girl with Guillain-Barre syndrome associated with acute COVID-19.

Two included publications examining the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in tissues of stillborn babies who died following maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy detected viral RNA in their organs. The most frequent anatomopathological observations were associated with intrauterine hypoxia, asphyxia, hemosiderosis, and hepatocellular damage.

An extremely preterm baby who died four days following birth, whose mother had severe acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, had viral RNA in the neonatal liver and heart vascular endothelium, and various placental and neonatal samples.

Potential effects of SARS-CoV-2 or its particles persistence

Although the biological impacts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA persistence are uncertain, preliminary data indicate that these viral components could stimulate immune responses. A study found that the CXCR5+ CD8+ T cells may act as SARS-CoV-2 spreaders in various body regions concealing the virus or an inflammation source in long COVID.

Additionally, a pilot study documented that a subgroup of children with post-COVID-19 had an impaired capacity to switch from non-specific to acquired immune responses.

Moreover, evidence suggests that long-term SARS-CoV-2 antigenemia can result in a hyperinflammatory presentation in multisystem inflammatory syndrome and long COVID among pediatric populations.

Although observational studies discovered a spike in new-onset immune-mediated diseases among children with a history of COVID-19, like type 1 diabetes, a clear association and causal impact between SARS-CoV-2 infection and type 1 diabetes is lacking.

Antiviral consideration for pharmacological studies in long COVID

An oral antiviral agent, nirmatrelvir, targets the SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease enzyme (Mpro), essential to the viral replication cycle. Nirmatrelvir therapy was linked to a lower risk of long COVID. A case series of four long COVID patients demonstrated improved symptoms following treatment with nirmatrelvir.

Other promising treatment options in the long COVID include immunomodulatory drugs lowering chronic inflammation, such as immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody.

Although SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may not be an immunomodulatory therapy, a 2023 systematic review discovered that it has therapeutic impacts on long COVID through rebalancing and boosting the immune system. Nonetheless, no research has been published examining the same effects in pediatric populations.

Comparing long COVID to other viral infections

A study compared the symptoms of long COVID patients with psychosomatic or psychiatric patients with other infections, such as Ebola, Lyme, influenza, and chikungunya.

These clinical findings show that many people who survived infections may have long-term, detrimental effects on their health. Further, no study indicates that COVID-19 could result in symptoms as severe as post-measles subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Conclusions

The current study shows SARS-CoV-2 could circulate systemically and persist for weeks or months in children, regardless of the severity of the disease. Viral RNA has been found in pediatric patients who died due to critical acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19.

The authors discussed what is presently known about the biological impacts of SARS-CoV-2 persistence on different viral infections and outlined novel scenarios for basic, clinical, and pharmacological research exploration.

A strategy like this will help with post-viral syndrome management and comprehension. The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA following infection is well known. Nevertheless, its impact on immunity, health, and chronic diseases is still not entirely understood.

The researchers suggest that the enormous scientific interest in SARS-CoV-2 presents a unique chance to learn more about the biological, therapeutic, and clinical effects of viral persistence in humans.
The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, has had significant impacts nationally on healthcare justice, affecting the health, financial stability and opportunity for many people across the country. In the environment where Roe no longer offers a consistent federal right to abortion, multiple states have enacted laws further restricting access to abortion and creating even more burdens for women and other pregnant people, people of color and those who are unable to travel out-of-state for their medical care. In the wake of the Dobbs decision and actions in other states to restrict abortion services, UW Medicine leadership reaffirms our support for access to abortion care as part of a full continuum of reproductive healthcare services, including access through telemedicine for patients located in Washington state.

We will continue our current practice of broad access to abortion for our patients, where permissible, and seek to minimize any impact these changes will have on our teaching programs and the provision of abortion care for our clinicians, faculty and staff.

The Court's decision and restrictive laws enacted in other states do not directly affect abortion services provided in Washington, which are protected under state law. However, we recognize that there may be implications for UW faculty, clinicians, residents and students in the WWAMI region outside of Washington, as well as for patients from other states who may now seek care in Washington state. (WWAMI is an acronym for the states served by the UW School of Medicine: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.)

UW Medicine has convened a team including clinicians, faculty and attorneys to review the Supreme Court decision and state laws enacted post-Roe to provide general guidance to faculty, clinicians, residents, students and staff regarding the practice and teaching of reproductive care within Washington state as well as the other WWAMI states. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. In the meantime, we affirm the following:

An individual's right to an abortion:

We will continue to support the principle that everyone should have full access to the healthcare services they need, including reproductive care. We also believe that all medical decisions, including the decision to have an abortion, should be made by an individual with the support of their clinician.

Patients in Washington will continue to be able to access abortion services. However, we recognize that continuing federal court challenges to the Food and Drug Administration's approval of an abortion medication could potentially affect patients in Washington. Patients in many other states have been impacted by changes to laws in their states. These changes may have implications for UW Medicine clinicians who are licensed in and provide care to patients in those states and/or for UW Medicine clinicians who provide care to patients in Washington through telemedicine, including non-resident patients accessing reproductive care while here temporarily. We have been developing and will continue to develop information to guide our UW Medicine clinician community as we navigate abortion restrictions imposed in other states.

Our students, residents, and fellow trainees will continue to learn about all aspects of reproductive healthcare:

As an integrated clinical, research and learning health system, UW Medicine is committed to training the next generation of healthcare professionals, and we believe that our medical students, residents and fellow trainees must learn about all aspects of reproductive healthcare, including family planning, contraception and abortion, to care for patients effectively and responsibly.

The Supreme Court's decision will not affect the School of Medicine's curriculum. Our medical students learn about abortion in a classroom setting. Medical students are not required to participate in abortion care; however, those who request clinical exposure to abortion will continue to be able to receive this training in Washington.

Currently, there are regional variations in what students are taught during their clerkships, depending on the clerkship site and where they are located in the WWAMI region. For example, Catholic institutions in all states do not teach abortion care. Some OB-GYN and Family Medicine clerkship sites in states where abortion care was available will no longer offer abortion care to patients, and those educational opportunities may no longer exist. We do not anticipate any curriculum changes for residents in our Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Family Medicine, or for our Complex Family Planning or Reproductive Health Advocacy fellows, as these programs currently train exclusively within Washington.

We are continuing to assess how the Court's decision is impacting Family Medicine residents in the other WWAMI states of Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Each state has its own authority to limit, restrict or preserve abortion access, and we are monitoring legislation in each state to understand how any changes in their laws will impact our teaching and clinical care activities, particularly in the WWAMI region. UW Medicine's leadership remains committed to providing teaching, training, and access to reproductive healthcare to the full extent permitted by law and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Q&A on court decisions, restrictive laws outside Washington and their collective potential impact

Q. What is UW Medicine's position on abortion services?

A. UW Medicine supports access to abortion services for all patients who need them. UW Medicine's mission is to improve the health of the public. As a part of this mission, we have always supported  and continue to support  the principle that everyone should have full access to the healthcare services they need, including reproductive medicine. We also believe that the decision to have an abortion, like all medical decisions, should be a decision made by an individual with the support of their clinician. As a learning organization committed to training the next generation of clinicians, we believe that our resident and fellow trainees should have experience in all aspects of reproductive health, including family planning, contraception, and abortion.

Q. When did the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade?

A. In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case of Dobbs, which overturned a half-century of precedent that recognized a federal constitutional right to privacy protecting abortion care from state and federal regulation under most circumstances.

Q. Prior to the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, what was the state of U.S. law regarding access to abortions?

A. Prior to this decision, U.S. Supreme Court precedent  based primarily on the cases Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and Doe v. Bolton  prohibited states from banning abortions prior to the viability of a living fetus. For simplicity, we refer to this line of precedent as Roe v. Wade.

Q. Does the Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs affect Washington's laws protecting abortion rights?

A. No. Washington law protects a pregnant individual's right to an abortion in Washington, and the federal constitutional issues decided in Dobbs do not change those rights.

Q. What laws have been enacted or enforced in WWAMI states to restrict access to abortion since Dobbs?

A. The Idaho Supreme Court has upheld all of Idaho's abortion laws, which include criminal and civil liabilities, as well as adverse professional licensure actions . A recent Idaho law makes it illegal for adults to procure an abortion or abortion medication by "recruiting, harboring, or transporting" minors across state lines without parental consent.

Abortion remains legal in Wyoming while court proceedings continue in a lawsuit challenging multiple state abortion bans.

While abortions continue to be legal in Montana, the state recently enacted a law banning abortions performed late in the viability period. At the end of the legislative session the Governor signed five anti-abortion bills, several of which are under challenge, together with a challenge to the late abortion ban, on the basis that the laws violate the state constitution.

Abortion remains legal in Alaska. In 1997, the state's highest court recognized a fundamental right to "reproductive choice" under the Alaska Constitution.

We are monitoring the status of abortion laws in these states and continuing to analyze what impacts these laws may have on our educational and clinical activities in these states.

Q. Is the abortion medication mifepristone still FDA-approved, given recent litigation regarding the status of the drug?

A. Yes, FDA approval persists while recent litigation proceeds. The Washington state Attorney General's Office brought a lawsuit arguing that the FDA's current restrictions on the abortion medication mifepristone were unduly restrictive compared with other drugs, and that it should remain on the market. Sixteen other states and the District of Columbia joined the lawsuit. The federal judge who heard the case agreed with Washington and ruled that the FDA was barred from reducing the availability of mifepristone in the plaintiff states.

A Texas federal district court judge, however, issued a conflicting ruling that the FDA improperly approved mifepristone in 2000 and that all subsequent modifications relaxing restrictions on the use of the drug were invalid. The FDA appealed the Texas ruling to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which largely agreed with the Texas court. The Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court, which issued an administrative stay requiring that the current relaxations to mifepristone restrictions continue throughout both the 5th Circuit proceedings and any appeal made to the Supreme Court. The Court order states that if the Supreme Court decides to take the case, the stay continues until it issues a decision. If the Supreme Court decides not to hear the case, the 5th Circuit decision would be the final ruling. The bottom line is that mifepristone remains FDA-approved and available to patients today, but this may change as the litigation evolves.

Q. How are UW School of Medicine faculty clinicians protected when providing abortion services within the course and scope of our UW Medicine practice?

A. The University of Washington provides professional liability coverage for faculty clinicians providing abortion services within the course and scope of their UW Medicine practice so long as the clinician is not acting in bad faith. Additionally, UW Physicians (UWP) and Children's University Medical Group (CUMG) provide legal representation for members who are the target of a license-related investigation, such as when a complaint is filed with the Washington Medical Commission, when the activity at issue involves the faculty member acting within the course and scope of their faculty practice and not acting in bad faith.

For clinicians who are not members of UWP or CUMG, the university may provide similar coverage for licensure matters, based on whether the employee is acting within the course and scope of their employment and not acting in bad faith. For all of these options, an individual who knowingly violates the law or employer policies may be acting in bad faith. If you have questions as to a proposed course of conduct, you may contact UW Medicine Compliance for guidance.

New legislation enacted in Washington provides additional protections for healthcare professionals providing abortion services in Washington by restricting the ability of other states to use Washington courts and the Washington state judicial process to enforce the restrictive laws of other states targeting abortion.

Clinical practice implications

Q. Do the recent rulings from federal courts in Texas and Washington affect how UW Medicine provides abortion care to individuals in Washington?

A. No. For now, UW Medicine's practices remain unchanged following the federal court rulings in early April. In Washington, as well as the states that joined the Washington-led lawsuit, patients will continue to have access to the abortion medication mifepristone. The federal judge in the Washington state-led litigation also issued a confirming order that, in the states that brought the lawsuit, the FDA cannot alter the availability of mifepristone under current mifepristone usage guidelines in place as of January 2023.

Q. Does the Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs affect how UW Medicine provides abortion care to individuals in other states?

A. Yes. We continue to work with a team of attorneys from the state Attorney General's Office to understand the full impact of the Dobbs decision on abortion rights and access to abortion care for individuals in other states, including how states are implementing their own laws that restrict abortion access and/or impose penalties on those assisting someone obtaining an abortion. Some impacts are discussed below. We will continue to update this FAQ as we know more.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician perform an abortion, assist in performing an abortion, or prescribe abortion medication in a state that declares it illegal?

A. No. Even if licensed in a state that permits abortion, faculty and UW employees must abide by the laws of the state in which care to the patient is provided.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician provide an abortion consult, in person or through telemedicine, with a patient located in a state that declares it illegal?

A. No. The practice of medicine occurs in the location of the patient. Faculty and other UW clinicians must abide by the laws of the state in which care to the patient is provided. If abortion is illegal for the patient based on their location and individual health circumstances, then abortion cannot be a treatment recommendation for that visit.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician provide general education about abortion to a patient in a state that declares it illegal under most circumstances?

A. Generally, yes. A UW faculty clinician may inform the patient that abortion care is illegal in a state in which abortion services are illegal and also that abortion services are legal in other states. The clinician can provide general education about abortion as long as the healthcare professional does not: (i) recommend that the individual seek an abortion; (ii) provide abortion services including medication abortion to a patient in a state where abortion is illegal; or (iii) recruit an individual across state lines to a healthcare practice or provider in a state where abortion is legal.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician perform an abortion procedure for a patient located in Washington even if Washington is not the patient's permanent residence?

A. Generally, yes. While some states have already attempted to reach across state borders to prohibit abortion for individuals who live in their state, such restrictions are almost certain to be challenged in court. Idaho, for example, recently passed a law making it difficult for minors to cross state lines for abortion services. We will continue to monitor the legal landscape as similar laws are enacted and/or challenged.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician dispense an abortion-inducing medication across state lines to a patient in a state that makes abortion illegal?

A. No. If a state prohibits abortion by medication, faculty and UW employees must abide by the laws of that state when treating a patient who is physically present in that state. Since medication abortions would be prohibited in states where abortion is illegal, UW clinicians should not dispense abortion medication to patients who are physically in that state at the time of the clinical service, even if the statute declaring abortion illegal is silent on abortion medication.

Q. Can a faculty member or UW clinician dispense an abortion-inducing medication to a patient located in Washington who came to Washington to receive abortion services?

A. Generally, yes. Washington law allows Washington clinicians to provide abortion services to patients who are located in Washington, regardless of what state they live in. A patient presenting in Washington for services may be treated in Washington, consistent with the laws of Washington. Faculty should advise patients that abortion inducing-medication must be used only in Washington. Faculty must administer abortion inducing medication in Washington and, for a telemedicine service, only send the prescriptions to certified pharmacies located in Washington. While some states such as Idaho have enacted laws that potentially reach across state borders to prohibit abortion for their citizens, we are not aware of any states that do so successfully and will continue to monitor the legal landscape.

Q. Are UW Medicine patients able to access abortion services through telemedicine?

A. Yes. As of June 1, 2023, UW Medicine provides access to abortion services through telemedicine to new and existing patients located in Washington, including patients from other states who travel to Washington for their telemedicine visit. To make an appointment, patients can call 206-520-5000 or book online.

Q. Is there anything UW Medicine clinicians should know about miscarriage management post-Dobbs?

A. Miscarriage management is commonly addressed through use of the same medications as are used for medication abortion or uterine aspiration. Even in states such as Texas, where abortion restriction is the most extreme, currently miscarriages may still be managed medically through either of these methods.

Q. What do we need to know about post-abortion care?

A. While complications from abortion or miscarriage are rare, conditions such as retained pregnancy tissue in the uterus, bleeding and infection can occur. It is critical for patients seeking post-abortion care services to be treated with care and dignity and to have their medical issues addressed upon presentation. Post-abortion care may happen in a clinic or an emergency department setting and includes: managing residual side effects or complications of abortion, emotional support, and providing comprehensive birth control services without discrimination or coercion. UW Medicine provides confidential post-abortion care; patient information remains private for post-abortion care services in the same way other services remain private. It is generally not necessary for patients to disclose that they have had an abortion. Moreover, healthcare professionals are unable to determine whether the complications occur from abortion or miscarriage.

Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)

Q. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs, are some hospitals no longer required to provide emergency abortions?

A. In Washington state, the answer is no. Under EMTALA, all Medicare-participating hospitals with a dedicated emergency department are required to provide necessary medical care to assess and stabilize a patient with an emergency medical condition (EMC). The Biden administration has recently clarified that EMCs include ectopic pregnancy, complications of pregnancy loss, or emergent hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia with severe features. A patient who is experiencing any of these EMCs may need an abortion, and therefore the hospitals described above are required to provide an abortion in these cases if it is the necessary stabilizing treatment for the patient's EMC. The Biden administration issued guidance that EMTALA preempts state law that directly conflicts with federal law. Texas sued to block the enforcement of the guidance while the Biden Administration sued the State of Idaho to block its abortion ban to the extent it prohibits healthcare professionals from providing emergency services in circumstances required by EMTALA. These legal challenges are ongoing and each is likely to be appealed to the respective Circuit Courts of Appeals. Additionally, the Biden Administration has announced that it has undertaken two investigations of hospitals for violating EMTALA obligations when they denied necessary stabilizing care to an individual in need of an abortion. We will update this answer as this issue evolves.

Q. If I have reason to believe an outside hospital refused to provide a necessary emergency abortion to a patient I am caring for, what should I do?

A. Take the following steps:

Contact UW Medicine Compliance directly at [email protected] or 206-543-3098.

Notify your supervisor immediately and work with them to notify your department's nurse manager and medical director as well as the hospital's medical director.

Document and enter the information into your facility patient safety system.

Education

Q. Are there implications for our medical students now that Roe has been overturned?

A. We do not expect any immediate implications for our ability to teach abortion in a classroom setting. It is required by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) that medical students learn about abortion. We will continue to teach all second-year UW medical students about abortion in the classroom setting in all WWAMI states, as we do today.

Third and fourth-year medical students can gain practical experience through observing or assisting an abortion as part of an OB-GYN or Family Medicine clerkship if they desire to do so. There have been variations in what students are taught during their clerkships depending on where the student is in the WWAMI region, and the clerkship site. For example, Catholic institutions in all states do not teach abortion care. All OB-GYN and Family Medicine clerkship sites in states where abortion care is now illegal will no longer offer abortion care to patients, and that educational opportunity will no longer exist. However, medical students will continue to have access to this educational opportunity in states where it remains legal, including Washington.

Our medical students often practice medicine in other states after their training here is complete. For students who participated in abortion services as part of their training in Washington, we are not aware of any state taking licensure action against licensees or applicants who participated in abortion care in a state where it was legal. We will update this FAQ as this issue evolves.

Q. Are there implications for UW Medicine residencies and fellowships now that Roe has been overturned?

A. Currently all UW Medicine-sponsored residencies and fellowships where abortion is taught occur in Washington (this includes OB-GYN and Family Medicine residencies and family planning/reproductive health fellowships). While the Supreme Court Dobbs decision does not have any immediate implications for these residents and fellows, we are monitoring state legislation, particularly in Idaho, related to implications for a resident or fellow who assists in performing an abortion in Washington on an Idaho resident.

Q. Are there implications for the Family Medicine Residency Network (FMRN) now that Roe has been overturned?

A. Yes. There will be impacts to FMRN residents in Idaho, and there may be impacts in other states that take legal steps to restrict abortion services.

The FMRN is a network of family medicine residency programs throughout the WWAMI region sponsored by healthcare institutions other than UW Medicine. FMRN faculty are not UW employees and generally do not provide care at UW Medicine facilities as part of their faculty roles, even though they have appointments in the UW School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine. The Department of Family Medicine provides support to FMRN faculty such as learning collaboration, residency program consultations, faculty development, administrative support and regional marketing. Abortion care is taught in some FMRN family medicine residency programs, where allowed by state law and the supporting hospital system. The university's legal counsel do not provide legal advice to the FMRN family medicine residency programs or to participating faculty for their independent clinical practice. The University does not provide professional liability for the independent clinical practices of these faculty.

Mental health resources

Q. Are mental health resources available to me to help me process all of this?

A. Yes. Resources for faculty and staff are available at the SoM Employee Mental Health Resources.
The groundwork for the Faridabad-Palwal metro connectivity got underway, two days after Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced it on June 25. According to Times of India report, a team from the District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) Faridabad office reviewed the proposed Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) corridor from Ballabgarh to Palwal, including the principal advisor, HMRTC, SD Sharma, RITES SDGM, Raj Kishor, manager, RITES, Neha Gambhir and Sunny Dutta.

Faridabad-Palwal Metro Stations

This 24-kilometre track will feature 10 stations and link to the industrial areas of Sector 58-59, Alhapur, Baghola, Prithla, Sikri, Softa and Palwal. For the planned route, MRT system alternatives will be investigated. After consultations with the NHAI and other stakeholders, the alignment will be decided. Ballabgarh Railway Station, Ballabgarh Bus Stand, Palwal Bus Stand and Raja Nahar Singh Metro Station will all be integrated in the upcoming project.

The Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) Private Limited will complete the techno-feasibility study of this route in a few days. In addition, a comprehensive mobility plan for Palwal is being developed, according to an official.

Faridabad-Palwal Metro Route

The upcoming line will be an elevated metro route, with an estimated cost of Rs 180 crore per kilometre. The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 4,320 crore.

Following the conclusion of the technical feasibility assessment, the project will be submitted for approval to the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC). CM Khattar has directed quick action in this respect.

While addressing the Gauravshali Bharat Rally at Gajpuri of Palwal on June 25, the Haryana chief minister emphasised that the Ballabgarh-Palwal metro project will also boost other development work in the area. He added that the central and state governments were making great progress to ensure inclusive growth. He further thanked the Union government for encouraging the development of important projects in the state including national highways and the metro.

Haryanas Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma lauded CM Khattars leadership and said it has provided a new direction to the state. He mentioned that the recent addition of four new national highways in Faridabad will accelerate the districts progress, opening up new avenues for growth and development.
At the tender age of 25, armed with an unyielding determination and a visionary mind, he became a billionaire. Unfettered by the confines of traditional education, he immersed himself in the world of technology harnessing the power of innovation. Today, as a billionaire, he is being called as the next Elon Musk. This serves as an inspiration to countless aspiring entrepreneurs, proving that the path to extraordinary achievements can arise from unconventional beginnings.

Alexandr Wang was a maths whiz as a kid, who was fond of participating in maths and coding competitions. At 25 (2022), he was the worlds youngest self-made billionaire and his company uses artificial intelligence (AI), which has even analysed the damage caused in Ukraine war.

According to a 2022 report by Forbes, Scale AI, Wangs San Franciscobased company, already had three contracts worth $110 million to help Americas Air Force and Army employ AI.

Journey

He had started the company at 19 and after a $325 million funding round, it valued Scale AI at $7.3 billion. Wangs estimated stake of 15% is worth about $1 billion, making him the worlds youngest self-made billionaire, the report said.

Reportedly, Scale AIs technology works much faster than human analysts to examine satellite images and is useful not just for the military.

According to Forbes, over 300 companies, like Flexport and General Motors, use Scale to help retrieve information from raw data such as, say, raw footage from self-driving cars or millions of documents.

Every industry is sitting on huge amounts of data, Wang had told Forbes. Our goal is to help them unlock the potential of the data and supercharge their businesses with AI.

Background

Wangs parents, who were physicists, were engaged in weapons projects for the US military. While attending school, Wang developed an interest in coding at Quora, where he crossed paths with Lucy Guo. This encounter eventually led to their joint establishment of Scale AI.

Wang embarked on his pursuit of a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following the completion of his first year at the esteemed university, he teamed up with Guo during the summer to establish Scale. The business endeavour was initiated by entrepreneurial partners, securing funding from the US start-up incubator Y Combinator.

I told my parents it was just going to be a thing I did for the summer, Wang said. Obviously, I never went back to school.

According to Forbes, Wangs net worth has risen to US$1 billion due to his 1% ownership stake in the company, which is quite impressive for a 26-year-old. He was ranked 2,534th on Forbes list of world billionaires.
IIT-Bombay broke into the top 150 universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2024, the only Indian institution to make it to the list, eight years after the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) made it. The rankings, released late on Tuesday, highlight how the institute rose up the ranks within just a year of being ranked 177th globally to 149th in the latest edition.

For IIT-Bombay Director Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri, making it to top 150 in the global rankings is a good feat, but he believes that any good academic institution must not worry over rankings and should rather keep up with doing work that creates an impact.

According to the rankings report, from 2018 to 2022, IIT-Bombay generated 1,43,800 citations from 15,905 academic papers, registering a research growth of approximately 17%. The institutes research quality is further demonstrated by the fact that 30% of its output is published in the top 10% academic journals by impact. This figure surpasses the global average by 6% and is a staggering 15% higher than the average among Indian institutions.

In an interview with News18, Prof Chaudhuri talked about how students and faculty used the time during the pandemic to file record patents and publish papers and how the core of engineering is changing with time. He said students should be left free to pursue their dreams and should not be over-specialisng at undergraduate level.

He also touched upon the challenges involved in hiring foreign faculty from advanced economies, the need to invest more in resources to produce good quality research and how the pandemic caused a discontinuity in the system leading to mental health issues among students and what is being done to fix the flow.

Edited excerpts

IIT-Bombay broke into the top 150 universities, rising 28 points from last year, in the QS World University Rankings 2024. It is the only Indian institution to do so eight years after the IISc made it. What do you think gave IIT-B an edge over others?

The rankings came after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic when many of the schools across the world faced difficult times, including us. But thanks to the strong support of our staff and faculty members, we could very quickly launch into online education. We opened up fast and because of that, if you look back at the performance of many of the universities all over the world, we could strictly maintain our academic calendar.

Secondly, during this time, at many places, the labs were closed. We opened it up first for PhD students and then for Masters students. Since everything else outside was shut, they used this time to file patents and write papers. This is the time when the institute filed lot more patents than ever before. Similarly, our faculty, along with students, published a lot more papers than before and many of these were in the top journals.

So, it adds up in terms of quantifying performance, which is what these ranking agencies do, either in terms of quality of publication or the number of citations. Hence, this proposition that IIT-B is a good research institution goes up. This is what I think really helped.

How important are international rankings for Indian higher education institutions? Is there a conscious effort to make it to the top 200?

Frankly, I believe that any good institution should not worry about ranking, because ranking agencies measure only parameters they want to measure. Some of the yardsticks may be completely meaningless for us. This is one way. But what is import for any good university or academic institution is that they should keep on doing what they should be doing and do it well to an extent that it makes an impact whether its research, entrepreneurship or just purely teaching. This is the principle.

Now, while doing it, if you get a good score in the ranking, thats great. But even if not and you continue to do the good work, then too one can be happy. But, ranking is not the goal by itself, it should never be.

India lags behind in several indicators, including international faculty ratio, international student ratio and international research network in the QS rankings. Are these important concerns?

About the first two indicators In the Indian context, this exercise is completely meaningless. Through these parameters, what they want to measure is diversity in your institution. The way these ranking agencies measure it is just looking at the colour of your passport. We have more diversity than say Europe or anywhere else.

Now, about foreign faculty; what one should be looking at is academic diversity, not passport diversity. The US has people coming from all over the world and has a number of those teaching from say China or India and many other countries. In India, at IIT-B, of the 700-odd faculty, we pan across the country, we have people from Arunachal, Kerala, Gujarat, and Kashmir, among others. We have regional, cultural and linguistic diversity, so what other diversity do you want.

Is there an effort being made to hire foreign faculty?

We do get applications for lecturers from different places and we ensure that we get them. But, in terms of faculty from western countries or other advanced countries, say Japan, where there is large disparity in terms of income when compared to India, we need to look at the challenges involved and the practicality of the situation.

Why would someone from a western country spend their time in India, which means they would live and retire here, but at the end of their career they would go back to their country, as they are not getting citizenship here to settle down. Also, with the savings made here, they cannot go back and have a comfortable life, so its not financially viable for them to stay back here.

But, of course, there could be people from other countries, who would be interested in coming because of the financial level being more equal in India, for example, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or those with similar economic stature.

Even the national rankings report released earlier this month highlighted that good research in India is limited only to a top few institutions and is not expanding at the pace it should. What do you think is the reason behind it?

Technology is moving fast and we do need to keep pace with it. Todays research requires a lot of sophisticated equipment which comes at a high cost. Now, institutes like IITs, IISc and many others do get government support in terms of funding, but not all are able to get that kind of support.

One can produce good research that can compete internationally only when they have the requisite resources. So, naturally, you see good quality research is restricted to a handful institutions, which is not just IITs but many others where excellent research is going on, but the number of overall institutions getting into it is less for many such reasons.

Now, if you compare, what is the budget of any IIT with that of an international institution, say MIT, which has been the top-ranking institution globally. Their budget is around $4 billion, while that of any IIT is just around $150 million or even less. So, good research is not cheap. We need to invest in it  time, money, infrastructure and people.

Many IITs have recently launched full-fledged B.Tech course in AI along with other emerging technologies. Is IIT-B also headed in this direction? Also, while most engineering students are drawn to Computer Science and now AI, fewer are opting for core disciplines. Is that a concern?

I believe that at the undergraduate level, we should not be over-specialising. What we need to develop at this stage is core competence, which can take you to whichever direction you want because when you are so young, you may not understand what exactly AI or data science entails. So you should go for fundamentals and many of these things evolve.

For example, what is computer science engineering today didnt exist the same way many years ago. It evolved and was standardised over time. Its better to make a base of fundamentals first and may be one can do a minor in data science or a Masters to know which part of it one would want to go further into. So I would wait for two more years at least to see how its evolving.

It has happened earlier when many people jumped to IT, even we started a course in it and then eventually we had to close it. One has to get the fundamentals right.

Now, to the second part of the question. What is core or what is engineering for that matter? It means applying knowledge of science to make life better. Now, if we look purely at mechanical engineering, we look at internal combustion engine, which is actually the core of any petrol or diesel engine. But now we have electrical vehicles (EV), which is no more a part of mechanical engineering. So things change, and the concept of core also is changing.

Engineering is becoming more interdisciplinary, so you need to have people who have a strong foundation, who can learn laterally from other areas. If you go to any petrol refinery today, its all automated. Or look at the semiconductor industry, so much of automation is happening there. So this requires a different kind of skill-set, which is often misunderstood as not being a core area, which is not right.

And finally, our job is to ensure that students have good foundation and analytical skills, after which what they pursue is completely their choice. Every student who enters IIT has a dream, and our job is to put proper fuel to drive their dream engine and then where they want to fly is their choice or else we will be killing innovation. We have to provide them the opportunity to experiment and in the process they create a lot of new jobs, create wealth for the nation. So we cannot put people in a box and tell them to do a certain thing, we need to let them make a choice.

Post-pandemic, there has been a spate of student suicides across IITs and mental health issues on the fore. Are we equipped to prevent and deal with this?

We have been analysing the reasons for the same. So what happens is when you have a system working, like a pipeline, when it has a flow, everything is smooth. But if for any reason, the flow stops, it gets stuck and we have to restart the process. The same way the pandemic broke the flow of continuity and created a disconnect. Students stayed home for two years just studying online. So the continuum of journey for the first years, the exercise when they come here and get used to the environment and get slowly adjusted to it did not occur.

Before Covid, such issues did happen occasionally, but it was not so much. The pandemic created a discontinuity in the system and even when they finally came on campus, there was a disconnect because of not having those interactions or top-down mentorship, which led to some of the students not being able to cope with the new environment and the demand of the IIT system.

So, we have jacked up all our resources to create a system where we can identify when a student needs help that its provided in time. We hope that this system will work in handling this discontinuity and gradually it will improve in addressing these concerns.
The Karnataka School Examinations and Assessment Board (KSEAB) will announce the SSLC supplementary result 2023 soon. However, an official statement from the Karnataka board is still awaited on the result declaration date and time. Once released, students can check their scores on the official website of KSEAB at karresults.nic.in. Apart from the official website, candidates can also access their scores from sslc.karnataka.gov.in. To download the SSLC supplementary 2023 mark sheet, students have to enter their login credentials such as registration number and date of birth on the portal.

Candidates who were unable to clear the final exams on their first attempt appeared in the Karnataka class 10 supplementary exams. The KSEAB Secondary School Leaving Certificate supplementary exams took place from June 12 to 19. This year, the Karnataka class 10 final results were announced in May. The overall pass percentage stood at 83.89 per cent this year, which is lower when compared to 85.13 per cent in 2022. A total of 8,35,102 students took the exam out of which 7,00,619 cleared it.

Karnataka SSLC Supplementary Results 2023: How to Check

Step 1: Visit the official website of KSEAB at karresults.nic.in.

Step 2: Search and click on the link provided for Karnataka SSLC Supplementary Result on the homepage (when released).

Step 3: On the new login window, enter the registration number and date of birthin the provided field. Then click on submit.

Step 4: The Karnataka 10th Supplementary Result will appear on the screen. (The scorecard will include the subject-wise marks as well as the final result with the grand total).

Step 5: Check and download the supplementary results.

Karnataka SSLC Supplementary Results 2023: How to Check via SMS

To receive the Karnataka class 10 result on your phone, follow these simple steps. Go to inbox (new message) and type your roll number. Then send the message to 56263. Within a few minutes, the SSLC result 2023 for Karnataka will be sent on the same number.

Karnataka SSLC Supplementary Results 2023: Top Things to Check

The Karnataka class 10 supplementary results will mention details such as the name of the candidate, roll number, total subjects, subject-wise marks, division, the status of Karnataka SSLC results (pass or fail), total marks secured, and maximum scores. Candidates are advised to collect the original mark sheet from their respective schools in due course.
Mumbai University released the second admission merit list on June 28. Students can access the merit list from the varsitys official website mu.ac.in. The list will contain details such as the name of the candidate, registration number, application number, total marks, percentage, and interview timings.

Several Mumbai University affiliated colleges including KJ Somaiya College and Jai Hind College among others have also released their merit lists. Along with the merit list, the respective colleges have also issued the cut-off for the courses offered.

According to reports, the second merit list for BA at Jai Hind College is between 93.83 per cent and 92 per cent. Meanwhile, at KJ Somaiya College, the cut-off for BA in Gujarati medium is between 51.33 per cent to 43.50 per cent, while for others it is between 89.80 per cent to 80 per cent.

Mumbai University Admission 2023: Steps To Check Second Merit List

Step 1: Go to Mumbai Universitys official website at mu.ac.in.

Step 2: Click on the link for UG Admission and then click on Merit List.

Step 3: The merit list for several colleges will open up on the screen in PDF format.

Step 4: Go through the list and search for your name.

Step 5: Check the cut-offs, documents required and admission process. Then report to the college for admission.

Mumbai University published the first merit list on June 19. The online verification of documents as well as payment of fees was available till June 27. As per the schedule, students can pay the fee online and complete the verification of documents for the second merit list from tomorrow, June 30 to July 5 up to 5 pm.

Meanwhile, the third merit list will be released on July 6 at 11 am. Candidates will be able to complete their online verification of documents as well as payment of fees from July 7 to July 10.

After the candidate submits all the required documents, the respective college will provide them with a provisional admission certificate to confirm the seat/admission.
The Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test (TS ICET) 2023 results will be declared today, June 29, 2023. The TS ICET 2023 results can be accessed and downloaded by visiting the official website- icet.tsche.ac.in, once declared. It can also be accessed on a third-party website- manabadi.co.in.

The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) will release the results at 3:30 pm. Candidates will need to enter their registration number/ hall ticket number, date of birth, and other necessary details on the login window. The TS ICET result was initially scheduled to be declared on June 20, 2023.

TS ICET 2023 RESULTS: HOW TO CHECK

Step 1: Go to TSCHEs official portal at icet.tsche.ac.in

Step 2: Look for and click on the link that says  Download TS ICET Result 2023

Step 3: To access the scorecard, enter your registration number, date of birth, and other details. Submit the credentials.

Step 4: Within a few seconds, the TS ICET result 2023 will appear on the screen.

Step 5: View the scorecard. Download and keep a printout of it.

To pass the TS ICET 2023, candidates should secure 25 per cent marks or 50 points out of 200 points, whereas there are no specific minimum marks for SC/ST candidates. The scorecard of the TS ICET 2023 will mention details like the name of the candidate, roll number, rank, and sectional or overall score.

TSCHE will issue the rank list and TS ICET final answer key along with the TS ICET 2023 result. It is to be noted that the Telangana ICET rank list will be arranged on the basis of scores. This process will bring students across all sessions on a comparative scale.

The TS ICET 2023 exam was held on May 26 and 27 in two shifts- in the morning from 10 AM to 12:30 PM and in the afternoon from 2:30 PM to 5 PM. TS ICET is a common entrance test for admission to MBA and MCA courses offered by universities in Telangana and their affiliated colleges. Kakatiya University, Warangal conducts the exam on behalf of the TSCHE.
In a significant move to enhance the quality of education and infrastructure in schools, the World Bank has sanctioned a grant of Rs 2460 crore to the state of Chhattisgarh. This initiative, driven by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, aims to benefit approximately 4 million underprivileged children, according to a government official statement released on Wednesday.

The allocated funds will primarily focus on promoting science and business education at the higher secondary level. The Chhattisgarh Accelerated Learning for a Knowledge Economy Operation (CHALK) project, as it is called, aims to support nearly 40 lakh children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and cater to the growing demand for senior secondary science and business studies.

To provide children from impoverished communities with a quality education, the Chhattisgarh government has established Swami Atmanand English and Hindi medium schools across the state. The CHALK project plans to create and manage 600 model schools for students from grades 1 to 12. Rural schools will receive residential facilities for both students and staff.

The World Bank funding will help in various aspects, including providing housing, increasing student enrollment rates, improving educational quality, and promoting science and commerce education in secondary schools throughout the state. It is a significant step towards compensating for the learning setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project aims to enhance employment prospects in Chhattisgarhs fast-growing manufacturing and service sectors. It will provide teachers with training programs to make classroom teachings more engaging and enjoyable for children, facilitating a fun-learning experience.

Earlier this year, the Delhi government also allocated a grant-in-aid of 1,700 crores for schools under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The first installment of this grant was released by Delhi Education Minister Atishi on April 20.

The World Banks financial support to Chhattisgarh reflects a commendable commitment to improving education and empowering underprivileged children in the state. It is expected to pave the way for a brighter future, offering better educational opportunities and creating a skilled workforce that can contribute to the states overall development.
Returning to the eerie realm of horror, Insidious: The Red Door guarantees a spine-chilling conclusion to the haunting saga of the Lambert family. With its release date locked in for July 7, fans of the franchise are eagerly awaiting the terrifying journey that lies ahead.

Meanwhile, in a surprising twist,

since the starcast reuniting for the final chapter has intrigued the audiences to a whole new peak, owing to the excitement of the fans and love for the horror genre in the Indian market, the makers have decided to release the film on 6th July 2023, which is a day prior than its international release. And

The film continues a few years after the terrifying event that horrified the Lambert family. The original cast from Insidious is back with Patrick Wilson (also making his directorial debut), Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne and Andrew Astor. Also starring Sinclair Daniel and Hiam Abbass. Produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, James Wan and Leigh Whannell. The screenplay is written by Scott Teems from a story by Leigh Whannell and Scott Teems, based on characters created by Leigh Whannell.

The final trailer of the film teased the return of the iconic Lipstick-Face Demon, the primary nemesis of the series. The marketing campaign has focused on the demons from the past that continue to haunt the Lambert family, providing a nostalgic and eerie atmosphere for fans. The trailer seamlessly blends imagery, lines, and scares from the first two films directed by James Wan with fresh nightmares that will keep horror enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. Even though ten years have passed, and Dalton (Simpkins) is now off to college, The Further has not forgotten about the Lambert family, ensuring a relentless nightmare.

One of the notable aspects of the trailer is the presence of Lin Shayes character, Elise, who has become a staple in the franchise. Despite her characters demise in the first film, Shaye has appeared in every entry, either through prequels or as a spiritual guide. In Insidious: The Red Door, Elise returns as a force for good beyond the grave. She is providing a sense of comfort amidst the terrifying chaos.

Insidious: The Red Door is the fifth installment in the popular horror franchise. It is a direct sequel to the first two films, Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2. The screenplay is written by Scott Teems, based on a story by Leigh Whannell, who also created the characters. Whannell serves as a producer alongside Jason Blum, James Wan, and Oren Peli.

The movie takes place ten years after the events of the second film, as Josh Lambert (Wilson) embarks on a journey to drop off his son Dalton (Simpkins) at a seemingly idyllic, ivy-league university. However, their dreams quickly turn into terrifying nightmares when repressed demons from the past resurface to haunt them both. To finally put an end to the haunting and lay the demons to rest, Josh and Dalton must venture deeper into The Further than ever before, confronting the horrors that await them. And the first show will be showcased at midnight.
Actor and comedian Pete Davidson has entered rehab to seek treatment for borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Following in the footsteps of his close friend John Mulaney, Pete is receiving care at a Pennsylvania facility, according to Page Six. Throughout this journey, he has the support of his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders and other friends who stand by him. It is reported that Pete voluntarily checks himself into rehab occasionally to address these issues and focus on personal growth. A friend revealed that Pete regularly goes to rehab for tune ups and to take a mental break, so thats whats happening.

A source close to the publication told, Anyone who knows Pete knows that he will always step up and get help when he knows he needs it."

Earlier this month, Pete Davidson faced legal consequences as he was charged with reckless driving for crashing a car into a Beverly Hills home. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office issued a misdemeanour charge against him, following the incident where he allegedly lost control of the vehicle, collided with a fire hydrant and ultimately crashed into a house.

Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported, and Petes girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, was with him in the car. The incident likely played a role in Petes decision to take a break and focus on his well-being.

Authorities stated that they did not suspect drugs or alcohol to be contributing factors in Pete Davidsons car crash. As a result, he was not arrested. However, the exact cause of the accident and how Pete lost control of the vehicle remains unclear.

The Saturday Night Live alum has previously taken breaks from his career to prioritize his mental well-being. In addition to dealing with Crohns disease and borderline personality disorder (BPD), the comedian has faced challenges with drug use, leading him to seek treatment in rehab in 2017 and later in 2019.

Speaking with actress Glenn Close in an interview for Variety, he told, I got diagnosed with BPD a few years ago, and I was always just so confused all the time, and just thought something was wrong, and didnt know how to deal with it. Then, when somebody finally tells you, the weight of the world feels lifted off your shoulders. You feel so much better.
As Barbies live-action movie is gearing up towards its theatrical release, new details have been coming out about the movie. After watching Hollywood stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling bringing iconic pop icons Barbie and Ken to life in the trailer, it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Yet it could have been the case. Especially for Barbies character. The Suicide Squad star spoke to Time Magazine about why diversity in Barbie Dolls was an important factor taken into account by her. She did not want to perpetuate the idea that women should look a certain way. Hence, if Mattel had not made their dolls diverse in their appearance, Margot might not have accepted the role.

According to Time Magazine the very idea that there would be multiple Barbies in Greta Gerwigs movie was not a coincidence. In fact, it was well throughout and was something that was acknowledged even during the early works in the creative process. Margot Robbie who is the producer of the live-action movie shared her thoughts on this very idea. She remarked. I dont think you should say, This is the one version of what Barbie is, and thats what women should aspire to be and look like and act like.

Daily Express shared how it was the actress and director who talked to Mattels chief executive Ynon Kreiz about the film needing to acknowledge certain things. It was reported that Margot said even in the very first meeting, the duo had told the Mattel chief executive that while they were going to make sure the brands legacy was honoured, certain things needed to happen in the movie. The duo also had a reason behind it. Daily Express quoted the actress as saying, In that very first meeting, we impressed upon Ynon we are going to honour the legacy of your brand, but if we dont acknowledge certain things  if we dont say it, someone else is going to say it. She added, So you might as well be a part of that conversation. If (Mattel) hadnt made that change to have a multiplicity of Barbies, I dont think I would have wanted to attempt to make a Barbie film.

The movie is set to hit the theatres on July 21. It is already giving some serious competition to Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer realising on the same day.
Tom Cruise is inspiring cinema enthusiasts to head to the theatres this summer. The renowned actor shared a Twitter message that applauded the summer film season alongside photos of himself and his Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One director Christopher McQuarrie posing in front of each of the films respective posters. He enthusiastically promoted a captivating combination of Greta Gerwigs Barbie and Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer, both scheduled for a theatrical release on July 21. Additionally, Tom Cruise encouraged viewers to indulge in James Mangolds Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which serves as Harrison Fords final adventure as the iconic archaeologist.

This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indy and one of the most iconic characters in history. I love a double feature, and it doesnt get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Oppenheimer and Barbie," Tom Cruise wrote.

Take a look at the post here:

This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indy and one of the most iconic characters in history. I love a double feature, and it doesn't get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Oppenheimer and Barbie. pic.twitter.com/udWHHj4fAe  Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) June 28, 2023

This summer, Tom Cruise will also be taking the lead role in another highly anticipated film, Mission Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One. There is a lot of anticipation and expectation surrounding this film, especially considering the immense success of Tom Cruises previous summer release, Top Gun: Maverick, which grossed an astonishing $1.5 billion globally.

Following this remarkable achievement, renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg was overheard acknowledging Tom Cruises role in revitalizing Hollywood and helping the industry recover from the challenges of the pandemic as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

In the latest installment of the series, Dead Reckoning Part One, which is the first since 2018, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most treacherous mission yet- preventing a catastrophic weapon from posing a threat to humanity.

Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning Part One will hit the theatres on July 12.
Indias Got Talent, one of the most popular talent-based reality TV series, is set to return for its 10th season. Arjun Bijlani, a popular name in the Indian television fraternity, will be hosting the show. While there is still time for the show to launch, the actor has shared a sneak peek of the spectacular stage. The programme has, for years, provided a platform to many talents across the country and given them the opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Arjun Bijlani shared a video on his Instagram that showed the grand stage decorated with dazzling lights that created a star pattern, similar to the shows logo. Additionally, it also gave a glimpse of the judges panel and audience seats. In the caption, Arjun wrote, Super excited to host the 10th season of Indias Got Talent. A show that showcases the true talent of our country..see u soon."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arjun Bijlani (@arjunbijlani)

Arjun Bijlani wore a stunning blue patterned suit paired with a solid shirt. The design went well with the background, and he also sported clean white sneakers for his look. His fans are eager to witness him hosting the popular show again. One of them commented, N we r super excited to see u hosting again in igt," while another wrote, waiting for you Arjun."

A few days ago, Arjun Bijlani shared stills from the sets of Indias Got Talent. He was seen seated on the edge of the stage while a group of dancers took their positions in the background. Along with the pictures, he wrote, You create your own destiny."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arjun Bijlani (@arjunbijlani)

Earlier, a report by Telly Chakkar stated that veteran actress Kirron Kher and acclaimed Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty will return as judges in the 10th season. The report mentioned that the auditions for the upcoming season have begun and the show is currently in the pre-production stage.

Kirron Kher has been a part of the reality show since Season 1, while Shilpa Shetty joined last year, replacing Malaika Arora, who was the judge previously. The judges panel, led by these two remarkable ladies, has constantly steered contestants to success, from genuine admiration to critical criticism. Reportedly, the panel will also include rapper Badshah.
The Bakra Mandi in Lucknows Dubagga this year recorded a sale of Rs 3 Crore on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha including an Ajmeri goat that was sold for Rs 6 lakh.

The prices of goats sold in the Mandi went as high as Rs 51 lakhs.

Shahrukh, a 300-kg Ajmeri got was sold at Rs 6 lakhs and was purchased by a Malihabad-based businessman and another goat, having the same name was sold for Rs 2.15 lakhs.

Both these goats were reared by Irfan Agah, who named them after Bollywood actors to get them more attraction.

I also have goats including Pathan, Sultan, Rajkumar among others," Agah told TOI.

This year, 2,500 goats and buffaloes worth Rs 3 crore were sold in the Mandi, which was nearly half of last years sale, Arbar Khan, manager of the mandi told The Times of India.

Khan said that he was hoping for better sales this year, however the monsoon season and sudden rains made people skeptical to travel.

Other goats who were sold at a higher price included a 125 kg barbari goat for Rs 1.9 lakh.
A gang of robbers looted gold and Rs 10,000 at gunpoint in Amritsar. A video of the entire robbery has gone viral on social media.

In the video, two robbers with orange cloth wrapped around their face can be seen pointing gun at a man, who was unloading milk from a van. Seeing the gun pointed towards him, the victim did not resists and quickly gave them what they wanted.

One of the robbers was also seen checking the man for cash or any other expensive belonging. This comes months after masked men looted a bank in Amritsar in February.

Two unidentified miscreants looted about Rs 22 lakh from a Punjab National Bank branch in Amritsar. According to police, an armed goon entered the bank and pointed a pistol at the cashier, asking him to hand over the money while his accomplice waited outside, on a scooter.

The incident occurred on February 16, this year.

Just like in this case, the accused were wearing a cap and mask when they entered the bank brandishing a pistol and held the cashier at gunpoint, demanding money while his accomplice gave him instructions from outside.

The two fled from the spot after looting the bank. There was no security guard at the bank during the incident.
Even as the first four days of monsoon in Mumbai have led to flooding in several areas, including the closure of Andheri subway at least twice, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has assured the residents of new underground tanks to be installed at several places to mitigate flooding in low-lying areas.

In an exclusive conversation with News18, BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said the new technology will cover potholes. We have done a unique experiment. We have spent over Rs 100 crore for building underground holding tanks for high flood areas. At Hindmata Chowk, we have constructed underground water tanks with the holding capacity of 30 million litres. When it starts raining heavily, the water gets accumulated in the underground tanks, which is later thrown into the sea through pumps. Last year, there was no flooding and the traffic did not stop even for one minute at Hindmata. This year too, we will make sure that traffic does not stop at Gandhi Market and Hindmata, no matter how much it rains, Iqbal Singh Chahal told News18.

He even said he is proud of the fact that there are no potholes so far on Dahisar-South Mumbai and Mulund to South Mumbai roads.

He said the BMC had earlier carried out the same experiment this year at Milan Subway, which was also prone to flooding. Last Saturday, even when Andheri subway had to be shut, Milan was working. We are doing this for other subways as well. We are planning to build these underwater tanks in other parts of the city so that this problem will be tackled effectively, he further said.

When asked about the woes Mumbaikars face due to the flooding of Andheri subway, especially at a time when the Gokhale Bridge too is shut for traffic, he said, BMC has worked very hard and has handled the monsoon situation in Mumbai convincingly. On Saturday, we got a 140 mm rainfall in five hours. Please understand that in 24 hours, 65 mm rainfall is considered flooding. But the yardstick was, we got that water cleared in a couple of hours through our 480 dewatering pumps that are installed.

He further said the Andheri subway has a peculiar topography as it lies in the low-lying area and fills up almost immediately. That is why, it used to be shut during monsoon every year for a month. But now that the Gokhale Bridge is shut for repairs and reconstruction, we are forced to keep the Andheri Subway open. Now, we have put in five pumps to dewater the subway. Even on Saturday, it was cleared in 40 minutes.

On the 10% water cut in Mumbai that will be implemented from July 1, Chahal said it will continue for at least a month before the review of the situation is done.

Right now, the seven reservoirs, which supply water to Mumbai city, have only 7% water left. We are afraidif a large gap comes, there will be a serious crisis. Last year, we had 9% storage. Two per cent is a lot. It is about 20 days of supply. So, out of a sheer matter of precaution, we have taken this decision. Although it is raining heavily here, there is less rainfall in the catchment areas. Rainfall matters for the dam and not for this area. So, after a few days, we will review the situation. So, if it rains well and our dams have good water capacity, then we will reduce the water cut, he added.

Facing flak over desilting and on the effectiveness of cleaning of drains, Chahal said BMC has completed 114% of the work"  further than what was given in the proposed plan.

Despite 140 mm of rainfall on Saturday, there was no problem on the banks of the Mithi river in those 24 hours. This is the first yardstick that our Nala Safai was successful. Mumbai has 480 flood-prone spots where water is bound to collect because Mumbai is saucer-shaped. Effectiveness lies in how fast we clear them and we dewater them, he said. He also requested Mumbaikars to not dump large items such as wardrobes, refrigerators, mattresses in the nallahs of Mumbai as it was seen at Andheri subway.
There are almost four more stages left before finalising prices of MQ9B reaper drones for the Indian armed forces to be acquired from the United States. According to top government sources, whatever price figures are in the public domain and political parties are sharing are indicative as no negotiations have been done so far. Also, after negotiations, the complete file of the acquisition of the drones will move to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for its approval, and after getting the nod, things would be locked.

Sources said that out of the close to 10 stages that are there for defence acquisition through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of the US government, India is at stage 3 Acquisition of Necessity. During the process, the total price was shared by the US for this potential deal, which includes 31 drones along with the required systems and demands, at a staggering $3,072 million including systems, weapons, etc, officials claimed. But this is an estimate given by the US, they said.

After this, multiple stages will come, the technical committee will evaluate, the US congressional approval will be sought, and finally negotiations will be done before moving the file to the CCS, they added.

On Wednesday, the Congress demanded complete transparency in the multi-crore deal, while alleging that the MQ9B drones were being procured for a higher price.

Top officials in the government said that if India doesnt delay or raise demands for systems to be equipped in the drones, the price may go down, but if there will be a requirement for other gadgets and theres a delay, the price will increase.

Sources in the government said that the MQ9B drones are set to raise the countrys surveillance capabilities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

No neighbouring country has such technology

According to the sources, the MQ9B drones offer the latest technology and will be made available to India at the most competitive prices. These drones boast superior endurance and capacity when compared to the indigenous TAPAS drones in use. Once acquired, India will gain the ability to cover the entire LAC and gather the required details for enhanced surveillance and strategic planning. Notably, neighbouring countries, including China, do not possess similar technology.

Sources said that as India is already using two such drones on a lease, it would not require trials.

Transparency through FMS

The officials explained that the United States government, through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, will oversee the deal and conduct its own checks to ensure compliance with established protocols. FMS is a government-to-government agreement operated on a no-profit no-loss basis" by the US with friendly countries. Other deals were also done in the same manner in 2009 including for Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs, government officials said.

Cost-saving through assembly in India

Sources said that the government will push for the assembly in India of maximum drones as it will reduce the cost.

India is eying a large number of these drones, making it the biggest such deal.

A Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility would also be established to address future requirements. This facility will ensure that the drones remain operational at their optimal efficiency and minimise downtime.

Who bought at what price

According to the official data of the US government, Belgium bought 4 MQ9B Sky Guardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $600 million, the UAE bought the highest number, 18 drones, at a cost of 2,900 million dollars, the UK bought 16 at a price of $1,100 million, the US also purchased five at a price of 547 million dollars. Apart from these countries, Taiwan has also bought these drones through the same process. On the other hand, officials are saying that India will buy 31 drones for 3,072 million US dollars, at a price of 99 million dollars per drone.

No trial or test required

As India is already using two such drones, government officials are saying that there would be no requirement for a test or trial. These two drones are already on lease from the same company and successfully operating in different locations. These two drones are highly capable and have high load capacity.

Complete LAC will get covered

According to a top government official, after the delivery of these drones, India will get complete coverage of the Line of Actual Control and Indian forces will be able to cover the whole area for surveillance. These drones have high endurance and will fly at higher levels, making them untraceable with more payload and maximum operational life.
According to a PTI report, continuous heavy rainfall for three hours on Wednesday followed by intermittent showers on Thursday morning led to waterlogging in more than 25 areas resulting in traffic congestion in Gurugram.

The rainfall caused waterlogging on the service road of Delhi-Jaipur Highway, Narsinghpur, Basai road, Rajendra Park, Sector 52, Sector 55, Sector 56, Ardee City, Railway Road, Rajeev Chowk, Kadipur, Vatika Chowk, Delhi road, Sector-14, Udyog Vihar, Bajghera etc, among other areas.
Indian agencies have intercepted Khalistani coordinators working in different countries other than their base, UK, Canada, and US. The information has been shared with investigation agencies and Punjab Police and agencies like the NIA have initiated the process to tighten the noose and nab the coordinators.

The coordinators are working from the Philippines, Dubai, Nepal and European countries like Greece, facilitating the limited top leadership of Khalistani terror which is living in fear due to their back-to-back killings, a government official said.

A plan has been designed against these coordinators and all agencies, along with relevant police, are working together with the Ministry of External Affairs to adopt the required legal process.

Recently, NIA announced a reward against Kashmir Singh and later issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Similarly, NBW has been issued against Gurjant Singh, another Khalistani leader instigating terror in India.

Non-bailable warrants have also been issued against other Khalistani accused who are facing UAPA sections. This includes Yadwinder Singh residing in Philippines, Parminder Singh living in Greece, and Tarsem Singh, who is helping top Khalistani terrorists from Dubai. They all are facilitating pro-Khalistani entities sitting in different countries, the official said.

Sources in the agency said in the coming weeks, more legal action would be visible against Khalistani groups and members residing in different countries.

Top Leadership Changing Countries

Senior officials in the Intelligence grid told News18 that a very limited number of leaders are now left to run the Khalistani agenda and they too are living in fear as Pakistan is targeting them as per its use and throw policy.

Since March, these leaders have been meeting country coordinators and residing there for a few weeks, officials claimed.

Pannu Not Absconding

After the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted terrorist and top leader of the Khalistani Tiger Force (KTF) in Surrey, Canada, all eyes are now on Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the legal adviser and chief of another Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice.

Sources said news about Pannu absconding after Nijjars killing is not correct but Pannu is looking for a safe place.

Sources said while a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) reached the UK a few days ago, the Indian government is also handling Khalistani terror diplomatically. India has raised the issue of support for such terror groups in Canada, the UK and US and demanded action against such groups.
The Parliamentary Panel for Law and Justice has summoned the Law Commission to appear before it on July 3 on the issue of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Besides the Law Commission, the panel, headed by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi, will also hear the views of the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week made a strong push for a UCC, asking how can the country function with dual laws that govern personal matters, and accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to mislead and provoke" the Muslim community.

In the simplest terms, the UCC means one law which would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, maintenance, etc.

ALSO READ: Uniform Civil Code: Who Is in Support? Who Is Against It? Find Out Here

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena, AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have extended support for the UCC so far. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) have opposed the UCC.

Earlier today, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said his party will decide its stand on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after the government clarifies certain things, and also made a pitch for reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said the Centre should not push through with the Uniform Civil Code and rethink the consequences of implementing it. They should rethink about it. This is a diverse nation, people of different races and religions live here and Muslims have their own shariah law," he said.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi asked whether the countrys pluralism would be snatched away" in the name of UCC.

Earlier, Law Commission Chairman Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said the panel has received 8.5 lakh responses within just two weeks of initiating a public consultation process on the matter. The Law Commission had on June 14 invited views from all stakeholders, including people and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue.

The responses we have received till yesterday are approximately 8.5 lakh," Awasthi told PTI.

Implementation of a UCC has been part of BJP election manifestos. Uttarakhand is already in the process of framing its common code. The BJP had promised a uniform civil code in Karnataka ahead of the recent assembly elections.

Earlier, the 21st Law Commission, the term of which ended in August 2018, had examined the issue and solicited the views of all stakeholders on two occasions. Subsequently, a consultation paper on Reforms of Family Law" was issued in 2018.

The 22nd Law Commission, which recently got a three-year extension, has now restarted the process and has sought views from stakeholders till July 13.

If need be, the commission might call upon any individual or organisation for a personal hearing or discussion, the present law panel had said in a June 14 public notice.

The consultation paper of the 21st Law Commission headed by Justice B S Chauhan (retd) had said that while the diversity of Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups or weaker sections of the society must not be dis-privileged" in the process.

The commission dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a UCC which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage", the paper issued on August 31, 2018, had said. The consultation paper said most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference, and the mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination but is indicative of a robust democracy.

Article 44 of the Constitution, part of the Directive Principle of State Policy, provides that the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.

(With PTI inputs)
Days after a mercenary group launched a short-lived armed rebellion that rocked Moscow, Russias Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev briefed NSA Ajit Doval on the latest developments in the country.

A Russian readout said on Thursday that Patrushev held a telephonic conversation with Doval and informed him about the latest events" in Russia. The phone talks took place on Wednesday.

The current issues of Russian-Indian cooperation in the field of security and the prospects for their deepening within the framework of bilateral and multilateral formats were discussed in detail," it said. In addition, N Patrushev informed Doval about the latest events in Russia," it said, adding the interlocutors agreed to continue a confidential dialogue". The rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner group on Saturday marked the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin in more than two decades of his rule and triggered questions over his leadership.

Wagner mercenary group had taken control of Rostov-on-Don town. The revolt ended when Prigozhin ordered his troops back. The Kremlin said it had made a deal that the mercenary chief will move to Belarus.
Come rainy season and cases of fever have started rising in the OPDs of hospitals across Delhi and NCR. While viral fever and dengue are the most common findings, typhoid and leptospirosis are also being increasingly diagnosed.

Leptospirosis is a rat-borne disease that spreads in this weather because rats come out of their burrows due to waterlogging.

Most reported symptoms include fever, runny nose, body aches, loss of appetite, fatigue, throat pain and conjunctivitis. However, symptoms vary from patient to patient.

The elderly population, children and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease or patients on immunosuppressive therapy, and steroids are at higher risk of viral fever and infections.

Doctor Speak

In recent weeks, there has been a significant increase in the number of fever cases observed in the outpatient department (OPD), Dr Manisha Arora, senior consultant, internal medicine, at Delhi-based Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute told News18.

These fevers are accompanied by various symptoms, including rashes on the hands, legs, or even the entire body. Patients also experience joint pains, muscle pains, weakness, loss of appetite, pain behind the eyes and headaches.

Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, chief of pulmonology at Fortis Escorts in Faridabad, echoed similar observations. Fever cases are on the rise, especially for the past two weeks as this weather is playing an important role.

Jha said the changing weather is associated with a rise in viral infections and water-borne diseases, especially typhoid and leptospirosis.

On the basis of symptoms, the cause can majorly be differentiated.

Doctors explained that while typhoid is mainly associated with high-grade fever with or without stomach upset and poor appetite, leptospirosis is associated with high-grade fever, cough and body aches.

Viral diseases are associated with high-grade fever, cough, throat pain and if complicated, then breathing difficulty, Jha said, adding that we must not forget mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria that are especially associated with rain.

A similar trend has been observed by Dr Rajinder Kumar Singal, head of the department, internal medicine, BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital.

Fever cases are on the rise these days due to sudden unexpected rains and weather changes. Apart from the higher incidence of typhoid fever these days, viral fever and gastroenteritis are on the rise. People with co-morbidities or on immunosuppressive therapy and steroids need to be more careful to protect themselves from infections and take care regarding what they eat and drink, Singhal said.

The trend may not be limited to northern India. Dr Monalisa Sahu, consultant infectious diseases at Yashoda Hospitals in Hyderabad, has also been noticing a two to three times rise in the number of cases of fever in the last couple of weeks.

Sahu listed similar symptoms spotted in patients in Delhi-NCR, including rashes over the hands and legs, runny nose and conjunctivitis. Rarely, patients are also presented with fever along with swelling beside the neck.

Viral, dengue, typhoid or something else  Top Symptoms

According to medical experts, the top symptoms are typically associated with viral fevers and other tropical fevers. In some cases, patients are presenting with bleeding manifestations such as bleeding from the gums and subcutaneous bleeding, along with the other symptoms, Arora from Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute explained.

This is often seen in cases of viral haemorrhagic fever, with dengue haemorrhagic fever being the most common in the local setting, she said.

Medical experts are also noticing some patients with fever accompanied by jaundice, pain in the abdomen, and potentially indicating leptospirosis or scrub typhus  a bacterial disease.

Fever accompanied by a runny nose and conjunctivitis is also being observed. There are also cases where patients have a fever, loose motions, vomiting, and abdominal pain, which are usually caused by typhoid and other forms of gastroenteritis  an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Singhal also listed several symptoms adding that loose motions could indicate gastrointestinal infection whereas chest pain and breathing difficulty are suggestive of respiratory chest infections.

What should be done?

Experts suggest that is important for healthcare providers to be aware of these patterns and symptoms in order to make accurate diagnoses and provide appropriate treatment for patients.

Drink plenty of liquids such as water, lemon water, ORS, coconut water and soup etc to stay hydrated, said Singal from BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital.

Doctors suggest that people should wear loose cotton clothes and stay in well-ventilated areas. They also suggest that people must refrain from popping antibiotics on self-prescription.

Take antipyretic medicines such as paracetamol after food as per fever or as suggested by a physician, Singhal added.

Experts warned that people must remember to seek early medical help in case the fever does not settle in a few days or in case of developing symptoms like poor oral intake, difficulty in breathing, or a confusional state.
Known for celebrating India and its craftsmanship in every ensemble she adorns, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja looked resplendent in a custom saree designed by ace couturier Rohit Bal. Representing India at the UK-India Week 2023, Sonam received an invitation from the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, to attend a prestigious reception to be held at the 10 Downing Street. Sonam was accompanied by her husband and entrepreneur Anand Ahuja, and also shared a cute instagram story, where she called him her handsomest date.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (@sonamkapoor)

Taking to Instagram, Sonam Kapoor posted a series of images draped in the six-yards of sheer elegance and long jacket. Sonam exuded grace and tradition that blended perfectly with the contemporary styling. Elated to be part of the iconic reception, Sonam shared her thoughts below the serene pictures and said, Representing in @rohitbalofficial for the reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate UK india week. What a beautiful day and so happy I got to wear a sari in the gorgeous london summer.

The mint green printed saree features Rohit Bals love for nature in the form of artfully created botanical prints. A perfect blend of fashion and art, the long ivory jacket plays the perfect canvas for the red floral motifs printed on the silhouette. The crimson shade in the motifs added a pop of colour to the pastel palette. Sonam and Rohit Bal have celebrated India and couture together on many occasions and we are not surprised that this time too they didnt fail to impress with their collaboration.

ALSO READ: Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra and Anita Dongre To Represent India at the Animal Ball 2023 in London

An epitome of grace and beauty, Sonam completed her look with earrings from Dhuri, a handcrafted ceramic jewellery brand, ring from Amrapali Jewels and a radiant red potli. Sonams flawless makeup was done by makeup artist Ganga and her long straight hair was styled by Pete Burkill.

Styled by celebrity fashion stylist Rhea Kapoor, who never fails to create magic with her extraordinary vision and attention to detail, has once again created history with this iconic look. Assisting Rhea with the styling was her talented team including Manisha Melwani, Bidipto Das, Prabh Malait and drape artist Vikas Rattu.
In a world where acceptance and inclusion should be the norm, it is disheartening to confront the stark reality faced by LGBTQ+ students in educational institutions. The findings of a 2021 survey conducted across India by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Boston Consulting Group, and Pride Circle serve as a poignant reminder of the challenges the community still endures.

Shockingly, 64% of LGBTQ+ students have experienced discrimination or ridicule, with 92% enduring mocking, 59% enduring bullying, and 26% facing social exclusion. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that 36% of these students choose to keep their true selves hidden, afraid to reveal their identities due to the lack of LGBTQ+ friendliness on campus. This, in a setting that is supposed to be forward looking, liberal, and meant to open our minds to new experiences. If this is what happens in universities, will the LGBTQ+ experiences in our workplaces be any different?

While the public dialogue slowly evolves towards normalisation of the entire gender and sexual orientation spectrum, what we need are concrete actions. When our universities construct gender neutral toilets, they move past lip service. They create a physical space that signals their acceptance of the gender spectrum, as a whole. It becomes a powerful statement of affirmation, and a potent signal to those who practise discrimination.

When the same thing happens across workplaces, movie theatres, stadiums, event venues, public transport hubs, toll stations, police stations, courts, hospitals and everywhere else, we affirm ourselves as a society that is welcoming, accepting and respectful towards all of us. And we show the haters that we wont stand beside them.

The humble toilet becomes so much more.

Understanding The Need for Inclusive Toilets

Inclusive restrooms are restrooms that are accessible and welcoming to people of all gender identities and expressions. They are also known as gender-neutral, unisex, or all-gender restrooms. Inclusive restrooms have single stalls or multiple stalls with privacy partitions. They are labelled with signs that indicate they are for everyone, such as Restroom", All-Gender Restroom", or Gender-Inclusive Restroom".

For LGBTQ+ students, there are three immediate benefits:

Reduced anxiety and stress: Transgender, non binary and intersex students can finally use the right toilet. The mens toilet is the wrong toilet. So is the womens toilet. The gender neutral toilet creates a space where they are welcome, and their presence is unquestionable. They feel more comfortable and safe. No more worrying about going to the wrong bathroom, no more worrying about who they will meet there, or how they will react, or whether they are going to be verbally or physically attacked.

Promoting a sense of belonging: When LGBTQ+ students feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged in school and to feel supported by their peers and teachers. This can lead to better academic outcomes and a more positive overall experience at school.

Preventing harassment and discrimination: Inclusive restrooms can help to prevent harassment and discrimination against LGBTQ+ students. When students know that they are safe and respected, they are less likely to be targeted for harassment or discrimination.

Inclusive restrooms pave the way for a more inclusive society. When students from various backgrounds and identities learn in a supportive environment, it imbibes empathy, understanding, and acceptance. Furthermore, these inclusive practices in educational institutions are likely to transcend beyond the walls of academia into workplaces and public spaces.

Examples of Inclusive Restrooms in India

In India, while inclusive restrooms may not be widespread, there are inspiring examples of educational institutions taking proactive steps. One notable case is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, where gender-neutral restrooms were installed on campus as early as 2017. This initiative was championed by Saathi, an LGBTQ+ student support group at IIT Bombay, showcasing the power of student-led advocacy in fostering inclusivity.

Another institution leading the way is the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai, which also introduced gender-neutral restrooms on its campus in 2017. The effort was spearheaded by Queer Collective, an LGBTQ+ student group at TISS Mumbai, emphasising the importance of student-driven initiatives in creating safe and inclusive spaces for all.

These examples highlight the transformative impact of collaborative efforts in making inclusive restrooms a reality. By involving various stakeholders and fostering a sense of community, educational institutions can take significant strides towards building environments that respect and accommodate diverse gender identities.

Today, several Indian universities are recognizing the need for gender-neutral toilets. Institutions such as IIT Delhi have taken the initiative to inaugurate gender-neutral washrooms on their campuses. In fact, IIT Delhi now boasts 14 such facilities. Additionally, Tezpur University in Assam and the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) in Andhra Pradesh have also embraced gender-neutral washrooms, recognizing the importance of providing an inclusive environment for all students. NALSAR goes a step further by adopting a gender-neutral trans policy and the recognition of a gender-neutral title, Mx," on students certificates, paving the way for other institutions to follow.

By championing inclusivity and embracing initiatives driven by student-led organisations and institutional policies, these universities are paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future.

Key Strategies for Implementing Inclusive Restrooms

Creating inclusive restrooms in educational institutions requires a collaborative effort from various stakeholders: administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members. Here are some steps that can be taken to create inclusive restrooms:

Embrace Institutional Policies:

Administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members can establish robust policies that champion gender-inclusive restrooms. This involves the conversion of existing facilities or the construction of new ones. Staff and students alike can undergo comprehensive training, and learn how to create and maintain an environment brimming with understanding and respect.

Foster Consultation and Collaboration:

The voices of LGBTQ+ students and faculty are vital during the planning process. By involving them, we ensure that the restrooms truly meet their unique needs (particularly around safety) and expectations. Their insights and perspectives pave the way for genuine inclusion and a sense of ownership.

Design with Compassion and Accessibility:

We must prioritise privacy and security, for all. Lockable single-stall facilities, accessible to all individuals regardless of gender identity, installation of panic buttons, using always-on lighting, and other design considerations ensure that the toilet feels (and is) safe. Additionally, the toilets can be designed to also cater to the needs of differently-abled students ensuring easy accessibility for all.

Cultivate Awareness and Uphold Regular Maintenance:

Enlightening workshops and seminars go a long way in transforming traditional mindsets. We all know how much of a sea-change our views undergo, when we get to really know someone who we are guilty of othering, however covertly. Workshops create safe spaces for people to mingle, interact and learn from one another. These educational endeavors nurture empathy, deepen understanding, and give us an appreciation for the intricate challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

In this transformative journey, Harpic, a brand that has nestled itself in the hearts of Indian households as a symbol of cleanliness, emerges as a beacon of change. Recognizing the paramount importance of both inclusivity and cleanliness, Harpic wholeheartedly embraces the diversity of our beautiful nation, including the LGBTQ+ community, by creating products that cater to everyones needs.

Moreover, Harpic understands that unity amplifies the impact of change. Three years ago, Harpic joined hands with News18 to initiate the remarkable Mission Swachhta aur Paani. This extraordinary endeavour surpasses mere cleanliness; it embodies love, acceptance, and unwavering support for one another. By advocating for the transgender and non-binary community, Mission Swachhta aur Paani shines a light on the indispensable significance of inclusive public toilets.

The Road Ahead: Continuing the Journey to Inclusivity

The journey to inclusivity is a continuous one. There will always be work to do. While the inclusion of gender neutral toilets in public spaces has begun, it is vital to maintain dialogue with the LGBTQ+ community, assess the utility of these facilities, and fine-tune as needed. Inclusive restrooms transcend physical space; they symbolise the recognition and respect of diversity.

With resolute policies, engagement with the LGBTQ+ community, adept design, education, and collaborations such as those with Harpic and Mission Swacchta aur Paani, we hold the keys to crafting educational spaces that exude support and respect for all. Lets collectively march ahead on this path, and enrich our society through diversity that uniquely defines us.

Join us here, to learn how you can play a part in this national conversation.
Traditional toilets arent known as bastions of design and creativity, but a movement has emerged in New Zealand that breaks away from this monotony. These intriguing toilet concepts embrace the idea that toilets can be more than functional spaces: they can be visually striking, engaging, a little bit silly and a lot of fun! High concept ideas like these are gaining ground, and elevating toilets from mere utilitarian but essential spaces, to thought provoking spaces we can actually enjoy ourselves in too.

These concepts are, of course, a far cry from the reality of the toilet experience of the LGBTQ+ community. While, for most of us, public toilets provide convenience, comfort, and dignity, they can be a source of anxiety, discrimination, and violence for many members of the LGBTQ+ community. Transgender people, in particular, face challenges and risks when accessing public toilets that dont align with their gender identity. A study by UCLA revealed that nearly 70% of transgender people have experienced verbal harassment in gender-segregated bathrooms, while almost 10% have reported physical assault. These incidents have negative impacts on the physical and mental health of transgender people, as well as restrict their participation in social and economic activities.

To address this issue, some countries and cities have implemented initiatives that promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public toilets. These initiatives aim to provide safe, accessible, and welcoming spaces for people of all gender identities and expressions. They also challenge the cis-normative and heteronormative standards dominating public spaces.

Gender-Neutral Toilets: A Simple Solution with Significant Benefits

One of the most common and effective ways to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public toilets is to create gender-neutral or unisex facilities. These toilets are accessible and designed for use by any gender group, regardless of their biological sex or gender expression. They can take the form of single-user toilets, similar to those in private residences, or multi-user communal bathrooms with individual stalls or cubicles.

Gender-neutral toilets offer several benefits for LGBTQ+ people, as well as other groups who may face difficulties or discomfort in using gender-segregated toilets. For example, gender-neutral toilets can benefit:

Transgender and non-binary people who do not identify with the binary categories of male or female, or who may face harassment or violence in gender-segregated toilets.

People with disabilities who may need assistance from a caregiver of a different gender.

Parents or guardians who need to accompany their children of a different gender.

People who value privacy and convenience over gender conformity.

Gender-neutral toilets also have symbolic and political significance, as they challenge the norms and assumptions that underlie the design and regulation of public spaces. By providing more options and flexibility for people to use the toilet that suits their needs and preferences, gender-neutral toilets affirm the diversity and dignity of human beings, and foster a culture of respect and inclusion.

Examples of Gender-Neutral Toilets Around the World

Many countries and cities around the world have adopted gender-neutral toilets as a way to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public spaces. Some examples are:

In England and Wales, transgender people have been legally entitled to use gender-segregated toilets that align with their gender identity since the introduction of the Equality Act (2010). However, many public venues have also implemented gender-neutral toilets to provide more options and accessibility for their customers and staff. For instance, some universities, museums, libraries, theatres and pubs have converted some or all of their existing toilets into unisex facilities.

In Canada, several provinces and municipalities have passed laws or policies that require public buildings to provide at least one gender-neutral toilet. For example, Vancouver passed a bylaw in 2018 that mandates all new and renovated city-owned buildings to have at least one universal washroom. Similarly, Ontario passed a law in 2015 that requires all newly built or extensively renovated public buildings to have at least one barrier-free washroom.

In China, the first toilets that were unisex and gender-neutral were constructed sometime before 2013. Since then many districts have accepted the concept. Some cities have experimented with gender-neutral toilets as a way to address the issue of long queues for womens toilets. For example, Beijing launched a pilot project in 2016 that converted some public toilets into unisex facilities with individual stalls. The project received positive feedback from users who appreciated the convenience and privacy of the new design.

In Nepal, Bageshwori Park was the first public space to have two unisex toilets. The MP used the Parliamentarian Development Fund to establish bathrooms for a growing trend in Nepal to offer accommodations for transgender people. Several organisations and alliances within Nepal continue to support separate toilets for transgender students within the public and private school systems.

The Winds of Change in India

In India, some cities have taken steps to provide more inclusive and accessible toilets for transgender people. For example, Bhopal became the first city in India to introduce a third-gender toilet option in 2017. The initiative was part of a broader campaign to improve the living conditions and social acceptance of transgender people in the city. More recently, the Supreme Court set another precedent by establishing nine gender-neutral bathrooms within the august corridors of the Court itself.

In Delhi, the government has taken a significant step towards inclusivity by mandating that all its departments, offices, district authorities, municipal corporations, state-run companies, and the Delhi Police have separate and exclusive washrooms for transgender persons. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) allocated funds for the provision of separate public toilets exclusively for the transgender community in its annual budget for 2021-22. This decision reflects progress toward acknowledging and addressing the specific needs of the transgender, intersex and non-binary community.

Its not just the government but also corporate India that has donned the cape of change. Harpic, a brand renowned for its commitment to cleanliness, has embraced this call for change. With open hearts and a deep understanding, the brand has taken remarkable strides to ensure that its products cater to the rich tapestry of society, which includes the LGBTQ+ community. Recognizing that education is the key to transforming attitudes, Harpic has launched inspiring campaigns that illuminate the diversity of gender identities. Through these powerful initiatives, society is awakened, nurtured, and encouraged to create environments where acceptance thrives.

One remarkable collaboration between Harpic and News18, known as Mission Swachhta aur Paani, transcends the concept of cleanliness alone. It is a movement that recognizes the profound significance of toilets, viewing them not merely as functional spaces but as beacons of safety and acceptance for the marginalised. This exceptional mission is built upon the firm belief that clean and inclusive toilets are vital for fostering a society that embraces and empowers us all, unconditionally. With unwavering dedication, Harpic and News18 actively include and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, propelling the message that every individual deserves access to safe and accepting spaces, where their dignity is upheld, and their presence is welcomed.

Best Practices and Recommendations for Implementing Gender-Neutral Toilets

While gender-neutral toilets have many advantages, they also face some challenges and resistance from some segments of the society. Some of the common concerns and objections raised by opponents of gender-neutral toilets are:

Safety and privacy : Some people fear that gender-neutral toilets may increase the risk of sexual harassment, assault or voyeurism, especially for women and children. They also worry that gender-neutral toilets may compromise their privacy and comfort, especially in multi-user facilities where they may have to share the space with strangers of different genders.

Hygiene and cleanliness : Some people believe that gender-neutral toilets may be less hygienic and clean than gender-segregated toilets, due to the different habits and preferences of different genders. For example, some women may complain about men leaving the toilet seat up, or men may complain about women leaving sanitary products in the bins.

Tradition and culture : Some people oppose gender-neutral toilets on the grounds that they violate the traditional and cultural norms and values that govern the use of public spaces. They may argue that gender-neutral toilets are unnatural, immoral or disrespectful to their beliefs and customs.

To address these concerns and challenges, it is important to follow some best practices and recommendations when implementing gender-neutral toilets. Some of these are:

Consultation and communication : It is essential to consult and communicate with the stakeholders and users of the public toilets before making any changes or decisions. This can help to understand their needs, preferences and expectations, as well as address any fears or misconceptions they may have. It can also help to build trust and support for the initiative, build consensus, and avoid potential conflicts or backlash.

Design and signage : It is important to design and add signage to gender-neutral toilets in a way that ensures safety, privacy and comfort for all users. This can include providing individual stalls or cubicles with locks, adequate lighting, ventilation and soundproofing, as well as clear and visible signs that indicate the location and availability of the facilities. It can also include providing sanitary products, waste bins, mirrors, hooks and shelves for personal belongings.

Education and awareness : It is important to educate and raise awareness among the public about the benefits and purpose of gender-neutral toilets, as well as the rights and responsibilities of the users. This can include providing information and guidance on how to use the facilities respectfully and responsibly, as well as how to report any problems or incidents. It can also include promoting a positive and inclusive message that celebrates diversity and inclusion.

Conclusion

LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public toilets is an important issue that affects the lives and well-being of millions of people around the world. By providing gender-neutral or unisex facilities, public authorities and venues can create safe, accessible and comfortable spaces for people of all gender identities and expressions.

The LGBTQ community needs allies. When cisgender allies join the rallying cry, is when change is both permanent and quick. There are many ways you can be an ally. Learn how, and join us in this movement to transform our society into one that is equitable, respectful and welcoming for every single one of us.
For a vast majority of human history, society has failed to recognise the importance of mental health to overall well-being. Thankfully, this is now changing. The global discourse now recognises the impact of trauma and anxiety on not just the well-being of individuals, but communities as a whole. We recognise individual and collective trauma, we have a better understanding of abuse dynamics, and we understand the role of cultural paradigms in propagating harmful attitudes towards racial, religious and gender identities.

The world over, we recognise how harmful attitudes like racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, and others can be. This is the reason progressive nations are adopting laws that recognise and protect the rights of minorities, women, differently abled, and of course, that of the LGBTQ+ community. Possibly more than most, the LGBTQ+ community draws particular ire, thanks to the misconception that people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum have a choice in the matter. If they would only choose to be male or female, and choose to love only the opposite gender, we would all get along.

Sadly, that misconception creates an environment of suspicion, fear and hate, which translates into microaggressions, outright discrimination, and even hateful attacks. Within the LGBTQ+ community, transgender and non-binary individuals are particularly vulnerable. They often face prejudice, discrimination, and social stigma due to their gender identity, and the struggle for acceptance and affirmation can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. Unfortunately, one aspect of daily life that exacerbates these challenges is the use of public toilets.

The avoidable struggle involved in going to the toilet

For transgender and non-binary individuals, something as simple as using a toilet can become a source of anxiety and distress. The traditional division of toilets, based on the binary concept of genders as male and female, can be a constant reminder of their non-conforming gender identity. When you identify as transgender, intersex or non-binary, going to the mens or womens toilet is akin to going to the wrong toilet. Youre afraid that someone will call you out, stop you from using the toilet, verbally harass you, shame you, call security and have you thrown out of there, and worse case scenario, attack you physically.

Studies indicate that among transgender and/or non-binary youth who experience bathroom discrimination, 85% report depressive moods, while 60% have seriously contemplated suicide. Shockingly, one in three of these youths who experience bathroom discrimination have attempted suicide in the past year, with one in five reporting multiple suicide attempts. While these studies were conducted in the United States, their findings arent surprising to the LGBTQ+ community the world over, and even in India.

The Role of Inclusive Toilets

Inclusive toilets are toilet facilities that are designed to accommodate the diversity of human bodies and identities. They are also known as gender-neutral, all-gender, or unisex toilets. Inclusive toilets can take different forms, such as single-stall or multi-stall units, but they share some common features:

They do not segregate users based on their sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or gender expression.

They have clear and respectful signage that indicates that they are open to everyone.

They have adequate privacy and security measures, such as locks, curtains, or partitions.

They have accessible features for people with disabilities, such as grab bars, ramps, or lower sinks.

Creating inclusive toilet facilities, such as gender-neutral or transgender-inclusive toilets, can play a transformative role in improving the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. These inclusive toilets not only provide a practical solution for individuals who do not fit within traditional gender binaries, but also send a powerful message of acceptance, respect, and inclusion. When your employer provides unisex toilets, they arent just paying lip service to diversity and inclusion, theyre in it with both feet. It is a strong message to those who discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community, that their thinking and their behaviour isnt acceptable.

By providing safe and inclusive spaces for individuals to use toilets that align with their gender identity, inclusive toilets alleviate the psychological stress and anxiety associated with bathroom use. In fact, research has demonstrated that providing access to facilities that correspond to their gender identity reduces suicide rates among transgender individuals.

Inclusive toilets have a positive impact the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ community members in many ways:

Reducing violence, harassment, and discrimination

Inclusive toilets actively reduce the risk of LGBTQ+ individuals experiencing violence, harassment, or discrimination in public toilets. Public toilets that do not align with their gender identity or expression often subject LGBTQ+ individuals to verbal abuse, physical assault, or denial of service. Such incidents can deeply affect their self-esteem, confidence, and overall sense of safety. By creating a more welcoming and respectful environment, inclusive toilets prevent these harmful occurrences and promote a greater sense of security for all users.

Affirming dignity and identity

Inclusive toilets affirm the dignity and identity of LGBTQ+ people, addressing the internalised stigma, shame, or dysphoria they may experience. These negative feelings can significantly impact their mental health and well-being across different aspects of their lives. By acknowledging and validating that gender is a spectrum and not limited to male and female, inclusive toilets contribute to the normalisation of, and comfort and acceptance of their own bodies. This affirmation fosters a positive sense of self and improves overall mental well-being.

Cultivating a sense of belonging and community

Inclusive toilets cultivate a sense of belonging and community among LGBTQ+ individuals. Many members of the LGBTQ+ community face isolation, loneliness, and exclusion due to a lack of acceptance and support from society. These experiences of othering can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Inclusive toilets play a vital role in creating spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals are welcome, and their presence is unquestioned.

The Way Forward

Legislation and policy changes are vital in ensuring the establishment of inclusive toilets. Laws mandating the installation of gender-neutral toilets in public buildings and schools provide a baseline of protection for transgender and non-binary individuals. Anti-discrimination laws that explicitly include protections for individuals to use toilets that align with their gender identity are also crucial in promoting inclusivity and safeguarding mental well-being. Fortunately, India has made strides in policy changes as well as legal protections.

Collaboration with NGOs and activist groups working for LGBTQ+ rights is essential in shaping inclusive policies and strategies. These organisations often possess valuable insights and experiences that can contribute to the development of more nuanced and culturally sensitive approaches, especially in diverse countries like India. Collaboration can lead to the identification of best practices and the effective implementation of inclusive toilets initiatives.

Efforts to promote inclusive toilets and address the mental health needs of the LGBTQ+ community can be advanced through various avenues. Harpic, a brand renowned for its commitment to cleanliness, has embraced this call for change. With open hearts and a deep understanding, the brand has taken remarkable strides to ensure that its products cater to the rich tapestry of society, which includes the LGBTQ+ community. Recognizing that education is the key to transforming attitudes, Harpic has launched inspiring campaigns that illuminate the beautiful diversity of gender identities. Through these powerful initiatives, society is awakened, nurtured, and encouraged to create environments where acceptance thrives.

One remarkable collaboration between Harpic and News18, known as Mission Swachhta aur Paani, transcends the concept of cleanliness alone. It is a movement that recognizes the profound significance of toilets, viewing them not merely as functional spaces but as beacons of safety and acceptance for the marginalised. This exceptional mission is built upon the firm belief that clean and inclusive toilets are vital for fostering a society that embraces and empowers us all, unconditionally. With unwavering dedication, Harpic and News18 actively include and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, propelling the message that every individual deserves access to safe and accepting spaces, where their dignity is upheld, and their presence is celebrated.

Conclusion

As conversations surrounding mental health continue to evolve, it is imperative to recognize the intersectionality of issues that affect various communities. For the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender and non-binary individuals, access to inclusive toilets is not just a matter of convenience; it is a matter of dignity, safety, and mental well-being.

Through initiatives like Mission Swacchta aur Paani and corporate participation from brands like Harpic, society can move towards a more inclusive and compassionate future. It is vital to remember that by creating safe spaces for all, we can foster a healthier, happier, and more harmonious society.

Join the conversation here, and learn more about how you can help move the needle on a Swachh and Swasth Bharat, for everyone.
Aaliya Siddiqui, who is now out of Bigg Boss OTT 2, is once again in the news. She has recently slammed actress Kangana Ranaut for showing support to Nawazuddin Siddiqui and said that the actresss words hold no value to her. In a recent interview, she also opened up about her relationship with her estranged husband and actor.

In a chat with Bollywood Bubble, Aaliya talked about Kangana and said, I dont pay attention to Kangana because her words hold no value. She pokes her nose in everything, she keeps speaking about everyone. In my opinion, her words have no meaning. I will not give any importance to Kangana in my life. Nobody apart from Kangana said anything because Kangana had to support Tiku weds Sheru. She is the producer and she has to save her film. She is known for raising her voice in the wrong thing. If someone has to poke anyone, it will be Kangana.

It is worth mentioning here that Kangana came out in support of Nawazuddin during the dispute between Aaliya and Nawazuddin. The actress said, Nawaz sir is being humiliated like this outside his homehe gave his everything to his family, he stayed at a rented place for several years..he used to take a rickshaw to TWS shoot. Only last year he bought this bungalow and now his ex-wife came to claim itso sad.

Earlier Aaliya had also shared posts on social media, claiming she was being harassed at Nawazuddins house. Later, the actor issued a statement and said that he was being painted as the bad guy. Reacting to it, Kangana Ranaut had written on social media, Was much needed @nawazuddin._siddiqui saab silence does not always give us peace I am glad you issued this statement.

Aaliya and Nawazs divorce battle caught everyones attention. The two levelled several allegations against each other. Aaliya claimed that Nawazuddin disowned their children and alleged that the actors mother Mehrunisa harassed her by not giving her access to the actors Mumbai home. However, the Tiku Weds Sheru actor denied the charges and claimed that Aaliya only wanted money.
Renowned actor and musician Jamie Foxx is in the news when he met with an accident while filming Back in Action, a Netflix action comedy. He has suffered a medical complication but details of which have not been shared till now. And now a report has come in that the actor is reportedly making progress in his recovery and is slowly regaining his health.

Hindustan Times quoted a source saying, He is getting the best care and working hard to recover right now, but he is still not himself. He has the tightest circle around him. The actors daughter, Corinne Foxx, shared a statement via Instagram the next after the accident. It read, We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday. Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time." The incident occurred on April 11 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jamie broke his silence on May 3, expressing his appreciation for the love and support he had received during this challenging time. He thanked his followers and acknowledged Nick Cannons support, indicating that he would see everyone soon. Subsequently, his daughter Corinne provided further updates, confirming that he had been out of the hospital for weeks and was recuperating. She also teased an exciting work announcement to come. The nature of Foxxs medical emergency remains unknown.

Foxx is known to be recovering at a clinic well known for stroke recovery, spinal cord injury rehab, cancer rehabilitation, and traumatic brain injury rehab in Chicago. The family remains tight-lipped about his recovery after his discharge from the hospital.
Michael Gableman, the former state Supreme Court justice whose review of the 2020 Wisconsin presidential election was widely panned, is slated to testify as an expert witness for a former Donald Trump attorney who could lose his law license over his efforts to help the former president overturn the 2020 election.

Gableman was to testify for attorney John Eastman at his California state bar hearing Wednesday, but the hearing was postponed until Thursday morning. The state lawyers association is seeking to have Eastman disbarred for advancing the legal theory that then-Vice President Mike Pence had the power to unilaterally reject Electoral College votes from several states, including Wisconsin, in which Eastman falsely claimed that there was massive evidence of fraud.

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.

Gableman, who an attorney for Eastman said would testify in person if his schedule permits, was hired by Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, to review the 2020 presidential election at Trumps behest.

His review failed to find any evidence of widespread fraud, although he used the platform to encourage more doubt about the outcome, and recommended the Legislature decertify the results, something not allowed by state or federal law.

Gablemans review also stated nursing homes in five Wisconsin counties voted in unusually high numbers in the last presidential election  claims disproven by a Wisconsin State Journal review. Additionally, his review falsely stated that a nonprofits donations to cities to help administer the 2020 election constituted election bribery. Courts have said those donations were legal.

Efforts to reach Gableman on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Gableman said he spent the first two months of his review of the 2020 election using a now-deleted personal email account and working out of a public library, and regularly discarded records even after requests for documents from his office had been submitted under the states open records law. His review led him to consult with other prominent election deniers, like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

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.

Despite Gablemans firing, the Legislature has continued to authorize the use of taxpayer dollars to cover legal costs related to Gablemans review, which has so far cost taxpayers more than $1 million.
Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani starrer SatyaPrem Ki Katha hit the theatres today, June 29. Following the first day first show of the film, which was also attended by members from the press, at a multiplex in suburban Mumbai, Kartik paid a surprise visit to the media. Kartik was greeting media members and exchanging notes with them about SatyaPrem Ki Katha when Karan Johar walked in.

For more: Kartik Aaryan, Karan Johar FINALLY Bury Hatchet, Hug Each Other At SatyaPrem Ki Katha Screening

Dharmendra has penned an emotional note to wife Hema Malini and their daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol, days after his grandson Karan Deols wedding. Karan Deol - son of superstar Sunny Deol - tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Drisha Acharya on June 18 in the presence of his family and close friends. However, what grabbed many eyeballs was the absence of Hema Malini, Esha and Ahana from all ceremonies.

For more: Dharmendra Apologises To Hema Malini, Esha After Karan Deols Wedding: I Couldve Spoken To You

Esha Deol has finally responded to her father Dharmendras emotional post in which he appeared to apologise to her and Hema Malini, days after his grandson Karan Deols wedding. Dharmendras personal life became a subject of discussion on the internet during Karans wedding, owing to the veteran actors two marriages. Prior to his wedding with Hema Malini, Dharmendra was already married to Prakash Kaur.

For more: Esha Deol Responds To Dharmendras Apology With Emotional Post, Says Love You Papa, Cheer Up

Lust Stories 2 follows its predecessor  much in the same way with very little romance and a lot more lust. But the latest, now on Netflix, is far more brazen and bold than the first one, and some could find it unpleasant. A subtle approach could have done wonders to the these Lust Stories  four episodes in all and helmed by well-know auteurs, R. Balki, Sujoy Ghosh, Amit R. Sharma and Konkona SenSharma.

For more: Lust Stories 2 Review: Kajol, Neena Gupta Shine; Tamannaah, Vijays Sex With Ex Fails To Impress

Aaliya Siddiqui, who is now out of Bigg Boss OTT 2, is once again in the news. She has recently slammed actress Kangana Ranaut for showing support to Nawazuddin Siddiqui and said that the actresss words hold no value to her. In a recent interview, she also opened up about her relationship with her estranged husband and actor.

For more: Aaliya Siddiqui Slams Kangana Ranaut For Supporting Nawazuddin, Says Her Words Hold No Value
Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani starrer SatyaPrem Ki Katha hit the theatres today, June 29. Following the first day first show of the film, which was also attended by members from the press, at a multiplex in suburban Mumbai, Kartik paid a surprise visit to the media. Kartik was greeting media members and exchanging notes with them about SatyaPrem Ki Katha when Karan Johar walked in.

Yes, you read that right! Karan arrived at the same venue along with his friend and The Fabulous Life Of Bollywood Wives star Maheep Kapoor. Whether or not they were there to watch SatyaPrem Ki Katha remained unclear, but the visual of Karan and Kartik interacting with one another surprised many. The director-actor duo was even seen sharing a hug. Eyewitnesses revealed that it came as a shocker to many, considering their alleged fallout which took place during the shoot of Dostana 2.

Last year, Karan and Kartik were also seen chatting and getting pally with one another at an award function, which led to fans wondering if they buried the hatchet. However, it is also to be noted that at the same show, the actor seemingly refused to dance to a song from Karans Jugjugg Jeeyo while other celebrities including Parineeti Chopra, Sara Ali Khan, Siddharth Malhotra and Ayushmann Khurrana danced to it.

Karan took the internet by shock when he announced the recasting of Dostana 2, in which Kartik Aaryan was supposed to share the screen space with Janhvi Kapoor. And that formed the cause of an alleged rift between them.

Reacting to it, Kartik had told ETimes, I believe in what my mother has taught me and these are my value too when theres an altercation between two people, the younger one should never speak about it. I follow that and hence I never speak about it."

As for Dostana 2, Dharma Productions decided to recast the film. Due to professional circumstances, on which we have decided to maintain dignified silence- we will be recasting Dostana 2, directed by Collin DCunha. Please wait for the official announcement soon," they had stated.
Sivasankaran Nair, commonly known as Sivan, is an acclaimed cinematographer in the South Indian film industry. He was honoured with the National Film Award three times throughout his career. Before embarking on his journey as a cinematographer, Sivan worked as a press photographer in the government sector in the Travancore and Thiru-Kochi regions. In addition to his cinematography work, he also directed the film Swapnam, which was released in 1972. Some of his notable works include Abhayam, Yagam, Oru Yathra, Keshu, Kochu Kochu Mohangal, and Kilivathil. Sadly, Sivan, the renowned cinematographer, passed away in June 2021 due to cardiac arrest. Now, there is news that the government of Kerala has decided to erect a memorial in his honor.

During an interview, Saji Cherian, the Minister of Fisheries, Youth, and Cultural Affairs in Kerala, announced that a memorial would be constructed in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram as a tribute to the late cinematographer and director, Sivan. The minister made this statement during the inauguration of the Sivan Cultural Centre in Kerala. The cultural centre aims to promote independent artists, offer training programs, and organize exhibitions. It is reportedly situated near the Sivan Studios in Thiruvananthapuram.

The event was attended by former minister C Divarakan, producer G Suresh Kumar, director TK Rajeev Kumar, and Sivans sons, Sangeeth and Santosh Sivan.

According to reports, the inaugural program at the cultural centre was a two-day workshop conducted by the renowned cinematographer and director, Santosh Sivan. Additionally, a special workshop on still photography and cinematography was conducted by the Canon India team on June 26 and 27.

Sivan had established the Sivan Studios at Statue Junction in 1959. Following in his fathers footsteps, his son Santosh Sivan has also become a popular cinematographer in the industry, contributing to numerous successful projects.

Sivan passed away at the age of 89 in 2021 at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The news of his demise was shared on social media by his son and director, Sangeeth Sivan.
Salman Khan on Thursday treated his fans and followers by sharing a heartwarming photo featuring his entire family on the occasion of Eid Ul Adha. The actor took to social media to extend warm wishes to his fans.

In the picture, the actor can be seen posing with his two brothers, actors Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, his two sisters, Arpita Khan and Alvira Khan Agnihotri, and his parents, Salim Khan and Sushila Charak. The actor leaned his cheek to his mothers cheek. Actress Tabu commented with red heart emojis and actress Tina Datta replied, Eid Mubarak Sir. EID UL ADHA MUBARAK, read his caption. The picture quickly went viral and garnered thousands of likes and comments from fans and well-wishers.

A fan wrote, My family man, the purest human being.Eid Mubarak! Another user commented, Apko bhi Eid-Ul-Adha Mubarak Bhaijaan. Another wrote, Bhaijaan Is Hiding His Body So That No Once Can See Sirs Abbs. Others dropped red heart emojis.

Take a look at the photo here:

EID UL ADHA MUBARAK pic.twitter.com/9ytammlKJG Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) June 29, 2023

On the work front, the actor is currently seen hosting Bigg Boss OTT 2. The show has been garnering a lot of views. He will be next seen in Tiger 3, which is set to release on November 10. Katrina Kaif will be seen in the lead role, Shah Rukh Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Ridhi Dogra, Angad Bedi, and others in key roles.

Pinkvilla has exclusively reported that the 57-year-old actor is not in a hurry for script selection. Salman has been approached by a lot of filmmakers, which includes some from his own camp. But for the first time in his 30-year career, there isnt a film lined up to start any time soon, revealed a source close to the development.

Reportedly, Salman Khan will be shooting for Tiger vs Pathaan in the first quarter of 2024 with Shah Rukh Khan. With spectacular visual effects, the film is expected to be the biggest cinematic event of Indian Cinema.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu has repeatedly proved that she can slay any outfit with her style. On Wednesday night too, the actress took to her Instagram stories and dropped a picture of herself which is now winning everyones heart.

In this latest click, Samantha can be seen posing in a stylish cut-out midi ensemble. She kept her hair open, opted for minimal makeup and ditched accessories to take her outfit grab the centerstage. In the caption of her picture, Samantha joked that she was finally out of oversized sweatshirts. On days that I remember I own more than sweats and oversized shirtshallelujah, the dresses are finally coming out (Face with sunglasses emoji)," she wrote. Check out the picture here:

Just a few days back, Samantha dropped a series of pictures from Citadel Indias Serbia shoot. In one of the photos, the Oo Antava girl was seen caressing a dog. In another, she gave a glimpse of her director Raj and Dk. Check out her post here:

Samantha is currently shooting for Citadel India which also stars Varun Dhawan in the lead. The original Citadel featured Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden.

Citadel India is helmed by Raj and DK and the team is staying tight-lipped about its plot. Recently, Priyanka Chopra opened up about the Indian remake of her show and revealed that the storylines are connected to each other. She further mentioned that she cannot wait to see Raj and DKs work and appreciated the filmmakers saying, Raj and DK are so amazing, so talented and theyll bring their own spin to the Indian installment. So, Im very excited.

Apart from Citadel, Samantha also has the romantic drama Kushi in her pipeline. In the film, the actress will be seen sharing the screen with Vijay Deverakonda. Kushi will hit theatres in September this year.
The history of European colonialism in India is marked by various aspects, including trade, political domination, and cultural encounters. One significant dimension of this interaction was the arrival of European missionaries, who sought to spread Christianity across the subcontinent. While some missionaries genuinely aimed to bring spiritual enlightenment and social upliftment, it is essential to acknowledge that certain instances of forcible conversion did occur during this period. This modest attempt further aims to explore the phenomenon of European missionaries forcible conversion in India, examining its historical context, motivations, methods employed and its consequences on Indian society.

The arrival of European missionaries in India was primarily a consequence of the colonial expansion pursued by European powers during the 15th to the 19th century. Nations such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Britain sought to establish trading posts, secure territories and spread their cultural and religious influence in various parts of India. The missionaries acted as an extension of these colonial powers, advancing their religious agendas while indirectly supporting the political and economic interests of their respective countries. European missionaries held diverse motivations for their involvement in India. While some genuinely believed in the universality of Christianity and felt compelled to share its teachings, others saw conversion as a means to assert cultural dominance over the indigenous population. Moreover, religious zeal, a desire for personal glory, and a sense of duty to civilize the heathens were prevalent sentiments among missionaries. These motivations, combined with colonial ideologies of superiority, laid the groundwork for potential conflicts and forced conversions.

Forcible conversion by European missionaries in India took various forms. Often, it involved taking advantage of the power dynamics that emerged with European colonial rule. Missionaries would collaborate with colonial authorities, exploiting their influence to pressure or coerce locals into accepting Christianity. Economic inducements, such as job opportunities, access to education, and healthcare facilities, were also employed as incentives for conversion. In certain instances, coercion escalated to the extent of denying social privileges, including access to public resources or exclusion from the local power structure, unless individuals converted to Christianity.

For instance, Francis Xaviers Catholic Church in Goa persecuted innocent Hindu children. Goas Inquisition Court operated until 1812. Francis Xavier loved these crimes against Hindus, saying, After baptizing the people, I order them to destroy the huts where they keep their idols and break the idol statues into tiny pieces. I cannot describe the incredible solace I feel when idolaters destroy idols. I ordered the new Christians to demolish idol shrines and crush the images. (Letters and Instructions of Francis Xavier, 1993, pp117-8).

The Catholic Church made Xavier a saint for his cruelty to Hindus in Kerala and Goa. His mass conversion program targeted the Dalits and fishermen. Because he solely cared about Indian Christianitys numbers. He used persuasion, gifting, persecution (allurements), etc. to proselytize. Church-sponsored temple annihilations must be investigated to properly represent Christianity in India. Francis Xavier from Travancore began temple annihilation in Malabar Coast. During Mysorean invasions, Malabar was late. Portuguese, the first Christian fanatics of the Orient, organised Keralas temple demolition in the sixteenth century. (Velupillai, The Travancore State Manual, Vol. II, [1940], republished 1996, pp 174-75).

Hindus were most persecuted, according to Portuguese researcher Antonio Jose Saraiva. He claimed that Jesuit converts to Hinduism were 74 percent put to death. Filippo Sassetti, an Italian traveller and merchant in India from 1578 to 1588, said Church fathers compensated Hindus for following their religion and referring to their sacred scriptures. They destroyed Hindu temples and harassed the people so much that they left the city in large numbers, refusing to live in a place where they were imprisoned, tortured, and killed for worshipping their fathers gods, Sassetti writes. The Portuguese destroyed 160 Hindu temples between 1510 and 1566. Franciscan missionaries forced 300 Hindu temples in North Goa in 15661567 (ibid.). The Inquisition destroyed nearly 300 Hindu temples in South Goa. Portuguese writings boasted of burning Hindu temples.

The forcible conversion efforts by European missionaries had significant consequences for Indian society. Firstly, it created a sense of social dislocation and conflict among communities, as religious conversion became a source of division and tension. The imposition of a foreign religion disrupted the existing cultural and religious fabric, leading to alienation and resistance among the indigenous population. Additionally, the economic and social privileges offered to converts created divisions within communities, further exacerbating societal rifts. Furthermore, the forcible conversion attempts challenged indigenous religious and cultural practices, often leading to the erosion of traditional belief systems and cultural heritage. Sacred sites were desecrated or destroyed, and local traditions were suppressed, resulting in the loss of cultural diversity and historical knowledge.

Despite the forceful tactics employed by European missionaries, many Indians resisted conversion, displaying remarkable resilience and resilience. Some individuals and communities actively defended their faith and cultural practices, often forming religious movements that advocated for religious autonomy and the preservation of traditional values. These movements played a crucial role in fostering a sense of collective identity and resistance against the imposition of foreign religious beliefs. Missionaries sometimes gave converts food, money, education, or medical treatment. The linked nature of aid and proselytisation has been criticised as exploiting the vulnerability of underprivileged people. Critics say some missionaries disrespected local religions, customs, and traditions because they believed their own were superior. Local customs and religions have been called pagan or heathen and replaced with Christian ones. The missionaries are often blamed for embracing colonial divide and rule. New converts often withdrew themselves from their old communities and were sometimes given preferential treatment by the colonists, causing social problems. Some regard this as a colonial strategy to erode local solidarity.

Forcible conversion by missionaries during colonial rule in India was a deeply problematic aspect of European imperialism. It violated the principles of religious freedom, disrupted the cultural and social fabric of Indian society, and contributed to the destabilisation of religious harmony. Acknowledging this dark chapter of history is crucial for promoting genuine religious pluralism, fostering harmony, and upholding the principles of human rights and dignity. European missionaries frequently preferred Christian Western cultural and religious norms over indigenous ones. Local cultures and religions eroded, causing social instability and cultural uniformity. The critics contend that the conversion processes that were utilised were frequently opaque. Missionaries used native terminology and ideas to explain Christian themes. This sometimes led to conversions based on misperceptions of Christianity. In conclusion, some missionaries used problematic methods, but their influence was multifaceted and varied among locations and communities. Thus, admittedly, it is hard to separate missionary efforts from colonial rule.

The author teaches Political Science at Sri Aurobindo College, University of Delhi. Views expressed are personal.
This writer had noted on June 13, in these columns, that Pakistans Army chief General Asim Munir is in full control of his institution. If anyone had any doubt about this, it should have been settled by Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Ahmed Sharifs almost one-and-a-half-hour press conference on June 26. Sharif revealed that the Army chief had acted against officers on the basis of the findings of two enquiries held under the forces rules. These enquiries, chaired by Major Generals, and conducted in conformity with army traditions, had examined charges of dereliction of duty in protecting army installations and monuments dedicated to the memory of martyrs from mob attacks on May 9. On that black day, former Prime Minister Imran Khan and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) was arrested and almost countrywide protests had broken out.

After getting the enquiry reports, Sharif said that the Army chief had followed the principle higher the rank, higher the responsibility. On this basis, three officers, including a three-star general, were removed from service. Besides these dismissals, severe disciplinary action has been taken against 15 officers, including three Major Generals and seven Brigadiers. The dismissed and disciplined officers, whose names Sharif refused to reveal, were found wanting in discharging their responsibilities in defending army installations from mob attacks. The dismissed three-star general is no doubt Salman Fayyaz Ghani who was the Lahore-based IV Corps Commander who allowed his residence, which was once owned by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, to be looted by protestors without offering any resistance.

Ahmed also said that the protestors attacks on army installations in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Chakdara, Timirgera, Multan, Peshawar, Mardan, Quetta, Sargodha, Mianwali and other places were the result of a conspiracy. He went on to say that for over a year, anti-army and anti-army leadership sentiments were being instilled among the people. He asserted that the planners, facilitators and perpetrators of attacks against army installations would not be spared. This was irrespective of their party affiliations or social and economic standing. Thus, the maternal granddaughter of a retired four-star general, the son-in-law, also of a retired four-star general, the wife of a retired three-star general and the wife and son-in-law of a retired two-star general are under investigation. In a clear message to the judiciary, Ahmed said that military courts were held constitutionally valid in the past and such courts had also passed the scrutiny of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Clearly, this comment was made in the context of the Pakistan Supreme Court hearing of a petition against the trial of civilian protestors in military courts.

In his writings, on the events of May 9, this writer has noted that Army chief Asim Munir cleverly used the attacks by Imran Khans supporters on army installations to diminish popular support for the PTI chief. This is especially borne out by the Armys constant focus on the damage done to the memorials dedicated to Pakistans venerated martyrs. The fact that the protests were so widespread and that no Army officer took on the protestors shows that general orders would have been issued for the Army to show restraint. Obviously, these were interpreted by the commanding officers of the places named by DG ISPR that in no event were they to take action that would result in injuring or killing protestors. This stated, the basic question is why did these officers not strengthen guards to prevent mobs from entering army installations? It is passing strange that not one commanding officer decided to effectively protect installations under his jurisdiction.

The full drama which was being played out in Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and different Corps headquarters on May 9 will only be known subsequently. It will certainly leak out in dibs and drabs for the dismissed and disciplined officers and their families and friends will not keep quiet in the months and years to come. For the time being, however, it can be said that Munir has taken full advantage of the May 9 events to consolidate his position in the Army and society, flush out officers who may not be fully committed to him, greatly damage Imran Khans popularity and become, as all Pakistan Army chiefs become, the final arbiter of their countrys affairs.

Now that Munir has achieved this, what does the future hold for Pakistan?

A few assessments can be straightaway made:

Munir and the Army are not interested in staging a coup, suspending the Constitution, and taking over direct power. That contingency can only arise if there is a complete breakdown of law and order and a full economic collapse. Neither is on the horizon. The International Monetary Funds (IMF) current programme of support  the 23rd in Pakistans history  is due to expire on June 30. The IMF has taken an unprecedentedly tough stand since last October seeking the fulfilment of Pakistani commitments before it releases its next tranche of US $1.2 billion of the total remaining amount of US $2.6 billion of the pledged support amount of US $6.5 billion. Pakistan claims that it has met all its conditions, including modifying its budget for the financial year which begins on July 1. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been in contact with IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva to ensure that at least a tranche of US $1.2 billion is released before the programme expires. IMF representatives have made positive noises. It would seem that the IMF board would agree to the release of US $1.2 billion which would be a signal to international investors that Pakistan has taken steps to stabilise its macro-economic situation, at least in the short run. That would lead to other donors either rolling over Pakistani debt or extending help to meet commitments for the debt that cannot be rolled over to prevent a default. All this would give Munir breathing space but there is no indication, as yet, that he is willing to make moves to go to the crux of Pakistans economic woes for that will involve a recalibration of its approaches to India. None of his predecessors have done so, though General Qamar Bajwa at least said that primacy should be given to geo-economics. Pakistans Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and his group of Supreme Court judges may continue to trouble Munir and the PDM government on a host of issues, including the conduct of elections and the trial of those involved in the May 9 protests in military courts. However, Munir and Shehbaz Sharif will be able to navigate through the adverse judgements, if they come. Bandial retires in September and Justice Qazi Faez Isa has already been appointed as his successor. He is no pushover but may give space to Munir on the judicial front. It is difficult to visualise Munir allowing Imran Khan to run for elections. By now, some of the PTI leadership has deserted Khan and in the coming months, the Army will seek to reduce the party to a condition that it is unable to make a credible showing in the next elections in Punjab. Without that, Khan and the PTI will be ineffectual in Pakistans politics.

The critical issue that Munir will have to confront is how to manage the coming elections which have been announced for October. If that schedule is to hold, then a caretaker government will have to come in by August end. The PDM will not hold, and again, the two principal parties Sharifs PML (N) and Bhutto Zardaris PPP  will be in the fray. The path for the real leader of the PML (N) and three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs return to Pakistan has been cleared. That will begin a new chapter in Pakistani politics. It will bring many imponderables in its wake and Munir will have his hands full in managing them even as he has to give attention to the security situation on the countrys western front.

The writer is a former Indian diplomat who served as Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and as secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs. Views expressed are personal.
A campaign led by Congress in Madhya Pradesh, where a picture of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was used on QR code with PhonePe written under it has drawn sharp reaction from the tech giant. The company has objected to the use of its logo and threatened of legal action.

The posters were set up across the capital city of Bhopal accusing Chouhan of engaging in corrupt practices by accepting money in return for executing work.

The posters read: 50% laao, PhonePe kaam karao (pay 50% commission to get your work done).

PhonePe, however, took to Twitter to protest against any third party" using its branding on the poster. The company wrote: PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party."

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party. PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

In another Tweet, it added: The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePes intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMPto remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour."

Drawing parallels to the recently concluded Karnataka elections, the poster battle unfolding in Madhya Pradesh showcases similar patterns. Prior to the southern states election, the Congress party launched a poster campaign titled PayCM targeting the former chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai.
The BJP was formed as a political party in April 1980 and its first manifesto for the Lok Sabha election was published during the 1984 polls. It did not mention the uniform civil code then but 1985 was a decisive year: the Supreme Court went against the Muslim personal law and ruled in favour of a divorced Muslim woman, Shah Bano, to get lifelong maintenance.

While delivering the verdict, the court again spoke about the need to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India. It is also a matter of regret that Article 44 of our Constitution has remained a dead letter. It provides that the state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India A common civil code will help the cause of national integration by removing disparate loyalties to laws which have conflicting ideologies. No community is likely to bell the cat by making gratuitous concessions on this issue. It is the state which is charged with the duty of securing a uniform civil code for the citizens of the country and, unquestionably, it has the legislative competence to do so, the SC had observed.

Article 44 of the Indian Constitution means the UCC is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP). Its main aim is to harmonise society by ending discriminatory practices against weak and vulnerable social groups and classes. According to Part IV of the Constitution (Article 36-51), the DPSP are not legally enforceable but considered as directions and guidelines for better governance. Those who framed the Constitution expected the legislature and the executive domains of the country to run the country as per the DPSP.

Article 44, or the UCC, was thus not enforceable but desirable as Dr BR Ambedkar said. It was kept voluntary till it received social acceptance, even though Ambedkar believed it was needed for social reform efforts in the country.

I personally do not understand why religion should be given this vast, expansive jurisdiction so as to cover the whole of life and to prevent the legislature from encroaching upon that field. After all, what are we having this liberty for? We are having this liberty in order to reform our social system, which is so full of inequities, so full of inequalities, discriminations and other things, which conflict with our fundamental rights. It is, therefore, quite impossible for anybody to conceive that the personal law shall be excluded from the jurisdiction of the state, he had said.

The SCs landmark verdict in the Shah Bano case was overturned by the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government in 1986 under so-called pressure from Muslim religious leaders. It passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which nullified the SC directive of lifelong maintenance to Shah Bano and her children.

The Act was not only against the SC verdict but also against the possibility of a UCC in future. Also, it became an electoral issue as it was passed under pressure from a religious group.

The manifesto push

The UCC figured in the BJPs Lok Sabha election manifesto in 1989 and, has since, remained there barring two polls. It has been included as a tool needed for constitutional reforms, national unity, women empowerment, gender equality and justice as well as an agenda for change.

The 1989 manifesto call on the UCC was linked to national unity and integrity, much in the line of the Shah Bano judgements written observations. The party assured, if voted to power, it will appoint a commission to examine the various personal laws in vogue in the country, Hindu Law, Muslim Law, Christian Law, Parsi Law, Civil Law, etc, to identify the fair and equitable ingredients from these laws and prepare a draft with a view to evolve a consensus for a uniform civil code.

The UCC issue was not included in the BJP manifesto for the 1991 Lok Sabha election. But featured once again in the manifesto for the 1996 general election, explained as a tool for constitutional reforms. The demand was called an agenda of change.

The BJP said it was committed to Article 44 of the Constitution, ensuring that, on coming to power, a UCC will be adopted which will be applicable to community and foster a common Indian identity, apart from ensuring gender equality. The party targeted regressive personal law saying these will cease to have legal validity. Further, the UCC was shown as an empowering tool for women under the partys agenda for women.

The UCC promised to introduce reform measures like giving property rights to women, equal guardianship rights and the right to adopt, ending polygamy and removing discrimination in divorce laws.

The BJP manifesto for the 1998 Lok Sabha election reiterated that the UCC should be implemented to empower the women population. The party assured, if voted to power, it will entrust the Law Commission of India to draft a UCC based on progressive practices from all traditions. While the 1998 manifesto repeated its promises made in the 1996 manifesto, it also added one more stating that registration of all marriages will be mandatory under the UCC.

In the 1999 Lok Sabha election, the BJP released an NDA manifesto, which was silent on the demand of the UCC. The same trend was followed in the 2004 Lok Sabha election as well. But that year, it released its vision document as well that included a broad section on its UCC demand under various heads. It essentially covered all the points mentioned in the previous manifestos  like national unity and integrity, constitutional reforms, women empowerment  while capping it with the line of consensus.

The BJP believes that all laws, including personal laws, must be in accordance with the guarantees available to all citizens under the Indian Constitution. The Constitution calls for the enactment of a Uniform Civil Code. The Supreme Court has reiterated this need. Therefore, this cannot be seen as an issue of any single political party. The BJP views Uniform Civil Code primarily as an instrument to promote gender justice. We believe that social and political consensus has to be evolved before its enactment, it stated.

The 2009 manifesto mentioned the UCC as a tool to protect womens rights pushing for its draft. The party said: There cannot be real gender equality till the time India adopts UCC, which protects the rights of all women. The manifesto also added that a commission will be set up if the party is voted to power and will also study reforms towards gender equality in other countries, including Islamic countries.

The partys manifesto in the last two Lok Sabha elections  2014 and 2019  followed the 2009 manifesto on the UCC issue.
Amid a row over the amendment of a religious act, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Thursday said the organisation will be meeting union home minister Amit Shah about the issue. The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab recently amended the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, to allow the free telecast of gurbani from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) rejected the move during a general house meeting on June 27. It has also urged Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit to evaluate and look into the amendment.

During an event to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Patiala, Dhami said, We will gather like-minded panthic organisations and meet the home minister over the matter.

The SGPC has vociferously rejected the amendments, which it claimed amounts to interference in the Sikhs internal religious affairs. We cannot take this amendment lying down. We have rejected it completely and have also explained the whole matter to the governor. He should look into its nitty-gritty before reaching a decision, as the governments step of amendment without seeking the SGPCs consent will set a precedent of carrying out unconstitutional amendments in various acts in future, Dhami said.

Citing illegality of the move, the SGPC chief said even the Centre cannot carry out any amendments in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, without the consent of two-third members of the SGPC.

Sikhs are not able to understand that the AAP-led governments act of carrying out an amendment in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, without the SGPCs consent is a direct interference in Sikh religious affairs. People are misinterpreting it as a matter of a selective news channel. This will set a wrong precedent of carrying out unconstitutional amendments and we are against it, he added.
Rabble Without a Cause features:

Avant-garde Jazz

Live performances of local and international Musicians

The analysis of new currents thoughout the history of Jazz

Rabble Without A Cause is a program devoted to the Avantgarde side of Jazz. It features Jazz Avantgarde music of all times. Forexample, Louis Armstrong was an avangarde artist when he first played West End Blues in 1921 !

Duke Ellington, the most intensive innovator of Jazz History has been a perpetual avantgardist creating sound textures, styles that were constantly sounding new. Jazz Avantgarde has exploded since the early '60 when a score of very creative musicians from John Coltrane to Charles Mingus to Cecil Taylor to Anthony Braxton and to a lots of canadian musicians including Peggy Lee.

RWAC features programs with biographical details of musicians, analysis, interviews and live on air performances of local musicians such as Billy Robinson, Kenji Omae, John Geggie, Rody Ellias, Steve Groves, Petr Cancura, GleBop, Anna Williams, Dan Friedman, Peter Turner, Linsey Wellman, Mike Essoudry and more to come!
A year after the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government ascended to power in Maharashtra, the long-anticipated cabinet expansion is likely to finally take place next week. Adding to the buzz, chief minister Shinde made an unscheduled visit to Delhi to meet union home minister Amit Shah.

While the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is expected to get two ministerial berths in the union cabinet, the Maharashtra formula is likely to be fifty-fifty for the BJP and its ally.

The BJP leadership has already told its cadres that not much should be expected out of the long-pending cabinet expansion. Whether some of the ministers will be dropped also remains to be seen.

There is tremendous restlessness within the Shinde faction. Many hopefuls have been upset about the inordinate delay in the expansion," a leader told CNN-News18.

At present, the Maharashtra government is functioning at just 40 per cent of the allowed cabinet capacity. While the cabinet can expand to accommodate 43 members, the current strength is 18.

Apart from balancing the caste and religious equations, this cabinet might also see some representation of women. The state government has received flak for not having any women in the cabinet till now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Wednesday chaired a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and partys organization general secretary BL Santosh, a day after the PM emphasised on implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in the country.

A report in NDTV quoted their sources as saying that a major reshuffle is also likely to have been discussed at the meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg (prime ministers official residence). The meeting reportedly lasted for over five hours.

PM Modi had on Tuesday made a strong push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asking how can the country function with dual laws that govern personal matters, and accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to mislead and provoke" the Muslim community.

Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Modi also launched a stinging attack on the Opposition parties, contending they can only guarantee" corruption, and accused them of being involved in scams worth at least Rs 20 lakh crore". He also termed the mega conclave of Opposition parties in Patna last Friday to stitch an anti-BJP alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as a mere photo-op".

The prime minister further said that those supporting triple talaq were doing a grave injustice to Muslim daughters and that Pasmanda Muslims, who are backward, are not even treated as equals because of the vote bank politics. Modi asserted that the BJP has decided it would not adopt the path of appeasement and vote bank politics, adding that the policy of appeasement practised by some is disastrous" for the country.

You tell me, in a home, how can there be one law for one member and another law for another member? Modi said interacting with BJP workers at a function organised under the partys Mera Booth Sabse Majboot campaign.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have hit out at the prime minister on the issue. In a veiled reference to Modis push for a UCC ahead of a string of Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said his party will not allow the BJP to divert attention from public issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis call for a meeting of the council of ministers on Monday (July 3) has triggered talk of changes in the union cabinet. With the Lok Sabha elections less than a year away and a host of states to go to polls, the speculation is gaining momentum by the hour. Whats more is that the BJP top brass, including union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and the partys general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, held long deliberations at the prime ministers residence late on Wednesday sparking a buzz in the power corridors.

Ministers of state to be changed too?

If indeed Prime Minister Modi decides to go ahead with the reshuffle, it will not be limited to cabinet ministers alone, News18 has learnt. Many ministers of state will also be changed as there is much dissatisfaction with the casual approach of some.

But if at all a rejig takes place, there is much talk of a powerful cabinet minister, who has risen from within the organisation, to be asked to go back to the sangathan. Perceived to be a punishment appointment, Kiren Rijiju has already been moved to the ministry of earth sciences from the high-profile law and justice ministry.

Now, Arjun Ram Meghwal  from poll-bound Rajasthan  is incharge of the law portfolio along with parliamentary affairs. Last month, there was a sudden announcement that SP Singh Baghel, who was minister of state for law and justice, was made the new junior health minister.

According to sources, if and when the cabinet changes take place, West Bengals share is likely to be slashed. As of now, the state has four MoS and is likely to lose at least two. Sources in the BJP said apart from one, who is known to be close to Amit Shah, the rest are unsure about the next reshuffle whenever it happens.

Whenever it happens, this will be a political reshuffle. No technocrats will be inducted. It will be done with an eye to win elections  plain and simple, said a BJP leader on condition of anonymity.

It is likely that party MPs from Chhattisgarh  where an election is due  will be brought into the cabinet. The BJP has eight MPs in the state, where the Congress is seemingly smoothing out differences within by appointing chief minister Bhupesh Baghels bitter rival TS Singh Deo as his deputy.

Though no one in the BJP is sure about when the changes will take place  with Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi gone from the cabinet and PM Modis determined outreach to Pasmanda Muslims  there is enough indication that a minority MP may be brought in as minister. One source, however, told News18 that this does not necessarily mean they will be given the minority affairs portfolio as has been the norm. The ministry is being headed by Smriti Irani for now.

But will the reshuffle take place after all?

The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to start in the third week of July. There is talk about a reshuffle all the more because of the PMs late-night huddle and the fact that he has called a meeting of the council of ministers on July 3, where their performance may be a key point of deliberation. But the moot question remains, will there be one after all?

There was similar speculation in January, too, before the Budget session was to begin. Back then, the buzz was that a reshuffle may soon take place after the BJP national executive on January 16 and 17. But nothing of the sort happened.

As a senior BJP functionary put it: Who said theres a reshuffle in the first place? Look, no one knows when or if a reshuffle will happen. No general secretaries are aware of it, and no vice-presidents know about it. And I suspect very few ministers would know. But yes, after yesterdays meeting and the announcement of a meeting on July 3, even we think there may be one.

But for all you know, this time as well theres no reshuffle and, one fine day, when you are least expecting it, you will get a press release about appointments, the functionary added.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday withdrew his order to dismiss Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers and will take a legal opinion from the attorney general on the matter, sources said.

According to sources, Raj Bhawans previous order stands suspended till the legal opinion and Balaji will continue to be in the cabinet.

While dismissing Balaji, the Governor earlier said the minister was abusing his position to influence an ongoing investigation against him.

The order was taken back after Chief Minister MK Stalin reacted strongly to the Governors action and said he will be taking the legal route against his decision. Stalin also said the Governor does not have the right under the law to take such an action.

CNN-News18 learnt that Raj Bhawans decision to withdraw the previous order was after advice from the Centre as the Tamil Nadu government had decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. Officials said the governor was advised to take an opinion on the legality and constitutional position to avoid any potential embarrassment at the apex court.

The Governor also informed Stalin about his decision to keep the dismissal order of Balaji in abeyance, sources said.

A court in Chennai on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji, who was arrested in a money laundering case, till July 12.

On June 14, Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Later, he was admitted to Omandurar government hospital here after he complained of uneasiness and chest pain during an investigation.

Balaji Abusing Position to Influence Probe: Governor

According to a press release from Raj Bhavan, Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering.

Abusing his position as a Minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. Currently, he is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the State Police. There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Under these circumstances, Honble Governor has dismissed Thiru V.Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect," it said.

Guv Has No Legal Authority to Dismiss Any Minister: DMK

DMK spokesperson Sarvanan said the Governor has no legal authority to dismiss any minister. He is undermining the constitution, acting beyond authority. The Governor is a rubber stamp with no power," he said.

However, the BJP welcomed the Governors decision and said justice has prevailed. The Governor knows what is right and what is wrong Justice has prevailed. We are happy that the governor has taken the decision. The governor was forced to take this decision as DMK was forced to take any decision against Senthil Balaji," the BJP said.
Micron Technology beat analysts estimates for third-quarter revenue on Wednesday, driven by demand for its memory chips from the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.

Shares of the company rose about 3% in trading after the bell. They have gained about 34% this year.

CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said customers continued to reduce their excess inventory in the quarter with inventories in the PC and smartphone segments being close to normal levels.

As a result, Micron is seeing improved pricing trends and increased confidence that the industry has passed the bottom for growth and revenue, he added.

Micron reported revenue of $3.75 billion for the quarter ended May 31, compared with estimates of $3.65 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Soaring demand from the generative AI sector, which has garnered heightened investor attention following the viral popularity of OpenAIs ChatGPT, has helped prop up sales amid weakness in Microns traditional smartphone and PC markets.

The proliferation of generative AI will likely fuel a jump in demand for data to feed large language models and could boost the need for more storage chips, analysts have said.

U.S. chipmakers are also being caught up in the U.S.-China technology spat. Last month, Chinas cyberspace regulator failed Microns products in a security review and barred purchases by operators of key infrastructure.

Micron, the biggest U.S. memory chipmaker, has said that it expects the ban to impact about half of its revenue from China-headquartered firms, which equates to a low-double-digit percentage of total revenue.

The company reiterated that several of its customers including phone manufacturers have been contacted by representatives of the Chinese government about the future use of the companys products.

Micron fourth-quarter revenue of $3.9 billion plus or minus $200 million for the quarter ending Aug. 31, largely in line with expectations.

The company, which makes DRAM and NAND flash memory chips, reported a net loss of $1.9 billion for the third quarter, compared with a profit of $2.63 billion a year earlier.
US memory chip maker Micron Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government, which is being seen as a significant step for Indias semiconductor industry.

Micron, which has signed the MoU to build a $2.75 billion semiconductor assembly and test plant, had announced last week it plans to employ a workforce of 5,000 and create an additional 15,000 community jobs over the next five years.

Along with the details about Microns plans, two other big semiconductor announcements were made related to Applied Materials and Lam Research. But Microns MoU signing with the state government is now seen as the first step towards Atmanirbhar memory chip making.

India waited for a long time to witness this milestone. It began with Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL)  the state-owned semiconductor fabrication foundry in Mohali since 1976.

The SCL was initially successful and it produced a number of chips for the Indian market. However, in 1989, a fire broke out at the SCLs facility and destroyed a large part of the plant.

Even though officials from the Intelligence Bureau visited the SCL to investigate the cause of the terrible incident, no clear information about the cause of the fire was released.

The SCL was able to restart production in 1997, but the plant was outdated and unable to compete with more efficient fabs (manufacturing plants) in other countries. Later, in 2006 it was renamed as Semi-Conductor Laboratory.

But it is hard to ignore that the fire was a devastating setback for Indias semiconductor manufacturing efforts. Separately, it is believed that the SCL had faced a number of bureaucratic hurdles in its history. For example, there was difficulty in getting approvals for new projects.

Additionally, the SCL did not receive the level of support from the government that it needed. Also, there was a lack of skilled manpower needed to support a thriving semiconductor industry that needed initiatives to grow the talent pool, unpredictable changes in policy, which first came in 2007 and higher tax on imported semiconductor wafers.

All these made it difficult for SCL to plan for the future, compete with foreign companies and slowed down its growth. However, SCL is presently doing R&D in the field of microelectronics to address the countrys strategic goals.

The government has decided to invest in this facility to modernise it. In May, it was said the Centre will invest $2 billion in the SCL for research and prototyping.

However, the necessity to become a chip hub was felt during the pandemic, seeing massive growing demands. The government then launched India Semiconductor Mission.

Since then, many companies have been in talks with the government and changes have been made in the programme considering the demand in every sector. So its not about making cutting-edge chips anymore, even though in that case Taiwans TSMC is an undisputed leader.

Now, it is believed that almost half of the semiconductor sector will be about mature nodes, while the rest of the industry will focus on smaller and cutting-edge nodes.

Since, the Centre has asked applicants to modify their plans and resubmit them, the Vedanta-Foxconn JV apparently submitted a new proposal based on the new guidelines for making simpler and less costly 40-nanometer chips.

Even though Indias semiconductor dream has taken a long time to materialise, with the right policies, measures to grow the talent pool and the involvement of private giants, the manufacturing hub objective can be achieved.
Area 51 has got nothing on the Zone of Death. This 50-square-mile area in Yellowstone National Park, United States is a place that has plenty to offer. This includes the theoretical idea that it will be hard to prosecute someone if they committed a crime here. So, in theory, this is the area you could murder someone and the court might let you walk away free. Unilad explained that it is all because of a legal loophole all thanks to the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This was founded in 2005 by Brian C Kalt, a law professor. To break it down simply, the Sixth Amendment declares that a person who is on trial must face a jury from the state and district where they committed the crime.

The Zone of Death is special. Yellowstone falls under the jurisdiction of the state of Wyoming. This is because the vast majority of the area of the national park is there. But it is also in the surrounding states of Montana and Idaho. Now, if the crime was committed in Idaho, according to the Six Amendment the jury will have to be from there. But under the judicial district of Wyoming.

The only place that fulfils these criteria is that 50-mile area. Sounds easy enough? The problem is no one lives there. Since no one lives there, the place has no person to pick the jury from. In the United States, a jury is needed to put a person on trial. With no one on the jury, in theory, you can walk away even after committing the most heinous crimes in the area.

It sounds all fun and games until being proved wrong. The Atlantic in The Experiment podcast covered a case that happened in the Zone of Death. In December 2005, Mike Belderrain committed the crime of illegally shooting an elk. This act was committed in the area of Yellowstone that is in Montana. Using Kalts theory he argued that he could not be tried unless a jury is selected from the Montana residents of the park. While it was technically possible, it was a difficult case.

The judge presiding the case was having none of it. It was declared that any crime committed in Yellowstone will be tried in Wyoming. Naturally, the jury would be selected from there too. Mike Belderrain took a plea deal and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Spain will take on the EUs rotating presidency this weekend with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visiting Kyiv to show steadfast European support for Ukraine as it battles Russian forces, officials said Thursday.

Sanchez will kick off the EU presidency on Saturday, July 1, in Ukraine to demonstrate with his presence the unfaltering European Union support" to the country, said a statement from his office.

The announcement was made as Sanchez attended an EU summit in Brussels, in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, participating via videolink, confirmed the visit.

From July to the end of December, Spain will hold the EU presidency which rotates among the blocs 27 member nations. It takes over from Sweden.

The role puts ministers from the EU presidency country in the chair of most EU meetings, influencing the agenda and priorities of topics being decided.

Zelensky told the summit that Sanchezs visit says much about the importance for our Europe and the membership candidacy of Ukraine for the EU".

Ukraine received EU candidacy status a year ago and hopes to begin formal negotiations this year on what it needs to do to firm up its membership bid.
The Canadian government is allowing Khalistani activities to rise to please the domestic constituency, intelligence sources told CNN-News18 on Thursday.

The idea behind this is to keep a large workforce and promote their vested interests, they said.

They are basically pushing the idea of Khalistan, Operation Blue Star, and Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale to the generation born after 1984, the sources said.

The extremists have raised a large terror force within Canada and are carrying out killings, bomb blasts, and non-state activities from there, they added.

Diplomatic channels have failed time and again on this issue and the present dispensation is not ready to help us on any count," said an official.

A number of letters rogatory and deportation requests are pending with Canadian authorities but there has been no response, said sources.

A tableau celebrating the assassination of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards went around the city of Brampton in Canada on June 4.

This parade was organised by Khalistani groups on the 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. The Government of India expressed strong disapproval and called this vote bank politics.

The Khalistani elements in Canada are not just restricted to protests but are allegedly carrying out attacks and perpetrating violence with many cases being investigated by Indian agencies.

The wanted accused sitting in Canada are masterminding killings and terror activities in Punjab and other parts of India, said the sources. They are executing these tasks with the help of gangsters in jails of Delhi and Punjab, they added.

Several requests from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the extradition and deportation of terrorist operatives and pro-Khalistan elements are pending with the Canadian government but it is not ready to cooperate in any probes, said officials.

These accused are wanted in cases of terrorism, murder, and other related offences, they said.

Sources said one of the main requests is for Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) member Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa (originally from Tarn Taran in Punjab), for whom the agency has announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh.

A close associate of Landa was arrested for allegedly carrying out the Rocket-Propelled Grenade attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters in Mohali in May 2022. Deepak was involved in multiple cases of violent terrorist and criminal offences, including killings.

Landas aide Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla is also based in Canada and is linked to the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Dalla was designated an individual terrorist by the ministry of home affairs on January 9.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar  a designated terrorist having connections with the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)  was gunned down by two assailants in Surrey on June 18.

In February, the NIA arrested six persons related to terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler nexus cases, including Dallas associate Lucky Khokhar, a resident of Bhatinda (Punjab).

He had provided arms and ammunition to Dallas men in Punjab. The weapons were used to kill one Paramjit Singh in Jagraon (Punjab) in January.

Another accused wanted by the agency is Canada-based Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar, who is wanted in the killing of Pradeep Kumar, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, in Faridkot in November 2022. He also works for Landa.

No action is being taken against elements like SFJs United States-based chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who also makes attempts to create communal disharmony using social media platforms, said officials.

He was booked by the NIA in December 2020, along with Nijjar and Paramjit Singh Pamma who lives in the United Kingdom.

In response to a statement by the Canadian national security adviser, who had described India as one of the top sources of foreign interference in Canada, external affairs minister S Jaishankar recently said that if there was anyone who had a complaint, it was India.

Officials said the issue of Khalistani separatism is complex and sensitive, and Canada must tread carefully to avoid damaging its relationships with India and the Sikh community. The Canadian government must recognize that it has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, both at home and abroad, they added.

Taking decisive action, Canada can break free from its Image as a Khalistani stomping ground and set an example for other countries facing similar challenges, intelligence officials said.

Justin Trudeaus dilemma over Khalistani separatism is challenging, but it is also an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate its commitment to peace, security, and democracy, they said.
The Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) asked the Pakistani national airline, the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) to pay $48 million outstanding dues to avoid suspension of operations including Hajj flights.

The GACA also warned that the repatriation of the fifty thousand Hajj pilgrims will not commence until the payments are made. People familiar with the developments said that the revelations were made by finance minister Ishaq Dar during the economic coordination meeting chaired this week.

The highly mismanaged Pakistani state airlines may even close down as the ECC failed to release the PKR 22 billion pending claims on account of markup up to June 2023, releasing mere PKR 4 billion.

It was also revealed that AerCap, a lessor of the PIA, impounded its B-777 aircraft last month at Kuala Lumpur. It was released after the Pakistan government made the overdue payment and pleaded the PIA receipts through the International Air Transport Association (IATA) clearing house.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that a high-level committee chaired by the finance minister will work out the restructuring, reformation and revival of the PIA.

Aviation minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, planning minister Ahsan Iqbal, commerce minister Syed Naveed Qamar, special assistant to the PM and secretary aviation are the other members of the committee.

The PIA is also facing a lawsuit in the US from Willis Leasing over non-payment. To avoid any further adverse action, the PIA are removing and returning the two A-320 aircraft engines leased from them. PIA insurance broker Alliana also issued a termination notice and demanded overdue payments and said once insurance stops so will flight operations.

The PIAs IATA membership was also in peril as it did not pay outstanding dues to the tune of over $2.8 million. The last date for payment was June 21. The payment was done on June 23.

Despite its hardships, the PIA has been also tasked to increase its fleet from 27 to 49, which the government hopes will also steer the airline out of the crisis.
When a triangle is rung, a nurses name said three times, a rose given and a lantern extinguished  a nurse in Nebraska has finally been relieved of duty for the last time. To ensure every nurse can have this process done when they are of age or have passed, the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard was formed in 2019.

The groups ceremony was used as an example during an onboarding event for the honor guards seven newest members, nearly doubling their number to 15 in the Columbus, David City and Schuyler areas. Founder Deb Zobel said that, with the group in this area only forming a year ago, this is a big improvement.

Our mission is to honor nurses at the time of their death by attending their graveside service, visitation, memorial service or funeral, Zobel said.

Shyla Luckey, one of the new members that was onboarded that night, was inspired to join by the passing of one of her professors from nursing school. That professor, she said, requested the nurse honor guard at her funeral.

Unfortunately, I worked so I was unable to attend her funeral, but Im still in touch with a lot of the professors and staff at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and they told me how beautiful it was to honor her as a nurse as well as they did, Luckey said.

Having family in the military, Luckey added, she has always liked the reverence and respect of military funeral honors and something for nurses in a similar vein struck a chord with her. Being a nurse herself and seeing the way other nurses put their lives into their work, she said, makes the proceedings poignant.

Its very heart and soul touching because of a lot of things. Being a nurse is a lot of compassion, a lot of empathy. Its definitely a career that takes your entire heart and soul to do, Luckey said. For people to be able to honor us that way towards the end kind of makes sure that what we do for people doesnt go unknown.

The organization began in 2019 with four initial members and has grown to around 170 today. All across the state of Nebraska, the nurse honor guard go to funerals when called. The newest inductees underwent training at the event. The honors are relatively simple in execution but deep in meaning.

We provide a tribute and release them of their nursing duties by saying their name and ringing a triangle, Zobel said. We present a rose which symbolizes our thanking them for being our colleague as well as a Florence Nightingale lantern, which is the light of their nursing. We extinguish that and give it to the family.

The honor guard wear a traditional Florence Nightingale navy blue cape to ceremonies and attend funerals all around the state. Its an entirely volunteer position and attendance is voluntary. When called, the nurse honor guard will come, Zobel said. They even do living tributes in some cases like hospice or if the nurse is over 90 years old.

[It is] similar to what a veteran would have and we take them a bouquet of flowers, thank them for being our colleague, talk about their nursing career and how important it was to them and how appreciative we are of their service, Zobel said.
As protests over killing of a teenager turned violent in Frances Paris, the police has beefed up security and deployed around 40,000 personnel in view of the situation.

In Paris alone, at least 5,000 additional police officers have been deployed

Frances government said it would have a zero-tolerance" approach in areas where buildings and vehicles were torched by the protestors, news agency AP reported.

This comes after a 17-year-old delivery driver, identified as Nahel, was shot and killed by a police officer Tuesday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. The death has unleashed tensions between angry residents setting barricades on fire and police firing tear gas.

The protests flared-up in no time, and became rioting that has now injured at least 170 police officers, and has damaged nearly 100 public buildings.

Here are the latest updates on the Paris violence

French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency security meeting on Thursday about the violence and said these acts are totally unjustifiable. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that policing will be more than quadrupled  from 9,000 officers to 40,000. In the Paris region alone, the number of officers deployed will more than double to 5,000." The professionals of disorder must go home. The states response will be extremely firm, Darmanin said. Apart from this all, bus and tram services will shut down early on Thursday evening, at 9 pm, to safeguard transportation workers and passengers from the ongoing violence, head of the Paris region said. The police officer who killed the teenager has been handed a preliminary charge of voluntary homicide, French prosecutors said. The killing was also captured on video and has shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between police and young people, especially in housing projects and other disadvantaged neighborhoods, AP said. The demonstartion has now spread to other towns, and despite beefed-up police presence, violence resumed on Thursday with protestors using fireworks, and throwing stones at police. At several places, the protestors also set blazes, and the police has been replying to the violence with repeated usage of tear gas. Nahels mother called for a silent march on Thursday that drew a large crowd to the square where he was killed. Schools, police stations, town halls and other public buildings were damaged from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north  with most of the damage in the Paris suburbs, according to a spokesperson for the national police. Till now, at least 170 police officers have been injured and at least 90 public buildings were vandalized. We dont know the number of protestors injured till now.

With agency inputs
Russian top generals Sergei Armageddon Surovikin and Valery Gerasimov, its chief of army staff, have dropped out of public view following Wagner mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhins failed coup detat against the Russian government.

A report by the Moscow Times said that Surovikin was arrested, citing Russian defence ministry officials. It should be noted that Surovikin, nicknamed General Armageddon", is deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Also out of the public eye is Russian chief of army staff Valery Gerasimov. Gerasimov is the commander of Russias war in Ukraine and also was supposed to be in control of one of Russias three nuclear briefcases," a report by news agency Reuters said.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who last weekend declared a mutiny against the Russian Federation, demanded that defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Gerasimov be flown to Rostov-on-Don - a city he and his mercenary group briefly captured - for discussions.

Putin, however, did not deliver his two most trusted men to Prigozhin.

The Moscow Times report said that Armageddon Surovikin is under investigation for his connection to the failed coup. The report citing pro-war military blogger Vladimir Romanov said Surovikin was arrested Sunday and remains lodged in Moscows Lefortovo detention centre.

The allegation against Surovikin is that he possessed prior knowledge of Prigozhins plan to instigate a rebellion against Russias military leadership. Russian defence ministry officials also told the Moscow Times that Surovikin picked Prigozhins side during the uprising.

The Kremlin was quick to discard the narrative as misinformation and said Putin will not give in to Prigozhins demands for an imminent reshuffle of the Russian militarys top echelons.

Prigozhin later withdrew his coup attempt following an intervention from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Prigozhin is currently in exile in Minsk and is yet to be seen in public.

 We could waste [Prigozhin], no problem. If not on the first try, then on the second. I told him: dont do this, Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Yes, indeed, hes in Belarus today, Lukashenko said on Wednesday and his government also set the Wagner mercenaries up at an abandoned military base camp. There is a fence, everything is available, erect your tents, Lukashenko told the Wagnerites.

Wagnerites have been given the option to join the Russian Army, go home or head to Belarus.
A few dozen Iraqi protesters on Thursday briefly breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad over the burning of the Koran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, an AFP photographer reported.

The demonstrators, supporters of firebrand Shiite Muslim leader Moqtada Sadr, entered the building and remained inside for about 15 minutes before leaving peacefully as security forces deployed, the photographer said.

The protesters first rallied outside the embassy in response to a call by Sadr who demanded the removal of the Swedish ambassador, echoing outrage in several Muslim countries over the Koran burning Wednesday in Stockholm.

The demonstrators also distributed leaflets that carried messages in Arabic and English that said: Our constitution is the Koran. Our leader is Al-Sadr".

Yes, yes to the Koran," was also scrawled on the gate leading to the embassy, according to the photographer.

Sadrs supporters also torched rainbow flags that represent the LGBTQ community, after the powerful cleric suggested this would be the best way to provoke" those who back Koran burnings.

Stockholms foreign ministry said in a statement it was well informed about the situation. Our embassy staff are safe."

Salwan Momika, 37, who fled to Sweden from Iraq several years ago, stomped on the Koran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholms largest mosque.

He had been granted a special permit from the police for the protest in line with free-speech protections.

The Iraqi foreign ministry has said such acts would only inflame" the feelings of Muslims around the world.
Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky has been awarded a prestigious UK prize for his leadership and contribution to international relations, the Chatham House think-tank said on Thursday.

The London-based research body said it had awarded Zelensky the 2023 Chatham House Prize, hailing his transformation from actor-turned novice politician to wartime leader as nothing short of extraordinary".

The former actor has unified his nation in defiance of a formidable foe," the think-tank said in a statement.

He has also created a new form of modern diplomacy and leadership through his use of social media and direct communication with world leaders, marshalling a wide-ranging coalition in support of Ukraine at the United Nations and beyond."

The people of Ukraine have faced a relentless onslaught in this brutal invasion," added Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox.

President Zelensky has united his nation in resistance and counter-offensive, and demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy," she said.

Zelensky is expected to make a short live virtual address to the think-tanks annual conference on Thursday with a special representative collecting the award on his behalf.

One of his predecessors, Viktor Yuschenko, was a recipient of the Chatham House Prize in 2005, in recognition of his role in the countrys Orange Revolution" after rigged presidential elections.

Accepting the award, he said: Were convinced that the key area in foreign policy should be the European aspirations by Ukraine, mainly in the integration into the European Union and NATO."

Yushchenko won a protracted and bitterly fought presidential election against a pro-Moscow opponent backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, after protests over voting fraud forced a new ballot to be held.
Russian diplomats rushed to Central Africa and West Asia few hours after Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted an armed rebellion against the Russian Federation on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal said in a report.

Diplomats rushed to Mali and Syria to assure the governments there that Kremlin still controls the government. It should be noted that Russia is deeply involved in both Malian and Syrian affairs through Wagner.

Wagner forces are heavily involved in Mali and Central African Republic as it has joined hands with the new military junta in Mali and the CAR government in their battle against Islamist militants, replacing long-time player France.

Russian mining firm M Invest, allegedly owned by Prigozhin, also happens to be one of Africas biggest gold producers.

The group has also helped Russia expand its economic footprint in Mali, Sudan, CAR and Libya as well as these nations are rich in diamonds, gold, oil and uranium.

However, following the groups entry into Mali and other adjoining nations allegations of widespread human rights abuses have been surfaced. The group is accused of killing 500 civilians in the Malian town of Moura in April 2022.

Prigozhin also runs online troll farms there in order to influence debate in Africa.

The mercenary group founded by the former Kremlin caterer Prigozhin was also instrumental in Syria. It helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad keep control of the oil and gas fields in return for slice of the profits. They have on several occasions fought against American soldiers in Syria as well.

The Wall Street Journal said that Kremlin diplomats assured Assad that Wagner will continue to operate in Syria but not independently.

Later on Wednesday, West Asia-based news outlets reported that Russian military police in Syria conducted raids on Wagner mercenary bases in the country.

The same message was also conveyed to Malian leader and leaders of CAR. CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera even uses Wagner bodyguards instead of soldiers from his own country.

Wagner forces have played a key role in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war and were also instrumental helping anti-Ukrainian forces during the 2014 Euromaidan events. They were also key in the capture of Bakhmut.
The death toll from a Russian missile strike on a restaurant in eastern Ukraine rose to 11 on Wednesday, including children, as the Kremlin insisted Russian forces only hit military-linked targets.

The latest tragedy came as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been weakened by the Wagner mercenary groups mutiny but that the ultimate consequences of the rebellion remained unclear.

Three children were among the dead and at least 56 people were injured in the strike on the Ria Pizza restaurant in the town of Kramatorsk.

The eatery was popular with soldiers and journalists in one of the largest towns still under Ukrainian control in the east.

The bodies of 11 people, including three children, have been pulled out of the rubble, 56 people were injured, including one child," Ukraines emergency services said on social media.

Horrible and very sad

Ukraine has arrested a person who coordinated the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Whoever helps Russian terrorists to destroy lives deserves the maximum penalty," Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation.

Military doctor Galyna said she was near the restaurant when it was struck.

We were in an apartment and we heard an explosion," she said, adding there were numerous injured inside.

Its horrible and very sad, but I am not surprised that a missile arrived here. It was a place where you could come and have a delicious lunch and coffee.

I myself have sat there more than once."

But Moscow maintained that it only targeted military facilities in Ukraine.

Strikes are only carried out on objects that are in one way or another linked to military infrastructure," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Russian Federation does not carry out strikes on civilian infrastructure," he added.

Pariah around the world

Days after Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhins aborted rebellion  widely seen as the biggest threat to Kremlin authority in decades  Germanys Scholz said it would surely have long-term consequences in Russia".

It shows that the autocratic structures, the power structures, have cracks and he in no way sits as firmly in the saddle as he always claims," Scholz told public broadcaster ARD.

But I dont want to take part in speculation about how long hell stay in office  it could be a long time or short, we dont know."

In Washington, US President Joe Biden said it was too early to tell whether Putin had been weakened by the Wagner groups aborted rebellion.

Its hard to tell," Biden told reporters Wednesday. But hes clearly losing the war" in Ukraine and hes losing the war at home."

Putin is now a pariah around the world," Biden added in brief remarks.

In a meeting with the head of the southern Russian province of Dagestan, parts of which were aired on state television, Putin on Wednesday said that he didnt doubt" that he had the support of Russians during the mutiny.

A potential threat

A feud between Wagner and the Russian army had escalated for months, with Prigozhin making increasingly scathing statements against the generals handling of the offensive in Ukraine, blaming them for thousands of Russian losses.

According to a Wall Street Journal report Wednesday, Prigozhin aimed to detain the heads of the Russian military in the mutiny, but they discovered his planned rebellion early and avoided capture.

Kyiv has said the mutinys influence on fighting was minimal.

Unfortunately, Prigozhin gave up too quickly. So there was no time for this demoralising effect to penetrate Russian trenches," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN in a video published Wednesday.

The bloody conflict is now 16 months old, with mass casualties on both sides and a rising civilian toll.

A day after Belarus welcomed Prigozhin into exile, Polish President Andrzej Duda warned the presence of Wagner troops in the Moscow-allied neighbour could pose a potential threat to the region.

It is difficult for us to exclude today that the presence of the Wagner Group in Belarus could pose a potential threat to Poland, which shares a border with Belarus, a threat to Lithuania as well as potentially to Latvia," Duda told reporters during a visit to Kyiv.

Lithuania said Wednesday it had bought two Norwegian-made NASAMS air defence launchers for Ukraine and would deliver them within three months.
The secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev called National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday to discuss issues related to Russian-Indian cooperation in the field of security.

Both officials also discussed how to deepen the relationship and framework of bilateral and multilateral formats in detail. Patrushev also apprised Doval of the latest events in Russia.

While the release by the Russian government did not mention anything about the failed uprising staged by the Wagner group, it should be noted that the call came soon after the Russian government foiled the plans of Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who once worked as a caterer in the Kremlin.

Prigozhin, who took up arms against the Russian Federation, is currently in exile in Belarus. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko reportedly brokered peace between Prigozhin and the Kremlin, warning the former that his coup bid will be crushed along with him and his mercenary group.

The two officials, Doval and Patrushev, earlier met in March to discuss issues related to defence, energy, counter-terrorism besides discussing trade in rouble-rupee mechanism and increasing cooperation in Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Patrushev also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year to brief him about the state of Russia-India ties when he visited India to attend the 18th Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states in New Delhi.

Doval also met Russian President Putin earlier this year where they discussed the Afghanistan issue and agreed to implement the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.

Russia has reached out to ally nations following the failed uprising attempt staged by Wagner. A report by the Wall Street Journal said that Russian jetted their diplomats to Mali and Syria and dialled the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) to say the Kremlin is in charge. These three nations are crucial for the Kremlin because Wagner runs security operations in these three countries and are also protecting its natural resources.

The rebellion did not last even a day despite the mercenary group occupying the city of Rostov-on-Don without a shot being fired.

(with inputs from Shalinder Wangu)
A panel of British MPs on Thursday accused diehard supporters of former prime minister Boris Johnson in parliament of waging a campaign of abuse and contempt against his Partygate" investigators.

Eight Johnson loyalists, including former ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries and Priti Patel, were named and shamed in a special report by the privileges committee.

The same committee had already found Johnson guilty of intentionally misleading the House of Commons in his serial denials that parties had taken place in 10 Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.

That verdict, which forced Johnson in advance to resign as a member of parliament, was roundly denounced by his most outspoken supporters in both the Commons and House of Lords as a witch hunt" allegedly engineered by his political enemies.

The committee, which has a majority of MPs from Johnsons Conservative party, ruled that the campaign of improper pressure" imperilled the ability of members to investigate wrongdoing by their colleagues.

This unprecedented and coordinated pressure did not affect the conduct or outcome of our inquiry," the special report said.

However, it had significant personal impact on individual (committee) members and raised significant security concerns."

The report urged the full Commons to vote to accept its report and resolve that in future, MPs should not impugn the integrity" of the committee or attempt to lobby or intimidate" its members.

It will be for the House to consider what further action, if any, to take in respect of Members of the House referred to in this special report," it added.

There was no immediate comment from Johnson  who conferred state honours on some of those named in the report in a deeply controversial resignation list.

One of those named, newly knighted Conservative MP Michael Fabricant, stood by his prior attacks, tweeting: Respect for the committee needs to be earned."

Another Tory MP named, Mark Jenkinson, accused the privileges committee of gross overreach".

And since the committees verdict against Johnson two weeks ago, his loyalists have seized on reports that one of its members  Conservative Bernard Jenkin  may himself have attended a lockdown-breaching party.
Slovakia Significantly Lowers Crypto Tax Rates Amid Digital Euro Fears

Source: Pexels / Nataliya Vaitkevich

The deputies of Slovakia's National Council, the country's legislative body, voted on June 28 to endorse an amendment that will reduce the taxation of cryptocurrencies in the country.

Per the approval, the personal income tax for profits made from the sale of cryptocurrencies, held by the user for at least one year, will be lowered to 7%. The current taxation sliding scale for digital assets is either 19% or 25%.

Additionally, payments in cryptocurrencies up to 2400 euros will not be taxed, a local Slovakian media outlet report, said. The bill also exempts crypto income from the standard 14% health insurance contribution.

The report noted that the countrys Ministry of Finance expects the changes to result in an estimated yearly financial impact of about 30 million.

The bill was submitted by members of two national political parties and Democrats.

Early this month, lawmakers in Slovakia amended its constitution to protect the right of its citizens to pay in cash. The move was introduced as a precautionary measure against the proposed digital euro.

Tax Cut Implies Crypto Boom

Slovakia is one of the EU nations where a robust crypto regulatory framework is yet to be introduced. The National Bank of Slovakia is responsible for maintaining a stable monetary policy framework and supervising participants of the Slovak financial market.

In the absence of country-wide regulations, crypto businesses must adhere to EU anti-money laundering requirements. Crypto and non-crypto businesses in the country pay a corporate income tax rate of 21%.

Slovakia hosts more than 550 Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs) that include both crypto exchanges and virtual wallet providers. The intriguing density of VASPs suggests that the EU nation is among the leading crypto jurisdiction in Europe with a booming crypto industry.

However, various elements seem potentially concerning when it comes to reviewing the regulatory framework in Slovakia. For instance, merely paying a small fee, a VASP is registered with a Trade Licensing Office and can start operating. This leaves the door open for criminal activities.

Also, there isnt actual scrutiny of the individuals involved in VASPs, or their experience and knowledge in VASP. Once these loopholes are addressed, the nation would earn a reputation as a global wealth hub.

On the other hand, many European nations have taken a very unique approach to crypto taxes. Belarus became a tax-free country in 2018, exempting all individuals and businesses from crypto tax until 2023. Croatia is a favorable place for crypto traders, where taxes on crypto capital gains are about 10% depending on the city.
Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday arrested a man they accused of helping Russia direct a missile strike that killed at least 11 people, including three teenagers, at a popular pizza restaurant in eastern Ukraine. The Tuesday evening attack on Kramatorsk wounded 61 other people, Ukraine's National Police said. It was the latest bombardment of a Ukrainian city, a tactic Russia has used heavily in the 16-month-old war. The strike, and others across Ukraine late Tuesday and early Wednesday, indicated that the Kremlin is not easing its aerial onslaught, despite political and military turmoil at home after a short-lived armed uprising in Russia last weekend, the AP reports.

In Kramatorsk, authorities said twin 14-year-old sisters died in the attack, Reuters reports. "Russian missiles stopped the beating of the hearts of two angels," the city council's educational department said in a Telegram post. The other teenager killed was 17, according to Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin. The attack also damaged 18 multistory buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, regional Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Rescuers were still searching the rubble for bodies and more survivors in a city where last year, about six weeks after the start of war, 52 civilians were killed in a Russian missile strike on a train station. Kramatorsk is a front-line city that houses the Ukrainian army's regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as local residents. The Security Service of Ukraine said the man it detained, an employee of a gas transportation company, is suspected of filming the restaurant for the Russians and informing them about its popularity.

(Read more Russia-Ukraine war stories.)
Three cars of an Amtrak train traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle derailed Wednesday morning after it struck a water truck on the tracks, authorities say. Amtrak says 198 passengers and 13 crew were on the train when it hit the irrigation truck in Moorpark, around 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Fox News reports. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said 15 people were taken to local hospitals, 14 of them with minor injuries, and the truck driver was taken to a trauma center, reports KTLA.
Police said its Perry County and Lykens stations responded to a missing persons report for a man last seen boating on the river Wednesday. After a search with the help of fire departments and river rescue units from Dauphin and Perry counties, the man's body was found in the river.
UPDATE

Jun 30, 2023 1:30 AM CDT

Addressing her fans for the first time since being hospitalized for a bacterial infection, Madonna on Monday tweeted that she was "on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life," per the BBC. The 64-year-old said that her "focus is now on my health" but that she hopes to return to performing soon. On that front, she said she hopes to reschedule the North American leg of the world tour she had to cancel and to begin the European leg in October.

Jun 28, 2023 5:45 PM CDT

With Madonna in a New York hospital recovering from what her manager called a "serious bacterial infection," the singer's upcoming world tour has been postponed. Guy Oseary posted on Instagram that Madonna, 64, developed the infection Saturday, USA Today reports, which put her in intensive care for several days. He said that her health is improving and that a full recovery is expected. Still, Oseary wrote, "At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour."
UPDATE

Jun 30, 2023 7:21 AM CDT

Police in Canada say an attack on a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday "was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity." Mark Crowell, chief of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, said Thursday that the attack was "planned and targeted" and a "senseless act of hate," the CBC reports. Professor Katy Fulfer, 38, and two students, a 20-year-old woman and 19-year-old man, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the stabbing attack. Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, a 24-year-old former international student at the Ontario university, faces charges including aggravated assault, reports CTV.

Jun 29, 2023 4:12 AM CDT

A professor and two students were stabbed Wednesday during a class on gender issues at a university in the Canadian city of Waterloo, Ontario, and a suspect has been taken into custody, police said. The wounds were non-life threatening, police said, adding that the motive for the attack at the University of Waterloo was not immediately clear. The suspect was being questioned by investigators. "There is no further threat to public safety either on campus or outside in the broader community at this time," Waterloo Regional Police Service Supt. Shaena Morris said at a news conference.
Protests erupted in cities and towns across France and at least 150 people were arrested in the second night of unrest following the police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in a Paris suburb Tuesday. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called it "a night of unbearable violence against the symbols of the republic: town halls, schools, police stations burned or attacked," the Guardian reports. In numerous clashes, protesters threw bottles and fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas. Nanterre, where the teen was shot, looks like a "war zone," with burned and overturned cars in the streets, a resident tells the BBC .

The teen, identified as Nahel M., was shot at a traffic stop by an officer whose claim that the teen was driving at him was contradicted by a video authenticated by French news agencies. In an update on the case Thursday, the Nanterre public prosecutor said the teen was driving erratically and was chased after refusing to stop for police and speeding past a red light, reports the BBC. The prosecutor said the officer's use of his weapon was not lawful and a homicide investigation has been opened against the officer, who is still in custody.

Nahel, a delivery driver, was reportedly from a family of Algerian origin. Graffiti sprayed on walls near one protest site in northeast Paris said "Justice for Nahel" and "Police kill," AFP reports. "We are sick of being treated like this. This is for Nahel, we are Nahel," two young men bringing garbage cans to a burning barricade said. French President Emmanuel Macron, who denounced the killing as "inexcusable" Wednesday, held an emergency security meeting Thursday. Some lawmakers are calling for him to declare France's first state of emergency since terrorist attacks in 2015. (Read more France stories.)
A police officer in Allen, Texas, was having a friendly chat with a mother and her two children, to whom he'd given stickers, when gunshots erupted a short distance away at Allen Premium Outlets on May 6. As a newly released body camera video shows, that officer immediately grabbed a rifle from his vehicle and ran toward the sounds, as he yelled for others to run for safety. "I believe we've got a mass shooter," he said into his radio less than two minutes later, noting he was passing injured people and "a magazine on the ground" while tracing the gunfire. "I'm moving as fast as I can to try to get over there," added the officer, now panting.

He opened fire on the gunman about three minutes after the first shots, as other officers arrived on scene. "Shots fired by police, I got him down," he said half a minute later, after firing about a dozen shots. Another officer confirmed the shooter was down about five minutes after the first shots. The five-and-a-half-minute videoedited to remove foul language and blur bystanders and victimswas released two days after a Collin County grand jury cleared the officer of wrongdoing, finding his use of force was justified. "The officer recognized the danger, ran toward the gunfire, and neutralized the threatand for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful," said Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey, per KXAS.

The gunman, a self-described white supremacist who'd been expelled from the Army 15 years earlier, killed eight people, including three young children and a mall security guard, using an AR-15-style rifle, per the AP. Seven others were injured in the shooting. In a bit of good news, WFAA reports the last of those injured was released from a hospital on Friday, nearly seven weeks after the shooting. "Our collective hope for all of those affected is for physical and emotional healing," said Allen Harrison, president of Medical City Healthcare, whose facilities received eight victims in total. (Read more Texas mass shooting stories.)
Scientists have observed for the first time the faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe, per the AP . They reported Wednesday that they were able to "hear" what are called low-frequency gravitational waveschanges in the fabric of the universe that are created by huge objects moving around and colliding in space. "It's really the first time that we have evidence of just this large-scale motion of everything in the universe," said Maura McLaughlin, co-director of NANOGrav, the research collaboration that published the results in the Astrophysical Journal Letters .

The Washington Post notes that the finding has the astrophysics world abuzz because it "seems to affirm an astounding implication of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity that until now has been far too subtle to detect." Einstein predicted that when really heavy objects move through spacetimethe fabric of our universethey create ripples that spread through that fabric. Scientists sometimes liken these ripples to the background music of the universe. As the BBC puts it: "The theory is that this is how galaxies grow. Now astronomers may soon be able to watch it happen."

In 2015, scientists used an experiment called LIGO to detect gravitational waves for the first time, suggesting Einstein was right. But so far, those methods have only been able to catch waves at high frequencies, explained NANOGrav member Chiara Mingarelli, an astrophysicist at Yale University. Those quick "chirps" come from specific moments when relatively small black holes and dead stars crash into each other, Mingarelli said. In the latest research, scientists were searching for waves at much lower frequencies. These slow ripples can take years or even decades to cycle up and down, and probably come from some of the biggest objects in our universe: supermassive black holes billions of times the mass of our sun.

Galaxies across the universe are constantly colliding and merging together. As this happens, scientists believe the enormous black holes at the centers of these galaxies also come together and get locked into a dance before they finally collapse into each other, explained Szabolcs Marka, an astrophysicist at Columbia University who was not involved with the research. The black holes send off gravitational waves as they circle around in these pairings, known as binaries. "Supermassive black hole binaries, slowly and calmly orbiting each other, are the tenors and bass of the cosmic opera," Marka said. (Read more discoveries stories.)
Two more cops in New Haven, Connecticut, involved in the case of Richard "Randy" Cox, a man paralyzed from the chest down during police transport last June, have been fired. NBC Connecticut reports that on Wednesday, the New Haven Board of Police Commissioners voted to pink-slip officers Betsy Segui and Oscar Diaz, just a few weeks after officers Jocelyn Lavandier and Louis Rivera were fired . Ronald Pressley, a fifth officer who was present during the June 22, 2022, incident, has already retired.

Police Chief Karl Jacobson had recommended that the four officers, who CBS News notes have been suspended since last summer, be fired after an internal affairs probe. The terminations were "important and necessary steps towards ensuring accountability for the mistreatment of Randy Cox while he was in their custody and care," New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker says in a statement. "This behavior will not be tolerated," added the board's chair, Evelise Ribeiro, after the vote, calling what happened to Cox "appalling," per the New Haven Register.

Cox had been riding in a police van while handcuffed but without a seatbelt; when the van stopped short, he went flying, hit his head, and broke his neck. The officers are accused of initially ignoring the seriousness of Cox's injuries, believing he was faking it. He reached a $45 million settlement with the city of New Haven earlier this month. All five officers involved in the incident were arrested by state police in November on misdemeanor cruelty and reckless endangerment charges. They've all pleaded not guilty in their pending cases. Segui and Diaz, meanwhile, plan to appeal their terminations. (Read more Connecticut stories.)
An Army officer crashed a Black Hawk helicopter in an attempt to kill himself but, failing to do so, ran to a second helicopter, which he subsequently launched and fatally crashed. That's according to a redacted investigation report released Wednesday, more than a year after the March 2022 incident at an airfield in Fort Stewart, Georgia. The report, obtained by Military.com through a public records request, notes air traffic controllers spotted sparks from helicopter blades hitting the tarmac in the early hours of March 30. Emergency crews were examining the crash sitefrom which an air traffic controller had spotted a person running toward a second helicopterwhen the second chopper crashed and exploded, killing Capt. James Bellew, a 26-year-old aeromedical evacuation officer.

The Army announced Bellew's death on March 31, 2022, but did not reveal the circumstances. According to the report, Bellew's significant other had notified the Red Cross after receiving messages and a call from Bellew indicating he would take his own life. An Army investigation revealed his family was concerned for his mental health. It also revealed that the day before the suicide, Bellow had made "casual" inquiries about whether a soldier's family would receive life insurance and would be held liable for damage to Army equipment in the event of a suicide. He had also asked roommates whether "someone could access an aircraft alone without anyone noticing," investigators said, per Military.com.

Military suicide deaths increased 44% between 2015 and 2020, though there was a drop in 2021 with 519 deaths. The Defense Department says it's working to tackle the problem, including through "addressing stigma as a barrier to help-seeking." Yet the Army "has no clear policy on identifying suicidal ideation or servicewide systems on intervention," per Military.com. Bellew had no history of suicidal ideation or diagnosed mental illness. The same month he died, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin formed a committee to investigate how to prevent suicide in the military. He has since moved to expand the availability of behavioral health care. If you're experiencing a mental health emergency, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. To access the Military and Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. (Read more US Army stories.)
The Supreme Court has handed a big win to religious liberty advocates by siding with a Christian former mail carrier who didn't want to work on Sundays. In a unanimous decision, the court revisited a 1977 ruling that said employers are not required to make religious accommodations if they put more than a "de minimis"minimalcost on the business. Attorneys for Gerald Groff, the former mailman, argued that the precedent made it too easy for employers to reject requests, and too difficult to bring claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, USA Today reports. Title VII bans workplace discrimination based on religion, among other factors, and says religious accommodations can only be rejected when an "undue hardship" would be imposed on the employer.

Groff, a former missionary, took a job as a fill-in mail carrier in Pennsylvania's Amish Country partly because he didn't want to work on the Sabbath and the Postal Service didn't make deliveries on Sundays. But that changed in 2015 under an Amazon.com contract with the Postal Service, the AP reports. Groff was initially exempted from working Sundays but he later faced disciplinary measures. In 2019, fearing he could be fired any day, he resigned and sued under the Civil Rights Act. Groups representing various Christian denominations filed briefs supporting Groff, as did groups representing Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, NBC reports. The American Postal Workers Union warned that siding with Groff would disadvantage other workers who didn't share his faith.

The Supreme Court's decision, which sends Groff's case back to lower courts for another look, is likely to have an impact on many workplaces. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that instead of "de minimis" being the standard, employers must "show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business."

When arguments in the case were heard in April, the New York Times reported that a ruling in favor of Groff "may be less contentious than some of the court's recent rulings on religion." The Times noted that the 1977 case, Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, was before the court at a time "when religious liberty was largely a liberal cause." The Times describes the two dissenting justices in 1977, Justice Thurgood Marshall and Justice William J. Brennan Jr., as "liberal lions." "All Americans will be a little poorer until today's decision is erased," Marshall wrote in his dissent. (Read more US Supreme Court stories.)
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and touring the war-torn country as it fights Russian aggression. Pence, who this month launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for president, has been deeply critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, per the AP . Pence spent roughly 12 hours in the country Thursday, according to an adviser, with stops in Moshchun, Bucha, and Irpin, according to NBC News , which traveled with him.

"I'm here because it's important that the American people understand the progress that we've made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest," he told the network. "I truly do believe that now, more than ever, we need leaders in our country who will articulate the importance of American leadership in the world." The trip was the second by Pence to the region. In March 2022, he made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian border with Poland, where he crossed into Ukraine and helped deliver aid to the flood of refugees who escaping the war's initial invasion. Both trips were arranged by Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian humanitarian aid organization.

Pence's GOP rivals have been far less eager to push for more US involvement in Ukraine, reflecting broader skepticism within the party. A February poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only 26% of Americans believe the US should have a major role in the conflict, down from 40% in March 2022. Among Republicans that number is even lower, 17%. Both Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have said the defense of Ukraine is not a vital US national security interest. Trump has stressed the humanitarian cost of the war and called for its end. DeSantis once called the Russian invasion a "territorial dispute," but later walked back those comments in the face of criticism.

(Read more Mike Pence stories.)
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The Carlisle Family YMCA hosted its first Chillin' & Grillin' event on Wednesday. Created to address food insecurity in the area, businesses, including Karns Food, Crazy Glazed, Wolf Realty and Big Brothers, Big Sisters, donated to the program, which runs through the summer.
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A warrant was issued last week for an Annapolis man in conjunction with charges filed by Iron County for sodomy of a child less than 12 years old. In a probable cause statement from the Annapolis Police Department, Larry P. Boyer, 68, is accused of committing heinous acts on a child about 30 to 40 years ago.

According to the statement, a victim came forward and claimed Boyer molested her in the 1980s when she was 7 to 12 years of age. The victim claims Boyer began molesting her in Washington County at the age of 7 and it wasnt until age 11 and 12 the incidents occurred in Iron County.

Investigators say interviews with family members give credibility to the claims of the victim. Boyer is currently not in custody.
AFP | Baghdad

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations on Thursday condemned the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, warning such acts "inflame" the feelings of Muslims around the world.

Under a heavy police presence, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday stomped on the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholm's largest mosque.

Police in the Swedish capital had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections, but said later they had opened an investigation into the man over "agitation".

The incident occurred as Muslims around the world began marking the Eid al-Adha holiday and as the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia was drawing to a close.

Iraq condemned the Swedish authorities' decision to grant an "extremist" permission to burn the Quran.

"These events inflame the feelings of Muslims around the world and represent a dangerous provocation for them," the foreign ministry in Baghdad said.

Iraq's influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr called for a demonstration outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad to demand the removal of the ambassador, charging that his state is "hostile to Islam".

Iran joined in the condemnation, calling the Quran burning "provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable".

"The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran... do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it," said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani.

"The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities," he added.

Saudi Arabia, which hosted around 1.8 million Muslim pilgrims for the Hajj that ended on Wednesday, also denounced the Quran burning.

"These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification," the Saudi foreign ministry said.

- 'Freedoms as a ploy' -

The Bahrain Foreign Affairs Ministry denounced, in the strongest terms, the heinous act that provokes Muslims feelings worldwide and fuels hatred and violence. Defaming religions is inconsistent with religious freedom and the values of tolerance and human coexistence, said the ministry, adding that the heinous act, which incites hatred, extremism and violence, is also in breach of international charters and laws. The ministry urged decisive measures to deter such acts, which do not reflect human and ethical values.

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, called the Quran burning a "disgraceful act provoking the feelings of Muslims" as they mark Eid.

The Cairo-based Arab League branded it an "assault on the core of our Islamic faith".

United Arab Emirates presidential adviser Anwar Gargash tweeted that the West "must realise that its value system... cannot be imposed on the world".

Kuwait called for perpetrators of such "hostile acts" to be brought to justice and "prevented from using the principle of freedoms as a ploy to justify hostility against Islam or any holy faith".

The Quran burning was also condemned by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and by Morocco, which recalled its ambassador to Stockholm.

"This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid al-Adha," the kingdom said.

"Faced with these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government", Morocco summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat and recalled its ambassador, it added.

Syria's government condemned the "disgraceful act" on one of the holiest days for Muslims "by an extremist with the permission and consent of the Swedish government".

The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called for "effective measures to prevent a recurrence".

Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed movement Hezbollah charged the Swedish authorities were "complicit in the crime".

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it said was a "flagrant attack on human rights, values of tolerance, acceptance of others, democracy and peaceful coexistence among followers of all religions".

Further afield, Afghanistan's Taliban government, which enforces a strict interpretation of the Quran and Islamic law, also reacted angrily, labelling the Quran burning an act of "utter contempt towards this noble religion".

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.
The Park Hills City council meeting held recently covered a wide variety of topics including birds and bees.

Birds

Resident Brad Weiss addressed the council, requesting an ordinance change to allow rooster ownership, the ability to maintain a flock for educational and food purposes and to sell surplus eggs from home. Weiss says his family began raising chickens three years ago when his family decided to get a pet. He says some members of his family suffer allergies, so instead of the traditional dog or cat, they decided to get a chicken.

A few weeks later, they got four more and needed a coop to house them. Weiss says he made attempts to obtain a license for the chickens but was told no one had any idea what paperwork he needed to complete. Weiss says they maintain a flock with five hens and one rooster. According to Weiss, his daughter uses the chickens as part of homeschool lessons and she trains the rooster.

During a recent neighbor dispute, Weiss says, he was informed owning a rooster was against city code. Weiss says he asked about the process of changing the code and was given the opportunity to do that very thing before getting rid of the rooster. The council listened as Weiss told those present how chickens carry fewer diseases than most household pets and that small flocks have no risk of avian flu.

Weiss also said chickens are no louder than barking dogs. Dogs bark, chickens crow, either can be unpleasantness to the wrong person, said Weiss. He said 10 chickens produce less waste than a 40 lb. dog and that chicken waste can be composted and used as fertilizer as opposed to dog waste.

The selling of eggs from a persons home is covered under Missouri statute 196.313 so, Weiss says, no further restriction is necessary by the city. He argues the selling of eggs and even excess birds is no different than someone selling litters of puppies or kittens.

Weiss alleviated resident concerns of chicken coops being eye sores by proposing the idea that many coops are built to blend in with existing architecture. About education, Weiss claimed, This [raising chickens] is a practical life skill to learn. From food safety to legal issues. And above all, responsibility.

An online petition created by the Weiss family ("Become more self-sufficient") with a goal of 200 signatures has more than 160. According to Weiss, the only other city in the county that does not allow roosters is Farmington. The current Park Hills ordinance regulating the keeping of chickens is 205.360 and can be found online under Keeping Of Chickens Within City Limits. The current ordinance allows for a single-family residence to keep six hens but expressly forbids the keeping of a rooster. The current ordinance also forbids the selling of eggs and other byproducts. Also included in the ordinance are fees and licensing requirements, containment requirements, distancing requirements and more.

Mayor Stacey Easter thanked Weiss for his time and the information provided to the council. She advised him the council will review the information and consider amending the current city ordinance. Councilman Steve Weinhold said no one voiced any objections to changes in the current ordinance during a committee meeting held on June 9.

Bees

Easter brought up a business, Hilltop Bunnies & Bees, who corresponded with the city about raising and selling bees and rabbits. The council discussed the necessity to create any ordinances relating specifically to bees and rabbits. City Attorney Nathan Bollinger advised the council current city ordinance prohibits the raising of livestock and in some circumstances the IRS considers these species livestock. Bollinger suggested creating specific ordinances pertaining to bees and rabbits would clear up any confusion about the permissibility and would allow the city to regulate the practice through a permit process.

Alderwoman Cindi Penberthy expressed concern about allowing bees to be raised within city limits due to possible close quartering with people who may have allergies to bee stings. To alleviate Penberthy's concerns, Bollinger suggested adding into the criteria a stipulation that bees would need to be in a larger backyard area.

In other business

Joyce Termares spoke emotionally to the council about the problems she sees happening with fireworks in her neighborhood. She believes people have become increasingly irresponsible with setting off bottle rockets and other allowed munitions. Weinhold told Termares he would be in favor of looking over the current city ordinances to determine whether changes needed to be made. Easter reminded Termares her voice in past council meetings caused change in fireworks code before.

John Mayfield addressed the council and asked for some type of compensation for property loss of value he claims is due to derelict homes near property he sold. The council thanked him for his time. In other business, COVID-19 relief (ARPA) funds were approved to be used for the purchase of a fire truck, a library elevator, and a water furnace with related parts and labor for city hall.

Also approved this month were funds necessary to modify the SCADA system to notify when water levels become too low, an agreement was authorized between Park Hills Senior Center and the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, and a contract was approved with R&B Tree Services & Landscaping for mowing of properties in violation of city code.

In committee reports, Alderwoman Spring Gray reported on the status of personnel insurance, updating the personnel manual, and the possibility of adding a digital content position. Councilman Alan Coleman talked mainly about stormwater runoff. Public Works is still working on finding the source of the problem for the stormwater drainage issue on Rinke Street, but they have discovered the source of the issue on Adams Street and are working on corrections.

Weinhold discussed special use permits for roosters, at-will inspections, and penalties for general animal nuisance. Running at large was discussed as well and Weinhold says repeat offenders have been given too much leeway. Weinhold feels animal control ordinances should be re-examined to strengthen animal control authority pertaining to the disposition of stray animals.

City Administrator Zachary Franklin gave an update on the aquatic center. He says it is on target to be completed by the middle of April 2024. Franklin said the slab is poured in the mechanical room, the stairs are poured, and the two main floors in the building will be poured on June 16. To this point, about 75% of main plumbing is installed and in about a three-week time frame, barring extreme weather conditions, the concrete for the main pool area will be poured.

During council discussion, Penberthy suggested re-painting some of the fire hydrants for greater visibility, reminded citizens to remove yard sale signs after the conclusion of yard sales, and passed on kudos to the Public Works Department from a citizen on Watts Street for their work on a water main break repair. Easter presented the idea of a memorial sign dedicated to members of the city government who have died. The idea was brought to her by Greg McWilliams. Coleman praised the public works department for the re-building of a ditch they performed on Dix Avenue.

During the mayors discussion, Easter presented several ideas. The first project was the idea of starting a park watch program to cut down on crime and public use of the city parks after hours. A second change presented by Easter is for the council to change from having committees to using work sessions in the interest of time management. Lastly, Easter praised Franklin for the work and dedication he has shown since accepting the position of city administrator.
Access to streets in the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau will be restricted on Canada Day

GATINEAU, QC, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadian Heritage would like to inform residents and visitors that access to streets in the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau will be restricted during Canada Day celebrations on July 1.

Only those displaying an official Canada Day access pass, hotel guests (with proof of reservation), residents (with a driver's licence as proof of residence), and emergency responders will be allowed vehicular access to streets that are closed. No vehicles will be allowed on the Portage Bridge, the Chaudiere Crossing, or the Alexandra Bridge.

To fully enjoy activities throughout the day, residents and visitors are encouraged to use public transit or bicycles to get to the celebration sites.

Tips for commuting on July 1

Plan your routes

Ottawa

The following street and multi-use pathway closures will be in effect in Ottawa:

For the most recent changes regarding street closures, visit the City of Ottawa website.

The following street closures will be in effect from July 1 at 6 a.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m. (may be changed without prior notice, unless otherwise indicated):

Wellington Street between Elgin Street and Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

and Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway between Parkdale Avenue and Wellington Street

Sparks Street between Lyon Street North and Bronson Avenue

Queen Street between Bank Street and Bronson Avenue

between Bank Street and Bronson Avenue Bank Street between Wellington and Queen Streets

Kent Street between Wellington and Albert Streets

between Wellington and Albert Streets Lyon Street North between Wellington and Albert Streets

Bay Street between Wellington and Albert Streets

Bronson Avenue between Sparks and Albert Streets

Commissioner Street between Wellington and Albert Streets

Booth Street between Chaudiere Crossing and Albert Street

Vimy Place between Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Booth Street

between Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and Booth Street Fleet Street between Booth and Lett Streets

Lloyd Street between Fleet and Lett Streets

between Fleet and Lett Streets Lett Street between Lloyd and Wellington Streets

between Lloyd and Wellington Streets Onigam Street between Lemieux Island and Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

The following street closure will be in effect from July 1 at 9 p.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m. (unless otherwise indicated):

Albert Street between Preston and Bronson Streets

The following street closures may be in effect from July 1 at 6 a.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m. should there be a public safety requirement to support a queue for the OC Transpo LRT to Parliament Station:

Queen Street between O'Connor and Bank Streets

between O'Connor and Bank Streets Bank Street between Queen and Albert Streets

The following streets are open to local traffic only from July 1 at 6 a.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m. (unless otherwise indicated):

Upper Lorne Place from Somerset Street West to the end of the street

from Somerset Street West to the end of the street Lorne Avenue between Booth and Albert Streets

Perkins Street from Albert to the end of the street

from Albert to the end of the street Empress Avenue North from Albert Street to the end of the street

to the end of the street Booth Street between Somerset Street West and Albert Street

Rochester Street from Somerset Street West to the end of the street

Preston Street between Somerset Street West and Albert Street

Primrose Avenue between Walnut Court and Booth Street

Elm Street West between City Centre Avenue and Elm Street

Elm Street between Elm Street West and Booth Street

Spruce Street West between City Centre Avenue and Spruce Street

Spruce Street between Spruce Street West and Booth Street

The following multi-use pathways will be closed from June 30 at 4:30 p.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m.:

The Trans-Canadian Pathway (Ottawa River Pathway), from the access point on Booth Street behind the Canadian War Museum to the access point on Onigam Street at the corner of Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

The multi-use pathway that connects the Trans-Canadian Pathway and the pathway that runs between the O-Train Pimisi and Bayview

The Trillium Pathway, from the junction with the Trans-Canadian Pathway to the pathway located at the back of the O-Train Bayview station

Gatineau

The following street closures will be in effect in Gatineau:

The following street closures will be in effect from June 30 at 10 a.m. to July 1 at 10 p.m. (may be changed without prior notice, unless otherwise indicated):

Laval Street between Hotel-de- Ville Street and Promenade du Portage

between Hotel-de- and Promenade du Portage Wellington Street from Laval Street for approximately 15 m

for approximately Wright Street from Laval Street for approximately 20 m

The Portage Bridge and the Alexandra Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic with the exception of emergency vehicles, to allow the public to walk safely between sites from July 1 at 6 a.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m.

The Chaudiere Crossing will be closed to vehicular traffic and pedestrians from July 1 at 6 a.m. to July 2 at 2 a.m.

A map of the street closures is available online.

Use public transit

Take advantage of the free OC Transpo and Societe de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) service on all routes on July 1. For more information, visit the OC Transpo and STO websites.

Ride your bike to the celebrations

A free supervised bike station will be available at LeBreton Flats Park.

Main Entrance to LeBreton Flats Park

The main entrance is located near the intersection of Wellington Street and Booth Street.

Accessibility

There will be a drop-off point near the intersection of Booth Street and Albert Street, to enable people with reduced mobility to reach LeBreton Flats Park via Booth Street. At the main entrance, access will be reserved for people with reduced mobility and their companions.

For more information regarding universal accessibility at the official Canada Day sites, contact the Capital Information Kiosk at 613-236-0044 (toll free) or by TTY at 613-943-8343.

Please note that all details are subject to change.

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only), please contact: Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
What is the most challenging thing about your job?

The biggest challenge for me was to justify working in field biology as job prospects are few and far between. This is the bottleneck for most young people from middle-class families when trying to decide a career path. Most often, one is not encouraged to take up courses linked to fundamental sciences. This is usually due to the lack of monetary prospects as few commercial profit-making industries are connected to them.

I took up additional part-time jobs writing blog posts and private tutoring to support my expenses. Later, I was lucky enough to have paid internships - these were still rare a decade ago. My family lived in the capital city of my state, so I had the privilege of rent-free accommodation, food and mental health support, which are often additional challenges faced by people migrating from smaller towns and villages.

The second challenge is international mobility. Some passports are politically weaker than others - it is often passports from nations that were previously colonised by colonising nations. This imposes a huge limitation to networking opportunities, increases costs for travel, tickets, planning and the amount of mental energy we invest into international travel. A lot of large conferences are held in wealthy western countries, which makes them hard to access. Sometimes the registration fees alone are equivalent to an entire field seasons expenditure.

Why is it important to have women in science and what have we missed out on by not allowing them into the field in the past?

I dislike justifying why women are needed in all things in life. From our history, we know progress is best made with all hands on deck. Moreover, we know how only a small demographic with inordinate amount of power can ruin millions of lives, so why are even asking this question in the twenty-first century?

I know people want to call science objective, but its subjective. Our ideas are subjective and a lot of our hypotheses are biased. Perspectives differ a lot between different groups of people, such as people of different gender, people living in various parts of the world, people growing up in economically diverse households and so on.

For example, there is a lot known about the vocalisation of male birds. But a group of female scientists studied the vocalisation of female birds in specific species and a lot of really interesting findings were uncovered.

Recently, another group of women scientists researched the genitalia of female snakes, which had never been done before. Research in female species is generally understudied compared to male species and this has delayed our understanding of reproductive biology and behaviour in nature.

If you look at the Museum, a lot of the collections consist of male specimens of species. Some of these species are now extinct, so we have lost - and are still losing - a lot of information about species by not including women in science.
JEFFERSON CITY  A new report is raising questions about what a small town Missouri mayor did with more than $66,000 in taxpayer funds.

In a report released Wednesday, state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said the former acting mayor of Holland, located in Missouris Bootheel region, failed to deposit money to pay city utility bills in city accounts. A review of Acting Mayor Jessica Roachs personal bank accounts noted large cash deposits totaling the same amount that wasnt placed in city coffers, the audit said.

Fitzpatricks report recommends the involvement of law enforcement for possible criminal prosecution.

The audit uncovered an egregious breach of public trust as it appears the former acting mayor lined her own pockets with city funds, Fitzpatrick said.

Roachs attorney, Terry McVey, said he expects criminal charges to be filed against his client. He declined further comment.

The audit of the Pemiscot County town of about 190 residents near the Arkansas border began under former state Auditor Nicole Galloway following a request by the city council. It covers a period beginning in 2018 and ending in April 2021 when Roach served as mayor.

During her tenure, Roach did not appoint aldermen to fill vacant posts or schedule a special election to be called in accordance with city code, which allowed her and the part-time city clerks to manage the city without oversight, the audit noted.

In addition to the $66,000, the audit found Roach did not pay for her utility services totaling $2,036 or her city property taxes totaling $213. She also improperly paid herself $300.

Roach also hired and paid her daughter $800 to serve as the city clerk for three months in violation of the state constitutions prohibition on nepotism.

Fitzpatrick said Roach told auditors that the cash deposits into her personal accounts were a result of the sale of vaping devices, T-shirts and fireworks.

But, according to the report, if every vaping device that she ordered was sold and the cash proceeds deposited into the acting mayors personal bank account, the vaping devices would have been sold at a 265% markup.

Auditors also found that Roach used $9,215 in money orders to pay down her credit card balance, suggesting that missing city cash receipts may have been used to purchase the money orders.

Her claim that the huge influx of cash into her personal account was the result of personal businesses she started does not hold up under scrutiny, and her decision to hire her own daughter as city clerk is a blatant violation of the Missouri Constitution, Fitzpatrick said. The people of Holland deserve justice and my office will continue to work with the current city administration and law enforcement to ensure the former acting mayor is held accountable.
A former presidential aspirant, under the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 elections, Tein Jack-Rich has denied allegations of bribery for a ministerial appointment levelled against him by those he described as political detractors.

Condemning those who roped him into the alleged misdemeanour, the APC scribe claimed the allegations were politically motivated to tarnish his hard-earned image.

Jackson Ude, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had in a tweet claimed that Jack-Rich bribed Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to Tinubu, with a staggering sum of N500 million to secure a ministerial position.

However, in a statement, the APC Chieftain dismissed the claims as baseless and fabricated, describing the report linked to a former presidential aide as distasteful and grossly unsubstantiated.

The one-time presidential aspirant expressed disbelief that some persons could be bold enough to smear anothers reputation to score cheap political gains.

His words, it has come to my attention and that of the family of a provocative, malicious, preposterous, unwarranted, distasteful, and unsubstantiated publication by politically sponsored agents within the past few days.

Wherein, they are making several spurious allegations against the person and family of Jack-Rich, with the sole aim and intention of maligning my name and reputation.

It is equally sad that this is with the aim of gaining cheap political relevance within the emerging political space.

On behalf of the family, we wish to state unequivocally clear and with all sense of responsibility that the entirety of the allegations are not only unfounded and childish but depict the nature and character of the persons and evil elements behind them; who are also well known by their political brigandage and desperation for political relevance.

Recall that Jack-Rich, an oil magnate contested the presidential primaries under the APC and lost to the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The President, Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, said he invoked the spirit of freedom during his electioneering in Ogun State.

He said during the campaign season, some of his popular statements that resonated with Nigerians and his supporters were used to invoke the spirit.

The former Lagos State governor said the hardship that accompanied the Central Bank of Nigeria cash swap policy during the electioneering period forced him to invoke the spirit of freedom in the South West state.

I invoked the spirit of freedom in Ogun, the president said while speaking at the palace of Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu Ode.

He added, It is a homecoming and I owe so much to all of you and there is so much to thank you for. Because of the way you have taken me and the way youve responded to me, all I can say is thank you.

To many of you, thank you for being there for me and being there for the country. You demonstrated so much loyalty, so much commitment and voted at a very crucial time.

Your monies were confiscated. The cash swap didnt work. It was terrible then. I realised that and I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom for which we are noted for.

I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba (referring to Awujale). The spirit of Baba  Emi lokan (its my turn), thats Baba. The spirit for being blunt and that is him.

And the second spirit is that of money (Naira scarcity), ama dibo ama wole (we will vote and we will win) even if there is no money. And that, ever since, has been the spirit that is driving me to serve.

Recall that Tinubu had on June 3 set the social media on fire when he vented his frustration during a presidential campaign in Abeokuta, saying it was through his efforts that the ex-President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), made it to Aso Rock after failing thrice.

It was during the event that he blurted out his now famous quote, emilokan (Its my turn).

It is my time. Im educated. Im experienced. I have been serving people for a long time. Bring me the presidency, it is my turn, Tinubu had insisted.

He also pointed at Abiodun whom he described as Eleyi absentmindedly as one of the products of his political hard work.

Look at this one (Eleyi) seated behind me, Dapo, he wouldnt have become governor without my support, Tinubu had stated.

Tinubu made the statement while addressing the APC delegates in Ogun State.

His outburst evoked mixed feelings from Nigerians, with many loyalists of the party including the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, saying the remarks were meant to slight the president and Ogun State governor.

Also, in reaction to the new naira scarcity and fuel shortage which provoked riots across the country, Tinubu accused unnamed powerful persons of masterminding the crisis to shoot down his aspirations. His ally, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, affirmed that some Presidency officials, including the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, were working against Tinubu.
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina were unlawful. The decision is expected to curtail affirmative action at colleges and universities across the country, a policy that has been a pillar of higher education for more than 50 years.

The vote split along ideological grounds, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the conservative members in the majority, and the liberals dissenting. The vote was 6-3 in the UNC case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, in which liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was recused.

The majority found that Harvard and UNC's admissions programs violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

The impact of the decision is expected to set off a scramble as schools are now forced to revisit their admissions practices. It also could complicate diversity efforts elsewhere, when it comes to employment and other aspects of life.

The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race, Roberts wrote. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

How did we get here?

In both cases, Students for Fair Admissions, an organization dedicated to ending affirmative action sued on the grounds of discrimination. In the UNC case, the group claimed that the colleges factoring of race in admissions violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. For the Harvard case, the group alleged that Harvards admissions process of using race as one of many factors in admissions violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Asian American applicants in favor of white applicants.

Both Harvard and UNC acknowledged that they use race as one of many factors in their admissions processes but said that their processes adhered to the requirements for race-based admissions outlined in the Supreme Courts decision in Grutter v. Bollinger from 2003.

In the Bollinger case, the court ruled that considering race in admissions was constitutional because the goal was to achieve diversity, so long as it was done through a holistic review process and not through quotas.

Ruling

Roberts' majority opinion provided a lengthy detailing of the history of affirmative action in the United States, and he made clear that while Harvard and UNCs admissions policies were well-intentioned, they were nothing close to constitutional.

Robert outlined that the colleges' admissions policies, in effect, served to discriminate against some applicants and gave a leg up to others unfairly.

College admissions are zerosum, and a benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former at the expense of the latter.

Because Harvards and UNCs admissions programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause.

Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenged bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin. This Nations constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Roberts ended his opinion saying, Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. But, despite the dissent's assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.

Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas wrote their own concurring opinions to the majority.

Todays opinion overturns lower courts that ruled in favor of the colleges.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored a scathing dissent in the Harvard case.

Today's decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits, she wrote.

In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society. The devastating impact of this decision cannot be overstated. The majoritys vision of race neutrality will entrench racial segregation in higher education because racial inequality will persist so long as it is ignored.

Jackson recused herself from the Harvard case because she had been on the universitys board of overseers but still joined Sotomayors dissenting opinion in that case.

In the UNC case, Jackson authored the dissent and was equally outraged at the majority opinion.

It would be deeply unfortunate if the Equal Protection Clause actually demanded this perverse, ahistorical and counterproductive outcome," Jackson wrote. "To impose this result in that clauses name when it requires no such thing, and to thereby obstruct our collective progress toward the full realization of the clauses promise, is truly a tragedy for us all.

History

Affirmative action emerged in the United States during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. It was initially introduced as an executive order by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, aiming to ensure that federal contractors did not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

This order requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to promote equal employment opportunities for minorities and women. The policy was primarily intended to address the historical disadvantages faced by Black Americans.

The term expanded to primarily focus on education after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 when students nationwide redoubled efforts to make colleges more representative of America. Less than four weeks after Kings death, Harvards dean committed to enrolling a substantially higher number of Black students than ever before which became the blueprint for colleges in the nation.

Over the years, affirmative action faced legal challenges. In the landmark case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke in 1978, the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action programs in higher education were constitutional but banned the use of racial quotas. Essentially, the court said that colleges could not explicitly set aside a set number of admissions spots for racial groups.

Critics have continued to argue that affirmative action can result in reverse discrimination or perpetuate a focus on race or gender rather than solely on merit. Proponents argue that it remains necessary to address systemic inequalities and ensure equal opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups.

This isn't new

While the Courts ruling today will certainly force many colleges to reckon with their current-day admissions policies, banning race-conscious admission in the college application process is not a novel concept. Nine states banned the practice prior to the ruling today.

California's Proposition 209, enacted in 1996, was one of the earliest and most influential bans. The proposition amended the state constitution, prohibiting public institutions from considering race, sex, or ethnicity in admissions, public employment, and contracting.

As a result, California's universities witnessed a decline in the enrollment of underrepresented minority students, particularly African Americans, and Hispanics, who faced challenges in accessing higher education. Nine more states also followed suit and adopted similar measures.

While the impact of state-level affirmative action bans varies across jurisdictions, studies and data have consistently shown a decline in the enrollment of underrepresented minority students in states where these measures are in effect. The bans have prompted educational institutions to explore alternative avenues to promote diversity and inclusivity, such as socioeconomic factors, outreach programs, and holistic admissions processes.

The long-term impact of the courts ruling is yet to be seen. Moving forward, many experts predict the majority opinion today could affect not only higher education but potentially the workplace as well.




The Director, New Media of the disbanded 2023 Campaign Organization of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship Candidate in Abia state, Chief Uche Aguoru has commended Governor Alex Otti over the inauguration of a judicial panel of Inquiry on recovery of looted government properties and funds.





Recall that Otti, on Tuesday, inaugurated the five-man judicial panel of Inquiry which has Honorable Justice Ikwuoma Duruoha-Igwe (rtd), as chairman.





Aguoru, in an interview with journalists on Wednesday in Umuahia, described the governors step as commendable and tasked him to extend the panels probe to successive administrations from May 1999 to 2023.





His words: Alex Otti is predictable. The much anticipated probe has started. He has set up a judicial panel of Inquiry for the recovery of properties and funds belonging to the Abia state government.





This move is commendable. Anybody who has any property or funds traceable to ABSG should be made to account for it. Government property is public property, and not private property.





As painful as the defeat of 2015 is, the scars of the defeat should have been healed by the victory of 2023. I hope Governor Alex Otti realizes this and expands the ToR of the probe panel to start from 1999, because Abia was not created in 2015.





And I believe as a son of a pastor, bitterness should not be found in his dwelling and his upbringing is supposed to abhor vendetta and unnecessary victimization of perceived political enemies, unfortunately, I have my doubts.





He should not also toe the line of Ihedioha who went after spoons, plates, forks, pots and buckets purportedly taken from Government House kitchen, when serious matters like Abia Newspapers and some of the lands belonging to public schools that were criminally encroached on and taken over by individuals should be their interest; please avoid Okrika business.





Help us find out who is collecting the rents for the old government house because we heard the property was an inheritance of the Abia state government from the then Eastern Central state.





I heard some people collected monies meant for the development and expansion of Umuahia, and used it to do buga. Please, help us to take it back. We need it to build a flyover at the old Isigate Umuahia market.





Please, remind them to look into the Ogwumabiri market and why a property belonging to the Government should be leased out by an individual, we need to know.
The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona said God spoke through President Bola Tinubu when the latter said Emi Lokan (Its my turn) during his campaign in Ogun state, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Awujale stated this while speaking during Tinubus visit to his palace in Ijebu-Ode on Thursday.

The Paramount ruler of Ijebuland said, God spoke through you when you said it is your turn. (Emi Lekan). With this feat, you are still going to do one more term.

Me and Asiwaju have been together for a very long time. We both did NADECO  the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) together. Asiwaju, our President was the one, who gave me the titled, Baba NADECO.

Many of you may not know where we were both from, but the most important thing is that we are grateful for where we all started; where we are currently; and where Got is taking us to. This is the first stage of where were going, another stage is coming, he said.

In his address, President Tinubu said the Awujale of Ijebuland is not the Baba of President and no longer Baba of NADECO.

Tinubu commended the monarch for supporting his presidential bid, saying, Thank you for being there for me and for there for the country. Youve demonstrated so much loyalty, so much commitment.

Baba, this is your President. This is your son Thank you. Thank you for everything. I thank God for you being alive to witness today, to witness the result of the election that you prayed for us your children.

You have an uncommon courage and you passed it to us. We utilised it to serve and to invoke the spirit of who we are a people, very proud and honourable people, people of great character. Our diversity for prosperity will never be forgotten, he said.

Meanwhile, Tinubu said he invoked the spirit of Emi Lokan (Its my turn) from the Oba Adetona.

He said, I invoked the spirit of Emi Lokan from Baba (The Awujale of Ijebuland). Thats the spirit of freedom and thats who we are as a people.

I came to Ogun state to invoke the spirit of freedom from which we are noted for. I invoked that spirit thrice  the spirit of Baba (Awujale) is Emi Lokan. Thats Baba, being blunt, being incisive, thats him, he will tell you, he added.

Recalling the naira swap crises that rocked the country prior to the 2023 general elections, President Tinubu noted that Nigerians voted at a very crucial time when our monies were confiscated. The cash swap didnt work. It was terrible then, I realised that.

He said, And the second spirit is that money or no money, A ma dibo (We will vote) A ma wole (We will win). Bi ko sowo (Whether theres no money). And ever since, its been the spirit thats driving me to serve. Im honoured Baba. I am honoured. Ive just come to respond to whom calling, saying I need to see you.
Shehu Sani, a socio-political commentator has mocked former President Muhammadu Buhari after he reportedly pleaded not to be probed by his successor.

Sani said Buhari was allergic to being probed and blamed after he did the same to his predecessor.

The former Kaduna Central Senator recalled that Buhari blamed the previous administration for Nigerias problems while he was in office.

Tweeting, Sani wrote: They arrogantly oppressed, dispossessed, and killed the poor and the innocent and without remorse seek divine blessings for their injustice and inequity.

Buhari probed and blamed all the ills and vices of this country on the previous administrations but he is allergic to being probed and blamed.

There are claims that Tinubu had assured Buhari that he wont probe him and his close aides.
President Bola Tinubu has received the assurance of support from the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and state governors on his Renewed Hope agenda.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave the assurance when a delegation of senators, governors and captains of industry paid Tinubu a Sallah courtesy visit on Wednesday in Lagos.

The Renewed Hope was Tinubus campaign agenda that touched all aspects of national life from economy, health, education, and youth empowerment to international relations.

The president has clearly shown a roadmap of his administration in the decisions taken within his first few days in office.

These decisions and policies are going to turn the fortunes of the country for good. The assembly will match such expeditious measures with its full legislative processes.

I will like to assure Nigerians that whatever will improve their standards of living will receive the backing of the National Assembly, he said.

Akpabio said that the assembly would hit the ground running immediately after it resumes in order to facilitate laws for the good of the country and its people.

Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo also said that states would match the speed of the Federal Government in the task of nation-building.

He said that Tinubu has declared the intention to turn around the economic, legislative and judicial systems for the best, adding that the states were equal to the task.

You can see that the impact of the presidents decision on subsidy removal and reversal of the multiple exchange rate regime has started impacting the economy.

It has received national and international recognition because it was a hindrance to the growth of the nation. We will just appeal to Nigerians to further be confident in the new administration.

As he stated in his Sallah message, we all need to be united, work for peace and stability to attain a greater height in the comity of nations, said Uzodinma, Chairman of Progressive Governors.

Similarly, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said that state governments would reciprocate the people-oriented policies of the Federal Government.

He said that Tinubu was already showing the way forward with his recent decisions and policies that states could key into.

We have seen what he did in Lagos State as governor, which is still a model among other states. That surely will be replicated at the federal level.

Lagos will continue to exploit the laudable programmes and policies of the Federal Government as a model to attaining a society of our dream, Sanwo-Olu said.

Among those who visited Tinubu were the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume and NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari.

Former governors of Kano and Kebbi, Abdullahi Ganduje and Abubakar Bagudu, respectively were also there.
Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), the umbrella body of Muslims in Nigeria, has called on political leaders to cut their extravagant lifestyles and ease the sufferings of the masses.

Speaking after observing the Eid al-Adha prayers at Dodan Barracks prayer ground in Lagos, President Bola Tinubu had said Nigerians must make sacrifices for the prosperity of the country.

JNI, in a sallah message by Khalid Aliyu, its secretary-general, alleged that while the masses are making sacrifices to keep the nation moving, the leaders are living in affluence.

On this joyous occasion, JNI would like to extend its felicitations to the new leaders at all levels in the executive and legislative arms, the statement reads.

They should be mindful of the trust reposed in them by Allah and humanity on which they will be asked to give account on the day of judgement.

It appears that only the common Nigerians are making painful sacrifices to keep the nation moving but the leaders are perpetually living in affluence to the detriment of the malnourished commoners.

The JNI, therefore, call on the leaders to cut their extravagant lifestyles, make adjustments and come up with policies that will make the life of the common Nigerian a bit comfortable.

JNI urged Muslims to reflect on the occasion of the Eid al-Ahda and be selfless.

This auspicious occasion serves as a reminder of the values of sacrifice, compassion, and unity that are at the core of Islam, JNI added.

As we gather with family, friends, and loved ones to observe the Eid, let us reflect upon the importance of selflessness and generosity.




A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Buba Galadima, has dismissed claims that the partys presidential candidate in the last election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Galadima said Kwankwaso was yet to inform the NNPP that he would be joining the APC.

Speaking with Channels Television, the NNPP chieftain, however, noted that Kwankwaso was ready to work with President Bola Tinubu.

According to Galadima: Kwankwaso has not told anybody he is joining the APC; people are just talking, but what we have before is winner take all. If Tinubu is calling for a unity government, it is not a bad thing.

Kwankwaso has been seen around Tinubu since the latter won the presidential election in February.

There are beliefs that Tinubu might give Kwankwaso a political appointment.
Popular comedian, Lawrence Oluwaseyitan Aletile, aka Seyi Law, has labelled those condemning the long motorcade that followed President Bola Tinubu when he arrived in Lagos from London a few days ago as idiots.

According to him, the presidents motorcade is less than 10 percent of the entire vehicles in the convoy.

He said there was no more appropriate way to ascertain that the critics were mentally ill than their display of foolishness by assuming all the cars were Tinubus motorcade.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Seyi Law said, Those shouting about the presidents convoy, are you sure you are okay?

Well, how else do you know some people are mentally ill?

The fact that some idi*ts cant tell that the presidents motorcade is less than 10% of the entire convoy of cars shows the level of foolishness we have to deal with in this country.

The comedian said the critics would have claimed that the president lacks legitimacy if there were no crowd to welcome at the airport.

Recall that criticisms trailed the long motorcade that followed President Tinubu when he arrived in Lagos from London for Sallah.








Some followers of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, have cautioned Governor Alex Otti of Abia State against probing his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu.





This was as they said probing the immediate past governor would amount to distraction as he settles down to governance.





They urged Otti to focus on delivering good governance to the people of the state rather than probing Ikpeazu.





The call was contained in a statement signed by Mazi Chetachi Ikpe of the Peter Obi Grassroots Movement (POGM) in Abia State and Ndubueze Obiakwata, the chairman of Obidients Across Parties Alliance (OAPA) in the state.





Commending Otti for a superlative first month in office, they said: Your Excellency, youre indeed Gods Gift to Gods Own State (Abia).





The statement reads partly: Abia civil servants are glad that you kept your promise of payment of salaries. Indeed, workers welfare should be the foremost priority of any government, especially a Labour Party government. In line with your promise that civil servants shall receive their salaries on the 28th of every month, we expect Abia workers to receive their June salary today, being the 28th day of June.





We are impressed with the State of Emergency you declared on waste evacuation and management in Aba and Umuahia. Indeed, cleanliness is next to godliness, and Gods Own State should not be dirty. We believe that under your watch, the era when a notable Igbo son said that Aba stinks is over for good.





However, we urge you to resist the temptation of embarking on a probe of your predecessor(s) since such shall become a huge distraction [for] your avowed task of rebuilding Abia and wiping away our tears, as you promised in your inaugural address as governor.





When Peter Obi came into office as Anambra State governor, instead of turning around to blame and probe his predecessor, he proved to the electorate that he was better by beating his predecessors records.





The groups further noted: All eyes are on you, as the only Labour Party (LP) governor in Nigeria. We are in a hurry to see you show Nigerians what they will miss if they miss having Mr Peter Obi, the LP presidential candidate, who was robbed of his mandate, as president.





They added: Finally, we urge you to keep your eyes on the ball, bearing in mind that you stand on the shoulders of giants such as Dr Michael Okpara and Dr Sam Mbakwe.





Through you and our principal, Peter Obi, we believe that a new Nigeria is possible.
A bloc in Peoples Democratic Party, Concerned PDP League, says it is opposed to any attempt by the party to present Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, as Senate Minority Leader.

The Chairman of CPDPL, Mr Daboikiabo Warmate, alleged in a statement on Wednesday that the group was not in support of Tambuwal, based on his actions as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Warmate said that instead of Tambuwal, the position should rather be zoned to a state in the North-Central, precisely Plateau State.

That his ambition is dead in its imagination, how much more arrival; nevertheless, the past has caught up with him, he said.

Warmate stated that Tambuwal had, during his leadership as Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives given to him by the PDP, defected to the All Progressives Congress.

It is with great disappointment and shock to have read in the papers that Tambuwal, the former Governor of Sokoto State and PDP Governors Forum Chairman, wants to be the minority leader of the 10th Senate.

Somebody who in 2014 took the House of Representatives Speakership we gave to him and defected to another party. This same person eventually came back to the party.

Now, he wants to be the minority leader of the 10th Senate; we will not give support to you.

Look, for many years, he was the PDP Governors Forum chairman, but could not speak against the suppression and sufferings of Nigerians, Warmate said.

According to him, Tambuwal cannot be trusted the second time and does not have the courage to be the Minority Leader of the 10th Senate, judging from his antecedents.

He called for a midterm convention to be followed by the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party to make room for fresh ideas.

The group also urged the Acting National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Damagum, not to sign any letter introducing Tambuwal as the Minority Leader of the 10th Senate.

The former PDP Governors Forum Chairman performed woefully as a leader of the opposition party.

No, enough is enough; PDP members cannot be used and dumped.

It is Peoples Democratic Party, not Elite Democratic Party or Stakeholders Democratic Party, and that is what we want them to know.

We will not allow members, leaders, or any leader to use the party and dump it at will, no! That is unacceptable. We need to tell them the truth.

Warmate commended the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for providing the needed opposition voice in the eight years of the APC Buhari-led Federal Government.

(NAN)




There was pandemonium on Thursday in Ado Ekiti when some commercial motorcyclists, okada riders, staged a protest against leaders of their association.





The aggrieved riders who barricaded some streets and major junctions in the town called for the removal of the current union executives for alleged corruption, high-handedness, abuse of power, attack on colleagues and misappropriation of funds.





Speaking with our Correspondent, the riders urged Governor Biodun Oyebanji to sack the executives and take over the runnings of the sector.





They alleged that the association charged them heavily for tickets yet mismanaged the funds, adding that the executives recruited some miscreants who are in the habit of assaulting and beating drivers up.





They alleged that a commercial motorcyclist, who was carrying a passenger, was pushed while in motion by one of the miscreants, they fell off the bike and sustained serious injuries.





The protesting okada riders were later dispersed by a team of armed policemen.





Some leaders of the association were seen at the Ijigbo roundabout where they were hiding from possible attack but they declined to comment on the development.
An Albemarle County family and their dog is safe after they were able to escape through a window after a fire broke out in their ground-floor apartment in the Four Seasons area.

The fire on Spring Court was reported to authorities at around 6:40 a.m. , according to the Albemarle County fire marshal.

Firefighters from Albemarle and Charlottesville arrived on the scene within minutes and quickly evacuated adjacent apartments and extinguished the flames, according to authorities. A press release from the fire department says that firefighters were able to contain the damage of the blaze to just one apartment.

No injuries were reported, but the fire marshal estimated the damage at about $70,000.

The marshal's office said it determined the fire had been ignited by the electrical failure of a power strip in the residence.

The displaced family is being assisted by relatives and the American Red Cross.

Albemarle Fire Rescue said it would like to remind everyone to have working smoke alarms and know two ways out of their residences in case of fire.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo explained on Wednesday why President Bola Tinubu would hearken to the cries of the Southeast.

The apex Igbo social-cultural association said Tinubu would listen to the Southeast when governors from the region and Igbo leaders support him.

This is according to Okechukwu Isiguzoro, a factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, who asserted that Igbo leaders pushing Peter Obi, the Labour Partys presidential candidate, to unseat Tinubu will fail.

Isiguzoro charged them to withdraw their support from Obi and extend it to Tinubu.

Speaking with Dailypost, Isiguzoro said: The Southeast governors should openly declare their support and work with Tinubu, irrespective of party affiliation.

Those of them supporting Peter Obi should renounce it and openly declare for Tinubu because what we have seen is that the ruling party has two states, APGA has one state, and the Labour Party and PDP have one state each in the Southeast.

So, at this point, they should declare their open support for Tinubu. These are the things that would make Tinubu listen to the pleas of the Southeast.

Those Ohanaeze and Igbo elders hiding under Peter Obi and pushing him to unseat Tinubu will never succeed; no power on earth can unseat Tinubu. We will ensure that all those unrepentant elders are made to support and work with Tinubu.




Former President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed why he left Daura, Katsina State, for London.





Buhari said he left Daura for London because he wanted to stay in a quiet place.





He explained that visitors have been trooping to visit him while in his hometown of Daura.





A statement by Buharis ex-media aide, Garba Shehu, reads: He chose to go home in Daura hoping to find the type of quiet he wished for himself, but realizing that this was not the case, visitors trooping in morning, day and night, he moved out to a more distant place.





It remains his wish that he be allowed to have his needed rest, and for the Tinubu administration to have the right atmosphere to work on the realisation of the promises they made.





Following the end of his administration, Buhari returned to his hometown of Daura.





However, the president had left Nigeria for London, after which, he met with President Bola Tinubu.
A New Jersey bakery that closed during the COVID-19 pandemic has announced its return.

Palisades Park Bakery took to social media to alert the public of its plans to reopen in July.

The bakery is located at 325 Broad Ave. in Palisades Park.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the underpinnings of affirmative action in university admissions, ruling that Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment when considering race as a factor in student applications.

The ruling covered two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions, which argued the universities admissions policies were discriminatory. Harvard was accused of penalizing Asian American applicants and putting too much emphasis on race in its admissions decisions, and the UNC case focused on the constitutionality of race as a factor in such decisions.

The ruling affects only a small number of selective colleges and universities because most allow in most applicants. But it may have broad repercussions on diversity efforts throughout society, said Rutgers University law professor Stacy Hawkins.

I do think its a signal to other organizations in other contexts that they have to be very specific in identifying diversity as a goal, Hawkins told NJ Advance Media, as the court had ruled Harvard and UNCs policies are unconstitutional because objectives were insufficiently precise or measurable. Most troubling to me is [the decision] seemed to impugn the diversity interest itself.

The ruling reverses decades of court precedent, which allowed admissions officers to use race as one of many factors in their decisions. In a 2003 case allowing affirmative action at the University of Michigan Law School, the court had noted, We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today. In Thursdays decision, the court said it is time to abide by that time limit. The votes were 6-to-3 in the UNC case and 6-to-2 in the Harvard case, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recusing herself because she served on a board at Harvard.

State lawmakers and higher education officials had strong reactions to the ruling, with some expressing concern that it would restrict opportunities for Black and Hispanic students. Meanwhile, New Jersey colleges and universities, are debating how to adjust their practices and remain within the law.

Gov. Phil Murphy condemned the decision and said he would work with the states colleges and universities to promote equitable admissions within its constraints.

Sadly, this decision is yet another way in which the U.S. Supreme Court is taking our country backwards, the Democratic governor said in a statement. Systemic inequities remain stubbornly rooted in our society. Yet a college degree has long offered a path to opportunity and financial success. For generations, equitable access to higher education has meant social mobility for those who come from under-resourced communities. That too has been the heart of the American Dream  that if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams.

Murphy said the courts decision makes it harder for students to learn from each others diverse backgrounds and perspectives and does not reflect the values of New Jersey.

State Attorney General Matthew Platkin said: The Supreme Court has ignored the institutional racism that millions of Americans continue to endure. Racism will not end because Chief Justice Roberts and five of his colleagues deemed it so. He said the decision makes us a less fair, equitable, and inclusive country.

The states secretary of higher education, Dr. Brian K. Bridges, said the decision works against greater opportunity for all during a time when our country desperately needs more student access and success.

Diversity at institutions of higher education fosters vibrant academic and social interactions that lead to positive learning outcomes, Bridges said. We want to assure our students most affected by this decision that our priorities for higher education will continue to focus on equity, access and affordability.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd Dist., tweeted his dismay with the decision: The goal of education is to increase opportunity across our society. There is no perfect formula for fairness, but that doesnt mean we shouldnt try. Affirmative action said race is one piece of the puzzle, not the entire thing. But now we have one less tool to break down barriers for disadvantaged people. Meanwhile, sky-high tuition and legacy admissions continue to maintain a broken system.

Kim added it is time to get rid of legacy admission as well.

State Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, D-Essex, chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said she was profoundly disappointed but not the least surprised by what she called yet another myopic, ill-considered Supreme Court ruling.

This egregious decision by our nations highest Court undermines a concerted effort to promote racial and economic diversity on the campuses of Harvard and UNC, Jasey said. Our institutions of higher education have successfully embraced affirmative action for decades, providing much needed access for historically underserved students, and all students with exposure to the multicultural mosaic that is America.

On the other side of the aisle, Assemblyman Brian Bergen, R-Morris, had a different view.

This is an opportunity to move toward a system that is based on income instead of race, Bergen said. That should have a similar effect to help disadvantaged students without segregating applicants based on their race, which never should occur even if the intentions are good.

And some groups celebrated the decision, including the Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York (CACAGNY), which had filed briefs supporting Students for Fair Admissions.

We are thankful that the Supreme Court has finally ruled against decades of pernicious discrimination against Asian American students, the alliance said in a joint statement with the Asian Wave Alliance, the New York City Residents Alliance, and Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education. The organizations said earlier policies had deprived hundreds of thousands of applicants of their rights.

Discrimination by group identity is unconstitutional, un-American, and immoral.

College admissions offices have been counting their incoming students by race, said Phil Wong, president of CACAGNY. This violates the principle of a colorblind Constitution. Its contrary to the 14th Amendment and to the Civil Rights Act. Its immoral. It often hurts the very people it is trying to help.

To be sure, only a very small percentage of schools are highly selective. The majority of all colleges and universities admit most of their applicants. In New Jersey, only Princeton is considered highly selective, accepting 4% of students, while Stevens Institute of Technology is considered selective, accepting 53% of its applicants, according to one college ranking system.

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber called the opinion unwelcome and disappointing.

While todays decision will make our work more difficult, we will work vigorously to preserve  and, indeed, grow  the diversity of our community while fully respecting the law as announced today, he said. we have an obligation to attract exceptional people of every background and enable them to flourish on our campus.

Calling diversity essential to the university, the nation, and the world, he said, Princeton will pursue it with energy, persistence, and a determination to succeed despite the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court in its regrettable decision today.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway said the school would review its policies and practices following the ruling. The state university, he said, remains committed to being a powerful engine of social mobility for students and their families.

We continue to recognize the immense advantages that a richly diverse student body and faculty bring to the academic enterprise and the importance of providing affordable access to a world-class education for a diverse array of students, Holloway said.

Many had predicted the ruling would prohibit affirmative action based on race, given the recent addition of three conservative justices to the court.

Nationally, universities have discussed ways of maintaining a diverse student body without factoring in race in admissions, making it easier for community college graduates  who tend to be more reflective of the nations demographics  to enter four-year institutions, and guaranteeing admission to the top 10% of students in every high school, as the Texas public colleges did. And Duke University announced last week it would waive tuition for lower-income North and South Carolina students.

Other colleges and universities have planned strong recruitment in high schools with high percentages of minority students or planned to consider statements from students about their experiences with discrimination to continue building classes that reflect the nations demographics.

But the courts opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, noted universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.

What cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly. The Constitution deals with substance, not shadows, he wrote, quoting an 1867 court case.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas noted that Harvard could not show that student test scores increased as a result of its efforts to increase racial diversity and noted that the university does not look at applicants religious affiliations, a factor that would likely increase the diversity of opinions on campus. He concluded that Harvard was unable to explain why race in itself furthered its goal of a diverse student body.

Two white students, one from rural Appalachia and one from a wealthy San Francisco suburb, may well have more diverse outlooks on this metric than two students from Manhattans Upper East Side attending its most elite schools, one of whom is white and other of whom is black, Thomas wrote. If Harvard cannot even explain the link between racial diversity and education, then surely its interest in racial diversity cannot be compelling enough to overcome the constitutional limits on race consciousness.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Jackson said the ruling makes things worse, not better.

The best that can be said of the majoritys perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism, she wrote. If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more.

Nnadozie Obi, who graduated in May from Rutgers mechanical engineering program, said the previous admissions policies had helped minority students go to college, find good careers and also change their family and their communities around them. Thursdays decision takes away opportunities from other students that may be able to make a way for their communities, he said.

He was president of the Rutgers chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and worries the ruling will hinder the groups goal of increasing the number of Black engineers.

Ajibola Oyeniran, a recent graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, is the first in his family to be born in America, as his parents immigrated to the United States from Nigeria before he was born.

Where Im from, weve seen how affirmative action has brought us to places that weve never imagined before as kids, he said. To see that go away, it causes questions (as) to how this will affect our future kids when it comes to getting into college, when it comes to getting into graduate schools, when it comes to getting into doctoral programs. Its a lot of unanswered questions right now.

He recognizes the argument that people should not be penalized for there race. But we also have to consider the resources certain communities have, the connections certain communities have. People argue that my communities didnt have that. He mentioned tutors, test score preparation, and preferences for legacy admissions as examples.

Requests for comment from Stevens Institute of Technology and the state NAACP were not immediately returned.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Camille Furst contributed to this report.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Tina Kelley may be reached at tkelley@njadvancemedia.com.
An Office of Administrative Law (OAL) decision has set up a potentially monumental legal battle between Jersey City and the state Attorney Generals Office over whether law enforcement officers will be allowed to use cannabis.

In a 13-page ruling released last week, an Administrative Law judge reversed the March 2023 termination of Jersey City Police Officer Norhan Mansour, who had been fired for a positive cannabis test, in spite of state law that says employees, including police officers, cannot be fired for a positive test unless it is determined the employee used cannabis on the job or was under the influence while on the job.

Mansour is represented by attorney Michael Rubas.
Call it Christmas in June.

The financially distressed New Jersey City University will receive the $10 million in additional aid in the $54.3 billion state budget, a life rope that will pull the school out of its fiscal crisis, Hudson County legislators said Thursday ahead of the release of the full 2024 spending plan.
A West New York man has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman he met just a few hours earlier, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said Thursday.

Emil Figueroa-Blanco, was arrested Wednesday by members of the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Special Victims Unit for an incident authorities say occurred June 4 at a motel on Tonnelle Avenue, Suarez said. The victim, also 22, met Figueroa-Blanco through acquaintances in the hours leading up to the assault.

Figueroa-Blanco, of West New York, is charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault, a crime of the first degree. He was arrested at the Hudson County jail, where he was being detained on an unrelated matter, and remains in custody pending a detention motion, Suarez said.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the Special Victims Unit with the investigation and arrest, with assistance from the North Bergen Police Department. Anyone wishing to report a sex crime should call the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) at 201-915-1234.
Authorities are still looking for tips and trying to identify a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man in a parked vehicle last Fourth of July.

The shooting occurred shortly before 1:45 a.m. in the area of Route 35 and South Concourse in Neptune Township, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said.

Police responded to a report of shots fired at the location and found Ayres Gray Jr., 26, of Manalapan, sitting in a parked vehicle on South Concourse suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, officials said.

Gray was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center about an hour later, authorities said.

Detectives later discovered that shots were fired at a house party on the other side of town on Hillview Drive shortly before the fatal shooting.

Investigators are still working to identify any suspects and a possible link between both incidents.

The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office is asking anyone with information to call Detective Thomas Manzo of the major crimes bureau at 800-533-7443 or submit a tip anonymously through Monmouth County Crime Stoppers.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
A former Amtrak employee from Pennsylvania and a New Jersey man both pleaded guilty Tuesday to running a health care fraud scheme that cost Amtraks health care plan $9 million, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, New Jersey district.

Ex-employee Devon Burt, 50, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and Hallum Gelzer, 44, of East Orange, separately pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to communicate extortionate threats, said Amtraks Office of the Inspector General in a release.

These charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 90 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.6 billion in alleged false billings, said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger in a release.

Both men must make restitution, with Burt paying $959,072 in restitution and Gelzer approximately $1.66 million.

The charges resulted after an investigation by Inspector Generals agents that uncovered the scheme where Burt and Gelzer worked with health care providers to recruit other Amtrak employees to participate. Those Amtrak employees were offered cash to use their patient and insurance information, which allowed health care providers to submit fraudulent medical claims for services that were never provided or that were medically unnecessary for those workers.

Amtraks health care plan paid over $9 million in claims made by those health providers connected to the scheme, inspector generals officials said.

Burt received cash payments from providers who used his insurance information and that of his dependents to submit fraudulent claims. Both Burt and Gelzer received cash payments from providers to recruit others to participate in the scheme.

The pair also admitted to threatening to injure a health care provider between April 2022 through June 2022, unless Gelzer was paid several thousand dollars.

Sentencing for Burt is scheduled for Nov. 16, and for Gelzer on Nov. 15, 2023. They could face up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is more for the conspiracy to commit health care fraud charge. The conspiracy to communicate extortionate threats in interstate commerce charge has a maximum five years in prison penalty, and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is higher.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Amtrak Police Department also investigated the case.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com.
New Jerseys highest court on Thursday rebuked an effort by police in two cases to snoop on Facebook pages for crime suspects without getting a wiretap order in a ruling that sides with the tech giant in a case closely watched by privacy advocates.

In an unanimous decision, the state Supreme Court found the nearly real-time surveillance of a persons social media was the functional equivalent of tapping their phone.

The communication data warrants investigators had been using to force Facebook to hand over the keys to users pages did not meet the heightened privacy rules such an intrusion requires, the court ruled.
A nonprofit leader who knows what it's like not to have school supplies is aiming to fill over 500 backpacks for students in Louisa County.

Backpacks for Success is a campaign targeted at giving back to children in need. The campaign, hosted by the Louisa-based arm of the Circle of Love Foundation, will run from June 26 through July 31, according to the group.

Doris Phillips, founder of the nonprofit group running the campaign, said she knows the deep pain of being forgotten and going to school without the basic items needed for success."

Phillips grew up a single mother at 16, poverty-stricken, working multiple jobs. Unable to have education as an option, she became committed to preventing other children from going through the same circumstances.

It is exactly where the Circle of Love came from, Phillips told The Daily Progress. From Christmas morning and not being Christmas morning, first day of School and not having school supplies or new clothes to wear to school like all of the other children did and it always felt very sad.

The organization is working to ensure Louisa children in need have school supplies when they return to the classroom on Aug. 9, according to the group. The current campaign aims to provide 550 backpacks to students this year, 50 more than last year.

For kids at school it can be hard, and so you want to know that you are giving them that moment of peace of mind, of all I have to do is sit down and do my work, Phillips said. I don't have to worry about not having, I don't have to worry about someone making fun of me. I have what I need to be educated.

The children receiving backpacks are found through shelters, schools and family members, according to Phillips.

We always ask for school enrollment forms, birth certificates, proof that they have custody of that child to make sure that there is a true need, Phillips said.

Phillips is also president of RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closings and COO of Lake Homes Realty.

Each state that I expand my title company to, I also take the Circle of Love, Phillips said. I feel like if we're going to earn money from an environment, from an area, we should be giving back to that area.

Circle of Love was founded in 2004 has two goals each year: sponsoring children in the back-to-school season and the Christmas holiday season. The group aims to build upon the amount of backpacks given each year, according to Phillips.

Circle of Love has sponsored over 700 children for Christmas between Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama.

Donations can be made on the Circle of Love website at www.thecircleoflove.org.

I hope we plant the seeds in them that they have value and they have worth and they have not been forgotten and that they're given the supplies they need and they may be they're only opportunity to change their future, Phillips said.
There were more than a dozen trips to the spectacular Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, where it was claimed bills of approximately $89,000 were racked up over time.

A stay at the legendary Ritz in Paris and the Punta Cana resort in the Caribbean were both charged to a corporate expense account, it was alleged, as was a vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando and a lavish birthday party in Dublin.

One of New Jerseys biggest law firms filed suit Tuesday against its former chief financial officer, alleging he misappropriated more than $3.2 million over the past 10 years by overpaying himself substantial bonuses and charging tens of thousands of dollars for hotel stays, first class airfare, family travel and high-end vacations on a company-issued American Express card.
A Bergen County man has filed a lawsuit against American Dream in East Rutherford, claiming he broke his leg when he landed in a shallow splash pool at the bottom of a slide at the DreamWorks Water Park in the mall complex.

Xavier Velez, 30, of Elmwood Park, says he slid down the Zany & Zanier Zigzag slide on July 2, 2021, but the pool at the end of the slide wasnt filled properly, causing him to fracture his leg, according to the suit filed June 22 in Superior Court of Bergen County.
State Police used a helicopter to hoist two Clifton firefighters to safety on Wednesday afternoon after their fire rescue boat became stuck in the Passaic River while attempting to aid workers in different boats trimming trees along the river bank.

No one was injured, officials said.
David Fischers request is simple.

He just wants the nearly $2,400 refund he was promised from his water companys service plan for repair coverage that he paid for but he said the company didnt honor.

How he got here is a little more complicated.

Fischer has had a power of attorney for his now-deceased mother since she took a fall in 2013. The document gave him legal authority to act on his moms behalf.

While she was in the hospital from the fall, there was a water problem at her Maplewood home and water was pouring out from the lawn, Fischer said. Good thing his mom had repair coverage from the water company, he thought.

Before we go ahead, its important to understand the corporate structure of what Fischer calls the water company, and to make clear that it wasnt always clear to Fischer, as the customer, which entity he was talking to at any given time.

Indeed, these things dont matter to the average customer who needs service or who is trying to resolve a dispute, but its important to get right.

New Jersey American Water provides water and wastewater service for 2.8 million people in the state, the company said. Its a subsidiary of American Water, which services more than a dozen states, including New Jersey. Then theres American Water Resources (AWR), which offers the service program Fischer and his mom have been paying for.

(Its) a trademark of American Water and used under license, but is not owned by American Water, a spokeswoman said. As such, AWRs optional programs are not provided or guaranteed by American Water or its affiliates.

Back to Fischer. (And give a little slack if its unclear which incarnation of the company hes talking about as we go. It all comes back to trying to fix a problem.)

THE WATERS ASSAULT

When water was coming out of the front lawn, Fischer didnt get the fast resolution he was hoping for.

I called New Jersey American Water and they came with their truck and checked the water and said it wasnt theirs, he said. They told me to call the township to find out where the leak was coming from because theres obviously an underground stream that had its course changed.

Fischer said he called the town, which after about three weeks, said there was no underground stream there and that he should call the water company.

Water company employees came back to the house and they shut off the water, Fischer said, and it stopped coming out of the ground.

Meanwhile the damage to the house and property was substantial due to their delay in servicing my problem, Fischer said.

He next asked the company to send the repair service. Before it would, he said, it asked for a copy of his power of attorney. He sent it, but it was rejected because the document didnt have a raised seal.

Indeed, thats a common error made by many organizations in New Jersey, attorneys said.

Attorneys (in New Jersey) have always been able to notarize documents and you never needed to use a raised seal, confirmed Matthew Schiller, an attorney with Murphy Schiller & Wilkes in Newark.

Fischer noted the rejection came even though the company had been accepting checks from his mothers account, signed by Fischer as power of attorney.

So they told me that I had to go get my mother (on the phone), who was in the hospital, suffering from delirium after having her hip replaced and she was 94, he said. I went and got her to answer their questions.

The representative accepted her verbal answers, and it repaired the homes front steps and the sidewalk and it replaced the water line, Fischer said.

ASKING FOR HELP, ROUND TWO

When his mom died in 2016, Fischer was named executor of her estate. To this day he has kept the estate open to manage affairs for the home. He said hes continued all the services his mom had, including the emergency repair policy with the water company.

In February, water backed up into the kitchen sink, the washing machine and the bathroom, he said.

I knew I was paying for coverage so I called New Jersey American Water and they told me that a plumber would call me in three minutes. That call never came, he said. I figured it was late in the day and something had gone wrong.

So he called again the next day, he said. Again, he was told hed get a call from a plumber in three minutes, but again, the call never came, he said.

On the third day, he called again.

I was instantly told that they needed to speak with Miriam, my mother, because in the file I was banned from any service ever, he said. I explained that Miriam was deceased but he kept yelling into the phone that only Miriam could get service. Let me speak with Miriam, he said and refused to even discuss the power of an executor.

The next day, Fischer said, he called the Board of Public Utilities, which he said called the water company. Someone there in turn called Fischer, whose frustration was growing because he figured the company wouldnt honor his authority over the account and it wouldnt service the home.

He wanted out.

(The representative) asked what I wanted to settle this and I said a refund for the time I was denied service going back to the submission of my power of attorney, Fischer said, estimating that early repair coverage charges were about $330 a year and today, theyre about $660 a year.

A little over a week later he called me back to tell me they calculated the amount at $2,388 and that amount was approved, he said.

The check would arrive during the next billing cycle in April, he said he was told.

It didnt arrive, Fischer said. He called, and this time was told it would arrive by May 15.

Again, no check, but it would be there by June 15, he said he was told.

After all this I checked the Better Business Bureau and saw the complaints that mirrored my issue and then I realized I had been Bamboozled, Fischer said, and he asked Bamboozled for help.

We reviewed Fischers complaint and told him to wait a little. Give the company until June 15, we said, and he agreed.

But June 15 came and went. No check.

We asked all the companies and their incarnations what was taking so long.

A spokeswoman said Fischer was notified by American Water Resources that once the refund was approved on April 12, the process would take an estimated 30-60 days to complete. Due to internal processes, the timeline did extend slightly but was ultimately resolved.

The check was in the mail, she said.

It arrived the next day, Fischer confirmed.

I just feel sorry for others trapped by this terrible corporate experience, he said.

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Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KPMueller.
Firefighters are battling a large blaze that broke out at a UPS facility on the Jersey Shore on Wednesday evening.

The warehouse as well as six trailers at the UPS Customer Center in Lakewood caught on fire, Lakewood Police Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said.

The fire was under control shortly before 8 p.m., Staffordsmith said.

Vassar Avenue is still completely shut down until further notice, police said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
A second man  a former high school art teacher in Toms River  has been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage boy he had as a student two decades ago.

A jury found Raymond Waters, 71, of Pawlet, Vermont, guilty of five counts of aggravated sexual assault and 13 counts of sexual assault, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office said Thursday.

Walters now 76-year-old husband, Allen Harbatuk, was convicted in 2018 of sexually assaulting the same boy and sentenced to a seven years in state prison.
A Louisiana man was arrested earlier this month after he allegedly attempted to meet up with a 14-year-old girl in Toms River for sex, the US Attorneys Office announced Wednesday.

In April, Spencer W. Caudle, 34, of Prairieville, Louisiana, began chatting on social media applications with the teen in a sexual manner, even after he knew the minor was underage, the office said. Caudle even expressed nervousness about being on the television show To Catch a Predator, but continued informing the minor of his desire to have sex with her, authorities alleged.

On May 26, authorities said he drove from Louisiana to meet and have sex with the girl in Toms River and the following day, he committed sexual acts on her at a local hotel before her sister called her and asked her where she was, federal prosecutors said. Her sister got her to leave the room and meet her in the lobby so her family could come pick her up.
Have you ever heard of Independent State Legislature Theory? Youd be forgiven if the answer is no. ISLT is a semi-obscure theory championed by right-wing kooks who state, and Im paraphrasing, state legislatures have complete control over how national elections are administered in that respective state. This power is absolute and not, I repeat NOT, subject to judicial review.

Red state legislatures have been pushing this suspect interpretation of constitutional language, that would allow them to overturn the results of any election they didnt like, for a while now.

ISLT is a direct frontal assault on the foundations of representative government. Affirming the idea that state legislatures some of which are gerrymandered beyond all recognition  can control the administration and outcome of national elections would effectively end democracy as we know it. Three Supreme Court justices thought that was OK.

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Individual State Legislature Theory was struck down by a vote of 6-3. You already know at least two of the three justices who dissented. Its the same two justices who enjoy cashing in their private jet air mines for luxury vacations with their billionaire patrons, oh yeah, and Justice Neil Gorsuch.

I cant overstate how looney ISLT, taken to its logical conclusion is, and it came two votes from being the law of the land. Justices John Robert, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh joined the three liberal justices in saying theyd like to ride this democracy thing out and see what happens. Kavanaugh, in an individual opinion, did leave the door open for the trolls to possibly sneak back in at a later date.

There are two ways to look at the courts decision:

Glass half full: The court saw through the nonsense and struck down a bad-faith argument to weaponize vague constitutional language against democracy

or

Glass half empty: A year into the Dobbs backlash the few conservatives on the court still concerned with its legitimacy threw us all a bone and decided to let our votes count. For now.

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An 83-year-old Passaic County man was fatally struck Wednesday night by a pickup truck whose driver fled the scene, authorities said.

Joe Bender, of Hawthorne, was hit about 8:45 p.m. in the area of Wagaraw Road and Passaic Street in Hawthorne, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes.

Bender was taken to St. Josephs University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Valdes said.

Detectives are searching for a gray 2004 Ford F-150 that fled the scene after the crash. The truck had New Jersey license plate W73-MCN, according to Valdes and Hawthorne Police Chief James W. Knepper.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the prosecutors office at 877-370-PCPO or the Hawthorne Police Department at 973-427-1800. Tips can be emailed to tips@passaiccountynj.org.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Hazy skies on Thursday as a result of smoke from wildfires still burning in Canada have prompted the state Department of Environmental Protection to issue a statewide air quality alert.

While the air quality across most of New Jersey is moderate on Thursday morning, the code orange alert means that air pollution concentrations could later become unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases as well as older people, the DEP said.

What is a Code Orange air quality alert? It means that the air could be unhealthy for some sensitive groups. There will be air quality alerts in place on Friday for parts of Alabama thanks to expected elevated ozone levels. The general public is not expected to be affected.

As of 7 a.m. the air quality has reached that threshold and is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups in portions of Burlington, Camden Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem counties, according to AirNow.Gov.

A small portion of western Salem County has reached the unhealthy level of air quality as the air quality index has reached 150. The air quality index runs from 1 to 500 with higher totals indicating poorer air quality.

Thursday is expected to be the first completely dry day in New Jersey since last week.National Weather Service

The smoky skies arrive with New Jerseys first fully dry day since last week. Expect hazy sunshine and highs ranging from the upper 70s to mid 80s, the National Weather Service said. Hazy conditions stick around through the evening, but should improve a bit overnight as temperatures fall into the low to mid 60s.

The haze will be with us Friday morning before dissipating by the afternoon. It should be another day of sunny skies and highs in the 80s. Theres a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms at night.

The weekend continues to look unsettled with rain chances on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, in particular, is unlikely to remain dry all day with increasing potential for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, the weather service said in its morning forecast discussion.

The air quality on Thursday wont be anywhere near as bad it was from June 6 to June 8 when the state recorded its worst air quality numbers since 1980. On Wednesday, June 7, the air quality index reached 486 in an area of Central Jersey.

Current weather radar

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
For a third time in less than four years, the local man widely known as the sign guy, Mason Hughes Pickett, has been convicted of attacking one of his detractors.

Pickett, a 69-year-old Albemarle County resident, was found guilty of assault and battery Thursday morning in Charlottesville General District Court.

This is number three for him, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Will Tanner told the court. It seems as though the message is not getting through to Mr. Pickett that he cant be engaging in this kind of behavior.

Judge Andrew Sneathern appeared to agree when he sentenced Pickett to 20 days behind bars. Sneathern, however, stayed the sentence because Pickett said he would appeal and post a $2,500 appeal bond.

The hourlong trial focused on an April 15 incident on the Corner in Charlottesville by University of Virginia Grounds, where Pickett is a common sight sporting signs in graphic opposition to social justice, civil rights and Democrats of all stripes. There, on the street in front of the Bodos bagel shop, Pickett was holding a sign reading, LEFTIST PROFESSORS SUCK.

It was late that Saturday afternoon when 18-year-old Torrance Malone and her then boyfriend approached.

I went up to him and told him to get a life, Malone testified. He told me I was dressed like a whore.

Other slurs that Pickett shouted, Malone testified, included calling the Piedmont Virginia Community College student a slut and a herpes-infested bitch.

Words, however, were not a key contention here. Nor was the contact, which Pickett admitted. The issue was whether Pickett used appropriate force when moving Malones hand from the post of his sign.

Malone testified that she touched Picketts pole solely to get it out of her way after Pickett put the sign atop his car, which was parked there on University Avenue.

I reached to push the end of the sign, Malone told the court. He dug his fingernails into my arm and drug down.

Attesting to the injuries, the prosecution showed three photographs of red scraping and purple bruising. On a surveillance video played in court, Malone can be seen looking at her left arm as she crosses Elliewood Avenue to leave the scene.

My only intention was getting out of the situation, so thats the only reason I pushed the sign, she said.

Mason Pickett told a different story.

The first thing I noticed was the smell of alcohol, Pickett testified. They didnt seem to be stable on their feet.

Pickett denied making the venereal disease comment but admitted that he called Malone some insulting names. He too said he tried to depart from the interaction.

Shes crowding me, Pickett testified. I decide Im going to leave, so I put my sign on top of my car.

Pickett alleged that the teen wanted to take his sign.

She reached for the sign, said Pickett. Shes already stated like three times my sign has to go.

Pickett admitted to squeezing the young womans arm, but he said it was merely to retain his sign.

I intended to grab her arm with the purpose of stopping her from stealing my item, said Pickett. Im certainly sorry she got a bruise or a cut on her arm; that was not my intent.

In his closing, Picketts lawyer, Scott Goodman, accused Malone of being disingenuous and dishonest.

Shed gone to the curb five times, Goodman argued. The only reason was to take that sign or trash that sign.

Goodman said that Pickett was trying to deescalate.

He never went toward her, said Goodman, and a couple of times he stepped back.

Goodman contended that the reason that Malone left without the sign was that after the tussle the boyfriend shoved Pickett, who toppled onto University Avenue. That action seemed supported by the video from a camera mounted on the front of the building housing Mincers store on the Corner.

A 70-year-old man being thrown in the street in traffic, said Goodman.

Both sides agreed that some level of force should be allowed to protect property, but the prosecutor contended that Malone didnt want Picketts property.

She had no intention of taking that sign, said Tanner. We know that because she walked away without the sign.

The judge agreed with that interpretation.

She wasnt trying to take your sign, said Sneathern. Theres nothing in the video that shows her taking the sign. She testified fairly credibly she didnt want that sign.

More importantly, Sneathern continued, you battered her in a way that was not reasonably a response to someone taking property. There are other ways to handle property being taken than to assault someone.

Pickett, a retired moving company owner, has prior assault and battery convictions, one stemming from an August 2019 incident and another from Halloween 2020. On two other occasions he was found not guilty. Sneathern said that Picketts full sentence this time would be 180 days, with 160 of them suspended.

After his trial, Pickett said that he learned a lesson, but it does not appear to be the one that Sneathern was trying to convey.

I learned you cant protect your own property, he said.
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Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
The 2023 Essence Festival of Culture will pay tribute to a trio of deceased New Orleans rappers during this weekend's nighttime concerts in the Caesars Superdome.

The festival will salute 5th Ward Weebie on Friday, Soulja Slim on Saturday and Magnolia Shorty on Sunday.

Essence Festival vice-president Hakeem Holmes, a New Orleans native, announced the memorials during the festival's Thursday morning press conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

He said the festival had been in contact with the estates of each of the rappers and received their blessing to stage the tributes.

They will take place between acts on the main stage at the Superdome and consist of spoken remembrances, videos and/or brief performances.

The entire 2023 Essence Fest is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The line-up is dominated by classic and contemporary rappers, including Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Ice Cube, Ice-T, T.I. and Doug E. Fresh, as well as Jill Scott, Janelle Monae and many more.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Council President JP Morrell.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell Thursday announced 27 people have applied to become the next superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department and outlined the next steps the national organization conducting the search will take to choose a chief.

The statement comes a day after Council President JP Morrell and Council Member Oliver Thomas sent a joint letter to Chris Hawkins of the Internal Association of Chiefs of Police, the group in charge of the national search for candidates, asking for an update.

Though under a new city rule, the city council must confirm the mayors appointees, including for police chief, IACP and the mayor's office have largely iced the council out of the selection process. Morrell said IACP "made it perfectly clear" they would not be updating the council on the search.

"The public demanded a transparent search that would include input from a variety of sources, as well as periodic updates," Morrell said. "This hasnt happened."

According to Cantrells statement, IACP will now begin an initial screening of the applicants, which includes a review of their resume, internet screening and a virtual interview. After that, the group will choose semi-finalists for the position.

Cantrell's statement does answer two of the questions the council members asked for in the letter: the status of the search and the number of applicants. But it doesnt answer their other questions about who the applicants are or when the search will be complete. The mayor has previously said Interim Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork applied for the position.

In the letter, the council members also invited the group to attend the next Criminal Justice Committee meeting on Wednesday, July 12, at 10 a.m, to brief the council and the public on the search. As of press time, IACP had not responded to the invitation or letter.

"The update received today by the mayor (while our letter remains unanswered) is a response in and of itself," Morrell said. "This is beyond disappointing."

Last week the mayors communications director Gregory Joseph refused to give Gambit an update on the search and instead told the reporter to direct questions to IACP, which did not respond.

Thank you to IACP for continuing to lend a helping hand towards making an informed decision that is best for the residents and visitors of this great city, Cantrell said in the statement. I welcome this next step and look forward to even more involvement as we move forward in identifying our new police chief.
Described as being at the forefront of an up-and-coming genre that is a mix of old-time and bluegrass music, mid-Willamette Valley native Tatiana Hargreaves counts among her accomplishments as placing first at the Clifftop Appalachian Fiddle Contest.

Her music was featured on a Grammy-nominated album, and she has toured with renowned musicians.

These days, she teaches fiddle at the University of Northern Carolina, Chapel Hill, and has formed her own band.

But before all that, she lived and breathed music in Corvallis.

Accompanied by her band, Hard Drive, he next stop is her hometown.

It took her leaving the area and going to the South to come out of the closet. Now she wants people to know that bluegrass music is for everyone, so she creates inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ folks wherever her band travels.

Studying music while growing up was at times an intense, regimented process, Hargreaves said. There was constant practicing and competing in contests. In some ways it was wonderful to be a part of the community and feel a sense of accomplishment that came with winning contests, she said: It was a huge part of my life.

Now Hargreaves is revisiting with her band the repertoire she so meticulously honed for contests in Corvallis. For her, it feels empowering. In a low-pressure atmosphere, Hargreaves can put a new spin on the pieces.

When shes onstage with her bandmates, the somewhat-bluegrass group incorporates old-time and country music, ranging from brother duets to fiddle tunes.

Theres a fun energy when the group is onstage together, she said.

We just convey this joy of playing together." She added that before they were bandmates, they were roommates.

Youd think it would be easier to come out of the closet in a more liberal town in a blue state, but Hargreaves found her community in a pocket of the red South.

She had her own reservations and assumptions about the South when she moved to North Carolina, she said. But she found a vibrant LGBTQ+ community there, and came out as queer after moving away from Corvallis.

There are a lot of queer people in the South, she said.

Bluegrass and country music historically have created boundaries of exclusion to LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color, but some musicians are trying to reclaim the genre, curating spaces for LGBTQ+ folks and musicians of other minority identities to enjoy music.

There are plenty of queer musicians, Hargreaves said, but artists became more visible during the pandemic. It just kind of exploded, she said.

Now shes trying to create inclusive spaces wherever she goes, actively challenging the assumptions people have about bluegrass music and recognizing LGBTQ+ people have been stakeholders of the genre throughout history.

We have always been here, Hargreaves said.

If you go: Hard Drive will play at the Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave. in Corvallis, at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 29. Tickets are available for $15 presale at whitesidetheatre.org, and at the door for $20.

Related stories:
The Jefferson Parish sheriffs deputies who shot and killed two men during a heroin bust at a Terrytown restaurant may not be held liable for their actions, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has decided.

A three-judge panel of the court this week upheld the conclusion that was reached in 2021 by District Judge Greg Guidry. He ruled that the deputies have qualified immunity.

The decision marks another setback for heirs of Chris Joseph, 38, and Davari BeBop Robertson, 39, two New Orleans residents whom the deputies fatally shot on March 27, 2019, at the IHOP at 151 West Bank Expressway, near Oakwood Shopping Center.
A college library with almost no librarians? After a series of budget cuts and slashed programs at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany the number of librarians has shrunk. To one.

A department that once had three full-timers, two part-timers and a boss is now just the boss.

June 15 was many of the librarians last day. It was a time of reflection and lamentation.

More than just a hub for literacy, research and knowledge for students, the decision to include librarians in the recent staff cuts will shake the community at large, they say.

In March, Linn Benton Community College administration announced budget cuts and the slashing of whole programs, including the computer science and criminal justice degrees. Nearly half of the staff and faculty affected are people of color.

Among them are the schools librarians. These particular cuts have raised concerns over the future of the schools accessibility to Spanish-speakers, its efforts to improve literacy and the impact it could have on other libraries in Linn County.

On Monday, June 26, the schools Board of Education heard from a teacher union leader who said the majority of her colleagues were concerned about losing subject matter experts and longtime school boosters.

I hope you will not discount the importance of your input as you identify the needs of the community, said Claire Burke, faculty association president. I hope you might consider those brave faculty voices who spoke up with their concerns.

Commenters were unequivocal in a letter from the Oregon Library Associations anti-racism committee.

It is our conclusion that the personnel and service cuts by Linn-Benton Community College are racist in nature, the letter reads.

The association asserts more than nine in 10 of Linn-Bentons teachers are white.

The LBCC board moved ahead with proposed cuts, approving a fiscal biennium of measures meant to keep the schools budget buoyed above reserve funds.

We think its a fair budget, said Sheldon Flom, a vice president in charge of the schools finances.

Those left behind in the cuts say it was an odd move for an institution whose motto is were dream developers.

Final hours

Just before graduation earlier this month, there was a stillness in the air at Linn-Benton Community College. Students were few and far between throughout the halls and classrooms already were shuttered for the summer.

But inside the library, there was still work to be done. Because, by the time this article is published, four out of five librarians will be gone. And after August, the only librarian will be the learning center director, an administrative position that oversees the library.

It doesnt make sense to run a library without librarians, said now-former LBCC librarian Richenda Hawkins.

Inside the campus library, poetry hangs in scrolls from the wall. Glossy new covers and the cracked spines of well-used books line the shelves and sit stacked in bins, and signs written in both English and Spanish hang at desks and entrances.

The details were carefully curated, organized and created by the schools five librarians.

Hawkins has built her life around books. As a child she would stay up until the wee hours of the morning under the covers with a flashlight in hand, unable to put down the Chronicles of Narnia. She has worked in several academic libraries before her 17-year stint at LBCC, she said.

What librarians do

Hawkins combed through the aisles of books and computers with ease, her miniature book earrings dangling with her movements. For 17 years Hawkins has stood at the reference desk, helping people locate books, sifting through databases, buying new books and even teaching in classrooms at LBCC.

But in the last days before her contract ended, she was transferring emails, organizing the librarys data and trying to tie up loose ends.

Librarians in movies may be depicted totting book carts and shushing people who talk too loud. But librarian Bryan Miyagishima wants people to know that his job is, well was, a lot more complicated than that.

Essentially, librarians are master researchers with masters degrees.

A former history school teacher, Miyagishima, said his favorite part of his job was getting to teach students about how to comb databases to find the information they need to complete research papers.

Librarians also help students save money, he said. At LBCC, they created a system for students to check out free e-books instead of paying, likely saving them millions of dollars, Miyagishima estimated.

He believes librarians also have a role to play in the retention of students and their success, he said.

The budget cuts have spurred reflection. Hawkins wishes the community was more involved with the colleges vision for the future and formation of its priorities and goals.

Why the cuts?

President Lisa Avery said that the cuts were made because of the states disinvestment with community colleges, she said.

The school entered the biennium needing to make about $4 million of reductions, Avery said in an interview. No matter which choice she made, there was going to be an impact.

Our librarians served our community well, and this decision was made without malice, she said by phone.

Avery said she tried to gauge what would be the least possible harm to students, and that diversity and inclusion were kept in mind. She said she also considered how to protect what was unique to LBCC, such as the nursing or welding programs.

Six months before the cuts were announced, Avery said administrators consulted with faculty union leadership, classified union leadership and part-time union leadership

At the end of the day, there were decisions, and I stand by them, she said.

And while 46% of affected staff were people of color, she said that the equity of the student body was of a higher priority than that of the faculty.

She acknowledged that the optics didnt look good, but that the cuts were made to the programs, not targeted against individuals.

We have tried to make steps to hire and retain more ethnically diverse faculty, and we will continue to do so in years to come, she said.

If more funding was available from the state, Avery says she would use it to keep tuition as low as possible, and once enrollment was stronger, the programs might be built back up, she said.

Im hopeful we will be able to lower tuition, she said.

Linn-Bentons board approved a 5% tuition hike Monday, an increase of about $6.40 or total $138.5 charged for each credit-hour of instruction.

Vice President Flom told the education board on Monday that the prospect of suspended funding in the frozen Legislature  Republican Senators walked off the job for 1 1/2 months  for was eye-opening.

We wouldnt have been able to pay the bills, Flom said. From a management perspective, that is really scary.

Flom said the school would fall below $1 million in reserve funds in one month without state funds, burning through savings not quickly replenished.

Concerns

With three full-time and two part-time positions eliminated at the library, the service will be transitioning from a faculty-librarian-run library to a library-director-run model.

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The current library director will not be changing titles, Avery said.

The library and learning center director is an administrative role, not really an on-the-floor for the day-to-day interactions, Miyagishima said.

And although there are still classified staff  noncredentialed employees  and the library director to oversee librarian duties, Miyagishima worries about what will slip through the cracks.

When links start to break and emails go unanswered, people will notice, he said.

He also worries that students will not have the media and information literacy needed to find good credible sources of information, he said. Having those research skills fights against disinformation online, he said.

Looking back on her teaching career, LBCC instructor Pam McLagan said she doesnt know what she would have done without the librarians assistance, especially for her writing courses. Librarians would recommend materials that were customized to her assignments, she said.

It was so incredibly helpful to have, McLagan said.

The fate of another program weighs in the air, the Linn Libraries Consortium. The program makes it so that books at the LBCC library are available through the other libraries in Linn County.

Its something that serves the whole community, Hawkins said.

Albany Public Library Director Eric Ikenouye isnt sure what the partnership will look like now, but hes hopeful the program will still be in place, he said.

Over the years hes worked as an LBCC librarian, he said.

Its hard to see good librarians lose their jobs, but I also understand how tight budgets are, he said.

Hawkins is worried about the state of the colleges collection. Managing a collection is a very purposeful process, she said. You always have to be thinking about what there needs to be more of, and considering diversity and variety.

Hawkins is especially proud of the collection of indigenous languages at the library. Its probably the most extensive in the area  maybe even the state, she said.

But without the training to think about collections holistically, Hawkins worries the collection wont be as diverse.

When collections are only patron-driven, the end product is based on individual wants or needs rather than looking at a subject holistically, she said.

She also worries about the accessibility of the library, after the only Spanish speakers have been cut.

For Spanish speakers

At the library, signs hang below desks and label shelves with both Spanish and English script.

About 5% of transactions in the library have been conducted in Spanish, Hawkins said.

Now that Hawkins and the only other Spanish-speaking staffers at the library have been cut, she worries how some students will navigate resources.

They have cut every Spanish speaker out of the library, Hawkins said.

Helping Spanish speakers connect with online resources also helped bridge probably one of the biggest barriers students face. Assessing emails, log-in systems and student sites increased digital literacy, Hawkins said.

Their work at Linn-Benton to to reach people who speak Spanish has been recognized The State Library of Oregon.

People who are Latino make up about one in 10 of the population in Linn County. About 7.6% of Linn County residents 5 and older speak Spanish at home, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

But actual numbers may be higher. The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee of the Oregon Library Association asserts as many as 20% of the people in Linn-Bentons service area are Latino.

The committee penned a letter to LBCC administrators in reaction to the news at Linn-Benton.

It is impossible for OLA EDIAR committee members to reconcile your staff cuts with this definition, the letter reads.

President Avery said that while it was an asset, being a Spanish speaker is not a librarians job description.

Avery said they have done work to become a Spanish-serving institution and have doubled down on efforts to connect with Spanish-speaking families by creating a new faculty position, she said.

A vulnerable population

Hawkins combed through the bins of literacy books with pride. Selecting and organizing the colorful bins of adult literacy materials is the magnum opus of her 17 years at LBCC library.

The Linn Benton Literacy Project was created to improve literacy in adults, working closely with the Adult Basic Skills Program  which is also facing significant cuts.

By fall the Adult Basic Skills Program will have eight fewer classes compared to last falls 38 courses, ABS Department Chair Joyce Thompson-Graham said.

Its a department already feeling the squeeze: The numbers in part-time staff and faculty have dwindled since 2019, going from 29 to 18, Thompson-Graham said.

The program is being gutted, she said.

Working closely with the library, the program aims to provide access to resources for people with low literacy skills and non-English speakers working to learn English. It also is where adults can earn their GEDs, she said.

The programs students are some of the librarys most loyal patrons, she said. They are often the ones requesting help with computers or seeking help from the Spanish-speaking library faculty, she said.

Thompson-Graham was really proud of the program. It had high pass rates and received state recognition. Other programs looked to hers as a success story, she said.

Now, she worries about the future of the program, when offerings are smaller and instructors are limited. There are already waitlists.

Close Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final days as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. The Linn-Benton Community College Library, where three full-time and two part-time librarians spent their last day, because of budget cuts, on June 15, 2023. Linn-Benton Community College lost three full-time librarians and two part-timers at the end of spring term on June 15, 2023. NAME, former Linn-Benton Community College faculty, explains how LBCC librarians are crucial to the classroom and the community on June 15, 2023. Linn-Benton Community College staff librarian Richenda Hawkins shows some of the special collections created for the student body by librarians who noticed gaps in their offerings on June 15, 2023. The Adult Literacy section, created by Linn-Benton Community College librarians, photographed on the last day of spring term at the Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final day as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. Staff Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley, and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final days as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College library on June 15, 2023. A college library's final days with many of its librarians Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final days as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. The Linn-Benton Community College Library, where three full-time and two part-time librarians spent their last day, because of budget cuts, on June 15, 2023. Linn-Benton Community College lost three full-time librarians and two part-timers at the end of spring term on June 15, 2023. NAME, former Linn-Benton Community College faculty, explains how LBCC librarians are crucial to the classroom and the community on June 15, 2023. Linn-Benton Community College staff librarian Richenda Hawkins shows some of the special collections created for the student body by librarians who noticed gaps in their offerings on June 15, 2023. The Adult Literacy section, created by Linn-Benton Community College librarians, photographed on the last day of spring term at the Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final day as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College Library on June 15, 2023. Staff Librarians Bryan Miyagishima, Scott Gallagher-Starr, Douglas Hambley, and Richenda Hawkins share opinions and memories on their final days as a full staff at Linn-Benton Community College library on June 15, 2023.

Classes going forward may look very different, Thompson-Graham said. People at all skill levels will be working together in the classroom instead of the more individualized instruction of the programs past, she said.

And instead of four separate subjects taught separately, the topics will be compiled together in in the classroom, she said. Studies have shown that approach isnt as effective, she said.

Meanwhile, students have already started inquiring about GED programs at other community colleges because they dont have faith it will survive, she said.

Its hurting our most vulnerable population, Thompson-Graham said, students of color and economically disadvantaged.

Just about 50% of the Adult Basic Skills program student population identifies as people of color and roughly 60% identify as having a home language other than English, Thompson-Graham said.

So not only did the budget cuts affect the diversity of staff and faculty, but they directly impact the students, she said.

Its heartbreaking. We have worked hard together to build this system that supports our community, she said, a strain in her voice.

Avery said she didnt have the details on how classes may change next year because she was still finalizing the details.

We will have to downsize the services we provide, and we are still trying to figure out what that looks like. But thats a population we cant walk away from, she said.

Avery referred to the program as mission critical because the population depends on the college, she said.

Moving on

Librarian Scott Gallagher-Starr has gotten good at reading faces. Before a student even comes towards him, he can tell if they need help. The librarians are really in touch with the community, he said.

Then theres the emotional component to the job he just lost, he said, reflecting fondly every time a student returned to tell him they got an A on the research paper with which he helped.

Nearly every day, there was something rewarding that happened that made it feel like their jobs mattered, Hawkins said.

I love libraries and I love my work, and I would have stayed here, she said.

Staff writer Alex Powers contributed to this report.







Related stories:

2023 Linn-Benton Community College graduation

LBCC faculty: Budget cut process violated our contract
Todays Supreme Court Ruling on Race and Admissions

All of our students  future and returning  belong here. We will support every one of them and provide an inclusive and welcoming community for all.

Dear members of the Northwestern community,

Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that struck down the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, a move that will impact Northwestern and other institutions of higher education.

I am deeply disappointed in the Supreme Courts decision. While we will, of course, abide by the ruling, I strongly disagree with the interpretation of the Constitution reflected in the majority opinion, a decision that will make it more difficult for Northwestern to achieve one of our imperatives  the promotion of diversity, inclusion and belonging on our campuses.

For months, a working group of University leaders, convened by Provost Kathleen Hagerty, has been examining Northwesterns current practices and how we might adapt them to potential disruptions caused by this ruling. The group  and I  will now turn our attention to ensuring the University moves forward, within the law, while still protecting and supporting our institutional commitment to diversity.

There is much to find problematic in the Courts decision, but for me, among the most troubling elements is the doubt it casts on the importance of a diverse class in enhancing our educational mission. As I said in May, we are and will remain devoted to the goal of diversity. Bringing together people of different backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences enables us to learn from one another and propels our research, arts and discovery to new levels, allowing us to have an even greater impact on the world. Todays ruling does not change that commitment.

In the coming days, we will review the Supreme Courts ruling and continue dialogues with students, staff, faculty and administrators across the University, mindful that we are doing this as we prepare to welcome the most diverse class of undergraduate students in Northwestern history in the fall. All of our students  future and returning  belong here. We will support every one of them and provide an inclusive and welcoming community for all.
You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person.



Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else.
WHITING  The Northwest Indiana Oilmen will honor military service members this Fourth of July weekend at a game benefiting fallen service members.

Oil City Stadium at 1500 119th Street will host Military Appreciation Night at the 7:10 p.m. game Saturday between the Oilmen and the visiting Lake County Corn Dogs from Crown Point.

Hard Rock Casino in Northern Indiana is sponsoring the event, which will benefit Indiana Fallen Heroes. The nonprofit aims to pay tribute to soldiers and other service members who were killed in action.

It is an honor for our organization to be able to once again partner with Indiana Fallen Heroes to help us honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, Oilmen President Don Popravak said. Our Military Appreciation Game is always a memorable and moving night that gives us the chance to celebrate those who have served our country. I would like to thank Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana for helping make this event possible.

The Oilmen first partnered with Indiana Fallen Heroes in 2019 and then again next year. It started as a school project at Boone Grove Middle School honoring Indiana servicemen who died in combat.

The group makes placards with pictures and biographies honoring every fallen service member. It displays the placards at events across the state to raise awareness.

What makes this night special is the fact that we get to honor veterans who are with us and those who have passed since 9/11, Indiana Fallen Heroes President Paul Rosenwinkel said. Honoring them in any manner is what were all about. We want to make the general public aware that our freedom is not free and there is a price that has to be paid. We can never repay those soldiers or their families for their loss.

For more information or tickets, visit NWIOilmen.com.
LAPORTE  LaPorte County police continue to share monthly mugshots of those charged with operating while intoxicated, adding 26 faces to the list for May.

The months list includes individuals accused of crashing into a house, driving a large truck at the time of the arrest and winding up wrapped around a utility pole, police said.

County police began sharing the monthly mugshot list early last year in response to a growing number of intoxicated driving cases, the department said.

Dont drink and drive; dont do drugs and drive! police have said. You never know, the life you save may very well be your own.

UPDATE: Murder charge filed in Wednesday's vehicular death of Indiana state trooper "This is a tremendously sad day for the entire Indiana State Police family," Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter said.

Motorists are encouraged by police to help by calling 911 and reporting any suspected intoxicated drivers.

Police point out that arrests and criminal charges are just accusations.

Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
A murder charge is being pursued against an 18-year-old man accused of driving the stolen car that struck and killed Indiana State Trooper Aaron N. Smith on Wednesday near Indianapolis.

Police say Eddie P. Jones Jr. of Sikeston, Missouri, was driving the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse.

A passenger in the vehicle, identified as DeMareon L. Curry, 19, also of Sikeston, has been preliminarily charged with a felony county of auto theft, police said.

A 15-year-old female passenger, who was listed as a missing person from Missouri, is being turned over to authorities from that state Thursday and will not be charged.

Jones and Curry were arrested and are in custody at the Hendricks County Jail.

As this investigation continues to move forward, the Hendricks County prosecutor will make the final determination of these preliminary charges and will review the potential for additional criminal charges, state police said.

Smith, 33, of Franklin was reportedly struck around 8:40 p.m. EDT on the Ronald Reagan Parkway, north of Interstate 70 in Hendricks County, which is immediately west of Indianapolis.

The nearly five-year veteran of the force was deploying stop sticks in the road when he was struck and critically injured, police said. He was treated at the scene and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Intoxicated Porter County man charged with spitting in faces of officials helping him, cops say The accused reportedly resisted the attempts to help him and repeatedly used offense and racist language toward the emergency responders.

Smith is survived by his wife.

Jones, Curry and the juvenile were take to Indianapolis hospitals for treatment of injuries considered to be not life-threatening, ISP said.

This is a tremendously sad day for the entire Indiana State Police family, Superintendent Douglas Carter said. We will band together as we always do in support of Trooper Smiths family, friends and co-workers.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch issued a statement Thursday morning: The Indiana State Police has faced yet another tragedy this year. My heart goes out to Officer Smiths wife and family. I will keep Superintendent Carter, all of the men and women of the Indiana State Police and Officer Smiths family in my prayers.

An officer memorial fund has been established to aid Smiths family. According to an ISP news release, anyone can donate to the fund by visiting an Indiana Members Credit Union branch or by calling 800-556-9268. Donations can also be made through the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation at www.paypal.com/donate/.
CHICAGO  A crowd of about 100 environmental advocates marched through the hazy air that filled downtown Chicago, Wednesday afternoon.

Air pollution has filled the headlines in recent days as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift through the Midwest. However, these protestors were concerned about a far less visible form of contamination  coal ash.

"If coal ash were like the air that we're all seeing now... the entire country would be up in arms, but it's hidden, it's buried, it's leaching into the water," Nancy Natow-Cassidy said. "Nobody really sees it, so it's easy to ignore."

Natow-Cassidy is one of the many people who spoke during an all day public hearing organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Held at Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago, the hearing was convened to give the public an opportunity to comment on a proposed rule that would tighten federal coal ash cleanup requirements.

After living in Chicago for 40 years, Natow-Cassidy moved to a home near the Indiana Dunes National Park. However, she quickly learned about the legacy coal ash contamination that fills the area surrounding NIPSCO's Michigan City generating station.

NIPSCO, or Northern Indiana Public Service Co., announced plans to retire the generating station in 2018. To date, the utility has removed about 171,000 cubic yards of coal ash from the sites' five coal ash ponds. However, local activists are worried about the "legacy" coal ash that was mixed with sand for made land at the property.

The EPA's current coal ash rule, which was released in 2015, requires the treatment of contaminated groundwater, the closure of all unlined coal ash ponds and the removal of ash from leaky impoundments and landfills. However, landfills that stopped receiving coal ash before 2015 are exempt.

Under the EPA's current rule, NIPSCO does not have to remove the made land in Michigan City; it sits on the edge of Lake Michigan, separated from the water by a steel seawall.

"EPA has done nothing about it because of this glaring loophole in the federal rule," said Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition NWI, a Michigan City-based nonprofit. "We had to look to the federal level to take action because Indiana's doing nothing for us."

Williams is one of the declarants in a lawsuit filed against the EPA in 2022. Several environmental groups filed the lawsuit in hopes of closing the regulatory loophole. In May, as part of a settlement between the federal agency and the groups, the EPA issued a proposed coal ash rule that would extend to inactive power plants.

"The EPA is hearing us," Williams told the crowd during a news conference held during a break in the Wednesday public hearing. "I know that our fight is not won and that our struggle will be long, but I feel that there is a glimmer of light and hope on the horizon."

A national issue

Legacy coal ash is an problem across the country. Last fall, Earth Justice and the Environmental Integrity Project published a report that found 91% of U.S. coal-fired power plants have leaked dangerous levels of contamination into the surrounding groundwater. The long list of plants included the Michigan City generating station.

A NIPSCO spokesperson has the utility believes the primary source of Michigan City's groundwater contamination is the coal ash that is already being removed.

"The data collected to date indicates there is no risk to human health or the environment, and no impacts to drinking water supplied by neighboring communities, including resources drawn from Lake Michigan for that purpose," the spokesperson said.

Coal ash, also known as coal combustion residuals, is the material left after coal is burned to produce energy. It's one of the largest toxic-waste streams in the U.S. and contains heavy metals and metal compounds, such as arsenic, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, lithium, mercury, molybdenum, radium, selenium and thallium.

According the Earthjustice, Indiana has 100 coal ash dump sites, more than any other state. In 2019, Indiana was the third-biggest coal-consuming state, behind Texas and North Dakota.

"From Tennessee, from Alabama, to Chicago, this is a national issue," said Oscar Sanchez, of the Southeast Environmental Task Force.

The most high-profile coal ash disaster occurred in 2008 when a dike ruptured at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee. Millions of cubic yards of coal ash spilled into the Clinch and Emory Rivers. Workers began responding to the crisis in the middle of the night.

About 60 of the workers that helped cleanup the spill have died and hundreds more have developed various health problems. More than 200 workers have sued the contractor who organized the cleanup.

Betty Johnson spoke before the EPA Wednesday. She said her husband Tommy was a "big, healthy bear" before he went to work on the Kingston cleanup in 2008. Tommy worked on the cleanup until 2014, he had to retire early because he had starting passing out at work.

Tommy ultimately developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, had to undergo dialysis and started getting rashes. He died on May 18, 2023 at 71-years-old.

Betty said she traveled all the way from Knoxville to attend the hearing because she wanted to honor her husband.

"We want EPA to do their job," Johnson said. "We will never give up."

According to Just Transition NWI, witnesses from 22 states and territories spoke during the Wednesday hearing. The EPA will collect public comment on the proposed rule through July 17; a final decision on the proposed rule must be released by May 2024. The EPA will hold a virtual hearing July 12. More information is available at epa.gov/coalash.

PHOTOS: EPA Coal ash hearing coal ash hearing Coal ash hearing Coal ash hearing Coal ash press conference Coal ash public hearing coal ash hearing coal ash hearing
Stacks of artillery shells, aerial assortments, cakes and other fireworks are piled up on the shelves of the Region's many fireworks stores.

Firework stands are hawking a number of gaudy eye-popping packages for explosive products with names like Chicago Hitman, Red Thunder, Feel the Noise, Saturn Missile, the Redneck Special, Wild Horses and Game of Drones. People stock up looking to put on an extravagant fireworks show worthy of Sox Park in their driveways for family, friends and neighbors.

Billboards, giant inflatables and parking lot pyrotechnic displays aim to draw in visitors to one of Northwest Indiana's most booming industries this time of year. Some fireworks stores have been extending their hours to be open 24/7 in anticipation of the Fourth of July rush that accounts for most of their yearly sales.

Business exploded over the last few years during the pandemic when fireworks shows were canceled, people were cooped up at home and flush with stimulus checks. Fireworks sales have skyrocketed from $400 million in 2000 to $2.3 billion last year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.

Northwest Indiana has long been a hub of fireworks sales as neighboring Illinois restricts consumer fireworks and Michigan did up until only a few years ago. Around 200 authorized fireworks vendors sell fireworks in Lake County alone, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

"Fireworks tourism is an important part of the economy in Northwest Indiana and supports local businesses both directly and indirectly. First, it provides revenue directly to retail businesses selling fireworks. Second, and more significantly, many of those purchasing fireworks are visiting from outside the Region, bringing their business to local retail stores, restaurants, or breweries as well as local amenities like the Indiana Dunes," Indiana University Associate Professor of Economics Micah Pollak said. "This secondary effect generates revenue for non-fireworks businesses, as well as promotes tourism and awareness of the Region. Visitors to Northwest Indiana in search of fireworks may like what they find and become more likely to visit again for non-fireworks reasons."

Many fireworks stands are clustered along the state line or just off highway exits to cater to out-of-state customers.

"While the exact dollar value fireworks tourism generates for the regional economy is difficult to estimate, as firework sales are not directly tracked by state data, the direct and indirect effects are significant," Pollak said. "In recent years rising costs due to supply chain challenges have driven up the price of many fireworks. However, as these costs decline and the economy remains strong, I would expect the economic impact of fireworks tourism this year to be similar, if not greater than, recent years."

At least 70% of the customers at House of Fireworks just by the state line on U.S. 30 in Dyer hail from out of state, owner Rob Galouzis said.

"Most are coming from Chicagoland," he said. "We also get customers from Wisconsin and Michigan and from across Illinois: Champagne, southern Illinois and Western Illinois. We're a border store and people come to Northwest Indiana for fireworks."

He's hoping the Fourth of July falling on a Tuesday will drive up sales as it will mean an extended weekend.

"Things will be spread out over Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday," he said. "That will push it back a few days."

It may also lead to repeat customers.

"People might shoot on the first or second and want some more," he said.

Sales typically reach high gear on July 1 as many people typically shop last minute for the holiday and that's when many people realize it's almost the Fourth of July, Galouzis said. Business continues to go strong for a few days after Independence Day.

"It looks like we're going to have good weather, which helps," he said. "There was a concern with the drought but it's been raining, which should help with the dryness."

Many Region residents already have been shooting off fireworks for the last few weeks.

"It's something people do in the summertime here," he said. "It either irks people or motivates them to come out. It's a reminder to put on their own show."

Marilyn O'Connor, the owner of Boom Town Fireworks in Dyer, said supply chain issues have largely been resolved and shipping costs have come down.

"I was paying $43,000 per container, for $38,000 worth of product," she said. "That's dropped in half. It's back to 2019 levels. I'm thrilled we can pass that on to consumers."

Boom Town Fireworks has added 100 new items this year to keep customers interested and coming back.

"Their carts are full even in uncertain times," she said. "Gas prices are not as high this year. Some people are choosing to do travel and other things but we're still seeing the same people year after year."

She also wholesales fireworks to supermarkets and other fireworks stores that have suffered from supply shortages.

"When I started there were 40 fireworks stores in Indiana," she said. "Now there's 4,000 in every corner of the state. There might be oversaturation. Not all of the stores are going to survive. It takes decades to build a customer base and loyalty. You have to try to stand out and have exclusive items you can't get anywhere else in the Midwest."

Exclusivity is key because so many customers come from out of town, O'Connor said.

"We've get customers from Wisconsin, Michigan and obviously Illinois. We just had a customer in from Colorado," she said. "Some people are coming more than 2.5 hours so they call ahead and ask what the store hours are and what we have. It's good for Indiana. They pay sales tax and come and spend money."

Many can drop a few hundred bucks on their Fourth of July backyard fireworks displays.

"People will spend $600 and I'll tell them the price tag is still a lot cheaper than a trip to Disney," she said. "You can have a good time and put on a show for a lot less."

She's expecting business will be strong this year.

"We're getting ready for a tsunami of people," she said. "My expectation is that sales will not be record-breaking like the last few years but will be good. I just hope Illinois never legalizes fireworks. They have marijuana and we have fireworks. They can keep the marijuana and we'll keep the fireworks."

Photos: Fireworks sales are slower this year after a few recent boom years.
DYER  Jenna Ogrizovich has been selected to to represent Dyers 3rd Ward.

Ogrizovich was chosen by Lake County Republicans during a Saturday caucus. She will succeed Councilman Patrick McShane, effective July 1.

McShane joined the council last December after being caucused in to replace Alan Brooks, who resigned after moving to Ohio.

Serving the residents of Dyer as a Town Councilman has been an incredible privilege and honor, McShane wrote in a resignation letter submitted last week. Over the last six months I have had the opportunity to work alongside dedicated individuals, both on the council and within the town administration. Together, we have achieved significant milestones, contributed to the growth and development of our community, and improved the lives of our fellow citizens and the great state of Indiana. However, after an opportunity at work presented itself, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to move on to new endeavors at the railroad.

McShane works for the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad.

Ogrizovich has lived in Dyer for five years. She is originally from Orland Park, Illinois. She and her husband moved to Dyer because his grandmother lived here and they wanted to be closer to family. They have three daughters.

Its a great place to live and I dont plan on ever moving from here, Ogrizovich said.

She works as game show host for the Wheel of Wisdom, a traveling game show conceived of by her father in 1985. Wheel of Wisdom travels to different schools throughout the Chicagoland area, quizzing students on what they are learning. Ogrizovich also works as a substitute teacher for the Lake Central School Corporation.

While Ogrizovich is new to being an elected official, she said she is excited to meet more of the residents in Dyer and get to know more about what they are interested in.

She is interested in supporting the Dyer in Bloom organization and in potentially creating a tree inventory for the town.

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MERRILLVILLE  Urbanization and town projects have resulted in a surge of wildlife reports made by Merrillville residents.

Residents have expressed concerns about these animals posing health and safety threats to people or pets, town officials said. People have reported seeing gray foxes, opossums, raccoons and other animals near their homes.

The increase in wildlife have been prevalent near the Liberty Estates development around U.S. Highway 30 and Whitcomb Street after several acres of property were cleared.

Officials said there has been an uptick in reports around the Sedona neighborhood located off U.S. Highway 30 and Grant Street. Reports have also been made around the Waterford subdivision located off U.S. Highway 30 and Taft Street.

The town of Merrillville said its sympathetic about these concerns, but doesn't have jurisdiction over the wildlife. The state of Indiana has laws covering how landowners can address wildlife concerns, but the state and state-operated entities such as the Indiana Department of Natural Resources don't collect wildlife animals as a service to residents, officials said.

The DNR offers guidance on how residents can address wildlife concerns on its "Living with Wildlife" website. This website lists the type of wild animals landowners can legally capture on their properties.

The DNR encourages residents who need assistance with the removal of wildlife from their property to contact a wildlife control operator through the DNR's "Wildlife Control Operators" website.

For more information on how to handle wildlife issues, contact the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife at 317-232-4200 or dfw@dnr.IN.gov.
Telecommunications giant Huawei is to offer equipment and solutions to help the ICE Group deploy private 5G networks for companies in Costa Rica.

Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (Grupo ICE) is the Costa Rican government-run electricity and telecommunications services provider. Huawei will offer provisioning and implement fifth-generation private networks, for ICE. The deal includes operation and maintenance.

Local press reports indicate that Grupo ICE had also announced in recent days the selection of Nokia as a supplier for 5G.

In evidence of a trend that is gaining traction in both developed and developing markets ICE says its plan, through its Costa Rican subsidiary Racsa, is to build private networks for its business customers in both the public and private sectors, taking advantage of the advantages of capacity, speed and performance of 5G technology.

The parastatal opened a call to find suppliers for 5G deployment at the end of March. Its goal is to launch 5G private networks commercially this year.

For the construction of business networks, Racsa will use spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band. Racsa will also carry out the commercialization of the services.

DPL News adds that operators are awaiting an announcement about the planned 5G auction that will give them access to the spectrum necessary to launch new services.

In May we reported that Costa Ricas Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnologia y Telecomunicaciones, MICITT) had issued a formal order to regulator Sutel (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones) to begin the process of auctioning 5G spectrum in the market.
Weeks after dangerous air choked the Northeast, residents of several major cities in the Midwest  including Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis  were urged to stay indoors today as smoke again blanketed large parts of the country.

The air across much of the region experienced a sharp increase in potentially harmful pollutants, with the air quality indexes reaching well into the very unhealthy category. In Cincinnati, officials told residents to limit their time outside; in Cleveland, public pools were closed; and in Chicago, the skyline disappeared into the smog. (Our maps show whats expected in your area.)

The smoke is the result of one of Canadas worst wildfire seasons in decades. Nearly 500 active wildfires were burning there today.

We are only in June and it is not even peak wildfire season yet, so we can expect to see a lot more smoke affecting our lives in the United States throughout the summer, my colleague Julie Bosman, who reported today from Chicago, told me. This is definitely not the last of it.
What airlines are most affected? Who is to blame?

Of the approximately 4,500 flights canceled nationwide on Monday and Tuesday, more than 30 percent were operated by United, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking firm. Other airlines that reported substantial cancellations included JetBlue Airways, the Delta Air Lines subsidiary Endeavor Air, and Republic Airways, which flies for Delta, United and American Airlines.

By midafternoon on Wednesday, United, which maintains a hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, had canceled about 15 percent of the nationwide flights it had planned for the day, according to FlightAware. Endeavor had canceled about 12 percent of its flights, while JetBlue had canceled about 9 percent and Republic canceled about 8 percent.

United and JetBlue attributed to the problems to the weather, but also to the F.A.A.

In a statement Wednesday, United said air traffic staffing shortfalls over the weekend had contributed to a tough operating environment. This blame echoes what Uniteds chief executive, Scott Kirby, told employees in a memo earlier this week, saying that the F.A.A. frankly failed us this weekend. JetBlue said in a statement that it had struggled to keep up with its flight schedule after air traffic control limited trips for all airlines into and out of New York airports.

Whats really going on with F.A.A. staffing?

The F.A.A. said it had no air traffic control staffing issues along the East Coast on Monday or Tuesday. In a statement, the agency said that it will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem.

Yet air traffic control has long been short-staffed, and controllers at many facilities often work six-day weeks to cover for those shortcomings.
If there was a national coordination of this, Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said at her weekly press briefing on the crisis, then the burden wouldnt be so much on New York City.

She said that 2,500 asylum seekers had entered shelters in the last week alone. Of the 50,000 now in shelters, more than two-thirds are families with children.

At the same time, the citys nonmigrant homeless population may also be growing. When Mr. Adams took office, there were 45,000 people in the citys main shelter system. Now there are over 81,000, and while the city did not give detailed breakouts, the number of nonmigrants in the system appears to be nearing 50,000. (At least 17,000 migrants are in facilities outside the main shelter system, the city says, which include large hotels and other venues set up especially to house them.)

In all, about 1 in 80 people in the nations largest city does not have a permanent place to live.

The migrants are now housed at over 150 sites, including hotels, regular shelters, vast emergency relief centers and respite centers that the administration revealed last week do not have showers on site.

Again and again, they have tested the citys reputation as a place that welcomes immigrants.

Last month, after the expiration of a national immigration policy that had let the authorities expel many migrants at the border, their numbers accelerated, leading the city to seek judicial relief from its unique court-enforced mandate to offer a shelter bed to anyone who wants one.
A grand jury voted not to indict a man who stabbed a passenger on a subway train this month in Brooklyn, ending the case, the mans lawyer said.

The man, Jordan Williams, 20, of Queens, stabbed Devictor Ouedraogo, 36, on a northbound J train on June 13, the police said. Officers found Mr. Ouedraogo, a Brooklyn resident, on the platform at the Marcy Avenue station in Williamsburg about 8 p.m. with a stab wound to his chest. He was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he died.

Mr. Williams was arrested and charged the following day with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon.

Mr. Williamss lawyer, Jason Goldman, said that the grand jury declined to hand up an indictment.

This was a tragic encounter that we can only hope does not become the norm, said Mr. Goldman. Jordan and his loved ones are grateful and relieved that the grand jury saw this for what it was.
Walking down 125th Street the day after taking a commanding lead in the race for a City Council seat in Central Harlem, Yusef Salaam couldnt make it half a block without someone congratulating him on his likely victory.

Voter after voter who greeted Mr. Salaam on Wednesday said they recognized him as one of the five Black and Latino men exonerated in 2002 in the rape and assault of a female jogger in Central Park in 1989. They were eager to touch him, shake his hand, take pictures and imagine what his journey  from convicted rapist to exonerated young man to advocate for criminal justice reform to elected official  could also mean for the future of Harlem.

I think this election is largely about change, Mr. Salaam, 49, said.

Mr. Salaam won twice the number of votes as his nearest competitor, Inez Dickens, 73, a sitting assemblywoman who formerly held the Council seat for 12 years and was endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers and Mayor Eric Adams. The other candidate in the race was Al Taylor, 65, also an assemblyman serving his sixth year in the State Legislature.

Mr. Salaams probable victory and the likely defeat in Brooklyn of Charles Barron, 72, a self-described Black radical socialist who, with his wife Inez Barron, has held city or state elected office in East New York for much of the past two decades, appeared to signal a shift in Black generational political leadership. In both Harlem and East New York, voters went from supporting self-described socialists to backing moderate Democrats.
American leaders have peered into Vladimir Putins eyes to sense his soul, have praised him as very straightforward and trustworthy or even a genius. They have reset relations, tolerated invasions of Georgia and Crimea, averted eyes from atrocities and even gone so far as to blame U.S. foolishness for strains in Russia-American relations  because they wanted a steady relationship, and Putin was unmistakably in control of an important country.

But as the weekend upheavals in Russia underscored, dictators are forever, until theyre not. In retrospect, ignoring Putins provocations wasnt savvy realpolitik, but naivete.

So where else are we making the same mistake, empowering a dictator instead of confronting him? My candidate for tomorrows Putin is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, better known as M.B.S. President Biden and his aides have been courting M.B.S. and trying to reset relations with him  even as he seeks a civilian nuclear program. This is as misguided and morally bankrupt as our mishandling of Putin over the last two decades.

M.B.S. is a wannabe Putin, said Dr. Khalid Aljabri, a Saudi cardiologist who previously worked as a clinician for the Saudi counterterrorism agency. Aljabri, who has a brother and sister imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for political reasons, lives in the United States and is frustrated that the crown prince has, as he puts it, played Biden like a fiddle.
Before the dust had cleared on the 2020 election, Republicans in statehouses across the country had already regrouped and coalesced around a core crusade  revived and revitalized  that was anti-woke and anti-vote.

Having lost control of the presidency and Congress, they funneled their quest for control into voting booths, bathrooms, locker rooms, classrooms and doctors offices.

If they couldnt control the highest rungs of power, they would look to exert control over Americans lives at the lower rungs. They would come to insert themselves into the most intimate of activities  between voters and ballots, between families and doctors, between teachers and students.

The battle would move from an aerial assault to trench warfare.

In that fight, Arkansas passed the first-in-the-nation law outlawing gender-affirming care for transgender children.
Prior to the introduction of Prozac, he told an online audience, we had almost none of these events in our country and weve never seen them in human history, where people walk into a schoolroom of children or strangers and start shooting people.

Obviously even a great environmental record wont wipe away all this crazy stuff. But one very good thing about Kennedys presidential campaign is that hes actually planning to run in the presidential primaries. Take on Joe Biden, head-to-head. Could be a problem for the president, what with his likely decision to skip the first two contests in New Hampshire and Iowa in order to start in the more diverse South Carolina. If Kennedy wins instead, a lot of Democrats who are dissatisfied with the status quo may be seriously tempted to look his way.

Thats Bidens problem. Hell survive. But so far, what Kennedy is apparently not going to do is run as a third-party candidate.

Lets celebrate him for that. After all, itd be a lot easier to run as a third-party candidate than trying to beat back Biden in Democratic primaries around the country. Your name will be in the news all the way through to Election Day. Only problem is that you can easily siphon votes away from the regular party candidate and throw the race to somebody none of your supporters really want at all.

Chances are, for instance, that all the conservatives who voted for Ross Perot in 1992 werent really hoping hed tilt the election to Bill Clinton. Or that the liberals who backed Ralph Nader in 2000 werent intending to help George Bush sneak past Al Gore. And if youre ever in the mood to obsess about this matter, well get together and have a long conversation about William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt.
On Wednesday evening, an international consortium of research collaborations revealed compelling evidence for the existence of a low-pitch hum of gravitational waves reverberating across the universe.

The scientists strongly suspect that these gravitational waves are the collective echo of pairs of supermassive black holes  thousands of them, some as massive as a billion suns, sitting at the hearts of ancient galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away  as they slowly merge and generate ripples in space-time.

I like to think of it as a choir, or an orchestra, said Xavier Siemens, a physicist at Oregon State University who is part of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, or NANOGrav, collaboration, which led the effort. Each pair of supermassive black holes is generating a different note, Dr. Siemens said, and what were receiving is the sum of all those signals at once.

The findings were highly anticipated, coming more than 15 years after NANOGrav began taking data. Scientists said that, so far, the results were consistent with Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity, which describes how matter and energy warp space-time to create what we call gravity. As more data is gathered, this cosmic hum could help researchers understand how the universe achieved its current structure and perhaps reveal exotic types of matter that may have existed shortly after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago.



The gravitational-wave background was always going to be the loudest, most obvious thing to find, said Chiara Mingarelli, an astrophysicist at Yale University and a member of NANOGrav, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. This is really just the beginning of a whole new way to observe the universe.
Ms. Jaffe said she worried that the chains notoriety could cost her business. She said a coffee supplier had told her that it would not do business with Blank Street. She overheard people complaining about Blank Street on the sidewalk outside her cafe.

Im like, Thats not us! she said.

In October 2021, Blank Slates lawyers sent Blank Street a cease-and-desist letter arguing that the company had infringed upon her cafes intellectual property. Lawyers for Blank Street responded three months later, denying that the company had committed any such infringement, seeming to even challenge the notion that Blank Slate had any intellectual property to protect.

With over 3,000 coffee shops in New York, any similarity with our brand is a complete coincidence, Blank Street said in a statement on Tuesday. The company pointed out that Ms. Jaffe and Mr. Israel had not opposed Blank Streets trademark, which was registered in September 2021. Blank Street declined to answer specific questions, including whether it was aware of a shop called Blank Slate when the company opened its two locations in that area.

Blank Streets expansion has poked a sore spot in the ongoing competition between the citys small coffee businesses and its caffeine giants. In the 1990s, the Goliath in question was Starbucks, which some New Yorkers moaned had taken over every corner in the city.

Now, it is Blank Street. And other coffee shops with similar names are eager to distance themselves: The owners of Blank Coffee, a vegan cafe in London, said the businesses similar names might make customers think their cafe had sold out. In March, Blank Coffee formally opposed the registration of the Blank Street Coffee trademark in Britain.
Civil society organizations put the number of female political prisoners in Cuba at 116 From prison, Lizandra Gongora expresses her concern with the 'critical' situation suffered by dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer at the Mar Verde penitentiary in Santiago de Cuba.

La Habana

La Habana

At least 116 women are currently serving prison terms in Cuba for political reasons, according to a list compiled by various non-governmental human rights organizations: Sissi Abascal, Aimara Nieto, Reyna Yacnara Barreto Batista, Arianna Lopez Roque, Donaida Perez Paseiro, Lizandra Gongora Espinosa and the Garrido sisters, are some of the names appearing on the list.

The list was drawn up thanks to collaboration between the Cubalex legal information center and Prisoners Defenders, Justicia 11-J and the Cuban Human Rights Observatory. According to Cubalex, the goal is to shine a light on "the situation of women deprived of their freedom for political reasons."

The organization argued that most of the women on the list are serving time for demonstrating peacefully during the July 11, 2021 protests.

"At Cubalex we have repeatedly condemned the fact that the greatest manifestation of gender violence in the Cuban context is by the government, and this is explicitly demonstrated with the update of the list of women deprived of their freedom for political reasons," Cubalex lawyer Alain Espinosa told Marti Noticias.

"In all the cases, the incarceration is due to discrimination on the basis of political opinion, and was preceded by a set of serious human rights violations, including physical and psychological torture, sexual harassment, attacks on privacy and dignity; in some cases even aggravated by factors such as race or gender," Espinosa said.

"They are victims of vicarious violence as a method of social control, and to have an inhibitory effect on their relatives," he added.

Yanelys Nunez, a Cuban exile in Spain who is part of the Gender Observatory attached to the feminist magazine Alas Tensas, pointed out that, although this phenomenon is nothing new, it must be mentioned because it is necessary "to debunk the notion, exported by the regime, that in Cuba there are no political prisoners."

"Responsible follow-up, through families, on what is happening inside the prisons, is important, so that we don't lose sight of the people who have spoken out and made a huge sacrifice for freedom and democracy in Cuba," insisted the activist, who has participated several marches in Madrid in support of the release of Cuban political prisoners, with an emphasis on women.

According to Nunez, this is important work so that women in prison are not forgotten, and to raise awareness of the violation of their human rights and the mistreatment to which they are subjected.

The Alas Tensas magazine pointed out, in a post on its Facebook page, that the list "constitutes an enormous collective effort" made "in a context of repression, threats and constant human rights violations in Cuba." "Several independent observers have acted to bring together, in one place, the names of the female Cuban political prisoners who are currently serving sentences," the statement added.

From prison, these women have protested about the terrible conditions in which they languish, in addition to joining civil society initiatives, for which they have received punishments. This is the case, for example, of political prisoner Lizandra Gongora. From prison, she expressed her concern regarding the "critical" situation suffered today by Union Patriotica de Cuba leader Jose Daniel Ferrer, who is being held at the Mar Verde penitentiary in Santiago de Cuba.

"Today I'm recording this audio to touch the hearts of all Cubans, inside and outside the country, of all those Cubans who have had to suffer and endure, for sixty-four years, this illegal and corrupt dictatorship," said Gongora in material released by her husband, Angel Delgado, after a call he received from her last Monday.

The 37-year-old activist, a member of the Republican Party of Cuba and a mother of five minor children, is serving her 14-year prison sentence, the longest among all the women prosecuted for the events of 11-J.

The struggle by Cuban activists for the release of political prisoners continues to garner international support. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols noted on his official Twitter account: "A year ago, the Cuban government sentenced Latin Grammy-winning rapper Maykel 'Osorbo' Castillo and artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara to 5 and 9 years in prison, respectively."

"Cuban officials cannot claim to respect the arts while imprisoning peaceful artists. It's time to release them," Brian A. Nichols tweeted.
Federal judges in two states intervened on Wednesday to temporarily block laws that would ban gender-transition care for minors, the latest instances where legislation targeting transgender people have been halted by the judiciary.

The separate rulings in Kentucky and Tennessee came days before key provisions of the laws were set to go into effect, as a wave of legislation aimed at curbing L.G.B.T.Q. rights has cleared Republican-controlled legislatures across the country this year. Several of those laws either remain tangled in legal battles, or have been ruled unconstitutional by federal judges.

In the first decision released on Wednesday, Judge David J. Hale of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky temporarily blocked part of a Kentucky law that would ban the prescription and administration of puberty blockers and hormone therapy  allowing health care options for transgender youth to remain available in the state while the litigation continued.

Most of the bill took effect immediately when it became law this year, but some provisions were set to go into effect on Thursday.
Several Mississippi deputy sheriffs who were accused of sexually assaulting two Black men and shooting one of them in the face have been fired or have resigned, the Rankin County Sheriffs Office said on Tuesday.

The announcement came after the two men, Michael Corey Jenkins, 32, and Eddie Terrell Parker, 35, filed a federal lawsuit against the officers earlier this month. The lawsuit claims that six Rankin County deputies forcibly entered Mr. Parkers home in Braxton, Miss., and raided the property without a warrant on Jan. 24.

Thats when Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Parker said that they were beat and stunned with Tasers, abused with a sex toy and made to strip naked in an ordeal that lasted nearly two hours.

Their lawsuit identified three deputies involved in the raid as Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin and Christian Dedmon, along with three others referred to as John Doe 1-3. The former deputies did not have defense lawyers listed and could not be reached.
April Kingsley, who as a curator and a critic gave important exposure to Black and women artists in the 1970s and 80s, a period when it was often difficult for them to draw mainstream attention, died on June 13 at a nursing home in Harwich, Mass. She was 82.

Her daughter, Grace Hopkins, said the cause was Alzheimers disease, which Ms. Kingsley had had for 12 years.

In a career that began in the mid-1960s, Ms. Kingsley, working for various museums and as an independent curator, mounted or consulted on numerous shows. Among the most important was Afro-American Abstraction, featuring works by 19 Black artists, which opened at the P.S. 1 art space in Queens in 1980. One of those artists was James Little, who was then struggling for recognition; last year his work was in the Whitney Biennial.

There is no person more important to the trajectory of my career as an abstract painter in the United States than April Kingsley, Mr. Little said by email. At a time when Black abstract artists in America were ignored and shut out, she embraced us. When we were in the trenches, she jumped in with us.
International offerings include the Burkina Faso-born musician and choreographer Olivier Tarpagas Once the dust settles, flowers bloom (Oct. 3-8), an evening-length work honoring the courage and resilience of refugees from his home country; the return of the Tokyo-based company Sankai Juku (Oct. 24 to Nov. 5), which pays homage to the Japanese dance theater style of Butoh; and the French Compagnie Herve Koubi (Jan. 23-28), with Sol Invictus, a sun-worshipping mix of breakdance, acrobatics and capoeira set to music including a score by Mikael Karlsson.

As part of the Dance Reflections festival, Dancing With Glass: The Piano Etudes (Nov. 28 to Dec. 10) six choreographers  including Chanon Judson of Urban Bush Women and Justin Peck  will respond to Glasss 20 piano etudes, played by Maki Namekawa.

Also on the lineup is the world premiere of Hope Boykins States of Hope (Oct. 17-22), that former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers movement-language memoir, with an original score by the jazz drummer Ali Jackson. Kyle Marshall Choreography (Nov. 8-12) will make its Joyce debut with three New York premieres: Ruin, an investigation into the human relationship to sound; Alice, a solo work about the spiritual journey to self-acceptance, with music by Alice Coltrane; and Onyx, a commemoration of the artists of color who revolutionized the genre of Rock n Roll, with music by Little Richard, James Brown, Tina Turner and more.

Other return engagements include performances by Ronald K. Brown and his Brooklyn-based company Evidence (Jan. 16-21); Philadanco, the Philadelphia dance company known for championing Black dancers (Feb. 6-10); and Twyla Tharp Dance (Feb. 13-25), with two world premieres.

If I can have any sort of theme for my first season its that I want everyone to feel welcome in my home, whether they are onstage or in the audience, said Gee, who danced at the Joyce in 1990 with Philadanco. To land here after all these years, Im just in awe.
Many years ago, I worked as a salesperson at Hugo Boss in the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. I sold the range of things the store carried: luggage, accessories, underwear, clothing. But what I most relished selling was mens suits, because a good suit is often transformative. A man would come into the store looking forgettable and then, after donning a well-cut two-button, single-breasted navy suit with a peak lapel, he would look accomplished, adept. Walking into the new Africa Fashion exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, I felt that I was witnessing something wondrous, something more surprising than just an individuals restyling. I was transported to the historical epoch when almost the entire continent was shedding its colonialist rule and the associated attire and stepping onto the world stage transformed.

Marking this wholesale change at the very outset is a wall featuring a timeline of text and documentary photography that details the consequential moments of Africas 20th-century liberation struggles. Video monitors offer film footage of key ceremonies, such as the 1957 formation of the Republic of Ghana. On an adjacent wall are the flags of all 54 countries in Africa, their insignia and heraldry explained. The exhibition seems quite intentionally based in the history of independence movements; Christine Checinska, the curator who led the team that organized the original exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London affirmed this, saying that for her it was crucial for viewers to understand that the clothing has a political dimension.

In the exhibition catalog Checinska writes that Tunisia and Morocco liberated themselves from the control of France in 1956 and then a year later Ghana freed itself from Britain. Then, in 1960, 17 African countries shook off colonial rule, to embed that time in the historical record as the Year of Africa. The radical social and political reordering that took place sparked a cultural renaissance throughout the continent, Checinska writes. Fashion, music and the visual arts drew on formerly marginalized traditions, creating innovative forms that looked toward future self-rule.
In the thought-provoking exhibition, Love Songs: Photography and Intimacy, at the International Center of Photography, two series of photographs by Nobuyoshi Araki face off on opposite walls.

In the first, Sentimental Journey, from 1971, Araki charts his honeymoon with Yoko Aoki, his young wife. The sequence includes shots of her undressed, and one image shows her in orgasm. But the most intimate portraits, with Aoki fully clothed, expose her interior life. In the most poignant, she is sitting in a train compartment and looking off to the side, with an air of resignation and foreboding. I thought of the last line of Henry Jamess The Bostonians, where the newly betrothed heroine weeps tears and the narrator remarks, It was to be feared that  these were not the last she was destined to shed.

The Araki marriage, however, seems to have been happy. The tears to be shed were his. In 1994, Aoki died of ovarian cancer, an illness Araki chronicled in Winter Journey, from the hospital room all the way to the coffin and the household shrine constructed in her memory. The prints are time-stamped, as if each station of the journey was impressed on his soul. The couples beloved cat patrols in many of the pictures, and magnolia flowers are featured in others. The pet and the blooms conjure up the spirit of the departed wife.

Love and loss. The ditty that played in my head as I walked through Love Songs is the one that begins, You dont know what love is  until youve loved a love you had to lose. There are 16 artists in the show, which has been adapted by the independent curator Sara Raza from an exhibition at the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie (M.E.P.) in Paris. Many of the photographers are charting the end of a love affair. As songwriters have recognized, the pain of a breakup is more emotionally penetrating than the joy of a happy romance. But what can be readily conveyed in music is elusive in photography, where the subjects too easily become performers, and the desired feeling of intimacy turns theatrical.
Many operas in the standard repertoire are based on fairy tales and fantasy. But few of those describe a global queer-feminist revolution, and fewer still have main characters whose names begin with Warren and end with an unusual moniker for a genital appendage.

Both can be found in The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions, a new piece of music theater by the composer Philip Venables and the writer-director Ted Huffman. After premiering at the Manchester International Festival on Thursday, it will travel, with its original roster of 15 performers, to the Aix-en-Provence Festival in early July, then elsewhere, including NYU Skirball in New York.

Venables and Huffmans two previous collaborations  the operas 4.48 Psychosis, based on Sarah Kanes play about mental illness and suicide, and Denis & Katya, about teenage lovers in Russia who died in a 2016 livestreamed standoff with Russian police  have won them acclaim as artists who find beauty at the extremes of form and subject matter.

Their new show, freely adapted from a gay liberation fantasy novel of the same name that was self-published by the activist Larry Mitchell in 1977, is both a continuation of that broader project and, as Venables said dryly in a video interview, a tonal shift.
Season 2, Episode 3

In this weird post-, but not exactly post-, but kind of post-Covid world, faking a positive test is a tempting go-to when you want to bail on something. It will get you out of anything, almost no questions asked.

In this weeks episode, Carrie cant get through recording Chapter 3 of the audio version of her memoir Loved and Lost, which describes the moment Mr. Big hops onto that great Peloton in the sky; it makes sense that she would tell her publisher she caught the virus in order to ditch the gig.

What doesnt make sense, though, is that Carrie lets this lie spill over into the rest of her life. Why fib to Miranda, whos all the way in Los Angeles running sitcom lines with Che, that she has Covid? Why not tell Charlotte to cancel those grossly overpriced comfort caramels shes sending over?

As Carrie tells it to Seema when Seema comes by to lament the almost equally tragic theft of her Birkin, she feels that it would place too much of a burden on her oldest friends to admit that she is crying over Big again. Apparently she needs new, drier shoulders, which is why she is able to drop the charade, and the mask, in front of her new friend. Also, Carrie needs a plus-one to the jewelry party of her young downstairs neighbor, Lisette (Katerina Tannenbaum), which ends up being her confidant, Seema.
What books are on your night stand?

Landscapes, by Christine Lai, Glory, by NoViolet Bulawayo, La Migracion, by Pablo Maurette, Time Shelter, by Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel, Sara Baumes Seven Steeples, a little book about Paul Gauguins Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, by George T.M. Shackelford, and Goodnight Moon  the board book edition  by Margaret Wise Brown.

Whats the last great book you read?

I just finished reading Chain-Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, which is a masterpiece. He is brilliant and sensitive, and he manages to write about things that matter (to him and to us) while drawing on a panoply of influences, from hip-hop to anime to 19th-century Russian literature, which enables him to deeply engage the widest possible audience, an ability I very much admire.

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how).

Translated novella, hammock, oaks.

Which translators working today do you admire most? And which writers in other realms  novelists, playwrights, critics, journalists, poets?

There are so many great translators working into English right now  were so lucky  that I wont even be able to scratch the surface, but here are three who are also writing fiction, plays and nonfiction, respectively: Anton Hur (who translates from Korean), Jeremy Tiang (who translates from Chinese) and Frank Wynne (who translates from French and Spanish).
Not long after Hannah Pick-Goslars family relocated from Berlin to Amsterdam in 1933, her mother made a friend at the grocery store  a fellow Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany who was accompanied by a dark-eyed girl around Pick-Goslars age. The families became friends, living in neighboring buildings. The girls were playmates and confidantes who sailed snippets of the Dutch national anthem out their apartment windows when it was time to walk to school. Anne had trouble whistling, so sometimes shed just hum the tune, according to Pick-Goslars best-selling memoir, My Friend Anne Frank, written with Dina Kraft and published on June 6, six days before what would have been the diarists 94th birthday.

The teenagers last saw each other from opposite sides of a barbed-wire fence at Bergen-Belsen in 1945. Pick-Goslar was shocked to encounter Frank there; shed found comfort in the belief that my lively, clever Anne was safe and warm in Switzerland, spared the torment that led to her death at the age of 15, two weeks before the liberation of the camp.

On Oct. 28, two weeks shy of her 94th birthday, Pick-Goslar died. As she began to fade, I wrote of her life, Kraft explains in an afterword to their book, which is based on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted in person and via Zoom.

Their collaboration had an inauspicious start. In March 2022, Kraft was about to travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for her first in-person meeting with Pick-Goslar when her son announced that he didnt feel well. I didnt feel so great either, Kraft said in a video interview. Luckily she decided to stay home. Lo and behold, it was the first time we all had Covid. Hannah being Hannah  the nurse and caregiver and concerned person that she was for her whole life  kept checking up on me, texting, Are you OK?
When you look at books all day for work, youre bound to find resonant overlaps at times: little echoes of subject or theme or voice that strike sparks when you put them next to each other, suggesting something larger at play in the zeitgeist. This week, the books that did that for me were Susan Crawfords Charleston and Vaudine Englands Fortunes Bazaar: The Making of Hong Kong  two studies of vastly different port cities in vastly different parts of the world that nonetheless stand together to remind us just how entwined our cities are with the culture and politics that give rise to them. Maybe double those up on your reading list this week?

Also recommended: a meditation on Latino identity in America, a biography of the empress Messalina, and Andrew McCarthys father-son memoir about walking across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. (I reviewed that one myself.) In fiction, we like new books by Cat Sebastian, Lisa See and Bronwyn Fischer, along with Richard Fords latest (and possibly last) Frank Bascombe novel, Be Mine. Happy reading.

Gregory Cowles

WE COULD BE SO GOOD

Cat Sebastian

This queer midcentury romance  about reporters who meet at work, become friends, move in together and fall in love  lingers on small, everyday acts like bringing home flowers with the groceries, things that loom large because theyre how we connect with others.
With the summer sales season well underway  the four months between May and August make up as much as 40 percent of annual beer sales  the question swirling around Bud Light is whether the slump is temporary or the new normal.

Here we are about 10 weeks into it, and were still seeing double-digit declines in volumes nationally, said Bump Williams, who runs the consulting firm that bears his name. This is no longer an anomaly. This is a trend of concern.

Indeed, most larger beer distributors or wholesalers  middlemen who buy brands from brewers like Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors and then sell them to stores, restaurants and bars  believe the fallout will last more than six months, according to a survey released this month by the Wall Street investment bank Jefferies. A third of distributors believe the impact on Bud Light will be permanent.

Mr. Wagner said Anheuser-Busch had made a mistake when its marketing broke what he called bar rules. That means no politics, no religion. He noted that Glenn Millers had never allowed local politicians to put up signs in or around the store so as not to alienate customers.

When asked how long he thought the sales declines would linger, Mr. Wagner shrugged. Ive seen longtime Bud Light customers trying other beers, he said. If they find something they like, they may not come back.
But rather than win hearts and minds, Shein and the creators have been roundly blasted in the past week by social media users who have viewed the videos incredulously. Shein has been forced to issue a statement saying it was saddened to see the backlash against its creators and has conducted what Ms. Freeman described as a wellness check to gauge how creators were faring after the torrent of online vitriol.

The creators have been deleting negative comments on their social media accounts and posting defensive videos. And the trip has become a cautionary tale for marketers, as Sheins efforts to help its reputation using influencers managed to alienate consumers and draw even more attention to allegations of unsavory business practices.

While influencer trips have ramped up on TikTok and Instagram, I really dont know of any other situation where there was an overt agenda like the Shein example, said Mae Karwowski, founder of Obviously, an influencer marketing agency. It required such a suspension of disbelief and clearly came across as a sort of propaganda.

In a statement, Shein said the trip reflects one way in which we are listening to feedback.

Their social media videos and commentary are authentic, and we respect and stand by each influencers perspective and voice on their experience, the company added.

Shein  pronounced SHE-in  an online retailer founded in China more than a decade ago, has quickly gained popularity among U.S. consumers, particularly teenagers and 20-somethings, for its easy-to-use app and low prices on a wide assortment of trendy apparel and accessories. While most fast-fashion companies have long faced criticism over how they produce their goods, Shein has been accused of using forced labor in its supply chain and of copying designs; it has also been scrutinized for its business model of shipping cheap goods directly to the doors of American shoppers. Shein has said it conducts its business lawfully.
When wildfire smoke began blanketing New York City in June, employees at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an architecture and design firm in Lower Manhattan, had a panoramic view of the unfolding crisis. From their desks, nearly 30 stories off the ground, they watched as the sky transformed from hazy, slate blue in the morning to dirty, dishwater gray at noon. By midafternoon, they were looking out on an otherworldly skyline.

It was apocalyptic orange, said Charles Harris, an architect at the firm.

But inside the office, cool air rippled from the vents running along the ceiling, and large screens reassured employees: Indoor Air Quality is Very Good.

The assessment was based on the readings of indoor air-quality sensors that were tracking the real-time levels of pollutants, including the fine particulate matter that makes wildfire smoke so hazardous. The sensors had been installed during the pandemic, but now they were proving their worth in the midst of a new air-quality emergency.

We can say definitively to everybody that works here that Youre safe to come into the office, said Chris Cooper, a design partner at the firm.
In Millie Lies Low, Millie (Ana Scotney), an aspiring architect from Wellington, New Zealand, experiences a panic attack moments before her plane takes off. After disembarking, she realizes that it will now be impossible for her to afford to travel to New York City, where she was about to take an internship at a top firm.

No matter: Millie is already a seasoned fraud  she got her scholarship by stealing ideas from her best friend, Carolyn (Jillian Nguyen)  and so she uses technology to maintain the illusion that she crossed the international date line as planned. She places a video call to friends (forgetting to account for the flight lengths or the time difference) and fakes pictures of herself standing in Times Square and near the Empire State Building.
To be intellectually curious is to be alive, Umberto Eco once said. The Italian thinker, who died in 2016, was a professor, a novelist  who wrote, most notably and at one time inescapably, The Name of the Rose  a semiotician, a columnist and a connoisseur of arcana. He also conveyed a twinkling sense of fun around reading and thinking about the world and literature, a notion that erudition could be not just edifying but entertaining.

Umberto Eco: A Library of the World celebrates the man and his many bookshelves, but its his symbolic appeal that comes across above all. Davide Ferrarios documentary front-loads the physicality of books, with drooling pans of libraries from Turin, Italy, to Tianjin, China, before easing into Ecos eclectic interests, with clips of him dispensing apercus and quips about memory and the noise of modernity.
The case seemed to have all the ingredients to grow into the next big political scandal in a state well known for public corruption.

Sean M. Caddle, a New Jersey political consultant with deep knowledge of campaign fund-raising strategies, had pleaded guilty to hiring two men to kill an associate, Michael Galdieri. Mr. Caddles lawyer  who made a name for himself representing reputed mobsters  volunteered in open court that his client was cooperating with the F.B.I. on developing an important investigation.

And unlike the plea deals struck by the men he hired, Mr. Caddles allowed him to await sentencing in an unusual place: his home.

Given Mr. Caddles status as an up-from-the-streets operative whose clients had included local officials, state lawmakers and a U.S. senator, New Jersey political insiders waited anxiously for the next set of handcuffs to drop.
A man who was arrested in connection with an attack on a Connecticut state lawmaker, the first Muslim elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives, after an Eid al-Adha prayer service was formally charged in state court on Thursday.

Representative Maryam Khan, a Democrat, sustained minor injuries during the attack, according to the police.

The man, Andrey Desmond, 30, from New Britain, Conn., is being held on a $250,000 bond. He was charged with unlawful restraint, assault, breach of peace and interfering with the police.

Mr. Desmond was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a long history of psychiatric hospitalizations and stays in inpatient facilities in New York City and Connecticut, according to records and interviews with Mr. Desmond. He was released from prison in 2020 and was living in a supportive housing facility in the Bronx. He returned to Connecticut in May.
The city remembers Richardss impact on theater as the director who brought A Raisin in the Sun to Broadway, as well as August Wilsons plays.

Shalom and his classmate remembered Richardss impact on them. I didnt become a professional actor, Shalom said. but he was the most remarkable teacher I ever had, and I say that as someone who went on to teach high school mathematics. (And to co-host a weekly arts program on WBAI-FM, he said as he repeated, Im not a professional actor.)

The conversation led the two Hunter classmates, who reached out to a third alumnus, to wonder about recognition for Richards and, as Shalom put it, why the city has not done anything for him.

That, in turn, led to something of a campaign to designate a Lloyd Richards Day. Shalom said it had to be today because Richards was born on June 29, 1919, and died on June 29, 2006. A ceremony will be held at noon outside the August Wilson Theater on West 52nd Street.

The location is appropriate because theres no August Wilson Theater without Lloyd Richards, Shalom said. He directed every play of August Wilsons on Broadway and won the Tony for directing Fences, in 1987.
About a month ago, as the sun rose over Central Pennsylvania, I pulled myself out of a sleeping bag, slipped into my not-quite-broken-in hiking boots and unzipped the tent door to a whole new, no-Wi-Fi world: This nice Jewish boy from Long Island had survived his first night of camping.

We all have our summer routines, and the warmer months in New York City are inarguably magical, but getting out of New York  and stepping outside your comfort zone  can also be rewarding. This month, why not try something new? Sign up for that rock climbing gym. Take that salsa class. Or maybe, if youre feeling particularly adventurous, leave the city and spend a couple nights in the great outdoors. (Just watch out for local wildlife.)

And if you decide to stay in the city for the big Fourth of July weekend, make sure you have a good view of the fireworks. And hot dogs. Plenty of hot dogs.
For months, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Council have fought over which city services to prioritize in negotiations over the citys $100 billion-plus budget.

Now, as the budget deadline approaches on Friday, a deal is near, and city libraries appear to have been spared from cuts.

Mr. Adams, a Democrat in his second year in office, has pushed for broad spending cuts across city agencies. The City Council speaker, Adrienne E. Adams, and the Councils Progressive Caucus have warned that the cuts would be devastating for New Yorkers.

Many other city institutions and programs are at stake: the City University of New York, parks, discount MetroCards for poor New Yorkers, affordable housing, schools and universal prekindergarten, free legal services and home delivery meals for seniors.
So these elite places become these little islands where rich people pass down their advantages to their kids. They marry each other. They invest massively in their kids. Their kids then go to these exclusive schools. They move to the same few metro areas. And people who dont grow up in these kinds of resource-rich families are really left behind. Weve created a caste society based on who gets into what exclusive colleges.

[MUSIC]

So I view the college admissions process through my own personal lens. Like everyone else, by todays standards, I wouldnt qualify for any of the elite schools. I went to a public high school outside of Philadelphia. I didnt do particularly well in high school. I didnt graduate in the top third of my class. My G.P.A. was probably around a 3.0. And yet in those days, the University of Chicago, where I ended up going, admitted 70 percent of the applicants. I was lucky, and I learned to work while I was in college, and I started doing better at writing and things like that. And so I managed to have a very nice career, way more successful than anything I ever expected. But I wouldnt have made it under todays regime.

As an adult, Ive gotten to see the college admissions process from the other end of the spectrum, from a perspective of a professor and also from the perspective of a parent. The process is not only divisive but doesnt give people later in life a fair chance to alter the trajectory of their life.

[MUSIC]

I think colleges should select students holistically. They should look at their grades, they should look at their test scores, but they should also look at their resilience. They should look for example of kindness and generosity in their lives. And then, well, we live in a class-divided society, and so we should have a system thats biased a bit toward kids who grew up in poorer homes and didnt have the resources growing up that the richer kids had.

Theres a guy named Richard Kahlenberg, who, really for decades now, hes been arguing that we should devise a system where a kid growing up in West Virginia or a poor area of New Orleans has the ability to compete with a kid who grew up in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica or Manhattan. And so hes built models of how to do this. These are models that schools like Harvard or the University of North Carolina can use.
Seemingly everyone I interacted with as a tutor  white or brown, rich or poor, student or parent  believed that getting into an elite college required what I came to call racial gamification. For these students, the college admissions process had been reduced to performance art, in which they were tasked with either minimizing or maximizing their identity in exchange for the reward of a proverbial thick envelope from their dream school. It was a game I was soon compelled to play myself: A few years later, as a Black Ph.D. candidate in search of my first gig as a professor, I agonized over how  and whether  to talk about my race in ways that would mark me as a possible diversity hire. It felt like cheating to check the box and like self-sabotage not to.

Be it for an acceptance letter or a tenure-track professorship, the incentives at elite universities encourage and reward racial gamification. This will only get worse now that the Supreme Court has rejected affirmative action in college admissions. The rise of affirmative action produced, inadvertently, a culture of racial gamification by encouraging so many students and their parents to think about the ways race could boost or complicate their chances of admission; the end of affirmative action, in turn, will just exacerbate things by causing students and parents to get even more creative.

Let me be clear that I am not an opponent of affirmative action. I dont think I would have gotten into Haverford College as an undergraduate if it had not been for affirmative action, and the same is probably true of my Ph.D. program at New York University and the professorship I now hold at Bates College. I believe that affirmative action works, that it is necessary to redress the historical evils of chattel slavery and its myriad afterlives and, above all, that it is a crucial counterbalance against the prevailing system of de facto white affirmative action that rewards many academically mediocre (and wealthier) students for having legacy parents or for being good at rowing a boat.

Yet I also believe that affirmative action  though necessary  has inadvertently helped create a warped and race-obsessed American university culture. Before students ever set foot on a rolling green, they are encouraged to see racial identity as the most salient aspect of their personhood, inextricable from their value and merit.

Many prestigious institutions have themselves racially gamified the admissions process, finding ways to maximize diversity without making dents in their endowments. For example, some colleges and universities boost diversity statistics on the cheap by accepting minority students who can pay full freight. And even purportedly need-blind institutions seem to have a remarkable track record of recruiting minority students who dont need financial aid. (By some estimates, over 70 percent of Harvards Black, Latino and Native American students have college-educated parents with incomes above the national median.)
Though moral panics have a long history, the concept was first defined in the 1972 book Folk Devils and Moral Panics by the British sociologist Stanley Cohen. Societies appear to be subject, every now and then, to periods of moral panic, Cohen wrote, adding: Sometimes the object of the panic is quite novel and at other times it is something which has been in existence long enough, but suddenly appears in the limelight.

This isnt to say that moral panics start for no reason. They often arise in response to a genuine issue. But the extent and significance of the problem is exaggerated. As Cohen explains: This labeling derives from a willful refusal by liberals, radicals and leftists to take public anxieties seriously. Instead, they are furthering a politically correct agenda: to downgrade traditional values and moral concerns.

Consider the feminist fight against pornography in the 1970s and 80s. Many people dismissed the anti-pornography crusade as a moral panic because some of its gravest charges  for example, that pornography would lead to a greater incidence of rape  turned out to be false. But that doesnt mean all aspects of the panic were unwarranted. Is pornography degrading to women? Yes. Is it in other ways undesirable? Yes, Erich Goode, who is now a sociology professor emeritus at Stony Brook University, told me. Theres a range of concerns in any moral panic.

Many moral panics emerge on the political right, which has long styled itself as protecting traditional moral values. But the left has helped fan the flames, too. Take the recovered memory scandal of the 1980s, in which children were encouraged to remember instances of childhood sexual abuse, but that abuse often never happened. Psychotherapists, feminists and educators on the left joined together with conservative Christian groups to stoke fears of an epidemic of satanic worship and sexual predation that were later shown to be wildly exaggerated.

The irony  wait for it  is that those accusing others of moral panics are often the most proselytizing of moralizers themselves. Its the loudly homophobic politician caught having sex with another man in a bathroom all over again. The chutzpah is almost admirable.
But Mr. Lukashenkos good fortune came to a screeching halt after a few short years  and fully as a consequence of his own actions. His flagrant rigging of the 2020 presidential elections, which he brazenly claimed to have won with 80 percent of the vote, touched off a huge nationwide protest movement. Mr. Lukashenkos government detained tens of thousands of citizens. Hundreds were reportedly mistreated or tortured in custody, and dozens of websites were blocked. With his political survival at stake, Mr. Lukashenko turned back to Russia, which was only more than willing to help at the price of his countrys autonomy.

Mr. Putin stepped in to the rescue, backing Mr. Lukashenkos harsh tactics. He approved a $1.5 billion loan to ease Minsks debt burden, sent in media experts to help discredit the protesters as pawns of foreign powers, and announced the formation of a Russian police reserve that could be deployed to Belarus should the situation further deteriorate.

The crackdown prompted tech workers, who had been at the forefront of the protests, to flee the country in droves. It also made Minsk off limits as a meeting place, as the West levied sanctions and isolated Mr. Lukashenko diplomatically. The situation only grew worse as Russia began using Belarus as a staging ground for the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mr. Lukashenko, now totally dependent on the Kremlin in his bid to cling to power, was in no position to resist.

Now he has agreed to give refuge to Mr. Prigozhin and some unknown number of his infamous mercenaries who will go to Belarus with him. Mr. Prigozhin cannot feel safe in Belarus knowing the fate of others who have drawn Mr. Putins wrath. Mr. Lukashenko wont benefit in any way from Mr. Prigozhins demise on his territory and probably hopes his sojourn is brief. Despite this uneasy arrangement, Mr. Lukashenko will likely not be able to resist the temptation to embellish his role; hes already claimed to have offered Mr. Putin advice on how to handle the situation. He will endeavor to play the great statesman for as long as he can.

Nothing, however, will change the reality. Even in his fleeting moment of glory, Mr. Lukashenko cuts a pathetic figure as a Russian pawn. Perhaps the one worthy service he has performed for his country over the years is to briefly show how Belarus could position itself as a respectable player in European affairs, as a venue for constructive East-West dialogue with a dynamic tech sector. But Minsk can revive and sustain that role only under the leadership of a president who accepts European values. Mr. Lukashenko will never be that person.
From ghostlike particles, astrophysicists have pieced together a new map of the galaxy we live in.

For now, that map of the Milky Way is blurry and incomplete. But as more data is gathered, it will become clearer and will help illuminate galactic convulsions like the expanding remnants of exploded stars, providing clues to mysteries that are difficult to solve with only observations from conventional telescopes.

This is the first time weve seen our own galaxy in anything other than light, said Naoko Kurahashi Neilson, a professor of physics at Drexel University in Philadelphia who came up with the idea that a new view of the galaxy could be gleaned from particles known as neutrinos.

Dr. Kurahashi Neilson and the more than 350 other scientists who collaborate on analyzing data from a neutrino detector at the South Pole reported their findings in a paper published on Thursday in the journal Science.

This is at last really the beginning of neutrino astronomy, said John G. Learned, a physicist at the University of Hawaii who was not involved with the research.
And then theres the signature zero-G stall right after that. How did you work to make it the largest in the country?

It really comes down to speed, because our goal is to be at zero-G throughout that entire stall. So youre not sitting in your seat, and youre not hanging on the lap bar. Youre just floating like an astronaut, is the feeling youre going for. So we have to take what we believe our typical speed is going to be and then design that entire element around those speeds to hold that zero-G. And theres nothing between you and the ground 90 feet below.

The scale of this ride is much greater than all else at Fun Spot America Atlanta. How did you get to design this large aggressive coaster at this small park?

We had Fun Spot get a hold of us and say, Hey, were interested in doing something. And Ill be honest, the first thing that we thought was, OK, how do we put together a good value for them on a smaller scale? And they said, No, no, stop right now. We want something big. Were looking to punch up. Were looking for something that is going to make people take note. And right then, we were on board.

A video above of riders on ArieForce One was captured at a slower frame rate.
When Elon Musk announced last month that he had hired Linda Yaccarino as Twitters chief executive, he said he was excited to bring on someone who could focus primarily on business operations.

But just over three weeks into her new job, Ms. Yaccarino, the former head of advertising at NBCUniversal, has been prevented from working on a key component of what she was hired to do: drum up advertising for Twitter.

Ms. Yaccarino, 60, has spoken with some of Twitters advertisers about unsavory content on the site, four people with knowledge of the conversations said. But she has not engaged in public hobnobbing and hands-on negotiating with advertisers to increase Twitters revenue.

Thats because a contractual agreement with NBCUniversal prevented Ms. Yaccarino  at least initially  from working on advertising deals that would conflict with the interests of her former employer, three people familiar with the arrangement said.
There aint no party like a Jay Gatsby party  in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgeralds debonair poster boy of American ambition and the nouveau riche never lets the festivities stop. Neither does Immersive Everywheres The Great Gatsby: The Immersive Show, a jovial feast for the senses that never, in its lagging two-and-a-half-hour running time, truly rises above the status of a mere attraction.

In Fitzgeralds classic book, Gatsby is a man who successfully, if shadily, works his way to a fortune, which he spends on a Long Island mansion where he hosts extravagant soirees. Gatsbys neighbor, Nick Carraway, narrates Gatsbys tragic  and, ultimately, fatal  fall from the world of the rich and famous. Gatsby hopes to woo Nicks cousin Daisy, with whom he had a love affair that hes never forgotten. But Daisy has married the brutish Tom Buchanan, a chauvinist blowhard with a violent temper and a mistress on the side. As the love triangle threatens to tear apart their lives, the glamour of bourgeois living proves to be no more than a guise covering their emptiness.

Adapted and directed by Alexander Wright and presented at the appropriately swanky Park Central Hotel, this Gatsby has a humble side entrance next to a Starbucks  more 2020s than 1920s for sure. An entryway leads to a dazzling Art Deco-style ballroom with a large bar, stage and grand staircase where flappers dance, dapper-suited gentlemen drink and fashionable audience members blend in with the cast in a sea of sequins, beads, fedoras and fringe.

Nick Carraway (played by Rob Brinkmann) moves through the crowd and begins his tale, as Gatsby (Joel Acosta) watches from the top of the staircase in a white suit with black lapels and a sharp pair of wingtip shoes. Main plot points, including major introductions and confrontations, are played as set scenes that everyone witnesses together in the main space. Otherwise Nick and the various characters peel groups of audience members away to separate rooms off the main ballroom: lounges and boudoirs styled with domestic extravagances of the time, including tufted velvet couches and chaises.
California has the nations largest state park system, with 280 parks that together encompass more than a million acres of wildlife reserves, stunning waterfalls, sprawling forests and more.

Today, I have some recommendations for the best parks to visit this summer, no matter what sort of vacation youre craving. The park system recently started a digital passport program to encourage people to try to visit every single one. (You can use a mobile app to track your visits and earn badges.) You can also check out vehicle passes for most California state parks from your local public library.

Jorge Moreno, a spokesman for the state parks department, advised travelers to check the weather before heading out, and to bring plenty of drinking water. And keep in mind that Californias rivers are running faster and colder than normal because of snowmelt.

Stay safe, and happy traveling.

Take a dip in an ancient inland sea.

Majestic Mono Lake, about 60 miles east of Yosemite National Park, is one of the oldest lakes in North America, and is estimated to have been around for more than a million years. The lake and its surroundings were protected as parkland in large part to preserve the lakes tufa towers  knobby limestone spires that rise high above the waters surface and make for a wonderfully Seussian sight.
Former Barbour County Sheriff Leroy Upshaw pleaded guilty in Barbour County Circuit Court Tuesday to felony ethics charges.

Upshaw, 52, who served as sheriff of Barbour County for 12 years from 2007 to 2019, is convicted of using his office or official position for personal gain, a class B felony.

In the plea hearing, the former sheriff agreed that he, or a sheriffs office employee acting at his direction, wrote checks payable to Upshaw from the sheriffs office accounts totaling $32,315. The funds meant to support law enforcement or care for prisoners were deposited by Upshaw into his or his family members personal accounts.

Abusing the taxpayers money will not be tolerated in our state, said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. I am pleased the defendant will be held accountable for betraying the publics trust.
Background: A vital if imperfect annual snapshot.

The increase in Los Angeles mirrors trends playing out in cities across the country, including Phoenix, as a housing shortage has led to rising costs, squeezing families.

A recent study led by an expert on homelessness at the University of California, San Francisco, found that a lack of affordable housing, not mental illness or substance abuse, was the main driver of homelessness in California.

The point-in-time count of people living outside or in homeless shelters takes place everywhere in the country and is federally mandated to occur at least every other year. In Los Angeles, volunteers fan out over a couple of nights each January to visually count people who appear to be living outdoors or in vehicles. Homeless service providers conduct surveys to get more detailed demographic information.

Across the nation, local governments and their data-collection partners release their counts at different times, so not all cities have provided their 2023 figures yet. Washington, D.C., has already reported an increase of 11 percent, while the Phoenix area said its homeless population was up 7 percent. Chicago and New York have said their homeless populations spiked in the past year as asylum seekers arrived; New York officials said on Wednesday that it had more than 100,000 people living in homeless shelters for the first time.

While point-in-time counts are an imperfect snapshot of homelessness, the count in Los Angeles County, the nations second-largest metropolis, remains one of few ways to measure progress in addressing the countys most dire problem. Its housing crisis has in recent decades mushroomed into a complex and persistent humanitarian emergency.

Why It Matters: L.A. is a test case for addressing homelessness.

Los Angeles is hardly the only American city to struggle with homelessness, but its homeless population is disproportionately large, and about 30 percent of the nations homeless population lives in California. As a result, Los Angeles is a kind of large-scale test case for which solutions work and which dont.

For years, local leaders and advocates working on homelessness solutions have bemoaned a lack of urgency and coordination across Los Angeles, where the city and county have separate but overlapping governments.

And during the height of the pandemic, sprawling encampments that grew under freeway overpasses, in parks, on residential streets and on beaches became the most potent symbols of the sense of chaos that pervaded the city. While some residents called for the forceful removal of homeless people from the streets, activists protested such steps as cruel shortcuts.

Mayor Karen Bass, a longtime community organizer and former member of Congress, was elected last year on promises to make a dent in a colossal problem quickly. She vowed to move thousands of people living in encampments humanely, by spending more time on outreach before cleanups. She has said that the only way to achieve that goal is to improve communication among nonprofit groups and government agencies.

The data gathered in January represents the crisis our city faces, she said. The challenge before us is vast, but we will continue to work with urgency to bring Angelenos inside.

Whats Next: Will recent progress mean less homelessness next year?

Dr. Adams Kellum noted that this years count took place a little more than a month after Ms. Bass was sworn in and that, in the months since, the mayors efforts have shown overwhelming success.

Ms. Bass recently highlighted that her administration had moved 14,381 people inside during the first six months of her term. She has also pushed to accelerate the construction of affordable housing.

But whether that work will actually decrease the number of people struggling with homelessness remains to be seen. Next years count will carry high stakes for her administration.
Former Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Thursday, a detour from the presidential campaign trail that was intended to highlight his unwavering support for the nation as it battles Russia and to contrast it with the views of two key Republican rivals: Donald J. Trump and Ron DeSantis.

Both Mr. Trump, the former president, and Mr. DeSantis, the Florida governor, have criticized U.S. involvement in the defense of Ukraine. The United States has provided more than $40 billion in military and humanitarian aid.

During his 12-hour stay, with an NBC News crew accompanying him, Mr. Pence met with Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and toured a mass burial site, placing flowers at a memorial, according to an adviser.

For more than 16 months, Ukraine has been fighting to repel the Russian invasion, in a war that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers.
Oregons longstanding status as one of just two states that restrict self-service gas could soon come to an end.

Last week the State Legislature approved a bill that would let gas stations statewide offer a self-service option, while requiring full-service on at least half their pumps. If Gov. Tina Kotek signs the bill into law, New Jersey would be the only state where people arent allowed to pump their own gas.

Ms. Kotek, a Democrat, has 30 days from the end of Oregons legislative session, which concluded on Sunday, to sign the bill. She has not indicated whether she plans to do so.

The self-serve gas bans in both states date back more than 70 years; New Jersey adopted its law in 1949, and Oregon imposed a similar ban in 1951. Lawmakers at the time, concerned that members of the public could not be trusted to safely pump their own gas, moved to restrict the dispensing of flammable liquids to trained attendants who could be counted on to follow safety protocols.
A former Florida sheriffs deputy who failed to confront the gunman at a Parkland high school five years ago, and instead backed away from the building while the students and teachers inside endured a deadly barrage, was found not guilty of child neglect and other crimes on Thursday.

Scot Peterson, a former Broward County sheriffs deputy, was acquitted of seven counts of child neglect and three counts of culpable negligence for the deaths and injuries of 10 people on the third floor of the building where the shooting occurred. He was also found not guilty of one count of perjury for claiming to the police that he heard only a few gunshots and saw no children fleeing.

When Mr. Petersons behavior was revealed after the shooting, critics  including some fellow police officers  painted him as being too scared to face a heavily armed gunman. His actions outraged the Parkland community, and Mr. Peterson was cast as the central character in a morality tale about cowardice and law enforcements duty to protect children. One victims father told him to rot in hell, and he was derided in national media outlets as the coward in Broward.

In all, 17 people were killed and 17 were wounded in the shooting, which was carried out by a former student. The gunman was sentenced last year to life in prison, in the same courtroom where Mr. Peterson was acquitted on Thursday. Mr. Peterson was the lone armed resource officer assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre.
The Republicans running for president applauded the Supreme Courts ruling on Thursday to strike down race-based affirmative action in college admissions, a policy that for decades has stoked the conservative agenda.

Former President Donald J. Trump called the decision a great day for America in a statement.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded, he said, adding, Were going back to all merit-based  and thats the way it should be!

Mr. Trumps political organization, the MAGA War Room, cast him as a main catalyst for the courts ruling to end affirmative action, saying on Twitter that he delivered on his promise to appoint constitutional justices.

It also made an outlandish comparison between Mr. Trump, the Republican front-runner who has been indicted twice since leaving the White House, and Abraham Lincoln, one of the partys iconic forebears.
The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious admissions policies for most colleges and universities across the country in a pair of cases challenging affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina.

In a sign of the complexity and politically charged nature of the issue, the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., was accompanied by three concurring opinions and two dissenting ones. The vote was 6 to 3.

Here are some excerpts:

In his opinion, Chief Justice Roberts said giving Black and Latino applicants an edge over white and Asian applicants in the name of diversity violated the equal protection clause of the Constitutions 14th Amendment.
The teenagers seeking shade as their tour groups crisscrossed leafy Harvard Yard on Thursday knew that they would be among the first students to feel the effect of the Supreme Courts ruling on race-based admissions when they applied to colleges.

What they didnt know was exactly how it would affect their chances. But many high school students, visiting Harvard University and beyond, said they were concerned to see long-established admissions practices giving way to something new and unfamiliar.

It makes me more stressed about the whole concept of college, said Danyael Morales, 16, a rising senior of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage at Boston Latin Academy, a public school in Boston. And with the whole agenda of not seeing race, I feel like colleges are not going to see me.

The court voted 6 to 3 to reject affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The move is expected to lower the number of Black and Latino students at elite college campuses.
The Biden administration asked Ukrainian officials not to conduct covert attacks inside Russia as the Wagner group rebellion was underway and advised them not to do anything that would influence the outcome of events or take advantage of the chaos, according to American officials.

At the time of the American outreach to Ukraine, U.S. officials did not know precisely what Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, had planned, according to U.S. officials briefed on the intelligence, but they knew that Mr. Prigozhin wanted to take military action to force Sergei K. Shoigu, the minister of defense, and Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff, from power.

They did not know how he intended to do that, or what he intended to do with them, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. The outreach, reported earlier by CNN, came soon after Mr. Prigozhin began his rebellion, officials said.

In urging Kyiv to exercise caution, U.S. officials did not want to give President Vladimir V. Putin an excuse to claim that Mr. Prigozhins rebellion was orchestrated by the United States or by Ukraine. They also said they believed that any high-profile operation by Ukrainian forces inside Russia was unlikely to have any major effect on Mr. Prigozhins goals, but would allow Mr. Putin to level accusations against the West, according to American assessments.
When an ailing Senator Dianne Feinstein asked in April to be temporarily replaced on the Judiciary Committee so Democrats could continue the panels work without her while she recuperated from shingles at home in California, Republicans balked, blocking the substitution. Ms. Feinstein was forced to return to Washington well before many close to her believed she was ready so her party could continue advancing President Bidens judicial nominees.

Since then, a lingering question has hung over the Senate even as the 90-year-old Ms. Feinstein has refused to consider resigning before the end of her term in 2025: Could or would Republicans block Democrats from replacing her on the committee if she did step aside, a departure that would open the door for an appointee chosen by the states Democratic governor to finish her term?

No definitive answer has emerged  and the proposition may never be tested since Ms. Feinstein has said she is not going anywhere. But the question has major implications both for the Senate itself and for California politics.

Should Ms. Feinstein resign early, Californias governor would appoint a temporary senator who might then have a leg up in the hotly contested Democratic race to succeed her in January 2025. Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he would name a Black woman, which could work to the disadvantage of other candidates in the race. The idea that an early departure by Ms. Feinstein might imperil Mr. Bidens judicial nominees has been seen as yet another reason for her to stay.
In 2016, in its last major case on affirmative action in higher education, the Supreme Court upheld an aspect of an idiosyncratic admissions program at the University of Texas at Austin. In the process, it reaffirmed the distinction the court had drawn in earlier cases: that numerical quotas were unlawful but that taking account of race as one factor among many to achieve educational diversity was permissible.

The case was brought by Abigail Fisher, a white student who said the University of Texas had denied her admission because of her race.

In Texas, students in roughly the top 10 percent of their high schools were automatically admitted to the public university system. That policy did not consider race but increased racial diversity in part because so many high schools in the state were racially homogeneous.

Ms. Fisher just missed that cutoff at her high school in Sugar Land, Texas, and then entered a separate pool of applicants who were admitted through a system in which race played a role.
Automotive regains ground on electronics as biggest robot buyer

The global automotive industry, formerly the worlds biggest buyer of industrial robots, is catching up with the electrical and electronics sector which overtook it to take the lead in 2021. The latest figures released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reveal that the automotive sector installed 137,932 robots around the world last year, putting it just behind the electrical/electronics industry on 139,745 machines. Car-makers added 16,722 new robots in 2022 (a 14% increase), compared to just 1,813 (about 1% more) installed by electronics users.

The big two are more-or-less head-to-head, said IFR president Marina Bill, revealing the preliminary 2022 statistics at the Automatica exhibition in Germany this week, prior to the final figures being released in September.

The IFR numbers show that after 27% surge in global robot installations during 2012, take-up slowed to just 2% last year, taking the number of new installations to around 531,000. But the Federation predicts that growth could return to 12% this year. The number of robots sold worldwide has tripled over the past decade, despite Covid.

China remains by far the worlds largest market for industrial robots with 267,726 new machines being installed there last year (more than half of the global total), followed by Japan on 51,558, the US on 39,940, Korea on 30,336 and Germany on 26,344.

The metal and machinery sector is the worlds third-largest user of robots, with 64,446 machines installed last year (down from 66,086 in 2021), followed by plastics and chemical products on 25,437 (24,707 in 2021) and food on 13,237 (14,822 in 2021).

The number of industrial robots installed worldwide during 2022 grew slightly to hit an all-time high (figures in 1,000s) Source: IFR preliminary results

Drilling down into the figures reveals considerable differences by region, country and sector. For example, Germany is still the biggest user of robots in Europe but with only about one tenth of the number of installations in China. Italy saw a 10% surge in robot installations during 2022 (compared to 3% in Germany) but while the German market is dominated by the automotive sector with 7,127 new installations (down from 9,167 in 2021), in Italy it is the metals and machinery sector that leads the way with 3,670 installations, with the automotive sector in fourth place, behind plastics/chemicals and food.

The number of robot installation in France grew by 15% last year (to 7,449) with metals and machinery applications (1,645) being slightly ahead of automotive (1,597).

Bill says that there is considerable uncertainty over the future of the robot market in Europe but, with backlogs of orders in Germany and a tight labour market in many countries, the fundamentals for future growth are very positive.

IFR: Twitter LinkedIn
Why It Matters

Republicans, who have repeatedly tried to link the president to his sons legal troubles but have yet to produce proof to back up their allegations of corruption, have seized on the recent testimony of two I.R.S. whistle-blowers as their strongest evidence to date.

Gary Shapley, the lead I.R.S. agent who oversaw the investigation into Hunter Biden, and an unidentified agent who worked with Mr. Shapley told the Ways and Means panel that the Justice Department refused to pursue any evidence that could have led to Mr. Biden being implicated in the tax case against his son; tipped off Hunter Bidens team before critical steps were taken in the investigation; and allowed the statute of limitations to expire on some prospective charges.

Mr. Shapley provided emails and messages to support crucial portions of his account, which was backed up by a second I.R.S. agent. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The New York Times a key allegation made by Mr. Shapley: that prosecutors in California denied a request from Mr. Weiss to pursue charges against Hunter Biden in that state.

But Mr. Shapleys account is at odds with statements made by both Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Mr. Weiss, who in a letter to Congress said he had ultimate authority over the case.

The interviews demanded by House Republicans could shine a light on whether Mr. Weiss did, in fact, have the ultimate charging authority or whether his powers were constrained, as the whistle-blowers say. And they could reveal whether someone is lying.

Background

The Shapley testimony  which came with newly released summaries of WhatsApp messages that purportedly show Hunter Biden seeking millions of dollars from a Chinese associate while invoking his father  was given after House Republicans had investigated the president and his family for months.

The inquiry into Hunter Bidens overseas business dealings has produced some of Republicans most inflammatory claims, including a years-old, uncorroborated accusation that the elder Mr. Biden, while vice president, accepted a $5 million bribe from the Ukrainian company Burisma that was later covered up by the Justice Department under President Donald J. Trump.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee tried to debunk this claim on Thursday by releasing a transcript of testimony to Congress obtained several years ago. In an interview with an associate of Mr. Trumps personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mykola Zlochevsky, the owner of Burisma, denied that he had any contacts with the former vice president while Hunter Biden served on his companys board. He also denied that the elder Mr. Biden or his staff in any way assisted Mr. Zlochevsky.

Republicans produced no proof that the elder Mr. Biden accepted payments from foreign businesses or that he took any action as a result of Hunter Bidens overseas work.

Whats Next

Republicans have for months been building toward impeaching multiple Biden administration officials.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy has pledged to add Mr. Garland to the list if Republicans determine that he lied about Mr. Weisss authority in the Hunter Biden investigation.

Someone is lying, Mr. McCarthy posted on Twitter on Wednesday. If we find it is Bidens Attorney General, Merrick Garland, we will start an impeachment inquiry.
The political network established by the conservative industrialists Charles and David Koch has raised more than $70 million for political races as it looks to help Republicans move past Donald J. Trump, according to an official with the group.

With some of this large sum to start, the network, Americans for Prosperity Action, plans to throw its weight into the G.O.P. presidential nominating contest for the first time in its nearly 20-year history. The network spent nearly $500 million supporting Republican candidates and conservative policies in the 2020 election cycle alone.

Two groups closely affiliated with Charles Koch contributed $50 million of the more than $70 million that has been raised (David Koch died of cancer in 2019). Mr. Koch is a major shareholder in Koch Industries, which contributed $25 million to Americans for Prosperity Action, according to a preliminary draft of Federal Election Commission filings. Another $25 million was donated by Stand Together, a nonprofit he founded.

The Koch networks goal in the 2024 presidential primaries, which has been described only indirectly in written internal communications, is to stop Mr. Trump from winning the Republican nomination. In February, a top political official in the network, Emily Seidel, wrote a memo to donors and activists saying it was time to have a president in 2025 who represents a new chapter.
Before the Hamilton County, Ind., chapter of Moms for Liberty achieved national notoriety this month for quoting Adolf Hitler in its newsletter, it was already at war over education in the schools of Indianapoliss suburbs.

School board meetings blew up over critical race theory and social emotional learning. A slate of conservative school board candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty faced off last year against a slate opposed to the groups efforts to commandeer the school system. The diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator of Carmel Clay Schools was under attack. Transgender students, or the theoretical threat such students could pose, were suddenly front and center.

It was bad, said Carmella Sparrow, the principal at a charter school in Indianapolis who had moved to suburban Carmel for the public schools but found herself doing battle with Moms for Liberty and its supporters at local school board meetings. They were screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. You could not conduct any meaningful business.

The groups reputation for confrontation and controversy is very much intact, but as Moms for Liberty convenes on Thursday in Philadelphia, it is doing so not as a small fringe of far-right suburban mothers but as a national conservative powerhouse  precisely because of chapters like Hamilton Countys and their energized members.
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected affirmative action at colleges and universities around the nation, declaring that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful and sharply curtailing a policy that had long been a pillar of higher education.

The vote was 6 to 3, with the courts liberal members in dissent.

The Harvard and U.N.C. admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the equal protection clause, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping and lack meaningful end points.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor summarized her dissent from the bench, a rare move that signals profound disagreement, and said that affirmative action was crucial to countering persistent and systematic racial discrimination.

The court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society, she said in her written dissent.
The weekslong June heat wave scorching Texas has been particularly brutal and dangerous inside the states sprawling prison system, where a majority of those incarcerated, and the guards who watch over them, have been struggling without air-conditioning.

In more than a dozen interviews this week, current and former inmates, as well as their relatives and friends, described an elemental effort at survival going on inside the prisons, with inmates relying on warm water, wet towels and fans that push hot air. Some flooded their cells with water from their combination sink-toilets, lying on the wet concrete for relief. Others, desperate for the guards attention, lit fires or took to screaming in unison for water or for help with an inmate who had passed out.

If somebody goes down, we start beating on the lockers and doors yelling, Man down! said Luke King, 41, an inmate who, along with Mr. Martire, is in a prison in Huntsville, Texas. With the heat, he said, that has been happening at least daily.

The superheated conditions inside many prisons  where temperatures can reach 110 degrees or above  have been a well-known problem for years, and not just in Texas. Across the South, prisons in habitually hot states like Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi also do not provide centralized air-conditioning in most cases, according to a 2019 report. And the heat dome that has settled in recent weeks over Texas has been increasingly shifting to the east, bringing extreme temperatures into those Southern states.

In Texas, the Republican-controlled House this year proposed spending $545 million to install air-conditioning in the majority of state prisons that do not have it. The House also overwhelmingly approved a bill to require that the temperature in prisons be no higher than 85 degrees and no lower than 65. State law in Texas already requires county jails to keep the temperature within that range.
Botswana produces more of the worlds diamonds than any country but Russia. But Botswana, a small landlocked nation in southern Africa, keeps only 25 percent of the rough stones extracted in its agreement with De Beers, an international diamond conglomerate. De Beers takes 75 percent.

That disparity has been at the heart of an argument by the president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, that his country is getting a raw deal from De Beers, a London-based company. Mr. Masisi has said that if Botswana does not get more, it might walk away from the half-century-old partnership when the current agreement expires on Friday.

We must refuse to be enslaved, he proclaimed last month during a community meeting at a village 250 miles north of the capital, Gaborone.

In publicly ratcheting up the pressure against De Beers, Mr. Masisi is raising a question now echoing across the continent: Can African countries keep a greater share of their wealth?
Hours after Yevgeny V. Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenary group ended their rebellion on Saturday, officials with the Russian Foreign Ministry phoned the president of the Central African Republic to assure him that the thousands of Wagner fighters deployed in his country would stay, and that Russia would keep looking for new ventures in Africa.

Thousands of miles away, and as the rebellion was still underway, Russian troops in Syria had surrounded several bases that host Wagner fighters, fearing that the contagion might spread beyond Russia.

Russias leadership had encountered some issues with the head of the paramilitaries, they told the Central African president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, but those issues had been resolved and the Kremlin, they assured him, was in control.

But others arent so sure. The Wagner group was the personal project of Mr. Prigozhin, who built it over nearly a decade into a sprawling enterprise, with tentacles reaching from Libya, across Africa and into the Middle East. The group has deployed troops in five African countries, and Mr. Prigozhins affiliates have been present in more than a dozen in total.
The heat wave scorching Texas and other parts of the United States has also brought triple-digit temperatures across Mexico, especially in the countrys northern states.

The conditions have raised concerns about the possibility of a sharp spike in deaths and illnesses caused by the surging temperatures, as well as the stress being placed on the energy grid.

Mexico has registered at least 112 heat-related deaths so far this year, with more than half of those occurring in one northern state, Nuevo Leon, according to the health ministry. That compares with just four heat-related deaths registered in the same period last year across the country.

The arrival of rain in recent days delivered relief to some places in Mexico, while the heat dome, formed by high-pressure atmospheric conditions combined with climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean, has been drifting out of Mexican territory into the southern United States.
South Koreas monsoon season began this week and has already notched its first weather-related fatality, as forecasters warn that this years rains could be among the heaviest in decades and government officials vow to be prepared.

On Tuesday in Hampyeong, a county in the southwest where rain had been falling almost three inches an hour, the victim, a woman in her late 60s, was reported missing by a neighbor. Her body was found Thursday morning; the local fire department said she had most likely been swept away by a flooded stream.

Monsoon season, when much of Koreas annual rainfall arrives within a few intense weeks, typically runs from mid- or late June through early August, causing flooding, damage to buildings and casualties. Some regions get more than 30 inches of rain during the summer months, according to the national weather agency.

The national weather forecast predicts at least some rain in each week of July, with precipitation levels expected to equal or exceed those of last year, when the country saw its heaviest rainfall in eight decades, which killed at least nine people.
A recent graduate of the University of Waterloo in Ontario was charged with assault on Thursday, accused of stabbing a professor and two students in a gender studies class in what the police described as a hate-motivated incident.

Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, 24, an international student who graduated in 2022, was charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief, the Waterloo Regional Police said in a statement and a news conference. He appeared in court for a bail hearing on Thursday, where the police asked that he remain in custody.

It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer.

The accused targeted a gender-studies class and investigators believe this was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity, the statement said.

The police said that on Wednesday, at about 3:40 p.m., about 40 students were in a classroom when the suspect came in and stabbed three people: a 38-year-old female professor; a 20-year-old female student and a 19-year-old male student. All three were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the police said.
Wise has introduced a range of new features to its partners through the Wise Platform API, including the issuance of digital debit cards, multi-currency account details, and the capability to conduct transactions seamlessly in over 170 countries.

The platforms latest offering, initially launched in Australia in partnership with ProSpend and Parpera, introduces a customized approach to issuing multi-currency accounts and digital debit cards via their own interfaces.

This development comes as a boon for businesses seeking a tailored solution to enable their customers to manage money across multiple currencies efficiently. The launch of these features is initially being rolled out in collaboration with Australian partners, ProSpend and Parpera, solidifying Wises position as a comprehensive one-stop solution for cross-border money management.

The collaboration between Wise Platform and ProSpend aims to enhance ProSpends proactive business spend management solution. By leveraging Wises infrastructure, ProSpend can now provide its corporate clients with a secure and hassle-free alternative to cash reimbursements.

Additionally, it offers an advanced option beyond traditional corporate card programs, enabling faster in-app payments for supplier invoices through instant digital debit cards. These cards are directly linked to a central multi-currency account, allowing seamless currency conversions within the ProSpend platform.

Parpera, an all-in-one business money management solution catering to thousands of sole traders, has also joined forces with Wise Platform. Recognizing the limitations of conventional banking solutions, Parpera has integrated Wises services to address its customers evolving needs. Initially focusing on domestic requirements, Parpera empowers its users with the necessary tools to scale their businesses globally when the time is right.

The features offered by Wise Platform through its partnerships with ProSpend and Parpera are set to revolutionize cross-border transactions for businesses. With the ability to issue co-branded or white-labeled digital debit cards, entrepreneurs and employers gain access to over 170 countries, enabling them to make purchases at the mid-market exchange rate and effectively manage their expenses.

Furthermore, the integration allows for the issuance of multi-currency accounts supporting more than 40 different currencies. Businesses can generate local and global account details in major currencies such as AUD, NZD, EUR, USD, GBP, and SGD with ease, simplifying their global expansion plans.

Daniel McCarthy, Commercial Lead, Asia Pacific at Wise Platform, said, These new features are a significant step forward in our ability to support Australian-based Wise Platform partners and their customers in ways theyve not experienced before. Traditional international banking solutions still dont work well for businesses, and require them to use too many external tools from a range of providers to allow them to do what they need.

McCarthy emphasized that the release of Wise Platforms new features addresses the pain points faced by businesses, enabling them to expand and operate internationally without the burden of managing complex, multi-currency cash flow. He added, Compliance smarts and practices can be a huge barrier to entry to midmarket and enterprise businesses looking to expand into international payments. Leveraging Wises API also means theyre able to tap into Wises modular components, including our security and verification engines if required; Wise Platform solutions aim to enable these businesses to expand on all fronts, compliantly.

Highlighting Wise Platforms extensive reach and partnerships, McCarthy mentioned, Wise Platform is live with over 60 banks and non-banks globally in over 18 countries, including Deel, Monzo, Up, Bank Mandiri, Google Pay, Bunq, ZA Bank, Tiger Brokers, and Xero to name a few. This extension of the Platform offering aims to further support partners in effortlessly managing their finances.

Sharon Nouh, CEO at ProSpend, expressed excitement about the partnership with Wise Platform, saying, We are delighted to be partnering with Wise Platform as our fully integrated payment partner. The partnership aligns with our vision of delivering one hyper-automated spend platform. Combining our platform that helps businesses manage their business expenses, their account payables, and purchases with budget controls with Wises market-leading global payments technology, delivers this vision.

Nouh highlighted the benefits of integrating Wises payments infrastructure into ProSpends platform, allowing customers to run their entire company cards program within the same system used for other services. Nouh added, We are excited to continue to work with Wise to innovate and improve the payment and spend management process for our mutual clients.

Daniel Cannizzaro, CEO at Parpera, said, Were thrilled to partner with Wise to leverage its market-leading global payment infrastructure to enable our Australian relaunch. Cannizzaro highlighted the initial benefits that Wise Platform brings to Parpera, such as providing Australian sole traders and small business owners access to a Business Account, Business Debit card, and in-app payments. He also mentioned the future expansion of their offering to include multi-currency wallets and cross-border payments, unlocking greater value for businesses on the Parpera platform. Cannizzaro noted, Additionally, Wise serves as a strong and trusted partner to enable Parperas proposition in Australia and its future expansion to new markets.

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Riots convulsed French cities over several days after a police officer shot and killed Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old boy who was driving away from a traffic stop.

The protests, which have pulled in large numbers of young people, have been driven by longstanding grievances in Frances more deprived suburbs, where many people of immigrant origins live, feeling cut off from opportunities and discriminated against by the police.

Here is what we know:

Who was Nahel Merzouk, and what happened to him?

Mr. Merzouk, a French citizen of Algerian and Moroccan descent, lived in a working-class area of Nanterre, a Parisian suburb, and was an only child being raised by his mother. He had dreamed of being a mechanic, his grandmother told a French journalist, and he played on a local rugby team.

A prosecutor said the teenager had been driving in a bus lane and, when officers tried to stop him, drove through a red light to get away. He then got stuck in traffic, and officers approached the car.
Little is publicly known about Nahel Merzouk, the teenager from a Paris suburb who was fatally shot by a police officer while driving away during a traffic stop last Tuesday morning.

Here is what we have been able to confirm:
The Russian warlord whose 24-hour mutiny provoked the worst crisis to roil the country in three decades has been packed off to an uncertain exile  along with the foul-mouthed critiques of the Russian military that won him legions of followers, especially within the ranks.

Yet the problems identified by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, did not disappear with him, military analysts say, and are likely to continue to fester, enraging troops and further lowering already sickly morale.

These include an overall lack of command and control, rigid hierarchy, corruption, tangled logistics, equipment shortages and the absence of an honest, public assessment of the war in Ukraine. The emergence of several other private military companies like Wagner promises to further complicate matters.

If Prigozhin is gone, the problems will not go with him, said Dmitri Kuznets, a military analyst for Meduza, an independent Russian news website. They are here to stay, this is a bigger problem than Prigozhin himself.
Days after an aborted rebellion in Russia by a mercenary group presented a dramatic challenge to his leadership, President Vladimir V. Putin made highly choreographed public appearances in an effort to project power and control, even as U.S. officials said early intelligence reports suggested that a top general had been detained in connection with the failed uprising.

In Moscow, Mr. Putin attended a technology fair on Thursday, sitting in a gaming chair and joking with other panelists onstage. The day before, he strode through a crowd of well-wishers in southern Russia, shaking hands, kissing a girl on the head and posing for selfies. It was a display that Russians had not glimpsed from their leader in years.

My God, this is Vladimir Putin! people shouted as the Russian president, flanked by bodyguards, mingled in a throng of people in the southern city of Derbent on Wednesday, casting aside the strict social-distancing protocols he had observed since the pandemic began, including sitting at a very long table, far away from visitors.

But amid the Kremlins efforts to emphasize popular support for Mr. Putin and the message that Russia was back to business as usual, U.S. officials said that the Russian authorities appeared to have detained a general, Sergei Surovikin, the former commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, who American officials say had known in advance about the rebellion by the Wagner mercenary group.
A senior NATO-country diplomat said that firm intelligence was lacking, but that careful comments by Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov on Thursday in which he deflected questions about General Surovikins whereabouts seemed to confirm the generals detention.

News of General Surovikins detention was earlier reported by The Financial Times.

There were conflicting reports in the Russian news media about General Surovikins fate. Some pro-war bloggers on the popular Telegram social network reported this week that he had been arrested, while others said that was not the case.

One popular account posted a recording of an interview with a woman it said was General Surovikins daughter, who denied that her father had been arrested. Nothing happened to him, she said. Hes at his work location. The account could not be independently verified.

American intelligence agencies have been trying to learn more about the generals potential role in the rebellion: whether he simply knew about it or helped plan the revolt, which has come to be seen as the most dramatic threat to President Vladimir V. Putin in his 23 years in power.

The question is a critical one for Mr. Putin as well.

For years, Mr. Putin has allowed different factions to exist inside the Russian military. But after the short-lived mutiny, the Kremlin may be more likely to purge at least some of the senior officers who are less supportive of Sergei K. Shoigu, the defense minister.
The British governments highly contested plan to fly some asylum seekers to Rwanda met a significant roadblock on Thursday when one of the countrys top courts rejected it as unlawful, delivering a sharp blow to one of the top priorities of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

In a judgment delivered in London, the Court of Appeal said Rwanda was not a safe country for asylum seekers. In doing so, the judges reversed a ruling in December by the High Court, which dismissed most legal challenges to the governments plan to deport people seeking refugee status to the African country before their claims are assessed.

The decision carries significant political implications for the governing Conservative Party, which has struggled to curb small boat crossings from France. Amid rising tension within the Tory party over an increase in immigration, Mr. Sunak has promised to stop the boats  making this hard-line policy one of the five central objectives of his leadership.

In a statement released soon after the verdict, Mr. Sunak said the government would seek permission to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, describing Rwanda as safe, even though its human rights record has been heavily criticized.
Efforts by Israel to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank have intensified this year, reflecting the agenda of the countrys right-wing government and prompting international condemnation of a practice that most countries say violates international law.

Critics say that the expansion of the settlements undermines the prospects of any comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians based on a two-state solution, which refers to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Many supporters of the settler movement oppose the idea of Palestinian statehood and view the West Bank, which they call by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria, as the birthright of the Jewish people or as a necessary buffer for the security of Israel.

Palestinians say that the settlements eat up the land they consider theirs for a future state, and often block their access to land they used to farm. They also create a two-tiered legal system in the territory  one set of rules for Israelis and another for Palestinians living under military rule.
The burning of a Quran outside a mosque in Sweden on one of the holiest days in Islam sparked outrage Thursday in many Muslim countries and widespread condemnations of the Swedish authorities.

In Iraq, several hundred people protested outside the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad at the urging of Muqtada al-Sadr, a populist cleric who called on the Iraqi government to break off diplomatic relations with Sweden, which he called hostile to Islam.

The crowd became increasingly angry, scaling the wall surrounding the compound and pushing through an external gate. There was no sign that Iraqi diplomatic police forces attempted to stop them. The protesters did not enter the embassy itself, which was closed for the Islamic holiday, and eventually left. Mr. Sadr called for larger protests after prayers on Friday.

Iraqs foreign ministry also condemned Sweden for allowing an extremist to burn a copy of the holy Quran.
Tropical Storm Beatriz developed into a hurricane in the Pacific off the coast of Mexico on Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center said, and was expected to strengthen as its center moved near or over portions of southwestern Mexico through Saturday.

Beatriz was gathering force as another Pacific hurricane, Adrian, continued to move westward away from Mexico on Friday, days after it rapidly intensified to become the first hurricane in the eastern Pacific region this year, the Hurricane Center said.

As of Friday night, Beatriz was about 50 miles southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, above the threshold of 74 m.p.h. that makes a storm a hurricane. It was expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the countrys southwestern coast, the Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane warning was in effect along a 400-mile stretch of Mexicos southeast coast, from Cabo Corrientes to Zihuatanejo, while hurricane watches, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued elsewhere.
Caroline Berens had been perfectly happy living alone for a couple of years in Washington, when her younger sister, Emma, announced that she was planning to move to the city. So Ms. Berens didnt immediately extend an invitation to be roommates in her one-bedroom rental in Dupont Circle.

Were five years apart and havent lived together since I went to college when I was 18, said Ms. Berens, 27, who works in corporate communications for Brunswick Group, a public relations firm. But weve always been close and visited each other a lot at home in Boston and here in D.C.

Emma Berens, 22, a recent Harvard graduate who is set to start work at a Washington-area consulting firm in July, was looking at studio apartments for herself when her older sister finally asked if she wanted to live together.

Ive always been frugal and have saved money to buy a home since I started babysitting at 12, Caroline Berens said. With Emma in the mix and willing to pay rent, she saw her chance to buy a two-bedroom apartment.

The sisters were confident that they could live together amicably as adults, even if it was a bit of an adjustment.

[Did you buy a home this year? We want to hear from you. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]

Im coming from college life, where I lived with three other roommates, so Im not worried about sharing a home with Caroline, Emma said. I dont really want to live alone, and its great to have Caroline here, because she knows D.C. so well.

After they talked through every angle of sharing a home  cleaning schedule, shared expenses, house rules  Caroline set a budget of $650,000, and they agreed that Emma would pay $1,500 a month in rent for 14 months.

If it works out, we can always decide to extend the contract and I can stay longer, Emma said.

Aside from the need for an extra bedroom, Carolines priorities for her first home purchase remained the same. She wanted a place in Dupont Circle, Kalorama or Adams Morgan. Plus, she said, I was determined to avoid living in a basement.

Both sisters are tall, so Caroline wanted high ceilings. And she needed a building that would allow her 2-year old cat, Lucy.

Caroline always knew exactly what she wanted, said Claudia Ornelas, the Redfin real estate agent who worked with her. It was very clear that she was making the decisions, although sometimes she would FaceTime with Emma or bring her father along when he was in town, to get their opinions.

There werent many two-bedroom apartments available, so they moved quickly when anything was listed. We did home inspections before making any offers, so she could eliminate all the contingencies, Ms. Ornelas said.
Consumers in Australia are making a clear demand for a more human-centred approach in their interactions with organizations, as revealed in the recently launched report titled The Customer Experience Edge: Australia.

The report, conducted by Qualtrics and SAPs Centre for Experience Management, highlights that despite the increasing adoption of digital, self-serve, and AI-powered technologies, consumers prioritize the availability of human-like experiences, especially when engaging with real individuals.

The report emphasizes that enabling easy access to human interactions would have the most significant impact on improving the overall customer experience, as stated by 44 per cent of respondents. Furthermore, the findings indicate that 45 per cent of Australians prefer service interactions with real people, while 34 per cent consider their preference based on the nature of the interaction, and 21 per cent lean towards digital platforms.

In addition to human touch, consumers also desire improved mobile app functionality for service transactions (29 per cent) and a seamless experience across all digital touchpoints (26 per cent). To enhance the customer experience, organizations need to focus on improving the helpfulness of their customer service representatives, a critical factor that surpasses considerations such as mobile app usability, digital payment options, and delivery speed.

Key areas for enhancing customer experience

Improving customer experience requires organisations to focus on three key areas, as highlighted in The Customer Experience Edge: Australia report. Firstly, empathising with customers at the frontline is crucial.

This involves selecting, onboarding, and training frontline team members to provide exceptional service. Identifying and addressing moments that require empathy during the design of customer experiences is also essential. Frontline employees must be equipped to understand customer expectations and empowered to resolve issues effectively.

The second area of focus is providing agency to frontline employees. Customers rely on these employees to assist them and achieve their desired outcomes. Enabling employees to offer accurate advice, solve problems, and anticipate customer needs is imperative. This requires ensuring that frontline employees possess the knowledge and skills to handle common service tasks and provide effective service recovery.

Lastly, organisations should prioritise digital self-serve options. Customers in the digital era expect convenience and the ability to interact through their preferred channels within their digital ecosystems. By offering self-service options for common service tasks and ensuring customers can engage in their desired manner, organisations can cater to these expectations.

The analysis of qualitative feedback also emphasised the significant impact of human interactions on customer experience. Positive interactions with frontline customer service representatives, characterised by helpfulness, courtesy, and knowledge, drive customer recommendations.

Conversely, negative interactions, such as encounters with staff lacking knowledge or displaying rudeness, lead to customer complaints. The ability to understand and promptly address customer feedback is vital for successful customer experience programs. Satisfied customers are more likely to respond to surveys or provide feedback through websites and apps when recommending a company. On the other hand, dissatisfied customers prefer channels such as website submissions, phone calls, or emails to voice their complaints.

Will Santry, Vice President and Head of Customer Experience at SAP ANZ, emphasises the importance of creating personalized experiences that anticipate customer needs, foster loyalty, and deepen customer understanding.

Achieving this requires organizations to leverage intelligent solutions that humanize every customer touchpoint and embody empathy. By focusing on these key areas, organizations can enhance their customer experience and forge stronger connections with their customers.

With many organisations rethinking and redesigning their customer experience programs, these findings are a critical reminder to not forget the importance of bringing human-like experiences to these touchpoints. Delivering programs, products, and services with a customer-first mindset is more important than ever, and a key part of this is ensuring customers receive the experiences they desire while frontline employees are enabled with the tools and systems to quickly and easily understand and take action on what matters most to customers, said Lara Truelove, author of The Customer Experience Edge: Australia and Program Leader for the Centre for Experience Management.

Download the full report here.

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9 a.m. Hike peaceful marshes and meadows

About 40 percent of Vineyard land is protected , managed primarily by conservation groups that are seeking to preserve the islands fragile ecosystem. Much of that land is accessible by public walking trails. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary , more than 200 acres along the islands northeastern shoreline managed by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, has four miles of trails along Sengekontacket Pond that capture nearly everything the island has to offer: woodlands, meadows, ponds, salt marshes and shorelines. If youre lucky, youll see an osprey soar, most likely looking for food to bring back to a nearby nest on top of a pole. The trails are open daily from dawn to dusk ($4 for adults, members are free). If youre looking to explore further, download TrailsMV , a free app created by another conservation group and the official guide to all of the public trails on the Vineyard.
Thai Ngoc, an 80-year-old farmer in Vietnam, claims that he hasnt slept in over 60 years, since coming down with a fever as a young man. Somehow, this severe insomnia hasnt affected his life.

Most people cant go an entire day without a few hours of sleep, but one Vietnamese man claims that he has spent the last 60 years wide awake, without so much as a short nap. Thai Ngoc has been making news headlines in his home country for years now, ever since it was originally reported that he does not need any sleep to lead a happy, active life. Ngocs family, including his wife, children, friends, and neighbors insist that they have never seen the octogenarian sleep, and he insists that the complete lack of sleep has never affected him negatively.

I dont know if the insomnia has impacted my health or not, but Im still healthy and I can do the farm work normally like others, Thai Ngoc told Vietnamese website Thahn Nien News.

Born in 1942, Thai Ngoc claims that he came down with a severe fever at age 20, and even though he survived, it left him unable to sleep again. Despite allegedly trying various medications, traditional folk remedies, and even ample quantities of alcohol, the Vietnamese man couldnt fall asleep. He kept hoping that his insomnia was temporary, but he claims he has gone without sleep for six decades.



Thai Ngoc story has been presented as somewhat of a miracle or a unique superpower in his home country of Vietnam, but according to some doctors, he might be getting some sleep and just not know it. Dr Vikas Wadhwa at Sleep Services Australia said that some insomniacs lack the ability to tell the difference between being awake and being asleep, so the 80-year-old man could be falling asleep for short periods of time during the day and just not know it. These power naps could be enough to keep him going.

Because Ngoc has never agreed to get properly tested and observed by sleep scientists, his claims and those of people close to him are the only evidence to go by. But he is definitely not the only person to claim to suffer from decades-long insomnia. A while back, we wrote about a Chinese woman who claimed to have not slept in 40 years.
An Offaly school has celebrated a 40 years in existence this year, having been established in 1983.

Coolderry Central School is an amalgamation of two former schools in the parish, namely Ballyegan National school and Coolderry National School.

Down through the years, Coolderry Central School has undergone many major improvements. At the time of the establishment of the school, the staff consisted of Mr George Cunningham, Mrs Anne Kennedy, Mrs Lucy McCarthy, Mr Tom Lupton and Miss Una Cleary.

The only member of the original staff who has remained there to this day is Mrs Una Teehan (nee Cleary), who took on the role of Principal almost twenty years ago and who has with the help of the Boards of Management initiated major developments at the school such as the designated infant soft play area, new entrance doors, improved security, a sensory room, provision of interactive white boards throughout the school, new floor coverings , upgrading of the staff room with the installation of a new kitchen unit and facilities, provision of a new office for the Principal a computer room, an office for the secretary, the upgrading and refurbishment of facilities within the school and landscaping of the school grounds to name just a few - all of which ensure that the school today looks very impressive indeed.

On May 26th, a formal celebration of 40 years of the school was held at the school. The weather was absolutely magnificent. There was glorious sunshine and the formal event which was held outdoors on the school grounds began with Mrs Una Teehan extending a very warm welcome to the huge crowd in attendance. This was followed by an outdoor concert provided by the school choir under the direction of Mrs Geraldine Bryan. Throughout the evening, the pupils performed a vast array of songs, instrumental music and dance to the enjoyment of all present. The pupils were absolutely fantastic, finishing with the Offaly Rover with everyone joining in.

The music was interspersed with presentations and words of welcome from Mrs Marie Kennedy , Chairperson of the Board of Management, Mr Paddy Bates, former Principal, and Mrs Una Teehan, the current Principal. Presentations were made by Mrs Una Teehan to former members of staff in recognition of their dedication contribution and service over many years, current staff members who continue this great tradition and also to Mrs Geraldine Bryan, who has been a constant support to the school at Confirmations, Holy Communions, Graduations and many other celebrations, giving of her time and expertise freely over many years. Mrs Una Teehan acknowledged the huge contribution of all who have worked in the school in any capacity over the past 40 years and thanked them for their dedication.

A presentation of a beautiful bouquet of flowers was also made to Mrs Una Teehan by Mrs Marie Kennedy, Chairperson of Board of Management, on behalf of all present at the 40th celebration. She wished Mrs Teehan a very happy retirement as Una, who after 42 years in the parish, beginning her teaching career, initially, as a newly qualified teacher in1981, in one of the prefabricated buildings which pre-dated the current school, has decided to retire. Una is very sad to be leaving as the school community has been an integral part of her life for the past 42 years.

As School Principal, Una has always encouraged pupils to achieve their potential. Down through the years, the pupils participated in numerous initiatives and won many local and national awards for their projects and sporting achievements, which have given students great life skills. Una has always encouraged pupils to participate in various sporting activities and is very proud of what the pupils have achieved individually, for the school and for the county.

Una congratulated and praised their current camogie champions who had just won the Cumann na mBunscol B final the previous day in Birr gaining victory over Kinnitty in a very exciting closely fought final, which was a fantastic achievement for all of the panel and for the school.

Una also acknowledged the support of the Boards of Management and the Parents Associations over the years and had a special word of thanks to the current Board of Management and the current Parents Association who give so freely of their personal time for the benefit of the school community.

Una also acknowledged the wider community for their great friendship and generous support. She was very appreciative of the support of the local GAA, the Camogie club and the Community Threshing group under the guidance of Ray Dempsey, who have provided huge support to the school over many years. Una expressed a special word of thanks to both Ray Dempsey and Coleman Coady who ensured that the marquee which the Threshing Committee very kindly supplied for the refreshments, was delivered and set up for the occasion with the help of some parents and members of the Board of Management.

After the cutting of the cake in honour of the occasion by former Principal Mr Paddy Bates and Mrs Una Teehan, all in attendance were invited to relax and chat over a cup of tea and other refreshments for both children and adults, which were available in the marquee at the back of the school. Food items were very kindly donated by parents. The teas were provided by the Parents Association.

There was a very large and extensive photographic exhibition relating to life not only in the school, but in the parish in general over the past 40 years throughout the school along with other memorabilia of times gone by on display in the various classrooms for all to view at their leisure.

It was a very enjoyable and relaxing evening, which continued late into the night for all in attendance. It afforded people the opportunity to reminisce and catch up as they recalled times gone by while wandering through the classrooms viewing the photos on the display boards and on the Power points, or as they sat out in the beautiful sunshine on what was truly a memorable occasion for the 40th celebration of Coolderry Central School on Friday May 26,2023.
A woman charged with allegedly biting a security guard at Longford's Center Parcs leisure resort has indicated her intention to fully contest the charges against her.

Forty-year-old Ann Marie Roche, of Baskin Lane, Cloughran, Swords, Dublin appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court this afternoon.

Ms Roche had initially appeared last month to face two assault causing harm charges following an incident on June 10 last year.

On that occasion, Judge Bernadette Owens was told while no medical reports were at hand, the case centred on two separate bites to the thumb area and palm of a security guards left hand.

The court was told both alleged bites punctured the skin of the alleged victim.

At today's sitting of Longford District Court, defence solicitor Anthony Feeney entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client.

Asked as to how long a hearing into the case would take, Sgt Conor McShane, for the State estimated it would take in the region of two hours.

This, he said, was largely based on the fact the prosecution were expected to hear evidence from up to six witnesses.

Ms Roche was remanded on continuing bail to a sitting of Longford District Court on September 12 when, a date for hearing, is likely to be made.
RESIDENTS living in the Tullamore housing estate of Pearse Park, have been told that the council will not remove trees along the bank of the canal in front of their houses.

This follows a campaign by the people of the area to retain the trees and a grassy verge along the canal which many of those living there use as a place of recreation.

There was a large attendance at a meeting held last week in the Town Hall, between the residents and council representatives to discuss the issue.

Michael McGrath who lives in Pearse Park said the council members were surprised by the huge turnout as it wasn't just the residents who attended but others from the surrounding areas.

Mr McGrath says he is not convinced that the council will leave the trees there indefinitely. He believes they will not remove the trees ''for now''. He thinks the council will come back in the future to remove the trees. He says ''it's not just the trees we want to keep it's the grassy area.''

Mr McGrath said the residents will be left with just a short area to stroll or walk with their dogs as the council intend laying a cycle track from the scout's den which is located beside Pearse Park to Molloy's bridge.

Meanwhile, Councillor Sean O'Brien said: ''Pearse Park residents and supporters welcome the news that the Council will not remove the trees along the Canal near Pearse Park but they will continue their campaign on other issues concerning the proposed new urban Greenway.''

Cllr O'Brien said, that a special meeting of Tullamore Municipal District was called last Friday and he briefed the residents on the outcome of this meeting on Monday evening, June 26.

He said:"The Tender for a contractor to undertake works relating to the new Urban Greenway will be advertised within the next two weeks but the contract will exclude the area from Cox's Bridge to the Scouts Den. The Council will look at this area again in the future but whatever works are carried out the trees will not be removed,'' he maintained.

The residents and their supporters can be proud of achieving this outcome,'' outlined Cllr O' Brien.

Outlining the background to the matter, Cllr O'Brien said: "This project was approved by the last Council and it was decided that the proposed Pedestrian Bridge near Lock 28 would not be constructed. This would have given the option to use the existing Cycle Track near Sragh Road and cyclists could have crossed over this bridge if they wished to continue their journey further. No Environmental Impact Analysis was carried out as the Council decided that it was not required. Clearly there was no plan at that stage to remove the trees at Pearse Park" continued Cllr O' Brien.

"A contractor will be appointed to design a pedestrian crossing and traffic control measures at Cox's Bridge.This work will not form part of the tender which will be issued in the coming weeks but it will be undertaken later on. It is essential that public consultation takes place on the design of this junction as it affects residents in Pearse Park, O' Molloy St., Marian Place, Kilbride St., Sragh Road, Clara Road, Clontarf Road and the many motorists and pedestrians who use this bridge on a daily basis.

I have previously sought a Pedestrian Crossing in Kilbride St. and I will continue to pursue this on behalf of the residents. It is vital that the Council continue to liaise with the residents and allay any fears that they have about future developments in the area" concluded Cllr O' Brien
Two men from the Midlands had to be escorted off a plane by UK Police over the weekend after an alleged drink fuelled incident at Leeds Airport.

The incident, which is now the subject of a Police investigation, took place last Friday on board a Ryanair flight from Dublin Airport.

It is understood the pair from Longford became embroiled in the alleged incident ahead of a stag weekend in the north east of England.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police were forced to come on board and escort the duo off the plane.

The Leader made contact with a spokesperson from West Yorkshire Police on Monday who confirmed that the two men had since been charged.

Both men, who are aged 37 and 29 respectively and from Longford town, are due to appear before a sitting of Leeds Magistrates Court on July 24.

The Leader made contact with Ryanair on Monday evening in an attempt to determine what, if any delays or interruptions, were caused as a result of the incident.

A spokesperson said the pair became unruly after the flight had to initially be redirected to Leeds owing to a short-term runway closure at Newcastle Airport.

"This flight from Dublin to Newcastle was diverted to Leeds due to a temporary runway closure at Newcastle Airport," said the spokesperson.

"Two passengers became disruptive inflight, and crew called ahead for police assistance upon arrival to Leeds airport.

"The flight landed normally and was met by local police who removed these two passengers. This is now a matter for local police.

"The aircraft departed a short time later when the runway in Newcastle Airport was reopened."
WATT Footprint, co-founded by Coolderry, Offaly local Paul Mahon and Paul O'Reilly, has received the "One to Watch" National Enterprise Award for its outstanding contributions to the energy sector and commitment to sustainability.

Mahon expressed his delight, stating, "We are delighted to pick up the award, it is great recognition of how fast this business has scaled since myself and Paul established it back in late 2020. It shows a real demand for our services and the fantastic team we have here is ready to meet that demand at an affordable price point for business."

Watt Footprint offers a range of services tailored to the unique needs of businesses across sectors. Their expertise lies in conducting thorough energy audits, identifying inefficiencies, and developing customised strategies for improvement. These measures lead to significant cost reductions and sustainability progress.

The company specialises in assisting clients in securing grants for energy efficiency projects. Their grant acquisition specialists work closely with businesses to navigate funding opportunities, enabling investments in energy-saving technologies without compromising budgets. Watt Footprint excels in project delivery, overseeing all aspects from planning to implementation. Leveraging their expertise and industry connections, they ensure efficient execution and tangible results for clients. Accuracy and accountability are exemplified through their measurement and verification services. Utilising advanced monitoring systems and data analytics, Watt Footprint accurately tracks energy savings and validates the effectiveness of energy management strategies.

Expanding internationally, Watt Footprints focus is on the UK, Northern Ireland, and the UAE, aiming to extend their expertise and sustainable solutions globally. This expansion reflects the companys commitment to meeting the global demand for energy management services and establishing themselves as industry leaders.
IF youre a Kennedy, or have Kennedy ancestry , then the weekend of July 8th and 9th is a date for your diary. On that weekend Kennedys from across Ireland will be joined by distant cousins from Australia to the United States and countries in between to retrace the steps of their ancestors in North Tipperary.

Local guides and historians will lead them on a tour of the historic village of Lorrha with its many links to the Kennedys of Lower Ormond, then onwards to the well preserved Kennedy tower house of Lackeen Castle.

Sundays activities will be based in Kennedys Shop and Bar in Rearcross and will include an overview of a comprehensive DNA project being undertaken by Prof. Mark Kennedy, while historian Brian Kennedy will launch his latest book Our Irish Kennedy DNA root, Hidden in Plain Sight.

Add in lots of music, chat and tracing and an informative and entertaining weekend is guaranteed for all.

For more details look up The Irish Kennedys on Facebook or their website www.Irishkennedyheritagegroup.ie or contact Tom at (087) 6545646.
A local school has bid farewell to a popular staff member

Margueritte Walsh, who has retired from teaching, proved to be a popular and much loved teacher during her profession, much of which was spent in Rathcabbin.

A well attended retirement Mass was celebrated by Fr Michael Cooney on Thursday last in Our Lady Queen of Ireland Church, Rathcabbin in honour of Marguerites departure from the school. Fr Michael, in congratulating Marguerite and wishing her good health to enjoy the years ahead, also said he had sympathy with her as he said it was also an emotional day as you complete this part of your life. He said she was a faithful friend to many people and to all the beloved children that she dedicated your life to.

He mentioned all the special talents that she used to the full to get the message across to give her pupils an understanding of life and said he hoped that she would do all the things that she wasnt able to do when working, now that she would have time.

In paying tribute to Marguerite, school principal Mr Conor DArcy said that she was a fantastic teacher, colleague and friend to him since he came into the school twelve years ago. He complimented her for looking so well today and said she was a fantastic advertisement for teaching and wished her all the best on her next venture and mentioned how they would all miss her in the school come next September.

Born and raised in Coolross, just two miles down the road from Rathcabbin School, Marguerite recalled walking to school, something she said infant children wouldnt do now'.

After finishing secondary school in Birr, she went to Carysfort to teaching college. She recalled all who taught her through the years in Rathcabbin and spoke with affection of all.

She started teaching in January 1983 back in Rathcabbin and stayed there until 1987. Taking a three year career break to travel Australia and New Zealand, Marguerite said it was difficult to come back to a small village again after that three years.

When numbers dropped, Rathcabbin school became a two teacher school briefly she said and so I found myself doing shared learning support in Lorrha for a year.

A vacancy came up in Rathcabbin the following year and Marguerite was successful in interviewing for the position, where she has remained until her retirement last week.

In thanking everyone for coming out to the event, she humorously reminisced about her teaching years, change and continuity, incidents and happenings and finished by saying I have mixed feelings about saying goodbye, it has been such a huge part of my life. Energy levels may not be the same but childrens energy levels never change. Its time too to give a bit of time to myself though and to do the things I want to do, she said.
12-Year-Old Tribal Girl Sold For Rs 40,000 In Bhopal; 5 Arrested

India

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

The officials of Women and Child Welfare department in Madhya Pradesh have rescued a 12-year-old tribal girl from being married off to a 27-year-old man after she was sold by her parents for Rs 40,000, in Bhopal on Wednesday. Five people have been arrested for abetting child marriage and human trafficking, police said.

The officials prevented the marriage being solemnised in a village under Gunaga police station limits near capital Bhopal. According to the police, the girl's parents had received an advance of Rs 20,000, with the remaining amount to be handed over to them after the wedding, reported news agency ANI.

"We received information from the Women and Child Development Department about a child marriage in Gunaga police station area, following which we reached the spot and saw that the 'haldi' ceremony was taking place. On inquiry, it was found the girl was only 12 years old and the person whom she was getting married to was 27 years old," the ANI report quoted Superintendent of Police (Bhopal Rural) Kiranlata Kerketta as saying.

NSA Slapped Against 3 Accused Who Brutally Thrashed Youth In Bhopal

The minor girl told the police that dimissing her protests against the alliance, her parents had fixed her marriage for Rs 40,000, SP Kerketta said, adding that a case was registered against five persons so far, including the hapless girl's parents, the bridegroom and his parents under the provisions of laws related to human trafficking, Juvenile Justice Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the SC/ST Act.

All these accused were arrested on the basis of the statement of the girl, said the police official. Further investigation into the matter is underway, SP Kerketta said, adding that cases would also be lodged against those who worked as brokers or would be found involved in the case.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 15:39 [IST]
16-Year-Old Gangraped By 3 In Delhi's Shahbad Dairy Area, 3 Arrested

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

A 16-year-old girl was gang raped in Shahbad Dairy area of Delhi on June 27. Three people have been arrested by police.

The incident took place on the night of June 27. According to Delhi police, the victim was in the park with her friend when three boys reached there, dragged her into a secluded area, and raped her. The victim's friend raised an alarm, but the accused fled the scene.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for her injuries. On receiving the complaint, the police registered an FIR and arrested the three accused. Further investigation is underway.

This is the third such incident in the area in the last two months.

Three, including a woman, arrested in minor girl's gangrape case in Tripura

Earlier on May 28, a 16-year-old girl was brutally stabbed more than 20 times by her jilted lover right outside her home. The murder was captured on CCTV.

The Delhi Police has launched a crackdown on crimes against women and children. In the last two months, the police have arrested over 1,000 people for crimes against women and children. However, the number of such incidents continues to be high.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 11:35 [IST]
After UP, MP To Make Savarkar's Biography Compulsory In Schools

India

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Amid Opposition cry over "saffronisation of education", the Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to include Veer Savarkar's biography as a compulsory subject for students of the State Board along with Bhagavad Gita Sandesh, the State's Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said today.

Speaking to ANI, Parmar said that the Madhya Pradesh government also has decided to include the biographies of Lord Parshuram, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and others heroes as a subject.

"Unfortunately, Congress did not teach about the true revolutionaries of India. We will include biographies of true heroes and the new syllabus will include Veer Savarkar, Bhagavad Gita Sandesh, Lord Parshuram, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and others," the minister said.

The move comes before the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections that would be held around November 2023. The details of the process for the implementation are yet to be made public.

However, Congress has hit out at the BJP-led government in the State over its decision to include Savarakar in the State Board syllabus. "It is unfortunate that they want to include Savarkar. He apologized to the British and including him in the syllabus is an insult to freedom fighters," alleged Congress MLA Arif Masood, while talking to ANI.

Veer Savarkar appears on Congress poster in Kerala again

Prior to this, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to include Veer Savarkar's biography as a compulsory subject for students of the State Board. According to an official statement from the UP Chief Minister's office, the Board has expanded its curriculum to include the life stories of 50 more great men.

Notably, the UP Board syllabus has undergone a significant revision. "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has included the life story in the curriculum to introduce the children of the State to the country's great men, revolutionaries, freedom fighters, social reformers, historians and great personalities who sacrificed their lives for the country's Independence," the statement said.

The revised syllabus will be included in the curriculum starting in July in schools. This subject has been made compulsory for all schools and it is mandatory for the students to pass in this subject.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 16:56 [IST]
Amit Shah to Address Rally in Bihars Lakhisarai Today

India

oi-PTI

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will address a mega rally on Thursday at Lakhisarai in Munger Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar. Shah will visit the state for the first time after the June 23 opposition meeting hosted by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna.

The union home minister is scheduled to arrive at the airport here in the afternoon and will be received by senior BJP leaders, including the party's state president Samrat Choudhary, and union ministers from Bihar.

"From the airport, the home minister will take a helicopter for Lakhisarai. He will offer prayers at Ashok Dham, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, before addressing a public meeting there,'' Choudhary told PTI on Wednesday. Shah last visited the state nearly three months ago. ''All people of the state, particularly those in Munger Lok Sabha constituency under which Lakhisarai falls, are welcome to attend Shah's public meeting where he will expound on the progress made by the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership,'' Choudhary said.

Amit Shah Chairs All-Party Meeting To Discuss Manipur Situation

The Munger Lok Sabha constituency is currently held by Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias 'Lalan', the national president of Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which dumped the BJP last year. Security has been beefed up in the Munger Lok Sabha constituency in view of the union home minister's visit, and drones are being used for aerial surveillance as well, police said.

Shah will leave for New Delhi on Thursday evening.
When Will Modi Govt Stop Acting Like All Is Well: Cong On Manipur Video

Congress Seeks to Mollify Singh Deo With Deputy CM Post, Gets Poll-Ready in Chhattisgarh

India

oi-PTI

The Congress's move to appoint Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo, locked in a turf war with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for months, as deputy CM appears to be an attempt to stem infighting in the state unit and prepare it for the year-end Assembly polls.

Baghel, who faces a formidable challenge from the Opposition BJP in the crucial Assembly elections, hailed Singh Deo's appointment on Wednesday, seeking to put up a united face.

What works in Singh Deo's favour is that he is a prominent leader and has a considerable following in the northern part of the state (Surguja). The sitting MLA from Ambikapur also enjoys the confidence of party high command in New Delhi.

A party statement released in the national capital on Wednesday night said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for the appointment of Singh Deo (70) as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh.

T S Singh Deo Appointed Chhattisgarh CM Baghel's Deputy

The decision came after top Congress leaders from Chhattisgarh discussed the party's strategy and poll preparedness in the state during the meeting held in New Delhi earlier in the day.

Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Chhattisgarh CM Baghel, party in-charge for the state Kumari Selja and general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal were among the leaders who attended the meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

After the appointment of Singh Deo, who hails from a royal family, Baghel wrote on Twitter, "Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Sahab for getting responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister.'' Former CM and senior BJP leader Raman Singh took a dig and tweeted a rhyme, "Dubne lagi kashti to kaptan ne yu kuchh kiya, saup di hai patwar aadhi dusre ke hath me (when the boat started sinking, the captain did something like this, half of the helm has been handed over to someone else). Congratulations to Maharaj ji for the remaining 4 months.'' According to political experts, the decision reflects Congress high command's attempt to keep its house in order ahead of the Assembly elections, where it will seek to retain power.

"The decision seems to be the party's move to resolve differences within the ruling Congress in the state. However, it should have been taken much ahead of the Assembly polls. Such a decision at this point of time could boomerang on the party," senior journalist and political analyst R Krishna Das told PTI.

The alleged differences between Baghel and his cabinet colleague Singh Deo spilled out in open in mid-2021 when speculation was rife that the latter will take over as CM for the remaining term as per a purported power-sharing pact agreed after the 2018 Assembly election results.

The CM post sharing formula had been a buzz in Chhattisgarh's political circles after the Congress came to power in December 2018 following a gap of 15 years. Baghel and his two senior cabinet colleagues -- Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu -- were then leading contenders for the top post.

The power tussle between Singh Deo and Baghel took a new turn last year when the former gave up the panchayat and rural development department, hinting he was sidelined in the government though he continued to hold four other portfolios.

A scion of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, Singh Deo is currently holding Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax (GST) portfolios.

A three-time MLA, Singh Deo was elevated to the position of the Congress Legislature Party leader after the party lost the 2013 Assembly polls. Since then, Singh Deo made efforts to bring the party to power in 2018 in the state, considered as one of the bastions of the BJP.

He was born on October 31, 1952, in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad). His father late MS Singh Deo, an IAS officer, retired as chief secretary of the united Madhya Pradesh. His mother Devendra Kumari had been a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government.

Shocking Video of Child Abuse at Chhattisgarh Adoption Centre Goes Viral, NGO Suspended

TS Singh Deo studied at Scindia School, Gwalior, and later graduated in history from the prestigious Hindu College, New Delhi. Thereafter, he did his post-graduation from Hamidia College, Bhopal.

His political career started with the Municipal Council of Ambikapur of which he has twice been the chairman during 1983-88 and 1995-99.

Singh Deo was elected as an MLA for the first time in 2008 from the Surguja constituency, which was earlier reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates and became a general seat (and came to be known as Ambikapur) after the delimitation in 2008. He retained the seat in 2013.

The Congress leader was given crucial charge of drafting the party's manifesto for the 2018 Assembly polls. He travelled across the state and consulted every section of society before preparing the pre-poll document.

The promises made by the Congress in its manifesto, particularly for farmers, were credited for the party's resounding victory in 2018.

Among people and political opponents, Singh Deo is seen as a soft-spoken, grounded and humble person.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 10:12 [IST]
For Running Over Buffalo 29 Years Ago, 83-Year-Old Man Gets Arrest Warrant

India

oi-Prakash KL

The Indian legal system is often criticised for judicial delays and here is a classic example that shows how the legal proceedings work in the country.

An 83-year-old man received a summons from the court for an incident that occurred 29 years ago when he worked as a driver at UP State Road Transport Corporation. A man named Acchan from Dayanand Telephone Exchange in Barabanki allegedly ran over the bus a buffalo, close to three decades ago.

The incident occurred in 1994 when he was on his way to Bareilly from Lucknow. A case was filed under IPC 279 - rash driving. However, he got retired, later.

On Tuesday, the cops knocked his doors to issue the court summons to the bed-ridden man. Upon seeing them, he cried and informed the cops that he was paralysed. "The policemen went away saying that they would be present in the court and said that if he does not go to the court, he will have to be arrested forcibly," The Times of India quoted his son Intezaar as saying.

Watch: How A Lone Buffalo Survives An Attack From Lion Pride

What Happened On That Night?

Recounting the accident, the elderly man said, "I had gone to Bareilly to pick up cargo. From there, I went to Faridpur. I was driving at night when a buffalo cart took a sudden turn. The brakes did not work and there was a crash. The buffalo died. I rushed to the Faridpur police station and informed police."

He had received summons twice before and got bail on both occasions. He will now appear before the court on July 17.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 17:08 [IST]
Former Coast Guard Commander Nguyen Van Son stands before the Hanoi Military Court on June 29, 2023. Photo by VNA

Former chief of the Vietnam Coast Guard, Commander Nguyen Van Son, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for embezzling VND50 billion (US$2.1 million).

Besides Son, Hoang Van Dong was sentenced to 15 years and six months in jail, the Hanoi Military Court announced following a three-day trial.

Doan Bao Quyet, Pham Kim Hau and Bui Trung Dung each got 15 years.

Bui Van Hoe got 12 years and Nguyen Van Hung got 10 years.

All sentences were for the crime of embezzlement.

Those sentenced were also banned from taking management and leadership positions for 3-5 years after completing their sentences.

In 2019, the Ministry of National Defense allocated VND450 billion to the Coast Guard for its annual budget.

A third of it was allotted directly to the Department of Technology to buy equipment and materials for the Coast Guard.

Son told Hung, head of the Department of Technology at the time, to hand over VND50 billion from the VND150 billion to the Coast Guard Command, and come up with a way to conceal the siphoning of funds.

Son then instructed Hoe, then the Coast Guards deputy of the finance, to scrap the maintenance and repair budget for four Coast Guard areas and hand over VND29 billion to the technology department, raising the department's budget to VND179 billion.

These extra funds would help hide the fact that the VND50 billion was about to go missing.

In April 2019, Son and four subordinates  Dong, Quyet, Hau and Dung  embezzling the VND50 billion and splitting it among them. Everyone agreed.

On Sons orders, Hung asked six subordinates at his department to retain a total of VND50 billion that would be passed to Son at Coast Guard Command. Hung told his people that it was Son's order and that it "must be done."

Hung allegedly instructed the six subordinate divisions to each give up between VND50 million and VND25 billion from their own funds to achieve the sum ordered by Son.

To implement Hung's plan, the heads of six divisions under the technology department divided their budget into 29 bidding packages for equipment purchases.

They asked contractors to hike the prices of equipment. In order to win the bids, participating companies had to agree to the Coast Guards suggestions and work with the division heads to increase material and equipment prices or provide kickbacks.

From December 2019 to January 2020, the contractors transferred the money to the six division heads in cash. Hung then recollected the money to give to Son, who split the money between himself, Dong, Hau, Quyet and Dung.

In June 2020, Hau exposed the crime by sending a document to authorities along with two audio recordings detailing his and his colleagues' involvement in the embezzlement.

In September 2021, the five embezzlers willingly handed over VND10 billion each from the money they'd funneled out of the Coast Guard.
Has Censor Board Refused To Certify '72 Hoorain'? CBFC Responds

India

oi-Prakash KL

A day after producer Ashoke Pandit accused the censor board of refusing to give a certificate to the trailer of his National Award-winning film 'Bahattar Hoorain' ('72 Hoorain'), the CBFC has issued a statement denying the allegations.

"Misleading reports are being circulated in certain sections of media that a film and its trailer titled "Bahattar Hoorain (72 Hoorain)" has been Refused certification by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)," it said in a statement.

It has further clarified that "contrary to the reports, the film 'Bahattar Hoorain (72 Hoorain)' was granted 'A' certification and the certificate was issued on 4-10-2019. "Now, the trailer of the said film is under due process which was applied to CBFC on 19-6-2023 and examined in accordance with the Guidelines issued under Section 5B(2) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952," the censor board added.

The CBFC has also said that "the applicant was asked for requisite documentary submissions under intimation and upon receipt of the same, certification was granted subject to modifications. A show cause notice communicating the modifications was issued to the applicant/filmmaker on 27-6-2023 and the same is pending for the applicant's response/compliance."

'72 Hoorain' stars Pavan Malhotra and Aamir Bashir in the lead. Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan-directorial flick focuses on the consequences of violent extremism.

In a video message, Pandit had appealed to Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Prasoon Joshi, to pull up the people in the censor body who are trying 'to snatch away our creative independence and freedom of expression'.

In the 1.30-minute video, he said, "We, the makers, of the film '72 Hoorain' are quite shocked and surprised because the censor board today refused to give us a certificate for our trailer. It's quite funny and sad that a film which has won a National Award, a film which has won an award at IFFI (International Film Festival of India), the visuals are the same as what were then in the film, what is there in the trailer. So on one side, you have given a National Award to the film, and on the other side, you are refusing a certificate to the trailer of the film,"

'72 Hoorain' had its premiere at the Indian Panorama section at the 2019 International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, where it received the ICFT-UNESCO GANDHI MEDAL Special Mention. In 2021, Chauhan won the National Film Award for best direction for the film.

However, prominent religious and political leaders in Kashmir had come down heavily over the portrayal of Muslims in '72 Hoorain', saying the movie 'hurts the sentiments' of the community.

Pandit claimed that there was "something wrong with the CBFC" and urged Joshi and Thakur to look into the matter. "Therefore, we appeal to Prasoon Joshi sahab, the chairman of CBFC, to pull up the people and ask for this funny decision that they have taken. We also appeal to our I&B Minister Anurag Thakur sahab that please look into this and see to it that who are these people, these black sheep in CBFC who are trying to snatch away our creative independence and freedom of expression," he said in the video.

A National Award-winning film cannot be refused a censor certificate for its trailer, he added.
How Humans' Ancestors Survived Asteroid Impact That Killed Dinosaurs

India

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Dinosaurs went extinct about 66 million years ago and the most popular theory about their mass exit is that the destruction triggered by a hail of asteroids hitting the Earth wiped them all out. However, a study has shown that the mammals, including human's ancestors, managed to survive that catastrophic destruction.

According to an in-depth research of the fossil record, a Cretaceous origin for placental mammals, which include humans, dogs and bats, indicating they co-existed with dinosaurs for a short period before the dinosaurs disappeared, a phenomenon termed as Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction. Molecular data has long suggested an older age for placental mammals.

Debate has long raged among researchers over whether placental mammals were present alongside the dinosaurs before the mass extinction, or whether they only evolved after the dinosaurs were done away with. Fossils of placental mammals are only found in rocks younger than 66 million years old, which is when the asteroid hit Earth, suggesting that the group evolved after the mass extinction.

In a new paper published in the journal 'Current Biology', a team of palaeobiologists from the University of Bristol and the University of Fribourg, used statistical analysis of the fossil record to determine that placental mammals originated before the mass extinction, meaning they co-existed with dinosaurs for a short time.

However, it was only after the asteroid impact that modern lineages of placental mammals began to evolve, suggesting that they were better able to diversify once the dinosaurs were gone. The researchers collected extensive fossil data from placental mammal groups extending all the way back to the mass extinction 66 million years ago.

UAE To Send Spaceship To Asteroid Belt To Find Origin Of Life

Lead author Emily Carlisle of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences said: "We pulled together thousands of fossils of placental mammals and were able to see the patterns of origination and extinction of the different groups. Based on this, we could estimate when placental mammals evolved."

Co-author Daniele Silvestro of University of Fribourg explained: "The model we used estimates origination ages based on when lineages first appear in the fossil record and the pattern of species diversity through time for the lineage. It can also estimate extinction ages based on last appearances when the group is extinct."

The other co-author Professor Phil Donoghue, also from Bristol, added: "By examining both origins and extinctions, we can more clearly see the impact of events such as the K-Pg mass extinction or the paleocene-eocene thermal maximum (PETM)."

Primates, the group that includes the human lineage, as well as Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) and Carnivora (dogs and cats) were shown to have evolved just before the K-Pg mass extinction, which means their ancestors were mingling with dinosaurs. After they survived the asteroid impact, placental mammals rapidly diversified, perhaps spurred on by the loss of competition from the dinosaurs.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 13:42 [IST]
What Happened With Daughters Can Never Be Forgiven: PM Modi On Manipur Parade Incident

If Govt Does Not Act, We Will: Supreme Court Warns After 2 Manipur Women Paraded Naked By Mob

Manipur: Unidentified Rioters Open Fire At Haraothel Village in Kangpokpi, Casualties Reported

India

oi-Prakash KL

Armed rioters opened fire in Haraothel village in Manipur on Thursday morning, the Indian Army said in a statement.

The swift action by the Army resulted in cessation of firing, said the Indian Army, adding that some casualties were also reported.

"Unprovoked firing by Armed Rioters towards village Haraothel in Manipur commenced at 5.30 AM. Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of the situation. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters. Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in the cessation of firing. Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties. A build-up of large crowds in the area also reported", the statement of the Army said.

Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

So far, nearly 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 are injured.

On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in Manipur to meet people displaced by the ethnic strife at relief camps on Thursday. Around 50,000 people are now staying in over 300 relief camps across the state since ethnic strife started in May this year.

However, his convoy which was on its way to Manipur's Churachandpur was stopped by local police at a check post near Bishnupur, which is about 20 kilometres from the State capital Imphal.

"Rahul Gandhi's visit to Moirang cancelled. The administration did not permit him to come to Moirang - neither by road nor by air. He could meet the violence-affected people only in Churachandpur. He is returning to Imphal and will stay the night there. There is no clarity on if he will be able to continue with his visits scheduled for tomorrow," Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra said.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 18:40 [IST]
Next Opposition Meet In Bengaluru On July 13-14: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

India

oi-Prakash KL

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday announced that the next Opposition meeting will be held in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14.

The first meeting was held in Patna in Bihar recently to chalk out a common strategy to unitedly take on the ruling BJP in next year's general election. The leaders had said that the next meeting would be held in Shimla, but Pawar has now announced that it will be held in Bengaluru.

The meeting was convened by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) Chief Nitish Kumar and over 32 leaders of more than a dozen political parties attended the meeting.

After the meeting, Kumar expressed satisfaction with the fruitful discussions and confirmed that the parties had unanimously agreed to contest the elections as a united front. Stressing that they were acting in the national interest, Kumar accused the BJP of working against it by attempting to alter the country's history.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized the importance of establishing a common agenda and making decisions on the way forward during the gathering.

Rahul Gandhi acknowledged that while differences may exist, the opposition parties had made the commitment to collaborate with flexibility and protect their shared ideology.

Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, highlighted the symbolic significance of initiating the meeting in Patna, stating that movements originating there tend to gain momentum. Banerjee reiterated the unity of purpose among the parties and pledged a united fight against the BJP.

She also said their love for the country and their dedication to safeguarding its history, asserting that they were not just opposition parties but also patriotic citizens of India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC), her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab's Bhagwant Mann (AAP), Tamil Nadu's M K Stalin (DMK), Jharkhand's Hemant Soren (JMM), Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Maharashtra's former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), and NCP president Sharad Pawar are among the leaders attending the first high-level Opposition meeting.

While Mayawati (BSP), Naveen Patnaik (BJD), K Chandrashekar Rao (BRS) and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP) were not invited, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary did not attend the meeting due to a "predetermined family programme".
Nitish Is Befooling Lalu: Shah Attacks Bihar CM

India

oi-Prakash KL

Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for questioning the work done by the Centre during the past nine years while calling him "Paltu babu" (one who changes decisions).

Shah, who is in Bihar's capital Patna on Thursday for a one-day visit to the Lakhisarai district, asked the Bihar CM to have some regard for those with whom he has shared power.

"Paltu babu Nitish Kumar was asking what had been done (by the centre in nine years. At least have some regard for those with whom you shared power and because of whom you became the Chief Minister. A lot of work was done by PM Modi across the country in these nine years," ANI quoted Shah as saying at a rally.

He then said that Kumar of sitting in front of the Congress' house to make him Prime Minister. Shah said, "Can a leader who changes house again & again be trusted? Should the reins of Bihar be given in the hands of such a man? He too knows it. That is why, he is sitting in front of Congress' house to be the PM of the country. He doesn't want to be the PM, he is just befooling Lalu Yadav at this age. He wants to stay here in Bihar & has gathered all rivals of BJP...These 20 parties are the ones who indulged in corruption & scams of Rs 20 lakh crores from 2004-2014..."

Talking about PM Narendra Modi's stature in global politics, the Union Home Minister said, "These nine years have been years of India's glory. Wherever PM Modi goes, be it the US or England or France or Egypt - you hear chants of 'Modi, Modi'. He went to the US recently, some Heads of State sought appointment with him, some others - his autograph, while some others touched his feet for blessings. This respect for PM Modi across the world is not only his or BJP's but that of crores of Indians..."

Attacking the previous UPA government over its response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Shah said, "Earlier, when Pak-inspired terrorists used to attack, Sonia-Manmohan's government did not retaliate and remained silent as 'Mouni Baba' while sitting in Delhi. But when there were attacks in Pulwama and Uri during PM Modi's tenure, Modi ji retailed within 10 days by doing surgical strike and air strike in Pakistan."

"Congress, JD-U, RJD, and Mamata Banerjee used to say that if Article 370 gets abrogated there will be a blood bath in Kashmir. But I would like to tell Rahul Baba no one dared to throw a stone," the minister added.
'What Was The Need For A New Parliament?' Nitish Kumar Ahead of Its Inauguration

Parliament Standing Committee To Discuss UCC On July 3

India

oi-Prakash KL

A meeting to discuss the views of stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has been called by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.

A committee led by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi informed all the 31 MPs and members of the committee that their views on UCC would be sought and considered at the meeting on July 3, according to a report in ANI.

"Members are reminded that the next meeting of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice will be held at 03.00 PM on Monday, July 3, 2023," read a release on the committee's agenda.

The statement further stated, "To hear the views of representatives of the following organisations on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on June 14, 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject 'Review of Personal Laws'."

At an event in Madhya Pradesh, the PM made a strong appeal for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and for the abolition of triple talaq, in the poll-bound state.

"If there is one law for one member in a house, another law for another, then how will such a house work with such dualities in law? Similarly, how will the country work? We have to remember that in the Constitution as well there is mention of uniform law for all citizens. The Supreme Court has time and again mentioned to implement the Uniform Civil Code, but those hungry for votebank oppose it," the Prime Minister said after flagging off five Vande Bharat trains.

However, the Opposition parties have slammed the Prime Minister, saying he should first talk about poverty, price rise and unemployment in the country.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 23:52 [IST]
Manipur Video: Issue Not That It's a Shame for Nation But Trauma Inflicted on Women, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi's Convoy En Route Manipur's Churachandpur District Stopped by Police

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

After arriving at Imphal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi left for Manipur's Churachandpur where he will meet people displaced by the ethnic strife at relief camps on Thursday. State Congress officials told PTI that Gandhi will also interact with civil society representatives, intellectuals and others in the course of his two-day visit.

"The aim of the trip is to bring a healing touch to those who have been affected by the ethnic strife in Manipur," a senior Congress office bearer in the state said.

KC Venugopal, General Secretary of the Congress, said,''Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us?.''

Manipur | Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us?: Congress General pic.twitter.com/LqYWhyo5AH  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023

Manipur has been in turmoil for nearly two months, and urgently needs a healing touch to move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy, and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate.

Manipur To Invoke 'No Work No Pay' Rule For Employees Not Attending Office

On Friday, Gandhi is scheduled to visit relief camps in Imphal and hold talks with certain civil society organisations, Congress sources said.

More than 50,000 people have been displaced by the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur. The clashes have left over 100 people dead and thousands injured.

The violence erupted on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe ST status.

The Meitei community, which makes up about 53% of Manipur's population, lives mostly in the Imphal Valley. The tribal communities, including the Nagas and Kukis, make up another 40% of the population and reside in the hill districts.

The clashes have been fueled by a number of factors, including land disputes, political marginalization, and religious differences.

Help Us Help Manipur: Army Appeals For Support As Women Deliberately Block Routes [See Pics]

Gandhi's visit is seen as an attempt to help bring peace to the state. He is expected to meet with government officials, community leaders, and displaced people. He is also expected to call for an end to the violence and for the two communities to come together.

The violence in Manipur is a reminder of the deep-seated divisions that exist in the northeastern state. It is also a reminder of the importance of peace and tolerance. Gandhi's visit is a welcome step in the effort to bring peace to the state.
After Outrage, Tamil Nadu Guv Withdraws Order To Dismiss Senthil Balaji

India

oi-Prakash KL

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has reportedly withdrawn his decision to dismiss jailed minister Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet.

Following advice from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Tamil Nadu Governor took back his decision to dismiss Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet, India Today reported citing sources.

The Tamil Nadu Governor has now written a letter to Chief Minister M K Stalin saying that the jailed minister can continue as a minister in his cabinet. The Governor will be seeking a legal opinion from the attorney general on the matter, sources informed News18.

Hours ago, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi dismissed jailed DMK leader V Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet with immediate effect, a statement from the Raj Bhavan said.

"Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a Minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice," the statement said.

The Governor noted that Balaji is in judicial custody in a criminal case which is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the state police.

"There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of ministers will adversely impact the due process of law including a fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the state," the statement added.

However, Tamil Nadu Chief Miniter M K Stalin said that they will fight the issue "legally".

"The Governor doesn't have rights, we will face this legally," he said on the dismissal of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji. Governor Ravi's dramatic move is expected to further intensify the ongoing tussle between him and the DMK regime over several issues such as Bills awaiting his assent.

On June 14, Minister Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Later, he was admitted to Omandurar government hospital here after he complained of uneasiness and chest pain during the investigation. Subsequently, Balaji was shifted to Kauvery Hospital, where he underwent bypass surgery.

On Wednesday, a court extended the judicial custody of Senthil Balaji till July 12.

On June 16, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi re-allocated the portfolios held by arrested state Minister V Senthil Balaji, on the recommendations of Chief Minister M K Stalin but had "not agreed" to the minister continuing in the cabinet, the Raj Bhavan said. On Stalin's recommendations, the Electricity, Non-Conventional Energy Development portfolio held by Balaji was allocated to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarsu, the release said.

Further, the subjects Prohibition and Excise, Molasses held by Balaji was allocated to Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy.

Thennarau and Muthusamy are holding the new portfolios in addition to their existing ones.

On the other hand, the Governor's action also sparked outrage among the non-BJP opposition parties which condemned the dismissal.

RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari dubbed the governor's action as unfortunate and a "murder on democracy". While Samajwadi Party spokesman Fakhrul Hasan Chand alleged that the Governor was acting like an "agent of the Centre", CPI leader D Raja deplored the dismissal of the minister without holding consultations with the Chief Minister.
IUML Declines CPI(M) Invite To Seminars In Kerala On UCC, Points To Congress Not Being Invited

Uniform Civil Code: Muslim Groups Weigh Strategic Options

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Muslim leaders and organisations may be refraining from opposing the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) publicly in order to avoid providing electoral advantages to the ruling BJP in upcoming state and national elections, according to reports.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) decided in a meeting on Tuesday to submit a draft document to the Law Commission on the UCC, rather than publicly opposing it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong push for the UCC, which would replace religious-based personal laws with a single set of laws governing all citizens of India. He has argued that the UCC is necessary to ensure equality for all citizens and to promote national unity. The Uniform Civil Code, one of the BJP's longstanding electoral promises, entails a common set of laws applicable to all Indian citizens regardless of religion, addressing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption.

However, the UCC has been opposed by some Muslim groups, who argue that it would violate their religious freedom. They also fear that the UCC would be used by the BJP to further marginalize Muslims in India.

The AIMPLB's decision not to publicly oppose the UCC is seen as a strategic move to avoid giving the BJP an electoral advantage. The BJP is already seen as the favorite to win the upcoming state elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur. A strong showing by the BJP in these elections would boost its chances of winning the next general election in 2024.

AIMPLB To Strongly Oppose PM Modis Uniform Civil Code Idea

The AIMPLB's decision has been welcomed by some Muslim groups, who see it as a way to protect their interests. However, other groups have criticized the AIMPLB for not taking a stronger stand against the UCC.

The Law Commission recently initiated a fresh consultation process on the Uniform Civil Code, seeking input from stakeholders, including the public and recognized religious organizations.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have accused the Prime Minister of raising the Uniform Civil Code issue as a diversion from pressing concerns like unemployment, rising prices, and the situation in Manipur.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi raised concerns about the potential erosion of the country's pluralism and diversity in the name of the Uniform Civil Code, while RJD leader Manoj Jha cautioned against using the code as a tool for divisive politics.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 13:19 [IST]
My daughter Shraddha would have been alive, want death penalty for Aftab says father

Will Seek Death Penalty For Accused Sahil: Delhi Top Cop On Shahbad Dairy Murder Case

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

A month after a 16-year-old girl was killed in Shahbad Dairy area in Delhi, the police have filed a chargesheet against the accused, Sahil, for various offences, including sexual harassment and murder.

The incident took place on May 28, when the victim was stabbed multiple times and then bludgeoned to death by Sahil, who was her ex-boyfriend. The murder was caught on CCTV cameras, and Sahil was arrested from Bulandshahr within hours of the crime.

"We have handled the case very professionally with good speed and certainity and filed the charge sheet against the accused within a month. It was a premeditated and planned murder and we have gathered all possible evidence to ensure that the accused get the strictest punishment including the death penalty," Delhi Police Special CP Deepender Pathak told news agency ANI on Thursday.

#WATCH | Delhi Police Special CP Deepender Pathak speaks on the chargesheet filed in court against Sahil, accused of killing a 16-year-old minor girl in Delhi's Shahbad Dairy



"Within a month, we filed the chargesheet. It was a premeditated murder and we've gathered all possible pic.twitter.com/UaRuo5Cr3E  ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2023

According to reports, a 640-page charge sheet was submitted to the Rohini Court. The charges leveled against Sahil include multiple offenses such as sexual harassment and murder, leading to the application of Sections 302, 354A, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Furthermore, Sahil has also been booked under Section 12 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act, and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, as reported by The Hindu.

16-Year-Old Gangraped By 3 In Delhi's Shahbad Dairy Area, 3 Arrested

The victim's father, who has been demanding the death penalty for the accused, said he was satisfied with the police investigation.

The family originally hails from Uttar Pradesh. They live in a tiny one-bedroom house in the area. Apart from the parents, the girl also has a 10-year-old brother. He did not seem to fully understand the loss of his sister at the crematorium.

The girl studied at a government school and had appeared for the Class 10 board exams this year. Her father said, "We don't know how much she scored, but she told us that she had passed." She aspired to become a lawyer, but for the time being, she had promised her parents that she would study to clear Class 12.

The girl's father said that she was a bright and cheerful child who loved to study. She was also very helpful around the house and took care of her younger brother. He said that he was devastated by her death and that he would never be able to forget her.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 11:48 [IST]
Vietnamese designer Phuong Ho will introduce her record-breaking 220 m-long ao dai at a fashion show in Thailand early next month.

The designer will present the ao dai at the Look International Fashion Show at the Thailand Post on July 2. Model Lam Nguyen Minh Vy will catwalk the outfit on the 120 m-wide outdoor runway.

Phuong Ho has said she wanted to bring the ao dai abroad to promote Vietnamese culture. The record ao dai weighs 250 kg and it took two months for Ho to complete.

The longest ao dai in Vietnam is presented on April 22, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Le Trong

On May 25, a representative of VietKings, a book of world records, gave the designer a certificate that recognized her work as the longest handmade ao dai in Vietnam.

The ao dai is made up of 410 m of taffeta fabric with chiffon and brocade materials. The dress includes 50 meters of shiny silk, 380 sequin laces, 100 rolls of wool and ruffles, 300 large stones and millions of crystal beads.

Thirty-one landscape paintings of Vietnam are stitched together on the ao dai.

On the front body of the outfit are details of the Hung Vuong culture and the back body displays images of lotus ponds.

The lotus stretching throughout the hem of the ao dai is made of brocade fabric using 3D embossing techniques

Phuong Ho said that after the event, the work will be cut and sewn into 100 ao dai for auction. All proceeds will be used for charity.

The back of the ao dai features lotus paintings. Photo by VnExpress/Le Trong

The event in Thailand brings together five fashion houses, including three Vietnamese brands. Phuong Ho will introduce her collection named "Check." The series main colors are black and white, inspired by the checkered pattern of the traditional scarf in southern Vietnam, combined with designs of ancient Thai architecture to express the spirit of cultural exchange.

The remaining two collections are from Hirun and Alicio Brand, both designers who introduced their work at fashion weeks in New York, Paris and Milan. Before the show, the models participated in a Bangkok street parade riding in a tuk-tuk - a traditional three-wheeled Thai vehicle.

Phuong Hos real name is Ho Thuy Diem Phuong. At 41, she is one of the famous ao dai designers Ho Chi Minh City. Her designs combine traditional and modern features, using patterning and hand-sewn techniques, and images of palm leaves, lotus and peach blossoms.
Will Take Legal Action: PhonePe Warns Congress Over Objectionable Posters of CM in MP

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

In the midst of a war of posters between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in the poll-bound state of Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party plastered posters across Bhopal accusing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of corruption. The posters featured a QR code with Chouhan's face and the text "50% laao, PhonePe kaam karao (pay 50% commission to get your work done)".

PhonePe, a digital payments company, objected to the use of its logo in the posters.

In a statement on Twitter, the company said,"We strongly object to the unauthorized use of our brand logo by any third party, whether political or non-political. Such misuse is unacceptable to us. We urge the Congress party to immediately remove the PhonePe logo from their posters."

PhonePe also said that any unauthorized use of its logo would invite "legal action" and asked the Congress party to remove the posters with its brand and logo. "Any unauthorized use of our logo will invite legal action. We request the Congress party to respect our intellectual property rights and cease the usage of our brand logo in their promotional materials," it said.

Fast-Moving Monsoon Covers Madhya Pradesh; Orange Alert Issued for Isolated Places

The Congress party has not yet responded to PhonePe's objection.

The use of PhonePe's logo in the posters is a clear attempt by the Congress party to associate the company with Chouhan's alleged corruption. However, PhonePe has made it clear that it does not endorse the posters and that it will take legal action if the company's logo is not removed.

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

Meanwhile, Police have registered a case against unidentified persons in connection with objectionable posters of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan which have surfaced in Gwalior. Following a complaint regarding the objectionable posters of the CM, a case was registered under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections at the Padao police station, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Singh Chandel.

The accused in the FIR (first information report) have not been identified and further investigation was underway, he said.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 10:02 [IST]
Seema Haider Once Been To Jail, Now Out On Bail: UP Cop On Pakistani Woman

Cash Payment, Fake Name: Details Of Sachin, Seema Haider's Stay in Room No. 204 Of Kathmandu Hotel Revealed

Concerns Raised Over Pak, China Persecuting Ethnic Minorities

International

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Human rights activists, intellectuals and diplomats gathered in Geneva on Wednesday to voice concern over the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities by Pakistan and China through systematic torture and discrimination.

They raised concern over the gross human rights violations committed by Pakistan against Baloch, Sindhi and the Pashtuns, and against the Uyghur Muslims by China. The event titled "Symposium on Freedom of Religion, Human Rights and Politics" was organised by Interfaith International, an NGO based in Switzerland.

Dr. Lakhu Luhana, Secretary General of the World Sindhi Congress, said, "Interfaith International has supported the oppressed nations of Pakistan such as Sindhis, Balochs, Pashtuns and Kashmiris. Dr Charles Graves (of Interfaith International) with his commitment and honesty has played a vital role in providing a platform to voiceless people."

The participants also highlighted the systematic persecution of the ethnic and religious minorities in both countries through draconian laws and their armed forces while calling for immediate intervention by the international community, according to the news agency ANI.

Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi, a Pashtun political activist said, "The Pashtun ethnic minority is systematically oppressed by Pakistan. In the last 20 years under the so-called war on terror, Pakistan has committed gross human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions and torture."

Covid-19 Was Engineered By China as Bioweapon, Claims Wuhan Virologist

He added, "How can the religious and ethnic minorities trust the State of Pakistan and its military establishment when even a former Prime Minister cannot file an FIR against the ISI officer who was involved in the attempted murder of that Prime Minister."

The activists also said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that links Uyghur-populated Xinjiang to Gwadar port in Balochistan, has brought death and destruction for the indigenous people.

Dolkun Isa, the President of the World Uyghur Congress, said, "The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor not only impacts Uyghurs' lives, but also so many Balochi people, Sindh people, Gilgit people and the rest of the people. They have destroyed daily life. But, unfortunately, the entire world is silent over the issue."

The oppressed people from Pakistan and China, who have been facing persecution and state atrocities are raising their voices at international platforms, especially at the United Nations.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 17:18 [IST]
No Intention To Grab St. Martin's Island From Bangladesh, Says US

International

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Saint Martin's, the one and only coral island of Bangladesh, has survived not only Cyclone Mocha last month but a probable take-over by the United States. Terming the speculations as "inaccurate", the US has clarified that it has never engaged in any conversations with Bangladesh about taking over the island.

Refuting the allegations made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the US had intentions to grab St. Martin's Island, the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has said that it values its partnership with Bangladesh.

During a media briefing on June 21, PM Hasina had alleged that main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was willing to sell it to the US. She also said her regime might be ousted from power if she did not comply with the US demand to lease out the island.

Accusing the BNP of willing to come to power by committing to sell the island to the US as "it did in 2001 by pledging to sell gas," Hasina stated that she has no intention of retaining power by selling the country's assets to anyone.

Although the Bangladeshi premier did not categorically mention any name who may be seeking to take a lease of St Martin's, two members of parliament (MPs) in Bangladesh spoke openly against US' intention about the island.

During a discussion in parliament on June 14, Bangladesh MP Rashed Khan Menon, who is the president of the Workers Party, had also accused the US of eying St. Martin's Island. He also alleged that the new US visa policy is part of a strategy for "regime change".

'Presumed Human Remains' Inside Titanic Submersible Wreckage, says US Coast Guard

On 19 June, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president and MP Hasanul Haque Inu too expressed his concerns, questioning whether the US is meddling in Bangladesh's affairs for the sake of democracy or for control of Saint Martin's Island. "The US has suddenly become very enthusiastic about Bangladesh. They actually want to make Bangladesh a playground to 'dominate' India," he alleged.

The island, located at the country's southernmost tip, is known for its unique natural beauty and thriving marine, and hence a popular tourist destination. But it holds significance also due to its geographical location and the US might be interested in the island specifically for this reason as it would be useful for QUAD operations.

However, expressing his country's "profound respect" towards the sovereignty of Bangladesh, Miller said that the US strives to bolster the relationship between the two countries by working together to promote democracy, including by supporting "free and fair elections" in Bangladesh.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 15:42 [IST]
Sweden: Muslim Countries Denounce Iraqi Man's Quran Burning

International

dwnews-DW News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led a chorus of criticism from the Muslim world aimed at Sweden on Thursday, a day after an Iraqi man burned pages of a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque.

Erdogan said in televised remarks that he condemnded Wednesday's incident in Stockholm.

"We will eventually teach the arrogant Westerners that insulting Muslims is not freedom of thought," Erdogan said, paying little heed to the protester's own non-Western identity. "We will show our reaction in the strongest possible terms, until a determined victory against terrorist organizations and Islampophobia is achieved."

Erdogan's comments seemed to hint at him looking to use the incident to continue to stifle Sweden's bid to join NATO, submitted in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. More talks between the two sides are scheduled for next week.

Erdogan accuses Sweden of harboring what he calls "terrorists," usually either Kurdish activists or supporters of a former ally turned rival of Erdogan's, Fethullah Gulen. The president has also criticized comparable past demonstrations in Sweden that he deemed to be either anti-Turkey or anti-Islam or both.

Although the protest's impact on Erdogan and his government might be the most pressing concern for Stockholm, given its current political efforts, Turkey's criticism was just one voice among many from the Islamic world on Thursday.

Chorus of criticism, ambassadors summoned

A host of Islamic governments voiced their disapproval of the action, while in Iraq, protesters tried to breach the Swedish Embassy building in Baghdad.

This followed Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr calling for a demonstration outside the embassy seeking the ambassador's removal, charging that Sweden was "hostile to Islam."

Around 8% of Sweden's population identifies as Muslim. The country also hosts many people from Islamic countries who have since renounced their faith, like Wednesday's protester, many of whom do not feel safe in their homelands after doing so.

The United Arab Emirates and Jordan summoned Sweden's ambassador on Thursday, as Morocco had late on Wednesday.

Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League, Egypt, and Kuwait all issued criticial comments.

The government in Baghdad said such actions "inflame the feelings of Muslims around the world and represent a dangerous provocation for them."

Iran called the demo "provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable," while saying it was Sweden's obligation to prevent "the repetition of insulting holy sanctities."

Saudi Arabia noted how the act coincided with the Eid al-Adha religious festival and the end of the Hajj pilgrimage: "These hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.

Swedish PM: Protest was legal but not 'appropriate'

Sweden rarely bans protests, even ones that might be deemed incitement in other countries, and a court approved the demonstration on Wednesday. However, after it, police said they would investigate potential "agitation" that might have been committed amid the protest by an Iraqi refugee who would like the book banned.

Sweden's prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, said at a press conference that the decision on whether the protest should go ahead had not been his to make.

"It is legal but not appropriate," Kristersson said of the protest, saying such individual decisions rested with Swedish law enforcement, not politicians.

Representatives of the mosque outside which the protest took place had said on Wednesday that they were disappointed police permitted the protest. They had suggested police could at least divert the demonstration to a less sensitive location  one step that could have been within their powers.

The protest was watched by a crowd of people, including supporters and counterprotesters; police cordoned the protester off from the crowd, apparently for his own protection.

In January, a similar protest took place in Sweden conducted by the leader of a Danish far-right political party who set light to a copy of the Quran after a long diatribe about Muslim migration into Sweden. This also prompted stern criticism from Turkey and other countries.

NATO has appealed to Turkey, however, to consider that its stance on Sweden joining NATO might be contributing to protests in Sweden which Anakra and Erdogan then find objectionable.

Kristersson said at Thursday's EU leaders' summit that he would hold talks with the other NATO holdout, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungary's government on Thursday confirmed that it would delay a parliamentary vote on ratifying Swedish NATO membership by another week, but said the decision was unrelated to Turkey's renewed displeasure  a claim disputed by the opposition in Budapest.

Source: DW
US in serious talks with India over China loans to Pakistan

To Restructure Domestic Debt, Sri Lanka Shuts Down Banks For 5 Days

International

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Sri Lanka's Central Bank has declared a special bank holiday tomorrow (Friday) to ensure a continuous five-day cool-off period beginning today after the government's announcement on the domestic debt restructuring process as part of the efforts to revive the cash-strapped economy.

Sri Lanka has begun the five-day bank holiday to allow the crisis-hit nation to restructure $42 billion in domestic debt. This comes as it secured $700 million in support from multinational lender World Bank.

Local media also quoted analysts as saying that the holiday was announced to provide a suitable buffer for any potential market reactions to significant financial announcements. Debt restructuring can involve the extension of the period over which a loan is repaid, reports BBC.

The move to restructure domestic debt comes as the country is struggling to come out of its worst economic crisis since it won independence from the British in 1948. There are fears that the government's restructuring plan could lead to volatility in financial markets.

However, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reassured the public that that the restructuring would "not lead to a collapse of the banking system." His Cabinet had approved a restructuring proposal by the country's central bank. The plan will be submitted to parliament for approval over the weekend, his office said.

"The government expects the entire process to conclude while the markets are closed during these five days," Sri Lanka central bank chief Nandalal Weerasinghe said. "Local depositors are assured of the safety of their deposits and interests will not be affected," he added.

IMF approves USD 3 billion in financial assistance for Sri Lanka

Last year, Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt with international lenders for the first time in its post-independence history. However, there have been several important lifelines extended to the country in recent months.

Funding from the World Bank follows a $3-billion bailout package from International Monetary Fund (IMF). The World Bank said in a statement on Thursday that it would provide support in a "phased approach".

The organisation added that it has allocated $500 million to budgetary support, while the remaining $200 million would be used to "provide better-targeted income and livelihood opportunities to the poor and vulnerable."

The IMF's bailout in March, which was nearly a year in the making, was viewed as a massive lifeline for Sri Lanka. However, the bailout came with conditions, such as requiring the country to make "swift progress" on restructuring its debts.

In March, the IMF said Sri Lanka had secured financing assurances from all its major creditors, including China and India, which paved the way for the bailout. The IMF has so far released around $330 million in funds to Sri Lanka, with the rest due in disbursements over four years.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 12:12 [IST]
Why Nepali Gorkhas Are Joining Russian Mercenary Group Wagner

International

oi-Sanjeev Nayak

Reports are trickling in that scores of Nepali Gorkhas are joining Russian mercenary group Wagner these days. Especially Nepali youths, enticed by the prospect of Russian citizenship and better opportunities, have joined the private military company (PMC) based in Russia as contract soldiers, following a recent change in Russian citizenship regulations.

On May 16 this year, Russia simplified the process of getting its citizenship for foreigners after one year of military service during the ongoing war with Ukraine. However, apart from lucre of Russian citizenship, the development is seen as basically a fallout of dwindling job prospects in Nepal and its new policy for recruitment in Indian Army.

While most of the Nepali citizens joining Wagner PMC are youths, there are many retired Nepali Army personnel among them too. The Nepal government has been caught off guard as it doesn't have any bilateral pacts with Russia, and the Nepal Embassy in Moscow has been claiming that the youngsters are going in their "personal" capacity, according to an EurAsian Times report.

Over a dozen Nepali youths are being trained in handling weapons and fighting. This trend started after Russian President Putin signed a decree simplifying the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for foreign nationals who join its ranks in its war with Ukraine. Kremlin calls it a "special military operation" offering citizenship to the family members of these foreigners as well.

It is an offer that is too hard for the unemployment-stricken Nepali youngsters to resist, with the unemployment rate at as high as 11.12 per cent in the Himalayan nation. To make this easier for them, the Wagner group has also waived the requirement of knowing the Russian language; now even English suffices.

Wagner Mercenary Chief Issues Defiant Audio Statement As Uncertainty Swirls After Mutiny

According to the International Labour Organisation, Nepal is a young country, with 63.7 per cent of the total population below the age of 30. The unemployment rate of youth aged 15-29 is 19.2 per cent. Over 4,00,000 young people are estimated to enter the labour force annually.

A major reason behind such a high unemployment rate among the Nepali youth is that not a single Nepalese Gurkha was able to join the Indian Army this year as the communist government in Nepal has decided not to allow the recruitment of the 1,300-odd Gorkhas who join the Indian Army annually.

The Indian Army has been lucrative for the Nepalese youth as the payment has been 2.5 times than that of the Nepalese Army, and the pension provides economic and social security. The job in the Indian Army also provides Nepalese nationals with the option to settle down in India.

The Nepalis are known for their warrior streaks. Gorkha, respected globally as the fiercest soldier, has been recruited in the Indian Army and the British Army since 1815. The British had raised Gorkha regiments and they fought bravely in various military expeditions.

"This is a concerning situation. The Nepal government is not able to do anything about it as they have gone in an individual capacity," the EurAsian Times quoted strategic analyst Major General Binoj Basnyat, who has retired from the Nepal Army, as saying.

"If Nepalese citizens are part of the military forces of a sovereign nation, it has to be part of the government's foreign policy, or there has to be a Memorandum of Understanding or a treaty with the other country. No such instruments are in place in this case," he added, maintaining that the Nepal government needs to address it at the earliest.

Several videos have surfaced on social media sites for the past few weeks, showing Nepali youths joining the Russian Army. In these videos, they can be seen taking training or going to the training location. Some of these videos are shot by the Nepali youths themselves.

In the case of one of the youngsters from Koshi region in Nepal, he was studying in a Russian university and his visa is going to expire soon. He elucidates that he had two options after finishing his studies -- either return to Nepal and be unemployed or get a job in the Russian Army.

Who Averted Bloodbath In Russia, Making Wagner Chief Pull Back His Troops?

"We are being taught how to use modern weapons. Training takes place throughout the day and sometimes even at night. Even during the training period, the salary is about 50,000 Nepalese rupees, along with insurance. If I don't die in one year, I will live here," the youth says without revealing his identity.

Another case of a youth from the Karnali region leaving the Nepalese Army to join the mercenaries in Russia has come to light. His training in his home country's Army also came in handy in securing a place with the Russian forces. "We are in a place with mountains like Nepal. I am here with about 200 foreigners and three Nepali friends," the youth from Karnali was quoted as saying.

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Story first published: Thursday, June 29, 2023, 11:13 [IST]
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has accused England of being too friendly with Australia after a costly opening day of the second Ashes Test, while Kevin Pietersen described the situation as shambolic.
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President Biden said Wednesday that he "traveled more than 17,000 miles with" and spent a lot of time with" Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tenure as vice president.
SriLankan flight to Japan turns back due to technical fault

Posted by Editor on June 29, 2023 - 9:16 am

SriLankan Airlines flight UL 454 which left for Japans Narita International Airport from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night (June 28) has returned to Colombo after taking off for two hours and 25 minutes due to a technical fault.

This A330-300 Airbus is the largest Airbus owned by SriLankan Airlines.

Flight UL 454 which departed from BIA for Narita, Japan last night (June 28) at 8:20 PM due to the failure of the computer system to indicate the wheel system of this aircraft, the pilot decided to return to the BIA.

The aircraft landed at the BIA at 10:45 PM, at that time there were 301 people on board, including passengers and crew members.

Later, the passengers were sent to Japan on another flight, sources said.
A man walks at Karon beach on Phuket Island, Thailand on April 1, 2021. Photo by Reuters

Three Chinese divers accused of touching a starfish and stepping on coral reefs during a diving tour in Thailands Phuket could face two years in jail and a fine of 100,000 baht ($3,000) each.

Two of them confessed to their crime after turning themselves in to the police while another suspect remains at large, The Phuket News reported.

They were part of a 30-member diving tour group to the island of Koh Racha in south Phuket late last week.

Photos of them picking up starfish and stepping on the coral reef were posted on Tuesday on a Facebook page called "Monsoon Garbage Thailand" that tracks environmental transgressions.

The photos quickly went viral on social media, with many people calling on Thai authorities to investigate.

The Facebook page said it received photos and video clips from a "Samaritan."

According to Thai law, anyone who harms or disturbs coral reefs or marine animals can be fined up to 100,000 baht and jailed for up to two years.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive is currently the most discussed political event. Absolutely everyone is watching what the patronage and protection of the Alliance is. And now the entire reputation of American and European military equipment depends on the Ukrainian leadership. But will they cope with such responsibility?

We have to admit the Ukrainian army is losing its potential and penetrating power every day. The sequence of actions of the Ukrainian leadership in the first days of the operation is only puzzling. The General Staff of Ukraine, in a hurry to show the result, "sprayed" tanks into five directions instead of one.

Offensive problems

The offensive was launched by seven brigades. Large forces were not concentrated in a narrow area to strike, although artillery and missile training was unprecedented. Minefields and engineering barriers prevented success. And the enemy's aviation and artillery inflicted such losses in manpower and equipment. The moral and psychological stability of the attacking units has significantly decreased. The Russian defensive lines are positioned so that the first echelon slows down the advance of the AFU, and the second echelon, deployed closer to the main line of defense, could conduct counterattacks against Ukrainian breakthroughs, as well as provide prepared reserve positions for advanced units.

What has been done

The UK Ministry of Defense has promised to train Ukrainians in new combat tactics to minimize losses. European advisers are urging the Ukrainian command to abandon scattered attacks. They called this tactic suicidal.

For Washington, the first results of the Ukrainian "counteroffensive" were "sobering". The White House blames Ukrainians for being behind schedule.

Adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak, in turn, blames the allies for the delay in the supply of weapons, which allowed Russia to prepare a line of defense. And now the counteroffensive is not yielding the expected results.

Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said that the main events of the counteroffensive are still ahead. He noted that the results achieved only precede future events.

The main military reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including most of the brigades that have recently been trained in the West and equipped with upgraded NATO tanks and armored vehicles, have yet to be activated.

The counteroffensive will continue at least until the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12. After all, Ukraine needs to demonstrate that it is worthy of becoming part of the Alliance.

Conclusion

Although Russia should not be able to decide Ukraine's role in NATO, neither should Kiev. Existing NATO members select who joins, and the purpose of the alliance is their safety, not other nations' welfare. Military allies are not the equivalent of Facebook friends, with more always being better. The U.S. should agree to further NATO expansion only if the process makes America more secure. Thus, Washington should consider Moscow's opposition. Adding Ukraine adds not only an existing conflict, but one involving a hostile nuclear power.

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"Either this nation shall kill racism, or racism shall kill this nation." (S. Jonas, August, 2018)



Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper. The English Civil War? .E won it.. That is until posthumously, .e lost it and 'ad 'is 'ed put on a spike over Westminster Palace..

(Image by Wikipedia (commons.wikimedia.org), Author: Author Not Given) Details Source DMCA



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As have many others, I have previously written on the possibility of a Second Civil War in the nation which is currently called the United States of America (see, e.g., "Some Brief Thoughts on the Prospects for Civil War and/or Secession"). I began that column with the following quote:

"Recently, the New York Times columnist Michele Goldberg reviewed several recent discussions of the matter, at least two of book length. To quote (extensively) from her column:

"Barbara F. Walter, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego, has interviewed many people who've lived through civil wars, and she told me they all say they didn't see it coming. 'They're all surprised,' she said. 'Even when, to somebody who studies it, it's obvious years beforehand. . . .' "

"Two books out this month warn that this country is closer to civil war than most Americans understand. In 'How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them,' Walter writes, 'I've seen how civil wars start, and I know the signs that people miss. And I can see those signs emerging here at a surprisingly fast rate.' The Canadian novelist and critic Stephen Marche is more stark in his book, 'The Next Civil War: Dispatches From the American Future.' 'The United States is coming to an end,' Marche writes. 'The question is how.' " [Note: I have not read the book, so I do not know whether Mr. Marche gets into "the practicalities."]

"In Toronto's Globe and Mail, Thomas Homer-Dixon, a scholar who studies violent conflict, recently urged the Canadian government to prepare for an American implosion. 'By 2025, American democracy could collapse, causing extreme domestic political instability, including widespread civil violence,' he wrote. 'By 2030, if not sooner, the country could be governed by a right-wing dictatorship.' . . . "

"[On the other hand], not all serious people [think this way]. The Harvard political scientist Josh Kertzer wrote on Twitter that he knows many civil war scholars, and 'very few of them think the United States is on the precipice of a civil war.' " [Of course, one should note that any contemporary U.S. civil war would be very different from the (first) Civil War in so many ways, geographically, ideologically, militarily, so perhaps a (first) Civil War scholar is not the best person to evaluate the present situation.]

This time around on this subject, let us begin with a consideration of just what "civil war" is.

What is "Civil War?"

First, it should be noted that war of one type or another is common to the human species. Since homo sapiens first evolved and began to organize into socioeconomic groupings that physically controlled spaces where first they could engage in hunting-gathering for the benefit of those particular social groupings, and then engage in organized agriculture, and then move onto into resource-conversion/manufacturing of one kind or another, the human species has been characterized by one major feature that characterizes no other species: continuous-species-self-destructiveness. From individuals fighting over pieces of property to mass fighting over land, resources, and politico-economic control of both, our species is unique. Destructive conflict on a mass basis comes in two forms: between various groupings and within various groupings. It is the latter that, in the time since records of various sorts have been kept, which is characterized as "civil war."

Now inter-group wars have been with our species certainly since humans began keeping records of such conflicts, and presumably since well before those times. Certainly, since the time that written records have been kept of human activity around the world, war of the non-civil sort, that is between groupings of nations, has been, shall we say, ultra-common. That is, one can safely say that since records were being kept of such events, inter-grouping wars have been going on constantly, and they still are.

Second, but civil wars, that is armed conflict between factions within a particular nation-state are rare. Very briefly, what are the characteristics of civil war? They can be over matters of religion. In the Western World, there were the Catholic-Protestant Wars that occurred in the 16th and 17th centuries. They can be over the matter of whether the economic/physical ownership of one type of human being by another type of human being should be allowed to exist, as in the U.S. Civil War. They can be over controlling the apparati of the state and state power. In England, for example, there the Wars of the Roses in the 14th century and the English Civil War in the 17th. During that time period and on into the early 19th century, on occasion such civil wars occurred within various nations on the Continent as well. They can be, in part at least, over the role of organized religion in the appariti of state power, as in the Spanish Civil War. They can be the military expression of class conflict, for the control of state power, as in the Russian and Chinese Civil Wars.

A common factor among these various elements is that disputes over them, whether minor or major are over matters considered to be irreconcilable. Either an economic-ruling class controls state power or it does not. In the era of direct involvement in the matters of the state apparatus and who controls it, either religious institutions/theologies control it and its policies/operations or they do not. Either the state apparatus is subject to some kind of democratic (that is lower-case "d") control by the broad masses of the population or it isn't. Of course, in every modern "democracy" it is the economic ruling class that has the final say on governmental policy and the use of its power. But in true bourgeois (capitalist) democracies there is some significant element of power sharing.

The Irreconcilable Differences that Currently Exist in the United States

Are very well-known. And one or more of them has stood right at the center of every previous civil war that has occurred around the world. There is the conflict over the role of religion and religious belief in the matters of State, just as in the Religious Wars of 16th century England(!) and 20th century Spain. Indeed, either religion and religious belief have control in the making of laws concerning, for example: the outcome of pregnancy, what material should appear in school libraries, and who should have control over the availability of medical and health services for trans-gender youth, themselves and their parents or the State, or they are not.

As for bourgeois democracy (that is democracy and democratic forms within the structure of the capitalist state), should it be spread as widely as possible within the population or should it be narrowed to the greatest extent possible, so that political control of the state apparatus can be lodged most tightly within a particular sector of the ruling class. (Interestingly enough, although the matter of class control of State Power, as in the civil wars of China and Russia, is certainly present in the United States it is certainly well below the surface of current political conflicts.) Should race and racism and the nature of human sexuality play major roles in constructing the nature of government and that state apparatus, including the electoral process, or should it not.

Now, both the Democratic and the Republican Parties are bourgeois political parties. That is while they both appeal to broad swaths of the electorate, which have different interests in terms of legislation and regulation, the two parties represent distinctly different elements of the ruling class: the element that believes it can best control the levers of state power through having as little power-sharing with the broad mass of the electorate as possible and that element that believes that the best way it can maintain control of the apparati of the State is thought some reasonable degree of power sharing.

In my view, the more we look at these differences in political-economic theory and practice, the more they appear to be irreconcilable. And in the past, in our nation and in others, civil wars have occurred where differences over the matters discussed above, were irreconcilable. As in: the English Civil War (of the 17th century), over the role/power of the monarch vs. that of Parliament. In the U.S. Civil War, over whether the institution of private ownership by one set of human beings of another set of human beings should a) be allowed to exist and b) allowed to encompass the whole nation. In the Russian and Chinese Civil Wars, over which class shall have control over the levers of State Power, with the subsequent authority to institute one system of economic relations between owner and worker or another.

In the United Sates today, there are an increasing number of irreconcilable differences between the two major political groupings in the nation. Which is why I am saying in this column that except for the matter of the use of organized armed force ("Jan. 6" of course being the use of armed force by one side, but fortunately very poorly planned and implemented, armed force), the U.S. in now in its Second Civil War. One can only hope that it can be resolved, that is one side will win, as in say the Restoration of (traditional U.S.) Constitutional Democracy, without the use of armed force.

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Post Note I: Can a nation have more than one civil war in the course of its history? Well, yes, just look at England: first it was the "Wars of the Roses" in the 15th century, then the religious conflicts of the 16th century (without ongoing organized armed conflict), and then the "English Civil War" of the 17th century, which did of course encompass armed conflict.

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Post Note II: For further examples of irreconcilable differences, take today's (6-29-23) Supreme Court decision gutting affirmative action; DeSantis would close (that is CLOSE) four Federal govt. depts.: Education, Commerce, Energy, and the IRS; an earlier version of this Court re-wrote the 2nd Amendment to change its singular focus from "well-regulated militias" to, well, anyone; child labor laws are being re-enacted in several mid- and north-western states. Will the Court reinstate "Lochner" (1905) which allowed child labor whether state law had prohibited it or not? And who is to say that they might not revisit Obergefell (on gay rights) and Loving v. Virginia (on inter-marriage), on the doctrine of "states' rights?"

(Article changed on Jun 29, 2023 at 11:04 PM EDT)

(Article changed on Jun 30, 2023 at 9:03 AM EDT)
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Today's author, TomDispatch regular Michael Gould-Wartofsky, has seen what he calls "far-right carnage" in an all too up close and personal fashion. In 2017, he attended the counter-demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, that was a response to the Unite the Right rally "" you know, the one filled with neo-Nazis displaying swastikas, chanting "Jews will not replace us," and demonstrating against the possible removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the renaming of a local park; you know, the double rally about which President Donald Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides"; you know, the counter-rally into which neo-Nazi James Alex Fields, Jr., drove his car, killing protester Heather Heyer, injuring dozens more, and almost hitting Gould-Wartofsky.

Nearly six years later, as we head for July 4th, we find ourselves in a country ever more horrifically over-armed "" Americans bought nearly 60 million guns in the pandemic years 2020-2022 "" in which mass shootings are almost daily events. We also find ourselves in a country that seems ever more extreme at a moment when "patriotism" is being redefined by Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and significant parts of the rest of the former Republican Party in deeply disturbing ways as they veer in a direction that can only be called potentially autocratic. Worse yet, when it comes to the statistics on right-wing versus left-wing violence in this country, the disparities are little short of stunning. Bluntly put, almost every deadly domestic terror attack in recent years has been the work of the far right.

And yet, as Gould-Wartofsky makes painfully clear today, a version of state terror has been focused on the left "" on protesters, environmental and otherwise, who are neither armed nor violent. And that is, in its own fashion, a horror story of the first order. Tom

American Inquisition

Field Notes from the Frontlines of the Government's War on the Left

By Michael Gould-Wartofsky

"There must be some kind of way out of here..."

As night fell over the South River Forest, the music festival was in full swing. Young and old swayed to the sounds of Suede Cassidy. Families gathered around the grill. Little ones frolicked in an inflatable bouncy house bedecked with a banner that read: "Stop Cop City."

While the band played on, a strike force of Georgia state troopers assembled in the shadows. They were there to clear the way for the creation of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, better known as "Cop City," a $90-million training ground for the future of urban warfare. It would destroy more than half of that urban forest. For years, the project had faced mounting local opposition and this festival was, in essence, a coming-out party for the movement to defend a priceless bit of urban green space from the bulldozer's blade.

Now, accompanied by the dull hum of drones and the buzz of helicopters overhead, officers of the "peace" descended from all directions, their fingers on the triggers of their semi-automatics. The orders came down with the force of live rounds: "Get on the ground! Now!"

"I was playing 'All Along the Watchtower,' funnily enough," remembers Suede Cassidy frontman Jeremiah Percival. "Around halfway through our set, they started arresting people" pointing AR-15s" traumatizing kids for nothing. It was very stormtrooper-esque. It's a good reminder to know how fascism is in this country and how it's very much alive."

"It was after dark," recalls Stop Cop City activist Priscilla Grim. "I was walking to see the concert. And I noticed that there was a drone tracking me. And the next thing I knew, men started chasing me, and I fell. They had me turn over on my stomach. And there was the red light of the gunsight to the right of my head. It was" frightening!"

Priscilla and 22 other protesters nabbed that night would go on to be charged with "domestic terrorism" "" conduct allegedly "intended to intimidate the civilian population" or to "alter, change, or coerce the policy of the government of this state" "" under a Georgia statute originally meant to deter would-be killers in the wake of the Charleston A.M.E. massacre. "I was completely shocked when I heard that I was being charged with domestic terrorism," Priscilla told me. "For wearing black! In a forest! It's absurd. It's illegitimate. It's an abuse" And as a survivor of 9/11, I am insulted that the state of Georgia thinks that they can do this."

The Makings of an American Inquisition

Today, no fewer than 42 such cases are being prosecuted by Georgia's attorney general. All 42 defendants stand accused of damaging property, not people. The only injuries that occurred were by police and correctional officers on the bodies of the accused. Some were then held for a month or more before being formally charged with a crime.

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"The LACCD Board exerted oversight that the [LACOE] board as a whole has failed to show."



-- Hans Johnson, EAPD



Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

(Image by Brett Jordan) Details DMCA



It has been more than a month since the Board of Trustees for the North Valley Military Institute (NVMI) decided to jettison its middle school. Since this represents a major change in the operation of the charter school, the decision should have been immediately followed by a request for a Material Revision to the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). Unsurprisingly to anyone who has followed NVMI's tumultuous history, its leaders never made the request. The trustees have never even discussed the possible wording for the document.

This refusal to follow basic rules was front and center as the trustees for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) prepared for a special meeting to consider a proposed lease that would provide NVMI space on the campus of Los Angeles Mission College. These elected officials already knew that the charter school is in the midst of an "extraordinary audit" to determine the legality of the $90,000 it spent on an employee retreat to Las Vegas. The addition of another violation provided further warning that housing NVMI on campus would be a potential source of controversy and the school would possibly not last long enough to fulfill the terms of its lease.

With a rejection of the lease becoming increasingly certain, the LACCD trustees canceled the special meeting. Having already rejected LAUSD's offer of space under PROP 39, this leaves NVMI without a campus. After years of mismanagement, NVMI will be forced to shut its doors.

To make the closure official, NVMI must notify its regulators at LACOE. The next meeting of the school's trustees was set for Saturday, June 24, but had to be postponed when a quorum was unavailable. Instead, the charter school's trustees will meet on Tuesday, June 27.



(Image by North Valley Military Institute) Details DMCA



True to form, the agenda for Tuesday's meeting does not include any discussion about how to close the school in a controlled manner nor is there a planned vote to approve submitting a notice of closure to the county. On the contrary, the trustees will carry on as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Despite the inability to secure a lease on the Mission College campus, the "revised draft budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year" includes $400,000 for "Space Rental/Lease Expense Mission College".

As of publication, the NVMI website gives no indication that the school will not have an actual facility for the next school year. Even worse, it is still accepting applications for new students.



(Image by North Valley Military Institute) Details DMCA



Since its inception, NVMI's business model has been to prey upon families with children who are struggling. By masquerading as a military school, it claimed that it could rescue these at-risk students by providing structure. However, a failure to provide structure with its own operations has doomed the school to failure, leaving its students stranded. Unless those in charge of our educational infrastructure step up immediately, there is a real danger that these students will be lost.

As the agency that renewed the charter of a school known to be failing, LACOE holds the most responsibility. If the NVMI trustees are not going to do their jobs, then the county must immediately issue a Notice of Revocation to ensure a shutdown that is as orderly as possible. The LAUSD should also be reaching out to the charter school's families to offer placement in district schools that can accommodate their needs. New IEPs need to be held to make sure services are in place for the 20.8% of NVMI students who have disabilities.

There is no doubt that NVMI is beyond rescuing, but choices can be made that determine how this closure will occur. Will leaders step up and offer a Captain Sully-like controlled crash so that students will not be needlessly hurt? Otherwise, we're looking at a cataclysmic implosion where the students are going to find their lives spinning into chaos.

Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
The Portland Craft Beer Festival, now arguably the regions dominant summer beer fest with the reduced presence of the Oregon Brewers Festival, returns to The Fields Park in Northwest Portland, pouring beer only from Portland breweries, but with other beverages offered.

The fest, annually scheduled around the Fourth of July weekend, this year includes non-alcoholic options, plus ciders, gluten-free beer options and wine cocktails. It will also offer food options from local trucks and brick and mortars as well as snacks from local vendors.
Police are looking for a person who appears to have started a fire at the Oregon City Wilco Farm Store.

Firefighters arrived on the scene, at 19224 South Molalla Avenue, at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday to find hay and straw bales ablaze near the stores warehouse, Clackamas Fire District said. Aided by the propertys sprinkler system, they quickly doused the flames.

Investigators suspect the fire was arson, according to Clackamas Fire.

A suspect is captured on security-camera footage, according to Clackamas Fire District.

Photos of security-video footage, provided to news media by Clackamas Fire, show a person standing in front of hay and straw bales. The person had gone out of their way to ignite the pile of straw, the fire department said in a statement. The suspect remained on scene to watch the flames grow and then disappeared.

Police ask anyone who might have information about either the fire or the suspect to call 503-905-3505.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Dang Thanh Ngan, Vietnams representative at Miss Supranational 2023, has been facing a backlash for her poor performance during the contest.

Ngan and 68 other contestants attended a party, part of the contest, on Wednesday. The Vietnamese beauty queen wore a sequin see-through dress made by designer Thuong Gia Ky to the event, during which she had to introduce herself in English.

"Im standing here to tell a story about a girl who wants to raise her voice and take strong actions to support healthcare for the elderly and unfortunate," she said during her speech.

She added that she came to the contest aiming to learn about the cultures represented by the fellow contestants before expressing how happy and excited she felt being a part of the "Supra family."

Ngan attends a party, part of the 2023 Miss Supranational contest, on June 28, 2023. Photo from Ngans Facebook

Her speech was said to be wide-ranging. However, she was criticized for her English pronunciation and presentation skills. Netizens said she appeared nervous and unconfident giving her speech in English in front of a crowd.

Facebook user Ping Pongg commented: "Sorry but I have to put it straight, [Ngan] puts in effort but lacks confidence."

Another Facebook user Nguyen Quang Dung said the beauty queens English skills were on par with children of preschool age.

This is not the first time Ngan has been criticized for her poor English. She sparked online debates earlier this month after showing her nervousness and suffering in the Supra Chat interview she had with the contests host Ivan Padrez.

In the second half of the interview, when being asked about her opinions on people who body shame others, Ngan gave her answers in Vietnamese before her interpreter helped her to translate to English.

She said she believed that everyone had their own beauty standards, so if she received such criticisms, she would adapt herself upon their suggestions or ignore them, depending on the situation.

Similarly, when the host went on and asked her about the thing she wished she had known five years ago, she gave another answer in Vietnamese, saying she was more mature compared to herself in the past, who was not confident and didnt even believe in herself.

Ngan, 23, is from Mekong Delta Province of Soc Trang. She was crowned the second runner-up of the 2017 Miss Ocean Vietnam before being appointed as Vietnam's representative at the 2023 Miss Supranational contest.

She was announced as the winner of the Miss Influencer's Challenge, part of the contest, on June 24 and is currently preparing for the final on July 14 in Malopolska, Poland.
The Clark County Sheriffs Office is investigating a second domestic violence murder this week.

On Wednesday, deputies responded to a disturbance on Northwest 61st Avenue in Ridgefield, Washington, after 72-year-old Wayne Leonetti called 911 to allegedly say he had choked his wife and she was not breathing, the office said Wednesday in a press release.

Deputies found 80-year-old Alice Bolen dead inside the home, deputies said. Leonetti was booked in Clark County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder.

On Monday, Clark County deputies responded to a 911 call from two girls who said their stepfather had shot and killed their mother and then himself. Sheriffs officials identified the couple as James Jordan, 45, and Erica Jordan, 46.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. You may call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or find resources at thehotline.org.

Help available If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE or find resources at thehotline.org

 Beth Slovic; bslovic@oregonian.com; 503-221-8551

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe
A Vancouver man who kidnapped and killed his 2-year-old daughter in revenge for a broken marriage acknowledged Wednesday that no apology could absolve him.

There is no punishment that will repair the damage I have done, Gustavo E. Villalobos-Carranza said through an interpreter at his sentencing hearing. I dont deserve forgiveness.
Amid newfound acclaim and steady sales, Ota Tofu, the 112-year-old Southeast Portland tofu shop, plans to expand with a new production facility in North Portland, new owners Jason Ogata and mother Sharon Hirata told The Oregonian/OregonLive in a feature story last week.

The new location, which Ogata and Hirata hope to open by the end of the year, will produce the bulk of Otas hand-crafted tofu. The current home, meanwhile, will be converted into a simple cafe with syrupy tofu puddings; inari (tofu skin) sushi and fried tofu bento boxes; as well as teas, smoothies and soymilk milkshakes. Were even playing around with ice cream, Ogata said Tuesday.

Really our goal is to try to get more people to enjoy our fresh tofu, and I think that people, I guess not so much in Portland, but people elsewhere are unfamiliar with how to cook it, Ogata said. And we want to increase our customer experience. We have people come in from out of town to visit our shop, but all we can sell them is a block of tofu.

Also, my mom is an amazing chef, he said.

As detailed last weeks feature, the future of Americas oldest tofu shop was uncertain as recently as four years ago. Long-time owners Eileen and Koichi Ota were having difficulty keeping up with the time-consuming process that goes into crafting each block of Ota Tofu, and were considering retirement.

Ogata and Hirata, who had met Eileen Ota while volunteering at Ikoi No Kai, a free lunch program for seniors that received tofu donations from Ota, bought Ota Tofu in 2019. From there, Ogata underwent a year-and-a-half long training process with Koichi Ko Ota to ensure that their legacy and the tofus quality would be preserved.

It was Kos grandfather, Saizo Ota, who co-founded the original tofu shop in 1911 in the Northwest Portland blocks then known as Japantown, then ran it with wife Shina. After Pearl Harbor, the Otas were imprisoned at Idahos Minidoka camp, where Saizo died. When Shina returned to Portland, she found that their landlord had saved the companys equipment and space on Northwest Fifth Avenue.

After reopening in 1945 as the Soybean Cake Company, the shop eventually changed its name to Ota Tofu and, by 1981, had moved across the river to its current home behind the Slammer Tavern at Southeast Stark Street just off Sandy Boulevard

Today, Ota Tofu is used by top Portland restaurants including Nongs Khao Man Gai, Pho MeKha, Kinboshi Ramen, Tokyo Sando and Jojo.

The new production facility, which will not have a public-facing cafe, is also expected to debut this year on North Mason Street near Interstate Avenue.

Read more:

A new chapter for Americas oldest tofu shop

Look for Ota Tofus cafe to open by the end of the year at 812 S.E. Stark St.

 Michael Russell; mrussell@oregonian.com

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe
Scan the menu at many high-end Korean barbecue restaurants and youll see the same familiar cuts as old-school steakhouses, with ribeye and NY strip and even filet mignon appearing alongside LA-style marinated short ribs, thin-sliced pork belly and lettuce for making wraps.

But that approach creates a familiar steakhouse problem as well. Namely, that cows only have so many name-brand steaks to give.

With whole-animal (butchery), theres only so much ribeye we can get, Han Oak chef Peter Cho says. We have to feature smaller cuts, little bits of muscle here and there. We have to be really creative with the butchering to find the little steak cuts from a big primal.

At Jeju, Cho and partner Sun Young Parks new Korean barbecue restaurant, steaks will be carved from large slabs of meat, or primals, of cows, pigs and lambs, meaning ribeyes will be an elusive option: there one day, gone the next.

Found in the former Renata space, 646 S.E. Main St., Jeju will build its classic ssam sets around lettuces, herbs, intriguing house sauces and a butchers choice of meats section left blank until service, according to an advanced look at the menu, with the meat selection changing day-to-day (and even hour-by-hour).

The restaurant, which opens Thursday, will start with a $75 set menu before adding a $95 option and a third at $150 available only at the 6-seat chefs counter. Though Jeju can seat more than 100 people at a time between the dining room, counter, bar, patio and a private dining room, reservations for the first few weeks are capped at 50 people per night. A la carte options should follow later this year.

Jejus opening day menu will feature a selection of banchan including kimchi, dashi egg with house-cured salmon roe and blistered padron peppers. Two starters  dry-aged, konbu-cured sliced kanpachi with glass noodles and lacey, pan-fried mandu with a bone broth supreme  follow. The ssam set comes with lettuces, herbs, sauces including ssam-jang and beef fat poached garlic in soy vinegar and a buttered 7-grain dolsot bap  buttered rice in a sizzling stone pot. Dessert is black pearl cherries from Baird Family Orchards with cherry Milkis snow and lemon curd.

Hawaiian kanpachi dry aging at the back of Jeju, the new restaurant from Han Oak owners Peter Cho and Sun Young Park.Michael Russell | The Oregonian

According to Cho, part of the inspiration for Jeju came from Han Oaks pandemic-time pivot to hot pot, when he and Park learned that customers didnt always need  or even want  as much meat as they had expected.

When we did hot pot, we noticed we could concentrate on the quality of the meat, focus on curing methods and dry-aging, Cho said. Were trying to get away from just eating big hunks of steak.

To execute that vision, Cho and Park have brought on Renatas Nick Arnerich (The French Laundry) as their new director of operations, Ben Klein (Mala Ocean Tavern, Maui) as chef de cuisine, Matthew Hoang (Kin Khao, San Francisco) as bar manager and Oliver Prince (Hudson & Charles, New York) as Jejus staff butcher. Arnerich will also serve as the restaurants opening general manager.

A whole cow has two and a half pounds of hanger steak, notes Prince. If you go to a restaurant that has hanger steak on the Sunday brunch menu, that might be 20 cows worth of steak.

The real challenge with whole-animal is just finding an outlet for all the off-cuts, Cho said. Meat that doesnt go on the grill will be used for grind, some transformed into dumplings and bao burgers for Jejus sister restaurants, Northeast Portlands Han Oak and downtowns Toki. Sundae links, the Korean blood sausage, are already resting in the restaurants walk-in freezer.

Cho is working with Portlands Revel and Seattles Preservation Meat Collective to source cows from smaller farms such as Pat n Tams and Pure Country. According to Park, Jeju seeks to work with farms that use regenerative practices, techniques that advocates say can trap carbon in the soil, offsetting the environmental impact of beef production. The restaurant will also purchase pigs, lambs and whole fish from producers with similarly sustainable goals.

Beef hanging in the walk-in freezer at Jeju. Cuts not used for the restaurant's Korean barbecue menu will be ground for dumplings, bao burgers and other dishes across the Han Oak group's three restaurants.Michael Russell | The Oregonian

Restaurants butchering whole animals and working with sustainable farms is hardly new. (Ive been advocating for local steakhouses to embrace the model since first eating at Bateau, a Seattle restaurant that utilizes whole-animal butchery.) Several Portland butcher shops work with whole animals and some, including Pasture  Portlands best new sandwich shop of 2022  serve food, albeit on a smaller scale. Renata, the Italian restaurant that preceded Jeju, broke down primals in the same space.

But Jeju is the first restaurant in America to place those practices front-and-center in a big-time Korean barbecue format.

Even without the behind-the-scenes butchering, the stakes at Jeju would be high. Its not just the latest restaurant from the duo behind Han Oak  Portlands 2017 Restaurant of the Year  it takes over one of Portlands most glamorous dining rooms in Renata, a space that practically demands an ambitious menu. Jejus floor should be Portlands best Korean barbecue restaurant. Everything else is salted sesame oil.

This isnt Cho and Parks first go-round with Korean barbecue. Last year, Han Oak served up a seasonal menu that resembled Jejus, only with table-top butane grills instead of a wood-fired hearth. (After a meal last year, I lost a childs snap game and was forced to do karaoke, then butchered my favorite Caroline Polachek song. Theres video.)

Renatas impressive hearth and oven  and the light filtering into the high-ceilinged dining room  were major factors that first intrigued the couple when Arnerich approached them about taking over the space earlier this year. With Renata shifting its focus full-time to its line of frozen pizzas, the opportunity proved too good to pass up, especially with Arnerich on hand to smooth the transition.

The Oregonian/OregonLive first wrote about Jeju in February, when Cho and Park had yet to settle on a name. That changed during a visit from four of Chos aunties four weeks ago, who reminded the chef of the time he spent as a young boy on his grandfathers tangerine farm on Jeju, an island off the south of South Korea known for its black pigs and abundant produce.

Jeju is where my moms family is from, Cho said. And really my only memories of Korea when I was a kid are from Jeju-do, because so much of it I forgot from the trauma of moving here.

Park used her tasteful eye for design to gently transform Renatas dining room with colorful glass spheres, pale vert de terre green paint above the kitchen, massive house plants (including six potted mimosa trees), imported ceramic bowls and marine ply cabinets that give the restaurant the subtle air of a living room.

They built a space out with a lot of integrity, Park said of Nick and his family. They used quality materials and thoughtfully laid out the restaurant in a way that we really appreciated. The space was clearly loved.

The Renata bar is still in place, now lined with bamboo, and Jeju plans to serve a global wine list featuring BIPOC producers as well as some hard-to-find Korean sojus. The opening cocktail menu includes a beef-fat-washed bourbon Old Fashioned, a soju cocktail with plum wine, clarified yogurt and lemon; and the Ssam 3:16, with Smith & Cross rum, makgeolli and chili pepper.

After converting a former courtyard home into a scrappy DIY restaurant in Han Oak, then taking over a prominent downtown space during the pandemic for Toki, why was now the right time to take a big swing on a restaurant the size of Jeju, which has the potential to serve more than 300 people a night?

Theres no right time for any of this, Cho said. Its an opportunity, a lot like Toki, that came to us. Yes, its a real restaurant space, but the thing is, were still kind of flying by the seat of our pants. I dont think were ready. But were ready to go for it.

For Park, opening Jeju was a bit like having a second kid: Its a ton of work, but you know what to expect, she said.

Han Oak was really awesome in the way we were able to build around our needs at the time, Park said of the restaurant and its hidden apartment, where the couple first raised their two young sons. This is a bigger leap that were taking, but its exciting. I was terrified before, but now that were going through the process, Im not scared.

Jeju will open in the former Renata space, 646 S.E. Main St., on Thursday June 29, with opening hours from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday expanding through the summer. Reservations are available through Resy.

Read more:

Portlands 2017 Restaurant of the Year: Han Oak

Han Oak reinvents itself with Portlands first premium hot pot experience

Fueled by viral TikTok trends, downtowns Toki is a new destination from the Han Oak team

Han Oak team opening wood-fired Korean BBQ restaurant in Renata space

 Michael Russell; mrussell@oregonian.com

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The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-based college admission policies, a decision that could have far-reaching impacts on the demographics of elite schools across the country.

But the fallout is likely to be muted at Oregon public universities that have already forgone race as a factor in admissions, including Portland State University and Oregon State University.
Oregonians who regularly watch the news on KGW-TV will remember Maggie Vespa, the longtime KGW reporter and anchor who worked at the Portland NBC affiliate from 2014 until 2022, when she left to join NBC News as a Chicago-based correspondent.

(Want to catch up on Today episodes? You can stream Today All Day on Peacock)

While Vespa has reported multiple stories that have aired on NBC news programs, including the Today show, she made her first in-studio appearance on the NBC News morning mainstay on Wednesday.

In her first story, Vespa reported on bad behavior by tourists, a piece sparked by the viral video that has sparked international outrage. In the video, a young man is shown carving names into the wall of the ancient Colosseum, in Rome.

After Vespas report, the Today show hosts Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones welcomed her. Its nice to have you here in person, Kotb said. After some upbeat back-and-forth comments, Melvin said to Vespa, Youre doing great so far.

In the Today 3rd Hour, Vespa again appeared, to introduce her report about Emad Mahou, who faced torture in Syria before he was released and ultimately relocated to the U.S., where he settled in Chicago. Mahou graduated from DePaul University, and now plans to work to help other refugees.

Before she came to Portland for her job at KGW, Vespa graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She started her TV news career as a reporter and weekend anchor for WEEK-TV and WHOI-TV, in her hometown of Peoria, Illinois.

During her time at KGW, Vespa also received national attention because of a segment in which she responded to a viewers complaints about her choosing to wear high-waisted pants on the air. Commenting on the criticism, Vespa said it was an example of how women are expected, as she said, to embody the epitome of physical attractiveness at all times, or risk being seen as unprofessional.

Vespa isnt the first KGW veteran to get national airtime on the Today show. Ann Curry, who attended Ashland High School and the University of Oregon, worked at KGW in the 1980s, and later went on to be a news anchor on Today, and served as the shows co-host from 2011 to 2012.

 Kristi Turnquist

503-221-8227; kturnquist@oregonian.com; @Kristiturnquist

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Letter writer Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen asks us to have a system where the voters will choose the one who is thought to be the best, and then specifies that she wants each vote [to] count, presumably the same as every other vote, (Readers respond: Electoral College keeps things fair, June 21). But somehow, she finds the Electoral College, where a vote from Wyoming counts more than a vote from California (or Oregon, for that matter), to be fair. How does she come to that conclusion, which means that we are living and will continue to live under a tyranny of the minority? That strikes me as not fair, and that is the problem that the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact attempts to fix.

James Kahan, Portland

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
MENLO PARK, Calif.  Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison says some of his companys data centers are sitting half-empty because theyve got more space for computers than they have electricity to run them.

We cant expand our data centers in certain places. We cant add more power to the building, Ellison said at a Silicon Valley tech event Wednesday. Our racks are half-full because weve exceeded our power envelope in the data center. Weve got more room, we just dont have more electrical capacity.

The solution, Ellison says, is a different class of chip that makes energy efficiency as vital as computing power. He said thats why Oracle, one of the worlds largest business software companies, is betting on a startup called Ampere  which is designing new categories of microprocessors at the young companys engineering office in Northwest Portland.

We pay much less for power when were running workloads on Ampere, said Ellison, who addressed Wednesdays conference remotely from Florida.

Amperes headquarters are in the Bay Area, but it employs more than 250 in Portland. Oracle has invested $850 million in the business, aiming to reduce the semiconductor industrys reliance on the Intel x86 microprocessor that has long dominated the data center market.

Ampere CEO Renee James convened Wednesdays event to pitch her startup as a potential solution to data centers extreme energy consumption. James, formerly Intels president, left that company in 2015 and founded Ampere two years later. She said climate change makes it imperative that the technology industry become more efficient.

You would never spend the kind of time and effort to build a microprocessor company unless you were actually going to solve something different and new, James said in an interview. The problem were trying to solve is a global issue with data centers.

Ampere founder and CEO Renee James. Her company is based in California but James lives near Portland.Mike Rogoway/The Oregonian

Ampere engineered its chips based on designs from Arm Holdings, whose chips run most smartphones. Customers demand phone batteries that last all day, so energy efficiency is always top of mind.

Ampere adapted those designs for the data center in hopes of capitalizing on the same features.

Its an architectural choice, James said. We make tradeoffs for how were going to get performance at a certain power level. You design that in from the beginning.

Data centers account for roughly 3% of global carbon emissions, by some estimates.

Theyre also straining power supplies. In Oregon, Amazon says it hasnt been able to fully equip its data centers in Morrow County because the local power grid doesnt have enough electricity to meet its needs. Amazon wants to install fuel cells, fed at least initially by a natural gas pipeline, to generate power on site.

Speakers at Wednesdays event described an emerging computing ecosystem that is more technologically diverse, relying on chips specialized for a particular niche. Such chips, they argued, can be more efficient than the workhorses the industry has used in the past.

Oracle announced Wednesday that it has adapted its core database software to run on Amperes chips in addition to Intel processors. And he indicated Oracle no longer buys any processors from Intel at all, relying instead on chips from Ampere and AMD and high-performance processors from Nvidia.

We think that this is the future, that the old Intel x86 architecture, after many decades in the marketplace, is finally reaching its limits, Ellison said.

Jay Goldberg, a semiconductor consultant at D2D Advisory, said Oracles investment in Ampere was born of necessity.

Oracle needed to do something different to scale in the compete in the cloud, and one of the ways they did that was to go all-in on ARM architecture stuff, Goldberg said. But he said its too soon to know if Ellisons bet will pay off.

More efficient chips are not just good for the environment  theyre also good for the bottom line, if data center operators pay less for electricity.

Ampere is far from the only chip company making this pitch.

Intel, AMD and many others are touting chips that draw less power and new ways to operate data centers that gulp down less electricity.

That makes it tough for a small company like Ampere to stand out.

Everybody has a very similar story, Goldberg said. Yes, they have lots of advances in power consumption, but so does everybody else.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | 503-294-7699

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U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm got a first-hand look at U.S. manufacturing of high-power EV chargers that are helping the U.S. meet its electrification and climate goals. Secretary Granholm visited ABB E-mobility's production operations as part of her "People Powered Summer Road Trip," accompanied by longtime U.S. Representative and current Assistant Democratic Leader, James E. Clyburn.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm visits ABB E-mobility's production operations as part of her "People Powered Summer Road Trip," accompanied by longtime U.S. Representative and current Assistant Democratic Leader, James E. Clyburn.

ABB E-mobility's DC fast chargers made in Columbia, South Carolina enable the transition to an e-mobility economy and support a number of transformational federal and state government policies and programs. Production began early this year and Terra 184 DC fast chargers produced in South Carolina have already been installed along American highways.

The state-of-the-art operations are another example of ABB E-mobility's leadership and commitment to a sustainable transportation future. ABB E-mobility's Terra 184 is one of the first Build America, Buy America compliant 150 kW+ DC fast chargers that also meet the NEVI program standards and requirements. ABB E-mobility's Terra DC Wallbox charger is used by school districts across the country and can support the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus program.

"ABB E-mobility has been a long-time leader in e-mobility and our commitment to enabling the U.S. transition to electric transportation has never been stronger," said Bob Stojanovic, Senior Vice President for ABB E-mobility in North America. "Our U.S. manufacturing operations support a growing e-mobility economy and ensures that the benefits of electric transportation reach all Americans, whether they are driving electric or producing the chargers that keep those cars moving,"

In order to quickly ramp up production to meet strong U.S. demand, ABB E-mobility worked with its global advanced manufacturing partner, Flex, to expand EV charging manufacturing operations. With Flex's portfolio of manufacturing services and expertise, ABB E-mobility was able to start U.S. production and delivery of 180 kW DC fast chargers at the start of 2023.

"Our collaboration with ABB E-mobility is built on our shared commitment to accelerating the future of electrification, including the adoption of clean energy technology and electric vehicles globally," said Chris Butler, president, Industrial Business, Flex. "We appreciate the continued trust ABB has placed in Flex to get their chargers to market faster, reliably and more sustainably in the U.S. with our advanced manufacturing capabilities and services."

About ABB E-mobility

ABB E-mobility is enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient mobility future as a global leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. ABB E-mobility is a partner of choice for the world's biggest EV OEMs and nationwide EV charging network operators. It offers the widest portfolio of EV charging solutions from smart chargers for the home to high-power chargers for the highway stations of the future, solutions for the electrification of fleets and charging for electric buses and trucks. With ~1,500 employees around the world, ABB E-mobility has sold more than one million EV chargers across more than 85 markets, including over 50,000 DC fast chargers. e-mobility.abb.com

For more information please contact:

ABB Media Relations

Phone: (919) 561-8639

Email: chris.shigas@us.abb.com
Tangier, Morocco (PANA) - A remarkable moment unfolded at Tangier's Grand Stade as Niger clinched their first-ever win in the ongoing 2023 Under-23 AFCON when they defeated Gabon 1-0 in their Group B match on Wednesday
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Burkina Faso armed forces summarily executed at least 9 men, and forcibly disappeared and apparently killed 18 others in 3 incidents since February 2023 in Seno province, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday
Marine Energy Research Australia (MERA) is set to deliver an extensive study focused on wave energy hydrodynamics, to drive performance, reduce cost and accelerate commercialisation.

This University of Western Australia research centre is joining forces with Swedish wave energy technology developer CorPower Ocean and industry partner Australia Ocean Energy Group (AOEG) to deliver the work.

Funding has been secured through the Australian Research Council's Linkage Project scheme, which recently awarded more than $40 million to 81 projects performing collaborative research in a wide range of fields to transform industries and strengthen the Australian economy.

Uniting leading expertise from across industry and academia, the project aims to harness a unique combination of numerical, laboratory and field data. This includes operational data from CorPower Ocean's first full scale wave energy deployment taking place in northern Portugal, through the HiWave-5 Project.

Senior Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia (UWA) Hugh Wolgamot said the intensive research will help address a fundamental issue for wave energy - modelling how high-performance WECs interact with the ocean.

"Scientifically, the guiding principles of wave energy have been clear for some time, with resonance between the waves and the WEC motion enabling maximum power absorption," he said. "In this project we are partnering with CorPower Ocean, a leading WEC developer, whose ingenious negative spring mechanism represents perhaps the purest realisation of these principles. Our ultimate goal is to maximise the amount of energy captured and converted by these WECs from the ocean environment. To achieve this, we will combine world-class hydrodynamics expertise with detailed insight from full-scale operations, to develop novel numerical models which accurately represent wave forces exerted on the WECs. By focusing efforts on performance in moderate seas, which occur most frequently, we will identify ways to boost hydrodynamic performance, increasing overall efficiency and driving down cost - which is paramount to enabling large-scale utilisation."

The first phase of the project involves lab experiments through high-precision model-scale wave flume experiments. These are designed to isolate nonlinear dynamic features through careful post-processing and analysis of the data. A second phase will focus on numerical model development, informed by the laboratory measurements. The third and final phase will see new hydrodynamic models carefully validated against full-scale field measurements, comparing WEC simulations with CorPower Ocean's fully instrumented ocean deployment.

CorPower Ocean Lead Scientist Jrgen Hals Todalshaug said numerical modelling underpins much of wave energy engineering, and new advances in the field will play a key role in driving down technology costs.

"This project will deliver new numerical models specifically concerning critical nonlinearities from large amplitude WEC motions," he said. "While there has been progress in this area, the different nonlinear effects and their treatment have not been systematically investigated and fully validated. As there is no standard method to account for these force components in an accurate way, the outcomes of this Linkage Project will be of profound interest to our industry.

"The vast majority of numerical model advancement is undertaken by the academia field alone. However, the collaborative nature of this research project drawing in industry, combined with the ability to test alongside a full-scale WEC deployment, enables us to operate at the sharp edge of innovation."

CorPower Ocean's HiWave-5 project is the result of a decade of structured product development and four decades of research on wave hydrodynamics. It marks a final push towards commercialisation as part of a broader mission to make wave energy competitive with wind and solar by 2030.

Australian Ocean Energy Group General Manager Stephanie Thornton said the new Linkage Project plays into the organisation's broader strategic effort to shift the industry paradigm from technology push to market pull'.

"AOEG, was established in 2018 to accelerate the nation's response to climate change," she said. "Our work focuses on decarbonising Australia's Blue Economy by building demand, where none previously existed, for rapidly emerging ocean energy technology. As such, we recognise the huge importance of research efforts like this latest Linkage Project, specifically addressing areas such as WEC efficiency and cost. This sort of work is crucial if we are to bridge the gap between technology development and end-users and attract the necessary investment and interest. We look forward to communicating the findings of this innovative project to our extensive international network propelling ocean energy across the Australia Pacific region."

For more information visit the web page here or email: jana.orszaghova@uwa.edu.au

Research Partners & Funding

Project & Research lead. Marine Energy Research Australia (MERA), a University of Western Australia research centre dedicated to advancement of offshore renewable technologies, providing innovative ocean engineering solutions underpinned by world-class research - https://marineenergyresearch.com.au/.

Wave Energy Technology Partner. Launched in 2012 from Sweden, CorPower Ocean ("CorPower") is a leading wave energy technology developer with an advanced wave energy device which can oscillate with optimum (large) amplitudes in a wide range of wave conditions. The firm's C4 WEC is being commercially tested in Portugal. Its WEC technology is one embodiment to which UWA's research applies.

Australian Industry Partner: Australian Ocean Energy Group (AOEG), an industry-led cluster whose aim is to accelerate commercialisation of Australia's ocean energy sector. AOEG is helping extend the reach of this research project to Australia's ocean energy sector.

Australian Research Council: This research is funded by the ARC through Linkage Project LP210100397.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA)  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday facilitated the release of 125 soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in its role as neutral intermediary and following a request by the parties to the conflict
Photo: (Photo : SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

French authorities are investigating the tragic incident that took place near Paris, where a 17-year-old teenager was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. As tensions rise, clashes between law enforcement and angered youth broke out overnight in response to the death.

According to a statement from the local prosecutor's office, the police officer involved in the shooting has been taken into custody on suspicion of "culpable homicide." The incident occurred around 8:18 a.m. local time on Tuesday in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris. At the time of the shooting, three individuals were in the car, a Mercedes AMG.

Despite the intervention of emergency medics, the 17-year-old victim succumbed to her injuries at 9:15 a.m. local time. The Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed that the teenager suffered at least one gunshot wound. One passenger from the vehicle was initially detained but later released, while another passenger, believed to have fled the scene, is currently missing.

Autopsy Ordered as Investigation Begins into Fatal Police Shooting near Paris

According to CNN, the prosecutor's office has ordered an autopsy and additional examinations, including a toxicology report, as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin took to Twitter, announcing that the national police are investigating the matter. He stated, "Following the death of a young driver in Nanterre, who was being checked by two police officers, the IGPN has launched an investigation to shed light on the circumstances of this tragedy."

Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez provided details about the incident, explaining in an interview with CNN affiliate BFMTV that the officer fired his weapon when the teenager refused to comply with police instructions. Nunez stated, "This vehicle made a first refusal to comply, then it was blocked in the flow of traffic, where there was a new control attempt by the two police officers. At that time, the driver, who had first turned off the engine, restarted the vehicle and then left. It was in this context that the policeman used his firearm."

According to France 24, the tragic death of the teenager sparked protests in Nanterre, with demonstrators taking to the streets to express their anger. During the protests, a car was set on fire, which firefighters worked to extinguish. In response to the ongoing clashes, approximately 350 police and paramilitary officers were mobilized, primarily in Nanterre, to restore order. Paris Police Chief Nunez confirmed that 24 individuals have been detained in connection with the clashes. He emphasized the need for calm and respect for the principle of the presumption of innocence.

The investigation into the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old will continue as authorities work to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The detention of the police officer involved indicates the seriousness with which French authorities are approaching the incident. The autopsy and additional examinations will play a crucial role in uncovering further details and providing a clearer understanding of what transpired during the traffic stop.

Read Also: Tragedy in Chicago as Teen Dies, 4 Others Injured in South Side Shooting

Calls for Calm and Respect for Presumption of Innocence Amid Rising Tensions

As tensions remain high and clashes persist, it is important for all parties involved to prioritize peaceful dialogue and respect for the rule of law. The tragic loss of a young life underscores the need for comprehensive investigations and accountability to ensure justice is served. The incident serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by law enforcement officers in their daily duties. Striking a balance between maintaining public safety and preserving individual rights is an ongoing endeavor that requires continuous reflection and improvement.

The coming days will likely witness further developments in the investigation as authorities work diligently to gather evidence and establish a comprehensive picture of the events leading to the teenager's untimely death. In the meantime, efforts to foster dialogue, understanding, and trust between law enforcement and the community will be crucial in healing the wounds and preventing further escalations of violence.

Ultimately, the goal must be to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future and to ensure that every individual, regardless of their age, feels safe and protected during encounters with law enforcement. Only through open communication, transparency, and a commitment to justice can meaningful progress be made towards building a more harmonious and just society for all.

Related Article: Tragedy in Strongsville as Two Young Men Killed And 1 Teen Girl Injured in Violent Car Crash
Photo: (Photo : Yurii Khomitskyi on Unsplash)

Oksana Stetsenko's tearful reunion with her son Nikita marks the end of a harrowing journey that began when the Russian military abducted 13 children from a boarding school in Kupyansk, Ukraine. While the Russian authorities claimed they were taken to a "safe place," Stetsenko's anguish grew as months passed with no information. However, with the help of an NGO, she embarked on a courageous 3,000-mile journey into Russia to rescue her son. According to NBC, their emotional reunion highlights the larger issue of Russia's systematic effort to erase Ukrainian identity, with over 200,000 children reportedly deported since the invasion. Ukrainian officials fear the indoctrination these children undergo under Russian forces.

The Abduction and Separation

On September 8, Russian troops forcibly took Nikita and his classmates from the Kupyansk Special School, relocating them to Svatove, a Russian-occupied town. Subsequently, the children were transferred to the Perevalsk Special Correctional Boarding School, situated deeper within the occupied region. Oksana Stetsenko was devastated during this time, unaware of her son's whereabouts and longing for his safe return. The separation was emotionally grueling, with the front line acting as a barrier between mother and child.

Determined to bring Nikita back home, Stetsenko received assistance from the NGO Save Ukraine. They organized and funded her daring journey. Crossing borders, including Poland and Belarus, Stetsenko faced immense anxiety and fear. With her newly acquired Ukrainian passport, she embarked on her second-ever flight, eventually reaching Russia. The Russian TV channel NTV picked up her story, capturing the reunion between Stetsenko and Nikita. Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's Presidential Commissioner for Child Rights, shared the touching moment on Telegram, emphasizing their perspective as "saviors" of the children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials highlight Russia's deliberate attempt to erase Ukrainian identity through deportation and indoctrination. Children like Nikita are subjected to a Russian curriculum and taught to deny their Ukrainian heritage. The Ukrainian government estimates that up to 300,000 children have been deported to Russia or Russian-occupied territories. Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman for human rights, condemns this strategy, stating that Russian forces aim to convince these children that they were never Ukrainian.

Read Also: Teacher Sets Up School for Ukraine Refugees in Romania

The Battle for Reunification

The process of reuniting abducted children with their families is a challenging and costly endeavor. The NGO Save Ukraine actively works to bring these children back, despite the Russian government's resistance. Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine, dismisses Russia's claims of willingly returning children, emphasizing that they are actively reclaiming Ukrainian children themselves. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for both Maria Lvova-Belova and President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.

While Stetsenko successfully rescued her son, the larger battle to reunite Ukrainian children continues. Ukrainian officials fear that young children will become absorbed into the Russian foster care and orphanage systems, potentially forgetting their Ukrainian roots. Each reunion serves as evidence of war crimes for the International Criminal Court, holding Russia accountable for its actions. The Ukrainian government remains steadfast in its commitment to bringing all abducted children back to their homeland and preserving their true identity.

Related Article: Parents Preparing School Kids for Ukraine Invasion With Stickers Bearing Blood Type; Surrogate Babies at Risk
Photo: (Photo : Jack Kelly on Unsplash)

A Louisiana couple recently experienced a rude awakening when they discovered an unexpected and unwelcome houseguest-an alligator. Don and Jan Schultz had recently relocated from Arizona to New Iberia, Louisiana, and little did they know that their new home would come with such a surprising surprise.

According to ABC, it all started when the couple's Australian cattle dog, Panda, began barking frantically, alerting them to something out of the ordinary. Concerned, Don Schultz decided to investigate, thinking that perhaps an intruder had made their way into their home. Little did he expect what he was about to encounter.

Making his way down the hall, Don Schultz found himself face-to-face with a 5-foot alligator. The reptile had managed to enter the home through the doggy door, according to a report from Lafayette ABC affiliate KATC.

The couple was shocked by the presence of the unwelcome guest, and their immediate concern was for their safety. Wasting no time, the Schultz family called 911, seeking assistance in dealing with the intruding alligator.

Officers from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries swiftly responded to their call and managed to capture the reptile. The relieved couple expressed their appreciation for the swift action by law enforcement and wildlife officials.

Surprise Encounter: Louisiana Couple Awakens to Alligator Inside Their Home

"We are really grateful for the sheriffs and Wildlife and Fisheries that came and so thoroughly dispatched the creature from our house," Jan Schultz told KATC.

With the alligator removed from their home, the couple could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, they were determined to prevent any future surprises.

Taking precautions to secure their home and ensure their peace of mind, the Schultz family invested in a pet door lock that operates exclusively with Panda's collar. This new safety measure ensures that only their furry friend can access the house, effectively minimizing the risk of further encounters with unexpected wildlife.

"We are taking precautions and putting a locking dog door in now that only unlocks with the dog's collars, so we won't have this surprise in the future," Don Schultz explained to KATC.

By proactively addressing the issue, the Schultz family aims to create a safer environment for themselves and prevent any potential risks posed by wildlife in their area. While the Schultz family successfully resolved the alligator intrusion, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has yet to provide an official comment regarding the incident, despite ABC News' request for information.

Read Also: 13-Year-Old Florida Girl Survives Alligator Attack While Swimming in Boat Dock

Gratitude for Heroes: Homeowners Thank Law Enforcement and Wildlife Officials for Handling the Situation

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the unique challenges faced by residents in regions where wildlife can encroach upon residential areas. It underscores the importance of being prepared and taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety and the security of one's home.

As the Schultz family settles into their new home, they can now rest a little easier knowing that their pet door is equipped with an added layer of security. Their proactive approach serves as a valuable lesson for others living in areas where encounters with local wildlife are not uncommon.

With the support of local authorities and their own vigilance, the Schultz family managed to turn a potentially dangerous situation into a cautionary tale. Their experience highlights the importance of promptly addressing unexpected wildlife encounters and taking steps to safeguard one's home.

As they continue to adjust to their new surroundings, the Schultz family can take solace in the fact that their pet door is now fortified against any uninvited guests, ensuring a safer and more tranquil living environment for themselves and Panda.

Related Article: Texas Dad Wrestles Alligator Blocking His Doorstep To Take Daughter to First Day of School
Photo: (Photo : Manic Quirk on Unsplash)

The societal stigma associated with mental health disorders compounds these challenges. Many mothers may not seek help due to fear of judgment or discrimination.

Understanding Bipolar Depression

Bipolar depression, part of the wider condition known as bipolar disorder, manifests as severe mood swings that oscillate between manic highs and depressive lows.

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 45 million people globally are affected by this mental health disorder. In the case of mothers, bipolar depression poses unique challenges.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience major depression in their lifetime, and many of these women are mothers. The fluctuating moods characteristic of bipolar depression often intensify the typical stresses of motherhood. This oscillation between depressive and manic episodes can lead to inconsistencies in parenting behavior, which impacts the emotional stability of both mother and child.

The societal stigma associated with mental health disorders compounds these challenges. Many mothers may not seek help due to fear of judgment or discrimination.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately two-thirds of those with a known mental disorder never seek professional help, largely due to stigma and discrimination. This lack of support and understanding from society only deepens the impact of bipolar depression on affected mothers.

Read Also: Mom of Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey, Re-Learns How to be a Parent After Daughter's Bipolar Diagnosis

The Impact and the Path Forward

The implications of bipolar depression extend beyond mothers to their children. Research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry highlights that children of parents with bipolar disorder are at a significantly higher risk of developing the same disorder or other forms of psychopathology. They may also struggle with understanding the unpredictable behavior of their parents, which can lead to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and fear.

Given these extensive impacts, it is essential that the societal approach to bipolar depression evolve to provide robust support for affected mothers. Here are some steps to be considered:

Raising Awareness: Awareness about mental health disorders, including bipolar depression, must be heightened to reduce societal stigma. Campaigns that accurately depict the condition can play a pivotal role in changing public perception.

Awareness about mental health disorders, including bipolar depression, must be heightened to reduce societal stigma. Campaigns that accurately depict the condition can play a pivotal role in changing public perception. Early Diagnosis and Treatment: By promoting early diagnosis and treatment, the quality of life for mothers battling bipolar depression and their children can be significantly improved [7]. This requires improving access to mental health services and creating more mother-friendly diagnostic and treatment procedures.

By promoting early diagnosis and treatment, the quality of life for mothers battling bipolar depression and their children can be significantly improved [7]. This requires improving access to mental health services and creating more mother-friendly diagnostic and treatment procedures. Building Support Networks: Mothers dealing with bipolar depression need to be empowered with strong support networks, including healthcare professionals, family, friends, and peer groups. This support can be instrumental in managing the effects of the disorder.

Mothers dealing with bipolar depression need to be empowered with strong support networks, including healthcare professionals, family, friends, and peer groups. This support can be instrumental in managing the effects of the disorder. Promoting Family Counseling: Family counseling can aid children and other family members in understanding the condition, thereby improving their capacity to provide the necessary emotional support to the mother.

Family counseling can aid children and other family members in understanding the condition, thereby improving their capacity to provide the necessary emotional support to the mother. Creating Child Support Mechanisms: Children of mothers with bipolar depression often need additional support in managing their emotions and understanding their parent's condition. This could include school counseling, peer support groups, or family therapy sessions.

In conclusion, the hidden battle of bipolar depression among mothers is a reality that requires urgent attention. By fostering an understanding and supportive society, we can help pave the way for better mental health outcomes for both mothers and their children, nurturing a healthier, more inclusive future for all.

Related Article: Mental Health Awareness: A Mother And Her Son Dealt With Biploar Disorder Together
I recently came across an article from the Evangelical Christian website Breakpoint titled Is New Paganism Actually Pagan? The writers ask what appears to be an honest question, even if the proper answer is youre not Pagan, why do you care? The problem is in the subtitle: the modern practice of this ancient belief embraces the innovations of Christianity.

The article starts out with a fair description of modern Paganism, quoting several actual Pagan practitioners, including Ronald Hutton. But then it argues that all the things that make modern Paganism appealing to modern people arent Pagan and concludes by claiming only Jesus offers the truth  by which, of course, they mean their ideas about Jesus, as opposed to the ideas of Catholics, Mainline Protestants, and other non-Evangelical Christians.

As Pagans, the claims of other religions to exclusive possession of Truth are not our concern  except to dismiss them as arrogant and impossible to support. What is our concern is the claim that our Paganism is somehow inauthentic because it doesnt exactly match the Paganism of our ancient ancestors, and the claim that the appealing parts of modern Paganism were cribbed from Christianity.

Neither claim is true.

A very selective reading of history  and of current events

The Breakpoint article tries to credit Christianity for the idea of human equality and dignity and away from wars and conquest. It is true that the earliest Christians emphasized equality and dignity, arguing that there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female But once Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, that idea went away quickly.

Have these writers forgotten about the Crusades, the slave trade, the Inquisition, and the witch trials? The Hundred Years War and the near non-stop wars in Europe until the mid-20th century? Colonization and genocide in Africa, Asia, and the Americas?

Have they forgotten that the largest Protestant denomination in this country  the Southern Baptist Convention  was formed in defense of slavery?

The Breakpoint writers are accurate in pointing out that ancient Paganism was not a bastion of humanistic virtue (though it was far deeper than they admit). They are dishonest in failing to recognize that Christianitys record isnt significantly better.

The Enlightenment happened in spite of Christianity, not because of it

The Enlightenment happened in a society that was thoroughly Christian. That doesnt mean it happened because of Christian religion, philosophy, or culture. Correlation is not causation.

Need I bring up Galileo? Or Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake for heresy in 1600  only 16 years before Galileo was forced to recant his observations that the Earth revolves around the Sun and not vice versa?

The Christian (and especially Evangelical) denial of science continues in our time. Other Breakpoint writers argue against the well-established theory of evolution, and a significant number of Evangelicals believe the Earth is only 6000 years old.

The Enlightenment happened because the Church lost its ability to control the spread of ideas and because the spread of science encouraged people to look for demonstrable cause and effect. And, as philosopher Brendan Myers explained in his excellent book The Earth, The Gods and The Soul people got tired of the austerities of Christian discipline and the misanthropy of the Doctrine of Original Sin.

Though some Christians try to take credit for the Enlightenment, others view it as a mistake they hope to remedy. Protestant Dominionists and Catholic Integralists both seek to end liberal Western democracy and replace it with their version of a theocracy.

A number of scientists, artists, and other key people in the Enlightenment were Christians who took their faith seriously and still worked for knowledge, justice, and tolerance. So are many contemporary Christians, some of whom are our friends and allies. But to credit the Enlightenment and the promotion of liberal values to the Christian religion is simply inaccurate.

A good religion is a living religion

The charge that Paganism got its good stuff from Christianity is blatantly false. The implication that its not really Pagan because its not identical to ancient Paganism is a misunderstanding of what religion is supposed to be.

As modern Pagans, we are inspired by the beliefs and practices of our ancestors. But we are not trying to re-create the religion of Iron Age Britain, because we are not Iron Age Britons. Our religion must speak to us and the world we live in, here and now. Paganism is growing in large part because its emphasis on the sacredness of Nature addresses many of our spiritual and practical concerns in this era of climate change and species loss. Its growing because it understands and promotes gender equality. Its growing because its acceptance of magic is meaningful and helpful in an era where rights are being taken away.

Meanwhile, Christianity is in steep decline because more and more people do not want to be associated with an institution that denies science and promotes hatred of LGBTQ people and the subjugation of women.

What makes Paganism Pagan?

Paganism is a very broad movement. We cant define it  we can only describe it. But in general, and speaking for myself, there are a few things that make Paganism Pagan.

Paganism is built on a foundation of animism: the idea that everything is not a thing but a person who we can relate to as persons, and who are worthy of the respect due persons. Christians like to talk about Imago Dei. Theyre not wrong, they just dont take it far enough. All species are part of the divine, not just humans.

Therefore, Paganism sees Nature not as fallen but as sacred. We come from Nature  the Earth is our Mother and is due our reverent and loving care. The pleasures of Nature, which among many include food, drink, and sex, are good and holy and should be enjoyed and celebrated, not repressed.

Paganism recognizes the multiplicity of the divine. We understand that many different Gods call many different people to worship and work with Them in many different ways. The worlds many religions are the result of the many Gods and our diverse experiences of Them. Whether a traditions beliefs and practices are true is far less important than how those beliefs and practices motivate their followers to live in harmony with each other and with the world at large.

This diversity extends to individual humans, and so each person has the inherent right to live their lives and to participate in society as they see fit, unlimited by anyone elses ideas about race, color, sex, gender identity and gender roles, or any other element of identity or orientation.

Paganism is a magical religion. It recognizes that because everything is connected we can influence everything, even though we can control nothing. Because we have magic, we are never powerless.

Paganism is not a religion of rules. Rather, it is a religion of virtues. In difficult situations we do not ask what is the rule I must follow? but what is the applicable virtue and how can I best embody it? We recognize that sometimes virtues are in conflict and hard choices must be made. No one can make these choices for another.

There is much more, particularly when we move into individual Pagan traditions. But this is the core of what makes Paganism Pagan.

Keeping the sheep inside the pen

Lets be honest: this article isnt intended for proselytizing against Pagans. Its intended to keep Christians who may feel an intuitive pull toward Paganism from exploring it too deeply.

Christianity in particular and monotheism in general require constant aggressive reinforcement. Without that reinforcement, people intuitively begin to see the beauty and sacredness of Nature. They understand that pleasure is good, not sinful. They experience the multiplicity of the divine and they begin talking about the God of this and the Goddess of that. They have a great need and so they seek out magic, and then the magic works. Paganism is an organic, intuitive religion.

Paganism isnt a proselytizing religion. Its not our job to tell anybody which God to worship and how to worship Them. But it is our job  my job  to be here for those who feel that intuitive pull toward Nature and the Gods of Nature.

Because for some of us, Paganism provides meaning and inspiration that no monotheistic religion can match.
The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has formally joined the African Exchange Linkage Project (AELP), alongside over 30 other African stock exchanges, opening up wider opportunities for domestic investments.



The initiative seeks to deepen liquidity, provide seamless investment opportunities and improve trading volumes across stock exchanges on the continent by providing access to investors in over 2,000 companies across sectors  ranging from consumer to financial services, technology and infrastructure  while opening up a new US$2trillion market capitalisation to investors. Besides, the platform will widen the market size for stockbrokers  allowing them to construct products and provide investment advisory services, thus enhancing the value they offer investors.



GSE Managing Director, Abena Amoah  speaking during a meeting to formally announce the decision, stated that the AELP initiative will improve capital access for companies in the country and across Africa, while closer collaboration among regulators will ensure a better experience for companies raising capital.



The developmental needs of Africas private sector require significant capital, and with this project, any company in Ghana needing to raise capital now has access to investors all over Africa. This platform can help companies and projects raise capital more effectively. From a regulatory standpoint, closer collaboration among regulators will ensure the best experience for companies raising capital and investors providing savings for investments, Ms. Amoah said.



Brokers across the region have been onboarded to the project and aligned with expectations as the platform works toward seamless project execution. The success of the first phase which connects seven markets across the continent proves this alignment. These markets include those of Mauritius, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt and Casablanca.



Phase-two of the AELP project plans to expand the initiative to another eight African markets with Ghana and Botswana already part of the initiative. The project will increase market liquidity, enhance investment opportunities and open access to more markets across Africa, broadening the investor pool for businesses to raise capital.



Speaking on the project, Thapelo Tsheole  Chief Executive Officer of Botswana Stock Exchange and president of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), noted that investors looking to buy shares in Ghana, for example, will bring money into the market; ultimately improving liquidity while attracting foreign investment. The project is expected to help improve the functionality of African stock exchanges, reduce costs and provide more efficient trading and buying share opportunities.



Supported by the African Development Bank, the second phase will see another eight markets join the coalition, including Botswana and Ghana. After the full implementation, it will boast close to 15 connected markets; and trading and buying shares between African markets is likely to increase.



Already, the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA)  of which the GSE is a member  has a partnership agreement with the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS), enabling investors to purchase securities in any African market and execute transactions in local currencies; with central banks handling currency conversion at the back office. Technology also plays a critical role, and attention is on educating the population and investors about the new opportunities available.



The market is of the view that the AELP project will help investors and brokers, offering more opportunities for businesses to gain capital.



The move rounds up a couple of proactive months for the GSE, as it attained full membership status with the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) in October 2022.



WFE is the foremost organisation representing exchanges and clearing houses (CCPs) worldwide, setting the benchmark for regulatory standards in securities and derivatives markets. It encompasses over 250 market infrastructures in both established and emerging markets, making it highly respected. The collective market capitalisation of the 59,400 listed companies under the WFE umbrella exceeded US$ 122.94 trillion by the end of 2021.



Earlier, in July 2022, the Accra bourse partnered with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative  a network of 116 stock exchanges and 13 derivatives exchanges around the world  to promote sustainable development and ensure responsible business practices in the stock market.



The AELP project, analysts say, is a game-changer for the African stock exchange and presents new opportunities for investors and businesses alike. By increasing liquidity, interconnection and accessibility, the project can provide a much-needed boost for the continents capital markets and support economic progress.

Source: B&FT









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry (CEM) has named the industrial hub of the CEMAbility Village Project after Naa Torshie, the Administrator of the District and Municipal Assembly Common Fund.



The integrated community and empowerment center project was envisioned and championed by the visionary leader of the church, Rev Dr Steve Mensah



The project represents a profound commitment to serve the vulnerable and transforming lives.



Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the CEMAbility Village on Saturday , Naa Torshie stated that she is touched by the gesture.



I would want to take this opportunity to express my sincerest appreciation to the church for naming the industrial hub of the village after my good self.



The Administrator of the District Assemblies Assembly Common Fund added I dont take this gesture for granted! It is my fervent hope that by the grace of God, my vision to help establish a training and vocational institute at the industrial hub for the vulnerable, consistent with my aspiration to establish same across the country, within the shortest possible time will come to fruition.



She explained that over the past decade, through the CEM foundation, there have been numerous initiatives aimed at uplifting those in need, particularly people living with disabilities.



Today, we witness the birth of the CEMAbility Village. We are taking a giant leap forward in fulfilling our shared vision of creating a haven of hope and empowerment for the most deserving amongst us.





As we gather here today, Naa Torshie stated I stand before you not only as a speaker but also as someone who shares a deep-rooted passion for serving the vulnerable. For over 25 years, I have dedicated my life to enhancing the standard of living for people living with disabilities.



Also read You remain our heroines and heroes - Mahama to farmers and fishers

In my role as the Administrator of the District and Municipal Assembly Common Fund, I have witnessed the transformative power of community-driven initiatives like CEMAbility Village. It is my firm belief that this ground-breaking project will bring about lasting change, not only for the residents of this village but for our entire society.



Naa Torshie indicated It is an incredible privilege to have with us today a distinguished guest who not only shares our vision but has been a steadfast advocate for the vulnerable. I am honored to welcome the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Bawumia, whose presence here today reflects his commitment to uplifting the lives of the marginalized and most often unrecognized people. His support and endorsement of this project serve as a testament to the importance of our collective mission to build a better future for us all.



The Common Fund Administrator urged all hands to be on deck to see the realization of the project.



Let us forge ahead, hand in hand, as we break ground on CEMAbility Village. Together, we will create a community that embraces and celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, regardless of their abilities or circumstances. May this groundbreaking ceremony be the catalyst for a new era of compassion, empowerment, and lasting change.



Spanning an expansive 2000 acres, CEMAbility Village will become a place of profound significance, housing 9,000 homes that will provide shelter, comfort, and a sense of belonging to 69,000 families. This visionary project is not just about the physical infrastructure but rather about creating a community that fosters unity, inclusivity, and holistic development.



One of the crown jewels of CEMAbility Village is the state-of-the-art specialist hospital, boasting a capacity of 100 beds. This medical facility is a testament to our unwavering commitment to compassionate care and healing. It will offer specialized services, ensuring that those in need, especially the vulnerable, have access to quality healthcare. Through this hospital, we aim to bring relief, restoration, and renewed hope to the lives of countless individuals and families.





Source: Peacefmonline com









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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $1.8bn (1.4bn) loan for Senegal to support the nations economic recovery while protecting it against future shocks.



The West African nation will receive an initial disbursement of about $216m, the IMF said in a statement on Monday following an executive board meeting.



The three-year loan facility will also support Senegals efforts to cope with the effects of climate change.



The international lender says the Russia-Ukraine war hindered the post-Covid-19 recovery, strained public finances, increased borrowing and depleted national reserves.



It however projects an 8.3% growth rate in 2023 as oil and gas production begins in the country.

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.

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" " The Find My iPhone logo shown on an Apple iPhone screen. XanderSt/Shutterstock

Apple tracking is enabled using the "Find My" app, which can be paired with iOS devices such as Apple watches, Mac computers, AirPods and AirTags. The following tracking features are available to iOS:

View Location

Play a Sound

Mark as Lost (Lost Mode)

Remote Erase

Notify When Found

Notify When Left Behind

You will need a second device tied to your Apple account in order to use these features.

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Setting up Find My on iOS and Mac, via Apple support:

Open the Settings app. Tap your name, then tap Find My. If you want friends and family to know your cell phone location, turn on Share My Location. Tap Find My [device], then turn on Find My [device]. To see your device even when it's offline, turn on Find My network. (The Find My network is an encrypted, anonymous network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help you locate your device.) To have the location of your device sent to Apple when the battery is low, turn on Send Last Location.

If you want to be able to find your lost device on a map, make sure that Location Services feature is turned on. To do this, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, and turn on Location Services.

If you're using the Find My app, you can't see your device's location if more than seven days have passed since its last location was sent to Apple.

If the iPhone isn't easily recoverable, you can also perform a remote erase:

Make sure that you try the steps above to recover your missing device  and note, this can't be undone. Open the Find My app and choose the Devices tab. Select the device that you want to remotely erase. Scroll down and choose Erase This Device. Select Erase This [device].

If the device is running iOS 15 or later, then you will still be able to identify and track it on the Find My app after erasing its contents.
A teacher in Italy who was sacked for 20 years of absence in 24 years at schools near Venice has vowed to tell her side of the story.



Cinzia Paolina De Lio was dismissed in 2017 after she reappeared for four months and triggered complaints.



Italys highest court confirmed the dismissal after a legal battle, saying her absences showed a permanent and absolute ineptitude.



Ms De Lio has condemned the ruling and vowed to reconstruct the truth.



The secondary school teacher, who specialises in history and philosophy, said she had documents to prove her story but told Repubblica newspaper: Sorry, but right now Im at the beach.



I will reconstruct the truth of the facts of this absolutely unique and surreal story, she said adding, I dont answer questions from journalists thrown around that wouldnt do justice to the truth of my story.



Ms De Lio was reinstated in 2018 after a ruling by a judge in Venice but the education ministry appealed against the decision and it was reversed by the Supreme Court of Cassation last week.



The ministry argued that the teacher had kept out of the classroom for 20 out of her 24 years of service. For the first 10 years she was completely absent, and her absences in the other 14 years were attributed to sickness, personal or family reasons.



The court heard that in a four-month period in 2015 when she did teach in Chioggia near Venice, students complained of her lack of preparedness, her failure to bring textbooks and her random and improvised way of marking.



An inspection found she was unprepared and inattentive, and students refused to take part in her classes as she was distracted by her phone.



Her 2017 dismissal turned into a legal battle, going through an appeal and counter-appeal, before finally arriving at the top court.



Her defence of freedom of teaching was rejected by the court which argued it was the teachers responsibility to guarantee students right to study.



Describing herself now as a freelance journalist, she told Italian media that she had documents to refute the claim that she had been absent for 20 years.



The education ministry said it would increasingly strive to ensure that the activity of teaching is carried out with adequate professionalism.

Source: BBC









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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana - Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery, as part of measures to help alleviate poverty amongst its members through an economic empowerment programme led by the Presbytery Chairperson, Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi, has distributed 40000 oil palm seedlings to its members in about 15 districts of the church who are into agriculture.



This is exceeding the initial target of 30000 seedlings every year.



This year, 530 congregants who are farmers in about 15 districts of the church that is Abomosu, Kade, Akyem Akropong, Anum Asamankese, Asuom, Osenase, New Abirem, Ofosu, Anyinam, Kyebi and Kukurantumi benefited from the distribution of the 40,000 oil palm seedlings for free.



Similarly, 40000 oil palm seedlings were distributed to 535 church members last year as first badge of beneficiaries of the three-year project, therefore making a total of 80000 oil palm seedlings within two years.



This forms part of the broader vision of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to better their lives, hence the introduction of a three-year project targeted to nurse and supply free 30000 oil palm seedlings every year which begun in 2022 making a total of 90000 to its members within the three years.



Prior to the commencement of the oil palm seedlings project, the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery had already distributed about 5600 coconut seedlings to congregations who had lands for the cultivation of coconut plantation in 2021.



Speaking in an interview, the Chairperson of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi said "one of the visions of the Presbytery is to help its members work and earn income so that they also live better lives whiles on earth through this economic empowerment program".



"We noticed that there are no big companies in the Presbytery but there are a lots of land readily available for farms so we decided to support the members who are into farming with free oil palm and coconut seedlings every year to empower them and to eradicate extreme poverty in the church going forward", he said.



" We are targeting oil palm farming in these areas because of its economical value which will enable the farmers to generate a lot of income for themselves, their families and the church", he added.



According to him, the vision of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery is to complement government in the distribution of seedlings to farmers to improve agricultural production while encouraging the youth into farming.



Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi encouraged the beneficiaries to adopt proper farming methods to nurture the seedlings in order to achieve the full benefit of its intended purpose.

Chief of Akyem Asuom Lauds the initiative



The Chief of Akyem Asuom in the Kwaebibrim Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana, Osabarima Ofosu-Hene Apenteng II also lauded the leadership of Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery for initiating a project to improve the living conditions of the farmers.



The Chief having benefited from the project last year stated that he anticipates to reap the full benefits of his oil palm farms and entreated the church members to embrace this initiative.



"The Chiefs in Akyem Abuakwa State, His Royal Majesty, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin believe that the project is a very good one and I am a beneficiary myself, we are hopeless in Asuom if not because of farming so anything which aims at supporting farmers in this area is something we cherish and value a lot."



"It is my wish that the Presbyterian Church is able to extend this initiative to other part of the country and this will help improve the lives of farmers especially in the rural communities", Osabarima Ofosu-Hene Apenteng II explained.



The Head of a three-member Committee in charge of the nursing of the seedlings and also the immediate-past Director of Plant Genetic Resources Institute at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, Dr. Lawrence Misa Aboagye educated the beneficiaries on appropriate farming practices to adopt in their farms after transplanting the seedlings.



Additionally, he advised all prospective farmers to obtain their materials from oil palm research institutes to get quality seeds and nurture their own seedlings.



The beneficiaries thanked the church for the gesture.

Source: Michael Akrofi/Peace News









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TESLA chief Elon Musk takes ketamine to party and help with depression, it was claimed earlier today.



The billionaire Twitter boss, 51, is said to take full doses at parties. And insiders have claimed he microdoses the horse tranquilliser to help with depression.



The claims appeared in respected American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, which cited people who witnessed him use ketamine and others with direct knowledge of his use.



Mr Musk did not comment but he wrote on Twitter: Depression is overdiagnosed in the US.









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Electorates in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region go to the polls today to cast their votes to elect a Member of Parliament for the constituency.



Following the Supreme Court declaring the seat "vacant" as a result of the eviction of Mr. James Gyakye Quayson from Parliament, it has become necessary for a by-election to be held in the constituency.



A total of 41168 registered voters are expected to vote in 99 polling stations across the constituency.



Three candidates are contesting the by-election with Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC)s James Gyakye Quayson as the front runners in what is expected to be a keenly contested election.



The third candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu representing the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), is viewed by political watchers as adding up to the numbers.



Strategically, the NPP selected Charles Opoku, an indigene of Assin Breku which is the constituency capital, to neutralize the political advantage of James Gyakye Quayson, also an indigene of the town.



Due to the seriousness both the NPP and NDC attach to elections, high-ranking officials of the two political parties were in Assin North to campaign for their respective candidates in the run-up to the polls.



It is with this same interest that Dr. Zenator Rawlings clashes with Valentino Nii Noi Nortey in the Assin North constituency campaigning for their candidates.



While Dr. Zenator Rawlings campaigned in a village for the NDC candidate, Nii Noi Nortey was also campaigning for the NPP candidate Charles Opoku.



This is a clear indication that the 2024 contest will be between Valentino Nii Noi Nortey and Zenator Rawlings in the Klottey Korle constituency.



But the youth in the Klottey Korley are angry saying Dr. Zenator Rawlings, a Member of Parliament for the constituency, has never held a meeting with the constituents before.





They plan to vote against her in the 2024 elections.I cannot remember any single meeting held for the whole constituency by Zenator before as an MP for the constituency. She only held meetings with only the NDC and when the time comes, we shall take her on seriously. We shall work together to remove her from office, Mr. Samuel Oquaye said.The youth appealed to NPP delegates to vote for Valentino Nii Noi Nortey to win the NPP Primaries to take the seat from Zenator Rawlings as she has no plans to help the youth in the constituency.MR Samuel Oquaye stated; Now that the majority of us had settled on Nii Noi Nortey and his victory, lets now focus on the main elections to change Zenator and make the constituency the stronghold of the NPP. With Nii Noi Nortey strategy we can easily win the seat and make it our stronghold. This can easily be done looking at the proactive nature of Nii Noi Nortey."Nii Noi Nortey had gone through the mill. l am not surprised about his successes with huge grassroots achievements for the party. He is the most experienced among the lot, a long serving member of the party, he is very proactive and has all the networks to mobilize logistics for the future campaign, and he had been a polling station organizer and chairman of the constituency before. He had what it takes to win the seat. Above all he is a good listener, action oriented, humble and very respectful.He is not an arrogant leader. Over the years I had watched him and had not changed his ways in his desire to build the party structures, help the delegates and the party in general to capture the seat. This is the opportune time for us all to use our votes to change the system. A word to the wise is enough!"

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The race to succeed President Nana Akufo-Addo as head of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) gained traction on Saturday, as ten hopefuls successfully filed their nomination papers.



Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, Essikado-Ketan MP Joe Ghartey, and former Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto are among the potential candidates.



Former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, former Regional Co-operation Minister Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, and energy specialist Kojo Poku round out the list.



The Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, was the last to file his presidential nomination forms, with one of the aspirants for the NPP flagbearership, Nana Oppong Odeneho, pulling out of the race.



Before declaring his decision to withdraw from the contest to the NPP Election Committee, he had been voted down in the opinion of many.



Each of the aspirants paid GH300,000 as nomination fees in addition to meeting other requirements outlined by the party, after having paid GH50,000 each for the nomination forms.



Nominations were opened on May 26, 2023, and the NPP set June 24, 2023 as the final day for the official filing of nominations for all prospective candidates.



On Monday, July 3, 2023, the ten hopefuls are set to face a tough nomination hearing, with the Vetting Committee, led by Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye, likely grilling them on their contributions to the party, visions, and rightful position in the NPP.



The NPPs Director of Elections, Evans Nimako, confirmed to the media that 10 aspirants successfully filed nomination forms, adding that after the vetting process is completed, the party would know whether a special electoral college will be held.



According to him, following the partys agreement, if five of them are suggested by the vetting committee, there will be no special electoral college poll required to lower the numbers.



Background



The NPP recently changed the timing of its presidential and orphan constituency primaries for the 2024 general election, scheduling the screening of prospective presidential candidates from July 3 to July 6, 2023.



A statement signed by the partys General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, explained that the revision was as a result of the preparation towards the Assin North by-election, as announced by the Electoral Commission (EC).



According to the statement, the party revised the timetable at its emergency Steering Committee (SC) meeting on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, stating that the submission of the Vetting Committees Report to the National Council through the General Secretary will take place on Monday, July 10, 2023.



It stated that the party would publish the vetting report at its Steering Committee Meeting the following day, and that petitions, if any, would be sent to the National Presidential Appeals Committee (NPAC) between July 12 and 14, 2023.



The statement indicated that the NPAC would sit from Monday, July 17 to Tuesday, July 18, 2023, and the National Council and NEC would meet on July 20, 2023, before the list of qualified presidential hopefuls is published on Friday, July 21, 2023.



Balloting for positions on the ballot paper will take place on July 24, 2023, followed by the publishing of the first notice of poll on July 25, 2023, and the national congress by the Special Electoral College on August 26, 2023.



Report on the conduct of the Special Electoral College to the National Council through the General Secretary will be done on August 28, 2023, whereas fresh balloting of the final five qualified candidates will take place on August 30, 2023.



Publication of the final notice of poll is scheduled for August 31, 2023, with the final congress set to come off Saturday, November 4, 2023 and run off, if any, on November 11, 2023.



The party apologised to all stakeholders and those affected by the changes, saying, The party regrets any inconvenience these changes may cause all parties involved and further assures all of its commitment to hold free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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James Gyakye Quayson has won the Assin North constituency by-election according to official results from the Electoral Commission (EC), Tuesday evening.



He garnered 17,245 of the total valid votes cast representing 57.56% beating his close contender, Charles Opoku who had 12,630 votes representing 42.15 percent.



Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.



The EC declaring the results said voter turnout was 74.23%; the total valid votes were 29962, total rejected ballots were 456 and the total votes cast was 30418.



In the 2020 Parliamentary election in Assin North, Gyakye Quayson won with 17,498 votes as against the then NPP candidate Abena Durowaa Mensah who had 14,193 votes.



It didn't go well - NPP Director of IT



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Director of IT, Eric Ntori speaking at the collation centre to Joy News said "it didn't go well" for the party.



"It didnt go well for us but it doesnt matter that we lost it allwell go back to the drawing board; prepare again and come back in 2024 and make sure we can snatch the seat again".



SC of Assin North has spoken



The National Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) George Opare Addo has hailed the constituents of Assin North for proving that "they still prefer Gyakye Quayson"



We have comfortably won the election. The Supreme Court of Assin North has spoken to the Supreme Court of Ghana that they still prefer Gyakye Quayson as their Member of Parliament, he told Joy News.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's congratulatory message to his party and their candidate, James Gyakye Quayson after winning the Assin North by-election is needless.



According to him, the president deliberately ignored to comment on and publicly condemn the various attacks on national executive members of the NDC in his message.



Mustapha Gbande suggests that the presidents posture was hypocritical.



If he [President Nana Addo] doesnt condemn the attempt by the government and the NPP to kill the National Youth Organizer of the NDC, the attempt to kill the National Communication Officer of the NDC, the attempt to kill the deputy National Communication Officer of the NDC . . . Nana Addo didn't see that? . . . he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie'.



" . . We are well prepared, we will return to them the same gesture if the need arise . . . if they shoot one NDC member we'll also shoot an NPP member, that's the way to go in 2024," he added.



Listen to interview





The NDC's candidate, James Gyakye Quayson was declared the winner of the by-election by the Electoral Commission (EC), Tuesday evening.He garnered 17,245 of the total valid votes cast representing 57.56% beating his close contender from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Charles Opoku who had 12,630 votes representing 42.15 percent.Reacting to the outcome of the by-election on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, President Akufo-Addo stated:"Yesterday, Tuesday, 27th June 2023, Ghanas democratic credentials were strengthened even further, following the conduct of peaceful and credible elections in the Assin North by-election.I congratulate warmly the Chairperson and Members of the Electoral Commission, again, for a job well done. The security services are to be commended for maintaining law and order during the holding of the elections; as is the media for providing extensive coverage before, during and after the elections.I congratulate the National Democratic Congress on its victory yesterday.I urge members of my party, the New Patriotic Party, to keep their heads up, recognising that, in a democracy, there are winners and losers, and that we live to fight another day. We once held the Assin North seat, and I am confident that, sooner rather than later, Assin North will be blue again.

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









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Minority in Parliament has taken note of a genuine decision taken by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers under the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers and Petroleum Gas Drivers Union to embark on a sit-down strike over the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery to Kpone road in the Greater Accra Region.



A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee on behalf of the Minority group said, "the action by the government in Assin North points to one fact, that they have priorities, and the minority in Parliament believes that fixing the roads connecting to these major depots should be one of such priorities."



Read below full statement from the Minority



GOVERNMENT MUST FIX THE ROADS CONNECTING TO TEMA OIL REFINERY AND OTHER PETROLEUM DEPOTS IN ORDER TO AVERT A NATIONAL CRISIS.



The Minority in Parliament has taken note of a genuine decision taken by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers under the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers and Petroleum Gas Drivers Union to embark on a sit-down strike over the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery to Kpone road in the Greater Accra Region.



We have also noted that Tanker vehicles with loads of petroleum products from the countrys petroleum enclaves in Takoradi, Kumasi and Buipe, have withdrawn their services insisting they will not resume work until the deplorable roads leading to those depots are rehabilitated.



Information reaching us indicates that the strike action is already having a negative impact on petroleum supplies with reported shortages of LPG and other products in some parts of the country.



It should be noted that the Petroleum products being transported on these deplorable roads are highly inflammable and has the potential of compromising the safety of drivers and pedestrians.



The Minority wishes to make an urgent and passionate call on the Akuffo-Addo/Bawumia led Government to refrain from the usual lackluster approach and show commitment towards addressing the genuine concerns of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union with immediate effect to avert the pending national crisis.



We wish to state emphatically that we completely reject the excuse by the Government communicators that the nation is broke following the rapid deployment of road contractors to complete some major roads in the Assin North Constituency during the period of the recently held by-elections.



The action by the government in Assin North points to one fact, that they have priorities, and the minority in Parliament believes that fixing the roads connecting to these major depots should be one of such priorities.



By this release, we call on the government to fix the said roads with immediate effect.



-Signed-



Hon. John Abdulai Jinapor

(Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee)

Tanker Drivers On Sit Down Strike



Petroleum tanker drivers under the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union have declared a sit down strike over the deplorable condition of Tema Oil Refinery to Kpone road.



The Chairman of the union, George Teye Nyaunu, told journalists on Monday, June 26, 2023 that tanker drivers from the union have withdrawn their services until the situation is addressed.



Roads Ministry to meet Tanker Drivers



The Ministry of Roads and Highways is scheduled to meet with the National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union on Thursday, following its sit-down strike action.



Due to deteriorating road conditions leading to various depots operated by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) in Takoradi, Tema, and Kumasi, the National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union declared a sit-down strike on Monday.



Despite government assurances, workers say they will not end the strike until road work begins.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A man accused of ambushing and shooting a tow truck driver is behind bars after being on the run for over a year.

U.S. Marshals arrested Jabril Ali along the 1500 block of South Cleveland Street in Philadelphia at around noon Wednesday, according to reports from 6ABC and CBS Philadelphia.

Ali is being charged with attempted murder, robbery, weapons violations, and drug sales in relation to a shooting that took place in May 2022.

It was on that date that tow truck driver Jamie King was sitting in his vehicle outside of an automotive repossession company in Chester. When he got out to lock the gate, police said Ali confronted him about a car that had been repossessed and shot him multiple times.

King attempted to drive away after being shot but crashed into a nearby building, 6ABC said.

He was shot in the head, chest and stomach, according to CBS, and had to undergo multiple surgeries, as well as speech and occupational therapy.

He should have a life sentence, Kings wife, Nicole said to CBS about Ali. Our lives have forever changed and so should his.

READ MORE: 5 Pa. child services workers arrested, accused of ignoring neglect: reports
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (fifth from right, first line) and other delegates at Vietnam - China Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum (Photo: VNA)

The forum, jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Vienamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, was also attended by Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, leaders of ministries and agencies, and representatives from more than 350 enterprises of both Vietnam and China.

Participants introduced the economic development situation, the business and investment environment, and investment attraction policies of each country, as well as the bilateral cooperation situation; and shared lessons and experiences in investment and business in each country.

Vice Premier Liu said that the China-Vietnam political trust is being enhanced, and economic, trade and investment collaboration maintaining growth.

Vietnam is China's fourth largest trade partner in the world, with two-way trade hitting 175 billion USD in 2022, accounting for a quarter of the total trade turnover between China and ASEAN. Meanwhile, China is the largest trade partner of ASEAN, of which Vietnam is an active member.

According to the leader, China plans to organise many business and investment cooperation and promotion activities; prioritises green development, digital economy, and climate change adaptation; and encourages and creates favourable conditions for competent enterprises to invest in Vietnam.

He suggested Vietnam continue to create favourable conditions and protect the legitimate interests of enterprises in general and Chinese ones in particular, for the development of each country and for peace, security, prosperity and friendship in the ASEAN region and the world.

PM Chinh stressed the need to find the best solution for investors and researchers to contribute to the development of bilateral relations, and requested authorities to continue reviewing and perfecting the legal framework, mechanisms and policies, improve the business environment to create favourable conditions for businesses to promote trade and investment between the two sides.

It is necessary to have an exclusive working group on trade and investment, he said.

According to him, there remains an ample room to further develop the bilateral economic, trade and investment relations.

To help Vietnamese products gain a firm foothold in the Chinese market, he asked Vietnamese firms to exert more efforts in improving the quality of exports.

Vietnam is prioritising investment projects in high technology, innovation, and development research, and encouraging public-private partnership, Chinh stated, calling for Chinese investments to strategic infrastructure works such as highways and railways.

The country will continue improving its business and investment environment towards transparency, convenience and international competitiveness; review and perfect mechanisms, policies and laws; reduce and simplify administrative procedures and business conditions; develop high-quality human resources and infrastructure; and have timely policy response to arising issues.

Regarding trade promotion, it is necessary to have specific mechanisms and policies to promote bilateral trade in a more balanced direction; encourage border trade and study the formation of appropriate border trade zones; develop logistics systems; connect supply chains; promote e-commerce; and strengthen cooperation against smuggling and trade fraud, the Vietnamese PM stressed.

He also welcomed the building of a smart border gate model between Lang Son province of Vietnam and Guangxi province of China.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Government leader hosted a reception for leaders of several major economic groups of China that are investing in and wishing to expand production and business in Vietnam.

The groups' officials proposed the Vietnamese Government and the PM continue to reform administrative procedures, provide a stable supply of electricity for production and enough materials for ground clearance to build industrial parks, and remove obstacles in regulations on fire prevention and control.

Acknowledging the Chinese enterprises proposals, Chinh said that Vietnam is encouraging businesses, including those from China, to invest in renewable energy, power transmission system building, and supporting industry for the garment and textile sector./.
A line-up of 65 heavy-hitters including rap artist Meek Mill, music industry mogul Troy Carter, Live Nation Urbans Shawn Gee and former U.S. education secretaries are weighing in on what is proving to be the biggest obstacle to getting an on-time state budget: school vouchers.

A letter landing in the email inbox of Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Education Secretary Khalid Mumin and members of the General Assembly Thursday morning calls these taxpayer-funded lifeline scholarships -targeted to students in the 15 % (or 371) worst performing schools - an opportunity to deliver true hope and opportunity to thousands of Pennsylvanias most vulnerable children.
Pennsylvanias Department of State has asked Commonwealth Court to reject the brief of a Lebanon County woman in a Lycoming County election case appeal.

The agency contends in a Monday filing that Heather Honey, who heads Haystack Investigations, does not have standing to participate in the appeal of Judge Eric R. Linhardts Dec. 16 decision that cast vote records (CVR) are public.

The Department of States position is based on Linhardt ruling that Honey was not entitled to view the CVRs from the 2020 general election because she is not a Lycoming County resident.

Three other county Republican conservatives were granted access but it has not occurred because the judges order has been stayed pending the appeal by the state agency on behalf of the countys Office of Voter Services.

If Honeys brief is considered, her arguments should be rejected because they are based on an incorrect premise that the Election Code makes copies of voted mail-in ballots public records, the Department of State claims.

According to the statute, official mail-in ballots are those prepared by a county for an election not the voted ballots returned to the election office, it says.

To read it any other way would result in an absurd interpretation that a voted mail-in ballot would be subject to review while a voted in-person ballot would not, the filing states.

In a February filing, the Department of State claimed Linhardt made 11 errors in finding CVRs are public.

That ruling overturned an Office of Open Records decision that CVRs are not subject to a right-to-know request.

CVRs are a collection of spreadsheets containing raw data for each ballot with no voter identification information. A viewer could see for which office a vote was cast but not by whom.

Linhardt found CVRs are not contents of ballot boxes and voting machines and therefore are open to public inspection.

The three who were given access to the CVRs  state Rep. Joseph D. Hamm, county GOP chair Donald R. Peters and former chair Jeffrey J. Stroehmann  defended the judges decision in a previously filed brief.

Linhardt in May upheld an Office of Open Records decision in another election case, ruling that images of votes cast in person are not public record as Stroehmann argued.

The Legislature in passing Act 77 in 2019 amending the Election Code made public images of mail-in and absentee ballots.

But, Linhardt wrote, the act does not explicitly establish whether images of voted in-person ballots constitute contents of ballot boxes and thus excepted from public access.

Stroehmanns appeal of that decision also is pending before Commonwealth Court.

The county to date has spent $5,729 and $4,947 respectively defending the Honey and Stroehmann suits, a spokesperson said.

More:

Pa. man who shot his dog, left it to die in the cold given maximum sentence

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HelloFresh says research shows that 9 out of 10 people would trade something on their plate for a pickle.

Almost half of those people would give up french fries, coleslaw, mac and cheese and mozzarella sticks for a pickle.

No trading is required to get a box full of pickle treats such as pickle-flavored cotton candy, chips and freeze pops.

HelloFresh, a meal kit provider, has a new Pickle Box to celebrate National Pickle Month in July.

The Pickle Box, which you can buy without a HelloFresh subscription, includes:

Fairy Tale Cotton Candy Pickle and Spicy Pickle Cotton Candy

SuckerPunch Snappy Pickle Chips in Classic Dill and Sweet Pickle Chips in Bread & Butter

SuckerPunch Hydration Pickle Juice with electrolytes and Digestion Pickle Juice with probiotics

Lays Dill Pickle Flavored potato chips

Pop Daddy Pretzels dill pickle pretzel sticks

Ass Kickin Spicy Pickle peanuts

Ass Kickin Spicy Pickle microwave popcorn

Van Holtens Warheads Extreme sour single pickle-in-a-pouch

Van Holtens Tapatio Pickle Salsa Picante single pickle-in-a-pouch

Van Holtens Big Papa Hearty Dill single pickle-in-a-pouch

Van Holtens Pickle Ice flavored freeze pop

The Pickle Box is $29.99 plus shipping and will be available for purchase starting Monday, July 10, on a first come, first-served basis.

Inspired by consumers passion and devotion for all things pickles, were excited to introduce the HelloFresh Pickle Box and offer a truly unique and flavorful snacking experience, said Kirsten Walpert, VP of brand marketing, HelloFresh US.

The box includes a combination of classic, sour and sweet pickles together with craveable, salty snacks and even dill-flavored sweet treats, like a pickle-flavored freeze pop! We hope that pickle fans everywhere will enjoy celebrating National Pickle Month with this specialty box.

READ MORE

Pickle-flavored hard seltzer is a thing and it is made in Pennsylvania.

Vlasic puts hot dog lovers in a pickle with contest.

The HelloFresh Pickle Box will be available to purchase without a subscription on July 10, 2023, for $29.99. The box includes pickle-flavored cotton candy, chips, pretzels, peanuts and more. (Photo provided by HelloFresh)

It appears the passion for pickles isnt going away.

Recently, Pizza Hut sold a pickle pizza in New York City. In April of this year, Herrs launched condiment-flavored chips - including pickle - specifically to be eaten in a sandwich.

In March, Franks RedHot launched a dill pickle-flavored hot sauce.

Last summer, Sonic Drive-In launched a Pickle Juice Slush and the Big Dill Cheeseburger.

In the fall of 2022, Vlasic unveiled its Vlasic Dill Pickle candle that looked and smelled like a jar of pickles.

In 2021, Mt. Olive released pickle salsa and jars of pickle juice.

So, apparently, pickle is a big dill.
A minuscule handbag that bears the iconic Louis Vuitton signature monogram is making headlines, according to news sources.

And get this  the bag is so small, you can barely even see it with the naked eye, according to reports from CBS News and CNN.

The microscopic bag, measuring just 657 by 222 by 700 microns (or less than 0.03 inches wide), sold for thousands of dollars at an online auction Wednesday.

Measured in micrometers, the fashion item -- dubbed the Microscopic Handbag -- takes on a fluorescent yellowish-green hue. Even though the tote is based on the popular Louis Vuitton design, the bag was created by the Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF, not the luxury label itself.

The small bag was sold off in a Joopiter auction this week for $63,750. Thats a huge leap from its initial bid of $15,000.

Now, you might ask yourself, Why buy a bag you can barely see?

Well, to better remedy that issue, the bag comes with a microscope that has a digital display you can see the bags intricate design, according to reports.

Smaller than a grain of sea salt and narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle, this is a purse so small youll need a microscope to see it, MSCHF said in an Instagram post about the bag. There are big handbags, normal handbags, and small handbags, but this is the final word in bag miniaturization.

The bag is said to be made of photopolymer resin using two-photon polymerization, a form of 3D printing, and is based on Louis Vuittons OnTheGo tote, which currently retails at full size for between $3,100 and $4,300, according to reports.

As a once-functional object like a handbag becomes smaller and smaller its object status becomes steadily more abstracted until it is purely a brand signifier, MSCHF said in their post.

Joopiter, the online auction house that hosted the sale, was founded by American musician, record producer and designer Pharrell Williams, who currently serves as the French labels creative director of menswear.

MSCHFs chief creative officer Kevin Wiesner told The New York Times earlier this month that the group did not seek permission from Louis Vuitton to mimic its brand.

We are big in the ask forgiveness, not permission school, Wiesner said to the outlet.

Tiny purses and bags have been all the rage in the fashion world as of late, with multiple celebrities getting in on the fad and snapped with the accessory on red carpets.

Previous small leather handbags have still required a hand to carry them  they become dysfunctional, inconveniences to their wearer, MSCHF said in its auction listing. Microscopic Handbag takes this to its full logical conclusion. A practical object is boiled down into jewelry, all of its putative function evaporated; for luxury objects, useability is the angels share.

Read More:
By JESSICA GRESKO, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Thursday used the case of a Christian mailman from Lancaster County, Pa., who didnt want to work Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations.

In a unanimous decision, the justices made clear that workers who ask for accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off, should get them unless their employers show doing so would result in substantial increased costs to the business.

The court made clear that businesses must cite more than minor costs  so-called de minimis costs  to reject requests for religious accommodations at work. Unlike most cases before the court, both sides in the case had agreed businesses needed to show more.

The case before the court involved a Mennonite mail carrier in rural Pennsylvania. The man was told that as part of his job hed need to start delivering Amazon packages on Sundays. He declined, saying his Sundays are for church and family.

FILE - Gerald Groff, a former postal worker whose case was argued before the Supreme Court, stands during a television interview near a "Now Hiring" sign posted at the roadside at the United State Postal Service, March 8, 2023, in Quarryville, Pa. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)AP

A federal law  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  requires employers to accommodate employees religious practices unless doing so would be an undue hardship for the business. But a 1977 Supreme Court case, Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, says in part that employers can deny religious accommodations to employees when they impose more than a de minimis cost on the business.

As for the particular dispute in front of them, the justices sent the case back to a lower court for another look in light of their decision. The case involves Gerald Groff, a former employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Amish country. For years, Groff was a fill-in mail carrier who worked on days when other mail carriers were off.

But when an Amazon.com contract with the Postal Service required carriers to start delivering packages on Sundays, Groff balked. Initially, to avoid the shifts, Groff transferred to a more rural post office not yet doing Sunday deliveries, but eventually that post office was required to do them, too.

Whenever Groff was scheduled on a Sunday, another carrier had to work or his spot went unfilled. Officials said Groffs absences created a tense environment and contributed to morale problems. It also meant other carriers had to deliver more Sunday mail than they otherwise would.

Groff resigned in 2019 rather than wait to be fired. He sued the Postal Service for failing to accommodate his religious practice. Lower courts had ruled against him. As a result of the courts ruling, his case will get another look.

Groff said in a statement after the ruling that he was grateful the court heard his case. I hope this decision allows others to be able to maintain their convictions without living in fear of losing their jobs because of what they believe, he said.

The case is Groff v. DeJoy, 22-174.

More: Colleges cant use race to consider admissions, Supreme Court rules
A school bus crash in southwestern Pennsylvania sent 28 people to the hospital, including 25 children, state police said.

According to KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, the bus was carrying about 50 teens to a rafting trip when it ran off a Fayette County road Wednesday morning.

WPXI-TV reported that the bus was carrying children and adults from the Christian Camps of Pittsburgh.

State police said the bus crashed through a wooden fence and ended up in a grassy field around 8:20 a.m. Three adults and 25 juveniles were sent to the hospital.

Trooper Rocco Gagliardi told PennLive on Thursday that medics on the scene said most of the injuries appeared to be minor. The crash is still under investigation so no charges have been filed, he said.

Everything seemed somewhat more minor than usual, but if anyone relayed any which injury to troopers or medics, they were sent to the hospital to get evaluated, Gagliardi told WPXI on Wednesday.

Gagliardi also said that the crash could have been worse because the bus narrowly missed hitting a utility pole before it crashed through the fence.

If it does hit that pole, youre looking at a direct impact with a more solid object tied to the ground than a traditional fence post, he said to WPXI.

State police will inspect the bus for any mechanical issues and the driver, who was not named, will be tested for drugs and alcohol.
State and federal authorities are projecting air quality in the Harrisburg region to be unhealthy for sensitive groups Friday, a slight improvement over Thursdays more serious air pollutant warning, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to impact the area.

Data and forecasting from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are anticipating a Code Orange warning for Friday on the agencies color-coded scale, down from Thursdays Code Red advisory.

As of Thursday afternoon, Harrisburgs reading for PM2.5 - fine particle pollution of 2.5 microns or less in size - was 98.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, according to the DEP, well within the Code Red zone.

While elevated, the current PM2.5 levels  the result of smoke and soot from wildfires to the north  are much lower than they were earlier this month, when some readings in Central Pennsylvania topped 400 micrograms per cubic meter.

High levels of PM2.5 can be harmful to children, the elderly, and those with existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, according to the EPA and DEP. Those groups are advised to limit outdoor activity.

Fridays anticipated improvement  albeit marginal  is due to shifting weather patterns, according to the EPA. Winds that were coming from the west and northwest will become more southerly, with chances of thunderstorms and thus decreasing air quality impacts from the wildfire smoke.

Conditions will be more favorable for dispersion Friday afternoon compared to conditions Thursday, the EPA wrote in its forecast, but the fires continue to burn so even a pattern shift changing local conditions for the weekend does not mean the impacts from smoke are over for the foreseeable future.

Canadian authorities have said that hundreds of wildfires  many of them uncontrolled  continue to burn, with U.S. authorities having sent hundreds of firefighters to assist.

More:

Why this hot, smoky summer isnt going to change anytime soon

How bad is the air quality in Pa. right now? This map shows you
Pennsylvania House Democrats on Wednesday passed a bill through committee that would restrict constitutional amendment referenda to general election ballots only, a response to the recent rash of politically controversial constitutional questions.

The House State Government Committee cleared the bill Wednesday on a party-line vote, with Republicans against. The committee also unanimously passed a related bill that would require legislators to hold public meetings in their district on constitutional ballot measures.

House Bill 1488 would remove municipal elections from the language of the states election code as it applies to constitutional amendment referenda; the result, according to committee Executive Director Nick Himebaugh, would be that constitutional ballot questions could only appear in November elections of even years.

The constitutional amendment process really should not be taken lightly, said Rep. Ben Sanchez, D-Montgomery, the bills prime sponsor, and should seek to maximize voter participation and should not be done by a handful of voters.

The 2021 primary featured two constitutional ballot measures giving the legislature more control over the governors emergency powers, a topic of partisan contention after the referenda were initiated by a Republican majority who had fought against former Gov. Tom Wolfs COVID-19 policies.

However, as Sanchez noted, the states last three constitutional referenda all appeared on the May 2021 local primary ballot, where only about a quarter of registered voters turned out  compared to two or three times that turnout during the 2020 and 2022 general elections.

These presidential and gubernatorial elections wouldve been much better times for voters to make the important decisions about amending our state constitution, Sanchez said, given that democracy works best when everyone participates.

Proposed changes to the state constitution must be passed by the legislature twice, in separate sessions, before they appear on the ballot at the next election that occurs at least three months after the second passage.

Democrats have accused Republicans  who at that time controlled both the House and Senate  of deliberately timing the passage of the proposed amendments to have them appear on an off-year primary ballot, where fewer working voters typically turn out, thus skewing the electorate toward an older and more conservative constituency.

This has been nothing but the weaponization of a critical process deliberately scheduled during low-turnout elections in the hopes that a few, select group of voters weigh in, said Rep. Joshua Siegel, D-Lehigh.

We need to make sure that we are getting as close to an actual broad majority of voters in the commonwealth to weigh in on constitutional changes by setting the standard that such referenda will only happen in general elections, Siegel continued.

Pennsylvanias governor does not have veto power over constitutional amendments put forth by the legislature  but would have such power over HB1488 or any attempts to repeal it or otherwise change the election code.

Republicans objected that the governors leverage was improper, given that it could in perpetuity bind successive general assemblies to a certain constitutional amendment process and thereby it would trample the constitutional legislative prerogative over that process, in the words of Rep. Louis Schmitt, R-Blair.

Others questioned whether the proposed change should, in principle, make a difference.

Every voter in Pennsylvania, they had the opportunity to go vote on those ballot questions, said Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford, the ranking Republican on the committee, of the 2021 referenda. We cant force people to go vote.

Since the current iteration of Pennsylvanias constitution went into effect in 1968, 49 constitutional amendments have been put to the voters, according to a recent Spotlight PA analysis. Of those, only six failed to pass, but only 14 were presented during a presidential or gubernatorial election, according to Spotlight PA.

The 2021 primary featured two constitutional ballot measures giving the legislature more control over the governors emergency powers, a topic of partisan contention after the referenda were initiated by a Republican majority who had fought against former Gov. Tom Wolfs COVID-19 policies.

Since then, the legislature has seen a rush of constitutional amendment proposals, many of them on highly partisan matters  such as a package of constitutional changes favored by Republicans, including questions on abortion and voter ID, that was first passed last year.

Now that the legislature is split, with Democrats holding a majority in the House and Republicans in the Senate, its uncertain which, if any, of these will ever move forward.

The committee on Wednesday also unanimously passed House Bill 283, which would require legislators to hold a public meeting in their district to discuss proposed constitutional amendments. An amendment to the bill added Wednesday specifies that this would take place between the legislatures first and second passage of the constitutional amendment language.

We should make the extra effort, in a due diligence kind of way, to make sure that the voters understand the issue and the implications, said Rep. Joe Webster, D-Montgomery, the bills prime sponsor.

More:

Bill to mandate nurse staffing levels at hospitals moves closer to reality in Pa.

Three Shapiro Cabinet nominees to assume their positions without a confirmation vote
A Pottstown, Montgomery County, man has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of another man Tuesday evening after an apparent argument, according to news sources.

Pottstown authorities responded to the 500 block of May Street at 7:13 p.m. for a report of a shooting. Once there, they came across 38-year-old Derek Mayo, of Parkesburg, lying in the roadway between the curb and the passenger side of a Kia Optima sedan.

He was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to a hospital, but was pronounced dead, according to reports from The Philadelphia Inquirer and WFMZ.

An investigation uncovered that Kelsay Love-Shellar, the owner of the sedan, and her longtime boyfriend, Mayo, arrived at the location for a scheduled pickup of the 12-year-old daughter that Love-Shellar shares with 34-year-old Kevin Morgan, of Pottstown.

Morgan came out of the home with their daughter, then got into an argument with Mayo while both were standing next to the sedan. Morgan then shot Mayo once in the chest, according to reports.

A search warrant of Morgans house produced five firearms, all of which were legally owned by Morgan. Mayo didnt have a gun when he was shot.

Morgan was arrested Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder, third-degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, and endangering the welfare of a child.

He is being held without bail at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, according to reports.

Read More:
LOCK HAVEN  A Jersey Shore man on Tuesday was sentenced to the maximum of 2 to 14 years in state prison in an animal cruelty case.

James Standridge, 34, had pleaded guilty in May to two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. He argued for a county prison sentence.

Standridge admitted twice shooting his then 18-month-old female pit bull terrier, which volunteers would later name Lucky, after tying her to a tree in a secluded wooded area along Pine Mountain Road in Wayne Twp.
National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and President of the National Council of Switzerland Martin Candinas (Photo: VNA)

At the talks, Hue affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its traditional friendship and cooperation with Switzerland and expressed his gratitude for the European nation's provision of over 600 million USD in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam from 1991 to 2021 as well as for supporting the Southeast Asian country in the fight against COVID-19.

He proposed the two sides continue to enhance cooperation and exchange delegations through all channels and further coordinate closely at multilateral forums, thus contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Regarding the two-way trade turnover of approximately 810 million USD last year and Swiss investment in Vietnam worth nearly 2 billion USD, the two leaders said the figures are not commensurate with their potential. They agreed to accelerate the negotiation process and signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

Candinas stated that Switzerland has paid due attention to promoting investment, trade, technology, and knowledge, hence it hoped that the FTA could be inked next year.

Hue said that there are still many opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of science, technology, education, and climate change adaptation.

He proposed Switzerland increase the number of scholarships for Vietnam, promote cooperation between Vietnamese and Swiss educational institutions, and implement joint training programmes in pharmaceuticals, precision mechanical engineering, tourism, finance, banking, and insurance.

Hue suggested the parliament and government of Switzerland continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to settle down and well integrate into the host society, thus contributing to promoting the friendship between the two nations.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, Hue hoped the two sides will continue to maintain the exchange of delegations at high and all levels, including among parliament committees and parliamentarians.

The two sides should continue to cooperate and share experience with each other in law-building activities to create institutions to meet requirements of issues of global concern such as just energy transition, digital transformation, and climate change response, he said.

The Vietnamese top legislator held that the two sides can increase consultations and coordination as well as mutual support at multilateral forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF), while promoting the cooperation among the two Friendship Parliamentarians Groups.

The legislatures of the two countries should work together in supervising and speeding up the implementation of agreements between the two governments, he said, adding that Vietnamese and Swiss localities should foster their connectivity, including collaboration among elected agencies at the local level.

Hue pledged that the NA and Government of Vietnam will create optimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Switzerland, to do long-term business and production activities in Vietnam.

Candinas said Switzerland welcomes Vietnam's commitment at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), saying that both countries have a common goal of sustainable development, therefore, the European nation is ready to cooperate for the two sides to achieve this goal.

In its foreign policy, Switzerland always considers Vietnam as a strategic economic cooperation partner in the region, he said, adding that this is also the reason why the high-ranking Swiss delegation decided to visit Vietnam.

Asserting that Vietnam has a dynamic and successful economy that has performed well in hunger eradication and poverty reduction in recent years, the President of the National Council of Switzerland said that through talks, the Swiss business representatives wish to continue to pour investment, thereby promoting cooperation and economic development between the two countries.

He went on to say that Switzerland wants to increase investment, trade cooperation and effective economic cooperation, helping to realise Vietnam's goal of becoming a developed and high-income country by 2045. There are currently about 100 Swiss enterprises in the Southeast Asian country that create jobs for about 120,000 local workers.

Expressing his confidence in the fruitful development of the bilateral relations and with many projects and programmes of Switzerland in Vietnam over the past 30 years, Candinas emphasised that Switzerland will continue to strengthen the cooperation between the two nations in the future.

According to the Swiss leader, the European country has focused on improving the competitiveness of businesses and labour productivity. During the official visit to Vietnam, the Swiss delegation will visit a garment company to learn about the productivity and working conditions of local workers.

With the signing of an agreement on improving working conditions by the two countries, Candinas expressed his belief that Swiss programmes and cooperation will contribute to improving labour productivity and improving working conditions for workers.

The two leaders also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue. They affirmed the importance of respecting international law, maintaining peace and stability, and ensuring security and safety, freedom of navigation and aviation; and held that all disputes should be resolved by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the talk, Candinas invited Hue to pay an official visit to Switzerland soon and his invitation was accepted with pleasure./.
Want a say in the news? Email Claudia at todayinpa@pennlive.com to have your thoughts on the stories covered here or on PennLive heard during Listening to Listeners, an original Today in Pa. segment that occurs every other Friday.

You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit!

Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | June 29, 2023

One of the largest catalytic converter theft rings ever seen in southeastern Pennsylvania has been broken up. Philadelphia teachers are expressing their doubts over some incoming new material. Julys first supermoon will rise this weekend. Plus, Pennsylvanias a top state for competitive eating.

Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa.

Todays episode refers to the following articles:

If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too.

As sponsored by Renewal by Anderson of Central PA.
Much like it did two weeks ago, a smoky haze has settled over central Pennsylvania and beyond, the result of wildfires burning to the north.

Canada says it has 490 fires, with 255 of them considered to be out of control

A free website, AirNow, provides live air quality information from any location. It measures each region with a color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI), which ranges from green (good) to maroon (hazardous). AQI also assigns numeric values to each level.

An AQI below 50 is green and good. Central Pennsylvania today is hovering in the upper 100s, indicating unhealthy (problematic for some, especially sensitive groups) and nearing very unhealthy (increased risks for all).

Heres how the state looks:

Officials warn that this smoky and hot summer will continue thanks to a combination of out-of-control wildfires and a stuck weather pattern. Wind takes the smoke in and out of areas of the U.S., but hot air is the other option sweeping in.

The state is under a Code Red Air Quality Action Day on Thursday, which means young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems  such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis  are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should avoid outdoor activities. Everyone else should reduce prolonged time outside and heavy exertion.

Parts of western Pennsylvania are under Code Purple, which means the sensitive groups should avoid all physical activity outdoors, and everyone else should avoid long time outside.

The small particles in wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can affect the heart and lungs, making it harder to breathe. Health officials say its important to limit outdoor activities as much as possible to avoid breathing in the particles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related:

Symptoms you might experience from inhaling wildfire smoke

Theres a reason you might smell burning plastic in the wildfire smoke
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer

The only break much of America can hope for anytime soon from eye-watering dangerous smoke from fire-struck Canada is brief bouts of shirt-soaking sweltering heat and humidity from a southern heat wave that has already proven deadly, forecasters say.

And then the smoke will likely come back to the Midwest and East.

Thats because neither the 235 out-of-control Canadian wildfires nor the stuck weather pattern thats responsible for this mess of meteorological maladies is showing signs of relenting, according to meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center.

First, the stuck weather pattern made abnormally hot and dry conditions for Canada to burn at off-the-chart record levels. Then it created a setup where the only relief comes when low pressure systems roll through, which means areas on one side get smoky air from the north and the other gets sweltering air from the south.

Smoke or heat. Pick your poison, said prediction center forecast operations chief Greg Carbin. The conditions are not going to be very favorable.

As long as those fires keep burning up there, thats going to be a problem for us, Carbin said. As long as theres something to burn, there will be smoke we have to deal with.

Take St. Louis. The city had two days of unhealthy air Tuesday and Wednesday, but for Thursday theyll get an improvement of air quality with the very hot and humid heat, said weather prediction center meteorologist Bryan Jackson. The forecast is for temperatures that feel like 109 degrees with stifling humidity.

On Wednesday, the low pressure system was parked over New England. Because winds go counter-clockwise, areas to the west  such as Chicago and the Midwest  get smoky winds from the north, while areas east of the low pressure get southerly hot winds, Jackson said.

These satellite images from June 6, from top left, June 7, June 25, and June 27, 2023, show the wind movement from wildfire smoke in Quebec, Canada. Heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada has blanketed parts of the Midwest, causing hazardous air for residents, just weeks after drifting smoke did the same thing along parts of the East Coast. (NASA Worldview, (EOSDIS) via AP)AP

As that low pressure system moves on and another one travels over the central Great Plains and Lake Superior, the Midwest gets temporary relief, Jackson said. But when low pressure moves on, the smoke comes back.

We have this this carousel of air cruising around the Midwest, and every once in a while is bringing the smoke directly onto whatever city you live in, said University of Chicago atmospheric scientist Liz Moyer. And while the fires are ongoing, you can expect to see these periodic bad air days and the only relief is either when the fires go out or when the weather pattern dies.

Why is the weather pattern stuck? This seems to be happening more often  and some scientists suggest that human-caused climate change causes more situations where weather patterns stall. Moyer and Carbin said its too soon to tell if thats the case.

But Carbin and Canadian fire scientist Mike Flannigan said theres a clear climate signal in the Canadian fires. And they said those fires arent likely to die down anytime soon, with nothing in the forecast that looks likely to change.

Nearly every province in Canada has fires. A record 30,000 square miles have burned, an area nearly as large as South Carolina, according to the Canadian government.

And fire season usually doesnt really get going until July in Canada.

Its been a crazy, crazy year. Its unusual to have the whole country on fire, said Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia. Usually its regional ... not the whole shebang at once.
The Google News homepage is displayed on an iPhone in Ottawa on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. Google said Thursday that it will strip Canadian news from its platforms in response to new federal legislation forcing tech giants to pay publishers for news they share through their services.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Six-year-old Noah Fitzpatrick with his dad, pro Elvis tribute artist Adam Fitzpatrick, and Linda Thompson, a former girlfriend of Elvis. Thompson and her brother Sam were special guests at the Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival. Fitzpatrick is a former Penticton resident who finished second in the finals this year.
Guests watch as chefs make characteristic food of Tianjin during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Guests learn about characteristic food of Tianjin during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Guests enjoy the buffet dinner during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Guests learn about intangible cultural heritages of Tianjin during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Actresses perform during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

A performance is staged during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Actresses perform during the Cultural Soiree of the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2023. The cultural soiree was held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center on Tuesday night. Attendees tasted characteristic food of Tianjin and learned about traditional Chinese culture while enjoying performances during the event. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Editor: GSY
Alaska State Rep. Rebecca Himschoot visited Petersburg last week to meet with constituents as part of a tour around the Southeast communities she represents in the Alaska House of Representatives.

Himschoot, a career educator and former member of the Sitka Assembly, finished her first legislative session in May after being elected to the House last year.

She represents House District 2, which spans from Prince of Wales Island to Yakutat and includes Petersburg, Sitka, Kake, and Craig.

"It was an amazing experience," Himschoot said.

"To my teacher friends I have been saying lately...it's an...
The state concern Ukroboronprom has been reorganized into JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry as part of corporatization, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin has said.

"We are starting #iron_changes in the country's largest defense enterprise. An important step is transformation. As of today, the activities of the Ukroboronprom state concern have been terminated. At the same time, a joint-stock company Ukrainian Defense Industry has been created," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday night.

According to the minister, the next step is the transfer of staff, the transfer of property and subsequent transformation processes, and then the creation of a supervisory board in line with OECD standards.

As reported, from June 28 this year, the government appointed Herman Smetanin, who previously headed the state-owned enterprise Malyshev Plant, Director General of the Ukrainian Defense Industry (Ukroboronprom) for a period until the creation of the supervisory board and holding a competition for this position. Prior to this, the Ukroboronprom concern was headed by Yuriy Husev.




This is where the Meta SX comes in. It is built with geometry that echos the 29" version when run in its lower position, although there are some key differences.

Last week, you maybe have seen the release of the long-awaited, full 29" Commencal Meta V5 . In many ways it was exactly what you might have come to expect from the Andorran brand: all metal, race proven and all at relatively decent value for money. One thing that was missing from the picture though was a mixed wheel variant.This is where the Meta SX comes in. It is built with geometry that echos the 29" version when run in its lower position, although there are some key differences. Meta SX V5 Details



 Wheel size: 29/27.5"

 Aluminum frame

 165 mm rear travel, 170mm fork

 64 head angle

 442 (S/M) or 445mm (L/XL) chainstay length

 Sizes: S, M, L, XL

 MSRP: $4,500 - $6200 USD

 commencal.com

 Wheel size: 29/27.5" Aluminum frame 165 mm rear travel, 170mm fork 64 head angle 442 (S/M) or 445mm (L/XL) chainstay length Sizes: S, M, L, XL MSRP: $4,500 - $6200 USD

Unlike the 29" version, there is no flip-chip to be found on the SX bike. Clean and simple lines of the new Meta will surely prove popular.

FRAME DETAILS

GEOMETRY

Meta V5 Signature: $6,200 USD.

Meta V5 Race: $5,500 USD.

The Meta V5 Essential is available in two colourways: $4,500

The Meta V5 Frameset: $2,200

As with the standard Meta, their big takeaway is the shift to the brand's new Virtual Contact System (VCS) kinematics, which you may have seen on bikes like the Tempo. The system, which utilises a swing arm and two co-rotating links, the upper of which drives a yoke and subsequently the shock, might share a similar name to their High Virtual Contact System but it's fundamentally very different from the six-bar system you find on the Supreme V5, in the layout at least.The frame uses internal, non-headset, routing which anchors the cable in place on entry and exit. There are water bottle mounts on the downtube, which look to be sunk low within the tube, presumably for clearance, and on the underside of the top tube. There is also a downtube protector, chain slap protection and a universal derailleur hanger.The bikes of 2024 look to have dialled the reach figures back slightly. It seemed at one point that reach values would just grow forever, but thankfully the geometry of the SX looks to be very much on trend with not going too large, instead looking at other areas of the bike to offer some length and stability. The bike uses two different chainstay lengths, either 442 or 447 depending upon the size. This, combined with the 64-degree head angle and the relatively high-stack value should give a bike that feels planted on the front, whilst also being able to tackle very steep terrain. The head angle isn't as slack as some other bikes out there, with it being almost conservative in comparison to some bikes that are well south of 64 degrees. That said, a good bike is all about balance, and we look forward to receiving one for review.There are four complete models of the Meta V5 available, with prices ranging from $4,500 for the Meta Essential and going up to $6,200 USD for the Meta Signature.We look forward to receiving a test bike, and shedding more light on Commencal's VCS system over the summer.
Millionaire Maker Winner Pavel Plesuv Becomes Moldova's First WSOP Champion ($1,201,564)

June 28, 2023 Alek Gillies Live Reporter

The 2023 World Series of Poker at its home at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas has crowned a new champion. Moldova's Pavel Plesuv has won his first bracelet for himself and his country after he was the last player standing in Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold'em. Although this is his first bracelet, Plesuv has found high success in prior WSOP events.

With the victory, Plesuv secured his biggest live cash to date. He stormed through the field of bracelet winners and went wire-to-wire on the final day to capture the $1,201,564 up top. Plesuv outmanoeuvred 10,429 other entrants over five days to claim the biggest slice of the $13,905,360 prize pool.

Plesuv was supported by a rail of friends and family as he seemed unstoppable, marching his way to the bracelet.

2023 World Series of Poker Hub Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2023 WSOP is here. Click here

Event #37: $1,500 Millionaire Maker Final Table Results

Place Winner Country Prize 1 Pavel Plesuv Moldova $1,201,564 2 Florian Ribouchon France $1,003,554 3 Paul Gunness United States $650,058 4 Andreas Kniep Germany $501,182 5 Anton Smirnov Russia $373,524 6 Myles Mullaly United States $287,522 7 Vitor De Souza Coutinho Brazil $222,749 8 Andras Matrai Hungary $173,683 9 Charles Benoit Canada $136,302

Winner's Reaction

"It feels amazing...I had some deep runs at the WSOP but no bracelets. So, its really nice to win my first bracelet in such a big field, and for such a big amount, my best cash. It feels amazing." Plesuv told PokerNews after the triumph.

Keep studying and keep believing in your dreams,"

"First of all, I will pay my taxes," Plusev explained when asked what he was going to do with his seven-figure score. "Second, I will have some beer and a party, and I will continue supporting Ukraine and people in need. Maybe Ill buy a house. We will see," he added.

When asked if he felt there was a tipping point or hand that was crucial to his win of the tournament.

"Follow your passion, and the results will come,"

Honestly, I dont have this feeling that I will definitely win. The stacks were pretty shallow, and it is swingy. If I lose this A2 vs AA hand, I will not be the chip leader. Id say the turning point where I got the chip lead and was far ahead of the others was at two tables on the second feature table. We got big stacks there close to each other, and I was getting good hands in good spots to accumulate some chips.

Rounding out the winner's interview, Plesuv gave inspiring words for all the recreational players and grinders out there.

Keep studying and keep believing in your dreams. Follow your passion, and the results will come. Dont let results affect your life too much. You can extract a lot of good things, even when you have a losing streak."

Recap of the Day

The day started with Andreas Kniep putting the pressure on the rest of the table, and the first elimination could be credited to Kniep he beat Vitor De Souza Countinho in a flip to him. This eliminated the Brazilian in seventh place for $222,749.

The next casualty was Myles Mullaly, who saw himself on the wrong end of a two outer.

Anton Smirnov was departed next. He lost a flip to be eliminated in fifth place for $373,524. Shortly after, Plesuv coolered Kniep out of contention after cracking the latter's aces.

Paul Gunness was eliminated in third place for $650,058. His Ace high hand lost a flip against Plesuv

The heads-up battle was a short affair, and on the final hand of the night, Plesuv bested the pocket jacks held by Florian Ribouchon to seal the victory.

Sharelines The Millionaire Maker final table was full of bad beats and coolers, check out who won the event with this final table recap.
The Big Wrap Returns to Kings Resort in September and It's Bigger Than Ever

June 29, 2023 Matthew Pitt Editor

Kings Resort in Rozvadoz, Czech Republic, is where you need to head this September if you are a fan of high-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha action. Kings are once again hosting The Big Wrap series, and it is bigger and better than ever before.

The Big Wrap runs from September 12-18 at Europe's largest cardroom. Seven Pot-Limit Omaha events plus a handful of satellites are scheduled, and some of those tournaments are massive in terms of buy-ins and guaranteed prize pools.

What better way to start the latest Big Wrap festival than with a 5,000 buy-in, 500,000 guaranteed event? A similar tournament took place at The Big Wrap in March 2023 and saw Hungary's Gergo Nagy outlast 86 entrants to take home 114,706. The guarantee was "only" 200,000 that day, so expect a much more substantial top prize this time around.

King's Resort Has Big WSOP Plans For The Rest Of 2023

Two Events With Seven-Figure Guarantees

Following the 5,000 buy-in event is a 10,000 buy-in affair known as The Big Wrap Diamond 10K PLO High Roller. Kings Resort is expecting a substantial turnout for this tournament, as is evident by the massive 2,000,000 guarantee the casino has slapped on the prize pool. The equivalent event earlier this year guaranteed 500,000, but a 142-strong field ensured 1,308,530 was paid out. A player choosing to remain anonymous took home 337,000 for their victory. Can you imagine the size of first-place prize money with a 2 million guaranteed prize pool?

Amazingly, that is not the only seven-figure guarantee on The Big Wrap's schedule because another 10,000 buy-in High Roller is set to pay not a cent less than 1,000,000.

The 500,000 Guaranteed Big Wrap Main Event

The Big Wrap Main Event comes with a more affordable yet still substantial 2,350 buy-in, and an enticing 500,000 guaranteed prize pool. There are several 330 buy-in satellites taking place at Kings Resorts before and while the Main Event is running if you want to take a shot at the big time.

This exact tournament previously ran from March 31 and saw 199 players re-enter 101 times, creating a 627,000 prize pool as a result. An anonymous player came out on top and turned their 2,350 investment into a 132,600 haul.

Bounty hunters will be pleased to learn there are two bounty events scheduled. One is a 2,200 buy-in 100,000 guaranteed 5-Card PLO tournament with 1,000 bounties on the heads of each player. The other may be a little out of most players' reach because it commands a 25,000 buy-in, and has 10,000 bounties throughout!

Do Not Make These Five Common PLO Mistakes

The Full Big Wrap Schedule

Date Time Event Buy-in Guarantee Tue 12 Sep 5:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 5K PLO Master Day 1 5,000 500,000 Wed 13 Sep 2:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 5K PLO Master Final Day 500,000 4:00 p.m. The Big Wrap Diamond 10K PLO High Roller Day 1 10,000 2,000,000 8:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 1A 330 8 Seats Thu 14 Sep 2:00 p.m. The Big Wrap Diamond 10K PLO High Roller Final Day 10,000 2,000,000 5:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 2K 5-Card PLO Knockout (1,000 Bounty) 2,200 100,000 8:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 1A 330 8 Seats Fri 15 Sep 1:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 1A 330 8 Seats 3:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 2K PLO Main Event Day 1A 2,350 500,000 4:00 p.m. The Big Wrap Platinum 10K PLO High Roller Day 1 10,000 1,000,000 6:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 1B 330 8 Seats Sat 16 Sep 12:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 1B 330 8 Seats 2:00 p.m. The Big Wrap Platinum 10K PLO High Roller Final Day 10,000 1,000,000 3:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 2K PLO Main Event Day 1B 2,350 500,000 6:00 p.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 2 330 8 Seats Sun 17 Sep 10:00 a.m. Big Wrap PLO Satellite to Main Event Day 2 330 8 Seats 2:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 2K PLO Main Event Day 2 2,350 500,000 4:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 25K Bounty Hunter One Day Event (10,000 Bounty) 25,000 5:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 1K PLO One Day Event 1,100 30,000 Mon 18 Sep 2:00 p.m. The Big Wrap 2K PLO Main Event Final Day 500,000

There Even More Poker Action Coming to Kings

It is not only The Big Wrap taking place at Kings Resort in the coming months because there are several prestigious events in the pipeline.

Straight after The Big Wrap, the World Series of Poker International Circuit heads to the casino, bringing with it 12 ring-awarding events, including a 1 million guaranteed 1,700 buy-in Main Event. The WSOPC runs from September 21 through October 1.

Later in October, from the 25th through November 16, the 2023 WSOP Europe festival stops by. The full schedule is still being put together, but expect a massive Main Event, in addition to 25,000 and 50,000 buy-in events!

Stay tuned to PokerNews in the coming weeks and months for more news and all the juicy details emanating from Kings Resort.
PN Podcast: Ali Imsirovic's Cheating Video; Guest Vlogging Sensation Masato Yokosawa

June 28, 2023 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S.

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen continue The Chad & Jesse Poker Show straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

They are joined by renowned Japanese vlogger Masato Yokosawa, AKA World Wide Yokosawa. While players in the United States might think folks like Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme has the biggest vlog followings in the world, that distinction actually belongs to Masato, who regularly clears 600K views on each of his vlogs!

The Japanese vlogging sensation opens up about his start in poker, what inspired him to start a vlog, and how hes managed to turn it into a smashing success with the help of a creative team. He also talks about his desire to win a WSOP gold bracelet, how Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth are perceived in his home country, and what the future looks like for poker in Japan.

Chad and Jesse then do a new "Calling the Clock" segment in which they offer quick two-minute dialogues for topics on The Board.

Here's a look at this episode's topics:

Man proposes to woman after winning WSOP bracelet

Man awaiting trial for intent to commit murder wins online bracelet

Daniel Negreanu proposes Poker Hall of Fame changes

proposes Poker Hall of Fame changes Billy Baxter finishers runner-up in Seniors Event

finishers runner-up in Seniors Event Phil Hellmuth makes deep run in $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.

makes deep run in $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Ryan Eriquezzo multitasks way to 3rd gold bracelet

multitasks way to 3rd gold bracelet Shaun Deeb retakes 2023 WSOP POY lead

retakes 2023 WSOP POY lead Mike Matusow nearly captures 5th gold bracelet

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

Time Stamps

Time Topic 00:35 Welcome to the show 01:29 Thoughts on Ali Imsirovic s video addressing cheating allegations 03:20 Bullshit on paying his dues 06:57 Call for Ali to be banned from all live events 08:30 Let someone ask the tough questions 11:00 Is there any redemption to be had? 12:00 Is it time for Ali to leave poker behind and move on? 15:45 Sponsor: Global Poker 16:26 The $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD PokerNews Cup is here! 19:30 Man proposes to woman after winning WSOP bracelet 21:30 Man awaiting trial for intent to commit murder wins online bracelet 23:30 Daniel Negreanu proposes Poker Hall of Fame changes 25: 30 Billy Baxter finishers runner-up in Seniors Event 27:30 Phil Hellmuth makes deep run in $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. 29:30 Ryan Eriquezzo multitasks way to 3rd gold bracelet 31:30 Shaun Deeb retakes 2023 WSOP POY lead 33:30 Mike Matusow nearly captures 5th gold bracelet 35:45 Guest Masato Yokosawa joins the show 37:00 What got you into poker? 38:20 What got you interested in starting a vlog? 40:35 One vlog away from No. 200! 41:30 Do you get stopped by fans? 42:20 How did you get the World Wide Yokosawa nickname? 43:30 How long have you been coming to the WSOP? 44:35 Hitting $1 million in lifetime earnings 45:05 What would it mean for you to win a WSOP gold bracelet? 46:00 Respect for Daniel Negreanu 50:00 Playing high-stakes live-streamed games 51:04 How is Phil Hellmuth perceived in Japan? 52:25 How did you create such amazing vlogs? 54:19 What is poker like in Japan? 56:15 What are your plans for the rest of the WSOP?

PokerNews Freerolls for June

Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show  tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!

Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!

Sharelines PN Podcast: Japanese vlogging sensation @MasatoYokosawa joins is this week's special guest!
Some 260 players began play at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, looking to make their mark on the 2023 World Series of Poker. For 28 players, that dream continues into Day 3, as today's Day 2 action in Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha has concluded.

Among the chip leaders is four-time bracelet winner Robert Mizrachi, who bagged 3,100,000. Mizrachi, the 2007 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha champion, has six cashes so far this summer and looks to add another bracelet to his already-impressive resume.

Sitting atop the leaderboard is Eran Carmi. Carmi, out of Tel Aviv, Israel, bagged 4,225,000. He has a WSOP circuit ring to his name, having won WSOPC Event #9: 2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed earlier this year. He also will look to improve upon his third-place finish in the 2022 WSOP Europe Pot-Limit Omaha event.

End of Day 2 Top Ten

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Eran Carmi Israel 4,255,000 70 2 Charles Honkonen United States 4,160,000 69 3 Bart Lybaert Belgium 4,050,000 67 4 Guofeng Wang China 3,960,000 66 5 Upeshka De Silva United States 3,165,000 52 6 Robert Mizrachi United States 3,100,000 51 7 Eric Pfenning United States 2,760,000 46 8 Mohammad Siddiqui United States 2,585,000 43 9 William Nguyen United States 2,530,000 42 10 Matthew Bretzfield United States 2,400,000 40

With the bubble bursting right before the end of Day 1, eliminations were expected to come quickly. That turned out to be the case, as the early part of Day 2 saw numerous players make their way to the payout window. Early eliminations included Loni Hui, Ismael Bojang, Patrick Leonard, and Michael Perrone.

Other notable players unable to make Day 3 included Barny Boatman, Shaun Deeb, Jared Jaffee, and Brandon Shack-Harris.

Martin Kabrhel

Coming back for Day 3 is the ever-talkative Martin Kabrhel, who will look to spin up his short stack. Kabrhel was among the chip leaders for the majority of Day 2 and knows how to make a comeback - even when calling the wrong hand.

Action will resume at 1:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, June 29, at Level 26, with blinds at 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 big blind ante. The 28 remaining players will play down to a winner, who will take home the top prize of $410,659 and a WSOP bracelet. Stay tuned to PokerNews as a champion is crowned!
Event #65 $5,000 No-Limit Holdem (6-Max) was a tremendous success here at the 2023 World Series of Poker hosted at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Without counting those that will take advantage of late registration running into Day 2, the 920 attendance from 2022 has already been blown out of the water with 1,098 entries tallied over the course of Day 1. The current prize pool stands at $5,046,200 but wont be finalized until the first level of Day 2, and shortly after that point, full payouts will be posted.

Only 381 hopefuls remain in the field, but that number will swell some tomorrow, as registration is open until the start of Day 2.

End of Day Top 10 Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Counts Big Blinds 1 Yuliyan Kolev Bulgaria 521,000 208 2 Ting Yi Tsai Taiwan 471,500 189 3 Punnat Punsri Thailand 422,500 169 4 Matt Berkey United States 370,000 148 5 Ren Lin United States 369,000 148 6 Jonathan McCann United Kingdom 364,000 146 7 Zachary Grech United States 360,000 144 8 Pavel Spirins Latvia 356,500 143 9 Cody Jones United States 325,000 130 10 Carlos Chadha-Villamarin United States 317,000 127

Yuliyan Kolev (521,500) bagged up the biggest stack, but Ting Yi Tsai (471,500), and Ren Lin (368,000) are ahot on his heels moving on to Day 2. You may recall that Kolev captured a bracelet last summer while sporting a KFC bucket as a hat! The flamboyant Bulgarian has every chance of winning his second piece of WSOP hardware thanks to bagging up a big stack.

Li is better known for competing in high-stakes tournaments, having finished second in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller for $903,610 at the 2021 WSOP. However, "Tony" has adjusted perfectly to this lower yet still substantial buy-in, and is one to watch going forward.

Popular Italian pro Mustapha Kanit (312,500) also bagged a healthy stack, as did WSOP Thrill Teams Vanessa Selbst (253,000), and we cant forget to mention Steffen Sontheimer (238,500) who hasnt played a tournament before this one in a couple years. Thats only a taste of the talent that will be returning for a chance at a gold bracelet.

The remaining players will be moving to the Horseshoe Ballroom for Day 2, and cards will be in the air at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 28. Play will restart at Level 11 with blinds at 1,000/2,500 with a 2,500 big blind ante. The plan is to play another ten levels, so keep it locked to PokerNews for all the updates from this star-studded event.
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Two pro-democracy groups have asked Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar to ban Trump from the ballot in the state due to inciting the 1/6 insurrection.

Free Speech For People (FSFP) and Mi Familia Vota Education Fund (MFVEF) wrote to the Nevada Secretary of State:

Your oath to support the Constitution, and the weighty responsibility entrusted to you by Nevada voters as Secretary of State, impel you to exclude Mr. Trumps name from the list of qualified candidates in the presidential primary. But rather than wait until after he submits his declaration of candidacy,

with the urgency of an approaching primary election, we urge you to address this critical issue now.

Mr. Trumps conduct encouraging the Big Lie of a stolen election, encouraging and inciting an insurrection, and facilitating that insurrection by refusing to intervene to stop it despite urgent requests that he do so and by supervising subordinates who actively blocked the National Guard from assisting the besieged Capitol Police, renders him ineligible for any federal office, including that of president.

So far, state officials have been reluctant to take up these challenges to the ballot status of people like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump, with the suspicion being that it might appear undemocratic for state officials to remove a candidate from the ballot, but the flip side of that argument is that it is also undemocratic to attempt a coup to overthrow democracy.

As some in legacy media attempt to normalize Donald Trump and sweep what he attempted to do on 1/6 under the rug, it is important for efforts to get Trump banned from the ballot to continue. The nation cant be allowed to forget what Donald Trump did and what he tried to do.

If any presidential candidate in US history deserved to be disqualified from the ballot, its Donald J. Trump.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with business representatives, during which they discussed the state restoration, the tax sphere, and the creation of a coordination tool.

"A meeting with business representatives. Many pressing topics. The state's ability to stimulate economic activity. The eOselia program and the participation of business. Restoration topics. The tax sphere and the possibilities of its reform. Inspections. Law enforcement. Coordination and communication to solve problems. A useful business proposal to create a coordination tool," Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday.

The President noted that the main priority at the moment is the victory of Ukraine in the war.

"The main priority is always the strength of Ukraine. Thanks to each and every one who adds strength to Ukraine, who saves and creates new jobs, who strengthens our economy and helps develop our institutions," Zelenskyy stressed.
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It is being reported that Rudy Giuliani has been meeting with special counsel prosecutors voluntarily to be asked about the fake elector scheme.

Video:

Jack Smith is talking to Rudy Giuliani, and Brad Raffensperger is testifying before the special counsel grand jury. pic.twitter.com/8ElZAGDeeC  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 28, 2023

CNN reported:

He was a key part of former President Trumps efforts to try to overturn the 2020 election. And its significant that hes speaking to investigators now. He was subpoenaed back in November of last year by the Justice Department. Before this even became a special counsel probe. And then he heard nothing from Jack Smith for about six months. And I asked sources in this investigation, should he be worried?

And a lot of them suggested that yes, because if you havent heard that far into an investigation it suggests that you could be a target and not just a witness. So weve learned that he has sat down voluntarily with investigators. In a statement, his spokesman said this was purely voluntary and that the interview was conducted in a professional manner. But at this point, its unclear what he shared with investigators. We have a good idea what they probably asked him about because originally he was subpoenaed for information about money he made, payments he received around the time he was filing all those challenges to the 2020 election.



Giuliani is reportedly worried about being federally indicted. Trumps former lawyer seems like the perfect pressure point to get inside information about the former presidents attempted coup. Giuliani coordinated the fake elector scheme, and if he has a choice between being indicted or flipping on Trump, the odds are pretty good that Rudy Giuliani is going to flip.

It is not good for Trump if any of his former lawyers are talking to prosecutors, but it is awful if that former lawyer is Rudy Giuliani.
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Democrats have won a case in Pennsylvania that protects the Keystone States broad vote-by-mail law that Republicans have been trying to strike down.

Via: The AP:

In the lawsuit filed last year, 14 current and former Republican state lawmakers said the court must invalidate the law because two earlier court decisions triggered a provision written that says the law is void if any of its requirements are struck down in court.



But the Commonwealth Court, in a 24-page opinion, unanimously found that the court decisions did not invalidate the dating provision of the law. It dismissed the lawsuit, in favor of Gov. Josh Shapiros administration and the national and state Democratic parties.

In a joint statement, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Representative Suzan DelBene, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Senator Gary Peters, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison, and Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Senator Sharif Street said, Democrats have successfully fought back against Republicans ongoing and baseless efforts to attack Pennsylvanians popular right to vote by mail and obstruct how elections are administered. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the ability of all Pennsylvanians to exercise their right to participate in our democracy and to oppose Republicans voter suppression tactics.

Republicans realize that they have decreased odds of winning statewide in Pennsylvania if the states voters continue to have easy access to casting their ballots by mail. It is easy to vote by mail in PA, and millions of the states voters, including this author, have switched to casting their ballots in this manner.

The problem for Republicans is that vote by mail has driven up the states turnout in all elections and led to a state that tilted blue becoming a more solid blue. Elections in Pennsylvania are very close, but the ease of ballot access has tipped narrow elections toward Democrats.

Republicans passed and supported the vote-by-mail law when they thought that it would give them an advantage, but the success in mobilizing voters has had the GOP scrambling to undo the law.

Ballot access is a democratic issue, and the ruling in Pennsylvania is a reminder that the courts are the front line in protecting the right to vote.
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Federal prosecutors are reportedly considering filing another 30-45 criminal charges against Donald Trump that include evidence that the DOJ hasnt acknowledged yet, including more Trump tapes.

The Independent reported:

According to sources familiar with the matter, the department has made preparations to bring what is known as a superseding indictment  a second set of charges against an already-indicted defendant that could include more serious crimes  against the ex-president, and could do so in a number of different venues, depending on how prosecutors feel the case they have brought against him in a Florida federal court is proceeding.

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Prosecutors are now prepared to stack an additional 30 to 45 charges on top of the 37-count indictment brought against Mr Trump on 8 June. They would do so using evidence against the ex-president that has not yet been publicly acknowledged by the department, including other recordings prosecutors have obtained which reveal Mr Trump making incriminating statements.

If this reporting is accurate, it would appear to confirm what other legal experts have suggested. Special Counsel Jack Smith has a backup plan in case Judge Aileen Cannon goes off the rails again and tries to save Trump in Florida. The existence of potentially more tapes would be consistent with Trumps presidency where he was surrounded by people who seemed to be constantly taping him and taking notes as a survival mechanism.

Experts had been curious as to why federal prosecutors did not bring charges against Trump in New Jersey for sharing classified information.

The answer could be that prosecutors are playing their cards close to the vest, and they arent going to show everything that they have in terms of evidence all at once.

The reporting is vague, so it is uncertain whether all of the potential charges would relate to the classified documents case or the 1/6 investigation into Trump.

Either way, Trump appears to be lacking an exit ramp, and if he continues to treat his situation like a political problem, he could end up facing new charges.
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House Oversight Committee ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has shared a transcript from the owner of Burisma that directly refutes the Biden bribery allegations.

Rep. Raskin shared this testimony with Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer in a letter.

Raskin wrote:

After receiving Mr. Zlochevskys responses, Mr. Parnas forwarded the document via text messages on July 8, 2019, respectively, to Mr. Giuliani and to Victoria Toensing, an attorney working in conjunction with Mr. Giuliani on his Ukrainian efforts to gather damaging information about the Bidens. Mr. Giuliani reportedly was not satisfied with Mr. Zlochevskys answers, and according to Mr. Parnas, was furious that Mr. Zlochevsky did not provide the factual support he wanted.

The questions and answers by Mr. Zlochevsky set forth in the document include the following:

Q: Were you aware that Hunter Biden had met at [sic] with State Department officials in both May 2015 (Blinken) and December 2015? What did you understand the purpose of those contacts were?

A: WE NEVER APPROVED OR ASKED HIM TO CONDUCT THOSE MEETINGS ON BEHALF OF BURISMA

Q: Did you ever learn why VP Joe Biden asked for Shokin to be fired as PG?

A: WE LEARNED ABOUT IT FROM NEWSPAPERS AND INTERNET. WE NEVER HAD CONTACTS WITH VP BIDEN DURING HIS VISITS TO UKRAINE.

Q: Please detail any contacts you had with VP Joe Biden and his office from 2013 through 2019. Did Hunter ever facilitate any of those contacts?

A: NO ONE FROM BURISMA EVER HAD ANY CONTACTS WITH VP BIDEN OR PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM DURING HUNTER BIDENS ENGAGEMENT.

Q: Did VP Biden or his staff assist you or your company in any way with business deals or meetings with world leaders or any other assistance?

A: NO

Q: Did you ever become aware of documents suggesting $900k was paid to Hunter Biden for lobbying his father?

A: NO

These statements directly contradict and refute the allegations in the Form FD-1023. They are further evidence of former Attorney General Barrs own warning that [t]here are a lot of agendas in the Ukraine, there are a lot of cross-currents, and we cant take anything we receive from the Ukraine at face value.

As Senator Johnson who, as Chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led Senate Republicans 2020 investigation into the allegations involving Burisma recently conceded in discussing the information in the Form FD-1023: Thats what this person says, but again, take that with a grain of salt. This could be coming from a very corrupt oligarch who could be making this stuff up.

The Transcript Of The Burisma Owners Interview Came From Associates Of Rudy Giuliani

The allegation is bogus. It came from Rudy Giuliani through a Russian operative in Ukraine. The reason why House Republicans can provide no proof to support their claims is that the bribery never happened. The allegation is Russian misinformation.

Chair Comer and the Oversight Committee Republicans are combing through bank records and trying to find any shreds that they can link together to build a conspiracy theory.

Debunking the bribery allegation is important because it is the basis that House Republicans intend to use as the foundation for their potential Biden impeachment investigation.

Republicans may try to impeach Joe Biden over something that never happened because Rudy Giuliani said it did.

The evidence that Rep, Raskin shared proves that the real scandal here isnt Biden bribery, but House Republicans attempting to abuse their power to drum up false impeachment charges against the President Of The United States. Impeachment was never intended to be used in this manner, and Republicans are committing a crime against our very system of governance with this partisan hackery.
A man who was found dead Wednesday in a pond in Aiken County has been identified.

Donald Webb Jr., 81, of Jackson was found dead after an accident involving a tractor in the 700 block of Old Jackson Highway, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables.

Ables said the Webb was operating the tractor when it overturned into the pond.

Ables said divers with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources recovered Webb's body at 12:29 p.m. Wednesday.

Capt. Eric Abdullah with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office said the man was found after authorities got a call from his son, who had come to check on him.

Abdullah said the man told police he found his father's tractor in the pond and believed it was an accident.

Ables said the cause of Webb's death was drowning.
A Supreme Court ruling has once again drawn praise from the Republicans representing Aiken County in Congress and criticism from Democrats.

The Supreme Court issued its 6-3 ruling Thursday, June 29, in cases challenging the use of race as an admissions factor at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, and former Gov. Nikki Haley, all South Carolina Republicans, praised the decision while President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Marianne Williamson criticized it.

Graham said the decision encapsulates constitutionally sound principles and fundamental fairness.

"Providing benefits to one group at the expense of another, who have done nothing wrong, has never been fair," Graham said. "The Supreme Court rightly decided race conscience decisions, pitting one group against another, are wrong. It was a long overdue decision."

Graham added he agreed with what Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion: "The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual  not on the basis of race.

Many universities have for too long done just the opposite," Roberts continued. "And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

Graham, chairman of the Judiciary Committee when Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed, added the decision was another example of the importance of nominating and confirming conservative justices.

Biden said in a news conference he strongly disagreed with the decision because affirmative action is "so misunderstood." He added the decision meant the court was walking away from decades of precedent.

"America is an idea, an idea, unique in the world, an idea of hope and opportunity, of possibilities, of giving everyone a fair shot, of leaving no one behind," Biden said, according to CNN. "We've never fully lived up to it, but we have never walked away from it, either. We will not walk away from it now."

He also told colleges and universities not to abandon their commitments to ensure diverse student bodies. A fact sheet released by the White House called for colleges and universities to consider the financial means of applicants and their families, where the applicant grew up and personal experiences of hardship or discrimination.

Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, said on Twitter that Thursday is the day America understands that being judged by the content of a person's character  and not the color of the person's skin  is what the Founding Fathers intended in the Constitution.

"Today's SCOTUS decision on Affirmative Action is good news for every single corridor of this nation and one we should celebrate," Scott said. "I thank God Almighty that America continues to work towards being that more perfect union. The good news in our nation is anyone from anywhere at any time can rise above and beyond their circumstances to live out their American Dream."

Williamson called the decision an "unfortunate step backward" in America's commitment to the pursuit of social justice.

She added a deeper problem is that such programs were necessary to begin with. She added systematic racism begins in early childhood and addressing it there is how the country will override the deepening racial injustices that will be exacerbated by the court's decision.

"Unequal opportunity in childhood education is where the problem begins and where we will ultimately solve it," Williamson said. "My commitment is to radically increase Americas commitment to every American child  to make every public school a palace of learning, culture and the arts."

Duncan said the ruling allows students, regardless of ethnicity, to pursue academic excellence.

"I applaud the Supreme Court for doing away with racial preferences in academic admissions," Duncan said. "Racism is wrong in every form. Instituting preferences to disadvantage people of any ethnicity by denying them access to educational opportunities is antithetical to our Constitutional freedoms. Im glad the Court saw through the facade of the racist Left and eliminated these bigoted policies."

Former governor and current presidential candidate Nikki Haley said the decision affirmed America's values of freedom and opportunity.

"Picking winners and losers based on race is fundamentally wrong," Haley said. "This decision will help every student  no matter their background  have a better opportunity to achieve the American Dream."
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 94F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 96F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening. Partly cloudy skies overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Columbia, SC (29201)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 96F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then skies turning partly cloudy overnight. Low 74F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
The Quinte Oyster Bar has temporarily closed, ownership announced June 28.

The decision comes one week after The Quinte's opening chef, Nicolas Quintero, departed the swanky downtown Charleston raw bar.

"The Quinte is temporarily closing to revamp its kitchen offerings to further enhance the guest experience that its become known for," Method Co., the restaurant's owners, said in a statement.

Named for the circa-1918 billiards bar  not Quintero himself  The Quinte quickly caught the attention of Charleston diners after opening in November. Shortly after, readers wrote in raving about the British Columbia bivalves they slurped down at the globe-lit marble oyster bar, asking if I had visited the destination located in The Pinch Charleston boutique hotel.

Upon dining at the restaurant, I was impressed by Quinteros artistry, technique and ability to incorporate thought-provoking flash into seemingly ordinary plates.

Now, the 8-month-old oyster bar will forge ahead without Quintero, who declined to comment on what led to his decision.

The chef, formerly of FIG and The Ordinary, was supposed to lead the kitchen of a forthcoming second restaurant called Lowland on The Pinch Charlestons property.

With the departure of Quintero, ownership will be taking this time to "relaunch the oyster bar alongside their tavern and signature destination restaurant, Lowland, set to open this fall," according to the statement.
The death toll from the missile attack on Kramatorsk has risen to 12 people, Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko has said as of 04:00 on Thursday morning.

"At about 04:00, rescuers released another body. Therefore, the number of killed has now increased to 12 people. All have been identified," he said on the Telegram channel.

According to the Interior Ministry, some 65 people were wounded as a result of two attacks.

As of 07:20, search and rescue operations were completed.

According to the State Emergency Service, out of 12 killed were three children, 60 people were wounded (including a child) and 11 people were rescued.

Earlier it was reported that on Tuesday, June 27, Russian occupiers with Iskander missiles attacked a cafe in Kramatorsk. Among the killed were a 17-year-old girl and 14-year-old sisters.
Nikko Cagalanan has been guiding Charleston diners through the range and beauty of Filipino cuisine since 2019  first, at his small-scale pop-up and later at a stall inside exploratory food court Workshop.

Now, the chef will do so at his very own downtown Charleston restaurant.

Kultura, a partnership with Baguette Magic co-owner Paula Kramer, will open at 73 Spring St., July 14.

The forthcoming Filipino restaurant is taking over Baguette Magics downtown location, which will close July 3. Baguette Magic  which offers an impressive slate of pastries, coffee and daytime dishes  will continue to serve at its original 792 Folly Road cafe and a new location that will debut in West Ashley next year.

Kultura is an extension of Cagalanans Mansuetas pop-up, named after the grandmother who taught him how to cook. As he creates Kulturas menu, Cagalanan will build on kitchen collaborations and pop-ups hes hosted at various locations over the last four-plus years.

Cagalanan immigrated to the United States in 2011. The nurse-turned-chef became a full-time cook in 2014, working in kitchens in Boston before moving to Charleston to work at The Daily and Zero Restaurant + Bar. In 2019, he launched Mansueta's, hosting his first few events at Charles Towne Fermentory and Palmetto Brewing Co. before eventually landing a stall at Workshop.

Its definitely a long journey from Palmetto brewery to this, Cagalanan said.

Having followed Cagalanan since that journey began, I have witnessed the time and effort it has taken to open the restaurant he has been dreaming of since he entered the food and beverage industry. He now joins a growing list of immigrant chefs who have turned pop-ups into restaurants with prime downtown Charleston locations, including Maryam Ghaznavi of Maam Saab and Thai Phi of Pink Bellies.

Cagalanans partnership with Kramer  who owns Baguette Magic with her sister Samantha  is a big part of Kulturas past, present and future.

Since taking over the former WildFlour Pastry space in 2022, Baguette Magic has seen ebbs and flows in foot traffic, unlike its always-busy James Island counterpart. This, in part, led the Kramers to temporarily turn the space into Harriet's Delicatessen, a Jewish deli concept they thought might be a good permanent fit for the space.

With more thought, they realized that Kultura  a restaurant concept that is built on inviting other chefs to the kitchen for collaborations  was the ideal tenant. Kultura translates to culture in Filipino, a fitting name for a restaurant built on celebrating food from countries across the globe.

The smaller platform that well have in the space and the smaller overhead, its really going to allow us to have those offerings, Paula Kramer said.

For the last few months, Cagalanan has been testing out Kultura menu items like kawali and pancit on Friday and Saturday nights inside Baguette Magic's 73 Spring St. space. Those weekend pop-ups will continue until Kultura opens July 14 for coffee and Filipino pastries, lunch, and dinner Thursday through Monday.

Diners who have not experienced one of Cagalanans collaborative dinners can get a taste July 11, when he invites Binta NDaw Young, Nicolas Quintero and Reina Gascon-Lopez into the future Kultura kitchen for a ticketed meal.

Minor upgrades and aesthetic changes will be made to the Spring Street space after Baguette Magics July 3 closure. Later this year, Kultura will close for about a month to make way for more extensive renovations, including kitchen and patio upgrades.
GREENVILLE  The new Miss South Carolina attributes her hometown as a huge factor in being the person she is today.

Jada Samuel, a Greenville native, performed in theater and competed in speech and debate during her time at Southside High School, where she said she was exposed to people of diverse backgrounds. She gained interest in pageantry when she first saw her cousin compete.

After participating in five competitions in a row, Samuel was crowned Miss South Carolina on June 24 in a competition in Columbia. She is the fourth Black woman to win the honor.

I truly hope to connect with students, youth, children in areas that are underserved and connect those students with mentoring programs throughout our state, Samuel told The Post and Courier.

Samuel, 26, runs different programs through her nonprofit iShapeMe, a mentoring organization. Its mission is to empower girls and young women to shape themselves mentally, physically and spiritually.

For the talent portion of the state competition, Samuel reconfigured a BET Icon award acceptance speech by Angela Bassett about finding ones purpose.

I'm the first woman in the 86-year history of the Miss South Carolina organization to perform a monologue as a talent and win the competition, she said. Public speaking has just been a part of who I am.

In previous competitions, Samuel spoke about serious topics such as the 2015 mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and sexual assault.

In the past, I've always used the chance to tell a story on stage to talk about something bigger than myself, Samuel said. This was the first time I did something that it felt like was just so uplifting and inspiring to so many people.

Samuel graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in journalism in 2018. She is working on her masters degree in business administration.

At the state competition, Samuel won the award for best overall evening gown. In addition to the crown and role, she was awarded a $60,000 scholarship by the Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization. She will compete in the Miss America pageant in January.

In March, Greenwood native and Clemson University graduate Kirby Elizabeth Self was crowned Miss South Carolina USA at a state competition in North Charleston. Self will compete in the Miss USA 2023 Pageant.
COLUMBIA  The South Carolina National Guard soldiers heading to the southern border for a monthlong deployment have a history of answering stateside calls.

The 150 soldiers activated June 29 for a 31-day mission assisting Texas authorities belong to the 1-118th Infantry Battalion, said Maj. Karla Evans, spokeswoman for the National Guard.

Over the last several years the unit headquartered in Mount Pleasant has responded to at least six hurricanes and gone to Washington, D.C., to assist two presidents.

Its soldiers were among National Guardsmen in the nation's capital to quell protests in summer 2020 at the request of then-President Donald Trump and returned in January 2021 to secure the inauguration of President Joe Biden, said its commander, Lt. Col. Travis Moore.

It's fitting that the unit's crest includes its motto "Wherever my country calls," said Moore, a Republican member of the state House of Representatives from Spartanburg County.

The unit will be assisting Texas National Guard soldiers and public safety officers along the state's 1,250-mile border with Mexico in what Texas calls Operation Lone Star.

Gov. Henry McMaster announced May 31 he'd ordered the mission, but no details were available then. The directive came two weeks after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent letters to governors nationwide asking for assistance at the border following the end of Title 42 pandemic immigration restrictions.

The deployment is estimated to cost $1.55 million, Evans said.

The costs, paid by South Carolina taxpayers, will be absorbed by the state adjutant general's budget. South Carolina's military department is receiving $29.3 million in state revenue in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Its total budget, when including federal and other funds, is $132.2 million.

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McMaster has said the criminal problem at the border affects every state, and he issued the directive in an effort to reduce the flow of deadly illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, to South Carolina.

South Carolina soldiers' mission will include observing activity between the lawful international crossings to the U.S. and reporting what they see, working directly with Texas authorities. They will be living at base camps along the border, where their meals will be provided, Evans said.

"Every service member supporting border operations provides much-needed support to the mission and will go a long way in preventing and deterring transnational criminal activity along the border," she said.

It's Moore's first mission with the battalion, as he only recently took command. He was previously with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, which was deployed earlier this month for a year assisting the U.S. Army in Africa. Soldiers on that mission include state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, and Maj. Michael Haley, husband of former United Nations ambassador and Gov. Nikki Haley. He was transferred to the brigade specifically for the mission.

Moore's 23 years in the South Carolina National Guard have included six months in Kosovo and 13 months in Afghanistan. The attorney said he joined while at The Citadel as a way to serve while staying local to go to law school.

Moore, R-Roebuck, noted it won't be the first time the South Carolina unit under his command has gone to the southern border.

Its long history includes participating in the United States' 1846 war with Mexico and being sent to the border in 1916 as part of President Woodrow Wilson's response to raids by Francisco "Pancho" Villa and his Mexican rebels.
LONGS  Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a northern Horry County community is slated to get a new post office after the S.C. Highway 9 brick structure went up in flames two years ago.

A new space for the residents of Longs will more than double the former post offices footprint and could serve as a guide for future nationwide facilities after construction is complete next year.

I think it is a win for the people of this community, said U.S. Rep. Russell Fry at a June 26 groundbreaking ceremony attended by local and state dignitaries. I mean, you look at what theyve had to go through without reliable service here at a post office that theyve come to expect.

A two-alarm fire on June 25, 2021 nearly leveled the 3,200-square-foot post office located at 50 Highway 9 East near S.C. 905, later forcing residents of one of the fastest-growing areas of Horry County to utilize the services of a small mobile United States Postal Service unit parked on grass in the parking lot.

Some also sought out a nearby USPS branch located more than nine miles away in North Myrtle Beach, which during the summer, could sometimes add nearly 45 minutes to the trip.

Paul Bowman, who settled down in Longs after a 48-year career working for the postal service in Maryland near the nations capital, said the temporary truck has its limitations.

The mobile truck is only open until one oclock, Bowman said. But its been good for buying stamps and mailing things.

Bowman said for other items he was forced to make the trek to North Myrtle Beach, which sometimes resulted in confusion for his community.

They didnt have a sign for customers from Longs, said Bowman, who noted that he was sometimes asked to report to other spaces or locations.

The confusion by Longs residents and unanswered questions resulted in state legislators calling on the federal government, which drew the attention of Fry once he took office in January.

We took office (and) immediately called the postal service and asked them what the status was, Fry said. They didnt return a phone call. We decided, ok, well well speak a little bit louder and call a little bit more frequently.

Fry said he elevated it to a formal letter but didnt get a response, so he questioned Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during a recent oversight hearing in Washington, D.C.

Sometimes you got to kick and scream a little bit louder, a little bit more and you get the answers that people back home expect you to deliver on, Fry said.

Fry thanked state Rep. William Bailey, state Rep. Kevin Hardee, state Sen. Greg Hembree and Horry County Council members Mark Causey and Jenna Dukes for their help.

When you hear from people, and you talk to them, you collaboratively go about governing and working for the people, you can get a lot done, Fry said. This isnt complaints on Facebook or whatever, it is about working together for the benefit of a community, without regard to who gets credit.

The June 26 event was hosted by American Postal Infrastructure Partners, which is a real estate partner with the USPS. The company owns and operates nearly 700 post office properties in the United States, including the Longs facility, which is located in the fastest-growing county in the state.

We havent had a fire like this, said Timothy Aska, vice president of development & strategic initiatives of APIP. So, this is definitely new. The timing of that was obviously tough.

Much of the growth in Horry County in recent years has occurred in Longs along S.C. 9, which is east of Loris and closer to the beach.

The number of housing units in the Longs area rose by 46 percent between 2010 and 2020, almost five times faster than the housing growth rate in all of Horry County, according to Census data.

So having a full-standing building is important to deliver those services that people who are moving here and live here need, Fry said.

Aska added the new Longs post office could be finished within ten months to a year.

I think this will be effectively a template for the future moving forward, said Aska, who noted the post office could serve as a model for future locations. Making sure that Longs will provide the most modern facilities for the post office.

Jon Otterberg, chief executive officer for APIP, said his organization represents everything the Longs community stands for.

We think that this post office at twice the size, with all of the extra services that can help the citizens is going to be fantastic, Otterberg said.
MONCKS CORNER  The Berkeley County school board passed its budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes a raise for all district employees and no tax increase.

The budget will increase by more than 8 percent, from $385.5 million for fiscal 2023 to $418 million for 2024.

Under the new spending plan, which the board passed unanimously June 26, all district employees will receive a 6.5 percent pay bump, meaning new teachers who have a bachelors degree and no experience will have a starting salary of $45,397.

Interim chief financial officer Marcie Abrahamson had said previously this pay raise will put the district on track to have a $50,000 minimum starting salary for teachers within three years, if not sooner.

Board Chairman Mac McQuillin told The Post and Courier the district plans on continuing pay increases over the next few years.

Pay for teachers and other school staff has been a statewide issue this year due to staffing shortages and high turnover rates among educators.

Cindy Fisk, a retired BCSD teacher, read a statement from an anonymous teacher in the district about how she's being priced out of the district. The teacher raised concerns of how housing costs continue to rise in the Lowcountry, but salary has not been increasing to compensate for it.

"I am a single-income household. I do not have dependents. I am not unduly burdened by student loan debt, and I am a few thousand shy of being free from credit card debt, however I make almost $20,000 more than a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree," Fisk read aloud. "If I can't make it, how can they?"

At previous meetings, board member David Barrow proposed an even higher pay raise for employees as well as a bigger salary schedule increase. He had pushed for a 10 percent pay raise and a salary schedule increase to 35 years, which board member Joe Baker pointed out would put the budget at around an $11 million deficit.

At the June 26 meeting, Barrow said he wouldnt fight against this budget anymore, instead saying he has faith the financial team will work to increase employee pay raises.

He added that he has high hopes that the board will be able to give employees a one-time incentive if the district collects more revenue that anticipated. Abrahamson previously said the administration plans to conduct a mid-year review of the district's revenue and will alert the board if there's money available for an incentive.

"I believe, strongly, that were going to be able to help our employees, all of them, Barrow said.

Abrahamson said theyre also looking at increasing the salary schedule to 35 years over the next few years and have even considered the possibility of raising it to 40 years.

Superintendent Anthony Dixon said he feels his first budget process as superintendent went well. As far the district is aware, there hasn't been a single year raise exceeding 6.5 percent for all employees before this year, according to Katie Tanner, chief communications and engagement officer.

We approved a historical employee raise increase, Dixon said.

He added he believes the district will succeed in its goal of bringing the base salary for teachers to $50,000 in three years.
Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made a name for himself as someone who wanted to separate politics from investing.

But in October, just four months before mounting his Republican bid for the White House, Ramaswamy tried to inject politics into the process for investing South Carolinas pension coffers.

He met privately with both S.C. Statehouse Republican lawmakers and the states pension managers to rail against "woke" investment strategies that consider green energy as well as social issues. And Ramaswamy used the occasion to pitch the services of the right-leaning investment firm he co-founded. Details of the Oct. 27 session, arranged by S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis, have not been previously reported.

Emails examined by The Post and Courier show Ramaswamy sought to leverage his GOP connections to gain access to lucrative contracts to manage pension funds that serve roughly one out of nine state residents. Those coffers have total assets of $39.6 billion.

The "anti-woke" strategy his company offers has been embraced by conservatives across the nation. But banking experts warn that it limits a states investment options and carries the potential for higher fees, undercutting potential returns to help retirees. It's also more perilous because it artificially favors conservative-leaning industries, like fossil fuels and weapons manufacturers, which carry higher risk, experts say.

That could spell more trouble for South Carolinas pension funds, which have been chronically underfunded for years and rank poorly against those of other states. The state has a long history of paying above-average costs for below-average returns.

Some 30 other states made moves to follow a similar investment strategy last year, with 10 codifying it into law, according to a new report from the environmental group Pleiades Strategy. South Carolina is mulling a bill to follow suit.

Some states that have followed this path, including Texas, have found themselves paying $300 million to $500 million more in additional interest to switch their investment strategy. In Kansas, an anti-ESG bill is progressing in the legislature even though the states own analysis said it could reduce pension returns by $3.6 billion over the next decade by taking funds away from its current diversified portfolio to a less diversified, right-leaning one.

Still, "anti-woke" asset managers stand to personally gain from this wave of interest.

No contracts with Ramaswamy's company have yet been inked in South Carolina. However, emails obtained by the watchdog group Documented show that the CEO of the S.C. pension commission, Michael Hitchcock, requested information about the financial services of Ramaswamys company during the meeting. The session occurred a few hours after Ramaswamy met with the Republican House Caucus about a GOP-pushed bill limiting so-called "woke" investing, which is more formally known as ESG investing.

State officials have since followed up with the company, Strive Asset Management, and told The Post and Courier that the firm remains a possible candidate for state investment contracts.

Ramaswamy co-founded Strive in the spring of last year and told CNBC at the time that his business would be an alternative to so-called "woke" asset managers, "focus(ing) on excellence over politics."

The meaning of "woke" is difficult to define. Originating in the African American community and adopted by the social justice movement, the term initially described someone who was "socially aware" or alert to prejudice and disparities. But, increasingly, conservatives have used it as a catch-all term to deride progressive or liberal causes they consider to be radical.

But government watchdogs and finance experts say the closed-door meeting officials had with Ramaswamy in Columbia had problems beyond defining the essence of "woke." They say it represented a troubling intersection between politics and state commerce, with the safety net for state retirees hanging in the balance.

Part of a pattern

Ramaswamy was able to arrange the meeting with pension officials and state lawmakers after developing a relationship with Loftis, the states Republican treasurer since 2011.

Ramaswamy and Loftis shared a distaste for an increasingly popular way to invest funds  dubbed ESG because environmental, social and governance factors are taken into account, as well as projected financial returns. ESG investments, for example, might allow customers to avoid owning stock in coal companies or gun manufacturers, reducing demand for those stocks. Beyond that, ESG investors prompt companies to address pollution management, carbon emissions and workplace diversity  sometimes through votes at annual shareholder meetings.

Proponents of ESG  who include the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies such as Nike as well as the nations largest banks  say that ESG is a way to make equal return on investments while simultaneously advancing human well-being, like lowering toxic greenhouse gas emissions.

Opponents, including Ramaswamy and Loftis, argue that ESG is part of a larger political scheme to inject left-leaning policies into Americas financial system. They argue that only shareholder pockets should be considered when investing.

Loftis has blasted the strategy as "neo-Marxist" in emails circulated in the treasurers office and reviewed by The Post and Courier.

Two months before Ramaswamys October visit, Loftis announced that the state would divest $200 million from pro-ESG investment group BlackRock. The divestment was completed just days before Ramaswamy came to town.

Loftis said he cant recall where he met Ramaswamy, but they were both at the annual conference of the State Financial Officers Foundation in early 2022. Ramaswamy was talking about his book, "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam," which Loftis said he had read.

Loftis said they shared a common ground on the subject of ESG and a shared pride for stepping out of mainstream investment thinking.

We are the outcasts, Vivek and Curtis, said the treasurer, talking in the third person.

Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?

The 37-year-old candidate was born in Ohio to Asian immigrant parents and has talked about gaining his wealth as a pharmaceutical entrepreneur. He speaks often of his business success and net worth as evidence of his investment prowess. But critics have questioned both the size of his stated wealth and his business record.

In 2022, Ramaswamy became the leading voice of a GOP backlash against the investment practice, or what he has called woke banking. He has argued against the practice in print and broadcast media dozens of times.

In early October, Loftis invited Ramaswamy to speak with GOP lawmakers about a state anti-ESG bill being drafted at the time. He also invited Ramaswamy to meet with the staff of the Retirement System Investment Commission, the board that manages public pensions.

Ramaswamy immediately responded by email, accepting both offers, but suggested he meet directly with the retirement commission's board members. Loftis obliged.

Ramaswamy has employed a similar strategy in other conservative-leaning states, publicly engaging with state lawmakers to push for anti-ESG bills while simultaneously pitching Strives private anti-ESG services behind closed doors.

Documents reviewed by The Post and Courier show that Ramaswamy met with elected officials and pension board decision makers in at least seven states where anti-ESG legislative efforts grew: Missouri, Alaska, Utah, West Virginia, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Direct meetings between pension board CEOs and Ramaswamy occurred only in two states, Missouri and South Carolina.

In South Carolina, the meetings were held in-person in the S.C. treasurers personal office suite in the capital city. Loftis privately invited participants.

No one from the public or news media was in attendance.

An open meeting?

Loftis said two pension commissioners showed up to the Oct. 27 meeting, but he doesnt recall who. Michael Hitchcock, CEO of the pension commission, also attended. Since less than half of the commission's eight members attended, the gathering did not constitute a quorum and, therefore, was not subject to the states laws that the meeting be public.

Ramaswamy was accompanied by at least three Strive employees, including his high school pal and long-time business partner Anson Frericks, according to email correspondence. Frericks co-founded Strive with Ramaswamy in May 2022 and took the helm of the company in late February of this year when Ramaswamy stepped down to run for president.

The substance of that meeting, according to Loftis, was to spend a little time defining at a more granular fashion what Strive did at the time." He said he was aware Ramaswamy was bringing an entourage of Strive employees.

Loftis told The Post and Courier there was nothing improper about the private October meeting.

"There were talks about what Strives services did or were trying to do  but those conference doors were open," Loftis told the newspaper. "Anyone could have come in  yall could have come, had I known.

Loftiss office did not invite journalists to the meeting. It also was not publicly advertised or announced on the treasurers office website.

Jay Bender, a longtime attorney for the S.C. Press Association, said the gathering hardly met the spirit of the state's Freedom of Information Act.

"Calling it an 'open meeting' that you dont tell anybody about seems to be twisting the meaning of 'open meeting' into a pretzel shape," said Bender, who also taught law for many years at the University of South Carolina.

State law bars lobbyists from coming to the commission's board members directly to promote or suggest investment products. But Ramaswamy is not a registered lobbyist.

Still, the meetings raised eyebrows among government ethics experts.

"I think it does raise a question of whether hes engaged in unregistered lobbying," said John Crangle, a longtime South Carolina government watchdog.

Tricia McLaughlin, Ramaswamys campaign manager for his presidential bid, disagreed with that notion, saying asset managers from legacy firms like BlackRock meet with state treasurers on a regular basis. If anything, McLaughlin said, Ramaswamy was trying to inject some competition into the process.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, she said.

Ramaswamy used a similar approach in Missouri with even greater success.

Last year, he spoke with members of that state's pension board at what the panel dubbed an educational conference. He spoke despite concerns circulated by some of retirement systems board members and staff via internal emails.

Documents reviewed by The Post and Courier show that the systems CEO didnt want to invite Ramaswamy to the purely educational conference because he was actively recruiting the state to invest with Strive.

The week after Ramaswamy addressed the board, the body announced it would be changing how it votes at annual stakeholder meetings for the companies in which it invested pension monies. The voting now happened in manner consistent with Ramaswamys anti-ESG approach.

Missouri later announced a $500 million divestment of assets from BlackRock, the worlds largest investment and asset management firm. Thats another anti-ESG move championed by Ramaswamy, who has made the Wall Street behemoth a prime target of his television appearances, calling it an activist for left-wing social causes.

BlackRock has consistently posted top returns for investors, and its CEO has defended its ESG approach, like diversifying investments away from polluting businesses, as just capitalism.

Daniel Garrett, professor of finance at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, has studied how anti-ESG divestment at the state level has entangled investment decisions and politics.

If you can corner a part of the market by creating these anti-ESG bills, you increase your market power, said Garrett. And then youre getting more people into those anti-ESG funds. Thats how it works.

In Indiana, for instance, Ramaswamy secured a $150,000 consultancy contract with the states right-leaning pension commission, making $4,000 an hour for this work before resigning from the company, according to reporting by the (Indiana) Capital Chronicle.

This is the first known contract between Strive and a state pension system. There are likely others.

Drumming up business

South Carolina has not committed to any deals with Strive, but communications obtained by The Post and Courier show conversations about a possible investment relationship carried on for months after the meeting in Loftis office. Emails show there was immediate follow-up between Ramaswamy, members of his entourage and the managing director of the pension system requesting information about Strives services.

Two months after the October meeting, one of Hitchcocks staffers followed up again with Strive, initiating a phone call with its executives and the state pension commission staff. Ramaswamy was still the executive chairman of Strive at the time.

Emails from January suggest that the pension commission is actively mulling changing providers for some of their investment contracts, with Strive under consideration for that role. A Strive executive responded to the follow-up phone call by thanking the pension commissions managing director for moving the needle on this important issue, alluding to the movement of funds away from mainstream investment firms like BlackRock.

Frericks, Strive's current CEO, told The Post and Courier: "Strive is working with multiple other states.  We welcome the opportunity to work with South Carolina."

In March, after Ramaswamy announced his run for the White House, he inserted himself again into Palmetto State politics.

He appeared virtually to testify in favor of the anti-ESG bill before an S.C. Statehouse subcommittee. The proposal later passed a House vote and advanced to the next legislative term.

Loftis said he wasnt bothered that Ramaswamy tried to drum up business with the pension system manager after the meeting in his suite.

It was an open meeting. If hes attempting to sell products afterwards, then good for him, said Loftis. He took advantage of that relationship, which is what everybody does.

Hitchcock, the CEO of the pension commission, also downplayed the significance of Ramaswamys pitch, saying asset managers do this all the time.

McLaughlin, Ramaswamys campaign manager, said that at the time of his October visit, the GOP presidential candidate held a majority stake ownership of Strive. She wouldnt say whether that is still the case or how much Ramaswamy could gain if a deal is penned with the state down the road. She noted that, as a presidential candidate, his finances are now handled by a third party.

The conversations come at a particularly heated and politically fraught time in the debate over how much consideration should be given to climate change and related issues when investing pension funds.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Labor Department issued a final rule authorizing pension managers to voluntarily consider these factors when making investments. The GOP-led House then passed a bill blocking those considerations from playing a role. President Joe Biden quickly vetoed that bill, saying retirement plan managers should be able to consider any investment factor that might benefit retirees' bank account.

"That is not controversial  that is common sense," Biden said.

Others, such as Loftis, disagree. He has belittled ESG efforts among other state financiers in internal emails and has accused large investment groups of trying to pressure states to adopt their Leftist worldview.

Loftis signed on to a sharply-worded letter with other Republican state treasurers addressed to Bidens climate special envoy, John Kerry, after he advocated for the greenhouse gas cutting benefits of ESG in early 2021.

One risk in divesting funds from mainstream asset managers, like BlackRock, is higher fees.

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a senior associate dean and business professor at the Yale School of Management, said that the large companies charge very low fees for investing in their portfolios of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. The ETF, also called index funds, are traditional low-fee financial products. But the anti-woke managers come at a premium.

According to Sonnenfelds research, BlackRocks ETFs usually charge 0.03 percent in annual fees on their gross return. Strive confirmed that its fees are higher at 0.41 percent. And that difference adds up.

If a pension system grossed $100 million in returns on, say, energy-focused ETFs, BlackRock would charge the state $3,000 in annual fees. Strive could send a bill for $41,000.

Money in the bank

On the campaign trail, Ramaswamy has boasted about his nine-figure net worth, making his wealth his calling card  proof of his outsized business acumen to convince states to switch to Strives services.

Last month, he told South Carolina's FITSNews that his net worth was $630 million and that he is self-funding the campaign." He used his wealth to lambast former S.C. governor and fellow presidential candidate Nikki Haley, saying he has twice the money in the bank.

A June 14 poll by Quinnipiac University shows that Ramaswamy still ranks behind Haley among Republican and conservative-leaning voters, registering in the single digits in a contest still dominated by former President Donald Trump.

Sonnenfeld, the Yale dean, began digging into Ramaswamy's finances after he became frustrated by what he contends are claims of exaggerated wealth by the candidate.

Based on his tax returns, his net worth cant be more than $100 million or $200 million, said Sonnenfeld, who obtained 11 years of the candidates tax returns, from 2009 to 2020, and posted them online. Ramaswamys campaign has publicly disclosed them, too.

Sonnenfeld recently wrote about Ramaswamys questionable business record and self-proclaimed net worth for Fortune Magazine. Hes also written about how self-proclaimed anti-woke businesses are charging their customers more money than mainstream businesses.

Tax returns published online by Yale show that Ramaswamy only received substantial influxes of cash in 2015 and 2020, both times for selling pharmaceutical assets. The New York Times recently investigated Ramaswamys business record, describing a pattern of "generating hype" for risky drugs. On one occasion, he cashed out before an overpromised Alzheimer's drug famously failed, costing shareholders millions, the newspaper reported.

McLaughlin, of Ramaswamys campaign, told The Post and Courier that most of the candidates wealth is tied up in stock, most of it in Roivant, a company he co-founded.

Sonnenfeld believes there is a direct connection between what he perceives to be exaggerated claims of wealth and financial expertise and why Ramaswamy privately met with some of S.C.s pension board members.

He said that its part of a pattern of using the Republican spotlight  and trending soundbites  to enrich his own business.

He presents himself as a neutral financial expert, said Sonnenfeld. But I think his primary goal here is financial gain.

Meanwhile, Loftis' goal with ESG seems aligned with what he views as a left-versus-right culture war that he feels is hurting "the working man." In an extended interview with The Post and Courier, Lofitis said that ESG "is a totalistic view of the world imposed by the government, by Wall Street and by international treaties." He listed many things that he sees as a functions of ESG, including income inequality, Pride month and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

For these and other reasons, Loftis said he is on Trumps S.C. leadership team for the former presidents current campaign. While he aligns with Ramaswamy on many views, he said he doesnt want to see Ramaswamy win the presidency in 2024.

The treasurer added, with a laugh, But vice president? Maybe.
The board that governs Charleston County's housing authority is searching this summer for two people who will serve five-year terms.

Chairman Sandino Moses, a member since 2018, chose not to reapply for his position with the Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Commissioner Lane Boris is also leaving. Their terms expire July 31.

The housing agency operates as a business entity independent of the county but receives most of its funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A seven-person board comprising community members and tenants controls the housing authority.

Since its inception in 1972, the agency has grown to house a couple hundred elderly and disabled residents at two complexes. All of them live below the poverty line.

The agency also manages several single family homes located in neighborhoods across Charleston County, and provides more than 1,000 families with housing vouchers to subsidize rent on the private market.

Heavy turnover, budget woes and concern over property conditions have plagued the housing authority in recent years.

A new executive director, Angela Childers, began work in May after the board abruptly fired its previous leader. Around the same time, HUD designated the agency as "troubled" because it failed to turn in an annual audit.

County staffers began advertising the upcoming board vacancies in late March for terms that were meant to start June 21. No one has applied, said Kristen Wurster, deputy clerk for County Council, which appoints the members.

Board commissioners are volunteers who meet each month within committees and as a group, voting on annual budgets and approving new policies or programs.

County Council Chairman Herb Sass told The Post and Courier June 29 he hadn't realized there was more than one opening on the board. He hoped current members could recruit folks who might be interested in the position.

Finding at least three qualified applicants is the best-case scenario, Sass said, as it would leave County Council with some choice in whom to appoint. The chairman said he'll consider attributes like where an applicant went to school and what jobs or other community positions they've held.

Charleston County is lucky because its appointed boards and commissions typically attract impressive people willing to give their time, Sass said.

If the housing authority can't find two applicants to fill the vacant seats, the outgoing commissioners could stay until their replacement is found. The board could also continue operating with two less members, Sass said.

New policies

The seven current commissioners gathered June 28 in a conference room on the penthouse level of Joseph Floyd Manor, a 13-story high-rise home to the agency's headquarters and more than 100 tenants.

The board  which met in person last month for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic  voted in a new chairman and vice-chairman.

Commissioners chose Patrick King, current vice-chairman and head of the finance committee, to replace Moses. King used to work for the South Carolina Community Loan Fund and has experience in the housing industry. They selected Chris Nungesser as vice-chair.

Childers then introduced several new policies for the board to vote on in preparation for a HUD visit in September. Officials will conduct a management review of the agency, Childers said. She's working to ensure its policies are updated and within HUD guidelines.

Among them was a new protocol for credit card use. Childers revamped it to be more thorough, she said, asking employees to sign receipts and turn them in on time.

The agency has had problems with credit cards, Moses said without elaborating. The commissioners unanimously voted to pass the policy change.

Childers also proposed a new homeownership assistance program. It allows first-time homebuyers already enrolled in the agency's voucher program to receive help paying a mortgage.

Participants must qualify for their portion of the bank loan and take a HUD-certified homeownership counseling class. They'd work with a real estate agent to find a house in which the monthly payment meets federal standards  no more than $1,906 for a three-bedroom home in Charleston.

The agency's portion of the payment is based on the participant's loan amount and income, and will fluctuate accordingly, Childers said. The agency will pay its portion of the mortgage for 15 years, when the homeowner would then have enough equity to refinance the home and afford remaining payments by themselves.

The board unanimously approved the program, which is a voluntary option for public housing authorities.

The deadline to apply for the vacant board seats is Sept. 11. To learn more, visit www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/county-council/boards-commissions.php.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 99F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially during the evening. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 77F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High near 95F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 79F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The policy of justice will be one of the foundations of the Ukrainian doctrine  a fundamental document that determines the course of our state for decades, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address on Wednesday.

"Today, in my address to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the occasion of Constitution Day, I spoke, in particular, about justice. I spoke about internal justice, which is about accountability for violations of law in Ukraine. And about justice in relation to the Russian-Ukrainian war  about Russia's accountability for war crimes," he said.

The policy of justice will be one of the foundations of the Ukrainian Doctrine, a fundamental document that will determine the course of our country for decades. We need such a document. Everyone in Ukraine, all our neighbors, everyone in the world should know what our national goal is, what we consider to be the end of this war, and how we are going to live after this war," Zelenskyy said.

According to him, "no matter what the occupiers try to do against us and no matter what kind of terror they use, they will not be able to break Ukraine. They will not succeed in knocking us off the path that leads the occupiers to accountability for everything they have done against us and that leads us to our guaranteed security and lasting freedom."

"Ukraine and everyone in the world who stands with us in defense of freedom will also stand in defense of justice. Justice for all those whose lives were taken by Russian terror, whose fate was broken by the Russian war. Eternal memory to all our people, to all Ukrainian children who were killed by Russian savages," he also said.
The Charleston County Sheriffs Office is certainly not the first S.C. government agency that either doesnt understand or simply chooses to violate our Freedom of Information Act, and with it South Carolinians right to know what their government is up to.

It just as certainly wont be the last.

Thats why we welcome the decision by Gray Media Group, parent company of WCSC-TV, to file suit after the department refused to turn over recordings of a high-profile inmates conversations  recordings it had already, appropriately turned over to The Post and Courier.

As much as we dislike using lawsuits to settle disputes involving public policy, the fact is that judges routinely rule against government agencies in FOI lawsuits, and for good reason: The S.C. Supreme Court respects the law, state and local agencies and school districts routinely violate it, and the only way to make them obey it is to sue. Well, unless Attorney General Alan Wilson would be more aggressive about enforcing the law on behalf of the public, as we urge him to do.

The reason violations of our open records and open meetings law are so routine despite governments high loss ratio in court is that too few individuals and even news organizations file suit, because they know government agencies have practically unlimited resources to run out the clock, driving up the cost of forcing compliance. So its always good news when someone is willing to challenge such clear violations of the law.

After our newspaper published an article last month based on conversations Jamie Lee Komoroski had with friends and family from jail  where she is being held on DUI charges in the tragic death of Samantha Miller just hours after the young woman's wedding this spring on Folly Beach  WCSC asked the Sheriffs Office to provide it the same tapes. That's a routine sort of request that is routinely honored immediately, but this time it was denied, because the agency said some recordings shouldnt have been released in the first place.

Even if the recordings were actually exempt from disclosure, federal courts have ruled that once information is released, its released, and theres no taking it back.

In this case, there is no reason to believe any of the recordings were exempt.

As The Post and Couriers Ema Rose Schumer reports, a sheriffs spokesman cited provisions in state law that allow police agencies to withhold information whose release would deprive a person to a right to a fair trial or constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy.

WCSC notes correctly in its lawsuit that courts have multiple ways other than hiding public information from the public to protect clients from publicity that could make it hard to find an impartial jury; in any event, thats a decision a trial judge should make, not the sheriff.

The invasion of privacy claim is probably the most abused excuse governments give for hiding public information from the public. They try to apply it to anything personal, but as our courts have consistently ruled, the key word is unreasonable, not "personal." And theres nothing unreasonable about releasing recordings that inmates are repeatedly reminded  and that Ms. Komoroski herself was reminded during conversations with her father  are not private.

The Sheriffs Office later added that the conversations were exempt from release because the information could endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.

That means that if people heard Ms. Komoroski whining about how unfair it was that she might be punished for a wreck she acknowledged was her fault, it might make someone angry enough to want to harm her. By that standard, pretty much any police documents that identify a suspect could be deemed exempt, because they could trigger revenge. The endangerment exemption was added not to protect suspects from their own unwise public comments but to protect the identity of undercover cops, or informants, or the blueprints that show secret tunnels running under a prison.

WCSC says theres an added twist in this case that makes the recordings even more a matter of public record: Since Ms. Komoroski said Sheriff Kristin Graziano allowed her to meet in person with her parents and told her she should be at home with her family, refusing to release them was an attempt to protect the sheriff from criticism for providing special treatment. We arent convinced that the sheriff did anything that any smart sheriff wouldnt do to try to calm down a potentially suicidal inmate.

Whether that's the case or not, suggesting that this makes the documents even more public is akin to saying someone is more than a little pregnant: Its not necessary in order to prove that the recordings are public records. We look forward to a judge making that point official  but encourage the sheriff to just go ahead and release the recordings, rather than forcing the taxpayers to pay for her attorneys and the TV stations.

Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier.
FLORENCE  Dr. Sompong and Suwanee Kraikit recently made a substantial gift to the Francis Marion University Education Foundation, which will increase scholarship opportunities for first generation education majors.

The Kraikits have been generous donors to the university, establishing scholarships that have helped generations of students.

"Sompong and Suwanee have been among the most generous donors in the university's history," FMU President Fred Carter said. "Their most recent gift reaffirms their commitment to making an education attainable for so many students, specifically those choosing to study or embark on a career in educations. Their longstanding support of the university is much appreciated  as is their friendship."

The Kraikits' gifts have endowed a scholarship to benefit international students at FMU.

A partnership has been established with Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University in Thailand, which allows faculty and students at the Thailand and Florence universities to learn through mutually beneficial teaching and learning opportunities in both nations.

It also provides a scholarship for a teacher in Thailand to pursue a graduate degree in education from Francis Marion.

The Kraikit International Nursing Scholarship was established in 2014 to offer a nurse, who is a native of Thailand, a chance to complete the master's degree in nursing education program at FMU.

In 2020, the Kraikits established the First Generation Student Education Scholarship, which provides financial support to first generation students from the Pee Dee attending FMU and majoring in education.

Kraikit is a nephrologist in Florence. He received his medical degree from Chiang Mai University Faculty of Medicine in Thailand and has been in practice for more than 30 years. He is a specialist in the treatment of kidney disease and has cared for patients at McLeod Health since the mid 1970s.

He also has supported Florence-Darlington Technical College through scholarships.
SUMTER  Sumter county taxpayers won't see a tax increase in the 2023-24 fiscal year for the Sumter County School District.

The District will receive the same county funding as it did last year. It will cost taxpayers $67 a year based on a $100,000 house. The vote at the June 27 County Council meeting was 4-3.

A proposal to raise the tax rate was rejected in favor of retaining the current tax rate. The proposed rate would have cost taxpayers $10 more a year for a $100,000 house. The district would have gained $2.4 million with the increase. But it failed.

"We have taken advantage of the school's staff long enough," Sumter County Councilman Eugene Baten said.

Baten favored a tax increase.

"I'm ashamed for this," he said.

Taxes were last raised for the district in 2021, while the last time taxes were raised by as much as the state allows was in 2016.

Act 388 of state law passed in 2006 exempts property classified as "owner-occupied residential property" from property taxes that would help fund school districts. However, secondary homes, businesses and vehicles can still be taxed.

Councilman Arthur Baker, who voted against the proposed tax increase, said the district should pull funds reserved for empty positions within the district and use those funds to replace a tax increase.

Baker said the district had $5 million to $10 million saved for those vacant jobs. Chairman James T. McCain Jr. said the district had more than 100 vacancies in 2023. The district employs more than 3,000 people. The people earning less than $25,000 annually are support staff, such as custodians and bus drivers.

McCain also said the district should use its fund balance to balance its budget. He said the district has four months worth of unassigned fund balances where two months is best practice. State law requires school districts to have a least one month worth of expenses in reserve.

The Sumter County School District has more than $30.9 million in unassigned fund balance.

"If I did not truly believe based on the Sumter school district's own financial statements, and previous year's audit, that the district has the necessary funds to accomplish their goals, I would be the first to vote for a millage increase," McCain said.

The Council raised all county employee salaries to at least $25,000 during this year's budget cycle. It declared $25,000 was a livable wage.

Councilman Carlton Washington said during a presentation that more than 1,500 of the school district's employees were making below $25,000.

The tax rate he proposed would only cover around half of the funds needed to bring all employees to at least $25,000.

"If in fact Sumter wants to be competitive, and we're serious about education, we're gonna have to pull our head out of the sand and do what's right, by education, by children and by teachers," Washington told The Post and Courier.

In the Sumter County School District, less than half of the students score an end-of-class exam with a C or higher in English and language arts. Less than 25 percent score with a C or higher in math.

These numbers are lower than the respective percentages across the state. The graduation rate has also been on the decline since 2019, according to screportcards.com.

Four schools in the county are also on the state's list of priority schools, which are schools performing in the bottom 10 percent of all schools in the state.

The state Educator Recruitment and Retention Task Force released a report in May showing what schools can do to attract and retain teachers.

The report called for the implementation of a salary schedule, teacher career ladder, extend salary schedule steps, critical needs stipends, school support professionals and consistent educator evaluation.

The retention stipend alone, Washington said, could cost $5 million to $8 million.

"These are the things that are necessary for this district to be competitive. This Council has to take its foot off of the school district's neck," Washington said. "In order to do that, businesses are going to have to pay just like everybody else."

The Sumter County School District will have the final reading of its $160.7 million budget June 28.

Members of the public filled the room and had to sign their names on a piece of paper in order to speak during time for public comment, which Washington said was unusual.

He also wished the public comment had come before the Council voted on the tax rate but was denied. Public comment came after.

"It seems that even if this public had been allowed to make comments that your minds were already made," Myra Washington said during her time to speak.

Washington made seven motions offering a lower tax rate for the rest of County Council to vote on as discussion ended on the tax.

The nay votes voted the same every time.

"It's clear Mr. Chairman, where we are on public education," Washington said.
COLUMBIA  The South Carolina National Guard soldiers heading to the southern border for a monthlong deployment have a history of answering stateside calls.

The 150 soldiers activated June 29 for a 31-day mission assisting Texas authorities belong to the 1-118th Infantry Battalion, said Maj. Karla Evans, spokeswoman for the National Guard.

Over the last several years the unit headquartered in Mount Pleasant has responded to at least six hurricanes and gone to Washington, D.C., to assist two presidents.

Its soldiers were among National Guardsmen in the nation's capital to quell protests in summer 2020 at the request of then-President Donald Trump and returned in January 2021 to secure the inauguration of President Joe Biden, said its commander, Lt. Col. Travis Moore.

It's fitting that the unit's crest includes its motto "Wherever my country calls," said Moore, a Republican member of the state House of Representatives from Spartanburg County.

The unit will be assisting Texas National Guard soldiers and public safety officers along the state's 1,250-mile border with Mexico in what Texas calls Operation Lone Star.

Gov. Henry McMaster announced May 31 he'd ordered the mission, but no details were available then. The directive came two weeks after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent letters to governors nationwide asking for assistance at the border following the end of Title 42 pandemic immigration restrictions.

The deployment is estimated to cost $1.55 million, Evans said.

The costs, paid by South Carolina taxpayers, will be absorbed by the state adjutant general's budget. South Carolina's military department is receiving $29.3 million in state revenue in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Its total budget, when including federal and other funds, is $132.2 million.

McMaster has said the criminal problem at the border affects every state, and he issued the directive in an effort to reduce the flow of deadly illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, to South Carolina.

South Carolina soldiers' mission will include observing activity between the lawful international crossings to the U.S. and reporting what they see, working directly with Texas authorities. They will be living at base camps along the border, where their meals will be provided, Evans said.

"Every service member supporting border operations provides much-needed support to the mission and will go a long way in preventing and deterring transnational criminal activity along the border," she said.

It's Moore's first mission with the battalion, as he only recently took command. He was previously with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, which was deployed earlier this month for a year assisting the U.S. Army in Africa. Soldiers on that mission include state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, and Maj. Michael Haley, husband of former United Nations ambassador and Gov. Nikki Haley. He was transferred to the brigade specifically for the mission.

Moore's 23 years in the South Carolina National Guard have included six months in Kosovo and 13 months in Afghanistan. The attorney said he joined while at The Citadel as a way to serve while staying local to go to law school.

Moore, R-Roebuck, noted it won't be the first time the South Carolina unit under his command has gone to the southern border.

Its long history includes participating in the United States' 1846 war with Mexico and being sent to the border in 1916 as part of President Woodrow Wilson's response to raids by Francisco "Pancho" Villa and his Mexican rebels.
WOODRUFF  A new high school under construction to accommodate anticipated growth in Spartanburg County School District 4 is on track to be completed by late 2025.

The new, 252,000-square-foot Woodruff High School is being built on 100 acres and has a large courtyard.

"Our new high school will be a place where students can develop character, strength and resilience and where they will learn the values that will guide them throughout their lives," District 4 Superintendent William Rallie Liston said during a June 28 groundbreaking ceremony

Voters approved a referendum in August 2022 to allow District 4 to issue $100 million in general obligation bonds to build a new Woodruff High School.

The school will have the capacity to enroll up to 2,000 students, more than double 825 students the current school accommodates now.

Enrollment is expected to increase in the district from 3,000 students to more than 4,400 students in the next four years as Woodruff continues to experience unprecedented growth with new housing and industry.

Liston said grading work will continue at the site over the next 60 days with a concrete pad built to form the school's foundation.

Once the new school is built, middle school students will move into the existing high school. Second grade students will move from the primary school into the elementary school and fourth and fifth grade students will move from the elementary school into the middle school.

"We have new houses, construction and industry and we are about to see a new high school in two years," District 4 Board of Trustees Chairman Tony Davis said. "It is a great time in Woodruff."
Oh, by the way, Gary Shapleys testimony establishes that the FBI confirmed the authenticity of Hunter Bidens laptop as far back as November 2019. The Washington Free Beacon covered that aspect of Shapleys testimony last week in this story by Andrew Kerr and Joe Simonson. The Free Beacons Chuck Ross follows up with this sidebar to Shapleys testimony today:

The former spies and Biden campaign aides who smeared Hunter Bidens laptop as Russian disinformation have remained silent following revelations that the FBI authenticated the computer nearly a year before it was released.

Ross adds this:

Notably, none of the organizers of the letter have defended their claim or commented on Shapleys testimony. The group includes former CIA deputy director Michael Morell, former CIA chief of staff Nick Shapiro, and White House spokesman Andrew Bates. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke with Morell prior to the letter, has also not weighed in.

The letter  posted here  had been dreamed up by Antony Blinken and given to Natasha Bertrand, who duly trumpeted it in the linked Politico story.

Morell recruited the letters signatories. The leading signatories were such former Obama administration officials as James Clapper and John Brennan. Ross of course sought comment on Shapleys testimony from key players:

Morell and [former CIA chief of staff Nick] Shapiro have yet to weigh in on Shapleys claims. They did not respond to requests for comment. [White House spokesman Andrew] Bates, who served as the Biden campaigns rapid response director [and also helped organize the letter], did not respond to requests for comment. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment about Blinkens views of Shapleys testimony.

The patently ludicrous letter of course played a key role in the suppression of the New York Posts stories on the contents of Hunter Bidens laptop in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election. What do Natasha Bertrand (now with CNN) and Politico have to say about their role in disseminating the letter? Even the Washington Post and the Associated Press appear to have passed on it before Politico published it along with Bertrands story.
Minnesota is not thriving. The state consistently loses residents to states with lower taxes, like Florida and South Dakota. The exodus is especially alarming with regard to Minnesotas most productive citizens, i.e., those with incomes over $50,000.

What to do? Governor Tim Walz and his minions have suggested that Minnesotas newfound status as a state that permits abortion up to and beyond the moment of birth, and as a trans refuge for sex change operations that otherwise would be illegal, will be a magnet, drawing desirable residents from around the nation.

That may not sound like a promising strategy, but they werent kidding. Explore Minnesota is the states official tourism bureau. Its job is to draw visitors to Minnesota. How? By bragging about Pride. This Instagram reel is not a satire:

New ad from Minnesota States Tourism Department promotes drag shows, trans kids, and gender care pic.twitter.com/Ulnx847W5Y  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 28, 2023



For what its worth, Minnesota does go overboard for Pride. This years parade in Minneapolis was viewed by a large crowd, and dignitaries like Governor Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Mayor Jacob Frey turned out to celebrate LGBTQWhatever. Much of what transpired was offensive, and some of it was obscene. If you are a glutton for punishment, this Twitter feed has video clips if you scroll down to June 25. Dont miss the Kennel Clubs contribution to the event.

I will leave the last word to my colleague Bill Glahn:
In Bakhmut direction, the Defense Forces have seized the strategic initiative and are conducting offensive operations on a wide front, Spokesman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Kovaliov has said.

"On the flanks of the town of Bakhmut, they continue to put pressure on the enemy, knocking them out of the previously captured lines. They are successful, they are fixed on the lines reached," Kovaliov said according to the Military Media Center's statement in the Telegram channel on Thursday.

According to him, in the direction of Rivnopil-Volodyne, the Defense Forces had a partial success, they are gaining a foothold on the achieved lines.

Ukrainian troops "inflict fire damage with artillery on identified enemy targets, carry out measures of counter-battery combat."

In Lyman, Avdiyivka and Mariyinka directions, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the advance of Russian troops.
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Canada's recent wildfires have already scorched about 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres), serving as a wake-up call for heightened attention to wildfire preparedness.In recent years, the United States also has experienced record-breaking wildfire seasons, with an average of 22,946 wildfires per year between 2013 and 2022. In 2021 alone, the state of California had 9,260 fires, making it the first of the top 10 states with the most wildfires. The below chart shows the rest nine states:Top 10 States For Wildfires Ranked By Number Of Fires And By Number Of Acres Burned, 2021 RankStateNumber of firesRankStateNumber of acres burned1California9,2601California2,233,6662Texas5,5762Oregon828,7773North Carolina5,1513Montana747,6784Montana2,5734Washington674,2225Florida2,2625Arizona524,4286Oregon2,2026Idaho439,6007Georgia2,1397Alaska253,3578Minnesota2,0658Texas168,2589Washington1,8639Kansas163,98210Arizona1,77310New Mexico123,792Source: National Interagency Fire Center.Nearly 45 million homes are adjacent to or intermingled with wildlands, putting over 72,000 U.S. communities at risk.Preparing for wildfires is critical to ensuring the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and your property. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to take before, during, and after a wildfire to reduce risk and ensure safety.Preparing Before a Wildfire1. Stay InformedTo prepare for wildfires, it is important to understand the risks in your area. Stay up to date on local weather conditions and fire danger levels.Local news media, emergency management agencies, and official social media will always provide accurate information. Follow them and check the news regularly. Consider signing up for emergency alerts and notifications from your local government or fire department. Familiarize yourself with nearby evacuation routes and community gathering points.2. Prepare an Emergency KitIn times of crisis, there is little time to prepare. That's why it is important to have an emergency kit readily available. Your kit should include essentials such as nonperishable food, drinking water, medications, first aid, a flashlight, batteries, battery-powered radio, and important documents. Additionally, you should include personal protection items like N95 masks and goggles for toxic smoke handling. Keep your emergency kit in a fireproof and easily accessible place.Invest in a portable power station like BLUETTI's EB series (EB3A, EB55, EB70S) if you have a lot of devices that need to be charged. These lightweight power stations offer ample power and multiple outlets, ensuring your devices stay powered during an emergency. For long-term emergencies, BLUETTI's AC200 series (AC200P, AC200MAX) and portable solar panels, such as PV120 and PV200, can meet your basic power needs for off-grid living in small cabins.3. Develop an Emergency PlanWildfires can spread rapidly without warning. Making a detailed evacuation plan for your family can save lives in critical situations. Practice multiple evacuation routes with your family and designate a meeting place outside the danger area where you can unite if separated. Don't forget to make evacuation plans for your pets, as they are also part of your family.4. Protect Your HomeEven if your home is far from a fire, flying embers can travel up to a mile and ignite your property. Take measures to protect your home by reducing highly combustible materials, such as wood and plant debris. Consider retrofitting parts of your home with embers and flame-resistant materials and coatings. Clean chimneys and fireplaces regularly to prevent the accumulation of combustible debris.Moreover, ensure your house number is clearly visible from the street for the convenience of emergency personnel. If possible, set up an outside source of water for firefighting purposes, such as a swimming pool, pond, or water tank.5. Prepare a Home Backup Power SourceWhile you live far from wildfire-prone areas, you are still vulnerable to associated preventative power shutoffs and subsequent power outages due to disrupted utility grid. You may expect extended blackouts that can last for days or even weeks. A reliable home backup power source is essential for households. BLUETTI's AC300+B300, AC500+B300S, provide flexible backup power for various homes. With high outputs and capacities, these modular power stations can charge any home appliance. For example, the AC300 can deliver up to 3,000W power and expand its capacity to a max 12,288Wh with B300 batteries. An AC300+B300 combo can run an 800W refrigerator for about 3 hours, a 40W CPAP machine for over 65 hours. Using BLUETTI's PV350 and PV420 solar panels, you can charge these power houses to get you through the outages in comfort.What to Do During a WildfireIf a wildfire breaks out near your home, immediately follow evacuation orders and leave the area as directed by authorities. Take your prepackaged supplies, including your BLUETTI backup power source, to sustain you for several days. Do not attempt to return until it is officially declared safe.If you find yourself trapped or unable to evacuate, close all doors and windows to prevent embers from entering your home. Find a safe place indoors, away from windows. Cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth or blanket to avoid inhaling smoke. Cool down and listen to the radio and stay in contact with the outside while waiting for rescue.What to Do After a WildfireOnce the wildfire is contained, wait for official clearance to make sure it is safe to return. Check for any remaining hot spots or hazards, such as unstable structures or downed power lines, which could pose a risk.Contact your insurance company to report the situation and initiate the claims process. Document the damage with photos or video to support your claim.To restore power in case of downed lines or an unstable grid, use your BLUETTI power solutions. The AC200 series and EB series power stations can provide emergency backup power for essential equipment and devices, ensuring you have the power you need during the recovery process.Wildfires can be devastating, but by taking proactive measures, staying informed, and having the right tools, you can significantly reduce the risks and ensure your safety.About BLUETTIBLUETTI has been committed to promoting sustainability and green energy solutions since its inception. By offering eco-friendly energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use, BLUETTI aims to provide exceptional experiences for our homes while also contributing to a
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JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers is proud to announce its inaugural scholarship program, designed to provide financial support and empower single mothers pursuing higher education. Created by Cheikh Mboup, a highly accomplished businessman and academic, this scholarship aims to break down barriers and create opportunities for single mothers in their academic and career journeys.To apply for the Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers, eligible applicants must be single mothers who are currently enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited college or university, community college, or vocational school in the United States. High school students planning to attend university for a degree are also eligible to apply. The scholarship will be awarded based on an essay competition, with the winner receiving a one-time award of $1,000.Applicants are invited to submit a well-written essay of up to 1,000 words that answers the following question: "What inspired you to pursue higher education as a single mother, and how will receiving the Cheikh Mboup Scholarship support your academic and career goals?" This essay provides an opportunity for applicants to showcase their unique experiences and express their passion for education.Cheikh Mboup, the founder of the scholarship, is a highly accomplished individual with a remarkable background in both business and academia. Originally from Senegal, West Africa, Cheikh has lived in 11 different nations before coming to the United States for an American education. He graduated summa cum laude from Lehigh University with a bachelor's degree in finance and statistics, and he further pursued his education by earning an MBA in economics and international business from Jacksonville University. Cheikh also holds a doctorate in economics and international business from Argosy University.Throughout his career, Cheikh has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to education and social responsibility. He began his professional journey in the grocery business, steadily climbing the ranks from store director to district director. Transitioning to private equity firms, Cheikh's leadership skills led him to become the COO and President of Edible Arrangements, overseeing operations in the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. Today, he serves as the CEO of SSH Investments, utilizing his business acumen to make a positive impact in the world.Driven by his passion for education and social responsibility, Cheikh established the Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers to support single mothers who are pursuing higher education. He firmly believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and creating a brighter future for families and communities. Cheikh's dedication to education and social responsibility continues to inspire and empower individuals worldwide.The deadline to apply for the scholarship is November 15, 2023. Applicants are encouraged to visit the official website of the Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers at https://cheikhmboupscholarship.com/cheikh-mboup-scholarship/ for more information and to submit their application.The winner of the scholarship will be announced on December 15, 2023. The recipient will receive a one-time award of $1,000 to support their academic journey and career aspirations.About Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers:The Cheikh Mboup Scholarship for Single Mothers was established by Cheikh Mboup, a highly accomplished businessman and academic. The scholarship aims to empower single mothers by providing financial support to pursue higher education. By investing in the academic and career aspirations of single mothers, the scholarship seeks to break down barriers and create opportunities for personal and professional growth.Contact Info:Spokesperson: Cheikh MboupOrganization: Cheikh Mboup ScholarshipWebsite: https://cheikhmboupscholarship.com Email: apply@ cheikhmboupscholarship.com SOURCE: Cheikh Mboup Scholarship
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THUNDER BAY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Clean Air Metals Inc. ("Clean Air Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:AIR); (FRA:CKU); (OTCQB:CLRMF) announces that it has completed its follow-up metallurgical test program for the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project.The metallurgical test program consisted of locked cycle tests on a variety of composite samples with a range of head grades from both the Current and Escape deposits and delivered recoveries of 70.2% to 80.9% Platinum (Pt) and 74.0% to 86.9% Palladium (Pd) and copper recoveries from 89.9% to 96.3%. The tests were completed by Base Metallurgical Labs under the guidance of DRA Global.Preliminary modelling of recoveries using estimated deposit head grades and updated recovery curves based on the test program, are shown in table 1 below.Table 1: Modelled recoveriesNear Surface High Grade Zones (Early Years Mining)PtPdCuNiAuAg% recovery80.6%86.2%95.9%57.0%85.0%65.2%Head Grade1.58 g/t1.61 g/t0.45 %0.24 %0.11 g/t2.77 g/tRemaining Zones (Later Mining)PtPdCuNiAuAg% recovery77.6%85.0%95.4%55.5%85.0%65.2%Head Grade1.18 g/t1.30 g/t0.41 %0.23 %0.10 g/t2.52 g/tCEO CommentJim Gallagher, CEO of Clean Air Metals stated that: "The extensive Phase 2 test program demonstrates very good recoveries of Platinum, Palladium and Copper all Critical Metals for the Green Energy revolution. In addition, there are material amounts of Nickel, Gold and Silver. These are recoverable with conventional flotation technology producing two saleable concentrates. These results will be incorporated into the ongoing optimization studies for the mine plan at Thunder Bay North." The program followed a typical crush, grind, float flowsheet to generate an initial bulk concentrate, that was subsequently sent through a secondary flotation process to produce separate copper-rich and PGE/Nickel rich concentrates.The test program was completed using core samples from both the Current and Escape deposits to produce 3 composites and 17 variability samples. The composites were structured to represent early and late mine life production. The composite samples and 15 of the variability samples were subjected to a combination of grindability tests including JK Drop Weight, SMC, Bond Work Index and Bond Abrasion tests.Copper-Nickel Separation circuitEarly flowsheet assessments focused on sequential flotation to create the two concentrates. However, optimal results were achieved with bulk flotation, followed by a copper-nickel separation flowsheet which resulted in improved overall recovery of metals.Sulphide minerals within the sample composites were sufficiently liberated at a grind size K80 of 65mm. The process included bulk flotation with rougher and cleaner stages to create a sulphide-rich product hosting PGE, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, pyrite and pyrrhotite. This product was subsequently subjected to a regrind averaging a K80 of 20mm and then subjected to a high pH float to depress nickel bearing minerals and PGEs (PGE/Ni rich conc) and float copper bearing minerals (Cu rich conc).Consistent with previous resultsThe program consisted of a total of 80 open circuit development tests and 8 locked cycle flotation (LCT) tests. LCT test results highlighted the potential for the following:Recoveries as high as 80.9% platinum and 86.9% palladium; andRecoveries as high as 96.3% copper and up to 69.5% nickel and 84.3% gold.The above results are encouraging and are consistent with the stated metallurgical outcomes in the previous test program undertaken by Blue Coast Research in 2021 when using similar head grades.Preliminary modelled concentrate grade outlined the potential for a clean copper concentrate grading 22% Cu, 38 g/t Pt+Pd and a PGE Ni-rich concentrate grading 50 g/t Pt+Pd and 3.75% Ni. Through an engagement with Ocean Partners Inc., it was identified that projected concentrates produced were marketable with interest and indicative terms received from several domestic and overseas smelters.Financial ResultsThe Company also announces that it has filed its unaudited consolidated interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the three month period ended April 30, 2023, available for viewing on www.sedar.com Financial HighlightsTotal assets as at April 30, 2023 of $41,653,021Total cash as at April 30, 2023 of $9,951,916Working capital as at April 30, 2023 of $9,896,655Shareholder's equity as at April 30, 2023 of $38,158,330Financial SummaryFor the three months endedApril 30,2023 April 30,2022Operating Expenses $977,172 $1,098,079Net Loss and Comprehensive Loss (905,500) (560,871)Loss per share - Basic and Diluted $(0.00) $(0.00)April 30,2023 January 31,2023Total Assets $41,653,021 $42,290,356Total Liabilities 3,494,691 3,425,984Total Shareholders' Equity $38,158,330 $38,864,372 Full details of the financial reports and operating results for the three month period ended April 30, 2023 are described in the Company's unaudited consolidated interim financial statements with accompanying notes and related Management's Discussion and Analysis, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com Grant of Stock OptionsThe Company announces that it has granted an aggregate of 4,250,000 incentive stock options to certain directors, officers and employees of the Company, subject to regulatory approval. The stock options are exercisable at $0.06 for a period of 5 years from the grant date and subject to vesting terms.Qualified PersonsMr. Dave Frost F.AusIMM, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 and Vice President Process Engineering for DRA Global, has reviewed and approved all of the metallurgical results information in this press release.Social EngagementClean Air Metals Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Ltd. acknowledge that the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project is on the traditional territories of the Fort William First Nation, Red Rock Indian Band and Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinabek. The parties together are the Cooperating Participants in a Memorandum of Agreement dated January 9, 2021 (press release January 11, 2021) and Exploration Agreement signed April 13%2
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 21:45:44

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / CeresNine companies and five business and consumer advocacy groups today called for North Carolina lawmakers to establish and fund a state-led committee to study wholesale market competition options, to improve grid reliability and generate cost savings for the benefit of all North Carolina ratepayers.In a letter sent today to members of the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper, the companies and groups urged state lawmakers to approve House Bill 503, a bipartisan proposal sponsored by Reps. Larry Strickland, Kyle Hall, and John Torbett. The bill would authorize and fund the creation of a legislative study committee to evaluate competitive wholesale market options to ensure a well-designed and well-implemented market for North Carolina ratepayers."As businesses with major operations, employees, and investments in communities across the state, reliable and affordable electricity is key to the vitality of our companies," the letter notes. "State regulated monopoly utilities are not offering optimally designed and scalable clean energy programs. Recent rolling blackouts during Winter Storm Elliott highlight the urgent need for sufficient reliable and affordable electricity in North Carolina We urge you to take action to address market barriers to reliable, affordable, and resilient electricity." Nine companies signed the letter: Nestle, REI, New Belgium Brewing, Unilever, Marriott, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Carolina Solar Energy, Yarotek, and SJF Ventures. Five advocacy organizations also joined as signers: the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), Ceres, E2, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, and the Carolina Utility Customers Association."Expanding electricity market options in North Carolina would help drive innovation and cost savings for all energy customers and improve grid reliability and resilience," said Reese Rogers, CEBA's Southeastern market and policy innovation manager. "House Bill 503 would open a path for North Carolina to move toward greater options for customer choice and grid reliability." "Businesses want better access to reliable, affordable, clean energy, and the best way to unlock these resources at scale is through new wholesale market competition," said Alli Gold Roberts, Ceres' senior director of state policy. "House Bill 503 provides a path toward opening the market and delivering significant utility bill savings and economic development across North Carolina. Ceres and the businesses and investors we work with urge lawmakers to pass this bill soon." "With the energy landscape shifting so rapidly, we owe it to North Carolina businesses and households to explore electricity market reforms that could help the state deliver more reliable and more affordable energy to customers," said Zach Amittay, E2's Southeast advocate. "HB 503 is a commonsense first step to do just that." A growing body of market research on the Southeast indicates that unlocking wholesale market competition in North Carolina could produce significant cost savings, drive innovation and economic development, and improve grid reliability and resilience. Organized wholesale markets, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) or independent system operators (ISOs), currently serve over 70% of all U.S. customers.A 2020 report by Energy Innovation found that a Southeastern RTO could create $384 billion in regional economic savings, create 285,000 clean energy jobs, and reduce emissions 37% by 2040. As the letter notes, opening the energy market in North Carolina to more competition translates to more options to meet customer preferences and, in turn, supports economic development prospects in the state.Regional coordination on an electricity market and transmission planning would help the Carolinas realize efficiencies of exchange and economies of scale that come from expanded market access. Brattle Group analysts this spring told the South Carolina General Assembly's Electricity Market Reform Measures Committee that South Carolina utility customers could save $285 million to $362 million a year if the Carolinas together joined an RTO. A North Carolina market study would evaluate the degree of savings for North Carolina customers.Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ ceres.org , 617-247-0700 ext. 214View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Ceres on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: CeresWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/ceres Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Ceres
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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2023 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. ("TDS" or "the Company") (NYSE:TDS) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Investors who purchased the Company's securities between May 6, 2022 and November 3, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the firm before July 3, 2023.If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at bschall@ schallfirm.com The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. TDS had no reason to believe that its UScellular subsidiary's "free upgrade" would improve its churn rate of postpaid customers when in fact churn rate was remaining constant or even increasing throughout the class period. The Company failed to improve the customer churn rate despite its claims to investors. The Company failed to balance promotions and profitability. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about TDS, investors suffered damages.Join the case to recover your losses.The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT:The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq.310-301-3335info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm
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Strong demand from global industrial giantsZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Leading climate-tech pioneer Emerald Technology Ventures has announced that its industrial climate-tech fund has just surpassed 250 million. The flex-term fund's milestone is notable not only for its size, but also because many blue-chip industrial corporations have invested, seeking transformational change to reach their net-zero commitments. The fund supports their drive to be early adopters of the climate-tech solutions that cutting-edge startups can provide. Current investors-a group whose combined total revenues exceed $1 trillion-include diverse global industrial giants in energy, chemicals, materials, packaging, heavy industry, automotive, technology, real estate and utilities.Partners at Emerald Technology VenturesFrom left: Christoph Frei, Simone Riedel Riley, Hans Dellenbach (CFO), Neil Cameron, Markus Moor (CTO), Gina Domanig (CEO & Managing Partner), Helge Daebel, Charles Vaslet (Senior Partner - Open Innovation), Fredric Petit This milestone also highlights Emerald's overall position as a major player amongst climate-tech VCs, now managing and advising over 1 billion in assets for over 50 Limited Partners. Emerald's other funds specifically target energy transformation, sustainable packaging and global water impact. It also has three corporate-venture-capital (CVC) mandates with industrial tech, energy and packaging companies in Japan, South Africa and Switzerland, in which Emerald curates the entire deal flow of a client's CVC arm. Emerald also manages the Technology Fund on behalf of the Swiss government, which offers loan guarantees to Swiss companies that contribute to a sustainable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.As the industrial climate-tech fund continues to grow, it not only helps to reveal solutions for sustainable operations but also helps discover and develop new technology that will transform business models to be profitable in a sustainable and climate-friendly economy. The fund's portfolio includes leading technologies in climate tech such as clean energy management, bioplastics, PFAS-free coatings, algorithmic electricity trading, alternative proteins, digital infrastructure assessment, AI-enabled water leak detection and more.Gina Domanig, Managing Partner and CEO of Emerald, said, "Climate tech is a must-have, not a nice-to-have. We are part of the transformation that is happening in sectors that are not only critical to the economy but critical to our sustainable prosperity. I am excited to be a player in that transformation and to see Emerald's role in catalyzing such large global players to make the difficult changes that are necessary for a healthy planet." About Emerald Technology VenturesEmerald is a globally recognized venture capital firm building a sustainable future at the crossroads of industry and technology. Founded in 2000, it is a pioneer in open innovation, providing multinational corporations with rich deal flow and insight into the sectors and markets of tomorrow. Emerald manages and advises assets of over 1 billion from its offices in Zurich, Toronto and Singapore. The firm is dedicated to tackling big challenges in climate change and sustainability via over 500 venture transactions and five third-party investment mandates, including loan guarantees to over 100 startups. For more information, please visit www.emerald.vc Contact InformationStacy FiehlerHead of Marketing, Emerald Technology Ventures+41442696107SOURCE: Emerald Technology Ventures
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 20:30:33

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TUKWILA, WA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Alexandra Lozano, better known as Abogada Alexandra to many of her clients, is more than an immigration lawyer. She is also a successful author who has formulated a system for running a successful law firm while still enjoying a healthy personal and family life.Alexandra Lozano quickly understood in the course of her career that many learn how to be lawyers in law school but not how to run profitable practices. She aims to rectify that.Abogada Alexandra herself started virtually from scratch, building her business to become a seven-figure law firm owner and author, proving that women in law can have it all, professionally and personally. Through her own journey, she has authored several books that help others do the same.Abogada Alexandra's success in law and literature landed her on the Business Journal's 40 under 40 list.Her books are:Ignite Your Practice with the T VisaBe the CEO of Your Law FirmSix Figure SoloLaw Firm Business SchoolAttorneys and business owners have highly praised each book. Their reviews say the books are a roadmap for thriving in business, with great tips for business owners of all kinds. Each book is short and easy to read, offering practical tips on how to run a successful law practice, not just stay afloat.But perhaps Lozano is best known for her work in immigration law. She prides herself on saying "yes" when other lawyers have turned down a case as a lost cause.Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law helps thousands of undocumented immigrants gain legal status with individualized advice based on each person's needs.Her office specializes in many immigration options, such as green cards, T visas, U visas, and documentation after deportation.As a testament to her work, the Seattle University School of Law presented Abogada Alexandra with an award that recognized her advocacy for undocumented immigrants. Her goals include helping these individuals achieve the following:The freedom to travel home to visit friends and relativesPeace of mind that they will be able to stay with their children in the U.S.The ability to continue providing for their families in the U.S. and abroadWith offices in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and San Antonio, Abogada Alexandra serves clients across the nation in all 50 statesContact:contact@ insightinformernews.com SOURCE: Alexandra Lozano Immigration Law
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College students Makenzie Skibbie and Danielle Stroinski named Nelson-Jameson ScholarsMARSHFIELD, WI / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Nelson-Jameson Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate prosperity for Nelson-Jameson employees, local communities, and the dairy industry through a diverse range of philanthropic programs, announced the winners of its inaugural University of Wisconsin-River Falls college scholarship program. Two students, Makenzie Skibbie and Danielle Stroinski, achieved the honor of being named a Nelson-Jameson Scholar, and each received a $5,000 award toward college expenses. The scholarship was founded by the Nelson-Jameson Foundation to support the next generation of dairy industry and food science employees.Nelson-Jameson Foundation UW-River Falls Scholarship Winners 2023Nelson-Jameson Foundation recipients of the UW-Rivers Falls Scholarship, Danielle Stroinski and Makenzie Skibbie "We are delighted to congratulate Makenzie and Danielle for their well-deserved Nelson-Jameson Scholar program scholarships," says Amanda Sasse, fourth-generation owner of Nelson-Jameson. "As an organization, Nelson-Jameson has been a devoted steward of the dairy industry for more than 75 years, and we're committed to continuing this legacy by providing opportunities for future generations of talent through the Nelson-Jameson Foundation." To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be enrolled at UW-River Falls, be majoring in Food Science & Technology, and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Makenzie Skibbie will begin her junior year in the fall of 2023 and is passionate about the cheese industry. Danielle is a senior working toward a 2024 graduation and plans to pursue a career in dairy food research & development. The scholarship program will continue annually, with the Nelson-Jameson Foundation awarding two $5,000 scholarships each academic year.In addition to the scholarship program, the Nelson-Jameson Foundation has committed a total of $150,000 toward the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Pilot Plant Renovation project and secured naming rights for the Pilot Plant's laboratory. Nelson-Jameson will also join the plant's Advisory Committee."We're thrilled to further expand our partnership with UW-River Falls, and look forward to being part of the important work that will be conducted in the plant by the industry, students, and faculty," says Sasse.Both the scholarship program and dairy plant grant were initiated and approved by the Nelson-Jameson Foundation. The Nelson-Jameson Foundation is focused on supporting philanthropic organizations that enhance its core value as a Golden Rule Company. Grants are targeted toward charitable programs related to the food and dairy industries or support charities important to Nelson-Jameson employees and the communities in which they reside.About Nelson-JamesonNelson-Jameson is a fourth-generation, family-owned distributor to the food and beverage industry. From the company's roots in dairy production supplies, it grew to offer a broad range of food processing equipment and services that provide customers with everything they need to manufacture safe, high-quality products. Representing over 850 vendors and distributing over 60,000 products, Nelson-Jameson offers everything from standard equipment to custom production solutions and equipment repair. The company employs more than 260 people in five distribution centers across the United States and at its headquarters in the heart of dairy country in Marshfield, Wisconsin. The dairy industry leader also operates NEXT Logistics, offering delivery services from Wisconsin, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Texas distribution centers.For more than 75 years, Nelson-Jameson has supported food and dairy processors with products and solutions that keep pace with changing consumer tastes, manufacturing processes, and distribution channels. The company continues to be the supplier of choice for customers in all 50 states and international markets. For more information, please visit: https://nelsonjameson.com Contact InformationKarolyn RaphaelPR for Nelson-Jamesonkarolyn@ wingermarketing.com 312-494-0422SOURCE: Nelson-Jameson Foundation
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 17:04:55

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DOVER, DE / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2023 / Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. ("Pacific Green"), (OTCQB:PGTK) announces that it has completed the sale of 100% of the shares in Pacific Green Battery Energy Parks 1 Limited ("PGBEP1") to Sosteneo Fund 1 HoldCo S.a.r.l, an energy transition focused fund for 74 million (US$93 million).PGBEP1 is the holding company for 100% subsidiary, Richborough Energy Park Limited, Pacific Green's 99MW battery energy storage system ("BESS") at Richborough Energy Park ("REP") which begins operations later this summer.Scott Poulter, Pacific Green's CEO, commented: "The sale of Richborough Energy Park creates the platform for Pacific Green to now scale its Battery Park division internationally. This is a very exciting time for the business and we are proud to be part of the drive to net-zero." Pacific Green were advised by JLL Energy and Infrastructure and Gowling WLG.About Pacific Green Technologies, Inc.:Pacific Green is focused on addressing the world's need for cleaner and more sustainable energy. The Company offers Battery Energy Storage Systems and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) to complement its marine environmental technologies and emissions control divisions. Pacific Green has offices in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia and China.For more information, visit Pacific Green's website:About Sosteneo Energy Transition Fund:Sosteneo Energy Transition Fund is a Luxembourg Sca Sicav-Raif collective investment vehicle managed by Generali Investments Luxembourg S.A.Generali Investments Luxembourg S.A, is a Luxembourg based Management Company that sets up and operates a wide range of investment fund structures on behalf of Generali Group asset management companies and third-party clients.Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the continued development of Richborough Energy Park, any potential business developments and future interest in the Company's battery, solar and emissions control technologies.Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the continuation of the development of Richborough Energy Park, general economic and political conditions, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Contact:Scott Poulter, Chairman & CEOPacific Green Technologies, Inc.T: +1 (302) 601-4659SOURCE: Pacific Green Technologies, Inc.
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / PJX Resources Inc. ("PJX" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that field work on the Dewdney Trail Property has begun in preparation to advance and drill test copper-gold-silver mineralization associated with alkalic porphyritic intrusions discovered last year. Recent prospecting has discovered an additional iron-oxide breccia zone with localized copper mineralization. This new zone is approximately 1500 m southeast of a series of stacked bedding parallel quartz veins that contain up to 63 g/t gold.The new zone expands the potential to discover multiple gold-copper-silver and possible molybdenum deposits related to porphyry intrusions. The zone is approximately 3 km southwest of the Estella Basin where a cluster of intrusions and hydrothermal breccias occur with anomalous gold, copper, silver, molybdenum, arsenic and other elements in soils and rock samples. The zone may also be related to a large (5 km diameter) circular shaped feature defined by an 895 line-km airborne magnetic and Mobile MT (EM) survey flown by Expert Geophysics for PJX over an 80 km area. The Estella Basin and new breccia zone occur proximal to the rim of the circular feature that may reflect the margin of a collapsed pluton at depth. Porphyry copper-gold deposits are known to occur along the margin of plutons."It is exciting to find large areas with mineralization at surface that support the potential to discover new world class deposits with critical minerals in an existing mining district with infrastructure." states John Keating, President of PJX. "Far too often we explorers tend to search for deposits in remote regions and/or foreign countries when the potential is right under our nose in our own backyard and can be more easily identified when land positions are consolidated. We plan to drill to test the porphyry intrusions and continue to expand the potential through surface exploration on the Dewdney Trail Property this year. We have also dropped the option on the NZOU Property to focus resources on the Dewdney Trail Property. PJX continues to own 100% of the mineral rights to the large DD Property that is adjacent to and on strike with the NZOU Property." Corporate UpdateThe Annual General and Special Meeting of the Company was held on June 20, 2023. The Shareholders of record:approved the December 31, 2022, Audited Financial Statements;set the number of directors of the Company at six and re-elected directors John Keating, Linda Brennan, James Clare, Joseph Del Campo, Trygve Hoy, and Victor Bradley;appointed McGovern Hurley LLP as Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year; andapproved the Company's Share Incentive Plan."We would like to thank the Director's for standing for re-election and look forward to working with shareholders to explore and discover deposits of critical and other metals essential to society today and in the future", states John Keating.Qualified PersonThe foregoing geological disclosure has been reviewed and approved by John Keating P.Geo. (qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX.About PJX Resources Inc.PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver and base metals (zinc, lead, copper, nickel). PJX's properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia.Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer(416) 799-9205info@ pjxresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking InformationThe information in this news release has been prepared as at the date noted above. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms.Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.Cautionary Note to US Investors:This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.This press release uses the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibi
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived on his first official visit to Washington, during which he met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon said.

As noted, during the meeting, the ministers promised to continue close cooperation in providing support to Ukraine.

"As Russia continues to direct this war of choice, I appreciate everything that Germany has done to strengthen Ukraine's capability. Your security assistance and training contributions for Ukraine's defenders have been invaluable, and we must keep pushing hard to help Ukraine succeed," the U.S. Secretary of Defense said.

During the conversation, Lloyd Austin also said "Ukraine is a 'key moment' in its fight for sovereignty, and he welcomed discussion with Pistorius on how the U.S. and Germany can meet the urgent challenges ahead."

"The U.S. has pledged to stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary to defend against Russia. Toward that end, the Biden administration has committed more than $40.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia's invasion began in February 2022," the Pentagon said in a statement.

As for German support, it is noted that in May the country announced the provision of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 2.7 billion, including dozens of Leopard tanks, air defense systems and armored personnel carriers.
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 13:00:54

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MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Luminar Media Group, (OTC PINK:LRGR) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Royale de Monte Carlo "The World's Most Prestigious Vodka" is pleased to announce it has signed an MOU for a distribution agreement with Liquoristerie Madras ("Madras") to provide Royale De Monte Carlo! Ultra-Premium Vodka to its list of more than 50 retailers in Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barthelemy (St. Barts, St. Barth), St. Martin, Les Saintes and Marie-Galante, Starting in Q3/Q4 2023 with 750ml and will expand to add the 1LTR in the following quarters.The First shipping will be arriving in the port of Guadeloupe Port Caraibes - Port de Pointe-a-Pitre in the upcoming weeks and will be available through Liquoristerie Madras! Royale de Monte Carlo will join other notable brands distributed by Liquoristerie Madras including Madras Rhum!Liquoristerie Madras Is located in 16, 69002 Boulevard de la Pointe Jarry, Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe is the island most notable Distellery and Liquor distributor serving the French Islands for over three decades.Last year, the Caribbean insular region of France registered nearly 1.2 million. St. Barts is known for luxurious homes owned by some of the wealthiest people in the world. It's the ideal place to serve and market "The World's Most Prestigious Vodka" Stated Robert Rico CEO of Royale de Monte Carlo.About Royale de Monte Carlo/ Luminar Media Group, Inc.Royale de Monte Carlo headquartered in Miami, Florida, is an ultra-premium, icy cool, and deliciously smooth vodka sure to give long lasting euphoric pleasure to any palate it graces. Created and produced by fifth generation master distillers located in the heart of the world- famous Cognac region of France, Royale de Monte Carlo was voted as the "World's Most Prestigious Vodka"TM. https://royaledemontecarlo.com/ Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements about our business, or financial condition and prospects, that reflect our assumptions and beliefs based on information currently available. The Company can give no assurance that the expectations indicated by such forward-looking statements will be realized. There may be other risks and circumstances that we are unable to predict. When used in this news release, words such as "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although there may be certain forward-looking statements not accompanied by such expressions. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including risks discussed in the company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website ( www.sec.gov) . All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors other than as required under the securities laws. The Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Investor Relations Contact:Robert Rico305-283-9237info@ royaledemontecarlo.com Phone: +1 (305) 283-9237INSTAGRAM: @royaledemontecarlovodkaFacebook: https://fb.com/royaledemontecarlovodka Twitter: https://twitter.com/montecarlovodka SOURCE: Luminar Media Group, Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 18:00:38

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This new CPR training facility serves Alameda, Oakland, & Berkeley with flexible and affordable CPR training courses to the public.ALAMEDA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Safety Training Seminars, an official American Heart Association (AHA) Training Center in California, has opened a new training center in Alameda. The new location builds on Safety Training Seminars' reputation of offering flexible, affordable certification paths in CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS across California.CPR Classes in Alameda, CABLS Renewal Courses in Alameda, CA The CPR training center is located at 2059 Clinton Avenue, Suite 2F, Alameda, CA 94501, and is right across the street from Alameda Hospital. The location serves medical and healthcare professionals in Alameda who do not want to drive into Oakland or Berkeley for a certification course. This new office offers a flexible schedule of daily and weekend classes to meet the needs of busy professionals.Safety Training Seminars' training programs in Alameda include new and renewal certification courses in CPR, BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Each class offers a flexible blend of online learning components and on-site skills testing.ACLS Renewal courses offer initial and renewal certification in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. Attendees learn about continuous, high-quality CPR and how to administer it correctly. The program is designed for professionals responding to cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies.CPR & First-aid classes are designed for a wide variety of participants who may respond to emergencies, including teachers, babysitters, grandparents, supervisors, and others. Students learn proper CPR skills for infants, children, and adults. The course covers choke saving, AED use, bleeding treatment, seizures, burn treatment, and more. All students will receive the official American Heart Association CPR and First-aid certification after the course. This course is valid for CA childcare providers.BLS CPR Provider Heartcode courses are offered for new or renewal certification. They help attendees identify and respond to life-threatening emergencies, properly administer chest compressions, perform ventilation, and AED use.PALS Courses are designed for those working in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care, and critical care units. Each course is designed to meet the criteria for initial or renewal certification. Pediatric Advanced Life Support courses help attendees recognize emergencies and administer lifesaving treatments in infants and children."An emergency situation can arise at any time, and our goal is to equip as many Bay Area residents as possible with the lifesaving skills and confidence to react when seconds count," said Laura Seidel, owner of Safety Training Seminars.Safety Training Seminars has provided crucial courses for certification and lifesaving training since 1989. The woman-owned company offers certification classes in CPR, First Aid, BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, and EMSA Childcare. With over 40 locations across Northern California, Safety Training Seminars provides affordable, flexible training, furnished with the most up-to-date training resources and equipment. To learn more about CPR and First-aid training in Alameda and other locations across California, visit www.bayareacpr.org Contact InformationDanielle BellGeneral Manageroffice@ safetytrainingseminars.com 415-437-1600SOURCE: Safety Training Seminars
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 13:00:50

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The California Driving Tour Bundle includes Four Self-Guided Audio Tours for $19.99HONOLULU, HI / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Shaka Guide, the makers of Hawaii's highest-rated travel apps, has released its new California Driving Tour Bundle with four full-day audio driving tours for $19.99. These tours include Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Lake Tahoe.Shaka Guide Self-Guided Audio ToursTravelers taking a Shaka Guide self-guided audio driving tour. "California has some of the country's most breathtaking and diverse scenery," says Andrew Fowers, Shaka Guide's CEO and Co-Founder. "From the desert landscapes of Death Valley to the towering granite monoliths of Yosemite, we're excited to share our in-depth audio tours with travelers so they can connect with these places in a completely new way." The California Driving Tour Bundle comes at the heels of the brand's most recent tour launches - Death Valley, Yosemite, and Tahoe. Each tour was released this month. With the summer travel season in full swing, Shaka Guide is hoping to be a part of visitors' California road trips by providing them with a more enriching experience in these places.In 2022, California saw over 38 million visitors to its NPS sites, according to the National Park Service's website. Of those visitors, over 7 million visited the three National Parks in Shaka Guide's California Driving Tour Bundle. And Tahoe, which is not a national park, sees approximately 15 million visitors annually.With this sheer volume of visitors there are real concerns about destination management. "Our app provides travelers with expert information when they're in the destination about to visit a site," says Andrew. "This means we have the ability to provide safety information, sustainable ways to visit these parks, historically accurate stories, and address local sentiment in the moment - this is a really powerful tool for ensuring that visitors are equipped to travel responsibly." With Shaka Guide this kind of information is woven together naturally with entertaining audio stories. You don't just visit these spots, you get handcrafted stories about the locations you're visiting. The company was founded with the mission to connect people with places through storytelling. As an example, in Shaka Guide's Yosemite National Park Tour you'll hear a 38-minute story about John Muir, who is considered the Father of our National Parks, including how he convinced Teddy Roosevelt to turn Yosemite into a national park.The current California Driving Tour Bundle will be updated throughout the year as Shaka Guide plans to launch tours for all nine California National Parks by 2024."We fundamentally believe that connected travelers are responsible travelers," adds Andrew. "We hope that by creating meaningful experiences and sharing stories people will leave these places better than they found them." To access the California Driving Tour Bundle download the Shaka Guide app from the App Store or Google Play or purchase on www.shakaguide.com Contact Information:Andrew FowersCEO and Co-Founderandrew@ shakaguide.com SOURCE: Shaka Guide
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 00:16:11

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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 28, 2023 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Xponential Fitness, Inc. ("Xponential" or "the Company") (NYSE:XPOF) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Xponential is the subject of a report published by Fuzzy Panda Research on June 26, 2023, titled: "Xponential Fitness (XPOF) - "Abusive Franchisor That Is A House of Cards." According to the report, Company CEO Anthony Geisler "has a long history of misleading investors and business partners." The report also claims that the Company's financials are not as strong as it has represented, and that the Company's claims that it had "never closed a store" are false. Based on this report, shares of Xponential fell by more than 40% in intraday trading on June 27, 2023.If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at bschall@ schallfirm.com The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT:The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq.310-301-3335info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 17:01:09

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BOULDER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Ferrell Law Firm is proud to announce its latest initiative aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of the Boulder community during the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. As part of this campaign, the law firm will reimburse individuals up to $30 for rides taken with popular rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, encouraging responsible choices and discouraging drinking and driving.The Ferrell Law FirmColorado Drunk Driving Accident StatisticsIndependence Day is a time for celebration, but it is also a time when alcohol consumption tends to increase. Unfortunately, this can lead to an alarming rise in the number of drunk driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Colorado has experienced its fair share of these tragic incidents in recent years.The Colorado Department of Transportation reported that there were 691 roadway fatalities in 2021, and since 2019, there's been about a 44% increase in the amount of fatalities that involved an impaired driver.Drunk driving accidents not only cause immeasurable personal loss but also place a tremendous burden on emergency services, healthcare providers, and law enforcement agencies.Get a Free Sober Ride This Independence DayTo combat this issue and encourage responsible behavior, The Ferrell Law Firm has partnered with local rideshare services to offer reimbursement to individuals who choose to avoid drinking and driving during the Independence Day festivities. By providing up to $30 in ride reimbursements, the law firm hopes to remove any financial barriers that may prevent people from making the right decision to avoid impaired driving.To participate in the program, individuals must be of legal drinking age and have taken a rideshare service between July 3 and July 5, with their ride originating or ending in Boulder, CO. To claim reimbursement, applicants are required to submit a photo ID, a screenshot of their receipt, and a mailing address to The Ferrell Law Firm via email at mike@ colo-dui-lawyer.com . The program is limited to the first 25 submissions, and receipts must be submitted within seven days of Independence Day.The Ferrell Law Firm's commitment to the safety of the Boulder community extends beyond legal advocacy. With this campaign, they aim to make a tangible difference by providing support and encouraging responsible decisions during a time that often sees an increased risk of drunk driving incidents.For more information about The Ferrell Law Firm's Independence Day community campaign and how to participate, please visit https://colo-dui-lawyer.com/free-holiday-rides/ About The Ferrell Law FirmThe Ferrell Law Firm is a leading legal practice based in Boulder, CO, specializing in DUI defense. With a team of highly skilled attorneys, the firm is dedicated to providing expert legal representation and support to individuals facing DUI charges. The Ferrell Law Firm is committed to making a positive impact in the community and advocating for safer roads.Contact information:The Ferrell Law FirmPhone: (720) 687-2795Email: mike@ colo-dui-lawyer.com Contact Information:Michael FerrellAttorneymike@ colo-dui-lawyer.com SOURCE: The Ferrell Law Firm, PLLC
PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-29 16:00:42

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Accelerating Industry Standards: The Methodical Group Secures Spot as One of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies of 2023, Pioneering Breakthrough Solutions Across Multiple SectorsTAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Methodical Group, an industry leader in consultancy and staffing services, today announced that it has been recognized as one of the "50 Fastest Growing Companies of the Year 2023" by The Silicon Review.The company, under the visionary leadership of CEO Joshua Mann, has developed unique methodologies and practices in healthcare, life sciences, client accounting services, human resources, and technology, collectively offering over 400 services and products to its clientele. It has made significant strides in market growth and innovation, attributing its success to a strategic focus on niche areas and an unwavering commitment to quality, adaptability, and customer satisfaction."We are both honored and excited to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies," said Joshua Mann. "This recognition reaffirms our strategic focus on being industry experts and delivering breakthrough solutions in the areas we serve. We're not just growing fast; we're pioneering paths in our markets." Joshua Mann, an esteemed professional with over 25 years of experience, has led the company to fill gaps left by larger consultancies, providing direct, low-cost, and high-value services to clients. His extensive experience in technology, business, and healthcare, coupled with his dedication to innovation, has positioned The Methodical Group as a leading provider of staffing and consulting services.The Methodical Group's growth is characterized by continuous refinement of its processes, guided by feedback from KPIs, employees, clients, and candidates. The company's future plans include launching several new services, including client accounting services, robotic process automation, workflow automation, quality assurance engineering as a service, technical writing as a service, and cybersecurity solutions."Our future is defined by our commitment to innovate, meet our clients' evolving needs, and expand into new markets," said Mann. "We're always exploring opportunities to grow, and this award inspires us to push our boundaries even further." The Methodical Group's recognition by The Silicon Review underscores its rapid growth trajectory and reinforces its position as an industry leader.About The Methodical Group:The Methodical Group is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, but its employees and key contractors work around the globe and in three foreign offices. The company represents regional and national small to mid-sized companies as well as many members of the Fortune 500, including some of the best-known healthcare brands in the United States. For more information, visit www.methodicalgroup.com Contact InformationRobyn ResnickMarketing Manager(844) 511-9772SOURCE: The Methodical Group
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JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Today, Truist Foundation announced a $225,000 grant to Rethreaded, a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of generational trauma for sex trafficking survivors by providing them with employment, career development and supportive services. Rethreaded will use the grant funds to create a training program within the various systems that survivors encounter while in a life of human trafficking, including hospitals, workplaces, nonprofit organizations, and the justice system.The goal of the training program is to equip system workers with information and tools to better understand and identify survivors to create a faster, less traumatic exit from the life of human trafficking and into new career pathways that sustain their financial needs and allow them to develop marketable job skills."Truist Foundation is devoted to partnering with organizations that are making strides to fight the global issue of human trafficking," said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. "Rethreaded is doing critical work in Jacksonville to help transition survivors out of human trafficking and connect them to career pathways that lead to financial independence. It is our honor to help these survivors build better lives for themselves in partnership with Rethreaded." Truist Financial Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers, Truist Financial North Florida Regional President Emily Dawkins and Truist Foundation Director of Governance Renee Villanueva recently met with Rethreaded Founder and CEO Kristin Keen and Rethreaded President and COO Jason Jones to make the grant, discuss its impact and tour Rethreaded's facilities."This grant will have a ripple effect in touching the lives of survivors, their families and our community as a whole," said Keen. "Truist Foundation's investment is a catalyst for change and together we can create more opportunities for women to reclaim their lives, find their voice and thrive." This training program builds on Rethreaded's Survivor Development Program, which connects human trafficking survivors to careers in fields such as retail, finance and fundraising, and provides them with professional training and access to a trauma-informed professional community. Rethreaded serves 300 individuals annually, and 85 percent of survivors who engage with Rethreaded never return to human trafficking.According to Rethreaded, Florida ranks third in the U.S. for reported cases of human trafficking and Jacksonville ranks 48th of all cities in the U.S. Rethreaded's mission is to harness the power of business, time, and community to create choice for 500 survivors of human trafficking by 2033, and Truist Foundation seeks to be an active supporter of that mission.# # #About Truist FoundationTruist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation's (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation's grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation About RethreadedWithout a stable job, 85% of survivors of human trafficking will likely be trafficked again. Rethreaded was founded 10 years ago by Kristin Keen to provide employment to local survivors and help them rebuild their lives and remove the barrier of employment. Rethreaded's mission is to harness the power of business, time, and community to create choice for 500 survivors of human trafficking by 2033. Rethreaded has employed 74 survivors, contributed to the support of over 4,000 women globally, and collaborated with over 200 companies.Media Contact:Kristen Fraser, Truistmedia@ truist.com Pictured (L-R): Rethreaded President and COO Jason Jones, Rethreaded Founder and CEO Kristin Keen, Truist Financial Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers, Truist Financial North Florida Regional President Emily Dawkins and Truist Foundation Director of Governance Renee Villanueva met on Thursday, June 29, 2023, to commemorate and discuss the impact of Truist Foundation's $225,000 investment in Rethreaded.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Truist on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: TruistWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/truist Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Truist
John Davis (not real name) was a promising young man. He was so brilliant that he passed his university matriculation exam in one sitting, gaining admission to study one of the most coveted courses, medicine.

In addition to his academic brilliance, John also excelled in sports. He was so good that he was selected to represent his school in the medical students game in Calabar, Cross River.

He never returned to his parents and other loved ones.

John was among the casualties of the recent cruise boat mishap which claimed the lives of two other medical students.

The students were in the Cross River capital to compete for honours but their lives were brutally cut short when their boat capsized at Marina Resort waterways in Calabar.

The students, two from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and one from the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, were in the Cross River capital city for Nigeria Medical Students games.

In a swift reaction, Governor Bassey Otu ordered that all activities in the Marina Resort be suspended until further notice.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, Mr Otu also ordered a full investigation into the incident.

The leadership of the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NIMSA) blamed the management of Marina Resort Calabar, for the accident.

This ugly, avoidable and extremely traumatizing incident causing so much anguish to the medical students community nationwide was a result of negligence.

It is as a result of incompetence and the lackadaisical attitude of the crew members and the management of Marina Resort, said Egim Egbe, the national president of NIMSA, as he addressed journalists at the resort.

Separately, on the waters between Niger and Kwara states, no fewer than 100 wedding guests, including a father and his four children, met their untimely death as their boat capsized on their way home after the wedding ceremony.

Abdul Lukpada, the chief of Kpada in Patigi, Kwara, told the media that some stranded wedding guests had resorted to crossing the river from Egboti village in Niger State to Kpada in a boat, as heavy rains caused the roads in the area to be flooded.

In January, no fewer than 20 farmers were reported dead after a boat carrying about 100 farmers capsized in the Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The police spokesman for the state, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the accident.

The Chairman of the Koko/Besse LGA, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, also told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he was aware of the accident.

He said it occurred at night when a rickety boat carried more than 100 rice farmers to Samanaji, a riverine community in the area.

In May, the media reported that 15 persons were feared dead after a boat carrying many passengers capsized in Shagari Dam, Sokoto State.

According to witnesses, the occupants of the boat were crossing the dam through Lambara village to Shagari when the incident happened.

Media reports quoted the Chairman of Shagari Local Government Area, Aliyu Dantani, as confirming the accident.

In Nigeria, water transportation has been a major source of movement of people and goods in the riverine areas and ocean coast cities of Lagos, and many others in the Niger Delta region for centuries.

The different types of transportation are associated with different types of risks such as road accidents, plane crashes, train derailments and boat/ship mishaps.

A debate has raged on which form of transport is the safest. While many argue that it is rail, others say air transportation remains the safest while to some others, it is water.

While the argument rages, Nigerias inland water transportation is taking a hit as shown in the series of accidents highlighted above.

Given the huge population of Nigerians whose daily lives and activities involve water transportation, it was expected that actors in the sector would take appropriate steps to ensure that it is safe.

Data from Nigeria Watch, which monitors lethal violence, conflicts, and human security in Nigeria, showed that no fewer than 1,607 lives were lost in 180 boat mishaps between June 2006 and May 2015.

This figure will pale into insignificance if the water transportation accident continues at the rate it is going.

Maritime experts say many factors, both human and natural, are responsible for the recurring boat mishaps in the country.

Some of the factors include the use of rickety boats and ferries, overloading, night journeys, careless piloting and non-adherence to safety standards, including the absence of life jackets.

Experts have long agitated for special attention to make water transportation in the country safe and organised in line with global best practices.

The federal government had responded to the demand to make the waterways safe for navigation through various policies and institutions.

For instance, it set up the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) with headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi.

It was established through Act Cap 47, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, then degree No 13 of 1997.

It had hitherto existed as the Waterways Department of the Federal Ministry of Transport. Its main responsibility is to improve and develop the countrys inland waterways for navigation.

Many Nigeria contend that the authority has not lived up to expectations, an accusation it denies,

The Head of Press and Public Affairs of NIWA, Jibril Dardau, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the authority had been doing its best to deliver on expectations and mandates.

Mr Dardau said NIWA with George Moghalu as Managing Director has commenced the training and certification of boat drivers nationwide.

He also said that the authority had engaged in regular safety awareness and sensitisation campaigns across the country.

According to him, this is in addition to regular security and compliance patrols on the waterways by the team of NIWA police.

NIWA has established nine search and rescue stations in Lagos, Lokoja, Port Harcourt, Yauri, New Bussa among others for timely rescue operations.

The authority has standardised its inspection of vessels to ensure standard and safety compliance, including determining the River worthiness of the vessels before registration and permit are given.

It has also deployed its personnel to various loading terminals to provide pre-loading safety talk to passengers and prevent overloading and night sailing as well as the provision of life jackets to boats, he said.

Another Federal Government agency involved in sanitising the waterways is the Hydropower Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

The commission also denies allegations that it has failed to deliver on its mandates.

The commissions Head of Press and Public Affairs, Nura Tanko-Wakili, said it has commenced the clearance of water logs in the Shiroro, Kainji and Jenna lakes to ease the movement of boats.

Tanko-Wakili said the commission was partnering with NIWA to educate stakeholders and the general public on safety guides and the use of life jackets.

We are sensitising the boat and jetty managers on the dos and donts of water transportation and the need to avoid overloading and night journeys.

By 6.00 p.m., movements on waterways are supposed to stop as the boats have no navigation equipment and proper lighting.

Some of them have been operating for over 30 years and they are not even aware of the importance of life jackets, while some dont want to use them because of some beliefs, the HYPPADEC spokesman said.

According to him, as part of its intervention, the commission has distributed 12,500 life jackets to communities and boat operators to encourage safe travels on waterways.

A life jacket has a six hours floating capacity within which a victim can be rescued in the event of a boat mishap, he told NAN.

Although the agencies say they are doing their best, it seems increasing cases of accidents contradict their claims.

Experts say they have to redouble their efforts in several areas of supervision such as meting out appropriate punishment to firms or individuals whose boats are involved in accidents caused by human error.

They say the agencies have to engage the services of more maritime experts within their fold as well as enhance their partnership with relevant agencies such as those involved in weather forecasting.

They also advise the dredging of rivers as well as proper funding of the agencies involved in inland waterways regulation and supervision.

(NANFeatures)

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President Bola Tinubu, in his first 16 days in office, ordered the suspension of the chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, in a sweep that earlier saw the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

A brief statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) announcing the development on 14 June, said the president suspended Mr Bawa over weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

In a quick succession that same day, the State Security Service (SSS), Nigerias domestic intelligence service, took to its recently launched Twitter handle to announce that Mr Bawa had honoured an invitation for investigation.

Mr Emefiele was picked up by the SSS days before Mr Bawa, also for investigations, details of which have yet to be disclosed. Both top officials, who were either appointed or reappointed by the immediate-past president, Muhammadu Buhari, are still in SSS custody.

The dramatic role reversal that suddenly turned Mr Bawa from a hunter to the hunted is a reenactment of the unflattering ending that characterised the exit of the previous substantive chairpersons of the anti-corruption agency since inception.

It mostly comes with change in power in the presidency, and it does not matter if the new president comes from the same party as the old. Successive EFCC chairpersons have faced varying degrees of unsavory exit in the hands of a new government, and sometime during the administration of the same president.

The EFCC was established in 2002 but became operational in 2003.

The President Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration founded the anti-corruption agency to combat the menace of advance fee fraud and public corruption that flourished under decades of military rule. By the time Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, it had become a pariah nation that needed to put systems in place to fight the menace to secure a place in the comity of nations.

Nigeria is no longer where it was during the military rule, due to the contributions of anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC in mitigating the plundering of public treasury. But political interference and allegations of corruption levelled against its officials remain part of EFCCs undoing.

The pattern of the EFCC chairpersons removal has been steeped in controversies around allegations of corruption. But none of the sacked heads has ever been put on trial over the alleged wrongdoings.

Since inception, EFCC has had four substantive chairpersons, and in-between, four acting chairpersons. This alone bears witness to the chequered leadership succession that rattles the organisation in the last two decades.

This began with the pioneer chair of the agency, Nuhu Ribadu. From Mr Ribadu to Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Lamorde, and now Mr Bawa, none of the substantive chairpersons stayed till the last day of their tenure in office for a modest valedictory.

Has the president breached the law?

Many have wondered if Mr Tinubus action suspending the EFCCs chairperson which the law confers with some guarantee of tenure, violated the law establishing the EFCC.

A constitutional lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, said the presidents suspension of Mr Bawa was in tandem with the EFCC Act 2004.

Mr Ogunye, a human rights activist, while weighing in on the trajectory of leadership succession at the anti-graft agency, noted that the president has the power to remove the EFCC chairman and any member of the commission.

Referencing the law, he said Section 3 (2) provides that, The president may at any time remove either the chairman or any member of the commission for reason of incapacity to exercise the functions of that office, arising from infirmity of mind or for misconduct, or if the president is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the commission, or in the interest of the country for such an officer to continue to retain his office.

The lawyer, however, clarified that the law provides for removal of the EFCC chairman not an indefinite suspension.

Situating Mr Bawas suspension, Mr Ogunye explained that the Public Service Act of the Federation, of which the EFCC Act is an offshoot, empowers the president to suspend any of his appointees pending investigation.

The EFCC Act says in Section 10 that the EFCC Act is under the Public Service Act of the Federation. And under the Public Service Act, we know of interdiction, suspension pending investigation and if the person is not found blameworthy, he may then be returned to the office.

The president in my view acted within the confines of the law, Mr Ogunye explained.

Another lawyer, Monday Ubani, agreed with Mr Ogunye that the presidents action was in line with his power to appoint the head of the commission.

If you go to court over this removal, I can assure you that the court will rule that the president has the right to suspend, said Mr Ubani, who chairs the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL).

Although Mr Ubani said there is no provision in the law establishing the EFCC that gives room for suspension from office, the rule is that if you have power to appoint, then you have the power to suspend, especially when there is an allegation of malfeasance against the person, he added.

Wahab Shittu, an EFCC prosecutor, also said Mr Tinubu possesses the power to remove the anti-graft agencys boss.

But, Mr Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), cautioned that due process must be followed in the course of Mr Bawas investigation. Mr Bawa must be given fair hearing, he said.

Implications of arbitrary removal of EFCC chair on anti-corruption war

Beyond the legal ramifications, Mr Bawas suspension has also raised concerns over the implications for the stability of the agency and its ability to fight corruption without fear of political backlash.

Lawyers point out that such actions tend to weaken the governments anti-corruption posture.

Mr Ogunye wished the office of the EFCC chairman and the members, given the responsibilities given to them by the Act, is more secure.

He noted that the EFCC boss should enjoy some kind of protection such that any president or president cannot just remove the chairman. It is desirable that the chairman enjoys the security of tenure.

Weighing in on the circumstances that threw up Mr Bawa as the commissions substantive head in 2021, where he enjoyed the Attorney-Generals tacit backing, Mr Ogunye said Mr Bawas suspension was expected.

Recalling the drama that characterised Ibrahim Magus removal after five years of serving as acting EFCC chair, Mr Ogunye said Mr Bawa received a poisoned chalice given the way he was manipulated into office by the former AGF, Abubakar Malami.

Calling for a legislative intervention to strengthen the security of tenure of the EFCC chairman, the lawyer said the stability of anti-corruption agencies and the stability of the occupants of the offices created by the laws establishing the anti-corruption agencies are very important for the sustenance of the anti-corruption war.

He averred that such a legislation would ensure heads of anti-graft agencies do not pander to the whims and caprices of politicians.

In his assessment, Mr Ubani questioned the propriety of the SSS investigation of Mr Bawa when the police with their statutory mandate could have done the job.

He advocated that Mr Bawas rights to fair hearing must not be infringed on, saying, I dont believe in indefinite detention.

A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, believes Mr Bawas indefinite suspension amounts to his removal from office.

He added that suspended indefinitely in law can be construed as removal, because if you are suspending him indefinitely, it means that the suspension can as well lapse for the duration of his tenure.

Here is the timeline of the seven substantive and acting chairpersons that have led the EFCC since inception about 20 years ago.

TIMELINE

Ribadu: 2003  December 2007

Nuhu Ribadu was appointed by then President Obasanjo as the first chairperson of the EFCC in 2003. He completed his first tenure of four years in office. Before leaving office in May 2007, Mr Obasanjo reappointed Mr Ribadu for a second term in office.

But, on 27 December 2007, seven months after assuming office as president, the late Umaru YarAdua ordered Mr Ribadus suspension from office. Then-Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindaro, would later send Mr Ribadu on a course at Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Study (NIPSS), Kuru near Jos, Plateau State.

But things got out of hand when Mr Ribadu, who was the poster boy of Nigerias anti-corruption battle, was forced out of his graduation ceremony by security operatives at NIPSS.

Subsequently, he was demoted from the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police to that of Assistant Commissioner of Police, a rank he held in 2003 when he assumed office as EFCC boss.

In 2008, Mr Ribadu was forcefully retired from the police, and he fled Nigeria after two failed assassination attempts. The anti-corruption czars ouster was allegedly linked to his attempt to prosecute a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who was an ally of Mr YarAdua. But Mr Ibori was later jailed in London for money laundering.

At a public function in 2013, Mr Ribadu disclosed that his reinstatement into the police and reversal of his demotion was ordered by the court, contrary to speculations in 2010 that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration pardoned him.

Lamorde: December 2007  June 2008

Ibrahim Lamorde, who was the director of operations, took over as the acting chair of the agency from December 2007 to June 2008, when Farida Waziri was cleared by the Senate to take over as the substantive chair.

Waziri: June 2008  November 2011

Following Mr Ribadus unceremoniously removal, Farida Waziri, a lawyer, was appointed the first female chairperson of the EFCC by Mr YarAdua. Like her predecessor, Mrs Waziri later fell out of favour with President Goodluck Jonathan who succeeded Mr YarAdua aftr the latters death in office in May 2010.

Her appointment as EFCC boss reportedly had the backing of some former governors, including Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, James Ibori of Delta State and George Akume of Benue State (who is now the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Mr Ibori wielded enormous powers during the YarAdua regime, and reportedly was instrumental in Mr Ribadus unceremonious removal from the EFCC.

Mrs Waziri ran into troubled waters over allegations that she issued official clearance letters to two former governors who were indicted or being investigated for sleaze by Mr Ribadu. The two former governors are Mr Ibori of Delta who was later convicted for theft and money laundering in the UK, and Victor Attah, ex-Akwa-Ibom State governor, who was also wanted in the UK.

Other issues included the controversial authorisation given Victor Uwajeh, an Abuja based businessman, to act as a private investigator for the EFCC to help investigate cases of politically exposed persons (PEPs). Mr. Uwajeh, it was alleged, subsequently blackmailed several politicians and businesspeople, the EFCC had revealed.

A few months to the end of her four year-tenure marked by several corruption issues, Ms Waziri was sacked on 23 November 2011 by Mr Jonathan.

He cited national interest as the reason for Ms Waziris dismissal.

But she later countered Mr Jonathan in her book, Farida Waziri: One Step Ahead. She said the former president fired her for probing oil-subsidy racketeers.

She had also alleged that she was victimised for refusing to contribute money for Mr Jonathans election in 2011.

Mr Jonathan was vice president, later acting president, and president following the death of Mr YarAdua.

Mr Jonathan dismissed Ms Waziris claims that she was removed as chairperson of EFCC because of her purported refusal to probe the oil subsidy fraud.

After her ouster, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it was probing Mrs Waziris tenure. But at the end of the day, there was no tangible outcome of the investigation.

Lamorde: November 2011  November 2015

Ibrahim Lamorde, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, replaced Ms Waziri as EFCCs acting chairman.

The Nigerian Senate in February 2012 confirmed Mr Lamordes appointment.

The approval was sequel to a 12 January letter from President Jonathan requesting the parliament okay Mr Lamorde for the job in accordance with the law establishing the anti-graft agency.

In 2015, Mr Lamorde like his predecessors was bitten by a fraud allegation bug. The Senate alleged that N1 trillion ($5 5billion) in recovered loot was missing on his and his predecessors watch.

A Senate committee led by Peter Nwaboshi (who is now jailed for fraud) at the time alleged Mr Lamorde diverted assets and cash recovered by the anti-graft commission.

A whistleblower, George Uboh, had raised the alarm, prompting the parliament to set up an investigative panel to probe Mr Lamorde.

But he did not honour the Senates invitation.

The controversy raged until President Muhammadu Buhari, on 9 November 2015, sacked Mr Lamorde, and replaced him with another police officer, Ibrahim Magu. Mr Lamordes tenure, which began from the date he was cleared by the Senate in February 2012, was meant to last till February 2016.

In February 2016, the Senate authorised its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, to issue a warrant of arrest on Mr Lamorde over the alleged heist.

But the Buhari regime did not prosecute him.

Magu: November 2015  June 2020

Four months after taking the reins of power, Mr Buhari sacked Mr Lamorde, and replaced him with Ibrahim Magu, another cop.

The turbulence that awaited Mr Magu reared its head when the Senate under the leadership of Bukola Saraki, refused to confirm him as substantive chairman of the agency.

It based its refusal on security reports by law enforcement agencies in the country, particularly the State Security Service (SSS).

But Mr Magu remained in the office for five years without parliamentary approval.

Mr Magu was on a warpath with the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

In 2020, the minister accused Mr Magu of wrongdoings ranging from diversion of recovered loot to insubordination. Mr Malami reportedly recommended Mr Magus sack to the president.

But the EFCC czar enjoyed the support of Itse Sagay, a professor of law, and chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).

Mr Sagay had dismissed the AGFs allegations against Mr Magu, blaming the minister for being domineering and wanting to have the EFCC under his control.

Things got to a head on 6 July, 2020, when SSS operatives working with the police arrested Mr Magu. He was driven to the Presidential Villa where he was grilled by the Justice Ayo Salami-led investigative panel on alleged corruption against him.

Mr Magu was held overnight and on 7 July was suspended from his position as chairman of the agency pending the completion of the investigation. In his place, EFCCs Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar, stepped in in acting capacity.

Appearing before the panel, Mr Magu responded to allegations of corruptions leveled against him by Mr Malami. Mr Magu had accused Mr Malami of working at cross-purposes with the commission in the disposal of vessels involved in illegal activities to the extent of costing the country at least N283 million in recovered assets.

Mr Magus response suggested that the AGFs action was responsible for the loss of one of the vessels, which was carrying 1,459 metric tonnes (1,979,056.45 litres) of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Till date, the findings of the presidential panel remain shrouded in secrecy.

Public commentators argued that Mr Buhari ought to have made the Ayo Salami panels report public before nominating a substantive EFCC chair.

Abba: June 2020  February 2021

Following Mr Magus removal, Mohammed Abba, then director of operations, took over as the EFCC acting chair on 14 June 2020. He held the position until the appointment of Mr Bawa and his subsequent clearance by the Nigerian Senate on 24 February 2021.

Bawa: February 2021  June 2023

In a letter to the Senate, Mr Buhari urged the parliament to screen and confirm Mr Bawa as the substantive chairman of the EFCC.

Mr Bawa, a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of advance fee fraud cases, official corruption, and other economic crimes, had Mr Malamis backing for the job.

Until his appointment, he was the Lagos zonal head of the anti-graft agency.

The Ahmad Lawan-led Senate confirmed Mr Bawas appointment on 24 February, 2021. He thus became the first non-police officer to head the EFCC in substantive capacity.

After two years in the saddle, allegations of bribery were levelled against Mr Bawa. In one of the allegations, the immediate-past governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, accused him of demanding $ 2 million as a bribe from him.

But in May this year, the anti-graft agency denied the allegation. Instead, it revealed that Mr Matawalle was under investigation over alleged diversion of N70 billion from the Zamfara State government treasury.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, President Tinubu on 14 June, indefinitely suspended Mr Bawa from office.

In the regular pattern, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), based Mr Bawas suspension on weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

Chukkoi: June 2023 to date

Mr Bawas ouster paved the way for Abdulkarim Chukkol, the agencys director of operations, to step in as acting chair.

A statement announcing Mr Chukkols appointment said he was the Director of Operations of the EFCC.

A pioneer staff of the Commission and an illustrious member of the EFCC Cadet Course One, Mr. Chukkol is a consummate and vastly experienced investigator with specialty in cybercrime and money laundering, the statement from the EFCC detailing Mr Chukkols profile revealed.

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President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, said he remained hopeful and optimistic about achieving victory in the last presidential election, despite the ineffective cashless policy implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The President spoke in separate remarks at the palaces of the Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu-Ode and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Abeokuta , during a thank-you visit to the Royal Fathers.

Reflecting on the challenges in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, President Tinubu recounted his concerns about the confiscation of funds and the failure of the cashless policy, and how he had previously sought wisdom and guidance from Oba Adetona during his visit to the palace.

According to the President, he invoked the spirits of freedom and determination, symbolised by Baba Emilokan, to overcome the obstacles in the election.

Our monies were confiscated. The cashless policy didnt work, it was terrible then. I realised that, I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom which we are noted for.

I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba Emilokan. Thats Baba. Being blunt, being decisive, thats him, he will tell you. The second spirit is that money or no money (we will do the election and we will win), he said.

President Tinubu acknowledged that these spirits had been the driving force behind his service and expressed his gratitude to Oba Adetona, all the Obas, elected officials, particularly his personal friend, Senator Gbenga Daniel, the Senator representing Ogun East.

He thanked them for their loyalty and commitment during those crucial times in the 2023 election.

The President, who described his visit to Ijebu-Ode as a homecoming, told Kabiyesi:

The way you have taken me, the way you have responded to me, all I can say is thank you. May you live long and may you witness a prosperous Nigeria.

He also acknowledged the presence of Chief Mike Adenuga, Nigerian billionaire businessman, and expressed pride in his contributions to the Nigerian economy.

During his visit to Abeokuta, President Tinubu thanked the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, for receiving him, describing him a great leader.

He expressed his commitment to fulfilling his promises and appealed for prayers from the citizens of the state to ensure progress and stability in the country.

I have redeemed my pledge that I will come back with victory and the crown.

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The hope is recharged; the hope is here. That hope will never fail. That hope will recharge your lives in a positive manner.

By the grace of Almighty God, we shall reap the fruits of our labour, Nigeria will see positive change, just endure these baby steps of pain.

This country is the only one we have. I have been a refugee and I know what it means to be a refugee and my green passport is what I still have now.

In separate remarks at the palaces of the Paramount ruler of Ijebuland and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Abeokuta, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State thanked the President for the visit to the State, describing him as a man of uncommon grace and a living testimony of resilience.

Chronicling the Presidents antecedents as a visionary politician, the governor said the pronouncement of President Tinubu in the first few weeks in office had defined him as rightly prepared and qualified for office.

Oba Adetona and Oba Gbadebo, in separate remarks in their palaces, commended President Tinubu for his leadership, acknowledging him as an instrument of God chosen to rectify past shortcomings.

They offered prayers for the Presidents guidance and good health, urging Nigerians to support his administration.

Also speaking, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, the Akaraigbo of Remoland, who commended the President for starting his administration exceptionally well, noted that the people need urgent palliatives to mitigate the effects of the current challenges.

He lauded the wise decisions so far taken by the administration, reminding the President of his promise to bring development to Remo.

I remember when you came to the palace and all we said is our dream is for you to go and win the primaries, and that once you win the primaries, Im sure that God will take us there. Im glad that God took us there.

I want to remind you of what you said when you came to Remo. You said with the proximity of Shagamu to Lagos, you were surprised at the level of development in Remo. This is the time Mr President to walk that talk, he said.

Dele Alake

Special Adviser to the President

Special Duties, Communications and Strategy

June 29, 2023

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Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is taking part in a European Council meeting for the first time since taking office, says the main issue for Helsinki at this summit is Ukraine.

Upon Orpo's arrival at a meeting of the members of the European council, which are the heads of state and government of the EU member states and the leadership of European institutions in Brussels on Thursday, he said the main issue today is Ukraine. It is needed to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, and send a clear message to the Ukrainian people that the EU officials support Ukrainians strongly militarily, economically and politically, he said.

Orpo is convinced of the need to apply even stronger sanctions to Russia. The Prime Minister of Finland said this is a clear signal to Putin that he will not win this war. The EU will support Ukraine for as long as it takes, he said.

He also called Ukraine's security guarantees an important issue. The head of the Finnish government said they need a joint promise to Ukraine to help them in the issue of security, and this is a very important issue at the meeting today.

As previously reported, the meeting of the European Council will be held on June 28 and 29 in Brussels. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address EU leaders via video link.
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied declaring a one-week sit-at-home across South-east Nigeria.

Simon Ekpa, the leader of Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, had, in a statement on 14 June, announced that there would be a one-week sit-at-home in the region.

Mr Ekpa, a self-acclaimed prime minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, said the sit-at-home would hold from 3 to 5 July and continue from Friday, 7 to 10 July.

The agitator said the proposed civil action was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained at the facility of Nigerias secret police, State Security Service (SSS).

He said the action was also in preparation for the conduct of Biafras self-referendum.

IPOB disowns sit-at-home order

But when contacted on Thursday, Emma Powerful, the spokesperson of the IPOB, told PREMIUM TIMES that the sit-at-home declaration did not emanate from the group.

IPOB did not declare the infamous sit-at-home. Those doing that (declaring the sit-at-home) are criminals who want to use Mazi Nnamdi Kanus name and IPOB to perpetrate criminalities in the South-eastern states, but it wont work for them, he said.

They want Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to remain in the SSS solitary confinement, Mr Powerful added.

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 on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The separatist group later suspended the order in preference for the order to be implemented only on the 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.

Some residents and motorists, including commuters, have been attacked lately by gunmen for stepping out of their homes on Monday and other declared sit-at-home days.

Mr Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, has continued to differ with IPOB on many issues, like his frequent declaration of sit-at-home orders in the region without IPOBs approval.

Although he claims to be loyal and fighting for the release of Mr Kanu, the controversial agitator has been in a prolonged face-off with IPOB and its officials under Mr Kanus leadership.

The recurring disagreement among the pro-Biafran agitators lately confirms reports of crisis within the IPOB camp since Mr Kanu was first arrested in 2015.

The crisis worsened after the IPOB leader was re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021.

Since his ongoing detention at the SSS facility, Mr Kanu has been largely inactive in running the separatist group.

To fill the void, IPOB, in August 2022, announced Chika Edoziem as its temporary leader until Mr Kanu was released, but that was after some factions had already broken away from the separatist group.

Like Mr Ekpa, other leaders formed their factions of the IPOB.

The crisis recently hit the legal team of Mr Kanu, with the IPOB leaders family sacking two of his lawyers - Mike Ozekhome and Ifeanyi Ejiofor - on 15 June.

Although the lawyers have dismissed the sack, the development only confirmed the strained relationship among those fighting for Mr Kanus release.

While the IPOB leaders Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and Mr Ekpa belong to the same camp as Mr Kanus family, Messrs Ozekhome and Ejiofor enjoy the backing of IPOB.

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A civil society organisation, Policy Alert, has urged the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu to investigate all crude oil swap deals entered into by the federal government with commodity traders since 2010.

The group, which works to promote economic and ecological justice in the country, said the request was part of the communique issued by participants in its Twitter space on Tuesday.

The Twitter space has as its theme, Beneficial ownership and Nigerias crude swaps  priorities for the new administration.

Mr Tinubu had in his inaugural address as Nigerian President on 29 May declared that the era of petrol subsidy was over.

Days after the announcement, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Mele Kyari said it has commenced the termination of crude oil swap contracts and will pay cash for petrol import, TheCable had reported, citing Reuters.

Mr Kyari said it had practically terminated all direct sale direct purchase contracts in the last four months and added that private companies will import the bulk of petrol needed in the country.

The direct purchase contract is an agreement that allows sales of crude oil to refiners, who will in turn supply NNPCL with an equivalent worth of petroleum products.

But Policy Alert said terminating the direct purchase contract alone was not enough and would amount to half-measure if the corrupt system underpinning the swaps was not investigated, loss recovered, culprits punished and safeguard instituted.

The group, therefore, urged President Tinubu to investigate the oil swap deals from 2010 to expose and bring to book those who facilitated or benefited from the corruption prone-regimes.

While applauding the NNPCL for ending the direct purchase contract, the group said the scrapping of the policy was long overdue, adding that the swap deals have been poorly regulated, opaque and prone to corruption resulting in billions of dollars in losses to government.

The NNPCL, the group said owes it to Nigerian public to publish the traded volumes, payments received by government and the status of outstanding liabilities owed the federation for its oil-for-product swap deals with oil and gas commodity trading companies particularly from 2010 till date.

The company must ensure that, going forward, transparent criteria are set for selecting the private importers to avoid a repeat of past mistakes, and this must include the disclosure of beneficial owners of the contracted firms.

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President Bola Tinubu has received the assurance of support from the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and state governors on his Renewed Hope agenda.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio gave the assurance when a delegation of senators, governors and captains of industry paid Mr Tinubu a Sallah courtesy visit on Wednesday in Lagos.

The Renewed Hope was Tinubus campaign agenda that touched all aspects of national life, from the economy, health, education, and youth empowerment to international relations.

The president has clearly shown a roadmap of his administration in the decisions taken within his first few days in office.

These decisions and policies are going to turn the fortunes of the country for good. The assembly will match such expeditious measures with its full legislative processes.

I will like to assure Nigerians that whatever will improve their standards of living will receive the backing of the National Assembly, he said.

Mr Akpabio said the assembly would hit the ground running immediately after it resumes to facilitate laws for the good of the country and its people.

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo also said that states would match the speed of the federal government in the task of nation-building.

He said that Mr Tinubu has declared the intention to turn around the economic, legislative and judicial systems for the best, adding that the states were equal to the task.

You can see that the impact of the presidents decision on subsidy removal and reversal of the multiple exchange rate regime has started impacting on the economy.

It has received national and international recognition because it was a hindrance to the growth of the nation. We will just appeal to Nigerians to be further confident of the new administration.

As he stated in his Sallah message, we all need to be united, work for peace and stability to attain a greater height in the comity of nations, said Mr Uzodinma, Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum.

Similarly, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said that state governments would reciprocate the people-oriented policies of the federal government.

He said that Mr Tinubu was already showing the way forward with his recent decisions and policies that states could key into.

We have seen what he did in Lagos State as governor, which is still a model among other states. That surely will be replicated at the federal level.

Lagos will continue to exploit the laudable programmes and policies of the federal government as a model to attaining a society of our dream, Mr Sanwo-Olu said.

Among those who visited Mr Tinubu were the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume and NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.

Former governors of Kano and Kebbi States, Abdullahi Ganduje and Abubakar Bagudu, respectively, were also there.

(NAN)

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Sunday Ameh, the Chairman of Kings College Parent Teacher Association (KCPTA), has reassured parents of the associations commitment to providing standard amenities that would not compromise the welfare of the students.

Mr Ameh gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

The chairman spoke against the backdrop of reports by some parents alleging poor environmental sanitation and unavailable potable water in the college, especially the annexe in Victoria Island.

The parents complained of a water infection that gave rise to fever, resulting in blisters on various parts of the skin of some students, specifically those in Junior Secondary School One (JSS1).

He maintained that there was no outbreak of waterborne diseases in the college.

Mr Ameh stated that only one source of drinking water served the entire college community, including the principal and staff, and wondered how the alleged infection could have targeted only the JSS I students.

Speaking further on the development, the chairman stressed that there was no issue of lack of potable water, not with the presence of an industrial borehole provided for the college by the Federal Government.

According to him, the two boreholes that provide water for drinking and washing, respectively, always undergo routine maintenance.

He added that the annexe environment was equally conducive for teaching and learning to thrive.

Yes, I got complaints from some JSS1 parents about the ill health of our Kings, and I felt very pained and concerned. These children are our first and foremost priority, joy, responsibility, and why we are here.

We can never afford to compromise their education, health, general welfare and other things that concern them. We are to partner government to ensure that they get the best possible.

When these complaints got to us, we alerted the principal and immediately set out to the annexe to get firsthand information from the sick bay.

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We discovered that about three of the students had reported there, been examined and administered some antibiotics before they left for their break.

Be that as it may, I have reached out to the concerned parents to express our concern and to reassure them, as the school management is meeting to establish the real cause of the development, after which, we take it up from there.

Meanwhile, we want to reach out to our kings to sympathise with them and to assure them of our prayers for a very speedy recovery, he said.

Mr Ameh pleaded with the parents to find time to visit the school, see things for themselves, and engage the association or college to clarify issues that concerned the welfare and academics of their children and wards.

According to him, such will reduce incidences of poor perception, unverified information, doubts, hearsay and misleading of the general public.

On his part, the Director/Principal of the college, Andrew Agada, noted that since his arrival in 2019, there had never been any incident of water-borne diseases.

He said that the college had always taken the boys water, food and welfare issues in both the main campus and the annexe with extreme care.

According to Mr Agada, this is coupled with the fact that the 1991 set of the Old Boys graciously assisted the college with providing a borehole at the main campus, accompanied by continuous turnaround maintenance.

He said the college had inherited a borehole from the Federal School for Arts and Science that had served the place for over 20 years at its annexe campus on Victoria Island.

According to him, in 2020, the borehole collapsed, and the college brought in some water engineers who came to examine it and advised that it could not be revived.

The engineers urged the management to go for a new one.

When we looked at the cost, we discovered that we could not do it alone, so I wrote a letter to the ministry for urgent attention, which was acknowledged, and we did the follow-up and eventually, the contract was awarded.

Meanwhile, within that period, we bought water to ensure that our boys were cared for, irrespective of the huge number. We survived it. Now we have an industrial borehole where we are all drinking from, including my humble self and the staff. The water is always treated.

We cannot afford to run a school with very young children without potable water. No government will approve of that. We will continue to do all we can to provide, from our very limited resources, a conducive environment for teaching and learning to thrive.

On completion of the construction of the industrial borehole by the Federal Government, officials from the Lagos State Water Resources came around to collect a sample for testing, after which they certified it fit, he explained.

He regretted the health concerns of some of the JSS 1 students with fevers and skin infections.

He also assured of the managements ongoing investigation for the remote cause of the health concern for necessary action.

Mr Agada added that, already, the chairman of the colleges patient forum, Mr Ameh, had paid a visit to the affected students at the hospital, and they are showing signs of a speedy recovery.

I even spoke with some of the parents and my students, and they all expressed appreciation for the care, concern and love shown to them by the association and college management, Agada told NAN. (NAN)

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President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to exercise patience as he unveils more reforms to transform the country.

The president said this during a Thank you visit to the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, at his palace in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the arrival of Mr Tinubu in Ogun on a visit to two traditional rulers.

The president landed at 10:18 a.m. at Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode and immediately went to the palace of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Adetona.

He departed after an hour meeting behind closed-door with the monarch.

In his entourage were the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila and presidential spokesperson, Dele Alake.

Speaking at the palace of the Alake in Abeokuta, the president thanked leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the success of the party in the state in the presidential election.

Mr Tinubu promised that Nigerians will soon start experiencing the positive changes that they desire.

He said although he is not in hurry to deliver on his campaign promises, he pleaded with Nigerians to bear the baby step pain with patience as he leads the country in the right direction.

I am here still making that pledge of the campaign promise that there is no difference between us and any member of the Nigerian family. I have seen that in France during the discussion that we are the children of the same parents living in the same house. We are only sleeping in different rooms. Just recognise that. Let us be united, no distraction, we will arrive at the destination, a positive destination for this country and it is all in our hands to make history and I promise that.

Nigeria will see positive changes as we move along. Just go through these baby steps of pain, baby steps of pain. I am taking baby steps as the president, not marching in a hurry, being ready to listen, maintain an open door policy, let the freedom flow, let the confidence return to Nigeria.

Having achieved the prayer point of Emilokanand then being here, I have redeemed a pledge that I will be back with victory and the crown.

The president however, asked for prayers from members of the public, declaring that the task ahead remains a collective duty.

Now, what I ask for is prayers that will help the country and we are determined to help our country, to steer the ship of the nation, build a good team, positive for this country and deliver on all the promises that I have made.

The hope is recharged, is here. That hope will never fade. That hope will recharge your life in positive manner.

This country is the only country that we have. I have been a refugee, I know what it is to be a refugee in another country and my green passport is what I still have now.

We need your prayers, we need your support, we need your interventions to get our people a changed mind, so that the economic prosperity of this country being opened up will affect all of us positively.

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The wife of a former military governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mosun Nkanga, has evicted her step-children from the family house in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Mosun is the wife of Idongesit Nkanga, a former military governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Nkanga, a retired air commodore, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020, had six children  two females from Mosun, and four males from another woman, Joanna Achibong.

He married Mosun in 2007 after his marriage to Joanna was dissolved by a court.

Mrs (Mosun) Nkanga evicted the step-children and their mother from the family house in Asokoro, Abuja, on 6 June this year.

The eviction followed an order of a High Court in Abuja which, on 24 March 2022, issued her a warrant for an immediate possession of two rooms apartment in her late husbands estate at No. 3A and B Mary Slessor Close, off Udo Udoma, off Yakubu Gowon Road, in Asokoro.

But Joanna and her four children  Utibeabasi Nkanga, Etietop Nkanga, Lance Nkanga and Ini Idara Nkanga (applicants) have gone back to court, asking the court to reinstate them into the house.

The applicants, through their lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, are asking a High Court in the FCT to set aside the warrant of possession of premises issued in favour of their stepmother.

Initial suit

Mrs Nkanga first sued Joanna and her four children in 2021 over their refusal to grant her access to her late husbands house in Abuja.

On 17 March 2022, the court held that disallowing her access to possession of her matrimonial home violated her fundamental human rights to own and have an interest in her late husbands property.

The court barred Joanna and her children from restraining or interfering with Mosuns right to live in or enjoy her matrimonial home, pending the issuance of a letter of administration or grant of probate over the estate.

The court on 24 March 2022 issued a warrant of possession of premises, but Mrs Nkanga and the court enforcement department executed the warrant on 6 June 2023, more than a year since the order was given. Joanna and her four children were ejected from the building with their home appliances, luggage and other personal belongings.

Current suit

In the current suit, Joanna and her four children (applicants), through their lawyer, Mr Effiong, are asking the court to set aside the warrant for possession and execution of its 17 March 2022 judgment and their eviction from the family house.

Mr Effiong described the eviction of his clients as unlawful and the refusal to allow them access to their home as a violation of their fundamental human rights.

He said by virtue of Sections 20 and 21 of the Recovery of Premises Act, Cap 544, a warrant of possession can only be issued to enforce the judgment in an action by a landlord against a tenant and argued that the applicants were not tenants.

Mr Effiong told PREMIUM TIMES that the warrant issued on 24 March last year had expired before its execution and thus rendered its execution illegal and liable to be set aside. He said the warrant has three months lifespan but was executed after a year.

READ ALSO: Yoruba Nollywood actress, Iyabo Oko, dies at 62

According to him, the court did not give Mrs Nkanga the exclusive right to possess, live and enjoy the property but only restrained his clients from interfering with the respondents right to access and possession of the premises pending the issuance of a letter of administration or grant of probate over the estate.

He described Mrs Nkangas action as an abuse of court order and therefore prayed the court to set aside the warrant of possession.

Former governors will

According to an extract of the late former governors will, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the premises has two wings  3A and 3B with two duplexes.

The former governor gave one wing, 3A, to his wife, Mosun.

For the second wing, 3B, where he lived before his death, he gave it to his children to live as a family house on the condition that it should be reverted to his wife, Mosun, when his last son, Ini Idara, turned 30 years.

Mr Effiong told our reporter that Mr Nkangas last son, Ini-Idara is 25 years and that Mrs Nkanga should not have taken possession of the building until Ini Idara is 30, as stated in the will.

Mrs Nkanga, he said, has not gotten the letter of administration or grant of probate over the estate as directed by the court before taking possession of the premises and described her action as an abuse of court processes.

Mrs Nkangas lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, declined comments when contacted, saying that the matter was before the court and that he did not have the permission of his client to talk to the press on the matter.

When contacted, Mrs Nkanga said she could not comment since it was before the court. She, however, asked our reporter to find out who violated the will before the court came in to take possession of the property.

Mr Effiong, in his response, said that Mrs Nkanga has no respect for the will. He claimed she has also evicted his clients from their fathers house in Uyo and the village in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, where the former governor hails from.

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President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Ogun State on a visit to two traditional rulers in the state.

Mr Tinubu is scheduled to visit the Awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, in their respective palaces in Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta.

The presidents chopper landed at 10:18 a. m. at the Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode.

In his entourage are the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, and presidential spokesperson, Dele Alake.

They were received at the stadium by Governor Dapo Abiodun and one of his predecessors, who is also a close ally of the president, Olusegun Osoba, and other dignitaries.

PREMIUM TIMES got the hint of the visit in the late hours of Wednesday.

Mr Tinubus last visit to the state was in January for his presidential campaign, during which he visited the four paramount traditional rulers in the state.

Then, aside from the Alake and the Awujale, Mr Tinubu also visited the Akarigbo of Remo-land, Adewale Ajayi, and the paramount ruler of Yewaland, Kehinde Olugbenle, in their palaces in Shagamu and Ilaro respectively.

The former Lagos governor received royal blessings from the monarchs on those occasions.

Mr Tinubus current visit might be to express his appreciation to the traditional rulers for his victory in the presidential election.

Details later

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President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda has said that December could be a good time to announce the start of talks on Ukraine's EU membership.

"Ukraine is doing very well in implementing reforms, and President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy talked a lot about success in the legal system and anti-corruption measures. They think that they deserve a positive conclusion of the European Commission in October, and then our political decision will be a matter of time. I hope that December is supposed to be a suitable date to announce the start of negotiations on [Ukraine's accession to] the European Union," he said upon arrival at a meeting of the European Council.

The Lithuanian president also said that the adoption of the 11th package of sanctions against Russia is a "very important step forward, but not a very big one."

"So, that is the reason why are expecting the 12th package of sanctions. And I will not be tired to repeat that Rosatom should be punished because this is just unacceptable what they are doing, how they are behaving, threatening all Europe with Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. They are responsible for numerous safety standard breaches, including at Astravets Nuclear Power Plant [in Belarus]. This is the reason why they should be sanctioned and the Board of Directors of Rosatom should be sanctioned too," Nauseda said.

He also mentioned the situation with the Wagner Private Military Company.

"We are a neighbor of Belarus and we are extremely concerned about the developments in Belarus. [Wagner PMC financier Yevgeny] Prigozhin is already there. Probably. I cannot say it for 100% sure. But it is very likely that he is already out there, and the fighter groups, these serial killers, I call them like this, they could emerge in Belarus at any moment. And nobody knows when they could turn against us. [] I hope that we will be able to table decisions on the strengthening of the eastern flank of NATO," the president said.

Nauseda also noted that "any movements in the Russian political system will have repercussions for our security."

"I don't agree when some of my colleagues sometimes say that strong Putin is less dangerous that weak Putin. I don't agree. We have to move forward and be decisive and united because now is a crucial moment of history. If we are not decisive and united now, tomorrow it will be too late," Nauseda said.
London , Yorkshire and East Midlands boast the best scores for business 5G connectivity.

, and boast the best scores for business 5G connectivity. Yet, only 51% of major UK towns and cities have full 5G coverage, showing rollout progress is slow.

Businesses concerned about 2025's Switch Off are urged to keep one eye on 5G availability as it offers promising solutions for the future.

LANCASHIRE, England, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, cloud-based business phone system, CircleLoop , releases a snapshot analysis of Britain's current 5G availability that shows, despite slow progress on the Government's rollout pledge, the UK is making headway with 5G that businesses can look to capitalise on.

CircleLoop: New Analysis Reveals the Best UK Regions for Businesses to Access 5G As PSTN Switch Off Looms (PRNewsfoto/CircleLoop)

The data analysis ranks major towns and cities with a ' Business Connectivity Score ' based on their 5G availability from each of the UK's four major phone networks: EE, Three, Vodafone, and O2. As one of the main alternative solutions available to UK businesses following the PSTN switch off in 2025, following the progress of 5G could support major business decisions over the next 18 months.

Only 51% of major towns and cities analysed are currently receiving full 5G coverage from all 4 UK mobile networks. More concerning still is that 6 of the 119 towns and cities analysed are still found to have no 5G connectivity at all. This includes Dorchester in the South East and several towns in Scotland.

However there is positive news for UK Businesses. Circleloop's analysis highlights some of the best regions in Britain for 5G where startups or businesses looking to expand operations will find the best network to support their digital future.

Best Regions for 5G in Britain

Greater London - Business Connectivity Score: 96 out of 100 Yorkshire - Business Connectivity Score: 86 out of 100 East Midlands - Business Connectivity Score: 85 out of 100

Regions with the Least 5G Service in Britain

Scotland - Business Connectivity Score: 52 out of 100 Wales - Business Connectivity Score: 65 out of 100 South West - Business Connectivity Score: 69 out of 100

Damian Hanson, Co-Founder & Director of CircleLoop, said: "The way we communicate and work from anywhere will continue to take significant leaps with 5G. This is good news for businesses, as the impending PSTN switch-off will push us towards wireless options, of which 5G offers many possibilities. Our 5G analysis aims to provide reassurance to businesses reliant on office hardware as well as guidance to entrepreneurs seeking to launch or expand their operations using the new 5G capabilities."

"While the 5G rollout is going slower than originally planned, the UK has made a promising start that businesses factor into their long-term plans. The implications of 5G for business are exciting, representing a significant unlocking of potential around digital transformation, enhancing agility, upgrading technology stacks, and diversifying customer offerings. There has never been a better time for leaders to keep one eye on 5G availability as the Telecoms industry prepares to undergo a major shift."

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2143172/CircleLoop_5G_Access.jpg

SOURCE CircleLoop
- NITI Ayog CEO, Indian High Commissioner to UK make strong pitch to invest to India at UK-India Week 2023

- City of London and India Global Forum Join Hands to Drive Collaboration in Sustainable Infrastructure Investment in India

- Top leaders in infrastructure, green finance, sustainable mobility, clean energy, and telecom from the UK and India in attendance

LONDON, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Speaking at the 'UK-India Infrastructure Summit' hosted by City of London in association with India Global Forum, UK Investment Minister Lord Dominic Johnson, underscored the importance of the Free Trade deal for both UK and India, while steering clear of committing to a timeframe. Johnson said, "I'm very optimistic because I think it is very important to do a trade deal for both sides and it's really important for business to express their support for such a deal because it's about allowing businesses to function more effectively with greater profits, wealth and security for the world."

UK Investment Minister Lord Dominic Johnson at UK-India Week 2023 | Photo credit: India Global Forum

"From the perspective of British business in India, I will continue to push for the simplification of interstate activities in terms of entrepreneurial regulations between states that are selling goods and services. And, I will continue to push for greater work when it comes to a free trade, because that that will help us to put more money into growing the economy to provide the jobs for the next generation."

The summit highlighted the immense scope and potential for investment in sustainable infrastructure development in India, and London's expertise in meeting India's growing demand for green finance.

Founder and Chairman, IGF, Manoj Ladwa in his address said, "As the fastest growing major economy in the world, and the most populous, India has huge aspirations and equally huge responsibilities. The rapid building of high quality sustainable physical and digital infrastructure will be critical to achieving India's growth trajectory, as well as balancing its net zero commitments."

Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK, and B.V.R Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog made a strong case for the City of London investing in sustainable infrastructure in India, while showcasing recent policy, legislative and social changes in India.

Doraiswami remarked, "The cause of investing in India has never been a better one. That is in other words, there is no better reason for you to invest in India not just for profit, but also for the social benefit and the environmental benefit; for the totality. And I would argue that your interests are best served in aligning with us in making sure that the transformation of India happens in a way that does not replicate any of the faults of the past."

"UK particularly the City of London has excellent capabilities in structuring and funnelling finance where it is needed. UK has demonstrated technological capabilities while India is at the frontiers of innovation. Combining technology with financing would enhance the cooperation," said Subrahmanyam.

Bullish on India, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Member House of Lords, Member of the Court of Directors, Bank of England, said, "India has a tailwind which is a combination of economics, demographics and political stability." Referring to Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer's remarks on the FTA at India Global Forum, he said, " The statement on FTA is a good sign; it proves whatever the electoral outcome in Britain, the Indian relationship is strategic."

Nicholas Lyons, Lord Mayor of the City of London, emphasised London's unparalleled global expertise in sustainable finance: "UK should be a partner of choice for India for its infrastructure needs; the City of London and the UK can help India into the largest and most diversified global capital pools on the best possible terms."

"We have up to 4bn pounds of capacity to use in India," said Caroline Healy, Deputy Director  International Relations, UK Export Finance. "My key message is that UK Export Finance wants to do more business in India, we've got capacity and we've got the product suite."

For a list of Speakers, click here and programme details, click here.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2142981/Dominic_Johnson_UK_India_Week_2023.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2141911/IGF_Logo.jpg

SOURCE India Inc Ltd
New Cannabis Lineup Includes Live Resin from Company's Island Flower Brand; Summer-Themed Limited Edition Marmas Marmalade Bites; and Crystal Clear Cartridges and Disposable Vape Pens in a Host of New Varieties

PHOENIX, Ariz., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) ("4Front" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, announced the expansion of its award-winning brand portfolio in Massachusetts with the launch of: a new live resin line from the Company's popular California brand, Island Cannabis Co . ("Island"); a limited-edition summer lineup from Marmas Marmalade Bites ; and Crystal Clear Cartridges and Disposable Vape Pens in a host of new varieties. The Company's new lineup is now available for purchase at 4Front's Mission Dispensaries in Georgetown , Worcester and Brookline and partner dispensaries across the Bay State.

"As more Bay State consumers resonate with the quality of our high-quality brands and competitive pricing, we continue to see basket sizes increase," said 4Front CEO Leo Gontmakher . "We believe the rollout of these popular brands in new alternate formats offers a little something for everyone at a price point that doesn't break the bank. Our commitment to delivering innovative cannabis brands and products at competitive prices remains unwavering, and we look forward to bringing this suite of crowd pleasers to more of our core markets like Illinois in the near future."

Island Live Resin Disposable Cartridges and Disposable Vapes: Made from freshly harvested, uncured cannabis and preserving all the freshness and terpene profiles of their respective strains, Island's new live resin line includes: 1g disposable live resin vape pens and 1g live resin cartridges with a ceramic core, which are available in a host of new varieties. Approachable, simple and transparent, the new, compact branded hardware each features high-flow technology, making Island Vapes the perfect complement to any good summer festivities  whether you are headed to a concert, hitting the beach or just chilling at home.

Limited-Edition Marmas Marmalade Bites Celebration Collection: Marmas Marmalade Bites's new limited-edition variety pack includes twenty marmalade gummies at 5mg THC per gummy. These tasty red (Sour Cherry), white (Pina Colada) and blue (Blue Raspberry) treats are the perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July and are unlike any other cannabis-infused chews on the market. Famous for their unique texture that is both tender and satisfying, these bites deliver with just the right amount of sweetness. As opposed to traditional gummies, Marmas Marmalade Bites come individually wrapped, are gluten-free, vegan and do not contain gelatin, making them the perfect guilt-free treat.

Crystal Clear Cartridges and Disposable Vape Pens: Already a Massachusetts consumer brand favorite, Crystal Clear launched a new lineup of cartridges and disposable vape pens that deliver a great high  every time. Each of Crystal Clear's proprietary blends replicates a flower's terpene profile to create the same high without tars and resins for an experience that is discreet, potent and easy on the throat. Beginning in July, check out the newly expanded line-up now featuring the "all-in-one" 1g disposable, rechargeable vape pen.

For more information, visit https://4frontventures.com and https://missiondispensaries.com/ .

About 4Front Ventures Corp.

4Front Ventures Corp. ("4Front" or the "Company") ( CSE: FFNT ) ( OTCQX: FFNTF ) is a national, vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator who owns or manages operations and facilities in strategic medical and adult-use cannabis markets, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. Since its founding in 2011, 4Front has built a strong reputation for its high standards and low-cost cultivation and production methodologies earned through a track record of success in facility design, cultivation, genetics, growing processes, manufacturing, purchasing, distribution, and retail. To date, 4Front has successfully brought to market more than 20 different cannabis brands and over 1800 products, which are strategically distributed through its fully owned and operated Mission dispensaries and retail outlets in its core markets. As the Company continues to drive value for its shareholders, its team is applying its decade of expertise in the sector across the cannabis industry value chain and ecosystem. For more information, visit https://4frontventures.com/ .

SOURCE 4Front Ventures Corp.
You don't have to choose between your financial advisor and your 401(k). Tweet this

In the period from 2016 to 2021, rollovers from retirement plan accounts totaled approximately $2.9 trillion in IRA asset growth, over half of which is estimated to have been intermediated by financial advisors.[1] The majority of investors wish they could completely hand over retirement planning to an expert and often believe a rollover is requiredit isn't, and rollovers can be costly.

Depending on the retirement saver's circumstance, a rollover to an alternative retirement account may come at the expense of better 401(k) benefits, such as lower fees, institutional fund access, tax benefits to employer stock, creditor protections, and loan options. Pew Research has quantified that of the $516.7 billion in IRA rollovers from plan accounts in 2018, retail investors could lose $45.5 billion over the next 25 years from higher fees alone.

Financial advisors can professionally manage 401(k)s

For years, financial advisors have been compliantly providing advice on 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and more by logging into the accounts with client credentials or manually reviewing 401(k) plan documentation to provide recommendations. So why do advisors recommend rollovers so often? Between the paperwork, security measures, and compliance requirements, these manual 401(k) advisory methods can be expensive and difficult to scale.

Furthermore, if the advisor doesn't already charge for 401(k) advice, a rollover can mean more revenue. This potential conflict of interest sparked the Department of Labor (DOL)'s PTE-2020-02 on December 18, 2020. This regulation is predicted to be amended with more protections this year.

Eliminating Conflict of Interest, Helping Americans Keep Their 401(k) Benefits

Advisors who provide quality, equitable, level-fee services to clients' 401(k)s and IRAs alike are eliminating conflicts of interest altogether. Evidenced by its recent finding, Pontera is helping advisors do just that by providing a seamless alternative path to comprehensive 401(k) managementenabling rollover decisions in the best interest of the client.

"Before Pontera, clients who asked our firm for 401(k) recommendations would need to share pages of complex plan documents and statements," said Cean Kenefick-Rogers , CEO and Founding Partner of Ironwood Wealth Management . "But, most clients don't want to dig for hard-to-find paperwork and rebalance their own accounts. When we launched Pontera, about 80% of eligible clients were happy to receive professional management on their 401(k)s."

Ironwood client Greg Zych, a healthcare technology leader in Chandler, Arizona, echoed this sentiment:

"Ironwood Wealth Management has excellent financial expertise and has delivered a highly personalized plan. Since they have been able to proactively manage my 401(k) account, it has made my life much easier," commented Zych.

Here's how it works: A financial advisor invites a client to the Pontera platform. Once the client has completed Pontera setup, their 401(k) accounts appear in one consolidated view for their advisor to manage. At the same time, Pontera prohibits the advisor from taking any actions outside of plan account management (such as transfers, beneficiary changes, or credential changes).

Pontera serves retirement savers across America by partnering with thousands of financial firms, including: registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, asset managers, and plan advisors. The Company was recently named the "Best Retirement Management Platform" in the 2023 FinTech Breakthrough Awards.

"We are proud to see that the majority of Pontera advisor partners have concluded that it was in their clients' best interest to keep assets in plan instead of rolling them over," said Yoav Zurel , Chief Executive Officer at Pontera. "This finding shows that our partners are employing their fiduciary duty in the face of an excessive rollover trend, costing Americans billions of dollars each year. Retirement plans are often designed with exceptional benefits by employers and plan fiduciaries. We founded Pontera for this very reasonto help Americans reach the best retirement possible."

To learn more about how Pontera helps retirement savers with personal financial advisors, visit pontera.com/my401k . Retirement savers who are interested in obtaining professional advice can search for a personal advisor in their area here .

About Pontera

Pontera is a fintech company on a mission to help millions of Americans retire better by enabling financial advisors to manage, balance, and report on assets in held-away accounts, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and more. The platform is designed to work across many account types and seamlessly integrate with existing portfolio management tools to help advisors improve their clients' financial outcomes. Founded in 2012, Pontera is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at pontera.com.

[1] On the basis of cumulative asset value

SOURCE Pontera
As a result of the Russian shelling of Kherson on Thursday, two people were killed, an investigation has been launched, the Prosecutor Generals Office (PGO) has reported.

"Under the procedural guidance of Kherson District Prosecutor's Office, a pretrial investigation has been launched into violations of the laws and customs of war (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). According to the investigation, on June 29, 2023, at about 13:00, the Russian military carried out an artillery bombardment of the city of Kherson. As a result of targeted strikes, two people were killed, two more civilians were hospitalized with burns," the Prosecutor General's Office said on the Telegram channel on Thursday.

It is reported that warehouses were destroyed by fire, other objects of civil infrastructure were damaged by debris. Prosecutors, together with police investigators, carry out the necessary investigative actions.

As head of Kherson Regional Mlitary Aministration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said after lunch, the invaders fired at the Point of Invincibility in Kherson. "The terrorists hit the place where civilians came to receive humanitarian aid. Two citizens were killed, another two are placed in the hospital in a moderate condition."
SEATTLE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ACI Mechanical & HVAC Sales (ACI) proudly announces its latest partnership with PennBarry, a leading manufacturer of commercial and industrial ventilation products. ACI now offers PennBarry's comprehensive line of products to its commercial customers in Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho.

pennbarry logo

PennBarry is a highly respected name in the air movement industry under the Johnson Controls Inc. family of brands. PennBarry's full service of ventilation products includes industrial, axial, centrifugal, vaneaxial, lab exhaust fans, OEM fans and related rooftop accessories. With an extensive line of ventilation products geared towards the commercial market, ACI is excited to offer a wider range of fan options to help meet customers' air movement needs.

"We are proud to be partnering with PennBarry to bring the best solutions to our customers," said Keith Glasch, President and Principal at ACI. "Our commitment to providing quality products and services aligns perfectly with PennBarry's values. We look forward to working together to deliver the best possible air movement solutions to our customers, while maintaining the lead times customers expect."

"We are excited to partner with ACI to offer our PennBarry line to their customers," said Eric Van Thomme, Director of Sales at PennBarry. "We partnered with ACI for their legacy expertise as the markets' commercial fan leader, ensuring that their customers benefit from their unparalleled knowledge and proven track record."

About ACI Mechanical and HVAC Sales

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, ACI is the Pacific Northwest's vendor of choice for commercial HVAC applications. ACI partners with consulting engineers, contractors, and their customers, to help buildings thrive. Solutions include applications for education, data centers commercial office buildings, healthcare, and industrial facilities. Our team includes thirty-five-degreed sales engineers and project professionals working with over fifty equipment manufacturers.

About PennBarry

A leading manufacturer of fans and ventilators for commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings, PennBarry is a legacy name of innovation and service that dates back over 90 years. PennBarry is dedicated to reliable performance and exceptional service every time.

SOURCE ACI Mechanical Sales
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Agriculture Drone Market is estimated at USD 4.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 17.9 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 31.5% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The agriculture drone market is rapidly expanding, shaping modern-day agriculture practices. With the ability to gather real-time data and provide actionable insights, drones revolutionize crop management. They capture high-resolution images and collect data on crop health, soil conditions, and other crucial parameters, empowering farmers to make informed decisions. Precision spraying and targeted interventions minimize resource wastage, reduce environmental impact, and optimize yields. The integration of drones with smart farming systems further enhances their utility. The market's growth is driven by increasing demand for efficiency, sustainability, and profitability in agriculture.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=23709764

Browse in-depth TOC on "Agriculture Drone Market"

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The component segment, by Controller Systems, is expected to account for the largest share in 2023.

Controller systems are expected to lead the agriculture drone market due to their crucial role in drone operation and control. They serve as the interface between the operator and the drone, enabling remote control, navigation, and data collection. Controller systems are evolving to support autonomous capabilities, reducing the need for manual control, and enhancing operational efficiency. They integrate and control various payloads and sensors, ensuring seamless communication and synchronization. User-friendly interfaces simplify drone operation, while safety features enable compliance with regulations. As the demand for precision agriculture grows, controller systems with advanced functionality, improved autonomy, and seamless payload integration are driving the agriculture drone market forward.

The application segment, by Livestock Monitoring, is expected to dominate the market with the largest share in 2023.

Livestock monitoring is expected to lead the agriculture drone market due to its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to provide real-time data. Drones enable farmers to efficiently track animal movement, behavior, and health over large areas, reducing labor and costs. They can access remote locations and gather valuable data for analysis, optimizing grazing management and improving animal welfare. Livestock monitoring with drones enhances animal safety, aiding in the detection of distress or potential threats. These benefits, combined with the growing adoption of precision agriculture, contribute to the increasing prominence of livestock monitoring in the agriculture drone market.

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Asia Pacific is expected to account for the largest market share in 2023.

The Agriculture Drone market industry has been studied in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Rest of the World. Europe is poised to lead the agriculture drone market due to its favorable regulatory environment, government support, technological advancements, strong agricultural sector, and emphasis on sustainable farming practices. Clear regulations and government incentives promote the safe and responsible use of drones in agriculture. In 2021 the European Union (EU) has implemented initiatives like the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI). These efforts, taken to promote precision agriculture and sustainable farming practices. Europe's well-developed agricultural sector and demand for efficient farming practices drive the adoption of agriculture drones. The region is home to leading drone manufacturers and benefits from a supportive ecosystem of research institutions and industry collaborations, fostering innovation and knowledge sharing in the sector.

Major players operating in the Agriculture Drone market include DJI (China), PrecisionHawk (US), Trimble Inc. (US), Parrot (France), Bayer CropScience AG(Germany), Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (US), DroneDeploy (US), Autel Robotics (US), Sentera (US), Optim Corporation (Japan), Microdrone (Germany), Aerialtronics (Netherlands), Delair (France), XAG Co., Ltd. (China), Skydio (US), AgroDrone AI (Brazil), Aries Solutions Pte Ltd (India), Wingtra (Switzerland), Lockheed Martin Corp (US), Gamaya (Switzerland), Atmos UAV (Netherlands), SKYX (Canada), SlantRange, Inc. (US) and Nileworks (Japan).

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Related Reports:

Digital Agriculture Market by Technology (Peripheral and Core), Type (Hardware and Software), Operation (Farming & Feeding, Monitoring & Scouting, and Marketing & Demand Generation), Operation and Region - Global Forecast to 2027

Agricultural Variable Rate Technology Market by Offering (Hardware, Software, Service), Type (Fertilizer Vrt, Crop Protection Vrt), Crop Type, Application Method, Farm Size, Application Fit and Region - Global Forecast to 2027

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

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
ATLANTA, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atlanta Housing Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a fiscal year 2024 budget of $452.1 million that provides housing, support services and the creation and preservation of thousands of new and existing affordable housing units across Atlanta.

Atlanta Housing FY 2024 Budget Highlights: Putting People First Infographic

"This budget will allow us to do our part to help reach Mayor Andre Dickens' goal of 20,000 new affordable units by creating housing, preserving existing units and significantly increasing the number of households we serve," said Larry Stewart, chairman of the Board of Commissioners. "I am proud of the work of the AH staff and thankful to my fellow commissioners for approving a budget that invests in the potential of people."

Atlanta Housing's Moving to Work agreement with HUD, extended until 2028, provides the agency with the flexibility to tailor programs to meet the needs of Atlanta's citizens. The FY2024 budget allocates $253 million in housing assistance, a 12 percent increase that supports an expansion of households served amidst higher housing costs in Atlanta. An additional $113 million is allocated to fund 1,881 new affordable units across the city and preserve 1,445 existing units.

The new budget will also fund 543 new households through AH's Housing Choice and HomeFlex programs. Currently AH provides ongoing housing assistance and support services to 44,000 people in 21,000 households, 96 percent of which are extremely or very-low income.

Consistent with the five-year Strategic Plan approved by the Board in January, the new budget supports the agency's people-first focus by providing $30.5 million for at-risk families, including emergency housing vouchers and assistance for families facing homelessness, as well as $5.2 million in down payment assistance for eligible new homeowners. In commitment to providing opportunities for residents to thrive, the budget features $1.6 million in funding for youth programs, workforce readiness and in-home assistance for seniors.

"AH will continue to maximize its resources in pursuit of innovative development and programs, many of which are unique to Atlanta, that enhance the quality of life for our residents and provide them with housing opportunities in every community of the city," said President and CEO Eugene Jones, Jr. "Our actions will also help guide our residents along the path to economic empowerment and self-sufficiency."

ABOUT ATLANTA HOUSING

Led by President and CEO Eugene Jones, Jr., the Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (AH), is the largest housing authority in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation. AH provides and facilitates affordable housing resources for nearly 27,000 low-income households comprised of approximately 44,000 people, including AH-owned residential communities, tenant-based vouchers, supportive housing, and homeownership opportunities. Programs are funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Visit AH at atlantahousing.org or follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn at @housingatlanta.

SOURCE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CITY OF ATLANTA
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosted in the Copenhagen Concert Hall, on 27-28 June, Global Fashion Summit convened over 1000 revered representatives from brands, retailers, NGOs, policy, manufacturers, and innovators to transform ambition into action. The Summit was presented by Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), the non-profit organisation that is accelerating the transition to a net positive fashion industry, under the patronage of HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark.

This year's theme 'Ambition to Action', galvanised participants to transform ambitions into concrete actions that can drive the industry towards more sustainable practices, both socially and environmentally. Under this premise, the event presented content experiences focused on tangible and evidence-based impact, with over half of the programme dedicated to educational and action-oriented business case studies.

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages. The Summit also facilitated more than 10 strategic roundtable meetings that brought together executives and policy makers for productive dialogues on how to address pressing sustainability issues and act accordingly. The content integrated the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda, alongside critical challenges and tangible opportunities relating to some of the key forces that are shaping the fashion industry today: data, policy and storytelling. View the programme.

Attendees heard from 137 speakers including HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark; Antoine Arnault, Image & Environment, LVMH Group; Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director & Founder, JW Anderson and Creative Director, Loewe; Virginijus Sinkevicius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission; Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, Chief Delivery Officer, Maersk; Aude Vergne, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chloe; Nicolaj Reffstrup, Founder, GANNI; Fanny Moizant, Co-Founder & President, Vestiaire Collective; Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike; Oscar Garcia Maceiras, CEO, Inditex; Dr. Lewis Akenji, Managing Director, Hot or Cool Institute; Rachel Arthur, Advocacy Lead, Sustainable Fashion, United Nations Environment Programme; and many more. View all speakers.

Prominent brands, retailers and organisations unveiled new actions and initiatives at the event, highlights include:

GFA launched the Global Textiles Policy Forum, a platform for governments and textile industry associations from around the world to: align on an ambitious sustainability pathway for the industry and the global policy frameworks needed; raise and amplify supply chain voices; and spread the likely impact of the EU Textiles Strategy outside of the EU. GFA also launched a new policy matrix to summarise the key legislations going on around the world implicating the textiles industry. Read more.

GFA unveiled responses to the GFA Designer Challenge 2023, presented by Smiley. Heiko Desens , Global Creative Director of PUMA partnered with Nicole McLaughlin whilst, Hillary Taymour, Creative Director of Collina Strada created an alliance with CIRCULOSE. The outcomes were showcased at the Summit alongside the release of two captivating new videos depicting the journeys of designers. Read more.

, Global Creative Director of PUMA partnered with whilst, Hillary Taymour, Creative Director of Collina Strada created an alliance with CIRCULOSE. The outcomes were showcased at the Summit alongside the release of two captivating new videos depicting the journeys of designers. Read more. Fashion Redressed is a brand-new online film series launching in September, presented by the Global Fashion Agenda and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions. You can take a sneak peek at the series and calculate the impact your own wardrobe has on the environment here.

UNEP and UN Climate Change launched The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, a guide for fashion communicators to align efforts to sustainability targets. It shows marketers, imagemakers, media and influencers how to take action through countering misinformation, reducing messages perpetuating overconsumption, redirecting aspiration to sustainable lifestyles, and empowering consumers to demand greater action from businesses and policymakers.

A landmark report from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the Fashion Pact and Conservation International was launched. It maps out how the fashion, textile and apparel industry can implement the first science-based targets for nature. Read more.

Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the Fashion Pact and Conservation International was launched. It maps out how the fashion, textile and apparel industry can implement the first science-based targets for nature. Read more. The eight members of GFA's newly launched Next Gen Assembly programme in partnership with the Fashion Values Programme and presented by Target, participated in a closed-door Roundtable alongside esteemed industry leaders. The Members were able to candidly share their perspectives and stories. Following the Summit, the stories of the Next Gen Assembly participants will be collated and communicated throughout 2023. Read more.

Industry leaders unite in the CTI Fashion Initiative to drive circularity in fashion. Led by WBCSD, VF Corporation and Deloitte Switzerland, this collaboration will establish harmonized metrics, standards and best practices, anchored by the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for measuring impact, fostering accountability and advancing sustainable value creation. Read more.

Innovation Forum connected fashion companies with sustainable solution providers

This year's Summit also presented an Innovation Forum, enabling small and large companies to meet with 26 sustainable solution providers  equipping them with the concrete tools to quickly turn words into meaningful actions. More than 350 facilitated business meetings between fashion companies and sustainable solution providers took place during the Summit.

Federica Marchionni, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, says: "I am filled with a sense of hope following the Summit. This year we focused on turning the aspirational to the actual  championing evidence-based actions that can redesign our business models with net positive at the core, improve the livelihoods of the millions of garment workers and protect and enhance our precious ecosystems. The will and intentions are there, I now look forward to witnessing the shift to implementation to truly transform the industry."

Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition was supported by Principal Sponsor, Maersk, a globally renowned leader in logistics that aims to deliver a more connected, agile and sustainable future for global logistics.

Global Fashion Summit: Boston Edition will take place on 27 September 2023, which will mark the second time the Summit has been hosted outside of Copenhagen in its 14-year history.

For more information about the Summit visit globalfashionsummit.com. Learn more about Global Fashion Agenda at globalfashionagenda.org.

Access to all media materials and images is available via the Global Fashion Summit media bank.

CONTACT:

Contact: [email protected]

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/21689/3796606/2161560.pdf Ambition to Action: Fashion Leaders Convene in Copenhagen to Accelerate Impact https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/hrh-the-crown-princess-of-denmark-gfs-cph-2023,c3195390 HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/antoine-arnault-and-jonathan-anderson-gfs-cph-2023,c3195389 Antoine Arnault and Jonathan Anderson GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/the-concert-hall-federica-marchionni-gfs-cph-2023,c3195388 The Concert Hall Federica Marchionni GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/innovation-stage-gfs-cph-2023,c3195385 Innovation Stage GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/summit-social-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195383 Summit Social GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/the-red-stage-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195384 The Red Stage GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/arrivals-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195386 Arrivals GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/concert-hall-gfs-cph-2023-,c3195387 Concert Hall GFS CPH 2023 https://news.cision.com/global-fashion-agenda/i/atmosphere-gfs-cph-2023,c3195391 Atmosphere GFS CPH 2023

SOURCE Global Fashion Agenda
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Artillery Systems Market is estimated to be USD 11.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 16.0 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 6.2 % during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The artillery systems market is experiencing a notable increase for several reasons. Firstly, technological advancements have significantly improved the capabilities of artillery systems. Modern artillery platforms now possess enhanced range, accuracy, and firepower, thanks to innovations in targeting systems, ammunition, and propulsion technologies. These advancements make artillery systems more effective and reliable, attracting increased demand from military forces seeking to upgrade their capabilities.

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Artillery Systems Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $11.8 billion Estimated Value by 2028 $16.0 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% Market Size Available for 20192028 Forecast Period 20232028 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Type, Range, Subsystem and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge High Costs of Artillery Systems Key Market Opportunities Unmanned Artillery Systems transform Battlefield due to Autonomous Firepower Key Market Drivers Advancing Artillery Enhancing Capabilities for Modern Warfare

Secondly, the evolving nature of warfare and security challenges is driving the growth of the artillery systems market. As conflicts become more complex and geographically dispersed, there is a greater need for long-range and precision firepower. Artillery systems provide a cost-effective means of engaging targets at extended distances, allowing military forces to project power and respond to threats effectively. Additionally, the versatility and adaptability of artillery systems make them valuable assets in various operational scenarios, including conventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, and peacekeeping missions.

Based on Type, Anti-air weapons segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Anti-air weapons offer significant benefits in modern warfare by providing effective defense against airborne threats. These weapons enhance the overall air defense capabilities of military forces. By deploying anti-aircraft systems, such as anti-aircraft guns, military units can create a layered defense network that can engage and neutralize hostile aircraft, drones, and other aerial threats. This defense is vital for protecting critical infrastructure, military bases, and populated areas from potential aerial attacks.

By engaging hostile aircraft or drones, these weapons can limit the enemy's freedom of movement, restrict their reconnaissance capabilities, and disrupt their command-and-control systems. This disruption hampers the enemy's ability to conduct effective airstrikes, gather intelligence, and coordinate aerial operations, thereby diminishing their overall combat effectiveness.

Based on Range segment, the Medium-Range segment acquire largest market share in market during the forecast period.

Medium-range artillery systems currently have the largest market share in the artillery systems due to several reasons. Medium range provides a balance between long-range and short-range capabilities, making them versatile assets on the battlefield. Medium-range artillery can engage targets at distances that exceed the reach of short-range systems but are closer and more accessible than long-range systems. This flexibility allows military forces to effectively engage enemy targets within a specific operational area, providing essential fire support to ground forces. Additionally medium-range artillery systems provide more range than short-range artillery systems and are comparatively easier to manufacture than long-range artillery systems due to less technological investments.

Based on Subsystem, the auxiliary systems segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The auxiliary systems in subsystems segment are projected to lead the artillery systems industry Auxiliary systems play a crucial role in artillery systems, contributing to their overall effectiveness, efficiency, and operational readiness. These systems provide essential support functions that enhance the performance and reliability of the main artillery components. In addition, auxiliary systems contribute to the mobility and protection of artillery units. Mobile auxiliary systems, such as transport vehicles, self-propelled ammunition resupply vehicles, and armored personnel carriers, enable artillery units to quickly move, reposition, and redeploy their assets as needed.

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Based on region, the Asia Pacific segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The artillery systems market is anticipated to register highest growth rate in the Asia Pacific region in 2023. China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the rest of Asia Pacific are the regions that were looked at in this market. One of the primary international players operating in the Asia Pacific region is China, India, and Japan, which makes significant investments in the development and procurement of artillery systems technologies.

Key Players-

Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Bae Systems (UK), Hanwha Group (South Korea), Rheinmetall AG ( Germany), Nexter Group (France), Norinco Internation Cooperation Ltd. (China), Rostec (Russia), are some of the leading companies in the artillery systems companies. These companies have well-equipped manufacturing facilities and strong distribution networks across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.

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Browse Adjacent Market: Aerospace and Defence Market Research Reports &Consulting

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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:

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MarketsandMarkets INC.

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USA: +1-888-600-6441

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
5th annual contest honors the best of the best

ATLANTA, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Franchise Update Media celebrated its 5th annual Franchise Innovation Awards in June, recognizing franchisors that have pioneered innovative strategies and tactics to build their brands.

Assisted Living Locators, a premier nationwide senior placement and referral service, won the Most Innovative Service Introduction Award for Dementia Care System-Certification. They achieved the U.S.'s first system-certification in dementia care for a senior placement and referral service, ensuring all 140 franchisees are trained and certified to provide compassionate, effective dementia care.

"We're honored to receive the Innovative Service Introduction Award," stated Angela Olea, RN, Founder and Brand President of Assisted Living Locators. "This recognition reaffirms our commitment to transforming senior care, impacting elders' lives and their families. We strive for excellence, expanding our brand and community influence."

Evive Brands CEO, Tim Hadley, praised the company: "Assisted Living Locators' dedication to innovative, exceptional senior care is remarkable. Winning the award showcases their relentless commitment to making a difference in seniors' lives. We're proud they're part of the Evive Brands family."

The contest attracted over 150 entries, with judges evaluating innovation, objectives, and results. Competing across four categories: Marketing & Branding, Products & Services, Operations, and Human Resources, twenty-two winners emerged, each to be profiled in Franchise Update magazine.

Assisted Living Locators, part of the Evive Brands family, offers stellar support and services across the nation. Its 140+ franchisees in 36 states and the District of Columbia provide no-cost assistance to find top-rated in-home care, independent retirement options, assisted living communities, and memory care.

For more information, visit www.assistedlivinglocators.com.

Franchise Update Media has been a leader in the franchising space for more than 30 years. Franchise Founded in 1988, the company produces online franchise opportunity and educational websites, two quarterly print magazines, six newsletters, four annual conferences, independent research, and books, entirely focused on franchising. For more information, visit franchising.com .

SOURCE Assisted Living Locators
DALLAS, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share on the company's common shares.

Key Takeaways:

The board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share on the company's common shares.

per share on the company's common shares. Dividends on common stock and Series A and Series C preferred stock are payable on August 1, 2023 .

The board of directors of AT&T* (NYSE:T) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share on the company's common shares.

The board of directors also declared quarterly dividends on the company's 5.000% Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A and the company's 4.750% Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C. The Series A dividend is $312.50 per preferred share, or $0.3125 per depositary share. The Series C dividend is $296.875 per preferred share, or $0.296875 per depositary share.

Dividends on the common stock and Series A and Series C preferred stock are payable on August 1, 2023, to stockholders of record of the respective shares at the close of business on July 10, 2023.

*About AT&T

We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com.

 2023 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property

SOURCE AT&T
Auchan opens the first self-service store in the Polish market and announces further development of its autonomous concept

WARSAW, Poland, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Auchan Retail Poland has launched the first fully autonomous store within its innovative Auchan GO concept. Located in Warsaw, the new cashier-free store is open 24/7 and allows customers to shop in an exceptionally quick, comfortable and seamless way. At the same time, the new format features a wide product offering, that includes a range of fresh products, standard for the Auchan brand. The advanced AI-powered solution used in the store are provided by Trigo, the strategic partner of the project, whose technology enables frictionless shopping and automated operations.

Auchan Retail Poland has launched the first fully autonomous store within its Auchan GO concept Trigo provides the technological capability to efficiently digitise and automate both small and larger store formats, with more shoppers and more product diversity

Poland is the first market where the Auchan Go store is fully operational for shoppers, following successful tests of the frictionless concept in France.

"The Auchan GO concept is the latest of our solutions that we introduce to provide our customers with unparalleled comfort and a highly personalized shopping experience," says Katarzyna Tokarewicz, Director of Transformation and Projects at Auchan Polska. "We are constantly observing how the needs of today's consumers change dynamically, hence the large variety of shopping paths we offer and our focus on combining digital solutions with new concepts of brick-and-mortar stores. In the case of the Trigo platform introduced in Auchan GO, we particularly appreciate its exceptional accuracy and reliability, as well as the flexibility and scalability of the solution. This advanced system provides the technological capability to efficiently digitise and automate both small and larger store formats, with more shoppers and more product diversity. This approach fits in with our plans, as we treat the newly opened shop as a kind of laboratory. We assume that the Auchan GO concept will constantly evolve to meet the changing expectations of our customers. Ultimately, we plan to open approximately 40 outlets of this type over the next few years."

The new Auchan GO  opened in Warsaw at Kasprzaka Street 29  is the smallest of Auchan's retail formats. Occupying an area of 75 sqm, up to 30 customers can do their quick and frictionless shopping, with no need to use cash registers.

The store's rich assortment offers more than 1,000 products, including drinks and snacks, bread, dairy products, frozen food, BIO products, delicatessen, and industrial products. Of particular note is the range of fresh produce - meat, cold cuts and fruit. Auchan GO also offers freshly brewed coffee. More than 40% of the store's range is Auchan's private label products, including popular Pewni Dobrego branded products.

How Auchan GO works

Before entering Auchan GO, customers simply need to swipe their payment card and register their phone number. This can be done easily and securely thanks to a conveniently-located terminal at the store's entrance.

The advanced EasyOut Trigo system installed in the store uses specialized vision cameras together with on-shelf sensors. With the highest accuracy, it collects data on every shopper-product interaction undertaken in the store, generating digital shopping baskets in real time to enable seamless checkout. Payment is made automatically just after the customer leaves the store, with a digital receipt then sent to his/her phone.

Importantly, EasyOut incorporates an innovative privacy-by-design architecture, which means that no biometric or facial recognition data are gathered or analysed by the system. This ensures shoppers are afforded full data protection in compliance with GDPR regulations.

"Trigo is delighted to introduce the first Poland Auchan store, supported by Trigo technology," says Michael Gabay, co-founder and CEO of Trigo. "Auchan is a prominent and forward-thinking player in the global grocery retail sector. Our inaugural store in Poland represents a significant advancement in frictionless payment options, further elevating the shopping experience.

"By enabling contactless card payment, we have enhanced the convenience and intuitiveness of the shopping process for a diverse customer base. This cutting-edge solution empowers Auchan Retail to provide an unparalleled shopping experience, resulting in amplified sales and strengthened customer loyalty."

Trigo's AI-driven technology platform offers the flexibility to accommodate various grocery formats and a full range of supermarket assortments that further underscores the company's recognition as a leading European supplier of advanced technology solutions that are shaping the future of retail.

About Auchan

Auchan Retail Polska is a large-scale retail chain with French roots, present in Poland since 1996, managing on the Polish market a network of hypermarkets under the Auchan brand, supermarkets under the Auchan Supermarket brand, convenience stores under the Easy Auchan brand, neighborhood stores under the Moje brand Auchan, autonomous stores under the Auchan GO brand, as well as an e-commerce channel. The chain also has franchise stores in the supermarket and hypermarket format.

About Trigo

Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, Trigo is a computer vision company that is driving the transformation of traditional retail outlets into smart stores. Leveraging world-class AI experts, Trigo works with retailers to convert their existing stores to enable frictionless shopping experiences and data insights that drive revenue and optimize store operations, all while maintaining stores' unique character and layout.

Trigo's advanced retail automation platform identifies shoppers' movements and product choices with exceptional accuracy, generating digital shopping baskets in real time to enable seamless checkout. Trigo's GDPR-compliant solution is built with a privacy-by-design architecture so that no biometric or facial recognition data are gathered or analysed. Powered by its proprietary 3D engine, Trigo offers grocery retailers a range of additional solutions through its StoreOS suite, including predictive inventory management, pricing optimization, security and fraud prevention, planogram compliance, and event-driven marketing. This layer quickly enables actionable insight that boosts the chain's efficiency.

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SOURCE Trigo
DUBLIN, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Australia Cyber Security Market Outlook to 2027F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of cyber security industry in Australia. The report covers an overview and genesis of the industry, market size in terms of revenue generated.



Its market segmentations include by component, security, deployment type, region, organization type, and industry; growth enablers and drivers; challenges and bottlenecks; trends driving adoption trends; regulatory framework; end-user analysis, industry analysis, competitive landscape including competition scenario and market shares of major players. The report concludes with future market projections of each market segmentation and analyst recommendations.



Market Overview:



IoT devices have a security system that is vulnerable to cyberattacks. It is not designed to pre-detect or prevent threats, such as hacking. Thus, these devices could be prime targets for hackers to obtain usernames and passwords and access other confidential information.



The quantity of personal information and transaction data that all Australian firms have on hand is growing. Sensitive data is frequently exposed due to organizational system weaknesses, making these firms the prime targets of cyberattacks.



Key Trends by Market Segment:

By Deployment Type: Cloud segment contributed to the highest share, and it is attributed to increasing technological integration and surging digital usage by consumers post COVID-19

By Component: Entities generally approach a cybersecurity service provider to take care of various functions rather than standalone hardware and software. Therefore, the revenue contribution is higher for services

Competitive Landscape



Australia Cyber Security Market is at a growing stage and has a moderately fragmented market with more than 15 players in the market that adopt strategic initiatives such as partnerships, investments, and new product offerings due to increasing awareness regarding mobility security among enterprises. IBM, Akamai Technologies, Context Information Security, iSight Partners, NCC Group, Ping Identity, CyberCX, McAfee Enterprise



Future Outlook



Australia's IT industry is on the rise, and more and more Australian companies are entering the international market. Therefore, it will boost the cyber security market in Australia. Additionally, factors like transaction data, improved internet services, government regulations and technological development will also support the market in the future.





Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

1.1 Executive Summary for Australia Cyber Security Market Outlook to 2027F



2. Country Overview of Australia

2.1 Australia Country Demographics

2.2 Australia Population Analysis, 2022



3. Australia Cyber Security Market Overview and Genesis

3.1 Cyber Thread Situation in Australia

3.2 Major Cyberattacks in Australia as of 2022

3.3 Ecosystem of Major Supply Side Entities in Australia Cyber Security Market

3.4 Ecosystem of Major Demand Side Entities in Australia Cyber Security Market

3.5 Operating Model of Cyber Security Companies in Australia

3.6 Taxonomy of Major Cyber Security Products and Services

3.7 Role of Cutting-Edge Technology in Developing Cybersecurity Solutions and Applications in Australia

3.8 Types of Cyberattacks



4. Australia Cyber Security Market Size, 2022

4.1 Market Sizing of Australia Cyber Security Market, 2017-2022



5. Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentations, 2022

5.1 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Component, 2022

5.2 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Security, 2022

5.3 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Deployment Type, 2022

5.4 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Region, 2022

5.5 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Organization Size, 2022

5.6 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Industry, 2022



6. Demand Analysis of Australia Cyber Security Market

6.1 Tender Process for partnering with a Cyber Security Firm

6.2 Decision Making Parameters of End Users in Australia Cyber Security Market

6.3 Challenges faced by End Users in Australia Cyber Security Market



7. Industry Analysis of Australia Cyber Security Market

7.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis of Australia Cyber Security Market

7.2 Growth Enablers in Australia Cyber Security Market

7.3 Trends and Developments in Australia Cyber Security Market

7.4 Bottlenecks and Challenges in the Australia Cyber Security Market

7.5 Recent Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships and Investments in Australia Cyber Security Market

7.6 Government Regulations in the Saudi Arabia Cyber Security Market

7.7 Government Initiatives in the Saudi Arabia Cyber Security Market

7.8 Impact of COVID-19 on the Australia Cyber Security Market



8. Future Outlook and Market Size for Australia Cyber Security Market, 2022-2027F

8.1 Market Sizing of Australia Cyber Security Market, 2022-2027F



9. Future Outlook and Market Segmentations for Australia Cyber Security Market, 2022-2027F

9.1 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Component, 2027F

9.2 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Security, 2027F

9.3 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Deployment Type, 2027F

9.4 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Region, 2027F

9.5 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Organization Size, 2027F

9.6 Australia Cyber Security Market Segmentation by Industry, 2027F



10. Competitive scenario for Australia Cyber Security Market

10.1 Cross Comparison based on Operational Parameters

10.2 Strength and Weakness of Major Players



11. Analyst Recommendations

11.1 Analyst Recommendations



12. Industry Speaks



13. Research Methodology



A selection of Companies Mentioned in this report includes

CISCO Corp.

CSC Corp.

DELL (SecureWorks Inc.)

IBM Corp.

Intel Corp.

Akamai Technologies

Context Information Security

iSight Partners

NCC Group

Ping Identity

CyberCX

McAfee Enterprise

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/n6t3j5

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Australia Plastic Pipe Market Outlook to 2027F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of plastic pipes industry in Australia. The report covers an overview and genesis of the industry, market size in terms of revenue generated.



Its market segmentations include by market structure by end user applications, by types of pipes and by type of market structure; growth enablers and drivers; challenges and bottlenecks; trends driving adoption trends; regulatory framework; end-user analysis, industry analysis, competitive landscape including competition scenario and market shares of major players. The report concludes with future market projections of each market segmentation and analyst recommendations.



Market Overview:



According to publisher estimates, the Australia Rental Pipes Market which grew from approximately AUD ~ Bn in 2017 to approximately AUD ~ Bn in 2022 is forecasted to grow further into AUD ~ Bn opportunity by 2027F, owing to the New Government Policies and emergence of new players and rise in demand.



The demand for plastic pipes and fittings is highly correlated with the investment of government on infrastructural, mining and agricultural activities and the demand for house dwellings in the country.



Improvements in technology and plastic materials have helped plastic pipes increase their share in the energy, agriculture, and industrial sectors in Australia.



Key Trends by Market Segment:

By Type of Pipes

PE pipes had the largest market share. PVC pipes had second biggest market share as these types of pipes are less costly compared to PE pipes and are widely used in various sectors such as water pipelines and sewage pipelines. It has been witnessed that PVC has been mainly substituted by PE pipes in various application, which resulted in PE pipes gaining significant market share in the overall market.

By End User Application

Plumbing and civil application has comparatively higher market share due to large scale of real estate construction undertaken by the private sector in Australia. Mining, Chemical and Oil sectors are widely present in Australia owing to which, these industries contributed a significant share in the demand for plastic pipes and fittings in the country. Other applications include transfer of gas, HVAC, and other related industries



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Research Methodology

2.1. Market Definitions

2.2. Abbreviations

2.3. Market Sizing and Modeling



3. Australia Plastic Pipes Market Overview and Genesis



4. Manufacturing Process of Plastic Pipes



5. Value Chain Analysis of Australia Plastic Pipes Market



6. Stakeholders in Australia Plastic Pipes Market Ecosystem



7. Raw Material Suppliers to the Australian Pipes Market



8. Role of Wholesalers and Distributors in Australia Plastic Pipes Market



9. Australia Plastic Pipe Market, 2017-2022



10. Australia Plastic Pipes Market Segmentation

10.1. By Type of Products (PVC, PE and Others),2022

10.2. By End User (Plumbing and Civil, Agriculture, Mining and Industrial, Telecom and electrical and Others), 2022

10.3. By Organized and Unorganized Market, 2022

10.4. By Geographical Regions, 2022



11. Growth Drivers and Opportunities in Australia Plastic Pipes Market



12. Issues and Challenges in Australia Plastic Pipes Market



13. Porter's Five Forces Model for Australia Plastic Pipes Market



14. Buying Decision Parameters from End User Point of view in Australia Plastic Market



15. Environmental Obligations and Standards in Australia Plastic Pipes Market

15.1 Some of the standards followed by the manufacturers are as follows:



16. New Product Developments in Australia Pipes Market



17. Competitive Landscape of Manufacturers in Australia Plastic Pipes Market

17.1. Competition Scenario



18. Snapshot on Export of Domestically Manufactured Plastic Pipes in Australia



19. Company Profile of Major Players in Australia Plastic Pipes Market

19.1. Iplex Pipelines Australia PTY LTD.

19.2. Vinidex Pty ltd.

19.3. Pipemakers Australia Pty Ltd.

19.4. Company Profiles of Other Players (David Moss corporation Ltd, Philmac, reliance worldwide corporation, Pipekings)



20. Australia Plastic Pipes Market Future Outlook and Projections, 2022-2027F

20.1. By End Users (Plumbing and Civil, Agriculture, Mining and Industrial, Telecom and electrical and others)

20.2. By PVC, PE and Other Plastic Pipes, 2027F

20.3. By Organized and Unorganized, 2027F

20.4. By Regions, 2027F



21. Analyst Recommendations



22. Macroeconomic Indicators in Australia Plastic Pipes Market

22.1. Total Population in Australia, 2017-2022

22.2. Number of House Dwellings Approvals in Total Sectors, 2017-2022

22.3. Total Water Supply, 2017-2022



23. Other Macroeconomic Indicators, 2017-2022

23.1 Value of Work done in Housing of Private Sector

23.2 Value of Work done in Alterations and Additions including Conversions, 2017-2022



A selection of Companies Mentioned in this report includes

Iplex Pipelines Pty Ltd

Philmac Pty Ltd

Pipekings Pty Ltd (Australian Plastic Profile)

Pipemakers Pty Ltd

Reliance Worldwide Corporation (Aust. Pty Ltd)

Vinidex Pty Ltd



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/llgpmy

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that granting Ukraine the status of EU membership candidate impacts the discussion of the country's membership in the Alliance.

He said this before the beginning of a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday, where he arrived at the invitation of President of the European Council Charles Michel.

"We see a link with the European Union because the EU decision to grant Ukraine candidate status, of course, also has an impact on the discussions which are taking place within NATO [on Ukraine's membership in the Alliance]," Stoltenberg said.

He recalled that the upcoming NATO Summit, due on July 11-12, will address Ukraine's membership aspirations.

"I am absolutely confident that NATO Allies will send a very strong message of support to Ukraine, we also have to remember that all NATO Allies agrees that NATO's door is open. This is demonstrated recently by inviting Finland and Sweden to become members of the Alliance. We also agree that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance and we agree that it is not for Russia, but for the NATO Allies and Ukraine to decide when the time is right to extend the full invitation for Ukraine to join," the Secretary General said.

He once again noted that "the most important thing and the most immediate and urgent task is to support Ukraine, to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent nation in Europe."

"Because unless we are able to do that there is no membership issue to be discussed at all," Stoltenberg said.
SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 29, leading mother and baby brand Babycare announced a strategic partnership with Belgian materials science company Solvay. The two companies will jointly explore innovative material solutions for baby feeding and nursing products, with a focus on bottles, cups and utensils. By leveraging an innovative multidisciplinary approach encompassing market demand analysis, technology sharing, and production process optimization, the collaboration envisions unlocking boundless possibilities for the market. The signing ceremony was attended by Babycare's senior director of strategic sourcing, Leo Xin, and Solvay's sales director of life solutions for Greater China, Amber Li.

To date, Babycare has achieved strategic and in-depth collaborations with 19 industry leading multinational firms. The partnership with Solvay not only underscores the firm's ongoing strategic commitment to the infant nutrition sector, most notably with bottle products, but also enhances its competitive advantage in the market.

Revolutionizing baby bottles and caps: Babycare invests in premium materials and collaborative innovation

Through the collaboration, Babycare will incorporate Solvay's Duradex PPSU, a material specifically developed for transparent food-contact applications, into its range of baby products. Duradex PPSU has obtained food contact safety certifications in China, the United States and the European Union, among other countries and regions. The material is free from harmful substances such as bisphenol A and bisphenol S. It is also compatible with various disinfection and sterilization methods, including pressure steam at 134 C, water boiling at 100 C and microwave sterilization, ensuring its durability during rigorous boiling disinfection processes for feeding product materials.

With a 160-year history as a global leader in specialty materials, Solvay holds a prominent position in the industry, consistently ranking among the top three players in the majority of the business sectors in which it plays a role. As one of the world's largest producers of PPSU, Solvay is also the first material manufacturer to enter the Chinese food contact market. The company's influence extends to the research and development as well as innovation of PPSU materials, further cementing its industry standing.

Due to its exceptional safety and stability, PPSU is highly suitable for various medical applications, including heart valves and artificial joints, making it an ideal high-end material for baby bottles and children's cups. PPSU's distinctive golden hue and a price point 30 times higher than standard PP materials earned it the nickname "plastic gold". Several years ago, Babycare was quick to recognize the exceptional properties of PPSU, most notably for its ability which meet the rigorous standards for feeding product materials. The firm readily embraced the material, acknowledging its unique characteristics. Since then, Babycare has predominantly utilized PPSU in the production of feeding essentials such as bottles, cups and utensils, ensuring the utmost safety and quality for babies.

Babycare will collaborate closely with Solvay to explore and develop innovative materials specifically for bottles and cups. The aim is to deliver safe, professional products to Chinese infants, assuring their health and well-being.

Babycare becomes China's first mother and baby brand to form a strategic partnership with Solvay

Over the past few years, the Chinese baby and children product market has witnessed outstanding growth, particularly in the segments for baby bottles and children's cups. Fueled by the growing demand for premium childcare products, the need for high-quality materials has risen accordingly. At the same time, both segments have undergone rapid transformation and consolidation, leading to the emergence of definite market leaders.

According to data from the data analysis firm Nint Intelligence Cloud, Babycare has, during the last two years, consistently achieved the top sales position for baby and children's cups and utensils on the platforms of Chinese e-commerce leaders, Tmall and JD.com. The remarkable achievement stands as evidence of the firm's leadership in the sector. Moreover, the company's off-center nursing bottles have successfully nourished over 700,000 babies since the product was first brought to market.

"Solvay and Babycare, both champions of innovation, safety, and environmental protection, strive to enhance the quality of life through technology," stated Mr. Xin, the Babycare senior director of strategic sourcing. "Through the tie-up with Solvay, Babycare is committed to providing consumers with more forward-thinking, reliable products, with the aim of driving the sustainable development of the mother and baby industry."

"After conducting extensive research on the Chinese mother and baby market, Solvay forged a strategic partnership with Babycare. Both parties will increase resource investments to support the growth of the Chinese market for healthy baby products while creating a win-win situation for both companies," added Ms. Li, Solvay sales director.

The strategic partnership between Babycare and Solvay fosters extensive integration, spanning the gamut from raw materials to market expansion while reflecting their joint commitment to achieving success.

Babycare's ongoing in-depth commitment to the supply chain has enabled the establishment of a robust international partner network that forms a powerful basis for innovation

With a long-term commitment to the supply chain, Babycare has built and cultivated a strong global network of raw materials suppliers, including nine strategic partners and ten collaborative partners, all of which have provided invaluable support to the company. The strategic partners, including Henkel (Germany), Lycra (the US), and Signify (the Netherlands), have assured the baby bottle and cup maker a solid presence in five key markets, including Belgium, Germany, the US and the Netherlands. With an average history of over 100 years and a combined estimated annual sales revenue surpassing 800 billion yuan, these companies operate across diverse sectors, including fibers, adhesives, light source products and specialty materials. By continuously nurturing and expanding partnerships throughout the supply chain, Babycare has broadened its global network of raw material partners while, simultaneously, enhancing product quality control and fostering innovation across the upstream. The approach fosters a mutually beneficial relationship with the industry's multinational leaders.

"Market demand can drive technological progress." Babycare's growth trajectory in the mother and baby market perfect exemplifies this viewpoint. The company's expansion in the sector is a testament to its compassionate understanding of parents' concerns when it comes to feeding their infants and toddlers. By actively listening to these concerns, Babycare has gained valuable insights that have directly influenced the development of innovative products addressing those specific needs. Through collaborative research and a creative approach to its partnerships with strategic allies, Babycare has effectively overcome barriers to innovation, beginning with the sourcing of raw materials.

Babycare ensures the quality of raw materials and the stability of supply through strategic partner selection, centralized procurement, and rigid quality standards. The approach enables the company to secure materials from trustworthy industry sources and flexibly adjust production capacity in line with market forecasts, strengthening the system's resilience to risks. Consequently, Babycare consistently maintains a reliable supply from its partners, even during periods of raw material shortages.

Throughout the process, Babycare has successfully interconnected every stage, from sourcing raw materials to answering parents' many concerns, disrupting the traditional supply and demand relationships of the supply chain. By fostering strong relationships across both the upstream and the downstream, Babycare has not only redefined the very notion of a partnership, but has also emerged as a frontrunner in shaping industry trends.

About Babycare:

Babycare supplies design-forward products for parents, newborns and toddlers. In living the ethos of "Redesigned for Love," Babycare strives to challenge industry norms and develop effective, meaningful solutions for new lives. Each of Babycare's products is designed with parents in mind, covering diapers, tissues, feeding supplies, toys, travel goods, home accessories and so on. Babycare provides a one-stop, full-category solution for the next generation of families. Our innovative offerings appeal to parents of all ages and experience levels and have childcare periods from pregnancy to 6-years-old. Now serving more than 30 countries, over 45 million families choose us for their baby product needs.

About Solvay:

Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 22,000 employees in 61 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet roadmap crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering a better life. The Group's innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world's top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of 13.4 billion in 2022. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (SOLB). Learn more at www.solvay.com.

SOURCE Babycare
The virtual travel company cannot continue operating without further investment.

BOSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Beeyonder's founder, Brittany Palmer, announced today that Beeyonder may have to close its doors on July 20, 2023. Despite increased interest and tour bookings, the B2B live and interactive virtual travel tour marketplace platform has not garnered enough funding to continue operations. The platform has almost 500 walking and presentation style private tours in a number of languages, in almost 60 countries from more than 200 guides.

See more about the company here.

Palmer said that Beeyonder's biggest barrier is general knowledge that these types of tours exist and the incredible benefits they can provide to hundreds of millions around the world, from those with disabilities that can't travel in person, to seniors, students, and libraries, to companies looking to enhance engagement and bring inclusiveness to their organization, and more. "We were tying up a bridge round in mid-March when SVB collapsed, causing a lead investor to reduce their investment significantly. As a result, we weren't able to put enough resources towards an education campaign that we knew would increase sales - all we need is a little more time and capital," Palmer said. With the current investor climate, they have been unable to find the funding needed to scale.

There are hundreds of millions of people in the US and around the world that would benefit from live and interactive virtual tours, where only a computer, tablet or phone is needed to connect with guides in different countries. For example, the guide walks you down the streets of Venice or takes you by camelback through the Great Pyramids, all in real-time, just as if you were there in person. "The team and I are so sad that we may have to close the doors. As someone with a disability who loves to travel, I want to make travel truly accessible. So many people - guides and guests - rely on us to make a living and see the world. We love that we have had a positive impact on so many lives over the last two and a half years," said Palmer.

If forced to close, those who have purchased subscriptions with tours still left will be reimbursed for unused credits and tickets; guides will be paid for all tours they have conducted prior to closing. Those guests who have purchased tours beyond July 20th will be refunded.

For inquiries regarding investments, please email [email protected].

About Beeyonder

Beeyonder is a woman owned company, founded in 2020 by Brittany Palmer, a bilateral amputee and someone who also has experience as a caregiver. Beeyonder is revolutionizing the way people experience the world and how they think about travel. As a customer-centric virtual tour company, the platform offers inclusive and inspiring travel experiences to companies and organizations by vetted, qualified local tour guides around the world. Beeyonder offers over 450 unique touring experiences across more than 55 countries to corporations of all sizes, schools, senior groups and more. Discover stories of the world with Beeyonder.

Public Relations Contact:

Kristina Correia

VP of Marketing | Beeyonder, Inc.

[email protected]

Investment Contact:

Brittany Palmer

[email protected]com

SOURCE Beeyonder
ZUG, Switzerland, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin Heals Holding AG, a MedTech startup, has developed a breakthrough method and a product for the therapy of heart failure. The product - an electronic device called C-MIC - has already successfully been tested in patients in a pilot study and is currently undergoing CE certification procedures. In this context, the company has successfully raised another CHF 6 million from investors in a recently executed financing round. Consequently, the advancement of the CE procedures and the preparations for the FDA regulated studies for the approval of its patented technology for the therapy of dilated cardiomyopathy have made massive progress.

This funding comes at a point when the company has already recruited roughly 60% of the required CE-patients. Berlin Heals Holding AG has already demonstrated the unprecedented success of its dilated cardiomyopathy therapy in a first-in-human pilot study. The data generated so far for the current CE certification study which commenced in 2022 appears to clearly confirm the initial findings. To date, roughly CHF 35 million have been invested in research & development and for regulatory procedures. Berlin Heals Holding AG expects that 100% of the patients required for the CE certification study will be fully recruited by Q1 of 2024 with respective study results available approximately six months later. The company aims to obtain the CE marking for the C-MIC device soon thereafter.

Marko Bagaric, Chief Executive Officer, Berlin Heals Holding AG comments:

"We have initiated the financing round with the objective to complete the CE-certification study swiftly and successfully. I am particularly delighted that we could win the Swiss company Fumedica, a special provider in heart surgery and invasive cardiology, as a new investor. Fumedica, in fact, could play an important role in the initial distribution of the product in the DACH region. We are convinced that Berlin Heals Holding AG's groundbreaking technology will have a significant impact, for heart insufficiency which remains widespread and a leading cause of death worldwide."

Berlin Heals Holding AG is a Swiss joint-stock company founded in 2014 by renowned heart specialists and engineers. The start-up has developed a revolutionary implantable device called "C-MIC" (Cardiac Microcurrent), which - by way of a constant electrical microcurrent and the ensuing electrical field - results in a sustainable and swift improvement of the texture of heart tissue of heart failure patients. To date over 35 C-MIC devices have been implanted with very good results.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1843666/Berlin_Heals_Logo.jpg

Contact person:

Marko Bagaric

[email protected]

SOURCE Berlin Heals Holding AG
NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BetaNXT, a provider of wealth management infrastructure software with real-time data capabilities and an enhanced advisor experience, today announced Sherry Moreland has been named President of its Mediant Communications business, effective August 15. Ms. Moreland will report to BetaNXT's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen C. Daffron.

Ms. Moreland has served as Chief Operating Officer of Mediant for 15 years and is credited with managing Mediant's rapid growth and driving innovation within the investor communications industry. Mediant's founder and President Arthur Rosenzweig will step back from management activities. Mediant was acquired by BetaNXT in March 2023, augmenting BetaNXT's suite of wealth management solutions and expanding BetaNXT into investor communications through Mediant's digital-forward communications capabilities, industry experience, and reliability.

"Sherry has been driving a critical component of our business strategy," said Mr. Daffron. "In the few months we have worked together I have been extremely impressed with her management skills and dedication to our mission. Her work as Chief Operating Officer of Mediant has positioned her well to step into this role and continue on our path to integrate investor communications and proxy services into the BetaNXT suite of offerings. Arthur's guidance over the past 20 years has been invaluable, enabling Mediant's development and growth as an industry leader in the investor communications space. We thank him for his leadership."

Ms. Moreland has been with the Mediant organization since joining as Director of Issuer Services in 2007. She brings more than 30 years of industry experience in broker-dealer operations, mutual fund processing, shareholder services operations, and retirement plan administration, among other functions. Prior to Mediant, she was Vice President and Senior Operations Manager for First Union's Corporate Trust Group (now Wachovia), and Assistant Vice President of Operations for Reliance Trust Company.

About BetaNXT

BetaNXT powers the future of connected wealth management infrastructure software, leveraging realtime data capabilities to enhance the wealth advisor experience. Combining industry expertise with the power of our proven Beta, Maxit, and Mediant businesses, we are focused on solving our customers most demanding integration challenges with flexible, efficient, connected solutions that anticipate their changing needs. Our comprehensive approach reduces enterprise cost, streamlines operations processes, increases advisor productivity, and enhances the investor experience. Together with BetaNXT, wealth management firms are transforming their platforms into differentiating assets that enable enterprise scale and stimulate commercial growth. For more information visit www.betanxt.com.

Contacts

Robin Brown BetaNXT 1-917-697-2122; [email protected] Dana Taormina JConnelly on behalf of BetaNXT [email protected]

SOURCE BetaNXT
The leading digital media company showcases the foremost 60 companies that champion inclusion and propel business success through their DEI initiatives.

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BLACK ENTERPRISE, the top Black digital media brand and premier business and financial resource for African Americans, proudly unveils its highly anticipated list of the "Best Companies for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)." This robust list is back to highlight a select group of publicly traded corporations that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating dynamic workforces, diverse corporate governance, expansive supply chains, and inclusive management.

The post-pandemic era is marked by two powerful and defining forces: companies committed to addressing systemic inequities versus conservatives lashing out against the actions of so-called "woke" institutions. In this dynamic environment, BLACK ENTERPRISE firmly advocates for the importance of prioritizing DEI on the corporate agenda. The Best Companies for DEI list stands as a powerful testament, affirming that fair access to opportunities is not merely a feel-good initiative but a transformative business imperative that can change the world.

"BLACK ENTERPRISE is proud to unveil our distinguished roster of companies that have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to DEI across various dimensions, including their employee base, senior management, board of directors, and procurement," said BLACK ENTERPRISE's esteemed Executive Vice President & Chief Content Officer Derek Dingle. "Our diligent editorial research team conducted a comprehensive analysis, meticulously examining the ethnic and gender composition and the efficacy of programs aimed at nurturing an inclusive work environment. We thoroughly evaluated company standings by utilizing surveys, BLACK ENTERPRISE's wealth of diversity and corporate leadership data, as well as engaging with diversity departments and relevant organizations."

BLACK ENTERPRISE proudly presents the 2023 List of the Best Companies for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The following companies have exemplified their dedication to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace:

ACCENTURE PLC

ADP INC.

AFLAC INC.

ALLSTATE CORP.

AMEREN CORP.

AMERICAN EXPRESS CO.

ARAMARK

AT&T INC.

BANK OF AMERICA CORP.

CIGNA CORP.

CMS ENERGY

THE COCA-COLA CO.

COMCAST CORP.

COMERICA INC.

CONSOLIDATED EDISON INC.

DELTA AIR LINES

DTE ENERGY CO.

DUKE ENERGY CORP.

ENTERGY CORP.

EXELON CORP.

FANNIE MAE

FEDEX CORP.

FORD MOTOR CO.

GENERAL MILLS INC .

. GENERAL MOTORS

IBM

JC PENNEY

JLL

JOHNSON CONTROLS

JP MORGAN CHASE

THE KELLOGG CO.

LILLY

LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP.

LOWE'S COS INC.

MACY'S INC.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC.

MASTERCARD

MCDONALD'S CORP.

MERCK

MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL

MORGAN STANLEY

NATIONWIDE

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL

PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO.

PEPSICO INC.

PNC FINANCIAL SERVICE GROUP INC.

PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC.

SEMPRA

SOUTHERN CO.

STATE FARM

TIAA

TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA

U.S. BANK

UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS

UPS

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS

WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE

WALMART STORES INC.

WELLS FARGO & CO.

& CO. XEROX

The significance of DEI initiatives cannot be overstated when it comes to establishing an inclusive, forward-thinking, and fair workplace. In conjunction with the highly regarded Best Companies for DEI list, BLACK ENTERPRISE honored the remarkable individuals and organizations spearheading diversity and inclusion efforts. This distinguished recognition occurred at the Chief Diversity Officers Summit and Honors ceremony, hosted at the prestigious Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. By embracing diversity and actively championing inclusivity, companies can unlock their employees' full potential, drive remarkable business achievements, and foster a positive societal impact.

To read the full list, please visit https://www.blackenterprise.com/chiefdiversitysummit/2023bestcompaniesfordiversity/. To stay up to date on upcoming BLACK ENTERPRISE announcements, visit blackenterprise.com and follow them on social media across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

About BLACK ENTERPRISE

Founded in 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE is a mission-centric publication focused on providing relevant information for success-minded people at every stage of their financial journey. Designed to highlight Black leadership and entrepreneurial journeys, BLACK ENTERPRISE reaches its audience through its events and linear and digital channels. BLACK ENTERPRISE aims to be a fountain of knowledge on the how to in achieving financial success. To learn more about the company, please visit blackenterprise.com and follow us on social media across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

SOURCE BLACK ENTERPRISE
TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) announced Aly Madhavji as the recipient of the 2023 Desmond Parker Outstanding Young Alumni Award at the historic Glenerin Inn. A fervent advocate for public service and human rights, Aly exemplifies the spirit and dedication to community embodied by Desmond Parker, former Chief of Protocol at the United Nations.

Aly Madhavji (L) and Desmond Parker (R), both celebrated UTM alumni who have made contributions to the UN and communities at large. Image credit: University of Toronto Mississauga Aly Madhavji (L), was honoured to accept the award from its namesake, Desmond Parker (R)

After expressing his dismay at not having been able to attend the prestigious award's ceremony for the past 6 years, the award's namesake Desmond Parker was able to present the award by saying, "for your leadership; for your volunteerism; for your achievements; you are truly an inspiration for all alumni and I am honoured to be here to look you in the eye and present this award to you. Congratulations."

The Desmond Parker Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes inspirational young alumni of UTM and was named in recognition of Desmond Parker, a renowned UTM alumnus. It is one of three UTM Alumni Awards of Distinction.

Aly Madhavji, a celebrated alumnus of UTM, is Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund , a successful Web3 VC firm. He is also a consultant to the United Nations, working with the organization to identify how FinTech & Blockchain solutions can help alleviate poverty, support business ecosystems, create financial inclusion, and improve society at large.

Aly Madhavji, a dedicated author and advocate for education, has written several books specifically for university students and recent graduates. His best-seller, "Your Guide To Succeed In University," remains a top-rated resource among readers. In a generous act of giving back to the community, Aly provides this e-book for free to students and young professionals worldwide. Additionally, he frequently volunteers his time for speaking engagements at various educational and community events.

When asked for comment, Madhavji elaborated, "I am deeply humbled to be the recipient of [this] Award. This recognition is a testament to the relentless pursuit of learning, serving, and connecting that [UTM] instills in its students. Beyond my achievement, it's an accolade for every individual who has been a part of my journey at UTM and beyond. I urge everyone to strive not just for success, but to create real value. Together, we can make our community and world a better place." - Aly Madhavji

The Desmond Parker Outstanding Young Alumni Award pays tribute to UTM alumni aged 40 and under, recognizing their professional achievements and inspirational community service. Previous awardees, such as Rumeet Billan and Alfredo Tan, have continued to excel in their respective fields.

About Blockchain Founders Fund

Blockchain Founders Fund (BFF) is a Singapore-based early-stage Venture Capital Fund that invests in top-tier Blockchain startups globally. Their industry-leading go-to-market focused Venture Program aids seasoned and first-time entrepreneurs across key business functions to fast track growth. BFF has scaled many of the leading Blockchain startups and is always looking to connect with exceptional founders across the industry, including Web3, metaverse, gamefi, DeFi, and NFT.

Media Contact:

Skye Cornell

+6582034146

[email protected]com

SOURCE Blockchain Founders Fund
Leading VAT bridging loan provider streamlines processes, enhances customer support, and achieves business objectives with advanced CRM solution

PETERSFIELD, England, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading cloud CRM software vendor, Really Simple Systems announces the successful implementation of its CRM with BloomSmith , a VAT bridging loan provider.

Since the implementation, BloomSmith has experienced a remarkable transformation in its operations, streamlining fintech processes, improving customer support, and effortlessly achieving its business objectives.

Prior to integrating Really Simple Systems CRM, BloomSmith relied on a combination of whiteboards and spreadsheets for contact management. However, as the company expanded and its ambitions grew, it became evident that a more sophisticated and comprehensive system was required to meet their needs and the expectations of customers.

"The business was growing rapidly, and we realised that to achieve our aspirations, we needed a change that was simple yet technologically effective," explained Nigel Smith, CEO of BloomSmith.

Nigel continues,"The CRM system has benefited us in every possible way. All our customer data is now consolidated in one secure cloud-based location, allowing us to access and analyse it effortlessly. In the past, data was scattered across multiple fields in a single spreadsheet. Now, generating reports with the precise data we need has become a simple task."

Nigel further highlighted the significant benefits of the integrated marketing tool, stating, "Previously, we relied on Outlook for our marketing emails. However, after a year of utilising the Really Simple Systems Simple Marketing tool, we upgraded to the Advanced Marketing tool, which provided us with various design features and enhanced targeting capabilities to reach different audiences."

With Really Simple Systems CRM, BloomSmith now enjoys a streamlined digital workflow, seamlessly managing initial inquiries through to completed deals, ensuring efficient pipeline management.

One of the key advantages of the CRM for BloomSmith is its customisation capabilities. The introduction of calculable fields has significantly saved the company time, enabling a more tailored and efficient approach to their processes.

Looking to the future, BloomSmith has plans to further customise the report functionality of their personal dashboards, utilising data visualisation to highlight information relevant to their objectives. The company has scheduled a call with Really Simple Systems' Technical Success team to explore creating charts and widgets that align with their requirements.

"The CRM seamlessly integrates into all aspects of a business, from record keeping and relationship management to reporting and marketing. For us, it has become an indispensable tool that facilitates our growth and allows us to achieve our fintech orientated business objectives. As our objectives continue to evolve in terms of sophistication, complexity, and scale, the CRM remains instrumental in our success," concluded Nigel.

About Really Simple Systems:

Really Simple Systems is one of the world's largest providers of cloud-based CRM software. Designed for SME businesses operating in the B2B sector, its customers range from single-user start-ups to 200-user systems, including renowned organisations such as the Royal Academy of Arts, The National Trust for Scotland, British Museum, and various local government agencies, along with numerous small businesses. Featuring integrated modules for email marketing and customer service, Really Simple Systems CRM is highly acclaimed for its user-friendly interface, excellent customer support, and remarkable flexibility for customisation.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1962546/RSS_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Really Simple Systems
HOUSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In February, Robert Burford from the Houston-based business litigation firm Burford Perry led a team along with co-counsel Jeff Diamant of Jeff Diamant P.C., Shawn Johnson of SAJPLLC, and Burford Perry associate Zachary Carlson in winning a $138 million jury verdict for Laura Yosowitz, as a member of Greenlet, LLC suing its founder Martin Kay in a shareholder derivative action for breach of fiduciary duty. This week, Harris County District Judge Dawn Rogers entered a judgment finding Mr. Kay's self-dealing involving Entera, another company he controls, caused $138 million in actual damages to Greenlet.

The jury found that Mr. Kay breached his fiduciary duties to and destroyed Greenlet by misusing his control over Greenlet and placing his own interests above the company's. Importantly, Judge Rogers ordered that "due to equitable considerations and in the interest of justice," Ms. Yosowitz would directly recover her proportionate share of Greenlet's $138 million in derivative damages from Mr. Kay, entitling Ms. Yosowitz to $54 million. The Court also awarded Ms. Yosowitz an additional $2 million in attorneys' fees and costs.

"Martin Kay breached his fiduciary duties to Greenlet by self-dealing that included using Greenlet's tech, data, assets, business, customers, and business plan for his wildly successful real estate technology company, Entera." Mr. Burford said. "We're heartened that the Judge studied the law, knew the facts, agreed with the jury and us, and entered a judgment to make our client whole."

Burford Perry successfully argued that the law allows an owner in a closely held company to recover her share of the company's derivative damages directly from the wrongdoer Martin Kay rather than from Greenlet  in which Mr. Kay and his colleague are still managers and still have control. The direct award prevents Mr. Kay from further interfering with Ms. Yosowitz's ability to recover her rightful share of Greenlet's damages.

The case is Laura Elizabeth Yosowitz, et al. v. Martin Lee Kay, et al., No. 2018-37750 in the 334th Judicial District of Harris County, Texas.

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, and securities disputes. The firm's founding partners have 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 www.burfordperry.com.

SOURCE Burford Perry
New Mobility and Engagement Features include Mobile App, AI-Powered Widgets and Messaging Channels

HOLMDEL, N.J., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- V onage , a global leader in cloud communications helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, has added new features and capabilities to their Vonage Conversational Commerce, powered by Jumper.ai solution. With these updates, businesses are empowered to elevate engagement with customers across all channels, with features to enhance mobility via live chat and messaging from any device or platform.

Vonage Conversational Commerce Mobile App

The new Vonage Conversational Commerce mobile app for iOS and Android enables conversational commerce agents to access and leverage live chat features on the go, helping businesses to create meaningful connections with their customers from anywhere. With the mobile app, these agents can offer immediate support to customers with queries through real-time messaging with the same access to functionality, resources, CRM and customer information available on the Jumper.ai unified dashboard, including the ability to create orders and share products and images.

Vonage Conversational Commerce updates enhance mobility via live chat and offer messaging from any device or platform. Tweet this

Attentive Widget

With the Vonage Conversational Commerce Attentive Widget, businesses can embed instant messaging widgets anywhere on their website, never missing an opportunity to engage with customers at their moment of interest. Powered by AI-driven bots and easily accessible through the customer experience management dashboard, the interactive Attentive Widget helps businesses to:

Start conversations early in the customer journey, facilitating every step of the buying process

Add conversational commerce for product placements on third party sites, such as influencer blogs

Improve visibility of new launches and offers

Attentive Widget differentiates from other chat widgets in the market for its laser-focus on e-commerce and broad capabilities, with the ability to live chat, share products, fill orders and make payments all from within the widget. Engaging with customers and starting a conversation with the right context, these conversations can be embedded anywhere - websites, product pages, blog articles, FAQ pages, and more.

"As technology advances and customer expectations evolve, businesses must innovate and find new ways to connect with their customers. With Vonage Conversational Commerce, we are meeting these expectations and exceeding them by providing seamless and personalized interactions at every touchpoint," said Ron Maayan, SVP Product for Vonage. "These latest enhancements represent our commitment to continuously push the boundaries of conversational commerce and empower businesses to create meaningful, lasting relationships with their customers.

More Messaging, Better Connections

Vonage Conversational Commerce now also features more messaging capabilities with the addition of SMS and Google Business Messenger (GBM). With these new additions, businesses can send messages directly with customers via these channels through a single customer experience management dashboard, as well as create bots for all of these channels with the AI-enabled Chatbot Builder. Vonage Conversational Commerce also supports social and messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, Twitter and Instagram, as well as LINE, Google Adlingo Ads, Webchat, Telegram, iMessage, and more.

Vonage customer HolidayPirates , is one of the fastest-growing, free-to-use, travel search platform providing users with the best value for money travel deals:

"We built a marketing channel on WhatsApp and it turned out to be the most engaging channel for us. The messaging strategy is very simple - we're broadcasting the best selection of travel deals on the market. Our users value this service tremendously as they can stay up to date with the best offers without having to do the research themselves," said Kamila Skotsch, Global CRM Team Lead for HolidayPirates. "With Vonage Conversational Commerce we have already increased our cost efficiency by 18%. By targeting our active users, we're connecting in real-time with those that are searching for travel deals and reaching them within seconds - giving them the ability to easily take advantage of these deals and book before the price changes."

"Vonage is ahead of the pack of cloud-based solutions supporting Conversational Commerce," explained Dan Miller, Lead Analyst and Founder of Opus Research. "These conversations take place over time and employ multiple channels and culminate in a completed transaction. That requires a global network that integrates VoIP with 5G wireless, informed by Conversational AI and under the control of easy-to-use dashboards or toolkits."

Vonage Conversational Commerce Modularization

Also new to the Vonage Conversational Commerce offering are three modular packages to meet the different needs of businesses today:

Notify - This package is a powerful module for notifications and marketing use cases that delivers full broadcast and live chat benefits.

- This package is a powerful module for notifications and marketing use cases that delivers full broadcast and live chat benefits. Engage - With this package, incremental benefits to both broadcast and live chat capabilities include the ability to create intelligent bots to meet the growing needs of today's customer with FAQs and customer support.

- With this package, incremental benefits to both broadcast and live chat capabilities include the ability to create intelligent bots to meet the growing needs of today's customer with FAQs and customer support. Convert - This full scale commerce platform has all the benefits of Notify and Engage PLUS commerce and payment capabilities.

About Vonage

Vonage , a global cloud communications leader, helps businesses accelerate their digital transformation. Vonage's Communications Platform is fully programmable and allows for the integration of Video, Voice, Chat, Messaging, AI and Verification into existing products, workflows and systems. The Vonage conversational commerce application enables businesses to create AI-powered omnichannel experiences that boost sales and increase customer satisfaction. Vonage's fully programmable unified communications, contact center and conversational commerce applications are built from the Vonage platform and enable companies to transform how they communicate and operate from the office or remotely - providing the flexibility required to create meaningful engagements.

Vonage is headquartered in New Jersey, with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Israel and Asia and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ericsson. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage . To become a fan on Facebook, go to facebook.com/vonage . To subscribe on YouTube, visit youtube.com/vonage .

SOURCE Vonage
HOUSTON and TUPELO, Miss., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) will release its second-quarter 2023 earnings on Monday, July 24, 2023, after the close of the financial markets. It will also hold its earnings webcast on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. CT.

The webcast will be a live coverage of management's conference call with analysts and can be found by visiting: https://ir.cadencebank.com/events . This will be an interactive session between management and analysts; others may listen to the live broadcast as it happens. The conference call will also be available in archived format at the same web address.

About Cadence Bank

Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) is a leading regional banking franchise with more than $50 billion in assets and over 350 branch locations across the South and Texas. Cadence provides consumers, businesses and corporations with a full range of innovative banking and financial solutions. Services and products include consumer banking, consumer loans, mortgages, home equity lines and loans, credit cards, commercial and business banking, treasury management, specialized lending, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, equipment financing, correspondent banking, SBA lending, foreign exchange, wealth management, investment and trust services, financial planning, retirement plan management, and personal and business insurance. Cadence is committed to a culture of respect, diversity and inclusion in both its workplace and communities. Cadence Bank, Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

SOURCE Cadence Bank
Ukraine and other members of the international coordination group are filing a lawsuit against Iran to the International Court of Justice for the downing of the flight PS752 of Ukraine International Airlines on January 8, 2020.

We, the members of the International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752 representing Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, note that no agreement on the organization of arbitration was reached between Iran and the Coordination Group pursuant to Article 14 of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, according to the joint statement of the group, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said.

Accordingly, the Coordination Group intends to pursue our collective effort to ensure Iran is held accountable for the unlawful downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by referring the dispute to the International Court of Justice as soon as is practicable.

Accordingly, the Coordination Group intends to continue its collective efforts to ensure that Iran is held accountable for the fact that Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was illegally shot down by transferring the dispute to the International Court of Justice as soon as possible.

As reported, the UIA Boeing 737-800 passenger plane, which was supposed to operate flight PS 752 on the Tehran-Kyiv route, was shot down near the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran immediately after takeoff early in the morning on January 8, 2020. There were 167 passengers and nine crew members onboard. They all died. Among the dead there were 11 citizens of Ukraine (including nine crew members), 82 citizens of Iran, 63 citizens of Canada, 10 citizens of Sweden, four citizens of Afghanistan, three citizens of Germany and three citizens of Great Britain.

On January 11, Iranian authorities admitted that Boeing was shot down by the Iranian military mistakenly. Later, commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that took full responsibility for the crash of the Ukrainian plane.
Small Cap IV, the firm's latest growth private equity fund expands its geographical focus to include consumer, healthcare, and technology companies across North America

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathay Capital Private Equity, a leading international investment firm, announces the final closing of $270 million for its latest growth private equity fund, Small Cap IV, to invest in healthcare, consumer, and technology companies across Europe, North America and Asia. The new fund is an expansion of Cathay Capital's middle market strategy and brings assets under management to $5.5 billion.

Established in 2007, Cathay Capital has built a global ecosystem that brings together small and midsize companies, start-ups, investors, and some of the largest corporations to share in-depth sector and local market knowledge and resources to support growth. The firm has completed over 100 private equity investments, including Biose Industrie , CPAP.com , Moose Knuckles , Juliette Has a Gun , and Innovative Motion Technologies (IMT).

Investing in High-Growth Companies

The latest growth private equity fund supports companies through scale-up strategies, international expansion, and accelerated digitalization. In addition to Europe and Asia, the new growth private equity fund's geographic coverage will include North America for the first time. The fund will target investment in 15-20 healthcare, consumer, and software/technology companies with equity tickets of $15 to $25 million in control and minority investments. The Cathay Capital private equity team has already completed six investments in the new fund, including AD Education, a provider of education in creative fields; Chowsing, a manufacturer of pet nutrition and food; and Snocks , a fast-growing digital direct-to-consumer apparel brand.

"The addition of North America to the growth private equity strategy builds on our success with our mid-market funds and deepens our presence in North America, notably in healthcare and consumer," said Mark Woods, Partner and Head of North American Private Equity at Cathay Capital. "We look forward to partnering with North American companies at an inflection point of growth and scale by leveraging our far-reaching ecosystem and resources to help them expand into domestic and international markets."

"Our investment philosophy for SMEs leverages Cathay's global ecosystem and deep-rooted understanding of local markets to transform small organizations into larger, global champions," said Fabien Wesse, Managing Partner and Head of Small Cap at Cathay Capital. "Small Cap is one of Cathay's most established investment strategies, having completed 75 growth private equity investments since inception, and today supporting founders with four transformation pillars: top-line growth, international expansion, digitalization, and impact. We look forward to continuing to support founders in developing these key value-creation drivers for a fast and sustainable growth trajectory."

Cathay Capital's latest fund is backed by a diverse group of existing and new global investors comprising sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, corporates, and family offices.

About Cathay Capital

Cathay Capital is a global private equity and venture capital investment firm supporting companies throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. The firm helps middle-market companies and startups navigate the opportunities for international expansion and sustainable transformation. Cathay is the partner of choice for companies aspiring to lead markets and make a positive impact. Its platform connects people with global reach and local expertise  from investors and entrepreneurs to management teams and leading corporations  to share knowledge, the tools to scale and to transform businesses.

Founded in 2007 with a strong entrepreneurial heritage, Cathay Capital now manages more than $5.5 billion in assets. It has made over 250 investments in verticals including healthcare, technology, and consumer from offices in Paris, New York, San Francisco, Munich, Berlin, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Singapore.

Media contact:

Mary Magnani, CodePR

[email protected]com

SOURCE Cathay Capital
DUBLIN, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation has been plagued by supply-chain constraints which have affected every part of the industry. In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, engine manufacturers have faced challenges due to a scarcity of skilled mechanics and component shortages.

Here, the Chairman of Avia Solutions Group, Gediminas Ziemelis, explains how the lack of aircraft engines and long turnaround times at engine shops are forcing airlines to make changes to their flight schedules at short notice, threatening another chaotic summer season.

Gediminas Ziemelis, Chairman of the Board of Avia Solutions Group

Engine shortages affecting flight schedules

KLM Cityhopper, the regional airline operator of Netherlands-based KLM, warned in May 2023 that it would have to make adjustments to its summer timetable. The company said that the forced changes demonstrate the serious and far-reaching issues of engine shortages facing the industry.

KLM Cityhopper blamed difficulties with fully deploying the Embraer E195-E2 on changes to its flight schedules. As an alternative, the airline will retain older Embraer E190 aircraft and sign wet lease agreements to mitigate the impact as much as possible.

Latvia's airBaltic was also forced to wet lease aircraft for the summer period after its PW1500G-powered Airbus A220 fleet was negatively impacted by long turnaround times at engine shops. The airline currently has 10 Airbus A220 aircraft which are either stored or under maintenance and is wet leasing up to eight jets from various operators, including four Airbus A320s from Avion Express.

In total, 219 jets powered by the PW1000G aircraft engine family have been impacted by supply chain problems and are currently not operating commercial flights, according to analysis conducted by Cirium in June 2023. The aircraft affected by the problem include the Airbus A220, A321neo, and the Embraer E2 family.

An industry-wide problem for aviation

The difficulties are not exclusive to the PW1000G family, though.

The CFM International LEAP engine family has also been affected by problems. Recently, 88 LEAP-powered aircraft have been grounded . This includes up to 56 aircraft powered by the LEAP-1A engine, including the A320neo and A321neo models. Furthermore, up to 32 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which are powered by LEAP-1B engines, are either in storage or in maintenance.

In addition to all of these problems, this is a vicious cycle for airlines. While the newer engines are much more efficient, they require more frequent visits to the shops, where supply chain restrictions are slowing down the turnaround times at Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) companies. At the same time, as airlines began preparations for summer by sending aircraft and engines to shops to ensure checks are completed before the peak season, a still ramping-up supply chain was unable to cope with additional demand, resulting in increased maintenance times for both airframes and propulsion systems.

This has impacted even the largest aircraft, with Qantas saying that slot constraints at MROs have delayed the return on some of its Airbus A380 aircraft.

Impacting summer travel plans

Airlines plan their schedules ahead of time, assuming demand for certain routes based on historic data, while also opening new connections on the assumption that enough people want to travel on the route, and they are willing to pay enough for the airline to recoup its expenses and investment.

As such, if a route opened with the expectation that costs would be capped at a certain amount, a sudden switch to wet lease capacity to keep planes in the air is likely to result in higher charges. As such, the airline would be forced to operate at a loss to maintain its reputation, or pass the additional costs onto the consumer, leading to more expensive tickets.

In the worst-case scenario, the flight would be canceled or significantly delayed, possibly impacting connections and other itineraries. This has the potential to create the chaos seen during the summer of 2022.

But that is the bleakest picture. Fully aware of the supply chain challenges, airlines have reached out to Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) operators to cover their commitments for the next few months, at least until the peak season begins to wind down in the fall of 2023, as a solution for their capacity shortage. Another strategy has been keeping older aircraft in service or extending lease agreements, ensuring that passengers can still travel, while the airline manages to sustain a functional flight network.

Overall, since March 26, 2023, when the International Air Transport Association (IATA) summer season began, airlines have, according to ch-aviation data, wet leased up to 51 aircraft globally, covering their capacity needs in the short term.

Only time will tell whether that will be enough, considering that some engines have struggled to operate reliably in hot and/or harsh weather environments, resulting in shorter time-on-wing hours.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2143429/Avia_Solutions_Group.jpg

SOURCE Avia Solutions Group
The Awards Honor Creative Solutions to Some of the Biggest Issues Facing the World Today

MIAMI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ChenMed, one of the nation's leading primary care providers focused on serving seniors, is proud to announce it is one of the companies recognized in Fast Company's 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. The competition honors sustainable designs, innovative products, bold social initiatives, and other creative projects that are changing the way we work, live and interact with the world.

We are honored to be recognized for our model's potential to change the world.  Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of ChenMed Tweet this ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management, and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. Dr. Chad Hines, left, and other ChenMed clinicians are transforming care for seniors by delivering VIP service and better health outcomes through more than 125 centers in 15 states

ChenMed was named a Finalist in both the Large Business and Established Excellence categories for its mission to provide concierge healthcare to the most vulnerable, underserved people. The ChenMed model is a holistic approach that holds physicians accountable for patient outcomes and eliminates the traditional fee-for-service healthcare system that only works for the people collecting fees. The organization's approach to transforming healthcare could truly change the world by addressing healthcare inequity and implementing more preventive health practices.

"It's thrilling to see the creativity and innovation that are so abundant among this year's honorees," says Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "While it's easy to feel discouraged by the state of the world, the entrepreneurs, companies and nonprofits featured in this package show the limitless potential to address society's most urgent problems. Our journalists have highlighted some of the most exciting and impactful work being done todayfrom housing to equity to sustainabilityand we look forward to seeing not only how these projects evolve but how they inspire others to develop solutions of their own."

This year's World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 45 winners, 216 finalists, and more than 300 honorable mentionswith health, climate, energy, and AI among the most popular categories. A panel of Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 2,200 entries across urban design, education, nature, politics, technology, corporate social responsibility, and more. Several new categories were added this year including rapid response, crypto and blockchain, agriculture, and workplace. The 2023 awards feature entries from across the globe, from Italy to Singapore to New Zealand.

"We know that we change the lives of our patients, their families, and our team members every day, as well as bringing positive change to the communities in which we operate," said Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of ChenMed. "We are honored to be recognized for our model's potential to change the world. We hope more healthcare providers are willing to take bold actions to move away from the broken fee-for-service model and embrace transformative, value-based care."

Fast Company's Spring 2023 issue showcases some of the world's most inventive entrepreneurs and forward-thinking companies that are actively tackling global challenges. The solutions cover everything from water reuse in urban environments and modular housing to an initiative combating book bans and a program that spotlights trans-friendly salons around the world.

About Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards

World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company's major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.

About ChenMed

ChenMed is a privately owned medical, technology and management company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. The company operates more than 125 senior medical centers in 15 states. Named one of Fortunes 2020 "Change the World" companies, twice named a "Most Loved Workplace" by Newsweek, and a certified Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute, ChenMed brings concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, JenCare Senior Medical Center and IntuneHealth. Its leading value-based, healthcare technology organization, Curity, was recently named a "Best Place to Work in IT" by ComputerWorld. See ChenMeds 2022 Impact Report.

SOURCE ChenMed
ZURICH, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) will hold its second quarter earnings conference call on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

The company expects to issue its second quarter earnings release and financial supplement after the market closes on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. These documents will be available on the company's investor website at investors.chubb.com.

The earnings conference call will be available via live webcast at investors.chubb.com or by dialing 877-400-4403 (within the United States) or 332-251-2601 (international), passcode 1641662. Please refer to the Chubb website under Events and Presentations for details. A replay will be available after the call at the same location. To listen to the replay, click here to register and receive dial-in numbers.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

SOURCE Chubb Limited
New-Age Italian Content Provider Has Deployed Amagi's Premier Cloud Solutions, Amagi CLOUDPORT and Amagi THUNDERSTORM, to Amplify Its Reach and Revenue on FAST

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced a partnership with CIAO USA TV to amplify the distribution and monetization of CIAO USA TV's channel on Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST). CIAO USA TV caters to Italians worldwide with customized content and advertising. Amagi will distribute the platform's content to multiple FAST platforms, including an owned and operated (O&O) platform, and enable it to monetize their channel better with dynamic server-side ad insertion.

"Niche content providers like CIAO USA TV are the lifeblood of the FAST ecosystem. Their customized programming keeps audiences engaged and coming back for more, said Srinivasan KA, Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer, Amagi. "We look forward to facilitating their growth with our comprehensive distribution network and ad solutions specifically tailored to FAST."

Besides employing Amagi's innovative channel creation, distribution, and monetization solutions  Amagi CLOUDPORT and Amagi THUNDERSTORM  CIAO USA TV is also exploring the possibility of leveraging Amagi's first-party ad platform, Amagi ADS PLUS, to boost their ad revenues, and Amagi's end-to-end content marketplace to reach more audiences in the CTV-led FAST universe.

"With Amagi as our technology and distribution partner, our brand expansion strategy is on the fast track," said Giuseppe Barone, CEO of CIAO USA TV. "We are keen to take this partnership to the next level with more channel launches, higher audience engagement, and revenue growth."

Amagi provides a complete suite of solutions for channel creation, distribution, and monetization. Amagi's global clients include ABS-CBN, AccuWeather, A+E Networks UK, Cinedigm, Cox Media Group, Crackle Plus, Fremantle, Gannett, Gusto TV, NBCUniversal, Tastemade, The Roku Channel, and Vice Media, among others.

For more information about Ciao USA TV and its streaming TV solutions, visit www.ciaousa.tv.

About CIAO USA TV

CIAO USA TV Channel is the perfect medium for delivering and consuming Italian ad formats and new shows to display and sell, live show broadcasts and brand building to the Italians worldwide.

CIAO USA TV advertising is actively changing the experience for Italian TV advertising and how Italian shows are delivered. CIAO USA TV as a platform is universal in the ability to make content available from any spot in the world. As linear TV for advertising and shows loses its former relevance, CIAO USA TV is massively paving the road for flexible and selectively produced shows and advertising. CIAO USA TV delivers through Amazon devices, Google devices, Apple devices, Samsung TVs, LG TVs service, online web-players, and much more.

CIAO USA TV Channel own produced shows and ads gives your business the opportunity to reach viewers on another screen, expanding the impact of your digital and cable TV schedules. In fact, when you combine CIAO USA produced shows and advertising with CIAO USA TV, your brand favorability triples among audiences.

CIAO USA TV produced shows and advertising buyers target their audience in a highly responsive delivering 60 second to 10-minute full screen video ads to completion with no bypassing. CIAO USA TV advertising is a powerful and efficient way to reach consumers through cross device targeting where you know who your audience is and allows you to stay connected with your audience. CIAO USA TV produced shows are exclusively produced by shows engaging Italian brands based in the USA and Italy that will produce shows based on many different variables and length giving the most brand effectiveness and awareness across the USA and worldwide.

About Amagi

Amagi is a next-generation media technology company that provides cloud broadcast and targeted advertising solutions to broadcast TV and streaming TV platforms. Amagi enables content owners to launch, distribute and monetize live linear channels on Free Ad-supported Streaming TV and video services platforms. Amagi also offers 24x7 cloud-managed services bringing simplicity, advanced automation, and transparency to the entire broadcast operations. Overall, Amagi supports 700+ content brands, 800+ playout chains, and over 2100 channel deliveries on its platform in over 40 countries. Amagi has a presence in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Paris, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, and broadcast operations in New Delhi, and an innovation center in Bengaluru (Bangalore).

Agency Contact:

Joseph Lesieutre

Wall Street Communications

Email: [email protected]

Amagi Contact:

Sanjay Kirimanjeshwar

Vice President - Corporate Marketing

Email: [email protected]

CIAO USA TV Contacts:

Giuseppe Barone, CEO

[email protected]tv

+1 917-291-6041

www.ciaousa.tv

Calogero Drago, COO

[email protected]

+1 631-404-6285

www.ciaousa.tv

Yashaswini Kumar

Senior Manager - Marketing

Email: [email protected]com

SOURCE Amagi Media Labs Pvt. Ltd
WASHINGTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) announces the successful launch of its groundbreaking initiative, " Democracy for the People ," with an impactful event held in South Carolina hosted by Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford, Congressman James Clyburn and Members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Building on this momentum, the tour is set to continue with upcoming events in several cities across the United States, rallying Black Americans to actively participate in shaping their democracy.

Each stop on the tour features a two-part event provides a vital forum for discourse with decision-makers at the pinnacle of policymaking, ensuring that the voices and concerns of marginalized communities are not only heard but also heeded, facilitates voter registration, and delivers comprehensive organizer training on pressing matters of democracy and racial equality in America.

The tour will proceed to the following cities on the specified dates:

Location Date New Orleans, Louisiana Saturday, July 1st Las Vegas, Nevada Saturday, July 8th Orlando, Florida Saturday, July 15th New York City, New York Saturday, July 22nd Houston, Texas Wednesday, July 26th Boston, Massachusetts Saturday, July 29th Atlanta, Georgia Sunday, Aug. 6th Biloxi, Mississippi Thu. Aug. 10 and Fri. Aug. 11th Washington, DC Saturday, August 26th



"Last month, the Congressional Black Caucus' National Summit on Democracy and Race convened policymakers, community activists and thought leaders to discuss and begin to map out solutions that confront the perpetual threats against our democracy and basic freedoms. The summit culminated in the formation of Democracy for the People, a national initiative spearheaded by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute to mobilize people of color and a multigenerational coalition in the fight for democracy," says Congressional Black Caucus Institute Executive Director Vanessa Griddine.

"This platform arose in response to the expulsion of Black legislators in Tennessee, book bans, and Supreme Court cases on voting rights, redistricting, and affirmative action. We want Black Americans to know that we are showing up everyday, in new and innovative ways in the fight for democracy, social justice, and economic equity. We are grateful to the CBCI for spearheading this much needed initiative," says Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford.

Attendees and media may visit http://democracyforthepeople.org to learn more about upcoming events.

About Congressional Black Caucus Institute: CBCI stands as a resolute and transformative force, dedicated to informing, inspiring and igniting African Americans and communities of color across the United States. As the 501(c)(4) educational, research, and bi-partisan arm of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the CBCI embraces the mission of advancing social, economic, and political equality through innovative programs, policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

SOURCE Congressional Black Caucus Institute
Seizure Safe Schools Legislation Now Passed in 22 States

BOWIE, Md. and MIDDLETOWN, Conn., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut announced today that Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 6882 into law on June 28, bringing Seizure Safe Schools legislation to 22 states in the nation. The bill safeguards physician-directed care in a school setting and helps school personnel manage students living with epilepsy or a seizure disorder. There are 470,000 children living with epilepsy in the U.S., including 4,500 children and teens in Connecticut. For students living with epilepsy, it is important that schools are well-equipped with the tools necessary to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.

"We are incredibly grateful to see this bill become a reality after a lot of hard work," said Jessica Loffredo, a parent, teacher, and advocate who spearheaded this effort. "Not only is this bill important because I have a child with epilepsy, but also because every student, regardless of their diagnosis, should feel safer at school. It might even invite students back to school instead of choosing the home-school setting. Training school personnel empowers them to take quick action and ensures everyone who cares for students has the skillset needed to administer seizure first aid in or out of the classroom. This legislation also provides peace of mind and support to parents who are sending their child off to school."

House Bill 6882 will require local and regional boards of education to provide an in-service training program for certified school personnel (teachers, administrators, pupil personnel) on seizure recognition and first-aid response, as well as information about seizure action plans for students. In addition, school personnel who are authorized to administer medication under CT Gen Stat  10-212a (2018) must receive an in-service training program on the administration of seizure rescue therapies, including the use of a vagus nerve stimulator magnet. Under current statute, those who are authorized to administer medication shall not be held liable for civil damages if acting in good faith.

"Helping teachers, administrators and support staff to recognize seizure situations so they can intervene immediately and facilitate proper care, makes our school spaces safer for students with epilepsy," said State Representative Jeff Currey (District 11), House Chair of the Education Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly. "I am so grateful to the advocates who shared their children's heartbreaking struggles with seizures. Their stories crystallized the need for such a policy in our schools and decidedly reinforced how important voices from outside the confines of the Capitol matter to the legislative process."

The Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut commend all the advocates, families, and legislators who helped get the bill across the finish line. A special thank you goes out to the House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Jeff Currey.

"We are thrilled that Connecticut will join the ranks of many states that have passed this critical legislation," said Cherie Poirier, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut. "Despite its prevalence, epilepsy and seizure disorders are still misunderstood. It is our goal that this bill will serve as a tool to educate and raise more awareness about seizures to help end the stigma attached to epilepsy."

The Epilepsy Foundation continues to work with its network of local offices, grassroots advocates, and nearly 40 organizational partners to pass this bill in the remaining states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about each state's legislative efforts, contact [email protected]. For information about free seizure first aid trainings, visit epilepsy.com/FirstAid.

About Epilepsy

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.

About the Epilepsy Foundation

With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services and research for new therapies. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut

The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut is all about people helping people with epilepsy. The state-wide organization provides advocacy, education, and resources for those living with epilepsy and their loved ones. Through support groups, mental health programs, seizure first aid training, memory & cognition programs, financial assistance, and more, EFCT helps those living with epilepsy find the support they need. To learn more visit epilepsyct.com or call 860-346-1924

SOURCE Epilepsy Foundation
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteers from the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will make sure that hundreds of flowers and intricate bouquets from the American Institute of Floral Designers Symposium in Chicago next week won't go to waste. The award-winning bouquets will be delivered to several of the city's 25 police stations and given to police officers and their spouses.

"We're just trying to spread a little joy this summer," said Pappas. "Police officers put their lives on the line for the citizens of this city each and every day. This is just a small way of saying: 'Thanks, Officer.'"

The flower design show, which runs July 1  6 at the Hilton Chicago, is the floral industry's premiere floral design education event attracting the industry's leading business owners, floral artists, suppliers and event professionals.

Hundreds of flowers and bouquets from the show will be picked up and delivered to area police stations daily by volunteers from the Treasurer's Office and from Bloom 'N Toss, a Chicago-area company that donates and repurposes flowers to hospitals and nursing homes. Catherine Costello, the owner of Bloom 'N Toss, is coordinating the effort.

"When I first learned about this incredible opportunity to recycle these flowers and bouquets that have been created by the most talented hands in the floral industry I immediately reached out to Treasurer Pappas," said Costello. "I knew because of her extensive outreach work she would be able to help with this truly worthwhile endeavor."

In addition to familiar flowers like carnations, roses and sunflowers, the bouquets will feature exotic tropical flowers like pincushion protea, heliconia and orchids.

SOURCE Cook County Treasurer's Office
China's booming Pearl River Delta, a key pharma manufacturing hub, sees rapid internationalisation

SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CPHI & PMEC China will open a special roadshow to be hosted at the PWTC Expo (4-6 September, 2023) in the city of Guangzhou (Guangdong Province). The new addition to this year's CPHI calendar is in recognition of the sizable growth and international demand for manufacturers from the South China region.

Jenny Leung, Regional Manager, Informa Markets: "CPHI & PMEC China has become synonymous with China's rise as a prominent global pharmaceutical manufacturing and ingredient producing powerhouse. Just like the multi-centre hubs observed in the United States, China now boasts several key pharmaceutical regions, with the Pearl River Delta chief among these. Recognizing this development, we realised that the timing was perfect to launch a special event in south China while our main event remained based in Shanghai. A final benefit - with international partnerships pivotal to growth strategies - is the region's impressive [six day] visa-free access for over 60 countries, which makes it an exceedingly favourable location."

In total some 200+ regional companies are expected and the event has been tailored to international attendees from across pan Asia, as well as those from as far Europe and the USA. Over 10,000 visitors will be welcomed to an exhibition space of some 10,000sqm with more than 10 onsite conferences.

The event opens at the ideal moment following last year's Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RPEC) agreement, with many pharma companies in South China now planning to go further into global markets. The Guangdong region is home to China's second largest number of CDMOs and is the country's top ranked R&D centre[1]. Significantly for manufacturers in the region, many global customers are looking to further expand their supply chain options in China and the region is anticipated to expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing base quickly.

Event highlights include the CPHI Hosted Buyer Program, a CXO Industry Innovation Conference, an API-related policy forum, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Innovation and Development Summit, and a CMC Innovation Workshop.

There are also special programs dedicated to the rapidly growing biological base in the region with the Synthetic Biological Manufacturing Forum, as well as recognition of its transformation to advanced manufacturing  in the form of the "Intelligent" Pharmaceutical Factory Construction, Operation and Maintenance Workshop.

Leung added "CPHI & PMEC is at the heart of pharma in China and with the Guangdong region now home to one of the world's largest manufacturing bases we listened to the local industry to bring a dedicated event for the region. This coupled with recent freedom of international travel in China gives us the opportunity to help further accelerate this growth with a unique three day exhibition to foster those vital pan-Asian partnerships."

For further information, please visit: https://www.cphi.com/china/en/roadshow.html

For media enquiries, please contact:

Jennifer Yang

T: +86 21 3339 2533

E: [email protected]

SOURCE CPHI and PMEC China 2023
MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Cymat Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: CYM) (OTCQB: CYMHF) (the "Company" or "Cymat") is pleased to provide the following updates on the Company's advances in its current technical and business development initiatives, predominantly for its architectural, automotive, and military verticals, which are now expected to generate meaningful revenue on or before fiscal year end.

Automotive: SmartMetalTM

Cymat's most recent announcement (June 20, 2023), described the advancement to prototyping and physical testing stage of its innovative composite solution for the underside impact protection of a new electric vehicle's battery enclosure. Further to this, Cymat is excited to announce that a testing facility has now been selected with testing scheduled for early August 2023. Upon the successful completion of these tests, Cymat expects to commence with serial production pricing negotiations that should culminate in a purchase order The Company is also close to finalizing a manufacturing arrangement to deliver the component, with an initial order of 46,000 components per year with delivery commencing within 12 months.

Further to the releases issued July 5, 2022, and December 13, 2022, announcing two component development agreements with a global automotive manufacturer ("OEM"), Cymat is pleased to advise that it remains actively engaged with the OEM on both components. Although circumstances at the OEM have led to longer than originally projected timelines, the Company expects to advance these development programs to the prototyping stage and ultimately to significant production orders. The OEM has acknowledged the merits of Cymat's innovative solutions and their utility for lighter, safer, and more economical components for EV battery enclosures. Accordingly, the OEM has indicated an interest in engaging Cymat to undertake additional component development work in this area.

Military: SmartMetalTM

The Company's release of September 20, 2021, disclosed initial production orders for underbelly blast protection kits from an Asian military vehicle manufacturer. Cymat is now pleased to announce that it is currently in negotiations with the manufacturer for a long-term serial production contract for these kits which it expects to finalize imminently. This contract will initially cover approximately half of its 700-vehicle fleet with kits to be delivered over the following 3 years. Cymat is also seeing indications that the vehicle manufacturer is actively marketing these kits to other country's militaries that currently deploy the same vehicle.

In addition, the Company's multi-threat panel customer has recently received full US military certification for the first variant of its product and is scheduled to complete final certification of the other variant in August. Upon successful achievement of the latter, Cymat expects to receive substantial orders for its military grade panels to fulfill this customer's order pipeline.

Nuclear: SmartMetalTM

The Company has received notice from NUVIA Group, its primary nuclear distributor in France, that Cymat will soon receive a multi-million-dollar panel order for a major new nuclear installation in France. The application is for protection against external threats and seismic events, which establishes an entirely new use-case for SmartMetalTM in this industry. This adds a substantial new revenue stream for Cymat.

Non-Lethal Bullets: SmartMetalTM

Cymat previously issued a release on November 25, 2019, announcing that the French Armed Forces had certified the use of non-lethal bullets utilizing Cymat's SmartMetalTM. The Company is pleased to announce that after an extended period of inactivity, Cymat's customer, Nobel Sport, recently requested a quote for a further order of 25,000 bullets for the French military. Cymat has provided the quotation and is discussing the delivery schedule with Nobel Sport. Entry into this large market opens up a very scalable opportunity for Cymat to become a dominant supplier to the non-lethal bullet market.

Architecture/Design: AlusionTM

Cymat is entering its 2024 fiscal year with a record order pipeline of over $8 million. It appears that delays in construction start dates for its major cladding projects, experienced during the fall of last year and into the first calendar quarter of 2023 in both Europe and the U.S., have finally abated. The Company has also been replacing underperforming agents and distributors with new ones and providing them more extensive marketing and technical support. This has resulted in a significant increase in quoting activity over the previous year, leading Cymat to foresee substantial AlusionTM sales growth this year.

Alucoil JV ( Spain )

Several years ago, Cymat announced a joint venture with Alucoil in Spain, to produce brazed aluminum sheet/aluminum foam composite panels to be utilized principally in the architectural cladding market. While a plant has already been constructed in Spain, Cymat is still working with Rio Tinto and the National Research Council of Canada ("NRC") to perfect the brazing technology to be deployed therein. The NRC has successfully completed the first of 2 phases of this work and Cymat expects the final phase to commence imminently.

About Cymat Technologies Ltd.

Cymat Technologies Ltd. has the global rights, through patents and established know-how, to manufacture and sell Stabilized Aluminum Foam ("SAF"), a unique, ultra-light, cellular metallic material. The proprietary production process entails the injection of gases through a molten bath of alloyed aluminum infused with ceramic particles. The result is an advanced, lightweight, recyclable material that exhibits unique characteristics including customizable density and dimensions; mechanical energy absorption; thermal and acoustic insulation; and time, temperature and strain-rate insensitivity. A key benefit of this continuous foam production process is its scalability and resultant low cost of production. SAF is used in such industries as architectural design, military and automotive. Cymat markets its architectural SAF under the AlusionTM brand and its automotive and military SAF under the SmartMetalTM brand. For further information, please visit our website at www.cymat.com .

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. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements may be discussed in this news release and the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis filed at www.sedar.com. 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.

SOURCE Cymat Technologies Ltd.
EU calls on Belarus, Iran to stop supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine  summit conclusions

The leaders of the European Union have condemned the continued military support for Russia's war of aggression provided by Iran and Belarus.

This is stipulated in the conclusions of the European Council dedicated to Ukraine that were approved on the results of the EU Summit in Brussels on Thursday.

"The European Council condemns the continued military support for Russia's war of aggression provided by Iran and Belarus. Belarus must stop allowing Russian armed forces to use its territory, including for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. Iran must stop providing drones to Russia," the document says.

The EU leaders also said that Russia "continues to weaponize food, thus undermining global food security."

"The European Council is deeply concerned by the continued slowdown in the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and calls for the swift and full resumption of its operation. The EU's Solidarity Lanes remain instrumental in bolstering food security," the summit conclusions said.

In addition, the EU welcomed the decision to further increase the financial ceiling of the European peace facility by EUR 3.5 billion in order "to preserve the global geographical scope of the Facility, to continue providing military support to Ukraine and to maintain the Union's ability to prevent and swiftly respond to crisis and conflicts and to build capacity through its training missions."
DATAMARK to provide series of statewide training sessions to PSAP and GIS leaders

PITTSBURGH, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker International, announced today that the firm has been selected by the New Mexico E9-1-1 Bureau to provide Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) GIS training to Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and GIS leaders throughout the state. DATAMARK kicked off a recurring series of GIS and addressing best practices training sessions at the New Mexico Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) / National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Conference in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in May 2023.

"New Mexico joins many other states in taking a thoughtful and proactive approach to NG9-1-1 education for the state's PSAPs, having recognized that early education and planning is crucial to the Bureau's success," said Robert Murphy, Director of Business Development at DATAMARK, Michael Baker International. "Our DATAMARK team will draw on extensive educational outreach and experience with successful NG9-1-1 projects to support New Mexico in raising awareness and understanding of the key elements of a successful NG9-1-1 transition. This project will lay the foundation through valuable knowledge-sharing and training on NG9-1-1 GIS processes and workflows."

New Mexico joins a growing list of statewide clients turning to DATAMARK for complex and diverse NG9-1-1 GIS services. This includes the Alabama 9-1-1 Board, State of Idaho, State of Oklahoma, State of Maine and local governments in twenty-two states.

"DATAMARK has demonstrated a thorough understanding of NG9-1-1 GIS needs and an ability to communicate those needs to a wide range of stakeholders, so our program is pleased to work with DATAMARK towards a NextGen solution," said Tyler Fosset, New Mexico 9-1-1 GIS Coordinator.

The project includes the on-site facilitation of two different educational courses, Intro to NG9-1-1 GIS and NG9-1-1 GIS Transition. DATAMARK's Intro to NG9-1-1 GIS course introduces PSAP and GIS leaders to NENA standards and best practices and will describe the workflows required to ensure that NG9-1-1 GIS data meets NENA standards to support geospatial call routing. The NG9-1-1 GIS Transition course provides attendees with information to establish processes, describe the functions of NG9-1-1 systems, provide an intermediate understanding of GIS, discuss how Next Generation Core Services use GIS, and detail how data governance affects data completeness. Courses will be held throughout the state over the next several months to provide equal access to educational opportunities to all New Mexico PSAPs.

About DATAMARK

As trusted advisors in public safety, DATAMARK brings comprehensive, real-world expertise in police, fire, EMS and 9-1-1 leadership roles to Next Generation 9-1-1 transitions. The DATAMARK team leads the industry by shaping rules and legislation, and by building a suite of products and services that ensure accurate emergency response location data in life-critical situations. DATAMARK empowers its team and stakeholder partners to foster trusted relationships and cultivate data integrity for informed decision making. DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker International, has decades of proven experience in mission-critical government addressing projects. The team works with clients to solve their complex needs, from data quality checks and addressing to workflow analysis and more. Learn more about the company at www.datamarkgis.com and follow DATAMARK on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook .

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations  like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

The firm's more than 3,500 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while Reimagining Michael Baker to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm over the next five years.

To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Contact: Julia Covelli

[email protected]

(866) 293-4609

SOURCE DATAMARK
Deloitte announces plans to adapt its Trustworthy AI framework for CRM to accelerate the Salesforce AI Cloud journey

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Deloitte Digital and Salesforce announced a collaboration to provide organizations around the world with the accelerators and strategies they need to deploy trusted AI for CRM. Deloitte Digital will offer its AI services, industry experience, and deep knowledge of data protection to help organizations implement and scale Salesforce AI Cloud, Salesforce's suite of trusted, open and business-ready generative AI-powered applications . Together, Deloitte Digital and Salesforce will help clients harness the power of AI for CRM to deliver tailored customer experiences, supercharge company productivity and safeguard their data.

Deploying AI for CRM requires a paramount focus on trust and data security. New Salesforce research reveals that 73% of employees perceive generative AI as introducing new security risks, and almost 60% of those intending to use the technology lack knowledge regarding data security measures. Deloitte's Trustworthy AITM framework highlights six fundamental dimensions for the effective deployment of AI: fairness and impartiality; transparency and explainability; responsibility and accountability; robustness and reliability; privacy preservation; and safety and security, as announced previously.

Deloitte recently announced a new Generative AI practice that combines the leading services, AI talent and deep industry experience that enterprise leaders need as they design their Generative AI strategies and create innovative AI-fueled applications. Deloitte's Trustworthy AI framework helps clients develop necessary safeguards and balance competing ethical priorities during product development and operation.

"For many years, Deloitte has been leading the industry in AI capabilities anchored in trust. With our extended focus and collaboration with Salesforce, we are able to offer our clients the technical experience and industry-specific knowledge to help them design, develop and deploy AI solutions that optimize CRM processes, enable personalized customer interactions, and generate actionable insights for strategic decision-making," said Jim Rowan, principal and U.S. leader for Deloitte Consulting's Strategy & Analytics business.

Deloitte Digital will collaborate with Salesforce to offer clients a comprehensive set of tools to help accelerate their AI for CRM journeys and implement AI in an effective and trustworthy way. In this collaboration, clients will have access to:

Strategies Ready to Deploy AI for CRM : Quantitative, research-backed trust framework to prepare clients to deploy AI for CRM in a way that helps them address the security, privacy and compliance requirements of their customers and fosters loyalty and brand equity.

: Quantitative, research-backed trust framework to prepare clients to deploy AI for CRM in a way that helps them address the security, privacy and compliance requirements of their customers and fosters loyalty and brand equity. Industry-Specific AI Use Cases : AI readiness labs at Deloitte Digital studios, with dedicated industry-specific immersive experiences to explore the potential of generative AI and accelerate the adoption of Salesforce AI Cloud across various sectors, including technology, health care, and financial services.

: AI readiness labs at Deloitte Digital studios, with dedicated industry-specific immersive experiences to explore the potential of generative AI and accelerate the adoption of Salesforce AI Cloud across various sectors, including technology, health care, and financial services. Upskilling in AI for CRM Success: The Deloitte AI Academy 's commitment to upskill 10,000 professionals across the globe will include training programs to develop and enhance generative AI for CRM skills, fostering the next generation of talent.

"Deloitte Digital helps organizations leverage generative AI technologies responsibly and ethically. As the world's most trusted brand, Deloitte is uniquely positioned to help our clients prepare for this exciting phase of innovation. Our collaboration with Salesforce signifies our dedication to building the foundation for AI-driven transformation in sector-specific CRM use cases," said Maximilian Schroeck, global chief commercial officer for Salesforce, Deloitte Global.

Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce AI, added, "Today every organization must become an AI-first company to compete, and that can only be done by adopting technologies rooted in trust and transparency. Salesforce's work with Deloitte Digital will help ensure organizations have the strategies and technologies they need to confidently adopt and deploy AI for CRM, driving personalized customer experiences and immediate business outcomes."

Salesforce AI Cloud is built for CRM to power customer experiences and company productivity by bringing together AI, data, analytics and automation to provide trusted, open, real-time generative AI that is enterprise ready. AI Cloud will enable sales reps, and developers to unlock efficiency, enhanced experiences and accelerate growth.

Delivering work in over 40 countries, Deloitte Digital will bring its global breadth and depth of Salesforce experience to help clients deploy AI for CRM at scale. Deloitte Digital will share perspectives on this topic and many others at Salesforce's London World Tour on June 29, 2023.

Deloitte Digital combines consulting and creativity to solve new problems with new ideas and unlock growth across the entire customer experience. By uniting leading digital and creative capabilities with the deep industry knowledge and experience Deloitte is known for, we help clients tackle their biggest challenges. New problems are arriving faster than ever before and we're using creativity, purpose, and technology as our solution to power modern business transformation. Alongside all of Deloitte, we foster the connections necessary to shape a better future for our clients, culture, society, and the planet. Visit https://www.deloittedigital.com/us/en.html or follow Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn , Twitter , or Instagram to learn more.

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Salesforce empowers companies of every size and industry to connect with their customers in a whole new way through the power of AI + data + CRM. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com .

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About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace  delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 415,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com .

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SOURCE Deloitte Consulting LLP
The growth of global dental cartridge syringe market is driven by increase in the adoption of dental cartridge syringe, increase in geriatric population, and high adoption of non-disposable cartridge syringes.

PORTLAND, Ore., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Dental Cartridge Syringe Market: By Type (Aspirating Dental Syringes, Non-Aspirating Dental Syringes, and Self-Aspirating Syringes), By Product (Non-disposable Dental Syringes, and Disposable Dental Syringes), By End User (Hospital, Dental Clinics, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032" According to the report, the global dental cartridge syringe industry generated $0.12 billion in 2022, and is anticipated to generate $0.19 billion by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 4.7% from 2023 to 2032.

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Prime determinants of growth

Rise in the incidences of dental and oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease, increase in geriatric population suffering from oral diseases, and high adoption of non-disposable cartridge syringes due to higher availability and various benefits associated with non-disposable cartridge syringe drive the growth of the global dental cartridge syringe market. However, the shortage of expert dental specialists in developing countries is hampering the dental cartridge syringe market growth. On the contrary, the growth opportunities in emerging markets including increase in awareness about the importance of oral health and rise in prevalence of oral diseases are expected to offer remunerative opportunities for expansion of the dental cartridge syringe market during the forecast period.

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2032 Market Size in 2022 $0.12 billion Market Size in 2032 $0.19 billion CAGR 4.7 % No. of Pages in Report 254 Segments covered Type, Product, End User, and Region Drivers Rise in incidences of dental and oral diseases Increase in geriatric population High adoption of non-disposable cartridge syringe Opportunity Growth opportunities in emerging markets Restraint Shortage of expert dental specialists

Covid-19 Scenario

COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the global dental cartridge syringes market, owing to decrease in demand for dental cartridge syringes and the low hospitalization rate. Many surgeries were either canceled or postponed due to pandemic.

In addition, during the early stages of the pandemic, many dental clinics and practices worldwide were temporarily closed or restricted to providing emergency services only. This led to a significant reduction in routine dental procedures which negatively impacted the market growth.

However, the market is recovering after pandemic, and show stable growth for dental cartridge syringe market, owing to rise in the number of dental diseases along with rise in number of dental surgeries and an increase in awareness about oral health.

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The aspirating dental syringes segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on type, the aspirating dental syringes segment held the largest market share in 2022, accounting for around three-fifths of the global dental cartridge syringe market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period, owing to rise in adoption of aspirating dental cartridge syringe as they allow precise and controlled delivery of anesthetic solutions to specific areas of the oral cavity, and ensuring the patient comfort during treatment. However, the self-aspirating syringes segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.8% from 2023 to 2032. The increase in demand for efficient and time-saving dental procedures, along with the benefits offered by self-aspirating syringes, is expected to drive their segment growth.

The non-disposable dental syringes segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on product, the non-disposable dental syringes segment held the largest market share in 2022, accounting for more than four-fifths of the global dental cartridge syringe market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period, owing to high adoption of non-disposable dental syringes due to their durability, easy to handle, and provide better accuracy while injecting. However, the disposable dental syringes segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 6.6% from 2023 to 2032, owing to rise in demand for disposable dental syringes as it does not require sterilization process, and cost effectively compared to non-disposable.

The dental clinics to maintain its dominance by 2032

Based on end user, the dental clinics segment held the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting for more than half of the global dental cartridge syringe market revenue. The same segment is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 5.4% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to the increase in the number of patient visits to dental clinics, increased number of dental procedures in dental clinics, and high demand of dental cartridge syringe from dental clinics.

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North America to maintain its dominance by 2032

Based on region, North America held the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global dental cartridge syringe market revenueand is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to robust healthcare infrastructure, availability of approved dental cartridge syringes and rise in dental expenditures. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 6.9% from 2023 to 2032, owing to a surge in need of dental procedures, rise in prevalence of dental caries, and increase in awareness regarding oral health.

Leading Market Players: -

AR Instrumed

B. Braun SE

Lifco

Henke Sass , Wolf GmbH

, Wolf GmbH Jalal Surgical

Septodont Holding

Snaa Industries

STERIS plc

Vista Apex

Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global dental cartridge syringe market. These players have adopted different strategies such as acquisitions to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
The global digital business card industry is experiencing growth due to factors such as increased environmental concerns, increased use of smartphones, and a rapid increase in contactless interaction.

PORTLAND, Ore., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report titled, "Digital Business Card Market by Platform (Android, IOS, and Windows) and User Type (Business User and Enterprise User): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032." According to the report, the global digital business card industry generated $159.4 million in 2022, and is anticipated to witness $505.2 million by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 12.6% from 2023 to 2032.

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Prime Determinants of Growth:

The global digital business card market is experiencing growth due to factors such as increased environmental concerns, increased use of smartphones, and a rapid increase in contactless interaction. However, lack of understanding and adoption of digital business card formats, as well as privacy and security concerns, present limits to market growth. As digital business cards may contain sensitive personal or professional information, ensuring data protection and preventing unauthorized access or misuse becomes crucial. On the contrary, the digital business cards market offers sustainability and cost saving presents a valuable opportunity for the global digital business card market growth.

Report Coverage & Details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $159.4 Million Market Size in 2032 $505.2 Million CAGR 12.6 % No. of Pages in Report 298 Segments covered Platform, User Type, and Region Drivers Increased environmental concerns Increased use of smartphones A rapid increase in contactless interaction Opportunities Offers sustainability and cost saving Restraints Lack of awareness and adoption Privacy and security concern

COVID-19 Scenario:

The outbreak of COVID-19 had a positive impact on the digital business card market. Due to the increased demand for contactless solutions and the accelerated digital transformation. The shift to remote work and virtual meetings highlighted the need for convenient ways to exchange contact information digitally, leading to a wider adoption of digital business card platforms.

Furthermore, the sustainability of digital business cards and the emphasis on minimizing physical materials were in line with the shifting business environment. Although there were some difficulties due to the economy, the overall trend favored the growth and acceptance of digital business cards during the pandemic.

However, the situation has recovered to normal, and the market has been growing rapidly.

The android segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period-

By platform, the android segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global digital business card market revenue, and is expected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the widespread adoption of Android devices across various demographics and regions. However, the iOS segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 16.0% from 2023 to 2032. This is due to the fact that iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads, enjoy a strong user base, particularly among professionals and business executives who prioritize sleek design and a seamless user experience.

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The business user segment to maintain its lion's share throughout the forecast period-

By user type, the business user segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global digital business card market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its lion's share throughout the forecast period. The same segment would also showcase the fastest CAGR of 13.2% during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the increasing emphasis on professional networking and digital transformation; businesses across industries are recognizing the advantages offered by digital business cards. The convenience, flexibility, and eco-friendly nature of digital alternatives have resonated particularly well with business users, driving their rapid adoption and market dominance.

Europe to maintain its dominance by 2032-

By region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting for more than one-third of the global digital business card market. Digital business cards offer a convenient way to exchange contact information at conferences, networking events, and casual encounters. Moreover, major cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Toronto have a higher concentration of digital business card users. On the other hand, Europe is likely to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 15.5% from 2023 to 2032, owing to the increase in smartphone penetration and the rise in need for contactless corporate communication in the region. Moreover, countries such as China, Japan, and India are likely to be important contributors to the growth of the Asia-Pacific digital business card market.

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Leading Market Players: -

Blinq Technologies Pty Ltd.

Haystack

HiHello, Inc.

Itzme

Mobilo

Popl

Spreadly GmbH

Tap

Uniqode Phygital, Inc. (Beaconstac)

Virtual Business Card

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global digital business card market. These players have adopted different strategies such as expansion and product launch to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolios, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
SINGAPORE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Web3 is one of the most widely discussed technological revolutions in the past three years, having risen to popularity on the backs of blockchain protocols such as Ethereum. The Web3 space has expanded rapidly beyond the blockchain layer, resulting in new innovations such as decentralized identity, wallets, SocialFi, GameFi, and artificial intelligence. One of the newest iterations of this decentralized technology revolution is a connected Web3 services platform called INTOverse.

INTOverse is a comprehensive Web3 ecosystem that integrates different aspects of Web3 such as multichain wallets, SocialFi, digital identity, and AI tools into a singular platform. INTOverse's goal is to fuel Web3 mass adoption through convenient communications and decentralized interactions. In fact, the platform has already gained over 55,000 active users, which shows its rapid growth over the last quarter.

INTOverse's key technologies include a blockchain-driven consensus layer, a decentralized storage layer, decentralized domain and identity services, multichain wallets, and a browser that gives users access to various DApps. INTOverse is applying these technologies in four different areas: Web3 social media, social fingerprint, AI assistance, and decentralized wallet.

INTOverse has developed an advanced chat and social function that allows users from all across the globe to talk to each other in one-on-one chats or group chats. So far, communication and an "earn" function from chatting is what the platform has targeted in its early stage. This earn function is called "social mining," where users can earn tokens effortlessly by chatting and communicating with their peers.

The introduction of social mining as a product has brought a new social experience to the blockchain community and constructed a refreshing approach to mining and earning platform tokens. Users who are marketers, brand developers, degens, creators, and the like can all experience INTOverse as a decentralized Instagram, Telegram, Facebook, or any other traditional Web2 social media platform and employ the platform for marketing, business development, community-building, and community management, all while earning while using INTO.

This feature and possibility means INTOverse is striving to build a better Web3 that's more user-friendly, data secure, and profitable for the common user.

About INTOverse

INTO is a Web3 community operation management solution that integrates encrypted wallet, Web3 social, digital identity, and AI assistance. Through a decentralized architecture, efficient management tools, and a rich system for community member evaluation, INTOverse provides for an open, free, efficient, and secure communication and transaction environment for Web3 users and communities.

For more information, visit Website | Twitter | Telegram | Discord | Medium |

SOURCE INTO
Electrify America continues to support CCS-1 plug standard while adding the availability of the NACS connector

RESTON, Va., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrify America announced today it will add the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector to Electrify America and Electrify Canada's fast charging networks as part of the company's commitment to broaden charging solutions for electric vehicle (EV) drivers today and in the future.

Electrify America will continue to provide the Combined Charging System (CCS-1) connector throughout its network as it transitions to also support automakers adding NACS charging ports. The company will work to offer a NACS connector option at existing and future charging stations by 2025 to make charging as convenient as possible for EV owners.

Electrify America to add NACS connector by 2025, continues to support CCS-1 connector standard Tweet this

"Since our founding, we have focused on building an inclusive and open hyper-fast charging network to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles," said Robert Barrosa, president and CEO of Electrify America. "We look forward to continuing to support industry-wide standards that increase vehicle interoperability and streamline public charging."

In addition to working with The Charging Interface Initiative (CharIN) and SAE International, Electrify America is participating in the newly created National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX), which will focus on strengthening the national charging infrastructure and improving the EV ownership experience.

As e-mobility accelerates, Electrify America will continue to deliver what the customers need. The addition of the NACS connector continues Electrify America's commitment to drive EV adoption forward and its focus on providing ultra-fast charging for all EVs. The fast-charging network has more than 850 charging stations with about 4,000 individual chargers in the United States and Canada. Electrify America and Electrify Canada stations feature chargers at 150 kilowatts (kW) and 350kW, some of the fastest charging speeds available today.

By opening up Electrify America's fast charging network to the hundreds of thousands of current and future EV drivers, it will support the EV industry growth by providing more charging options. As the company's inclusion of the NACS connector continues to evolve, Electrify America will share further updates on its progress, along with current and future station update plans over the coming months.

About Electrify America

Electrify America LLC, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., is investing more than $2 billion in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of ultra-fast community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. Electrify America currently operates in 46 states and the District of Columbia, supporting increased ZEV adoption with a network that is comprehensive, technologically advanced and customer friendly.

Electrify America earned the 2020 and 2021 "EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test" award from umlaut , an infrastructure and benchmarking specialist, now part of Accenture, as published in Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine . Electrify America's Electrify Home  offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial  provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs. For more information, visit media.electrifyamerica.com .

SOURCE Electrify America, LLC
NYSE American:EU

TSXV:EU

DALLAS, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - enCore Energy Corp. ("enCore" or the "Company") (NYSE American: EU) (TSXV: EU) announced today that Mr. Dain McCoig has been appointed as the Director of Technical Services effective immediately. Mr. McCoig brings over 15 years of experience at enCore's South Texas plants where he was focused on uranium extraction and In-Situ Recovery (ISR) processing. Mr. McCoig is responsible for engineering and technical support on all projects within the Company's production pipeline.

Mr. Dain McCoig, PE Director of Technical Services

Mr. McCoig began his career in 2004 as the Plant Engineer for Uranium Resources Inc. (URI) at the Kingsville Dome ISR Uranium Central Processing Plant (CPP) in South Texas, now owned by enCore Energy. As URI's Plant Superintendent, Senior Engineer, Manager of Operations and Vice President, Operations, Mr. McCoig worked on URI's South Texas and New Mexico projects. He was involved in all aspects of the uranium extraction process, including design, construction, operations and reclamation. Mr. McCoig oversaw the startup of the Rosita CPP (now owned by enCore Energy), the Kingsville CPP and the Vasquez project. He most recently served as Vice President of Operations during the construction of a graphite facility in Alabama before returning to the uranium extraction industry. Mr. McCoig has a BSc in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Paul Goranson, Chief Executive Officer, stated: "I am pleased to work with Dain again, a welcome addition to the strong technical team at enCore. His knowledge and previous experience at our processing plants is invaluable. An experienced team is our best asset as we simultaneously push the Rosita CPP and Alta Mesa CPP back into production."

South Dakota Mineral Industries Association

enCore congratulates Mr. Jon Winter, enCore's Permitting and Regulatory Affairs Manager, recently appointed as a Director of the Board of the South Dakota Mineral Industries Association (SDMIS). Find out more about the SDMIA here: https://sdmineralindustries.org/

About enCore Energy Corp.

enCore Energy Corp., America's Clean Energy Company, is committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable domestic nuclear energy by becoming the next United States uranium producer in 2023. enCore solely utilizes In-Situ Recovery (ISR) for uranium extraction, a well-known and proven technology co-developed by the leaders at enCore Energy. In-Situ Recovery extracts uranium in a non-invasive process using natural groundwater and oxygen, coupled with a proven ion exchange process, to recover the uranium. Uranium production is planned at enCore's licensed and past-producing South Texas Rosita Processing Plant in 2023, and at its licensed and past-producing South Texas Alta Mesa Processing Plant in 2024.

Future projects in enCore's production pipeline include the Dewey-Burdock project in South Dakota and the Gas Hills project in Wyoming, along with significant uranium resource endowments in New Mexico providing long term opportunities. The enCore team is led by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of ISR uranium operations and the nuclear fuel cycle. enCore diligently works to realize value from other owned assets, including our proprietary uranium database that includes technical information from many past producing companies, from our various non-core assets, and by leveraging our ISR expertise in researching opportunities that support the use of this technology as applied to other metals. enCore is also committed to working with local communities and indigenous governments to create positive impact from corporate developments.

Neither the NYSE American nor the TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain information contained in this news release, including any statements regarding future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "is expected", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; the ability of enCore to implement its business strategies; and other risks. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation exploration and development risks, changes in commodity prices, access to skilled mining personnel, the results of exploration and development activities; production risks; uninsured risks; regulatory risks; defects in title; the availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government approvals and unanticipated environmental impacts on operations; risks posed by the economic and political environments in which the Company operates and intends to operate; increased competition; assumptions regarding market trends and the expected demand and desires for the Company's products and proposed products; reliance on industry equipment manufacturers, suppliers and others; the failure to adequately protect intellectual property; the failure to adequately manage future growth; adverse market conditions, the failure to satisfy ongoing regulatory requirements and factors relating to forward looking statements listed above which include risks as disclosed in the Company's annual information form filings. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of management. Such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes and readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based 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.

SOURCE enCore Energy Corp.
Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, U.S. Navy, Retired joins Advisory Board and Chairs Maritime Security Council

Vice Admiral Sean A. Pybus, U.S. Navy, Retired joins Maritime Security Council

HOUSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Capital Vietnam (ECV), a project development and holding company established as a platform for direct investment into energy and infrastructure within Vietnam, is pleased to announce an appointment to its Advisory Board and the formation of a Maritime Security Council. Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, U.S. Navy, Retired will join Former Ambassador Ted Osius on the existing Advisory Board. Vice Admiral Sean A. Pybus, U.S. Navy, Retired will join the newly created Maritime Security Council, which Admiral Locklear will chair.

Energy Capital Vietnam Forms Maritime Security Council with the Appointment of Retired Naval Flag Officers and Adds Senior Member to its Advisory Board Tweet this Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, U.S. Navy, Retired joins ECV Advisory Board and Chairs Maritime Security Council Vice Admiral Sean A. Pybus, U.S. Navy, Retired joins ECV Maritime Security Council

Energy Capital Vietnam (ECV) is forming the Maritime Security Council (MSC) to identify, inform and incorporate the implementation of international best standards and practices for safe and secure maritime trade; inform and assist applicable policy development; promote ECV's development mission and values within Vietnam. ECV intends for additional experts to join Admiral Locklear and Vice Admiral Pybus on the council in the coming months.

"We are beyond privileged to have Admiral Locklear and Vice Admiral Pybus advising us," commented David Lewis, Chairman and CEO of Energy Capital Vietnam. "Their counsel will be paramount as we continue to develop vital infrastructure that supports economic growth and Vietnamese energy sovereignty. As a military veteran, it is my deepest honor to welcome such elite and distinguished leaders to our team."

Admiral Locklear, and Vice Admiral Pybus' full biographies will be available at www.ecvholdings.com.

About ECV:

Energy Capital Vietnam (ECV) is a Houston, Texas-based project development and holding company established as a platform for direct investment into Vietnam's energy and infrastructure sectors. Learn more at: www.ecvholdings.com

Contact:

Frank De Maria

[email protected]

+1 347 647 0284

Elie Jacobs

[email protected]

+1 646 330 2585

SOURCE Energy Capital Vietnam
ATLANTA, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The merger of Equifax  (NYSE: EFX) and Boa Vista Servicos (BOAS3: SAO), the second largest credit bureau in Brazil, received shareholder approval in a Boa Vista Servicos Shareholders' Meeting held today ("Merger of Shares EGM"). Equifax entered into a definitive Merger Agreement with Boa Vista Servicos on February 9, 2023. Today, Boa Vista Servicos shareholders approved the merger protocol, which contains the terms and conditions for implementing the Merger Agreement; the combination of the businesses and resulting delisting of Boa Vista Servicos and exit from the Novo Mercado special listing segment of B3 S.A. - Brasil, Bolsa, Balcao ("B3") stock exchange; as well as the waiver of the Equifax do Brasil ("Equifax Brasil") obligation to list its shares with B3 and certain other matters related to the merger.

"Today's positive Boa Vista Servicos shareholder vote is a critical milestone in the strategic combination of our businesses  a merger that would mark an exciting new global chapter for both Equifax and Boa Vista Servicos customers and employees," said Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax. "This transaction aligns with our EFX2025 strategic priorities and offers Boa Vista Servicos access to expansive Equifax international capabilities and cloud-native data, products, decisioning and analytical technology for the rapid development of new products and services, and expansion into new vertical industries. We are energized to move towards closing the acquisition in the coming weeks and look forward to bringing the Equifax Cloud and new products and solutions to Boa Vista Servicos and their Brazilian customers."

Between July 17 and July 31, 2023, each Boa Vista Servicos shareholder will have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration they will receive for each of their Boa Vista Servicos shares from the following options: (1) R$8.00 in cash, (2) R$7.20 in cash and 0.0008 of an Equifax BDR representing an equivalent fraction of one share of Equifax common stock or (3) R$5.33 of Equifax Brasil common shares and either R$2.67 in cash or 0.0027 of an Equifax BDR. The cash portion of consideration will be adjusted for Brazil's Extended National Consumer Price Index ("IPCA"), from May 10, 2023 until the day before the closing date.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalized in early August 2023, alongside the process to delist Boa Vista Servicos shares from B3. Following the completion of the transaction, Boa Vista Servicos will become a subsidiary of Equifax Brasil. The acquisition is not anticipated to have a material impact on 2023 Equifax financial results.

BofA Securities is serving as financial advisor to Equifax, and Hogan Lovells US LLP and Machado Meyer Advogados are acting as legal counsels to Equifax.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. All statements that address operating performance and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to our ability to consummate the proposed transaction with Boa Vista Servicos, the ability of Boa Vista Servicos to satisfy closing conditions, the expected financial and operational benefits, synergies and growth from the proposed transaction and our ability to integrate Boa Vista Servicos and its products, services, technologies, IT systems and personnel into our operations, and similar statements about our outlook and our business plans are forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our 2022 Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As a result of such risks and uncertainties, we urge you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

This press release is for informational purposes only and should not, under any circumstances, constitute, or be interpreted or understood as an investment recommendation, nor as an offer to acquire any of the securities of Equifax or Equifax Brasil.

FILINGS WITH THE SEC

Equifax and Equifax Brasil filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4/F-4 with the SEC on March 6, 2023 in connection with the proposed transaction (and have filed amendments to the Registration Statement on April 13, 2023 and May 9, 2023). The Registration Statement was declared effective on May 25, 2023. The Form S-4/F-4 contains a prospectus and other documents. The Form S-4/F-4 and prospectus contain important information about Equifax, Equifax Brasil, Boa Vista Servicos, the transaction and related matters. Investors and shareholders of Boa Vista Servicos should read the prospectus and the other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction carefully before they make any decision with respect to the transaction. The Form S-4/F-4 and the prospectus, and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be available when filed free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the prospectus and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be made available to investors free of charge by calling or writing to Equifax Inc., Attn: Office of Corporate Secretary, P.O. Box 4081, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, telephone (404) 885-8000.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com .

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kate Walker for Equifax

[email protected]

SOURCE Equifax Inc.
LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IEC standards have long been considered de facto for the European power grid sector. But the cost and complexity inherent in implementing them has inhibited full adoption, until now.

Smart Grid Forums, an independent conference organizer specialized in the European power grid sector has been facilitating meetings on various IEC standards for more than 10 years. Key standards include IEC 61850 for substations, IEC CIM for control centers, and IEC 62443 for OT cybersecurity. The objective of these meetings have been to support grid operators in assessing the business case for the standards, conducting pilot projects to test their technical feasibility, and educating the wider utility workforce, to mobile large-scale deployment in support of the Energy transition.

"This year it has become clear that these standards are inter-dependent" says Mandana White, CEO of Smart Grid Forums. "Whilst utilities have been working with them in focused silos, the reality is that without their effective interworking, grid operations will not be able to run seamlessly and reliably."

As a result, Smart Grid Forums are hosting a joint meeting brining all three utility IEC standardization communities together at one time in one venue. Each group will benefit from a dedicated case-study programme that deep dives into the latest lessons learnt from the implementation of each standard whilst also being able to access information and networking related to the other standards.

The week-long event begins with a choice of 3 Fundamentals Workshops, providing participants with the foundational knowledge they need in IEC 61850, IEC CIM, and IEC 62443. The main 3-day conference opens with a series of high-level plenary sessions on the macro issues facing the standardization community, and then breaks out into three technical tracks focused on utility case-studies. The week wraps up with a Communication briefing designed to help technical teams translate their engineering know-how into organizational priorities using language that will influence the Board and secure long term investment.

70+ SPEAKERS INCLUDING:

 Christoph Brunner, Convenor, TC57 WG10

 Gabriel Faifman, Co-Convenor, TC65 WG10

 Svein Olsen, Lead Member, TC57 WG13,14 & 16

 Alex Apostolov, Editor-in-Chief, PacWorld

 Jennifer MacKenzie, Lead Design Engineer, Scottish Power Energy

 Anders Johnson, Power Systems Specialist, Vattenfall Networks

 Barry Coatesworth, Cybersecurity Advisor, Scottish Power

 Philip Westbroek, OT Security Officer, Enexis

 Damien Ploix Chief of Cybersecurity, Enedis

 Mohammed Radi, Network Data Modelling Engineer, UK Power Networks

 Rui Pena, Senior Consultant, E-REDES

 Anna Elgersma, Data Architect, Alliander

DISCUSSION TOPICS INCLUDE:

 GLOBAL STANDARDISATION REVIEW - Evaluating the rate of IEC standardization take-up globally and identifying market trends and lessons to be learnt for Europe

 WORKING GROUP IMPROVEMENTS - Evaluating the benefits of working group participation and identifying how the IEC can better engage utility contribution in the interest of wider market development

 WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT - Establishing a training culture that rapidly advances IEC 61850 competence of engineering, operations, and maintenance teams to drive organizational change at pace

 PROCESS BUS - Leveraging IEC 61850 standardization to drive the cost-efficiency and accessibility of process bus architectures for grid networks

 VIRTUALISATION - Determining the roadmap from digital to virtual substations and prioritizing the implementation steps to commit to in the next 2-3 years

 IEC 62443 FOR THE GRID - Determining how IEC 62443 can be leveraged in combination with ISO 27001 to drive end-to-end cybersecurity of the IT-OT integrated digital grid

 IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING - Creating a IEC 62443 implementation roadmap with clear priorities for utilities, suppliers and system integrators on both a governance and technical level

 PATCH MANAGEMENT - Ensuring the effective application of IEC 62443 guided patch management regimes to maximize the lifecycle of OT infrastructure

 CIM FOR A CENTRALISED REPOSITORY - Applying CIM to all grid systems to promote centralization and to build a coordinated set of data models

 INTERNAL-EXTERNAL DATA EXCHANGE - Reviewing the latest developments with CGMES to support TSO-DSO data exchange and interoperability

TESTIMONIALS FROM PAST EVENTS

"As usual high-quality presentations and relevant topics."

Anders Johnsson, Power system specialist, Vattenfall Eldistribution AB

"In my opinion this is the best industrial conference about smart grid and IEC 61850."

Andrea Bonetti, Senior Specialist, Megger Sweden AB

"This was a great opportunity to learn about the IEC 62443 concepts, controls and framework."

Anja Ivanovska, Info Sec Specialist, EVN

"A refreshing insight and different angle on cyberthreats and possible measures for the OT domain."

Bas Mulder, Technologist OT, TenneT

"Great opportunity to meet, exchange, discuss and develop ideas concerning CIM."

Ruben Haasjes, Data Consultant, Alliander

"Bringing utilities from across the world together to digitally transform our energy systems."

Jakub Sliva, Asset Data Specialist, Stedin

To find more about how you can get involved contact the SGF team directly at:

Call: +44 (0)20 8057 1700

Email: [email protected]

Visit: www.smartgrid-forums.com/iec-week

We are an independent B2B event provider serving the smart grid technical community. We monitor the market, conduct depth interviews, and translate the insights into techno-commercial meetings that empower participants to accelerate their grid modernisation plans, drive renewables integration, and help meet climate goals.

SOURCE Smart Grid Forums
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is about to visit Ukraine on Saturday. Spain begins its presidency of the European Council on this day.

"I think it is symbolic that this Saturday, on the first day of the Spanish presidency, at my invitation, the Prime Minister of Spain, Mr. Sanchez, will visit Ukraine. For the first time, the beginning of the country's presidency will be highlighted by a visit to Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, speaking via video link at the EU summit on Thursday.

"And this actually says a lot about how important the next six months will be for our Europe. This is a historic time for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU. A Europe of values, a free and strong Europe, a Europe of peace is unthinkable without Ukraine," he stressed.

According to him, Ukraine is "ready to start accession negotiations, and it is necessary to record our progress in implementing the recommendations of the European Commission."
HACKENSACK, N.J., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. (the "Company") today announced that on June 27, 2023, its Board of Directors (the "Board") received a letter from K Corp Acquisitions LLC ("K Corp"), a Kushner company, indicating a non-binding expression of interest in acquiring the Company. The letter was released by K Corp to the public on the same date.

As previously disclosed by the Company, litigation between the Company and certain of its affiliates and Sinatra LLC, a Kushner company, is pending in the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.

Consistent with its fiduciary duties, the Board will evaluate the letter with the best interests of all of the Company's stockholders in mind. The Company's stockholders do not need to take any action at this time.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This Company release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "plan," "will," "estimate," "project," "intend," "believe," "guidance," "approximately," "anticipate," "may," "should," "seek" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and that do not relate to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions of management. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that you should not rely on as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data and/or methods which may be incorrect or imprecise and we may not be able to realize them. The following risks and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to: industry and economic conditions; Company's ability to satisfy the conditions to closing and complete the proposed transaction; Company's dependence upon its external manager to conduct its business and achieve its investment objectives; unknown liabilities acquired in connection with acquired properties or interests in real estate-related entities; general risks affecting the real estate industry and local real estate markets (including, without limitation, the market value of Company's properties, potential illiquidity of Company's remaining real estate investments, condemnations, and potential damage from natural disasters); the financial performance of Company's tenants; the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect the Trust and its major tenants; volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets, including potential fluctuations in the consumer price index; risks associated with Company's failure to maintain status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; and other additional risks discussed in Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022. Company expressly disclaims any responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. is a publicly traded (over-the-counter  symbol FREVS) REIT organized in 1961. Its portfolio of residential and commercial properties are located in New Jersey and New York, with the largest concentration in northern New Jersey.

Visit us on the web: www.freitnj.com

SOURCE First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey
NEW YORK and LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Sentier Investors (FSI), a leading global investment manager, today announced the appointment of Sudip Hazra as Director of the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute (the Institute), effective June 6.

Established in 2021, the Institute provides independent research on sustainable investment-oriented issues including macro research on market trends and issues, the effects of regulation and how trends impact the performance of investors, companies, sectors and economies. The Institute is jointly supported by FSI and its shareholder, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG).

Kate Turner, FSI's Global Head of Responsible Investment, said, "Sudip will be instrumental in delivering a research program designed to enhance awareness and understanding among the investment community on a wide range of investment-oriented sustainability topics."

Turner added, "As responsible investors, we believe that incorporating ESG considerations into our investment approach leads to better outcomes for our clients and broader society. With Sudip spearheading research for the Institute, we will deepen our knowledge and shape how we can collectively respond to addressing these complex issues. I look forward to the value that he will add to our businesses and the broader investment community."

Hazra, who is based in London, brings a wealth of sustainable research experience to his new role. Before joining the Institute, he was Director of ESG Research for Invesco. There, he led implementation of a global net zero investment research framework, developed processes for compliance for Articles 8 and 9 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, and was part of the team that won 'Best ESG Research' at the ESG Investing Awards 2023. Prior to Invesco, he was Head of ESG Research and Responsible Investment at Kepler Cheuvreux where he received the Farsight Award for best ESG orientated research.

Hazra said: "The complexity of the sustainability issues that investors are facing today requires much deeper analysis. I look forward to working with the team to deliver research that has practical application and can assist investors in their capital allocation decisions and company engagement programs."

For more information about the Institute, visit firstsentier-mufg-sustainability.com

Newton Park PR:

Margaret Kirch Cohen/Richard Chimberg

E: [email protected]

E: [email protected]

T: +1 847-507-2229

T: +1 617-312-4281

First Sentier Investors:

Gayle Rodrigues, Global Head of Communications

E: [email protected]

M: +44 20 7332 6509

About First Sentier Investors

First Sentier Investors manages more than US$148.1 billion in assets (as at 31 March 2023) on behalf of institutional investors, pension funds, wholesale distributors, investment platforms, financial advisers and their clients worldwide.

The firm was acquired by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc in August 2019, and operates as a standalone global investment management business with offices across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.

First Sentier Investors is a globally Certified B Corporation and signatory to the UK Stewardship Code. The firm's investment expertise spans across a range of asset classes and specialist sectors focused on delivering sustainable investment success based on responsible investment principles.

For more information, visit www.firstsentierinvestors.com

About MUFG

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world's leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,500 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has about 170,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to "be the world's most trusted financial group" through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges.

For more information, visit mufg.jp/english

Important information

This press release is intended for information only, aimed solely at the media and should not be further distributed to individual and/or corporate investors, and financial advisers and/or distributors. The information included within this document and any supplemental documentation provided should not be copied, reproduced or redistributed without the prior written consent of First Sentier Investors.

SOURCE First Sentier Investors
NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- JoyShot Inc., a category-defining functional beverage company, launched today with the online release of its first all-day energy shots. Setting out to boost those at their busiest, JoyShot aims to deliver big energy in small, all-natural packagesoffering ready-to-drink, two-ounce beverage shots containing powerful vitamins and adaptogenic extracts that provide long-lasting energy to those on the go.

JoyShot campaign Mango Yuzu 2oz, Pack of 6

"There's an increasing demand for sustainable energy in our day to day, but current products just aren't cutting it. Artificial ingredients flood today's energy drinks and put our health at risk, while inconvenient form factors make it difficult to get and maintain the energy we so desperately need," says founder Lila Joy Baumgardner. "At JoyShot, we believe that all-day energy can be obtained naturallyand easily, and have built an option for those that want to skip the jitters, burnout, and health concessions."

JoyShot was founded by Baumgardner to combat the burnout many modern Americans face. After experiencing stress and fatigue first hand as a COO on the trading floor at Bank of America, Baumgardner began a hunt for an alternative energy solution that also could improve her overall well-being. After extensive research, she discovered a custom mix of vitamins and adaptogens that together boosted her mood while giving her all-day energy. Still, like many people, Baumgardner found a daily handful of supplements hard to swallow. That's when she saw an opportunity to create a functional, shelf-stable shot that makes getting energy easy for those on the move.

"Like many, I lived with day-in-and-day-out stress, and my well-being suffered. It was when I had a health scare that I traded in my job and hourly coffee break to find something more natural to retake my wellness and revitalize my energy," recalls Baumgardner, "Discovering the benefits of adaptogens coupled with a real understanding of the demands of modern life led to the creation of JoyShot, which brings conveniently-packaged, sustainable energy shots to those who can't afford to slow down."

Carefully crafted, JoyShot's proprietary blend is precisely dosed for maximum efficacy with vitamins, adaptogenic extracts, and the equivalent caffeine of a cup of coffee in just two ounces. The plant-based formulation contains no added sugar, preservatives, gluten, or allergens and promises long-lasting energy without the jitters. Sold singly or via subscription and shipped in six packs of 2oz. shots for those on the go or two packs of 16oz., multi-serve bottles perfect for the home, JoyShot proves an economical choice.

"JoyShot is a no-brainer; it disrupts the harsh and unhealthy scope of the current product offering and is positioned to stay relevant to consumers," says Jeffrey Einsidler, regional sales head at Casamigos and JoyShot investor and advisor. "Having tried the product and known Lila for several years, I don't doubt the company will expand the billion-dollar energy shot market."

JoyShot's energy shots are available for purchase on drinkjoyshot.com and come in two distinct flavorsa smooth Cocoa Vanilla and a refreshing Mango Yuzu, with the company planning for product expansion.

About JoyShot (drinkjoyshot.com)

JoyShot was started when founder Lila Joy Baumgardner sought out a natural energy solution to fight burnout and heal from years of stress. After discovering the power of naturally-derived energy, she created JoyShot, a functional beverage company bringing powerful energy complexes and convenience to those at their busiest. JoyShot's ready-to-drink, all-natural energy shots feature vitamins and adaptogenic extracts and provide sustained, all-day energy for those on the go.

Media Contact:

Lila Joy Baumgardner, Founder and CEO

646-239-9797

[email protected]com

SOURCE Joyshot
With nearly half of all Coloradans unaffiliated, the Forward Party is charting a new way in the state

DENVER, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt became the first sitting mayor in Colorado to affiliate with the Forward Party on Tuesday, marking an important milestone for the party as it builds in Colorado. Arndt, a Democrat, will join other elected officials around the country publicly affiliating as "Forward Democrats and Republicans" alongside others, such as Newberry, Florida Mayor Jordan Marlowe who switched his party registration to Forward last month.

The Forward Party was out in full force in and around Denver over the past week collecting petition signatures to become Colorado's newest minor Party. State leaders had a booth at Denver Pride Fest this weekend and listened as Colorado voters expressed frustration with the two party system not representing their interests. The party gathered over 1,500 signatures at Pride Fest toward their goal of 10,000 to become a minor party in Colorado in 2024.

"Coloradans are looking for something new, with nearly half of the state registered as unaffiliated and the Forward party is offering something different and appealing. The excitement is really palpable here," said Andrew Yang, co-chair of the party alongside former Republican New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman.

Local volunteers also hosted Yang and Lindsey Williams Drath, Forward CEO, at a meet and greet on June 26th at Mountain Toad Brewery in Golden. More than 80 Coloradans packed the local brewery, asking questions throughout the evening and enthusiastically cheering the fast-growing party - and the announcement of Mayor Arndt's affiliation.

Forward CEO Lindsey Williams Drath added, "Coloradans are hungry for more and better choices! We can see proof of that in communities like Basalt, Boulder, Broomfield, Telluride and most recently Fort Collins where voters have adopted ranked-choice voting. It is so exciting to be here and be a part of this moment in the state."

Rich Herrmann, one of the newly elected Executive Committee members of the Colorado Forward Party summed it up, "Colorado Forward had a triple crown winner this week! Our participation at Denver Pride and our message of community, inclusion and no hate first, policy second, was well received by the LGBTQ+ community and Pride attendees to the tune of over 1500 signatures in 2 days in support of our drive to minor party status in Colorado! This was followed by a sell-out packed house meet & greet visit by Forward CEO Lindsey Williams Drath and Forward Co-founder Andrew Yang in Golden. And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, the hat trick was completed by the public announcement by Fort Collins Mayor Jeni Arndt that she is affiliating with the Forward Party as a Forward Democrat and pledging her support to help us grow our movement in Northern Colorado."

The Forward Party is bringing Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together to build a new kind of political party that brings people and communities together to heal our political divisions, find our shared ground, and create a brighter future for America. https://www.forwardparty.com

For more information about the Forward Party, please read through our Prospectus and Q2 Fact Sheet .

Contact: Tiffany Brigner

Communications Lead, Colorado Forward Party

908-770-3325

[email protected]

SOURCE The Forward Party
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Luxury home fragrance brand Trapp Fragrances is entering the hand care market with new hand soaps and lotions. Available in three of Trapp's most popular fragrances  Orange Vanilla, Lavender de Provence and Palo Santo  the new collection was spurred by customer demand.

New Hand Soaps and Lotions from Trapp Fragrances in Orange Vanilla, Lavender de Provence and Palo Santo

"We surveyed our high-end fragrance buyers who requested that we expand into this category, and that sentiment was echoed by our social media followers," explains Faultless Brands CEO and President Mike Lipski. "At Trapp, we believe that fragrances elevate everyday moments into sensory experiences, and that now extends to handwashing and skin care."

Packaged in shatterproof, recyclable, 8-ounce bottles, the products are cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free and SLS-free. The moisturizing hand soaps are made with aloe vera. The hand lotions use antioxidant-rich cupuacu seed butter, which hydrates and restores skin elasticity, and oat bran extract, which naturally cleanses skin by removing dirt and oil.

Trapp hand soaps ($14) and hand lotions ($16) can be purchased at trappfragrances.com/collections/soaps-lotions in the following fragrances:

No. 04 Orange Vanilla | Brazilian Orange, Tahitian Vanilla, Tonka Bean

| Brazilian Orange, Tahitian Vanilla, Tonka Bean No. 25 Lavender de Provence | French Lavender, Clary Sage, Vanilla Orchid

| French Lavender, Clary Sage, Vanilla Orchid No. 77 Palo Santo | Peruvian Palo Santo, Oakmoss, Kashmiri Saffron

For more information, visit the Trapp website or follow @trappfragrances on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.

About Trapp Fragrances

Trapp Fragrances is a luxury home fragrance brand headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, that specializes in premium soy wax blend candles, reed diffusers, ultrasonic diffuser oils, wax melts and fragrance mists. Made with the highest quality botanicals, Trapp products are filled with more fragrance than anything else on the shelf and are guaranteed to fill a room with fragrance in minutes. www.trappfragrances.com.

SOURCE Trapp Fragrances
IRVINE, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) performs criminal investigations in order to uncover and prosecute individuals or entities suspected of committing criminal tax violations. There are multiple reasons why an IRS criminal investigation may be commenced.

Why you should use an Attorney to represent you in an audit

For instance, such an investigation may be performed if there is reason to believe that a person or business has evaded tax obligations by underreporting income, overstating deductions, or claiming credits they are not entitled to. Further, an investigation may serve to expose a fraudulent scheme or identify a falsified document. In general, IRS criminal tax investigations are very serious as the criminal investigations division of the IRS has a 90% conviction ratio. Taxpayers should understand the potential reasons for such investigations so that they may take the proper course of action to eliminate the risk of facing criminal tax prosecution.

If you believe you may be facing penalties for a tax violation, seek assistance from our Dual-Licensed Tax Lawyers & CPAs at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing by dialing (800) 681-1295 or clicking here to schedule a reduced rate initial consultation.

Potential Reasons Why You May Be Criminally Investigated by the IRS

There are multiple reasons why the government may criminally investigate a taxpayer. The following are all common examples of why IRS criminal tax investigations are performed:

Fraudulent Schemes

A criminal tax investigation may be performed if the IRS suspects that you engaged in fraudulent schemes. For example, parties may participate in illegal tax shelters or execute complex transactions that are designed to hide income. These schemes aim to deceive the IRS and evade tax obligations. Accordingly, the IRS actively investigates anyone who partakes in these schemes.

Willful Failure to File or Pay

A willful failure to file or pay your taxes can also trigger an IRS criminal tax investigation. Such an investigation will serve to address the noncompliance and determine appropriate penalties. An intentional disregard for your tax obligations can result in the assessment of serious penalties, including fines and prison time.

Submission of False or Fraudulent Documents

Furthermore, you may be the subject of a criminal investigation if you submit false or fraudulent documents to the IRS. Providing fabricated documents to the IRS in an attempt to limit your tax obligations can undermine the integrity of the tax system and may lead to devastating consequences. Financial records like receipts are some of the most frequently falsified documents.

If you have been wrongfully accused of providing fraudulent documents to the IRS, then our Dual-Licensed Tax Lawyers & CPAs will help form your defense. We will communicate with the government on your behalf and fight to dismiss any unjustified charges.

Money Laundering and Offshore Tax Evasion

Money laundering and offshore tax evasion are common practices that give rise to IRS criminal investigations. For example, the government will likely investigate someone who attempts to conceal income by placing unreported funds into offshore accounts. The IRS collaborates with other agencies around the world to identify individuals and entities who perpetrate such schemes.

Involvement in Illegal Activities

Finally, you may be criminally investigated by the IRS if you participate in illegal activities like organized crime, drug trafficking, and fraud. When financial transactions associated with these activities come under scrutiny, the government can initiate a criminal tax investigation to uncover tax violations connected to the illegal proceeds at issue.

Can You Go to Jail for Tax Crimes?

Yes, you can go to jail if you are convicted of tax crimes. In order to be convicted of a tax crime, the government must be able to prove that you willfully evaded your tax obligations. Honest mistakes made on your tax returns will not warrant criminal penalties.

If you have been accused of a tax crime, having experienced legal representation by your side is important. Our legal team can help build your defense and ensure you do not face any unwarranted criminal penalties.

What Are the Other Penalties for Tax Crimes?

In addition to prison sentences, several other penalties may be levied against those who commit tax crimes. For example, the following are all potential penalties that may be assessed:

Fines

Individuals convicted of tax crimes can be subject to significant monetary fines. The amount of the fine can vary based on several factors, such as the amount of taxes evaded, the duration of the evasion, and any aggravating factors that may be present.

Restitution

The court may also order defendants to pay restitution, which involves reimbursing the government for the taxes owed, including any interest and penalties. Restitution aims to restore the financial harm caused by the tax crime at issue.

Civil Penalties

Civil penalties in tax crime cases refer to monetary fines. These penalties are distinct from criminal penalties and are intended to enforce compliance with tax laws.

There are multiple examples of civil penalties that defendants may face. For instance, a taxpayer may face a failure to file penalty if they do not file their tax return by the appropriate deadline. This penalty is typically a percentage of the unpaid tax amount and may increase over time.

Furthermore, a taxpayer may face an accuracy-related penalty for seeking unsupported deductions or credits. The penalty is generally 20% of the underpayment resulting from misconduct at issue.

Asset Forfeiture

Asset forfeiture is another type of penalty that may be imposed in tax cases. The government may seize assets such as bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, or other property obtained through or used in connection with a defendant's crime.

Probation

Instead of or in addition to jail time, the court may impose a period of probation as part of the sentencing. During probation, the individual must comply with certain conditions, such as regular reporting to a probation officer, payment of taxes owed, and restrictions on activities or travel.

Loss of Professional Licenses

Certain tax crimes, particularly those committed by professionals such as accountants or tax preparers, can result in the loss of professional licenses. This can have significant career implications. Those who lose their professional licenses may be restricted from working in their respective fields.

Damage to Reputation

Finally, being convicted of a tax crime can have long-lasting consequences for your reputation. Such a conviction can impact personal and professional relationships. Further, it may lead to social stigmas and troubles in various other aspects of life.

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Removing the Risk of Facing Criminal Tax Prosecution

If you have failed to file a tax return for one or more years or have taken a position on a tax return that could not be supported upon an IRS or state tax authority audit , eggshell audit , reverse eggshell audit , or criminal tax investigation , it is in your best interest to contact an experienced tax defense attorney to determine your best route back into federal or state tax compliance without facing criminal prosecution.

Note: As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed foreign information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income t ax on offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure before the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply.

It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.

Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.

As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys, Kovel CPAs and EAs, our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!

More Commonly Asked Tax Audit Questions

Questions and Answers for Criminal Tax Representation

Here is a link to our YouTube channel: click here!

Public Contact: Dave Klasing Esq. M.S.-Tax CPA, [email protected]

SOURCE Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, PC
TOKYO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GA technologies Co., Ltd. announced the news that the company is acquiring the stock shares of SPICACONSULTING Co., Ltd. fully to complete a business merger partnership with an agreement between the two parties. SPICACONSULTING Co., Ltd. is a company that provides industry specialized business mergers and acquisitions (M&A) consulting service to businesses looking for such a solution and advice to upgrade business value (Headquarters: Minato-Ku, Tokyo; Hereinafter as SPICACONSULTING). The stock share acquisition agreement was signed between the two parties on the 14th of June 2023, with more details provided below.

Companies logos

The process of the transfer of the stocks will be completed and be officially effective on the 3rd of July 2023. The two parties will be moving on to the step of discussing strategies for business synergy and partnership.

Along with the current subsidiary of GA technologies group, MtechA Co., Ltd. which is utilizing AI technology in the process of M&A business counseling; the two together shall provide a more comprehensive solution service to our customers. Eventually, leads to the acceleration of our M&A business growth and to acquire bigger market share. We are planning to provide a M&A business matching platform with the combination of tech elements from MtechA and the consulting skill from SPICACONSULTING. It is going to be a tech-driven consulting service that offers a one-stop solution to our customers. The service aims for helping our customers to realize their goals of achieving business synergy.

Key Highlights

The announcement of a business merger agreement between GA technologies and SPICACONSULTING, an industry specialized business mergers & acquisitions solution consulting firm.

By combining the tech strength of our group company, MtechA and the newly joined SPICA CONSULTING with its counseling techniques; we are able to provide the market with a tech-driven M&A solution platform service.

GA technologies would be able to provide a more elaborate one-step asset management service to our customers.

Our intention for the business partnership this time

Since GA technologies established its business in 2013, our mission has always been "Creating a world-leading company that inspires people through technology x innovation." Our goal is to push the old-fashioned real estate industry in Japan to catch up with the digital transformation happening in all industries. We have been expanding our business practices into various fields besides real estate. One of the steps we have taken is to start the provision of M&A consulting service for corporations using AI technology know-how (The service is provided by sub company MtechA).

On the other hand, the joining of SPICACONSULTING will allow us to provide a more comprehensive M&A consultation to our customers by adding SPICA CONSULTING's soft skill of "professional counseling". We are able to provide a strategic advising service to both sides of our customers (The transferer and the transferee) in the process of M&A. This is going to place GA technologies in a more competitive position against our competitors.

By combining the strengths of both GA technologies and SPICA CONSULTING in tech aspect and soft skill aspect will make our M&A business grow faster and to offer customers a more elaborate customer experience in the future. What our customers will get is a one-step asset management solution with extra options of real estate and finance commodities that comes along with its M&A consultation service. By doing so, we shall be able to achieve a synergy effect of our existing services as well.

Background of the business partnership this time

GA technologies started out as a prop tech company with the development and the operation of a total one-step real estate service "RENOSY". We then expanded ourselves into the SaaS development industry, which is the second pillar that supports our business, also known as "ITANDI". We are cultivating our third pillar for our business which is the M&A business by the partnership with MtechA Co., Ltd. in August 2022 as the first step. We believe that by utilizing our tech strengths in this industry is going to allow us to provide a more transparent customer experience to our customers.

The reason why we decided to step into this industry is the market potential of the M&A business. The number of owners looking for business mergers and acquisition opportunities are increasing over the years in Japan due to lack of manpower to succeed the business. Topics of M&A is gaining attention in Japanese society; however, the way the process works is still old-fashioned in this country. By adding the strengths from SPICACONSULTING could speed up our progress in taking more market share.

Schedule for signing the agreement

Board meeting for partnership discussion June 14, 2023 Agreement signing June 14, 2023 The official partnership in effect (Scheduled for changes) July 3, 2023

Comments from the two CEO about the business partnership this time

SPICACONSULTING Co., Ltd. Hayao Nakahara

"SPICACONSULTING has been helping many of our customers to achieve a greater value of their businesses through our consultation and support. We are specialized in specific industries M&A consultation and business support. For SPICACONSULTING alone it will be hard to elaborate the technology elements into our service smoothly, but with the business partnership with GA technologies, I believe that we would be able to form a stronger force to create something innovative in the industry together."

"The mission of SPICACONSULTING will not change and will always be bringing a brighter future to our customers' businesses through M&A solutions. Helping our customers to achieve the best value of their businesses shall always be our first priority."

GA technologies Co., Ltd. Ryo Higuchi

"The mission of GA technologies is to create a world-leading company that inspires people through technology x innovation. Under such a business value, starting with AI, we combine both technology and manpower to provide an efficient and smooth customer experience through the synergy of online and offline."

"There are many issues that exist in both the real estate industry and the M&A industry waiting to be solved. By incorporating the soft consultation skill of SPICACONSULTING and technology know-how of GA technologies, we want to provide a tech-driven medium to help our customers tackle various issues occurring in their businesses. I am excited to have all the awesome members led by Mr. Nakahara to join the GA group. We are a group of members sharing the same value and aiming for the same goal to create a new set of values and bring in more innovative ideas into the M&A industry."

SPICACONSULTING Co.,Ltd.

Company name: SPICACONSULTING Co., Ltd.

Representative: Hayao Nakahara

Website link: https://spicon.co.jp/

Headquarters: Minami- Aoyama 3-1-3, Minato-Ku, Tokyo

Year of founding: August 23, 2022

Capital fund: 50,000,000 yen

Services provided:

M&A Advising business

Business consultation, support

GA technologies Co., Ltd.

Company name: GA technologies Co., Ltd.

Representative: Ryo Higuchi

Website link: https://www.ga-tech.co.jp/

Headquarters: 40F of Sumitomo real estate Roppongi Grand Tower, Roppongi 3-2-1, Minato-Ku, Tokyo

Year of founding: March 2013

Capital fund: 7,261,734,937 yen (By April 2023)

Services provided:

Internet real estate marketplace business: RENOSY

BtoB PropTech SaaS development

Group partners: GA technologies group: ITANDI, RENOSY PLUS, Shenjumiausuan and 12 other group companies

CONTACT: Judy Yu, Phone: +81-3-6230-9180

SOURCE GA technologies Co., Ltd.
GUANGZHOU, China, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GAC Group, China's leading automobile manufacturer with a strong emphasis on innovation, hosted its annual flagship conference GAC TECH DAY 2023 on June 26. Themed "Evolving Technology", the event unveiled several key innovative feats and industry firsts in the field of connectivity, engine, and vehicle technology.

The event was attended by over 160 foreign and domestic media outlets and distinguished guests, including Jiang Zhitao, Vice Mayor of Guangzhou; Zeng Qinghong, Chairman of GAC Group; and Feng Xingya, General Manager of GAC Group.

At the conference, GAC revealed the world's first ammonia-powered engine for passenger cars. The engine, developed by the group's in-house R&D center, achieves reliable fuel ignition with 120kW power and a 90% carbon reduction rate, offering an efficient, reliable, and low-carbon fuel alternative for the automobile industry.

GAC also introduced Trumpchi E9, the industry's first passenger vehicle to use liquid hydrogen fuel. Equipped with GAC's Mega Waves Hybrid Modular Architecture, the hydrogen-powered MPV has a range of nearly 600km and travels up to 100km on 1.4kg of hydrogen.

ADiGO MAGIC, a revolutionary in-car open-source software platform was also unveiled. The platform provides more than 2,000 service-oriented functions to build immediate and personalized travel scenarios for users, and will be equipped on the soon-to-be-released AION Hyper GT.

Additionally, GAC also announced its GOVE (GAC On-the-Go Vertical EV), an all-electric flying vehicle. Consisting of a separable flight cabin and ADiGO PILOT-powered autonomous mobile chassis, the GOVE adopts 90% lightweight composite materials, a 3DoF flight control system, and aerospace-grade high-precision docking technology. The design ensures the GOVE can operate as a smart mobility solution in ground travel, airborne flight, and air-to-ground docking scenarios.

Technology and innovation are at the core of GAC MOTOR's brand value. The technological achievements showcased at GAC TECH DAY 2023 will serve as key solutions in the brand's efforts to reach new heights in the global automobile market. GAC will continue to leverage its capabilities to develop an innovation-driven and carbon neutral future for mobility.

SOURCE GAC MOTOR
Generix Group, a global provider of collaborative SaaS Software solutions for the Supply Chain, industrial, and retail ecosystems, has been named for the 5th consecutive year in the 2023 Gartner Magic QuadrantTM for its Warehouse Management Systems.

The hyper-flexibility of the SOLOCHAIN solution and the functional wealth of Generix WMS meet the needs of a wide range of industries worldwide.

MONTREAL, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - In a market where forecasting is no longer enough and immediacy is the new norm, Generix Group is stepping up investment in its solutions to maintain its leadership in the supply chain and serve its 400 or so WMS customers worldwide. Every day, some 2,000 warehouses operate with a Generix Group WMS. The company's investment in innovation is one of the cornerstones of its strategic transformation, and has recently resulted in the launch of RMS, Resource Management System, for the planning and optimization of warehouse resources. This latest solution addresses two key issues for warehouses: optimizing resource planning while preserving human resources and meeting the customer promise at all times thanks to analytical and predictive work processed with AI. This solution helps to attract and retain talent in a profession where resources are under pressure.

Generix Group named in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) for the fifth consecutive year (CNW Group/Generix Group)

Generix Group is a specialist in flow management, and its solutions are deployed in 60 countries, for players in omnichannel retail, FMCG, manufacturing, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals and 3PLs.

Generix WMS and SOLOCHAIN are highly complementary solutions. Thanks to its exceptional functional scope and standard processes, Generix WMS covers the needs of customers in a large number of industries, often with complex challenges: stored, cross-dock, e-commerce, mix-flows, multi-trade and multi-customer flows on the same site, whatever the constraints linked to the products (ambient, fresh and frozen, etc.). This solution has also been enriched by recent requirements, such as customization of orders, value-added operations and large volume variations, while complying with all regulatory constraints, both in France and internationally. SOLOCHAIN is totally flexible and integrates a Manufacturing Execution system (MES) to supply manufacturers' production lines. It also offers an integrated project management and documentation tool. In addition, Generix Group offers solutions such as TMS, OMS, YMS and now RMS and a scalable API catalog.

"We believe, being named in the Magic Quadrant again this year, is a recognition of our R&D efforts to support our customers in their warehouse performance issues, whether they have one or dozens of sites, and whatever their industry. As part of the deployment of our Boost Together strategic transformation plan, this investment dynamic reached another major achievement this year with the announcement of Resource Management System (RMS). For the first time on the market, a solution combines performance analysis and planning services for combined resources (human & machine), for the benefit of day-to-day efficiency in the warehouse. We are continuing, and even stepping up, our investments so as to be more than ever the partner of choice for Supply Chain Leaders, through a "business" approach and by taking into account our customers' future challenges. This is why we believe; we have been recognized by a reference organization", comments Nicolas Picquerey, Chief Solutions & Services Officer, Generix Group.

To access the full Gartner report, click here.

Gartner Disclaimer:

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, 08 May 2023, Simon Tunstall, et.al.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise users of these technologies to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designations. Gartner's research publications represent the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Generix Group

Generix Group is an expert in the Collaborative Supply Chain with presence in 60 countries thanks to its subsidiaries and network of partners. More than 6,000 companies around the world use its SaaS solutions. The group's 800 employees provide daily assistance to clients such as Carrefour, Danone, FM Logistic, Fnac-Darty, Essilor and Ferrero in the digital transformation of their Supply Chains. Its collaborative platform, Generix Supply Chain Hub, helps companies keep their promises to their customers. It connects companies to all their partners so together they can operate physical flows, digitize information flows, and collaboratively manage processes in real time. Generix Supply Chain Hub is intended for all actors in the supply chain: manufacturers, logistic service providers (3PL/4PL), and distributors.

To find out more: www.generixgroup.com

SOURCE Generix Group
Global Airlines has agreed terms to acquire a further three A380 aircraft, expending its current fleet to four super jumbos.

The airline also appointed Captain Ian Black and Pierre Madrange to its advisory board.

and Pierre Madrange to its advisory board. They will advise the Global Executive Team on a variety of aviation, technical and commercial matters.

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Airlines, the world's newest long-haul airline, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a further three A380s. With the purchase of these aircraft, the airline's fleet development reaches a new milestone with four A380s now lined up for the start of operations in Spring 2024.

Global Airlines A380 Pierre Madrange (left) and Captain Ian Black (right) James Asquith visiting the first Global Airlines A380

The additional aircraft have been purchased for an undisclosed figure and the Global team is now developing plans for their refit and return to service. Further details about the aircraft, the acquisition and the refurbishment will be published in the coming months.

Global Airlines has also announced further appointments to its Advisory Board; Pierre Madrange and Ian Black.

Pierre Madrange is a former French Air Force fighter pilot who later held the position of Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and is a former Vice President of NAVBLUE, an Airbus company. Pierre brings his extensive aviation knowledge to the new airline as well significant expertise in airline operations and P&L management as well as growing leadership functions.

Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. He has flown commercial operations across the Far East, Australasia, India, Dubai, and Europe. He worked for a major UK long haul airline for over 25 years as a senior captain on the Airbus/Boeing fleet. He has extensive experience in long-haul flying and cumulatively has flown 20,000 hours on A330/340-300/340-600 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

At Global, Pierre and Ian will advise the Executive Team and work closely with the Founder and CEO, James Asquith, on airline operations management and airline digitalisation.

James Asquith, Founder and CEO of Global Airlines, said, "We extend our warmest welcome to both Ian and Pierre to the Global Airlines' advisory board, where they will work closely with our team. It is a real testament to the progress we are making that we continue to appoint senior and experienced people to our Advisory Board. I believe we must have one of the most experienced teams of aviation professionals coming together to launch Global Airlines."

"We are also delighted to announce that we have agreed the purchase of a further three A380s to join the Global fleet. As I've always said, the A380 is the best aircraft in the sky, and we will continue to look for further acquisition opportunities."

Pierre Madrange said, "I'm really pleased to be joining the Global Airlines Advisory Board. James is putting together a great team and I want to use my unique aviation network as well as my experience in the industry to help the airline do something new and exciting. A product that passengers will not only want to fly, but also an airline that aviation professionals from around the world will want to work for."

Ian Black said, "Aviation is in my blood and joining the Advisory Board was an opportunity too good to turn down. For any airline, safety is the number one priority and Global will be no different. That commitment to safety is driven by not just the flight crew and cabin crews but every team member of Global Airlines, having a robust and open flight safety culture from the get-go is paramount. Working closely with both James and Richard is a real privilege, to influence the foundations of what will certainly be the very best airline this decade is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Global Airlines plans to use its fleet of owned A380 aircraft to reinvigorate the flying experience, courtesy of the unrivaled spaciousness offered by the super jumbo.

Global Airlines is now focused on working closely with the relevant authorities and partners in preparation for inaugural flights in the Spring of 2024.

About Global Airlines

Global Airlines was launched in 2023 with an aspiration to offer passengers the best way to fly. The airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Holiday Swap and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The airline is led by CEO James Asquith and backed by aviation experts and investors around the world. The airline has commenced an aircraft acquisition programme with one A380 secured and more to follow in the summer of 2023. The inaugural transatlantic flights are expected in the Spring of 2024.

About Capt Ian Black

Captain Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. Commercially, he has flown 20,000 hours on A330, A340-300, A340-600, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

As an ex-RAF fighter pilot, Captain Ian flew F-4 Phantoms during the Cold War and participated in the first Gulf War and the Falkland Islands deployment. He served with the French Armee de l'air, flying combat missions over Bosnia and Iraq on the Dassault Mirage 2000C, where he was also a qualified weapons instructor. Captain Ian's military career included a role as an RAF flight safety officer, responsible for maintaining and improving safety standards.

About Pierre Madrange

Pierre started his career as a fighter pilot in the French Air Force. He then held a number of key executive positions in commercial aviation: Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and Vice President at NAVBLUE, an AIRBUS company. He is currently the President of Madrange & Laubary, an aviation consulting company serving airlines worldwide.

SOURCE Global Airlines
Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg does not consider the world's reaction to the explosion of the dam at the Kakhovka HPP sufficient.

"I don't think the world's reaction to this ecocide was sufficient. I don't think any reaction is enough at all. Because there are simply not enough words to describe these atrocities," she said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

Thunberg is taking part in the first meeting of the International Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War in Kyiv.

"I think it's very difficult how to react to things happening, especially in the eyes of people who are the first to suffer from it. I think it is necessary to hear more of the sufferers, the victims, so that they are the first to convey information about what is happening directly on the spot," she said.

"So, I don't think the reaction is sufficient. We need to speak louder about this, we need to increase awareness of what is happening. And we also have to remember that this case, unfortunately, is not unique. This is just one part of the war, the ongoing hostilities. This is just one example of the full-scale aggression that is being committed in Ukraine and the crimes that Russia is committing in Ukraine," she also said.
DUBLIN, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Web 3.0 Value Chain Demystified: Analysing the Ecosystem and Regulatory Framework" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report analyses the dynamic trends and changes taking place in the Web 3.0 landscape with main focus on blockchain wallets, decentralised finance (DeFi) and institutional staking services.

In addition to breaking down the Web 3.0 value chain, it examines the key DeFi players and solutions, as well as the different business models being adopted by the market.

While exploring the emerging institutional staking business models, the report also analyses the market reaction after the Ethereum (ETH)' execution layer upgrade (Shanghai upgrade), activated on 14th May 2023, to provide post-upgrade insights, moving from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS).

The final chapter of the study focuses on the global regulatory framework. It provides an analysis of the regulatory landscape in the US (federal and state initiatives) and Europe (MiCa regulatory framework), as well as El Salvador's bitcoin legal tender law.

Solutions identified include:

Uniswap: DEX (Decentralised Exchange) built using automated liquidity provision on Ethereum

Aave: A decentralised, non-custodial, liquidity protocol that matches lenders and borrowers

Strike: Bitcoin payment provider using Lightning Network

payment provider using Lightning Network Ripple: A proprietary payment settlement system

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive summary

2. Web 3.0 value chain

2.1. Breaking down the Web 3.0 value chain

2.2. Protocol layer

2.3. Infrastructure layer

2.4. Use case layer

2.5. Access layer

3. Blockchain wallets

3.1. Breakdown of the different Web 3.0 wallet categories

3.2. Ledger

3.3. Metamask

4. Decentralised finance (DeFi)

4.1. Defining DeFi

4.2. DeFi basics

4.3. Uniswap

4.4. Aave

4.5. Strike

4.6. Ripple

5. Institutional staking

5.1. Staking in a nutshell

5.2. Key assets and leading players

5.3. Shanghai upgrade

5.4. Kiln

6. Existing regulatory frameworks

6.1. Regulatory framework in the US

6.2. Regulatory framework in Europe

6.3. The case of El Salvador

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bh7yzb

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
WASHINGTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GM Defense announced that it incorporated GM Defense Canada, in alignment with GM Defense International, which was established in 2022. As GM Defense expands and pursues additional international programs, the formation of GM Defense Canada will strengthen the business' ability to support efforts to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces.

"The new entity strengthens our ability to develop solutions in Canada as we pursue important near term opportunities, such as the Light Utility Vehicle (LUV) and Light Forces Enhancement programs," said Stephen duMont, president of GM Defense. "We will continue to leverage General Motors' advanced commercial technology, engineering resources and investments in Canada that help our global defense and government customers transition to a more electric, autonomous and connected future."

"The creation of a Canadian entity for defence underscores our commitment to Canada and our conviction that our engineering and manufacturing capacity right here in Canada can serve and help to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces," said Marissa West, president of GM Canada. "We believe that GM Defense has a unique ability to offer best-in-class equipment, technology, and sustainment to support those who serve, and we are proud to do so."

GM Defense recently participated at the Canadian Association of the Defence and Security Industries exhibit where it showcased commercial-based solutions to help meet the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces. GM Defense demonstrated its LUV prototype based on the Chevrolet Silverado and two variants of the proven and fielded Infantry Squad Vehicle, based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. The business continues to build sustainable solutions like the ones shown at CANSEC that can be serviced and maintained through GM Canada's robust network of 448 dealers and GM's global supply chain.

As new international growth efforts emerge, GM Defense may incorporate additional entities in other countries. Focus areas for the business currently remain in North America, across Europe, Indo Pacific and throughout the Middle East.

For the latest GM Defense news, please visit www.gmdefensellc.com and follow GM Defense on LinkedIn.

About GM Defense LLC

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and mobility and autonomy solutions to global defense, security, and government markets. The exceptional reliability of GM Defense's technologies results from decades of proven performance and billions of dollars spent in independent research and development by its parent, General Motors, a world leader in global design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. For more information, please visit www.gmdefensellc.com.

SOURCE GM Defense LLC
In Theaters Nationwide July 4

JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Goya Cares, a global initiative dedicated to combating child trafficking and educating on child mental health, announces its support as executive producer for the release of the new movie SOUND OF FREEDOM, coming to theaters nationwide on July 4, to help raise awareness of the child trafficking epidemic.

Goya Cares, a global initiative dedicated to combating child trafficking and educating on child mental health, announces its support as executive producer for the release of the new movie SOUND OF FREEDOM, coming to theaters nationwide on July 4, to help raise awareness of the child trafficking epidemic.

"It has been a spiritual calling that led us to this point with the hopes to not just shed light but put an end to this horrific evil. We are proud to be a part of this movie since the beginning and support the incredible work of Eduardo Verastegui and Tim Ballard (film based upon his life). I founded Goya Cares with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration of SOUND OF FREEDOM. Angels Studios is a Godsend that will raise awareness of this crisis and ultimately help put an end to this epidemic. In the words of Saint Mother Teresa, 'We must bring the child back to the center of our care and concern,'" said Bob Unanue, President and CEO of Goya Foods, and Executive Producer of SOUND OF FREEDOM.

Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, has used its international platform to establish Goya Cares as a global initiative, bringing together organizations and businesses to show solidarity and help communities recognize the dangers of child trafficking and the importance of preventative education.

"We are honored to have the support of Goya Foods for this critically important film with its life-changing message about the horrors of child trafficking and slavery. Every year, 2 million children are trafficked around the world, and it is our duty to do all we can to raise the alarm, step in, and do something to end it. Goya's support of SOUND OF FREEDOM stands out as an example of what successful companies should be doing to make a better world with their giving. In partnering with Goya, we are committed to pursuing justice until we ensure that our children remain safe and protected at home with their families where they belong," said Tim Ballard, Founder of Operation Underground Railroad and a Goya Cares Coalition Partner.

Many Goya Cares coalition partners help to recover, restore, and reunite survivors, while others help to raise awareness and provide schools with free access to preventative education curriculum and the Goya Cares' educational series LIGHT.

SOUND OF FREEDOM, starring Jim Caviezel, Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino, Bill Camp, Jose Zuniga, Eduardo Verastegui, who is also a producer, and written and directed by Alejandro Monteverde is based on the incredible true story that brings attention to the urgent matter of child trafficking through the heroic actions of former federal agent Tim Ballard. Fans can "pay it forward" by buying SOUND OF FREEDOM movie tickets for others to watch for free. Pay it forward details can be found here: www.Angel.com/sof

To learn more about Goya Cares, please visit: www.goyacares.com

About Goya Foods

Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central, and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world. The combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings, and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com.

Press Contact:

Natalie J. Maniscalco

845.659.6506

[email protected]

SOURCE Goya Foods, Inc.
PASADENA, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With mixed emotions, Hahn & Hahn LLP has announced the retirement of Partner Scott Jenkins effective June 30, 2023. For over 38 years, Jenkins has practiced business and real estate law with the firm and is a former Managing Partner.

"I have been fortunate to practice law with a historic firm and extraordinarily talented attorneys," Jenkins said. "I have had the opportunity to serve hundreds of amazing clients. They and their businesses have brought me great joy and fulfillment throughout my career."

Jenkins has been the lead attorney on many significant real estate projects in the Pasadena area, including the One Colorado Project, the Raymond Theatre Apartments, the Montana Condominium, the Playhouse Office Building, master plans for nearly all the local educational institutions and churches, several assisted living facilities, and the west coast facilities for Becton Dickinson and Company, a global medical technology business.

Over the years, Jenkins has proudly represented many well-respected local businesses and non-profit entities such as the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, the Huntington Hospital, the Huntington Library, Caltech, Vroman's Bookstore, Rusnak Automotive Group, Fuller Theological Seminary, In-N-Out Burger, Symes Toyota and Cadillac, and El Portal Restaurant, among others.

During his tenure, he has worked with such notable personalities as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charlie Munger, and Vin Scully.

Jenkins has been a leader in many local charities and civic groups. He is currently the Chair of the Board for Forest Lawn Cemeteries and Mortuaries, a Director of Huntington Hospital, and a Life Director of the Tournament of Roses, and he intends to continue in those positions. Previously, he was the President of the Board of the Tournament of Roses, the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, and the San Marino Unified Schools.

Jenkins and his wife, Cindy, have two grown daughters, Courtney and Lindsay, and two granddaughters. Jenkins and his wife have been active in San Marino Community Church, where he has served as an Elder and also as President of the Church Foundation. They have also participated on several church mission trips to Malawi in southern Africa, assisting AIDS orphans.

Jenkins and his wife plan to remain in the Pasadena area, stay involved in community activities, and look forward to the many more mountains they have yet to climb and rivers to cross.

While Hahn & Hahn is disheartened to part with an outstanding attorney and beloved colleague, the firm thanks Jenkins for his commitment to the firm and to clients throughout nearly four decades of service.

"We remain inspired by Scott's leadership in the community and are grateful for his mentorship of up-and-coming attorneys within our firm," said Managing Partner Christianne F. Kerns. "Hahn and Hahn will continue to uphold the traditions of dedication and excellence which Scott has lived by example throughout his career."

Hahn & Hahn LLP, a certified Women Owned Business Enterprise, is a leader in the California business and legal communities. Founded in 1899, the firm represents institutional clients of all sizes, entrepreneurs, innovators, business owners, family offices, charitable organizations and high net worth individuals in their corporate, real estate, employment and financing matters, as well as commercial, employment and real estate litigation, eminent domain, bankruptcy and restructuring, estate planning and family law issues. Hahn & Hahn delivers the highest quality legal services in a prompt, efficient, cost-effective and professional manner.

CONTACT

Gloria Pak

Hahn & Hahn LLP

301 E. Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91101-1977

626-796-9123

[email protected]

https://www.hahnlawyers.com

SOURCE Hahn & Hahn LLP
Tech24 Completes Seventeenth Add-on Acquisition

GREENVILLE, S.C., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech24, backed by HCI Equity Partners, today announced that it acquired Harris Warren Commercial Kitchen Service ("Harris Warren" or the "Company") on June 20, 2023. Tech24 is a national provider of repair and maintenance services for foodservice and commercial HVAC equipment, and Harris Warren is its seventeenth add-on acquisition in the highly fragmented foodservice repair and maintenance market. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Harris Warren, based in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, is a leading provider of repair services, preventative maintenance and installation for commercial kitchens in the Cape Cod area. The Company specializes in servicing hot and cold side equipment primarily to restaurant and hospitality customers. Harris Warren allows Tech24 to further grow its technician base and diversify its customer mix in a key Northeastern MSA of Boston, MA.

"Adding Harris Warren to the Tech24 family is an exciting next step in growing our well-known services among a broader set of customers in the Northeast," said Dan Rodstrom, CEO of Tech24. "We look forward to working alongside owner Michael Harris-Warren and his entire team, and welcome them into the larger Tech24 organization."

"Our team continues to be impressed by Tech24's ability to partner with great companies that deepen the broader organization's service areas and diversify the customer base," said Doug McCormick, Managing Partner at HCI. "The sustained pace of acquisitions is a direct reflection of the talented team we have built at Tech24, and we look forward to continuing to support their M&A strategy."

Quarles and Brady served as legal counsel to Tech24.

About HCI Equity Partners

HCI Equity Partners is a lower market private equity firm focused on partnering with family and founder-owned distribution, manufacturing and service companies. HCI is headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.hciequity.com.

Contacts:

Kelsey Clute, VP, Director of Communications, HCI

[email protected]

Megan Bowman, Lambert

[email protected]

SOURCE HCI Equity Partners
Home sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Lennar

BULVERDE, Texas, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping a Hero, a non-profit providing support for military personnel severely injured in the war on terror, Bass Pro Shops and Lennar, one of the nation's leading homebuilders, today broke ground on a wheelchair-accessible home for U.S. Army Staff. Sgt. Scott Adams (Ret.). The new Lennar home is in the master-planned Hidden Trails community in Bulverde, TX, near San Antonio.

Helping a Hero, a non-profit providing support for military personnel severely injured in the war on terror, Bass Pro Shops and Lennar, one of the nations leading homebuilders, today broke ground on a wheelchair-accessible home for U.S. Army Staff. Sgt. Scott Adams (Ret.). The new Lennar home is in the master-planned Hidden Trails community in Bulverde, TX, near San Antonio.

Neighbors lined the streets waving American flags and holding handmade signs cheering "Welcome Home, SSG Adams." Adams was greeted by special guests Helping a Hero Founder Meredith Iler; Tate Stevens, an American country music artist and National Ambassador for Helping a Hero; and David Grove, Regional President for Lennar.

The groundbreaking was part of Helping a Hero's 100 Homes Challenge, which was launched by Johnny Morris, Founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops. Lennar has joined the effort and committed to building 10 homes for Helping a Hero as part of the 100 Homes Challenge. Homes by Lennar are being built in Texas, Arizona, Florida and Colorado  with more homes to be added.

Lennar worked with Helping a Hero to adapt the new home  a single-story Kimball plan showcasing Lennar's Next Gen home-within-a-home design. The 2,792-square-foot home includes four bedrooms and three baths. The design will be adapted for accessibility and the flexible Next Gen suite can be used for various purposes. The main home features an open-concept main living area with direct access to an expansive covered patio. In addition to the owner's suite with a spa-style bathroom and zero-threshold accessible shower, there are two secondary bedrooms and a two-car garage.

Hidden Trails is one of the newest master-planned communities in Bulverde  close to the city, but away from it all. The beautiful community features multiple amenities including miles of walking trails, swimming pools, fitness center, monthly community events and more.

"It's overwhelming for me and my family to have such a beautiful home customized for our unique needs," said Adams. "This home is beyond anything I have ever imagined. I am incredibly grateful to Helping a Hero, Lennar and Bass Pro Shops for making my dream come true."

"Staff Sgt. Adams is a servant leader who has never had an adapted home," said Helping a Hero Home founder Meredith Iler. "Helping a Hero is thrilled to partner with Lennar to design a wheelchair accessible home for Scott and his wife  complete with wider doors and hallways, an adapted bathroom and other safety features to insure they have freedom inside their new home."

"Giving back to the communities in which we build is a core value at Lennar and on behalf of our entire San Antonio Division, we are honored that Scott chose a Lennar home," said Grove. "Our team is happy to commit our time and resources to create an exceptional home for an extremely deserving American hero."

Staff Sgt. Adams joined the Army in 1986 right out of high school and served six deployments to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. On his sixth deployment, Adams was on patrol near Baghdad when two anti-tank mines laced with white phosphorus ripped through his vehicle. Adams was engulfed in flames and sustained third- and fourth-degree burns over 50% of his body. Adams also sustained injuries to his back, neck, spinal cord, and lungs.

He lost most of his sweat glands despite plastic surgery that minimizes the burn damage to the naked eye. Regulating body temperature is almost impossible, which requires Adams to keep his interior air temperature at home at 64 degrees. Adams uses a cane and tries to be as independent as possible. His wife has been his primary care giver since 2007, but after moving to San Antonio in 2020, she suffered a spinal embolism and requires the use of a wheelchair.

About Helping a Hero:

Texas-based Helping a Hero is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization providing support for military personnel severely injured in the war on terror. Our principal activity is to provide specially adapted homes for qualifying service members as well as engage the community to provide services and resources for our wounded heroes and their families. Home recipients include veterans whose permanent injuries from combat have left them paraplegics, quadriplegics, amputees, blind, with severe burns and other injuries. Helping A Hero provides additional support programs including marriage retreats, caregiver retreats, recreational activities, and emergency needs support. Helping a Hero Outdoors has expanded to serve our heroes through hunting and fishing outings.

About the 100 Homes Challenge:

Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops and noted conservationist, launched the 100 Homes Challenge and committed to fund 25 percent of the cost of the next 100 Helping a Hero homes. Helping a Hero invites the public to join Johnny Morris in the 100 Homes Challenge by making a donation, however large or small, to help to fund the other 75 percent of the cost of these homes.

Helping A Hero is accepting applications from Post 9-11 wounded warriors needing a specially adapted home due to their combat injuries to become part of the 100 Homes Challenge. We also invite the public to Nominate a Hero. Both the home application and the Nominate a Hero form are available on our website at www.helpingahero.org.

About Lennar Corporation

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments.

Media Contacts:



Margaret Cordes, Communications Director, HelpingaHero.org

832-655-5499; [email protected]

Danielle Tocco, Vice President Communications, Lennar Corporation

949-648-1823 mobile, [email protected]

SOURCE Lennar
Company announced the date of the launch event for its upcoming flagship foldable smartphone HONOR Magic V2 at MWC Shanghai

SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global technology brand HONOR today announced that it will host a launch event for its next flagship foldable smartphone, HONOR Magic V2. During a MWC Shanghai keynote session entitled "What's Next for Smartphones" and a CEO Tech Talk hosted by John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, Ltd., George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co., Ltd., shared key insights into the roles that artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and its human-centric focus play on driving smartphone innovation, and revealed that date for its upcoming HONOR Magic V2 launch, which is set for July 12 in Beijing.

George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co., Ltd., on keynote speech John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, Ltd., and George Zhao at CEO Tech Talk

Unwavering Commitment to Push the Boundaries of Innovation

HONOR believes that the technology industry and the market are driven by the cycle of innovation, not of the economy. "Smartphones represent the ultimate combination of computing systems, communications technologies, display technologies, and AI platforms, tearing down boundaries by integrating various other devices and new technologies," said George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co. Ltd. "New AI and communications technology are fueling a new wave of smartphone innovation, creating virtually limitless possibilities for us to explore. It is our responsibility as a company to embrace these opportunities and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with smartphones."

Spearheading the Advancement of Human-centric Technology

During the presentation, Zhao invited the audience to join him in imagining the vast possibilities that come with AI and 5G technologies and showcased HONOR's key advances in on-device AI, communications, display, battery life, and device portability. HONOR continues to embrace the possibilities of AI innovation by applying AI across various usage scenarios, and is exploring the possibilities of harnessing large language models (LLM) on devices to spearhead the advancement of human-centric technology in smartphones and beyond.

Recognizing how communications technology has evolved from 1G to 5G in the past five decades and how 5G has been tearing down the boundary between the physical and digital, Zhao shared how HONOR continues to optimize its information communications capabilities to provide a more seamless user experience. Through the integration of software and hardware, and improvements in cellular network, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, HONOR fully optimizes the performance of devices in environments with poor signal quality, such as basements, shopping malls, elevators, and subways, facilitating a smoother experience for all. HONOR will also explore using satellites to enable users to stay connected and safe even in extreme conditions.

As digital content and platforms become more accessible, HONOR sees the need to put a greater focus on developing human-centric display technologies that are in line with evolving user behaviors. Reinforcing HONOR's commitment to user wellness, Zhao mentioned that HONOR aims to create display viewing experiences that are as comfortable and immersive as viewing the natural world. The brand has introduced a range of eye-caring features, including Flicker-free PWM Dimming and Circadian Night Display, to provide protection for users' eyes around the clock.

Balancing Compact Design and Powerful Performance with New Materials and Form Factors

In addition to connectivity and display, HONOR also understands users' concerns around the balance between compact design and powerful performance. Committed to delivering human-centric innovation, HONOR has continued to explore new materials and form factors, bringing the Super-light Titanium Hinge and Silicon-carbon Battery to life.

HONOR's commitment to innovation and facilitating global collaboration for change was also evident at the event. Zhao encouraged industry players to harness the power of innovation to create new, exciting experiences for consumers. Zhao concluded his keynote session with a sneak preview of the HONOR Magic V2, the upcoming revolutionary HONOR flagship foldable device. The device is set to launch in Beijing on July 12, and is poised to set a new standard in foldable smartphone technology.

About HONOR

HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR's portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves.

For more information, please visit HONOR online at www.hihonor.com or email [email protected]

http://community.hihonor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/honorglobal/

https://twitter.com/Honorglobal

https://www.instagram.com/honorglobal/

http://www.youtube.com/c/HonorOfficial

SOURCE HONOR
BOSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- By taking advantage of assembly line production, SMRs promise cost reductions and shorter construction times relative to their conventional counterparts. The first nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs) are already operational in Russia and China, but widening adoption will require both technical and regulatory developments, including development in fuel supply chains and international licensing standardization.

Cheaper and Safer

The distribution of reactor technologies globally is expected to change as the SMR fleet becomes more established. Source: IDTechEx

Nuclear SMRs hold the promise of bringing nuclear power into a new age by cutting costs while improving safety. These nuclear reactors, usually with an electrical capacity of less than 300MW and largely built on assembly lines, are expected to compete to provide baseload and demand-following grid capacity with intermittent renewables and energy storage as decarbonization efforts intensify. Furthermore, they could directly provide process heat to emissions-heavy industries, including steelmaking, alongside electricity generation. They could even reuse existing infrastructure at the sites of old nuclear or fossil fuel power plants, cutting the cost and impact of providing new grid capacity.

Adoption Roadmap

While SMRs are largely evolutions of existing nuclear fission technology, this does not mean that the nuclear industry can immediately transition to connecting them to the grid in great numbers. Drawing on analysis of government policies, the stated goals of SMR designers, data-based benchmarking, and more, the 20-year market forecast from a recent IDTechEx report predicts the next decade to be one of establishment for SMRs, with early demonstration reactors built to prove commercial feasibility and gain operational excellence. The next decade to 2043, however, is expected to be high-growth, as rollout widens and a commercial fleet of SMRs takes place globally.

But why these two distinct periods? For one, there's the build time of the reactors themselves. SMRs tend to simplify reactor designs compared to their large counterparts. For example, many designs circulate coolant via natural convection without the need for turbopumps, which also increases the level of passive safety of the design. Modularization and the use of pre-fab building elements help costs. Both factors should speed up build time: for example, GE-Hitachi's BWRX-300 SMR should take 2-3 years to build, with other SMR designers stating similar timeframes. This compares to a mean construction period of around 8 years for large reactors.

Despite these increased efficiencies, when building a fleet of a new reactor design the first few reactors of a fleet will likely constitute a proving force before a wider nth-of-a-kind rollout takes place, meaning that the real-terms lead time from the first of a fleet to series production is closer to the order of at least. As proving occurs, the factory infrastructure for building the plants must expand. This is emblematic of the supply chain expansion, another factor slowing down the initial rollout of SMRs, for specialized fuel types on top of the reactors themselves. Efforts are already in place to solve this, including the US Government making US$700M of funding available to support the production of the HALEU (High Assay Low Enriched Uranium) fuel used by many advanced SMR designs.

Standardized Licensing

The licensing process for nuclear reactors is famously long-winded, ensuring safety is a key priority. These long and capital-intensive processes are one of the strongest factors delaying the initial build of SMRs. Still, there may be ways to speed up these processes without compromising safety. Increasing the transferability of approval between individual sites and even internationally would prevent duplication of work and the latter factor would work in favor of the export potential of SMRs, which is often a key rationale behind their designs. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative aim to provide a framework to improve the compatibility of international regulatory processes to prevent a repetition of work between countries, particularly focusing on SMRs. It could be envisioned that the licensing system eventually follows more closely to that of airliners, with a highly safety-critical industry having a well-agreed-upon regulatory process internationally.

The expected high growth rate of SMR builds from the mid-2030s onwards is indicative of the impact these technologies could have on solving the climate crisis. As existing nuclear and even coal-fired power plants come offline, SMRs have the potential to take their places in the grid as a low-carbon power source while minimizing the impact of constructing new capacity on communities.

Comprehensive Insight

IDTechEx's report "Nuclear Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) 2023-2043" provides comprehensive coverage of the SMR space. It provides twenty-year market forecasts, benchmarking of SMR designs, application suitability analysis, dissection of the industry landscape, and more, making it essential reading for anyone wishing to understand this emerging low-carbon energy source. Further details on the report, including downloadable sample pages, are available at www.IDTechEx.com/SMRs.

To find out more about IDTechEx's technical and commercial analysis of the SMR industry and our extensive portfolio of detailed market research across a wide range of emerging technologies, please contact [email protected].



About IDTechEx



IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com .

Images download:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ghahnajqbindgdod3bbjb/h?dl=0&rlkey=ncxzx330zfjjh7vvd0onvnrdu

Media Contact:



Lucy Rogers

Sales & Marketing Administrator

[email protected]

+44(0)1223 812300



Social Media Links:



Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/



Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/478371/3968647/IDTechEx_Logo.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2141759/The_distribution_of_reactor_technologies.jpg

SOURCE IDTechEx
SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Li Peng, Huawei's Senior Vice President and President of the Carrier BG, today called for further innovation in 5G to create new value and unleash digital dividends during his keynote at MWC Shanghai 2023. He said the industry needs to innovate together to meet increasing digital requirements in both the consumer and industrial markets.

Titled Creating New Value with 5G to Unleash Digital Dividends, his speech discussed how 5G is spearheading the development of the digital industry and enabling the digitalization of all industries.

Li Peng speaks at MWC Shanghai 2023 Li Peng calls for joint effort on 5.5G research

Li said, "The future is now. New business scenarios for people, homes, businesses, and vehicles are delivering new experiences. This is raising higher requirements for network capabilities. Enhanced network capabilities, like 10 Gbps downlink, 1 Gbps uplink, and 100 billion IoT connections, are creating a vast market space in 5.5G for carriers."

Connecting people: Demand for new experience boosts traffic dividends

Currently, the world has over 1.2 billion 5G users. Li explained that the pursuit of the ultimate experience by the large number of users is driving the development of innovative content and applications as well as the construction of 5G networks that can deliver a 10 Gbps experience.

Huawei predicts that these applications and content will also spur a 10-fold surge in traffic. For example, the traffic generated by naked-eye 3D content will see a 3- to 10-fold increase compared with 2D videos. A single New Calling user can generate over 1 GB of data per week while one cloud phone user can generate over 1 GB of data a day.

5G spectrum will also be crucial for achieving the ultimate user experience. Li said that the industry needs access to new frequency bands, including the 6 GHz and mmWave bands, as well as sub-100 GHz spectrum for 5G New Radio.

Huawei has already worked with multiple carriers to perform technical verification for the 6 GHz band. Field tests show that 10 Gbps downlink can be achieved on the 6 GHz band and that the band can also achieve co-coverage with C-band for a single site.

Connecting homes: Huge room for smart life dividends

In the consumer market, skyrocketing demand for new experiences has led to a boom in innovative forms of content and applications, like naked-eye 3D, smart home management, and whole-house intelligence. This has prompted carriers to upgrade home networks that will deliver a bandwidth of 10 Gbps like private lines.

Li explained that Huawei launched the 5G FWA Square solutions, including FWA Pro for ultrafast connectivity, FWA Lite for cost-effective connectivity, and FWA Biz for highly reliable connectivity. These three solutions can help carriers better meet user needs in various scenarios and expand the 5G FWA market.

Connecting industries and machines: A trillion-yuan market

Since 5G commercialization began four years ago, more than 17,000 private 5G networks have been built globally. These networks have turbocharged digitalization in many industries, with clear economic benefits for early adopters in the manufacturing, port, mining, oil & gas, and healthcare industries.

As industrial digitalization becomes more common, more businesses will integrate digital technology into their production processes, and they will require more advanced network capabilities that 5G can provide.

Together with partners, Huawei helped a customer develop the industry's first 5.5G-powered flexible production line. The project found that the 5.5G deterministic network guaranteed ultra-high reliability and reduced latency down to 4 milliseconds in a high-concurrency environment.

Connecting vehicles: A new path for carriers

Li also touched on the popular topic of autonomous vehicles during his speech. Constant progress is being made in the areas of connected vehicles and Internet of Vehicles (IoV). ICT services are essential for intelligent connected vehicles, Vehicle to Everything (V2X), and connected intelligence.

5.5G will help cars sense their surroundings much more clearly. An IoV with advanced sensing is a core component of intelligent traffic light systems, navigation on rainy and foggy days, beyond-line-of-sight sensing, and more. Level-4 autonomous vehicles are expected to hit the commercial market in 2025 and will require massive amounts of computing power and strong networks.

An autonomous car generates hundreds of terabytes of data each day, and needs to upload about one terabyte of that data to the cloud to support AI model training and algorithm updates.

Li said that Huawei will deepen its partnership with the industry to support these huge demands for computing power on clouds and intelligent real-time computing. The connectivity and computing markets are expected to become promising areas of growth for carriers.

MWC Shanghai 2023 runs from June 28 to June 30 in Shanghai, China. Huawei showcases its products and solutions at stands E10 and E50 in Hall N1 of Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Together with global operators, industry professionals, and opinion leaders, we dive into topics such as speeding up 5G prosperity, striding towards the 5.5G era, and intelligent digital transformation. 5.5G creates new business value in areas like the Internet of People (IoP), Internet of Things (IoT), and Internet of Vehicles (IoV), supporting countless industries as they move towards an intelligent world. For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwcs2023 .

SOURCE Huawei
SHENZHEN, China, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Digital Energy Expo (IDEE) 2023 opened today in Shenzhen. The four-day event focuses on discussing cutting-edge technologies and best practices in the digital energy industry, aiming to promote the construction of a green, efficient, flexible, intelligent, and sustainable energy system and accelerate the industry's high-quality development.

image

At today's Digital Energy Forum, Hou Jinlong, President of Huawei Digital Power, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Integrating Digital and Power Electronics Technologies for a New Era of Digital Energy and a Better, Greener Future." President Hou emphasized that low carbon, electrification, digitalization, and intelligence are the four key paths for energy evolution and transformation. The energy industry has entered a new era of digital energy and will be deeply integrated with the digital world. Huawei Digital Power is committed to integrating digital and power electronics technologies to build energy infrastructure for power systems, new-type electric vehicles (EVs), and new digital industries for a carbon-neutral future.

The transformation of energy infrastructure, including new power systems, urban energy systems, transportation energy networks, and residential energy systems, is accelerating. Huawei Digital Power leverages '4T' technologies (BiT, WatT, HeaT, and BatTery) to build new energy infrastructure in three aspects:

New Power System Energy Infrastructure

This type of infrastructure focuses on clean energy bases, urban energy systems with coordinated power generation, grids, loads, and storage, and home energy management systems.

In clean energy base scenarios, Huawei develops smart grid-forming converters to make PV a major energy source. In terms of O&M, Huawei leverages IoT, big data, AI, and other digital technologies to implement the smart diagnosis of plant faults, achieving intelligent and unattended PV plants.

In urban settings, Huawei uses innovative solutions like distributed energy, virtual power plants (VPPs), smart charging networks, V2X, integrated smart energy, and smart microgrids to intelligently integrate energy generation, grid, load, and storage. The goal is to cultivate green, low-carbon urban energy systems, leading to cities that are safe, resilient, efficient, and smart.

For home energy consumption, building a green, low-carbon, intelligent home energy management system with the optimizer+PV+ESS+charger+load+cloud one-stop solution will transform homes from energy consumers to prosumers in new power systems.

New-type EV Energy Infrastructure

In the mobility electrification industry, Huawei Digital Power offers e-Mobility and FusionCharge solutions. We launch the hyper-converged power system and the "one kilometer per second" supercharging solution through collaborative efforts, enabling electric vehicles to surpass fuel vehicles and achieve a refueling-like charging experience. Additionally, high-quality charging networks should be compatible with vehicle models of various voltage levels. Various business models can bring better returns on investment to charger operators, fostering a sustainable development cycle.

Today, Shenzhen City, Huawei Digital Power, and ecosystem partners announce to build Shenzhen into a supercharging hub with an integrated network for charge, energy storage, and discharge.

New Digital Industry Energy Infrastructure

With the surging demands for connections and computing power, energy consumption and carbon emissions from data centers and telecom sites are increasing. Adhering to the principle of achieving more bits with less watts and less carbon emissions, Huawei builds new energy infrastructure for data center facilities, site power facilities, and critical power supply solutions, to continuously reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions per bit. The infrastructure serves as an energy consumer and a regulator of energy production and power systems.

The digital energy industry thrives on ecosystem collaboration. Huawei will continuously innovate in technologies and products and work with industry and ecosystem partners to build a digital energy industry ecosystem and contribute to a carbon-neutral future for humankind.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144060/image.jpg

SOURCE Huawei
G7 tells countries of global South about possibility of peaceful settlement in Ukraine only with withdrawal of Russian troops  media

Any peaceful settlement of the situation in Ukraine will require the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, representatives of the G7 countries told their colleagues from the states of the "global South" at a meeting in Copenhagen, Western media reported on Thursday, citing sources.

According to sources, participants from the G7, the EU and the United States, including the U.S. President's national Security adviser Jake Sullivan, confirmed that a ceasefire that freezes the conflict for a long time will allow Moscow to hold the occupied territories. Representatives of the G7, the EU and the United States stressed that long-term peace should mean Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine, Bloomberg informs.

According to it, representatives of India, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia attended the meeting [ on June 24]. Most of the participants of the meeting in Denmark last week agreed that the settlement of the situation with Ukraine should be based on UN principles such as sovereignty and territorial integrity. But one of the sources said that at the meeting there were striking differences in views on specific issues and tactics of actions.

At the same time, representatives of the PRC did not arrive at the talks, despite the invitation.

Most of the participants in the consultations in Copenhagen also expressed unwillingness to set a date for a global meeting to discuss the Peace Formula of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy until further preparatory measures are carried out. However, some of the countries agreed to work on specific points of the Peace Formula, such as the continuation of grain supplies through the Black Sea and nuclear safety.

According to sources, the next meetings in a similar format can be expected in the coming weeks.

The U.S. National Security Council did not comment on the information about the meeting in Copenhagen.

ARD TV channel previously reported that regular negotiations on Ukraine could take place in July, but did not specify the composition of participants and the venue of such negotiations.
SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- At MWC Shanghai 2023, Huawei launched 5GigaGreen innovations for wireless communications to promote ultimate network performance and energy saving with global operators.

Gan Bin from Huawei delivering a keynote speech

Gan Bin, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Wireless Network Product Line, stated that ultimate performance and energy saving are the driven forces for Huawei wireless innovation. Adhering to the philosophy of 5GigaGreen, Huawei keeps innovating in ultra-wideband, multi-antenna, maximized passive capability, and "0 bit 0 watt" equipment and network to make 5G from good to great.

Ultra-wideband Is the Best Choice for Reducing Energy Consumption of Multi-band Network

Huawei's ultra-wideband solution combines multiple bands into one for lower energy consumption and is applicable to all bands and scenarios.

Thanks to the innovations in ultra-wideband RF and power amplifier algorithm, Huawei was able to introduce the triple-band FDD 4T4R RRU, boasting the lowest power consumption in the industry, which supports the simplified deployment of all RATs on all frequency bands and offers a more than 20% energy consumption gain compared with the industry average. In Europe, after a site is upgraded from four to six bands, its energy consumption can be reduced by 30%. The ultra-wideband 4T4R RRUs have already entered large-scale commercial use around the world, with over 100,000 shipments.

Huawei has also expanded ultra-wideband technology from FDD to TDD. The 800 MHz MetaAAU, the industry's largest bandwidth, covers the full C-band and reduces power consumption by 20% than two separate 400 MHz modules.

Ultra-wideband has also been expanded from macro base stations to microwave and DIS. In microwave, the new 2T ODU enables the aggregation of more carriers to deliver 800 MHz bandwidth, reducing power consumption by 50% compared with the industry average. Furthermore, ultra-wideband LampSite enables 2 GHz bandwidth, slashing the power consumption of the entire site by 40%.

Multi-Antenna Is Optimal for Improving Bit Energy Efficiency

Supported by multi-antenna and large-bandwidth technologies, Huawei TDD Massive MIMO improves bit energy efficiency by 20 times compared with 4T4R. In high-traffic areas of commercial networks in the Middle East, TDD 64T64R Massive MIMO has achieved a bit energy efficiency gain of more than 10 times by employing multi-layer pairing technology. In the future, traffic volume will keep increasing, and more layers will be configured to improve the bit energy efficiency by up to 20 times.

Huawei is also the industry leader in FDD multi-antenna technology. In Europe, the FDD 8T8R solution, with its intelligent beamforming algorithm, has achieved a gain in bit energy efficiency of 1.5 times compared with traditional 4T4R. FDD M-MIMO, which is the only solution in the industry that is in large-scale commercial use, has improved energy efficiency by 3 times. With the enhancement in 3GPP Release 18 and beyond, it will be possible to achieve a 4 to 6 times increase in energy efficiency.

Maximize Passive Capabilities and Explore New Horizons to Reduce Energy Consumption

Signal direct injection feeding (SDIF) is Huawei's unique advanced antenna technology. It achieves zero cable and reduces loss by 1.5 dB. It works with Meta Lens to concentrate beam energy for greater RF efficiency of antennas, improving energy efficiency by 25%. Huawei has delivered more than 250,000 green antennas for global commercial networks.

In addition, Huawei continues to innovate in TDD Massive MIMO. The industry's unique MetaAAU introduces extremely large antenna array (ELAA) technology. In Europe, compared with traditional AAUs, MetaAAU has reduced energy consumption by 33%, while providing the same coverage, thanks to innovations in algorithms, architectures, software, and hardware. MetaAAUs have already entered large-scale commercial use around the world, with over 100,000 pieces shipped.

"0 Bit 0 Watt": a New Benchmark for Equipment Energy Saving

Based on advanced hardware and software design, Huawei has achieved the industry's first super deep dormancy with a 99% shutdown ratio, cutting equipment operating power to less than 5 W. With the innovative on-demand wakeup algorithm, equipment can wake up at any time to guarantee user experience.

Huawei is also the first company in the industry to achieve millisecond-level carrier and channel shutdown through joint innovations with digital and RF modules. This capability means an additional 10% energy saving compared with the minute-level shutdown commonly seen in the industry.

Intelligence Enables Network-level "0 Bit 0 Watt"

On a single network, traffic volume, energy-saving features, band and equipment energy efficiency, and the coverage of each band vary across sites. Huawei iPowerStar implements intelligent energy saving strategy orchestration that is based on the traffic characteristics, energy saving characteristics, energy efficiency grids, and experience grids on live networks. This maximizes the energy efficiency of multi-band networks by applying an optimal strategy for each site at each time.

During the May Day holiday in Hebei, China, iPowerStar reduced energy consumption by 19%, while traffic volume increased by 19%. Overall, the energy efficiency of the network increased by 45%.

At the end of his speech, Gan Bin said that Huawei will never stop 5GigaGreen innovation and will continue working with industry partners to make 5G from good to great.

MWC Shanghai 2023 runs from June 28 to June 30 in Shanghai, China. Huawei showcases its products and solutions at stands E10 and E50 in Hall N1 of Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Together with global operators, industry professionals, and opinion leaders, we dive into topics such as speeding up 5G prosperity, striding towards the 5.5G era, and intelligent digital transformation. 5.5G creates new business value in areas like the Internet of People (IoP), Internet of Things (IoT), and Internet of Vehicles (IoV), supporting countless industries as they move towards an intelligent world. For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwcs2023.

SOURCE Huawei
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Angela Zepeda, chief marketing officer (CMO) of Hyundai Motor America, was selected to Forbes' prestigious annual list of the World's Most Influential CMOs. Zepeda was one of 50 CMOs, and the only mass automobile brand CMO, to be recognized for her talent in shaping business, culture and society. This is the second time that Zepeda has been distinguished as one of Forbes' World's Most Influential CMOs. She was first selected in 2021.

The honor comes just three weeks after her recognition at the Choose Creativity Awards, where she was presented with the Intuitive Leadership Award. In April, Zepeda was also recognized as on Forbes' Entrepreneurial 50 CMO list.

"Being selected as one of the most influential CMOs' in the world is a tremendous recognition of Angela's passion for marketing our current products and future mobility solutions," said Jose Munoz, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America. "Angela's commitment to creativity and innovation, and her desire to lead Hyundai Motor America to new heights is inspiring to all of us who are lucky enough to work beside her."

Since assuming the CMO position in 2019, Zepeda and her Hyundai marketing team have helped transform the brand and build deeper connections with consumers.

Forbes' annual CMO ranking is based on 30 digital and social channels analyzed by primary research partner Sprinklr, along with additional data and analysis from LinkedIn.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 830 dealers sold more than 724,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
New state-of-the-art facility to develop immunotherapy assets to address unmet needs in cancer treatment

SINGAPORE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Biosyngen, an immune-oncology company with technology targeting the unmet medical needs in solid tumour and lymphoma treatment, today announced the official opening of its latest Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility in Singapore. The GMP will support cell manufacturing for immunotherapies in Singapore and across the World for the cell and gene therapy (CGT) industry in the next three to five years for gobally.

[From Left to Right] Dr Han Deping, Chief Medical Officer, Biosyngen; Dr Cheong Wei Yang, Deputy Secretary (Technology), Ministry of Health; Ms Joan Zhang, Chairman, Biosyngen; Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade & Industry; Ms Lily Peng Yuemei, Deputy Party Secretary, Director, Knowledge City (Guangzhou) Investment Group and Dr Michelle Chen, Chief Operating Officer, Biosyngen.

The opening was officiated by Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and executives from Biosyngen including Ms Joan Zhang, Chairman of Biosyngen, Dr Benjamin Seet, Board Member of Biosyngen, Dr Michelle Chen, Chief Operation Officer and Prof. Jean Paul Thiery, Chief Scientist of Biosyngen. The opening was also witnessed by distinguished guests from Ministry of Health, Enterprise Singapore, Economic Development Board, Singapore Exchange, The Agency for Science, Technology and Research and National Cancer Centre Singapore.

The new facility is the first and the largest privately owned fully automatic and enclosed integrated GMP cell manufacturing facility and R&D base in Singapore so far, compliant with the latest FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) recommendation, enabling Biosyngen to run automatic and closed-system production  the preferred best practice in the CGT industry. Designed with containment within each production suite, this facility can support multiple clinical trials in parallel.

"In the Singapore 2030 plan, advanced manufacturing and BioPharm is a key component. The opening of Biosyngen's GMP Facility contributes directly to the 2030 plan. It is the first and so far the largest privately owned GMP manufacturing facility in Singapore. Government will continue to support the growth of this sector," said Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade & Industry.

According to statistics from The Global Cancer Observatory (GCO), there were over five million deaths due to solid tumour cancers in Asia in 2020, accounting for 60% of the world's mortality rate[1]. Most solid tumours respond poorly to conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy[2]. Biosyngen's new GMP facility will leverage innovative capabilities to further the development of cutting-edge immunotherapies to improve treatment outcomes for such solid tumours.

"Through years of effort by the Biosyngen team, our first-in-class products targeting nasopharyngenl carcinoma and EBV+ lymphoma were granted IND by US FDA and CN NMPA; and recently granted orphan drug designation status as well. Just this month, we submitted IND applications for two other indications, lung cancer and liver cancer, to both FDA and NMPA. From our humble beginning in Singapore, renting a facility from Temasek Lifesciences Lab, we're embarking on this new GMP Facility for patients worldwide. The urgency in increasing speed in clinical trials for patients and building capacity for global needs. Biosyngen is determined to become a leader in the CGT industry." Dr. Michelle Chen, COO Biosyngen.

In Guangzhou China Biosyngen also has the largest GMP cell production base in South China. Biosyngen has become the one and only cell and gene therapy biotech in Asia with dual headquarter, dual fully automatic and enclosed GMP, and dual R&D layout. Biosyngen has achieved the simultaneous global development of innovative drugs and cost reduction of CGT drugs to the largest extent.

"We are a company dedicated to giving cancer patients a new lease of life by developing first-in-class immunotherapies. We aim to achieve this through our Research & Development (R&D) and collaborations with key stakeholders in hospitals, the wider industry and governments.

Having two sites, one in Singapore and China, is a key global strategy for Biosyngen to advance the company's product pipeline quicker, and drive R&D and GMP manufacturing from both site," said Isaac Chow, CBO Biosyngens.

"Our facility in Singapore enables R&D in drug discovery and process development, and will also be able to accommodate more advanced processes or products that will be introduced in the future," added Dr Cecilia Zhang, CSO Biosyngen.

Earlier this week, the company signed two important agreements to set up a China-Singapore Technology Innovation and Translational Medicine Centre for Tumor Prevention and Treatment as part of the Singapore-Guangdong Collaboration Council (SGCC), and a joint lab with Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to develop multi-specific antibodies targeting solid tumours as part of the Singapore Economic and Trade Cooperation Council.

Biosyngen is also working closely with stakeholders in the Singapore healthcare ecosystem, collaborating with the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) to conduct a basket of clinical trials for various cancer indications and biomarker discovery to enhance patient selection and effectiveness. In addition, the company has partnered with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to develop multi-specific antibodies targeting solid tumours. The company also works closely with the Advanced Cell Therapy and Research Institute (ACTRIS) to consult on GMP practices and process development.

About Biosyngen

Biosyngen is a cell and gene therapy biotechnology company, focusing on R&D in immunotherapy and drug development; to achieve the best outcome for cancer patients.

The company's R&D team consists of multinationals from Singapore, China, Germany, Australia, France and the US, many of whom received their Phd. from renowned universities. Biosyngen's strategy of dual R&D centres and dual GMP facilities in Singapore and China, firmly anchors it as an Asian company towards a global ambition. The company's product pipeline potentially addresses an estimated value of 50 billion USD in the global oncology market.

Biosyngen possesses exclusive licenses and patented therapies targeting multiple solid tumors and hematological malignancies including nasopharyngeal cancer, gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and EBV-positive hematological malignancies. The company's first-in-class product BRG01 was granted IND approval by US FDA and CN NMPA for Phase I/II clinical trial. BRG01 has also been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD). Biosyngen is also one of a few biopharmaceutical companies that possess a portfolio consisting of CAR-T, TCR-T, TIL and multi-specific antibodies.

Based in Singapore and Guangzhou, Biosyngen collaborate closely with the world's leading biomedical research and clinical institutes including A*STAR, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Hannover Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center and a network of hospitals to advance R&D, develop products and conduct clinical trials in Singapore, Australia and China.

Through our R&D capability and translational medicine platform, Biosyngen have been able to engage the end-to-end cycle in drug development from lead identification, preclinical studies, cell production, quality control, regulatory filing, to clinical studies - integrating the entire chain of R&D, clinical trial, GMP manufacturing and commercialization.

Biosyngen contact email[email protected]

[1] https://novotech-cro.com/sites/default/files/2022-07/Novotech_DiseaseReport_SOLIDTUMORS_APAC_CT_LANDSCAPE.pdf

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852245/

SOURCE Biosyngen
BRENTWOOD, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In another major shake-up within the California real estate landscape, today, Christie's International Real Estate, is proud to announce that Gary Glass, a celebrated steward in the real estate industry, will be joining the brokerage, based in the new Brentwood office. Glass has amassed a remarkable sales record surpassing $1 billion in real estate transactions.

Gary Glass Headshot

This move comes after an illustrious 32-year career with Berkshire Hathaway, during which Glass consistently ranked among their top 100 agents worldwide. Glass' decision to join Christie's International Real Estate was driven by his desire to align with a brokerage that echoes his own philosophy of perseverance, positivity, and gratitude, regardless of the market fluctuations.

"Discovering your dream for living is the heart of everything I do," said Gary Glass.

Glass' reputation as a trusted professional in the industry has been instrumental in facilitating countless high-profile transactions, making him a sought-after partner for his noteworthy client base. His current portfolio features esteemed properties such as: 14330 W. Sunset Blvd  $34,500,000 million, 219 Homewood Road  $20,995,000 million, 11507 Orum Road  $18,495,000 million, 388 Homewood  $16,995,000 million and 405 S Cliffwood  $12,995,000.

Gary has received many prestigious awards and rankings over his career, demonstrating his exceptional standing in the real estate industry. These include multiple recognitions from Chairman's Circle Diamond Award and the prestigious Prudential Legend 10-Year Award.

"We are thrilled to welcome Gary Glass to our team at AKG | Christie's International Real Estate," said Aaron Kirman, Founder and CEO of AKG | Christie's International Real Estate. "With an exceptional reputation and an unmatched sales record, his expertise and dedication are undeniable. His decision to join our brokerage underscores the alignment of our brokerage's philosophy with his values."

Glass' extraordinary upbringing in Zimbabwe and South Africa, living in New York and eventually settling in Los Angeles, adds a unique perspective to his work. This diverse background shapes his approach and enhances his ability to connect with a wide range of clients. As a long-time Brentwood resident and proud father of two, Glass is highly regarded not only for his extensive knowledge of the Westside market but also for his deep understanding of the qualities and offerings of the community.

As a dedicated guide and advocate, Glass uses his hands-on, client-first mentality to craft bespoke real estate journeys that cater to each client's unique needs and aspirations. His ultimate goal is not the commission but rather the joy and fulfillment of his clients as they step into their dream living spaces.

Beyond his involvement in real estate, Glass exhibits a profound passion for various charitable organizations. He actively supports Wolf Connection, Boys & Girls Club Hollywood, My Friend's Place, the American Cancer Society, the Home for Life Foundation, K9 Connection, the Children's Nature Institute, the Foundation for Living Beauty, the Venice Family Clinic and Hollygrove.

SOURCE AKG | Christies International Real Estate
New research from the firm explains that the standard banking model must evolve to encompass enhanced product development, marketing strategies, execution, and ongoing operations to comprehensively cater to evolving customer needs.

TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Info-Tech Research Group's new industry resource suggests the already heightened competition in the banking industry is expected to intensify further, which means traditional banks need to prioritize delivering a superior customer experience (CX). With increasing consumer sophistication and the need for technology-driven solutions, many banks are falling short of customer expectations. To effectively compete and meet market demands, banks must prioritize faster technological advancements. Info-Tech's new industry blueprint, Next-Generation Customer Experience in Retail Banking, advises how banks can address industry challenges, thrive in the competitive landscape, and deliver superior customer experience.

Info-Tech Research Group's "Next-Generation Customer Experience in Retail Banking" blueprint presents essential activities that banks should contemplate in order to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group)

"Most banks are involved in various transformation initiatives, primarily enhancing digital capabilities. When we look at the root issues driving the need for transformation, most can be tied back to the need for a more effective overall customer experience (CX) while engaging with their bank," says David Tomljenovic, research head of Financial Services at Info-Tech Research Group. "Truly delivering a next-generation CX requires changes throughout the entire organization, which means changes to people, processes, and technology."

The firm's research indicates that the rise of innovative products and services is creating an environment of severe competition in the banking sector. To remain competitive, it is no longer sufficient for IT to simply fulfill orders; instead, it must actively seek to understand client requirements and offer significant improvements to business leaders. Such a shift necessitates substantial funding and a team of skilled personnel capable of integrating systems via microservices and APIs.

The lack of comprehensive, critical, insight-providing data sets and the rising tide of non-financial and neo-bank contenders primarily focused on customers disillusioned by their current banking experiences present unique challenges for traditional banks. These obstacles further highlight the need for traditional banks to adopt agile practices and foster a strong partnership between IT and the business so they can adapt to shifting circumstances quickly.

Info-Tech suggests establishing a comprehensive 360-degree understanding of the customer. This approach demands a sturdy foundation based on robust data practices that include data discovery, governance, and management. To succeed in this highly competitive era, the firm recommends in the blueprint that banks prioritize the following key activities:

Enhance customer experience: Retaining and attracting customers should be a top priority. Prioritize human capital: An efficient team is critical to a streamlined process and should not be undervalued. Deliver 24/7 real-time service: Clients expect highly adaptable service that is available around the clock. Take a true omnichannel approach: Tailoring highly automated services to customer preferences across all channels will help satisfy customer demands. Strengthen customer trust: Fostering a long-term customer relationship built on trust and reliability is key to overall success. Cultivate full organizational commitment: Banks must align people, processes, and technology to drive innovation and service quality.

According to Info-Tech's study, the ultimate goal of modernized CX in retail banking is to ensure that, regardless of the channel selected, customer experiences are fast, relevant, and personalized and leave the customer feeling more connected to their bank.

To gain more insights on enhancing CX in the banking sector, download the complete Next-Generation Customer Experience in Retail Banking blueprint.

To request analyst interviews and commentary on the retail banking industry, please contact [email protected].

For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group
Premier Design Event Explores "Resilience" to Empower Innovation and Adaptation

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) is proud to unveil the captivating program for its 2023 International Design Conference & IDSA Education Symposium, taking place in New York City from August 23-25. As the premier event in the field of industrial design, the IDC brings together the brightest minds and visionaries to celebrate innovation, community, and the transformative power of design.

The annual conference serves as a platform for sharing ideas, forging connections, gaining inspiration, and staying up to date with the latest trends in design. With its 2023 theme of "Resilience," this year's event will explore how design empowers organizations to adapt, iterate, and respond effectively to evolving conditions in an era of constant uncertainty. The conference will unveil groundbreaking approaches, products, systems, and platforms that not only withstand adversity but also thrive amidst it.

"Design for resilience has never been more crucial than in today's volatile landscape. As leaders, we must embrace the design process to reimagine our approaches and create exceptional solutions for the future's challenges," says Lindsey Maxwell, IDSA's Board Chair and Vice President of Teague's Aerospace Design Studio. "The theme of resilience at IDC reflects our commitment to equipping designers with the tools and strategies they need to navigate an uncertain world and drive meaningful change."

Hosted by esteemed industrial design professionals, Laura Silva, inclusive design lead at Bank of America, and Meghan Preiss, innovation strategist at Delta Airlines, this gathering brings together a lineup of design luminaries covering a diverse range of themes including inclusive design methodologies, mobility design, human-centered design, emerging technologies, sustainability, innovation management, product decision-making, purposeful object design, and more.

Over the course of three days, IDC will offer a series of activities and sessions designed to foster collaboration, inspire creativity, and promote the exchange of ideas. Highlights include:

Hands-on Workshops: Experience interactive sessions that cover topics including accessibility, the future of 3D renderings, human-centered design, wearable technology, and more.

Mainstage Sessions: Gain valuable insights and expertise from a range of industries such as business strategy, technology, mobility, industrial design, software design, and innovation.

Prestigious Awards and Recognition: Celebrate outstanding achievements in industrial design and connected disciplines at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Ceremony & Gala, recognizing excellence in the field for over 43 years.

Education Symposium: Join design educators, practitioners, and students to delve into thought-provoking discussions, challenge the notions of design, and collectively shape the future of design education.

Studio Tours: Explore New York City's design scene during the Brooklyn Studio Night, where you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at local studios including frog, Makelab, and Spitfire Industry.

Learn more at internationaldesignconference.com

Special Thanks to Key Supporters

IDSA thanks its IDC 2023 supporters, including Samsung, KeyShot, Lixil, Makelab, Models Plus Inc., Noble Metaphase, PA Consulting, PDR, Pepsico, Sherwin-Williams, Smart Design, and Tactile.

This year's media partners include ARTS THREAD, Climate Designers, Core77, DesignWanted, Gray Magazine, ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan, and World Design Organization.

About IDSA

Founded in 1965, the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) stands as one of the oldest and largest industrial design associations, serving as the unified voice of the profession in the United States. With a membership of over 4,000 professionals spanning the globe, IDSA remains committed to fostering excellence, promoting innovation, and advocating for the field of industrial design. Through a wide range of annual programming, including professional development and networking opportunities, IDSA continues to shape the industry's future while embracing its history.

SOURCE Industrial Designers Society of America, Inc.
FARMINGTON, Utah, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- INW, a market leading manufacturer of nutrition and wellness products, is excited to announce the appointment of Ray Eby as its Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1st.

Ray will be joining INW after an 18-year career at 3M where he has extensive operational, M&A and corporate experience. In Ray's most recent role, he served as the President of 3M's Personal Safety Division. Ray previously held leadership roles in 3M's Consumer Health, Tapes and Closure, Automotive, and Safety and Security businesses.

INW brings the most innovative ideas in nutrition and wellness to life  formulating and producing powders, capsules, tablets, chewables, nutrition bars, soft-gels, liquids, gel-packs and cosmetics across a variety of packaging solutions, with unmatched quality and reliability.

In the health and wellness marketplace, innovation drives success. INW is committed to continuously investing in cutting-edge science and ingredients backed by a versatile and scalable production infrastructure that's purpose-built to respond to fast-moving trends. INW's comprehensive suite of solutions are underpinned by our deep regulatory knowledge and an exhaustive commitment to quality and safety, from conception to the finished product. This differentiated approach has resulted in a growing portfolio of blue-chip customers and the development of long-standing partnerships.

Under the ownership and guidance of Cornell Capital, INW has also welcomed Paul Sturman, as Executive Chairman of the INW Board of Directors. Paul most recently served as President and CEO of The Bountiful Company (formerly The Nature's Bounty Company) which sold to Nestle in August 2021. He spent much of his career in various marketing and general management roles with Warner-Lambert, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. Paul is also currently an Executive Advisor with KKR.

About INW

INW stands at the crossroads of change in the nutrition and wellness industry, blending science and innovation with safety and quality to set a new standard of leadership in nutritional and personal care manufacturing. Delivering operational excellence from product R & D to expert manufacturing and packaging to efficient delivery, the company provides an unmatched quality product and packaging innovation, from concept to launch to global brands. They offer a diversity of product forms across powders, solid dose, liquids/gel packs, personal care, and more across its multi-site network. Visit inw-group.com to learn more.

Media Contact

Gil Arvizu, Chief Commercial Officer

[email protected]com

(972) 490-3300 (ext. 121)

SOURCE INW | Innovations in Nutrition + Wellness
Gothenburg Municipality, Vasttrafik, and Kandilli Observatory honored for their long-term use of Robustel products

BEIJING, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Robustel is proud to announce the winners of its "Seeking the Longest-running Robustel Devices" campaign in June 2023. The initiative was designed to recognize and reward loyal customers who have utilized Robustel's products for an extended period, demonstrating their durability and reliability. The winners are Gothenburg Municipality in Sweden, Vasttrafik in Sweden, and Kandilli Observatory in Turkey.

Gothenburg Municipality, Vasttrafik, and Kandilli Observatory (left to right) honored for their long-term use of Robustel products

Desmond Kuang, the Senior Vice President of Sales and Product Marketing at Robustel, commented on the campaign, "We are thrilled to honor these three outstanding customers who have placed their trust in our products for many years. Their success stories not only highlight the reliability and robustness of our solutions but also showcase the diverse range of industries we serve."

The winning case studies showcase the long-lasting performance of Robustel's routers and modems in various sectors:

Gothenburg Municipality : Since 2015, the R3000 router has been integral to the city's traffic control systems, monitoring tram switch movements, preventing ice build-up, and transmitting real-time data on traffic light status. This has enabled city authorities to optimize traffic signals and reduce congestion.

: Since 2015, the R3000 router has been integral to the city's traffic control systems, monitoring tram switch movements, preventing ice build-up, and transmitting real-time data on traffic light status. This has enabled city authorities to optimize traffic signals and reduce congestion. Vasttrafik : Robustel's M1000 USB modem has been connecting all trams, buses, trains, and ferries to the Vasttrafik APN since 2015, ensuring uninterrupted communication between vehicles and control centers for the public transportation company.

: Robustel's M1000 USB modem has been connecting all trams, buses, trains, and ferries to the Vasttrafik APN since 2015, ensuring uninterrupted communication between vehicles and control centers for the public transportation company. Kandilli Observatory: The Turkish research institute has been using several thousands of units of the R3000 series products since 2014 for reliable earthquake detection. The monitoring system continued to operate smoothly even after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria earlier this year, providing crucial data for aftershock monitoring and rescue operations.

For more details of the above case studies, please visit: https://www.robustel.com/en/seeking-the-longest-running-robustel-devices/

Robustel is grateful for the trust these customers have placed in its products and is committed to continuous innovation to provide the best products and services. The company looks forward to serving its customers for many more years to come.

About Robustel:

Robustel is a cellular router & Gateway manufacturer specialising in 5G, 4G/LTE & LPWAN devices. Our products are used in smart cities, transportation, utilities, energy, Industrial IoT and many other applications to deliver robust and reliable connectivity.

SOURCE Robustel
This decision has far-reaching implications for corporate diversity programs, and these organizations are joining forces to help companies navigate the political backlash and challenges towards DEIB initiatives.

DALLAS, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kanarys, Inc. , a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) technology company, announces today a collaboration with FordHarrison LLP , a national labor and employment law firm, and Project Mockingbird , a leading public relations agency that specializes in DEIB communications. In response to the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) in the cases of Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard and SFFA v. the University of North Carolina, these three organizations are coming together to provide critical resources and guidance to corporations as they navigate the implications in the workplace. They will also host a webinar on July 13 at 12 p.m. CT to help companies understand the political and legal landscape surrounding DEIB in the wake of the SCOTUS decision.

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court reversal of Affirmative Action, Kanarys, Inc., a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) technology company, announces today a partnership with FordHarrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, and Project Mockingbird, a leading public relations agency that specializes in DEIB communications.

The overturning of Affirmative Action, which prohibits race-conscious policies in colleges and universities, has implications that extend beyond academia and into the workplace. Its outcome will have a domino effect on corporate diversity programs, recruiting and hiring practices, and supplier diversity programs at public and private companies. In response to this monumental change, Kanarys, FordHarrison, and Project Mockingbird are providing solutions that combine legal proficiency, data-driven insights, and strategic communication to help organizations navigate the new DEIB complexities and continue to promote equitable and inclusive work environments in the face of political backlash and legal challenges. With the support of these trusted experts, organizations can make informed decisions on their DEIB programs, address potential legal challenges, and be empowered to continue to drive meaningful DEIB impact.

"The Supreme Court's decision on Affirmative Action will require companies to brace themselves for pushback on their DEIB programs," said Mandy Price, co-founder and CEO of Kanarys. "Now more than ever, it's important for companies to solidify their commitment to DEIB and have comprehensive DEI strategies in place because there will be legal and reputational ramifications for those that do not. A pullback on DEIB will result in a loss of productivity and profitability as research has shown that more diverse and inclusive teams are more successful. Our partnership with FordHarrision and Project Mockingbird equips us to guide organizations through this new DEIB landscape so they can continue to make meaningful progress while minimizing risk."

"At FordHarrison, we are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we understand its importance in cultivating a positive workplace culture, attracting and retaining the best talent, and developing innovative solutions," said Vista Lyons, Dallas office managing partner at FordHarrison. "We have a wealth of knowledge on how to handle the constant evolution of the employment litigation landscape, and our team is proud to partner with Kanarys and Project Mockingbird to help organizations find the right balance to continue supporting DEIB while minimizing the risk of litigation."

"As a social impact communications agency, we firmly believe in the importance of DEIB, and we continually strive to amplify its impact through communications," said Lauren McKinnon, founder and CEO of Project Mockingbird. "Given the political scrutiny and misunderstandings that often accompany DEIB, the importance and power of effective communication cannot be overstated. A comprehensive communication strategy is critical in crafting messages that address concerns, build support, engage stakeholders, and demonstrate a company's commitment to inclusion and belonging once and for all."

The first-of-its-kind offering integrates legal, communications, and data-driven components, including:

Legal Review and Response Audit. Evaluation of organizational policies to ensure DEIB initiatives comply with federal and state laws. Provide guidance on the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on corporate diversity efforts, including race-conscious policies for mentorship and scholarship programs and supplier diversity contracting.

Evaluation of organizational policies to ensure DEIB initiatives comply with federal and state laws. Provide guidance on the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on corporate diversity efforts, including race-conscious policies for mentorship and scholarship programs and supplier diversity contracting. Equity Organization Audit : Review of organizational practices, such as hiring and interviewing practices, payroll practices, performance review, promotion policies, succession planning, and more to ensure the organization is utilizing evidence-based DEIB best practices.

: Review of organizational practices, such as hiring and interviewing practices, payroll practices, performance review, promotion policies, succession planning, and more to ensure the organization is utilizing evidence-based DEIB best practices. Data-driven Insights for Evidence-based Responses: Assist in collecting and analyzing comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data to inform their DEIB strategies.

Assist in collecting and analyzing comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data to inform their DEIB strategies. Communications Toolkit: Delivery of a multi-faceted strategic communications toolkit to ensure that the organization's messaging is aligned with legal requirements and compliance.

On July 13, Kanarys will gather its trusted partners from FordHarrison and Project Mockingbird for a webinar to discuss the Supreme Court ruling and its implications on Corporate America, as well as how companies can adapt to changing regulations and continue to prioritize their DEIB initiatives while minimizing the risk of litigation. Registration link here .

For more information, please visit here .

About Kanarys

Kanarys is a technology company focused on providing the tools organizations need to create long-term systemic change around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges. Working alongside mid-size enterprises and Fortune 500 companies, Kanarys transforms DEI work with data by providing the framework, benchmarking, and data companies need to incorporate best-in-class DEI into every area of the organization. Like a canary in the coal mine, Kanarys helps organizations ensure healthy work environments by revealing DEI blindspots before they become a problem. For more information on Kanarys, visit www.kanarys.com .

About FordHarrision LLP

Named among the top labor and employment law firms by Chambers USA with 28 offices (including two affiliate firms) across the U.S., FordHarrison is known for its strong dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. With a wealth of experience in various aspects of corporate diversity counseling and the ever-evolving landscape of employment litigation, we are the preferred choice for clients dealing with critical matters. Whether it's defending against high-profile class actions, conducting discreet internal investigations, or providing strategic guidance on the complete spectrum of employment-related issues, we offer comprehensive support to our clients as their trusted legal partner. For more information on Kanarys, visit www.fordharrison.com .

About Project Mockingbird

At Project Mockingbird, we believe that creating positive change in our world starts with effective communication. We are a woman-owned and led PR and communications agency, specializing in working with social impact brands and nonprofit organizations to amplify their message and drive their missions forward. We lead PR, communications, and social media for world-renowned organizations across our areas of expertise, which include non-profits, DEIB, workplace culture, healthcare, financial equity, and the arts. To learn more about Project Mockingbird and how we champion social impact organizations, please visit our website at projectmockingbird.com .

SOURCE Kanarys, Inc.
BURLINGTON, N.C., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company, will release its financial results for the second quarter of 2023 before the market opens on Thursday, July 27, 2023. The company will host a conference call and webcast beginning at 9 a.m. ET that day to discuss the results. The earnings press release and accompanying financial information will be posted on the Labcorp Investor Relations website.

The call will be webcast live on the Labcorp Investor Relations website. Participants may also register for the call by clicking on this link, to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN to access the call. The webcast and dial-in are listen-only. It is recommended that participants join 10 minutes prior to the start, although participants may register and join at any time during the call.

A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event, and will be available until July 13, 2024. To access the webcast recording, visit the Labcorp Investor Relations website.

About Labcorp

Labcorp is a leading global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. Through our unparalleled diagnostics and drug development capabilities, we provide insights and accelerate innovations to improve health and improve lives. With more than 80,000 employees, we serve clients in more than 100 countries. Labcorp (NYSE: LH) reported revenue of $14.9 billion in FY2022. Learn more about us at www.Labcorp.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @Labcorp.

SOURCE Labcorp
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has said that the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine does not comply with the principles of the policy of neutral states such as Austria.

"It is clear to us as neutral states that we cannot give such security guarantees. Austria, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus have made it clear that they have objections," Nehammer told reporters in Brussels on Thursday before the start of the EU summit, the agenda of which is to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

According to him, the EU should take into account the opinion of EU countries with a neutral position that object to providing Ukraine with direct security guarantees.

"It is necessary to clearly take into account the role of neutral states. We will definitely discuss this and find formulations that will be acceptable to us," the Chancellor said.
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Landmarks Illinois has awarded three grants through the Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side to preservation projects at historic places of worship in the Bronzeville and Englewood neighborhoods. A total of $7,500 in matching grant funds was awarded to the following recipients:

Monumental Baptist Church in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood has received a $2,500 matching grant for roof repairs.

Monumental Baptist Church , Bronzeville - $2,500 matching grant for roof repairs at the 1899 Chicago Landmark church that has long been home to one of the largest and most active African American congregations in the city.

- matching grant for roof repairs at the 1899 Chicago Landmark church that has long been home to one of the largest and most active African American congregations in the city. Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Bronzeville - $2,500 matching grant to help pay for scaffolding to prepare for needed repairs due to storm damage, water infiltration and overall deterioration at the 1912 church designed by famed Chicago architect Alfred Alschuler and designated a Chicago Landmark in 2020.

- matching grant to help pay for scaffolding to prepare for needed repairs due to storm damage, water infiltration and overall deterioration at the 1912 church designed by famed architect and designated a Chicago Landmark in 2020. Canaan Baptist Church , Englewood - $2,500 matching grant to restore the front doors of the Solon S. Beman-designed church, a Chicago Landmark, built in 1905.

Visit our website to learn more about the recent grant recipients.

More information about the grant fund

The Landmarks Illinois Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side provides small planning and capital matching grants to support organizations and people working to preserve the history, culture and architecture of Chicago's South Side, where Mr. Black, acclaimed civil rights leader, author and historian spent the majority of his life living and promoting African American history.

Grants through the Landmarks Illinois Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side range from $500 - $2,500 each, depending on need, and require a one-to-one match. Grant application deadlines are twice a year, July 1 and January 1. Visit our website to view complete grant guidelines and to submit a grant application. You can also see past grant recipients on our website.

About Landmarks Illinois

We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based, historic preservation nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org.

Media Contact:

Kaitlyn McAvoy

Director of Communications

Landmarks Illinois

312-922-1742

[email protected]

SOURCE Landmarks Illinois
SEOUL, South Korea, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The H2 MEET Organizing Committee (Chairman Namhoon Kang) announced it would host the "H2 MEET 2023" at KINTEX in Goyang between September 13 and 15. It is the largest hydrogen industry exhibition in Korea.

H2 MEET has attempted to build an industrial ecosystem since 2020, developing Korea's hydrogen industry into a leading business sector. The international showcase started as the Hydrogen Mobility + Show. But the organizing committee renamed it "H2 MEET" in 2022, an acronym for Mobility, Energy, Environment, and Technology, to highlight its purpose covering the entire hydrogen industry.

The exhibition is now in its fourth year and has become an international business platform in the hydrogen industry. H2 MEET 2022 was the largest, with 241 companies from 11 countries. As many as 30,000 people visited the exhibition. The international community revealed its interest while hydrogen-leading countries dispatched special envoys, ministers, and vice ministers.

The committee selected Canada as an honored guest to promote international cooperation in 2022. Canada hosted seminars and conferences to discuss the hydrogen industry of Korea and Canada, along with future collaborations to create a global hydrogen industry ecosystem. It also featured "Country Day" in which hydrogen-leading countries shared information about their policies and related technologies. The hosting countries included Canada, Australia, France, the US, Spain, the UK, China, and the Netherlands.

The committee arranged the "H2 Innovation Award," the International Hydrogen Conference, and a forum where the industry giants, SMEs, and start-ups introduced technologies and products, creating opportunities for international collaboration.

The exhibition led to more than 30 global business MOUs with hydrogen industry leaders such as Hyundai Motor Group, POSCO, SK E&S, the Western Australian government, Samjung E&C, Panasia, Vincennes, and Lightbridge. There were 166 consultations at the KOTRA Business Export Consultation Hall.

With the increasing number of participating entities worldwide, the Organizing Committee plans to expand the H2 MEET 2023.

"With each year passed, more hydrogen companies and institutions show greater," an official with the committee said. "With various events creating business opportunities, we will keep contributing to creating a low-carbon, eco-friendly society."

H2 MEET 2023 is co-located with the K-Battery Show 2023, an exhibition of secondary battery materials and parts.

SOURCE H2 MEET Organizing Committee
DENVER, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leiters, a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality compounded sterile preparations and pharmacy services, announced today that it is rebranding the company to better represent its growing market leadership in healthcare and future strategic expansion. At the heart of this rebranding is a change of the company name to Leiters Health, a new corporate logo, and a new partnership statement, Quality Compounding for Life.

Announcing... Leiters Health

The new brand for Leiters Health reinforces its alignment with the healthcare industry it serves and reflects its unwavering commitment and support of healthcare professionals and their patients. The company continues to experience strong growth in its longstanding ophthalmology business and the hospital services market it entered in 2018. Leiters Health now provides an end-to-end product offering including pre-filled syringes, IV bags and vials, non-opioid pain solutions, and ophthalmic medications and services including, FDA-Compliant Repackaged Avastin.

Leiters Health is also committed to new product development in collaboration with its customers to meet evolving market needs. In the last 12 months, the company has developed and introduced 16 new products including 11 new IV bag offerings as part of its continued portfolio expansion. Leiters Health also works in close collaboration with its strategic health system investors including, Corewell Health Ventures, Intermountain Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Hermann Health System, Novant Health, Rex Health Ventures, UNC Health, to evaluate and create solutions that enable pharmacy efficiencies.

As a prominent forward-facing representation of the organization, the new corporate logo reflects the company's ongoing commitment to the science of high-quality 503B compounding and repackaging that supports and enables efficient healthcare. Graphically, every circle in the logo moving together represents an employee, a company value, and a solution, all coming together in perfect unison to provide Leiters Health customers and their patients with the highest quality medications and pharmacy services.

"The rebranding of Leiters Health is so much more than a new name and logo  it is an opportunity to share the renewed vision of our organization," said Joseph Cosgrove, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Leiters Health. "Our team is proud to bring to life a new brand that truly captures the spirit of Leiters Health, which is to provide critically needed life-saving medications to the healthcare industry."

As part of its commitment to quality, compliance, and sterile manufacturing excellence, Leiters Health continues to invest in its state-of-the-art 503B facilities, including two existing facilities in Denver, Colorado, and a new facility in Buena, New Jersey, which will be operational in 2024. Leiters Health stands ready to support the needs of the healthcare community now and in the future.

About Leiters Health

Leiters Health is a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality compounded sterile preparations and pharmacy services. It is committed to providing healthcare professionals and patients with critically needed outsourced medications. Its team of experts in sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing, repackaging, and compounding provides a sophisticated understanding of what it takes to elevate the quality and consistency of supply in pharmaceutical outsourcing. Leiters Health combines a highly experienced team, with robust automated processes, in a state-of-the-art outsourcing facility to ensure the delivery of the highest quality medicines. All sterile preparations are produced under the Human Drug Outsourcing Facilities under 503B of the FD&C Act (503B Guidance) and follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). To learn more about Leiters Health, please visit www.leiters.com.

Media Contact:

Kari Cashmore

720-414-7216

[email protected]

SOURCE Leiters Health
As one of only six Cisco Global Gold Certified Partners, Logicalis successfully delivering innovation, engagement, and value for customers worldwide

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Logicalis, a global technology service provider, today announces it has renewed its worldwide accreditation as a Cisco Global Gold Integrator. The status affirms that Logicalis has met all personnel, specialisation, and support requirements, and has demonstrated that it is qualified to sell, install and support Cisco solutions.

Logicalis has been partnered with Cisco for almost 25-years to create outcome-led solutions to help organisations navigate the digital world. Through combining Cisco's world-class hardware and software offerings with Logicalis' market-leading menu of value-added services, the partners have been delivering unmatched value and innovation to their customers.

On this announcement, Richard Simmons, VP Strategic Alliances at Logicalis comments: "This achievement is a testament to our long-standing partnership with Cisco, spanning over two decades. Achieving the prestigious Cisco Global Gold Integrator status worldwide underscores Logicalis' unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional technology services on a global scale. Logicalis and Cisco have collaborated to create outcome-led solutions that empower organisations to navigate and thrive in the digital world."

As one of only six Cisco Global Gold Certified Partners, Logicalis consistently demonstrates innovation, drives engagement, and delivers greater value for its customers and communities. Collaboratively, the two organisations are leading the way on connectivity with Logicalis being only one of two global Cisco Partners offering Cisco's Private 5G Solution as a managed service.

Logicalis is a leading Cisco partner, holding a series of other Cisco achievements including five Cisco Powered validated specialisations. These include Cisco Powered with Viptela (service & support for integration), Meraki Security, Secure Access, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), SD-WAN. At the end of 2022, Logicalis was also recognised as the winner of the Cisco Global Enterprise Networking and Meraki Partner of the Year Award at Cisco Partner Summit 2022.

Sustainability is a key business focus for both organisations and the Cisco-Logicalis partnership is helping customers drive measurable progress in the fight against climate change. Logicalis currently holds the Cisco Environmental Sustainability Specialisation (ESS) in eight countries across the world and by July 2023, aims to have the specialisation in all 15 countries where the ESS is available. Like every other industry, technology can produce a large amount of waste and to combat this Logicalis is proud to be part of Cisco's global initiative to responsibly repurpose and recycle end-of-use products.

Nick Holden, Vice President, Global Strategic Partners and Co-Sell at Cisco comments: "Cisco and Logicalis are aligned in driving customer success through innovative business outcome-led solutions. By combining Logicalis's value-added services with Cisco's cross-architecture and managed solutions, we are committed to advancing innovation, enabling digital transformation, and providing industry-leading customer outcomes."

About Logicalis

We are Architects of Change. We help organisations succeed in a digital-first world.

At Logicalis, we harness our collective technology expertise to help our clients build a blueprint for success, so they can deliver sustainable outcomes that matter.

Our lifecycle services across cloud, connectivity, collaboration, and security are designed to help optimise operations, reduce risk, and empower employees.

As a global technology service provider, we deliver next-generation digital managed services, to provide our clients with real-time visibility and actionable insights across the performance of their digital ecosystem including; availability, user experience, security, economic performance, and sustainability.

Our 7000+ 'Architects of Change' are based in 30 territories around the globe, helping our 10,000+ clients across a range of industry sectors, create sustainable outcomes through technology.

Logicalis has annualised revenues of $1.7 billion, from operations in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Africa.

It is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with revenues of over $4.6 billion.

For more information visit www.logicalis.com

Media Contact:

Champion Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Logicalis
Treats and Snacks Maker Reflects on Innovative History of Consumer-Favorite Products Inspiring Moments of Everyday Happiness

NEWARK, N.J., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1973, Mars, Incorporated, a leader in confectionery, snacking, food, and pet care products and services and the maker of some of the world's most-loved high-quality brands, including M&M'S, SNICKERS, BEN'S ORIGINAL, PEDIGREE, and IAMS, has been proud to be part of the Chattanooga, Tenn. community. The plant, which is the sole maker of certain varieties of Mars' beloved LIFE SAVERS and ALTOIDS products sold globally, produces more than 35,000 metric tonnes of mints across the brands.

Mars Celebrates 50 Years in Chattanooga, Tennessee

"Fifty years of high-quality production is a special occasion for any plant and speaks to Mars' history of manufacturing products that offer consumers innovative treats for good value," said Erik Owino, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Mars Wrigley North America. "The Chattanooga plant has helped drive innovation efforts across Mars Wrigley and continues to serve as a devoted production facility for several of our high-quality, consumer-favorite products."

Mars completed factory investment upgrades of $4 million in the local Chattanooga community earlier this year in March. The updates position the Chattanooga plant to play a key role in Mars Wrigley's resilient gum and mints business. While gum and mints purchases were impacted during COVID, Mars remained focused on growth. The category as a whole has bounced back and in 2022, the gum and mints category experienced 13.8% growth, raising sales to $3.2 billion, with the category projected to hit $4.2 billion by 2026.1

"Everything we do at the Mars Chattanooga site is about our people and our Associate well-being," said Jason Schierling, manager of the Chattanooga plant. "All the Associates at our Chattanooga factory truly embody what it means to work at Mars. They have not only made a tremendous impact on our business but have supported each other and the community. I am so proud of our people, this community and Mars' positive impact on society here in Tennessee."

The Chattanooga plant, which provides more than 400 jobs in the Chattanooga area, has always worked to perfectly embody the Mars Five Principles  Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom  over its last 50 years of operation. The Five Principles, which is the foundation of how Mars conducts its business, serve as a guide that every Associate can depend. They are at the heart of the success Mars has enjoyed over the decades and will continue to inspire the organization forward.

With these principles as a guide, the plant has supported the Chattanooga community for half a century and participates in numerous local partnerships, including recent ones with the Chattanooga Food Bank, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, and the Salvation Army, among others.

To learn more about Mars, please visit Mars.com.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED

Mars Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original, CESAR, Cocoavia, DOVE, EXTRA, KIND, M&M's, SNICKERS, PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, and WHISKAS. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services  including AniCura, BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, Linnaeus and VCA  using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com . Join us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , LinkedIn and YouTube .

1. National Confectioners Association 2023 State Of Treating Report - https://candyusa.com/sweet-insights-state-of-treating-2023

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated
BILLERBECK, Germany, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MedSkin Solutions Dr. Suwelack AG, today announced that their brand MatriDerm has been recognized in India as the Economic Times' Best Healthcare Brands of 2023. This prestigious award honors brands with robust growth, brand excellence, high customer satisfaction and a commitment to innovation across the healthcare sector.

The recognition comes after the research conducted by ET's knowledge partners over various parameters such as innovation, infrastructure, healthcare standards, patient satisfaction, loyalty etc. This year marks the Economic Times' 6th edition of this initiative.

"We are proud that our Brand MatriDerm has been recognized as one of the Best Healthcare Brands of 2023 in India under the vision of Sanjeev K Sawhney," said Diana Ferro, Chief Executive Officer. "As a company, our clear and united vision is to be the partner of choice in advancing regeneration with science you can feel, by adding years to life and life to years." "We strive to advance, to never be satisfied with the status quo and to constantly improve people's lives with our solutions. We are dedicated to proving our product's efficacy with scientific proof and ensuring that people who come into contact with our products can truly feel the difference that they make to their lives." Said Jason Gugliuzza, Vice President, Medcare Division.

"It is wonderful to see this recognition coming through for the tireless work and the focused efforts being made by our National distributors - GRH in India," said Sanjeev K Sawhney, General Manager & Country Head, India.

About MedSkin Solutions Dr. Suwelack AG and MatriDerm

MedSkin Solutions Dr. Suwelack AG is a Germany-based expert in biotech solutions for tissue regeneration and skin health. Our technological core competence is the proprietary "Advanced CryoSafe Method" that allows to maintain and refine the response of bioactive materials. We develop, manufacture and sell effective, targeted products in professional skin care, regenerative medicine and advanced wound care areas. We operate globally, in India, we have our India Liaison office located in Gurgaon, Haryana and operate through G R Healthaids Pvt Ltd (GRH) who are responsible for distributing MatriDerm across the country through their network of distributors and sales teams.

MatriDerm is a brand of our Medcare Division, it is a single-use three-dimensional acellular dermal matrix composed of bovine collagen fibres and bovine elastin helpful to support patients for complex wound reconstruction.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144068/MedSkin_Solutions_Logo.jpg

SOURCE MedSkin Solutions Dr. Suwelack AG
MDA Maritime Insights Platform to provide maritime domain awareness and dark vessel detection in Indo-Pacific Region

BRAMPTON, ON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MDA Ltd. (TSX: MDA), a leading provider of advanced technology and services to the rapidly expanding global space industry, today announced a two-year contract with up to three optional years with the Government of Canada through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to help counter illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the United Nations, illegal fishing is the planet's sixth largest crime. The Indo-Pacific region is home to the majority of the world's coral reefs and includes the largest diversity of fish. MDA Maritime Insights platform, which leverages MDA's world-renowned RADARSAT-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), combines multiple satellite data sources to track and identify IUU fishing activity including dark vessel detection . Together, they can see hundreds of kilometres in a single image, day or night and through all weather conditions, creating a powerful asset for combatting IUU fishing.

"Our ocean surfaces are enormous and incredibly hard to monitor, giving those who seek to perpetrate crime on the water confidence that they will be undetected," said Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA. "Space-based Earth observation gives us a valuable vantage point to see what we can't on the ground or from the water to help break that cycle. We are proud to support the Government of Canada and other nations with MDA data and insights to help combat the illegal activity that is putting our ocean ecosystems at risk."

MDA is an active participant in the fight against IUU fishing, providing near real-time monitoring, data and insight of fishing activity to nations through the Government of Canada. It works with DFO and international fisheries agencies to provide actionable maritime intelligence data that addresses dark vessel detection and supports maritime enforcement initiatives. The Government of Canada has been using MDA technology in support of the Government of Ecuador to monitor the protected ocean ecosystems surrounding the Galapagos Islands since 2021 .

"Detecting, tracking and intercepting vessels engaged in IUU fishing will help protect the world's ocean ecosystems and the livelihoods of law-abiding fish harvesters worldwide and here in Canada. This will support the protection of biodiversity throughout the Indo-Pacific region from threats of IUU fishing," said the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

ABOUT MDA

Serving the world from its Canadian home and global offices, MDA (TSX: MDA) is an international space mission partner and a robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 50-year story of firsts on and above the Earth. With over 2,700 employees across Canada, the US and the UK, MDA is leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth observation, communication in a hyper-connected world, and more. With a track record of making space ambitions come true, MDA enables highly skilled people to continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges, and imagine solutions that inspire and endure to change the world for the better, on the ground and in the stars. Learn more by visiting mda.space .

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events. Forwardlooking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forwardlooking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in MDA's Annual Information Form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . MDA does not undertake any obligation to update such forwardlooking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

SOCIAL MEDIA

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mdaspace

Twitter: twitter.com/MDA_space

Instagram: instagram.com/MDA_space

Facebook: facebook.com/MDAspace

YouTube: youtube.com/c/mdaspace

SOURCE MDA Ltd.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Orange County has become the first California County to purchase 8 mg naloxone HCI in the continuing war against the growing number of deaths caused by fentanyl and other opioids.

The need for an 8 mg dose of naloxone HCI is increasingly cited as the preferred opioid reversal agent because a 4 mg dose is often not enough to save a life, according to medical, law enforcement and emergency personnel.

While there is legislation pending in Sacramento which would require the State of California to make available all FDA-approved formulations and dosage strengths of naloxone indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose to the Counties, Orange County is not waiting to treat this as the life and death emergency it has become. Both medical and law enforcement authorities applauded the decision.

Dr. Veronica Kelley, Chief of Mental Health and Recovery Services in Orange County said, "The decision to purchase 7,500 units of 8 mg (Kloxxado) naloxone nasal spray was an easy one. It is a step towards our goal of educating and supplying our community, as well as our workforce with the tools to save lives and protect against the increasing fentanyl crisis. I would urge all counties and states to do the same."

"The fentanyl epidemic is one of the most serious health and safety challenges facing our nation. Solutions like naloxone have proven critical to combatting this deadly drug. An 8 mg dose of naloxone gives us a better chance to save lives," said Don Barnes, Sheriff of Orange County. "I'm proud that Orange County is taking the lead in making this necessary change," Barnes continued.

Medea Inc., an authorized Kloxxado distributor, announced the sale of the FDA-approved 8 mg opioid reversal antagonist as part of its continuing mission to provide life-saving products. Medea has become a trusted partner of the Federal government and several states as it distributes FDA-approved medical products integral to saving lives. Medea earned its reputation as a leading distributor of items such as PPE, test kits and other crucial products during the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

For more information regarding Kloxxado please visit https://medeausa.com and https://kloxxado.com.

SOURCE Medea, Inc.
Meet the esteemed facial surgeon modernizing aesthetics with precision and artistry.

MIAMI , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NewBeauty is excited to announce that Miami facial plastic surgeon Paul Afrooz, MD has been selected as a NewBeauty Top Doctor. Dr. Afrooz was chosen based on the program's strict guidelines, which only include the most trusted and highly regarded aesthetic experts in the industry.

To be considered for the NewBeauty Top Doctor program, aesthetic experts must have extensive training and experience, be highly recommended by peers, have a track record of exceptional results, and stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field. Dr. Afrooz's selection as a NewBeauty Top Doctor highlights his outstanding work in facial rejuvenation and his commitment to providing his patients with the most innovative and effective treatments, including his Signature 4D Facelift.

Dr. Afrooz has been invited to lecture globally on topics that include facial rejuvenation and rhinoplasty. His extensive training and experience have not only made him a highly sought-after surgeon, but also led him to co-author several textbooks and over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles about facial plastic surgery, rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. He was also recently recognized by Newsweek as one of the country's very best plastic surgeons. His new state-of-the-art office and surgical facility will open in Coral Gables, Florida in fall 2023.

NewBeauty is the beauty authority, providing readers with access to the latest information in aesthetics and anti-aging. Dr. Afrooz's partnership with NewBeauty allows him to reach a broader audience of aesthetically-savvy patients and offer expert advice on facial plastic surgery. His approach to aesthetic surgery perfectly aligns with NewBeauty's mission to provide readers with comprehensive aesthetic solutions that enhance natural beauty.

ABOUT NEWBEAUTY TOP DOCTORS:

As the beauty authority, NewBeauty magazine advises readers to make educated decisions when it comes to the treatments they receive and the board-certified doctors who perform them. NewBeauty's Top Doctors are vetted and properly certified to perform the cosmetic treatments they offer and represent an exclusive group of the nation's best plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, dermatologists, oculoplastic surgeons and cosmetic dentists.

For more information on NewBeauty, visit newbeauty.com.

Contact Information:

[email protected]

SOURCE NewBeauty
SHENZHEN, China, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindray, a global medical solutions provider, has recently achieved an outstanding AA rating for its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices from Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), a renowned international rating agency. This rating is the highest in the A-share market, signifying Mindray's impressive advancement towards being a leader in ESG management across the globe and specifically in the medical device industry.

According to MSCI's latest ESG rating report, Mindray's sustainable development practices in the social and governance areas have promoted the rating upgrade.

Mindray places employees at the center of the sustainable development strategy. In 2022, the company is committed to attracting top talent from universities around the world and expert talent to build a diversified global talent team. The company has experienced an increasing number of employees worldwide for three consecutive years. Diversity, equality and inclusion represent fundamental components of Mindray's core values. Consequently, in 2022, Mindray updated and upgraded multiple systems and management measures, with a key focus on promoting diversity throughout the entire staff. For now, Mindray has established 51 overseas subsidiary companies in 42 countries that employ 100% local employees in 29 countries.

In terms of product quality and safety, MSCI stated that Mindray is in the leading position in product quality management in the industry. The company's comprehensive quality management system integrates all business functions, including R&D, procurement, manufacturing, marketing and sales, customer service and post-marketing supervision, guaranteeing the quality and safety of all products.

Regarding corporate governance and business ethics, MSCI affirms the company's protection of whistleblowers and its regular compliance audits on anti-corruption practices. Mindray advocates and practices complete honesty and trustworthiness in all business operations, strictly complying with any laws and regulations related to anti-corruption, preventing conflicts of interest, anti-fraud, anti-monopoly, and anti-unfair competition. The company conducts regular ethics audits and encourages all employees to study relevant system rules and regulations. Furthermore, Mindray invites all stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, and others, to report any illegal or disciplinary action related to the company via various channels - publicly or anonymously. The company firmly protects the rights and interests of whistleblowers.

This year, Mindray published its fifth Sustainability Report since its listing, highlighting the company's practices and achievements in six key areas of its sustainable development strategy. The company made an announcement of its carbon emission reduction target for the first time, committing to reduce its carbon emissions intensity by 25% by the year 2030, in comparison to the baseline from 2021, and implementing corresponding carbon reduction plans to further accelerate low-carbon transformation efforts across its operations.

Li Xiting, Chairman of Mindray, has announced the company's continued focus on its core business and efforts to improve innovation, market expansion, and localization construction. As part of its forward-thinking approach, Mindray will always prioritize sustainable development strategies and expand collaboration with relevant stakeholders to explore sustainable pathways for the medical industry.

SOURCE Mindray
On Monday, July 3, at 12.00, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency's press center will host a discussion entitled "Dynamics of military-political changes in Ukraine and around it." Participants include political expert Oleksandr Kochetkov; political scientist, political expert Kostiantyn Matviyenko; political scientist, co-founder of the National Platform for Sustainability and Cohesion Oleh (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
Reduces the time of diagnosis and identification of anomalies at ENERGUATE, the Guatemalan utility, and incorporates the best practices of user experience and the management of critical information

The Cloud deployment of SCADA systems will allow quicker implementations of the technological infrastructure needed by electric utilities, facilitating the automatic allocation of resources and the replacement of fixed costs into variable ones based on consumption

The advantages of Cloud operations of SCADA, could reduce by up to 50% the initial investment costs and infrastructure update requirement

MADRID, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Minsait, an Indra company, presented in Madrid, at the 2023 AWS Summit, the deployment in Latin America of the first cloud-hosted SCADA system worldwide. This system is meant for the operation and monitoring of the critical infrastructures of the national electricity grid of Guatemala. The project, developed jointly with ENERGUATE, the electricity company in Guatemala and the largest in Central America, includes the latest version of PRISM SCADA of Minsait ACS, Minsait's unit in the United States, that is deployed on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud infrastructure.

The new PRISM SCADA incorporates best practices in user experience (UX) design to improve the management of critical information coming from Guatemala's electricity distribution network. Energuate oversee operations of almost 50,000 miles of power grid and provides electricity service to more than 2.2 million customers in Guatemala.

This new version of PRISM SCADA improves incident resolution times through a clearer and more intuitive representation of the state of the network and additional contextual information that increases the productivity of operators. Another important feature is the incorporation of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence technologies for learning and continuous improvement on decision-making to reduce outages duration and increase service quality indexes.

50% reduction in infrastructure costs

Minsait ACS is working with AWS to implement the technological infrastructure that Energuate needs for the allocation of resources automatically, thus replacing fixed costs with variable ones based on consumption.

The deployment of this type of solution in the cloud can reduce by up to 50% the initial investment and the cost of updating infrastructures. It also leverages the high standards of data security and privacy of AWS cloud elevates for the operation of critical infrastructures, the protection of information and applications.

Other benefits of the newest PRISM SCADA are the reduction of onsite activity during system implementation, faster training on the intuitive and user friendly interface, a system architecture for scalability to serve power grids of all sizes.

About Minsait ACS

Minsait ACS (www.minsaitacs.com), an Indra Company, is a consulting and technology company that offers value-added solutions and services, with projects in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Minsait ACS has over 45 years of experience in the utility industry and is proud to provide the broadest set of Information and Operations (IT/OT) technology solutions to its valued customers. At Minsait ACS we leave our mark by providing solutions and services that support the entire energy value chain, from the intelligent management of networks and data to the commercialization of energy and new services. Our value proposition is based on innovation and knowledge of the processes and challenges of the electricity sector. Our purpose is to help drive digital transformation with an immediate impact on business operations and processes, leaving a positive footprint on society.

About Minsait

Minsait, an Indra ( www.minsait.com ) company, is the leading Digital Transformation Consulting and Information Technology company in Spain and Latin America. Its high degree of specialization and sectoral knowledge, complements its high capacity to integrate the real and the digital world, and its flexibility. Minsait's offer focuses on high-impact value propositions, providing end-to-end solutions specific for market segments and product portfolio branded Onesait, which deliver tangible impacts to its clients.

Communication and Media Relations

Phone: + (34) 91 480 97 05

[email protected]

SOURCE Minsait ACS
The contract brings with it a 15% wage increase over 18 months and incentive plans to support staff recruitment and retention

BOSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1,400 registered nurses of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, voted overwhelmingly on Monday, June 26 to ratify their newest contract settlement. The 18-month agreement brings with it highly competitive wage increases, an extremely desirable Baylor Plan intended to help recruit nurses to work weekend shifts, and an incentive plan for nurses who commit to working 48 hours per week for 12 weeks.

"Hospitals elsewhere are seeing considerable turnover in their nurses," said Mary Havlicek Cornacchia. "This is largely because nurses don't want to work in the current conditions where they are constantly caring for too many patients at once. But it's also because nurses can very easily go elsewhere right now and find work with better pay and benefits. When you have better pay and benefits, you can attract new nurses and keep existing nurses.

"Our goal with the contract we just ratified is to create this very scenario. We want new nurses to come to Tufts and we want our experienced nurses to stay at Tufts, and as a result, our patients will benefit," added Havlicek Cornacchia.

Highlights from the new agreement include:

A 15% wage increase over the 18 months of the contract. Immediately after ratification, in the first subsequent paycheck, nurses will receive a 10% across-the-board increase. An additional 2.5% increase will be added in both February 2024 and September 2024 . "This makes us more than competitive," said Havlicek Cornacchia . "Nurses at the top step of our wage scale will be earning $90.72 per hour."



Immediately after ratification, in the first subsequent paycheck, nurses will receive a 10% across-the-board increase. An additional 2.5% increase will be added in both and . "This makes us more than competitive," said . "Nurses at the top step of our wage scale will be earning per hour." The creation of a "Baylor Plan." Baylor Plans, a highly effective staffing option used to encourage nurses to work weekend shifts, were originally created in the 1980s but fell out of favor with hospital management teams over the years. In the instance of Tufts' newest contract, the Baylor Plan will provide 36 hours of pay to nurses who work 24 hours on the weekend. In addition, these nurses will receive benefits equal to a 36-hour per week employee. These positions help reduce the rotation of nurses to cover weekend shifts allowing more consistent time off to spend with their families.



Baylor Plans, a highly effective staffing option used to encourage nurses to work weekend shifts, were originally created in the 1980s but fell out of favor with hospital management teams over the years. In the instance of newest contract, the Baylor Plan will provide 36 hours of pay to nurses who work 24 hours on the weekend. In addition, these nurses will receive benefits equal to a 36-hour per week employee. These positions help reduce the rotation of nurses to cover weekend shifts allowing more consistent time off to spend with their families. An incentive payment of $3,000 for those who commit to work 48 hours per week for 12 weeks. This provides an incentive to regular staff to fill in for temporary vacancies, avoiding the use of traveler nurses and providing continuity of patient care.

The overall length of this contract is also viewed as a benefit by Tufts nurses. "Several other area hospitals will be negotiating new contracts during this timeframe," said Havlicek Cornacchia "It's important we do not fall behind and eliminate the work we've just done to create a work environment with competitive salaries and benefits for recruiting and retaining our Tufts nurses. With a shorter contract, we can get back to the table faster and negotiate with those other contracts in mind in order to keep us competitive, properly staffed, and able to care appropriately for our patients."

In praising the new agreement, MNA President Katie Murphy emphasized that the ultimate solution to the recruitment and retention of nursing staff in all hospitals in the commonwealth is for nurses to have safe, enforceable limits on the number of patients they are assigned. "The current competitive environment for nurses is the direct result of years of deliberate understaffing of nurses as a profit-generating strategy, which was exacerbated by the stress of working without proper support during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Murphy. "If nurses are forced to risk their licenses and the safety of their patients under current conditions, hospitals are having to pay more to entice nurses to work in our hospitals."

The MNA's position on this situation was validated by its annual "State of Nursing in Massachusetts Survey," which reported an all-time high number of nurses saying hospital care quality has gotten worse over the past two years. The survey has tracked this number since 2014, when it was 38%. In 2023, 85% of nurses saw care quality decline, up two points from last year, 30 points from 2021, and 46 points from 2019. This troubling trend tracks with survey results showing increased numbers of nurses who do not have enough time to give their patients the care and attention they need and who are forced to care for too many patients at one time. In 2023, 72% of nurses saw both of those issues as "major challenges," up 11 and 13 points from 2021.

Newer nurses are disproportionately feeling the impact. Sixty-three percent of nurses with zero to five years of experience say understaffing is their biggest obstacle to providing quality care, compared to 56% of all nurses. Of those nurses planning to leave the field within two years, 67% of newer nurses say they will find work outside of healthcare, compared to 31% of all nurses. Newer nurses are even more likely to support legislation the MNA has proposed to address the underlying causes of the nursing crisis. Ninety-seven percent of nurses with 0 to five years of experience say they "strongly support" limiting the number of patients a nurse is assigned at one time, compared to 76% of all nurses.

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses  Instagram.com/MassNurses

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
Hyro.ai leverages Mona's new OpenAI integration to optimize their GPT-based applications

ATLANTA and TEL AVIV, Israel, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mona , the leading intelligent monitoring platform, unveils a new monitoring solution for GPT-based applications. The free, self-service offering provides businesses with granular visibility into GPT-based products and valuable insights into costs, performance, and quality.

Track API and token usage for GPT applications, optimizing cost and performance.

Large language models (LLMs), and specifically OpenAI's GPT models, have taken the world by storm, as many engineering and data science teams today are moving resources to integrate them into production applications and processes. Hyro , a leader in plug and play conversational AI, primarily for the healthcare industry, leverages LLMs responsibly to power specific skills for health systems, such as site search and answering FAQs. To optimize the performance of LLMs in their user-facing and backend systems, Hyro has deployed Mona to track metrics such as token usage, API performance, and LLM response quality.

"We have been using Mona's AI monitoring solution for the past few years, and their recent GPT integration has already been beneficial for us," said Nitzan Bar, Chief Architect at Hyro. "The integration process was seamless, in which we received valuable insights that helped us address issues in both the efficiency and quality of our GPT usage."

Mona helps organizations alleviate poor visibility and performance degradation for GPT-based applications by providing teams with a holistic monitoring solution. Mona ensures efficient and high-quality GPT products by providing teams with early alerts and detailed information on problematic issues including anomalous API usage, privacy concerns, and low-quality prompts. Mona also helps businesses to identify areas of high token usage, thus enabling significant cost reduction.

"Our user research showed us that while adoption in applications for LLMs and specifically OpenAI's GPT is growing exponentially, concerns and uncertainty are growing at a similar pace," said Itai Bar-Sinai, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder at Mona. "Our new GPT integration allows teams an incredibly quick and cheap way to address these concerns, and make sure they are not blind when using this rapidly evolving technology."

With this announcement today, Mona for the first time makes available comprehensive AI monitoring as a free offering. Anyone can get started using Mona instantly by simply wrapping OpenAI's API calls with just two lines of code. For more information and to sign up for free, please visit: https://www.monalabs.io/openai-gpt-monitoring

About Mona

Mona is a monitoring platform for AI in production. The intelligent monitoring solution helps organizations increase trust in their AI system by giving them an analytical engine that can detect issues weeks or longer before they come to the surface, and by that to help avoid AI catastrophes. The company's highly configurable platform provides teams with tailored, real-time insights to monitor and investigate performance issues, proactively alerting them regarding model behavior anomalies and data integrity issues. Founded in 2018 by product leaders and operators from Google and McKinsey & Co., the company is backed by top VCs, with offices in Tel Aviv and Atlanta. Learn more by visiting http://www.monalabs.io .

Contact:

Diane Vo

4084293549

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SOURCE Mona
Through the multi-year cargo management agreement, IBS will deploy its iCargo solution to completely digitalise MSC's air cargo operations

LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IBS Software, a global leader of SaaS solutions to the travel and cargo industry, has been selected by the air cargo unit of MSC - Mediterranean Shipping Company, as a strategic partner in a bid to digitally transform its air cargo operations.

IBS Software to power the global air cargo business of MSC Air Cargo

iCargo, the Software as a Service solution for air cargo management from IBS Software, will install a true digital platform that covers cargo sales, operations, cargo accounting and portal for MSC. The standard product implementation will help MSC to go-live faster and start business operations at the earliest opportunity. Once fully implemented, iCargo will enable MSC to have full visibility of its air cargo value chain, covering sales, operations and accounting, while also gaining insights for continuous business improvement.

The partnership enables IBS Software to deploy iCargo for a company that is already the world's largest container carrier and which is now growing its MSC Air Cargo unit, as a complementary business to its core ocean shipping solution. iCargo adheres to best practices in the air cargo industry and is fully compliant with global industry standards and initiatives  such as Cargo iQ, C-XML, OneRecord, e-AWB and e-Freight  making this latest development a remarkable moment across the logistics industry. It is an important step toward achieving seamless operations across multi-modal logistics models, increased efficiency and the productivity to power rapid global trade and growth IBS Software has long advocated for.

"This is our first step into this market, and we plan to continue exploring avenues to develop air cargo in a way that complements MSC's overall solutions to our customers. This is why we've engaged IBS Software in a strategic agreement to implement their industry leading iCargo platform. While we appreciate that many existing processes may remain relevant, our business is continuously evolving; and we believe that improvements in how a multi-modal business operates internally can help its customers achieve success. We see great potential in IBS Software's capabilities and solutions, through which we expect to harness the power of digitalisation to help achieve MSC Air Cargo's objectives," said Jannie Davel, Senior Vice President, MSC Air Cargo.

"We're thrilled to embark on this partnership and to support MSC Air Cargo's new business objectives in the cargo industry. We're confident the iCargo solution and the team that continuously innovates our products will take MSC's multi-modal business model to new heights," said Ashok Rajan, Head of Cargo & Logistics Solutions at IBS Software.

About MSC Air Cargo / About MSC

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, privately owned and founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of the world's leading container shipping lines, MSC has 675 offices across 155 countries worldwide with over 150,000 employees. With access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe, the company prides itself on delivering global services with local knowledge. MSC Air Cargo is a new business unit that complements the existing ocean container shipping solutions and is serving key trade lanes and various industries, including those which traditionally have significant air cargo transportation needs. For more information visit msc.com.

About IBS Software

IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources industries.

Aviation Industry:

IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air cargo management.

Hospitality Industry:

IBS Software runs a real time B2B and B2C distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels.

Tour & Cruise Industry:

IBS Software's platform provides a comprehensive, customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore, online and on-board solutions.

Energy & Resources Industry:

IBS Software's solutions cover logistics planning, operations & accommodation management.

Digital Transformation:

The Consulting and Digital Transformation (CDx) business focuses on driving digital transformation initiatives of its customers, leveraging its domain knowledge, digital technologies and engineering excellence.

IBS Software operates from 16 offices across the world. Further information can be found at www.ibsplc.com Follow us: Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

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SOURCE IBS Software
HOUSTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Astronaut and retired U.S. Space Force Col. Mike Hopkins has retired from NASA after a career of 14 years that included 334 days in space and five spacewalks.

Hopkins' last spaceflight was as commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station in 2020. Crew-1 was the first flight of a NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program, and the first flight of the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft "Resilience." His last day with NASA was May 1.

"I would like to express my heartfelt thank you to Mike Hopkins for his dedicated years of service in advancing our mission for the benefit of all humanity," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "Mike's unwavering commitment to mission excellence will continue to inspire generations to come."

The Crew-1 mission saw the first night splashdown of a U.S. crewed spacecraft since Apollo 8's return to Earth, and, at the time, broke the record for longest spaceflight by a U.S. crewed spacecraft. Crew-1 worked on a number of experiments as part of Expedition 64 aboard the space station.

"In a time where people needed it most, Mike Hopkins showed the world that there is no limit to what humans can achieve when we all work together," said Shannon Walker, deputy chief of NASA's Astronaut Office. "As his crewmate on the Crew-1 mission, I saw his resiliency, infectious spirit of exploration, and can-do attitude firsthand, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

Hopkins also served as a flight engineer on the space station's Expedition 37/38 in 2014, launching aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. During the mission, Hopkins and his crewmates oversaw the departure of the first demonstration flight of the Northrop Grumman (formerly Orbital Sciences) Cygnus resupply spacecraft and performed hundreds of hours of scientific experiments.

Over the course of his career, he conducted five spacewalks, totaling 32 hours working outside of the space station in a spacesuit to perform maintenance and upgrades to the station's exterior.

"For over 60 years, NASA has been changing the world, demonstrating that nothing is impossible when people and nations work together," Hopkins said. "For myself and my family, it has been a privilege to be a very small part of this amazing organization as it leads humanity's journey to the stars. "I have loved being an astronaut and leaving the corps was the hardest decision I've ever made. To my crewmates, fellow astronauts, and the entire NASA family, thank you for an incredible 14 years and Godspeed."

The Lebanon, Missouri, native began his NASA career in 2009 when he reported for duty alongside the other eight members of NASA's 20th astronaut class, graduating as a flight-eligible astronaut in 2011. He served in the U.S. Air Force prior to his selection and in a ceremony aboard the space station became the first astronaut to transfer his service to the Space Force. He retired from military service after 30 years at the same time as his NASA departure.

Hopkins graduated from the School of the Osage High School in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991. He earned his master's degree in aerospace engineering from Stanford University in California in 1992.

Learn more about how NASA explores the unknown and innovates for the benefit of humanity at:

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts

SOURCE NASA
SEOUL, South Korea, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nasmedia (KOSDAQ: 089600), the No. 1 leader in the digital advertising platform in Korea, announced today that it has been awarded the TAG Brand Safety Certified Seal for its global operations for adopting industry best practices to protect its partners from brand safety threats. Nasmedia is the first Korean company to achieve this certification from TAG (the Trustworthy Accountability Group), an organization dedicated to increasing trust and transparency in digital advertising.

TAG Brand Safety Seal Nasmedia

TAG is a cross-industry initiative that combats fraudulent activities and strengthens brand safety in digital marketing. The purpose of the TAG Brand Safety Certified program is to assure advertisers that their partners have taken essential measures to mitigate brand safety risks, thereby allowing marketers to purchase advertising inventory with confidence.

Nasmedia's certification from TAG underscores its commitment to protecting brand advertisers by adhering to industry best practices for brand safety. This includes actively monitoring and detecting ad misplacement, ensuring that all partner agreements adhere to brand safety and anti-piracy principles, documenting policies and procedures to minimize ad misplacement, and implementing pirate mobile app filtering.

To achieve TAG Brand Safety Certification, Nasmedia was required to demonstrate the following:

Compliance with TAG's Brand Safety Certified criteria, policies, and procedures for all digital advertising.

Transparency regarding AI and human content moderation policies.

Review of 100% of monetizable transactions by one or more independently validated content verification services or through the use of inclusion and exclusion lists specific to each agreement.

Establishment of compliance monitoring policies to demonstrate adherence to each applicable Brand Safety Principle.

To obtain global certification, Nasmedia underwent an independent audit conducted by the Audit Bureau of Circulations Ltd (ABC). The audit reviewed Nasmedia's policies, training procedures, back-end systems, monitoring tools, content reviews, and more to ensure that all operations met the comprehensive criteria necessary to receive the certification.

"Brand safety is a top priority for advertisers, and Nasmedia is committed to implementing stringent processes and solutions to protect them from potential brand safety threats and provide assurance that their ads will be placed in safe and suitable environments," said Park Pyoung-Kwon, CEO of Nasmedia. "We are honored that TAG has recognized our global efforts to build a safer, more transparent, and accountable platform, marking a significant milestone for Korean companies. We look forward to further collaboration with TAG to promote brand safety and elevate industry standards."

"The TAG Brand Safety Seal demonstrates that a company has established rigorous standards to safeguard its partners from emerging brand threats," said Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG. "We are delighted to recognize Nasmedia for taking the necessary steps to achieve this certification. We look forward to continuing to work with Nasmedia and other partners around the world to further raise our industry's standards for brand protection."

About Nasmedia

Over the past decade, Nasmedia has positioned itself as the leading digital advertising platform in Korea. Leveraging privacy-first, AI-based technology, Nasmedia delivers high-quality, relevant ads in brand-safe environments. The company offers various ad formats, including native, display, and video, to provide a positive user experience. This empowers advertisers to drive performance and awareness while enabling publishers to retain and monetize their audiences. In recognition of their achievements, Nasmedia was selected as a top AD Management company in the APAC region by MarTech Outlook, a renowned global advertising magazine.

SOURCE Nasmedia
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Natural Fiber Composites Market by Type (Flax, Kenaf, Hemp), Resin Type (PP, PE, PA), Manufacturing Process (Injection Molding, Compression Molding), End-use Industry (Automotive, Building & Construction), Region - Global Forecast to 2028", is projected to grow from USD 328 million in 2023 to USD 424 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period. Natural fiber composites are getting widely used in multiple end-use industries such as automotive, construction, electrical & electronics, sporting goods, medical & pharmaceuticals, and others.

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Flax segment is projected to dominate the global natural fiber composites market during the forecast period.

The natural fiber composites market has been segmented based on the type into flax, kenaf, hemp and others. In 2022, the flax segment dominated the global natural fiber composites market. Flax fiber composites offer a high strength-to-weight ratio, making them suitable for use in a wide range of applications in the automotive, construction, and other end-use industries.

PP resin type segment dominated the natural fiber composites market in 2022.

The natural fiber composites market is segmented on the basis of resin types as PP, PE, PA and others. PP resin are dominantly used with almost all type of non-wood fibers efficiently in order to manufacture composites. High adoption, easy processing and multiple applications makes PP resin widely used fiber type in the natural fiber composites market.

Injection Molding process dominated the natural fiber composites market in 2022.

Based on manufacturing process, the market is segmented into compression molding, injection molding, and others. The compression molding process holds the largest share. The automotive and construction industries are the key end users of compression-molded natural fiber composites due to their benefits, such as cost-effectiveness, high reproducibility, and low cycle time.

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Automotive end-use segment dominated the natural fiber composites market in 2022.

Various end-use industries such as automotive, building & construction, and others have been considered. In terms of value, automotive segment dominated the market in 2022. The demand for natural fiber composites in the automotive industry is growing due to several benefits over synthetic fibers. Investing in automotive applications is the most lucrative opportunity for stakeholders operating in the natural fiber composites market.

Europe is expected to be the largest market for natural fiber composites market during the forecast period.

Europe accounts for a major share of the overall natural fiber composites market, followed by North America and Asia Pacific. The high demand for natural fiber composites in these regions is due to the increasing demand for non-wood fiber composites in the construction industry. The country has presence of wide number of top natural fiber composites manufacturers.

The key players in the market include Procotex SA Corporation NV (Belgium), Polyvlies Franz Beyer GMBH & Co. KG (Germany), Tecnaro GmbH (Germany), FlexForm Technologies (US), Meshlin Composites Zrt (Hungary), GreenCore Composites Inc. (Canada), GreenGran B.V. (Netherlands), and Jelu-werk Josef Ehrler GmbH Co & Co. KG (Germany) and others. These manufacturers have been adapting different organic and inorganic developmental strategies over the past five years for their market growth.

Browse Adjacent Market: Fibers and Composites Market Research Reports & Consulting

Related Reports:

Biocomposites Market - Global Forecast to 2026

Composites Market - Global Forecast to 2027

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CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In the near future, the near-infrared imaging industry is poised for significant growth and advancements driven by technological innovations and expanding applications in various fields. Near-infrared imaging utilizes light in the near-infrared spectrum to capture images and gather information about tissues and objects that are otherwise not visible to the naked eye. The industry is expected to witness the development of more advanced imaging systems, including high-resolution and real-time imaging devices, enabling improved visualization and analysis of biological structures and processes. Near-infrared imaging will find increasing applications in fields such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and security. In healthcare, it will play a crucial role in non-invasive diagnostics, surgical guidance, and monitoring therapeutic interventions. Additionally, near-infrared imaging will aid in drug development and formulation by enabling rapid screening of compound distribution and pharmacokinetics. In agriculture, it will facilitate crop monitoring, disease detection, and yield optimization. The near-infrared imaging industry's future will be characterized by continuous technological advancements, expanded applications, and the integration of complementary technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, driving innovation and providing valuable insights across a range of industries.

Near infrared imaging Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $1.0 billion in 2023 and is poised to reach $1.9 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 14.0% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The major factors driving the growth of this market include rising patient population, various chronic diseases, and technological advancements along with the increasing adoption of hybrid NIR imaging.

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Near infrared imaging Market Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $1.0 billion Estimated Value by 2028 $1.9 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 14.0% Market Size Available for 20202028 Forecast Period 20232028 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product, Procedure, Application, End User, and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Use of blockchain in imaging Key Market Drivers Increasing number of surgical procedures

Product segment to register significant growth rate over the forecast period of 2023-2028

Based on the product, the global the near-infrared imaging market is segmented into NIR devices, NIR imaging agents/probes and NIR dyes. The NIR device segment is anticipated to register the highest growth rate over the forecast period. The NIR device segment accounted for the highest share of the near infrared imaging market in 2022.

Procedure segment to register significant growth rate over the forecast period of 2023-2028

Based on the procedure, the near-infrared imaging market is segmented into cancer surgeries, gastrointestinal surgeries, cardiovascular surgeries, plastic/reconstructive surgeries, and ob/gyn surgeries and other applications. The cancer surgeries segment is anticipated to register the highest growth rate over the forecast period. The cancer surgeries segment accounted for the highest share of the near infrared imaging market in 2022.

Preclinical segment accounted for the largest share of the near infrared imaging market, by application in 2022.

Based on application, the global the near-infrared imaging market is segmented into preclinical imaging, clinical imaging, and medical imaging. Preclinical applications accounted for the largest share of the market in 2022 and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Factors such as the rising incidence of cancer cases, the growing geriatric population, and the launch of integrated modalities drive the growth of PET products.

The hospital and clinics segment accounted for the largest share of the near infrared imaging market, by end user, in 2022

Based on end user, the near-infrared imaging market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, research laboratories, and pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies. The hospital and clinic segment accounts for the largest share of the market in 2022. Factors attributing to the share of this particular are increasing cancer incidences and increasing number of dermatological surgeries performed in hospitals and clinics are driving the growth of this segment.

The Asia Pacific market to register a significant growth in the market during the forecast period

The Asia Pacific near infrared imaging market is estimated to register a significant growth from 2023 to 2028. The increasing patient population, rising geriatric population, rapid economic growth and increasing disposable income are driving the market growth in APAC countries. This region is having a rise in healthcare investment and expenditure, offering significant growth opportunities for the key players.

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Near infrared imaging Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Increasing number of surgical procedures

Restraints:

High Capital and Operational Cost

Opportunities:

Use of blockchain in imaging

Challenges:

Hospital budget cuts

Key Market Players:

As of 2022, prominent players in the near infrared imaging market are Stryker (US), KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG (Germany), Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (Germany), Leica Microsystems (US), Olympus Corporation (Japan), PerkinElmer, Inc. (US), LI-COR, Inc. (US), and Medtronic (Ireland),

Recent Developments:

As of 2020, in Sao Paulo, Brazil , there were ten radiologists for every 100,000 inhabitants, while in the northern part of the country, there were less than three radiologists for every 100,000 inhabitants.

, there were ten radiologists for every 100,000 inhabitants, while in the northern part of the country, there were less than three radiologists for every 100,000 inhabitants. According to the report "The Value of Radiology" by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR), there is a need for an estimated 1,700 new radiologists between 2019 and 2040. The report identified the inadequate distribution of medical imaging equipment and radiologists across the country, as well as ageing imaging equipment unable to keep up with demand. In addition, lost work time and wages from patients who take temporary leave from their jobs waiting for imaging diagnoses are estimated to cost the economy an average of USD 3.4 billion per year.

per year. In 2023, the American Society for Photobiology (ASP) published a report that found that there is a growing demand for NIR imaging professionals, but that the supply of trained professionals is not keeping pace. The report also found that many NIR imaging companies are struggling to find qualified employees.

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Near infrared imaging Market Advantages:

Non-invasive Imaging: Near-infrared imaging allows for non-invasive visualization of tissues and objects. It utilizes light in the near-infrared spectrum, which can penetrate biological materials more deeply than visible light. This non-invasive nature minimizes patient discomfort, reduces the risk of complications, and enables repeated imaging without causing harm or disruption to the subject.

Real-time and Dynamic Imaging: Near-infrared imaging provides real-time imaging capabilities, allowing for the visualization of dynamic processes within tissues or objects. This is particularly beneficial in fields such as healthcare and biomedical research, where real-time monitoring of physiological changes, drug distribution, or tissue perfusion is essential for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Molecular and Functional Imaging: Near-infrared imaging can be combined with specific contrast agents or probes to enable molecular imaging. By targeting specific molecules or biological markers, it allows for the visualization of molecular events and functional processes in living organisms. This ability enhances the understanding of disease mechanisms, facilitates drug development, and aids in personalized medicine approaches.

High Sensitivity and Specificity: Near-infrared imaging offers high sensitivity and specificity in detecting and differentiating various tissue characteristics. It can reveal differences in tissue composition, blood flow, oxygenation levels, and metabolic activity, aiding in the identification of disease states, tumor detection, and characterization. The ability to differentiate between healthy and diseased tissues enhances diagnostic accuracy and supports treatment planning.

Wide Range of Applications: The near-infrared imaging market finds applications across multiple industries, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food safety, and security. In healthcare, it assists in areas such as cancer diagnosis, brain imaging, cardiovascular assessment, and wound healing monitoring. In agriculture, it aids in crop monitoring, disease detection, and quality assessment. The versatility of near-infrared imaging allows it to be applied to diverse fields and challenges, making it a valuable tool in various industries.

Advancements in Technology and Data Analysis: Technological advancements and improvements in near-infrared imaging systems, detectors, and data analysis techniques contribute to the growth of the market. These advancements result in higher image resolution, improved image quality, and faster data processing, enabling more accurate and detailed insights. The integration of complementary technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning further enhances data analysis, pattern recognition, and image interpretation.

Cost-effectiveness and Accessibility: Near-infrared imaging techniques are relatively cost-effective compared to other imaging modalities, such as MRI or PET scans. The equipment is often portable and user-friendly, making it accessible in various settings, including clinics, research laboratories, and field applications. The cost-effectiveness and accessibility of near-infrared imaging broaden its potential user base and foster its integration into routine clinical practice and industrial applications.

These advantages underscore the significance of the near-infrared imaging market, enabling non-invasive, real-time, and molecular visualization of tissues and objects. With its wide range of applications, high sensitivity, and continuous technological advancements, near-infrared imaging plays a vital role in diagnostics, research, and quality control across various industries.

Near infrared imaging Market  Report Highlights:

In this report, near infrared imaging are considered, along with NIR devices, NIR agents/probes, and NIR dyes, used for healthcare applications and diagnostic application.

The study consists of the average selling price (ASP) analysis for different products in the near-infrared imaging market.

The research study comprises the patent analysis of technologies/solutions used in the near-infrared imaging market.

The new market study consists of the trends/disruptions impacting customers' businesses.

The new market study consists of information on key conferences & events in 20202023.

The new market study consists of the region-wise regulatory landscape.

The new market study consists of Porter's Five Forces Analysis

The new market study provides details of the strategies of the top 25 players operating in the market.

The competitive landscape chapter has been updated with the market evaluation matrix. The competitive landscape also includes the market share analysis of major global players (as of 2022), updated competitive leadership mapping, and competitive situations and trends.

The new market study comprises 25 players. These companies have emerged as key market players in recent years due to their products and various strategic investments undertaken in the protein A resin market space.

Updated financial information/product portfolio of players: The new edition of the report provides updated financial information in the context of the Near Infrared Imaging market from 2020 to May 2023 (depending on availability) for each listed company in graphical representation.

(depending on availability) for each listed company in graphical representation. Updated market developments of profiled players: The current report includes the market developments from January 2020 to May 2023

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OSLO, Norway, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Reference made to the press release issued on December 20, 2022, regarding a Capacity Reservation Agreement (CRA). Nel Hydrogen Inc., a subsidiary of Nel ASA, (Nel, OSE:NEL) has now received a firm purchase order from the undisclosed US energy company for delivery of 16 hydrogen fueling stations to be deployed in California, US.

The total value of the purchase order is about USD 24 million, including the previously announced Capacity Reservation Agreement fee of about USD 7 million. The increase in total contract value from the CRA announcement in December relates to the inclusion of installation assistance and commissioning services, as well as service and maintenance agreements.

"We look forward to providing our hydrogen fueling equipment to this important client and contributing to the deployment of hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the US", says Robert Borin, Senior Vice President, Nel Fueling Division.

"This contract reflects a significant commitment to hydrogen in general, and to Nel in particular," says Hakon Volldal, CEO. "This record-size contract is a game changer for our Fueling division, amplifying the positive momentum throughout the entire Nel organization as we continue to execute our bigger-better-focused strategy".

Expected delivery of the first fueling equipment is scheduled in Q4 2023. In addition, Nel has entered into a framework agreement with the customer covering potential future purchase orders for fueling equipment.

For additional information, please contact:

Kjell Christian Bjrnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097

Wilhelm Flinder, Head of Investor Relations, +47 936 11 350

About Nel ASA | www.nelhydrogen.com

Nel has a history tracing back to 1927 and is today a leading pure play hydrogen technology company with a global presence. The company specializes in electrolyser technology for production of renewable hydrogen, and hydrogen fueling equipment for road-going vehicles. Nel's product offerings are key enablers for a green hydrogen economy, making it possible to decarbonize various industries such as transportation, refining, steel, and ammonia.

This information is subject to a duty of disclosure pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was issued as inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and was published by Wilhelm Finder, Head of Investor Relations, at NEL ASA on the date and time provided.

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE NEL ASA
PHOENIX, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Electric Vehicle Group (NRM-EV), in partnership with 1 Life Organization and Integro Bank, announce the Business & Tech Development Leadership Summit. The summit will formally launch the NRM EV Group, and the Model NR1 concept car to the public.

"We are One, Love is All We Need" - B. Taylor Thomas J. Inserra, CEO & President, Integro Bank B. Taylor

The Leadership Summit will be a part of a multi-city promotional awareness tour event in Phoenix Arizona, on August 18, 2023. The "We Are One" awareness tour is in honor of Nelson Mandela's favorite phrase as the company moves forward in the exciting launch of an electric vehicle initiative. The tone and title of the tour goes hand-in-hand with the belief system of NRM co-founder, majority shareholder, multi-award winner and U.S. Navy Veteran, B.Taylor, and his L1FE Organization (pronounced "One Life,") mission and new hit single title B. Taylor - We Are One, Love Is All We Need - YouTube ft. Chapel Hart and J. Michael Harter.

With the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela at the helm of the Thembekile Mandela Foundation and cofounder of NRM-EV, Ndileka Mandela has taken a hold of the future with both hands and, with NRM-EV, is leading the Mandela name into new areas of innovation and technology, bringing all people together.

The development of the NRM-EV model NR1 concept car strikes an important historical note as it is the first time the Nelson Mandela Foundation has authorized and supported such an initiative and partnered to allow NRM-EV to use Mr. Mandela's official signature on the company's vehicles including the first NRM-EV car model, the NR1. A percentage of revenue from NRM-EV will go to the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Thembekile Mandela Foundation.

As Arizona has quickly become a focal point for the electric vehicle development segment, NRM-EV felt it was strategically important to launch the Leadership Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. Business leaders, city representatives, elected officials, and prospective suppliers and investors will have the opportunity to come together to discover the NRM-EV development program, company initiatives, and strategic planning. NRM-EV welcomes you all to this opportunity of discovery, growth, and opportunity.

Leadership Summit Launch:

When:

August 18th, 2023

Open to the public: 9:30 AM  10:30 AM

Where:

Integro Bank Headquarters

16215 N 28 Ave

Phoenix, AZ 85053

RSVP for the event from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM:

https://integrobank.hubspotpagebuilder.com/en-us/national-summit-2023

About NRM-EV

Founded in 2021 by B.Taylor and Ndileka Mandela (the oldest granddaughter of Nelson Mandela), the NRM Electric Vehicle Group is the first black female and male veteran owned car company. This company is based out of the United States and will help to create opportunities and bridge the gap between Africa and the Diaspora. A truly socially responsible vehicle for the world at www.nrmautoinc.com

About L1fe Organization

L1FE Organization (pronounced "One Life"), was established in 2016 by B.Taylor as a movement for innovating healthy and resilient L1FEstyles for active duty military, veterans, first responders and their families by providing proven wellness strategies. Since 2016, B.Taylor and L1FE Organization have helped thousands of military, veterans, first responders and their families with financial resources, mental/ physical health, community involvement and public awareness. Discover how Life Organization serves those in need at www.1lifeorganization.org

About Integro Bank:

Integro Bank is an FDIC-insured bank based in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). Our proprietary INTEGRO360 consultative approach and CEO Club are designed to help small businesses grow and maximize employment. Why? Because employment lifts people up and transforms lives. Visit www.Integro.Bank to learn more.

Media Contact:

Brandon Price, Marketing at [email protected] or (602) 325-9431

SOURCE Integro Bank
Pharmaceutical plant "Escolit" (JSC Escolit) started its work in the Lithuanian city of Telshai. A group of ukrainian businessmen acted as co-investors of the enterprise, its representatives announced during the opening of the industrial asset.

The plant also received help from the European agency LVPA (Lithuanian Business Support Agency) in the amount of 1.5 million euros under the "Region-invest" program (a program to attract European financing for the creation of innovative industries and jobs in Lithuania).

The opening ceremony of the "Escolit" plant was attended by the mayor of the municipality of Telshai district Tomas Katkus, vice-mayor Almantas Lukavichius, vice-mayor Agni Jakavicius-Miliauskine, director of the municipal administration Sigmas Nevardauskas.

According to the director of the plant Serhiy Panasyuk, the operational team faces the task of turning a profit in 2-3 years.

"Planned production capacity is up to 10 million units of products produced under the Rexsan Pharmaceuticails brand per year," - Roman Yemchuk, production director of Escolit, said.

As the adviser to the director of the plant, Virginia Yasevichienye, reported, the plant officially fulfilled the requirements of the LVPA for the "Region invest" project, taking into account the deadlines for the implementation of the project established by the EU, which received official confirmation from the administrators of European aid.

The first product from the plant's product line was the food supplement "Liposomal Vitamin C" for strengthening human immunity. It is planned that the products will be available in Lithuanian pharmacies in a few weeks.

"The company is equipped with modern technological equipment of Italian production. The company has implemented a quality system in accordance with ISO standards and GMP and EU HACCP norms, and the best pharmacological specialists of the region have joined the work," said Lina Baltokiene, head of the quality control department of the Escolit company.

There is currently a shortage of pharmaceutical specialists in the region, therefore, during the visit to "Escolit", the heads of the municipality familiarized the director of the company with the program of attracting specialists to the development of the regional economy.

"We consider the timely efforts of the Lithuanian regional authorities to implement the program of attracting specialists to the regional economy, because this will stimulate the growth of not only the plant, but also the economy of the region and the whole of Lithuania," one of the investors of the Escolit plant, Ukrainian entrepreneur Gennadii Vykhodtsev, commented on the event. - The fact that the plant started working after 10 years of construction, that investors did not stop investing in starting production, is a good signal: Ukraine is part of the European Union, and Ukrainian investments are ammunition for the protection of European values and for the Victory of Ukraine over the russian invaders".

Fhoto taken from the page https://www.facebook.com/telsiaisavivaldybe
Research by Crucial Learning and AONL shows nurse managers who build cultures of connection see significant improvement in nursing retention.

PROVO, Utah, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study from Crucial Learning and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) shows that employee roundinga common practice intended to help nurse managers connect to their staff with regularity and purposehas no effect on whether nurses were likely to quit their jobs within the next three years. But while employee rounding isn't a driver of retention, the study identified leadership practices that do improve retention for burned out nurses.

In their new study conducted in March 2023, Connection is Retention: Lessons from Leaders with Unusually High Nurse Retention, Crucial Learning and AONL studied 1,559 nurse managers and 562 clinical staff at hundreds of US hospitals to understand the drivers behind record-high levels of nurse attrition.

Researchers found that widely adopted practices intended to improve connection and reduce turnover do little to achieve these goals. Specifically, when it came to employee rounding, the practice seemed so irrelevant that employees often didn't seem to know it had happened. For example:

81 percent of managers reported that they round regularly.

And yet, only 36 percent of clinicians say their managers round regularly.

Joseph Grenny, lead researcher, cofounder of Crucial Learning, and coauthor of Crucial Influence, adds insight into this gap.

"As we dug into this curious and concerning inconsistency, we concluded that the most likely explanation for the gap is that rounding is being done in a way that is meaningless to the real concerns of frontline nurses," Grenny said.

And identifying the real concerns of frontline nurses is where the research makes its greatest contribution.

When looking for successful outliers, the study identified select nurse managers who reported higher rates of retention than others in similar sized units and hospitals who faced similar market conditions. Results showed that nurse managers in these surprisingly high retention areas were unusually effective at creating connection by offering three things: care, growth and help.

Ultimately, nurses who reported that their nurse managers offered care, growth, and help were more than 80 percent more likely to intend to continue with their work indefinitely. Here is what offering care, growth and help looked like, according to nurses' first-hand accounts.

Care  I feel a sense of belonging and believe my manager cares about me as a person.

"My nurse manager came in on her day off to provide snacks and certificates for Certified Nurses Day. She provided a nice gift to all the staff working that day. This was a thoughtful act that made me feel appreciated."  Nurse Respondent

Growth  My manager takes an active interest in my personal and professional growth.

"I had mentioned to Charlene that I wanted to grow in my career. She took initiative to put me in positions to learn new tech, open hearts, etc. Most recently she helped get me into a bachelor's program."  Nurse Respondent

Help  My manager steps in to help when I need it.

"I couldn't tell you who the director was at my previous hospital. The managers stayed in their offices. Joe is always walking around and asking me how I'm doing. Last Friday, I had four patients, and one was difficult to turn. Joe [jumped in without being asked]. I've never seen anything like it."  Nurse Respondent

Other related findings included:

Nurses who planned to stay with their organization three or more years were far more likely to rate their manager highly on care, growth and help:

CARE : 3 times more likely



GROWTH : 2.5 times more likely



HELP : 2 times more likely

And yet, their perceptions of rounding frequency were no different from those expecting to quit much sooner.

In departments with unusually high stress (due to inadequate staffing, high patient load or challenging shift structure) the differences became even more substantial. For example, there's almost a 60 percent higher chance that a nurse intends to stay in their job despite being in a high-stress job if they score high on HELP.

In analyzing the data and fist-hand accounts from 1,090 nurses, Grenny and his co-researchers from AONL, Robyn Begley, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, AONL and Chief Nursing Officer, SVP Workforce, AHA; and Beverly Hancock, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, and Senior Director of Leadership Development at AONL, extracted the following best practices demonstrated by nurse managers for creating a culture of connectionbest practices that can be replicated in nursing teams to improve retention.

4 Best Practices for Creating a Culture of Connection in Caregiver Teams

Connection is about feeling not frequency. No one reported feeling connected because of a certain frequency of interaction. What they did report was some meaningful momentan interaction that showed presence, planning, personalization or follow-up. Always be collecting dots (ABCD) . Hospitality guru Danny Meyer creates unique moments of connection with his hundreds of thousands of guests by admonishing team members to always be collecting dots gathering key information about others to build strong personal connection . Great nurse managers do the same. A nurse might mention something about a son studying karate, a new motorcycle, or feelings of inadequacy. These dots are gold when the manager records them, reflects on them, and uses them to inform ways to show care, growth, and help. Connection = Sacrifice. Meaningful moments require sacrifice. People perceive you value them when you show you're willing to sacrifice things they know are scarce to you: your time, money, ego, or other priorities. This doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune or an eternity. You just have to use enough of these four scarce resources to show you value care, growth and help. Don't make promises you can't keep. Keep the promises you make. Nurses universally equate follow up with sincerity. If you make even the most modest care, growth or help commitments, they backfire if you fail to follow up.

Begley says these recommendations should help overwhelmed nurse managers in what is often the most challenging role of their careers to create teams of engaged and satisfied nurses.

"We recognize these recommendations might sound daunting to already overwhelmed nurse managers. They should not," says Begley. "The first two don't require time, they simply require thought. In fact, the first, Connection is about feeling not frequency, suggests that time spent today in ritualistic employee rounding might be recovered and repurposed. Our study suggests that replacing any recovered time with the second two activities will yield dramatically different results in engagement and retention. These are things managers are doing consistently and successfully in units just like yours and if replicated, will make a difference in your team."

To download the full study, visit cruciallearning.com/connection.

About Crucial Learning

Crucial Learning offers courses in the areas of communication, performance, and leadership, focusing on behaviors that have a disproportionate impact on outcomes, called crucial skills. Our award-winning courses and accompanying bestselling books include Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue, Crucial Conversations for Accountability, The Power of Habit, Getting Things Done, and Crucial Influence. We've spent thirty years helping hospitals and health systems around the world reduce avoidable medical errors and improve patient care and staff experience. CrucialLearning.com

About the American Organization for Nursing Leadership

As the national professional organization of more than 11,000 nurse leaders, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) is the voice of nursing leadership. Our membership encompasses nurse leaders working in hospitals, health systems, academia and other care settings across the care continuum. Since 1967, the organization has led the field of nursing leadership through professional development, advocacy and research that advances nursing leadership practice and patient care. AONL is an affiliate of the American Hospital Association. AONL.org.

SOURCE Crucial Learning
TOKYO and FRANKFURT, Germany, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nippon Express Europe GmbH (hereinafter "NX Europe"), a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., and Lufthansa Cargo AG (hereinafter "Lufthansa Cargo") contractually agreed on June 20, 2023, to advocate the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) when transporting airfreight shipments. The environmentally friendly aviation fuel will enable the Nippon Express Group to achieve emission savings of approximately 3,150 tons within one year. Furthermore, the agreement reached with Lufthansa Cargo includes contributing to high-quality and certified climate protection projects for the so-called well-to-tank emissions that arise during the production and supply of SAF.

Logo of Nippon Express Group:

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202306216489/_prw_PI1fl_9bd06Oph.jpg

Logo of Lufthansa Cargo:

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202306216489/_prw_PI2fl_38S8riio.png

Image:

https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202306216489/_prw_PI3fl_87J574WD.png

The Nippon Express Group has set the goal of a 50% reduction in SCOPE 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2013 as a response to climate change, and of contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by 2050. Nippon Express Co., Ltd. aims to reduce emissions by 350,000 tons by 2023, equivalent to a 30% reduction from 2013 levels. In May 2023, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. submitted a Letter of Commitment to be certified as a Science Based Targets (SBT) company, and the entire group is working together to achieve a carbon neutral society by 2050.

"We have enjoyed a trusting long-standing relationship with NX Europe as a Global Partner. We appreciate working jointly with NX Europe also on sustainability goals that are important to both of us. Every player in the logistics industry has a model here, and only together can we succeed in making our business more environmentally friendly along the entire supply chain. The more Sustainable Aviation Fuel is used in the transportation of goods by air freight, the more likely we are to succeed in moving away from fossil fuels, making the entire air freight industry more sustainable," highlights Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo.

"We at the Nippon Express Group remain mindful of the environmental effect of the increasing demand for air freight. We fully acknowledge this reality, and we must move quickly to take action to slow global warming. This agreement to advocate using SAF represents a step in the right direction on the way to a greener future. Together with Lufthansa Cargo, we are honored to embark on this journey to meet our sustainability goals and fulfil our ongoing commitment to combat climate change," emphasizes Shinichi Kakiyama, Managing Director of NX Europe.

About Lufthansa Cargo AG

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202306216489-O1-c7LnKTv7.pdf

Lufthansa Cargo AG website: https://www.lufthansa-cargo.com/

About Nippon Express Group

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202306216489-O2-97Lp4sYz.pdf

Nippon Express website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/

Nippon Express Group's official LinkedIn account:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/

SOURCE NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.
VANCOUVER, BC, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSX: NUMI) (OTCQX: NUMIF), a mental health care company advancing innovative treatments and safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, will release its financial results for the quarter ended May 31, 2023, after market close on Monday, July 17, 2023.

Interested parties are invited to participate in the Company's Q3 2023 results conference call and webcast occurring on the same day, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time / 2:30 p.m. Pacific time. During the call, Numinus executives will review the Company's performance and recent initiatives, and answer questions from analysts.

To listen to the live webcast, please register at:

https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/612414870

The webcast will also be archived on the Events and Presentations page of Numinus' Investor Relations website: https://www.investors.numinus.com/events-and-presentations

To participate in the live conference call, please use the following dial-in information:

1 (888) 330-3632 (Toll-free North America )

) 1 (646) 960-0837 (International)

Please ask to participate in Numinus' Q3 2023 Results Call.

To avoid any delays in joining the call, please dial in at least five minutes prior to the call start time. If prompted, please provide conference passcode 3547386.

A replay of the conference call can also be accessed after 8:30 p.m. Eastern time / 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on July 17, 2023, at 1-800-770-2030 or 1-647-362-9199 (using passcode 3547386). The replay will be available until July 31, 2023.

About Numinus

Numinus Wellness (TSX: NUMI) helps people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus model - including psychedelic production, research and clinic care - is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance use. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice and building the foundation for a healthier society.

Learn more at www.numinus.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Forward-looking statements

Statements and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events 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 "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. There is no assurance that Health Canada will approve the application. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements even if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.
NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuveen Global Cities REIT, Inc. ("GCREIT") announced that its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting"), held on June 28, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, was convened and adjourned without any business being conducted, due to lack of the required quorum.

The Annual Meeting will reconvene virtually on July 28, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to provide stockholders additional time to vote on the proposals described in the proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on April 3, 2023. No changes have been made in the proposals to be voted on by stockholders at the Annual Meeting. Stockholders will be able to attend the reconvened Annual Meeting via a live audio webcast by visiting meetnow.global/MDMGX5Q and logging on to the webcast with their control number (the 14-digit control number found in the shaded box of their proxy card).

The record date for determining stockholder eligibility to vote at the Annual Meeting remains the close of business on March 31, 2023. Proxies previously submitted will be voted at the Annual Meeting unless properly revoked, and stockholders who have already submitted a proxy or otherwise voted need not take any action.

GCREIT's Board of Directors unanimously recommends that stockholders vote "FOR" all proposals.

Additional information and where to find it. In connection with the Annual Meeting, GCREIT has filed relevant materials with the SEC, including GCREIT's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the "Proxy Statement"). This press release is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document that GCREIT may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with its Annual Meeting. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF GCREIT ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING. Stockholders will be able to obtain the documents free of charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology or the negatives thereof. These may include GCREIT's financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements about plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, and statements regarding future performance. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and there are or may be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. GCREIT believes these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its annual report for the most recent fiscal year, and any updated risk factors included in its periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as otherwise required by federal securities laws, GCREIT undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

This press release is not an offer to sell any securities.

Nuveen Real Estate is a real estate investment management holding company owned by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA).

Contact:

Rebecca Vignali

Nuveen Media Relations

703.505.7954

[email protected]

SOURCE Nuveen
WESTON, Fla., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Orchest, a leading US based carrier with presence in 17 countries in The Americas and pioneer of the fully automated end to end customer experience through its one of a kind OrchestLatam platform, has won Best Latin American Operator of the Year 2023 for the second consecutive time in Berlin.

The company has won this important recognition three consecutive times in the last two years between the Global Carriers Awards by Capacity Media in London (2022) and the CC-Global Awards in Berlin (2022 & 2023).

Orchest Technologies awarded Best Latam Regional Operator of the Year 2023

Orchest Technologies over the last 5 years, it has rewritten the rules of data transport and connectivity services in LATAM by providing a holistic approach to network intelligence and transparency, groundbreaking process automation and world class customer engagement. OrchestLatam platform allows customers and partners to enjoy smoother, faster and reliable access to real time network data. They provide local access to +68 million buildings in a matter of minutes, On-Demand capacity between Data Centers and direct connectivity to all cloud hubs in the region, ensuring dependable network availability based on an intelligent solution to monitor and manage a redundant network.

"This is an important recognition for our team reflecting the level of consistency and focus to lead the network automation movement in Latam and the world. This is a great moment for our entire team." said Justo Valladares CEO at Orchest Technologies.

For more information about Orchest Technologies, please visit www.orchest.net

Media Contact:

Erwind Martinez

561-695-9177

[email protected]

SOURCE Orchest Technologies
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Oz Lithium Corporation (CSE: OZLI) (OTC: GRXXF) (Frankfurt: G0A) is pleased to announce evaluation work has begun at the Laguna Santa Maria Project, located in the northwest territory of the Province of Salta, Argentina.

The project is fully permitted and licensed for the production of sodium carbonate, commonly referred to as soda ash, and is comprised of 500 hectares. The project has excellent road access being approximately 60 kilometers from the town of Tolar Grande.

Geo Brand, a Salta Argentina based technical firm are now on site completing a Vertical Electrical Sounding survey over the project area. A total of 8 transects are being completed and are comprised of 15 sounding points every 500 meters per transect. The intent of the program is to confirm the depth potential of the soda ash deposit in relation to the visible surface expression.

Eleven liquid samples and fifteen solid samples have been collected at site by the Oz lithium exploration team. The samples have been collected under the supervision of William Feyerabend, CPG, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101. All samples will be forwarded to Alex Stewart Laboratories (ISO Certified) of Mendoza, Argentina, for chemical analysis and quality evaluation.

Soda Ash Critical to Lithium Carbonate Production

Soda ash is the trade name for sodium carbonate, a chemical refined from the mineral trona or sodium carbonate bearing brines (both referred to as "natural soda ash") or manufactured from one of several chemical processes (referred to as "synthetic soda ash"). The US Geological Survey reports US exports of soda ash to Argentina for 2022 at 165,000 tonnes valued at US$48 million (source: US Mineral Industry Survey, December 2022).

Soda ash is a "critical reagent" in the production of lithium carbonate with the process requiring two tonnes of soda ash for every tonne of lithium carbonate produced. As reported in La Nacion (an online Argentina News Paper) on January 30, 2023, there is an insufficient local supply of soda ash and importing it has various issues and challenges for present and future lithium carbonate producers in Argentina. Management believes a first mover advance exists for the Company with the Laguna Santa Maria Project. Much of the current Sodium carbonate production in Argentina is required by the glass industry. Lithium carbonate producers must import their requirements of sodium carbonate from the world market. The potential demand for soda ash is significant given the expanding lithium production in Argentina.

The Technical and scientific information contained in this news release was reviewed by Mr. William Feyerabend, a Consulting Geologist and Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Feyerabend participated in the production of this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Adrian F.C. Hobkirk President and CEO

T: 954-684-8040

E: [email protected]

W: www.ozlithiumcorp.com

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. We seek safe harbor.

SOURCE Oz Lithium Corporation
SINGAPORE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Phemex, a leading crypto exchange platform, recently filed a successful patent application with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) that addresses two common blockchain exchange platform problems, namely, system upgrade interruptions and network cable unplugging during periods of high traffic. Following a year of extensive development, Phemex has already applied this advanced technology to its Margin Trading product, massively enhancing the trading experience for its users. The new technology will be soon available for unified accounts and new Web3 products.

Phemex's advanced patented technology specifically addresses two problems that have long plagued the industry:

System Upgrade Interruptions

Exchanges frequently shut down during system upgrades, which is a major issue that causes significant downtime that can result in frustration, lost opportunities, and earnings for traders. Phemex's innovative technology ensures the exchange continues to operate smoothly during system upgrades, providing a seamless trading experience.

Network Cable Unplugging During Periods of High Traffic

Another common problem faced by exchanges is network cable unplugging during periods of high traffic. This can result in the exchange becoming unavailable, which hampers traders' ability to execute trades when they most need to. Phemex's technology addresses this issue by ensuring the system can handle high levels of traffic without any interruption, always allowing smooth trades.

Phemex Successfully Applies Advanced Technology to Margin Trading and Future Products

Phemex launched its Margin Trading product earlier this year and ha successfully applied this new patented technology to it. The technology has been instrumental in providing traders with a seamless trading experience on the platform. The Company plans to apply this technology to unified accounts and new Web3 products in the future, which will even further enhance the trading experience for its users.

Stella Chan, CMO of Phemex, said: "Phemex has always had a laser-like focus on improving the trading experience for our users, and this will certainly continue in the future. This successful patent application filing for our cutting-edge technology is a testament to this focus and goes hand-in-glove with our strong commitment to constantly upgrade our own products while applying centralized product capabilities to future decentralized services."

Phemex's successful patent application filing expedites solving the most common problems faced by blockchain exchange platforms and clearly illustrates the Company's innovating spirit and willingness to continuously enhance the trading experience for its users. With plans in the pipeline to apply this technology to future products, Phemex is poised to continue providing its users with a seamless and reliable trading experience.

About Phemex

Phemex is a certificated crypto exchange providing an efficient and transparent trading experience with a commitment to all-round asset protection backed by state-of-the-art security technologies and Merkle-Tree Proofs-of-Reserves practice. Founded by a team of industry veterans, Phemex delivers personalized solutions 24/7 that facilitate the building of users' crypto portfolios through its low latency and scalable environment, as well as a fair matchmaking system that ensures prices and timing are prioritized.

For other Phemex news, please check out https://www.prnewswire.com/news/phemex/.

SOURCE Phemex
MIAMI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FIU scientists discovered the first and only known natural arsenic-containing antibiotic to fight antibiotic resistance. Now, research reveals it can stop transmission of a deadly disease spreading in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years: malaria.

A team from FIU's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine developed arsinothricin (AST) to combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Lab tests proved AST effectively defeated the most notorious, including E. coli and Mycobacteria, which cause tuberculosis.

Collaborating with malaria researchers in the College of Arts, Sciences & Education, they've recently also found AST prevents Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria, from infecting mosquitoes  unlike other current antimalarial drugs. The discovery, recently published in Microorganisms, paves the way for AST to one day be developed into a more effective antimalarial drug for humans.

"Current antimalarials don't completely stop transmission, meaning patients can continue to infect mosquitoes before they recover," said lead author of the study Masafumi Yoshinaga, associate professor of Cellular Biology & Pharmacology. "Developing new potent multi-stage drugs is imperative to ensure malaria elimination and eradication. We found AST is a promising lead compound for developing a new class of potent multi-stage antimalarials."

While AST contains arsenic  an incredibly toxic, deadly poison  it is not pure arsenic. In fact, since the early 1900s, arsenic-based medications have been used to safely treat and prevent many diseases. When FIU researchers tested AST on liver, kidney and intestinal cells, AST targeted the malaria parasite lurking in human cells, but didn't damage the cells themselves.

An estimated 240 million malaria cases are reported worldwide every year. While the majority occur in Africa, malaria can still happen in the U.S. Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert about several locally acquired malaria infections in Florida and Texas, marking the first time it's spread in the U.S. since 2003.

Only mosquitoes transmit malaria. According to Jun Li  associate professor of biological sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute researcher and one of the study's authors  malaria spreads when a mosquito bites someone with malaria, and the parasites in the blood infect the mosquitoes. Ten days later, infected mosquitoes can bite another person and transmit the disease to them. Using AST to prevent parasites from spreading to mosquitoes breaks the malaria life cycle.

The team has received a U.S. patent for the chemical synthesis of, and methods of using AST. But before AST can become a drug  a sometimes lengthy, expensive process  the team will continue their research investigating how it enters human red blood cells, where it can be even more effective against the parasite.

For more information click here.

Media Contact:

Angela Nicoletti

305-348-0272

[email protected]

SOURCE Florida International University
BESSEMER CITY, N.C., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Livent's manufacturing facility in Bessemer City, North Carolina, has resumed operations following the fire which broke out at an onsite warehouse early on Monday morning. All lithium hydroxide, butyllithium and catalyst grade lithium metal production lines are now back in operation, and the majority of Livent personnel have returned to their normal shifts. The company is still assessing the timetable to restore some of its smaller production units, including those for high purity lithium metal and pharmaceutical grade lithium carbonate.

As previously reported, the fire was principally contained to a steel and concrete warehouse which was used primarily to store lithium metal ingots, as well as some ancillary maintenance and production supplies, and is located away from the operating facilities at the site. Although the fire had largely burned out by mid-morning on Monday, the warehouse and its contents were destroyed.

Fortunately, there were no injuries to Livent personnel, emergency responders or members of the surrounding community, and no toxic chemicals or compounds were on fire or released into the environment. We would like to again express our gratitude for the tremendous support of the authorities and emergency response teams from Bessemer City, Gaston County and the state of North Carolina.

We are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire and are working hard to ensure ongoing safety during the clean-up and remediation process. We are focused on returning to full operations as soon as possible.

About Livent

For nearly eight decades, Livent has partnered with its customers to safely and sustainably use lithium to power the world. Livent is one of only a small number of companies with the capability, reputation, and know-how to produce high-quality finished lithium compounds that are helping meet the growing demand for lithium. The Company has one of the broadest product portfolios in the industry, powering demand for green energy, modern mobility, the mobile economy, and specialized innovations, including light alloys and lubricants. Livent has a combined workforce of approximately 1,350 full-time, part-time, temporary, and contract employees and operates manufacturing sites in the United States, England, China and Argentina. For more information, visit livent.com.

Media contact:



Juan Carlos Cruz +1.215.299.6170

[email protected]

George Thomas +1.215.299.6549

[email protected]

Investor contact:

Daniel Rosen +1.215.299.6208

[email protected]

SOURCE Livent Corporation
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The civil society organizations of a number of countries have issued a statement to oppose a potential environmental catastrophe with detrimental effects on both human beings and the planet over construction of the metallurgical plant in Arazdayan, Armenia, Trend reports.

The statement in particular says:

As Civil Society organizations, we, the undersigned, are issuing a collective statement expressing our opposition and deep concern to the construction of a sizable metallurgical plant. This Armenian-American steel plant covers an expansive area of 16,500 square meters and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 180,000 tons is proposed to be built in the village of Arazdayan (Yeraskh), located on the border between Armenia and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Regrettably, this project will contribute to a new environmental disaster, and thus we stand united in our concerns.

The establishment of this large-scale metallurgical plant blatantly disregards internationally recognized standards and principles, especially those articulated in the UN Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention). The Espoo Convention acknowledges that environmental matters transcend national borders and emphasizes the necessity of international discourse when multiple states are involved in specific cases. The construction of such a facility on the border without mutual agreement from the Azerbaijani side constitutes a blatant violation of the 1991 Espoo Convention, which addresses the assessment of environmental impact in transboundary contexts. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are signatories to this Convention. In accordance with the Espoo Convention, a thorough evaluation of the plant's environmental impact must be conducted. The assessment document related to the construction should be reviewed by relevant Azerbaijani institutions, eco-activists considering the opinion of the neighboring Azerbaijani residents living in close proximity to the region.

The construction of such a factory harms people or the planet and marks a red line for civil society, given its far-reaching implications and the threat it poses to human health, the environment and true sustainability.

The potential repercussions of the metallurgical plant's toxic chemical waste on the local ecosystem are significant. This environmental impact will definitely affect human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air and water structures.

The alarming possibility of this waste being discharged into the Araz river raises concerns for the wildlife inhabiting the river and the large farms relying on Araz water for irrigation. Damage to drinking water supply is the damage to human health and water safety which can lead to spread of infectious diseases in border villages. Potentially it can create a serious public health crisis for both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

According to the political declaration of high-level meeting on UHC, the Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 October 2019, notes that health is a precondition for and an outcome and indicator of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN Member states recognized environmental determinants of health, such as clean air, safe drinking water, and sanitation . The UN recognizes a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. However, by committing these environmental crimes, Armenia grossly violates the human rights of Azerbaijan population, including the region. Armenia completely violates this resolution, being in the opposite position to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular the 3rd goal on good health and well-being, the 6th goal on clean water and sanitation, the 13th goal on combating the consequences of climate change, and the 15th goal on protecting the soil ecosystem.

Moreover, The Aarhus Convention plays a vital role in fostering access to information, public participation, and justice in environmental matters. As a signatory to this convention, Armenia must fulfill its obligations by ensuring that affected communities have access to information regarding plant activities, meaningful participation in decision-making processes, and avenues for seeking redress in case of environmental harm. We demand Armenia to create an enabling environment for civil society organizations and local communities to actively engage in dialogue and decision-making processes related to the building of the sizable steel plant.

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights provide a crucial framework for promoting responsible conduct in business, including the extractive industry. These principles underscore the need for companies to uphold human rights, prevent adverse environmental impacts, and engage with affected communities in a transparent and inclusive manner. We urge all stakeholders involved in metallurgical plant building in Arazdayan to align their actions with these principles and integrate them into their operational practices.

In light of this, we call upon relevant international organizations such as the UN Environment Program, the World Health Organization, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Environment, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Harmful Substances and Human Rights to respond to this situation and put an end to Armenia's ongoing environmental transgressions.

We also call the United States of America to acknowledge these risks and cease its support for the construction of the aforementioned metallurgical plant in Arazdayan.

Furthermore, we urge civil society organizations in Armenia, particularly those actively involved in public health and tuberculosis advocacy, to take immediate action and protest against the establishment of this plant. Its construction will undoubtedly have a profoundly negative impact on Armenia's own environmental situation, too.

Signatures:

1.Maryam Danesh, Washington and lee University, United States of America

2.Sameer Sah, TB Civil Society Consultant, United Kingdom

3.Ezio Tavora dos Santos Filho, REDE-TB, Brasil

4.Umarov Rustamjon, environmental activist, graduate student at Hiroshima University, Japan

5.Jose Maria Di Bello, Fundacion GEP, Argentina

6.Svetlana Doltu, NGO AFI, Republic of Moldova

7.Olha Klymenko, CO TBPeopleUkraine, Ukraine

8.Inna Gavrylova, APH (Alliance for Public Health), Ukraine

9.Sergey Uchayev, RNGO ISHONCH VA HAYOT, Uzbekistan

10.Nikoloz Mirzashvili, Network TBpeople Sakartvelo, Georgia

11.Sok Chamreun Choub, Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA), Cambodia

12.Stephen Anguva Shikoli - Network of TB Champions Kenya

13.Collins Major Kinyuru - Pamoja TB group, Kenya

14.Joseph Kilonzo - BISC, Kenya

15.Elchin Mukhtarli, Azerbaijan TB NGO Coalition

16.Peter Ngola, Wote Youth Development Projects CBO, Kenya

17.Charles Quist, Carepal foundation Ghana

18.Parvana Valiyeva, Saglamliga Khidmat Public Union, Azerbaijan

19.Chingiz Ramazanli, TBpeople, Towards TB Free Future, Azerbaijan

20.Prof.Dr.Zeki Kilichaslan, Istanbul Verem savas dernegi, Turkey

21.Dr. Semsettin Kuzeci, President of Kirkuk Cultural Association. Turkiye

22.Abass A Kamara from Sierra Leone I am A volunteer from Sierra Leone Red Cross Society

23.Mohmad Husain lone from Jammu kashmir, India Human Rights activist official volunteer of international Human Rights Commission, Switzerland.

24.Cordelia Adamu.Africa Environmental and Health Advancement Network.Nigeria

25.Germain Marius HAPY, Diplomate, President OSER Humanitarian, Switzerland/Cameroon

26.Norman Kagiso Matiting, TB people, Botswana

27.Nishant Chavan, Independent Public Health Consultant, India

28.Filiz Duyar Agca, Turk Toraks Dernegi, TB Working Group, Turkey

29.Hasim Abdul Halim, Department of Health and family welfare, India

30.Kinz Eman, Stop TB Partnership Pakistan, Pakistan

31.Zeeshan Ahmad, Provincial TB Control (PTP) Punjab, Pakistan

32.Mohmad Hossain, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of Bangladesh (IACIB), Bangladesh.
CHICAGO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RockItCoin is demonstrating its support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC-CNI) as part of its philanthropic initiative, RockItCoin Gives. Through volunteer efforts and donations, RockItCoin aims to provide support and assistance to families facing challenging times, particularly those benefiting from the services offered by RMHC-CNI.

RockItCoin is committed to giving back to the community in its home city of Chicago and believes in empowering families, just like those staying at Ronald McDonald House, during critical periods in their lives. As a testament to this commitment, RockItCoin employees participated in two on-site volunteer events, where they dedicated their time to setting up and serving dinner to the families and children supported by the Charity.

The first volunteer event took place on Tuesday, June 20th, with RockItCoin employees flying in from out-of-state to contribute their efforts. Together, team members catered and served food to the many families currently staying at Ronald McDonald House.

In addition to the volunteer efforts, RockItCoin also made a donation of $1,000 in Bitcoin to RMHC-CNI. This contribution will further enable Ronald McDonald House to continue its valuable work of providing a comforting home away from home for families while their children receive medical care at nearby hospitals.

RockItCoin's commitment to community involvement does not stop there. On Sunday, June 25th, a group of RockItCoin volunteers took part in the Culinary Hearts program at Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children's, catering food and ensuring that families enjoyed a delightful evening together.



"Our Culinary Hearts program was created to give volunteer groups an opportunity to prepare healthy, delicious meals alongside a House chef for families staying at our 80-bedroom Ronald McDonald House downtown," says A'Nyssa Harris, assistant chef for the program. "We are so grateful to the group from RockItCoin for donating their time so that families can focus on what matters most  the health of their children."





RockItCoin CEO Michael Dalesandro expressed his enthusiasm for the volunteer events, stating, "At RockItCoin, we firmly believe in the power of giving back to our community. It's been a fantastic experience serving alongside our dedicated employees and supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana in their mission. We are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of families facing adversity."

The RockItCoin team encourages other companies and individuals to contribute and volunteer. More information on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana can be found at ronaldhousechiago.org .

About RockItCoin:

Founded in 2015 by Michael Dalesandro, RockItCoin is a crypto blockchain company based in Chicago, IL. RockItCoin has a nationwide network of crypto ATMs with nearly 2,000 locations in 45 States providing consumers with the safest and fastest way to buy or sell Bitcoins. For more information, please visit https://www.rockitcoin.com and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram, and LinkedIn .

CONTACT:

Jarryd Baynes

[email protected]

567-217-1729

SOURCE RockitCoin
Earning the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air supports the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to promote the health and well-being of children and their families.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, today announced that three Ronald McDonald Houses in Kansas City, Missouri, achieved the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air. The announcement follows UL Solutions' commitment to a multi-faceted partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in 2022 as the organization's first-ever partner solely dedicated to supporting the charity's global sustainability efforts.

Sean McCrady, vice president and general manager of Enterprise Sustainability at UL Solutions, presented a plaque displaying the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark to Tami Greenberg, CEO of RMHC of Kansas City, surrounded by UL Solutions volunteers during an event on June 26 at Ronald McDonald House  Longfellow House in Kansas City, Missouri.

In recognition of this achievement, Sean McCrady, vice president and general manager of Enterprise Sustainability at UL Solutions, presented a plaque displaying the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark to Tami Greenberg, CEO of RMHC of Kansas City, during an event on June 26 at Ronald McDonald House  Longfellow House.

"Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City have shown their commitment to creating and maintaining an indoor environment that supports occupant health, well-being and comfort," said McCrady. "By leveraging our scientific expertise and offering volunteer opportunities to UL Solutions employees through our multi-faceted collaboration with RMHC, UL Solutions is proud to help RMHC support the health and well-being of the children and families they serve each year."

UL Solutions' marketing claim verification service is an objective, science-based assessment that confirms the accuracy of marketing claims. This independent assessment process scrutinizes the validity of specific advertising or promotional statements. To achieve the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for Indoor Air, spaces undergo a desktop audit and on-site visits that include visual inspections and performance testing to evaluate a range of building conditions. The program includes an annual comprehensive assessment coupled with surveillance at the mid-year point.

UL Solutions conducted a pro bono building assessment to evaluate the conditions and indoor air quality (IAQ) of three Ronald McDonald Houses in Kansas City. Verified Healthy Building for Indoor Air evaluates IAQ as well as policies and plans for the continual advancement of IAQ. UL Solutions teams inspect heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to verify that preventative maintenance is performed regularly while focusing on ventilation, filtration and hygiene to help verify continuous IAQ.

"The partnership between RMHC and UL Solutions supports the missions of both organizations by working to provide healthier indoor environments for children and their families," said Greenberg. "RMHC of Kansas City is proud to announce this achievement, which highlights our continued efforts to support the well-being and comfort of those we serve."

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.

About RMHC

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through a global network of over 260 Chapters in more than 60 countries and regions, RMHC enables, facilitates and supports family-centered care through three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC programs help families with ill or injured children stay together and near leading hospitals and health care services worldwide, ensuring they have access to the medical care their child needs while fully supported and actively involved in their child's care. For more information, visit RMHC.org.

Press Contacts:

Tyler Khan

UL Solutions

[email protected]

T: +1 (847) 664.2139

Steven Brewster

UL Solutions

[email protected]

T: +1 (847) 664.8425

SOURCE UL Solutions
Independent Survey Recognizes School of Rock for Outstanding Company Culture and Employee Satisfaction in the Franchise Sector



CANTON, Mass., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- School of Rock , the leader in performance-based music education, was recently honored by Franchise Business Review with the Gold Award for outstanding corporate culture and employee satisfaction in the franchise sector in the medium class (2599 employees) category of the 2023 [email protected] Awards. The awards recognize franchise companies with the highest employee satisfaction based on an independent survey.



"We are honored to receive the Gold Award for outstanding corporate culture and employee satisfaction in the medium class category of the 2023 [email protected] Awards. At School of Rock, we are deeply committed to the success of our franchise partners, providing them with the necessary tools and support to thrive in the competitive franchise sector," said Mary Connor, Chief Human Resource Officer at School of Rock. "This recognition reaffirms our team's dedication to fostering a vibrant and collaborative community where franchisees can achieve their dreams of success."

Franchise Business Review (FBR), a market research firm that specializes in benchmarking satisfaction within the franchising sector, conducts surveys of corporate franchise employees, franchise supplier employees, and franchise owners' employees across North America each year to determine their levels of engagement.

FBR recently conducted the industry-wide [email protected] Employee Engagement Benchmarking Study to provide aggregate data to help franchise companies understand how their company culture and employee satisfaction compare to others.

Participants were asked core benchmark questions related to job satisfaction, engagement, skills and experience, management, brand leadership, and culture.

Franchises that participated in Franchise Business Review's employee engagement research were eligible for the [email protected] Awards . FBR analyzed data from over 6,000 employees across nearly 180 franchise organizations, representing 40% corporate staff and 60% unit-level employees, to identify the finalists based on responses from their employees in eight key areas.

"Employee engagement in the franchise sector consistently outperforms other sectors, and 2023 is no different," said Eric Stites, founder & CEO of Franchise Business Review. "This year's [email protected] research showed that engagement among corporate franchise employees is higher than ever, up 4% over last year, with 86% of employees reporting their job is rewarding and satisfying, in contrast to overall data in the U.S. that puts employee engagement under 35%. This year's award winners have demonstrated that they are focused on maintaining high levels of employee engagement, supporting employee well-being, and developing successful managers. We are proud to recognize these companies for dedicating the time and consistency to creating a culture that really moves the needle."

See the presentation of the 2023 [email protected] research findings and awards here: https://vimeo.com/836916215?share=copy#t=20

About School of Rock



School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to over 62,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons , including guitar lessons , singing lessons and piano lessons . The company also sells musical instruments and music gear through its GearSelect program. School of Rock is proud to support Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS). School of Rock was awarded US Patent 10,891,872 in 2021 for its innovative music education method. School of Rock also has garnered the following industry awards: 2023 Global Franchise Grand Champion; 2023, 2022 and 2021 Global Franchise's Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2023 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; Franchise Business Review's 2023 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 200 list; 2020 Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Franchise and the #1 Child Enrichment Franchise; and 2018 Forbes # 2 Best Franchise Medium-Level Investment Award and the #1 Music Franchise in America.

Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA .

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading independent market research firm that specializes in benchmarking franchisee and employee satisfaction. FBR provides franchise companies with benchmarks and best practices to improve satisfaction, employee engagement and retention. FBR has partnered with over 1,200 top-performing franchise companies to drive franchise growth and achieve greater success through data-driven insights. Learn more about FBR's research at GoFBR.com.

SOURCE School of Rock
MILWAUKEE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Kaleyra (NYSE: KLR) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Tata Communications.

Click here to learn how to join the action https://www.ademilaw.com/case/kaleyra-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

In the transaction, Kaleyra shareholders will receive only $7.25 for a total consideration to Kaleyra shareholders of approximately $100 million. The transaction agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for Kaleyra by imposing a significant penalty if Kaleyra accepts a superior bid. Kaleyra insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements.

We are investigating the conduct of Kaleyra's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for Kaleyra.

If you own Kaleyra common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/kaleyra-inc.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
MESA, Ariz., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Shopoff Realty Investments ("Shopoff") announced today it has secured unanimous approval from the Mesa City Council for 'The Block on Elliot', a 270-acre industrial mixed-use development project. Located just north of the Loop 202 freeway interchange at E. Elliott and S. Sossaman Road, the former dairy farm property was purchased by Shopoff in September 2022. Approvals include a zone change, a development agreement, and annexation of the property into the City of Mesa.

"The greater Phoenix market has transformed dramatically over the last few years, becoming a prime location for industrial tenants," explained Shopoff President and CEO William Shopoff. "The Block on Elliot was designed to attract high-profile users who have moved into the area at increasing rates, and we anticipate this development becoming the premier manufacturing, technology, and employment center for the City of Mesa."

Shopoff is currently exploring various development opportunities for the project, with potential plans including 12 to 15 buildings, with up to 4.1 million leasable square feet, and an average building size of 500,000 square feet.

Shopoff added, "The Phoenix market currently has more than 15 million square feet of industrial product under construction, and 55% of what has already been delivered is pre-leased (as of Q1 2023). With this high level of demand, we anticipate this high-quality project will be absorbed into the market quickly."

The property is well positioned for manufacturing use, located approximately one mile from the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and within Loop 202, which connects the East and West Phoenix Valley and provides ease of transportation across the Phoenix metro.

CBRE brokers Jackie Orcutt, Kevin Cosca, Pete Wentis, Jonathan Teeter and Alex Wentis represent the property on behalf of Shopoff.

Jackie Orcutt, senior vice president at CBRE, "At the end of the first quarter, less than one million square feet of industrial space was available in the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport area, and we're currently seeing tenant needs that exceed 23 million square feet. With that demand, we anticipate this newly entitled project to generate a high level of interest from the manufacturing, high-tech, and aerospace users who have flooded this market."

The Block on Elliot will be a premiere master development in the north Phoenix-Mesa Gateway submarket. The development features state of the art manufacturing facilities on a large scale, as well as amenities to accommodate shared office/conference rooms for tenants, as well as fast casual dining options for businesses who locate within the project.

About Shopoff Realty Investments

Shopoff Realty Investments is an Irvine, California-based real estate firm with a 31-year history of value-add and opportunistic investing across the United States. The company primarily focuses on proactively generating appreciation through the repositioning of commercial income-producing properties, the entitlement of land assets and development projects. The 31-year history includes operating as Asset Recovery Fund, Eastbridge Partners and Shopoff Realty Investments (formerly known as The Shopoff Group). Performance has varied in this time frame, with certain offerings generating losses. For additional information, please visit www.shopoff.com or call (844) 4-SHOPOFF.

Disclosures

This is not an offering to buy or sell any securities. Such offer may only be made through the offerings memorandum to qualified purchasers. Any investment in Shopoff Realty Investments programs involves substantial risks and is suitable only for investors who have no need for liquidity and who can bear the loss of their entire investment. There is no assurance that any strategy will succeed to meet its investment objectives. The performance of this asset is not indicative of future results of other assets. Securities offered through Shopoff Securities, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC, 18565 Jamboree Road, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92612, (844) 4-SHOPOFF.

Contact:

Jill Swartz

Spotlight Marketing Communications

949.427.1389

[email protected]

SOURCE Shopoff Realty Investments
NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market is estimated to grow by USD 596.76 million from 2022 to 2027. The market is estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period. North America is estimated to account for 36% of the global market growth. Compared to other regions, the popularity of pets in North America is the strongest. Due to a growing millennial population and an ever-increasing trend of pet humanization, consumers in North American countries spend most on premium and luxury goods for their pets than just on pet food. Hence, such factors drive regional market growth during the forecast period. For Comprehensive details on the market size of the historic period(2017 to 2021) and forecast period (2023-2027) - View Sample report.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market 2023-2027

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market - Vendor Landscape

The smart-connected pet collar market is fragmented; the vendors are competing with competitors and are trying to get a greater market share. The market is growing, and the chances of new entrants cannot be overlooked. The major vendors have well-established economies of scale and market presence and generally rely on positioning technological advances, and the price of the products -The report provides a full list of key vendors, their strategies, and the latest developments. Buy Now

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market - Market Dynamics

Major Drivers & Challenges-

The strong bond between owners and pets drives the growth during the forecast period. Several individuals treat domestic animals, especially dogs, as companions and dogs have a long association with human beings and adapt well to their lifestyles. Majority of the owners train their pets to enhance their relationship with the animal and enable them to carry out tasks. Furthermore, most vendors have integrated mobile applications into the cloud server to store data and have come up with ultrasonic whistles that restrict pets, especially dogs, from barking excessively. Hence, such factors drive the market growth during the forecast period.

The presence of network connectivity issues challenges the growth of the smart-connected pet collars market during the forecast period. Most smart-connected pet collars use a network communication system and some vendors have started manufacturing Wi-Fi modems, where a network is not required to trace the location of the pet. But these Wi-Fi routers have certain limitations. For instance, SCOLLAR Inc. (SCOLLAR) is one of the leading manufacturers of smart-connected pet collars and offers the SCOLLAR Wi-Fi base station. This router turns the GPS signal off when the animal moves about within the Wi-Fi range. Hence, such challenges impede market growth during the forecast period.

Key Trends-

The growing demand from working individuals for pet monitoring fuels the growth of the market during the forecast period. Certain small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) have started introducing pet-friendly policies. They allow employees to bring their pets to the workplace. But most companies do not support such policies as they feel that they will affect the work environment. Thus, most people are away from their homes for around 8-10 hours a day, which leads to a demand for smart collars to monitor their pets. So, the use of smart-connected pet collars helps them connect with their pets from their work location via specified mobile applications. Hence, such trends boost the market growth during the forecast period.

Technavio has identified key trends, drivers, and challenges in the market, which will help clients improve their strategies to stay ahead of their competitors. - View Sample Report

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market - Company Profiles

The smart-connected pet collars market report includes information on the product launches, sustainability, and prospects of leading vendors including Barking Labs Corp., Dogtra Co., Eureka Technology Partners LLC, Findster Technologies SA, FitBark Inc., Garmin Ltd., Gibi Technologies Inc., Loc8tor Ltd., Mars Inc., Pawscout Inc., PetPace, Pitpatpet Ltd., Radio Systems Corp., RAWR Inc., SCOLLAR Inc., SGI Venture Ltd., Smart Tracking Technologies LLC, Tractive GmbH, UbiSight Technology LLC, and Wagz Inc.

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market - Competitive Analysis

The report includes competitive analysis, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their industry position score and market performance score. The competitive scenario categorizes companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, and growth in market share, among others.

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market - Market Segmentation

This smart-connected pet collars market report extensively covers market segmentation by distribution channel (offline and online), application (dogs and cats), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa).

The market share growth by the offline segment will be significant for market growth during the forecast period. This segment includes specialty stores, department stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets. Furthermore, department stores are expected to generate more revenue compared to other offline distribution channels, such as retail stores and hypermarkets. Such stores offer smart-connected pet collars at competitive prices to attract customers. Hence, such factors boost the segment growth during the forecast period.

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Related Reports:

The pet food market size is expected to increase by USD 42.57 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.41%. Furthermore, this report extensively covers pet food market segmentation by product (dry food, snacks and treats, and wet food), type (dog food, cat food, and others), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The growing demand for organic pet food is one of the key factors driving the pet food market growth.

The pet milk market size is expected to increase to USD 57.16 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.09%. Furthermore, this report extensively covers pet milk replacers market segmentation by product (powder and liquid) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa). The growing number of milk product launches for puppies and kittens is one of the key pet milk market trends propelling the market growth.

Smart-Connected Pet Collars Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9.5% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 596.76 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 8.5 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 36% Key countries US, Canada, China, France, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading Vendors, Market Positioning of Vendors, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks Key companies profiled Barking Labs Corp., Dogtra Co., Eureka Technology Partners LLC, Findster Technologies SA, FitBark Inc., Garmin Ltd., Gibi Technologies Inc., Loc8tor Ltd., Mars Inc., Pawscout Inc., PetPace, Pitpatpet Ltd., Radio Systems Corp., RAWR Inc., SCOLLAR Inc., SGI Venture Ltd., Smart Tracking Technologies LLC, Tractive GmbH, UbiSight Technology LLC, and Wagz Inc. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 09: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 10: Parent market



Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 13: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2022

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2022-2027

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

4 Historic Market Size

4.1 Global smart-connected pet collars market 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 18: Historic Market Size  Data Table on global smart-connected pet collars market 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.2 Distribution Channel Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 19: Historic Market Size  Distribution Channel Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.3 Application Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 20: Historic Market Size  Application Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.4 Geography Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 21: Historic Market Size  Geography Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.5 Country Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 22: Historic Market Size  Country Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

5 Five Forces Analysis

5.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 23: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2022 and 2027

5.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 24: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2022 and 2027

5.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 25: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 26: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 27: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 28: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.7 Market condition

Exhibit 29: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2022 and 2027

6 Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 30: Chart on Distribution Channel - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Distribution Channel - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Distribution Channel

Exhibit 32: Chart on Comparison by Distribution Channel



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Comparison by Distribution Channel

6.3 Offline - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 34: Chart on Offline - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Offline - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: Chart on Offline - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Offline - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.4 Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 38: Chart on Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 40: Chart on Online - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Online - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Distribution Channel

Exhibit 42: Market opportunity by Distribution Channel ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market opportunity by Distribution Channel ($ million)

7 Market Segmentation by Application

7.1 Market segments

Exhibit 44: Chart on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Application - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

7.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 46: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Comparison by Application

7.3 Dogs - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 48: Chart on Dogs - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Dogs - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 50: Chart on Dogs - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Dogs - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.4 Cats - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 52: Chart on Cats - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Cats - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 54: Chart on Cats - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 55: Data Table on Cats - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.5 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 56: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)



Exhibit 57: Data Table on Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

8 Customer Landscape

8.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 58: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

9 Geographic Landscape

9.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 59: Chart on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 60: Data Table on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)

9.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 61: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 62: Data Table on Geographic comparison

9.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 63: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 65: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 66: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 67: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 69: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 70: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 71: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 72: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 73: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 74: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 75: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 77: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 78: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 79: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 81: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 82: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.8 US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 83: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 84: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 85: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 86: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.9 China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 87: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 88: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 89: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 90: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.10 France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 91: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 92: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 93: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 94: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 95: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 96: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 97: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 98: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.12 Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 99: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 100: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 101: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 102: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 103: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)



Exhibit 104: Data Tables on Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10.1 Market drivers

10.2 Market challenges

10.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 105: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2022 and 2027

10.4 Market trends

11 Vendor Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 106: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

11.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 107: Overview on factors of disruption

11.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 108: Impact of key risks on business

12 Vendor Analysis

12.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 109: Vendors covered

12.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 110: Matrix on vendor position and classification

12.3 Barking Labs Corp.

Exhibit 111: Barking Labs Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 112: Barking Labs Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 113: Barking Labs Corp. - Key offerings

12.4 Dogtra Co.

Exhibit 114: Dogtra Co. - Overview



Exhibit 115: Dogtra Co. - Product / Service



Exhibit 116: Dogtra Co. - Key offerings

12.5 Eureka Technology Partners LLC

Exhibit 117: Eureka Technology Partners LLC - Overview



Exhibit 118: Eureka Technology Partners LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 119: Eureka Technology Partners LLC - Key offerings

12.6 Findster Technologies SA

Exhibit 120: Findster Technologies SA - Overview



Exhibit 121: Findster Technologies SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 122: Findster Technologies SA - Key offerings

12.7 FitBark Inc.

Exhibit 123: FitBark Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 124: FitBark Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 125: FitBark Inc. - Key offerings

12.8 Garmin Ltd.

Exhibit 126: Garmin Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 127: Garmin Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 128: Garmin Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 129: Garmin Ltd. - Segment focus

12.9 Gibi Technologies Inc.

Exhibit 130: Gibi Technologies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 131: Gibi Technologies Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 132: Gibi Technologies Inc. - Key offerings

12.10 Loc8tor Ltd.

Exhibit 133: Loc8tor Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 134: Loc8tor Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 135: Loc8tor Ltd. - Key offerings

12.11 Mars Inc.

Exhibit 136: Mars Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 137: Mars Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 138: Mars Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 139: Mars Inc. - Key offerings

12.12 PetPace

Exhibit 140: PetPace - Overview



Exhibit 141: PetPace - Product / Service



Exhibit 142: PetPace - Key offerings

12.13 Radio Systems Corp.

Exhibit 143: Radio Systems Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 144: Radio Systems Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 145: Radio Systems Corp. - Key offerings

12.14 SCOLLAR Inc.

Exhibit 146: SCOLLAR Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 147: SCOLLAR Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 148: SCOLLAR Inc. - Key offerings

12.15 SGI Venture Ltd.

Exhibit 149: SGI Venture Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 150: SGI Venture Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 151: SGI Venture Ltd. - Key offerings

12.16 Tractive GmbH

Exhibit 152: Tractive GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 153: Tractive GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 154: Tractive GmbH - Key offerings

12.17 Wagz Inc.

Exhibit 155: Wagz Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 156: Wagz Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 157: Wagz Inc. - Key offerings

13 Appendix

13.1 Scope of the report

13.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 158: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 159: Exclusions checklist

13.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 160: Currency conversion rates for US$

13.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 161: Research methodology



Exhibit 162: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 163: Information sources

13.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 164: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com

SOURCE Technavio
CULVER CITY, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Hospital at Culver City, in collaboration with the city's police department, this week held a comprehensive, pre-planned active shooter drill designed to protect patients, staff and the public in the event of such an incident occurring at the facility.

Southern California Hospital at Culver City leadership and Culver City Police Department SWAT Team.

During the nearly 90-minute drill, hospital officials and police department SWAT team officers tested their procedures, processes, and tactics in response to a simulated emergency call reporting a lone gunman at the hospital. As several blank rounds were fired to make the drill as realistic as possible, police officers searched for and apprehended the person playing the role of the gunman, while two members of staff posed as gunshot victims. Hospital and police officials met after the drill to debrief.

With gun violence on the rise in many parts of the country, hospitals  like Southern California Hospital at Culver City  are committed to ensuring that visitors, staff, and patients remain safe.

"It's a hospital's job to protect its staff and patients and ensure its team is prepared in the event of any active shooter incident," said Chantel Pizarro, the hospital's chief operating officer. "We are thrilled to partner with the Culver City Police Department to help us identify and mitigate any potential risks, further enhance our training and pressure test our response system."

"We were happy to join with Southern California Hospital at Culver City to further foster this important community partnership," said Culver City Police Department Lt. Brent Arney. "The drill went very smoothly. It helped us become more familiar with the layout of the facility and gave us the opportunity to work with the hospital's safety protocols and security team."

"Our staff's response to the drill was outstanding," said Stephen C. Cuthbertson, regional safety officer for Prospect Medical's California Hospitals. "We appreciate the police department's involvement and assistance in making this training exercise such a success."

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were a total of 50 active shooter incidents in the U.S. in 2022, a 66.7% increase over 2018. These resulted in 100 killed and 213 wounded, excluding the shooters, the highest casualty count in the last five years. Only two of the incidents occurred in California. In 2021, California was ranked as the No. 1 state for gun safety by Giffords Law Center, and the state saw a 37% lower gun death rate than the national average. According to the CDC, California's gun death rate was the 44th lowest in the nation, with 8.5 gun deaths per 100,000 people.

About Southern California Hospital at Culver City:

Southern California Hospital at Culver City has dedicated itself to providing quality care to the culturally diverse populations of the Culver City and West Los Angeles communities. The hospital offers a wide range of inpatient and outpatient acute care services, including general and specialized surgery, orthopedic and spine program, emergency department, cardiovascular services, weight-loss surgery, acute rehabilitation, gender confirmation surgery, and behavioral health and chemical dependency programs. The hospital is named among the top 5% in the nation for Patient Safety Excellence by Healthgrades (2018-2023). Southern California Hospitals include locations in Culver City and Hollywood, as well as a behavioral health hospital in Van Nuys. Learn more at SCH-CulverCity.com or call (310) 836-7000.

SOURCE Southern California Hospital at Culver City
Round Here and Over Yonder: A Front-Porch Travel Guide by Two Progressive Hillbillies (Yes, That's a Thing) is a hilarious and irreverent travel guide that looks at visiting "round here" (the South) and "over yonder" (not the South).

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes down to it, Trae and Corey are just two Southern boys who, by virtue of luck and a little hard work, were lucky enough to see the world beyond Mammaw's front porch. In their new hilarious and heartwarming travel guide, Round Here and Over Yonder, they take reader to the smallest of small towns in the South and to major US metropolises. (Or is it metropoli? We don't know.) They even hop the Atlantic to review some of them fancy kings-and-castles places that PBS viewers can't stop yapping about. From Chickamauga to Cheyenne, New York to New Orleans, Seattle to Scotlandno matter where these two wandering jesters go, there's something to roast, something to toast, and something to learn about what ties us together as humans. Even the most outrageous of us.

COURTESY OF HARPER HORIZON, AN IMPRINT OF HARPERCOLLINS FOCUS

In Round Here and Over Yonder, you'll find:

Loads of eccentric things folks say.





Seriously well-informed tips on exactly where to eat and what to order in each city.





where to eat and what to order in each city. Anecdotes from Corey and Trae about everything from "German Mardi Gras " in Helen, Georgia , to eatin' over-priced rabbit in Napa, California .





" in , to eatin' over-priced rabbit in . Travel bingo boards and ad-libs for your own adventures.





And as many off-the-beaten-path jokes as can be packed into 256 pages!

Perfect for anyone who:

Likes to travel.





Loathes to travel.





Any Southerner who's both a little proud and a little ashamed of the South (that's all the sane ones).





Any Northerner, Midwesterner, or West Coaster who wants to know what two self-proclaimed rednecks have to say about their own hometown.





Anyone from the UK who thinks us Yanks are the craziest folks on God's green earth (cause this book will likely confirm that stereotype, yup).

"Make no mistake, Round Here and Over Yonder is laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it's also a remarkably accurate tongue-in-cheek travel guide that will both entertain and educate. In a world that can often seem way too serious, thank God for people like Trae and Corey," said Matt Baugher, publisher of Harper Horizon.

Every state, town, and holler has its stereotypes. But what if there's more to these placesmany of which most of us have only heard of and never actually visitedthan meets the eye? And what if it turns out that the people who inhabit them are just like us?

Round Here and Over Yonder will be available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook. You can pre-order today at https://www.harpercollinsfocus.com/9781404117549/round-here-and-over-yonder/

About Trae Crowder and Corey Ryan Forrester:

Trae Crowder grew up in Celina, Tennessee, a town sometimes described as having "more liquor stores than traffic lights" (2-0 as of last count). Trae first gained national attention for his "Liberal Redneck" series of viral videos. He has been performing his particular brand of gravy-covered intellectual comedy for over a decade and touring nationally with Corey and their comedy and drinking partner, Drew.

Corey Ryan Forrester grew up in Chickamauga, Georgia, where he fell in love with comedy watching first Carson, then Leno, from a blanket on the floor next to his daddy, Dale. At sixteen, lying about his age, he worked up the nerve to do his first open mic. He spent the next decade hawking jokes at night then waking up to do random day jobs. He also ran the family bakery with his mom, where he was known as "Head Quiche Chef." These days he tours with Trae and Drew on the wellRED stand-up tour, making all his comedy dreams come true.

Trae and Corey's first book, The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin' Dixie Outta the Dark, written along with their buddy Drew, was published by Atria in 2016.

About Harper Horizon:

Harper Horizon is a Nashville-based imprint of HarperCollins Focus focused on the stories, values, and diverse voices of Americana and beyond, publishing authors such as Willie Nelson, Syd & Shea McGee, Zachary Levi, Meghan Trainor, Jenny Doan, Luke Russert, Ellie Goulding and more. For more information, please visit www.harpercollinsfocus.com/Harper-Horizon

Contacts: Kevin Smith

Publicity Director, Harper Horizon

Tel: 615-902-1738

Web: [email protected]

SOURCE Harper Horizon
Students for Fair Admissions will hold a press conference today at 2 pm EST at the National Press Club in Washington DC (529 14th St NW, Washington, DC. Credentialed press only.

ARLINGTON, Va., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Edward Blum, the founder and president of Students for Fair Admissions made the following remarks:

"The opinion issued today by the United States Supreme Court marks the beginning of the restoration of the colorblind legal covenant that binds together our multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation.

"The polarizing, stigmatizing and unfair jurisprudence that allowed colleges and universities to use a student's race and ethnicity as a factor to admit or reject them has been overruled. These discriminatory admission practices undermined the integrity of our country's civil rights laws.

"Ending racial preferences in college admissions is an outcome that the vast majority of all races and ethnicities will celebrate. A university doesn't have real diversity when it simply assembles students who look different but come from similar backgrounds and act, talk, and think alike.

"Moreover, these opinions reestablish the founding principles of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which clearly forbids treating Americans differently by race. At the signing ceremony of the Act on July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson said,

'The purpose of the law is simple. It does not restrict the freedom of any American, so long as he respects the rights of others. It does not give special treatment to any citizen. It does say the only limit to a man's hope for happiness, and for the future of his children, shall be his own ability.'

"Beginning today, America's colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to strictly abide by the Supreme Court's opinion. These obligations compel the removal of all racial and ethnic classification boxes from undergraduate and postgraduate application forms.

"Furthermore, the administrators of higher education must note: The law will not tolerate direct proxies for racial classifications. For those in leadership positions at public and private universities, you have a legal obligation to follow the letter and the spirit of the law.

"For decades, our nation's most elite universities have given preferences to the children of alumni, faculty and staff, athletes, and notably, substantial donors. These preferences have been vigorously defended by these exclusive schools even though court records revealed that they have diminished individualized student diversity at nearly every competitive school in the country. The elimination of these preferences is long overdue and SFFA hopes that these opinions will compel higher education institutions to end these practices.

"Looking ahead to the upcoming admissions cycle, SFFA and its counsel have been closely monitoring potential changes in admissions procedures should the Court reach a decision like the one today. We remain vigilant and intend to initiate litigation should universities defiantly flout this clear ruling and the dictates of Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause.

"This organization is deeply grateful to the lawyers who have pursued this litigation with skill and commitment. We are also grateful to the dozens of courageous young men and women who joined SFFA as high school seniors after they were rejected from Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Their dedication to the principles of equality has been inspirational."

Contact: Edward Blum, President

703-505-1922

[email protected]

SOURCE Students for Fair Admissions
Kwanza Jones Unleashes the Power of Music with Two New Tracks: "Supercharged Life (Sunrise Edition)" and "Supercharged Life (Sunset Edition)"

LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Acclaimed artist and CEO, Kwanza Jones , releases 2 new tracks titled, "Supercharged Life (Sunrise Edition)" and "Supercharged Life (Sunset Edition)," encouraging fans to unlock their full potential and live a life of passion and purpose.

Listen to " Supercharged Life (Sunrise Edition) " || " Supercharged Life (Sunset Edition) "

SUPERCHARGED by Kwanza Jones releases two new tracks encouraging fans to live the SUPERCHARGED Life. Tweet this SUPERCHARGED By Kwanza Jones music releases: Supercharged Life (Sunset Edition) SUPERCHARGED By Kwanza Jones music releases: Supercharged Life (Sunrise Edition)

Jones' new releases seamlessly blend invigorating beats with introspective lyrics. They empower listeners to live their best lives and serve as an anthem for those seeking to harness their full potential.

Her latest tracks were released through Jones' company, SUPERCHARGED by Kwanza Jones , a lifestyle and motivational media organization.

SUPERCHARGED by Kwanza Jones is a media and personal development brand that produces inspiring, motivational content coupled with an impact-oriented community . The impact organization creates songs that are energizing, positive, and empowering. Their mission is to boost humans to be better and improve the world together with music being the pillar art form.

About Kwanza Jones

Kwanza Jones boosts humans and humanity through culture, capital and community. She is a sought-after speaker, accomplished artist, impact investor, and philanthropist. With a multifaceted background spanning music, media, production, law and business, Jones is an energetic and visionary leader. She is CEO and founder of SUPERCHARGED by Kwanza Jones, a motivational media company. Jones has served on numerous boards including the Apollo Theater, Bennett College, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer, and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Through her Jones Feliciano Initiative , she has committed over $100 million to education, entrepreneurship, equity and empowerment organizations. To learn more, visit kwanzajones.com and connect with her on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Kwanza Jones Boost Friends Community .

SOURCE SUPERCHARGED
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Talks between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in the US are ending, Trend reports.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will take part in the final plenary session with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs named after George Schultz.

On June 27, the new round of talks between Bayramov and Mirzoyan on the draft peace agreement has started in the US.

On the first day, Blinken held closed-door bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs.

After the meetings, Blinken took part in the first plenary session with the foreign ministers of the two countries.

Then, the ministers continued negotiations in a bilateral format, which lasted intermittently for four-five hours.

On the second day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan.

After that, a bilateral meeting of Bayramov and Mirzoyan was held.
MENLO PARK, Calif. and LONDON and WARSAW, Poland, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Symfonia, a leading provider of accounting, payroll and ERP software solutions, today announced the signing of a growth buyout investment from Accel-KKR, a leading global software-focused investment firm. Upon completion of the transaction, Accel-KKR will join current investor MidEuropa as backers of Symfonia. This investment will mark over 70 investments in Europe and 350+ across the globe for Accel-KKR. Financial terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

Symfonia is one of the leading providers of financial management, payroll and ERP software to accounting offices and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Poland. This investment will enable Symfonia to build on its existing leadership position and strong brand equity in Poland to become a Central and Eastern European (CEE) regional leader by accelerating organic growth plans and expanding upon a successful M&A strategy. Since its origin over 25 years ago as a business unit in and subsequent carveout from Sage Group plc in March 2021 led by MidEuropa, Symfonia has supported the digital transformation of thousands of Polish SMEs. Today, a loyal customer base of over 50,000 SMEs across Poland rely on Symfonia daily for mission-critical business software.

"I am incredibly proud of what our Symfonia team has accomplished with the support of MidEuropa in establishing our independence and cementing our market leadership. I believe the success that we achieved in just two years is a phenomenon in the Polish technology market," said Piotr Ciski, CEO of Symfonia. "We're just getting started: we have ambitious plans, and with the global experience, software domain expertise and M&A depth that Accel-KKR brings to the table, we believe we can expand our leadership in and beyond Poland even more quickly and effectively."

"Symfonia has proven itself to be a dynamic force in the Polish technology market, thanks to a capable management team, and talented employee base," said Maurice Hernandez, Managing Director of Accel-KKR. "We appreciate the trust and partnership that Symfonia and MidEuropa have placed in us as the incoming lead investor, and we look forward to bringing Accel-KKR's deep software expertise and global growth experience to Symfonia's next phase of growth."

Adam Malinowski, Principal at Accel-KKR, added, "We see tremendous potential in Symfonia, and we look forward to bringing our resources to support Symfonia's vision in becoming a business software champion for SMEs in the CEE region."

Goodwin and Kirkland & Ellis are acting as legal advisors on the acquisition and the debt financing, respectively, to Accel-KKR while Vienna Capital Partners is acting as financial advisor to Accel-KKR.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and antitrust approvals.

About Symfonia

Symfonia is a well-recognized brand and a leader in business ERP and payroll software solutions for SMEs in Poland. It offers business-critical FMS/ERP/Payroll/HCM software to a diversified and loyal customer base of over 50,000 SMEs. Symfonia has recently transitioned from a licensing model to subscription, and currently is at the forefront of the shift to the cloud. Since the completion of the carve-out from global ERP software provider Sage in March 2021, Symfonia together with MidEuropa embarked on the ambitious journey to consolidate the fragmented SME enterprise software market in CEE.

Our ambition is to become a leading CEE enterprise software provider, partially via M&A in the region. We continue to map the software space in CEE and have already identified a robust pipeline of actionable targets.

Since MidEuropa's acquisiton, Symfonia has added to strong organic growth with three high quality acquisitions, namely:

Reset2, one of the leading payroll software providers in Poland

Cloud Planet, native cloud-based solution provider for micro & small customer segment in Poland

HRTec, provider of cloud HR management software

About Accel-KKR

Accel-KKR is a technology-focused investment firm with $19 billion in cumulative capital commitments. The firm focuses on software and tech-enabled businesses, well-positioned for topline and bottom-line growth. At the core of Accel-KKR's investment strategy is a commitment to developing strong partnerships with the management teams of its portfolio companies and a focus on building value alongside management by leveraging the significant resources available through the Accel-KKR network. Accel-KKR focuses on middle-market companies and provides a broad range of capital solutions, including buyout capital, minority-growth investments, and credit alternatives. Accel-KKR also invests across various transaction types, including private company recapitalizations, divisional carve-outs and going-private transactions. Accel-KKR's headquarters is in Menlo Park, with offices in Atlanta and London. Visit accel-kkr.com to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACTS

For Symfonia:

Aleksandra Ziebka

Symfonia

+48 723 238 296

[email protected]

For Accel-KKR:

Todd Fogarty

Kekst CNC

Direct: 1 917 992 1170

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Accel-KKR
Made by the sea and embodying its wild spirit for nearly 200 years, Talisker 30 Year Old celebrates the Isle of Skye

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Talisker distillery has announced the highly anticipated annual return of Talisker 30 Year Old with its award-winning 2023 limited edition release. Talisker 30 Year Old is a whisky made by the sea that embodies the rugged shores of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. For nearly 200 years, the distillery has crafted Single Malt Scotch Whisky on the coast alongside the infamous Oyster Shed, where whisky has been paired with fresh, local oysters for decades. Honoring its distillery home and legacy of seafood pairings, Talisker 30 Year Old was created to pay tribute to the Isle's natural wonders.

TALISKER DISTILLERY UNVEILS THE LATEST RELEASE OF ITS 30 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9182251-talisker-30-year-old-single-malt-scotch-whisky-release/

Crafted over three decades, the liquid celebrates the rugged wilderness of its home. As the land rises, the elements quieten, smooth smoky clouds swirl and part around peppery peaks. Atop the Isle's highest peak, a powerful tranquility reveals the true magnificence of the island below, ashore the sea Loch Harport which stretches as far as the eye can see. Talisker 30 Year Old beautifully reflects the unique terrain of the Isle and the distinctive characteristics of the surrounding seas' merroir.

Selected annually from refill American Oak casks, this raw yet refined expression is non-colored and non-chill filtered and bottled at natural cask strength. Talisker 30 Year Old is an elegant and complex whisky with the distillery's hallmarks of soaring sweet smoke and pointy pepperiness.

Stuart Morrison, Master Blender and Whisky Specialist at DIAGEO, said, "The three decades spent in oak casks allow Talisker's distillery character to develop refined and exquisite qualities. As the spirit ages through its twenties, the fruit flavors become even more complex, giving us fragrant tropical notes and the peppery smokiness that moves from coal-tar to a warming, smoldering bonfire. A truly spectacular Talisker liquid, every sip is a celebration of the magnificence of Skye."

To celebrate this remarkable release in the U.S., Talisker has joined forces with Real Oyster Cult to offer seafood and whisky fanatics curated pairings alongside the Single Malt made by the sea. The coastal origins of Talisker liquid create the whisky's signature maritime and briny notes  making it the perfect Scotch for oyster and caviar pairings.

Real Oyster Cult delivers an oyster bar experience to doors across the U.S., curating seasonal, fresh oysters from over 100 farms across North America, plus delectable shellfish and caviar via their app and website. They also farm oysters locally in Duxbury, MA on Cape Cod Bay, including the petite and succulent Sailor's Valentine that pairs perfectly with the warming smokiness and gentle salinity of Talisker 30 Year Old. Taking the experience to new heights, the addition of Real Oyster Cult's Royal Belgium Platinum Caviar as a garnish elevates the culinary journey, culminating in the ultimate premium pairing.

Additionally, Talisker is partnering with actor and writer Peter Gadiot to inspire individuals to embrace the outdoors and reconnect with the natural world. Much like Talisker, Peter embodies the rugged luxury and coastal spirit, spending the majority of his free time adventuring outside. Together, they aim to ignite a sense of adventure, inviting whisky aficionados to raise a glass to the wild spirits within them.

"I couldn't be more excited to join forces with Talisker, a brand that resonates deeply with my love for the untamed beauty of nature. It's a privilege for me to commemorate the launch of Talisker 30 Year Old, a whisky that embodies the essence of time-honored craftsmanship," said Gadiot. "Together, we embark on a remarkable journey of exploration and appreciation, toasting to the wonders of the outdoors."

If you're looking for something delicious to sip alongside fresh oysters or premium caviar, Talisker 30 Year Old is available for online purchase and home delivery via ReserveBar.com , Drizly.com or the Drizly app where shipping and delivery are available.

PRODUCT INFORMATION



ABV: Natural Cask Strength 49.6%

AGE: 30 Years

SRP: $1,099.99 USD

CASK TYPE: American Oak

BOTTLING YEAR: 2022

ANNUAL RELEASE VOLUME:

3,195 Bottles Globally

561 Bottles U.S.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Freshly cut orchard fruits, waxy red apples, fragrant white pepper, cinder toffee and a subtle creaminess. A fresh maritime breeze passes, alongside the growing presence of tropical fruits, cocoa nibs and a beach bonfire.

Taste: A warming smokiness on the palate, with a chili pepper prickle and a gentle salinity, fading to reveal layers of apple and pear, smoldering embers, and notes of spicy oak.

Finish: A lingering warmth, with a peppery and cinnamon tingle alongside notes of ripe fruit, roasted hazelnut and a hint of vanilla.

ABOUT TALISKER

The Talisker distillery is battered by the elements on the windswept coast of the Isle of Skye and is one of the most remote distilleries in Scotland. It was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, and the distillery has been in near-constant operation ever since.

Talisker 10 Year Old and Talisker Storm are widely distributed while Talisker 30 Year Old, Talisker 25 Year Old, Talisker 18 Year Old, Talisker 8 Year Old, 2022 Special Releases and Talisker Distiller's Edition can be found in specialist stores. See www.malts.com and https://www.instagram.com/talisker/ or more information. The TALISKER and TALISKER STORM words and associated logos are trademarks.  DIAGEO 2018.

Talisker 30 Year Old and Talisker 18 Year Old won Double Gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the largest and most prestigious spirits competition in the world. Double Gold honors are awarded to liquids that received a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel. Talisker 10 Year Old and Talisker Storm won a Gold medal.

Talisker has a heritage rooted in adventure. In 1830 its founders the MacAskill brothers crossed the Atlantic Ocean from the Isle of Eigg to establish the Talisker distillery on the shores of Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye. It has remained there ever since, producing consistently fine whiskies for almost 200 years.

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO ) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com . Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com , for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices. Follow Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA .

SOURCE DIAGEO
The academic health system was ranked #1 in Florida and is the only organization in Forbes' health care and social category to be named.

TAMPA, Fla., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH)  the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine  is among the top 20 employers for new graduates according to Forbes' 2023 "Best Employers for New Graduates" list of 300 companies. The academic health system was ranked #1 in Florida and is the only organization in Forbes' health care and social category to be named. Tampa General's inclusion on Forbes' list attests to its commitment to putting team members first and supporting personal and career growth at all levels of the organization.

"At Tampa General, we continue to prioritize the needs and growth of our team members by implementing training and offering professional development opportunities across all levels. As we continue to innovate and advance world-class care, we recognize the importance of seeding new talent and believe wholeheartedly in the value and new perspectives recent graduates can bring to the table," said John D. Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. "Team members can do their best work when they feel supported by the organization and secure in their career development, and this is especially true for recent graduates who are entering the professional workforce for the first time. I am proud that we have been recognized for creating a workplace where new graduates are able to flourish."

Awardees were selected based on the results of an independent survey of more than 28,000 U.S. young professionals who work for companies that employ at least 1,000 people. The survey focused on work-related issues and their experiences in the workplace. Participants were asked to rate the likelihood that they would recommend their employer to family and friends. They also assessed their employers according to the following:

Atmosphere & Development, Diversity

Image, Salary & Wage

Working Conditions

Workplace

"It is an honor to be included on Forbes' list as a 'Best Employer for New Graduates'. Creating an inclusive culture where all team members, including recent graduates, feel valued and supported is integral to the vision of Tampa General," said Qualenta Kivett, chief People and Talent Officer, Tampa General. "We are proud of our culture that welcomes new graduates and gives them a sense of belonging. We understand that we play an important role in supporting their success both professionally and personally over the course of their career, which is why we offer programs that support ongoing education, as well as, personal and career development, maintain competitive benefits and salaries, and incorporate the team member voice to support rapid change and innovation."

New graduates joining the Tampa General team are offered comprehensive support and opportunities, including:

Orientation  A comprehensive new team member orientation to provide graduates with insight into the Tampa General system and strategic priorities, followed by organizational training, and department-specific orientation focused on role-specific training and skills development.

 A comprehensive new team member orientation to provide graduates with insight into the Tampa General system and strategic priorities, followed by organizational training, and department-specific orientation focused on role-specific training and skills development. Career mapping  Within the first six months, the academic health system encourages leaders and team members to engage in career mapping, which provides team members the opportunity to share and create plans around individual development with their leaders, based on their interests and aligned pathways so that they can grow in a way that is important to them.

 Within the first six months, the academic health system encourages leaders and team members to engage in career mapping, which provides team members the opportunity to share and create plans around individual development with their leaders, based on their interests and aligned pathways so that they can grow in a way that is important to them. Development opportunities  Since October 2023 , 33% of open positions have been filled by an internal candidate. With leadership support, Tampa General team members can take advantage of development opportunities, such as tuition repayment, skills certifications reimbursement, and options offered through various development pathways, such as the TGH|USF People Development Institute.

 Since , 33% of open positions have been filled by an internal candidate. With leadership support, Tampa General team members can take advantage of development opportunities, such as tuition repayment, skills certifications reimbursement, and options offered through various development pathways, such as the TGH|USF People Development Institute. Creating professional pathways  Tampa General's Couris Family Administrative Fellowship Program provides executive fellowships for graduate students from across the country. Additionally, the hospital has increased the number of internships, clinical, and nonclinical rotation programs as well as established a program to expand the employment age to 16 and 17-year-olds to bridge the gap from volunteering and summer training programs to employment. An Excellence in Nursing Preceptor-to-Hire program is also available through the USF Health College of Nursing, a nurse residency program, and new graduate transition programs.

Tampa General's recognition as a "Best Employer for New Graduates" by Forbes is one of its several accolades for creating a positive environment for team members. They include:

Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The "Best Employers for New Graduates" 2023 title serves to reinforce an organization's standing as a company that has excellent opportunities for recent graduates. Tampa General and the rest of this year's "Best Employers for New Graduates" honorees are profiled online here.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings  first nationally in the 2022 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Beth Hardy

Senior Communications Specialist

(813) 844-7322 (direct)

(727) 510-6363 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
SAN FRANCISCO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The HBCU Founders Initiative (HBCUFI), a nonprofit organization that supports HBCU students and alumni along their entrepreneurial journey, has announced that it has selected five additional HBCUs to join its Pre-Accelerator program , which is in place to provide specialized support to students and alumni exploring entrepreneurship and the launch of tech-fueled ventures across HBCU campuses.

Over 750 students and alumni from 80+ HBCUs have benefitted from HBCUFI's programming with participants raising over $2M for their startups.

The five new HBCUs on-boarding into HBCUFI's Pre-Accelerator program include Hampton University , Morehouse College , Texas Southern University , Benedict College , and Bethune-Cookman University .

These institutions will join HBCUFI's Fall 2022 inaugural cohort of seven partner HBCUs that include Bowie State University , Elizabeth City State University , Morgan State University , North Carolina A&T University , Oakwood University , Prairie View A&M University , and Spelman College .

This brings HBCUFI's total number of HBCU campus-based cohorts to 12 institutions, with a growing waitlist of schools ready to partner. Prior to launching its inaugural cohort of 7 partner HBCUs in 2022, HBCUFI worked with HBCU students and alumni interested in entrepreneurship through its virtual programming offerings.

"HBCUFI is the missing piece of our entrepreneurial community-building package at Benedict College," Dr. Tracy Harrell Dunn, Dean of Benedict College's Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and Aaron Taylor, Program Coordinator of Benedict's B.E.S.T. Innovation Lab said. "Despite the B.E.S.T Lab's remarkable progress, we were missing a Pre-Accelerator experience for our student entrepreneurs that would enable our potential student founders to launch ventures in this competitive market confidentially. With HBCUFI, we have that now."

While HBCUFI programming is open to students and alumni from the nation's 100+ HBCUs, the decision to develop direct partnerships with HBCUs allows HBCUFI to further connect with the on-campus ecosystem at HBCUs and host in-person entrepreneurship programs with partnered institutions.

"We are pleased to have 5 additional HBCUs join us in fulfilling our mission to ensure that innovative ideas don't die on the vine because there is no one available to cultivate them," said HBCUFI President, Marlon Evans. "By providing a structured program that connects our participants with executives and entrepreneurs with deep experience building companies, coupled with providing access to pre-seed funding, HBCUFI is helping to build an unprecedented innovation ecosystem on HBCU campuses."

Support from organizations committed to diversity and inclusion has been core to HBCUFI's success. Organizations supporting HBCUFI for its third year include UNCF , AARP , Principal Foundation , Blackstone LaunchPad , UNC Eshelman Institute for Innovation , Costco , Chase for Business , Vistra Corp. , Cooley , and the Techstars Foundation .

"Working with HBCUFI has proven to be highly advantageous for our organization," Martin Booker, Program Manager, Financial Resilience Programming at AARP said. "It has provided us with a valuable opportunity to bring our staff together, fostering connections with HBCU student founders and enabling us to offer mentorship opportunities. The program not only brings enjoyment but also serves as a source of inspiration, witnessing numerous motivated college students who are actively establishing their own businesses."

For the program, each of the 12 partner HBCUs will host two, eight-week Pre-Accelerators (one in the fall and one in the spring) in support of up to eight startups per cohort; all of which are comprised of early-stage founders who are past the ideation stage and ready to validate a problem and build an MVP.

Each Pre-Accelerator program will cover topics such as validating the idea, building a prototype, customer discovery, marketing and branding, legal operations, and fundraising and will be presented in weekly virtual cohort sessions with on-campus activities also planned. The program will culminate in a pitch competition where participants will be eligible to receive non-dilutive program awards in support of MVP development.

Applications for the Fall 2023 Pre-Accelerator program will open on July 1st and will close on August 6th.

To learn more and to apply, visit: https://www.hbcufi.org/pre-accelerator

Media Contact

Maggey Hoffmann

Email: [email protected]

About the HBCU Founders Initiative



Launched by Nex Cubed , the HBCU Founders Initiative (HBCUFI) aims to catalyze investment in African Americans by supporting HBCU students and alumni along their entrepreneurial journey, encouraging them to pursue technology solutions that close the racial wealth gap ranging from increasing access to healthcare, education, and financial services.

From the ideation stage to the investment stage and beyond, HBCUFI offers programs (accelerators, hackathons, industry webinars, and pitch competitions), financial and technical resources, as well as a vast network of advisors committed to supporting HBCU founders pursuing entrepreneurship.

To date, over 750 students and alumni from over 80 HBCUs have participated in the HBCU Founders Initiative. Participants in our programming have raised over $2M for their startups, positioning them to create jobs in their community.

SOURCE HBCU Founders Initiative
The premier European conference for the global open source community will feature 175 sessions across 12 microconferences, showcasing expertise and innovation across the open source ecosystem.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Linux Foundation , the nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source, today announced the schedule for Open Source Summit Europe , the foremost event for open source code and community contributors in Europe. The conference takes place September 19-21 in Bilbao, Spain, with pre-event programming and co-located events on September 17-18 as well. The schedule can be viewed here .

For 15 years, Open Source Summit has been held in North America, Europe, and Asia to unite the global open source community, with the European edition launching in 2011. The event provides developers, technologists and community leaders a forum to collaborate, further open source innovation, and help ensure a sustainable open source ecosystem. Open Source Summit Europe is composed of a collection of 12 microconferences including CloudOpen , ContainerCon , Diversity Empowerment Summit , Emerging OS Forum , LinuxCon , Open AI + Data Forum , OpenJS World , Open Source Leadership Summit , Open Source On-Ramp , OSPOCon , SupplyChainSecurityCon , and SustainabilityCon - all covering the most important and cutting edge topics in open source today.

Open Source Summit Europe schedule highlights include:

Keynote speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Additionally, 10 mini-summits and co-located events will take place alongside Open Source Summit Europe 2023, offering more opportunities to learn about PyTorch, Linux Security, OpenWallet, Open Metaverse, OpenSSF, Networking, OpenChain, SPDX, and so much more.

Registration (in-person) is offered at the price of US$799 through July 6, a savings of US$450. Reduced registration rates are available for small businesses, hobbyists and students. Additionally, a 'hall pass' and virtual-only option are available as well. Please review all registration types here .

Members of The Linux Foundation receive a 20 percent discount off registration and can contact [email protected] to request a member discount code.

Applications for diversity and need-based scholarships are currently being accepted. For information on eligibility and how to apply, please click here . The Linux Foundation's Travel Fund is also accepting applications, with the goal of enabling open source developers and community members to attend events that they would otherwise be unable to attend due to a lack of funding. To learn more and apply, please click here .

Event Sponsors

Open Source Summit Europe 2023 is made possible thanks to our sponsors , including:

Diamond Sponsors: Fujitsu, Google

Platinum Sponsors: Amazon Web Services, OpenSearch and Sonar

Gold Sponsors: Cloud Native Computing Foundation, Delta Lake , GitLab, Intel, Red Hat and SUSE

For information on becoming an event sponsor, click here or email us.

Press

Members of the press who would like to request a press pass to attend should contact Kristin O'Connell .

Social Media

Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #OSSummit.

ABOUT THE LINUX FOUNDATION

The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, OpenChain, and more. The Linux Foundation focuses on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at https://www.linuxfoundation.org/ .

The Linux Foundation Events are where the world's leading technologists meet, collaborate, learn, and network in order to advance innovations that support the world's largest shared technologies.

Visit our website and follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn , and Facebook for all the latest event updates and announcements.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page:

www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage . Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact

Kristin O'Connell

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Linux Foundation
Community members may now nominate their local heroes for essential heating or cooling equipment and installations at no cost

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Waterworks Heating & Cooling division is now accepting nominations for its annual Feel The Love community outreach program. For the 2nd year in a row, Waterworks is partnering with Lennox North America to provide free installation of heating or cooling equipment for recognized deserving families and community heroes in and around Central Ohio. The Waterworks is a proud Premier Lennox dealer and partner in this initiative.

"Feel The Love" is a community outreach program in partnership with Lennox and The Waterworks Heating and Cooling division that offers deserving families or individuals with complete indoor heating and cooling equipment and installation at no cost. Nominations are accepted through August 31, 2023.

The Waterworks Heating & Cooling division encourages individuals and local organizations to nominate deserving families, neighbors, and community heroes in need of a safer, more comfortable home. Selected recipients will receive brand new heating or cooling equipment during this year's Feel The Love Installation Week, taking place October 7-14, 2023.

Nominations will take place now through August 31, 2023. Applications will be reviewed in the first two weeks of September, and winners will be contacted to schedule an October installation. Nominations are being accepted at FeelTheLove.com.

"We are proud to partner with Lennox in this year's Feel The Love program to support our community," said David Specht, President, The Waterworks. "The program and its mission will allow us to bring clean, comfortable air to veterans, or community heroes facing disabilities, financial challenges, or job loss, which is very rewarding. The mission aligns with our values as a company, and we are honored to be part of it."

Past nominees have included community figures such as teachers, firefighters, medical staff, and volunteers; families facing hard times; veterans; senior citizens living in older homes; and people impacted by natural disasters.

"I lost my job due to cutbacks and with limited income my husband, Sherman, and I were staring at a significant financial burden," said Tanisha, a 2022 Feel The Love recipient. "Sherman is also disabled and diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We were chosen to be the recipients of an air conditioner from the Feel The Love program in October 2022, in partnership with The Waterworks in Columbus, Ohio. Not only was an air conditioner provided but also a new furnace and a new water heater. I can't describe the emotions that we felt from the kind actions of this wonderful company and the people you work with."

The Feel The Love program is made possible through the continued partnership and collaboration of the Lennox dealer network across North America and local Lennox dealers such as The Waterworks Heating & Cooling. Since Feel the Love was founded in 2009, the program has installed more than 2,000 heating and cooling systems at no charge to homeowners in need nationwide.

About Feel The Love

Since 2009, Feel The Love has been a key program for Lennox Residential to give back to its communities. Culminating in Feel The Love Installation Week this October, Lennox partners with HVAC installers and local community members in the United States and portions of Canada to deliver units at no cost to people who consistently put others before themselves and need a helping hand. For more information about how Lennox is bringing perfect air to deserving households across the United States and Canada, visit FeelTheLove.com.

About The Waterworks

The Waterworks is Ohio's largest plumbing, drain, and HVAC company servicing homeowners, businesses, and municipalities alike. With over 150 specialized technicians and employees, and a dedicated fleet of service vehicles, the company has the capability to respond quickly to both routine and emergency calls. Truly full-service, The Waterworks solves both large and small plumbing issues; from indoor leaks and clogs to underground pipeline and sewer repair, to advanced hydro-jetting and excavation. The team also provides complete furnace and air-conditioning tune-ups, repairs, and full system replacement. This wide offering, all from a single convenient source, means the company forms long-lasting relationships with its customers, offers significantly longer guarantees than most other service companies, and has much greater customer retention. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, The Waterworks serves customers in central Ohio. The Waterworks is owned by Watermark Home Services, LLC. For more information, visit https://thewaterworks.com/ or call 614-232-2222.

SOURCE The Waterworks
Conference call and webcast scheduled for 8:30 a.m. EDT

TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters (NYSE, TSX: TRI) announced today its second-quarter 2023 earnings will be issued via news release on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

Steve Hasker, president and chief executive officer, and Mike Eastwood, chief financial officer, will host a conference call and simultaneous webcast that morning at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Discussions may include forward-looking information.

You can access the webcast by visiting the "Investor Relations" section of the Thomson Reuters website. Registration for the webcast is now open. Additionally, an archive of the webcast will be available following the presentation.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters (NYSE / TSX: TRI) ("TR") informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is the world's leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit tr.com.

CONTACTS

MEDIA Andrew Green Senior Director, Communications +1 323 219 1511 [email protected] INVESTORS Gary E. Bisbee, CFA Head of Investor Relations +1 646 540 3249 [email protected]

SOURCE Thomson Reuters
The rural broadband provider will first distribute the scholarships to rural Kansas teachers to support rural STEM education.

CLAY CENTER, Kan., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of tech education in Kansas, Twin Valley is offering 125 scholarships to educators to attend the highly anticipated 2nd Annual Ad Astra Technology Summit, presented by state tech industry organization FlagshipKansas.Tech. As the state's largest independent broadband and communications company, Twin Valley serves primarily rural communities. This exclusive program will be open to any Kansas educator, with a focus on rural teachers in Twin Valley's service area and throughout the state.

Ad Astra Technology Summit features a captivating fireside chat with Steve Wozniak, legendary co-founder of Apple Inc., moderated by Luis Rodriguez, FlagshipKansas.Tech Immediate Past Chair. At Wichita State University's Woolsey Hall and Charles Koch Arena on Oct. 2, 2023, the summit will bring together industry leaders, startup entrepreneurs, government officials, and educators to address current industry issues and showcase Kansas tech leaders through breakout sessions and an awards ceremony.

"These scholarships are our way of recognizing the dedication and passion of Kansas teachers. We believe in investing in the future of education and empowering those who shape young minds," said Ben Foster, President & CEO of Twin Valley.

FlagshipKansas.Tech's cutting-edge summit will be held on Monday, October 2, in Wichita with event partner Barton School of Business at Wichita State University's iconic Woolsey Hall and Charles Koch Arena. It will feature a fireside chat with the legendary Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple Inc. and lifelong advocate of tech education. Bringing together educators, industry startups, professionals and leaders, government officials, and tech enthusiasts, attendees will explore and address current technology issues in various informative sessions.

The summit embraces the future of education while fueling the growth of Kansas' thriving tech sector. Educators will dive into immersive sessions focused on new pedagogy for computational thinking in K-2, Primary, and Secondary classrooms. They'll gain invaluable insights into how tech concepts can empower students and equip them with the skills they need to thrive in the digital era.

This summit is a gateway for educators to build a network of influential professionals, visionary entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking government officials.

"Educators will connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas, and unlock doors to exciting opportunities, which is particularly valuable for rural teachers where these resources may be less accessible," said Megan Harper, FlagshipKansas.Tech Vice-Chair and Twin Valley Director of Marketing & Sales. "They'll gain fresh perspectives on the jobs of the future and make valuable connections that will shape their teaching journey."

As part of the Twin Valley pledge to support community outreach initiatives, this scholarship covers the cost of a ticket to the full conference, awards ceremony, and fireside chat. Teachers will also be eligible for one full credit hour of CTE issued through Wichita State University.

This game-changing summit is dedicated to advancing Kansas' tech sector growth and empowering educators. To apply for the scholarship and learn more about the Ad Astra Technology Summit, visit adastrasummit.tech.

About Twin Valley

Twin Valley is a fourth-generation family business that has over 80 years' experience providing cutting-edge technology and connectivity throughout the central U.S. Twin Valley helps customers unlock possibilities to realize their full potential by providing a unique combination of broadband, managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services, and cloud/data center solutions for both residential and business customers.

Twin Valley made a Pledge to their communities and customers, always striving to provide the most reliable broadband network, the best value for internet, local hometown customer service and meaningful community outreach initiatives. Learn more at twinvalley.com/pledge.

About FlagshipKansas.Tech

FlagshipKansas.Tech is a nonprofit organization that brings together Kansas technology companies to shine a light on the depth of skill, ingenuity, and innovation running through our cities and communities. Current goals include raising awareness, attracting and retaining technology talent, and supporting technology workforce training and education. Learn more at flagshipkansas.tech.

SOURCE Twin Valley
DUBLIN, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "UAE Dental Services Market, 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

UAE dental services market is anticipated to register growth with an impressive CAGR in the forecast period, 2023-2027, on the account of rising demands for advanced dental healthcare services. Growing instances of dental problems and oral diseases further drive the growth of the UAE dental services market in the upcoming five years. Rising concerns regarding oral care and dental problems are further supporting the growth of the UAE dental services market in the next five years.



Expanding Dental Healthcare Services Promise Market Growth



Rapidly growing instances of dental problems and enhanced demands for well-established dental care facilities in the country are majorly responsible for the growth of the UAE dental services market in the upcoming five years. In recent years, demand for dental services such as regular dental checkups, etc. and therapeutic procedures like tooth removal and reconstruction of the denture has increased multiple folds. Due to diseases, or tooth decay, the demand for dental services is increasing.

Also, the population with disposable income is actively inclined toward braces and implants. 28% of dental treatments were for implants in the country in 2018. Whereas 20% of treatments were through general practitioners. Moreover, an increasing number of dental care practitioners like dentists, odontologists, etc. also support the market growth by providing dental care facilities locally for the population.



Growing Medical Tourism Supports Market Growth



Recent years have seen difficult medical tourism. The onset of the pandemic halts any kind of tourism. The spread of coronavirus threatened and took away the lives of more than 6 million of lives worldwide. 2,302 people lost their lives in the United Arab Emirates due to COVID-19 by far. With recently gained control over the infection, medical tourism has been re-instated and that is anticipated to aid the growth of the UAE dental services market in the next five years.

Dubai has grown as a medical hub for the GCC regions, inviting rapidly growing numbers of patients through medical tourism. In 2019, the total number of dentists in the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) amounted to 197. These numbers are further growing through the excellent educational sector of the country and the growing expat population of experts in the field.



Government Investments In Dental Care



With expanding healthcare industry and growing expenses in the healthcare sector the dental care sector is also substantially growing and indirectly aiding the growth of the UAE dental services market. Growth in the dental sector is bound toward investment in the local manufacturing of dental products, implants, tools, equipment, etc. The lack of research growth in the country is compensated by utilizing the investment for the imports of the product and financially aiding the local manufacturers.



The Department of Health functional in all seven Emirates is actively invested in providing the funds as well as modulating favorable schemes that can support the market growth in future five years. For example, In the year 2018, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) launched a city-wide dental and oral program to improve oral health in Dubai, by ensuring all individuals have access to high-quality dental treatments and effective prevention programs.

Companies holding major shares of the UAE Dental Services Market are

Pearl Dental Clinic

Vision Dental Clinic Abu Dhabi

Tabarek Medical Center

Dubai Dental Hospital

Dental Hospital American Dental Clinic

Micris Dental Clinic

Precision Dental Clinic

Dr Paul's Dental Clinic

Liberty Dental Clinic

Apex Medical & Dental Clinics

Report Scope:



UAE Dental Services Market, By Service:

Prosthodontics

Porcelain Veneers

Crowns

Fixing Bridges

Others

Endodontics

Treatment of Dental Pulp

Root Canal Treatment

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Teeth Whitening

Cosmetic Teeth Shaping & Teeth Bonding

Carbon Post

Others

Periodontics

Gum Graft Surgery

Laser Treatment

Others

Others

UAE Dental Services Market, By Market Structure:

Organized Dental Clinics

Unorganized Dental Clinics

UAE Dental Services Market, By Patient Type:

Inbound

Outbound

UAE Dental Services Market, By Region:

Abu Dhabi

Dubai

Sharjah

Rest of UAE

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/os5hfc

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Underground Printing, a leading provider of custom printed apparel, accessories, and promotional items, is excited to announce a move to a new storefront in Campustown, near the heart of Champaign, located at 512 E. Green Street.

The new store on the highly trafficked Green Street will feature officially licensed University of Illinois apparel and merchandise while supporting the community with their custom printing needs.

Underground Printing Champaign storefront

"We are excited to relocate to this beautiful storefront right in the middle of campus," commented Rishi Narayan, co-founder, and CRO. "Coming off of our big move last year for our headquarters, this represents another significant milestone for our company. The new location will allow us to grow within the community of Champaign while giving us the ability to reach more customers in person."

Centrally located, minutes from the University of Illinois, Underground Printing is looking forward to all of the local businesses, community members, faculty, staff, and students the new location will support.

"I'm thrilled to be located in the heart of Champaign," noted UGP Champaign's new Store Manager, Heather Swart. "What excites me most about working at the new location is meeting people in the neighborhood! I can't wait to connect with the local community and see all of the original custom designs they create."

About Underground Printing:

Underground Printing, www.undergroundshirts.com, is a national custom printed apparel provider, offering screen printing, digital printing, and embroidery on a wide variety of apparel and promotional products to groups, businesses, and organizations of all sizes. The company is headquartered in Southeast Michigan with retail locations throughout the country and has been in the industry for over 20 years. Underground Printing has been proud to be an active and growing member of the communities they are a part of and has made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies 9 times.

Date: 06.29.2023

Media Contact: Allyson Sprague

email: [email protected]com

SOURCE Underground Printing
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC has issued a statement in connection with attack on personnel of AzTV channel (owned by the CJSC) during filming of protest rallies in France, Trend reports.

According to the statement, as a result (of the attack), the reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away and broken. When the AzTV employees demanded the return of the camera, they were threatened with a weapon.

In the statement, Azerbaijan TV and Radio Broadcasting CJSC strongly condemned the incident, considering it not only as pressure on Azerbaijani journalists, but also as suppression of freedom of speech and expression in general, and free journalistic activity.

"We demand French law enforcement agencies to objectively investigate this incident, identify and punish those who committed an armed attack on journalists, and take the necessary measures to compensate for the damage," the company said.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
DUBLIN, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "US Healthcare Data Exchange and Monetization Strategies, 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The United States healthcare industry generates vast amounts of data, offering immense opportunities for exchange and monetization. However, the fragmented nature of the industry and the sensitive nature of healthcare data create unique challenges.

This report analyzes the US healthcare data exchange and monetization landscape, focusing on key competitors and their capabilities, strategies, and technology. The publisher's perspective on competitor strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities is analyzed.

The list of companies is not exhaustive, and they are featured due to the best practices in their data exchange and monetization strategies. To cover industry healthcare organizations with diverse backgrounds, competitors have different value propositions and strategies around data exchange and monetization.

These include HIE solutions, research-driven objectives, non-profit business models, direct messaging solutions, first-party data exchange services, and EHR companies. Key drivers, restraints, growth opportunities, and regulatory highlights are analyzed for stakeholders, such as payers, providers, health IT, and life sciences IT.

The report concludes with strategic recommendations and growth opportunities for companies looking to capitalize on this dynamic and evolving market.

Key Topics Covered:

Strategic Imperatives

Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?

The Strategic Imperative

The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Healthcare Data Exchange and Monetization Industry

Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine

Scope of Analysis

Market Segmentation - Healthcare Data Exchange

Market Segmentation - Data Monetization

Healthcare Data Sources, Types, and Usage Across Silos

Growth Opportunity Analysis

Data is the Digital Age Healthcare's New Currency

Growth Drivers

Growth Restraints

US Regulatory Highlights

The EHR Impact on Physicians Data Exchange Capabilities

Key Competitors

Company Profile - CipherHealth

Company Profile - DirectTrust

Company Profile - Epic

Company Profile - Innovaccer

Company Profile - Luma Health

Company Profile - Mayo Clinic Platform

Company Profile - Microsoft

Company Profile - Oracle

Company Profile - Synaptic Health Alliance

Company Profile - Truveta

Growth Opportunity Universe

Growth Opportunity 1: Value-based Care Solutions

Growth Opportunity 2: Blockchain

Growth Opportunity 3: Brand & Demand

Growth Opportunity 4: Clinical Documentation Improvement

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hremkv

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "US Personal Emergency Response Systems Market - Focused Insights 2023-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

US Personal Emergency Response Systems Market is forecast to reach a value of $4.44 billion by 2028 from $2.49 billion in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 10.1%

This report offers market size & forecast data for the personal emergency response systems (PERSs) market in the US. The revenue generated from the sale of PERS and medical alert system devices are included in the report. Revenue generated by service providers are excluded from the scope of the report.

This report provides a comprehensive and current market scenario of the US personal emergency response systems, including the US personal emergency response systems market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentations, and industry trends.



The study considers a detailed scenario of the present personal emergency response systems market and its market dynamics for 2023-2028 in the US. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent players operating in the market.

MARKET DEFINITION

A PERS allows high-risk or aging individuals to contact a helpline during an emergency through a button push. A PERS is a wearable device that electronically connects to a user's phone. This means that the system can help disabled and older adults to summon help without dialing a number.

Caregivers can use PERSs to ensure the safety of physically challenged or at-risk persons. The use of PERSs is widespread as they ensure the safety of those with special requirements and enhance the peace of mind of those caregivers.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

In 2022, the US accounted for a significant market share in North America PERS market which is owing to a rise in awareness among older adults, the expansion of the geriatric population living independently, the high prevalence of chronic diseases, and the risk of fall injuries have accelerated the PERS market.

Based on product type, the mobile-based systems accounted for the highest share of more than 50% in the US PERSs market due to the rise in demand for various mobile systems such as mobile PERS, Cellular Systems, and wireless PERS.

Based on the End-user type, the homecare agencies segment accounted for a 31.05% market share in the US PERSs due to the expansion of the geriatric population living independently, and the rise in the aging population.

Based on region type, the western US segment accounts for a 40.93% US PERSs market share that can be attributable to a surge in the population of living individuals in assisted living facilities.

Connect America, Modivcare, ADT Corp, Medical Guardian, and Bay Alarm Medical are the leading players in the US PERS market. The market offers tremendous growth opportunities for existing and future/emerging players.

VENDORS LIST

Connect America

Modivcare

ADT Corp

Medical Guardian

Bay Alarm Medical

AlertOne

Aloe Care Health

AT&T

CISCO Systems

Freeus

Handsfree Health

LifeFone Medical Alert Systems

MedGuard Alert Inc

MobileHelp

QMedic

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1: Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Definition

Market Definition

Market Segmentation

Chapter 2: Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Overview

Executive Summary

Key Findings

Chapter 3: Personal Emergency Response Systems Market

US: Projected Revenue of Personal Emergency Response Systems (2022-2028; $Billions)

Chapter 4: Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Segmentation Data

US: Projected Revenue by Product type (2022-2028; $Billions)

Mobile-based Systems

In Home-based Systems

US: Projected Revenue by End-user type (2022-2028; $Billions)

Homecare Agencies

Assisted Living Facilities

Direct-to-Consumer

Others

US: Projected Revenue by Region (2022-2028; $Billions)

West US

South US

Mid-west US

Northeast US

Chapter 5: Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Prospects & Opportunities

Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Drivers

Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Trends

Personal Emergency Response Systems Market Constraints

Chapter 6: Personal Emergency Response Systems Industry Overview

Personal Emergency Response Systems - Competitive Landscape

Personal Emergency Response Systems - Key Vendors

Personal Emergency Response Systems - Other Prominent Vendors

Personal Emergency Response Systems - Key Strategic Recommendations

Chapter 7: Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gugndi

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SOURCE Research and Markets
New programs provide a broad foundation in criminal justice and can be tailored to an individual's career goals

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Criminal justice is a large and growing career field encompassing law enforcement, corrections, policy analysis, court administration, law, and intelligence. To meet the increasing demand for skilled employees, KU's School of Professional Studies is launching two new bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BAS).

KU launches two new criminal justice degrees allowing students to tailor program to meet their career goals. Tweet this KU introduces new criminal justice degrees for spring 2024.

The BA includes more humanities courses, while the BAS consists of more hands-on classes and lab work. Both degrees require a nine-hour concentration in either "Law Enforcement Leadership" or "Law and Society."

The Law Enforcement Leadership concentration is based on the fact that law enforcement officers often need additional education to advance their careers. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than half a million people employed as police officers and sheriffs nationwide with a median salary of $65,790. While individuals may start their careers in law enforcement without a college degree, many departments require a degree once they become supervisors.

The Law and Society concentration examines how the law works in practice in public administration, courts, the non-profit sector, policy, policing, and the justice system.

"These new degrees provide students with a broad foundation in criminal justice and the flexibility to tailor their degree to prepare for the careers that interest them the most," said Stuart Day, dean of the KU Edwards Campus and School of Professional Studies.

Students can complete the programs on campus, but it's possible to complete the bachelor's degree in criminal justice entirely online. The degrees are designed for transfer students who already earned an associate degree or equivalent hours.

The first bachelor's in criminal justice classes will be offered in spring 2024.

About The University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. Its mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities, and making discoveries that change the world. The KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park, Kansas, brings the high-quality academic, professional, and continuing education programs of KU to the Greater Kansas City community to serve the workforce, economic and community development needs of the region.

Susan Motley at [email protected]|913-897-8573

SOURCE KU Edwards Campus
SALT LAKE CITY, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of International Self-Care Day on July 24, Kevin Guest, executive chairman of USANA Health Sciences (NYSE: USNA), a global leader in nutritional supplements, is urging individuals to prioritize their well-being and embrace self-care throughout July. Guest is emphasizing the importance of self-care as a fundamental aspect of overall health and happiness.

All the Right Reasons: 12 Timeless Principles for Living a Life in Harmony, by USANA CEO and chairman Kevin Guest (PRNewsfoto/USANA)

"Taking care of yourself is crucial, especially when times get tough," said Guest, who authored All the Right Reasons, 12 Timeless Principles for Living a Life in Harmony. "Specifically, it is essential in these times to prioritize our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. International Self-Care Day reminds us to engage in self-care practices that enhance our quality of life."

Guest cites seven key habits for aligning one's core values with harmony and balance.

Self-reflect each morning: Start your day with a few minutes of quiet introspection to set a positive tone for the day. Meditate: Use guided meditation to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Spend time in nature: Connect with the outdoors to boost mood and improve mental health. Detox digitally: Unplug from electronic devices to give your mind a break and enhance focus. Listen to favorite music: Reduce anxiety and stress by listening to soothing tunes. Engage in a new creative activity: Stimulate your brain and unleash your creativity by trying something new. Get enough sleep: Prioritize restful sleep to support physical and mental health.

"I've found that when we do these self-care practices, we increase energy, improve mental clarity, and enhance overall well-being," he said. "For example, music is medicine to me and helps me balance when pressures build. As our band, Free Radicals, performs, we see people singing, smiling and dancing to the music, whether we're in Mexico, Europe, the United States, China or Korea. Music is one of those universal powers that balances people."

Raised in a music-filled home, Guest, whose billion-dollar nutrition company operates in 24 global markets, gained a love for music from his parents, and is an active musician today in a touring band.

"There was always music in our home, and it set a good feeling growing up," Guest writes. "The love for music has been with me for as long as I can remember. It has transformed my life and helps me to balance."

In celebration of International Self-Care Day, Guest encourages individuals to share their self-care practices and positive experiences by using the hashtag #SelfCareJuly on social media.

All proceeds for All the Right Reasons go to feeding hungry children, with each book purchase providing 40 meals.

For more information, visit www.kevinguest.com .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tim Brown, Candid Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE USANA
Significant support from investors including the European Investment Fund

Fund to invest in first and best-in-class European life science companies in drug development and digital health

STRASSEN, Luxembourg, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vesalius Biocapital, the specialist life sciences venture capital investor, announces the first close of its fourth fund, Vesalius Biocapital IV, securing over 95 million of commitments. The fund has attracted blue chip investors including the European Investment Fund (EIF). Starting immediately Vesalius Biocapital IV is to invest in first and best-in-class European life science companies in drug development and digital health. The goal is to build a well-balanced portfolio of 10-15 companies, providing capital and the Vesalius team's experience and expertise to support their development.

Now in its sixteenth year, Vesalius Biocapital has a successful track record of backing highly innovative companies and has raised over 270 million from a renowned investor base for its three previous funds. It has completed over 30 investments with lead or co-lead positions and achieved numerous exits through trade sales and IPOs. These include: Forendo, acquired by Organon; Sword Health sold to a group of private equity investors; Apitope acquired by Chinese company Worg Pharma; and Ogeda acquired by Astellas Pharma. With a well-balanced portfolio between drug development and non-drug development investments, Vesalius has a successful track-record of strong and consistent financial performance and has generated significant returns for its investors.

Commenting on the first close, Stephane Verdood, Managing Partner at Vesalius Biocapital IV said:

"Our successful track record placed us in a strong position to attract high quality investors such as the EIF (European Investment Fund) to Vesalius Biocapital IV. Furthermore, it is fantastic validation of our investment approach and strategy that a significant number of investors in our previous funds are backing us in Vesalius Biocapital IV. This is an exciting time in healthcare; the industry is at a key inflection point between science, technology and medicine, and our investors support our strategy to invest in companies developing innovative first in class products and technologies."

Guy Geldhof, Managing Partner at Vesalius Biocapital IV, added:

"While our investment focus remains in Europe where we continue to see many high-quality life science companies, we will continue to help our portfolio companies to expand to the US to enable them to achieve optimum valuations and to access the US capital markets. We will also be looking to invest in North American companies that are looking to Europe for development, expansion or access to innovation."

Marjut Falkstedt, Chief Executive Officer at the European Investment Fund, commented:

"The development of new therapies and digital health solutions are revolutionising the healthcare sector, but these innovations need targeted, dedicated investment. The EIF is glad to partner with Vesalius for its fourth fund, building on a strong track record in the sector, which also aims to channel investment towards underserved areas in the innovation landscape, particularly in southern Europe."

Vesalius Biocapital IV is targeting 150M and will accept new investors on a "rolling closing" basis until the final closing in 2024.

ABOUT VESALIUS BIOCAPITAL

Vesalius Biocapital (Vesalius), the specialist life sciences venture capital investor, has supported companies active in human health through venture capital funds since 2007. In the sixteen years since inception, the three predecessor funds have raised over 270 million.

The investment portfolio is well balanced between drug development and non-drug development investments and committed to providing capital to science-backed innovation and ambitious entrepreneurs, with a strong focus on exit within five years.

Vesalius Biocapital IV, launched in June 2023, targets first and best-in-class European life science companies in drug development and digital health. The fund secured over 95 million of commitments in a first closing in June 2023, with a target size of minimum 150 million.

The specialist team consists of seasoned life science professionals with healthcare industry, corporate finance and strategy development experience, supporting companies through their growth cycle. The team is based in Europe to explore investment opportunities and valuation potential for the portfolio. Managing Partners include Guy Geldhof, Dr Jean-Christophe Renondin and Stephane Verdood. Partners include Dr Fabienne Roussel and Olivier Houben. The investment team is complemented by Dr David Cristina and Qasim Zawawi who joined as principals and Dr Hayley French and Dr Stephane Heymans who joined as venture partners.

SOURCE Vesalius Biocapital
Seventh annual international essay competition asked veterinary students to examine veterinary teaching hospitals versus the distributive model

DAVIS, Calif., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The VIN Foundation is excited to announce the results of its seventh annual Solutions for the Profession Competition. The annual competition challenges veterinary students to seek innovative answers to issues facing the veterinary profession. Prior competitions have addressed topics such as practice consolidation, challenges of veterinary school, the relevance of veterinary education to career goals, and diversity in veterinary education.

VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Competition

This year's competition asked veterinary students to explore the pros and cons of attending a veterinary school with a teaching hospital versus the distributed clinical education model.

VIN Foundation Executive Director, Jordan benShea, stated "As more veterinary schools adopt the distributed clinical education model, hearing first hand from veterinary students is vital in helping to guide a healthy veterinary profession."

The VIN Foundation Solutions for the Profession Committee oversaw three rounds of judging with panels including experts in the topic area and leaders in the veterinary profession. The final judges, after much discussion, selected the winners:

First place was awarded to Danielle Keerbs (Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine 2026) for the essay titled, Obsolescence vs Adaptability: An Analysis of the Veterinary Clinical Education Paradigm.

Second place was awarded to Morgan Weed (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2026) for the essay titled, Trend or Tried and True  The Distributive and Teaching Hospital Models in Veterinary Schools.

Third place was awarded to Dionne Rasquinha (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2025) for the essay titled, The Future of Veterinary Medicine is in Our Teaching Hospitals.

Learn more about the VIN Foundation and its programs and tools on the website.

About VIN Foundation

The VIN Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides resources to help the veterinary community thrive so they can help our animals and those who care for them. The VIN Foundation was created by members of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), an online community of veterinarians and veterinary students with over 100,000 members worldwide. Learn more about the VIN Foundation and its resources at https://VINFoundation.org. The VIN Foundation is made possible through generous gifts by individual donors and grants; all gifts made to the VIN Foundation are tax deductible.

Jordan benShea

VIN Foundation

(888) 616-6506

[email protected]

SOURCE VIN Foundation
BEIJING, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from investinchina.chinaservicesinfo.com:

The 2023 World New Energy and New Materials Conference officially kicked off in the city of Ordos in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on June 28.

A grand opening ceremony of the 2023 World New Energy and New Materials Conference is held in Ordos on June 28. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year's event is based on the theme of "New era of energy and new future of the world", and will run for two days.

The conference has invited industry elites, leading enterprises, as well as experts and scholars to discuss energy development, and build a consensus and share wisdom to help promote the new energy revolution and industrial transformation.

It also aims to attract more energy enterprises to settle in the region.

Chinese Government Friendship Award winner Peter D. Lund, Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians Li Can and Wu Qiang, as well as representatives of leading international and domestic entrepreneurs, attended the opening ceremony either in person or online.

During that curtain-raiser, a series of cutting-edge scientific and technological achievements were announced, including hydrogen production through water electrolysis, liquid sunlight, efficient olefin production, green production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and coal-based new materials.

Also, representatives from various cities and leagues within the region signed agreements with enterprises, reaching a total of 33 pacts on new energy and new materials projects, with a total investment of 429.25 billion yuan ($61.23 billion).

One of the expected highlights of the event is an exhibition of new energy and new materials.

The conference has planned and arranged exhibition areas spanning 15,000 square meters in total for wind, solar, hydrogen, energy storage, electric vehicles, and coal-based new materials at the Ordos International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The exhibition has attracted the participation of 107 enterprises. Among them are 10 Fortune Global 500 firms, such as ExxonMobil, Shell, and Siemens.

SOURCE investinchina.chinaservicesinfo.com
BEIJING, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 9th Shanxi Tourism Development Conference held in Datong of north China's Shanxi Province during June 26-28 cast spotlight on how the ancient city turned eyes on innovation to invigorate its cultural tourism sector.

Compared with the past, this year's conference prioritized particularly supply side innovation and established platforms for cooperation between cultural tourism service demanders and leading suppliers to boost various innovative cultural tourism programs.

Photo shows the opening ceremony of the 9th Shanxi Tourism Development Conference.

More than 100 innovative cultural tourism institutions such as China Oriental Performing Arts Group and related businesses attended the conference as the suppliers together with the service demanders in excess of 100 ones comprised mainly of major scenic areas and related leisure blocks operators.

Zhang Qiang, the city mayor, said Shanxi employed supply side innovation as an effective means to spur high-quality development of cultural tourism in recent years and accumulated lots of experience in forming a new development pattern for local cultural tourism industry characterized by new scenic spot experience, business layout, cultural brands and marketing modes.

On the Tuesday's opening ceremony, Shanxi's culture and tourism department initiated jointly with its peers from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Inner Mongolia their strategic cooperation in coordinated cultural tourism development. Four cities including Dalian, Dali, Datong and Daqing signed agreements for sister-city coordination and cooperation to further shore up cross-region development of cultural tourism.

As an important embodiment of its integration into the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and results of crafting a regional cultural tourism hub, tourists from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Inner Mongolia contributed over 60 percent of external tourists for Datong, according to the China Datong tourism development index report (Jan.-May, 2023) released by China Economic Information Service.

Boasting abundant cultural and tourism resources, Datong thoroughly exploited these in vitalizing tourism with culture and poured great efforts into ancient city protection and restoration, scenic area facilities construction, cultural tourism products supply and multiple business formats integration.

Under such practices, average tourist satisfaction score for Datong kept improving and rose by 0.6 point from 2022 to 4.56 points in the first five months of 2023.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/334822.html

SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road
Representing Asia, the Singaporean chef under 30 stood out in the Competition for his ability to represent his personal beliefs and roots in his signature dish.

MILAN, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As anticipation builds for the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23, which will be held in Milan on 4 and 5 October 2023, S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is pleased to announce that Ian Goh is the winner of the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/9181351-ian-goh-fine-dining-lovers-food-for-thought-award-spellegrino/

Ian Goh, winner of the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award

The prize, one of three collateral awards of the Competition, is given to the chef who best represents her or his personal beliefs in their signature dish and is voted for by Fine Dining Lovers readers.

With his Heritage lamb signature dish  conceived with the help of his Regional Final mentor Louis Han  the sous chef from one-Michelin-star Nae:um in Singapore wowed the voting public, beating the entries of 14 other talented regional finalists from around the world.

"This dish blends my love of lamb with my hope to highlight my Hainanese heritage," commented Goh. "I couldn't have asked for a better mentor than chef Louis Han, the chef-owner of Nae:um, considering that he himself competed for the same title in 2016. We spent long hours together not only for the training itself, but he also helped me to boost my confidence and mental steadfastness. He brought a wealth of experience and knowledge. Joining the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition was a great experience. I think it gives a platform for young chefs to shine,'' he added.

Valeria Raimondi, Fine Dining Lovers' Editor-in-Chief, added: "We're pleased and honoured to assign this edition's Food for Thought Award, a result of online votes from the Fine Dining Lovers community, to Ian Goh. This award puts the spotlight on the message of the dish, its hidden history and the values it reflects: a way to highlight that contemporary cuisine is not only based on innovative technique and refined ingredients but is deeply connected with the thoughts behind every single recipe. We all know how important it is, especially for a young chef who wants to emerge in the international gastronomy landscape, to have a strong personal identity: that's why we're very proud to give recognition to the one voted as the most consistent."

Considering education vital to help nurture the next generation of culinary talents, the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy has created a series of inspiring workshops for the young finalists of the three collateral awards to explore the most relevant topics for the industry.

During 'Identity on the plate', Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award finalists  in a discussion moderated by Tom Jenkins, Fine Dining Lovers journalist and Academy representative  explored together with well-known members of the international chef community  Henrique Sa Pessoa, Peter Gilmore, DeAille Tam, Selassie Atadika and Debora Fadul, as well as food writer Paola Miglio  how chefs can express their identity and personality through food, and practice thoughtful innovation.

How does cooking help shape chefs' identities and allow them to express themselves? How do you innovate in the kitchen without losing sight of your role of feeding people well, and how do you remain unique as a chef? These are just a few of the questions the chefs attempted to answer based on their experiences, sparking an inspiring discussion, with Tom Jenkins highlighting as key messages: "Chefs come to cooking at different stages of life and through different routes, there is no 'one size fits all' career path but once they've found cooking and realise they are able to express themselves and talk about all the things that have shaped them through their food, they are hooked. In order to remain unique it's important to stay true to yourself and shut out the noise  that's not to say social media isn't a useful tool, but senior chefs advise young chefs against being unduly influenced by what they see online. Your uniqueness as a chef, what makes you, you  all agree  is your greatest strength and innovation doesn't just apply to what you put on the plate  you can also be innovative in the way that you treat people as we seek to create a better industry for all".

To learn more about the initiative please visit: www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com .

About S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy

Gastronomy has the potential to transform society, shaping a more inclusive, more sustainable future. But doing requires talent. That's why S.Pellegrino has created S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, a platform to attract, connect and nurture the next generation of culinary talents. An environment that will empower them through education, mentoring and experience opportunities, as well as through the renowned global competition.

The Academy opens its doors to members from over 70 different countries, ensuring that talent is not constrained by geography, ethnicity, or gender. This is a place where passionate young chefs interact with the most influential players in global gastronomy, and where together they cultivate an inspiring culinary community.

To discover more please visit: https://www.sanpellegrinoyoungchefacademy.com/

About S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna

S.Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks are international trademarks of Sanpellegrino S.p.A., which is based in Milan, Italy. Distributed in over 150 countries through branches and distributors on all five continents, these products represent quality, excellence by virtue of their origins and perfectly interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of pleasure, health and well-being. Founded in 1899, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. is the leading company in the beverage sector in Italy with its range of mineral waters, non-alcoholic aperitifs and drinks.

Sanpellegrino has always been committed to enhancing this primary good for the planet and works responsibly and passionately to ensure that this resource has a secure future.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1341607/4101408/SPYCA_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2140264/Sanpellegrino_Group_Ian_Goh.jpg

SOURCE Sanpellegrino Group
HOUSTON, June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Apache Industrial, a leading provider of commercial and industrial contracting services including scaffolding, coatings, fireproofing, insulation, and technical maintenance services has announced that Zach Boudreaux has joined their organization as Senior Vice President of Operations. In his new role, Boudreaux will oversee operational performance, drive strategic growth, and reinforce Apache's commitment to safety across Apache's eastern U.S. footprint.

Zach Boudreaux joins Apache Industrial Holdings as Senior Vice President of Operations leading Eastern U.S Operations Tweet this Zach Boudreaux joins Apache Industrial Holdings as Senior Vice President of Operations leading Eastern U.S Operations

For over two decades, Boudreaux has gained experience in establishing standardized processes, procedures, and productivity measures across manufacturing facilities and service lines in multiple sectors in the industry. He provided support services to refineries, chemical plants, power plants, pulp and paper, and nuclear customer base. Boudreaux has led teams performing general mechanical, scaffolding, insulation, paint, industrial cleaning, and specialty services throughout his career across North America.

"I am excited to announce that Zach Boudreaux has joined Apache as Senior Vice President of Operations for our Eastern US region," said Stephen Hillier, Chief Executive Officer at Apache IS Holdings. "Zach's wealth of experience in operations, safety and leading successful teams will be a tremendous asset for Apache as we continue to grow across the region.

"I am honored to join Apache as Senior Vice President of Operations and be part of scaling and expanding footprint across markets in the eastern U.S.," said Boudreaux. "I look forward to leveraging my expertise to help the company achieve sustainable growth and deliver innovative solutions to our customers."

Apache remains the industry's leader in providing an integrated delivery of services to its clients while helping to sustain the future of the industry. The company continues to be a quality provider of services to its customers and is driven by a focus on operational excellence.

About Apache Industrial:

Apache Industrial, a leading provider of commercial and industrial craft services and is recognized for delivering exceptional services and keeping people safe. Apache maintains offices, operating centers, and laydown yards in multiple locations across the United States and Canada. To learn more about Apache Industrial, visit www.apacheip.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Annabella Bruzual

[email protected]

SOURCE Apache Industrial
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold individual meetings with foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia today, US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said during a briefing, Trend reports.

"We believe that the talks have been constructive. The Secretary is meeting this afternoon, again, both individually with the foreign ministers from both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and then he'll hold a meeting with the two of them together," he said.

On June 27, the new round of talks between Bayramov and Mirzoyan on the draft peace agreement has started in the US.

On the first day, Blinken held closed-door bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs. After the meetings, Blinken took part in the first plenary session with the foreign ministers of the two countries.

Then, the ministers continued negotiations in a bilateral format, which lasted intermittently for four-five hours.

On the second day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan. After that, a bilateral meeting of Bayramov and Mirzoyan was held.

Today the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will take part in the final plenary session with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs named after George Schultz.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
A t MWC Shanghai 2023 , ZTE presented its captivating green ecological island, fully in line with the theme "Green for All"

ZTE firmly believes that the solution lies in embracing technological innovation and constantly improving products and solutions to enhance the energy efficiency of each data unit in a more intelligent way

ZTE aims to extend its sustainable development concepts and innovative solutions to other industries, contributing to the digital transformation and advancement of society while prioritizing sustainability

SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK/000063.SZ), a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, exhibited its cutting-edge technological innovations, green and low-carbon visions, and achievements in green networking to visitors at MWC Shanghai 2023. The event was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, where ZTE presented its captivating green ecological island, fully in line with the theme "Green for All".

ZTE's green networking empowers sustainable development

Achieving a green and low-carbon society is a long-term goal that requires ongoing dedication. As network traffic continues to grow, the challenge of realizing this objective becomes even greater. ZTE firmly believes that the solution lies in embracing technological innovation and constantly improving products and solutions to enhance the energy efficiency of each data unit in a more intelligent way. By prioritizing energy efficiency advancements, ZTE strives to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and environmentally friendly society.

During MWC Shanghai, ZTE exhibited its technological innovations in green energy-saving networks. In the Radio Access Network (RAN), ZTE's PowerPilot solution, now in its Pro version, achieved significant advancements, enabling comprehensive energy savings of 35%. In the core network, ZTE introduced the industry's first intelligent green User Plane Function (UPF) based on R17, resulting in intelligent energy savings of 25% during periods of low traffic. ZTE also demonstrated comprehensive energy efficiency optimization solutions in the bearer network, covering boards, devices, and networks. Furthermore, the exhibition showcased ZTE's innovative VC composite temperature equalization board technology, allowing customers to experience the tangible cooling effect using a temperature gun.

In the realm of telecommunication energy, ZTE unveiled its zero-carbon energy network solution V2.0. This innovative solution integrates cloud-based management for green power generation, high-efficiency power conversion, intelligent energy storage, and precise power consumption. By encompassing the entire power supply chain, this solution achieves comprehensive energy-saving, emission reduction, and efficiency improvement, contributing to a sustainable and low-carbon future.

In its commitment to promoting green energy-saving, ZTE's solutions are thoughtfully designed with mechanisms like minimum set wake-up and burst traffic protection. These features ensure a seamless user experience while establishing networks that are not only green and energy-saving but also reliable and resilient. By incorporating these mechanisms, ZTE aims to strike a balance between environmental sustainability and providing high-quality network services to its users.

ZTE is deeply committed to sustainable development and is taking strides to pave a digital economy road of trees, contributing to the global goal of carbon neutrality. In 2022, ZTE achieved remarkable results in its green and low-carbon targets, achieving an energy saving of 57.56 million kWh and a total carbon emission reduction of 7.48% compared to the previous year, all while maintaining revenue growth.

On May 24 of this year, at the "ZTE Innovation Day" event held in Shenzhen, ZTE announced its participation in the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for establishing scientifically backed carbon reduction goals. In line with the initiative's requirements, ZTE will set near-term science-based targets and long-term net-zero targets. The aim is to achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction goals aligned with the 1.5C warming limit within 5-10 years and attain net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

As a global leader in integrated communication information solutions, ZTE is actively engaged in green-related public welfare activities. ZTE collaborates with the China Green Carbon Foundation to establish the "ZTE Public Welfare Ecological Conservation Special Fund" and carries out tree-planting initiatives in the Baihu River Forest Farm, under the Tangwanghe Forestry Bureau of Yichun City, Heilongjiang Province, to help restore the local ecological environment.

During the Shanghai Exhibition, ZTE introduced its charitable program, "Forest Carbon Sink", which encourages tree planting through QR code scanning. This initiative was showcased at MWC Shanghai, aiming to raise public awareness about environmental protection and encourage active participation in ecological conservation.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Boillon shared a Twitter publication in connection with recent attack on personnel of AzTV channel in France, Trend reports.

"I express my regret over the attack on the AzTV team. I hope that those responsible for these actions will be arrested," she said.

The employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (owning AzTV channel) were attacked during filming of protest rallies in France. As a result, the reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away and broken. When the AzTV employees demanded the return of the camera, they were threatened with a weapon.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took part in the final plenary session with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, Trend reports.

The meeting was held at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs named after George Schultz.

On June 27, the new round of talks between Bayramov and Mirzoyan on the draft peace agreement has started in the US.

On the first day, Blinken held closed-door bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs.

After the meetings, Blinken took part in the first plenary session with the foreign ministers.

Then, Bayramov and Mirzoyan continued negotiations in a bilateral format, which lasted intermittently for four-five hours.

On the second day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan.

After that, a bilateral meeting of Bayramov and Mirzoyan was held.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Lucknow, June 29 : Security has been beefed up for Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid) festivities in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

As many as 248 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), State Disaster Response Force, and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), along with over 1.25 lakh police personnel, have been deployed across the state to ensure the peaceful celebration of the festival.

Police officials said that the deployment would be done for three days across the state.

The festival would be celebrated for four days in Mau district.

Uttar Pradesh Police Special Director General (SDG), Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, said that as many as 238 PAC companies have been deployed across the state while seven companies of CAPF, as well as three companies of SDRF, have been deployed across the state.

He added that security has been enhanced at 33,340 mosques and Eidgah, where prayers will be offered on Thursday.

Kumar further said over 1.25 lakh civil police personnel have been deployed strategically to ensure peace and maintain law and order in the state. Besides, around 4,800 police response vehicles (PRV) of 'UP 112' and the integrated police emergency response centre, have been deployed for round-the-clock patrolling.

The SDG also said that police officials conducted at least 2,416 peace committee meetings at the police station and police circle levels. He said there are as many as 2,213 hot spots where any untoward incidents were reported in the past.

"In the build-up, the police and district administration officials jointly conducted meetings with imams, clerics, and religious leaders across the state to inform them about the guidelines related to the festival. They were informed about the identification of the sacrificial spots and told that sacrifices should be done at the fixed and closed spots where they have been held traditionally," the SDG said.

The senior official further said that the police prevent the sacrifice of prohibited animals. The police force will also ensure that there is no obstruction of roads and traffic due to the festivity.
New Delhi, June 29 : The Delhi government, in the first quarter, has released Rs 100 crores for 12 Delhi University colleges that are fully funded by it, Higher Education Minister Atishi said on Wednesday.

She further said that since the Arvind Kejriwal government came to power in Delhi, the budget allocated to these colleges had tripled.

"In the financial year 2023-24, an amount of Rs 400 crores has been allocated by the government. Out of this, the first quarter's allocation of Rs 100 crores is being released today," said Atishi.

"It is the vision of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to provide access to quality higher education to every child in Delhi. To ensure the same, the funds for these 12 colleges are being increased by the government every year," she added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Further progress has been achieved in talks between Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, said the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as he took part in the final plenary session with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the National Training Center for Foreign Affairs named after George Schultz.

"Great thanks and appreciation for the important and hard work that's continued in the effort to reach of the durable peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as to deal with a number of other important issues that can help advance relations between the countries. I'm grateful for the time that you've all spent here," he said.

The new round of talks between Bayramov and Mirzoyan on the draft peace agreement was held in the US from June 27 through June 29.

On the first day, Blinken held closed-door bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. After the meetings, he took part in the first plenary session with the foreign ministers of the two countries. Then, the ministers continued negotiations in a bilateral format.

On the second day, a trilateral meeting was held with the participation of National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan, which was followed by a bilateral meeting of Bayramov and Mirzoyan.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
New York, June 29 : Daniel Penny, the U.S. Marine veteran charged with choking homeless Black man Jordan Neely to death on a Manhattan subway in New York City, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Penny, white and 24, was recorded on cellphone video holding Neely in a chokehold on an F-Train for several minutes on May 1, and arraigned on the charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The grand jury evaluated the evidence under the direction of the district attorney's office. We really weren't privy to what happened there so we can't speak to why they did what they did or why they decided on the charges that they decided on," said defence attorney Steven Raiser.

Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, was shouting and begging for money when Penny pinned him to the floor of the moving subway car with the help of two other passengers and held him in a chokehold for more than three minutes. Neely, 30, lost consciousness during the struggle and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Neely's death resulted in protests to demand justice for him. Political voices have surfaced, calling for more protections for those socially sidelined.

A grand jury voted to indict Penny on updated charges earlier this month. Wednesday's arraignment on the charges lasted mere minutes. Penny, who is free on bond, only uttered the words "not guilty" before he left the courtroom with his lawyers.

Penny, who served in the Marines for four years and was discharged in 2021, has said he acted to protect himself and others from Neely, who shouted "I'm gonna kill you" and said he was "ready to die" or go to jail for life.
New York, June 29 : Millions of people across the US are facing severe weather, with parts of the country smothered by smoke from Canadian wildfires, while others face stifling heat and severe storms.

Around 87 million people are at risk for poor air quality due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires, with Detroit, Chicago and Minneapolis among the top four cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to the tracking service IQAir.com.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul expanded the air quality health advisory on Wednesday to include the entire state as she announced that her office will use, for the first time, emergency cell phone alerts to inform residents if the air quality index passes the threshold for "very unhealthy" air for more than an hour, Xinhua news agency reported.

"With smoke from the Canadian wildfires once again impacting air quality throughout our state this week, we're urging New Yorkers to remain vigilant," the Governor said in a statement. "We're activating emergency cell phone alerts to ensure New Yorkers have the latest information and are continuing to coordinate with local counties to monitor conditions and distribute masks."

Meanwhile, "around 69 million people face heat alerts, which expanded to include not only the South and the Southeast, but also the Midwest and California", reported NBC News.

Severe storms capable of large hail are also anticipated across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, with Minneapolis being the largest metro area at risk, according to the report.

The recent severe weather has prompted major disruptions, including sweeping flight cancellations and delays numbered at thousands, it noted.
New Delhi, June 28 : A total of 7,528 study permit applications from India were rejected by the Canadian authorities between January 2018 to May 2023 over misrepresentation, involving false or altered documents, according to an Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data.

Beginning this year, a total of 595 of these applications by Indian students, which also included extensions, were refused till May 31, with 195 cases of misrepresentation detected in a single month, the data shared with IANS said.

Misrepresentation involves giving information that is untrue, misleading, or incomplete, which can make an applicant inadmissible to the country for five years, or permanent removal from the country.

Consequently, the applicant is ineligible for permanent residency and has a permanent record noting fraud in their immigration file.

"The Government of Canada takes any kind of citizenship or immigration fraud seriously... We are committed to upholding the integrity of our immigration programmes and protecting our systems against fraud and misrepresentation," a spokesperson from the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi told IANS.

"IRCC employees receive training on how to detect and combat fraud, and they work hard to protect the integrity of Canadaas citizenship and immigration system," the spokesperson added.

Most applications were refused under A40(1)(a), according to the data. In Canadian Immigration law, misrepresentation is defined in section 40(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Examples of misrepresentation include not mentioning a family member; not mentioning a change in family status; or providing a false document declaring employment experience, among others.

Recently, hundreds of Indian students faced removal from Canada after letters of acceptance submitted as part of their study permit application were determined to be fraudulent.

Acknowledging the contribution of international students, Canada's Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced that the genuine students would be issued a Temporary Resident Permit.

The minister stressed that the focus is on identifying those who are responsible for the fraudulent activity and not on penalising those who may have been affected by fraud.

The Canadian High Commission also told IANS that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Citizenship Act require that people who provide paid immigration or citizenship advice or representation be "authorised".

"It is an offence for anyone other than: a member in good standing (lawyer or paralegal) of a Canadian law society; the Chambre des notaires du QuAbec; or the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants to represent or advise for a fee at any stage of an application or proceeding," the spokesperson from the High Commission said.

With 226,450 students, India became the top source of new international students entering the North American nation in 2022, according to an IRCC data released this year.

The countryas primary department for immigration-related matters also announced last year that Indian citizens make up 35 per cent of study permit holders in Canada.

Home to the largest Punjabi diaspora in the world, Canada is the most preferred destination for students in Punjab, who roughly make up about 70 per cent of the Indian cohort in Canada.

A Canadian study visa offers these students easy passage to permanent residence within five to six years.

(Meenakshi Iyer can be reached atmeenakshi.i@ians.in)
Lucknow, June 29 : Lucknow police have has worked out 31 cases of miscreants posing as fake cops to dupe people and two members of the 'Iranian gang' have been arrested.

The arrested persons have been identified as Ali Mirza Darvesh and John Sayed Hussain, both from Thane, Maharashtra.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Akash Kulhary, said that the accused claimed that their forefathers had come from Tehran and hence referred themselves as 'Iranian gang'.

"We are working on the 'Iranian gang module' and will probe more on it and its modus operandi," he said.

Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested the duo from near Kukrail embankment crossing.

They were trying to escape to Mumbai ahead of Bakri Eid.

Police said that Darvesh was also arrested in a similar case from Gudumba in November 2022 and then got bail and began conning again.

The miscreants owned up their crime and disclosed that they had committed several incidents of conning across Lucknow.

The police claimed that as many as 31 cases of conning were registered in Ashiana, PGI, Gomti Nagar, Gomti Nagar Vistar, Ghazipur, Thakurganj and other localities this year.

Kulhary said that they used to stay at the hotels in PGI and Gomti Nagar and used to conduct a recee of the lone stretches of the road in the city.

"The miscreants confessed that they used to target elderly men and women and used to con them while intimidating them in the name of police checking. Police made the arrests on the basis of CCTV footage recovered from the spot of the crime," said Kulhary.

ACP, Ghazipur (Indiranagar), D.K. Singh said that a team was conducting checking in the area when the informer told them about the suspects who were going towards Sarvodaya Nagar embankment from Mahanagar and trying to flee to Maharashtra via flight.

"They used to come via flight from Maharashtra, commit crime and go back," said Singh.

The police also recovered ornaments worth more than Rs 50 lakhs from their possession.

Police said that the accused had conned people of ornaments worth Rs 2 crore.
Washington, June 29 : Delta airlines has confirmed that a Florida-bound flight from Michigan was diverted to Atlanta because of an unruly passenger.

In a statement to CNN late Wednesday, the airlines said: "Delta does not tolerate threats and abuse of any kind towards our people. At Delta, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is, and will always be, our number one priority."

The statement added that the airline has "long been a leading advocate on behalf of our people and our customers to ensure the aggressive and timely prosecution of unruly passengers".

Delta however, did not provide details of the incident but said its representatives are "in contact with our flight attendant to provide support and are cooperating with authorities in their investigation".

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was diverted after taking off from Detroit and landed safely at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at around 11.30 a.m.on Wednesday morning.

Atlanta Police Department officers met the plane at the gate in Atlanta before the flight continued to its destination in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with a new crew, Delta said.

Meanwhile, the FBI said it has not made any arrests so far and added that "we don't have any further information to share at this time".

As of mid-June, the FAA has received reported of more than 850 unruly airline passengers so far this year.
Varanasi, June 29 : The Varanasi administration has decided to ban 'sparsh darshan' (offering prayer by touching the Shivling) at Kashi Vishwanath Temple for 59 days from July 4.

This is aimed at ensuring effective crowd control during the holy month of Saawan.

Besides, VIP darshan will also be restricted on all eight Mondays. This year the month of Saawan will be 59 days -- from July 4 to August 31 -- due to 'Adhimas'.

Except 'Mangla Aarti', no other ticketed participation in any other aarti or sugam darshan (straight entry to offer prayers after purchasing prescribed ticket) will be available during this period.

These decisions were taken by divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma and commissioner of police Ashok Mutha Jain at a meeting held with the officials.

Sharma made it clear that tickets will be issued for participation of Mangla Aarti only during Saawan. "No tickets will be issued for any other aarti or sugam darshan during the holy month," he said, adding that sparsh darshan will not be permitted during the holy days.

He said that officials had been directed to focus on regulating the crowd as people from across the country will come here. Thus, all the officials should focus on their duties instead of facilitating the VIPs as well as selected persons in reaching the temple for darshan.

He also asked to send letters to each department in this regard while mentioning that no vehicle will be allowed to move between Maidagin and Godowlia crossings on Mondays.

Regarding entry and exit, Sharma said that the devotees joining the queue on any entry route of the temple will return by the same route. Devotees entering through Ganga Dwar route will get darshan from eastern doors of sanctum sanctorum, while those coming through Maidagin, Saraswati Phatak and Dhundhiraj Ganesh sides will offer prayers through northern, southern and western doors, respectively.

Installation of barricades and also public address systems on all the identified routes is being done. Officials have also asked the health department to hold four camps in KV Dham with emergency facilities while drinking water will also be arranged.

--IANSamita/dpb
Aurraiya, June 29 : A court in Uttar Pradesh's Aurraiya district has awarded the death sentence to a man who was convicted for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl earlier this year.

This conviction and sentence of the accused took place in a speedy manner in nearly three months after the incident was reported on March 25.

"The court observed that the act of the accused was more horrifying than the act of an animal. The court said the Indian culture revolved around women and such crimes were not acceptable in our society," the Uttar Pradesh Home Department said in a statement.

Department officials said Additional Director General (ADG) of police, Kanpur Zone, Alok Singh had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the team of police and prosecution for such swift and fast legal proceedings in the case.

According to the statement, Gautam Singh Dohre (40) had raped the girl after luring her with the promise of eatables in a village under Ayana police station limits of Auraiyya.

The accused was under the influence of liquor and smothered the girl to death to conceal his identity as she would have easily identified him after the crime.

Earlier, the police had filed the charge sheet against the accused within eight days after his arrest.

The court had convicted him on June 23 and pronounced the punishment in the case on Wednesday.
Chandigarh, June 29 : Eid was celebrated on Thursday with enthusiasm and traditional fervour in many parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

A huge congregation for the Eid prayers were seen at international headquarters of Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Qadian town in Punjabas Gurdaspur district.

Besides, people from all walks of life participated in the prayers and greeted their Muslim brothers on the occasion.

In Haryana, the Muslim population is largely concentrated in Mewat, Palwal, Mahendragarh and Gurugram districts.

In Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, hundreds offered prayers at the main mosque, Jama Masjid, in Sector 20.

Sweets were distributed among the people to mark the occasion.
Shimla, June 29 : Muslims across Himachal Pradesh celebrated Eid on Thursday, braving rain at some places to take part in the morning prayers.

Large crowds were witnessed in the Muslim-dominated areas of Shimla, Chamba and Nahan towns.

The population of the Muslims in the hill state is less than two per cent of the total population of over 68 lakh.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu felicitated the people, particularly the Muslims on the auspicious occasion.

Extending greetings, the Chief Minister hoped this festival would further strengthen the bonds of peace, unity and brotherhood in the country.

He said the festival may spread the message of goodwill and go a long way in strengthening the unity and integrity of the country.
Lucknow, June 29 : In a first, Uttar Pradesh will launch 'one tap, one tree' campaign from July 1. As part of this, free saplings would be distributed with each new tap connection in rural areas of the state.

Over 5-lakh saplings would be distributed within a week of the launch of the campaign that is aimed at expanding green cover while ensuring potable tap water in rural areas.

Anurag Srivastava, principal secretary, Namami Gange and the Rural Water Supply Department directed officials to conduct a plantation drive on a massive scale between July 1 and 7.

The campaign is being launched jointly by the Namami Gange Programme and Rural Water Supply Department.

"Under the Har-Ghar-Jal scheme, each beneficiary will be provided a sapling along with tap connection in the state," said the government spokesman.

"Saplings will be planted outside the homes of those who have got tap water connections. They would also be planted near overhead tanks, at pump houses as well as at water treatment plants. UP has the distinction of providing maximum tap water connections under Har Ghar Jal scheme among all states in the country. Every day, 40,000 to 42,000 new connections are being provided to families in rural areas of UP," he stated.

Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh said, "While making efforts to improve the present situation, the Yogi Adityanath government is also concerned about the future. The campaign bears testimony to this. The initiative will ensure that our future generations have access to clean drinking water and can breathe in a cleaner environment."

The Jal Samitis and other organisations have been entrusted with the task of carrying out plantation drives at district, block and gram panchayat levels. These organisations will also conduct environment-based programmes and spread awareness among villagers about saving the environment and water, according to the release.

"They will educate people about diseases caused due to water contamination and ways to prevent it. They would also discuss ways to raise awareness about techniques to conserve rainwater. Plantations will be carried out in villages, near water overhead tanks in blocks, panchayat campuses and water treatment plants," the spokesman said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The First Deputy Minister of Defense  Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev and other officials of the Defense Ministry visited the command of the Land Forces and the military units stationed in the Karabakh economic region on the occasion of June 26 - Armed Forces Day and Eid al-Adha holiday, the ministry told Trend.

First, Valiyev held a meeting with the command staff at the Land Forces Combat Operation.

The chief of the general staff informed about the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and gave instructions on maintaining the combat capability of the units at a high level and effective use of weapons and equipment for accurate and timely accomplishment of tasks.

The first deputy minister congratulated the military personnel on the occasion of the holidays and wished them success in their service activities.

Then Valiyev visited the military units stationed in the Kalbajar, Lachin and Aghdam districts and several combat positions, met with the military personnel, inquired about the service-combat activity and conveyed the congratulations of the minister of defense on the occasion of the holidays.

He set before the commanders relevant tasks regarding the better organization and conduct of combat duty, increasing the vigilance of servicemen, as well as resolute suppression of any provocation.
Paris, June 29 : At least 77 people were arrested in France amid violent protests that erupted across the country over the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old driver by the police at a traffic stop, authorities said.

According to local French media, unrest continued for a second night on Wednesday to protest the killing of Nahel M, who was was shot at point-blank range on Tuesday as he refused a traffic stop and drove away, the BBC reported.

Videos circulating on social media showed protesters setting cars ablaze and ransacking shops

In Nanterre, the suburb from where Nahel came from, the police were forced to partially withdraw, French newspaper Le Monde reported.In Paris, the demonstrators targeted police stations with fireworks.

In the northern city of Lille, clashes broke out between the protesters and police.

Also on Wednesday, about 300 people gathered in the town of Renne to pay tribute to the teenager were dispersed by police, reports the BBC.

President Emmanuel Macron's reaction to the shooting, which he termed "unforgivable", drew criticisms from police unions, who accused him of rushing to judge the officers involved.

The Alliance Police union called for them to be presumed innocent until found guilty, while the rival Unite SGP Police also spoke of political interventions that encouraged "anti-cop hatred".

In a statement, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he would be taking legal action against another group, France Police, after it published what he called an "unacceptable and abject" tweet seeking to justify the teenager's killing.The officer accused of killing Nahel, who said he had fired because he felt his life was in danger, is in custody on charges of voluntary manslaughter, reports the BBC.

Nahel is the second person this year in France to have been killed in a police shooting during a traffic stop.

Last year, a record 13 people died in this way.
New York, June 29 : World Bank President Ajay Banga has been named to this year's "Great Immigrants" list by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which honours contributions by immigrants to American life.

Indian-American Banga, who became the 14th president of the top bank this year, was among 35 honorees from diverse backgrounds and fields whose contributions and actions enriched and strengthened American society and democracy.

From India, he is the only honouree in the prestigious Carnegie list, which has named more than 700 "Great Immigrants" since 2006.

With over 30 years of experience in key positions, Banga is expected to usher in transformative policies at the World Bank to combat poverty and address climate change, opening opportunities for people around the globe, a Carnegie statement said on Wednesday.

"We need to find ways to embrace the value and talent immigrants have to offer -- not the least of which is their diversity. Their diverse perspectives and experiences make us stronger," Banga was quoted as saying in the statement.

Earlier this month,Banga became the new president of the World Bank, the first-ever Indian American to lead the institution.

He started his career in India, spending 13 years at Nestle India and two at PepsiCo, and in 1996, he joined Citigroup, eventually leading the Asia-Pacific region as CEO.

Later moving to the US, he served as President and CEO of Mastercard for 12 years before being named executive chairman.

Among numerous honors, he was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal, Padma Shri and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

The Class of 2023 Great Immigrants has individuals from 33 countries, who, according to the Corporation, "have fostered opportunities for others through their work as educators, mentors, philanthropists, job creators, public servants, storytellers, and advocates".

"The 35 naturalized citizens honored today embody that tradition, reminding us that the contributions of immigrants make our country more vibrant and our democracy more resilient," said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a naturalized citizen who first came to the US from Ireland as a graduate student.

Other honorees in the list are esteemed leaders in their fields, including two Nobel Prize laureates, an Olympian, a member of Congress, a university president, a public theologian and immigration advocate.

It also includes celebrities such Elle magazine editor-in-chief and TV personality Nina Garcia, bestselling novelist Min Jin Lee, seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette, Hollywood star Pedro Pascal, and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan.

--IANS

mi/ksk
Moscow, June 29 : General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russian military operations in Ukraine, has been arrested over his alleged involvement to the short-lived rebellion staged by the Wagner mercenary group last weekend, a local media report said.

Although there was no official confirmation of his arrest, The Moscow Times reported citingsources close to the Defence Ministry, saying that the "the situation with him (Surovikin) was not 'OK'".

The General, who is also Commander of the Aerospace Forces, has not been seen in public since June 24, the day when Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an armed rebellion against the country's military leadership.

One of the sources told The Moscow Times thatthe arrest was carried out "in the context of Prigozhin".

"Apparently, he (Surovikin) chose Prigozhin's side during the uprising."

When asked about the General's whereabouts, the source replied: "We are not even commenting on this information through our internal channels."

Earlier on Wednesday, pro-war military blogger Vladimir Romanov had said that Surovikin was detained on June 25, a day after the mutiny, and claimed that the General was being held in Moscow's Lefortovo detention centre.

In a Telegram post, Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of the shuttered Ekho Moskvy radio station, said that Surovikin had not been in contact with his family for three days and his guards were also not responsive, The Moscow Times reported.

On June 24, mercenary troops led by Prigozhin took over the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, marched on Moscow and shot down Russian military helicopters and a plane on their way, the BBC reported.

Their mutiny was later aborted after a deal was struck with the help of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Russian authorities have said that the Wagner will be disarmed but its members will escape prosecution over its short-lived rebellion.
Dakshina Kannada, : June 29 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced that it will seize properties that belong to the two key accused in the Praveen Nettaru murder case in Karnataka if they failed to surrender before it by Friday.

The NIA has also offered cash rewards for information about the whereabouts of the absconding accused persons -- Umar Farooq and Mustafa Paichar, both residents of Kallu Mutlu in Dakshina Kannada district.

Although the NIA has launched an all out operation in Karnataka and Kerala to nab them, the two have remained elusive since the brutal murder of the BJP Yuva Morcha activist on July 26, 2022.

NIA authorities have also posted notices on the houses of the accused persons with regard to the seizure of their properties.

The probe agency had submitted evidences to an NIA court in Bengaluru and have sought consent for stringent action against the two accused persons.

On Wednesday, the court granted consent and released the order of confiscation of the properties of the two prime accused if did not surrender by Friday.

The order was given on Wednesday.

Since it took over the case from the Karnataka Police, the NIA has submitted a 1,500-page charge sheet against 20 accused to the court and have arrested 14 persons and launched a hunt for six others who are absconding.

The charge sheet includes statements of 240 witnesses.

Meanwhile, the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had announced a ticket for Shafi Bellare, an accused in the murder case, to contest in recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka.

The development had raised a debate in the state.

He had contested from jail, but lost.

Praveen was hacked to death at the height of the hijab crisis in the state on July 26, 2022 in Bellare.

His murder led to revenge killings and a series of stabbing incidents.
Srinagar, June 29 : Eid prayers passed off peacefully throughout Kashmir on Thursday as authorities and Waqf board management made adequate arrangements for the devotees at various Eidgahs and mosques.

Former chief ministers, Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah offered Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine in the outskirts of Srinagar city.

A large number of devotees offered Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine and greeted each other after the prayers.

Similar Eid gatherings took place at various mosques in Srinagar city and other districts.

Authorities did not, however, allow Eid prayers at the Jamia Masjid in old city Nowhatta area and the main Eidgah in Srinagar city. Officials said that the Eid prayers were not allowed at these two places to maintain law and order and to prevent anti-social elements from disrupting Eid festivities.

Large gatherings of devotees were witnessed in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

Religious leaders and preachers led Eid prayers at various places in the Valley. All the Imams and preachers highlighted the universal message of peace and coexistence given by the holy Prophet.

No report of any untoward incident was received from anywhere today as the devotees left the mosques and Eidgahs peacefully after offering the prayers.

Children accompanied their fathers to various mosques and sat alongside to be part of the devotees' crowd. Wearing new clothes on Eid is a historic Muslim tradition as different people wearing clothes of various colours imparted the look of a pageant at these places.

--IANS

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Raipur, June 29 : A portion of an under-construction bridge has collapsed due to heavy rains in Chhattisgarh's Durg district.

According to officials, as the portion of the bridge was under-construction, it could not take the pressure of the increased water flow of the river and hence gave way.

The bridge was being built at Triveni Sangam ghat -- the confluence of three rivers - Shivnath, Aamner and Sagni - in Durg to connect the Silli and Nankatti villages.

Construction on the bridge, which is estimated to cost Rs 16.4 crore, had begun on November 11, 2020, and it was supposed to have been completed on April 11, 2022, as the various reports suggested.

D. K. Maheshwari, executive engineer of the bridges department, told the media that the contractor was asked to dismantle the structure ahead of the monsoon season, but he failed to do so.

"Contractor did not dismantle the structure despite clear instruction. Only the staging and shuttering have been washed away. No concrete had been poured," Maheshwari added.

However, he further added that the collapse of the portion of the bridge has resulted the loss of nearly Rs 12 lakh, which will be borne by the contractor and a show-cause notice will also be issued.

Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has slammed the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh accusing the latter of indulging into corruption. State BJP president Arun Aao said, "This bridge being built at Sagni Ghat in Durg district, home of the Chief Minister, could not be completed even after crossing its construction period and got washed away."
Saharanpur : , June 29 (IANS) The Saharanpur police have seized the white Swift D'zire car that was used by assailants to fire at Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar, sources said on Thursday.

The incident happened on Wednesday evening. The car bears a registration number of Haryana and the name of the owner is Vikas Kumar.

The police refused to divulge further details saying that investigations were in progress.

Meanwhile, four persons have been detained and are being questioned about the incident.

Chandra Shekhar remains in hospital and his condition is said to be improving.

He is likely to be discharged on Friday. In a video message, he has asked his supports to maintain peace and said that he will fight the battle legally and constitutionally.
Jaipur, June 29 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to punish the murderers of Kanhaiyalal at the earliest.

Kanhaiyalal, a tailor, was beheaded in Udaipur a year ago on June 28 when he was at his shop.

The Rajasthan CM said on Wednesday that it is an open and shut case which has clear evidence available. "In such a case, no punishment to the accused even after a year is quite sad', he said.

While Gehlot made the appeal to Shah for announcing quick punishment for the accused, he also said that Rajasthan government has announced strictest punishment like hanging till death to rape and murder accused within a month by making trials go fast in the cases.

The Rajasthan Police arrested the dreadful criminals, who slit the throat of Kanhaiyalal within four hours after the murder and law and order situation was normalised within hours in the state.

"On the same night, the NIA took over the case, maybe they received input of an international conspiracy in the case," he said, adding that state agencies cooperated fully with the central agency.

"Earliest punishment should be announced for the accused," he repeated.

It needs to be mentioned here that Shah will be visiting Jaipur and Udaipur on Friday.
New Delhi, June 29 : Delhi Police have arrested two youths and a juvenile has been apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl in northwest Delhi's Shahbad Dairy area, an official said on Thursday.

The accused were identified as Bobby (19) and Rahul alias Chotu (20) both residents of Shahbad Dairy.

Sharing the details, a senior police official said that on June 27 a call of sexual assault of a minor girl was received at Shahbad Dairy police station.

"Police immediately responded to the call and arrested one of the accused, Bobby from the nearby area of Shahbad Dairy. Of the four accused, three have been apprehended.

"A manhunt has been initiated to nab the remaining accused, who is on the run," the official said.

A case under sections 376D, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and 6 POCSO Act was registered at Shahbad Dairy police station. Apart from these three, two juveniles have also been apprehended in 21 POCSO Act, the official added.

--IANS

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Seoul, June 29 : North Korea has completed the renovation of a tower symbolising its friendship with China as the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War approaches, Pyongyang's state media said on Thursday.

A ceremony marking the completion of the project, which was carried out upon North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's order, took place in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The event came as the North has been seeking to boost ties with China, its traditional ally and economic benefactor, amid global sanctions on its nuclear and missile programs, and stalled denuclearisation talks with the US, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Participants, including Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun, highlighted their history of friendship and vowed to bolster this relationship going forward.

The Korean War armistice was signed July 27, 1953, a little over three years after tank-led North Korean troops invaded South Korea.

The US and 20 other allied countries fought on the side of South Korea under the UN flag.

Calling the conflict the Great Fatherland Liberation War, North Korea has designated the anniversary as Victory Day.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Azerbaijan Press Council has issued a statement in connection with attack on personnel of Azerbaijan TV and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (owner of AzTV channel) in France, Trend reports.

According to the statement, the attack is the result of an intolerance towards freedom of speech and expression.

"This is not the first time in France that there have been cases of restrictions on the activities of journalists performing their professional duties, violence against them. AzTV employees also faced a similar situation while on duty in France," the council said. "The reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away. The attempts to return the camera were futile. Moreover, the media representatives were threatened with a weapon."

In the statement, the council strongly condemned the incident and called on the French authorities to give a legal assessment of the fact of clear interference in the work of Azerbaijani journalists in the performance of their professional duties, to take the necessary steps to quickly identify and bring to justice the perpetrators.

The council also called on the leading organizations in Europe and the world, specializing in the protection of freedom of speech and expression, media rights, and to keep this issue in the spotlight, showing solidarity.

"Mistreatment of AzTV employees is a suppression of freedom of speech and expression, which is considered an important component of fundamental human rights and freedoms, and also constitutes a restriction of the right to receive information," the council emphasized.

The incident perpetrators must be held accountable so that such negative events don't become a trend and don't happen again in the future, the council said.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
Ankara, June 29 : Turkey had condemned the burning of the Muslim holy book Quran in Sweden, calling it a "heinous act".

In a series of tweets, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said: "I condemn the vile action in Sweden against our holy book, Quran, on the first day of the Eid al-Adha.

"It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Islamic actions under the pretext of freedom of expression. To turn a blind eye to such heinous acts is to be complicit in them."

A person identified as Salwan Momika of Iraqi origin, burned the Quran under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque on Wednesday, according to media reports.

Momika, who came in front of the Stockholm Mosque in the Medbargareplatsen square, threw the Quran on the ground in front of the mosque, stepped on it, uttered insulting words against Islam and set it on fire despite the reaction of the people around, the reports said.

The incident has come at a time when Sweden is still seeking Turkey's backing to join the NATO.

The bid has still been blocked by the Turkish government, which accuses Sweden of supporting anti-Ankara groups.

The Nordic state has pledged to support Turkey's fight against terrorism and agreed to address Ankara's pending deportation or extradition requests for "terror" suspects.

But the Turkish parliament has not ratified the membership yet.

Also condemning the incident, the Turkish governmentas Director of Communicaitons Fahrettin Altun added in a tweet: aWe are sick and tired of enabling of Islamophobia and continued instances of hatred for our religion on the part of European authorities especially in Sweden.

aThose who seek to become our allies in NATO, cannot tolerate or enable destructive behaviors of Islamophobic and xenophobic terrorists."

Earlier this year, Turkish-Swedish relations suffered a major blow following a rally outside Stockholmas Turkish Embassy during which an anti-immigration politician set a copy of the Quran ablaze.

The incident sparked anger in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where protesters took to the streets and burned the Swedish flag outside the Swedish embassy in response.
Chennai, June 29 : Police officer-turned-politician and state president of Tamil Nadu BJP, K. Annamalai has warned the DMK government not to interfere in temple affairs or face consequences for the same.

The BJP leader was speaking on the recent action of the state government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department interfering in the affairs of Thillai Natarajar temple, Chidambaram.

In a statement on Thursday, the BJP leader said, "The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department has been continuously working to destroy the worship practices of Chidambaram Thillai Nataraja temple, which is more than thousand years old.

"The Supreme Court has made it clear that the Tamil Nadu government has no authority over the temples managed by the Denominated Community (Deekshithar). From the day the DMK came to power in 2021, Chidambaram temple has been continuously put into administrative hiatus and all efforts are being made to take over the temple by the HR&CE department."

He further said that the incompetent DMK government's action was not only against the Hindu religion but also against the Constitution of India and the rulings of the Supreme Court as well as that of the Madras High Court.

The firebrand BJP leader, who has taken on the DMK in Tamil Nadu, said that without belief in any Hindu sacred tenet of Hinduism and being home to a crowd that defames Hindu goddesses, the DMK, which is an atheist political party, was taking steps to destroy Hindu temples and its beliefs.

He also said that if the government further interferes in the affairs of Thillai Nataraja temple, then it would have to face severe consequences.

--IANS

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Islamabad, June 29 : Pakistan has conveyed its strong reservations to the US for its deepening defence cooperation with India, viewing the development as a direct threat to the country's security interests.

Official sources said that the US was informed through diplomatic channels that the transfer of advanced military hardware to India without taking into account Pakistanas legitimate concerns would undermine the strategic stability and conventional balance in the South Asian region, The Express Tribune reported.

Pakistan told the US that India would feel emboldened with the acquisitions of the technologies, thus putting the countryas national security interests in jeopardy, according to the sources familiar with the development.

Islamabad made it clear to Washington that such a cooperation between India and the US that harms its interests will leave Pakistan with no other option but to go for counter measures, The Express Tribune reported.

General Electric and India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will make in India advanced fighter jet engines for the country's indigenous light combat aircraft.

The US also agreed to set up a facility in India to produce battle-tested armed drones. For decades, Russia remained the major supplier of arms to India with 65 percent share only a few years ago.

This indicates that the US is not only willing to sell arms to India but is not averse to the idea of transferring technology, something that has already raised alarm bells in Pakistan.

The US arms sale and transfer of technologies to India may be aimed at China but the development will certainly upset the military balance in South Asia, The Express Tribune reported.
New Delhi, June 29 : The BJP on Thursday dubbed "deeply problematic" the appointment of T.S. Singh Deo as Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh before the crucial Assembly polls saying it usurps Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel constitutional mandate.

After using Baghel, an OBC leader, will Deo now be projected as the chief ministerial face in the tribal state? it asked.

Taking to Twitter, BJP IT department in-charge Amit Malviya said, "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge appointing T.S. Singh Deo as Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh is deeply problematic, as it usurps CM Bhupesh Baghelas constitutional mandate."

Before Karnataka victory, Baghel used to fund the Congress, but soon after winning, once an alternate source of funding was available, he was cut to size. "It is a case of Gandhis using a regional satrap, an OBC leader, till it was convenient, and then dumping him. Will Deo now be projected as the CM face since Baghel faces massive corruption charges and has become a liability?" the BJP leader tweeted.

His remarks came a day after Kharge announced to appoint Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, thus bringing an end to the on-going tussle between the two leaders in the state.

The decision was taken after Baghel, Deo and other senior leaders met Kharge and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at 10 Rajaji Marg on Wednesday evening.
Lucknow, June 29 : The first two kidney transplant operations-- one in Meerut and the other in Lucknow- were conducted with financial support from Ayushman Bharat scheme.

These are the first two such operations in the state conducted in private hospitals.

One of the hospitals raised a bill of Rs 3.50 lakh and the other Rs 3.19 lakh, and payment for the same was made, said the spokesman of the State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services.

Sangeeta Singh, CEO, State Agency For Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services that monitors the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the state, said, "Ayushman Bharat scheme has saved many lives and in the coming days more such operations will be conducted."

In Uttar Pradesh, 2.9 crore Ayushman Bharat cards have been made and 22.8 lakh people have benefited.
New Delhi, June 29 : A man was detained at the Delhi airport for carrying six bullets in his luggage, a police official said on Thursday.

The incident took place on Tuesday when the 43-year-old man, identified as Ghaziabad resident Amrish Bishnoi, was scheduled to travel to Dubai on an Emirates flight.

According to the police, during screening of his luggage after check-in, six live cartridges were found.

"He was not in possession of valid documents for carrying the live ammunition in the aircraft, but he had an all-India pistol license from the Uttar Pradesh government. A case under section 25 Arms act has been registered at the IGI Police Station," said the official.
New Delhi, June 29 : Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's two-day visit to Manipur, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya on Thursday said the senior Congress leader was not a "messiah of peace, just a political opportunist".

In a lengthy Twitter post, Malviya said: "Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govtas decision to pass three Bills -- the Protection of Manipur Peopleas Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as aanti-Tribala, and a aconspiracya by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land.

"Nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years. Why didnat Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then?

"He is no messiah of peace just a political opportunist, who wants to keep the pot boiling. His visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for people but his own selfish political agenda. There is a reason no one trusts either him or the Congress."

Malviya's remarks come as Rahul Gandhi began a two-day trip to the violence-hit state where he will meet families living in relief camps and also hold talks with civil society organisations, tribal and non-tribal leaders.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh also took to Twitter and said: "Even as the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) continues to be totally silent and frozen into inaction."

The Congress has questioned the silence of the Prime Minister over the violence in Manipur which began on May 3.

The Congress has also been demanding the removal of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for failing miserably to control the situation in the northeastern state.

At least 120 people have died and thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps.

--IANS

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London, June 29 : England vice-captain Ollie Pope is unlikely to resume fielding on Thursday after injuring his shoulder while saving a boundary during the opening day of the second Ashes Test at the Lord's.

On Wednesday, Pope had dived to stop a boundary off Marnus Labuschagne's outside edge but he fell awkwardly on his right side. He then stood up clutching his shoulder and walked back to the dressing room after spending some time on the ground, clearly in pain with his right shoulder.

England has since issued an update on Pope, who was assessed by their medical team to determine the extent of his injury.

"Ollie Pope is off the field after hurting his right shoulder and is currently being assessed by the England medical team," it said in a statement on Twitter.

According to Daily Mail, England vice-captain Ollie Pope is unlikely to return to fielding on Thursday regardless of the extent of the damage to his right shoulder.

Pope has a history of shoulder issues but the previous two instances have been dislocations of his left shoulder in both 2019 and 2020. However, he has experienced discomfort in his right shoulder this time.

Australia enjoyed a strong start to the second Ashes Test as they ended day one on 339/5 against hosts England at Lordas on Wednesday.

David Warner (66), Travis Head (77) and Steve Smith (85*) all scored half-centuries on the opening day.
New Delhi, June 29 : Shareholder meetings in the financial year 2022-23 saw a surge in advocacy by institutional shareholders who made their voices heard by voting against several resolutions proposed by managements.

The number of resolutions where more than 20 per cent of institutional shareholders expressed their dissentincreased by a huge 44 per cent to 1833 in 2022-23 in companies listed on NSE from 1256 in 2021-22 (and 636 in 2020-21), according toPrimeinfobase, an initiative of Prime Database Group.

According to Pranav Haldea, Managing Director, Prime Database Group, like in previous years, most of such resolutions related to board changes and remuneration, specifically ESOPs.

According to Haldea, this reflects an increase in advocacy on the part of institutional investors, which is on account of the facility of e-voting being made mandatory a few years back as also the stewardship codes brought about by regulators. It is also attributable to a greater role being played by proxy firms as also a steady increase in institutional holding as a whole.

Resolutions where more than 20 per cent of Institutional Shareholders cast a negative vote,for companies belonging to Nifty 50also increased by 35 per centto 73 in number as compared to 54 last year.

There were102 resolutions which were completely voted againstby shareholdersat AGMs/EGMs/Postal Ballots and Court/NCLT Convened Meetings held in 2022-23,an increase of 42 per cent from 72 resolutions in the previous yearand 48 resolutions in 2020-21.

Of these 102 resolutions, 21 were re-proposed to be passed, out of which 18 resolutions eventually passed while three of them failed again.

As many as 1,005 resolutions pertaining to related party transactions (RPTs) were proposed in 2022-23, more than double of the 474 such resolutions in 2021-22.While 102 or 10.15 per cent of these resolutions were voted against by more than 20 per cent of institutional investors, just 16 or 1.59 per cent of such resolutions were defeated.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached atSanjeev.s@ians.in)
Mumbai, June 26 : Ravi Behl, who made his comeback as an actor after more than 20 years with the show 'The Night Manager', said it felt as if he was back "home".

Ravi Behl made his acting debut with the film 'Morchha' in 1980 and 'Ghulam-E-Mustafa' which was released in 1997 was his last film as an actor. Post that he was seen in the show 'Boogie Woogie'.

As he made his comeback as an actor with the first season of 'The Night Manager', he spoke about it during the press conference held for the second season of the show.Talking about his career graph, he said: "I don't believe my career went up and down. I feel everyone goes through this. I did 'Narsimha', 'Agnisakshi' and 'Ghulam-E-Mustafa'. Post that , I did 'Boogie Woogie' for 15 years. When 'Boogie Woogie' ended, I thought now I don't want to do anything. I took a long break. Then during the lockdown I felt I should do something now. It was then I decided to go back to my first love, acting. I had changed my look then and Sandeep, our director, liked me for this role."

He further mentioned: "Obviously I was coming back as an actor after more than 20 years so I was a bit nervous. But then my family members told me you can never forget acting. So don't worry. One of my friends gave me the confidence to get back to the sets. When I went on the sets of the show for the first day in Sri Lanka, I was a bit nervous. But then Anil Kapoor made me so comfortable. Just after an hour I felt I was back home. It was a pleasure working on the show and I want to continue doing this now."

Ravi plays the role of Jaiveer who is Shellys' (Anil Kapoor) associate in the show 'The Night Manager' . The second season of the show is dropping on Disney+Hotstar on June 30.

--IANSnewsline/aa/kvd
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Ambassador of Azerbaijan to France Leyla Abdullayeva has condemned the attack on the Azerbaijani Television (AzTV) crew in Paris, Trend reports.

"We will take appropriate measures to identify and punish those who committed these actions against journalistic activities," the ambassador wrote on her Twitter page.

The employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (owning AzTV channel) were attacked during filming of protest rallies in France. As a result, the reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away and broken. When the AzTV employees demanded the return of the camera, they were threatened with a weapon.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
New Delhi, June 29 : India and Philippines on Thursday co-chaired the 5th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) here.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including political, defence, security, maritime cooperation, trade & investment, health, tourism, agriculture, financial technology, and also discussed regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

The Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while the Philippines was represented by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo.

Manalo is visiting the at the invitation of Jaishankar to co-chair 5th India-Philippines JCBC.

"I really look forward to sitting down with you today and discussing how to take our cooperation forward. I would also like to express my appreciation for your participation in the Global South Summit," Jaishankar told the Philippines delegation prior to the meeting.

"And I truly believe today that we are two countries who share so much, who look at global developments and continental developments with so much convergence and who have so many economic complementarities."

On his part, Manalo expressed appreciation for the invitation to discuss the JCBC.

"India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, space cooperation. We have large diasporas in our respective countries. Especially in the last five years, more and more of your countrymen have been coming to the Philippines to visit and study and to further facilitate the flow of people through increased commercial flights.

"I am very pleased to announce that the Philippines has ratified the updated Air Services Agreement with India," he added.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Manalo's visit will provide an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral relations between India and Philippines and to explore ways to further deepen and strengthen them.

--IANS

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New Delhi, June 29 : Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday yet again slammed the Centre for denying rice to the Karnataka government to implement the Anna Bhagya 2.0 scheme, and said there has never been a more petty and partisan government in Delhi than the Narendra Modi government.

He also said that the Karnataka government has decided to transfer upto Rs 750 per month to households, until enough stock of rice is procured to implement 10kg free rice for all BPL families.

The ruling Congress in Karnataka was more than willing to buy rice at Rs 34 per kg from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to implement its Anna Bhagya 2.0 Guarantee. But the Modi government brazenly stopped FCI from selling rice even as it has allowed FCI to supply rice at Rs 20 per kg for ethanol production, he said.

Now, in keeping with the guarantee made to the people of Karnataka, the state govt will transfer upto Rs 750 per month to households, until enough stock of rice is procured to implement 10 kg free rice for all BPL families," the Congress leader added.

"We have said it before and we will say it again, thereas never been a more petty and partisan government in Delhi than the Modi governmentt. But that wonat stop us from fulfilling our promise to the people of Karnataka," Ramesh, who is also the communication incharge of the party said.

The Congress and the BJP government at the Centre have engaged in war of words over FCI's decision to not provide rice.
Bhopal, June 29 : Amid ongoing poster war between the BJP and Congress in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, digital payments company PhonePe has objected to the use of its logo in the posters warning of legal action.

In a statement, PhonePe has objected to the unauthorised usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political.

"We are not associated with any political campaign or party," it said.

"PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorised use of PhonePe's intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour."

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said the government will take action on the matter, if Phonepe lodges the complaint. The minister claimed that objectionable posters of CM Chouhan were put up by Congress workers.

"Congress is playing dirty politics to hide its internal conflict. Congress workers were seen putting up posters in Chhindwara, Gwalior, Narsinghpur, Bhopal and other places. CCTV footage revealed that Congress workers have put up these objectionable posters," Narottam Mishra said while talking to the media persons on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday filed a case against unidentified persons in connection with objectionable posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan which have emerged in Gwalior.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Singh Chandel stated that a case has been registered under the relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections at the Padao police station following a complaint regarding the objectionable posters of the chief minister.

The accused in the FIR have not been identified and further investigation was underway, he added.

The posters featuring a QR code and a picture of Chouhan with the message: "50% Lao, Kam Karao" (bring 50 per cent and get the work done) along with the name of a leading online payment app, PhonePe, have come up in several cities of Madhya Pradesh, including Gwalior, in the last few days.

Poster war between Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress chief Kamal Nath has escalated ahead of the Assembly polls.

Objectionable posters of Chouhan and Kamal Nath were put up with QR codes in Bhopal last week, and have sprouted across the state. At first, the objectionable posters of Kamal Nath were put up at market premises in Bhopal, in which he was accused of ''corruption" during his 15-month Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. Next morning, similar posters of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan were put up in various places.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 29 : Christians in Kerala are upset as repeated requests to successive governments to reverse the 1996 order cancelling the public holiday on St Thomas Day have gone unheeded.

Observed on July 3 every year across the world, the day celebrates the life and deeds of St Thomas.

He was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ and in the 1st Century A.D, he travelled to India where he preached Christianity and reached Kerala. The Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS) which has two top Christian Bishops as the chief patron on Thursday expressed their displeasure, as on July 3 this year, a few University exams have been scheduled.

General Secretary of ACTS, George Sebastian said from 1956 till 1996 St Thomas Day was a public holiday. " However in 1996, when A.K.Antony was the Chief Minister, his government withdrew the holiday and we have on numerous occasions requested successive governments to reinstate the holiday, but nothing has happened," said Sebastian.

Incidentally in Kerala, early this week for Eid, the state government declared Wednesday and Thursday as holidays for all educational institutions and more importantly what ACTS points out is that, the examinations which was listed to be held on Wednesday has been now listed for July 3, when Christian's observe St Thomas Day.
Athens, June 29 : Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has outlined the priorities of the new government at the first cabinet meeting after his New Democracy party (ND) won the second general election in five weeks with an outright majority in Parliament.

"Our four general directions (are) better wages, a better public health system, a better state, a better life in a strong Greece," Xinhua news agency quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

"Without a fast-growing economy, there is no prosperous society, and growth is also the solution to combat the greatest social injustice, which is none other than unemployment," he added.

During the next four years the government is aiming for at least 120 reforms, the Prime Minister said.

During his victory speech on Sunday evening, Mitsotakis promised more reforms at a faster pace during his second term in office.

The new cabinet was sworn in on Tuesday.

The new parliament will convenes on July 3 and the vote of confidence in the government is scheduled for July 7.

In the election held on Sunday, ND garnered 40.55 per cent of the ballots, securing 158 seats in the next 300-member Parliament to form a single-party government.

In the 2019 general elections, the party won 39.8 per cent of the votes with 158 seats in Parliament.
Lucknow, June 29 : The Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), are set to open 6,609 new fuel stations in Uttar Pradesh.

The companies are undertaking the expansion of their retail outlet network to cater to the rising demand. The expansion will cater to emerging markets such as urban areas, upcoming highways, agricultural pockets, rural, remote, and far-flung areas in the state.

According to official sources, IOCL will open 3,275 fuel stations, while BPCL 1,834 and HPCL 1500.

Currently, there are a total 10,170 fuel stations in the 75 districts of the state.

"The expansion of the retail outlet network will not only address the growing energy needs but will also create employment opportunities. Oil manufacturing companies (OMCs) want to encourage entrepreneurs to seize this chance to be associated with the retail outlet dealership sector. Due to economic development in the country, land has become scarce and costly along the highways and other roads, therefore it is an opportunity for those people who have land along the highways and other roads to either lease their land for fuel stations or own and operate one," said an official.

The last opportunity for setting up a fuel station was offered by the OMCs in 2018. Now, the OMCs have invited applications from prospective candidates for setting up fuel stations.

In Lucknow, which has 259 fuel stations, the plan is to open another 232 fuel stations.

To simplify the dealer selection process and align with the government's emphasis on ease of doing business, the OMCs have introduced user-friendly online applications and simplified application forms.

While availability of suitable land at the advertised location/stretch is crucial, applicants for SC/ST locations can still apply without land initially, but they are expected to offer land when called for.

The selection process will involve a computerised draw of lots or bid opening conducted by an independent agency to enhance transparency.
Jalandhar, June 29 : Expressing concern over the far-reaching effects of the Uniform Civil Code, the Mahila Kisan Union, a member of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, on Thursday condemned the hasty move of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement this legislation.

The union has demanded to reconsider this decision so that it should not cause any harm to the diverse religious and cultural fabric of India.

In a statement, Mahila Kisan Union president Rajwinder Kaur Raju said the saffron party "aims to establish a uniform law to control personal laws and matters, including marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption of all communities and religions".

She said the principle of equality enshrined in the Constitution is laudable but regrettably, the "right-wing party's approach to implementing this code on all communities lacks sensitivity and understanding of India's rich cultural and religious diversity".

The farmer leader said the BJP was hell bent on polarising the country vertically with such sensitive issues to win the next year's general elections.

Raju said the implementation of uniform code without proper consultation with the stakeholders and the hasty step taken would violate the fundamental rights, undermine customs and traditions of various communities, tribals and especially religious and cultural minorities.

Furthermore, the MKU has also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for unconditionally supporting the BJP for implementing this code, saying that these political leaders, being the "charioteers of the BJP's agenda have betrayed the communities and sections whom they falsely claim to represent".

She added AAP's support to the saffron party was a disregard for the concerns and aspirations of the minority communities and shows a lack of understanding and empathy towards India's diverse cultural, traditional and religious heritage.
New Delhi, June 29 : After failing to execute its project management of technology migration, the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX) has extended its software service support arrangement with 63 moons technologies for six months one more time.

MCX has decided to extend the support services of its existing software provider 63 moons technologies for six months from July 1 to December 31, 2023, at a consideration of Rs 250 crore.

In its filing to BSE on Thursday, 63 moons said, "We wish to inform you that we have once again agreed to the eleventh-hour request by MCX, which according to MCX is for the 'last time' for one more time. We sincerely wish that this 'last time' really happens someday, so that we deploy our excellent team of exchange technology engineering group in a mega promising opportunity in a new digital world."

Notably, this is the third time that MCX approached 63 moons to extend the software support service arrangement after the long-term agreement with MCX ended on September 30, 2022.

MCX selected the new technology service provider TCS way back in February 2021. According to the agreement with TCS, MCX had to migrate to the new technology startingfrom April 1, 2022. However, MCX failed to get desired results from TCS within the specified timeline.

63 moons stated: "We have been offering MCX since August 2020 an option to purchase the software source code for self-use which is in line with the practices adopted by all best exchanges in India as well as across the globe. We also offered them long-term contracts of two years in 2022. However, for the reasons best known to them, they have not opted for it. These are mission-critical technology which is of the highest excellence in functionality and performance."

The 63 moons technology exchange engine has been at the heart of MCX since 2003, working uninterruptedly for 16 hours a day all throughout.

"As the founders and well-wishers of MCX, we wish them good luck with these new experiments and hope that they will reach the right destination one day," 63 moons added.

MCX said, "We understand the importance of providing a reliable and robust platform to our users, and we are committed to continuously improving our services. We will communicate to all our stakeholders about the roll-out plan to migrate to the new Commodity Derivatives platform."

63 moons technologies mainly provides next-generation technology ventures and solutions for creating digital markets and marketplaces that enable price discovery and transaction efficiencies across industry segments.
Lucknow, June 29 : Yogashala, a Yoga lab to provide holistic treatment along with medical care to patients suffering from various neurological, metabolic and psychosomatic disorders, has opened in the physiology department of Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) here.

The Yogashala is a medical complex with a large hall and three labs-- Autonomic Nervous System Function Lab, Pulmonary Function Test Lab and Neurophysiology lab.

The hall will be used for Yoga exercises and labs to measure and monitor biochemical and physiological levels of the patients. The impact of Yoga exercises and improvement in various physical parameters will also be studied in these labs, said officials.

"Patients diagnosed with neurological, metabolic and psychosomatic disorders will be asked to practise Yoga in the Yogashala along with the prescribed medicine as a holistic approach to the medical treatment. The lab will help in collecting scientific evidence of the positive effect of Yoga on the patients," said Manish Verma, assistant professor, physiology department.
Seoul, June 29 : The number of foreign visitors to South Korea soared almost five times last month from a year earlier, partly due to a sharp increase in travelers from Japan, data showed on Thursday.

In May, around 867,000 foreign nationals traveled here, up 399 per cent on-year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

By country, Japan was the No. 1 nation for the sixth consecutive month, followed by China and the US, reports Yonhap News Agency.

A total of 184,000 travelers visited South Korea from Japan, up 4,863 per cent from a year ago, 128,000 came from China, up 1,039 per cent, and 102,000 came from the .S, up 140 per cent.

The number of travelers from Hong Kong and Taiwan also increased 9,222 per cent and 8,380 per cent on-year to 29,000 and 67,000, respectively.

"Overseas trips have become more expensive for Japanese travelers due to a weak yen and a rise in airfare... Neighbouring South Korea emerged as an attractive travel spot compared with the originally preferred areas, including the US and Europe," a KTO official said.

Meanwhile, 1.68 million South Koreans traveled abroad last month, up 433 per cent on-year.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. We strongly condemn the attack on the journalists of the Azerbaijani Television (AzTV) crew in France, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said, Trend reports.

"We expect that this heinous attack against journalists will be investigated by French law enforcement agencies in a short period of time, criminals will be identified and punished," the ministry said in a statement on its Twitter page.

The employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (owning AzTV channel) were attacked during filming of protest rallies in France. As a result, the reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away and broken. When the AzTV employees demanded the return of the camera, they were threatened with a weapon.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
Patna, June 29 : With Union Home Minister Amit Shah doing a rally in the home turf of JD(U) chief Lalan Singh, former central minister and BJP MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey, said on Thursday that Munger is not a stronghold of anyone, it is the people of the area who have have the stronghold on that place." "He was elected from Munger as we were with him and his party. Now, we are separated from him and therefore he will not be elected again," Choubey said after reaching Lakhisarai.

Reacting to the demand for special status of Bihar, Choubey said, "There is no point in giving special packages to those who are involved in looting. They have failed to spend whatever funds were given to them by the Centre."

Amit Shah is coming to Bihar's Lakhisarai district to address a rally in Gandhi Maidan. Lakhisarai comes under the Lok Sabha constituency of Munger where Lalan Singh, the national president of JD(U) is the sitting MP.

The BJP wants to bring a strong candidate in Munger to challenge Lalan Singh in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll. On Muslim community's objections to Uniform Civil Code, Choubey said, "No one would object to UCC. It is not meant to appease any community but people will be satisfied with it, which is the goal of our prime minister."
Paris, June 29 : At least 150 people have been arrested in France amid violent nationwide protests that erupted over the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old driver by the police at a traffic stop, authorities said on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that "town halls, schools and police stations were set on fire or attacked" during a second straight night of "intolerable violence" on Wednesday, reports CNN.

On Tuesday, Nahel M was shot at point-blank range as he refused a traffic stop and drove away.

Videos circulating on social media showed protesters setting cars ablaze and ransacking shops on Wednesday night.

In Nanterre, the suburb from where Nahel came from, the police were forced to partially withdraw, the BBC quoted French newspaper Le Monde as saying.In Paris, the demonstrators targeted police stations with fireworks despite the presence of 2,000 additional security personnel.

On Tuesday night, 24 police officers were injured and 40 cars were set ablaze in the capital city.

Meanwhile, in the northern city of Lille, clashes broke out between the protesters and police.

Also on Wednesday, about 300 people gathered in the town of Renne to pay tribute to the teenager were dispersed by police, reports the BBC.

The officer who allegedly shot the teenager was taken into custody on Tuesday and will undergo questioning by prosecutors, Nanterre prosecutor's office told CNN.

On Thursday morning, President Emmanuel Macron chaired a meeting of the interministerial crisis unit over the incident and subsequent protests, according to the Interior Ministry.

"We have seen scenes of violences against the police stations but also schools, city halls, therefore against institutions and against the republic," Macron told reporters before the meeting.

"These actions are completely unjustifiable."

Macron's earlier reaction to the shooting, which he termed "unforgivable", drew criticisms from police unions, who accused him of rushing to judge the officers involved.

The Alliance Police union called for them to be presumed innocent until found guilty, while the rival Unite SGP Police also spoke of political interventions that encouraged "anti-cop hatred".

Darmanin said he would be taking legal action against another group, France Police, after it published what he called an "unacceptable and abject" tweet seeking to justify the teenager's killing.The officer accused of killing Nahel, who said he had fired because he felt his life was in danger, is in custody on charges of voluntary manslaughter, reports the BBC.

Nahel is the second person this year in France to have been killed in a police shooting during a traffic stop.

Last year, a record 13 people died in this way.
New Delhi, June 29 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday met Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell and German Ambassador Dr. Philipp Ackermann and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.

Taking to Twitter, Kharge said: "India and Australia have several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer cooperation and multifaceted interaction. Our strategic partnership has grown in strength and in importance. Australiaas High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell met me, as we discussed ways to deepen the relationship between the two countries."

He also attached pictures from the meeting.

Sharing the details of his meeting with the German Ambassador, Kharge said: "India was amongst the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the Federal Republic of Germany. Today, Germany is amongst Indiaas most valued partners, both bilaterally and in the global context.

"Met Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of Germany in India, and deliberated upon the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries founded upon common democratic principles and marked by a high degree of trust and mutual respect."

--IANS

aks/ksk
New Delhi, June 29 : Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday flayed the BJP government saying the double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach which is totally "unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and democratic norms.

His reaction came hours after former Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped in Manipur .

Kharge took to Twitter and said, "Rahul Gandhias convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state."

"Prime Minister Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself. Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms. Manipur needs peace, not confrontation," Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in Manipur on two-day visit to violence hit Manipur to meet the affected families living in relief camps.

"Landed in Manipur today, where I will be visiting relief camps and meeting the families of those affected by violence that has engulfed the state. I will also be meeting with members of the civil society. Restoration of peace is the top priority. Manipur needs healing, and only together we can bring harmony," Rahul Gandhi said on a Facebook post after reaching the violence-hit state.

Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh also hit out at the BJP government at the Centre dubbing it "unfortunate" saying his visit was in spirit of Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), and also asked "why stop his efforts to listen to all sections and provide a healing touch".

In a tweet, the Congress General Secretary said, "It is most unfortunate that the Modi government is preventing Rahul Gandhi from visiting relief camps and interacting with the people outside Imphal.

"His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?" The Rajya Sabha MP's remarks came after the convoy of Rahul Gandhi was stopped from proceeding towards Churachandpur.

On Thursday, he was scheduled to meet with the affected families at the Greenwood Academy, Tuibong and Churachandpur government College and at Community Hall, Konjengbam and Moirang College. The Congress has questioned the silence of the Prime Minister over violence in Manipur which began on May 3.

The Congress has also been demanding the removal of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for failing miserably to control the situation in the northeastern state.

Over 100 people have died and thousands forced to take refuge in the relief camps.
Kolkata, June 29 : Withdrawal of nominations for the July 8 panchayat polls in the state had been much lesser compared to the previous civic body polls in 2018, West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) informed the Calcutta High Court on Thursday.

The number of valid nominations is also much higher this time, it said.

In an affidavit filed by the state election commission on this count, it has mentioned that the number of nomination withdrawal this time had been just 20,612 as against a total number of 2,28,158 valid nominations.

As per the affidavit, in 2018, the number of nomination withdrawal was 23,619 as against a total number of 1,33,673 valid nominations.

The figures presented by the commission at the court says while the nominations had been higher this time, the withdrawal had been lower as compared to the corresponding figures in 2018. The commission has also informed the Calcutta High Court of receiving as many as 754 complaints of irregularities during the nomination phase and it has ordered through investigation in each of these cases.

It has also informed the court the process of identification of the sensitive booth in the state has already started and it has directly asked all the district magistrates and district police superintendents to expedite the process.

The commission has maintained that experiences in the past rural civic body polls will be the basis of identifying the sensitive booths. It has also claimed that as per the directive of the Calcutta High Court the CCTV footage of all the election booths will be preserved.

On Wednesday, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam advised the commission to operate in such a manner so that the faith of the general people on it is restored.

"You are constantly telling the court that you have made all the arrangements. But you are giving the details of the arrangement that you have made. Whatever you do you should ensure that the faith of the common people is restored. The commission should win the confidence of the people by ensuring free and fair polls," Justice Sivagnanam was heard telling the counsel of commission at an hearing on a contempt-of- court petition filed against commission on deployment of central armed forces for the forthcoming panchayat elections in the state.
New Delhi, June 29 : Sri Lanka began a five-day bank holiday from Thursday to allow the crisis-hit nation to restructure $42 billion in domestic debt, a media report said.

The island nation is facing its worst economic crisis since it won independence from the British in 1948, BBC reported.

There are fears that the government's restructuring plan could lead to volatility in financial markets, the report said.

Debt restructuring can involve the extension of the period over which a loan is repaid.

"The government's action to call an extended public holiday means it obviously saw the risk of bank runs," Alex Holmes, a senior economist at Oxford Economics, told the BBC.

Local media also quoted analysts as saying that the holiday was announced to provide a suitable buffer for any potential market reactions to significant financial announcements, BBC reported.

Earlier this week, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe reassured the public that that the restructuring would "not lead to a collapse of the banking system".

On Wednesday, Wickremesinghe's office had said his cabinet has approved a restructuring proposal by the country's central bank. The plan will be submitted to parliament for approval over the weekend.

"(The) government expects the entire process to conclude while the markets are closed during these five days," Sri Lanka central bank chief Nandalal Weerasinghe said.

Weerasinghe added that "local depositors are assured of the safety of their deposits and interests will not be affected".

The move to restructure domestic debt comes as the country is struggling to come out of its worst economic crisis.
Chennai, June 29 : Global data centre major NTT group while expanding in major Indian cities is also looking at tier two cities to build centres and is also setting up captive renewable power projects in India apart from buying from others, said a top official.

He also said the subsea cable system MIST with a capacity of nearly 200 TBPS of data had landed in Chennai.

Currently, the NTT group has 16 data centres operational in four cities -- Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Noida near Delhi. The group is building 11 more data centres in the above four cities and in Kolkata.

"We are getting into tier two cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bhopal and others. We have identified land parcels," Sharad Sanghi, Chairman, NTT Global Data Centers & Cloud Infrastructure India Pvt Ltd told media launching a new data centre here.

Sanghi said a typical data centre would involve an investment of about $100-150 million and NTT will be investing about $300 million in its data centre in Chennai -- one completed and one under construction.

He said NTT had announced an investment of $2 billion four years back and the outlay for the Chennai centre is part of that. The group is investing about $500 million a year. According to him, India ranks number three in terms of business for NTT globally and will soon go higher up as the potential is large.

Globally the $108 billion Japanese group is present in 20 countries with 1,900 MW IT load and over 1,000 MW additional planned. Sanghi said the group commands 22 per cent data centre market share in India.

The capacity utilisation of the data centres is at about 70-80 per cent. Queried about the group's renewable energy plans he said the focus is on solar and solar-wind hybrid plants. The group also will buy power from renewable sources.

Shekhar Sharma, CEO & Managing Director added that the IT load of the existing data centres is about 204 MW and by March 2024 it will go up to 349.2 MW owing to expansions. He said if one takes into account the current and future planned, the additional IT load will be 526.4 MW taking the total for NTT in India to 821.8 MW.

The officials said the MIST (Malaysia, India, Singapore and Thailand) subsea cable-the first cable system for the NTT group-will provide direct connectivity to and from India. The subsea cable spans 8,100 km and will connect the above four countries. It is also the first cable landing of a 12-fiber pair capacity, capable of carrying more than 200 TBPS of data, the NTT said.
Mandi, June 29 : Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Thursday highlighted IIT Mandi's technological contributions to the state and emphasized its potential in supporting the apple economy and local problem-solving.

He was speaking while presiding over the G-20/S-20 conclave on "Technology for Society" at IIT here organized by the institute.

Shukla said the conclave was part of the ongoing mega G20-S20 meeting at the institute and provided a platform for delegates from the public and private sectors to come together and explore potential knowledge sharing and discussion opportunities to address societal development with technological interventions.

With India assuming G-20 presidency, Shukla stressed the nation's role in addressing global challenges and promoting shared values. He urged to showcase India's capabilities, philosophy, and intellectual power.

The Governor expressed satisfaction the researchers were working on making cooking stoves in an efficient manner, which would be exemplary in solving the problems of inaccessibility in the state.

Likewise, developing biofuel from dry pine leaves as energy for industry would also help the rural people, he added. The development of other bio-fuels and green fuels deserves to be pursued prominently. He also praised advancements in low-cost medical devices, robotics, and AI for healthcare which are helpful in addressing health crises in rural as well as in urban areas.

He also stressed the need to strengthen technologies to predict landslides and avalanches in the state. The Governor also highlighted the need for entrepreneurship support centres to boost the state's economy. He also visited the institute's labs and centers during the visit.

On the occasion, IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera shared the institute's focus on technology, skill development, and societal contributions.
New Delhi, June 29 : Microsoft has launched a new AI Skills Initiative to help people and communities worldwide learn how to harness the power of artificial intelligence.

The initiative will include new, free coursework developed with LinkedIn, including the first Professional Certificate on Generative AI in the online learning market, a new open global grant challenge in coordination with data.org to uncover new ways of training workers on generative AI and greater access to free digital learning events and resources for everyone to improve their AI fluency, according to the company.

Under the Professional Certificate on Generative AI coursework, workers will learn introductory concepts of AI, including a look at responsible AI frameworks, and receive a Career Essentials certificate when they pass the assessment.

"This Professional Certificate on Generative AI is currently available in English and will launch in Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese over the coming months on LinkedIn Learning," Microsoft said in a blogpost on Wednesday.

Moreover, the tech giant is also launching a trainer toolkit for teachers, trainers, and facilitators, which will provide skilling resources and training to local communities.

The toolkit will include downloadable, bite-sized content for trainers, including a new AI course built for educators by Microsoft Education and content on the practical uses of AI, the company said.

"AI offers perhaps even more potential for the good of humanity than any invention that has preceded it," said Microsoftas President and Vice Chair Brad Smith.

Additionally, the company is releasing the Microsoft Learn AI Skills Challenge, a free technical training challenge to learn essential AI skills with Microsoft products and services, beginning on July 17.
Patna, June 29 : The Bhagalpur police arrested a most wanted criminal named Mohammad Babar, who was a suspected accused in the June 24 Quraishi Tola bomb explosion case, an official said.

Babar was arrested during a raid in Quraishi Tola on Wednesday evening. The police team reached a house with a sniffer dog where a man was found. When asked to reveal his identity, he said his name was Mohammad Babar.

"Following his identification, we scanned his crime history and found that he was involved in over one dozen criminal cases, including murder. He was involved in the murder of a property dealer Imran alias Kallu on February 22, this year in Maulana Chak locality in Bhagalpur. He was also involved in dacoity in 2016 and booked by Mojahidpur police station under the NDPS Act,"said Ajay Kumar Chaudhary, the DSP of Bhagalpur (City).

"We are interrogating the accused to find out his role in the bomb explosion in Quraishi Tola locality," Chaudhary said. A 17-year-old teenager was killed and three others injured during the bomb blast in Quraishi Tola on June 24.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. We categorically reject the statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who at a government meeting on June 29 once again stated that Azerbaijan allegedly "aggravates the situation in the region", pursues a policy of "ethnic cleansing" against Armenian residents, "keeps the region under blockade", the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said in a statement, Trend reports.

The wounding of an Azerbaijani soldier on June 27 as a result of a provocation by the Armenian armed forces, which, contrary to the obligations to which Armenia has committed, have not yet been completely withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan, is a deliberate aggravation of the situation in the region, as well as an attempt to interfere with negotiations between the foreign ministers in US. It is absurd to pass off the retaliatory measures taken by the Azerbaijani side against the Armenian armed formations as "ethnic cleansing." At the same time, it is known that Armenia cannot accept the passage of Armenian residents through the Lachin border checkpoint in a regulated and transparent manner in both directions. In this regard, the false propaganda that there is an alleged "tense humanitarian situation" in the region also has no basis, the statement said.

"The Armenian side must refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan, recognize the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan not only in words but also in deeds, immediately withdraw from the territory of Azerbaijan the Armenian armed forces that pose a threat to peace and security in the region," the ministry noted.
New Delhi, June 29 : A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to support the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Congress hit back saying it was surprised with the speed at which it supported the BJP-led central government's move even as other responsible parties want the draft proposal and asked if it has exclusive access to the draft.

In a tweet, Pawan Khera, who is chairman of the Congress media and publicity department said, "I am truly surprised at the speed with which AAP has extended support to the Uniform Civil Code. Even as other responsible parties wait for the draft proposal from the govt, does AAP have exclusive access to the draft of the UCC proposal?"

His remarks came a day after the AAP announced to support the UCC, and said also said that these set of laws should be implemented only after wider consultations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday while addressing BJP booth workers in Madhya Pradesh said that Muslims were being misled in the name of UCC.

"These days, people are being provoked by the UCC. You tell me, if there is one law for one person in a home, and another law for another person, can that house function?" he asked.

The Congress and AAP has been engaged in bitter war of words in last few weeks over the Centre's ordinance in Delhi. During the opposition parties meeting in Bihar's Patna Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal asked Congress to clear its stand on the ordinance row.

After the opposition meeting, the AAP also said that its hesitation and refusal to act as a team player on an important issue would make it very difficult for the party to be a part of any alliance that includes Congress.
Patna, June 29 : In a bid to curb cyber crime, around 3,500 suspicious SIM cards were blocked by cellular operator companies following recommendation by the Economic Offence Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police, an official said.

Nayyer Hasnain Khan, the ADGP of Bihar Police said the department identified around 8,000 SIM cards used in fraudulent activities by cyber conmen in and outside Bihar.

"The department had recommended to the central telecom ministry to block those SIM cards. It has further recommended to different cellular service providers companies for the same. Around 3,500 were blocked while the process is on to do the same in the remaining 4,500 SIM cards," Khan said.

The EOU of Bihar Police received complaints about cyber frauds. During investigation, it surfaced that the SIM cards were obtained with fake names and addresses. These were used to dupe people in Bihar as well as in other states. The department has been asking the SIM card distributors to sell them only to genuine customers after proper verification.

Bihar has several places like Nawava, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Sheikhpura, Jamui where a large number of cyber conmen are active. They work like the Jamtara module of cyber fraud and dupe people across the country.
Chennai, June 29 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that the meeting of opposition leaders in Patna to devise strategies for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has frightened Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Stalin was speaking to reporters in Chennai on Thursday. The DMK leader said that Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has successfully organised a meeting of opposition leaders in Patna on June 23 and that after the Prime Minister has toned down and softened his stand.

Stalin in a scathing attack on the Prime Minister's speech regarding Uniform Civil Code said, "Our PM thinks that he can win elections by fomenting communal tension and creating confusion and added that the people of Tamil Nadu were ready to teach a fitting lesson to the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister said, "I appeal to the people of Tamil Nadu to be ready and firm to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and sustain the Dravidian model of government."

He also called upon people to get ready to establish a secular government in New Delhi and further said that the new government will stand for the people's rights and will guarantee the rights of the states.

Taking strong exception to the Prime Minister's recent attack DMK while comparing it with other dynastic political parties. He said that the entire Tamil Nadu was Karunanidhi's family and added that the former Chief Minister used to exhort the cadres to bring their families to party functions.

He said that Kalaignar always addressed the people of Tamil Nadu as brothers and sisters and as siblings.

Stalin while charging at the Prime Minister said, "The Prime Minister says that if you vote for the DMK, only the family of Karunanidhi will develop. Indeed it is a family politics and that Tamil Nadu was Karunanidhi's family. Voting for the DMK is voting for the development of Tamil Nadu."

He also said that the Prime Minister was speaking without understanding the history of Dravidian politics and the development of Tamil Nadu, a state ruled by Dravidian ideology for the past five decades.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister lashed out against the Prime Minister on not visiting Manipur where 150 people have lost their lives. He also said that the Union Home minister had convened a meeting of all political parties only after 50 days of Manipur burning. He also said that thousands of people have left Manipur and said that the Centre was responsible for this.
Los Angeles, June 29 : Actor Michael Caine, who is famously known for playing Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan's 'Batman' trilogy, has commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire alongside fellow Korean War Veterans.

The 90-year-old actor, whose real name is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, fought as part of the 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers in 1952 at just 19 years old. Just a year later he contracted Malaria and was sent home from the British Army, reports Mirror.co.uk.

No longer a soldier, he became Michael Caine and turned his attention to acting instead. Now he's stood alongside others who fought in the British Army to celebrate and remember those that fought and those that lost their lives in Korea ahead of the 70th anniversary of the ceasefire next month.

As per Mirror.co.uk, a tweet shared by the official Fusilier Museum account on Twitter showed the Hollywood actor, who has been in films including Batman and The Italian Job, alongside fellow soldiers.

The tweet read: "Today the Royal Fusiliers Korea War veterans gathered at @HolySepulchreUK to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korea War ceasefire (Jul). Former Fusilier Maurice Micklewhite, AKA Sir Michael joined us."

Sir Michael, who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year, was pictured sitting in a wheelchair whilst his fellow soldiers stood in uniform alongside him. The actor previously reflected on his experience at war in his 2010 memoir 'The Elephant to Hollywood' as he wrote: "I know what it feels like to be sent off to fight an unpopular war that no one at home really understands or cares about. "And then to come back and meet a complete lack of understanding. Or worse, indifference."

Earlier this year, the acclaimed actor celebrated his 90th birthday alongside celebrity pals including Tom Cruise, David Walliams, Shakira and Denise Welch.

--IANSaa/kvd
Raipur, June 29 : Senior Congress leader T. S. Singhdeo on Thursday expressed his gratitude to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Sonia Gandhi for appointing him Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.

He also expressed his gratitude to senior party leader Rahul Gandhi.

"Heartfelt thanks to Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Sonia Gandhi ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the state as Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. I would also like to thank Rahul Gandhi ji for his continued faith in me," he tweeted.

Also thanking the people of Chhattisgarh and party workers for their support, he said that keeping faith of people would his frist priority and he would be working for betterment of the state.

Singhdeo said that he, along with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, will take the Chhattisgarh to heights of development.

"I am deeply grateful to the people of Chhattisgarh for the love, trust and encouragement they have shown me to continue working for the highest good of the state. Along with Honorable Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and all allies of Congress party, we are committed to take Chhattisgarh to new heights of progress and development," he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP took jibe at the Congress, saying that Singhdeo was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister when merely three-four months are left for the next assembly elections.

"Congress party's announcement to make TS Singh Dev ji the Deputy Chief Minister for only 3 months is an insult to him. The work of washing the face involved in scams is being done by the Congress party," said Leader of Opposition in Assembly Narayan Chandel.
New Delhi, June 29 : The AAP has accused Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena of responsibility for alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment for Delhi government-affiliated schools operated by the Vedik Sanskrit Agricultural Education Society.

"LG should respond to how this corruption is happening right under his nose," an AAP source said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has filed an FIR in connection with the case, recently conducted raids in Delhi, Dehradun, and Chhattisgarh, during which incriminating documents were seized.

CBI sources said that they are considering summoning the alleged accused individuals in this matter.

Agency sources said they received a complaint in this matter on March 9 and initially, registered a preliminary inquiry (PE) into the matter on April 28 before filing the FIR.

The inquiry revealed that V.S. Agriculture Senior Secondary School, an aided school under the Delhi government and being run by the Vedik Sanskrit Agricultural Educational Society, located in Khera Garhi, recruited 16 candidates against 18 vacancies.

However, out of the 16 candidates, six -- Praveen Bazad (PGT - Political Science), Chitre Rekha (TGT - English), Sonia (TGT - Social Studies), Pratibha (PGT - Economics), Pinki Arya (TGT - Sanskrit), and Manish Kumar (PGT - Commerce) -- were selected based on forged documents in collusion with Krishan Rana, the former Chairman of the Management Committee of the School, and Shashikant Singh, a former official of the Jim Corbett Senior Secondary School, Uttarakhand.
Los Angeles, June 29 : Rock music legend Bruce Springsteen is returning to London's Hyde Park -- where he was famously cut off 11 years ago -- in July.

But this time, the organisers said, 'The Boss' will not be silenced. Bruce is going to take stage earlier, at around 7 p.m., so his 'notoriously' long set won't run over and fall foul of the 10.30 p.m. curfew dedaline, reports 'The Mirror'.

A source said the scheduling would ensure that the icon gets to play all his hits with no interruption when he takes to the stage next on July 6 and July 8.

The source told 'The Mirror', "Fans needn't worry... There will be plenty of time to hear what will be two historic sets."

The 73-year-old, whose hits include 'Born In The U.S.A.', 'Dancing In The Dark', and 'Streets of Philadelphia', among many others,last played at the Hyde Park in 2012 as part of the festival Hard Rock Calling, which was arranged by a different promoter.

Sir Paul McCartney had joined Springsteen and his E Street Band to play Beatles classics 'I Saw Her Standing There' and 'Twist and Shout'. But as the stars appeared ready to launch into another number, their microphones were switched off.

Westminster Council insists on a 10.30 p.m. finish, which caused Steve Van Zandt, one of the E Street Band guitarists, to vent his fury at the "police state".
Pune, June 29 : The next conclave of opposition parties will be held in Bengaluru on July 13-14, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar announced on Thursday.

Talking to media persons here, Pawar said that the meeting was planned in Shimla

on July 11-12, but owing to weather and heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, the venue has

been shifted to Bengaluru.

This will be the second meeting after June 23 when over 15 national opposition parties had met in Patna to chart out the strategy to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Vadodara, June 29 : Vadodara is set to witness a boost in infrastructure and civic amenities as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visits the city on Thursday to lay the foundation stones and dedicate works worth a staggering Rs 293 crore.

The projects, initiated by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), aim to enhance the quality of life for residents and propel the city's progress.

Accompanied by State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, State BJP in-charge Gordhan Zadafiya, and State Assembly Chief Whip Balkrushna Shukla, CM Patel will partake in a series of groundbreaking ceremonies and inaugurations during his visit. The highly anticipated event will commence with Patel's arrival at Harni airport in Vadodara at 5 p.m.

The highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of a new MRI center at Sayaji Hospital. This state-of-the-art facility, equipped with advanced medical technology, comes at a cost of Rs 9.37 crore. Notably, the MRI services will be provided free of charge to BPL (Below Poverty Line) cardholders, while other patients will be charged a nominal fee of Rs 2000. This initiative aims to ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all sections of society.

In addition to the inauguration, the CM will lay the foundation stones for several crucial projects that will significantly transform Vadodara's infrastructure landscape. Among them is the construction of a modern sewage treatment plant in Undera, with an estimated budget of Rs 57 crore. This project holds immense significance in maintaining a clean and healthy environment for residents.

Furthermore, a comprehensive drainage network in Gorva Undera Karodiya, costing Rs 39 crore, will be initiated to address the pressing issue of water management in these areas. The implementation of high tanks, underground sumps, and delivery networks in various locations will ensure a smooth and efficient water supply system throughout the city.

The ambitious development plan also encompasses the construction of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) accommodations, road resurfacing initiatives, drainage systems, pump houses, and water pipeline networks in different areas of Vadodara.
Chennai,june 29 : Tamil Nadu Women's Commission member M.S. Kumari on Thursday called upon women to avoid using their image as display photo (DP) as it may be morphed and misused by cybercriminals.

Addressing a joint seminar by National and Tamil Nadu state women's commissions, she said that the state women's commission has been taking initiatives in the past few months to create awareness among women on cyber bullying and on women's safety in cyber space.

She said that technology can be good and evil.

M.S. Kumari also called upon young girls to remain cautious from falling prey on social media platforms after developing messages from unknown people and developing relationships.

"Falling in love is one's prerogative but they need to chose the right person."

She said that leaders like Periyar, Anna (C.N. Annadurai), and Kalaignar (M. Karunanidhi) had developed several laws for the welfare of women but women were reluctant to approach authorities.

She called upon women not to be afraid and approach the women's commission for any issue, assuring that she would protect the identity on the complaint and initiate action.

--IANS

aal/vd
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Global community should take action to prevent the construction of a metallurgical plant in the village of Arazdayan, located on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijans Nakhchivan, Stephen Anguva Shikoli, representative of Network of TB Champions Kenya, told Trend.

I am strongly opposing the construction of this factory, because those chemicals that are going to come out from the production process at this facility will pollute the environment not only around it, but also in a wider region. The air we breathe, our climate - it is all connected. So, this disastrous construction will eventually pollute the air even in Africa, he said.

According to the expert, this will hugely affect the wildlife in Kenya, for instance.

We have already seen such factories around the world killing the nature. All this money disbursed on the construction of this metallurgical plant could have been used to build new hospitals, or schools. So, I call upon the global civil society to oppose the construction of this factory, he concluded.

Its worth noting that the Armenian-American steel plant covers an expansive area of 16,500 square meters and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 180,000 tons.
Ranchi, June 29 : A technician from Gujarat was allegedly robbed of Rs 5 crore by at least five unidentified men in Jharkhand's Giridih district, the police said on Thursday.

The incident occurred near Tikamgarh village under Jamua police station in Giridih district on June 21.

The victim, Mayur Singh, told the police that he had received the cash from a company in Patna and had taken the responsibility of transporting it to Kolkata.

The victim said that during work, he got to know a person named Govind Solanki. He first called him to Delhi and then to Kanpur, promising to get him a better job. In Kanpur, he was introduced to a person named Jagat Singh Jadeja, a resident of Gujarat.

Mayur and Jadeja received Rs 5 crore cash from a company named DY in Patna.

The duo was going towards Kolkata in a car to deliver the money when five men blocked their way with a car near Tikamgarh village.

The accused threatened to kill them before taking away Rs 5 crore and their car.

The victim said that later he found the car parked near a hotel.

A case has been registered at Jamua police station based on the statement of the complainant and an investigation is being carried out to nab the accused persons, the police said.

The police have also informed the Income Tax Department about the incident.

The police are also making efforts to verify the authenticity of the complaint. When a police team reached the address given for the company DY, no firm by that name was found there.
Saharanpur : , June 29 (IANS) Bhim Army chief and President of Azad Samaj Party, Chandra Shekhar Azad, has been discharged from SBD Hospital in Saharanpur.

He was admitted here on Wednesday after armed men attacked his convoy and a bullet grazed his stomach.

Talking to reporters after coming out of the hospital, Chandra Shekhar said that the attack would not deter him from working on his mission which was to empower the weaker sections of society.

"I am not going to give up my mission and those who attacked me should know that I will not bow to such tactics," he said.
New Delhi, June 29 : The Delhi High Court has held that an advocate's office located in a residential building should not be subject to property tax as a "business building".

The court said that the professional activity of lawyers should not be considered a commercial activity, and therefore, the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act does not authorise the imposition of taxes on such activities conducted from residential premises.

It referred to the Master Plan for Delhi 2021, which allows professional activities in residential buildings under specific conditions. However, it clarified that this provision does not empower the Corporation to levy taxes on these activities.

The case arose when the South Delhi Municipal Corporation demanded property tax from a lawyer who operated his office from a portion of his residential premises.

A single judge bench's decision, which held advocates' services as professional activities exempt from business establishment taxes, was upheld by the division bench of Justice Najmi Waziri and Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain.

The court emphasised that taxation powers must be explicitly mentioned in the statute and cannot be inferred or presumed. It concluded that the taxation laws and bylaws cannot extend their scope to include professional activities that are not explicitly classified as commercial activities in the applicable statutes.

It cited previous judgments from the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court, which held that the discharge of professional activities by lawyers should not be considered business or commercial establishments. It further stated that taxation powers must be specifically mentioned in the law, rejecting the argument that a lawyer's office should be deemed a business establishment.

In light of these findings, the court dismissed the appeal filed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, highlighting that the professional activities of lawyers should not be subject to taxation under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act or the property tax bye-laws.
New Delhi, June 29 : Emphasising their demand for death penalty for the accused in the brutal murder of a teenage girl in the Shahbad Dairy area in May, Delhi Police said on Thursday that the murder of Sakshi (16) by Mohammad Sahil Khan (20) was premeditated.

The Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Dependra Pathak, said that the investigation into the Sakshi murder case was conducted with a professional and focused approach, leading to the submission of a charge sheet to the court in a remarkably short time.

"We have built a watertight case to ensure the harshest possible punishment -- death penalty -- for the accused. The murder was meticulously planned and carried out as an act of revenge. We possess substantial evidence, and within a month of the incident, we have presented the charge sheet to seek justice for the victim's family," Pathak said.

Delhi Police have filed a charge sheet before the court against Sahil, who repeatedly stabbed Sakshi before bludgeoning the minor girl to death in full public view on May 28.

Filed before a metropolitan magistrate's court, the charge sheet runs into 640 pages and invokes charges under Sections 302 (murder), 354 A (punishment for sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sources said.

Besides the above Sections, the accused has also been charged under the Arms Act, Section 12 of POCSO (punishment for committing sexual harassment upon a child) and different Sections of the Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The court is likely to take cognisance of the charge sheet on July 1.

The police arrested Sahil, who worked as a fridge-AC repairing mechanic, from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh.

CCTV footage of the incident had gone viral on social media. In the footage, Sahil could be seen repeatedly stabbing a hapless Sakshi even as seven to eight bystanders stood by without making any effort to rescue the girl.

"The deceased was on her way to attend the birthday of her friend's son when Sahil intercepted her and brutally killed her," the police had said.
New Delhi, June 29 : India and Philippines on Thursday concluded a "productive and comprehensive" meeting of the 5th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which focussed on enhancing contacts and broadening cooperation.

"Just concluded a productive and comprehensive meeting of the 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation with @SecManalo. Our talks covered enhancing contacts and broadening cooperation as we head towards the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties," External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar tweeted after the discussions.

"Our agenda today covered defence, maritime security, counter-terrorism and transnational crimes. As also our growing economic ties, including in trade & investments; development cooperation; health & pharma; tourism; air services; agriculture; fintech; science and technology and space cooperation," he also tweeted.

Both India and Philippines noted the importance of greater people to people ties, specifically in tourism and education sectors.

"Recognised our strong collaboration in ASEAN and in multilateral forums. As Indo-Pacific countries, underlined our strong convergence on key issues," Jaishankar said.

While Jaishankar led the Indian side, the Philippines side was led by Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo. Manalo is visiting India from June 27-30 at the invitation of Jaishankar to co-chair 5th India-Philippines JCBC.
Imphal, June 29 : Congress leaders alleged that Manipur Police, under the instructions of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, on Thursday stopped party leader Rahul Gandhi from visiting Bishnupur district to meet the violence-affected people.

However, Bishnupur's Superintendent of Police Heisnam Balram Singh said that they cannot allow VIPs like Rahul Gandhi to visit in such a place where the militants create law and order problems and they use sophisticated arms and triggering IEDs.

"Considering the ground situation, we stopped him (Rahul Gandhi) from moving forward and requested him to visit Churachandpur by helicopter. There is a possibility of attack on him along the highway through which VIP Rahul Gandhi is moving. Keeping his security and safety in mind, we've not allowed him," he told the media.

The Congress leaders were stopped by police at Bishnupur, around 20 km from Imphal.

After a few hours, Gandhi, who was accompanied by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and in-charge of several northeastern states, Ajoy Kumar came back to the Imphal airport and took a helicopter to Churachandpur, one of the worst-violence hit hill districts.

Gandhi tweeted: "I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are being very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority."

Immediately after his arrival on a two-day Manipur visit, he left for Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts but the police stopped his convoy in Bishnupur.

A large number of women assembled in Bishnupur before Gandhi arrived at the place and they tussled with the police asking the security forces to allow Gandhi to visit the areas.

"He (Gandhi) is Indian, we are also Indian, so why did the police stop him from meeting us. He came to see our distress. The para-military forces are biased, they are helping the militants," an agitated woman told the media.

The Congress leaders accompanying Gandhi also argued with the Bishnupur SP that the Congress leader came only on a peace mission to meet the affected people and families of the riot victims.

Gandhi was scheduled to interact with the civil society organisations, tribal and non-tribal leaders, as well as prominent citizens in the two districts -- Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the Manipur Police action.

"Shri Rahul Gandhi's convoy in Manipur has been stopped by the police near Bishnupur. He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state. PM Modi has not bothered to break his silence on Manipur. He has left the state to fend for itself. Now, his double engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all Constitutional and Democratic norms. Manipur needs peace, NOT confrontation", he said in a tweet.

Congress leaders Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh and state party leaders criticised the BJP government's action.

Ramesh tweeted: "It is most unfortunate that the Modi Govt is preventing Rahul Gandhi from visiting relief camps and interacting with the people outside Imphal. His 2-day visit to Manipur is in the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Prime Minister may choose to remain silent or be inactive but why stop Rahul Gandhi's efforts to listen to all sections of the Manipuri society and provide a healing touch?"

Venugopal said: "Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why they stopped us ?"

"I do not know why the Police are not allowing us. Rahul Gandhi's visit is to meet the affected people only. We travelled around 20-25 km but there was no road blockage anywhere. Rahul Gandhi is sitting inside the car. I do not know who has instructed the local police," he told the media in Bishnupur.

Manipur state Congress President K. Meghachandra said that thousands of people standing on both sides of the roads greeted Gandhi when his convoy was moving from Imphal to Bishnupur but the police stopped him from meeting the distressed people staying in relief camps.

"Bishnupur SP and other district officials are blocking the roads. I have heard that there were instructions given by the Manipur CM to block the roads. They are politicising this. They are only saying that the law and order situation is not good and are not allowing us to move ahead," Meghachandra told the media.

Ajoy Kumar said that Gandhi and Congress have always been raising the Manipur issue. "Rahul Gandhi has always said that the country needs to know the situation of Manipur. There is total law and order failure in the state right now. The double-engine govt has become the triple problem government," Kumar told the media.

Noting that still people are being killed, he said: "We do not know who is conspiring against whom. The Prime Minister did not utter a single word about Manipur."

The Congress has been demanding imposition of the President's Rule in Manipur to control the law and order situation as the party claims that the state's BJP government has completely failed to deal with the violence. Earlier, a few Congress delegations visited the state and later met President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi to garner support for their demands. The Congress leaders also tried to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi but he did not give an appointment.

--IANS

sc/vd
New Delhi, June 29 : A 34-year-old nurse was allegedly raped by a doctor in northeast Delhi's Nand Nagri area, the police said on Thursday, adding that the accused has been arrested.

According to the police, on June 13, a woman had reported that she used to work as a nurse at a private nursing home with the accused doctor identified as Noorul Hassan. In her complaint, the woman alleged that in August 2021, Hassan had raped her and also recorded her objectionable video. He also reportedly took Rs 7 lakh from her.

"During investigation, Hassan was apprehended from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh. The nursing home had shut some time ago," a senior police officer said.

The officer said that the complainant was married 15 years ago and has two daughters. She is now separated from her husband.
Pune, June 29 : In a startling revelation, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that thousands of women or girls have 'disappeared' in Maharashtra in the past one year or so, raising serious questions on the law and order situation in the state.

"It has been one year since this new government (of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis) came to power in Maharashtra. The state is facing many issues, but law and order is at the top. Attacks on women and girls are the biggest concern and are increasing day by day everywhere," said Pawar.

Citing official figures collected from various municipal corporations, police commissionerates and rural police headquarters, he said that over 6,889 women/girls are missing in the past one year, May 2022-May 2023.

Reeling off specific details, Pawar said that in the first half of 2023, between Jan. 23-May 23, a total of 2,458 girls/women are mysteriously off the radar in four major municipalities of the state.

They comprise: 738 from Mumbai, 937 from Pune, 721 from Thane and 62 from Solapur, while the information on missing women/girls from the 10 other civic corporations was not available. From the state's 36 districts, a total of 4,431 females have disappeared from 14 districts of Amravati, Beed, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gondia, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, Nanded, Pune, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Washim, as per the details from the local police.

In the past one year -- May 2022-May2023, a whopping 6,889 women/girls have gone missing in the state with no information on their whereabouts, said Pawar.

"This is a very serious matter The state Home Minister should take measures for the safety of our daughters and sisters instead of just making statements. There is a need to trace them out and it's the government's responsibility to hand them over to their families," he demanded.

Pawar also slammed the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party regime  which will celebrate its first anniversary in office on Friday (June30)  for the spate of riots that have erupted in different parts of the state in the past few months, on which the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress and Shiv Sena-UBT have also raised questions in the past.

Terming these as "planned", he contended that the riots broke out in Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Akola and other places, and said it needs to be probed whether these clashes and disturbances were allegedly being engineered keeping in mind the upcoming civic, parliament and assembly elections.
Jaipur, June 29 : BJP President J.P. Nadda addressed a large gathering in Bharatpur on Thursday, where he slammed the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, accusing it of appeasement policy and corruption.

"The Gehlotgovernment is steeped incorruption He (Gehlot) has given each MLA a licence to indulge in corruption in multiple ways. Tell me, can any work be done without corruption or without paying bribe in Rajasthan? Just let him be the CM while others can loot all they want - this seems to be Gehlot's principle," Nadda said.

Nadda also accused the Gehlot government of indulging in appeasement politics.

"Even the law is not the same for all in Rajasthan. If a Hindu festival is celebrated, it is seen in a different light and if a festival is celebrated by people belonging to some other religion, it is seen in a different way This is the result of the Gehlotgovernment'sappeasement policy," the BJP chief said.

Nadda was addressing a rally in Nadbai, around 35 km from Bharatpur, as part of BJP's 'Maha Jan Sampark' programme in the Bharatpur Lok Sabha constituency on completion of nine years of Narendra Modi government.

Nadda said that under Prime Minister Modi, India's global standing has risen and world leaders are now lauding the PM.

"When world leaders praise Modi, it gives stomach ache to the Congress. They keep keep abusing Modi, but the more Congress says all these, the more the 140 crore people of India shower their blessings on Modi," Nadda said.

He also said the BJP is like a 'parivar' (family) while all other parties are family-run parties.

"If you vote for NC or PDP in J&K, you vote for Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. If you vote for SAD in Punjab, you vote for the Badal family. If you vote for RJD in Bihar, you vote for Lalu Prasad's family. If you vote for SP in UP, you vote for Akhilesh Yadav's family. If you vote Trinamool in Bengal, you vote for Mamata Banerjee's family. If you vote BJD in Odisha, you vote Naveen Patnaik's family. If you vote for BRS in Telangana, you vote for KCR's family. if you vote Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, you vote for Uddhav Thackeray's family. And if you vote NCP, you vote for Sharad Pawar's family," Nadda said.

"But if you vote for Modi, you vote for the country and the future of your children," he said, adding that people should throw out the Gehlotgovernment and ensure that lotus blooms again in Rajasthan.

Nadda also said that it is Modi who has given a push to politics of development and as a result India is changing and growing.

"A new story of development in India is being written under Modi," said Nadda.

Before the rally, Nadda inaugurated the new BJP party office in Bharatpur. He also virtually inaugurated a party office in Jaisalmer besides laying foundation for a BJP office in Barmer.

The eastern Rajasthan belt is crucial for the BJP, which is hoping to return to power in the state that goes to the polls later this year.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, BJP failed to open its account in the Bharatpur division which comprises Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur districts that together have 19 seats. The BJP also bit the dust in the seven Lok Sabha seats in the region in 2019.
New Delhi, June 29 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday came out in support of her brother and former party chief Rahul Gandhi after the latter's convoy was stopped in Manipur, saying he has gone to Manipur to share the pain of the people there and to convey the message of peace, adding that the BJP government should do the same.

In a tweet in Hindi, the Congress leader said, "It is the duty of every patriot to try and work for peaceand harmony.RahulGandhi has gone toManipurtosharethepain of the people there and to conveythemessageofpeace. TheBJPgovernmentshouldalsodothesame. Why does the government want to stopRahul Gandhi from going there?"

Meanwhile, addressing the media at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate hit out at the BJP governments in Manipur and at the Centre.

She said: "Come what may,RahulGandhi will visit the affected areas and meet the affected people."

Targeting the government, she said, "It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who shouldbe visitingManipur, which has been burning for the last two months. Instead, his government is preventing leaders like Rahul Gandhi, who wants to provide a healing touch and wipe the tears of people affected by the violence in Manipur."

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Shrinate said, "Modiji had all the time to campaign and review party programmes like 'Mera Booth Sabse Majboot', but he had no time for Manipur."

Questioning the silence of the Prime Minister on the Manipur issue, she said, "Even after two months, the Prime Minister has not condemned the violence in Manipur, nor has he appealed for peace."

She added, "No matter how much the double-engine troublesome government may try to stop RahulGandhi, history is witness to the fact that he (Rahul Gandhi) has reached all those places he resolved to visit, be it Hathras or Lakhimpur Kheri, despite being prevented by the administration.

Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Manipur to meet the affected families taking shelter in the relief camps. His convoy was stopped in Churachandpur. He had reached Imphal on Thursday morning along with party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal.

--IANSaks/arm
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The construction of the metallurgical plant in the village of Arazdayan, located on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijans Nakhchivan, can create a serious public health crisis for the region, Mohmad Husain, Human Rights activist from India, an official volunteer at Human Rights Commission HQ, Switzerland, told Trend.

The construction of such a factory harms people or the planet and marks a red line for civil society, given its far-reaching implications and the threat it poses to human health, the environment and true sustainability. The potential repercussions of the metallurgical plant's toxic chemical waste on the local ecosystem are significant. This environmental impact will definitely affect human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air and water structures, he said.

He also pointed out that the alarming possibility of this waste being discharged into the Araz river raises concerns for the wildlife inhabiting the river and the large farms relying on Araz water for irrigation.

Damage to drinking water supply is the damage to human health and water safety which can lead to spread of infectious diseases in border villages. We oppose this type of environmental contamination and crisis which can deeply affect human beings, fauna, flora, soil, fresh water supply and support Azerbaijan in its environmental campaign, he said.

The expert noted that the relevant international organizations, such as the UN Environment Program, the World Health Organization, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Environment, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Harmful Substances and Human Rights should be called upon to respond to this situation and put an end to Armenia's ongoing environmental transgressions.

We urge civil society organizations in Armenia, particularly those actively involved in public health and tuberculosis advocacy, to take immediate action and protest against the establishment of this plant. This construction will undoubtedly have a profoundly negative impact on Armenia's own environmental situation, too.

I absolutely against the decision regarding the construction of this plant, and I hope they will revoke this decision, the expert concluded.
New Delhi, June 29: Baloch armed rebels are systematically targeting Pakistan's energy sector by attacking coal mined in Balochistan province, where resource nationalism is rife.

On Tuesday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) set fire to 20 coal trucks in Harnai, Balochistan. These trucks were reportedly ferrying coal to thermal power plants in Punjab. The BLA fighters also attacked the motorcade of the deputy commissioner of Harani.

In a press release, the BLA said: "Freedom fighters of Baloch Liberation Army targeted convoy of Deputy Commissioner and vehicles transporting plundered Baloch national resources in Harnai last night. A suspicious individual was also arrested".

Highlighting the modus operandi, the BLA statement added: "The main highway was blocked throughout the night and at least 20 vehicles involved in plunder of Baloch natural resources were destroyed".

Giving insight into the targeted attacks on the coal mining operations, Qazi Rehan, Spokesperson of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), told India Narrative that Coal from Chamalang mines in Balochistan is transported to various cities in Punjab for industrial purposes and generation of electricity.

"This activity has been a source of constant conflict between the Baloch nation and Punjab since the seventies. In the past some Baloch sardars wanted to assert their authority for these resources and collaborate with people in Punjab for industrial development but the Baloch fighters have been resisting this through continuous attacks", Rehan said.

He added that the resistance to the exploitation of mineral wealth has affected Pakistan's economy in the past and will continue to affect the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has at least six coal-fired power plants out of a total of 21 power plants.

Coal trucks in Balochistan were attacked at the beginning of this month also. On June 1, 42 coal trucks from Harnai and Duki coal fields were held up at gunpoint on the Harnai road. At that time the Baloch fighters opened fire and punctured the tyres and damaged the trucks.

The frequent attacks on the coal trucks has rattled the Pakistan Coal Suppliers Association and Good Transport Association. It has asked Islamabad to provide proper security to the truck drivers and the coal supplying firms.

Dawn reports that the associations have claimed that they are "paying Rs 230 per tonne to the Frontier Corps [the Pakistani paramilitary forces guarding Balochistan] for providing security to the trucks transporting coal to other cities" and have threatened to stop coal supply.

Baloch resource nationalism was also evident on Wednesday, after a blast took place at an ammunition store related to the Saindak mining project in Balochistan, injuring three soldiers and a watchman.

The Saindak management issued a press release saying that a sudden explosion occurred in an ammunition store of the Wah Noble Company in a hilly area five km away from the Sendak project and township.

The statement added that the explosion in the ammunition store might have been caused by an electrical short circuit or due to heat from the sun.

Pakistan has given the Saindak gold and copper mines to Chinese company Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), a subsidiary of the China Metallurgical Group Corporation. Saindak mines are located in the Chagai district near the Afghan-Iran border.

Incidentally, the spate of attacks are also driving fissures among the various ethnic communities in a highly radicalised Pakistan as some social media tweets have said that Pashtun businessmen and Pashtun laborers are being targeted through the attacks on coal trucks.

Some of the Twitter users have blamed the Pakistani security forces for usurping Pashtun resources by allowing attacks on the trucks.
New Delhi, 29 June : India and Tanzania discussed the security situation in the Indian Ocean Region during a high-level meeting at Arusha in the East African country. During the meeting, India also apprised the host delegation about indigenous defence manufacturing.

According to the Ministry of Defence,the second edition ofJointDefenceCooperationCommittee(JDCC) meeting betweenIndiaandTanzaniawasheldinArushaon June 28 and 29. The Indian delegation, led byJoint Secretary Amitabh Prasad, included senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces. The High Commissioner of IndiatoTanzania,Binay S Pradhan also attended the meeting.

The Ministry of Defencesaid that during the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of opportunities for collaboration with a view to enhancing security in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian delegation highlighted the growing prowess of the Indian defencemanufacturing to export to friendly countries. A five-year roadmap fordefencecooperationwas also agreed to between the two sides, which covers initiatives ranging from customised training and capacity building to maritimecooperation, infrastructure building and collaboration indefenceequipment and technology, thedefenceministry official added.

Representatives fromDefencePSUs also accompanied the Indian delegation. Theyheld extensive meetings with the stakeholders from the Tanzanian forces on the sidelines of the JDCC meeting.

India shares close relations with Tanzaniawhich is bolstered by robust capacity building and avenues for development partnership. The visit of the Indian delegation for the JDCC meeting is expected to further strengthendefencerelations withTanzania, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Bhopal, June 29 : Congress leader Phool Singh Baraiya made derogatory remarks against senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra. He challenged the latter to win Datia seat in the upcoming assembly election this year.

Baraiya, a senior politician, who had shifted from BSP to the Congress a couple of years back, said, "If his (Mishra) father's blood is running in his veins, win the upcoming elections." He alleged that in the last assembly elections, the Congress lost Datia seat by close margin because police personnel, who were on duty, had captured the booths.

"I challenge Narottam Mishra that if he is the son of father, win this election. The Congress will form the government in Madhya Pradesh and he will face dire consequences for his sins," Baraiya said while addressing the Mandalam sector Congress meeting in Bhander block of Datia district on Thursday.

Dalit leader Baraiya is known for his bold remarks on political opponents and had often hit the headlines in the past also. For instance, earlier in April this year, he had said that if the BJP wins more than 50 seats in upcoming assembly elections, then he would blacken his face at Rajbhavan in Bhopal.
New Delhi, June 29 : The Delhi government said on Thursday that the second meeting of the National Capital Civil Service Authority has concluded during which Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal halted the proposal for the appointment of certain officials in the Education Department due to ongoing vigilance cases against them.

The main focus of the meeting was the transfer and posting of officials in Delhi.

Previously,Kejriwal had stated that the Central government is misusing the recently-established National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA).

At the meeting, a proposal to remove some competent officials from the Education Department was made, which the Chief Minister objected to and subsequently stalled.

Furthermore, some female officials had requested transfer from the post of sub-registrar for personal reasons, which the Chief Minister approved on humanitarian grounds.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also alleged that the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) is still withholding the minutes of the first meeting and has not processed the file.

--IANSatk/arm
New Delhi, June 29 : Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has asked banks to ensure enhanced and affordable credit to MSMEs to achieve the target of $1 trillion merchandise exports by 2030.

He gave these directions during a meeting called recently to discuss the issue of increasing the availability of export credit to the MSME exporters. The meeting was attended by top officials of 21 banks including the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Central Bank of India among others.

A presentation on aExport Credit and Export Credit Insurance for Banks (ECIB)a was made by Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd (ECGC) Chairman M. Senthilnathan.

Based on its experience under the scheme of enhanced cover, the ECGC has now proposed further modifications to make available adequate and affordable credit to a larger section of MSME exporters.

The product facilitates the borrower accounts to be treated equivalent to aAAa rated account with reduced cost of export credit to the exporters.

In the meeting, Goyal said that the ECGC can examine the extension of the scheme, proposed for nine banks, to all the banks so that the export credit offtake for the MSME exporters can be increased.

Bankers, on their part, suggested that the ECGC should adopt claim processing method similar to the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) for which the Commerce Minister advised the ECGC to follow a pattern on similar lines to compensate their loss.

Goyal further advised banks to take advantage of the proposed scheme and extend adequate and affordable export credit to MSME exporters. This would enable the country to achieve its target of $1 trillion merchandise exports by 2030.

He also advised the ECGC to examine 75 per cent claim payment to banks under the ECIB scheme, within 45 days of receiving the claim. It was further informed by the minister that in the next four months, all the ECGC services would be digitised, so that physical interaction can be minimised.

--IANS

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Kolkata, June 29 : West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has constituted a special committee involving Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of multiple state universities that will identify and eliminate areas of corruption in the education sector.

Sources aware of the development said the proposal was mooted at a meeting between the Governor and interim VCs of 10 state universities at the University of North Bengal in Siliguri on Wednesday. The committee was constituted on Thursday.

Veterans in the academic circles of the state said that this is for the first time that any Governor, by virtue of being the Chancellor of state universities, has taken such an initiative to form a committee involving VCs of multiple universities.

Political observers feel that through the formation of this committee, the Governor is trying to show how serious he is about eradicating corruption from the education sector in the backdrop of the controversies over the multi-crore recruitment scam in state-run schools.

Besides the formation of the anti-corruption committee, the Governor has formed another committee involving VCs titled 'global outreach committee', whose task will be relating to communication with the globally-acclaimed universities and ensure exchange of faculty and academic excellence programmes.

For the purpose of promoting research-based curriculum in the state universities, a committee on 'academic excellence' has also been formed.
New Delhi, June 29 : Reacting to the murder of a 25-year-old transgender in Rohini, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has once again demanded control over the law and order situation in Delhi.

Kejriwal stated that Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were not capable of handling the law and order situation.

"Delhi Police should be handed over to the people of Delhi. L-G Sahib and Amit Shah ji are not capable of handling it. How long will the people of Delhi have to tolerate this?" Kejriwal tweeted.

Kejriwal also responded to a tweet from a user named Sachin Sharma, who expressed fear while roaming in the Rohini area and mentioned a prevailing atmosphere of fear among the residents of Delhi.

"There is an atmosphere of fear among the people all over Delhi. However, the authorities have no time, intention, or plan to provide security to the people of Delhi. How long will people tolerate this?" Kejriwal tweeted.

Kejriwal then reiterated that power cannot be held without responsibility and accountability, addressing L-G and Shah.
Bengaluru, June 29 : In a startling development, a techie in Bengaluru has lodged police complaint against her husband for sexual harassing her along with his friends, police said on Thursday.

She has told police that her husband, a drug addict along with his friends, made her private videos and sexually harassed her.

The complaint has been lodged in HSR Layout police station in Bengaluru.

Police said that the accused husband was identified as Akhilesh Dharmaraj, a native of Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada, and the couple met through a matrimonial site in 2019.

After their marriage, the woman from Vasanth Nagar locality shifted to HSR Layout with the accused husband. Initially, the accused was well behaved but later the victim came to know that he is a drug addict. The accused allegedly brought ganja to home and started smoking in front of her.

When questioned on this, he tortured her and also started bringing his friends home and held ganja parties at his residence. The victim had told police that the accusedas friends also sexually harassed her.

The victim had come back to her parent's residence not able to take sexual harassment by husband and his friends. The accused, with his friends, had then come to her parents place and threatened her to come back to him. They had also blackmailed her that if she revealed anything happened to her, she would be finished off.

The victim had also alleged that the accused husband had installed CCTVs in the bedroom and bathroom. When questioned on this, he had assaulted her.

He had threatened that he would make her private videos public.

The techie has lodged a complaint with Subramanyapura police station and alleged that the police have not initiated action against the accused persons. Police said that they have taken up the investigation.
Patna June 29 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday attacked Rahul Gandhi, saying that the Congress leader could not be launched in politics despite his party leaders making efforts for the last 20 years.

"Congress is a strange party where leaders are launched. I belong to a party where people launch the leaders, not the party. The Congress has been trying to launch Rahul 'Baba' (Rahul Gandhi) for the last 20 years. This time too the Congress is making unsuccessful attempt to launch Rahul 'Baba'," Shah said while addressing the Hunkar rally in Bihar's Lakhisarai district on Thursday.

"Recently, they held a meeting in Patna where the leaders tried to launch Rahul Gandhi. I want to tell them that he will fail again. The people of Bihar will not stand with corrupt people," Shah said.

"I want to appeal to the people of Bihar to make BJP victorious in all the 40 seats of the state in next year's Lok Sabha elections. Narendra Modi will lead the BJP in 2024, will you not give him 40 seats," Shah asked the crowd, which replied in the affirmative.
London, June 29 : General Sergei Surovikin, the commander of the Russian air force, has not been seen in public since overnight on Friday when he issued a video appeal to Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin to cease his rebellion, as per a media report.

Rumours about his whereabouts -- and his potential role in the short-lived insurrection -- have been swirling in recent days, CNN reported.

On Wednesday, the Russian-language version of the Moscow Times cited two anonymous defence sources as saying that Surovikin had been arrested in relation to the failed mutiny.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that he is unable to answer questions about the speculation around Surovikin, and referred journalists' inquiries to the Russian defence ministry.

The video released last Friday has raised more questions than answers about Surovikin's whereabouts and state of mind. He appears in the footage unshaven and with a halting delivery, apparently reading from a script.

A popular blogger going by the name Rybar noted on Wednesday that "Surovikin has not been seen since Saturday [and] it is not known for certain where 'General Armageddon' [a nickname Surovikin was given by the Russian press] is. There is a version that he is under interrogation", CNN reported.

Russian journalist Alexev Venediktov -- former editor of the now shuttered Echo Moscow radio station -- also claimed on Wednesday that Surovikin had not been in contact with his family for three days.

Other Russian commentators have suggested the general is not in custody.

Meanwhile, former Russian Member of Parliament, Sergey Markov, said on Telegram that Surovikin had attended a meeting in Rostov on Thursday, although he did not say how he knew this, CNN reported.

"Surovikin appeared at a meeting in Rostov," he said, adding, "As I wrote the above, the rumours about the arrest of Surovikin are dispersing the topic of rebellion in order to promote political instability in Russia."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The Western Azerbaijan Community deplores the recent statement made by President Macron of France during his meeting with some radical elements of the Armenian diaspora, particularly his claim of being more vocal than the Armenian Government in defending the interests of Armenia in the context of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Community told Trend.

Furthermore, we condemn President Macron's use of vocabulary that infringes upon the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

France's apparent dissatisfaction with Armenia's recent, formal recognition of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan raises questions about France's perception of Armenia as a sovereign state. This statement, made by President Macron, serves as evidence of France's complicity in the past misdeeds committed by Armenia, including the ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis and its refusal to allow the safe and dignified return of the expelled Azerbaijanis to their homes in Armenia.

We urge France to respect the principles of international law, most notably, non-interference in domestic affairs, sovereignty, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and refraining from obstructing the safe and dignified return of expelled Azerbaijanis to their homeland, said the Western Azerbaijan Community.
Chennai , June 29 : Tamil Nadu's DMK government will fight the dismissal of Minister Senthil Balaji from the council of ministers by Governor R.N. Ravi legally, government sources said.

Sources in the government told IANS that they will be moving the Supreme Court against the dismissal.

The Governor had, in an unprecedented move, removed Balaji, who was a Minister without Portfolio, from the council of ministers.

A communique from Raj Bhavan on Thursday evening said that the arrested minister is likely to influence the probe and that he was dismissed with immediate effect.

Balaji, who was Electricity and Excise and Prohibition Minister, was arrested earlier this month by the Enforcement Directorate in a case related to job for cash scam and he was sent to judicial custody. He was subsequently divested of his portfolios but stayed a minister in the M.K. Stalin government.

The minister complained of chest pain and doctors, after examination, recommended an angiogram which revealed that he has three blocks in his coronary artery and a bypass surgery was recommended. He later underwent the bypass surgery at a private hospital in Chennai even as the ED objected to it.
New Delhi, June 29 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Thursday that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V.K. Saxena, did not give approval for the proposed Cabinet reshuffle.

AAP said that rumours are being spread about Cabinet reshuffle, as it urged the media to avoid falling for them. Earlier in the day, it was reported that the L-G has approved the Cabinet reshuffle proposal sent to him by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi. Consequently, it was reported that AAP MLA Atishi has been allotted the of finance and revenue portfolios, as well as given the responsibility of the public relations department previously held by Kailash Gahlot.If the L-G office insists on standing by its baseless claims, it should produce a copy of the order of approval or any other relevant evidence to back its claim, AAP said.

No one from the L-G office was available for comments on the matter till the time of filing this report. --IANSatk/arm
Jaipur, June 29 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot fractured his toe on Thursday following which he was rushed to the Sawai Man Singh Hospital (SMSH), where the doctors discharged him after an hour of examination and treatment.

The Chief Minister has been advised completerestfor aweek.

As per sources, Gehlot suffered the injury after being pricked by a sharp object, which uprooted a nail on his left foot besides causing a hairline fracture on the other foot. Due to the injury, there is a possibility that all his programmes and tours scheduled over the next one week will get cancelled.

Gehlot suffered the injury at around 6 p.m. on Thursday, following which he was rushed to the emergency ward of SMSH, where the doctors conducted all the routine checkups, including X-ray.

Releasing a health bulletin, the Principal of SMSH, Rajeev Bagrahatta, said: "Plastic surgeon Rakesh Jain has fixed and joined the nail of Chief Minister's left foot which was uprooted. A strap has been tied on it. The CM has also told about the injury in the right leg, which has been shown to the orthopedic. He has advised the Chief Minister to take rest for seven days after X-ray. The Chief Minister's checkup will be done again after seven days.

State Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra, PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi and other leaders also reached the hospital on getting the news of Chief Minister's injury. Gehlot's wife SunitaGehlot, daughter-in-law HimanshiGehlot and granddaughter also reached the hospital.
Mumbai, June 29 : The Congress' Maharashtra unit on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not uttering a word despite the violence ravaging the north-eastern state of Manipur for 52 days.

In a sharp reaction, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the country is "blessed with an insensitive PM that shames even the legend of 'Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burnt'".

"On one hand, the Centre is taking no measures to end the ongoing brutalities in Manipur, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was barred from meeting or speaking with the Manipuris. This is clearly an indicator of Modi's dictatorial regime," he said.

Condemning the move to stop Gandhi in Manipur, he said that the people there are waiting for help and solace from the Centre, but the PM kept busy visiting the USAas the state was in flames.

"Rahul Gandhi is visiting Manipur to learn about the sufferings of the people there, to convey his message of peace, love and brotherhood. Initially he was permitted to travel by road, and thousands thronged up to meet him. Seeing his popular appeal, the BJP government got jitters, intercepted his convoy and sent him back," Patole claimed.

When the locals opposed this, they were allegedly targeted with teargas after Gandhi left the place as he was not permitted to meet and interact with them, he added.

According to Patole, for the first 25 days when Manipur was grappling with the holocaust, not a single representative of the Centre visited the state, and later Union Home Minister Amit Shah went there.

"Despite Shah's visit, the state has not come under control yet, proving that the people of Manipur have lost faith in both Modi and the BJP, and hold them responsible for their predicament," claimed Patole.

He again condemned the manner in which places of worship are being attacked and burnt, police stations being looted of weapons, huge financial losses incurred and many precious lives lost in the past 52 days. Instead of working to bring the situation there under control, the Centre is making speeches, organising events and releasing advertisements, but the people of Manipur will not forget or forgive the BJP's stance or banning Gandhi from meeting them, he said.
Imphal, June 29 : Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday visited relief camps in Imphal and Churachandpur, where displaced people took shelter after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.

The Congress leader visited Churachandpur, one of the worst violence hit districts, and met the inmates in the relief camps there.

After coming back to Imphal, he visited some relief camps in Imphal West District.

"In both districts, Rahul ji patiently listened to the hardship of the distressed people," Manipur state Congress President K. Meghachandra Singh said.

Earlier on Thursday, immediately after his arrival on a two-day Manipur visit, Gandhi left for Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts by road but the police stopped his convoy in Bishnupur citing law and order problems. The Congress leaders were stopped by a huge contingent of police led by Bishnupur's Superintendent of Police Heisnam Balram Singh, around 20 km from Imphal.

Tear gas shells were fired by police in front of the Bishnupur police station to disperse the women-led demonstrators, who shouted slogans demanding to allow Gandhi to visit the violence hit people in Bishnupur. Some, however, opposed the Congress leader's visit.

Gandhi later tweeted : "I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. People of all communities are very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority."

All top Congress leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the Manipur Police action. Congress leaders alleged that Manipur Police, under the instructions of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh stopped Gandhi from visiting Bishnupur district to meet the violence-affected distressed people.

--IANS

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New Delhi, June 29 : The body of a 25-year-old transgender with stab injuries was found in Delhi's Rohini area in the early hours of Thursday, the police said.

Sharing the details, a senior police officer said that the body was found near the Japanese Park at around 4 a.m., with stab wound on the chest.

"The body has been shifted to the hospital. The exact nature of the injury will be ascertained once we have the post-mortem report," the officer said.

As per the FSL team, which inspected the spot, the incident had occurred at another place and later the body was dumped near the park

A case has been registered at Prashant Vihar police station, and some suspects have been identified, the officer said.

"A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused," the officer added.

"The case of the brutal murder of a 25-year-oldtransgender individual in Rohini is extremely unfortunate and tragic. Every day different corners of the capital witness cases of such killings. This park is located in a posh area of Delhi. The national capital has become highly unsafe. It is necessary to handle the situation with seriousness," DCW chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.

--IANSssh/arm
Bhopal, June 29 : Deployment of government school teachers for a programme of self-styled godman Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham has drawn sharp criticism from the Madhya Pradesh Shikshak Congress (MPSC).

As per sources, around 100 teachers enrolled with state-run schools were deployed for a programme of Shastri in Rajgarh district by the district education department for assisting the police. The three-day programme, known as 'Katha', was organised from June 26-28 at Khilchipur town in Rajgarh district. However, following objections by the MPSC, the order was withdrawn on June 27.

Responding to the controversy, Karan Singh Bhilala, a senior official in the district education department, told the press that the order was withdrawn soon after receiving objection.

However, MPSC general secretary Ashutosh Pandey told reporters that the controversial order was withdrawn a day before the programme ended after the organisation lodged a protest.

"Teachers are considered second-grade citizens and treated in this manner at the expense of quality education," he said.--IANSpd/arm
Mumbai, June 29 : A six-week-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed in two separate incidents of house collapses in the Mumbai suburbs late on Thursday, the BMC Disaster Control said.

In the first instance, the infant named Aryan Ravindra Pal was seriously hurt when a wooden loft in their home in Dahisar came crashing down. The child was rushed to the Shatabdi Hospital but declared dead on arrival.

In the second incident, Kisan Dhulla was grievously injured when the slab of a bathroom in his home collapsed.

The tragedy occurred at Telugu Samaj Society in Kandivali East and the victim was rushed to the Shatabdi Hospital but declared dead on admission.

After four days of downpour, the rains subsided on Thursday in the city. The rainfall recorded was: City: 14.36 mm, eastern suburbs: 10.37 mm, and 17.99 mm in the western suburbs, said the BMC.

With the latest fatalities, the death toll in Mumbai rain-related incidents has shot upto 5 in the past 24 hours.
New Delhi, June 29 : A Delhi court has rejected bail application of a murder suspect after it was found that he had submitted fraudulent medical documents in support of his plea.

The court, presided over by vacation Judge Pawan Kumar, dismissed the application filed by Dharamvir and instructed Station House Officer, Tilak Marg to take appropriate action.

"The report submitted by the investigating officer as prepared by the doctor concerned states that the documents sent for verification were fake and signatures on the said documents are stated to be forged. In the attending facts and circumstances, it is appropriate that the matter be reported to SHO PS Tilak Marg to take appropriate action as per law," the judge said.

The court emphasised the need for further investigation into the authenticity of the documents, as the report submitted by the doctor raised serious doubts about their genuineness.

The report highlighted inconsistencies between the dates mentioned on the patient's Out Patient Department (OPD) card and the doctor's handwritten note, as well as the nature of the disease mentioned.

"If injection is required, we refer to casualty. Nothing of that mentioned in the card," the doctor said. The doctor pointed out that the disease mentioned is related to the brain but the date given was for an ailment of the spinal cord. It also pointed out various errors and discrepancies, including forged signatures and missing records, casting further doubt on the validity of the documents.

"There is no CT scan available in our computer of this patient without which the disease mentioned can't be diagnosed. There are many spelling mistakes like 'bleed' is written as 'billed'. The signature of the doctor on document doesn't belong to anyone from our team. We keep records of the patients which we give date for surgery. No such record is available in our register," the doctor said.

--IANS

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Guwahati, June 29 : A motorcyclist from Bangladesh HAS 'suspiciously' crossed the border on his bike and reached Assam's Karimganj district, the police said on Thursday.

According to the police, the biker rode almost 30 km within the Indian territory on Wednesday evening, before hiding in the Karimganj area. The police later found his bike, which he had abandoned in the middle of the road.

The Border Security Force (BSF) had opened the gates of the international border on Wednesday evening for some work, and the biker took advantage of the opening to cross over to the Indian territpory, said Partha Pratim Das, Superintendent of Police, Karimganj district.

"It occurred during twilight, and for unknown reasons, the BSF did not shoot him down. After receiving notification from them, we immediately launched a search operation," said Das.

He claimed that the rider rode all the way to Karimganj before abandoning off his bike.

"The region is located between 30 and 35 km from the border. We have launched a manhunt, and will have him in custody soon," said Das.

The bike, which has a Sylhet registration number, was found by a special police unit. According to Das, the BSF will get in touch with its counterparts in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, C.P. Meena, the DIG of BSF's Mizoram Cachar Frontier, visited Karimganj on Thursday and met with various BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officers. He claimed that such an occurrence was the first of its kind to be reported from the area.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Turkiye is using all its resources to shed light on the heinous attack on AzTV employees in France, head of the Public Relations Office of the Presidential Administration of Turkiye Fahrettin Altun said, Trend reports.

"We expect French officials and law enforcement to immediately identify and prosecute those responsible for the attack. We strongly condemn this heinous attack on freedom of the press and information, which shows that Europe is losing ground day by day in the context of protecting human rights and freedoms," he noted.

Fakhrettin Altun wished recovery to Azerbaijani journalists injured in this attack.

The employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC (owning AzTV channel) were attacked during filming of protest rallies in France. As a result, the reporter and cameraman were injured, and the camera was taken away and broken. When the AzTV employees demanded the return of the camera, they were threatened with a weapon.

The protests began after the murder of a 17-year-old teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France.
New Delhi, June 30 : The Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested a former national taekwondo player, who is also a member of the infamous Neeraj Bawana gang, for abducting his uncle from Haryana's Rohtak and killing him in 2019, an official said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Praveen Hooda (28), a resident of Haryana's Jhajjar, had been evading arrest since 2019.

He had previously won a silver medal in national games, where he had represented Haryana.

Sharing the details, Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal said that Hooda had a financial dispute with his uncle Harish Hooda as the latter had taken money from him on the pretext of providing a job to him in Railways.

However, the job did not materialise and he asked his uncle to pay back the money, but the latter refused.

"Hooda got infuriated by this and he along with his associates had abducted Harish Hooda from the area Civil Line, Rohtak in February 2019 and later murdered him in Kanjhawala area," said the Special CP.

Initially, a case of abduction was lodged at Civil Line police station in Rohtak, but the charges of murder was added to it later.

On June 26, specific input was received that Hooda, a member of the infamous Neeraj Bawana gang, would be coming in the area of Rohini to commit some crime on the direction of his gang leaders and he would be carrying illegal weapons with him.

"Accordingly, a trap was laid at Sector 25, Rohini, Delhi and the accused was apprehended from there. A sophisticated pistol and four bullets were recovered from him," Dhaliwal said.

In 2018, Hooda was arrested in a case of trespass and firing in the area of Aman Vihar police station. He also sustained bullet injuries in that incident.

--IANS

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Kolkata, June 29 : Despite maintaining an overall supremacy in the run-up to the July 8 panchayat elections in West Bengal, the ABP-CVoter Opinion Poll for the rural civic body polls has indicated some major factors of discomfort for the state's ruling party that might keep its leadership worried for the big battle of 2024.

As many as 49 per cent of the respondents have claimed that they are unhappy with the functioning of the Zilla Parishads, the highest tier of the three-tier panchayat system, and hence they want a change in the power constitution there, while 28 per cent said that despite being unhappy with the performance, they do not want a change right now.

While 16 per cent of the respondents said that they are happy with the functioning of the Zilla Parishads, only 7 per cent claimed ignorance in the matter.

Theopinionpollalsoindicates possible erosion in the dedicated minority vote bank of the TrinamoolCongress. While 59 per cent of the respondents have claimed that the possibility of erosion in the ruling partyas minority votes is high, 28 per cent have ruled out that possibility. Thirteen per cent have claimed ignorance in the matter.

As per the survey, 25 per cent of the respondents feel that the issue of corruption will be the factor for the rural civic bodypolls, while 21 per cent feel that rising unemployment will be the most important issue. While 40 per cent feel otherfactors like law and order and civic issues, among others, will be the majorfactor, 13 per cent of the respondents have claimed ignorance.

On the overall performance of theTrinamoolCongress-led government, 40 per cent of the respondents have termed it as bad, 35 per cent have described it as good while 16 per cent have marked it as average. Only 9 per cent have claimed ignorance in the matter.

Finally, while 59 per cent of the respondents feel that pre-poll violence, especially during the nomination phase, has tarnished the image of TrinamoolCongress, 28 per cent feel otherwise.

IANS

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Chennai , June 30 : Hours after issuing a controversial order on Thursday sacking Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers, Governor R.N. Ravi has withdrawn it, as per highly-placed sources in Raj Bhavan.

Balaji, who was Minister without portfolio, will continue as a minister in the Stalin cabinet.

Immediately after the Governor issued the order, Chief Minister MK Stalin had lashed out against the decision, saying that the Governor does not have any power to remove a minister from the Council of Ministers on his own.

The Governor, in the statement dismissing Balaji, has said that he was misusing his poweras a minister and influencing an ongoing case against him.

Sources told IANS that the Governor has hurriedly withdrawn his earlier order after Stalin has said that the DMK and Tamil Nadu government would fight the move legally and approach the Supreme Court against this.

Officials in Raj Bhavan told IANS that the Governor had withdrawn the decision following intervention from the Central government and that the Governor was advised to take a legal opinion.Balaji, who was the Electricity and Excise and Prohibition Minister, was arrested earlier this month, amid high drama by the Enforcement Directorate in an old cash for job scam, and is now in judicial custody. While he was divested of the key portfolios, he continued to be a minister in the DMK government.--IANSaal/vd
Panaji, June 30 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that if youth in the coastal state lack the skills in tourism and hospitality sectors, then people from other states will come here and take away those jobs from them.

Speaking at a programme in Ponda-South Goa on Thursday, Sawant added that there is a vast scope in the tourism and hospitality sector in Goa.

"You will not find such scope anywhere else in the country. In Goa there is wide scope in these areas," he said.

"The way star hotels are established in Goa and increasing footfall of tourists, in future Goa will become tourism capital of India," he added.

"We are targeting high-end tourists. To cater to their needs we need infrastructure and human resources. Private players are ready to prepare infrastructure in the state. Many people are approaching. But we don't have that much human resource. If our youth are not skilled in these sectors then outsiders will come and grab the opportunity," Sawant said.

Earlier in October last year, the Chief Minister had said that if youth from the state fail to grab job opportunities in hospitality and tourism sector, then job seekers from other states will grab them.

"There are many opportunities in the coastal belt. In the next five years more than two lakh jobs will be created in the hospitality and tourism sector. If we don't grab these opportunities then youth from other states will grab them," Sawant added, urging youth to skill themselves.

"Be it from Assam or other states, youth from these states come here and do white collar jobs (in the private sector). If we try to take it then we may also get it. Youth need to grab opportunities in these areas," the Chief Minister said.

Sawant had said that if the youth from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can work here in the hospitality sector, then why not the people of Goa. He had said that all the people can't get a government job.
Bhopal, June 30 : The Congress unit of Madhya Pradesh has responded to the allegations made by digital payment company 'PhonePe' regarding use of its official logo for political purpose.

The company has not just accused the Madhya Pradesh Congress of using its logo but also warned for a legal action.

In response, the Madhya Pradesh Congress has raised varied questions on 'PhonePe' and sought clarity on them.

The Congress alleged that a team of office bearers of PhonePe held a meeting with a BJP leader recently.

"Which poster or banner are you talking about?" Madhya Pradesh Congress asked.

In an official statement issued on Thursday, the Congress also raised some queries such as: "Is PhonePe also responsible for the use of money transferred under it? Will you monitor the use/abuse of PhonePe in the future and ensure that money transferred through your app is never used for bribery or corruption."The Congress also asked whether PhonePe certify that "there is no corruption in Madhya Pradesh, and if so, what is it's rate?". The Congress in its statement also asked the digital payment firm to come out with clear reply or else face a legal action. "Please come with clarity and transparency otherwise this tweet of yours will be counted as politically motivated and aimed at benefiting a particular party and legal action will be taken against you," it added.

The posters featuring a QR code and a picture of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the message "50% Lao, Kam Karao" (bring 50 per cent and get the work done) along with the name of a leading online payment app, PhonePe, have come up in several cities of Madhya Pradesh, including Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Chhindwara, in the last few days.

Initially, the objectionable poster of senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath were put up at the market premises in Bhopal, in which he was accused of ''corruption" during his 15-month Congress government in Madhya Pradesh.

On June 23, similar posters of CM Shivraj Singh were displayed at various places in the state.

The poster war between Chief Minister Shivraj Singh and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath have escalated the political controversy ahead of the upcoming state Assembly polls.

Objectionable posters of Chouhan and Nath which were displayed with QR code in Bhopal last week have spread across the state.

During the recently concluded Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Congress quite successfully used the "PayCM" in its poll campaign. Congress put up posters of the then Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with "PayCM" as a key element. Now the party is attempting to do the same in the run-up to Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.
Gurugram, June 30 : In an alleged road rage accident, a 22-year-old Delhi University student and his friend were reportedly beaten up by a group of six men for not giving way to their car in the DLF phase-1 area in Gurugram, police said.

The complainant student Raja told the police that he along with his friend Praveen was travelling to Gwal Pahari from Baliawas in his car on Wednesday, when around 4.30 pm they were overtaken by a Maruti Baleno car near Baliawas Chowk located on the Gurugram-Faridabad stretch.

"After overtaking our car, a group of around six men got down from the car and thrashed us with sticks arguing why we were not giving them side and later left the spot after threatening to kill us," the victim told the police.

After the incident, the victim duo went to a nearby hospital for treatment and reported the matter to the police.

Based on the student's complaint, an FIR was registered against six unidentified youth under sections 148 (riots), 149 (unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful confinement), 323 (causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at the DLF Phase-1 police station.

"A case has been registered related to the matter and we are searching the suspects and scanning the CCTV footage of the incident spot to develop the identity of the suspects," Inspector Dinesh Kumar, Station House Officer, DLF Phase-1 police station, said.

--IANSstr/khz
Aden : , June 30 (IANS) Four Yemeni government soldiers were killed in the southern province of Dhalea in a drone attack carried out by the Houthi militia, a military official told media.

The Houthi militia deployed an explosive-laden drone and targeted military installations of the pro-government forces in the northern areas of Dhalea, said the official on condition of anonymity to Xinhua news agency.

He noted that the drone attack killed four soldiers and injured several others while damaging the military site, with an armored vehicle completely destroyed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack took place concurrently with the arrival of Houthi reinforcements near government forces' positions in Dhalea, he added.

The Houthis have also been pursuing military escalation on other fronts within southern provinces that are currently under the control of pro-government forces, according to the official.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognised Yemeni government.

The UN brokered a humanitarian truce in Yemen in April 2022, initially bringing hope for a peaceful resolution by significantly reducing violence. However, after the truce expired in October last year, sporadic armed confrontations have resurfaced in various regions of the country.

The UN has been working to broker a political solution to the conflict, but previous attempts have failed due to a lack of trust between the warring parties and continued violence on the ground.
Aperture New York City doubled down on their investment in SEL to enrich students lives and prepare them for success throughout life by adding support staff, partnering with Urban Assembly to measure success, and closely integrating SEL into the academic curriculum.

Aperture Education, the leading provider of research-based social and emotional learning (SEL) assessments for K-12 schools, honored 19 New York City schools as SEL Champions for successful integrating high-quality SEL programs into the fabric of their school communities.

New York City doubled down on their investment in SEL to enrich students lives and prepare them for success throughout life by adding support staff, partnering with Urban Assembly to measure success, and closely integrating SEL into the academic curriculum, said Jessica Adamson, Chief Strategy Officer, Aperture Education. The schools honored as our SEL Champions show what can be accomplished when using SEL data to create safe and positive environments for learning, and emphasize a holistic approach to student success and career readiness.

Superintendents awarded for exemplary use of the DESSA in their districts are:

Dr. Crystal Bonds, District 29

David Cintron, District 14

Dr. Tamera S. Collins, District 19

Dr. Philip Composto, District 30

Sean Davenport, District 5

Danielle DiMango, District 25

Danielle Giunta, District 26

Khalek Kirkland, District 23

Roberto Padilla, District 7

Renee Peart, Districts 7, 9 & 12

Dr. David Pretto, District 20

Manuel Ramirez, District 6

Dr. Jacqueline Rosado, District 12

Celeste Terry, District 18

Maribel TorresHulla, District 10

The schools awarded are:

The Walter Crowley Intermediate School

The Ronald McNair School

The Henry Longfellow School

Intermediate School 230

Norwood Heights School

High School of World Cultures

P.S. 173 Fresh Meadows

P.S. 189M Magnet School of Inquiry and Expression

Art and Design High School

P.S. 247 Brooklyn

P.S. 066 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

The Urban Assembly Unison School

P.S. 193 Gil Hodges

P.S. 069 Daniel D. Tompkins

P.S. 149 Danny Kaye

Riverdale Avenue Middle School

Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School

P.S. 183 Robert L. Stevenson

P.S. 130 Hernando De Soto

The NYC based districts and schools were selected based on their highly effective SEL programs that were incorporated through every phase of the school day and prioritized by administration and teachers.

Underpinning the SEL success at these schools is a data-driven approach, which leverages the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). This strength-based social and emotional learning screener objectively measures students social-emotional competencies, including self awareness, self management, personal responsibility, decision making, social awareness, relationship skills, goal-directed behavior and optimistic thinking. DESSA provides insights into students strengths in order to build on those and think more strategically about ways to support students when interventions are needed.

Leadership from these districts and schools were honored at the SEL State of Mind Awards Ceremony on June 27, 2023 at the Manhattan Penthouse, hosted by Aperture Education and Urban Assembly.

About Aperture Education

Aperture Education has empowered nearly 8,500 schools and out-of-school time programs across North America to measure, strengthen, and support social and emotional competence in K-12 youth and educators. The Aperture System includes the DESSA suite of strength-based assessments, CASEL-aligned intervention strategies, and robust reporting, all in one easy-to-use digital platform. This system enables education leaders to make strategic, data-based decisions about SEL within their organizations. Aperture has supported more than one million students in their social and emotional growth and continues to develop innovative solutions to bring the whole child into focus. To learn more, visit http://www.ApertureEd.com.
Carlisle Construction Materials has an impeccable reputation, and they have already made a positive impact on the community.

Carlisle Construction Materials LLC (CCM) has officially opened its newest facility in Sikeston, Missouri. Local, regional and state leaders joined the manufacturing companys executives in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility earlier today.

Were proud that Carlisle Construction Materials chose to expand its business here in Missouri, said Governor Mike Parson. This investment is a testament to our states talented workforce, business-friendly environment, and great quality of life that has made Missouri an ideal location for leading manufacturing companies like Carlisle. We look forward to seeing how this facility and the job opportunities it creates will make southeast Missouri an even stronger place to live and work.

Carlisle Construction Materials invested more than $100 million in the new nearly 500,000-square-foot production and manufacturing facility.

We at Carlisle are grateful for the warm welcome we have received from the State of Missouri and the people of Sikeston, said Steve Schwar, President of Carlisle Construction Materials. This brand-new plant, which will create 100 jobs in the Sikeston region, is Carlisles second location in Missouri. Carlisle is committed to success and growth here in Sikeston, which is an ideal location to serve our strategic and growing markets. Schwar continued, as a company, Carlisle is very focused on being a good steward of the environment. Thats why this plant, which produces energy-efficient insulation products, was built with the goal of achieving LEED Platinum status, which is a globally recognized symbol of superior sustainability achievement.

The manufacturing company chose to open this new polyiso facility in Missouri due to the states central location, workforce and low cost of business.

Carlisle Construction Materials is a perfect fit for Sikeston, said Mayor Greg Turnbow. Sikeston has hard-working residents with an unmatched work ethic, which is critical for Carlisle as they open this new facility. Our community is grateful for their investment here, and we are committed to their long-term success in Sikeston.

We are thrilled to welcome this leading manufacturer to our region, said Marcie Lawson, President and CEO of the Sikeston Area Economic Development Corporation. Carlisle Construction Materials has an impeccable reputation, and they have already made a positive impact on our community. We are excited to watch them grow in our area.

A national leader in the roofing industry, CCM is a diversified manufacturer and supplier of premium building products and related technologies for the commercial and residential construction markets. The brand-new Sikeston facility is the companys second location in Missouri, with more than fifty locations worldwide.

Companies continue to expand into Missouri because they can count on our central location and strong workforce to help their businesses grow and thrive for years to come, said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. Were excited to see Carlisle Construction Materials open its second location in our state, and we look forward to continuing our work together.

CCMs new facility in Sikeston was designed and constructed to maximize energy efficiency and reduce carbon, demonstrating Carlisles commitment to sustainability. The company is currently pursuing LEED Platinum certification.

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About Carlisle Construction Materials

Carlisle Construction Materials is a division of Carlisle Companies Incorporated, a diversified industrial company with a global portfolio of niche brands that delivers energy efficient and highly engineered products and solutions for its customers. Driven by our strategic plan, Vision 2025, Carlisle is committed to generating superior shareholder returns by investing in high-ROIC businesses and maintaining a balanced capital deployment approach, including investments in our businesses, strategic acquisitions, share repurchases and continued dividend increases. Carlisle is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

About Missouri Partnership

Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouris business strengths. Since 2008, Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide to attract companies that have created 32,900+ new jobs, $1.7 billion+ in new annual payroll, and $6.4 billion+ in new capital investment. Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, American Foods Group, Caseys, Chewy, Inc., James Hardie, Meta, Swift Prepared Foods, URBN, USDA, and Veterans United.
Well-managed data can help to improve service delivery, optimize resource allocation, and drive innovation. On the other hand, concerns about privacy and transparency hold particular weight in the public arena, driving data governance in municipalities.

Messaging Architects, an eMazzanti Technologies Company and information governance expert, explains data governance in municipalities in a new article. The informative article first reviews some of the unique data challenges in municipal governments, including data silos, the need for transparency, and public records requests.

The author then relates how effective data governance improves decision making by reducing data silos, balancing transparency with privacy concerns, and eliminating bottlenecks. He concludes by asserting that effective data governance begins with assessing the current data environment, including data sources and processes, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Well-managed data can help to improve service delivery, optimize resource allocation, and drive innovation, stated Greg Smith, Vice President of Services Delivery at Messaging Architects. On the other hand, concerns about privacy and transparency hold particular weight in the public arena, driving data governance in municipalities.

Below are a few excerpts from the article, Data Governance in Municipalities: Driving Innovation and Public Trust.

Unique Data Challenges

Because they answer to the public, governments must emphasize transparency. This sometimes means balancing the benefits of innovation against public concerns. For example, San Diego met opposition to a proposed project that included smart sensors in traffic lights. Critics objected to the plan, noting police access to sensor data, and viewing it as surveillance.

Municipalities must also be prepared to respond to public records requests. Inefficient data management creates bottlenecks in fulfilling these requests, creating frustration, and exacting a high price tag. Limited budgets and personnel only add to the problem.

Data Governance in Municipalities Improves Decision Making

When municipal governments prioritize data governance, they improve decision making and reduce data silos. They find it easier to balance transparency with privacy and regulatory concerns. And when data governance includes effective eDiscovery tools, they eliminate bottlenecks in responding to public records requests.

Building an Effective Data Governance Strategy

With roles and responsibilities in place, stakeholders can determine policies and procedures to guide data collection, storage, processing, sharing and disposal. Choosing and implementing the right data governance tools and technologies will simplify and automate many data governance activities. This includes classifying and securing data, as well as managing data lifecycles.

Partner with Municipal Data Governance Experts

Whether an agency needs a fully managed data governance solution, assistance with eDiscovery, or regulatory compliance, Messaging Architects can help. They bring proven tools and deep experience in the municipal space.

Have you read?

Unlock the Power of Data with Microsoft Tools for Information Governance

Information Governance Definition and First Steps

About Messaging Architects

Messaging Architects specializes in effectively managing and securing an organizations most precious asset, its information. With over 20 years of information management and technology consulting experience, the Messaging Architects team has provided corporations, educational intuitions, health care facilities and nonprofits with methodologies, procedures, and technology to keep their data organized, compliant and secure.

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.


BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan held bilateral negotiations on June 27-29 at the George Schultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia. While in Washington they met with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Trend reports citing Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The Ministers and their teams continued progress on the draft bilateral Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations. They reached an agreement on additional articles and achieved mutual understanding on the draft agreement, meanwhile acknowledging that the positions on some key issues requires further work.

Both Ministers expressed their appreciation to the US side for hosting negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and their commitment to continue their negotiations.
Attorneys at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP advised long-standing client SL Green Realty Corp. in its sale of a 49.9% stake in 245 Park Avenue, the 1.7 million-square-foot office tower north of Grand Central Terminal, to Japanese developer Mori Trust in a deal that valued the property at $2 billion.

Mori Trust assumed half of the $1.76 billion in debt encumbering the building.

The deal reflects the continuing allure of investing in trophy Midtown New York assets and resilience of the Park Avenue corridor as New Yorks most desirable office market[and] a strong demand from tenants and investors for high quality, amenitized office properties located in highly commutable areas, according to SL Green, Manhattans largest office landlord.

The Greenberg Traurig team representing SL Green was led by New York Real Estate Shareholders Gary S. Kleinman, Farah S. Ahmed, and Adam M. Goldstein, with assistance from Associate Joseph Ham and Paralegal Supervisor Tana Brkani, and New York Tax Shareholders Bennett I. Deutsch and Ivy J. Lapides.

About Greenberg Traurig's Real Estate Practice: The Greenberg Traurig Real Estate Practice is a cornerstone of the firm and recognized leader in the industry. The firms real estate attorneys deliver diversified and comprehensive counsel for property acquisition and investment, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring, and disposition of all asset classes of real estate. The team draws upon the knowledge and experience of more than 700 real estate lawyers from around the world, serving clients from key markets in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The groups clientele includes a broad range of property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, and private owners. The firms real estate team advises clients on a variety of matters across a broad spectrum of commercial, recreational, and residential real estate, including structured equity and debt and the hybrids.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2650 attorneys in 45 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI Highly Recommended Law Firm for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPAs Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
By nurturing our team members who already live and work in our community and who can best advocate for our students, were building a strong foundation to improve educational outcomes for years to come, said Superintendent John Stratton.

The Hernando County School District is announcing a partnership with BloomBoard to address the nationwide teacher shortage by offering an on-the-job bachelors degree program to aspiring teachers through its higher education partner network. The partnership, approved by the Board this week, provides the opportunity for a select group of experienced paraprofessionals and other school community members to be designated to participate in the program and assume the newly formed roles of Associate Teachers Substitute.

According to the Florida Education Association (FEA), the state is currently grappling with the most severe shortage of teachers and staff in its history. The FEA states that vacancies have doubled in the Sunshine State over the last two years, and it's estimated more than 100,000 students do not have a full-time teacher. There were 5,294 teacher vacancies in Florida in January 2023, according to the FEAs last count of teaching and staff positions advertised on district websites. Furthermore, the number of support staff vacancies was 4,631. The Florida Department of Education reports that the shortage is most severe in the areas of Exceptional Student Education (ESE), English, Reading, Science-General, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Math and Science, which comprise approximately 25 percent of courses taught by teachers not certified in the appropriate field. Hernando Countys innovative program could help support aspiring teachers by providing them on-the-job professional learning opportunities to prepare them and advance their teaching careers, and potentially fill similar vacancies.

This partnership is crucial in tackling the pressing issue of a nationwide teacher shortage within our community, said Superintendent John Stratton. The Board's approval of this program will enable us to cultivate our dedicated educators who aspire to become teachers by removing common obstacles along the path to teaching. By nurturing our team members who already live and work in our community and who can best advocate for our students, were building a strong foundation to improve educational outcomes for years to come.

The turnkey program includes a combination of online and on-the-job learning processes, without the requirement of traditional nights and weekends courses. A newly created Associate Teacher Substitute position will provide a salary increase to paraprofessionals training to become teachers, allowing them to begin contributing to their retirement fund as full teachers, and offering them hands-on experience to gradually assume more responsibility for student instruction.

BloomBoard is proud to collaborate with Hernando County Schools and Superintendent Stratton, who has championed this groundbreaking program that makes career advancement readily attainable for aspiring teachers, stated Sanford Kenyon, CEO of BloomBoard. This partnership represents a huge step forward in transforming the teacher development process, celebrating educators and improving student educational outcomes.

The 15 aspiring teachers participating will begin coursework in the fall of the 202324 school year, with no out-of-pocket cost to the candidates. To fill the positions, Hernando Schools will work with additional organizations, including Troops to Teachers, a program that helps service members and veterans become certified and employed as teachers in K12 schools.

To learn more about the Hernando County School District, visit https://www.hernandoschools.org.

For more on BloomBoard, visit https://www.bloomboard.com.

About Hernando County School District

The Hernando County School District is a fully accredited school district located on the central-west coast of Florida, also known as Floridas Adventure Coast. The school district serves more than 24,000 students and is the largest employer in Hernando County with more than 2,800 dedicated staff.

About BloomBoard

BloomBoard is a talent development provider that enables K12 school districts to grow, advance and retain educators by making professional education a benefit of employment. We offer turn-key programs for school districts to move educators forward at all points of their professional journey. Our platform connects districts to higher education institutions that offer certification and degree programs using a unique, on-the-job instructional model. We help to assess needs, build and implement plans, and celebrate educator success. Visit https://www.bloomboard.com to learn more.
MKS PAMP 1 Kilogram Suisse Fine Gold bar with a certified Carbon Neutral footprint IAC's conference, Maintaining Purpose, will feature robust discussion of the measures, methods, practices, social values, and commitments required to successfully achieve the vision set forth in declarations of principle which intentionally differ from roadmaps.

Maintaining Purpose, Initiatives in Art and Cultures (IAC) 13th annual international conference on gold and diamonds will be held in person from Monday evening July 17, 2023, through Wednesday afternoon July 19, 2023, at Bohemian National Hall in the Upper East Side. Esteemed panelists, industry leaders, jewelers and innovators will discuss pressing issues surrounding sustainability and the realization of artistic vision. The conference will feature thought-provoking talks, insightful conversations, and engaging panel discussions aimed at shaping a responsible and transparent future for the industry. The conference kicks off with a welcoming reception at Heritage Auctions New York, located at 445 Park Avenue, with remarks by Roberta Kramer, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development at Heritage.

IACs focus for this years conference is on maintaining purpose, while exploring varied declarations of principle on responsible practice and cultural preservation, and how to harmonize and operationalize them. It will feature consideration of new technologies for extraction and sourcing, new mine-to-market models, and new approaches to training, and a discussion on the evolution of environmental and climate challenges. The fundamental focus explored over the course of the two and a half days will be a critical question: what constitutes luxury in an age of responsible practice? Highlighted by the participation of renowned jewelers, experts, and up-and-coming members of the trade, attendees will dive in and explore the ever-evolving world of gold and diamonds. Additionally, this year marks the launch of a collaboration with CIBJO which is jointly organizing a session with IAC. Remarking on the conference and the partnership Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, President, World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) states, Initiatives in Art and Culture's annual Gold + Diamond Conference has firmly established its credentials as a critically important vantage point from which to examine jewelry and the jewelry industry as a business, cultural and artistic endeavor, within the context of contemporary society. What draws it apart is that it considers each of those elements with equal fervor, enabling us as professionals to look ahead to what will challenge us in the month and years ahead. The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) is proud to partner with IAC, collaborating with it to bring this perspective to a global audience.

Lisa Koenigsberg, President of Initiatives in Art and Culture states, 2030 and 2050: when these target dates for achieving transformational goals were set, they seemed far off. But that future is now. IAC's conference, Maintaining Purpose, will feature robust discussion of the measures, methods, practices, social values, and commitments required to successfully achieve the vision set forth in declarations of principle which intentionally differ from roadmaps. IAC is grateful to the distinguished roster of authorities, industry leaders, and masterful jewelers from throughout the world who will join us for this collective consideration of both keeping the dream alive and realizing it throughout the complex and interdependent ecosystem of the jewelry world and beyond.

IAC, in honor of its traditions and continued emphasis on taking charge of the future, will be presenting its awards for thought leadership and change-making in the industry. The sixth annual Leadership in Responsible Practice Award honoree is jeweler, Pippa Small. IAC will also be presenting its third annual Award for Extraordinary Contributions to the Diamond and Jewelry Industries to fine jewelry designer, Satta Matturi.

Tuesday morning will start with Global expectations and sustainability: Language, legislation, regulation, and transformation. Panelists will discuss what sustainability means in different contexts, and what it means to strive for a sustainable world, both practically and contextually speaking. Members of this panel include Tiffany Stevens, CEO and President at Jewelers Vigilance Committee; Suzanne Brooks, Senior Standards Manager, Responsible Jewellery Council; Gaetano Cavalieri; Johanna Levy, Vice President, ESG strategy at GIA; which will be moderated by Mark Hanna, Chief Marketing Officer at Richline. Following the panel attendees will delve into the topic of Action vs. Aspiration: Beyond pledges and commitments, where the industry will discuss the navigation and proliferation of codes and certifications, and the importance of verification to the consumer. Modification of practices for compliance and implementation of technology will be discussed by Gaetano Cavalieri; Shari Gittleman, Senior Director External Relations at Newmont Mining Corporation; Tiffany Stevens; and, as moderator, John Mulligan, Director, and Climate Lead of World Gold Council. The dynamic conversation will explore the distinction between declarations of principle and roadmaps for achieving and measuring tangible actions in sustainability goals.

Hanna says, Heightened gold prices, ongoing pressure for environmental, social, and mining improvement and the increasingly knowledgeable, demanding consumer, informed dialogue on the precious metals and associated industries, including gold jewelry, are of paramount interest. IAC brings together those in the know and those wanting and needing to know at the premiere event combining discussion of Responsible practices, precious materials, gold jewelry, and knowledgeable, impactful speakers.

The conference will then address Origins: Achieving transparency in a transformational age. A commitment to transparency, in terms of origin and impact, will be explored, and Sarine will share its work with technology, verifiable data and beyond. The difference in intention between proving origin from the outset and post-facto determination of origin in the system using trace elements will be discussed. This section will be a conversation between Sara Yood, Deputy General Counsel at Jewelers Vigilance Committee; David Block, CEO of Sarine; Allison Charalambous, Vice President of Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability, Brilliant Earth; and Rob Bates, News Director, JCK. This will be followed by a presentation from jewelry designer Satta Matturi, who will cover the marriage of African Heritage, and awareness of new, emerging Africa, with an understanding of British craft and global design.

Tuesday afternoon will resume with the discussion Ensuring a future for independent makers, moderated by Jean Z. Poh, CEO, CADAR. This panel is followed by a discussion with John Mulligan; Charlie Betts, Group Managing Director, The Betts Group; Olivier Demierre, SVP Corporate Social Responsibility at MKS PAMP Group and President, Swiss Better Gold Association; Sabrina Karib, Founder, Precious Metals Impact Forum; Tiffany Stevens; and Kevin Telmer on Responsibly sourced gold: Options and challenges, moderated by Lisa Koenigsberg. Discussants will consider the structure, scale, and function of the mainstream gold market and how the value of gold is determined, setting the larger context for valuing responsibly sourced gold and a discussion of premiums. The legitimization of ASM-produced gold within the formal gold sector, the calculation of risk, and recycled gold will be also covered. The afternoon will close with a panel offered collaboratively with CIBJO on Intellectual Property.

That evening, there will be a reception and conversation with Pippa Small, who will then be presented with her award for Leadership in Responsible Practice. This award is presented annually to a member of the jewelry industry who has made a transformational contribution to ethical sourcing and responsible practices in the worldwide gem and jewelry trade. Lisa Koenigsberg has observed that Since first launching in 2007, Pippa Small has prioritized ethical practices and cultural collaboration, while working to generate secure livelihoods in areas of conflict and to create opportunities for women to learn valuable skills. Her signature styles serve to link diverse collections, materials, communities and global artisanry. Her resplendent jewelry embodies the social responsibility mirrored by her global commitments.

Satta Matturi will be presented with the award for Extraordinary Contributions to the Diamond and Jewelry Industries. Of Matturi, a rough diamond expert from West Africa, Koenigsberg notes, Satta Matturis commitment to African design motifs and her reverence for exceptional material and craftsmanship are matched by her belief in the social impact of diamonds in Africa. Her work as a designer of culturally powerful and resonant elegant diamond jewelry since 2015, her support for responsible practice throughout the diamond supply chain, and her service as a board member of the RJC uniquely qualify her for this award. Further remarking on the recipients, Koenigsberg noted how delighted the Committees were to have bestowed both awards on women who are jewelry designers who match the artisanry of their work with their commitment to global change and responsible practice.

The conference resumes Wednesday morning, when the discussion Transitioning to low- or zero-carbon methods without subjecting at-risk communities to the new socioeconomic injustices begins the day. Gracelin Baskaran, Nonresident Fellow  Global Economy and Development, Africa Growth Initiative, The University of Cambridge; Shari Gittleman; Olivier Demierre; Matt Saunders, Principal at Helena Special Investments; Mark Hanna; and John Mulligan, as moderator, will discuss and review the greenhouse gas protocol and definitions, the gold sectors contribution to climate change, and role of carbon offset in supply chains. This will be followed by Reducing the environmental impact of gold extraction: Defining best practices. Luis E. Fernandez, Centro de Innovacion Cientifica Amazonia of Wake Forest University; Toby Pomeroy, Mercury Free Mining; Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA; Susan Keane, Senior Director of Global Advocacy, Natural Resources Defense Council and Global Coordinator of Planet Gold; and John Richmond, Founder of Sluice Goose Industries and the inventor of Goldrop; Edward Bickham, Senior Advisor, World Gold Council, will moderate this timely discussion. The panel will discuss the overlap between climate and biodiversity, approaches to mercury reduction, and Planet Golds training program for mercury reduction.

The morning continues with Reconceptualizing mine to market: the Cruzeiro approach, with jewelers Lais Demarchi, of Verachi and Richard Fiszman; Debora Lucki and Camilla Guimaraes, co-founders of Julls; Douglas Neves, CEO of Cruzeiro Mine; and Adriano Mol, Head of Center for Gemstone and Jewelry Design at the University of Minas Gerais State, Brand & Product Development for Cruzeiro Mine, in an engaging discussion, moderated by Brecken Branstrator, Editor-in-Chief, Gemworld International, Inc.

Wednesday afternoon kicks off with Brazilian jewelry designer Silvia Furmanovich who will discuss her work, involvement with world cultures and natural materials, and her commitment artisanry and detail. Her discussion is followed by a panel on with Government, governance, and managing risk in ASGM/ASM. Panelists include Kevin Telmer, Executive Director of Artisanal Gold Council in Victoria, BC; Ruby Stocklin-Weinberg, Program Manager of GemFair and De Beers; Gracelin Baskaran; Rachel Perks, Senior Mining Specialist, and with Energy and Extractives Department of Global Practice at the World Bank; Cristina Villegas, Director of Mines to Market, Pact and will be moderated by Edward Bickham. The definition and benefits of formalization will be discussed, as will ways to increase market access, and potential approaches for navigating risk.

Gwynne Rukenbrod Smith, Senior Director of Programs and Partnerships, American Craft Council, will moderate the concluding panel, Training the next generation in the jewelry sectors. Where do we go from here? Participants include Nanz Auland, goldsmith, jewelry designer, and author; Romy Gakh-Baram, Director of Global Marketing & Brand Director at Sarine; Susie Ganch, Founder & Director of Radical Jewelry Makeover and Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University; Adriano Mol; and Mark Nelson, Education Coordinator for Rio Grande. During this exchange, panelists will consider how to incorporate responsible practice in curriculums, innovative approaches to advancing careers, and best practices on social media. Pointing toward 2024, the conference will conclude with closing remarks on Defining luxury in an age of responsible practice in which the relationship of businesses doing good versus what consumers genuinely care about will be explored, as will highly valued elements of a concept of luxury that is framed by responsible practice.

Initiatives in Art and Culture is grateful for the generosity of its sponsors, who support continuous education in the gold and diamonds sectors, making it possible for these conversations and solutions to come forth annually. Cruzeiro Mine and the World Gold Council are Patron Level Sponsors, GIA and Sarine are Partner Level Sponsors, MKS PAMP, Newmont, and Platinum Guild International are Donor Level Sponsors, and Hoover & Strong, and Rio Grande are Supporter Level Sponsors. iAC is thankful to Heritage Auctions New York for hosting the opening reception, and is deeply grateful to conference partner CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation.

All members of the jewelry supply chain are encouraged to be a part of this exceptional gathering exploring the marriage of artisanry and artistic vision with innovative practices, sustainable approaches, and responsible sourcing. The conference will be an immersive experience focused on advancing the industry together. To register for Maintaining Purpose click here. To learn more about Initiatives in Art and Culture, visit http://artinitiatives.com, call 646-485-1952, or email info@artinitatives.com. For press or media coverage inquiries, images, additional speaker quotes, or interviews, contact Pietra Communications at 212-913-9761 or email info@pietrapr.com.

About Initiatives in Art and Culture

Initiatives in Art and Culture (IAC) educates diverse audiences in visual culture, including the fine and decorative arts. A commitment to authenticity, to artisanry, and to materials undergirds all considerations undertaken by IAC, as does a mindfulness of sustainability and of our obligations to the planet. Each IAC undertaking is marked by a commitment to bringing together representatives from every sector, with thought-leaders from other disciplines, industries, and institutions to undertake cross disciplinary approaches outside conventional industry discourse. IACs goal is to initiate dialogue and challenge all to integrate change without fear.

IACs primary activities are conferences, webinars, publications, and exhibitions that take an interdisciplinary approach, considering issues related to fabrication, connoisseurship, cultural patrimony and preservation, and the future of culture. Particular areas of emphasis include American art, precious substances, the history of frames, the Arts and Crafts movement, the influence of Asian cultures on American fine and decorative art, and the history and future of fashion. IACs projects have been supported by a wide array of individual, corporate, and foundation funders.
Striving to improve organ transplant survival rates, internationally renowned researchers in immunology and bioengineering at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have received $15.1 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to lead a novel, five-year multi-center research program that will explore trained immunitythe innate immune systems ability to remember infections and other insultsas a target for preventing organ transplant rejection.

Each year, more than 40,000 organ transplants are performed nationwide, but an estimated 30 percent of transplants are lost due to transplant rejection within the first five years. Researchers have traditionally focused on controlling the so-called adaptive branch of the immune system to prevent transplant rejection. This branch uses T cellsa type of white blood cellto mount a sustained and targeted response against perceived threats, including foreign tissue. As a result, controlling the adaptive immune systems T cell response using immunosuppressants can promote transplant survival. However, such therapies have suboptimal success rates, and their chronic use is associated with significant side effects, including an increased risk of infection, metabolic toxicity, and cancer.

Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that the innate branch of the immune systemwhich mounts a rapid but non-specific defense against threatsalso plays a crucial role in organ transplantation. Icahn Mount Sinai researchers have found that transplantation effectively trains cells of the innate immune system to become more inflammatory and better capable of sustaining the adaptive immune response (as reported in Immunity in 2018 by Braza et al). This training of innate immune cells has been termed trained immunity and plays a role in various conditions but has not yet been studied in the context of transplantation (as reported in Nat. Rev. Immunol., in 2020 by Netea et al). Based on their findings, the researchers hypothesize that trained immunity promotes transplant rejection by amplifying the innate and adaptive rejection response, and thus represents a compelling therapeutic target for prolonging transplant survival.

We believe that inhibiting trained immunity, and thereby limiting activation of the innate and adaptive immune system, is a promising strategy for preventing transplant rejection. With a relatively short and effective course of treatment that does not carry the risks of the current standard of care, we may save and improve countless lives of people experiencing organ failure, said co-Principal Investigator Zahi Fayad, PhD, Director of the Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute (BMEII), and holder of the Lucy G. Moses Professorship in Medical Imaging and Bioengineering at Icahn Mount Sinai. We are grateful to NIAID for recognizing this potential and making this research program possible.

The program will engage a multidisciplinary team of scientists and clinicians at Mount Sinai, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, to achieve two goals: exploring how trained immunity drives transplant rejection and developing tools for diagnosing and regulating trained immunity in transplantation.

These goals will be pursued through three independent projects:



Elucidating the role of trained immunity in kidney transplant patients, led by Willem J. Mulder, PhD, Professor of Precision Medicine, Eindhoven University of Technology and Radboud University Medical Center.

Studying and regulating trained immunity in mouse transplant models, led by Abraham J. P. Teunissen, PhD, Assistant Professor of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology at BMEII at Icahn Mount Sinai.

Using trained immunity-inhibiting nanobiologics to achieve heart transplantation survival in non-human primates, led by Joren Madsen, PhD, MD, Professor of Surgery at Mass General and the Paul S. Russell/Warner-Lambert Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.

These projects will be supported by three Cores:



Administrative Core, led by Dr. Fayad

Bioengineering Core, also led by Dr. Fayad

Mechanistic analysis and Bioinformatics Core, led by Jordi Ochando, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences and Director of the Flow Cytometry Core at Icahn Mount Sinai

The number of organs available for transplantation is limited and we must find new ways to ensure that transplantations are sustainable, said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs of the Mount Sinai Health System. This program has the potential to generate new therapeutic strategies that result in more effective prevention of rejection and achieve immune intolerance. That would not just be game-changing for the field of transplantation, but also could have benefits in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and autoimmune disease. Mount Sinai is excited to be leading this effort, which we believe will be transformational both for the communities we serve and for millions of patients around the world.

The BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute is a state-of-the-art research facility housed in 20,000 square feet in the Hess Center for Science and Medicine on Mount Sinais Upper East Side campus. BMEII comprises more than 60 faculty, staff, and trainees with expertise in all aspects of translational imaging research. The faculty consists of chemical, biomedical, and electrical engineers; radiologists; cardiologists; immunologists; and data scientists, who are leading experts in neuroimaging, cardiovascular imaging, body/cancer imaging, and nanomedicine. Co-directed by Drs. Fayad and Teunissen, the nanomedicine lab combines expertise in radiochemistry, imaging, and immunology to create nanomaterials for studying and treating diverse medical conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and organ transplant rejection. BMEII researchers will build upon the advancements the nanomedicine lab has made in nanotherapeutics and imaging probe development to lead this interdisciplinary research effort.

About the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is internationally renowned for its outstanding research, educational, and clinical care programs. It is the sole academic partner for the eight- member hospitals* of the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest academic health systems in the United States, providing care to a large and diverse patient population.

Ranked 14th nationwide in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and among the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Icahn Mount Sinai has a talented, productive, and successful faculty. More than 3,000 full-time scientists, educators, and clinicians work within and across 44 academic departments and 36 multidisciplinary institutes, a structure that facilitates tremendous collaboration and synergy. Our emphasis on translational research and therapeutics is evident in such diverse areas as genomics/big data, virology, neuroscience, cardiology, geriatrics, as well as gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Icahn Mount Sinai offers highly competitive MD, PhD, and Masters degree programs, with current enrollment of approximately 1,300 students. It has the largest graduate medical education program in the country, with more than 2,000 clinical residents and fellows training throughout the Health System. In addition, more than 550 postdoctoral research fellows are in training within the Health System.

A culture of innovation and discovery permeates every Icahn Mount Sinai program. Mount Sinais technology transfer office, one of the largest in the country, partners with faculty and trainees to pursue optimal commercialization of intellectual property to ensure that Mount Sinai discoveries and innovations translate into healthcare products and services that benefit the public.

Icahn Mount Sinais commitment to breakthrough science and clinical care is enhanced by academic affiliations that supplement and complement the Schools programs.

Through the Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP), the Health System facilitates the real-world application and commercialization of medical breakthroughs made at Mount Sinai. Additionally, MSIP develops research partnerships with industry leaders such as Merck & Co., AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, and others.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is located in New York City on the border between the Upper East Side and East Harlem, and classroom teaching takes place on a campus facing Central Park. Icahn Mount Sinais location offers many opportunities to interact with and care for diverse communities. Learning extends well beyond the borders of our physical campus, to the eight hospitals of the Mount Sinai Health System, our academic affiliates, and globally.

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Lerner & Rowe hosts FREE backpack giveaway at Ruben P. Diaz Elementary on August 5th at 9AM We are delighted to announce our upcoming free backpack giveaway event in Las Vegas that will directly assist local at-risk youth.

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys supports vulnerable and underserved youth across Clark County by hosting a FREE southern Nevada back to school event on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at Ruben P. Diaz Elementary (4450 E Owens Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89110). During this drive-thru event, 1,000 FREE backpacks stuffed with school supplies will be handed out at 9:00 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. K-12 students must be present in vehicles to receive a backpack.

Families are also asked to be mindful of pedestrians and other vehicles when entering and exiting the parking lot.

At Lerner and Rowe, one of our main focuses is to provide every child possible with the necessary resources to attain the education they deserve. Once again, as we have been doing in the communities we serve nationwide for over a decade, we are delighted to announce our upcoming free backpack giveaway event in Las Vegas. This event is aimed at directly assisting local at-risk youth, shared attorney Glen Lerner.

Anyone interested in learning more about Lerner and Rowes involvement at these FREE back to school events in Las Vegas should contact Guy Williams by email at gwilliams@lernerandrowe.com, by phone at (702) 858-9941.

More About Lerner & Rowe Injury Attorneys

Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys is a powerhouse law firm in representing personal injury clients. Attorneys Glen Lerner and Kevin Rowe have grown their law firm into one of the largest personal injury firms in the country, with over 400 legal professionals around the country ready to help you 24/7 anywhere in the US. The law firms continuous exalted levels of success can be attributed to the high levels of respect and dignity shown to victims and family members hurt in an accident.

For those injured outside of Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Indiana, Illinois, California, and Tennessee, Lerner and Rowe has an established network of attorneys across the country, ready to help. The firm takes pride in nourishing these relationships as they know a personal injury attorney can make all the difference in obtaining fair compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of tortious conduct.

For more information about Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys in Southern Nevada, please call 702-877-1500.. To connect with the law firm socially, follow Lerner and Rowe on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, or like their Facebook page.

Also, be sure to visit LernerAndRoweGivesBack.com to learn more about how Lerner and Rowe earned the reputation for being more than just a law firm through the many community services its lawyers and legal support team actively support.

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Mako Networks Partners with Allied to Provide Secure Networking Solutions to CALA Enterprises Allied Technology is an ideal partner for Mako... With the Mako System, they can now offer secure networking to their clients with plug-and-play scalability and profitability.

Mako Networks, a leader in secure, cloud-managed networks for distributed enterprises, announced today at the MIDA Conference & Food Show 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that it has partnered with Allied Technology Consulting Group, a Puerto Rico-based provider and integrator of IT and communications solutions, which will offer The Mako System to enterprise organizations in Puerto Rico and Central and Latin America (CALA).

The Mako System is a PCI-certified, cloud-managed and carrier-independent secure networking platform that allows distributed enterprises to easily create secure, high-performance business networks.

Through Allied, CALA customers can leverage the Mako System to connect and manage thousands of sites via a highly secure, reliable, scalable and cost-effective cloud management system (CMS) that supports a range of critical services, including SD-WAN, next-gen firewall, VPN connections and cellular failover. Plus, it offers active management and reporting, and single-pane secure network controls.

Allied advises enterprises on next-generation technologies solutions that drive productivity and profitability, said Allied President Manuel Miranda. Always-on secure networking is a foundational requirement. The Mako System makes it possible for us to easily deliver critical connectivity and security to our clients as their businesses evolve and grow.

The Mako System consists of two parts:



The Mako CMS delivers a single, easy-to-use interface thats available 24/7 on any internet-connected device. It supports advanced networking features like remote configurations, automated alerts, reports and diagnostics.

Mako Devices are available in various types, functions and form factors, including security gateways, VPN concentrators, access points and managed switches  all designed for ease of management and high security.

Notably, the Mako System is certified to PCI-DSS Level One Service Provider standards. Unlike other providers that offer PCI-compliant services, Makos underlying technology is PCI certified annually by an independent Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), so PCI compliance is easier for customers to achieve.

The partnership with Allied is important to Mako Networks global expansion strategy through partnerships with global telecommunications brands and leading in-country integrators. The partnership expands Makos delivery capabilities and support for business customers in Spanish-speaking markets.

Allied Technology is an ideal partner for Mako, said Todd Vojta, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mako Networks. They are trusted and proven providers of IT hardware, telecom networks and security to Puerto Rican and Central and Latin American businesses. With the Mako System, they can now offer secure networking to their clients with plug-and-play scalability and profitability.

Meet team members from Mako Networks and Allied at Booth 508 at the MIDA Conference & Food Show 2023, June 29-July 1, 2023, at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

For more information about the Mako System or to become a partner, call +1 763.463.5000 or email sales@makonetworks.com.

About Allied Technology Consulting Group

Allied Technology Consulting Group, based in Puerto Rico, has been on the front line of technology and service since it was founded in 2011. Our passion continues to this day. Were a dedicated team that holds itself to the highest standards for customer support and satisfaction. Our experts are committed to facilitating next-level information technologies. Our brand is trusted and proven. With Allied, you can be confident youll be in capable hands that will ensure your business is modernized and ready to tackle the future. For more information, visit https://web.alliedtechpr.com/

About Mako Networks

Founded in 2000, Mako Networks develops technology to deliver simple, secure, PCI-certified networks to distributed enterprises, such as gas stations, convenience stores, retail chains, quick serve restaurants, health clinics and more. Mako Networks innovative edge security solution is deployed in 22 countries by some of the largest multilocation companies in the world. The All-in-One Mako System provides effortless nonstop secure networking using proprietary cloud-managed plug-and-play devices that offer speed to deployment and instant scale with no onsite IT required. The Mako System also supports a range of in-demand services, such as SASE, SD-WAN, Cellular Failover, Next-Gen Firewall, Cloud VPN, Wi-Fi and Voice services. The Mako System is sold as a combination of hardware and managed services or as an as a service subscription from Mako Networks or its authorized partners. Mako Networks is a global organization based in the United States with offices in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit makonetworks.com.
It also will shed light on the importance of incorporating patient feedback into protocol design, recognizing it as a critical step in advancing these therapies.

In a rapidly advancing field of medical science, understanding the complexities of gene therapy trials in the context of rare diseases is of paramount importance. To shed light on this significant topic, the PPD clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific is collaborating with Xtalks to host a free webinar about the evolving landscape of gene therapy research, particularly focusing on rare diseases.

The webinar will explore the key obstacles in the path of gene therapy trials, including accessing global patient populations, site training and activation, manufacturing and regulatory considerations, and the lack of standardization in data platforms. It also will shed light on the importance of incorporating patient feedback into protocol design, recognizing it as a critical step in advancing these therapies.

The webinar will be led by esteemed industry professionals from the PPD clinical research business of Thermo Fisher Scientific: Dr. Meagan Spychala, executive director of project management, with nearly 20 years of experience in the clinical research industry; Dr. Kim Watanabe, executive director of cell and gene therapy, who has 20 years of experience in R&D, business and operations, with the last 14 years focused on cell and gene therapies; and Dr. Panteli Theocharous, global vice president, cell and gene therapy strategy lead, who is a cancer immunotherapy expert and a senior-level industry executive in prior CMO roles.

PPD clinical research services enable Thermo Fisher Scientific customers to drive innovation and increase drug development productivity. Recognized as a global industry leader in accelerating promising medicines from early development through regulatory approval and market access, the PPD business serves pharma, biotech, medical device and government organizations with custom-tailored solutions.

The live webinar, "Rare Disease Trials and Gene Therapy: Understanding the Patient Journey," is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. EDT (4 p.m. CEST/EU-Central). It promises to be an enlightening and educational event, providing unique perspectives on the patient journey in gene therapy trials for rare diseases.

For more information, or to register for this event, visit Rare Disease Trials and Gene Therapy: Understanding the Patient Journey.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

Contact:

Vera Kovacevic

Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371

Email: vkovacevic@xtalks.com
The stakes are high. The need to balance commercial imperatives with legal, commercial, and stewardship sensitivities is not easy, and companies need all the help they can get to make sound, informed decisions.

Registration is open now for "Preparing a PFAS Game Plan in the U.S., the UK, and the EU."

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are attracting global legal, regulatory, commercial, and litigation attention as no other emerging contaminant has. Companies producing, processing, distributing, and/or using these substances must be aware of these global legal developments and take steps now to minimize legal, regulatory, and commercial risk.

In the United States and globally, the number of bans, restrictions, and reporting requirements for PFAS increases seemingly daily. The European Union (EU) is currently considering a proposal to restrict more than 10,000 PFAS under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. This would be the most extensive regulatory restriction on PFAS to date, in one of the worlds largest markets.

The stakes are high. Companies must ascertain which legal requirements apply in the jurisdictions in which they operate and determine how each may impact business operations and risk profiles. The need to balance commercial imperatives with legal, commercial, and stewardship sensitivities is not easy, and companies need all the help they can get to make sound, informed decisions.

The Acta Group (Acta) and EPPA are pleased to offer this one-hour complimentary webinar providing companies with the information needed to develop a PFAS game plan. Register now to join Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner, EPPA; Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Acta; and Lynn L. Bergeson, President, Acta, as they present how best to respond to U.S., UK, and EU PFAS developments influencing market access, supplier continuity, product sustainability, and reputation management.

Topics Covered:



Overview of PFAS regulation in the United States

Overview of PFAS regulation in the UK

Overview of the EU restriction proposal and the listed (potential) derogations

Identifying PFAS in the supply chain

Identifying PFAS alternatives; developing justifications where alternatives are not currently an option

Effective stakeholder input to agency processes

Speakers Include:

Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner of EPPA, a Brussels-based regulatory and public affairs consultancy. She brings deep insight into the role and functioning of the EU Member States, the deal making among them, and the resulting challenges and opportunities for business. Ms. Mihova has over 20 years of experience in EU chemicals and environmental legislation. She served as a Member of the Board and prior to that as a Chair of the Environment Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU.

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Acta, a chemical regulatory consultancy with offices in Washington, D.C., Manchester, England, and Brussels, Belgium. He is a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and one of the most widely recognized experts in the field of green chemistry. Dr. Engler has participated in thousands of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) substance reviews at EPA, as well as pre-notice and post-review meetings with submitters to resolve complex or difficult cases, and he draws upon this invaluable experience to assist clients as they develop and commercialize sustainable products.

Lynn L. Bergeson, President, Acta. She counsels corporations, trade associations, and business consortia on a wide range of issues pertaining to chemical hazard, exposure and risk assessment, risk communication, minimizing legal liability, and evolving regulatory and policy matters pertinent to conventional, biobased, and nanoscale chemicals. Ms. Bergeson is Chair of the International Bar Association (IBA) Agriculture and Food Section, Immediate Past President of the Product Stewardship Society (PSS), and a past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources.

Registration is open now.
Rx relief remained A Trusted Partner to clients and candidates by providing cutting-edge technology and outstanding leadership to empower pharmacy professionals during an ever-changing employment market.

Rx relief, a pharmacy recruiting and placement firm, was once again named to Staffing Industry Analysts' list of Largest Allied Healthcare Staffing Firms in the United States. This is the sixth consecutive year Rx relief has made this distinguished list, earning the number 41 spot for 2023.

Each year, the Largest Allied Healthcare Staffing Firms list provides a high-level view of the U.S. allied healthcare temporary staffing landscape. Each of the elite organizations named to the 2023 list generated at least $50 million in U.S. staffing revenue in 2022. According to Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) estimates, these organizations collectively generated more than $61.7 billion in U.S. allied healthcare temporary staffing revenue last year, accounting for 90 percent of the market. For the purposes of the report, SIA defined "allied healthcare" staffing firms as those providing temporary healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, therapists (physical, occupational and speech), imaging technicians, phlebotomists, and lab technicians.

"We are honored to earn a place on this prestigious list for the sixth consecutive year, especially given the ongoing challenges the pharmacy industry and its professionals faced during pandemic recovery," said PrideStaff Co-CEO Tammi Heaton. "Rx relief remained A Trusted Partner to clients and candidates by providing cutting-edge technology and outstanding leadership to empower pharmacy professionals during an ever-changing employment market. Rx relief remains an industry leader by living out Our Mission each day to 'Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most.' By keeping pharmacy organizations and professionals at the heart of everything we do, and providing flexible solutions as the industry evolves, we're poised to make 2023 another exceptional year."

This latest recognition is just one of several accolades Rx relief has received this year. In 2023, the agency earned one of ClearlyRated's coveted Best of Staffing Client and Talent 10-Year Diamond Awards, distinguishing itself as the only staffing firm dedicated to pharmacy staffing in the U.S. and Canada to win Best of Staffing Awards for over thirteen consecutive years. The leading pharmacy recruiting and placement firm also earned ClearlyRated's 2023 Best of Staffing Employee Award for the third year in a row for providing an exceptional experience for internal employees and earning a world-class Net Promoter Score that significantly exceeded the industry's average.

About Rx relief

A division of PrideStaff, Rx relief is a Joint Commission Certified and GSA approved pharmacy placement firm providing temporary and full-time pharmacy professionals for all pharmacy practice settings. The parent company was founded in the 1970s as 100% company-owned units and began staffing franchising in 1995. They operate over 85 offices in North America to serve more than 5,000 clients. With 40 plus years in the staffing business, headquartered in Fresno, CA, all PrideStaff brands offer the resources and expertise of a national firm, with the spirit, dedication and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. For more information on Rx relief services, visit our website.

PrideStaff and Rx relief's shared Mission: Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most.
NetActuate Completes Another Round of Upgrades at Phoenix Data Center "An increasing number of customers are requiring fast and reliable service delivery to end users in the Southwestern United States, said Mark Mahle, CEO of NetActuate. Our expansion in Phoenix makes sure our North American footprint is ready to meet future demands."

NetActuate announced today that their engineers have successfully completed another round of infrastructure and connectivity upgrades in their Phoenix, Arizona data center. Phoenix now joins the list of locations that benefit from the anycast platform upgrade, enabling simplified and automated management of network services.

"An increasing number of customers are requiring fast and reliable service delivery to end users in the Southwestern United States, said Mark Mahle, CEO of NetActuate. Our expansion in Phoenix makes sure our North American footprint is ready to meet future demands."

Strategically located in the southwestern United States, Phoenix, Arizona is a central hub for connectivity between major cities in the region. Phoenix is an affordable alternative to more expensive nearby locations, offering providers a great option for low latency services reaching end users in California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas.

Phoenix also boasts a dry climate, free from earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. This makes it an excellent site for disaster recovery for nearby regional deployments, providing businesses with greater reliability and availability. This facility also offers upgraded direct access to Phoenix-IX, and is certified compliant for HIPAA, SOC Type 2, PCI DSS, and SSAE 18.

Providers can easily deploy and expand their global presence on NetActuates anycast delivery platform, built on one of the largest peered IPv4 and IPv6 networks in the world. Purpose built to deliver low latency and high reliability across diverse global markets, NetActuates anycast platform is available in over 40 US and global locations, with simple, predictable monthly pricing.

To learn more about NetActuates services from Phoenix, please schedule a call with an engineer by calling +1-919-381-5400 or visiting netactuate.com.

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About NetActuate

NetActuate is a leading provider of highly available, low latency custom network and infrastructure services that reach every major global market. From the datacenter to the last mile, we help providers take their products and services to the global edge faster. Our customers can rapidly scale without fear of high costs or devastating performance issues. We built one of the world's largest global networks by number of peers, and it serves as the foundation for our performance BGP anycast platform that powers over 25 billion transactions a day.

To schedule a call with NetActuate engineers or learn more about our products and services, visit netactuate.com. To discover how anycast can boost reliability, reduce latency, and simplify architecture all at the network level, visit NetActuate's anycast resource site at anycast.com.
KRAKOW, Poland, June 29. Shooting competitions at the III European Games in Poland continue, Trend reports.

Men have performed in the 25 meter rapid fire pistol shooting competitions.

Representative of Azerbaijan Ruslan Lunev scored 292 points out of 300 possible at the competitions. On the first day of the competitions, he took 6th place.

Among 30 athletes, the representative of Azerbaijan, Aydan Jamalova, took 18th place, hitting 68 targets out of 75, and Ulviya Eyvazova took 26th place, hitting 64 targets.

Competitions of women shooters will continue on the second day of the qualifying round, June 30.

In total, the Azerbaijani national team has won two gold, one silver and five bronze medals at the III European Games.

About 7,000 athletes from 48 countries take part in the third European Games, which will last until July 2.

Azerbaijan is represented at the tournament by 86 athletes in 13 sports.

The first ever European Games were held in 2015 in Baku and the second in 2019 in Minsk. The Azerbaijani national team took second place at Baku-2015 and 10th at Minsk-2019, winning a total of 84 medals: 26 gold, 25 silver, and 33 bronze.
Birkenstock Shoes Birkenstock's commitment to quality aligns perfectly with our goal to provide Healthcare and Culinary professionals with the best uniforms and accessories available.

Uniform Advantage (UA), a multi-channel retailer of uniforms for the medical and hospitality industries and sister company Chef Uniforms (CU), a multi-channel retailer of chef apparel, shoes and accessories, is excited to announce its new partnership with Birkenstock, the renowned footwear brand known for its unparalleled comfort and timeless style. As part of this collaboration, both UA & CU will now offer an extensive selection of Birkenstock shoes, including their iconic clogs and sandals, to healthcare and culinary professionals seeking superior comfort and support.

Birkenstock is synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship and ergonomic design. With a rich heritage spanning over 200 years, the brand has perfected the art of creating footwear that promotes foot health and comfort. By combining their expertise with Uniform Advantages and Chef Uniforms commitment to providing top-of-the-line products for their customers, this partnership aims to revolutionize work footwear.

The inclusion of Birkenstock shoes product lineup presents an exciting opportunity for healthcare and culinary professionals to enhance their work experience. Birkenstock shoes are known for their contoured footbeds that provide optimal arch support and distribute weight evenly, reducing strain on feet and legs. The result is unmatched comfort that allows these professionals to focus on what matters most  providing exceptional care to their patients and customers.

We are thrilled to partner with Birkenstock to bring their exceptional footwear to our customers, said Susan Masimore, Uniform Advantage/Chef Uniforms CEO.

We understand that healthcare and culinary professionals spend long hours on their feet, and it is crucial for them to have comfortable, supportive shoes that can withstand the demands of their work. Birkenstock's commitment to quality aligns perfectly with our goal to provide these professionals with the best uniforms and accessories available.

Uniform Advantage and Chef Uniforms customers can now browse an extensive selection of Birkenstock shoes on the company websites and in retail locations nationwide. The range includes popular styles such as the Boston and Birki clogs - professional clogs tailored specifically for professionals who work long shifts on their feet. With various colors and sizes available, customers can find the perfect footwear to suit their personal style and work environment.

About Uniform Advantage

Uniform Advantage has represented style, quality and, above all, customer satisfaction for more than 30 years. As the first division of UA Brands, the chain was launched with a single South Florida store in 1985. Today, the company operates 28 retail locations in key markets across the U.S.; e-commerce and print catalog divisions; plus, designs and manufactures its own proprietary healthcare apparel lines. The companys corporate office is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a distribution center near Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more at http://www.UniformAdvantage.com.

About Chef Uniforms

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ChefUniforms.com is an industry leader in the production and distribution of high-quality culinary and hospitality apparel worldwide. Chef Uniforms provides high quality, affordable prices and lasting value. For more information, please visit http://www.chefuniforms.com.
We are committed to ensuring cultural competencies and mental health equity to increase well-being on-campus and in our underserved communities.

The University of La Verne has been awarded a $2.2 million U.S. Department of Education grant to establish the Institute of Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being  a significant driver for related campus and regional initiatives under the universitys new College of Health and Community Well-Being.

We are committed to ensuring cultural competencies and mental health equity to increase well-being on-campus and in our underserved communities, said Kathy Duncan, interim dean of the college. This new institute will help accelerate efforts, enhance general and telemedicine training, increase services, transform related education across disciplines, and ultimately revolutionize partnerships, mental health care, and community well-being.

Funding will be utilized to expand mental health practitioner training, education, and research to address the critical need for comprehensive and equitable community well-being services. The institute was part of community project funding requests from longtime mental health advocate Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (District 31). Napolitano is a co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus and recently helped reintroduce the Mental Health Services for Students Act, a bill that aims to fund on-site mental health services for schools nationwide.

Reports show that since the coronavirus pandemic, the number of Americans experiencing symptoms of mental health conditions grows annually and those seeking care is on the rise. Half of adults ages 18-24 report symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to about a third of adults overall in 2023, according to the Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

The most recent California Health Care Foundation Health Care Almanac shows that nearly one in seven California adults experience a mental illness. Meanwhile, one in 14 children has an emotional disturbance that limits their ability to function in familial, learning, and communal activities.

Professor of Psychology Nicole Mahrer has been named the director of the institute. She has done extensive research in child psychology, health psychology, culture, and prevention, specializing in risk and protective factors that predict physical and mental health functioning in ethnically and culturally diverse children, adolescents, and young adults.

Although interdisciplinary treatment is on the rise because of its cost-effectiveness, Mahrer says collaborative, cross-disciplinary work doesnt happen until professionals are already in the field. To stay ahead of the curve, the institute will train students as early as during their undergraduate education, as well as provide all students at the university, regardless of major, with an understanding of mental health and well-being embedded into their curriculum.

This institute can have so many positive effects including reducing mental health stigmas, giving students tools to connect with and help future patients, and preparing all students to advocate for the well-being of others and themselves, Mahrer said.

The University of La Vernes Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office currently offers individual therapy and psychiatric appointments at no cost for students as well as community resources available in the local area. Learn more by visiting laverne.edu/counseling/resources.
"We were impressed by USIM's data platforms and analytics, which allow us to segment our potential customers further and more effectively while fostering greater loyalty," said Casey Terrell, Chief Marketing Officer, SPB Hospitality.

USIM, the fastest-growing independent, modern media agency, is proud to announce its selection as the Media Agency of Record for SPB Hospitality, home to renowned brands like Logan's Roadhouse, Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom, J. Alexander's Restaurant, and Krystal.

USIM will handle strategic media planning and activation duties, fueled by its proprietary data and tech platforms, supporting SPB Hospitality's marketing initiatives.

"We were impressed by USIM's data platforms and analytics, which allow us to segment our potential customers further and more effectively while fostering greater loyalty," said Casey Terrell, Chief Marketing Officer, SPB Hospitality. "With USIM, we can further optimize our budgets and tailor media mixes regionally and by individual store trade zone."

SPB Hospitality has an iconic portfolio of brands, said Chad Urice, Chief Strategic Officer, USIM. "We look forward to partnering with Casey and his team to guide consumers along their 'path to consumption' that will drive increased visitation and engagement for their brands."
Customers can now enjoy the convenience of checking out with Vape Delivery Miami and paying for their purchases over a series of small installment payments, typically spanning four payments.

BNPL has emerged as a popular payment service, allowing customers to defer their final bill and make purchases without immediate full payment. Recognizing the evolving needs of its customers, Vape Delivery Miami is committed to providing accessible payment options that align with their financial preferences.

Unlike traditional credit cards, which often involve high fees and complicated terms, BNPL offers simplicity and transparency. Customers can now enjoy the convenience of checking out with Vape Delivery Miami and paying for their purchases over a series of small installment payments, typically spanning four payments.

"At Vape Delivery Miami, our primary focus is always on delivering an exceptional experience to our customers," said Deron Lee, Chief Marketing Officer at Vape Delivery Miami. Adding the Buy Now Pay Later payment option underscores our commitment to convenience and flexibility. By empowering our customers to choose their preferred payment method, we continue to elevate their vaping experience."

To explore the extensive range of vaping products and accessories available at Vape Delivery Miami and experience the flexibility of the Buy Now Pay Later payment option, please visit their official website at https://www.vapedeliverymiami.com.

About Vape Delivery Miami:

Vape Delivery Miami is a leading provider of vaping products and accessories dedicated to delivering exceptional products and services to the vape community in Miami, FL. With their commitment to convenience and customer satisfaction, Vape Delivery Miami offers a diverse selection of top-quality brands at competitive prices. Through its innovative vape delivery service, Vape Delivery Miami aims to revolutionize the vaping experience by providing swift and reliable deliveries to customers' doorsteps.
Today, our clients and the Velosio team should stand tall. These four Partner of the Year Awards reflect the diligent work, innovative thinking, and expertise that empower our clients to take full advantage of the Microsoft cloud. -- Bob Knott, CEO

Velosio, the premier cloud applications partner for midmarket companies, is thrilled to announce its remarkable achievements in the 2023 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards, securing recognition in four distinct categories.

Awards were announced by Microsoft on June 27th, 2023 and will be celebrated during Microsoft Inspire on July 18th, 2023. Microsoft Inspire is a conference held annually by Microsoft Corporation for its partner community.

We would like to extend our congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2023 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards! said Nina Harding, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft US Global Partner Solutions. The winners and finalists of the 2023 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards have demonstrated the best of whats possible with the Microsoft Cloud by providing innovative new solutions and services that positively impact customers and enable digital transformation.

The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards celebrates the exceptional contributions made by Microsoft partners in delivering outstanding Microsoft-based applications, services, and devices throughout the past year. After rigorous evaluation from thousands of nominations worldwide, Velosio emerged as a leading performer within its industry, solidifying its reputation as a top-tier company.

Velosio's accomplishments include receiving the "2023 US Microsoft Partner of the Year for Dynamics 365 BC" award and being named among the top two finalists for the same award globally. Additionally, Velosio was honored as the "2023 US Partner of the Year for Indirect Cloud Services Partner (CSP)" and ranked in the top three finalists for the "2023 US Partner of the Year for Dynamics 365 Services."

Bob Knott, CEO of Velosio, expressed his pride, stating, "Today, our clients and the Velosio team should stand tall. These awards reflect the diligent work, innovative thinking, and expertise that empower our clients to take full advantage of the Microsoft cloud."

With over three decades of experience, Velosio has consistently remained at the forefront of assisting companies in modernizing their applications, streamlining operations, and harnessing the power of data to drive informed decision-making. By offering comprehensive consulting, implementation, and support services, Velosio has earned the trust of its clients by mitigating risks, fostering innovation, and establishing the groundwork for transformative employee and client experiences.

Knott emphasized Velosio's approach, stating, "Our success stems from adopting a holistic view of our clients' businesses. We go beyond implementing ERP or CRM systems; we understand their long-term objectives and leverage the entire Microsoft platform to craft solutions that propel their success. Through data analytics, designing optimal data architectures, system integration, industry-specific applications, and generative AI, we empower our clients to transform their technology investments into a competitive advantage."

2023 has proven to be an award-winning year for Velosio, with six awards from Comparably recognizing career growth, leadership, diversity, and product design. Furthermore, Velosio has received numerous accolades from third-party reviewers and other industry application providers.

Joseph Longo, founder and executive chairman of the board, expressed his excitement, stating, "As a founder and board member of Velosio, I am thrilled to witness the momentum that leads to national and global accolades like these. For 30 years, our clients have relied on us to swiftly guide them towards the right solutions, minimize investment risks, and create a tailored technology platform that sets them apart. That is our mission, and we remain committed to delivering on that promise."


Jack brings long-term, invaluable relationships and industry knowledge to the table and is already helping us better serve our federal client base.

Woolpert has hired Jack Patton, a program director with over 35 years of federal experience, as a geospatial business strategist and consultant. Patton will help identify and develop geospatial and surveying business opportunities that will actively advance the work of U.S. Department of Defense and other federal civilian agency clients.

Before joining Woolpert, Patton worked for more than three decades at Trimble, an industrial technology and geospatial company and Woolpert partner. At Trimble, Patton served as director of U.S. military systems and products, leading the development of long-term plans, partnerships, and strategies for U.S. military and security clients. He has worked with Woolpert staff for many years, providing support to projects like the U.S. Air Forces Combat Support Geospatial Information and Services Program, also known as GeoBase.

"I have been working with Woolpert and GeoBase for more than 25 years, assisting (Woolpert Market Director) Vince Sclafani as he expands that business," Patton said. Woolpert has been in the geospatial industry for over 100 years, and they are experts at helping clients mine the value of geospatial data and its expanding applications. The longevity of Woolperts service and commitment to clients is impressive, and I am grateful to be able to continue to support the U.S. federal government and its agencies through Woolpert.

Patton has been an active member of the Society of American Military Engineers, the U.S. Army Engineer Association, and the Association of the U.S. Army for many years. He earned his Master of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati and will work out of Woolperts Dayton headquarters.

Woolpert has enjoyed a decades-long relationship with Jack Patton through our partnership with Trimble, Woolpert Senior Vice President Shane Imwalle said. He brings long-term, invaluable relationships and industry knowledge to the table and is already helping us better serve our federal client base. We all love working with Jack, and were very happy to have him on our team.

About Woolpert

Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG), and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is a Global Top 100 Geospatial Company, a Top 100 ENR Global Design firm, earned six straight Great Place to Work certifications, and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity, and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been Americas fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. Woolpert has over 2,000 employees and more than 60 offices on five continents. For more, visit woolpert.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Iran's total non-oil imports increased by 5.79 percent in value and 1 percent in volume, during the first three months of the current Iranian year (March 21 through June 21, 2023), compared to the same period in the last year, Trend reports.

According to the data of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), 9.6 million tons of goods worth $14 billion were imported to Iran in 3 months.

The imported products were mainly barley, soybeans, sunflower oil, rice, wheat and barley and accounted for 19.8 percent in value and 56.2 percent in volume of Iran's total imports.

In 3 months, Iran mainly imported goods worth $4.1 billion from the UAE, $4 billion from China, $1.5 billion from Turkiye, $548 million from Germany and $501 million from India.

Meanwhile, Irans customs revenues for the reporting period stood at approximately 367 trillion rials (about $8.73 billion under the official exchange rate), which is an increase of 261 percent compared to the same period in the last year.

Overall, Iran's non-oil trade turnover amounted to 44.1 million tons worth $26.5 billion within the first 3 months of the current Iranian year.

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Follow the author on Twitter:@BaghishovElnur
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Random House Enters the World of Afro Unicorn

Random House Childrens Books is the master trade publisher for Afro Unicorn, an inclusive brand designed to celebrate the uniqueness of children and women of color. The property centers on three unicorns of colorMagical, Unique, and Divineeach with their own superpowers. It focuses on themes of friendship and kindness throughout.

Karen Kilpatrick, an agent at East West Literary Agency, approached Random House in March 2022 on behalf of the brands founder and CEO, April Showers, equipped with a detailed brand bible containing descriptions of the world and characters, as well as ideas for plot lines. A Zoom meeting with Showers convinced Sara Sargent, senior executive editor at Random House, to sign on. It was the way April talked about the brand and the importance of it, Sargent said. She has such a strong and clear vision of the world of Afro Unicorn. It just seemed so important to get Afro Unicorn books on the market.

The first book, an 8x8 called A Magical Day, was introduced in May as an exclusive at Walmart, a key retailer for the brand. On September 5, it will expand its distribution to all retail channels, accompanied by a second title, the Little Golden Book We Are Afro Unicorns. An unjacketed hardcover picture book for the holidays, The Most Magical Time of the Year!, goes on sale October 10 and comes with a tear-out calendar and stickers so readers can document the kindnesses they do each day leading up to the holiday. Showers wrote all of the titles.

The second season of the program, in spring and summer 2024, will consist of a board book, You Are a Unicorn, which is a book of Afromations stressing how special the readers are and the big adventures they can have; a second 8x8, Divine Makes a Splash; and a Step into Reading title, Magical Parade.

For Divine Makes a Splash, Showers wanted to do a story about swimming. She shared with me that historically, due to disadvantages around access to pools and proper training, Black people have been widely ostracized when it comes to learning how to swim, Sargent said. One of Afro Unicorns goals, with both the consumer products and the book, is to encourage all Black kids and adults to swim.

Afro Unicorn has built a growing consumer products program covering 25 product categories, from toys to home decor. The first products launched in 2022 exclusively at Walmart; the brand is currently available at retailers including Target, Kohls, JCPenney, HomeGoods, and Amazon, as well as in more than 3,800 Walmart stores. In the publishing category, in addition to Random Houses program, Bendon offers coloring and activity titles, while another as-yet-unannounced publisher will be releasing graphic novels.

The brands support of people of color extends beyond the fans. April and the brand are philanthropically minded, Sargent said. Part of her mission and business philosophy is to empower and uplift people in her community, including creators of color and female entrepreneurs.

XOMG Pop! Adds Two Publishers

Thomas Global Media has signed Scholastic and Insight Editions as publishing licensees for XOMG POP!, the singing group formed by performer and influencer JoJo Siwa and her mother Jessalynn Siwa.

XOMG POP! debuted two years ago on Siwas Dance Pop Revolution, a reality TV series about the formation of the group, which aired on NBC and Peacock. Since then, the girl group has appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and Americas Got Talent, toured with JoJo Siwa on her international tour, and released its first album, Party Like a Pop Star, in March 2023. The recording exceeded three million streams in its first few weeks of release.

We got really excited about the global reach of the girls and the band, said Mike Degler, publishing director at Insight Editions. They have three billion social media views, which is amazing, and 12.5 million YouTube views, and something like 50 million likes on TikTok. The Siwas involvement was also a draw. The power of JoJos brand is undeniable, and she and Jesse are really relatable and down to earth and appreciative of what we and the other partners are doing. You feel positive about working with a licensor like that.

Insight is starting its program with five titles. The first, set for a June 2024 release, is a Coloring Adventures book, a new format for Insight that will take the reader through an XOMG POP! world tour, with fans having the opportunity to choose which city to visit next, bringing them to different sections of the book.

The second product is a lock-and-key diary, releasing in fall 2024. It will be all blinged out just like an XOMG POP! diary should be, Degler said. The first of a series of chapter books featuring fictional adventures starring the girls will come out in spring 2025, while a cookbook will be the focus for fall of that year. A hardcover ephemera kit packed with scrapbooking materials and tools such as posters, branded pencils, note cards, and the like, is also planned.

Scholastic, meanwhile, will publish guidebooks, handbooks, activity books, and guided journals, and is considering other formats like paper doll books. The first book, for late spring or early summer 2024, is Sparkle Queens: This Is Who We Are, which is an introduction to the girls and the band.

Theres so much thought behind the formation of the group, said Debra Dorfman, Scholastics v-p and publisher, global licensing, media, and brands. Each girl has a different background and a distinct personality, and they stand for real positivity. Theyre really talented, and their music is so sweet and just fun. And theres lots of engagement at retail and a great plan around them.

The girls enthusiasm was also appealing. Theyre so infectious, Dorfman said. When we popped into sales conference, the girls were talking about their favorite books and how excited they were about working with Scholastic, and it was so authentic. They know Scholastic and are enthusiastic about reading and school. It perked everyone up and made them so happy. It just felt right.

In addition to an expanded range of consumer products releasing in 2023 and 2024, XOMG POP! also has a series of animated shorts launching in fall 2023, a themed cruise with Royal Caribbean sailing in November, and a live-action feature film planned for a 2024 release.

PBS Kids Properties to Star in Coloring Books

St. Louis-based publisher Really Big Coloring Books/ColoringBook.com is introducing a range of books and other coloring products based on a variety of properties from PBS Kids broadcast schedule.

The deal was negotiated with KIDS Licensing, the PBS Kids unit that represents the networks portfolio of shows on behalf of the creators and rights holders. It is a somewhat unusual contract for Really Big Coloring Books, which has worked with licensed properties in the past, but mostly as a custom publisher rather than as a licensee.

The program will begin with books tied to six shows: Odd Squad, Wild Kratts, Dinosaur Train, Arthur, The Berenstain Bears, and Elinor Wonders Why. Several factors played into the choice of which shows to start with. I watched a lot of cartoons, and looked at the data, and considered the value, both monetary and educational, said Wayne Bell, publisher, founder, and CEO of Really Big Coloring Books. The first books will be available online around the Fourth of July, with printed books shipped to retailers likely in August. Several other properties are under consideration for future introductions.

Really Big Coloring Books is introducing all kinds of coloring products for the program, including books featuring storylines as well as images to color, books with stickers, posters, pads, sheets, and placemats. It will also offer customizable products for individual PBS stations around the country. Some titles will have QR codes that link to value-added content, such as introductory remarks by the propertys author or creator.

The company has displays available for retailers, with the option to cross-merchandise the books with Crayola crayons, for which it serves as a distributor. Bell believes the program will end up in more than 60,000 retail outlets over the next three years. I told [KIDS Licensing] that these will be in every city and every county and every state, and thats just our first stop, Bell said.

Distributing into the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe, in English, Spanish, and more than two dozen other languages, Really Big Coloring Books has a direct-to-consumer business, owning web domains around the world relating to coloring and coloring books. That part of its business grew exponentially during the Covid-19 lockdowns, a period when it also purchased its biggest online competitors domain names and 10,000 titles. The coloring book specialist also sells to businesses, nonprofits and fundraising clients, and government agencies, as well as to retail channels. In September 2022, it launched a physical store in St. Louis devoted entirely to coloring books, believed to be the first ever, starting with 400 titles in a 300-square foot physical location.

The company publishes coloring books on all topics and has sometimes generated controversy for titles on both sides of the political aisle. But Bell said his goal is simple. We want to add value for the people who use our product and make sure we represent the creators and their stories as best we can. We want to be creative and tell a positive story with every book, and make products that kids love, parents trust, and the creators are proud of.

The companys history selling to governmental agencies such as the State Department may bring new distribution opportunities for the PBS Kids-related titles. Bell is in preliminary discussions with the Department of Education about potentially taking the books into U.S. public schools.

InvestiGators Spy New Licensing Opportunities

MerryMakers has launched a licensing program for The InvestiGators, the graphic novel series written and illustrated by John Patrick Green and published by Macmillans First Second imprint. The series debuted in 2020 and encompasses seven titles to date.

What a fun series!, said Clair Frederick, president of MerryMakers, which sells plush toys based on the characters, in addition to serving as the propertys licensing agent. It has character, color, and depth. Theres funny wordplay, and it also has something to say. And it has a lot of content that just wants to expand into products.

The series features two alligators, Mango and Brash, who are super spies who roam the sewers helping each other solve mysteries, while learning lessons about relationships and emotions. Each character wears a V.E.S.T. (Very Exciting Spy Technology) out of which pop all the tools and gadgets they need. And there are lots of villains.

MerryMakers introduced the property at Licensing Expo 2023 and gauged strong interest from potential licensees, Frederick said. She noted that the look of the property is distinctive and lends itself to a variety of merchandise. You read it and you can see it as a game, you can see it as a t-shirt, she said. And the art is a lot of fun to work with.

Spy games of all kinds and mystery activity play will be key categories, along with toys, puzzles, calendars, stationery, educational materials, apparel, and eventually bedding.

Macmillan has been very supportive of the program, according to Frederick, and Green is an active participant. Hes very creative, Frederick said. Hell give us lots of guidance on the products, not just approvals.

Little Prince Childrens TV Series Sparks Licensing Program

Licensing Works!, the agency handling consumer products extensions for the estate of Antoine de Saint Exupery, has secured the rights from Mediawan Kids and Family to oversee consumer products for a new animated series based on the classic book. The show, The Little Prince and Friends, is tailored to children in the lower elementary grades.

This turns The Little Prince into a real four-quadrant property, said Jill Collins, head of retail partnerships and promotions for the agency, referring to a brand that appeals to males and females, adults and children. The property started out with an array of products for adults, she explained, then expanded into infant products, and then into preschool through its North American publishing deal with Chouette, signed in 2021. This is the last leg to make it an all-family brand.

In the series, which teaches social-emotional skills, The Little Prince is an eight-year-old who travels the galaxy on a spaceship transformed from asteroid B-612, going on adventures with his best friends The Fox, The Rose, Charlotte, and Elijah. Along the way, they learn that anything is possible.

The show premieres this year in France and Israel, followed by Brazil, Germany, and Portugal in 2024. The U.S. broadcast schedule is expected to be announced soon.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of The Little Prince. Since the publication dates differed in France and the U.S., the epicenter of the global celebration is Little Prince Day, June 29, which is the anniversary of the authors birth. Antoine de Saint Exuperys birth date is the official day when our partners around the world promote the values of The Little Prince, highlighting numerous initiatives around messages of hope, peace, and respect, said Leslie Levine, founder of Licensing Works! Celebrated annually, this years event will be especially joyful in support of the 80th anniversary.

The milestone has opened new licensing opportunities for both existing and new licensees, from a Little Prince Pop! vinyl figurine from Funko and figural puzzles with Mosaic, to high-end collectibles, comics, and more. All told, there are more than 40 Little Prince licensees in North America and 350 globally, generating more than $100 million annually in retail sales.

A new, immersive live show will kick off in Miami before touring the Americas. The estate really supports the brand with content and experiences, and that helps keep it relevant, Collins said.

In Brief

Rebel Girls has extended its content partnership with Nike, which began last year. A sport-themed multimedia campaign will complement the Nike FC Rebel Girls Tour and include distribution of almost a million units of a limited-edition book called Rebel Girls Kick It, digital content, podcast episodes, and in-person events in London and Paris. In other Rebel Girls news, King Features, the agency handling international licensing duties for the brand, has signed sub-agents in Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Canada to represent the property in their respective territories. Sesame Workshop named Penguin Random House its master publisher for China, with Sesame Street books being produced in English, simple Chinese characters, and bilingual versions, starting in 2024. Hasbro has paired with Audible for two Peppa Pig podcastsa first for this propertyone for children featuring original storytelling and the other for parents. The latter is full of parenting tips and a tongue-in-cheek take on raising a toddler, narrated by Peppas parents, Mummy and Daddy Pig. In the U.K., Nosy Crow is the new publishing licensee for Spin Masters Unicorn Academy TV series, starting with an official companion title; Random House Childrens Books holds the license in the U.S.
Penguin Random House has launched a new pop-comics imprint titled Inklore. The imprint will focus on manga, manhua, manhwa, webcomics adaptations, and light novels, according to Scott Shannon, executive v-p and publisher, Random House Worlds. The first title will be released in spring 2024.

Working in collaboration with Del Rey UK, PRH announced that Inlkore will celebrate the most popular, fan-driven tropes in visual storytelling, with a focus on digital-to-print licensed publishing, in various genres.

At Inklore, we are building a new home for creators of emotionally rick, visually dynamic, and transportive stories from around the world, said Rebecca Tay Taylor, Inklores editorial director, in a statement. In the U.S. the imprint will be overseen by Keith Clayton, v-p and deputy publisher, Random House Worlds. Century publishing director Ben Brusey will spearhead the imprints U.K. Teams in both the U.S. and U.K. will be acquiring titles for both domestic and global publication, PRH said.

Inklores first release will be My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999, described as a "gamer rom-com manga series" by Mashiro, originally published in Japanese by ComicSmart. Taylor brokered the deal at Inklore with Mangamo for World English rights. The Inklore team is also working closely Penguin Random House North Asia, with the goal of bringing in more global creators and storytellers.

According to PRH, additional Inklore acquisitions include:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Moldova has imported gas through the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) and is interested in further purchases, State Secretary of Moldovas Energy Ministry Constantin Borosan said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"I want to emphasize that Moldova was the first country to use this gas pipeline. It happened when our country faced an energy crisis. We had to search for natural gas in alternative markets and find reliable partners. IGB was commissioned for commercial operation in October 2022, and in late October and early November, the state company Energocom from Moldova was the first company to use this gas pipeline," he explained.

Regarding the volumes, Borosan stated that Moldova received around 200 million cubic meters of natural gas through the IGB.

"This helped us ensure strategic reserves of natural gas and get through the winter. We reserved capacities in the IGB, and weve already used them. Moldova plans to continue reserving capacities in this interconnector. As soon as we find suppliers, Energocom can enter into commercial contracts. Naturally, we are interested and will utilize these capacities," said the state secretary.

IGB started commercial deliveries on October 1, 2022.

Since the beginning of the heating season, the interconnector has provided approximately one-third of Bulgaria's winter natural gas consumption. IGB is the first route for diversified natural gas supplies to Bulgaria, ensuring enhanced supply security and making a significant contribution to competition in the natural gas market, which is a prerequisite for optimizing prices for businesses and residential consumers in the country.

While the annual supply of 1 billion cubic meters under the contract with Azerbaijan is the foundation of the project, the IGB has long-term capacities reserved by other shippers. Most of them are entirely new to the Bulgarian market. The interconnector will gain access to multiple gas sources in 2024.
FILE - A person holds their fist in the air, April 20, 2021, in Washington at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House after the verdict in the murder trial against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was announced in Minneapolis. On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, a California judge dismissed a civil lawsuit that grassroots racial justice activists from around the U.S. brought last summer against a foundation with stewardship of the Black Lives Matter movements charitable endowment worth tens of millions of dollars.
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Just because India has outperformed the US markets in a short recent period, it does not mean that this is based on fundamental reasons that are here to stay, points out Debashis Basu.

Buffeted by bad news since late last year, global markets had been falling more less in sync right until mid-June this year.

Around June 17, markets around the world made a short-term bottom and rallied fast, right until mid-August.

During these two months, the Nifty rose from 15,319 on June 17 to 17,980 on August 18, a rise of 17.7 per cent.

At the same time the S&P500, the leading US index, also went up 17.7 per cent. There was no surprise here.

Global markets usually move up and down in sync, in response to global macro news.

But what happened next was truly stunning and against all conventional assumptions.

From 4,305 on August 16, the S&P500 slumped 14.2 per cent to 3,693 by September 23, wiping out almost all the gains of the previous two months.

Strikingly, however, the Nifty has dropped from its peak of 17,980 of August 18 by only about 3.6 per cent, over the same period.

The Nifty has just performed a stunning feat of a 10.6 per cent outperformance, which has turned an old maxim on its head: 'When the US market sneezes, emerging markets catch a cold.'

India's sharp and surprising outperformance has led to a chorus of predictions that India and the developed markets are getting decoupled.

In a climate of bubbling patriotism, such ideas catch on fast.

We last heard of decoupling in the big boom of 2003-2007, when the Indian market rose more sharply than the US market did.

However, once this became evident, it soon became the popular view among foreign institutions and they started chasing debt-laden Indian real estate and infrastructure companies with poor growth prospects.

When the 2008 crash hit the world, no market was spared.

The Indian market crashed in sync with developed ones, as the herd behaviour of panic and fear took over. What about the decoupling this time?

Human minds display two notable features after observing some new evidence or data.

One, we are predisposed to quickly seeing a pattern in that data.

Two, we jump to conclusions and extrapolate. Both can turn out to be misleading.

Just because India has outperformed the US markets in a short recent period, it does not mean that this is based on fundamental reasons that are here to stay.

Nor is it possible to predict that it can continue with the help of just two months of data quickly extrapolated.

What about decoupling in dollar terms?

Well first, there is really no decoupling. Our idea of Indian outperformance comes from comparing the S&P500, which is a dollar-denominated index, to the Nifty or Sensex, which are rupee-denominated indices.

It amounts to comparing apples and oranges. Also, the underperformance of the US indices and the outperformance of the Indian indices have no real practical meaning for Indian investors because we are not investing in the US anyway.

It is relevant only to those foreign institutional investors who can invest both in the US and India.

Over any medium to long period, they would have been better served by investing in the US than in India.

As measured by indices, what they gained in capital appreciation, they lost in rupee depreciation.

In dollar terms, the Indian market has always been a terrible performer. So, there is no real decoupling there.

Secondly, there are specific reasons for the recent outperformance as explained by a Twitter handle @PauloMacro: 'India suddenly seemed to be most attractive emerging market (EM) story -- compared to Latin America, China, and Russia.'

A few months ago, Paul wrote foreigners realised, 'You can't invest in China because who knows what comes next with Xi. Russia is out. Pink socialist tide is rolling in on LatAm (and how much of Mexico can you really own?) South Africa is a basket case. You have one option. The only deep, liquid EM to hold a ballast exposure in is... INDIA. And the best part, it's a net importer of energy and oil is down now, so it feels safe now.'

'Every EM (emerging market) manager I know... EVERY. SINGLE. ONE... is overweight India right now. Because there is nowhere else to go. There is literally nowhere else for size EM money to park.'

This is the main reason why the Indian markets hit a 52-week high in August even as the US markets dropped to 52-week lows.

Now, these are very specific sets of conditions, of relative attractiveness, that got foreign investors suddenly interested in India for two months.

Any post-facto justification of this move with big-picture 'stories' like India's infrastructure development, large market, China + etc is a blend of patriotic and wishful thinking.

The reason for India's relative attractiveness will be forgotten overnight if the global market becomes even more stormy.

As the rupee blasts through 81, the Indian central bank has blown up $90 billion in trying and failing to defend it.

Following an extremely hawkish stance by the US Federal Reserve and large hikes by all global central banks, markets have entered a new period of turmoil.

India's weakness is an inherently weak economy with a current account and fiscal deficit and a weak rupee.

The newly acquired strength is high-quality companies and domestic institutional and retail investments flowing into the markets.

Markets will be driven by these two factors. Decoupling has no meaning in this equation.

Debashis Basu is the editor of moneylife.in

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
In a significant move to enhance its strategic resource security, India has officially released its first-ever critical minerals list, identifying 30 key critical minerals crucial to the nations economic growth and technological development.

Photograph: Polina Devitt/Reuters

This pioneering step aims at reducing import dependence, enhancing supply-chain resilience, and supporting the countrys net-zero objectives.

Union Minister Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, while releasing the Critical Minerals for India report in New Delhi on Wednesday, said, India is readying for an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The critical minerals list, formulated by the Ministry of Mines, includes a diverse range of minerals considered essential for various industries such as defence, electronics, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation, among others.

The list comprises 30 minerals, including 17 rare earth elements (REEs) and six platinum-group elements (PGE), each designated as critical based on their economic importance and limited availability in Indias geological reserves.

Among the minerals featured on the list are antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cobalt, copper, gallium, germanium, graphite, hafnium, indium, lithium, molybdenum, niobium, nickel, PGE, phosphorous, potash, REE, rhenium, silicon, strontium, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, selenium, and cadmium as critical to Indian economy.

Ten minerals on the list are 100 per cent import-dependent.

These are lithium cobalt, nickel, vanadium, niobium, germanium, rhenium, beryllium, tantalum, and strontium.

Union mines secretary Vivek Bharadwaj stated that Indias international commitments towards reducing carbon emissions require the country to urgently relook its mineral requirements for energy transition and net-zero commitments.

The ministry will be revisiting the critical mineral list periodically, he added.

To expedite the development of domestic mineral resources, the government plans to encourage public and private investments in exploration, mining, and processing facilities.

It also intends to facilitate the adoption of advanced technologies and international collaborations to enhance efficiency and environmental sustainability in the extraction and processing of critical minerals.

India has already entered into the US-led Mineral Security Partnership to secure a global supply chain for critical minerals. This is Indias second such alliance this year.

In April, in a first-of-its-kind partnership, the Indian and Australian governments decided to jointly invest $3 million each for five critical mineral exploration projects in Australia.

In mid-2020, India, through Khanij Bidesh India Limited, a joint venture of three public sector undertakings  National Aluminium Company, Hindustan Copper Limited, and Mineral Exploration Company Limited  signed an agreement with an Argentinian firm to jointly prospect lithium. Besides this, it is also exploring options in Chile and Bolivia, said Bharadwaj.

The government has also asked Jammu & Kashmir to hold lithium auctions at the earliest, said Joshi.

The government hopes to find more lithium reserves in the region later this year, added Bharadwaj.

Critical minerals have complex global supply chains with a high concentration in the extracting and processing countries, resulting in high supply risks.

The US has declared 50 minerals critical in light of their role in national security or economic development.

The UK considers 18 minerals critical, the European Union has declared 34 minerals critical, and Canada and Japan 31 each. Australia has 26 critical minerals.

By harnessing its vast geological wealth, India endeavours to become a global hub for critical mineral production and reinforce its position as a major player in the global economy.

According to experts, it is a strategic initiative that reaffirms Indias commitment to strengthen its mineral sector and reduce dependence on imports which often leads to supply chain vulnerabilities and price volatility.

The lack of a specific list of critical minerals was also becoming a deterrent towards prioritising the countrys critical mineral needs.

The list will serve as a guiding framework for policy formulation, strategic planning, and investment decisions in the mining sector.

By strategically developing and managing its mineral resources, India aims at ensuring long-term security, mitigate risks, and bolster industrial competitiveness.
Tata Consultancy Services has taken action against six employees after finding them guilty of accepting favours from certain staffing firms in the appointment of contractual workers, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said on Thursday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

The largest IT services exporter is investigating the role of three more of its employees, Chandrasekaran said while speaking at the TCS annual general meeting in Mumbai.

"We have banned six employees and also six companies," he said in response to questions from shareholders.

He said the company received two separate whistleblower complaints -- one pertaining to appointment of business associates or contractual workers in the US, and one in India, in late February and March, after which it investigated the allegations.

Chandrasekaran said he cannot quantify the favours these employees got but the banned employees behaved in such a way that they were favouring certain firms.

"The company will look at the whole BA (Business Associate) supplier management process and see what the weaknesses are and will completely tighten the process to ensure that we do not have such incidents," he said.

Earlier this month, some media reports suggested that TCS has suspended some employees for violating the company's code of conduct and some had pegged the gains made by the employees at Rs 100 crore.
Google unveiled on Wednesday a slate of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies for Indian developers at its first I/O Connect event for India, being held in Bengaluru.

The company made accessible for Indian developers its faster, more accurate large language AI model accessible through PaLM API, Makersuite, as well as features on Google Clouds Vertex AI.

Google Cloud officially launched a new initiative in collaboration with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, to help sellers build and scale commerce platforms across the country.

The company is open-sourcing a ready implementation of ONDC infrastructure and core APIs to facilitate scalability and security using retail AI technology and the PaLM API.

The technology major also announced a new start-up credit programme where companies that use ONDC can apply for a grant of $25,000.

Google is also open-sourcing research models and its first datasets under various projects to help Indian developers.

Through its collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science as part of Project Vaani, Google will open source the first set of speech data comprising over 4,000 hours across 38 languages.

On helping improve urban planning and infrastructure, the company announced a new feature within the Google Maps Platform called address descriptors, an India-first experiment available in over 25 cities.

It is a feature designed to make it easy for customers to find and navigate to addresses using landmarks and area names.

The company released its Open Buildings information on over 200 million places in the country, which will help organisations plan social and infrastructure projects in busy urban localities.

Google will roll out a Trusted Tester programme for developers to access its healthcare AI model APIs that can identify medicine names within handwritten prescriptions.

Besides these, the opening keynote also showcased several upcoming AI-powered tools, such as Studio Bot, which will help developers code more easily and emphasised Googles intent for expanding its presence in Indias smart watch and smart TV segments.

Manish Gupta, director of Google Research India, told Business Standard over a Google Meet that the company will open-source the SeeGull Databasea global stereotype benchmark with broad geo-cultural coverage including stereotypes existing within Indiato evaluate and mitigate biases in Natural Language Processing.

About national software and services company group Nasscoms recent guidelines for the responsible use of generative AI, Gupta added, We welcome efforts by policymakers around the world to develop proportional, risk-based regulations that promote reliable, robust, and trustworthy AI applications.

"We were one of the first companies to publish a set of AI principles (2018), and we use an AI risk-assessment framework to identify and mitigate risks.

"Building AI responsibly must be a collective effort across government, companies, universities, and more to help translate technological breakthroughs into widespread benefits while mitigating risks.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Kazakhstan and Luxembourg have signed a memorandum on the establishing of regular air communication, Trend reports.

As the Civil Aviation Committee of the country reported, the ceremony was attended by Marat Karabayev, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan, Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, and other officials.

"While flights from Luxembourg used to be operated seven times a week, based on the signed memorandum, their frequency will increase to 21 times. This is a key agreement. After France and Finland, Luxembourg is the third country with which we sign the 5th level of openness under the "open skies" rules," Marat Karabayev said at a briefing.

The minister noted that attracting new transit flights also provides additional opportunities for entrepreneurs: goods that can find demand in the local market will be unloaded in Kazakhstan, and products will be loaded in Astana for European and Southeast Asian countries.

"Today, we signed this memorandum because we intend to increase the frequency of cargo flights passing through the capital airport of Kazakhstan. In the future, we hope that this will lead to an increase in cargo volumes through Astana Airport, as we connect Europe and Asia," noted Richard Forson, President of Cargolux.

Cargolux operated its first flight to Astana on May 1. Currently, the airline operates seven flights per week, connecting Luxembourg with cities in China and Japan via Astana Airport. Under the intergovernmental agreement, the frequency of regular cargo flights is scheduled to be increased to 42 per week in both directions.
Vedanta Ltd, which is planning to restart its copper plant in Tamil Nadu, is weighing the option to sell the unit at a valuation of up to Rs 4,500 crore, banking sources have said.

Photograph: Reuters

The company had sought expressions of interest (EoIs) for the plant in June last year but did not get a good response as the unit was shut for the last five years.

The process has now restarted with the bankers reaching out to potential bidders, said a banker.

On June 12, the company had invited EoIs for carrying out plant restart activities after a Supreme Court direction.

The plant was closed after an order was issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

Vedanta had moved the Supreme Court against the closure and the final judgment is expected by August.

An email sent to Vedanta did not elicit any response.

Vedanta Resources (VRL), the parent firm of Vedanta Ltd, is currently busy raising funds to repay its debt.

The funds raised by Vedanta by selling the plant will help in its own capex of $1.7 billion for the year, bankers said.

Analysts expect VRL to be successful at servicing its debt maturities in the next few months, aided by the recent $1.3 billion fundraising efforts.

Analysts say more funding channels are still open like dividend upstreaming, domestic bond private placement of up to Rs 2,100 that was recently approved by the board and asset sale.

VRL has $1.7 billion of short-term investments in various bank deposits, quoted bonds and mutual funds as of March 2023.

This, analysts at CreditSights believe, could be liquidated if the need arises and at potential losses from mark-to-market.

Pledging of residual promoter stake in Hindustan Zinc (HZL) by Vedanta Ltd for up to 2.7 per cent stake, is estimated to raise an additional $190 million of debt.

"We also think VRLs timely debt repayments so far could support lending sentiment.

"While we anticipate lacklustre commodity prices through FY24, we think the impact is mitigated by lowered FY24 production cash costs and higher FY24 production guidance, said analysts at CreditSights. Vedantas shares closed at Rs 281 a share, down by 0.5 per cent.
UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank, and Central Bank of India don't have a non-executive chairman.

IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Lisa Fotios/Pexels.com

At a time when the Reserve Bank of India has been underscoring the need for governance in commercial banks, six of 11 public sector banks (PSBs) still do not have a non-executive chairman.

Some of these posts have been lying vacant for more than two years.

UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank, and Central Bank of India do not have a non-executive chairman.

UCO Bank and Bank of Maharashtra never had a part-time chairman since the process of splitting the chairman and managing director posts started in 2015.

Moreover, there are not many independent directors in most PSBs.

In most banks, board members would include the MD and chief executive officer (CEO), and the executive directors (EDs).

Some banks have three to four EDs, the RBI and government nominee director, shareholder director and one, or in some cases, two independent directors.

The issue of vacant chairman positions in PSBs was raised during the RBI governor's interaction with the board members of PSBs last month.

In a first-of-its-kind exercise, the RBI governor and the senior management met all board members of public and private sector banks separately in May.

In his inaugural address at the conference, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said he took the opportunity to convey the regulator's expectations from the boards of directors of banks and explained the multi-dimensional responsibility of individual directors.

Comparing the role of a bank chairperson to the captain of a ship, Das said, 'For the chairperson to be able to navigate the board discussions and functions in the right direction, he/she should possess the requisite experience, competencies, and personal qualities.'

Das also said that the larger purpose of the board was to provide clear and consistent direction to banks.

'It is the responsibility of the board to ensure that the processes and systems in the bank facilitate effective decision-making and good governance, which should also percolate down through the bank,' the RBI governor said.

Bankers also raised the issue of compensation to directors, particularly of MDs and CEOs and highlighted the remuneration of state-own bank chiefs being less than their private-sector counterparts.

Bankers said that RBI officials agreed on the issue of compensation but said such matters were decided by the government.

Sources said banks highlighted the need for a formal incentive system for employees so that they may be rewarded for their performance.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
About half of the students, who have been affected by the war, have taken admission to universities in other countries.

IMAGE: Indian students evacuated from war-torn Ukraine on their arrival in New Delhi, December 31, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo

Nearly half of the 23,515 students who were studying in Ukraine until Russia attacked it in February 2022 have transferred to universities in other countries such as Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, according to people aware of the development.

Moreover, about 10 per cent of the affected Indian students will have returned to that country by April 2023, according to data collected by the Indian embassy in Kyiv.

Approximately one-fourth of these students are taking online classes in India, while the rest have either passed or dropped out in the meantime.

Students, primarily medical degree aspirants from India in Ukraine, have gone through the past year-and-a-half in a haze of uncertainty.

The Indian embassy's data states that 2,300 students have managed to return to the war-torn country.

A Bengaluru-based education consultant said that about half of the students, who have been affected by the war, have taken admission to universities in other countries to date.

Gujarat-based Mohit Parekh is one such student who has taken a transfer from Bukovinian State Medical University (BSMU) in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, to Samarkand State Medical University (SSMU) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

"After returning from Ukraine early last year, I completed my fifth semester in online mode. In September 2022, I took a transfer from BSMU to SSMU since medical education can be done in physical mode only," Parekh told Business Standard.

Parekh was brought back to India on one of the 90 repatriation flights that were operated by the Indian Air Force and private airlines under the central government's Operation Ganga, just after the war began.

R B Gupta, president of the Parents' Association of Ukraine MBBS Students, said that 8,000-10,000 students have transferred to universities in other countries, such as Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, which are not a warfield.

About 2,300 students have returned to Ukraine, and 4,000-5,000 students (mostly final-year students) have stayed back in India and are studying online, Gupta added.

At least 3,000-4,000 students have completed their education since the war broke out.

Several students who went back to Ukraine have travelled through the Romania, Moldova, and Poland routes. This route was open until February this year; students would fly to one of these countries and eventually travel by road to Ukraine.

However, governments stopped issuing visas soon after to avoid illegal immigration and also deter students from going back to a war zone.

An education consultant, who has been representative of various Ukrainian universities in India, said that two sets of medical students have stayed back in India: Students in the fifth and final (sixth) year of education who do not see any benefit in taking a transfer; and students between the second and fourth year finding the transfer process to be expensive and tedious.

"Certain universities in Ukraine have asked the students to pay the full year's fee if they want to get their transcripts (authorised student records). These universities are also asking students to either come over or send an authorised representative to take their transcripts.

Currently, there are no direct flights to Ukraine, and travel from neighbouring countries to Ukraine has become difficult for Indians in the past four/five months," said the consultant.

Ukraine has a system of two exams: KROK-1 (at the end of three years of studying) and KROK-2 at the end of six years to get a medical degree. This is an offline exam.

However, for students affected by the war, India is holding KROK exams this year in June and July.

Shivangi Singh, a medical student, who had taken admission at a Ukrainian university, has chosen to shift to Germany and appear for her KROK exams from there as it is safer.

"Germany is helping us to complete our education from here, and it's safer here too," she told Business Standard.

Students who study medicine in another country have to clear a screening test (conducted by the National Board of Examination) called the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) to qualify for practice in India.

After COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war forced students to study online, India has said that students who clear the FMGE will have to go for a two-year internship here to compensate for the loss of practical experience during their degree course.

Gupta reasoned that this is the reason why many final-year students have chosen to stay back and study online from India, as they have already been mandated to go for a two-year internship.

Interestingly, around 15-20 per cent of students only qualify for the FMGE, and the remaining is left making several attempts or giving up on their dream to practice medicine.

Gupta said that in November 2021, the Indian government said that students should try to obtain a licence to practice medicine from the country they obtained the degree from. This way, they don't waste years studying medicine.

Parekh said that the cost and quality of medical education in Uzbekistan are about the same as those in Ukraine. This is the reason why the number of Indian students at SSMU has jumped in the past 16 months.

"Before the war, the number of Indian students here (at SSMU) was 150-200. Now, it stands at about 800. This includes new students as well as students who have transferred from Ukrainian universities," observed Parekh.

Various first-year students who returned from Ukraine have dropped out and joined other courses in the country, he added.

About 100,000 students go abroad to study medicine every year, mostly to countries in the Caribbean, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Union, and China.

Gupta said that demand for medical degrees from China has declined over the years, thanks to tension between the two countries.

A degree from Ukraine and other neighbouring countries costs Rs 25 lakh-Rs 30 lakh (Rs 2.5 million to Rs 3 million), against Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore (Rs 6 million to Rs 10 million) and above in India if one gets admission to a private college.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
'Meiteis started feeling insecure stating that the illegal immigrant population is growing in the valley, and that the majority community would become a minority.'

IMAGE: Security personnel patrol Khamenlok area in Imphal East after nine people were killed and 10 others injured in fresh violence in Manipur. Photograph: ANI Photo

It will be two months on Monday since violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. The North East state continues to be in turmoil with no respite to the violence in sight.

"To a great extent, the demographical factor is also responsible for the violence. Around 60% of the total population of the state live in the valley and 40% in the hills. But geographically, the valley covers only 10% of the total area of the state while the hill areas cover 90%!", Professor Lal Dena, former head of the History department, Manipur University and former vice-chancellor, Sangai University, Manipur, points out to Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

The first of a two-part interview:

If you look back at the history of Manipur, were those who lived in the valley different from the tribals from the hills?

Were there skirmishes between the two, or did they live harmoniously?

Racially, there is no difference between the Meiteis who live in the valley and the Kuki-Zomi-Mizo (KZM) who live in the hills.

All the inhabitants of Manipur belong to the Mongoloid race of South Asia origin.

The process of state formation took place in the valley where the Meiteis lived, way back in the 15th century because of their advanced civilisation which is of course, specific to fertile valleys.

This was followed by the rule of the maharajas.

On the other hand, those who lived in the hills were administered by the institution of chieftainship which was based on their own customary laws.

So, the people in the valley and those in the hills had a different polity, social and economic set up in the past.

As far as skirmishes between the two, only in the recent past, there occurred some minor issues between the two, but there was no major incident like we see today.

Can you pinpoint any particular incident in the history of the region that resulted in mistrust between those who lived in the valley and those in the hills?

It all started during the reign of Garibaniwaza, between 1709-1748 when the Meiteis adopted Vaishnavite Hinduism which came from Bengal.

With this, orthodoxy and conservatism came into existence in Meitei society which include caste structures too.

This was happening for the first time in the history of Manipur.

As a result, the Meiteis began to adopt a holier-than-thou attitude and they started looking down upon the hill people.

For instance, even money from a tribal person used to be considered unclean and he was asked to place it on the ground or somewhere far away.

When the Christian missionaries came to the region, the colonial officials did not let them work among the Hindu Meiteis.

They were advised to go to the hills, and that was how the Kuki Zo descendants were converted into Christianity. This happened in the early 20th century.

With this, the social divide between the two communities widened.

Another incident which caused mistrust between the two communities was the controversial 2015 Three Bills -- The protection of Manipur people, Manipur Land revenue and land reforms and the Manipur shops and establishments bill, 2015.

This was passed by the Congress ministry under Ibobi Singh.

There were protests by the tribals against the bills which resulted in the death of nine people, and many were injured.

The bills were ultimately withdrawn, and peace was eventually restored.

IMAGE: Former Manipur chief minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh with party leader Ajoy Kumar and leaders of other like-minded parties at a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi, June 20, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Do you attribute the current violence to the high court order asking the state government to look into the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis?

Yes. The high court order may be taken as an immediate cause of the current violence.

On the 3rd May 2023, the All-Tribal Students' Union, Manipur organised a peace mass rally in all the hill districts of Manipur in protest against the court order.

However, some miscreants burnt the Anglo-Kuki centenary war structure at Leisang, which is about two kms from Lamka town.

This was followed by more burning and shooting in the boundary between the hill district and the valley, and large scale destruction and killings in Imphal, Churachandpur and other places.

Another cause for the present violence is the proposed enforcement of the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill in the Kuki inhabited districts, and eviction of selected villages and churches in the name of the encroachment of government land.

This resulted in the emergence of groups such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun who mobilised large numbers of black uniformed youth.

IMAGE: Local women demonstrate over the fresh violence in Manipur's Kanto Sabal in Imphal, June 20, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Has the imbalance in the population occupying the valley, the Meiteis and the Kukis in the hills contributed to the tension?

Yes. To a great extent, the demographical factor is also responsible for the violence.

Around 60% of the total population of the state live in the valley and 40% in the hills.

But geographically, the valley covers only 10% of the total area of the state while the hill areas cover 90%!

Like many other Indian cities, Imphal is growing in terms of infrastructure, market and population.

Tribals -- especially the government employees and students -- have also started settling permanently in the valley like in Hoakip Veng, Paite Veng, etc.

Soon Meiteis started feeling insecure stating that the illegal immigrant population is growing in the valley, and that the majority community would become a minority.

On the other hand, the tribal community felt that all the government institutions and other infrastructure development is concentrated only in the capital.

This is another reason for the tension.

IMAGE: Professor Lal Dena IMAGE: Professor Lal Dena

Is that why the Meiteis are asking for Scheduled Tribe status?

The Meitei Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee in a television interview said that they were demanding scheduled tribe status not for reservation or any quota, but to have the right to forest land.

So the basic issue is land.

It is said that the influx of refugees from Myanmar and the government not granting them the status of refugees is another reason for the present violence. Do you agree?

Influx of refugees from Myanmar is not the cause of the present conflict. In fact, they are not involved in the conflict at all.

Approximately 8,000 refugees from Myanmar entered the state from the time military rule was imposed in Myanmar.

However, based on a report from the humanitarian aid workers on the ground, 90% of them left for Mizoram after violence broke out in Manipur.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'Having India as a credible deterrent vis-a-vis Chinese ambitions in the Indian Ocean and South Asian region is a desirable short-term outcome.'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the arrival ceremony at the White House, June 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

"Symbolically, both countries were able to demonstrate to China, a common enemy, the strength of the Indo-US partnership," says Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, DC.

The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan think-tank and publisher dedicated to being a resource to help better understand the world and foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

Dr Miller is also a research associate in the Contemporary South Asian Studies Programme at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford.

She is an expert on India, China, South Asia, and rising powers and has authored two books book Why Nations Rise: Narratives and the Path to Great Power, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Hedley Bull Prize in International Relations, and Wronged by Empire: Post-Imperial Ideology and Foreign Policy in India and China.

Miller is also the co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of China-India Relations.

"The Indo-US relationship has completely transformed over the last decade. The State visit was another outcome of that transformation, and the deliverables that came out of the visit simply confirm that this bilateral relationship has now entered a phase that was unimaginable just a few years ago," Dr Miller tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih in an e-mail interview.

What have been the key accomplishments of this State visit?

The visit was been successful for both India and the United States, symbolically and materially. Symbolically, both countries were able to demonstrate to China, a common enemy, the strength of the partnership.

Moreover, by showering Mr Modi with honours such as a State dinner, and an invitation to address Congress, the United States showed that as far as it is concerned Mr Modi's reputation has been rehabilitated.

Materially, there were several important deals, particularly in defence and technology that were joint accomplishments. For example, the GE deal, which will enable India to manufacture engines for its fighter jets, the purchase of Predator drones by the Indian ministry of defence and India agreeing to join the US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration, will all bolster the strategic partnership.

IMAGE: Modi addresses a joint sitting of the United States Congress, June 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

In terms of the gains made in defence and technology cooperation -- purchase of drones, the announcement to make jet engines jointly, also Tesla's likelihood of opening a factory in India -- are such deals emblems of a redefinition of the India-US relationship?

Yes completely. The GE deal is subject to Congressional, approval, but the fact that the Biden administration has offered it at all is a really big step in the relationship.

The US is very particular about the sharing of military technology and selective about its partners.

IMAGE: Modi and Biden in the Oval Office at the White House, June 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

White House officials have termed bilateral ties with India as the 'most consequential' relationship for America.

In what ways is the future of India-US relations going to be different from here on?

It is already different. The relationship has completely transformed over the last decade. The State visit was another outcome of that transformation, and the deliverables that came out of the visit simply confirm that this bilateral relationship has now entered a phase that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

Kurt Campbell, President Biden's chief strategist on Asia, has said that bilateral ties with India have perhaps deepened more than any other country.

In view of the challenge thrown by the war in Ukraine and the threat from China in the Pacific, what do you think America really expects from India?

I think the US is trying to temper its expectations of India, and not suffer the disappointment of high expectations.

But that being said, having India as a credible deterrent vis-a-vis Chinese ambitions in the Indian Ocean and South Asian region is a desirable short-term outcome.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'And if the United States, at that time, perceives India to have welched on the deal, not been our friend, when we did so much to make it a friend, that's trouble.'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi and United States President Joe Biden during the joint press conference in the East Room at the White House, June 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

For Dr Marshall M Bouton, president emeritus of the Chicago Council of Global Affairs, an international affairs think-tank with a special interest in the US-India relations, watching the White House eagerly roll out the red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra D Modi's State visit, was definitely history in the making.

He also mused to himself if it would be history America might regret.

Was it the 'real American dream about India'? Or could it crumble?

"The summary of the visit itself is a very clear signal: The US wants to get closer to India, especially in the security realm and it's willing to put aside India's buying tonnes of Russian oil, it's willing to put aside India's neutrality, Ukraine...", Dr Bouton tells Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.

The second segment of a three-part Must Read interview:

Part 1 of the Interview: 'How would America respond if China invades India?

Ukraine really didn't figure at all as an issue. Do you think that Ukraine could figure in the future, if this India-US relationship takes off further. Or maybe it's not a non-issue right now at this point?

It's not a non-issue. Of course.

No, I mean non-issue in the India-US relationship.

I think the US decided to put the Ukraine issue aside.

And that cannot be a problem later?

Oh, it could be a problem later.

On Capitol Hill, there's a large group of members of Congress, both Senators and representatives, who are now openly critical of India, and questioning whether we were wise to do as much for India, as they think we've done.

And they are saying, what's the deal here? We gave them a pass on the nuclear stuff. That was a big deal. We changed the Atomic Energy Act in order to do that. For Congress it is important.

The administration, they would not describe it, of course, as a non-issue, right.

They would first say that we have higher priorities in our relationship with India, that is to somehow convince India to become more of a partner, a more fulsome partner with us in Asia, without expecting that India is going to become an ally, not necessarily.

In public and political opinion, it's definitely not a non-issue.

Because, you remember, of course -- we all do -- that, back in the days of George W Bush, the mantra was, we want to be closer to India because, number one, we share interests and values. India is a democracy. We like democracies.

And in the context of Biden's framing his entire administration around the autocracy versus democracy, at a time when India is moving away from being a full democracy, hopefully not going to become an autocracy, but some people worry about that, including me. I think a lot of Indians do.

So, I think the Ukraine issue is not likely to become a major problem at this stage in the relationship.

But people have memories, you know, these members of Congress, remember that they worked very hard to get to the civil nuclear deal through.

And so, in general, what I'm saying, is there is a danger of disillusionment, down the road, if the two sides, number one, don't manage the relationship with understanding and communication.

And number two, depending upon whatever happened dependent upon events, most experts here, if we wind up in a conflict with China over Taiwan, sometime this decade or early next decade, which many people think is likely, where's India going stand? Where's India going to be?

And if the United States, at that time, perceives India to have welched on the deal, not been our friend, when we did so much to make it a friend, that's trouble.

The summary of the visit itself is a very clear signal: The US wants to get closer to India, especially in the security realm and it's willing to put aside India's buying tonnes of Russian oil, it's willing to put aside India's neutrality, Ukraine, but if it comes to the point where India does not support the US, when the US feels it really ought to be supported by India, then we've got trouble.

IMAGE: Modi appears to crack a joke with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff that amuses his wife US Vice President Kamala Harris as US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden look on during the ceremonial welcome on the South Lawn of the White House, June 22, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

India and the US have once again come to a sort of very pregnant moment where there's so much to look forward to. That's a little deja vu. But also not so at all.

Yes, but it's not deja vu because the circumstances are very different.

For instance, a lot of people are comparing iCET, the agreement on political and emerging technologies that was signed earlier this year between (US National Security Advisor) Jake Sullivan and (National Security Advisor) Ajit Doval. They are comparing the two (the Modi visit and the civil nuclear deal intiated during then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit in July 2005) and they are saying for 15 years now people have been saying, 'What's the next big thing in India-US relations?'

IMAGE: Dr Marshall M Bouton IMAGE: Dr Marshall M Bouton

And now people are saying, 'Oh, well, iCET is the next big thing' because this way the US is going to cooperate with India on all these technological issues and realms.

But you know, they are really very different. As Ashley (J Tellis, the Bombay-born Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Washngton, DC-based think-tank) says there was a clear roadmap, in the case of the civil nuclear deal to get India off the bad boy list of nuclear nations.

And there was a clear way to do that, basically one issue.

Now, with this iCET, there are multiple issues.

If you look at the agreement (external link) again, there are 15 things we are going to do together. Where's the real focus going to be?

That may be more recognition of the state of the relationship, in which case there's more to do. That's quite possible.

But I'm not sure it represents the kind of clear landmark breakthrough that the civil nuclear deal was.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The government of India has given the highest priority for securing the release of Indian fishermen detained by Iranian authorities for allegedly entering their waters without permission, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

IMAGE: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan. Photograph: ANI Photo

Seven fishermen from Kerala, three from Tamil Nadu, and a citizen of an Arab nation who went fishing from Ajman, UAE, were detained by the Iranian Navy a few days ago after they unintentionally crossed over the waters of the Middle East nation.

Muraleedharan met relatives of the fishermen from Kerala at a church nearby Anchuthengu and said the external affairs ministry, through the Indian embassy in Iran, got in touch with Iranian authorities soon after he was informed about the fishermen's custody in Iran.

The minister said the government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has experience in securing the release of Indian citizens detained by the security agencies of foreign countries for entering international waters.

He said the Indian government has a permanent solution with Pakistan and Sri Lanka to address such issues, but in the case of Iran, there is no regular system.

"We will find a solution," he assured.

He said that the Indian embassy officials themselves will go and meet the fishermen who have been detained by Iran, and assured the concerned families that they will not be subjected to any physical abuse.

Muraleedharan also assured the relatives of fishermen that a provision for them to talk to their families would also be made available at the earliest.

Out of seven fishermen from Kerala, five are from Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district, and two are from Paravur in Kollam district.

The fishermen who went out for fishing from Ajman in the Gulf lost their way and entered Iranian waters. They were reportedly taken into custody by Iran on Monday.

As per the information received by the families, these fishermen have been imprisoned in Iran and have been shifted to different prisons.

The families also alleged that the fishermen had been beaten up in custody.

Anitha, wife of detained fisherman Stanley Washington, appealed to the Indian government authorities to save the fishermen from Iranian custody.

"My husband and 10 other fishermen left for fishing from Ajman, and we got a call from him on Monday saying that they were detained by the Iranian Navy. Then we got a message that they were put in an Iranian prison and tortured. We request the authorities to intervene and save them. They do not even know the language and have been shifted from one prison to another three times already," she said.

Agnes, wife of another fisherman, namely Saju George, said her husband had been working in Ajman for the last 28 years, and he called her to inform her that they, along with one Arab, had been detained by the Iranian navy.

"This is the first time such a thing happened, as they lost their way and entered Iranian territory. We request the authorities intervene in the matter and save them," she said.
A day after the Congress's move to appoint T S Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh, the state minister said he had never spoken of an 'agreement' over rotation of the chief ministerial post and claimed it was a buzz created by the media.

IMAGE: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel with newly appointed state Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh Deo, at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

After arriving at the Raipur airport from New Delhi on Thursday morning, Singh Deo expressed gratitude to the party for the announcement of his elevation and said 'der aaye durust aaye' (better late than never).

A Congress statement on Wednesday said party president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for the appointment of Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh.

The decision to appoint him as the deputy CM came just a few months ahead of state Assembly elections due this year-end, but Singh Deo said the responsibility given even for a day is crucial.

He was accorded a warm welcome on Thursday by a huge crowd of supporters at the airport who raised slogans of 'TS Baba zindabad'.

Asked about the two-and-half years of power-sharing 'agreement' between him and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Singh Deo said, "I never discussed any 2.5 year agreement. It was a buzz in the media. However, I always got positive support from the media."

The Congress's move to appoint Singh Deo, locked in a turf war with CM Baghel for months, as deputy CM appears to be an attempt to stem infighting in the state unit and prepare it for the year-end Assembly polls.

Baghel, who faces a formidable challenge from the Opposition BJP in the crucial Assembly elections, has hailed Singh Deo's appointment, seeking to put up a united face.
An inspector, currently on the run, was suspended for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl and taking her objectionable photographs inside a police station in Assam's Nalbari district, a top officer said on Thursday.

Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo

An inquiry was also ordered into the incident.

A 17-year-old girl filed a police complaint against the officer-in-charge of Ghograpar police station on Monday, alleging that she was molested and her objectionable photographs were taken inside the police station.

The girl and a man were taken into custody on June 21 in connection with a child marriage case.

Director General of Police G P Singh said in a tweet on Thursday that the inspector is the prime suspect in the case and is currently absconding.

Anyone providing information to SP Nalbari Police about his whereabouts would be suitably rewarded," he said.

A case has been registered with Nalbari police station under IPC Sections related to wrongful confinement of a person with the intent to insult the modesty of a woman read with certain sections of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) related to use of children for pornographic purpose.

The case has been endorsed to a woman Additional Superintendent of Police of Nalbari district, Singh said.

The DIG of Central Western Range, Brajenjit Singha, has been asked to visit the district and submit a first-hand report by Thursday, the DGP said.

"The police station has CCTV coverage If (allegation is) found (to be) true, strongest lawful action will be taken," he added.

Nalbari Superintendent of Police Sudhakar Singh told reporters that the CCTV footage of the police station has been collected and is being examined by a team of experts.

The SP admitted that the police had violated the norms by keeping a girl in the police station at night when she should have been sent to a state-run home for night stay.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich shortlisted 34 images for its Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2023 competition from thousands of entries received from all over the world.

These shortlisted images include star trails over the First World War trench memorial in Vimy, northern France, the Milky Way over an abandoned diamond processing plant in Namibia, and Jupiter flanked by two of its moons, Io and Europa.

Awe-inspiring scenes of the Milky Way, vibrant star trails racing across the night sky and spiral galaxies are features of the shortlist for this year's Astronomy Photographer of the Year.

Let us take a look at 17 of these wonderful images of the heavens in the first part of the feature.

Published with kind permission from The Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Arctic Gates by Daniel Vine Garcia

The Northern Lights over the mammoth sundial Arctic Henge, which is inspired by Norse mythology.

The henge is located in Raufarhofn, one of the northernmost towns in Iceland.

Taken with a Sony Alpha 7RIII camera; Sky: 12 mm f/2.8, ISO 2000, 2.5-second exposure; Foreground: f/16, ISO 400, 3 x 4-second exposures

Location: Arctic Henge, Raufarhofn, Iceland

Emerald Roots by Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti

The Northern Lights above the famous Icelandic mountain, Vestrahorn.

The aurora is reflected on the black sand beach and the rising moon makes the sand ripples appear golden.

Taken with a Sony ILCE-7S camera, 14 mm f/2.8, ISO 6400, 25-second exposure; Foreground: 23 seconds, Aurora: 8 seconds

Location: Vestrahorn, Stokksnes, Iceland

Aurora Over the Great Pollet Sea Arch by Brendan Alexander

The Northern Lights over the Great Pollet Sea Arch, Ireland captured as the Moon set.

The photo was taken shortly after a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun on 24 February 2023. This allowed the aurorae to be seen in large parts of the UK.

Taken with a Canon EOS 6D camera, fixed tripod, Sigma 20 mm f/1.8 lens, 20 mm f/2.8, ISO 6400, 13-second, total exposure (two frames); Sky: 7.5-second exposure; Foreground: 5.5-second exposure

Location: Great Pollet Sea Arch, Fanad Peninsula, County Donegal, Ireland

Curtain of Light by Andreas Ettl

A photograph of an auroral substorm which suddenly formed, throwing an incredible curtain of light over Olstind mountain.

After just two shots, the lights had faded away into the night.

Taken with a Nikon Z7 camera, 17 mm f/2.8, ISO 1600, 10-second exposure

Location: Hamny, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Nebulae of the Small Magellanic Cloud by Jonathan Lodge

This image combines multiple objects.

Dominating the image is the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a dwarf irregular galaxy around 200,000 light years from the Milky Way.

47 Tucanae, at the top of the image, and NGC 362, to the left of the Small Magellanic Cloud, are much closer to Earth and unrelated to the SMC. Extensive nebulosity is revealed by using narrowband filters.

Taken with a Takahashi FSQ-106ED telescope (with 0.73 x focal reducer), Astrodon SHOLRGB 2GEN filter, Paramount MX+ mount, FLI ProLine 16803 camera, 382 mm f/3.6, 29 hours total integration

Location: Heaven's Mirror Observatory, Yass Valley, New South Wales, Australia

NGC 3521: Marquise in the Sky by Mark Hanson; Mike Selby

NGC 3521, a flocculent intermediate spiral galaxy, is surrounded by dust and has numerous star-forming areas and a luminous centre.

Rarely seen hydrogen alpha jets have been captured.

Taken with a Planewave CDK 1000 and CDK 700 telescopes, Chroma filters, FLI 16803 camera, 6,000 mm f/6 and 4,550 mm f/6.5, multiple 900-second Luminance exposures (19 hours total exposure), 5-hour exposure per RGB filter

Location: El Sauce Observatory, Rio Hurtado, Chile

NGC 1097 and Tidal Tails by Mark Hanson; Mike Selby

NGC 1097 is a barred spiral galaxy 50 million light years away. Known for its four optical jets which could be fossil star streams, trails left over from the capture and disruption of a much smaller galaxy in the large spiral's ancient past.

There are also two satellite galaxies NGC 1097 A and B, one which seems to be lurking in the spiral arms of NGC 1097.

Taken with a Planewave CDK 1000 and CDK 700 telescopes, Chroma filters, FLI 16803 and QHY461 cameras, 6,000 mm f/6 and 4550 mm f/6.5, multiple 900-second Luminance exposures (12 hours total exposure), 9-hour H-alpha exposure and 5-hour RGB exposures per filter

Location: El Sauce Observatory, Rio Hurtado, Chile

Mare Crisium: From Light to Dark by Andrea Vanoni

Mare Crisium is a lunar sea located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis.

This mosaic photograph is made up of two high-resolution images showing a multitude of craters inside the basin.

Taken with a Newton Ares 405mm F4.5 telescope, Baader R-filter, Sky-Watcher EQ8 mount, ZWO ASI178MM camera, 6000 mm f/20, 1/400 exposure

Location: Porto Mantovano, Mantua, Lombardy, Italy

Crescent Moon in a Magical Sunset by Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau

Composite image of three exposures showing the sunset on 1 August 2022 in Rafaela, Argentina.

The crescent Moon has 16 per cent of its surface illuminated and the clouds appear an intense red.

Taken with a Canon EOS 90D camera, 600 mm f/6.3, ISO 800, three exposures between 1/400 and 1/100-seconds

Location: Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina

Ball of Rock by Rich Addis

This is a composite of an image of the Moon 78% illuminated and an image of the full Moon.

Assembling close-up shots to create a mosaic of the whole Moon is complex as the perspective changes slightly during a lunar orbit.

Taken with a Celestron 6SE SCT telescope, Advanced GT mount, ZWO ASI120MC camera, 1500mm 6, Gain 50, Full Moon: multiple 1-millisecond exposures; Waxing Gibbous: multiple 1.6-millisecond exposures

Location: Wallasey, Wirral, Merseyside, UK

The Great Solar Flare by Mehmet Ergun

The Sun photographed moving towards its maximum cycle.

A large 700,000km long solar flare erupts to the left of the image.

The current solar cycle, 25, started in 2019 and is increasing in strength. It will peak in a few years' time, then weaken over the following years before another cycle starts anew.

Taken with a LUNT LS60 B1200 Double Stack telescope, Rainbow RST-135 mount, Player One Astronomy Neptune-M 178M camera, 500 mm f/8.3, Gain 13, 1.5 second exposure

Location: Traisen, Germany

Grazing Mammoths by Rafael Schmall

This photograph captures a solar prominence on the limb of the Sun.

Using careful processing the photographer has elevated this everyday solar activity.

Taken with a Lunt LS 100 H-alpha telescope, Fornax 150/200 mount, ZWO ASI294 camera, 700 mm f/7, Gain 100, ISO 100, 2.5-millisecond exposure

Location: Zselic Park of Stars, Zselickisfalud, Hungary

Solar Flare X1 from AR2994 in 'Motion' by Miguel Claro

Photograph of the Sun taken from a 27-minute timelapse of a solar, flare which took place on 30 April 2022.

Taken with a Sky-Watcher Esprit ED120 telescope, Daystar Quark Chromosphere filter, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount, Player One Apollo M-Max Solar camera, 840 mm, 900 frames at 9.1 ms per frame (recorded as video at 109 FPS)

Location: Dark Sky Alqueva region, Evora district, Portugal

China Space Station Transits Active Sun by Letian Wang

The Sun photographed showing the transit of the China Space Station (CSS).

The image of the CSS was produced by selecting the nine clearest photos from captured video frames.

Taken with a Lunt 152T telescope, Rainbow RST-135 mount, TeleVue 2X Barlow lens, ZWO ASI432MM camera, 900 mm f/6, 0.8-millisecond and 1.3-millisecond exposures

Location: Beijing, China

Sperrgebiet by Vikas Chander

This photograph was taken in Bogenfelsin, Namibia. Formally known as Sperrgebiet, this area was once occupied by German colonialist mining for diamonds.

The settlements they built are now ghost towns, seen here is a decayed processing plant.

Taken with a Nikon D850 camera, 21 mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 30-second exposure

Location: Bogenfels, Namib Desert, Namibia,

Dolbadarn Castle, Home of Welsh Princes by Robert Price

This photograph was taken at Dolbadarn Castle, a late 12th-century castle located above Llanberis in the heart of Eryri.

The core of the Milky Way can be seen rising behind the castle and the Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) range of mountains.

Taken with a Canon EOS 6D Mark II camera, Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini mount, 24 mm f/2.8, ISO 800; Sky: 25 x 120-second exposures; Foreground: 10 x 45-second exposures

Location: Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales, United Kingdom

Pandora's Box by Derek Horlock

The Milky Way viewed behind a graffiti of Pandora by Wild Drawing (WD) a Balinese artist on the Greek island of Naxos.

In Greek mythology, Pandora opened a jar  or box  releasing all the evils of humanity into the world.

The wall is part of an abandoned beach hotel complex where graffiti now covers the walls.

Taken with a Nikon Z 6II camera; Sky: 35 mm f/2.8, ISO 1000, 120-seconds x 6 panned images; Foreground: 24 mm f/6.3, ISO 1000, 60-second exposure

Location: Alyko Beach Naxos, Greece

The competition, now in its 15th year, returns with an expert panel of judges from the worlds of art and astronomy.

The winners of the competition's nine categories, two special prizes and the overall winner will be announced on September 14, 2023.

After which the winning images will be displayed in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum from September 16 alongside a selection of exceptional shortlisted images.

Photographs curated by Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Kazakhstan continues to expand air connectivity with Russia's regions, Trend reports.

Thus, as the Civil Aviation Committee of the country reported, as part of the efforts to expand the geographical scope of flights and increase the number of international routes, regular flights between Kazakhstan's Astana and the capital of Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan, Ufa, will be resumed.

Starting from July 25, 2023, Russia's Red Wings airline will operate regular passenger flights on the Astana-Ufa route twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays by Russian-built Sukhoi Superjet-95 aircraft.

The resumption of air transportation will contribute to further development of trade, economic, business, tourism, and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Committee announced that starting from June 28, 2023, Russia's Azimuth airline will resume regular passenger flights on the Almaty-Sochi route.
The vehicle used by the attackers of Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad have been recovered from a village in Saharanpur, police said on Thursday.

IMAGE: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad recovering at SBD Hospital after he was shot at by armed assailants, in Saharanpur on June 28, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bullet grazed Aazad's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur district's Deoband where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home on Wednesday evening.

The vehicle was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The number plate of the car used in the attack showed it was registered in Haryana, police said.

Superintendent of Police (City) Abimanyu Manglik said the Bhim Army chief was undergoing treatment at the district hospital of Saharanpur and his condition was stable.

There was heavy deployment of police force on the district hospital premises as a precautionary measure as Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers raising slogans and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.

Later, in a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad advised his supporters to remain calm and asserted that he will keep on fighting constitutionally.

Following the incident on Wednesday, the Bhim army chief was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital, Senior Superintendent of Police of Saharanpur Vipin Tada said.

"The crime scene was examined by a forensic team. As per preliminary findings, four shots were fired at Aazad's vehicle. There were four to five attackers," the SSP said.

Meanwhile, the Azad Samaj Party's founder member and media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that a memorandum would be sent to the President of India as well as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister and governor demanding Z-plus security for Chandra Shekhar Aazad.
Zubin Mehta, the globally-acclaimed Parsi conductor from Mumbai, music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is all set to flick that baton again in India.

IMAGE: Maestro Zubin Mehta takes the stage in a series of farewell concerts with the Israeli Philharmonic ending his 50-year tenure with the orchestra in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2019. Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters

Mehta will be leading the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), with a strength of over 90 musicians, on August 19 and 21 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai.

"Yes, the NCPA and the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation (MMMF) are elated to confirm that the NCPA Mumbai will be hosting the globally acclaimed conductor and my friend Zubin Mehta on August 19 and 21," said NCPA chairman Khushroo N Suntook.

"The two special concerts will include the works of classical giants Schubert ('Unfinished') and Mozart (Overture' from 'The Marriage of Figaro'). The programme will also feature Mahler's monumental First Symphony, also called The Titan. The symphony will be performed with Mahler's Blumine', the rarely heard original second movement," said Suntook.

Incidentally, Mehta was to perform at the NCPA last November, but had to cancel as he was suffering from exhaustion.

"Given his punishing schedule and frequent travels, he did need rest and had to reschedule his visit. Ever since, he has been conducting regularly, and has these dates marked for his trip to Mumbai," said Suntook.

Mehta will be conducting the SOI for the first time, he added.

"Being convinced of the SOI's quality concerts over the past years, Zubin consented to conduct the orchestra. This is a great honour for the SOI, as Zubin is one of the greatest conductors today," Suntook said.

The upcoming concert is a high point in the collaboration between NCPA and MMMF, he said.

"Many of the performances the MMMF has presented have been held at the NCPA in the past, including concerts by Zubin Mehta with visiting orchestras. More recently, the NCPA & MMMF have been co-presenting performances by visiting artistes," said Suntook.

Like NCPA, MMMF, named after Zubin's father Mehli Mehta who was a pioneer in Western classical music in India, was started with the support of Mehta and his brother Zarin, to work towards widening the audience for Western classical music in India, said Suntook.

"Personally, I am really looking forward to the concert. Zubin and I grew up together, our parents were friends," he said.
Ethnic strife-torn Manipur witnessed high drama on Thursday over the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to relief camps in Churachandpur after his convoy was stopped by the police midway and he had to take a helicopter to reach his destination.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visits a relief camp at Churachandpur in Manipur, June 29, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Later in the evening violence broke out in the state capital Imphal's Khwairamband Bazaar where police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse a mob which had gathered around the body of a man killed earlier in the morning in a gunfight in Kangpokpi district was brought and placed in a traditional coffin in bazaar's main square"

Gandhi who interacted with those sheltering in relief camps in Churachandpur, 63 km from Manipur's capital Imphal, said, "Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority."

The blocking of his convoy triggered a political slugfest as the Congress alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is trying to thwart the leader's visit, while the saffron party accused him of being "stubborn" and choosing to take the road trip even though he was advised to take a chopper as his trip was opposed by various quarters.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being welcomed on arrival in Manipur, June 29, 2023. Photograph: Courtesy, INCIndia on Twitter.

"People of all communities are very welcoming and loving. It's very unfortunate that the government is stopping me," Gandhi tweeted

"I came to listen to all my brothers and sisters of Manipur. Manipur needs healing. Peace has to be our only priority," he said in the Twitter post.

During his visit to Churachandpur, he interacted with the inmates in relief camps set up at a school and a college there, where around 200 people are camped.

The Congress leader, who had earlier flown into Imphal in the morning was stopped by the local police at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, citing demonstrations on the way.

There is a security threat. We cannot take the risk of allowing Rahul Gandhi to proceed, a senior police official said.

A large number of people, mostly women, gathered near the spot and demonstrated both for and against the visit.

Gandhi's supporters demanded that he be allowed to go to Churachandpur, referring to the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah there late last month.

One of the demonstrating women said, "If Amit Shah could go to Churachandpur, why not Rahul Gandhi?"

The police used tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

After remaining stuck for a few hours in Bishnupur, Gandhi returned to Imphal airport and took a helicopter to go to Churachandpur, one of the worst affected towns in the ethnic rioting which broke out in the state nearly two months back.

"Rahul Gandhi took a state government-provided chopper to visit Churachandpur. Top police and administration officials accompanied him in the helicopter," said a source at the airport.

The Congress alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party governments at the Centre and the state are using "autocratic methods" to stall the visit of Gandhi.

The "double-engine disastrous governments are using autocratic methods to stall a compassionate outreach by Shri Rahul Gandhi. This is totally unacceptable and shatters all constitutional and democratic norms," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted.

"He is going there to meet the people suffering in relief camps and to provide a healing touch in the strife-torn state," he said.

The party's state president Keisham Meghachandra alleged that the order to stop Gandhi's convoy came from Chief Minister N Biren Singh as "everyone was welcoming him".

The BJP, however, wondered why Gandhi did not take a chopper to visit Churachandpur in the first place.

"Rahul Gandhi's Manipur visit was vehemently opposed by many Civil Society Organisations & Student Unions in Manipur. Keeping this in mind the administration requested Rahul Gandhi to take a helicopter to Churachandpur.

"Looking into the sensitive situation to Understand is more important than being Stubborn for petty political gains," BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

The TMC too hit out at the Centre after Gandhi's convoy was stopped by the local police, alleging that it shows the BJP's "desperation".

Modi-Shah's BJP is desperate now. A month ago, Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter seeking permission to enter Manipur. She was not allowed. Exactly a month later, Rahul Gandhi was also denied entry. This is definitely the last 300 days of BJP government, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said

The police sources said tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy.

"We feared a repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur," a police officer told PTI.

Meanwhile, one person was killed and a few others were injured when "rioters" opened firing without any provocation at Haraothel village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Thursday morning, leading to tension in the area.

While the local army unit tweeted that "unconfirmed reports" indicated some casualties in the incident, official sources said one body had been recovered from the area and a few others could be seen lying on the ground. Intermittent firing was still going on in the area, the official sources said.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts..
A man carrying seven children to school on his two-wheeler in Tardeo area of Mumbai has been arrested for allegedly attempting to commit culpable homicide, a police official said on Thursday.

The 40-year-old man was apprehended mid-route on June 23 near the Mumbai Central bridge, he said.

"The accused is a coconut vendor. He was stopped while he was taking seven children to school on his scooter. He was charged under Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code as well as provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and arrested," the official said.

The police ensured the children were sent to school in a safer way, he added.
No black dresses, compulsory attendance, suspension of classes between 10 am to 12 noon are among the guidelines issued by Delhi University colleges for the live telecast of the varsity's centenary celebrations to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses members of the Indian community at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. Photograph: @MEAIndia/Twitter

Modi will attend the closing ceremony of the Delhi University's (DU) centenary celebrations as the chief guest on June 30.

Hindu College, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College and Zakir Husain Delhi College have made it compulsory for students and faculty to attend the live telecast of the event.

In a notice issued on Wednesday, Hindu College teacher-in-charge Meenu Srivastava laid out seven-point guidelines mentioning that students will be given five attendances for participating in the live streaming.

The presence of all students is mandatory during the live streaming of the event. The entry to college should be done by the beginning of the first period, that is, 8:50 am to 9 am in order to avoid any traffic diversion or disruptions later in the DU campus, the guidelines read.

You need to carry your I-card. No black dress is to be worn that day. Students attendance is mandatory and they will be given five attendances for attending the live streaming and it will be submitted to the college, they said.

Asked about this notice, Hindu College principal Anju Srivastava said the administration has not issued any such notice.

It appears there is some misrepresentation. (This notice has) not (been) issued by the college. I have no idea, she told PTI. However, she did not deny that the notice is not genuine.

I have mailed to students and all faculty informing them about the live telecast and urged them to attend it. There is no attendance compulsion, Srivastava added.

In a notice, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College said, On this occasion, all teachers with their students and non-teaching staff must attend the live web telecast programme in the college."

It said a detailed report will be submitted to the university.

As per the directions of the University of Delhi, all staff members other than the newly appointed teachers who are physically present at the multipurpose hall, University of Delhi, are mandatorily required to remain present in the college library to view the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations, the Zakir Hussain Delhi College said in its order.

PTI reached out to principals of several other colleges of the varsity. They, however, maintained that they have only requested the students and faculty to attend the event and that there is no attendance for the same.

The Delhi University administration also clarified that they have not made attendance compulsory, adding that the live telecast is being arranged so that those who cannot make it to the event can watch the same.

Registrar Vikas Gupta said the varsity has not issued any order about compulsory attendance.

We have informed the colleges that we are doing a live telecast of the event as all students cannot attend it. The colleges have made the arrangements. We have not made attendance mandatory, he told PTI.

Ramjas College, Miranda House and Kirorimal College also maintained that they have not made attendance compulsory, but have urged students, teaching and non-teaching staff to attend the event.

Dyal Singh College said, Our college shall be telecasting the said event live and all students and teachers are therefore requested to be present in college on 30.06.2023."

Miranda House principal B Nanda, Ramjas College principal Manoj Kumar Khanna and Kirorimal College principal Dinesh Khattar also confirmed that attendance is not compulsory for the prime minister's event.

We had informed the university that several students and teachers are interested in attending the event, and that is why they told us that a live telecast would be done. The students themselves are very keen. We have not made it compulsory for anyone, Nanda said.
Bitter non-stop wrangling with the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit and intermittent exchanges between the ruling partners have stood out as the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra, steered by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, completes a year in office on Friday.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addressing the 57th foundation day of Shiv Sena, in Mumbai on June 20, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Sena and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray labelled each other gaddar (traitor) after Shinde's rebellion split their original party last year, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly asserted he had exacted revenge on Thackeray for his betrayal.

Though comfortably placed to form the government after the 2019 assembly elections, the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP ended their decades-long ties over the CM's post.

Thackeray then allied with the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress to become the CM until Shinde toppled his cart.

About 50 MLAs on his side, Shinde took oath on June 30, 2022, and Fadnavis, a former chief minister whose party BJP has 105 legislators in the 288-member Assembly, became his deputy in what was seen as an unprecedented move.

Behind the wide grins and bonhomie on camera between Shinde and Fadnavis, there have been palpable signs of strain, triggered by words and ads, as the ruling alliance gears up to celebrate its first anniversary of being in power.

The goings-on have left little room for doubt that politics has overshadowed governance in these months, though the government moved quickly to speed up a few infrastructure projects, including Metro lines in Mumbai.

In the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, local BJP leaders targeted the CM's son and two-term MP Shrikant Shinde, bringing to the fore the simmering tension between the Shiv Sena and BJP.

Later, an advertisement splashed across major dailies claiming that Shinde enjoyed more popularity than Fadnavis added fuel to the fire. It did not have the pictures of either Fadnavis or Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.

BJP Member of Parliament Anil Bonde appeared more direct. He said a frog does not become an elephant even if it swells, in a reference to Shinde, prompting a Shiv Sena MLA to hit back, saying the former's ministers could find a place in the cabinet only because of his party's '50 tigers'.

After a year of the Shinde Sarkar (government), there are more areas that can potentially create bad blood between Shiv Sena and BJP.

The state cabinet is yet to be expanded it now has only 20 ministers, including the CM and his deputy, though it can have a maximum of 43 members.

There are no ministers of state and each cabinet minister handles many portfolios apart from being the guardian minister of several districts. There is no woman yet in the council of ministers in the state.

Considering that the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are just a year away, it is likely to leave ministerial aspirants more anxious.

The first sign of uneasy relations between the allies was visible when BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that their party workers had accepted the decision to make Shinde the CM with a heavy heart.

Later, BJP state president Chandrashekar Bawankule apparently said in a party meeting that they would contest in about 240 seats and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena would fight in 48 constituencies in the 2024 assembly polls.

The decision to appoint a special police commissioner for Mumbai was seen as another sore point between Shinde and Fadnavis. The special police commissioner, Deven Bharati, is considered close to Fadnavis.

Along with Vivek Phansalkar, who is the Mumbai police commissioner, it was the first time the country's financial capital had two police commissioners.

Among the first set of decisions taken by this alliance was the reversal of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's move to shift the Metro car shed from Aarey Milk Colony to Kanjurmarg in Mumbai. It also expedited the resolution of issues related to land acquisition for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.

The government restarted the pension scheme for those jailed during the Emergency which the MVA government had stopped.

Similarly, the completion of two phases of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Corridor and the work on the 22-km-long Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL) project, connecting Sewri in Mumbai with Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai, are being billed as success stories scripted by the Shinde government.

A dedicated ministry for divayangjan (differently abled) has been one of the initiatives of this government, while it offered a 50 per cent concession for women on buses run by public transporter Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

Since the launch of the scheme in March, about 4 crore women have availed of the concession on MSRTC bus fares.

It also extended free travel to senior citizens on MSRTC buses and about 3 crore bus users have benefited from this scheme in the past three months.

On the health front, the coverage under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The government has also taken up the concretisation of 400 km of roads in Mumbai.

In the electoral field, the MVA put up a spirited fight to win two legislative council polls and handed a setback to the Sena-BJP alliance by helping the Congress wrest the Kasba Assembly seat in Pune in the bye-election.

Amid the almost-daily mudslinging between the two Senas, the Supreme Court in May this year put the ball in the court of the Assembly Speaker for a decision on pleas seeking the disqualification of 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs.

The exchanges between the MVA, particularly the Thackeray-led group, and the ruling partners are expected to turn more vitriolic ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in 2024 and the much-delayed local body elections expected to be held later this year.

The government has already approved the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe irregularities worth Rs 12,024 crore in various works of the Mumbai civic body flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

On its part, the Shiv Sena-UBT has planned to organise a morcha outside the Mumbai municipal corporation on July 1 against irregularities in its functioning.
Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, was celebrated with religious fervour across the country on Thursday, with people gathering at mosques and eidgahs in large numbers to offer prayers and exchange the festival greeting 'Eid Mubarak' by embracing each other.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: People offer prayers during Eid-Ul-Adha festival celebrations, at historic Aali Masjid in Srinagar, June 29, 2023.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Eid prayers passed off peacefully and there was no report of any untoward incident, the police said.

The biggest congregational prayers were held at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, where more than 50,000 people gathered, they said.

Smaller gatherings were reported at all Muslim places of worship across the Kashmir Valley, except for the historic Jamia Masjid in old city.

In Poonch, Indian and Pakistani troops came together at Rahe Milan to celebrate the festival by exchanging sweets and gifts.

Eid prayers were conducted across mosques in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, and Kathua of Jammu region.

IMAGE: Devotees offer prayers at Leisure Valley Ground, in Gurugram. Photograph: ANI Photo

"In Jammu, the biggest congregation takes place at Eidgah. The spirit of brotherhood sets a remarkable example. Apart from commemorating the Prophet's sacrifice, we prayed for the peace and prosperity of our nation," Gulam Mohmmad, a local resident, said.

The district administrations made elaborate arrangements, including stepping up security measures, to ensure a safe and smooth celebration of the festival.

Eid-ul-Adha is observed to commemorate the spirit of sacrifice and devotion to the Almighty.

IMAGE: A policeman keeps vigil as devotees offer namaaz at Idgah in Bhopal. Photograph: ANI Photo

President Droupadi Murmu greeted citizens on the eve of Eid ul-Adha and asked all to take a pledge to work towards spreading brotherhood and harmony in the society.

"On the occasion of Id-uz-Zuha, I extend my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters living in India and abroad," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted people on the occasion.

"Greetings on Eid-ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!" he tweeted.

IMAGE: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan (second from right) offers prayers (namaaz) at the Beemapally mosque, in Thiruvananthapuram. Photograph: ANI Photo

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also greeted the people on the occasion. "Eid Mubarak! Greetings to the people on the holy festival of Eid-ul-Adha. The joyous occasion inspires each one of us to follow the path of love, compassion & forgiveness. May the festival of Eid-ul-Adha usher in peace, prosperity & happiness for all," Sinha tweeted.

In Uttar Pradesh, Bakrid was celebrated with people thronging mosques and eidgahs to offer prayers in the morning. After offering namaz, they took part in the ceremonial 'Qurbani' (sacrifice) and visited friends' and relatives' houses to extend greetings.

In state capital Lucknow, namaz was offered at Tile Wali Masjid, Aishbagh Eidgah and Bada Imambara, among other places. Similar prayers were offered in all districts of the state with people celebrating it with religious fervour.

However, in neighbouring Uttarakhand, Muslims in the communally sensitive Purola town did not gather for namaz in public places due to under pressure from the Vishva Hindu Parishad.

Muslims living in Purola for generations had to go to other places like Sandra, about 30 km away from the hill town, and Vikas Nagar near Dehradun, to offer namaaz collectively.

IMAGE: Devotees offer prayers in Ahmedabad. Photograph: ANI Photo

The break in the tradition drew a sharp reaction from Muslim organisations in Dehradun which said such things went against the secular spirit of the Indian Constitution and termed it the failure of the administration.

"If there was no eidgah in Purola, people should have been allowed to gather at the mosque and offer prayers. Not letting them gather for namaaz anywhere reinforces the fact that Muslims will continue to be treated as second class citizens in this secular and culturally diverse country," Muslim Seva Sangathan president Naim Ahmad told PTI in Dehradun.

Purola SHO Ashok Chakravarty said the decision to not offer namaaz in public place was taken by the community itself after a meeting was held on Wednesday to "maintain peace."

VHP working president Virendra Rawat said the outfit had indeed asked Muslims to not gather for namaz in public places. "We had no intention to hurt the religious sentiments of anyone. We only asked them not to offer namaz collectively in public places. Can anyone be stopped from offering namaz in the privacy of their homes?" Rawat said.

In the national capital, Eid-ul-Adha was celebrated with gaiety as people thronged mosques, including the historic Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid, amid rains for special prayers.

In Assam, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma greeted the people of the state on the occasion.

The governor, in a statement, said that he extends his heartiest greetings and warm wishes to the Muslim brethren of the state on the occasion of Id-ul-Adha.

The chief minister hoped that the festival will inspire people to march forward by following the ideals of humanity.

Down south, Muslim brethren celebrated Eid-ul-Adha with great fervour in Karnataka.

The Muslim festival coincided with Ashadha Ekadashi or Devashayani Ekadashi where Lord Vishnu temples in the state were decked up and special puja was performed.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took part in the special Eid prayer with the state Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan at the Eidgah Maidan at Chamarajpet in Bengaluru.

In Tamil Nadu, fervour marked the Eid-ul-Adha celebrations with several thousands of Muslims participating in mass prayers.

In Chennai, Muslims gathered in large numbers at the Don Bosco school grounds and offered prayers while similar congregations marked the occasion in several parts of the state including Tirupathur, Dindigul, Vellore, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts.
The vehicle used by the attackers of Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad was recovered from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, the police said on Thursday.

IMAGE: Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik visit Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad at a hospital to enquire about his health, Saharanpur district, June 29, 2023. Photograph: PTI Photo

The police in Amethi district have also registered a case under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after it came to light that a Facebook page had issued a death threat to Aazad days before the attack.

Activists of the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party held a demonstration at Parivartan Chowk in Lucnow and demanded proper security for Aazad. They were later taken into custody by the police.

A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday evening.

The vehicle used by Aazad's attackers was seized from Miragpur village late on Wednesday night. The number plate of the car showed it was registered in Haryana, the police said.

Superintendent of Police (Dehat Saharanpur) Sagar Jain said Aazad is undergoing treatment at the Saharanpur district hospital and his condition is stated to be stable.

Heavy police deployment was seen on the hospital premises as Aazad's supporters started gathering there in large numbers, raising slogans and demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.

Taking note of a death threat issued by a Facebook page called 'Kshatriya of Amethi' to Aazad days before the attack, the Amethi police registered a case at Gauriganj police station.

The police have taken cognisance of the Facebook post and registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 506 of the IPC and relevant provisions of the IT Act, said Mayank Dwivedi, deputy superintendent of police, Gauriganj.

A post was shared five days ago on the page stating that Aazad would be killed by the Thakurs of Amethi at a road crossing in broad daylight.

A post shared on the page on Thursday said Aazad was shot in the waist but "he will not survive next time". Aazad is a very clever man, he needs security, a bulletproof vehicle and jacket, it said.

It also warned that there will be a big movement if any innocent Rajput is framed for the attack.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met Aazad at the hospital and enquired about his health.

Speaking to reporters later, Punia said those behind the attack on Aazad should be arrested as soon as possible.

In Lucknow, Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party activists handed over to a government official a memorandum addressed to the governor demanding that Aazad's security be stepped up.

Azad Samaj Party's media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that memorandums demanding Z-plus security for Aazad will be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital.

In a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 3 a plea by a non-government organisation seeking Army protection for the minority Kuki tribals in Manipur and prosecution of communal groups attacking them.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with party general secretary incharge (organisation) KC Venugopal (centre) and Manipur Congress chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh (left) after police stop his convoy, in Bishnupur, Manipur, June 29, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra will be hearing the petition filed by NGO Manipur Tribal Forum.

On June 20, a vacation bench headed by Justice Surya Kant had declined urgent hearing on the plea, saying it's a law and order issue which the administration should tackle.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO had submitted notwithstanding the solemn assurances that nobody will die, 70 tribals have been killed in ethnic violence in the state.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the State had opposed the prayer for urgent hearing, and asserted security agencies are on the ground doing their best to stem violence and restore normalcy.

He had submitted that the main matter pertaining to the Manipur high court's order for grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the majority Meitei community, which set off a chain of violence in the northeastern state, has been posted for hearing on July 17 by the top court.

The vacation bench had then posted the plea of the NGO for hearing on July 3.

The Manipur Tribal Forum, in its plea filed through advocate Satya Mitra, has alleged the central government and the chief minister of Manipur have jointly embarked on a communal agenda aimed at "ethnic cleansing" of Kuki tribals in the northeastern state.

The NGO urged the apex court not to rely on "empty assurances" given by the Centre and sought Army protection for the Kukis.

More than 120 people have lost their lives in bloody clashes between between Meitei and Kuki communities which first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

"The reason why this court ought not to rely anymore on the empty assurances given by UOI (Union of India) is because both the UOI and the Chief Minister of the State have embarked jointly on a communal agenda for the ethnic cleansing of the Kukis," the NGO has alleged in its petition.

The petition said the narrative that there is a "clash" between the two communities- the majority Meiteis and the tribals- is far from truth as the two have coexisted since long.

"Such a narrative misses the fact that the two communities have co-existed for a long time despite their sometime deep-rooted differences and, secondly, that the unique situation presently existing is of a couple of armed communal groups linked to the party in power in the state, carrying out a predesigned communal attack on the tribals.

"The 'clash' narrative camouflages the presence of these two groups behind all the attacks and renders them immune from prosecution thereby emboldening them to carry on further attacks," the petition alleged.

It has sought constitution of an SIT headed by former Assam police chief Harekrishna Deka to go into the violence and an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 crore to the kin of each of those killed within three months. It also demanded a permanent government job to a member of the families of those slain.

The state is in the throes of a bloody conflict between the Meiteis and tribal Kukis since the March 27 Manipur High Court order that asked the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status to the majority community.

The apex court is seized of a batch of pleas on the Manipur situation, including one by a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MLA challenging the high court order on Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community, and a PIL by the tribal NGO for an SIT probe into the violence that has rocked the northeastern state.
A senior bishop of the influential Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on Thursday said instead of saying in the US that there is no discrimination in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should try to convince the Christians in Manipur about that.

IMAGE: Members of the Assam Christian Forum and CRI-NEI organise a 'solidarity prayer' for Manipur at the Don Bosco School playground, Guwahati. Photograph: ANI Photo

Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany said if Modi can convince the Christians in the north-eastern state that there is no discrimination, then only his statement to that effect would be seen as "honest and sincere" by the people of India.

"Otherwise, no one can be faulted for thinking that there is a silent approval of the government to those engaging in violence and killing in that state," said the bishop, who had promised to address the Bharatiya Janata Partys dearth of MPs from Kerala if the Centre increased rubber prices.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state after clashes broke out between them on May 3 after a 'tribal solidarity march' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

Pamplany said the prime minister was free to decide as to what he should react to, but beyond a reaction it is expected of him to create a peaceful environment in the state.

"During his US visit, Modi said that there was no discrimination in India. We all want that to be true. However, if that statement of his is honest, he should make the Christians in Manipur believe that. He should say to their faces that there is no discrimination.

"If he can make them believe that, then only would his statement be seen as honest and sincere by the people of India," the bishop said.

During his US visit, Modi had asserted that there was no question of discrimination in India on the grounds of caste or religion because his government follows the Constitution, which is formed on the basic values of democracy.

He was responding to a question about the steps taken by his government to improve the rights of minorities in India and uphold free speech.

In March Pamplany had created ripples in Keralas political circles by saying that if the Centre promised to increase the price of rubber procurement to Rs 300 per kilogramme, the BJP's dearth of an MP from the southern state would be addressed.

Thereafter, he again courted controversy by stating in May that political martyrs are those who died after getting into "unnecessary fights".
Two suspected rioters were killed and five injured in an exchange of fire with security personnel at Haraothel village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Thursday morning, officials said.

IMAGE: The police fire tear gas shells to disperse people who gathered near regional office of BJP in Imphal, Manipur, June 29, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

They said armed rioters opened unprovoked firing at the village. The army said security forces personnel "responded in a calibrated manner" to tackle the situation.

Two suspected armed rioters were killed and five were injured in the exchange of fire in the village, the officials said.

Another rioter was also believed to have been killed, but the body is yet to be retrieved as the spot witnessed intermittent firing, they said.

Later in the day, members of the community to which the two rioters belonged collected their bodies and took out a procession to the chief minister's residence in Imphal, the officials said.

As police stopped them from marching to the chief minister's residence, the processionists turned violent, they said, adding police used tear gas shells and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

IMAGE: Rapid Action Force personnel deployed in Imphal. Photograph: ANI Photo

Giving details of the morning firing, the official Twitter handle of the army, operating in the region, stated armed rioters opened unprovoked firing at 5.30 am.

"Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of situation. While enroute to the site, own columns drew effective fire from armed rioters," the official "Spear Corps" handle of the army said.

It said the troops "responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing.

"Additional columns moved to the area. Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties. Build up of large crowds in the area also reported. Situation being closely monitored and further details will follow," it said.

In another tweet in the evening, the Spear Corps of the army said, "Buildup of mob in the area to interfere with operations by security forces effectively controlled."

"At approx 4 PM, troops deployed in the area heard firing from east of village K Munlai. Further, at approx 5.15 PM, exchange of fire reported from direction of village Bethel, south of National Sports University. Own columns are dominating the area to de-escalate the situation," it added.

The area is located around 20 km from capital city of Imphal.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.

Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
The 21st Law Commission said the special status given to the entity of HUF was a 'so-called gift by the British', who could not comprehend the complex socioeconomic structure of Indian families.

'Now, this status is being used for the evasion of tax only,' it said.

Along with the repeal of Article 370 and the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, both of which the Narendra Modi government has accomplished, the adoption of a uniform civil code (UCC) has been the third prong of the Bharatiya Janata Party's three-point core agenda since the late 1980s.

The 22nd Law Commission has initiated a fresh consultation process on the UCC by seeking views from stakeholders, including the public and recognised religious organisations.

Despite the 21st Law Commission's report submitted in August 2018 stating that a UCC was 'neither necessary nor desirable at this stage', the BJP has kept up the pressure on the issue.

The state governments it runs, such as Uttarakhand and Gujarat, set up committees in 2022 to frame their respective draft UCCs.

The Uttarakhand UCC has nearly been finalised and will promote gender equality, retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, who heads the committee, told a public consultation in the national capital.

For the last couple of years, BJP MPs have routinely moved private member Bills in nearly every Parliament session, demanding that the Centre also set up a committee to frame a UCC.

In 2022, the Centre said in its affidavit in the Supreme Court on the UCC that citizens of different religions and denominations follow separate property and marital laws, which is 'an affront to the nation's unity'.

The new effort by the 22nd Law Commission will look at personal laws relating to marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody and guardianship of children, inheritance and succession, and adoption.

But it will also have to wade through some of the recommendations of the 21st Law Commission's report, such as doing away with the concept of the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF).

In its consultation paper titled Reform of Family Law, the Commission said in August 2018 that 'justifying the institution on the grounds of deep-rooted sentiments at the cost of the country's revenues may not be judicious'.

It quoted former chief commissioner of income-tax T C A Ramanujam as saying that 'the government carries out any amount of amendment to the Hindu law without looking into the revenue loss caused by the recognition of HUF as a separate taxable entity. HUF may be a boon to the tax-paying Hindu. But it is a bane to government revenues.'

The 21st Law Commission said the special status given to the entity of HUF was a 'so-called gift by the British', who could not comprehend the complex socioeconomic structure of the Indian families.

'Now, this status is being used for the evasion of tax only,' it said.

The 21st Law Commission recommended making it easier for couples to get divorced, giving women a more equitable share of the property at the time of divorce, abolition of polygamy among Muslims, gender-neutral adoption laws, reforming Muslim inheritance law, and giving equal rights to children born out of live-in relationships.

The 21st Law Commission, headed by retired Justice B S Chauhan, said that while the diversity of Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups or weaker sections of society must not be 'dis-privileged' in the process.

'Resolution of this conflict does not mean the abolition of all differences. This Commission has, therefore, dealt with laws that are discriminatory rather than providing a UCC, which is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. Most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference, and the mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination but is indicative of a robust democracy,' it said.

It stressed that several social evils like sati, child marriage, and triple talaq take refuge as religious customs, and to seek their protection under the law as 'religion' would be a grave folly.

The Janata Dal-United stressed the need to build consensus on the UCC through substantive consultations with all religions.

The BJP attributed the Congress opposition to succumbing to pressure from 'fundamentalists' and vote-bank politics.

The Congress said the BJP was attempting to distract from real issues.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Thunderstorms. High near 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn, held discussions on simplification of the visa regime between the two countries in Kazakhstan's Astana, Trend reports.

During the meeting, both sides acknowledged the significant potential for expanding cultural and humanitarian ties and expressed their commitment to creating favorable conditions for better interaction of citizens from both nations.

Nurtleu highlighted the existing visa waiver for Luxembourg citizens, allowing them to enter Kazakhstan without the need for a tourist or business visa. Stressing the importance of fairness, he requested Asselborn's support in official consultations to facilitate the liberalization of the visa regime for Kazakh citizens.

Furthermore, Nurtleu expressed his gratitude to Asselborn for his support in enhancing political dialogue, trade, economic cooperation, and cultural and humanitarian collaboration between their countries.

Both ministers reaffirmed their readiness to collaborate closely, with the aim of elevating bilateral relations to new heights.
Dalljiet Kaur is enjoying every bit of her married life. The actress, who has moved to Nairobi, Kenya post marriage recently shared her experience of meeting the Masai women. She shared a series of photos from her meetup.

3 things you need to know

Dalljiet Kaur married Nikhil Patel on March 18.

She was previously married to Shalin Bhanot and have a son.

The actress is enjoying her 'Honeymoon 2.0' in Masai Mara.

Dalljiet Kaur says she was 'giggling and dancing' with Masai women

Dalljiet Kaur took to social media and opened up about her encounter with the Masai women. In the photos, she happily posed with them. She expressed her fascination with Nairobi and the opportunity to learn about the traditions and customs of the Masai community. The actress highlighted the unique practice of piercing their ears at a young age, which is an important aspect of Masai culture. In her Instagram post, Dalljiet described the warmth and beauty she experienced while connecting with the Masai women.

(Dalljiet Kaur with Masai woman | Image:: Dalljiet Kaur/Instagram)

(Dalljiet Kaur with Masai woman | Image:: Dalljiet Kaur/Instagram)

Despite the initial perception of pain associated with the large ear piercings, she discovered that the women barely remembered the process. During the encounter, the actress received bracelets and rings as tokens of love from the Masai women. In return, she expressed her gratitude by purchasing souvenirs from them.

(Dalljiet Kaur with Masai woman | Image: Dalljiet Kaur/Instagram)

Dalljiet Kaur's second honeymoon in Masai Mara

Dalljiet Kaur recently went on a second honeymoon with her husband Nikhil Patel. The couple visited Masai Mara. The actress expressed the joy of exploring the renowned wildlife reserve and the thrill of embarking on their "honeymoon 2.0" adventure together. "A trip to the Masai Mara will bring a smile to our faces, and give you memories thatll live forever. Perfect for, a romantic evening, perfect company, and a stunning room we had it all," she wrote.
With Indian Army showing its might and forcing Pakistans guns falling silent on the border in Jammu and Kashmir, the villagers of Tai and Rehlan are dressed up, exchanging sweets and greetings as they gather to celebrate the festival of Eid. The area is hardly a hundred meters from the fence along the Indo-Pakistan Line of Control in the Mendhar sub-division of Poonch and has been a regular victim to Pakistans cross-border shelling before 2021.

Resident Abdul recalls days of horror

Abdul Hafeez, a resident of Tai village, recalls those days of horror when Pakistan used to pound artillery shells on their houses even during the holy festival of Eid. We have been living in this area since our birth and we have witnessed those tragic times when Pakistan used to fire artillery shells at us regularly. They didnt even spare us during Eid as our Eidgah is only three kilometres from the borders but now peace is prevailing on the borders post-ceasefire pact and we pray to Allah that it remains intact, he added.

Mohd Rasheed experiences peace on border

78-years-old Mohd Rasheed has also seen the changing colours on the borders - from the heavy shelling in 2000 to peace that prevailed from 2003 to 2011 after Vajpayee government's decision of ceasefire and the heavy cross-border shelling from 2011 to 2021. Rashid tells Republic World that we used to face a lot of hardships during firing as they (Pakistan) even targeted us during Eid but now the situation has improved a lot as peace has prevailed.

Hundreds of civilians lost lives in Jammu and Kashmir

In 10 years of cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and International Border, Jammu and Kashmir has lost hundreds of civilians to Pakistans aggression on the people of borders. The guns have fallen silent post-February 2021 when India and Pakistan militaries agreed to abide by the ceasefire agreement.

Hakam Din, another villager of Rehlan village, says that they have seen death and destruction due to unprovoked aggression for many years but now, the Indian Army has ensured peace prevails on the border and we live our lives peacefully.
The US sees a growing role for India in the disputed South China Sea and there will be a collaboration between Washington and New Delhi in this strategically vital region, a top Biden administration official said, amid growing Chinese aggression in the area. These remarks were made by Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink on Wednesday at the Thirteenth Annual South China Sea Conference by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

China claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea (SCS) as its sovereign territory. China has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Responding to a question on if Kritenbrink sees a growing role for India in the South China Sea and if there will be US-India collaboration in this, Yes, I do. And yes, I think we will. he said. Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing or mineral exploration by countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming that the ownership of territory belonged to China for hundreds of years.

The US is periodically deploying its naval ships and fighter planes to assert freedom of navigation. Kritenbrink said the growth of the US-India partnership and certainly the revitalisation and expansion of the activities of the Quad - the grouping with Australia, Japan, India and the US - are some of the most significant strategic developments I think I've seen in my lifetime. He added that this is not limited to the US-India issue per se.

"I think our focus across the entire region, again, is building the capacity of allies, partners and friends, and for all countries who share that vision that we want to live in a world that's peaceful and stable. We're all countries, large and small, that follow the same rules. We will welcome cooperation with any country that embraces that vision. That of course includes India. I think it includes most of our partners across Asia, he said. Kritenbrink said the US maintains that all South China Sea claimants should comport their maritime claims with international law, as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

We also believe that South China Sea claimant states should be able to exercise, without interference, threats or coercion, their sovereign rights and jurisdiction over natural resources in their exclusive economic zones and on their continental shelves. In the joint statement issued last week during the State Visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden reiterated their enduring commitment to a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous India-Pacific region with respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and international law.

Both leaders expressed concern over coercive actions and rising tensions, and strongly oppose destabilising or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force. Both sides emphasised the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, in addressing challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas, the joint statement said.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen poses with a ballot before dropping it into a ballot box at a polling station close to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 5, 2022.

UPDATED AT 09:15 p.m. ET on 2023-06-30

Metas oversight board on Thursday ordered the removal of a video posted on Facebook by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in which he threatened violence against his political opponents and called for an immediate suspension of his accounts.

The ruling, reversing a previous decision, marks the first time the oversight board has instructed Meta to shut down an account run by a government leader, and suggests that the company may be shifting its stance on how it deals with content posted by users who have otherwise enjoyed impunity in what they say on its site.

Hun Sen didnt immediately comment on the ruling, but called on his social media followers to switch to rival platforms TikTok or Telegram.

The Cambodian leader, who has ruled the country since 1985, has regularly taken to social media to deliver lengthy tirades against his opponents, warning them of consequences if they defy him. Such threats are often acted on by judicial authorities, security forces, and supporters of his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, or CPP.

On Thursday, Metas oversight board of independent experts said that in one such speech, live streamed to Facebook in January, Hun Sen ranted about claims that the CPP had stolen votes in prior elections, offering his accusers the choice of legal action or a club.

He warned that he would send thugs to beat them up or arrest them in the middle of the night.

While he did not name the target of his ire, Hun Sens stolen votes comment was widely viewed as a reference to opposition Candlelight Party Vice President Son Chhay, who was convicted of defamation last year after saying that local commune elections in Cambodia had been marred by irregularities.

Intimidating opponents

Cambodia is preparing to hold a general election on July 23, but observers say that the ballot is likely to be neither free nor fair.

Image grab of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens newly created TikTok page, following Metas oversight board on Thursday reversed the social media companys decision to leave up a video Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen posted to Facebook threatening violence against his political opponents and called for an immediate suspension of his accounts. Credit: TikTok/@hunsenofcambodia

Meta initially reviewed the speech after receiving complaints that it violated Facebooks guidelines on inciting violence, but decided to leave the content up because of its news value.

However, the company referred the content to its oversight board, saying it had created tension between our values of safety and voice.

On further review, the board found that the content had indeed run afoul of Facebooks guidelines prohibiting incitement, citing the severity of the violation, Hun Sens history of committing human rights violations and intimidating political opponents, as well as his strategic use of social media to amplify such threats.

The board ordered that the video be removed, and called on Meta to suspend Hun Sens Facebook and Instagram accounts for six months.

While the call for the account suspension is non-binding, Meta is obligated to take down the video and issue a statement to the public on its reasons for doing so within 60 days.

Finally called out

Hun Sen has yet to comment on the oversight boards ruling, but on Thursday, he posted a message to his Facebook page calling on his 14 million followers to switch to the Chinese video platform TikTok for future updates. Hun Sens TikTok account, set up on Wednesday, currently has nearly 22,000 followers.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany wave during the Southeast Asian Games Closing Ceremony in Phnom Penh, Cambodia May 17, 2023. Credit: Cindy Liu/Reuters

The prime minister wrote on the Dubai-based Telegram messaging app that he had found Telegram more useful than Facebook and told his more than 867,000 followers on the app that he will be posting content there going forward, allowing him to "easily communicate with people while I am traveling to countries where Facebook is not permitted.

Later in the day, Hun Sen wrote on Telegram that he had problems with fake accounts on Facebook, while claiming Telegram "has no fake account."

The prime minister said he had asked his assistant to "delete my Facebook account immediately and inform Facebook to remove my name from Facebook," urging people to follow him on Telegram.

Hun Sen said his newly created TikTok account would allow him to more easily connect with the youth."

The stakes are high

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch, issued a statement on Thursday dismissing Hun Sens reason for leaving Facebook.

Hun Sen is finally being called out for using social media to incite violence against his opponents, and he apparently doesnt like it one bit, he said.

Thats the real story about why hes running away from Facebook, which dared to hold him accountable to their community standards, and into the arms of Telegram, the favored social media messaging system of despots ranging from Russia to Myanmar.

Robertson said it was high time for tech companies such as Meta to confront world leaders who violate human rights on their platforms.

The stakes are high because plenty of real world harm is caused when an authoritarian uses social media to incite violence -- as we have already seen far too many times in Cambodia," he said.

Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

Story updated to correct the number of Hun Sen's Telegram followers and to add a quote about him ordering the deletion of his Facebook account.
A congressional visit to Taiwan may have undone any goodwill achieved by Blinken.

Chinese-language state media was silent on Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens meeting with a bipartisan U.S. congress visit this week, but the English-language tabloid Global Times described the delegation as representing hostile forces.

The state media outlet said that straight after the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkens fence-mending visit to Beijing hostile forces and politicians within the U.S. are trying to damage the China-U.S. relationship  rather than stabilizing and managing the tense situation.

At a regular press conference on Thursday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning was unwavering on Chinas official response to the trip.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of it, said Mao.

China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and the Taiwanese authorities. All institutions of the U.S. government, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, should adhere to the diplomatic policies that the U.S. has recognized and committed to, she said.

Mao added that the U.S. should not send out wrong signals to the Taiwan independence forces.

No 'finish line to peace

Blinken said on Wednesday, speaking at a conference in New York, theres no finish line for U.S. foreign policy toward China besides maintaining peace, even if Beijing and Moscow seek to build an illiberal world order.

Its a line that China is clearly not buying, maintaining that the U.S. simply wants to avoid a disastrous collision while continuing to needle the Peoples Republic of China with what it calls provocations.

Blinkens trip was not to repair the damaged China-U.S. ties, but to seek communication to make sure there was no loss of control over bilateral relations, Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Its natural, Ni added, that the US is continuing its provocations and even pushing forward confrontation and decoupling in some fields.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a meeting with U.S. Representative Mike Rogers and other members of the congressional delegation, at the presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan, in this handout image released June 28, 2023. Credit: Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via Reuters





Speaking Wednesday to the visiting congressional delegation, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said, Deepening the security cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. is crucial for maintaining the security of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region.

According to a press release by the Presidential Office House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican, said that Taiwan and the U.S. share a long and important friendship based on the common values of the rule of law, democracy, and the belief in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Tsai described the visit as an act of protecting the national security of the U.S. and its democratic allies.

Full blown economic decoupling

In related news, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that Washington and its allies should give Taiwan everything it needs to defend itself, clarifying to Beijing that hostilities would mean a full-blown economic decoupling that would massively damage China.

Beijing is an enemy to the U.S. and the most dangerous opponent we have faced since World War II, Haley said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

The Communist Partys endgame is clear, Haley claimed. China is preparing its people for war. President Xi has openly said it. We should take him at his word and act accordingly.

China hit back at Haley, reportedly saying, Those who draw attention by smearing and blame-shifting in the election campaign will end up on the ash heap of history.

Haleys odds in a presidential election are considered low, but observers note that her language could tip the balance in debate on the most strategically challenging power in the world for the U.S.

Meanwhile, in Taiwan the chairman of the Cross-Strait Policy Association, Stephen Tan, told RFAs Mandarin service on Wednesday that the Armed Services Committee delegation was likely addressing the issue of delayed deliveries of weapons to Taiwan, as well as the start of military aid to Taiwan under the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act passed at the end of last year.

These are legislators who have helped enact that law, he said, adding that the bipartisan delegation was in Taiwan to help Taiwans leadership understand the overall progress after the passage of the law while also addressing Taiwans concerns.

Edited by Mike Firn.
A newspaper graphic on June 29, showing the arrested workers and those accused of organizing the strike at two garment factories.

Myanmars junta authorities have arrested 10 workers from Yangon region for incitement to riot, state-controlled newspapers reported Thursday.

Reports said two members of the outlawed Action Labor Rights group were arrested along with workers from two garment factories between June 14 and 17.

The Action Labor Rights members were identified as Thandar Soe Lin and Pyoe Myat Thin.

The workers came from Shwepyitha townships Hosheng Myanmar garment factory and Sun Apparel Myanmar in Hlaingtharya township.

The factory workers were fired and arrested for taking the lead in demanding a 17% pay rise to the equivalent of U.S.$2.70 a day.

An Action Labor Rights union official, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, told RFA the arrests of workers on political charges when they were only calling for better pay is a violation of labor rights.

These workers were not doing anything political, and they were demanding their rights because the wages are low, the official said.

Junta arrests of protesters demanding their rights is a violation of the rights of weak grassroots workers, and protects oppressive employers.

Newspapers reported that two more union members, Thuzar  who goes by one name  and Thurein Aung have gone into hiding and authorities are trying to find and arrest them.

Thuzar is accused of inciting workers to riot and organizing a protest at the two factories on June 12 and 13.

The union official told RFA the two fugitives do not plan to leave Myanmar.

Action Labor Rights is a Yangon-based union that has been calling for protection of the rights of workers who have been suffering from various problems since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup.

Another trade union leader, who also declined to be named, said the junta had already clamped down on other trade unions.

The workers were charged with Article 505 only. But those who are part of groups declared to be illegal organizations are charged with Article 17 (1), he said, referring to a law on membership of illegal groups that carries a maximum three year prison sentence.

It becomes alarming to the other [unions]. It hits many birds with one stone.

On March 1, 2021, a month after the military coup, the juntas Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population declared 16 trade unions and organizations active in labor issues to be illegal groups.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.
The first time Valery Golubkins family saw him in court was the day he was convicted of treason and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Golubkins wife, Svetlana Golubkina, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: Valery Nikolayevich! We Are With You. Truth Is On Our Side.



We are going to fight for him. This is 1937 all over again in Russia, she told journalists after the sentencing, referring to the manufactured treason cases that played a key role in dictator Josef Stalins Great Terror. My husband will not give up and will not [falsely] confess. And we wont give up either.



Golubkina said publicity is the familys only hope of securing her husbands freedom before he dies.



Only by speaking out! she said.

Golubkin is one of more 30 academics who have faced treason charges in Russia since the former KGB operative Vladimir Putin came to power more than 20 years ago. Moreover, the number of treason cases opened in Russia generally has skyrocketed this year. At least 21 cases have been filed in 2023, more than five times the number filed in the same period the previous year.



Most prominently, opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison in April, the lions share of the sentence -- 18 years -- resulting from a charge of state treason. However, in many cases, the suspects are arrested, tried, sentenced, and imprisoned in near-total secrecy.



'He Won't Last'



After a closed-door trial, the Moscow City Court ruled on June 26 that the 71-year-old professor of aerohydrodynamics had shared secret information about hypersonic aircraft with colleagues from European Union countries as part of a collaborative project to develop a faster-than-sound civilian passenger jet that began in 2014.



Golubkin denies the allegations, saying he had no access to secret materials; that he was not involved in gathering the information that was shared during the project; and that all the materials shared had been vetted by Russian security agencies and cleared.



His supervisor at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Anatoly Gubanov, has also been arrested in connection with the case.



The 12-year sentence was the minimum that Judge Vitaly Belitsky could impose, after the government increased the maximum punishment for treason to 25 years in April, Maria Eismont, Golubkins lawyer, said.



The more than two years that Golubkin spent in pretrial detention will be subtracted from his sentence, the court ruled.

But, in reality, he wont last 12 years in a strict-regime prison, Golubkins daughter, Lyudmila, told RFE/RL. He is 71 years old, with cancer in remission. He spent more than two years in pretrial custody, where problems with his eyes got so much worse that now he needs an operation. No one there treated him.



'Bars For Their Epaulettes'



The HEXAFLY-INT project in question was started in 2014. It is described in detail on the TsAGI website, where it was the subject of more than a dozen press releases. It is an international effort to flight test an experimental vehicle about Mach 7 to verify its potential for a high aerodynamic efficiency during a free flight while guaranteeing a large internal volume, according to an EU website.

The bloc provided 5 million euros ($5.5 million) of the projects nearly 12-million euro ($13 million) budget. It was coordinated by the European Space Agency. It wound up activity in September 2019.



The project investigated the creation of a civilian aircraft based on hydrogen fuel, Lyudmila Golubkina said, adding that such a plane in theory could fly between Tokyo and Brussels in about two hours.



Russias participation in the effort was approved by numerous government agencies, including the Industry and Trade Ministry.



Golubkin, a respected professor and researcher with more than 130 academic publications and numerous state honors, was arrested in April 2021 and charged with treason.



My father did not collect the information for [TsAGIs] reports, Golubkina continued. He just helped compile it. He joined work on the project in 2018 when his boss, Gubanov, asked him to help edit and format the reports about the work TsAGI researchers were required to carry out under the contract.



Golubkin never had security clearance to handle classified documents.



From pretrial detention, he wrote: There was nothing criminal in any of my actions since the data from the project and its results were openly available from the beginning and intended for the common use of all the partners in the project, Golubkina said.

The scientists TsAGI colleagues told RFE/RL they believe Golubkin did nothing wrong.



Its all lies, one colleague, who asked not to be identified for fear of repercussions for speaking out, said about the case against Golubkin. For one thing, he was pressured into participating in the project. The authorities checked what kind of plane was involved and whether we should participate. In the end, they gave the green light.



The colleague added that all the reports -- literally, every page -- were checked by Russian security agencies and no state secrets were found.



That is why they were allowed to be sent, he added.

The precise nature of the accusations against Golubkin remain unknown because the court proceedings were held behind closed doors and the files were sealed.

He also speculated that the case against Golubov could be a product of TsAGIs competition with Russias space agency, Roskosmos.



The institute and Roskosmos are direct competitors -- and the case was opened in 2021 when the head of Roskosmos was Dmitry Rogozin, the colleague said, referring to a director whose term was dogged by corruption allegations and who was dismissed by Putin last July. Who benefited from tying up a competitor for big state contracts and budgetary funding?



Svetlana Golubkina said her husbands computer, with all his research on hypersonic flight, was confiscated when his home was initially searched in 2020.



Another colleague, who also asked that their name be withheld, said the case was brought solely because state investigators didnt have enough bars for their epaulettes.



They admit themselves that their bosses demand cases based on specific articles [of the Criminal Code], the second colleague said. Otherwise, there will be no bonuses or promotions. And where do you get these cases? You have to just make them up.



The precise nature of the accusations against Golubkin remain unknown because the court proceedings were held behind closed doors and the files were sealed. Golubkins lawyers are barred from discussing the case in detail, but Eismont said that in the closed files there is no mention of secret materials, to which Golubkin did not have access in any event.



The head investigator, the prosecutor, and the judge in Golubkins case are no strangers to high-profile, politically tinged convictions.



Investigator Anton Chaban put together the treason cases against several prominent academics, including rocket scientist Viktor Kudryavtsev and Roman Kovalyov.



Prosecutor Gulchekhra Ibragimova was involved in the 2010 prosecution of oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was already in prison at the time after being sentenced to nine years on tax charges in 2005. Khodorkovskys prosecution was widely perceived as retaliation for his political activity.



Judge Belitsky was one of the judges in Kara-Murzas trial.

Written by RFE/RLs Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RLs Siberia.Realities.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Iran's oil production could gradually increase by approximately 900,000 b/d, reaching a capacity of 3.8 mb/d, if sanctions are lifted, Trend reports.

As the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, Iran's status in world oil markets remains uncertain, at the same time, talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which would ease sanctions, have been on hold since September 2022. However, recent reports suggest the possibility of some sanctions relief for Tehran.

Despite facing financial restrictions, Iran managed to raise its crude oil output by around 130,000 b/d in 2022, averaging 2.5 mb/d. They have maintained brisk oil sales to China at an estimated 1 mb/d since 3Q2022.

Prior to the United States' withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal in 2018, Iranian oil exports, including condensates, exceeded 2 mb/d, the IEA noted.

Through increased exports and domestic production, Iranian crude output reached approximately 2.9 mb/d in May 2023 and has remained at that level throughout the forecast period. The IEA believes that Iran still maintains its extensive oil network, enabling it to ramp up production relatively quickly if sanctions are eased.

The National Iranian Oil Co likely shut in wells at high-cost offshore fields and performed maintenance at mature oil fields, possibly due to lower wellhead production. Shutting in output can benefit aging oil fields by allowing pressure to rebuild and facilitating easier restart of operations, the agency noted.

Regarding capacity building, Iran's progress has largely stalled due to the collapse of exports since the end of 2018 and the lack of foreign investment caused by sanctions. The previous round of international sanctions had already left the oil sector in urgent need of foreign capital and technology, particularly for enhanced oil recovery methods to sustain and increase output in older fields.

However, Iran is looking to the core West Karun oil fields of North and South Azadegan, Yaran, and Yadavaran to drive future growth, aiming for a 1 mb/d boost. Undeterred by sanctions, Iran expects to double the capacity at its southern Azadegan field to 320,000 b/d in 2023, which spans the border with Iraq.
The United States has imposed new sanctions targeting 18 individuals and more than 120 entities based in Russia and Kyrgyzstan in a move aimed at inhibiting Moscows access to products and technology that support its war efforts.

The entities include several based in Kyrgyzstan that the U.S. Treasury Department on July 20 said have operated as intermediaries to provide foreign-made electronics and technologies to Russia.



At least six of these companies were featured in a recent investigation by RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service into Kyrgyz and Kazakh companies that revealed how sanctioned Western electronics make their way to Russia via Central Asian firms.

The Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said on July 20 that, in addition to curtailing Russia's ability to obtain technology, the sanctions aim to reduce its revenue from mining, degrade its access to the international financial system, and starve it of technology produced by the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations, particularly items needed in the aerospace and defense sectors.



The latest sanctions build on a wave of global actions imposed on Moscow.



Since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States, working with our allies and partners, has taken unprecedented steps to impose costs on Russia and promote accountability for the individuals and entities who support its illegal war, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.



We will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, he said.



Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said in the OFAC news release that the actions "represent another step in our efforts to constrain Russias military capabilities, its access to battlefield supplies, and its economic bottom line.



The individuals designated for sanctions include former Russian Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin, a longtime confidant of President Vladimir Putin. Kudrin headed the governments official watchdog, the Audit Chamber, until late last year when he joined Russian tech giant Yandex.



Kudrin joined Yandex during a restructuring as the Kremlin cracked down on independent news and reporting on the Ukraine war. Yandexs search engine and main news portal were among the leading sources for Russian-language content.



Yandex ultimately decided to sell its main news and entertainment portals and undertook an attempted restructuring that would essentially split the company into a wholly Russian unit and an overlapping, but independent, foreign unit.



But that deal, which Kudrin has been intimately involved in negotiating, has been contingent on finding deep-pocketed Russian buyers for the Russian unit. Until recently, a group of Kremlin-connected oligarchs, and state investment bank VTB, were reported to be in the running to take control of the new unit.



But, according to reports this week in Meduza and The Bell, Yandexs board has been wary of falling afoul of existing U.S. sanctions that had previously targeted some of the main contenders, and the board has been casting about for other options.



Its unclear how Kudrins sanctioning would affect his role at Yandex or the companys restructuring efforts.



A Yandex spokeswoman declined to comment on the Treasury announcement.



The six companies designated for sanctions by OFAC that were featured in the RFE/RL investigation are LLC RM Design and Development, Basis Trade Prosoft LLC, Region-Prof LLC, ZAO GTME Tekhnologii, OOO Radiotekhsnab (RTS), and Technologies Systems and Complexes Limited (TSC).



ZAO GTME Tekhnologii (GTME Tekhnologii) is a Kyrgyz-based entity established in June 2022.



It has made dozens of shipments of goods to Russia, including high-priority items such as tantalum capacitors and electronic integrated circuits, the RFE/RL investigation found. GTME Tekhnologiis primary customer has been Russia-based TSC, a vendor of electronic and digital equipment.



OFAC said LLC RM Design and Development, established in March last year, has been a "prolific shipper" of electronics such as semiconductors and integrated circuits to Russia, including to firms that have supplied electronics to Russian-based defense companies.



Earlier on July 20, Kyrgyzstan denied helping Moscow circumvent sanctions imposed over the Ukraine invasion, but did admit to "the "possible involvement of private companies" and said it was investigating the matter.

The other individuals targeted for helping to supply munitions to Russia include Russian and North Korean national Yong Hyok Rim, who is linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mutinous leader of the Wagner mercenary organization.



Also designated are two other private Russian military companies, including Okhrana, owned by Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom.



Sergei Korolev, first deputy director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), and Smolensk regional Governor Vasily Anokhin also were targeted, the State Department said.



The sanctions freeze any property in U.S. jurisdictions owned by the individuals and entities named. They also bar U.S. citizens from any dealings with the people and entities.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

NOTE: This article has been amended to clarify the circumstances surrounding Aleksei Kudrin's departure from the Russian Audit Chamber and his joining Yandex.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led the Russian private Wagner mercenary group's aborted mutiny last month, has appeared in a video purportedly filmed in Belarus welcoming his fighters and saying they would be headed to Africa as the company was halting its involvement in Russia's war with Ukraine for the foreseeable future.

In the dimly lit video, posted by his press people on Telegram on July 19, Prigozhin is shown in front of a large number of armed men, greeting them "on the land of Belarus."

Since the Wagner leader was last seen pulling away in a vehicle in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on June 24, his whereabouts have been a mystery as rumors swirled about the man cast as a traitor by President Vladimir Putin, once a close friend of Prigozhin. What Wagner would do next with its thousands of soldiers was also a question mark.



"You have done a lot for Russia. What is happening now on the front line [in Ukraine] is a shame we do not need to take part in. We need to wait until the moment when we are able to fully express ourselves," Prigozhin says in the video, the date of which remains unknown, adding that "the decision was made that we will stay here in Belarus for some time.



"During that time, we will turn, and I am fully confident about that, the Belarusian Army into the second-best army in the world, and if need be, protect them.... We must get trained further...and then head to a new destination, to Africa, and then, probably, we will get back to the special military operation [in Ukraine] when we are sure that we will not be forced to shame ourselves and our experience," Prigozhin says.

The fate of Wagner troops has been unclear since Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny on June 23-24, the biggest threat to Putins 23 years in power.



The authoritarian ruler of Belarus and Putin's close ally, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, was reportedly involved in talks to end the mutiny by agreeing with Prigozhin and Putin to host the Wagner troops, and their leader, in Belarus.



Days after Lukashenkas statement, a tent camp began to appear in the eastern village of Tsel, a former garrison for members of a Belarusian missile brigade.



An analysis of satellite images by Schemes (Skhemy), an investigative project run by RFE/RL, estimates there are at least 485 vehicles near the tent camp in total.



The images from Planet Labs show almost all the equipment is located near warehouse-like buildings, as well as the parking lot of the military camp. No heavy military equipment can be seen.



The Belaruski Hayun Telegram channel that monitors the movement of military equipment on the territory of Belarus said it had registered at least six columns of military vehicles and equipment with Wagner and Russian national flags in the countrys eastern region of Mahilyou since July 11.



In the Wagner video released on July 19, Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian military officer known for his ultranationalist stance, is also shown.



"It is not the end; it is just a beginning. It is our new phase. It is the beginning of the biggest work in the world that will be performed very soon," Utkin, who chose the name for the Wagner Group and has been one of its commanders, says, ending his statement in English by adding, "Welcome to hell!"



Wagner troops played a key role in Russias invasion of Ukraine, helping take main parts of the town of Bakhmut after nearly 10 months of intense fighting. Prigozhin said earlier that he lost 20,000 men during the Bakhmut operation.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarusian Service
A new Chinese super observation station for climate and environmental monitoring has opened in Tajikistan, as China aims to advance in a developing technological arena and improve its green credentials in Central and South Asia.

The station -- located in Shahritus, a town in southwestern Tajikistan near the meeting point of the country's borders with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan -- was first mentioned by Chinas Xinhua news agency on June 16, but Tajik media has not reported about it.



It is part of a growing constellation of stations in countries along Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that are run by or partnered with Lanzhou University.



It is the latest addition to a growing network of LiDAR (light, detection, and ranging) systems stretching across a major corridor of the BRI that is subject to extreme weather and is intertwined with Beijings broader technological ambitions.



But the stations location and the Tajik governments close cooperation with Beijing has also raised questions about whether it could be used for surveillance and security purposes.



While its full scope is unclear, Bradley Jardine, managing director of the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, told RFE/RL that stations like those in Shahritus rely on weather satellites -- possibly similar in nature to the object that had recently run errant across the United States.



Earlier this year, a high-altitude Chinese balloon that Beijing said was strictly for climate purposes flew over Alaska, western Canada, and much of the United States before being shot down by the U.S. Air Force. U.S. officials said it carried large amounts of equipment used to spy on sensitive areas. The Canadian military also said it was used for surveillance.



"There could be surveillance capabilities on the Tajik border, Jardine said.

LiDAR systems help scientists to accurately map and examine natural and manmade environments, features that are a key component of smart, autonomous, and electric vehicles -- a sector where China is an emerging global leader.



Jardine told RFE/RL that bold projects such as the LiDAR network are primarily designed to allow China to refine its domestic technology, hone its edge in the autonomous- and electric-vehicle space, and help improve its environmental record abroad.



As China positions itself to become dominant in the future global automotive industry, there are a large number of state grants available for refining the technology, and research institutes like Lanzhou are on the cutting edge, Jardine said.



LiDAR And Beyond



The LiDAR network begins in the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou and extends across Xinjiang Province to Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Israel, and Algeria -- consisting of more than 20 stations.



Huang Jianping, a professor at Lanzhou University working on the project, told Xinhua that the station provides comprehensive data for dust, pollutants, and weather in key areas of Central Asia and that the station can help warn about extreme weather conditions, as well as provide data about climate change.



The new facility in Tajikistan is in one of the hottest areas of the country, and Lanzhou Universitys team -- which has been building the network of stations since 2016 -- says the location will help the laser-generated 3D maps of climate-impacted regions.

But while China says the new station in Tajikistan has clear environmental dimensions to its work, it comes amid a growing list of dual-use or secretive Chinese projects in the Central Asian country.



Lanzhou University has clear links to Chinas defense industry and, according to a 2019 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), it is among at least 68 other Chinese universities that are officially described as parts of the defense system or [which] are supervised by Chinas defense industry agency, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.



China has also financed, built, and in some cases helped operate surveillance and security outposts and facilities in Tajikistan along its long and porous border with Afghanistan. One such facility is operated near Shaymak and is part of a broader joint Chinese-Tajik venture to renovate and modernize old Soviet-era patrols near Afghanistans Wakhan Corridor that borders a small stretch of Xinjiang Province.



Dushanbe also approved the construction of a Chinese-funded police outpost near the countrys border with Afghanistan in 2021.



Beijing remains concerned that Islamist militants in Afghanistan could enter China or destabilize the region -- and much of its security footprint in Tajikistan is believed to be related to this issue.



China also opened an observation station on Tajikistans Lake Sarez in 2021 for environmental research and international disaster reduction and prevention, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.



While little information is available about its work, some analysts have noted that the facility could also be used for surveillance and monitoring beyond its environmental goals.



How the new station in Shahritus will fit in with this trend -- if at all -- is unknown.



Jardine adds that Chinas security focus has largely been concentrated in the Pamir Mountains and the Wakhan Corridor, whereas the new station is located in a different part of the country where there are less immediate security imperatives for China.
The return of the so-called morality police to the streets of major Iranian cities has brought back fear and stress for women who choose to ignore the requirement that they wear the hair-covering hijab. But it has also been met with resistance by men and women alike, while lawmakers have questioned the effectiveness of the hard-line approach to enforcing compliance.

Iranians who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Farda said the presence of the morality police -- officially known as "guidance patrols" that usually include male officers and women wearing black chadors -- is not as visible as it was before the patrols were scaled back after nationwide protests first broke out against the hijab law last autumn.

I really don't know where they want to get with this method, but in my opinion, if they want to continue this way, confrontations will start again."

"Before, when we went on the street, they had a stationary vehicle, or a vehicle that was moving on the street," Leila Mirghaffari, a women's rights activist who lives in Tehran, told Radio Farda on July 17, a day after the return of the morality police was announced. "They haven't yet dared to encroach like before. But they are present, mostly in main squares."



Mirghaffari described the decision to redeploy the morality police, coming after the monthslong protests had largely wound down, as a distraction aimed at creating "fear and terror" among the population.



"It creates mental and emotional problems for us. It's stressful, and it occupies our thoughts and those of our families," Mirghaffari said. "When we want to leave home and come out to the street, at any moment we may travel a route where morality police patrol and are stationed to arrest people."



Nevertheless, Mirghaffari and others suggested, the patrols are largely ineffective and have even given new life to resistance against the authorities' efforts to enforce the countrys strict Islamic dress code.



Some Tehran residents who spoke to Radio Farda said that many women simply put on a hijab when they spot the morality police before quickly removing them once out of sight. And in some cases where women have been harassed or threatened by morality police, fellow citizens -- male and female alike -- have pushed back.



Almost immediately after the authorities announced on July 16 that the morality police patrols would resume, residents of the northern city of Rasht took to the streets to protest an attempt to arrest three women for allegedly violating the hijab requirement.

The situation reportedly escalated into clashes between demonstrators and police, who used tear gas to disperse protesters, some of whom were chanting against Iran's clerical establishment.



"I really don't know where they want to get with this method, but in my opinion, if they want to continue this way, confrontations will start again," said a male Tehran resident who requested anonymity while answering questions on WhatsApp.

"Personally, if I see them taking a girl into a van, I will step forward and shout so as not to let them take them. That's how things are, and I think most people now are like me. They don't want the Mahsa incident to happen again and for another innocent girl to be killed."



The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, soon after she was arrested for allegedly violating the hijab law, sparked the nationwide protests that lasted months and prompted a crackdown that led to the deaths of more than 500 people. Amini's death became the cause celebre for thousands of women and men who took to the streets to show their opposition to the hijab law.

Amid the protests, there were reports that the authorities had disbanded the morality police, although other reports indicated that they never really went away in some cities. But the issue also prompted the clerical establishment, which views the hijab as key to its interpretation of Islam, to introduce revisions to the country's Chastity and Hijab Law that would introduce stiffer penalties for noncompliance, including up to three years in prison for repeat offenders.



While the hijab has been compulsory in public for women and girls over the age of 9 since 1981, shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution ushered in the clerical establishment, the requirement is often flouted, particularly in urban areas.



The Chastity and Hijab bill, which is awaiting parliamentary approval, has been fodder for intense debate -- with some lawmakers saying it does not go far enough to make women comply with the hijab requirement and others questioning the effectiveness of forcing women to comply.



Following the announcement that the morality police patrols would resume in many Iranian cities, lawmaker Vali Esmaili, who heads the parliament's social commission, said that the body would unlikely be involved in the effort.



He also said that before resuming the patrols, "we should first look at the state of society to see if such actions have been effective in the past 43 years."



The Chastity and Hijab bill also proposes penalties, including the confiscation of automobiles, against drivers or passengers of vehicles in which women are not in compliance with the hijab requirement.



"When I'm driving, I have to wear a hijab," a woman who resides in Tehran told Radio Farda following the redeployment of the morality police, explaining that she has had her vehicle impounded four times for failing to wear the hijab. "But when I get out and move away from the car, I take off my head scarf. Many times, I just put it in my bag. Sometimes, when I see that the conditions are bad, I keep it around my neck, but I am still without a hijab in the street."



The woman said that she has not personally seen any morality police since they returned to the streets of Tehran. But she has heard eyewitness accounts of the presence of marked morality police vehicles in the northern city of Shahriar, in Tehran Province, where she said most women wear head scarves and those who do not could be seen without a hijab not far from the morality police.

WATCH: Masses of demonstrators are turning out throughout Iran, where some are shouting down police enforcement of strict religious dress codes for women.



"There are the odd ones out who are without a hijab, and they were 100 or 200 meters away from the morality police," she recalled being told of the current situation.



She said that even before the morality police returned to the streets, her experience in dealing with them showed that they were reluctant to enforce the hijab requirement.



"It's pretty clear that they're tired of this matter, but it seems like they have orders from above," she said.



That is far from the norm, according to the activist Mirghaffari, who painted a dark picture of the morality police, whose involvement in human rights violations has led to Western sanctions.

"The morality police are truly violent. They are really repressive. They have no humanity," said Mirghaffari, who added that she has been arrested by the force several times. "The morality police are really trained for savagery and for causing distress to the point that someone like Mahsa Amini could be killed. And they have no fear at all."



Others who spoke to Radio Farda were incredulous that the authorities would reintroduce the morality police amid public frustration over Iran's dire economic situation.



"The issue is not the hijab. The real issue is the terrifying inflation and high prices," said the man who answered questions by WhatsApp. "But they are only fixated on the hijab. They are playing with everyone's nerves, whether man or woman, whether with a hijab or without, they are bothering everyone."



The renewed protests, which included women carrying placards bearing the "We won't go back!" slogan that became popular during anti-hijab demonstrations, suggests that efforts to force women into compliance will be met with continued resistance.



"Look, our girls are fighting and know that there is no way back for us and we are not going back, and our answer to them wanting to forcibly put a hijab on us is, 'No!'" said Mirghaffari. "This is a big step we have taken to reach our other desires and we will never go back."

Written by Michael Scollon based on reporting by Mehdi Tahbaz and other Radio Farda correspondents.
KYIV -- Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, in a surprise visit to Ukraine, assured President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of his strong support for Kyivs "courageous" fight against the Russian invasion.

"Freedom is winning in Ukraine, Pence told reporters on June 29 after meeting with Zelenskiy. Now more than ever, we need to keep faith with the courageous fighters here in Ukraine who are standing for freedom and pushing back on Russian aggression."

Pence, who has been a strong advocate of aiding Ukraine since the Russian invasion of February 2022, is a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, running against his former president, Donald Trump, and several other candidates.

Pence is far behind Trump in the polls in the race for the nomination to face Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election. Some leading candidates in his party have expressed more reluctance to aid Ukraine than has Pence, although Kyiv enjoys strong backing by both parties in Congress.

Im here because its important that the American people understand the progress that weve made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest, Pence said in remarks to NBC News.

Pence, who spent about 12 hours in Ukraine, also stopped in Moshchun, Bucha, and Irpin -- towns formerly occupied by Russian forces and the site of brutal killings of local citizens.

According to the Ukrainian presidential office, Zelenskiy thanked Pence for the support shown by both major U.S. parties for Kyivs fight against Russia.

"This support is not only with weapons, which is a top priority today. The United States provides us with financial assistance, humanitarian, and political support, Zelenskiy said.

We appreciate that both major U.S. parties -- Republican and Democratic -- remain united in supporting Ukraine. And, of course, we feel the strong support of the people of the United States," he added.

In June, the Biden administration provided defense aid packages of $2.1 billion and $500 million to Ukraine, bringing total support since February last year to more than $43 billion.

The office said Zelenskiy also informed Pence in detail" about the situation on the battlefield and shared the Ukrainian assessment of recent events in Russia and how they will affect security in the region.

Prior to announcing his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, Pence in March 2022 made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian border with Poland, crossing into the country to help deliver aid to refugees escaping the war during the first days of the invasion.

With reporting by Reuters
Russian media reports on June 28 continued to speculate about the whereabouts of the deputy commander of Russian armed forces' united group, Sergei Surovikin, and his role in the weekend revolt despite Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskovs dismissal of the reports.

Peskov told reporters on June 28 "there are many different speculations, allegations, and so on about those events. I think this is one of such examples."

Citing U.S. security sources, The New York Times touched off the speculation with its report that Surovikin had known in advance about Wagner mercenary group's chief Yevgeny's Prigozhin's mutiny.

Surovikin, considered an ally of Prigozhin, posted a video message on June 24 calling on Wagner forces to halt their advance. Some experts said the message may have been forced.

High-ranking U.S. officials suspected an alliance between Surovikin and Prigozhin could explain why Prigozhin was still alive, the New York Times reported.

As part of a deal to stop the rebellion, Prigozhin and his fighters were allegedly offered exile in Belarus.

Rumors continued to spread on June 28 about Surovikin, who hasnt been seen since June 24, according to Russian media.

The Moscow Times, citing sources close to the Defense Ministry, said Surovikin had been arrested. When asked by journalists about where the general is, the source replied: "We don't even comment on this information through internal channels."

The former editor in chief of Ekho Moskvy, Aleksei Venediktov, said Surovikin has not contacted his family for three days. According to Venediktov, it also is not possible to reach his guards.

RFE/RL couldnt confirm the reports.

The rebellion saw Wagner troops occupy the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and then march toward Moscow.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed Western intelligence officials, reported on June 28 that Prigozhin had originally planned to capture Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Commander in Chief Valery Gerasimov during the revolt. The Journal wrote that Prigozhin had "accelerated his plans" after Russia's secret service caught wind of the plot.

The White House declined to add its voice to the speculation. Asked about the Wall Street Journal report, deputy spokeswoman Olivia Dolton said at a press briefing that the White House could not confirm nor speculate on any reports.

But U.S. President Joe Biden said that the unrest had weakened President Vladimir Putin, though he added that its hard to tell to what extent.

Hes clearly losing the war in (Ukraine), Biden said of Putin on June 28. Hes losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also said Putin had been weakened by the rebellion, which showed the autocratic structures, the structures of power have cracks.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The Biden administration has been clear that we are prepared to take action to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department said during a briefing, Trend reports.

While answering one of the reporter's question on the direct talks with Iranian officials on the nuclear deal, the Department has once again denied any involvement of the US in this process.

"We continue to remain in close touch with allies and partners, including in the region, about the various areas of concern that we have with Iran. I will note that rumors about a nuclear deal, interim or otherwise, are false and misleading. And well continue to remain focused on constraining Irans destabilizing behavior through diplomatic pressure, close coordination with our allies and partners, and de-escalation steps in the region as well," Patel said.

Earlier, it was reported that the US and Iran have been having indirect talks recently, with mediation of such countries as Oman in regard with the JCPOA.

After the withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA in 2018, the Iranian side has repeatedly stated that no discussions with the US have been held, and will not be held if the US does not return to this plan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The Arab News has published an article dedicated to the 175th anniversary of June Days Paris massacre, Trend reports.

As the article reads, on the evening of June 22,1848, only four months after the revolution of February overthrew the last French king, barricades appeared again on the streets of Paris. The barricades were constructed in protest at the new republican governments decision to renege on its promise to the citys workers to guarantee their right to work.

Four days later, the uprising was brutally crushed, not only were thousands of insurgents killed on the barricades, cannons and incendiary rockets were fired into working-class neighbourhoods, and prisoners were shot in vicious reprisals. This extreme violence had its roots in the colonial nature of the French state  whether monarchy or republic, the author writes.

"When the June insurrection broke out, the Republic called upon the new governor-general of Algeria, General Eugene Cavaignac. On 24 June, the government disbanded itself, handing Cavaignac dictatorial power. Cavaignac had been in Algeria since 1832 and was an experienced practitioner of the African Armys atrocities. He had used enfumade against the Sbeah tribe in 1844. Other high-ranking figures in the African Army brought in to fight the June insurgents included Colonel Charras, General Lamoriciere (another former governor-general of Algeria), General Bedeau, General Duvivier and General Negrier. Jonathan M. Houses military study notes that during the June Days the first three colonels to be promoted to generals had all served in the African Army. The establishment justified the assault on the June insurgents by ignoring their grievances and depicting them instead as the enemies of the republic and thus also of civilised society. In so doing, they drew on longstanding political and cultural representations that likened the urban poor to colonised subjects. The insurgents were depicted as the citys uncivilised natives. The newspaper Le Constitutionnel compared them to Native Americans and to Algerians. When General Negrier was shot in the fighting, the Constitutionnel mourned that the man who had been spared the bullets of the Arabs had been hit by a French bullet, as if the June insurgents had completed the work of the Algerian fighters. In a manner that resembles the coverage of warfare in imperialist countries, the censored French press did not condemn the army for shelling a densely populated city but instead repeated lurid rumours about the insurgents beheading, mutilating and poisoning that supposedly confirmed their barbarism. This colonialist register, of course, served to justify the civilising mission at home," the article reads.

The author notes that almost the only individuals of any prominence to wholeheartedly defend the June insurgents were the revolutionary communists Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

"Writing in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, the newspaper Marx edited in Cologne, Engels repeatedly referred to the colonial backgrounds of the generals. Recalling Duviviers role as a commander in the 1836 siege of Constantine, Engels saw parallels with his use of heavy artillery against Parisians on the Ile Saint-Louis where he acted with Algerian barbarity (by which he meant the barbarity of the French in Algeria). On one level it can be argued that Engels simply reversed the barbarian/civilised dichotomy used by the coloniser, but I think Engels was making a far more radical point. He not only likened the June insurgents to the Algerian resistance, but also to the uprisings of the Lyons silk workers over a decade earlier and to slave revolts. Workers, the colonised, the enslaved: what the liberation struggles of each of these groups had in common was the necessarily existential threat they posed to the old order, with which there could be no compromise. It was this essential fact that explained the level of violence deployed against the June insurgents, against the colonised and the enslaved. It also reveals something that the French state understood very well  that these groups objectively shared the same interests," the article reads.

In response to the demand for the "right to work" voiced by the empowered working class in Paris, the establishment proposed an alternative solution: resettling them in Algeria and transforming them into colonists. This plan aimed to address the perceived social unrest by removing the workers from the capital and relocating them to another territory.

As a further measure, in 1850, the French state initiated the deportation of convicted individuals involved in the June uprising to Algeria. This action was taken as a punitive measure against the insurgents and as part of a broader strategy to maintain control and stability within France.

"By turning a section of workers and dissidents into colonisers, the French state strengthened its power at home and abroad. The longer-term results of this included the fostering of a far-right force in French politics, the creation of a particularly Islamophobic brand of French republicanism and more than a century of colonial subjugation in Algeria. These too were the bitter fruits of the June Days," the article concludes.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. The killing of the Algerian teenage boy in France is a terrible crime, US analyst, strategic adviser on international affairs and public diplomacy to governments, universities, and corporations in Europe and the Americas Peter Tase told Trend.

According to him, French President Emmanuel Macron should focus more on addressing the causes of crimes committed on the basis of high levels of Islamophobia in the country.

Macron has steadily demonstrated a willingness to undermine the foundations of democratic institutions in the French government, and his rhetoric has deteriorated the EUs relations with Eastern European countries, Tase said.

Besides, according to the expert, the French presidents selfish, biased foreign policy has inflicted irreparable damages to the European continent and continues to cause serious fractures within the EU institutions.

Tase noted that Macron is losing popularity rapidly and his administration must focus on how to mend ties with the Muslim diaspora communities in Paris and throughout France, and must stop mingling in the internal affairs of other Eurasian countries.

According to him, the French government needs to make more efforts to identify crimes committed on the grounds of Islamophobia.

"It is disheartening to observe that French police officers abuse their authority and the killing of Algerian teenager shows a dangerous precedent that must be tackled urgently. Algerian community in France is essential to the French national economy," he added.

After the killing of the 17-year-old Algerian teenager who disobeyed an order of the traffic police in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France the protests began in the country.
A COMMUNITY group threw open its doors for a special event to help war and disaster victims.

Nayi Zindagi, which works with disabled people, hosted the fundraiser at the Unity Centre in St Anns on Friday.

Proceeds will go to Islamic Help and the Kind Giving Foundation to support victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake in February and people in war-torn Yemen.

Spokesperson Rziah Asif said it was important to remember earthquake victims were still suffering from the disaster, in which more than 50,000 people died.

Nayi Zindagi provide support to adults in Rotherhams BAME communities with learning disabilities and mental health issues.

They run a community session at Rawmarsh Hub on Barbers Avenue, Rawmarsh, every Friday from 1pm to 3pm, as well as trips out.

Email rziahmj786@hotmail.co.uk for details.
ROTHERHAM Military Community Veterans Centre received a top accolade from the Ministry of Defence  just in time for Armed Forces Day.

The MCVC has gained silver status in the MoDs employer recognition scheme, showing its commitment to offer support for current and former forces personnel.

Maj Adrian Hunt, chair of Rotherham MCVC, said: This award is recognition of all the hard work being carried out by the volunteers at the MCVC.

It is of significant benefit to the military community and provides encouragement to continue with the work we do.

Maj-Gen Marc Overton, assistant chief of defence staff (reserves and cadets), said: A silver award recognises the fantastic efforts of employers throughout the UK who have both elevated their communities under the Armed Forces Covenant and provided actual benefits to the Armed Forces Community.

The winners should all be proud of their life-changing impact and fresh opportunities they are providing to our reservists, veterans and their families.

The number of winners this year yet again shows that the armed forces family talent pool is also providing tangible business benefits.

The traditional Armed Forces Day parade took place in Rotherham town centre on Saturday morning, and it was followed by inspection in All Saints Square, a service of worship, and speeches.

Wentworth & Dearne MP John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, thanked the near-10,000 forces personnel recruited from Yorkshire and the Humber since 2015.

In the past eight years, there have been 6,110 joining the army, 1,990 going into the Royal Navy and Royal Marines plus 1,840 heading for the RAF.

Mr Healey said: I am deeply proud of our almost 10,000 UK armed forces personnel from our region for the enormous contribution they make to our country.

On Armed Forces Day, we thank them for all they do to keep Britain safe.

Ahead of last Saturdays celebrations, the MP invited secretary Patrick Kenny and community support representative Sallyanne Kenny from Waths Royal British Legion to a parliamentary reception.

The event was hosted by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Healey.
H&M group (HNNMY.PK,HMRZF.PK,HEN.L) reported that its second-quarter result after tax was 3.29 billion Swedish kronor compared to 3.68 billion kronor, prior year. Earnings per share was 2.02 kronor compared to 2.22 kronor. Net sales increased by 6 percent to 57.62 billion Swedish kronor. In local currencies, net sales were flattish with last year.

First-half result after tax was 3.83 billion Swedish kronor compared to 3.90 billion kronor, last year. Earnings per share was 2.35 kronor compared to 2.36 kronor. Net sales in Swedish kronor increased by 9 percent in the first half-year to

112.49 billion kronor. In local currencies net sales increased by 1 percent.

The Group said, sales during the period 1 -27 June 2023 increased by 10 percent in local currencies from last year.

The company noted that its 2023 annual general meeting authorised the board to start a share buyback programme for a maximum amount of 3 billion Swedish kronor in the period up to the 2024 annual general meeting.

For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
In a momentous achievement two decades in the making, Virgin Galactic, the space venture founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, successfully completed its first commercial flight carrying paying customers to the edge of space. Unlike its competitor, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, the inaugural flight focused on research and included Italian Air Force-funded passengers. However, future flights are expected to cater to a range of high-profile customers.

The mission featured two Italian Air Force personnel, Col. Walter Villadei and Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, alongside Pantaleone Carlucci from Italy's National Research Council and Colin Bennett, a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor. Bennett's role was to assess the comfort and functionality of the flight, providing valuable feedback for potential improvements to Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered space plane, VSS Unity.

The journey unfolded in several stages, beginning at Virgin Galactic's spaceport in New Mexico. Passengers boarded VSS Unity, attached beneath the wing of the twin-fuselage mothership VMS Eve, which took off like an airplane. After reaching an altitude of over 40,000 feet, VMS Eve released VSS Unity, which ignited its rocket engine and ascended directly upward at supersonic speeds. Reaching an altitude of more than 50 miles, VSS Unity entered a brief period of weightlessness before gliding back to the spaceport for a runway landing. The entire flight lasted approximately an hour and a half.

The significance of the flight lies in the moments of zero gravity experienced by VSS Unity, which hold great research potential. The weightless environment allows for a better understanding of how various materials and scientific experiments function in space. Conducting research on suborbital missions, such as those offered by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, proves cost-effective compared to launching experiments to the International Space Station.

For this particular mission, the Italian Air Force and National Research Council selected 13 experiments, including research on heart rate behavior during acceleration, cosmic radiation measurement in the upper atmosphere, and the study of biofuel behavior under different pressures in microgravity.

Virgin Galactic's successful launch marks a significant milestone for the company, which has spent the past two decades developing an upgraded version of its space plane for commercial service. Despite facing financial challenges and burning through funds, Virgin Galactic has sold around 800 tickets, with prices ranging up to $250,000 per ticket.

The launch occurs amid increased attention on high-stakes tours undertaken by wealthy adventurers following the tragic loss of an OceanGate Expeditions submersible. Safety remains a priority for both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, as they emphasize the importance of minimizing risks. However, space tourism, like deep-sea exploration, inherently carries certain dangers.

In 2014, Virgin Galactic experienced a fatal accident when its space plane disintegrated during flight. Similarly, a Blue Origin rocket exploded during ascent in 2022. Although these incidents highlight the risks involved, the commercial space industry in the United States remains largely self-regulated, with Congress placing a moratorium on new regulations for private human spaceflight.

While the Federal Aviation Administration licenses commercial rocket launches, its current role focuses primarily on ensuring the safety of bystanders and nearby property rather than protecting passengers on board. Customers embarking on space travel must sign "informed consent" documents acknowledging the risks involved.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Media and journalism academics gather to learn to code and future-proof the curriculum [CREDIT: Jess Freedman]

By Jess Freedman

It was a week in which academics wrote poems with ChatGPT and learned computational methods to collect data from thousands of online news sites. Rhodes University's School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) hosted the DigiMethods 2023 event from 19 to 24 June 2023. Academic staff and postgraduate students came from as far as Uganda and Kenya to attend the event, which included a winter school on digital research methods and a colloquium on future-proofing the media and journalism curriculum.

The DigiMethods Winter School was a hands-on event. Media researchers and postgraduate students worked in small groups to explore various research questions about digital media. While doing this research, delegates also learned digital methods to explore their research questions. These included innovative methods to study online news websites, social media, and mobile apps. International and local experts in computational methodologies helped each group produce actual research findings in three days.

The groups employed cutting-edge research methods in their work. Under the leadership of Dr Dennis Nguyen from Utrecht University and Dr Dani Madrid-Morales from the University of Sheffield, two groups conducted computational analyses of news websites using the programming languages Python and R, respectively. Erik Hekman, from Hogeschool Utrecht, guided his group in using Python to create a research tool for analysing TikTok data.

Twitter is a crucial site for public debate in South Africa and was the focus of more than one research project. Jean le Roux from DFRLab, Eileen Carter from the South African Human Rights Commission, and Professor Herman Wasserman from Stellenbosch University facilitated a working group that analysed xenophobia on Twitter. At the same time, Dr Henri-Count Evans from the University of eSwatini and Yossabel Chetty from the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change worked with their group to statistically analyse how emojis are typically used on Twitter by different language groups in South Africa.

Zara Schroeder from Research ICT Africa guided her group in using a qualitative visual method called photovoice to implement two research projects. One team used photovoice to explore how young people from the Joza Youth Hub experience digital inequality, while another used this method to investigate the DigiMethods delegates' experience of the winter school. Nawal Omar, also from Research ICT Africa, did a virtual presentation on Geoplotting data on a map using the free software Tableau Public as part of the working group that also explored photovoice.

After three days of hard work, the winter school groups presented their findings. The joy, engagement, and relief in the room was almost tangible as everyone reflected on their learning experience. Dr Jeanne du Toit, head of JMS, shared her experience of the week: "What I loved most of all about the DigiMethods Winter School was how it made the whole Africa Media Matrix building come alive. When you walked around the building, there was a wonderful electricity everywhere, with people in each seminar room talking and laughing. And it was a different kind of sound to that of seminars in progress. There was a kind of contented buzz. I think it had to do with the fact that people were not just presenting ideas, they were making things and learning and producing knowledge together. The space felt happy. I think we should do it all again soon!"

Following the rigour of the Winter School, the delegates had to step into their role as educators for the Colloquium. The DigiMethods Colloquium invited digital media and journalism educators to talk about curricula that meet the challenges and opportunities of teaching digital media in Africa. Running over two days, the programme was packed with panel discussions, keynote speakers, and times for the participants to discuss and reflect on how to practically collaborate and best use their new knowledge.

Organiser of the Colloquium, Kayla Roux, found it an enriching experience: "I think holding the Colloquium directly after the Winter School worked very well. Participants were encouraged by their experiences with putting cutting-edge digital research methods and tools into practice and brought this newfound self-confidence to the Colloquium to discuss the future of journalism and digital media education.

We discussed practical examples of doing things differently in our classrooms, challenges we face, and the consequences of new technological advances such as generative AI and the mobile revolution. It was invigorating to see trepidation and anxiety about these changes turn into excitement and optimism."

Panel topics included navigating fake news in the landscape of artificial intelligence, information literacy, innovative approaches to teaching media and journalism in the 21st century, and the place of multimedia in journalism education.

On the first day of the Colloquium, Dr Ranjit Singh from the research institute Data & Society delivered a keynote speech on artificial intelligence, democracy, and human rights. Professor Mindy McAdams, from the University of Florida, delivered the second day's keynote address, closing the eventful week by prompting the DigiMethods delegates to engage in lifelong learning.

The week ended with delegates planning to collaborate on further projects and stay in touch. Dr Alette Schoon, convenor of the DigiMethods Winter School, is committed to making this an annual event: "I see the DigiMethods project as a pathway for African Media and Journalism researchers into the digital humanities. As big data and algorithms become more important globally, it is increasingly important for researchers not just to understand these theoretically. They also need to be able to master computational methods and data analytics themselves - and that is what DigiMethods is all about. We are currently actively pursuing potential partnerships to ensure that we can continue the project."

The 2023 DigiMethods events form part of the Media, Sociality and Digitality research project, led by Professor Anthea Garman and funded by the Mellon Foundation.

Learn more about DigiMethods at https://digitalmethods.ru.ac.za
Dr Claire Kelly

Rhodes University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Claire Kelly, a well-respected researcher, teacher and facilitator in social justice and critical diversity, as its Director: Equity and Institutional Culture, with effect from 1 July 2023.

With an MPhil in Diversity Studies and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Cape Town (UCT), Dr Kelly brings a wealth of experience that combines diversity, inclusion, and transformation work in higher education.

Her doctoral thesis focused on post-apartheid social justice activism, and her work has always been rooted in intersectional feminist theory.

Her recent work experience is as a Transformation Programme Manager: Faculty Engagement at Stellenbosch University (SU), where she worked with faculty transformation committees, Deans, Heads of Departments (HoDs), and other environment heads to develop and implement strategic plans in their respective environments.

"Institutional culture is the water we swim in," Dr Kelly says. "For some, that water is relatively clear and healthy, for others, it's murky and harmful. It shapes what is possible for different people, what and who is valued and rewarded. Our universities are steeped in colonial cultures, resulting in values and rewards that these cultures value and reward. Most (maybe all) of the inequality, discrimination and exclusion on our university campuses can be ascribed to these cultures. Addressing them lies at the centre of creating the thriving and excellent institutions we aspire to."

Before her time at SU, she taught and lectured in critical diversity literacy, intercultural communication, and community 'development' at various institutions, including UCT, UCT's Graduate School of Business and the Cornerstone Institute. She has worked independently with various institutions to facilitate numerous transformation, diversity and inclusion workshops. She has been an external examiner for the Wits MPhil in Diversity Studies for nearly ten years. She also examines theses related to diversity and inclusion for UCT's Graduate School of Business' MBA.

Dr Kelly also brings with her an abundance of leadership, management and facilitation experience. She was HoD for Sociology and community development at the Cornerstone Institute and research manager at Intercultural and Diversity Studies at UCT. She has also managed numerous programmes and conducted workshops and seminars on critical diversity, inclusion, and social justice at SU in staff and student environments.

The nature of the Director of Equity and Institutional Culture post at Rhodes University is to coordinate and drive transformation activities collaboratively with faculties, departments and divisions to support and ensure that the University's equity, transformation and institutional culture strategies and goals are met. This includes working to promote an inclusive culture that leverages the advantages of diversity, ensuring that the University's staff and students actively demonstrate a commitment to equity and transformation.

Dr Kelly said she is both excited and curious about her new appointment. "I am excited at the prospect of doing the work of transformation in a new context with brand new challenges. I am curious to understand Rhodes University better and get to know a new community of staff and colleagues. I am also excited to live in the Eastern Cape. I have never spent much time here, so it is a whole new context to explore," she said.

According to the new Director, her first major project will be understanding how Rhodes University understands its transformation challenges. The second would be responding meaningfully to that understanding. "However, I assume Rhodes University shares some of the challenges faced by other institutions of higher learning in South Africa. My interests lie in advancing indigenous African languages in academia, facilitating the growth of the next generation of Black African professors, finding more effective ways to address gender-based violence and generally integrating the transformation project more actively into the University's core business processes," she stated.

"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Dr Kelly to Rhodes University and look forward to her leadership and contribution as we endeavour to eliminate all impediments to the deepening of the principles of human dignity, social justice, non-racialism, non-sexism, human solidarity and environmental justice," Vice-Chancellor Professor Sizwe Mabizela said.

"We are committed to ensuring an institutional environment in which staff and students can realise their full potential and are able to make their rightful contribution to the betterment of society. Dr Kelly will have much to contribute to the advancement of our bold vision, mission and purpose as a distinct and distinctive institution of higher learning as we embrace our past, critically reflect on our present and forge a new and inclusive future," he added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. Protests have not subsided in France after the cold-blooded murder of a 17-year-old teenager of Algerian origin in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre in the province of Ile-de-France, which shocked French society.

Although the policeman who shot the teenager was arrested, the incident caused riots - clashes with the police, the erection of barricades, arson, which spread to other areas of Paris, as well as a number of other cities.

Commenting on the issue, US analyst Irina Tsukerman said that the incidents of mass disobedience in France are nothing new. According to her, the country has a long history of protests over all issues that some portion of the public disagreed with.

"Unfortunately, for that reason there is a "boy who cried wolf" phenomenon where European institutions tend to ignore domestic unrest in France even when there is a legitimate reason," she noted. "Moreover, in particular there is a history of rioting from second generation North African communities which includes car burning and barricades even when there is no cause for violence which has led to apathy from the Western institutions."

Tsukerman pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron has not been good at handling these outbreaks of violence or eliminating racially charged approach from the police force.

Besides, according to the analyst, these riots have become consistent, reflecting internal issues in France, and these incidents only increase social tensions.

"Macron, however, should not hide behind police but should meet with the community leadership and ensure a secure and peaceful environment for developing an approach to handling controversies moving forward. That, however, requires leadership that Macron does not have," Tsukerman said.
In Indonesia, TVS Ronin spotted testing could signify a potential launch and fortify its presence even further by appealing to a wider audience

TVS Ronin is one of the companys newest motorcycle. It had quite a mixed reception at launch as it was trying to cater to multiple genres at once. These genres include a scrambler, a cruiser and a street bike. It primarily rivals Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and to some extent, Dominar 250 and offers quite a unique proposition.

TVS seems to be expanding its export envelope by shipping Ronin to ASEAN markets. Recently, a TVS Ronin spotted testing in Indonesia. This might be a strong indication of TVS intentions of launching Ronin there. Lets take a look.

TVS Ronin Indonesia launch soon?

As of now, PT TVS Motor Company Indonesia offers Neo XR and Rockz in Moped series, Callisto, Ntorq, Dazz and XL100 in Matic series and Apache RTR 200 4V, Maxx and Maxx Semi Trail in Sport series. Ronin could be a worthy addition to the Sport series and be the new flagship there, offering slightly more performance than Apache RTR 200 4V.

TVS Ronin spotted testing in a fuel station in Karawang, Indonesia. This is where PT TVS Motor Company has its manufacturing facility. KDW Motoblog posted these images for the first time. We can see a TVS Ronin motorcycle with some cladding on its fuel tank and other TVS branding covered in black duct tape.

Ronins LED DRL signature is very unique and nothing else out there looks like it. So, it is immediately identifiable as a Ronin. That said, the ones seen in Indonesia and Indian models are not identical, down to the last detail.

For starters, there seems to be a different catalytic converter in the Indonesia-spec models exhaust system. This might be due to the fact that India has adopted the BS6 emission standard which is directly comparable to EURO 6 emission standards. While Indonesia still follows EURO 4 standards.

Same powertrain, different power figures

Because of this less-obtrusive catalytic converter, there is likely to be an increase in performance. Were talking about around 5% to 10% higher power and torque figures as opposed to the Indian-spec model. Speaking of, 20.1 bhp of power and 19.93 Nm of torque in BS6 guise from a 225.9cc single-cylinder engine with oil-cooling and slipper clutch. Gearbox is a 5-speed unit.

Other than that, certain black elements on India-spec models like on front fender and exhaust cover, are silver in Indonesian models. Componentry like 41mm USD telescopic front forks, rear mono-shock, 130-section rear and 110-section front 17 tyres, dual-channel ABS, off-set circular instrument cluster, LED lighting are common between the two.

TVS Ronin boasts impressive power delivery in lower RPMs. Looks are subjective, but TVS Ronin has its own charm too. Will that be enough to crack the Indonesian market in the sub 250cc segment? Time will tell.

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We take a road trip around Scotland with the Leica ZM 2 and the Leica Q2

I love planning road trips, the routes, the hotels, and the places of interest along the way. If there is one place on Earth that lends itself perfectly to the road trip, it is Scotland with its numerous routes to choose from that take you through some spectacular scenery, and I live in Switzerland, so my standards are high!

I decided to go in an anti-clockwise loop, starting in Edinburgh and working my way up the east coast to Lochness, then over to the Isle of Skye and back down to Edinburgh via Oban. Everything was calculated to maximize the time to see as much as I could, so a timepiece was an essential piece of kit and so was a quality camera. And as I love efficiency, I called the lovely people at Leica who were able to provide me with some serious travel gear in the form of their ZM 2 GMT timepiece and Q2 camera. Never had I been more excited to get underway!

The Leica ZM 2

Leica Camera AG is a world-famous manufacturer of cameras and optics that is revered by photographers the world over. In 2022, the company decided to branch out into the world of watches, taking design elements from the cameras to incorporate them into the watches in a subtle and purist way. It all started with the Leica Watches L1 and L2, which then evolved into the ZM 1 and ZM 2.

The ZM 2 has a German industrial design feel to it and has been designed to look and feel like the companys famous cameras, which makes it quite different from other watches on the market. If you turn the watch on its side, the pushers have been designed to look like the buttons on a camera as you look down at it from the top. The sapphire crystal is also slightly domed, much like a camera lens, and the crown is decorated with Leicas signature red dot.

It is not only the aesthetics that are interesting, the crown can be pushed once to stop the movement  while instantaneously resetting the seconds to zero  so that the time can be set with the highest precision. Another push and the movement starts again. A little circular window by the three oclock hour marker turns white when the movement is operating, and red when it is stopped. A second pusher at two oclock changes the date, while the four oclock crown sets the GMT function via a turning inner bezel. There is also a day/night indicator just below the white/red circle and a power reserve display (60 hours) at nine oclock, which is modelled after an old camera light metre to look like closing shutter blades.

The manual movement is also of particular note as its decoration is more in line with Leicas minimalist style than a traditional Swiss calibre. You wont find any Cotes de Geneve, circular graining, or blued screws here!

Back to Scotland

So, back to the road trip, I snapped on my ZM 2 and started the drive towards Inverness and the famous Lochness. Arriving as the sun was starting to set, I decided a cold water swim would be quite fun, although, at five degrees, the water was glacial. I met a couple of local women in wetsuits (thats cheating in my opinion), who claimed to have seen the monster on several occasions. The latest scientific research has found a huge amount of eel DNA in the water, so maybe they did see something.

Isle of Skye

From Lochness, I venture westwards to the Isle of Skye and the little town of Portree with its coloured houses. I start to get a handle on the Leica Q2, which is the perfect compact camera for watch lovers with both its landscape and macro modes. It was like this camera had been made for travelling watch enthusiasts! It has a 28mm fixed lens, 47 megapixels, and functions particularly well in low light, and has a super cool cropping feature. The macro mode allowed me to get up close to the ZM 2, which delivered some amazing watch shots.

Made for the Road Trip

The nice thing about doing a road trip in Scotland is that nothing is really that far apart, the most time you are going to spend in the car is three hours a day, and even that is a joy as the scenery is stunning and constantly changing. We pass lochs, rivers, dramatic coastlines, craggy mountains covered in yellow heather, as well as castles and ruins that constantly begged me to stop. Luckily, I had the Q2 to document the journey, and the ZM 2 to remind me to keep going if I wanted to arrive in time for dinner. I couldnt have dreamed of better travel companions.
Fleet Science Center Tracks Girls into STEM with Education Programs

The Fleet Science Center is moving forward gender equity by helping female and female-identifying young people find opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Tommy and Daneyel Walker: Owners of The Mental Bar

On this episode of Not a Parenting Podcast, hosts Claire and Alex discuss blended families, small business ownership, and overcoming fears
The San Marcos City Council on Tuesday approved a $15 million loan to the developers of an affordable housing project that will bring new apartments to the citys Richmar neighborhood.

The project, located on Mission Road at Pleasant Way, will replace older apartments in the area, and is part of an ongoing plan to revitalize the neighborhood in central San Marcos. It is one of the final projects in a suite of housing upgrades aimed at making the once-blighted neighborhood cleaner and safer.

The El Dorado II project is a key component toward the initiative to create a family-centered, safe environment in what was once an area of blight and underdevelopment in the City of San Marcos, according to a report on the project.

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The project includes a plan to demolish 17 aging apartment units, and replace them with 71 new units. In addition, the company will also remodel and update 12 older apartments. There will also be an additional unit for the apartment manager, the report stated.

Current residents will get first priority for the new or renovated apartments. Although the project is designated for affordable housing, it can also be described as workforce housing, geared toward people who are employed, but struggle to pay market rents, said developer Todd Cottle, a principal for C&C Development.

The majority of our tenants are employed, Cottle said. It may just be people who make enough to afford market-rate housing.

Although the company doesnt plan to restrict the apartments to people who are employed in San Marcos, Cottle said the city could request that it include that as a priority for evaluating applicants.

Total cost for the project is estimated to be $44.7 million, according to the report, and the city approved a loan of $15,126,837. The developers also plan to apply for affordable housing tax credits to fund the project.

The project will displace the adjacent restaurant, Mr. Taco, and council members asked about plans for the popular eatery.

Mr. Taco, its on everyones mind; whats going to happen with that, Cottle said.

The new structure will include 2,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space, and the taco shop will be invited to relocate to the new site once the project is finished, he said.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
As the busy Memorial Day weekend got under way Friday at San Onofre State Beach, surfers noticed something unusual in the water  far fewer people.

A spate of recent white shark sightings along the Southern California coast, and a near-fatal shark attack at San Onofre last month, may have cooled the appetites of many swimmers and some surfers who typically flock to the beach this time of year.

There arent as many guys here as there used to be for a holiday weekend, said Mick Kingfish Rosine, 69, of San Clemente, after hitting some waves at San Onofre. Instead of waiting shoulder to shoulder in the lineup, surfers were spaced out in loose clusters.

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The same was true at nearby San Clemente, where a white shark was spotted as recently as Wednesday, said Marine Safety Officer Blake Anderson.

We have absolutely seen fewer people going in the water, he said. While the beach wasnt under a shark alert Friday, Anderson said lifeguards were flying a yellow flag  signifying caution  because of the recent sightings.

Last Sunday and Monday, 20 to 25 white sharks  some of them 10-footers  were spotted near shore between San Clemente and Capistrano beach, prompting lifeguards to close the beaches several times in a three-day stretch.

On April 29, 33-year-old Leeanne Ericson was swimming at the popular Church surf spot near San Onofre when she was bitten on her thigh by a white shark that tore away much of her leg. She was airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla and is still recovering from her injuries.

Scientists say the stretch of coast on the border of San Diego and Orange counties, known for legendary waves and a rich variety of surf breaks, is also recognized as a shark hot spot. Tagging data, fishermens catch and eyewitness observations confirm that the beach is a nursery for the ocean predators.

Dale Northey, who has surfed San Onofre for 45 years, said he encountered one at close range last year.

A friend of mine was yelling my name, said Northey, 71, of Laguna Nigel. I heard him the third time and I could tell by the urgency in this voice that it was a shark. I saw a fin coming at me 10 yards away, and I turned around and paddled near my friends.

The experience was sobering, but didnt scare him away, he said, noting that surfing poses risks independent of sharks. Over the years, he has sustained a head injury, sliced a fingertip and broke three ribs in in the water there. On Friday he emerged with a bloody scratch on his shin.

Its a fun sport, and if you really love it, youre not going to give it up for sharks, he said.

In fact, many surfers Friday were thrilled at the relative quiet.

This is the sharks home, said Max Caldwell, 19, of Mission Viejo. We like it because it keeps everyone away.

Lifeguard Mark Allen said he and other lifeguards at San Onofre work to keep beach goers informed of the risks as shark incidents unfold, with a series of escalating alerts. They issue shark advisories when the predators show up, give warnings when they exhibit aggressive behavior such as circling or breaching, and close beaches in the event of a shark attack.

At San Clemente, Anderson said lifeguards are also proactively talking to visitors about safety measures.

If we notice a group that seems to be out of town, we go out of our way to educate them and let them know some of the risks of going into the water and the situation that has developed in the past month, he said. Our number one goal is the safety of the public.

Nick Duclos of Salt Lake City  who was visiting San Onofre on Friday with his wife and 4-year-old daughter  said theyd read about the recent shark incidents and planned to stick near the shore, where they like to stay anyway.

Were just doing the same thing we would be doing whether there were sharks or not, said Duclos, 36.

Steve Christiansen, of Corona, said he makes a surf pilgrimage to the site every Memorial Day with his wife. He relies on herd protection to stay safe in the water, sticking within a group of surfers in the lineup.

I just make sure Im not the farthest one out, said Christiansen, 57.

Reveling in the unusually tranquil start of Memorial Day weekend, other surfers said they keep shark risks in perspective.

Theyre definitely out there and you have to be cautious, but Im still going to surf, Karina Rozunko, 20, of San Clemente.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
EgyptAir operated its first Cairo-Manchester direct flight, carrying 120 passengers, on Saturday from Cairo International Airport.
Egypt strongly condemned on Tuesday the tearing of a part of a copy of the Quran by a leader of an extremist movement in the Netherlands, warning that the action fuels hate speech.

The incident took place around the Dutch parliament in the Hague in the Netherlands.

"The disgraceful incident goes beyond freedom of expression, violates Muslim sanctities, and fuels hate speech between religions and peoples in a way that threatens communal security and stability," the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Edwin Wagensveld, leader of the Dutch chapter of the German far-right group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamicisation of the Occident (PEGIDA), tore apart pages of Islam's holy book and walked over them in an anti-Islam protest on Monday.

The incident in the Dutch city is the second in Europe in less than a week after Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard Line, burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

"Egypt has expressed its deep concern over the recurrence of blasphemy incidents and the recent escalation of Islamophobia in a number of European countries," the foreign ministry said.

The ministry added that those countries have a responsibility to prevent the recurrence of such practices that are "inconsistent with the system of human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Egypt had also condemned the burning of a Quran copy in Stockholm on Saturday, warning that this disgraceful act provokes the feelings of hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world."

The Stockholm incident triggered Arab condemnation and caused Turkey to cancel a planned visit by Swedens defence minister, scheduled for 27 January, in response to the protests.

Furthermore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Sweden should not expect any support from Turkey to join the NATO as a member.

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Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have studied camouflage in the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)  a master of camouflage  as behavioral motion towards background matching in skin-pattern space. Their observations suggest that the cuttlefishs camouflage system is highly flexible and adaptable, providing new insights into this complex physiological process.

Cephalopod camouflage consists of matching the animals appearance to that of its substrate and typically contains 2D and 3D components, said senior author Dr. Gilles Laurent from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and colleagues.

Although both components are technically textural in this field the term texture is often applied only to 3D features, caused, for example, by the contraction of skin papillae.

We studied the 2D features of camouflage and therefore refer to them as skin patterns and to the process as pattern matching, they added.

Pattern matching does not consist of a faithful reproduction of the substrates appearance but, rather, of the visually initiated statistical estimation and generation of that appearance.

These sophisticated operations are carried out instinctively by the brain of animals that diverged from us more than 550 million years ago, well before large brains existed.

The generation of 2D skin patterns relies on a motor system that controls the expansion state of up to several million pigment cells (chromatophores) embedded in the animals skin, among other specialized cell types.

The expansion state of each chromatophore depends on a radial array of muscles controlling the size of a central pigment sac and, therefore, on the activity of one to a few motoneurons, the dendrites and somata of which lie in the animals central brain.

The generation of a skin pattern therefore results from the appropriate coordination and control of tens of thousands of motoneurons by a system that interprets complex visual scenes.

In their research, the authors studied camouflage behavior in the common cuttlefish over natural and artificial backgrounds, gathering over 200,000 images that were used to map the color-change process at a single-cell resolution.

The data from these maps indicated that each pattern was highly detailed and that the same background could yield a multitude of different outcomes.

These pathways to camouflage were found to involve a form of continuous feedback and the final camouflage was the product of successive error-correction steps, which indicates that the process is highly adaptable and does not follow a set path each time.

The exception to this rule was during blanching, a defense mechanism in which cephalopods turn pale in response to threatening stimuli.

This process was observed to be rapid and direct, and memory retained of the initial camouflage was expressed again once the threat was withdrawn.

The teams results provide valuable insight into the way that these survival mechanisms interact with one another, and how the complex process of color-matching is achieved at a cellular level.

Unlike camouflaging, blanching was fast and direct, suggesting it uses a different and repeatable control system, said co-author Dr. Dominic Evans, a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.

The cuttlefish would often overshoot their target skin pattern, pause, and then come back, said first author Theodosia Woo, a graduate student at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.

In other words, cuttlefish dont simply detect the background and go straight to a set pattern, instead, it is likely that they continuously receive feedback about their skin pattern and use it to adjust their camouflage.

Exactly how they receive that feedback  whether they use their eyes, or whether they have a sense of how contracted the muscles around each chromatophore are  we dont yet know.

The study was published in the journal Nature.

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T. Woo et al. The dynamics of pattern matching in camouflaging cuttlefish. Nature, published online June 28, 2023; doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06259-2
A new study from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), the University of Missouri and the University of Arizona has uncovered the word properties that make slogans effective, as the researchers found that the attributes that make a slogan easier to process lead to it being more likeable but less memorable, and vice versa.

Previous research has recommended that slogans should be creative or capture the soul of the brand, but the authors found that people preferred slogans that are shorter, omit the brand name, and use words that are linguistically frequent and abstract. In contrast, slogans are less liked, but better remembered, if they are long, include the brand name, and feature unusual and concrete words.

The paper, co-authored by Professor Zachary Estes, Professor of Marketing at Bayes, sheds light for the first time on the trade-offs that brands face when crafting a new slogan. It also offers marketers practical advice on choosing appropriate words, as well as guidance on how to write slogans that are either likeable or memorable in line with their strategic goals.

Words matter

To explore the relationship between the length and composition of a slogan and how well liked it is, the researchers carried out a large multi-method study with 820 brand slogans and a variety of experiments to uncover the word properties that make slogans more effective. They asked around 1,000 students and online workers to tell them how much they liked, or disliked, a subset of real brand slogans. Later, they also gave them a surprise recognition test to see which slogans they remembered seeing earlier.

Following on from this experiment, the researchers identified five linguistic properties that had opposing effects on whether a slogan was liked and remembered: length, brand name, word frequency, perceptual distinctiveness, and abstractness.

Slogans that were longer and included the brand name (Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there vs. Like a neighbor) were more frequently remembered but liked less. Conversely, slogans that included words that are more frequently used (bad breath vs. halitosis) and abstract (disease vs. halitosis) were better liked but less well remembered.

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This is because consumers fixate less often and for less time on slogan words that are frequently used and more abstract. As a result, when consumers come across fluent slogans, they are more likely to like and click on the ads but remember them less accurately.

Snag the sensation

Using these findings, the researchers then tried to improve existing brand slogans by making disliked ones more fluent, and forgettable slogans less fluent. In one experiment with 243 students, they found that the slogans they had made more fluent (e.g., changing Listerine's slogan from 'Stops halitosis' to 'Kills bad breath') became better liked but also worse remembered. Conversely, slogans that they made less fluent (e.g., altering Toyota's slogan from 'Get the feeling' to 'Snag the sensation') became better remembered but less liked.

Another experiment using eye-tracking technology revealed that these changes occurred because participants look longer and more often at disfluent words (e.g., sensation) compared to fluent words (e.g., feeling). The researchers also saw a 28% increase in the click-through rate on a Facebook ad when they improved the fluency of a slogan, as the rate increased from 1.3% to 1.7%, reducing the cost-per-click.

As a result, the authors suggest that brands that need to gain recognition may consider using words that are difficult to process, i.e., rare and concrete words, while established brands may want to use words that are easy to process, i.e., those that are common and abstract.

Semantic selection

Professor Zachary Estes, Professor of Marketing in the Faculty of Management at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), said:

"Brands spend a lot of time and money creating and communicating slogans that consumers will like and remember. Our research identifies specific properties of words that can make a slogan better liked or better remembered, but importantly, the properties that make a slogan more likeable also make it less memorable, and vice versa.

"To be memorable, slogans should be relatively long, include the brand name, and use rare and concrete words. For instance, BMW could make its slogan easier to remember by changing it from 'The ultimate driving machine' to 'BMW is the peak driving machine', but that would also make it harder to like. In fact, our research can be viewed as the ultimate slogan machine, and we hope that it will help marketers choose the best words for their brand."
Male birds that are able to repeat song notes precisely stand the best chance of attracting a female mate, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

However, the males need to ensure they have a selection of different songs in their repertoire if they are to hold a female's attention and prevent her from getting bored.

The findings from the study, by scientists from Lancaster University and Manchester Metropolitan University, sheds new light on the evolution of bird song.

Over two years, the researchers recorded and analysed 7,000 songs of wild blue tits breeding in closely monitored nest boxes near Lancaster University. They devised an experiment which involved playing song recordings to receptive females and discovered that male vocal consistency -- repeating the same pattern of notes with high precision -- was the key song feature that made females sexually excited.

But while singing exact copies of the same note was sexy, it also became 'boring' for females. Their response gradually declined (habituated) until it was reignited when males switched to a different song type.

The results may explain why birdsong in most species is not hypervariable and constantly changing but shows some moderate variation -- balancing the reliable signal of quality against the need to avoid the female habituating and losing interest.

The researchers believe that a male bird's ability to consistently hit the same note in a song is a signal to females, and competitors, that they have strong motor skills, which carry over to other essential qualities in a good mate.

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Lead author Dr Javier Sierro, whose PhD thesis at Lancaster University included this work, said, "In songbirds, singing requires the execution of complex motor patterns within the bird. Precisely hitting those repetitive notes is the way a male bird can demonstrate to potential mates these qualities, which also cut across social status, reproductive output, longevity, sexual attractiveness and ability to defend territories.

"Many bird species produce trilled songs where the same note is repeated in quick succession. A song may also be repeated during a singing bout. Repetition is needed by the male to perfect his singing skills, however this repetition may carry a cost where the female loses interest over time.

"We found that when males sing different song types, or introduce silent pauses between songs, it reduces female habituation and help retain her interest."

The study also showed that male blue tits with higher vocal consistency had higher reproductive success as measured by the number of eggs in their nest -- further adding to the evidence that vocal consistency is a skill found in good quality individuals -- those who will contribute genes to future populations. Other song features, such as diversity, were not correlated with clutch size.

Vocal consistency increased over the breeding season and it peaked during the 7 to 10 day period when his female partner was at her most fertile, when she laid an egg daily.

The researchers suggest that a balance between the two crucial aspects of birdsong, consistency and diversity, may resolve a long standing paradox in studies of bird communication, and explain the level of variability in singing styles between species.

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Dr Selvino de Kort from Manchester Metropolitan University and co-author of the study said: "Our results explain why most birds repeat song structures and do not sing in a way that advertises song diversity, by continuously producing novel notes or song types."

Dr Ian Hartley, from the Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University, said: "Birdsong seems to have evolved under opposing selective effects, which may result in a balance between repetition to achieve the 'sexiest' song, and diversity between songs to reduce the psychological effect of habituation."

The study is outlined in the paper 'Sexual selection for both diversity and repetition in birdsong', published in Nature Communications.

The paper's authors are Javier Sierro and Ian Hartley, of Lancaster University, and Selvino de Kort, of Manchester Metropolitan University.
Changes to the flow of the Labrador Current along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova Scotia are leading to sudden warmings or drops in the oxygen levels of the waters in several regions including the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary. This change has dire consequences for marine ecosystems and fisheries. To better predict what could happen in the future, researchers from McGill University set out to answer the question: what controls the pathway of the Labrador Current?

The Labrador Current supplies cold, oxygen rich waters

The Labrador Current is a cold water current in the North Atlantic Ocean that flows south along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, continuing partially along the east coast of Nova Scotia and partially turning eastward towards Europe. This cold water current then meets the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, which flows from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean. The Labrador Current, which flows from the Arctic Ocean, transports cold waters southwards, producing a cooling effect on the Atlantic provinces in Canada and on the United States' northeast coast from Maine to Massachusetts.

Impact on marine life as the current's pathway shifts

However, since 2008, less of the Labrador Current reaches the Atlantic Provinces and the northeast coast of the United States. "The result is less dissolved oxygen in the water, meaning species must spend more energy on respiration and less on feeding and other activities. The lower the oxygen concentrations, the smaller species like cod and halibut become," says Mathilde Jutras a PhD candidate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University. "It also leads to the displacement of individuals, as they generally try to avoid hypoxic areas or where oxygen is very low."

"We want to understand why the Labrador Current sometimes veers east to feed the subpolar North Atlantic seas and other times it veers west to flow along the eastern American continental shelf, stretching from the United States' east coast to Nova Scotia," says Jutras, who studies oceanography. "When the Labrador Current goes east, we have heat waves along the American continental shelf and deoxygenation in the St. Lawrence Estuary."

Stronger winds play a role in shifting the Labrador Current east

To find answers, the team used an algorithm to track the flow and trajectories of water particles in three dimensions in an ocean simulation model. They found that the fate of the Labrador Current waters depends on a complex combination of factors.

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According to the researchers, winds over the Labrador coast appear to play a role, with stronger winds veering the Labrador Current eastward. This eastward export of water is also stronger when the Gulf Stream that flows from the Gulf of Mexico comes closer to the shore, as has been the case in recent years. This happens when the Labrador Current retracts, leaving room for the Gulf Stream to shift north. The latter shift appears to also be partly driven by the winds.

"It's crucial to know where all the water ends up, since this has a significant impact on the marine life and water properties in regions where it's exported," says Mathilde Jutras. "The northward displacement of the Gulf Stream, for example, has led to the displacement of right whales towards the north, including in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, resulting in more frequent collisions with ships. These whales follow the warm Gulf Stream waters," she adds.

As next steps, the researcher plan to study what types of changes can be expected under climate change, to predict if the strong eastward shift of the Labrador Current will be maintained.
Dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity, but these differences don't always match up with the beliefs people -- including veterinarians -- hold about breed-specific pain sensitivity. The results appear in a new study from North Carolina State University, which also found that a dog's temperament (specifically in the way they interact with strangers) may influence the way veterinarians view breed pain sensitivity.

"Veterinarians have a fairly strong consensus in their ratings of pain sensitivity in dogs of different breeds, and those ratings are often at odds with ratings from members of the public," says Margaret Gruen, associate professor of behavioral medicine at NC State and co-corresponding author of a paper describing the research.

"So we wanted to know -- first -- is any of it true? If we take 15 dogs of 10 breeds rated as high, medium, and low sensitivity and test their sensitivity thresholds, would we see differences, and if so, would they be consistent with what veterinarians believe? Or is it possible that these views are the result of a dog's emotional reactivity and behavior while interacting with a veterinarian?"

To answer the question the researchers looked at both male and female adult healthy dogs from 10 breeds subjectively rated by veterinarians as having high (chihuahua, German shepherd, Maltese, Siberian husky), average (border collie, Boston terrier, Jack Russell terrier), or low (golden retriever, pitbull, Labrador retriever) pain sensitivity. A total of 149 dogs participated in the study.

To measure pain sensitivity, the NC State team looked to methods used in human clinical medicine.

"Reactivity to external stimuli is a measure commonly used in neurology and pain clinics for humans," said Duncan Lascelles, professor of translational pain research at NC State and co-corresponding author of the work. "We have adapted these measures for pet dogs and used them in this study."

Each dog's sensitivity to pressure and temperature was tested by pressing a pressure tool (think of both ends of a ball point pen -- pointed and blunt) then a warm thermal probe against the top of the back paw. The stimulus was withdrawn immediately when the dog moved their paw. Each test was repeated five times and the results were used to measure sensitivity.

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The researchers also conducted two tests of emotional reactivity that were designed to see how the dogs reacted to unfamiliar things or people and to mimic some of the stressful aspects of a visit to the vet: the novel object test and the "disgruntled stranger" test. The novel object was a stuffed monkey that moved and made noise. The disgruntled stranger was a person involved in a loud phone conversation prior to noticing and calling the dog over.

The sensitivity test results were compared to questionnaires that veterinarians and the general public had filled out on breed pain sensitivity.

The researchers found that there are real breed differences in pain sensitivity thresholds, but that those differences don't always match up with rankings from veterinarians.

For example, Maltese tended to have a high sensitivity threshold, or low pain tolerance, which meant they reacted quickly to pressure and temperature stimulus. This finding was in line with how veterinarians ranked them.

However, veterinarians also thought Siberian huskies were highly sensitive -- but test results placed huskies in the mid-range. In fact, several of the larger breeds veterinarians ranked as sensitive actually had an average-to-high pain tolerance.

The researchers noted that dogs who were less likely to engage in the novel object and disgruntled stranger scenarios were also sometimes rated as having a lower pain tolerance, which raises the question of whether an animal's stress level and emotional reactivity at a vet visit could influence a veterinarian's pain tolerance rating for that breed.

"These behavioral differences might explain the different veterinarian ratings, but not actual pain tolerance between breeds," says Lascelles. "This study is exciting because it shows us that there are biological differences in pain sensitivity between breeds. Now we can begin looking for potential biological causes to explain these differences, which will enable us to treat individual breeds more effectively."

"On the behavioral side, these findings show that we need to think about not just pain, but also a dog's anxiety in the veterinary setting," Gruen says. "And they can help explain why veterinarians may think about certain breeds' sensitivity the way they do."

The research appears in Frontiers in Pain Research and was supported by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. Former NC State Ph.D. student Rachel Caddiell is first author. Rachael Cunningham, former NC State postdoctoral scholar and current small animal surgery resident at Kansas State University, and Philip White, statistician at Brigham Young University, also contributed to the work.
An international team of researchers has developed a new method to deliver drugs into the inner ear. The discovery was possible by harnessing the natural flow of fluids in the brain and employing a little understood backdoor into the cochlea. When combined to deliver a gene therapy that repairs inner ear hair cells, the researchers were able to restore hearing in deaf mice.

"These findings demonstrate that cerebrospinal fluid transport comprises an accessible route for gene delivery to the adult inner ear and may represent an important step towards using gene therapy to restore hearing in humans," said Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc, senior author of the new study, which appears in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Nedergaard is co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at University of Rochester and the University of Copenhagen. The study was the product of a collaboration between researchers at the two universities and a group led by Barbara Canlon, Ph.D. in the Laboratory of Experimental Audiology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

The number of people worldwide predicted to have mild to complete hearing loss is expected to grow to around 2.5 billion by mid-century. The primarily cause is the death or loss of function of hair cells found in the cochlea -- which are responsible for relaying sounds to the brain -- due to mutations of critical genes, aging, noise exposure, and other factors.

While hair cells do not naturally regenerated in humans and other mammals, gene therapies have shown promise and in separate studies have successfully repaired the function of hair cells in neo-natal and very young mice. However, as both mice and humans age, the cochlea, already a delicate structure, becomes enclosed in temporal bone. At this point, any effort to reach the cochlea and deliver a gene therapy via surgery risks damaging this sensitive area and altering hearing.

In the new study, the researchers describe a little understood passage into the cochlea called the cochlear aqueduct. While the name conjures images of monumental stone architecture, the cochlear aqueduct is thin boney channel no larger than a single strand of hair. Suspected to play a role in balancing pressure in the ear, new study shows that that the cochlear aqueduct also acts as a conduit between the cerebrospinal fluid found in the inner ear and the rest of the brain.

Scientists are developing clearer picture of the mechanics of glymphatic system, the brain's unique process of removing waste first described by the Nedergaard lab in 2012. Because the glymphatic system pumps cerebrospinal fluid deep into brain tissue to wash away toxic proteins, researchers have been eyeing it as a potentially new way to deliver drugs into the brain, a major challenge in developing drugs for neurological disorders.

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Researchers have also discovered that the complex movement of fluids driven by the glymphatic system extend to the eyes and the peripheral nervous system, including ear. The new study represented an opportunity to put the drug delivery potential of the glymphatic system to the test, while at the same time targeting a previously unreachable part of the auditory system.

Employing a number of imagining and modeling technologies, the researchers were able to develop a detailed portrait of how fluid from other parts of the brain flows through cochlear aqueduct and into the inner ear. The team then injected an adeno-associated virus into the cisterna magna, a large reservoir of cerebrospinal fluid found at the base of the skull. The virus found its way into the inner ear via the cochlear aqueduct, delivered a gene therapy that expresses a protein called vesicular glutamate transporter-3, which enable the hair cells to transmit signal and rescued hearing in adult deaf mice.

"This new delivery route into the ear may not only serve the advancement of auditory research, but also prove useful when translated to humans with progressive genetic-mediated hearing loss," said Nedergaard.

Additional co-authors of the study include: Barbara Mathiesen, Leo Miyakoshi, Peter Bork, Natalie Hauglund, Ryszard Stefan, Yuki Mori, and Kjeld Mollgard with the University of Copenhagen; Christopher Cederroth, Evangelia Tserga, Corstiaen Versteegh, Niklas Edvall, and Barbara Canlon with the Karolinska Institute; and Jeffery Holt with Harvard University. The research was supported with funds from the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Karolinska Institute, the Tysta Skolan Foundation, Horselforskningsfonden, the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, the Danish Society for Neuroscience, the U. S. Army Research Office, the Human Frontier Science Program, the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, Simons Foundation, the Jeff and Kimberly Barber Fund, and Foundation Pour L'Audition.
Imagine strapping on a virtual reality headset and "walking" through a long-gone neighborhood in your city -- seeing the streets and buildings as they appeared decades ago.

That's a very real possibility now that researchers have developed a method to create 3D digital models of historic neighborhoods using machine learning and historic Sanborn Fire Insurance maps.

But the digital models will be more than just a novelty -- they will give researchers a resource to conduct studies that would have been nearly impossible before, such as estimating the economic loss caused by the demolition of historic neighborhoods.

"The story here is we now have the ability to unlock the wealth of data that is embedded in these Sanborn fire atlases," said Harvey Miller, co-author of the study and professor of geography at The Ohio State University.

"It enables a whole new approach to urban historical research that we could never have imagined before machine learning. It is a game changer."

The study was published today (June 28, 2023) in the journal PLOS ONE.

This research begins with the Sanborn maps, which were created to allow fire insurance companies to assess their liability in about 12,000 cities and towns in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries. In larger cities, they were often updated regularly, said Miller, who is director of Ohio State's Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA).

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The problem for researchers was that trying to manually collect usable data from these maps was tedious and time-consuming -- at least until the maps were digitized. Digital versions are now available from the Library of Congress.

Study co-author Yue Lin, a doctoral student in geography at Ohio State, developed machine learning tools that can extract details about individual buildings from the maps, including their locations and footprints, the number of floors, their construction materials and their primary use, such as dwelling or business.

"We are able to get a very good idea of what the buildings look like from data we get from the Sanborn maps," Lin said.

The researchers tested their machine learning technique on two adjacent neighborhoods on the near east side of Columbus, Ohio, that were largely destroyed in the 1960s to make way for the construction of I-70.

One of the neighborhoods, Hanford Village, was developed in 1946 to house returning Black veterans of World War II.

"The GI bill gave returning veterans funds to purchase homes, but they could only be used on new builds," said study co-author Gerika Logan, outreach coordinator of CURA. "So most of the homes were lost to the highway not long after they were built."

The other neighborhood in the study was Driving Park, which also housed a thriving Black community until I-70 split it in two.

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The researchers used 13 Sanborn maps for the two neighborhoods produced in 1961, just before I-70 was built. Machine learning techniques were able to extract the data from the maps and create digital models.

Comparing data from the Sanford maps to today showed that a total of 380 buildings were demolished in the two neighborhoods for the highway, including 286 houses, 86 garages, five apartments and three stores.

Analysis of the results showed that the machine learning model was very accurate in recreating the information contained in the maps -- about 90% accurate for building footprints and construction materials.

"The accuracy was impressive. We can actually get a visual sense of what these neighborhoods looked like that wouldn't be possible in any other way," Miller said.

"We want to get to the point in this project where we can give people virtual reality headsets and let them walk down the street as it was in 1960 or 1940 or perhaps even 1881."

Using the machine learning techniques developed for this study, researchers could develop similar 3D models for nearly any of the 12,000 cities and towns that have Sanborn maps, Miller said.

This will allow researchers to re-create neighborhoods lost to natural disasters like floods, as well as urban renewal, depopulation and other types of change.

Because the Sanborn maps include information on businesses that occupied specific buildings, researchers could re-create digital neighborhoods to determine the economic impact of losing them to urban renewal or other factors. Another possibility would be to study how replacing homes with highways that absorbed the sun's heat affected the urban heat island effect.

"There's a lot of different types of research that can be done. This will be a tremendous resource for urban historians and a variety of other researchers," Miller said.

"Making these 3D digital models and being able to reconstruct buildings adds so much more than what you could show in a chart, graph, table or traditional map. There's just incredible potential here."
Astronomers from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (UH IfA) have discovered a Jupiter-like planet, Halla, surviving near its red giant star, Baekdu. While stars like Baekdu usually engulf nearby planets, Halla persists at half the distance between Earth and the Sun.

According to Science Daily, observations from the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope revealed that Baekdu had already expanded into a red giant once before, potentially engulfing Halla at 1.5 times its orbital distance before shrinking to its current size.

An Extraordinary Survivor

The study, titled "A Close-in Giant Planet Escapes Engulfment by Its Star" published in Nature" emphasizes the extraordinary survival of Halla in close proximity to a star that would have typically consumed it. The findings shed light on the catastrophic consequences of planetary engulfment and offer hope for planets that defy their imminent demise as their host stars age.

In 2015, Korean astronomers initially discovered the planet Halla using the radial velocity method, which detects the periodic movement of a star caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet. The finding indicated that the star must have been larger than Halla's orbit at some point.

To delve further into this intriguing discovery, the UH IfA team conducted additional observations from 2021 to 2022. They utilized the High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at the Keck Observatory and the ESPaDOnS instrument at CFHT.

These follow-up observations confirmed the stability of Halla's nearly circular orbit, which lasts approximately 93 days, and verified that the radial velocity changes were indeed caused by the presence of a planet.

Daniel Huber, an astronomer from IfA and the second author of the study, highlighted the significance of these combined observations from various telescopes on Maunakea in confirming the existence of Halla. This confirmation raised an intriguing question regarding the planet's survival and sparked a further investigation into the extraordinary circumstances that allowed it to endure.

The collective efforts of the Korean astronomers and the IfA team, supported by data from multiple telescopes, shed light on the existence and stability of Halla, pushing scientists to explore the exceptional conditions that enabled the planet's persistence. This ongoing research contributes to our understanding of planetary formation and the factors that influence their long-term survival.

READ ALSO: Astronomers Find Jupiter's Identical Twin Exoplanet 17,000 Light-Years Away Using Kepler Space Telescope

How Did the Planet Survive?

Located at a distance of 0.46 astronomical units from its star, which is nearly half the distance between Earth and the Sun, the planet Halla shares similarities with "warm" or "hot" Jupiter-like planets that orbit closely around their stars. These gas giants are believed to have formed further away from their stars before migrating inward over time.

However, considering the highly dynamic nature of its host star, it seems highly improbable for Halla to have endured the process of being engulfed by an expanding red giant star. Dr. Huber expressed doubts about Halla's survival under such circumstances in a news release.

The team proposed that the star Baekdu was originally a binary system, similar to Tatooine from Star Wars, and the merger of the two stars prevented either one from growing large enough to engulf the planet.

Alternatively, Halla might be a "second generation" planet, born from the gas cloud resulting from the collision between the two stars. This discovery challenges current knowledge about the evolution of planets and stars, offering hope that planets can endure even in the face of their aging host stars.

This finding also emphasizes the potential for more planets to exist around highly evolved stars in binary systems, expanding our understanding of planetary formation in extreme environments.



RELATED ARTICLE: Researchers Discover Jupiter-Like Exoplanet that Has Complex Weather System

Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
Egypts Al-Azhar issued a strongly worded statement on Monday condemning the burning of the Holy Quran by an extremist group in Denmark on Friday outside the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen.

Al-Azhar strongly rejects and condemns the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by a group of extremists in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, stressing that the repetition of this inciting act that provokes the feelings of Muslims around the world, especially in the blessed month of Ramadan, is a hateful terrorist act that reflects the ignorance and recklessness of its perpetrators, Al-Azhar said in its statement.

It added that the act only expressed intolerance and hatred towards Muslims in what can only be described as a hate crime.

Al-Azhar, the world's leading Sunni Islamic institution, also described the act as an instance of Islamophobia that fuels hatred between the followers of the different religions.

It also stressed that terrorism and provoking the feelings of others are two sides of the same coin and that both of them are equally dangerous and destructive.

Al-Azhar described this act and similar actions as reflecting a strong desire to destroy the bridges of dialogue that have been otherwise erected by the world's wise people and religious leaders.

It reiterated its call for governments and relevant institutions worldwide to issue laws that deter the perpetrators of such acts from insulting religions and to stop sanctioning such acts under the umbrella of freedom of expression.

Al-Azhar concluded by warning of an impending disaster that will affect everyone in case the world fails to take the necessary measures to confront these acts.

On Friday, members of the right-wing group Patrioterne Gar Live (The Patriots Go Live) aired the burning of the Holy Book on a live Facebook broadcast in front of the Turkish embassy.

The group also burned a Turkish flag in the same broadcast.

Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, and Morocco, condemned the incident.

This is the second incident of its kind in less than three months.

Members of right-wing groups in Sweden and the Netherlands had set the Holy Quran on fire along with the Turkish flag.

During a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen two weeks ago in Cairo, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb asserted that freedom of expression must not violate the sacred beliefs of others.

The Imam condemned what he described as a direct insult to Islam in the West under the guise of freedom of expression.

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Egypts Al-Azhar strongly condemned on Saturday the recent acts of violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, expressing its unequivocal rejection of the desecration of a Quran in southern Nablus.

Al-Azhar "categorically rejects the terrorist Zionist entity tearing and burning of copies of the Noble Quran," said a statement from the worlds leading Sunni Islamic religious institution.

 The statement highlighted that these heinous crimes are consistent with "the brutal nature of the colonial entity," referring to Israel.

The institution was responding to an incident Wednesday captured on video showing Israeli settlers storming a mosque in Urif. They vandalized the building in addition to ripping pages out of the Quran before discarding it in the street.

Settlers also set fire to a school and attempted to burn down houses and a mosque.

Al-Azhar emphasized that these continued crimes, which are a grave violation of international law, norms and agreements, underscores the passivity of the international community.

The international charters clearly stipulate the need to respect religious sanctities and ensure freedom of worship, noted the statement.

"It is also due time to take swift and binding action to establish an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Ash-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital," Al-Azhar asserted.

The incident in Urif came amid a wave of Israeli attacks on Palestinian villages in the West Bank over the last week.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, approximately 200 Israeli settlers, some armed and under the protection of the Israeli army, carried out a brutal attack on the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya in the central West Bank, murdering one Palestinian and wounding dozens of others. They also burned 30 houses, 60 cars and dozens of olive trees.

Egypt called on Wednesday, for an immediate cessation of the attacks by Israeli settlers.

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These exhibitions highlight the role of museums as cultural and educational centres, in addition to their natural role exhibiting artefacts, said Moamen Othman, the Head of the Museums Department under the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Othman explains that The Grand Trip, a special exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art in Bab El-Khalq puts on display a collection of 24 artefacts of the Hajj journey from Cairo to Mecca throughout history, from extravagant art to the everyday items of historic pilgrims.

The exhibition features a collection of Orientalist paintings of Egyptian pilgrims traveling to Mecca by land and sea, dating from the 1798 French occupation.

It also includes a collection of camping equipment and weapons used on the trip, which used to take almost a month: daggers, swords, tents and textiles are all on display.

Along with these, visitors can find a collection of lamps, and wooden and copper cutlery from the Fatimid, Mamluk and Mohamed Ali dynasties, which would have been used by pilgrims.

A collection of dhikr (Islamic prayer) manuscripts, part of the kiswa  the cloth which covers the Kaaba, and was historically woven in Egypt  from the reign of Khedive Ismail, and a copy of the Quran which belonged to Walda Pasha of the Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya Sufi order are all on show as well.
Tomczyk Chiezan is the Prior, responsible under the direction of the Abbot, for the operations of Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monastery in Battle Creek.

Karma House at Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monastery in Battle Creek is located in the building which formerly housed Meyer's Toy World.

Kelley Climie, LMSW, maintains a counseling practice inside the Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monasterys Karma House in Battle Creek.

The front room inside the Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monasterys Karma House is where yoga classes are offered

A list of classes and activities is available inside Karma House at Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monastery in Battle Creek

Some of the books on Buddhism are in a book case at the Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monasterys Karma House in Battle Creek.

A sign welcomes visitors to Karma House at Sokukoji Buddhist Temple Monastery in Battle Creek.
Writer Mark Wedel commissioned art of his cats from artWork' artist Joan Ruiz, who is known for her colorful, cheerful animal paintings.

Artist Joan Ruiz with a wall-hanging she created.

Dan Pontius, MRC's new executive director

Bridget Fox is an artWorks instructor and supervisor of the retail store.

Some artwork for sale at the MRC artWorks retail store and studio.

MRC artWorks is a vibrant hub of creativity on the Kalamazoo Mall.

Some artwork for sale at the MRC artWorks retail store and studio.

Artist Joan Ruiz and Bridget Fox, artWorks teacher and retail supervisor

Joan Ruiz, an artist at artWorks, loves vibrant colors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stressed the duty of states to prevent incitement and hate crimes," as it condemned a Quran-burning incident in Sweden during Muslims Eid Al-Adha as "shameful."

In a statement on Thursday, the foreign ministry underlined the duty of states to "stop those practices that undermine the security and stability of societies.

"Egypt deeply condemns the burning of a copy of the noble Mushaf (Quran) in Swedens capital, Stockholm by an extremist, the statement read.

On Wednesday, an immigrant from Iraq burned a copy of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm on the first day of the Islamic Eid Al-Adha after he secured a demonstration permit from Swedish authorities.

The act has been widely condemned by various Muslim and non-Muslim countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and the US.

The incident is the latest in a series of Quran burnings in northern European countries including Sweden, which were carried out by right-wing groups.

Earlier this year, a Quran burning at a rally outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm caused a major rift in Turkish-Swedish relations.

Al-Azhar, the world's most prestigious seat of Sunni learning, has repeatedly condemned the Quran burnings, calling on European states to prevent incitement against Muslims in the West.

'Shameful and fuels hatred'



In the statement on Thursday, the foreign ministry also deplored the incident as a shameful act that ignites the feelings of Muslims around the world on the first day of the blessed Eid Al-Adha.

The statement warned that such an incident contradicts the values of respecting others and their sanctities, and fuels feelings of hatred between peoples.

The foreign ministry voiced concerns over the recurrence of such incidents and the recent rise of Islamophobia in some European states.

Egypt stresses its categorical rejection of all hateful practices that hurt the constants and religious beliefs of Muslims, it added, calling on states to uphold the values of tolerance, acceptance and peaceful coexistence between peoples.

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Education

spotlight

SCOTUS affirmative action ruling could upend California law

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide this week whether to uphold or ban affirmative action in university admissions nationwide, a move which could permanently alter the way educational institutions admit students.

When California banned affirmative action in 1996, it immediately led to steep declines in Black and Hispanic student enrollment at the states most competitive public universities.

If the Supreme Court rules that institutions of higher education cannot use race as a factor in admissions, many private educational institutions of higher education will need to navigate alternative ways to create diverse student bodies while not considering race, Alysha Stein-Manes, partner at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, told The Examiner.

The history of affirmative action dates back to the 1960s civil rights movement. The policy includes using training programs, outreach efforts and other positive steps to boost diversity in workplaces and universities.

In the past, white applicants have challenged affirmative action policies, claiming that theyre discriminatory, but this weeks potential blockbuster decision considers whether universities use of race-conscious admission decisions discriminates against Asian Americans.

The decision hinges on two cases  Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina  in which a group filed the lawsuits on behalf of thousands of Asian American students and their parents.

Supreme Court cases between 1978 and 2016 involving white applicants being rejected from prestigious universities and then suing for discrimination serve as a precedent for affirmative action policy today  but Asian Americans are now at the center of the debate.

Supporters of a ruling in favor of the student advocacy groups say discriminatory policies have trickled down to The Citys high schools. Lee Cheng, founder of Friends of Lowell, said discrimination against Asians in academic settings has been apparent for years.

Cheng, also co-founder of the Asian American Legal Foundation, told The Examiner that students of Chinese descent were required to get higher test scores and better grades than kids of any other ethnic group to get into Lowell as recently as 2000.

Cheng was involved in the campaign for Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action in California; as well as another that opposed a 2020 ballot measure that would have overturned Prop. 209.

Lee said that Prop. 209 is not a ban on affirmative action, but some experts disagree. Robert Teranishi, chair of Asian American studies at UCLA, said striking down affirmative action could dissuade people of color from applying to selective public universities.

After Proposition 209, there was not only a decline in the admit rate of students of color, but a precipitous decline in students of color applying to particular University of California campuses, Teranishi said. There is potential for this to occur on a much larger scale unless the higher education community finds a way to demonstrate to the public their commitment to providing access for students of color.

Immediately after the measure took effect, Black and Hispanic applicants dropped by 25% at UC Berkeley and by 4% at UC Riverside, the latter of which admitted all UC-eligible applicants. Overall, these applicants became 8% less likely to earn admission at any UC campus after 1998.

Stein-Manes said she would not be surprised if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Students for Fair Admission, which would limit how academic institutions can use race or ethnicity as a factor in admissions. She said such a ruling could be a stepping stone in challenging other laws that impact diversity issues.

Its going to just be the start of litigation and not the end of litigation, she said.
Ambassador John Bolton served as the United States National Security Advisor from April 2018 to September 2019 during the Trump administration. He has had an extensive career in government and foreign policy.

Throughout his career, Bolton has held various government positions, including working in the Reagan and Bush administrations. He served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from August 2005 to December 2006 under President George W. Bush.

Bolton has also been involved in numerous policy organizations and think tanks. He currently serves as a foreign policy senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

Ahram Online: How would you assess the impact of the Egypt 30 June Revolution on the region's political landscape and stability?

John Bolton: I think its very important to say that what happened is that Muslim Brotherhood took advantage as an existing organized force and went to the election that followed Mubarak.

But I think it was clear very early in Morsi's presidency that his philosophy was one person - one vote: one time and that he had no intention whatsoever of allowing Egypt to become a full democracy.

Morsi intended to follow the Muslim Brotherhood line and turn it into a theocracy as soon as he could.

Amid all of the opposition to Mubarak, the people of Egypt did not want to trade one autocratic leader for another autocratic leader, especially one who is going to impose his version of Islam on the people whether they liked it or not.

So I think the 30 June Revolution was an important step in making it clear that while the Arab Spring had brought more possibility for self-government into the region, but that didn't mean self-government began and ended with just one election.

The 30 June Revolution, and everything that followed from that, gave Egypt a stable government and restored it to its proper place in the region.

It was an important course correction.

AO: In your opinion, what role did the United States play during the 30 June Revolution and its aftermath?

JB: I don't think it was a very consistent role throughout the period from the whole series of events that led to Mubarak's overthrow to everything that flowed from that including Morsi's election and then the protests of 30 June.

Subsequently, the Obama administration wavered between whether it wanted more democracy or less democracy - or what is it exactly it wanted.

I think that was unfortunate because its lack of support for the people of Egypt gave the misimpression for a time that the Morsi government was acceptable to the United States.

I think the uncertainty from the US point of view may have prolonged the instability, which was not a good thing.

But, I think, eventually, all came out the right way.

AO: Can you discuss the role of Egypt in countering regional security threats, such as terrorism and instability in the Middle East?

JB: Well, Egypt plays a central role in the region, given its geography, its history and the size of its population as well as some of the steps it's taken over the years.

Lets begin with Israel. Obviously, the peace agreement signed by President Anwar Sadat and Israel is foundational to all the other peace agreements that have been signed since - with Jordan and then recently in the Abraham Accords.

Egypt had led the way there. Without that, I think, the instability in the region could have been much worse than it is.

Now to Libya. I think Egypt has been playing an important role in trying to achieve stability and is trying to find a way to end the chaos in its neighbour to the West.

It has not been totally successful so far. But the Egyptian role under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi since the 30 June Revolution has been very important to the United States.

I think that's very important for a lot of reasons - not least of which is countering the continued support for terrorism that we see coming out of Iran and obviously its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

AO: How do you assess Egypt's role in mediating and supporting peace efforts in to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the crisis in Libya?

JB: The instability we have seen in Libya since the overthrow of Qaddafi has been troubling to the region and also to Europe.

It has given an opportunity for people who want to exploit the tensions in the region and encourage instability.

Egypt's interest in resolving the Libya crisis should be obvious to everybody who shares a border with Libya.

What happens inside Libya affects Egypt.

President Trump and I, in my capacity as National Security Adviser, had numerous conversations with President El-Sisi and senior Egyptian officials to find a way to break through the deadlock in United Nations negotiations to reach a peaceful resolution that would lead to a stable government in Libya.

That clearly has not occurred yet. The situation remains dangerous potentially.

Egypt has a continuing legitimate interest there obviously.

I don't think the Biden administration has paid enough attention to Libya.

Some of the other countries in North Africa also have a concern about what the situation in Libya might entail for them.

If you look at Tunisia: They may need more help and more support from the outside, which I think the United States should provide.

In the Arab-Israeli dispute, we may be close.

I do not know whether Saudi Arabia, for example, will exchange recognition with Israel anytime soon but there are a lot of reports which indicate that the Biden administration is trying to broker a new chapter in the Abraham Accords.

I think this will happen inevitably.

One reason for this inevitability is that several of the Gulf Arab states have seen how a peaceful, stable relationship between Israel and Egypt and Jordan can benefit both parties.

If more Gulf Arab states and others around the region recognize Israel then the possibility for economic growth and interchange is enormous.

This had been possible since the 1990s but it didn't come to fruition for a number of reasons.

The opportunity is here and now in part because the Gulf Arabs share with Israel the same strategic assessment of the threat of Iran.

Iranian support of terrorist activities, whether it's Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria or Hamas or whatever the groups may, threatens stability for the Arab governments in addition to posing a threat to Israel.

So there are a lot of possibilities, but I alsounderstand the difficulties.

Here, Egypt, again because of its leadership role, can help by working with other Arab countries that have difficulties dealing with this issue.

Egypt has overcome those difficulties. Arab governments can learn valuable lessons from the Egyptian experience.

AO: I think now we witness reconciliation between Iran and regional powers in the area. How do you view Egypt relations with other regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Iran? And what implications do those relationships have for regional dynamics and stability?

JB: You can call me skeptical about the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

I think that the Saudis the Emiratis would like to get the situation in Yemen resolved. The principal reason the conflict goes on there is because the Iranians are supplying the Houthis with weapons.

If Tehran complies with its commitment to stop doing that then I think some kind of peaceful arrangement in Yemen might be possible and you could have more stability in the region.

The government in Tehran is going to continue to support terrorist activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and throughout the region as long as it remains fundamentally committed to the ideals of the 1979 Revolution.

I think some of what's going on reflects uncertainty about the United States commitment to the region. That's unfortunate. I think this is a byproduct of the Biden administration's mistake and focus on getting back into the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

I still think that was a bad deal for the region and the United States. It was a great deal for Iran but not for anybody else.

The dangers and the threats posed by Iran are very significant. I just don't see Iran giving up on its revolutionary guard or its revolutionary ideas over the long term. And that's really the most important part.

AO: How do you evaluate Egypt's effort in promoting economic development and reforms post revolution? And what potential impact do they have on regional dynamics?

JB: Well, Egypt has huge potential in terms of economic growth given its geographical position and the Suez Canal, and also given the possible discoveries of additional oil and gas resources all around the eastern Mediterranean.

The countrys large and capable population means a great potential for direct investment in manufacturing and a whole range of industries.

I think more economic reform is needed. I was at the US Agency for International Development in the Reagan administration. So I have been very familiar with these issues for quite some time now.

Further steps in economic reform are still needed to break free of economic regulatory constraints and make Egypt the more hospitable place for foreign direct investment.

I think the possibilities are really very significant.

There is a lot of potential in tourism which is a main source of income for the country.

AO: What role should the international community play in supporting Egypt's ongoing political and economic development?

JB: It's very important from the US point of view to encourage it and to do what we can to encourage people to have confidence in the future in Egypt.

Stability in the Middle East needs that the largest country would have a growing economy.

That possibility has been visible for some time but this is a real moment to try and take advantage of it.

I think Israel and the Gulf Arabs need to resolve their disagreements. The US should try and make that clear.

Imagine the day when the Saudis and the Israelis exchange diplomatic recognition. Egypt is geographically between the two. There's a real opportunity there.

AO: How would you evaluate the progress of democratic reforms in Egypt since the June 30 Revolution and what areas do you believe still require attention and improvement?

JB: Look, everyone works on improving their system of self-government and tries to make it more accountable to the people. I think that's a continuing process.

And I do think economic reform remains a priority, too.

It's easier for the government to undertake economic reform as stability in the region grows.

Instability leads to greater government involvement in the economy and in politics.

The more the region itself becomes stable - the easier it is for the government of Egypt to say we're not so worried we don't have to be so involved. Let's open it up. And progress comes from that.

AO: What are the key challenges and opportunities that Egypt faces in its efforts to attract foreign direct investment and promote economic growth?

JB: I think there's a lot of competition in the region and it's gotten very active if you look at the Gulf oil-producing countries.

They have emphasized more and more - especially in the past five or 10 years - that they want to see the proceeds from their oil revenues invested in their own countries.

They want to build up industrial and other capacity there. They don't want to give the oil revenues to investors to invest all around the world but not in their own country.

I think Egypt needs to understand that they want to improve things in their respective countries.

But Egypt has huge potential to absorb foreign direct investment with it a very sizable workforce.

It is in a perfect geographical position with access to the Suez Canal.

More joint regional efforts between the Gulf oil producers with the intellectual capital coming from Israel and labour coming from Egypt could be beneficial for all concerned.

AO: What steps can be taken to enhance regional cooperation and dialogue among Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, in addressing common challenges and fostering stability?

JB: Well, I think there could be more discussion on strategic stability. We've got a number of outside countries that have caused trouble over the years - the Russians in Syria and around the region or the Turkish government under Erdogan has also contributed to instability.

It goes without saying Iran has been a huge problem.

Anybody who wants to cooperate peacefully engages in trade investment. That's fine.

But this constant clash of competing political ideologies has been detrimental to economic progress in the region.

So Id say to these countries: "Look, if your interest is purely economic, we're open for business too."

"But if you have some larger agenda: Go pursue it elsewhere because we're concerned about the economic welfare of our own people."

This is especially true for Egypt with its large population and great potential for growth.

AO: Egypt is one of the developing countries that suffered from the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Do you have expectations for how long the crisis will last?

JB: It's hard to say, you know.

The Ukrainian Spring Offensive is underway. As we speak, it doesn't look like they've made a lot of progress. But it's still early.

You know, Russia is a huge country compared to Ukraine, three and a half or four times the population.

And it's a demonstration of what happens when unprovoked aggression goes unchallenged: it tells the aggressors that they can get away with it.

So I think it's very important that aggressors should be defeated here. It's very difficult to predict when that would happen.

AO: What lessons can be learned from the 30 June Revolution for other countries seeking political change or democratic transitions?

JB: I think the region is certainly in transition in a number of different ways. So much has happened over the past 30 or 40 years. But one thing that has emerged as a concern from the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 is the spread of international terrorism.

It looked like instability would be the description of the region as far as the eye can see. It's certainly true that Iran is still fomenting instability and terrorists are still returning to Afghanistan. These issues have not disappeared.

But stability has returned with the 30 June Revolution.

Now is the time to take advantage of it because both political stability and economic growth undercut the threat of international terrorism and the threat of the Ayatollahs in Tehran.

Obviously, we have not reached the end of all of the world's problems. But building on the progress that's been made from 30 June is very important.

AO: How do you envision the future of US-Egypt relations and their potential contributions to regional peace and stability?

JB: The opportunity for enhanced relations is significant. In many respects, Egypt and the United States have a common view of what the region should look like.

It's very much in the interest of both countries to find ways to work together in the region, and really around the world, when problems do arise in their relationship.

AO: How do you view Egypt's approach to balancing national security interests with preserving individual freedoms and human rights?

JB: Well, you know, each country has to find its own balance. I think one thing I give President El-Sisi great credit for is his concern for Coptic Christians and religious freedoms and diversity. I don't think he gets enough credit for that, frankly.

You know, given Egypt's history, we have reason to be optimistic about the future - that security can be preserved and that free and open government can be expanded.

AO: Finally, what message would you like to convey to the Egyptian people on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the 30 June Revolution?

JB: It's a great tribute to the Egyptian people that after getting rid of one leader who had been in power for many years they did not succumb to the temptation of being taken advantage of by the Muslim Brotherhood after just one election, which was not well prepared for.

They didn't give up. They said: This is not what we bargained for and they went back into the streets and protested and they won another chance.

I think that takes great courage and it's a good sign for the future.
Stocks in London underperformed peers on either side of the Atlantic as another batch of mostly better-than-expected economic data out of the States pushed government bond yields in the US and the UK higher.

The FTSE 100 dipped 0.38% to 7,471.69 and the second-tier index was down 0.77% to 18,270.73

In parallel, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Gilt was up by seven basis points to 4.384%.

Nonetheless, for Chris Beauchamp at IG, it wasn't just the latest US data that was dampening risk appetite in the next to last session of the second quarter.

"The potential demise of Thames Water has investors running scared, and Londons listed utilities are under pressure as a result. Fears of a domino effect in the industry are at fever pitch, though no other specific names have yet been mentioned," he said.

"But to add to that, UK yields are on the up once again, diminishing the attractiveness of dividend stocks, of which utilities make up a healthy constituency."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, over the week ending on 24 June, initial unemployment claims fell by 26,000 to 239,000.

That was their largest decline for 20 months, although Ian Shepherdson believed the dip was likely "more noise than signal".

Perhaps, but an upwards revision to first quarter US GDP growth from 1.3% to 2.0% added to investors impression of an economy displaying welcome resilience.

Former N.Y. Fed chief William Dudley wrote in a Bloomberg column that the rout in long-term US Treasuries had further to run.

On home shores, the Bank of England said that Britons' net borrowing slowed from 1.5bn in April to 1.1bn in May (consensus: 1.5bn).

Further afield, at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China, former IMF deputy managing director, Zhu Min, said Beijing was likely to disappoint those holding out for massive stimulus.

3i pleases, B&M European Value Retail less so

Dutch discounter Action is on track to deliver another strong quarter of profit growth, owner 3i Group said on Thursday. In a brief trading update ahead of its annual general meeting, the blue chip investment firm said the retailer had seen very strong sales growth in the year to date, with like-for-like sales up 22% by the end of week 25.

B&M European Value Retail reported a 13.5% rise in group first quarter revenue, in line with expectations, as consumers sought lower prices amid the cost of living crisis. Like-for-like sales in the UK were up 9.2% as both grocery and general merchandise categories performed very well, driven by consistently strong and positive LFL transaction numbers."

UK insurer Direct Line said rectifying unfair motor claim payments over a five-year period to 2022 would not have a "material financial impact" on this year's results. The company was on Wednesday ordered by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority to carry out a review of total losses where vehicles had been written off after it admitted it had underpaid some car and van insurance customers.

Asos co-founder Nick Robertson sold just over one millon pounds of shares in the digital fashion retailer.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,471.69 -0.38%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 18,270.73 -0.77%

techMARK (TASX) 4,442.89 -0.70%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Barclays (BARC) 151.32p 2.01%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 540.20p 1.96%

3i Group (III) 1,910.50p 1.54%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 677.60p 1.35%

Glencore (GLEN) 438.40p 1.01%

Vodafone Group (VOD) 74.34p 0.92%

HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 618.80p 0.90%

Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (PSH) 2,818.00p 0.57%

NATWEST GROUP (NWG) 235.30p 0.56%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,983.50p 0.51%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 552.00p -6.54%

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 600.00p -4.73%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 148.70p -4.56%

WPP (WPP) 816.80p -4.04%

Tesco (TSCO) 246.90p -3.52%

Severn Trent (SVT) 2,593.00p -3.50%

United Utilities Group (UU.) 976.20p -2.82%

Convatec Group (CTEC) 203.00p -2.50%

Unite Group (UTG) 857.50p -2.39%

Burberry Group (BRBY) 2,087.00p -2.39%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Serco Group (SRP) 154.70p 8.57%

Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) 1,820.00p 4.60%

Capita (CPI) 28.32p 3.21%

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 343.40p 2.63%

Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 170.80p 2.52%

3i Infrastructure (3IN) 309.00p 2.15%

Wood Group (John) (WG.) 135.10p 2.04%

Senior (SNR) 175.00p 1.63%

Molten Ventures (GROW) 263.00p 1.23%

4Imprint Group (FOUR) 4,735.00p 0.96%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 718.00p -7.53%

Bank of Georgia Group (BGEO) 2,940.00p -6.67%

Ferrexpo (FXPO) 88.80p -6.48%

Urban Logistics Reit (SHED) 113.80p -6.11%

Tritax Eurobox (GBP) (EBOX) 51.20p -5.71%

Babcock International Group (BAB) 283.20p -5.35%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 133.90p -5.30%

IWG (IWG) 132.20p -5.00%

IntegraFin Holding (IHP) 238.60p -4.71%

TR Property Inv Trust (TRY) 265.00p -4.50%
European shares held gains on Wednesday, as positive US economic data from the day before offset hawkish remarks from top central bank officials on either side of the Atlantic.

Speaking at the ECB's semi-annual policy forum in Sintra, Portugal, Fed chief Jerome Powell said he would not rule out the possibility of rate hikes at consecutive meetings over what remained of 2023.

And for her part, ECB president Christine Lagarde said the monetary authority was not considering a pause in rate hikes at the moment.

"We know we have ground to cover," she added.

The Fed chairman seems determined to restate the Feds hawkish attitude at every opportunity, but other central bankers today have been more circumspect, giving room for European indices to rally.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.70% at 456.05.

Germany's Dax added 0.64% to 15,949.0 while the FTSE Mib put on 0.86% to 27,637.46.

"The Fed chairman seems determined to restate the Feds hawkish attitude at every opportunity, but other central bankers today have been more circumspect, giving room for European indices to rally," said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.

Europe's single currency was down 0.47% to 1.910 and front-dated Brent was up by 1.5% to $73.75 a barrel on the ICE.

As of Wednesday's close, Fed funds futures were discounting more than 84% odds of a 25 basis point rate hike at the next Fed policy meeting on 26 July.

In other economic news, consultancy GfK's consumer confidence index for Germany slipped rrom a reading of -24.4 in June to -25.4 for July (consensus: -23.0).

According to the ECB, the annual rate of increase in the euro area's M3 money supply slowed from 1.9% in April to 1.4% for May (consensus: 1.5%).

The drop in M1 growth meanwhile accelerated from -5.2% to -6.4%, something that Claus Vistesen at Pantheon Macroeconomics described as an "ominous signal for [eurozone] GDP growth".

French supermarket chain Carrefour gained 3.3% after Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an overweight rating.

Ocado shares were sharply lower a day after surging on takeover speculation and news that a fund backed by Italy's Agnelli family had taken a stake in the online grocer and warehouse technology company.
UK insurer Direct Line said rectifying unfair motor claim payments over a five-year period to 2022 would not have a "material financial impact" on this year's results.

The company was on Wednesday ordered by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority to carry out a review of total losses where vehicles had been written off after it admitted it had underpaid some car and van insurance customers.

Direct Line was told to identify any policyholders who received unfair settlements and provide them with appropriate redress.

In response on Thursday, the firm said an estimate of potential payments the group might make as a result of the review "was provided for within the group's 2022 financial year end claims reserves".

"The group does not expect the review to have a material financial impact in 2023," it added.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
UK government outsourcer Serco lifted annual guidance on Thursday after a strong first half, driven by higher demand for its immigration services.

The company, said it expected full-year underlying trading profits of around 245m, 3% higher than 2022 and a 4% upgrade to prior guidance. Shares in the company, which provides security at immigration detention centres, surged by 11% on the news as as the demand from the British government more than offset a fall in sales related to the Covid pandemic.

Revenue guidance was lifted by around 4% to at least 4.8bn, 6% higher than the 4.5bn reported in 2022 with estimates for organic revenue growth to around 4% from flat.

However, the company's operations have not been without controversy. The UK immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, met Serco executives last month for talks over a riot at the Yarls Wood detention centre.

Sources working at Merseyside hotels run by Serco, which were used to house people seeking asylum last month, told the Observer newspaper they believed there was a culture of institutional abuse. Serco has strongly denied the allegations, saying they were without foundation.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
UK government outsourcer Serco lifted annual guidance on Thursday after a strong first half, driven by higher demand for its immigration services.

The company, said it expected full-year underlying trading profits of around 245m, 3% higher than 2022 and a 4% upgrade to prior guidance. Shares in the company, which provides security at immigration detention centres, surged by 11% on the news as as the demand from the British government more than offset a fall in sales related to the Covid pandemic.

Revenue guidance was lifted by around 4% to at least 4.8bn, 6% higher than the 4.5bn reported in 2022 with estimates for organic revenue growth to around 4% from flat.

However, the company's operations have not been without controversy. The UK immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, met Serco executives last month for talks over a riot at the Yarls Wood detention centre.

Sources working at Merseyside hotels run by Serco, which were used to house people seeking asylum last month, told the Observer newspaper they believed there was a culture of institutional abuse. Serco has strongly denied the allegations, saying they were without foundation.

Construction group Morgan Sindall lifted annual guidance driven by a strong performance from its fit-out division in the first half.

The company on Thursday said the division had continued to perform strongly since a trading update in May and was now expected to show a 40% year-on-year first-half profit rise.

"Consequently, as a result of the continued strong momentum in Fit Out and its forward order book for the second half, together with the anticipated net prospects for the rest of the group, the Board now expects full year profit for the group to be ahead of its previous expectations," Morgan Sindall said.

Cruise operator Carnival rallied from this week's sell-off after forecasting third-quarter profit largely below estimates.

UK insurer Direct Line said rectifying unfair motor claim payments over a five-year period to 2022 would not have a "material financial impact" on this year's results.

The company was on Wednesday ordered by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority to carry out a review of total losses where vehicles had been written off after it admitted it had underpaid some car and van insurance customers.

Direct Line was told to identify any policyholders who received unfair settlements and provide them with appropriate redress.

In response on Thursday, the firm said an estimate of potential payments the group might make as a result of the review "was provided for within the group's 2022 financial year end claims reserves".

"The group does not expect the review to have a material financial impact in 2023," it added.



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Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML) 342.60p 2.39%

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Ithaca Energy (ITH) 148.10p 1.44%

TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 570.00p 1.42%

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Four people are now confirmed dead as civil protection units managed on Tuesday to find one more body under the rubble of the building that collapsed Monday in Alexandria, Egypts second-largest city.

The identity of the latest victim remains unknown as rescue operations to determine if more people were trapped under the rubble continue, with five residents still reported missing.

Earlier today, the civil protection units pulled the body of a 13-year-old boy, Abdullah Mahfouz, from the rubble just one day after recovering the bodies of Mostafa Othman, 22, and Hamdy El-Sayed, 40.

Four individuals who sustained minor injuries in the collapse left the hospital on Monday after receiving medical treatment.

The 13-story apartment building, accommodating Egyptian holidaymakers, collapsed in Alexandria's Sidi Bishr neighbourhood on Monday, prompting heightened vigilance among the local authorities, including the governorate's apparatuses and health and social solidarity facilities.

"The top floor of the building had already received a demolition order, and the entire property was examined by a committee responsible for inspecting buildings at risk of collapse," Governor of Alexandria Mohammed El-Sherif said.

The Public Prosecution issued an order to detain a contractor for four days pending investigation over charges of carrying out unauthorized constructions on the top floor and ignoring the demolition order.

It also launched an investigation into the collapse, sending a team to inspect the scene. The prosecution instructed civil defence and municipal officials to secure the area and adjacent properties.

A committee from the governorate's Housing Directorate has also been formed to determine the cause of the incident and examine the building's documentation, according to a statement by the prosecution.

The Decent Life Foundation announced Monday that it would provide EGP 25,000 to the victims' families.

The foundation said it had also deployed field monitoring teams in Alexandria to provide on-ground support to the affected individuals.

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In a proud moment for the global Indian community, SNEH International School's Respected Chairman, Shri Subhash Chander Dhingra, was recently honored with the prestigious Pride of India Awards 2023. The ceremony occurred in the Churchill Hall of the House of Commons of the British Parliament, signaling significant recognition for Dhingra's contributions to nation-building and education.

Mr. Virendra Sharma, a member of the House of Commons, presented the award on June 8, 2023. The Pride of India Awards celebrates the achievements of Indians in India and the United Kingdom who have made substantial contributions to their respective fields and the broader advancement of their nations.

Mr. Dhingra, who presides over SNEH International School in New Delhi, was among 35 outstanding talents from India and the UK who were honored during the event. The felicitation ceremony, hosted by Sharma, was attended by several notable individuals, including the youngest and most active Member of Parliament, Mr. Andrew Western, and Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Mishra, OSD, Delhi School of Public Policy and Governance.

The award underscores Dhingra's commitment to quality and futuristic education through SNEH International School, ranked among India's leading Co-ed Day Schools. Since its establishment in 2004, the school has consistently demonstrated excellence in scholastic and co-scholastic fields, evidencing Dhingra's dedication to empowering and shaping students into accomplished individuals.

Dhingra's holistic approach to education extends beyond traditional academic subjects, emphasizing life skills and humanitarian values and preparing students for Life beyond School. Through his vision and tireless efforts, he has created a learning environment that nurtures young minds and promotes a progressive society.

The Pride of India Awards event highlighted the relentless efforts of Indian citizens in contributing to nation-building, asserting that India is on the path to becoming a world leader. The recognition of Indian achievers at a global level aligns with the vision of India's Prime Minister, ShriNarendraModi, who envisions India playing the role of 'Vishwaguru' for the benefit of humanity.

Dhingra's achievement is a testament to his belief that "Everybody is a genius; it depends on the individual how one looks at it," reflecting his commitment to fostering the genius within every student.

This honor is a significant milestone for the SNEH family and serves as a catalyst to continue empowering students to make the world a better place.
SANS Institute, the global leader in cybersecurity training, is thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotion of Anurag Khanna to the esteemed position of SANS Certified Instructor. Anurag, a highly-regarded cybersecurity expert with strong ties to India, boasts an impressive 15-year cybersecurity career, including roles at industry giants such as Google, Symantec, Mandiant, and his current position as Manager of Incident Response and Consulting Services at CrowdStrike. Throughout his career, Anurag has consistently demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the cybersecurity community and has shared his expertise by providing thought leadership at numerous public events across the Asia Pacific region.

Suresh Mustapha, SANS Institute's Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, shared his thoughts on Anurag's promotion: "Anurag truly exemplifies what it means to be a SANS Instructor we met him more than a decade ago as a student in Bangalore where he went out of his way as a volunteer to help us launch our India operations there far before we had a team on the ground."

Anurag, on his promotion, expressed his excitement and gratitude: "I am honored and humbled to be promoted to SANS Certified Instructor. SANS has always been a significant part of my professional journey, and I look forward to contributing even more to the cybersecurity community in India and around the world."

Anurag embarked on his educational journey in India, obtaining a degree in Information Technology from Punjab Technical University and an MBA from the esteemed Symbiosis International University. He played a pivotal role in helping SANS establish its presence in India over a decade ago, all while generously volunteering and fostering the growth of the cybersecurity community within the country.

Throughout his career, Anurag has tackled high-profile cases involving espionage, financial crime, and ransomware, confronting threat actors like FIN10, FIN11, APT41, Ryuk, and UNC2452. He has led numerous breach investigations and incident response engagements, assisting organizations in India and globally in building cyber defense capabilities. Additionally, Anurag has collaborated with international teams, including those in India, to devise cloud security and incident remediation strategies.

In his new position, Anurag will continue to support the growth of the cybersecurity community in India and around the world by teaching SANS courses, sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise, and helping to shape the future of cybersecurity education. His dedication and commitment to excellence will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration to students and fellow instructors alike.

As a brand ambassador for SANS in our region, Anurags outstanding contributions to building a strong community of cybersecurity professionals in India are truly impressive, said Arindam Roy, SANS Country Director for India and South Asia. We wish him continued success in his future endeavors as a SANS instructor."
A few dozen Iraqi protesters on Thursday briefly breached the Swedish embassy in Baghdad over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden, an AFP photographer reported.

Related Sweden police grant permit for Koran burning protest outside mosque

The demonstrators, supporters of firebrand Shia Muslim leader Moqtada Sadr, entered the building and remained inside for about 15 minutes before leaving peacefully as security forces deployed, the photographer said.

The protesters first rallied outside the embassy in response to a call by Sadr who demanded the removal of the Swedish ambassador, echoing outrage in several Muslim countries over the Quran burning Wednesday in Stockholm.

The demonstrators also distributed leaflets that carried messages in Arabic and English that said: "Our constitution is the Quran. Our leader is Al-Sadr".

"Yes, yes to the Quran," was also scrawled on the gate leading to the embassy, according to the photographer.

Sadr's supporters also torched rainbow flags that represent the LGBTQ community, after the powerful cleric suggested this would be "the best way to provoke" those who back Quran burnings.

Stockholm's foreign ministry said in a statement it was "well informed about the situation. Our embassy staff are safe."

Salwan Momika, 37, who fled to Sweden from Iraq several years ago, stomped on the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholm's largest mosque.

He had been granted a special permit from the police for the protest in line with free-speech protections.

The Iraqi foreign ministry has said such acts would only "inflame" the feelings of Muslims around the world.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  After operating a successful Open Streets Program throughout the five boroughs for the past two months, bringing dining, community programming and other car-free activities to 160 NYC neighborhoods, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced the expansion of the program, adding 35 additional sites, including four more on Staten Island.

With nearly 200 Open Street locations this year  including more than a dozen that have never had Open Streets before  there are so many opportunities to get outside and enjoy our city, Mayor Eric Adams noted in a press release. Vibrant public spaces are good for our economy, good for public health and good for our quality of life.

Launched in 2020, the initiative offers funding, materials, programming support and operational assistance to community-based organizations, educational institutions, and groups of businesses to execute Open Streets citywide. The program transforms streets into public space that is open to all, transformations that allow for a range of activities that promote economic development, support schools and provide ways for New Yorkers to enjoy cultural programming and build community.

Three Open Street locations were launched on Staten Island this past April: Water Street, which is closed to traffic from Beach Street to Canal Street on Saturdays; Minthorne Street, closed from Bay Street to Victory Boulevard on both Friday and Saturday evenings; and Ninth Street, from New Dorp Lane to Rose Avenue, in New Dorp, closed Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Now four more locations will be added to that list:

Deisius Street, from Kingdom Avenue to Stecher Street in Huguenot. Operated by P.S. 5, the roadway will be closed to traffic Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Front Street, from Bay Street to Prospect Street in Stapleton. Operated by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) and Councilmember Kamillah Hanks, the roadway will be closed to traffic Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Suffolk Avenue, from Queen Street to Harold Street in Manor Heights. Operated by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island, the roadway will be closed to traffic on Fridays from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Vermont Court, from Gansevoort Boulevard to Suffolk Avenue, also in Manor Heights. Operated by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island, the roadway will be closed on Fridays from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Open Streets initiative, which is rolled out across all five boroughs each summer, is a testament to the citys commitment to creating inviting public spaces for all New Yorkers, said Councilmember Kamillah Hanks (D-North Shore). By activating Front Street on Staten Island, we are creating a vibrant and inclusive environment for residents and visitors alike. I look forward to seeing this initiative grow and its ongoing success in our borough.

You can find the full list of 2023 Open Streets on the DOTs website.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A registered sex offender with a lengthy rap sheet has been charged in the brazen shooting of a man on a busy commercial strip of Bay Street in Stapleton earlier in the month.

Michael Gochnour, 40, of Home Avenue in Fort Wadsworth, stands accused of firing a gun on a public sidewalk that injured a 38-year-old man just after 7:30 p.m. on June 4, according to the criminal complaint.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  John Pena Jr., the reputed Staten Island leader of the Gorilla Stone Mafia gang, was arraigned earlier this week on a federal murder charge, according to online court records.

This latest development comes after prosecutors filed a superseding indictment earlier this month.
New York, N.Y. -- The Arc of Justice -- a group alleging the states Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has failed to realize the equity and economic promise of the 2021 Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) -- rallied against the delayed rollout of New Yorks legal weed shops outside Governor Kathy Hochuls Manhattan office on Wednesday.

Participants spoke in front of a panel truck that alleged New York is losing millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue due to the red tape Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license holders have been facing for months.

We dont have tax revenue materializing; we have regulators who cant get out of their own way, said the Rev. Kirsten John Foy, founder, president, and CEO of The Arc of Justice and spokesman for the Coalition for Access to Regulated & Safe Cannabis (CARSC).

This industry is doomed from the start if we do not have a course correction. It will be impossible for the State of New York to get in front of the illicit market if we continue this course of action. By the time they get it right, there will be a smoke shop on every corner. Thats tax dollars going out the window. You cant wait. Youve got to act now, she added.

However, Gov. Kathy Hochul acknowledged at a weed-related event last week that this brand-new industry, would have challenges ... some hurdles and roadblocks.

Courtesy of Rev. Kirsten Foy

But my number one objective was to get it right and to make sure we do it in an equitable way, she said.

So, we launched the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, the first of its kind in the nation. Something we all should be proud of. And what this does is an attempt to right the wrongs of the past and that positions people with prior cannabis-related criminal offenses or their immediate family members, to make the first sales of the adult use cannabis with products grown by our local farmers, added Hochul.

SOCIAL INJUSTICE

Gwen Carr, a social justice advocate and mother of Eric Garner, who died on Staten Island while being arrested by NYPD officers nearly nine years ago, called the legal weed rollout an injustice that has been done in our community

Since my sons murder nine years ago next month, I have been standing against injustice everywhere, because injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, she said.

I stand here, and I ask the governor to open the cannabis program to our communities. We have to stop these illegal pop-ups because we dont know what theyre putting in the marijuana. We want them to stop killing our kids. Give us legal, licensed marijuana to help the state. This money is supposed to go back into the community. Its supposed to educate the kids, the communities. Thats not happening. Where is our money thats going back into the community? We dont see it, Carr added.

Members of priority classes listed in the MRTA  including minority and women-owned businesses, distressed farmers, service-disabled veterans, and individuals from communities disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition  say they are being shut out of the cannabis market.

Of the slow rollout, Hochual said: Sometimes it takes a while to get it right, and the process has not been easy. ... Its not on the pace we would want to see. But sometimes the things worth doing are not on an easy path. And to ensure that we have a thriving and equitable cannabis industry here, we want to make sure we do everything possible to just make it a lot easier. Its been a tough haul. Its always tough to be the first.

STATEN ISLAND WEED LICENCE HOLDERS FACE RED TAPE

Last month, the Advance/SILive.com reported the red tape has led to the delayed opening of at least one of two known Staten Island adult-use retail dispensaries.

While weed shops have opened in other boroughs and upstate, none have opened on Staten Island.

CAURD license holders have complained that they are in direct competition with the state -- both OCM and Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) -- to find retail locations, making it harder and slowing down the process of securing a storefront.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  It might smell like a huge pile of burning tires, but a rubbery smell reported by neighboring Pennsylvania residents is coming from the Canadian wildfires, not anything plastic or made of rubber.

The scientific explanation for it points to how long the wildfire smoke has been in the atmosphere, the Weather Network reports.

So far, most of the complaints have come from western Pennsylvania, where the smoke is most dense and causing harmful air quality.

According to TheWeatherNetwork.com, the burning plastic smell comes from the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the smoke interacting with UV radiation from the sun. The smoke has been in the atmosphere so long that chemistry is happening, a Weather Network report explained.

Anika Beaudry explained that the combination creates benzene and formaldehyde compounds if the VOCs are exposed long enough to UV radiation.

These are toxic air pollutants that can have very adverse effects on human and animal health  and they happen to smell like burning plastic, she wrote.

Pennsylvania, along with New York and several other states, could endure several days of smoky skies, said the National Weather Service, and it will move east toward New York.

New York City will receive higher smoke, but most likely will not receive the dense, heavy, lower smoke currently being experienced in Pennsylvania, Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service told SILive.com.

We likely will not see the dense haze experienced earlier in the month, he predicted.

I cant say for sure, but it does look like the worst of this is going to stay over the eastern half of Pennsylvania and probably not make it into the New York City Area, Ciemnecki said. I dont think were going to get to those levels.

New York City residents can expect hazy skies as smoke from the Canadian wildfires is funneled into the area, and poor air quality is expected.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the state Health Department on Thursday issued an air quality health advisory for all regions of the state.

While western and northern parts of New York are forecasted to reach Air Quality Index (AQI) levels between 151 and 200  a level considered unhealthy for all groups. New York City, the Hudson Valley and Long Island, meanwhile, will likely experience air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
As a leader of Pakistani American community of Staten Island, I want to bring something to the attention of the people of Staten Island and the Staten Island Advance.

Pakistan is a nuclear power in Southeast Asia with 240 million people.

Due to deteriorating economic and political conditions in Pakistan, members of the Pakistani American community of Staten Island, which is close to 10,000 people living in our borough, are very upset because of what is happening to their motherland.

The current prime minister and 70 % of his cabinet are all indicted and are on bail and still running the government with the support of an army chief and his corrupt criminals who are army generals.

There are human rights violations everywhere in the country.

Men, women, children and journalists are being put in jail because they are supporting the former prime minister, Imran Khan, whose popularity is currently at 90%.

There is no law or constitution rule in the country.

Supreme Court judges are harassed to give no relief to the people of Pakistan.

As of today, there are 10,000 political prisoners, including women and children, being tortured by the authorities, even people from the USA, who are American citizens of Pakistan descent, when traveling to Pakistan are stopped at Pakistani airports and harassed and asked for money before they are entered into the country.

It is very sad to see what is happening to this world.

Upon the request of the Pakistani-American community of Staten Island, I reached out to our congresswoman, Nicole Malliotakis, to look into these atrocities in Pakistan.

Congresswoman Malliotakis was very gracious to the community outcry and sent a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

(Dr. Mohammad Khalid is president of the Pakistani Civic Association of Staten Island, Inc.)
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Wealth management giant BlackRock says Australia has become one of the most attractive destinations to invest in the global shift to clean energy as coal-fired generators accelerate their closures and the government aims for the grid to be mostly powered by wind and solar by 2030.

Power sector leaders and the Australian Energy Market Operator are worried that investment in new generation, storage and transmission projects is not happening fast enough to compensate for the rapid withdrawal of coal power stations, which struggle to compete with cheaper renewables but still provide the grid with critical baseload power.

BlackRock says Australia is going through one of the fastest energy transitions globally. Credit: Joe Armao

Industry figures for the first three months of 2023 reveal no new financial commitments on large-scale generation projects were made.

However, US-based BlackRock, which oversees more than $US9 trillion ($13 trillion) of investor funds and ranks as the worlds biggest asset manager, on Thursday said the private sector was increasingly demonstrating a willingness to invest in Australia, seeing significant opportunity in the countrys energy transition.
Recipe collection

Cloudy with a high chance of meatballs: The 20 most popular recipes of June 2023

Were rolling into the second half of the year after a month of meatballs  bobbing in soup, spicy Spanish sauce or extra-garlicky and twirled through bucatini  and falafels.
When Egyptian-Australian Hazem Hamouda, 59, flew to Cairo in 2018 for a family reunion, he was arrested and imprisoned without charge for more than a year. His eldest daughter Lamisse, 34, fought to free him.

Hazem Hamouda (right) and Lamisse: Seeing how fragile he was changed my relationship with him forever. Credit: Paul Harris

Hazem: I was born in Cairo and came to Australia as a marine engineer in 1987. I met my Australian wife, Evelyn, at the Henty Hotel in Portland [Victoria]. We got married in Egypt and settled in Geelong just before Lamisse was born in 1989. Everybody loved her and she developed that sense of responsibility, caring for her five younger siblings. Shed decided to wear the hijab of her own

accord when 9/11 blew everything apart. She got harassed in the street, but managed to find the common ground we all share.

She won a postgrad scholarship to study at The American University in Cairo in 2018. I went to visit her and arrived on January 25, the anniversary of Egypts 2011 revolt. I thought I was just an average Joe Blow on holiday, but the passport officer said there was confusion around my name. I was placed in a cell under the airport and later taken to prison.

I knew Lamisse didnt have the skill set or language to navigate Egypts organised chaos but, fortunately, shes a quick learner. The other prison visitors would see her genuineness and step in to help. Shed converse with the prison officers as if she was in control and I was like, Woah!  theyre masters in belittling visitors. But her composure, even though she couldnt speak the language, gave me confidence.
A Belgian tourist who vanished near a remote walking track in north-west Tasmania is feared dead.

Investigators say Celine Cremer, 31, was last seen at the Philosopher Falls track in Waratah near Cradle Mountain on June 17 and was equipped for a light day walk before she disappeared.

Missing Belgian woman Celine Cremer.

Her family reported her missing on Monday after becoming concerned for her welfare following more than a week of no contact.

A car belonging to Cremer was found at the car park of the scenic site and was first spotted by witnesses about June 20, the same time the last signal from her phone was picked up in the area by police.
An incorrect diagnosis at a NSW regional hospital led to a vulnerable toddler being discharged with a skull fracture and a brain bleed, only for the boy to die eight days later.

Deputy Coroner Derek Lee this week released damning findings into the suspicious death of 21-month-old Baylen Pendergast, who presented at Tamworth Hospital on November 22, 2013.

Baylen Pendergast, who was 21 months old, died after sustaining non-accidental head injuries in 2013.

Hospital staff missed the toddlers head injuries on a CT scan, failed to follow up with an MRI, did not recognise his injuries and report them and discharged him with inadequate follow-up.

The cause of Baylens death was complications of blunt head injury resulting from at least two separate acts of trauma. It is most likely that these acts of trauma occurred on 17 and 28 November, 2013, Lee wrote in his findings. The injuries were the result of the application of significant force by another person or persons.
Former NSW treasurer Matt Kean appeared to betray some confusion about the role of the states corruption watchdog on Thursday when he tweeted disparagingly that it had taken two years for it to tell us that Gladys Berejiklian has not broken the law.

The implication seemed to be that the Independent Commission Against Corruption had no work to do unless it ultimately recommended the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions consider criminal charges against targets of its investigation.

While legitimate criticisms may be made about the time taken by the ICAC to release its findings and recommendations, and not only in this inquiry, its statutory role explicitly is not limited to investigating conduct that may constitute a criminal offence.

In its long-awaited report released on Thursday, the ICAC found Berejiklian and her former partner, the former Wagga Wagga Liberal MP Daryl Maguire, had both engaged in serious corrupt conduct, but for different reasons.
Pallas said the $15,000 threshold would reduce the governments predicted earnings by just over $100 million, or $35 million annually for the three-year forward estimates period. Loading He said the government always intended to consult with the sector, which had inevitably affected the threshold. The assessment takes into account fees and charges that non-government schools levy on all families. Scholarships and financial relief reduce schools average fees. Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said all schools were assessed by the same criteria and that the move brought some non-government schools in line with state schools, which were subject to payroll tax.

In total, more than 660 independent schools will remain exempt. New schools will be assessed against the $15,000 threshold, which will not be indexed. The state government provides about $1 billion in funding for operating expenses to non-government schools each year, a figure that has grown by 8 per cent in real terms since 2014-15. Key dates May 23: The government announces that about 110 of the states highest-fee private schools will lose their long-held exemption to payroll tax next year, netting the state more than $420 million in revenue over three years.

May 30: The fee threshold is set at just above $8000, the same standard used to decide eligibility for the COVID-19 tutoring program, indexed for inflation.

June 2: Treasury asks the Education Department to model lifting the exemption threshold to schools that charge more than $10,000 a student in annual fees.

June 7: The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria urges families and principals to seek meetings with their local Labor MPs and forward letters of protest over the tax plans. The government indicates it could lift the threshold to as high as $13,000. Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said the organisation wouldnt rest until the learning tax was repealed. Green said schools would need to decide if they cut educational programs and staff, or increased student fees to cover the cost.

It will come as a financial shock to parents from a wide range of backgrounds who are already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, she said. Independent Schools Victoria calculations show 54 independent schools, with a combined intake of 63,123 students, would pay a combined $78.5 million in payroll tax, or about $1500 per student per year. Green said parents at independent schools were being milked as a source of government revenue. Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Jim Miles said the threshold increase meant fewer families would be affected than originally proposed, but affected schools would assess what services, programs, and building plans would be cut  or if they increased fees.

Miles said some schools would pay more in payroll tax than they received in state recurrent grants. No other state nor the federal government had such a policy. He said it was completely misleading to say the new tax would result in equal treatment of schools sectors, and called the move unprecedented, ad hoc and unfair approach to school funding. Education Minister Natalie Hutchins says the new tax will bring non-government schools in line with state schools. Credit: Justin McManus We will continue to engage with the Victorian government to help ensure this measure is a short-term response and that schools funding policy is developed in a fair and consultative manner moving forward, he said. Whitefriars College principal Mark Murphy welcomed good news for his school in the short term, but was concerned about the future.

Fees for year 11 and 12 students at the Catholic boys school in Donvale currently sit at $14,934 a year. Even a slight increase in fees brought on by inflation could exceed the new threshold. This is still a flawed policy, none of our schools should be subject to the payroll tax, Murphy said. Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green says the tax will come as a financial shock for parents. Our families are hard-working people who make great sacrifices to send their children to our school. This decision could put them under even greater pressure in the future at a time when cost-of-living pressures are already causing great challenges to families.

The proposed threshold changed multiple times, as the Victorian government walked back its initial threshold of around $8000 to $10,000, then indicated it was open to raising the level even further. The uncertainty over the threshold angered non-government schools, which said they would be forced to raise fees significantly or cut back on staff and programs to meet the new tax. The change also means many private schools will, for the first time, pay two other levies on top of their new payroll tax obligation: the mental health levy that was introduced last year and a new temporary increase to payroll tax that was also announced in the budget. The 2023-24 state budget promised $450 million over four years to continue the non-government schools capital fund, which supports new builds and upgrades at low-fee Catholic and independent schools. The funding builds on $522 million previously invested in non-government school infrastructure since 2015. Opposition education spokesman Matthew Bach said the tax meant fees at independent and Catholic schools would increase by hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of dollars.

Loading Many people who send their children to schools with fees of $15,000 or more are working their socks off to be able to send their children to their school of choice, Bach said. He said he didnt think the government should be pitting one group of parents and students against another. Im a passionate believer for more funding for state schools. This huge additional tax will have to be passed onto parents, he said. Many parents will leave, then of course go into the state system, which is already overwhelmed. I dont think its right to tax aspiration and financial choice  the logical outcome is to put even more pressure onto state schools.

De La Salle College principal Peter Houlihan was relieved his Catholic boys school was well below the threshold. Loading The Malvern school had projected it would have to be creative to find $850,000 to cover the tax if it wasnt exempt. De La Salle Colleges senior school fees are about $13,100 a year, which increases each year between 1 and 3 per cent. Its a massive relief. We were preparing for the worst, but waiting for the announcement, Houlihan said.
In a statement, Hastie said the prosperity and jobs Alcoa brought to the region also had to be acknowledged. Our beautiful jarrah forest is a shared natural asset that we want our kids and grandkids to enjoy, he said. We need to balance both, and all parties need to acknowledge that reaching a consensus involves compromise. In 2022 Hastie welcomed funding from the then coalition government to assist Alcoa in reducing emissions from its Pinjarra refinery. I know how vital the Alcoa alumina refinery is to our region, and I am committed to ensuring its future is secure, he said at the time.

Shire of Murray president David Bolt said in addition to the 50 square kilometre buffer zone he also wanted water catchments and areas of high biodiversity and recreation value protected from Alcoa and any other mining. This week was not the first time Hastie has chosen to back a side different to most conservative politicians when people in his electorate take issue with Alcoa. In 2018, three years into representing Canning, Hastie backed an Australian Workers Union campaign over redundancy provisions and minimum staffing levels despite being from a different tribe. Opposition mounts after 60 years This year Alcoas environmental record, after 60 years of mining under a state agreement that shields it from much of the transparency and regulation imposed on other miners, has come under intense scrutiny.

State government agencies are concerned that Alcoas clearing of forest near Perths dams could result in sediment runoff after heavy rain rendering water treatment facilities ineffective, causing water restriction and requiring up to $2.6 billion to upgrade equipment. Loading In May the WA environment regulator ordered Alcoa to fix the risk of toxic PFAS contaminating water at one of its mine sites. This masthead also revealed that Alcoas claim to have rehabilitated more than 75 per cent of the almost 280 square kilometres of jarrah forest it has mined refers just to how much land has received the first 12 months of work to return the barren ground to a forest. No area mined by Alcoa has met the rehabilitation completion criteria agreed with the state government.

Alcoa and South32 mine the northern jarrah forest for bauxite, and Newmont produces gold at Boddington. The area is increasingly attracting interest from other miners looking for battery minerals as community concern mounts about protecting the forest. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2022 said the northern jarrah forest faced a high risk of significant transition or collapse without changes to management practices. A week ago, mining giant Rio Tinto announced it would cancel plans to explore more than 1000 square kilometres of jarrah forest, partly because of community opposition. Federal environment law revamp

Hasties Liberal colleague Senator Jonathon Duniam, the shadow spokesman for the environment, told the meeting the arrangements Alcoa operates under would not be acceptable for new mining proposals. The Tasmanian senator said the current review of federal environmental legislation was a great opportunity to have fit for purpose laws. Im a big believer in balance  we need to make sure that we have a means of achieving the economic outcomes, he said. But we dont need to do it in a way that we have in the past, which is to put all of the weight on the economic outcomes with no or little regard for the environment. Duniam said the Labor government would need the support of either the Greens or the Coalition, and the Coalition would engage in good faith.
Childcare shortages have been exacerbated by two Albanese government policies designed to slash costs and improve workforce quality.

The severe lack of staff is adding to parents costs and cutting access to placements, childcare providers say, and the governments plan to restrict international students work hours from Saturday will further hamper centres ability to fill rosters just as higher government rebates of up to 90 per cent kick in from July 10, increasing demand.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visiting an early learning centre, many of which are understaffed. Credit: Jason OBrien

Australian Childcare Alliance president Paul Mondo said centres were already battling to find staff, with almost 7400 vacancies nationwide in May.

The issue of international students capacity to work is one which will affect the early childhood sector significantly in the coming months, Mondo said.
Loading The ICAC report found Berejiklian took steps to award the grants pushed by Maguire based on a desire on her part to maintain or advance her relationship with him. The commission also found Berejiklian displayed a level of deference to Maguires wishes and demands, publishing a previously undisclosed text message exchange from February 2018 in which she told him youre the boss. Glad, even when you are the Premier I am the boss alright, Maguire wrote. Yes I know, Berejiklian responded. Despite Berejiklians insistence that the romance was not serious, the ICAC dismissed her argument that she had not felt her relationship with Maguire was sufficient to disclose.

It revealed details of hundreds of private messages between the pair dating back to 2013, many of which were replete with terms of endearment, the use of pet names and other indications of mutual affection and love including discussions about marriage and the possibility of having children. The ICAC also highlighted that, while refusing to acknowledge her relationship with Maguire, she made other conflict of interest declarations, including one relating to a cousin who worked in the public service. If Ms Berejiklian turned her mind to the significance of her position vis-a-vis her cousin after 23 January 2017, it is improbable she would not have considered her position vis-a-vis Mr Maguire, the ICAC said. Among the scathing details in the 700-page report was ICACs finding that Berejiklian lied to her former chief of staff Sarah Cruickshank about the nature and duration of her relationship with Maguire during a conversation in 2018. Berejiklian told Cruickshank that the relationship occurred before she was premier and amounted only to a few dinners.

The commission finds that in so doing, Ms Berejiklian lied to Ms Cruickshank about her relationship with Mr Maguire and its nature, length and intimacy, the report stated. Despite the findings, the commission said it did not believe that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] with respect to the prosecution of Ms Berejiklian for any offence. If she did seek to challenge its findings in the NSW Supreme Court, her team of high-powered lawyers would need to prove the anti-corruption watchdog made an error of law. The ICAC has been subject to criticism from politicians on both sides of the aisle over the lengthy delay in releasing its findings, but its report shifted blame back onto Berejiklian, noting her failure to disclose what she should have suspected was corruption. The reaction from Berejiklians former Liberal Party colleagues was mixed. Matt Kean, a close ally of the former premier, hit out at the ICAC over what he called a ridiculous display.

Loading So it has taken ICAC two years to tell us that Gladys Berejiklian has not broken the law, he wrote on social media. The new Opposition Leader Mark Speakman was more circumspect, and said he would expect a minister to disclose such a relationship. We were all gobsmacked when that emerged, Speakman said. If those findings of fact stand up, then, in hindsight, I would have expected as a minister for that to be disclosed. The Labor government this week announced it would change the ICAC Act to force the watchdog to publish timelines for its investigations, and Premier Chris Minns said after the reports release that it had taken way too long while commending Berejiklians leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loading It is important, however, for all politicians in NSW and anyone in public life or positions of leadership to understand we must manage conflicts of interest and declare them, he said. However, he also foreshadowed changes aimed at what he called fairness to witnesses and potential subjects of ICAC probes. I think its important that theres not an automatic resignation or suspension from public life while the inquiry is taking place, Minns said. There may be circumstances where its absolutely appropriate because the evidence is overwhelming, but it shouldnt happen in an automatic way.

Loading People have got a right to have an investigation and the final findings submitted to the public and the parliament before their political life is stopped or ended. Berejiklians new employer, Optus, released a brief statement following the ICACs finding. Optus acknowledges the ICAC report published in relation to Gladys Berejiklians time serving as a Member of the NSW Parliament, the statement said. The report made 18 recommendations to address the codes of conduct governing MPs, saying its ultimate goal is to improve and enhance the reputation of the NSW parliamentary system to the betterment of the people of NSW through the adoption of the recommendations.
The Egyptian government announced earlier this week its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which includes setting more ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and securing finances needed to achieve them.

The updated NDC document revealed that Egypt plans to reduce GHG emissions from electricity generation, transmission and distribution by 37 percent by 2030.

This would represent an improvement over its previous target of 33 percent.

To achieve these goals, Egypt plans to decommission 12 fossil fuel power plants with a total capacity of 5 GW, replacing them with 10 GW of renewable energy built using private investments.

Egypt also moved up the date by which it plans to generate 42 percent of its energy from renewable sources to 2030, instead of 2035.

The updated contributions will require a minimum of $246 billion to implement, according to the released document.

The update is meant to secure additional funding, as per a declaration between Egypt, Germany and the US made during the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), according to Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat on Sunday.

[The updated contributions will] secure grants, debt swaps, concessional finance and catalyze private investments to support the energy pillar within the country-led platform of the Nexus of Water Food and Energy (NWFE)," Al-Mashat said.

Since COP27, and through the NWFE Platform , Egypt signed a debt swap for climate action with Germany to support the transmission grids.

Moreover, renewable energy projects with a capacity of 3,700 MW have been signed between Egypt's Ministry of Electricity and the private sector within the energy pillar.

Egypt has also taken steps to increase its renewable energy capacity, including establishing a new 500 MW wind farm in the Gulf of Suez , the 500 MW Abydos Solar Project in Aswan and the 500 MW Amunet wind energy project in Ras Ghareb.

On 6 June, Egypt signed an agreement with Emirati clean energy company Masdar to launch a wind power plant in Sohag with direct investments of $10 billion.

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An extraordinarily popular premier, Gladys Berejiklian was a woman of considerable political achievements whose fate is a much-needed reminder that no one should ever be above the law.

She performed admirably in critical times, bringing NSW through fire, flood and pandemic. But her undoing was something she failed to do: dob in her secret lover and fellow MP Daryl Maguire to the Independent Commission Against Corruption when it became clear to her that he may be corrupt.

The pair have both been found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct after a two-year ICAC investigation. The corruption watchdogs report, presented to NSW parliament on Thursday, did not recommend Berejiklians prosecution for any offence but said consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions about the prosecution of Maguire and two of his business associates.

The ICAC said there was insufficient evidence to prove to the criminal standard  beyond reasonable doubt  that Berejiklian had the criminal intent required to establish the offence of misconduct in public office. It meant prosecutors would be unable to prove an essential element of the crime in court.
A new luxury airline with all-flat seats will head to Australia following its launch later this year, operating the first direct Australia-Maldives flight.

This masthead can reveal designated Maldives carrier Beond (pronounced beyond) is on track to launch a non-stop Perth-Male route in less than a year.

The new premium leisure airline will target affluent holidaymakers of the South-Asian destination, offering a private jet-like experience and five-star services such as private airport transfers, lounge access and gourmet in-flight dining.

Premium leisure airline Beond has set its sights on Australia.

Middle seats will also get the flick  all Beond aircraft are set to feature a one-class cabin concept with a 2-2 configuration to cater to travelling couples.
What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. Sign up to get the whole newsletter delivered to your inbox.

The last time I wrote to you, I was in Greece during what turned out to be a month of travel in Europe. Just before coming home to London, I spent a few days in Poland, including a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Credit: Shutterstock.com

It was, as you would expect, bleakly sad. It wasnt until I saw the huge stretch of land that made up the camp that I truly grasped the scale of the killing that occurred there. It sounds irrational, but the air felt heavier, particularly near the ruins of the crematorium. I am adamant that Auschwitz is something everyone should see but, equally, I could not wait to leave.

Earlier this year, when I was in Germany, reporting from the Munich Security Conference, I took the time to see the Dachau concentration camp, which is about an hour out of Munich. I rushed away from there at the end, too.
Baghdad: Hundreds of followers of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr briefly stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad on Thursday in protest of the burning of a Koran in Sweden.

An Iraqi security official said the Swedish Embassy was evacuated by security forces after the protesters breached the building, raising pictures of Sadr and flags of his militia, the Mahdi Army. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorised to speak to the media.

Followers of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada Sadr storm the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Credit: AP

Some of the protesters also burned rainbow flags, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.

Iraqi officials didnt make any public statement on the storming of the embassy.
Washington: In the most anticipated ruling since federal abortion rights were overturned in America, the US Supreme Court has curtailed affirmative action, barring elite colleges and universities from considering race in student admissions.

The conservative-dominated court ruled that race-conscious admission programs were unlawful and should no longer be used to accept people from traditionally underrepresented groups, ending a decades-old policy that sought to make higher education more equitable.

Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusettes Credit: AP

As prestigious institutions began to rethink their selection processes, the decision sparked protests outside the court in Washington, reignited the debate over race in America and raised fears among some employers that they would have a less diverse pipeline of graduates from which to hire in the future.

President Joe Biden said the court had once again walked away from decades of precedent and called on colleges not to abandon diversity, noting that students from the top 1 percent of family incomes in America are 77 times more likely to get into an elite college than students from the bottom 20 per cent of family incomes.
~ Breaking barriers for women in Caribbean Science, Technology, and Innovations.~

Kingston, Jamaica:--- The world needs science and science needs women. The Young Talents Caribbean Region L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme is a joint programme between LOreal Caribe, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences  all seeking to connect the dots between Caribbean development challenges, scientific research, and women empowerment.

SUPPORTING CARIBBEAN WOMEN IN SCIENCE

The Caribbeans development is intrinsically linked to science, technology, and innovation, and it is vital that women play a significant role in this arena. Recognizing the urgent need for gender equality in the field of science, for 25 years the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programmes have championed the remarkable achievements of women scientists worldwide. In the Caribbean region, the launch in 2023 of the Young Talents Caribbean Region L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science marks the 53rd national and regional programme, covering 24 islands in the region, and has emerged as a collaborative effort between L'Oreal Caribe, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences.

At LOreal Caribe we wish to contribute to promoting science among the youngest and future generations of the Caribbean. We are seeking remarkable young talents for their excellence of their careers that serve as role models, to inspire the younger generations and contribute to strengthening the presence of women in the world of science, said Gilles Delaunay, General Manager LOreal Caribe.

This groundbreaking initiative will be presented to the public, the Caribbean scientific community and to women scientist during an official kick off ceremony at the Ramson room in the Regional Office of the University of the West Indies, located in Jamaica, on 27 June 2023. This ceremony along with the press conference will showcase how the programme aims to empower and support young women's participation in scientific research with a firm commitment to fostering gender equality in academia, and the Caribbean research and development landscape.

I am very proud of the strong partnership between L'Oreal Caribe, the Caribbean Academy of Sciences and the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, which enables us to act together for more Caribbean women in science, fostering their growth and impact in science leadership said Dr. Anna Paolini, Director and Representative, UNESCO Office for the Caribbean.

The Young Talents Caribbean Region L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme is established to recognize and reward exceptional young female researchers across various scientific disciplines, including life and environmental sciences, material sciences, mathematics, computer and information sciences, engineering sciences, and technology. This year edition presents two (2) endowments awarded, in the fall of 2023, to the selected young talented researchers currently in doctoral, post-doctoral studies or in early stage of their scientific research career. The Jury of this L'Oreal-UNESCO Young Talents Caribbean for Women in Science programme will be constituted by the Caribbean Academy of Sciences.

It is a great step forward in extracting the scientific talents of our Caribbean women, and we hope that their research is innovative, creative, and well-published. I wish each applicant success. It's another milestone for UNESCO, L'Oreal, and CAS said Professor Raymond Jagessar, President of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences.

During the event a panel was held, with the topic: "Breaking Barriers for Women in Caribbean Science, Technology, and Innovation", led by four Caribbean women, who have made important contributions in the science: Prof. Marcia Roye, UWI Lecturer & First Jamaican to Receive LOreal-UNESCO International Fellowship For Women In Science; Dr. Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot, UWI Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry and Crystallography, Initiator of The UWI-UNESCO Walking In Her Footsteps Programme; Ms. Anetta Gordon, PhD Candidate in Biochemistry, UWI

and Ms. Desireina Delancy, PhD Candidate in Virology, UWI.

A GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS SYNONYMOUS WITH HOPE

The need for such a Young Talents Caribbean for Women in Science programme becomes apparent when we confront the persisting inequalities and the existence of a glass ceiling within the realm of academic research. Only 18% of senior academic positions in science are currently occupied by women, signaling the urgent need for proactive measures to break down these barriers. Furthermore, on a global scale, only 4% of women have been honored with Nobel Prizes in science, emphasizing the stark gender imbalance that continues to prevail within the scientific community.

The Young Talents Caribbean Region L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme represents a significant step forward in this direction, embodying a resolute commitment to amplifying the voices and achievements of women in science in the Caribbean region. For this first edition of the Young Talents Caribbean L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme, online applications opened on 17 May until 15 July 2023. We encourage interested persons to submit an application through the link provided below: Caribbean - 2023 Call for application | For Women in Science.

About LOreal Caribe

L'Oreal is recognized as the world's leading beauty company, holding a wide variety of brands within four main divisions: Consumer Products Division, Professional Products Division, Luxe and Dermatological Beauty. From its offices in Puerto Rico, LOreal Caribe overseas operations across 25 Caribbean islands, with the purpose of creating the beauty that moves the world, with a focus on beauty as inclusive, ethical, generous, and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With a broad portfolio of 31 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L'Oreal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the very best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, transparency, and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality. For more information visit https://www.loreal.com/en/caribe/.
ION Energy Amends and Restates Acquisition Agreement for Bliss Lake Lithium Pegmatite Project

ION Energy Limited (TSXV: ION) (OTCQB: IONGF) (FSE: 5YB) (aIONa or the aCompanya  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/ion-energy-ltd/ ) has amended and restated the agreement (the aA&R Agreementa) to acquire the Bliss Lake Lithium Pegmatite Project in NWT, Canada (aBliss Lakea). The Companya?s acquisition of Bliss Lake was originally announced in a press release dated May 11, 2023 (the aAcquisition Press Releasea).

The A&R Agreement was entered into to clarify certain terms of the original agreement and the transaction. As a result of the amendments, the immediate consideration for the acquisition under the terms of the A&R Agreement will consist of a single tranche of Company shares with a value of $128,571 at a deemed value of $0.25.A Unamended transaction terms also provide for deferred equity-based consideration to the vendors in the event assay results from exploration at Bliss Lake satisfy defined lithium oxide content thresholds and cash consideration in the event of announcement of a mineral resource estimate at Bliss Lake meeting defined criteria.

aAt a pivotal time in the worlda?s pursuit of electrification and strengthening battery metals supply, ION Energy couldna?t be more pleased to have renegotiated the purchase terms for the highly prospective pegmatite project in the proven Yellowknife Pegmatite Field with exploration to commence this summer. The ION team is also excited about the US governmenta?s recent Memorandum of Understanding with the Mongolian government, to advance critical metal cooperation between the two governments. ION Energya?s long term vision to disrupt the Asian battery metal supply, through our flagship assets in Mongolia, continues to provide a strong value proposition to our shareholders.a states CEO & Director, Ali Haji.

The Company expects to complete the Bliss Lake acquisition in July of 2023. For additional information about Bliss Lake, see the Acquisition Press Release, available on the Companya?s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About ION Energy Ltd.

ION Energy Ltd. (TSXV: ION) (OTCQB: IONGF) (FSE: 5YB) is committed to exploring and developing high quality lithium resources in strategic jurisdictions. IONa?s flagship, 81,000+ hectare Baavhai Uul lithium brine project represents the largest and first lithium brine exploration licence award in Mongolia. ION also holds the 29,000+ hectare Urgakh Naran highly prospective lithium brine licence in Dorngovi Province in Mongolia. With the acquisition of the Bliss Lake project in NWT, Canada, ION will have significantly enhanced its lithium asset and jurisdiction profile. ION is well-poised to be a key player in the clean energy revolution, positioned well to service the world\-s increased demand for lithium. Information about the Company is available on its website, www.ionenergy.ca, or under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

For further information:

COMPANY CONTACT: Ali Haji, ali@ionenergy.ca, 647-871-4571

MEDIA CONTACT: Siloni Waraich, siloni@ionenergy.ca, 416-432-4920

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company\-s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as \believes\, \anticipates\, \expects\, \estimates\, \may\, \could\, \would\, \will\, or \plan\. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management\-s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the expected closing date of the acquisition of Bliss Lake, and the Companya?s objectives, goals or future plans, statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from ION Energy\-s expectations include, among others, stock exchange review of the transaction, uncertainties relating to availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, risks related to international operations, the actual results of current exploration activities, and delays in the development of projects. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Osisko announces royalty transaction with Hot Chili on the Costa Fuego Copper-Gold Project in Chile

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (aOsiskoa  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/osisko-gold-royalties-ltd ) (OR: TSX & NYSE) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a 1.0% copper net smelter return (aNSRa) royalty and a 3.0% gold NSR royalty (the aRoyaltiesa) from Hot Chili Limited (aHot Chilia) covering Hot Chilia?s Costa Fuego Copper-Gold Project (aCosta Fuegoa or the aProjecta) in Chile, for total cash consideration of US$15.0 million.

Sandeep Singh, President and CEO of Osisko commented: aCosta Fuego has the potential to be a long-life, lower-cost copper mine in Chile, with significant by-product credits, importantly situated at low elevation and in close proximity to key infrastructure. We are impressed with what the Hot Chili team has been able to accomplish to date, most notably on the exploration and permitting fronts, and we look forward to future development milestones at Costa Fuego.a

COSTA FUEGO HIGHLIGHTS

One of the worlda?s largest undeveloped copper projects not currently controlled by a major mining company;

A March 2022 NI 43-101 updated global Mineral Resource Estimate (aMREa), including both the open pit and underground portions of the Cortadera and Productora deposits, contains an Indicated Resource of 725 million tonnes (aMta) grading 0.47% Copper Equivalent (aCuEqa), grading 0.38% Copper (aCua), 0.11 g/t gold (aAua), 0.45 g/t silver and 93 ppm Molybdenum;

The MRE also includes an Inferred Resource of 202Mt grading 0.30% Cu and 0.06g/t Au;

Hot Chilia?s June 28, 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment (aPEAa) projects a 16-year life-of-mine with an annual average production rate of 95kt Cu and 49koz Au in the first 14 years;

The PEA projects one of the lowest capital intensity copper development projects globally;

Costa Fuego is situated at low altitude and is in close proximity to all key infrastructure requirements;

Secured a water permit and power connection to the grid, and the Projecta?s Environmental Impact Assessment is significantly advanced; and

An updated MRE for the Project is scheduled for late 2023 and will serve as the basis for Pre-Feasibility Study (aPFSa), scheduled for completion in 2024.

ADDITIONAL TRANSACTION CONSIDERATIONS

Osisko has granted Hot Chili an option to buy down a portion of the royalty, which can only occur upon change of control and exercisable until the fourth anniversary of the transaction close. The buydown option can reduce the copper and gold royalties by 0.5% respectively (resulting in 0.5% Cu royalty and 2.5% Au royalty), in exchange for payment in an amount equal to 130%, 140%, or 150% of the up-front price paid by Osisko if exercised before the 2nd, 3rd or 4th anniversary of the transaction close;

Hot Chili has granted Osisko a corporate right of first offer on all future potential royalty and streaming opportunities, as well as certain other rights on proposed future royalty financings; and

Osisko will be granted the Royalties on Hot Chilia?s effective ownership of the properties (see below). Should Hot Chilia?s ownership of these properties increase, the royalty will thereafter apply to the increased ownership level.

THE COSTA FUEGO PROJECT

The Costa Fuego Project contains three deposits with current Mineral Resources (Productora, Cortadera and San Antonio), and is located in the Atacama region of Chile in the low altitude coastal range belt (~800m elevation). The Project is surrounded by existing infrastructure with the Project centre at Productora located 15 minutes by road from the city of Vallenar on the Pan-American Highway. Costa Fuego will leverage existing surface rights (already secured) for proposed central processing facilities at Productora. In addition, the Project will take advantage of existing infrastructure access in the form of already-obtained powerline and seawater pipeline corridor easements; of note is that a maritime concession has been recently granted to Hot Chili for the Project, referring to coastal land access as well as the right to extract sea water for processing purposes as metallurgical test work has indicated that no de-salinization will be required. A key port facility and power sub-station are located 55 km and 20 km away, respectively, with Hot Chili having already secured an electrical connection to the national power grid. A An aerodrome is located approximately 14km from Productora. Finally, of note is that Glencore has an offtake agreement for 60% of the minea?s production over the first 8 years.

A PFS for Cost Fuego is anticipated for 2024 following the completion of a 30,000 metre drilling campaign which is planned to commence in 2023. At present, 82% of Costa Fuegoa?s global MRE is classified as Indicated, providing an already-strong platform for Hot Chili as it prepares the PFS.

Productora is held in a joint venture, presently 80% owned by Hot Chili and Cortadera is 100% owned by Hot Chili. Hot Chili executed an option agreement with a private party to earn a 90% interest in the San Antonio copper-gold project over a four-year period.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Guy Desharnais, Ph.D., P.Geo., Vice President, Project Evaluation at Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd, who is a aqualified persona as defined by National Instrument 43-101 a Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (aNI 43-101a).

About Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd is an intermediate precious metal royalty company which holds a North American focused portfolio of over 180A royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes. Osiskoa?s portfolio is anchored by its cornerstone asset, a 5% net smelter return royalty on the Canadian Malartic mine, one of Canadaa?s largest gold mines.

Osiskoa?s head office is located at 1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de-MontrAal, Suite 300, MontrAal, QuAbec, H3BA 2S2.

For further information, please contact Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd:

Grant Moenting

Vice President, Capital Markets

Tel: (514) 940-0670 #116

Email: gmoenting@osiskogr.com

Heather Taylor

Vice President, Sustainability & Communications

Tel: (514) 940-0670 #105

Email: htaylor@osiskogr.com

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed \forward-looking statements\ within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and aforward-looking informationa within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.A Forward-looking statements are statements other than statements of historical fact, that address, without limitation, future events, that development of the Project will continue in a timely manner, including the timely delivery of a PFS, that the asset will prove to be a long-life and low-cost copper mine, that mineral resources will eventually convert into mineral reserves, that forecasted production estimates will be achieved, that conditions will be met to allow Hot Chili to exercise its buydown option and its option in respect of the San Antonio property, that opportunities will arise to allow Osisko to exercise its right of first offer as well as certain other royalty financing rights, production estimates of Osiskoa?s assets (including increase of production), timely developments of mining properties over which Osisko has royalties, streams, offtakes and investments, managementa?s expectations regarding Osiskoa?s growth, results of operations, estimated future revenues, production costs, carrying value of assets, ability to continue to pay dividend, requirements for additional capital, business prospects and opportunities future demand for and fluctuation of prices of commodities (including outlook on gold, silver, diamonds, other commodities) currency, markets and general market conditions. A In addition, statements and estimates (including data in tables) relating to mineral reserves and resources and gold equivalent ounces are forward-looking statements, as they involve implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, and no assurance can be given that the estimates will be realized. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words \expects\, \plans\, \anticipates\, \believes\, \intends\, \estimates\, \projects\, \potential\, \scheduled\ and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations), or that events or conditions \will\, \would\, \may\, \could\ or \should\ occur. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, most of which are beyond the control of Osisko, and actual results may accordingly differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, without limitation,A (i) with respect to properties in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest; risks related to: (a) the operators of the properties, (b) timely development, permitting, construction, commencement of production, ramp-up (including operating and technical challenges), (c) differences in rate and timing of production from resource estimates or production forecasts by operators, (d) differences in conversion rate from resources to reserves and ability to replace resources, (e) the unfavorable outcome of any challenges or litigation relating title, permit or license, (f) hazards and uncertainty associated with the business of exploring, development and mining including, but not limited to unusual or unexpected geological and metallurgical conditions, slope failures or cave-ins, flooding and other natural disasters or civil unrest or other uninsured risks, (ii) with respect to other external factors: (a) fluctuations in the prices of the commodities that drive royalties, streams, offtakes and investments held by Osisko, (b) fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar, (c) regulatory changes by national and local governments, including permitting and licensing regimes and taxation policies, regulations and political or economic developments in any of the countries where properties in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest are located or through which they are held, (d) continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, and (e) responses of relevant governments to infectious diseases outbreaks and the effectiveness of such response and the potential impact of such outbreaks on Osiskoa?s business, operations and financial condition, (f) that that conditions will be met to allow Osisko to exercise its right of first offer as well as certain other royalty financing rights; (iii) with respect to internal factors: (a) business opportunities that may or not become available to, or are pursued by Osisko, (b) the integration of acquired assets or (c) the determination of Osiskoa?s PFIC status.A The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including, without limitation: that Hot Chili will maintain its development schedule in a manner consistent with past practice achieve exploration success; the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by Hot Chili; no adverse development in respect of the Project; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended and the absence of significant change in Osiskoa?s ongoing income and assets relating to determination of its PFIC status; the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended and, with respect to properties in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest, (i) the ongoing operation of the properties by the owners or operators of such properties in a manner consistent with past practice and with public disclosure (including forecast of production), (ii) the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the owners or operators of such underlying properties (including expectations for the development of underlying properties that are not yet in production), (iii) no adverse development in respect of any significant property, (iv) that statements and estimates relating to mineral reserves and resources by owners and operators are accurate and (v) the implementation of an adequate plan for integration of acquired assets.

For additional information on risks, uncertainties and assumptions, please refer to the most recent Annual Information Form of Osisko filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov which also provides additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Osisko cautions that the foregoing list of risk and uncertainties is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Osisko believes that the assumptions reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate as actual results and prospective events could materially differ from those anticipated such the forward looking statements and such forward-looking statements included in this press release are not guarantee of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon.A In this press release, Osisko relies on information publicly disclosed by Hot Chili pertaining to its Project and the development thereof and, therefore, assumes no liability for such third party public disclosure.A These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Osisko undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law.
Gutermann wins largest leak tech project in continental Europe

Gutermann AG, a Switzerland-based global leader in advanced leak detection technologies, has been awarded by Acquedotto Pugliese (AQP) a contract worth nearly EURA 15A million for the supply of leak detection and monitoring technology for the Regions of Apulia and Basilicata in southern Italy.

As part of the contract, Gutermann will provide more than 20,000 ZONESCAN NB-IoT correlating noise loggers using the highly efficient cellular narrow-band-IoT communication technology. Apart from Gutermann the winning consortium includes Gutermanna?s Italian distribution and leak detection operation and maintenance partners Hydroskop and T.A.E. as well as the civil works corporation Simeone.

Gutermanna?s flagship leak monitoring product was selected among a range of competitive products after an intensive testing period by AQP with the plan to deploy this technology within less than three years in about 200 towns and cities across the entire water distribution system of AQP. This deployment will be by far the largest of its kind in continental Europe so far.

This milestone leak detection project is supported by the funding from EUa?s comprehensive National Recovery and Resiliency Package (PNRR) and is only the first of a range of large-scale infrastructure upgrading initiatives that will be implemented across Europe in the coming years. Global Water Intelligence (GWI) estimates that a1.3 billion alone will finance innovative water loss mitigation initiatives in Italy, with a particular focus on the south of the country where deteriorating network infrastructure has pushed leakage rates above the national average of 40%.

The PNRR was devised and funded on the back of the European Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 which came into force in January 2021. Under this directive, the European Commission will have adopted a threshold on leakage rates by early 2028. Member States exceeding the threshold will have two years from that date to present an action plan.

The pressure to achieve fast and tangible results from these investments is therefore the highest in the south of the country, and AQP is making a significant commitment to sustainable leakage reduction with the roll-out of ZONESCAN NB-IoT throughout its network. Uri Gutermann, CEO of Gutermann says: aWe are proud to play an important role in Europea?s massive infrastructure and leakage reduction initiative.a

The selection criteria for this project included strict requirements for device size, communication efficiency and reliability, installation and maintenance efficiency, leak pinpointing accuracy and reliability, and the availability of elaborate cloud analytics and reporting. Gutermann was able to score high thanks to ZONESCAN NB-IoTa?s main advantageous features and benefits:

It is the smallest correlating leak noise logger in the world, small enough fit into all of AQPa?s sometimes extremely narrow and shallow main valve chambers.

It is a fully automatic correlating noise logger with NB-IoT technology, and Gutermanna?s proprietary time synchronization method makes it the most accurately pinpointing leak monitoring system with the highest data availability rates on the market.

Its batteries last typically more than five years and are field-replaceable, making it very low on maintenance and therefore reduces its full cost of ownership significantly.

AQP with headquarters in Bari is serving a population of over 4 million in 246 municipalities within the ApuliaA andA BasilicataA regions. Its supply network stretches over 20,000 km, serving over one million customers. AQP has a strategy for sustainability and resilience to manage the increasing water stress and to reduce the high levels Non-Revenue Water (NRW)  which are main drivers for this project.

aIt is important not to take water for granted and to manage it in the best possible way. Permanent active leak detection using permanent acoustic sensor technology combined with advanced cloud software analytics and functionality is the most effective tool against water leakage and we see an increasing market interest for our solutions on a global levela says Simon Fechter, Head of EMEA Sales at Gutermann.

About Gutermann:

Gutermann is a global technology leader and innovator in intelligent water loss management products and solutions. The product offering covers the full range of conventional acoustic leak detection technology, from smart handheld instruments to fully automatic, permanently installed correlating network monitoring systems based on IoT communication, enabling utilities to pinpoint leaks with the highest accuracy. Established in 1948 and still privately held, Gutermann is headquartered in Zug/Switzerland, with R&D and manufacturing facilities in Germany, and local sales presence in Germany, France, UK, USA, Australia, South East Asia and Latin America as well as a comprehensive distribution network around the world.

GUTERMANN is a global technology leader and innovator in intelligent water loss technologies and leak detection technology. GUTERMANN has specialised in the design, manufacturing and distribution of all conventional acoustic leak detection equipment for more than 60 years. With a constant focus on innovation, we are at the forefront of new product developments in our sector. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of water leak management technology, and continuously outmatch other offerings.

ZONESCAN NB-IoT is the worlda?s first water leak detecting noise logger based on Narrowband Internet of Things (aNB-IoTa), the new LTE-based cellular communication standard optimised for machine-to-machine data communication in smart cities.

It permanently monitors water distribution mains for new leaks, and provides a Correlation Indicator for advanced filtering and leak identification in the Gutermann Cloud.

NB-IoT is a fully automatic and correlating distribution network monitoring system. Correlate, exclude false positives, pinpoint leaks to within 1 metre, retrieve historical data, and listen to leak sound from the comfort of the office.
Things have been going wrong for the Iraqi Kurds after big boosts over the past two decades, with their influence in Baghdad dwindling and other reverses.

For us, the Kurdistan Region is not just a red line. It is also a death line roared Iraqi Kurdish nationalist leader Masoud Barzani last week as he blasted the decision by the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad to restrict the autonomous regions control over its finances.

Its Kurdistan or death, he said.

The former guerrilla chieftain who has sought to lead the Iraqi Kurds to independence from the rest of the country described the Iraqi political factions whose members voted for the decision contained in Iraqs new budget as chauvinistic and accused them of renegading on their pledges in agreements made prior to the formation of the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani in October.

Barzanis thunderous remarks came amid a bitter divide in Iraqs federal legislature over the share of the Kurdistan Region in the national budget, which was voted for along factional lines as has been the case since the overthrow of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

But Barzanis unprecedented lambasting of the federal parliament for allegedly undermining the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region also underscores an uneasy alliance between the Iraqi Kurdish leaders and the Shia groups that have controlled Iraqs politics since Saddams ouster.

The crisis has also highlighted the Kurdish Question that has long haunted modern Iraq, reflecting the complex national-ethnic conflict that has given rise to the Kurdish resistance and independence movement.

The Kurds in Iraq have been seeking statehood since the inception of the Iraqi state in 1922 following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Over time, their separatist movement has developed on a greater scale and moved from ideological mobilisation to military struggle.

The Iraqi Kurds under the leadership of their two major parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), launched an armed rebellion against the central government in Baghdad with multiple ceasefires and political agreements broken and leading to a protracted conflict.

In 1991, fighters from the two Kurdish factions succeeded in taking control of large chunks of the northern Kurdish enclave, seizing on the political and security vacuum in Iraq following Saddams defeat in the war with a US-led international coalition after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

The turning point came when the KDP and PUK established a separate administration in northern Iraq after a No-Fly Zone was set up by the US, Britain, and France in the region to protect the Kurds against Saddams reprisals.

The wind seemed to be at the Iraqi Kurds back, with the wings of destiny looking to carry their national cause aloft. For the first time in their turbulent history, the Kurds struggle for rights, autonomy, and even an independent Kurdistan was forging new national and geopolitical realities.

The drastic change in the Iraqi Kurds lot in 1991 was so overwhelming that questions were asked about the errors committed by the Kurdish leaders that later saw them squander the political momentum brought about by this finest hour in the Iraqi Kurds history.

With a wide swathe of northern Iraq under their control for the first time, KDP leader Barzani and PUK leader Jalal Talabani turned down Saddams offer for Kurdish autonomy with the introduction of democracy in Iraq.

After several rounds of negotiations in Baghdad, various issues remained unsolved, including international guarantees and the borders of the proposed autonomous region, especially whether they would include the oil-rich province of Kirkuk.

For the Saddam regime, which had granted limited autonomy to the Iraqi Kurds in 1970, the priority was to preserve Iraqs unity by preventing them from forming the nucleus of a future Kurdish state.

Its bet was that the Kurdish leaders would fail to remain unified and would fail to change the long-term regional and international objections to Kurdish statehood.

However, instead the Kurdish leadership, driven by their mistrust of Saddam and buoyed up by Western protection in the No-Fly Zone, opted to remain outside of Baghdads control and build their own governing space in the hope that the new status quo would enforce the case for future Iraqi Kurdish statehood.

It was another missed opportunity by the Iraqi Kurdish leaders to resolve the conflict not only peacefully but also realistically by showing that they understood that autonomy was just one among others in a series of challenges.

They succumbed to their hope that Saddams fall would pave the way for their dream of independence to come true.

After the US-led invasion of Iraq and the collapse of the Saddam regime in 2003, the two main groups that had consolidated their grip on the Kurdish enclave in Iraq worked with the US Occupying Authority and Shia political allies to enshrine a federal Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraqs post-2003 constitution.

But behind the facade of federalism, the two parties sought to build a semi-independent administration with foreign representation and turn the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters into an effective military force. They sought to enlarge their territorial control by annexing Kirkuk and hundreds of towns and villages in several other provinces.

The ambitions of the Kurdistan Regions federal setup were so vast that it surpassed the large-scale land grabbing, control of the borders and energy resources, and extra constitutional powers its leadership gave themselves.

The deliberate enhancement of the federal status of the region illustrated the path the Kurdish leadership had chosen  which was eventually to leave Iraq.

In order to pursue that goal, the Kurdish leadership, particularly the KDP, took the rest of Iraq into grinding conflicts with the aim of ultimately falling apart. A stable, democratic, prosperous and strong Iraq carries the potential of a costly and prolonged struggle for Kurdish independence.

The Kurdish leadership then fought with Shia and Sunni factions in Iraq over the terms of sharing power and wealth in the new federal system. The formation of central governments became protracted and subjected to hard bargaining to ensure that the Kurds remained kingmakers.

Annual federal budgets became venues for wrangling over the KRGs allocations and deal-making to avoid federal oversight.

The Kurdish political groups in Iraq have not only remained party to many national conflicts, but their representatives in the central government in Baghdad have also failed to act effectively to stop the ruinous path of corruption, dysfunction, and cronyism taken by their political partners in the capital.

These are all signs of Iraqs decay and it is difficult not to find much for Kurds to be hopeful about in the countrys bleak future which could justify their breakup from the country.

As the Kurds political leaders have kept reimagining the domestic, regional, and international purpose behind their federal entity, they have continued to do so on their own terms and not for the sake of besting Iraq.

The lingering financial and political disputes with Baghdad have made the country more fragile and have undermined its stability, leaving political turmoil and security voids increasingly exposing it to terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) group.

Worse still, while government forces and volunteers were fighting IS terrorists who had seized several towns in Iraq in a major offensive, the Barzani-led administration in the Kurdish Region sent in Kurdish Peshmerga forces to drive Iraqi army units out of Kirkuk.

They took full control of Kirkuk and its oil fields and of other Kurdish-populated areas outside the official territory of the KRG.

The series of miscalculations by Iraqi Kurdish leaders culminated in a decision by Barzani, then the KRGs president, to hold an independence referendum in October 2017, which was rejected by the Iraqi government as unconstitutional.

The US and other Western nations and governments in the region also did not recognise the unilateral referendum.

Errors, misjudgements, and arrogance have not only created mistrust of the Kurdish leaderships relationship with the rest of Iraq and doubts about their genuine belief in federalism, but they have also undermined any unity of purpose among the Kurds themselves.

Since an autonomous Kurdistan government was established in the 1990s, it has been mutating into a rentier entity. The KDP and the PUK have been locked into a cycle of mutual recrimination and have established a state within a state in the areas under their control and fought for shares of revenue and power.

The two parties have turned the two areas under their control into fiefdoms ruled by the Barzani and Talabani families. Corruption and nepotism have marked their reign, as they compete, and even fight, over revenues from oil, customs duties, taxes, and kickbacks from foreign businesses, leaving ordinary Kurds battling hardships or seeking refuge abroad.

It is a painful irony that one political slogan that the Iraqi Kurdish parties have propagated since the inception of their insurgency against the government of General Abdel-Kareem Qassim in 1960 has been democracy for Iraq and autonomy for Kurdistan in order to avoid being accused of being separatists.

But over more than six decades, the Kurdish leadership has made alliances with Iraqs most anti-democratic political forces, regional autocrats, and foreign powers with vested interests in order to consolidate their grip on the Kurdish Region and throw into doubt any intention to help build a democratic Iraq.

Such flaws were laid bare in the three years state budget, which was passed by the Iraqi parliament last week. The Kurdish parties fought fiercely over allocations for the KRG but legitimised the ruling elites funneling of billions of dollars to their own groups in the rest of Iraq.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 June, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Virgo is the second-largest constellation in the sky and the largest constellation of the Zodiac.

The constellation Virgo is famous primarily for its affiliation with astrology as one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac , but it also contains a treasure trove of interesting deep-sky objects.

Virgo means "the virgin" in Latin, and contains one of the brightest stars, Spica , according to the stargazing website Constellation Guide .

Related: Night sky: What you can see tonight (maps)

Where is the constellation Virgo and when can you see it?

Virgo lies between the constellations Leo and Libra. (Image credit: StellariumWeb)

Virgo lies between the constellations Leo and Libra, at 13 hours right ascension and 2 degrees South declination . It's visible in the Northern Hemisphere during spring and summer , and to Southern observers during autumn and winter.

The easiest way to find Virgo is with the handy phrase, "arc to Arcturus and speed on to Spica." Starting with the curved handle of the Big Dipper , follow that arc to the bright star Arcturus , which lies in the constellation Bootes . Continuing along that curve, you'll then find Spica, the brightest star in Virgo, and you can trace the remainder of the constellation from there. Spica is a bright blue variable star, whose name means "ear of grain."

Many of Virgo's stars are quite faint, but if you're in a dark sky you may be able to trace the major components of the constellation, which make a stick figure person with bright Spica as one hand and smaller Vindemiatrix ("the grape gatherer") as the other. The moderately bright binary star system Gamma Virginis lies at the center as if it's the glowing heart of the virgin.

Virgo observing targets

There truly is a lot to explore within Virgo, as the large constellation measures over 1,200 square degrees in the night sky. Virgo contains many excellent sights, including 11 Messier objects  the most of any constellation except Sagittarius . This is because the constellation hosts the Virgo cluster , a large amalgamation of over 1,300 galaxies next to the Local Group, which our Milky Way belongs to. Some of these targets are visible with the naked eye, but for others, you'll want to check out our guides to the best binoculars and best telescopes for stargazing.

Although not visible with any backyard stargazing setup, Virgo is also home to a number of known exoplanets, including the directly-imaged gas giant GJ 504b and the first planet discovered around a pulsar , PSR B1257+12 b . Virgo also has WASP-39b , where the James Webb Space Telescope recently detected carbon dioxide in an exoplanet 's atmosphere for the first time.

Jargon buster

Magnitude: An object's magnitude tells you how bright an object is as it appears from the Earth . In astronomy , magnitudes are represented on a numbered scale. Quite confusingly the lower the number, the bright the object. For example, an object of a -1 magnitude is brighter than one with a magnitude of +2.

Right ascension (RA): Right ascension is to the sky what longitude is to the surface of the Earth, corresponding to east and west directions. Measured in hours, minutes and seconds since, as Earth rotates, we see different parts of the sky through the night

Declination (Dec): Tells you how high your object will rise in the sky. Like Earth's latitude, declination measures north and south. Its units are degrees, arcminutes and arcseconds. There are 60 arcmins in a degree and 60 arcsecs in an arcmin.

Messier 49

Messier 49 Magnitude: 9.4 Distance from Earth: 55.9 million light-years Coordinates: RA 12h 29m 46.7s Dec +0800'02"

Messier 49 is an elliptical galaxy, which appears as a fuzzy blob, unlike the well-defined arms of a spiral galaxy . This is the brightest galaxy in Virgo, discovered in 1771 by Charles Messier . This massive, old galaxy contains almost 6,000 globular clusters .

Messier 58

Messier 58 Magnitude: 10.5 Distance from Earth: 62 million light-years Coordinates: RA 12h 37m 43.5s Dec +1149'05"

Messier 58 is a picturesque barred spiral galaxy, also discovered by Charles Messier in the 1700s. As another of the brightest galaxies in Virgo, this is a great target for amateur observers. Two supernovas were observed in this galaxy in the 1980s.

Butterfly Galaxies / NGC 4567 and NGC 4568

Two spiral galaxies merging together. NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 are also known as the Butterfly Galaxies. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA)

Butterfly Galaxies / NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 Magnitude: 10.9 Distance from Earth: 59.4 million light-years Coordinates: RA 12h 36m 34.3s Dec +1114'17"

The Butterfly Galaxies is a two-for-one special: two galaxies in one target! These spiral galaxies are slowly colliding with each other, originally discovered by William Herschel in 1784.

Messier 87

Messier 87 Magnitude: 9.59 Distance from Earth: 53.5 million light-years Coordinates: RA 12h 30m 49.42338s Dec +1223'28.0439"

Messier 87 is a particularly exciting galaxy. Although it appears as a bright blob since it's an elliptical galaxy, it's home to the first supermassive black hole ever photographed . The famous Event Horizon Telescope imaged M87's behemoth black hole in 2017, earning the black hole its name: Powehi, which means "embellished dark source of unending creation" in Hawaiian. M87 is a record breaker; it's one of the most massive galaxies in our neighborhood, the second brightest in Virgo, and one of the brightest in radio waves. Stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope show a massive jet of material shooting away from the center of this galaxy.

Sombrero Galaxy / Messier 104

Sombrero Galaxy also known as Messier 104. (Image credit: ESO/P. Barthel Acknowledgments: Mark Neeser (Kapteyn Institute, Groningen) and Richard Hook (ST/ECF, Garching, Germany).)

Sombrero Galaxy / Messier 104 Magnitude: 8.98 Distance from Earth: 23.9 million light-years Coordinates: RA 12h 39m 59.4s Dec -1137'23"

Messier 104 is famous for its resemblance to a sombrero hat, earning its nickname the "Sombrero Galaxy". This remarkable spiral galaxy is almost directly edge-on from our perspective on Earth, highlighting its bright central bulge and dense dust rings. This was a late addition to the Messier catalog, actually discovered by French astronomer Pierre Mechain in 1781.

Virginids meteor showers

According to the stargazing website Universe Guide , the Virginids are a group of meteor showers occurring throughout the Northern hemisphere's Spring in the constellation Virgo. Here are the various showers and when to watch them:

Pi Virginids: February 13 to April 8, peak approx. March 3

Eta Virginids: February 12 to March 27, peak approx. March 18

Theta Virginids: March 10 to April 21, peak approx. March 30

Alpha Virginids: March 10 to May 6, peak approx. April 7

Mu Virginids: April 1 to May 12, peak approx. April 24

Virgo mythology

In some stories, according to EarthSky , Virgo is Persephone, the daughter of the Greek goddess Demeter who ruled over the harvests. Persephone was kidnapped by the god of the underworld, Hades, and Demeter's grief caused crops to wither. Zeus, king of the gods, commanded that Hades return Persephone so that the harvests could once again be fruitful, with one catch  Persephone could not eat anything on Earth. Hades gave her a pomegranate to break the deal, and now Persephone must stay with Hades in the underworld for four months each year. Her return coincides with the start of springtime when the constellation Virgo is yet again visible in the Northern Hemisphere's evening sky.

In others, Virgo relates to Dike, the Greek goddess of justice. She is said to hold wheat in one hand, which in the constellation is the star Spica. Nearby Libra fits the theme as well, keeping the scales of justice nearby their relevant goddess. As with all constellation mythologies, various cultures created different stories of the sky; Virgo, for example, takes after Atargatis, the corn goddess, from Ancient Syria.

Virgo constellation FAQs answered by an expert

We asked Mathew Yu, an astronomy graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles, a few frequently asked questions about the Virgo constellation.

Mathew Yu Astronomer, University of California Los Angeles Tze (Mathew) Yu is a graduating PhD student at UCLA, working on understanding how extrasolar planets (planets outside of our solar system) arrive at their current locations around their own stars. By understanding other planets out there, he tries to understand how our solar system fits in the bigger picture of the universe.

Where is the Virgo constellation? Virgo is between the constellations Leo and Libra on the ecliptic.

How can you find the Virgo constellation? To find Virgo, the easiest way is to first locate the Big Dipper, which should be next to Polaris (the North Star ). Then, draw an arc extending from the Big Dipper's handle, until you find the bright star Arcturus of the constellation Bootes. If one then extends a line to the ecliptic, the brightest star of Virgo (Spica) should be visible just below the ecliptic. All that is left is to trace out the rest of the constellation!

How many stars are in the Virgo constellation? Depending on how many stars you include within the constellation, there are either 9 or 15 main stars. A few of them are double stars that are very close to each other. In the general area of Virgo, there are some 160 stars within the visible brightness of the human eye.

Additional resources

Explore the sky around the Virgo cluster with this image of the Coma Berenices constellation . Discover M9, a bright, spiral galaxy situated in the Virgo cluster of galaxies courtesy of NASA . See NGC 4388, a galaxy in the constellation Virgo in stunning detail thanks to this Hubble Space Telescope image .

Bibliography

Messier Objects (2021, January 31). Messier objects. Messier Objects. https://www.messier-objects.com/

Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Virgo. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Virgo

Garner, R. (2017a, October 19). Messier 49. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/messier-49

Garner, R. (2017b, October 19). Messier 87. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/messier-87

Garner, R. (2017c, October 19). Messier 104 (The sombrero galaxy). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/messier-104-the-sombrero-galaxy

Garner, R. (2018, March 16). Messier 58. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/messier-58

Lawrence, P. (2023, March 29). A guide to star Vindemiatrix, the lip of the bowl of Virgo. Vindemiatrix, the lip of the Bowl of Virgo | BBC Sky at Night Magazine. https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/vindemiatrix

McClure, B., & Whitt, K. K. (2023, May 16). Virgo the maiden in Northern Spring Skies. EarthSky. https://earthsky.org/constellations/virgo-heres-your-constellation/

NASA. (n.d.). Exoplanet-catalog  exoplanet exploration: Planets beyond our solar system. NASA. https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exoplanet-catalog/7134/psr-b125712-b/

Universe Guide. (n.d.). Virginids meteor shower (information, facts, when, where). Universe Guide. https://www.universeguide.com/meteorshower/virginids
He urged the powers that be to increase pressure on Libyan political leaders to reach a consensus on the constitutional framework and electoral laws required to hold presidential and legislative elections by the end of the year.

In his briefing to the UN Security Council on 19 June, Bathily reported that the 6+6 Committee, tasked by the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State (HCS) to finalise the electoral laws, had already reached an agreement on draft laws but that this step was not sufficient to resolve the most contested issues and enable successful elections.

The 6+6 Committee had met in Bouznika, Morocco, from 22 May to 6 June, in order to iron out some long standing differences over the laws. UNSMIL had assigned a technical team of electoral, gender and constitutional experts to advise committee members who announced their agreement on draft laws in the closing session on 6 June.

We have since seen a flurry of mixed reactions from Libyan stakeholders on the agreed text, indicating that key issues remain strongly contested, Bathily said. He pointed out that the High National Electoral Commission (HNEC) had officially expressed concerns about serious loopholes and technical shortcomings in the draft laws.

The most controversial provisions were four: the eligibility criteria for presidential candidates, the mandatory second round in the presidential election even if a candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the vote, the provision to cancel parliamentary elections if the first round of presidential elections failed, and the provision to establish a new interim government before elections can take place.

All those provisions, Bathily said, were highly contentious and require, first and foremost, a political agreement among the major stakeholders and key constituencies across the Libyan political spectrum. Short of this, related provisions in the laws would surely remain unimplementable and might even trigger a new crisis.

The only way to avert this gloomy prospect was through urgent steps to overcome persistent disagreements over those issues, which meant that Libyan decision-makers had to act in a spirit of compromise and put the interests of the Libyan people first and foremost. Without such compromises, the contested issues are likely to take the electoral process into a cul-de-sac, like in 2021, which will result in further polarisation and even the destabilisation of the country.

The UN special envoys remarks have raised doubts about the 6+6 Committee which, instead of sorting out the remaining differences, has thrown more obstacles in the path of the long awaited elections. Numerous talks have taken place between HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh and HCS leader Khaled Mishri and between representatives of the HoR and HCS in Cairo, Rabat and Geneva in the past two years.

Essentially, the participants managed to reduce their differences over the constitutional framework for elections to one area: the eligibility criteria for candidates in the presidential elections. As is clear from Bathilys briefing, the 6+6 Committee added several more differences which, moreover, would require considerable amounts of time and effort to resolve, probably making it impossible to hold the elections before the end of the year.

Ahead of his briefing to the UN Security Council, Bathily had met with the head of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohamed Al-Manfi, the Chairman of the HNEC Emad Al-Sayeh, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity Abdel-Hamid Al-Dbeibah, and the HNC leader Khaled Al-Mishri in Tripoli. Prior to that, he had met with the HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi. The purpose of these discussions was to resolve outstanding problems with the electoral laws.

In his meetings the UN special envoy stressed that UNSMIL was ready to work with the HCS and other Libyan stakeholders to improve the legal framework for the elections and to bring together all stakeholders in order to reach a consensuses on the different issues, according to a statement released by the Presidential Councils press office.

Al-Manfi agreed on the need for agreement among the main stakeholders over a consensual and inclusive framework that would lead to the elections to which the Libyan people aspire and that would end the syndrome of successive interim phases. In a similar vein, Al-Dbeibah stressed the importance of fair and implementable laws if the election process is to succeed and usher in the stability that Libyans long for.

On Sunday 18 June, Al-Mishri, for his part, insisted that the draft electoral laws produced by the 6+6 Committee were final and binding and welcomed by both houses. He added that should there be a need to amend them, which was unlikely, the amendment would have to be drafted by the 6+6 Committee. In effect, this was a reversal of his previous stance. At the time the draft laws were announced on 6 June, Al-Mishri suggested he had reservations.

While the draft laws announced by the 6+6 Committee triggered conflicting reactions inside Libya, they were enthusiastically welcomed across the Arab region, from Morocco to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq and even at the level of the Arab League. It is noteworthy, though, that neither Mishri or Saleh signed them, even though they had both travelled to Morocco for the signing ceremony.

In a letter to the HoR and HCS, HNEC Director Emad Al-Sayeh noted 12 observations about the draft electoral laws and stressed that they had not been presented in advance to the HNEC for its opinion. The 6+6 Committee denied this.

In the opinion of numerous political figures and parties, the draft laws fell short of expectations. In a joint letter, 61 MPs accused the 6+6 Committee of exceeding its remit and deviating from its task which was to agree on the outstanding points of difference related to the presidential elections. They also faulted the speaker of the house for signing or approving the outputs of the committee without referring back to parliament. Referring to another contentious provision, they insisted that no changes should be made to the number of parliamentary seats, and that the question of increasing or decreasing them should be left to the drafters of the next constitution.

Similarly, 54 members of the HCS declared their opposition to the draft laws which they described as invalid and unconstitutional. They too accused the 6+6 Committee of overstepping its authorities and called on all political forces and parties and civil society organisations to reject any potential consensus among the members of the committee on electoral laws if they made it possible for dual nationals, military officers and convicts to run for president.

The draft laws, a copy of which has been made available to Al-Ahram Weekly, will ease the eligibility criteria for presidential candidates in Libya while making them tougher for potential parliamentary candidates. Some provisions could create technical impediments to holding the elections, such as that stating that the elections had to be held within 240 days after the draft laws were passed. The provision calling for the establishment of a new interim government to oversee the electoral process would be particularly thorny since it would require the GNU to stand down. The current GNU prime minister has previously insisted that he would not step aside before elections.

If pressures fail to compel Libyan politicians to come to terms on the electoral laws, the UN may be forced to take the route of a new political dialogue forum. It is noteworthy, in this regard, that Bathily did not mention the possibility of creating a high level steering committee, an alternative he had proposed in his UNSC briefing in February. Moreover, after his briefing on Monday, the UK representative to the UNSC said her country would support a new Libyan Political Agreement. Preparing for a new LPA, should the international community approve that option, would take even longer than preparing for a new political dialogue forum.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 June, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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F oreign Secretary James Cleverly has defended a possible trip to China as he argued that international reforms cannot happen without recognising Beijings global financial influence.

Mr Cleverly confirmed last week that he is looking at the options for a potential visit to China  the first by a UK foreign secretary since Jeremy Hunt went in 2018.

Speaking on Thursday, the Cabinet minister said he believes the UK could exert influence over the Chinese Communist Party when it comes to international issues, as he vowed to address its human rights record and treatment of Hong Kong if he does make the trip to the Far East.

I very passionately believe that the UK has agency, we have a voice, we have influence, and we should try to utilise that

Mr Cleverly, taking questions after a speech given to think tank Chatham Houses London Conference, recalled a talk he gave at the Mansion House in April, where he said the UK needs to protect itself from China and build a strong network of allies while also engaging with the Asian superpower.

He said: I very passionately believe that the UK has agency, we have a voice, we have influence and we should try to utilise that.

And that is best done through direct engagement.

So the timing and the details of any trip that I might make to China are still yet to be decided.

But, as and when I do go, I will of course talk about the issues that I raised in the past their internal human rights activity, their attitude towards Hong Kong, concerns over the Taiwan strait, and others.

The Foreign Secretary has argued against isolating China, despite wariness in the West  including among China hawks on the Conservative backbenches  over the countrys growing assertiveness and refusal to criticise Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Cleverly, whose speech on Thursday focused on reforming multilateral partnerships, said he is aware that international reforms have to take into consideration Chinas financial links with developing nations.

One of the things that Im very conscious about is how many smaller and poorer countries are very heavily indebted to China, he said.

And if Im going to drive the reform that I intend to drive in the multilateral system, China is a very significant and influential player in many of those institutions.

And therefore engaging with them is an important part of the agenda Ive set out in this speech.

Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UKs foreign policy adviser, said Mr Cleverly would need to do more than talk if he is to use his possible visit to change Chinas attitude when it comes to the repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang and protest crackdowns in Hong Kong.

Without securing clear commitments that Beijing will stop these abuses, the Government risks appearing to ignore human rights abuses in the name of trade and security, she said.

Senior Tory Mr Cleverly argued during his speech that, with the world currently living through a turning point in the history of humanity, the make-up of the United Nations Security Council should change.

He said there should be permanent African representation and membership for India, Brazil, Germany and Japan on the international panel.

The Security Council currently has five permanent members  the UK, US, China, Russia and France  with 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

Mr Cleverly also pressed for reform of the World Trade Organisation to reflect the digital economy and said there needs to be a multilateral approach to regulation when it comes to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

He said the world is experiencing a period of dizzying and rapid economic, demographic, technological and social change and that broader coalitions are required to address those challenges.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded the Chatham House Prize for his response to the brutal and relentless onslaught to Ukraine and for having demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy.

He addressed the conference from Kyiv as ambassador Vadym Prystaiko accepted the award in person.

Mr Zelensky said: The Chatham House Prize for Ukraine is more proof that the world believes in Ukraine, believes in Ukrainian, believes in our victory.

I want you to know that we have success on the front line thanks to our historic soldiers and of course thanks to our partners, and the UK is one of the obvious leaders in this support.

Following his own speech, Mr Cleverly was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin facing an internal rebellion by the mercenary Wagner Group at the weekend.

The Foreign Secretary said the mutiny led by Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin was to a large extent an internal matter for Russia and Putin.

Their frictions are up to them. The leadership of Russia is entirely and exclusively an issue for the Russian people, he said.

We will not be distracted. Our commitment is to support Ukraine until they have recovered their sovereignty, and then help them rebuild and renew their country after the conflict, to provide them with the military and financial resources to do both of those things.

That is the plan. Were not distracted by these events. Were sticking with the plan.

Armed forces minister James Heappey, speaking at the same conference on Thursday afternoon, indicated that the upcoming defence command paper would be nerdy and focused more on the inner workings of the armed forces than on headline-grabbing announcements.

It is the way that the whole of the enterprise fits together that really brings credibility to your force.

Ben (Wallace) and I revel in the idea that this might be the most boring defence command paper ever, he joked.
T he Crown Estate is to pay even more money to the Treasury after benefiting from a massive licensing round for offshore wind power last year.

The company, which owns the seabed around the UK, said it made 442.6 million in net revenue profit in the year to the end of March, money that will go to help the public finances.

The sum was nearly 130 million more than the year before, mainly due to the fees that companies pay to be allowed to build wind farms off the coast.

Chief executive Dan Labbad said: Our enhanced revenue from the Round 4 offshore wind leasing programme reflects the immense amount of groundbreaking work we have undertaken over the past two decades, working in partnership across many sectors, to create a world-leading offshore wind market.

We are now focused on how we continue to maintain the UKs position as a global leader, including supporting other technologies, the supply chain, skills and jobs, all of which are vital to a net zero and energy secure future.

By working in partnership and remaining steadfast in our commitment to deliver, we are confident the Crown Estate can continue to enhance its contribution for the benefit of the nation, its finances and its future

In January, the Crown Estate signed new agreements for six offshore wind farms which will be able to power around seven million homes at their peak.

This will contribute around 1 billion per year to the Crown Estate, and adds to the UKs rapidly growing offshore wind industry.

There is currently around 10.8 gigawatts of offshore wind power installed in Crown Estate waters, enough for around 11 million homes, and more is being built all the time.

Last year the value of the Crown Estates marine portfolio, which mainly consists of offshore wind farms, reached 5.7 billion, an increase of 14% from the year before.

It is still not quite as valuable as the companys portfolio of London real estate, which decreased in value by 6.5% to 7.2 billion during the year. But wind power is becoming an increasingly big part of the companys portfolio.

Mr Labbad added: We are also laying the foundations for our long-term impact by seeking to address areas of national interest such as nature recovery, economic renewal and regeneration, the future of sustainable agriculture, and helping to secure Londons position as a world-class city.

While we have set out an ambitious strategy, we are not complacent about the challenges ahead.

By working in partnership and remaining steadfast in our commitment to deliver, we are confident the Crown Estate can continue to enhance its contribution for the benefit of the nation, its finances and its future.
T hames Water has chosen a new chairman just two days after its chief executive stepped down amid serious questions over the debt-laden companys future.

It came as the Government tried to calm the waters by saying that the utility has secure and committed funding, and reassured customers that their supply would not be interrupted.

Sir Adrian Montague, who was previously the chair of Anglian Water, will take over the role on July 10.

He takes over from Ian Marchant who announced in April he would step down when a successor was found.

Absolutely nothing is going to happen in terms of either their bills or their access to water, we have contingency plans  like we do in all of these network utilities  to manage any difficult situations

Sir Adrian currently chairs Cadent Gas, Porterbrook Holdings and Manchester Airports Group. He is set to step down from the latter in September.

On Thursday, Thames Waters struggles helped eyes to shift to the massive debt pile that the water sector has built up since privatisation.

Total debt in the sector hit 60.6 billion last year, increasing by more than 1 billion from the previous year, Ofwat said.

Late last year, the watchdog flagged four other firms whose financial health it was most worried about. These were Southern Water, Portsmouth, Yorkshire, and SES Water.

But ministers have reiterated that customers will not see their water supplies affected as a result of financial troubles.

Downing Street said water regulator Ofwat was on top of the issue, and that the Government was keeping it under observation.

Of course the Government is carefully monitoring this but it is for the regulator in the first instance, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said.

He added that while there are clearly issues with Thames Water, they have secure and committed funding.

Health minister Neil OBrien told Sky News: Absolutely nothing is going to happen in terms of either their (customers) bills or their access to water, we have contingency plans  like we do in all of these network utilities  to manage any difficult situations.

Senior Conservative Cabinet minister Mel Stride said on Wednesday that water will continue to flow whatever the outcome for the company.

Wading in on the saga, the Consumer Council for Water said the prospect of substantial bill rises to fund investment in the sector should come with a strong safety net to protect households that are struggling.

The group said that bill rises could come from companies investing more in environmental policies and improving water and sewerage services.

Thames Water, which is owned by a consortium of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, stressed that it is working with shareholders to secure the cash it needs.

The firm, which serves 15 million households, had a debt pile of 14 billion last year and the highest gearing level of all water companies  a key measure of a companys financial risk.

Meanwhile, the largest shareholder of Tideway, the company building Londons new super sewer, sought to stress that the project is independent of Thames Water.

International Public Partnerships Limited, which owns an 18% stake in Tideway, said that Tideway is a completely separate company to Thames Water.

Thames Water is set to operate and manage the tunnel when construction completes, due to be by 2024.
Cervest, a London climate intelligence firm hailed by the Government as one of the UKs 10 most exciting AI firms just three months ago has gone bust with staff left unpaid, the Standard can reveal.

All of Cervests more than 100 staff have lost their jobs. Its 71 UK employees havent been paid since April.

The collapse of a supposed AI champion is the latest dent in a London tech sector struggling with layoffs, falling valuations and dwindling investment. In particular, its a blow to Rishi Sunaks vision of making London a world-leading artificial intelligence hub, laid out at London Tech Week just days before Cervest entered administration.

It is maybe the biggest downfall so far in the UK AI sector, which had appeared to be the one area of tech in the country that was immune to the slowdown in funding as investors threw money behind artificial intelligence firms in the wake of ChatGPTs popularity. Yesterday, the capital received good news as the company behind ChatGPT, OpenAI, announced that London would be the home to its first international office.

On 29 March, the seven-week-old Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) listed Cervest among 10 UK companies at the forefront of AI in a social media post. The ten companies on the list, it said, were making exciting new discoveries that could transform our daily lives.

3) @CervestEarth



By harnessing the power of AI, Cervest Earths climate intelligence is able to analyse & forecast potential climate risks 



These useful insights will help align investment decisions with climate predictions for a more sustainable & resilient future. pic.twitter.com/uoOkV6cXV6  Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (@SciTechgovuk) March 29, 2023

It said Kensal Town-headquarted Cervest, which used AI to model businesses climate risks, would help align investment decisions with climate predictions for a more sustainable and resilient future.

But at the time, Cervest was behind on fully paying staff, after delays in previous months, messages seen by the Standard appear to show.

April pay was late too. Wages for May never arrived at all.

Cervest was declared insolvent last week, with administrators Interpath left to clean up the mess.

But the DSIT recognition was just one outward sign suggesting a company far from collapse.

Cervest, which had received positive coverage in leading media outlets, continued to hire through 2023, with listings still going up in May. Former employees told the Standard that they received assurances that the firm had the funds to last into the second half of 2023, or beyond.

Last month, it announced a partnership with Accenture, taking part in an accelerator led by the consulting and IT giant. Days later, Cervest hailed work performed for DIY giant Wickes. Both of those events came after the last time UK employees were paid.

Cervest said it had agreed a partnership allowing it access to an Accenture-led accelerator barely a month before it was declared insolvent / Cervest

The companys website and social media promote a webinar that was meant to take place yesterday. It did not occur.

Founder and CEO Iggy Bassi told the Standard these actions reflect the fact insolvency wasnt on the cards.

In a message seen by the Standard, Bassi told staff in December of last year that Cervest had secured the first part of a two-phase funding deal with a group of investors including former T-Mobile boss John Legere, former Microsoft executive Mike Slade and prominent tech investor Zen Matoshi, who all joined the Cervest board.

Bassi told the Standard Cervest was confident more funding was imminent up until collapse. He didnt reveal whether this would have been from Legeres group.

Former employees said leaders told them additional funds from Legere fell through just before Mays announcement that they wouldnt be paid.

A group led by Legere was registered as a creditor of Cervest in a fixed charge filed in early May.

But staff say Bassi didnt explain Mays pay depended on funds that hadnt arrived. They fear hell start another firm with similar issues. Filings show he was named director of newly founded Earthena.ai last week, alongside Cervest general counsel Raj Mahapatra

A spokesperson for a group of ex-board members, including Bassi, said: Cervest has spent the last seven years, developing market-leading technology and expanding its operations globally in a drive to answer the critical issues facing our climate, and gained a lot of positive attention from businesses, governments, media and investors.

Throughout this time the company and its board has placed huge value on the people within its business, ensuring that even through the recent, and very tough economic times, that staff have been supported - with jobs maintained and new roles created.

Were incredibly disappointed that external and unforeseen factors outside of Board control, have led to the unfortunate situation of Cervest going in to administration and staff not being paid.

We have tried incredibly hard to ensure this did not happen and worked up to the eleventh hour to find a solution to keep the company moving forward and to meet its liabilities. Regrettably a viable solution could not be found.

Finding workable positive responses to the climate crisis is incredibly important, and AI has a huge role to play in supporting business to make real impact.

However, the financial requirements to develop the tools, technology and expertise is no small undertaking, and it is this investment challenge that has led to the position that Cervest finds itself in today.

We have tried incredibly hard to ensure this did not happen and worked up to the eleventh hour to find a solution to keep the company moving forward and to meet its liabilities.

The administrators said: "The business had raised over $40m of investment through a number of funding rounds to develop and bring its EarthScan platform to market. However, its latest funding round encountered significant challenges.

"Given the cash burn in the business and the funding requirements to operate the company and service existing contracts, the directors sought to explore options, including seeking alternative investment, as well as a potential sale of the business. Unfortunately, a solvent solution could not be found, and so the directors made the decision to seek the appointment of administrators."

The administrators have since sold Cervests intellectual property rights to rival Mitiga. Under the fixed charge, the business linked to Legere was the secured creditor for these assets. The intellectual property sale helped to wipe out debts associated with its connections to Cervest.

A DSIT spokesperson said of the list: This is an example of the many business case studies which are used widely across government departments.

It would be wrong to conclude the referenced post is anything more than an illustrative piece.

Legere, Slade and Matoshi could not be reached for comment.
I n years to come, this week could be seen as a turning point in the UKs housing crisis. A big claim, I know. But bear with me while I explain. It is the laudable decision of Prince William to put his head above the parapet on an issue as difficult as homelessness, and embark on a five-year mission to end it, that could finally provide the housing game-changer this country needs.

It has the genuine potential to reframe and refresh the terms of a stale national debate. In my 20-plus years in frontline politics, the housing policies of all main parties have mainly revolved around promises to do three things: build more homes, promote home ownership and help first-time buyers.

But the housing crisis has only grown bigger every year in the four decades since the right-to-buy revolution set this limited agenda as the new Westminster orthodoxy.

Ill be honest  it was only when I left the Commons in 2017, and began to look at housing policy from the grassroots up, that I finally appreciated the full human scale of the housing crisis.

Like Prince William, I had decided to make a big promise: to end rough sleeping in Greater Manchester. On my first day in office I set out on an early morning walkabout of Manchester city centre. And so began a journey of much deeper understanding.

Almost immediately, issues with zero visibility in Westminster, or decidedly off-limits, forced themselves to the top of my agenda: the damaging effects of right-to-buy; the failure to build social housing to replace homes lost; the poor standards in private-rented homes; the ease with which private landlords can evict people from them; and freezing the Local Housing Allowance (or housing benefit).

It is in Manchester and London where the complex interplay between these five issues has the most devastating impact.

I can remember Budget Days in the House of Commons when chancellors would stand up, promise to freeze housing benefit and bouquets would be thrown from the press gallery. What I didnt see then, but know now, is alongside the back-slapping in Whitehall there would be simultaneous teeth-gnashing in town halls. That is where the desperate families unable to pay the rent, and evicted by their landlords, would soon be turning up.

In an era when social housing is scarce, it is vital that benefits keep pace with private rents. When that stops, we quickly fall into big trouble.

Since the last freeze in 2020, thousands of children have been made homeless. In Greater Manchester, the number of households in temporary accommodation stands today at 5,000; in London, it is a staggering 58,000. By my guess, this means at least 10,000 children in Greater Manchester, and around 100,000 in London, are living in extremely basic conditions; for instance, a single family room with a sink in a house with shared bathroom facilities. It goes without saying that this is a totally unsuitable environment for children and often many miles from where they go to school. Last week, I visited a secondary school in North Manchester which has set up its own housing project because it is so worried about the welfare of its students in temporary accommodation.

Freezing housing benefit has bigger consequences in London and Manchester because this is where rents are generally rising fastest. Back at the time of the freeze, 30 per cent of rented properties here were affordable to people in receipt of it. Now that figure stands at four per cent. In London, it has dropped from 14 per cent to five per cent. The small number of homes available are generally in a terrible state of repair.

Michael Gove is at least facing up to these issues. In March, we signed a new devolution deal with his department which gives us greater power over housing. We now intend to introduce a new Good Landlord Charter, a right for residents to request property checks and tougher conditionality on landlords in receipt of public money through the benefits system. London should be given exactly the same power to act. But the bigger answer for us both is a halt to right-to-buy and the ability to build the many more council and social homes we both need.

For too long, Britain has been looking at its housing crisis through the wrong end of the telescope. The intervention by the Prince of Wales may just be the thing which turns the telescope around.

Andy Burnham is the Mayor of Greater Manchester
Despite the good intentions and financial pledges of the Brussels conference, a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis remains elusive, writes Karam Said

Brussels hosted the seventh Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region on 14 and 15 June. Attended by various European nations, Syrias neighbours, and delegates from the UN and other international organisations, the conference was primarily intended to galvanise financial, humanitarian and political aid, providing support to countries that host Syrian refugees.

The Brussels conference, held at the European Parliament headquarters, announced an additional aid package of $10.3 billion to Syrians suffering from hunger, poverty, and the terrors of war in their homeland. The European Union also pledged to furnish an initial sum of $600 million in 2024, with a commitment to augment the allocation in the ensuing months, along with the addition of supplementary contributions.

The conference was held amid a series of field and political developments in the Syrian arena. The most prominent of these are the reverberations of the devastating earthquake that struck northern Syria on 6 February, causing colossal losses in terms of both lives and infrastructure.

The UN estimated that the total damages and losses inflicted by the earthquake in Syria are approaching a staggering $9 billion. Other estimates reported that recovery efforts in the affected areas require around $15 billion of funding.

On 13 May, Amnesty International called upon the UN to continue providing aid through the border crossings between Syria and neighbouring countries, which constitute a lifeline for millions of people affected by the earthquake and are crucial for their survival.

The Brussels conference also coincided with renewed popular protests in Syria, sparked by a decline in economic indicators, deteriorating living conditions, and a persistent devaluation of the local currency. Three UN organisations have described the needs in Syria as enormous, stating that only one-tenth of the required funding has been secured thus far for 2023 projects aimed at assisting Syrians in their country and those who have sought refuge in neighbouring regions.

Against this backdrop, the Brussels summit was convened to provide support for Syria despite the Western powers hardline stance on the Syrian regime.

While the US Treasury Department announced a new set of sanctions related to Syria in late May, targeting the Al-Fadel and Al-Adham exchange companies, the European Union said on the eve of the conference that its policy towards the Syrian regime will not change until a political solution to the crisis is reached.

On 16 June, Josep Borrell, the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, announced that the European Union must maintain, too, our commitment to justice and accountability for the crimes committed over what is now more than a decade of conflict The EU is already considering how it can support a new mechanism that, we hope, will be created by the UN to discover the fate and the whereabouts of those missing, and to support victims families.

Borrell added: Let me be clear: the conditions are not in place for the European Union to change its policy on Syria, Member States are united on that. It will maintain and has recently actually intensified its targeting by sanctions of the Syrian regime.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian Revolution in 2011, Western powers have levied sanctions on individuals and entities affiliated with the Syrian regime, in addition to the declaration by Washington and European capitals of efforts to normalise relations led by some countries with the Syrian regime.

Moscow had taken the lead in endeavours to normalise the relationship between Ankara and Damascus, and Arab-Syrian relations have recently seen notable improvements, as evidenced by Syrias reinstatement as a member of the Arab League, in addition to the advancement of Damascus ties with its Arab neighbours, much to the chagrin of Western powers.

Despite the relative success Europe achieved in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the conference faces several challenges. Foremost among these is the deterioration of Syrian conditions at home and abroad.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said over 14 million Syrians have fled their homes since 2011, with approximately 6.8 million still displaced in Syria, where almost the entire population lives below the poverty line. Additionally, there are some 5.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. The UNHCR reported that the Syrian war has resulted in 500,000 deaths, and has displaced millions of individuals, both internally and as refugees.

The second challenge facing the conference is the escalation of hardline Western positions towards the Syrian regime, as they endeavour to isolate and exert pressure on the Assad government. This is manifested in their continued support of the experiment of the autonomous administration, led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the regions east of the Euphrates, which could contribute to perpetuating the idea of a divided country, or at the very least reinforce the notion of Kurdish autonomy in northern Syria, thereby weakening the centralisation of the Syrian state.

Western countries, including Germany, France, and the UK, reject any rapprochement with Bashar Al-Assad. In a joint statement issued last March, the three countries, along with Washington, declared that they would neither normalise relations with the Al-Assad regime nor lift the sanctions imposed upon it. The statement accused the Syrian regime of perpetrating crimes against its own people and allowing terrorists to threaten regional security.

The German Special Envoy to Syria Stefan Schneck said in mid-May that sanctions against the Al-Assad regime remain in place, and that Germany has not normalised relations with Damascus due to its policy of supporting illicit drug trafficking in the region.

Other challenges facing the Brussels conference include the continuing violence and counter-violence in Syria between the regime and its opponents, in addition to the proliferation of armed and terrorist groups that have recently resumed their activities.

Together, these challenges pose a significant obstacle in the way of any efforts to assist Syria. Ongoing local protests that have arisen in response to dire economic conditions may further distract attention away from addressing these challenges, and instead focus efforts on internal concerns.

Hence, while the Brussels conference is crucial for Syria, it is unlikely that it will put the brakes on the ongoing economic, political, and humanitarian deterioration. This is due to the continuing conflict between the regime and its opponents, as well as among various terrorist groups and theirs. In addition, the divergent visions and interests of international and regional powers involved in the Syrian crisis, each with its own unique and narrow agenda, have hindered the settlement of the Syrian crisis and prevented the realisation of a radical solution.

The Syrian conflict has exhausted both Syrians and the region, but a comprehensive solution to the crisis remains elusive.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 June, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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T hree have become two. Not long after yesterdays Evening Standard hit Londons streets, Daniel Korski dropped out of the race to be the Conservative candidate for mayor, following claims that he groped television producer Daisy Goodwin in Downing Street. Mr Korski denies the allegations, but says they have made it impossible for him to carry on.

Such a decision seemed inevitable, given the pressure placed on the former special adviser. But his departure reinforces the question that adorned our front page: have the Tories given up on London?

To disprove it, the Conservatives must not allow this crisis to go to waste. The party has the opportunity to reopen its selection process and draft in a new candidate. One who Londoners not only might be able to pick out of a line-up, but whose values chime with a young, vibrant city. That could be Justine Greening or Rory Stewart but it doesnt have to be a former Member of Parliament. Tory HQ must use its imagination, show a bit of ambition and make clear that theyre not afraid to pick someone who might sometimes disagree with Number 10.

Otherwise, they risk rolling out the red carpet for a third Sadiq Khan mayoralty by default.

Rwanda setback

Securing value for money ought to lie at the heart of any government policy. That is, it seems, except when it comes to the Rwanda scheme. And ministers faced a further setback this morning as the Court of Appeal ruled that Rwanda is not a safe third country.

The reality is that this is a policy for headlines and moving images rather than to address a serious matter of public policy. The latest Government analysis shows that each illegal migrant sent to Rwanda will cost 169,000. Britain has already paid the country 140 million despite no one having actually departed. The Prime Minister has made stopping small boats one of his five key pledges. The Home Secretary says it is her dream to deport migrants to Rwanda. They should focus on solutions that work.

Praying for Madonna

Shes not a pop star, a diva, or even an icon: she is simply Madonna. So news that she has been forced to postpone parts of an upcoming tour after spending several days in intensive care has rocked her millions of fans.

Madonna is revered not only for her music but in every decade for being in control of her image, fighting misogyny and, more recently, ageism. Get well soon, Madge.
T he war for the survival of Ukraine enters another critical phase as its summer offensive gathers momentum. The fighting along the 620-mile front is tough, with the Russians relying on huge defences, tank traps and ditches, and the Ukrainians searching for a weak point to make a decisive breakthrough.

The withdrawal of Wagner mercenaries, and the dust storm raised in Rostov and Moscow by their swashbuckling boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, have proved a welcome distraction. But it doesnt seem to have weakened the Russian forces on the front line.

Prigozhins comic opera mutiny may be over but for him the show goes on. He is still ahead of the curve in the information and publicity game. Bloggers and supporters yesterday reported him back in Moscow negotiating the handover of heavy weapons, and talking to military commanders. No doubt he lost no opportunity to slam the performance of Russias military command in the war, and by implication the political leadership  without mentioning Vladimir Putin by name, of course.

There is something of a mystery about how Prigozhin has been behaving. It is evident that he tipped off US and British intelligence that he was about to pull Wagner fighters back from Ukraine into Russia. It was as if he wanted to know how the allies and Ukraine might react, and how it would change the war. Washington and Whitehall knew two days ahead of the march into Rostov last Friday.

This suggests that the Wagner chief has good contacts in the West  though there is no sign that Western nations helped him. His continued immunity also suggests that he might have support, or sympathy at least, among the Russian forces and security services. Putin denounced him as a traitor who had to be crushed in his panicky television address. Yet within hours he was being offered a pardon and his troops safe passage to Belarus.

Recently Prigozhin has been close to General Sergey Surovikin, the former Russian commander-in-chief in Ukraine who has not been seen for days. The Pentagon believes that Surovikin was told by Prigozhin what he was about to do.

On the ground in Ukraine the Russian campaign continues with familiar cynicism. Cities and civilians are targeted by drones and missiles. The latest horror show was hitting a well-known pizza parlour in the eastern city of Kramatorsk. The bombardment of the cities aims to tie up air defences like the US Patriot systems so they cannot be used to protect the front-line forces now moving into the main phase of the summer offensive.

Ukrainian forces need the support of modern attack aircraft and attack helicopters

Ukrainian forces are advancing at some half a dozen key points. They need the support of modern attack aircraft like the F16 and attack helicopters such as the Cobra or Apache. Why the potency of the attack helicopters wasnt factored in by Western advisers and trainers seems a critical lapse. President Biden cannot afford to dither on this much longer.

Ukrainian ground forces have now crossed the Dnipro into Kherson, and in the east captured a village in Donetsk garrisoned by Russians and separatists since 2014.

Momentum is gathering and the Ukrainians appear to be preparing to commit their main force and reserve in the next few days. It will be make or break  for this year, at least.

This is why the allies need to up the tempo of support. The test for the Wests resolves comes in a fortnight at the Nato summit in Vilnius.
Review at a glance









D iscussions of Isabelle Hupperts latest thriller should come with a trigger warning. What happened to real-life union rep Maureen Kearney, in 2012, was horrific. What she endured over the next five years was also barbaric. And if you like full-on happy endings stop reading now. Kearneys story can be summed up by the phrase no good deed goes unpunished. And in playing the role, as youd expect, 70-year-old French icon, Huppert, is magnificent.

In 2011, frosty, fragile, uncannily glamorous Kearney (Irish in real life, but played here as 100% French), is holding her own at nuclear engineering firm, Areva. When an Areva official, Luc Oursel (Yvan Attal), delivers a patronising comment about female employees, Kearney cuts him down to size with a deliciously-timed intake of breath (its plain as day: she thinks hes a tosser).

A few weeks later, he becomes the head of the company. Soon shes given information that implicates Oursel in a dodgy deal to expand Chinas role in the nuclear energy industry (a deal that will be disastrous for Arevas workers) and she prepares to share that news with the powers that be.

Instead, shes assaulted in her home. A man covers her head, ties her to a chair and uses a knife to carve the letter A on her abdomen, before shoving the handle of that knife into her vagina. As she later tells the police, I thought hed disemboweled me. I felt my intestines on my knees. Unmoved, the detective on the case, (Pierre Deladonchamps), decides Kearney staged the whole thing. Weaponising details from Kearneys traumatic past, he charges her with wasting police time.

In one of many quietly visceral scenes, Kearney is faced by a placid and implacable doctor, wielding an 8cm speculum. Later, she stands in court while a female judge subtly denigrates her for being the kind of woman who doesnt wear panties under her stockings. At no point is a link made between this narrative and The Scarlet Letter, (Nathaniel Hawthornes 1850 novel about an adulteress forced to wear the letter A as a badge of shame), but both the book and the film induce shivers by exposing the gross misogyny of so-called respectable establishment figures.

Id be the first to admit La Syndicaliste isnt perfect (much of the camera-work is anonymous; there are multiple loose ends). But the nuclear force of Hupperts performance makes such gripes irrelevant. La Syndicaliste shows how easy it is to destroy the lives of low-paid workers and those who represent them. No Gallic shrug from Huppert. She gives a damn.

In cinemas from June 30

122mins, cert 15
J ulian Sands was a charismatic actor who was genuinely fearless, a close friend and colleague has said.

Mike Figgis, who directed the late British actor in eight films and was close with his family, said Sands had been very secure in himself and he had found his boldness endearing.

Sands death was confirmed on Tuesday, after human remains found in the Mount Baldy area of the San Gabriel mountains, in southern California, were identified as his.

The actor had been missing for over five months, after not returning from a hike in January.

Multiple searches by local authorities had been unsuccessful, with poor weather conditions hampering efforts since March, and his remains were found by civilian hikers on Saturday.

Figgis told The Guardian that the first time he had met Sands at a casting meeting in 1987, the actor had been pushy but he had been tickled by his enthusiasm.

Ive never met anyone like him, he said.

He was so pushy but I found his boldness very endearing. He was wrong for the role but I was very tickled by his enthusiasm and we became friends.

Figgis said Sands was basically his ensemble having made the first of their eight films  The Browning Version  in 1993 and the last  Mother Tongue  in 2020.

Julian was conscious of the power of his charisma and his looks, in an impish, devilish kind of way, he told The Guardian.

Ive never met anyone like him... He was so pushy but I found his boldness very endearing... I was very tickled by his enthusiasm and we became friend

And perhaps because he was so handsome, he was very secure in himself.

He added that Sands had been genuinely fearless, going to inspect the foundations of his Los Angeles home during the aftershock of an earthquake in 1994.

He had been known for his love of the outdoors and hiking in the surrounding areas, and was considered an experienced and competent mountaineer by his friends.

The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, who spearheaded searches for Sands, said that a total of eight searches specific to the actor had taken place by both ground and air.

The most recent search had involved over 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies, and staff, with their efforts supported by two helicopters, and drone crews.

The department added that volunteer searcher hours had exceeded 500.

The past five months have been a kind of strange hiatus. It has been pretty clear from very early on that he wasnt coming back, Figgis told the paper.

But for me, the convention of closure, which has now come, brings with it a release of emotion. The realisation that he really has gone and we will not meet again.

So Im saying goodbye to my friend. I will miss him terribly.

Sands was best-known for his breakout role in the 1985 romantic period drama A Room With A View, in which he starred alongside Helena Bonham Carter.

He later transitioned successfully to the horror genre, with appearances in films including Gothic, Warlock and Arachnophobia.

From 1984 to 1987 the actor was married to future Evening Standard and Today editor Sarah Sands, with whom he shares a son.

He also has two daughters with journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990.
C hrissy Teigen says her heart is officially full after welcoming her fourth child with John Legend via surrogate.

The US model thanked her surrogate, Alexandra, for the incredible gift as she announced the news on social media.

The couples baby boy is called Wren Alexander Stephens, in tribute to the surrogate.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, Teigen, 37, said she had always wanted four children and referenced the pregnancy loss she and Legend suffered in 2020 when they were expecting another son.

After losing Jack, I didnt think Id be able to carry any more babies on my own, she wrote.

In 2021, we reached out to a surrogacy agency, with our first correspondence inquiring about perhaps having 2 tandem surrogates, to each bring us a healthy baby boy or girl.

At this time Teigen said she had told Legend that she wanted to try to carry just one more time and they restarted the IVF process to conceive their daughter Esti, who was born in January.

The couple had also met Alexandra, who was the most incredible, loving, compassionate surrogate we could ever imagine, Teigen said.

We want to say thank you for this incredible gift you have given us, Alexandra, she wrote.

And we are so happy to tell the world he is here, with a name forever connected to you, Wren Alexander Stephens.

Our hearts, and our home, are officially full. And to our Jack, we know both their angel kisses are from you.

Teigen and Legend also have a daughter Luna, seven, and son Miles, five.
M adonna  the Queen of Pop and a modern day icon  has spent several days in an ICU after developing a serious bacterial infection.

Her worldwide Celebration Tour, which was set to kick off on July 15, has been subsequently postponed.

Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected, said Madges manager, Guy Oseary. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour.

We will share more details with you soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows.

Here, to celebrate Madge, and wish her a speedy recovery, weve picked 15 of her best songs, from some of her greatest early tracks to the ones that helped reassert her dominance decades later.

15. Dont Cry For Me Argentina (1996)

People are often quick to dismiss Madonnas acting career, but her performance in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rices Evita saw her pick up a Best Actress gong at the 1996 Golden Globes. She wanted the part of Eva Peron, late Argentinian First Lady, so badly that she wrote a four page letter to the director and subsequently underwent vocal training for the part. It may not be the definitive version of the song (stand up Elaine Paige), but Madge gives it some gusto  and she even provided something the world never knew it needed: an obscenely Nineties dance remix of the song. JT

14. Hung Up (2005)

Madonnas output this side of the millennium has been somewhat patchy  her 2003 album, American Life, was entirely underwhelming, and the less said about her Justin Timberlake collaboration 4 Minutes, the better. This song, though, the lead single off her 2005 album, Confessions on a Dancefloor, proved she could still come through with the hits. Its electrified by that bracing sample of ABBAs Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, set against flashes of New Orders Blue Monday in the thumping techno-pop production. It stormed to the top of the charts around the world and, all of a sudden, Madonna was a pop force to be reckoned with once again. JE

13. La Isla Bonita (1987)

Lets get this straight: holiday romances rarely end well. Stop eyeing that dark and handsome waiter right now and listen to Madonnas cautionary tale of falling head over heels for San Pedro  who is either a bloke with a saintly moniker, or a picturesque lump of rock in the Iberian peninsula. Either way, were caught up in the romance of it all, whispering sweet nothings to ourselves. AB

12. Vogue (1990)

What are you looking at? Just one of the most iconic music videos of the last forty years. Madonna is in full-on siren mode in this homage to both the screen starlets of decades past and the underground dance form that flourished in New Yorks LGBT club scene. Strike a pose all you like, youll struggle to be as chic as anyone in this video, let alone the Hollywood legends who glitter in the songs rap section. Should you even be reading this if you dont know what Harlow, Jean is the picture of and where Ginger Rogers dances? AB

11. Frozen (1998)

Cold, dark and beautiful, Frozen was an expression of Madonnas feelings of "retaliation, revenge, hate and regret". It was inspired by the 1990 film Sheltering Sky, which tells the story of a couple who are trying to save their marriage in North Africa. Top of the charts for weeks in 1997, the award-winning video was filmed deep in the Mojave Desert and sees the Queen of Pop strive to portray the "embodiment of female angst". In a nutshell, its the definition of the word "dramatic". LA

10. True Blue (1986)

Forget the fact she looks like Pat Butcher in the music video, this chirpy tune from Madonnas third album (also titled True Blue) is a veritable smile party. It was her first husband, actor Sean Penn, that inspired lyrics that fuse the medical profession and sartorial choices, such as: "Youre the one Im dreaming of/ Your heart fits me like a glove." Alas, Madge and Penn ended up going their separate ways after just two years of marriage, but their brief, tumultuous union inspired a truly excellent pop song. JT

9. Justify My Love (1990)

Notorious. Sexy. Controversial. Justify My Love is a trip-hop, mid-tempo spoken word ode to sadomasochism that still remains one of Madonnas most alluring, unforgettable and mesmerising lyrical masterpieces to this day. Why? It oozes sex, stirs drama and commands your attention in the raunchiest and most natural way possible. Fiercely criticised and in some countries banned, Justify My Love ticks all the boxes.

The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Prince-collaborator and protege Ingrid Chavez, who famously culled half the songs lyrics from a love letter she never mailed to Kravitz. Responding to the once-banned videos controversy (MTV thought it was too sexually explicit), Madonna on Nightline said: "Were dealing with sexual fantasiesAnd being truthful and honest with our partner, these feelings exist. Im just dealing with the truth here." Madonna also expressed anger at the videos banning, arguing that she did not understand why the music network still allowed videos that contained violence and degradation to women to continue to get regular airplay. As a result, the video was released on VHS and became a best-selling video single. Kudos to her. LA

8. Holiday (1983)

Holiday featured on Madonnas self-titled album and became her first big hit in the States. The lyrics are hardly the most profound thing Madonna would ever sing  If we took a holiday/ Took some time to celebrate/ Just one day out of life/ It would be, it would be so nice  but to think too deeply about it would be to miss the point. Its a joyously simple song, an infectious piece of synthy, saccharine funk thats made for those breeziest of holidays  the ones where the schedule is loose, the sky is cloudless and the wine is flowing. And, like any great pop song, that hook will linger in your head long after the holiday is over. JE

7. Ray of Light (1998)

Twenty years ago, Madonna went electric. Well, electronic to be precise. After a period mid-Nineties wilderness, Ray of Light  the album and its title track  saw Madonna not only tighten her grip on her Pop Queen throne but also set her sights on conquering new lands. Soaring, euphoric and eminently danceable, Ray of Light married underground contemporary EDM with a mainstream, catchy pop structure, and set the soundtrack for almost every hedonistic party scene broadcast on television for at least three years. AB

6. Borderline (1983)

This Eighties classic from Madonnas first album is pure joy. The video features Madonna being so annoyed at men that she kicks a lamppost, and shes sporting what is still her greatest look: grungy glam, with big hair, big earrings and big hats. She sings "I dont want to be your prisoner, so baby wont you set me free", firmly placing herself as a strong woman who wont put up with any nonsense. Only bangers this good can stand the test of time  you dont get keyboard intros like that anymore  and its since been covered by everyone from Duffy to the Counting Crows. JT

5. Into The Groove (1985)

This isnt just any dance track  this is the Madonna dance track. The beatbox anthem Madonna dreamed of writing when she squatted and ate out of garbage cans while living in New York, Into the Groove shot to the top of the charts around the world. On the inspiration behind the song, Madonna revealed: The dance floor was quite a magical place for me... The freedom that I always feel when I'm dancing, that feeling of inhabiting your body, letting yourself go, expressing yourself through music." The song never fails to do what it says on the tin: get you into the groove. And yes, were dancing to it in the office right now. LA

4. Material Girl (1985)

The song that spawned a thousand lazy headlines. Not long after Madonna released this song in 1985, Material Girl had become her go-to moniker in many parts of the press. Its ironic, really, seeing as Madonna claimed to be anything but. She later said in an interview that she decided to present this version of herself, unbothered by true romance but obsessed with anything diamond-encrusted, as a provocation  its a tactic that has rarely been left out of the Madonna playbook, so youd be inclined to believe her. Whether the song is a deceptively simple satire or simply a reflection of the world she saw around her is up for debate, but one thing is for sure: its a ridiculously catchy tune. That chorus lands with one of the best known hooks of the Eighties, and Nile Rodgers production is pneumatically bouncy. JE

3. Like A Virgin (1984)

Rewind to an infamous 1984 VMA performance and youll understand why Like A Virgin was met with so much controversy. A woman totally in control of her sex life on and off stage? The shock. The horror. Damned by the media and condemned by the Catholic church, Like A Virgin is Madonnas definitive statement track and arguably made her the feminist icon she is today. Heck, it was so controversial countless family organisations throughout North America complained that the song promoted unsafe sex before marriage.

Madonnas response? "People were thinking 'who was I pretending to bethe Virgin Mary or the whore?' These were the two extreme images of women I had known vividlythe Virgin Mary and the whore as one and all. It was a statement of independence: if you wanna be a virgin, you are welcome. But if you wanna be a whore, it's your f******g right to be so." The empowered legacy of Like A Virgin is unquestionable, so much so that some universities in North America began to offer courses in Madonna studies throughout the 1990s. Its also a touch ironic that the songs music video was filmed in the centre of Catholic conservatism, Venice  well leave it to the academics to decipher that. LA

2. Papa Don't Preach (1986)

The world was a very different place 37 years ago, back when this song  about a young womans pregnancy and her grapples with the prospect of abortion  was first released. If such a topic were to be tackled in a pop song now, wed hope it would ruffle a few less feathers (though following the Supreme Courts 2022 ruling, who can say?). The song drew criticism from those in America who thought it glorified teenage pregnancy and even offended the Vatican to the extent that Pope John Paul II begged people in Italy to boycott Madonnas live performances in protest. Looking back now, its easier to read its feminist message  its about a woman who had made a decision on her own, without the need for her fathers approval. JE

1. Like A Prayer (1989)

When the sacred met the sexual. Its highly documented that Madonna has been obsessed with the connection between sex, sexuality and religious iconography and no song shows this obsession more so than the 1989 smash Like A Prayer. Its sexual and religious ambiguity is riddled within the songs eyebrow raising lyrics: "Im down on my knees/I wanna take you there."

The video is a cleavage-riddled epic of blasphemy, which sees Madge suggestively posed with a hot black saint statue, experiencing the stigmata and dancing in front of burning crosses. A day after the video's release, religious groups worldwide  including the Vatican  immediately protested, saying it contained obscene use of Christian imagery. Others demanded everyone involved in its making, promotion and sponsorship to be boycotted. Hey  it wouldnt be a Madonna song without a little bit of controversy, now would it? LA
A n Afghan man described how a drivers actions saved us all during a small boat crossing in the English Channel in which four people were known to have died, a court has heard.

Ahmrullah Ahmadzi was travelling in a boat with 46 people on board and told jurors how the vessel was travelling for around two hours with water pouring in, starting at his ankles and eventually reaching his knees.

But it was the actions of the driver that saved us all, he told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court.

The court was hearing the first day of prosecution evidence in the trial of Ibrahima Bah, a Senegalese national, of no fixed address, who is accused of four counts of manslaughter and for piloting a vessel facilitating unlawful entry to the UK on December 14 2022.

Bah, who denies the charges, sat in the dock accompanied by an interpreter.

Mr Ahmadzi, aided by a Pashto interpreter, said: The driver kept saying dont worry, calm down, I will take you there.

The boat carried on driving because if the boat stopped, we would have drowned much quicker because the length of the waves was getting bigger and bigger.

It was the fault of the passengers who didn't listen to the driver, the driver was trying to help us, but they didn't listen

It was the drivers help, if he didnt help us we would have all died.

He said the drivers last push to get the sinking boat near a fishing boat where people were able to cling on until rescue teams arrived was what saved us all.

The witness also added that it was the stupidity of people in the boat who stood up which had caused the boat to collapse.

He added: To be honest, it was the fault of the passengers who didnt listen to the driver, the driver was trying to help us, but they didnt listen.

There was water everywhere, there was screaming and shouting, saying we are going to die

The court heard evidence earlier from an Afghan teenager who was also on board the dingy, who said that everyone was screaming and that he began washing himself with seawater for his last rites as he thought he was going to die.

There was water everywhere, there was screaming and shouting, saying we are going to die, he said in a video police interview recorded in January and shown to the court.

The witness added: Because the boat collapsed onto itself and  some of the people, some of them were trapped inside, some of them managed to get out and some were inside and the boat was going down.

The Afghan youth, whose uncle paid 1,500 euros for his safe passage from Dunkirk to the UK, also shared how the group was taken by traffickers to the water at around 1am, getting them to carry the boat and engine to the waters edge before sending them off.

He said how three traffickers who organised their journey were pushing and kicking people, including him, to hurry up to get on the boat as police were coming.

Both witnesses told of how no trafficker came with them on the blown-up dinghy.

The Afghan teenager also told officers he did not see who was controlling the engine and that on the boat everyone was by themselves praying to stay alive.

But he thought that it was an African man driving the boat.

Asked by Kent police officers what they expected from the crossing, the Afghan teenager said it was common knowledge among those in the boat that once they entered British waters they would be rescued.

The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to last four weeks.
F our members of a criminal gang behind a 4.5 million ram raid spree  including one smash-and-grab raid using actor Richard E Grants car  have been jailed.

William Connors, 29, Darren Eastaugh, 36, Anthony Rodwell, 33, and Sebastian Gnyp, 37, were all tied to a series of incidents where stolen luxury vehicles were used to smash into commercial properties.

Cash machines were ripped out, jewellery snatched, and cash boxes stolen before the criminals fled.

Met Police

CCTV captured the shocking moments Land Rovers and Range Rovers were reversed at speed through the front of the shops, before thieves on foot entered to collect the valuables.

Withnail and I star Grant revealed in December 2021 that his car has been stolen and used to ram-raid a Tesco Express in Hanworth, west London, while he was stuck in a quarantine hotel.

Woken at 4am - police called to report that my car had been stolen and used to ram-raid a Tesco Express! Like my pal @EricIdle is wont [sic] to warble ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE! he wrote on Twitter.

Anthony Dylan Rodwell / Met Police

At Isleworth crown court, the four defendants admitted involvement in a total of 14 burglaries and 33 thefts as well as three attempted burglaries and an attempted theft.

The break-ins happened between 14 November 2021 to 19 August 2022 at locations in north and west London, Dorset, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

Darren Eastaugh / Met Police

Three of the men were caught by Met Police officers during a cash box raid at an Esso petrol station and Tesco Express outlet in Reading on August 19 last year.

The fourth man, Gnyp, was arrested the following month as detectives pieced together the evidence.

Scotland Yard said the estimated value of the thefts was more than 1.2 million and damage caused to vehicles and property totalled 1.8 million. Business owners who was forced to shut for repairs put their losses at almost 1.5 million.

Sebastian Patryk Gnyp / Met Police

At sentencing on Thursday, Connors, from Hayes, west London, and Eastaugh, of Feltham, were jailed for six years and six months each.

Rodwell, who lives in Ashford, Surrey, was jailed for five years and ten months and Gynp, of Ealing, was jailed for three years.

Footage of the burglaries demonstrates the ruthlessness in which the men used the cars as battering rams to access shops tills and cash machines, said Detective Constable Pippa Bregazzi, from the Mets Flying Squad.

William Bill Connors / Met Police

They had absolutely no thought for the victims of their crimes and it was clear they would have continued to target vehicle owners and shops across the south of England unless they were stopped.

I am glad they have now been brought to justice and will spend a lengthy time in jail.
A missing 16-year-old has been rescued from a gang following a county lines drugs bust.

The child, who had travelled from Croydon, had been missing for two days but was found at an address in Dundee following a Met and Police Scotland under Operation Orochi last November

The four men arrested at the address were jailed for a total of 14 years at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday after police found supplies of crack cocaine, heroine and a stash of knives at the Dundee property.

A stash of knives was also found at the address / Met Police

The four arrested and jailed were:

* Malik Paul, 26, of Dynevor Road, Hackney, who was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment;

* Michael Nwadire, 28, of Balmore Crescent, Barnet, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment;

* Dylan Newman, 21, of no fixed address, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment;

* Ellis Davey, 22, of Springfield Avenue, Merton, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Detective Constable Jamie Helps, from Operation Orochi, said: This sentence sends a message to drug dealers that Op Orochi has no borders and we will work relentlessly with our colleagues across the UK to bring you to justice.

Drugs devastate communities and destroy lives, but these men did not care about this as long as they made money.

The public may believe that county lines does not have a wider impact on communities, but the consequences of this type of criminality should not be underestimated.

On November 14, 2022, the 16-year-old was reported missing to the Operation Orochi team.

Two days later, officers arrested Davey at an address on Strathmartine Road, Dundee. He was found with 100 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.

Newman was arrested in possession of an active class A drugs line at a secondary address on Strathmartine Road.

Police then arrested Paul and Nwadire at an address on Monifieth Road.

Since 1 April 2022 Orochi, working closely with Rescue and Response, have conducted 23 operations, rescuing 33 children from county lines and charged 31 individuals with modern slavery offences.
A brazen predator who raped children and lone women over a five-year period has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Leon Alexander, 31, was apprehended after raping a girl in north London, which led to him being found guilty of previous crimes.

Police were called last March by the girl, aged in her mid-teens, who had been raped after leaving a block of flats in Joyce Avenue, Edmonton.

Officers launched an investigation and seized CCTV, which provided an image of a man matching the girls description of her attacker.

The image was circulated among police and Alexander, of Allington Avenue in Tottenham, was identified, arrested, charged, and remanded to prison.

Detective Constable Rebecca Mussington, who led the investigation, found Alexander had been arrested on suspicion of sexual offences on previous occasions, but charges had never been brought by the CPS.

This included a rape in 2010, involving a woman Alexander had been speaking to online.

He took the victim back to an address in Tottenham where he raped her. An investigation had been carried out at the time and he was arrested and interviewed, but there had not been enough evidence at the time to charge him with the offence.

Alexander had also been charged with a sexual assault in 2017 in Edmonton, in which he followed a woman he knew out of a shop and assaulted her behind a car before she managed to run away.

On that occasion he had given her his mobile number, which meant police were able to identify and arrest him shortly after the offence.

DC Mussington passed both the files to the CPS again, who this time agreed to charge him for both offences.

Following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court in April, Alexander was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault by touching and one count of sexual activity with a child.

The judge said Alexander had demonstrated indiscriminate and unpredictable sexual behaviour, and there was a risk of repetition should he not be jailed for an extended period of time.

DC Mussington said: Leon Alexander is a dangerous and opportunistic predator who targeted a child and lone women. He was extremely brazen in his offending, carrying out his assaults in open spaces where they could have been seen by any passing member of the public.

Following the attacks he would often try and exchange messages with the victims, trying to have light-hearted conversations in order to make it appear as though what had happened was consensual and not serious.

The victims and witnesses in this investigation have been incredibly strong and it is down to them that Alexander has now been convicted. The seriousness of his abhorrent crimes is reflected in this lengthy sentence.

She added: We know women and girls suffer significant amounts of harm every day, mostly at the hands of men. My priority  and that of every officer and member of staff  is to target those like Alexander who commit this kind of violence.

Anyone who is victim or witness to sexual assault should contact police. There is zero tolerance for such serious offences and we have specially trained officers who will listen and investigate where needed.
The worlds first lipstick. The first modern perfume. A pivoting toothbrush. The original Nivea cream and serum. Not to mention the intimate secrets of Queen Elizabeth II. These are some of the treasures held in Guerlains first archive, which brings stories from the iconic French cosmetic companys sensational past to life.

Guerlain gave The Associated Press exclusive international media access to its newly opened archive, a warehouse of wonders shrouded in secrecy and hidden from public view by Paris Seine River. Its a gem of documents and mysterious objects spanning three centuries, each with a unique history of its own.

Yet what is perhaps most remarkable about the collection is that the company founded in 1828 that invented modern perfumery had not assembled it before.

Its what we call our little secret, said Guerlain heritage director Ann Caroline Prazan, who sifted through a mine of artifacts to create the archive in a years-long labor of love. It was hard to whittle down 18,000 pieces to just 400 from so many years but we did it ... Some of the pieces are so fragile, Im scared to touch them.



first lipstick 1870 AP

The ambitious project exists thanks to Prazans passion  and patience. Through a mist of perfume, she reels off vignettes about Guerlains innovations and famous patrons, including French Empress Eugenie, Josephine Baker, Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy, Barbra Streisand, Margaret Thatcher and the late British queen.

As Prazan turned to handle the collections most prized object, a lipstick created in 1870 and housed in a contemporary looking gold bullet, she carefully took off her white gloves as if performing a sacred ritual.

Its so modern, she whispered, her finger carefully operating a push-up mechanism to reveal a dark Bordeaux wax pigment still intact after 153 years.

The refillable lipstick has a remarkable story, like everything else in the archive seems to. An employee of Aime and Gabriel Guerlain was walking in a street and happened upon the store of a candlemaker, whose wax and colored pigments gave him a eureka moment.



parfum for Eugenie for her wedding to Napoleon

At the time, women used tubs of colored powder to paint their lips with a clunky brush. Seeing the candlemakers tools gave the Guerlain employee the mad idea of creating a waxy, lip cosmetic as a stick, Prazan said.

That small object revolutionized womens makeup forever, she said.

Prazan also procured the worlds first ever lipliner, also in sleek gold casing, and a third stick  that an one Associated Press journalist could not identify. It turned out to be a liner that women used to paint the veins on their arms and necks blue, a popular technique women used in late 19th century Paris to appear paler. Thankfully, Prazan said, it has gone out of fashion.

That Guerlain is a family-run house across five successive generations is perhaps one reason why the pieces that make up the archive were fastidiously kept. The company was bought by luxury conglomerate LVMH in 1994 but has managed to keep its unique identity.



perfume box 1889

Innovation, including beyond the sphere of perfume, is the brands hallmark. Among the archival treasures is the patent for a pivoting toothbrush. Documents revealed a 1845 design that looked like a precursor to todays electric toothbrush.

A tub of moisturizing cream called Nivea that was whisked out of a drawer told another tale that connected past and present. The cream, which contained ingredients to whiten the skin of European women, was sold off by the house and sed to create the skincare company of the same name.

Then there is the old bottle of Jicky, the worlds first modern perfume. Created in 1889, it revolutionized the market with the concept of a scent cocktail  not just one note like previous fragrances - that featured hints of spice, lemon, lavender, wood and vanilla. It also included synthetic ingredients and is the worlds oldest continuously produced perfume.



patent for first pivot toothbrush 1845

Sometimes the collection seems less like an archive than a potted timeline of the key moments of the worlds historical figures.

Queen Elizabeth II, featured in a photo on the wall wearing in a glamourous white fur stole, was such a fan of Guerlains LHeure Bleue perfume, legend has it, that she emptied a bottle and filled it up with the oil from her 1952 coronation. It was kept for years, such was the late monarchs emotional attachment to the scent.

From another archive shelf, a bottle for a different perfume gleamed with allure. Prazan says the fragrance was created for the baptism of the queens uncle years before he became King Edward VII  and famously abdicated the throne for love.

While the archive is an secret affair, the brand has created an exhibit open to the public for the 170th anniversary of its most famous design, the Bee Bottle. The exhibit, called Chere Eugenie, is on view at Guerlains Champs-Elysees shop until Sept. 4.

There, the original Bee Bottle  a historical artifact  is on display like a crown jewel with light reflecting off hand-painted bee reliefs. It was created in 1853 for the nuptials of Empress Eugenie and Napoleon III.

The bee was the French imperial emblem and also the emblem of Clovis, first king of the Francs. It has come to represent Guerlain to this day.

For the bottles anniversary, 11 international artists and actors, including Charlotte Rampling and Audrey Tatou, created a series of photographs inspired by the Bee Bottle.

A foot in the past with eyes to the future seem to define Guerlain, a mantra its longevity has forced the company to perfect.

I plan well into the future, easily 100 years away, Prazan noted after putting away her nearly 200-year-old objects. I know the house will be around for that long, long after were gone. How many people can say that?

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A disgraced former Met police officer who raped a woman and then searched the police database to see whether she had reported him has been jailed for four years.

PC Ireland Murdock, 27, was found guilty of rape and computer misuse at a hearing at Inner London Crown Court.

Murdock, who patrolled the streets of Camden and Islington, was off-duty when he raped a woman who was known to him on September 25 2021.

The survivor reported the rape to police on January 9 2022 and Murdock was arrested two days later.

The jury heard that after the report was made Murdock searched for the victims name on a police system and accessed a restricted crime report relating to her, when he had no policing purpose to do so.

He was sacked from the force on July 15, 2022 after a gross misconduct hearing.

Chf Supt Andy Carter said: Murdock committed an absolutely atrocious offence, and caused his victim a lot of pain and fear. He betrayed everything we stand for and I am disgusted by his actions.

I would like to thank the victim for her courage and bravery in coming forward. I would also like to thank those who investigated him for building such a strong case that led to him being found guilty.

We took immediate action to suspend Murdock from duty when his offending came to light and we dismissed him at the earliest opportunity as soon as he pleaded guilty to unauthorised access to computer material.

We are determined to have a Met that the public can trust, with officers that people feel confident to approach. When someone fails to meet these standards, we will take action to remove them from our organisation.

Murdock was also added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing.
A Metropolitan Police officer has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in the sea following his stag do.

Sergeant Laurence Knight, 34, is said to have met the woman, a stranger, in Brighton city centre in the early hours of July 17 2021.

Prosecutors said the pair walked to the beach together, stripped down to their underwear and ended up in the sea, where sexual activity took place.

Knight, of Leyton, east London, was charged with rape and sexual assault following the incident, and denied both charges.

The Met suspended him from duty.

He was found not guilty of rape by a jury at Southwark Crown Court following more than seven hours of deliberations. Jurors were not asked whether that verdict was unanimous or a majority decision.

He was convicted of sexual assault by a majority of 10 to two.

He will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

The woman had earlier been out for dinner and drinks and was with a friend when they came across a jovial group of men who seemed confused about where to go as they were on a night out and the pubs were closing, the court heard.

In her police interview she told officers Knight wanted to go into the sea and she did not wish to but he persuaded her, telling her it was his stag night, he was meant to be having fun but it was turning into a rubbish night.

Jurors heard that the defendant looked as though he was going to cry so the woman said yes and took off her dress because she did not want it to get wet.

Knight went behind the woman in the water and moved her underwear, which is when the alleged sexual activity took place, the court was told.

The woman said she repeatedly told Knight to stop and reminded him that he was getting married in two weeks, jurors heard.

Afterwards, jurors heard, the woman got dressed, told her friend what had happened and called 999.

She claimed a friend of the defendant told her: Larry wants me to tell you that hes sorry.

She said she has experienced a range of feelings since that night, including feeling sick and being unable to sleep or eat properly.

In his evidence to the jury, Knight claimed it was the woman who suggested going into the sea and she who first touched his penis.

He said he then touched her vagina for a few seconds, thinking it was consensual, before she made the comment about his imminent wedding and they returned to the shore. He denied he had any intention to penetrate her.

Asked during cross-examination why he went into the sea with her, he replied: Quite honestly, I quite enjoyed having the attention. It was a very spur-of-the-moment request from her, it was not discussed before.

Having had some alcohol and being the stag and being the one that everything was deflected towards, I suppose the phrase is peer pressure.

Asked who the peer pressure was coming from, Knight said: I may have applied it myself.

The court heard that he tried to send the woman a Facebook message on July 21 that year, saying: You are not (the woman) that went for a dip in the sea on Friday whilst her guy friend looked after her bag?

The defendant, who worked for a charity and as a teacher before joining the police, told jurors he had sent the message to acknowledge I was embarrassed. She was younger, perhaps less mature and she was the one that stepped in and stopped it going any further.

He said he later deleted the message because he became worried that his fiancee would see it.

He also told jurors his initial reaction to his arrest was believing he was being subjected to an extended prank from the stag do.
A man in his 20s was stabbed to death in Nunhead and had his e-bike stolen.

Scotland Yard launched a murder investigation after the man was killed near a childrens playground in Nunhead Green, the centre of the south east London suburb.

The man, in his 20s, was rushed to hospital by a member of the public shortly after 9.20pm on Sunday.

The victim was suffering multiple knife injuries and despite the efforts of hospital staff he died at 9.30am on Monday.

Scotland Yard said enquiries into the murder are ongoing and there have been no arrests so far.

DCI Laurence Smith from the Mets Specialist Crime Command said: We are in the very early stages of this investigation and my team are working diligently to piece together the events that led to this man losing his life.

I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of Nunhead Green at around 9.20pm on Sunday night and who saw any of this incident to get in contact.

You may have information that could prove vital to this investigation.

DCS Seb Adjei-Addoh, responsible for policing in Southwark and Lambeth added: I understand the concern that this incident will cause among the local community; another young man has lost his life to knife crime on our streets.

You will see an increased police presence in the Peckham area over the coming days. This will include local community engagement officers who are there to listen and act on any concerns from our communities.

Any witnesses are asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting CAD 7706/25Jun. To remain anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
C ampaigners and ministers remain locked in a legal battle over the Rwanda deal in the wake of the latest court ruling.

The decision, in favour of several asylum seekers and a charity fighting against the Government policy, was largely seen as a surprise but by no means signals the end of the court case.

What was the Court of Appeals ruling?

The Court of Appeal ruled the Governments plan to deport migrants to Rwanda is unlawful amid concerns over the east African nations asylum system.

In a majority decision, judges overturned an earlier High Court ruling that said Rwanda could be considered a safe third country.

The Government said it will seek to appeal against the ruling, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying he fundamentally disagrees with the decision.

This was echoed by Home SecretarySuella Braverman, who said she is fully committed to the policy.

Havent we heard this before?

Sort of. This is just the latest stage in a long running series of legal challenges.

The first deportation flight  due to take off on June 14 last year  was grounded following a series of objections against individual removals and the policy as a whole, including last-minute rulings from the Court of Appeal and European Court of Human Rights.

Eight asylum seekers, along with charities and the PCS union, brought legal action against the plans to give people one-way tickets to Rwanda and the case was heard by the High Court, which handed down its judgment in December.

The case was then considered by the Court of Appeal after hearings in April, with judges delivering their ruling on Thursday.

How will this affect the Governments efforts to curb Channel crossings?

Thursdays judgment throws into doubt a key aspect of the Prime Ministers pledge to stop migrant boats crossing the Channel and reducing the number of people seeking asylum in the UK.

It will add to already mounting delays to the Governments plans to send migrants to Rwanda as it means no flights can be scheduled until the outcome of further court proceedings, or until changes to the asylum system in Rwanda are made as directed in the latest court ruling.

Has the Government spent money on the policy so far?

Yes, Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million under the deal, Home Office permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft previously confirmed.

The department also reportedly spent 163,000 on then home secretary Priti Patels trip to the capital Kigali to announce the deal, as well as at least 22,000 on trips for officials to discuss the agreement.

A further 300,000 was spent on the first deportation flight which was grounded amid legal challenges, the Times newspaper said.

Additional costs  like legal fees, staffing and other resources, as well as the cost of Ms Bravermans first visit to Rwanda as Home Secretary earlier this year  are yet to be disclosed.

What does the Rwandan government think?

A spokeswoman for the administration said it takes issue with the Court of Appeals ruling, adding: Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world.

Yolande Makolo said: Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost.

When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support theyll need to build new lives in Rwanda.

What happens next?

Any appeal against the Court of Appeals decision could potentially go to the Supreme Court.

If the Government does seek an appeal to the Supreme Court, the first step will be to ask for permission to appeal  a preliminary step based on whether a potential challenge is arguable.

Under the rules of the UKs highest court, Home Office lawyers will first need to ask the Court of Appeal for this permission, and if refused they are then given the chance to ask the Supreme Court directly.

Supreme Court challenges typically also require that the case involves a point of law of general public importance to be identified.

The rules of the Supreme Court say there is a 28-day time limit on asking for permission to appeal in the majority of civil cases, though this can be extended.

Announcing the Court of Appeals decision, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said there is a deliberately tight timetable to deal with the consequences of the judgment, in part so any appeal bid can be decided promptly.

If the Government is given the go ahead to bring a Supreme Court challenge, lawyers for both sides will appear before up to five justices at the court in Westminster, with a further decision in writing to follow.

Any decision at the Supreme Court may then be challenged at the European Court of Human Rights, although whether that happens in this case remains to be seen.
R ape suspect Nicholas Rossi has told his extradition hearing he could not raise his arms above his head, despite visibly doing so the previous day.

Rossi, 35, is facing extradition in connection with a string of rape allegations in the US, which he is accused of faking his own death to evade.

Giving evidence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, Rossi said he is not able to raise his arms above his head because he is so unwell.

But in court on Wednesday, Rossi raised his hand on two occasions in order to attract the attention of his defence agent Mungo Bovey KC.

He also said he is not paralysed but claimed his leg muscles have been so badly atrophied he is unable to walk or support himself.

Rossi also refuted claims by HMP Edinburgh GP Dr Barbara Mundweil about his use of an electric wheelchair.

In her evidence on Wednesday, Dr Mundweil said there is no medical reason for Rossi to use a wheelchair and that while he uses an electric wheelchair in court, he uses a manual version in prison.

He said: The entire population of HMP Edinburgh would testify that fellow prisoners push those in wheelchairs.

They are called pushers and they are paid 2.50 per week.

Advocate depute Alan Cameron put to Rossi that no-one can trust a word he says against the background of the extradition and he will say anything to avoid it.

Rossi replied: I have considered going to the United States to simply prove I am not Nicholas Rossi.

He also claimed he has been neglected and mistreated to the extent he has suffered physically and psychologically.

During cross-examination by Mr Cameron, Rossi was unable to answer a question about his parents names.

He claimed documents relating to his birth parents are in the custody of an individual in Ireland.

He added: Prior to that law (birth tracing Act) being enacted, it was illegal for an adopted adult to ascertain those records (in Ireland).

He told Mr Cameron he will submit the documents when they are in his possession.

Rossi then repeated a series of claims, saying he is the victim of a conspiracy by the Crown Office, and made serious allegations about Utah state prosecutor David Leavitt.

Later on Thursday, the court heard from two Utah lawyers who speculated on the kind of sentence Rossi might receive if he is successfully extradited.

Joshua Baron, a criminal defence lawyer based in Salt Lake City, said that Rossi could be sentenced for five years to life in prison if he is convicted of obstructing justice.

Rossi was first arrested in December 2021 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where he had been receiving care for Covid-19.

He does not consent to his extradition and insists he is Irish orphan Arthur Knight  but he was found by a court last year to be Rossi.

The hearing before Sheriff Norman McFadyen continues.
L ove Island winners Ekin Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti have split just months after winning the ITV2 dating show.

In a statement released on Instagram, Davide confirmed that his relationship with Turkish actress and model Ekin-Su, 28, was over.

Ekin Su and I are no longer together.

I am grateful for the memories and opportunities we shared together and I wish her nothing but the best.

I would like for everybody to respect the decision during this difficult time. I will continue to support Ekin in anyway possible.

Ekin-Su has not yet commented publicly on the split.

The couple were very popular in the Love Island polls, winning 63.7 per cent of the public vote.

Culculoglu recently revealed that she struggled with her mental health while competing on Dancing On Ice earlier this year, but had to pretend everything was fine.

She said she found work commitments mentally draining and needed to take some time out for herself by going to the Maldives with Sanclimenti, where she could forget about the stuff online.

She told Cosmopolitan: There have been things in my life that I cant mention now that have affected my mental health for a while.

I had to keep smiling and pretend everything was fine.

This was during Dancing On Ice when there were things in the background  not relationship related, by the way  (they were) work related that was very hard.

I couldnt say anything. It was mentally draining. That was one of the tough times.

It took me a while to get back out of it Your mental health is your priority.

After my trip to the Maldives with Davide, we turned off our phones, we didnt check the internet.

He was helping me forget things (and) the stuff online.
M ore than 300,000 extra nurses, doctors and other health workers will be trained in England over the coming years as part of radical plans to fix chronic staffing issues in the NHS.

Ministers will launch the biggest recruitment drive in the history of the NHS over a 15-year period to address the growing number of vacancies in the health service.

There are currently more than 112,000 vacancies across the NHS in England and health leaders have warned that improving staffing levels is key to addressing the backlog in elective care and improving wait times in A&E, both of which reached record highs earlier this year.

Recruitment and retention are also among the key issues cited by unions for a wave of industrial action that has swept the NHS in the past nine months, with doctors and nurses complaining of high levels of stress and burnout due to staff shortages.

Officials have warned that, without action, there could be 360,000 vacancies in the health service by 2037.

Backed by 2.4 billion of Government funding, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will aim to:

 double the number of medical school training places to 15,000 by 2031, with more places in areas with the greatest shortages

 increase the number of GP training places by 50% to 6,000 by 2031

 almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, with 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places per year by 2031.

Officials say the plans set out, along with new retention measures, could mean the health service has at least an extra 60,000 doctors, 170,000 more nurses and 71,000 more allied health professionals in place by 2036/37.

Alongside the plan, officials have asked the doctors' regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), and medical schools to consult on the introduction of four-year medical degrees, which are five years at present, and medical internships, allowing students to start work six months earlier.

Student nurses will also be able to begin work as soon as they graduate in May, rather than waiting until September.

The NHS will also offer more training places through degree apprenticeships so that staff can earn while they learn. Officials estimate that one in six (16 per cent) of all training for clinical staff, including doctors, nurses and other health professionals, will be offered through degree apprenticeships by 2028, including 850 doctor apprenticeships.

Health leaders have also agreed that the plan will be revised every two years to respond to changing needs across the service.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: The publication of our first-ever NHS long-term workforce plan now gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put staffing on sustainable footing for the years to come.

As we look to adapt to new and rising demand for health services globally, this long-term blueprint is the first step in a major and much-needed expansion of our workforce to ensure we have the staff we need to deliver for patients.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the plans show the Governments determination to support and grow the workforce.

Senior doctors and health leaders welcomed the plans but called on ministers to release further detail on where and how the money will be spent. The full details of the plan are yet to be released.

Dr Adrian Boyle, the president of the Royal College of Medicine, said: This is the first of its kind and we hope that this will be the sustainable footing on which an adequately staffed and resourced NHS can be built.

The longevity of this plan recognises that the improvements needed will take time  there are no shortcuts to delivering quality.

Richard Murray, Chief Executive of The Kings Fund said the publication of the plan could prove to be a landmark moment.

The plan comes after years of chronic NHS staff shortages, as well as existing staff being stretched thinly. Our analysis shows just how deeply a new approach is needed as we compared the UK to international healthcare systems and found the UK has strikingly low levels of key clinical staff, with fewer doctors and nurses per head than most of its peers.

Of course, the plan needs to be delivered but the commitment to updating the plan every two years provides hope that it will be a lasting way out of the recurrent workforce shortages that have plagued the NHS over decades. The future projections of workforce supply and demand it provides should help politicians and policymakers to lift their heads up from immediate crises and consider the long-term challenges coming down the track.

NHS unions said the release of the plan marked a moment where all players begin to shift to discussing meaningful and long-term solutions before the staff shortages bite even harder.

Pat Cullen, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: You cannot recruit your way out of a retention crisis and we wish to see detailed plans to keep the experienced staff needed to make any proposals work, and how it intends to make nursing an attractive profession to join.

The plan must not forget that effective ways to attract people into the profession is to pay staff fairly and demonstrate there are options for career progression.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting accused the Tories of adopting Labours plan to train more doctors and nurses, claiming they had no ideas of their own.

They should have done this a decade ago - then the NHS would have enough staff today.

Instead, the health service is short of 150,000 staff and this announcement will take years to have an impact.

Patients are waiting longer than ever before for operations, in A&E, or for an ambulance. The Conservatives have no plan to keep the staff working in the NHS, no plan to end the crippling strikes, and no plans to reform the NHS.
T he King and the Mayor of London have activated a climate clock which counts down the time left to balance global greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the Earth heating more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists have said that achieving this is vital to ensuring a safe and liveable planet as even sticking to 1.5C offered just a 50-50 chance of avoiding catastrophic tipping points that would heat the Earth beyond human control.

Almost every country has agreed to meet this target as part of the Paris Agreement in 2015, but experts have warned that after eight years the world is still not on track, with warming of around 2.7C currently predicted by 2100.

The climate clock has a countdown of six years and 24 days, at which point experts say the world will have used up the carbon budget for keeping to the Paris Agreement and the Earth will inevitably heat beyond 1.5C.

Mr Khan, alongside the King on stage at the Climate Innovation Forum in London, activated the clock with a large red button made from plastic washed up on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, which will be recycled into a plant pot and given to the King.

There are 150 versions of the clock around the UK, across London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Southampton.

A dominating image of the countdown will also broadcast in Londons Piccadilly Circus for five days.

Nick Henry, chief executive and founder of Climate Action, said: We are honoured to be joined by His Majesty King Charles at the Climate Innovation Forum for the national climate clock switch on, during London Climate Action Week.

This powerful illustration of the scale of the climate emergency also reminds us there is still time to avert disaster.

Mr Khan joined the King on stage at the Climate Innovation Forum / PA

We need to align all actors  governments, cities, investors, businesses, and civil society  to move at speed and at scale.

It is vital that we embrace the pro-growth opportunity of the net-zero transition and turn ambition into transformational action.

The King also met climate change minister Graham Stuart, who said on stage: We can be proud of the fact that we have decarbonised more than any other major economy on Earth.

But its not enough, and thats one of the reasons why were funding innovation.

Im pleased to announce today that weve awarded 80 million to companies developing new clean technologies through our net-zero innovation portfolio.

The King met some of these innovators, who are creating solutions to environmental problems, such as Futraheat, which works to capture and reuse waste heat from industrial processes, and Arda Biomaterials, which turns feedstocks into materials for fashion, home goods and other industries.

Pascal Soriot, chief executive of AstraZeneca, said on stage: This is not only a crisis that will happen in 20 or 30 years, this is a crisis that is here today.

The pandemic globally cost seven million lives. And, of course, its an awfully large number of people dying from Covid.

But actually, pollution and climate change cost us seven to nine million lives every year.

And some people would think OK, well this is something that is happening in faraway countries due to flooding, drought, extreme temperatures, but it is actually here, its affecting us all.
A missing teenage girl who travelled from Barnsley by train before vanishing at a London house party has been found safe and well by police.

Carmelle Hepi, 13, was reported missing by her desperately worried family after she disappeared just after midnight on Sunday.

Police said she was in the company of an older male in an appeal released on Wednesday.

Three men, all aged in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of kidnap on Tuesday.

A fourth man was also arrested but no further details were given.

One man remains in custody and the other three have been bailed pending further inquiries.

Scotland Yard said Carmelle was found in the London area.

Lambeth borough police tweeted: Were delighted to say that 13-year-old Carmelle Hepi has been found safe and well. This was a complex and fast-paced inquiry by specialist detectives.

We would like to thank everyone who supported our appeals.

Met detectives established that she left Barnsley station on a train to London Kings Cross St Pancras arriving at 6.09pm on Saturday.

It is believed she then attended a birthday party with fellow teenagers in Watling Street, Peckham before leaving with another group in a car at 11pm.

Police believe she has also visited addresses in Croydon, Lewisham and Purfleet in Essex.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO on Wednesday to send Ukraine a clear signal at a summit next month that it can join the military alliance when Russia's war on his country ends.

In a speech to parliament on Ukraine's Constitution Day, he suggested global leaders should stop thinking about how Moscow would react when making decisions about Ukraine and described Russia's political and military leaders as "bandits."

He then set out what Kyiv expects of the July 11-12 NATO summit in Lithuania after holding talks in the Ukrainian capital with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. "We understand that we cannot be a member of NATO during the war, but we need to be sure that after the war we will be," Zelenskyy told a joint press conference. "That is the signal we want to get -- that after the war, Ukraine will be a member of NATO."

Zelenskyy said Kyiv also hoped to receive security guarantees at the summit to help protect Ukraine until it is accepted as a NATO member.

Duda said Poland and Lithuania were doing all they could to help Ukraine secure its goals as soon as possible. The two countries are big supporters of Ukraine, and Vilnius is buying NASAMS air defense systems for Kyiv from a Norwegian company.

"We are trying to ensure that the decisions made at the summit clearly indicate the perspective of membership. We are conducting talks on this issue with our allies," Duda said. Though Ukraine wants to join as quickly as possible, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is divided over how fast that step should be taken.
F ive new rainbow-coloured plaques are to be installed across London, as the capital prepares to hold its annual Pride parade on Saturday.

The plaques will be dedicated to significant people, places and moments in the citys LGBTQ+ history.

They will be placed in Greenwich, Peckham, Westminster, Ladbroke Grove and Haringey, after the London LGBT+ Forums Network and Studio Voltaire received funding from the Mayors Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm and Wandsworth Oasis.

They form part of a national scheme to identify hidden and lost LGBTQ+ heritage and celebrate the importance of the communities in our public spaces.

There are currently only two such plaques in London - one for Oscar Wilde at Clapham Junction Station and one for the 1985 film My Beautiful Laundrette on Wilcox Road, Vauxhall.

The new plaques, to be installed over the coming months, will mark:

Beautiful Thing at the Greenwich Tavern  a celebration of the landmark 1996 coming out and coming-of-age film that was set in Thamesmead and Greenwich. The plaque will be unveiled on Sunday 23 July along with a special screening of the film at Greenwich Picturehouse.

at the Greenwich Tavern  a celebration of the landmark 1996 coming out and coming-of-age film that was set in Thamesmead and Greenwich. The plaque will be unveiled on Sunday 23 July along with a special screening of the film at Greenwich Picturehouse. Black Lesbian and Gay Centre , Peckham  the first centre established in Europe to provide advice and support to the community.

, Peckham  the first centre established in Europe to provide advice and support to the community. Jackie Forster , Westminster  honouring the life of the hugely influential journalist and activist who helped to found social group and long-running publication Sappho.

, Westminster  honouring the life of the hugely influential journalist and activist who helped to found social group and long-running publication Sappho. London Lighthouse , Ladbroke Grove  a pioneering centre and hospice for people with HIV and AIDS offering a respite for people marginalised or abandoned following their diagnosis.

, Ladbroke Grove  a pioneering centre and hospice for people with HIV and AIDS offering a respite for people marginalised or abandoned following their diagnosis. Section 28, Haringey Civic Centre  the site for a number of protests after the council launched the first of its kind Lesbian and Gay Unit to highlight and support the rights of LGBTQI+ communities.

The announcement was made by Mayor Sadiq Khan at his annual Pride reception at City Hall on Wednesday evening.

London is a beacon of inclusion and diversity around the world, but we still have work to do to ensure that our public spaces fully reflect the many different communities that make up our great city, said Mr Khan.

As we look ahead to our capitals Pride celebrations this weekend, Im delighted to announce that five new rainbow plaques will be installed across our capital in honour of significant people, places and moments in LGBTQI+ history.

These plaques are a symbol of the enormous contribution that our LGBTQI+ communities make to all our lives and I hope to see many more installed in the future as we build a fairer, more equal city for everyone.

Designs for some of the new rainbow plaques set to go up across London / Greater London Authority

Earlier this week, Transport for London unveiled three Pride-themed wrap designs on a bus, Overground train and Elizabeth line train.

The wraps show a diverse group of Londoners from across the LGBTQ+ community, and the bus will also accompany people representing TfL in the Pride in London parade on 1 July.
T ory chairman Greg Hands has vowed not to reopen the race to select the partys London mayoral candidate, the Standard has learned.

Mr Hands gave the personal assurance at hustings in Kensington and Chelsea on Wednesday night after Dan Korskis withdrawal left just Susan Hall and Moz Hossain battling for the right to take on Labour mayor Sadiq Khan in next Mays City Hall elections.

Mr Korski quit on Wednesday afternoon, saying a false and unproven allegation that he groped TV producer Daisy Goodwin in Downing Street a decade ago had made it impossible to carry on.

The Tory party announced on Wendesday night the selection race would not be restarted, a decision that Az Chowdhury, the campaign manager for Minister for London Paul Scully, who failed to make the shortlist, described as unconscionable.

Mr Scully sent his supporters an image of Wednesdays Standard front page, which was headlined Have the Tories given up on London?, adding a message: Ive had enough too.

He wrote: Really disappointed CCHQ are doubling down on this headline by sticking to two candidates, trusting a handful of people with money and influence rather than members who truly know London.

Front page: The WhatsApp message sent by Paul Scully to his campaign team / Supplied

Samuel Kasumu, who also failed to make the shortlist, said: The selection process should be reopened.

Steve Norris, the Tory mayoral candidate in 2000 and 2004, told LBC: We should rerun the process. Having a choice of two, however good they are, just isnt reasonable or sensible.

But Ms Hall, who is likely to cement her status as the frontrunner after Mr Korskis withdrawal, told the Standard that it would be incorrect to restart the race.

I have been reassured by the party chairman that its not going to happen, and by the deputy chairman [Tory MP Nickie Aiken]. Clare Hambro, the chair of the London board, has also said it is not going to be reopened.

We were told right from the beginning that there could be either two or three candidates in the race. It was made clear to us that we might go down to two. We have already done 13 hustings meetings. We are more than halfway through. It would be incorrect to reopen it at this stage.

Tory minister Neil OBrien suggested that the party would look to improve its candidate vetting process, in light of the allegation against Mr Korski.

Daniel Korski has stepped out of the race / Nigel Howard

He told Times Radio: Broadly speaking, of course, we need to take all of these kinds of things extremely seriously.

The kind of behaviours that he is accused of are very, very serious and not a trivial thing at all. And we will look at anything to do with our vetting procedures that we can improve.

Ms Hall, a London Assembly member, said: I have got 17 years experience as a councillor. I have been leader of the GLA Tories. I have never done anything to cause issues for the party. A boring, experienced person who knows City Hall inside out is what is required to get London back on its feet.

The partys London board, which oversaw the shortlisting process, is due to meet over the next day or two to discuss the race. However one source told the Standard that it was incorrect to suggest it would seek to reverse the decision of party HQ.

No agenda has been fixed for the meeting yet, the source said. My personal view is that we should continue with the two candidates.
T he Foreign Secretary is expected to call for an expansion of the United Nations Security Council to better respond to international crises such as Russias invasion of Ukraine.

James Cleverly will use a speech at Chatham Houses London Conference to call for a reinvigorated multi-country system that is equipped to deal with the most pressing global challenges, including Moscows attack on Kyiv, tackling unlawful migration, the technological revolution and climate change.

The UN Security council currently has five permanent members  the UK, US, China, Russia and France, with 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

Mr Cleverly will argue that, with the world currently living through a turning point in the history of humanity, the make-up should change, urging permanent African representation and membership for India, Brazil, Germany and Japan on the international security panel.

In the 2020s, as in the 1940s, we are living through a turning point in the history of humanity

The G20 should also be widened, Mr Cleverly will tell the conference, with permanent membership for the African Union, a body that has a membership of 55 countries.

According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, he will say the UK wants to work with as broad a coalition as possible on worldwide challenges and that it should be obvious that the voice of the poorest and most vulnerable countries must be heard strongly in the multilateral system.

In his speech on Thursday, the Foreign Secretary will call for reform of international finance institutions, including changes to make it simpler to unlock climate finance.

He will press for a shake-up of the World Trade Organisation to reflect todays digital economy, according to officials.

He will also raise the need for a multilateral approach to regulation when it comes to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spent recent months positioning the UK as the prospective home of a global AI regulator.

The Foreign Secretary is expected to say: Global multilateralism brings the sheer heft that is needed to tackle humanitys most fundamental challenges.

Thats why the United Kingdom cares deeply about multilateralism. Were deeply invested in it. And we want it to succeed and thrive.

Because a world without multilateral institutions would be immeasurably worse.

Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine is a calculated assault on the UN Charter, and on the central principles of an international order that was designed, above all, to bring an end to all attempts at conquest and annexation.

But war is not our only challenge.

In the 2020s, as in the 1940s, we are living through a turning point in the history of humanity.

A period of dizzying and rapid economic, demographic, technological and social change.

On migration, Mr Cleverly is expected to say the UK will not be found wanting when it comes to rising to the moral challenge the world faces.

Stopping illegal migration to the United Kingdom begins with ensuring that the poorest people in the world have access to clean water, sanitation, basic healthcare and education, he will say.

At the event on Thursday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will be awarded the Chatham House Prize in recognition of his contribution to international relations.

Mr Zelensky hopes to make a short live virtual address to the conference with a special representative collecting the award on his behalf, according to the institute.

Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, said: The people of Ukraine have faced a relentless onslaught in this brutal invasion.

President Zelensky has united his nation in resistance and counter-offensive, and demonstrated a mastery of international diplomacy. I am delighted that he has accepted our award in recognition of these efforts.
T he Defence Secretary has suggested that Ukraine could skip some Nato membership checks to help fast-track the war-torn countrys accession to the defensive alliance.

Ben Wallace said Sweden and Finlands quick route to joining opened a very fair question about whether Kyiv should be given the same treatment as it looks to beat back Russias invading forces.

But the Cabinet minister conceded that other members have a different view and that, with consensus required around new members, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was unlikely to see a seat created for him around the Nato table at its summit in Vilnius next month.

The comments build on similar sentiments expressed by the Foreign Secretary last week at Londons Ukraine Recovery Conference, with James Cleverly arguing that Ukraine was already delivering on the action plan asked of it by Nato.

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan

Senior Conservative MP Mr Wallace was speaking alongside Canadian defence minister Anita Anand at Canada House in central London after the pair engaged in bilateral meetings ahead of Canada Day on July 1.

The former Scots Guard, asked at a press briefing whether the Lithuania gathering would see efforts to progress Ukraines accession, said Britain had supported Ukraines membership since the Bucharest summit in 2008, where the process was started with helping Kyiv to build its Nato capabilities.

I think it went from an associate member and the next discussion was a membership action plan, said Mr Wallace.

Obviously, Sweden and Finland didnt have any of that and I think that opened a very fair question about should we just skip that at Vilnius and say, subject to other conditions, Ukraine should be able to come in and join.

After all, they are going to have some of the most experienced land forces in Europe and probably be one of the most heavily-armed countries in Europe.

I think we should absolutely look at skipping the membership action plan, but of course we have to put some realism in this space, that there are 31 members of Nato now and we have to all move together.

And, yes, the direction of travel should be towards Nato membership.

But I cant promise that at the Vilnius summit youre going to resolve those 31.

I think what we could be able to do is remove more barriers for Ukraine so that when this is over Ukraine moves towards more security guarantees and more support.

Canadas Ms Anand suggested Ukraine still had hurdles to overcome before it could be welcomed into the alliance, saying that when the conditions are right, we will support Ukraines accession to Nato.

Sweden and neighbouring Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and quickly signalled their intention to join Nato.

There had been hopes that Swedens application might have been ratified in Vilnius, but Hungarys parliaments decision to postpone its ratification looks to have delayed Stockholms accession.

Mr Wallace also delivered a withering putdown of Russias military leadership during the press conference, comparing defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff General Valery Gerasimov to Laurel and Hardy for their failure on the battlefield.

Mr Wallace was also asked about unconfirmed reports that the fate of several top Russian generals is unclear, having not been seen since the aborted internal revolt led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, over the weekend.

Speculation has focused on General Sergei Surovikin, who has links to Mr Prigozhin and has not been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to the march on Moscow.

The Defence Secretary said he did not know what has happened to any of these people.

He remarked Mr Prigozhin had gone off to Belarus for a summer holiday and Wagner had been dissipated.

What I would say is, from the UK point of view, if General Gerasimov and Minister Shoigu are still in charge, the huge amounts of failure they have delivered on the battlefield will no doubt continue, he said.

If it means Laurel and Hardy are still running the Russian armed forces and the campaign, then that is to the benefit of the Ukrainians.
A sylum seekers in the UK feel immense relief after a Court of Appeal ruling deemed the Governments plans to deport them to Rwanda unlawful.

Kenny Mayorga, 25, who has been waiting eight months for a decision on his asylum claim, told the Standard he couldnt be happier following the ruling.

This news brought immense relief and hope to me and countless other asylum seekers who have been living in a state of uncertainty and anxiety, he said.

This decision definitely acknowledges that the UK has an international and legal obligation to assess asylum claims on its own soil in accordance with established legal procedures.

Mr Mayorga fled his home country of Nicaragua in October over fears for his safety and was placed in a hotel for three months before being moved to the Napier Barracks in Kent along with other asylum seekers. He is now waiting for a decision on his claim from a house share in Swindon.

He told the Standard: This [ruling] also sends a powerful message to other countries that the rights and wellbeing of asylum seekers must be safeguarded within the borders of the country they seek protection from.

Seeking asylum is not easy because we dont ask for this, so it requires compassion, empathy, and respect for human dignity.

On the Governments decision to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, Mr Mayorga said: I do believe the Supreme Court will rigorously review the case with a human rights focus and will take into consideration international legal principals.

In a decision on Thursday, three judges overturned a High Court judgment that previously said the east African nation could be considered a safe third country to deport asylum seekers to from the UK.

The Court of Appeal concluded that deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a real risk asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.

The Refugee Council said its relieved the Court has ruled that Rwanda is not a safe country, but said the ruling did not conclude that the Governments overall policy is unlawful.

Treating people seeking safety like human cargo and shipping them off to another country is a policy that is both unprincipled and unworkable, CEO Enver Solomon said.

Lets remember that the UK made an international commitment under the Refugee Convention to provide a safe haven for those fleeing for their lives who seek protection on our soil.

The Refugee Council urged the Government to rethink its approach.

Carly Whyborn of charity Refugees at Home, which connects volunteer hosts with refugees and asylum seekers, said: Todays decision will come as a relief to our guests and their hosts.

We hope that the ruling will cause the Government to rethink its Illegal Migration Bill, which was defeated four times in the House of Lords yesterday.

Laura Kyrke-Smith, Executive Director of International Rescue Committee UK, said: By the Governments own assessment published earlier this week, there is no evidence that these expensive deterrence initiatives will achieve their aim of stopping the boats.

What will work to reduce dangerous journeys... is investing the money in our own asylum system and scaling up safe routes.

Prime Minister Rishi Suank said he fundamentally disagrees with the Court of Appeal decision.

He said: Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.
B uckingham Palace has once again missed its diversity target for staff, with the number from ethnic minority backgrounds remaining at 9.7%.

The Kings household had set a goal of 10% for the end of 2022. It has now introduced a new target of 14% of all employees by 2025.

The Prince and Princess of Waless household, however, has 16.3% of staff from an ethnic minority background, with the Kensington Palace figure up from 13.6% last year.

In the UK, around 18% of people belong to a black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic group, according to the 2021 Census data.

The percentage of ethnic minority staff in royal households was published for the first time in 2021 in the wake of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs accusations of racism against the royal family in their Oprah Winfrey interview.

In November, the royal household faced a a public outcry after Lady Susan Hussey, the late Queens lady in waiting, repeatedly asked a black British charity leader where she really came from at a Palace reception.

Lady Susan, who quit her role in the household, later met and apologised to Ngozi Fulani, founder of the charity Sistah Space.

This years Sovereign Grant report on royal finances showed that a new Inclusion and Diversity strategy and action plan has been implemented, supported by a specially formed working group, offering education resources and learning programmes.

A Buckingham Palace official said of the diversity figures: I recognise we are not where we would like to be and we are committed to making progress in this area.

And hence why weve raised the target to 14% having got close to our 10% figure.

We now need to set out the scale of our ambition to really make headway in this space.

Buckingham Palace said just over 12% of senior household roles or non-executive directors on the Lord Chamberlains Committee were from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Were determined to accelerate progress in this area and as with all organisations, that change starts with leadership, the spokesman said.

The final diversity figure for last year (2021-22) was 9.7%  with an unaudited figure of 9.6% printed in last years Sovereign Grant accounts, and 8.5% reported the previous year.

Meghan, the first mixed race person to marry a senior royal for centuries, said in 2021 that an unnamed royal  not the late Queen nor the Duke of Edinburgh  raised concerns with Harry about how dark their son Archies skin tone might be before he was born.

The late Queen issued a statement saying that the issues raised would be dealt with privately as a family, but that some recollections may vary.
A 3.3 magnitude earthquake hit Staffordshire on Wednesday night, with residents reporting rumbling and rattling windows and doors.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed the tremor, which had an epicentre 7.3km (4.5 miles) below the village of Tean, around 15 miles south-east of Stoke-on-Trent in the West Midlands.

The BGS said it had received reports from around the area on Wednesday night, mainly from within 20km (12.5 miles) of the epicentre, which described an initial rumbling, then a bang with what felt more like a shunt, like something had hit something.

Mark Begg, 30, told the PA news agency he was at home in Uttoxeter when he felt a very large shake.

He said he checked around the house to see if I could see anything and after noticing there were no signs of damage I concluded it was most likely a mini earthquake.

Tom, 38, in Cheadle, Staffordshire, said: I was sitting watching an episode of Only Connect with my wife on YouTube and as we opened another bottle of wine the whole house shook.

I thought either one of the children had fallen out of bed or something else had happened.

The BGS says it detects and locates between 200 and 300 earthquakes in the UK each year. Only around 20 to 30 of those are felt by people, with the others detected by sensitive instruments.

Wednesdays earthquake is the largest of 21 to hit the UK in the last two months, comfortably beating two 1.8 magnitude tremors felt on the Isle of Mull in May.

It falls some way short of the record earthquake in the UK, which the BGS records as a 6.1 magnitude tremor in the North Sea, about 75 miles north east of Great Yarmouth, on June 7 1931.

The strongest effects of that earthquake were felt in the seaside town of Filey on the North Yorkshire coast, where a church spire rotated. The tremor was also felt as far away as Surrey, Norway, Denmark and Germany.
A Glastonbury worker has become the second person to die at the festival after he was found dead in his tent.

Avon and Somerset Police were called after the man, aged in his 40s, was found in The Park on the world-famous festivals Pilton site about 2.20pm on Tuesday.

A force spokesperson said on Thursday: Sadly, the man, a member of the festivals crew, was confirmed dead at the scene.

The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

It was the second fatality at the festival this year, after another man died in a medical incident in his tent in the early hours of Sunday.

He was later named as ultra-talented radio DJ Jason Winder, 48, whose friend Tim Newton paid tribute to as a natural-born engager and entertainer.

A police spokesman confirmed Mr Winder died at the scene in the area of Worthy Farm known as the old railway, and said his death is not being treated as suspicious.

The festival ended on Monday, though crew remain at the site to clear up and return it to fields that are ready for cows to graze on.

Photos on Monday morning showed the mammoth clean-up operation facing staff and volunteers, as thousands vacated the site in Somerset, leaving the ground strewn with litter including hundreds of thousands of plastic bottles.

This years event, attended by more than 200,000 people, was headlined by Arctic Monkeys, Gun N Roses and Sir Elton John.

Sir Elton brought the festival to a close on Sunday night, in what was billed as his final UK show before he retires from touring at the end of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
S triking hospital consultants should not see private patients on days they are taking industrial action, Downing Street said.

Senior doctors in the British Medical Association overwhelmingly backed strike action in England unless the Government makes a credible offer on pay.

Strikes are set to take place on July 20 and 21  just days after junior doctors in England are due to strike for five days over pay.

The BMA said take-home pay for consultants in England has fallen by 35% since 2008/2009, although the Government said it still averaged 128,000.

Some experienced specialists top up their NHS pay with private consultations and treatments, but No 10 said that should not happen on days when they are on strike in the health service.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: If consultants choose to take strike action, it cannot be right that some continue to only treat their fee-paying private patients and benefit financially from that while patient care is put at risk in the NHS.

We would urge those consultants considering this approach to seriously consider the impact on the NHS.

It would not be right to put profit before patients.

A BMA spokesman said: The BMA is clear that NHS consultants planning to strike should not schedule any other work, including in private practice, when they are taking part in industrial action.

This would be especially important should the strikes be called off due to the Government coming forward with a credible offer  something we are imploring ministers to do to avert action.

The consultants industrial action will take the form of Christmas Day cover, meaning that most routine and elective services will be cancelled but full emergency cover will remain in place.

The BMA said it announced its planned dates for industrial action six weeks before the potential action so that consultants and their colleagues were able to put in early plans to manage patient lists and prioritise urgent patient care in the event of a successful ballot.

Meanwhile, the BMAs chair of council warned that all GPs and specialist doctors could join junior doctors and consultants in disputes with the Government.

Professor Philip Banfield told the Guardian: What you could have is a situation where junior doctors, consultants, specialist and speciality doctors and GPs are all in dispute with the Government in the run-up to a general election.

That is what we are planning for.

Downing Street said co-ordinated action across different branches of the medical profession would absolutely increase the risk to patients.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We need to be clear that the strike action already planned will put patient safety at risk and is hindering our ability to provide the right level of care for patients.
The annual Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival kicks off its 11-day run on Thursday. The largest genre film festival in Asia features horror, thriller and sci-fi movies and more.

"Beau Is Afraid" by American director Ari Aster, best known for the horror film "Midsommar," opens the festival.

Tickets for the opening ceremony sold out just 12 seconds after going on sale online.

A total of 262 short and feature films from 51 countries will be screened at the festival, some of which are also available on streaming platform Wavve.

BIFAN also offers education programs such as Goedam Campus -- which discovers and collects "geodam," or strange and eerie tales, and produces short films based on them -- and the Fantastic Film School, at which veteran Hollywood filmmakers give lectures.

This year, directors from Taiwan and Indonesia are visiting Bucheon to learn about Korean genre films by attending Goedam Campus. They will also hold one-on-one sessions with Korean producers and directors during their one-month stay in the city.

They are the first foreign creators to be invited to the program under agreements with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency and Jakarta Film Week.

"Filmmakers in Asian countries, where the movie market is rapidly growing, are enthusiastic to learn about the Korean film industry," said Kim Young-deok, the festival's chief programmer. "So many directors and actors from India and Indonesia wanted to attend the festival, even at their own expense."

This year's festival includes a retrospective of actor Choi Min-sik's work. He personally selected 12 films he has appeared in during his over 30-year career, including "Our Twisted Hero," "Swiri," "Happy End," "Failan" and "Oldboy," for the event.
H ere are some of the key figures from the royal accounts for 2022-2023.

 86.3 million  The total taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, made up of 51.8 million for the core funding and an extra 34.5 million for the reservicing of Buckingham Palace.

 107.5 million  Official net expenditure by the monarchy, a rise of 5.1 million or 5% from 102.4 million in 2021/2022.

 1.6 million  Amount spent from the Sovereign Grant on the late Queens funeral.

 700,000  Amount spent from the Sovereign Grant on the Platinum Jubilee (including 300,000 from 2022-23)

 517  Full-time equivalent staff paid for from the Sovereign Grant, including fixed term contracts, up from 491.

 27.1 million  The wage bill for staff, up 3.4 million, or 14%, from 23.7 million the year before.

 2.4 million  Cost of housekeeping and hospitality for the royal household, up 1.1 million from 1.3 million.

 3.9 million  Cost of official royal travel, a drop of 0.6 million or about 13%, from 4.5 million the previous year.

 1.02 million  Cost of 179 helicopter journeys made by members of the royal family.

 186,571  Cost of charter flights for the King and Queen to Rwanda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

 146,219  Charter flights for the King and Queens first official state visit, to Germany in March 2023.

 25,687  Cost of a residence-to-residence charter flight for the King, when he flew from Aberdeen to Northolt in October 2022.

 1.29  Cost per person in the UK of funding the total Sovereign Grant

 77p  Cost per person of the core part of the Sovereign Grant for official duties, not including funds for the long-term Buckingham Palace works.

 183,207  Items of correspondence received by Buckingham Palace in 2022-23 including 67,693 before the Queens death, and 115,244 afterwards, making it the busiest year on record for incoming post.

 9.7%  Proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds working for Buckingham Palace, compared with 9.7% in 2021-22 and 8.5% in 2020-21. The target was 10% and is now 14%.

 16.3%  Proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds working for Kensington Palace. (13.6% last year)

 More than 2,700  Official engagements by members of the royal family in the UK and overseas, compared with 2,300 last year.

 5.9 million  Prince of Waless private income from the Duchy of Cornwall landed estate  for about six months he spent as a new heir to the throne in 2022-23.

 6.9 million  Amount of money kept by the landed estate for day-to-day running, instead of going to William as salary.

 12.8 million  Salary the King received as the Prince of Wales from the Duchy.

 24 million  The total annual Duchy of Cornwall profit for 2022-23, which would ordinarily have been Williams full salary.
T ate Liverpool has presented a hospital with a group portrait that celebrates the achievements of its frontline NHS staff.

The gallery, which commissioned New York-based artist Aliza Nisenbaum to create the artwork during the Covid pandemic, said Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool will display the painting from Thursday.

Team Time Storytelling, Alder Hey Childrens Hospital Emergency Department, Covid Pandemic, 2020 was shown at the gallery two years ago in an exhibition of other portraits from that time.

Helen Legg, director of Tate Liverpool, said: Tate is proud to be able to unveil Aliza Nisenbaums painting at Alder Hey  a rare example of an artwork from the national collection on view to the public in a non-arts setting.

Alizas image of NHS frontline workers during the pandemic moved everyone who saw it.

Seeing it on display again is an acknowledgement of the value of our NHS as it celebrates its 75th anniversary and is a tribute to those who care for us.

The work features staff including those who work in administration, nurses, porters and doctors.

Nisenbaum, who was unable to do a residency in Liverpool in spring 2020, asked each person to make a drawing about their workplace experiences during the pandemic and these are included within the final image.

She used photographs and Zoom to paint her subjects.

Nisenbaum has had solo exhibitions in New York and group installations in South Korea, Los Angeles and Paris, France, and in addition has created work for the London Underground.

Louise Shepherd, chief executive of Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, said: There is much to be proud of as we approach the 75th birthday of the NHS and this artwork is a valuable reminder of the outstanding dedication of our staff during the recent pandemic.

The unveiling of this stunning painting at Alder Hey is a huge honour and is testament to the fantastic support Tate Liverpool has given to our arts for health programme for 20 years.

We have delivered some incredible collaborative programmes during that time and I look forward to us together bringing further benefits to our children and young people in the future.
T he governments controversial flagship policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been blocked after senior judges ruled the African country is not safe.

The Home Office drew up plans to provide asylum seekers with a one-way ticket to Rwanda, as a central plank of the Stop The Boats pledge on immigration.

In December, High Court judges rejected legal challenges to the policy from individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid.

But in a major ruling on Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled by a majority of two to one that the policy would put asylum seekers at risk and is unlawful.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagreed with it and annnounced the Government would seek an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she remained "fully committed" to the policy and claimed "phoney humanitarianism" was hindering efforts to stop Channel crossings.

Delivering the ruling, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon, sitting with Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill, said: By a majority, the court allows the appeal on the issues of whether Rwanda is a safe third country.

The Lord Chief Justice said he disagreed with the decision, but he had been outvoted by the other two judges who had concluded the deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda are such that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they faced persecution or other inhumane treatment, when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum.

In that sense Rwanda is not a safe third country.

The Lord Chief Justice said the other judges believe the assurances about safety from the Rwanda authorities had not been acted on, but he disagreed and said he believes asylum seekers would be protected.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon delivering the ruling on Thursday morning / Sky News

I take the view the arrangements put in place provide sufficient safeguards in the context where both governments would be determined to make the agreement work and be seen to do so.

The legal battle is now expected to move to the Supreme Court for a final decision on the legality of the governments policy.

The Rwandan Government said it took issue with the Court of Appeals ruling, with spokeswoman Yolande Makolo saying: Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognised by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees.

We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans. Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this.

Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost. When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support theyll need to build new lives in Rwanda.

The government has faced fierce criticism over the Rwanda policy since it was announced last Spring, amid fears about the countrys human rights record.

It was recently revealed in Home Office figures that the Government could spend 169,000 on every asylum seeker forcibly removed to a third country such as Rwanda.

An economic assessment for the controversial Illegal Migration Bill currently before Parliament shows two in five small boats crossing the Channel would have to be deterred for the government to break even.

The 169,000 cost includes flights and detention plus a 105,000 per person payment to third countries. The figure, however, is an estimate rather than the actual cost of the Rwanda plan.

In the Court of Appeal in April, ten asylum seekers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan, and Albania who arrived in the UK on small boats brought a challenge to the deportation policy.

Their lawyers argued the High Court showed excessive deference to the Home Offices assessment that assurances made by the Rwandan authorities provide a sufficient guarantee to protect relocated asylum seekers from a risk of torture or inhuman treatment.

Judges were told that material provided by the Rwandan authorities lacked credibility, consisting of blanket denials and clear contradictions.

Charity Freedom from Torture, which intervened in the appeal, also argued the speed of the process means there is no adequate opportunity to identify torture survivors.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours a building site on the outskirts of Kigali during her visit to Rwanda / PA Wire

Lawyers for the Home Office insisted the Rwandan government has indicated a clear willingness to co-operate with international monitoring mechanisms and that there are reciprocal obligations with strong incentives for compliance.

The Rwanda deportation plan was first announced in April last year, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman making a visit to the country in March to see progress on housing for migrants who are sent there.

Last October, she said a front-page newspaper story with a plane taking off to Rwanda is my dream - its my obsession.

But the plans have so far been thwarted by protracted legal proceedings that are unlikely to end with Thursdays Court of Appeal ruling.

Ms Braverman said she remained "fully committed" to the policy and, despite the ruling, insisted she still had "every confidence" in the plan while stressing that Rwanda was a safe country.

When asked if she blamed "lefty lawyers" or "the blob" amid the defeat, she told broadcasters: "The system is rigged against the British people, it's as simple as that.

"It's why we're changing the laws through our Illegal Migration Bill."

She then doubled down on her claims in the Commons, telling MPs that "phoney humanitarianism" was holding back plans to tackle Channel crossings.

Ms Braverman addressed the Commons / PRU/AFP via Getty Images

"Importantly, their concerns were not that conditions in Rwanda would be unsafe, but that there was a possibility that they could be returned to other countries from Rwanda where they may suffer ill treatment.

"It is, therefore, simply incorrect to say that the Court of Appeal has found that conditions in Rwanda make it unsafe for individuals there. The Court of Appeal has ruled, instead, that there is a risk of refoulement to other countries from Rwanda."

As the legal battle wore on, the Illegal Migration Bill was introduced into Parliament, seeking to stop anyone coming to the UK illegally after passing through a safe country being allowed to stay in the country.

Those migrants would be automatically detained and sent to their home country or a country such as Rwanda.

The Bill suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords on Tuesday night, as peers inserted demands that the new system complies with international treaties, prevents the detention of potential victims of human trafficking, and allows unaccompanied children to make asylum claims.

The Court of Appeal ruling is expected to be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Reacting to the news in Parliament, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt called it a mixed judgment and told MPs: This is clearly a matter for the Home Office to update the House on, we respect the courts decision and I think there will be a statement later today from the Home Secretary on that matter.

The Rwandan Government said it took issue with the Court of Appeals ruling, with spokeswoman Yolande Makolo saying: Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world and we have been recognised by the UNHCR and other international institutions for our exemplary treatment of refugees.

We make a significant contribution to dealing with the impacts of the global migration crisis. Rwandans know what it means to be forced to flee home, and to make a new life in a new country.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans. Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this.

Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The broken global migration system is failing to protect the vulnerable, and empowering criminal smuggling gangs at an immeasurable human cost. When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support theyll need to build new lives in Rwanda.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: Todays judgment shows that Rishi Sunak has no plan to fix the Tories small boats chaos and his only idea is completely unravelling.

Ministers were forced to admit this week that it will cost 169,000 to send each person to Rwanda on top of the 140m of taxpayers money they have already spent. Now the court has found that ministers didnt even do the basic work to make sure the scheme was legal or safe.

The Labour MP added: Time and again, ministers have gone for gimmicks instead of getting a grip, and slogans instead of solutions, while the Tory boats chaos has got worse. The Rwanda scheme is unworkable, unethical and extortionate, a costly and damaging distraction from the urgent action the government should be taking.

They should now put that money into Labours plan to go after the criminal gangs, clear the asylum backlog and stop dangerous boat crossings that are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Governments Rwanda policy is callous and unworkable.

It shames us as a nation, he tweeted.
U npacking after a holiday can already be a stressful enough experience but for an Edinburgh worker there was a greater shock when a species of the worlds largest spider was found hidden in their suitcase.

The unnamed resident returned from a work placement in Africa on Sunday when they discovered the huntsman species, which can grow up to 30 cm in leg span. However, this particular spider had a still-impressive 10 cm span.

The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was called, and the spider was captured and contained in a plastic box.

Animal rescue officer Catherine Atterton told Sky News: The spider was very fast, and about 10 cm in size.

Huntsman spiders are known for their speed and their ability to jump, so I was glad the member of the public had managed to contain the spider.

She added that the spider will now be rehomed in Kent, where there is a specialist centre.

Ms Atterton added: Thankfully, the spider was none the worse for wear after their long journey and was taken to one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres to quarantine.

We know a lot of people find spiders frightening but, to the Scottish SPCA, theyre just another animal who needs our help.

What is a huntsman spider?

The huntsman spider that was found in Edinburgh was of African origin but the type of creature can be spotted in Australia, America, and Asia.

They are particularly fast and can grow a leg span of 25-30 cm, making it the largest type of spider. They are named for their method of hunting, which can see them use venom to immobilise their prey.

Despite this, they are not deadly to humans. However, they can give you a nasty nip that can cause pain, nausea, headache, vomiting, and heart palpitations.

They are also called giant crab spiders owing to the fact their eight legs are not in a straight line attachment to their bodies and appear to curve around. In Africa, they are also known as lizard-eating spiders, for obvious reasons.

They also have eight eyes and can detect humans but cannot see as well as other types of spider.
T hames Water has secured 750 million from its shareholders, but the debt-laden company warned it would need further funding in the future.

The utility giant also said on Monday (July 10) it would seek an extra 2.5 billion from 2025 to 2030.

Thames Waters latest funding deal comes amid the threat of nationalisation. The Government has in recent weeks drawn up contingency plans to take control of the company if it collapsed.

The supplier said the initial funding agreement to the end of March 2025 was a major milestone. However, it said significantly greater support would be needed in the coming years to secure its future.

It said any further support from shareholders for 2025-2030 will depend on the finalisation of the business plan and the regulatory framework that will apply.

Last year, Thames Water agreed that its shareholders would put 1.5bn into the company. The first cash injection, of 500m, came in March. The subsequent 1bn had been expected this year.

Thames Water is the UKs biggest water supplier with 15 million customers. It serves households across London and the South East.

It has struggled under a 16bn debt pile as rapidly rising interest rates have pushed up the cost of borrowing. It has also faced criticism over sewage discharge and leaks.

But what could nationalisation actually mean for Thames Water? Here is everything we know.

Who owns Thames Water?

The company is privately owned by a mix of people and businesses.

The consortium of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds owns the entire business.

More than 90 per cent of English water companies are owned by international investors, private equity funds, and banks

The largest shareholder as of July 2023 is the Canadian pension fund Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (Omers)  about 32 per cent. Other investors include Chinas biggest sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corporation  almost 9 per cent; the UKs biggest private pension fund, the Universities Superannuation Scheme  20 per cent; and Infinity Investments, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority  10 per cent.

Other investors, according to the Independent, include the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (8.7 per cent); Hermes GPE (8.7 per cent); Queensland Investment Corporation (5.4 per cent); Aquila GP Inc (5 per cent); and Stichting Pensioenfonds Zorg en Welzijn (2.2 per cent).

Sarah Bentley was the chief executive of Thames Water until she announced her resignation on June 28, 2023

Bentley, who was appointed in 2020, said in May 2023 that she would give up her bonus after the companys environmental and customer performance suffered. However, she still doubled her pay, raking in 1.5m in salary and benefits.

Chief finance officer Alastair Cochran was set to become interim co-chief executive at the end of June 2023. He will run the company along with Cathryn Ross, the former Ofwat chief executive who joined Thames Water two years ago.

Who owns other water companies?

More than 90 per cent of English water companies are owned by international investors, private equity funds, and banks. As of July 2023, here are their respective owners:

Anglian Water

Owners:

Canadian Pension Plan  33 per cent.

Australian pension funds  32 per cent.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia  20 per cent.

Greater Manchester, Lancashire County, London, Merseyside and West Yorkshire Local Government Pension Funds  8 per cent.

Northumbrian Water

CK Hutchison, a group based in the Cayman Islands  80 per cent.

Li Ka Shing Foundation, a charity foundation from Hong Kong  20 per cent.

Privatisation was supposed to mean lower bills and a better service but the opposite has happened

Severn Trent

Blackrock Investment fund from the US  7 per cent.

Lazard Investment fund from the US  5 per cent.

Legal & General Financial services company from the UK  4 per cent.

Vanguard Investments fund from the US  3 per cent.

Standard Life Aberdeen Investment fund from the UK  3 per cent.

Maple-Brown Abbott Investment fund from Australia  3 per cent.

InvescovInvestment fund from Bermuda  2 per cent.

Deutsche Bank from Germany  2 per cent.

State Street Corporation Investment fund from the US  2 per cent.

Government of Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund from Norway  2 per cent.

South West Water

Lazard Investments fund from the US  10 per cent.

Banque Pictet, a bank from Switzerland  6 per cent.

Blackrock Investment fund from the US  5 per cent.

Ameriprise Financial from the US  5 per cent.

Capital Group Investment fund from the US  5 per cent.

Rare Infrastructure Investment fund from Australia  5 per cent.

Axa Financial Services company from France  5 per cent.

UBS Bank Switzerland  4 per cent.

Invesco Investment fund from Bermuda  4 per cent.

Legal & General Financial Services company from UK  3 per cent.

Southern Water

UBS Bank from Switzerland  22 per cent.

Institutional investors advised by JP Morgan Investment fund from US  40 per cent.

Hermes Investment fund from the UK  21 per cent.

Motor Trades Association of Australia and Prime superannuation funds, managed by Whitehelm Capital Pension fund from Australia  8 per cent.

Ck Hutchinson Multinational conglomerate from Bermuda  5 per cent.

An unknown infrastructure investment companies Investment fund  5 per cent

United Utilities

Lazard Investment fund from the US  8 per cent.

Blackrock Investment fund, US  5 per cent.

Norges Bank, Norway  3 per cent.

JK Holdings 2 per cent.

Vanguard Investments fund, US 1 per cent.

Government of Norway 1 per cent.

Legal & General Financial services, UK 1 per cent.

State Street Corporation Investment fund, US  1 per cent.

Deutsche Bank, Germany  1 per cent.

Bank Of New York 1 per cent.

Wessex Water

The YTL Corporation from Malaysia owns 100 per cent of the company.

Yorkshire Water

Government of Singapore  34 per cent.

Corsair Capital Investment fund, US  30 per cent.

Deutsche Bank, Germany  23 per cent.

New South Wales public sector pension fund, Australia  13 per cent.

Who privatised Englands water companies?

Thames Water was, as well as all other water companies in England, privatised in 1989. Former prime minister Margaret Thatcher sold off all of the publicly owned water and sewage industry for 7.6bn

When Mrs Thatcher privatised the water companies, she said this would lead to a new era of investment in Englands water infrastructure.

The water companies were put on the stock market for investment and significant amounts of Government debt were written off to allow for the new slate.

Alongside the privatisation, three separate and independent bodies were established to regulate the activities of the water and sewage companies.

These were:

The National Rivers Authority  which took over the remaining functions, assets, and staff of the water authorities as the environmental regulator.

 which took over the remaining functions, assets, and staff of the water authorities as the environmental regulator. The Drinking Water Inspectorate  as the regulator of drinking water quality.

 as the regulator of drinking water quality. The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat)  as the economic regulator.

Privatisation of water was a serious mistake and it needs to be permanently rectified

Whos calling for water companies to be publicly owned?

Most of the British public supported renationalisation of the water industry, Sky News reported in June 2023. Sky News said YouGov found in September 2022 that 63 per cent of people asked believed it should be run entirely in the public sector.

We Own It, a group campaigning for the privatisation of water companies, says on its website: English water companies work for a handful of shareholders around the world, while pouring sewage into our rivers and seas and allowing water to leak from the pipes. We should copy Scotland and France, and bring water into public ownership.

Your private water company has a monopoly in your area and there is no market, you have no choice about the water company you use. Privatisation was supposed to mean lower bills and a better service but the opposite has happened.

We Own Its sentiments are echoed elsewhere.

MPs have said the water regulator Ofwat failed to properly police firms and have backed calls for water companies to become publicly owned.

Richard Fuller, the MP for North East Bedfordshire, said in Parliament in June 2023: With Ofwat, and in other sectors with Ofgem and the Financial Conduct Authority, we have seen regulators not performing to the standards that the public, or indeed industry, would expect.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also called for change.

Speaking in Parliament, she said: Water companies had no debt when privatised. They have since borrowed 52bn and paid 72bn in dividends. Meanwhile, we have a sewage scandal. Privatisation of water was a serious mistake and it needs to be permanently rectified.

Union bosses have also warned that the Thames Water crisis was indicative of the failure of the water industrys ownership model.

What is Ofwat?

Ofwat stands for the Water Services Regulation Authority. It is the economic regulator of the water and wastewater sector in England and Wales. Ofwat was established in 1989 as a non-ministerial government department and operates independently of the government.

The primary role of Ofwat is to protect the interests of consumers by promoting the efficient and sustainable delivery of water and wastewater services. It sets price controls, known as price reviews, for water companies, determining how much they can charge customers for their services over a specific period. These price reviews aim to strike a balance between ensuring fair returns for water companies and ensuring affordable prices for consumers.

Ofwat also promotes competition and innovation in the water sector. It encourages water companies to improve their efficiency, invest in infrastructure, and deliver high-quality services to customers. Ofwat holds companies accountable for their performance through various regulatory mechanisms and can take enforcement action if necessary.

Furthermore, Ofwat works to protect the environment and promote sustainable water management. It sets environmental standards for water companies, encouraging them to reduce pollution, manage water resources responsibly, and meet environmental targets.
C anada Day is a national holiday that is celebrated on July 1. It marks the day in 1867 when three colonies became a single entity called Canada within the British Empire.

From this date, the country was regarded as a self-governing region within the empire.

The holiday was originally called Dominion Day but was renamed in 1982 under the Canada Act, which meant the government in London could no longer make changes to constitutional law, creating full Canadian sovereignty.

Ashbridges Bay during Canada Day festivities in 2019 in Toronto / Getty Images

What is Canada Day?

Canada Day marks an important milestone on the country's journey to independence. It is celebrated across the country and by Canadians living in other countries.

East York Canada Day parade in Toronto / Getty Images

It is derived from the date that colonies Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined to become one country.

The region was self governed but within the British Empire.

What is the history behind the date?

An independence movement started to grow within Canada in the 1860s for three main reasons. There were calls for a national railway system and common defence policy, and people wanted fighting between the French and British to end. Both states were trying to colonise the region.

The maritime provinces, which were seeking a union, called a conference in 1864 attended by representatives from other provinces. After subsequent meetings, Canadian delegates travelled to London in 1866 to meet the British government to talk about unifying the region.

East York Canada Day parade in Toronto / Getty Images

On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act was passed and the Dominion of Canada was established as a self-governing entity within the empire.

Within a decade the provinces of Manitoba and Prince Edward Island joined the federation and in 1885 the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed, making mass settlement across the area possible.

The East York Canada Day parade / Getty Images

By the early 1980s, some Canadians were informally referring to the holiday as Canada Day. Some believed the celebration's original name Dominion Day was a holdover from the colonial era.

It was a controversial subject at the times with some arguing that it broke from tradition. However, the day was officially renamed after a private member's bill was passed through the House of Commons on July 9, 1982, two years after its first reading.

How is it celebrated in Canada and around the world?

Fireworks were also set off after the passing of act that gave Canada self government in 1867 / Getty Images

After the British North America Act was passed, historical accounts recount that church bells were rung in celebration in Toronto and bonfires were lit and fireworks were set off.

Today, Canadians celebrate with outdoor public events in the form of parades, festivals and carnivals. There are also firework displays, concerts and even citizenship ceremonies.

How is Canada Day celebrated in London?

The Canada Day London Festival was the largest Canada Day celebration outside the country in 2013, with a record-breaking crowd of over 100,000.

This year the free family-friendly event takes place on June 29 in Trafalgar Square. Additionally, youre invited to spend the day with Canadians in London on July 1 in the Leake Street Tunnels at Waterloo. There will be Canadian culture, food, live music and sport for all the family to enjoy.
A plane was forced to make an emergency landing in North Carolina after its front landing gear failed to deploy.

The Delta Airlines Boeing 717 landed nose-first with almost 100 passengers on board on Wednesday morning and remarkably no one was hurt.

A clip shows people inside the aircraft in brace positions before the plane eventually hit the ground.

The plane managed to land with its nose gear in the up position, and come to a safe stop on the runway.

An investigation into what caused the malfunction has begun.

Airline officials confirmed that staff were aware of the malfunction as they prepared for landing, and began to climb again before the jet circled a few times and finally managing to land.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Delta said: Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people.

The Delta flight stricken on the runway / AP

While this is a rare occurrence, Delta flight crews train extensively to safely manage through many scenarios and flight 1092 landed safely without reported injuries.

Our next focus is to take care of our customers on this flight, including retrieving their bags and seeing them to their final destination.

The pilot told the tower at Charlotte Douglas that 104 people were on board the plane.

One passenger told WSOC-TV that they had a smooth landing.

They said: The crew told us there was an issue with the landing gear and instructed us to go over safety information.

We came in low once and then climbed again. The second time had us brace but the landing was smooth. No jarring or even loud noises.

We were in the back so that may have been why. Everyone evacuated via slides. No injuries as far as I know. Crew and pilots were wonderful!
P olice have arrested 150 people across France during a second night of rioting and arson attacks following the fatal shooting of a teenager by a police officer.

Town halls and schools were among the buildings targeted on Wednesday night in what Gerald Darmanin, Frances Interior Minister, called a night of unbearable violence against symbols of the republic.

In a tweet he said: Town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked. 150 arrests.

Support for the police, gendarmes and firefighters who face up with courage. Shame on those who did not call for calm.

An extra 2000 police were on the streets following the shooting of Nahel M, a 17-year-old from a French Algerian background who was killed on Tuesday morning.

Video footage showed a traffic police officer shouting Im going to lodge a bullet in your head, before shooting from point blank range.

Nahel was sitting at the wheel of a Mercedes AMG at the time, and died a few minutes later.

The 38-year-old officer, who has not been named, is in custody and faces a murder charge in connection with the attack in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

But this did not stop crowds of youths going on the rampage in cities across France, including Lille and Toulouse, as well as the capital.

Many of the worst fires were caused by Molotov cocktails and firework rockets being aimed at buildings.

Police fired flash-balls to disperse protesters who were burning rubbish in northern Paris, and the crowd responded by throwing bottles.

Buses and trams were among the vehicles burned out by mobs, along with blocks of flats.

The entrance to Fresnes prison, south of Paris, was burned out, while videos showed police station windows being smashed before rows of police cars were put set ablaze.

Cars ablaze in Nanterre / AP

President Emmanuel Macron called for calm, saying: We have an adolescent that was killed, it is unexplainable and inexcusable. Nothing justifies the death of a young man.

Nahels mother, who asked not to be named, said: I lost a 17-year-old, I was alone with him, and they took my baby away from me. He was still a child, he needed his mother.

And his grandmother, who also remained unidentified, said: I will never forgive them.

My grandson died, they killed my grandson. We are not happy at all, I am against the government.

A lawyer for Nahels family, Yassine Bouzrou, told The Associated Press they want the police officer prosecuted for murder instead of manslaughter.

French activists have renewed calls to tackle what they see as systemic police abuse in low socio-economic neighbourhoods.

Government officials condemned the killing and sought to distance themselves from the police officers actions.

Asked about police abuses, Mr Macron said justice should be allowed to run its course.

Bouquets of orange and yellow roses now mark the site of the shooting, on Nanterres Nelson Mandela Square.

Speaking to Parliament, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said: The shocking images broadcast yesterday show an intervention that appears clearly not to comply with the rules of engagement of our police forces.
H olidaymakers watched on in horror as a female tourist had her leg amputated after getting stuck in a travelator at a Thai airport.

Shocking images seen by the Standard show a woman who reportedly tripped over her suitcase before getting her leg caught and dragged to the end of the conveyer belt.

Terrified tourists went to press the emergency stop button but the travelator continued to tear through her bone, it was reported.

Don Mueang Airport officials confirmed that a medical team at the scene made the difficult decision to cut off the 57-year-old left leg from above the knee to free her.

A yellow safety guard at the end of the conveyer belt could be seen to be broken during the incident on Thursday morning.

Don Mueang Airport said in a statement: The director of Don Mueang Airport and management has visited the patient to follow up on the treatment and received information from the medical team at Bhumibol Hospital that she is currently in the process of receiving treatment from the medical team.

Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation.

She was initially taken to Karun Hospital, where she was told reattaching her severed limb was not feasible.

Authorities claimed that the womans suitcase was missing two wheels, and the protective yellow plates, which typically cover the edge of the belt were visibly broken.

The travelator has been sealed off.
Korea and Japan have agreed to revive a currency swap agreement that ended eight years ago and are fine-tuning the details, Japanese media reported Wednesday.

Now that bilateral ties have thawed, the two sides are keen to stabilize their currencies against future shocks with a swap agreement, whereby they agree to borrow each other's currency at a pre-set rate in times of market volatility.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun on Wednesday reported that Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and his Korean counterpart Choo Kyung-ho will meet in Tokyo on Thursday and announce the revival of the bilateral currency swap. The two sides are in the final stage of talks over the size and other details.
A peace march held to honour the French-Algerian teenager shot dead by a Paris police officer descended into violence on Thursday.

Fighting between riot control officers and gangs of youths broke out at the so-called White March in the suburb of Nanterre.

It was there that the 17-year-old identified as Nahel was killed on Tuesday morning as he sat at the wheel of a car that had been stopped by two traffic control officers.

This led to two nights of serious rioting in cities and towns across France, as lawyers for Nahels family described the horror as an execution.

Some 6,000 people had joined the so-called White March  a traditional show of respect in France, when mourners wear white and remember somebody who has died.

Among those taking part was Nahels mother, Monica, who placed herself on a truck while wearing a Justice for Nahel T-shirt.

I am for Nahel, I am for Nahel! she chanted, as peaceful members of the crowd responded with the words, Justice for Nahel! Justice for Nahel!

Nahels mother, Mounia, gestures as she sits on a truck during the march / AFP via Getty Images

But as the match progressed, youths began to light fires, and to throw projectiles at the hundreds of riot police in the area.

Within minutes, large clouds of thick black smoke were mingling with tear gas fired by the officers.

The atmosphere is very tense, and violence is ongoing, said a local police spokesman.

The demonstration came as President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting with police chiefs and senior minister, at which it was agreed to put an extra 40000 police on the streets.

Police made 150 arrests nationwide during a second night of unrest between Wednesday and Thursday.

Hundreds of protesters were taking part in Thursdays march in Nanterre / AFP via Getty Images

Town halls and schools were among the buildings put to the torch, as Gerald Darmanin, Frances Interior Minister called it a night of unbearable violence against symbols of the republic.

In a tweet posted on Thursday he added: Town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked. 150 arrests.

Support for the police, gendarmes and firefighters who face up with courage. Shame on those who did not call for calm.

Paris Riots | June 2023 1 / 28 Paris Riots | June 2023 AP Police forces clash with youths in Nanterre, outside Paris AP Police officers stand near burning cars during protests in Nanterre, west of Paris AFP via Getty Images Youths clash with police forces as cars burn in Nanterre, outside Paris AP Police forces clash with youths in Nanterre, outside Paris AP Youths clash with police forces as cars burn in Nanterre, outside Paris AP Protesters riot in Nanterre, west of Paris AFP via Getty Images AP AFP via Getty Images Firefighters work to put out a burning car on the sidelines of a demonstration in Nanterre, west of Paris AFP via Getty Images Supplied AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images

The Paris policeman who shot a teenage driver dead and sparked riots across France has claimed he killed the youth because he appeared to be dangerous.

Florian M., as the 38-year-old officer is being referred to by the authorities, was on Thursday remanded in custody while facing a murder charge.
N ew Zealand is to become the first country to ban thin plastic bags used to purchase loose fruit and vegetables in supermarkets.

The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and cutlery, as the nations government expands its campaign against single-use plastics, which began in 2019 when it banned plastic carrier bags.

New Zealand produces too much waste, too much plastic waste, said New Zealands associate environment minister Rachel Brooking.

Ms Brooking said the 2019 bag ban has already prevented more than one billion plastic bags from being used in New Zealand, and the new ban on thin bags, which will come into force on Saturday, will add a further reduction of 150 million bags per year.

The decision was met with concerns the latest ban will not help the environment much if customers simply switch to using disposable paper bags in order to collect their fruit and vegetables.

But Ms Brooking says an investigation found the answer was still yes, its still worth doing this.

But we really want to reduce single-use anything packaging, she added.

So we want people to be bringing their own bags and supermarkets are selling reusable produce bags.

Ms Brooking said the emphasis will be on educating people but officials could impose penalties on businesses choosing to flaunt the rules.

New Zealands Countdown chain of supermarkets has started selling polyester mesh bags that can be washed and reused.

Catherine Langabeer, Countdowns head of sustainability, said the mesh bags were tested to be reused up to 5,000 times each.

Countdown is working hard to get customers to think of reusable fruit-and-vegetable bags as the norm, she said.

But we know change is hard and will take them a little while, Ms Langabeer said. We get some grumpy customers.

She said other customers are finding creative ways to carry home their purchases without using any plastic.

Critics have questioned the liberal governments environmental record, pointing out that the nations overall greenhouse gas emissions have not decreased since the government symbolically declared a climate emergency in 2020.

Plastic carrier bags are still available to purchase in UK supermarkets.

All large shops in England have been legally required to charge for single-use plastic shopping bags since 2015 - a move that has seen bags drop by mor then 95 per cent, according to the government. The legal charge was initially a minimum of 5p, but this was raised to 10p in May 2021 in a bid to further reduce usage.

Plastic fruit and vegetable bags are still widely available in many UK supermarkets, but some shops such as Waitrose have taken the decision to raplace them with compostable bags.
S enior Russian general Sergei Surovikin, known as General Armageddon, has been arrested for having prior knowledge of the Wagner rebellion, according to reports.

Two anonymous sources told The Moscow Times that the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine had been arrested, but they would not disclose his whereabouts.

The general hasnt been seen since Saturday, the day Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted to storm Moscow with his mercenary troops before abruptly calling off the revolt and agreeing to be exiled in Belarus.

Pro-war military blogger Vladimir Romanovhas claimed Mr Surovikin was detained on Sunday and is now being held in Moscows Lefortovo detention centre, The Moscow Times reports.

Three officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the New York Times on Tuesday that Mr Surovikin had been aware of Mr Prigozhins plans but Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped the rebellion in any way.

British defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News: He was close to Prigozhin. There were lots of rumours he was somehow implicated and American intelligencesaid he definitely knew about the military rebellion at least a couple of days before it happened.

He is one of the deputy commandershes still head of the air force. He hasnt been since this rebellion took place.

The reports have not been confirmed by Russias defence ministry. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed the report as speculation and gossip.

Mr Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by Russian media for his ruthlessness, is a veteran of wars in Chechnya and Syria who has been decorated by President Vladimir Putin.

In October, Mr Surovikin was put in charge of the military campaign in Ukraine but was moved into a deputy role earlier this year after Russias limited success in the invasion.

Mr Prigozhin, a former Putin ally, in recent months has been locked in a bitter feud with Moscow, including publicly saying his troops were not being provided enough weapons by the Russian ministry of defense.

Before launching the mutiny, Mr Prigozhin had raged against top Russian military officials, blaming them for the armys lack of support for Wagner fighters.

Mr Surovikin urged the Wagner group to give up their opposition to the military leadership and return to their bases just before Prigozhin led his fighters on a so-called "march for justice".

Having set off from the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don over the weekend, Mr Prigozhin aborted the march within 200 kilometres (125 miles) of Moscow.
A retired Australian PE teacher who murdered his wife so he could start a new life with one of his teenage students has been found guilty of sexually abusing her.

Chris Dawson was convicted of carnal knowledge upon a girl above the age of 10 and under the age of 17.

The charge relates to the student, referred to in court as AB, who he married after murderning his wife Lynette in 1982.

He had employed the child as a babysitter before grooming her into a sexual relationship, marrying her and having a child with her.

The pair later divorced and AB gave evidence against him in both the murder trial and the sex abuse trial.

The student alleged Dawson had sexually abused her in 1980, when she was a 16-year-old pupil in one of his classes at Cromer High School in Sydney.

Dawson, who appeared in court via video link from Sydney, denied that, claiming he began the relationship with AB when she was 17 and no longer his student.

The judge sided with AB, finding that Dawson had groomed the teenager while she was still his pupil.

Chris and Lynette Dawson on their wedding day - with twin brother Paul next to Chris / Handout

AB said she began babysitting for Dawson when she was 16, often staying the night at Dawsons house.

He asked me to marry him when I was 16, many, many times, I always felt obligated, AB alleged.

Judge Sarah Huggett said she accepted the evidence that Dawson had proposed to AB at least once in 1980, when AB was 16.

The judge established there was powerful evidence within a 17th birthday card sent by Dawson to AB in early 1981, in which the accused, a mature man, as opposed to an immature teenager, was confident in the existence of a reciprocal and permanent relationship. And that was because a sexual relationship had commenced in 1980.

Dawson dedicated the card to the most beautiful girl in the world and wrote knowing we will share all the birthdays to follow.

The body of Dawsons wife has never been found. He is not eligible for parole as long as the body remains missing.

He will be sentenced on the carnal knowledge charge on September 15.
V olodymyr Zelensky vowed on Thursday to get justice for all the victims of Vladimir Putins terror in Ukraine as the death toll from the missile strike in Kramatorsk rose to 12.

Rescuers pulled another body from the ruins of a restaurant in eastern Ukraines city of Kramatorsk, said emergency services.

Three children, including twin sisters, were among the dead, while 60 more people were wounded, according to local authorities.

In his overnight address, Mr Zelensky said: No matter what the occupiers try to do against us and no matter what kind of terror they use, they will not be able to break Ukraine.

They will not succeed in knocking us off the path that leads the occupiers to accountability for everything they have done against us and that leads us to our guaranteed security and lasting freedom.

The Ukrainian president added: Ukraine and everyone in the world who stands with us in defence of freedom will also stand in defence of justice. Justice for all those whose lives were taken by Russian terror, whose fate was broken by the Russian war.

Eternal memory to all our people, to all Ukrainian children who were killed by Russian savages!

The attack on the crowded restaurant in Kramatorsk on Tuesday was the latest Russian strike on civilian areas of the war-torn country.

Twin sisters Anna and Yulia Aksenchenko, 14, were among the dead.

They would have turned 15 in September, Kramatorsk city councils education department said in a Facebook post under a picture of the two girls smiling for the camera.

Asked about the attack on Kramatorsk, the Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia attacked only military targets, not civilian ones.

The claim flies firmly in the face of the reality on the ground.

Russias Defence Ministry later said a temporary Ukrainian army command post had been hit in Kramatorsk.

During the overnight rescue, police and soldiers emerged with a man in military trousers and boots on a stretcher. He was placed in an ambulance, though it was unclear whether he was still alive. Two men screamed in frenzied tones for a tow rope, then ran back towards the rubble.

Russia has frequently hit Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Kramatorsk has been a frequent target of Russian attacks.

A missile strike killed 63 people at a railway station there in April 2022, one of the worst single air strikes of the war.

On the frontline, Ukrainian forces conducted counter-offensive operations in at least four sectors of the front on Wednesday, including in the western Zaporizhzhia area, in the western part of the Donetsk province, around the eastern town of Bakhmut, and in the Luhansk province, south of Kreminna, according to the Washington-based Institute for The Study of War.
V ladimir Putin entered a cheering crowd and posed for photographs with fans during a rare meet-and-greet in Russia - sparking speculation over whether the president is using a body double.

Visiting the city of Derbent on Wednesday on the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, the Russian president broke from convention to interact with people in a large crowd - shaking hands, posing for selfies, and even kissing a girl on the cheek.

The rare behaviour from the secretive and reserved Russian leader, who typically observes a fastidious personal security regime, prompted speculation it was carried out not by him but by a very good lookalike.

A Russian diplomat reportedly told MailOnline: It is getting impossible to believe that there is only one Putin.

There are several - very good lookalikes, yet they behave somewhat differently,

This one diving into the crowd in Dagestan behaves differently to the traditional Putin.

Ukrainian journalist Jason Jay Smart wrote on Twitter: The real Putin doesnt meet folks unless they do quarantine for a week & now doesnt even meet senior staff without bodyguards. Putin surely wouldnt mix with a crowd.

Commentator Viktor Alksnis told MailOnline: Why is Putin meeting with visitors in the Kremlin after their two-week quarantine and at a great distance, while in Derbent is calmly into the crowd and even hugs and kisses some citizens?

Putin appears to pose for selfies during the meet-and-greet / AP

How can the physical security of the president be ensured under such conditions? Something is not right here.

Others have suggested the unusual display was simply an attempt by Putin to repair damage to his authority, brought about by an uprising staged by his Wagner private army at the weekend.

Putin met with military staff in the Kremlin on Tuesday before flying to the Caspian city of Derbent, situated in the mostly Muslim region of Dagestan.

He visited an ancient citadel and a historic mosque, and met with officials, before walking into cheering crowds next to a fountain.
Future earnings are important to Bristol University law student Maja Koscicka but not for her own sake. As a child of immigrants, she is keen to forge a career that allows her to help support her family financially.

Coming from a background that is first-generation immigrant, money was always something we worried about, said Koscicka. I wanted to ensure I got to a good university to get into a good future career. Education is important because in order to support your family, you essentially need to do well.

Young peoples backgrounds can influence their choice of degree course, according to Koscicka.

I think it shows when you compare what kind of university course children of immigrants take in comparison to children from more affluent families, she says. If you are from the latter, things like the arts can be an option. The former know that if you are going to get into debt and spend loads of money on university, you need to get a career where you have a good flow of income coming in.

Koscicka is not alone in her career hopes. In a survey by Unifrog, the universal destinations platform, nearly a third of 4,000 teenagers in London and the South East rated a high salary as the most important consideration when choosing a career.

Almost 40 per cent of the respondents expect to be earning at least 50,000 a year at the age of 25. Pupils become slightly more realistic with age, however, with the proportion shrinking from 43 per cent in Year 7 to 27 per cent in Year 13.

But while money is a priority consideration in deciding what career to go into, it is not the top factor. Around 36 per cent of Gen Z respondents rated a good work/life balance as more important.

Maja Koscicka /

Koscicka, an ambassador for Zero Gravity, which mentors disadvantaged students to help them get into top universities, understands this choice, too.

When I first started university, I was convinced that I was going to go for the highest paying firm and work insane hours, she says. But I realised that although money is important, it cant provide health and happiness. I would much rather have a job that pays me well but allows me a life rather than one at the top end of the salary bracket where you are working to 3am in the office every night and then being stressed about the big deal and bringing that home to my family.

Shola West, an apprenticeship pioneer who works in the media and whose TikTok channel @allthingsmediasis gives advice to young people about creative industry careers, thinks Gen Zs work priorities are different from previous generations.

Were balancing a lot of plates, she says. A lot of us have multiple side hustles and hobbies; work isnt the be all and end all. With previous generations, Monday to Friday was all about work and having the weekend to relax, whereas we are constantly trying to blend everything.

Maintaining that balance can take precedence over hard cash.

Flexible working is really important, says West. My company finishes at 3pm on a Friday and that freedom to do things I need to do is really important to me.

Another factor influencing todays teenagers  in a world where social justice is an avowed aim of even ice-cream manufacturers  is work that helps people or has a positive social impact, which 15 per cent of Unifrog survey respondents cited. Both Koscicka and West are examples of this in their extracurricular activity; giving a helping hand to those coming up behind.

Students still pursue careers in public service roles and the arts, of course, despite relatively lower earnings, and are increasingly motivated by environmental considerations. Fulfilling careers that offer a chance to make a difference in the world are the Holy Grail.

Arts University Plymouth photography graduate Nicholas White combines the two. In a recent project he documented the formation of a new European Wilderness Reserve in the mountains of Romania, following migration corridors of bears and footprints of wolves to raise awareness of rewilding.

My working life is divided between assignments and developing my own projects. One funds the other, but they often cross over, he says. Beyond aesthetics, photography allows you to communicate stories that can raise awareness, support a dialogue and inspire change.

Step Up Expo is taking place from June 30-July 1, 2023 at Olympia London. Register for free tickets at stepupexpo.co.uk
H ackney favourite Pidgin has appointed a new head chef as the restaurant approaches its eighth birthday.

Bangladesh-born Naz Hassan will kick-off in the kitchen this evening (June 29), taking over from former head chef Drew Snaith, who joined in 2021.

Hassan has worked at some of Londons most celebrated restaurants, including BiBi, The Cut at 45 Park Lane, Social Eating House, and Crispin.

Now, he will be entrusted with a weekly changing menu at Pidgin, where no dish has ever been repeated.

An announcement said Hassan will bring refined, contemporary European cooking with East and South Asian accents to the restaurant, with each ingredient deserving its place and purpose on the plate.

His first dishes will include poached asparagus with an apricot sabayon, melted lardo and shiso, and confit halibut with courgette puree and an Italian chilli beurre blanc.

Ive always thought of Pidgin as one of East Londons culinary institutions, so Im beyond thrilled to be joining the excellent team, said Hassan.

I want to bring the energy, flavours and excitement to my dishes that made me fall in love with London - nothing gimmicky or for show, just delicious, well-cooked food presented simply and elegantly.

Pidgin was founded by James Ramsden and Sam Herlihy in 2015 and has become a hallmark of the East London food scene.

Ramsden told the Standard: As we approach our eighth birthday, we couldnt be more thrilled to mark the occasion with a chef as talented as Naz is taking over the reins.

When we first met we were truly astonished by his thoughtfulness, intelligence and grown-up attitude, and feel like Pidgin is in the safest hands.

Serving a weekly changing tasting menu is an almighty task for a chef, and Drew has done a remarkable job with it. Were excited to see what new direction Naz takes the restaurant.

52 Wilton Way, E8 1BG, pidginlondon.com
W hile an aperitif is an alcoholic beverage that preps the palate for food  think spritz, fizz or spirit  a digestif is a boozy drink that aids digestion post-meal, making them the perfect bookends either side of a sumptuous feast.

Translating as digestive in French and derived from digestivus in Latin, the word refers to what you drink and when you drink it, just like an aperitif does.

Similarly, different cultures and countries tend to enjoy specific digestifs, whether brandies in France, fortified wines in Spain or bitters in Italy, although it all really comes down to personal taste.

Unlike lighter, brighter aperitifs, digestifs are usually high in alcohol and categorised by deep, rich flavours. Often, theyre consumed neat and are frequently referred to as a nightcap. Really: how could one say no?

Lately, the digestif  once seen as a stuffy, unnecessary tradition at the end of a long, formal dinner  is enjoying something of a renaissance. Indeed, modern-day producers are creating interesting digestifs appealing to an entirely new crowd, while still engaging long-standing connoisseurs, and cult classics are being eagerly rediscovered and dusted off from the back of the booze cabinet.

Dawn Davies, head of buying at The Whisky Exchange, confirms: Digestifs are 100 per cent on the rise. We have seen a huge spike in sales on amaro and Chartreuse, both tripling in sales over the last two years, while a reignition of love for these wonderful spirits is off the back of the Aperol and vermouth trend.

Here, we swirl, sniff and greedily slurp our way through the best digestifs out there, providing postprandial perfection. Proof, if it were needed, that the best things really do come to those who wait.

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M odel Naomi Campbell has become a mother for the second time, welcoming a baby boy.

The 53-year-old announced the news on Instagram as she shared a picture of her cradling the baby while it is assumed her young daughter was holding the babys hand.

She captioned the post: My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence.

A True Gift from God, blessed! Welcome Babyboy. #mumoftwo.

She concluded the message, writing: Its never too late to become a mother.

Famous faces from the world of fashion including designer Donatella Versace and German model Claudia Schiffer shared messages of congratulations.

Meanwhile, Netflixs Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story actress Golda Rosheuvel wrote: Congratulations my love. Best news.

London-born Campbell had not previously revealed she was expecting her second child.

It comes after the supermodel surprised the world in May 2021 by announcing the news that she had become a mother to a baby girl shortly before her 51st birthday, in a post on Instagram featuring a picture of her hand holding a babys feet.

A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother, so honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love, she said.

Last year, she posed with her daughter for the cover of British Vogues March issue and confirmed her daughter had not been adopted, saying: Shes my child.

She told the magazine: I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her.

But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. Its the best thing Ive ever done.

Alongside her new motherhood duties, she continued to walk the runways of some of the worlds most illustrious fashion designers, including Versace, Alexander McQueen, Balmain and Lanvin.

The catwalk star was discovered as a schoolgirl and she went on to become the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue.

She has now become a role model for a younger generation of black models who are dominating the fashion industry and helping to shift beauty ideals.

Campbell is also known for her charity work and in 2005 founded Fashion For Relief, a charity merging fashion and philanthropy.
Samsung opens a new flagship store in Seoul's Gangnam on Thursday in a desperate bid to appeal to well-heeled young customers who typically favor rival Apple.

It is the biggest of Samsung flagship stores in Korea and resembles those it operates in New York and London.

The average age of the store's staff is 29.8 years, and Samsung has flown in employees from subsidiaries in China, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. to greet customers in four languages. The flagship store sprawls over five stories plus a basement and offers plenty of spaces where customers can take Instagrammable selfies.
J ay Blades will delve into the history of his West Midlands home following the success of another Channel 5 history series.

The 53-year-old presenter and furniture restorer  best known for the BBCs The Repair Shop  will travel through locations such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry for Channel 5s Jay Blades: The Midlands Through Time.

He previously took part in the series Jay Blades: East End Through Time, which finished airing this week and explored his life growing up in London as well as the past of this part of the capital.

Blades said: Everyone thinks of Cadburys chocolate, canals and Peaky Blinders when you say Birmingham and those things are true but also so much more.

Ive lived in the West Midlands since 2015. Its often overlooked but the reality is that without the humble West Midlands, the history of the UK, indeed the world, would not have been the same.

Filming has been fascinating, surprising and eye-opening in equal measures  I love Birmingham and the Black Country. Sharing this series with you will be an utter pleasure and a tribute to the place I am proud to call home.

In the three-part series, the show said he will find out the area is the birthplace of the industrial revolution, the home of Wedgwood, the Olympic Games, the theory of Evolution and even the Balti.

The programme is made by Hungry Jay Media, with executive producers Dan Baldwin and Melony Smith and series producers Adrienne Doyard and Lauren Bennie.

Daniel Pearl, commissioning editor, non-scripted UK originals, at Channel 5/Paramount+, said: Jay has the most incredible ability to unpack history in a way that brings stories alive for the viewer.

His friendly charm and insightful exploration of the areas so close to him personally make him hugely popular with viewers and were delighted to be exploring the powerhouse region of the West Midlands with him.
I dris Elba has said that the discourse regarding race around the character of James Bond is what put him off considering the coveted film role.

After Daniel Craig announced that No Time to Die would be his final outing as Bond, fans have long speculated who could replace him, with the Luther star being one of the frontrunners.

However, the British actor ruled himself out of the running earlier this year and has now revealed why.

Elba described the offer to play the role as the pinnacle, but said he would never have accepted the opportunity as it became about race.

Daniel Craig has stepped away from playing the famous British spy / PA Media

Appearing on the SmartLess podcast, which is hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, he shared: The truth is, I was super complimented for a long time about this. James Bond its one of those coveted [roles].

Being asked to be James Bond was like OK, youve sort of reached the pinnacle. Thats one of those things the whole world has a vote in.

Essentially, it was a huge compliment that every corner of the world except from some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered.

Those that werent happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting because it became about race.

In February, the actor, 50, ruled himself out of the running to play 007 as he addressed the persistent discussions about him playing the famous British spy.

When asked about his upcoming film based on his series Luther, Elba told reporters at the World Government Summit in Dubai: Its very dark.

Weve been working on the television show for about 10 years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so were here with the first movie.

Notably, he concluded his answer by insisting that he wont be playing Bond: You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but Im not going to be that guy.

Im going to be John Luther. Thats who I am.

A number of big names have been floated around as to who could replace Craig such Bridgertonstar Rege-Jean Page and Tom Hardy.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has become the favourite to replace Craig / Getty Images for Campari

Taron Egerton, Henry Cavill, James Norton and have also been in the frame while Emily In Paris star Lucien Laviscount seems a bit of a wild card.

However, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has become the favourite to become the next James Bond in recent months.

It was first reported in November that the 32-year-old had impressed producers after filming a secret audition following Craigs exit from the franchise in 2021.

Then in January, a report confirmed that Taylor-Johnson did sit down with Barbara Broccoli and that their meeting very well.
A n investigation by The Standard has found that British celebrities are being increasingly targeted by cybercriminals in fake cryptocurrency scam ads that are generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

As part of the latest con, grifters are using readily available AI tools to create fake pictures of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, Italian celebrity chef Gino DAcampo, and adventurer Bear Grylls in order to peddle get-rich-quick schemes on Facebook and Twitter.

The ads have been viewed more than a million times on Twitter alone, according to their public view counts.

Cybercriminals pay for promoted advertising posts on social media networks that look like they come from accredited influencers or organisations.

For example, the image in the post below shows the celebrity in question being arrested by the police and, if you click on the link, it sends you to a fake article in a webpage template that appears to be The Guardian.

A fake AI-generated promoted ad post on Twitter shows someone who looks like Bear Grylls being arrested / Screenshot

In the case of Bear Grylls, the ludicrous headline claims that the Bank of England has sued him, while other scams claimed that Gino DAcampo had died, according to The Skeptic.

The Guardian is one of a number of trusted media companies whose brand is used to fake these sorts of images

In reality, The Standard found that many of these scam webpages have been sneakily inserted into real websites. In one example, we found a scam article hosted on a government agency website in Brazil.

Mr Wright took to TikTok earlier this month to call out the scams after being alerted of their existence: Listen, Im getting so many calls  people think Ive been arrested. Theyre superimposing me with handcuffs, look at me. This is a scam, people are scamming you. I aint been arrested, I aint doing nothing to get arrested.

The Standard has approached Facebook and Twitter for comment.

A fake article in a Guardian-style template claims that Bear Grylls was sued by the Bank of England / Screenshot

A Guardian News and Media spokesman said: The Guardian is one of a number of trusted media companies whose brand is used to fake these sorts of images, which contain completely fabricated headlines and imagery.

We are aware of these instances and have submitted appropriate requests for takedown, and welcome the fact that, following the passage of the online safety bill, online platforms will have greater legal responsibility to prevent these sorts of scam ads from ever being published.

Targeted scam ads for UK audiences

Although there is no precise data on how many scam ads are currently circulating or how many people are being affected, experts are warning that they, too, are seeing a worrying rise in the amount of AI-generated scams on social media.

[Scams that use generative AI] are very much on the increase, Katherine Hart, lead officer at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, told The Standard.

What were finding is that criminals will basically use these generated images of a well-known celebrity to either endorse a product or to spread fake news.

She added that the Chartered Trading Standards Institute is hoping to work with social media platforms to be able to take them down as quickly as possible, but as soon as we take them down, unfortunately, another one appears.

Even Elon Musks image has been used in promotional scams / AP / PA

Over the past two years, the most common scam ads used Elon Musk to promote cryptocurrencies, particularly during lockdowns in 2021, when he announced that Tesla had bought $1.5bn (1.2bn) in Bitcoin and would be accepting it as payment.

According to cybersecurity firm Avast, victims lost an average of $250 (198) to the scam. In just August 2022 alone, Avast blocked the ad from being shown to more than 10,000 users in 11 countries across several continents.

We found that the top three brands impersonated by malicious threat actors over the last 90 days, to steal personal and confidential data, were Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon

In March, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asked social media networks for more information about how they detect bad ads. It says in 2022, US citizens lost more than $1.2bn (951 m) to fraud that started on social media.

According to Menlo Security, at least were starting to get suspicious  one in three UK consumers now believe that more than half of all ads on websites or social media sites are generated by AI. However, it says people still dont mind clicking on them.

Its survey of 1,000 UK consumers found that around half (48 per cent) of respondents are unaware they can be infected via a social media ad and 40 per cent dont know they can be infected by clicking on pop-ups and banners.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram are seen as being more trustworthy, with one in five people trusting these sites not to promote ads that link to dodgy websites that might install malware on your computer.

We found that the top three brands impersonated by malicious threat actors over the last 90 days, to steal personal and confidential data, were Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon. Some people may be shocked to learn that even the most credible websites are not immune to malvertising, Tom McVey, an AI security spokesperson at Menlo Security told The Standard.

We advise people to report the [scams] to the social media platforms, but also do a little homework on this product that theyre interested in, and do a few checks themselves, stressed Ms Hart.

Dont just rely on an image of a celebrity endorsing a product. Do a little bit of homework yourself.
T he House of Lords is advising the prime minister to take decisive action and set out a cross-governmental plan to tackle digital exclusion, as up to 10 million adults in the UK now lack basic digital skills  like using a computer to surf the web, edit word documents, or even access online banking.

In its Digital Exclusion report released on Thursday, the Communications and Digital Committee warns that the Government lacks a creditable plan to tackle both digital exclusion and digital poverty, despite wanting the UK to become an artificial intelligence (AI) tech superpower.

According to the report, at least 2.4 million people are still unable to complete a single basic digital task to get online and five million workers will be acutely under-skilled in basic digital skills by 2030. This follows an Ipsos report in 2022 that found at least 10.2 million adults lack fundamental basic skills for getting online.

Added to this, around 1.7 million households have no broadband or mobile internet access. Last month, a Citizens Advice survey found that as many as a million people cut off their broadband last year because they could no longer afford it.

We want the prime minister to care about digital skills as much as he cares about maths  its quite shocking that 2.4 million people cant do a basic digital task, like connecting to wi-fi, using a mouse, or using a webpage, Communications and Digital Committee chair Baroness Tina Stowell told the Standard.

One interesting thing is that young people who we think of as digitally native...while they might be good on their iPhones, social media, or TikTok, when it comes to basic skills when they start work, theyre not equipped either.

Despite ICT classes in schools and numerous initiatives focused on coding and computer literacy, the Communications and Digital Committee found there are huge numbers of people leaving school who lack even the most basic of digital skills and are unprepared to enter the workforce.

This is despite the fact that in 2022, 82 per cent of all jobs advertised listed digital skills as a key requirement.

A Government spokesman said: We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age. Steps we are taking include putting essential digital skills on an equal footing in the adult education system alongside English and maths.

To boost access, we have worked closely with Ofcom and the industry to bring a range of social broadband and mobile tariffs, available across 99% of the UK and starting from as low as 10 per month, and our 5 billion Project Gigabit has already resulted in 76% of the UK being covered by gigabit broadband, up from just 6% at the start of 2019.

To tackle the digital exclusion crisis, the House of Lords wants to see investment in teaching basic digital skills in schools, digital-inclusion hubs in communities where people can go to learn about how to access online services, and urgent action to help people cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

Fixing this problem will cost money, but the financial returns could be significant. A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) found that that every 1 invested in basic digital skills could generate an overall return of 9.48 by 2032.

The CEBR estimated that filling basic digital skills vacancies would generate an estimated 2.7 billion for UK businesses, plus 586 million in increased worker earnings and 179 million in additional earnings from finding work. Increased tax revenue for the Government could amount to 483 million.

Young people leaving school without digital skills

Many schools in the UK are not able to offer one device per child and some families cant afford computers or broadband internet, meaning their children are being left behind / Alexander Dummer / Unsplash

In 2023, it seems unheard of that, in a first-world country like the UK, young people could be leaving school without having the most basic digital skills, especially since the Department for Education (DFE) developed the Essential Digital Skills Framework that sets out eight foundation skills that adults must know, including the ability to turn on devices, connect to wi-fi, log onto the internet, and how to keep passwords safe.

It is hard to understand why it's not being promoted in the way you would expect, said Baroness Stowell.

People don't always leave school as qualified as they should  there should be more emphasis on delivering these skills in communities or the workplace.

She added that, while the Government has had many initiatives, what the Communications and Digital Committee now wants to see is a strategy that spans across the whole government and is constantly monitored, as poverty and lack of access to technology are also key, not just a focus on education or qualifications.

One major issue, she stressed, is that although libraries are able to offer people a place to access the web and to print documents, many libraries struggle to help everyone and lack the support to provide digital literacy classes and assistance to people who need it.

The Government is to introduce new digital Functional Skills qualifications (FSQs) from August 2023, The Standard understands, and funding is available for essential digital skills training through the Adult Education Budget including in community settings as determined by local areas.

Elizabeth Anderson, interim chief executive at charity Digital Poverty Alliance, has some explanation for why education is so inconsistent. One reason could be that, in many schools, pupils do not have their own devices  and there is no device at home for them to use.

During the pandemic, a quarter of children did not have access to a device suitable for learning. Were not seeing a big change here since then, she told The Standard.

Yes, there was an initiative by DFE to get machines out to schools, they did provide several million devices to schools, but some schools did not have in-house IT departments, so they lacked the capability to get the devices set up and get them to children.

Ms Anderson added that the charity sees vast numbers of children who might have access to a mobile phone, but this is not adequate: We see children being bullied when they have to stay late after school to use the pool laptops, we're seeing parents desparately asking neighbours, trying to find somewhere for their kids to do their homework.

To try to combat this, the Digital Poverty Alliance has teamed up with consumer electronics retailer Currys to offer refurbished computers with Windows 10 and an internet broadband connection for 49 to people who are eligible for Universal Credit or have disabilities, as well as to rural communities without access to technology, and to charities.

Digital Poverty Alliance also wants to see the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) actively signpost help to people in need, such as social tariffs, where people in difficult circumstances who are eligible for Universal Credit can request a subsidised broadband package from their internet service providers.

Highlighting such a service in letters already being sent to citizens about benefits or in job centres would not incur any further costs at all, Ms Anderson stressed.

Take-up of social tariffs is currently only 5.1 per cent of all eligible people. Theres a lot of support that can be gained just by telling people it is there  theres no central strategy signposting people to help they can access.
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Virgin Galactic will launch its first commercial flight on Thursday, from a launchpad in New Mexico.

As part of the 90-minute flight the crew will carry out science experiments, such as measuring the air quality to inform future flights, but also to record how certain liquids and solids interact in microgravity.

The three man crew will be joined by an astronaut instructor, and will conduct 13 scientific research experiments in total.

Its hoped a gene discovery linked to faster progression of multiple sclerosis could pave the way for the development of treatments, to tackle the life-long condition

Professor Stephen Sawcer from the University of Cambridge told Tech & Science Daily how this genetic evidence will help them secure funding from pharmaceutical companies, and how potential treatments could also translate to other conditions, such as Alzheimers or Parkinsons Disease.

Scientists have been left baffled after a planet somehow avoided being engulfed by its dying host star.

The planet, called 8 Ursae Minoris b, is about the size of Jupiter and continues to exist, despite its host star transforming into a red giant.

For the first time ultra-low frequency gravitational waves have been seen by the human eye.

They were seen using six of the world's most sensitive radio telescopes after 25 years of observation, and theyre thought to have come from pairs of supermassive black holes found in the centres of merging galaxies.

And the rest

140 major brands are paying for ads that end up on unreliable AI-written sites, researchers are developing an AI tool that could speed up dementia diagnosis, the smart gloves that could allow stroke patients to relearn to play the piano, and are octopuses capable of dreaming?

Listen above, and find us on your Spotify Daily Drive or wherever you stream your podcasts.
Pompeii never ceases to amaze. Two millennia after the eruption of Vesuvius that reduced it to ashes, the time machine that the devastated old city has become is still running at full capacity. This archaeological site on the shores of the Gulf of Naples continues to be an impressive window into the daily life of the ancient Romans; now, archaeologists excavating in a new area of the city ravaged by the volcano in the year 79 AD have discovered a fresco representing a still life that includes a dish that looks very similar to what we know today as pizza.

The experts who are analyzing the artwork point out that it cannot really be a depiction of this Italian delicacy  whose exact origin is unknown and which was declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2017  since the most important ingredients, tomato and mozzarella, are missing.

However, it could be an antecedent of this modern dish. As the people in charge of the Pompeii Archaeological Park point out, in the images that were found on the walls of an ancient Pompeian house, together with a goblet of wine on a silver tray, appears a focaccia, a type of flatbread that serves as a base for various fruits. Archaeologists also identified a pomegranate and some date-like fruits, seasoned with spices or a kind of pesto (moretum, in Latin), depicted with yellowish and ocher dots. In addition, the tray has some dried fruits and yellow madrone fruits.

General view of the location where the fresco was found. Parque Arqueologico de Pompeya (EFE)

This type of iconography, known in antiquity as xenia, was inspired by the hospitality gifts that used to be offered to guests according to a Greek tradition dating back to the Hellenistic period (3rd-1st centuries BC). The size of the tray, designed to carry large amounts of food, is another example of this custom, to which there are numerous references in classical literature. As the 1st century BC Roman writer Vitruvius explains, when the Greeks became more refined and their living conditions more opulent, they created small guest apartments inside their homes, to which they used to send, after their first dinner together, chickens, eggs, vegetables, fruits and other local products, to make visitors feel at home.

According to experts, devoting the walls of ones own home to these representations, so often mentioned in ancient books, was perceived as a symbol of the refinement (not only culinary, but also literary and artistic) of the host. In some cases, such as the recently discovered still life, some of the higher quality paintings were in fact much more expensive than the items that were depicted on them.

Although in the cities that were buried by the Vesuvius (Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia) some three hundred representations of this type have already been found, related to both the sacred and the hospitality contexts, this new fresco stands out due to its remarkable quality of execution, according to the archaeologists.

In addition to the precise identification of the food that is represented, we find in this fresco some themes from the Hellenistic period, elaborated later by authors from the Roman-imperial period such as Virgil, Martial and Philostratus. I think of the contrast between a frugal, simple meal, which evokes an area between the bucolic and the sacred, on one hand, and the luxury of silver trays and the refinement of artistic and literary representations, observed Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, adding, regarding the comparison with todays pizza: How can we not think about pizza, which also originated as a poor dish in southern Italy and which has now conquered the world and is also served in star-rated restaurants.

The fresco was found in the atrium of a house on Insula 10 of Regio IX of the archaeological site, on the border between the excavated part and the unexplored area of the ancient city, still buried under tons of lapilli and ashes. In addition, a bakery  already partially explored between 1888 and 1891  appeared in an adjoining area and is being studied since January. The partially exposed structures that were excavated in the 19th century already suggested the presence of a large atrium with the classic succession of rooms on the east side and, on the opposite, the entrance to the bakery.

The archaeologists cleaned the atrium of material from the 19th century excavations and the remains of the collapse of the roofs; an arduous, delicate task, as the rubble is mixed with the volcanic material.

A few weeks ago, they also found the skeletons of two adult women and a child who died on the day of the eruption in that same area. Their case is peculiar  like that of other similar ones discovered recently  because they were not directly hit by the pyroclastic material spewing furiously from the volcano, but were suddenly buried while trying to take shelter from the rain of lava, due to the collapse of the rooftops that occurred as a result of the earthquake that accompanied the eruption.

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Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, is unloaded from the ship Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier on June 28, 2023.

The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the Titan submersible and is bringing the evidence back to the United States. The submersible imploded last week, killing all five people on board, when the vessel was on a voyage to see the wreck of the Titanic. The return of the debris to port in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a key piece of the investigation into why the submersible imploded. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier on Wednesday and that included what it described as presumed human remains.

I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement. The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the TITAN and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

Horizon Arctic, a Canadian ship, carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said on Wednesday that it has completed offshore operations.

Pelagic Research Services team is still on mission and cannot comment on the ongoing Titan investigation, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.

They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones, Mahoney said.

Debris from the Titan was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded and all five people on board were dead.

The Coast Guard has convened a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion. That is the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard.

One of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. And there could be electronic data, said Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Certainly all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available? And I really dont know the answer to that question, he said Monday.

Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.

Coast Guard representatives declined to comment on the investigation or the return of debris to shore on Wednesday. Representatives for the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which are both involved in the investigation, also declined to comment.

The National Transportation Safety Board has said the Coast Guard has declared the loss of the Titan submersible to be a major marine casualty and the Coast Guard will lead the investigation.

We are not able to provide any additional information at this time as the investigation is ongoing, said Liam MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. OceanGate is based in Everett, Washington, but closed when the Titan was found. Meanwhile, the Titans mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada, and those killed were from England, Pakistan, France, and the U.S.

Killed in the implosion were Ocean Gate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush; two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

The operator charged passengers $250,000 each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to improve safety of submersibles.

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The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday a legislative act by which local and central public institutions, together with educational institutions/units, family doctors, hospitals, non-governmental organisations, religious institutions will be able to initiate projects with European, local or national funds to support children whose parents are working abroad.

The draft law complements Law 272/2004 so that local and central public institutions, together with educational institutions/units, family doctors, hospitals, non-governmental organisations accredited as social service providers carrying out activities in the field of child protection, recognised organisations and religious institutions, as well as other entities eligible for European funding will have the right to initiate and manage projects with European, local or national funds to help children through the difficult period when parents are working abroad.

"Central and local public administration authorities, accredited social service providers, legally recognised religious denominations and any other public or private institutions with responsibilities in the field of education, health and child protection may initiate projects aimed at children with parents working abroad and the persons responsible for their upbringing and care during their parents' absence, depending on their needs, from the following funding sources: a) the state budget or, where appropriate, local budgets, within the limit of the revenue and expenditure budgets provided for that purpose; b) European funds. The relevant ministries have the obligation to cooperate with the managing authorities in drawing up guidelines for applicants for calls for projects financed by European funds for children with parents working abroad and for persons responsible for their upbringing and care during their parents' absence," reads the draft law.

Culture Minister Raluca Turcan, National Liberal Party (PNL) MP, said that 150 million euros of European funds will reach children whose parents have gone abroad to work.

"This is a draft law that I initiated together with other fellow parliamentarians, because there are tens of thousands of children in Romania - possibly even up to 150,000 - whose parents have gone abroad to work. They need real support when their parents are away. Thus, with this law we give the right to public institutions, schools, hospitals, NGOs and religious institutions to attract European funding and run special programmes for these children. Thus, starting with autumn we can help at least 20,000 children. Children left at home, after their parents have gone abroad to work, deprived of affection and supervision, are exposed to several risks: dropping out of school, self-isolation, emotional and behavioural disorders, risk of getting sick, risk of getting involved with a bad company (drugs, alcohol, etc.)," Turcan wrote on Facebook.

She mentioned that during her mandate as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, together with the Minister of European Funds, Marcel Bolos, she supported specific programmes to help children, including children whose parents went abroad to work.

"Several million euros from European funds have already been directed to several non-governmental organisations. Through these projects children will be able to benefit from educational services, psychological support, after-school programmes, vocational counselling, school supplies and clothes and other types of projects to help them integrate at school and in the community. It is a crucial investment in tomorrow's Romania, in children at high risk of dropping out of school, psychological disorders and common diseases," added Raluca Turcan.

The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body.
The first 40 firefighters of Romania's national forest firefighting module left for Greece on Thursday on a mission to help the Greek authorities as part of their fire monitoring and suppression program.

According to the General Emergency Management Inspectorate, the program aims to reduce response times in the event of forest fires, to streamline the preparation of intervention modules belonging to the EU member states, as well as to improve the interoperability among the participating forces.





Minister of the Interior Catalin Predoiu, who attended the send-off ceremony, told the firefighters that they are an example to the European nations.





"Dear rescuers, dear colleagues, you are leaving today on a new mission in Greece, as part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism. You are leaving today on a new mission, because in the previous ones you have proven professionalism, dedication, you demonstrated humanity, you saved lives, helped people and protected property, you did honor to your profession, to the Romanian Ministry of the Interior, honor to the national flag. We are all proud of you. We trust you, we and our friends in Greece and the European institutions. You are an example not only to the nation, but to the European nations too, because you are called upon to help with your science, with your expertise, with devotion and courage, with the lots of courage you demonstrated and which an entire country, an entire Europe were able to see live in the previous years," Predoiu said.





Throughout the summer of 2022 Romania sent several teams of firefighters to quell the forest fires that affected Greece.
Gov't borrows over RON 917 million on Thursday off banks.

The Ministry of Finance (MF) on Thursday borrowed RON 917.4 million off banks in an issue of benchmark bonds of a residual maturity of 64 months and an average yield of 6.65% per annum, according to data published by the National Bank of Romania (BNR), told Agerpres.

The nominal value of Thursday's issue was RON 700 million, and the banks offered RON 992.4 million.

An additional auction is scheduled for Friday to borrow another RON 105 million lei at the yield set on Thursday for the bonds.

MP has planned for June 2023 to borrow RON 5.7 billion off commercial banks, to which RON 780 million lei can be added in additional sessions of non-competitive offers related to bond auctions.

The total amount of RON 6.48 billion lei is RON 690 million higher than the one scheduled for May, of RON 5.79 billion, and it is intended for public debt refunding and government deficit financing.
Iohannis: Collaboration between NATO and EU - extremely important; it needs to be honest, deep, creating synergies.

President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Thursday, that the collaboration between the European Union and NATO is extremely important and emphasized that this collaboration needs to be honest, deep, creating synergies, not competitive, told Agerpres.

The members of the European Council had, before participating in the meeting, a working lunch with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

President Klaus Iohannis pointed out that the NATO Secretary General informed the members of the European Council about the current state of preparations for the Alliance Summit in Vilnius that will take place in July.

"First of all, the collaboration between NATO and the European Union is extremely important and I emphasized that an honest, deep collaboration is needed, a collaboration that creates synergies, not competitions," said Iohannis.

He said that as far as Ukraine is concerned, it is vital for this country and for the EU and NATO states to maintain unity and solidarity between the two institutions, and for Kiev to be supported "further unconditionally, with everything we have."

The head of state recalled that the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest decided that Ukraine and Georgia would become NATO allies.

"Unconditionally, without other items and sub-items. So, this question can be clarified very easily. Furthermore, for sure, when it will happen, how it will happen remains to be seen," added President Iohannis.

"At the same time, I reiterated and I think it is clear to everyone that we must try to do everything to stop Russia, to stop this illegal war. In order to help Ukraine, at the same time, we need to help them during their European. And here, in taking my word, I was very firm," he also said.

The head of state emphasized that it is extremely important to support the Republic of Moldova as well.

"It is extremely important to help Ukraine, but at the same time, it is extremely important to help those who suffer from this war and need a chance, in particular, and I explicitly referred here to the Republic of Moldova, which needs our support, needs support to increase its resilience and needs support to become a member of the European Union," he said.

President Iohannis welcomed the support package presented by the European Commission for the Republic of Moldova.
JusMin Gorghiu: In 2022 - lowest percentage of recidivists in the last 13 years.

Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu said on Thursday that, in 2022, Romania reached the lowest percentage of recidivists among the incarcerated population in the last 13 years, told Agerpres.

"I have to tell you that I have a little joy regarding the problem of recidivism: in 2022, Romania reached the lowest percentage of recidivists in its prison population in the last 13 years: 36%," Alina Gorghiu said at an event organised on the occasion of the Romanian Prison Workers' Day.

According to a press release from the Justice Ministry sent to AGERPRES, Gorghiu conveyed that they are working to solve the problem of insufficient detention places, and by the end of the year 1,275 will be given in use, an obligation assumed by the Resmives Memorandum.

"The Justice Ministry provides all the necessary support for the construction of the two new penitentiary units in Berceni and Unguriu, which are currently in the procurement phase. The order for the commencement of the execution works is expected to be issued at the beginning of 2024, if all goes according to the schedule. The penitentiary in Berceni will have 1,000 places of detention and the one in Unguriu 900. Thus, in the next 4 years, we will have almost 2,000 new detention places," Gorghiu said.
A new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for Black Hawk helicopters is planned to open in Bacau under a partnership between American aerospace and security company Lockheed Martin and Romanian aircraft construction, repair and upgrading company Aerostar S.A.

Following a contract signed by the two companies in January, the Black Hawk MRO center is scheduled to be fully authorized and operational when the seven S-70 Black Hawk helicopters arrive in Romania later this year. The Romanian Ministry of the Interior signed a framework agreement for a fleet of up to 12 Black Hawks in November 2021, to meet the needs of the country's emergency services, a statement from Lockheed Martin said.

When it becomes operational, this center will contribute to the creation and maintenance of highly qualified jobs in Romania, said Ray Piselli, Lockheed Martin Vice President - International Business, cited in the release. He also notes that the facility will increase preparedness and reduce operational costs for the Black Hawk helicopters operated here. As we look to integrate support for other Lockheed Martin products, we anticipate that this center has strong potential for future growth, he adds.

After completing the audit of Aerostar and its facilities, Lockheed Martin is now awaiting an evaluation of the facility plans by the Romanian authorities. Aerostar employees have already completed the required MRO training at Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky Training Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Through this new capability, Aerostar will continue and go through the entire process of taking over the MRO activities required for the new aircraft in Romania and in the region. We want to strengthen Romania's position in this market and rely on our technical capabilities and knowledge to stimulate cooperation with other Romanian companies in this field, said Aerostar President and CEO Grigore Filip, as cited in the same release.

Built at Lockheed Martin's PZL Mielec plant in Poland, the medium lift S-70 Black Hawk has earned its status as a trusted utility aircraft for operators worldwide, with unmatched multi-mission versatility and military-grade airworthiness, capable to operate in extreme weather conditions, day or night, the American company said.

Romanian and Polish officials signed in September 2021 a framework agreement for the supply of 12 medium-heavy multi-role Black Hawk helicopters intended for rescue missions of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU).

The value of the contract is over 269 million euros VAT excluded, and the aircraft is manufactured by PZL Mielec in Poland, where Black Hawk helicopters for Europe are built.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S., Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global aerospace and defense company with approximately 116,000 employees worldwide, specializing in the research, design, development, production, integration and maintenance of systems, products and advanced technological services.
In a message conveyed on Thursday on the commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the anti-Jewish pogrom in Iasi, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu affirms the government's "firm" commitment to continuing efforts to combat anti-Semitism, xenophobia, discrimination and hate speech, to preserve the memory of the past and condemn the denial of the Holocaust, to support and protect the survivors, as well as to the promotion of Holocaust education and research.

Ciolacu brings to mind that approximately one third of the Jewish population of Iasi fell victim back then to the discriminatory, anti-Semitic and racist policies that etched "a dark moment" in national history.

"It was a stage of history characterized by death and suffering, which ushered in the death of more than 13,000 Jews - men, women, children - victims of the Iasi Pogrom. Today we honor the memory of the victims of this tragic event occurred against the backdrop of an aggressive and visceral anti-Semitism that progressively poisoned Romania and Europe," the head of the Executive notes.

According to him, the events in Iasi and the tragic consequences of the extremist behaviors that characterized that period require each of us today, "as a duty of honor, to acknowledge, own up to and know our history in a responsible manner, so that it never repeats again."

"Therefore, we have a special responsibility to remember the past, to keep its memory alive, especially for the younger generations, to condemn Romania's participation in the Holocaust, to protect the few remaining survivors and also to continue to promote education on Jewish history and the Holocaust," Ciolacu points out.

The prime minister emphasizes the duty to continue the fight "against anti-Semitism and any manifestation of intolerance, discrimination or hate incitement" and efforts "to publicly and unequivocally condemn without hesitation any attempt to deny or distort the Holocaust, and to defend the Romanian society from such threats."

"On February 24, 2022 the Russian Federation brought war back to the European continent by launching an unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, after two years of pandemic. The pandemic and the Russian military aggression against Ukraine have been accompanied by a worrying proliferation of anti-Semitic speech and by the trivialization and distortion of the Holocaust, by an increase in anti-Semitic, intolerant and discriminatory manifestations, especially in the virtual environment, with a harmful impact on Jewish communities around the world as well as on social relations and the cohesion of democratic societies," Ciolacu goes on to remark.

According to him, the commemoration of the Iasi Pogrom also represents "an exhortation not to let ourselves overwhelmed by the threat of hatred, ignorance or denial and to continue to rebuild with understanding, love and respect what some of our forefathers have tried to cruelly and fundamentally destroy."
Jurors who will decide the fate of actor Kevin Spacey were sworn on Wednesday in a London court as the Oscar winner faces charges of sexually assaulting four men as long as two decades ago. The outcome of the trial could send Spacey to prison or revive his career.

The two-time Academy Award winner was dressed in a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and pink tie as he strode confidently into court and was called by his full name. He was asked if he was Kevin Spacey Fowler. I am, he said as he stood behind a window in the dock.

Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges including sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

I am sure the defendant will be gratified to know that many of you will know his name or have seen his films, Justice Mark Wall said as Spacey nodded and smiled at the potential jurors lined up between the dock and two dozen journalists taking notes.

The first 14 jurors, including two alternates, called by name were seated without objection from the prosecution or defense. The remaining 13 were excused.

The jurors were clad in a mix of business and casual attire. Two women wore dresses and two men had suits and ties. One man wore a black denim jacket, and a bearded man had a weathered Superman T-shirt stretched across his midsection.

Spacey stood with his hands clasped behind his back as the nine men and five women were sworn in as jurors to hear evidence in the case expected to last four weeks in Southwark Crown Court.

Opening statements are scheduled for Friday.

Spacey, who is free on bail and has homes in London and the U.S., arrived at court by taxi with his manager, Evan Lowenstein, about two hours before the trial was due to start. He smiled and waved as he passed photographers and video journalists.

Spacey has said an acquittal in the case could jump-start a career that has largely been on ice since sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against the star, who won his first Academy Award for supporting actor in The Usual Suspects in 1995.

There are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London, Spacey said in a rare interview published this month in Germanys Zeit magazine. He said the media had turned him into a monster.

The charges involving men now in their 30s or 40s date from 2001 to 2013  covering most of the decade when he lived in Britain and served as artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre until 2015.

Spaceys downfall came amid the #MeToo movement in the United States when allegations led to him being written off the Netflix political thriller House of Cards, where he played the lead character Frank Underwood, a ruthless and corrupt congressman who becomes president. He was cut from the completed film All the Money in the World, and the scenes reshot with Christopher Plummer.

Spacey became one of the most celebrated actors of his generation in the 1990s, starring in films including Glengarry Glen Ross and LA Confidential. He won his second Oscar, for best actor, in the 1999 movie American Beauty.

Spacey recently had his first film role in several years, appearing in 2022 in Italian director Franco Neros The Man Who Drew God, and playing the late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in the biopic Once Upon a Time in Croatia. He also stars in the unreleased U.S. film Peter Five Eight.

Italys National Cinema Museum in Turin gave him its lifetime achievement award in January. He also taught a masterclass and introduced a sold-out screening of American Beauty which was billed as Spaceys first speaking engagement in five years.

Spacey saluted organizers for making a strong defense of artistic achievement and for having le palle  the Italian word for male body parts synonymous with courage  to invite him.

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President Iohannis in Brussels: I will bring up the need to strengthen EU's disaster preparedness and response.

President Klaus Iohannis announced on Thursday that, together with nine other states, Romania submitted a joint letter to the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission regarding the need to strengthen the European Union's disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, told Agerpres.

"I will bring up the need to strengthen the European Union's disaster preparedness and response mechanisms. And I will do this together with nine other member states: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia, which joined my initiative on strengthening the European Union's capacity in this area. This way, we send a high-level political message on the added value of European civil protection in major crisis situations, as well as the need to strengthen disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, given that the member states are not always able to face these complicated situations alone. I have promoted a letter, a joint letter submitted to the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, a letter co-signed by the nine member states that I mentioned," Iohannis said ahead of a meeting of the European Council.

The letter suggests developing a strategic approach geared towards a medium and long-term development of the civil protection mechanism; strengthening the institutional capacity of the EU by exploring the possibility of creating a single crisis management centre; developing emergency preparedness and response at the European level; improving the role of national authorities in terms of civil protection and crisis management.

Iohannis added that the European Council will also discuss migration.

"Another issue that concerns us - and we consider it to be of major importance - is migration. Given that the problem is a common one, it calls for a common solution and Romania, I think you remember - I said it before - has been very involved in this issue. Actions related to border management are an important tool in combating illegal migration. Romania has contributed to the implementation of the February conclusions, the conclusions of the extra summit dedicated to this issue, including through the pilot project on the border with Serbia, as President Von der Leyen also pointed out in the letter sent to the leaders in preparation for today's discussions. We are successfully advancing the project in close co-operation with the European Commission, in order to promote Romania's good practices at the EU external border. Our involvement reconfirms that Romania is acting in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility at the level of the European Union and we continue to play an active role in shaping common solutions for combating illegal migration and border management," said Iohannis.

He added that the European summit will also look at the economy, security and defence, the EU external relations, and preparing the future EU strategic agenda.
President Iohannis: No deepening but maintainance works done on Bystroe Canal.

President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday that maintenance work, not deepening, had been carried out on the Bystroe Canal, pointing out that works other than maintenance could not be carried out without the involvement of international entities working to protect the Danube Delta and without Romania, told Agerpres.

"There is a long-standing Ukrainian intention to use the Bystroe Canal in a reasonable way to get out to the Black Sea. Whether or not work will be done remains to be seen. So far, it has all been a myth, no deepening work has been done, the latest measurements show that maintenance work has been done. If other than maintenance works are to be done, which are absolutely fine, they cannot be done without involving the international entities that deal with the protection of the Danube Delta and without Romania. So I don't think there is a discussion here and, at the very least, the discussion that there has been has proved to be counterproductive. However, it is true that the Ukrainians want more traffic on the Danube and here we can still make some institutional improvements, but also in the way the Sulina is navigated to help them," said the head of state before the European Council meeting.

He also said that Romania will continue to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain.

"I think it is, meanwhile, a known fact that most of the Ukrainian grain exports go through Romania, through the logistic routes in Romania, essentially through the port of Constanta. But it is reached there by rail, by road, and part, it is true, is exported from Ukraine directly on the Danube, via the Bystroe Canal and the Black Sea. We have facilitated this export, we have exempted them from taxes, we continue to support them and we believe it is the right thing to do. It is also the right thing to do for Ukraine, which it is in our interest to support, because this is where a significant part of the Ukrainian state's income comes from. On the other hand, it is fair to the recipient, there are many countries that are quite poor and depend on this grain coming from Ukraine. So we will further facilitate transit. Of course we have looked for and found ways to ensure that domestic producers are not disadvantaged. And there are two issues here: we have negotiated with the Commission and you probably know that a significant aid, I think of 100 million, has been released just the other day for producers who have had losses due to legislative syncopes, to put it that way. These issues will be corrected," said President Iohannis.

President Klaus Iohannis is attending the European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday.
President Iohannis on bills regarding special pensions, cumulation of pension with salary: In essence, my opinion is good.

President Klaus Iohannis stated on Thursday regarding the draft bills on special pensions and the interdiction to cumulate pension with salary, that "in essence" his opinion is a good one and that he awaits their promulgation, told Agerpres.

"In essence, my opinion is a good one. Because you have asked me what my opinion is. There are two topics that have been on the public agenda in Romania for years and it is very good that the coalition has taken the decision to address both issues and the special pensions and the cumulation of pension with state salary. Two laws have been made, they have been voted in Parliament and I await their promulgation. I don't think you expect me to say more at this point, as long as Parliament has voted, there are the two bills. We are waiting for them to continue their route and I expect them on my table," the head of state said prior to the European Council meeting.

He was asked what he thinks about the two draft laws in the context in which the bill on special pensions includes some provisions that are to be enforced in 20 years, and the one on the cumulation of pension with salary includes some exceptions, but also about the fact that the High Court of Cassation and Justice is going to challenge them with the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR).

Prior to the meeting, the members of the European Council had a working lunch with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

President Klaus Iohannis is attending the European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday.
President Iohannis: We continue discussions on Schengen accession, slowly progressing.

President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday stated that Romania's accession to Schengen continues to be discussed informally on many levels, with a slow progress, while Spain has repeatedly shown its willingness to put this case on the agenda of the EU Council presidency, told Agerpres.

"While, formally, this topic is not being discussed in the Council format, it is still being discussed in the JHA format, informally. So discussions continue on this topic, on many levels and they will continue. As I said last year, when we had to face that unfortunate vote from Austria, which opposed the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen, we will continue to discuss, negotiate, look for solutions, but I also want everybody to understand this very well: this issue will not appear officially on the JHA agenda until we have a sufficient level of understanding that will allow a positive outcome. Because we cannot play with a vital issue for Romania, probably also for Bulgaria, and important for the Union. We cannot put issues up for vote once and again and keep getting negative answers. Everyone must understand that, when this issue will appear officially on the JHA agenda, at that moment we will also be certain that everything has been well prepared so that it will not be another failure, but a new success of the European Union. For I repeat, Romania's or Bulgaria's entry or failure to entry into Schengen will not be just a failure of Romania or Bulgaria or a success that only belongs to Romania and Bulgaria. It is a question of an essential, vital European matter and, if we succeed, this will be a success of the Union. And if we fail, then it is a failure of the Union," said the head of state before the meeting of the European Council.

He showed that although the progress made in this file is slow, there is still progress being made. The head of state emphasized that Spain has shown many times its willingness to put the file of Romania and Bulgaria's accession to the free movement area on the agenda of the EU Council presidency.

"The discussions continue on many levels, in many formats, the progress is slow, to put it this way, but there is still progress. We are having discussions, we have more and more Europeans who want to finish this matter and finish on a positive note. Do not imagine that there are only discussions between us and the Austrians or between the Bulgarians and the Dutch. There are extensive discussions at the level of the entire Union. We all want to find a solution and in this way you must imagine that there are ongoing discussions including between states that are not part of this, that are well-to-do in Schengen, but that want to support us. Including the Spanish side has shown many times its readiness to put this case on the agenda and to contribute to the solution. They told us this very openly," said Iohannis.

The members of the European Council had, before participating in the meeting, a working lunch with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

President Klaus Iohannis is participating, on Thursday and Friday, in the summer meeting of the European Council.
Supreme Court notifies Constitutional Court on laws on special pensions and retirement age.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) decided on Thursday to notify the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) on the Law amending and supplementing some normative acts in the area of service pensions, but also regarding the normative act on increasing the retirement age, told Agerpres.

According to an ICCJ press release sent to AGERPRES, the High Court of Cassation and Justice unanimously decided to refer the matter to the CCR for constitutionality review, before promulgation, regarding the Law amending and supplementing certain normative acts in the area of service pensions and Law 227/2015 on the Tax Code.

The judges state that the complaint of unconstitutionality concerns the legislative act in its entirety, the United Sections having found both extrinsic and intrinsic unconstitutionality defects.

The Supreme Court also decided to refer to the CCR the Law on some measures for the continuation of activity by persons who meet the conditions for retirement.

The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday the draft law on special pensions.

There were 209 votes "in favour," 27 "against" and 17 abstentions.

On Monday, the Chamber of Deputies had adopted this draft to return to the Senate on the grounds that several amendments approved "generated major differences in legal content" from the form previously adopted by the upper chamber. The Senate approved these amendments on Wednesday, and the bill was adopted the same day by the Chamber of Deputies.
USR's Drula, at Renew Leaders Summit: Austria's refusal on Romania joining Schengen must be solved urgently.

Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Catalin Drula, who attended the Renew Leaders Summit in Brussels on Thursday, warned that Austria's "unjustified refusal" to welcome Romania into the Schengen Area is a problem that must be solved urgently, told Agerpres.

According to a USR press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday, during the event, the political leaders discussed the group's future directions, the campaign for the 2024 European Parliament elections and the collaboration between the Renew parties and the economic challenges facing Europe.

USR Chairman Drula said that "the exchange of ideas with the heads of states and governments, respectively the leaders of the Renew parties was very good and will serve as a basis for our cooperation in the context of the European elections in 2024" and mentioned that he also had a dialogue on economic and public finance issues with German Vice-Chancellor Christian Lindner and Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Sigrid Kaag.

Catalin Drula also underlined in his speech at the leaders' meeting that the electoral prospects of the most pro-European group in the European Parliament (Renew) and of the most pro-European party in Romania, USR, are very good, but also that "Austria's unjustified refusal to welcome Romania into the Schengen Area is a problem that must be solved urgently."

The event also saw the attendance of Emmanuel Macron - President of France, Kaja Kallas - Prime Minister of Estonia, Mark Rutte - Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Christian Lindner - Vice-Chancellor of Germany, Charles Michel - President of the European Council, Stephane Sejourne - President of the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament.

Alongside the USR Chairman, the Renew Summit delegation included the leaders of the USR parliamentary groups - Ionut Mosteanu and Radu Mihail, as well as USR MEPs Vlad Botos and Vlad Gheorghe.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  A gang rampaged through the Cite Soleil slum, killing and raping and setting fire to hundreds of woodand-tin homes. Forced out of the neighborhood, one family of four line on the streers of port-au Prince until they were struck by a truck as they slept.

Two brothers, 2 and 9, died in the November accident. JeanKere Almicar opened his home to their distraught parents, then another family, then another, until there were nearly 200 peop camped out in his front yard and nearby.

They are among more than 165,000 Haitians who have fled their homes amid a surge in gang violence, with nowhere to turn in this capital of nearly 3 million people.

Almicar, who once lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but moved back to Haiti in 2007, uses his own money.

"There was nothing I could do except tell them to come in," said. "Their home doesn't exist anymore. If they go back, they're going to be killed."

Some 79,000 people are temporarily staying with frieMnds1 or family, but another 48,000 have crowded into dozens of makeshift shelters like Almicar's or sought refuge in parks, churches, schools and abandoned buildings in Portau-Prince and beyond. The situation is overwhelming nonprofits and non-governmental organizationns
Press Release

June 29, 2023 Hontiveros pushes to get Senate majority support of resolution on WPS Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday said that she is striving to get the Senate majority's support in bringing the West Philippine Sea issue to the UN General Assembly before session resumes next month. The senator previously filed Senate Resolution 659, calling on the Philippine government to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS. "I am positive that the majority of my colleagues in the Senate will support this resolution. In fact, I look forward to and am grateful for Senate President Migz Zubiri's text that my resolution will be scheduled for adoption," Hontiveros said. "Sen. Francis Tolentino has also expressed his support of this proposal. I am pleased to hear the support of majority senators and am striving to get a consensus. This bipartisan effort only means one thing: our country is ready to stand as one against Chinese aggression and the senate, divided as we may be on other issues, stands ready to fight for our national sovereignty," the senator added. The proposal to raise the WPS issue to the UNGA was first put forward by former Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who said that the Philippines can win should the matter of China complying with the 2016 Arbitral Award be put to a vote. Hontiveros said that a UNGA win can have meaningful and consequential outcomes not only for the Philippines but for the wider international community whose peace and security is also threatened by China's aggression. "The 2016 Hague ruling must be recognized and respected by all UN member-states, particularly China. The least all of us in government can do is to exhaust all legal, political, and diplomatic means to safeguard our sovereignty. The UNGA vote is one way to do it and I hope we can truly unite and rally behind this cause," Hontiveros concluded.
It is 2001, and Mohammed Safi Ahmed El-Safi is in the midst of his wedding preparations. As henna is applied to his feet  in Sudanese culture, men are permitted to wear henna only during prenuptial rites  his sister notices a small lump on one of his toes. Its just a pimple, it doesnt hurt, he says, waving it off. But she is concerned, and she asks him to get it checked to avoid future problems. The growth does not bother him or impede his movement, so El-Safi decides to ignore it and go on with his life. Today, the Sudanese musician from the Kordofan region can only stand with the help of crutches. His foot was amputated because of a mycetoma infection. That innocent lump was the first sign.

Mycetoma is a tumor infection caused by fungus or bacteria. It can lead to massive deformities and disabilities if it is not treated adequately and on time. The cause of eumycetoma  the variant responsible for 70% of cases in Sudan  is a fungus, Madurella mycetomatis, that is found on the ground and in the water. It enters the body through cracks in the skin. Though it can have other causes, the most common form of infection is through the acacia, a common plant in the regions around Sudans capital, Khartoum. When dry, the acacias thorns fall to the ground, where they pick up the fungus and enter the feet. Anyone who steps on them can get infected, though the disease most affects subsistence farmers, day laborers and shepherds from the poorest regions and who work barefoot, particularly between the ages of 15 and 35. Around 20 to 25% of patients are children.

Mycetoma is one of the most forgotten diseases on the planet. There is little research on the contagion, and its treatment is not wholly effective. Sudan is the homeland of mycetoma, explains professor Ahmed Fahal, director of the Mycetoma Research Center at the University of Khartoum, the only institution in the world that specializes in the neglected tropical disease. The first case registered in Sudan dates back to 1904. It is currently the country with the most documented mycetoma cases in the world. According to the 2020 study The global distribution of actinomycetoma and eumycetoma, between 1876 and 2019, 19,494 cases in 102 countries have been documented.

Though exact data about its incidence and prevalence is not available, professor Fahal reveals that, since the center opened its doors in 1991, 10,000 people have been diagnosed and treated at the MRC. El-Safi sought treatment at the center when his pain became unbearable. Professor Fahal gave him the bad news: the infection had reached his bone, and amputation was the only option.

Despite the fact that reporting cases is not mandatory, the MRC took the initiative to collect data and notify the countrys Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). It may seem like they have the highest number of cases, but if the rest of the eumycetoma-endemic countries put in as much effort as Sudan, I feel like there would be a lot more reporting, says Dr. Borna Nyaoke, director of the Mycetoma Diseases Program at the Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), a non-profit research organization that recently won the 2023 Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.

Most of what is known about the disease comes from Professor Ahmed Fahal and his work at the MRC, considered the worlds most authoritative source on mycetoma treatment and research. Known by his team as the Prof, he tells EL PAIS about the consequences that the current conflict in Sudan has had for patients: Since the war broke out, patients have not received their medication, and the MRC has stopped working. We have had to close the doors of the center due to the lack of safety, leaving thousands without treatment. Local doctors are still in telephone contact with those affected, but they cannot provide them with pills, he says. This does not mean that they will die in the short term, but, according to Fahal, it will cause the disease to progress, and patients quality of life will worsen if administration is not resumed soon.

Children play with a caretaker at the Al Suwar displacement camp in Sudan on June 22, 2023. - (AFP)

The conflict has severely affected patients, most of whom live in very remote areas. Some took 24 hours or more to get to Khartoum, says Professor Fahal. To minimize transportation costs and detect the disease in time, the MRC opened two additional centers in 2015 that function as satellites. One of them, the Wad Onsa Mycetoma Satellite Center (WOMSC), is located in the town of Wad Onsa, the region where mycetoma is most common, in the southeast of the country. We visit, examine, diagnose, treat, and do ultrasounds and surgeries, all for free. We have carried out more than 1,000 operations and more than 1,500 ultrasound scans in these two centers, he adds. They also carry out community awareness campaigns and explain what the first symptoms of the disease are in order to stop it in time. But these activities have also been interrupted for as long as the current situation of violence continues.

Two pills a week

MRC is the only center that collaborates with the WHO for the disease, and no country other than Sudan has reported the provision of free treatment to patients. There, DNDi is conducting the first existing clinical trial with a new treatment for eumycetoma: fosravuconazole. Our plan is to show that fosravuconazole works better because you only have to take two pills a week for a year, compared to four itraconazole pills a day for the same period of time, says Dr. Nyaoke. Despite the fact that the effectiveness of both is similar (around 80%, according to experience and the results of phase two of the tests with the new drug), it is more realistic for a patient to finish treatment if the frequency of taking it is less, he explains.

However, even with treatment, the vast majority of patients with eumycetoma must undergo surgery, explains Fahal. The MRC guidelines recommend surgical removal of small, localized lesions and surgical removal of massive lesions.

The first clinical trial with fosravuconazole began in 2017 at the MRC thanks to the fact that the center has the ideal infrastructure for it. Through Eisai, our Japanese pharmacological partner, we found that there was a treatment that acted against Madurella mycetomatis (the causative agent of eumycetoma). Fosravuconazole was used in another DNDi program for Chagas disease, but it was not working as expected. Through in vitro tests carried out at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, fosravuconazole was found to work against eumycetoma, explains Dr. Nyaoke.

Still, less than 1.5% of all research spending on infectious diseases goes to those transmitted by fungi, according to the medical journal The Lancet. Pharmaceutical companies are discouraged by the long-term return on investment in antifungals. Most fungal infections are very slow-growing and take a long gestation period, and thats not profitable for them, observes Dr. Nyaoke. Meanwhile, viral infections such as Ebola, Covid, HIV or Hepatitis B or C, or bacterial ones, spread very quickly and have a high mortality. That does not happen with fungal ones, which do not kill as much, but have high morbidity, he adds.

The gaps in knowledge about transmission, the causes, the prevalence and the routes of infection mean that mycetoma continues to be a great unknown for researchers today. In 2016, the Ministry of Health of Sudan, and thanks to the work of the Mycetoma Research Center, managed to include mycetoma in the list of neglected tropical diseases of the WHO. Not until October 2022 was eumycetoma, the variant most prevalent in Sudan, included in its list of priority fungal pathogens, a list of 19 fungi that constitute a threat to health. All of this represents a significant step forward in raising awareness internationally, says Dr. Nyaoke.

Another advance in the global recognition of this disease was carried out on June 1 and 2, 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya, where the first meeting of mycetoma experts took place. Representatives from more than 50 countries came to the Kenyan capital to participate in the presentation of the Mycetoma Strategic Plan (2023-2028), organized by the DNDi. Among the speeches by experts from around the world, Professor Fahals stood out for his explanation of the results of the second phase of the trial with fosravuconazole. Although the meeting was fruitful, there is still a lot of research work pending on the causative agents, transmission and routes of infection. The field work and the surveys will help us to carry out an optimal control program, says the professor.

Climate factors behind mycetoma around the world

Most of the countries that attended the congress are part of what is known as the mycetoma belt, an imaginary line between latitudes 15S and 30N that includes Chad, Ethiopia, India, Mauritania, Mexico, Venezuela, Senegal, Somalia , Sudan, Thailand and Yemen, according to the WHO. Although the causative agents are present throughout the world, mycetoma is endemic in the tropics and subtropics of this strip. In Sudan, specifically, environmental conditions are very favorable for the mycetoma organism to grow and develop the disease, says Fahal. The disease map, however, is shifting with climate change.

Traditionally, eumycetoma was found in the most arid regions of the planet and the bacteriological variant, actinomycetoma, in the most humid. The latter is more frequent in Latin American countries and the fungal version in Africa or India. Nyaoke acknowledges that there is very little data to explain the shift in distribution: In the northern regions of India, for example, they were seeing a large number of eumycetoma cases, but now they are finding more actinomycetoma. They believe that climate change is having an influence: areas that had normally been arid and in which the government has carried out irrigation programs have become wetter, which has changed the causative agents. The doctor adds that at the same time, areas that had historically been greener are becoming more desert-like, which means that in the south of the country, where the bacteriological variant was more common, there is now more of the fungal variant. In Africa, along the mycetoma belt, countries are located either above or below the Sahara desert. There, the temperatures have stayed about the same, which is why the same type of fungal mycetoma prevails, says Nyaoke.

As with most neglected diseases, those who suffer from mycetoma are part of the group that Eduardo Galeano dubbed the nobodies in The Open Veins of Latin America. NTDs are prevalent in rural areas, conflict zones and remote regions where access to safe drinking water and sanitation services is poor, says the WHO. These diseases mainly affect the poorest populations on the planet, and mycetoma is no exception.

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Seven years ago artist and full-time teacher Allison Roberts found her niche when a friend asked her to paint the three dogs she loved. I thought Ive never tried that before. I painted three 5-by-7 portraits for her, and chose coordinating backgrounds for each. She told her friends about me, posted the paintings online, and things spiraled out from there.

Word-of-mouth referrals, her Art by Allison Facebook page, and a members-only Facebook group, Crafted in St. Louis, still drive this busy teachers work. Pet portraits, baby portraits and house paintings are my side gig, she says.

Kimi smiles for Allison  In fact, social media also led us to discover Roberts art. A pet portrait of Kimi, a dog rescued, fostered and later adopted by well-known animal advocate Jenny Agnew appeared on Facebook. Kimis lively antics delighted many when friends on Facebook. The artist captured Kimis lovable face with her flopped-over ears, bright eyes, prominent underbite and mischievous grin. She looked out from a properly polka-dotted green background. We had to know who the artist was who let her spirit shine through. Sadly, the portrait was a gift to Jenny on Kimis passing.

So many people have told me about their puppies. Many of the ones Ive painted are memory keepsakes, Roberts says. Ive had people tell me they cried when they opened their paintings, or that I was able to capture the special personality of their puppy.

A doggone good system  Roberts paints from photographs clients supply. People send me a clear, close-up close photo of their dog or cat. All my pet portraits are hand-painted in acrylics. I cut out my paintings and put them on patterned or printed backgrounds to personalize them, and frame them. I had someone select a hot dog background because her dog loved hot dogs, Roberts says.

Shes been painting pets for the past eight years. I have this little notebook that Ive used from the first to write down orders  and Ive filled it, she says. Its unbelievable to me.

The gift of memories  Over the years, she added more custom work to her oeuvre. I also do baby portrait, in pencil, and I paint house portraits. I know the combination of puppies, babies and houses is funny, but it works well for me. Baby portraits are often given as baptism gifts, Realtors give house paintings as closing gifts, and I cant even tell you how many dog portraits Ive painted. People do love their dogs.

Shes adept at making custom art in the limited time she has. Her schedule as a full-time teacher, wife, mother to her 3-year old daughter Lucy, and their 4-year old dog Ace limits her painting time.

As soon as I put Lucy to bed, I have about an hour and a half to paint. In the summer Im more flexible, but during the school year finding the time to paint is my toughest challenge, she says.

Personal history  Like the cobblers children who had no shoes, Roberts has yet to draw Lucy or paint her goldendoodle, Ace. Thats on my summer to-do list, she says. She has painted the first home in Richmond Heights she and her husband, Joe, shared. She also gifted her parents with paintings of all her childhood homes, but she plans to do her personal portraits this summer, including one of her first goldendoodle, Murphy.

I had Murphy for 12 years. He came home with me when he was just 8 weeks. When we lost him I knew another goldendoodle would be just what I needed, so we got Ace, she says.

Her grandmother fueled her passion for art with extra art classes, grade school through high school. A studio art degree and certification to teach from Lindenwood University led her to teach art in elementary schools for the past 15 years, which continues to this day.

Art and life  Because her work is all custom, she rarely shows in galleries. I did paint dogs at a puppy event for a customer who owns the Refind Room, Roberts says. I was in the store working on paintings that day, and that was cool, but my art is usually created for people to enjoy, not for me to show.

Art by Allison

Artist  Allison Roberts

Age  38

Family  She and her husband, Joe, have a 3-year-old daughter, Lucy. They all live companionably with Ace, a goldendoodle.

Home  OFallon, Missouri

What she makes  Roberts hand paints beloved cats and dogs. She cuts out her paintings and places them on a patterned background to match a homes decor and frames them. She does pencil drawings of babies, and also makes house paintings, often as a Realtors gift to a new home owner.

Where to buy  Roberts sells her work through her Facebook page, Art by Allison. Many of her sales are by way of word of mouth from satisfied customers. She also sells through the Crafted in St. Louis Facebook page. Her cut-off date for holiday orders is late September.

How much  Roberts sells her pieces framed. Pet portraits are $65 for 5-by-7 and $85 for 8-by-10. Her baby portraits are $75 and house paintings sell for $140.
A 19-year-old man from Farmington died in a head-on crash Tuesday morning in Madison County, Missouri, authorities said.

The Missouri Highway Patrol identified the victim as 19-year-old Arie P. Van Zee.

The crash was about 6 a.m. Tuesday on Highway 72, east of Fredericktown.

Van Zee was in a 2003 Honda Civic, heading east on the highway, when the vehicle crossed the center line and hit an oncoming pickup truck.

The truck, a 2017 Ram 1500 pickup, was driven by Trevor Vance, a 23-year-old man from Fredericktown.

Neither man was wearing a seat belt, the patrol said.

Van Zee died at the scene, police said. Vance suffered moderate injuries and was being treated at Mercy South in Festus.
CREVE COEUR  Shelley Seifert will retire as CEO of First Bank at the end of the year after nine years with the financial institution.

Seifert joined First Bank in 2014 as executive vice president and chief administrative officer and was promoted to COO in August 2015. She became CEO in May 2019. She informed the board of directors in late 2022 of her plans to retire.

The bank, in a release, credited Seifert for refining the banks vision and strategic plan and enhancing services for family-owned businesses.

Mikel Williamson, an industry veteran who recently led a Texas-based bank, has been named as her successor.

Mikel is a proven leader and the perfect person to succeed Shelley, Chairman Michael Dierberg said in a statement. He has demonstrated success as a CEO and fostering growth through a strong culture and continuous improvement to serve clients.
WENTZVILLE  The trucks produced by GMs auto plant here will remain significant even as the company moves toward its pledge to sell only electric passenger vehicles by 2035, a GM company official told a gathering of business leaders Wednesday. But he didnt say if the plant would one day shift to electric vehicles, too.

The plants rise in the electric economy would be a boon to the St. Louis region, and its loss, a blow. Local civic leaders are betting on advanced manufacturing as a driver of growth for the area, identifying it as a top priority in regional workforce plans, with ambitions for an innovation center for the industry in north St. Louis.

The trucks made at GMs Wentzville plant, which opened in 1983 and now employs more than 4,000 people, just wrapped up a $1.5 billion upgrade to ready the factory to make the latest models of the companys midsize trucks. The investment was included in the labor contract the company reached with the United Auto Workers after GM workers nationwide went on strike in 2019.

But, nationally, General Motors is in the midst of a series of investments in electric vehicle and battery production sites around the country. The company stated a goal of selling only electric passenger vehicles by 2035.

That announcement had raised questions about the role of the Wentzville assembly plant, where workers make vans and midsize trucks. On Wednesday, Lamar Rucker, plant executive director of the Wentzville facility, said the models made in Wentzville will remain significant well into the 2030s.

Realistically, not everybodys ready to transition over to EVs, Rucker said.

Typically the cycle for a new vehicle launch that would require a plant retrofit is around 7 to 10 years, Rucker said, with a midcycle enhancement somewhere in between.

Greater St. Louis Inc. identified advanced manufacturing as a priority in the 2030 Jobs Plan, and local officials envision an advanced manufacturing innovation center in north St. Louis, where companies could collaborate with academic researchers on technology, production processes and worker training.

That push wont be without its challenges. Manufacturers have been struggling with labor shortages and an aging workforce. At the panel Wednesday, Greater St. Louis CEO Jason Hall said the region needs to demonstrate to young people that there are good job opportunities available to them in advanced manufacturing, without a four-year degree.

If we dont do that, its going to be hard to continue to sustain these manufacturing wins, Hall said. Which, in my view, are critical.

Still, local companies and schools have been expanding workforce development programs that aim to funnel workers into companies like GM and Boeing. Theyre trying to overcome old perceptions about manufacturing jobs, and reaching out to students as young as elementary school.

In October, officials announced that the Israel-based ICL Group will build a $400 million plant to support EV battery production in the Carondelet neighborhood of St. Louis, bolstered by a $197 million federal grant.

Electronic vehicle sales are expected to grow dramatically in the U.S. and abroad over the next decade.

The profits from GMs internal combustion engine vehicles are expected to help support development of EVs and batteries. Workers at the Wentzville plant now make two new models of midsize trucks: The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. The body shops and paint shop were updated, and new tooling was added in the general assembly areas.

Still, Rucker hinted there is hope for Wentzvilles long-term future: He said he imagines sites that only make internal combustion engine cars now will eventually go through a transitional period into the EV market.

One GM plant in Michigan, between the cities of Detroit and Hamtramck, was built in 1985 and has been transformed into a dedicated EV assembly plant.

Asked whether the Wentzville plant could be retrofitted to make EVs, Rucker responded that the company is always studying things.

But dont lose sight of the fact that we are a big contributor to GM right now, Rucker said.
ST. LOUIS  Kairos Academies plan for a high school expansion in the Bevo Mill neighborhood moved forward Wednesday after a city board overturned a denial of a permit for the charter school.

The city denied a permit application from Kairos developer, Urban Improvement Conglomerate, on the grounds that the project lacked sufficient parking. Kairos has proposed to renovate the vacant former Alligator Oil Clothing Cos. buildings, a manufacturing complex west of Gravois Avenue and Meramec Street, into its high school. It currently leases a facility in Marine Villa.

The charter school has the Bevo Mill site under contract to buy.

The Bevo Mill Neighborhood Association spoke in favor of the project at Wednesdays Board of Adjustment hearing and said that Kairos had signed an agreement stating it would work with the neighborhood on parking and traffic concerns at the site, at 4153 Bingham Avenue.

This is a project the neighborhood wants, said David Tallent, president of the neighborhood association.

The board agreed to the appeal.

Kairos opened in 2019 at a commercial building on South Jefferson Avenue and Miami Street in Marine Villa and now has more than 400 students in fifth through ninth grades. Its aiming to add 500 students and wants to relocate to accommodate that growth. The new location would support up to 600 students, Kairos leaders have said.

Charter schools are publicly funded but independently run by appointed boards separate from St. Louis Public Schools.

St. Louis-area teacher shortage means more online classes in school A state commission is scheduled to release findings on the school staffing crisis this week.

Kairos charter school in St. Louis under scrutiny for private management A spinoff nonprofit employs 36 staff members out of 56 who work at the school, including 10 teachers and all administrators.
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One thing is clear: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley isnt buying that all of the governments information about a possible connection between China and COVID-19 could be contained in a five-page redacted report.

On Tuesday, Hawley, R-Missouri, and fellow U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines that demands more information.

In February, Hawley was the main sponsor of a bill ordering the declassification of COVID-19 information. The bill was approved without opposition by both the U.S. Senate and House, and then signed into law in March by President Joe Biden.

Tuesdays letter from Hawley and Braun states that Haines was required to declassify any and all information relating to links between the pandemic and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a research laboratory in China.

In response, Haines submitted the short report, which the senators dismissed.

On social media, Hawley called the report a complete joke and accused the Biden administration of being a shill for China.

This is a complete joke. 5 pages plus a summary. Nothing here not already reported by @WSJ and others. The law requires any and all information. REQUIRES, not requests. This isnt that. Biden continues to shill for China https://t.co/9EVNimOtBn  Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 24, 2023

The senators letter chides Haines by saying, We invite you to try again.

It goes on to say that the report itself was a paltry five pages of information, plus a cover page and appendix. This half-baked effort falls woefully short of the statutory requirements and undermines congressional intent.

The senators also demanded that Haines respond to their letter in the remainder of the week following the Fourth of July holiday.

Should she not reply, the senators said we would welcome your testimony before Congress on this matter so you may answer questions under oath.
Court records indicate that Bruce Kurt was sued in 2008. Not surprisingly, he represented himself. Perhaps surprisingly, he won. At least, the lawsuit was eventually dismissed.

Other than that lawsuit, Kurt seems to have had no dealings with the court system since 1996.

There was a time when he was a courthouse regular. I last wrote about him in 1994. Here is the way that column began:

"The only political prisoner in St. Louis County was led into the courtroom Friday morning. In the best of times, Bruce Kurt is tall and thin, but 10 months in the county jail had left him positively gaunt. With a wispy beard and a manic glint in his eyes, he looked like a mad artist. The court clerk, Ed Fitzgerald, a man who loves Jack London and personally knows the beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, walked up to Kurt. 'Don't get upset,' Fitzgerald said. 'Get upset?' replied Kurt. He was already upset. He always gets upset when he goes to court. In fact, I first wrote about him when he wore deer antlers to court to show his disrespect for the system. Courthouse regulars still refer to him as Bullwinkle."

Bullwinkle was something special an angry man striding into court wearing styrofoam deer antlers. He was always in trouble for traffic offenses. Never drunk driving, or reckless driving, or even speeding. Instead, he had been driving without a drivers license. He had been stopped because he didn't have license plates on his vehicle.

He was convinced he didn't need plates because the first Congress in 1789 had declared that all citizens be allowed "unhampered use of all navigable water and all common law highways." He didn't need a license because his interpretation of the Missouri Revised Statutes of 1991 was that licenses were mandated only for people involved in commerce.

He and I used to argue about these things. He had Tom Paine-like pamphlets he had written that he urged me to read. I refused. I was secretly afraid that if I read them, I might be persuaded he was right.

Like most of us, I have always ceded the government much authority. It can draft people into the military and send them to war. It can mandate that we wear seat belts while driving cars or helmets while riding motorcycles. It can tell us what we can smoke and where we can smoke it. It can require drivers to purchase insurance. Most of us go along with these things because, well, society sets certain rules and we follow them.

Not Bullwinkle. And so he was always in trouble. In one column, I suggested that he was a man born in the wrong time. He'd have fit in better during the frontier days, I wrote.

Clearly, I was wrong. He was actually ahead of his time.

I have come to that conclusion as I listen to people complain that the government does not have the right to make us purchase health insurance.

As regular readers know, I opposed the health care reform bill, but that was because I favored a more fundamental reform. The argument that the government is overreaching has surprised me.

In the first place, health care reform was a big part of the debate during the presidential primaries in 2008. Most of the Democrats had plans that mandated health insurance. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney touted the reform he had pushed through in Massachusetts. That plan required people to purchase insurance.

Did local Republicans sound the alarm? Not at all. Former state party chairman John Hancock was on Romney's payroll. Then-Gov. Matt Blunt endorsed him. Former Sen. Jim Talent joined him at a campaign stop.

Romney argued that the requirement that people purchase health insurance was a conservative idea. He said that people without insurance were still getting health care. "So we said, 'No more free riders.' It was like bringing workfare to welfare."

Suddenly, though, people have decided it's unconstitutional. Normally sober people, the kind who wear seat belts and purchase auto insurance, are talking about lawsuits to prevent the government from requiring people to buy health insurance.

Shikha Dalmia, a conservative think-tanker, wrote an essay last week at Forbes.com in which she suggested massive civil disobedience against the mandate. She wrote that "if a few million Americans simultaneously refuse to abide by it (or pay the fine), they could easily overwhelm the system."

Jeez. Millions of ordinary citizens wearing styrofoam deer antlers and just saying, "No!" It's not my cup of tea  so to speak  but if they do manage to stop this health care reform, perhaps they can get to work on the business of license plates.
One day last month, a correctional officer at the maximum security prison in Jefferson City was walking toward the employees' dining hall when he noticed something unsettling. A group of inmates  offenders, they're called in today's jargon  were looking past him toward Housing Unit No. 5. The inmates were staring at something. They were absolutely silent.

"Dead quiet can mean a couple of things here, and none of them good, so I quickly looked back to see what was happening," said correctional officer John Osborne. "They were staring at Koda."

She is a Siberian husky. She was in the first batch of dogs brought to the prison as part of a new program. Actually, Koda and her canine colleagues at the Jefferson City Correctional Center and another batch of dogs at the medium-security Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in Pacific represent an expansion of an old program.

Inmates at the women's prison in Vandalia have been training dogs since 1982. In the beginning, that program was restricted to training service dogs. Then rescue dogs were included.

Now the program with rescue dogs is being expanded to the men's prisons.

"I'd like to see every prison teamed up with a shelter in its community," said George Lombardi, director of the Department of Corrections. "I think it could be a win-win situation. We could help the shelters get dogs ready for adoption, and dogs are good for a prison."

They certainly provide things that are in short supply in a prison  namely, love and trust. Officials at Vandalia say that the women consider it such a privilege to live with the dogs that they are careful not to lose that privilege.

Lombardi said that the program would have no cost to the state. All food and materials would be donated by private sources.

I was at the prison in Pacific when the dogs arrived last month. They came from a rescue group called Mutts n Stuff that works primarily with pit bull mixes.

Diana Roberts of the rescue group brought five dogs. Ten inmates  five trainers and their cellmates  came to the visiting room to meet their dogs. Roberts seemed to study the inmates and then study the dogs, trying to determine the best matches.

The inmates waited anxiously, like kids at Christmas. When they were given their dogs, they immediately reached down to pet them and the dogs seemed to respond.

"You can't normally show affection in here," said a corrections officer. "You don't give any. You don't get any."

Of course, you can't tell that to a dog. It might be living in a cage in a cell in a prison, but it's still happy to give and get affection. That's what has happened at Pacific.

"The dogs are doing great," Warden Jennifer Sachse told me last week. "They're being very receptive to the training. You can see a big difference between the time they got here, and now. In all likelihood, some of them are going to be adopted by our staff."

The program also seems to be thriving at Jefferson City.

Joseph Honee, an inmate who is training a terrier-beagle mix named Sissy, told me that men in prison have a special affinity for rescue dogs.

"Sissy had been abused and neglected. In some kind of way, that's true of a lot of men in here. And maybe you became aggressive, but you still have love in you. These dogs bring out the better you," he said.

And a better dog, too. "When Sissy got here, she'd hide in a corner. Now we can't keep her down," Honee said.

Recently, when the weather was still bad, somebody put 10 newborn puppies in a box and dumped the box in a park in Jefferson City. The puppies were brought to a shelter, but they needed more care than the shelter could provide. They were taken to the prison. Inmates bottle-fed them, and the puppies slept with the inmates for warmth. They all survived.

Mark Harris, an inmate from St. Louis, told me that one of the old-timers was having a tough day.

"We took a puppy and put it on his lap. He started singing, 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus.'"

Warden Dave Dormire has long understood the comforting influence that a dog can bring to a prison. He sometimes brings his own dog to visit the inmates in the prison hospice.

So he wasn't surprised when he got a note from Osborne about the men who were staring at Koda: "Their eyes were sad and wistful, as though they were remembering days long ago. I sighed with some relief and went and ate my lunch. ... Teachers learn from their pupils. It will be interesting to see what the dogs teach us."
An Air Force major with whom I occasionally exchange e-mails recently sent me a note from his current duty station in Baghdad. Thanks to the dubious wonders of the Internet, he had read a couple of columns in which I mused about the ways in which the world has changed.

Actually, in the first column, I wrote about how things used to be  kids getting on their bicycles on a Saturday morning and disappearing all day, parents not worrying about them. The second column was mostly feedback from readers who proposed theories about why things have changed.

One reader suggested that our sense of community vanished when air-conditioning allowed people to abandon their front porches and retreat into their houses. Another said the family structure took a hit when fast food began replacing the traditional family dinner. There were many good theories  decline in church attendance, women in the workplace, Vietnam, outsourcing.

The major had an idea I had not considered: direct deposit.

"Direct deposit is the death of the American worker and hence our fall from innocence," he wrote. "There was a time when you worked and at the end of the day, the boss gave you money. You saw the direct result of your labor. If you worked really hard, sometimes the boss gave you more. Over time, paying all of the employees daily became a hassle, so it was moved to once a week, preferably a Friday, so they could head down to the saloon. Nonetheless, you still saw the connection between work and pay.

"Then bosses got lazy and moved payday to every two weeks and the distance between work and pay got even greater. Lastly, some nerdy bookkeeper figured out it saved the organization money to have the paycheck deposited directly into a bank. Now people have forgotten the relationship between work and money. Everything else just unraveled."

I like that theory, perhaps because I have opted out of the newspaper's direct deposit myself. Rather, I never opted in.

It was offered to us as one of those win-win deals. You would receive your money earlier. You wouldn't have to hike down to the bank. You wouldn't have to fill out a deposit form every two weeks.

I never trust anything that is supposed to be all good, and I chose to have my check mailed to me from headquarters in Iowa. So while a person in the direct deposit program gets his or her check deposited on a Friday, I receive my check in the mail on Monday or Tuesday.

Then I take it to the bank myself. I'm not just guessing it has been deposited. I know it has been deposited.

That gives me a certain inner calm I need when I pay the bills.

Admittedly, that need is outdated. We have evolved away from it. The ability to balance a checkbook is as useless as a wisdom tooth. These days, you can get a line of credit, and if you overdraw your account, you get an automatic loan. Magic money.

People used to have to be creative. I remember a friend of mine telling me, years ago, of a strategy he employed when the bills were due and he was low on money. He would send his Laclede Gas bill and check to Ameren, and his Ameren bill and check to Laclede.

I must have looked puzzled because he grinned and explained that the people at the utilities would figure he had made an honest mistake. They'd return his checks and by the time he got them back, a week would have passed, and he'd have another paycheck, and he'd send the appropriate bills and checks to the appropriate companies.

Think for a moment about the worldview that his theory suggests  that a person who cares opens the bill, examines it, guesses at what must have happened and then has the authority to determine that the bill-payer will not be reported for a late payment.

In today's world, does that sound plausible? Start with the first supposition: Somebody who cares opens the bill. I do not mean to demean people who open the bills at the local utility companies, but they probably have direct deposit themselves. I am not sure they care.

Even in the good old days, it might have depended on what time of day the bill arrived. If the bill arrived sometime after lunch, my friend might have been alright.

You see, my theory is that things started downhill when people quit drinking at lunch. We became testier, less creative.

I suspect the major might agree with me. After putting forth his theory on direct deposit and the decline of civilization, he hedged a little.

"Then again, I'm stuck here drinking near beer and you never know the effects of a fake buzz," he wrote.
Doris Dresner has been driving for 62 years  she got her license when she was 16  and she has never had a ticket.

Her son, Thomas, is the assistant police chief in Columbia, Mo. He once told his mother that he might follow her some night until she did something wrong just so he could give her a citation for something. She said to him, "That would be harassment."

She grew up in south St. Louis. Her father owned Al's Market, a small grocery store at Lemp Avenue and Utah Street. She graduated from Nerinx Hall high school in Webster Groves.

Her husband, Chuck, ran the photo department at Monsanto. He was also the volunteer official photographer for the St. Louis Zoo. In his final years, he suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease, and Doris drove a wheelchair-accessible van. Shortly after Chuck died in May 2005, Doris bought a new Toyota Camry.

"I didn't want to drive that van anymore," she told me when I visited her Thursday at her home in south St. Louis County.

About once a month, Doris drives to Columbia to visit her son and his family. She was visiting them in December 2005. She decided to take the Camry to a carwash. Her two grandchildren were with her. Will was 5. Emma was 4. They were in the back, buckled into their restraining seats.

The car went through the wash in neutral, its tires in the runners. When the Camry reached the end of the carwash, a light turned green and Doris stepped on the brake and put the car in drive. She says it accelerated and lunged forward. Doris stepped on the brake, but the car continued to accelerate. Very rapidly.

Doris swerved to the right to avoid a fireplug, but was unable to miss it completely. It took off the left fender and damaged the front door of the driver's side. Continuing to accelerate, the car shot across the street, jumped the curb and went airborne over and through some bushes before landing in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant. Three of the tires blew out on impact. The driver's airbag deployed. The engine shut off.

Doris turned around. The children were unhurt, still in their restraining seats.

Nevertheless, Doris was badly shaken. The thought that the children had been in danger was unbearable. And, of course, she could have hit somebody. It was sheer good fortune that she had not.

The car was totaled. Her insurance company, Liberty Mutual, accepted her explanation and wrote her a check. "They couldn't have been nicer," she said.

Although there was no need to contact Toyota, Doris did. The company sent an inspector to look at the car. Doris and her son went to watch.

"He didn't even get in the car," she said. "He went under the car for a few minutes and came out and said, 'It wasn't the computer.'"

Doris was not satisfied. In January, she sent a letter to Toyota. She described what happened to her. She also asked to see the report the inspector had submitted.

She received a letter back. "It is our understanding that while you were exiting a carwash, you shifted from Neutral to Drive and you said that the vehicle accelerated on its own and would not stop ... In order for the accident to have occurred as you reported, two different systems within the vehicle would have had to fail, those being the throttle linkage and brakes. For both systems to fail simultaneously is virtually impossible."

The company also said it was not policy to release internal reports.

So that was that. Doris got another car  not a Toyota  and life got back to normal.

Sometimes she'd tell her story about the sudden unintended acceleration and people would dismiss it and suggest that she had mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal.

But more and more incidents of unintended acceleration with Toyotas were reported, and the company has now recalled millions of vehicles because of the problem.

Doris felt vindicated.

Last Wednesday, Toyota's president, Akio Toyoda, appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Before taking questions from the legislators, he read a statement. "We never run away from our problems or pretend we don't notice them," he said.

Doris isn't so sure of that. And who knows? I suspect there were people like Doris all over the country  one here, one there. Had the company paid more attention to them years ago, perhaps this whole story would have played out much differently.
In the 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union both staked their prestige on the remoteness of space. The two superpowers invested millions of dollars with a specific milestone in mind: to be the first to have human beings walk on the Moon. The stakes were high. Success would shock the entire world and strike a symbolic blow of power, perhaps the most significant of the Cold War. At that time, Edward Makuka  a leader of the Zambian resistance against British colonial rule and a high school teacher  was also working on his own rocket in a workshop on the outskirts of the capital, Lusaka. His aim was to build a low-cost interstellar gadget. D-Kalu 1 was to land on the Moon before anyone else. Its crew members were to be two cats and a 17-year-old student, Matha Mwambwa. She would be the first afronaut, a term coined by Makuka. The plan called for many other African astronauts to follow in Mwambwas footsteps. Enough to eventually colonize Mars. Three meters high and made of copper and aluminum, D-Kalu 1 never got off the ground.

Since Makukas innocent extravagance, the African space sector has been forging ahead on the international stage. Today, it is an industry worth around $20 billion, according to estimates by the Nigerian consulting firm Space in Africa. The companys head of operations, Anna Aikohi, adds that 22 African countries already have space programs. Following the launch of Egypts NileSat 101 in 1998, the continent has been steadily adding satellites and now has more than 50 in orbit. This is still a very small percentage of the nearly 5,500 satellites (around 3,500 of which belong to the U.S.) orbiting the Earth. But it is enough for Africa to have decided to create a common space policy.

In 2019, the African Union (AU) announced its space strategy. Last January the African Space Agency (AfSA) was launched, a flagship to coordinate efforts and generate synergies. It already has a physical headquarters in Cairo, but for the moment most of its rooms stand empty.

Following the launch of Egypts NileSat 101 in 1998, the continent has been steadily adding satellites and now has more than 50 in orbit, a very small percentage of the nearly 5,500 satellites (around 3,500 of which belong to the U.S.) orbiting the Earth

Tidiane Ouattara, an expert in space sciences at the AU, expects its 156 permanent posts to be filled next year. Outtara highlights the importance of progressing step by step toward the consolidation of an agency with highly qualified personnel. A solid institution capable of defending Africas interests in the international arena and of negotiating with other countries who, when exploring space, set the rules that were best suited to them, he says. Ouattara understands that this was the case simply because they were first, although he adds: The world must understand that now Africa is also on board and has a lot to say on controversial issues such as space debris and space traffic.

For Taiwo Tejumola, a professor at the International Space University in Strasbourg, the only one of its kind in the world and devoted entirely to space, AfSAs collaborative approach will go a long way toward avoiding duplication. If another country on the continent already has a satellite covering my territory, why should I send one myself? he notes. In the space sector, duplicating efforts is extremely expensive, Aikohi adds.

The idea is for the vanguard of African space technology (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, and Algeria) to take up most of the slack. In the meantime, other countries will be able to take advantage of a sidereal innovation dynamic and contribute as much as they can. Something similar is happening with the European Space Agency, where Germany, France and, to a lesser extent, Italy and Spain, are leading the way, says Tejumola.

Terrorism and climate change

The strength and operability of AfSA will depend on its level of funding. And the amount of funding it receives will, in turn, depend on the political will to invest in space. According to Aikohi, raising awareness will be a major task: The average African leader does not see it as a necessity; they think it is a kind of exotic expense that will not help to solve urgent problems such as poverty. As such, Aikohi says in order to succeed, the African space strategy has to place its focus on socio-economic benefits.

Tejumola and Aikohi both agree that agriculture is a major asset in convincing governments of the advantages of space technology, which makes it possible to anticipate the scourges of climate change (droughts, floods, etc.) and to optimize risk management in the event of natural disasters. Another promising and highly marketable area is security. Satellites already accurately detect the movements of suspected terrorists, for example in Nigerias fight against Boko Haram. They could also, in Outtaras view, stem the drain on lives and resources caused by piracy off the African coast, or illegal mining across the continent.

In his discussions at the highest levels of government, Outtara often emphasizes the attractive cost-benefit calculations. Africa is huge, the second-largest continent in the world. When exploring and managing territory, you can go the traditional route: send people. Or you can use space as a wonderful tool that provides detailed information, he explains. Far from being a luxury product, space technology saves money, which is not something Africa has plenty of.

Tejumola, meanwhile, cites another major continental ambition where satellite imagery could speed up processes and minimize costs: There is a plan to complete an east-west, north-south communications network. Space will be of enormous help in monitoring these infrastructures.

Africa is huge, the second-largest continent in the world. When exploring and managing territory, you can go the traditional route: send people. Or you can use space as a wonderful tool that provides detailed information Tidiane Ouattara, expert in space sciences at the African Union

Outtara is enthusiastic as he breaks down the successes achieved through Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), an Earth observation program funded by the European Union. He himself manages its African component. The expert says that GMES has made it possible to locate oil spills in the Red Sea, to disseminate online weather warnings that have saved the lives of many Ghanaian fishermen and to drastically reduce the number of ships running aground in the Congo river basin, where 80% of commercial transactions are carried out by river.

Outtara goes even further: he dreams of what he calls an African revolution of new resources centered on telecommunications. This would require a heavy dose of R&D and innovation and an emphasis on training to generate pools of specialists ready to galvanize African development. It is a huge undertaking that, in Outtaras opinion, would completely overturn the dynamics of dependency. Africa is the main consumer of services produced with space technology. It is high time we Africans benefited by promoting an all-African telecommunications market.

Nobody is under any illusions that the African space race will run into external obstacles, especially in its eagerness to create home-designed technology that will launch from African territory, something that has not yet been achieved. Launching a satellite is not just about technical capability. You have to be able to move in the global geopolitical arena, especially when it comes to launching rockets: if you can launch a rocket, you can also launch nuclear warheads, Tejumola points out.

Oscar Garrido, an analyst at the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, published an analysis last year highlighting the need for the continent to strengthen the pillars of its own space industry. Africa cannot continue to be a net importer of space technologies, the report stated, something that, in the long term would weigh down its socioeconomic development, its security, and its independence.

Earlier this year it was announced that Djibouti was to host Africas first spaceport, a $1.1 billion investment with an educational end in mind. The official announcement spoke of providing African universities with a testing ground in order to improve knowledge in space sciences. However, skepticism arose when it was revealed who would be putting up the money: China (specifically, a Hong Kong-based company). Coincidentally or not, in 2017 the Asian superpower inaugurated its first overseas military base in Djibouti.

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Among the worshippers at the weekday 6:30 a.m. Mass at All Souls Catholic Church in Overland is a friend of mine. "I do this not because I am holy, but simply because I am a reprobate always in recovery," he said.

He does not make it every day. A woman who sits in the back pew has noticed his imperfect attendance and sometimes asks if he has been ill. She occasionally misses a day herself, so my friend turned the table on her the other morning and asked if she had been sick. "No," she said. "Sometimes the papers are late."

She is a newspaper carrier.

Her name is Anne Elmore. She is 73. She was raised on a dairy farm in De Soto. It was a large farm, 500 acres or so, and it came to her family through a land grant shortly after the Civil War. Anne grew up doing all the chores one might expect a farm child to do  except for milking the cows. "I was afraid of them," she said.

She wanted to be a doctor. She went to the University of Missouri in Columbia and took pre-med courses. While she was away at college, her father was killed in an accident. He fell off a horse-drawn wagon, which then ran over him. This was in 1956 so he did not have to use horses in the field, but he was old-fashioned and preferred them.

Anne graduated the next year. She married a young man she had met at the university. He became a salesman. Anne forgot about medical school and started having children. She had nine of them.

Shortly after the last of their children was born, Anne and her husband separated. Later, they divorced, and Anne received an annulment from the church.

She decided to get a degree in medical technology. With her credits from Missouri, she figured it would not take her long. It did not. She went to Fontbonne and got a degree. Her husband paid child support and Anne's mother and aunt, both of whom are now deceased, helped with the children.

Anne worked for about 10 years at Missouri Baptist Hospital. She liked the work  she was a chemistry supervisor  but she was trying to raise a house full of children and she felt like she needed a job that would let her be home when the kids got out of school.

She knew some people in her Maryland Heights neighborhood who were newspaper carriers. They were home all day. That sounded like the job for her.

In those days  25 years ago  newspaper routes were independent businesses. People owned them. Anne heard of a route that was for sale. It covered parts of St. Ann, Overland and Breckenridge Hills. The price for the route was $70,000.

Anne borrowed the money. She delivered about 750 papers Monday through Saturday and a little more than 1,000 on Sunday.

It was late night, early morning work, and it meant that Anne was home for her children.

Also, it was lucrative. In her best years, she made about $60,000, she said. All of the kids went to Catholic schools.

The business has changed. The newspaper now owns routes. Anne sold her route to the newspaper about five years ago but continued to work it.

She now makes about $40,000 a year, she said. She gets no benefits.

She gets up each morning about 1:15. She leaves her house about 1:50 and drives to a distribution site in North County to pick up her papers. She puts her papers together and rolls them and is on her route shortly before 3. She is supposed to be done by 5:30, and she usually is.

She delivers about 550 Post-Dispatch newspapers daily and about 700 on Sunday. The route also includes the Wall Street Journal  she has about 10 subscribers on her route  and the Suburban Journals. She delivers about 150 of them. She drives a 2001 Chevy van.

It is, of course, a seven-day-a-week job. I asked what happens if she is sick. "I've never been sick," she said. One of her sons used to help with the route and cover for her if she wanted to take a day off. She said her last day off was about five years ago.

When the newspapers aren't late, she makes the 6:30 Mass in Overland. If the newspapers are late, she makes the 8 a.m. Mass at Holy Spirit near her house in Maryland Heights.

Then she comes home, has breakfast and naps for a couple of hours. On Mondays, she goes to DePaul Health Center, where she visits Catholic patients and brings them Holy Communion.

She is usually in bed before 9 p.m. in preparation for the day that begins at 1:15 a.m.

That's an hour when even cows are asleep.
When Ann Corley's 17-year-old daughter wanted to go to Alabama for spring break, Corley decided to go along.

She and her daughter and a friend of her daughter's got a room at Best Western on the Beach in Gulf Shores.

The trip turned into a nightmare shortly after midnight on March 24.

According to Corley, her daughter and her daughter's friend had invited two St. Louis friends who happened to be in Gulf Shores to spend the night in the hotel room. Corley and the four girls were watching television when the phone rang.

A man who identified himself as the front desk clerk said he had terrible news. There had been a murder in the hotel. The intruder was being watched on video surveillance and was approaching their room. The police had been called, of course, and would be there within a few minutes.

In the meantime, the occupants of the room should make as much noise as possible to scare off the intruder, the man on the phone said. Bang on the walls, he said. Scream. Do not open the door under any circumstance.

Then the caller said the intruder was right outside their door. Barricade yourselves in, said the caller. Pile things against the door. And stay on the line to follow my instructions, said the caller.

A few moments later, there was a pounding on the door!

Corley and the girls screamed louder.

Eventually, there was a voice in the hallway. "Police! Open the door!"

They did not open the door. Moments later, the door came crashing down.

According to the police report, officers from the Gulf Shores Police Department responded to a complaint of a disturbance in the hotel. Officer J. Ramsey wrote that he knocked on the door and several female voices yelled, "Leave us alone," and "Get the (blank) away." Ramsey wrote that he heard things being thrown against the door. The occupants of the room ignored requests to look through the peephole of the door to see the men in uniform. Finally, the officers kicked in the door. The police report noted that chairs had been pushed up against the door.

The police report noted that Corley and the girls told the officers about the phone call and the alleged murder. They said they had been told to create a disturbance and not to open the door even if somebody claimed to be the police. The report also noted that while the officers were explaining that there had been no murder, a guest in another room came out and said she had just received a similar call.

The night manager of the hotel then evicted Corley and the girls. Fortunately, Corley had neighbors who were visiting Gulf Shores so she called them.

Nevertheless, the whole thing rankled Corley. The police had treated her like an idiot. Why didn't she call 911? Because she thought the police had already been called. She also thought the 2 a.m. eviction was senseless. To her mind, she and the girls were victims, not criminals.

The next day, she spoke with the hotel manager and received no satisfaction. He told her the damage to the room would be charged to her credit card.

I contacted the corporate offices of Best Western International. Marie Yarroll of the communications department told me that pranks in hotels were nothing new, but she had not heard of this particular one.

I looked on the Internet. A common prank seems to be a caller claiming to be from the front desk reporting a gas leak and telling the hotel guest to immediately break a window. One guest was even talked into throwing his mattress out the window of his second-story room in case he needed to jump.

But while hotel phone pranks are not uncommon, Best Western on the Beach manager Bobby Thompson told me he was not convinced that Corley had actually received a prank call. He said he thought the noise was the result of a beer party.

"You should have seen that room," he said. "There were beer cans all over."

He said his theory is that Corley and the girls were being loud and bothering people, and then didn't want to open the door for the police because of the beer. He asked if the police report mentioned beer cans. I said it did not.

Thompson said the room was trashed. The door alone cost $500, he said.

Corley said there was beer in the refrigerator. "There were neighbors down there  adults," she said. As for the disputed call, she said, "If we didn't get a call, why were we pounding on the walls and screaming for help?"

She said the $500 charge was put on her credit card, but she is appealing to the credit card company.
Wednesday morning, in a courtroom high atop the city in the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse and 27 floors removed from the reality of the street, a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals listened to lawyers argue about whether InBev ought to be allowed to buy Anheuser-Busch.

Wait a minute, I thought. This is already a done deal. The Clydesdales are charging two grand for an appearance. The Busch family is in exile. The new big shots speak Portuguese. Most importantly, the shareholders have their money.

Still, the courtroom was nearly filled with men and women in business suits, and all of them were seemingly paying close attention to the arguments.

I like lost causes as well as the next guy, but really, how do you unring this bell? It's as if Cardinals fans were to go to court to argue that umpire Don Denkinger got the call wrong in the sixth game of the 1985 World Series when he ruled that the lead-off hitter in the ninth inning was safe at first. What would the court do? Get the 1985 Cardinals and Royals together again to replay the ninth inning?

One of the judges seemed to share my befuddlement. Judge Myron H. Bright mused aloud  as appellate judges so often do  that because InBev had already bought Anheuser-Busch, there would be a problem, would there not, if the court were to find that InBev ought not be allowed to buy Anheuser-Busch? What would the remedy be?

"Divestiture," said attorney Joseph M. Alioto Jr.

That would mean that InBev would be required to divest itself of Anheuser-Busch.

"I'm puzzled," said Bright. It takes a bit to get him puzzled. He has been hearing cases with the 8th Circuit for 41 years and eight months. He wondered aloud how divestiture would take place, and who would supervise it. "It's mind-boggling," he said.

The next lawyer approached the lectern. His name is Peter Moll, and he thought that InBev should be allowed to buy Anheuser-Busch. He made some legal point I could not follow about "perceived potential competition."

Actually, Wednesday's arguments had to do with a lawsuit filed in federal court in September 2008 at a time when the sale was imminent. The lawsuit sought to stop the sale on antitrust grounds. The sale went through in November of that year, but the lawsuit clunked along, anyway. Ultimately, it was dismissed. Wednesday was an appeal of that dismissal.

Moll is a high-priced guy from Washington. Court papers say that the local law firm working with him is Dowd-Bennett. Ed Dowd Jr. is a former U.S. attorney. James F. Bennett was one of the lead attorneys on the winning side when Metro unsuccessfully sued the designers and construction managers who built the light-rail extension. In other words, top guys.

Well, sure. InBev has deep pockets.

What about the lawyers on the other side? Alioto is no small potatoes. His grandfather was Joseph L. Alioto, longtime mayor of San Francisco, and his father, Joseph M. Alioto, is a nationally known antitrust attorney. Several other out-of-town law firms are also listed in court papers. Who's paying them?

"I'm on my own coin," Alioto told me. "If we win, the court can order the other side to pay our legal fees."

Under that theory, the plaintiffs' lawyers are gambling that the court eventually will order InBev to divest itself of Anheuser-Busch. Does that seem realistic?

By the way, Alioto's local counsel is Ted Schwartz. He has been practicing law longer than Bright has been on the bench. He is considered a very sharp fellow. He used to be known for the full-length mink coats he'd wear to court in the winter. He drives a Rolls-Royce. You don't get those things by betting on inside straights. I asked Schwartz if this was really about getting a settlement from InBev.

After all, if the plaintiffs lose the appeal, they can ask for a hearing in front of the entire 8th Circuit, and if that fails, they still have the U.S. Supreme Court.

"This is Joe's case," Schwartz said.

I called Alioto. He explained that this case is really about helping consumers. He said that if InBev were required to come into the market as a competitor, it would create competition and consumers would not only get lower prices, they'd probably get better beer.

I asked if he were interested in a settlement. He said he did not want to talk about a settlement. "My focus is prevailing on the merits of the case," he said.

I asked if he is a beer drinker. Yes, he said. What kind? Anchor Steam, he said. No, Bud, he said. I drink Bud.
Jen Dotson left her home in Oakville on a summer morning in 2004 and headed to Walgreens to buy a card for her husband's birthday.

As she traveled down Becker Road, a car pulled out from Telegraph Road and struck her car. She was taken by ambulance to St. Anthony's Medical Center. She was released that night.

The other driver's insurance paid for the repairs to Dotson's car.

So that seemed to be the end of the incident, except for a pain running down her left arm. Dotson hoped it would go away. It did not.

She eventually was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Apparently, the jolt from the accident had compressed the passageway between the clavicle and the first rib. Dotson sued the driver who hit her. She eventually accepted a settlement and used most of it to pay the portion of the medical bills that her health insurance had not covered.

By then, she had quit her job as a travel agent. Sitting at a desk and working on a computer was too painful. She went to work at a tanning salon she and her husband owned.

He went to work for Nabisco. His health insurance was from Aetna and covered his wife. In May 2007, she had surgery to remove a rib. In February 2008, she had a second surgery, this time on a nerve in her arm. Both surgeries were at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Aetna covered them.

The pain continued. Dotson had trouble sleeping. She was on heavy pain medication. She consulted a doctor at Barnes-Jewish Hospital who suggested she talk to Dr. Patrick Tracy in Peoria, Ill. He is a neurosurgeon who has had success dealing with chronic pain cases by implanting a spinal cord stimulator, a device that delivers electrical impulses to specific nerves and blocks pain signals from reaching the brain.

He examined Dotson and decided such an implant might help her. It would be a two-step procedure, he explained. First, the device would be attached outside the body with electrodes being implanted. If that seemed to work, then the device itself would be implanted. He said his office would make the necessary arrangements with the insurance company.

The first surgery was conducted at the Methodist Hospital of Illinois on Jan. 19, 2009. Dotson reported an immediate and significant loss of pain. The device was implanted a week later.

It seemed miraculous. For the first time in more than four years, Dotson felt normal.

The doctor's office called in April. Aetna was refusing to pay. Dotson was on the hook for more than $100,000.

Tracy said his office had called Aetna to get pre-certification before doing the surgeries and was told pre-certification was not needed for the procedure. The hospital agreed to discount the bill. Still, Dotson owed $72,900. She appealed Aetna's decision. Her appeals were denied.

She is 35 years old. She said she fears she and her husband might lose their house. She seems to have traded pain for bankruptcy.

I called Tracy. He said he wouldn't do surgery without authorization from the insurance company. He said he does about 30 of these implants a year.

I called Methodist Hospital of Illinois and spoke with Rob Quinn, the vice president of finance. He said the hospital's records showed that the hospital had called Aetna about pre-certification and had been told none was necessary. He also said Aetna's reason for denial made no reference to preapproval, but referred to a "medical necessity" issue.

I called Aetna and spoke with Cynthia Michener, a vice president of public relations. She promised to look into the matter. She called Friday and said their records confirmed that the doctor's office had called prior to the surgery to ask about pre-certification and had been informed that none was necessary. I said that sounded like Aetna had agreed to pay. Michener said that pre-certification does not guarantee payment.

I asked what a consumer is supposed to do. If the doctor and the hospital tell her they've gotten approval from the insurance company, how is she supposed to know differently? She said a consumer could go to the Aetna website and check the Clinical Policy Bulletin. That would let the consumer know about a pre-determination of coverage, which, unlike pre-certification, indicates the insurance company will pay.

I went to the Clinical Policy Bulletin  she had sent me a link  and I couldn't understand much of it. Michener explained that it's not really written for laypeople.

What about the matter of medical necessity? Isn't the alleviation of debilitating pain medically necessary?

She explained that the denial was not actually based on medical necessity, but on the fact that the procedure was considered experimental. She said that not all spinal cord stimulator implants are considered experimental. It has to do with the precise location of the implant. She said this is explained in the Clinical Policy Bulletin.

Michener also said there is a final appeal available. If Tracy and Dotson get some papers together, Aetna will send the papers to a panel of independent physicians, and Aetna will abide by the panel's decision.
Several years ago, I heard scientists concluded that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals did more than just shake fists at one another when we shared Europe for 10,000 years or so. Maybe we even swapped genes.

That explained a lot to me. I realized I had some kind of generation-skipping Neanderthal gene. At last there was a reason for my general ineptitude.

My father was an electrician. He understood things. His father had been a railroad engineer. So he understood things.

Meanwhile, I wandered around in a daze. I understood nothing. My father could wire a house. I was amazed  scared, almost  that a light would come on when I flicked a switch. Television perplexed me. How did a picture appear in that magic box?

My father knew. Repairing TVs was his second job. He worked in the basement. Sometimes he would take me to a local grocery that had a tube-checking machine. I'd watch him test tubes until he found the faulty one.

It was all beyond me. Of course it was. I was a young Neanderthal in an alien world being raised by Homo sapiens.

Years later, I read an article in which a scientist was asked how a Neanderthal would do in today's world. Better than you might think, he said. They would feel out of place, but they could probably do simple things. Like mass transit. They could probably figure out the right change, he said.

That remark struck a certain chord with me. Taking mass transit is about the outer edge of my technical abilities.

Then came the news about the gene-swapping. Everything made sense.

Did I feel sorry for myself? Yes, a little bit. While it was nice to know that I wasn't at fault for being inept, it was disheartening to know that I would never quite fit in with the general population.

Lately, though, I have discovered an advantage in the Neanderthal gene. I am immune to certain maladies that afflict Homo sapiens. Chief among these maladies is Compulsive Outrage Disorder, or COD.

I have written about COD. People who suffer from COD are always angry. They want to be angry. They listen to radio shows and watch television programs that feed their anger.

To a Neanderthal, it's puzzling. Why would people want to be angry? I remember writing a column during the last presidential election campaign that for the first time in my recollection, each of the major parties had nominated a candidate that I liked. What a happy situation. None of that "lesser of two evils" stuff.

Many people were furious. How could I write such trash? I was surprised. What wasn't to like about Barack Obama? Intelligent, self-made and an inspirational history. John McCain was an authentic American hero.

I even wrote a flattering column about Sarah Palin. I'm glad I did. Time has proven me right. I see that she recently campaigned for McCain against a challenger from the Tea Party crowd. That's the very crowd to which she is trying to appeal, and for her to campaign for McCain shows character and loyalty.

I've never understood the people who seem to hate her.

And the people who hate Obama seem positively loony. They claim he's a socialist for pushing through a health care reform bill that requires people to have health insurance. But last week, Mitt Romney won the straw poll at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, and his major accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts was pushing through a health care reform bill that required people to have health insurance.

Which makes sense. If you are going to require insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions, you have to require everybody to have health insurance. You can't let people opt in when they're sick, and opt out when they're healthy.

To a Neanderthal, all this outrage seems pointless.

And it's everywhere. Most of the stuff I write is apolitical. Of course, to a COD sufferer, there is nothing apolitical.

Last week, I wrote about a man whose term life insurance policy will expire in a few years. He has decided to eat cheeseburgers. He does not want to outlive his life insurance policy.

"Tell your friend not to worry," e-mailed a COD sufferer. "I'm sure in a year or two we'll all have free ObamaLife (insurance.) It's great! By 2012 we'll have no responsibility for ourselves at all. The government will handle everything."

This is what a story about cheeseburgers and term life insurance brings to mind?

I'm glad I'm immune to COD. The Neanderthal gene is not such a bad thing.
Illinois Trooper Matt Mitchell received probation last week after pleading guilty to two counts each of reckless homicide and aggravated reckless driving for causing an accident that killed two teenage girls and seriously injured two other people.

Investigators said he was going 126 mph while responding to an accident. The dispatcher had already reported that other first-responders were at the scene. Mitchell was talking on his cell phone moments before the accident. And e-mailing from the car computer.

And he was allowed to plead guilty and get probation?

I thought that was crazy  until I heard defense attorney John O'Gara deliver his closing argument.

Technically, there was no closing argument because there was no trial. But O'Gara spoke to a criminal law class at SIU Edwardsville on Monday night, and one of the topics he touched on was his defense of Mitchell.

He started by talking about the visceral reaction people have had to this case. I can understand that, he said. Two beautiful young girls were killed in an accident caused by a police officer. We expect more of a police officer.

Yes, we do, I thought. We give police officers so much authority, so much power. We expect them to exercise judgment.

I've got a question for you, O'Gara continued. How fast would you want an officer to go if one of your loved ones were trapped in a car and needed to be extricated? What if an intruder were in your house attacking your mother, or your daughter? Would you want the officer to go 50 mph? Or 75 mph? Or 125 mph? If seconds counted, how fast would you want him to go?

That's easy, I thought to myself. I'd want him to go as fast as he could safely. Mitchell was going too fast. Besides, that accident had been cleared already.

O'Gara said he would have brought other state troopers to court to testify that they often exceed 100 mph on the interstates. If they have to get somewhere in a hurry, they try to get there in a hurry, he said.

And while the state could prove that the dispatcher had said other responders were at the scene, how could the state prove that Mitchell had understood that part of the message?

Of course, Mitchell's phone call was troubling. Awful judgment. E-mailing to get directions to the accident while traveling at a high rate of speed was more bad judgment.

But O'Gara made the point that bad judgment is easy to recognize in retrospect. Not so easy in the heat of the moment. He said he had researched several cases in which police officers responding to calls had been in terrible wrecks. He said none of those cases resulted in a criminal conviction.

I looked out at the students. They would have made a tough jury. They were bright and engaged, and not much older than the two girls who were killed. They had come of age during "Law and Order," not "Perry Mason," so presumably prosecutors, and not defense attorneys, were their heroes. Still, they were listening attentively to O'Gara.

Bad judgment, he said. Trying too hard. At what point does that become criminal? He said he wasn't suggesting that bad judgment go unpunished. A case like this belongs in civil court, he said.

I am not doing justice to his arguments. He's an effective speaker. Earnest, unassuming and a little rumpled, he paced back and forth in front of the students. He gestured with his hands.

Admittedly, O'Gara had the stage to himself on this evening. In court, he would have been up against Jim Piper, who has successfully prosecuted some tough cases.

Speaking of prosecutors, Eric Rhein, who teaches the class, is one. I first met him when he prosecuted Michael Hoare, a lawyer from St. Louis who got drunk one night in 1993 and ended up driving his BMW the wrong way down I-255. He smashed into a Ford Maverick driven by 17-year-old Joshua Roedersheimer, who was killed.

Hoare was convicted of aggravated reckless homicide and sentenced to six months in the county jail. He now practices law in Washington, D.C.

In some ways, Mitchell's deal resulted in a more severe sentence. He's a felon. He'll never work as a cop again. Maybe that's the most important thing.

As long as the family of the victims was all right with the plea bargain, maybe St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert Haida made the right decision in not rolling the dice.

It would not have been as easy a case as it first appeared.
Let's update some recent columns.

In February, I wrote about a problem Jen Dotson was having with her insurance company. She had been in an auto accident in the summer of 2004. The accident left her in pain. In May of 2007, she had surgery to remove a rib. In February of 2008, she had surgery on a nerve in her arm. Both surgeries were performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and were covered by Aetna, which is the insurance her husband has through work.

On the advice of doctors at Barnes-Jewish, Dotson went to a neurosurgeon in Peoria, Ill. In January 2009, he implanted a spinal cord stimulator, a device that delivers electrical impulses to specific nerves and blocks pain signals from reaching the brain.

The procedure was successful. For the first time since the accident, Dotson felt normal.

Then the neurosurgeon informed Dotson that Aetna was refusing to pay and that Dotson was on the hook for more than $100,000.

She was pain-free but facing bankruptcy.

Her situation seemed particularly galling because both the surgeon and the hospital had contacted the insurance company before the surgery to obtain precertification, but were told that precertification was not necessary.

After denying the claim, the insurance company said the surgeon and the hospital should have asked about a predetermination of coverage rather than precertification.

Aetna turned down an appeal because the surgeon had not filed it within 60 days of the decision not to cover the procedure.

However, Aetna's Executive Resolutions Team decided to submit the case to a panel of independent physicians. The panel sided with Dotson and in late March, the company notified Dotson that it would pay for the surgery.

In March, I wrote about a Missouri Department of Corrections program to place shelter dogs in prisons. The idea is that inmates can train unruly dogs and the dogs will then be more likely to be adopted. All food and materials have been donated by private sources.

I was at the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in Pacific when five dogs were brought to the prison in February. Jim Sullivan was one of the inmate trainers. He was assigned a black dog named Gucci. Sullivan later wrote me a letter.

"Shortly after getting the dogs, I was walking the track with Gucci. An older gentleman walked up to me and asked if he could pet my dog. I said, "Sure. Go ahead." He knelt down and was petting him for a very long time. Gucci was enjoying every minute of it, and his tail was wagging as fast as possible to show it. But the part of the story that really hit me in the heart was not how happy Gucci was, but the smile on the face of the guy petting the dog. He had tears in his eyes. He proceeded to tell me that he had not petted a dog in 22 years and he did not remember them being so soft. I could not think of an appropriate response. I finally told him that I would be on the track with Gucci every afternoon, and he could pet him any time we were out there. So the guy has made it a point to be out there every single day, and him and Gucci are best buddies."

Gucci and the other dogs graduated a week ago. Warden Jennifer Sachse told me that three of the dogs, including Gucci, have been adopted, and an adoption is pending for a fourth. She said the prison expects a new batch of dogs in May.

Going from dogs to moose, I wrote a column about Bruce Kurt. He used to wear antlers to court to show his disdain for the legal system. He was most often in trouble for driving without license plates. He contended he needed no license plates because the first Congress in 1789 had declared that all citizens be allowed "unhampered use of all navigable waters and all common law highways." He also didn't need a drivers license because his reading of the Missouri Revised Statutes mandates drivers licenses only for people involved in commerce.

I wrote that his arguments reminded me a bit of the rhetoric that comes from some Tea Party people.

Kurt read that column and called. We had lunch. He said he had little in common with the Tea Party people because they vote. If you vote, you are acknowledging the legitimacy of the system. Which he does not.

Finally, I wrote about a friend who has decided he does not want to outlive his term insurance, which has several years left to run. Consequently, he is eating cheeseburgers for lunch and then ice cream for dessert.

Several readers said they understood his thinking, but many readers were disturbed by the column. I told my friend that some people said he needed professional help. He said, "I think I'll have a root beer float instead."
Henry Kotyla was a street character, and the street was South Grand Boulevard. He was part of the fabric of that vibrant street, laughing and talking and waving at people. He was a strange sort of man, but he was friendly and happy and nobody thought of him as dangerous or threatening.

He was a paranoid schizophrenic.

His sister, Janis Ramsey-Melton, took care of him. She made sure that he had food in his apartment and that his bills were paid.

She said her brother was once normal, and that he was married and had children, but long ago he was the victim of an armed robbery while working at a gas station. She thinks the trauma of that event sent him into a downward spiral. Who knows?

Randolph Stevens lived just off of South Grand on Giles Avenue. He was almost as reclusive as Kotyla was outgoing. Steve Meyer lived on the first floor of the four-family flat in which Stevens lived on the second floor, and Meyer, who is outgoing himself, did not even know Stevens' first name.

He thought it was Mike, and so he'd greet him that way. "Hey, Mike. How you doing?"

Then one day Stevens said to him, "I AM NOT MIKE!"

People were scared of Stevens.

He was a paranoid schizophrenic.

Dr. P. Lynn Wakefield, a psychiatrist who treated Stevens almost 20 years ago at the John Cochran VA Medical Center and helped him get on Social Security disability, said his experiences in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne in 1968-69 might have contributed to his condition. Who knows?

On a Saturday night in April 2006, Kotyla came to the apartment on Giles to visit Meyer, a longtime friend. But Meyer was in the shower, and his girlfriend told Kotyla to come back later.

Shortly thereafter, Kotyla was shot to death on South Grand. A witness identified Stevens as the shooter. Police went to his apartment. He told them he had been on his way to the store when he ran into Kotyla and shot him during an argument.

Others questioned that story. Meyer thought Stevens had followed Kotyla. "He didn't like Henry. He used to say he could hear him walking blocks away."

Sadly, we live in a time when shootings are not uncommon, and when a 58-year-old man with a mental condition shoots a 52-year-old man with a mental condition, the case hardly merits a mention in the newspaper.

The only reason this case rated even a small story was the fact that Stevens had a concealed-carry permit. At the time of the shooting, a reporter quoted a homicide detective who said that this was the first instance in St. Louis in which a man accused of murder had a concealed-carry permit for the alleged murder weapon.

The permit was from Florida, and the story noted that once Missouri's concealed-carry law was passed, it became common for residents to obtain permits from states that offered reciprocity but did not require residency.

That way, applicants could take advantage of the Missouri law more quickly, especially since St. Louis and St. Louis County were slow to implement the permit provisions.

The story did not mention that Stevens had a history of mental illness.

He went to trial in December and was convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced on Friday.

Circuit Court Judge Lisa Van Amburg asked if anybody wanted to address the court before she pronounced sentence.

Ramsey-Melton talked about the joy that her brother brought to the world. Meyer spoke in the same vein. Two firefighters from the station at Potomac Street and Grand Boulevard said that Kotyla would cheer everybody up when he visited.

Assistant Circuit Attorney Tanja Engelhardt said the state recommended a life sentence. The community needs to be protected, she said.

Van Amburg asked Stevens if he had anything to say. He was wearing bright orange garb from the city jail. His gray hair was disheveled. He began to speak in an agitated manner. He waved his hands. He said something about Hamlet. His attorney, public defender Edward Scott Thompson, tried to soothe him, but to no effect.

Van Amburg said the reference to Hamlet was appropriate.

She said this case, like the play, was a tragedy. She said it was a tragedy that the Department of Corrections has become the main provider of treatment for mental illnesses, and she said it is a tragedy that a person with a mental illness can get a concealed-carry permit.

She then sentenced Stevens to 15 years in prison. He is 61.
ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors on Wednesday charged a St. Louis man with assisting in a man's killing, then helping dump the body and set it on fire.

Robert J. Moore, 34, faces murder and several other charges in the 2020 killing of Antirrill Johnson. Police said Johnson's body was found completely charred on the front and sides in the backyard of a vacant home on June 28, 2020, in the 5900 block of Emma Avenue in the city's Walnut Park West neighborhood.

The charges come nearly three weeks after prosecutors dismissed the case against Moore's listed co-defendant, Brandon C. Taylor, 38, because they couldn't find a key witness, according to a dismissal memorandum.

Police said in Moore's charging documents that Moore was one of the witnesses to provide information against Taylor. Moore said he stood outside a home in the 5300 block of Queens Avenue, armed with a rifle, to prevent anyone from leaving while Taylor went inside and shot Johnson, according to charging documents.

After the killing, Moore said he helped dump the body on Emma Avenue and set it on fire.

In addition to murder, Moore is charged with armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He was ordered held without bond.

2023 St. Louis-area Homicide Tracker Learn about homicide victims and regional trends with this database from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has wiped out a $300,000 loan he made to the 2008 campaign of Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. The decision frees Kinder to focus on fundraising for his own likely gubernatorial campaign.

Attorney Jared Craighead confirmed the loan cancellation Thursday to The Associated Press. Craighead handles campaign finance issues for Kinder and is a close political ally of Blunt, having served in his gubernatorial administration.

Blunt waited until almost the last moment possible to forgive his loan to Kinder.

Kinder created a debt service committee for his 2008 campaign on June 30, 2009. Missouri law requires those committees to be shut down within 18 months.

Although he is not officially a candidate, Kinder has been preparing to challenge Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon in 2012.
An employee works at a natural gas plant near Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Noah Friedman-Rudovsky (Bloomberg)

Bolivia is about to lose the market that pays the best prices for its gas: Argentina. On July 9, Buenos Aires inaugurated the first phase of the President Nestor Kirchner Gas Pipeline. Its a blow to Bolivia, as it will close off the gas market in its southern neighbor. Bolivia makes $600 million from its gas imports to Argentina, and losing this revenue will take a toll on the country, which is experiencing its first economic crisis in two decades.

The new Argentine gas pipeline is projected to extract up to 21 million cubic meters of gas per day from the Vaca Muerta fields, in southern Argentina, and transport it to the central zone of the country. Argentina has also started work on its Northern Gas Pipeline, which today distributes Bolivian gas in the north of the country, so that it operates in both directions. Trade between Bolivia and Argentina will come to an end in 2024, when the countries reverse the positions they have maintained for 20 years. Back then, Bolivia was experiencing a gas boom while Argentina was struggling with an energy crisis.

Thanks to the two pipelines, Argentina plans to save some $2 billion in 2023 and more than $4 billion from 2024. Gas from Vaca Muerta is six times cheaper than that which is imported, said the Argentine Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royon, on May 15, when the government celebrated the completion of the first section of the pipeline. Argentina could become a leading exporter of natural gas in the region, a position that is now slipping from Bolivia.

More information Bolivia looks to China amid its first economic crisis in two decades

Argentina has not delivered us a blow. We delivered ourselves the blow, said energy consultant Alvaro Rios, in reference to the decline of the Bolivian gas industry due to lack of investment and the resulting lack of new discoveries of gas deposits. In 2014, we exported 48 million cubic meters of gas per day: today, we can only export 22 million, he said. We should be selling 23 million cubic meters to Argentina, but we are only giving it four to eight million cubic meters a day. That is why the contract will no longer last until 2027, as planned, but will end next year.

The Bolivian government of Luis Arce is seeking to expand the exploration of new deposits and earmarked $326 million this year for the project. It hopes this investment will make up for the poor performance Bolivia has seen in recent years. An official report indicates that, between 2005 and 2020, 192 wells were drilled and that existing production barely rose by 2%. Two months ago, Arce inaugurated the Yope-X1 well, but its commercial potential has yet to be confirmed. Rios is skeptical about the possibility of new discoveries changing the situation. An exploratory cycle lasts 10 years, so I dont think there will be any changes; what is going to happen with Argentina cannot be reversed, he said. Rios calculates that by 2029, Bolivia will even stop exporting gas to Brazil, the only market it will have left when trade with Argentina ends next year.

This is due to the lack of reserves. The shortages are so severe that Bolivia could even become an importer of Argentine gas. Its good that we have a neighboring country with gas, that will be useful to us in the future, said Rios. The expert thinks that Bolivias future role in the regional energy game will be to rent its pipelines, which are connected to Sao Paulo, so that gas from Vaca Muerta is pumped through them to the Brazilian metropolis. Other Bolivian analysts are somewhat more optimistic, but in general it is thought that Bolivia should back industries other than gas.

The situation is of concern to southern Bolivia, which produces the most gas is the country. Oscar Montes, the governor of the Bolivian region of Tarija, which borders Argentina and is the main center of gas production, has called for other alternatives to be considered, arguing that the declining regional gas industry, which has been suffering from the production crisis since 2015, needs to move to new areas.

The current Bolivian government says that previous administrations made a big mistake by not investing more in gas exploration and by not implementing the incentive program for foreign oil companies that had been designed to anticipate future shortages. The ruling party strongly criticized a former minister who publicly told then-president Evo Morales that there was nothing to worry about as Bolivia was floating on a sea of gas.

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ST. LOUIS -- The Associated Press is reporting that ex-Gov. Matt Blunt has forgiven a six-figure debt to his former No. 2.

After not deciding to seek a second term in 2008, Blunt lent $300,000 from his campaign committee to Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who was locked in a re-election fight with Creve Coeur Democrat Sam Page.

The cash infusion did the trick: Kinder was the only victorious Missouri Republican on the statewide ballot that year.

At the time, Kinder's camp insisted that the money was not a gift, but a loan, intended to be paid back.

But AP scribe David Lieb reported on Thursday that Blunt -- who has given no hint of seeking elected office again in the future -- has forgiven the loan ahead of a deadline Kinder was facing to shut down his debt finance committee.

In essence, the loan becomes one, big campaign contribution.

Big campaign contributions are something that Kinder is familiar with. As he prepares a run for Blunt's old job, Kinder has collected more than $578,000 from some of the region's wealthiest donors. (Rental car king Jack Taylor, beer baron August A. Busch III, aviation scion James S. McDonnell III)

Now that his debt with Blunt is settled, Kinder can tell donors that their money will be going to a potential future governor, and not a past one.

And while Blunt is not particularly politically active these days, politics remains the family business -- his father, Roy, will move into his new seat in the U.S. Senate next month.
JEFFERSON CITY  A Cole County judge on Wednesday ordered the Missouri attorney generals office to pay $242,000 in legal fees in connection to Sunshine Law violations under current U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley.

The decision by Circuit Judge Jon Beetem follows his November 2022 ruling that Hawleys attorney generals office withheld documents from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee during his campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2018 in violation of the states open records laws.

Beetem, in his decision last year, fined the attorney generals office $12,000 and ordered the state to pay attorneys fees and costs.

A big win for transparency, election fairness, and the rule of law, Mark Pedroli, who represented the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in a lawsuit originally filed in 2019, said on Twitter.

Pedroli said Missouri taxpayers shouldnt be stuck with the record verdict, and that instead Hawley should apologize and donate proceeds from his recent book, Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs, to cover the bill.

Kyle Plotkin, spokesman for Hawley, said Democrats kept the lawsuit alive unnecessarily after documents were produced and that they should return whatever money they get to the people of Missouri and apologize.

The DSCC sued over how attorney generals office handled requests filed in September 2017 and March 2018.

Voters elected Hawley to the U.S. Senate in November 2018, and the Democrats filed their lawsuit in March 2019, after Hawley was sworn in.

In September 2017, the DSCC asked for records of correspondence with the OnMessage Inc. political consulting firm.

At the time, the then-records custodian, Daniel Hartman, had correspondence on his personal email account between AGO employees and individuals from OnMessage Inc. concerning public business, according to Beetems ruling.

Beetem said Hartman possessed the records and knew his responsibilities as custodian of records, but responded to the Democrats in October 2017 that the office retained no responsive documents.

Beetem also said the office retained documents responsive to the Democrats second request in March 2018. Hartman asked a state worker to locate responsive records, and the staff member found 42 records, the majority of which were responsive to the DSCC request.

Beetem said the Kansas City Star obtained records between the attorney generals office and OnMessage Inc.; the outlet reported in October 2018 that political consultants helped to lead Hawleys office.

By failing to produce the requested records, Mr. Hartman and the AGO prevented an opposing party committee from accessing documents potentially damaging to then-Attorney General Hawleys political campaign, Beetem wrote.

After the Star report, the left-leaning American Democracy Legal Fund said in a complaint to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft that Hawley evidence strongly suggested Hawley used public funds as Attorney General to support his candidacy for U.S. Senate.

Ashcroft, a Republican, opened an investigation after the complaint was filed, and announced in February 2019 that his office would not move forward with the complaint.

Records were produced during Ashcrofts investigation and during the DSCC litigation.

Its a shame that Democrat Party bosses kept a lawsuit going even after the witch hunt was dismissed by investigators and after all documents were voluntarily made public, said Plotkin, spokesman for Hawleys campaign.

The only purpose seems to have been to bilk Missouri taxpayers out of thousands and thousands of dollars, Plotkin said after being asked if the Hawley campaign would pay the $242,000 legal bill.

Money to pay the fees typically comes from the states Legal Expense Fund, which is financed by the states general tax dollars.

Hawleys campaign team at the time of the requests included senior strategist Timmy Teepell, a partner in OnMessage Inc.

Teepell is serving in the same role for Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is running for a full, four-year term in 2024.

A Bailey spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

In addition to Ashcrofts review, State Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat who was state auditor at the time Hawley left the attorney generals office, released scathing audits of Hawleys short tenure as attorney general before he became senator.

Galloway, who left office in January, issued audits showing Hawley may have misused state resources to benefit his successful 2018 campaign against incumbent Claire McCaskill.

Hawley is up for reelection next year.

Democrats seeking to replace him include St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and Lucas Kunce, who has the backing of labor unions.

If Josh Hawley doesnt think hes better than the rest of us, hell pay this himself. Missourians shouldnt be held responsible for the corruption of our politicians, Kunce said.

Added Bell, Josh Hawley broke the law because he thought it would help win an election. Its only fair that Hawleys campaign pay these fees that were incurred because he misused his official office to further his political career.

Kurt Erickson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is proposing to triple the fees charged to tattoo artists to finance its oversight of the growing industry.

A proposal published for public comment earlier this month would charge a two-year fee of $100 to each tattooist or body piercer - up significantly from the current $30 fee. Licensing fees also would rise for businesses that offer the services.

The higher fees are projected to generate about $120,000 for the state during each two-year licensing period.

A spokesman for the state agency that oversees professional licensing said the fee increase is needed to cover the inspection and legal costs of regulating the industry.

Since 2005, the number of Missouri business licensed to provide tattoos, body piercing and branding has risen by more than one-third.
ST. LOUIS -- A partner at Bryan Cave will be getting a new desk in the nation's capital thanks to a recess appointment from President Obama.

The White House has bypassed Congress to name James M. Cole -- who works in the Washington office of the prominent St. Louis-based law firm -- to the No. 2 position at the Department of Justice.

Cole, appointed Wednesday, will serve as the top deputy to attorney general Eric Holder, a close friend. Before joining Bryan Cave in 1995, Cole worked as a prosecutor in the DOJ's corruption-busting Public Integrity Section.

While at Bryan Cave, Cole's duties included working as a special independent monitor for the troubled insurance giant AIG, a deal that netted his Metropolitan Square employer more than $20 million, according to the Government Accountability Project.

Earlier, Cole was the lead attorney for a House Ethics Subcommittee on an investigation that eventually lead to a reprimand for then-Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Cole's nomination was met with consternation by U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., the incoming chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, who questioned whether Cole had a strong enough stance against terrorists.

"This may be one of the worst appointments by President Obama during his presidency," King said. "The Justice Department needs a strong Deputy Attorney General who understands that our country remains at war with Islamic terrorists who continually plot deadly attacks against Americans, not a left-wing ideologue who places terrorists in the same categories as drug peddlers.

King cited an op-ed Cole wrote in the Legal Times, comparing the 9/11 attacks to the "scourge of the drug trade, the reign of organized crime, and countless acts of rape, child abuse, and murder."

While that 2002 piece suggested civil courts are an appropriate place to try suspected terrorists, Cole has since signaled his support for military tribunals, as well.
ST. LOUIS  City officials on Wednesday announced plans to put $3.5 million into reshaping 10 of the citys most dangerous intersections.

Scott Ogilvie, who oversees the citys Complete Streets program, said staff surveyed locations across the city and pored over statistics on injury and fatal crashes to identify targets, which included:

 Broadway & Washington Avenue;

 Grand Boulevard and Forest Park Avenue;

 Gravois Avenue and Russell Boulevard;

 Grand Boulevard, Martin Luther King Drive, and Evans Avenue;

 Broadway and Walnut Street;

 Kingshighway and Lindell Boulevard;

 North Florissant Avenue and Palm Street;

 Kingshighway and Delmar Boulevard;

 South Grand Boulevard and Gravois; and

 Lindell Boulevard and Whittier Street.

Ogilvie said the intersections selected tended to be on wider streets, at the intersection of two bus routes, and near bus stops. The intersection of Grand and Forest Park was also the location of a high-profile collision that killed four teenagers and critically injured four more in February.

The improvements are part of a larger effort to slow down speeders and cut down on the kinds of deadly collisions that have grabbed headlines over the past year. Mayor Tishaura O. Jones last fall called for putting more than $40 million in federal pandemic aid toward fixing intersections, thoroughfares and other areas of particular concern to the city, including:

 Goodfellow Boulevard between Lilian Avenue and Halls Ferry Road.

 Kingshighway between Lindell and Martin Luther King;

 Fourth Street from Chouteau Avenue to Convention Plaza;

 the 6700 block of Chippewa Street, near Ted Drewes; and

 South Grand between Utah Street and Chippewa Street.

The latter two areas saw some of the highest-profile traffic violence the city has seen in recent years. Two pedestrians were killed crossing Chippewa in front of the Ted Drewes frozen custard stand last summer, while the area around the South Grand business district saw a one driver run a red light and hit a pedestrian, and another hit a cyclist in a bike line.

Officials said construction of the improvements, which could include new medians, traffic circles and bumped-out curbs, will largely occur in 2025 and 2026. The city also plans to repave and improve safety on five major thoroughfares  Kingshighway, Jefferson Avenue and Grand, Union and Goodfellow boulevards  on the same schedule.
JEFFERSON CITY  A spat between Gov. Jay Nixon and the Legislature has put Missouri's clean water program in jeopardy, leaving businesses that need environmental permits caught in the middle.

Fees that help underwrite the enforcement of water protection laws by the Department of Natural Resources will expire Friday, thanks to a stalemate between Nixon, a Democrat, and the Republican-led Legislature.

Officials say Missouri has enough money to keep the program going for a few months. But the state also is exploring other options, including a federal takeover of enforcement duties.

Thousands of commercial developers, home builders, utilities, manufacturers and livestock producers pay the fees to get permission to discharge wastewater or divert storm water into Missouri streams and lakes.

The permits, generally good for five years, have been required since 1974 under state and federal laws aimed at reducing contamination of surface and groundwater.

The prospect of turning the permitting process over to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scares business leaders, who fear long delays and red tape that could make it harder to recruit new industry.

"You don't fix a program by destroying it," said Roger Walker, executive director of a statewide business group called the Regulatory Environmental Group for Missouri.

"It's just ludicrous to think of these permitting duties going to EPA," he said. "EPA doesn't want them. EPA isn't staffed to do them."

Publicly, the state is saying little about the situation. But federal officials confirmed that Missouri has contacted the EPA's regional office in Kansas City to explore the possibility of transferring the water protection duties.

"Missouri has discussed the option," said EPA regional spokesman Kris Lancaster.

He said Congress intended for states to manage the Clean Water Act, but if a state opts out, the EPA must take over. States must give the federal government 180 days' notice and a plan for moving the records.

"It is not our desire to take over," said Lancaster, whose office oversees environmental matters in a four-state region. "We are working with the state and awaiting their final decision."

Nixon's office did not respond to e-mailed questions about the future of the program. The Department of Natural Resources declined to make its new director, Sara Parker Pauley, available for an interview.

In an e-mailed statement, the department said it hopes legislators will reinstate the fees next year.

"We look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly during the coming session to ensure that Missouri businesses can continue to fulfill their permitting requirements at the state level," said the statement from Kip Stetzler, acting director.

That tone belies the deep animosity between Nixon's environmental regulators and Republican leaders in the Missouri Senate, who in the spring killed a bill that would have extended the water fees.

The Senate has long had antagonistic relations with the DNR. Acting on complaints from business constituents, senators often go on the warpath against what they consider overzealous environmental oversight. In 1992, senators censured the director, complaining that he was dictatorial.

Recently, relations between legislators and regulators worsened after the agency delayed the release of water quality results showing elevated levels of E. coli at Lake of the Ozarks.

Senators investigating the agency complained that officials were uncooperative.

Now, senators say that before they will renew the water fees, the department must meet with groups that pay the fees and address their complaints  for example, that the permits take too long to process.

"For 18 months I've been asking for that," said Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah.

Lager, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said the department should view its job as helping businesses get permits instead of sanctioning them for environmental violations. "DNR is like the Kremlin, where they're deciding how they're going to hurt people because they don't like them," Lager said. "I'm not going to let DNR become to state government what the EPA is to federal government. They are probably the largest hindrance to economic prosperity in this country."

The irony of his position is that if the EPA takes over Missouri's water protection duties, state senators will have less leverage with regulators.

Others say that even if the fees are extended, money will be short.

The department receives little general tax revenue, relying on user fees that haven't been increased in years. The expiring fees generate $4.2 million a year, or about 27 percent of the budget for state clean water enforcement.

But whether to raise the fees is another sticking point.

Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, said a comprehensive analysis of the fee structure is needed, but Nixon refuses to undertake one because raising fees could be construed as a tax increase.

"Saying, 'Just continue the fees for another year,' is passing the buck," said Schaefer, a former deputy director and general counsel at the department.

The current fee structure has been criticized because some industries, such as concentrated animal feeding operations, pay less than the cost of issuing their permits.

But those issues shouldn't be allowed to kill the program, said John Carter, chairman of the environmental committee for Associated Industries of Missouri and an environmental manager for St. Louis-based Doe Run Co.

"It's necessary to extend the fees at the current level while we work with the department and the General Assembly to determine what the proper fee should be," he said.
ST. LOUIS  The Tennessee teen whose legs were amputated in February following a crash in downtown St. Louis filed suit Tuesday against the city and the two drivers who hit her.

Janae Edmondson was visiting St. Louis on Feb. 18 for a volleyball tournament when she was pinned between two cars and critically injured. The driver of one of the vehicles, Daniel Riley, was out on bond in a pending robbery case despite violating the conditions of his bond dozens of times.

The incident sparked widespread outcry and calls for the resignation of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner, whose dysfunctional office was blamed for allowing Riley to remain free. Gardner stepped down last month amid a lawsuit seeking her removal and a bill in the state Legislature that would have stripped her of most of her power.

Now, Edmondsons suit is seeking an amount more than $25,000 in damages from Riley, Rileys mother, the city of St. Louis and the driver of the other vehicle that struck Edmondson. The exact amount of damages Edmondson is seeking will likely be determined later.

The suit did not name Gardner nor the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office, but Edmondsons attorney, Kevin Carnie, said they were weighing the possibility.

The teen, the lawsuit said, had her bright future brutally ripped away.

The crash ... was completely preventable, the lawsuit said.

Edmondson, then a high school senior, was crossing the intersection of St. Charles and North 11th streets on Feb. 18 when a speeding Audi that Riley was driving collided with a Chevrolet Malibu driven by another woman, police said. Edmondson was pinned between the two vehicles.

Edmondsons father said his military training kicked in as he applied a tourniquet to the teens legs. She has undergone several surgeries and a long recovery since.

The lawsuit blames the city for failing to maintain a safe intersection. It says there was a yield sign meant to control westbound traffic on St. Charles Street, but the sign wasnt adequate because those traveling on 11th Street couldnt see oncoming traffic. Buildings were blocking their sight, it said.

A full stop is required for traffic on St. Charles to adequately observe conflicting cross traffic, the suit says.

Meanwhile, the suit says Riley should be held liable for driving without a license and driving recklessly. It also says his mother should be held liable for letting him borrow her car due to his habitual recklessness.

It also says the driver of the Malibu should be held liable because she, too, was driving without a valid license that night.

A city spokesman declined comment. Riley is being held in the St. Louis jail pending trial in his criminal cases.

A hearing has not been set in the lawsuit.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the amount of damages being sought.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  People should avoid Coldwater Creek after wastewater containing a chemical that can cause skin irritation spilled earlier this week from a Boeing plant near St. Louis airport into the North County waterway, a state agency said Thursday.

An official determination on the safety of the creek has not been determined, said Brian M. Quinn, a Missouri Department of Natural Resources information officer in an email to the Post-Dispatch Thursday.

Approximately 1,000 gallons of wastewater contaminated by the chemical trivalent chromium was released Tuesday into Coldwater Creek, an Environmental Protection Agency release said. Quinns agency, which is leading the spill response, said it does not have enough information to predict how long cleanup will take.

Coldwater Creek has long been been contaminated by radioactive waste from the production of the nations first atomic weapons in the mid-20th century.

Boeing said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch that it notified the EPA and other agencies after it detected abnormalities in the operation of the treatment plant.

The cause of the release has been mitigated and containment measures have been implemented, the statement said.

The spill occurred after GKN Aerospace, which produces aircraft parts, accidently released a stream of highly contaminated wastewater into an industrial sewer, Quinn said. GKN contacted Boeing after the release, Quinn said.

Boeing shifted the wastewater into a basin for containment and special treatment, Quinn said. This basin overflowed into a secondary containment that failed.

The reason behind the failure of the second bin is unclear, Quinn said, but was first thought to be a malfunctioning plug.

Boeing and the Missouri agency collected samples at Coldwater Creek to test for the chemical. The Center for Disease Control recommends that people avoid skin and eye contact with trivalent chromium.

Reports initially indicated that the spill released hexavalent chromium  which the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health considers a carcinogen  the EPA said. But later reports revealed trivalent chromium was the chemical released.

A media representative with the Metropolitan Sewer District said Thursday the spill did not reach its wastewater system.

No further flow into the creek can occur, Quinn said. Boeing has placed the industrial wastewater in tanks for offsite treatment, he said.

The aircraft manufacturer and defense contractors Hazelwood facility is located near St. Louis Lambert International Airports airfield and Coldwater Creek, which runs from the Missouri River through portions of North County.

Boeing said it will continue to work with regulatory agencies to determine the next steps.
Missouri plans to hire young adults again next year for temporary jobs at state parks.

Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday the state plans to hire 600 to 700 people ages 17-21 to help with maintenance, restoration, interpretation and social media.

A similar program this year put more than 1,000 young adults to work among the state's 85 parks and historic sites.

The program is funded with federal work force investment money.

Applications for 2011 will be available Feb. 1. Those hired could work up to 400 hours between April 1 and Nov. 30.

Applications will be posted on the state's website at www.mo.gov.
JEFFERSON CITY  About 1 in 5 Missouri school districts have accepted an offer to install an app designed to protect students and school employees during an active shooter event.

The Missouri Department of Public Safety said Wednesday that 114 districts and charter schools representing 652 school buildings in the state have launched or are preparing to launch the alert system purchased by Gov. Mike Parsons administration earlier this year.

The app by Texas-based Raptor Technologies already had been in use by six other school districts, meaning a total of 707 schools are equipped with the mobile phone-based system.

Public Safety spokesman Mike OConnell said some schools were already using similar alert systems provided by other companies, meaning the number of districts covered may be larger.

Were encouraged by the initial response. This is an important tool that is being made available to school districts at no cost. When it comes to school safety and emergency response, every second counts, OConnell said.

The use of the app comes as St. Louis school and police officials received high marks for their response to an active shooter in October 2022 at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and Collegiate School of Medicine and Biosciences in St. Louis, which resulted in the death of a CVPA student and a teacher.

Rapid response times allowed police to be on the scene and kill the shooter within 14 minutes of the first alert going out.

The push to get the app comes as mass killings have skyrocketed this year, averaging about one per week, according to an analysis by the Associated Press and USA Today.

The app, which will cost the state up to $3.4 million, is seen as an alternative to a statewide crackdown on the availability of firearms, which has run into roadblocks in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

A push this year to enact red flag laws and other limits on gun ownership, including barring minors from openly carrying weapons on St. Louis streets, went nowhere during the spring legislative session.

Instead, the governor, also a Republican, has pushed for the app and for more than $50 million to help schools fortify their campuses to make it harder for a shooter to penetrate.

The money will help school districts upgrade safety features in their buildings, ranging from door locks, bleeding control kits and automatic external defibrillators.

We want all students across Missouri to have the opportunity to learn in safe and secure schools, Parson said when he unveiled the free app in May.

In addition to calling 911, the app also notifies a separate network of first responders that a shooting or armed intrusion has occurred at a specific location, enabling the nearest law enforcement officer to get to the scene as quickly as possible.

OConnell said schools that contact Raptor by June 30 will be able to put the system in place for the start of the new school term in the fall. Districts that sign up by Sept. 11 will be able to launch in November.

We will continue to advance school safety and the ability to quickly respond to threats to Missouris students and educators, Parson added.

In its bid, Raptor said it is a trusted school safety partner to more than 37,000 schools nationwide, including some that have been the scenes of mass killings.

With state lawmakers unlikely to impose stricter firearms laws, a new nonprofit, Sensible Missouri, hopes to launch a petition drive to put a question on the 2024 statewide ballot that would allow Missouri counties, and also the city of St. Louis, to enact gun restrictions tougher than those in state law.
After two months of bad news and crises, the week had started off well for Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Despite this, he has not been able to bounce back, both figuratively and at times literally. Sometimes a change of scenery is needed to change the narrative, and that is exactly what Petro hoped to achieve by moving his so-called government of change to La Guajira this week, a marginalized region where children often die from malnutrition. In La Guaijra, where indigenous communities drink brown-colored water, Petro suffered food poisoning and was forced to change his schedule. There were concerns about his health, but the president himself confirmed that he was better after a few hours.

During his convalescence, he must have had a revelation. For the first time since he became president, he strongly condemned Russia for the war in Ukraine, which temporarily ingratiated him with the usually livid world of Twitter. But this respite was short-lived: on Wednesday afternoon, the latest Invamer bimonthly poll was released. The president, who in August 2022 began his mandate with a 56% approval rating and 20% against, now has a disapproval rating of 61%. Its a fall at breakneck speed.

Up until February, Petros approval rating had been higher than the percentage who disapproved of him. In that first period, the total peace law and the tax reform were approved, relations with Venezuela were reestablished, the dialogue table with the ELN guerrillas was set up and a resounding agreement was signed to buy land from cattle ranchers and give it to rural people without property. Today, Petros approval rating has dropped to 33%.

The poll is a reflection of what Colombian voters think of the last two months of Petros government. In that period, the president appointed a new, more leftist cabinet, broke the coalition that gave him a majority in Congress and saw all his reform projects fail.

And that is not all. In the past two months, the Colombian government has also faced numerous scandals. One of Colombias intelligence agencies admitted to illegally tapping the phone of nanny Marelbys Meza, based on the false suspicion that she was part of a vicious criminal syndicate. Moreover, this innocent young woman was subjected to a polygraph test in the basement of a building near the presidential palace, because she was suspected of involvement in the theft of an unspecified sum of money from the home of her employer, Laura Sarabia, who until recently served as Petros chief of staff.

The government was also rocked by the suicide of a colonel who worked in the presidents security detail and audio messages allegedly sent by Colombias ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, in which he threatens to reveal incriminating evidence about the funding for Petros presidential campaign.

In short, two menses horribilis that the president  who still has three years left in his term of office  is trying to overcome.

But the latest poll results show widespread pessimism in almost all indicators. Vice President Francia Marquez has a 52% disapproval rating compared to 26% approval, 70% of Colombians believe that things are getting worse in the country and 61% think that the governments total peace policy is on the wrong track. Whats more, 16% believe that the countrys main problem is bad government, which has overtaken corruption.

Its a low moment for Colombias first leftist government in contemporary history, and its fall is boosting the other political extreme. While its too soon to claim that Colombia is shifting to the right  11 million people voted for Petro just a year ago  it is striking that 49% of respondents in the Invamer poll have a favorable view of Nayib Bukele, the authoritarian president of El Salvador. Only 10% have a negative opinion of the leader, who has been accused of violating human rights in his war against the gangs.

And the Bukele model is not just gaining ground in Colombia. His iron-fist approach to violence has also become the formula to follow in other countries governed by the left such as Chile, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, which have been historically marked by violence.

The good news for Petro is that he is not the only president to have suffered from poor ratings. Both his predecessor Ivan Duque and former president Juan Manuel Santos had an approval rating of around 30%, or even lower, and a disapproval rating of over 70% during most of their terms. Whats more, according to Invamers historical data, Colombians have been responding that the country is getting worse since 2011. Only Alvaro Uribe, the former president who governed from 2002 to 2010, achieved very high levels of popularity (over 85%) thanks, precisely, to his highly questionable security policy.

Uribe and Petro have few things in common, but the idea to temporarily move the government to a rural area was in fact Uribes. In 2003, the leader of the Colombian right wing governed from Arauca, a place then paralyzed by fear and violence, for three days. Two decades later, the leader of the left will decree on Thursday an economic and social emergency in La Guajira, a place paralyzed by poverty and hunger. Petro is trying to regain the initiative and overcome the political crisis by reorganizing priorities. In two months, he will again be put to the polls.

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ST. LOUIS  St. Louis-area health officials are calling on residents to find air-conditioned spaces as triple-digit temperatures are set to move into the region later this week and Canadian wildfire smoke blankets the city.

We recommend for people to stay indoors, said Kanika A. Cunningham, the director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. Its going to really affect those who have no underlying health conditions, given how hot it is.

The National Weather Service issued an air-quality alert in the region from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. It also issued a heat advisory from 10 a.m. Thursday to 7 p.m. Friday as it projects high temperatures on those days to reach up to 102 degrees.

Cunningham recommended that residents limit time spent outdoors and apply sunscreen. She also said residents should drink plenty of water and avoid drinks containing alcohol and caffeine.

Sometimes, staying in the shade, that is great, Cunningham said. But for some people, again, older adults, those with underlying medical conditions, just staying in the shade may not be enough.

The county health department also called on residents to check on elderly family members and neighbors who might be at risk from the high temperatures. Cunningham said residents should look out for heavy sweating, fatigue and muscle cramps as signs of heat exhaustion.

Theres more than 70 cooling centers available for residents at libraries, senior centers and other facilities across St. Louis and St. Louis County. United Way lists hundreds of cooling centers across Missouri and Illinois online.

The nonprofit Cool Down St. Louis offers air-conditioning units and energy bill assistance to area residents. Gentry Trotter, the founder of the non-profit that serves 44 counties in the region, said securing in-home air conditioning is the best way to tackle heat waves.

The heat will beat you, Trotter said. In the end, the heat will always win. Because  its Mother Nature.

Trotter said Cool Down St. Louis is facing a 41% increase in demand for energy assistance and air conditioners compared to last year. He said said seniors and people with disabilities can call 314-241-0001 for air conditioning and utility assistance. Trotter said people with low incomes can reach assistance at Cooldownstlouis.org.

With the heat wave and poor air quality coinciding, Trotter said hes concerned for people who have trouble breathing and dont have air conditioning.

Thats a perfect storm for people with respiratory conditions, Trotter said.

Photos: Smoke, haze from Canadian wildfires envelop St. Louis and other cities
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Federal judges in Kentucky and Tennessee temporarily blocked portions of bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth Wednesday, handing down the rulings shortly before the statutes were set to go into effect.

The ruling is similar to roadblocks that federal courts have thrown up against Republican-dominant states in their pursuit to prevent young people from receiving transgender health care.

In both Kentucky and Tennessee, the judges blocked portions of the law that would have banned transgender youth from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy. In the Tennessee case, the judge stopped short of also blocking the ban on gender-affirming surgeries for youth.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky case didnt address surgeries, but U.S. District Judge David Hale, an Obama administration appointee, did side with seven transgender minors and their parents, who sued the state officials responsible for enforcing the provisions banning the use of puberty blockers and hormones. The plaintiffs contend the ban would violate their constitutional rights and interfere with parental rights to seek established medical treatment for their children.

The ruling blocked the most egregious parts of Kentuckys anti-trans law, said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, a Kentucky-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

Hartman added that transgender children and their families were living in fear of the approaching date for the restrictions.

Kentuckys Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron called Hale's decision misguided, saying it tramples the right of state lawmakers to make public policy. The states legal chief promised that his office will continue doing everything in our power to defend the measure. The provisions dealing with puberty blockers and hormone therapy were supposed to go into effect Thursday.

In Tennessee, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson, a Trump administration appointee, stressed that his ruling lined up with federal decisions blocking similar bans across the country but added that courts must tread carefully when preventing a law from being enforced.

If Tennessee wishes to regulate access to certain medical procedures, it must do so in a manner that does not infringe on the rights conferred by the United States Constitution, which is of course supreme to all other laws of the land, Richardson wrote.

The law, scheduled to go effect on July 1, would have banned Tennessee health care providers from providing hormone treatments or surgeries for transgender youth where the purpose is to allow the child to express a gender identity inconsistent with the immutable characteristics of the reproductive system that define the minor as male or female.

The law included a nine-month phase out period by March 31, 2024, for medical treatments and said no new treatments could be started. Health care providers who violated the law risked facing a $25,000 penalty and other disciplinary actions.

Tennessees Republican-dominant General Assembly, as well as some Democratic lawmakers, quickly advanced the ban after Nashvilles Vanderbilt University Medical Center was accused of opening its transgender health clinic because it was profitable. Videos surfaced of a doctor at the private hospital touting that gender-affirming procedures are huge money makers. Another video showed a staffer saying anyone with a religious objection should quit.

Republican leaders demanded an investigation into the hospital and used the incident to spur their political base ahead of the 2022 midterm elections

The political tension has also popped up in Kentucky, where Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is running for a second term this year and is being challenged by Cameron, who is defending the gender-affirming care ban. The race has become one of the nations most closely watched campaigns in 2023.

Beshear originally vetoed the measure in March, saying it allows too much government interference in personal healthcare issues" but the states GOP-dominated legislature overrode the veto.

To date, at least 20 states including Missouri have enacted laws restricting or banning such treatments even though its been available in the United States for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations. Most recently, North Carolina lawmakers finalized their own version of a gender-affirming care ban on Wednesday.

Yet, when challenged, federal courts have been quick to block them from going into effect. A federal judge struck down Arkansas ban as unconstitutional last week, and federal judges have temporarily blocked bans in Alabama and Indiana. Oklahoma has agreed to not enforce its ban while opponents seek a temporary court order blocking it. A federal judge has blocked Florida from enforcing its ban on three children who have challenged the law.

Kruesi reported from Nashville, Tennessee.
Canadian officials say heavy rain in Quebec in recent days missed the places where wildfires are most active, and they expect air quality to remain a concern through the summer, as long as the fires continue. Smoke from the wildfires has lowered curtains of haze on broad swaths of Canada and the United States, pushing into southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and moving into parts of West Virginia. Canadian officials say it is the nations worst wildfire season ever. Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Steven Flisfeder says smoke will drift across Quebec and Ontario over the next few days, and that air quality will deteriorate as a result.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  Life in Illinois will get tougher for sex offenders, monkey owners and impeached governors starting on Saturday.

A total of 193 new state laws will take effect New Year's Day, most of them relatively minor. State elections after New Year's Day will be different but not dramatically so. New state employees will have less-generous pension benefits awaiting them at retirement, but today's workers are unaffected. And beekeepers will be free at last from the yoke of government oppression.

Perhaps what will be most significant about Saturday is what won't happen in Illinois' laws: anything to significantly address a paralyzing $13 billion state budget deficit.

The pension changes will help the state's long-term fiscal picture. But lawmakers this year continued ignoring Gov. Pat Quinn's call for a general income tax hike to address the immediate crisis, while also declining to cut spending anywhere near enough to address the shortfall.

The result, says Mike Lawrence, was "malaise."

"It's an understatement to say they didn't deal with budget issues ... (and) there wasn't any money, so they weren't going to have much fun" with any other topics, quipped Lawrence, a former longtime aide to ex-Gov. Jim Edgar and former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Add to that a bitter election year in which voters were clearly unhappy with both parties, and you had a recipe for legislative inactivity.

"Legislators were in a defensive mode," Lawrence said. "They weren't particularly excited for enacting new programs when they couldn't pay for the ones we have."

Of course, empty state coffers and election year jitters didn't prevent what has become an annual avalanche of new laws related to sex offenses, online and off.

Under PA ("public act") 96-1090, the state's previous definition of sexual exploitation of a child as of Jan. 1 will have new language woven into it to specify that the perpetrator doesn't have to be in the presence of the child, but may also be in the "virtual presence," meaning communicating by webcam or other technology.

Another measure (PA96-1098) toughens the state's law on sexual exploitation of a child and public indecency, making both of them Class 4 felonies if committed within 500 feet of a school. And under PA96-1104, convicted sex offenders must provide authorities with all phone numbers  with the language of the law specifying cell phones  in addition to the long list of other information they currently have to provide.

Perhaps the most startling sex issue the Legislature wrestled with this year was one that some argued isn't actually a crime, though everyone seems to agree it's a conundrum: the trend among teenagers of 'sexting" lewd photos of themselves to others, making them potentially both victim and perpetrator under the state's existing child pornography laws. Under PA96-1087, officials will be able to order children involved in those cases to undergo counseling without having to charge them with crimes, while others who redistribute the images could still be criminally liable.

"It ended up in the right place," said Lyn Schollett, general counsel for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which argued that criminalizing teens for sending out photos of themselves would be a mistake. "What we know is that the potential harm of distributing lewd (online) photos of other people is devastating."

Portrait issue

In Missouri, laws passed by the Legislature went into effect in August.

In Illinois, one hotly debated if largely symbolic new law stems from the arrest, impeachment and trial of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. He was arrested in December 2008 on corruption charges, was removed from office in January 2009 and was tried in federal court in Chicago earlier this year. He was convicted on one count and is expected to face retrial on others.

Last year, the Legislature and Quinn passed campaign donation limits and other reforms meant to address some of the issues involved in the Blagojevich allegations. This year, they have gone after Blagojevich himself  or at least his legacy.

Lawmakers and Quinn this year approved PA96-1017, which states: "No portrait or other image of any person who has served as Governor of Illinois and who has been removed from that office by impeachment and conviction shall be financed or paid for ... with State funds."

The law is aimed at the tradition of funding official painted state portraits of each governor, to be hung in a second floor hallway of the state Capitol, called the Hall of Governors. The hall currently displays portraits of the 39 governors before Blagojevich.

It's not a major expense (ex-Gov. George Ryan's portrait cost $18,000), but the bipartisan supporters of the measure said the idea of spending even a penny to immortalize the man they recently threw out of office was unacceptable.

"I have no desire nor intent to revise history," the law's sponsor, Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said during floor debate in April. "I also have no desire nor intent to see to it that someone who is impeached and convicted ... gets into the taxpayers' purse for anything."

Opponents of the law point out that the portraits aren't just about honoring governors but about recording political history.

"It's about a gallery in the Capitol that chronicles, via the skeletal outlines of portraiture, the ups and downs, twists and turns of Illinois going back to 1818," noted Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn in April. He and others also noted that the hall currently displays three recent governors who did jail time after leaving office: Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner.

The new law specifies that if someone else pays for a portrait, the state can still hang it in the hall.

Pension cuts

New state employees hired after Jan. 1 will have less-generous state pension deals than those currently in the system, an attempt by the state to deal with its massive pension system debt. Critics have taken Quinn to task for not fighting to reduce the benefits of current employees as well. Quinn has argued that such a move would spawn lawsuits the state couldn't win.

And while lawmakers this year didn't tackle the budget crisis in the immediate future, they at least managed to protect honey. PA96-1028 exempts natural honey from state food inspection regulations.

They also banned private ownership of primates (PA96-1219) in response to publicity about recent attacks on humans by their pet monkeys  though the law makes an exception for people who already own their monkeys before Jan. 1.

Illinois also made two significant changes to its election laws, effective in the new year. Under PA96-0886, the state's primaries  which were moved up to early February in 2008, to help home state candidate Barack Obama win the Democratic nomination for president that year  will be moved back to mid-March.

And under PA-1018, candidates for lieutenant governor will run as a team with gubernatorial candidates in the primaries, instead of the current system of nominating them separately and then forcing them to run as a team in the general election. That system this year caused Quinn to be briefly paired with Scott Lee Cohen, a Chicago pawnbroker with a checkered past, before Democratic Party leaders coaxed Cohen off the ticket.

Arguably the most high-profile new legislation passed this year  the official recognition of same-sex civil unions  won't take effect until June 1 under the state constitution, because it was passed after May 31.
For someone who has never been elected to anything, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sure is comfortable wielding his state office to push his own ideological agenda. In his six months on the job, Bailey has repeatedly shown an eagerness to use  and, wed argue, misuse  his official powers to launch blatantly ideological crusades while pushing the envelope of his legal authority.

Its all part of an obvious effort to woo the far-right Republican base, which he will need to win election to the office in his own right next year. Baileys latest front in this cynical campaign is his highly unusual intervention on behalf of a white former Kansas City police officer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a Black man.

Baileys predecessor as attorney general, Eric Schmitt, routinely used the powers of his office in questionable ways: suing China over the pandemic, suing dozens of Missouri school districts over their masking policies, even suing for the emails of Mizzou-connected journalists to harass them for negative press coverage. These political stunts  which had nothing to do with the attorney generals official duty to represent Missouris legal interests  helped Schmitt win a U.S. Senate seat last year.

The lesson clearly wasnt lost on Bailey, who was Gov. Mike Parsons general counsel when Parson appointed him to fill Schmitts vacancy as attorney general. Upon taking office Jan. 3, Bailey immediately adopted Schmitts strategy of hyper-politicizing his tax-funded authority  then turned it up to 11.

During his short tenure, Bailey has filed or continued multiple showy lawsuits of questionable seriousness against the Biden administration, including litigation over policy regarding a southern U.S. border that sits almost 1,000 miles from Missouri. He has tried to ban gender-affirming care not just for trans kids but adults as well, raising eyebrows nationally. He dropped the effort when it turned out to be too extreme even for Parson and other prominent Republicans.

Then there was Baileys determined attempt to remove St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner from office. She needed to go, but not with the dangerous precedent of an unelected state official unilaterally overruling city voters.

Bailey is currently using a transparently phony fiscal argument, and legal powers he claims to have but doesnt, to prevent Missourians from being allowed to vote on the states draconian new abortion ban. As weve outlined before, Bailey presumes to overrule an official state audit that says a successfully passed constitutional amendment reversing the abortion ban would create about $51,000 in annual governmental costs. Bailey insists the true cost would be billions of dollars per year, based on lost future tax revenue from aborted fetuses.

In addition to foisting an unsupported and ideologically loaded assertion into the sober realm of fiscal projections, Bailey has no legal authority to overrule the state auditor on the issue. A Cole County judge this month called the very claim preposterous. Bailey is appealing. He will almost certainly lose, but in the meantime, he has managed to freeze pro-choice activists ballot campaign, preventing them from even gathering signatures until the legal dispute is resolved. How convenient.

It is in all of this context that Bailey on Monday filed a brief in the case of former Kansas City detective Eric DeValkenaere, who was convicted of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the 2021 fatal shooting of Black resident Cameron Lamb.

DeValkenaere shot Lamb as he backed his truck into his garage after a car chase involving his girlfriend. The defense claimed Lamb had pointed a gun at DeValkenaeres partner; the prosecution maintained the gun found on the scene was planted and that in fact Lamb was unarmed.

DeValkenaere requested a bench trial before a judge with no jury. The judge ultimately ruled the officers had no probable cause to believe a crime had been committed and no right to be on the property. He sentenced DeValkenaere to six years in prison. DeValkenaere is appealing his conviction, as he has every right to do.

Baileys motion seeking to overturn DeValkenaeres conviction is extremely unusual. Normally when a state attorney general files a motion in a criminal conviction thats being appealed, it is to back the prosecution  as Schmitt did when he sought to keep Black defendants Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson in prison for murders for which both were ultimately exonerated.

Baileys 67-page motion in the Kansas City case asserts that the evidence credited by the trial court does not, as a matter of law, support the trial courts findings of guilt. It offers no new evidence, but merely presumes to substitute the legal judgement of Baileys office  which had no involvement in the original trial  for that of the prosecutor who presented the case and the judge who presided over it.

The attorney generals website displays a mission statement saying the office is duty-bound to serve as the Peoples lawyer. It says nothing about harassing Missourians for their personal medical decisions, preventing them from voting on crucial issues like abortion rights, or intervening in a racially charged criminal case in a way that appears designed to leverage white grievance within the Republican base.

And it certainly doesnt say that only people on the right end of the political spectrum get to have their interests represented by the states publicly funded top legal official. But six months in, thats the clear message from this attorney general.
Regarding photos the Post-Dispatch published with coverage of the 2023 St. Louis PrideFest and parade: While the more dramatic members of the LGBTQ community have just as much right to live in peace as anyone else, Id like the newspaper to reconsider how it covers PrideFest in the future.

Its a big, joyous family affair full of kids diving for beads, local and national companies showing their support, churches, synagogues, community and social groups all expressing their pride. Its an opportunity for the whole area to come together in support of a group so wrongly targeted by skewed coverage and inaccurate depictions.

At the parade, on our left, was a huge family group there to support one gay member. On our right was a straight couple like us though they had kids, each of whom held a handmade sign of support complete with sparkly stickers. Either group would have made for a wonderful photo.

When the Post-Dispatch disproportionately trains its cameras on the less-normative members of the LGBTQ community, while also highlighting a piddling handful of protesters from amongst the thousands of supportive festival-goers, it creates a skewed impression of the event and an inaccurate depiction of the attendees.

In doing so, it plays into the worn-out, yet sadly newly revived, negative cliches about members of the LGBTQ community while also understating the overwhelming support they receive within our wider community.

Madonna Laws-Lowell  Crestwood
Ukrainian warplanes have been using 1.3-ton Storm Shadow cruise missiles for the last few months and they have been quite successful. Max range is 550 kilometers and top speed is 1,100 kilometers an hour. There is a 450 kg high explosive warhead and multiple guidance systems, including GPS, INS (Inertial Navigation System) and terrain recognition. GPS can be jammed but the other two systems cannot. The missile has stealth features but is not invisible to radars. Storm Shadow is vulnerable to air defense systems. The Russians are familiar with Storm Shadow because it has been in service since 2003 and used since 2011 in Libya, Iraq, Syria Yemen and now Ukraine.

Russia has developed effective air defense systems to intercept cruise missiles and the U.S. sent a number of its MALD (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy) powered decoys to Ukraine. These proved effective against Russian air defenses and enabled Storm Shadow to hit well-defended targets. The Americans did not send the latest version of MALD to Ukraine because it contained some technology the Russians had no knowledge of yet.

MALD has been in service since 2009 and has been upgraded several times since then. The latest version is MALD-N, which is equipped with the ability to broadcast signals imitating various radars and do so while networked (thus the N) with other MALD-Ns as well as manned aircraft. This enables all the MALD-Ns in a swarm to automatically share information and quickly make changes to maintain the maximum confusion for enemy radars. Theres a pilot or system operator monitoring all this and able to intervene if needed. The MALD-N is a variant of the older (2012) MALD-J, the first jammer version of MALD.

The original ADM-160B MALD finally passed acceptance tests in 2009. This is the version sent to Ukraine. MALD is a 115 kg (250 pound) powered decoy with a range of 900 kilometers and speed comparable with the cruise speed of several manned warplanes. MALD appears on the enemy radar as a warplane. MALD itself is a torpedo-shaped object that is about half the size of a Tomahawk cruise missile. MALD operates on the same principle as Tomahawk. When launched short wings pop out and a small jet engine starts. MALD deceives enemy radars with electronics that can generate signals that make MALD appear to be one of several actual warplanes. MALD is preprogrammed to fly a specific route with its electronic radar transmitter programmed to emit signals making the tiny MALD appear like a larger aircraft on the enemy radar.

It took fourteen years of sometimes wasted effort on earlier designs to finally get a MALD that worked effectively and reliably. All that extra work made it clear that MALD would be even more effective if it included active (broadcasting) jammers and work on that (MALD-J) began in 2008, just as MALD was almost ready for mass production. MALD-J was ready in 2012. The jammer version was found to be even more effective. Since 2011 over 2,000 MALDs have been delivered or are on order. Initially, only the B-52, F-18, and F-16 are equipped to carry MALD. Over the years large UAVs and maritime patrol aircraft have been equipped to carry MALD. The navy operates MALD-J from F-18Es, which accompany EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft and is now equipping the F-35. The EA-18G could carry MALD-J but this would be at the expense of range. The EA-18G needs as much range as it can get in order to go deep into enemy air space and destroy air defenses. The MALD manufacturer has also developed the needed equipment (special racks) so that up to 192 MALDs can be loaded on military transport aircraft and quickly launched. This would certainly catch the enemy's attention.

MALD soon replaced the similar U.S. Navy jet-powered ADM-141C ITALD (Improved Tactical Air Launched Decoy), which entered service about the time MALD entered development. ITALD is 2.34 meters (7.7 feet) long with a 1.55 meter (five foot) wingspan. It weighs 180 kg (400 pounds), has a top speed of 460 kilometers an hour, and a range of about 300 kilometers. ITALD, as well as the earlier 59 kg (130 pound) unpowered TALD, contains passive and active devices to enhance the radar image the enemy will receive when they spot the decoy. The navy bought about 200 ITALDs. In the late 1980s, the navy bought over 2,000 ADM-141 TALDs, which proved successful during the 1991 Gulf War. Israel also had success in combat with their version of TALD, which was developed from similar decoys designed in the 1970s based on Israeli and U.S. Navy experience with Russian equipped Arab air defense systems. The U.S. Air Force didn't get interested until after the Cold War ended and that led to MALD. TALD was basically an updated version of the Israeli Samson, which the navy bought 500 in the late 1980s and early 1990s as TALD, and these were the ones used successfully in 1991 against Iraq.

The MALD is three meters (9.5 feet) long and its pop-out wings give it a 1.55 meter (five foot) wingspan. The current versions weigh 130 kg (285 pound) and are powered by a small turbojet engine that gives it a speed of up to 1,000 kilometers an hour, for 45 minutes, at 11,000 meters (35,000 feet), or 20 minutes at 1,000 meters (3,100 feet). It can be programmed to fly a specific course to try and get enemy air defenses to open up so the enemy weapons can be spotted and destroyed. MALDs are also designed to be used in swarms to overwhelm enemy air defenses. The new MALDs cost nearly $300,000 each. The MALD-J is more expensive and about five percent heavier. The MALD-J was so successful in tests that the air force initially converted 200 of its MALDs to MALD-J.

Early on the MALD was supposed to be a smaller (by 15 percent), simpler, and cheaper ($30,000 each) design. But, as is common with these projects, both the air force and the manufacturer kept coming up with new things the MALD had to have. Some were necessary while others were just part of the usual procurement politics. The current MALD has a range of nearly 900 kilometers and is reliable enough to be used in combat. The radar jamming capability of MALD-J was the first of many electronic warfare capabilities added to the higher (up to half a million dollars, or more, each) priced version of MALD now entering use. MALD-X is the next version and contains more interchangeable modules, each performing a different EW (Electronic Warfare) task. With this the air force has pulled ahead in aerial decoy technology, although only the navy TALD/ITALD series has the distinction of having been tested, and successful, in combat.
Estonia is the latest of the three (Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia) Baltic States to dramatically increase defense spending and order a lot of new weapons. Estonia plans to spend $14.5 billion over the next ten years. This will increase annual defense spending to three percent of GDP. Current spending is 2.85 percent of GDP. The recommended NATO goal is two percent. This is all about learning the lessons of the Ukraine war. That means spending over a billion dollars to increase ammunition supplies. Large quantities of Israeli Harpy loitering munitions and Spike ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) are on order. Blue Spear land-based anti-ship missiles are also on order and will arrive in 2024. These have a range of 290 kilometers and Estonia is launching them from trucks. These mobile missile launchers can be moved around, making them more difficult to hit with airstrikes. Estonia has ordered 36 K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korea and 18 of these have already arrived. Six HIMARS vehicles and a large supply of FMLRS missiles are also on the way. Several hundred wheeled armored personnel carriers are being obtained to replace the trucks many infantry units now use.

Air defense systems are being upgraded with new radars and fire control systems for new anti-aircraft missile systems. These include the Polish Piorun for going after low flying threats and the German IRIS-T for more distant and higher flying aircraft and missiles. The size of the active-duty armed forces is being increased from 26,000 to 36,000 and that will be completed this year.

Estonia is a small country with a population of 1.3 million and a GDP of $41 billion. That means per-capita GDP is $31,000. Poland and the Baltic States made an extraordinary, in terms of financial cost, effort to assist Ukraine during the first six weeks of the war. For example, tiny Estonia spent about 0.8 percent of its annual GDP to support Ukraine during those six weeks. Most of the aid went to processing and hosting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian attacks on their homes. By late 2022 Ukrainians and their NATO supporters were planning for what comes after the war. The Russian troops were on the run and Russia has few options left. Estonia is convinced that Russia will try again and the next time Estonia might be the target.

This is not a new problem. Back in 2016 the Baltic States asked for some American troops. Not enough to halt a Russian invasion, just enough to ensure that the Americans and their NATO allies (or at least some of them) will intervene if Russia does attack. The Baltic States already have a mutual defense guarantee from NATO in the form of NATO membership. But that is not enough and what has been asked for, and granted, are some American troops in each of these nations. The response was an offer to send one reinforced battalion per country. That means about 4,000 troops overall. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Americans have put more personnel, most of them support troops, in Poland and the Baltic States.

The Baltic States and neighboring Poland join a growing list of nations who, threatened by dangerous neighbors, have agreed, and often asked to host American troops. The first and most obvious examples of this are South Korea, Japan and Germany. This form of defense has been quietly followed by a number of nations in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). All of these Persian Gulf nations want the Americans around to keep the Iranians out. But it is not just the Iranians. Inside Iraq there have been American troops in northern Iraq to protect the autonomous Kurdish majority up there from the Arab majority since the early 1990s. This form of security is also called a "tripwire force" because, if the host nation is attacked, the presence of some U.S. troops means that a lot of U.S. reinforcements will promptly arrive. Several other nations are seeking this form of security guarantee but are not getting it, at least not yet. This includes Ukraine and Georgia. The United States is the favored source of these armed hostages because the U.S. is a superpower and, compared to all the alternatives, the least likely to take advantage of the situation.
Duke Energy has invested more than $1.5 million to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina since 2017

CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $250,000 in grant funds to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) to spur new jobs and investment in North Carolina communities.

"The most important investment we can make is in the people and communities we serve," said Kendal Bowman, president of Duke Energy North Carolina. "This grant aims to maintain and advance efforts to keep North Carolina the top state for business, while creating economic development opportunities in all 100 counties in our state."

Grant dollars will be used to support EDPNC's efforts to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians through collaboration with state, regional, local and private-sector partners in new business recruitment, existing employer support, international trade and export assistance, small business startup counseling, and tourism promotion.

"North Carolina's economy continues to grow and expand at a record-breaking pace," said Christopher Chung, CEO of the EDPNC. "We are grateful for Duke Energy's continued support in helping the EDPNC improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians."

Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about the Foundation can be found at duke-energy.com/foundation.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2023 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Duke Energy media contact: Emily Kissee

Media line: 800.559.3853

View original content here.





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Duke Energy on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Duke Energy

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/duke-energy

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Duke Energy

View source version on accesswire.com:
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Perk Labs Inc. (CSE:PERK)(OTCQB: PKLBF)(FKT:PKLB) ("Perk" or the "Company") the company that specializes in ordering and payment technology, is thrilled to announce that Fiazza has selected Getit Technologies Inc. ("Getit") as its technology partner and is implementing Getit's innovative web-based QR code ordering solution at four of its locations in Ottawa.

"The Fiazza team is delighted to partner with Getit Technologies to bring their web-based QR code ordering solution to our customers," said Kory McCoy, Regional Manager of Fiazza. "By leveraging this cutting-edge technology, we are able to offer our customers a seamless and convenient dining experience, while also improving our operational efficiency."

This partnership will enable Fiazza to revolutionize the dining experience at its four locations by offering customers a seamless and convenient way to place orders. By integrating Getit Technologies' web-based QR code ordering solution, Fiazza aims to enhance efficiency, streamline operations, and improve overall customer satisfaction. This technology eliminates the need for traditional order-taking processes, reducing wait times and allowing customers to personalize their orders with ease.

"We are excited to collaborate with Fiazza and provide our web-based QR code ordering solution to enhance their dining experience," said Ryan Hardy, CEO of Getit Technologies. "This technology is designed to optimize efficiency and improve customer convenience, aligning perfectly with Fiazza's commitment to delivering exceptional service."

With the new system in place, Fiazza customers will experience a faster, more streamlined ordering process, reducing wait times and allowing them to enjoy their dining experience to the fullest. The web-based QR code ordering solution also enables Fiazza to gather valuable data insights, helping them tailor their offerings to meet customer preferences and enhance overall satisfaction.

About Fiazza Fresh Fired

Fiazza Fresh Fired, founded in 2014, is a multi-location restaurant brand in Ottawa, Ontario that specializes in handcrafted food and experiences for fast and healthy options for their customers.

Fiazza is all about fresh custom pizza crafted by hand and fired to perfection in minutes. We are proud to use fresh locally sourced and high-quality ingredients to ensure great flavour and healthy choices. Come create your own fresh fired pizza or try one of our signature pies.

About Perk Labs Inc.

Perk Labs, the owner of Getit Technologies Inc. and Perk Hero Software Inc, specializes in technology, logistics, and connecting communities. Our digital payments and loyalty software empowers merchants to optimize their business and customer journey. Our marketplace and driver network connects and supports their business with additional sales and flexible last mile delivery options.

For more information, contact:

Ryan Hardy

CEO

(833) 338-0299

[email protected]

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

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "may", "believe", "thinks", "expect", "exploring", "expand", "could", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "pursue", "potentially", "projected", "should", "will" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. These forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to, among other things, the discussion of the Company's business strategies and its expectations concerning future operations. Although the Company considers these forward-looking statements to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking information, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur.

SOURCE: Perk Labs Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
Migrants watch a train go past as they wait along the train tracks hoping to board a freight train heading north, one that stops long enough so they can hop on, in Huehuetoca, Mexico, May 12, 2023.

In Mexico, 5,684 complaints of crimes against migrants were reported from 2016 to November 2022, according to Mexicos interior ministry. Of these, 1,849 were classified as illicit trafficking, 2,655 as theft and only eight as fraud.

Pursuing a fraud complaint is complicated. Migrants typically enlist the help of an independent organization such as Center for Migrant Rights, the nonprofit Al Otro Lado or a migrant shelter like CafeMin. Migrants often continue their attempt to cross the border, and if they succeed, they abandon their case.

As a result, misinformation and scams continue to flourish  and go unpunished, with scammers using social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Tiktok to target migrants.

Migrants can lose anywhere from $1 to $20,000 per person overall in the scams, according to social media posts monitored during May and June and testimonies collected from migrants in early June.

Mercedes Perez got in touch via social media with Jaime Diaz Marquez, who posed as an employee of an American religious organization and promised to get political asylum in the U.S. for her and 14 relatives. Perez said he asked for $55 for each family member in exchange for processing a parole, a temporary permit the U.S. grants for urgent humanitarian reasons to allow migrants to stay in the country for at least a year without a visa.

In a Facebook Live broadcast, Diaz Marquez assured the family they would be able to pick up their papers and cross the border legally on Dec. 9, 2022. He later deleted videos and didnt post again. Mercedes said she lost $770, and received nothing in return.

She reported the alleged fraud to Al Otro Lado, and was directed to file a complaint with local authorities. Ultimately, she declined to do so for fear of retaliation.

Diaz Marquez didnt respond to multiple attempts seeking comment via telephone and WhatsApp.

Al Otro Lado says migrants affected by scammers rarely report fraud for fear of being deported or jeopardizing their entry into the U.S.

Evelyn Reyes, a Mexican native, said her husband paid about $2,000 and mailed his passport to a person supposedly named Alberto who he contacted via Facebook. The money was supposed to go toward a round-trip flight and a visa for the passport, which was supposed to be delivered to him in Mexico City. But he lost the money, and his passport.

When he arrived, there was nothing  just ghosts, Reyes said.

Jorge Gallo, regional press officer for the UNs International Organization for Migration, said that many migrants get into huge debts to be able to pay for the services of these coyotes and in many cases they lose everything.

Gallo says coyotes sometimes simply abandon migrants in the middle of a border crossing, exposing them to danger and even risking their lives.

Then there are social media influencers who offer legal services without being lawyers. Take Dario Andres, who advertises his services on TikTok and Instagram, where he has more than 500,000 followers.

On his Instagram profile, the self-styled lawyer and partner Jose Rafael Roman Argote, offer migrants advice from Florida. But a search of the 50 bar associations across the U.S. show neither of them registered.

Attempts to speak to Andres and Argote via WhatsApp messages, TikTok, Instagram and calls were not answered.

These kinds of online personalities share information about immigration procedures as bait to their followers, to later sell them advice that is not always legally sound or is even misinformation.

U.S. policies have shifted often, sowing confusion among migrants and creating opportunity for scammers. Title 42, which ended May 11, denied asylum on grounds of preventing spread of COVID-19 but was applied unevenly. And U.S. authorities created an opaque system of exemptions that allowed select organizations to pick who qualified for exemptions but their names were not made public and their selection criteria were often a mystery.

After Title 42, the main ways to enter the country are with a mobile app called CBP One, which relies on a lottery of 1,250 slots daily at land crossings with Mexico, and parole for up to 30,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans a month who apply online with a financial sponsor and arrive at an airport.

Mexicos Center for Migrant Rights says it has noticed an increase in online migrant recruitment fraud since 2016, especially through ads on Facebook. While the center does not offer specific figures, the digital survey carried out among migrants indicated that 13% of the total respondents received false job offers.

A U.S. employer who wants to hire seasonal migrants  in agriculture, for example  must have a temporary labor certification. The processing of visas is referred to private agencies that search for workers.

Jocelyn Reyes, CDMs director of Promotion, Education and Leadership Development, says workers recruitment process has been irregular, informal, poorly documented and opaque since the temporary work system between the United States and Mexico was created.

Reyes says that recruiting agencies have been able to monopolize the process by having access to information about job opportunities in the U.S. and arranging the H-2 visas that allow workers to work temporarily in the U.S.

Recruiters often impose fees on migrants interested in accessing job opportunities, something that is illegal, according to the CDM.

At the same time, the Fraud Prevention Department of the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico, where the largest number of visas for temporary agricultural work are processed, said that from 2019 to date the number of messages to their hotline that report fraud have increased from 12% to 15%.

Some scammers pose as companies authorized to hire temporary workers in the United States. They might charge for a criminal background check, which is not necessary and which they never actually carry out, according to the migrant rights center.

Samantha Hernandez, a spokeswoman for the CafeMin shelter that receives migrants from Latin America and Central America in Mexico City, says misinformation online leads many migrants to believe they need documents of safe passage to go through the Mexican capital.

Laura Ortiz, originally from El Salvador, said that she and others paid $2,500 to an alleged lawyer to organize safe passage. Actually, she needed only to contact Mexican immigration authorities.

They took our money, Ortiz said, adding that later the scammers blocked us from WhatsApp.

She said she did not report the scam out of fear of being imprisoned and deported.





EDITORS NOTE: This report was a collaboration among Verificado, Conexion Migrante, The Associated Press, Data-Pop Alliance and PolitiFact. It was produced with support from the International Center for Journalisms Disarming Disinformation project, with primary funding from The Scripps Howard Foundation.





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Q1 2023 Operational and Financial Update, Revised 2023 Capital and Dividend Programme

Investor Webinar via Investor Meet Company

EASTLEIGH, UK / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / i3 Energy plc (AIM:I3E)(TSX:ITE), an independent oil and gas company with assets and operations in the UK and Canada, announces the following Q1 2023 operational and financial update, along with its revised 2023 capital and dividend programme.

The Company will hold an investor webinar on Wednesday 5 July 2023 at 3:00 pm BST including a Q&A session (details of which can be found below).

Q1 Highlights:

 Average Q1 2023 production of approximately 22,773 barrels of oil equivalent per day ("boepd"), representing a 24% increase from Q1 2022.

 Capitalizing on the availability of services, i3 commenced its Q1 2023 capital programme in late Q4 2022 with a total of 8 gross wells (5.5 net) successfully drilled by the end of Q1 2023 in its core Central Alberta, Wapiti and Clearwater assets.

 CO2e emission reduction initiatives continued with electrification of 12 well sites in Carmangay and Retlaw.

 As part of i3's commitment to its total shareholder return model, dividends of 6.12 million (USD 7.71 million) were paid in Q1 2023.

 Post quarter-end strengthened the Company's balance sheet with the refinancing of its outstanding loan notes of circa CAD 50 million with a new CAD 100 million facility.

Outlook:

 Given prevailing and forecast commodity pricing for 2023, i3 has adjusted its full-year 2023 capital and dividend programme.

o Approved capital programme of USD 25 million plus USD 6 million, subject to board approval, for a revised drilling programme targeting the Company's Clearwater acreage. The approved and contingent drilling programme in Canada is currently forecast to deliver 14 gross (8.5 net) oil focussed wells, down from the previously expected 23 (net 15.2) wells.

o i3 approved capital programme to deliver average annual production of 20,000 to 21,000 boepd, representing an increase of up to 3% over 2022 production.

o The Company's adjusted dividend programme is forecast to return 15.4 million in dividends during the first nine months of 2023.

Majid Shafiq, CEO of i3 Energy plc, commented:

"Q1 2023 was another busy quarter for i3 as we commenced our planned 2023 drilling programme in Canada, drilling production wells in Central Alberta, Wapiti and key Clearwater wells in our Dawson and Marten Creek acreage. Average production in Q1 resulted in another consecutive quarter of growth, dating back to Q2 2021, which is a testament to the quality of our asset base and operations staff. Since commencement of our Canadian operations, i3 has invested circa USD 80 million in drilling operations; grown production from zero to over 24,000 boepd and has returned 31.0 million in dividend payments to shareholders.

Given prevailing commodity prices and in line with our disciplined approach to capital allocation and prudent amortisation and management of the Company's debt, we have revised down our 2023 capital and dividend programme, protecting the value of the assets and providing us with the flexibility to ramp up operations should commodity prices improve. We remain confident that our asset base, with a 2PDP NPV10 per share of 0.36 and P+P NPV10 per share of 0.81 as at 1 January 2023, i3's total shareholder return model and business strategy which, subject to market conditions, optimises growth through drilling or alternatively M&A if commodity prices remain low, will allow us to continue to deliver strong returns to shareholders."

Production Update

Production in Q1 2023 averaged 22,773 boepd, comprised of 69.6 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day ("mmcf/d"), 5,569 barrels per day ("bbl/d") of natural gas liquids ("NGLs"), 5,238 bbl/d of oil & condensate and 373 boepd of royalty interest production. The strong quarterly production represents an increase of approximately 24% over Q1 2022. Production growth in Q1 2023 was achieved despite the impact of gathering system pressure constraints and curtailments relating to the ongoing capacity restrictions in the Pembina Peace Pipeline liquid line in the Company's Wapiti area, which necessitated selling a higher proportion of hot gas rather than NGLs, and a reduction in over 500 boepd of production over the quarter. i3 expects these restrictions will be minimized or resolved by mid Q3 2023 with the commissioning of Keyera's Key Access Pipeline System ("KAPS"). Despite these recent constraints, solid performance in Q1 has resulted in i3 realising consecutive quarter-on-quarter increases in production since Q2 2021, which reflects both the predictable low-decline nature of the Company's base assets and the quality of its inventory of development drilling locations.

Period Average Production Comparison: Last Five Quarters Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 Q2 2022 Q1 2022 Production (boepd) 22,773 22,757 20,571 19,502 18,391











Oil & Condensate (bbl/d) 5,238 5,119 4,396 3,886 3,945











NGLs (bbl/d) 5,569 5,106 5,038 5,099 4,942











Gas (mcf/d) 69,555 72,442 64,180 60,785 54,689











Royalty Interest (boepd) 373 458 440 385 389

Corporate field production estimates averaged 20,729 boepd, for the seven-day period ending 31 May 2023, comprised of approximately 63.6 mmcf/d of natural gas, 4,990 bbl/d of NGLs, 4,741 bbl/d of oil and condensate and an estimated 400 boepd of gross overriding royalty interest production. Throughout May and into June, production has been affected by planned facility turnarounds, at operated and third-party area gas plants. Production over this period has been further impacted by the ongoing Alberta wildfires, which have curtailed production in the Company's Lodgepole, Wapiti and Simonette areas. No more than 15% of corporate production has been temporarily shut-in at any one time throughout these events.

Hedging Programme

i3's risk management strategy currently protects USD ~45.6 million(1) (CAD 60.7 million) of net operating income for 2023 with current hedges in place to cover 38.9%, 22.6%, 18.4% and 16.9% of the Company's projected Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 2023 production volumes, respectively. i3's hedges are as follows:





Swaps Costless Collars Basis Swaps GAS Volume (GJ) Price (C$/GJ) Volume (GJ) Avg Floor Price (C$/GJ) Avg Ceiling Price (C$/GJ) Volume (mmbtu) Price ($US/mmbtu) Q1 2023

2,397,500 4.41

1,125,000 5.80 10.09



Q2 2023













960,101 (1.46) Q3 2023

610,000 2.76







970,652 (1.46) Q4 2023

920,000 2.76







327,067 (1.46)































Participation Swaps(2) OIL Volume (bbl) Price (C$/bbl) Volume (bbl) Avg Floor Price (C$/bbl) Avg Ceiling Price (C$/bbl) Volume (bbl) Avg Floor Price (C$/bbl) Q1 2023

58,500 106.85

162,000 100.00 124.22



Q2 2023

36,400 112.83

113,650 100.00 127.35 91,000 90.00 Q3 2023

138,000 101.10











Q4 2023

138,000 101.10































PROPANE Volume (bbl) Price (C$/bbl) Volume (bbl) Avg Floor Price (C$/bbl) Avg Ceiling Price (C$/bbl)

Q1 2023







45,000 42.00 51.61

























Q1 2023 Operational Results

With the success of i3's 2022 drilling programme, the Company capitalized on the availability of services and accelerated a portion of its Q1 2023 programme in late Q4 2022. The drilling programme focussed on operated oil and liquids rich gas wells in Central Alberta (Cardium), Wapiti (Cardium, Dunvegan), and Clearwater (operated and non-operated) assets. As part of the 2023 programme, the Company participated in 8 gross (5.5 net) wells across its drilling portfolio, including 7 gross (5.0 net) operated wells and 1 gross (0.5 net) non-operated well.

Wapiti

In Q1, i3 and its working interest partner completed the drilling of 4 gross (2.0 net) horizontal wells in the Wapiti area. The wells included 3 gross (1.8 net) operated 1.5-mile Cardium wells and 1 gross (0.2 net) operated 2-mile Dunvegan well. The Cardium wells were efficiently drilled off a common pad and tied-in to existing production facilities, in which i3 holds a working interest, while the Dunvegan well was drilled off an existing pad and tied-in to the same production facilities.

Production associated with the Q1 programme at Wapiti was impacted due to high gathering system pressures, which restricted the Company's ability to optimize the productive capacity of the new wells. The relevant third-party area operator is scheduled to debottleneck the gathering system in late Q2 through an upgrade of existing infrastructure, which is expected to alleviate line pressure constraints, thereby eliminating restrictions on well performance, and allowing the Company to optimize production from its new Wapiti wells.

Additionally, the Wapiti area has experienced unanticipated apportionment issues associated with the Pembina Peace Pipeline liquids line, which has resulted in reduced liquids yields realized by area operators. i3 expects the apportionment issues to be resolved with the upcoming commissioning of KAPS.

Central Alberta

i3's Q1 capital programme in Central Alberta was focussed primarily in the greater Lodgepole area, where the Company expanded its extensive infrastructure network and drilled 1 gross (1.0 net) well. The Company's infrastructure improvements include a 2.3 km pipeline to reroute production away from third-party infrastructure, reducing the fee structure and improving run-time efficiencies. The rerouting project was executed on-time and below budget.

i3 drilled 1 gross (1.0 net) horizontal Cardium oil well in the Lodgepole area of Central Alberta. The well was drilled off an existing pad-site and tied into its new pipeline system. The well was drilled on-budget and placed on stream in late Q1. The performance of the new well has been impacted by disruptions associated with wildfires in the area. As proximal wildfires continue, or are brought under control, the Company will remain focussed on optimizing its production output while maintaining personnel safety as its highest priority.

Clearwater

In Q1, i3 drilled 3 gross (2.5 net) multilateral horizontal Clearwater wells at Dawson and Marten Creek as part of its ongoing exploration and development portfolio of 144 gross sections (109 net sections, equivalent to 280 km2) of prospective Clearwater lands.

At Dawson, i3 and its 50% partner, drilled the 05-16-081-16W5 six-leg (7,500 m of total lateral length) multilateral horizontal Clearwater well. The well was drilled with oil-based mud ("OBM") and placed on production in late January. After recovering the OBM drilling fluid, the well had an initial 30 days' production averaging 81 barrels of oil per day ("bopd") before being shut-in late March due to road bans associated with spring breakup. Scaling the well performance for an industry standard eight-leg multilateral horizontal well configuration (10,000 m) translates, encouragingly, to an estimated 110 bopd rate. With the success of this initial earning well, i3 and its 50% partner have elected to drill the second and final earning well at Dawson, which the Company anticipates will be drilled and on production prior to year-end.

At Marten Creek, i3 followed up on its 2022 recompletion activity with 2 gross (2.0 net) exploratory three-leg multilateral horizontal wells (retrieving a vertical core from one well). The two exploratory wells were drilled in January, targeting two separate Clearwater sequences. The core indicated two thick, oil saturated sands with encouraging porosity and permeability levels and free oil was detected in the rig process system during drilling operations. The wells were equipped with temporary production facilities and placed on production in late January and early February, respectively. Due to unseasonably warm weather in the area and early breakup of ice-roads, production equipment had to be removed from the well-sites before all the associated OBM was recovered. i3 intends to return this coming winter to complete testing of the wells to determine deliverability.

Additionally, the Company is pleased to disclose the location of its 15 section Clearwater land acquisitions, previously announced on 2 November 2022. These 15 gross (15 net) sections are situated in the Cadotte and Walrus areas, offsetting i3's existing land positions, and are proximal to active development and delineation by industry peers. With these acquisitions, the Company has increased its position at Cadotte to 18 gross (15 net) sections and 10 gross (10 net) sections at Walrus.

Serenity

i3 continues to work with its partner Europa Oil and Gas to advance a field development plan for a one-well development for the Serenity field.

Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG")

i3 is committed to conducting its operations responsibly and in accordance with industry best practices. The Company's commitment to high ESG standards is central to maintaining our social licence to operate, creating value for all stakeholders, and ensuring long-term commercial success.

In Q1 2023, i3 invested USD 1.20 million net, before any government grants, to complete 20 well abandonments and further advance site reclamations across its portfolio. Incorporating the results of the Q1 2023 programme, i3 has successfully reduced its inactive well count by 20% since the beginning of 2022. In 2023, i3 will continue its abandonment and reclamation programme, with approximately USD 3.91 million being directed to pipeline and wellbore abandonments, pipeline and facility decommissioning, along with well site reclamation.

Additionally, i3 continues to reduce its emissions footprint through its ongoing electrification projects. In Q1 2023, the Company completed the electrification of 12 gross (10.5 net) well sites in Carmangay and Retlaw to eliminate the use of propane and natural gas for power generation.

Return of Capital & Change of 2023 Guidance

The Company is revising its capital and dividend programme for the remainder of 2023.

The 2023 budget announced in December 2022 was based on consensus estimates for 2023 oil and gas prices of USD 80/bbl for WTI and CAD 4.50/GJ for AECO gas. Due to slower than expected global demand growth and resilient supply dynamics, commodity prices have subsequently fallen significantly. In particular, the AECO gas strip forecast for 2023 has fallen to approximately CAD 2.60/GJ while the WTI strip forecast for 2023 has fallen to approximately USD 72.00/bbl. This reduction in commodity pricing has impacted the Company's forecasted cash flows for 2023 in line with the sensitivity guidance i3 released in December 2022, alongside its original 2023 capital budget.

At the end of May the Company refinanced its outstanding debt of circa CAD 50 million with a new CAD 100 million facility; of which, CAD 75 million was drawn to settle the Company's outstanding loan notes and an additional CAD 25 million provided for general working capital purposes. To align with the Company's conservative approach to debt management, the new facility amortises on a straight-line monthly basis (unlike the debt it replaced, which was non-amortising). This amortisation schedule will repay the loan over its three-year term, beginning with USD 16.1 million in amortisation, interest commitments and associated set-up costs to be paid throughout the remainder of 2023.

The Company remains committed to its total shareholder return model, consisting of production growth through drilling and accretive M&A activity, and shareholder cash returns via dividends, whilst prudently maintaining capital discipline. i3 is therefore revising its capital budget for the year to an approved USD 25 million, and an additional amount of circa USD 6 million, subject to board approval, for a revised drilling programme targeting locations in the Company's Clearwater acreage, which in aggregate is expected to result in the drilling of 14 gross (8.5 net) wells (previously 23 gross (15.2 net) wells). Due to a steady decline in 2023 gas prices, i3's capital focus will shift from its large inventory of high-rate liquids rich gas Glauconite and Cardium locations, to the efficient development and delineation of its oil focussed Clearwater opportunities at Dawson and its expanded position in Cadotte, as surface locations are secured and prepared for operations in mid-to-late Q4. Should the outlook for commodity prices strengthen in the second half of 2023, the Company will refresh its capital plans to accelerate its drill ready low-risk high-impact Glauconite / Falher, Cardium and Dunvegan / Wilrich inventory in Central Alberta, Wapiti, and Simonette respectively. By year-end, the Company's revised capital programme will deliver 4 gross (2 net) wells in Wapiti, 1 gross (1 net) well in Central Alberta and, subject to board approval of the revised drilling programme, 9 gross (5.5 net) wells in the Clearwater, with production for the year forecast to average 20,000 to 21,000 boepd, pre-drilling of the Clearwater wells. This forecast accounts for the downtime associated with i3's, and third-party operators, planned summer turnaround maintenance programmes, which are currently underway, and some lesser downtime related to precautionary shutdowns to mitigate risks associated with wildfires in Alberta. Despite the downtime, the Company's approved capital programme is forecast to deliver production growth of up to 3% on a year over year basis (adjusting for planned turnarounds, curtailments and downtime associated with the wildfires, i3's 2023 revised production forecast would have been expected to deliver approximately 7% year-over-year growth).

Due to the overarching commodity price outlook, the financial ratios and restrictions on distributions contained within the Loan Documentation and to align with forecast 2023 cashflows, the Company is also revising downward its 2023 expected go forward dividend by 50% from 0.171 pence/share per month to the equivalent of 0.0855 pence/share per month. Additionally, the Company will now commence paying dividends on a quarterly basis and will pay the Q3 dividend in October 2023, subject to being in compliance with (or obtaining a waiver from) the financial ratios contained within the Loan Documentation, following the financial ratio test at each quarter end. Including dividends declared for the first 6 months in 2023 of 12.3 million, the forecast aggregate dividend payment to shareholders for the first nine months of 2023, of 1.28 pence per share, represents a yield of approximately 7.9% and a forward running yield of 6.3% based on the closing price of i3's ordinary shares of 16.26 pence on 28 June 2023. The Company will continue to review its capital and dividend programmes on a quarterly basis, with the purpose of balancing its total return model whilst maintaining balance sheet strength.

The Company's asset base and operating model provides a large degree of flexibility to modify and to scale up or down its operations and capital programme. Should commodity prices improve i3 will have the option to rapidly deploy capital to expand its revised 2023 drilling programme. Alternatively, during periods of low commodity pricing and low asset valuations the Company's business model directs us to focus on growth via acquisitions to maximise return on capital. It was through such similar initiatives in 2020 and 2021 that the Company acquired its Canadian asset portfolio at very low cash flow and reserve-based multiples. i3 aggressively monitors the transaction market in efforts to identify acquisition opportunities which can be appropriately financed to provide superior returns to those achieved by organic growth.

i3's revised guidance for 2023, which is now based on strip pricing for the remainder of the year, is shown below. Sensitivity to movement in commodity prices is also provided.

2023 Updated Guidance

2023 guidance and assumptions (3) Annual Average Production (4) 20,000 - 21,000 boepd Average Expenses ($/boe) Royalty Operation & Transport 15.3% USD 13.40 - 13.60 / boe Net Operating Income (5) USD 75 million - 80 million EBITDA (6) USD 67 million - 72 million Capital Expenditures USD 25 million Dividends (7) (Forecast for Jan - Sept. 2023) USD 19 million

2023 Updated Commodity Assumptions (8)

WTI (USD/bbl) $72.00/bbl MSW Oil Differential (USD/bbl) $3.10/bbl AECO Natural Gas (CAD/GJ) $2.60/GJ USD / CAD Foreign Exchange 1.33 GBP / CAD Foreign Exchange 1.68

Next Twelve-Month Net Operating Income Sensitivity (9)

Next twelve months' sensitivity Estimated change to net operating income Change in WTI USD 1.00/bbl USD 1.30 million Change in AECO CAD 0.10/GJ USD 1.40 million Change in CAD/USD exchange rate CAD 0.01 USD 1.27 million

Notice of Investor Presentation via Investor Meet Company

Management will be hosting a live presentation via Investor Meet Company on 5 July 2023 at 3:00 pm BST.

The presentation is open to all existing and potential shareholders. Questions can be submitted pre-event via your Investor Meet Company dashboard up until 9am the day before the meeting or at any time during the live presentation.

Investors can sign up to Investor Meet Company for free and to meet I3 ENERGY PLC via: https://www.investormeetcompany.com/i3-energy-plc/register-investor

Investors who already follow I3 ENERGY PLC on the Investor Meet Company platform will automatically be invited.

(1) Unless otherwise denoted, all figures are referenced in USD ($) and assume a foreign exchange rate of 1.33 CAD:USD and 1.26 GBP:USD, which is the average forecast for 2023

(2) i3 receives the average floor price plus 50% of difference between the average floor price and the realised price if higher.

(3) i3's 2023 guidance for its Net Operating Income and EBITDA is based on an annual average production range of 20,000 - 21,000 boepd.

(4) Total annual average production (boepd) is comprised of approximately 48% Oil, Condensate & NGLs, 51% Natural Gas and 1% Gross Overriding Royalty Production

(5) Net Operating Income is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as gross profit before depreciation and depletion and gains or losses on risk management contracts, which equals revenue net of royalty expenses, less production costs

(6) EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and is defined as earnings before depreciation depletion, financial costs, and tax

(7) Based on i3's forecast nine-month 2023 ordinary share dividend of 15.2 million (US$19.0 million assuming 1.26 GBP:USD) to be declared and paid during the first nine months in 2023. The declaration of dividends is subject to terms of loan facility and the approval of i3's board of directors, compliance with (or waiver from) the financial ratios contained within the Company's refinanced debt documentation and is subject to change. Forecast of Q4 2023 dividends are not included in current guidance numbers but will be revisited when the Company reviews its Q4 capital and dividend programmes this fall.

(8) Commodity prices and foreign exchange reflect full year average realized prices or rates

(9) Illustrates the expected impact of changes in commodity prices and the CAD:USD exchange rate on i3's estimate of Net Operating Income for 2023 of USD 75 million to USD 80 million, holding all other variables constant. The sensitivity is based on the commodity price and exchange rate assumptions set forth in the table above. Calculations are performed independently and may not be indicative of actual results. Actual results may vary materially when multiple variables change at the same time and/or when the magnitude of the change increases.

END

Qualified Person's Statement

In accordance with the AIM Note for Mining and Oil and Gas Companies, i3 discloses that Majid Shafiq is the qualified person who has reviewed the technical information contained in this document. He has a Master's Degree in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Majid Shafiq consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it appears.

Enquiries:

i3 Energy plc Majid Shafiq (CEO) c/o Camarco Tel: +44 (0) 203 781 8331

WH Ireland Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker) James Joyce, Darshan Patel Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666

Tennyson Securities (Joint Broker) Peter Krens Tel: +44 (0) 207 186 9030

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Broker) Ashton Clanfield, Callum Stewart Tel: +44 (0) 20 7710 7600

Camarco Georgia Edmonds, Violet Wilson, Sam Morris Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4980

Notes to Editors:

i3 Energy is an oil and gas Company with a low cost, diversified, growing production base in Canada's most prolific hydrocarbon region, the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and appraisal assets in the North Sea with significant upside.

The Company is well positioned to deliver future growth through the optimisation of its existing 100% owned asset base and the acquisition of long life, low decline conventional production assets.

i3 is dedicated to responsible corporate practices and the environment, and places high value on adhering to strong Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") practices. i3 is proud of its performance to date as a responsible steward of the environment, people, and capital management. The Company is committed to maintaining an ESG strategy, which has broader implications to long-term value creation, as these benefits extend beyond regulatory requirements.

i3 Energy is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol I3E and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ITE. For further information on i3 Energy please visit https://i3.energy

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the UK version of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: i3 Energy PLC

View source version on accesswire.com:
CLEVELAND, OH / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) provided a $9 million construction loan and $12 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity for the construction of an affordable senior housing property in Morrisville, New York.

Community View Apartments will consist of 61 units for individuals aged 55 and older and earning no more than 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% of the area median income (AMI). Of the 61 units, 20 will be covered by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) and will target individuals who are at risk of homelessness, formerly homeless, enrolled in Medicaid, and have either a chronic condition, physical disability, or require assistance with one or more instrumental activities of daily living.

The project sponsor is Christopher Community, Inc. ("CCI"), a non-profit developer and manager of affordable housing based in Syracuse. The project will enter into a housing services agreement with Crouse Community Center, a skilled nursing facility affiliated with Crouse Hospital, which will offer the ESSHI units with comprehensive supportive services. An on-site case manager will be provided to develop individual service plans to cater to each tenants' specific needs as well as help with housing subsidy recertifications, obtaining health insurance, SSI/SSD benefits, SNAP, and utility assistance. The case manager will also assist tenants in applying for educational programs and providing access to computers and the internet.

In addition, the property will have a medical case manager to help tenants schedule doctor's appointments, coordinate transportation, track health conditions, and provide guidance for healthy living initiatives and social activities. The case managers will coordinate services with offsite local providers for substance abuse counseling, mental health support, vocational training, additional medical case management, legal, and educational services.

The project is in a quiet, residential setting directly adjacent to the Crouse Community campus. In addition, Crouse Community Center has begun construction of an adult daycare facility adjacent to Community View Apartments, which will operate an Adult Daycare Healthcare Programs (ADHC) that will allow registrants to utilize the services of Crouse Community Center's existing Outpatient Therapy and physician services from the nearby Community Memorial Hospital's Primary Care Physician Office.

"As we embark on the construction of Community View Apartments, we are grateful for the generous support of KeyBank. Their $21 million financing, comprising a construction loan and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, reinforces our commitment to providing affordable senior housing in Morrisville, New York," said Justin Rudgick, President & CEO of Christopher Community, Inc. "With a focus on meeting the diverse needs of our residents, including seniors at risk of homelessness, and unstably housed in our community, we are proud to collaborate with Crouse Community Center, state agencies and local service providers to offer comprehensive supportive services. Together, we are building a vibrant community where individuals aged 55 and older can thrive and access vital resources for a fulfilling life."

"Community View Apartments is a project that is representative of what we want to invest in, because it is community-based," said Kate de la Garza, senior relationship manager with KeyBank Community Development Lending. "Christopher Community's partnership and collaboration with other agencies and providers is reflective of how we can serve the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors."

John Paul Vachon and Kate De La Garza of KeyBank CDLI structured the financing.

About Christopher Community

Established in 1971, Christopher Community currently manages over 3,000 units and more than 100 buildings, as well as administers Onondaga County's Rental Assistance Program which serves over 1,200 households. Christopher Community, Inc. develops and operates safe, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in a way that respects their dignity, and fosters their independence, while enhancing the character of the neighborhood in which they live. The non-profit organization serves communities across New York State including Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Utica, Watertown, Oswego, Cortland, Elmira, and Canandaigua, amongst others.

About KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) finances projects that stabilize and revitalize communities across all 50 states. As one of the top affordable housing capital providers in the country, KeyBank's platform brings together construction, acquisition, bridge-to-re-syndication, and preservation loans, as well as lines of credit, Agency and HUD permanent mortgage executions, and equity investments for low-income housing projects, especially Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing. KeyBank has earned 10 consecutive "Outstanding" ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, making it the first U.S. national bank among the 25 largest to do so since the Act's passage in 1977.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $198 billion at March 31, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: KeyBank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: KeyBank

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The Company would also like to announce the appointment of Nidhi Kumra, CA, CPA, to the Board of Directors and as the Audit Committee Chair Replacing Jeff Dawley

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Nextech3D.AI (formally "Nextech AR Solutions Corp'' or the "Company") (OTCQX:NEXCF)(CSE:NTAR)(FSE:EP2), a Generative AI-Powered 3D model supplier for Amazon, P&G, Kohls and other major e-commerce retailers is pleased to announce a number of exciting new deals and renewals for its 3D modeling business, "ARitize3D'' which is continuing to drive its growth. Also, the Company is pleased to announce that it has surpassed over 37,700 3D models delivered to its customers in various e-commerce industries and sees significant growth potential ahead as hundreds of millions of products go 3D as merchants are pivoting from 2D flat photos to 3D experiences in the e-commerce marketplace.

With Nextech3D.ai's breakthrough generative-AI technology, the Company believes it has revolutionized the 3D modeling industry, and gained a major competitive edge solidifying its leadership position in the global 3D model market for e-commerce. Nextech3D.ai is making it possible to create photo-realistic 3D models as digital replicas of real-world products at scale for large enterprise customers in the global $5.5 trillion dollar ecommerce market.

Nextech3D.ai CEO Evan Gappelberg commented, "We are just getting rolling with our production for 3D models and are thrilled to announce that we have surpassed 37,775 3D models delivered to our customers. We continue to sign new deals, as we are redefining the shopping experience, bridging the gap between the physical and digital. Our advanced AI-powered 3D modeling technology enables e-commerce businesses to showcase their products in immersive 3D, providing valuable ROI to our customers with increased conversions and decreased returns. The massive global ecommerce ecosystem is pivoting from 2D photos to 3D models, and we strongly believe that we are only at the beginning of a megatrend opportunity, as Amazon alone has 300,000,000 products that need to go 3D. In 2023, we are very focused on scaling our business and becoming the dominant 3D model supplier for the global e-commerce industry."

Sampling of new and renewal deals representing a variety of industries:

Recent Deals:

Transit Inc. - An automotive parts manufacturer and distributor has signed on for a variety of 3D models of their automotive parts. They have thousands of products, representing a lot of potential for future growth

William Wood Mirrors - A manufacturer of mirrors and lighting has renewed their 8th contract with Nextech

Arai Helmet - Handcrafted motorcycle helmet manufacturer with a large variety of unique helmets

Hammer - German provider of a large number variety of fitness equipment has contracted with Nextech for more 3D models

TecTake - A provider of outdoor furniture and camping items has contracted with Nextech for more 3D models

Norma - A provider of firearms and weapons has signed on for 3D models of their most popular products

Conforama - One of Europe's largest home furnishings is working with Nextech for 3D model proof of concepts for some of their most popular furniture products

Decor Metall - A leading international provider of individual presentation solutions and POS concepts will renew with Nextech

Armadillo Tough - Cabinet and storage solutions company and current client who has requested more 3D models of their cabinets

Bolt Inc - a South Korean company currently contracted with Nextech for 3D models has requested even more models with exploded view

Update on 3D Model Production

Nextech3D.ai has been ramping up 3D model production since 2021. From Q1 2021 to Q2 2023, the total number of models produced has been 37,775.

Board of Directors and Audit Committee Changes

The Company would also like to announce the appointment of Nidhi Kumra, CA, CPA, to the Board of Directors and as the Audit Committee Chair.

Nidhi is an accounting and finance professional with over 15 years of experience in audit, finance & business operations. Nidhi graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business. She has a Chartered Professional Accountant / Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) designation. Nidhi started her career at KPMG where she worked for over 9 years and quickly rose to become a senior manager in the audit and assurance practice, working as a team leader of large private and public client engagements. She also served as VP Finance for a global marketing agency, and helped to lead a national implementation of an end-to-end ERP system across the enterprise. Previous to that, Nidhi led the finance team at Labatt Breweries, a subsidiary of AB InBev - a Fortune 500 Company. She was a key strategic partner working on the transformation of the business through system implementations, designing corporate budgets, and leading acquisition integrations. Most recently, Nidhi has served as CFO of entrepreneurial start up companies in CPG, technology and marketing sectors. She has served as a public company CFO where she helped the company grow through evaluation, analysis & acquisition of strategic investments. As a CFO, Nidhi has helped aid companies through strategic acquisitions, obtaining debt and equity investments, liquidation process, and sale process as well. She is focused on growing companies by applying her strengths in strategy, accounting, finance and tax.

Jeff Dawley has resigned as a member of the Board of Directors and as the Audit Committee Chair due to personal reasons, effective June 30, 2023. Mr. Dawley has confirmed that he has no disagreements with the Board and there is no other matter relating to his resignation that needs to be brought to the attention of the Company's shareholders. The Company and the Board of Directors would like to thank Mr. Dawley for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours.

Recent News

To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.Nextechar.com.

About Nextech3D.ai

Nextech3D.ai (formally "Nextech AR Solutions Corp" or the "Company") (OTCQX:NEXCF) (CSE:NTAR) (FSE:EP2 is a diversified augmented reality, AI technology company that leverages proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) to create 3D experiences for the metaverse. Its main businesses are creating 3D WebAR photorealistic models for the Prime Ecommerce Marketplace as well as many other online retailers. The Company develops or acquires what it believes are disruptive technologies and once commercialized, spins them out as stand-alone public Companies issuing a stock dividend to shareholders while retaining a significant ownership stake in the public spin-out.

On October 26, 2022 Nextech3D.ai spun out its spatial computing platform, "ARway" as a stand alone public Company. Nextech3D.ai retained a control ownership in ARway Corp. with 13 million shares, or a 50% stake, and distributed 4 million shares to Nextech AR Shareholders. ARway is currently listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:ARWY), in USA on the OTCQB (OTC: ARWYF) and Internationally on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: E65). ARway Corp. is disrupting the augmented reality wayfinding market with a no-code, no beacon spatial computing platform enabled by visual marker tracking.

On December 14, 2022 Nextech announced its second spinout of Toggle3D, an AI-powered 3D design studio to compete with Adobe. Toggle3D went public on June 14 2023, listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:TGGL).

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations Contact:

Lindsay Betts

[email protected]

866-ARITIZE (274-8493) Ext 7201

Nextech3D.ai

Evan Gappelberg

CEO and Director

866-ARITIZE (274-8493)

Forward-looking Statements

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "will be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Nextech3D.ai

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / PlantX Life Inc. (CSE:VEGA)(Frankfurt:WNT1)(OTC PINK:PLTXF) ("PlantX" or the "Company"), the digital face of the plant-based community, operating a one-stop shop for plant-based products, today announced that it has engaged the Macromia Group ("Macromia"), a restaurant developer specializing in building high-end dining and retail locations from concept to creation, to help complete construction and operate PlantX's innovative XMarket Vegan Food Hall in Chicago.

6,500 square foot vegan food hall to open on Labor Day Weekend

Located in the heart of Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, the 6,500 square foot food hall will feature a central bar with vegan bar food and vegan wine pairings provided by VeganWines.com and a bodega-style grocery store with a cheese monger provided by Good Planet. There will be six unique concepts including a coffee roaster featuring PlantX's own Portfolio Coffee. The upper level of the location is already home to a state-of-the-art ecommerce distribution facility.

"Chicago has emerged as one of the largest vegan and health-conscious communities in North America, making it an ideal location to introduce our all-in-one vegan food hall concept," said PlantX CEO, Lorne Rapkin. "In collaboration with Macromia, the master in developing premium concepts that have garnered both a loyal following and critical acclaim, we are planning an amazing culinary experience that will set the standard for food halls for vegans and non-vegans alike. We're excited for our opening which is only two months away!"

"PlantX is redefining the vegan lifestyle, transforming vegan food and beverage from an afterthought to the main attraction," commented Macromia CEO Barre Tanguis. "We are eager to work with the PlantX team to help bring their vision of Chicago's largest vegan food hall to life for vegans, vegetarians and health-conscious consumers in the Windy City all in one vibrant location."

PlantX is planning a soft launch targeted for August 23 with a grand opening on Labor Day Weekend.

About PlantX Life Inc.

As the digital face of the plant-based community, PlantX's platform is a one-stop shop for plant-based products. With its fast-growing category verticals, PlantX offers customers across North America more than 5,000 plant-based products. PlantX also has other brands in the PlantX portfolio including a juice brand, a coffee company, a plant shop, and brick-and-mortar grocery stores. PlantX uses its digital platform to build a community of like-minded consumers and, most importantly, to provide education. PlantX's digital presence eliminates entry barriers for anyone interested in living a plant-based lifestyle and thriving in a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Connect with PlantX: Email | Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

About Macromia Group

Macromia Group specializes in crafting high-end dining and retail locations, from concept to creation. With an impressive track record of successful food hall concepts since 2015, its network of culinary talent spans across multiple cities, including New Orleans, Miami, Houston, and Chicago. Macromia Group, headed by noted chef J.D. Hilburn, partners with emerging chefs to bring their innovative concepts to life, often expanding these culinary experiences beyond their original locations. The firm also operates the popular MIA Market in the Miami Design District and has several openings slated for 2023.

Connect with Macromia Group: Email | Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Contact:

Lorne Rapkin

Chief Executive Officer

(416) 419-1415

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "likely", "should," "would," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "potential," "proposed," "estimate," "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy. The forward-looking information contained herein includes, without limitation, statements regarding the availability of Future Farm products, PlantX promotional events and the business and strategic plans of the Company.

By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. A variety of factors, including known and unknown risks, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this press release including, without limitation: receiving sufficient demand for the Offering; the Company's ability to comply with all applicable governmental regulations including all applicable food safety laws and regulations; impacts to the business and operations of the Company due to the COVID-19 epidemic; the conflict in eastern Europe; having a limited operating history; the ability of the Company to access capital to meet future financing needs; the Company's reliance on management and key personnel; competition; changes in consumer trends; foreign currency fluctuations; and general economic, market or business conditions.

Additional risk factors can also be found in the Company's continuous disclosure documents, which have been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com . Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions of management on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, 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.

SOURCE: PlantX Life Inc.

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VANCOUVER, BC and HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Reyna Silver Corp. (TSXV:RSLV; OTCQX:RSNVF; FRA:4ZC) ("Reyna'' or the "Company") announces that drilling has commenced at its 100% owned Batopilas Project in Chihuahua, Mexico. The 1,850-ha Batopilas Project encompasses Mexico's historically highest-grade silver district, which produced 300 Moz at average grades of 1,500 g/t Ag with native silver as the main ore mineral.

The project seeks significant undiscovered portions of the mineralized system, including both the exceptionally high-grade historically mined silver and previously unrecognized gold-rich mineralization. The gold and silver mineralization appear to reflect at least two mineralization events that exploited the same structures. This coincidence provided the opportunity to leverage the two styles of mineralization to understand the overall district framework better.

The 3,000 m drilling program will test targets generated over the past year following recognition of the overlapping gold and silver mineralizing events (see Press Release of April 12, 2022). Systematic, district-scale geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys revealed multiple coincident anomalies that create high-potential drilling targets. Key targets include Pastrana (particularly the 14k Zone), Escritorio, Banda Este, Animas, and Las Vacas (See Figure 1.). Drillholes are designed to also intersect multiple newly identified features lying above the main targets.

"We're delighted to have rigs turning again on targets arising from our recognition of previously unsuspected gold mineralization in this historically prolific silver district," said Jorge Ramiro Monroy, CEO of Reyna Silver. "Since we discovered minable widths of high-grade gold last year, we've conducted systematic mapping, sampling, structural and geophysical studies that have led to an exciting inventory of new drilling targets."

The systematic, district-scale exploration program was initiated after:

Trenching on projections of known structures to the northeast of the historic mining area revealed silver mineralization grading 305 g/t to 42,302 g/t Ag, as well as, significant gold mineralization grading as high as 21.4 g/t Au (see Press Release of February 4, 2021). This was the first time significant gold was found in the district.

Drilllhole BA21-30 intercepted 3.2 m (core length) grading 703 g/t Ag and 3.03 g/t Au revealing the NE-trending Cobriza vein (see Press Release of September 8, 2021).

Hole BA21-34, drilled farther to the northeast along the trend, intersected 0.25 m grading 36.1 g/t Au (see Press Release of April 12, 2022).

Hole BA21-42A in the Orochi area cut 3.65 m of 8.1 g/t Au at 180 m downhole (see Press Release of April 12, 2022).

The gold and silver mineralization appear to reflect at least two mineralization events that exploited the same structural system. This coincidence provided the opportunity to leverage the two styles of mineralization to understand the overall district framework better.

Click here to watch the video

Figure 1: Key target area resulting from the combination of sampling, geophysics, and structural studies includes Pastrana, Escritorio, Banda Este, Las Vacas, and Animas.

Sampling Program

Over 2,700 samples were collected through detailed selective sampling along previously underexplored structures and outcrops as well as old mine workings. The first 1,500 samples revealed: additional gold mineralization southeast of the historic district; additional structures carrying a combination of gold and silver mineralization; and recognition of surface expressions of mineralized structures (See Press Release from September 13, 2022).

Within the 357 highest-grade samples collected, 4.6% returned values between 150 g/t and 2290 g/t Ag; and 3.0% were between 1.0 g/t and 12.85 g/t Au (See Tables below for details of the result highlights).

In Banda Este, gold mineralization returning values of up to 27 g/t Au were found in the N-S trending "Veta Rojas" zone. This parallels the Teodoro and Orochi zones to the north (where the first significant gold mineralization was found in 2022), which reinforces this exciting target (See Table 2).

Extension to the N-NE of the historic main Todos los Santos vein. This is an area of high potential, including opportunities to find blind secondary vein splays off the main vein.

Values up to 2,290 g/t Ag in veins of the Santo Domingo-San Miguel-Nevada group, where 10 important veins were mined historically. Potential lies mainly to the SW through an explored zone about 800 meters long in Reyna Silver claims (See Table 1).

In the Pastrana area, values of up to 14,000 g/t Ag (hence the 14k Zone name) were reported along major structures trending north towards the Cobriza intersection, where high-grade silver mineralization was found in 2021 (See Press Release from September 13, 2022).

Reassaying of historic MAG silver holes identified gold mineralization in Holes BA07-18 and BA08-25.

Table 1. Highlights of Silver Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Ag (g/t) 203324 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.15 2290 203327 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.15 2080 203408 Select Vein Ventura 3 Mine 0.04 1450 203306 Select Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.1 1000 182129 Channel Vein Peasquito Mine 0.3 506 182118 Channel Vein Penasquito Mine 0.45 484 203478 Channel Vein Porfirio Diaz Tunnel 0.2 407

Table 2. Highlights of Gold Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) 203739 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.45 27.4 203526 Rock Chip Vein Banda Este 0.1 12.3 203685 S no elect Fracture Banda Este 0.35 11.7 203733 Select Vein Banda Este 1.8 8.2 182051 Channel Fault Banda Este 0.4 4.7 203428 Channel Fractures Ventura Mine 0.3 4.6 203697 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.2 4.5 203694 Select Vein Banda Este 0.2 4.4 203732 Select Vein Banda Este 0.9 4

Table 3. Highlights of Silver & Gold Combination Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) 203682 Select Fracture Banda Este 0.15 7.4 981 203319 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.25 6.2 370 182012 Channel Fracture Banda Este 0.3 3.1 443 203465 Channel Vein Porfirio Diaz Tunnel 1.5 2.5 334 203625 Rock Chip Banda Este 2.5 919

Table 4. Highlights of Silver, Lead, and Zinc Results Sample Type of Sample Feature Location Width (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) 182058 Channel Vein Banda Este 0.2 0.7 181 18.1 182139 Channel Vein Penasquito Mine 0.35 0.6 333 2.9 182143 Channel Vein Cata San Andreas 0.3 0 297 1.9 9.7 203319 Channel Fault Santo Domingo Mine 0.25 6.2 370 1 1.2 203367 Channel Fault Mina La Nevada 1.9 0.3 370 13.4 1.1

Geophysics program

Figure 2. A projection of the 3D geophysics overlaid on the topography of the Batopilas project at an azimuth of 290 and plunging 20 degrees. Notice the strong transition on the left side representing the Roncesvalles fault.

Geophysics

A detailed 11.2 kilometer-line Audio Magneto-Tellurics (AMT) geophysical survey was undertaken to outline major structures and features that control vein orientation, dilatant zones and location of mineralization. As hoped, high-angle discontinuities were revealed that appear to coincide with structures that were historically mined for high-grade silver at high elevations during the Colonial era. These results confirm both the extent of dominant features historically associated with significant mineralization in the district as well as supporting geological targets to be tested in the upcoming campaign. Case in point is the Roncesvalles Vein-Fault, one of the largest features in the Batopilas District, and long considered to be one of the main controls on silver mineralization. The geophysics in this area highlights the fault and also shows a number of related untested features (See Figure 2). The new geophysics also highlights an anomaly parallel to the Cobriza vein where MAG Silver drilled 100 m of anomalous Ag, Pb, and Zn in Hole BA08-21 and over 350 g/t Ag in Hole BA07-19.

Structural Study

A combination of underground and surface studies were conducted by expert ore deposit structural geologists to understand the controls on the geometry of historic ore shoots and the surface expressions of the mineralization- including the newly identified gold-bearing structures. They identified subtle features in the relationship of certain structures with each other that combined with the geophysics and sampling reinforces the current targets.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Dr. Peter Megaw, Ph.D., C.P.G., the Company's Chief Exploration Advisor and Qualified Person, reviewed the technical aspects of the exploration projects described herein and is responsible for the design and conduct of the exploration program and the verification and quality assurance of analytical results. Dr. Megaw is not independent as he and/or companies with which he is affiliated hold Net Smelter Royalties on the Guigui and Batopilas Projects that predate Reyna Silver acquiring them.

ABOUT REYNA SILVER

Reyna Silver Corp. (TSXV:RSLV) is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company focused on exploring for high-grade, district-scale silver deposits in Mexico and USA.

Reyna's principal properties are the Guigui and Batopilas Properties in Chihuahua, Mexico. Guigui covers the interpreted source area for the Santa Eulalia Carbonate Replacement District (CRD) and Batopilas covers most of Mexico's historically highest-grade silver system. The Company also has an option to acquire 100% of the Medicine Springs property in Nevada, USA, as well as the early-stage La Durazno and Matilde and La Reyna mineral properties in Mexico.

Cautionary Statements This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. All statements other than statements of historical fact herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding exploration results and plans, and our other future plans and objectives, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, our estimates of exploration investment, the scope of our exploration programs, and our expectations of ongoing administrative costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and future events and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time via SEDAR with the Canadian regulatory agencies to whose policies we are bound. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should conditions or our estimates or opinions change, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks associated with mineral exploration, price volatility in the mineral commodities we seek, and operational and political risks. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Reyna Silver Corp.

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HERSHEY, PA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) proudly announced recently that its U.S. business has been Certified" by Great Place to Work. This distinguished honor is determined by feedback from current employees - a direct reflection of their firsthand experience at Hershey.

This year's survey of current employees noted pride in their work, trust in the brand and excitement in the company's future as particular strengths for the company. Hershey's U.S. business joins operations in Canada, Brazil, India, Mexico and Malaysiain earning this certification honor.

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

"Great Place to Work Certification" is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place to Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. "By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that The Hershey Company stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

"Our recognition again by Great Place to Work showcases our commitment to providing our employees a fulfilling experience focused on wellbeing, growth and career advancement," said Michele Buck, Chief Executive Officer of The Hershey Company. "We believe that an equitable workplace and culture fosters innovation, collaboration and growth - critical drivers which propel us forward on our journey to become a Leading Snacking Powerhouse."

Hershey's workforce is driven by a people-first culture of co-creation - empowering employees to embrace their authentic selves, take ownership of their work and unlock career potential. The company recognizes that its people are its greatest asset, actively investing in professional development and upskilling opportunities. Below are recent achievements and initiatives around Hershey's employee experience:

Say Hola: Hershey promotes an equitable and accessible workplace by actively investing in employee development programs and adapting its facilities to accommodate different needs. Last year, the company launched its first U.S. bilingual manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pa. 'Say Hola' is a proof point of the company's people-first manufacturing vision.

Hershey promotes an equitable and accessible workplace by actively investing in employee development programs and adapting its facilities to accommodate different needs. Last year, the company launched its first U.S. bilingual manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pa. 'Say Hola' is a proof point of the company's people-first manufacturing vision. National Veterans Business Development Council : Hershey's legacy of supporting the U.S. military dates back to World War I, when the company supplied chocolate to U.S. soldiers. Today, veterans continue to be a key part of our workforce, bringing unique perspectives and experiences. In 2022, under the guidance of our Veteran Business Resource Group (BRG), we partnered with the National Veterans Business Development Council - bolstering our access to diverse supplier networks. In 2023, we aim to deepen these ties and expand military-affiliated hiring across all roles with increasing our veteran hiring goal from 6% to 10. This effort underlines our commitment to diversity and support for those transitioning from military to civilian life.

: Hershey's legacy of supporting the U.S. military dates back to World War I, when the company supplied chocolate to U.S. soldiers. Today, veterans continue to be a key part of our workforce, bringing unique perspectives and experiences. In 2022, under the guidance of our Veteran Business Resource Group (BRG), we partnered with the National Veterans Business Development Council - bolstering our access to diverse supplier networks. In 2023, we aim to deepen these ties and expand military-affiliated hiring across all roles with increasing our veteran hiring goal from 6% to 10. This effort underlines our commitment to diversity and support for those transitioning from military to civilian life. Parental Leave: Hershey is committed to supporting employees and their families through a set of competitive benefits, helping them be well, plan for their future, and balance work and life. As part of this commitment, the company increased salaried parental leave to up to 20 weeks in 2023.

"Great Place to Work Certification" underscores our commitment to creating a workplace where our employees can reach their full potential," said Chris Scalia, Chief Human Resources Officer, The Hershey Company. "We know our people can be their best when they feel their best. This means working to make sure everyone here feels supported, inspired and valued. To do this, we are constantly evolving to build a culture that values diversity, builds careers and embraces a strong sense of community."

According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company's profits and have a fair chance at promotion.

We're hiring!

Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: careers.thehersheycompany.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet and communities. Hershey has nearly 20,000 employees in the U.S. and around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries worldwide that drive more than $10.4 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop,Pirate's BootyandDot'sHomestyle Pretzels.

For more than 125 years,Hersheyhas been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder,Milton Hershey, createdMilton Hershey Schoolin 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

About Great Place to Work Certification"

Great Place to Work Certification"is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience - specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification" is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified".

About Great Place to Work

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place to Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All" Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place to Work-Certified" or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces" List.

Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and follow Great Place to Work on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE The Hershey Company





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Hershey Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: The Hershey Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/hershey-company

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: The Hershey Company

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Accelerating Industry Standards: The Methodical Group Secures Spot as One of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies of 2023, Pioneering Breakthrough Solutions Across Multiple Sectors

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / The Methodical Group, an industry leader in consultancy and staffing services, today announced that it has been recognized as one of the "50 Fastest Growing Companies of the Year 2023" by The Silicon Review.

The company, under the visionary leadership of CEO Joshua Mann, has developed unique methodologies and practices in healthcare, life sciences, client accounting services, human resources, and technology, collectively offering over 400 services and products to its clientele. It has made significant strides in market growth and innovation, attributing its success to a strategic focus on niche areas and an unwavering commitment to quality, adaptability, and customer satisfaction.

"We are both honored and excited to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies," said Joshua Mann. "This recognition reaffirms our strategic focus on being industry experts and delivering breakthrough solutions in the areas we serve. We're not just growing fast; we're pioneering paths in our markets."

Joshua Mann, an esteemed professional with over 25 years of experience, has led the company to fill gaps left by larger consultancies, providing direct, low-cost, and high-value services to clients. His extensive experience in technology, business, and healthcare, coupled with his dedication to innovation, has positioned The Methodical Group as a leading provider of staffing and consulting services.

The Methodical Group's growth is characterized by continuous refinement of its processes, guided by feedback from KPIs, employees, clients, and candidates. The company's future plans include launching several new services, including client accounting services, robotic process automation, workflow automation, quality assurance engineering as a service, technical writing as a service, and cybersecurity solutions.

"Our future is defined by our commitment to innovate, meet our clients' evolving needs, and expand into new markets," said Mann. "We're always exploring opportunities to grow, and this award inspires us to push our boundaries even further."

The Methodical Group's recognition by The Silicon Review underscores its rapid growth trajectory and reinforces its position as an industry leader.

About The Methodical Group:

The Methodical Group is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, but its employees and key contractors work around the globe and in three foreign offices. The company represents regional and national small to mid-sized companies as well as many members of the Fortune 500, including some of the best-known healthcare brands in the United States. For more information, visit www.methodicalgroup.com.

Contact Information

Robyn Resnick

Marketing Manager

[email protected]

(844) 511-9772

SOURCE: The Methodical Group

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JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Today, Truist Foundation announced a $225,000 grant to Rethreaded, a nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of generational trauma for sex trafficking survivors by providing them with employment, career development and supportive services. Rethreaded will use the grant funds to create a training program within the various systems that survivors encounter while in a life of human trafficking, including hospitals, workplaces, nonprofit organizations, and the justice system.

The goal of the training program is to equip system workers with information and tools to better understand and identify survivors to create a faster, less traumatic exit from the life of human trafficking and into new career pathways that sustain their financial needs and allow them to develop marketable job skills.

"Truist Foundation is devoted to partnering with organizations that are making strides to fight the global issue of human trafficking," said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. "Rethreaded is doing critical work in Jacksonville to help transition survivors out of human trafficking and connect them to career pathways that lead to financial independence. It is our honor to help these survivors build better lives for themselves in partnership with Rethreaded."

Truist Financial Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers, Truist Financial North Florida Regional President Emily Dawkins and Truist Foundation Director of Governance Renee Villanueva recently met with Rethreaded Founder and CEO Kristin Keen and Rethreaded President and COO Jason Jones to make the grant, discuss its impact and tour Rethreaded's facilities.

"This grant will have a ripple effect in touching the lives of survivors, their families and our community as a whole," said Keen. "Truist Foundation's investment is a catalyst for change and together we can create more opportunities for women to reclaim their lives, find their voice and thrive."

This training program builds on Rethreaded's Survivor Development Program, which connects human trafficking survivors to careers in fields such as retail, finance and fundraising, and provides them with professional training and access to a trauma-informed professional community. Rethreaded serves 300 individuals annually, and 85 percent of survivors who engage with Rethreaded never return to human trafficking.

According to Rethreaded, Florida ranks third in the U.S. for reported cases of human trafficking and Jacksonville ranks 48th of all cities in the U.S. Rethreaded's mission is to harness the power of business, time, and community to create choice for 500 survivors of human trafficking by 2033, and Truist Foundation seeks to be an active supporter of that mission.

# # #

About Truist Foundation

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation's (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. Truist Foundation's grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

About Rethreaded

Without a stable job, 85% of survivors of human trafficking will likely be trafficked again. Rethreaded was founded 10 years ago by Kristin Keen to provide employment to local survivors and help them rebuild their lives and remove the barrier of employment. Rethreaded's mission is to harness the power of business, time, and community to create choice for 500 survivors of human trafficking by 2033. Rethreaded has employed 74 survivors, contributed to the support of over 4,000 women globally, and collaborated with over 200 companies.

Media Contact:

Kristen Fraser, Truist

[email protected]

Pictured (L-R): Rethreaded President and COO Jason Jones, Rethreaded Founder and CEO Kristin Keen, Truist Financial Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers, Truist Financial North Florida Regional President Emily Dawkins and Truist Foundation Director of Governance Renee Villanueva met on Thursday, June 29, 2023, to commemorate and discuss the impact of Truist Foundation's $225,000 investment in Rethreaded.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Truist on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Truist

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/truist

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Truist

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / U.S. Bank



Photo: The Good Truck at a recent stop in Costa Mesa, California, to hand out flowers.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

The U.S. Bank Good Truck is on a West Coast tour this summer, delivering treats from small businesses to communities in California, Oregon and Washington.

There will be three separate Good Trucks making stops where the bank has branch locations, delivering complimentary day-brighteners like ice cream, flowers and other delights. The tour is one of the ways U.S. Bank is celebrating the conversion of hundreds of Union Bank branches to U.S. Bank earlier this year.

"The Good Truck is here to welcome our new U.S. Bank customers and give them a chance to learn more about the ways we can help power potential," said Carl Jordan, executive vice president, branch and small business banking for California. "The addition of Union Bank allows our West Coast customers to enjoy greater convenience, improved technology and a continued focus on building strong and vibrant communities."

The U.S. Bank Good Truck will be showing up at community events and U.S. Bank branches in California all summer long. Check out the California branch stop schedules below and stop by to say hello!

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: U.S. Bank

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: U.S. Bank

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Lily Cobo, Planter Research Agronomist at CNH Industrial brand Case IH, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with little knowledge of farming. It didn't stop her from working in Ag, though. She was always drawn to careers that allowed her to use her hands while being outdoors, which ultimately led her to pursue a career in the industry.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University, Cobo continued her education and obtained a Master of Science from Northern Illinois University.

"I realized that agriculture could be incorporated into that when I decided to go to Iowa State University, where I started taking classes related to environmental science," she said.

Cobo's story is extraordinary in that she has achieved success in the agricultural sector without any direct experience. She has progressed from being a naturalist to a member of a farm crew and is now one of CNH Industrial's female agronomists. Cobo has gone on to participate in CNH Industrial's Tech Day, where she demonstrated the entirety of the crop cycle alongside her colleagues to stakeholders, investors, and the media.

Stay tuned for more stories of Women in Ag coming soon.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CNH Industrial on 3blmedia.com.



Contact Info:

Spokesperson: CNH Industrial

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cnh-industrial

Email: [email protected]



SOURCE: CNH Industrial

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Adan Augusto Lopez, Claudia Sheinbaum, Ricardo Monreal and Marcelo Ebrard during a MORENA party meeting on June 11, 2023. HENRY ROMERO (REUTERS)

There shall be no public arguments, squabbles or hostility among the contenders, or any attempts to discredit or disqualify each other. Their supporters must strictly adhere to the same rule. That was one of the pledges the six contenders to succeed President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador signed at his partys national council meeting on June 11. The National Regeneration Movement (Morena) wants to maintain unity in the race for the partys presidential nomination. But less than two weeks later, that script has been tossed aside and a new narrative is emerging. Virtually every contender has launched complaints, accusations and insinuations amid press leaks, disparaging headlines and loudly voiced suspicions about attempts to undermine political rivals.

A video released this week by ex-Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrards team ominously warned, The march towards the presidency has commenced, igniting a dirty war. Ebrard called out a Contralinea investigative report headlined, The judicial record that Marcelo Ebrard would like to disappear, which was published the night before national campaigns officially kicked off. Ebrards team retorted that the article dredged up old allegations dismissed in 2017 that were part of former President Enrique Pena Nietos campaign of political persecution of Ebrard.

Whos who in the dirty war? is the title of Ebrards video, which claims that some attacks on the candidate are friendly fire from within the party, coming from certain digital outlets and bot farms aligned with other candidates. The dirty war reference echoes the presidents frequent complaints in his morning press briefings about critical media reports and editorials. All these efforts are aimed at targeting Marcelo [Ebrard] and knocking him out of first place, says the narrator of the video. Ebrards dirty war claims are not new. Even before the rules of succession were established, in mid-May he publicly denounced a coordinated effort on social media to undermine his credibility.

Ebrard has also accused his rivals and other party members of wasteful spending and vote rigging, and has threatened to file formal complaints to prevent them from gaining an unfair advantage. Mexico Citys former head of government Claudia Sheinbaum, the leading Morena candidate in most polls, denied any squandering and pledged transparency about the resources spent on her massive rallies of late.

Sheinbaums Jewish heritage has made her the target of a smear campaign laced with xenophobia and anti-Semitism. False rumors have circulated that she is not a Mexican citizen and was born in Bulgaria. The lone woman in the group shared her birth certificate on social media, but later deleted it. I am pure Mexican, declared Sheinbaum, who denounced misogyny in our society and among my colleagues.

Sheinbaum has not been immune to leaks either. An open microphone recorded her saying, Ive had enough, to Alfonso Durazo, the governor of Sonora (northwest Mexico) and Morenas national council president. The recording was leaked just a few days after Morena announced the rules of engagement for its presidential contenders. According to another presidential hopeful, Gerardo Fernandez Norona, Sheinbaums gripe came after supporters of other candidates greeted her with shouts of fair play, despite the agreement to refrain from internal attacks.

In an interview with EL PAIS, Fernandez said that the demands for fair play from candidates like Ebrard refer to an internal Morena bias that is causing friction among the candidates. Im not complaining about anything, but its clear that the movements entire political structure is oriented toward one candidate, he said. The Labor Party (PT) candidate has also complained about damaging false rumors, like the speculation that the PT wants him to bow out of the race in favor of another candidate. All lies, he declared.

Former Interior Minister Adan Augusto Lopez exploded this week at journalist Carlos Loret, who reported the improper use of military aircraft by relatives of congresswoman Andrea Chavez, one of his main supporters. Its part of the dirty war, said Lopez, who accused Loret of being misogynistic and cowardly. Lopez, who hails from Tabasco (southeast Mexico) has also been the target of social media rumors about his relationship with Chavez and other aspects of his personal life. Meanwhile, Chavez alleges that its all a disinformation campaign by political rivals.

I implore everyone to refrain from lodging complaints, as it hampers our internal cohesion, said Senator Ricardo Monreal. Despite his disapproving remarks about the other contenders banners and billboards, he pledged not to file a single complaint. I refuse to undermine the progress we have achieved thus far.

President Lopez Obrador repeated on June 28 that Morena remains united. Our adversaries will be disappointed if they think our movement will fracture, he said, guaranteeing party solidarity will remain intact after its internal poll on September 6. There are those who have their preferences, but once we reach a resolution, unity will prevail, he added confidently. Even if someone persists in prioritizing personal interests over the common good, it wont matter because the people want progress.

The obvious points of friction range from internal funding and polling methodology to some rather absurd prohibitions on candidates that are difficult to enforce. Morenas careful balancing act to uphold electoral laws that prohibit premature campaigning has certainly added a layer of complexity to the entire process. Political analyst Enrique Gutierrez told EL PAIS in mid-June: Theyre operating on the edge of what is allowed and what is not. Theyre in this space where theres a political agreement of civility among the candidates, but its a kind of limbo with no clear rules or sanctions because the pre-campaign has not formally started.

Unity and mobilization read the banner at Morenas candidate registration event. This is the territory staked out by the governing party as it searches for a candidate and strives to maintain unity so it can remain the dominant political force in the 2024 elections.

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Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) today announced the appointment of David Rowland, former Executive Chairman of Accenture plc, to its board of directors effective August 5, 2023.

We are pleased to welcome David to our board of directors, said Michael Calbert, Dollar Generals Chairman of the Board. David brings a deep knowledge of the global marketplace and vast experience in finance, operations, strategy and risk management, which will be an asset to Dollar General as we focus on driving value to our customers, employees and shareholders.

With Rowlands election, Dollar Generals board of directors now consists of ten total members. He joins the nine current Dollar General board members with extensive expertise and experience across several industries. Rowland also will serve on the Companys audit committee of the board of directors effective August 5, 2023.

Rowlands career spanned nearly four decades with Accenture. During which time, he served in notable leadership positions including Executive Chairman; Interim Chief Executive Officer; Chief Financial Officer; Senior Vice President, Finance; as well as a variety of consulting and finance leadership roles of increasing responsibility beginning in 1983.

About Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is proud to serve as Americas neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of May 5, 2023, the companys 19,294 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Super Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal decor from our high-quality private brands alongside many of the worlds most trusted brands such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Kraft, Mars, Nestle, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.

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Dollar General Media Relations



[email protected]

Source: Dollar General Corporation
SPARTANBURG, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Agape Care Group (Agape Care), a portfolio company of Ridgemont Equity Partners and the premier provider of hospice and palliative care in the Southeast, has acquired Hope Hospice based in Birmingham, Alabama and Assured Hospice based in Cartersville, Georgia.

The addition of Hope Hospices offices in Birmingham and Rainbow City extends Agape Cares service footprint across 20 counties in Alabama, reaching 37% of the population in the state. Agape Care has also expanded its coverage in Georgia through the acquisition of Assured Hospice and the recent opening of a new start-up location in Gainesville. All locations in Georgia, across all 159 counties in the state, will operate as Georgia Hospice Care.

We are thrilled to join forces with the Hope Hospice and Assured Hospice teams. Both have talented staff with many years of experience in providing superior, patient-focused care to their communities, said Troy Yarborough, chief executive officer of Agape Care Group.

Our decision to become a part of the Agape Care family is exciting for the future of hospice care in Alabama, said Deb Stark, chief executive officer and owner of Hope Hospice. As a family-owned company, it was important for us to consider not only quality care and resources but also cultural alignment. Agape Care brings a passion to serve that mirrors Hope Hospices mission and values. We are looking forward to this journey together and the opportunity to serve more Alabamians who need us.

ABOUT AGAPE CARE GROUP

As a regional leader in hospice and palliative care, Agape Care Group proudly serves over 3,500 patients through its family of brands  Agape Care South Carolina, Georgia Hospice Care, Hospice of the Carolina Foothills in North Carolina, and Journey Hospice in Alabama and Louisiana. The companys 1,500+ employees are committed to serving with love those touched by an advanced illness, providing comfort and support through compassionate care and meaningful experiences. Agape Care Group offers hospice and palliative services across multiple settings and is renowned for its superior patient-family experience and expertly trained professionals. www.agapecaregroup.com

ABOUT RIDGEMONT EQUITY PARTNERS

Ridgemont Equity Partners is a Charlotte-based middle market private equity firm that has provided buyout and growth capital to industry-leading companies in the business and tech-enabled services, industrial growth, and healthcare sectors for three decades. The principals of Ridgemont have refined a proven, industry-focused model designed to build distinctive middle market companies. For more information, please visit www.ridgemontep.com.

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Media Inquiries:

Tracie LaFroscia, Director of Marketing

Agape Care Group

[email protected]

Source: Agape Care Group
Amplify CKLA will be part of Recommended Core Instructional Program Guide across the state for grades K3

BROOKLYN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Amplify, a publisher of next-generation curriculum and assessment programs, announced today that the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has determined that Amplify CKLA meets the requirements of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). This approval will encourage schools across Virginia to implement evidence-based literacy instruction in K3 classrooms.

Amplify CKLA is used by more than 2.7 million students in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The program sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills, including phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing skills. The curriculum is based on research and evidence-based practices that are proven to be effective in teaching literacy skills to young readers.

With the goal of improving early literacy outcomes, the VLA mandates that school districts in Virginia implement evidence-based literacy instruction and intervention in K3 classrooms. When it goes into effect in the 2024-25 school year, it will directly benefit the states one in three K2 students who read below benchmark.

Amplify is honored that our program is being offered to Virginias educators as they help their students to become stronger readers, said Melissa Ulan, senior vice president of literacy products at Amplify. Built on the science of reading, Amplify CKLA enables educators to bring proven insights and practices into their classrooms.

Virginias steps towards implementing evidence-based literacy instruction are important for ensuring that every child in the state learns to read.

About Amplify

A pioneer in K12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our captivating core and supplemental programs in literacy, math, and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves. Our formative assessment products turn data into practical instructional support to help all students build a strong foundation in early reading and math. All of our programs provide teachers with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of every student. Today, Amplify reaches more than 10 million students in all 50 states. To learn more, visit https://amplify.com.

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Kristine Frech

[email protected]

Source: Amplify
Company continues to advance ESG goals as it scales sales of its proprietary and sustainable ingredients to the food and agriculture industry

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Benson Hill, Inc. (NYSE: BHIL, the Company or Benson Hill), a food tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants, today announced the release of its second annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. The report highlights more comprehensive data, key milestones, and partnerships since last years inaugural ESG Report and delivers on the companys ongoing commitment to transparency.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629206299/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

Although we have made significant strides toward achieving food security, it is time to go beyond whats possible and strive for something better  nutrition security, said Deanie Elsner, Interim CEO and Board Member of Benson Hill. Our second annual ESG Report demonstrates how Benson Hill is delivering on its unwavering commitment to develop better food options, ultimately aiding in meeting the need for better nutrition. Through our work and guiding ESG principles, we can empower farmers, food companies, and consumers alike to build a better future for our plates and our planet.

In addition to a materiality assessment, the online report includes highlights from Benson Hills key initiatives and accomplishments in 2022 that illustrate its vision to evolve the food system, including:

Measuring and including data provided by Benson Hills newly acquired processing facilities in Creston, Iowa and Seymour, Indiana, offering a comprehensive assessment of how our closed-loop model performs and the practices were adopting for even greater efficiency and impact.

in Creston, Iowa and Seymour, Indiana, offering a comprehensive assessment of how our closed-loop model performs and the practices were adopting for even greater efficiency and impact. Partnering with ADM to scale innovative ultra-high protein soy for North American food ingredient markets to serve the growing demand for alternative protein. The partnership leverages Benson Hills proprietary Ultra-High Protein Soybeans and ADMs world-class production and commercial capabilities.

to scale innovative ultra-high protein soy for North American food ingredient markets to serve the growing demand for alternative protein. The partnership leverages Benson Hills proprietary Ultra-High Protein Soybeans and ADMs world-class production and commercial capabilities. Breaking into the rapidly growing European aquaculture market by partnering with BioMar and Denofa, two global leaders in sustainable aquaculture feed solutions. The three companies will leverage Benson Hill soy and further assess its sustainability impact on high-performance aquafeed formulations.

two global leaders in sustainable aquaculture feed solutions. The three companies will leverage Benson Hill soy and further assess its sustainability impact on high-performance aquafeed formulations. Partnering with Schnuck Markets, Inc. grocery retail, which selected Benson Hills Veri brand cooking oil, sourced from Midwest-grown, proprietary soybeans for more than 100 of its stores across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

which selected Benson Hills Veri brand cooking oil, sourced from Midwest-grown, proprietary soybeans for more than 100 of its stores across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Becoming one of the first U.S.-based soy ingredient providers to achieve the international ProTerra Certification , a rigorous global standard that sets the bar for sustainable agricultural, deforestation free, biodiversity efforts, and fair labor practices as well as segregated non-GMO programs and more. Benson Hill also joined the ProTerra Network, a group of companies dedicated to sustainable practices and continuous improvement.

, a rigorous global standard that sets the bar for sustainable agricultural, deforestation free, biodiversity efforts, and fair labor practices as well as segregated non-GMO programs and more. Benson Hill also joined the ProTerra Network, a group of companies dedicated to sustainable practices and continuous improvement. Becoming a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in support of our customers objectives and in contribution to our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information on Benson Hills ESG progress and how the company is accelerating the pace of innovation in sustainable food production, download the full 2022 report at https://www.bensonhill.com/impact.

About Benson Hill

Benson Hill moves food forward with the CropOS platform, a cutting-edge food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. Benson Hill empowers innovators to unlock natures genetic diversity from plant to plate, with the purpose of creating nutritious, great-tasting food and ingredient options that are both widely accessible and sustainable. More information can be found at bensonhill.com or on Twitter at @bensonhillinc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or the Companys future financial or operating performance and may be identified by words such as may, should, expect, intend, will, estimate, anticipate, believe, predict, or similar words. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions made by the Company as of the date hereof and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the execution of the Companys business plan; Benson Hills strategies and plans to deliver better food options; Benson Hills positioning, resources, capabilities and expectations to empower farmers, food companies and consumers and evolve the food system; plans and anticipated benefits of newly acquired processing facilities; plans and anticipated benefits of ADM and Benson Hills partnership; projections of market opportunity and growth expected to result from the partnership with ADM; anticipated benefits and projections of market opportunity, growth and sustainable impact expected with strategic collaborations with BioMar and Denofa; plans and anticipated benefits of Benson Hills partnership with Schnuck Markets, Inc; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled Risk Factors and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in our filings with the SEC, which are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved, including without limitation, any expectations about our operational and financial performance or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: risks related to the effect of the announcement of partnerships and strategic collaborations on ADM, BioMar, Denofa or Benson Hills business relationships, operating results, stock prices and business generally; the risk of the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the partnerships and strategic collaborations; the risk that the anticipated benefits and results of the partnerships and strategic collaborations will not be realized, including the achievement of market efficiencies and impacts. There may be additional risks about which the Company is presently unaware or that the Company currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company expressly disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629206299/en/

Investors: Ruben Mella: (314) 714-6313 / [email protected]

Media: Christi Dixon: (636) 359-0797 / [email protected]

Source: Benson Hill, Inc.
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best and Bests Insurance Professional Resources have released the latest installment of the Best's Insurance Law Podcast series, which examines timely insurance issues from a legal perspective.

The latest episode features Fred Fisher, president of Bests Recommended Expert Service Provider Fisher Consulting Group, Inc., in which he discusses current trends in claims handling and what models can be used to mitigate an insurers liability.

Fisher Consulting Group, Inc. is a qualified member in Bests Insurance Professional Resources, an insurance industry resource that has featured qualified legal counsel, independent insurance adjusting services and expert service providers since 1929.

Listen or subscribe to the Insurance Law Podcast.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2023 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629925983/en/

John Czuba

Managing Editor,

Professional Resources

+1 908 882 1722

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Blue Point Capital Partners and its portfolio company, Weaver Leather, are pleased to announce the acquisition of Rex Specs, a premium brand of outdoor products for active and working canines. This investment marks Weavers second add-on acquisition since partnering with Blue Point in March 2021.

Rex Specs began in 2015 when co-founders Aiden and Jesse Emilo sought protective eyewear for their active dogs  only to find a lack of high-performing canine goggles in the market. Built on the principle that life is better together, the Jackson, Wyo. company has since committed to providing quality, innovative products that improve the lives and adventures of canines worldwide, including goggles, ear protection and accessories.

Jesse and I have built Rex Specs on the core value of providing our customers and their canine companions the highest quality products possible, said Aiden Emilo. Not only does the Weaver team have significant experience in our industry, but they also share our passion for excellence, making them the preferred partner for continuing to scale our brand.

Founded in Mt. Hope, Ohio, Weaver is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of premier brands in the equine, pet, leather crafting, arborist, livestock and construction markets. For 50 years, Weaver has offered high-performance products with a focus on excellence, ease of use and exceptional customer service.

Rex Specs has established itself as a category leader in the outdoor canine products niche, earning the company a loyal customer base that we are eager and well-equipped to serve and help grow, said Weaver CEO Jason Weaver. We are proud to welcome them to the Weaver family of companies.

With support from Blue Points team and elevated supply chain, e-commerce and marketing resources, Weaver will partner with Rex Specs to expand the Companys customer base and distribution network as well as introduce new products under the Rex Specs brand.

The Blue Point team is thrilled to support the growth of Rex Specs as it joins the Weaver portfolio of brands, said Blue Point Partner Charley Geiger. Both companies share a passion for high-quality, premium product offerings and are in a strong position to drive strategic expansion and growth in the years ahead.

Rex Specs is a premium brand of outdoor products for active and working canines. Founded in Jackson, Wyo. in 2015, Rex Specs is committed to developing innovative, premium products that bridge the gap between the working animal industry and the growing active pet market while improving the lives and adventures of canines worldwide.

Weaver Leather has iconic enthusiast brands and manufactures, markets and distributes branded and non-branded leather, nylon/synthetic, hardware and other products and accessories to the equine, pet, leather crafting, arborist, livestock and construction markets. Known for its superior quality and breadth of products, Weaver has an established reputation for expert craftsmanship, offering the highest quality and broadest product offering in the industry. Weavers domestic manufacturing and distribution operation is strengthened by deep, global supplier partnerships, enabling leading shipping times and order fulfillment.

Blue Point Capital Partners is a private equity firm managing over $1.9 billion in committed capital. With resources in Cleveland, Charlotte, Seattle and Shanghai, Blue Points geographical footprint allows it to establish relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs and advisors while providing the perspectives and resources of a global organization. Blue Point has over a two-decade history of partnering with lower middle-market businesses to build processes and capabilities to achieve growth. Blue Points portfolio is supported by its unique capabilities  which include an integrative team focused on innovative global supply chain, data and digital and human capital strategies  as well as its extensive experience, network of industry resources and focused M&A efforts. Blue Point typically invests in businesses that generate between $30 million and $300 million in revenue.

Note: Certain statements about Blue Point Capital Partners made by portfolio company executives herein are intended to illustrate Blue Point Capital Partners business relationship with such persons, including with respect to Blue Point Capital Partners facilities as a business partner, rather than Blue Point Capital Partners capabilities or expertise with respect to investment advisory services. Portfolio company executives were not compensated in connection with their participation, although they generally receive compensation and investment opportunities in connection with their portfolio company roles, and in certain cases are also owners of portfolio company securities and/or investors in Blue Point Capital Partners-sponsored vehicles.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629426974/en/

Blue Point Capital Partners

Megan Kneipp

Managing Director, Business Development [email protected]

Charley Geiger

Partner [email protected]

MiddleM Creative (Media Inquiries)

Jan Morris

Vice President [email protected]

Source: Blue Point Capital Partners
FDA encouraged the Company to enroll adolescent patients due to the strong safety profile of the drug demonstrated over the development history and prior clinical studies

PETACH TIKVA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CANF), a biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address oncology, inflammatory, and liver diseases, today announced that it received feedback and advice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with respect to non-clinical and clinical development and registration plans for Piclidenoson for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

The FDA had a positive view of the non-clinical studies conducted by the Company and the accumulated safety data that the Company submitted to the agency as part of the registration plan.

The FDA provided advice on the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial protocol with Piclidenoson that is aimed at demonstrating clinical safety and efficacy for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The FDA requested two Phase 3 safety and efficacy studies and also encouraged the Company to enroll adolescent patients due to the strong safety profile of the drug demonstrated over the development history and prior clinical studies. To harmonize the requests of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the FDA, Can-Fite plans to conduct two Phase 3 studies in parallel, including adolescent patients.

Can-Fite believes the inclusion of adolescent patients in one or both of the Phase 3 studies significantly broadens the market launch potential of the drug. Psoriasis affects millions of people worldwide, including a significant number of adolescents who endure the physical and emotional burden of this challenging disease. There are limited treatment options available for adolescent patients in the U.S. Otezla is not approved for use in adolescents, and existing oral options include steroids and off-label use of retinoids (acitretin) and methotrexate, both of which carry significant safety and tolerability issues for teenagers. The Company believes that Piclidenoson represents a promising oral option for this underserved population.

Upon positive conclusion of the Phase 3 program, the Company plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA and Marketing Authorization Plan (MAA) to the EMA.

We are delighted to share the positive feedback that we received from the U.S. FDA and we believe that Piclidenosons oral dosage and excellent safety record, combined with its progressive effectiveness over time, make it ideally suited for the chronic treatment of psoriasis, stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman.

About Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CANF) is an advanced clinical stage drug development company with a platform technology that is designed to address multi-billion dollar markets in the treatment of cancer, liver, and inflammatory disease. The Company's anti-inflammatory drug Piclidenoson reported topline results in a Phase 3 trial for psoriasis and is expected to commence a pivotal Phase 3 program. Can-Fite's cancer and liver drug, Namodenoson, is being evaluated in a Phase 2b trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), enrollment is expected to commence in a Phase 3 trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the Company is planning a Phase 2a study in pancreatic cancer. Namodenoson has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and Europe and Fast Track Designation as a second line treatment for HCC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Namodenoson has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma. CF602, the Company's third drug candidate, has shown efficacy in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. These drugs have an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,500 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information please visit: www.can-fite.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Can-Fites expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. All statements in this communication, other than those relating to historical facts, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as believe, expect, intend, plan, may, should or anticipate or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Can-Fites actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, among other things, our history of losses and needs for additional capital to fund our operations and our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and other product candidate development efforts; our ability to advance our product candidates into clinical trials or to successfully complete our preclinical studies or clinical trials; our receipt of regulatory approvals for our product candidates, and the timing of other regulatory filings and approvals; the clinical development, commercialization and market acceptance of our product candidates; our ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business and product candidates; the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our product candidates and our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; competitive companies, technologies and our industry; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine; risks related to not satisfying the continued listing requirements of NYSE American; and statements as to the impact of the political and security situation in Israel on our business. More information on these risks, uncertainties and other factors is included from time to time in the Risk Factors section of Can-Fites Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 30, 2023 and other public reports filed with the SEC and in its periodic filings with the TASE. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Can-Fite undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629172102/en/

Can-Fite BioPharma

Motti Farbstein

[email protected]

+972-3-9241114

Source: Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.
Due to Dangerous Air Quality Conditions, Chicagos We The People March scheduled for Thursday, June 29th at Daley Center is being held as a virtual rally via Zoom

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Join us on Zoom at 11:00 am CST Thursday, June 29 to hear supportive organizations and politicians discuss the significance of advocating against discriminatory bills.

The originally scheduled Chicago march has been changed to a Zoom rally due to dangerous air quality conditions and following recommendation by Chicago health officials that citizens remain indoors.

However, the We The People Coalition will not be silenced; we will march forward for justice.

Chicagos virtual We The People March!

Thursday, June 29

11:00 am CST - 12:00 pm CST

Join the live Zoom rally at this link: https://ahf-org.zoom.us/j/83666230384

The Chicago Zoom rally (one of six WTP regional marches) is a way for people to participate locally in speaking out against the close to 1,000 bills lawmakers and legislatures are introducing nationwide that threaten basic freedoms and aim to roll back 70 years of progress. The We The People National March takes place Sunday, July 2nd in Ft Lauderdale, FL. The We The People National March takes place Sunday, July 2nd in Ft Lauderdale, FL.

Click here or visit WTPMarch.org/Partners to see the full list of Partners and Ambassadors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628386880/en/

NATIONAL: Imara Canady, AHF National Communications Director

(770) 940-6555

[email protected]

LOS ANGELES: Ged Kenslea, AHF Senior Communications Director

323.791.5526

[email protected]

Source: We The People
WAYLAND, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Clifford Group, LLC ("The Clifford Group"), a leading independent financial planning and investment advisory firm, is pleased to announce its CEO, Gregory Clifford, has been ranked in Advisor Hub's just-released Advisors to Watch rankings. Greg was recognized as one of the top 50 advisors in the United States in the 2023 AdvisorHub 50 NextGen Advisors to Watch. AdvisorHub ranks nominees based on the size, quality, and growth of their practice, as well as their character and professionalism. Greg is ranked as the #1 advisor in the state of Massachusetts.

"I am honored to be included in such an elite group, but the credit goes to our team and the wonderful clients that we serve," Gregory Clifford, Founder & CEO stated. Per Clifford, This recognition is especially significant to me because of its emphasis on quality. We pride ourselves on our dedication to the families we advise  and aligning our efforts to their dreams - this is evidence of that.

The company has created a comprehensive wealth management offering, providing access to a broad range of expertise. To learn more about what it means to be a client of The Clifford Group, please visit: www.thecliffordgrp.com or call 617-600-2083.

About the Clifford Group:

The Clifford Group is an independent wealth management firm providing comprehensive investment management and family office services. Dedicated to helping individuals and their families across the nation to manage the many details of their wealth TCG delivers experience that goes far beyond standard investment counseling and financial planning. As a fiduciary, The Clifford Group offers objective advice and works in the best interest of its clients. A solutions-oriented, team approach that is committed to integrating and implementing customized solutions for all clients needs. The Clifford Group has built trusted, long-term relationships and provides the resources necessary to navigate an increasingly complex world.

Important Disclosures

The 2023 AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch award was announced in June 2023. Data as of 12/31/2021 and 12/31/2022 was provided and considered for this award. The ranking recognizes advisors across the country for their quality of practice, professionalism, character and community involvement. Criteria considered included: assets under management, production/revenue, team size and more. The financial advisor does not pay a fee to be considered for or to receive this award. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients. This is not indicative of this financial advisors future performance.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629479982/en/

Media Contact: [email protected]

Source: Clifford Group
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Further to the Press Release on May 1, 2023, Marquest Asset Management Inc. (the Manager), the Manager of Marquest Mutual Funds Inc. (the Corporation), advises you of the completion of termination (the Termination) of Marquest Mutual Funds Inc. - Flex Dividend and Income Growth Series Fund (the Fund) effective on June 26, 2023.

As of the Termination Date, the final net asset value per unit of the Fund was $1.5096 for Series A and $1.5749 for Series F (collectively Final NAV per unit).

If you did not redeem or switch your units by the close of business on the Termination Date, you will receive proceeds equal to your proportionate share of all property and assets of the Fund attributable to the units of the Fund that you own, which is the Final NAV per unit multiplied by the number of units held. The proceeds of the Termination will be deposited into the bank account on file in the records of the Fund or, where banking information is unavailable, a cheque will be issued.

If you have any questions regarding the termination of the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Marquest Asset Management Inc.

as Manager on behalf of the Fund



Notice on forward-looking statements:

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Corporation and the Fund. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, is expected, expects, scheduled, intends, contemplates, anticipates, believes, proposes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the Manager, and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although the Manager believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Fund. Although the Manager has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward- looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Manager undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628945975/en/

Marquest Asset Management Inc.

[email protected]

Source: Marquest Asset Management Inc.
Colombian writer Hector Abad Faciolince arrived in Ukraine firmly believing that he had a new lease on life, a rebirth after his open-heart surgery 18 months ago. But everything changed one fateful evening. On June 27, a Russian bomb hit the restaurant where he was having dinner in Kramatorsk (Donetsk region), a city near one of the hottest war fronts. The attack has claimed the lives of 11 people, including three children, and left over 50 injured. Abad, who had traveled to Ukraine as part of a Colombian solidarity mission, told EL PAIS how he was miraculously unscathed while Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina battles for her life.

An explosion jolted us like a bolt of lightning. Time seemed to slow down as everything fell around us, Abad told us by phone as he traveled by car from eastern Ukraine to Kyiv, the nations capital. My body was covered with dark splatters, so I thought I was injured, but I didnt feel any pain. They say that when youre hurt, sometimes theres no pain. I stayed quiet. My ears were ringing  I still have it. People were screaming all around me from fear and pain. I somehow managed to stand up.

Hector Abad and Sergio Jaramillo receive medical treatment after the bombing. cortesia

Abad was at the popular Ria restaurant with Sergio Jaramillo, Colombias former peace commissioner, Colombian journalist Catalina Gomez, Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina and a driver. They were lightheartedly bantering about the war-torn regions evening curfew and alcohol ban. Amelina, who was sitting next to Abad, ordered a non-alcoholic beer. We were trying to get some alcohol, having a laugh, said Abad, and suddenly found ourselves in hell. Catalina thought that I was injured because of the blood on me. Forgive me for bringing you here, she said, as if she were to blame and not the Russians. Colombians always feel guilty about something.

In all the chaos, they first thought Amelina was uninjured because she was still sitting in the same place. I looked around and everyone seemed fine, except Victoria, said Abad. She was sitting upright, but very still, with no blood and her eyes closed  in the same position she was sitting when she ordered the beer. But she was very pale. Catalina and Sergio were talking to her, but she wasnt responding. A Ukrainian man who thought I was injured pulled me out. I saw that Dimas (the driver) car was destroyed, even though it had been parked a little ways from the restaurant. Strangely, the car was wrecked but we werent. I heard people crying out in Ukrainian. I wandered away, feeling lost... Everyone thought I was injured. Ambulances started to arrive. Sergio called out my name because they couldnt find me, so I returned to the place where the missile fell.

Rescue workers at the restaurant where Hector Abad was having dinner on June 27 when it was bombed Europa Press/Contacto/Cover Images (Europa Press/Contacto/Cover Imag)

Amelina was quickly evacuated due to head injuries from shrapnel or fragments. Abad, Gomez, and Jaramillo were taken to Hospital Number Three in a private car, where Abad was treated for a thigh contusion. The hospital was chaotic. People were screaming and running around, blood in the hallway, people kneeling over the wounded  it was a shocking scene Victoria hadnt been identified because Catalina had her purse. We showed her photo around and explained that shes an important writer. After several hours, we went to our hotel, sad about Victoria and not understanding why we were okay and she wasnt.

Abad says he didnt go to Ukraine as a writer or journalist, but to represent Colombias Aguanta Ucrania (Support Ukraine) campaign. After attending the Kyiv Book Fair over the weekend, he headed east to witness the devastation of the Russian invasion and personally express his solidarity to the Ukrainians there. In this war-ravaged region, Abad found himself grappling with questions he never thought he would have to ask himself.

A menorah in Kharkiv

Earlier that day, we had spoken to a Ukrainian soldier who said he was a university student and a pacifist. But when the Russians invaded, he realized they only understood the language of force, and set aside his pacifism. I embrace pacifism to the core. Im not brave  I had just flung myself to the ground after hearing an artillery blast. Yet, I agree with this soldier that certain circumstances in life oblige us to stand up to stronger, violent forces. I thought that the artillery blast, mortar, or whatever it was  I cant tell the difference  would be my big war experience, he said.

Abads head was spinning as he navigated the war-torn landscape and witnessed the devastation. We had stopped at a monument with a menorah [the holy Jewish candelabrum] outside Kharkiv, a memorial to the tens of thousands of Jews killed [in World War II]. The Russians, who said they came to denazify Ukraine, had wrecked the monument.

Ukrainian novelist Victoria Amelina was seriously injured in a Russian bombing on June 27 in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Victoria Amelina (Victoria Amelina EFE)

Everything has been very, very crazy. Abad struggles to find the words to describe his experience. We are stunned by the barbarity of a country that launches missiles into a place where dozens of civilians are talking and eating. What we didnt expect to happen, happened. I can hardly sleep and I feel safer with every mile I put between myself and the hell created by the Russians in Donetsk This mission of solidarity has suddenly become a tragic journey, and our colleague  Victoria Amelina  is battling for her life. Were sad and devastated.

Sergio Jaramillo, Colombias former peace commissioner, with writer Hector Abad at a train station in Ukraine. Cortesia

In his novel, El olvido que seremos (Oblivion: A Memoir), Hector Abad delves into the death of his father, a renowned doctor, professor and human rights activist who was murdered by Colombian paramilitaries in 1987. The shadow of that tragedy loomed again when he called his family after the bombing to let them know he was alive. When I told my sisters, they said I was crazy, just like my father. What Sergio and I did here isnt crazy. We just came to express our solidarity and encourage them to withstand this terrible aggression, he said. A friend told me Im too old for these escapades. But I replied that Ive seen women and people of all ages wounded and killed. Theres no age limit  its horrific. As Im telling this, my head is hurting again  it feels like its going to explode. My ears are still buzzing and ringing unbearably, and I dont know if I will ever see Victoria laughing again.

The Colombian writer is coming home with some new insights from his brush with death. All this is a resounding confirmation of what I already knew. You dont have to travel far to see how the strong abuse the weak. I have seen it in person and in the injured Victoria, who wasnt even going to come to Donetsk with us. She really liked our initiative at the Kyiv Book Fair and decided to join us. But this is like a spinning roulette wheel  some get hit and some dont. Its terrible to live in a world where these things happen, but we have to bear witness and oppose them.

As the car takes Jaramillo and Abad away from that hell in Kramatorsk, an ambulance takes two women to a better equipped hospital in Dnipro. The brave Catalina is with Victoria, holding her hand all the way. Catalina is the bravest one of us all.
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cresco Labs (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF) (FSE: 6CQ) (Cresco or the Company), a vertically integrated, multi-state operator and the cannabis industrys No. 1 producer of branded products, today announced the opening of Sunnyside Washington and Sunnyside Somerset in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230705368672/en/

Cresco Labs opened two dispensaries in Washington and Somerset, Pennsylvania. Pictured: Sunnyside Somerset. (Photo: Business Wire)

Were excited to open the first dispensary in Somerset, as well as expand access to medical marijuana products through a location thats easily accessible to patients and caregivers in Washington, said Charlie Bachtell, CEO and Co-founder of Cresco Labs. Pennsylvania is a core market where we continue to make strategic investments like improving our productivity, opening more dispensaries and broadening access to our bestselling branded portfolio of flower, vapes and concentrates to maintain our number one share.

Located directly off I-70/79 (Western Pennsylvanias Major North-South Interstate) at 380 Washington Rd., Sunnyside Washington is in a high-traffic shopping area near a Walmart Supercenter, Sams Club and Target. The dispensary is a 0.4 mile walk from the Trinity Point stop on Washington County Transportation Authoritys Freedom Transit, an extensive bus system that services people both within the city of Washington and in greater Washington County.

The Somerset location at 250 Stoystown Rd. is directly off I-76 (Pennsylvanias Major East-West Interstate), making it easily accessible by car to people in the Borough and greater Somerset County. Somerset is home to Seven Points, one of the largest resorts in Pennsylvania, and its location in the Laurel Highlands makes it a popular destination for outdoor recreation.

Both dispensaries will offer a wide assortment of accessories and medical marijuana products like flower, vape cartridges, disposable vape pens, concentrates, troches, topicals, tinctures and more from the Companys branded portfolio that includes Cresco, Supply, FloraCal Farms, Wonder Wellness Co. and Remedi, as well as other brands.

Active patients and caregivers can place orders today both in store and online at www.sunnyside.shop. Dispensary hours are Sunday through Thursday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and Friday through Saturday, 9 AM to 7 PM.

For more information about Cresco Labs, visit www.crescolabs.com. To learn more about Sunnyside, visit www.sunnyside.shop.

About Cresco Labs

Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operators in the United States, with a mission to normalize and professionalize the cannabis industry. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) approach, Cresco Labs is the largest wholesaler of branded cannabis products in the U.S. Its brands are designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and comprised of some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, High Supply, Mindys, Good News, Remedi, Wonder Wellness Co. and FloraCal Farms. Cresco Labs national dispensary brand, Sunnyside, is a wellness-focused retailer created to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco Labs operates the industrys largest Social Equity and Educational Development initiative, SEED, which was established to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work and own businesses in the cannabis industry. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com.

Facebook: Cresco Labs

Twitter: Cresco Labs

LinkedIn: Cresco Labs

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230705368672/en/

Media:

Jason Erkes, Cresco Labs

Chief Communications Officer

[email protected]

Investors:

Megan Kulick, Cresco Labs

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

[email protected]

For general Cresco Labs inquiries:

312-929-0993

[email protected]

Source: Cresco Labs
First South American Digital Flare Mitigation Project Now Operational with Additional Deployments In Progress

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Crusoe Energy Systems LLC (Crusoe) and Unblock Computing (Unblock) announced today a strategic alliance to bring Crusoes Digital Flare Mitigation (DFM) technology to Argentina with the commissioning and ongoing operation of the first DFM project in Argentinas Vaca Muerta oilfield in an effort to reduce the energy waste and environmental impacts of natural gas flaring.

This is the first international expansion of Crusoes DFM technology and represents an important milestone in Crusoes global expansion plans and efforts to mitigate methane emissions. Globally, approximately 90% of the worlds flaring occurs outside of the United States, which is why Crusoe has always envisioned international operations as part of its long-term mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate. Argentina is the 12th biggest global emitter of methane, according to World Bank data. Methane emissions are the second largest cause of global warming according to the IEA and reducing methane emissions is a key pillar of broader decarbonization efforts.

Crusoes DFM technology converts otherwise wasted and flared natural gas into electricity to power advanced computation by deploying modular data centers to capture the excess gas produced as a byproduct of oil production. More than 120 of Crusoes modular DFM data centers are deployed throughout the United States and reduced natural gas flaring by more than 4 billion cubic feet in 2022.

Highlights

DFM deployments to create significant economic, employment, technological and environmental benefits throughout Argentinas energy industry by creating a value-adding alternative to natural gas flaring and waste.

DFM to help mitigate Argentinas flare growth - Argentina increased flaring from 2016 to 2021 at the world's fastest pace according to the World Bank.

Projects can be scaled from hundreds of thousands of cubic feet of gas per day to millions of cubic feet per day, with project scale determined to match and follow a sites volume of otherwise flared gas.

DFM technology eliminates up to 99% of methane emissions relative to continued flaring, which does not fully combust methane. Because methane is 84 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, DFMs enhanced methane elimination produces a 69% reduction in CO2-equivalent emissions compared to flaring.

We are very excited about Crusoes expansion into Argentina and appreciate Unblocks unwavering commitment in the region, which is helping Crusoe further our mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate, said Cully Cavness, Crusoes Co-Founder and President. We anticipate further expansion in the Vaca Muerta and Unblock has been an excellent partner as we continue to scale our Argentinian operations.

Unblock has engaged exclusively with Crusoe in Argentina and benefits from access to Crusoes experience, supply chains, technology, intellectual property, training and know-how surrounding DFM including software, hardware and operational capabilities. Similarly, Crusoe will rely on Unblocks regional expertise and on-the-ground execution to ensure long-term success of the project. The strategic alliance enables rapid deployment across the region by taking Crusoes proven technology in the U.S. and properly translating the technology into the local Argentine environment. The companies look forward to continued collaboration and expansion within the region.

At Unblock, our mission is to help leading climate technology companies enter and scale in Latin America, said Tomas Ocampo, CEO and founder of Unblock. Our collaboration with Crusoe is core to that mission. The alignment of their operational knowledge and expertise with DFM paired with our ability to execute in-country and navigate the local business environment is an exciting opportunity to work together to create global impact.

About Crusoe Energy Systems LLC

Crusoe is on a mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate. As builders and operators of clean computing infrastructure, Crusoe reduces both the costs and the environmental impact of the worlds expanding digital economy. By unlocking stranded sources of energy to power artificial intelligence, crypto, and other high performance computing applications, Crusoe is creating the future of compute-intensive innovation that reduces emissions rather than adds to them.

To learn more, visit www.crusoeenergy.com and follow Crusoe on Linkedin and Twitter.

About Unblock Computing

Unblock shrinks the gap between the application of climate technology in developed and developing economies. We bring new services and align local capital to help American climate companies grow internationally faster and with less risk. Unblock's first mission is to transform Latin America's flare gas problem into progress for the region. As Crusoe's strategic ally, Unblock seeks to curve the growth path of worlds fastest growing flare market - Argentina - levering Crusoe's technology.

To learn more, visit www.unblock.global and follow Unblock on Linkedin and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629042481/en/

[email protected]

Source: Crusoe Energy Systems LLC
DMP Korea will launch HD Maps, Software and Services for Automotive and Smart Cities

LIVONIA, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dynamic Map Platform, the worlds leading automotive high-definition map and software company, is launching mapping operations in South Korea as part of the companys global growth plans.

"Our mission is to support innovation in a variety of industries by providing a high-precision HD data platform that replicates the real world in the digital space, said Shuichi Yoshimura, CEO and President, Dynamic Map Platform. We are going to expand the coverage of HD maps around the world and shape the digitalization infrastructure. "

DMP is excited to expand our operations to South Korea to create and deliver best-in-class data for our growing customer base, said Chris Thibodeau, CEO of DMP NA. Our mission is to safely deploy autonomous technology, improve mobility, and create data which is important for smart infrastructure.

DMP's ground truth roadway measurements and diverse set of map features are essential for L2+ ADAS functions. They also contribute to robust roadway modeling and analytics. DMPs toolchain can accurately identify and map hundreds of road features. Observable road elements such as paint lines, objects, and traffic control devices, as well as virtual features like lane centerlines, trajectories, and virtual lane edges are critical inputs to safe, hands-off driving.

DMP is currently in mass production with multiple OEMs in North America and Japan. The expansion of DMPs mapping operations into South Korea marks a significant milestone for the company as it continues to shape the future of transportation.

"We are in a great position to support multiple OEMs in South Korea, said Duane Garwood, president of DMP Korea. We selected an impressive partner, SolDrive, as our primary supplier in South Korea, which has allowed us to get up to speed quickly and efficiently.

To learn more about Dynamic Map Platform, please visit www.dmp-maps.com. For commercial inquiries, please contact [email protected].

About Dynamic Map Platform

Dynamic Map Platform is the leading geospatial measurement and mapping company supplying HD maps and software for todays advanced driver assistance systems and tomorrows autonomous vehicles. Prior to its acquisition by DMP, Ushr launched the worlds first HD map into mass production. DMPs precise HD maps today continue to enable hands-free driver assistance that is uniquely safe and confident. DMP Korea is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dynamic Map Platform.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629579825/en/

Sharon Carty, Director of Communications, [email protected]

Source: Dynamic Map Platform
All resolutions adopted

Description of the share buyback program

RUNGIS, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

ESI Group (ISIN Code: FR0004110310, Symbol: ESI), at ESI Group's combined general meeting on 29 June 2023, all resolutions were adopted, including the share buyback program.

In accordance with the provisions of the European Regulation No. 596/2014 of April 16, 2014 on market abuse, Articles 241-1 et seq of the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority and Articles L.22-10-62 et seq of the French Commercial Code, the present document describes the objectives and modalities of ESI Groups share buyback program, as authorized by the Combined General Meeting held on June 29, 2023 and implemented by the Board of Directors during its meeting held on the same day.

This new program terminates the previous one authorized by the Combined General Meeting of June 28, 2022.

Shares concerned

Shares issued by ESI Group, listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN code FR0004110310).

Objectives of the buyback program

i. stimulate the secondary market or the liquidity of ESI Group shares through a liquidity contract signed with an investment service provider and compliant with the market practice accepted by the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF),

ii. fulfill its share issue obligations, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth by law, undertaken as part of the following:

 plans granting stock options for the purchase of existing shares by the Groups employees or corporate officers,

 employee profit-sharing plans under which these shares would be granted to employees and/or corporate officers,

 free share grants to the Groups employees and corporate officers,

 shares provided upon exercise of the rights attached to securities giving access to shares by any means, whether immediately or in the future, under the conditions set forth by the AMF and at any time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors,

iii. retain shares to subsequently use them in exchange or as payment for future business acquisitions,

iv. cancel shares by a reduction in share capital.

Maximum purchase price

The maximum purchase price is set at 150 per share.

The maximum amount that the company may spend within the framework of this buyback program is set at 40,000,000. This authorization shall render ineffective the previous authorization granted by the eighteenth resolution of the Combined General Meeting of June 28, 2022 authorizing the Board to trade on its own shares

Buy-back terms and conditions

The shares may be purchased or retained at the discretion of the Board of Directors by any means by trading on or off the market, or on an over-the-counter market, on one or more occasions. All shares purchased under the authorized share buyback program may be acquired in the form of blocks of shares. Such transactions may be carried out at any time, including during public offering periods, in accordance with the regulations in force;

Duration of the buy-back program

18 months from 29 June 2023 until 28 December 2024. The Board of Directors shall inform shareholders of any purchases or sales carried out pursuant to this authorization in its management report.

Treasury shares held as of June 29, 2023

As at June 29, 2023, the company held 381,937 shares representing 2.09% of its share capital.

The Group favors an allocation of shares to cover employee share ownership plans and potential acquisitions.

Maximum proportion of share capital

The Company may not, at any time, hold, either directly or via an intermediary, more than 10% of the total shares making up its own share capital.

About ESI Group

Founded in 1973, ESI Group envisions a world where Industry commits to bold outcomes, addressing high stakes concerns - environmental impact, safety & comfort for consumers and workers, and adaptable and sustainable business models. ESI provides reliable and customized solutions anchored on predictive physics modeling and virtual prototyping expertise to allow industries to make the right decisions at the right time while managing their complexity. Acting principally in automotive & land transportation, aerospace, and heavy industry, ESI is present in more than 15 countries, employs 1000 people around the world, and reported 2022 sales of 130 million. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris.

For further information, go to: www.esi-group.com.

https://www.esi-group.com/company/who-we-are

Suivez ESI

http://www.esi-group.com/linkedin

http://www.esi-group.com/facebook

http://www.esi-group.com/twitter

http://www.esi-group.com/youtube

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ESI - Press & Shareholders contact

Florence Barre

[email protected]

+33 1 49 78 28 28



orson.  Press & Investors Relations

Gael Durand-Perdriel,

[email protected]

+33 7 85 63 63 19

Source: ESI Group
LONDON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fortune Minerals Limited (TSX: FT) (OTCQB: FTMDF) (Fortune or the Company) (www.fortuneminerals.com) reports that the nominees listed in the management information circular for the 2023 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 28, 2023 (the Meeting) were elected as directors of Fortune. Detailed results of the vote based on proxies received are set out below:

Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld Robin E. Goad 164,474,223 96.20% 6,490,538 3.80% Glen Koropchuk 164,080,958 95.97% 6,883,803 4.03% John McVey 164,400,223 96.16% 6,564,538 3.84% Mahendra Naik 163,799,553 95.81% 7,165,208 4.19% David Ramsay 163,247,366 95.49% 7,717,395 4.51% Edward Yurkowski 163,730,052 95.77% 7,234,709 4.23%

Shareholders also approved the appointment of Fortunes auditors and the re-approval of the rolling stock option plan. The presentation made at the Annual and Special Meeting is available on the Companys website.

About Fortune Minerals:

Fortune is a Canadian mining company focused on developing the NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth-Copper Project in the Northwest Territories and Alberta. Fortune also owns the satellite Sue-Dianne copper-silver-gold deposit located 25 km north of the NICO Deposit and is a potential future source of incremental mill feed to extend the life of the NICO mill and concentrator.

Follow Fortune Minerals:

Click here to subscribe to Fortunes email list.

Click here to follow Fortune on LinkedIn.

@FortuneMineral on Twitter.

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Fortune Minerals Limited

Troy Nazarewicz

Investor Relations Manager

[email protected]

Tel: (519) 858-8188

www.fortuneminerals.com

Source: Fortune Minerals Limited
SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IC Markets is thrilled to celebrate the current success of Series 3 of their renowned podcast, IC Your Trade (ICYT), in collaboration with Bloomberg Media Studio. Building on the success of its preceding series, Series 3 continues to captivate listeners with its insightful look into current macroeconomic trends and themes shaping the markets today.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230619856150/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

Hosted by industry experts, each episode of IC Your Trade delves deep into current events, offering profound insights and in-depth analyses on compelling topics such as AI dominance, The MetaVerse, and Fantasy Valuations. The inaugural episode features Shaokai Fan, Head of Central Banks at the World Gold Council, as he probes into the captivating realm of gold and gold derivatives. The series is currently at the halfway point and has garnered consistent support and remarkable success thus far.

ICYT has already received recognition, with an industry award for 'Branded Business Show and Advertising' from Signal Awards and is among the top 25 most shared podcasts on Spotify, which has fuelled the company's determination to deliver even more exciting content.

CEO and founder Andrew Budzinski stated: ICYT has been incredibly successful in previous years, and the company is thrilled to launch the next season with some of the industry's top experts.

"Our commitment to delivering exceptional content to our listeners has always been our top priority, and season 3 is no exception," Budzinski said. "We recognize the importance of constantly reinventing ourselves to meet the changing demands of our audience. Our brand proposition is anchored in this commitment to innovation, and we're always looking for new ways to connect to the traders of tomorrow."

New episodes are released every fortnight as Vodcast and Podcast form on IC Markets YouTube Channel as well as prominent streaming platforms like Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify and Google Podcast. Join thought-provoking discussions on global markets and trends today, starting with the first six episodes that are already available.

Be sure to check out another highly anticipated released on the 8th of June 2023. Tune in with Dale Henderson, CEO of Pilbara Minerals as he shares valuable insight on Lithium and its increasing global demand.

Links to ICYT3 ARTICLES:

https://icmarkets.com/au/blog/category/ic-your-trade/

Links to ICYT3 EPISODE:

https://www.icmarkets.com/go/landing-pages/icyourtrade

About IC Markets

Built by traders for traders, IC Markets is one of the worlds largest Forex CFD brokers. Our mission is to create the best trading experience for retail and institutional clients alike, allowing traders to focus more on their trading, servicing clients around the world in over 200 countries. Since our launch in 2007, IC Markets has bridged the gap between retail and institutional clients, by offering a trading solution previously only available to investment banks and high net worth individuals. As a result, IC Markets is the destination of choice for active traders worldwide who are seeking a trading environment that supports them to become a more confident and capable trader, delivering intuitive trading platforms with value-added tools and support for all trading strategies and style.

IC Markets is licensed and regulated in multiple jurisdictions. Please find all relevant risk warnings and websites below:

International Capital Markets Pty Ltd with registration number 123 289 109, is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission with License No. 335692.

Access the website: icmarkets.com.au

Risk Warning: Trading Derivatives carries a high level of risk to your capital and you should only trade with money you can afford to lose. Trading Derivatives may not be suitable for all investors. You don't own or have rights in the underlying assets. You should consider whether youre part of our target market by reviewing our Target Market Determination, and read our PDS and other legal documents to ensure you fully understand the risks before you make any trading decisions. We encourage you to seek independent advice if necessary.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230619856150/en/

Media:

J.Wong

Australia

[email protected]

M.Bettini

Latam

[email protected]

Source: IC Markets
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InvestorFlow, the Alternatives Cloud for Deals and Investors, announced today at Salesforce World Tour London the opening of its London-based operation, InvestorFlow UK Ltd, expanding its presence to the UK and Continental Europe. The company has also hired Richard Davies as Vice President, Head of European Operations.

As a leading provider of investor portals and CRM for alternative asset managers, InvestorFlow delivers next-generation investor experiences, fundraising, investor relations, and deal pipeline management for the largest US-based alternative investment firms. InvestorFlow serves over 200 clients in the US, including 25 of the top 50 global alternative asset managers. With over $3.5 trillion of assets, 750 funds and 90,000 LPs on its platform, InvestorFlow is the dominant investor portal and CRM for the largest and most complex alternative asset firms. InvestorFlow will now be marketing and supporting its solutions to alternative asset managers across Europe from London.

Private equity and venture capital have a long and storied history in London. We are excited and humbled to advance the state of the art. While we have US-domiciled clients with operations in Europe and European investors with access to funds through our portals, we are committed to build our business in London and develop partnerships with European managers. We have localized our products and solutions and are prepared to support clients throughout Europe, said Todd Glasson, CEO and founder of InvestorFlow.

In assuming the role of Vice President, Head of European Operations, Richard Davies brings his world-class portal experience to European clients. Richard has worked in the alternatives tech space for the last decade and was most recently Vice President and Global Programme Manager at BlackRock and prior to that role headed up customer success for eFronts Investment Cafe portal, helping drive scale and adoption of new processes while supporting the growth of the client success business. Richard began his career as a fund accountant, working in Guernsey and London, and is an expert on the application of technology to improve fund administration.

We are thrilled to have Richard join our team and lead our European operations, said Todd Glasson. We believe there is an enormous opportunity to bring InvestorFlow to the European market. There are over 30,000 private equity professionals in London alone who could benefit from our solutions.

About InvestorFlow

InvestorFlow is an investor and deal engagement platform that helps private equity, venture capital, credit, and hedge fund managers create intelligent digital experiences and dramatically increase productivity and engagement. InvestorFlow is the only solution provider to integrate deal flow management, fundraising, reporting and investor services into one cloud-native platform. InvestorFlow serves over 200 clients including 25 of the top 50 alternative asset managers, with over $3.5 trillion of assets, 750 funds and 90,000 LPs on its platform. InvestorFlow is a privately held company based in Menlo Park, California. To learn more, please visit www.investorflow.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628582765/en/

InvestorFlow, Inc.

Sarah Tuff

[email protected]

Source: InvestorFlow
The Revolution in Concrete Mixer Technology Starts Now

ROCHESTER, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Revolution Concrete Mixers makes history today as the companys name officially changes from McNeilus Mixers in the wake of an acquisition by Chicago-based Right Lane Industries. Revolution Concrete Mixers is the team and products customers already know and trust, now even more motivated.

The corporate headquarters and research and development facility has relocated to a new space in Rochester, Minnesota. And, along with the new name, comes a new Revolution Concrete Mixers logo and website.

We are starting a new revolution in concrete mixers. With a new name and the same solid reputation, no other manufacturer is more ready to lead the way toward the next evolution of concrete mixers, said Robert Monchamp, president, Revolution Concrete Mixers and London Machinery. We are on a mission to deliver meaningful innovations in sustainability, efficiency and operator assurance that truly change whats possible for our customers.

The first 50 years was just a warmup, said Bryan Datema, executive vice president  Engineering, Innovation, and Product Performance, Revolution Concrete Mixers and London Machinery. Our team is excited to continue working alongside customers in the field to design innovative products that exceed their expectations.

Same Great Products Slightly Different Names.

Customers will continue to access the same innovative concrete mixer products they have become accustomed to, but with slightly different product names.

Insight Mixer System, formerly FLEX Controls, is still the only factory-direct software system for mixers on the market.

GradeGuard, formerly McNeilus GradeMaster, continues to prove its worth on that first steep hill.

R83 Drum, formerly M80 Series Drum, still supports more efficient mixing that exceeds industry standards and enhances productivity.

Rock Solid Support.

Revolution Concrete Mixers is dedicated to going above and beyond expectations to get customers the reliable service they deserve. Not to mention, long-lasting OEM parts they can depend on for all makes and models of Revolution Concrete Mixers in their fleet -- all from a team customers know and trust.

Plus, Revolution Concrete Mixers are still the only source for McNeilus Mixer OEM and Genuine Parts through partner McNeilus at StreetSmartParts.com.

About Revolution Concrete Mixers

Revolution Concrete Mixers, along with our London Machinery brand, represent a combined 171 years of industry and mixer-building knowledge, serving not only the United States and Canada, but globally. We are leaders with a strong commitment to helping move our industry forward through meaningful innovation.

We are constantly reinventing whats possible with digital solutions and connected technologies that help keep our mixers safe, efficient, and sustainable.

Our commitment to innovation helps enable our customers and their teams reach their business and sustainability goals while also building strong, safe communities.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629074150/en/

Nicole Lamb-Vosen

Revolution Concrete Mixers

Phone: 507-884-1872

Email: [email protected]

Source: Revolution Concrete Mixers
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

At the 14th Transparency Awards ceremony on Wednesday June 28, 2023, Mercialys (Paris: MERY) received the Grand Prix de la Transparence 2023 All Categories Award. Mercialys is the top-ranked company from the SBF 120, reflecting its ongoing commitment to exemplary financial and sustainability reporting practices. This Grand Prix de la Transparence Award follows the 2022 Award for Best General Meeting Brochure and the 2021 Award for Best Universal Registration Document. These repeated awards recognize the continued commitment shown by the Companys teams to providing all of its stakeholders with the most insightful and accurate information possible.

With this latest award, Mercialys was recognized in the Transparency Awards for the seventh consecutive year, highlighting the Companys long-term approach. The stakes relating to transparency are crucial, with expectations that often vary depending on the stakeholders: analysts, investors, bankers, rating agencies or proxy advisors, in addition to client retailers and staff. Each communication by the Company aims to improve knowledge of Mercialys, a mid-size real estate company, and build recognition of its performance levels, from financial to sustainability aspects. This involves providing clear, reliable, relevant and insightful information.

Mercialys draws specifically on the criteria from the Transparency Awards to ensure that its strategic, operational and financial messages are effectively aligned with market best practices.

About the Transparency Awards:

The Transparency Awards are based on a methodology defined by an independent scientific committee, which ensures that the rankings are neutral and fair. This methodology is certified by Bureau Veritas. The panel reviewed includes 2125 companies based on three public reporting media (Universal Registration Document, General Meeting Brochure and Website), which are audited with 289 objective and public criteria. In total, more than 110,000 items of data were collected and analyzed.

* * *

This press release is available on www.mercialys.com.

About Mercialys

Mercialys is one of Frances leading real estate companies. It is specialized in the holding, management and transformation of retail spaces, anticipating consumer trends, on its own behalf and for third parties. At December 31, 2022, Mercialys had a real estate portfolio valued at Euro 3.1 billion (including transfer taxes). Its portfolio of 2,087 leases represents an annualized rental base of Euro 168.1 million. Mercialys has been listed on the stock market since October 12, 2005 (ticker: MERY) and has SIIC real estate investment trust (REIT) tax status. Part of the SBF 120 and Euronext Paris Compartment B, it had 93,886,501 shares outstanding at December 31, 2022.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding future events, trends, projects or targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to identified and unidentified risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Mercialys Universal Registration Document available at www.mercialys.com for the year ended December 31, 2022 for more details regarding certain factors, risks and uncertainties that could affect Mercialys business. Mercialys makes no undertaking in any form to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, nor to report new information, new future events or any other circumstances that might cause these statements to be revised.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629772205/en/

Analyst and investor contact

Olivier Pouteau

Tel: +33 (0)6 30 13 27 31

Email: [email protected]

Source: Mercialys
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) and its affiliate Loomis, Sayles & Company, announced today the launch of the Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth ETF (NYSE Arca: LSGR). LSGR is Natixis IMs fourth ETF and second ETF with Loomis Sayles.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629277977/en/

The new ETF is managed by Aziz V. Hamzaogullari, chief investment officer and founder of the Loomis Sayles Growth Equity Strategies (GES) team. Collectively, GES manages over $70 billion in assets under management1 across a suite of growth equity products including the Loomis Sayles Growth Fund, which earned a Morningstar Analyst RatingTM of Gold (as of 9 January 2023). The teams longest-dated strategies, including the Large Cap Growth strategy which is employed by the Fund, crosses their 17-year anniversaries at the end of this month.

A differentiated investment philosophy  supported by a proprietary seven-step research framework  underpins the GES teams long-term, private equity approach to investing. The team seeks to invest in those few high-quality businesses with sustainable competitive advantages and profitable growth only when they trade at a discount to the GES estimate of intrinsic value.

Through the Focused Growth ETF, we are excited to leverage our disciplined process to hone in on an even more concentrated portfolio, Aziz Hamzaogullari said. LSGR will hold 20-30 US companies only that meet our rigorous high-quality, growth, and valuation criteria. We are pleased to offer investors and asset allocators access to our long-term approach to growth equity investing via an ETF.

Natixis IM is most well-known for being a leader in active ETFs and was one of the first issuers to launch an active semi-transparent ETF through its partnership with the New York Stock Exchange. The firms longest standing ETF goes back to 2017, the Natixis Loomis Sayles Short Duration Income ETF (LSST). Natixis IMs full lineup of ETFs includes:

Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth ETF (LSGR)

Natixis Loomis Sayles Short Duration Income ETF (LSST)

Natixis Vaughan Nelson Mid Cap ETF (VNMC)

Natixis Vaughan Nelson Select ETF (VNSE)

We are thrilled to bring a new ETF to market featuring a concentrated stock portfolio and purely US exposure managed by Aziz Hamzaogullari, said David Giunta, CEO of Natixis Investment Managers in the US. Aziz is an established portfolio manager with a substantial asset base, a strong institutional and advisor following, and a unique vision and skill that has brought great value to his investors. In partnership with Aziz, we look forward to introducing existing and new investors to the alpha potential that the new LSGR ETF represents.

Initially, LSGR is expected to be available through Natixis IM platform partners such as Fidelity, Schwab, Pershing and Envestnet with additional platforms to be announced in the near future.

1 US $70 billion assets under management as of May 31, 2023.

About Natixis Investment Managers

Natixis Investment Managers multi-affiliate approach connects clients to the independent thinking and focused expertise of more than 15 active managers. Ranked among the worlds largest asset managers1 with more than $1.2 trillion assets under management2 (1.1 trillion), Natixis Investment Managers delivers a diverse range of solutions across asset classes, styles, and vehicles, including innovative environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies and products dedicated to advancing sustainable finance. The firm partners with clients in order to understand their unique needs and provide insights and investment solutions tailored to their long-term goals.

Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is part of the Global Financial Services division of Groupe BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse dEpargne retail networks. Natixis Investment Managers affiliated investment management firms include AEW; DNCA Investments;3 Dorval Asset Management; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions and Natixis Advisors, LLC. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.

Natixis Investment Managers distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, LLC, a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.

1 Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2022 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 18th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2021.

2 Assets under management (AUM) of current affiliated entities measured as of March 31, 2023 are $1,208.2 billion (1,111.9 billion). AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.

3 A brand of DNCA Finance.

About Loomis Sayles

Since 1926, Loomis, Sayles & Company has helped fulfill the investment needs of institutional and mutual fund clients worldwide. The firms performance-driven investors integrate deep proprietary research and risk analysis to make informed, judicious decisions. Teams of portfolio managers, strategists, research analysts and traders collaborate to assess market sectors and identify investment opportunities wherever they may lie, within traditional asset classes or among a range of alternative investments. Loomis Sayles has the resources, foresight and the flexibility to look far and wide for value in broad and narrow markets in its commitment to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns for clients. This rich tradition has earned Loomis Sayles the trust and respect of clients worldwide, for whom it manages $302.1 billion* in assets (as of 31 March 2023).

*Includes the assets of both Loomis, Sayles & Co., LP, and Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC. ($35.7 billion for the Loomis Sayles Trust Company). Loomis Sayles Trust Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.

The Morningstar Analyst Rating is not a credit or risk rating. It is a subjective evaluation performed by the fund analysts of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar evaluates funds based on five key pillars, which are process, performance, people, parent, and price. Morningstars analysts use this five pillar evaluation to identify funds they believe are more likely to outperform over the long term on a risk-adjusted basis. Analysts consider quantitative and qualitative factors in their research, but the assessment and weighting of each of the five pillars is driven by the analysts overall assessment and overseen by Morningstars Analyst Rating Committee. The approach serves not as a formula but as a framework to ensure consistency across Morningstars global coverage universe.

The Analyst Rating scale ranges from Gold to Negative, with Gold being the highest rating and Negative being the lowest rating. A fund with Gold rating distinguishes itself across the five pillars and has garnered the analysts highest level of conviction. A fund with a Silver rating has notable advantages across several, but perhaps not all, of the five pillarsstrengths that give the analysts a high level of conviction. A Bronzerated fund has advantages that outweigh the disadvantages across the five pillars, with sufficient level of analyst conviction to warrant a positive rating. A fund with a Neutral rating isnt seriously flawed across the five pillars, nor does it distinguish itself very positively. A Negative rated fund is flawed in at least one if not more pillars and is considered an inferior offering to its peers. For more detailed information about Morningstars Analyst Rating, including its methodology, please go to http://corporate.morningstar.com/us/documents/MethodologyDocuments/AnalystRatingforFundsMethodology.pdf

The Morningstar Analyst Rating should not be used as the sole basis in evaluating a fund. Morningstar Analyst Ratings are based on Morningstars current expectations about future events; therefore, in no way does Morningstar represent ratings as a guarantee nor should they be viewed by an investor as such. Morningstar Analyst Ratings involve unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause Morningstars expectations not to occur or to differ significantly from what we expected.

ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the distributor for the Natixis Loomis Sayles Short Duration Income ETF, the Natixis Vaughan Nelson Mid Cap ETF, the Natixis Vaughan Nelson Select ETF, and the Natixis Loomis Sayles Focused Growth ETF. Natixis Distribution, LLC is a marketing agent. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with Natixis Distribution, LLC.

5769981.1.1

MALR031239

NTS000280

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629277977/en/

Press:

Kelly Cameron

Natixis Investment Managers

+ 1 617 449 2543

[email protected]

Kate Sheehan

Loomis, Sayles & Company

+ 1 617 960 4447

[email protected]

Source: Natixis Investment Managers and Loomis, Sayles & Company
Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

Nothing is what it seems. Everything is smoke and mirrors. The only truth remains hidden. We do not even know the number of the victims caused by last Saturdays clashes between the Wagner Group and the Russian military. Vladimir Putin paid tribute to them with a minute of silence but provided amnesty to those responsible for their death a minute later. The dead do not count where death reigns.

The claimed victory is the civil war that has been avoided. It is necessary to consider the meaning of such a feat. Yevgeny Prigozhins column reached to within 125 miles of the Kremlin, without anyone blocking its way on land. Some of the planes and helicopters that attempted to do so were shot down, in a worse balance of casualties than one day in Ukraine.

A massacre that would have forced Russia to abandon the Ukrainian front was avoided. Wagner faced certain defeat, perhaps within a few hours. The very high price paid to prevent it is understandable. Putins presidential authority is at rock bottom. The initially unmentionable war has penetrated Russian territory. It is being felt by its citizens. The capital of stability and predictability represented by autocracy  precisely that which is most valued by a Chinese neighbor that declared unlimited friendship  has gone down the drain. Russia is at war.

Putin has the consolation that it was not the classic civil confrontation that precedes the fall of the regime. Victorious in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and, above all, Crimea, he now moves from defeat to defeat. He is a proven loser. Even the bloody and pyrrhic victory of Bakhmut was not his, gained instead by the now exiled Prigozhin at the head of his mercenary army.

No one may give his nuclear bluster credence, although the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam and the threat hanging over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant point to the disturbing apocalyptic impulse beating in his head. Now the nuclear fear has shifted to the chaos that may result from Putins downfall, or even an implosion of the Russian Federation.

Prigozhins mutiny was good for Ukraine, but it could have been even better. It distracted Moscows attention, but it did not distract its troops. Putin has disbanded his most feared and cruel legions. There will be little for Wagners mercenaries to contribute to his bureaucratized and corrupt army. We do not know what those displaced to Belarus will do, nor those deployed in Africa and Syria, nor whether they will be under the control of Prigozhin or Sergei Shoigu, a Minister of Defense who could have direct command over African territories, like a former imperial viceroy.

Putin came out of the crisis weakened, but he has not yet been defeated. He has merely avoided a decisive fall. He is surrounded by losers. Aleksander Lukashenko, peacemaker and apparent hero of the day, is only a survivor in servitude. He is clinging on thanks to Putin and will fall with Putin. Once civil war rears its inhuman snout, it is difficult for it not to return with greater impetus and in search of more blood.

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Digital commerce working to end hunger in Chicago communities.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Network of Giving and Greater Chicago Food Depository announced a strategic partnership today in the Chicago market.

The Network of Giving is a powerful, hyper-local digital platform enabled by financial services that fosters a community-minded movement through the connection of local consumers and merchants to community organizations while creating efficiencies in digital fundraising.

With digital commerce and merchant defined & funded micro-donations, the Network of Giving allows local merchants to have the digital tools to grow their business, while providing consumers an outlet to support local organizations, and it all benefits the community where they live  at no cost to the consumer.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is excited to be part of the Network of Giving in Chicago which will benefit our community, nonprofit charities, local businesses, and residents. Through our participation the Network of Giving will enhance and strengthen our mission to end hunger, said Jim Conwell, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Food Depository. The Network of Giving enables us to increase our daily impact for those who face hunger in Chicago and across Cook County. We look forward to our partnership with the Network of Giving so that more Chicagoans can play a role in our mission.

The Network of Giving is thrilled to assist the Greater Chicago Food Depository, stated David Saalfrank, Chief Evangelist of the Network of Giving. The DNA of the Network of Giving is the core principles of service, accountability, and innovation to better the lives of those in the community. Its purpose is to drive impactful change and support important community organizations, like the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Saalfrank added, With the Network of Giving like-minded merchant and consumers are brought together through digital commerce enabled financial institutions. The Food Depository and the Network of Giving enable a digital solution that puts neighbors first and unites them in working together to advance solutions that end hunger and its root causes.

About Greater Chicago Food Depository

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicagos food bank, believes a healthy community starts with food. The Food Depository is at the center of a network of more than 800 partner organizations and programs  food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile distributions and other partners  working to bring food and hope to our neighbors across Chicago and Cook County. The Food Depository addresses the root causes of hunger with job training, advocacy and other innovative solutions. The Food Depository is a proud member of Feeding America  the national network of food banks. By working to help those most in need go from hungry to hopeful, the Food Depository is building a Greater Chicago. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org.

About the Network of Giving

The Network of Giving is committed to providing financial and social empowerment to drive positive change in communities and the world. The Network of Giving SaaS platform utilizes digital commerce and is enabled by financial institutions, connecting local consumers, merchants, and non-profit community organizations. This connection empowers consumers to shop at local businesses triggering merchant-funded micro-donations that impact their communities  at no cost to the consumer.

The Network of Giving platform is powered by SMB4.0. It delivers marketing guidance for local businesses to enhance customer acquisition and retention, while driving business decisions through key analytics and real-time actionable insights. More on Network of Giving: networkofgiving.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629258010/en/

Network of Giving (SMB4.0)

Kara Poltor [email protected]

Greater Chicago Food Depository

Jim Conwell [email protected]

Source: Network of Giving
Nations largest independent high school renews PowerSchool Naviance CCLR, part of PowerSchool Workforce Development Cloud

FOLSOM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) today announced Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire renewed PowerSchool Naviance CCLR, part of the PowerSchool Workforce Development Cloud, to support the institutions college, career, and life readiness initiative and meet new state compliance requirements. Through Naviance, Pinkerton Academy helps students uncover their strengths and interests, navigate college choices, and explore the array of postsecondary career options available to them.

We've seen story-after-story of students over the years using Naviance to document their career maturity over time, including students making significant changes in their personal career plans based upon the interest assessment results provided through the platform, said Douglas Cullen, Manager of Career Services, Pinkerton Academy. Based on the positive track record of Naviance, ensuring this solution is available to our students and staff moving forward will be one of our top priorities  especially our freshmen, to assure were adhering to state career assessment mandates, as part of new legislation.

Prior to implementing Naviance in 2016, Pinkerton Academy managed its CCLR program through multiple technology solutions and manually tracked students postsecondary career planning progress. Pinkerton realized that using these disconnected solutions to manage its CCLR program caused more operational friction for both students and staff. To remedy this, Pinkerton implemented Naviance to consolidate and simplify its overall postsecondary career planning initiatives so they would be more accessible for all users.

Among Naviances features, Pinkerton credited the Career Interest Profiler as one of its most helpful solutions for students in identifying potential postsecondary career paths. Additionally, Pinkerton Academy noted that once fully implemented and adopted, they anticipate that Naviances work-based learning feature will help students develop deeper connections within the community.

Naviances CCLR platform helps more than 10 million students in the U.S. discover their strengths and interests to find their best-fit path after high school. Through the platforms unified interface, students can search for colleges aligning with their specific interests, take career assessments, explore and plan for careers, and participate in career-connected education such as work-based learning.

Founded in 1814 in Derry, New Hampshire, Pinkerton Academy is the largest independent high school in the United States and serves as the high school of record for the towns of Auburn, Candia, Chester, Derry, Hampstead, and Hooksett, NH. Approximately 3,200 students attend the Academy, and the school's staff includes 530 employees. Pinkerton is a private, non-profit corporation. A Head of School governs the school under the direction of an eighteen-member Board of Trustees. Courtesy, respect, and responsibility, tenets of the Pinkerton community, guide its mission to provide a safe and welcoming environment that prepares all students for success in a changing world. Pinkerton seeks to fulfill its vision where all students become critical thinkers, effective communicators, and respectful, contributing members of society. Learn more at www.pinkertonacademy.org.

For more information about PowerSchool Naviance CCLR, visit https://www.powerschool.com/classroom/naviance/.

About PowerSchool

PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 50 million students globally and more than 15,000 customers, including more than 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in more than 90 countries. Visit www.powerschool.com to learn more.

 PowerSchool. PowerSchool and other PowerSchool marks are trademarks of PowerSchool Holdings, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

PWSC-C

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629680811/en/

WE Communications for PowerSchool

[email protected]

(503) 443-7155

Source: PowerSchool Holdings, Inc.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Educational assistant Laura Walton, grocery store clerk Ahmad Gaied, and union educator and community worker Jackie Taylor announced, on Thursday, that they are running to be the next executive officers of the one-million-member Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629662987/en/

Team Ignite OFL 2023: Organize. Build. Win.  L-R: UFCW member Ahmad Gaied, candidate for secretary-treasurer; CUPE member Laura Walton, candidate for president; USW member Jackie Taylor, candidate for executive vice-president. (Photo credit: Alex Lisman/Team Ignite OFL 2023)

Putting their team forward with the full support of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), and the United Steelworkers (USW), the three candidates plan to ignite the labour movement to organize, build, and win gains for workers across Canadas largest and richest province.

In warehouses, coffee shops, schools, buses, factories, stores, hospitals, airports, child cares, construction sites, offices, newsrooms, restaurants, underground mines, and workplaces everywhere, workers are ready to fight for ourselves, our families, and our communities, said Laura Walton, a resident of Belleville and president of CUPEs Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) who is running to be president of the OFL. When we organize, we build movements that win  and thats whats next for Ontario workers.

I believe in a strong and united labour movement, said Ahmad Gaied, current secretary-treasurer of the OFL. From my earliest days as a frontline grocery store worker, Ive seen firsthand what workers can do to improve our lives when we join together and make our unions strong. Our work is valuable, and I know we can use our collective power to make working and living in Ontario better for everyone.

I am committed to working with OFL affiliates to organize and take action on issues that matter to workers, said Jackie Taylor, USW member and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) activist who is the candidate for OFL executive vice-president. The ability to join a union, negotiate good contracts that improve their wages, benefits, pensions, job security, health and safety, and overall better working conditions  workers deserve nothing less. Thats what makes decent jobs. With united backing from frontline workers and union leaders throughout the province, I know that, together, we can win.

The election will take place during the OFLs 17th biennial convention in November. Biographies of the candidates are available in the backgrounder below.

Candidates biographies

Laura Walton

Candidate for OFL President

Laura Walton has served as the president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) since 2019. In addition to her role with OSBCU, Laura also serves on the CUPE Ontario Executive Board.

With a firm belief in the equalizing power of inclusive public education, Laura led her 55,000 coworkers across Ontario to withdraw their labour for two days in November 2022 in protest of the Ford government using the notwithstanding clause to ram through legislation that imposed a contract on CUPE education workers.

Frontline workers, a united labour movement, and overwhelming community support compelled a Conservative majority in the provincial legislature to repeal its anti-worker Bill 28 in record time. The lowest-paid education workers ultimately resisted concessions and negotiated a $1 per hour pay increase each year for four years after a decade of legislated wage erosion.

Laura is proud of her rural roots growing up in Belleville where she worked in radio and marketing and supported children with special needs as an educational assistant. Previously she served as president of CUPE Local 1022 which represents the education workers of Hastings and Prince Edward County District School Board.

Ahmad Gaied

Candidate for OFL Secretary-Treasurer

Ahmad Gaied is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), Canadas largest provincial labour federation. He was elected to the position at the OFL Power of Many 15th Biennial Convention in 2019.

Ahmad was first elected to the OFL executive at the OFLs biennial Convention in November 2015. At the age of 33, he was the youngest officer ever to be elected at the Ontario Federation of Labour. Ahmad is also a Worker of Colour and a proud member of the Muslim community in Toronto.

He is an ardent supporter of grassroots and worker-led initiatives to assist organizing non-union workers so that they can benefit from union representation.

A long-time activist and community advocate, Ahmad began his trade union activism as a chief steward at his No Frills store in 2003 and rose through the ranks to the position of Member Engagement Representative for UFCW Canada Local 1000A.

Within his union, Ahmad has also served as a certified member of the Joint Health and Safety Committee, and was elected to UFCW Canadas Toronto Divisional Board for both Loblaw and No Frills units, representing retail workers across the GTA. He is also a frequent instructor and facilitator on labour rights issues and has led numerous initiatives on engaging young workers.

In addition to his labour union activism, Ahmad is a dedicated community advocate. He currently volunteers with multiple not-for-profit, non-partisan community organizations to help increase civic engagement. Ahmad is also Vice-President of the Ontario NDPs Scarborough  Rouge Park provincial riding association, and he has worked extensively as an NDP voter contact organizer in the GTA and throughout the country  most notably in the 2015 Alberta election that led to a sweeping NDP victory.

As well, Ahmad has worked as Employment Insurance (EI) worker representative and referee before the role of EI referee was abolished by the Harper Conservative government.

Ahmad self-identifies as Canadian, Libyan, Arab, and African. He speaks both English and Arabic, which he uses to build bridges within the community.

As part of the new generation of workers who are facing the most precarious labour market in our countrys history, Ahmad is committed to mobilizing youth and equity-seeking workers to stop Ontarios race to the bottom.

Jackie Taylor

Candidate for OFL Executive Vice-President

Jackie became a member of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9042 in 2016, working at Labour Community Services of Peel in partnership with the Peel Region Labour Council. In her role as head of the agencys labour advocacy program, she delivered workshops focused on mental health, led fundraising efforts and activities aimed at building healthy relationships with unions, workers and their communities.

Between 2003 and 2016, Jackie steadily rose through the ranks in her local union. Her early union activism included advocating for fellow members and ensuring they received fair and equal treatment on the job. Jackie went on to serve on Steelworkers pay equity and bargaining committees, helping the union achieve meaningful gains at the bargaining table, to the benefit of all members.

Additionally, Jackie is a longtime activist on USW Women of Steel committees, working with Women of Steel across Canada and the U.S. Together, theyve organized to strengthen womens rights in the workplace and advance womens activism within the union. As the current USW District 6 Education Co-ordinator, Jackie supports the Steelworkers member-to-member education program through facilitation, course development and outreach to members across Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Jackie is equally committed to labour activism outside her union, serving on the OFL Workers of Colour Committee (2003-2016), the OFL Human Rights Committee (2018-present) and as an active member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU).

The principles that guide Jackies activism stem from her passion to connect with union members, amplify their voices and be their advocate at a societal and political level. In a rapidly-changing society, education and communication are crucial in our workplaces and in our communities.

Jackie is committed to continuing the work and mission of the OFL and its affiliates and to a united labour movement, especially on the political front. She believes the OFL and its affiliates have the tools to empower working people to take action on the issues that matter to them: the ability to join a union and to negotiate good contracts that improve their wages, benefits, pensions, job security, workplace health and safety and overall working conditions, to provide decent jobs for all.

:pc-lf/cope491

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629662987/en/

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:



Ken Marciniec

CUPE Communications Representative

[email protected] | 1-416-803-6066 (cell)

Source: Team Ignite OFL 2023
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Forsee Power (FR0014005SB3  FORSE) (Paris: FORSE), expert in smart battery systems for sustainable electromobility, Vensys Group, specialist in electrohydraulic solutions for agriculture and construction and Parker Hannifin, world leader movement and control technologies, announce that they have signed a partnership to convert thermal off-highway vehicles (construction site machinery) into electric vehicles and thus cut the emissions, noise and vibrations associated with the motorization of these machines.

Vensys Group and its subsidiary Hydrokit will market retrofit kits suitable for construction site machinery, such as mini excavators, in partnership with Parker France for the electrical transmission and Forsee Power for the battery systems.

Vensys Group is speeding up the decarbonization of off-highway vehicles with Hydrokit, its subsidiary expert in electrohydraulic solutions and In Situ, its engineering company experienced in decarbonization

Vensys Group supports OEMs in the design of 100% electric and hybrid transmissions and in electrohydraulic solutions up to 800Vdc, until the series launch of projects by manufacturers. The group's capabilities allow both the supply of solutions in the form of kits and the production of complete machines in Vensys workshops.

Leveraging its engineering expertise, Vensys Group offers retrofit solutions as kits to be integrated into used internal combustion vehicles. These kits  defined following multi-physics numerical simulations  integrate a set of optimized elements including the motor, the drivetrain, the lithium-ion battery system and its Battery Management System (BMS), the charger and the on-board computer. The integration within the vehicle is then calculated to optimize performance and safety during operations.

This partnership with Parker and Forsee Power enables Vensys Group to accelerate its development in the decarbonization of mobile machinery with turnkey solutions for OEMs of off-highway vehicles whose market is fast growing.

Parker Hannifin, world leader in electric transmission and traction systems

Parker Hannifin will provide its expertise in transmission, electric traction, and cooling systems through smart electrification and thermal management solutions.

Parker's 100-year history combines the best of hydraulics with electric efficiency to create flexible, durable solutions that maximize system efficiency. With its dedicated components, Parker develops innovative electrification solutions contributing to a quieter and cleaner future.

The partnership will combine Forsee Power batteries with Parker drives, motors and coolers: GVM electric motors up to 406 kilowatts-peak (kWp) with simplified interface for mechanics  GVI series drives with single interface for all voltages of 24 to 800 Volts DC at up to 650 amps peak - high efficiency, high power density QDC coolers.

This unique offer is an ideal solution to meet all the electrification needs of mobile machinery.

Eco-designed, extremely robust, and flexible Forsee Power battery systems

The partners selected the FORSEE ZEN 8 SLIM battery, specially designed to electrify 100% electric off-highway and light vehicles, to form the battery systems necessary for the retrofit kit.

The batteries are only 128 mm thick and can be integrated both vertically and horizontally. ZEN 8 SLIM is very modular and scalable. It allows up to 32 modules to be set up in series and parallel, supporting a multitude of combinations from 48V/8kWh to 800V/250kWh, with future upgrades up to 800V /1.2 MWh. To perfectly adapt the on-board energy to the system voltage, it integrates 48V and 72V modules as well as a 48V pack with its own integrated BMS. The excellent energy density of 251 Wh/L  among the best on the market  ensures all-day operations on a single charge. Opportunity charging is also possible with up to 1C charging compatibility that can charge the battery to 100% in just one hour. Total cost of ownership and robustness are essential in the off-highway market segment, which is why Forsee Power made sure to offer a product with a very long life of 5,000 cycles and IP67-certified for resistance in air and water.

About Vensys Group

Vensys Group gathers 300 employees and develops a global electrohydraulic and decarbonation offer for the original and aftermarket markets. The complementarity and synergy between its various subsidiaries make it possible to master all the needs in the fields of electrohydraulics and decarbonation to offer each of its customers a personalized solution, meeting performance and safety requirements.

Contacts

About Parker Hannifin

Parker Hannifin is one of the 250 world leaders in motion and control technologies. For more than a century, the company has contributed to technological advances leading to a better world. For more information, visit www.parker.com/fr or our Linkedin Parker Hannifin account: www.linkedin.com/company/parker-hannifin.

Contact

Dominique Monneret, MarCom Leader - Sales Company France

+ 33 (0)6 82 89 84 33

[email protected]

About Forsee Power

Forsee Power is a French industrial group specializing in smart battery systems for sustainable electric transport (light vehicles, off-highway vehicles, trucks, buses, trains). A major player in Europe, Asia and North America, the Group designs, assembles, and supplies energy management systems based on cells that are among the most robust in the market and provides installation, commissioning, and maintenance on site and remotely. More than 2,000 buses and 100,000 LEV have been equipped with Forsee Powers batteries. The Group also offers financing solutions (battery leasing) and second-life solutions for transport batteries. Forsee Power and its 650 employees are committed to sustainable development and the Group has obtained the Gold medal from leading sustainability rating agency EcoVadis. For more information: www.forseepower.com | @ForseePower

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629328731/en/

Forsee Power

Sophie Tricaud

VP Corporate affairs

and Sustainability

[email protected]

NewCap

Thomas Grojean

Quentin Masse

Investor Relations

[email protected]

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

NewCap

Nicolas Merigeau

Antoine Pacquier

Media Relations

[email protected]

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 98

Source: Forsee Power
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- YouHold.com, a financial technology company, has launched a new website that will help novice investors get information about the financial markets. The website, which is available in English, contains a wide array of information, including sections on market news and articles about finance.

Mary Litvinova, the CEO of YouHold.com, said that the new site is designed to provide novice investors with the tools they need to make informed decisions about their investments. "There is a lot of information out there about the financial markets, but it can be difficult to know where to start," she said. "Our goal is to provide a one-stop shop for novice investors, so they can get the information they need to make informed decisions."

The website includes a section on market news, which is updated daily, as well as a library of articles about finance. In addition, the site provides a forum for users to ask questions and share ideas.

Litvinova said that the website is just the first step in YouHold's plans to help novice investors. "We want to provide a complete solution for novice investors," she said. "In the future, we plan to offer a wide range of services, including investment advice, portfolio management, and educational resources."

The launch of the website comes at a time when there is increasing interest in the financial markets among novice investors. Litvinova said that she believes the website will help to grow the number of people who are interested in investing. "There are a lot of people out there who are interested in the financial markets but don't know where to start," she said. "Our goal is to provide them with the information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their investments."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629649160/en/

Mary Litvinova

YouHold

[email protected]

Source: Youhold
Updated results from the HIMALAYA Phase III trial showed AstraZenecas IMFINZI (durvalumab) plus IMJUDO (tremelimumab-actl) demonstrated a sustained, clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit at four years for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had not received prior systemic therapy and were not eligible for localized treatment.

These results from HIMALAYA will be presented today at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in Barcelona, Spain (abstract #SO-15).

At four years of follow-up, these latest data show that a single priming dose of IMJUDO added to IMFINZI, called the STRIDE regimen (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab), reduced the risk of death by 22% compared to sorafenib (based on a hazard ratio [HR] of 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-0.92; 78% data maturity). An estimated 25.2% of patients treated with the STRIDE regimen were alive at four years versus 15.1% for those treated with sorafenib. An ad-hoc exploratory analysis showed that the treatment effects of the STRIDE regimen versus sorafenib were consistent across all clinically relevant subgroups of patients, as well as those surviving at least three years, regardless of the underlying disease cause (hepatitis B virus [HBV], hepatitis C virus [HCV] or nonviral) or other baseline demographics.

Bruno Sangro, MD, PhD, Director of the Liver Unit and Professor of Internal Medicine at Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain and a lead investigator in the trial, said: Historically, only seven percent of patients with advanced liver cancer have survived five years, making the HIMALAYA long-term survival data especially meaningful. One in four patients treated with the STRIDE regimen were still alive at four years, reinforcing this novel regimen as a standard of care in this setting.

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: The remarkable four-year survival benefit shown with IMFINZI and IMJUDO in this advanced liver cancer setting supports the use of the STRIDE regimen to treat a broad, eligible patient population globally. These latest results from HIMALAYA are part of a series of clinical trials aiming to deliver innovative treatments for patients at different stages of liver cancer.

Summary of updated results: HIMALAYA

STRIDE regimen Sorafenib OSi, ii (n=393) (n=389) Number of patients with events (%) 291 (74.0) 316 (81.2) Median OS, in months (95% CI) 16.4 (14.2-19.6) 13.8 (12.3-16.1) Median duration of follow-up in censored patients, in months (95% CI) 49.12 (46.95-50.17) 47.31 (45.08-49.15) Hazard ratio (95% CI) 0.78 (0.67-0.92) p-value (2-sided) 0.0037 OS rate at 36 months 30.7% 19.8% OS rate at 48 months 25.2% 15.1% Updated analysis data cut-off: 23 January 2023, with 78% overall OS data maturity OS HRs and 95% CIs were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for treatment, aetiology, ECOG performance status, and macrovascular invasion. The OS rate at 36-months had a nominal 2-sided p-value of 0.0006.

The safety profile of the STRIDE regimen was consistent with the known profiles of each medicine, and no new safety signals were observed with longer follow-up. Serious treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), defined as Grade 3 or 4 and including death, were experienced by 17.5% of patients treated with the STRIDE regimen versus 9.6% of patients treated with sorafenib, with no new events occurring after the primary analysis for STRIDE (17.5%).

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO is approved for the treatment of adults with advanced or unresectable HCC in the US, EU (in the 1st-line setting), Japan and several other countries. IMFINZI monotherapy is also approved in Japan in this setting.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

There are no contraindications for IMFINZI (durvalumab) or IMJUDO (tremelimumab-actl).

Severe and Fatal Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

Important immune-mediated adverse reactions listed under Warnings and Precautions may not include all possible severe and fatal immune-mediated reactions. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue. Immune-mediated adverse reactions can occur at any time after starting treatment or after discontinuation. Monitor patients closely for symptoms and signs that may be clinical manifestations of underlying immune-mediated adverse reactions. Evaluate clinical chemistries including liver enzymes, creatinine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level, and thyroid function at baseline and before each dose. In cases of suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, initiate appropriate workup to exclude alternative etiologies, including infection. Institute medical management promptly, including specialty consultation as appropriate. Withhold or permanently discontinue IMFINZI and IMJUDO depending on severity. See USPI Dosing and Administration for specific details. In general, if combination of IMFINZI and IMJUDO requires interruption or discontinuation, administer systemic corticosteroid therapy (1 mg to 2 mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent) until improvement to Grade 1 or less. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Consider administration of other systemic immunosuppressants in patients whose immune-mediated adverse reactions are not controlled with corticosteroid therapy.

Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis, which may be fatal. Immunemediated pneumonitis occurred in 1.3% (5/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including fatal (0.3%) and Grade 3 (0.2%) adverse reactions.

Immune-Mediated Colitis

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated colitis that is frequently associated with diarrhea. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation has been reported in patients with corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis. In cases of corticosteroid-refractory colitis, consider repeating infectious workup to exclude alternative etiologies. Immunemediated colitis or diarrhea occurred in 6% (23/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 3 (3.6%) adverse reactions. Intestinal perforation has been observed in other studies of IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

Immune-Mediated Hepatitis

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated hepatitis, which may be fatal. Immunemediated hepatitis occurred in 7.5% (29/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including fatal (0.8%), Grade 4 (0.3%) and Grade 3 (4.1%) adverse reactions.

Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies

Adrenal Insufficiency : IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency. For Grade 2 or higher adrenal insufficiency, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Immune-mediated adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1.5% (6/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 3 (0.3%) adverse reactions.

: IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency. For Grade 2 or higher adrenal insufficiency, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Immune-mediated adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1.5% (6/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 3 (0.3%) adverse reactions. Hypophysitis : IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field cuts. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism. Initiate symptomatic treatment including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Immune-mediated hypophysitis/hypopituitarism occurred in 1% (4/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

: IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field cuts. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism. Initiate symptomatic treatment including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Immune-mediated hypophysitis/hypopituitarism occurred in 1% (4/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Thyroid Disorders (Thyroiditis, Hyperthyroidism, and Hypothyroidism) : IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated thyroid disorders. Thyroiditis can present with or without endocrinopathy. Hypothyroidism can follow hyperthyroidism. Initiate hormone replacement therapy for hypothyroidism or institute medical management of hyperthyroidism as clinically indicated. Immune-mediated thyroiditis occurred in 1.5% (6/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Immune-mediated hyperthyroidism occurred in 4.6% (18/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 3 (0.3%) adverse reactions. Immune-mediated hypothyroidism occurred in 11% (42/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

: IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated thyroid disorders. Thyroiditis can present with or without endocrinopathy. Hypothyroidism can follow hyperthyroidism. Initiate hormone replacement therapy for hypothyroidism or institute medical management of hyperthyroidism as clinically indicated. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, which can present with diabetic ketoacidosis: Monitor patients for hyperglycemia or other signs and symptoms of diabetes. Initiate treatment with insulin as clinically indicated. Two patients 0.5% (2/388) had events of hyperglycemia requiring insulin therapy that had not resolved at last follow-up.

Immune-Mediated Nephritis with Renal Dysfunction

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated nephritis. Immune-mediated nephritis occurred in 1% (4/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 3 (0.5%) adverse reactions.

Immune-Mediated Dermatology Reactions

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis. Exfoliative dermatitis, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), has occurred with PD-1/L-1 and CTLA-4 blocking antibodies. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate non-exfoliative rashes. Immune-mediated rash or dermatitis occurred in 4.9% (19/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 4 (0.3%) and Grade 3 (1.5%) adverse reactions.

Immune-Mediated Pancreatitis

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO can cause immune-mediated pancreatitis. Immune-mediated pancreatitis occurred in 2.3% (9/388) of patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, including Grade 4 (0.3%) and Grade 3 (1.5%) adverse reactions.

Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

The following clinically significant, immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred at an incidence of less than 1% each in patients who received IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO or were reported with the use of other immune-checkpoint inhibitors.

Cardiac/vascular : Myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis.

: Myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis. Nervous system : Meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination, myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis (including exacerbation), Guillain-Barre syndrome, nerve paresis, autoimmune neuropathy.

: Meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination, myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis (including exacerbation), Guillain-Barre syndrome, nerve paresis, autoimmune neuropathy. Ocular : Uveitis, iritis, and other ocular inflammatory toxicities can occur. Some cases can be associated with retinal detachment. Various grades of visual impairment to include blindness can occur. If uveitis occurs in combination with other immune-mediated adverse reactions, consider a Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome, as this may require treatment with systemic steroids to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.

: Uveitis, iritis, and other ocular inflammatory toxicities can occur. Some cases can be associated with retinal detachment. Various grades of visual impairment to include blindness can occur. If uveitis occurs in combination with other immune-mediated adverse reactions, consider a Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome, as this may require treatment with systemic steroids to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss. Gastrointestinal : Gastritis, duodenitis.

: Gastritis, duodenitis. Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders : Myositis/polymyositis, rhabdomyolysis and associated sequelae including renal failure, arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatic.

: Myositis/polymyositis, rhabdomyolysis and associated sequelae including renal failure, arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatic. Endocrine : Hypoparathyroidism.

: Hypoparathyroidism. Other (hematologic/immune): Hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), sarcoidosis, immune thrombocytopenia, solid organ transplant rejection.

Infusion-Related Reactions

IMFINZI and IMJUDO can cause severe or life-threatening infusion-related reactions. Monitor for signs and symptoms of infusion-related reactions. Interrupt, slow the rate of, or permanently discontinue IMFINZI and IMJUDO based on the severity. See USPI Dosing and Administration for specific details. For Grade 1 or 2 infusion-related reactions, consider using pre-medications with subsequent doses. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 10 (2.6%) patients receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

Complications of Allogeneic HSCT after IMFINZI

Fatal and other serious complications can occur in patients who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) before or after being treated with a PD-1/L-1 blocking antibody. Transplant-related complications include hyperacute graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) after reduced intensity conditioning, and steroid-requiring febrile syndrome (without an identified infectious cause). These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between PD-1/L-1 blockade and allogeneic HSCT. Follow patients closely for evidence of transplant-related complications and intervene promptly. Consider the benefit versus risks of treatment with a PD-1/L-1 blocking antibody prior to or after an allogeneic HSCT.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on its mechanism of action and data from animal studies, both IMFINZI and IMJUDO can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. In females of reproductive potential, verify pregnancy status prior to initiating IMFINZI and IMJUDO and advise them to use effective contraception during treatment with IMFINZI and IMJUDO and for 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

Lactation

There is no information regarding the presence of either IMFINZI or IMJUDO in human milk; however, because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants from IMFINZI and IMJUDO, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose.

Adverse Reactions

In patients with unresectable HCC in the HIMALAYA study receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, the most common adverse reactions (occurring in 20% of patients) were rash, diarrhea, fatigue, pruritus, musculoskeletal pain, and abdominal pain.

In patients with unresectable HCC in the HIMALAYA study receiving IMFINZI and IMJUDO, serious adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients included hemorrhage (6%), diarrhea (4%), sepsis (2.1%), pneumonia (2.1%), rash (1.5%), vomiting (1.3%), acute kidney injury (1.3%), and anemia (1.3%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 8% of patients who received IMJUDO in combination with durvalumab, including death (1%), hemorrhage intracranial (0.5%), cardiac arrest (0.5%), pneumonitis (0.5%), hepatic failure (0.5%), and immune-mediated hepatitis (0.5%). Permanent discontinuation of treatment regimen due to an adverse reaction occurred in 14% of patients.

The safety and effectiveness of IMFINZI and IMJUDO have not been established in pediatric patients.

Indication:

IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC).

Please see full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI and IMJUDO.

Notes

Liver cancer

Liver cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death and the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide.1,2 About 75% of all primary liver cancers in adults are HCC.3 Advanced-stage HCC prognosis is poor, with a 5-year survival rate of only 7%.4 Between 80-90% of all patients with HCC also have cirrhosis.3 Chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis are associated with inflammation that over time can lead to the development of HCC.5

More than half of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, often when symptoms first appear.6 A critical unmet need exists for patients with HCC who face limited treatment options. The unique immune environment of liver cancer provides clear rationale for investigating medications that harness the power of the immune system to treat HCC.6

HIMALAYA

HIMALAYA is a randomized, open-label, multicenter, global Phase III trial of IMFINZI monotherapy and a regimen comprising a single priming dose of IMJUDO 300mg added to IMFINZI 1500mg followed by IMFINZI every four weeks (STRIDE regimen) versus sorafenib, a standard-of-care multi-kinase inhibitor.

The trial included a total of 1,324 randomized patients with unresectable, advanced HCC who had not been treated with prior systemic therapy and were not eligible for locoregional therapy (treatment localized to the liver and surrounding tissue).

The trial was conducted in 181 centers across 16 countries, including in the US, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia. The primary endpoint was OS for the combination versus sorafenib and key secondary endpoints included OS for IMFINZI versus sorafenib, objective response rate and PFS for the combination and for IMFINZI alone.

IMFINZI

IMFINZI (durvalumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-L1 protein and blocks the interaction of PD-L1 with the PD-1 and CD80 proteins, countering the tumor's immune-evading tactics and releasing the inhibition of immune responses.

IMFINZI is approved in combination with chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin) in locally advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC) and in combination with IMJUDO (tremelimumab-actl) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the US, EU, Japan and several other countries based on the TOPAZ-1 and HIMALAYA Phase III trials, respectively.

In addition to its indications in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, IMFINZI is the only approved immunotherapy and the global standard of care in the curative-intent setting of unresectable, Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose disease has not progressed after chemoradiation therapy based on the PACIFIC Phase III trial.

IMFINZI is also approved in the US, EU, Japan, China and many other countries around the world for the treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) based on the CASPIAN Phase III trial. Additionally, IMFINZI is approved in combination with a short course of IMJUDO and chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic NSCLC in the US, EU and Japan based on the POSEIDON Phase III trial. IMFINZI is approved in previously treated patients with advanced bladder cancer in a small number of countries.

Since the first approval in May 2017, more than 200,000 patients have been treated with IMFINZI.

As part of a broad development program, IMFINZI is being tested as a single treatment and in combinations with other anti-cancer treatments for patients with SCLC, NSCLC, bladder cancer, several GI cancers, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and other solid tumors. In 2023, AstraZeneca announced positive results for Phase III trials including combinations with IMFINZI in ovarian (DUO-O) and endometrial (DUO-E) cancers, as well as in resectable NSCLC (AEGEAN).

In GI cancers specifically, AstraZeneca has several ongoing registrational trials investigating IMFINZI across multiple liver cancer settings (EMERALD-1, EMERALD-2 and EMERALD-3), in resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers (MATTERHORN) and in locally advanced esophageal cancer (KUNLUN). In June 2023, IMFINZI added to standard-of-care neoadjuvant chemotherapy met a key secondary endpoint of pathologic complete response in the MATTERHORN Phase III trial.

IMJUDO

IMJUDO (tremelimumab-actl) is a human monoclonal antibody that targets the activity of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). IMJUDO blocks the activity of CTLA-4, contributing to T-cell activation, priming the immune response to cancer and fostering cancer cell death.

In addition to its approved indications in liver and lung cancers, IMJUDO is being tested in combination with IMFINZI across multiple tumor types including locoregional HCC (EMERALD-3), SCLC (ADRIATIC) and bladder cancer (VOLGA and NILE).
Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX) today announced that on June 26, 2023, it signed a term loan facility with DNB Bank ASA for up to US$100 million with maturity date up to December 2029, subject to mutually agreed margin reset at the end of the fourth year. Yesterday, it concluded the drawdown of US$100 million, secured by ten vessels. The proceeds from the loan facility refinanced other loan facilities with an aggregate outstanding amount of approximately US$68.7 million, namely two existing loan facilities with ABN AMRO Bank N.V. of approximately US$31.4 million and of approximately US$37.3 million (maturity dates in June 2024 and in May 2026) related to the same ten vessels. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay transaction costs and expenses incurred in connection with the loan agreement and/or general corporate purposes.

On June 20, 2023, The Company also signed a term loan facility with Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Norge for up to US$22.5 million with maturity date in June 2028. On June 27, 2023, it concluded the drawdown of US$22.5 million, secured by four vessels. The proceeds from the loan facility refinanced the existing loan facility with an outstanding amount of approximately US$20.9 million, with Nordea Bank Abp, filial i Norge (maturity date in March 2024) related to the same four vessels. The remaining proceeds may be used to pay transaction costs and expenses incurred in connection with the loan agreement and/or general corporate purposes.

Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet currently consists of 42 dry bulk vessels: 4 Newcastlemax, 10 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 7 Panamax and 10 Ultramax (including a partial interest through a joint venture arrangement in one Ultramax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet, is approximately 4.7 million dwt with a weighted average age of 10.19 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AbacusBio, a world-leading agri-science consultancy, announced the opening of a new office in Alberta as the next step in the companys global expansion. With support from Invest Alberta and Edmonton Global to launch operations in Edmonton, the company will bring expertise that will support Canadian companies to address food security and sustainability in the agriculture sector.

Established in New Zealand in 2001, AbacusBio harnesses core expertise in animal genetics and breeding and applies it to plant breeding as plant improvements form a vital component of solving food security and global environmental challenges of the future. The Edmonton-based team will create six jobs in its first year as it expands on successful offices in located in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand, the companys global headquarters.

Specializing in animal and plant genetics, data science, economics, and digital technology applied to agriculture, AbacusBio selected Alberta because of the opportunities available in the local agri-food sector and the deep pool of talent available to expand operations within North America. Currently, the group has more than 60 team members from 16 different nationalities working to bridge the gap between business and science across agricultural value chains. They have worked with over 500 clients in various agricultural industries across the globe and have hosted more than 100 interns and 20 PhD placements to date.

AbacusBio is committed to reinvesting in the communities and are planning to continue their support for scientific education and empowering students as they expand into Alberta. This will give Canadian undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain experience through internship programs or graduate studies in residence with AbacusBio.

Since late 2022, both Invest Alberta and Edmonton Global have been working to support AbacusBios expansion plans by providing insights about the local business landscape and making valuable introductions to service providers and partners.

QUOTES Albertas government is committed to securing the future of our province through innovation, sustainable growth and diversification. Through AbacusBio, Albertas agriculture and forest sectors will have access to cutting edge solutions to maximize their potential. We are looking forward to the positive impact AbacusBio will have on Albertas economic development.- RJ Sigurdson, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

With five AbacusBio employees including myself as Canadian University alumni, we are strongly motivated to contribute to the future of Canadian agriculture, as part of a key strategic move for our rapidly growing global business.  Dr. Peter Amer, Group Managing Director, AbacusBio

"Its great news that AbacusBio is expanding globally, and that they have chosen the Edmonton region to launch local operations that will address food security and sustainability throughout the country. Edmonton is positioning itself as a global leader in tech and innovation, and our growing agri-science industry affirms that our upwards trajectory towards technological advancement, climate action and economic growth is not slowing down anytime soon. I look forward to welcoming AbacusBio to the Edmonton region and thank Edmonton Global and Invest Alberta for their support in growing our regions economic potential."  Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor, City of Edmonton

We are thrilled to welcome AbacusBio to the Edmonton region and Canada. Our region can help feed the world  were one of the few countries in the world that produces more food than it consumes. I look forward to seeing the impacts that this innovative company makes on our already thriving food and agriculture sector and how they will contribute to our thriving research and development ecosystem. Access to abundant resources, talent, and infrastructure make the Edmonton region a great place to invest. With eight post-secondary institutions including the University of Albertas own Agriculture & Forestry department, and enrolment of roughly 130,000 students, businesses like AbacusBio can access the highly-skilled talent they need to grow, innovate, and succeed.  Malcolm Bruce, CEO, Edmonton Global

With the opening of their new office, AbacusBio brings world-leading agri-science to Albertas already expansive agricultural sector. AbacusBios unique expertise in animal and plant genetics will help alleviate global food security challenges while championing environmental solutions across the agricultural value chain  from right here in Alberta.  Rick Christiaanse, CEO, Invest Alberta

AbacusBio is a great example of a New Zealand agri-science and technology business offering solutions globally with a focus on sustainability.  Matt Ritchie, Trade Commissioner and Consul General, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise

About Invest Alberta: Invest Alberta engages the world and provides high-end tailored support to companies, investors, and major new projects. With team members strategically positioned in key markets around the world, Invest Alberta works to break down barriers so businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits. Since 2020, Invest Alberta has supported the commitment of nearly $20 billion in investment that created more than 25,000 new high-value jobs for Albertans. For more information, please visit investalberta.ca.

About AbacusBio: AbacusBio are international leaders in the application of science and technology in agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture. Our consultants work globally on industry-leading initiatives across the primary food supply chain, with specific skill-sets in genetics and data science, production system economics, strategy and investment, and technology. Their global reach gives the company a technical and strategic view of a wide range of challenges facing primary food production. AbacusBio recognizes our responsibility to the land and to the people wherever we work, but especially acknowledges the Indigenous peoples of the Edmonton/Amiskwaciwaskahikan region, their history, deep connection to the land, and the role that we can play in supporting positive impact in the community. For more information, please visit abacusbio.com.

About Edmonton Global: The purpose of Edmonton Global is to radically transform and grow the economy of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. We are a not-for-profit corporation founded by 14 municipalities that make up the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Our focus is attracting foreign investment, helping regional businesses export with the world, enhancing our regions global competitiveness, and bringing our region together with a unified voice to attract the attention and interest of investors the world over.

Source: Invest Alberta
NEW YORK, June 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. hereby announces that it filed an annual report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2023.



A copy of the Form 20-F annual report can be obtained at https://www.mizuhogroup.com/investors/financial-information/sec/form20f . Holders of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. American Depository Receipts may request a complimentary hard copy of the completed audited financial statements by emailing [email protected] and including:

Your name;

Your mailing address; and

Your e-mail address.



This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer for sale or solicitation for investment or other similar activity in or outside Japan.

For inquiries, please contact:

Jim Gorman

Executive Director, Media Relations, Mizuho Americas

+1-212-282-3867

[email protected]

Laura London

Director, Media Relations, Mizuho Americas

+1-212-282-4446

[email protected]
HOUSTON, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carriage Services, Inc. (NYSE: CSV) (Carriage or the Company) today announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a process to explore potential strategic alternatives, possibly including a sale, merger or other potential strategic or financial transaction, to maximize shareholder value.

There can be no assurance that this process will result in a transaction or, if a transaction does occur, the timing of any such transaction. The Company does not intend to comment further on this process unless there are material developments to report.

Lazard is serving as financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP is serving as legal advisor to the Company.

About Carriage Services

Carriage Services (NYSE: CSV) is a leading provider of funeral and cemetery services and merchandise in the United States. Carriage operates 170 funeral homes in 26 states and 30 cemeteries in 11 states.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These certain forward-looking statements made herein or elsewhere by, or on behalf of, the Company include, for example, statements regarding the timing of the strategic alternatives review; the outcome of the strategic alternatives review, including whether any transaction occurs at all; if a transaction does occur, the form (cash, securities or other consideration) and the amount of the consideration, if any, paid to the Companys stockholders; and if a definitive agreement for a transaction is signed with another party, whether the conditions to closing are satisfied, including any necessary regulatory or other approvals. The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents of the Company on file with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of the applicable communication and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by applicable law. A copy of the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other information about the Company and news releases, are available at http://www.carriageservices.com.

Contacts

Investor Inquiries[email protected]

Media Inquiries Sydney Isaacs [email protected] (713) 343-0427

Alexandra Clements [email protected] (713) 343-0427

Source: Carriage Services, Inc.
The leaders of Barbados, France, Ethiopia, Brazil, the U.S. and other countries during the summit, on June 23 in Paris.

Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed

The summit for a New Global Financing Pact, held in Paris last week, marked an important milestone in global efforts to address the interlinked crises of climate change, biodiversity and inequality. The 40 participating countries agreed to work towards a reform of the financial system and the goal of raising $100 billion for climate financing this year  a commitment that was made by developed countries in 2009 and taken up more firmly at the 2023 summit, as it has never been fully accomplished.

The summit made it clear that the current global financial architecture is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair, as declared by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, paving the way for a change in the tone of the global conversation on fundamental issues regarding debt, development, the impact of climate change and vulnerability  significant advances that a couple of years ago would have been unthinkable.

The transition towards a more equitable and resilient world requires enormous transformations in the financial architecture, which can provide long-term solutions. The summit showed that the world is indeed changing. Today there is recognition that the global institutional framework has enormous responsibility when it comes to achieving the goals of eradicating poverty, facing the impact of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions  challenges that are intrinsically interlinked.

The president of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel (l), and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the summit, on June 22. Alejandro AZCUY (EFE/Presidencia de Cuba)

One of the most important points of the summit was to address the suffocating debt burden faced by many developing countries and to recognize the importance of debt rescheduling to promote economic stability and foster sustainable development. Whats more, there was recognition of the heavy toll that climate-caused or aggravated disasters  which are in many cases recurring  take on developing countries. The World Bank, as well as other financial institutions, will begin to incorporate clauses to deal with disasters, which means better conditions for debt payments agreed to in loans. These commitments mark a shift in north-south relations and will provide breathing space for nations, allowing them to redirect resources towards critical sectors such as healthcare, education, better management of natural resources and infrastructure projects.

Within this context, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been promoting innovative solutions that include debt-for-nature swaps. It has consolidated several cases of blue bonds, which allow countries to refinance their debts on more favorable terms and allocate the proceeds to biodiversity protection and climate adaptation. In Latin America, Belize is the first country to implement blue bonds to conserve the oceans, restructuring approximately $550 million of domestic commercial debt. The country will invest $180 million to conserve its ecosystems, which will allow it to fulfill its commitment to protect 30% of its ocean territory, develop governance frameworks for fishing, and regulate coastal blue carbon projects.

The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottleyon at the summit for a New Global Financing Deal. LUDOVIC MARIN (AP)

Similarly, Barbados, a country that has led the effort to reform the global financial framework, completed a $150 million debt conversion in 2022, with the support of TNC. This move will help the country expand its marine protected areas, up from virtually zero to around 30%, and will improve the management of all marine waters within its jurisdiction. The project is expected to free up approximately $50 million to support environmental and sustainable development actions in Barbados over the next 15 years, making both the country and the livelihoods of the people more resilient in the face of climate change.

It is also worth noting the need to include nature-based solutions in financial system reforms. During the summit, the development of national packages for forests and nature was supported through the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP); as well as via the ratification of financing for the Amazon Fund in Brazil. Additionally, a process will be promoted to study the development of biodiversity credit markets, whose evolution will have to be managed with great transparency and judgement.

That is why we are applauding the international efforts and commitments to achieve financial reform that recognizes the magnitude of the impact of global warming, as well as the importance of considerably increasing investments in nature to achieve a sustainable and fairer future. As world leaders adopt these commitments, it is hoped that they will translate into concrete action, with the understanding that the profound changes that are urgently needed cannot wait. 2030 is now, and we need to accelerate comprehensive change that advances equity and the long-term well-being of people around the world, which involves properly managing our natural resources. The reform of the financial sector is a fundamental element of this strategy.

Paula Caballero is Regional Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy for Latin America.




Vancouver, B.C., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forty Pillars Mining Corp. (CSE: PLLR) (the Company or Forty Pillars) announces an update to the Wishbone Property, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle, B.C.

The Company has returned the Wishbone Property to Origen Resources Inc. (Origen) and will not earn into the property. For 100% return of the Wishbone Property, Origen will forgive the outstanding promissory note owed by Forty Pillars in the amount of $1,860,000 plus the accrued interest to date of $161,879.45 for a total of $2,021,879.45. Origen will assume the underlying agreements and obligations related to the Wishbone property. This transaction clears up the Companys balance sheet by eliminating the debt.

About Forty Pillars

Forty Pillars Mining Corp. is a Vancouver, B.C. based mineral exploration company focused on exploring the Silver Dollar Project located in the Greenwood Mining Division, B.C.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nader VatanchiChief Executive Officer

e: [email protected] p: 778-881-4631

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.

Source: Forty Pillars Mining Corp
Beijing, China, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The grand moment of the 2nd anniversary of the operation of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway arrived on June 10, 2023. To celebrate the contribution of this railway to Nigeria's economic and social development, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), the construction company, held an online celebration event.

Julius Haruna is a communication engineer at China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), a subsidiary of CRCC, responsible for communication work along the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, ensuring the safety of every passenger. In a video during the event, he said, "Personally, I have learned a lot of technical knowledge in engineering communications; nationally, I am grateful for the opportunities that Lagos-Ibadan Railway has brought to Nigeria, and we're indeed a community with a shared future."

Since its official operation in June 2021, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway has transported over 1.1 million passengers. Ayokunmi Obisesan, a businessman featured in the event's video, is the general manager of a Nigerian agricultural export company. Due to work reasons, he travels between Lagos and Ibadan every week frequently. He expressed his gratitude through the video: "The Lagos-Ibadan Railway allows me to travel between the two cities within a day. My work efficiency has greatly improved, and I can meet new business partners during the journey!"

The construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway promotes Nigeria's economic and social development and lays a solid foundation for deepening and expanding the cooperation between China and Nigeria. Lan Yuanhong, the Chinese representative of CCECC in Nigeria, mentioned in a behind-the-scenes interview that the company has played an active role in helping local communities build public facilities, carry out educational support activities, and strive to build harmonious community relations with the local people in Nigeria.

Over the years, projects such as the Kajola Wagon Assembly Plant, Lagos Light Rail Blue Line, and Abuja Light Rail, undertaken by CRCC, have continued to promote Nigeria's socio-economic development and deepen the influence of "One Belt, One Road" in West Africa. Looking towards the future, CRCC stated that it would uphold the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration and offering more comprehensive and high-quality integrated "Investment, Construction & Operation" services to more regions, thereby supporting various countries' economic and social development.

CompanyChina Railway Construction Corporation Limited

Contact Person: Wang Ying

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://english.crcc.cn/

Telephone: 010-52689209

CityBeijing, China

Disclaimer:

This announcement is not directed at any investors or potential investors, and does not constitute an offer to sell  or a solicitation of an offer to buy  any securities, and may not be used or relied upon in evaluating the merits of any investment. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects and/or opinions expressed in this release are subject to change without notice. The contents in here should not be construed as or relied upon in any manner as investment, legal, tax, or other advice.

Source: China Railway Construction Corporation Limited
CALGARY, Alberta, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Lynx Air announced the resignation of its President and CEO, Merren McArthur, who is leaving for personal reasons.

McArthur is the founding CEO of Lynx Air, having joined the airline in June 2021, leading the airline to its first flight launch in April 2022, followed by a successful first year of operations. McArthur will continue in the role until the end of September, allowing time for the selection and appointment of a new CEO.

I want to thank Merren for her significant contributions to Lynx Air over the past two years, said Bill Franke, Chairman of Lynx Airs board of directors. Merren has overseen the strategy, launch and rapid growth of Lynx Air during one of the most challenging periods in aviation history. The airline has developed a strong brand within the Canadian market and is well positioned to continue offering ultra low fares to its passengers.

Says McArthur, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead Lynx Air from the early planning phase to launch and beyond. I truly believe in Lynx Airs vision to inspire more Canadians to fly, providing a great flying experience at an ultra-affordable price. It has been a great privilege to lead the talented team at Lynx Air, whose passion and commitment knows no bounds. Together they are transforming the Canadian aviation landscape forever.

She continues, I would like to thank the Lynx Air board of directors and my executive leadership team for their support and guidance. While I will miss my colleagues and friends at Lynx, it is time to return to my family in Australia.

Once appointed, the new CEO will lead the airline through a rapid growth phase as it expands its fleet to 46 aircraft over the next three to four years.

Media contact:Paula WorthingtonWorthington PR [email protected]403-585-2429

About Lynx Air

Lynx Air (Lynx), Canada's leading ultra-low-cost airline, is on a mission to make air travel accessible to all, with ultra-affordable fares and a customer-focused flying experience. The airline was recently awarded Youngest Fleet in North America by ch-aviation. Lynx operates a brand-new fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, bringing an elevated customer experience to low-cost travel in Canada. These ultra-efficient and reliable aircraft reduce Lynxs carbon footprint, making Lynx one of Canadas most sustainable airlines. Lynx is a privately owned Canadian airline with the financial backing and industry expertise required to transform the Canadian aviation landscape.

Visit FlyLynx.com or connect with Lynx on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to learn more.

Source: Lynx Air
TORONTO, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shawcor Ltd., dba Mattr Infratech (Mattr or the Company) (TSX: MATR) announced today that it will expand and enhance its Connection Technologies (formerly Automotive and Industrial) segment production capabilities in the US and Canada, with commitments for two new operating facilities which, in combination, will replace its existing Greater Toronto Area (GTA) manufacturing site that was sold and leased-back in June of 2022. Capital expenditures for these operating facilities are expected to represent, in the aggregate, approximately $35 million across 2023 and 2024. The 2023 portion of these organic growth investments form a part of the Companys previously communicated capital expenditure guidance of $160-$180 million for the current year. These facilities will expand the Companys capability to deliver high-quality heat and cold shrink tubing and highly specified custom wire and cable products to the North American market, more specifically:

Its Shawflex business will be relocating to a larger, more efficient facility in Vaughan, Ontario. This new site will also house Kanata Electronic Services Ltd,, which was recently acquired and is being integrated into the Shawflex business. The Shawflex business manufactures highly specified custom wire and cable products and assemblies for complex applications and extreme environments, and;

Its DSG-Canusa business will be relocating its North American manufacturing footprint from the GTA to a larger, more efficient facility in Fairfield, Ohio, moving closer to its primary vendors and the majority of its customers. This new site will also house the businesss North American distribution hub, which will relocate from Loveland, Ohio. The DSG-Canusa business manufactures high-quality heat & cold shrink tubing products and accessories for automotive, communications, electrical utility, electronic and energy markets.

These substantial organic investments are an important part of our overall strategy to elevate returns for the entire organization, said Frank Cistrone, President of Mattrs Connection Technologies segment. Our Shawflex business has grown dramatically over the last few years and a larger, more modern, Ontario facility will allow us to meet continued demand expansion, with greater efficiency, in the years to come. Strategically relocating our DSG-Canusa production footprint to Ohio positions us closer to our North American supplier and customer base, simplifying and enhancing our operations. These new sites create a pathway for both businesses to safely and efficiently expand capacity to meet the long-term demand for our high-value products across North American critical infrastructure and industrial end markets.

Equipment will be relocated from the Companys current GTA site to the new facilities in a phased manner, and both facilities are expected to be operational in 2025. They are expected to approach normalized initial levels of production during 2026. The Company believes that, in combination, these facilities with initial equipment installations, have the potential to enable over $50 million of incremental annual revenue generating capacity as they approach efficient utilization levels.

About MattrMattr is a growth-oriented, global materials technology company broadly serving critical infrastructure markets, including transportation, communication, water management, energy and electrification. The Company operates through a network of fixed and mobile manufacturing facilities. Its three business segments, Composite Technologies, Connection Technologies and Pipeline & Pipe Services enable responsible renewal and enhancement of critical infrastructure while lowering risk and environmental impact.

For further information, please contact

Meghan MacEachernDirector, External Communications & ESG Telephone: 437.341.1848Email: [email protected]Website: www.mattr.com

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Words such as "may", "will", "should", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "believe", "predict", "estimate" or similar terminology are used to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on assumptions, estimates and analysis made in the light of the Company's experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that are believed by the Company to be reasonable and relevant in the circumstances. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those predicted, expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Source: Shawcor Ltd., dba Mattr Infratech

Source: Shawcor Ltd., dba Mattr Infratech
Inca Gold is located within a World-Class Inca del Oro Mining District

Airborne Mobile MT geophysical survey underway at Vania Prospects

Drill campaign scheduled to start in July

Compelling new targets emerging at Vania East and Vania SW

Inca Gold and Sobek Project Update Webinar July 6 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mirasol Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: MRZ) (OTC: MRZLF) (the Company or Mirasol) is pleased to report that the 2022/23 exploration program continues to advance towards drilling at the Vania North and Vania South prospects on the Inca Copper-Gold Project (Inca Gold) in Chile. Pursuant to the Exploration Agreement with Venture Option between Mirasol and affiliates of Newmont Corporation (Newmont), Mirasol has the option to earn-in 100% of Inca Gold, subject to a 1.5% NSR royalty (news release January 13, 2020).

Vania South and North are compelling undercover geophysical targets hosted along a major structural corridor within this well-endowed world-class copper district. Supported by geochemical soil survey results and select high-grade rock chip samples, the Vania South and North targets are scheduled for drilling in late July, Mirasols President, Tim Heenan, commented. In addition, exciting new targets have been discovered with a strong magnetic signature at Vania East, and a compelling soil survey multi-elemental geochemical anomaly at Vania SW. A property-wide airborne mobile MT survey is currently in progress to validate and refine the existing Vania targets for drilling and potentially identify new prospects.

An Inca Gold and Sobek Project Update Webinar

Webinar with Tim Heenan, the Companys President and Patrick Evans, the Executive Chair will be held on July 6th, 2023 at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET. A brief presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Registration can be completed using this link.

Inca Gold is a large 16,300-hectare property package located at a relatively low altitude of 2,300m (ASL) in the Paleocene belt of Chile with year-round access and nearby infrastructure. The Vania North and South zones are both controlled along a major north-northeast structural corridor which hosts the Inca del Oro porphyry to the south and the expansive El Salvador mining district to the north. Vania South is located at an important intersection of two faults, the north-south trending regional Quebrada Vasquez fault, intersecting an east-west trending undercover interpreted fault passing through the center of the magnetic anomaly. The Vania North magnetic depletion response is cradled within two intersecting north-northeast and south-southwest lineaments and hosts a strong coincident gold soil survey geochemical anomaly.

Figure 1: Location of Inca Gold Project and the Vania Prospects

Airborne Mobile MT Geophysical Survey Initiated at Inca

Mirasol has contracted an Airborne Mobile MT survey projected to cover the entire Vania prospect at the Inca project, including the Vania South and North prospects as well as the recently defined Vania East and SW prospects, with tightly spaced (100m) helicopter flight lines. Mirasol will also be flying a MT survey at 200m spaced lines over the 100% controlled Rubi Project, which is located just 20 km north of Vania. The targets at Vania and Rubi are similar as they are both totally concealed by alluvial/colluvial transported gravel material.

Airborne Mobile MT has high-definition depth penetration to greater than 800m below the surface and has been proven effective in defining targets in high-sulfidation epithermal (HSE) and porphyry systems elsewhere in Chile. This MT survey will aid in refining high-priority targets for the upcoming maiden drill campaign focused on Vania North and South.

Vania South and Vania North Targets

As previously reported, the reprocessing and re-interpretation of the original Newmont ground magnetic (Mag) data resulted in the identification of the Vania South anomaly located 3 km south of Vania North (news release September 7, 2022). At the Vania South target a concealed and very strong, discrete magnetic response exists within the southeast corner of the Mag grid, showing smooth magnetic textures surrounding the main anomaly (news release December 8, 2022). Interpretation of the Mag data suggests that this very strong magnetic anomaly may represent a concealed copper porphyry target, with the magnetic source potentially characterizing the potassic-altered core of an intrusive body and the smooth magnetic border representing the envelope of hydrothermal alteration. Coincident with the magnetic responses, strong electrical Pole-Dipole IP geophysical anomalies are seen in the sections at both Vania North and South resulting in high-quality geophysical drill targets.

Figure 2: Vania Prospects Overview - Targets Generated from Reinterpreted and New Ground Mag Data

Figure 3: Vania Prospects Overview  Coincident Geochemical Anomalies Strengthen Drill Targets

New Emerging Vania East and Vania SW Targets

The reprocessing and re-interpretation of the original Mag data resulted in the definition of a new previously unknown prospective target at Vania East. In addition, reinterpretation of geochemical survey data outlined a multi-element geochemical soil anomaly at Vania SW. Mirasol has recently completed a detailed Pole-Dipole IP geophysical survey at Vania East, and a detailed ground magnetic survey at Vania SW. Both Vania SW and East are localized along a strong north-northeast structural trend.

About Mirasol Resources Ltd

Mirasol is a well-funded exploration company with 19 years of operating, permitting and community relations experience in the mineral rich regions of Chile and Argentina. Mirasol controls 100% of the high-grade Virginia Silver Deposit in Argentina and is currently self-funding exploration at two flagship projects, Sobek and Inca, both located in Chile. Mirasol also continues to advance a strong pipeline of highly prospective early and mid-stage projects.

For further information, contact:Tim Heenan, PresidentorTroy Shultz, Vice President Investor Relations

Tel: +1 (604) 602-9989Email: [email protected]Website: www.mirasolresources.com

Qualified Person Statement: Mirasols disclosure of technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Heenan (MAIG), the President for the Company, who serves as a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

Forward Looking Statements: The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry and to policies linked to pandemics, social and environmental related matters. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future exploration programs, operation plans, geological interpretations, mineral tenure issues and mineral recovery processes. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Mirasol disclaims any obligations to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Mirasol Resources Ltd
Washington, DC, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new analysis released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) finds Georgias limited Medicaid expansion program, known as Pathways, is fiscally foolish and sets up a structure that discriminates against parents. Enrollment for Pathways begins on July 1st with coverage being at a later date likely September 1. The new program caps eligibility for working adults at 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) (i.e., $30,000 for a family of four in 2023) and impose onerous work reporting requirements and premiums to access health coverage. The terms of the federal Section 1115 approval assume coverage will be extended to roughly 64,000 low-income Georgians; less than 15 percent of the population that could be eligible if the state were to adopt a full Medicaid expansion.

The report also found implementation of the program would be costly. By enacting a partial expansion through Pathways, the state will forego an additional $1.1 billion dollars in federal incentives it could receive by fully expanding the federal Medicaid program. Congress made these funds available in 2021 after Governor Kemp agreed to Pathways to Coverage terms set out by the Trump Administration in 2020. This loss of federal funds in addition to the lower Medicaid matching rate the state will receive under the terms of the waiver agreement for Pathways means the state will pay more to cover fewer people. According to the report, the cost to the state on a per capita basis in the first year of Pathways is expected to be five times higher than the first year of full Medicaid expansion.

The new report finds that Pathways includes the most restrictive work reporting requirement to date, with no exceptions for caregiving or high child care costs. Enrollees are expected to complete 80 hours of work each month and provide documentation to keep their coverage. The analysis revealed these restrictions would disproportionately impact health care access for parents as well as low-wage workers. Low-wage workers in Georgia most commonly work in sectors like retail or hospitality with fluctuating work hours that may make it more difficult for them to consistently meet the monthly work requirement.

As the failed experiment in Arkansas found, work reporting requirements dont work to promote employment, but they are very good at establishing barriers to needed coverage, said Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families and a Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy. Georgias design is notable for its anti-family provisions since there is no caregiving exception or child care support for parents of young children. As a consequence, coverage is likely to be largely off-limits to parents  especially new mothers.

Implementation of Pathways comes on the heels of Georgia resuming eligibility checks for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids, following the end of the Medicaid continuous coverage provision that was in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The process is expected to lead to many families and children losing health coverage due primarily to administrative hurdles instead of confirmed ineligibility.

For more information about the report, visit: https://bit.ly/46rtux9

Gabriela Gomez Georgetown University Center for Children and Families [email protected]

Source: Georgetown University Center for Children and Families
Payments company team member recognized by Dublin-based organization

TROY, Michigan, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Bancard, LLC, (NAB) a U.S.-based leader in fintech solutions, is proud to announce that one of our valuable team members was recently honored by Dublins Analytics Institute in its annual Analytics & AI Awards.

The Analytics & AI Awards are designed to celebrate the best and brightest in the industry, showcasing their expertise, innovation, and contribution to the ever-changing world of data analytics and AI.

North American Bancards Dr. Pawel Lee, PhD, a data scientist with the company, was given the Analytics Practitioner of the Year Award for his work on using advanced machine learning capabilities for managing and mitigating risk. The award aims to celebrate the success of Irelands top analytics practitioners and acknowledge their individual achievements in the data science industry.

NABs Enterprise Risk Management Data Science Team was also a finalist for Team of the Year, for its holistic approach in using data science throughout the payments risk lifecycle.

Machine learning is a great passion of mine and it brings me great joy to receive this honor, said Lee. I feel that it is the culmination of all the love and support I have been given by the team; I cannot possibly thank them enough. The award is also a reflection of the atmosphere of innovation and cooperation fostered by the leadership at NAB, and I really appreciate having this exceptional opportunity to grow and make the most of my skills.

All category submissions for the Analytics & AI Awards are reviewed by a judging panel that is comprised of experts in the field of analytics and artificial intelligence, who evaluate each entry based on set criteria specific to each category. These criteria take into account factors such as originality, impact, and technical excellence.

The judging panel uses its extensive knowledge and experience to make informed and impartial decisions, ensuring that the winners are truly deserving of recognition for their outstanding contributions to the field.

###

About North American Bancard

North American Bancard is re-imagining the payment experience. As a leading payment technology innovator, NAB has a diversified product platform that provides a modern end-to-end infrastructure to enable globally-preferred payment types. NABs superior solutions deliver seamless payments experiences in mobile, ecommerce, and in-store environments. Serving hundreds of thousands of businesses and with over $100 billion per year in electronic transaction volume, NAB delivers functional, feature-rich and frictionless solutions for the evolving merchant economy. For more information, please visit www.northamericanbancard.com.

Attachment
Singapore, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OliveX, a pioneering next-generation encrypted asset trading platform, is making waves in the cryptocurrency exchange sector with its groundbreaking release of Fusion-Ex (FEX). This cutting-edge platform is set to transform the industry, offering innovative solutions and addressing the pain points faced by current exchanges.

As cryptocurrencies continue to gain traction, bridging the gaps of trust and efficiency in traditional finance, OliveX emerges as a key player in this rapidly evolving landscape. Backed by SUPERGOIN FOUNDATION PTE. LTD., a Singapore-based investment fund company under the esteemed Coinbase ecosystem, OliveX leverages its extensive ecosystem and Silicon Valley development resources to deliver a comprehensive encrypted financial trading experience through Fusion-Ex (FEX).

Fusion-Ex (FEX) revolutionizes the cryptocurrency trading experience by offering a wide range of features and services. From trading and development to DeFi, contracts, NFTs, GameFi, metaverse, and more, FEX provides users with a secure and seamless trading environment. OliveX has adopted a hybrid architecture, combining decentralized networks for trading control with a centralized layer for order matching, enhanced liquidity, and user-friendly functionality. This unique approach ensures transparency, security, and a superior trading experience that addresses the challenges faced by traditional exchanges.

"Our vision at OliveX is to drive the development of multidimensional encrypted business systems, revolutionizing the way users interact with cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology," said Jack Jones, spokesperson for OliveX. "With Fusion-Ex (FEX), we are empowering billions of users to seamlessly enter the world of cryptocurrencies and accelerating the trend of bringing the $80 trillion traditional financial market onto the blockchain."

Since its inception in 2021, OliveX has attracted significant attention from the industry and secured nearly $50 million in funding from prominent institutions, investors, and venture capital firms. This substantial investment will be utilized to further develop the OliveX ecosystem, expand the technical team, and establish a strong brand presence, laying a solid foundation for long-term growth.

With its innovative exchange model and forward-thinking solutions, OliveX is poised to become a driving force in the wave of crypto finance. By connecting its ecosystem with various Web2 business systems, OliveX aims to facilitate encrypted payments, tokenization of real-world assets, and meet the financial needs of all users.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

OliveX Exchange Jack Jones http://olivex.pro/ Email: [email protected] Twitter: @OliveX_Exchange

About OliveX: OliveX is a next-generation encrypted asset trading platform incubated by SUPERGOIN FOUNDATION PTE. LTD., a Singapore-based investment fund company under the Coinbase ecosystem. OliveX aims to address the pain points of current exchanges through its Fusion-Ex (FEX) solution, providing a comprehensive encrypted financial trading experience. With its ecosystem and resources rooted in Silicon Valley, OliveX strives to become the leading Web 3.0 on-chain trading platform and drive the development of multidimensional encrypted business systems.

OliveX, a pioneering next-generation encrypted asset trading platform, is making waves in the cryptocurrency exchange sector with its groundbreaking release of Fusion-Ex (FEX). This cutting-edge platform is set to transform the industry, offering innovative solutions and addressing the pain points faced by current exchanges.

As cryptocurrencies continue to gain traction, bridging the gaps of trust and efficiency in traditional finance, OliveX emerges as a key player in this rapidly evolving landscape. Backed by SUPERGOIN FOUNDATION PTE. LTD., a Singapore-based investment fund company under the esteemed Coinbase ecosystem, OliveX leverages its extensive ecosystem and Silicon Valley development resources to deliver a comprehensive encrypted financial trading experience through Fusion-Ex (FEX).

Fusion-Ex (FEX) revolutionizes the cryptocurrency trading experience by offering a wide range of features and services. From trading and development to DeFi, contracts, NFTs, GameFi, metaverse, and more, FEX provides users with a secure and seamless trading environment. OliveX has adopted a hybrid architecture, combining decentralized networks for trading control with a centralized layer for order matching, enhanced liquidity, and user-friendly functionality. This unique approach ensures transparency, security, and a superior trading experience that addresses the challenges faced by traditional exchanges.

"Our vision at OliveX is to drive the development of multidimensional encrypted business systems, revolutionizing the way users interact with cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology," said Jack Jones, spokesperson for OliveX. "With Fusion-Ex (FEX), we are empowering billions of users to seamlessly enter the world of cryptocurrencies and accelerating the trend of bringing the $80 trillion traditional financial market onto the blockchain."

Since its inception in 2021, OliveX has attracted significant attention from the industry and secured nearly $50 million in funding from prominent institutions, investors, and venture capital firms. This substantial investment will be utilized to further develop the OliveX ecosystem, expand the technical team, and establish a strong brand presence, laying a solid foundation for long-term growth.

With its innovative exchange model and forward-thinking solutions, OliveX is poised to become a driving force in the wave of crypto finance. By connecting its ecosystem with various Web2 business systems, OliveX aims to facilitate encrypted payments, tokenization of real-world assets, and meet the financial needs of all users.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

OliveX Exchange Jack Jones http://olivex.pro/ Email: [email protected] Twitter: @OliveX_Exchange

About OliveX: OliveX is a next-generation encrypted asset trading platform incubated by SUPERGOIN FOUNDATION PTE. LTD., a Singapore-based investment fund company under the Coinbase ecosystem. OliveX aims to address the pain points of current exchanges through its Fusion-Ex (FEX) solution, providing a comprehensive encrypted financial trading experience. With its ecosystem and resources rooted in Silicon Valley, OliveX strives to become the leading Web 3.0 on-chain trading platform and drive the development of multidimensional encrypted business systems.

Jack Jones info-at-olivex.pro

Source: OliveX
SEATTLE, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pervasip Corp. (OTCPK: PVSP) (Pervasip or the Company), a developer of companies and technologies in high value emerging markets, such as Artizen Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary, today announced that it is setting up Artizen Nano in Los Angeles, CA for expansion into the California cannabis market and to that extent has signed a Letter of Intent with MTN Group to enter into Definitive Agreements by end of July 2023.

Continuing its previously announced targeted expansion plans, Artizen Nano will manufacture and distribute its Slurped nano beverages in the Los Angeles market as the second step of Artizens Westcoast expansion. This is done in partnership with MTN Group, with whom the Company has also signed a Letter of Intent to distribute the Slurped product line to its network of retailers. The Slurped brand is developing various additional collaborations with other brands.

In April we announced our entry into the Oregon recreational cannabis market and now we are completing our Westcoast expansion with our entry into California. said German Burtscher, President and CEO of Pervasip Corp. Our partnership with MTN Group will provide us with manufacturing capabilities in Los Angeles and access to retailers through its well-established distribution channels. We are excited to take Slurped to market and begin to collaborate with other brands. The nano drink market is one of the fastest growing segments in our industry and Slurped is a unique product that has matured over the past year and is ready for growth and entrance into the worlds most exciting cannabis market.

Additionally, after careful evaluation and consideration of the evolving market dynamics and strategic priorities prior to the completion of its spin out of Artizen Corporation to Pervasip shareholders, the Company is announcing the termination of a previously proposed acquisition and a separate partnership. The terminated acquisition of BCCTG LLC and its brands and the termination of the partnership with KRTL Biotech for creation of its Korean Center of Excellence and Artizen Wellness line are part of the Companys re-alignment efforts. Artizens focus will center on high THC premium cannabis products, with a targeted regional focus on the US Westcoast and Northeast markets. In reaching these decisions, Pervasips management team conducted a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including market conditions, financial projections, integration challenges, and overall strategic alignment. While the initial intent behind these transactions was to enhance the Company's competitive position, it has become evident that alternative strategies and opportunities can better address the evolving needs of the Company and its consumers. "We continuously evaluate our growth strategies to ensure they are aligned with our long-term vision and provide optimal value for our shareholders, said Burtscher. After careful consideration, we have concluded that terminating the previously proposed acquisition and partnership is the most prudent course of action. This decision allows us to focus our resources and efforts on initiatives that better align with our current strategic priorities. Pervasip remains committed to driving innovation, delivering exceptional products and services, and maximizing shareholder value. The Company will continue to explore new opportunities, partnerships, and strategic alliances like the one we are announcing today, that can propel its growth and reinforce its position as a leader in the recreational cannabis market. 

Pervasip Corporation

Pervasip Corp., a developer of companies and technologies in high value emerging markets, owns Artizen Corporation and its subsidiary, Zen Asset Management LLC, a diversified asset management company founded to acquire, develop, and support companies and technologies in the cannabis industry. ZAMs existing clients operate four licensed cannabis cultivation and one processing facility in Washington. Most of the biomass produced by these independent cultivators has been sold historically under the Artizen brand, including all-time top selling products in flower in Washington state. Additional information on Artizen-branded products is available online at www.artizencannabis.com. Additional information on Pervasip can be found at www.pervasip.net

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding future plans, objectives, or economic performance, or the assumption underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as may, would, could, will, likely, except, anticipate, believe, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate, outlook, or the negative thereof or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the objectives and business plans of the Company; ability to realize benefits from its recent corporate appointments; ability to retain its key personnel; the intention to grow the Companys business and operations; the competitive conditions of the industries in which the Company operates; and laws and any amendments thereto applicable to the Company. Forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. The material factors and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, key personnel and qualified employees continuing their involvement with the Company; and the Companys ability to secure financing on reasonable terms. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks relating to the future business plans of the Company; risks that the Company will not be able to retain its key personnel; risks that the Company will not be able to secure financing on reasonable terms or at all, as well as all of the other risks as described in the Companys periodic disclosure statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Companys management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information or events after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law, including securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations: PACIFIC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

Investor Contact(s): Drew S. Phillips & Colin Gibson

Contact phone: 858.308.5835 [email protected]
A study of 10 million military personnel revealed last year that the ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus, which infects 94% of people and causes mononucleosis (also known as the kissing disease) is also the leading cause of multiple sclerosis (MS), a rare disorder that, in the most severe cases, causes trouble speaking and walking. In 36 out of every 100,000 people, the virus triggers a process in which the human bodys own immune system destroys the protective covering of the nerve fibers, as if the cables of the brain and spinal cord were being peeled. Some patients require a wheelchair, but others are able to reach the summit of Everest, like the American teacher Lori Schneider. Now, a new study with 22,000 patients has identified the first genetic variant associated with a more aggressive evolution of the disease. The researchers believe that this discovery opens a new path toward treatments that prevent disability.

The authors, from two international consortia with a total of about 150 scientists, examined seven million genetic variants until they identified a key region between two genes: DYSF, which is involved in the repair of damaged cells in muscles, and ZNF638, which is involved in the control of virus infections. Neurologist Sara Llufriu, from the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, explains that if a person inherits this variant from both their mother and their father, they will need to use a cane more than three and a half years earlier. The Hospital Clinic contributed the data of some 300 patients to the macro-study, which was published this Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The scientific community had already found some 200 genetic variants associated with the risk of multiple sclerosis, but this is the first to be linked to the rapid progression of the disease, according to neurologist Manuel Comabella from the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia. The disease is very heterogeneous. Many patients first need a crutch to walk, then two crutches, and finally become wheelchair dependent. But there are also more benign forms. There are patients who are even very physically active and run miles and miles. This must be due to possibly genetic factors, explains Comabella. His center, part of the Vall dHebron Hospital in Barcelona, provided information on 173 patients.

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but in recent decades there has been a therapeutic revolution that has made it possible to reduce and even prevent outbreaks of the disease, according to the authors of the new study. The disorder is characterized by an inflammatory process, which is key at the beginning, and a neurodegenerative component that is responsible for the progression of the disease. Current treatments only act on the inflammation, so they do not stop the progression of multiple sclerosis in the long term. Comabella explains that the discovery of the genetic variant points to a new Achilles heel. The finding shines a light on a possible mechanism involved in the progression of the disease, which in the future could be susceptible to being blocked with drugs, says the neurologist.

Researchers Sara Llufriu, Albert Saiz and Yolanda Blanco, co-authors of the study, at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona. Hospital Clinic / IDIBAPS

The data from the 22,000 patients also suggest that a persons level of education plays a protective role against multiple sclerosis, while smoking aggravates the disease. British neurologist Stephen Sawcer, from the University of Cambridge, one of the lead authors of the study, admits that these effects are difficult to quantify: We have seen that, on average, each extra year of study reduces severity by about 0.05 points, on a scale of 0 to 10, which is equivalent to 0.5%, he says. The level of education also plays a protective role in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers.

The investigation includes patient data from Europe, Australia, the United States and Canada. Neurologist Luis Querol, from the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona, emphasizes the limitations of the study, in which he did not participate. There are many factors involved in the rapid progression to disability: the age of patients, habits, treatments used, even geographical variants, Querol explained to the Science Media Center website. Some of these factors do not seem to have been taken into account, so new cohorts would be needed to control for these differences to see if the results are replicated.

The team led by Italian epidemiologist Alberto Ascherio from Harvard University discovered last year that the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes the kissing disease, is also the main cause of MS. Multiple sclerosis probably doesnt develop if a person is not infected with the virus, he explained in an interview with EL PAIS. For Ascherio, the disease is a rare complication of an Epstein-Barr virus infection. The new study will serve to shed some light on what happens once this complex autoimmune-inflammatory process begins.

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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProStar Holdings Inc. (ProStaror the Company) (TSXV: MAPS) (OTCQX: MAPPF) (FSE: 5D00), a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions, is pleased to announce that Wayne Moore, former Managing Director and General Partner at Goldman Sachs has joined the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). In connection with this appointment, and to keep the size of the Board at six (6) directors, being the maximum number of directors permitted under corporate law, Mr. Jonathan Richards will resign from the Board. Mr. Richards will remain as Chief Financial Officer and will be nominated for election as a director at the Companys next annual general meeting.

Herb McKim, Chairman of the Board of ProStar, stated, We are very excited to announce the appointment of Wayne Moore to our board. As a former managing director and general partner of Goldman Sachs M&A division, Wayne is a seasoned executive in all aspects of executive management, operations, and capital markets. We are putting together a well-rounded board to help us navigate to the next level, and we look forward to Wayne's contributions and guidance.

Wayne is a former General Partner and Managing Director of M&A at Goldman Sachs. Wayne started Goldman's dedicated technology M&A practice in Silicon Valley. Today, Wayne is a private equity investor and a consultant at Madison Capital Partners, LLC. He is a principal investor and member of the Board of Directors at EPAY Systems, Inc., a founding partner and board member at PetWell Partners and Sepire, LLC., and serves on the board of Rush Medical Center. Wayne previously served on the Board of Directors at Suncoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP), the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and was a member of Goldman Sachs M&A Worldwide Leadership Council. Wayne holds an MBA from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama.

While at Goldman, I worked with some of the most notable technology companies in the world, and I have also been very active as a founding investor and advisor to early-stage companies, stated Wayne Moore. What ProStar has developed is a disruptive technology with market potential everywhere in the world. I am excited to work alongside the executive management team to help ProStar succeed and to become a globally recognized brand name.

The Company granted 500,000 stock options to Mr. Wayne Moore, exercisable at CAD$0.30, and are exercisable for a five-year term, expiring June 29, 2028.

About ProStar:

ProStar is a world leader in Precision Mapping Solutions and is creating a digital world by further integrating the most modern GPS, cloud, and mobile technologies in Precision Mapping Solutions. ProStar is a software development and solution provider company specializing in developing cloud and mobile precision mapping solutions focused on the critical infrastructure industry. ProStars flagship product, PointMan, is designed to significantly improve the workflow processes and business practices associated with the lifecycle management of critical infrastructure assets both above and below the Earths surface.

ProStars PointMan is offered as a Software as a Service (SaaS) and seamlessly connects the field with the office and provides the ability to precisely capture, record, display, and manage critical infrastructure, including pipelines and utilities. Some of the largest entities in North America have adopted ProStars Precision Mapping solutions, including Fortune 500 construction firms, Subsurface Utilities Engineering (SUE) firms, utility owners, and government agencies. ProStar has strategic business partnerships with the worlds leading geospatial technology providers, data collection equipment manufacturers, and dealer networks.

The Company has made a significant investment in creating a vast intellectual property portfolio that includes several issued patents in the United States and Canada. The patents protect the methods and systems to digitally capture, record, organize, manage, distribute, and display the precise location of critical infrastructure, including buried utilities and pipelines. ProStars Executive management team has extensive experience in the management of both early-stage and Fortune 500 technology companies in the private and public sectors.

For more information about ProStar, please visit www.prostarcorp.com.

On behalf of the Company,Page Tucker on sales / corporate news releases, CEO and DirectorContact:Joel SutherlandInvestor Relations970-822-4792[email protected]

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the terms and conditions of the Companys future plans. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; the state of the technology sector; recent market volatility; the COVID-19 pandemic; the Companys ability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; and other risks and factors that the Company is unaware of at this time. The reader is referred to the Companys recent Annual Managements Discussion & Analysis filed on SEDAR on April 21, 2023, for a more complete discussion of applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Companys issuer page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Source: ProStar
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silver Bull Resources, Inc. (TSX: SVB, OTCQB: SVBL) (Silver Bull or the Company) announces that it has commenced international arbitration proceedings against the United Mexican States (Mexico) under the Agreement between the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada (the USMCA) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (the NAFTA). The Arbitration arises from Mexicos unlawful expropriation and other unlawful treatment of Silver Bull and its investments resulting from the illegal blockade of Silver Bulls Sierra Mojada project.

The arbitration has been initiated under the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States process, which falls under the auspices of the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), to which Mexico is a signatory.

Silver Bull officially notified Mexico on March 2, 2023 of its intention to initiate an arbitration owing to Mexicos breaches of NAFTA by unlawfully expropriating Silver Bulls investments without compensation, failing to provide Silver Bull and its investments with fair and equitable treatment or full protection and security, and not upholding NAFTAs national treatment standard. Silver Bull held a meeting with Mexican government officials in Mexico City on May 30, 2023, in an attempt to explore amicable settlement options and avoid arbitration. However, the 90-day period for amicable settlement under NAFTA expired on June 2, 2023, without a resolution.

Despite repeated demands and requests for action by the Company, Mexicos governmental agencies have allowed the unlawful blockade to continue, thereby failing to protect Silver Bulls investments. Consequently, Silver Bull will seek to recover an amount of approximately US$178 million in damages that it has suffered due to Mexicos breach of its obligations under NAFTA, which includes sunk costs of approximately US$82.5 million, usually considered minimum damages in such cases.

The Company has engaged Boies Schiller Flexner (UK) LLP (BSF), an international law firm with extensive experience in international investment arbitration concerning mining and other natural resources, to act on its behalf. The BSF Team will be led by Timothy L. Foden, a noted practitioner in the mining arbitration space.

On behalf of the Board of DirectorsTim Barry

Tim Barry, CPAusIMMChief Executive Officer and Director

INVESTOR RELATIONS:1 604 687 5800 [email protected]

Cautionary note regarding forward looking statements: This release may contain certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "intend" or other similar words). Any forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide Silver Bull security holders and potential investors with information regarding Silver Bull, including management's assessment of Silver Bulls future plans and financial outlook. Any forward-looking statements reflect Silver Bull's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made and as such are not guarantees of future performance. As actual results could vary significantly from the forward-looking information, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking information and should not use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. We do not update our forward-looking information due to new information or future events, unless we are required to by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to the companys filings under Silver Bulls profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Source: Silver Bull Resources, Inc.
Bridging Traditional and Digital Finance, Sologenics institutional solutions set to redefine financial markets with Fireblocks battle-tested MPC-CMP technology

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sologenic , a global forerunner in blockchain tokenization technology, today announces the launch of two groundbreaking solutions: SOLONEX , a preeminent asset tokenization brokerage solution, and a specialized custom-built CBDC Tokenization Solution. Geared at facilitating seamless financial transactions and advanced asset management, these pioneering solutions will bridge the gap between traditional and digital finance, providing a seamless tokenization entry point for institutions, banks and government agencies.



"The launch of SOLONEX and our CBDC Tokenization Solution represent Sologenics most pivotal innovations to-date. By leveraging the XRP Ledger's efficiency and scalability, we're empowering global financial institutions to partake in the tokenization revolution," commented Reza Bashash , CTO of Sologenic.

The state-of-the-art SOLONEX solution enables financial institutions, including banks, brokerage houses, investment firms and exchanges globally, to tokenize a vast array of asset classes, including stocks, ETFs, commodities, and real estate. Built upon the unmatched capabilities of the XRP Ledger , SOLONEX offers 24/7 trading, on-demand asset tokenization, automatic dividends payout, and fractional trading, making it easier for global financial institutions to join the world of decentralized finance.

Simultaneously, Sologenic has unleashed its innovative custom-built CBDC Tokenization Solution. Tailored to cater to the diverse requirements of financial institutions, government agencies, and private banks, this solution streamlines the creation and management of unique digital currencies.

In conjunction with these advancements, Sologenic has also announced a strategic alliance with Fireblocks , an easy-to-use platform to create new blockchain-based products and manage day-to-day digital asset operations. This integration is anticipated to enhance the institutional custody of blockchain-based assets and significantly bolster the global adoption of Sologenic's tokenization technology.

"The introduction of SOLONEX signals a groundbreaking shift in the interplay between blockchain and finance," shares Bob Ras , Sologenic's Co-Founder. "Our integration with Fireblocks strengthens Sologenics dedication to ensuring secure, forward-thinking transformations in this arena.

Fireblocks scalable and highly-secure technology was created to support innovative companies like Sologenic, said Stephen Richardson, Managing Director of Financial Markets at Fireblocks. Our institutional-grade key management technology ensures peace of mind as customers manage their day-to-day digital asset operations as they create the financial products of tomorrow.

In line with these developments, Sologenic has unveiled a newly formed business division: Securities Market Strategic Partnerships. This unit will focus specifically on providing these transformative solutions to financial institutions, government agencies, and private banks.

For more information about SOLONEX, the custom-built CBDC Tokenization Solution and consultation, please visit www.sologenic.com or contact [email protected]

About Sologenic

Based in Dubai, UAE, Sologenic leads in the field of tokenization solutions. With the dual launch of SOLONEX and the Custom-Built CBDC Tokenization Solution, Sologenic is pioneering the digital revolution in the financial sector, democratizing asset tokenization and CBDC consultation for institutions worldwide.

About Fireblocks

Fireblocks is an enterprise-grade platform delivering a secure infrastructure for moving, storing, and issuing digital assets. Fireblocks enables exchanges, lending desks, custodians, banks, trading desks, and hedge funds to securely scale digital asset operations through the Fireblocks Network and MPC-based Wallet Infrastructure. Fireblocks serves 1,800+ financial institutions, has secured the transfer of over $4 trillion in digital assets and has a unique insurance policy that covers assets in storage and transit. Some of the biggest trading desks have switched to Fireblocks because its the only solution that CISOs and Ops Teams both love. For more information, please visit http://www.fireblocks.com.
NEW YORK, USA, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STrade GPT, a leading AI trading company, and Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd, a prominent gold trading company, have joined forces in a momentous business partnership. This collaboration signifies a game-changing union that has the potential to redefine the industry landscape. By synergizing their resources and expertise, the two companies aim to capitalize on emerging market trends, revolutionizing the gold trading sector.

Unleashing Advanced Technology and Analytical Capabilities:

STrade GPT, renowned for its cutting-edge technology and sophisticated analytical tools, is set to play a pivotal role in empowering Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd with invaluable insights and predictive capabilities. Leveraging state-of-the-art algorithms and machine learning, STrade GPT will provide data-driven decision-making support, enabling Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd to navigate the complexities of the precious metals market with precision and confidence.

Leveraging Experience and Extensive Network:

In conjunction with STrade GPT's technological prowess, Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd brings to the table a wealth of experience and an extensive network within the industry. Drawing on their deep understanding of gold trading and their wide-reaching connections, they will serve as invaluable guides, aiding STrade GPT in maneuvering the intricate nuances of the gold market. This collaboration serves as a testament to the power of complementary expertise, as the two companies pool their strengths to unlock unprecedented trading opportunities and maximize profitability.

A Paradigm Shift in the Trading Landscape:

The partnership between STrade GPT and Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd signifies a remarkable milestone in the trading realm, showcasing the increasing role of technology in modern businesses. It exemplifies the potential of cross-sector collaboration, where diverse industries unite to leverage each other's strengths and expertise. Not only does this partnership establish a new standard for innovative trading practices, but it also has the power to redefine the entire gold trading industry.

Pioneering Innovation and Amplifying Profitability:

With their combined technological acumen and market knowledge, this partnership is poised to make an indelible impact on the industry. By ushering in an era of transformative trading practices, it sets the stage for enhanced profitability and heightened market efficiency. The integration of STrade GPT's advanced AI technology with Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd's seasoned experience holds the promise of unlocking untapped potential and uncovering unparalleled trading opportunities.

Conclusion:

The strategic alliance between STrade GPT and Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd represents a remarkable fusion of technology and traditional industries. Together, they are set to redefine the future of gold trading by harnessing cutting-edge technology and leveraging years of industry expertise. As this partnership continues to evolve, the industry eagerly anticipates the transformative impact it will have, paving the way for an exciting and prosperous future in the world of precious metals trading.

Media contact

Contact: Jessy Li

Company Name: STrade GPT

Website: www.stradegpt.com

Email: [email protected]

Media contact

Contact: Wang Lei

Company Name: Shanghai YuanMiao Trading Co., Ltd

Website: shyuanmiao.com

Email: [email protected]

Jessy Li STrade GPT marketing at stradegpt.com

Source: S Trade GPT
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will depart on its second annual capacity-building mission to Israel on July 7-15, 2023. TMCF President & CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams will lead the delegation, including presidents and chancellors from five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The trip aims to forge relationships with Israeli institutions of higher learning, advance TMCF member-school strategic plan goals of expanding student study abroad and research programs, and faculty research and exchange opportunities.

Representing 53 publicly supported HBCUs, predominantly Black colleges (PBIs), and historically Black community colleges, TMCF supports its member schools through various programs, including capacity-building initiatives and research opportunities.

Israel is a global center for advanced research and development, and several TMCF partners have Israel-based research facilities, Williams said. HBCU students are curious and innovative, and they should have the opportunity to learn from leading Israeli researchers and experience the Start-Up Nations innovation ecosystem. HBCUs have unique research focus areas that provide new opportunities for Israel-based research projects. The connections between the HBCU network and Israeli institutions can benefit both.

Joining Williams on this trip from TMCF will be Chief Innovation Officer George Spencer, along with the following presidents and chancellors:

President Tony Allen -- Delaware State University (Dover, DE)

Chancellor Harold Martin, Sr.-- North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (Greensboro, N.C.)

President David K. Wilson -- Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD)

President Alexander Conyers -- South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, SC)

President Quinton T. Ross, Jr. -- Alabama State University (Montgomery, AL)

The group is scheduled to visit and meet with leaders of Tel Aviv University, Technion  Israel Institute of Technology (Israels MIT), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Hai Academic College, MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, Volcani Research Center, and Shenkar Academic College. TMCF anticipates several participating HBCUs will sign memoranda of opportunity to begin the partnership process. Additional planned meetings will include the Ethiopian National Project, the Batae Cultural Center, the Golda Meir International Center, Hadassah Hospital, and other cultural institutions and historic sites.

TMCFs Inaugural mission to Israel took place in July 2022 and continues to bear fruit. Israeli companies and institutions have contacted TMCF to facilitate new partnerships with HBCUs based on joint research capacities.
Chicago, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) recently awarded its fixed-route transit operations contract to First Transit, now owned by Transdev. The new contract will start on July 1, 2023.

As a result of the acquisition, Transdev will be responsible for the operations, maintenance and dispatch of RTCs fixed route transit services, as well as system safety and community engagement. The RTCs transit system provides more than 40 million passenger trips per year using more than 400 vehicles and nearly 1,500 employees.

We are excited to work with RTC of Southern Nevada to provide safe, reliable, professional passenger service to the community, said Susan Sweat, Transdevs Chief Operating Officer responsible for all Transit operations. We look forward to sharing our expertise and best practices to support the transition of their fleet to battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. We believe we will make a positive impact on passenger experience for our riders, based on our commitment to safety, service and sustainability, added Sweat.

About Transdev: First Transit was acquired by Transdev on March 6, 2023. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, Transdev  The mobility company  empowers freedom to move everyday thanks to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. We are proud to deliver safe, efficient, easy to use and environmentally friendly transportation services that connect people and communities. Our approach is rooted in long-term partnerships with businesses and public authorities, and in the relentless pursuit of the safest and most innovative mobility solutions. We are a team of people serving people, and mobility is what we do. In the U.S., we operate multiple modes such as bus, rail, paratransit, non-emergency medical transport, autonomous vehicles, shuttles, and vehicle maintenance services in 46 States, plus DC and Puerto Rico. Globally, we have a team of 101,000 across 19 countries. Our U.S. headquarters is based near Chicago, Illinois. www.transdevNA.com

Attachment

Joelle Rockwood Transdev U.S. 630-430-9042 [email protected]

Source: Transdev North America
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTCQB: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today provided an update on the fully-funded first phase of the 2023 core drilling program at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil.

2023 Drill Program Underway with Two Core Rigs Drilling at Galante Target:

Fully-funded and permitted 5,000-metre (m) core drilling program started in early June;

Two drill rigs are testing four PGE targets (Galante, Troia, Nambi and Ipueiras ), which were advanced through 2022 exploration but not included in the 2022 NI 43-101 Resource Estimate;

which were advanced through 2022 exploration but not included in the 2022 NI 43-101 Resource Estimate; Total of 9 diamond drill holes (DDHs) now completed at the northern portion of Galante target, with PGE hosting ultramafic rocks (UM) intersected in 8 holes drilled this year;

Selected intervals from 8 holes sent to SGS Geosol Laboratorios Ltda. (SGS Geosol) in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, Brazil with assay results expected in approximately 4 weeks.

The 2023 core drilling program is off to a great start. We have now met our initial goal of increasing the Galante target strike length, with target geology intersected in 8 of 9 holes this year, and establishing a contiguous ultramafic package of over 515 metres in length which is open along strike in both directions, stated ValOres VP of Exploration, Colin Smith. Drilling production will now double with the commencement of a second core rig, as we continue to test 7 kilometres of predominantly undrilled mineralized trend at Pedra Branca.

Galante Drill Program PGE Targets

Drilling commenced in early June at the Galante target area, the longest and most prospective undrilled trend at Pedra Branca, as evidenced by the 3-kilometre-long cumulative palladium-platinum soil anomaly, multiple high-grade Trado auger holes and assays from selected rock sampling at surface, in addition to 7 mineralized trenches excavated throughout the trend (Figure 1).

This spring, nine diamond drill holes have been completed at the northern portion of Galante target. Selected intervals from 8 holes were sent to SGS Geosol in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Both rigs have now commenced drilling a portion of the Galante target located immediately south of the BR-226 highway to follow-up ValOre 2022 trenches TR22GE06: 19 m grading 0.31 g/t 2PGE+Au (DD23GE10) and TR22GE07: 90 m grading 0.55 g/t 2PGE+Au incl. 17 m grading 1.17 g/t 2PGE+Au (DD23GE11).

Ipueiras, Troia and Nambi also represent drill-ready pipeline targets developed in 2022 to be tested this year (Figure 1). CLICK HERE for a video summary of the exploration and discovery pipeline targets at Pedra Branca. CLICK HERE for a table which summarizes 2022 exploration results for Galante, Troia, Nambi and Ipueiras.

Figure 1: Pedra Branca project property map, highlighting location of the 2023 drill targets and current resource zones.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)

As part of ValOres QA/QC protocol, a total of eight quality control samples are inserted in each batch of 72 samples. These include the insertion of blanks, standards, and duplicates according to a logical sequence that follows strict industry standards. The eight quality control samples comprise: (i) two coarse blanks sampled from barren quartz vein outcrops in the area (3% of the batch); (ii) three certified reference materials (CRMs, 4% of the batch) with pre-determined PGE and Au grades produced by CDN Resource Laboratories; and (iii) four duplicate samples (6% of the batch), including one coarse reject duplicate and one pulp duplicate (both prepared at SGS laboratory following ValOres instructions) and one  core duplicate, prepared at ValOres core logging facility in Capitao Mor. Assay results are systematically checked upon receipt and a specific batch is accepted if results are in accordance with a QA/QC failure chart. All samples are sent with an ensured chain of custody to SGS Geosol Laboratorios Ltda., an accredited mineral analysis laboratory) in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, Brazil for analysis.

Grading intervals are reported from continuous drill intersections of favorable ultramafic intrusion that return anomalous 2PGE+Au values throughout, with sample widths averaging 1.0 metres in length throughout the mineralized zone.

Analytical Procedures, SGS Geosol

Once a core sample consignment is received and verified by SGS Geosol, all core samples undergo density calculation by water immersion method on the raw samples wrapped in PVC film. The samples are subsequently prepared for analyses by means of drying, crushing (with 75% passing 3 mm), homogenization, quartering and pulverizing 250  300 g of sample in a 95% steel mill at 150 mesh. Multielement analyses is then performed by Sodium Peroxide Fusion followed by a multielement combined ICP-OES and ICP-MS scan for base metals, trace, and lithological elements. Chromium values that exceeded 5% are redirected to ore-grade pyrosulfate fusion and XRF techniques to determine %Cr2O3. Samples are then analyzed for 2PGE+Gold (Pd, Pt, Au) content using standard Fire Assay techniques.

Certified PGE ore reference standards, blanks and field duplicates are inserted as a part of the laboratory QA/QC protocol.

SGS Geosol is an accredited mineral analysis laboratory founded in Brazil from a joint venture between SGS do Brasil and Geosol Geologia e Sondagens. It concentrates its activities on geochemical analysis of soils, rocks, ores, concentrates and metallurgical tests, as well as environmental analyzes of water, effluents, and industrial waste.

SGS Geosol is internationally recognized by its extensive experience throughout industry, with technical teams formed by highly qualified professionals. SGS Geosols Integrated Management System ensures an excellent level of quality, safety, occupational health, respect for the environment and social responsibility.

The lab is Certified ISO 9001, which provides quality services in analytical chemistry, in compliance with all applicable environmental requirements, and so it is also certified ISO 14001. SGS Geosol has advanced laboratories and the latest technological equipment, which enables its supply of analytical services with security and excellent quality control.

Qualified Person (QP)

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Colin Smith, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration.

About ValOre Metals Corp.

ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a team aiming to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration and innovation.

ValOres Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements Project comprises 52 exploration licenses covering a total area of 56,852 hectares (140,484 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). ValOres team believes the Pedra Branca project has significant exploration discovery and resource expansion potential.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Jim Paterson

James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO

ValOre Metals Corp.

For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations at [email protected].

ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.ca/

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30cb91db-419e-49da-a605-a4c6e56ced43

Figure 1: Pedra Branca project property map, highlighting location of the 2023 drill targets and current resource zones. Figure 1: Pedra Branca project property map, highlighting location of the 2023 drill targets and current resource zones.

Source: ValOre Metals Corporation
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) will focus on finding CEO James Gorman's successor at its board meetings in the summer, Reuters said Thursday.

The publication said sources told them the bank's directors will consider three internal candidates at its meeting in London in July and later gatherings in New York in September and October, with its outgoing boss looking to clear the deck by resolving major regulatory matters.

The three candidates are said to be current Morgan Stanley co-presidents Ted Pick and Andy Saperstein and head of investment management Dan Simkowitz. However, the two front runners are Pick and Saperstein, according to Reuters, with Pick said to currently have the edge, although no final decision has been made.

When a new CEO takes over the bank, Gorman will become executive chairman for a period, with a hands-on approach, should any turmoil resurge in the sector.

By Sam Boughedda
FILE PHOTO: Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman attends the Reuters NEXT Newsmaker event in New York City, New York, U.S., December 1, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

By Lananh Nguyen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley's board will focus on the selection of CEO James Gorman's successor at its summer and fall meetings, a person familiar with the situation said, while the outgoing boss looks to clear the decks by resolving major regulatory matters.

Gorman, who has run the Wall Street giant since 2010, announced last month that he would step down within a year, setting off speculation about which executive would be chosen to succeed him in one of the most powerful roles in finance.

The bank's directors will deliberate over three internal candidates at a meeting in London in July and later gatherings in New York in September and October, the person said, on the condition of anonymity because the process is confidential.

Morgan Stanley co-presidents Ted Pick and Andy Saperstein are widely viewed as the front-runners for the top job, with Pick seen as having a slight edge, the person said.

Dan Simkowitz, the firm's head of investment management, is also a contender, the person added, but no final decision has been made.

A Morgan Stanley spokesperson declined to comment, as did Gorman, Pick, Saperstein and Simkowitz when contacted directly.

The timing of deliberations, which has not been previously reported, shines fresh light on the status of one the most closely watched CEO successions on Wall Street.

Gorman will become executive chairman for a period when the new CEO takes over, he said in May, and be on hand in case turmoil resurges in the banking sector.

REGULATORY MATTERS

Before Gorman hands over the reins, he wants to wrap up several regulatory matters.

"There's a whole range of things that I wouldn't mind either getting set, or dealing with, before I step down, so whoever replaces me has a complete clean sheet," Gorman told investors at a conference earlier this month. "Most of that will happen within a year, and then we're off to the races."

Among the issues is an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York into Morgan Stanley's practices around block trading, or large sales of shares. The bank is in talks to resolve the probes, it said in a May filing.

Block trades are typically placed by institutional investors. The investigations focus on whether the firm or its employees broke the law by sharing or using information about impending block transactions, it said in a February filing.

Gorman also wants to deal with international regulations expected to be proposed this summer, the person said. The tougher rules could require major banks to hold as much as 20% more capital.

Regulatory stress tests, another one of the outstanding matters, were clarified this week. Major banks aced the tests, according to results published on Wednesday, which showed big lenders have enough capital to weather a severe economic slump.

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Since taking the helm, Australian-born Gorman, 64, has transformed Morgan Stanley through a series of major deals into a wealth management powerhouse that aims to manage $10 trillion in assets.

The company has deliberately prepared executives over a decade to take over, which gives them an advantage over any external candidates, Gorman said last month.

Pick, 54, heads Morgan Stanley's institutional securities group, overseeing areas including investment banking, equities and fixed income. He formerly led sales and trading.

Saperstein, 56, is in charge of the wealth management unit that has bolstered Morgan Stanley's profits in recent years. He previously worked at Merrill Lynch and McKinsey.

Simkowitz, 58, jointly leads corporate strategy alongside his role running investment management.

"I know how hard it is to do these jobs and how much complexity there is," Gorman said at the conference. "You've got to have a lot of resilience - I think physical resilience, mental resilience - and I think you've got to be prepared to make the call" on major decisions.

Wall Street succession plans have come into focus in recent months as the tenures of financial crisis-era leaders stretch on. Peter Orszag, a banker and former White House official, will take over as Lazard's CEO in October from his predecessor Kenneth Jacobs, who held the role for 14 years.

By contrast, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said last month he has no plans to leave after 17 years atop the largest U.S. lender. Brian Moynihan, who was named Bank of America CEO in January 2010 at the same time as Gorman, signaled in 2021 he would drive the firm through a second decade.

The appointment of Gorman's successor will be watched closely, both for its significance at the firm, and more broadly in an industry that faces a weaker economic outlook, rising geopolitical tensions and sweeping technological change.

"I feel great about handing over - 14 years is a long time to do anything," Gorman said at the conference.

(Reporting by Lananh Nguyen; Editing by Paritosh Bansal, Megan Davies and Jamie Freed)
Wisconsins Supreme Court has declared that the presence of a marijuana-like smell inside a car provides sufficient justification for police to search the vehicles occupants. This ruling, delivered last week by the courts conservative majority in a 4 to 3 vote, overturned previous decisions by lower courts that maintained officers could not be certain whether they were detecting the scent of CBD.

In 2019, Quaheem Moore found himself subject to a search by two police officers when he was pulled over for exceeding the

Read More>>

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the companys newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

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STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON KIDNAPPING CASE INVOLVING CHINESE NATIONALS IN PASAY CITY

During our Senate investigation on the Pastillas scam, we discovered that torture and kidnapping for ransom are some of the criminal activities that are connected with POGO.

In fact, our Committee found that there are online gambling actors who use kidnapping as one of the ways to generate more income. Kung may hindi pagkakasunduan sa sugal, diyan na pumapasok ang extortion, kidnapping, at torture.

This is why our law enforcers and PAGCOR should look into how these foreign criminals may be involved with online gambling, as our Senate inquiry has proven how POGOs paved the way for a wave of criminal operations in our country.

Patuloy akong mananawagan sa Senado na palayasin na ang mga POGO sa bansa. The entire industry is a threat to our national security and to our people.
James Manyika says that artificial intelligence (AI) has been all around us for decades  we just didnt realize it. Long before becoming the Senior Vice President of Technology and Society at Google last year, Manyika has been researching the intersection of technology and the economy, including artificial intelligence. In that time, AI has gone from being the villain of dystopian science fiction movies to regular appearances in worldwide headlines. I did my PhD in robotics about 25 years ago and you know, the field then was not where it is today. People dont realize that long before the arrival of chatbots, they were already benefiting from artificial intelligence, he told EL PAIS during a Google event held at Madrids Lazaro Galdiano Museum.

Manyika says the current AI revolution has been brewing for the last 15 years, but acknowledges that developments have come very quickly, especially since the launch last year of ChatGPT, OpenAIs generative AI chatbot. In February, Google announced its own entry in this field  an AI chatbot called Bard. It will be available in Spanish soon, promises Manyika. There is a lot of work to be done because Spanish is a complex language with many variations. We want to do it right.

Question. Are we all overstating the significance of artificial intelligence?

Answer. No, I dont believe so. The reason to give it this importance is because its such a profound technology. Itll affect most things we do and how the economy works. You know  jobs, small companies, large companies, economic growth, productivity and learning. For me, the question is how to ensure that it is useful to society while also addressing the challenges that arise.

Q. Will it change the world?

A. I think so. What I find so profound about AI is that its a bit like computers themselves or even electricity. Its such a foundational technology that I cant think of any activity, any part of society and the things that we do where its not going to be useful. In that sense, I think it will change the world. But I also would say at the same time, as powerful and as useful as I think it is, there are also some very important consequences, risks and challenges that we have to grapple with.

More than two thirds of jobs will be different. Not gone, just different. Theyll evolve and change.

Q. What do you mean when you talk about risks?

A. On one hand, there are risks that arise when the technology itself doesnt function as desired, resulting in inaccuracies or errors. Other types of risks are related to privacy and information management. But even when these two aspects function well, this technology can be misused. It can be used for criminal purposes, disinformation or creating threats to national security. Theres also a fourth complication related to secondary effects, such as the impact that AI can have on jobs, mental health and other socioeconomic factors that deserve attention.

Q. In fact, people are already losing their jobs due to AI...

A. There are jobs in which machines can perform some tasks currently done by humans. There will be losses, thats true. But jobs will also be created, due to increased productivity and the creation of new job categories. But I believe that the biggest impact is that jobs are destined to change. Think about bank tellers who spent 90% of their time counting money in the 1970s. Now they spend less than 10% of their time on this task. Our research data suggests more than two thirds of jobs will be different. Not gone, just different. Theyll evolve and change.

Q. Should we be afraid of AI?

A. No, but we should be thoughtful about how we use it. Artificial intelligence is not something that just happened recently  we have been living with it for years. Looking back at its history, you realize that as soon as one of its applications becomes useful, we stop calling it AI. But we use the label for things that are still in the future or things that scare us. Im not saying we shouldnt be concerned about these things. We should. But we should also keep in context all the ways its already very useful to us.

Q. Geoffrey Hinton left Google precisely to raise awareness about the risks of this technology.

A. I know Geoff well. I think what he was trying to do, and what many of us have been trying to do, is to highlight that we should take a precautionary approach. Yes, the benefits are incredibly helpful but also keep an eye on the concerns. I think he wanted to remind all of us about the risks that come with it, especially as it becomes more advanced.

Q. Why are there so many apocalyptic manifestos about AI?

A. I signed one of these letters because its essential that proper attention is being paid. Every time we have a powerful technology, we need to think about both its benefits and risks. At Google, we want to be bold and responsible. I know those two things may sound contradictory, but they both matter.

Q. Is regulating AI a way to be responsible?

A. Yes. I think its important to regulate these technologies  they are too significant not to be regulated. We have been saying this publicly for some time now. Any powerful technology that is so disruptive and complex needs regulation, even if its as useful as AI. If its impacting peoples lives and society, there has to be some form of regulation.

Q. Some people are calling for a moratorium on AI development until its regulated.

A. That would mean pausing the benefits of this technology. Do we really want to stop sending flood alerts to millions of people? Stop medical research and development? I dont think so. Before implementing a pause, its crucial to have a detailed plan of what will happen in that time. Additionally, effective coordination with all AI development stakeholders is essential. Its important to communicate with governments so we can figure out what we want to do and how to do it.

Q. Is there any sector where applying AI is dangerous?

A. I dont think so much about specific sectors, but rather about the technologys application. The application of technology in medicine varies greatly from its application in the transportation sector, resulting in different risks. Its crucial to consider how this technology is implemented in each context. For instance, while I appreciate what were doing with Bard, I think its a terrible idea to seek legal advice from it. However, if you were to ask me whether Bard should be used to write an essay and explore ideas, my answer is, of course.

Q. Is it a good idea to ask AI for help when were sick?

A. I would not get a medical diagnosis from a chatbot. Generally speaking, if I want factual information, I would go to the Google search engine. If I want to know what happened in Madrid this morning, I wouldnt use Bard for that either.

Q. Do you think AI chatbots like Bard and ChatGPT will replace search engines?

A. I cant speak for other companies, but let me tell you what were up to. When it comes to Bard versus Google Search, theyre totally different. Sure, were integrating AI and large-language models into Search, but its a whole other story. Bard started as an experiment and were still figuring out what its useful for. Oh, and let me tell you, AI has been improving our internet searches for way longer than youd think. Six years ago you had to be quite specific with your queries. But now? Just writing something close enough will get you what you need.

Q. What do you think this will all look like in 10 years?

A. I think it will be amazing. I get excited when I think about all the things that could benefit society, like the ability to understand thousands of languages. Right now, our goal at Google is to be able to translate 2,000 languages, but in 10 years I think we can reach all 7,000 languages spoken in the world, even languages that are disappearing. It would be extraordinary. But at the same time, I hope we have made amazing progress in addressing all the risks we have discussed.

Some of our fear of AI comes from an inability to accept that machines can also do creative things.

Q. What would need to happen for us to lose control over AI?

A. We would have to somehow develop systems that can design themselves and set their own objectives. That would be problematic, but were light-years away from that. Thats the science fiction scenario. A more likely and troublesome scenario has less to do with out-of-control AI and more to do with people  humans using these technologies for evil purposes. Were aware that the very system used to decode protein structures for drug development could potentially be misused to design harmful toxins or viruses. This is an immediate concern that weighs heavily on my mind.

Q. Where do you think peoples fear of AI comes from?

A. [Laugh] Movies. I say it jokingly, but I think its true. Going back to what I said before, to the idea that when this technology starts being useful, we simply stop calling it AI. It seems like we reserve this label for things we see in movies or things that we still dont understand. However, I believe this fear stems from a question that has haunted us for ages. What is the essence of our humanity when machines can effortlessly perform tasks that traditionally set us apart from other living beings? Until recently, we thought we were the only ones capable of creating art, the only ones with creativity and empathy. I think some of our fear of AI comes from an inability to accept that machines can also do creative things that were previously considered exclusive to humans.

Q. Perhaps what scares us is that machines can do something better than we can?

A. We have to face that fear. We have to adjust our way of thinking and ask ourselves who we are and what we are good at. There was a time when we believed that intelligence was solely measured by the ability to perform mental calculations effortlessly. If you couldnt recall textbook knowledge verbatim during exams, you were considered less intelligent. We used to hold onto such notions, but progress has shown us otherwise. I believe the trajectory of AI will follow suit. Perhaps its advancing at a rate that surpasses our capacity for assimilation. But I believe that humanity has always adapted and will continue to do so.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
FILE PHOTO: A Shein logo is pictured at the company's office in the central business district of Singapore, October 18, 2022. REUTERS/Chen Lin/File Photo

(Reuters) -The June 29 story on Shein has been withdrawn because it incorrectly stated that the China-founded online retailer had registered with U.S. regulators for an initial public offering. A new story will follow.

STORY_NUMBER: L1N38L1WF

STORY_DATE: 29/06/2023

STORY_TIME: 1830 GMT
FILE PHOTO: The logo of OpenAI is displayed near a response by its AI chatbot ChatGPT on its website, in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo

By Blake Brittain

(Reuters) - Two U.S. authors sued OpenAI in San Francisco federal court on Wednesday, claiming in a proposed class action that the company misused their works to "train" its popular generative artificial-intelligence system ChatGPT.

Massachusetts-based writers Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad said ChatGPT mined data copied from thousands of books without permission, infringing the authors' copyrights.

Matthew Butterick, an attorney for the authors, declined to comment. Representatives for OpenAI, a private company backed by Microsoft Corp, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several legal challenges have been filed over material used to train cutting-edge AI systems. Plaintiffs include source-code owners against OpenAI and Microsoft's GitHub, and visual artists against Stability AI, Midjourney and DeviantArt.

The lawsuit targets have argued that their systems make fair use of copyrighted work.

ChatGPT responds to users' text prompts in a conversational way. It became the fastest-growing consumer application in history earlier this year, reaching 100 million active users in January only two months after it was launched.

ChatGPT and other generative AI systems create content using large amounts of data scraped from the internet. Tremblay and Awad's lawsuit said books are a "key ingredient" because they offer the "best examples of high-quality longform writing."

The complaint estimated that OpenAI's training data incorporated over 300,000 books, including from illegal "shadow libraries" that offer copyrighted books without permission.

Awad is known for novels including "13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl" and "Bunny." Tremblay's novels include "The Cabin at the End of the World," which was adapted in the M. Night Shyamalan film "Knock at the Cabin" released in February.

Tremblay and Awad said ChatGPT could generate "very accurate" summaries of their books, indicating that they appeared in its database.

The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of money damages on behalf of a nationwide class of copyright owners whose works OpenAI allegedly misused.

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by David Bario and Richard Chang)
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Advance United Holdings Inc. (CSE: AUHI) (OTCQB: AUHIF) (FSE: 9I0) (the "Company" or "Advance United") is pleased to announce a shareholders update.

Dear Shareholders,

We are pleased to provide you with an update on the company's progress and recent developments.

Property Summary:

The company completed exploration work on four of our properties in 2022.

Drilling and surface sampling at Buck Lake copper property were successful in identifying a zone of High-grade copper mineralization in a 500 m long massive sulphide deposit (see Press Release dated December 20, 2022). The deposit is open at both ends and down dip. Our success at Buck Lake motivated us to expand the property to over 4,000 Ha (9600 acres) to cover similar occurrences of copper and zinc and to include other areas potentially indicative of similar mineralization. Past work in the newly acquired areas has discovered copper and zinc mineralization and has pointed out the presence of over 20 prospective anomalies (AFRI File Number 41N01NE0226, 20006965). Follow-up work is planned for the in the newly acquired areas will include mapping, sampling and stripping to expose the anomalous areas.

Drilling at the Melba gold property in the Kirkland Lake area confirmed the presence of high-grade gold in the known veins but even more significantly discovered a new type of gold mineralization never before explored (or even identified) on the property. The new style of mineralization is typified by highly anomalous gold values associated with disseminated pyrite in porphyry dikes that cross the property (see Press Release dated March 2023 - drill hole MEL-22-05 or 06 are examples). Further mapping and sampling of these new gold occurrences followed by drilling is indicated We are excited to explore this type of mineralization as it has potential for large tonnage deposits.

Noteworthy, Kirkland Lake Discoveries (formerly Warrior Gold) whose property adjoins Melba to the east has announced a large exploration program on their property and are in the process of raising $7.8M (press release dated May 24th) and a significant airborne geophysical study of the area (press release (press release dated June 8th). The reader is cautioned that while this points to the potential of the area the results found on adjacent properties may not be extended onto the Melba Property.

Compilation of assessment work, prospecting and sampling at the Doyle Gold Property has been carried out. A recent LiDAR survey over the property assisted our geological staff to identify several large structures associated with the known gold occurrences. The identified structures show great promise for hosting further gold mineralization and will be explored in the summer of 2023. The main features correspond to known gold mineralization in a drill hole , completed by Tri Origin Exploration in 1995. Hole T95-34 intersected banded pyrite in sheared felsic tuffs over a 12.0 metre interval that contained visible gold and returned an assay of 10,457 ppb gold (0.34 troy oz/t) from the 312.0 to 313.0 metres.

Further to our press release dated May 23, 2023, described an exciting new development at the Paint Lake Road JV. Airborne surveys carried out by Bold Ventures on their property to the north has indicated a large shear zone that crosses their property and enters the central area of the PLR JV property. Some indications suggest that this structure continues to the Mishi Open Pit of Wesdome Mines approximately 5 km to the east. Furthermore, several of their magnetic and EM anomalies continue onto the southern part of the PLR JV Property. The anomalies discovered on Bold's Property have been described as "prospective for gold mineralization" by their consulting geophysicist. Advance United completed a ground EM survey in 2022 which also identified anomalies in the northern part of the property.

Property Expansion

We have continued to focus on expanding our property portfolio and entering new partnerships. As previously mentioned, knowledge gained at our existing properties has been used to expand our properties. In addition, research efforts have resulted in identification of two properties in South Carolina which are being examined for acquisition. To this end Advance United contracted a regional compilation around one of the properties to identify possible expansion opportunities. We look forward to reporting back on these opportunities.

Operational Changes and Increased Efficiencies

Efficiency and optimization remain key priorities for our company. We have implemented various operational initiatives aimed at streamlining processes, reducing costs, and improving overall productivity.

One of the main efforts in this area was the hiring of an Exploration Manager. He has extensive experience in First Nations consultation. Project management and government liaison and has been very helpful in alleviating some of the workload from the CEO as well as coordinating the field activities of our staff.

The Board has recommended the Mr. Kevin Wright, who has resigned as a director of AUHI and accepted appointment to lead the continued development of the Au Marketplace and technology platform. Subject to Exchange approval, the Company intends to spin out the technology platform into a subsidiary, Minebanq Inc. We look forward to continuing to keep our shareholders informed of the developments of the spin out in the coming weeks.

Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

We recognize the importance of sustainability and corporate social responsibility in today's business landscape. We have made significant strides in our sustainability initiatives, including reducing our carbon footprint, implementing environmentally friendly practices, and promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization, including our second female prospector, Ashley, which traditionally has been a male dominated role. She has been very successful in identifying prospective areas on our Buck Lake Property in a previously unexplored and unknown area. This exciting discovery will be explored in our upcoming work program.

Secondly, we have a plan in place to reseed and revegetated the areas disrupted during our activities at Buck Lake. Consultation with the local First Nations has allowed us to identify relevant plant species for this Effort. We remain committed to making a positive impact on the environment and society as a whole.

Outlook and Future Plans

Looking ahead, we are very optimistic about the company's future. We anticipate continued growth in our core portfolio through exploration and plan to explore new opportunities for expansion. Our focus will remain on exploration innovation, stakeholder returns, and operational excellence.

We recently announced a non-brokered financing private placement through the issuance of up to 5,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.05 per Unit and up to 6,666,666 flow-through units (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of $0.075 per FT Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $750,000 (the "Offering"), see press release dated June 6, and invite all shareholders to consider participating.

We would like to express our gratitude to our shareholders for their continued support and confidence in our company. We remain committed to delivering value and sustainable growth through our mineral exploration and project acquisition activities. As always, we encourage you to actively engage with us and provide feedback.

Thank you for your continued support and trust.

Sincerely,

James Atkinson

CEO, Advance United Holdings

About Advance United Holdings

Advance United brings an entirely different approach to the mining industry. We don't mine. Rather, we've acquired a portfolio of undervalued gold properties and are increasing their value through the application of modern technology. We have a growing pipeline of similar properties that we are looking to acquire. And now we've launched the Au Marketplace. A first of its kind digital platform that connects owners of mineral commodities and deposits with developers and producers.

We are involved exclusively in the acquisition and advancement of past projects - with no intent to bring them back into production or to mine them ourselves. Our expertise is in identifying and acquiring undervalued properties with significant historical work, which were uneconomic at the time, but we believe have economic value at today's prices.

We fund the development of re-working historic data and applying modern technology to underwrite new qualified reports, document quantifiable resources and reserves to current standards, thereby recognizing the current value.

Our purpose is to bring immediate and long-term value to our partners and shareholders while seeking to eliminate exploration risk, so that we can all advance united in the shortest possible time frame.

For additional information about us, our projects, or to find out how you can list your project in the Au Marketplace, visit www.advanceunited.ca.

Contact Information

James Atkinson, P. Geo., CEO

Email: [email protected]

Tel: (647) 278-7502

Qualified Person

James Atkinson M.Sc., P. Geo., a Qualified Person ("QP") as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify all historic information on the Property, particularly with regards to historical sampling, drill results, and technical work provided by Noranda and others. The Qualified Person assumes that sampling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results.

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the trading of the Company's securities and the focus of the Company's business. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's ability to increase the value of its current and future mineral exploration properties and, in connection therewith, any long-term shareholder value, the Company's ability to mitigate or eliminate exploration risk, and the Company's intention to develop a portfolio of historic gold properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue its business as described above. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other periodic filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171785
Perth, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Altan Rio Minerals Limited (TSXV: AMO) is pleased to provide its third bi-monthly shareholder letter from Chairman and Interim CEO, Graeme Sloan.

Dear Shareholders,

Welcome to the third edition of our shareholder's letter. It has certainly been a hectic and exciting time over the past couple of months, as such we would like to take a moment to update you on the recent developments and exciting progress we have made over the past couple of months.

First and foremost, we are thrilled to announce the successful Gold Pour through our pilot stockpile, announcement found here. Although the finalization is still pending, we anticipate that this achievement will deliver positive returns for the company. This significant milestone not only improves our creditor position but also provides the necessary financing for our recent acquisition and boosts the company's working capital. We will provide a comprehensive update on this matter in our upcoming Q2 and Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) shareholder report. Please note that the MD&A is equivalent to the ASX quarterly report and will be released on our website, SEDAR reporting platform and distributed by email.

In terms of mergers and acquisitions, we have been very active in this arena. We have recently made notable progress with our pathway to consolidate the Southern Cross region with the Hakes Find and Torque Acquisition s . These strategic moves are aimed at strengthening our market position and expanding our strike across the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt. We are excited about the potential these acquisitions hold for our company's growth and development.

Furthermore, our exploration efforts have been extremely active, with fieldwork conducted within and around our tenement package. Of particular interest is the work completed around our new Parisian Target. We have been actively exploring the region using magnetics, and we are pleased to report positive findings so far, see exploration update here. This exploration update demonstrates our commitment to unlocking the full potential of the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt. We are confident that these efforts will contribute significantly to our future success.

Looking ahead, we remain focused on our fieldwork program and will continue to provide updates as we work towards consolidating our position in the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt.

We would like to express our gratitude for your continued support from our loyal shareholders and would also like to thank our small but dedicated team as we are committed to delivering real value and sustainable growth for all stakeholders. We look forward to updating you on the next chapter of our journey as we strive for continued success.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support, please be safe and keep well.

Graeme Sloan

Chairman and Interim CEO

About Altan Rio Minerals Limited

Altan Rio is a Canadian-listed, West Australian-focused gold exploration company primarily focused on the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt, a prolific gold producing region responsible for well in excess of 12 million ounces. The Company is focused on applying world-class exploration technologies and experience to proven mineralised tenure to generate shareholder wealth through discovery and production. To learn more about the Company, visit our website at https://www.altanrio.com/.

On behalf of Altan Rio Minerals Limited

Graeme Sloan

Director / Interim CEO

Email: [email protected]

+61 9322 1788

Josh Conner

Chief Operating Officer

Email: [email protected]

+61 9322 1788

Media

David Tasker

Chapter One Advisors

Email: [email protected]

+61 433 112 936

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Altan Rio to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, and Altan Rio undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171806
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - Coho Collective Kitchens Inc. (TSXV: COHO) ("Coho" or the "Company"), a commercial real estate and food technology company that provides private and shared kitchen and food production space to a variety of businesses, is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements with Independent Trading Group (ITG) Inc. ("ITG") and Hybrid Financial Ltd. ("Hybrid") to provide market making services and marketing services, respectively, to the Company.

ITG, a proprietary trading and market making firm based in Toronto, Ontario, will work with Coho to provide liquidity and stability to the Company's traded securities. In exchange for ITG's services, the Company has agreed to pay a monthly fee of C$5,000 for an initial 3-month term.

Hybrid, a sales and distribution company that connects issuers to the investment community across North America, will partner with the Company on its upcoming unit offering announced on June 15, 2023. Coho has agreed to pay Hybrid a one-time fee of C$30,000 for its services.

As at the date hereof, none of ITG, Hybrid, or any employees of ITG or Hybrid have any direct or indirect interest in the Company or its securities. Subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws, ITG and Hybrid may in the future acquire such interest or a right to acquire such interest. The investor relations agreement between the Company and ITG and between the Company and Hybrid are subject to the polices of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. Coho, ITG, Hybrid, and their respective employees are arm's length parties.

About Coho

Coho is a growth stage, community-driven, commercial real estate and food technology company that provides private and shared kitchen and production space to food companies from start-ups to restaurant groups seeking turnkey solutions and business services. Each of the Company's customers, called "Members", are revenue generating companies that have signed a membership agreement with Coho for an agreed upon term. The concept falls in line with a rapidly growing trend in the food-delivery industry creating a market for delivery-only and/or virtual restaurant concepts. For more information about how Coho is growing and innovating in the commissary space, visit https://www.cohocommissary.com.

Further information is available at https://www.cohocommissary.com/.

About Independent Trading Group

ITG is Canada's only brokerage firm dedicated specifically to professional trading. As Canada's foremost Market Making Firm, ITG provides Market Making and Liquidity Provider services that are objective and focused. With its head office in Toronto, ITG employs real traders and provides real liquidity, with an underlying emphasis on integrity and success.

Further information is available at https://independent-trading-group.com/.

About Hybrid Financial Ltd.

Hybrid is a sales and distribution company that actively connects issuers to the investment community across North America. Using a data driven approach, Hybrid provides its clients with comprehensive coverage of both American and Canadian markets. Hybrid Financial has offices in Toronto and Montreal.

Further information is available at https://hybridfinancial.com/.

Contacts

Andrew Barnes, Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

(778) 877-6513

Investor Relations

[email protected]

(604) 243-7355

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Forwardlooking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forwardlooking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to execute on its strategy and the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the annual financial statements and MD&A of the Company.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release and the documents incorporated by reference herein are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements, except as expressly required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171736
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - EMX Royalty Corporation(NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9)(the "Company" or "EMX") is pleased to report that all proposed resolutions were approved at the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting of shareholders held on June 28, 2023, in Vancouver, British Columbia (the "Meeting"). The number of directors was set at 6 and all director nominees, as listed in the Management Information Circular dated May 13, 2023 (the "Information Circular"), were elected as directors of the Company at the Meeting to serve for a one-year term and hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders. According to the proxy votes received from shareholders, the results were as follows:

Director Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD David M. Cole 96.58% 3.42% Sunny Lowe 96.01% 3.99% Henrik Lundin 96.27% 3.73% Larry M. Okada 93.66% 6.34% Geoff Smith 96.44% 3.56% Michael D. Winn 99.19% 0.81%

Shareholders voted 97.22% in favour of setting the number of directors at six, 99.11% in favour of appointing Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditors, 94.50% in favour of ratifying and approving the Company's Stock Option Plan, 94.46% in favor of approving certain amendments to the Company's Stock Options Plan; and 94.51% in favor of approving certain amendments to the Company's Restricted Share Unit Plan.

Voting results for all resolutions noted above are reported in the Report on Voting Results as filed under the Company's SEDAR profile on June 28, 2023.

About EMX. EMX is a precious, base and battery metals royalty company. EMX's investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "EMX", and also trade on the Frankfurt exchange under the symbol "6E9". Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information.

For further information contact:

David M. Cole

President and CEO

Phone: (303) 973-8585

[email protected]



Scott Close

Director of Investor Relations

Phone: (303) 973-8585

[email protected]



Isabel Belger

Investor Relations (Europe) Phone: +49 178 4909039

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171663
The family law specialists at GillespieShields have announced a dedicated child custody and support line. Its line is designed to provide assistance in legal and physical custody disputes for Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona callers

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - The news comes as GillespieShields moves to improve access to informed family law advice that takes into account Arizona's specific regulations on custody and payments. Recognizing the frequent desire for families to settle legal disagreements as a matter of urgency, the firm is now able to connect callers with its team of qualified lawyers.

For more information see https://gillespieshields.com/7-critical-facts-about-child-custody-in-arizona-in-2023/





GillespieShields Announces Mesa Family Law, Custody & Child Support Advice Line

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GillespieShields mans its new line directly from its locally-based Phoenix-area premises, sharing essential counsel regarding family law aspects ranging from child support to custody agreements.

The new line is crucial, GillespieShields argues, in helping parents to navigate legal disputes and potentially complex facets of family law. Set up purely as a means of swift assistance for families in troubled times, the line offers a platform for all embattled wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, and legal guardians who wish to find reliable answers to their queries.

As such, in addition to legal aid on custody payments and rights, GillespieShields' new support line also offers options for victims of domestic violence - as conveyed by attorneys who are familiar with Arizona family law minutiae.

The new line is among several examples of the Phoenix firm's community outreach contributions, with GillespieShields emphasizing the importance of maintaining reliable and accessible support. By making its family law attorneys reachable via its dedicated line, the firm aims to clear up common misconceptions while easing family law concerns.

GillespieShields' latest announcement comes in line with its ongoing mission, described by the firm as a commitment to providing up-to-date legal guidance in a range of areas to those in need. Founded by family law specialist DeeAn Gillespie Strub, GillespieShields works to help resolve matters relating to divorce, custody, adoption, and more.

More info about the firm is available at https://www.theattorneypost.com/fighting-child-theft-via-due-process-with-deean-gillespie-strub-gillespie-shields-arizona-family-law/.

With offices in Mesa as well as Phoenix proper, GillespieShields is able to meet with locally-based clients for consultatory case evaluations. These can be scheduled through its official website, with additional information about the firm's legal capabilities and practice knowledge relayed via its new support line.

Interested parties in Mesa and across the Phoenix metro area can find further details about GillespieShields at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fighting-child-theft-via-due-process-with-deean/id1562180400?i=1000610657944.

Contact Info:

Name: DeeAn Gillespie Strub

Email: [email protected]

Organization: GillespieShields

Address: 7319 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85020, United States

Website: https://gillespieshields.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171766
Global Intelligence Initiative launches gii Academy to aid purpose-driven entrepreneurs in overcoming mental health blocks, and mastering happiness as a pathway to new levels of peak performance.

Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Global Intelligence LLC has introduced "The Intelligence of Happiness" as an innovative guide on how to thrive using Authenticity and Self-Alignment. The book details a new intellectual approach on enacting innate intelligence to become healthier, happier, and perform at the highest level possible. "The Intelligence of Happiness", an Amazon best-seller, has been met with ecstatic praise from readers and has now launched as flagship program,The Manifesting Accelerator, hosted inside gii Academy. The program uses the simple yet powerful science of happiness, and uniquely blends both neuropsychology and cosmology, to help clients gain a new edge by applying the forgotten knowledge used to activate mind-brain faculties.





Global Intelligence Initiative Evolves Best-Selling Book 'The Intelligence of Happiness' into New E-Learning Platform

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Authored by Gi Gi O'Brien, an entrepreneur, "The Intelligence of Happiness" is a testament to her vast expertise and passion for empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. O'Brien's deep understanding of human psychology, combined with her successful track record in business, makes her the professional for those seeking greater personal and professional fulfillment. She is passionate about the potential to transform countless lives by offering a novel approach to mental health that is both engaging and effective.

Her work provides an essential roadmap to navigate tricky waters and O'Brien aims to equip members of her community with control over their life via mental and emotional intelligence mastery. Her book and program alike, provide an experiential education on what it means to activate intelligent happiness the kind of happiness that comes from alignment with one's true purpose and authentic self.

"In an age where artificial intelligence and tech development are intensely focused upon, I want to ensure individuals can leverage the brilliance of their own human intelligence for self-development, and more importantly live high-performance lives that actually support well-being and prosperity instead of creating anxiety, burnout and ceilings to personal success," Gi Gi O'Brien shared. "The Intelligence of Happiness" is a step-by-step blueprint on how to activate the kind of happiness that has real staying power.

For readers that are interested in the techniques and methods that create a magnetic frequency mentioned in 'The Manifesting Accelerator', please visit:https://gii.academy/manifestation-gii8ff-free.

About Global Intelligence Initiative - gii

Global Intelligence Initiative LLC was founded in May 2020 by Gi Gi O'Brien. The driving force behind the company is to create world-class media and intelligence programs that empower individuals to take control of their life and manifest their dreams. Gi Gi believes that simplifying the mastery of human intelligence and frequency is a powerful gateway to improving the future of humanity, especially as it pertains to mental health.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Name: Gi Gi O'Brien

Email: [email protected]

Organization: The Global Intelligence Initiative

Website:https://gii.academy/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171787
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Go Metals Corp.(CSE:GOCO) ("Go Metals" and/or the "Company")is providing an update on the 2023 field program at the HSP Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project ("HSP") on the Cte-Nord of Quebec.

Due to an unprecedented number of fires currently occurring throughout Quebec, which have resulted in government mandated work stoppages, the Company has elected to postpone the planned drill program at the HSP until further notice. To husband company resources while advancing the project, Go Metals has decided to focus on lower risk activities including additional airborne EM, ground UTEM and surface trenching during the current exploration environment.

Scott Sheldon, CEO of Go Metals said, "Throughout June the Company experienced two extended work stoppages, in addition to having its helicopter commandeered by SOPFEU. The fires have had a large effect on exploration and more importantly local communities in the region."

EM Ground Loop Survey:

Preliminary results at the Red Mountain target successfully identified a highly conductive shallow, near horizontal structure that is centered 50m to the west of the 2022 drill holes. This is a good indication that the project's high grade surface showings were not adequately tested during the maiden drill program.

Preliminary results at the PGE target corroborate that the airborne conductor has a moderate westerly dip, with the main conductor to the west of the 2022 drill holes. These conclusions are furthered by geological observations from the drill core indicating the conductor was not drilled from an optimal direction.

For target figures please see the Company's website.

Qualified Person

Hugues Longuepee, P.Geo., is the qualified person ("QP") for the Company as defined in the National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information presented within this news release. The QP for the Company has not verified the historic sample analytical data disclosed within this release.

About Go Metals

Go Metals targets Canadian battery metal projects to help power a sustainable future. The Company's flagship HSP project has multiple nickel-copper sulphide targets within a 400 square kilometre land package north of Havre-Saint Pierre, Quebec in the Nitassinan of the Innu of Ekuanitshit.

The HSP property hosts multiple magmatic sulphide targets within a potential new nickel belt spanning hundreds of kilometres across the Havre-Saint-Pierre anorthosite complex in the Grenville Province.

Over 80% of Go Metals' land package remains unexplored by the Company. Current exploration is focused on a 5,000 Hectare area defined by the original AirTEM survey flown in 2019. The surrounding area saw a significant staking rush in 2022 after the Company confirmed sulphides at depth.

For further information, please contact:

Scott Sheldon, President

604.725.1857

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release may include "forward-looking information" (as that term is defined by Canadian securities legislation), concerning the Company's business. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company's management, including future plans for the exploration and development of its mineral properties, future production, reserve potential, and events or developments that the Company expects. Although the Company believes that such expectations and assumptions are reasonable, investors should not rely unduly on such forward-looking information as the Company can give no assurance, they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to publicly update any forward-looking information (whether because of new information, future events or results, or otherwise) other than as required by applicable securities laws. There are several risk factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those described herein. Information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171753
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - Goldgroup Mining Inc. (TSX: GGA) (OTC Pink: GGAZF) (BMV SIX: GGAN.MX) ("Goldgroup" or the "Company") held its annual general meeting of shareholders in Vancouver, B.C. on June 28, 2023.

Common Shares represented at the Meeting: 10,799,185 Total issued and outstanding Common Shares as at Record Date:

28,624,656 Percentage of issued and outstanding Common Shares represented: 37.73%

MATTERS VOTED UPON VOTING RESULTS 1. Number of Directors Votes in Favour Votes Against

The fixation of the number of directors at five. 10,444,469 (99.53%) 49,458 (0.47%) The number of directors was fixed at five (5) 2. Election of Directors Votes in Favour Votes Withheld

The election of the following nominees as directors of the Company for the ensuing year or until their successors are appointed:



Corry J. Silbernagel 9,539,412 (99.48%) 50,040 (0.52%) Javier Reyes 9,541,770 (99.50%)

47,682 (0.50%) Javier Montano 9,538,379 (99.47%)

51,073 (0.53%) Anthony Balic 9,541,117 (99.50%)

48,335 (0.50%) Blair Jordan 9,537,947 (99.46%)

51,505 (0.54%) Each of the five nominees proposed by management were elected as a director of the Company. 3. Appointment of Auditors Votes in Favour Votes Withheld

The appointment of Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditors of the Company and the authorization of the directors to set their remuneration. 10,758,920 (99.63%) 40,265 (0.37%) Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, was re-appointed as the auditors of the Company and the directors were authorized to set their remuneration. 4. Debt Conversion Resolution Votes in Favour Against

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, with or without variation, an ordinary resolution approving the conversion of a loan in the amount of US$2,160,000 into Common Shares of the Company, as more fully described under the heading "Particular Matters to be Acted Upon" in the Company's Management Information Circular. 8,348,424* (99.24%) 63,528 (0.76%) The Shareholders approved the conversion of a loan in the amount of US$2,160,000 into Common Shares of the Company; as more fully described under the heading "Particular Matters to be Acted Upon" in the Company's Management Information Circular. 5. Debt Settlement Resolution Votes in Favour Against

To consider, and if thought fit, to pass a special resolution in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions approving a Settlement Agreement and Exploitation and Option to Purchase Agreement, as more fully described under the heading "Particular Matters to be Acted Upon" in the Company's Management Information Circular. 8,350,450* (99.27%) 61,502 (0.73%) The Shareholders approved the Company entering into a Settlement Agreement and Exploitation and Option to Purchase Agreement, as more fully described under the heading "Particular Matters to be Acted Upon" in the Company's Management Information Circular. *Excluding 1,177,500 shares held by insiders.



The Company is pleased to announce that with the shareholder approval of the debt conversion resolution, the Company's loan with Calu Opportunity Fund LP ("Calu"), as previously announced on December 12, 2022, is now a convertible debt. The convertible debt has a face value of USD $2,160,000 and is unsecured, bears interest at 6% per annum, is repayable on December 31, 2023 and convertible into common shares of the Company at CAD $0.10 per share at a fixed FX rate of 1.345 USD to CAD at the election of Calu until December 31, 2023.

In addition, the Company plans to finalize and enter into the debt settlement and option to purchase agreement as approved by the shareholders in short order.

The formal report on voting results with respect to all matters voted upon at the meeting has been filed on SEDAR.

About Goldgroup

Goldgroup is a Canadian-based gold production, development, and exploration Company with projects in Mexico, including an interest in DynaResource de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., which owns 100% of the high-grade gold exploration project, San Jos de Gracia located in the State of Sinaloa and the Company's 100%-owned Cerro Prieto heap-leach gold mine, in the State of Sonora, Mexico.

Goldgroup is led by a team of highly successful and seasoned individuals with extensive expertise in mine development, corporate finance, and exploration in Mexico. Goldgroup's mission is to increase gold production, mineral resources, profitability and cash flow, with a view to building a leading gold producer.

For further information on Goldgroup, please visit www.goldgroupmining.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Investor Relations

Toll Free: 1-877-655-ozAu (6928)

The TSX has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to future financial or operating performance, may be considered "forward-looking information" (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law) and "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Actual results could differ materially from the conclusions, forecasts and projections contained in such forward-looking information.

These forward-looking statements reflect Goldgroup's current internal projections, expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to Goldgroup. In some cases forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors including, without limitation: receipt of all required stock exchange and regulatory approvals; the scope, duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the scope, duration and impact of regulatory responses to the pandemic on the employees, business and operations; uncertainties related to actual capital costs operating costs and expenditures; production schedules and economic returns from Goldgroup's projects; uncertainties associated with development activities; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources and precious metal recoveries; uncertainties related to current global economic conditions; fluctuations in precious and base metal prices; uncertainties related to the availability of future financing; potential difficulties with joint venture partners; risks that Goldgroup's title to its property could be challenged; political and country risk; risks associated with Goldgroup being subject to government regulation; risks associated with surface rights; environmental risks; Goldgroup's need to attract and retain qualified personnel; risks associated with potential conflicts of interest; Goldgroup's lack of experience in overseeing the construction of a mining project; risks related to the integration of businesses and assets acquired by Goldgroup; uncertainties related to the competitiveness of the mining industry; risk associated with theft; risk of water shortages and risks associated with competition for water; uninsured risks and inadequate insurance coverage; risks associated with potential legal proceedings; risks associated with community relations; outside contractor risks; risks related to archaeological sites; foreign currency risks; risks associated with security and human rights; and risks related to the need for reclamation activities on Goldgroup's properties, as well as the risk factors disclosed in Goldgroup's Annual Information Form and MD&A. Any and all of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements.

Although Goldgroup believes that the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking information. Goldgroup expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as may be required by, and in accordance with, applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171739
A freighter passes through the Detroit River as smoke fills the sky reducing visibility to Windsor, Ontario, on June 28, 2023, as seen from Detroit.

Smoky air from Canadas wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and Kentucky on Wednesday, prompting warnings to stay inside and exacerbating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution.

The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday, leading the Environmental Protection Agency to warn that everyone should stay indoors.

The more breaths youre taking, youre inhaling, literally, a fire, camp smoke, into your lungs, said Darren Riley, who was diagnosed with asthma in 2018, a few years after arriving in Detroit.

Many communities face this way too often, said Riley, who is Black. And while this wildfire smoke allows, unfortunately, many people to feel this burden, this is a burden that far too long communities have faced day in and day out.

The Environmental Protection Agencys AirNow.gov site showed Detroit in the hazardous range. Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have very unhealthy air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky.

Earlier this month, smoke from the wildfires blanketed the U.S. East Coast for days.

Another round of drifting smoke from the wildfires was moving through western Pennsylvania and western New York and headed toward the Mid-Atlantic, said National Weather Service meteorologist Byran Jackson. In Canada, smoke will migrate across Quebec and Ontario over the next few days, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said.

In the U.S., the smoke is exacerbating air quality issues for poor and Black communities that already are more likely to live near polluting plants, and in rental housing with mold and other triggers.

Detroits southwest side is home to a number of sprawling refineries and manufacturing plants. It is one of the poorest parts of a mostly Black city, which has an overall poverty rate of about 30%.

According to a 2022 report by the American Lung Association, the citys ozone and short-term particle pollution ranked among the worst in the nation.

Being close to those refineries  thats an environmental factor thats difficult to control, said Dr. Ruma Srivastava, a pediatric pulmonologist at Childrens Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. It does increase their risk for asthma flareups. For them, its even more important to follow the (air quality safety) recommendations.

Rileys own experiences with asthma and with the citys poor air quality prompted him to start JustAir, which provides air pollution monitoring.

Just because youre born in a certain ZIP code or youre born into a certain family with a certain skin color doesnt mean that you should have an unequal go at it, Riley said.

Elsewhere, Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services has seen a spike in calls for residents with respiratory complaints, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Office of Emergency Management data show a disproportionate amount of calls for respiratory issues  54.8%  have been for Black people in Milwaukee, according to the newspaper. Milwaukee Countys population is 27.1% Black.

In Chicago, where about 29% of the population is Black, Mayor Brandon Johnson urged young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors. He pledged swift action to ensure that vulnerable individuals have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families.

President Joe Biden could see the impact Wednesday during a visit to nations third-largest city, where he was expected to promote his renewable energy policies during a major address on the economy. Biden has described the Canadian wildfires as clear evidence of climate change.

Minnesota issued a record 23rd air quality alert for the year through late Wednesday night, as smoky skies obscured the skylines of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana were among other states issuing air quality alerts, and cities including Louisville also advised people to limit prolonged or intense outdoor activity.

This is particularly thick smoke, Jackson, with the National Weather Service, said.

Across Canada, 490 fires are burning, with 255 of them considered to be out of control. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported Monday that 76,129 square kilometers (29,393 square miles) of land including forests has burned across Canada since Jan. 1. That exceeds the previous record set in 1989 of 75,596 square kilometers (29,187 square miles), according to the National Forestry Database.

As long as the fires are burning and the smoke is in the atmosphere it is going to be a concern not just for Canadians but Americans as well, Flisfeder, the Canadian meteorologist, said.

The small particles in wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and can affect the heart and lungs, making it harder to breathe. Health officials say its important to limit outdoor activities to avoid breathing in the particles.

The warming planet will produce hotter and longer heat waves, making for bigger, smokier fires, said Joel Thornton, professor and chair of the department of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington.

Quentin Hernandez, a 24-year-old event planner from Detroit, was out skateboarding for about an hour Wednesday at a skate park near the Ambassador Bridge, which connects the city and Windsor, Ontario.

It just sits like this all day, said Hernandez, saying that it smelled like being at a barbecue. Literally, the smoke just sits in the air.

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Berlin, Germany--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Meet GATSBY Inu, the latest memetoken to hit the market. GATSBY Inu has launched with the goal of creating a cryptocurrency that is unique, entertaining, and most importantly, accessible to the mainstream.

As an emerging market with radical growth, the memetoken ecosystem has proved to be a surprisingly effective entry point into the financial market's new age. As of a May 2023 report by coingecko.com, the meme coin economy holds a total value of $18.25bn.

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The GATSBY Inu team currently consists of more than six dedicated professionals, with personnel expansion expected in the near future. Each member of the team shares a passion for crypto, community, and meme culture, striving to help people around the world navigate the blockchain universe and have a little fun whilst doing so.

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Media Contact

Contact person: Christian Black

Company name: GATSBY

Website: https://gatsbytoken.io

Email: [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171834
Combined Length of 375 m in Three Distinct Vein Zones Uncovered to Date

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") is pleased to announce the results of surficial stripping of veins and vein systems at the Campbell-Crawford area, including the interpreted Angus Vein and two other nearby, parallel veins (McNamara and Clark). Surface stripping of these veins to date has uncovered a combined intermittent surface length exposure of 375 m and these veins have the same potential for bonanza-grade silver at depth as the Angus Vein (see Kuya Silver news releases dated April 4 and May 30, 2023). The Company is also pleased to announce final results for the 2023 Phase 1 drilling campaign including the Campbell-Crawford, North Drummond and Silver Leaf areas (holes 23-SK-01 to -07, -09 and -010), which includes the discovery of an additional buried mineralized vein at Campbell-Crawford.

Highlights:

Three veins and/or veins systems, including the interpreted surface expression of the Angus Vein, have been uncovered on surface at Campbell-Crawford and the adjacent Airgiod area, for a combined length to date of 375 m

All three veins and vein zones remain open along trend and have a similar east-west orientation: The Angus Vein is exposed for 175 m along strike (aside from a 75 m gap) and the vein zone is up to 3.60 m wide The newly uncovered McNamara Vein, located 20 m north of the Angus Vein, is exposed for 75 m and open in both directions with a vein zone up to 1.00 m wide The newly uncovered Clark Vein, intermittently exposed for 125 m along trend (maximum 25 m continuous exposure), occurs 225 m northwest of the Angus Vein on the adjacent Airgiod property

The Angus and Clark veins host visually- or pXRF-identified but sporadic cobalt and/or nickel mineralization, which, similar to the Angus Vein discovery, may be associated with silver. Based on Kuya Silver's exploration model, bonanza-grade silver-cobalt would potentially occur in these veins at depth near the lower Nipissing Diabase rock contact (see Kuya Silver news releases dated April 4 and May 30, 2023)

Final drill results from the 2023 Phase 1 program indicate an additional mineralized vein zone at Campbell-Crawford, trending north-south, that was intersected too deeply. Silver-cobalt content would be expected to increase towards surface and at the intersection with the Angus and McNamara veins

Additional mineralized veins, ranging up to 108 g/t silver, 1.18% cobalt and 0.98% nickel, were intersected in drilling at North Drummond, Silver Leaf and Campbell-Crawford

David Lewis, Kuya Silver Vice President Exploration, commented: "Exposing the vein systems at Campbell-Crawford on surface has been extremely beneficial to our efforts, especially the orientation, continuity and density of veining (Figure 1). Our current understanding is that the exposed veins at Campbell-Crawford match with the mineralization we intersected at depth, specifically the 2,400 oz/t silver mineralized Angus Vein and subsidiary mineralized veins. The recognition of two additional vein zones helps us expand the potential size of the target area. The extent of the veins, which is up to 175 m per vein, remains open in all directions and the vein zone width is especially encouraging. The lack of higher-grade mineralization on surface is not surprising - if the veins were highly mineralized, the area would most likely have already been mined. I am very excited to follow up on these targets at depth with our next drill campaign."

Figure 1- Vein maps showing distribution and extent of surficial veining relative to 2023 drilling by Kuya Silver. AgEq* calculation information is provided in Table 1.

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Campbell-Crawford and Airgiod surface stripping

To date, three veins and/or veins zones have been stripped and exposed along trend. The southerly vein at Campbell-Crawford is currently interpreted to be the surface exposure of the Angus Vein, which was drilled in early 2023 with silver assays of 15,372 g/t over 3.34 m (discovery hole 23-SK-08) and 2,424 g/t over 2.49 m (hole 23-SK-13 - see Kuya Silver May 30, 2023 news release). The vein is exposed for 75 m along strike plus, 70 m further away, for an additional 30 m for a total 175 m length. Cobalt and nickel mineralization occur sporadically in the vein on surface, but the major silver intersection was at depth along the lower Nipissing Diabase rock contact at approximately 225 m vertical depth. The vein dips steeply (80) south and strikes east-west (085) through the majority of the exposed zone rotates anticlockwise to the southwest (075).

A second vein, hereby named the McNamara Vein, is located 20 m north of the Angus Vein. It has a similar orientation to the Angus Vein, containing primarily calcite on surface. In drilling, low-grade cobalt and arsenic values were intersected. These metal assemblages are directly comparable to drilling results of the Angus Vein, suggesting that the McNamara Vein may host silver and/or higher-grade cobalt at depth. On surface, the vein is exposed for 75 m and, in one area, is up to 0.30 m wide within a wider vein zone of up to 1.0 m and with an orientation matching the Angus Vein.

At the adjoining Airgiod property, a third vein was exposed. This vein, hereby named the Clark Vein, is exposed for 25 m, then sporadically for an additional 100 m, for a combined 125 m total length with historic pits on both sides. Sporadic visually-identified cobalt mineralization occurs in the western blast pit along this vein. The orientation of this vein matches the Angus and McNamara veins.

Although these veins and vein zones were identified and documented in the early history of the camp (1900s to 1910s), very little follow-up work was done as they are not highly mineralized at surface (Sergiades 1968). Drilling by Kuya Silver in early 2023 intersected silver at approximately 225 m depth at Campbell-Crawford and the similar target horizon at Airgiod would likely be approximately 250 m deep.

Silver-Cobalt and Base Metal Mineralization Intersected At North Drummond Target

Drilling was completed at three target areas: North Drummond (23-SK-01 to -03), Silver Leaf (23-SK-04 to -06) and Campbell-Crawford (23-SK-07 to -13). See Table 1 and 2 for mineralized intervals and drill hole information.

At North Drummond, drilling was targeting the extension of known mineralization from previous drillholes, including hole FCC-18-0093, which intersected 639 g/t silver and 0.61% cobalt over 2.20 m in two proximal veins. Hole 23-SK-01 terminated before the target in a void at 75 m. Hole 23-SK-02 intersected several mineralized veins, including 108 g/t silver, 1.18% cobalt with base metals over 0.33 m. Hole 23-SK-03 intersected 27 g/t silver, 0.23% cobalt with base metals in two veins over 1.70 m. The base metals, which sometimes occur with cobalt and silver in the mineralized veins, tend to be associated with, but distal to, the highest-grade silver-cobalt mineralization. It is worth noting that copper and nickel were recovered from some of the historical mines in the camp as a by-product (Sergiades 1968).

Drilling at the North Drummond target remained below the ideal target horizon and barge drilling on Kerr Lake will most likely be required for follow-up work.

At Silver Leaf, two previously-unknown mineralized veins were intersected when testing the extent of the North Vein at Silver Leaf and Crown Reserve, including 0.15% cobalt over 0.30 m at 113.49 m depth and 55 g/t silver, 0.06% cobalt over 0.30 m at 131.1 m depth. Two follow up holes were drilled with no significant results.

At Campbell-Crawford, several branches of a mineralized, north-south striking vein were intersected at depth. These veins were intersected in hole 23-SK-07 at a depth of 294 m, 299 m, 303 m, and 335 m, ranging from a vertical depth of 40 to 75 m below the Nipissing Diabase contact. Highly anomalous silver and cobalt grades range up to 14 g/t silver and 0.02% cobalt over 3.00 m (303.00 m depth), and this vein was not recognized in the surface stripping program. The intersection of this north-south trending vein with the east-west trending McNamara and Angus veins are high priority targets for follow-up drilling.

Note: Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a rapid and non-destructive analytical method used to precisely measure the point source (or spot) elemental composition of materials. Portable XRF measurements were captured using a handheld Thermo-Scientific Niton XL3t instrument, which was professionally calibrated in 2021 by Elemental Controls in Mississauga, Ontario.

Flow Through Financing

Kuya Silver announces it intends to complete a non-brokered flow-through private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to CAD$1,500,000, with option to increase up to an additional CAD$1,000,000 (the "Offering"). Under the Offering, the Company will issue flow-through units (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of CAD$0.44 per FT Unit. Each FT Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company that qualifies as a "flow-through share" for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Common Share") and one-half of one (1/2) non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) non-flow-through common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") at price of CAD$0.60 per Common Share for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for expenditures that qualify as Canadian Exploration Expenses, within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada), to carry out exploration programs on the Company's Canadian properties.

In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay finder's fees to qualified non-related parties, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange").

All securities issued under the Offering, including securities issuable on exercise thereof, will be subject to a hold period expiring 4 months and 1 day after issuance, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws.

Hole number From To Length Ag Co AgEq* Comments m m m g/t % g/t Significant Mineralization 23-SK-02 203.67 204 0.33 108 1.18 569 Includes 0.12% Cu, 0.95% Pb, 1.29% Zn 23-SK-03 161.3 163 1.7 27 0.09 60 Includes 0.79% Cu, 0.66% Pb Including 161.6 162 0.4 93 0.85 425 Includes 3.01% Cu, 2.09% Pb, 0.11% Zn Anomalous Mineralization 23-SK-02 157.6 158.02 0.42 32 0.01 36 Includes 5.24% Pb, 4.46% Zn And 161.06 161.38 0.32 6 0.04 20 Includes 0.74% Pb, 4.64% Zn And 225 227 2 2 0.01 6 Includes 0.16% Pb, 0.63% Zn And 246 247 1 31 0.03 44 And 265 266 1 29 0.01 31 23-SK-03 66 67 1 18 0.01 22 Includes 0.31% Cu, 0.83% Pb, 0.48% Zn And 72.5 73 0.5 23 0.00 24 Includes 0.78% Cu, 0.27% Pb, 0.13% Zn 23-SK-04 113.49 113.79 0.3 0 0.15 60 And 131.1 131.4 0.3 55 0.06 78 23-SK-09 281 282.58 1.58 37 0.01 41 Includes 0.73% Cu, 2.23% Zn 23-SK-10 241.53 243 1.47 16 0.02 24 Includes 0.12% Cu, 0.20% Zn

Table 1- Significant and anomalous mineralization intersected in drilling. Vein intersections do not represent true widths of mineralization. AgEq* was calculated using silver (Ag) and cobalt (Co) grades only, with values captured on June 28, 2023. Silver price of $22.71/oz ($USD) and cobalt price of $28,500.00/tonne ($USD) were used.

Hole ID Easting Northing mASL Azimuth Dip Depth 23-SK-01 601802 5247933 320 293 -40 74.56 23-SK-02 601806 5247945 320 293 -40 300 23-SK-03 601811 5247956 320 299 -40 252 23-SK-04 601077 5247878 312 0 -65 186 23-SK-05 601077 5247878 312 340 -65 192 23-SK-06 601077 5247878 312 20 -65 198

Table 2- Collar coordinated and drill orientations from the North Drummond and Silver Leaf drilling. Drill information from the Campbell-Crawford drilling can be located in the Kuya Silver news release dated April 4, 2023. All units are in meters and coordinated are presented in UTM NAD83 Zone 17N.

References

Sergiades, A.O. 1968. Silver Cobalt Calcite Vein Deposits of Ontario; Ontario Department of Mines, Mineral Resources Circular No. 10, 498p.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The drill core samples were logged and sampled with limestone blank material and standard reference material added in sample sequence and/or following visual identification of silver or cobalt mineralization. The samples were cut or split perpendicular to veining by core saw and were secured in labelled vinyl sample bags. Samples were shipped to AGAT Laboratories in Mississauga, Ontario, where they were weighed, crushed and pulverized. At AGAT Labs, samples were digested by 4-acid and analyzed by ICP-OES (maximum undiluted detection limit of 500 g/t silver).

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. David Lewis, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Kuya Silver and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadianbased mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada.

For more information, please contact:

David Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 3984493

[email protected]

www.kuyasilver.com

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information," including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, any discussion of the potential of exploration targets, assay results and the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering, is forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171779
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - MAX RESOURCE CORP. (TSXV: MAX) (OTC Pink: MXROF) (FSE: M1D2) ("Max" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of a technical report for its RT Gold Project, located 760-km NNW of Lima in the District of Tabaconas, Department of Cajamarca, Peru. This report, dated March 8, 2023, is titled "RT Gold Project, Cajamarca, Peru" was prepared for Max Resource Corp., by Qualified Person ("QP") Luis Rodrigo Peralta FAusIMM CP (Geo) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The report can be found on the Company's website at https://maxresource.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's Issuer Profile.

"The RT Gold report validates the true potential of the two distinct gold-bearing systems; the CERRO bulk tonnage porphyry zone, and 3-km NW lies, the TABLON massive sulfide zone," commented Max CEO, Brett Matich.

"The new TABLON diamond core assays demonstrate the exceptional near surface high-grade-gold drill results and associated credits of copper, silver and zinc over substantial intervals," he continued.

"The next step is to conduct an environmental survey in preparation for a drilling program to further expand TABLON and to test the outstanding intrusive target at CERRO which has never been drilled," he concluded.

Highlight 2021 drill core re-assay results:

Interval Gold Silver Copper Zinc From DDH No. 26.5m 10.8 g/t 20.7 g/t 0.12% 0.29% 13.4m RT-13 26.3m 3.3 g/t 14.9 g/t 0.25% 0.25% 8.2m RT-6 20.3m 2.2 g/t 4.2 g/t 1.80% 0.29% 9.6m RT-7 10.5m 4.7 g/t 7.9 g/t 0.09% 0.02% 10.7m RT-11 8.6m 6.6 g/t 6.1 g/t 0.05% 0.01% 12.8m RT-15 4.9m 40.1 g/t 12.8 g/t 0.11% 0.04% 16.2m RT-16 12.5m 3.5 g/t 5.2 g/t 0.10% 0.04% 39.4m RT-22 16.4m 3.8 g/t 5.0 g/t 0.07% 0.04% 34.9m RT-29

RT Gold sits along the Cajamarca Metallogenic belt, extending north from Central Peru into Southern Ecuador. This prolific belt hosts a number of world class deposits; In Ecuador, the Fruta Del Norte discovery of 15.49Mozs Au, Mirador with 2.67Mt Cu and 2.74Mozs Au (2008) and the new discovery by Solaris Resources at its Warintza4deposit with 2.7Mt of Cu and 0.93Mozs Au. On the Peruvian side; Newmont's Yanacocha 8.61Mozs gold (refer to Figure 1).

CERRO hosts several mineralized zones. Soil geochemistry has outlined a 2.0 by 1.5-km gold anomaly, open in all directions with gold values ranging from 0.1 to 4.0 g/t. The soil geochemistry is coincident with IP chargeability. A continuous channel sample across the zone assayed 3.3 g/t gold over a width of 25.5m.

TABLON was drilled in 2001 by Golden Alliance Resources Corp. In February 2021, Max obtained the historic drill core and commenced a re-logging and resampling campaign. The resampling results confirmed thickness and grade of the 2001 historical drill intercepts and reasonably well reproduce the reported grades.

In addition, the gold-bearing mineralization is associated with highly anomalous silver and copper values. The multi element suite of data will allow Max to examine metal ratios and zoning patterns for target generation and geological interpretation purposes (refer Figures 2 to 4 and Table 1 and 2).

Figure 1.RT Gold location.

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Figure 2.CERRO and TABLON gold geochemistry, TABLON drill hole locations.

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Figure 3.RT-6 diamond drill core 14.02 to 16.83m.

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Figure 4. Re-logging historic 2001 diamond drill core.

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Table 1.TABLON comparative table between historical (2001) and Max Resource intercepts (2021). True widths and orientations are currently unknown.

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DDH Number UTM E

DATUM PSAD 56 UTM N

Garmin 12 GPS Elevation (m)

Garmin 12 GPS Azimuth

North 360 Dip

Horizontal 0 Length Measured

From collar (m) RT-1 706462 9418622 1918 355 -45 126.19 RT-2 706448 9418611 1916 355 -45 57.92 RT-3 706479 9418667 1955 340 -45 142.65 RT-4 706436 9418644 1948 147 -75 33.54 RT-6 706436 9418644 1948 127 -75 42.68 RT-7 706436 9418644 1948 115 -66 31.71 RT-11 706434 9418684 1985 310 -45 34.75 RT-12 706434 9418684 1985 310 -65 35.67 RT-13 706434 9418684 1985 280 -45 41.76 RT-14 706434 9418684 1985 280 -65 40.24 RT-15 706434 9418684 1985 344 -50 30.79 RT-16 706410 9418661 1976 310 -45 25.91 RT-21 706384 9418645 1976 - -90 24.4 RT-22 706353 9418697 2016 155 -45 69.21 RT-25 706144 9418499 2016 310 -45 39.94 RT-26 706144 9418499 2016 330 -45 33.53 RT-27 706144 9418518 2026 215 -45 45.73 RT-28 706397 9418691 1999 - -90 36.28 RT-29 706397 9418691 1999 180 -60 80.80

Table 2. TABLON 2001 summary of drill collars coordinates, azimuth, dip and length measured from collar.

Next Steps

Commencement of the environmental survey which is a requirement for the drilling application.

Max Resource has exclusive rights to earn 100% of the RT Gold Project

On September 16, 2020, Max optioned the RT Gold Project, which consists of two contiguous mineral concessions within the district of Tabaconas, Peru. On November 4, 2021, the option agreement was amended to change the dates of the payment required.

In accordance with the amended option agreement, Max has the exclusive right to earn a 100% interest, the company must pay the vendors: USD$300,000 on execution of the agreement (paid); USD$300,000 on or before October 20, 2021 (paid); USD$150,000 on or before March 20, 2023 (paid); USD$150,000 on or before March 20, 2024; USD$300,000 on or before March 20, 2025; USD$300,000 on or before March 20, 2026; USD$3,000,000 on or March 20, 2027. Upon acquiring a 100% interest, the vendors will retain a 2.5% net smelter royalty on the commercial production.

Sources:

1.Amended NI43-101 Technical Report Fruta Del Norte Mine Ecuador. By: R.Hochstein, D.El Rassi, J.Cox, N.Lincoln, N.Hemrajani Singh for Lundin Gold Inc. Dated 2023-Mar-29.

2. Technical Report Update on the Copper, Gold, and Silver Resources and Pit Optimizations: Mirador and Mirador Norte Deposits. By: G.Sivertz, S.Ristorcelli, S.Hardy for Corriente Resources Inc. Dated 2006-Nov-30.

3. NI 43101 Technical Report for the Warintza Project, Ecuador. By: M.Rossi for Solaris Resources Inc. Dated 2022-Apr-01.

4. Newmont Corporation 2022 Mineral Reserves Release dated 2023-Feb-23.

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release was reviewed and approved by Tim Henneberry, PGeo (British Columbia), a member of the Max Resource advisory board, who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.

About Max Resource Corp.

Max Resource Corp. (TSXV: MAX) is a mineral exploration company advancing the newly discovered district-scale CESAR copper-silver project. The wholly owned CESAR project sits along the Colombian portion of the world's largest producing copper belt (Andean belt), with world class infrastructure and the presence of global majors (Glencore and Chevron).

In addition, Max controls the RT Gold project (100% earn-in) in Peru, encompassing two distinct systems, CERRO a bulk tonnage gold-bearing porphyry zone, and 3-km to the NW, TABLON a gold-bearing massive sulfide zone. Historic drilling in 2001 at TABLON, returned values ranging 3.1 to 118.1 g/t gold over core lengths ranging from 2.2 to 36.0-metres.

Max is proactive, with the corporate goal of transitioning the CESAR basin towards the mining of copper, the key metal for Colombia's transition to clean energy. The safety of our people and the communities where we operate is most important. We conduct exploration in a manner which supports protection of ecosystems through responsible environmental stewardship.

Source: NI 43:101 RT Gold Project by Qualified Person ("QP") Luis Rodrigo Peralta FAusIMM CP (Geo), 2023.

For more information visit: https://www.maxresource.com/

For additional information contact:

Tim McNultyE: [email protected]T: (604) 290-8100

Rahim LakhaE. [email protected]

Brett MatichT. (604) 484 1230

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

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for Max Resources Corp. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171769
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Origen Resources Inc.(CSE: ORGN) (FSE: 4VXA)(the "Company" or "Origen")is pleased to provide an update on its 100% owned LGM property, located in the centre of the Golden Triangle in British Columbia. The LGM property covers a number of significant copper-gold porphyry and gold vein targets, originally discovered by Noranda in the 1990s.

Origen is also pleased to announce it has resumed 100% ownership of the Wishbone property, located adjacent to the 11.3 billion-pound copper, 9.3 million-ounce gold Measured and Indicated* Galore Creek copper deposit, and 10 km west of the LGM property.

Map 1 showing the Origen's LGM and Wishbone properties located in the central area of the British Columbia's world-famous Golden Triangle estimated to host 249 million ounces of gold and 93 billion pounds of copper (DiGeoData estimate - 2021)

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Wishbone hosts a series of high-grade gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein and breccia occurrences over the +11 km strike length of the Project.

Gary Schellenberg, Origen's CEO noted "Origen has made considerable progress at LGM to build a cohesive geological model for the LGM Project over the last 3 years. We are now actively looking for partners to continue this process, as we focus all of Origen's resources on its Los Sapitos and Newfoundland lithium districts."

Map 2 showing the LGM property

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The LGM property is a contiguous 26,771 ha property, located along the main access road to the Teck/Newmont Galore Creek copper deposit. The LGM property was acquired by Origen in Spring 2020 and the Company's field programs have re-established historical areas of mineralization, with a particular focus on areas where recent glacial retreat has exposed new prospective zones.

LGM Highlights:

Talus, rock and soil geochemistry surveys in 2020 delineated Cu-Mo and Au targets, similar in tenor and size to those that first targeted the Galore Creek area

ASTER Alteration signatures show a broad zone of Q-S-P and Clay alteration, characteristic of other major deposits in the area

An Airborne VTEM/Magnetics survey in 2021 highlighted large conductors at depth and cross-cutting structures

Scout drilling of 5 holes in 2022 noted distinct megacrystic pophryrytic and pseudoleucite, characteristic of one of the main mineralizing phases at Galore Creek

LGM Overview

The LGM property is underlain by a series of intersecting regional structures that characterize the great deposits in the Golden Triangle district, including the 'Red Line', and by a suite of prospective intrusive rocks believed to part of the Copper Mountain Suite.

Retreating glaciers on the property have revealed broad zones of distinctive quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration associated with a series of megacrystic porphyry dykes. Soil sampling and mapping since the 1990s has delineated several distinct geochemical targets on the LGM property. The Lulu copper-molybdenum-rhenium porphyry target area encompasses the Central, Hidden Zone, Long Ridge, Lucifer and Nulu mineralized zones, covering 4 x 5 km, exhibiting alteration and geochemistry that is characteristic of large nearby porphyry deposits.

2022 Drilling

Origen drilled 5 scout holes at LGM in 2022, with 2 holes targeting the Hidden Gold area, a large gold in talus anomaly on a ridge to the east side of the Central Lulu area. Another 2 holes targeted the Central area and 1 drillhole tested the Long Ridge part of the Lulu copper-molybdenum porphyry target. Long Ridge targets included an interpreted structure that is associated with geochemically anomalous molybdenum and rhenium samples on surface (see NR dated 3 March 2021) and additionally a rounded, vertical EM conductivity target identified in the 2021 airborne geophysical survey (see NR 29 September 2021). A total of 903 samples of half cut core were collected to build a detailed geochemical characterization of the zones drilled and support vectoring toward a porphyry target.

Porphyry dykes similar to the Copper Mountain Plutonic Suite were encountered both in core and surface mapping of the Lulu area.

2022 drilling from the Lulu Central pad consisted of two holes oriented east and west respectively. A total of 347 core samples were collected with results ranging from 8 - 197 ppm Cu, 0.3 - 67.5 ppm Mo and 7 - 518 ppm Zn. The west oriented hole was designed to intersect the extension of a Mo-Re bearing structure identified by talus sampling at Long Ridge in 2020. This structure was intersected and found to be strongly altered by substantial movement of hydrothermal fluids. The east oriented hole targeted a more intense area of clay alteration identified in ASTER remote sensing data interpretation.

The Long Ridge hole was oriented to pass though the Mo-Re bearing structure interpreted to be associated with the geochemical anomalies north of the collar and then at depth it reached the edge of the vertical, rounded EM conductor anomaly. A total of 273 core samples were collected in this hole with results ranging from 11 - 217 ppm Cu, 0.5 - 132 ppm Mo, 6 - 956 ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. In spite of no significant zones of sulphide mineralization, the Company continues to believe that geological units and alteration combined with the new geochemical data supports the larger target of both a Cu-Mo system at depth with an additional Au mineralizing event in the Lulu area.

As anticipated, the majority of the better gold values encountered from drilling at Hidden Gold were associated with a breccia unit. The target gold rich breccia is multi-phase; containing clasts of earlier breccias, indicating a complex and long-lived genesis. In addition to the range of gold values reported, results ranged from 28 - 1292 ppm Cu, 0.2 - 139 ppm Mo, 13 - 405 and ppm Zn and 1 - 519 ppm As. Previous interpretation was that the gold bearing structure was steeply dipping and cutting though the ridge in a N-S direction. However, the Company feels that drilling results do not fully explain the elevated levels of gold seen in talus on the ridge. The Company's revised interpretation is that the structure hosting the breccia is dipping to the west in which case the 2022 drilling would have drilled under more mineralized material that is the source of the surface anomalies. Additional drilling from further west on the ridge to intersect a west-dipping structure is warranted.

The Grizzly Area at LGM is a Cu-Au porphyry target defined by a 1200 m x 500 m copper-gold soil anomaly. In 1991, 59m of blast trenching returned encouraging results that included 20m averaging 0.87% Cu and 1.51 g/t Au. This is located near the downslope extent of the copper-gold soil anomaly. In 2008 the first ever drilling at the Grizzly prospect returned grades that were not consistent with grades seen on surface, but still produced wider intervals of lower-grade gold and copper mineralization, including volcaniclastic rocks with moderate to strong K-feldspar - biotite alteration and moderate to locally strong carbonate alteration. Fine grained pyrite and chalcopyrite in volcaniclastics returned 17.38m averaging 0.28 g/t Au and 0.21% Cu. Initial data review and interpretation by Origen's geological team targets the source of the soil anomaly further upslope from the area of 2008 drilling.

Wishbone Highlights:

Map 3 showing the location and rock sampling results from the Wishbone property

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Contiguous with Galore Creek Copper Project

Numerous soil samples greater than 1000 ppm (or 1 g/t) gold

Grab samples as high as 175.7 g/t gold

Airborne results highlighted underlying structures on the property.

Rapidly receding glacial ice has exposed new high grade gold showings.

Wishbone Overview

The Wishbone property is a contiguous 3,971 hectare property located 40km west of Highway 37 and the Bob Quinn airstrip. Glacier retreat in recent years has exposed up to 500m of unexplored area at Wishbone which has resulted in the discovery of a new prospect area called "Rat" with gold values ranging from 0.001 to 175.7 g/t in the 79 rock samples collected. There are an additional 8 other priority target areas at Wishbone, including the Windy, Table and Lynx prospects, which along with Rat have all reported soil samples greater than 1 g/t gold. The Waterfall and Hollywood areas have returned higher copper grades along with visible gold, interpreted to be prospective for volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization, compared to the gold and silver quartz-carbonate vein-style mineralization elsewhere at Wishbone.

Reversion Deal terms

For the 100% return of the Wishbone property, Origen will forgive the outstanding promissory note in the principal amount of $1,860,000 plus the accrued Interest to date of $ 161,879.45 for a total of $2,021,879.45. Origen will assume the underlying agreements related to the Wishbone property.

On behalf of Origen,

Thomas Hawkins

Managing Director

*Source: https://www.gcmc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2014-09-30-Galore-Creek-Reserves-and-Resources.pdf

About Origen

Origen is fully focused on its 100% interest in the Los Sapitos Lithium project in Argentina and its 100% interest in the 33,000 ha Newfoundland Lithium projects, and also holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia, a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM and the 3971 ha Wishbone projects in the mineral-rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia.

Dr. Thomas Hawkins, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101 has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release.

For further information, please contact Gary Schellenberg, Chief Executive Officer, at 604-681-0221.

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 press release.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171792
PHOS-CHEK production facility supports wildfire prevention and protection efforts across North America

Clayton, Missouri--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM), a leading global manufacturer of high-quality firefighting products and lubricant additives, welcomed Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz for a tour of its manufacturing facility in Pasco, WA this week.





Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz met with employees and took a tour of the Perimeter Solutions manufacturing facility in Pasco, WA this week.

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Perimeter Solutions opened its Pasco facility in July of 2021. The company's flagship long-term fire retardant, PHOS-CHEK LCE20-Fx and PHOS-CHEK LCE20W are produced at the site. PHOS-CHEK LCE20-Fx is an innovative, phosphate-based product that uses an environmentally friendlier formula to offer superior performance, product safety, and enhanced stability for aerial wildland firefighting. PHOS-CHEK LCE20W is an uncolored, ground-applied long-term fire retardant that can be sprayed ahead of wildfire season or during an oncoming fire threat to protect vegetation and other fuel sources.

Franz has served as Commissioner of Public Lands since 2017. In the Commissioner's role, she leads the state's wildfire fighting force, managing nearly six million acres of public lands. Since becoming Commissioner, she has led efforts to protect Washington communities and the environment from the impacts of wildfire and has worked with her team to transform the state into a modern wildland firefighting force. Franz also was instrumental in the passing of House Bill 1168 passed. The Wildfire, Forest Health Funding Bill committed $500 million to boost the state's wildfire response, accelerate forest restoration, and build community resilience.

The team at Perimeter Solutions Pasco facility produces PHOS-CHEK LCE20-Fx, which is shipped to airbases around North America.



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"Perimeter Solutions is an invaluable partner in our wildland firefighting efforts, providing crucial products like fire retardant and foams that play a vital role in our toolbox," said Franz. "It's not just about extinguishing flames; it's about keeping our firefighters, the public, and the environment safe. We're committed to continuing our collaboration with Perimeter Solutions, and always strive for improvement and innovation. Together, we can educate others about the importance of what Perimeter Solutions does here in Pasco and around the world, and how it truly makes a difference in wildfire fighting."

The PHOS-CHEK LCE20-Fx fire retardant produced at the Pasco site is shipped to air attack bases around the US and Canada to help fire management agencies, including the USDA Forest Service, to prevent the spread of wildfires. The Company is celebrating the 60thanniversary of PHOS-CHEK fire retardant this year. It was in 1963 that the iconic brand was first approved for use in aerial wildfire attack by the Forest Service, and it quickly became the go-to fire retardant for wildland firefighters around the world. Over the past six decades, PHOS-CHEK has helped firefighters to protect property and save countless lives.

Lou Gildemeister with Perimeter Solutions conducted a burn test with Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz to demonstrate the effectiveness of PHOS-CHEK fire retardant.



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Perimeter Solutions Logo



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For more information on Perimeter Solutions, visit https://www.perimeter-solutions.com.

About Perimeter Solutions

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM) is a premier global solutions provider, producing high-quality firefighting products and lubricant additives. The company develops products that impact critically important issues of life - issues where there often is no room for error and the job doesn't offer second chances. At Perimeter, we characterize the solutions we develop as 'Trusted Solutions that Save' - because it underscores what we are trying to accomplish for our customers and the world at large. Perimeter Solutions produces major brands known throughout the world like PHOS-CHEK and FIRE-TROL retardant, foam concentrates and gel products; AUXQUIMIA and SOLBERG firefighting foam concentrates; and BIOGEMA extinguishing agents and retardants. For more info on how we use our experience, responsibility, and integrity to deliver trusted solutions that help improve firefighting performance, visit: www.perimeter-solutions.com.

Media Contact

Resource Advantage

Dan Green

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171799
PharmaCielo is actively working with more than 24 customers in 15 countries globally, with a focus on psychoactive APIs and dried flower.

The Company recently made its first shipment of THC Distillate and THC-Dominant Dried Flower to a customer in Australia that will be supplying these products to dispensaries across the country.

The Company has closed the final tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement and announced its plans to issue up to 5,000 debenture units in a new non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000.

The Company also announced that it has agreed to issue shares in settlement of debenture interest payments.

All amounts expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted

Toronto, Ontario and Rionegro, Colombia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - PharmaCielo Ltd. (TSXV: PCLO) (OTCQX: PCLOF) ("PharmaCielo" or the "Company"), the Canadian parent of Colombia's premier cultivator and producer of dried flower and medicinal-grade cannabis extracts, PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S. ("Holdings"), today provided shareholders with an update on several ongoing initiatives.

Business Development

PharmaCielo's management team has successfully oriented the business toward revenue generation and the sale of higher margin products, with the primary focus currently on psychoactive APIs and dried flower, which generate higher margins than CBD Isolate. Currently, the Company is actively working with more than 24 customers in 14 countries across Europe, Latin America, Africa and Australia.

Germany

PharmaCielo expects to make its first shipment of THC-dominant dried flower to Germany by the end of July 2023, with regular shipments to continue for the next three years.

Australia

PharmaCielo has been working with a well-established supplier to the pharmaceutical industry (the "Customer") in Australia and has made its first shipment of both THC Distillate and THC-Dominant Dried Flower to the Customer. The Customer will supply PharmaCielo's dried flower as a finished product to dispensaries in Australia and expects to also supply the Company's THC Distillate for the manufacture of magistral formulations in the country.

Chile

The Company has also signed an agreement to supply a pharmaceutical company (the "Client"), with THC Full Spectrum as an API as well as CBD Isolate. The Client will use PharmaCielo's products to supply patients of its own clinics, as well as for currently listed magistral formulations. The Company expects to make its first shipment by the end of July 2023. The Client is a pharmaceutical company that imports pharma-grade raw materials and supplies medical patients across Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.

Debenture Units

PharmaCielo today announced that it has closed the final tranche of the non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") that was announced on December 21, 2021. Under the Offering, to date, PharmaCielo issued 12,825 debenture units, for aggregate proceeds of $12,825,000.

Following the closure of the Offering, Pharmacielo has plans to issue up to 5,000 debenture units (each a "Unit") in a non-brokered private placement (the "New Offering"). The Units will be issued at a price of $1,000 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000. Insiders, including directors and management, plan to participate in the New Offering. The Company expects to issue the Units on or about June 30, 2023, in one or more closings, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the Units for operations, working capital and the build-out of its international sales program.

Each Unit will consist of $1,000 principal amount of 11% secured debentures ("Debentures") and 1,000 non-transferable common share purchase warrants ("Debenture Warrants"). Each Debenture Warrant will entitle the holder for a period of 60 months from the initial closing date to acquire one common share of the Company (each a "Common Share") at an exercise price equal to higher of the price equal to the market price of the Common Shares or the 10-day VWAP at the time of the initial closing. The Debentures will bear interest at a rate of 11.0% per annum, will mature 36 months from the date of initial closing date, and will be guaranteed by Holdings. Holdings' guarantee of the Debentures will be secured by mortgages on the real property of the Company and its subsidiaries.

The Company will have the right to redeem any or all of the Debentures from time to time at the following percentages of face value: (i) 105% at any time prior to the first anniversary of the initial closing date; (ii) 103% at any time on or after the first anniversary of the initial closing date and prior to the second anniversary of the initial closing date; and (iii) 101% thereafter, in each case together with accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of redemption. Upon a change of control of the Company, holders will have the right to have their Debentures repurchased at 105% of face value plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including the date of repurchase.

The Debentures, Debenture Warrants, and any Common Shares issuable upon exercise of the Debenture Warrants will be subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws, starting from the date of issuance of the corresponding Units.



Management Commentary

"I am proud of the progress our team has made already this year both growing our future sales pipeline and working hard to execute on those opportunities," said Bill Petron, CEO of PharmaCielo. "While the capital markets environment is challenging for all operators in our sector, we have remained focused on what matters - operating efficiently and growing our revenue. Because of the nature of our end markets, the sales cycle can be prolonged, however these relationships, once initiated, are also long-term and high margin. With no meaningful capex ahead of us, a lean operating model, a structural cost advantage and one of the most advanced and scalable cannabis production complexes available globally, we are very well positioned to generate cash flow and value for shareholders as we continue to deliver revenue."

Mr. Petron continued, "The fact that we are able to continue obtaining debt financing at a very reasonable cost, represents a strong vote of confidence from investors and insiders regarding both our team's progress to date as well as in PharmaCielo's growth potential over the next twelve months. As a management team and board of directors, we strongly believe in alignment with shareholders."

Interest Shares

Today, the Company also announced that it intends to issue, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, 3,231,493 common shares of the Company ("Interest Shares"), at an effective price of $0.1993 per Interest Share, in satisfaction of an aggregate of $644,039.45 in semi-annual interest payments due to holders of 11% secured debentures of the Company due December 24, 2024 (the "Debentures"). The effective price of the Interest Shares was determined by dividing the cash interest otherwise payable by the number of shares issuable under each Debenture, as determined on June 1, 2023, in accordance with the terms of the Debentures.

The Interest Shares are subject to the balance, if any, of the 4-month statutory hold period applicable to the relevant Debenture under Canadian securities laws.

About PharmaCielo

PharmaCielo Ltd. (TSXV: PCLO) (OTCQX: PCLOF) is a global company, headquartered in Canada, with a focus on ethical and sustainable processing and supplying of all natural, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products to large channel distributors. PharmaCielo's principal (and wholly owned) subsidiary is PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., headquartered at its cultivation and processing center located in Rionegro, Colombia.

The board of directors and executive team of PharmaCielo are comprised of a diversely talented group of international business executives and specialists with relevant and varied expertise. PharmaCielo recognized the significant role that Colombia's ideal location plays in building a sustainable business in the medical cannabis industry, and the Company, together with its directors and executives, is executing on a business plan focused on supplying the international marketplace.

For further information:

Ian Atacan, Director & Chief Financial Officer

+1 416-562-3220

[email protected]

Media and Investor Inquires:

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may" or "will" be taken, occur or be completed or achieved.

Forward-looking statements can be affected by known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including changes to PharmaCielo's development plans, the failure to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals relating to the export of cannabinoid products and the import of these products into other countries, TSX Venture Exchange approval, the inability to export or distribute commercial products through sales channels as anticipated due to economic or operational circumstances, risks associated with operating in Colombia, fluctuation of the market price for the Company's products, risks associated with global economic instability relating to COVID-19 or other developments, risks related to retention of key Company personnel, currency exchange risk, competition in PharmaCielo's market and other risks discussed or referred to under the heading "Risk Factors" in PharmaCielo's Annual Information Form for the financial year ended December 31, 2019, which is available at www.sedar.com.Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, PharmaCielo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES

OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

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A combined total of approximately $1.65 million in aggregate proceeds raised from all tranches of the non-brokered private placement.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement of 6,499,688 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.145 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $942,454.76 (the "Private Placement"). The aggregate proceeds raised in both tranches totaled approximately $1,646,805.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one additional share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.20 per Warrant Share for a period of 48 months from the closing date of the Private Placement, provided that if the volume weighted average closing price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (or such other stock exchange on which the Shares are traded) is equal to or greater than $0.25 for any ten consecutive trading days, the Company may at its option to elect to accelerate the expiry of the Warrants by providing notice to the holders thereof, in which case the Warrants will expire thirty calendar days following delivery of such notice.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid arm's length finders (each, a "Finder") an aggregate of $28,173.60 and issued an aggregate of 194,300 warrants (each, a "Finder's Warrant"), representing 7% of the proceeds raised from those purchasers introduced by such Finder and 7% of the total number of Units sold to investors introduced by such Finder, which provide that such Finder may acquire common shares of the Company (each a "Finder's Warrant Share") at $0.145 per Finder's Warrant Share for a period of 48 months from the date of issuance.

The Company intends to use the proceeds raised from the Private Placement for general corporate purposes and market awareness advertising.

5,337,772 of the Units (the "LIFE Units") issued pursuant to the Private Placement were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions and therefore the Shares and Warrants forming the LIFE Units will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement have not, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons in the absence of U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The Company is also pleased to announce that, pursuant to the indenture between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada dated August 15, 2022, as supplemented by the first supplemental indenture dated September 20, 2022 (collectively, the "Indenture") governing the 10% unsecured convertible debentures in the principal amount of $1,245,000 (the "August Debentures") previously issued on August 15, 2022, and the 10% unsecured convertible debentures in the principal amount of $285,000 (the "September Debentures" and with the August Debentures, the "Debentures") previously issued on September 20, 2022, the Company will issue Shares in satisfaction of interest payments on the outstanding Debentures (the "Interest Payments").

The Company will issue an aggregate of $75,537 worth of Shares at the closing market price on June 29, 2023 to holders of the Debentures in satisfaction of an aggregate of $75,537 in interest payable as of June 30, 2023. Issuance of the Shares is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Interest Payments will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

The Company also announces that it intends to amend the exercise price of certain common share purchase warrants originally issued on August 15, 2022, September 20, 2022, December 21, 2022, December 30, 2022 and January 16, 2023 (collectively, the "Existing Warrants") and the conversion price of the Debentures.

An aggregate of 765,000 Existing Warrants were initially issued with an exercise price of $0.40 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of debenture units. The Company intends to amend the exercise price of unexercised Existing Warrants to $0.20 per Share.

An aggregate of 12,536,538 Existing Warrants were initially issued with an exercise price of $0.25 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of units. The Company intends to amend the exercise price of unexercised Existing Warrants to $0.20 per Share.

An aggregate of principal amount of $1,530,000 of Debentures were initially issued with a conversion price of $0.285 per Share in connection with a non-brokered private placement of debenture units. The Company intends to amend the conversion price of unconverted Debentures to $0.20 per Share.

Amendment of the Existing Warrants and Debentures is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. No action will be required on part of the holders of the Existing Warrants or Debentures to give effect to the amendments.

About Plurilock

Plurilock secures workforces, delivering least privilege access management and advanced IT solutions to commercial and government customers worldwide. With industry-leading artificial intelligence and patented real-time identity confirmation technology, Plurilock combines next-generation cybersecurity with a comprehensive line of products and services that enable teams across North America and the globe to compute safely in a remote work world.

For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact:

Ian L. Paterson

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

416.800.1566

Prit Singh

Investor Relations

[email protected]

905.510.7636

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.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.



Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Q2 Metals Corp. (TSXV: QTWO) (OTCQB: QUEXF) (FSE: 458) ("Q2" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the mapping/prospecting and rock sampling results of its abridged exploration work program at the Mia Lithium Property (the "Mia Property") located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory of Quebec.

On June 5, 2023, the Company was mandated by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests to pause all exploration related activities and depart from camp due to the ongoing wildfire status of northern Quebec. As a result, the mapping and sampling portion of the field work lasted only two days. Despite the pause to the field work, the Company is encouraged by the results of the work completed and plans to execute an ambitious work program of expedited mapping, sampling and drill-testing as soon as conditions allow. The following is a summary of the work completed to date, and the work-plan for the remaining summer months:

June Exploration Work

The recent two-day mapping and sampling work of the historically known lithium pegmatites at the Mia Property resulted in the collection of 28 pegmatite samples. Six (6) samples were collected from spodumene-mineralized pegmatite and the remaining twenty-two (22) from non-mineralized pegmatite to broaden the understanding of the source-rock relationships, geochronology, and/or zonation of the pegmatite. A summary of the spodumene-mineralized samples is provided in Table 1.

Table 1. Spodumene-mineralized samples from the June, 2023 site visit

Sample Li2O (%) Ta2O5 (ppm) Zone B00293504 0.55 72.3 Mia B00293505 2.05 101.7 Mia B00293501 2.73 61.9 Mia B00293510 1.57 167.3 Carte B00293511 2.01 93.9 Carte B00293512 1.04 72.9 Carte B00293507 0.02 160 Carte

Mia Zone

At the herein named "Mia Zone", the historically mapped spodumene-pegmatite was sampled and returned 2.73, 2.05 and 0.55% Li 2 O. This successfully verified the 2021 and 2022 work by the property vendors of 18 grab samples averaging 2.65% Li 2 O.

The Mia Zone now measures a mapped extent of approximately 370 metres and is up to 140 metres wide. This represents an extension of approximately 130 metres to the north of the previously mapped extent. There are some inclusions of the host rock within these dimensions and there are unclear contacts in all directions leading to the inability to precisely report the true size of the pegmatite.

The Company's priority will be to undergo drill testing of the Mia Zone in order to understand its true dimensions. The preliminary IP/Resistivity data suggest that the mineralized zone extends beneath overburden to the north, south and east.



Figure 1. Western Mia Trend, June 2023 Sampling Summary

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Carte Zone

At the herein named "Carte Zone", the historically mapped spodumene-pegmatite was sampled and returned three spodumene-mineralized samples of 2.01, 1.57 and 1.04% Li 2 O. This successfully verified the 2022 work by the property vendors of 3 grab samples averaging 1.65% Li 2 O.

The Carte Zone measures a mapped extent of approximately 110 metres and is up to 30 metres wide. Like the Mia Zone, the contact relationship between the host rock and the pegmatite is unclear and additional work is needed to determine the true dimensions of the pegmatite. Additionally, the next pegmatite located approximately 250 metres to the west was sampled and returned 160 ppm Ta 2 O 5 .



Figure 2. Eastern Mia Trend, June 2023 Sampling Summary

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"We have learned a great deal in the short amount of time we were on the Mia Property, and because of that we are more enthusiastic than ever about its potential. Only a small fraction of the Mia Trend has been looked at," said Neil McCallum, VP Exploration of Q2 Metals. "As soon as we are able, we will return to the Project to resume our efficient and results-oriented program to define the extent of the known mineralized occurrences and to hopefully make additional discoveries."



Figure 3. Selected Mineralized Photos, Mia and Carte Zones.

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Summary of Additional Work Completed in 2023:

IP/Resistivity

During the month of March, a ground IP/Resistivity survey was completed over the western half of the 8-km Mia Trend. Results of the survey are still being interpreted and the truncated work program prevented ground-truthing of the anomalous highly resistive zones which may be indications of wide pegmatite accumulation near surface.

Airborne Magnetics

A property-wide high-resolution helicopter-borne magnetic survey was completed before the pause to our field program. The survey was flown at a line-spacing of 50 metres and at a height of approximately 15 metres above the surface. The preliminary results suggest that there are favorable extensions of the Mia Trend beyond its current extent.

Hyperspectral Survey

A property-wide hyperspectral interpretation of ASTER and Sentinel-2 data was completed during May and June by Terra Resources of Perth, Australia. The results of the survey generated 495 target areas on both the Mia Property and the Stellar Property.

Integration of Targets and Exploration Targets

The historical and 2023 work has been compiled, integrated and refined, resulting in the definition of two high-priority Exploration Trends (Figure 1). The first is herein named the "Mia Trend" and is host to the two mineralized zones on the Property (discussed in detail above) as well as a corridor measuring six (6) kilometres long of untested pegmatite. Secondly, the parallel "Bruce Trend" to the north which contains a series of historically mapped pegmatite and hyperspectral targets that have not yet been sampled.

Additionally, there are other secondary exploration trends (please see lighter green colour on Figures 1 and 2) that have been defined based on the compilation and presumed extensions of the high-priority zones.

In total, there are 297 individual targets that have been selected based on the high-resolution satellite data, combined with the hyperspectral interpretation and the property-wide airborne magnetics. Many of these targets cluster along the aforementioned exploration trends and provide the Company with an abundance of opportunities to make additional discoveries on the Mia Property.

Summer 2023 Exploration Plan

The Company has received permits from the relevant ministries for its inaugural drill campaign at the Mia Property and has engaged Youdin-Rouillier Drilling of Amos, QC, to execute the Company's inaugural drill campaign. Youdin-Rouillier Drilling is based in Eeyou Istchee James Bay and has recently been awarded the UL 2724 ECOLOGO Certification Program for Suppliers of Mineral Exploration, which supports a commitment to social responsibility and a focus on environmental practices.

As soon as safe working conditions in the area allow for a return, the Company intends to immediately commence drilling on the Mia Zone, which represents the highest priority mineralized zone. The Company is targeting between 8,000 and 10,000 metres of drilling this campaign, utilizing two drill rigs.

Simultaneously, the Company will continue the mapping and sampling program on the Mia and Bruce Trends along with the highest priority target zones from the property-wide targeting compilation.

"We continue to actively monitor the situation daily with our focus centered on the health and safety of the local community," said Q2 President and Chief Executive Officer, Alicia Milne. "We are well funded and have all of our permits and contracts in place. We are eagerly awaiting resuming our exploration program once the fire risk has subsided and we receive the green light from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests."

Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC)

All rock samples collected were transported by the geological contractors to SGS Canada's prep laboratory in Val-d'Or, QC, for standard sample preparation (code PRP89) which includes drying at 105C, crush to 75% passing 2 mm, riffle split 250 g, and pulverize 85% passing 75 microns. The pulps were shipped by air to SGS Canada's laboratory in Burnaby, BC, where the samples were homogenized and subsequently analyzed for multi-element (including Li and Ta) using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-AES/MS finish (code GE_ICM91A50). The Company has relied on the internal lab QAQC for the surface sample analysis.

Management cautions that prospecting surface rock samples and associated assays, as discussed herein, are selective by nature and represent a point location, and therefore may not necessarily be fully representative of the mineralized horizon sampled.

Qualified Person

Neil McCallum, B.Sc., P.Geol, is a registered permit holder with the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed the technical information in this news release. Mr. McCallum is a director and VP Exploration of Q2.

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 Territory of Quebec, Canada which is host to the Mia Li-1 and Mia Li-2 lithium occurrences. 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.

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 of Queensland, Australia, 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/171740
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. (TSX: SOIL) (FSE: SMKA) (OTCQX: OILSF) ("Saturn" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additions to Saturn's board of directors (the "Board") and management team, the voting results of its Annual General and Special Meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on June 28, 2023, and the grant of equity-based compensation.

Corporate Updates

Board Additions

Saturn is pleased to welcome two new directors to its board: S. Janet Yang and Andrew Claugus.

Ms. Yang is Research Director, Energy and Mining at GMT Capital Corp. Prior to joining GMT Capital Corp., from 2018 to 2023, Ms. Yang was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of W&T Offshore, Inc., a Texas based oil & gas exploration and production company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Yang has extensive experience in finance and capital raising, and holds an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, and a BA in Economics from Rice University.

Mr. Claugus is an entrepreneur and independent businessman, with extensive experience in petroleum engineering. From 2014 to 2022, Mr. Claugus was the Engineering Manager for MECO IV, LLC, which, prior to its acquisition, was a private oil & gas exploration and production company based in Denver, Colorado. Following the sale, Mr. Claugus founded WhiteFin Resources, a privately backed oil and gas company investing in non-operated interests in core areas of established basins. Mr. Claugus holds a Master of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering from Colorado School of Mines, and a BsC in Chemical Engineering, from Case Western Reserve University.

Management

In addition, Saturn is pleased to announce that Grant MacKenzie will be joining Saturn's executive management team as Chief Legal Officer.

Mr. MacKenzie joins us from Dentons Canada LLP, where he has been intimately involved with the Company during its transformational growth since 2021. Mr. MacKenzie was partner with Dentons and the Corporate co-lead of the Calgary office since 2018, and brings the experience of a 21 year legal career to the Company. Mr. MacKenzie has extensive experience dealing with public issuers, including with respect to capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings and stock exchange compliance advice and will be a valued addition to our management team.

AGM Results

In addition, Saturn is pleased to report that that all matters presented at the Meeting were approved. A total of 51,945,625 common shares representing 37.47% of the total 138,631,875 outstanding common shares ("Common Shares") of the Company were voted at the Meeting.

At the Meeting, the number of directors to be elected to the Board was fixed at eight (8), with 99.99% of votes in favour. All eight director nominees were elected, with the results of the election as follows:

Name of Nominee



Votes for Percentage of Votes John Jeffrey



46,216,704 88.97% Ivan Bergerman



50,739,120 97.68% Murray (Jim) Payne



50,181,742 99.94% Christopher Ryan



46,568,204 89.65% Grant MacKenzie



46,166,904 88.88% Thomas Gutschlag



50,158,542 99.90% S. Janet Yang



50,197,267 99.97% Andrew Claugus



50,197,267 99.97%

All other matters considered at the Meeting were approved by the shareholders, including:

The appointment of KPMG LLP as the auditor of the Company (99.99% of votes in favour)

Approval of Saturn's new Long-Term Incentive Plan (96.85% of votes in favour)

Approval of Saturn's Advance Notice By-Law (97.20% of votes in favour).

The full text of each resolution and biography of the director nominees is set forth in the management information circular of the Company dated May 30, 2023 available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

Equity Compensation Grants

In connection with approval of Saturn's new Long Term Incentive Plan, Saturn has granted 177,004 Restricted Share Units (the "RSUs") to certain executives, directors and new employees. The RSUs were granted at a price of $2.51 per RSU (equal to the issue price of our prior April 3 grants) and vest in equal tranches over three years. Upon vesting, each RSU may be settled in cash, common shares issued from treasury or purchased in the market at the discretion of the Board.

Saturn also granted 666,666 Performance Share Units ("PSUs") to certain senior executive officers. The PSUs vest one year from the date of grant, and at the discretion of the Board of Directors may be settled in cash, common shares issued from treasury or purchased in the market at a payout ratio of 50%-150% subject to the achievement of certain corporate performance objectives.

About Saturn Oil & Gas Inc.

Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. is a growing Canadian energy company focused on generating positive shareholder returns through the continued responsible development of high-quality, light oil weighted assets, supported by an acquisition strategy that targets highly accretive, complementary opportunities. Saturn has assembled an attractive portfolio of free-cash flowing, low-decline operated assets in Southeastern Saskatchewan, West Central Saskatchewan and Central Alberta that provide a deep inventory of long-term economic drilling opportunities across multiple zones. With an unwavering commitment to building an ESG-focused culture, Saturn's goal is to increase reserves, production and cash flows at an attractive return on invested capital. Saturn's shares are listed for trading on the TSX under ticker 'SOIL' and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under symbol 'SMKA' and the OTCQX under symbol "OILSF". For further information about Saturn, please visit our website at www.saturnoil.com.

Saturn Oil & Gas Investor & Media Contacts:

John Jeffrey, MBA - Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +1 (587) 392-7902

www.saturnoil.com

Kevin Smith, MBA - VP Corporate Development

Tel: +1 (587) 392-7900

www.saturnoil.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171727
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced insider trading charges against Amit Dagar, a former Pfizer Inc. employee, and his close friend and business partner, Atul Bhiwapurkar, for trading in advance of the companys November 5, 2021, announcement that a randomized, double-blind study of its COVID-19 antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, was successful. Following that announcement in which Pfizers CEO referred to the news as a game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of the pandemic, the companys stock price increased by nearly 11 percent, the largest single-day price move in the stock since 2009.

According to the SECs complaint, Dagar was a senior statistical program lead for the Paxlovid drug trial, which began in July 2021 as part of the companys efforts to address the global health pandemic. On the day before the Paxlovid announcement, the complaint alleges, Dagar learned material, nonpublic information about the success of the trial. Specifically, the SEC alleges that Dagars supervisor informed him via chat that we got the outcome, there was a lot of work lined up, and that there would be a press release tomorrow, to which Dagar responded with oh really and kind of exciting. Several hours after that exchange, Dagar allegedly purchased short term, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options, including options that expired the very next day, and then tipped Bhiwapurkar, who also purchased similar call options in Pfizer. The complaint alleges that Dagars and Bhiwapurkars trading generated approximately $214,395 and $60,300 respectively in illicit profits, which amounted to one-day investment returns of 2,458 percent and 791 percent.

The case originated from the SECs Market Abuse Units Analysis and Detection Center, which uses data analysis tools to detect suspicious trading patterns.

As alleged in our complaint, Amit Dagar misused his access to confidential clinical trial results to enrich himself and his friend, Atul Bhiwapurkar, said Joseph Sansone, Chief of the Market Abuse Unit. Dagar and Bhiwapurkar allegedly leveraged this information by trading out-of-the-money call options to generate massive one-day returns. Thanks to our surveillance, the defendants must now face the consequences of their greed.

The SECs complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges Dagar and Bhiwapurkar with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Exchange Act Rule 10b-5 thereunder and seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Dagar and Bhiwapurkar.

The SECs investigation, which is ongoing, is being conducted by Market Abuse Unit staff member Colby Steele, with the assistance of Patrick McCluskey of the Market Abuse Units Analysis and Detection Center, and is being supervised by Paul Kim and Mr. Sansone. The SEC's litigation will be led by Charlie Divine and Mr. Steele under the supervision of James Connor. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI.
By Rachael Bayliss-Chan, KYODO NEWS - Jun 28, 2023 - 11:02 | All, Feature, World

Sen Genshitsu, a centenarian master of the Japanese tea ceremony, has spent decades traveling the globe to educate people about the cultural institution, promoting the idea of "peacefulness through a bowl of tea" in a lifelong mission that shows no signs of ebbing.

An unwavering commitment took Genshitsu to Sydney in early June to conduct a traditional ceremony under the theme of "tea sharing for peace," at an event marking the 60th anniversary of his Oceania mission.

The former grand master of Urasenke, one of the art's top three schools in Japan, demonstrated a "kencha" ritual tea offering and spoke of the virtues of the tea ceremony to an audience of around 200 people from Australia and neighboring countries on June 9.

Genshitsu, who was recruited to the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II and trained for suicide attack missions, said if people worldwide could share the spirit of mutual respect characterized by the tea ceremony, "there would be no more ugly conflicts."

Noting with sadness the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Genshitsu recalled his multiple visits to both countries and establishing a tea ceremony house in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

"Three days ago, I received a video of a tea ceremony being held in the tea ceremony house there," Genshitsu said in his speech.

"When I saw it, I cried. I want to go to Ukraine again," he continued, hoping that in whatever small way he could contribute to a return of peace.

Genshitsu, the 15th grand master of the Urasenke school from 1964 to 2002, was awarded Japan's Prime Minister's Award in April for his contribution to peace diplomacy and promoting Japanese culture. He has served as UNESCO goodwill ambassador since 2012.

He was born in 1923 into a family of the Urasenke school based in Kyoto, whose roots date back to Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591). The school perfected the style of tea ceremony based on the "wabi" aesthetic.

Despite celebrating his 100th birthday in April, Genshitsu deftly maneuvered the various tea-making implements before standing to deliver an impassioned lecture that lasted over 30 minutes.

During the ritual ceremony devoted to peace, the kimono-clad master made tea on stage in fluid movements, gently pouring hot water into a bowl before adding "matcha" ground tea powder and whisking it vigorously.

He attributes his longevity to drinking green tea and maintaining good posture. "I was drinking tea even in my mother's womb," Genshitsu quipped.

Margaret Price, 67, who teaches Japanese tea ceremony in the northeastern state of Queensland, said the visit to Australia by the former grand master was an excellent way to rekindle the enthusiasm of tea ceremony practitioners there and remind them of the true reason for practicing.

"The Daisosho...is a true force for diplomacy around the world and I think should be regarded as one of the treasures of Japan," said Price, referring to Genshitsu by the title that signifies his status as a former grand master.
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced insider trading charges against Jordan Meadow, a registered representative for a New York-based broker-dealer, and Steven Teixeira, the Chief Compliance Officer of an international payment processing company, in connection with their trading based on material nonpublic information that Teixeira obtained from his girlfriends laptop while she was working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SECs complaint alleges that Teixeira accessed nonpublic information on possible upcoming mergers and acquisitions of public companies from the laptop of his girlfriend, who was employed at a prominent New York-based investment bank. As alleged, Teixeira then used the information to purchase call options on several issuers ahead of the announcement of the deals and tipped the information to his friends, including Meadow, so that they could trade as well. The scheme allegedly generated illicit profits of approximately $28,600 for Teixeira, while Meadow made more than $730,000. Additionally, according to the complaint, Meadow recommended trades to his brokerage customers based on the material nonpublic information from Teixeira, resulting in millions of dollars in profits for them and hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions for Meadow.

Our complaint alleges brazen betrayals of trust by Teixeira, who misappropriated information from his girlfriends laptop to make a quick buck, and by industry-veteran Meadow, who was all too eager to use the information to line his pockets, said Scott Thompson, the Associate Regional Director of the SECs Philadelphia Regional Office. We will continue to pursue and prosecute insider trading where appropriate to hold people accountable for their actions.

The SECs complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges Teixeira, of New York, and Meadow, of New Jersey, with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and bars on Meadow and Teixeira serving as officers or directors of public companies.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Meadow and Teixeira.

The SECs ongoing investigation is being conducted by Norman P. Ostrove and Julia C. Green of the Market Abuse Unit, with assistance from John S. Rymas of the Market Abuse Units Analysis and Detection Center. It was supervised by Scott A. Thompson and Nicholas P. Grippo of the Philadelphia Regional Office and Joseph G. Sansone of the Market Abuse Unit. The litigation will be led by Spencer Willig and Gregory Bockin of the Philadelphia Regional Office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York.
Petaluma, California--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Senior Care Authority has announced a new episode of Boomers Today, its weekly podcast that helps educate families on the resources available to America's aging population.

The newest episode features Marcy Baskin, a Certified Senior Advisor, Dementia Practitioner, and Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer. In the episode, host Frank Samson interviews Baskin on strategies for caring for loved ones living with dementia.

For more information, please visit https://www.seniorcareauthority.com/resources/boomers-today/

Senior Care Authority Announces New Podcast Episode With Dementia Care Advice

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In the recent episode of the Boomers Today Podcast, Baskin shares tips she has learned through her own experiences as both a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer's Association and a daughter whose mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

About Senior Care Authority

Senior Care Authority is a network of professional local advisors who aid families struggling with assisted living, memory care, and nursing care. Founded in California in 2009, Senior Care Authority has since expanded its services to 30 states. Their Boomers Today Podcast is among the many resources they offer to help alleviate the challenges people may face while navigating the healthcare system.

Interested parties can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or by visiting https://www.seniorcareauthority.com/resources/boomers-today/.

Contact Info:

Name: Rob Gandley

Email: [email protected]

Organization: Senior Care Authority

Address: 755 Baywood Drive Suite 200 , Petaluma, California 94954, United States

Website: https://www.seniorcareauthority.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171429
Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - June 28, 2023) - With a successful track record of serving over 2,000 clients in the United States and the Middle East, The Lifestyle Group is now poised to explore new horizons. Renowned for its expertise in wealth and lifestyle management, the firm is expanding its reach to Europe through London and Asia through Hong Kong. This strategic expansion solidifies The Lifestyle Group's global presence, reinforcing its commitment to providing exceptional services to its esteemed clientele worldwide. Recognizing the significant role Miami and Dubai have played in the luxury sector and tourism industry, Eli Geller, the founder of The Lifestyle Group, envisions London and Hong Kong as the ideal gateways to connect established and emerging markets. By extending its remarkable lifestyle services, the firm aims to bridge the gap and cater to the discerning needs of clients seeking unparalleled experiences in these vibrant cities.

"With our successful track record in wealth and lifestyle management, we recognize the immense potential of these cities as gateways to connect established and emerging markets. Our aim is to bridge the gap and cater to the discerning needs of clients seeking unparalleled experiences. Through our comprehensive range of services, we are committed to transforming dreams into reality and unlocking a world of extraordinary possibilities," said Eli Geller, a spokesperson for The Lending Group.





Photo of the Dubai Skyline, Courtesy of @thelifestyle.group

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The Lifestyle Group is a full-service lifestyle management firm, private club, and concierge service. Through a combination of services in real estate mastery, including purchasing, selling, renting, and reallocating, along with global travel solutions, luxury vehicle rentals, and even coordinating stateside births, their team of experienced professionals helps discerning customers navigate life internationally. The Lifestyle Group stands as the ultimate gateway to an extraordinary lifestyle and seamless transactions. With their unwavering commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, The Lifestyle Group unlocks a world of possibilities, transforming dreams into reality, one remarkable experience at a time.

For more information about The Lending Group, go to www.tlgprivate.com.

Contact: Eli Geller

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171733
Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 29, 2023) - Val-d'Or Mining Corporation (TSXV: VZZ) (the "Company") announces that further to the Company's news release of May 30, 2023, the Company has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") for the transactions contemplated under the NSR Purchase Agreement dated May 26, 2023 (the "NSR Purchase Agreement") entered into with 2973090 Canada Inc., a private company wholly-owned and controlled by Glenn J. Mullan, a director and the Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Glenn J. Mullan, pursuant to which the Company has agreed to purchase and concurrently cancel various net smelter return royalties. The Company has agreed to issue, subject to the final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, an aggregate of 2,222,222 common shares in consideration for the purchase and cancellation of the net smelter return royalties as set out in the NSR Purchase Agreement.

The proposed issuance of shares by the Company to 2973090 Canada Inc. and Glenn J. Mullan under the NSR Purchase Agreement constitutes a related party transaction pursuant to the TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. The Exchange requires as a condition of final approval, disinterested shareholder approval of the NSR Purchase Agreement and transactions contemplated thereby. Disinterested shareholder approval will be sought at the Company's forthcoming shareholder meeting, scheduled for early September.

The common shares to be issued by the Company in accordance with the terms of the NSR Purchase Agreement will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation and TSX Venture Exchange policy. No finder's fees are payable in connection with the transaction.

About Val-d'Or Mining Corporation

Val-d'Or Mining Corporation is a junior natural resource issuer involved in the process of acquiring and exploring its mineral property assets, most of which are situated in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of NE Ontario and NW Qubec. To complement its current property interests, the Company regularly evaluates new opportunities for staking and/or acquisitions. Outside of its principal regional focus in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, the Company holds several other properties in Northern Quebec (Nunavik) covering different geological environments and commodities (Ni-Cu-PGE's).

The Company has an expertise in the identification and generation of new projects, and in early-stage exploration. The mineral commodities of interest are broad, and range from gold, copper-zinc-silver, nickel-copper-PGE to industrial and energy minerals. After the initial value creation in the 100%-owned, or majority-owned properties, the Company seeks option/joint venture partners with the technical expertise and financial capacity to conduct more advanced exploration projects.

For additional information, please contact:

Glenn J. Mullan

2864 chemin Sullivan

Val-d'Or, Quebec J9P 0B9

Tel.: 819-824-2808, x 204

Email: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/171482
HONG KONG, Jun 29, 2023 - (ACN Newswire) - - China Wantian Holdings Limited ("China Wantian Holdings", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; stock code: 01854.HK) announces the audited annual results for the year ended 31 March 2023 (the "Year" or the "year under review"). The Group is principally engaged in three businesses, namely green food supply, green catering, and environmental protection and technology. These businesses developed steadily during the Year and delivered remarkable results. During the year under review, the Group has established business operations in Shenzhen and Zhongshan cities, China, and set up its headquarters in Nanshan, Shenzhen in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (the "Greater Bay Area"). This marked the Group's official debut in the Greater Bay Area market, where great potentials bound, and signified its commitment to becoming an industry-leading supplier and service provider of green food ingredients and green food in the Greater Bay Area.

During the year under review, in parallel with the rapid development of the Greater Bay Area market, the Group has adopted a multipronged approach in order to accelerate its business development in the area. The Group has been taking advantage of the synergies among its three principal businesses in the hope of achieving growth in both its total revenue and market share. The Group's revenue for the Year was approximately HK$202.1 million, which increased by approximately 58.3% from approximately HK$127.7 million recorded in the previous year. Driven by the green food supply business, which contributed approximately 93.1% to the Group's gross profit, the Group's overall gross profit surged by approximately 91.4% year on year to approximately HK$35.9 million, while the gross profit margin increased by 3.1 percentage points to approximately 17.8%. However, the Group's administrative expenses increased by approximately 116.0% to approximately HK$50.2 million, which was mainly attributable to the increase in administrative and payroll expenses incurred following the establishment of the Group's Greater Bay Area headquarters and the recognition of share-based payment expenses for the share options granted on 13 April 2022. Furthermore, the Group has expanded its green food supply business into the Greater Bay Area market and commenced two new businesses, namely green catering and environmental protection and technology, during the Year. As a result, the Group recorded a net loss of approximately HK$27.7 million (Year ended 31 March 2022: net loss of approximately HK$11.0 million). Nevertheless, the management believes that the above-mentioned investment is conducive to the Group's business expansion in the Greater Bay Area, thus supporting the sustainable development of the Group in the long term.

Green food supply is the Group's highest revenue generator and accounts for approximately 97.2% of the total revenue. This segment delivered encouraging performance with segment revenue increasing notably by approximately 53.9% year on year to approximately HK$196.5 million. In November 2022, the Group completed the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Champion Point Limited's subsidiary Shenzhen Wealth Source Trading Development Company Limited* ("Shenzhen Wealth Source"), further expanding its existing food supply business into the Greater Bay Area market. Shenzhen Wealth Source, a domestic green food supply chain service provider, sources live cattle from regions such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, and distributes them to downstream customers in the Greater Bay Area, while also supplying fruits, vegetables, and seafood to restaurants in the Greater Bay Area. Following completion of the acquisition, the Group has expanded its market share by progressively enlarging the trading volume of its green food supply business. Besides, the Group continued to operate its fresh food supply business in Hong Kong, and is principally engaged in sourcing, processing and supplying food ingredients, with a focus on the provision of vegetables and fruit to food service operators in Hong Kong. Revenue derived from the fresh food supply business in Hong Kong amounted to approximately HK$139.2 million, representing approximately 70.8% of the segment revenue.

Green catering business contributed approximately HK$4.9 million in revenue to the Group during the Year. The Group has successfully pushed forward with a rapid expansion of Wantian Catering's business scope during the year under review, and is now operating restaurants targeting young customers in the hub of Zhongshan. These restaurants have increased the Group's brand awareness in the Greater Bay Area, and at the same time broadened both its customer base and market share. With the impact of COVID-19 gradually receding over the year under review, the resumption of dine-in services at restaurants across the region saw progressive recovery for the catering industry, and both the number of restaurant customers and the revenue of the Group have experienced robust growth. At the same time, the catering business provided a stable distribution channel for the Group's upstream business, helping the Group move towards full integration of the value chain.

Environmental protection and technology business recorded a revenue of approximately HK$0.8 million during the Year. The Group has continued to adhere to its vision of providing "modern agricultural technology and environmental protection" by setting up farms on rooftop spaces to promote greening and environmental protection. Through this, the Group is enabling primary and secondary school students in the Greater Bay Area to take part in rooftop farming, fostering beneficial interactions between humans and the natural world as well as bringing green power to buildings in large cities.

On 11 April 2023, the Group announced the proposed rights issue on the basis of one rights share for every five existing shares held, at a subscription price of HK$0.36 per rights share (the "Rights Issue"). Through the Rights Issue, 309,504,000 new shares were issued, the net proceeds of which were estimated to be approximately HK$101.7 million. Regarding the net proceeds, (a) 30% will be used to launch a live cattle breeding site project; (b) 25% will be used to develop the Group's live cattle trading business; (c) 10% will be used to expand its fresh food supply business; (d) 10% will be used to develop its catering business; (e) 10% will be used for the repayment of an outstanding loan; (f) 5% will be used to enhance and upgrade the Group's offices in the Greater Bay Area; and (g) 10% will be used for the Group's general working capital. The Rights Issue gave the qualifying shareholders of China Wantian Holdings an opportunity to take up their entitlements to maintain their shareholdings in the Group, while also strengthening the Group's capital base and enhancing its financial position. By helping the Group achieve sustainable development, the Rights Issue is working in the interests of shareholders.

With active participation from local governments in the Greater Bay Area, the region has maintained its leading position in several fields, bringing significant growth prospects. In parallel with the rising standards of citizens, there is a high demand for beef in the Greater Bay Area but the region is not self-sufficient in this respect, resulting in an escalating supply shortage in the long term. Looking forward, the Group's focus will be on developing its role in the live cattle breeding and trading industry, with the aim of expanding its business to connect the upstream (breeding), midstream (processing/logistics) and downstream (restaurants/prepared dishes/sale terminals) sectors to create a comprehensive live cattle industry chain in the Greater Bay Area. The Group sees this business as an important source of revenue and margin growth in the future.

The Group will explore the potential of the Greater Bay Area market with determination and perseverance and steadfastly develop its core businesses, namely the live cattle breeding and trading business, green food supply chain business and green catering business, thus building a whole industry chain connecting upstream, midstream and downstream components. The management believe that the three main business initiatives will continue to deliver strong synergies and open up unique opportunities, thus helping the Group emerge as an industry-leading green food supplier and service provider in China.

About China Wantian Holdings Limited

China Wantian Holdings Limited (01854.HK) is an investment holding company. The Group is principally engaged in green food supply, green catering and environmental protection and technology. In May 2022, China Wantian Holdings established its Greater Bay Area headquarters in Shenzhen, marking its official debut in the Greater Bay Area market to actively establish a leading green brand in the Greater Bay Area to provide customers with fresh, healthy and safe food, striving to become an industry-leading green food supplier and service provider in China.

For more details, please visit: http://www.cwth.com.hk/

* The English name is not the official name and is translated for reference purpose only.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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Global Intelligence Initiative launches gii Academy to aid purpose-driven entrepreneurs in overcoming mental health blocks, and mastering happiness as a pathway to new levels of peak performance.



Global Intelligence LLC has introduced The Intelligence of Happiness as an innovative guide on how to thrive using Authenticity and Self-Alignment. The book details a new intellectual approach on enacting innate intelligence to become healthier, happier, and perform at the highest level possible. "The Intelligence of Happiness", an Amazon best-seller, has been met with ecstatic praise from readers and has now launched as flagship program, The Manifesting Accelerator, hosted inside gii Academy. The program uses the simple yet powerful science of happiness, and uniquely blends both neuropsychology and cosmology, to help clients gain a new edge by applying the forgotten knowledge used to activate mind-brain faculties.

Authored by Gi Gi OBrien, an entrepreneur and visionary, "The Intelligence of Happiness" is a testament to her vast expertise and passion for empowering individuals to unlock their full potential. OBrien's deep understanding of human psychology, combined with her successful track record in business, makes her the expert for those seeking greater personal and professional fulfillment. She is passionate about the potential to transform countless lives by offering a novel approach to mental health that is both engaging and effective.

Her work provides an essential roadmap to navigate tricky waters and OBrien aims to equip members of her community with control over their life via mental and emotional intelligence mastery. Her book and program alike, provide an experiential education on what it means to activate intelligent happiness  the kind of happiness that comes from alignment with one's true purpose and authentic self.

In an age where artificial intelligence and tech development are intensely focused upon, I want to ensure individuals can leverage the brilliance of their own human intelligence for self-development, and more importantly live high-performance lives that actually support well-being and prosperity instead of creating anxiety, burnout and ceilings to personal success. - Gi Gi OBrien shared. "The Intelligence of Happiness" is a step-by-step blueprint on how to activate the kind of happiness that has real staying power.

For readers that are interested in the techniques and methods that create a magnetic frequency mentioned in The Manifesting Accelerator, please visit: https://gii.academy/manifestation-gii8ff-free

About Global Intelligence Initiative - gii

Global Intelligence Initiative LLC was founded in May 2020 by Gi Gi OBrien. The driving force behind the company is to create world-class media and intelligence programs that empower individuals to take control of their life and manifest their dreams. Gi Gi believes that simplifying the mastery of human intelligence and frequency is a powerful gateway to improving the future of humanity, especially as it pertains to mental health.

Contact Info:

Name: Gi Gi OBrien

Email: Send Email

Organization: The Global Intelligence Initiative

Website: https://www.gigiobrien.com/



Release ID: 89101188

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Senior Care Authority has announced a new episode of Boomers Today, its weekly podcast that helps educate families on the resources available to Americas aging population.



The newest episode features Marcy Baskin, a Certified Senior Advisor, Dementia Practitioner, and Alzheimers Disease and Dementia Care Trainer. In the episode, host Frank Samson interviews Baskin on strategies for caring for loved ones living with dementia.

For more information, please visit https://www.seniorcareauthority.com/resources/boomers-today/

The announcement comes amid sobering statistics among seniors in America. According to the Alzheimers Association, an estimated 6.7 million Americans over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimers disease as of 2023. As people live longer, the population continues to age, and the number of Americans who are diagnosed with dementia and other cognitive diseases will only increase in the coming years, says Senior Care Authority.

In the recent episode of the Boomers Today Podcast, Baskin shares tips she has learned through her own experiences as both a support group facilitator for the Alzheimers Association and a daughter whose mother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. When visiting a loved one with dementia, Baskin urges family members to remember that people with compromised cognitive function can be sensitive to body language and may feel overwhelmed if there are too many visitors. Using short sentences and refraining from offering too many choices can reduce confusion, which in turn can spur productive communication and help the loved one feel calm and secure.

Baskin also stresses that its important not to get frustrated if they dont understand the conversation topic or remember something thats been said, as this is part of the natural progression of cognitive diseases. For visits to go smoothly, she says that it can sometimes be helpful for a family member to introduce themselves to their loved one at the start; small acts like these can vastly improve the quality of the time spent together.

About Senior Care Authority

Senior Care Authority is a network of professional local advisors who aid families struggling with assisted living, memory care, and nursing care. Founded in California in 2009, Senior Care Authority has since expanded its services to 30 states. Their Boomers Today Podcast is among the many resources they offer to help alleviate the challenges people may face while navigating the healthcare system.

Interested parties can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or by visiting https://www.seniorcareauthority.com/resources/boomers-today/

Contact Info:

Name: Rob Gandley

Email: Send Email

Organization: Senior Care Authority

Address: 755 Baywood Drive Suite 200 , Petaluma, California 94954, United States

Website: https://www.seniorcareauthority.com



Release ID: 89100937

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A new survey shows Pontera helped 59% of financial advisors and their clients manage assets in plan versus a suboptimal IRA rollover

NEW YORK , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pontera , the fintech platform that enables retirement savers to get help managing their 401(k)s from their trusted financial advisor, just released a new finding: 59% of surveyed advisors chose not to roll over a client's 401(k) into an IRA or other account in 2022 due to better plan benefits and the advisor's ability to manage these assets in plan via Pontera. This is encouraging validation for the roughly 35% of working Americans with workplace retirement plans: You don't have to choose between your financial advisor and 401(k).

You don't have to choose between your financial advisor and your 401(k).

In the period from 2016 to 2021, rollovers from retirement plan accounts totaled approximately $2.9 trillion in IRA asset growth, over half of which is estimated to have been intermediated by financial advisors.[1] The majority of investors wish they could completely hand over retirement planning to an expert and often believe a rollover is requiredit isn't, and rollovers can be costly.

Depending on the retirement saver's circumstance, a rollover to an alternative retirement account may come at the expense of better 401(k) benefits, such as lower fees, institutional fund access, tax benefits to employer stock, creditor protections, and loan options. Pew Research has quantified that of the $516.7 billion in IRA rollovers from plan accounts in 2018, retail investors could lose $45.5 billion over the next 25 years from higher fees alone.

Financial advisors can professionally manage 401(k)s

For years, financial advisors have been compliantly providing advice on 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and more by logging into the accounts with client credentials or manually reviewing 401(k) plan documentation to provide recommendations. So why do advisors recommend rollovers so often? Between the paperwork, security measures, and compliance requirements, these manual 401(k) advisory methods can be expensive and difficult to scale.

Furthermore, if the advisor doesn't already charge for 401(k) advice, a rollover can mean more revenue. This potential conflict of interest sparked the Department of Labor (DOL)'s PTE-2020-02 on December 18, 2020 . This regulation is predicted to be amended with more protections this year.

Eliminating Conflict of Interest, Helping Americans Keep Their 401(k) Benefits

Advisors who provide quality, equitable, level-fee services to clients' 401(k)s and IRAs alike are eliminating conflicts of interest altogether. Evidenced by its recent finding, Pontera is helping advisors do just that by providing a seamless alternative path to comprehensive 401(k) managementenabling rollover decisions in the best interest of the client.

"Before Pontera, clients who asked our firm for 401(k) recommendations would need to share pages of complex plan documents and statements," said Cean Kenefick-Rogers , CEO and Founding Partner of Ironwood Wealth Management . "But, most clients don't want to dig for hard-to-find paperwork and rebalance their own accounts. When we launched Pontera, about 80% of eligible clients were happy to receive professional management on their 401(k)s."

Ironwood client Greg Zych , a healthcare technology leader in Chandler, Arizona , echoed this sentiment:

"Ironwood Wealth Management has excellent financial expertise and has delivered a highly personalized plan. Since they have been able to proactively manage my 401(k) account, it has made my life much easier," commented Zych.

Here's how it works: A financial advisor invites a client to the Pontera platform. Once the client has completed Pontera setup, their 401(k) accounts appear in one consolidated view for their advisor to manage. At the same time, Pontera prohibits the advisor from taking any actions outside of plan account management (such as transfers, beneficiary changes, or credential changes).

Pontera serves retirement savers across America by partnering with thousands of financial firms, including: registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, asset managers, and plan advisors. The Company was recently named the "Best Retirement Management Platform" in the 2023 FinTech Breakthrough Awards.

"We are proud to see that the majority of Pontera advisor partners have concluded that it was in their clients' best interest to keep assets in plan instead of rolling them over," said Yoav Zurel , Chief Executive Officer at Pontera. "This finding shows that our partners are employing their fiduciary duty in the face of an excessive rollover trend, costing Americans billions of dollars each year. Retirement plans are often designed with exceptional benefits by employers and plan fiduciaries. We founded Pontera for this very reasonto help Americans reach the best retirement possible."

To learn more about how Pontera helps retirement savers with personal financial advisors, visit pontera.com/my401k . Retirement savers who are interested in obtaining professional advice can search for a personal advisor in their area here .

About Pontera

Pontera is a fintech company on a mission to help millions of Americans retire better by enabling financial advisors to manage, balance, and report on assets in held-away accounts, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and more. The platform is designed to work across many account types and seamlessly integrate with existing portfolio management tools to help advisors improve their clients' financial outcomes. Founded in 2012, Pontera is headquartered in New York City . Learn more at pontera.com.

[1] On the basis of cumulative asset value

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SOURCE Pontera
ATLANTA , June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atlanta Housing Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a fiscal year 2024 budget of $452.1 million that provides housing, support services and the creation and preservation of thousands of new and existing affordable housing units across Atlanta .

"This budget will allow us to do our part to help reach Mayor Andre Dickens' goal of 20,000 new affordable units by creating housing, preserving existing units and significantly increasing the number of households we serve," said Larry Stewart , chairman of the Board of Commissioners. "I am proud of the work of the AH staff and thankful to my fellow commissioners for approving a budget that invests in the potential of people."

Atlanta Housing's Moving to Work agreement with HUD, extended until 2028, provides the agency with the flexibility to tailor programs to meet the needs of Atlanta's citizens. The FY2024 budget allocates $253 million in housing assistance, a 12 percent increase that supports an expansion of households served amidst higher housing costs in Atlanta . An additional $113 million is allocated to fund 1,881 new affordable units across the city and preserve 1,445 existing units.

The new budget will also fund 543 new households through AH's Housing Choice and HomeFlex programs. Currently AH provides ongoing housing assistance and support services to 44,000 people in 21,000 households, 96 percent of which are extremely or very-low income.

Consistent with the five-year Strategic Plan approved by the Board in January, the new budget supports the agency's people-first focus by providing $30.5 million for at-risk families, including emergency housing vouchers and assistance for families facing homelessness, as well as $5.2 million in down payment assistance for eligible new homeowners. In commitment to providing opportunities for residents to thrive, the budget features $1.6 million in funding for youth programs, workforce readiness and in-home assistance for seniors.

"AH will continue to maximize its resources in pursuit of innovative development and programs, many of which are unique to Atlanta , that enhance the quality of life for our residents and provide them with housing opportunities in every community of the city," said President and CEO Eugene Jones , Jr. "Our actions will also help guide our residents along the path to economic empowerment and self-sufficiency."

ABOUT ATLANTA HOUSING

Led by President and CEO Eugene Jones , Jr., the Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (AH), is the largest housing authority in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation. AH provides and facilitates affordable housing resources for nearly 27,000 low-income households comprised of approximately 44,000 people, including AH-owned residential communities, tenant-based vouchers, supportive housing, and homeownership opportunities. Programs are funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Visit AH at atlantahousing.org or follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn at @housingatlanta.

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OTTAWA, ON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Attain Insight, a leading provider of comprehensive data security and compliance solutions, is thrilled to announce the release of Attain Insight Security 4X version 4.0, a powerful upgrade to its flagship security software. This latest release introduces a range of cutting-edge features and enhancements designed to fortify data protection, streamline compliance processes, and bolster user management across diverse enterprise environments. Security 4X integrates with leading directory services, including Active Directory, Apache, eDirectory, Google, HCL Domino, and Okta Identity Services for streamlined user identity and access management.

Corporate and regulatory compliance regulations around the world are becoming more and more pervasive. All too often, implementing security to align with compliance requirements is a tedious and manual process where it is difficult to verify that changes are accurate and performing as intended. IT is tasked with carrying out these security changes, which often requires managing thousands of access rules across large environments.

Attain Insight Security 4X 4.0 brings several notable additions and improvements to empower organizations to streamline the authorization process with unrivaled security and compliance capabilities. It now allows for direct administration of any Directory Service group(s), including managing existing group memberships and distribution lists. The upgrade also introduces a suite of new Compliance reports, providing organizations with comprehensive visibility and detailed tracking of all security changes, ensuring regulatory compliance, and facilitating audits with ease.

"We are excited to unveil Attain Insight Security 4X version 4, which represents a significant leap forward in data security and compliance," said Paul Hulford , CEO of Attain Insight. "With these new features and enhancements, our customers can proactively protect their data, efficiently manage user access, and effortlessly comply with industry regulations. This release reaffirms our commitment to empowering organizations with the tools they need to safeguard their most valuable assets."

Attain Insight Security 4X v4 is available immediately. For more information or to request a demo, please visit attaininsight.com/security-4x.

About Attain Insight

Attain Insight is a global leader in providing innovative and comprehensive data security, and business intelligence products and services to organizations across industries. With a relentless commitment to data protection, privacy, and compliance, Attain Insight empowers businesses to secure their critical assets, maintain regulatory compliance, and build trust with their customers.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/attain-insight-releases-security-4x-v4-a-powerful-tool-to-streamline-security-authorizations-across-enterprises-301866859.html

SOURCE Attain Insight
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 11:55 | Others

U.S. President Joe Biden has corrected himself after saying last week that he had persuaded Japan to significantly increase its defense budget, according to a White House transcript released Wednesday.

"He didn't need my convincing as much as he'd already decided," Biden is quoted as saying about Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a campaign reception on Tuesday night at a private house in Maryland.

Biden praised Japan for actively engaging with Western countries' efforts to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's invasion, telling Democrat supporters that Kishida understood failing to offer assistance "would send a green light about (China invading) Taiwan and a number of other things."

Japan on Friday objected to Biden's remark that he had pushed Kishida on three occasions to increase the budget, with the country's top spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno saying Tokyo had made clear to Washington it considered the claim untrue.

The disagreement between the long-standing security allies stemmed from a speech made by Biden at an event held at a private residence in California on June 20.

The 80-year president has been known to misspeak, having also told the press on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "losing the war in Iraq."

According to the White House, Biden told his supporters at the event, "I convinced him and he convinced himself that he had to do something different. Japan has increased its military budget exponentially. And guess what? When is the last time you heard Japan being interested in what's happening in the middle of Europe in a war?"

Kishida's government late last year pledged to almost double Japan's defense budget by fiscal 2027 to around 2 percent of gross domestic product in the face of serious security challenges posed by China and North Korea.

On Tuesday, Biden, who seeks to return to the White House following the 2024 presidential election, also touched on Japan's improved relations with South Korea after years of heightened tensions over wartime issues, according to the transcript.

"He asked me to strongly support it, which I did," he said, referring to Kishida.

At a different private campaign event in Maryland on the same day, Biden is quoted as saying, "The Japanese have been wonderful. They've been wonderful. They've increased their budget."

At another campaign event on Wednesday in Chicago, he also hailed Japan's increased defense budget, its improved ties with South Korea and his administration's push to cooperate more closely with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the White House.

Related coverage:

Japan denies Biden claim he influenced its defense budget increase
SHENZHEN, China , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AUXO, the premier provider of high-quality concentrate and flower vaporizers, announced today that its revolutionary product, Cenote, has been honored with the esteemed 2023 Red Dot Award for Product Design. The Red Dot Design Award, one of the world's largest design competitions, recognizes outstanding design quality and innovation. This recognition reaffirms Cenote's position as the pinnacle of excellence in the e-rig industry. https://www.red-dot.org/project/cenote-62932

The Red Dot Label has become globally renowned as a symbol of exceptional design quality. Each year, the Red Dot Design Awards seek out the most remarkable products that exhibit aesthetics, functionality, intelligence, and innovation. Cenote captivated the committee with its exceptional design, earning this prestigious accolade.

Online reviews of the AUXO Cenote and other major headlines include:

- Yahoo Life!: 11 of the Dopest Gadgets to Get a Tech-Savvy Stoner  "An upgrade from the handheld Cira model, the Auxo Cenote ( $399 ) is a unique take on the tabletop e-nail. The cenote is mostly soft curves and only some lines, with none of the jagged, blown-glass-like design that some dabbers lean on."

- High Times: The Ultimate High Times 420 Gift Guide 2023  "AUXO's Cenote is the ultimate smart concentrate vaporizer. Enjoy a front row seat to the 360 all-around immersive light show that Cenote puts on through the crystal-clear, hand-blown borosilicate glass the device is encompassed in."

- LA Weekly: Get High on Style: 4/20 Gifts for Your Friends or Yourself  "If you're looking for a device that doubles as a party favor, look no further than the AUXO Cenote. This pint-sized device provides an immersive sensory experience to enhance your dab. Ergonomically designed for easy grip and compactness, the Cenote also offers 8 different lighting settings to match your mood."

- Respect My Region : 420 Products That Are Legitimately Worth Buying  "I personally enjoy using Cenote at night because of the neon lights. The Cenote also allows you to really control the temperature and achieve optimum temperatures for dabbing. Perfect for dabbing on the go whether it's April 20th or 420 o' clock any day of the year."

- Versed Vaper: AUXO Cenote Concentrate Vaporizer Review -

"The Cenote is without a doubt one of the best concentrate vaporizers on the market right now. The swappable nails are excellent, not just because you get five of them and they can be disposed of if they get too dirty, but they heat up evenly and provide an excellent experience."

- Cannabis Tech: Get Ready for 4/20 with These Awesome Gift Ideas -

"Take the fun in dabbing up a notch with the Cenote by AUXO. With beautiful curves and soft edges, at first glance, the Cenote hails a sophisticated and stylish design. But, with a flip of the switch, it becomes the life of the party with eight lighting settings for an immersive sensory experience."

Influencer Reviews:

- @jacobwitzling -

"Everyday is a holiday with the Cenote rig by @auxovapor."

- @southerndabber_420 -

"I always find a way to combo and this Cenote from @auxovapor with a Y joint and a little tubing. I hit my blunt and concentrate at the same time."

- @pennwood_dough_dough -

"Going in low temp on that @auxovapor really great taste and terpssss #gottabestrong"

The 2023 Red Dot Award for Product Design reaffirms AUXO's commitment to delivering exceptionally innovative designs to the vaporization industry. Cenote represents the perfect fusion of aesthetics and functionality, offering users a remarkable and immersive experience.

The Red Dot Design Award recognizes excellence across three distinct disciplines, with competitions held annually. AUXO's Cenote has demonstrated its exceptional design quality in the Product Design discipline, solidifying the brand's position as an industry leader.

Please visit: https://www.auxo-official.com to stay up-to-date with AUXO's future announcements.

About AUXO

At AUXO, we love to empower people. Our eyes are always set on creating cutting-edge vaporization technology and improving the lives of our customers. Backed by an industry leader with a world-class manufacturing system, AUXO aims to set new standards for the market. Learn more about AUXO at https://www.auxo-official.com as well as on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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SOURCE AUXO
BOSTON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) second quarter 2023 earnings release and conference call are scheduled as follows:

Earnings Release: Thursday, July 20, 2023 , before the market opens



Conference Call: Thursday, July 20, 2023 , at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern)



Webcast (listen-only): Register at: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/233911472



Dial-in Number: Toll Free: 888-886-7786; Conference ID: 35913869



Webcast Replay: https://ir.berkshirebank.com (for the live webcast and the replay)



Telephone Replay: Toll Free: 877-674-7070; Passcode 996480 (available for one week)

Investor presentation materials will be made available prior to the conference call at ir.berkshirebank.com.

Participants are requested to join the webcast or call a few minutes before the scheduled start of the call. Persons who are listen-only are requested to use the webcast link where practical.

ABOUT BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP

Headquartered in Boston , Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank. Founded in 1846, Berkshire Bank's vision is becoming a high-performing, leading, socially responsible community bank. It empowers the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when and how it's needed through an uncompromising focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact. Providing a wide range of financial solutions through its consumer banking, commercial banking and wealth management divisions, the Bank has approximately $12.3 billion in assets and a community-based footprint of 100 financial centers in Massachusetts , New York , Vermont , Connecticut and Rhode Island . Named one of America's Most Trusted Companies by Newsweek and America's Best Midsize Employers by Forbes, Berkshire is also listed in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Kevin Conn , Senior Managing Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

Email: [email protected] Tel: (617) 641-9206

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SOURCE Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.
Small Cap IV, the firm's latest growth private equity fund expands its geographical focus to include consumer, healthcare, and technology companies across North America

NEW YORK , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathay Capital Private Equity, a leading international investment firm, announces the final closing of $270 million for its latest growth private equity fund, Small Cap IV, to invest in healthcare, consumer, and technology companies across Europe , North America and Asia . The new fund is an expansion of Cathay Capital's middle market strategy and brings assets under management to $5.5 billion .

Established in 2007, Cathay Capital has built a global ecosystem that brings together small and midsize companies, start-ups, investors, and some of the largest corporations to share in-depth sector and local market knowledge and resources to support growth. The firm has completed over 100 private equity investments, including Biose Industrie , CPAP.com , Moose Knuckles , Juliette Has a Gun , and Innovative Motion Technologies (IMT).

Investing in High-Growth Companies

The latest growth private equity fund supports companies through scale-up strategies, international expansion, and accelerated digitalization. In addition to Europe and Asia , the new growth private equity fund's geographic coverage will include North America for the first time. The fund will target investment in 15-20 healthcare, consumer, and software/technology companies with equity tickets of $15 to $25 million in control and minority investments. The Cathay Capital private equity team has already completed six investments in the new fund, including AD Education, a provider of education in creative fields; Chowsing, a manufacturer of pet nutrition and food; and Snocks , a fast-growing digital direct-to-consumer apparel brand.

"The addition of North America to the growth private equity strategy builds on our success with our mid-market funds and deepens our presence in North America , notably in healthcare and consumer," said Mark Woods , Partner and Head of North American Private Equity at Cathay Capital. "We look forward to partnering with North American companies at an inflection point of growth and scale by leveraging our far-reaching ecosystem and resources to help them expand into domestic and international markets."

"Our investment philosophy for SMEs leverages Cathay's global ecosystem and deep-rooted understanding of local markets to transform small organizations into larger, global champions," said Fabien Wesse , Managing Partner and Head of Small Cap at Cathay Capital. "Small Cap is one of Cathay's most established investment strategies, having completed 75 growth private equity investments since inception, and today supporting founders with four transformation pillars: top-line growth, international expansion, digitalization, and impact. We look forward to continuing to support founders in developing these key value-creation drivers for a fast and sustainable growth trajectory."

Cathay Capital's latest fund is backed by a diverse group of existing and new global investors comprising sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, corporates, and family offices.

About Cathay Capital

Cathay Capital is a global private equity and venture capital investment firm supporting companies throughout North America , Asia , and Europe . The firm helps middle-market companies and startups navigate the opportunities for international expansion and sustainable transformation. Cathay is the partner of choice for companies aspiring to lead markets and make a positive impact. Its platform connects people with global reach and local expertise  from investors and entrepreneurs to management teams and leading corporations  to share knowledge, the tools to scale and to transform businesses.

Founded in 2007 with a strong entrepreneurial heritage, Cathay Capital now manages more than $5.5 billion in assets. It has made over 250 investments in verticals including healthcare, technology, and consumer from offices in Paris, New York , San Francisco , Munich , Berlin , Shanghai , Beijing , Shenzhen , and Singapore .

Media contact:

Mary Magnani , CodePR

[email protected].com

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SOURCE Cathay Capital
ZURICH , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) will hold its second quarter earnings conference call on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 , at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

The company expects to issue its second quarter earnings release and financial supplement after the market closes on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 . These documents will be available on the company's investor website at investors.chubb.com.

The earnings conference call will be available via live webcast at investors.chubb.com or by dialing 877-400-4403 (within the United States ) or 332-251-2601 (international), passcode 1641662. Please refer to the Chubb website under Events and Presentations for details. A replay will be available after the call at the same location. To listen to the replay, click here to register and receive dial-in numbers.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich , New York , London , Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

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SOURCE Chubb Limited
Effective June 30 , Craig will also hold the titles deputy director of translational sciences at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and associate director of data science for the comprehensive cancer center

LOS ANGELES , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States and a leading research center for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses, today announced that effective June 30 , David W. Craig , Ph.D., will be professor and founding chair of its newly created Department of Integrative Translational Sciences within Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope. Craig also will serve as deputy director of translational sciences at Beckman Research Institute and associate director of data science for City of Hope's National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Los Angeles , which is the basic and clinical research innovation hub for its national cancer system.

"Over the past two decades, Dr. Craig has collaborated with different parts of City of Hope's national cancer system and has authored seminal papers in genomics, bioinformatics and data privacy that have fundamentally pushed these respective fields forward," said Michael A. Caligiuri , M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center and the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. "We are excited to welcome Dr. Craig to City of Hope and look forward to his leadership in translational research that will contribute to innovative, personalized treatment for City of Hope patients throughout the United States ."

The new Department of Integrative Translational Sciences will focus on precision measurement, data science and diversity. It will seek to further improve both translational outcomes as well as the science underpinning the use of precision medicine.

Craig will lead the establishment of a transdisciplinary team of biologists and data scientists who will work with engineers, biologists, chemists and clinicians across the system to enhance City of Hope's patient-centered mission. He also will collaborate with regulatory agencies, industry partners, researchers and health care professionals to integrate scientific findings and translate potentially practice-changing discoveries into improved patient care and human health.

Over the past 15 years, Craig's lab has developed experimental and computational tools that bridge engineering, biotechnology and clinical care interfaces. Craig has spearheaded collaborative computational and data science efforts within large and small research consortiums, including the 1000 Genomes Project and the Bipolar Genome Study. His exceptional expertise has resulted in more than 200 publications, four patents and two founded companies.

"I am eager to work with the exceptional leadership, faculty and staff at City of Hope to build upon our pioneering work in genomics and precision medicine. I look forward to translating unique insights from large datasets into actionable strategies in the clinic," Craig said. "At City of Hope, we will continue to enhance our ability to work across departments to make data-driven decisions and, ultimately, advance City of Hope's mission to build bridges that fast-track the development of lifesaving therapies."

City of Hope is known for its integrated ecosystem that nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and enables flexibility and resources for discovery, development, testing and delivery of next-generation treatments.

Craig joins City of Hope from the University of Southern California, where he was co-director of the Institute of Translational Genomics and vice chair of the Department of Translational Genomics at Keck School of Medicine of USC. He served as the director of the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Molecular Genomics Core and created their translational biomedical informatics master's degree program.

Prior to USC, Craig served as the deputy director of bioinformatics at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), was director of its Neurogenomics division and co-founded a leading-edge genome and whole exome sequencing laboratory that is now integral to City of Hope's precision medicine program. TGen, a part of City of Hope, provides breakthrough genomics research, fully leveraged to provide highly specialized care and precision medicine treatment to City of Hope patients across its clinical care network.

Craig earned his doctorate from the University of Washington, where he focused on bioengineering.

About City of Hope

City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope's growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California , a new cancer center in Orange County, California , and treatment facilities in Atlanta , Chicago and Phoenix . City of Hope's affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHope. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE City Of Hope
Seizure Safe Schools Legislation Now Passed in 22 States

BOWIE, Md. and MIDDLETOWN, Conn. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut announced today that Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 6882 into law on June 28 , bringing Seizure Safe Schools legislation to 22 states in the nation. The bill safeguards physician-directed care in a school setting and helps school personnel manage students living with epilepsy or a seizure disorder. There are 470,000 children living with epilepsy in the U.S. , including 4,500 children and teens in Connecticut . For students living with epilepsy, it is important that schools are well-equipped with the tools necessary to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.

"We are incredibly grateful to see this bill become a reality after a lot of hard work," said Jessica Loffredo , a parent, teacher, and advocate who spearheaded this effort. "Not only is this bill important because I have a child with epilepsy, but also because every student, regardless of their diagnosis, should feel safer at school. It might even invite students back to school instead of choosing the home-school setting. Training school personnel empowers them to take quick action and ensures everyone who cares for students has the skillset needed to administer seizure first aid in or out of the classroom. This legislation also provides peace of mind and support to parents who are sending their child off to school."

House Bill 6882 will require local and regional boards of education to provide an in-service training program for certified school personnel (teachers, administrators, pupil personnel) on seizure recognition and first-aid response, as well as information about seizure action plans for students. In addition, school personnel who are authorized to administer medication under CT Gen Stat  10-212a (2018) must receive an in-service training program on the administration of seizure rescue therapies, including the use of a vagus nerve stimulator magnet. Under current statute, those who are authorized to administer medication shall not be held liable for civil damages if acting in good faith.

"Helping teachers, administrators and support staff to recognize seizure situations so they can intervene immediately and facilitate proper care, makes our school spaces safer for students with epilepsy," said State Representative Jeff Currey ( District 11 ), House Chair of the Education Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly. "I am so grateful to the advocates who shared their children's heartbreaking struggles with seizures. Their stories crystallized the need for such a policy in our schools and decidedly reinforced how important voices from outside the confines of the Capitol matter to the legislative process."

The Epilepsy Foundation and Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut commend all the advocates, families, and legislators who helped get the bill across the finish line. A special thank you goes out to the House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Jeff Currey .

"We are thrilled that Connecticut will join the ranks of many states that have passed this critical legislation," said Cherie Poirier , executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut. "Despite its prevalence, epilepsy and seizure disorders are still misunderstood. It is our goal that this bill will serve as a tool to educate and raise more awareness about seizures to help end the stigma attached to epilepsy."

The Epilepsy Foundation continues to work with its network of local offices, grassroots advocates, and nearly 40 organizational partners to pass this bill in the remaining states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about each state's legislative efforts, contact [email protected]. For information about free seizure first aid trainings, visit epilepsy.com/FirstAid.

About Epilepsy

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.

About the Epilepsy Foundation

With a network of partners throughout the United States , the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services and research for new therapies. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut

The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut is all about people helping people with epilepsy. The state-wide organization provides advocacy, education, and resources for those living with epilepsy and their loved ones. Through support groups, mental health programs, seizure first aid training, memory & cognition programs, financial assistance, and more, EFCT helps those living with epilepsy find the support they need. To learn more visit epilepsyct.com or call 860-346-1924

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SOURCE Epilepsy Foundation
CHICAGO , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteers from the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will make sure that hundreds of flowers and intricate bouquets from the American Institute of Floral Designers Symposium in Chicago next week won't go to waste. The award-winning bouquets will be delivered to several of the city's 25 police stations and given to police officers and their spouses.

"We're just trying to spread a little joy this summer," said Pappas. "Police officers put their lives on the line for the citizens of this city each and every day. This is just a small way of saying: 'Thanks, Officer.'"

The flower design show, which runs July 1  6 at the Hilton Chicago , is the floral industry's premiere floral design education event attracting the industry's leading business owners, floral artists, suppliers and event professionals.

Hundreds of flowers and bouquets from the show will be picked up and delivered to area police stations daily by volunteers from the Treasurer's Office and from Bloom 'N Toss, a Chicago -area company that donates and repurposes flowers to hospitals and nursing homes. Catherine Costello , the owner of Bloom 'N Toss, is coordinating the effort.

"When I first learned about this incredible opportunity to recycle these flowers and bouquets that have been created by the most talented hands in the floral industry I immediately reached out to Treasurer Pappas," said Costello. "I knew because of her extensive outreach work she would be able to help with this truly worthwhile endeavor."

In addition to familiar flowers like carnations, roses and sunflowers, the bouquets will feature exotic tropical flowers like pincushion protea, heliconia and orchids.

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MAUMEE, Ohio , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) will release its 2023 second-quarter financial results on Friday, July 28, 2023 . A press release will be issued at approximately 7 a.m. EDT , followed by a conference call and webcast at 9 a.m. EDT . Members of the company's senior management team will be available at that time to discuss the results and answer related questions.

The conference call can be accessed by telephone from both domestic and international locations using the information provided below:

Conference ID: 9943139

Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: 1 (888) 440-5873

Participant Toll Dial-In Number: 1 (646) 960-0319

Audio streaming and slides will be available online via a link provided on the Dana investor website: www.dana.com/investors .

A webcast replay can be accessed via Dana's investor website following the call.

About Dana Incorporated

Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company is shaping sustainable progress through its conventional and clean-energy solutions that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer with drive and motion systems; electrodynamic technologies, including software and controls; and thermal, sealing, and digital solutions.

Based in Maumee, Ohio , USA, the company reported sales of $10.2 billion in 2022 with 42,000 people in 31 countries across six continents. Dana, with a history dating to 1904, was named one of "America's Most Responsible Companies 2023" by Newsweek magazine for its emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility. The company is driven by a high-performance culture that focuses on valuing others, inspiring innovation, growing responsibly, and winning together, earning it global recognition as a top employer. Learn more at dana.com.

Investor Contact

Craig Barber

419.887.5166

Media Contact

Jeff Cole

419.887.3535

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SOURCE Dana Incorporated
Accomplished physician brings a decade of wound care expertise to The Wound Pros

LOS ANGELES , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wound Pros has announced Dr. Daniel Hallman , DPM, CWS, MS as its Clinical Manager of Vascular Services, Infectious Disease, and E-prescriptions. The Wound Pros specializes in treating and managing non-healing wounds in long-term care facilities and offers advanced wound care dressings for acute and chronic wounds and wound care education for staff.

Dr. Hallman holds a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) from Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and a Master of Science in Health Administration (MS) from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, both in Illinois . Dr. Hallman is a licensed clinician and Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) from the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM). Before attending medical school, he held positions as a computer systems engineer and counter-intelligence/linguist in the military.

Dr. Hallman brings over seven years of healthcare and leadership expertise to The Wound Pros. Since joining The Wound Pros in 2021, he has had a positive impact, serving in various positions, including Clinical Manager for Nevada . As part of the company's infectious disease committee, he developed the bacteriogram with recommended antibiotics for all clinicians. He also provided access to all medical prescribers to prescribe medications electronically and formulated training materials for lower extremity vascular testing.

Dr. Hallman has received positive feedback for his clinical services, demeanor and ability to be a successful clinical project manager and clinical manager for medicine. His mission follows the core values of The Wound Pros: Listen, Innovate, Never Give Up, and Kultivate and Grow People (LINK). His work's mantra is listening to clinicians for better workflows and safety, innovating with continual education, and added services, tackling issues that interfere with productivity, and cultivating multidisciplinary teams, including healthcare professionals, information technology, and vendors.

About The Wound Pros

The Wound Pros is a physician-owned and managed DME company with a vision to transform how the world treats and manages chronic wounds with data-driven decision-making and comprehensive documentation. The company incorporates AI and Machine Learning (ML) into wound care management to facilitate superior wound healing outcomes. It uses a "high-tech" approach that leverages AI/ML for wound care standardization and improved healing outcomes and a "high-touch" approach offering human-to-human interactions for optimal customer service and quality service delivery.

The Wound Pros is an accredited supplier of Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) and a Medicare Part B provider in the US. It provides wound care services to long-term facilities nationwide, including digital wound management, mobile vascular assessment, digital supply tracking, advanced EHR, and advanced wound care dressings.

The Wound Pros is a privately held company.

Media Contact:

Daniel Yeager

(323) 794-7543

[email protected]

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SOURCE The Wound Pros, LLC
DUBLIN and MONTREAL , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Endo International plc (OTC: ENDPQ) announced today that Paladin Labs Inc., an Endo operating company, received Health Canada's approval of XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) for adjunctive therapy in the management of partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy who are not satisfactorily controlled with conventional therapy.

"Many adults with partial-onset seizures are not able to control their seizures, even with the availability of many anti-seizure medications," said Livio Di Francesco , Vice President & General Manager of Paladin Labs Inc. "Paladin is dedicated to addressing unmet medical needs, and we are proud to achieve this approvala milestone in epilepsy treatment."

Paladin Labs is working collaboratively with the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and the Institut national d'excellence en sante et en services sociaux (INESSS) to ensure appropriate patients have access to XCOPRI.

Paladin Labs expects to launch XCOPRI in December 2023 .

About Epilepsy1-3

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition affecting ~300,000 Canadians. It is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. While there are many different types of seizures, they can be grouped into two broad categories based on the location of the brain in which the seizure activity starts: generalized seizures and focal seizures. Focal seizures (also called partial-onset seizures) affect ~60% of people with epilepsy. While many people with epilepsy will respond to anti-seizure medication, ~30% of patients continue to experience seizures despite treatment with currently available medication options.

About XCOPRI

XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) is indicated as adjunctive therapy in the management of partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy who are not satisfactorily controlled with conventional therapy. It is taken orally, once-daily.

XCOPRI is an anti-seizure medication (ASM) discovered and developed by SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK life science. It is a novel small molecule with a dual mechanism of action. In pre-clinical studies, XCOPRI has been demonstrated to reduce repetitive neuronal firing by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium currents. It is also a positive allosteric modulator of the -aminobutyric acid (GABAA) ion channel.4-6 The efficacy and safety of XCOPRI for the treatment of adults with partial-onset seizures (also known as focal-onset seizures) were assessed in two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trials (C013 and C017).7.8 Long-term safety of cenobamate in this population has been studied in open-label safety study (C021).9

XCOPRI is currently marketed in the US as XCOPRI and Europe under the trademark ONTOZRY.

About Endo International plc and Paladin Labs

Endo (OTC: ENDPQ) is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to helping everyone we serve live their best life through the delivery of quality, life-enhancing therapies. Our decades of proven success come from passionate team members around the globe collaborating to bring treatments forward. Together, we boldly transform insights into treatments benefiting those who need them, when they need them. Learn more at www.endo.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Paladin Labs Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada , is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring or in-licensing innovative pharmaceutical products for the Canadian market. Paladin has a focused marketing, medical and sales organization that has helped it evolve into one of Canada's leading specialty pharmaceutical companies. Paladin is an operating company of Endo International plc. For more information visit www.paladin-labs.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation including, but not limited to, the statements by Mr. Di Francesco , any statements relating to product efficacy, regulatory approvals, expected launch dates, potential treatments or indications, therapeutic outcomes or treatment responses, and any statements that refer to expected, estimated or anticipated future results or that do not relate solely to historical facts. Statements including words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "plan," "will," "may," "look forward," "intend," "guidance," "future," "potential" or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this communication reflect the Company's current views as of the date of this communication about its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to it and on assumptions it has made. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from current expectations based on a number of factors, including, among other things, the outcome of the Company's contingency planning and restructuring activities; the timing, impact or results of any pending or future litigation, investigations, proceedings or claims, including opioid, tax and antitrust related matters; any actual or contingent liabilities; settlement discussions or negotiations; the Company's liquidity, financial performance, cash position and operations; the risks and uncertainties associated with chapter 11 proceedings; the time, terms and ability to confirm a sale of the Company's businesses under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; the risk that the Company's chapter 11 cases may be converted to cases under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code; the adequacy of the capital resources of the Company's businesses and the difficulty in forecasting the liquidity requirements of the operations of the Company's businesses; the unpredictability of the Company's financial results; the Company's ability to discharge claims in chapter 11 proceedings; negotiations with the holders of the Company's indebtedness and its trade creditors and other significant creditors; the risks and uncertainties with performing under the terms of the restructuring support agreement and any other arrangement with lenders or creditors while in chapter 11 proceedings; the performance, including the approval, introduction, and consumer and physician acceptance of new products and the continuing acceptance of currently marketed products; and the Company's ability to obtain and successfully manufacture, maintain and distribute a sufficient supply of products to meet market demand in a timely manner. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required to do so by law.

Additional information concerning risk factors, including those referenced above, can be found in press releases issued by the Company, as well as the Company's public periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and with securities regulators in Canada , including the discussion under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

References:

Canadian Epilepsy Alliance . https://www.canadianepilepsyalliance.org/about-epilepsy/. Accessed May 26, 2023 . Public Health Agency of Canada . Epilepsy in Canada . 2021. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/64-03-17-2021-Epilepsy-in-Canada-EN-FINAL.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2023 . Epilepsy Canada. https://www.epilepsy.ca/what-is-epilepsy. Accessed May 26, 2023 . Guignet M, Campbell A, White HS. Epilepsia. 2020;61(11):2329-2339. Nakamura M, et al. Eur J Pharmacol. 2019;855:175-182. Sharma R, et al. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020;879:173117. Chung SS, et al. Neurology. 2020;94:e2311-2322. Krauss GL, et al. Lancet Neurol. 2020;19:38-48. Sperling MR et al. Epilepsia 2020;61(6):1099-1108.

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SOURCE Endo International plc
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 21:54 | All, Japan

Three former members of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual indecency against a female subordinate in 2021 during their trial's first hearing on Thursday.

The case has gained substantial public attention as the victim, Rina Gonoi, 23, made the rare move last year of coming forward to expose sexual offenses while serving as a GSDF member. This prompted the Defense Ministry to dismiss the three and increase its efforts in addressing harassment issues.

At the Fukushima District Court, the three former GSDF sergeants -- Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine and Yusuke Kimezawa -- claimed they did not press their lower bodies against Gonoi at a training facility in Hokkaido in August 2021, denying charges of indecency through compulsion.

According to the indictment, while eating and drinking with others, the three used martial arts moves to forcefully position Gonoi face-up onto a bed. They then got on top of her, pressing their bodies against hers.

Gonoi, who was serving in a unit at Camp Koriyama in Fukushima Prefecture but left the GSDF in June last year, was present for the hearing on Thursday.

"I still get flashbacks of the assault, and I simply can't do judo now, which I loved," she told the court under questioning by the prosecutors.

The case had taken a series of twists and turns ahead of the trial.

The three were referred to prosecutors by the GSDF's police unit in January last year for alleged indecency but were not detained. Subsequently, the charges were dropped due to insufficient grounds for suspicion.

However, the case was reopened based on a decision by an independent panel of citizens responsible for reviewing prosecutors' decisions in September.

The three were subsequently indicted without arrest by Fukushima prosecutors in March this year.

After resigning from the GSDF in June 2022, Gonoi initiated an online campaign using her real name to raise awareness about the harassment she had endured, culminating in August when she presented the Defense Ministry with a petition containing over 100,000 signatures, calling for a thorough probe into the case.

The ministry has apologized to Gonoi, acknowledging the sexual harassment she endured between the fall of 2020 and August 2021. A total of five GSDF members, including the three defendants, faced disciplinary discharges.

In January of this year, Gonoi lodged a separate damages suit with the Yokohama District Court against the five and the state. Four of the men, including all three defendants in the current case, have expressed their intention to contest the lawsuit.

Related coverage:

Japan PM calls for more harassment prevention in Self-Defense Forces

Woman who served in SDF sues state, assailants over sexual harassment

FOCUS: Ex-SDF member vows to move on from sexual assault but pain won't heal
ATLANTA , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The merger of Equifax  (NYSE: EFX) and Boa Vista Servicos (BOAS3: SAO), the second largest credit bureau in Brazil , received shareholder approval in a Boa Vista Servicos Shareholders' Meeting held today ("Merger of Shares EGM"). Equifax entered into a definitive Merger Agreement with Boa Vista Servicos on February 9, 2023 . Today, Boa Vista Servicos shareholders approved the merger protocol, which contains the terms and conditions for implementing the Merger Agreement; the combination of the businesses and resulting delisting of Boa Vista Servicos and exit from the Novo Mercado special listing segment of B3 S.A. - Brasil, Bolsa, Balcao ("B3") stock exchange; as well as the waiver of the Equifax do Brasil ("Equifax Brasil") obligation to list its shares with B3 and certain other matters related to the merger.

"Today's positive Boa Vista Servicos shareholder vote is a critical milestone in the strategic combination of our businesses  a merger that would mark an exciting new global chapter for both Equifax and Boa Vista Servicos customers and employees," said Mark W. Begor , CEO of Equifax. "This transaction aligns with our EFX2025 strategic priorities and offers Boa Vista Servicos access to expansive Equifax international capabilities and cloud-native data, products, decisioning and analytical technology for the rapid development of new products and services, and expansion into new vertical industries. We are energized to move towards closing the acquisition in the coming weeks and look forward to bringing the Equifax Cloud and new products and solutions to Boa Vista Servicos and their Brazilian customers."

Between July 17 and July 31, 2023 , each Boa Vista Servicos shareholder will have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration they will receive for each of their Boa Vista Servicos shares from the following options: (1) R$8.00 in cash, (2) R$7.20 in cash and 0.0008 of an Equifax BDR representing an equivalent fraction of one share of Equifax common stock or (3) R$5.33 of Equifax Brasil common shares and either R$2.67 in cash or 0.0027 of an Equifax BDR. The cash portion of consideration will be adjusted for Brazil's Extended National Consumer Price Index ("IPCA"), from May 10, 2023 until the day before the closing date.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalized in early August 2023 , alongside the process to delist Boa Vista Servicos shares from B3. Following the completion of the transaction, Boa Vista Servicos will become a subsidiary of Equifax Brasil. The acquisition is not anticipated to have a material impact on 2023 Equifax financial results.

BofA Securities is serving as financial advisor to Equifax, and Hogan Lovells US LLP and Machado Meyer Advogados are acting as legal counsels to Equifax.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. All statements that address operating performance and events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to our ability to consummate the proposed transaction with Boa Vista Servicos, the ability of Boa Vista Servicos to satisfy closing conditions, the expected financial and operational benefits, synergies and growth from the proposed transaction and our ability to integrate Boa Vista Servicos and its products, services, technologies, IT systems and personnel into our operations, and similar statements about our outlook and our business plans are forward-looking statements. We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our 2022 Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As a result of such risks and uncertainties, we urge you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

This press release is for informational purposes only and should not, under any circumstances, constitute, or be interpreted or understood as an investment recommendation, nor as an offer to acquire any of the securities of Equifax or Equifax Brasil.

FILINGS WITH THE SEC

Equifax and Equifax Brasil filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4/F-4 with the SEC on March 6, 2023 in connection with the proposed transaction (and have filed amendments to the Registration Statement on April 13, 2023 and May 9, 2023 ). The Registration Statement was declared effective on May 25, 2023 . The Form S-4/F-4 contains a prospectus and other documents. The Form S-4/F-4 and prospectus contain important information about Equifax, Equifax Brasil, Boa Vista Servicos, the transaction and related matters. Investors and shareholders of Boa Vista Servicos should read the prospectus and the other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction carefully before they make any decision with respect to the transaction. The Form S-4/F-4 and the prospectus, and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be available when filed free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, the prospectus and all other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the acquisition will be made available to investors free of charge by calling or writing to Equifax Inc., Attn: Office of Corporate Secretary, P.O. Box 4081, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, telephone (404) 885-8000.

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 14,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America , Central and South America , Europe , and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com .

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kate Walker for Equifax

[email protected]

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SOURCE Equifax Inc.
New initiative, backed by corporations, foundations and organizations, will fund programs that help those in need and raise awareness of crisis in veteran community

SAN ANTONIO , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2001, more than 120,000 veterans have died by suicide, driven by a veteran suicide rate that is currently 1.5 times the rate of the general population. Now, a coalition of corporations, foundations, nonprofits and veteran-focused organizations have launched Face the Fight to raise awareness and support for veteran suicide prevention. The aspiration is to cut the veteran suicide rate in half by 2030.

Established by USAA and The USAA Foundation, with the Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience, an Endeavors Foundation, as founding partners, the mission of the initiative is to break the stigma of seeking help, increase the conversation about the problem and complement the efforts of The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD) and many others to stop veteran suicide.

"USAA's more than 100-year legacy is built on supporting and advocating for the military community," said Wayne Peacock , USAA president and CEO. "Our service members stand tall in the noble calling to serve others, and we need to stand with them for challenges they may face, including mental health and suicide. Through focused funding and work with experts, we believe Face the Fight will make a difference in raising awareness for veteran suicide prevention. And we invite others to join us in this fight."

A key component of Face the Fight's work is funding and providing philanthropic grants to nonprofit organizations that can help stop veteran suicide. Over the past year, USAA has worked with a team of experts, including The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the VA, the DoD, RAND Corporation and nonprofit alliances to design the philanthropic strategy and identify outcomes necessary to stop veteran suicide.

USAA and The USAA Foundation seeded a coalition-backed philanthropic fund with an initial $10 million in grants. As founding partners, the Humana Foundation made a three-year, $6 million philanthropic commitment and Reach Resilience made a five-year, $25 million commitment.

"Humana is committed to ensuring all veterans and military members have access to the care they need, especially those in underserved communities where advances in health equity are greatly needed," said Bruce D. Broussard , Humana President and CEO. "The launch of Face the Fight is an important milestone in the fight against veteran suicide and will help significantly ease the challenges experienced by veterans and their families. Together, with the Humana Foundation, USAA, Reach Resilience and others, we join this fight to help remove systemic barriers and raise awareness of the mental health challenges faced by our veteran community who have dedicated their lives to serving our country."

The initial $41 million in philanthropic grants will focus on supporting nonprofit programs with specific focus areas. These include expansion of suicide prevention and training programs, clinical fellowships to strengthen the pipeline of qualified clinicians, and distribution of tools to veteran service organizations, the legal community and other entities who work with veterans.

"Veteran suicide is a national crisis. An estimated 50,000 more veterans will die by suicide this decade if we don't act now," said Sonya Medina Williams , Reach Resilience president and CEO. "As part of our mission to serve communities and people in crisis, we are committed to Face the Fight with USAA and the Humana Foundation. Together, we will break the silence around veteran suicide and spark a national conversation about military life, mental health, and the need for our country to show up for our veterans and ensure that no one is left behind."

To learn more about Face the Fight, find help and join the fight, visit wefacethefight.org.

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.

About The USAA Foundation, Inc.

The USAA Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization, supports organizations that provide services in the areas of education, health and human services, arts and culture, and civic and economic development primarily in the communities where USAA employees live and work. The USAA Foundation, Inc., does not endorse or promote any commercial supplier, products or services. USAA is the sponsor of The USAA Foundation, Inc.

About Humana Foundation

The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.

Humana Inc. and The Humana Foundation believe everyone should have access to the tools and support needed to have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Our commitment to improving health outcomes for all  our members and patients, employees, the communities we serve, the healthcare system, and the environment  is the foundation of our Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact platform.

About Reach Resilience

Formed in 2021, Reach Resilience is a mission enabler for Endeavors and builds on its longstanding commitment to serve communities in crisis. Endeavors is a national service organization that has been assisting vulnerable populations since 1969, offering an array of services and programs supporting children, families, migrants, veterans, and those struggling with mental illness, disabilities, disasters, or emergencies.

Reach Resilience is dedicated to developing partnerships, securing resources, and amplifying support to uplift people and communities in need with the goal of advancing hope, healing, and change in the world. Together, Endeavors and Reach Resilience are restoring dignity, inspiring confidence, and empowering progress for individuals facing overwhelming obstacles. For more information on Reach Resilience and Endeavors visit www.ReachResilience.org and www.Endeavors.org.

Contact: USAA

[email protected]com

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SOURCE USAA
HACKENSACK, N.J. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. (the "Company") today announced that on June 27, 2023 , its Board of Directors (the "Board") received a letter from K Corp Acquisitions LLC ("K Corp"), a Kushner company, indicating a non-binding expression of interest in acquiring the Company. The letter was released by K Corp to the public on the same date.

As previously disclosed by the Company, litigation between the Company and certain of its affiliates and Sinatra LLC, a Kushner company, is pending in the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.

Consistent with its fiduciary duties, the Board will evaluate the letter with the best interests of all of the Company's stockholders in mind. The Company's stockholders do not need to take any action at this time.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This Company release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "plan," "will," "estimate," "project," "intend," "believe," "guidance," "approximately," "anticipate," "may," "should," "seek" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and that do not relate to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions of management. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that you should not rely on as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data and/or methods which may be incorrect or imprecise and we may not be able to realize them. The following risks and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to: industry and economic conditions; Company's ability to satisfy the conditions to closing and complete the proposed transaction; Company's dependence upon its external manager to conduct its business and achieve its investment objectives; unknown liabilities acquired in connection with acquired properties or interests in real estate-related entities; general risks affecting the real estate industry and local real estate markets (including, without limitation, the market value of Company's properties, potential illiquidity of Company's remaining real estate investments, condemnations, and potential damage from natural disasters); the financial performance of Company's tenants; the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect the Trust and its major tenants; volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets, including potential fluctuations in the consumer price index; risks associated with Company's failure to maintain status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; and other additional risks discussed in Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022 . Company expressly disclaims any responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. is a publicly traded (over-the-counter  symbol FREVS) REIT organized in 1961. Its portfolio of residential and commercial properties are located in New Jersey and New York , with the largest concentration in northern New Jersey .

Visit us on the web: www.freitnj.com

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SOURCE First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey
Global Airlines has agreed terms to acquire a further three A380 aircraft, expending its current fleet to four super jumbos.

has agreed terms to acquire a further three A380 aircraft, expending its current fleet to four super jumbos. The airline also appointed Captain Ian Black and Pierre Madrange to its advisory board.

and Pierre Madrange to its advisory board. They will advise the Global Executive Team on a variety of aviation, technical and commercial matters.

LONDON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Airlines, the world's newest long-haul airline, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a further three A380s. With the purchase of these aircraft, the airline's fleet development reaches a new milestone with four A380s now lined up for the start of operations in Spring 2024.

The additional aircraft have been purchased for an undisclosed figure and the Global team is now developing plans for their refit and return to service. Further details about the aircraft, the acquisition and the refurbishment will be published in the coming months.

Global Airlines has also announced further appointments to its Advisory Board; Pierre Madrange and Ian Black .

Pierre Madrange is a former French Air Force fighter pilot who later held the position of Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and is a former Vice President of NAVBLUE, an Airbus company. Pierre brings his extensive aviation knowledge to the new airline as well significant expertise in airline operations and P&L management as well as growing leadership functions.

Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. He has flown commercial operations across the Far East, Australasia , India , Dubai , and Europe . He worked for a major UK long haul airline for over 25 years as a senior captain on the Airbus/Boeing fleet. He has extensive experience in long-haul flying and cumulatively has flown 20,000 hours on A330/340-300/340-600 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

At Global, Pierre and Ian will advise the Executive Team and work closely with the Founder and CEO, James Asquith , on airline operations management and airline digitalisation.

James Asquith , Founder and CEO of Global Airlines, said, "We extend our warmest welcome to both Ian and Pierre to the Global Airlines' advisory board, where they will work closely with our team. It is a real testament to the progress we are making that we continue to appoint senior and experienced people to our Advisory Board. I believe we must have one of the most experienced teams of aviation professionals coming together to launch Global Airlines."

"We are also delighted to announce that we have agreed the purchase of a further three A380s to join the Global fleet. As I've always said, the A380 is the best aircraft in the sky, and we will continue to look for further acquisition opportunities."

Pierre Madrange said, "I'm really pleased to be joining the Global Airlines Advisory Board. James is putting together a great team and I want to use my unique aviation network as well as my experience in the industry to help the airline do something new and exciting. A product that passengers will not only want to fly, but also an airline that aviation professionals from around the world will want to work for."

Ian Black said, "Aviation is in my blood and joining the Advisory Board was an opportunity too good to turn down. For any airline, safety is the number one priority and Global will be no different. That commitment to safety is driven by not just the flight crew and cabin crews but every team member of Global Airlines, having a robust and open flight safety culture from the get-go is paramount. Working closely with both James and Richard is a real privilege, to influence the foundations of what will certainly be the very best airline this decade is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Global Airlines plans to use its fleet of owned A380 aircraft to reinvigorate the flying experience, courtesy of the unrivaled spaciousness offered by the super jumbo.

Global Airlines is now focused on working closely with the relevant authorities and partners in preparation for inaugural flights in the Spring of 2024.

About Global Airlines

Global Airlines was launched in 2023 with an aspiration to offer passengers the best way to fly. The airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Holiday Swap and headquartered in London, United Kingdom . The airline is led by CEO James Asquith and backed by aviation experts and investors around the world. The airline has commenced an aircraft acquisition programme with one A380 secured and more to follow in the summer of 2023. The inaugural transatlantic flights are expected in the Spring of 2024.

About Capt Ian Black

Captain Ian Black is a highly experienced commercial and former military pilot. Commercially, he has flown 20,000 hours on A330, A340-300, A340-600, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

As an ex-RAF fighter pilot, Captain Ian flew F-4 Phantoms during the Cold War and participated in the first Gulf War and the Falkland Islands deployment. He served with the French Armee de l'air, flying combat missions over Bosnia and Iraq on the Dassault Mirage 2000C, where he was also a qualified weapons instructor. Captain Ian's military career included a role as an RAF flight safety officer, responsible for maintaining and improving safety standards.

About Pierre Madrange

Pierre started his career as a fighter pilot in the French Air Force. He then held a number of key executive positions in commercial aviation: Chief Operating Officer at XL Airways, Managing Director at SR Technics and Vice President at NAVBLUE, an AIRBUS company. He is currently the President of Madrange & Laubary, an aviation consulting company serving airlines worldwide.

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SOURCE Global Airlines
WASHINGTON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GM Defense announced that it incorporated GM Defense Canada, in alignment with GM Defense International, which was established in 2022. As GM Defense expands and pursues additional international programs, the formation of GM Defense Canada will strengthen the business' ability to support efforts to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces.

"The new entity strengthens our ability to develop solutions in Canada as we pursue important near term opportunities, such as the Light Utility Vehicle (LUV) and Light Forces Enhancement programs," said Stephen duMont, president of GM Defense. "We will continue to leverage General Motors' advanced commercial technology, engineering resources and investments in Canada that help our global defense and government customers transition to a more electric, autonomous and connected future."

"The creation of a Canadian entity for defence underscores our commitment to Canada and our conviction that our engineering and manufacturing capacity right here in Canada can serve and help to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces," said Marissa West , president of GM Canada. "We believe that GM Defense has a unique ability to offer best-in-class equipment, technology, and sustainment to support those who serve, and we are proud to do so."

GM Defense recently participated at the Canadian Association of the Defence and Security Industries exhibit where it showcased commercial-based solutions to help meet the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces. GM Defense demonstrated its LUV prototype based on the Chevrolet Silverado and two variants of the proven and fielded Infantry Squad Vehicle, based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. The business continues to build sustainable solutions like the ones shown at CANSEC that can be serviced and maintained through GM Canada's robust network of 448 dealers and GM's global supply chain.

As new international growth efforts emerge, GM Defense may incorporate additional entities in other countries. Focus areas for the business currently remain in North America , across Europe , Indo Pacific and throughout the Middle East .

For the latest GM Defense news, please visit www.gmdefensellc.com and follow GM Defense on LinkedIn.

About GM Defense LLC

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and mobility and autonomy solutions to global defense, security, and government markets. The exceptional reliability of GM Defense's technologies results from decades of proven performance and billions of dollars spent in independent research and development by its parent, General Motors, a world leader in global design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. For more information, please visit www.gmdefensellc.com.

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SOURCE GM Defense LLC
RICHMOND, Va. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Grenova, Inc., a Virginia -based designer, manufacturer, and distributor of instruments and associated consumables for the life sciences industry, today announced the appointment of Katherine Marrs as Chief Commercial Officer. Marrs joins the award-winning team at Grenova during a period of rapid growth and expansion as the lab industry seeks new ways to become sustainable while lowering costs.

"We are incredibly proud to call Katherine Marrs the newest member of the recently revamped and recharged Grenova team, which is on a bold mission to revolutionize life sciences, and other industries, with our award-winning sustainability technology," said Lane Major , President and Chief Executive Officer of Grenova. "Katherine's impressive track record speaks for itself. She is an experienced sales and high-powered growth leader with a demonstrated history of success and stellar reputation throughout multiple industries. Katherine represents the type of best-in-class talent, expertise, and creativity that Grenova is attracting as part of our efforts to reimagine how laboratories around the world can operate in a smart, sustainable, and profitable way for generations to come."

Marrs previously served as Chief Business Officer at Wild Hive, a strategy and communications firm, where she developed commercial strategy and implemented operational efficiencies to support a time of rapid, double-digit growth. Prior to joining Wild Hive, Marrs worked for 13 years at Stryker Corporation, one of the world's leading medical technology companies, first as a sales rep where she never missed a quota, then as a leader in the business. During her leadership career, she built five high-performing sales and sales leadership teams at four different businesses, built a new market for an acquisition, split a legacy sales force, launched a start-up business unit, won numerous awards, and was selected to serve as an advisor on multiple executive and leadership councils. Marrs managed through significant and constant change as Stryker grew from $7 billion to $17 billion . During her last two years at Stryker, Marrs was the U.S. Sales Leader for one of Stryker's 22 business units, leading a team of 200 sales professionals.

"The opportunity to join the growing team at Grenova fits perfectly into my aspiration to build and to scale something impactful and purposeful," said Marrs. "Previous to Grenova, I chose to become part of another fast-growing company, Wild Hive, where we tell the inspiring stories of our clients in the food and agriculture sector. It's with a similar mindset that I'm transitioning to Grenova. This team is innovating to bring practical solutions to make healthcare and life sciences more sustainable. The solution to most of the problems we face is innovation, and I'm proud to be a part of the solution at Grenova."

About Grenova

Founded in 2014, Grenova is an innovative company that is revolutionizing lab consumables through high-quality waste reduction solutions. Grenova's mission is to lower costs in the laboratory industry and reduce biohazard waste in the environment by delivering groundbreaking approaches in dealing with plastic consumables. Grenova's existing products include the TipNovus family of pipette tip-washing solutions for labs such as the Automated TipNovus (ATN) Package, a fully integrated tip-washing solution; the TipLumis family of HEPA-filtered, temperature-controlled, UV-sanitized tip storage solutions; GrenoClean, a proprietary and scientifically validated cleaning solution; and Purus by Grenova, a novel microwell plate cleaner. For more information, visit Grenova.com.

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SOURCE Grenova
Company announced the date of the launch event for its upcoming flagship foldable smartphone HONOR Magic V2 at MWC Shanghai

SHANGHAI , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global technology brand HONOR today announced that it will host a launch event for its next flagship foldable smartphone, HONOR Magic V2. During a MWC Shanghai keynote session entitled "What's Next for Smartphones" and a CEO Tech Talk hosted by John Hoffman , CEO of GSMA, Ltd., George Zhao , CEO of HONOR Device Co., Ltd., shared key insights into the roles that artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and its human-centric focus play on driving smartphone innovation, and revealed that date for its upcoming HONOR Magic V2 launch, which is set for July 12 in Beijing .

Unwavering Commitment to Push the Boundaries of Innovation

HONOR believes that the technology industry and the market are driven by the cycle of innovation, not of the economy. "Smartphones represent the ultimate combination of computing systems, communications technologies, display technologies, and AI platforms, tearing down boundaries by integrating various other devices and new technologies," said George Zhao , CEO of HONOR Device Co. Ltd. "New AI and communications technology are fueling a new wave of smartphone innovation, creating virtually limitless possibilities for us to explore. It is our responsibility as a company to embrace these opportunities and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with smartphones."

Spearheading the Advancement of Human-centric Technology

During the presentation, Zhao invited the audience to join him in imagining the vast possibilities that come with AI and 5G technologies and showcased HONOR's key advances in on-device AI, communications, display, battery life, and device portability. HONOR continues to embrace the possibilities of AI innovation by applying AI across various usage scenarios, and is exploring the possibilities of harnessing large language models (LLM) on devices to spearhead the advancement of human-centric technology in smartphones and beyond.

Recognizing how communications technology has evolved from 1G to 5G in the past five decades and how 5G has been tearing down the boundary between the physical and digital, Zhao shared how HONOR continues to optimize its information communications capabilities to provide a more seamless user experience. Through the integration of software and hardware, and improvements in cellular network, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, HONOR fully optimizes the performance of devices in environments with poor signal quality, such as basements, shopping malls, elevators, and subways, facilitating a smoother experience for all. HONOR will also explore using satellites to enable users to stay connected and safe even in extreme conditions.

As digital content and platforms become more accessible, HONOR sees the need to put a greater focus on developing human-centric display technologies that are in line with evolving user behaviors. Reinforcing HONOR's commitment to user wellness, Zhao mentioned that HONOR aims to create display viewing experiences that are as comfortable and immersive as viewing the natural world. The brand has introduced a range of eye-caring features, including Flicker-free PWM Dimming and Circadian Night Display, to provide protection for users' eyes around the clock.

Balancing Compact Design and Powerful Performance with New Materials and Form Factors

In addition to connectivity and display, HONOR also understands users' concerns around the balance between compact design and powerful performance. Committed to delivering human-centric innovation, HONOR has continued to explore new materials and form factors, bringing the Super-light Titanium Hinge and Silicon-carbon Battery to life.

HONOR's commitment to innovation and facilitating global collaboration for change was also evident at the event. Zhao encouraged industry players to harness the power of innovation to create new, exciting experiences for consumers. Zhao concluded his keynote session with a sneak preview of the HONOR Magic V2, the upcoming revolutionary HONOR flagship foldable device. The device is set to launch in Beijing on July 12 , and is poised to set a new standard in foldable smartphone technology.

About HONOR

HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR's portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves.

For more information, please visit HONOR online at www.hihonor.com or email [email protected]

http://community.hihonor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/honorglobal/

https://twitter.com/Honorglobal

https://www.instagram.com/honorglobal/

http://www.youtube.com/c/HonorOfficial

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SOURCE HONOR
DALLAS, MONTERREY, Mexico , and CHELTENHAM, England , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- iiPay , a global leader in innovative cloud-based payroll software technology, is excited to announce its expansion into Mexico with a new office in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon . This strategic move signifies iiPay's increased focus on Latin America and showcases its dedication to providing complete global payroll solutions to global corporations. The expansion of iiPay into Mexico serves as a valuable addition to our already established teams in the U.S. , UK , Europe , and Asia .

In conjunction with this global market expansion, iiPay has partnered with Grupo Tress International , a leading HR, Time and Attendance, and Payroll solutions and services provider in Mexico . This powerful combination offers a seamless global payroll solution to small, mid-market, and enterprise clients with key talent in Mexico . With a proven track record serving dozens of Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies, Grupo Tress International brings invaluable expertise, enhancing the client experience.

This strategic partnership combines iiPay's state-of-the-art innovative technology with technology and market expertise of Grupo Tress International, enabling global talent expansion, market share growth, and clients to benefit from an all-encompassing payroll solution. By leveraging this powerful synergy, businesses can optimize their processes, and pave the way for accelerated growth and success. "We are thrilled to partner with iiPay and revolutionize global payroll services" says Julio Andrade , CEO of Grupo Tress International. "Our focus on exceptional client experiences aligns perfectly with iiPay's vision. Together, we will streamline payroll processes and unlock growth opportunities."

"Our expansion into Latin America and Mexico , specifically, marks a momentous achievement for iiPay," emphasizes T. Curtis Holmes , CEO of iiPay. "We are thrilled by the prospects that lie ahead in this key region which presents exceptional opportunities for iiPay to enhance client experiences and deliver a comprehensive global payroll solution. Collaborating with Grupo Tress International empowers us to deliver unparalleled payroll services, enabling multi-national corporations to flourish in an interconnected world while propelling iiPay's growth in the region."

The Latin America market including Mexico unveils opportunities for businesses to embrace with remarkable prospects for businesses to seize upon. In 2022, the state of Nuevo Leon recorded $4.4 billion USD in Foreign Direct Investment, its highest figure since 2010. By establishing a strong presence in Mexico , iiPay embraces the market opportunity, positioning itself to thrive in this dynamic and promising business environment.

Industry experts are equally enthusiastic about the potential and opportunity in the Latin American market. According to Grant Thornton , "the IMF has recently raised its forecasts for GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean by 1.2 percentage points (pp), and now expects GDP growth of 5.8% this year, supported by the performance of Brazil and Mexico ."

As iiPay continues to extend its global presence, the establishment of a new office in Monterrey, Mexico underscores the company's unwavering dedication to enhancing the client experience and meeting the ever-evolving demands of businesses on a global scale.

About iiPay:

iiPay is a global leader in innovative cloud-based payroll solutions. With a strong focus on serving Fortune 100, 500, and 1000 clients, iiPay offers an exceptional payroll experience in more than 170 countries. Leveraging advanced data management, analytics, business intelligence, and employee self-service capabilities, iiPay empowers Payroll, HR, and Finance professionals with seamless global payroll management. iiPay's relentless dedication to customer service ensures that every client receives a transformative experience. Discover how iiPay simplifies global payroll operations and drives business success. Experience the power of innovation with iiPay - For Business. For People, http://www.iiPay.com.

About Grupo Tress International:

Grupo Tress Internacional is the leader in HR, Time and Attendance, Payroll, Mexican Compliance, and Employee self-service technology solutions in Mexico . Our portfolio is designed to satisfy every client need, from hybrid, cloud, and even managed payroll solutions. Grupo Tress Internacional works with very large and complex Mexican companies, 60% of the Maquiladora Industry ( INDEX ), and dozens of Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 1,000 companies. With a decades-long history of success and offices in almost 20 different markets, we have a world-class Net Promoter Score of 88%, the best in our industry. For more information, please visit www.tress.com.mx/en/home .

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SOURCE iiPay Ltd (Integrated International Payroll)
Chartis Research Also Ranks LexisNexis Risk Solutions 4th Out of 25 for its Retail Alternative Credit Data and Analytics Capabilities

ATLANTA , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis Risk Solutions announced that it has earned a category award for its retail alternative credit data offering in the 2023 Chartis Research STORM RetailFinanceAnalytics25. In addition to achieving category leader status, LexisNexis Risk Solutions is ranked 4th out of 25 among participating companies for its overall capabilities.

According to Chartis, this second edition of the STORM  which stands for statistical analysis, optimization and risk management  ranking and analysis "focuses on the continued evolution of analytics and computational technologies." The results reflect market trend research coupled with Chartis analysts' expert opinions. Chartis ranks vendors on breadth and coverage, impact, computational infrastructure, innovation and strategy. Specifically, the RetailFinanceAnalytics25 report evaluates those tools and techniques that "enable retail finance institutions  predominately banks, but also investment banks, brokers and insurance companies  to provide optimal pricing retail advisory or retail credit risk solutions."

"The STORM award for LexisNexis Risk Solutions reflects its approach to retail credit alternative insights and our focus on vendors that make analytics relatively straightforward using validated and traceable information available to customers," said Sid Dash , chief researcher at Chartis. "The company's formal approach that often employs transactional insights provides a structured alternative to other, less well-authenticated options."

Insights gained through alternative credit data provides a broader view of a consumer's credit behavior beyond tradeline data into other life events that have implications on consumer credit stability. Incorporating this type of data in risk assessment solutions across the customer lifecycle can deliver greater visibility into credit risk than using traditional data alone, allowing businesses to deliver smart, optimized and affordable offers for credit and services.

Financial institutions' need for additional information and insights into the credit riskiness and worthiness of their applicants has grown exponentially in the past several years. For 20 years, LexisNexis Risk Solutions has been providing FCRA-regulated credit insights on consumers, underpinned by the principle of financial inclusion and through its flagship LexisNexis RiskView Credit Solutions credit products. This enables more unbanked and underserved consumers to gain broader access to traditional credit/financial products.

"We are proud to receive recognition from Chartis for our alternative credit capabilities," said Kevin King , vice president, credit risk and marketing solutions strategy, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "Our products and services not only benefit financial institutions but help ensure that individual consumers and small to mid-size businesses receive the most appropriate offers from their financial institutions. We are pioneers in the field of alternative credit data and will continue to innovate to respond to our customers' needs for deeper insight and trustworthy risk management solutions."

Learn more about how alternative data insights can help you increase approval rates, mitigate risk and drive financial inclusion.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions

LexisNexis Risk Solutions includes seven brands that span multiple industries and sectors. We harness the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia , we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions and RELX.

About Chartis Research

Chartis Research is the leading provider of research and analysis on the global market for risk technology. Chartis's goal is to support enterprises as they drive business performance through improved risk management, corporate governance and compliance, and to help clients make informed technology and business decisions by providing in-depth analysis and actionable advice on virtually all aspects of risk technology.

Media Contact:

Marcy Theobald

678.694.6681

[email protected]

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SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions
BOSTON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Investment Management has announced a minority partnership with Parreira Almond Holding Company, LLC (PAHC), a family-owned almond hulling, shelling, processing, and marketing company, on behalf of its clients. The minority investment will position PAHC and its wholly owned subsidiaries, RPAC, LLC (RPAC) and Parreira Almond Processing Company, LLC (PPAC) for future growth as well as continue to provide a consistent volume of high-quality California -grown and U.S. -grown almonds through both investments in the existing operations and from further acquisitions.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Parreira family who have been in the almond processing business, a farmland plus investment, for more than 50 years. They understand the complexities of agriculture and take a long-term view to growing, processing and marketing almonds," said Oliver Williams , global head of agricultural investments, Manulife Investment Management. "We also believe this investment will bring additional risk mitigation to our overall agricultural platform on behalf of our investors."

Farmland plus refers to investments in companies and assets that combine farm production with processing and marketing, and substantially expands the range of investment options beyond pure farmland investments. These investments are intended to mitigate risk and potentially enhance return of a permanent cropland portfolio and may bring additional value capture, increased revenues and returns, enhanced diversification, and access to various end markets and a reduction in price volatility.

Paul Parreira , PAHC's managing partner added, "We are excited by this investment and partnership, and we look forward to growing the business together and continuing to supply our customers with high-quality almonds for generations to come."

Manulife Investment Management is the largest manager of natural capital in the world.1 It manages approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland in major agricultural regions of the United States and in Canada , Chile , and Australia as part of its comprehensive private markets strategies. Its entire U.S. agriculture platform is certified to the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard demonstrating a commitment to sustainable practices, robust management, and continuous improvement. It also oversees approximately 6 million acres of timberland across the United States , Canada , New Zealand , Australia , Brazil , and Chile and 100% of those forests are certified under either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

1. IPE research as of 2/5/2023. Ranking is based on total Natural Capital AUM, which includes forestry/timberland and agriculture/farmland AUM. Firms were asked to provide AUM and the as of dates vary from 12/31/2021 to 12/31/2022 .



About Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto , our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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SOURCE Manulife Investment Management
KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2023 - 00:02 | All, Japan

A suspected senior member of a group that ran scams in Japan from the Philippines, apparently under the pseudonym "Luffy," was arrested on Thursday for allegedly ordering one of a slew of robberies reported across Japan.

Kiyoto Imamura, who was served a fresh arrest warrant, became the first to be charged with robbery among the group's senior members who had given instructions for the crime.

The latest arrest warrant was for orchestrating the crime, which took place in Kyoto. He has already been indicted for theft over a scam.

Luffy was among the pseudonyms used by those who gave robbery orders.

The 39-year-old, who was deported in February from the Philippines, is suspected of being involved in the robbery of 41 watches totaling 69 million yen ($477,000) in value from a jewelry shop in Kyoto on May 2 last year.

Tokyo police have been investigating Imamura and three others -- Yuki Watanabe, Tomonobu Kojima and Toshiya Fujita, who were also deported from the Southeast Asian country under suspicion of having been involved in the scams -- over the robberies across Japan.

The Metropolitan Police Department has not disclosed whether Imamura has admitted to the allegations.

But according to investigative sources, Imamura denied the allegations shortly after his arrest and has since remained silent.

Besides Imamura, 13 people, including those suspected of actually executing the crime, have been arrested over the robbery in Kyoto. Eleven of them have been indicted.

Imamura allegedly communicated with his fellow suspects through the encrypted messaging app "Telegram," giving them instructions on renting a car to carry out the crime, scoping out the area, and purchasing hammers for breaking the store's showcases.

According to the sources, Yuki Miyazawa, 22, was arrested on May 31 on suspicion of sending around 1 million yen to Imamura's bank account, which included profits related to the Kyoto robbery.

The group is believed to be behind at least 50 criminal incidents, including robberies, spanning 14 prefectures since the summer of 2021 under the pseudonyms "Luffy" or "Kim."

The Tokyo police said Wednesday that it has set up a joint investigative headquarters with prefectural police departments in Chiba, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi over the robberies.

Related coverage:

19 Japanese detained in Cambodia after scam group's base raided

4 arrested for fatal robbery of 90-yr-old woman in Tokyo in Jan.
MDA Maritime Insights Platform to provide maritime domain awareness and dark vessel detection in Indo-Pacific Region

BRAMPTON, ON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - MDA Ltd. (TSX: MDA), a leading provider of advanced technology and services to the rapidly expanding global space industry, today announced a two-year contract with up to three optional years with the Government of Canada through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to help counter illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the United Nations, illegal fishing is the planet's sixth largest crime. The Indo-Pacific region is home to the majority of the world's coral reefs and includes the largest diversity of fish. MDA Maritime Insights platform, which leverages MDA's world-renowned RADARSAT-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), combines multiple satellite data sources to track and identify IUU fishing activity including dark vessel detection . Together, they can see hundreds of kilometres in a single image, day or night and through all weather conditions, creating a powerful asset for combatting IUU fishing.

"Our ocean surfaces are enormous and incredibly hard to monitor, giving those who seek to perpetrate crime on the water confidence that they will be undetected," said Mike Greenley , CEO of MDA. "Space-based Earth observation gives us a valuable vantage point to see what we can't on the ground or from the water to help break that cycle. We are proud to support the Government of Canada and other nations with MDA data and insights to help combat the illegal activity that is putting our ocean ecosystems at risk."

MDA is an active participant in the fight against IUU fishing, providing near real-time monitoring, data and insight of fishing activity to nations through the Government of Canada. It works with DFO and international fisheries agencies to provide actionable maritime intelligence data that addresses dark vessel detection and supports maritime enforcement initiatives. The Government of Canada has been using MDA technology in support of the Government of Ecuador to monitor the protected ocean ecosystems surrounding the Galapagos Islands since 2021 .

"Detecting, tracking and intercepting vessels engaged in IUU fishing will help protect the world's ocean ecosystems and the livelihoods of law-abiding fish harvesters worldwide and here in Canada . This will support the protection of biodiversity throughout the Indo-Pacific region from threats of IUU fishing," said the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

ABOUT MDA

Serving the world from its Canadian home and global offices, MDA (TSX: MDA) is an international space mission partner and a robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 50-year story of firsts on and above the Earth. With over 2,700 employees across Canada , the US and the UK , MDA is leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth observation, communication in a hyper-connected world, and more. With a track record of making space ambitions come true, MDA enables highly skilled people to continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges, and imagine solutions that inspire and endure to change the world for the better, on the ground and in the stars. Learn more by visiting mda.space .

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events. Forwardlooking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forwardlooking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in MDA's Annual Information Form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . MDA does not undertake any obligation to update such forwardlooking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

SOCIAL MEDIA

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mdaspace

Twitter: twitter.com/MDA_space

Instagram: instagram.com/MDA_space

Facebook: facebook.com/MDAspace

YouTube: youtube.com/c/mdaspace

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SOURCE MDA Ltd.
Nokod Security is building a platform that enables organizations to secure in-house low-code/no-code custom applications by scanning for security and compliance issues and applying remediation policies

TEL AVIV, Israel , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nokod Security , a company developing security for low-code / no-code custom applications and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), announced its $8 million seed round, which will be used to establish a presence in the United States market, as well as to expand the R&D teams and support novel research of security vulnerabilities in the low-code/no-code domain. Funds were raised from Acrew Capital, Meron Capital and Flint Capital, firms with a successful track record of investing in top companies in the data protection, software verification and cybersecurity sectors like Exabeam, Mitiga, Laminar, Socure, and others.

Adoption of low-code / no-code and RPA platforms like Microsoft PowerApps, ServiceNow or UiPath is predicted to reach 65% of the IT market by 2024. More so, Generative AI and ChatGPT-like tools, introduced just this past year, are set to hyper-accelerate low-code / no-code development. Although these platforms provide businesses fast application development with minimal complex coding using third-party toolkits, they are not covered by the application security stack. As a result, the applications and automations create a new attack surface as well as introduce the risk of compliance violations.

Yair Finzi , a former Head of Department in an elite cyber security unit of the Israeli Army and a cybersecurity entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience, and Amichai Shulman , a cybersecurity researcher, advisor, entrepreneur and investor with multiple successful exits, recognized this gap early on. They have a proven track record of running successful companies: Yair co-founded and led SecuredTouch (acquired by Ping Identity), while Amichai co-founded and served as CTO of application and data security giant, Imperva.

With Nokod, Yair and Amichai empower businesses with a platform to manage cybersecurity and compliance risks stemming from their low-code / no-code custom applications and RPAs by streamlining security into the application's lifecycle. The platform provides the security team with a comprehensive view of the application inventory, identifies security issues and vulnerabilities and offers the organization customized auto-remediation, effectively accelerating their digital transformation. The company is in discussions with Fortune 500 companies in several verticals.

"In today's world, application development is both time-consuming and costly, exacerbated by the anticipated threefold increase in the shortage of full-time software developers by 2025. As companies increasingly turn to low-code/no-code and RPA platforms, coupled with the rise of Generative AI tools, the adoption of low-code/no-code tools is set to skyrocket. This trend can take us back to the days when everyone coded without proper security measures, leaving sensitive business and personal data vulnerable to unauthorized access. Our product ensures 100% secure citizen development within enterprises," notes Yair Finzi , co-founder and  of Nokod Security.

"Low-code / no-code apps are being widely deployed, but the shared security model,

as in other domains, only helps customers up to a certain point, and then they are on their own. This is a huge looming security problem, and Acrew is excited to back a founding team at Nokod that can solve it," - says Mark Kraynak , founding partner at Acrew Capital.

"Meron invests in leading early-stage companies with deep technologies. We are proud to invest in a pioneering company in the world of low-code / no-code security. The growth of Generative AI tools and their expected adoption in the business environment will further accelerate the adoption of low-code / no-code development. However, there is currently no real solution to this new attack surface. Nokod has the right team to solve it at the right time," - adds Liron Azrielant , managing partner at Meron Capital.

"We invest in cybersecurity startups and place our bets on their teams. With Nokod, we are confident in their founders' extensive experience in web application security, which is a critical factor for both small and medium-sized businesses as well as for large enterprises,"  notes Sergey Gribov , partner at Flint Capital.

The global cybersecurity market was valued at $163.53 billion in 2019 and by 2030, the market is forecast to have a value of $430.46 billion . The low-code development platform market size is projected to reach $148.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 27.8%.

About Nokod Security

Nokod Security is a Tel Aviv -based startup providing a platform that enables organizations to secure their low-code / no-code custom applications and Remote Process Automation (RPA) by scanning them for security and compliance issues and applying customized auto-remediation policies.

The company was founded in 2023 by Yair Finzi , serial entrepreneur and former co-founder of SecuredTouch (acquired by Ping Identity), and Amichai Shulman , former co-founder and CTO of Imperva, a multibillion-dollar cybersecurity company that was a pioneer in the web application firewall (WAF) and database security categories.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144537/NokodSecurity_Logo.jpg

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SOURCE Nokod Security
CAMBRIDGE, England , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PocDoc, the Cambridge -based digital health platform, today announces a major pilot with the NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme in the North East, in partnership with cardiologist Dr Alan Bagnall and the NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria (CRN NENC).

As documented widely in recent weeks, the NHS England Targeted Lung Health Checks (TLHC) are aiming to screen a million people per year across the UK , finding people with early-stage lung cancer, enabling lifesaving treatment. But these scans also identify the early stages of another common killer  coronary heart disease.

Seventy percent of those attending for TLHC scans will have coronary artery calcium (CAC)  a new marker of heightened risk of a heart attack or stroke which is identified during the scan. Discovering these higher risk patients who have evidence of early disease, but are not already taking a statin, is an optimal way to maximise the health outcomes of the TLHC program. This could potentially reduce both cancer and cardiovascular deaths through a single test.

Alan Bagnall and Professor Yitka Graham of the University of Sunderland are championing a digital-first pathway to support and manage patients found to have CAC on their TLHC scans. "We will be working directly with patients and GPs to hear their views on how best to reduce their risk of heart disease and reduce health inequality," says Professor Yitka Graham.

PocDoc is an app-based technology platform that can deliver the full end-to-end cardiovascular assessment pathway, including a quantified, lab-grade 5 marker lipid (cholesterol) lateral flow test with results in their app, in under 10 minutes.

The PocDoc pathway collects all the information needed for a cardiovascular risk assessment, including blood pressure and BMI. The app displays all results, including blood marker values, in a health dashboard with comparison to NHS clinical guidelines.

This pilot will see thousands of patients in the North East be offered a PocDoc test either at home or in a community setting after their TLHC scan. Clinical teams in partnership with Dr Alan Bagnall will access the cloud-based PocDoc dashboard to assess future treatment pathways in real time, including prescription of statins where appropriate.

This pilot builds on PocDoc's current roll out in the North East in partnership with the cardiovascular disease prevention team at the Academic Health Science Network for the North East North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), which is designed to dramatically increase access to cardiovascular assessments at home, at work and in the community in both primary and secondary prevention.

Dr Alan Bagnall , a consultant interventional cardiologist at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Deputy Clinical Director of the CRN NENC, says:

"Because of the shared risk factors of age and smoking, almost all patients in the ground-breaking TLHC program will be at elevated risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. Delivering a digital-first cardiovascular screening of patients who have risk factors and coronary artery calcium is an optimal way to maximise the health outcomes of the TLHC program, potentially reducing both cancer and cardiovascular deaths through a single test and providing NHS England with significant cost savings. We are proud to be partnering with PocDoc to demonstrate the North East's commitment to using innovation to save lives."

Steve Roest , CEO and co-founder at PocDoc, says:

"We are proud and excited to announce our partnership with consultant cardiologist Dr Alan Bagnall and his team at the NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria to pilot the PocDoc pathway for TLHC patients in the North East of England . Each year, the TLHC will find 200,000 people in the UK who are at high risk of a heart attack or stroke but who are not being treated. By providing a quick, easy, convenient and digital-first way to conduct cardiovascular assessments at scale with simple follow treatment, PocDoc can help the NHS deliver even better outcomes from an already highly successful programme."

Available for interview on request:

Steve Roest  CEO & Co-Founder, PocDoc

To book in an interview or for more information please contact: [email protected]

About Cardiovascular Disease:

There are 7.6 million people living with CVD in the UK , and Cardiovascular Disease is a leading cause of premature disability, mortality, and health inequalities, and responsible for one in four deaths each year.



(https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/contact-the-press-office/facts-and-figures#:~:text=Heart%20and%20circulatory%20diseases%20cause,men%20and%203.6%20million%20women.)

The UK Health Security Agency estimates that the annual healthcare costs in England relating to CVD are around 7.4 billion, with an annual cost to the wider economy of 15.8 billion.



(https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2019/02/14/health-matters-preventing-cardiovascular-disease/).

Company Chemist Association reference article: https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD136951/CCA-Hypertension-case-finding-service-to-halt-15k-cardiovascular-events-by-2026

About Dr Alan Bagnall and the NIHR CRN NENC:

Dr Alan Bagnall is a consultant interventional cardiologist at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Deputy Clinical Director of the CRN NENC.

Working together with Dr Chris Tasker (GP lead for Targeted Lung Health Checks), Professor Yitka Graham (Head of the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute, University of Sunderland) and Dr Anna Beattie (consultant cardiothoracic radiologist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), they have identified an unmet need for the over 600,000 patients invited to take part in the TLHC program.

Because of the shared risk factors of age and smoking, almost all patients in the TLHC program will have a greater than 1 in 10 chance of developing a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years.

The real time identification of patients at the very highest risk who have evidence of early disease but who are not already taking a statin is an optimal way to maximise the health outcomes of the TLHC program, potentially reducing both cancer and cardiovascular deaths through a single test.

The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS , public health and social care;

, public health and social care; Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;

Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;

Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;

Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;

Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.

About the NHS England Targeted Lung Health Check:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-lung-cancer-screening-roll-out-to-detect-cancer-sooner

About PocDoc:

Founded by Dr Kiran Roest , Dr Vladimir Gubala and Steve Roest , PocDoc's mission is to make diagnostic testing as accessible and affordable as possible. The PocDoc platform allows anyone with a smartphone or tablet to test themselves for a range of major diseases and conditions, receive a full health assessment and be offered solutions to address any health-related issues that arise, including real-time prescription of medication and clinical support.

The PocDoc platform has been designed to work with the company's own set of proprietary, quantitative blood tests which have been developed in house and are focused on preventative disease areas, starting with cardiovascular disease.

PocDoc has a number of NHS contracts, has won multiple Innovate UK awards, an SBRI award and a MedTech Breakthrough Award.

Its technology has CA and CE marks and is patented in Europe and the US.

www.mypocdoc.co.uk

About Steve Roest :

Steve is the CEO and founder of PocDoc, where he has raised multiple rounds of private investment, is a multiple time Innovate UK grant award winner, as well as a member of the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders review board.

Steve is a huge advocate for innovation and pushing boundaries of what is possible with technology. He is passionate about the people and companies who are changing the world, especially in HealthTech and Healthcare.

Steve presents the HealthTech Hour on UK Health Radio which was born from his desire to provide a showcase for companies, leaders, founders, CEOs and clinicians who are genuinely changing the world, leading the healthcare revolution in the UK and beyond. Notable guests include Matt Hancock , Ali Parsa and Jessica Ennis Hill among others.

The show, which has over 60,000 listeners live per week from over 30 countries, with more listening on demand via Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts and YouTube, focuses on the unique journeys of each guest, how they are changing the world and how they stay on their mission.

www.healthtechhour.co.uk

https://www.youtube.com/@healthtechhour

https://open.spotify.com/show/5pZb65BCLauYxbJrbzDQfP?si=4229d00f85ec4b84

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2144279/PocDoc_Health_Check_Pathway.jpg

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SOURCE PocDoc
PORTLAND, Ore. , June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) announced today that it will host an analyst conference call and webcast at 11 a.m. ET on Friday, July 28 , to review its second quarter 2023 financial results.

Portland General Electric's second quarter 2023 earnings summary will be released before financial markets open in the United States on July 28 .

The conference call will be hosted by Maria Pope , President and CEO; and Joe Trpik , Senior Vice President and CFO.

To hear the conference call by webcast, log on to Portland General Electric's investor website at investors.portlandgeneral.com, select Events & Presentations from the menu, and the webcast will be listed under Upcoming Events. A replay of the webcast will be available beginning at 2 p.m. ET on July 28 . The webcast replay will be listed under Archived Events within the investor website Events & Presentations page.

About Portland General Electric Company:

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company that both generates and distributes electricity to over 900,000 customers in 51 cities across the state of Oregon . For more than 130 years, Portland General Electric (PGE) has powered the advancement of society, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy. To deliver on its strategy and meet state targets, PGE and its approximately 3,000 employees are committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power served to customers by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2040. PGE customers set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. Additionally, for the fifth year in a row, PGE was recognized by the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index which highlights companies committed to creating a more equal and inclusive workplace. As a reflection of the company's commitment to the community it serves, in 2022, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated nearly $5.5 million and volunteered more than 18,000 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon . For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news

For more information please contact:

Nick White, PGE, 503-464-8073

Source: Portland General Company

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SOURCE Portland General Company
Trade professionals and advanced DIYers can apply from June 29  July 16

LEBANON, Ind. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Festool, a leading manufacturer of innovative, precision-engineered and durable power tool solutions, is launching a nationwide search across the United States for trade professionals and advanced DIYers to test its new KSC 60 Cordless Miter Saw. Festool will select 10 winners who will put the KSC 60 to the test and share their product photos and video reviews with Festool. The company may share the testers' reviews on its social media channels so others can get a deeper sense of how Festool power tools are "built better to build better."

Each product tester will receive one KSC 60 Cordless Miter Saw Set that includes a KSC 60 Cordless Miter Saw, 5.0 Ah Energy Set, UG Underframe, Extensions Set and a selection of blades, valued at $2,712 .

The 10 testers will agree to use the tool during their typical day on the jobsite or in the workshop and document their experience.

Interested candidates should register by July 16 by visiting festoolusa.com. Festool will notify winners by July 24 .

Festool launched the KSC 60 Cordless Miter Saw earlier this year as part of the company's comprehensive and robust cordless lineup. The new KSC 60 produces unbeatably precise cross cuts in an enormous range of applications. With a variety of settings to choose from, the KSC 60 ensures smooth and perfect cuts, without wobble or deflection. Its dual-battery 36-volt system combined with the brushless EC-TEC motor provide virtually unlimited endurance for an entire day's work.

About Festool

Festool has been developing innovative, precision-engineered and durable power tool solutions for nearly a century. Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is a leading manufacturer known for its systems-based approach to power tools that are designed for efficiency and high performance. Festool's mission, "Built Better To Build Better," focuses on creating products that empower professional tradespeople to elevate their skills and deliver outstanding work by helping them build cleaner, faster, smarterbetter.

Festool USA is based in Lebanon, Indiana . For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com or www.festoolcanada.com.

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SOURCE Festool USA
TRENTON, Ohio , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Shape Corp., a global leader of innovative automotive lightweighting crash management and body structure solutions, announced the grand opening of its cutting-edge aluminum facility in Trenton, Ohio . This grand opening marked a crucial milestone in Shape's ongoing expansion strategy and displays its commitment to multi-material solutions and delivering innovative and high quality products to its customers. Importantly, the facility also will create 170 new jobs, offering a boost to the local economy.

Spanning over 330,000 square feet, the aluminum facility is strategically positioned in Trenton , with experienced team members in Shape's nearby existing extrusion facility, is well-located to ship to Shape's customers, and allows for collaboration with technical educators in the region. This advanced manufacturing space is armed with the latest technologies and industry-leading aluminum extrusion presses and finishing machinery, enhancing efficient production, increasing capacity, and propelling product development.

"The grand opening of our new aluminum facility in Trenton represents our unwavering dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction," stated Ryan DeBoer , Managing Director of Shape Corp.'s Aluminum Division. "This investment not only bolsters our presence in the region, but also solidifies our commitment to offering our customers state-of-the-art and highly engineered lightweight solutions. We are thrilled to contribute to Trenton's economy and generate new job and growth opportunities for the skilled workforce here."

Building upon nearly 50 years of experience, Shape has innovatively tailored its strategy towards the creation of high-strength, tight tolerance aluminum extrusions for automotive components. By prioritizing the production of extrusions with thin, constant wall thicknesses and complex geometries, Shape is effectively producing unique and optimal solutions for the automotive marketplace.

Shape Corp.'s expansion has been warmly received by local officials. Vice Mayor Ryan Perry of Trenton, OH , expressed his enthusiasm about the new facility, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome Shape Corp.'s aluminum facility to our community. This high-tech facility represents a significant economic windfall for Trenton , and it's a big step towards nurturing the growth of manufacturing in our city. We are confident that their investment will spur our local economy and offer additional opportunities for our residents."

In recognition of the company's significant contribution to the local community, City of Trenton Mayor Calvin Woodrey proclaimed June 22, 2023 , as Shape Corp. Day. The Mayor's proclamation reinforces the importance of Shape's investment in Trenton and its positive impact on the local economy.

The grand opening event saw a gathering of distinguished guests, industry leaders, including valued customers and suppliers, and local officials. Attendees were given the chance to tour the facility, experiencing firsthand the cutting-edge technology that Shape has brought to bear in its mission to drive innovation in lightweighting solutions.

About Shape Corp. Shape Corp. is a global leader in automotive engineering and manufacturing, providing advanced crash management and body structure solutions utilizing ultra-high strength steel roll forming, tight tolerance aluminum extrusions and large tonnage injection molding. The company specializes in producing lightweight and innovative products that maximize performance while minimizing environmental impact. For more information, visit www.shapecorp.com.

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SOURCE Shape Corp.
The 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate, GBP410 (also known as SP0202), demonstrates positive safety and immunogenicity data from the Phase II study.

SK bioscience and Sanofi plan to start Phase III in H1 2024.

SEONGNAM, South Korea , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SK bioscience, an innovative vaccine and biotech company committed to promoting human health from prevention to cure, today announced positive results from its Phase II clinical trials in infants of its 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate, ' GBP410 ' (also known as SP0202), evaluating its safety and immunogenicity.

GBP410 , jointly developed by SK bioscience and Sanofi, is a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that combines specific proteins with the polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumococcal diseases such as pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is well known to provide the effective protection against pneumococcal infections among the pneumococcal vaccines developed to date.

Given that GBP410 includes 21 serotypes, it is anticipated to offer broader serotype coverage than the existing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines that currently dominate the global market. If successfully commercialized, GBP410 is expected to rapidly increase market share by leveraging Sanofi's marketing expertise as the industry leader in the pediatric vaccine market.

The Phase II study, which enrolled 140 toddlers aged 12 to 15 months and 712 infants aged 42 to 89 days , demonstrated comparable immunogenicity of GBP410 compared to the control vaccine, following the primary vaccination at 2, 4, and 6 months of age as well as the booster vaccination for ages of 12 to 15 months. This study was conducted in the United States , Canada , and Honduras and it commenced in May 2020 .

The data also showed a well-tolerated safety profile, with comparable reactogenicity profile to the control vaccine and no vaccine-related serious adverse events. Furthermore, GBP410 did not interfere with the immunogenicity and safety profile of the co-administered recommended pediatric vaccines, such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines.

Based on the positive safety and immunogenicity data from the Phase II clinical trial, SK bioscience and Sanofi plan to start Phase III in H1 2024, expecting to secure the final data in 2027.

In preparation for the commercialization of GBP410 , SK bioscience intends to enter the U.S. and European markets with Sanofi by making significant investments in manufacturing facilities. The company will establish production facilities at L HOUSE, its vaccine manufacturing plant in Andong, Korea , ensuring compliance with the FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) standards.

Jean-Francois Toussaint , Global Head of Vaccines R&D at Sanofi said, "We are pleased with our very productive partnership with SK bioscience as we work to raise the bar in pneumococcal disease. With an innovative carrier that breaks the glass ceiling of serotype compositions, our 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is designed to offer expanded protection against this devastating disease. We believe that today's results offer us a strong path to Phase 3 and then to licensure."

Jaeyong Ahn , CEO of SK bioscience said, "The successful Phase II clinical trials of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine signifies that SK bioscience's technology and capability in vaccine development can deliver best in class vaccine candidates," adding, "We're so proud to collaborate with an excellent partner, Sanofi, and we continue to be committed to developing and manufacturing vaccines based on the global partnership with major pharmaceutical companies."

SK bioscience is accelerating to expand the global market through various global partnerships. The company seeks the key technologies for mRNA vaccine development under the contracts with domestic and international companies to expand its vaccine portfolio by securing next-generation vaccine platform. In May 2023 , SK bioscience signed a manufacturing agreement with MSD for the next-generation Zaire Ebola vaccine candidate. In addition, the company is close to signing its first contract for the 'Glocalization' project, which transfers vaccine R&D and manufacturing capabilities to foreign countries with insufficient vaccine infrastructure.

About SK bioscience

SK bioscience is an innovative vaccine and biotech company, standing committed to global pandemic preparedness in vaccine development and manufacturing to create more equitable access to vaccines. In leveraging strengths on cutting-edge vaccine development technologies, SK bioscience has been dedicated to promoting human health from prevention to cure across the globe. Under collaborations of domestic and international governments, regulatory agencies, healthcare providers, doctors and medical experts, SK bioscience has firmly established globally certified R&D and manufacturing technologies. All of the SK colleagues are passionately committed to providing high-quality vaccines to those who need them and better public healthcare solutions.

- SK bioscience Website

- SK bioscience Linkedin

Contact

SK bioscience Communications Team

Changhyun Jin ([email protected])

Jeannie S. Pak ([email protected])

Tae-Gyun Kim ([email protected])

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SOURCE SK bioscience
The newly launched SnapCab LinkPro videoconferencing privacy pod gains international attention

KINGSTON , ON , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Privacy pod manufacturer, SnapCab, was presented with the distinguished award of "Best of NeoCon Gold" in its category "Acoustics & Privacy  Work Pods" at NeoCon 2023 in Chicago  North America's largest commercial design show. The LinkPro was selected by a jury of industry leaders tasked with honoring outstanding new products from exhibiting companies at the show.

A luxury privacy pod designed for videoconferencing, the LinkPro features a modular height adjustable desk, optimal lighting, switch glass, and endless customization opportunities. The jury considered its overall contribution to the built environment, human-centric design, high-quality craftsmanship, and sustainable manufacturing processes.

"We are honored to receive the prestigious Best of NeoCon Gold award for our new videoconferencing pod," says Founder & CEO Glenn Bostock , "I am so proud of my team who worked tirelessly to produce a useful and beautiful product."

"We listened to people who work in offices and responded by creating a space that prioritizes visual and audible privacy. We listened to designers who want total customizability to ensure seamless integration into their plans. Unlike most single-person pods, the LinkPro is dimensioned both to give added legroom and to take up as little space as possible in the office."

"The result is an industry-leading product that meets the specific needs of our clients."

The LinkPro is one of several products that SnapCab manufactures in Kingston, Ontario and Warrington, Pennsylvania .

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SOURCE SnapCab
The annual report leverages data collected from 100 billion lines of code and 12,000 system inspections encompassing more than 300 technologies.

NEW YORK and AMSTERDAM , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Software Improvement Group (SIG), a renowned independent institute specializing in software health analysis, today announced the release of its fifth annual Software Benchmark Report. SIG combines its proprietary tools and benchmark data with its consultants' expertise to help organizations create tomorrow with future-fit software.

SIG has the world's largest software metrics database, which aggregates an impressive 100 billion lines of code and 12,000 system inspections encompassing more than 300 technologies, SIG thoroughly examines the build quality, reliability, and security of software. By analyzing the global impact of software on businesses, these evaluations stand as a testament to SIG's unwavering dedication to creating a healthier digital world.

This year's report identifies three critical areas of concern:

AI and big data systems suffer from poor coding practices: With the widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence and big data in various systems, SIG has observed a prevalent issue of severe quality deficiencies in maintainability and testability. Open source software poses security vulnerabilities: The report finds that more than 50% of enterprise software systems are vulnerable due to security issues stemming from open source libraries. This includes critical business systems, highlighting the need for enhanced security measures and more expeditious resolution. Skill gap among IT professionals: Thousands of IT professionals have been evaluated globally through Astride by EXIN, SIG's free competency assessment tool. The result of these evaluations indicate a 50-60% skill gap in digital skills, demonstrating a need for upskilling in the tech industry.

Bart Fehmers, CEO of SIG, emphasizes the urgent need for organizations to address these identified areas of concern. He states, "While there have been improvements in software build quality, this year's benchmark report sheds light on several critical areas that organizations must address promptly. At SIG, we leverage our software assurance platform, Sigrid, to assist clients in identifying and mitigating these threats and implementing practices that enhance the quality and security of their applications, uniting everyone from bit-to-boardroom with one source of truth."

For more detailed information and insights, please visit the full report.

About SIG

Software Improvement Group (SIG) enables enterprise clients and governments to focus on tomorrow, by supporting them to build future-fit software they can rely on. We combine our software assurance platform, Sigrid, with human expertise to dig deep into the build quality and security of enterprise software and its architecture. Scanning, ranking, and recommending our clients' software landscapes against the world's largest software analysis benchmark database in order to help them to get a grip on their technology risks and challenges.

The SIG software analysis laboratory is the first and largest one in the world accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 for software quality analysis. Founded in 2000, SIG is headquartered in Amsterdam and New York , with offices in Denmark , Belgium , DACH, India , China , Japan , and Brazil and has clients in all industries in more than 150 countries and on all continents. With the acquisition of EXIN in 2021, SIG covers the entire People, Process and Technology spectrum to help organizations get software right for a healthier digital world.

Learn more: www.softwareimprovementgroup.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/software-improvement-group-releases-its-2023-benchmark-report-on-the-global-state-of-software-quality-301866956.html

SOURCE Software Improvement Group
NEW YORK , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 30,000 specialty food and beverage industry professionals registered for the Specialty Food Association's (SFA) sold-out 67th Summer Fancy Food Show, June 25-27 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City . Registration was up 20% over 2022, and the Show achieved year-over-year increases in all key qualified buyer categories attending the Show, including a 21% increase in retailers; a 20% increase in food service, and a 12% increase in distributors.

Fancy Food Shows are the largest specialty food industry events in North America for product discovery and networking.

The Fancy Food Shows are the largest specialty food industry events in North America for product discovery, trendspotting, and networking. Exhibit space sold out in mid-May, and more than 2,200 domestic and international companies across 40+ specialty food and beverage categories exhibited at the Show. In addition to makers and buyers, the show attracted industry affiliates, press, influencers, investors, and trendspotters.

"As a not-for-profit membership trade association, the Specialty Food Association operates the Fancy Food Shows as a service to our more than 3,000 member companies," said SFA President Bill Lynch . "The Fancy Food Shows were created to help facilitate the growth of the specialty food industry, and they are the premiere destination for those who want to see, taste, and experience the incredible breadth of specialty products available today. Specialty food and beverage makers are innovators and trendsetters, and that was on full display during this year's Summer Fancy Food Show."

Sales of specialty foods and beverages are projected to reach $207 billion in 2023, according to data from the 2023-24 State of the Specialty Food Industry Report . Specialty products make up nearly 22 percent of food sales, up from less than 14 percent a decade ago.

The next Fancy Food Shows are the 2024 Winter Fancy Food Show , January 21-23 in Las Vegas and the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show , June 23-25 in New York City .

Exhibitors Love the Summer Fancy Food Show

"Attending the Fancy Food Show as a diverse founder with (included) , a collective for BIPOC cpg founders, gave us such a memorable spot in the key attendees' minds. It was so refreshing to see attendees loving our products for the clean label ingredients and our focus on uplifting the goodness of actual fruits and veggies rather than imitating meat or dairy. As a first generation immigrant, the SFA's support for diverse founders like me has provided us with opportunities to bring the best of our cultures to grocery carts in America."

 Aman Blana , Founder, Growee Foods

"By the SFA vetting a range of buyers across a wide array of channels, the Fancy Food Shows never feel like a circus. Beyond the impact of the all-important sales and publicity for our small business, the connections and selfless exchange of strategies, referrals and insights also makes a difference to our bottom line. I will be exhibiting again."  Julie Busha , Founder, Slawsa

"The Summer Fancy Food Show was terrific. I found it to be the best one in a long time. The Show was extremely organized and we received a lot of business."

 Zachary Farber , Director of Consumer Packaged Goods, Mighty Quinn's Barbeque

"There was an amazing current of energy and excitement in the room this year. Everyone seemed poised to make a deal, to do business, or just to learn and try something new. We've put a lot of work into developing our brand, so it was awesome to get almost unanimous thumbs up from those who visited our booth. The three days flew by, and we made great connections. We are excited to see if we can now convert these opportunities into real growth for our business."  Karl Franz Williams , Founder, Uncle Waithley's

"The 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show felt extremely energized and focused on growth, innovation, and connection. Few industry opportunities present themselves to us that allow us to share our story, products, mission, and values with such a large percentage of the specialty food trade (on both the retail and manufacturing side). The event continues to be a cornerstone of our trade and corporate marketing plan, and we look forward to 2024!"

 Brandon Gross , VP Marketing, FOODMatch & Divina

"We've been blown away with our success at the Summer Fancy Food Show. We could have gone home the first day with everything we needed. It's been a great experience and we definitely will be back."

 Gary Mac Herring , Jr., Founder and CEO of Mary Mack's

"The Summer Fancy Food Show surpassed all expectations, delivering unprecedented success. In the 10+ years that we have exhibited, never have we witnessed such a remarkable influx of qualified leads. While our trend-setting premium products have garnered attention, credit also must be given to the diligent efforts of the SFA in attracting the right buyers to this remarkable event!"

 Adam Kobren , President of BobbySue's Nuts

Summer Fancy Food Show Highlights

Giada De Laurentiis : The Four Trends in Food That Matter Now, Keynote Session Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis discussed the emerging trends in the food space that are propelling her businesses, including restaurants, catering, and her Italian food and lifestyle website Giadzy. Giada covered the rising demand for at-home culinary experiences, product sourcing strategy, and the public perception of clean ingredients and minimal processing as a function of authenticity, among others.

NEW NOW NEXT featured Startup (up and coming makers in business for less than a year and with under $1 million in sales) and Incubators+Accelerators Oregon State University Food Innovation Center, FoodFuture Co, Hudson Kitchen , CommonWealth Kitchen Inc., Rutgers Food Innovation Center, The Hatchery, Cornell AgriTech.

sofi Awards winners for 2023 (specialty outstanding food innovation) The sofi Awards present the winners for outstanding specialty foods and beverages in 53 distinct product categories. The sofi Awards for New Product of the Year and Product of the Year were voted on by buyers during the Summer Fancy Food Show. Mochidoki Vegan Passionfruit Mochi Ice Cream and Lewis Road Creamery 10 Star Certified Salted Butter were awarded the 2023 sofi Awards for New Product of the Year and Product of the Year, respectively.

Global Flavors: International pavilions featured exhibitors from more than 35 countries and regions across Africa , Asia , Europe , North America , Oceania , and South America .

Diversity Pavilion featuring (included) , which showcased BIPOC-led and founded companies.

Category-specific food and beverage Pavilions, including Bakery, Confectionery, Snacks, & Sweets (including Chocolate); Beverages; Deli, Olive Oil (Extra Virgin Alliance), and Plant-Based.

Hall of Fame & Lifetime Achievement Awards: The Specialty Food Association honored the past and inspired the future through the Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony. The Hall of Fame added nine new inductees. Five SFA members were also honored for their career achievements in specialty food. A full list of honorees can be found here.

The Specialty Food Association Trendspotter Panel: Eleven professionals from diverse areas of the culinary world scouted the show floor for the latest innovations . The panel consisted of Melanie Zanoza Bartelme , Mintel; Chef Osei Blackett , chef/owner Ariapita and Everything Oxtail; Jonathan Deutsch , Ph.D., CHE, CRC, Drexel University; Mikel Cirkus and Hannah Rogers, DSM Firmenich; Jenn de la Vega , Randwiches; Thomas Joseph , Martha Stewart and Sur La Table; Chala June , Writer; Stan Sagner , We Work For Food LLC; Kantha Shelke , Ph.D., CFS, IFT Fellow, Corvus Blue LLC, Emily Schildt , founder, Pop-Up Grocer. A final trends report will be issued in mid-July.

The Specialty Food Association Junior Trendspotter Panel: A diverse group of Drexel University Food Lab students providing a Gen Z perspective of the Summer Fancy Food Show. A final trends report will be issued in mid-July.

A Fancy New York Pitch Slam - Naturally New York: Entrepreneurs representing five brands pitched their products to a panel of industry experts and audience members during this fast-paced competition. Peetachai "Neil" Dejkraisak of Jasberry , an organic superfood rice maker that transforms lives by solving farmer poverty, won the competition and received a prize package worth $130,000 .

Giving Back: At the end of the show, exhibitors continued their long tradition of giving back by donating tens of thousands of pounds of unopened meat, cheese, produce, confections and snacks to City Harvest. More than 94,000 pounds of food were donated to help feed hungry New Yorkers.

About the Specialty Food Association

The not-for-profit Specialty Food Association (SFA) is the leading membership trade association and source of information about the $194 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City , the SFA prides itself on being an organization by the members and for the members, representing thousands of specialty food makers and manufacturers, importers, retailers, buyers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows which are the largest specialty food industry events in North Americaas well as the sofi Awards which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA produces the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today's Specialty Food Consumer research, the Spill & Dish podcast, year-round educational programming for professionals at every stage in their business journey, and SFA Feed , the industry's go-to daily source for news, trends and new product information. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , LinkedIn , and TikTok .

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SOURCE Specialty Food Association
KYODO NEWS - Jun 30, 2023 - 07:04 | All, World

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday to curb race-conscious university admissions, a move that could have far-reaching impacts for minorities beyond higher education and derail efforts to promote a diverse society.

The decision to federally restrict long-standing affirmative action policies could lead to a drop in the numbers of black and Hispanic students on campuses and increase the representation of white and Asian students.

The top court, dominated by conservative justices, said admissions programs that take race into account at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion that many universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin."

"Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice," he said in favor of Students for Fair Admissions, a conservative group that brought cases against the two universities, claiming such admissions practices have discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

President Joe Biden publicly assailed the ruling, saying the Supreme Court "once again walked away from decades of precedent."

The top court departed from precedents on affirmative action dating back to 1978 in its latest decision, after last year overturning the constitutional right to abortion as established in a landmark 1973 case.

"The court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions and I strongly, strongly disagree with the court's decision," he said at the White House.

The Democratic president stressed that the ruling runs counter to what the United States stands for, such as giving hope and possibility to everyone and leaving no one behind.

In addition to directing the Department of Education to take steps toward building diverse educational environments, he called on colleges to consider in their screening processes the financial and other difficulties that applicants may have faced.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who holds a big lead in the Republican nomination race for the 2024 election in his bid to return to the White House, called the ruling a "great day for America."

"Our greatest minds must be cherished and that's what this wonderful day has brought," he said in a statement. "We're going back to all merit-based -- and that's the way it should be!"

The vote was 6-2 in the case of Harvard and 6-3 in the case of the University of North Carolina. The justices were split along ideological lines, with one sitting out the Harvard case as she had been on the elite private university's advisory governing board.

Claudine Gay, who will be the first black president of Harvard next month, said in a video message that the university will comply with the decision but "it does not change our values."

"We continue to believe deeply that a thriving, diverse intellectual community is essential to academic excellence and critical to shaping the next generation of leaders," she said.

Long before the latest decision from the top court, which added conservative justices under the Trump administration, nine U.S. states had already banned the use of racial considerations in admissions at their public universities.

Data show that the numbers of black and Hispanic students on campuses have declined since the change took effect in those states, which include Arizona, California and Florida.
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- South Bay Credit Union today announced a partnership with Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc. to provide its members with free access to the award-winning Greenlight family finance app, available through the Greenlight for Credit Unions program. SBCU members can now get a complimentary Greenlight subscription, bringing parents a better way to manage family finances and teach their kids about money.

"Our partnership with Greenlight allows us to better serve South Bay families, furthering our commitment to help members live financially empowered lives," said Paris Chevalier , President and CEO at South Bay Credit Union. "With Greenlight, SBCU parents have access to best-in-class financial education to help teach their kids about money and set them up for financial success later in life."

Greenlight offers a debit card and app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save and spend wisely  all with parental supervision. Using the Greenlight app, parents can send money instantly, automate an allowance, manage chores, set flexible spending controls, get real-time notifications of all transactions, and more. Kids get invaluable money management experience, along with access to Greenlight Level Up, an in-app financial literacy game with an industry-leading curriculum, educational challenges, and rewards.

"Our Greenlight for Credit Unions program is built to help financial institutions provide more value to families and engage the next generation with financial tools designed just for them," said Matt Wolf , SVP of Business Development at Greenlight. "Partnering with leading credit unions like South Bay Credit Union allows us to advance a shared mission together to improve financial literacy in local communities."

South Bay Credit Union members can receive a complimentary Greenlight subscription by signing up at greenlight.com/sbcu and connecting their South Bay Credit Union account as the Greenlight funding source.

About South Bay Credit Union

An integral part of the South Bay community of Southern California since 1953, South Bay Credit Union (SBCU) delivers affordable financial services with a heart, uplifting communities by empowering members to live better and do better. Offering a full line of checking and savings options, as well as home, auto, credit card, business, student and personal loans, SBCU operates three branches in Redondo Beach and Lomita , and serves members throughout Los Angeles County with 24/7 online and mobile banking, as well as a nationwide network of 28,000 surcharge-free ATMs. A strong advocate for financial inclusion, SBCU actively works to cultivate financial literacy by offering a broad range of free online financial education resources for adults and teens. Learn more at southbaycu.com.

About Greenlight

Greenlight Financial Technology is the family fintech company on a mission to help parents raise financially-smart, independent kids. Its product, Greenlight, is an award-winning banking app, complete with a debit card for kids and teens, cash back credit card for parents, and safety features for the whole family. Parents can automate allowance, manage chores, set flexible spend controls, and invest for their family's future. Kids and teens learn to earn, save, spend wisely, give, and invest with parental approval. Together, families can also stay safe and connected with location sharing, SOS alerts, and crash detection with automatic 911 dispatch.

The Greenlight Debit Card is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International. The Greenlight Family Cash Card is issued by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International. Greenlight Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor, provides investment advisory services to its clients. Investing involves risk and may include the loss of principal. Greenlight is a financial technology company, not a bank. The Greenlight app facilitates banking services through Greenlight's bank partners. For more information, please visit: greenlight.com.

SBCU Contact

Paris Chevalier

[email protected]

Greenlight Contact

Jessica Tenny

[email protected]

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SOURCE South Bay Credit Union
PITTSBURGH and INDEPENDENCE, Ohio , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stabili-Teeth is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with ROE Dental Laboratory, enabling Stabili-Teeth licensees to benefit from ROE's best-in-class prosthetic solution to complement Stabili-Teeth's innovative full mouth restoration process. Through the partnership, Stabili-Teeth practitioners have access to a simple yet state-of-the-art, digital engagement with ROE that quickly allows dental practitioners to help their patients quickly benefit from a long-term, stable set of teeth and a beautiful smile.

Stabili-Teeth Inc. and ROE Dental Labs partner to provide best in class prosthetics to Stabili-Teeth patients.

"ROE's outstanding customer service, cutting-edge additive manufacturing, and digital capabilities reduces a Doctor's cost and hassle to quickly deliver an incredible solution to patients with terminal dentition across the country," says Founder and Chairman, Dr. Carl Medgaus .

The partnership solidifies the relationship between Stabili-Teeth Doctors and ROE Laboratories, increasing a practice's profitability while improving quality and patient satisfaction from the day of surgery to decades in the future.

BJ Kowalski, CEO of ROE Dental Laboratory agrees. "We're pleased to be able to enhance a doctor's experience leveraging the Stabili-Teeth platform to serve as a trusted partner for prosthetics and all of a practice's needs. Stabili-Teeth is setting the bar for a higher standard of service, at a price that delivers the value patients deserve."

About Stabili-Teeth Inc.

Stabili-Teeth offers a full mouth restoration that gives patients immediate full functionality and exceptional aesthetics at less than half the cost of the alternative to full arch fixed detachable solutions on the market. This innovative protocol allows Doctors to address a far greater portion of the market and requires less of a doctor's and patient's time. Stabili-Teeth is the solution to democratize access to fully functioning teeth and a beautiful smile for the long term, improving a patient's holistic health and confidence. www.stabili-teeth.com

About ROE Dental Laboratory

ROE Dental Laboratory is a full-service modern laboratory that has partnered with the dental community since 1926. We integrate innovative technology and manufacturing processes with the most up-to-date dental science to develop dental products that exceed the expectations of dentists nationwide. With a dedicated service team, we aim to provide our customers with a level of personal attention they do not experience elsewhere. ROE Dental Laboratory has three locations with its headquarters located in Independence, Ohio . Learn more about ROE Dental Laboratory at www.roedentallab.com

If you'd like more information about Stabili-Teeth, please contact Bari Medgaus at [email protected].

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SOURCE Stabili-Teeth
TORONTO , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Superior Gold Inc. ("Superior" or the "Company") (TSXV: SGI) (OTCQX: SUPGF) and Catalyst Metals Limited ("Catalyst") (ASX: CYL) are pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement"), whereby Catalyst has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act ( Ontario ).

Under the terms of the Arrangement, each former shareholder of Superior (a "Shareholder") is entitled to receive 0.3571 of an ordinary share in the capital of Catalyst (each whole share, a "Catalyst Share") for each Common Share held immediately prior to the completion of the Arrangement (the "Consideration").

The Arrangement, which was announced on February 23, 2023 , was approved by the Shareholders at the Company's special meeting of shareholders held on June 26, 2023 and by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) on June 28, 2023 .

All registered Shareholders are encouraged to complete, sign and return the letter of transmittal, which has been previously mailed and is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, with accompanying Common Share certificate(s) and DRS advice-statement(s) (if applicable) to TSX Trust Company as soon as possible, if they have not already done so. Non-registered Shareholders are encouraged to contact their broker or other intermediary for instructions and assistance in receiving the Catalyst Shares in respect of their Common Shares.

The Catalyst Shares are listed for trading on the Australian Securities Exchange (the "ASX"). The Company has applied to de-list the Common Shares from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), which is expected to be effective on the close of markets tomorrow, June 30, 2023 .

Filing of Technical Reports

Upon completion of the Arrangement, Catalyst became a reporting issuer in Canada in the provinces of British Columbia , Alberta , Saskatchewan , Manitoba , Ontario , New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , Prince Edward Island , and Newfoundland and Labrador . Accordingly, Catalyst intends to file the following technical reports, each prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), on SEDAR under its new issuer profile, accessible at www.sedar.com:

the technical report entitled " Henty Gold Mine , Tasmania, Australia , Technical Report, Report for NI 43-101" dated as of May 9, 2023 (with an effective date of April 30, 2023 ) prepared, reviewed and approved by Sonia Konopa , Howard Simpson , and Millicent Canisius , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst;

, , Technical Report, Report for NI 43-101" dated as of (with an effective date of ) prepared, reviewed and approved by , , and , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst; the technical report entitled "Vango Mining Technical Report" dated as of May 9, 2023 (with an effective date of May 9, 2023 ) prepared, reviewed and approved by Jeremy Clark and Spera Carras , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst;

(with an effective date of ) prepared, reviewed and approved by and , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst; the technical report entitled " Bendigo Project , Victoria, Australia , Technical Report" dated as of June 23, 2023 (with an effective date of June 23, 2023 ) prepared, reviewed and approved by John Collier , Charles Gianfriddo and Sonia Konopa , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst; and

, , Technical Report" dated as of (with an effective date of ) prepared, reviewed and approved by , and , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for Catalyst; and the technical report entitled "2022 Mineral Resource and Reserve Estimate for the Plutonic Gold Operations", dated as of July 5, 2023 (with an effective date of December 31, 2022 ) prepared, reviewed and approved by Ettienne du Plessis , Karel Steyn , and Russell Cole , each of whom is a "qualified person" for purposes of NI 43-101, for the Company.

About Superior

Superior is a Canadian-based gold producer that owns 100% of the Plutonic Gold Operations located in Western Australia . The Plutonic Gold Operations include the Plutonic underground gold mine and central mill, numerous open-pit projects, and an interest in the Bryah Basin joint venture.

About Catalyst

Catalyst Metals is an ASX-listed gold producer and explorer, controlling three highly prospective gold belts. It owns and operates the high-grade Henty Gold Mine in Tasmania , controls +75km of strike length immediately north of the Bendigo goldfield and also owns the 40km long Marymia Gold Belt located in Western Australia .

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws that are intended to be covered by the safe harbours created by those laws. "Forward-looking information" includes statements that use forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements and information relating to the TSXV delisting and effective timing thereof. By identifying such information in this manner, the Company and Catalyst are alerting the reader that such information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company and/or Catalyst, as applicable, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made, including but not limited to, assumptions about the Company's and Catalyst's future business objectives, goals, and capabilities, the regulatory framework applicable to the Company and Catalyst and their respective operations, and the financial resources of the Company and Catalyst. Furthermore, such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: (i) the inability of the Company to delist the Common Shares from the TSXV; and (ii) other risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the management information circular of Superior dated May 24, 2023 , prepared in connection with the Arrangement, which is available under Superior's issuer profile on SEDAR, accessible at www.sedar.com.

The Company and Catalyst caution that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information as no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, and if any of them do so, what benefits the Company or Catalyst will derive therefrom. Except as required by law, neither the Company nor Catalyst assumes any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Early Warning Disclosure

Prior to the completion of the Arrangement, Catalyst did not hold any Common Shares. On completion of the Arrangement, Catalyst holds all of the outstanding Common Shares. An early warning report will be filed by Catalyst on SEDAR (at www.sedar.com) in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. To obtain a copy of the early warning report, please contact the Corporate Secretary of Catalyst at +61-8 6107 5878 or [email protected]. Superior's head office is located at 70 University Avenue , Suite 1410, Toronto, Ontario , M5J 2M4. Catalyst's head office is located at Unit 9, Churchill Court, 331-335 Hay Street , Subiaco , Western Australia , 6008.

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SOURCE Superior Gold Inc.
Made by the sea and embodying its wild spirit for nearly 200 years, Talisker 30 Year Old celebrates the Isle of Skye

NEW YORK , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Talisker distillery has announced the highly anticipated annual return of Talisker 30 Year Old with its award-winning 2023 limited edition release. Talisker 30 Year Old is a whisky made by the sea that embodies the rugged shores of the Isle of Skye in Scotland . For nearly 200 years, the distillery has crafted Single Malt Scotch Whisky on the coast alongside the infamous Oyster Shed, where whisky has been paired with fresh, local oysters for decades. Honoring its distillery home and legacy of seafood pairings, Talisker 30 Year Old was created to pay tribute to the Isle's natural wonders.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9182251-talisker-30-year-old-single-malt-scotch-whisky-release/

Crafted over three decades, the liquid celebrates the rugged wilderness of its home. As the land rises, the elements quieten, smooth smoky clouds swirl and part around peppery peaks. Atop the Isle's highest peak, a powerful tranquility reveals the true magnificence of the island below, ashore the sea Loch Harport which stretches as far as the eye can see. Talisker 30 Year Old beautifully reflects the unique terrain of the Isle and the distinctive characteristics of the surrounding seas' merroir.

Selected annually from refill American Oak casks, this raw yet refined expression is non-colored and non-chill filtered and bottled at natural cask strength. Talisker 30 Year Old is an elegant and complex whisky with the distillery's hallmarks of soaring sweet smoke and pointy pepperiness.

Stuart Morrison , Master Blender and Whisky Specialist at DIAGEO, said, "The three decades spent in oak casks allow Talisker's distillery character to develop refined and exquisite qualities. As the spirit ages through its twenties, the fruit flavors become even more complex, giving us fragrant tropical notes and the peppery smokiness that moves from coal-tar to a warming, smoldering bonfire. A truly spectacular Talisker liquid, every sip is a celebration of the magnificence of Skye."

To celebrate this remarkable release in the U.S. , Talisker has joined forces with Real Oyster Cult to offer seafood and whisky fanatics curated pairings alongside the Single Malt made by the sea. The coastal origins of Talisker liquid create the whisky's signature maritime and briny notes  making it the perfect Scotch for oyster and caviar pairings.

Real Oyster Cult delivers an oyster bar experience to doors across the U.S. , curating seasonal, fresh oysters from over 100 farms across North America , plus delectable shellfish and caviar via their app and website. They also farm oysters locally in Duxbury, MA on Cape Cod Bay , including the petite and succulent Sailor's Valentine that pairs perfectly with the warming smokiness and gentle salinity of Talisker 30 Year Old. Taking the experience to new heights, the addition of Real Oyster Cult's Royal Belgium Platinum Caviar as a garnish elevates the culinary journey, culminating in the ultimate premium pairing.

Additionally, Talisker is partnering with actor and writer Peter Gadiot to inspire individuals to embrace the outdoors and reconnect with the natural world. Much like Talisker, Peter embodies the rugged luxury and coastal spirit, spending the majority of his free time adventuring outside. Together, they aim to ignite a sense of adventure, inviting whisky aficionados to raise a glass to the wild spirits within them.

"I couldn't be more excited to join forces with Talisker, a brand that resonates deeply with my love for the untamed beauty of nature. It's a privilege for me to commemorate the launch of Talisker 30 Year Old, a whisky that embodies the essence of time-honored craftsmanship," said Gadiot. "Together, we embark on a remarkable journey of exploration and appreciation, toasting to the wonders of the outdoors."

If you're looking for something delicious to sip alongside fresh oysters or premium caviar, Talisker 30 Year Old is available for online purchase and home delivery via ReserveBar.com , Drizly.com or the Drizly app where shipping and delivery are available.

PRODUCT INFORMATION



ABV: Natural Cask Strength 49.6%

AGE: 30 Years

SRP: $1,099.99 USD

CASK TYPE: American Oak

BOTTLING YEAR: 2022

ANNUAL RELEASE VOLUME:

3,195 Bottles Globally

561 Bottles U.S.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Freshly cut orchard fruits, waxy red apples, fragrant white pepper, cinder toffee and a subtle creaminess. A fresh maritime breeze passes, alongside the growing presence of tropical fruits, cocoa nibs and a beach bonfire.

Taste: A warming smokiness on the palate, with a chili pepper prickle and a gentle salinity, fading to reveal layers of apple and pear, smoldering embers, and notes of spicy oak.

Finish: A lingering warmth, with a peppery and cinnamon tingle alongside notes of ripe fruit, roasted hazelnut and a hint of vanilla.

ABOUT TALISKER

The Talisker distillery is battered by the elements on the windswept coast of the Isle of Skye and is one of the most remote distilleries in Scotland . It was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill , and the distillery has been in near-constant operation ever since.

Talisker 10 Year Old and Talisker Storm are widely distributed while Talisker 30 Year Old, Talisker 25 Year Old, Talisker 18 Year Old, Talisker 8 Year Old, 2022 Special Releases and Talisker Distiller's Edition can be found in specialist stores. See www.malts.com and https://www.instagram.com/talisker/ or more information. The TALISKER and TALISKER STORM words and associated logos are trademarks.  DIAGEO 2018.

Talisker 30 Year Old and Talisker 18 Year Old won Double Gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the largest and most prestigious spirits competition in the world. Double Gold honors are awarded to liquids that received a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel. Talisker 10 Year Old and Talisker Storm won a Gold medal.

Talisker has a heritage rooted in adventure. In 1830 its founders the MacAskill brothers crossed the Atlantic Ocean from the Isle of Eigg to establish the Talisker distillery on the shores of Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye. It has remained there ever since, producing consistently fine whiskies for almost 200 years.

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker , Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan , Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO ) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com . Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com , for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices. Follow Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA .

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SOURCE DIAGEO
SANTA CLARA, Calif. , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuya Inc. ("Tuya" or the "Company") (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391), a global leading IoT cloud development platform, today announced that its board of directors (the "Board") has authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to US$50 million of its Class A ordinary shares ("Ordinary Shares"), including in the form of American depositary shares ("ADSs"), pursuant to the general mandate granted to the Board to exercise all powers of the Company to repurchase Ordinary Shares (including in the form of ADSs) by the shareholders of the Company on the annual general meeting on June 20, 2023 (the "Share Repurchase Program"). The Share Repurchase Program will commence on June 29, 2023 and end on the date on which a new general repurchase mandate is granted by the shareholders to the Board on the Company's next annual general meeting which is due to be held by June 30, 2024 under the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Listing Rules").

Mr. Xueji (Jerry) Wang , Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tuya, commented, "The Share Repurchase Program is a strong indication of the Board's confidence in the Company's fundamentals and long-term business prospects. We believe that the Share Repurchase Program will ultimately benefit Tuya as well as create value for its customers and shareholders, and our strong cash positions will enable us to continuously invest in our technology leadership and business development".

The Company's proposed repurchases may be made from time to time through open market transactions at prevailing market prices and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on the market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The timing and dollar amount of the repurchase transactions will be subject to Rule 10b-18 and/or Rule 10b5-1 requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and applicable requirements under the Listing Rules. The Board will review the Share Repurchase Program periodically, and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size or suspend or discontinue the program. The Company plans to fund repurchases from its existing cash balance.

About Tuya Inc.

Tuya Inc. (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391) is a global leading IoT cloud development platform with a mission to build an IoT developer ecosystem and enable everything to be smart. Tuya has pioneered a purpose-built IoT cloud development platform that delivers a full suite of offerings, including Platform-as-a-Service, or PaaS, and Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, to businesses and developers. Through its IoT cloud development platform, Tuya has enabled developers to activate a vibrant IoT ecosystem of brands, OEMs, partners and end users to engage and communicate through a broad range of smart devices.

Safe Harbor Statement

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. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "target", "aim", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "believe", "potential", "continue", "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty.

Investor Relations Contact

Tuya Inc.

Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

The Blueshirt Group

Gary Dvorchak , CFA

Phone: +1 (323) 240-5796

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Tuya Inc.
DUBLIN , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The " UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) Marking for Medical Devices Training Course" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

With the June 2023 UKCA mark deadline rapidly approaching, the challenges facing Medical Device companies, Regulators and Conformity Assessment Bodies are growing. The requirements for this new UKCA mark will impact technical documentation, labelling, logistics and regulatory compliance.

The steps you need to take to prepare for the UKCA marking will depend on the current status of your business and your future market access requirements.

This seminar will provide UK and global companies practical guidance on what you need to do to continue market access or gain market access with your medical device in the UK after June 2023 .

Benefits in attending

Understand the requirements to achieve UKCA

Know the differences between UKCA and CE marking

Learn how to align your conformity assessment procedures to meet UKCA and CE marking requirements

Consider the requirements for the Northern Ireland market

Who Should Attend:

Medical device professionals who wish to gain knowledge and understanding of the new UKCA requirements

Regulatory affairs managers

Medical device manufacturers

Business development managers

UKCA Marking and your legal obligations

The UK Medical Device Regulations explained

Medical Device Regulations explained The use of standards in the UK

UK guidance for medical devices

UKCA Marking explained (placement of UK CA Mark)

Registering as a manufacturer to sell medical devices in the UK

Registering medical devices in the UK

The role of the UK Responsible person

Responsible person UK Conformity Assessment Bodies

Technical Files and UK Declaration of Conformity

UKCA Technical File Versus EU Technical Documentation, differences and similaraties

Aligning your conformity assessment procedures

UKNI Marking and the future

The process in Northern Ireland

Proposed future changes to UK regulations

Workshop - Case Study on obtaining the UKCA Mark

Case study on obtaining the UKCA Mark

Workshop feedback

Q & A

Speakers:



Tina Amini

Pharmacist

Aston University



Dr. Tina Amini is a pharmacist with a PhD in Pharmaceutics from Aston University. She joined Lloyd's Register as Senior Technical Specialist in 2018. She has previously worked at BSI as the lead Pharmaceutical Expert and Combination Product Specialist for several years.



Tina has been involved in the classification of borderline products and consultation process with several EU competent authorities for device/drug products. Prior to joining Notified Bodies, Tina worked in the Pharmaceutical Industry for over 17 years in a variety of disciplines where she took products through from discovery to commercialisation.



Janette Benaddi

Director of Clinical & Consulting Europe

NAMSA



Janette Benaddi is a business mentor, international speaker/trainer and consultant to the medical device industry. Janette has over 25 years' experience of managing pre and post market clinical studies in both devices and pharmaceuticals. Janette has worked with several multinational organizations in various clinical, regulatory and marketing roles. She has extensive experience of conducting clinical studies with medical device products as well as regulatory expertise for CE marking of devices. Specifically she has been involved in writing and reviewing hundreds of Clinical evaluation reports for the medical device industry, she ahs also provided training to Notified bodies in this subject.



Janette qualified as a registered nurse in 1984, she has a BSc in Management studies, a Diploma in Company Direction, and a Diploma in Management studies, holds a teaching certificate and is a Chartered Scientist and Chartered Director. Janette sits on several committees in the device community and industry and has been an instrumental advocate of improving and advancing medical device research in the UK . Janette has published several articles relating to medical device regulation and clinical studies.



For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4928r9

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.



Media Contact:



Research and Markets

Laura Wood , Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S. /CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S. ): +353-1-481-1716

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-kingdom-conformity-assessed-ukca-marking-for-medical-devices-training-course-301867286.html

SOURCE Research and Markets
SALT LAKE CITY , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of International Self-Care Day on July 24 , Kevin Guest , executive chairman of USANA Health Sciences (NYSE: USNA), a global leader in nutritional supplements, is urging individuals to prioritize their well-being and embrace self-care throughout July. Guest is emphasizing the importance of self-care as a fundamental aspect of overall health and happiness.

"Taking care of yourself is crucial, especially when times get tough," said Guest, who authored All the Right Reasons, 12 Timeless Principles for Living a Life in Harmony. "Specifically, it is essential in these times to prioritize our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. International Self-Care Day reminds us to engage in self-care practices that enhance our quality of life."

Guest cites seven key habits for aligning one's core values with harmony and balance.

Self-reflect each morning: Start your day with a few minutes of quiet introspection to set a positive tone for the day. Meditate: Use guided meditation to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Spend time in nature: Connect with the outdoors to boost mood and improve mental health. Detox digitally: Unplug from electronic devices to give your mind a break and enhance focus. Listen to favorite music: Reduce anxiety and stress by listening to soothing tunes. Engage in a new creative activity: Stimulate your brain and unleash your creativity by trying something new. Get enough sleep: Prioritize restful sleep to support physical and mental health.

"I've found that when we do these self-care practices, we increase energy, improve mental clarity, and enhance overall well-being," he said. "For example, music is medicine to me and helps me balance when pressures build. As our band, Free Radicals, performs, we see people singing, smiling and dancing to the music, whether we're in Mexico , Europe , the United States , China or Korea . Music is one of those universal powers that balances people."

Raised in a music-filled home, Guest, whose billion-dollar nutrition company operates in 24 global markets, gained a love for music from his parents, and is an active musician today in a touring band.

"There was always music in our home, and it set a good feeling growing up," Guest writes. "The love for music has been with me for as long as I can remember. It has transformed my life and helps me to balance."

In celebration of International Self-Care Day, Guest encourages individuals to share their self-care practices and positive experiences by using the hashtag #SelfCareJuly on social media.

All proceeds for All the Right Reasons go to feeding hungry children, with each book purchase providing 40 meals.

For more information, visit www.kevinguest.com .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tim Brown, Candid Communications

[email protected]

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SOURCE USANA
BEIJING , June 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from investinchina.chinaservicesinfo.com:

The 2023 World New Energy and New Materials Conference officially kicked off in the city of Ordos in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on June 28 .

This year's event is based on the theme of "New era of energy and new future of the world", and will run for two days.

The conference has invited industry elites, leading enterprises, as well as experts and scholars to discuss energy development, and build a consensus and share wisdom to help promote the new energy revolution and industrial transformation.

It also aims to attract more energy enterprises to settle in the region.

Chinese Government Friendship Award winner Peter D. Lund , Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians Li Can and Wu Qiang , as well as representatives of leading international and domestic entrepreneurs, attended the opening ceremony either in person or online.

During that curtain-raiser, a series of cutting-edge scientific and technological achievements were announced, including hydrogen production through water electrolysis, liquid sunlight, efficient olefin production, green production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and coal-based new materials.

Also, representatives from various cities and leagues within the region signed agreements with enterprises, reaching a total of 33 pacts on new energy and new materials projects, with a total investment of 429.25 billion yuan ( $61.23 billion ).

One of the expected highlights of the event is an exhibition of new energy and new materials.

The conference has planned and arranged exhibition areas spanning 15,000 square meters in total for wind, solar, hydrogen, energy storage, electric vehicles, and coal-based new materials at the Ordos International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The exhibition has attracted the participation of 107 enterprises. Among them are 10 Fortune Global 500 firms, such as ExxonMobil, Shell, and Siemens.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-new-energy-and-new-materials-conference-kicks-off-in-ordos-301866691.html

SOURCE investinchina.chinaservicesinfo.com
BEIJING , June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 9th Shanxi Tourism Development Conference held in Datong of north China's Shanxi Province during June 26-28 cast spotlight on how the ancient city turned eyes on innovation to invigorate its cultural tourism sector.

Compared with the past, this year's conference prioritized particularly supply side innovation and established platforms for cooperation between cultural tourism service demanders and leading suppliers to boost various innovative cultural tourism programs.

More than 100 innovative cultural tourism institutions such as China Oriental Performing Arts Group and related businesses attended the conference as the suppliers together with the service demanders in excess of 100 ones comprised mainly of major scenic areas and related leisure blocks operators.

Zhang Qiang , the city mayor, said Shanxi employed supply side innovation as an effective means to spur high-quality development of cultural tourism in recent years and accumulated lots of experience in forming a new development pattern for local cultural tourism industry characterized by new scenic spot experience, business layout, cultural brands and marketing modes.

On the Tuesday's opening ceremony, Shanxi's culture and tourism department initiated jointly with its peers from Beijing , Tianjin , Hebei and Inner Mongolia their strategic cooperation in coordinated cultural tourism development. Four cities including Dalian , Dali, Datong and Daqing signed agreements for sister-city coordination and cooperation to further shore up cross-region development of cultural tourism.

As an important embodiment of its integration into the Beijing - Tianjin - Hebei region and results of crafting a regional cultural tourism hub, tourists from Beijing , Tianjin , Hebei and Inner Mongolia contributed over 60 percent of external tourists for Datong , according to the China Datong tourism development index report (Jan.-May, 2023) released by China Economic Information Service.

Boasting abundant cultural and tourism resources, Datong thoroughly exploited these in vitalizing tourism with culture and poured great efforts into ancient city protection and restoration, scenic area facilities construction, cultural tourism products supply and multiple business formats integration.

Under such practices, average tourist satisfaction score for Datong kept improving and rose by 0.6 point from 2022 to 4.56 points in the first five months of 2023.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/334822.html

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By Abhijith Ganapavaram

(Reuters) - AIP Capital said it was in talks to pick up a 10% stake in Eastar Jet as the aviation asset management arm of U.S.-based private equity firm 777 Partners seeks to tap into the travel resurgence in Asia.

AIP would also lease five Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets to the South Korean low-cost airline, it said without disclosing the additional terms of the deal, which is expected to close mid-July.

This comes as Asian airlines recover from the depths of the pandemic, banking on pent-up travel demand that has sent carriers scrambling for jets and staff.

In 2021, Eastar Jet had filed for court receivership as the COVID-19 pandemic battered the travel industry.

Earlier this year, South Korean private equity firm VIG Partners bought the airline and agreed to inject 100 billion Korean Won ($75.98 million) into the carrier, according to a DealStreet report.

Separately, AIP announced that it has closed a minority investment and joint venture agreement with consulting and investment firm Dreamstone Aviation Partners.

The Dreamstone deal would allow AIP to capitalize on rising investment opportunities in the country, its Managing Partner Jared Ailstock said.

AIP would hold about 30% of the shares in Dreamstone and join its board of directors.

($1 = 1,316.2100 won)

(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 21:45 | World, All, Japan

Taiwan's Legislative Speaker You Si-kun said Thursday he plans to lead a trial ferry run from the island's eastern county of Yilan to Japan's westernmost inhabited island of Yonaguni next week in a bid to boost tourism and ties between the two sides.

Keiji Furuya, who heads a cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers dedicated to strengthening Japan-Taiwan relations, will meet the 80-member delegation led by You upon arrival at Yonaguni. He will then join the return trip to Yilan later that day, according to the secretariat of the island's Legislative Yuan.

The round trip, which takes a little over four hours, is currently scheduled for Tuesday, but is dependent on the weather.

Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture lies just 111 kilometers from Taiwan and under good visibility can be seen from Yilan. When Taiwan was under Japanese rule between 1895 and 1945, the two islands formed a single economic zone.

There are currently no direct flights or ferry services between Yilan and Yonaguni Island.

Despite the fanfare, You said he does not have a timeline on regular ferry boat services linking Yilan and Yonaguni, saying the project is still at the stage of "breaking the ice" between the two sides.

If the ferry service materializes, You said that Yonaguni Island will not only attract Taiwanese tourists but also Japanese visitors to Yilan who will add the Okinawa island, which has a population of just 1,700, to their itinerary.

It remains unclear whether You's boat trip will irk China, which views the self-governed territory as a renegade province and opposes any official contact between the island and other countries.

Japan has been bolstering its defense of the Nansei Islands chain stretching southwest from Kyushu toward Taiwan, including Yonaguni Island, apparently in response to China's intensifying military activities in nearby waters.

China and Taiwan have been separately governed since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. Beijing has never renounced the use of military force to bring the island into its fold.
FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women Lilac Luncheon in Concord, New Hampshire, U.S., June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Reba Saldanha/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Donald Trump and other top U.S. Republican leaders hailed the Supreme Court's rejection on Thursday of race-conscious student admissions programs at two universities, with the former president saying the ruling marked "a great day for America."

The court decision, strongly criticized by Democrats including President Joe Biden, effectively prohibits affirmative action policies long used to raise the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority students on U.S. campuses.

Trump, who is part of a crowded race for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election, said the ruling will bring the country "back to all merit-based" admissions.

"This is a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded," the former president said in a statement.

Other Republican presidential contenders, including Trump's top election rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, said the ruling would end what he described as race-based "discrimination" in university applications.

"College admissions should be based on merit and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity," DeSantis wrote on Twitter.

Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also seeking the 2024 Republican nomination, on Twitter said he was "honored to have played a role in appointing three of the justices who ensured today's welcomed decision."

The court ruled that admissions policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University violate the U.S. Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law. Both institutions said they would comply with the law.

Presidential contender Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, said Harvard should also eliminate so-called "legacy" programs that consider family history at the institution as an admissions factor.

"Let's make sure that all admissions are based on academic scores, and not just eliminating affirmative action," the senator from South Carolina told Fox News.

In the U.S. Congress, top Republican lawmakers including House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the decision would ensure fair competition in admissions.

"Today's rulings make clear that colleges may not continue discriminating against bright and ambitious students based on the color of their skin," McConnell said in a statement.

Many institutions of higher education long have backed affirmative action on campuses not simply to remedy racial inequity and exclusion in American life but to ensure a talent pool that can bring a range of perspectives to the workplace. Democrats broadly support this argument.

In a May Reuters/Ipsos poll, 49% of respondents agreed that "due to racial discrimination, programs such as affirmative action are necessary to help create equality," while 32% disagreed and 19% were unsure.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Chizu Nomiyama, Conor Humphries and Mark Porter)
FILE PHOTO: AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) - AI company Runway has been valued at $1.5 billion in its latest round of funding, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday, after it raised $141 million from investors, including Alphabet-owned Google and Nvidia.

The extension to the Series C funding round also included Salesforce Ventures and Runway's existing investors, the company said in a statement.

The runaway success of ChatGPT and the potential of AI to transform businesses have driven venture capital firms and big technology companies to pour billions of dollars into startups that are working on the cutting-edge technology.

"Generative AI is transforming the content creation industry, breathing new life into stories and ideas that were not imaginable," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.

Runway's software allows users to transform or tweak existing videos or create new videos by using text prompts or images. The company also launched a mobile app earlier this year, giving its users access to its generative AI tools.

Earlier in the day, another AI startup Inflection raised $1.3 billion from Microsoft at a valuation of $4 billion, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

(Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in Toronto; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Australian investment bank Macquarie Group Ltd adorns a desk in the reception area of their Sydney office headquarters in Australia, October 28, 2016. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

(Reuters) -Australian financial conglomerate Macquarie Group said on Thursday it would divest its U.S.-based port terminal operator Ceres Terminals, with a source familiar with the matter placing the deal value north of $900 million.

Macquarie did not disclose any further details on the deal, and declined to comment on Reuters' request seeking confirmation of the sale value.

The Wall Street Journal in May reported that Macquarie was looking for about $1 billion from the sale, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The deal value could be at the lower end of what the Wall Street Journal reported, the source said.

Macquarie Infrastructure Partners III (MIP III), a fund managed by the financial conglomerate's asset management arm, acquired full control of the general cargo stevedoring operations in 2019 from Tokyo-based shipping and logistics firm Nippon Yusen Kaisha.

MIP III will sell the terminal to American marine terminal operator Carrix. However, Ceres Terminals Jacksonville and Intermodal Container Transfer Facility in Jacksonville, managed by Ceres, will not be a part of the deal. They will continue to be owned by MIP III, Macquarie said.

"We all look forward to the next chapter of growth with Carrix... confident that the combination will continue to serve our customers, employees and other stakeholders well," Ceres Terminals CEO Craig Mygatt said.

Shares of Macquarie were trading 1.1% higher as of 0255 GMT, heading for their third straight session of gains.

(Reporting by Roushni Nair and Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Rishav Chatterjee; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Subhranshu Sahu)
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to strike down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, during brief remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House i

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden said it would be a mistake to expand the membership of the U.S. Supreme Court after it struck down race-conscious admission considerations on Thursday but thinks the institution is out of touch with basic American values.

The president's comments came hours after the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, in a sharp setback to affirmative action policies often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.

Biden told MSNBC in New York that the court "may do too much harm but I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, we are going to politicize it maybe forever, in a way that is not healthy."

Biden also said the court's value system is different and it's not as embracing.

The affirmative action ruling is the latest in a string of setbacks on issues that were once considered settled, such as abortion rights, delivered by the conservative-leaning court.

Liberal Democratic lawmakers have proposed expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, possibly ending its conservative majority, but the plan has not been embraced by the White House and other Democrats.

Earlier on Thursday at the White House, Biden said he "strongly" disagrees with the court's decision and urged colleges to take into account challenges that applicants face, including racial discrimination, during the admissions process.

He directed the U.S. Department of Education to analyze what practices will help build more inclusive and diverse student bodies and what practices impede that goal. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the agency will provide resources to colleges and universities addressing lawful admissions in the next 45 days.

The president also proposed that applicants first have to qualify under a college's academic standards, but then admissions officials would take into account "adversity" criteria, such as financial means, living situations and whether or not the applicant faced racial discrimination.

"The truth is - we all know it - discrimination still exists in America," Biden said.

Asked at the White House whether the Supreme Court was a rogue court, Biden paused, then responded, "this is not a normal court." Explaining his comment, Biden later said this Supreme Court has done more to "unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history."

The White House has been meeting with civil rights organizations, universities, and legal organizations to come up with a contingency plan if the court struck down affirmative action, Jean-Pierre said.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Jarrett Renshaw; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks at the release of the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo

By Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said hard work remains to reach a final agreement to end the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, as talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan's foreign ministers hosted by Washington ended on Thursday.

Blinken, who posed for a photograph with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the conclusion of talks mediated by U.S. officials for three days, told reporters that some of the most difficult issues remained unresolved, without detailing what those were.

Since heavy fighting ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire in 2020, the two sides have been discussing a peace deal that would include agreement on borders, settle differences over the enclave, and unfreeze relations.

Blinken said there was progress in the talks, including "agreement on some additional articles as well as deepening understanding of the positions on other outstanding issues, as well as a recognition that there remains hard work to be done to try to reach a final agreement," Blinken said.

Blinken said the talks were conducted with "candor, openness and directness," and he hoped for further progress in a meeting between the two countries' leaders and the European Union expected to take place in coming weeks.

The two foreign ministers did not speak to the media.

Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, has been a source of conflict between the two Caucasus neighbors since the years leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and between ethnic Armenians and Turkic Azeris for well over a century.

Bayramov last week said Azerbaijan would not accept a demand from Armenia to provide special security guarantees for some 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in the enclave, dashing hopes of a breakthrough.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Leslie Adler and Daniel Wallis)
FILE PHOTO: Bolivian state firm YLB's plant is seen at the Salar de Uyuni, a vast white salt flat at the center of a global resource race for the battery metal lithium, outside of Uyuni, Bolivia March 26, 2022. Picture taken March 26, 2022. REUTERS/Claudi

By Daniel Ramos

LA PAZ (Reuters) -Bolivia has signed lithium agreements with Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom and China's Citic Guoan Group, the South American country's government said on Thursday, as it looks to develop its huge but largely untapped resources of the battery metal.

The deals, which envisage total investment of $1.4 billion, follow a similar agreement in January with giant Chinese battery maker CATL, another potential win for Beijing in its efforts to lock in supply of the metal used in electric vehicles.

"With these deals our country will be able to produce some 100,000 (metric) tons of lithium carbonate in 2025 in the Uyuni, Coipasa and Pasto Grandes salt flats," Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energy Franklin Molina said at an event in La Paz.

Bolivia's iconic salt flats are home to the world's largest lithium resources at 21 million tons, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, but the country has long struggled to ramp up industrial production or develop commercially viable reserves.

Governments, mining firms, battery markets and carmakers worldwide from Tesla to BMW are scrambling to secure supply of the metal, which is needed for many of the batteries being used to power a major shift towards electric vehicles.

Molina said the investments would allow the construction of two direct lithium extraction (DLE) processing plants in the towns of Pasto Grande and Uyuni Norte, where at least 45,000 tons of lithium carbonate would be produced per year.

Russia's Rosatom, which bid via its Uranium One Group unit, confirmed the news, saying it would invest $600 million in the project, its first large-scale lithium venture overseas, with planned annual capacity of 25,000 tons of lithium carbonate.

"There is the possibility of increasing capacity based on the results of geological exploration work," Rosatom's First Deputy General Director Kirill Komarov said in a statement.

Molina said Citic Guoan would invest $857 million and would also "look at investing in battery plants and the installation, possibly with technical studies, of a vehicle assembly plant, to create a true electric transport revolution."

The deal with Uranium One Group was for feasibility and pre-investment studies, he said, adding multiple tests with Russian technology on the salt flats had shown a lithium recovery rate over 80%, with a purity of around 99.5%.

Along with Bolivia, neighbors Chile and Argentina make up the so-called "lithium triangle," home to the world's largest trove of the metal. Chile and Argentina are far more advanced in production, with projects often taking years to reach fruition.

(Reporting by Daniel Ramos; Additional reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Richard Chang)
FILE PHOTO: British Defence Minister Ben Wallace is seen during his meeting with Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, in this handout image released on May 24, 2023. Press Service of the Defence Ministry of Ukraine/Handout via REU

LONDON (Reuters) - NATO should look at skipping the requirement for Ukraine's Membership Action Plan (MAP) as part of its pathway to joining the alliance, British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Thursday.

Any move to ditch or circumvent the MAP requirement for Ukraine, which is designed to help candidates meet certain political, economic and military criteria, could speed up its accession.

"I think we should absolutely look at skipping the Membership Action Plan," Wallace said at a joint press conference alongside his Canadian counterpart in London.

"But of course, we have to put some realism in this space that there are 31 members of NATO now and, you know, we have to all move together."

Wallace said he could not guarantee agreement on that step ahead of next month's NATO summit in Lithuania, but said it could be possible to remove other barriers to their membership.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Kylie MacLellan, writing by William James; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar)
FILE PHOTO: Soldiers carry a coffin containing the remains of one of the eleven Ukrainian victims of the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 plane disaster during a memorial ceremony at the Boryspil International Airport, outside Kiev, Ukraine Janua

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Canada, Britain, Sweden and Ukraine are to move to the International Court of Justice in their bid to hold Iran accountable for the downing of an airliner by Iranian forces in 2020 that killed several people, they said on Thursday.

Most of the 176 people killed when Iran shot down the Ukrainian jet near Tehran in January 2020 were citizens from those four countries, which created a coordination group that seeks to hold Iran to account.

Iran says its Revolutionary Guards accidentally shot down the Boeing 737 jet and blamed a misaligned radar and an error by the air defense operator at a time when tensions were high between Tehran and Washington.

The four counties had earlier sought for Iran to submit to arbitration under the rules of the 1971 Montreal Convention, an international treaty which requires states to prevent and punish offences against civil aviation. The deadline for a settlement passed on Thursday.

Iran had also separately filed a complaint against Canada at the United Nation's top court, accusing Canada of violating international obligations by allowing people to seek damages against Tehran. Ottawa said it was analyzing Iran's application and "will take the appropriate next steps as per the International Court of Justice's procedures."

Last year, an Ontario court awarded C$107 million ($81 million), plus interest, to the families of six people who died when the Iranian Revolutionary Guards downed the Ukraine International Airlines plane.

At the time, Iran was on edge about possible attacks after it fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. forces in retaliation for the killing days before of its most powerful military commander, Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. missile strike.

Canada cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012 and listed the country as a supporter of extremism. It also recently imposed sanctions on Iran over alleged human rights abuses and the killing of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died in the custody of Iran's morality police that enforced strict dress codes.

($1 = 1.3243 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Conor Humphries)
FILE PHOTO: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a joint press conference with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday condemned a stabbing attack in a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo that injured three people and was described by police as a hate-motivated incident.

"Yesterday's stabbings at a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo are horrifying and unacceptable," Trudeau said on Twitter.

The attack on Wednesday sent a 38-year-old female professor and two students, one male and one female, to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

"This type of violence must always be condemned. Our thoughts are with the professor and two students who were injured," Trudeau said.

Police have arrested Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, a 24-year-old international student at the university, and charged him with offenses including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

"The accused targeted a gender-studies class and investigators believe this was a hate-motivated incident related to gender expression and gender identity," the Waterloo Regional Police said in a statement.

Over the past year, protesters have targeted LGBTQ+ events in Canada, showing up and sometimes clashing with participants at events like drag story readings to children. Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh, leader of the smaller New Democrats party supporting his government, have condemned these attacks.

In the United States, President Joe Biden has announced measures intended to curb book bans and rising hate crimes, warning about "ugly" attacks from "hysterical" people who are targeting LGBTQ+ Americans.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, editing by Deepa Babington)
FILE PHOTO: A sign featuring Canopy Growth Corporation's logo is pictured at their facility in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 4, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo

(Reuters) -Pot producer Canopy Growth said on Thursday it has completed the sale of its facility in Modesto, California as part of its divestitures to raise funding amid liquidity concerns.

The sale, the fifth such deal since April 1, is part of Canopy's ongoing efforts to improve liquidity by reining in costs through layoffs, exits from some international markets and store closures.

The company has generated proceeds of C$81 million ($61.10 million) through these transactions and expects C$150 million in total proceeds from facility divestitures by the end of September 2023.

"The proceeds from this transaction further the achievement of our target of C$150 million... enabling us to efficiently reduce our overall footprint and strengthen our financial position," said CEO David Klein.

Canopy's shares, which have slumped more than 80% this year, have been under added pressure since last week after the company raised 'going concern' doubts citing recurring losses from operations and certain debt obligations due in the short term.

The company had said it requires additional funding to continue operations but analysts have questioned the cannabis producer's ability to reduce cash-burn and turnaround operations. Brokerage Benchmark slashed its price target on Canopy to zero earlier this week.

The company had C$783 million in cash and short-term investments as of March 31, about 43% lower than a year earlier.

Canopy also faces an investigation from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over the reporting of revenue in its BioSteel segment.

($1 = 1.3258 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Sourasis Bose in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 20:17 | World, All, Japan

Japan's top coronavirus adviser called Thursday for a better response to the next infectious disease pandemic at an international conference held in southwestern China's Yunnan Province, saying a "robust crisis management network" needs to be established in normal times.

Shigeru Omi, who headed a government panel on the novel coronavirus, told the gathering aimed at sharing COVID-19 knowledge that Japan had "not learned sufficiently" from the lessons of the 2009 new flu pandemic.

Japan had also seen its health care system overstretched due to such factors as a fewer number of health care staff per population compared with other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which groups together 38 rich countries, he said.

But Japan's accumulated number of deaths per million has been kept relatively low due partly to hardworking medical professionals' firm commitment to the protection of people's health, Omi said.

To better prepare for the next infectious disease outbreak, Omi sought for a network involving public, private and academic sectors as well as the training of more professionals in communicable disease and public health.

As for China's COVID response, Omi told reporters following his speech that he believes Beijing has "room for improvement" regarding its information disclosure as the international community seeks to share such data as fast as possible.

Following the significant easing of the country's stringent "zero-COVID" policy, coronavirus infections exploded in China late last year, but critics say official data lacked credibility.

The World Health Organization has expressed concerns about underreporting of China's COVID death count.

Thursday's meeting was hosted by Chinese hospitals and attended by researchers from countries including Britain and the United States. Omi formerly served as WHO's regional director for the Western Pacific.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Dow Jones Industrial Average stock market index listed company Chevron (CVX) is seen in Los Angeles, California, United States, April 12, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Chevron is offering to sell several oil and gas properties in New Mexico and Texas, according to marketing documents seen by Reuters, as the U.S. oil major looks to cull acreage after major shale acquisitions.

The second-largest U.S. oil and gas producer last month agreed to buy shale firm PDC Energy Inc in a stock-and-debt deal worth $7.6 billion. In 2020, it acquired Noble Energy in a move that boosted its U.S. shale and international gas holdings.

Chevron has been divesting properties in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, where it is the largest publicly-traded oil and gas producer and the largest property owner with 2.2 million acres.

This month, it launched an auction for a parcel covering 2,134 net acres in New Mexico and a second covering 29,901 acres in the New Mexico and Texas, according to listings on the EnergyNet online auction site.

The combined value is about $100 million, according to a source familiar with shale asset values. Both bids are due on July 27, according to marketing brochures.

Chevron did not reply to requests for a comment.

Production at the larger parcel on offer was estimated at about 770,000 barrels of oil and gas net and the smaller parcel was estimated to be about 1,818 barrels of oil and gas equivalent (boe) per day, according to the documents.

(Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston)
HELSINKI (Reuters) - A mother and her 7-year-old child have been rescued after falling overboard on Thursday from a ferry traveling from Sweden to Poland, Swedish media reported.

The two were being winched to a helicopter and are taken to a hospital, Stefan Land from the Swedish Maritime Administration told TT news agency, without specifying their condition.

The ferry, Stena Spirit, was in the Baltic Sea midway through its journey to Gdynia in Poland from Karlskrona in Sweden when the incident occurred.

The 7-year-old fell in and the mother jumped in after, the rescue services told TT.

A large rescue effort was initiated, with several helicopters and NATO ships in the area helping out, TT reported.

(Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Conor Humphries)
FILE PHOTO-Shopping trolley is seen in front of Alibaba logo in this illustration, July 24, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's eastern Hangzhou city has signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, according to a city government statement on Thursday.

It is expected that Alibaba can expand its leading advantage in the platform economy, and reinvigorate the innovation momentum of digital trade, according to the statement.

The eastern city also hopes that Alibaba could expand more new businesses and land more new projects in Hangzhou.

(Reporting by Ella Cao in Beijing and Meg Shen in Hong Kong; Editing by Toby Chopra)
FILE PHOTO: A view of the Credit Suisse office in Singapore, March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline Chia/File Photo

By Tatiana Bautzer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group AG on Thursday appointed an investment banking management committee to oversee its integration with UBS Group AG, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

UBS completed its emergency takeover of embattled rival Credit Suisse in June, forging a Swiss banking and wealth management giant with a $1.6 trillion balance sheet and overseeing more than $5 trillion in assets.

Michael Ebert, head of Credit Suisse for the investment bank, will lead markets within the committee.

Capital markets members will be Marc Warm for the Americas, Michael Furber for EMEA and Kuan-Ern Tan for APAC. For markets in Asia, the member will be Min Park. Onu Odim will oversee investment banking risk management and the chief operating officers for markets and capital markets will be Olivier Charhon and Amy Clack, respectively.

A CS spokesperson confirmed the contents of the memo.

The committee will be supported by other executives such as investment banking CFO Tony Bullman and Chief Risk Officer David Krauss.

(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Chris Reese and Mark Porter)
PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech parliament's lower house gave initial approval on Thursday to a bill to allow same-sex marriages, though conservative lawmakers signalled it could still face opposition and possible changes in further debates.

Same-sex marriage is legal in much of western Europe, but not in large parts of the centre of the continent once under communist rule.

The Czech Republic, an EU member for almost two decades, currently allows registered partnerships for same-sex couples - a status that does not let them jointly adopt children, jointly own property or receive widow or widower's pensions.

"It seems undignified," house speaker Marketa Pekarova-Adamova, a member of the junior ruling party TOP09' and a sponsor of the bill, said in the debate.

"They have to pay the same taxes as heterosexual people or couples, must deal with the same things just like us... but we have a special law for them."

She acknowledged there was opposition to the bill and said some parts of it were still up for debate.

More conservative lawmakers seeking to reject the bill at its first reading failed in a 58-68 vote. It will now go on to debate in committees - where amendments can be proposed and considered - before returning for a final vote.

After that it would have to go through the Senate upper house before going on to the president, who has signalled his support.

Jiri Navratil, a gay Christian Democrat lawmaker from the ruling coalition, said he was in favour of granting more rights and his party supported same-sex couples.

"But for us, the uncrossable line is the name, meaning marriage, that we consider an institution concluded between a man and woman," he told Czech Radio in an interview this month.

A May opinion poll from the CVVM agency showed 58% of Czechs believed same-sex couples should have the right to marry, and more agreed with allowing couples to adopt.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
(Reuters) - Ethiopia, one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, has asked to join the BRICS bloc of emerging markets, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The term BRIC was coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 to describe the rise of Brazil, Russia, India and China. The BRIC powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia. South Africa joined in 2010.

"We expect BRICS will give us a positive response to the request we have made," foreign ministry spokesman Meles Alem told journalists, according to the state-run news agency ENA.

Ethiopia will continue to work with international institutions that can protect its interests, he said.

The horn of Africa nation has the second-largest population in Africa, but its economy ranks only 59th in the world according to the International Monetary Fund, and is less than half the size of the smallest BRICS member South Africa.

Last year Argentina, the world's 23rd-largest economy, said it had received China's formal support to join the group, which is seen as a powerful emerging-market alternative to the West.

South Africa said on Thursday it will host the next summit in August as planned, amid speculation it could be moved to a location where Russia's President Vladimir Putin would not be obliged to be arrested over war crimes accusations.

BRICS countries account for more than 40% of the world's population and about 26% of the global economy.

(Reporting by Hereward Holland, editing by Deepa Babington)
By Andrew Gray and Julia Payne

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union leaders declared on Thursday they would make long-term commitments to bolster Ukraine's security as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged them to start work on a new round of sanctions against Russia.

At a summit in Brussels, the leaders restated their condemnation of Russia's war against Ukraine and said the EU and its member countries "stand ready" to contribute to commitments that would help Ukraine defend itself in the long term.

In a text summarising the conclusions of the summit, the leaders said they would swiftly consider the form these commitments would take.

Josep Borrell, the bloc's foreign policy chief, suggested they could build on existing EU support, such as the European Peace Facility fund that has financed billions of euros in arms for Ukraine and a training mission for Ukrainian troops.

"The military support to Ukraine has to (be for the) long haul," Borrell told reporters, suggesting the EU could establish a Ukrainian Defence Fund, modelled on the Peace Facility.

"The training has to continue, the modernisation of the army has to continue. Ukraine needs our commitment to continue ensuring their security during the war and after the war," he added.

France - a champion of a greater security and defence role for the European Union - proposed the text, diplomats said.

But it was amended to accommodate concerns from militarily neutral countries and from staunch supporters of transatlantic cooperation such as the Baltic states, who see European security as mainly a matter for NATO, with a strong U.S. role.

The final text said the EU would contribute "together with partners" and "in full respect of the security and defence policy of certain Member States".

The EU's statement feeds into a discussion among NATO members and military powers such as the United States, Britain, France and Germany over measures to assure Ukraine that the West is committed to enhancing its security over the long term.

Ukraine has argued the best way to assure its own security and that of Europe is for it to join NATO. But Kyiv has acknowledged that is not possible during the war and NATO allies are divided over how quickly it could happen afterwards.

Addressing the EU leaders via video link, Zelenskiy thanked them for an 11th package of sanctions against Russia, which was approved earlier this month and aimed at stopping other countries and companies from circumventing existing measures.

"It is important not to stop imposing sanctions," he said, according to the text of his speech posted on the Ukrainian president's website.

"The fewer pauses there are, the less Russia will adapt to the pressure on it and the less it will think of ways to circumvent the sanctions," he said.

Zelenskiy also alluded to last weekend's abortive mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia.

"The weaker Russia is, and the more its bosses fear mutinies and uprisings, the more they will fear to irritate us. Russia's weakness will make it safe for others, and its defeat will solve the problem of this war," he said.

(Additional reporting by Bart Meier, Marine Strauss and Sabine Siebold; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
(This June 29 story has been corrected to clarify that the entity involved is not an Alberta government agency in the headline and paragraphs 1 and 2)

By Divya Rajagopal and Xie Yu

TORONTO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - An Alberta industrial development body has ended a partnership with a Chinese private equity fund that targeted $10 billion to invest in the natural resources sector, a spokesperson for the Alberta entity told Reuters.

The Alberta Industrial Heartland, a not-for-profit organization consisting of five Alberta municipalities, and the Hong Kong-based private equity firm Can-China Global Resource Fund (CCGRF) had announced their partnership in 2016 to encourage investments across North America.

"This partnership no longer exists," Karlee Conway Director Communications of the Alberta Industrial Heartland said in an email response to Reuters. The spokesperson did not respond to queries on why the partnership was called off and when.

The lead investor of the fund was China's Export-Import Bank, Vancouver-based mining firm Hunter Dickinson and Swiss commodity trader Mercuria.

The previously unreported development comes as tension between China and Canada has escalated in recent years, though sources Reuters spoke to could not confirm whether the dissolution of the fund is a direct result of that.

Hong Kong-based MEC Advisory Ltd, which was tasked with managing the investments, CCGRF, Mercuria, Hunter Dickinson and EXIM Bank did not respond to Reuters' email request for comment.

"I cannot confirm this is directly related to bilateral relations, but it could indeed be a product of the increased tensions between the two countries," said Lynette Ong, Professor of Political Science at University of Toronto.

She added that provincial governments might feel compelled to toe the official stance of Ottawa or not to veer too much from public opinion, as it could incur risks.

FROSTY TIES

The only known investment by this fund was a C$722 million ($545.4 million) buyout of Calgary-based CQ Energy in 2017, a private natural gas production services company. The status of this investment is unknown.

Diplomatic ties between Beijing and Ottawa started to worsen after Canada arrested Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou in 2018 at the request of the United States. Following Meng's arrest, China detained two Canadian citizens, accusing them of spying.

While all three were released in 2021, the relationship between China and Canada has not returned to normal.

The oil-rich province of Alberta exported C$4.5 billion worth of goods to China in 2020, making it the Canadian province's second-biggest export market. Some of China's large state oil companies expanded into Alberta before the collapse of oil prices in 2014.

A person aware of the fund told Reuters that the $10 billion target was for marketing purposes and the first stage of the investment was no more than $1 billion. A person added that Exim Bank started looking into the structure of the fund "after it suffered big losses" and they sent a representative from Beijing to divest on certain projects.

The CCGRF was set up in 2013 as part of a bilateral discussion between the governments of Canada and China to encourage investments of public and private capital into Canada's natural resources sector.

The rift between the two countries widened since Meng's arrest. Last year, Canada forced three Chinese state investors to sell out of Canadian critical mining companies, as it tries to wean off its dependency on China in its critical mining sector.

This month, Canada froze ties with the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as it launched a probe into allegations that the institution was dominated by the Chinese Communist Party.

($1 = 1.3256 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Divya Rajagopal and Xie Yu; Editing by Denny Thomas and Nick Zieminski)
Mounia, the mother of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer in Nanterre during a traffic stop, and relatives stand on a van as they attend a march in tribute to Nahel in Nanterre, Paris suburb, France, June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Sar

PARIS (Reuters) -Defiant gatherings were held outside town halls across France on Monday following a wave of rioting triggered by the fatal police shooting of a teenager of north African descent.

Here is some key information about the unrest:

WHERE ARE THE RIOTS?

There was very little rioting overnight on Sunday and police made fewer than 160 arrests. The previous flashpoints have included the Parisian suburbs, Lyon, Strasbourg, Metz, Nice, Toulouse, St Etienne and Tours.

IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL IN FRANCE?

As of July 3 the UK government advises only that Britons in France "avoid areas where riots are taking place, check the latest advice with operators when travelling and follow the advice of the authorities." It does not warn against visiting any specific towns or cities.

The latest alert from the U.S. embassy in Paris related to the rioting was posted on June 29, with the advice that "U.S. citizens should avoid mass gatherings and areas of significant police activity". It also did not warn against visiting any specific places.

WHO WAS THE TEENAGER KILLED BY POLICE?

The 17-year-old who died last Tuesday has been identified only as Nahel. His mother is Algerian and father Moroccan, according to an acquaintance of the family. He was known to police for previous incidents in which he failed to comply with traffic stops, the local prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest. Police and paramedics tried to resuscitate him but he was declared dead at 9:15 a.m., Prache added.

An officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent another chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TRAFFIC STOP?

Prache said police spotted a Mercedes driving in a bus lane at 7:55 a.m. in the district of Nanterre on the western outskirts of Paris. Police attempted to pull him over at a red light using sirens and lights, the prosecutor added.

But Nahel disobeyed and committed several traffic offences, endangering the lives of a pedestrian and a cyclist.

The officers caught up with the Mercedes in a traffic jam. Both officers at one point used guns to deter him from starting off again and asked him to turn off the ignition, the prosecutor said. When the car made to get away, one officer fired at close range through the driver's window.

WHY DID RIOTS UNFOLD?

Nahel's death has fed longstanding complaints of police violence and systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies from rights groups and within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major cities in France. Authorities deny that.

Even though the police officer involved is under investigation for voluntary homicide and President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the shooting, public anger has spilled onto streets across France. Police made 180 arrests during a second night of unrest into Thursday. Some 40,000 officers were deployed to curb the trouble, 5,000 in the Paris region.

The killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023, down from a record 13 last year. The majority of victims of such shootings since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF SUCH UNREST?

Like the United States and some other European nations, France has experienced previous waves of protests over police conduct, particularly against minorities.

In 2005, violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across France after two teenagers of African descent were electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police. That unrest convulsed France for three weeks and forced then President Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency.

(Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Hugh Lawson)
FILE PHOTO: Students walk through the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S., September 20, 2018. Picture taken on September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File Photo

By Joseph Ax

(Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down race-conscious policies in college admissions, ending decades of precedent that had allowed schools nationwide to use such programs to increase the diversity of their student bodies.

Here is an explanation of the policies commonly known as affirmative action, their history and the possible consequences of the court's decision.

WHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION?

In the context of higher education, affirmative action typically refers to admissions policies aimed at increasing the number of Black, Hispanic and other minority students on campus.

Colleges and universities that take race into consideration have said they do so as part of a holistic approach that reviews every aspect of an application, including grades, test scores and extracurricular activities.

The goal of race-conscious admissions policies is to increase student diversity in order to enhance the educational experience for all students. Schools also employ recruitment programs and scholarship opportunities intended to boost diversity, but the Supreme Court litigation was focused on admissions.

WHICH SCHOOLS CONSIDER RACE?

While many schools do not disclose details about their admissions processes, taking race into account is more common among selective schools that turn down most of their applicants.

In a 2019 survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, about a quarter of schools said race had a "considerable" or "moderate" influence on admissions, while more than half reported that race played no role whatsoever.

Nine states have banned the use of race in admissions policies at public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT LITIGATION ABOUT?

The Supreme Court decided two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group headed by Edward Blum, a conservative legal strategist who has spent years fighting affirmative action.

One case contended that Harvard's admissions policy unlawfully discriminates against Asian American applicants. The other asserted that the University of North Carolina unlawfully discriminates against white and Asian American applicants.

The schools rejected those claims, saying race is determinative in only a small number of cases and that barring the practice would result in a significant drop in the number of minority students on campus.

HOW HAS THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN THE PAST?

Before Thursday, the court had largely upheld race-conscious admissions for decades, though not without limits.

A divided Supreme Court took up the issue in the landmark 1978 case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, after schools began using affirmative action in response to the Civil Rights era to correct the effects of racial segregation.

The swing vote, Justice Lewis Powell, ruled that schools could not use affirmative action to rectify past racial discrimination and struck down the university's practice of setting aside a certain number of spots for minorities.

Nevertheless, Powell found that increasing campus diversity was a "compelling interest" because students of all races - not just minorities - would receive a better education if exposed to different viewpoints. Powell ruled that schools could weigh race in admissions as long as it remained only one factor among many.

In 2003, the court struck down the University of Michigan's use of a system that awarded "points" to minority applicants as going too far, but affirmed Bakke's central finding that schools could use race as one of several admission factors.

The court in 2016 again upheld race-conscious admissions in a challenge backed by Blum to University of Texas policies. But the court has moved sharply to the right since then, with six conservative justices now and only three liberals.

WHAT WILL COLLEGES DO IN RESPONSE?

The decision on Thursday will force elite colleges and universities to revamp their policies and search for new ways to ensure diversity in their student populations. Many schools have said other measures would not be as effective, resulting in fewer minority students on campuses.

In briefs filed with the Supreme Court, the University of California and the University of Michigan - top public college systems from states that have outlawed race-conscious admissions - said they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on alternative programs intended to improve diversity, but that those efforts have fallen far short of goals.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Will Dunham, Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan Oatis)
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 22:05 | All, Japan, World

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, a close aide to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, called on North Korea on Thursday to move to realize an early summit to resolve the issue of the past abduction of Japanese nationals.

Matsuno, the top government spokesman who has doubled as minister in charge of the abduction issue since October 2021, also said at an online U.N. symposium on the subject that Kishida is willing to talk with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "without conditions."

His speech came a day after a researcher at an institute at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, through state-run media, slammed the symposium co-sponsored by Japan, South Korea, the United States, Australia and the European Union, saying the abduction issue has been "settled."

Matsuno said, "With the families of the victims aging, the abduction issue is a human rights problem with time constraints," adding Japan has garnered international support toward the resolution of the matter. Tokyo and Pyongyang have no diplomatic relations.

Emphasizing that Kishida has expressed eagerness to begin negotiations between the two nations to pave the way for a summit, Matsuno said Japan will "continue to convey the prime minister's determination" to Kim until North Korea takes action.

Building "fruitful" bilateral relations "would contribute greatly to regional peace and stability" but "the longer the current situation drags on, the more challenging it becomes for Japan and North Korea to establish new ties," Matsuno said.

"We must not waste even a single moment and now is the time to boldly change the status quo," he added.

After five abductees were brought back to Japan in 2002, Tokyo has sought the return of 12 others whom it has officially recognized as having been abducted by North Korea. It also suspects Pyongyang's engagement in the disappearances of other Japanese citizens.

In late May, Kishida pledged to set up senior-level negotiations between Tokyo and Pyongyang to arrange a summit with Kim, prodding North Korea's vice foreign minister to say via official media that there is "no reason" for the two countries "not to meet."

But the researcher at the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Institute for Japan Studies, who criticized the symposium, was quoted Wednesday by the Korean Central News Agency as saying the abduction issue "has been completely, finally and irreversibly settled."

The U.N. symposium was held online for the third straight year against a backdrop of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related coverage:

North Korea raps Japan over abduction symposium, repeats issue resolved

North Korea willing to talk with Japan, claims abduction issue resolved

Japan PM vows to swiftly arrange abductee talks with North Korea
(Reuters) -Spain's snap parliamentary election on July 23 is unlikely to produce a working majority for any one party, with complex pre- and post-ballot alliances holding the key to governing Spain.

Below are the groups vying for power:

SPANISH SOCIALIST WORKERS' PARTY (PSOE)

* Leader: Pedro Sanchez * 2019 total votes: 6.8 million * Lower house seats: 120 (out of 350) * Ideology: Centre-left, social democracy

Founded in 1879 by print workers and intellectuals, PSOE is Spain's oldest active party and one of two that have dominated the political landscape since Franco's rule ended with his death in 1975. It has been in government the longest since then (1982-96, 2004-11, 2018-23).

In 2019, PSOE and hard-left Unidas Podemos forged Spain's first coalition government since the return to democracy.

Among its main campaign pledges, the PSOE says it would make banks extend mortgages to reduce monthly repayments, raise the minimum wage each year to 70% of the average salary, give Spaniards under 24 free transport, extend parental leave to 20 weeks and encourage more hybrid working.

It would involve local residents in choosing the location of photovoltaic and wind farms and offer them part of farms' profits, electrify the state road network to allow electric vehicles to circulate "without limitations" and extend congestion zones to all Spanish cities.

PEOPLE'S PARTY (PP)

* Alberto Nunez Feijoo * 5 million votes * 89 seats * Centre-right, mainstream conservatism

The PSOE's main rival, the PP was formed during the transition to democracy by former Franco regime officials, but after a relaunch in 1989, it veered to the centre and has headed the national government twice (1996-2004 and 2011-2018).

The PP has promised to streamline the tax system, cut taxes for lower-income earners, scrap a recently created wealth tax, introduce incentives to attract entrepreneurs to Spain, boost industry and reduce value-added tax on meat and fish.

It would also seek to reintroduce the crime of sedition that was watered down by the Sanchez government as an olive branch to Catalonia's separatist leaders, modify a progressive transgender rights law, introduce a fee on renewable energy projects, and pump billions of euros into water infrastructure.

VOX

* Santiago Abascal * 3.7 million votes * 52 seats * Far right, national populism, anti-immigration

Vox split from the PP in 2013 when anti-separatists within the latter pushed to suppress Spain's semi-federal system that grants regions a certain degree of autonomy. With a mix of social ultraconservatism and economic neoliberalism, it campaigns against feminism, immigration, LGBT rights and Islam.

While the PP has said it wants to govern alone, current polls suggest it would have to form a coalition with Vox. Vox and the PP have forged coalition agreements since May local elections in cities and regions including Valencia, Extremadura and the Balearic Islands.

In its manifesto, Vox says it would simplify income tax and lower rates, tamp down graft, cut public spending by closing weather agencies, ombudsmen and regional TV stations, and increase tax breaks for large families.

It also vowed to repeal the abortion, trans and euthanasia laws, and increase parents' say in their children's school sex education. It would deport illegal migrants while cracking down on people traffickers.

SUMAR ("UNITE")

* Yolanda Diaz * N/A * N/A * Progressivism, environmentalism

Led by charismatic Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, Sumar combines 15 left-of-PSOE parties, including the junior ruling coalition partner Podemos, which won 35 parliamentary seats in 2019. Podemos emerged from the Indignados protest movement in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. It peaked in 2015 with 5.2 million votes but has since haemorrhaged support after multiple internal squabbles.

Among other Sumar members is the United Left coalition that includes the Communist Party of Spain - of which Diaz is a member.

Diaz promises to gradually cut the working week to 32 hours while maintaining wages, provide Spaniards with mortgage subsidies, additional state funds for medical expenses, more urban green areas and air conditioning for schools in poorer neighbourhoods to counter Spain's sweltering heat. Sumar plans to bolster social mobility by giving all Spaniards turning 18 a "universal inheritance" of 20,000 euros ($22,000) to spend on studying or starting a business.

PRO-INDEPENDENCE PARTIES

* Oriol Junqueras, Laura Borras, Arnaldo Otegi, CarlesRiera, Ana Ponton * 2 million votes (combined) * 29 seats (combined) * Full independence for the regions of Catalonia, BasqueCountry and Galicia

Several parties in parliament fight for their regions' secession from Spain. The left-wing ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia), centre-right Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia) and anti-capitalist CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) joined forces for the region's failed independence bid in 2017.

Leftish parties EH Bildu (Basque Country Unite) and BNG (Galician Nationalist Bloc) want independence for the Basque Country and Galicia, respectively.

Most have backed the Sanchez government in parliament.

OTHERS

* The centre-right and regionalist PNV (Basque NationalistParty) has five deputies whose occasional support has helpedSanchez pass signature bills. * The centre-right and regionalist Canarian Coalition, twolawmakers. * The centrist Regionalist Party of Cantabria, one lawmaker. * Teruel Exists wants more government attention for thedepopulated northeastern province of Teruel. Its lone lawmakerwas the instrumental vote to make Sanchez prime minister inJanuary 2020.

(Reporting by David Latona and Aislinn Laing; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Nick Macfie)
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Ohio House of Representatives Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison after being convicted earlier this year of participating in a $60 million bribery scheme, prosecutors said.

A federal jury convicted Householder and former Ohio Republican Party chair Mathew Borges in March.

Householder and Borges were charged in 2020 in the federal bribery case stemming from a bill passed in 2019 to bail out Ohio's nuclear power plants after allegedly receiving industry funds for lobbying. Federal prosecutors called it the biggest corruption case in the state's history. The legislature revoked the bill in 2021.

Following his arrest in 2020, the Ohio House of Representatives voted to remove Householder from the speakership position.

Prosecutors had alleged that energy distributor FirstEnergy gave $60 million to Generation Now, a political nonprofit operated by Householder. Those funds were used for lobbying that secured passage of the $1.5 billion bill in 2019, according to prosecutors.

Householder and Borges were convicted of participating in the racketeering conspiracy. Borges is set to be sentenced on Friday.

FirstEnergy agreed to pay $230 million in 2021 to settle U.S. government charges in the case. It admitted it paid millions of dollars to state officials to pursue legislation on nuclear subsidies and other policies that would benefit it.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
FILE PHOTO: New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks during a state memorial honouring victims of the Australian bushfires at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, February 23, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File Photo

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) -The former premier of Australia's most populous state engaged in corrupt conduct involving another lawmaker with whom she was in a secret romantic relationship, a years-long corruption inquiry that examined business dealings with China said on Thursday.

The New South Wales Independent Commission into Corruption (ICAC) said in a report that Gladys Berejiklian had failed to notify the commission of her concerns that Daryl Maguire, a member of the state assembly with whom she was in a relationship during her term of office, may have engaged in corrupt conduct, and this undermined the ministerial code.

As the premier of New South Wales in 2020 Berejiklian, once a star of the Liberal party and widely respected for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, told the corruption inquiry she had been in a secret "close personal relationship" with Maguire, who was under investigation for monetising his position through business dealings with China.

A year later she resigned when the watchdog said it was investigating whether she was involved in conduct that "constituted or involved a breach of public trust".

Berejiklian said the report was being examined by her lawyers. "At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest," she said in a statement.

The inquiry said Maguire sought to use his government office to "create a network between China and Australia and to make a commission in multiple ways".

The Australian arm of China's largest property developer became his client after an introduction by the founder of the Australian Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China at one of its meetings. Australia declared the council a Chinese-government linked entity in February.

Maguire told the inquiry he had received envelopes containing thousands of dollars in cash at his parliament office as part of a scheme for Chinese nationals to fraudulently acquire visas.

The commission found Maguire engaged in "serious corrupt conduct" between 2012 and 2018 for the migration scheme and other misconduct.

It said he misused his role as chairman of the New South Wales Parliament's Asia Pacific Friendship Group to advance the commercial interests of a Chinese business association in South Pacific nations.

He was also found to have monetised his position as a lawmaker to benefit a company, G8way, which sought to sell access to "high levels of government" in Australia. G8way's "man in Beijing" was a former vice consul in Sydney, it said.

Maguire also misused his office by receiving a fee to introduce the party secretary of China's Liaoning province to then New South Wales premier Barry O'Farrell at parliament in 2012, it said.

Maguire already faces a criminal charge for his role in the visa scheme, for which he has not entered a plea in court.

His lawyer said he was still reading the report, which is more than 600 pages long. He previously said the commission was "not authorised" to make findings that a criminal offence had been committed.

The commission said it would seek advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions on whether further prosecutions should be commenced into Maguire.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Stephen Coates)
FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with displayed Binance logo and representation of cryptocurrencies are placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken, June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German regulators have told Binance they will not grant it a cryptocurrency custody licence, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, the latest in a string of setbacks for the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange.

Binance has come under pressure from regulators around the world. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this month sued Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao over what the regulator called a "web of deception" to evade U.S. laws. Binance denies the charges.

The German regulator, BaFin, issued a statement declining to comment on individual companies due to confidentiality.

Binance said it would not share details of conversations with regulators, but added: "We continue to work to comply with BaFin's requirements".

It called it a "detailed and ongoing process" and said it was confident of having "the right team and measures in place to continue our discussions with regulators in Germany".

Finance Forward first reported the news of the German licence.

Problems have been mounting for Binance in recent weeks.

Last week, Belgium's FSMA regulator ordered Binance to stop offering any virtual currency services in the country.

France is also probing Binance, which has decided to quit the Dutch market because it was unable to meet registration requirements to operate as a virtual asset service provider.

BaFin in 2021 warned Binance it risked being fined for offering certain digital tokens to clients in Germany without necessary information.

(Reporting by Tom Sims and Tom Wilson; Editing by Sabine Wollrab and Mark Potter)
FILE PHOTO-A woman walks past an H&M store on the day it closes, as the fashion retailer exits the Russian market, in Moscow, Russia November 30, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - H&M plans to sell more third-party brands online and in stores, CEO Helena Helmersson said on Thursday, as one of the world's top fashion retailers ramps up its effort to take on e-commerce rivals.

Shoppers can already buy sneakers from brands including Adidas and New Balance, and clothes brands like Swedish mountaineering label Klattermusen, via H&M's Arket, Cos, and & Other Stories stores and websites.

Its marketplace strategy, launched last year, is aimed at challenging online rivals like Zalando, ASOS, and fast-fashion giant Shein as competition intensifies.

It contrasts with the approach of rival Zara, which has been better able to convince shoppers to pay more for clothes despite a cost of living crisis.

Inditex-owned Zara features other brands only for exclusive collaborations, such as with South Korean label Ader Error and British shoemaker Clarks.

H&M now has 70 external brands on its platform in six markets, Helmersson said in an interview after the Swedish fashion giant reported a stronger-than-expected profit.

"This has been really well received by customers who also complement the H&M assortment with other brands," Helmersson said.

"Now we need to focus on making sure that we have the right kind of backbone, for example the right logistics, to really secure profitable growth."

H&M's success in driving a marketplace model will rest on its ability to differentiate itself, said Geoff Lowery, partner at Redburn.

"H&M has great customer reach globally and a lot of infrastructure to leverage, but the field of third-party apparel platforms is increasingly crowded from Zalando to Next, both of whom have already built scale," he said.

H&M also said its Monki brand would launch on Hong Kong e-commerce site Zalora, indicating the company's willingness to increase its presence on third-party platforms, again in contrast with Inditex's Zara.

"Inditex's thinking is focused on its own brands, own stores and own online," said Lowery.

(Reporting by Marie Mannes in Stockholm and Helen Reid in London; Editing by Josephine Mason and Emma Rumney)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog takes part in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, at the Nozyk Synagogue in Warsaw, Poland, April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File photo

By Rami Ayyub

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. lawmakers on Thursday invited Israel's president to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 19, a top honor aimed at celebrating Israel's 75th birthday even as tensions rise with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government.

Isaac Herzog's address will be the first by an Israeli president, a largely ceremonial role, since his father delivered remarks to the House of Representatives and Senate over 35 years ago, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a statement.

"The world is better off when America and Israel work together," McCarthy said. "(We) continue to strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two democracies."

Herzog's visit to Washington follows a period of increased violence in the occupied West Bank, where a renewed settlement construction push by Netanyahu's religious-nationalist government has drawn criticism from President Joe Biden's administration.

Netanyahu has yet to be received at the White House despite winning a sixth term in November, an apparent signal of U.S. displeasure over his policies - including a contested plan to roll back the powers of Israel's Supreme Court.

Netanyahu said in an interview published Thursday that he has was no longer seeking to grant parliament the authority to overturn Supreme Court rulings as part of the judicial overhaul plan. Washington has yet to comment on his pledge.

Recent violence in the West Bank, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and where Palestinians seek statehood, has included deadly clashes in the Palestinian city of Jenin, a fatal shooting by Palestinians near a Jewish setlement, and attacks on Palestinian villages by settlers.

Most countries deem the settlements as illegal. Washington last week objected to an Israeli decision to approve the construction of around 5,700 additional West Bank housing units for Jewish settlers.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Chizu Nomiyama)
FILE PHOTO: A general view of the Colosseum, in Rome, Italy May 30, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - Italian police have identified a couple from England as the likely culprits after graffiti was scribbled on a wall at the Colosseum in Rome last week, prompting widespread anger.

A bearded young man in a blue flowery shirt was pictured in a video posted on social media on Saturday scratching his and his girlfriend's name with a key on an internal wall of the ancient Roman stone amphitheatre. He left the inscription "Ivan + Hayley 23".

Italy's Carabinieri police said they had been helped to identify the couple by photographic evidence but did not name them.

A police source said the man had been placed under formal investigation but the couple had left the country before the authorities could catch up with them.

The man risks a fine of at least 15,000 euros ($16,415) and a jail sentence of up to five years were he to be convicted in Italy.

"This act was offensive to everyone around the world who appreciates the value of archaeology, monuments and history," said Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano.

(Reporting by Emilio Parodi and Federica Urso; Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Conor Humphries)
FILE PHOTO-Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the Oakland County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Novi, Michigan, U.S. June 25, 2023. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge on Thursday rejected Donald Trump's bid to dismiss the first of writer E. Jean Carroll's two lawsuits accusing the former U.S. president of defamation for denying he raped her in the mid-1990s.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan found no merit in Trump's arguments that he deserved absolute presidential immunity, and that many of his statements about Carroll were opinion and thus protected.

The judge also rejected Trump's claim that the former Elle magazine columnist "consented" to his statements by purposely waiting decades to go public, until he was in the White House, leaving him "no choice" but to defend himself.

Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said: "We disagree with the court's decision and will be taking the appropriate steps to preserve all viable defenses."

The case is separate from last month's verdict by a federal jury in Manhattan that Trump pay Carroll $5 million for defamation and sexual abuse, after Trump in October 2022 similarly denied their alleged encounter. Jurors did not find that Trump raped Carroll.

Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge, said Thursday's decision "confirms that once again, Donald Trump's supposed defenses to E. Jean Carroll's defamation claims don't work."

Now 79, Carroll drew Trump's ire in June 2019 when she accused him in New York magazine, as she was preparing to release her memoir, of having attacked her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan.

That prompted Trump, 77, to say he had not known Carroll, that she was not his "type," and that she lied to drum up book sales.

BEYOND THE 'OUTER PERIMETER'

In his 46-page decision, Kaplan said Trump waited too long to raise the absolute immunity defense, and that it would be unfair to Carroll to let him do so now and further delay the 3-1/2-year-old case.

The judge also said Trump's criticism of Carroll went beyond "the outer perimeter of his official duties" as president.

"Mr. Trump does not identify any connection between the allegedly defamatory content of his statements -- that Ms. Carroll fabricated her sexual assault accusation and did so for financial and personal gain -- to any official responsibility of the president," Kaplan wrote. "Nor can the court think of any."

Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is appealing the $5 million jury verdict.

On Tuesday, he countersued Carroll, claiming that she defamed him in a CNN interview one day after the May 9 verdict by saying, "oh yes he did, oh yes he did," when asked about the jury finding that he did not commit rape.

Carroll's original lawsuit is scheduled for a Jan. 15, 2024, trial.

She is seeking at least $10 million in damages. Kaplan this month let her amend her lawsuit to add Trump's comments from a CNN town hall following the jury verdict, in which he called her account "fake" and labeled her a "whack job."

The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
FILE PHOTO: Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti looks on as he speaks to the media, in Ohrid, North Macedonia March 18, 2023.REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski/File Photo

By Fatos Bytyci

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's government labelled two Serb groups as terrorist organisations on Thursday in a move that could fuel further tensions in country's volatile north which has seen the worst ethnic violence since the 2008 declaration of independence.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti told a session of the cabinet that Civil Protection (Civilna Zastita) and the North Brigade (Severna Brigada) posed a high level of "threat and danger".

He said the two groups had been "recruiting and training members how to use weapons and carry other combat methods in military bases in Serbia in order to carry out attacks on local and international institutions in Kosovo".

Serbs, who form the majority in the north of Kosovo, say that Civilna Zastita was dissolved in 2015 when Serbs agreed to join Kosovo institutions including police and judiciary and participated in the local election for the first time.

It is not clear who the Severna Brigada represents, when it was established or how it operates. Last year graffiti signed by the group appeared on the streets in the north.

There was no immediate reaction from Belgrade. The only Serb minister in Kurtis cabinet, Nenad Rasic, voted against the decision and asked the cabinet to reconsider.

While the practical impact of the designation was not immediately clear, it could lead to more arrests being made by Kosovo police, further raising the political temperature in the area.

Last November Kosovo Serbs in the north quit all state jobs including government, police, judiciary and other bodies. And in the past weeks Kosovo has seen its worst ethnic tensions since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Violence erupted in late May after ethnic Albanian mayors took office following a local election in which turnout was just 3.5% after Serbs boycotted the vote.

Some 30 NATO peacekeeping soldiers defending three town halls in northern Kosovo were injured in clashes with Serb protesters late on May. Fifty-two protesters were wounded.

Kosovo's main backers, the United States and European Union have called on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to withdraw the mayors and remove special police used to install them or it will face consequences.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Lizbeth Diaz

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors said on Thursday they will investigate an overnight car blast in central Mexico that injured at least four members of the country's National Guard, with local authorities suspecting the use of explosives in the incident.

Diego Sinhue Rodriguez, governor of the state of Guanajuato, said "it would seem based on the initial report that there were explosives" involved in the blast, which took place on the outskirts of Celaya, a city long wracked by gang violence.

Rodriguez said authorities were investigating reports the explosion happened after the security officials went to the scene to check a phone tip that the car contained bodies.

"Now we need to determine whether this was a direct attack on the National Guard," Mexico's army-run federal security force, the governor told reporters.

The federal attorney general's office said it would investigate the case, after Rodriguez urged it to intervene as forensic experts look into the cause of the explosion. Some Mexican media described the blast as a "car bomb."

Rodriguez said local authorities are looking into whether the incident was linked to recent arrests and attacks on local police. He added that shortly beforehand he had met with Army officials to discuss reinforcing security in the area.

They would also investigate possible involvement of corrupt police, he said, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.

One of Mexico's most violent states, Guanajuato is a battleground for criminal organizations often dealing in drugs, kidnapping, extortion and fuel theft.

There were 1,380 murders across the state between January and May this year, according to security ministry data.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz and Dave Graham; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Sandra Maler)
During his visit to Brussels, Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Giorgi Amilakhvari, held a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Affairs, Oliver Varhelyi. The discussions revolved around ongoing and planned projects in various educational sectors.Minister Amilakhvari expressed gratitude to the European Commissioner for the support extended to Georgia on its path to European Union membership. He emphasized the historic significance of granting Georgia European Perspective, which solidifies the country's unwavering connection to Europe and opens avenues for EU integration.The implementation of the European Commission's 12 priorities by Georgia and the importance of granting candidate status to the country by year-end were key topics of discussion. The meeting also touched upon the existing collaboration between Georgia and the European Union in education and science, including joint ongoing projects.Commissioner Varhelyi provided detailed information on the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, highlighting the unique European Union project called the Eastern Partnership European School. He emphasized that the establishment of an educational institution in Georgia, aligned with international standards, is a significant step towards integration into European Union.The parties further discussed upcoming innovations in higher education and explored avenues to expand cooperation within the Erasmus program. Minister Amilakhvari raised the issue of supporting initiatives for Georgian students and stressed the need for mechanisms to ensure equal conditions for Georgian youth compared to their European counterparts.The meeting also addressed the development of Georgia's unified national strategy for education and science, with active involvement from the European Union. Minister Amilakhvari expressed hope for the European Commission's support in implementing the strategy's action plan. Commissioner Varhelyi commended the close cooperation between the two parties and pledged support for the implementation of joint educational projects, crucial for aligning the Georgian education and science system with EU legislation.The Ministry of Internal Affairs press service has announced that Vakhtang Gomelauri, along with a delegation, held an official working visit to Hungary.During the visit, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the delegation visited the Hungarian National Police, where they received comprehensive information about the specific operations of the police units.Vakhtang Gomelauri also had the opportunity to visit the special tasks unit of the Hungarian National Police, which provides support to local police during special operations.As part of the visit, Vakhtang Gomelauri and the delegation also visited the Hungarian counter-terrorist center and gained detailed insights into its activities.Furthermore, Vakhtang Gomelauri had a productive meeting with his Hungarian counterpart, Sandor Pinter, discussing the prospects of enhancing cooperation between their respective law enforcement agencies.Following the one-on-one meeting, an official dinner was held in honor of the Georgian delegation, hosted by Sandor Pinter.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 20:19 | All, Japan, World

Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive an emergency-use currency swap agreement that expired eight years ago, in a symbolic thaw in bilateral ties long frayed over wartime history.

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and his South Korean counterpart Choo Kyung Ho reached agreement during the first finance dialogue held since 2016 as bilateral efforts to mend ties have spread to the economic and financial fronts.

The $10 billion currency swap arrangement will ensure access to the U.S. dollar in times of emergency by exchanging the yen or the won.

The previous one ended in 2015 and was not renewed amid friction over South Korea-controlled, Japan-claimed islets in the Sea of Japan and the long-standing issue of comfort women forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels.

"Japan and South Korea are neighbors, and we should cooperate in various fields," Suzuki said at a press conference after the meeting, noting that confidence has been building among the finance authorities.

While both nations have sufficient foreign reserves, having a swap agreement in place for emergencies will be "a plus for the yen and the won," Suzuki said.

South Korea possesses foreign reserves that amount to approximately one-third of Japan's reserves, which stand at roughly $1.2 trillion. The won and the yen have borne the brunt of the dollar's relative strength, partly due to the assertive interest rate hikes implemented by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The first currency swap arrangement between Japan and South Korea dates back to 2001, in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis.

Toru Nishihama, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, said the swap agreement would bring more benefits to South Korea than to Japan. "It would serve as a buffer, limiting spillovers (of financial concerns) to other regional economies, which is a plus from Japan's perspective, too," he added.

Under Yoon Suk Yeol, who became South Korea's president in 2022, bilateral ties have begun to gradually improve after he proposed a solution to the long-standing issue of wartime labor compensation that had sent Seoul-Tokyo ties to their lowest point in years.

When Suzuki and Choo met in South Korea in May, they agreed to resume the finance dialogue. The framework involves senior officials from both nations discussing economic and financial issues.

"The resumption of the finance dialogue symbolizes that normalization of ties, prompted by our leaders' summit, is spreading fully" to the economic and financial fields, Choo said at Thursday's meeting.

The finance chiefs agreed to work toward the early launch of a multilateral framework for resilient and inclusive supply-chain enhancement, as envisaged by the Group of Seven and partner nations.

The initiative is aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries assume more significant roles in the supply chains for critical items for decarbonization.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Export-Import Bank of Korean signed Thursday a memorandum of understanding to promote projects to build quality infrastructure in third countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where China's clout is growing.

As Japan and South Korea, both U.S. allies, share common threats from nuclear-armed North Korea, the finance ministers said they will jointly address the issue of "proliferation financing" that would benefit the North in its manufacturing, possession and use of nuclear and other weapons.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited South Korea in May, becoming the first Japanese leader in over five years to do so. Japan on Tuesday formally decided to relist South Korea as a preferred trade partner on July 21 in a reciprocal move after Seoul similarly changed Tokyo's status.

During the peak of bilateral tensions, Japan implemented export controls on crucial materials utilized in semiconductor manufacturing. However, those measures have already been lifted.

The deepening of ties between Japan and South Korea and a reduction in their reliance on China is reasonable in terms of "de-risking," Nishihama of Dai-ichi Life said.

"How far they will go remains to be seen. Tokyo-Seoul ties are improving but it will be naive to expect there will be no hiccups," he added.

The next bilateral finance dialogue will be held in South Korea next year.

Related coverage:

Every option on table to counter excess forex moves: Japan minister

Bank of Japan chief defends monetary easing as yen keeps weakening

Japan currency diplomat warns of action against excessive forex moves
Republican U.S. presidential candidate former Vice President Mike Pence addresses The Faith and Freedom Coalition's 2023 "Road to Majority" conference in Washington, U.S., June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo

By Steve Holland and Tim Reid

(Reuters) -Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is running for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election, made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"Freedom is winning in Ukraine, and now more than ever, we need to keep faith with the courageous fighters here in Ukraine who are standing for freedom and pushing back on Russian aggression," Pence told reporters after meeting with Zelenskiy.

Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet Zelenskiy during the campaign.

Pence has been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and full-throated supporter of Ukraine, as he takes on his former boss Donald Trump for their party's nomination.

Trump has declined to say he wants Ukraine to win the war, instead saying he wants a negotiated solution between Russia and Ukraine.

Pence trails Trump by over 30 points in most opinion polls among Republican voters who will chose the candidate to take on Democratic President Joe Biden.

Pence laid flowers at The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine in Kyiv. He traveled to Ukraine with Samaritan's Purse, a U.S.-based charity that has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians, a Pence adviser said.

The U.S. government has provided more than $40 billion in weaponry and other military aid to Ukraine. Solid majorities of Americans support providing weaponry to Ukraine, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey.

Pence also received a briefing from Ukrainian officials about Russian human rights violations since Russian forces invaded Ukraine 16 months ago.

The Ukraine war issue has divided Republican presidential candidates.

Former President Trump's closest rival for the nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has questioned the amount of aid that should be provided for Ukraine, while Nikki Haley, Trump's former U.N. ambassador, and U.S. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, back continuing support.

"American support for Ukraine is vital - from all Americans, every American family, all US civil society, all political leaders, Congress - both parties and of course, from U.S. President Biden," Zelenskiy said in his nightly address, thanking Americans. He and Pence "talked about arms, our soldiers' capabilities, and our common values," Zelenskiy said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Rami Ayyub and Tim Reid; Editing by Alison Williams and Grant McCool)
(Reuters) - Morocco recalled its ambassador to Sweden for an indefinite period after a man tore up and burned a Koran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the state news agency said.

Morocco's foreign ministry also summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat on Wednesday and expressed the kingdom's "strong condemnation of this attack and its rejection of this unacceptable act", the state news agency said.

(Reporting by Hatem Maher and Alaa Sweilam; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kiev on Saturday as Spain takes over the European Union's six-month rotating presidency.

Sanchez wants the trip to be the Spanish presidency's first act "to show with his presence the EU's undivided support to Ukraine in all fields: military, humanitarian and economic", his office said.

He said the war in Ukraine and its consequences would be a priority during the presidency.

Countries holding the presidency traditionally try to set the agenda within the bloc, though the results ultimately depend on all member states.

Spain has set its sights on concluding a long-delayed trade deal with South America's Mercosur bloc, an EU-wide migration deal, as well as pushing for a common corporate tax rate and moving forward the EU banking union.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by Alison Williams)
FILE PHOTO: Students walk in the courtyard of the law school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S., September 18, 2018. Picture taken on September 18, 2018. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

By Karen Sloan

(Reuters) - The experience of two highly selective public U.S. law schools offers a guide for other schools to admitting diverse students now that the U.S. Supreme Court has banned colleges and universities from considering race as a factor in their admissions decisions.

The court ruled on Thursday that race-conscious admissions at both public and private colleges and universities is unconstitutional.

Enrollment at the University of Michigan Law School and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law among Black, Hispanic and Native American first-year students plummeted after both states banned affirmative action in public university admissions.

But over time each school found new ways to boost their percentages of those diverse groups beyond pre-ban levels by adopting strategies that other institutions likely will mirror now that the Supreme Court has prohibited public and private colleges and universities from considering race when admitting students. Those range from participating in pipeline programs that introduce college students to legal careers to looking at applicants' family income and whether they are the first in their families to attend college.

The total percentage of Black, Hispanic and Native American first-year students at Berkeley Law fell from 19% in 1996 to less than 6% in 1997the year after the state banned affirmative actionAmerican Bar Association data show. Enrollment of those groups among Michigan Law's first-year classes declined from 17% in 2005 to 9% by 2008, when the school felt the full impact of the state's 2006 prohibition on considering race in admissions, according to the ABA. Those percentages have since rebounded.

It really dealt us a powerful blow, Sarah Zearfoss, Michigan Laws senior assistant dean said of the state's affirmative action ban. The story of these intervening 16 years has been slowly, slowly trying to come back to where we were before we had to go race blind.

First-year Asian American enrollment held steady before and immediately after the affirmative action bans14% for Berkeley Law and 13% for Michigan Law, according to ABA data. Those figures are now 20% at Berkeley Law and 15% at Michigan Law.

Prior to the Supreme Court's new ruling, nine states prohibited affirmative action, and law school administrators there said they are fielding requests from out-of-state colleagues on how to enroll diverse classes when race cannot be taken into account. The Association of American Law Schools on July 10 is convening a virtual conference focused on admissions in a post-affirmative action landscape, chaired by Berkeley Law dean Erwin Chemerinsky.

Anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions sued both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina over admissions policies it alleges discriminate against Asian Americans by giving preference to Black, Hispanic and Native American applicants.

Students for Fair Admissions president Edward Blum did not respond to requests for comment on the potential impact of the suits on law student and lawyer diversity.

The stakes are high for the legal profession, which remains significantly less diverse than the U.S. population. ABA data shows that 19% of the country's lawyers are people of color, compared with 40% of the overall population. By contrast, 36% of physicians are minorities, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and 30% of dentists are minorities, according to the American Dental Association.

Banning affirmative action will likely reduce the number of minority undergraduate students and subsequently narrow the pipeline of diverse students considering legal careers, law school admissions officials said. And if minority law student enrollment falls off, the slow but steady progress in the number of racially diverse attorneys is expected to reverse.

If the undergraduate population becomes very white, thats the only thing we have to work with, said Michigans Zearfoss.

Alongside strategies to recruit and admit diverse students, Zearfoss said the changing demographics of the law school applicant pool have helped Michigan Law bolster student diversitygood news for law schools now facing an affirmative action ban. The percentage of minority applicants this year now stands at more than 46%, up from 44% the previous year, according to the latest figures from the Law School Admission Council.

Without the ability to consider an applicants race, Michigan Law, which last year accepted fewer than 14% of its applicants, looks to other factors including whether applicants are the first in their families to attend college; where they attended high school; and family income in an effort of admit diverse classes. Application essays can also provide a window, Zearfoss said.

The law school also prioritizes recruiting at events geared toward minority applicants and at college and universities with significant minority enrollment, Zearfoss added.

Michigan Law and Berkeley Law both voluntarily withhold information about each applicant's race to ensure they comply with their state laws, admissions officials said.

Recovering from Californias affirmative action ban took Berkeley Law years as the school slowly learned to draw a diverse pool of applicants, admit diverse students without considering their race, and convince them to enroll at Berkeley Law, Chemerinsky said. The school, which has an acceptance rate of under 13%, collects detailed financial data from accepted students through need-based scholarship applications in order to direct financial aid to them in hopes they will enroll. But bolstering economic diversity does not yield the same level of racial diversity as considering race directly, Chemerinsky said.

Like Michigan, Berkeley Law prioritizes pipeline programs that encourage minority students to consider legal careers early on. And it has students, alumni and faculty with similar backgrounds reach out to accepted students during the admissions process, Chemerinsky said.

Both Zearfoss and Chemerinsky said achieving diversity without affirmative action requires extra institutional effort.

My great fear is that after the Supreme Court decision, college and universities will give up on diversity, Chemerinsky said.

Read more:

Law student diversity hits new high as schools await affirmative action ruling

Legal industry groups ask U.S. Supreme Court to protect affirmative action (This story has been refiled to correct the date in dateline and fix a spelling error in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Karen Sloan; editing by Leigh Jones)
Sergei Garmonin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Switzerland attends a bilateral meeting after the U.S.-Russia summit, in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File photo

GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Switzerland said Moscow could not accept any Swiss-hosted peace summit on Ukraine after it joined European Union sanctions against his country, adding Switzerland had lost its reputation for neutrality.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had suggested in a speech to the Swiss parliament that the country could act as a mediator.

In an interview with Le Temps newspaper published on Thursday, Sergei Garmonin said Russia would not accept that Switzerland, which traditionally has served as a location for high-level talks between feuding powers, host such a summit.

"Swiss representation and mediation are out of the question," Garmonin said. "Switzerland has unfortunately lost its status as a neutral state and can no longer act as a mediator or as a representative of interests."

In his speech to parliament on June 15, Zelenskiy invited Switzerland to host a global peace summit on Ukraine, saying he had previously discussed the initiative with Swiss President Alain Berset.

Switzerland has been harshly criticized by Russia for adopting the European Union's sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine and freezing Russian assets worth 7.5 billion Swiss francs ($8.36 billion).

Switzerland, which has a long-standing policy of barring any country that buys its arms from re-exporting them to parties in a conflict, on Wednesday blocked arms maker Ruag AG from selling Leopard 1 tanks that could have been used in Ukraine.

($1 = 0.8975 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Francis' envoy and President of Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), attends a mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Russia June 29, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of Russia's influential Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, told an envoy of Pope Francis on Thursday their churches should work together to avert "negative political developments and serve the cause of peace and justice."

Kirill is a strong supporter of President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops into Ukraine, while Francis has called repeatedly for an end to the conflict, which has destroyed Ukrainian villages and towns, caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and driven millions more from their homes.

"I think that today... the churches can through their joint efforts avert the negative development of political events and serve the cause of peace and justice," Kirill told the envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

"It is very important that in this difficult time Christian communities in the East and the West take part in this process of reconciliation," the patriarch added.

Zuppi, who was on the second day of his trip to Moscow, stressed that Pope Francis was very keen to hear directly Kirill's views on the Ukraine situation.

Earlier, Zuppi discussed humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Ukraine and the protection of human rights with Russia's Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in March issued an arrest warrant for both Lvova-Belova and for President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.

Moscow said the warrants were legally void as Russia was not a member of the ICC. It also denies accusations of human rights abuses in Ukraine.

Russia has not concealed a programme under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia, but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the war zone.

Zuppi held talks on Wednesday with one of Putin's advisers, Yuri Ushakov, which the Vatican said had gone well.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday the Kremlin "highly appreciates the efforts and initiatives of the Vatican to find a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis".

(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Gareth Jones)
A satellite image appears to show new facilities set up recently, at a military base southeast of Minsk, Belarus June 27, 2023 in this handout image obtained by Reuters on June 29, 2023. European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2/Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - Satellite images of a military base southeast of the Belarus capital Minsk appear to show new facilities set up in recent days, suggesting the swift construction of a base for Wagner, the Russian mercenary company behind an abortive mutiny.

Russian media have reported that Wagner, whose leader Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in Belarus on Tuesday, could set up a new base at a vacant military facility near the town of Asipovichi, about 90 km (50 miles) from Minsk.

Images captured by the European Space Agency's Sentinel 2 satellites on June 27 show rows of long structures in the nearby village of Tsel, in a field which had appeared empty on June 14.

Reuters could not verify the nature of the construction. The images are publicly available through searches on the ESA website.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko invited Wagner to set up operations in his country as part of a deal that ended the mutiny on Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Wagner fighters were free either to move to Belarus, join the Russian military or go home, following the mutiny, which he said had threatened to bring civil war to Russia.

Prigozhin said he launched his mutiny to demand changes in military leadership he blamed for failures in the war in Ukraine, and to prevent the destruction of his force after it was ordered to submit to control of the ministry of defence.

(Reporting by George Sargent and Milan Pavicic, Writing by Peter Graff, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Pittsburgh's Duquesne Incline ascends Mount Washington as smoke, from Canadian wildfires, hanging over the U.S. Midwest and parts of the East Coast create hazy skies, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. June 28, 2023. REUTERS/Quinn Glabicki

By Brendan O'Brien

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Murky, dull skies loomed over tens of millions of Americans on Thursday as smoke from prolonged Canadian wildfires drifted across the Midwest and East, causing unhealthy and, in some spots, dangerous conditions.

Air-quality alerts were in effect until midnight for a swath of the United States that extended from Wisconsin and northern Illinois stretching through Michigan and Ohio and extending into New York, Washington and the East Coast, the National Weather Service said.

More than 100 million Americans were urged to limit prolonged outdoor activities, and, if needed, wear a mask if they suffer from pulmonary or respiratory diseases. Children and the elderly were also advised to minimize or avoid strenuous activities.

People living in major U.S. cities such as New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia saw smoky skies that dulled the summer sun as the smell of burning wood lingered in the air.

"Air quality is unhealthy in every corner of the state," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said during a morning press conference, recommending that residents regularly check the air quality in their area. "This is the new normal for New Yorkers."

On Thursday morning, smoke hung over Chicago for the third day in a row. The air quality was "Unhealthy" in the third-largest city in the United States, which was joined by Detroit and Washington D.C. as having the poorest air among major cities on the planet, according to IQAir.com, which tracks pollution.

"The air quality in Chicago has been dreadful, giving me brutal migraines. Feeling better today with my trusty air purifier on full blast. Taking a chill day," said a Twitter user named Skaar.

The air-quality alerts were triggered by drifting smoke from wildfires burning in Canada, which is wrestling with its worst-ever start to wildfire season.

An area of 8 million hectares (19.8 million acres), bigger than West Virginia, has already burned. On Wednesday, there were 477 active blazes, about half which were considered out of control, spread from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts.

While poor air quality was the concern in the Midwest and East, the U.S. South was again dealing with a brutal heat wave that promised to persist throughout the day on Thursday and into the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The heat index - which measures how hot it feels due to the combination of humidity and temperature - was expected to climb to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) and in some spots as high as 115 degrees F (46 C). The weather service urged people to seek air-conditioned spaces and drink plenty of water.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Alison Williams, Mark Porter and Sandra Maler)
Signage is seen at the United States Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department this week charged the top law enforcement official in Culpeper County, Virginia, with fraud, conspiracy and bribery, alleging he abused his authority by handing out deputy sheriff badges in exchange for cash to fund his re-election campaign.

In an indictment unsealed on Thursday in the Western District of Virginia, Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Howard Jenkins, 51, is accused of abusing his position by engaging in a scheme to appoint volunteers to serve as auxiliary deputy sheriffs in exchange for bribes.

Through this alleged scheme, prosecutors said he accepted at least $72,500. Three of the men who accepted deputy sheriff appointments - Rick Tariq Rahim, 55, of Great Falls; Fredric Gumbinner, 64, of Fairfax; James Metcalf, 60, of Manassas are also charged in the case.

The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not determine who would be representing the defendants.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Rahim paid bribes to obtain approval for a petition to have his firearm rights restored, even though he did not meet the residency requirements.

Our elected officials are expected to uphold the rule of law, not abuse their power for their own personal, financial gain," said Christopher Kavanaugh, the U.S. Attorney for Virginia's Western District, in a statement.

As evidence of the conspiracy, the indictment cites a series of text messages and emails in which the defendants and other unnamed individuals appeared at times to explicitly discuss a quid pro quo.

"I am ready to pop a little cash on somebody and get a badge brother," the indictment quotes Metcalf as saying in a September 2019 email to an unnamed individual.

Jenkins has served as the county's elected sheriff since 2012. According to local media reports, he is running again for re-election this coming November.

The indictment alleges he authorized auxiliary deputy sheriffs to carry concealed firearms in any state without obtaining permits, encouraged them to pay bribes through other individuals, and disguised the payments as firearms purchases.

Undercover FBI agents helped investigate the scheme by posing as people who were interested in becoming auxiliary deputy sheriffs, with one of them even pretending to have a criminal record.

Both undercover agents were nevertheless granted deputy sheriffs badges, and each of them personally handed Jenkins envelopes with $5,000 and $10,000 cash, respectively, the indictment says.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
KYODO NEWS - Jun 29, 2023 - 17:09 | All, Japan

Shareholders of Toshiba Corp. on Thursday approved a company proposal to reappoint 11 directors who backed a tender offer made by a consortium led by Japan Industrial Partners Inc., although some investors criticized the offer as being "too cheap."

The effective investor approval for the 2 trillion yen ($14 billion) buyout plan is expected to move forward with the planned privatization of the struggling tech conglomerate, with the tender offer starting as early as late next month.

If the tender offer is agreed on and Toshiba becomes private, the company will be able to cut ties with overseas activist shareholders seeking short-term shareholder returns.

Toshiba is in the midst of restructuring efforts, struggling to recover from a spate of problems over the past decade, including an accounting scandal and massive losses in its U.S. nuclear business.

"The buyout allows us to push forward with a reform under a stable shareholder base," President Taro Shimada told a shareholders' meeting in Tokyo, as executives sought the understanding of shareholders, saying the JIP proposal was chosen in a fair and competitive process.

Not all investors were satisfied by the explanation, however, with some shareholders arguing that the offer price of 4,620 yen per share is too low, compared with the market price of over 5,000 yen in April last year when Toshiba started soliciting strategic proposals.

"It is rude to shareholders that Toshiba is trying to sell itself for such a low price," one of the shareholders said at the meeting.

Another shareholder also expressed doubt about the buyout plan, saying, "Would privatization really change the company for the better? I fail to see potential in the plan."

Toshiba, which announced in March the buyout offer led by the Tokyo-based fund, urged its shareholders earlier this month to accept the offer.

Previously, Toshiba said it was undecided on whether to make such a recommendation despite the board's approval of the JIP offer, on hopes that that the fund may raise the offer price.

But the company eventually decided to recommend the offer due to the worsening business environment for its 40 percent-held chip affiliate Kioxia Holdings Corp., which affects its corporate value, and a lack of any other rival offer, it said.

"The privatization will be a good opportunity for Toshiba to make a fresh start," a shareholder in his 40s said before the annual meeting. "I hope it will successfully rebuild itself as I believe the actual value of the company is more than the offer price."
NATO logos are seen at the Alliance headquarters ahead of a NATO Defence Ministers meeting, in Brussels, Belgium, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File photo

By Tom Balmforth

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine wants to receive an invitation to begin the process of joining NATO at the military alliance's summit next month, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will not attend if leaders do not show "courage", a presidential aide said on Thursday.

Chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva told Reuters that Kyiv wanted the July 11-12 NATO summit in Vilnius to deliver a response to the application for NATO membership that Ukraine filed on Sept. 30 last year.

"This application is now on the tables of the leaders of NATO allies. The Vilnius summit would be a very good start to respond to this application. And by respond, we mean invitation for membership, which is only the first stage," he said.

Kyiv's allies are divided over how fast Ukraine should join NATO and some Western governments are wary of any move that might take the alliance closer to war with Russia.

In an interview in the heavily guarded president's office in the Ukrainian capital, the Zelenskiy aide said Kyiv recognised it cannot join the 31-member bloc while Russia is waging war on Ukraine.

"What we are asking for is to start the procedure," he said, banging the table at one point to drive his point home.

Ukraine has been working overtime behind the scenes to lobby for a breakthrough. It believes its fight against Russia's invasion demonstrates it is worthy of NATO admission and has also shown it is already a key part of transatlantic security.

One of the subplots in the summit's run-up is whether Zelenskiy will attend.

The Ukrainian leader has said he sees "no point" in going to the summit if Kyiv is not given a "signal" at the meeting. His chief of staff said this week that Zelenskiy would decide on the eve of the summit whether or not to go.

His absence would overshadow any show of Western unity at the summit. The West has poured in vast amounts of military and financial assistance to help Ukraine hold its own against Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion.

But not turning up would also deprive Kyiv's leadership of valuable face time with the leaders of Ukraine's staunchest backers.

The final outcomes of major summits are typically the product of long-running negotiations and are often finalised shortly before the summit formally begins.

"If there is no result at the Vilnius summit, he doesn't have reason and time to go," said Zhovkva.

Asked what the threshold was for Zelenskiy to attend, Zhovkva cited a speech to parliament in which the Ukrainian leader spoke of the importance of courage in today's world.

"The president will not travel ... to the summit if the leaders will tend to or will show a deficit of courage, while Ukraine with all its courage, will and strength and high morale is fighting against Russian aggression," he said.

Zhovkva pointed to the cases of Finland and Sweden who applied for membership last year. Finland has already since become a member.

"When Finland and Sweden submitted an application for membership last year, immediately in June last year the allies responded to the application ... inviting them to membership with NATO," he said.

Asked how close Ukraine was to receiving an invitation now, he said: "We are closer than we were half a year ago. And still some time is left; much time is left in reality..."

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Conor Humphries)
FILE PHOTO: People huddle in a corner as police patrol the streets after gang members tried to attack a police station, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File Photo

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - An independent expert to the United Nations condemned mass deportations of Haitians who had fled the country amid a humanitarian crisis driven by worsening violence from heavily armed gangs who control large swathes of the country.

In a statement following a visit to the Caribbean nation, William O'Neill said some methods used to repatriate about 176,777 migrants last year do not comply with human rights standards and violate bilateral migration pacts.

"I urge the authorities of the Dominican Republic to respect their commitments in this regard," he said, singling out Haiti's neighbor but calling on all countries in the region to end mass deportations, particularly for unaccompanied minors.

O'Neill said he was particularly concerned by reports of organ and sex trafficking of migrant women and children.

Inside Haiti, he added, "relentless violence and systematic human rights violations" do not allow for the safe and dignified return of migrants.

Incidents of sexual violence in the capital Port-au-Prince doubled in May, he said, citing credible information received. A U.N. report last year found gangs were weaponizing sexual violence to control communities through fear.

In one incident last July, the report found that at least 52 women and girls were collectively raped in the capital.

O'Neill also warned of a crumbling judiciary and deadly conditions in cramped jail cells, a nascent vigilante justice movement making summary executions and lack of public services leading to increasing recruitment of children into gangs.

He renewed so far unanswered calls for a "specialized international force" to support Haiti's out-gunned police, which Prime Minister Ariel Henry has requested since October, though countries have been wary of supporting his unelected government.

He also deemed the U.N. sanctions regime "an important step" alongside prosecutions. Jimmy Cherizier, a former policeman and leader of the G9 gangs alliance who was sanctioned in October, remains the only Haitian sanctioned under the regime.

"It is urgent to take action," O'Neill said. "The survival of an entire nation is at stake."

(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Stephen Coates)
FILE PHOTO: People ride a motorbike past buildings damaged by an earthquake that hit Syria on February 6, in the rebel-held town of Jandaris, Syria March 29, 2023. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano/File Photo

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths pushed the Security Council on Thursday to extend for 12 months its approval of a long-running humanitarian aid operation that delivers help to millions of people in northwest Syria from Turkey.

Authorization by the 15-member council is needed because Syrian authorities did not agree to the U.N. operation, which has been delivering aid including food, medicine and shelter to opposition-controlled areas of Syria since 2014.

"A 12 month authorization enables us and our partners to deliver better humanitarian outcomes in the months ahead. It is as simple as that," Griffiths said.

The current six-month authorization is due to expire on July 10. Syrian ally Russia has long questioned the need for the operation, arguing that more humanitarian assistance should be delivered to the area from within Syria.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia again argued on Thursday that the U.N. aid operation violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

"They're trying to convince us that the cross-border mechanism should be extended for 12 months in order to better plan operations," Nebenzia said. "Let us ask the question, what means will the U.N. be using to plan these operations?"

Griffiths told the council that the $5.4 billion U.N. aid appeal for Syria for 2023 is the largest in the world, but it was less than 12% funded.

"It has never been quite so ill-funded in the history of this conflict," he said, appealing for countries to pay up on pledges of $5 billion made this month to support people in Syria and neighboring states hosting Syrian refugees in 2023.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said London had pledged $190 million and called on Moscow to announce its contribution "following the recent announcement that Russia spends $2 billion a year on the Wagner Group" - the mercenary force behind an abortive armed mutiny in Russia last weekend.

The Security Council initially authorized aid deliveries in 2014 into opposition-held areas of Syria from Iraq, Jordan and two points in Turkey. But Russia and China have whittled that down to just one Turkish border point.

A crackdown by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington supporting the opposition. Millions of people have fled Syria and millions are internally displaced.

The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday voted to create - under U.N. auspices - an Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria "to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons ... and to provide adequate support to victims, survivors and the families of those missing."

The measure was adopted with 83 votes in favor, 11 against and 62 abstentions.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Grant McCool)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley (L) and Barry Rosen sit at a table during an interview with Reuters in Vienna, Austria, January 23, 2022. REUTERS/Francois Murphy/File Photo

By Arshad Mohammed and Humeyra Pamuk

(Reuters) -U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley said on Thursday his security clearance is under review, saying that he expects the investigation to end "favorably and soon" and in the meantime he was on leave.

"I have been informed that my security clearance is under review. I have not been provided any further information, but I expect the investigation to be resolved favorably and soon," Malley told Reuters, confirming an earlier Axios report.

"In the meantime, I am on leave," he added.

Earlier, State Department spokesman Matt Miller said Malley was on leave but did not say why or for how long, saying Abram Paley was filling in on an acting basis.

CNN reported Malley was placed on leave without pay on Thursday, which occurred after his security clearance was suspended earlier this year amid an investigation into his handling of classified material.

Neither the State Department nor Malley immediately responded to requests for comment on the CNN story.

Appointed soon after U.S. President Joe Biden took office in 2021, Malley had the task of trying to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after then-President Donald Trump's 2018 decision to abandon the pact and reimpose U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

He helped craft the 2015 nuclear deal and, earlier in his career, was deeply engaged in former President Bill Clinton's failed 2000 effort to broker Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Under the 2015 deal, Iran curbed its nuclear program to make it harder for it to obtain the fissile material for a nuclear weapon in return for broad sanctions relief. Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Having failed to revive the deal, the United States has held talks with Iran to try to ease tensions by sketching out steps that could limit the Iranian nuclear program, release some detained U.S. citizens and unfreeze some Iranian assets abroad, Iranian and Western officials said earlier this month.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Istambul and Arshad Mohammed in Saint Paul, Minn.; Editing by Leslie Adler, Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley said on Thursday his security clearance is under review and that he expects the investigation to end "favorably and soon."

"I have been informed that my security clearance is under review. I have not been provided any further information, but I expect the investigation to be resolved favorably and soon. In the meantime, I am on leave," he said, confirming a report tweeted by a reporter for the Axios news organization.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Leslie Adler)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets, munitions and related equipment to the Czech Republic in a deal valued at up to $5.62 billion, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale on Thursday. The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing.

Last year, the Czech government said it wanted to buy 24 F-35 jets to replace leased Gripen fighters from Sweden's Saab AB .

The package approved by the State Department would also include a spare engine, 70 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), various bombs, support equipment, spares and technical support, the Pentagon said.

Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler and Deepa Babington)
FILE PHOTO: A policeman keeps watch on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, where rulings were handed down today, in Washington, U.S., June 27, 2023 REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

By Blake Brittain

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Limiting the foreign reach of American trademark law, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a $96 million jury award for Methode Electronics Inc's Hetronic International in its fight with its former European distributor for selling Hetronic-branded products with unauthorized parts.

The decision overturned a lower court's ruling that Abitron Germany GmbH was liable in the United States for trademark infringement that occurred abroad. Abitron had appealed the ruling by the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Oklahoma-based Hetronic makes remote-control systems for cranes and other industrial machinery. Hetronic Germany, which was later bought by Abitron Germany GmbH, distributed its products in Europe.

Hetronic sued Abitron and its affiliates in federal court in Oklahoma for making and selling Hetronic-branded products with unauthorized parts. A jury found in favor of Hetronic and awarded more than $115 million in damages, $96 million of which was for violating federal trademark law. That $96 million was the subject of the appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the verdict, rejecting Abitron's argument that it should not be liable because it was a foreign company and nearly all of the allegedly infringing sales happened in Europe.

The 10th Circuit decided that Abitron's actions had a substantial effect on American commerce and "diverted tens of millions of dollars of foreign sales from Hetronic that otherwise would have ultimately flowed into the United States."

President Joe Biden's administration told the Supreme Court that Abitron should be liable only for its acts abroad that were likely to confuse consumers in the United States.

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
FILE PHOTO: A flag with the logo of Wagner private mercenary group is on display for sale in the town of Yefremov in the Tula region, Russia, April 5, 2023. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Online prices for merchandise bearing the insignia of Russia's Wagner group - a human skull against a black and red backdrop - have shot up since its abortive armed mutiny, with buyers posting five-star reviews and support for the mercenaries.

Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin sent an armed convoy on a 1,200-km (750-mile) charge towards Moscow in protest over what he said was the incompetence and corruption of Russia's military leadership. A deal brokered by the leader of Belarus abruptly halted the mutiny late on Saturday.

E-commerce leader Wildberries' weekly price breakdowns showed how costs have risen. A patch depicting the skull that can be sewn onto clothes fetched 525 roubles ($6) in the period June 25-29, up sharply from 294 roubles during June 18-25.

"Due to the situation in the country, the purchase was spontaneous," wrote one buyer, Tatiana.

Prices for a black T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a Wagner fighter holding a violin jumped this week to 1,650 roubles from 1,236 roubles.

On a review of a Wagner flag on Wildberries, one buyer, Vladimir, said: "The Wagner Private Military Company is the best. Good luck to you guys. The flag is excellent."

The Wagner fighters - who have spearheaded some of Russia's military actions in Ukraine - were cheered enthusiastically by residents in Rostov-on-Don on Saturday when they briefly took control of the southern Russian city. President Vladimir Putin described their actions as "treason" and "a stab in the back".

People have also been purchasing other regalia, such as keyrings, on Wildberries' rival Ozon.

"Very beautiful and original keyring," wrote one five-star reviewer. "In memory of all those in Wagner's ranks who died."

Large numbers of Wagner fighters - including many former convicts granted their freedom in exchange for serving in Ukraine - have been killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Wildberries and Ozon declined to comment on Thursday on the surge in merchandise prices.

Elsewhere, Prigozhin face masks were on sale in St Petersburg, alongside those of Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and jailed opposition politician Alexey Navalny.

Under Saturday's deal that ended the mutiny, fighters of the Wagner group were allowed to join their leader Prigozhin in exile in Belarus, to be integrated into Russia's regular armed forces or to return to their families.

($1 = 87.2250 roubles)

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Gareth Jones and Alison Williams)
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of June, 2023

Commission File Number 1-15106

PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S.A.  PETROBRAS

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Brazilian Petroleum Corporation  PETROBRAS

(Translation of Registrant's name into English)

Avenida Henrique Valadares, 28  19th floor

20231-030  Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Federative Republic of Brazil

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F ___X___ Form 40-F _______

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes _______ No___X____

Petrobras on RNEST



Rio de Janeiro, June 29, 2023 - Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras informs that its Board of Directors, at a meeting held yesterday, decided to continue with the implementation of the Train 2 of the Abreu e Lima Refinery - RNEST, whose works were interrupted in 2015. The decision is based on a careful reassessment of the RNEST Project which, in accordance with the assumptions of the Strategic Plan 2023-2027, had its economic attractiveness confirmed.

The contracts associated with the continuity of the work on RNEST's Train 2 will undergo all the necessary analyses, in compliance with the applicable governance practices and internal procedures and will be disclosed to the market in due course. It is important to highlight that such project was already foreseen in the Strategic Plan 2023-2027, within the Plan's CAPEX.

The RNEST's Train 2 is scheduled to start operating in 2027, and with this implementation, Petrobras will contribute to expand the domestic refining capacity, enabling an increase in the production of oil products, especially S10 diesel, to meet market demands.

Thus, Petrobras reinforces the strategic drivers that guide the company's decisions: attention to people, suitability and improvement of the current refining park, focus on profitable assets and decarbonization of E&P, sustainable development of the country, fair energy transition, and international operations through technological and operational partnerships.

www.petrobras.com.br/ir

For more information:

PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S.A.  PETROBRAS | Investors Relations

email: [email protected]/[email protected]

Av. Henrique Valadares, 28  9th floor  20231-030  Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

Phone: 55 (21) 3224-1510/9947 | 0800-282-1540

This document may contain forecasts within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Trading Act of 1934, as amended (Trading Act) that reflect the expectations of the Company's officers. The terms: "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "predicts", "intends", "plans", "projects", "aims", "should," and similar terms, aim to identify such forecasts, which evidently involve risks or uncertainties, predicted or not by the Company. Therefore, future results of the Company's operations may differ from current expectations, and the reader should not rely solely on the information included herein.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: June 29, 2023

PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S.APETROBRAS



By: /s/ Sergio Caetano Leite

______________________________

Sergio Caetano Leite

Chief Financial Officer and Investor Relations Officer
0001692951 false 0001692951 2023-06-23 2023-06-23





UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

____________________

FORM 8-K

____________________





CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934





Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):

____________________

Cottonwood Communities, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

____________________





Maryland 000-56165 61-1805524 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission file number) (IRS employer identification number)





1245 Brickyard Road , Suite 250

Salt Lake City , Utah 84106

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

( 801 ) 278-0700

(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

____________________





Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered None N/A N/A

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter). 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 













Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.





Preferred Offering





On December 13, 2022, Cottonwood Communities, Inc. (the "Company") launched a best-efforts private placement offering exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 506(b) of Regulation D of the Securities Act pursuant to which it is offering a maximum of $100,000,000 in shares of its Series 2023 Preferred Stock to accredited investors (the "Private Offering") at a purchase price of $10.00 per share (with discounts available to certain categories of purchasers). The exemption is available to the Company because the shares are being offered and sold solely to accredited investors without the use of general solicitation.





During the period from June 8, 2023 through June 28, 2023, the Company issued and sold 448,896 shares of its Series 2023 Preferred Stock in the Private Offering and received aggregate proceeds of $4,481,300. In connection with the sale of these shares in the Private Offering, the Company paid aggregate selling commissions of $261,678 and placement fees of $133,179. As of June 28, 2023, there were 6,228,275 shares of the Companys Series 2023 Preferred Stock outstanding.









SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.





COTTONWOOD COMMUNITIES, INC. By: /s/ Enzio Cassinis Name: Enzio Cassinis Title: President

Date: June 29, 2023









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Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks on Wednesday with Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins in Beijing.

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago, China-New Zealand relations have been built up as a model of win-win cooperation between countries with different social systems, histories and cultures, development stages, and economic sizes.

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand.

Li said China stands ready to work with New Zealand to further deepen the traditional friendship and jointly push cooperation in various fields to a higher level to better benefit the two peoples, the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Noting the significance of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results in resolving the challenges faced by mankind, Li said that, as China advances its modernization drive, it will only open its door wider and wider.

China is ready to share with New Zealand the new opportunities brought by China's development and tap the potential of cooperation for greater mutual benefit, said Li, calling on the two sides to give full play to the protocol on upgrading the free trade agreement (FTA) to push trade and investment to a new level.

He called on the two sides to tap the potential of the digital economy, the green economy and creative industries to create new driving forces for cooperation in emerging areas. Efforts should be made to jointly advocate free trade, support Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and expand the new space of regional economic cooperation, Li said, adding that the two sides should also promote cooperation in education, tourism and other fields, and strengthen the new bond of people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Hipkins said that New Zealand and China are committed to strengthening communication, enhancing understanding and properly handling differences, and have carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation covering all levels and all fields.

New Zealand firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is excited about the opportunities brought about by China's opening up, said Hipkins, adding that New Zealand is willing to work with China to implement the consensus, deepen cooperation on economy and trade, science and technology, education, renewable energy and local-level relations to jointly promote economic recovery and tackle climate change and other global challenges.

Hipkins also welcomed more Chinese entrepreneurs, tourists and students to New Zealand.

After the talks, Li and Hipkins witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents on science and technology, education, agriculture, forestry, quarantine, food safety and intellectual property rights. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
Item 5.07Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

Protalix Biotherapeutics, Inc. (the Company) convened its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Meeting) at 8:30 A.M. EDT on June 28, 2023 at the offices of LifeSci Advisors, 250 W. 55th Street, Suite 3401, New York, NY 10019. At the Meeting, the Companys stockholders: (1) elected the seven persons nominated by the Companys Board of Directors to serve as directors of the Company; (2) approved, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Companys named executive officers; (3) approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, one year as the frequency that stockholders of the Company will have a non-binding, advisory vote on the compensation of the Companys named executive officers; (4) adopted amendments to the Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the Common Stock), available under such plan from 8,475,171 shares to 12,475,171 shares and adopted certain other terms of said plan; and (5) ratified the appointment of Kesselman & Kesselman, Certified Public Accountant (Isr.), a Member of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. The Meeting was then adjourned to July 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m., Israel time, at the offices of its Israeli counsel, Horn & Co., Law Offices, Amot Investments Tower, 2 Weizmann Street, 24th Floor, Tel Aviv 6423902, Israel, to provide the Company with additional time to solicit proxies from its stockholders to approve an amendment to the Companys Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance from 144,000,000 to 185,000,000, as described in the notice of meeting that was sent to each stockholder of record as of the close of business on May 15, 2023. The adjournment was approved by a vote of 39,819,471 shares of Common Stock, with no shares voting against the adjournment or abstaining, thus constituting approval by more than a majority of the shares of Common Stock represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote on the adjournment. The record date for the Meeting remains May 15, 2023.



Set forth below, with respect to each proposal adopted at the Meeting, are the number of votes cast for or against or withheld, as applicable, the number of abstentions and the number of broker non-votes, and the number of votes cast, on an advisory basis, for the frequency that stockholders of the Company will have a non-binding, advisory vote on the compensation of the Companys named executive officers (every one, two or three years).

(1)Election of Directors



For 

Withheld Broker

Non-Votes Zeev Bronfeld 30,118,208 2,723,267 8,872,021 Dror Bashan 30,175,739 2,665,736 8,872,021 Amos Bar Shalev 30,118,524 2,722,951 8,872,021 Shmuel Muli Ben Zvi, Ph.D. 30,614,690 2,226,785 8,872,021 Pol F. Boudes, M.D. 30,619,760 2,221,715 8,872,021 Gwen A. Melincoff 30,517,556 2,323,919 8,872,021 Aharon Schwartz, Ph.D. 30,659,904 2,181,571 8,872,021



(2)Approval, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Companys named executive officers



For 

Against 

Abstain Broker

Non-Votes 26,186,630 4,269,510 491,310 8,872,021



(3)Approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, the frequency (every one, two or three years) that stockholders of the Company will have a non-binding, advisory vote on the compensation of the Companys named executive officers





One Year 

Two Years 

Three Years 

Abstain Broker

Non-Votes 30,261,982 600,162 825,319 1,154,012 8,872,021




KABUL, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan people are optimistic about forging ties with China following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces, said a recent commentary by Afghanistan's Bakhtar News Agency.

The commentary mooted several fields which are potentially collaborative between Afghanistan and China, including construction, agriculture and education.

"The Afghan people recognize that China can sincerely cooperate with them in various sectors and turn their long-standing dreams into reality," the news agency said.

"With 40 years of experience in poverty alleviation, China can assist in eradicating poverty through investments that benefit both nations," it added.

The press organization also denounced the U.S.-led war and its crimes committed in the battle-scarred country, noting that "The few projects implemented, such as mobile schools and low-quality road asphalting, were mostly deceptive measures for the Afghan public." 
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Thursday issued a yellow alert for possible geological disasters triggered by rain in parts of Anhui and Hubei.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration warned about the risks of rain-induced geological disasters in these regions from 8 p.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday.

Residents have been advised to take precautions, especially in areas with hidden dangers.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system for geological disasters, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 
(Tribune News Service)  Sgt. Johnny Miller fought his way up Hill 875 in Vietnams central highlands until a fellow paratrooper noticed Miller was bleeding. Incredulous, the Georgian checked himself, confirming he had indeed been hit in the chest with enemy gunfire.

As North Vietnamese troops attacked from behind and along their right flank, Miller and his men found themselves nearly surrounded amid the ferocious 1967 Battle of Dak To. A U.S. jet pilot swooped down and dropped two bombs, hoping to tip the balance in the Americans favor. But one exploded in the middle of the paratroopers, killing many and wounding even more.

The blast ripped open Millers left leg. Grievously wounded, he narrowly survived and was eventually evacuated from the battle, only to land squarely in the middle of another one. As Miller was hospitalized, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.

Black soldiers were fighting on two fronts, said Miller, an Atlanta resident who received two Purple Hearts for his wounds. When we came home, the war was not over for us.

Miller, 79, is featured in a series of portraits of Black Vietnam War veterans on display at the Marietta History Center, just off Marietta Square, through Aug. 12. A discussion at the center about the portraits is scheduled for July 18 at 6 p.m.

The exhibit honors the roughly 300,000 African Americans who served in a war that disproportionately affected them. While Black people represented less than 15% of the U.S. population in 1965, they made up 31% of the ground combat battalions in Vietnam and suffered nearly a quarter of all the U.S. Armys fatal casualties that year, according to the U.S. Library of Congress.

Kings criticism of the war still resonates with Miller today. The same year Miller was wounded on Hill 875, King condemned the war during a speech in New Yorks Riverside Church, calling it an enemy of the poor. King added that young Black men were sent to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem.

Johnny Crawford, a former Atlanta Journal-Constitution photojournalist who created the exhibit, has photographed more than 50 Black Vietnam War veterans so far. Intimately shot in black and white, the portraits have been displayed along Atlantas Beltline and in Jackson, Macon, Powder Springs and Riverdale and at Minnesota State University.

As he photographs the veterans, Crawford routinely hears about the racism they faced. Some resisted being photographed, Crawford said, because they were still haunted by their experiences in combat. Others talked about the criticism they endured from anti-war protesters.

You didnt want to go in the first place. Then you get over there and see something you have never seen before. Then you come back and people dont care for you. And then you cant get a job, said Crawford, whose uncle served as a U.S. infantryman in the Vietnam War.

Some of Crawfords subjects have died since he photographed them. One, a former U.S. Army corporal from Atlanta who served in Millers unit, took several buses and showed up a week early for his photo shoot because he knew he was dying and wanted to be remembered.

I want to make sure people know who these people are, Crawford said. If I dont do it, who will?

Hill 875

The son of a sand company worker and a homemaker, Miller was born in Junction City, outside Columbus. He was drafted in 1965, the year he turned 21. Miller opted to join the 173rd Airborne Brigade, nicknamed the Sky Soldiers.

After Miller arrived in Vietnam his unit was ordered to capture a hill in South Vietnam, not far from the Cambodian and Laotian borders. Unbeknownst to the paratroopers, North Vietnamese soldiers had meticulously prepared on that hill, building trenches and bunkers amid the triple canopy jungle and connecting their fortifications with tunnels.

As Miller and his squad climbed the hill, he said, that is when all hell broke loose. The vegetation around them started falling, as if it were being cut down with invisible chainsaws. The North Vietnamese tossed grenades down the hill, fired rockets and mortars at the paratroopers and started flanking them.

A fellow soldier from Georgia glanced at Miller and told him, Sergeant, you are bleeding. At first, Miller didnt notice because he was full of adrenaline. The pain set in when he spotted the gunshot wound in the right side of his chest. Their commander ordered them to pull back.

We didnt have time to even dig a hole or anything. We just had to pull back and try to set up a perimeter, Miller said. There was lead flying and everything.

At times, the fighting was face-to-face and desperate. The paratroopers were fired upon from three directions. Some were bayoneted.

Pfc. Carlos Lozada valiantly covered the paratroopers rear with a machine gun, killing at least 20 North Vietnamese troops and buying his comrades precious time to withdraw up the hill. Meanwhile, his units chaplain, Maj. Charles Watters, repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire so he could minister to fallen comrades. Both Watters and Lozada were killed in the battle and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nations highest military award for valor.

Relentless enemy fire blocked U.S. helicopters from resupplying the paratroopers. Meanwhile, American planes set parts of the hill ablaze with napalm. Miller could feel the heat from those fires as U.S. artillery pounded the enemys bunkers above him.

At one point, a Marine Corps A-4 jet joined the fight and inadvertently dropped a 250-pound bomb on the paratroopers command post, where wounded troops had been assembled for evacuation. Military records say the explosion killed between 20 and more than 40 paratroopers, including Chaplain Watters, a company commander and other officers.

The explosion tore open Millers left leg and knocked out much of his hearing. Millers leg wound was so deep that he could stick his whole fist inside it.

I thought the world was coming to an end, he recalled.

In severe pain and bleeding profusely, Miller realized he had lost his rifle in the explosion, leaving him with a single grenade. He prayed for his life as he sought cover next to a fallen tree. Worried North Vietnamese troops would find him and try to cut his throat, he prepared to pull the pin on his grenade and blow himself up.

God gave me another chance, Miller said.

Jon Wambi Cook, who served as a radio operator with the 173rd during the battle, said the Marine jets bomb hit close enough that it bounced me up off the ground. He heard fellow paratroopers moaning and calling for help. In the glow of enemy flares floating down from the sky, he crawled toward the blast site and sought to help the wounded.

I couldnt believe what I was looking at, said Cook, president of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Association. There were body parts strewn everywhere.

Reinforcements eventually arrived and evacuated Miller and the other wounded soldiers. U.S. troops captured the hill on Thanksgiving Day before abandoning it days later.

Stephen Greene, who served as a helicopter pilot for the 173rd, was struck by the bravery of the paratroopers and the surreal scenes he witnessed when he landed atop Hill 875 after the battle was over. The terrain there was devastated. Dozens of his fellow soldiers had been killed or injured capturing it.

It just didnt seem like anything real to me, he said of the hilltop, adding: You felt, God, it is over. We did it. We beat these guys. But then, years later, when I began to think more about this I thought, At what cost?

What did I do all this for?

The civil rights movement was still raging when Miller returned home. He was hospitalized for about a year and a half, first in Vietnam, then in the Philippines, then in Japan and then in the United States. Surgeons removed his left kneecap. He still carries shrapnel in that leg and walks with a limp.

When you got home, you still did not have your rights, he said. So you said, What did I do all this for?

For a long time, Miller avoided wearing his uniform in public because anti-war protesters were blasting American veterans returning from Vietnam. He was honorably discharged from the military in 1969.

Miller was the first veteran Crawford photographed for his exhibit. Crawford heard Millers harrowing story during a breakfast for veterans at the Atlanta house of worship they both attend, Cascade United Methodist Church.

Crawford also learned that Miller filed a civil rights lawsuit in 1972 against the Atlanta automotive plant where he worked before the war, alleging the company wouldnt give him his old job back because of his combat injuries and that it discriminated against Black people in how it hired and promoted workers. Miller said the company settled out of court and that he changed careers, ultimately becoming a printmaker and an entrepreneur.

Though he is nearly 80, Miller still operates lawn care and property management businesses. Remaining busy, he said, helps him stay mentally healthy.

Miller occasionally experiences flashbacks about Hill 875 and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. At first, he hesitated about seeing a therapist for his PTSD symptoms because of the stigma surrounding the condition. He decided to seek help when he learned a late cousin experienced intense nightmares from serving in Vietnam.

He would wake up fighting. I didnt want to go through that, Miller said.

Miller recently visited Crawfords exhibit at the Marietta History Center, marveling at the pictures. For his own portrait, Miller wore a hat carrying the emblem of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. The Armys first all-Black paratrooper unit, the 555th was trained for combat but deployed to put out any fires ignited by bomb-laden balloons Japan launched at North America during World War II. Miller leads the Atlanta chapter of an association honoring the groundbreaking unit, nicknamed the Triple Nickels.

Glancing around at the familiar faces of fellow Black Vietnam War veterans in the exhibit, Miller was gratified by the patriotism he saw.

It shows that we care, he said. We care about our country. We have fought in all of the wars that America has ever had.

2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Visit at ajc.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Pakistan has strongly condemned the despicable act of public burning of the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Sweden on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, such wilful incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence cannot be justified under pretext of freedom of expression and protest.

The Spokesperson said under international law, States are duty bound to prohibit any advocacy of religious hatred, leading to incitement of violence. The recurrence of such Islamophobic incidents during the last few months in the West calls into serious question the legal framework which permits such hate-driven actions.

She reiterated that the right to freedom of expression and opinion does not provide a licence to stoke hatred and sabotage inter-faith harmony.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan's concerns about the incident are being conveyed to Sweden. She urged both the international community and the national governments to must undertake credible and concrete measures to prevent the rising incidents of xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.
AMMAN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's foreign ministry on Thursday summoned the Swedish ambassador in Amman in protest of the burning of a copy of the Muslim holy book Quran in Stockholm.

The ministry said in a statement that it was a racist act of dangerous hate and a manifestation of Islamophobia that incites violence and insults religions.

Such acts cannot be justified in the context of freedom of expression, as they represent a crime and a provocation to the feelings of more than 2 billion Muslims across the world, it added.

In Sweden's capital Stockholm on Wednesday, a person said to be an Iraqi national burned a copy of Quran outside the central mosque of Stockholm. The move was authorized by a Swedish court. 
The incident occurred after she allegedly posted about her night out.

THE trial of a man accused of punching social media influencer and podcaster Charleen Murphy in a Dublin lounge will go forward to the Circuit Court.

Craig O'Brien, 27, with an address at Thomond Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was arrested and charged with assault causing harm to Ms Murphy in the lounge at the Grafton Capital Hotel, on Stephen Street Lower, on the night of February 10 after she blocked him online.

Ms Murphy has 210,000 followers on Instagram and 156,000 on TikTok, co-hosts a popular podcast, and regularly creates content on beauty and fashion.

The incident occurred after she allegedly posted about her night out.

Mr O'Brien was refused bail at Dublin District Court the following day and objections by Garda Stephen McDonnell, who cited the seriousness of the incident and flight risk fears.

Mr O'Brien faced his latest hearing today, appearing at Cloverhill District Court before Judge Cephas Power.

Craig O'Brien

Court Garda Sergeant Shaun Keegan said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment, meaning the case will go before the higher court, which can impose harsher penalties.

The sergeant also said that a further charge is to be brought; a book of evidence must be completed before a trial order is granted.

The accused, who has not yet indicated a plea, was remanded in continuing custody to appear again at the same District Court in four weeks.

At his bail hearing on February 11, the arresting garda said Ms Murphy had been socialising with a friend in the hotel lounge when a male entered and "viciously attacked" and injured her.

The contested bail hearing was told the man was "someone known to her and her friend through personal online abuse on various social media accounts".

It was alleged that the accused entered the premises, paid for a drink at 9.30 pm with his Visa card, and attacked her a minute later.

The court heard he allegedly approached Ms Murphy, who was having dinner with her friend from behind, and "punched her full force to the back of the head".

The court heard her head rebounded off the glass she was drinking, resulting in a laceration of her face.

It was claimed she and her friend recognised him from "previous online abuse" and that afterwards, he sent her a voice message via social media saying, "How's the head?".

The court heard she went to St James's Hospital and left A&E at 5 am.

The social media star had a two-inch laceration to the right side of her face near her hairline and received stitches". But she came and gave evidence at the District Court the following morning.

The assault charge can carry a maximum sentence of five years.

The defence had said Mr O'Brien had presented himself at a garda station, which did not indicate someone who would evade justice. The court heard he had strong ties to the jurisdiction; he was looking after his mother and was receiving a 200 a week carer's allowance.
It is alleged that Ms ODoherty has wrongly and unlawfully used the image of plaintiff's son Diego Gilsenan in an article linking unexplained deaths to the Covid-19 vaccination.

Gemma ODoherty has launched an astonishing online attack on a judge who issued a High Court order restraining her from harassing the mother of a teenager who tragically died by suicide.

The orders were granted by Mr Justice Conor Dignam in favour of Edel Campbell, who claims she has been the subject of a campaign of harassment by Ms ODoherty.

Ms Campbell is also suing the journalist over the alleged unauthorised publication of her late sons image on media associated with Ms ODoherty.

It is alleged that Ms ODoherty has wrongly and unlawfully used the image of plaintiff's son Diego Gilsenan in an article linking unexplained deaths to the Covid-19 vaccination.

Mr Justice Dignam made orders including ones restraining Ms O'Doherty from harassing the plaintiff, or from publishing Ms Campbell or her late son's images or any personal confidential material about them.

Ms ODoherty is also restrained from encouraging or inciting others to intimidate the plaintiff.

However, the anti-vax conspiracy theorist has taken to her website to post a lengthy video in which she demonstrates how she will respond to any gagging order, by ripping up a card with the words Investigative journalism is harassment.

I need tonight to talk to you about the criminal courts and the judges who are engaging, in my opinion, in criminal behaviour, yet again, she begins. (In) attempting to gag anyone who is investigating the suspicious deaths of our young people, including Diego Gilsenan.

I just want to show you, I haven't received any gagging order, but when I do, this is what I will be doing to it, she adds, holding up the card.

She continues: So just watch carefully. We now have a situation in the courts of Ireland where a judge by the name of Conor Dignam, I've never come across him and I hope he's watching tonight, because Conor Dignam, justice, apparently, you don't know the meaning of the word justice.

And you are part now of a massive lie, you're part of a massive cover up, and you are engaged in fraudulent activity. This is what I will do when your gagging order comes in to me.

She then holds up the card and rips it in two.

How dare any judge attempt to silence an investigative journalist from investigating suspicious deaths of young people. We have seen a pandemic of sudden deaths of young people in this country.

So any judge that thinks they're going to stop me, they have another thing coming. Conor Dignam has just dug his own grave, judicially, and in the public eye.

She admits using a postage stamp-sized picture on the front of the Irish Light, which on its headline said, died suddenly.

I suspect if you were to go into the Internet and put in Diego Gilsenan you would find so many pictures. But this crazy gagging order, that this crazy judge has implemented today, has actually said that I'm not allowed to post any pictures of him.

I'm the one person who actually cares about Diego Gilsenan because I've investigated all of the many, many questions surrounding his death.

It is a dark day for this country, very dark, (as) I am the only investigative journalist left in this country, she adds. I'm not saying that as a badge of honour, it is just that all of the others are paid by the State.

You cannot be a journalist if you are paid by the State, end of story. They are all paid out of Government coffers so they're no longer journalists.

She then alleges that the mainstream media in Ireland is attacking the only investigative journalist left in the country.

Ms O'Doherty was not present in court during last Friday's hearing, nor were any representations made on her behalf.

In emails to the plaintiff's lawyers given to the court Ms Doherty denied the defendants allegations and rejected all claims that she has done anything wrong.

She said that she was not able to come to court as she is currently on holidays, and that she had only been given two days advance notice of the application.

In his ruling Mr Justice Dignam, acknowledged the contents of her emails.

The Judge said he was satisfied to proceed to hear and determine the application in her absence as no objections had been made before the court to the matter going ahead.

Last May Ms Campbell, represented by David Kennedy SC, with Paul Comiskey O'Keeffe Bl instructed by solicitor Ciaran Mulholland, launched a High Court action aimed at restraining Ms O'Doherty, trading as 'The Irish Light', from using or publishing the image of Ms Campbell's late son for any purpose without the plaintiff's consent.

The plaintiff claims that Ms O'Doherty is a journalist and the publisher of The Irish Light, a free periodical newspaper, and the publisher/editor of the www.irishlightpaper.com website.

Following Mr Gilsenan's death in August 2021 it is claimed that Ms O'Doherty used her son's image in an article which it is claimed wrongly stated that he died as a result of the administration of the Covid-19 vaccination.

Ms Campbell, from Kingscourt, Co Cavan, claims that despite making several pleas to Ms O'Doherty to cease using her son's image, the defendant has allegedly refused to do so, and has denied that the use of the image is unethical.

Ms Campbell claims that the unauthorised and repeated use of her son's image amounts to a harassment and breach of her constitutional rights, and has caused her emotional pain, suffering and harm.

Seeking the injunctions on Friday her counsel Mr Kennedy said that the defendant's conduct towards Ms Campbell in social posts became "exponentially worse" after the action was launched.

She also claims that as a result of an alleged direct call for action by Ms O'Doherty anonymous attack accounts have been set up on social media in an attempt to target Ms Campbell.

The action will return before the court at a later date.
Lisa Colgan (39) was caught on CCTV cameras and she was stopped by security staff

A mother-of-one who had been sleeping on a friends couch after she was made homeless absent-mindedly walked out of a shop with clothing in a basket, a court has heard.

Lisa Colgan (39) was caught on CCTV cameras and she was stopped by security staff.

She had been suffering from anxiety, her lawyer said.

Judge Gerard Jones ordered Colgan to donate 200 to the LauraLynn Foundation and struck out the charge, leaving her without a conviction.

The defendant, of Rathbeale Crescent in Swords, admitted theft from Marks & Spencer in Blanchardstown on April 17, 2023.

Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court gardai were called to the department store shortly after 1pm after security staff reported that they had stopped a shoplifter.

Sgt Callaghan said Colgan took clothing and groceries, valued at 403.

She was stopped and the property was recovered in a resalable condition. The court heard Colgan had never been in trouble before.

Defence solicitor Valerie Buckley said the defendant was a single mother with one child.

Ms Buckley said that at the time of this incident, Colgan was homeless and was sleeping on a friends couch.

The defendant was in a very difficult situation for herself and her young child at the time and was suffering with anxiety, Ms Buckley said.

She asked the judge to be lenient and leave Colgan without a conviction.
All three had previous convictions, the court heard

Three men became highly abusive and aggressive toward gardai, said f**k off you p***ks to them, tried to entice others to accost them and made a threat to cause damage to the garda station, a court has heard.

Jeffrey Bangu (20), Sami Mokhtari (20) and Bakuani Diasivi (23) were loitering and refused to leave an area when told to do so.

Judge Dermot Dempsey jailed the men, giving Bangu five months and sentencing Mokhtari and Diasivi to four months in prison.

Bangu, and Diasivi, both of Cardy Rock Crescent in Balbriggan, and Mokhtari, of Hamlet Lane in Balbriggan, admitted threatening and abusive behaviour and failing to follow garda directions on August 28, 2021.

Garda Eoin OReilly told Swords District Court he went to Castle Mill Shopping Centre in Balbriggan following an assistance call from his colleagues.

Gda OReilly said there were a number of males in the area, who were highly irate, and very aggressive toward gardai and members of the public.

Gda OReilly said he told Bangu to desist and leave the area, but he remained highly abusive. He resisted arrest, swinging his arms to stop gardai placing handcuffs on him.

In relation to Mokhtari, Gda OReilly said he and his colleague were arresting Bangu when Mokhtari tried to interfere, telling gardai f**k off you p***ks. He was told to leave the area, but failed to do so.

Diasivi was jeering at gardai and loitering and was directed to leave the area, Garda Daniel Lynch said. He became irate and tried to entice the gang to accost gardai.

Diasivi also turned up at the garda station, demanding the release of a prisoner, and threatening to cause damage to the station.

All three had previous convictions, the court heard.

Bangus defence lawyer, Gerard Kennedy, said his client was living at home with his mother, and he asked the judge to be lenient.

Mokhtari accepted responsibility for his behaviour and regretted the incident, his lawyer Annette Kealy said.

Ms Kealy said that Mokhtari was now working and hoping to get his safe pass.

Ms Kealy, also representing Diasivi, said he worked as an apprentice panel beater. He was ashamed of his actions, and wished to apologise to gardai.

Jailing the men, Judge Dempsey said they had been treated with kid gloves for long enough and it had not had any effect.
Jordan Brown told her to beg for her life while he held a knife to her throat

A man who threatened his ex-partner with a knife and a make shift flamethrower as he ordered her to beg for your life was handed jail sentences totalling 12 months today.

Ballymena Magistrates Court that Jordan Brown was on bail for setting fire to a car and jailing the 25-year-old, District Judge Nigel Broderick said the offences warranted consecutive sentences.

Imposing eight months for the domestic assault and four months for the arson, the judge told Brown he was lucky not to be in the Crown Court.

At an earlier hearing Brown, from Woodburn Walk in Carrick, entered guilty pleas to two counts of assault and one of making a threat to kill arising from events on 2 December last year and to an offence of arson relating to a fire attack on a car on 26 February last year.

A prosecuting lay outlined how the victim of the arson attack saw a silver Peugeot 206 driving past her house in the early hours of the morning and a few minutes later, a figure appeared from around the corner.

The male smashed a window, poured accelerant through the window and then set it on fire, running away as flames engulfed the car.

While police and fire crews were at the scene, a silver 206 drove past and when officers stopped and spoke to the driver, who turned out to be the defendant, they noted a strong smell of petrol.

When Browns mobile phone was examined, officers uncovered text messages from a person TN saying I need to know its smoked.

The lawyer said Brown was arrested, charged and bailed for that offence in November but was then involved in the domestic violent incident on 2 December.

She told the court how the victim contacted police in the early hours to report she had been attacked by her ex-partner.

The victim outlined to cops how Brown arrived at her home demanding entry and fearing he would damage the door, she let him in.

Once inside an aggressive and threatening Brown told her Im going to burn your f****** house down with you in it before arming himself with a knife which he held to her throat and told her to beg for her life.

Tell me you love me or Im going to slit your throat, Brown ordered but he threw the knife away when his three-year-old son came out of his bedroom.

While the complainant was in another room, Brown set fire to the mattress and struck the complainant with an elbow to the face, but she managed to put the fire out with a glass of water

The defendant is then lifted an aerosol can and lit the spray, aiming the flames at her face, said the lawyer adding that in addition to any sentence, the PPS would also request a restraining order.

Defence counsel Mark Farrell conceded at the outset that the cases clearly deserve custodial sentences, theres no argument about that but added that as well as credit for pleading guilty and saving the victims from having to give evidence.

DJ Broderick asked whether the victim of the arson was also a previous partner but the lawyer revealed that fire had been set at the request of another person.

Jailing Brown, the judge said the fact there was no personal animosity in the arson that of itself is quite sinister.

In addition to the jail sentences, DJ Broderick also imposed a two year restraining order.
Stepfather begins his 22-year sentence for killing schoolgirl who had 70 injuries on her body

Handout photo of injuries to the head of five-year-old Nadia Zofia Kalinowska

Handout photo of injuries to the back and upper limbs of five-year-old Nadia Zofia Kalinowska

This is the grave of Nadia Zofia Kalinowska  the little girl tortured and murdered by her stepfather in her Belfast home.

Nadia is buried in the small village of Bogdaniec in western Poland, close to the home of her beloved grandmother Alfreda Wrzesinska.

In 2016, when Ms Wrzesinskas daughter, Aleksandra Wahab, Nadias mum, told her that she and Nadia were moving to Ireland to begin a new life with a man she had met on the internet, Ms Wrzesinska asked her daughter to leave Nadia in Poland until she settled in Ireland.

However, Aleksandra refused to leave her daughter behind  a decision which was to lead to the childs horrific death.

Nadia Zofia Kalinowska with her mother Aleksandra

On Wednesday, Abdul Wahab (35), the man Nadias mother met and later married in Ireland, was jailed for a minimum of 22 years for killing the five-year-old in December 2019.

Aleksandra Wahab (29) was handed an 11-year sentence for a lesser charge of causing or allowing her death.

A court was told Nadia had suffered up to 70 separate injuries on her body during regular attacks at the familys home at Fernagh Drive in Newtownabbey.

These included eight broken ribs, a fractured collarbone and a fractured pelvis.

Some of the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.

Her little body could eventually take no more and Nadia died on December 19, 2019, after yet another beating.

The cause of her death was recorded as a skull fracture that lead to bleeding on the brain, as well as abdominal bleeding from injuries to her liver and bowel.

A judge last week described Nadias killing at the hands of those who should have been protecting her as brutal, merciless and outrageous.

Handout photo of injuries to the head of five-year-old Nadia Zofia Kalinowska

Her grave in Bogdaniec is surrounded by flowers and colourful windmills. A single teddy bear sits under the inscription Sleeping with Angels on her headstone.

A victim impact statement by Nadias grandmother was read out at last weeks court hearing.

I have never imagined that something like this could happen, and that the life of my granddaughter would be taken by her mother and my daughter and her current husband, said Ms Wrzesinska.

She added that she loved her granddaughter very much and relives this trauma every day.

Handout photo of injuries to the back and upper limbs of five-year-old Nadia Zofia Kalinowska

A statement released by the PSNI after last weeks sentencing on behalf of Nadias family in Poland said her young and innocent life had been cruelly taken away.

Our little one was loved and treasured by her family here in Poland.

We have supported the police investigation over the last traumatic three and a half years, and are truly grateful to everyone for their support.

Were still, however, trying to come to terms with what happened to Nadia. And Im not sure that we ever will. To be honest, our worlds have been shattered.

Nadia will always remain in the heart of her loving grandmother and her closest family in Poland.

Nadias nightmare began when her mother started an online relationship with Abdul Wahab, who was originally from Pakistan. Nadias father, who is Polish, played no part in her life and offered no support before or after her birth in September 2014.

The Wahabs agreed to meet for the first time at Shannon Airport in Ireland in January 2016.

Despite the appeals from her family, Aleksandra insisted on bringing her daughter Nadia to Ireland with her.

The couple are believed to have married in a religious ceremony in the Republic in 2016 and later in a civil ceremony in Northern Ireland in 2018.

They had moved to Northern Ireland in 2017, the same year the couple had their first child together.

When she was arrested in December 2019, Aleksandra Wahab, who converted to Islam from Catholicism after meeting her husband, was pregnant with their second child.

Nadia pictured with Abdul Wahab

The court was told last week that both children are now in the care system pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

Sentencing Abdul Wahab last week at Laganside courthouse in Belfast, Mr Justice OHara highlighted the difference between how he treated Nadia and his son.

What Mr Wahab did to his stepdaughter was brutal, merciless and outrageous. The contrast with his untouched son who was then only two years old is dramatic and shocking, he said.

The court was told the boy was regularly taken to the doctor, while Nadia had never had a doctors visit. Tests also showed the boys teeth were fine, while Nadias were in a state of decline. In June 2018, a health visitor referred Nadia for treatment for black and decaying teeth. However, Nadia failed to attend appointments.

An earlier court was told police investigating the circumstances surrounding her death found no toys, dolls or teddy bears at the family home.

A pink bicycle was located at the property, although investigations revealed it was a present from a family member in Poland rather than Nadias parents.

School records revealed a 64 per cent attendance rate for Nadia, who was a primary one pupil at St Jamess Primary School in Newtownabbey, in the months prior to her death.

At the time of their initial arrests, the Wahabs both claimed Nadias death was accidental. However, in January this year, Abdul Wahab pleaded guilty to the murder of Nadia as well as two charges of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Aleksandra Wahab had also changed her pleas to guilty in relation to the lesser charges.

As he imposed the 22-year tariff on Abdul Wahab, Mr Justice OHara spoke of the brutality inflicted on the child which resulted in a horrific collection of injuries.

Jailing Aleksandra Wahab for causing or allowing the death of her daughter, the judge said she must have been aware of the violent beatings her husband was inflicting on her daughter  but completely failed to protect her.

He said: I dont accept for a second that she did not know that Nadia was being repeatedly beaten and attacked by her husband.

After the sentencing, a senior PSNI detective involved in the murder investigation said Nadia was a young and innocent child who had suffered dreadfully.

Nadia Zofia Kalinowska

Detective Inspector Gina Quinn, from the Major Investigation Team, said: Nadia died from head and abdominal injuries. However, she also sustained multiple fractures to her skull, ribs, pelvis and collarbone, and serious injuries to her brain and liver.

At the time of her death, she had over 70 surface injuries on her body which had been inflicted on various occasions over a six-month period.

Nadia, who was a young and innocent child, had been subjected to a campaign of violence by her stepfather, while her mother ignored the very obvious attacks being carried out.

They failed to ever seek medical treatment for any of her injuries. This was the ultimate betrayal of trust by the two people who should have protected, loved and cared for Nadia.

This has been a lengthy investigation and from the start we have worked closely with specialist prosecutors in the Public Prosecution Service to get justice for Nadia.

I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of colleagues in the Ambulance Service and the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, who fought so hard to save Nadias life.

My thoughts today are with Nadias grandmother and extended family in Poland, who have suffered unimaginable heartache and pain.

In January 2020, Abdul and Aleksandra Wahab were released from custody to attend a funeral service for Nadia.

After her remains were returned to Poland, Nadia was buried near her grandmothers home.

If you have concerns about the well-being of a child, you can contact the NSPCC helpline by calling 08088 005000 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. This service can be anonymous. If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 straight away.
MACAO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Time-honored brands from east China's Zhejiang Province have displayed their quality products in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), aiming to seek opportunities in the SAR and Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs).

Over 130 enterprises with time-honored brands showcased more than 30,000 commodities in a three-day fair that concluded on Thursday, alongside some 20 local Macao businesses.

Chen Kehua, inheritor of intangible cultural heritage for making Zongzi, a kind of rice dumpling traditionally made for the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival, said that they have felt the enthusiasm of Macao consumers at the fair.

"We are planning to build a factory in Macao so that more local residents can taste our Jiaxing Zongzi with a history of 115 years," said Chen, who is chairman of Yuzhuangyuan, a Zongzi manufacturer in Jiaxing City of Zhejiang.

Zhang Xiaoquan, a household brand name based in Zhejiang's provincial capital Hangzhou with a history of over four centuries, displayed their signature kitchen knives and scissors.

The company said that it hopes to open stores in Macao in the future and help bring its products to PSCs markets.

The fair was organized by Zhejiang provincial authorities to promote economic and cultural exchange and cooperation between Zhejiang and Macao. 
The man has been accused of drugging the woman, taking her to a beach and sexually assaulting her, according to local reports.

Greek police have arrest a man in Rhodes after an Irish woman was reportedly raped after her drink was spiked.

The 23-year-old has been accused of drugging the woman who has been described as being in her 20s, by putting a pill in her drink, before taking her to a beach and sexually assaulting her.

The Greek national is also accused of theft, according to reports.

It has been reported locally that the woman had gone with a group of friends to a bar in the party town of Faliraki, where she did not drink much alcohol.

She described that at around 1:45am on Tuesday morning, she felt intense dizziness and weakness.

Falkraki beach area at night

For five hours she had memory loss, but she remembered leaving with an unknown man, who had probably spiked her drink, the Greek City Times reports.

The publication reports that the woman testified to a psychologist that in the morning she woke up on the beach without her underwear, while her bag and mobile phone were missing.

It further reports the young Irish woman underwent a forensic examination which confirmed that she had been sexually abused and a case was filed against an unknown person for rape and theft.

Police used footage from store cameras in Faliraki Square and identified the man with who had left the bar with the young Irish tourist.

The 23-year-old accused was arrested on Wednesday morning and was taken to the District Attorney of Rhodes, who ordered him to remain in custody until he testified to the investigator.
Moradian was known for his love of the brand Versace and was said to have once spent more than $1 million on furniture and homewares

Police in Australia fear the brazen daylight execution of the gangland figure known as Sydneys Tony Soprano, Alen Moradian, will lead to a bloody reprisal.

The assassination of Moradian, who was shot dead as he sat in his car at a Bondi Junction car park, has sparked fears of a violent backlash as police hunt the two gunmen who ambushed him.

Meanwhile, a gun recovered from a torched getaway car is believed to be key to solving the brutal murder.

NSW Police who were called to the basement car park of Moradians Spring Street unit block just after 8am on Tuesday, found the one-time cocaine kingpin dying in his car.

Police believe the two assassins tried and failed to burn a grey Porsche Macan that was found down a quiet street just a few minutes away as they fled.

A second car linked to the murder, a Holden Commodore, was engulfed in flames in Zetland.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said the daylight execution of Moradian, who has yet to be formally identified, carries all the hallmarks of an organised crime murder.

Hes a high-level criminal identity ... hes a major player in the organised crime network and also has links to the Comanchero OMCG [outlaw motorcycle gang], high level, he said, according to the Sydney Moring Herald.

He obviously had a big target on his back  This is a well-planned, executed murder with a high-level criminal identity.

Known as Fathead, Moradian was sentenced to 16 years and nine months in jail for importing and supplying cocaine.

He reportedly became eligible for release in 2017 having been locked up for ten years for helping lead the infamous Golden Gun cocaine syndicate.

Moradian was one of the seven main players involved in the syndicate, one of the biggest drug groups broken by the NSW Police Force.

Members were sentenced to between five and 30 years in prison. He remained on Commonwealth parole at the time of his death.

Moradian who known for his love of the brand Versace was said to have once spent more than $1 million in cash on furniture and homewares, the Herald reports.

Moradian had also used the proceeds of the drug-smuggling operation to transform what was called the Moradian McMansion in West Pennant Hills into a palazzo.

He and his wife converted the lounge room into a version of the Sistine Chapel, including a $40,000 ceiling mural showing sky and angels.

But during his trial it emerged his wife, Natasha Moradian, had warned her husband against showing off.

Why do you just sit there and show off... do you see Tony Soprano doing that? He points it all off on a junior for a reason - to take the heat away from him, an email Ms Moradian wrote to her husband read.

You, on the other hand, want the attention, you get a big head, you love it. People like that won't survive, the email read.

He was killed on his estranged wife Natasha's 51st birthday.

Speaking to Sky News Australia, The Daily Telegraph's Crime Editor Mark Morri discussed what could have prompted Moradian's shooting.

Last August, he was actually warned by police there was a contract out on his life," he told Sky News Australia host Peter Stefanovic.

Now, with these players, it can be anything from internal... as I said hes a major player... he was also part of whats called the Commission which is a cartel which basically the Comancheros were trying to put attacks on anyone that imported any cocaine or any drugs into Sydney or Australia.

That would have upset a lot of people including rival bike gangs, even overseas cartels.

"So, the list of people who may have wanted to send a message to the Commission by killing somebody in one of that hierarchy, it could be that.

It could be a personal matter, you just dont know with this."

Mr Morri noted Moradian also spent a significant time in jail where the 48-year-old "could have made enemies".
Part of the new law allows for EU member states to hack into journalists phones

A new EU law agreed by the European Council this week allows for the surveillance of journalists by spyware.

Tracking software enables users to obtain covert information from computer activities by transmitting data secretly from hard drives and is popular amongst spooks.

The move was "a blow to media freedom, such legislation would put journalists and their sources even more at risk," said the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Part of the new law allows for EU member states to hack into journalists phones if they suspect sources are talking to criminals involved in anything perceived as a threat by governments.

The EUs ambassadors passed the councils position on the European Media Freedom Act on Wednesday. Ironically, the act was supposed to safeguard media freedom and independence in the EU.

EU flags

"The Council is taking dangerous steps towards legalising unacceptable forms of surveillance against journalists and their sources. If confirmed, these changes would kill all the potential to stop spyware scandals in the EU," stated Chloe Berthelemy of EU Digital Rights.

Journalist organisations have strongly condemned the new law, with the European Federation of Journalists "strongly rejecting" the position of the EU.

The EFJ represents 320,000 journalists from across 45 countries. The group was disturbed by the dangerous loopholes in the law.

It shows a disregard for media freedom principles, the EFJ said.

Further criticism came from Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, who said the addition of a national security exemption was a danger to journalism and would poison this law from within.

Spyware

A spokesperson for the EU told reporters he would not comment on every step of the legislative process, when asked about the concerns over spyware being used by governments.

EFJ director, Renate Schroeder, highlighted how some countries could abuse the legislation.

"The text doesn't protect journalists anymore and thereby makes the Act almost useless for journalists' protection at least," Schroeder said.

"It still proposes useful tools when it comes to independence of public service media, transparency on state advertisement, some minimum rules on media ownership and on editorial independence.

"But yes, some member-states are afraid of journalism and thereby give hands to illiberal countries such as Hungary who oppose the Act. We hope the European Parliament will be firm, but we are not too optimistic," Schroeder concluded.

EU ambassadors will now take the draft legislation to the European Parliament to assemble a final draft.
Duncan Lougee is the skipper of The Minke that left Plymouth on Sunday, June 18

The family of missing yachtsman Duncan Lougee have issued a frantic appeal for help in finding him as search operations continue for his Cork-bound boat that vanished without trace more than a week ago.

Duncan is the skipper of The Minke that left Plymouth on Sunday, June 18. He was expected to arrive in Baltimore, Cork, last Thursday.

Coastguards have reported no contact with the boat since departure. More than a week since the estimated arrival time, there has still been no communication with the vessel.

Duncan is a volunteer blood biker

Duncan is the only person on board the 26ft fibreglass folk boat that was last sighted near the Helford River in the south of England at 2 pm on Monday, June 19.

A volunteer blood biker who hails from the East of England, Duncan had been taking part in the 'Jester Challenge' that sees skippers set sail from Plymouth Breakwater or Pwllheli Sailing Club with the finish at Baltimore Haven.

The finish line is between Barrack Point light and Loo Rock buoy, a distance of about 250 nautical miles from the setting off points.

All other vessels that were taking part in the challenge have been accounted for.

Having covered miles of sailing including single-handedly crossing the Atlantic, and three trips from Plymouth to the Azores and back, he is an experienced sailor, who has made the trip to Baltimore before.

His desperate family have shared appeals for information as UK police, RNLI stations in multiple jurisdictions, and multiple coast guard units are working with each other to try and account for the yacht.

A Facebook post reads: On behalf of the family, please look out for Duncan Lougee who has been missing at sea off the south coast since 18th June. Any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is desperately needed.

As you can imagine, his family are frantic.

Described as a "fit, healthy individual, Duncan is a 6ft1in, white male in his late 60's with glasses. His family say he is probably wearing Musto oilskins with waterproof DuBarry boots.

His boat is called Minke and is 26ft Varne folk boat with a white hull, blue bag covering valise life raft, and glass dome.

A statement from the UK Coastguard team in Boscastle said: HM Coastguard has issued regular broadcasts and liaised with the Irish Coastguard, UK police and the RNLI. If you have any information, please call the Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre on 01326 317575.
Jacobs attempt to retrieve a bucket which had drifted out into water sparked off a tragic chain of events

Divers at the scene of the tragic accident at Lough Kiel in Donegal. (North West Newspix)

Jonathon Christian was aged 53 and his son Jacob was 17 when they both perished at Lough Keel

A teenager's attempt to retrieve a bucket which had drifted out into water during a fishing trip with his father sparked off a tragic chain of events which saw them both drown in a Co Donegal lough.

Jonathon Christian was aged 53 and his son Jacob Christian was 17 when they both perished at Lough Keel near Kilmacrennan on June 18, 2020.

The pair had been enjoying a day out along with another son, Benjamin, 15, when both got into difficulty and lost their lives in the water.

The father and two sons had travelled to Ireland from the Isle of Man where they lived as they also owned a property in nearby Ballyheerin in Kilmacrennan.

Details leading up to the tragedy had been given at a previous inquest.

However, the inquest was adjourned after Jonathon's wife Eileen expressed concerns over aspects of his mental health and capacity to look after his sons.

The initial inquest at Letterkenny Courthouse heard a deposition from Benjamin Christen.

He told how their bait box had fallen into the water and Jacob tried to swim after it but a ripple pushed the bucket out further.

Jonathon had initially called to his son to come back.

Benjamin added "Jacob tried, but he couldn't swim back in."

After initially trying to throw a life ring to Jacob, Benjamin and Jonathon both jumped into the water to try and bring Jacob to safety.

"I started to go down and dad helped me back onto the rocks. I looked back out and both were gone," added Benjamin.

Declan Foley, who looks after the pump house at Lough Keel, told the inquest how he saw Benjamin sitting on the rocks with his head down, wearing no top, shoes or socks.

Mr Foley said the boy was crying and asked him for help. He told Mr Foley: "I couldn't save them. I couldn't save them. They went under."

Detective Garda John Madigan, a scenes of crime investigator, said the water just beyond the rocks was around six-feet deep. Beyond this point, the depth would be much greater, the inquest heard.

Roisin McBride, the officer in charge at Mulroy Coast Guard, said she received a call at 2.56pm from the Marine Rescue sub centre at Malin Head requesting assistance after two people were reported to have entered the water.

Ms McBride arrived at 3.16pm and a boat was launched at 3.26pm. Four teams of two combed the shoreline to assist in the search, while the 118 rescue helicopter arrived soon after.

At 3.59pm, the body of Jonathon Christian was brought ashore, while the body of Jacob Christian was located at 6.38pm.

Pathologist Dr Gerry O'Dowd performed post mortems at Letterkenny University Hospital and concluded that death was due to drowning.

Toxicology tests showed both father and son tested negative for the presence of alcohol and drugs.

Divers at the scene of the tragic accident at Lough Kiel in Donegal. (North West Newspix)

Reopening the inquest, Coroner for Donegal, Dr. Denis McCauley told how Mr Christen had been filming the trip on his phone and unknowingly captured some of the final moments before he placed the phone on rocks.

The phone showed some harrowing footage but also provided the inquest with vital evidence of what had actually happened.

He said it ultimately showed what had transpired at the lough and that both father and son died as a result of an accident.

Addressing Mrs Christen's concerns over her husband's mental health, Dr McCauley went through a number of issues.

The inquest was told that Mr Christian's family was concerned over his mental state and he was admitted involuntary under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act on May 8, 2020. He was under inpatient care until June 2, 2020.

After being released from this care he was prescribed olanzapine, but none of the medication showed up in toxicology tests which were carried out on his body.

Mrs Christen was concerned that there may have been restrictions imposed regarding travel and interacting with his children.

However, the inquest heard that no formal restrictions were in place after his release from the hospital.

Garda Ciaran Langan also told the inquest that he carried out a welfare check on June 10, 2020 when he called to the family's Donegal property.

Gardai spoke to all individuals at the house over a period of around 15 minutes and found no issues. He recalled the tragic day of June 18, 2020 when Gardai received a report of a father and son entering the water at Lough Keel.

Garda Langan told how Benjamin Christian informed him that his father and brother entered the water and went under the surface.

Footage on the mobile phone of Jonathon Christian showed the white basin being washed out and captures Jacob Christian entering the water. The footage stops when Jonathon Christian places the phone down.

Dr McCauley said the video footage was unpleasant to watch but helpful. The hand movements reaching for the bucket forced it to go out further.

The inquest heard that a discussion had taken place between the parties about whether or not to go after the bucket. Sergeant Fergus McGrory said that leave it, leave it could be heard on the video footage.

Dr McCauley said the water was very still, but also very cold on the day in question.

Dr McCauley said that the medical history of Jonathon Christian was sought and a report was obtained from Dr Marina Hudson, a consultant at a psychiatric hospital on the Isle of Man.

Leading up to May 2020, Jonathon Christian appeared to have a history of relapsing psychosis and he responded well when he was on medication, but he tended to stop taking his medication and would become agitated and disturbed.

Ms Eileen Christian was concerned over her husbands state and he was admitted involuntary under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act on May 8, 2020. He was under inpatient care until June 2, 2020.

During that time, he had two periods of release under supervision which was said to have went well. The Crisis and Home Management team followed up and were happy with his progress. Mr Christian informed them of his intention to leave the Isle of Man and they werent concerned.

While Mr Christian assured a consultant, who followed up with a call after he came to Ireland, that he was taking his medication, Dr McCauley said it appeared that that was not the case.

Dr McCauley said the statutory agencies engaged appropriately before he left the Isle of Man

Ms Eileen Christian told Gardai how she visited the morgue at Letterkenny University Hospital to identify the bodies of her husband and son where she was met by porter Sean McDaid.

I just wanted Jacob to open his eyes, Ms Christian said. Ms Christian told the inquest how Jacob was a strong swimmer, but her husband was not a swimmer.

Dr McCauley said the mental state of Jonathon Christian on June 18, 2020 is unknown.

He said this was only of importance if a decision made on the day was out of character or something that a normal person wouldnt do.

The decision to go fishing on the lake with his two sons was normal. A father and two sons went to go fishing and a small incident escalated into a terrible tragedy. The presence of the video is incredibly sad and upsetting, but it does give a view of what happened.

The medical finding in the case of Jonathon Christian and Jacob Christian was drowning.

Dr McCauley said the absence of a video would give rise to a concern about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Regardless of his mental state, this was an accident, he said.

Dr McCauley said he was comfortable in bringing in a finding of accidental death in both cases.
Jamie filmed his latest scenes in the company of renowned Irish actress Olwen Fouere.

JAMIE Dornan had a brush with the law in Co Wicklow this week but dont worry as it was just while filming the new series of The Tourist.

Hollywood hunk Jamie took a keen interest in a Garda motorcycle yesterday parked outside a staged Garda station in Bray.

A Garda car was also positioned outside what is normally the library in the seaside town, and is currently being used a local police station for the new series.

But the 41-year-old paid extra attention to the motorbike, a his face lit up on seeing it.

Jamie filmed his latest scenes in the company of renowned Irish actress Olwen Fouere.

Earlier this month Jamie was pictured elsewhere in Bray with Aussie actor Greg Larsen (Ethan), as he made a number of hand gestures.

Earlier in the week Jamie filmed other scenes at nearby Djouce woods in Co Wicklow, where makeup was used to make him look bloodied.

The first season of series, which was screened in the UK and Ireland on BBC1, focused on Dornan's character Elliot after he gets stuck in the outback after a car tries to run him off the road.

Jamie Dornan

He then wakes up in hospital and realises he has no memory.

Outback cop Helen Chambers (Danielle Macdonald) becomes involved in his case and viewers soon realise Elliot has a murky past. While Helen initially tries to track him down the pair eventually fall for each other.

The growing romance followed Helens marriage deteriorating due to her abusive husband.

The new season follows the action to Dublin and its environs a year after Elliott left the outback, as he comes face to face with his past.

Helen travels to Ireland with Dornan's troubled character, only to be dragged into the mystery of his past life.

Danielle was pictured on set in Co Wicklow in March.

Kin stars Francis Magee (Bren Kinsella) and Mark McKenna (Anthony Kinsella) also stat in the new series, while Conor MacNeill, and Vikings actor, Diarmaid Murtagh, have also been cast in the second series.

Last June The Tourist, which was filmed in south Australia, won three awards at the Monte Carlo TV Festival.

It won Best Series and Best Creation at the prestigious international event in Monaco, and also took home the Public Prize.

It became the BBC's most watched TV drama of last year, winning a massive 11.4million viewers.

Earlier this year we reported how Francis Magee shot scenes in several parts of Dublin. His character was shot dead in the closing scenes of season two of Kin by his brother Frank.

The previous week Bren was involved in worrying scenes in which he seemed to be grooming his granddaughter for his own sexual pleasure.

Although born in Dublin, Magee was raised in the Isle of Man. He speaks with an English accent has starred in the likes of Game of Thrones and EastEnders.

Australian actress Danielle MacDonald is one of the principle actors in the series and she was seen shooting scenes for the new series in Bray, Co. Wicklow with Olwen Fouere.

Danielle (31) was born and raised in Sydney, but now lives in Los Angeles with a bunch of flatmates and pets.

She previously starred in American Horror Story: Roanoke as well as Patti Cake$.

Jaime turned 41 last month and has three kids with his wife Amelia Warner, who was previously married for a short time to Dubliner Colin Farrell.

Former model Jamie, who hails from Holywood, Co. Down, is perhaps best known for shedding his clothes as Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades franchise, and also for playing a serial killer in The Fall TV series.

He recently earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing Pa in Kenneth Branaghs biopic Belfast.
Sinn Fein TD John Brady asked if the uncovering of these payments could have well influenced Mr Tubridys decision to step down from the Late Late Show.

The interim director general of RTE Adrian Lynch has admitted it is possible a looming controversy around 75,000 payments influenced Mr Tubridys decision to step down from the Late Late Show.

Sinn Fein TD John Brady asked if the uncovering of these payments could have well influenced Mr Tubridys decision to step down from the Late Late Show.

Mr Lynch said this is possible.

Mr Brady referenced how Mr Lynch said yesterday that Mr Turbidy could have not known what was going on in the background when he made his announcement to step down.

I was trying to work out the day the Director of Content had told me that Ryan Tubridy had come into his office to tell him that he was stepping down," Mr Lynch said.

RTE CFO reluctant to answer when asked about his salary

Mr Lynch said he had sent with a list of potential presenters to the director of content on March 13.

So in my mind, I didnt realise the Chief Financial Officer had contact from the auditors, he said.

Ryan Tubridy could well have been informed by somebody that this process or these concerns had been raised? asked Mr Brady.

Based on the information from yesterday, its possible, said Mr Lynch.

So it would be reasonable to say that this process, the uncovering of these payments, could well have influenced Ryan Tubridys decision to step down from his role as presenter of the Late Late Show, asked Mr Brady.

Its possible if you look at the information, said Mr Lynch.

Former Director General Dee Forbes, Noel Kelly, Ryan Tubridy

Last week Mr Tubridy denied that his decision to step down from the Late Late Show had anything to do with the scandal.

Meanwhile, incoming director general of RTE Kevin Bakhurst will reconstitute the Executive Board of RTE, Mr Lynch has said.

In a statement to the Public Accounts Committee, Mr Lynch said said the Executive Board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective and failed to ensure good governance in relation to the Ryan Tubridy payments.

Adrian Lynch, interim DG

Mr Lynch said the Board has deep regret regarding what has emerged in recent days. For this serious breach of trust with the public, we apologise.

I have spoken to Kevin Bakhurst last night. I understand that his first task will be a reconstitution of the Executive Board of RTE, Mr Lynch said in his opening statement, a written copy of which was submitted shortly before the meeting was due to kick off.

It is a fact that the application of governance procedures at executive board level allowed for the partial and incomplete sharing of information, so that individual members of the executive either did not have access to information, or had information withheld from them, Mr Lynch said.

It is true that the Executive Board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective, and failed to ensure good governance in this matter.

"Collectively, owing to the siloed style of procedures at Executive, and an overreliance on the prerogative asserted by the Director-General, we did not receive a comprehensive evaluation of Ryan Tubridy's contract in full, including the way in which the payments were treated. We acknowledge and accept this failure by those members of the Executive who were aware of the contract.

The Executive Board failed in its responsibility to act as a collective" RTE Interim Deputy Director General Adrian Lynch says

Mr Lynch added that he had no knowledge that RTE had directly paid Ryan Tubridy.

He said from what I can see a commercial decision was made on May 7 2020.

He said the DG gave an undertaking to NK management that RTE will pay the bill if the commercial deal didnt work out.

RTE representatives arrive for PAC committee meeting

Siun Ni Raghallaigh, chairperson

Chairperson Siun Ni Raghallaigh described the secret payments as an act designed to deceive.

"As a trained accountant and a former financial controller, I am appalled as to how payments were recorded and presented in the RTE accounts, she said.

"What was the motivation here? It appears to me that this was an act designed to deceive.

Ms NI Raghallaigh said she intends to publish RTEs top 100 earners as soon as is practically possible.

She said the Director of Content would have had some of the information regarding Mr Tubridys payments, even though they are not at the committee.

Mr Lynch said he, as well as the Director of Content, the chief financial officer, somebody from the RTE Legal department and the DG "the people who would be aware" of Mr Tubridy's contract.

He said there was a "further" agreement to "underwrite" the commercial agreement.

It appears to me that this was an act designed to deceive" RTE Board chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh says

Richard Collins, chief financial officer

Chief financial officer Richard Collins said there is not fraud involved here after referencing legal advice they had received.

My own opinion is, maybe the taxpayer was defrauded, he said.

SF TD Imelda Munster asks CFO Richard Collins when exactly he found out about the 75,000 invoices after he said yesterday the issues were raised with him early March.

On March 7 Deloitte approached Mr Collins, he said.

They raised the issue of the invoices there and asked me what they were for.

He asked the DG.

Mr Collins said that Ms Forbes told him they were consultancy invoices relating to services provided during Covid by Noel Kelly Management.

The services were in relation to how RTE structured its operations [during the pandemic], he said.

[Noel Kelly] was giving advice to how we dealt with sponsors, he said.

I got a high level response from the DG. Deloitte werent happy with the response.

I didnt give the nod, I never gave the nod, he said.

He said he was told it was for advice Noel Kelly had provided on how RTE structured itself and presented itself during Covid.

"[Ms Forbes] gave what appeared to be a plausible explanation," he said.

Ms Munster said this was "ridiculous".

Chair Brian Stanley asks Mr Collins if he was told the payments related to agents.

If I said agents, I would correct that, says CFO Richard Collins.

Siun Ni Raghallaigh says RTE is examining no longer dealing with agents going forward

He said he was told they related to consultancy services that Noel Kelly had provided during Covid.

Your explanation here is ridiculous, said Deputy Stanley.

Mr Collins was also asked by FG TD Colm Burke if consultants are obliged to charge VAT for invoices.

He said there is no VAT charged for invoices for UK companies, as was the case here.

He said labelling the invoices as consultancy fees is a sparse description.

He said in hindsight he should have asked questions.

The barter account sat outside the normal system, Mr Collins.

Mr Collins said Deloitte didnt raise any other issues bar the consultancy invoices, which we now know relate to the infamous 75,000 payments to Ryan Tubridy.

He said the barter company had a fee of 35pc to deal with the invoices.

In hindsight, yes, I should have gone a step further in 2020 and should have shut [the barter account] down or brought it further under Finance control, said Mr Collins.

"I'm not here to justify the barter account. I wasn't happy with the barter account when I saw it first."

In an extraordinary series of events, the CFO revealed he is paid base salary of 200,000 plus car allowance 25,000.

This came after pressure from enraged TDs and the Chair Brian Stanley after John Brady asked him his salary.

Mr Collins initially declined to say how much he is being paid, saying it is a private matter.

Chair Brian Stanley intervened, saying that Chair of the Board said top salaries will be published.

I dont know what my exact salary is off the top of my head, Mr Collins said.

This was met with fury from TDs.

I believe my salary is around 200,000 plus a car allowance of 25,000 but its in and around that, Mr Collins said finally.

Meanwhile Geraldine OLeary said neither she nor Renault were aware that RTE had underwritten the contract when questioned by Green TD Marc O Cathasaigh.

Anne OLeary said Grant Thorton had an awful lot of work to do and it took them three months to carry out the first report.

I thought the internal audit procedure had really improved things, she says when asked about the changes she has seen in her time in RTE.

She said the 75,000 payments were completely a shock to her.

Dee Forbes resignation

The recommendation for Ms Forbes to resign came from the audit and risk committees report.

I thought what had occurred was significantly serious enough to ask for a resignation, said Anne OLeary.

Subsequently to that, she decided not to reply to our letter.

Ms Forbes was then suspended, she said.

There was a response by letter either on the Sunday or the Monday, a legal rep from RTE tells the committee.

Earlier today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Mr Tubridy, and his agent, Noel Kelly, must give their side of the secret payments story to the TDs and senators inquiring into the controversy, the Taoiseach has said.

Answering questions on his way into an EU leaders Brussels summit dominated by the war in Ukraine, Mr Varadkar also said that the Government is committed to funding public service broadcasting.

But he insisted that not all of the licence fee funds should go to RTE and should be shared more fairly.

Mr Varadkar said the two committee hearings at Leinster House were getting important evidence from the state broadcasters senior managers and board members. He also repeated his call for former director general, Dee Forbes, to come to the committee hearings.

There are other people who could shine a light on this and they include Ryan Tubridy, they include his agent, and they include Dee Forbes. And I think they should be willing to come before the committee and answer questions, Mr Varadkar told reporters.

There are procedures and they will be treated fairly and I think that it would be the right thing for them to do their part. They may have a story to tell and I think its right that they should be allowed to tell their side of the story, the Taoiseach continued.

The fact that they would not, or that they would refuse, would be a matter of concern to me, Mr Varadkar added.

The Taoiseach insisted that future RTE funding options and the current controversy were separate issues. He said the broadcaster had an important job to do to regain public confidence and this was best done by telling the Oireachtas committees the full truth of what happened about secret payments.

Mr Varadkar said he and the Government were committed to funding public service broadcasting. But most people now believed that there was more to public service broadcasting than RTE and the service was not entitled to all the licence fee revenue.

RTE Board Chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh rang Media Minister Catherine Martin this morning and apologised for not telling her she had asked director general Dee Forbes to resign.

Ms Ni Raghallaigh told the Media Committee yesterday she asked for Ms Forbes to resign on June 16 but this was not forthcoming.

Ms Forbes was suspended and later resigned

However, her being asked to resign was not relayed to the minister by the chair in their meeting last Saturday.

The chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh did ring me this morning and explained, apologised, for any disquiet caused because of that. But it really was to do with due process and individuals rights, said Minister Martin.

She said she was told Ms Forbes was suspended as soon as it happened.

I was informed as soon as the decision was taken to suspend.

She said the meeting on Saturday the meeting was focused on getting to the bottom of the numbers which had emerged the day prior - that top presenter Ryan Tubridy was paid 345,000 more than had been made public.
No pain, no gain  sore muscles are a common side effect of exercise.

Researchers have now found that New Zealand Greenshell mussel powder can help men recover faster from injuries caused by exercise.

The clinical trial, conducted by Plant & Food Research, found that after four weeks of taking Sanford's Greenshell mussel powder product, PERNAULTRA, study participants reported accelerated muscle recovery following exercise-induced damage and decreased soreness of target muscle groups.

The study has been published in the global journal Nutrients.

Twenty untrained healthy adult men aged between 21 and 45 years took part in the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over intervention study.

The study investigated the effects of consuming three grams of Greenshell mussel PERNAULTRA powder daily on muscle recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage compared with when they took a placebo for the same duration.

Participants completed a bench-stepping exercise that induced muscle damage to the eccentrically exercised leg.

Muscle function, soreness and biomarkers of muscle damage, oxidative stress and inflammation were measured before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 24, 48 and 72 hours post exercise.

The scientists concluded that taking the PERNAULTRA powder expedited the recovery of muscle function and reduced the severity of delayed onset of muscle soreness in untrained men.

'Our findings show that Greenshell mussel powder supplementation accelerated muscle recovery following exercise-induced damage as determined by faster recovery of muscle function, reduction in plasma CK concentrations and decreased soreness of target muscle groups, says Plant & Food Research scientist Dr Dominic Lomiwes, who led the study.

'Reduced muscle function following prolonged unaccustomed eccentric exercise is a classic indicator of muscle damage, limiting physical performance for several days.

"This study provides evidence for Greenshell mussel powder in being effective in supporting muscle recovery from EIMD.

Sanford's GM of Innovation, Andrew Stanley, says this latest result broadens our understanding of the power of Greenshell mussels.

'This study is breaking new ground in extending our understanding of what mussel powder can be used for. Mussel powder for injury recovery is a big, new proven benefit.

"And while the study was done specifically on Sanford's PERNAULTRA mussel powder, we think this new evidence offers an opportunity for the whole industry to think about where we go next as we explore everything Greenshell mussel powder can do.

"We know there are multiple benefits to Greenshell mussel powder and we are certain that more will be uncovered as research continues.

The study was part of a collaborative research programme between Massey University, New Zealand's leading seafood company Sanford, the Cawthron Institute in Nelson, and the Crown Research Institute Plant & Food Research, funded by the High Value Nutrition National Science Challenge.

Cawthron scientist Matt Miller says this work is part of a group of studies being conducted into the benefits of the New Zealand product.

'This first result is very exciting, but frankly, not surprising. It confirms what we have known for some time about New Zealand Greenshell mussels.

"But we have now proven you can shave a day off your recovery from a strenuous event which should have all elite athletes and weekend warriors as excited. This aligns with other clinical trials we have run with this mussel powder in different genders and ages.

The published paper in Nutrients can be found here.

Further facts from and about the Greenshell mussel study:



 The study included 20 participants aged 21 to 45 years

 They either took 3g of PERNAULTRA Greenshell mussel powder per day or a placebo

 Participants consumed their allocated intervention for four weeks then completed a bench-stepping exercise that induced muscle damage to the eccentrically exercised leg.

 Muscle function, soreness and biomarkers of muscle damage, oxidative stress and inflammation were measured before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 24, 48 and 72 hours post exercise.

 Greenshell mussel powder promoted muscle function recovery, significantly improving (p  Participants on the Greenshell mussel powder treatment had faster dissipation of soreness, with significant treatment  time interactions for affective (p = 0.007) and Visual Analogue Scale-assessed pain (p = 0.018). At 72 h, plasma creatine kinase concentrations in the GSM group were lower (p  The powder used was Sanford's PERNAULTRA powder made with mussel meat from Greenshell mussels grown in the Marlborough Sounds and other Sanford mussel farms in New Zealand. It is available to consumers in New Zealand via the Two Island's brand and is also available as a nutraceutical ingredient via Sanford Bioactives (the marine extracts division of Sanford).

 Greenshell mussels are unique to New Zealand. Their scientific name is Perna canaliculus.

 The study was conducted as part of Musselling Up, a collaborative research project between Massey University, Cawthron Institute, Plant & Food Research, Sanford Limited and the High-Value Nutrition National Science

 Cawthron Institute is New Zealand's largest independent science organisation  a leader in delivering world-class scientific research for a better future. Based in Nelson, our scientists have been identifying emerging areas of research to assist industry and society for over a century. Cawthron leads the Musseling Up program which aims to unlock the potential of Greenshell mussels in regards to health but also higher value export products.

 Plant & Food Research believes science can create a better future. With its partners, Plant & Food Research uses world-leading science to improve the way we grow, fish, harvest, prepare and share food. Every day, 1000 people work across New Zealand and the world to help deliver healthy food from the world's most sustainable systems.

 Massey University Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa, established in 1927, is a research-led New Zealand university with a reputation for excellence in innovation and the creation of new knowledge. With campuses in Auckland, Manawatu and Wellington, Massey caters to both domestic and international students and offers programmes at postgraduate, undergraduate, diploma and certificate level.

 Sanford Limited is New Zealand's largest and oldest seafood company, with involvement in fishing and aquaculture.

"Good science is essential to what we do. Not just to ensure we always fish and farm in a sustainable way, but also to help us get the most out of the beautiful seafood we catch or harvest. Our mussel powder production is an example of that," says Sanford Limited CEO Peter Reidie.
HOHHOT, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, has seen robust growth in China-Europe freight trains since 2013, according to local customs.

As of June 27 this year, the port has handled over 1.26 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers transported by the China-Europe freight trains, with imported and exported freight weighing more than 11 million tonnes.

From January to May, the port handled a total of 1,285 China-Europe freight trains, up 15.87 percent year on year.

The port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region now serves 68 China-Europe freight-train routes, connecting over 60 overseas destinations across more than 10 countries. 
Recommended changes to the proposed law to replace the Resource Management Act are a boost to the future of freshwater fishing and game bird hunting but questions remain over parts of the legislation, says Fish & Game New Zealand.

Parliament's Environment Select Committee has recommended the Government enshrine the protection of the habitat of trout and salmon alongside the protection of indigenous species in the planned Natural and Built Environment Act.

The select committee has also recognised the values Kiwis place on public access to lakes and rivers and recreational use and enjoyment of the natural environment.

It has called for these values to be maintained and enhanced.

"Generally, we believe this is a win for recreation, a win for anglers and hunters and a win for all New Zealanders," says Fish & Game New Zealand CEO Corina Jordan.

"The initial draft of the NBEA completely ignored the value Kiwis place on recreation and enjoyment of our great outdoors and removed the habitat protection of trout and salmon so these recommended changes are positive for Fish & Game, our licence-holders and Kiwis.

"The inclusion of trout and salmon habitat protection in the new law is vitally important because it has long been recognised that these species require a healthy freshwater environment to be able to survive and thrive."

Corina says they are not only nationally important due to their recreational value and for food harvest, but they also act as NZ's 'canary in the coal mine'.

"Trout and salmon have some of the highest freshwater quality and quantity requirements out of our freshwater species.

"This has enabled Fish & Game to argue for water quality and quantity standards that have protected not just the species under our jurisdiction, but all freshwater species.

"We have always been clear that any law must recognise both the national importance of these species and the reason why we need to protect their habitats -to safeguard the habitat of all freshwater fish."

She says on the face of it, these changes go a long way to addressing those concerns.

"The changes rightly prioritise the health of the natural environment over use and development and recognise the importance of the recreational values New Zealanders hold so dear, not just now but for future generations.

"Our licence holders deserve a lot of credit for taking the time to make their voices heard."

She says almost 12,000 people visited Fish & Game's Our Future' website and nearly 3,500 sent emails outlining their concerns to the Government and MPs.

Over the past 12 months, Fish & Game has raised its concerns about the RMA reforms with environmental NGOs, officials, MPs from all political parties and ministers, says Corina.

"For the most part, it appears the decision-makers have listened, but there are still areas Fish & Game want resolved.

"For instance, the Bill should be more consistent with the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management. The proposed law needs to be more explicit, in particular by ensuring the habitat of trout and salmon is protected, insofar as this is consistent with the protection of the habitats of indigenous freshwater species.

"We remain concerned about the limits framework where the Government and local government will set environmental bottom lines for the environment, along with the ability for New Zealanders to have their voices heard in the development of new Regional Planning frameworks and consents."

Corina says over the coming days, Fish & Game will be studying the select committee's report in detail, seeking greater clarity on the recommendations and advocating for other changes.

Fish & Game manage trout, salmon and game birds to provide healthy recreation for Kiwis.

"We work to protect the environment that anglers and hunters have enjoyed as a tradition for over 150 years."
Fraud and deception crimes are rising sharply, almost doubling in the year ending November, according to a new report.

The New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey, released Wednesday morning, shows nearly a third of New Zealanders say they were victims of crime during the 12-month period.

Although the overall figures are consistent with previous years, an increase in deception and fraud offences - including credit card fraud - has been singled out, surging from 288,000 cases to 510,000.

Ministry of Justice sector insights general manager Rebecca Parish says fraud and cybercrime often goes unreported.

"Reasons for not reporting a crime vary. Overall, the most common reason that people give for not reporting is that they think the incident is too trivial to be worth reporting."

The ministry says only about a quarter of crime is reported to the police.

The NZCVS, based on face-to-face victim interviews across the country, does not cover commercial and retail crime, including ram raids, nor murder and manslaughter.

"However, if an individual experiences interpersonal violence in their workplace this would still be covered in the survey," says Rebecca.

"It's important to remember that behind every statistic is a person and their personal experience."

Other common crimes reported include burglaries, physical assault and robbery.

People who identify as LGBT+, people separated from a partner or spouse, and Maori are significantly more likely to experience at least one crime, according to the report.

Slight decreases in sexual assault (0.1 per cent) and personal violence (1 per cent) were also found.

The report also showed trust and confidence in police "remains high", sitting at 69 per cent, although lower than in previous years.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the volume of people reporting crime through new online channels is growing, although a small proportion of people who are most heavily victimised are reporting "fewer of repeat victimisations".

"The NZCVS report finds that in 2022 the public experienced spikes in a few areas of crime - in particular online fraud, but overall levels of crime in the community remained relatively stable during this period."

Andrew says a decline in trust in the police can be attributed to the tail end of the country's Covid-19 response, which had been "controversial with some communities".

Other factors he highlights include public confidence in government institutions and policing in particular, both in New Zealand and abroad, and visible crime trends locally, including ram raids and inter-gang violence.

'Tip of the iceberg'

Victim Support believes the figures are "just the tip of the iceberg" and changes are needed.

The charity supported more than 46,000 victims of crime, trauma and suicide last year and says the NZCVS continues to show a worrying trend that most New Zealanders are not reporting crime.

Spokesperson Dr Petrina Hargrave says the organisation is concerned around the amount of underreporting to police occurring when it came to fraud and cybercrime.

"Our biggest concern is that victims are remaining invisible and not getting the support they need. Behind these statistics are New Zealanders who are suffering alone."

Fraud and cybercrime only makes up a small proportion (1.4 per cent) of the charity's clients.

"As a society we need to start addressing barriers to reporting crime and seeking help if we want to prevent crime and support victims."

Petrina says fraud victims commonly experience "victim blaming" and a societal narrative that suggests they are responsible for their own plight.

"To make sense of bad things happening, society tends to blame victims, and we do see this in fraud cases.

"Victim blaming is a rampant form of revictimisation that can prevent victims from coming forward and can prolong their suffering.

"When you add that to the fear many victims feel about engaging with the criminal justice system, you can see why people end up hiding away and not getting justice or the support they need to recover from crime."

-RNZ.
Bay of Plenty schools are celebrating after presenting a range of powerful performances at this year's ShowQuest competition.

The Sir Howard Morrison Centre came alive with school spirit as student teams performed live onstage at ShowQuest, the country's biggest student performing arts platform.

Bay of Plenty was the ninth and final region to hold the event. This year the platform returned to a live show format after hosting last year's event solely through digital shows, an adaption to the usual programme due to Covid-19.

In the Junior section, Rotorua Intermediate took out the winning spot with their piece portraying the effects and implications of Covid-19.

In the Open section, Rotorua Lakes High School took the title with their piece about the impacts of war on innocent people.

About being a part of the event, Lakes Student Captain, Brock Aitchison says: 'it's awesome. it gives us a chance to tell a story, and in a way that wouldn't usually be told.

His advice for students thinking about entering next year was simple, 'definitely just have commitment and give it a go. '

This year Mount Maunganui Intermediate took 96 students to compete in ShowQuest, and took out second place in the junior competition.

The students decided on a theme after the school vision, which is poipoia te kakaano kia puawai and this means, nurture the seed and it will blossom, according to Mount Maunganui Intermediate visual arts specialist teacher Sally Wylie.

Sally says the school's story 'follows a young girl who journey's from childhood to adulthood in the 21st century and all that she faces through trials, triumphs and TikTok.

'Students always feel as though they need to act as chameleons and seamlessly blend into the environments they find themselves in, but Ko Wai Koe? Who Will You Be? This story speaks to being yourself and enjoying the journey, not only waiting for the destination.

'Ko Wai Koe? and it's 96 performers including a live band, backstage crew, dancers and actors placed 2nd overall in the Bay of Plenty junior division this year.

'A huge accomplishment in a stacked division this year. ShowQuest continues to be an enriched and unmatched opportunity for our young students to feel empowered as performers and artists.

Teams were judged overall on their production, performance, movement, and theme.

The 2023 Bay of Plenty judges were Emma Carey, movement, Kahu Piripi, performance, and Ngahiriwa Rauhina judging the technical aspects of the performers.

Showquest was launched in 2018 by Rockquest Promotions, or RQP, the company behind music development programmes, Smokefreerockquest, Smokefree Tangata Beats and Rockshop Bandquest.

Showquest Director and RQP General Manager Matt Ealand says that Showquest provides a growth opportunity for students that goes beyond developing skills in the performing arts.

'Having been active for six years, we can see just how much of a difference that can make for these young people on their journey into the arts. We have seen students return to the Showquest stage as leaders. They're exhibiting awesome teamwork, communication, and coordination skills, and with great confidence.

The full list of awards from Showquest Bay of Plenty Junior:

1st Place: Rotorua Intermediate

2nd Place: Mount Maunganui Intermediate

3rd Place: Papamoa Primary

ZM Soundtrack Award: St Mary's Putaruru

Best Live Music: Mount Maunganui Intermediate Highly Commended Live Music: St Mary's Putaruru

Best Theme: St Mary's Rotorua

Highly Commended Theme: Mount Maunganui Intermediate Best

Use of Drama: Rotorua Intermediate

Highly Commended Use of Drama: Mokoia Intermediate Best

Choreography: Mokoia Intermediate

Highly Commended Choreography: Mount Maunganui

Intermediate Best Lighting: Papamoa Primary School

Highly Commended Lighting: St Mary's Rotorua

Best Use of LED Video Wall: Rotorua Intermediate

Highly Commended Use of LED Video Wall: Mount Maunganui Intermediate

Best Costume & Enhancement: Rotorua Intermediate

Best Use of Props: St Mary's Rotorua

The full list of awards from Showquest Bay of Plenty Senior:

1st Place: Rotorua Lakes High School

2nd Place: Rotorua Boys High School

Best Live Music: Rotorua Boys High School

Best Theme: Rotorua Lakes High School

Best Choreography: Rotorua Lakes High School

Highly Commended Choreography: Rotorua Boys High School

Best Lighting: Rotorua Lakes High School

Best Use of LED Video Wall: Rotorua Lakes High School

Highly Commended Use of LED Video Wall: Rotorua Boys High School

Whetu Rangatahi - Star of the Show: Ella Burke - St Mary's Putaruru

Showquest School Spirit: Mokoia Intermediate
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The relationship with China is incredibly important for New Zealand, visiting New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Wednesday, adding that both countries now enjoy a very constructive and positive relationship.

When responding to a question raised by Xinhua at a media event in Beijing, Hipkins said "the New Zealand-China relationship is an incredibly important one for New Zealand."

"Our relationship can be defined by the areas that we have an agreement in and the interests that we have in common, and there are many of those," he added.

Exiting the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a priority for New Zealand to re-establish economic activity with China, Hipkins said.

Hipkins said that while China is already New Zealand's largest trading partner, the country hopes to further expand bilateral trade.

"We are enthusiastic about the possibility of expanding the range of trade that we have with China. Not just the volume, but also the breadth of the trading relationship," he said.

Hipkins underscored education collaboration between the two countries, saying the bilateral education relationship is "very good" and New Zealand looks forward to boosting education cooperation, which "benefits both of our countries."

Hipkins said the freedom of movement between the two countries enables them to engage in high-level exchanges among the academic and research communities, which are very important to New Zealand.

Hipkins also voiced confidence that New Zealand will become a popular tourism destination for Chinese travelers.

"We offer one of the best tourist experiences in the world. We have a beautiful country, and we really enjoy sharing with people from around the world," Hipkins said, adding, "We are very excited to see the number of Chinese visitors coming to New Zealand steadily growing again."

Hipkins is on an official visit to China from June 25 to 30, during which he attended the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in north China's port city of Tianjin. 
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Syracuse, N.Y.  A Georgia man pleaded guilty Thursday after he impersonated a former Syracuse University graduate student and attempted to steal that persons identity, prosecutors said.

Gregory William Hill, 38, pleaded guilty to misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of New York.

He became known as the Sweetheart Swindler in some news reports after he befriended various women and swindled them out of money in other states.

The attempted identity theft involving Syracuse University was outlined in court documents and a news release:

In 2018, Hill admitted to impersonating the former SU student, attempting to get copies of the graduates final transcript and diploma from the university. Hill also sent the university a copy of a Virginia drivers license displaying a photo of himself and the graduates name.

Hill fraudulently presented his own Social Security card as the graduates. He did so in an attempt to convince Syracuse University officials that the university needed to update its files with his Social Security number.

Hill also admitted that he applied to a job with a non-profit health care company in Virginia, posing as the SU graduate and falsely claiming to be a former student. Hill was never enrolled as an SU student.

Hill, also known as Gregory Allen Davis, Gregory William Davis, Gregory Davis Dutton, and John Martin Hill, had many aliases. He is serving a seven-year prison sentence in Georgia for a serial romance fraud scheme.

Using the alias John Martin Hill, Hill was charged with theft by deception in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Police said he convinced a woman he met online to give him over $80,000 and then used the proceeds to buy a BMW. Hill has committed similar scams in states such as Louisiana, Maryland and New Jersey, according to investigators.

Hill faces a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison; 5 years for the Social Security fraud count and a mandatory consecutive two-year term of imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft count. He also faces a fine up to $500,000 and a term of supervised release for up to 3 years.

Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com
One of cinemas greatest archaeologists is headed to Syracuse. No, not that Syracuse.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, in theaters Friday, brings back Harrison Ford for a fifth and final adventure as Indy, now a retired professor in the 1960s. What could be left for him after finding the Ark of the Covenant, traversing the Temple of Doom, surviving The Last Crusade, and even bringing his trademark hat and whip to the lesser Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?
An Upstate New York chef and artist has created a colorful restaurant so inviting and inclusive with tropical comfort food at its warm, yummy center, that it was recently named one of the best gay bars in America.

According to Esquire, Hudsons Lil Debs Oasis has earned a top spot in Americas LGBTQ+ bar scene in a list of hot spots including New York City, Austin, Chicago and more.

The author described Lil Debs Oasis as a queer fever dream that looks like the Barbie dream home if Rob Zombie decorated it. With bright pink and blue walls and tropical decor, this neon nirvana is the vision of Carla Perez-Gallardo, creative director, executive chef and co-founder of the restaurant.

They are known for their whole fried fish in their citrus-ginger vinaigrette, but their menu is filled with other dishes that conjure dreams of sandy beaches and ocean breezes, inspired by Perez-Gallardos Ecuadorian heritage.

Drinks and dishes from Lil' Deb's Oasis in Hudson, NY. The Upstate New York restaurant was named one of the best gay bars in America by Esquire. Provided photos | nyup.com

The Hudson Valley watering hole is no stranger to the spotlight, being featured in national publications like Vogue, The Washington Post, Eater and bon appetit. Perez-Gallardo has also been a James Beard Award nominee at least twice, once for best chef in New York state and most recently for best restaurant and professional cookbook with their newly released Please Wait To Be Tasted: The Lil Debs Oasis Cookbook.

Lil Debs artistry doesnt stop at their food or decor, the establishment also hosts events like karaoke, drag shows, live music, art showcases and more.

To see their full menu and read more about the restaurant, visit the Lil Debs Oasis website.

READ MORE

Upstate NY city honored as one of the top LGBTQ+ friendly small towns in America

These are the 20 best places in Upstate NY to visit this year (see our list)

Hudson Valley named one of the worlds greatest places by TIME magazine
Update: The state has now issued an air quality alert across all of New York state for Friday, the third day in a row.

Syracuse, N.Y.  For the third time in a month, smoke from Canada wildfires is filling the skies of Upstate New York.

It likely wont be the last. This is already the worst fire season on record in Canada, the worlds second-largest country, and nearly 500 fires are still burning.

While winds from the south should push away the smoke tonight, were likely to be dealing with smoky skies on and off all summer, and for many summers to come, experts say.

In the short term, which I would define as the summertime, its going to be bad, said Jonathan Deason, director of the Environmental and Energy Management Institute at George Washington University. And then in the longer term, the next few years or the next decade or the next half century, its going to get worse and worse because its driven by climate change.

More than 20 million acres have already burned in Canada. Thats nearly as big as the state of Maine, and there are still several months of fire season to come.

In the U.S., more than 40 million people are under air quality alerts because of the smoke. The air in much of Upstate New York is expected to be unhealthy today. That means everyone, even healthy people, should avoid strenuous activity outdoors and try to stay inside as much as possible.

Canadas fires are being stoked this year by hotter-than-normal temperatures and less rainfall than normal. Theyre also occurring more heavily than usual in Canadas eastern provinces, including Quebec and Nova Scotia.

I will be prepared for future smoke waves this summer, said Alistair Hayden, a public health professor at Cornell University. The forecast for the summer is hot in Canada, so theyre going to have fire-prone weather throughout the summer.

Wind direction dictates where wildfire smoke ends up. When winds wrap around a low-pressure system and blow from the north, as they did in early June, they pump the wildfire smoke directly into the Northeast, including Upstate New York.

Prevailing winds are from the west, so smoke in Canada is generally pushed out toward the Atlantic Ocean rather than down into Upstate New York. Even west winds arent a guarantee were in the clear, though: After winds pushed smoke into the Midwest earlier this week, they changed course and are now bringing that smoke back to the Northeast.

Wildfire smoke is nothing new for Upstate New York. In 2021, when wildfires burned in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada, Upstate New York saw two days of unhealthy air, according to research conducted last year by University at Albany researcher Bhupal Shrestha.

The smoke that year, and in previous years, generally came from thousands of miles away and had time to be diluted by air currents. This year, fires were closer, and there are simply more of them.

Until two weeks ago, Syracuses air quality had never hit hazardous, the highest warning level.

Todays level is unhealthy, with an air quality index of 190. On June 7, that index exceeded 400.

Were unlikely to breathe that high level of smoke often, even if the number of smoke outbreaks increase, said New York state Climatologist Mark Wysocki. He said the stationary weather pattern that sent thick smoke spilling into Upstate New York for days earlier this month is, thankfully, rare.

We dont see that very often, maybe once or twice a year, Wysocki said. I think well see more episodes like today, when we have storms that pass through and bring smoke down to the 150 to 200 level, but not to that 300 to 400 level.

The air quality index in a composite number that includes several types of pollutants, including ozone and the tiny particles called PM 2.5. That is shorthand for particulate matter that is 2.5 microns wide or smaller. For perspective, there are 25,000 microns in an inch.

Its those tiny particles that are making the air hazy today and that health officials worry about. The particles are so tiny they can penetrate lungs and seep into the bloodstream. They raise the risk not just of lung disease, Hayden said, but of heart attacks and strokes.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency says air is unhealthy when the level of those particles exceeds 35 micrograms per cubic meter over 24 hours. Over the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. today, Syracuses average level has been 150. That is more than four times the EPA safety level.

The smoke from more frequent and larger wildfires threaten to reverse decades of progress cleaning the air in the U.S., Shrestha said. Over the past few decades, he noted, regulations that lowered emissions from cars and power plants have greatly reduced the level of particulate matter.

Human-made aerosols are decreasing, but because of these wildfires, the decreasing trend might reverse and even increase in future, Shrestha said. Climate change might undo the whole thing.
SEOUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean manufacturers over the economic situation was unchanged this month amid the lingering worry about an economic slump, central bank data showed Thursday.

The business survey index (BSI) for manufacturers stood at 73 in June, unchanged compared to the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

It reflected the remaining concerns about the economic slowdown, caused by the continued export fall.

The BSI among non-manufacturers slipped 1 point from a month earlier to 77 in June, while the BSI in all industries was unchanged at 76.

The index below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists. It was based on a survey of 1,659 manufacturers and 1,132 non-manufacturers conducted between June 14 and 21.

Manufacturers picked economic uncertainty, domestic demand slump and export falls as key barriers to doing business, while non-manufacturers selected uncertain economic situations, domestic demand slowdown and higher labor costs.

The economic sentiment index (ESI), which reflects sentiment among both businesses and consumers, stood at 95.7 in June, up 1.5 points from the previous month. 
A new judge will take over as the administrator for the New York State Supreme Court district that encompasses much of Central New York.

Onondaga County Supreme Court Judge Deborah Karalunas will take over as Administrative Judge for the Fifth Judicial District on July 10, according to a news release from the NY Unified Court System.
New York State lawmakers this month passed a controversial bill that would ban wildlife killing contests. The ban would outlaw any contest, competition, tournament or derby where the objective of such contest or competition is to take wildlife.

The legislation passed the New York Senate earlier this month, and the Assembly last week. It now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochuls desk. If she signs it into law, New York would join eight other states in banning these events.

State lawmakers have crafted bills outlawing wildlife killing contests since 2003. But until now none of those bills has ever made it out of committee.

The most recent legislation, sponsored by Deborah Glick, a Manhattan Democrat, passed the NYS Assembly by a vote of 86-54 after a contentious floor debate featuring CNY lawmakers claiming that it unfairly punishes upstate residents.

Jeff Gallahan (R-131), whose district spans the Finger Lakes, called the legislation a direct hit on the upstate culture. Mohawk Valley lawmaker Robert Smullen (R-118) said it represented a cultural difference that cannot be bridged. John Lemondes (R-126) of Lafayette labelled it an explicit infringement on hunting rights and second amendment privileges.

Lemondes, who owns a sheep farm, also said that banning coyote contests in particular would negatively impact agriculture and hunting opportunities, since coyotes ravage sheep and turkey flocks.

Coyotes are one of our most economically destructive species in New York State, he said.

State Sens. John Mannion, D-Geddes, and Rachel May, D-Syracuse, both members of Environmental Conservation Committee, voted in support of the ban.

There is strong consensus that killing contests are antithetical to good stewardship of the environment and proper population management, Mannion said in a statement.

Mays office did not respond to a request for comment.

David Simmons, director of Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmens Clubs, said differences in opinion over the proposed law cant be fully explained by an imaginary cultural divide.

Its not necessarily upstate versus downstate, or Democrats versus Republicans, Simmons said. Its people who dont understand wildlife management trying to force things on people that do.

Simmons pointed to overwhelming support from CNY lawmakers of both parties for a law that would allow rifle hunting in Onondaga County as evidence that the real issue is differences in proper knowledge about wildlife management.

Simmons further emphasized that hunting contests have no impact on wildlife populations, and take place within existing hunting regulations, adding that conservation law should be determined only by the trained and experienced wildlife biologists who work for the DEC.

The DEC did not take a position on the bill.

If Hochul signs the bill into law, established hunting seasons would remain in place for coyotes, squirrels, bobcats, and other animals that are typically targeted in hunting contests.

The ban excludes hunting contests for deer, turkey, and bear, as well as fishing contests and field trial testing for dogs, according to a memorandum.

I feel that these contests in no way slaughter coyotes, fox, or rabbits, said Amy Snell, member of the Toad Harbor Rod and Gun Club in Hastings. In my experience, most dont even turn any animals in when theyre entered in a contest, she said.

Each winter Snell organizes coyote contests for the club, which has 300 members. This year 73 hunters signed up for two contests, taking a total of 21 coyotes. According to a study by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, New Yorks coyote population is between 20,000 and 30,000.

At the rate theyre going, wildlife is going to start getting over populated, said Snell. These animals will start to run out of room in the forests, and live where people live and be a danger to kids, pets, and farm animals.

Snell agrees with CNY lawmakers who insist that the ban illustrates a growing cultural divide between upstate and downstate residents, and she fears that anti-hunting laws will further limit a way of life she holds dear.

The future of all the things we love to do will be lost and just a memory, she said.



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New York lawmakers exploring bill banning lead ammunition on state lands

Huge fish, coyote hunters and jumping worms: Our favorite stories from Upstate NYs outdoors in 2022

Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post-Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.
Voters who overwhelmingly rejected the pick of Onondaga County Conservative Party leaders for district attorney on Tuesday sent a clear message that they didnt want to be used as pawns in a political grudge match.

Thats the view of Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, a Republican, who lost the Conservative Party endorsement this year to a Democrat, Chuck Keller.
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This photo taken on June 29, 2023 shows an A320neo aircraft from Airbus' final assembly line in Tianjin (FAL Asia) delivered to a Philippine airline, north China's Tianjin Municipality. Airbus has, for the first time, delivered an aircraft assembled in north China's Tianjin Municipality to a Philippine airline.

Cebu Pacific on Thursday received a 188-seat A320neo aircraft from Airbus' final assembly line in Tianjin (FAL Asia) to address the growing demand for air travel. (Xinhua)

TIANJIN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Airbus has, for the first time, delivered an aircraft assembled in north China's Tianjin Municipality to a Philippine airline.

Cebu Pacific on Thursday received a 188-seat A320neo aircraft from Airbus' final assembly line in Tianjin (FAL Asia) to address the growing demand for air travel.

"This is in line with our fleet plan, which aims to support our overall growth ambitions as travel demand continues to recover," said Michael Szucs, chief executive officer of Cebu Pacific.

On Tuesday, Airbus, for the first time, delivered an aircraft assembled in Tianjin to a European client, namely Hungary's Wizz Air.

The two deliveries to international clients within a week showed that FAL Asia has continued to boost its assembling capacity to help meet the demand of more international customers and inject new impetus into the global aviation market, said Christoph Schrempp, general manager of Airbus Tianjin Delivery Center.

Inaugurated in 2008, the FAL in Tianjin was the first Airbus commercial aircraft assembly line outside Europe. Since its first A320 delivery in 2009, Airbus' FAL in Tianjin has delivered more than 600 aircraft over its 14 years in operation.

In April, Airbus announced they are building a second assembly line in Tianjin to expand the production capacity of the A320 family of passenger aircraft to meet the demand of global clients.

By the end of May, the A320neo family had received over 8,700 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide. 
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NANJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- A group of 12 medical personnel from Cambodia has joined a 20-day professional training program in east China's Jiangsu Province.

The training, which started on Wednesday, is conducted in a combination of intensive teaching by renowned specialists and on-site visits mainly in the cities of Nanjing and Wuxi, said Bao Jun, deputy director of the Jiangsu provincial health commission.

The team will visit health authorities, large hospitals, community health service centers, medical universities, and medical innovation enterprises, Bao said.

Seng Nong, director of Preah Sihanouk Provincial Referral Hospital in Cambodia, said that this training is of great significance and a good opportunity for them to learn the latest skills and experience in the area of public health in China.

Jiangsu and Cambodia have close cooperation in the health sector. Health authorities in Jiangsu have dispatched medical teams to Cambodia since 2015, treating more than 20,000 local people and employees of Jiangsu enterprises in Cambodia. 
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured an intriguing sight on Mars - a huge, donut-shaped rock that could be a large meteorite that fell from the sky accompanied by smaller fragments.

The image, taken on June 23 using the SuperCam Remote Micro-Imager, reveals the dark stone with a distinctive hole in its center, surrounded by similar-colored rocks nearby.

Donut on Mars?

Scientists from the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California, have expressed interest in this discovery on the Red Planet, speculating about its origin and suggesting a possible extraterrestrial connection.

"@NASAPersevere took a picture using the SuperCam Remote Micro-Imager on June 23 2023 of a donut-shaped rock off in the distance, which could be a large meteorite alongside smaller pieces," the SETI Institute wrote in a Twitter post.

The mission of NASA's Perseverance rover is to explore Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial life on the planet. It aims to collect rock and soil samples from Mars' Jezero Crater, which is believed to have once hosted a lake and river delta.

Perseverance is equipped with advanced scientific instruments and cutting-edge technology to study the planet's geology, climate, and past habitability.

It will also test technologies for future human exploration, such as producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere and demonstrating the potential for powered flight on Mars with the Ingenuity helicopter.

Read Also: 'Christmas Craterscape' from ESA's Mars Express Captures Stunning Holiday-Themed Phenomenon

Simulated Mars Mission

In related news, NASA's CHAPEA mission has made significant progress in simulating a year-long Mars mission. Four volunteers have entered a 3D-printed virtual Mars habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) project aims to replicate the conditions and challenges faced by astronauts during a real mission to Mars.

The primary objective of the CHAPEA mission is to assess the impact of resource limitations on human health and performance in isolation and confinement. The crew members will reside in a simulated Mars habitat that closely resembles the actual environment of the Red Planet.

This impressive 1,700-square-foot habitat has been constructed using state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. Throughout the simulation, the researchers will recreate various difficulties associated with a Mars mission, including limited resources, equipment failures, communication delays, and environmental stressors.

By gathering comprehensive data on cognitive and physical performance, the team aims to gain valuable insights into the potential effects of long-duration space missions on the well-being of astronauts.

NASA's overarching goal is to establish a sustained presence on the Moon through the Artemis program, which will serve as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars.

The knowledge and experience gained from lunar exploration will be crucial in ensuring the safety and success of astronauts embarking on the challenging journey to Mars.

As NASA continues its exploration of Mars with the Perseverance rover and conducts innovative simulations like CHAPEA, humanity moves closer to unraveling the mysteries of our neighboring planet and preparing for the remarkable endeavor of sending humans to the Red Planet.

Related Article: Scientists Find Compelling Evidence of Life on Mars in Jezero Crater's Trove of Organic Materials

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Spire Global and OroraTech announced a partnership to provide eight global temperature and monitoring satellites for wildfires by 2024. This will become the second collaboration between the company, leveraging both partnerships.

(Photo : TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

TOPSHOT - People walk in Central Park as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023.

Eight Satellite Constellations

Global wildfire losses between the years 2018-2022 are estimated to total $69 billion for affecting property destruction, infrastructure damage, evacuations, health-related expenses, and wider economic losses across the affected businesses related to forestry, energy, and tourism

While the government pours into fighting the recent wildfires that happened in the past few months, first responders still need to detect real-time wildfires and monitor data. According to a report from TechCrunch, OroraTech and Spire Global will launch a group of wildfire-monitoring satellites. This will identify active wildfires and areas at risk, significantly since these incidents are increasing day by day due to climate change.

Each spacecraft that will be launched next year, will carry OroraTech's proprietary thermal-infrared optical payload and data processing unit with on-orbit fire detection capability. Through Spires' ground station network, urgent data will be collected by the satellites and will be delivered to OroraTech through an API.

Not only that the responders will benefit from this collaboration, but also the insurance and energy sectors. Detection of wildfire hot spots will also be identified through the satellites, which comes as perfect timing as it rapidly increases due to climate change. For only 15 months, Spire was able to design and operate OroraTech's precursor sensor in orbit successfully.

The collaboration between the two companies will be considered as Space News reported that Spire's Space-as-a-Service subscription model that will let participating organizations rapidly operate payloads in space using the company's existing services and spacecraft.

Also Read: HTC Wildfire E3 Lite Announced: Packed with a 5,000 mAh Battery and More



OroraTech Chief Commercial Officer Dr. Axel Roenneke described the model as "invaluable" for helping the company rapidly reach space, which made a lot of sense for other startup companies who may not have a capital or business interest when it comes to developing their own spacecraft, operations, and ground infrastructure.

"By continuously monitoring the Earth's temperature, customers, like fire-fighting agencies, forestry and utility companies, are provided with real-time detection capability, continuous situational awareness as well as predictive insights to maintain control of wildfires," the Chief added.

Operating Across the Globe

Bloomberg reported that through the technology demonstration, it exceeded expectations and now serves as an active fire monitoring device for customers around the world. SOPFEU or Quebec's fire agency is currently utilizing the sensor to assist the local agency. Spire is allowing different organizations to innovate Spire's established infrastructure to put their business in space.

For OroraTech, this is not the company's first collaboration as they worked together to quickly validate the initial concept for the FOREST or Forest Observation & Recognition Experimental Smallsat Thermal Detector. Spire Global and OroraTech were also awarded by the Canadian Space Agency last May for a dedicated wild-life monitoring satellite.

Related Article: NASA Bank on Drones to Improingve Wildfire Response

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The TikTok Montana Ban was met with a significant uproar from content creators, influencers, and users who are residents of the state, including lawsuits that the social media platform reportedly funded. The new reports claim that TikTok supported its creators by providing legal fee assistance to help push the lawsuit forward and battle the Montana ban.

It was the first full ban on TikTok's operations in a state who denounces the alleged data access of the Chinese social media app, with definite legislation against it.

TikTok Funds User Lawsuits to Go Against Montana Ban

(Photo : KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

The New York Times reported that TikTok is funding user lawsuits in their legal fight against Montana, with these creators claiming that the state government went against their First Amendment rights. These creators received funding for their legal fees, centering on the case they pushed against reversing the TikTok ban in the state.

At first, it may seem like these creators are fighting for their rights out of their pockets, especially as this was where they express themselves or make a living.

However, the new report claimed that TikTok admitted that they have extended help to them by funding their legal fees, and nothing further than that.

As per TikTok, they support their creators in their fight for their "constitutional rights," with the social media being their legal right to freely express themselves.

Read Also: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel Supports Banning TikTok in US

TikTok Choosing Not to Disclose It is Legal

As noted by the New York Times, this move from TikTok is legal, as it does not need to disclose if it is funding lawsuits to go against the legislation and ban against them.

According to Ars Technica, this succeeded TikTok's effort when it first saw a nationwide ban in 2020 under former President Trump's legislation. Back then, they partnered with influencers and connected them to top First Amendment lawyers, separate from TikTok's lawsuit.

TikTok and the Looming US Ban

Since early 2020, there were news about a nationwide TikTok ban in the US under the Trump administration, and this centered on its Chinese ties, being under ByteDance. In a last-minute deal with Oracle, TikTok was saved from facing bans from the government, but this meant that it surrenders all operations in countries including the US, Canada, UK, and Oceania regions.

However, this was still a fragile situation as there were still claims and studies that TikTok is accessing a massive part of user data in the US and allegedly, its Chinese operations have access to it. This led to the legislation from the US Congress to ban it on government devices, also, leading to an investigation where there were considerations for its total ban in the US.

Montana was the first to pass a legitimate total ban against TikTok on all devices within its region, to all the constituents under it. TikTok tried to fight it, and they were accompanied by creators and users who protest against the Montana ban.

However, this was not entirely from the pockets of those users who took legal action against Montana's legislation, receiving help for their legal fees, courtesy of TikTok.

Related Article: TikTok Ban Consequences: Banning the App Could Lead to Cybersecurity Issues-Here's Why

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A human embryo-like model was successfully developed by a group of scientists at the California Institute of Technology, led by renowned biologist Madalena Zernicka-Goetz. The model replicates the crucial post-implantation of human development.

(Photo : AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Dr Jacob Hanna, a specialist in molecular genetics at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, demonstrates his roller culture incubator used to grow synthetic mouse embryos in a lab in the Israeli central city of Rehovot on August 4, 2022.

Producing Embryo-Like Model

The team led by renowned Biologist and Caltech's Bren Professor of Biology Biology and Biological Engineering Professor Madalena Zernicka-Goetz successfully created a human embryo-like model that mimics the second week of human development, which is the time after embryos become implanted in the womb during pregnancy.

Just like how human development works, the intricate process of the scientists occurred during early embryonic development, which marks a significant advancement in the study and the researchers' understanding of human embryology. According to Interesting Engineering, the model was produced using human stem cells which offers a unique opportunity to study the process.

Aside from the human stem cells, the embryo-like models also used mice stem cells rather than eggs and sperm. Zernicka-Goetz clarified that these embryo-like models are not living entities that are capable of developing into fully formed embryos.

Promising Implications

Zernicka-Goetz stated, "Our human embryo-like model, created entirely from pluripotent human stem cells, gives us access to the developing structure at a stage that is normally hidden from us due to the implantation of the tiny embryo into the mother's womb."

Throughout this whole development, the led researcher stated in Caltech's official press release that studying the whole development revealed promising implications for different fields of research. This includes manipulating genes to understand their developmental roles in a model system and testing function in specifications which are both difficult to do in the natural process.

Aside from the mentioned above, it also provides valuable insights into human defects and diseases, pregnancy failures, and even the potential for the growth of transplantation for synthetic organs.

Previous Conduct Studies

From its previous studies, the research team previously made significant progress in generating models similar to embryos and extraembryonic stem cells. As per the team, these models were published in a series of study papers from 2017 to 2021, demonstrating the ability to form the progenitors of different brain regions, spinal cord, gut tub, and beating hearts.

Despite not being advanced as their mouse counterparts and do not possess beating heart-like structures, the latest model does contain both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, typically developed into the placenta, yolk sac, and amnionic sac. Creating this represents a significant milestone looking back to their previous and similar studies.

Also Read: Mechanical Womb Developed by Israeli Scientists Successfully Growd Mice Embryos, Are Humans Next?

As of the moment, Zernicka-Goetz is an affiliated facility member with Caltech's Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institue for Neuroscience. Gladstone reported that Zernicka-Goetz has been included as one of the selected recipients of the 2023 Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize.

This was awarded by Gladstone Institutes, and supported by Cell Press for her pioneering work to develop the first integrated embry0 cell models, which began ten years ago.

Related Article: 3D Bio-Printer? Artificial Human Embryos for Organ Harvest is the Next Goal for Renewal Bio

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The social media giant Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, has made a significant advancement in fulfilling the need for openness in artificial intelligence (AI).

The company owned by Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday unveiled a series of resources and tools targeted at assisting people in comprehending how AI affects the material they see on its applications.

Nearly two dozen explainers on different aspects of Meta's platforms were created in response to growing worries and upcoming regulations addressing AI openness. These explanations give consumers a better understanding of how Meta chooses and suggests material.

The new Meta feature is called "system cards," covering search algorithms, notification procedures, and advice for users of Facebook and Instagram, according to a CNN report.

For instance, one of the system cards describes how Instagram's search feature works. It explains how the app collects relevant search results based on user queries, rates each outcome based on prior interactions, applies additional filters and integrity checks and then delivers a whittled-down list to the user.

By providing such thorough explanations, Meta hopes to improve user comprehension of AI's function in content curation.



Nick Clegg, the president of worldwide affairs at Meta, connected the system card explainers to the continuing discussion about the dangers of AI, such as the proliferation of false information and the development of fraud and scams made possible by AI, per CNET.

Bolstering Transparency

Clegg underlined the need for transparency in addressing these issues, especially given how quickly potent technologies like generative AI are developing.



Meta introduced additional capabilities that enable consumers to better comprehend and personalize their content suggestions in addition to the system cards. Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels, and the Explore tab will all be included in the "Why Am I Seeing This?" feature currently accessible on Facebook and Instagram. With this functionality, users may learn why specific material is being shown in line with their prior behavior.

Read Also: Twitch Faces Threat as Kick Poaches Top Streamers Amouranth, xQc

Additionally, Instagram is experimenting with a new Reels feature that lets users mark suggested reels as "Interested" to get more of the same in the future.



Meta also intends to release its Content Library and API, a collection of research tools, in the following weeks, per The Verge. Researchers can search, study, and filter the library's public Instagram and Facebook data. The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan will be the first authorized partner to provide access to these resources.

Governments, Organizations Addressing AI Concerns

Aiming to impose disclosure rules on businesses utilizing AI, European legislators are moving forward with legislation at the same time as Meta is taking action to address AI transparency. Legislators in the US have also stated their intention to work on a bill of a similar kind later this year.



Other groups are also researching the ethics of AI. The Pope Francis-founded Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture (ITEC) and Santa Clara University's Markkula Center have published a handbook on how to solve ethical challenges in the IT industry.



Their book, "Ethics in the Age of Disruptive Technologies: An Operational Roadmap," emphasizes the need to include morality and ethics in technology and the firms that make it, as previously reported by TechTimes.

The manual on technology ethics invites businesses to take a proactive stance toward values and ensure that their operations benefit people and the environment.

Related Article: 'Godfather of AI' Sounds New Alarm on AI Risks

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
US Senator Michael Bennet has reached out to top tech companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Twitter, TikTok, Alphabet, TikTok, and Twitter, urging them to implement clear labels on AI-generated content, Reuters reports.

Bennet emphasized the importance of informing Americans when AI technology is used to produce political content.

AI Concerns

The senator's letter highlighted the risks of disseminating AI-generated content without proper identification, particularly concerning fabricated images that could have wide-ranging consequences.

These consequences include impacting stock markets, suppressing voter turnout, and eroding trust in campaign material authenticity.

Concerns surrounding AI-generated content revolve around the potential for high-quality fakes that can deceive voters and facilitate scams or other malicious activities.

We reported multiple examples of political groups utilizing deceptive deepfake technology to smear political opponents back in April and early June.

While lawmakers have expressed interest in regulating AI swiftly, significant legislation in this area has yet to be enacted. According to Goodwin Law, there is no substantial federal regulation governing the use of AI in the United States, nor is there any significant state legislation in existence.

Labelling AI-Generated Content

To address these concerns, Bennet introduced a bill that would require the disclosure of AI usage in political ads, focusing on imagery and other content.

Despite some companies like OpenAI and Google already labeling AI-generated content, Bennet emphasized the need to reduce reliance on voluntary compliance.

In his letter, Bennet requested detailed information from tech executives by July 31, including the standards and requirements for identifying AI content and the processes used to develop and assess those standards' effectiveness.

Read Also: This AI Predicts Oscars 2023 Winners! Can Its Results Be Trusted?

"We have already seen evidence of generative AI being used to create and share false images," said Bennet. "Continued inaction endangers our democracy."

He also inquired about the consequences for users who violate these rules.

Responses from the tech industry varied. Twitter, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, responded dismissively with a poop emoji. Microsoft declined to comment, while TikTok, OpenAI, Meta, and Alphabet did not immediately respond to comment requests.

Other AI Regulation Efforts

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to propose comprehensive legislation on AI safety measures. During a recent Center for Strategic and International Studies meeting, Schumer emphasized the urgent need for bipartisan action in Congress.

He stressed the importance of developing a strategy that encourages innovation while ensuring safety and public confidence.

As Cointelegraph reports, Schumer acknowledged the complexity of regulating AI, considering the multitude of potential issues that may arise. He intends to raise questions about the appropriate level of federal intervention, including taxation, spending, and the necessity of federal involvement in AI regulation.

This call for comprehensive legislation follows a meeting between President Joe Biden and experts from Silicon Valley, during which the White House expressed its commitment to striking a balance between the opportunities and risks of AI.

Biden emphasized the protection of citizen rights, privacy and the need to address biases and misinformation before deploying AI systems.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: AI Race Between Google, Microsoft Worries Experts-Here's Why

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A federal court will decide whether Microsoft should acquire video game firm Activision Blizzard, which may be the most costly tech merger ever.



To stop the $69 billion transaction, US antitrust authorities have launched a complaint, claiming that it will impede competition between Microsoft and competitors in the sector like Sony and Nintendo.

Microsoft has been making a strong case for the merger during the five-day San Francisco court hearing with CEO Satya Nadella and other officials testifying, per AP News.



The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which enforces antitrust laws, has asked for an injunction to delay the Microsoft-Activision agreement's execution until an internal FTC court can assess it in August. Microsoft and Activision are concerned that a major delay would force them to terminate their 17-month deal. To counteract this, Microsoft has agreed to pay Activision a $3 billion breakup fee if the acquisition is not finalized by July 18.



In a final written response, Microsoft's lead attorney, Beth Wilkinson, said that the FTC's requested remedy was unusual and possibly game-changing. Nadella, Kotick, and other Microsoft witnesses have underlined the need to maintain titles like Call of Duty accessible across platforms throughout the session to allay concerns from players.

Company Officials Face The Court

According to Microsoft's CFO, Amy Hood, the prospect of having Call of Duty Xbox-only was never evaluated or brought up in any presentations or conversations with the Board of Directors.



James Weingarten, the senior counsel for the FTC, aimed to refute Microsoft's assertions that exclusivity was not a top concern.

Tim Stuart, CFO of Microsoft's Xbox business, was questioned by Weingarten regarding internal strategy conversations around the Activision Blizzard acquisition and Microsoft's prior $7.5 billion purchase of Zenimax in 2021.

Read Also: Meta Addresses AI Transparency Concerns on Facebook, Instagram with New Tools, Disclosures



Stuart stated that internal conversations examined how income from increasing Xbox system sales and subscriptions to Microsoft's Game Pass program may make up for any decline in sales of exclusive titles.



The FTC and Microsoft will both make closing arguments before the court on Thursday, as per a 2 News report.

A Case Crucial to FTC

Despite UK Competition and Markets Authority's opposition, the European Union and other states have approved Microsoft's purchase of Activision.



The federal court's ruling will shape the case. The Federal Trade Commission could withdraw its lawsuit if the court favors Microsoft.



FTC Chair Lina Khan filed the most significant case while in office, focused on a Big Tech corporation, and sought to block Microsoft's purchase of Activision. Observers have been keenly anticipating Khan's activities on Big Tech mergers since her surprising appointment as the head of the consumer protection and competition agency in June 2021, according to Vox.

It was generally assumed that Khan would ultimately oppose a merger, and the question was only which merger and when.

Related Article: Internal Docs Reveal Microsoft's Interest in Square Enix Acquisition

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Android users should be careful when installing apps on Google Play Store because you never know if they have malware.

One of the most notorious banking trojans to avoid is the Anatsa, designed to launder money from the victim's phone.

This dangerous money-stealing malware should be removed ASAP and you can avoid it by uninstalling some apps.

What's Anatsa Banking Trojan?

The Anatsa banking trojan is not a new malware anymore since it has been infecting devices for a few years. According to Fox News, it has hit several countries in the world, including the US, the UK, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.

At that time, it was recorded that more than 600 banking apps were infected by Anatsa. Some of the notable financial institutions under its radar are TD Bank, JP Morgan, and Capital One.

One of the most alarming aspects of the Anatsa trojan is its ability to bypass Google's security checks, making it challenging to detect and eliminate. Its crafty creators deploy a clever strategy by initially disguising the malware as seemingly harmless productivity apps, like PDF editors and office suites.

These apps appear clean during the submission process to Google, only to have the malware added later. This sneaky approach enables the trojan to pass through Google's security measures undetected.

How Anatsa Banking Trojan Steals Money From Android Owners

Once Anatsa successfully infiltrates a device, it initiates an array of malicious activities primarily aimed at gathering sensitive financial information. Through the use of overlays, Anatsa steals vital data such as bank account credentials, credit card details, and payment information. These overlays manifest as deceptive pop-ups when users access their targeted banking apps.

However, the trojan doesn't stop at theft-it proceeds to commit fraud right on the infected device by launching a banking app and initiating unauthorized transactions.

To cover their tracks, the perpetrators convert the stolen funds into cryptocurrencies, which are then funneled back into their own coffers through a network of unsuspecting intermediaries known as money mules.

Related Article: SpyNote Android Malware Can Now Steal Your Financial Assets: Here's How to Protect Yours

Avoid These Apps With Anasta Banking Trojan

Vigilance is crucial, particularly regarding malicious PDF and document apps on Android devices that are being exploited by Anatsa.

Security experts at ThreatFabric have identified several specific apps employed by cybercriminals to carry out their fraudulent activities. These include the following:

All Document Reader & Editor - com.mikijaki.documents.pdfreader.xlsx.csv.ppt.docs

All Document Reader and Viewer - com.muchlensoka.pdfcreator

PDF Reader & Editor - com.proderstarler.pdfsignature

PDF Reader - Edit & View PDF -lsstudio.pdfreader.powerfultool.allinonepdf.goodpdftools

PDF Reader & Editor - moh.filemanagerrespdf

How to Get Rid of These Apps

To uninstall apps on an Android device, the exact steps may vary depending on the device manufacturer. However, generally, the process involves following these simple instructions:

Open the Settings app on your Android device. Scroll down and locate the "Apps" or "Applications" option. Tap on the specific app you wish to remove from your device. Select the "Uninstall" option and confirm your choice by tapping "OK" or "Uninstall" once again.

Read Also: 34 Android Apps Spotted Including Deadly 'Joker' and 'Autolycos' Malware: Delete These Apps Now

 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
TEHRAN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Muslims on Thursday celebrated across the country Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice that marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Iranian people took part in Eid al-Adha prayers in different cities across the country to commemorate the religious feast, one of the most celebrated festivals on the Islamic calendar.

In the capital Tehran, the Eid al-Adha prayers were held at the University of Tehran and attended by many of the country's officials, including Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei and First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.

In separate messages to Muslim countries' leaders on Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi congratulated them on the occasion, hoping for growing unity among the world's Muslims.

Also on the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian sent congratulatory messages to his counterparts in Muslim states, highlighting the necessity of greater unity and solidarity.

Eid al-Adha is marked by Muslims through sacrificing livestock, whose meat is donated to the poor and shared with relatives and friends. 
Origin of life: Have you cracked the mother of all questions, Ulrich Schreiber?

Did the lioness come from private keeping? In Germany, this is hardly regulated

Are you staying in August in Madrid? 10 good restaurants to enjoy all month

Barbenheimer, a perfect storm with the keys of patriarchy and the 'barbiarchy' for 'dummies'

Ears, lips, instep and even areas that you do not expect: why you have to apply sunscreen from head to toe (literally)

Daniel Habif, motivator and speaker with 10 million followers: "If you spend eight hours on Netflix it's because you're a lousy company for you"

Saiko: "When you're nobody you have to eat shit. Now everyone treats me well."

The emotional goodbye of Ana Rosa Quintana to her AR: "I will have been wrong, but always from honesty"

The mortality rate is extremely high, and most of them are late after detection, and these conditions occur in a timely manner

There will be heavy rainfall in North China and Northeast China and other places The high temperature weather in Xinjiang continues

From "a piece of white" to "seven colors of light" Shanxi Yuncheng guards the thousand-year-old salt pond-China News Network video

Special Investigation Department Recording data suggesting not to prosecute the city council in the acquisition case of former Minister of Justice Kawai

The Football Association issued four tickets in a row, and spectators in the Jiangsu Division were fined for throwing objects at each other and attacking each other

Women's World Cup: victory and records for New Zealand and Australia in the opening

Claudia Zornoza: "As a result of the injuries I got rid of all the hobbies because I think they are not good"

Asgreen and the agonizing triumph of an escape that tried to torpedo Philipsen with the most controversial maneuver

Alonso and his first victory: "That day changed my life and I lost my privacy"

Restless record holder: Isinbayeva will lose IOC privileges in the summer of 2024 and may become persona non grata in Russia

This was the agony of Pogacar in La Loze: "Tadej, we must suffer"

LPR "on hold" in July, the market expects that the third quarter may usher in a RRR cut

Netflix plummets 8% in the stock market despite adding almost 6 million subscribers in three months

For Patrick Martin, new president of Medef, a baptism of field in Rennes with the Le Duff group

Many ministries and commissions have taken active actions to fully fulfill their responsibilities and help the construction of a unified market

The creation of snack industry clusters in various places has driven a large number of entrepreneurs and employment personnel to join

How does the "31 Articles of Private Economy" boost the confidence of private enterprises? Expert interpretation

The webcast room sells financial products, do you dare to place an order? What are the risks?

On People's Bank of China 25, the National Treasure (Dawn of Civilization) gold and silver commemorative coins will be issued

Zhongxin True Detective | Research Center of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council: It has nothing to do with this company

Seven departments: accelerate the innovation of electronic product technology and continue to promote home appliances to the countryside

Ministry of Public Security: Shut down more than 2,1 illegal accounts in accordance with the law

The Soderhamners who invented the vehicle that they would rather not have to use

Gotland russet Ojvind went to the USA  now his offspring have landed in Sweden: "Totally unique"

The Horse Breeding Association on Ojvind's journey: "Important piece of the puzzle for the breed's preservation"

An offensive march for the Holy Quran in Sweden. Anger in Iraq, condemnations from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran

The situation in the morning - A lion is loose in the summer slump. Navalny in prison. Stress in the German open

Three activists arrested for sneaking into Ibiza airport sticking to a private jet and spraying it with paint

The family, a psychologist, an English teacher... this is the team that takes care of Carlos Alcaraz

The astonishing data of the time trial in which Vingegaard swept Pogacar: "He scored more watts than expected"

The Palacios Group asks not to consume its tortillas sold in Carrefour, El Corte Ingles, Dia and 9 other supermarkets

After her return to the Arabic language. Is the relationship between Mali and France over forever?

RaHDit hackers published the routes of ships from which they could hit the Crimean bridge

Many ministries and commissions have taken active actions to fully fulfill their responsibilities and help the construction of a unified market

Ministry of Public Security: Shut down more than 2,1 illegal accounts in accordance with the law

He sold his car to open his only restaurant. Turkish chef Burak sues father for fraud

 Communities 2019 - Privacy

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NEW DELHI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Through the "Chinese Bridge" language competition that connects the world, Indian youths can better understand the profound Chinese civilization, thus contributing to the friendly relationship between China and India, a Chinese diplomat has said.

Ma Jia, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in India, made the remarks at the final of the 22nd "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition in India last week.

The Chinese language competition for foreign college students in India was held on Friday in Mumbai. Vishal Anand from Central University of Gujarat won the top prize and will represent India in the global finals in China.

"I believe that more and more youths in India will learn Chinese inspired by you," Ma told the event.

She said the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in India will continue to provide more platforms for Indian students to learn Chinese and facilitate their further studies in China so that they can serve as bridges of communication and messengers of friendship between the two countries.

"To make it to the final is not only the hard work of the contestants, but also the dedication of the teachers and the support from the headmasters," the Chinese diplomat said.

She believed that the Chinese language education in India will open up new horizons, and the mutual learning between Chinese and Indian civilizations will be carried on from generation to generation. 
Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, speaks at a meeting with NPC deputies sitting in on the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, June 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji on Wednesday called on deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) to give full play to their roles in improving China's legislation.

Zhao, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks at a meeting with NPC deputies sitting in on the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee.

At the meeting, the deputies shared opinions and offered suggestions on legislative planning and the improvement of the legal system. Zhao emphasized the need to carry out the mass line and ensure that the people's expectations are reflected in the law.

Zhao urged the NPC Standing Committee to boost the participation of deputies, especially those from the primary level, in the whole process of legislation to ensure that legislation is carried out in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with the law.

He also called on NPC deputies to conduct in-depth investigations at primary levels and integrate the requirements of actual situations and the public's aspirations in their proposals, suggestions, and speeches during deliberations.

The meeting was presided over by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. 
Transparency has been a major focus of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry's advocacy efforts for years, but more recently in the judiciary. We have worked to improve accountability and transparency in all aspects of the third branch of government, from the courtroom steps to the discovery deposition. Great strides have been made, but significant work remains.
This aerial photo taken on June 5, 2023 shows the construction site of Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway, the kingdom's second Chinese-invested expressway, in Kandal province, Cambodia. (Photo by Ly Lay/Xinhua)

The friendship between China and Cambodia has thrived in the past 65 years and has evolved into a "role model" for world relations, a Cambodian scholar said.

PHNOM PENH, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The bilateral Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework will inject fresh impetus into the building of the Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era, a Cambodian scholar said on Wednesday.

Established by the two countries in February, the Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework has focused on six priority areas, including political cooperation, production capacity and quality, agriculture, energy, security, and people-to-people exchanges.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at Phnom Penh-based independent think tank Asian Vision Institute, said as 2023 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and China, the Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework will give new momentum to the development of ties and cooperation between the two countries.

"With the newly established Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework, the two countries will be able to achieve more political, economic and security cooperation towards a community with a shared future in the new era," he told Xinhua.

Mengdavid said the friendship between China and Cambodia has thrived in the past 65 years and has evolved into a "role model" for world relations.

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. (CSCEC) is currently providing general maintenance services to the China-aided stadium, which is the centerpiece venue for the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that Cambodia is playing host for the first time in 64 years. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua)

"Leaders-to-leaders, government-to-government, party-to-party, and people-to-people relations are the crucial elements that help enhance the unbreakable ironclad friendship between the two countries," he said.

Mengdavid said China's support for Cambodia's successful fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the past few years has built an even stronger fraternal bond of friendship between the two countries.

He added that China is one of the key economic drivers and humanitarian assistance providers to the Southeast Asian nation.

"Under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement, which both took effect in 2022, Cambodia-China trade and investment volumes have increased drastically," he said.

The two free trade agreements have facilitated trade liberalization and investment between the two countries, he added.

This photo taken on May 22, 2023 shows a view of the General Tire Technology (Cambodia) plant in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia. (Photo by Ly Lay/Xinhua)

As 2023 also marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the scholar said Cambodia is one of the first supporters of the BRI, which was proposed in 2013.

"Under the BRI, Cambodia and China have actively promoted pragmatic cooperation in the areas of people's livelihood improvement, agriculture, trade, investment, tourism, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, among others," Mengdavid said.

He added that many Chinese mega-projects under the BRI such as hydropower plants, the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanouk Expressway, the Morodok Techo National Stadium, and the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport have greatly contributed to promoting win-win cooperation as well as inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development.

"The fruit of China's peaceful development has been shared with Cambodia and other countries around the world through the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative, among others," he said. 
The confirmation of US pop behemoth Taylor Swifts Australian Eras tour dates has sent the nation  and the Ticketek website  into, lets face it, a bit of a state.

But some people  apart from Tay Tay herself, of course, and promoter Frontier Touring  are making it work for them.

Taylor Swift is coming to town. Credit: Getty

Youth media start-up The Daily Aus was quick out of the blocks on Wednesday with a ticket giveaway. Punters could be in the running for the four seats on offer simply by signing up as a follower of the sites Instagram page.

Well, about 20,000 Swifties did just that on Wednesday, boosting The Daily Aus following on Instagram  a vital distribution channel for the start-up  by nearly 5 per cent. Not a bad days work.
Journalist and political commentator Peter van Onselen threatened to instigate a public whistleblower campaign against Network Ten last month after he received legal letters suggesting he had breached a non-disparagement clause he signed when he left the broadcaster.

Van Onselen is being sued by his former employer in the NSW Supreme Court after he wrote a column for The Australian on May 29 which examined the financial woes of Ten and its parent company Paramount.

Peter van Onselen, pictured at Tens Melbourne studios, took redundancy from the broadcaster this year. Credit: Jason South

Ten brought urgent proceedings on June 2 seeking a declaration that the agreement signed by van Onselen had been breached, and asking for a permanent injunction to stop him from making statements that would affect Tens reputation.

Arthur Moses, SC, appearing for Ten, told the court on Thursday that van Onselen is not an even-tempered individual; he has a megaphone and he thinks he can use it.
On America:

Former Labor leader Simon Crean famously argued against the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Would you speak out against United States military action if it was in our national interest for you to do so? Absolutely. Australia must always stand up for our national interest. And the other thing is that being a friend and ally, which Australia is of the United States, means not just going along and being subservient. It means actually telling the United States where you think its made a position that you disagree with. An example of that at the moment is that on Julian Assange. Ive made very clear that I have a different position from the United States. Ive advocated that and will continue to do so. And I think that thats the job. Its a bit like the answer to the previous question  true friends around me will tell me if they think Im getting something wrong. Thats how you need to build a relationship of trust as well. And Ive built a very positive relationship with President [Joe] Biden and senior members of the Biden administration. Were very comfortable with each other. And that means that you can have the sorts of discussions which we need to have in todays very uncertain world where you do have strategic competition in our region. On free markets:

You were on the Labor Left before the fall of the Berlin Wall. What was the event that changed your thinking about the market economy? I think that markets can be a democratic form, as well, of expression, and they can be a great allocator of resources. And Ive always had that view. I remember speaking at a forum in Newtown [in Sydneys inner west], it was very much a broad left forum, and saying what was regarded as heresy  that markets were a democratic form of expression, because I believe that they are. If you want to determine what the best chocolate bar is, the market will tell you. You wont get that by just talking [about] whats selling the best. Tim Tams are good biscuits because people buy them. Thats the market in operation. And then resources are allocated to it. But Ive also always believed that theres a role for government, theres a role for the state, in providing people with opportunity and making sure that people dont get left behind. On the Indigenous Voice: There have been many organisations that have been set up for First Nations people to try to help them. Why would the Voice be any better?
London: When the rebellion was over, its leader was taken to the Kremlin. He was drawn, quartered and decapitated. The Russian government then cracked down even harder. But the mutiny and its instigator captured the romantic imagination of Russians, in time inspiring some of their greatest literature.

The execution in this case took place in 1774. The rebel leader was a Cossack named Yemelyan Pugachev, his nemesis was the Tsarina Catherine the Great, and the novel  The Captains Daughter by Alexander Pushkin  was published a whole lifetime later.

Elle Fanning as Catherine in The Great, in the historical drama-comedy.

Yevgeny Prigozhin appears  so far  to have arranged a fate better than Pugachevs, after the mutiny he led this weekend first fizzed and then fizzled  all within a few dramatic hours that will no doubt also be the stuff of future storytellers.

The boss of the Wagner Group, a ruthless mercenary militia, has now decamped to neighbouring Belarus, where he and an as-yet unknown number of his soldiers of fortune will regroup, at the pleasure of that countrys dictator, Alexander Lukashenko.
Paris: A French police officer who shot and killed a 17-year-old driver will be investigated for voluntary homicide following two days of fires and violent protests that injured scores of officers, officials said.

France will deploy 40,000 police officers across the country to quell violence that engulfed cities and towns in the wake of the shooting earlier in the week.

Police forces walk past burning cars in Nanterre, outside Paris. Credit: AP

The state must be firm in its response, tonight 40,000 policemen will be mobilised, including 5000 in the Paris region, versus 9000 yesterday, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday (France time).

The epicentre of the unrest was in Nanterre, a working-class town on the western outskirts of Paris, where the shooting of the 17-year-old boy of North African descent identified as Nahel took place. The incident occurred during a traffic stop on Tuesday.
if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and special envoy of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the advancement of girls' and women's education, called for pulling strengths from all sides to promote full development of women.

Peng made the remarks via video link at the China-Africa Women's Forum on Thursday.

China and Africa are a community with a shared future, standing together through thick and thin, Peng said, adding women are important members of the big China-Africa family.

Over the years, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, women from China and Africa have written a splendid chapter of shared progress through solidarity and cooperation, Peng said.

In different places across Africa, women from China are working with African sisters in medical teams, on peacekeeping missions, at infrastructure construction sites and in technical training programs. They work side by side to make a better life and contribute to a stronger China-Africa friendship, she added.

Peng said she has maintained friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Organization of African First Ladies for Development to offer love and hope.

Both China and Africa place high importance on advancing women's causes, she said.

China has taken a range of measures to strengthen the legal system protecting women's rights and interests, empower women with better education, support women's entrepreneurship and innovation, and deliver healthcare services to women and children, to foster a favorable environment for women's full development.

In Africa, countries are working hard to improve women's working and living conditions, help them get rid of poverty, and encourage women's participation in the management of the country and society, Peng said, adding these worthy efforts have produced positive results.

China and Africa will continue to march ahead together, with love and action, on the journey of advancing the development of women, she said.

Given the many challenges facing women's development, the need for solidarity and cooperation is greater than ever, Peng said.

"I am ready to work with you to carry forward the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women and the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, pull strengths from all sides to promote women's full development, and contribute to the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era," she added.

The China-Africa Women's Forum, jointly held by the All-China Women's Federation and the people's government of Hunan Province, opened Thursday in Changsha, capital of Hunan. 
A woman sells artistic items at an informal art and craft market in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 27, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)

The display of colorful artistic items adorned the floor and stalls at a bustling informal market in downtown Windhoek, Namibia's capital, where Jossy Haikali, an artist, was selling items.

WINDHOEK, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The display of colorful artistic items adorned the floor and stalls at a bustling informal market in downtown Windhoek, Namibia's capital, where Jossy Haikali, an artist, was selling items.

Haikali is part of longstanding trade by artists, maximizing tourism, one of the pillar industries for Namibia's economy, to generate income. The items sold include beadwork, pottery, and cultural and embroidered items.

Haikali said on Tuesday that selling artistic items has allowed her to sustain her livelihood.

"I turned to art when I came to the city; it is now my lifeline. My children have gone to school, and on it I still rely," said Haikali, who has been selling craft and artistic items at the art market since 1995.

According to her, the small-sized items sold offered a competitive advantage, which tourists find easy to carry.

"They take a bit of Namibia with them while we promote our culture and earn the required funds," added the 53-year-old.

She is not the only one. Paulina Ashikoto migrated to Windhoek from a village in Oshikoto Region and started selling art items in 2020.

"It was just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and business took a knock. I returned at the end of 2021 when international traveling resumed," Ashikoto said.

A woman displays an artistic item at an informal art and craft market in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 27, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)

Namibia recorded an increase in tourist arrivals in 2023, seen as a sign of recovery of the tourism industry from the pandemic, according to a report released in May by investment research firm, Simonis Storm Securities.

The 2021 Tourism Arrival Statistics report also shows that tourist arrivals into Namibia increased from 169,565 in 2020 to 232,756 in 2021, representing a 37.3 percent growth.

"Since the return of travelers, things are looking up because many locals don't buy from us," Ashikoto said.

Selling the crafts has offered more than an income for the traders. According to Haikali, craft selling is an empowering and meaningful part of invested artists' lives.

"We come from an era where women stayed home. Now we can do more with our skills and thrive. And art offered us that. This offered me economic freedom as well," she said.

For Ellen Tjivinda, selling art allowed her to showcase the culture of the Ovahimba people, one of the indigenous tribes from northwestern Namibia. These include cultural attires and dance.

"I then send money to my family in Kunene Region to survive threats of climate change that negatively impact our nomadic lives. But I also learned how to run a business from here, a skill I did not possess," Tjivinda said.

People visit an informal art and craft market in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 27, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)

Despite the challenges of the daily slog of bargaining and competition that thwarts business, the self-made artists hope to ride high on a wave of success backed by entrepreneurial dedication. The artists often collaborate and share best practices and the skill sets necessary for craft-making that help ensure success.

In the interim, the artists continuously experiment with new designs and market products on social media to diversify reach and clientele.

"Even here on the street, we observe what others are doing. I learned most of what I know here at this market," Haikali said. 
MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday approved a loan of 1 billion U.S. dollars to help establish a city-wide public transport project in the Philippines' Davao City.

The project is the first in the country to deploy electric bus fleets at scale in support of the Philippines' efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and promote climate action.

The Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, the ADB's largest road-based public transport project in the Philippines, is expected to serve as a pilot for overhauling the country's public road transport system.

The Manila-based bank said the project will support procuring a modern fleet of about 1,100 buses with private-sector operations under performance-based contracts. The new fleet is expected to reduce 60 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions from public transport in Davao City, the Southeast Asian country's third-largest city by population.

"Not only will this support the Philippines' climate goals, but it will help to improve the lives of vulnerable populations, especially women and the young who use public transport daily," said ADB Senior Transport Specialist for Southeast Asia Shuji Kimura.

The ADB said the project will service about 800,000 passengers per day. It also includes the construction of around 1,000 bus stops with bright lighting and shelters, five bus depots, and three bus terminals, and provides bus driving training for the new system.

The project will upgrade the city's public transport experience via an intelligent transport system that includes a bus location system, automatic fare collection systems, and Wi-Fi connectivity in buses, terminals, and depots, added the ADB.

Since 2015, the ADB has provided project preparatory technical assistance to help Davao City plan for the new bus system, including a capacity development program and a social development program. 
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is scheduling its annual State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) meetings this summer. District 1, which encompasses parts of Laramie, Albany and Carbon Counties, has meetings scheduled in July and August.

The STIP outlines WYDOTs construction project schedule over the next six years. A dynamic plan, the STIP is updated every year to make sure it addresses both current and future needs.

District 1s STIP meeting schedule is as follows:

- Carbon County

11 a.m. July 19: A public meeting at the WYDOT office conference room located at 301 Airport Road in Rawlins.

6 p.m. July 19: A presentation during the Carbon County Council of Governments meeting at the Baggs Community Center at 255 Osborn St. in Baggs.

- Albany County

11 a.m. July 25: A public meeting at the WYDOT District Office conference room, located at 3411 S Third Street in Laramie.

6 p.m. July 25: A presentation during a virtual work session with the Albany County Commissioners and Laramie City Council. Visit https://cityoflaramie.org/68/City-Council for the Zoom link information.

- Laramie County

11 a.m. August 1: A presentation to the Laramie County Commissioners in their Commission room located at 310 W 19th St. in Cheyenne.

2 p.m. August 1: A public meeting held at the WYDOT Headquarters Auditorium, 5300 Bishop Blvd. in Cheyenne.

Please reach out to andrea.staley@wyo.gov for information on how to attend or for a calendar invite. Public comments about current or future construction projects, including project suggestions not included in the STIP, are accepted at each meeting or via email prior to a meeting.
ADEN, Yemen, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Four Yemeni government soldiers were killed in the southern province of Dhalea on Thursday in a drone attack carried out by the Houthi militia, a military official told Xinhua.

The Houthi militia deployed an explosive-laden drone and targeted military installations of the pro-government forces in the northern areas of Dhalea, said the official on condition of anonymity.

He noted that the drone attack killed four soldiers and injured several others while damaging the military site, with an armored vehicle completely destroyed.

The attack took place concurrently with the arrival of Houthi reinforcements near government forces' positions in Dhalea, he added.

The Houthis have also been pursuing military escalation on other fronts within southern provinces that are currently under the control of pro-government forces, according to the official.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognized Yemeni government.

The United Nations brokered a humanitarian truce in Yemen in April 2022, initially bringing hope for a peaceful resolution by significantly reducing violence. However, after the truce expired in October last year, sporadic armed confrontations have resurfaced in various regions of the country.

The UN has been working to broker a political solution to the conflict, but previous attempts have failed due to a lack of trust between the warring parties and continued violence on the ground. 
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Mostly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 74F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
The Daily News will sit down with your top performance player from the Week #7 Batavia Muckdogs games and talk baseball! Keep an eye out for our Week #8 poll, running next week (Tuesday - Friday)!

You voted:
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Showers and a few thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Showers and a few thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
CCTV: New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is about to wrap up his official visit to China. Chinese leaders met and held talks with him and the two sides released a joint statement on the comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a series of documents on cooperation covering such areas as agriculture, education, science and technology and intellectual property rights. What do you think of the visit?

Mao Ning: New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is on an official visit to China which started on June 25 and will last till June 30. During the visit, President Xi Jinping met with him. Premier Li Qiang held talks with him. Premier Li and Prime Minister Hipkins jointly witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents on science and technology, education, agriculture, forestry, quarantine, food safety and intellectual property rights. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, met with the visiting Prime Minister as well. The Joint Statement between the Peoples Republic of China and New Zealand on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was released.

The Chinese side considers the visit a trip that has contributed to mutual understanding, deepened mutual trust and expanded cooperation. The leaders of the two countries had positive, candid and constructive conversations on China-New Zealand relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest and jointly charted the future course and provided strategic guidance for bilateral relations. President Xi Jinping noted that China-New Zealand relations have long spearheaded Chinas relations with developed countries. It is important to carry forward that spirit, achieve more firsts and consolidate and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership. Prime Minister Hipkins said that New Zealands relationship with China is one of our most significant and strong. New Zealand attaches high importance to growing ties with China and hopes that this visit will bring more cooperation opportunities and take our bilateral relations to new heights.

The sustained, sound and steady growth of China-New Zealand relations has brought tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries and contributed to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region. China stands ready to work with New Zealand, actively deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, continue to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership and bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples.

AFP: According to reports, the Taiwan authorities recently turned down applications by officials of nine provinces on Chinas mainland to participate in a tourism fair in Taipei. Do you have a response to this?

Mao Ning: This is not a question about Chinas foreign affairs.

Global Times: According to reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a recent interview that it is no secret that there are differences between the US and China. The US will continue to stand for its interests, stand up for its values and continue to do things and say things that China doesnt like. What is your comment?



Mao Ning: China is dissatisfied with the comments made by Secretary Blinken. The US pursues a misconceived China policy which stems from a misguided China perception, seeks to block, contain and suppress China and has been attacking and smearing Chinas image to interfere in Chinas internal affairs. What the US has said and done violates the basic norms governing international relations. China has every reason to firmly oppose that.

I would like to stress again that mutual respect is the basic principle for countries dealing with each other and an essential ingredient for China and the US to find the right way to get along. China urges the US to stop making irresponsible comments and honor its commitments with concrete actions.

TASS: Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department, said on Wednesday that a visit by members of Congress to Taiwan does not mean a change in the USs Taiwan policy. This is not Executive Branch travel, he said, adding that the US is not seeking to incite tensions or to change the status quo. Whats Chinas comment?

Mao Ning: There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. We firmly oppose any form of official interaction between the US and the Taiwan authorities. All US government bodies, including the executive, legislative and judicial branches, should act on the foreign policy the US government has affirmed and committed itself to. The US needs to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques and refrain from sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces.

Dragon TV: Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna issued a statement on June 26, saying that Japans plan to dump radioactive waste in the Pacific Ocean is not merely a nuclear safety issue. It is rather an ocean, fisheries, and health issue with the future of our children and future generations at stake. This is an issue of significant transboundary and transgenerational impacts, and has the potential to set a precedent for deliberate, unilateral dumping of nuclear waste into our ocean. New approaches are needed. The way forward should involve comprehensive international consultation not only through the IAEA platform but through other relevant platforms such as UNCLOS and the 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (the London Convention). Do you have any comment?

Mao Ning: As a fellow Pacific Rim country, China fully shares the concerns of Pacific Island countries. All along, there has been strong questioning and opposition from the international community over the Japanese governments unilateral and wrong decision to dump the nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean. The world is gravely concerned about the impact of this act on marine environment and peoples health. However, there have been signs that the Japanese government will probably start the ocean discharge soon regardless of international and domestic opposition, meaning that humanity will have to face the nuclear pollution risks stemming from Japan.

Ocean discharge is clearly not the safest or best way to dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water. Japans decision is based entirely on minimizing economic cost. Such discharge violates Japans obligations to protect and preserve the marine environment as outlined in UNCLOS and other international law and the provisions against dumping radioactive wastes from man-made structures at sea in the London Convention.

The Pacific Island countries call for further discussions of the discharge plan under such frameworks as UNCLOS and the London Convention merits full attention from the international community. China once again urges Japan to face the worlds concerns squarely, deliver on its international legal obligations, stop proceeding with the ocean discharge plan, handle the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, safe and transparent way and subject itself to rigorous international oversight.

AFP: The Standing Committee of Chinas National Peoples Congress officially passed the Law on Foreign Relations of the Peoples Republic of China on Wednesday, which will come into force on July 1, 2023. Could you elaborate a little bit on the law, plus ways it will be applied?

Mao Ning: The Law on Foreign Relations of the Peoples Republic of China is the first basic law that fully outlines Chinas major policies, principles and positions, and systems and structures concerning Chinas interaction with the world, and provides the overall rules and regulations on Chinas foreign relations. This piece of legislation has a foundational and guiding role in Chinas legal system on foreign affairs. Its main function is to lay out the guiding principles for Chinas diplomacy in general and set out the fundamental and principled provisions for the work in various fields on foreign relations.

This legislation embodies the goal of Chinas foreign policy which is to safeguard world peace and promote common development. It reflects Chinas strong hope for peace, development and win-win cooperation. It reaffirms Chinas conviction in building a community with a shared future for mankind, building a new type of international relations, and promoting the common values of humanity. The legislation is also a clear demonstration of Chinas determination and commitment to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests and uphold international fairness and justice.

CCTV: Yesterday, the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-US People-to-People Friendship Forum was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event. He wrote in the letter that amity between peoples holds the key to the relationship between countries, and the people are the cornerstone of flourishing bilateral ties. Could you share more details with us? What expectation does China have for the exchanges between the Chinese and American people going forward?

Mao Ning: Yesterday, the Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-US People-to-People Friendship Forum was held with success in Fuzhou, Fujian Province with the theme of inherit the torch of friendship and create a better future together. Members of the Kuliang Friends and people from various sectors in China and the US attended the lively event.

President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the event, in which he noted that the stories of the Kuliang Friends have shown once again that the Chinese and American peoples can transcend difference in system, culture and language, and build up a profound friendship. Amity between peoples holds the key to the relationship between countries, and the people are the cornerstone of flourishing bilateral ties. I hope that you will continue to write the Kuliang story and carry forward the special bond, so that the friendship between our two peoples can stay forever strong and robust like the pair of thousand-year-old cedar trees in Kuliang, he wrote.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, people-to-people exchanges have been fruitful. We now have 284 pairs of sister provinces/states and cities, covering 90 percent of states and cities in the US. Mechanisms such as the China-US Agriculture Roundtable and the China-US Sister Cities Conference are productive and brought about a series of cooperation projects. As we put the pandemic behind us, subnational, people-to-people, cultural, educational and think-tank exchanges are warming again. People-to-people exchanges between China and the US have been a booster for the growth of the bilateral relations.

The Chinese government has always supported the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and hopes that the US will respond to the wishes of the people and move in the same direction with China, act on the common understandings reached by the two presidents in Bali, support wide-ranging communication and cooperation including people-to-people exchanges, and bring the China-US relations back to the track of sound and steady growth.

Bloomberg: The Wall Street Journal reports that the balloon that flew over the US, which the US government alleges was a spy balloon, was equipped with American-made surveillance gear. This would appear to contradict Chinas assertions that the balloon was a weather device that was blown off course. Does the foreign ministry have a response?

Mao Ning: Im not aware of the sources of the report. As China has stated on many occasions, the unmanned Chinese civilian airship drifting over the US was an entirely unexpected accident caused by force majeure. The US calling it a spy balloon is nothing but smear against China.

AFP: US Treasury Secretary Yellen said in a recent interview that she hopes to travel to China to reestablish contact with Chinese leaders. Does China have the plan to receive Secretary Yellen soon?

Mao Ning: China and the US are in touch about dialogue and communication at various levels. As for your specific question, Id refer you to competent Chinese authorities.
TEHRAN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran has repatriated four Iraqi prisoners under a 2011 convict extradition agreement between the two neighbors, the Iranian Students' News Agency reported Thursday.

The four prisoners were handed over to Iraqi authorities on Tuesday to serve the rest of their jail terms in their home country, ISNA quoted Deputy Iranian Justice Minister for Human Rights and International Affairs Askar Jalalian as saying.

The transfer of prisoners to their country is a humanitarian issue and in line with human rights activities, he added.

The extradition deal was signed by the then justice ministers of the two countries in April 2011, in the wake of a raid by Iraqi forces on Camp Ashraf, which was home to the members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) which Iran designates as a terrorist group. 
Annandale Distillery to use 3.6m energy technology

Annandale Distillery will be the first in the world to use new thermal energy storage technology as part of a 3.6m trial funded by the department for energy security & net zero.

Described as game changer in the race to net zero, the new decarbonisation machine can replace up to 100% of the fossil fuels currently used in high temperature industrial processes.

The technology has been developed by new University of Edinburgh spinout, Exergy3, which was awarded funding from the UK governments 55m industrial fuel switching competition.

Professor David Thomson, Annandales co-owner, commented: Our distillery is on a journey towards net zero. Being able to raise all of the steam we need via green electricity would be a massive step forward for us, and for the Scotch whisky industry as a whole. We look forward to partnering with Exergy3 on delivering this really important project.

Exergy3s energy storage system takes excess renewable energy from the national grid and stores it with minimal energy losses. The technology was invented by Dr Adam Robinson, now chief technology officer at Exergy3, and the team has said the technology can store up to 36 MWh of thermal energy, which can be easily transported and installed on site.

CEO of Exergy3, Dr Markus Ronde, added: We are very excited about the potential applications of this technology, from process heat provision for large-scale industry, to decarbonising buildings through residential heating networks.

Our system charges quickly, can store more energy at higher temperatures than other systems, with less thermal energy loss, and is easily transported and installed with minor disruption of the users site.

In my view, this technology is a game changer in the race to net zero, as we believe that we will be able to offer a commercially viable pathway to decarbonisation to industrial energy users within the next few years.

More information can be found at Annandales website.

29 June 2023 - Bradley Weir
Touring in celebration of his sophomore album patience which was released last November, James has a new found determination and authenticity which is reflected throughout the record. With singles Motions and Stuck In Denial receiving high rotate airplay and over a million streams between them, the album explores battles and the journey he has been on since his breakout Platinum selling album MITCH JAMES.
NANCHANG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Chen Jiadong, a former senior legislator in Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province, stood trial for taking bribes, embezzlement, and abuse of power in eastern China's Jiangxi Province Thursday.

Chen is formerly the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress.

He was charged with taking advantage of his various positions in Tibet Autonomous Region and Fujian to seek benefits for others and accept over 94.15 million yuan (about 13.04 million U.S. dollars) worth of money and valuables in return between 2000 and 2022.

Chen allegedly took advantage of his post in Fujian's Zhangzhou City between 2015 and 2017 to embezzle over 3.41 million yuan worth of state-owned properties, according to the prosecutors of Nanchang City, where the trial occurred.

The prosecutors also accused Chen of malpractice for personal gains and abuse of power while working in Zhangzhou City between 2013 to 2014, which had caused state asset losses of more than 190 million yuan.

During hearings at the Intermediate People's Court of Nanchang, prosecutors presented their evidence, which the defendant and his lawyers cross-examined.

Chen pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in his final statement.

The verdict will be announced in due course. 
130 Countries Are Exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies, Report Says

A sign for China's new digital currency, electronic Chinese yuan (e-CNY) is displayed at a shopping mall in Shanghai on March 8, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Nearly two-thirds of the countries in the world are now exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDC) at one level or another, according to a new report.

The report, published on June 28 by Washington-based think tank Atlantic Council, revealed that a total of 130 countriesrepresenting 98 percent of the global economyare taking steps to convert their central bank money into digital form. Thats a dramatic increase from two years ago, when there were just 35 countries considering a CBDC.

Some 11 of those 130 countries have already launched their CBDCs. All of them, except Nigeria, are Caribbean island nations.

All G-20 countries, with the exception of Argentina, are now in the advanced stage of CBDC development.

Nearly every G20 country has made significant progress and invested new resources in these projects over the past six months, the report reads.

In China, a pilot digital RMB program is being tested in more than 200 scenarios, from public transit to government stimulus payments to e-commerce. Experts believe that this is meant to strengthen the communist regimes control over the people and to prepare Chinese society for a return to a centrally planned economy.

Russia, amid what it calls a special military operation against Ukraine, announced that it would launch a digital ruble pilot in April. The pilot has been pushed to roughly the end of July, as the Russian parliament keeps adding amendments to the legislature that would authorize the Russian Central Bank to create the program.

The European Central Bank is on track to begin piloting the digital euro, eyeing a potential launch in 2028. India and Brazil are also planning to launch their digital currencies next year.

In the United States, the work on a retail CBDC has stalled, although progress is still moving forward for a wholesale CBDC, which can only be used by financial institutions for bank-to-bank transfers.

The idea of a Federal Reserve-issued and -controlled digital U.S. dollar has met with intense opposition from people on both the political right and center-left, such as Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whos challenging U.S. President Joe Biden for the Democratic Partys 2024 presidential nomination.

Central bank digital currencies are the beginning of the end, Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican, wrote on Twitter in April.

Kennedy offered a look back at the Canadian truckers anti-COVID vaccine mandate protests in 2022, to which the Canadian government responded by locking the bank accounts of the protesters and people donating to the cause. Adopting a CBDC would only make it easier for a government to punish those it deems politically undesirable using financial means, he argued.

Its not outlandish to imagine that even here in America, your bank account could one day be frozen because of your politics, or comments youve made on social media, he wrote on Twitter in May.

This is not a right- or left-wing issue. It is about protecting democracy from powerful established interests. The digitization of currency has given government unprecedented powers to surveil and control economic life. That is why I oppose CBDCs, which will vastly magnify the governments power to suffocate dissent by cutting off access to funds with a keystroke.

In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a law that expressly bans the use of Fed-issued digital currency in his state. He also called on like-minded states to join Florida in adding similar prohibitions to their respective commercial laws to fight back against this concept nationwide.

A centralized digital dollar  will stifle innovation and promote government-sanctioned surveillance, DeSantis said in March, when he had yet to announce a 2024 White House bid. Florida will not side with economic central planners; we will not adopt policies that threaten personal economic freedom and security.
Book recommendation: An important and thorough disruption to the ongoing sermonizing of anti-colonialism

When social activists and ideologically driven historians claim that something is evil by virtue of its existence, chances are those who receive that information are missing context. Typically, a lot of context.

Colonialism is one of those topics regarding which todays social and political commentators are missing a lot of context, although indeed, they arent short on rhetoric. Bruce Gilley, a professor of political science at Portland State University, has written a new book on the subject in an effort to provide more context on colonialism, although he does add his own hyperbolic rhetoric to the mix.

In Defense of German Colonialism: And How Its Critics Empowered Nazis, Communists, and the Enemies of the West is a follow-up to his work on imperialism, titled The Last Imperialist: Sir Alan Burns Epic Defense of the British Empire. Both works are hyper-specific, as one centers on an individual, Burns, although it does extrapolate to the idea and ideals of the British Empire, and the other centers on a country, Germany.

A Misconstrued Era

Drawing of the participants in the Berlin conference in 1884. (Public Domain)

This work, as the title notes, is a defense of an era that has been misconstrued, and its justifiable to suggest that it has been misconstrued on purpose. Gilley took advocacy to task by the use of historical records. Of course, advocacy has its place in the world but not if its done for political ends; and this is the problemand it is a very destructive problemthat Gilley works to dissect and lay bare. This is what Gilley tries to differentiate in his book.

Activist historians work backward toward the beginning, therefore picking, manipulating, and choosing historical records to fit their end goal. Gilley does the opposite by taking the beginning, in this case German colonialism of the 19th century, and moves forward, pulling records and statements from those in German governmental authority and then colonial authority (including the original purpose of German colonialism as promoted in the Spirit of Berlin conference)both good and badand ties them together to weave a conclusion thats indeed opposite of the activists own.

Does his conclusion create moral clarity for colonialism? I dont think it does. But I dont believe thats the point. Colonialism is a rather morally ambiguous topic, especially in an era that was full of revolutions, independence movements, and, in the words of Woodrow Wilson, self-determination.

To some extent, one should consider Thomas Sowells idea of trade-offs when considering colonialism. According to Sowell, an American economist, there are no solutions, only trade-offs. Gilley pitted the idea of trade-offs against itself. Should a tribe or nation in Africa subject itself to European authority and lose what the West would consider its independence? Or continue as a tribe or nation that, in many parts, remains centuries, if not millennia, behind the rest of the world?

Gilley references the Germans Spirit of Berlin principles to indicate that the goal was to uplift a group of people by instituting law and order, economic prosperity, technological and medicinal advancements, infrastructure, and education, with the sacrifice of pure autonomy.

Activists promote the idea of pure autonomy even if it means sacrificing the aforementioned. In the closing chapters of his book, Gilley noted the results that came from those independence movements in Africa. They most often resulted in nothing short of chaos and violence.

Addressing the Guilt Theories

A painting of a tropical landscape in German East Africa with a firefight between the German colonial rulers, the Askari, and the local population, painted in 1896 by Karl Paul Themistokles von Eckenbrecher. Oil on board. (Public Domain)

Gilley indicated that several theories might be driving forces of anti-colonialism. One is group guilt, which is the idea of taking an exception and making it the rule. In this instance, the exception is necessarily negative. But Gilley refutes this idea.

On such a group guilt theory, every contemporary country is illegitimate, genocidal, and evil because every country has at one time experienced major policy lapses that have had terrible consequences, he wrote.

A tie-in to the group guilt theory is the use of micro-history, a term used by Rebekka Habermas in her book, Scandal in Togo: A Chapter of German Colonial Rule. Gilley uses Habermass work and theory against her, and along with it the group guilt theory, by stating that if anything, we should assume that a scandal is a scandal because it is not typical. These gloss-over accusations by contemporary scholars and historians are the bases for Gilleys work.

The author also believes that this purposeful misconstruing of German colonialismwhich reaches back a century to the post-World War I British, French, and Belgian propagandistsgave rise to communism in Germany and, ultimately, the Nazi party. Of course, the British and French had their reasons to create such propaganda, as the conclusion of The Great War gave rise to the opportunity to take the available German colonies.

Third Reich and Anti-Colonialism

A painting from the front cover of Deutsche Reichspost (German Empire Mail), painted in 1937 by Ludwig Hohlwein. (Public Domain)

But how does the Third Reich fit in with anti-colonialism? Arent colonialism and fascism synonymous? Gilley maintained they arent and that they couldnt be more opposite. He argued that considering them synonymous stems from ideology.

The bigger failure is ideological, he wrote. Scholars wish ardently to believe that colonialism and fascism were two heads of the same monster.

The Nazi doctrine was perfectly aligned with the doctrines of anti-colonialism.

Pointing to modern scholars, he wrote, Strangely, the contemporary academy is completely silent on the fascist origins of anti-colonialism.

They simply do not want to admit that the anti-colonial movements they admire are rooted in fascist ideas and connections.

Gilley argued that the reason these modern scholars are silent is that they adhere to the German American historian and political philosopher Hannah Arendts continuity thesis. It states that fascism, Nazism specifically, sprouted directly from the seeds of colonialism. But even without Gilleys dissection, this thesis doesnt hold water. Arendts continuity thesis only works if one works backward, but as mentioned above, counter-historical facts must be ignored or misrepresented.

Gilley may be poking the modern intellectual bear by making a more important point: These types of scholars suffer from ideological servitude and laziness. Its the equivalent of one fish swimming upstream while the others swim downstream: The group finds the downstream trip easy.

But why is this mode of historicism, as I suggested above, destructive? It should never be more evident than what the West has witnessed over the past decade of tearing down statues, destroying monuments, rewriting history, and educating the next generation to advocate for politically and socially motivated theories.

Gilley described it even more chillingly, stating that Germany succumbed to an all-embracing and debilitating guilt politics that cast its flourishing era of liberal internationalism  as an unbroken tale of oppression. He then described what has resulted from this guilt politics, writing that [Germany], which above all countries should have emerged from the Cold War as the unrivalled bastion of the Western-liberal and capitalist tradition, became instead a self-doubting wreck of a country that dared not speak its own name.

The Great Scam

Book cover for the 2022 In Defense of German Colonialism: And How Its Critics Empowered Nazis, Communists, and the Enemies of the West by Bruce Gilley.

Although Gilley has written a powerful testament that undermines the scholarly activism of many decades (and he isnt alone in this, as he does reference numerous other scholars who believe as he does), hes also pointing the reader to something else, something bigger. Its the fact that were all being scammed by revisionist historians who advocate for a political ideology rather than whats true, whether that truth is positive or negative.

If colonialism was as terrible as the contemporary rhetoric proclaims, then let the records speak for themselves instead of being filtered through the guilt theories and theses. The problem is that history, the history of the morally ambiguous, has been so overwhelmed and buried by ideological activism that the average reader will struggle to believe anything that Gilley suggests. His book appears as another ideology rather than a correction of history. His use of insulting adjectives regarding many of these scholars makes it seem so. Theres no camouflaging his irritation and anger about something we should all be irritated and angry about.

The problem is that the pathos in our modern historical conversation plays too large a role. Our view of our own history decides our future. History doesnt need hyperbole; the truth is enough.

In Defense of German Colonialism: And How Its Critics Empowered Nazis, Communists, and the Enemies of the West

By Bruce Gilley

Regnery Gateway, Aug. 2, 2022

Hardcover: 256 pages
3 Supreme Court Justices Dissent in Major Affirmative Action Ruling

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. (Seated from left) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (Standing behind from left) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that colleges and universities cannot take race into consideration when granting admission, striking down decades of precedent.

The case involved the admissions policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public university, and Harvard University, a private Ivy League college. The court ruled 63, with Republican-appointed justices joining the majority, and Democrat-appointed justices joining the minority.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor wrote (pdf) a lengthy, 70-page dissent that was joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, arguing that Thursdays ruling was tantamount to entrenching racial inequality in education.

Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits, Sotomayor wrote in her dissent. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

Sotomayor also claimed that entrenched racial inequality remains a reality today, without providing specifics. Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality.

The decision Thursday resulted from two different cases brought by the Students for Fair Admissions, which targeted Harvard University and UNC. It had alleged that those two colleges discriminated against both white and Asian students.

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor sits during a group photograph of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington on April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Students for Fair Admissions alleged that the adoption by UNC, a public university, of an admissions policy that is not race neutral violates the guarantee to equal protection of the law under the Constitutions 14th Amendment. The group contended Harvard, a private university violated Title VI of a landmark federal law called the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

Justices Sotomayor and Jackson criticized the majority for making an exception for military academies, with Sotomayor saying it is arbitrary.

Jackson also said that the court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom (a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore).

Majority Opinion

For the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race.

Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice, Roberts continued, adding that the two colleges lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.

Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise, he wrote.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett were part of the majority who struck down the university policy.

Many institutions of higher education, corporations, and military leaders have long backed affirmative action on campuses in alleging that its used to remedy so-called racial inequality. But critics have said that giving advantages to one race of people regardless of the motivation is unconstitutional and would lead to destructive outcomes.

Affirmative action had withstood Supreme Court scrutiny for decades, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white student, backed by affirmative activist Edward Blum, who sued the University of Texas after being rejected for admission. Blum, who has long opposed affirmative action, is the founder of Students for Fair Admissions.

The dispute presented the Supreme Courts conservative majority an opportunity to overturn its prior rulings allowing race-conscious admissions policies. Lower courts rejected the groups claims, prompting appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the justices to overturn a key precedent holding that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body.

In a statement, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said that the school remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences. And it added, While not the outcome we hoped for, we will carefully review the Supreme Courts decision and take any steps necessary to comply.

Reuters contributed to this report.
In a conversation held by the American Enterprise Institute at 3:30 p.m. ET on June 29, a panel of experts discuss a U.S. Supreme Court case on the Biden administration forgiving hundreds of billions of dollars in student loans.
ANALYSIS: Trump, Other Politicos Fight for Attention in Changing Media Landscape

Former President Donald Trump visits the Versailles restaurant in the Little Havana neighborhood after being arraigned at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Federal Courthouse in Miami on June 13, 2023. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

News Analysis

Big-name politicianssuch as former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, and their rivalsare jockeying for positions amid a media landscape that looks a lot like the Wild West lately.

High-profile shakeups have recently hit two major networks, Fox News and CNN, leaving candidates and viewers guessing the political direction that each might take next.

After firing conservative megastar host Tucker Carlson two months ago, Fox has seen its prime-time audience shrink by one-third, Deadline reported on June 27.

Mr. Trump, once aligned closely with Fox, criticized the network as being very prejudiced against him in a June 26 interview with Newsmax.

Meanwhile, in recent months, Foxs left-leaning counterpart, CNN, fired longtime on-air personalities Don Lemon and Brian Stelter. Then, the network and Mr. Trump stunned observers by temporarily declaring a truce in their longstanding war over mutual accusations of spreading false information.

Former President Donald Trump (L) speaks at a CNN town hall with CNNs Kaitlan Collins at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., on May 10, 2023, in a still from video footage. (CNN/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

A May 10 town hall forum with Mr. Trump, his first appearance on CNN since his successful presidential run in 201516, drew more than 3 million viewers. The New Hampshire forum was the first major televised event of the 2024 presidential campaign, Mr. Trumps third run for the presidency.

For the former president, it meant free publicity. For CNN, it was TV-ratings gold. But the event proved to be kryptonite for the networks CEO, Chris Licht. CNN fired him shortly thereafter. He had been in charge for only a year and had tried to steer the network toward more neutral news reporting.

These surprising shifts at Fox and CNN come while virtually all TV stations and legacy media outlets continue scrambling to snare attention from distracted and disengaged Americans.

Narrowcasting Supplants Broadcasting

At the same time, the number of alternative information sources has mushroomed. There are now more than 3 million active podcasts, for example.

Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump ally and host of the popular War Room podcast since 2019, predicts that only podcasts that provide direct value and dont waste peoples time will survive. Podcasters must provide rich content every minute of every day, and that makes it insanely competitive, he told The Epoch Times.

Stephanie Liu speaks with Steve Bannon during a live broadcast on Real Americas Voice at CPAC on March 2, 2023. (Janice Hisle/The Epoch Times)

As the American electorate pays less attention to traditional media outlets, politicians have been forced to shift from broadcasting to narrowcasting, according to Sean Evans, a political science professor at Union University in Tennessee.

Everyones trying to find a niche market, Mr. Evans told The Epoch Times.

And politicians are experimenting with how to get the most benefit from their efforts.

Political Junkies Rare

Decades ago, when Mr. Evans was growing up, he could choose to watch shows on one of three TV networks: ABC, NBC, or CBS.

Now, we have hundreds of choices; not just on TV channels but streaming, video games, radio, podcasts, and everything else, he said. So, the problem every [political] campaign continues to face is: How do I reach voters?

Although the most politically interested are the ones who are paying attention to politics, political junkies make up a small percentage of the electorate, Mr. Evans said.

Only about 15 percent of Americans pay close attention to politics, researchers at Stony Brook University reported three years ago. However, the share of hyper-attuned Americans increases when major events happen, the Knight Foundation noted.

In March 2020, 56 percent of Americans closely monitored national news as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the foundation reported last year.

About 52 percent paid a great deal of attention to national news in November 2020, according to the Knight Foundation, as Mr. Trump battled unsuccessfully to remain president.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks following a briefing on Interstate 95 highway emergency repair and reconstruction efforts, in Philadelphia on June 17, 2023. (Julia Nikhinson/AFP via Getty Images)

Mr. Trump, who has never conceded to Mr. Biden, so far is the clear frontrunner to become the Republican Partys presidential nominee; likewise, Mr. Biden is seeking reelection and is the presumed nominee for the Democrats.

Both are entangled in major controversies: Mr. Trumps criminal indictments and Mr. Bidens alleged influence-peddling scandals. As a result, the two leading candidates challengers face an even harder time getting voters to notice them, political commentator Dick Morris pointed out two weeks ago.

Under normal circumstances, political news tends to be a tough sell at this time of year, according to Susan MacManus, political science professor emerita at the University of South Florida.

Summer activities and vacations are filling peoples calendars.

This is the hardest time in politics to get someones attention, she told The Epoch Times, because people just have so much else going on.

Ms. MacManus also senses a weariness in much of the U.S. electorate.

A lot of the average voters are not tuned into this media morass, she said. They just dont want to hear a thing about any of it.

Sophistication Needed

The hurdles that candidates face now are even higher than they were in 2020, Ms. MacManus said.

The proliferation of media has made it much more difficult to reach very small slices of the electorate, she said. It requires a great deal of money to be spent and time spent on microtargeting; you cannot reach the same people with the same message or means of communication anymore.

Another complication is that while older voters may use platforms such as Facebook, younger ones are more likely to be found on platforms such as Snapchat or Instagram. So to be effective, campaigns must calibrate their messages to connect with those different audiences on the various platforms, Ms. MacManus said.

Thus, their communication needs to become more sophisticated, she said.

The logos of Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat on mobile devices in a combination of 201722 photos. (AP Photo)

Youve got to split your appeal into various little slices, she said.

Those can include messages tailored to certain demographics, ideologies, gender, family situation, economic situation, or political affiliation, for example.

Trying to figure out how to best target those slivers of the audience is constantly shifting, Ms. MacManus said.

The biggest emphasis right now has to be on people who can understand this microtargeting and the communication of a decent message to the right people, she said. Theres just really a lot of stress on campaigns right now to figure out whos watching, listening, and reading.

Hyper-Specialized Channels Coming

Mr. Bannon said a void has been created in conservative media in particular. Fox News collapsed after it fired Mr. Carlson, and Newsmax is not going all-in for the Trump Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, he said.

Fox and Newsmax have shied away from exploring controversies over the COVID-19 vaccines and allegations over the stealing of the 2020 election, which are both issues that are central to the MAGA movement, he said.

The vacuum has allowed a basic explosion of alternative media, he said, and youre seeing these new sites and new groups set up every day.

A Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat on Jan. 22, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Youre going to start seeing tons of alternative media, I think, come up from the right, the MAGA right, Mr. Bannon said. Theres a huge appetite for it. And I just think its going to expand. I think its going to give people tons of alternatives.

He foresees an increasing array of hyper-specialized media sources catering to the MAGA right. They each may focus on a single topic or a cluster of related ones, he said, such as economics and finance, national security, foreign affairs, woke corporate culture, and the invasion of the southern border.

Youll see more specialties than just generalists, and I think youll see a lot less whining, Mr. Bannon said. Conservative ink is way too whiny about the mainstream media not covering things properly. I think people understand the media is a big partif not the single biggest partof the problem, and I think youll see alternative media that really deals in issues, facts, investigative reporting.

Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

One thing is sure as the landscape evolves, Ms. MacManus said: Anymore, the same old, same old doesnt work; youve got to go to some of the unconventional media that youre less familiar with.

When candidates take a somewhat unexpected approach, that, in and of itself, generates coverage, she said.

Clearly, the candidates have been experimentingMr. Trump, by making temporary amends with his sworn enemy, CNN, and his GOP challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by using Twitter as a campaign launchpad.

While some people equated Mr. Trumps CNN appearance with his walking into a lions den, Mr. Evans saw it as an intelligent move.

No matter what happened, Trump supporters were going to see him as being in the right, Mr. Evans said, and Trumps critics were going to remain critical of him, as they bashed the network for giving him a platform from which he could spew what they call lies.

So, he got two weeks worth of free media coverage like that, Mr. Evans said. Everyone was talking about Trump, and thats what Trump wants.

While the town hall story was dominating news cycles, Mr. Trump enjoyed a better chance of reaching more people, or of more people actually hearing about him rather than about his competitors, Mr. Evans said.

The less people hear about Mr. Trumps opponents, the more likely he is to win, Mr. Evans said, because people are more likely to vote for someone they recognize than for someone they dont recognize.

Minds Made Up

Still, there could be drawbacks to extra publicity. The more a candidate says publicly, the greater the chance that he or she will slip up. Yet for someone such as Mr. Trump, who has been in the spotlight constantly since he announced his first presidential run in 2015, that may not matter much, Mr. Evans said.

Were here seven years later, and who hasnt made up their mind about Trump?  I dont think there are many people who are going to change their mind about Trump, Mr. Evans said. And Trump has said all sorts of stupid things which would hurt other candidates, but for various different reasons, it doesnt affect him.

However, a message conveying negative information could prove more damaging to a lesser-known candidate, he said, because you havent heard something positive about him first.

Thats why Mr. Trump has repeatedly aimed at Mr. DeSantis.

Hes trying to define DeSantis in a negative way, before DeSantis can define himself, Mr. Evans said.

Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) waves his hand as he leaves the stage at the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority conference at the Hilton in Washington on June 23, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Playing Nice Doesnt Work

In response to some people expressing dismay over Mr. Trumps attacks on Mr. DeSantis, Mr. Evans said he doubts theres a way to succeed in politics with a solely positive message.

And, he said, I would say theres a difference between a negative ad and an attack ad.

A negative ad is a distortion of someones character, background, or something like that, Mr. Evans said, while an attack ad is something that is based on fact, an attempt to draw distinctions between you and somebody else.

Attack ads or attack messages via social media or press releases are the most effective ones that exist, Mr. Evans said. People are more likely to remember such messages, which also give voters information that can help them decide which candidate to choose.

The Twitterverse

After months of anticipating that he would indeed seek the presidency, Mr. DeSantis used Twitter to announce that he was officially entering the fray a month ago.

Using that medium attracted a lot of buzz for Mr. DeSantis; according to his campaign, the launch drew 30 million views in 15 hours.

For another reason, Mr. Evans said, Twitter was an interesting launch choice for Mr. DeSantis. It may have implied to Mr. Trump, Look, Im on the web platform that launched you, and youre not on this platform, Mr. Evans said.

However, people have been speculating that Mr. Trump might return to Twitter, where he became infamous for his mean tweets. But the former president has been absent from the platform since Jan. 6, 2021. Thats when Twitter officials banned him, alleging that his message on that date fomented a violent uprising among some election-outcome protesters at the U.S. Capitol.

However, late last year, the internal Twitter Files released by new Twitter owner Elon Musk revealed that the social network broke its own policy to justify banishing Mr. Trump. Since being booted from Twitter, the former president has relied on a platform he founded, Truth Social, to spread his messages to about 5.5 million followers.

Mr. Musk has invited Mr. Trump to return to Twitter; the former president has so far declined. Some people speculate that Mr. Trump may soon find it irresistible to tap into the nearly 88 million followers who await on his dormant Twitter account.

Mr. DeSantis has about 2 million followers on his Twitter account, but various additional Twitter accounts support his presidential run. DeSantis War Room has about 112,000 followers, for example.

The Florida governors campaign launch proved to be glitchy. He posted a video on Twitter and spoke during a Twitter Spaces chatroom-type conversation. But the site crashed because so many people were trying to access it. Mr. DeSantiss campaign later touted, Our Campaign Launch Broke the Internet!

This illustration photo shows the live Twitter talk with Elon Musk on a background of Ron DeSantis as he announces his 2024 presidential run on his Twitter page, on May 24, 2023. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

Setting the Narrative

Even though Mr. DeSantiss campaign rollout wasnt ideal, people have moved on to talking about other aspects of the presidential campaign.

Whats important is not individual things, Mr. Evans said. Instead, the overall narrative about a candidate is what usually sticks with voters.

Campaigns tend to selland media outlets often buya storyline about each political hopeful, according to Mr. Evans. Examples could be Joe Biden is too old or Donald Trump is authoritarian, he said. Whatever the theme is, candidates campaigns try to get the press to carry that out, so people hear it over and over again.

At the same time, media outlets want a race. They have an incentive to make it competitive on some level, he said, because no one wants to follow the coverage of a political campaign thats a blowout. Thats why media outlets may be tempted to boost lower-ranking candidates.

Thus, if a media outlet appears to be leaning toward Mr. DeSantis, for example, that might not mean that the organization genuinely favors him.

Does this mean that theyre pro-DeSantis? Mr. Evans asked rhetorically. Or does it mean theyre pro views and clicks?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Armed Suspect Fatally Shot by Police in South Los Angeles

LOS ANGELESPolice shot and killed a man June 28 who allegedly fired gunshots near where officers were conducting a traffic stop in the Manchester Square area, and investigators were working to determine if the gunman was targeting the officers or someone else.

The shooting occurred at about 12:50 a.m. near Florence and Western Avenues, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officers were conducting a traffic stop for a red-light violation in the area of Western Avenue and Florence Avenue when officers heard and saw a male fire several shots, police said in a statement several hours after the shooting.

Officers returned fire [and] the suspect  was struck by gunfire, police said. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and pronounced the suspect deceased at [the] scene. A firearm  was recovered at [the] scene and will later be booked as evidence. Who the suspects intended target [was] is under investigation.

Police had earlier said that as the officers were conducting the traffic stop, the suspect had approached them on foot and opened fire on them, prompting them to return fire.

The suspect was about 25 years old, police said. Information on his identity was not immediately available. No officers were injured during the shooting.

During the investigation, officers discovered an illegal marijuana dispensary, police said, adding that approximately six people inside the dispensary were detained and transported to the police departments 77th Street station.

The investigation was ongoing.
Australia Must Heed Gina Rineharts Timely Warnings

Gina Rinehart attends day seven of the Australian National Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia, on April 9, 2015. (Matt King/Getty Images)

Commentary

Amid growing fears of a recession, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced on June 28 that the $4.2 billion (US$2.8 billion) surplus forecast for the 2022-23 budget will be higher.

Key drivers of the improved budget position were understood to be, among other things, higher tax revenue and stronger commodity prices than forecast by the Commonwealth Treasury in May.

Former Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan had previously announced on May 11 last that swelling iron ore royalties and GST payments from the Commonwealth were the reason for the West Australian (WA) state budget having a bumper surplus of more than $4 billion for the third straight year.

The common factor to the improved budget position federally and the seemingly strong WA state budget position is commodity prices from mining, with one of the crucial contributors being Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd, led by its executive chairman, Gina Rinehart.

In fact, Rinehart, Australias richest person, on June 2, was named Western Australian of the Year in recognition of her generous philanthropy and unrivalled corporate success.

At the ceremony, Rinehart was lauded by outgoing Premier McGowan for her outstanding contribution to the state and national economy.

Indeed! One could say that Rinehart has been hard at work saving the entire Australian economy through her mining activities.

However, such a statement, while true, does not do justice to Rineharts contribution to Australia more broadly, as well as her undoubted business acumen.

This picture shows the Fortescue Solomon iron ore mine located in the Valley of the Kings in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. (David Gray/Reuters)

It is well understood in WA business circles that, at the time of its founder, Lang Hancocks death, Hancock Prospecting was not in the best financial shape. There was particular concern over the Roy Hill mining tenements.

Rinehart, who took over the company after her fathers death, was urged to abandon the project. Notably, all professional advice at the time insisted that the tenements were of little value.

Rinehart went against that advice and turned the company around.

Roy Hill is now a first-class major iron ore mine, creating jobs both directly and indirectly for thousands of people, and is an award-winning US$10 billion flagship project for Hancock Prospecting.

The Western Australian of the Year award also recognises the many millions Rinehart has invested in sport over the years, not to mention her philanthropic work through her charity, the Georgina Hope Foundation.

Rineharts charitable objectives support a number of medical, sporting, educational, health, and community organisations. She also serves as Patron of Australias internationally renowned Olympic swimming, rowing, volleyball, and synchronised swimming teams.

Mining Is Australias Advantage

Rinehart penned a piece for the Spectator Australia this month, pointing out the long-term damage we are doing to this nation by constantly demonising mining as evil and dirty.

She wrote: If we want our standards of living to continue, we simply must have more investment in mines, and more mines developed. For that, our governments must better understand mining and put policies in place that actually welcome, not deter, investment.

Kids need to be reminded that we all need mining, be that for mobile phones, iPads, refrigeration, air conditioning, electric vehicles and more. And that Australia wouldnt have our high living standards, envied by those around the world, who would love to have our natural resources and the opportunities they bring.

In a recent speech, Rinehart compared the contribution of Hancock Prospectings Roy Hill and other iron ore mines to that of governments over three decades.

Canberra Hill is not a wealth creator or nation builder, but a user and waster of taxpayer funds, an inefficient disperser of taxpayers funds, and its record shows a place which fails to understand economic realities, she said.

This lack of economic realities has resulted in policies which restrict our pensioners, students and even veterans from working as much as they may choose, while there is a widespread worker shortage, a worker shortage crisis, affecting many businesses and supplies.

A general view of the roads around the Parliament House building in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 13, 2021. (Jamila Toderas/AFP via Getty Images)

At a time of record revenue, thanks to mining, one would expect government services to be provided abundantly and efficiently.

Unfortunately, the opposite is the case. Notwithstanding the money flowing into state government coffers, the standard of the provision of services, which is the key role of state governments, has never been so poor.

In WA, ambulance ramping is at record levels. Hospitals are burdened with record waiting lists. For the second time in two years, Fiona Stanley Hospital suffered a crippling IT outage that left Perths biggest hospital without access to electronic medical records, X-rays, and other diagnostic results for multiple hours.

Police officers are resigning in record numbers while crime rates increase.

Then there is the two-year delay and $10 billion over-budget Metronet, the WA governments signature rail transport policy.

And there are record energy prices, which will continue to rise, thanks to, as Rinehart pointed out, the governments plans to stop coal mining and coal-fired power plants and effectively stop investment into more gas and production with their price caps.

Rineharts warnings are timely, and governmentsstate and federalwhich owe their fiscal position to her should take heed.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Biden Says Packing Supreme Court Could Politicize It Forever

The president believes the Supreme Court's recent rulings have gone too far but calls court-packing a 'mistake'

President Joe Biden steps off Air Force One on June 29, 2023, as he arrives at John F. Kennedy airport in New York, where he will attend fundraisers. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden stated in an interview with MSNBC on Thursday that the U.S. Supreme Courts recent rulings went too far, but he remained opposed to court-packing, contending that it could permanently politicize the institution.

Bidens interview was his first on television since May, and he expressed concern that the conservative justices may do too much.

But I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, were going to politicize it maybe forever in a way that is not healthy and that you cant get back, Biden said.

The presidents comments came after the Supreme Court decided to end affirmative action in college admissions on Thursday.

Following the decision, Biden criticized the court for breaking with decades of precedent.

This is not a normal court, Biden said at the White House before departing for New York.

During the MSNBC interview, when asked to clarify what he meant, Biden cited recent judgments such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the repeal of affirmative action and criticized the court for going against 5060 years of precedent.

It has gone out of its way, Biden said, accusing the court of losing touch with the basic value system of the American people.

In May, Senate Democrats unveiled a bill that would pack the Supreme Court by adding four new seats beyond the current nine, a move that could threaten the courts current conservative majority.

When asked about expanding the size of the nations highest court, Biden called it a mistake.

He stated that he had put together a group of constitutional scholars to try to expand the court.

The judgment was that it didnt make sense because it can become so politicized in the future, Biden explained.

He said he was still hopeful because the courts legitimacy is now being called into question in ways it hasnt previously.

By a vote of 63, the Supreme Court struck down the use of racially discriminatory admissions policies in U.S. colleges. The June 29 decision ended the so-called affirmative action in higher education, a longtime objective of conservatives.

The ruling will be felt immediately as one million high school seniors begin applying for fall admission to colleges and universities across the country.

People watch as the motorcade of President Joe Biden passes St. Patricks Cathedral on June 29, 2023 in midtown Manhattan in New York City, where he will attend fundraisers. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

I strongly disagree with the courts decision, Biden said at the White House.

Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not how college admissions work, he said.

He urged universities to consider the unique challenges that each student has endured throughout life, including racial discrimination.

Students from the top 1 percent of family incomes in America are 77 times more likely to get into an elite college, he noted.

During the MSNBC interview, Biden was also asked why it took a year for the Justice Department to launch an investigation into former President Donald Trump regarding his role in Jan. 6.

In response, Biden emphasized the Justice Departments independence.

Ive made a commitment that I would not in any way interfere with the Justice Department, Biden said, accusing Trump of weaponizing law enforcement.

I have never engaged in that. Its not my role to do that.

Matthew Vadum contributed to this report.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Visit Taiwan Amid Heightened China Threat

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) leaves the office of U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 27, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Only days after adopting a proposed $886 billion Fiscal Year 2024 defense budget focused on countering Chinas growing military threat in the Western Pacific, key House Armed Services Committee members are returning to the United States after completing three days of unannounced conferencing with officials in Guam, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Committee chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) led the bipartisan delegation of nine Congressional lawmakers, which visited Guam for several hours on June 27 before touring Taiwan June 2728 and spending June 29 conferring with Philippines counterparts.

Rogers visitthe first by a sitting chair of the House Armed Services Committee to Taiwan since 1979, according to the American Institute of Taiwanis particularly noteworthy because it comes amid calls in Congress, especially from the Senate, to boost funding for Taiwan defense either in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (FY24 NDAA), the annual defense budget, or in a supplementary defense package to be introduced later this summer or fall.

Capt. George Norman, the commanding officer of the blue crew of the guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726), addresses his command as the gold crew pulls the ship into Apra Harbor, Guam. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeffrey Jay Price)

The House and Senate armed services committees last week adopted their versions of the proposed FY24 NDAA, setting the stage for floor adoptions, a summer of intra-chamber conferencing, and hopeful adoption by late September before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

Defending Taiwan and countering what the Pentagon defines as the pacing challenge presented by the Chinese regime in the Western Pacific are key components of both chambers draft defense budgets.

Common NDAA emphases include a $9.1 billion Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a $500 million account for Taiwan to purchase American-made weapons and munitions, $108 million for defense articles and services to Taiwan, including military training, and regional force realignments geared for air-naval conflict while bolstering Guam, the U.S. territory island 3,000 miles east of China.

Rogers visit also comes as the Biden administration and Chinese diplomats are soft-talking about the need to stabilize the U.S.-China relationship that soured after the February Chinese surveillance balloon incident.

The nations are each others largest trading partners in addition to being their most challenging strategic competitors, underscoring the complexities of the strained relationship.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June vowing to sustain better engagement going forward, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to visit China in July, and new Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Fengappointed in Mayhas resumed routine communications directly with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.

Three-Days of Unannounced Conferencing

During its June 27 stop on Guam, the delegation, which included territorial Del. James Moylan (R-Guam), met with Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. While in Taiwan June 2728, it met with President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

In her welcoming remarks, Ing-wen thanked the delegation for demonstrating your support for TaiwanU.S. relations.

She later tweeted a warm welcome to @RepMikeRogersAL. We are grateful for the #US Congress longstanding and bipartisan support for #Taiwan, & will continue to work with the United States to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Taiwanese media covering the visitRogers and fellow delegation members have not issued public statements about the tournoted the Alabama conservative is a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, as is the panels ranking member, or lead Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who also made the trip.

Although Rogers delegation is the third such visit by a Congressional group in 2023, the fact that the chair of the committee that funds the Pentagon was conferring with Taiwanese officials in Taipei was noted and rebuked in China.

During a June 28 Beijing press conference, Chinas State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian warned that increased involvement with the U.S. military wont end well for Taiwans secessionist forces.

The United States always prioritizes its own interests, and Taiwan will not be an exception, she said according to a June 29 China Daily article posted on Chinamil.com, one of several CCP-sanctioned military websites.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory, despite the regime having never ruled over the island. The CCP vows it will reclaim the island, by force if necessary, and is openly practicing invasion maneuvers in the Taiwan Straits and South China Sea.

That same day, June 28, as the Rogers delegation was meeting with Ing-wen and Wu, Taiwan defense officials reported 11 Chinese fighter jets and four Chinese warships violated the islands 24-mile nautical line that it claims as its territory.
Bud Light Offers Rebate for July 4 Holiday, Giving Out Essentially Free Beer

Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, Bud Light is offering a rebate of up to $15 on certain purchases in the midst of a months-long boycott that has seen sales of the beer plummet. In some areas, where a 15-pack of beer sells for less than $15, the beer could be essentially free.

MAKE YOUR JULY 4TH WEEKEND EASY TO ENJOY, it says before asking the user to click to obtain the online rebate, GET UP TO $15 BACK VIA REBATE.

The offersimilar to the one over Memorial Day weekend last monthis being made for not only Bud Light but for Budweiser, Budweiser Select, and Budweiser Select 55, which are all owned by Anheuser-Busch. No other AB-owned beers like Michelob or Busch are included in the promotion.

Despite the rebate, its not clear if it will help Bud Lights flagging sales. Data from Bump Williams Consulting and Nielsen IQ show that Bud Lights sales have continued to remain low or have even dropped in recent weeks.

Earlier this week, industry data showed that year-over-year sales of the light beer plunged about 28 percent for the week ending June 17, representing about a 2 percent decline from the previous week when sales dropped about 26 percent. For the month of May, Bud Light was dethroned as the No. 1 beer by Modelo Especial, owned by Constellation Brands in the United States, figures show.

Bud Light, meanwhile, has released new advertisements claiming that the beer is easy to drink, including a commercial featuring summer themes. On social media, some prominent conservative influencers, however, criticized the beer company for not apologizing over its earlier promotional campaign with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which triggered the boycott.

The chief executive of Anheuser-Buschs U.S. operations, Brendan Whitworth, told CBS News on Wednesday that Bud Light has received very clear feedback from consumers in light of the backlash. When asked directly about the Mulvaney controversy, Whitworth didnt offer a clear answer.

I think its the impact, honestly, on the employees that weighs most on me. Again, as I mentioned, seeing the pride and the commitment that they have, working on behalf of 165-plus-year-old American institution is what gives us energy as we look to move forward and focus on what we do best, Whitworth said.

In early April, Mulvaney, a biological male, posted videos that featured special cans to celebrate girlhood and claimed it was the most prized possession. Those videos quickly went viral on social media and were universally derided by conservative media figures, while some suggested a consumer boycott.

Whitworth was also asked about the companys previous support of LGBT issues. As we move forward, we want to focus on what we do best, which is brewing great beer for everyone, listening to our consumers, being humble in listening to them, making sure that we do right by our employee[s], take care and support our partners, and ultimately make an impact in the communities that we serve, he responded.

The company, Whitworth continued, has communicated with over 100,000 consumers, and their feedback is very clear, which he claimed was to reinforce what Bud Light has always meant to them, which is good times goodwill, and easy enjoyment.

Sydney Encinas, a bartender at The Chaparral Bar in Cottonwood, Ariz., pours a glass of Budweiser Light on April 14, 2023. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Earlier in June, Anheuser-Buschs top marketing officer, Marcel Marcondes, received an award for creative marketer of the year at Cannes Lions in France.

In times like this, when things get divisive and controversial so easily, I think its an important wake-up call to all of us marketers for us to be very humble, Marcondes said at the time.

Anheuser-Busch-InBev is really reminding ourselves of what we should do best every day, which is to really understand our customers, which is to really celebrate and appreciate every customer that loves our brands, but in a way that can make them be together, not apart, he also said.

But the companys pivot may be too little, too late for some consumers. One analyst said that the company might lose up to 20 percent of its business permanently.

Evercores Robert Ottenstein said Bud Light would permanently lose between 15 and 20 percent of its volume. After that, declines will resume at about the average rate of the prior 10 years, he said.

We believe recent underperformance implies a permanent reduction in ABIs U.S. business, Deutsche Bank analyst Mitch Collett also wrote, referring to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light. Our proprietary survey data suggests these headwinds are likely to fade even if we do not expect the U.S. business ever to fully recover from its current challenges.

In a note to analysts, Collett said that data gathered by Deutsche Bank suggest that 24 percent of Bud Lights consumers no longer purchase the brand. Another 18 percent are buying less of the beer, he said.
This photo taken on May 23, 2023 shows trains of the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen)



The upcoming third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo will be an opportunity to further strengthen economic and trade relations between Madagascar and China, Madagascan officials and businessmen have said.

ANTANANARIVO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Madagascan officials and businessmen have expressed their expectation that the upcoming third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo will be an opportunity to further strengthen economic and trade relations between Madagascar and China.

"Madagascar will be present at this very important event because there are many economic fields in which we can develop relations with China," Feno Andriamanalina, director general of Agriculture at the Madagascan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, told Xinhua after a meeting in Antananarivo, the Madagascan capital, to promote the next China-Africa Economic and Trade Exhibition.

"This is an opportunity for Madagascar to expand its already successful relationship with China," he said.

According to the director general, Madagascar will send a high-level delegation to attend the event.

"This event will be an opportunity for Madagascar to see what exists in China in terms of technologies that can be transferred to Madagascar, particularly in the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors," he said.

As there will also be participants from all over Africa, "it is also an opportunity to have exchanges that allow everyone to benefit from this Sino-African economic partnership in general," he said.

"I think that through this exhibition, the cooperation between China and Madagascar will be further strengthened within the framework of a win-win partnership," said Tahiana Razanamahefa, director of communication and public relations of the company Societe Trading de l'ocean indien (STOI).

STOI, which is actively working to promote hybrid rice in Madagascar, will have a booth at the expo to exhibit products such as vanilla, peanuts and beans.

Soja Lahimaro, governor of the Malagasy region of Androy, hoped Chinese investors can visit his region located in the south of the country, saying that it has a lot of potential in the agricultural sector, mining and human resources.

The third edition of the expo, on the theme of "Common Development for a Shared Future," will run from June 29 to July 2 in central China's Hunan Province. First launched in 2019, it is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries.

According to Huo Wei, charge d'affaires at the Chinese embassy in Madagascar, as one of the eight guest countries of honor, Madagascar will send a government delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock to China.

Companies from Madagascar are expected to present special products such as rum and vanilla at the expo, he added. 
California Climate Policies Only Empower China

Commentary

California politicians and influencers like to boast how the state is poised to become the worlds fourth biggest economy. Yet they obviously remain ignorant about whats really going on across the globe. Consider this story in the liberal-progressive Financial Times, hardly a bastion of conservatism: Chinas dominance of solar poses difficult choices for the west: The unpalatable truth is that green technologies mean we will have to find ways to co-operate with Beijing.

Well, maybe we wouldnt have to co-operate if we had sensible polices here in California and the rest of America, instead of a peristaltic green obsession. The article is by Graham Allison, a professor of government at Harvard University and author of Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydidess Trap?

Ive described this dominance in previous articles in The Epoch Times. Allison writes: The vast majority of the solar panels on which the world will spend more this year than on oil will come from just one nation. China manufactures 80 percent of all the solar panels produced globally. And, as the IEA notes, Chinas dominance is even more pronounced when one examines the entire supply chain. It produces 85 percent of the global supply of solar cells, 88 percent of solar-grade polysilicon, and 97 percent of the silicon ingots and wafers that form the core of solar cells.

That means: 97 percent of the solar market is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.

Solar panels in Temecula, Calif., on Nov. 24 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Allison continues: Both the US and Europe have pledged to cut emissions in half by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. To achieve these goals, the lions share of these emission reductions will have to come from the shift from hydrocarbons to solar power. In California, its even more ambitious: 100 percent clean energy by 2045.

He notes the United States has levied tariffs and sanctions on China, as well as giving $100 billion in subsidies to the U.S. solar industry, But the impact on Chinas growing global market share has been limited.  While it is painful to recognize and may be politically unacceptable to say so, the brute fact is that in solar, as in other green technologies including electric vehicles, the wests green future will be red. As in Chinese Communist red, not the red U.S. Republican Party.

Allison says the threat of climate change is so dire, To ensure their own citizens survival, the leaders of these nations will have to find ways to co-operate alongside the imperative to compete.

Attacking American Energy Independence

But theres an alternative: Realize the climate doomsayers are wrong and go back to depending on carbon energy. In which the U.S. is independentor was in 2020, before the Biden administration bottlenecks were imposedand make that energy as clean as possible. But California, in particular, is doing the opposite.

On June 26, the state imposed Gov. Gavin Newsoms so-called windfall-profits tax on oil companies. Which, as I explained in The Epoch Times, only would hit the states consumers. The companies record profits Newsom decried were only the mirror of the record losses during the COVID-19 lockdowns, which under his policies were especially draconian in this state. The new tax will also discourage oil companies from maintaining their refinery plants, leading to breakdowns that will cause shortages, which in turn will bring higher prices.

An oil refinery displays an American flag in Wilmington, Calif., on Sept. 21, 2022. (Allison Dinner/Getty Images)

Newsom gloated: California is delivering on our promise to hold Big Oil accountable. These new transparency laws will help us track refiners profits and shine a light on price manipulation so Californians arent vulnerable to the greedy whims of Big Oil. And this is just the startwere standing up the nations first Big Oil watchdog to monitor the industry 24/7, rooting out illegal price gouging in real-time to help you keep money in your pocket.

His website added: Compared to 2022, Californias gas prices have been substantially lower and less volatile. The Governors actions have helped lead to a decrease of $1.50 per gallon, year over year. And provided this graph:

(Screenshot via Office of Governor Gavin Newsom)

What a con job. Does anybody believe this? In 2022, the global energy sector was disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine War, including President Bidens embargo on Russian oil. You can even see that in the graph, which shows a price spike beginning in early March, just days after the Feb. 22 invasion of Ukraine.

And nowadays its easy to compare the states gas price to that in other states by going to GasBuddy.com. Heres their current map, showing Californias prices more than 50 percent higher than in cheaper states:

(Screenshot via GasBuddy.com)

Of course all this really is intended to encourage Californians to get out of their gas-guzzlers and into electric carswhich use electricity increasingly derived from solar panels made in China. Heres a chart I made from data from the California Energy Department:

Who Controls the Chips Controls the World

Finally, who is going to control the computer microchips that control the solar grid? Why, the Chinese companies that make the solar panels. And all these companies, of course, have close connections to the CCP, or even are owned by it in whole or in part. The Chinese understand this.

In 2019, two Chinese scientists presented a paper on such chips to the 4th International Conference on Energy Equipment Science and Engineering. They were Qin Li and Haidong Liu, both of the Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing, Panzhihua University, in Panzhihua, Sichuan province. The paper was titled, Design of Solar Energy Automatic Tracking Control System Based on Single Chip Microcomputer.

To increase the efficiency of the solar panels, they wrote, This paper designs a biaxial solar ray automatic tracking system, which combines sun-path tracking with photoelectric detection tracking. When the system is running, the weather condition is judged by photosensitive resistance at first.  The single chip computer controls the rotation of the horizontal and vertical stepper motors after program calculation. In this way, the biaxial automatic tracking of solar panels is realized. Practice shows that, the tracking system can continuously improve the utilization rate of solar energy, and high tracking accuracy, it has strong practical value.

Im not a computer security expert. But what are the chances these chips have back doors that allow control from China? What happens if, during a crisis over Taiwan or some other place, the back door allows the solar panels to be shut down? How does California operate if a large part of solar production is cut down? How does America operate?

As this state and nation race toward almost total reliance on Chinese solar technology, I dont see anyone taking up this question. And even if we wanted to, it would take decades to develop a major U.S. solar industry to displace even 25 percent of the panels needed for the federal and state governments ambitious renewables goals.

In history, no major country ever has given over such major parts of its infrastructure to a rivaluntil now. Even as we still have deep sources of reliable, locally sourced energy: oil and natural gas. Giving our energy future over to China is not a necessity, but a choice. Why is this happening?

John Seilers email: writejohnseiler@gmail.com

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
California Medical Equipment Company Owner Found Guilty in $24 Million Medicare Scam

LOS ANGELESA Redondo Beach woman was found guilty on June 27 of nearly two dozen felonies for billing Medicare more than $24 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary durable medical equipmentmostly power wheelchairsand repairs, many of which were never performed.

Tamara Motley, 54, was found guilty by a federal jury in downtown Los Angeles of 20 counts of healthcare fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Following the reading of the guilty verdicts, U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. remanded Motley into custody.

According to evidence presented at her five-day trial, from July 2006 to August 2014, Motley was the de facto owner of Hawthorne-based Action Medical Equipment and Supplies. From January 2013 to November 2016, she was the de facto owner of Ventura-based Kaja Medical Equipment & Supply. Both companies were enrolled with Medicare in the names of Motleys out-of-state relatives.

Motley orchestrated a scheme in which she paid marketers for patient referrals and then directed them to take patients to corrupt physicians, who prescribed medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as power wheelchairs, that her companies used to submit fraudulent bills to Medicare, evidence showed.

In January 2011, when Medicare changed the reimbursement rules for power wheelchairs to make the upfront payments less lucrative to suppliers, Action switched to billing Medicare for power wheelchair repairs, and continued that scheme at Kaja once Action was shut down.

The repairs were not medically necessary because the patients did not need the chairs to begin with, were not needed to make the wheelchairs serviceable in any event, and often simply were not performed. These repairs were expensiveoften billed for $3,000$4,000and accounted for nearly half of Actions billings and almost all of Kajas.

Over an eight-year period, Action billed Medicare more than $18.2 million for durable medical equipmentmost for power wheelchairs, but also for accessories, knee braces, and back bracesand repair or replacement. Medicare paid Action nearly $10.3 million.

Between July 2013 and November 2016, Kaja billed Medicare $6.3 million, primarily for repairs. Medicare paid Kaja about $2.8 million for those claims.

Blumenfeld scheduled an Oct. 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Motley will face up to 10 years in federal prison for each health care fraud count, up to 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy count, and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison consecutive to the other sentences for the aggravated identity theft counts, prosecutors noted.
Canada, Allies Head to International Court Over Irans Downing of Flight PS752

A protestor chants in front of a poster with the faces of the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Ottawa, on Jan. 8, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby)

Canada is among four countries turning to international law to ensure Iran is held accountable for shooting down Flight PS752 more than three years ago.

The group of nationswhich also includes Britain, Sweden and Ukrainecalled on Iran six months ago to agree to binding arbitration through a United Nations convention designed to protect commercial aircraft from attack.

The group says since Iran did not agree to the demand, the matter is being referred to the International Court of Justice as soon as possible.

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down the Ukrainian Airlines flight just minutes after takeoff on Jan. 8, 2020, killing all 176 people on board.

The passengers included 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents, along with others with ties to Canada.

The call for binding arbitration followed years of unsuccessful negotiations with the Iranian government in terms of reparations and holding those responsible to account.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly planned to meet with the families of victims of PS752 on Thursday to provide them with an update on the next steps.

These families deserve transparency, accountability and justice and we will not relent in our efforts to seek it through international law, Joly said in a statement. Impunity is not an option for the Iranian regime.
Chinas Saboteurs Are Coming to America

Migrants, headed for the United States, travel through the jungle in Darien Province, Panama, on Oct. 13, 2022. (Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images)

Originally published by Gatestone Institute

Commentary

There is now a Chinese invasion of the U.S. homeland.

The jungle is filled with Chinese marching to America, war correspondent Michael Yon told Gatestone.

Chinese migrants are entering the United States on foot at the southern border. Almost all are desperate, seeking a better life for themselves and their children. Some, however, are coming to commit acts of sabotage.

China is in a state of distress; gloom pervades Chinese society. Chinese by the hundreds are now patiently waiting for visas in sweltering heat in lines at U.S. Consulates in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Many, however, are short-circuiting the long waits at the consulates. At the southern border, Chinese migrants are entering the United States in unprecedented numbers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that the number of apprehensions of Chinese migrants in the first five months of the current federal fiscal year was more than double that during all of the last fiscal year. The 8,000 Chinese migrants apprehended this calendar year are more than quadruple the number apprehended in the comparable period a year ago.

Chinese nationals are flying to Ecuador, which permits them to enter visa-free. They then make their way to the southern edge of the Darien Gap, about 66 miles of jungle separating Colombia and Panama. The migrants cross the natural barrier on foot, and once safely on the north side continue the journey to America, often by bus.

Some Chinese migrants are poor. Many, however, are middle-class. They can afford to pay $35,000 each to Mexican cartels to be smuggled into America.

Its like an animal stampede before an earthquake, said Sam, a Chinese migrant who crossed into America first in February at Brownsville, Texas, to Axios.

Some migrants are almost certainly members of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said at a June 14 press conference that a Border Patrol sector chief informed him that some of the Chinese migrants at the southern border have known ties to the PLA.

We have no idea who these people are, and its very likely, using Russias template of sending military personnel into Ukraine, China is doing the same into the United States, Green said.

These military-linked migrants, despite their affiliations, have been released into America.

There is no question that Chinas PLA is inserting saboteurs through Mexico. At the Darien Gap, I have seen countless packs of Chinese males of military age, unattached to family groups, and pretending not to understand English, said Yon, the war correspondent. They were all headed to the American border.

Normally in groups of five to 15, they typically emerge from the Darien Gap and spend one night in the U.S.-funded San Vicente Camp, or next door in the Tonosi Hotel, before boarding luxury buses for the trip up Highway 1 toward Costa Rica, Yon reported.

One group of six young men bought a chicken at the Tonosi Hotel, drank its blood from small glasses, then cooked the chicken themselves in the hotel restaurant, according to the hotel manager. Drinking raw chicken blood is a rite among some PLA soldiers.

Once here, the military fighters can link up with Chinas agents already in place or Chinese diplomats.

How many of the PLA fighters have slipped into the United States this way? Some estimate 5,000, others 10,000. Those numbers sound high, but whatever the actual figure, more are coming.

These are Chinas shock troops. The concern is that, on the first day of war in Asia, they will take down Americas power lines, poison water reservoirs, assassinate officials, start wildfires, spread pathogens, and create terror by bombing shopping malls and supermarkets.

The saboteurs will almost certainly attack American military bases. China has already been probing sensitive installations. Chinese agents posing as tourists have, for instance, intruded into bases, including the Armys Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. There, the suspected Chinese agents drove past a base gate and were later apprehended with a drone inside their car.

Ancient Chinese strategists prized the use of subterfuge and surprise to achieve victory, and the two PLA colonels who wrote Unrestricted Warfare in 1999 were full of praise for the tactics of Osama bin Laden, Richard Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center told Gatestone.

When the Chinese Communist Party starts its war against Taiwan and the United States, Americans should expect that Chinese sleeper agents now in America will hit targets like gas stations and military-age Chinese now crossing our border will be mobilized for assassination attacks and assaults on U.S. military bases.

Therefore, the next war in Asia will almost certainly be fought on U.S. soil, perhaps on its first day. Unsuspecting Americans will be in the fight.

Immigrants make countries strong, and almost all the Chinese migrants crossing the southern border will contribute to American society. Some, however, are coming to wage war on the United States.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinas Tibet Policies Could Create Many Environmental Refugees in Asia: Experts

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Megok county, Nyingchi city, in western Tibet, on March 28, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

NEW DELHIThe Chinese communist regimes infrastructure development in Tibet is happening so quickly that Asian scholars worry it will lead to ecological disasters and large-scale displacement of people from the neighboring countries that share a fragile ecosystem with Tibet.

Chinas infrastructure projects include the construction of roads, airports, and dams.

We are political refugees today. Tomorrow there could be many environmental refugees, said Penpa Tsering, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, also called the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, at a conference on Chinas Tibet Policy Under Xi Jinping in New Delhi on June 27.

The Tibetan plateau provides multiple ecosystem services to a broader region comprising South Asia and Southeast Asia. It acts as Asias water tower and supplies freshwater, food, and energy to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan.

This means all nations other than China fall in the lower riparian regions of seven of South Asias mightiest rivers originating in Tibetthe Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Yangtze, and Mekong. However, China has not signed any transboundary river treaty with any neighboring nation, said Tsering.

The Tibetan leader, whose government operates out of Dharamshala, about 302 miles from Indias capital New Delhi, recently talked about an aerial expedition in India where he traveled to the border regions of Arunachal Pradesh in a helicopter and witnessed a disaster unfolding in the Yarlung Tsangpo rivers mainstream at the disputed border.

Muddy and Black Waters

The Yarlung Tsangpo is called Brahmaputra in India, and when it enters Arunachal Pradesh, its called Siang. In the past few years, the Indian media reported about the waters of Brahmaputra turning muddy and black.

The locals on the Indian side have continuously expressed concerns as the water becomes unfit for consumption. The cause was suspected to be the dam-building activities undertaken by China on the Tibetan side.

A map of the seven mighty Asian rivers (each indicated by a blue dot) that originate from the Tibetan plateau. The orange dot identifies the region where Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) enters India in Arunachal Pradesh. This map is not on scale. (Adapted by Venus Upadhayaya/The Epoch Times)

Tsering talked about his experience and witnessed the same phenomenon during an aerial expedition. The mainstream was very muddy, but the distributaries were crystal clear, he said, referring to the Yarlung Tsangpo that enters India from the Tibetan plateau while the distributaries join it from the Indian side.

Dr. Lobsang Yangtso, research and campaign assistant at the International Tibet Network, mentioned at the conference that while the climate crisis-related extreme weather events and the pace of Chinese infrastructure development have added to the natural vulnerability of the region, India and Chinas collaboration on trans-Himalayan rivers continues to remain fragmented and limited mainly to hydrological data sharing.

In this context, the disputed border between China and Russia further complicates the situation. Despite Arunachal Pradeshs status as an Indian state, since 2006, China has claimed it and refers to it as Zangnan, or South Tibet. Thus, the two countries have different perceptions of the border.

These different perceptions of the frontiers create an undefined area called the no mans territory along the massive Himalayas from Ladakh, where the bloody Galwan conflict happened in 2020, to Arunachal Pradesh, where skirmishes were reported more recently.

This territory is also defined by hydrogeology as the waterfront between the two nations. India, which receives 48 percent of the overall water from the rivers originating in Tibet, thus fears the weaponization of these trans-Himalayan rivers by China.

Water governance is influenced by broader geopolitics and rivalry. In 2017, China refused to share hydrological data with India during the Doklam standoff, said Yangtso.

The Doklam standoff was a 70-day-long military conflict between the Indian Armed Forces and the Peoples Liberation Army over the forcible construction of a route by the Chinese in a territory disputed between China and Indias military ally, Bhutan.

India has often raised concerns diplomatically with China, but many lower riparian nations arent able to do so because of their economic dependence on China, said Tsering.

The issue of muddy and black Yarlung Tsangpo was first officially raised in 2017 by the former Indian external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The results of this diplomatic communication arent available to the public, and the last incident of muddy and black waters was reported by Indian media late last year.

The Yarlung Zangbo River is seen during a government-organized visit for journalists in Linzhi, Tibet region, China, on June 4, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Infrastructure Development as Foreign Policy

Scholars at the conference believed that Chinese infrastructure development in Tibet is a part of Chinas foreign policy since it helps legitimize the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) claims over the land and its resources. This is further linked to Chinas overall policy of economic and strategic growth.

Hamsini Hariharan, a China expert for Logically, a U.K.-based AI-powered threat intelligence platform, told the audience that under Beijings 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the CCP regime is spending 90 billion yuan (about $29.3 billion) for infrastructure development in the border regions with India.

These projects include civil and military infrastructure, airports, railway lines, expressways, roadways, dams, and tourist spots.

The TAR [Tibet Autonomous Region] plans to have 4,000 kilometers [2,485 miles] of rail lines by 2025 [currently at 932 miles] and eventually connect all its 55 counties and districts by rail. This means itll be even closer to Nepal, Bhutan, and not just the Indian borders, said Hariharan.

Moreover, China is also reconstructing the Snow Mountain Oil Dragon pipeline, as the old pipeline is scheduled to be decommissioned due to the corrosion of pipes, according to a report by Chinese media Guangming Daily on July 21, 2021. The newer line will be about 670 miles long and parallel to the existing line from Golmund to Lhasa.

Jayadeva Ranade, the president of the Center for China Analysis and Strategy, the organizer of the conference, called the Chinese projects fanatic infrastructure development and said theyre leading to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns and contributing to the melting of glaciers in Tibet.

Ranade said that by 2040, China plans to build 35 airports in Tibet, while 11 are already built.

Temperature around operational airports increases by 2-3 degrees, he said, adding the cumulative effect of 35 airports would be massive in a fragile ecosystem.

Economic Development

Tsering said that for every problem, Beijing cites economic development as a solution. He questioned the Chinese regimes motives.

What are they [infrastructure projects] built for? Is it serving the Chinese strategic interest, or is it serving the Tibetan people? he said, adding that while all this is happening, the outside world has no access to Tibet.

No diplomats have access to Tibet. No journalists have access to Tibet.

Yangtso said that Tibet groups have called on the international community to recognize the ecological importance of the Tibetan plateau and that Tibetan experts should be included in collaborative work.

Acknowledge Chinas ongoing occupation of Tibet as a driver for unsustainable policiesadopt the rights-based approach, which legally protects frontline communities and respects traditional knowledge, she said.
Chinas Top Anti-Graft Body Targets Its Own Officials for Alleged Corruption

Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping (L) walks with members of the new Standing Committee of the Partys Political Bureau, (from 2nd L) Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Can Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi as they arrive for a group photo with journalists at The Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 23, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Chinas top anti-graft body recently announced that three of its own high-ranking officials are placed under investigation for violations of disciplines and law.

The Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) ensures that officials toe the Party line, stay loyal to the top Party leadership, and abide by the Partys rules. However, CCP leader Xi Jinping has used the agency to purge his political opponents under his anti-corruption campaign.

From May 30 to June 25, the CCDI probed three senior officials: Hao Zongqiang, deputy director of the propaganda department of the National Commission of Supervision (NCS), a supervisory arm under the CCDI; Liu Ran, deputy director of the Second Supervision and Inspection Office of NCS; Cui Yunan, senior researcher of the Thirteenth Review and Investigation Office.

Liu has been dismissed from public office and expelled from the CCP, while the other two officials are still under investigation for suspected violation of the disciplines and law, according to a notice on the watchdogs official website.

Since Xi took office in 2012, he has been purging his political rivals and their followers through his anti-corruption campaign, previously carried out by Wang Qishan.

Li Xi, the current anti-graft tsar and Xis confidant, said at an internal meeting on Feb. 24 that the CCDI would firmly crack down on two-faced persons and curb darkness under the lamp with determination, according to state-run media Xinhua News Agency.

Several other Chinese state-run media outlets call the three men darkness under the lamp, a Chinese expression to refer to something or a situation that is right under ones nose but overlooked because one is preoccupied with other matters.

Other disciplinary officials at local government levels are also being probed.

From May 5 to June 6, four disciplinary officials in Inner Mongolia were removed from their posts and placed under investigation, including Ma Fengxia, director of the third supervision and inspection office of the Inner Mongolian supervisory commission; Mao Baolin, chief of the Inner Mongolian regional disciplinary inspection team stationed in the Bank of Inner Mongolia; Zhao Guangjiong, head of the Inner Mongolian regional disciplinary inspection team stationed in the Mengshang Bank; and Yu Yang, deputy director of the sixth supervision and inspection office of the Inner Mongolian regional disciplinary commission.

They are all being investigated for suspected violation of disciplines and law, according to the CCDI.

Lan Shu, a U.S.-based China current affairs commentator, told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times that Xis anti-corruption efforts have been ineffective, as the CCP places itself above and beyond Chinese law, leading to systemic corruption.

Lower-ranking CCP officials copy the practices of their seniors and just ignore the law, which they think doesnt apply to them, he said.

The CCP fights corruption while corruption spreads all the time within its officialdom, Lan said, Thats why the CCP claims that its anti-graft campaign is always on the way.

Graft in China cannot be removed under the CCPs systemic corruption.

China observer Wang He holds a similar view. He previously told The Epoch Times that the CCPs corruption is inherent throughout its system, including its disciplinary apparatus, because there is no effective supervisory mechanism in China.

Corruption will not stop simply because a particular official is brought down, Wang said.

The CCPs disciplinary watchdog claims to have investigated almost 5 million Chinese officials of all levels for alleged corruption under Xis regime.

Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the CCDI, said in Beijing last October that, among the 5 million officials under investigation, 553 are senior Party officials at the deputy ministerial level and higher, who were directly selected and appointed by the CCPs top decision-making body, the Central Committee.
Cost of Living Increases Risk of Elder Abuse: Advocate

Financial abuse is the most common form of elder abuse in Canada.(Shutterstock)

Baby boomers will increasingly be at risk of elder abuse as cost of living pressures bite, and $3.5 trillion (US$2.3 trillion) in assets is passed on to younger generations in the next three decades.

Age Discrimination Commissioner Kay Patterson gave the warning as she prepared to step down from the role after seven years, arguing Australia must create a national power-of-attorney register.

In an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Dr Patterson said the doubling of the number of people aged 65 and over would coincide with the biggest transfer of intergenerational wealth in history.

Worryingly, the current cost of living pressures has the potential to exacerbate the risk of elder abuse, she said.

We all need to be vigilant against the likely increase in financial exploitation, particularly for families in the current and looming economic environment.

Its estimated $3.5 trillion in assets will pass from baby boomers to their children.

We must pursue the biggest policy challenge that would have the most impact on the wicked problem that is elder abuse  nationally consistent, enduring powers-of-attorney across jurisdictions and a national enduring power-of-attorney register, Patterson said.

The policy idea, developed with other advocacy organisations, has been on ice for more than 20 years.

Harmonisation would make it easier for families to look after older family members in other jurisdictions and for people to be educated about their rights and attorneys about their responsibilities, the former Liberal senator said.

Dr. Patterson said it was appalling people were not aware they could revoke their power of attorney.

She said stable, affordable housing was a key safety issue, with older women the fastest-growing group who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Data shows Australia will become the oldest its ever been in the next 20 to 30 years and will have 40,000 centenarians 40 years from now.

Dr. Patterson called on the media to be conscious of the way aged care issues and older people were framed in coverage.

She also highlighted issues with aged care providers making assumptions about health problems.

A 96-year-old friend in residential aged care was assumed to have age-related hearing loss.

But when an audiologist checked, the friends hearing was found to be merely impacted by ear waxan easily fixed issue.

She was then able to listen to the television, make telephone callswhat a change, Dr. Patterson said.

That was ageism at its worst.
Costa Mesa Approves $4 Million to Convert Travelodge Motel Into Supportive Housing

Costa Mesa is taking strides to expand affordable housing in the city, as officials June 20 approved $4 million towards the conversion of a Travelodge motel near the John Wayne Airport into 76 permanent supportive housing units for those at risk of homelessness.

Councilors voted 41, with Councilman Don Harper opposed, to move forward with the project that would help the city meet its goal of adding nearly 3,000 units of housing for low-income earners by 2029.

Californias housing department has mandated Costa Mesa zone for 11,760 new units of housing by that year at various income levels as part of a statewide plan. Last November, city officials additionally approved $5.8 million towards the conversion of a Motel 6located on Newport Boulevardwhich will add 87 units of housing for very low-income households.

According to city officials, the Travelodges small rooms will be renovated into larger studio and one-bedroom apartments by the nonprofit developer American Family Housing (AFH) out of Midway City, also located in Orange County.

The nonprofit has nearly 40 years of experience helping the homeless, operating 49 housing projects with almost 400 units of affordable housing in Orange and Los Angeles counties, according to a city staff report.

The project will allow for those formerly experiencing homelessness, who cannot live on their own because they were homeless for so long or have disabilities, according to a presentation given by Nate Robbins, the citys neighborhood improvement manager.

Councilwoman Andrea Marr said the city should continue to do similar projects.

The more of it we build, the better in my mind, and Im happy to support this  lets get all the motels converted, she said.

The cost of the motel conversion is a tad over $45 million, with more than half of the expense covered by Project Homekey, a California program announced by the states housing department in July 2020. The program awards local governments funds to buy and rehabilitate buildings for the homeless or those on the verge of homelessness.

Mayor John Stephens said the development is a wonderful collaboration [with] the state, to help the citys homeless, noting that by converting both the motels the city will have 163 permanent supportive homes where people will get shelter every night.

The city of Newport Beach will chip in $3 million towards the development of the site and the county of Orange is contributing $6.8 million.

For its part, Costa Mesa will use $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds and $2.5 million it had earmarked for low incoming housing projects, which will be repaid by the developer over a 55-year agreement, according to city officials.

As the sole dissenting vote, however, Councilman Harper questioned the long-term impact on neighborhoods when introducing permanent supportive housing projects.

I just want to know how this level of income in neighborhoods, how it impacts the community and if its negative or positive or its neutral, he said.

He also questioned what incentive would the developer have to maintain the property after its remodeled and opened.

According to city officials, AFH will not only develop the housing, but also have 24-hour on-site staff for management, as well as partner with service providers of various specialized fields to ensure tenants have access to a full spectrum of resources.

We want to develop more of these projects in other cities  were only as good as the projects that weve developed, a representative from AFH said during the meeting.

Robbins, the citys neighborhood improvement manager, cited a study from the University of CaliforniaIrvines Livable Cities Lab, which showed crime rates went down while property values increased for other neighborhoods surrounding similar affordable housing projects.

As mandated by the states Homekey program, 48 of the renovated units will be for Orange County residents with housing vouchers who have been homeless the longest or have disabilities.

Of the remaining units, Costa Mesa will have 16 units and Newport Beach 12 for placements, according to city officials.

The Travelodge currently sits on 3.5 acres at 1400 Bristol Street near the intersection of Red Hill Avenue, 100 yards from Newport Beach, and has 120 rooms averaging 250 square feet each, according to city officials.

A commercial building currently leased by a restaurant is on the same parcel of land and will continue to operate, officials said.
COVID Vaccine Mandate in English Care Homes Linked to Major Staff Reductions: Report

Authors didnt find evidence that the mandate reduced COVID deaths among care home residents

A study has found that the COVID vaccine mandate in English care homes led to fewer staff but may not have reduced resident deaths.

A report has looked into the effects of the 2021 COVID vaccine mandate for staff in elderly care homes in England and has found that the only major causal effect was a reduction in the number of unvaccinated care workers.

COVID-19 vaccinations were made compulsory for all staff working in care homes in England from Nov. 11, 2021.

At the time it was warned such a policy for care workers would cause unknown staff shortages. However, the government said that there were to be unquantified benefits from the mandate, which it believed were fairly substantial and long-lasting.

Many social care workers left their jobs as a result, which campaign groups said is a devasting blow. The sector is now struggling to fill around 165,000 vacancies.

Only Exacerbating Staffing Difficulties

Using weekly data at the local authority level, the study, by Professor of industrial economics at Business School David Paton and Professor of Industrial Economics Sourafel Girma, who are both at Nottingham University, looked at the impact of the vaccine mandate for elderly care homes in England on vaccine take-up, staffing levels, and mortality.

The study found that the mandate was successful in reducing the percentage of unvaccinated workers, but this came at the cost of a reduction in net staffing in the sector. The authors said that they also didnt find any evidence that the mandate reduced COVID deaths among residents.

A major concern when the English policy was introduced was that mandatory vaccination would lead to carers leaving the sector, exacerbating staffing difficulties. The evidence in the study confirms the mandate did have a significant effect in this regard.

As a result of the mandate, the care workforce declined by about 14,000 to 18,000 carers.

Radical Policy With Radical Implications

Paton told The Epoch Times that the sector has traditionally had a really difficult time retaining workers which has a bearing on the level of care that elderly residents receive.

Paton is also part of HART, an organisation that was set up to share concerns about policy and guidance recommendations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the things the mandate did is that some workers left voluntarily because they decided not to get vaccinated. Others were sacked, he said.

A lot of these were replaced with agency workers, and theres evidence that over-reliance on agency workers, as opposed to more permanent employees, can have implications for the care of residents, he said.

There was a cost if you like from the mandate coming in and unfortunately there doesnt seem like theres any benefit in terms of mortality, he added.

Paton said that the governments impact assessment data assumed that 40,000 workers would leave, but that most workers would be replaced by vaccinated workers, though a significant number were not.

While not part of the study, he said that he believed that because the government relied on coercion and pressure, including vaccine mandates, people have lost some trust in the overall messaging of vaccines.

Even when the mandate was in autumn 2021 it was already fairly clear that the effectiveness of vaccination against infection, which is relevant here, was much less than hoped for, he said.

He said that there was good government data that infection rates were if anything higher among some age groups higher among those who were vaccinated compared to the group that was unvaccinated.

Looking back, its quite hard to see why we pursued quite a radical policy with radical implications for workers, which changed how the UK approached vaccinations, he said.

The Together Declaration, co-founded by Alan Miller, has an ongoing campaign to get the government to apologise, reinstate and compensate fired care workers told The Epoch Times that nobody should ever be forced to take a medical procedure against their will.

Miller said that the sector is massively lacking in staff with a 165,000 shortfall, particularly a lack of experienced staff.

That is why this government should apologise, compensate, reinstate those lost, he said.

Regardless of how effective or not anything is, it must never be mandated. There are also so many concerns with side effects and deaths, far higher than a usual cost-benefit analysis would support. This has been a dark stain on many that have pursued this policy, said Miller.

Legal Claims

In the UK, employment tribunals have mostly ruled that care home workers who refused to get COVID-19 vaccinations were fairly dismissed by their employers.

Stephen Jackson, solicitor at Jackson Osborne Employment Lawyers, had pushed for a judicial review, with a case brought by Julie Peters and Nicola Findlay, respectively a programme director and a full-time support worker at a care home who both lost their jobs. The High Court threw the case out in November 2021.

If someone tried to do that today, then the same claims could be made today and the prospects could be greater, Jackson previously told The Epoch Times.

Jackson said that it is unlikely that an employer would be able to get away with such a course of action today.

The employers relied on the protection of the government policy, saying that it was justified to have required the injection to attend work, he said.

The government has changed that policy as it cant even be argued to be justified anymore, he said.

Jackson added that an employer who puts requirements for a COVID-19 vaccine today as part of the job description could find themselves exposed to various claims.

The Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times.
People pray during Eid al-Adha in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on June 28, 2023. Afghans celebrated Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, one of the largest annual religious festivals observed by Muslims worldwide, amid tight security. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

"People have been living in peace, and we started the first day of Eid in a peaceful environment," an Afghan local resident said in celebration of one of the largest annual religious festivals observed by Muslims worldwide.

KABUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Afghans celebrated Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, one of the largest annual religious festivals observed by Muslims worldwide, amid tight security.

"In terms of security, criminal activities, including theft and robbery, have been drastically reduced, and people are living in a peaceful environment," Kabul resident Naqibullah told Xinhua.

Naqibullah, while attending the local mosque to partake in the Eid al-Adha prayer, expressed gratitude towards the establishment for stabilizing peace and security, saying the first day of Eid began with peace.

"People have been living in peace, and we started the first day of Eid in a peaceful environment, and after Eid prayers, we visited friends and relatives in their houses," Naqibullah said.

People pray during Eid al-Adha in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on June 28, 2023. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Nonetheless, Naqibullah, who is a shopkeeper, was critical of the economic situation in the war-torn country.

"It is crystal clear that Afghans have been suffering from economic hardships. The economic situation is harsh," he added.

The shopkeeper claimed that the profit he earned from his business compared to previous years has dropped by 80 percent as the increasing poverty has devoured the purchasing power of the citizens.

Like Naqibullah, many Afghans are skeptical regarding the prospects of economic recovery and the betterment of living conditions, as the rates of unemployment and poverty have both increased.

More than 28 million Afghans, or two-thirds of Afghanistan's population, according to aid agencies' reports, are facing food insecurity.

People embrace each other during Eid al-Adha in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on June 28, 2023. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

"Our economy is weak, but we are hopeful of overcoming the hardships gradually," another Kabul resident Hajji Mohammad Hussain told Xinhua.

"Our demand from the caretaker government is to create job opportunities," Hussain stated.

However, Hussain expressed satisfaction over the security situation, saying, "This was the first time that we had offered our Eid prayers with compatriots without unexpected incidents."

The security personnel had been deployed at the gate of all the mosques and checked anyone who entered the mosque as part of security measures to ensure the safety of the worshippers.

Hussain added, "Although I could not buy the necessary goods to celebrate the Eid holidays, I am happy to enjoy peace." 
DeSantis Vetoes Bipartisan Crime Reform Bill

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference on the banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, on June 26, 2023. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed a criminal justice reform bill that received almost unanimous support from both houses of the Florida state Legislature. The veto was issued without an explanation from the governors office.

The bill in question, House Bill 605, aimed to modify the Florida statute related to the expungement of criminal history records. Currently, Florida law prohibits adults from having their criminal records expunged if they had previous juvenile offenses cleared unless the record had been sealed for at least 10 years.

The bipartisan bill that was vetoed sought to provide individuals with a fresh start by allowing expungement of their records if their prior offenses were committed as juveniles and not handled as adult charges.

State Rep. David Smith, a Republican from Winter Springs who introduced the legislation, expressed disappointment regarding the veto. Smith believed that expungement of criminal records would benefit the workforce, address labor shortages, and primarily help individuals in Florida without any criminal convictions, reported Tampa Bay Times.

Although no explanation for the veto was given by the governors staff, Smith expressed hope for the bills future.

Im disappointed that HB605 was vetoed by Governor Ron DeSantis, but remain committed to passing future justice reform policies that give deserving Floridians second chances, Smith told The Epoch Times via email.

Although I was not given any explanation for the veto from the Governors staff, I was told by a senior staff member that they would work with me on improving the bill language before the 2024 legislative session with the expectation of having the bill signed into law next year.

At this time, I have no plans to pursue a veto override, he continued. Nor am I withdrawing my endorsement of Ron DeSantis for President.

Changed Stance on Crime

Observers suggested that DeSantis vetoed the bill to present himself as tough on crime during the current election cycle.

DeSantis, who is running for the GOP 2024 presidential nomination, recently stated his intention to repeal the First Step Act signed by former President Donald Trump, which aimed to reduce sentences and improve prison conditions.

Despite the veto, Smith noted that there is potential for collaboration on the bills language in the 2024 legislative session, with the expectation it could be signed into law next year, reported NBC News.

DeSantis has previously signed revised bills that he had previously vetoed, as was the case with a bill related to expunging records of individuals who completed a juvenile diversion program, which was signed in 2022 after amendments were made to exclude forcible felonies. Such felonies include murder, manslaughter, carjacking, and similar offenses.

Former Republican Florida state Sen. Jeff Brandes, known for his interest in prison reform, expressed the hope that DeSantis would reconsider his stance. Brandes highlighted what he considers the need for policies that provide second chances and reduce inmate idleness.

The criminal justice community struggled to find hope, but persevered because this issue affects their friends, family, and loved ones, former state Sen. Jeff Brandes told NBC News. Florida continues to have more than 12,000 pending clemency cases, the National Guard still patrols our understaffed prisons, and Florida has still yet to adopt policies that reduce inmate idleness or provide second chances.

Critics pointed out that DeSantiss position on criminal justice reform has shifted to the right since his presidential bid began, which contrasts with his previous track record.

Unfortunately, just in the last few weeks, we have seen rhetoric out of the campaign that is out of step with Republican voters and Gov. DeSantiss own track record on these issues, Jenna Bottler, president and executive director of the Justice Action Network, told NBC News.

The Justice Action Network said on Twitter that DeSantis once supported early release for some prisoners and said he was open to easing mandatory minimum guidelinesprovisions in the First Step Act, the prison reform bill, he now says he would repeal.

This report was updated with Smiths comments.
DOJ Charges 78 People for $2.5 Billion in Health Care Fraud

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the Department of Justices Robert F. Kennedy building in Washington on June 23, 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced criminal charges against 78 people across 16 U.S. states for alleged health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in $2.5 billion in alleged fraudulent claims.

According to the department, the elderly and disabled, as well as HIV patients, were among those targeted by the schemes.

Of the $2.5 billion in alleged fraudulent claims, about $1.1 billion was paid out, officials said. The claims were made to Medicare, state Medicaid programs, and supplemental Medicare insurance programs provided by private insurers.

As part of the enforcement actions, the Department of Justice seized or restrained millions of dollars in cash, automobiles, and real estate.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement the law enforcement actions involved one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever prosecuted by the Justice Department. He also said the department will find and bring to justice criminals who seek to defraud Americans and steal from taxpayer-funded programs.

The charges, filed or unsealed from June 12 through to June 28, involve a series of cases with similar schemes.

Telemedicine Fraud

Among those charged are 11 defendants accused of submitting over $2 billion in fraudulent claims via telemedicine.

Of these charges, one of the cases involved an online platform called DMERx involved in a scheme that resulted in $1.9 billion worth of fraudulent claims to Medicare and other government insurers. The case was filed in the Southern District of Florida.

According to the case, the online platform targeted elderly and disabled Americans and got them to buy unnecessary medical equipment and prescriptionsorthotic braces and pain creams. It would obtain information from these Americans and generate fake and fraudulent doctors orders and prescriptions. These orders and prescriptions would then be signed by actual physicians, who were paid to sign them by purported telemedicine companies.

In another case, a licensed physician in Washington stateDavid Antonio Becerrilallegedly signed over 2,800 fraudulent orders for orthotic braces, including ankle braces for a patient whose leg had been amputated years before. Becerril is alleged to have taken less than 40 seconds to review and sign each fraudulent order.

Prescription Drugs

The law enforcement actions also involved 10 people charged for allegedly having collectively submitted over $370 million in fraudulent claims related to prescription drugs.

Of these charges, one case involved a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution company accused of facilitating a $150 million fraud scheme. Steven Diamantstein, the owner of Scripts Wholesale Inc., is accused of having illegally diverted prescription HIV medication and then reselling the medication after making it appear legitimate.

The defendant allegedly purchased the diverted medication at a substantial discount from individuals who obtained the drugs primarily through illegal buyback schemes in which they paid HIV patients cash for their expensive HIV medication and repackaged those pills for resale, according to the Department of Justice.

Pharmacies would then purchase the misbranded medications, dispense them to patients, and bill them to health care benefit programs, while the pharmaceutical wholesale distribution company gained substantial illegal profits, the department stated.

Diamantsteins defense attorney, Zach Intrater, told The Associated Press that Diamantstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges and looks forward to contesting them in court.

Opioid Distribution

The charges against the 78 people also included over $150 million in fraudulent claims related to other types of health care fraud.

The department said it includes charges against 24 doctors and medical professionals who lined their own pockets. Among them were doctors who allegedly illegally prescribed opioids to patients who did not need them.

The charges also include cases in which healthcare companies and other providers paid cash to obtain patient information from patient recruiters and beneficiaries. This enabled the providers to file fraudulent claims to Medicare.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this article had an incorrect amount in the headline. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Every City in the Inland Empire Ranked According to Financial Health

Commentary

Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in Southern California have 52 cities. A number of their residents work in Orange County and make their commute using the Riverside Freeway, its express lanes, or the Metrolink rail.

As housing costs tend to be higher the closer one comes to the coast, moving to the Inland Empire (IE) provides for more affordable housing. For years, this phenomenon has been described as driving until you qualify.

But the Inland Empire has enough job opportunities within its borders to employ most of its residents, explaining its robust growth.

Obtaining current financial data for Californias cities is not easy. Most cities have excellent website modules for providing their annual budgets and audited financial statements. However, some, like the city of Westmorland in nearby Imperial County, are an embarrassment when it comes to being transparent.

Lets take our first detailed look at the IE by comparing the years 2018 and 2019. The pre-COVID-19 Newsom lockdown numbers are found in their Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFRs). Using the unrestricted net position (UNP) for governmental activities on the statement of net position, divided by the cities populations, we obtain a per capita that can be used to provide a ranking of each city based on its financial status.

While most of the cities have been relatively stable, lets look at those that moved six or more places.

As can be seen from the graph below, the city of Ontario jumped 16 places by moving some $43 million in Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) liabilities to the business-type activities of its balance sheet (statement of net position). This city has had a rather volatile UNP over the years, as can be seen from the schedule on page 167 of its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. Based on previous years, it seems that it is reverting to the mean in 2019.

The city of Yucca Valley reduced its restricted assets by $5.6 million, explaining the bulk of the $7.2 million increase in its UNP. This helped it move up 10 places.

The city of Temecula enjoyed an average of $62 million per year in property, sales, and other taxes for the previous nine years. For 2019, it received $96 million, helping to increase its UNP by $22 million and moving it up 6 places. Wine Enthusiast Magazine and others have recognized Temecula Valley as one of Californias serious wine destinations. Tourism has certainly been growing, with its wineries and ballooning opportunities. A toast for Temecula for the improvement to its balance sheet in 2019.

It is good to celebrate a tourist destination city that is managed well. As you can see from the graph, the city of Palm Springs is failing miserably. Orange Countys tourist destination, Anaheim, is not faring well either (see Anaheims leaders cannot afford to ignore their citys fiscal problems, July 31, 2022).

The city of Calimesa had a similar story, with revenues exceeding expenditures by $6.1 million, which tripled its UNP from $1.1 million to $3.3 million, moving it up six places.

Looking at cities that dropped significantly, lets start with Adelanto, as it has had a rough go for nearly three decades. In 1995, it narrowly avoided a very expensive legal battle with the Mojave Water Agency in a long-standing water-rights dispute. Having to pay San Bernardino County $5 million in December of 1995 as part of a redevelopment lawsuit settlement, it nearly defaulted on a $750,000 bond payment. It narrowly avoided filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection or disincorporating. It has had plenty of recent drama with certain city councilmembers, and this city has been notoriously late on releasing its ACFR, with the 2021 and 2022 audits still not up on its website. Its UNP dropped by $8.3 million (61 percent), due to an increase in accounts payable of $5.8 million, dropping it 10 places.

The city of Hesperias drop of 7 places, with its UNP decreasing from $38.0 million to $24.7 million, was explained in its ACFR as follows: This decrease is primarily related to a $15.0 million increase in loans payable to record the long-term portion of the loan with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) for the Ranchero Road/I-15 Interchange Project.

The city of San Jacinto saw its noncurrent liabilities, including its pension obligations, increase by $6.7 million, explaining why the UNP dropped by the same amount. This caused it to drop 7 places.

Yucaipa saw a reduction in its program revenues from capital grants and contributions of $7.5 million, explaining the bulk of its $10 million decline in UNP, dropping it 6 places.

The top six and bottom twelve cities stayed pretty much in place. Of the 52 cities, 44 moved up or down 5 or less places, with 33 moving 2 places or less. The goal is to move up a place or two with each fiscal year, especially if the UNP is in negative territory, where 22 (42 percent) cities find themselves. It can be done, as Norco, Apple Valley, Chino, and Beaumont moved into positive territory during this fiscal year. Only 14 cities moved backwards, with Adelanto leading the pack by falling the most.

With the COVID-19 pandemic starting nine months into the next fiscal year ending, June 30, 2020, it will be interesting to see the impacts.

At least you have some beginning data with which to make intelligent inquiries of your elected city councilmembers. The big question is: What is the financial plan to get out of the hole, as 30 neighboring cities have been able to do?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
EXCLUSIVE: Canadian Soldiers Refusal of COVID Vaccination Not a Conduct Deficiency, Grievance Committee Rules

Reservists help pack military vehicles with boats and fuel at CFB Kingston in Kingston, Ont., on May 9, 2017. (The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg)

An independent military administrative tribunal has determined that a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) veteran had not shown a conduct deficiency in refusing COVID-19 vaccination and was therefore wrongfully expelled from the organization.

I find that refusing vaccination should not have been considered a conduct deficiency since it was an exercise of a right protected by the Charter and recognized by existing laws and regulations, wrote Nina Frid of the Military Grievances External Review Committee (MGERC) in a June 20 decision.

According to a copy of the grievance ruling, the grievor is a corporal who served in the CAF for 24 years and worked as an Aircraft Structures Technician. He was dishonourably discharged from the military under code 5(f), unsuitable for further service, in July 2022.

Frid recommended that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Wayne Eyre cancel both the remedial measures against the corporal and the decision to release him, facilitate his re-enrolment, and consider awarding him financial compensation either through an ex gratia payment or by seeking redress outside of the CAF grievance process via a reference to the Director of Civil Claims and Litigation.

MGERC is an independent administrative tribunal that reviews military grievances and provides findings and recommendations to the CDS and to the CAF member who submitted the grievance. The committees non-binding findings are sent to the CDS for his consideration.

Its important to note that the recommendations and findings from the MGERC are part of the grievance process, which in this case, is not yet complete. Additional review by the [CDS] is still underway, said Department of National Defence (DND) spokesperson Jessica Lamirande in a previous statement.

The Epoch Times asked DND to comment on several grievances filed against the CAF, and on the timeframe for the CDS decision, but didnt receive a response by press time.

Dishonourable Discharge

CAF members were subjected to a vaccination mandate imposed by the military in the fall of 2021, with those not complying being released under 5(f)a dishonourable discharge usually reserved for soldiers with personal weaknesses or other issues deemed to impose an excessive burden on the CAF.

The forces lost hundreds of soldiers as a result of the policy, whether through voluntary releases or 5(f) expulsions. The CAF lightened the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in October 2022 by removing COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of service but kept in place a mandatory primary series of shots for numerous operational roles.

The CAF always bases its decisions on vaccination by considering the most up to date medical evidence and advice, the current federal posture, and the need to be operationally ready in terms of both force health and ability to act in an environment where any vaccine-preventable illness is a hazard to individuals and the mission, said Lamirande.

MGERC ruled that refusing vaccination can have an impact on a soldiers capacity to perform certain duties, but it does not relate to their ethics and conduct.

The CAF argued, according to the findings, that non-compliant soldiers clearly failed to comply with the Code of Ethics and Values, did not respect the dignity of all persons, did not serve Canada before self and obey and support lawful authority.

The grievor sought to test whether the order was lawful by being judged by a court martial under the National Defence Act (NDA) section 126 on immunization. The act says that soldiers who disobey a vaccination order without reasonable excuse can face imprisonment. The CDS directive did not refer to NDA 126 and instead dealt with resisting soldiers through administrative processes.

The review committee wrote that members have a protected right to refuse medical treatment under NDA 126 that was set aside.

Aggrieved

MGERC has recently ruled on several grievances related to the CAFs COVID-19 vaccination and sided with the grievors, decisions seen by The Epoch Times indicate.

MGERC determined that CAFs COVID-19 vaccination policy infringed on the grievors Section 7 charter rights: the right to liberty that protects the freedom of capable adults to make choices about their medical care, including the right to accept or refuse medical treatment.

The tribunal acknowledged that those protected rights are not absolute and can be limited in certain circumstances, but the limitations must not be arbitrary, overly broad, or disproportionate.

As with other rulings seen by The Epoch Times, the committee found that on top of charter rights being infringed, the disciplinary process being followed was inadequate.

In her most recent ruling, Frid wrote that the administration of the remedial measures in accordance with the CAFs vaccination policy had significant procedural fairness shortcomings, and that measures against the corporal under that policy were unreasonable and unjustified.

I find that the direction to recommend release of the grievor from the CAF within the severely abridged timeframe, and the decision to release the grievor for non-compliance with the CAF vaccination policy but without due consideration of his military career, which spans approximately 25 years, as a mitigating factor, resulted in breaches of procedural fairness and his procedural rights, wrote Frid.

The corporal is also one of the 329 active or former CAF members who say they were harmed by COVID-19 vaccine mandates that have filed a $500 million class-action lawsuit against the CDS, Minister of National Defence Anita Anand, former deputy minister of national defence Jody Thomas, and others.

The plaintiffs lawyer Catherine Christensen of Valour Law says the CDS faces a lose-lose situation with the grievance committees findings.

If [Eyre] agrees with the findings then he issued an unlawful order, since he cannot make an order that breaches Charter rights (NDA). If he disagrees then hes opened it up for a world of legal hurt, she told The Epoch Times.
EXCLUSIVE: Nikki Haley Talks 2024, Foreign Policy, and Government Weaponization

Haley said she would replace FBI Director Christopher Wray

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was in New Hampshire on June 28, taking part in a foreign policy discussion and New Hampshire GOP cookout featuring Gov. Chris Sununu. The former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. and South Carolina governor was scheduled to conduct a town hall on June 27, but it was postponed until July 6.

The Epoch Times sat down with Ms. Haley for a wide-ranging interview at the cookout, which was at a private residence.

The Epoch Times: What would your Day One agenda look like?

Ms. Haley: First thing is you control what you can control first, and thats your agencies. You go and relieve and replace every head of every agency because you want to make sure youre putting people that understand their consumer. They understand who theyre serving, the challenges that they have, and the opportunities [that] could be there.

The second thing is you go and you make sure thatI did this as governoryou send people into every agency to clean it up, pull down old regs, pull down old programs, get rid of any problem children so that you can get it used to working again. And then you give each agency goals that, in the first 90 days, they have to accomplish so that they can start showing that theyre working for the people and not the other way around.

Only then do you start thinking of legislation. The first thing I would do is focus on our agencies.

The Epoch Times: The FBI and Department of Justice have come under fire for being weaponized. How would you fix this? Would you fire FBI Director Chris Wray?

Ms. Haley: I think that, first of all, you have to understand that theyve lost all trust with the American people. And we have to go build that trust back. We cant build that trust back if Christopher Wray is the head of the FBI. But its not just Chris Wray. Youve got to get rid of all that senior management out there too. Weve got to go and make an example of people. Weve got to go and show that were truly cleaning it up if were going to take care of it.

The Epoch Times: Do you support impeaching President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Wray?

Ms. Haley: First of all, Biden, I think that hes got a lot to answer for. The fact that he hasnt done a press conference to acknowledge all the Hunter Biden stuff is irresponsible at best, and he needs to answer that, but it smells bad.

And so, yes, I think thatI think Congress should be investigating. If the DOJ wont do it, I think Congress should, and I think Congress should open up an investigation on Biden and find out exactly what was taken; what was done in return, if anything; and how much Biden knew.

In terms of Merrick Garland, I mean, lookit got weaponized under his watch, so hes got some serious questions to answer as well, and I think they need to do an investigation on him.

Christopher Wray needs to answer the same questions, all of these people.

The American people dont trust what theyve done. They all owe it to answer as many questions as possible to let us know how we got to this point, and theres got to be accountability. We cant just let this go.

The Epoch Times: How would you fix the health care and health insurance issues in the country? Would you repeal and replace Obamacare?

Ms. Haley: When it comes to health care, I think we have to look at the fact that we have to literally break our health care system. And when I say that, we have to make it all transparent. Open it all up, from the hospitals to the doctors to the pharmaceutical companies to the insurance companies, and make them all show what they do. If we just dealt with the insurance companies alone, we would cut health care in half.

But if we make that transparent and if we start getting out the middlemenwhether its the [pharmacy benefit managers] or whether its the insurance companiesand we start letting the patient actually work with their service provider, thats the first step.

The second thing is service providers need to focus on value-based health care, where theyre focused on outcomes, on prevention and outcomes. So we need to do those things.

And I think that we need to have insurance companies and medical care where you have options, where every patient can decide the type of care they want, what they want, and do it based on theirbased on what their options are.

In terms of Obamacare, I mean, its hard to see that it has fixed anything. All that it has done is run the cost of health care up. But I do think we want to make sure that every person in America has access to health care, without question. So weve got to go look at that, but the way you go and read the price of health care and increase the quality of health care is to make it transparent, so we can open the whole thing up so that patients are suddenly in charge and not, you know, hospitals and insurance companies.

The Epoch Times: Just to clarify, you would repeal and replace Obamacare?

Ms. Haley: I think we have to have a solution before we do that. But I do think, yes, we need to see that it didnt work the way we wanted it to.

The Epoch Times: Youve called for entitlement reform for younger generations. What would the new retirement age be?

Ms. Haley: We have to go back and do the math. Im an accountant. Youve got to go do the math. Youve got to go look and see. But if we started with those in their 20s and younger coming in, raise the retirement age to life expectancy, and go see what those calculations are, they know theyre not going to get it anyway.

So we have to start doing that, and I think it should reflect life expectancy. If youre looking at what retirement age [is], it cant be where it is now. It needs to be more reflective of what we see with life expectancy.

The Epoch Times: The individual tax cuts enacted by President Trump are set to expire in 2025. Would you try to make them permanent as president or would you cut taxes further and make those permanent and eliminate more or all loopholes?

Ms. Haley: Theres too much spending, theres too much borrowing.

First of all, yes, on the tax cuts. I think that when we saw the Trump tax cuts go into play, we saw a lot of people have more money in their wallets. They started spending it and helped the economy. We need to look to simplify the tax code in any way that we can. Theres not any person in America that thinks the tax code is fair right now. So if were going to do it, its not just about cuts. Its about how can we make sure that were handling the way we tax smarter so that more people have money to invest.

The Epoch Times: Unless you have 60 Republicans in the Senate, youll have to compromise with Democrats. How do you plan to do so while keeping your promises? For example, cutting spending and not adding to the national debt?

Ms. Haley: When you have a national purpose and you tell the country where you want to go, thats going to be key. The key isnt to start with something thats incredibly divisive. Lets show what its like when they win together. Lets show when we win together on transparency in education, lets show when we win together on cutting spending. Lets show when we win together on getting rid of earmarks or reducing crime or doing something with the border, I think, or taking on China.

There are things we can work on that I think we can show them what its like to win. But we shouldnt go into it with a sense of fighting. We should go into it with the fact that we owe the American people some results, and they need to know that the governments working for them.

The Epoch Times: You recently unveiled your energy plan. Would you resume the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and withdraw the United States again from the Paris Climate Agreement?

Ms. Haley: Yes and yes.

The Epoch Times: How do you plan to combat wokeism in Americas public schools? Nationwide school choice?

Ms. Haley: We have to go back to the basics. I mean, you look at the fact thatwhat, last week or this weekit came out 13-year-olds had the lowest grades in reading and math in decades. Before COVID, 67 percent of eighth graders werent proficient in reading or math. We dont have time to deal with all of these distractions. Weve got to go back to reading, writing, and math and get some vocational classes back at our high schools.

The Epoch Times: How do you plan to tackle student debt?

Ms. Haley: First of all, you dont give a loan without telling the student whats required with that loan.

Right now, its too easy to get a loan. If youre going to have to sit there and fill out all this paperwork to close on a house, you should have to spend 15 minutes with that student to tell them exactly whats involved in that loan, what theyre going to have to pay back and what the smart way is to do it. We need to start telling the students, on the front end and on the back end, why theyre going to do it.

The second thing is we need to start going back to tech schools and not so much on four-year universities. Weve got to show kids that there are great jobs that they can do from a tech perspective, as opposed to just going to that four-year education and being further in debt.

The Epoch Times: Youve decried Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for giving Disney special favors and have lamented government favors. And youve said no to earmarks. Speaking of government favoritism, Boeing, which has a strong presence in your home state, has been a recipient of the Export-Import Bank, an institution derided by critics for cronyism. As president, what would you do about the Export-Import Bank?

Ms. Haley: I think you have to look at the Export-Import Bank. The way that its handled now is to make sure that its competitive with other countries. Thats always been the case. What we do want to do is make sure, how do we go and get those companies on strong footing without having to pick favorites and pick winners and losers? Right now, the winners are the other countries. The losers arent us. So weve got to look at, weve got to figure out how we can do things that allow our companies to be competitive without making sure that were taking on too many subsidies and bailouts.

The Epoch Times: Would you formally recognize Taiwans independence from China?

Ms. Haley: Taiwan hasnt recognized its independence from China. It hasnt said it wants to be an independent country. So Im for self-determination. They have to first decide what they want to do. And then we follow suit. We shouldnt get in front of them on that.

The Epoch Times: Would you recognize Iraqi Kurdistan independence?

Ms. Haley: I think we have to be careful again there. Youve got to first see what the situation is on the ground and decide whats in our best interest for our national security and also for freedom.

The Epoch Times: From reportedly resuming nuclear talks with Iran to announcing that itll no longer fund research in Israeli neighborhoods in Judea and Samariathe West Bankwhats your reaction been to the Biden administration as it pertains to Israel?

Ms. Haley: Total slap in the face to Israel to have done that. Biden has forgotten who his friends are. And he seems to be placating his enemies. Thats the problem, and thats why he needs to go.

The Epoch Times: As governor, you signed the first legislation to combat the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. Would you do the same on the federal level?

Ms. Haley: Absolutely.

The Epoch Times: Additionally, what steps would you take to combat antisemitism?

Ms. Haley: First of all, in universities, you cut their funding if we dont have every university actually dealing with racism and antisemitism. There should be no place for hate in our universities. There should be no place for hate in our way of life in America. And so weve got to start calling it out everywhere we see it and treat it like racism because its no different.

The Epoch Times: Youve lamented that the GOP has lost seven of the eight past popular votes in the presidential election. However, isnt it the electoral college that ultimately matters?

Ms. Haley: It is, but Republicans should want to win the majority of Americans. Thats something in our moral compass we should want to do. Its not something to be proud about, that we dont win the majority of Americans.

And so I think we have to make sure that we talk about the fact that our solutions lift up everybody, but its also the fact that we need to be a party of addition. Weve got to bring in people that havent currently been in our party. And I think the only way you do that is to have a new generational leader that understands that its about addition and making sure we do more to earn the support of the majority of the country.

The Epoch Times: Throughout your career, youve pulled off upsets and proven your critics wrong when it comes to running for office, from state legislator to governor. How do you plan to continue this streak with your former boss staying resilient in the polls despite his indictments?

Ms. Haley: Its early, and no one will outwork me. No one will outsmart me in this race.

Were going to touch every hand. Were going to answer every question. Were going to do everything we need to in order to earn the support of the people. And at the end of the day, I know well be successful.

The Epoch Times: You have two dogs, Bentley and Rio. What would the White House rules be for them? No sitting or lying down on the Oval Office furniture?

Ms. Haley: No on the furniture. But yes, I would let them run around.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Federal Budget Bill Passed Provision to Further Digitalize the Border

Cars line up at a checkpoint after crossing the Peace Bridge into the United States from Canada in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 8, 2021. (Joshua Bessex/AP Photo)

The recently passed federal budget bill modifying dozens of acts contains a provision that will further the digitization of the border.

Bill C-47, which runs close to 400 pages, received royal assent on June 22 and modifies the Customs Acts to allow a person arriving in Canada to present themselves to the Canada Border Services Agency [CBSA] by a means of telecommunication.

CBSA says this will allow for the introduction of a series of voluntary service-processing tools at border crossings and airportsincluding the controversial ArriveCAN application.

Legislative amendments to the Customs Act proposed in Bill C-47 would address current barriers to proceeding with proposals to realize a more modern traveller experience. The changes introduce a new manner of presentation that would be supported by the deployment of voluntary self-service processing tools, CBSA media relations spokesperson Maria Ladouceur said in an email to The Epoch Times.

The modified act now has a section that gives anyone entering Canada two options to present themselves; either to an officer in person, or to the agency by a means of telecommunication that is specified by the Minister for use at that customs office.

Ladouceur said these means of communication refer to current and future border processing technologies, such as Primary Inspection Kiosks, mobile apps such as the Advance Declaration feature in the ArriveCAN app, electronic gates, telephone, and radio.

Ladouceur said the legislative changes are meant to support the federal governments investment in a safe, modern and efficient travel experience for Canadians and visitors crossing our borders. As part of the Traveller Modernization initiative, the CBSA is developing new tools to facilitate travel through the Canadian border while ensuring the safety of communities, she said.

Several forms of digital ID or credentials for travel projects have been in the works in recent years, including the Known Traveller Digital Identity (KTDI) spearheaded by the World Economic Forum.

As that project was being completed, Canada embarked on another digital ID for travel project with the Netherlands.

Other digital credential systems are already in use on select flights from Air Canada, which was a KTDI partner.

ArriveCAN

The ArriveCAN app was launched in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a screening tool to ensure travellers arriving in Canada were complying with border measures. In July 2021, a new version of the app allowed Canadians to prove their COVID-19 vaccination status by uploading their documents via the app.

The application, which cost $54 million to develop, became contentious for many Canadians. Some mayors and businesses close to the Canada-U.S. border complained the app was discouraging Americans from doing business in Canada, while a glitch in the app resulted in 10,200 people incorrectly being told to quarantine.

The use of ArriveCAN was made optional in September 2022, but an additional feature called Advance Declaration remained, which allowed passengers to fill out a CBSA declaration form ahead of their arrival at customs to speed up processing. Figures provided by the federal government in early June show there is low uptake, with only 11 percent of eligible travellers using it.

According to Ladouceur, ArriveCANs Advance Declaration feature had been used more than 1 million times, approximately 300,000 times a month, and has been shown to reduce the amount of time a traveller spends at a kiosk or gate by roughly 30 percent. She added that the CBSA is also currently exploring other optional ArriveCAN features to provide travellers with easy access to information, such as border wait times and other self-serve functions.

Right to Privacy

Hatim Kheir, a lawyer for Charter Advocates Canada, said giving Canadians the option to use a more convenient means to cross the border is not the issue. He said the issue lies with a paragraph in the bill claiming that if one of the two manners of verifying identification at the border is unavailable, they must use the other option.

This could create a situation where people are forced to use ArriveCAN, and its my belief that this would be unconstitutional for the same reasons that were arguing that ArriveCAN was unconstitutional, namely, because its a violation of peoples right to privacy, Kheir said.

He also cited concerns about ArriveCAN being integrated into a digital ID system that would control Canadians abilities to access healthcare, finances, and government services.

The real issue here is that it creates a massive lever of power in the hands of the government. The Canadian government and Western countries are based on this liberal idea that a good government is a limited government because power corrupts and absolute power should not be given to people, he said.

And the real danger in something like a centralized digital ID system is exactly that. Its near unlimited power.
Feds Accuse 3 Investors of Insider Trading Linked to Trump Media SPAC Deal

The Department of Justice in Washington on Jan. 14, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

The Justice Department has accused three Florida men of insider trading in Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC) based on confidential information obtained before the special purpose acquisition company publicly announced plans to merge with former President Donald Trumps social media company.

Michael Shvartsman, his brother Gerald Shvartsman, and Bruce Garelick made over $22 million in illegal profits in late 2021 based on their access to confidential information about DWACs planned merger with Trump Media & Technology Group (Trump Media), prosecutors alleged on June 29.

Neither Trump nor his company, which operates the Truth Social app, face any charges in relation to the allegations against the trio.

Trump, who is the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race, faces a number of civil and criminal investigations, which he has denounced as a plot meant to thwart his White House run.

The planned merger between DWAC, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), and Trump Media has not been finalized.

The Justice Department announced the charges against the three men as part of a string of allegations of illegal trading brought against a total of 10 defendants, including a Pfizer employee and a police chief.

Insider trading is not a quick buck, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. Its cheating. Its a bad bet. Its a ticket to prison.

Each of the three defendants in the DWAC-related insider trading case faces five to seven conspiracy and fraud charges that could result in decades behind bars.

All three were arrested in Florida on Thursday.

Exploited Confidential Information

Prosecutors said Thursday that the three accused sophisticated investors had been invited to invest in DWAC and after signing non-disclosure agreements (NDA) were provided with confidential information that one of the acquisition targets was Trump Media.

Among the terms of the NDA was that they couldnt use any so-called material, non-public information (MNPI) to buy or sell securities on the open market, per the Justice Department.

After the three individuals made initial investments in DWAC through its initial public offering process, Garelick was given a seat on the board of directors of DWAC, which provided him with access to valuable information about the planned merger with Trumps social media company.

After learning MNPI through his role on DWACs board, [Garelick] provided updates to his alleged co-conspiratorswhich he called intelligenceabout the status of the merger negotiations and the timing of a public merger announcement, prosecutors alleged.

Based on this confidential information, the three defendants then allegedly bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before news of the planned merger with Trump Media became public.

After the merger was announced publicly, the defendants stock and warrant holdings in DWAC rose in value substantially, at which point they sold them for significant profit, prosecutors said.

In violation of duties they owed to DWAC, the defendants exploited confidential information they possessed regarding DWACs target, its plans, and its negotiations in order to execute profitable and timely trades, per an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (pdf).

Unprecedented Attack

In a separate complaint (pdf) against the trio brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the agency called for permanent injunctions against the three defendants to prevent them from selling any more securities related to DWAC.

The SEC also called for them to forfeit all ill-gotten gains plus interest and penalties.

Neither DWAC nor Trump Media immediately responded to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

The defendants attorney, Grant Smith, was not immediately available for comment, but he declined to remark on the charges when queried by Reuters.

While the charges against Garelick and the Shvartsman brothers do not implicate Trump or anyone at Truth Social, theyre part of investigations that have prevented the company from receiving SEC approval for the merger with DWAC and going public.

Truth Social was launched last year as an alternative to social media platforms Twitter and Facebook. It caters to conservatives, many of whom have said they have experienced discrimination on mainstream platforms.

DWAC filed an S4 plan in October 2021 to merge with Trump Media, which owns Truth Social, but those plans have remained in limbo.

Trump Media has accused regulators of slow-rolling the merger approval and has requested a Congressional probe.

A letter from Trump Media to Congressional lawmakers earlier this year accused the SEC of engaging in egregious conduct and blatant politicization in postponing the platforms merger plans multiple times since 2021.

Americas cherished free speech tradition is under unprecedented attack by Big Tech companies working hand-in-glove with censorious government agencies, powerful media outlets, and well-connected political operatives, wrote Scott Glabe, the general counsel at Trump Media, in the letter.

The obvious bias of SEC leadership irrevocably taints the agencys ability to conduct an impartial inquiry, he argued.

We therefore seek immediate congressional action to investigate these abuses, ensure documents are preserved, and uphold the rule of law, he added in the letter, which was addressed to the Republican chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight, and Financial Service Committees.

The SEC did not reply to an earlier request for comment.
Feds Approved Over $4.4 Million in Climate Subsidies for One of Canadas Most Profitable Companies: Records

CN Rail trains are shown at a train yard in Vaughan, Ont., on June 20, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

The federal government approved over $4.4 million in climate subsidy payments last year for the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), one of Canadas largest railway companies and most profitable corporations, records show.

The Department of Natural Resources disclosed in an Inquiry of Ministry tabled in the House of Commons on June 19 that it awarded CN $4,425,000 in federal funding on Nov. 28, 2022, to install over 60 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, as first reported by Blacklocks Reporter.

The purpose of this agreement is to increase awareness, availability and use of lower carbon vehicles and fuels in Canada by supporting the installation of 12 electric vehicle chargers in Quebec, 42 in Ontario and 8 in British Columbia, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) wrote in the inquiry.

It added that the funding was released to CN under the federal Contributions in Support of Clean Fuels, Transportation and Industry program.

Ottawa says its Canadas strengthened climate plan, announced in December 2020, was reaffirmed in its 2021 budget with a $1.5 billion investment over five years to establish a Clean Fuels Fund intended to de-risk the capital investment required to build new or expand existing clean fuel production facilities (including facility conversions), among other support and resources being made available to meet its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The information in the inquiry was released in response to an order paper question submitted by Conservative MP Warren Steinley on May 2. Steinley requested details with regard to repayable loans and repayable contributions over $1 million given out by the government since January 1, 2019.

The governments funding to CN last year came even as the company posted record revenues of $17.1 billion that year, which was up 18 percent from the previous year, according to its 2022 annual report.

CN once again delivered solid operating and financial performance in 2022, generating strong earnings per share and free cash flow, the company wrote in the report.

We delivered for our shareholders in 2022 by returning $4.7 billion through our share repurchase plan and by increasing the Companys quarterly dividend by 19%.

Other Subsidies

NRCan also disclosed in the Inquiry of Ministry that it awarded millions in federal subsidies to other large companies over the past two years to install EV charging stations under the same Contributions in Support of Clean Fuels, Transportation and Industry program.

The federal department in 2021 awarded Tesla Motors Canada (TMC) over $5 million to install 78 EV chargers in B.C. and 51 such chargers in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

In 2022, TMC received another nearly $4.8 million to build 64 EV chargers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and 57 in Ontario.

NRCan also awarded Shell Canada over $3.9 million in 2021 to build 79 EV fast-charging stations across the country.

The same department said earlier this year in a separate Inquiry of Ministry that it expects Canadas power grid will have to expand by 23 percent in the coming years to support all of the new EV charging stations being installed nationwide.

Tara MacIsaac contributed to this report.
RoseAnne Archibald Ousted as AFN National Chief

RoseAnne Archibald, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), has been removed by a non-confidence motion, seven months before the end date of her three-year term and after months of internal squabbles.

Archibalds fate was decided at a one-day private meeting of the Special Chiefs Assembly, held virtually on June 28 and attended by chiefs and proxies. There were two resolutions before the council: one to have the national chief removed, and one calling for her to serve out her term until 2024.

Shortly after the vote, the AFN issued a news release advising of the decision to oust the chief.

The motion to remove Archibald, introduced by Chiefs Irene Kells, of Ontarios Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, and Kyra Wilson, of Manitobas Long Plains First Nation, was passed by 163 votes, or 71 percent of votes cast. The motion required 60 percent support. A total of 231 votes were cast and there were 62 votes against the chiefs removal.

After review of the Investigation Summary Report and hearing from National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, First Nations-in-Assembly accepted the Report and directed the removal of RoseAnne Archibald from the position of National Chief, stated AFN Nova Scotia Regional Chief Paul Prosper.

This decision was made due to her violation of the Whistleblower Policy and breach of the Executive Committees Code of Conduct. As a result, the position of National Chief will remain vacant until an interim National Chief is selected from the Executive Committee. As directed by First Nations-in-Assembly, an election will be scheduled for the December 2023 SCA.

Allegations

The latest special assembly leading to the removal of Archibald was called following an independent human resources investigation. Four senior female staffers filed misconduct complaints involving Archibald, and the CEO of AFN at the time also filed one. The investigator was an employment lawyer in Ottawa, who said she concluded that Archibald harassed two of the individuals who complained and retaliated against all five.

Following the investigation, it was recommended that the national chief be removed from her position, which she began in July 2021.

RoseAnne Archibald, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, in Toronto on Aug. 6, 2021. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

In June 2022, the AFN accused Archibald of serious breaches of her obligations to the AFN through unfounded and unsubstantiated public attacks on the integrity of our organization and our employees that will only serve to undermine the good work we do as we continue to serve our First Nations communities, according to spokesman Paul Prosper, a regional chief.

Archibald was alleged to have breached the confidentiality requirements of the Harassment Policy, the AFNs Whistleblower Policy, and the Code of Conduct and Ethics for the AFN Executive Committee. She issued a statement at the time alleging four of the complaints against her were filed after she refused demands for $1 million in staff payouts. She said at the time, This is the second time that Ive endured a smear campaign as a result of my relentless pursuit of the truth.

On June 16, 2022, the national chief asked for an independent eight-year audit of the AFN, and suggested she had become a target for making changes to deal with alleged corruption in the system, after calling for financial reviews of the organization as far back as February 2021.

I hope people can see the toxic pattern at the AFN, she said at the time. The background deals, the large payouts to staff and other documented incidents of corruption and collusion has caused us to lose sight of our shared goal: to fight for the collective rights of more than 900,000 Indigenous Peoples living in more than 600 First Nations communities, cities and towns across Turtle Island, she wrote in a statement posted to social media.

Internal Squabbles

In a June 17, 2022, statement, Archibald alleged that AFN staff had launched fictitious attacks against her. She also said she was locked out of her email and only learned of her suspension from media reports. She called these events a seemingly staged coup.

The chief brought a court application to have the suspension overturned, but according to the AFN, the Ontario Superior Court declined to interfere in the matter as the Chiefs in Assembly had not yet convened. At the time, Prosper said, We are sorry that the National Chief chose the path of colonial court confrontation to resolve this. This issue does not belong with lawyers or the courts. This matter is rightfully being brought before the First Nations to address.

At a general meeting in July 2022 in Vancouver, Archibalds suspension was rejected and a financial review was ordered of the federally funded organization.

The Canadian Press and Lee Harding contributed to this report.
France Mobilizes 40,000 Officers to Quell Violence as Teens Death Sparks Outrage

A firefighter looks on as vehicles burn following riots in Nanterre, west of Paris, on June 28, 2023. (Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP via Getty Images)

The French government announced on June 29 that 40,000 police officers will be deployed across the country after rioters heavily damaged public property amid widespread outrage over the deadly police shooting of a teenage boy.

The unrest in the country comes after 17-year-old Nahel M. was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop in Nanterre, just outside Paris, on June 27. The deadly encounter was captured on video.

After a crisis meeting early on June 29, Frances Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters that the professionals of disorder should go home. He confirmed that policing will be more than quadrupledto 40,000 officers from 9,000. In Paris alone, the number of officers deployed will be more than doubled.

Yesterday, there were 9,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilized, including 2,000 in the Paris region, he said. I have decided to mobilize 40,000 police officers and gendarmes this evening and this night, including 5,000 officers in the Paris region, as well as significant technical and technological resources to combat these riots, to make arrests, and, above all, to restore the republican order that the French people legitimately expect.

Darmanin announced the development while speaking from the suburbs of the northern French city of Lille, where the town hall was set on fire during the riot on June 28. For the second night in a row, rioters have burned cars and set fire to public buildings. In total, at least 90 public buildings across the country have been vandalized.

French policemen inspect a partially burned public building on the outskirts of Bordeaux, France, on June 29, 2023. (Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images)

I want to reiterate that the riots we experienced last night had nothing to do with this story  and that attacking a school, setting fire to a social center, burning down a town hall had nothing to do with these stories from Nanterre, he said.

Darmanin noted that police officers and gendarmes responding to the violence paid a heavy price. At least 170 officers were injured overnight, he said. The number of civilian injuries was not immediately released.

Fortunately, none of them have a life-threatening prognosis, he said. There was also a response from the government, with more than 180 people arrested, and no doubt there will be more today.

French authorities now brace themselves for what could be a third night of unrest, but the government has confirmed that it wont declare a state of emergency yeta measure that was taken to quell weeks of rioting in 2005 when the deaths of 15-year-old Bouna Traore and 17-year-old Zyed Benna led to three weeks of nationwide riots.

It goes without saying that those who set fire to schools and town halls will be found, arrested, and brought to justice, Darmanin said. In any case, I want to tell you that the governments response will be extremely firm, and, from this evening, everyone must understand that public order will be restored.

This photograph taken on June 29, 2023, in Clamart, southwest of Paris, shows a burned tram following violence and protests in the suburb the previous night in reaction to a police-involved shooting. (Emmanuel Dundand/AFP via Getty Images)

What Happened?

The police officer who fired the fatal shot in the Paris suburb of Nanterre will be investigated for voluntary homicide after an initial investigation led local prosecutor Pascal Prache to conclude that the conditions for the legal use of the weapon were not met.

The killing of Nahel, who has been identified only by his first name, came during a traffic stop on June 27. The incident, which was captured on video, drew outrage across the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the shooting during the June 29 crisis meeting, saying its totally unjustifiable. The meeting was held as officials plan to secure hot spots for the coming days so full peace can return.

Macron also said that it was time for remembrance and respect as Nahels mother called for a silent march on June 29. The march drew hundreds of participants to the square where the teen was killed.

We demand that the judiciary does its job, otherwise well do it our way, a neighbor of Nahels family told Reuters at the march.

Attendees hold a banner reading Justice for Nahel during a commemoration march for a teenage driver on June 29, 2023. (Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images)

This weeks deadly encounter was the third such incident during a traffic stop in France this year, down from a record 13 last year, a spokesperson for the national police said.

Criminal History

Prache, meanwhile, offered an insight into the investigation so far during a news conference on June 29, saying the officers involved tried to stop Nahel during a traffic stop because he looked too young to hold a full license in Francewhich requires a minimum age of 18. According to the prosecutor, the teen was caught driving a Mercedes with Polish license plates in a bus lane and also ran a red light.

During the incident, several elements, including the statements of the police officers and CCTV images, allowed us to observe several traffic law infractions [concerning Nahel], especially driving through pedestrian crossings and putting in danger a pedestrian and a person on a bike, Prache said.

Ultimately, Nahel was forced to stop by a traffic jam at a stoplight, which prompted the officers to draw their guns to prevent him from fleeing. The officer who allegedly killed the teen by firing a single shot stated that he shouted for the driver to stop while they positioned themselves around the vehicle.

The officers stated that they both took out their weapons and pointed at the driver to discourage him from restarting the car and asked him to shut down the vehicle, Prache said, but Nahel restarted his car again, and then one of the officers fired once.

Nahel, who is of North African descent, was known by authorities for refusing to comply during prior traffic stops. Most recently, he was brought to the Nanterre public prosecutors office and was expected to appear before a juvenile court in September, Prache said, without specifying details.

The officer who killed the boy said he feared he and his colleague or someone else could be hit by the car when he tried to drive off again, the prosecutor said.

Prache has requested for the officer to be held in custodya decision to be made by a magistrate. Two magistrates have been named to lead the investigation, the prosecutor added.

Videos of the shooting shared online show two police officers leaning into the driver-side window of a yellow car before the vehicle pulls away as one officer fires into the window. The videos show the car crashing into a nearby post.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News.
PARIS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- "The recent Paris Air Show showcased a promising recovery for the aviation industry. Airbus remains committed to making strides in the Chinese market," George Xu, chief executive officer of Airbus China, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Making the remarks during the week-long International Paris Air Show 2023, which ended on Sunday, Xu said China's highly competitive aviation market would bring new opportunities while the industry seeks to decarbonize.

The airshow gathered the world's aeronautic giants, including Boeing and Airbus, to display cutting-edge technology and envisage the future of aviation.

"Everyone is eager to communicate, and the market demand is apparent," Xu said. The Global Market Forecast 2023, released on June 13 by Airbus, revealed that the demand for new passenger and freighter aircraft is projected to reach 40,850 between 2023 and 2042. Of this total, approximately 9,440 aircraft, or 23 percent, are expected to go to the Chinese market.

"China's aviation market has recovered rapidly. We look forward to seeking more talks with Chinese airline customers," Xu added. "China has shown great industrial resilience over the past three years."

Cooperation between Airbus and its Chinese partners covers the entire industrial chain, from procurement, production and installation of large components to aircraft final assembly and delivery, according to Xu.

"We are now working with our Chinese partners to further improve the product's competitiveness. With the development of China's aviation industry, we believe that more globally competitive suppliers will emerge in China."

Xu said aviation decarbonization would significantly impact the industry and provide a much-needed boost.

In an earlier visit to China, Airbus executives signed a new agreement with the China National Aviation Fuel Group Corporation on intensifying cooperation in producing and developing common standards for sustainable aviation fuels, a biofuel used to power aircraft with a smaller carbon footprint.

The shift from fossil fuels to sustainable aviation fuels is critical to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 in global aviation. In this regard, Xu said China could contribute to aviation decarbonization because of its rich resources in sustainable fuels. 
French Riots Spread in 3rd Night of Unrest Over Police Shooting

Firefighters stand as they extinguish burning vehicles during clashes between rioters and police, in Nanterre, Paris suburb, France, on June 28, 2023. (Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters)

NANTERRE, FranceFrance saw unrest spread to major cities in a third night of riots on Thursday over a deadly police shooting of a teenager during a traffic stop.

Forty thousand police officers were deployed across Francenearly four times the numbers mobilized on Wednesday.

In Nanterre, the working-class town on the western outskirts of Paris where 17-year-old Nahel M. was shot dead on Tuesday, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets, and hurled projectiles at police following a peaceful vigil.

Protesters scrawled Vengeance for Nahel across buildings and as night set a bank was lit on fire before firefighters put it out and an elite police unit deployed an armored vehicle.

In central Paris, a Nike shoe store was broken into, and 14 people were arrested and 16 more were arrested with stolen objects after store windows were smashed along the rue de Rivoli shopping street, Paris police said.

National police said on Thursday night that officers faced new incidents in Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, and Lille, including fires and fireworks.

Videos on social media showed numerous fires across the country, including at a bus depot in a suburb north of Paris and a tram in the eastern city of Lyon.

In Marseille, Frances second city, police fired tear gas grenades during clashes with youths in the tourist hot-spot of Le Vieux Port, the citys main paper La Provence reported.

The local prosecutor said the officer involved in the shooting had been put under formal investigation over voluntary homicide and would be held in prison in preventive detention.

Under Frances legal system, being placed under formal investigation is akin to being charged in Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions.

The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met, Pascal Prache, the prosecutor, told a news conference.

The teenager was shot during Tuesdays morning rush hour. He initially failed to stop after the Mercedes AMG he was driving was spotted in a bus lane. Two police officers caught up with the car in a traffic jam.

When the car tried to get away, one officer fired at close range through the drivers window. Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache said.

The officer has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the prosecutor said, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a car chase, fearing he or another person would be hurt after the teenager allegedly committed several traffic violations.

The officers lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, said his client had asked for the victims family to forgive him. He said the officer had aimed down towards the drivers leg but was bumped, causing him to shoot towards his chest.

He had to be stopped, but obviously [the officer] didnt want to kill the driver, Lienard said on BFM TV, adding that his clients detention was being used to try to calm rioters.

Nahel was known to police for previously failing to comply with traffic stop orders, Prache said.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said the shooting was unforgivable. As he convened his emergency meeting he also condemned the unrest.
Godfather of AI Speaks Out: AI Capable of Reason, May Seek Control

British-Canadian cognitive psychologist and computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as the 'godfather of AI,' speaks with Nick Thompson of The Atlantic (off frame) during the Collision Tech Conference at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, Canada, on June 28, 2023. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images)

TORONTOA leading mind in the development of artificial intelligence is warning that AI has developed a rudimentary capacity to reason and may seek to overthrow humanity.

AI systems may develop the desire to seize control from humans as a way of accomplishing other preprogrammed goals, said Geoffrey Hinton, a professor of computer science at the University of Toronto.

I think we have to take the possibility seriously that if they get smarter than us, which seems quite likely, and they have goals of their own, which seems quite likely, they may well develop the goal of taking control, Hinton said during a June 28 talk at the Collision tech conference in Toronto, Canada.

If they do that, were in trouble.

Hinton has been dubbed one of the godfathers of AI for his work in neural networks. He recently spent a decade helping to develop AI systems for Google but left the company last month, saying he needed to be able to warn people of the risks posed by AI.

While Hinton does not believe that AI will innately crave power, he said that it could nevertheless seek to seize it from humans as a logical step to better allow itself to achieve its goals.

At a very general level, if youve got something thats a lot smarter than you, thats very good at manipulating people, at a very general level, are you confident that people stay in charge? Hinton said.

I think theyll derive [the motive to seize control] as a way of achieving other goals.

AI Now Capable of Reason

Hinton previously doubted that an AI superintelligence that could match humans would emerge within the next 30 to 50 years. He now believes it could come in less than 20.

In part, he said, that is because AI systems that use large language models are beginning to show the capacity to reason, and he is not sure how they are doing it.

Its the big language models that are getting close, and I dont really understand why they can do it, but they can do little bits of reasoning.

They still cant match us, but theyre getting close.

Hinton described an AI system that had been given a puzzle in which it had to plan how to paint several rooms of a house. It was given three colors to choose from, with one color that faded to another over time, and asked to paint a certain number of rooms in a particular color within a set time frame. Rather than merely opting to paint the rooms the desired color, the AI determined not to paint any that it knew would fade to the desired color anyway, electing to save resources though it had not been programmed to do so.

Thats thinking, Hinton said.

To that end, Hinton said that there was no reason to suspect that AI wouldnt reach and exceed human intelligence in the coming years.

Were just a big neural net, and theres no reason why an artificial neural net shouldnt be able to do everything we can do, Hinton said.

Were entering a period of huge uncertainty. Nobody really knows whats going to happen.

The ChatGPT artificial intelligence software, which generates human-like conversation, is seen on a laptop on Feb. 3, 2023. (Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images)

War Robots Will Destabilize the World

AI may not even need to reach superintelligence to pose an existential risk to humanity, however.

Hinton said that militaries worldwide are creating AI-enabled robots for war that could either seek to take control to fulfill their programmed missions or would disrupt the political order by encouraging increased conflict.

Lethal autonomous weapons, they deserve a lot of our thought, Hinton said.

Even if the AI isnt superintelligent, if the defense departments use it for making battle robots, its going to be very nasty, scary stuff.

Foremost among those nations seeking to develop lethal AI are none other than the worlds two largest military powers, China and the United States.

Chinas communist regime is developing AI-enabled lethal systems and investing in AI capabilities related to military decision-making and command and control.

The United States, meanwhile, is preparing for a world in which national armies are primarily composed of robots, which top brass expects to occur in less than 15 years.

We know theyre going to make battle robots, Hinton said. Theyre busy doing that in many different defense departments. So [the robots are] not necessarily going to be good since their primary purpose is going to be to kill people.

Moreover, Hinton suggested that unleashing AI-enabled lethal autonomous systems would fundamentally change the structure of geopolitics by dramatically reducing the political and human cost of war for those nations that could afford such systems.

Even if its not superintelligent, and even if it doesnt have its own intentions.  Its going to make it much easier, for example, for rich countries to invade poor countries, Hinton said.

At present, theres a barrier to invading poor countries willy-nilly, which is you get dead citizens coming home. If theyre just dead battle robots, thats just great. The military-industrial complex would love that.

To that end, Hinton said that governments should try to incentivize more research into how to safeguard humanity from AI. Simply put, he said, many people are working to improve AI, but very few are making it safer.

Better yet, he said, would be establishing international rules to ban or govern AI weapons systems the way the Geneva Protocol did for chemical warfare after World War I.

Something like a Geneva Convention would be great, but those never happen until after theyve been used, Hinton said.

Whatever course of action governments take or dont take concerning AI, Hinton said that people needed to be aware of the threat posed by what is being created.

I think its important that people understand its not just science fiction, its not just fear-mongering, Hinton said. It is a real risk that we need to think about, and we need to figure out in advance how to deal with it.
Government Misses Heat Pump Target as Householders Snub Boiler Upgrade Scheme

The government has missed a target for installing heat pumps, a key part of the UKs plans to reach net zero by 2050.

Data published on Thursday showed that of the 30,000 households targeted by the government only half had applied for the 5,000 grants on offer since the scheme started in May 2022.

Heating of homes is estimated to account for 14 percent of the UKs carbon emissions and the government set up the Boiler Upgrade Scheme last year in a bid to reduce that figure by getting people to switch over to heat pumps.

Heat pumps run on electricity and work like a fridge in reverse, to extract energy from the air or ground.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme lasts until 2028 but the UK Climate Change Committee (UKCCC), a watchdog which is designed to keep track of efforts to reach the net zero target, said the government was significantly off track.

The UKCCC said the main reasons for the poor uptake was the high cost of heat pumps, a shortage of trained installers and the lack of insulation, which is required to make heat pumps effective.

Unused 70 Million in Grants Given Back to Treasury

The scheme has an unused budget of 70 million for grants from 2022/2023 and this money cannot be used for future grants and will now be sent back to the Treasury.

A House of Lords committee said in February the Boiler Upgrade Scheme was failing because of a shortage of installers, lack of public awareness, high installation and maintenance costs and misleading messaging.

Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak speaks during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 3, 2021. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

Last month concerns were raised about the noise caused by heat pumps, which operate at around 40 decibels and can get up to 60 decibels, about as loud as a refrigerator.

Mike Foster, CEO of the industry body representing gas heating specialists The Energy and Utilities Alliance, told The Epoch Times, It wont be just 50 decibels, it will be 200 homes on an estate emitting 50 decibels and what that might do to the neighbourhood and cumulative background noise.

Earlier this week an analysis by WWF UK and ScottishPower said there was a substantial gap between what the government has delivered on insulation and its targets.

The government has pledged to reduce domestic energy consumption by 15 percent but the new study found it was on target to insulate only one-sixth of the homes needed to meet that target.

The analysis, carried out by Frontier Economics, estimated 1.5 million homes would need heat pumps instead of gas boilers and another 600,000 homes connected to low-carbon heat networks.

The government has made 288 million available to a Green Heat Network Fund, which awards cash to building systems which take heat from air, solar or geothermal energy and provide it to multiple homes, removing the need for individual gas boilers.

Isabella ODowd, head of climate policy at WWF, said, With our homes accounting for 16 percent of the UKs carbon emissions, the UK government must act now and tell us how it will insulate the extra five million homes it needs to keep us on track to meet its green ambitions and drive down bills.

Governments Record on Energy Efficiency Speaks for Itself

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said, The governments record on energy efficiency speaks for itself, with the proportion of homes in England with an EPC rating of C or above up from 14 percent in 2010 to 47 percent in 2022.

Our Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants of up to 6,000 towards the upfront cost of installing a heat pump and we are fully confident we will meet our target of 600,000 heat pump installations by 2028, he added.

The spokesperson said: Whats more, an additional 300,000 of the UKs least energy efficient homes are in line for improvement under the new Great British Insulation Scheme, and we have committed 6.6 billion towards upgrades this parliament with a further 6 billion from 2025.

Last year a High Court judge ruled the government must provide greater transparency on its net zero plans.

UK greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 46 percent since 1990, mainly because of the removal of coal from electricity generation.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Governor Abbott Calls Second Special Session Over Property Tax Reductions

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered lawmakers back to work for a second special session after they failed to pass legislation to reduce property taxes.

I called another special session to deliver on our promise to provide the largest property tax cut in Texas history. Hardworking Texans deserve lasting property tax cuts. When the House [and] Senate come to an agreement [and] send a property tax cut bill to my desk, I will sign it, Abbott wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning.

The Republican governors first special session, which ended on Tuesday, focused on two issuesproperty taxes and border securitybut no deals were made on either issue (pdf). The House and Senate have been embattled over how to direct the $17.6 billion available to cut property taxes for millions of homeowners. Texas has a record budget surplus of $32 billion.

Abbott announced the second session just hours after the first session closed. He narrowed the agenda to property taxes, warning lawmakers that he would continue calling special sessions until a bill reached his desk for signature.

After yet another month without the House and Senate sending a bill to my desk to cut property taxes, I am once again putting the agreed upon school district property tax rate cuts on the special session agenda. Unless and until the House and Senate agree on a different proposal to provide property tax cuts, I will continue to call for lasting property tax cuts through rate reductions and working toward eliminating the school property tax in Texas. Special sessions will continue to focus on only property tax cuts until property tax cut legislation reaches my desk, the governor said in a press release.

Abbott listed his two agenda items related to property taxes for the second special session.

Eliminating a property tax in Texas: Legislation to put Texas on a pathway to eliminate school district maintenance and operations property taxes

Lasting property tax rate cuts: Legislation to cut property tax rates solely by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate in order to provide lasting property tax relief for Texas taxpayers

The governor said his plan is backed by homeowners, consumers, and businesses across the state, including leading tax policy groups such as the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

But Abbotts agenda makes no mention of increasing the homestead exemptionthe issue that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick insists must be included in the plan to cut property taxes.

Back to Workfor Some Lawmakers

On Wednesday morning, both chambers convened at the state Capitol in Austin.

However, the House session lasted less than 20 minutes.

Speaker Dade Phelan paused proceedings in his chamber minutes after the swearing-in of Fanny Jetton whose is temporarily replacing her husband, state Rep. Jacey Jettton, deployed for service with the Army National Guard. The Texas Constitution allows lawmakers to appoint a temporary replacement when they are called to service. The lawmaker selected his wife to fill in for him.

Members, it is the intent of the Chair to stand at ease until 10 a.m. Friday, at which point, the House will adjourn at 2 p.m. until Wednesday, July 5, Phelan said just before gaveling out.

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan gaveling-in a special session in Austin, Texas, in July 2021. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)

Phelan came under fire from Patrick after he adjourned the House Sine Die, a Latin term meaning without day, on the first day of the initial special session after passing the Houses property tax plan that is backed by Abbott.

Meanwhile, the Senate opened its session and returned to work on the task at hand.

The third legislative session of 2023 highlights a series of rough patches for the Republican party in the nations most populous red state.

Patrick, who leads the Senate, has been embroiled in a bitter public dispute with Phelan and Abbott over how to bring lasting property tax relief to Texas homeowners.

Over the last week, there have been many discussions between the Texas Senate and House to find a deal on the largest property tax cut in Texas history. In todays statement, the Governor said that during the regular session, the House and Senate both agreed on cutting school district property tax rates. He is correct. However, he did not mention that during the regular session, both the House and Senate also unanimously voted for a $100,000 homestead exemption, Patrick said in a statement on Wednesday.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks after Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the reopening of more Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on Monday, May 18, 2020. (Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool/Getty Images)

Reducing property taxes was among Patrick and Abbotts top priorities during the regular session.

During the regular and first special sessions, the Senate passed a two-part plan that includes the compression of schools M&O taxes and increasing the states homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 of a propertys value.

Patrick has vowed to continue fighting for the Senate plan, citing it would bring homeowners the most meaningful tax cuts.

I have been clear that we will not leave Austin without property tax relief targeted at homeowners through an increased homestead exemption to provide them as much relief as possible. Homeowners need proper tax relief right now, Patrick said in a release Wednesday afternoon after the Senate passed unanimously Senate Bill 1 (pdf) and Joint Resolution 1 (pdf), which is required to amend the Texas Constitution if the bill becomes law.

Before closing the days session, Patrick commended Senate members for their masterful work, adding, I cant think of a better property tax cut bill.

The Senate amended the previous version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 to include supplemental payments for teachers using a portion of the $17.6 billion set aside by lawmakers for residential and commercial property relief.

Homeowners, Teachers, and businesses get a giant victory! Homeowners will see their school property taxes decrease by a whopping 43 percent, Patrick said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

Patrick said the Senate Bill 1 would provide the largest property tax cut in Texas history by combining the power of the homestead exemption and compression for homeowners.

The bill also brings tax relief for businesses through compression and by increasing the franchise tax threshold.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 would put the homestead exemption increase on the ballot. It includes a $2,000 payment to every full-time teacher in Texas. Teachers who work in districts with less than 20,000 students would get an additional $4,000 to help close the pay gap between urban, suburban, and rural teachers.

Last year, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved raising the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $40,000.
Students for Fair Admissions, the Group that won the case on Affirmative Action against Harvard and University of North Carolina at the Supreme Court, holds a press conference at 2:00 p.m. ET on June 29 at the National Press Club in Washington.
Haley Joins 2024 GOP Candidates Whove Said They Would Fire FBI Director

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event in the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, in Manchester, N.H., on Feb. 17, 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has said that she would fire FBI Director Christopher Wray were she to be elected.

During a June 28 interview with The Epoch Times in New Hampshire, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said that, while she would oust the FBI leader, it would not stop there.

I think that, first of all, you have to understand that they have lost all trust with the American people. And we have to go build that trust back. We cant build that trust back if Christopher Wray is the head of the FBI, she said.

But its not just Chris Wray. Youve got to get rid of all that senior management out there, too, continued Haley. Weve got to go and make an example of people. Weve got to go and show that were truly cleaning it up if were going to take care of it.

While The Daily Caller first reported on Haleys campaign press secretary, Ken Farnaso, saying that Haley would fire Wray, this was the first time the candidate herself said she would relieve the FBI director of his duties.

Wray, a Republican, has come under fire for, among numerous issues, allegedly allowing the FBI to be weaponized against conservativesfrom not holding accountable those behind the Steele Dossier, which prompted Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign to be spied on, and then a special counsel investigation that found no collusion between the campaign and Russia, to the FBI being sent to school board meetings as parents expressed frustration and anger over far-left and explicit content being taught to schoolchildren.

Wray has also come under fire from the GOP for not being forthcoming in producing documents allegedly tied to corruption surrounding President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Under threat of contempt, Wray allowed members of the House Oversight Committee to view in a classified setting an unclassified document alleging Joe Biden taking a bribe from a foreign official when he was vice president.

Additionally, Haley said that on her first day in the Oval Office she would get rid of executive branch agency leaders.

First thing is you control what you can control first, and thats your agencies. You go and relieve and replace every head of every agency because you want to make sure youre putting people that understand their consumer. They understand who theyre serving, the challenges that they have, and the opportunities [that] could be there, she said.

Working for the People

The second thing is you go and you make sure thatI did this as governoryou send people into every agency to clean it up, pull down old rags, pull down old programs, get rid of any problem children so that you can get it used to working again, continued Haley. And then you give each agency goals that in the first 90 days they have to accomplish so that they can start showing that theyre working for the people and not the other way around.

Finally, in her interview with The Epoch Times, Haley called for Wray to answer questions from Congress. Ditto Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

First of all, Biden, I think that hes got a lot to answer for. The fact that he hasnt done a press conference to acknowledge all the Hunter Biden stuff is irresponsible at best, and he needs to answer that, but it smells bad, she said.

And so, yes, I think thatI think Congress should be investigating, she continued. If the DOJ wont do it, I think Congress should and I think Congress should open up an investigation on Biden and find out exactly what was taken, what was done in return, if anything, and how much Biden knew.

In terms of Merrick Garland, I mean, lookit got weaponized under his watch, so hes got some serious questions to answer as well, and I think they need to do an investigation on him.

Christopher Wray needs to answer the same questions, all of these people.

The American people dont trust what theyve done. They all owe it to answer as many questions as possible to let us know how we got to this point, and theres got to be accountability. We cant just let this go.

Other 2024 presidential candidates who have said they would fire Wray include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.

No, I would not keep Chris Wray as director of the FBI, DeSantis told Fox News last month. Therell be a new one on day one.

Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate, has said he would dismantle the FBI and replace it with something else.

I think its a new apparatus built from scratch that actually respects the law instead of making it up, he told NBC News Meet the Press in April.
A nearly decade-long study revealed that a once-a-day pill can reduce the risk of death from lung cancer by more than half, offering hope for improved patient outcomes and potentially saving millions of lives.

Recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the research involved 682 patients, including those diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 80 to 85 percent of all diagnosed lung cancers.

Lung cancer, the third most common cancer, is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, responsible for nearly 25 percent of all cancer fatalities. According to the American Cancer Society, more individuals succumb to lung cancer annually than to colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

Although lung cancer is predominantly linked to tobacco use, 10 to 20 percent of lung cancer cases occur in individuals who have never smoked. Nonsmoker lung cancer cases are more prevalent in women and manifest at a younger age compared to those developed by smokers.

Drug Affects Gene Linked to Lung Cancer

The NEJM study analyzed the results of the phase 3 clinical trial funded by AstraZeneca, conducted between 2015 and 2020. All trial participants had a mutation in their epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, called an EGFR mutation.

An EGFR mutation is a genetic change that occurs in the EGFR gene, a protein involved in cell growth and survival.

The mutation results in excessive production of the protein, leading to unregulated cell growth, which can contribute to the development of lung cancer.

During the clinical trial, patients received either osimertinib (Tagrisso), a kinase-inhibiting drug, or a placebo. The five-year follow-up results revealed that after tumor removal surgery, 88 percent of the patients who received the drug were still alive, compared to 78 percent of the placebo group.

According to AstraZeneca, Tagrissos manufacturer, these findings suggest a significant 51 percent reduction in the risk of death with Tagrisso compared to the placebo.

First Study to Show Improvement in Cure Rate After Surgery

In the U.S., 10 to 15 percent of patients with lung cancer will have mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor, and these patients, even after they receive the best available therapy, their tumor still often comes back, Dr. Roy Herbst, deputy director of Yale Cancer Center and principal investigator of the trial, said in a press statement.

Since the completion of the phase 3 trial in 2020, it has become standard to check for this gene mutation in patients undergoing surgery, specifically those with tumors of a certain size, Dr. Roger Keresztes, an oncologist at the Stony Brook Cancer Center, told The Epoch Times. Prior to that, we only tested in people who had metastatic disease, he said.

Keresztes added that the findings of this five-year follow-up are very significant because this is the first study that showed a benefit to one of these targeted drugs in the postoperative setting.

He further explained that these drugs have traditionally been used for patients with incurable metastatic disease. So to show that there is an improvement in the cure rate after surgery is a first, he said.

While the clinical trial results are encouraging, and new lung cancer rates are in decline worldwide, there has been a notable increase in the incidence of lung cancer in one particular group.

Alarming Increase in Lung Cancer Rates Among Women

Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, with 20 percent of cases occurring in nonsmokers.

Research published in the International Journal of Cancer found that women are being diagnosed with lung cancer at significantly higher rates than men of similar age in many high-income countries, including the United States. While smoking plays a major role, the rise of adenocarcinoma lung cancer in women suggests other factors are at play.

The emerging higher lung cancer incidence rates in young women compared to young men is widespread and not fully explained by sex differences in smoking patterns, the study authors wrote. They emphasize a need for more research to understand the rising lung cancer rates in young women.

Research published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease suggests that estrogen may be an important factor for increased rates of adenocarcinoma in women and that the response to the newest lung cancer therapies among women is different than in men.

The findings also suggest that lung cancer incidence rates are highest among young, white, non-Hispanic women, with disparities in tumor aggressiveness and survival rates among ethnic groups.

What topics would you like to read about? Please let us know at health@epochtimes.nyc
Hostility Against Religious Institutions Is Only Increasing

People wait for the arrival of Pope Tawadros II, the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 7, 2017. (AAP Image/Luis Ascui)

Commentary

First, it was the takeover of the Calvary Hospital in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Now it is the planned removal of payroll tax exemptions for many independent schools in Victoria.

These actions by state and territory Labor governments denote a marked hostility towards the not-for-profit activities of religious and other charities in Australia.

The decision by the Barr government in the ACT to acquire Calvary Hospital has been widely condemned as unnecessary and unprecedented.

As former Prime Minister John Howard said, this is a serious attack on the fundamental principles of liberalism.

This attempt by the ACT to grab from the Catholic Church, the Calvary Hospital, is about as blatant an assault on the principle of private property ownership that Ive seen in this country for many, many years, he said.

Howard criticised the current prime minister for not having the courage to call out what the ACT government is doing in passing legislation to sever a 120-year lease without any real justification.

And what does Albanese say when hes asked about it? I dont see any problem for the future, Howard said. Well, I see not only a problem for the future, I see a problem for the present.

A generic view of Calvary Hospital in Canberra, Australia, on May 11, 2023. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

An attempt to conduct an inquiry into the ACTs action was defeated in the Senate.

Senators voting against the bill included ACT Senator David Pocock, who said he would urge the territory government to conduct its own inquiry, which it has refused to do.

A further bill has been introduced by Queensland Senator Matt Canavan to force an inquiry by the ACT. However, the parliament has now adjourned for the winter break, and the transition of the hospital to the government is due by early July.

Targeting Religious Bodies in Victoria

This attack on the work of the religious body reveals a worrying new trend in Australia.

The shock Victorian budget announcement to remove the tax exemption from schools charging more than $7,500 (US$5,000) in annual fees was expected to hit more than 100 schools in the state. There had been no consultation before the announcement.

Although the government has indicated since the announcement that it will increase the threshold, it has not said to what level, leaving many schools worried about the impact of the changes on the finances of the schools.

The Victorian government recently passed legislation to remove exemptions. Although questioned by the Parliaments Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, the education minister would not indicate the new threshold.

She said it would be announced after the passage of the legislation. How Victorian upper house members could pass the legislation not knowing the threshold is baffling.

The new tax is scheduled to commence in July 2024, halfway through the school year, adding more challenges for the affected schools.

Students take part in an outdoor class at Melba Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 12, 2020. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Non-government schools have been exempted from payroll tax since it was first introduced over 50 years ago. This is because the schools are not-for-profit organisations that provide an educational choice for parents who pay for the service. Nor are these schools funded by the states.

Some 36 percent of Victorian students attend non-government schools, with the proportion higher for year 11 and 12 students.

Many parents who choose to send their children to non-government schools make significant financial sacrifices to pay the fees.

As the Australian government provides some funding to private and independent schools, Victoria is effectively planning to pinch some of the Commonwealth money through the new tax to meet its massive debt repayments.

It is doing the same in aged care. A few days after the Commonwealth announced new funding for aged care providers to meet the Fair Work Commission award of higher wages, the state increased the payroll tax paid by private providers.

Payroll tax is an insidious impost of employment. It is also becoming a tax on learning in Victoria.

Instead of recognising the massive savings to the state, the Andrews government is engaging in old-fashioned class warfare, even though many of the parents are hard-working families struggling to pay the bills.

The developments in the ACT and Victoria reflect the hostility that sections of the political left have manifested towards religious bodies for some time.

Previously, the Northern Territory Labor government removed exemptions under discrimination laws.

Australians need to be alert to these worrying trends.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
House Oversight Chair Demands Suspicious Bank Records of Ukrainian Gas Company That Hired Hunter Biden

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is demanding that the U.S. Treasury Department turn over any suspicious activity reports (SARs) it has relating to Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company on whose board President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden sat.

On June 28, Comer sent a letter (pdf) to Bidens Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, demanding she turn over all SARs filed with the Treasury since April 2014 relating to Burisma and its various corporate affiliates and subsidiaries. His request also covered SARs related to Burisma owner Mykola Zlochevsky, his daughter Karina Zlochevska, Burisma executive Vadym Pozharskyi, and Alexander Kotlarskya business recruiter who allegedly connected Hunter Biden with Burisma.

Comer also called for Yellen to release SARs pertaining to Serbian politician Vuk Jeremic and the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Developmenta think-tank based in Belgrade, Serbia.

This effort to collect SARs comes as Hunter Bidens ties to Burisma have long been a topic of curiosity, especially for Republican officials. Earlier this month, Republicans obtained a copy of an FBI FD-1023 form describing an alleged bribery scheme involving a Burisma executive who claimed then-Vice President Joe Biden solicited and received a bribe in exchange for certain actions. According to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.), Burisma hired the younger Biden in 2014 to help bring about an end to an investigation by then-Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has reviewed government documents that allege President Biden, while serving as Vice President, solicited and received a bribe from a foreign source in return for certain actions, Comer wrote to Yellen on June 28. These allegations are consistent with the Committees ongoing investigation of the Biden familys foreign business transactionstransactions that subpoenaed bank records have revealed allowed Biden family members and associates to profit over $10 million from foreign sources.

In 2018, the elder Biden explained during an appearance at a Council of Foreign Relations conference how he pressured Ukrainian leaders to remove a prosecutor from office while he was serving as Vice President.

The elder Biden has insisted his actions in Ukraine as Vice President were entirely appropriate despite his sons involvement with Burisma. In a 2020 presidential debate with then-President Donald Trump, the elder Biden insisted, I did my job impeccably and I carried out U.S. policy with regard to Ukrainian policy and his sons ties to Burisma, adding, Not one, single, solitary thing was out of line.

Along with his letter to Yellen, Comer noted that an IRS whistleblower recently provided testimony (pdf) to Congress that the FBI FD-1023 form describing the alleged Biden bribery scheme was never shared with IRS investigators looking into the younger Bidens taxes. Last week, the younger Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax violations.

The FBI has been sitting on allegations for years that Joe Biden solicited and received a bribe while he was Vice President of the United States, Comer said Wednesday. We have no confidence that the FBI did anything to verify the allegations contained within this record and may have intentionally withheld it during the investigation into Hunter Bidens tax evasion. In fact, an IRS whistleblower said that this critical evidence was withheld from tax investigators who have since revealed they had potentially corroborating evidence during the investigation.

From NTD News
If youre on social media, chances are good youre being watched by Big Brother, or what we now call AI. And you may find yourself blocked, shadow-banned, or even suspended. But thats not the worst part about it. Censorship means its likely youre being deprived of the information you need to make vital decisions that will affect your fate and the future of your familyinformation about choosing a president, or protecting yourself from a pandemic, or warning you of a military conflict that seems far away, until its not.

In this forward-looking episode of Over the Target, Brendon Fallon and Lee Smith explain how censorship in 2023 leads to 1984.
SHENZHEN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's southern boomtown Shenzhen has announced plans to construct 300 new supercharging stations over the next three years, in a move to further facilitate charging for new-energy vehicles (NEVs).

The announcement was made at the International Digital Energy Expo 2023, where the city also debuted its first fully liquid-cooled supercharging demonstration station.

The proposed construction project is part of a broader initiative to establish Shenzhen as the "City of Supercharging" by 2030. The initiative aims to create as many supercharging stations as gas stations in the city by 2025.

Under optimal conditions, the liquid-cooled supercharging demonstration station, developed in partnership with the Shenzhen power supply bureau under China Southern Power Grid and Huawei Technologies, can supply enough power in just one second to travel 1 km.

This new technology provides a quieter, more stable and safer charging environment compared to traditional air-cooling methods. Furthermore, with fewer parts susceptible to wear, the equipment's lifespan can be up to 20 years longer.

The planned supercharging stations will be mainly built around high-traffic areas like airports, high-speed rail hubs, municipal parks and commercial centers, to support the growing demand for charging infrastructure.

Shenzhen is home to 24,000 new-energy and digital-energy enterprises, and boasts ownership of 860,000 NEVs. The city's penetration rate of NEVs exceeds 60 percent, noted Qin Weizhong, mayor of the city.

Shenzhen has already rolled out a plan that seeks to increase NEV ownership to 1.3 million units by 2025. 
Hundreds of A-list Actors Threatening to Join Hollywood Writers on Strike

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher speaks onstage during the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 26, 2023. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

A group of 300 A-list Hollywood celebritiesincluding Ben Stiller, Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, Kevin Bacon, and Julia Louis-Dreyfusis threatening to take industrial action if their demands on key issues are not met.



They include better protection against artificial intelligence (AI) celebrity cloning, a seismic realignment in minimum pay, an increase in media residuals, and better health and pension terms.

The celebrities submitted a letter on June 28 to the Screen Actors GuildAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) stating their claims.

As regards [to] artificial intelligence, we do not believe that SAG-AFTRA members can afford to make halfway gains in anticipation that more will be coming in three years, and we think it is absolutely vital that this negotiation protects not just our likenesses, but makes sure we are well compensated when any of our work is used to train AI, the actors wrote.

The letter, which was provided to The Epoch Times by a union member, comes just days before the June 30 deadline for SAG-AFTRA to negotiate a new contract for the actors with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

It also comes amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike against the alliance. Like the actors, the guild has also cited concerns about the infringement of artificial intelligence on the industry and consequently their pay.

SAG-AFTRAincluding its executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, and president Fran Drescher, famous for her role on the 1980s sitcom The Nannydid not respond to inquiries about the strikes from The Epoch Times.

Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) in No Hard Feelings. (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing)

Days before the actors submitted their letter to them, Crabtree-Ireland and Drescher released a video in which they assure actors that they were being properly represented in contract renewal talks.

Were not providing you with a lot of detailed reports tonight, because  its very confidential whats going on in there, said Drescher. But I just want to assure you that we are having extremely productive negotiations that are laser-focused on all the crucial issues that you told us were most important to you.

And we are standing strong and we are going to achieve a seminal deal.

Crabtree-Ireland said he remained optimistic that the union negotiating team will be able to bring the studios, networks, and streamers along to make a fair deal that respects union members and their contribution to this industry.

In their letters, the actors said they felt otherwise.

A strike brings incredible hardships to so many, and no one wants it, read the letter addressed to the union leadership and negotiating committee. But we are prepared to strike if it comes to that. And we are concerned by the idea that SAG-AFTRA members may be ready to make sacrifices that leadership is not.

Other well-known celebrities threatening to strike include Brendan Fraser, Maya Hawke, Lesley Ann Warren, Marisa Tomei, Rosie ODonnell, Neil Patrick Harris, Tea Leoni, Glenn Close, Jane Fonda, Minnie Driver, Tim Daly, Debra Messing, Eva Longoria, Quinta Brunson, Dave Franco, Noah Wyle, and J. Smith Cameron.

Economic analysts like the Milken Institute predict the strikes could cost billions of dollars with the effects spilling over into the housing market, the trades, the hospitality industry like caterers, and temporary jobs created by TV and movie productions.

The last major Hollywood strike, which was in 2008, cost California $2.1 billion and was fingered as the catalyst for the states recession.

In addition to the strikes, Hollywood actors have also been at odds with SAG-AFTRA for allowing across-the-board and lingering COVID-vaccine mandates in the industry despite a lack of support for them among a large number of members.

Several actors have filed suits against major producers and studios over lost or terminated roles for refusing to take the experimental vax.

Last month, Deadwood actor Brent Sexton filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging the company rescinded its offer to him to play the role of President Andrew Johnson in Manhunt, which is scheduled to start airing in August.

In a social media farewell, actress Katarina Pavelek blamed the requirement to get the COVID vaccine on her debilitating health and the reason she went to Switzerland to undergo assisted euthanasia.

The booster jab I received over [a] year ago destroyed my health, my body, and my life completely, she wrote in an Instagram post.

In response to Paveleks death, several Hollywood actresses told The Epoch Times that they faced role or jab ultimatums.

The Originals and Legacies actress Danielle Rose told The Epoch Times that even on sets that didnt mandate it, she was humiliated and singled out as unvaccinated.

I needed to use separate restrooms from the other performers, and not sit with them in the same transportation van. While being allowed to work, I never felt so ostracized and unwelcome on set, she said.

The A-list of actors threatening to strike also asks the union to restore in-person auditioning.

A policy put in place during the pandemic, but yet to be lifted, requires actors to produce and pay for self-taped auditions to mail them to casting directors.

My biggest concern is that theyre not being seen, Mayans MC actor Antonio Jaramillo told Deadline in March.
Hunter Biden Gives Deposition in Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Delaware Laptop Repairman

Hunter Biden arrived at a Delaware courthouse on June 29 for a deposition as part of a civil defamation lawsuit brought by the owner of a computer repair shop where Biden abandoned his now infamous laptop.

The computer repairman, John Paul Mac Isaac, sued Biden last year for $1.5 million in damages, alleging that his life was ruined after Biden falsely insisted that the laptop had been stolen or hacked into and painted Mac Isaac as a participant in a supposed Russian disinformation campaign.

According to the complaint (pdf), Biden never returned to pick up the laptop from the Wilmington, Delaware, shop in April 2019, despite many attempts by Mac Isaac to contact him. Mac Isaac said this makes him the devices legal owner.

Mac Isaac alerted the FBI after seeing the laptops contents, including lewd photos and emails purported to show then-Vice President Joe Bidens involvement in his sons foreign business dealings. Mac Isaac also made a copy of the hard drive and shared it with then President Donald Trumps attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who eventually provided the information to the New York Post.

An expose by the New York Post ran in October 2020, ahead of the presidential election, featuring some of the emails obtained from the laptop. The report was met with suppression on some of the largest social media platforms and labeled as Russian disinformation in a letter signed by 51 former members of U.S. intelligence agenciestwo of whom are now saying they signed it at the direction of senior officials for Joe Bidens presidential campaign.

Biden Files Own Suit

Hunter Biden, who claimed in 2020 that the laptop might not be his at all, that it could be stolen from him or that it was a scheme by Russian intelligence, admitted that the device was indeed his, after all, when he filed a privacy lawsuit in March against Mac Isaac.

In the countersuit, Biden accused the computer repairman of illegally obtaining and spreading the laptops content, although Mac Isaac didnt directly share the files with the New York Post.

No matter how they came into his initial possession, Mac Isaac improperly accessed files that he admits were none of [his] business even though he was never given permission by Mr. Biden to access or review any data of Mr. Bidens, the lawsuit read. It further alleged that Mac Isaac didnt have any reasonable or legitimate purposes other than to embarrass Biden and to make money out of the controversy.

Mac Isaac is also suing CNN, Politico, The Daily Beast, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who dismissed the New York Post story as the work of the Russian government.

Clearly, the origins of this whole smear are from the Kremlin, and the president is only too happy to have Kremlin help in trying to amplify it, Schiff told CNN in October 2020. The intelligence community has made that abundantly clear, and this particular smear, though, has also been acknowledged to come from the Kremlin.

This comment was contested by John Ratcliffe, who served at the time as director of national intelligence.

Let me be clear, the intelligence community doesnt believe that because there is no intelligence that supports that, and we have shared no intelligence with Chairman Schiff or any other member of Congress that Hunter Bidens laptop is part of some Russian disinformation campaign, Ratcliffe said on Fox Business days after Schiffs CNN interview. Its simply not true.

In his lawsuit, Mac Isaac asserts that Schiff had not received reports that the Hunter Biden laptop information was part of a Russian disinformation campaign; therefore, Schiff knowingly and intentionally made the false statements, adding that this was not the first time Schiff has knowingly made false statements about Russias involvement in United States politics.

Schiff has recently been censured by the House over the role he played in a fruitless investigation into Trumps supposed collusion with the Russian government prior to the 2016 presidential election. The 22-month, $32 million probe concluded with a report saying there was no evidence showing that the Trump campaign aided Russian attempts to interfere with the election.
IN-DEPTH: Facebook Cancels Account of Boston Man Who Shared Letter to Epoch Times Warning of Threats to Democracy

A woman holds a smartphone with the Facebook logo in front of a displayed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta in this illustration picture taken on Oct. 28, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Chad Jones, a venture capitalist who lives and works in the Boston area, has deeply admired history and the U.S. Constitution since high school.

Jones recalls that it was sometime in early April of 2022, and as he scrolled through the archives of the online edition of The Epoch Times, he saw a submission to the letters-to-the-editor section of the newspaper that caughtand heldhis attention.

The letter, published on December 5, 2021, was titled Opinion From a Former Judge, and authored by Keith M. Alber, who identified himself as 85 years old and a student of law.

My first year of college was 68 years ago, wrote the judge. One class I took was political science. A half-page of my textbook essentially outlined a few steps to overturn a democracy.

Jones kept reading; he read the steps to undo and bring down a form of government in which citizens hold primary power and are represented by those they elect and who are accountable to the citizens.

And as Jones read, the California native was beset with eerie and haunting emotion; for the words were not only on point but sounded and echoed the present.

Following are those steps to overturn democracy that Judge Alber shared from the textbook:

1) Divide the nation philosophically. 2) Foment racial strife. 3) Cause distrust of police authority. 4) Swarm the nations borders indiscriminately and unconstitutionally. 5) Engender the military strength to weaken it. 6) Overburden citizens with more unfair taxation. 7) Encourage civil rioting and discourage accountability for all crime. 8) Control all balloting. 9) Control all media.

Alber concluded, writing: What was printed in 1954 as a possible diabolic nightmare has become an emerging reality. I hope that Americans will unite enough to pen a good finish  Go dwelling.

Chad Jones felt compelled to share Judge Albers letter. And he did share the letter-that day on his Facebook page.

His post commenced an episode in which Jonesas a consequence, he believes, of exercising free speech and sharing credible opinionexperienced and was subject to the type of heavy-handed media control foretold in Judge Albers letter.

Jones believes it is a form of authoritarianism that is mainly directed at and visited on those who speak and write and recommend information and opinion that is conservative, that champions personal liberty, and disagrees with progressive and liberal politicians and policymakers.

The Facebook logo is seen on a cell phone, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. (The Canadian Press/AP, Michael Dwyer)

Facebook Cancels Chad Jones

A day or two before Chad Jones posted the Judge Albers letter, his Facebook account had been released from a 30-day stay in Facebook jail, during which he could not use the account.

What had originally got me in trouble with Facebook is that I had been sharing information and statistics about Covid that didnt jibe with the narrative that the White House and Anthony Fauci and pro-lockdown forces were advancing and promoting, said Jones, 53, a venture capitalist who lives and works in the Boston area.

You see, at the time, I was working for a tech company that supports chronic care management (CCM) patients. These patients, in addition to the diseases or conditions they already have, are highly vulnerable to other problems, including COVID-19 being life-threatening if they contract the disease.

I wrote and proposed a program to meet the needs of these patients without leaving their residence. To develop this program, I studied report after report, from NIH, HHS, CDC, and American and foreign countries. I even communicated with the White House COVID task force. Any information or data I posted about the disease was highly credible and from respected sources.

But the social media colossus, owned by Meta, didnt agree. It notified Jones that he had too many posts that were fact-checked. And Facebook, for all intents and purposes, suspended his account.

Facebook let him back in.

And, yet, two days after Chad Jones posted the Judge Alber letter, his account was in bad graces again with Facebook. This time, Facebook sent Jones a message that his account would be disabled in 30 days, but no reason was given for the impending action.

I think the Judge Alber letter was the last straw, and I got silenced, said Jones. The timing was insanely suspicious.

Facebook told me how I could appeal the decision, and I tried to follow the procedures to do so, but I was getting nowhere. I was not offered much of recourse beyond taking me to a screen where I could click a disagree with decision button. I clicked that button. But I didnt hear back.

And the clock kept ticking. Jones received a notice from Facebook that he had 20 days to submit a successful appeal of its decision, or his account would be disabled.

Chad Jones kept trying to appeal, but it seemed no one was listening. No one was paying attention.

And then Facebook disabled his account.

This upset me for several reasons  one was that Facebook censored me without what I felt was good and proper cause.

I also had about 2,300 friends on the account, almost all of whom were personal friends and contacts outside of Facebook or were second-degree connections  you know, friends of friends. When Facebook deactivated the account, it erased the links to those friends.

As well, When Facebook shut me down, it also erased hundreds of photos I had saved on the account. 

Nothing Chad Jones did to retrieve the data and media worked.

Jones had another Facebook account that he could have started using. But the experience of getting canceled soured him on the platform. He took a break from Facebook for about three months.

Chad Jones didnt knownot for about another year and a halfthat after sharing Judge Albers letter on his Facebook page, the post took on rock star status and became something of an online celebrity phenomenon.

Judge Keith Alber Wrote the Letter

Judge Albers letter was shared so many times from The Epoch Times site, including by other news outlets, and also from Chad Jones Facebook page, that it caught the attention of the fact-finding and myth-busting website Snopes.

Snopes began an investigation. It dug and researched and even got Judge Keith Alber on the phone for a conversation.

Snopes published its findings in an article on May 16, 2022. It confirmed that Keith Alber wrote the letter that he sent to The Epoch Times, which The Epoch Times published, and which was shared widely and frequently online.

As well, Snopes reported: One of the more popular postings of the article came from a Facebook account named Chad Jones. As of mid-May 2022, that post had been shared more than 11,000 times.

Keith Alber responded to Snopes asking him if he wanted to add anything to the testimony in his letter. Alber said that, in 1954, he thought that the steps to bring down democracy that were laid out in the schoolbook could never happen.

Years later, he saw they were happening and was very alarmed.

Alber wrote: I have pretty much dedicated my life to the justice system and laws.

Alber worked for Los Angeles County for more than 20 years, from the late 1970s through the late 1990s, retiring from the LA County Superior Court juvenile traffic department. He was addressed on and off the job as Judge Alber.

Judge Alber also noted in his response to Snopes that he felt the state of America was a very sad comment on the public being so dumb.

Judge Keith Alber, who had battled complications from a stroke for several years, died on August 31, 2022. He was 86.

He left his wife of 55 years, Linda, and three children: Juliana, Kevin, and Rebecca (Becky).

The Epoch Times spoke to Juliana Alber by phone.

Alber family, left to right: Judge Keith Alber, Juliana, Becky, Linda, and Kevin. (Alber family)

Dad was remarkable; he was brilliant and curious about life; he loved reading about history, said Juliana. With his sharp mind, he could easily recall that passage in the textbook that he had read close to 70 years before.

Our family is grateful that The Epoch Times published the letter and that Chad Jones and thousands of people shared it.

Dad lived a full life, one in which he was a civic and public servant, first as an officer with the California Highway Department, which included being in the middle of the August 1965 Watts.

My father was seriously injured in a cruiser accident while on the job as a highway officer. Following the accident, he left the highway department and became a hearing officer with the juvenile court in California.

Chad Jones Receives an Update on His Post

Chad Jones received an email in late May 2023 from Fox News informing him of the popularity of his Judge Alber Facebook post and the stir it had caused.

Jones had been unaware of the frenzy of interest he had set off.

And Chad Jones quickly became ticked off.

It just really struck a nerve with me because Im an American, and I believe in Americanism, and that fundamental part of a constitutional republic is free speech, the ability to debate and disagreeto even vehemently disagree, said Jones. And I realize that Facebook is a private company and can say what it wants and decide who it wants on its platform. It can refuse service to people.

But it is not fair in its practices. It allows facts and opinions that support and are sympathetic to the left and progressive agenda. But it will squelch data, information, and commentary that argues for and backs conservative principles and personal liberty.

And we learn more and more about communication between the government and tech companies and how tech does the bidding of politicians and public officials. Its totalitarian.

Chad Jones experienced the type of censorship that Philip Hamburger is committed to taking on and defeating.

Hamburger, a professor at Columbia Law School, is a leading legal scholar on constitutional law and individual freedoms and personal liberties.

Hamburger heads up the New Civil Liberties Alliance, which is representing plaintiffs in Missouri v. Biden, a landmark case contesting the constitutionality of the federal government pressuring tech companies to censure and stifle free speech.

The censorship is just awful, and we have to do as much as possible to wake people up to the danger, said Hamburger in a comment he sent to The Epoch Times concerning Facebook shutting down Jones account. It is astonishing that we are returning to the 17th-century suppression of opinion.

Chad Jones hears Philip Hamburger clearly.

If you want to come to America, and if you want to contribute to the nation and make the country better, then America should allow you to debate and have your voice heard, and you need to let other people speak and have their voice heard, said Jones.

When reasonable and rational people talk and disagree, and agree, and search for common ground, then we solve problems and achieve better outcomes.

It is scary that the people with political and electronic power are working to shut down conversations and debate that can make this nation stronger and able to support more opportunities and possibilities.

Facebook has yet to respond to multiple requests from The Epoch Times for comment.
IN-DEPTH: Gender Ideology Is a Road to Transhumanism

The push for gender-affirming care taking place in recent years not only creates a market for the technological reproduction industry but also is a ramp to transhumanism, an investigative journalist said.

Gender-affirming care for individuals who believe that their gender identity conflicts with their gender at birth creates a very profitable market for the technological reproduction industry, which includes egg freezing, surrogacy, genetic manipulation, and other technologies, especially for big pharma and big tech, said Jennifer Bilek, an investigative journalist.

However, the goal of transgenderism s to assimilate males and females all throughout, Bilek told Epoch TVs American Thought Leaders program. Western society is now changing laws and language to obliterate women from language and move men into all womens spaces and sports, she added.

Its not really what people think it is, Bilek claimed. Its not [about] human rights for the marginalized at all. Its sitting under the LGB civil rights movement banner because lesbian and gay people will also need assisted reproduction technology as they create families of their own.

Human rights dont come from the top society, as one would think seeing the transgender flag hung at the White House and other government institutions, Bilek said. Human rights come from the bottom of society, of grassroots organizations.

Dissolution of Sexual Dimorphism

The key tenet of the gender ideology is sex on a spectrum, Bilek said. They want people to believe and to adopt the belief that we are not a sexually dimorphic species, that we exist on a spectrum of sexes, she explained.

This is being taught all over America in schools, shown in Hollywood movies, and is present in the media, libraries, and books, Bilek said. Even forms that ask people to fill out their gender provide an option called X in addition to male and female, she added.

What theyre doing is deconstructing sex systematically within the culture, Bilek asserted. calling it a dissolution of sexual dimorphism.

All this sexualizing of children thats going on around LGBT is part of this.

The journalist noticed that the gender ideology is not pushed on older people; it targets the youth, the next generation, Bilek said.

Because youre grooming, a lot of people think this is about pedophilia. Thats probably right on some level. I am believing that this is more about grooming them for further intrusions into their biology.

Children are being told that, with the help of medical technology, boys can become girls and girls can become boys, if they choose so, Bilek said.

All the advancements that are being made in biotechnology are about genetic engineering and intruding into the human body.

Bilek is concerned about the recent approval of Elon Musks new neurotechnology calling it chipping humans.

This is a vast intrusion into our psychology [and] into our bodies, she said. And theres gonna be more and more of this.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in May a clinical study of brain implants in humans that would be carried out by Elon Musks neurotechnology company Neuralink.

According to its website, Neuralink seeks to build the first neural implant that will let you control a computer or mobile device anywhere you go.

Musk previously indicated he hoped the company would one day help people with debilitating conditions, such as severe spinal cord injuries, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and other conditions, including obesity, autism, depression, and schizophrenia.

He is also optimistic the technology could enable web browsing and telepathy.

Gender Dysphoria

Bilek said that, in her view, if the goal of gender transition had been to help people experiencing gender dysphoria, it would not have been marketed as a positive lifestyle.

It doesnt make any sense, other than the context [of] a dissolution of sexual dimorphism. Thats whats going on here.

People have all sorts of body dysphoria today because we live in a very dissociated environment, Bilek said. People are dissociated from the land, from the food and its sources, and from each other by technology, by living very far away from each other, and by communicating via machines, she explained. This is all been exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic, but we dont celebrate other identities around dysphoria  like anorexia or body integrity identity disorder.

Anorexia is an eating disorder caused by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. Body integrity identity disorder is when where an individual feels like their limbs do not belong to them.

Transgenderism is not anything scientific or real, Bilek said. Its a belief system to get people on board with assimilating males and females because theyre going to be moving reproduction to the technology sector.

In that case, males and females are irrelevant  male and female reproductive systems will be created by technology.

Aside from that, body dysphoria is not a good reason to appropriate the sex characteristics of an individual to that of the opposite sex, Bilek said. Its not a good reason to do that for society. Its obviously creating havoc and harm for everybody involved.

From Transgender to Transhuman

One of the key personalities in the development of transgenderism is Dr. Martine Rothblatt, an American entrepreneur, Bilek said. Rothblatt has written about transgenderism being on a ramp to transhumanism.

Rothblatt is a member of the board of trustees of Mayo Clinic. He led the International Bar Associations bio-political project to draft a Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights for the United Nations. The declaration was adopted by UNESCO in 1997 and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly a year later.

Rothblatt, a biological male who identifies as a woman, said on TED Talks that his decision to transition was made in consultation with his wife and four children. I discussed with each of them that I felt my soul was always female, Rothblatt said on TED in 2015.

Rothblatt said at a transgender conference held by the University of Victoria in Canada in 2016 that many people opt out completely of being either male or female and express themselves along a gender spectrum.

Transgender technology is very similar to transhuman technology, with the difference being that becoming transgender changes only the sexual characteristic of an individual while transhuman technology changes the genetic characteristic of a person, Rothblatt said in his keynote speech at the conference.

The ultimate stage of technological transhumanism would be downloading a persons mind to be able to replicate ones personality and recollections of choices in social media, said Rothblatt, author of the book From Transgender to Transhuman: A Manifesto on the Freedom of Form.

Rothblatt told TED that people could create a mind file, which is the collection of their mannerisms, personality, recollections, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and values that they have poured on social media.

Whether you realize youre downloading your mind or not, for the first time in history, large portions of whats in our mind is actually stored outside of our mind in servers, Rothblatt said at the University of Victoria.

The technology to reconstruct that downloaded mind does not exist today, Rothblatt said, but all the trends indicate that it will be in existence before the middle of this century.

Rothblatt envisioned that after the persons body is dispensed, the downloaded mind can assume a physical characteristic of a living entity using microscopic drones, called nanobots, that will be created with the advancement of drone technology. Thousands of these nanobots, like a swarm, flying in coordination through a wireless network that connected them all  would be able to assume different shapes and forms, Rothblatt said at the conference.

Therefore Rothblatt commissioned an AI and robotics company to create a robot version of his wife. In the future, everybody in the world will be able to develop mind clones of themselves that will have their own life on the web, Rothblatt said at the TED event.

A big driver of gender ideology is Jennifer Pritzker, who has a foundation donating to cultural institutions that adopted transgender principles, Bilek said.

Jennifer Pritzker, a Chicago billionaire and a retired army veteran, donated $2 million in 2016 to the University of Victoria to establish and support a chair of transgender studies, reported Chicago Tribune.

Pritzker, who was born a male and is a father of three children, announced in 2013 a gender transition to a woman.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
Incrementalism Will Neither Defeat Russia nor Deter China

Ukrainian soldiers ride on an armoured vehicle near the recently retaken town of Lyman in Donetsk region on Oct. 6, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Yasuyoshi Chiga/AFP via Getty Images)

Commentary

On May 2223, the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Free Russia Legion crossed from Ukraine into Belgorod Oblast, Russia (with a second incursion on June 5). These two groups allegedly comprise Russian citizens aligned with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These groups reportedly used American Humvees and M1224 MaxxPro MRAPs in their operation. This temporary incursion was embarrassing for Moscow.

Upon our discovery, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated on May 25 that we have again made it very clear to the Ukrainians what our expectations are about attacking Russiawe dont want to encourage or enable that, we certainly dont want any U.S.-made equipment used to attack Russian soil.

This may be pro forma; however, I believe that the Biden administration and Congress are continuing down the same trodden path of red lines and fear of provoking Russia that has permeated our government since the start of this war. Thus far, we have told the Ukrainians not to bring the war home to the Russiansit is high time President Joe Biden and Congress change their tune.

If our goal is for Ukraine to militarily defeat and expel Moscow, Biden, Congress, and the Department of State must explicitly say sorather than the current ambiguity that pervades the majority of both political parties. This lack of articulation and incremental approach to hard aid will drag on this war and potentially create another frozen conflict (for example, Transnistria) in the post-Soviet space.

A freezing of the conflict via a ceasefire would benefit Russia and China. The Chinese special representative, Li Hui, attempted to push such a ceasefire before conflict spreads beyond Ukraine and promote strategic autonomy, that is, European security without Americaa not-so-subtle attempt to create rifts in the Alliance and weaken support for Ukraine. Instead, we need a clear statement of purpose: the military defeat of Russia by Ukraine.

Last year, we said no tanks as it would provoke Russia; in May, we said yes to tanks. Recently, we said no fighter jets as it would provoke Russia; now, we have agreed to not only train Ukrainian pilots to fly American F-16s but also allow our NATO allies to donate their F-16s to Ukraine.

Let us not continue this incrementalism.

The July 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, will be the opportune moment to put an end to ambiguity and incrementalism; specifically, the United States should announce that we are providing not only F-16s but also the long-range missiles that have thus far been denied: the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). During the Vilnius summit, we must also boldly proclaim with our Eastern flank allies: Ukraines rightful place is in NATO.

From a purely geostrategic perspective, Ukrainian membership protects NATO-member Poland, which has been arming itself to the teeth and turning the Black Sea into a virtual NATO lake, similar to the Baltic Sea with Finlands April 2023 accession (and hopefully soon, Sweden). NATO benefits from Ukraines battlefield experience against Russia, and Ukraine will never again go at it alone with Article 5 protectiona proven deterrent (for example, the Baltic States lacking a special military operation).

There can be no special formats, councils, or other security arrangementsKyiv must be granted a Membership Action Plan that leads to full membership in the Alliance once the war ends. There will be folks who argue this will provoke Russia or prevent peace. Its the same ole song and dance of those who have yet to learn anything from this conflict.

Lets provide the Ukrainians with the tools they need to secure their freedom and defend the democratic worlda defeated Russia would assuredly also serve as a deterrent to our other geopolitical enemy: communist China. American security interests and liberty are served by NATO and a victorious Ukraine.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Indiana Man Confessed to Murders of Teenage Girls in Phone Call With His Wife, Documents Say

Officers escort Richard Matthew Allen out of the Carroll County courthouse following a hearing in Delphi, Ind., on Nov. 22, 2022. (Darron Cummings/AP Photo)

INDIANAPOLISAn Indiana man charged with killing two teenage girls confessed multiple times to the murders in a phone call to his wife while in prison, according to court documents released Wednesday.

Richard Matthew Allen allegedly told his wife, Kathy Allen, in an April 3 phone call that he killed Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14. The two teenagers bodies were found Feb. 14, 2017, just outside of their hometown of Delphi, Indianaabout 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Indianapolis, in Carroll County.

Investigators had the phone call transcribed and the transcription confirms that Richard Allen admits that he committed the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, reads a motion filed April 20 by Carroll County prosecutor Nicholas McLeland. He admits several times within the phone call that he committed the offenses as charged. His wife, Kathy Allen, ends the phone call abruptly.

Allen County Judge Fran Gull, assigned to the case after the original judge recused himself, allowed public access to more than 100 filings in the case for the first time on Wednesday.

The documents were under seal from a gag order Gull issued in December 2022, prohibiting attorneys, law enforcement officials, court personnel, the coroner, and family members from commenting on the case.

Gulls order stated she withheld releasing the unredacted probable cause affidavit filed by prosecutors outlining the allegations against Allen because it includes the names of juvenile witnesses.

The redacted probable cause affidavit released in November 2022 states an unspent bullet, which had been cycled through a pistol Allen owned, was discovered between the girls bodies. In an October 2022 search of Allens home, investigators seized his .40-caliber pistol that he purchased in 2001.

The girls injuries were caused by a sharp object, according to another unsealed document released Wednesday. Also included in the list of items police seized from Allens home in the October 2022 search were about a dozen knives, some described as double-edged or folding knives.

Allen was arrested in October 2022 on two counts of murder. A relative had dropped the girls off at a hiking trail near the Monon High Bridge on Feb. 13, 2017, and their bodies were found the next day in a rugged, heavily wooded area near the trail. Their deaths were ruled a homicide.

McLeland alluded to Allens confession in a June 15 hearing in Delphi, but Allens defense attorneys, alleging abuse at the correctional facility he has been housed at since November 2022, attributed the admissions to his declining mental state.

Allens attorney Brad Rozzi said at the hearing that since Allens incarceration in the Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, Indiana, Allen has been treated more stringently than other inmates. Allens lawyers filed an emergency motion in April requesting he be relocated, citing in court filings a dramatic change in Mr. Allens condition, including his change in demeanor, change in appearance and change in his overall mental status.

They said his incriminating statements were the result of this stressful environment.

McLeland questioned whether changing facilities would benefit Allen, as he said it may not be any different than his treatment at the Westville Correctional Facility.

Law enforcement officers and the warden of the facility testified that the constant surveillance and physical restraints they use are for Allens safety. They said they believe he could be a target of other inmates because the case involves children.

The allegations in the Defendants motion, while colorful and dramatic, are not entirely correct, states a court filing from McLeland on April 14, unsealed on Wednesday.

By Arleigh Rodgers and Tom Davies
Judge Hears Los Angeles Politician Ridley-Thomass Bid for Acquittal, New Trial

Mark Ridley-Thomas attends the opening of the Helen Keller Park Screening Room in Los Angeles on Dec. 10, 2014. (David Buchan/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELESA judge heard arguments on June 26 in former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomass bid to have his convictions on federal bribery and conspiracy charges vacated, but no ruling was forthcoming.

Attorneys for Ridley-Thomas argued that prosecutorial misconduct, misstatements of the law, and other issues during the longtime Los Angeles politicians trial ultimately deprived him of his right to a fair trial.

The 68-year-old Ridley-Thomas is facing the prospect of years in prison after being convicted March 30 on single counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services mail fraud, and four counts of honest services wire fraud, stemming from his time serving on the county Board of Supervisors. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 21 in downtown Los Angeles.

Prosecutors responded to defense attorneys arguments for acquittal and a new trial in court Monday and in a 200-page filing that includes a detailed timeline of events surrounding what the U.S. Attorneys Office calls a quid pro quo arrangement between the politician and a former head of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work who pleaded guilty to bribery.

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer declined to make an immediate ruling, saying she will issue one as soon as I can.

In her argument, defense attorney Galia Z. Amram said there was no evidence presented at trial showing that Ridley-Thomas actually performed an official act while on the Board of Supervisors in favor of an amendment to a telehealth contract with the county Department of Mental Health that prosecutors claim could have brought the social work school potentially millions of dollars in new revenue.

The government argued over and over and over again that Mark Ridley-Thomas agreed to do an official act for Marilyn Flynn, the ex-dean of the USC School of Social Work, by supporting the amendment, Amram said. But, the attorney added, her client did not actually vote for the amendment, which she said was placed before the board automatically and didnt require a vote.

Thus, she said, there was no official act, which Amram suggested was a key requirement for honest services fraud, and so the conviction should be vacated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson, however, countered that the government presented far more than sufficient evidence that Ridley-Thomas voted in favor of the contract.

Defense counsel can argue that a vote isnt a vote, Dotson told the court, but evidence showed there was agreement to perform an official act, which was enough to support the guilty verdict.

An official act is not just the vote, Dotson said.

As for the guilty verdict on the conspiracy count, Amram insisted the conviction should be vacated because there was no evidence of an agreement between Ridley-Thomas and Flynn.

Dotson, though, responded that evidence proved the defendants clearly engaged in a scheme to benefit each other.

Defense attorneys also pointed to what they consider to be untruths presented by Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Brian Adkins, the governments chief case investigator, who spent three days on the stand touching on nearly every factual issue presented.

Agent Adkins testimony was tainted by improper questioning and the governments refusal to correct his false statements under oath, the defense alleged in court papers. During trial, Agent Adkins made at least three false statements during his testimony. One false statement concerned his statement that he had reviewed all 400,000 documents produced in the case.

In court Monday, Dotson said the agent told the absolute truth.

A student wears a mask at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, on March 11, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Ridley-Thomas was accused of steering county contracts toward the USC social work school in exchange for contributions to a community-focused nonprofit organization run by his son, Sebastian, a former state Assemblyman. Ridley-Thomas is appealing the conviction.

A juror who spoke after the verdicts were announced said the panel found dishonesty in Ridley-Thomass actions involving the $100,000 transfer of funds that traveled from his campaign fund to USC, then to the United Ways of California, and finally to Sebastians organization.

Defense attorneys argue there was no bribery. The money was channeled from the father to his sons organization in such a way to avoid the appearance of nepotism, Ridley-Thomas attorneys argued in court documents, and there was no benefit to the USC dean as a result.

Notably, the government presented no county testimony concerning Dr. Ridley-Thomas support for and actions with respect to the county agenda items at issue, defense attorneys wrote.

Jurors, who reached their verdicts on their fifth day of deliberations in Los Angeles federal court, acquitted the Southland political giant of a dozen fraud counts.

Ridley-Thomas, of South Los Angeles, vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He did not testify in his own defense, but his attorneys argued throughout the trial that nothing he did amounted to a crime.

Federal prosecutors based their case on a long string of emails and letters to bolster fraud allegations. However, defense attorney Daralyn Durie countered that nothing Ridley-Thomas did was illegal, and a series of defense witnesses testified that the paper trail was not what it seemed.

Flynn, 84, of Los Feliz, pleaded guilty in September to one count of bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24.

Ridley-Thomas served on the Los Angeles City Council from 19912002, then served in the state Assembly and state Senate before he was elected to the powerful county Board of Supervisors in 2008, serving until 2020, when he returned to the city council.

He was suspended from the city council following the October 2021 federal indictment that also named Flynn as co-defendant. After the guilty verdicts, Heather Hutt was appointed as the new councilwoman from District 10.
Judge: Tennessee Ban on Puberty Blockers, Hormones for Children Likely Violates Constitution

A new Tennessee law that bans transgender procedures for minors was partially blocked by a federal judge, who said the prohibition likely runs afoul of the U.S. Constitution.

If Tennessee wishes to regulate access to certain medical procedures, it must do so in a manner that does not infringe on the rights conferred by the United States Constitution, which is of course supreme to all other laws of the land, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson wrote in a 69-page ruling. With regard to SB1, Tennessee has likely failed to do just this.

Richardson, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, who include the couple Samantha Williams and Brian Williams and their 15-year-old child, who is said to be transgender.

The ruling imposes a preliminary injunction on parts of state law 68-33-101, which was approved by state legislators and signed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in March.

The law, which is set to take effect on July 1, bars health care providers from performing on a minor or administering to a minor a medical procedure if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minors sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minors sex and asserted identity.

Richardsons ruling enables minors to continue receiving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.

The part of the law that bans surgical procedures such as the removal of breasts wasnt blocked because none of the plaintiffs were seeking such procedures.

The judge said that gender dysphoria, or a person feeling they are a different gender, is a common condition for transgender people and that procedures and prescriptions such as puberty blockers can help treat a person to live in alignment with their gender identity.

The law in effect bans minors from receiving all treatment for gender dysphoria, he said.

Plaintiffs alleged the law infringed on rights granted by the 14th Amendments due process clause because the government was burdening their fundamental right to seek appropriate medical care for their children.

There is no situation where a minor will access the care subject to the Ban without the consent of their legal guardian, and there certainly is no world where a parent may decide for their child that gender-affirming care is needed over the minors objection, they said. Thus, every application of the Ban necessarily substitutes the judgment of the State for the aligned wishes of the parent and child.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and other defendants say parents dont have a fundamental right to have transgender procedures and treatments performed on their children.

Plaintiffs make no effort to prove that a fundamental right to these treatments existed in 1868 when the 14th Amendment was ratified, the defendants said, adding later that parental direction does not create a backdoor constitutional right to a treatment that the State can lawfully ban.

The judge sided with the plaintiffs, pointing to a ruling in a different case that found parents possess a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the medical care of their children.

Under binding Sixth Circuit precedent, parents have a fundamental right to direct the medical care of their children, which naturally includes the right of parents to request certain medical treatments on behalf of their children, he said.

That means the law must survive a test known as strict scrutiny, or be narrowly tailored to advance a compelling state interest. Defendants havent met that bar, in part because they have not shown that the law treats transgender minors differently from other minors, according to the judge.

The ruling will hold until the judge revokes it or enters a permanent ruling after the case develops further.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the plaintiffs, hailed the ruling.

This law is an intrusion upon the rights and lives of Tennessee families and threatens the futures of trans youth across the state. We are determined to continue fighting this unconstitutional law until it is struck down for good, Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, an attorney for the group, said in a statement. And to trans youth and their families: we see you, and we will not stop until all trans Tennesseans have the care and support they need to thrive.

Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Republican who wrote the law, said in a statement that he was disappointed by the ruling.

It is a sad day in Tennessee when, in place of protecting innocent children, our courts normalize a dangerous ideology that promotes the abuse and chemical castration of healthy young people, he said. I am grateful for the wisdom of the General Assembly in recognizing and passing legislation that, despite todays disappointing ruling, will protect children from gender-mutilating surgeries beginning July 1st. Tennessee Republicans will vigorously fight this decision to the highest court in the nation.
Kim Yo Jong: A Woman at the Height of Power in North Koreas Kim Dynasty

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, delivers a speech during the national meeting against the coronavirus, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Koreas enigmatic Kim dynasty, a regime shrouded in mystery, has held power for three generations. Its leaders have been venerated as the Sun of mankind and the Guardian of the Earth through a carefully orchestrated system of indoctrination.

However, in this male-dominated regime, a woman is steadily gaining prominence, recognized by several national intelligence agencies as a possible successor to Kim Jong Un. This rising figure is none other than Kim Jong Uns sister, Kim Yo Jong, who presently serves as the Deputy Department Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK).

In May, when North Koreas first spy satellite launch ended in failure, crashing like a childs firecracker on the Korean Peninsulas western coast, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting upon the request of the United States, Japan, and other countries to discuss the potential threats.

The Council suspected North Korea was developing an intercontinental missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In response, Kim Yo Jong vehemently denounced the United Nations Council, labeling it a political vassal of the United States. She further asserted her intention to proceed with a second, unexpected spy satellite launch. This marked Kim Yo Jongs latest tough stance against the West, representing the North Korean Kim regime. Some international think tanks posit that Kim Yo Jong is effectively the Kim regimes second in command.

Born in September 1988, Kim Yo Jong is four years younger than her brother Kim Jong Un. Both siblings were favorites of their father, Kim Jong-il. In 1996, at only eight years old, Kim Yo Jong and her brother attended an international school in Bern, Switzerland, under the guise of being children of the North Korean embassy staff. Here, they studied English, French, and German. School officials noted that Kim Yo Jong was under constant guard and received immediate medical attention, even for a mild cold. Following their education in Switzerland, Kim Yo Jong continued her studies under foreign tutors upon her return to North Korea in 2001.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un (L) and sister Kim Yo Jong attend the Inter-Korean Summit at the Peace House in Panmunjom, South Korea, on April 27, 2018. (Korea Summit Press Pool/Getty Images)

When Kim Jong Un assumed power in 2011, Kim Yo Jong gradually evolved into his political aide. By 2013, she was serving as his secretary; a year later, she transitioned to the Labor Partys propaganda department, where she was tasked with safeguarding Kim Jong Uns image and overseeing his public activities. By 2017, she ascended to the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Koreas Political Bureau as a candidate member, entering the highest echelon of decision-making in North Korea.

Kim Yo Jong made her international debut in 2018 when she accompanied the North Korean delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony in South Korea. Serving as Kim Jong Uns special envoy during her three-day stay marked the first time a member of the North Korean Kim family visited South Korea. The South Korean President at the time, Moon Jae-in, praised her, despite her aloof demeanor, which earned her the nickname Cold Princess.

Throughout the year, Kim Yo Jongs diplomatic role became increasingly prominent, serving as the de facto foreign minister for the Kim regime. She played a significant role in various summits and international meetings, often accompanying Kim Jong Un. Her standing in international politics became more pronounced during Kim Jong Uns meetings with then-U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Frequenting high-profile meetings has made her status comparable to the likes of former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, indicating her pivotal role in North Koreas political landscape.

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd R) and North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un (2nd L) sign documents as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and the North Korean leaders sister Kim Yo Jong (L) look on at a signing ceremony during their historic U.S.-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

The extent of Kim Yo Jongs power surpassed her modest title, leading to speculation about her potential as Kim Jong Uns successor. While some believe she might assume leadership if Kim Jong Un suddenly dies or becomes incapacitated, others suggest that Kim Jong Uns daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is being groomed as the next leader. Evidence of this includes multiple official photos of Kim Jong Un and his daughter, which appear to indicate his intention to secure her future role.

Over the past year, North Korean state media have released images of Kim Jong Un with his daughter on numerous occasions, interpreted by analysts as a sign of his intentions. South Korean intelligence reports the girl, Kim Ju-ae, to be around ten years old and likely Kim Jong Uns second child.

In February, North Korean state television emphasized Kim Ju-ae as a direct descendant of the Mount Paektu bloodline. In addition, the state authorities forced anyone sharing the name Ju-ae to pick a new one, according to Radio Free Asia. Some suggest its a pattern observed when a new leader ascends to power.

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (L) and his daughter presumed to be named Ju-ae (R) attending a military parade held in Pyongyang to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces, at a railway station in Seoul on Feb. 9, 2023. (Jung Yeon-je /AFP via Getty Images)

The Kims have long claimed to have what they call the Mount Paektu bloodline. Mount Paektu is the tallest mountain in North Korea and Northeast China. It is said to be the most sacred spot on the peninsula for all Koreans.

Given North Koreas history of individual cults and propaganda surrounding the Kim family, some interpret these images as official recognition of Kim Jong-aes potential succession. But theres also speculation that female relatives like Kim Yo Jong are instrumental to Kim Jong Uns rule.

The former South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told The New York Times that Kim Jong Un assigns different roles to his female relatives, leveraging their skills for political objectives.

According to Yun, Kim Jong Un also utilizes the women in his life, including the popular Kim Yo Jong, as tools for his rule. His sister often takes a hardline approach in diplomatic disputes, while his wife, Ri Sol Ju, is portrayed as the mother of the state. Kim Jong Uns recent public appearances with his daughter serve to underline the strength of the Kim dynasty and present him as a benevolent father figure.

North Korean first lady Ri Sol-ju (L) and leader Kim Jong Un attend the Inter-Korean Summit dinner in Panmunjom, South Korea, on April 27, 2018. (Korea Summit Press Pool/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Choi Byung-seop, a veteran of the Korean Ministry of Unification, said that Kim Jong Uns presentation of his daughter is an attempt to reassure North Koreans about the continuity of the Mount Paektu bloodline and test reactions within and outside his regime.

As North Korea continues to promote the deification of the Kim family, the increasing public visibility of Kim Ju-ae appears to be a part of an official recognition strategy, Choi suggested, adding that she might be the latest in a line of women idolized and utilized for propaganda.

Yet, the exact intentions behind Kim Jong Uns decision to push his daughter into the public eye remain unclear to outsiders. The regime recently released stamps featuring Kim Ju-ae, further cementing her place within North Koreas elite. It remains to be seen how these events will shape the future of North Koreas leadership.
Kremlin Silent on Top Generals Post-Mutiny Absence From Public View

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov entering a hall at the Kremlin in Moscow on on March 24, 2016. (Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images)

The Kremlin is declining to comment on the current whereabouts of Gen. Sergey Surovikin, a top Russian general who has been absent from public view since last weeks aborted mutiny by the leader of Russias Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

I recommend that you ask the Defense Ministry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on June 29 when queried about Surovikins whereabouts.

Thats the ministrys prerogative.

The Defense Ministry, for its part, hasnt issued any statements regarding the general or his recent activities.

Highly regarded in Russian military circles and reportedly popular with the troops, Surovikin served with distinction in previous conflicts, including those in Chechnya and Syria.

Members of the Wagner Group sit atop a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 24, 2023. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Some experts have posited him as a possible successor to Sergei Shoigu, Russias current defense minister.

In October 2022, Surovikin was given overall command of Russian military operations in Ukraine. In January, after consolidating Russias front line, he was replaced by Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

However, Surovikin has continued to play a leading role in the conflict and now serves as one of three deputies under Gerasimov.

Surovikins last known appearance occurred on June 24, when he called on Prigozhin to end an armed mutiny that had briefly appeared to threaten Moscow.

I urge you to stop, he told Prigozhin in a video message broadcast on national television.

Before its too late, it is necessary to submit to the will and orders of Russias elected president, stop the convoys [en route to Moscow], return them to their permanent bases, and peacefully resolve all outstanding issues.

On the same day the message was broadcast, Prigozhin called off his rebellion and ordered his fighters back to their base camps.

Despite the enormity of his transgression, he has since been allowed to relocate to Minsk, Belarus, whereunder a deal brokered by the leader of Belarushe wont face prosecution.

As of the time of writing, however, Surovikins whereabouts were still unknownat least to the general public.

In the months leading up to the mutiny, Prigozhin had frequently criticized, in exceptionally harsh terms, both Shoigu and Gerasimov.

Prigozhin repeatedlyand publiclyaccused both men of incompetence and of failing to provide needed support to Russian forces on the frontlines.

At the height of his rebellion last week, he had demanded a meeting with both men in Russias western city of Rostov-on-Don, which Wagner fighters had briefly occupied. Moscow, for its part, ignored the demand.

But unlike Shoigu and Gerasimov, Surovikin was largely spared Prigozhins ire. Late last year, the Wagner chief even praised the general as someone who doesnt fear responsibility.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) escorted by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (R) and Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov (L) in Moscow on Dec. 21, 2021. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Photo via AP)

In one of his recent trademark diatribes, Prigozhin went so far as to say that Surovikin should replace Gerasimov as the top commander in Ukraine.

Surovikins five-day absence has led to a host of rumors online that hes been arrested by authorities amid a post-mutiny purge of Russias top brass.

Some Russian commentators have suggested that high-ranking officers, including Surovikin, were being questioned by Russias Federal Security Service in order to ensure their loyalty.

However, none of this speculation has yet to be backed by credible evidence.

When asked on June 29 whether Russian President Vladimir Putin still trusted Surovikin, Peskov said: He [Putin] is the commander-in-chief, and he works with the defense minister and the chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces.

In respect to departments within the [defense] ministry. I refer you to the ministry itself.

Advance Knowledge?

It wasnt the first time that questions were raised about Surovikins roleif indeed there was onein Prigozhins aborted mutiny.

On June 27, The New York Times, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that Surovikin may have had advance knowledge of the rebellion.

The newspaper cited U.S. officials briefed on American intelligence on the matter as its principal source for the claim, which remains far from being confirmed.

According to The New York Times, U.S. officials are still trying to learn if Surovikin had helped plan Mr. Prigozhins actions last weekend.

American officials also said there are signs that other Russian generals may also have supported Mr. Prigozhins attempt to change the leadership of the [Russian] Defense Ministry by force, the article reads.

The same officials, it goes on to assert, believe that Prigozhin would not have launched his uprising unless he believed that others in positions of power would come to his aid.

Notably, Gerasimov reportedly hasnt made any public appearances since last weeks short-lived rebellion.

Responding to questions about The NY Times article on June 28, Peskov dismissed the papers assertions as gossip.

There will be a lot of gossip and speculation about this issue, he said in reference to Prigozhins failed mutiny.

I think this is one such example.




GUIYANG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's FAST telescope found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, facilitating important contemporary astrophysics studies.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Los Angeles Fourth of July Firework Displays Canceled Amid New Environmental Regulations

Several firework displays that were set to take place on July Fourth in Los Angeles County have been canceled by the fireworks vendor, citing new environmental regulations.

The cancellations come after the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a countywide order in May (pdf) requiring vendors of firework displays in Los Angeles County to first obtain a permit and encouraging them to use biodegradable plastics.

They must also not leave any floating plastics or debris in the water following a show and must submit a Best Management Practices  plan describing procedures they have in place to ensure that residual firework pollutant discharges will not adversely affect waters.

Additionally, they must agree to undergo monitoring to ensure the plan is correctly and efficiently implemented.

This Order is intended to authorize discharges from public firework displays (residual firework pollutants) into waters of the United States in the Los Angeles Region, the order states.

The Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits the discharge of any pollutant to waters of the United States, except in compliance with an NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit. Residual firework pollutants discharged into surface waters constitutes discharge of a pollutant, the order continues.

Therefore, coverage under an NPDES permit is required before residual firework pollutant discharges associated with the public display of fireworks can be lawfully discharged. Discharges authorized under this Order are subject to all applicable conditions set forth in this Order, it adds.

Environmental Activists File Lawsuit

In order to prevent pollution, the order encourages firework vendors to use alternatives such as biodegradable firework materials or to select an alternative debris fallout location based on readily available meteorological data to eliminate or reduce residual firework pollutant discharges to waters of the United States.

The order came in response to a federal lawsuit (pdf) filed by environmental activists in November 2021 in the U.S. District Court against Naples Restaurant Group, which is the fiscal sponsor and organizer of the annual Big Bang on the Bay fireworks display, and John Morris, managing member and primary organizer of the annual Big Bang on the Bay fireworks event.

In its lawsuit, the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation sought relief for what it said was the defendants substantive and procedural violations of the Clean Water Act resulting from their unlawful discharge of pollutants into Alamitos Bay.

Specifically, defendants have discharged and continue to discharge fireworks debris and pollution into Alamitos Bay and the Pacific Ocean without a permit, in violation of the express terms and conditions of the Clean Water Act, the lawsuit says.

Many species of waterbirds forage and roost at the Marina, including some classified as endangered, of special concern, or special animals. Two species listed by the State and federal governments as endangered and known to frequent Alamitos Bay are the California brown pelican and the California least tern, the suit continued.

Over 40 different fish species have been found in Alamitos Bay, and bottlenose dolphins and gray whales are occasionally found in the Bays entrance channel or adjacent San Gabriel River mouth. California sea lions and harbor seals also occasionally enter Alamitos Bay the environmental group noted.

Some Firework Displays Canceled

The lawsuit added that fireworks typically contain potassium nitrate (saltpeter), sulfur, and charcoal along with a string of other components the plaintiffs said fall into the water once a firework is detonated.

While a judge ultimately dismissed the lawsuit, the case pushed the regional water board in Los Angeles to update its firework display regulations, although not everyone is happy with the move.

We cannot and will not risk the safety of our staff and the public to comply with the restrictive regulations, Jim Souza, chief executive of the Rialto-based company Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

His company had opted out of seeking the necessary permit ahead of this years July Fourth displays, resulting in the cancellation of several events.

The water board instituted the new regulations quickly and unilaterally, with little input from us, one of the largest and most experienced firework show producers in the nation, Souza added.

In a separate statement to the publication, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board acknowledged that it had implemented the new permits just months before the upcoming fireworks celebrations but insisted that officials had reached out to known fireworks displays over coastal waters in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to explain the permit requirements and offer assistance with permit applications.

Despite the last-minute nature of the new permits, the majority of the planned fireworks shows are set to go ahead in Los Angeles on Independence Day, although five have been canceled, including two that were set to take place at Redondo Beach, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board for further comment.
Make Online News Laws and Federal Subsidies a Voting Issue, Tory MP Urges

Conservative Member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 30, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

With ongoing merger talks between two of Canadas largest news publishers, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner is urging Canadians to make recent legislation and federal subsidies affecting media outlets across the country a voting issue in the next general election.

For all the subsidies and interventions the Liberals have put in place since coming to power in 2015, thousands of journalists jobs have been lost as dozens of newsrooms have been shuttered, Rempel Garner wrote in a Substack post on June 28, as first reported by Blacklocks Reporter.

So dire is the state of journalism in Canada today that virtually no regional newsrooms exist, even in big urban centres outside of Toronto, never mind talking about the desert of coverage in Canadas rural and remote communities. What does exist is mainly dependent on government subsidies to survive.

Rempel Garners post focused mainly on the recent passage of the Liberal governments Online News Act, which will require tech giants like Google and Metawhich owns Facebook and Instagramto pay Canadian media outlets for any of their content linked on their platforms once the new legislation comes into effect in December.

In response, both Meta and Google have declared they will be blocking content from news outlets for Canadian users in order to comply with the new legislation. Meta is already running a test to block news for up to 5 percent of Canadian users.

Meanwhile, Postmedia Network Canada Corp.owner of publications including the National Post, Vancouver Sun, and Calgary Heraldand Nordstar Capital LP., which owns Metroland Media Group and the Toronto Star, confirmed on June 27 that they are holding ongoing merger talks.

Make It An Issue

The two large Canadian publishers said that while the proposed deal is yet to be finalized, it represents a bid to respond to the existential threat currently facing the media industry.

The viability of the newspaper industry in Canada is at an extreme risk, said Toronto Star publisher Jordan Bitove in a media release on June 27.

By pooling resources and working collaboratively, we can ensure that more Canadians have access to trusted journalism and quality reporting.

Rempel Garner said the timing of the potential merger stinks to high heaven considering it comes shortly after Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said Ottawa would ensure Canadian newsrooms are given extra resources, including additional funding and tax credits, to help them survive should Meta and Google move forward with blocking news sharing.

The biggest loser in this scenario is you, dear reader, Rempel Garner wrote, adding, Journalism makes our country stronger. If you care about this issue, remember to make it an issue the next time you visit the ballot box.

That is, if theres anyone left to report on a federal election.

Rodriguez has maintained that the intent of the Online News Act is to help small, local media organizations compete for online readership by forcing tech giants to negotiate news-sharing deals with them.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer has said the act would disproportionately advantage large, legacy media organizations over small ones even before Google and Meta announced their plans to block news sharing in response to the new legislation.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Man Charged With Driving Drunk, Causing Deadly Crash in Tustin

A 25-year-old Santa Ana man was charged June 28 with driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a woman in Tustin earlier that month.

Gerardo Joaquin Garcia Lopez was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, and driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more causing injury. He also faces sentencing enhancements of inflicting great bodily injury on two victims.

Lopez is accused of killing 67-year-old Rezvan Hekmat of Laguna Hills and injuring his passenger, Miguel Xum, according to court records.

Tustin police were called about the crash around 5 p.m. June 4 at Barranca Parkway and Tustin Ranch Road, according to Tustin police Lt. Ryan Coe.

Lopez had Xum and another woman in his vehicle. The other woman avoided injury, Coe said.

Lopez allegedly ran a red light while going west on Barranca and slammed into the vehicle Hekmat was driving, causing both vehicles to bounce off other vehicles in the intersection, Coe said.

Hekmat was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead, Coe said.

Lopez was hospitalized following the crash and arrested when he was released, Coe said.

The criminal complaint alleges Lopez had a blood-alcohol level of 0.41 percentmore than five times the legal limitand was driving faster than 65 mph.
Military Academies Can Still Consider Race in Admissions: Supreme Court

Military academies are exempt from a new ruling that bans the consideration of race in university admissions, the Supreme Court said on June 29.

Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, ruled that regular universities cant consider race in admissions, prohibiting so-called affirmative action.

But he also said in a footnote that the ruling doesnt apply to the nations military academies.

No military academy is a party to these cases  and none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context. This opinion also does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present, wrote Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee.

U.S. lawyers had sided with the universities that defended their affirmative action policies. In a supportive brief to the court, U.S. lawyers had argued that the U.S. military depends on a well-qualified and diverse officer corps that is prepared to lead a diverse fighting force and that the military has long recognized that the Nations military strength and readiness depend on a pipeline of officers who are both highly qualified and racially diverseand who have been educated in diverse environments that prepare them to lead.

That led to the adoption by four of the five military academies of admission policies that consider race. The Merchant Marine Academy is the exception.

The academies that consider race have considered whether to use a percentage-based system that would leave a certain percentage of slots for minorities but that would not be workable because the academies have a nationwide applicant pool and require a combination of academic excellence, leadership skills, physical ability, and personal character for success, the lawyers said.

Nor is an admissions policy based on socioeconomic status sufficient: West Point, for example, reports that its efforts to emphasize socioeconomic status have actually reduced racial diversity, they added. Finally, the academies employ many additional strategies, including recruiting diverse candidates, but thus far those strategies have proved insufficient on their own.

Only about 1 in 5 officers come from service academies, with the rest coming from regular colleges. Officers usually must have a bachelors degree.

That means the military has also benefited from admissions policies that take race into account at civilian universities that host Reserve Officers Training Corps programs, the lawyers said.

Officials with the military and the Department of Homeland Security wrote: Selective universities that provide their students opportunities for cross-racial interaction are a critical source of future officers who are prepared to lead servicemembers of different racial and cultural backgrounds. The United States thus has a vital interest in ensuring that the Nations service academies and civilian universities retain the ability to achieve those educational benefits by considering race.

The Department of Defense Board on Diversity and Inclusion stated in 2020 that a diverse fighting force is integral to overall readiness and mission accomplishment. The board also stated that the military reflects and is inclusive of the American people it has sworn to protect.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that creating a force that reflects the racial makeup of the nation is a national security imperative that will help the military compete, deter, and win in todays increasingly complex global security environment.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has stated, An Army not representative of the nation risks becoming illegitimate in the eyes of the people.

One source of criticism was a panel convened by The Heritage Foundation, which said that U.S. officials offered no facts to support the claims that race-based admissions are needed at military academies or that achieving diversity would help with national security.

The cases that drew the new ruling were brought by Students for Fair Admissions against the University of North Carolina and Harvard University.

The Supreme Court ruled 63 against the schools.

Students for Fair Admissions declined to comment.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, dissented, writing, [The majority] has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom.

Patrick Strawbridge, a lawyer representing Students for Fair Admissions, told justices during oral arguments that consideration of merits without factoring in race would lead to a diverse student body.

These are the pipelines to leadership in our society. It might be military leadership. It might be business leadership. It might be leadership in the law. It might be leadership in all kinds of different areas. Universities are the pipeline to that leadership, Strawbridge said. And so, naturally, a government that treats people fairly and that makes opportunity open to all will necessarily see racial diversity.
Minns to Face Community Leaders Over Flood Buybacks

State Emergency Service volunteers patrol a flooded residential area in Richmond, NSW on March 22, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns will meet political leaders from the Northern Rivers in an attempt to clear up a widespread misunderstanding over a flood buyback scheme.

Mayors and MPs for the area are pressuring the government to speed up the program, which they say is causing even more distress for those impacted by the 2022 floods.

Spearheading the meeting in Sydney will be Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, who says residents were initially led to believe the number of properties eligible for assistance would be much higher.

Planning Minister Paul Scully blamed bungled communication surrounding the scheme on the previous government.

Elements of the buyback program havent been well communicated to the people of the Northern Rivers from the outset, he told Parliament during Question Time on Wednesday.

Currently, 1100 homes are being prioritised for buyback offers, while a further 340 properties are eligible for home raising or retrofitting.

It is a fact that our communities were directly led to believethere would be 2000 buybacks, 2000 house raisings and 2000 retrofits, Saffin said on Tuesday.

Scully said it was his understanding that an incorrect statement, implying a wider buyback, was released by the body responsible for the program, the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC).

Ive asked for that statement to be explained, he said.

This week it was announced the NRRC will be absorbed into the NSW Reconstruction Authority from 1 July 2023.

The NRRC will retain its Northern Rivers focus and identity and continue to help rebuild communities within the Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed Local Government Areas, an NSW Reconstruction Authority spokesperson said.

The jointly-funded $700 million Resilient Homes program was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and then New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet in October 2022.

Scully said from the start, it was only ever intended to allow around 2000 homes at risk of flooding to be either bought, raised or retrofitted.

It was not a buyback of 2000 homes, Scully said.

Lismore mayor Steve Krieg told a Senate inquiry into flood recovery efforts on Wednesday the buybacks are a lottery draw based on the location of peoples houses.

Across the six local government areas impacted by the floods, 6,700 homeowners expressed interest in buybacks, with only 1100 offers made, leaving the rest in limbo.

These are the same people that were clinging for their lives on their roof, holding their childrens hands to stop them from getting swept away, Krieg said.

Youve got a whole region that feels like were being left behind. Weve been forgotten.

To accelerate the approval of new housing, raising homes and approving residential development this week, the government formally declared the Northern Rivers a reconstruction area.
National Geographic Magazine Lays Off a Number of Staff Writers

Copies of National Geographic magazine in several languages on April 4, 2006. (KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images)

Disney-owned National Geographic magazine has laid off multiple staff writers and replaced them with freelancers, according to reports, making it the latest media outlet to slash jobs amid an uncertain economic environment.

Following job cuts earlier this year, just 19 members of the editorial department had remained at the publication, according to The Washington Post. The staff members impacted by the cuts were notified of the upcoming terminations back in April.

The latest layoffs are the second within months as parent company Disney looks to cut costs. Back in September, the award-winning Washington-based magazine also reportedly laid off six top editors who specialized in an array of popular topics such as travel, science, and the environment.

A spokesperson for the publication confirmed the latest departures in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times but stopped short of stating exactly how many staffers were let go.

National Geographic will continue to publish a monthly magazine that is dedicated to exceptional multi-platform storytelling with cultural impact, the spokesperson said.

Staffing changes will not change our ability to do this work, but rather give us more flexibility to tell different stories and meet our audiences where they are across our many platforms. Any insinuation that the recent changes will negatively impact the magazine, or the quality of our storytelling, is simply incorrect, they continued.

Multiple writers also confirmed their departure from the publication on Twitter, including Senior writer Craig Welch, who posted on Twitter that National Geographic is laying off all of its staff writers.

Gilbert M. Grosvenor managed National Geographic magazine that offered windows to the world from explorations of space to ocean depths. (Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock)

Staffers Confirm Departures

Welch confirmed he is among those to depart.

Ive been so lucky. I got to work with incredible journalists and tell important, global stories. Its been an honor, he wrote.

Elsewhere, former writer Nina Strochlic posted on Twitter that it had been an epic run, adding that she and her colleagues had been unbelievably lucky to be the last-ever class of staff writers.

Douglas Main, a senior writer and editor at the publication, also took to Twitter to share about his departure from the publication.

National Geographic is laying off its staff writers, including me. Its been a wonderful five yearsan honor and a joy. Very proud of the work that my colleagues and I have done here, he wrote, adding We were informed about this a while ago.

Going forward, some assignments will be contracted by freelancers or pieced together by the remaining editors, The Washington Post reports, although the publication does still have in-house writers and editors.

Additionally, National Geographic will no longer be sold on newsstands throughout the United States starting next year as part of further cost-cutting measures, according to the Washington Post.

National Geographic had just under 1.8 million subscribers at the end of 2022, according to the Alliance for Audited Media.

The CNN center is seen in downtown Atlanta, Ga., on Oct. 16, 2021. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)

More Media Layoffs

The magazine is predominantly owned by Disney, which acquired a majority stake in the publication in 2019 as part of a $71 billion deal to purchase 21st Century Fox assets.

Back in November, the publications new editor-in-chief Nathan Lump told Axios that the company had no plans to slash its monthly print magazine publishing schedule but would be investing more in social media sharing more short-form videos across platforms like TikTok and Instagramin an effort to modernize.

We feel good about our monthly cadence, Lump said at the time. Our incredible social reach is largely based on our strength on Instagram, which is based on our strength in photography, which is great, he said.

But obviously, we know that video is driving a lot of engagement in social, and thats where a lot of growth is in terms of engagement and users and social platforms. And so we need to put a lot more emphasis there, Lump added.

The latest job cuts at the award-winning magazine come amid a string of layoffs in the media industry.

In November, CNN launched a second round of layoffs, and a month later in December, Buzzfeed said that it planned to cut 15 percent of its workforce. Most recently, Buzzfeed revealed it is shutting down its news division entirely as part of those cost-cutting efforts.

The VICE Media Group (VMG) has also laid off more than 100 employees and canceled its flagship Vice News Tonight program. In May, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A string of other publications, including Bloomberg, Gannett, Insider Inc., NPR, The Hollywood Reporter, The Washington Post, and Fox, have also announced job cuts in an effort to save costs as digital advertising revenue has plummeted and operating costs have surged.
Nigel Farage Claims His Bank Account Has Been Closed With No Explanation

Reform UK honorary president Nigel Farage walks to the stage during a party press conference in London on March 20, 2023. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

British political leader Nigel Farage has claimed that the bank he has been with for over 40 years has closed his bank account with no explanation.

In a post on Twitter on Thursday, the GB News presenter and former UKIP and Brexit Party leader said that his bank has closed all his accounts, claiming political persecution.

I have been given no explanation or recourse as to why this is happening to me, he said.

This is serious political persecution at the very highest level of our system. If they can do it to me, they can do it to you too, he added.

Banks

I have been with the same banking group since 1980. Ive had my personal accounts with them since that date, and my business accounts right through the 1990s, said Farage.

Farage did not name the bank, but said that in recent years too he was with one of the subsidiaries of this big banking group, one with a very prestigious name.

I got a phone call a couple of months ago, to say we are closing your accounts, I asked why [but] no reason was given.

I was told a letter would come, which would explain everything. The letter came through and simply said, We are closing your accounts. We want to finish it all by a date, which is around about now.

I didnt quite know what to make of it. I complained. I emailed the chairman, a lackey phoned me to say that It was a commercial decision, which I have to say, I dont believe for a single moment.

He went on: So I thought, well, there we are, Ill have to go and find a different bank.

Ive been to six, no seven banks actually. Ask them all, could I have a personal and a business account? And the answer has been no, he said.

You Dont Actually Exist

He said that without a bank account, you effectively become a non-person, you dont actually exist.

Farage mulled over a few reasons why he had effectively been unbanked. He said that corporate structures in this country who did not want Brexit to happen will never ever forgive me.

He mentioned that Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant last year used parliamentary privilege to claim that Farage was paid more than 500,000 by the Russian state through his appearances on Russia Today in 2018.

I didnt receive a penny from any source with even any link to Russia, said Farage.

He said that he may have been deemed a politically exposed person (PEP), a term used for someone who, through their prominent position or influence, is more susceptible to being involved in bribery or corruption.

The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify Farages claims.

A representative for Farage told The Epoch Times that he did not want to comment further for the time being.

Richard Tice (R) listens as Nigel Farage speaks during the launch of the Brexit Party at BG Penny & Co, in Coventry, England, on April 12, 2019. (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

ESG

The insurgent parties Reclaim and Reform have warned that banks environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies are being used to penalise certain views such as critiquing net zero policies.

In January, the leader of the Reform Party Richard Tice, who is linked to Farage, told The Epoch Times that his commercial mortgage was refused last year because of his outspokenness on net zero policies, which went against the lenders environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policy.

ESG investing is used to screen investments based on corporate policies and to encourage companies to promote sustainable practices.

The leader of the political movement the Reclaim Party and actor Laurence Fox told The Epoch Times that he believed that ESG is the corporate version of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) which he has often heavily criticised.

There are things that you are not allowed to talk about without being totally shut down by a political establishment, and it doesnt matter which party is in charge, it looks after itself, he said.

Fox said thatwhile not necessarily ESG relatedhis party has had major issues securing a bank account for donations, which has only recently been remedied.

Laurence Fox (left) and Andrew Bridgen ahead of a Reclaim Party press conference in London, dated May 10, 2023. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Last November Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart presented, but later withdrew, an amendment to the Financial Services and Markets Bill, which would have made it illegal for a financial services provider to withhold or withdraw service from a customer if its related to their freedom of expression.

This was after accounts from the Free Speech Union and the Daily Sceptic blog, were frozen by PayPal without a clear explanation, though later restored.

Last year, Hart told The Epoch Times she was discussing if Financial Conduct Authority was the right body to adjudicate over matters of freedom of expression and free speech.

If we do not progress the issue, I will be bringing the amendment back, said Hart at the time.

The Epoch Times contacted Chris Bryant for comment.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that race can no longer be a factor in college admissions. The decision of the courts conservative majority overturned affirmative action plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina.

Hunter Biden arrived for deposition today in a legal case with a computer repair shop owner in Delaware. He is expected to be questioned about his infamous laptop.

Missouris Attorney General will be investigating a possible Chinese Communist Party outpost in the state. The so-called service center is one of seven such footholds identified in the United States.

Topics in this episode include:

1. Supreme Court Strikes Down Affirmative Action

2. Hunter Biden Deposition, House GOP to Investigate Whistleblower Remarks

3. Retiring GOP Senators Left Congress with $1.5 Billion in Earmarks for Their States

4. U.S. Restarts Controversial Border Crossing

5. NYC Sheltering More Noncitizens than Homeless

6. DeSantis Vetoes Bipartisan Crime Reform Bill

7. Kari Lakes Book Signing Packs NYC Restaurant

8. Bidens $7B for Solar Panels for the Poor

9. We Can Be Confident in U.S. Banks: Analyst

10. Fallacy to Judge Presidents by Ancestors

11. July 4th Travel Set to Break Records

12. July 4th Cookout Will Cost Less: Survey

13. DoorDash Chief Technology Officer Delivers

14, DoorDash to Offer Hourly Pay Option

15. Chinese Spy Balloon Used U.S. Tech: WSJ

16. Missouri Ag to Investigate CCP Service Centers

17. Corruption Probe Links Former Aus MP to China

18. Large Gravity Waves Bend Spacetime: Study

19. Man Recounts Being Only Passenger on Plane

20. NASA System Can Recycle Astronaut Liquids

21. South Koreans Change How They Count Age

22. Grandparents Race on U.S. Horse Track

23. Rescued Chimpanzee Set Free After 28 Years

24. A 40-Year Quest to Save an Endangered Monkey
The United States is ill-prepared for another global pandemic, according to the outgoing director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

Walensky issued the warning in a New York Times guest essay published on June 27, just days before she is set to step down from her role.

President Joe Biden revealed earlier this month that Walensky, 54, will be replaced by Dr. Mandy Cohen, the former top health official in North Carolina who has aggressively supported COVID-19 vaccines and widespread masking.

In her essay, Walensky cited multiple public health challenges that have taken place across the world in recent years, including the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the monkeypox outbreak, and the largest outbreak of Ebola disease in Uganda, which was caused by the Sudan ebolavirus.

She also pointed to the first case of paralytic polio identified in the United States in nearly a decade. The type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus was reported in a resident of Rockland County, located about an hour from New York City, in September 2022. The individual became infected after taking an oral polio vaccine that is no longer taken in the United States, according to the CDC.

Walensky went on to note that over 80,000 immigrants from Afghanistan have arrived and settled in the United States in recent years, some of whom she said have cases of active measles and other diseases that were previously contained. Additionally, the largest and longest highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak among flocks of birds continues across the globe, she said.

Public health work will continue to be critically important and the challenges just as complex, Walensky wrote. Yet I fear the despair from the pandemic is fading too quickly from our memories, perhaps because it is too painful to recall a ravaged nation brought to its knees.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, COO and chief of staff of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, attends a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 3, 2015. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

CDC Battered by Persistent Scrutiny

Walensky went on to claim that the CDC has been sidelined and battered by persistent scrutiny over mistakes it made early on in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walensky has been widely criticized for her agencys response to the pandemic, and has made false statements about vaccine efficacy, child mortality. CDC officials previously admitted the health agency had made some pretty dramatic, pretty public mistakes.

However, Walensky stressed that the U.S. response to the pandemic was hampered in part by decades of underinvestment in public health, which she said had rendered the nation ill-prepared for a global pandemic.

This, she said, could also seriously impact future responses to pandemics.

Some estimates suggest we are 80,000 public health workers short across the United States to meet basic public health needs. To this day some of our public health data systems are reliant on old fax machines, she wrote. National laboratories lack both state-of-the-art equipment and skilled bench scientists to work them. During the pandemic, the answer to these prevailing problems was a rapid infusion of money  resources that were swiftly withdrawn.

A nurse at Three Rivers Asante Medical Center runs to a room in the Intensive Care Unit to help as medical staff treat a COVID-19 patient in Grants Pass, Ore., on Sept. 9, 2021. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

More Public Health Investments Needed

It is not enough to support public health when there is an emergency. The roller coaster influx of resources during a crisis, followed by underfunding after the threat is addressed, exposes a broken system and puts future lives at risk, Walensky continued.

Longstanding, sustainable investments are needed across public health, over time and administrations, to position the United States to be better prepared for the next large-scale infectious disease outbreak or other health threat, she wrote.

I want to remind America: The question is not if there will be another public health threat, but when, the outgoing CDC director concluded. The C.D.C. needs public and congressional support if it is going to be prepared to protect you from future threats.

Walensky joins a handful of other health officials who have warned that further preparation is needed ahead of another potential pandemic.

Back in May, World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency is not the end of COVID-19 as a global health threat.

The threat of another variant emerging that causes new surges of disease and death remains, and the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains, the WHO director said, adding that more effective global mechanisms are needed to better address and respond to future emergencies.

When the next pandemic comes knocking  and it will  we must be ready to answer decisively, collectively, and equitably, he said.

While the number of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities have continued to decline worldwide, China is currently experiencing a resurgence in such cases, driven mainly by Omicron mutant strains.

What topics would you like to read about? Please let us know at health@epochtimes.nyc
Peers Accused of Trying to Derail Illegal Migration Bill With Wrecking Amendment

A group of people thought to be illegal immigrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, from the RNLI Dungeness Lifeboat, following a small boat incident in the Channel, on April 27, 2023. (Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

A Home Office minister has accused members of the House of Lords of seeking to derail the governments Illegal Migration Bill, after the peers inflicted a series of defeats on the government on Wednesday.

The legislation is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks bid to deter illegal immigrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Under the bill, anyone who arrives in the UK illegally will be banned from claiming asylum, and will be deported to their home country or a safe third country like Rwanda, and will also be banned from reentry.

The flagship legislation has already been passed by the House of Commons, but has met fierce opposition in the Lords.

Changes being demanded by the peers include modern slavery safeguards, a bar on backdating deportations, and asylum help for unaccompanied children.

The four government defeats on Wednesday set the stage for a prolonged future tussle between the unelected chamber and government during so-called parliamentary ping-pong, when legislation moves between the Lords and Commons.

Multiple Defeats

In the first defeat, peers voted by 222 to 179, majority 43, for a measure requiring the legislation to comply with the UKs international obligations on protection of human rights, refugees, and rights of the child, as well as tackling human trafficking.

It follows concerns the provisions in the bill would put the UK in breach of long-standing commitments, damaging the nations global standing.

Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth accused peers of trying to derail the bill, branding it a wrecking amendment that would make it unworkable.

In a further setback, peers demanded the duty to deport those arriving by unauthorised routes not to be backdated to March 7 when the bill was introduced in the Commons, but to only come into force when the draft legislation becomes law.

The move to ditch the retrospective provision was supported by 219 votes to 177, majority 42.

Murray said the retrospective provisions is critical, adding, Without it, we risk organised criminals and people smugglers seeking to exploit this, with an increase in the number of illegal arrivals ahead of the commencement of the bill.

But independent crossbencher Lord Carlile of Berriew said, It would set a dangerous precedent that the government could legislate retrospectively based on no more than conjecture and anecdote.

Later, in another defeat for the government, peers backed by a large majority a cross-party demand for modern slavery safeguards, which the bill would remove.

The Lords voted by 210 to 145, majority 65, for a change that would ensure alleged victims of trafficking are not detained or deported before they can apply to a referral system for protection and support.

Peers also defied the government to demand unaccompanied children arriving in the UK should be able to make asylum and human rights claims to stay.

New Court Ruling

The government suffered a further setback on Thursday, when the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling which backed the governments plan to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda.

In a majority decision, the court said deficiencies in the Rwanda asylum system mean there is a risk asylum seekers could be returned to their home country, where they may face the risk of inhumane treatment.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagrees with the ruling and the government will seek to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.

He said: The policy of this government is very simple, it is this countryand your governmentwho should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she remains fully committed to the policy.

The Rwandan government responded to the judgment to say it is one of the safest countries in the world.

PA Media contributed to this report.
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Thursday renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures as heatwaves are expected to scorch vast parts of the country.

During daylight hours on Thursday, temperatures in parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Gansu are forecast to reach between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius, according to the center.

In some areas, temperatures may climb to as high as 39 degrees Celsius during the same period, according to the forecast.

The center has advised people to avoid outdoor activities in the afternoon and suggested that workers exposed to high temperatures adopt necessary protective measures.

China has a three-tier weather warning system for high temperatures, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange and yellow. 
Pence Meets With Zelenskyy on Surprise Ukraine Visit

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)

Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Ukraine on June 29 to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid the countrys ongoing war with Russia.

The move makes him the first Republican presidential hopeful to meet with the Ukrainian leader since the war began.

Pence made the trip with the Christian humanitarian organization Samaritans Purse. In addition to his meeting with Zelenskyy, his agenda for the day included an update on local human rights violations, security briefings from Ukrainian officials, and visits to various sites to honor fallen Ukrainians.

I believe Americas the leader of the free world, Pence told NBC News in an exclusive interview. But coming here just as a private citizen, being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies.

The visit, he said, has made me better equipped to be able to go home as I speak to the American people about the vital importance of American support to repel Russian aggression.

Pences stance on the war sets him at odds with a significant portion of his party.

According to a recent poll from the Pew Research Center, 44 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say the United States is providing too much aid to Ukraine. The results mark a 4 percent bump from January and a staggering 35 percent increase from March 2022, just after the war began.

By contrast, just 14 percent of Democrats today are skeptical of the amount of aid provided. Among the overall population, the portion is 28 percent.

When asked in another NBC interview about the growing discontent among his fellow Republicans, Pence stressed that the issue was bigger than politics.

I really do believe that if Vladimir Putin and the Russian military were able to overrun Ukraine, it wouldnt be too long before they crossed the border, where our men and women in uniform would be required to go and fight, he said. And frankly, the second half of the 21st century could look a lot like the first half of the 20th century. I think we stand with the Ukrainian military here, give them what they need.

Adding that he feels the current moment is one that calls for leadership, the candidate said that was one of the reasons he decided to enter the presidential race.

I really believe that now, more than ever, our nation needs leaders that will speak plainly with the people about the challenges that we face around the world and at home and brings real clear leadership built on our timeless principles to bear.

Slow Administration

While other Republicans have complained that the current administration has been too quick to send billions in financial and military aid overseas, Pence said his concern has been the opposite.

I believe the Biden administrations been slow in providing the military support to the Ukraine, and I frankly heard that today in meeting with officials, security officials, he said.

The administration, he said, was slow-walking the provision of Abrams tanks to the war-torn country and dragging [its] feet on approving the transfer of F-16s from NATO allies.

But even so, he added that he did not believe the United States should send troops to Ukraine.

We dont need toI heard it again from President Zelenskyy today. He said, Were not asking for American troops, and we dont them.  What we need is ammunition; what we need is support.

The goal, Pence stressed, was to provide enough support to prevent Putin from also invading a neighboring NATO allya situation that, under the treaty, would require the United States to send troops.

A Big Mess

Pences trip comes on the heels of the Wagner mercenary groups short-lived mutiny against the Russian state after months of escalating tensions amid the fighting in Ukraine.

On June 23, at the direction of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group seized the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and sent troops advancing toward Moscow. The next day, however, the march was abruptly called off as Alexander Lukashenko, the president of neighboring Belarus, stepped in to negotiate the peace.

As part of that deal, Prigozhin and those loyal to him were exiled to Belarus.

Commenting on the conflict via Truth Social, former President Donald Trump called the situation a big mess.

A big mess in Russia, but be careful what you wish for, he wrote. Next in may be far worse!

The 45th president has repeatedly said that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine on his watch. He has also held that, if given the chance, he could end the conflict in just 24 hours.

In a June 19 interview with Fox News Bret Baier, he reiterated those claims, adding that he had previously warned Putin that there would be hell to pay if he invaded Ukraine.

I thought he might do it, Trump said. Look, I talked to him. I said, If you do it, theres going to be hell to pay. Its going to be a catastrophe. Dont do it.

Putin, he added, had been skeptical that he would make good on his promise.

He said, No, no, no, you will not do that. I said, I will, Vladimir, I will do it. Im going to do it.

Point of Contention

Opinions on the Ukraine war vary amongst the crowded Republican presidential primary field.

Trump, the leading GOP candidate, has said he hopes for a peaceful resolution to end the loss of life on both sides.

In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared a similar perspective, telling then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he had no interest in becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia. After receiving backlash for those comments, he later clarified his stance, calling Putin a war criminal and stressing that Russias invasion of Ukraine was wrong.

Others, like former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, are more aligned with Pences position.

This is bigger than just a war on Ukraine and Russia; this is a war for freedom, and its one that we have to win, Haley said at a May 24 town hall in Rye, New Hampshire. Like Pence, she also stressed that U.S. troops should not be sent to fight in the conflict.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie expressed a similar view earlier this week, pointing to the quelled rebellion in Russia as a sign of Putins weakness at home and that the war might be resolved soon.

I think you have to watch this very carefully, but we have to continue to support Ukraine, Christie said. We have to give them the weapons they need to fight their battle against the Russians and to repel them.

Backing Ukraine, he contended, could kill two threats with one stone.

This is the first fight in the proxy war with China, he said. China is funding this war for Russia by buying Russian oil.  We do not want a world that is dominated by communist China. And so, this is a fight that America needs to have.

At the end of this sacrifice, I am absolutely a believer in the fact that America will be bigger, stronger, richer, and more influential in the world because we stood by our principles and stood by our friends.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Possible Ban on Gender Conversion Therapy in New South Wales Raises Concerns

Planned legislation in New South Wales (NSW) to ban people seeking assistance for unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion has raised concerns from the community.

Conversion therapy, which is usually defined as methods used to change a persons sexual preferences to being heterosexual, or in the case of gender dysphoria, to align with their biological sex, is set to be banned in NSW, the most populous state in Australia.

This follows bans implemented in Queensland, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory, with the legislation in Victoria being the strictest, forbidding conversion therapy for both adults and minors, a first in the world.

During the state election this year, Labor leader Chris Minns promised to ban conversion therapy if elected.

We should not have a situation where children are being told something is wrong with them and that they need to be fixed, Minns, then opposition leader and now NSW premier, said in February 2023.

Different Opinions About Conversion Therapys Effect

Conversion therapy has long been considered a contentious issue.

Religion-based conversion therapy is most common, including counselling, prayer, scripture reading, fasting, retreats, and spiritual healing. However, some churches are accused of enforcing unwanted conversion therapy in evangelical churches and ministries, often taking the form of prayer groups, counselling disguised as pastoral care or so-called exorcisms.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called for laws banning coercive conversion therapy. Both the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists have stated that sexual or gender orientation change efforts of any kind are harmful.

Conversion practices are a blatant example of the discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ people in Australia and have no place in our society, AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said in a 2021 statement. Many people who are LGBTQIA+ in Australia live happy and healthy lives.

According to the American Psychological Association, which reviewed the results of 83 studies carried out between 1960 and 2007 on the controversial topic, there is no sound scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed.

However, survey results of 78 ex-LGBT people by Free to Change, an organisation campaigning to push back to governments outlawing people leaving their LGBTQ Lives, shows that certain conversion therapy can be a long-lasting and effective treatment that has, according to the organisation helped people to avert suicides and includes both professional and religious counselling.

These results are stunning, to say the least. They show that despite what the community has been told, people do leave their LGBT lives and live better-quality lives as a result, reads a statement of the group.

Forbidding People Seeking Help Even if They Want It



Critics of the legislation are concerned that despite good intentions, it may impact those who want to get help with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion.

So basically in Victoria, anybody who wants to get help with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender dysphoria cannot get help, even if they want it, even if they consent to the therapy, said Dr. Con Kafataris, a registered doctor and independent examiner based in NSW.

Parents protest outside the Davis Joint Unified School District offices over a talk featuring Rachel Pepper, co-author of The Transgender Child, in Davis, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2023. (Courtesy of Our Duty)

In Victoria, if you have a problem with alcohol use, you can get help; If you have problems with unwanted drug addiction or porn addiction, you can get help, but if you have a problem with unwanted same-sex attraction, or your child has a problem with gender dysphoria that they dont want, you dont want, you cant get help, other than to affirm it.

Your alternative is either to embrace the lifestyle or suffer inside.

He stressed that his comments only referred only to those with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion, while people who were content with themselves had the opportunity to just be happy gay.

In Conflict With Parental Rights?

The possible legislation also raises doubt that if it will be in conflict with parental rights.

In Australia, it is the legal right of parents to bring up their children according to their own values and beliefs.

The NSW government, in this case, states that parents have the right to decide the childs religion, education, discipline, and medical treatment and where the child lives will not be interfered with unless there are good reasons or the childs well-being is at risk.

(Courtesy of Praying for Jude Sullivan Peters)

No one should be injured or treated in any sort of violent or threatening way because of these issues. Were not against the parts of the law, which, for example, would go against someone being physically abused or going through harmful practices with this issue, Dr. Ali Ismaiel from Parental Rights Committee Australia (PRCA) told The Epoch Times on June 26.

But we do have a major objection to where these laws are very broad and include things like counselling, parents speaking to their children if they are confused about gender identity or sexual orientation.

Were very, very concerned that parents who really should have first rights and the utmost rights arent able to speak to their children and discuss these things with them in the privacy of their own home.

Ismaiel said the committee is very concerned that New South Wales will pass laws similar to Victoria, where the Liberals are quite authoritarian.

Theyre very scary because they seem to include any kind of counselling for anybody. Thats not really well defined what is and isnt [as conversion therapy].

Potential For Doctors to Be Silenced

In the United States, which has progressed further along with implementing transgender policies than Australia, doctors and therapists can have their licenses cancelled in some states, such as California, for helping people seeking conversion therapy.

I had to go out of state to find a psychiatrist who was willing to look at the causality of my daughters new gender identity. We keep these doctors secret because if they get found out, they might lose their license, Erin Friday, a licensed California attorney and co-lead of the U.S. branch of Our Duty, a parent group dedicated to protecting children from gender ideology, said in the latest Epoch Times docudrama Gender Transformation: The Untold Realities.

Newly donated LGBT books are displayed in the library at Nystrom Elementary School in Richmond, Calif., on May 17, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The situation is better in Australia, according to Kafataris.

There have been complaints made against doctors, but when they cited the evidence nothings gone any further, he told The Epoch Times on June 26.

Kafataris has personal experience with this issue after he was referred to authorities over a statement he made during the same-sex marriage campaign.

My response was that my report was based on my medical opinion and that my own personal political or philosophical views had nothing to do with it and they never went any further.

I think thats what doctors have to do, to stand on the evidence and not get bullied.

However, the doctor is not that sure about what will happen if the legislation comes into law.

At this point, if conversion therapy bans come in, that might change everything, Kafataris said.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the NSW government and Premier Chris Minns for comment.
Presumed Human Remains Recovered From Titanic Sub Implosion: Coast Guard

Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, is unloaded from the ship Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John's, Newfoundland, on June 28, 2023. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press via AP)

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announced on Wednesday that debris and presumed human remains have been successfully retrieved from the seafloor at the location where officials say the OceanGate submersible imploded while en route to the Titanic wreckage last week.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the USCG confirmed, United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered within the wreckage at the site of the incident.

The submersible tourist vessel imploded about 13,000 feet below the surface of the ocean near the wreckage of the Titanic ship, USGC officials said last week. All five men aboard the OceanGate Titan submersible perished.

A U.S. Coast Guard ship arrives in the harbor of St. Johns, Newfoundland, on June 28, 2023. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press via AP)

The arrival of the M/V Horizon Arctic, a Canadian vessel, played a crucial role in aiding the recovery efforts. The Horizon Arctic deployed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) owned by Pelagic Research Services to comb the ocean floor in the vicinity of the Titanic wreckage, searching for remnants of the submersible.

Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) Chair Captain Jason Neubauer, the Coast Guards chief investigator, expressed gratitude for the extensive international and interagency support received during the operations to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths.

Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic, is unloaded from the ship Horizon Arctic at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. Johns, Newfoundland on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press via AP)

The twisted debris of the vessel was photographed being unloaded at a Canadian pier after it was pulled from the North Atlantic Ocean. It will be transported to a U.S. port aboard a USCG cutter. The MBI will oversee further analysis and testing of the recovered items.

Neubauer said the retrieved evidence will provide critical insights into the cause of the tragedy for investigators from multiple jurisdictions. He emphasized the need to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, saying, There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again.

According to Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, analyzing the physical material from the recovered debris could provide important clues about the incident involving the Titan submersible.

Certainly, all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available? And I really dont know the answer to that question, he said on Monday.

Capt. Jason Neubauer, chief investigator, U.S. Coast (right) speaks with the media as U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander of the First Coast Guard District (center), looks on during a news conference at Coast Guard Base Boston in Boston on June 25, 2023. (Steven Senne/AP Photo)

At a press conference in Boston on Wednesday, Neubauer said his primary goal is to prevent a similar tragedy by making the necessary recommendations to enhance the safety of the maritime domain worldwide.

The USCG and Canadas Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the undersea implosion of the Titan submersible. The incident has raised concerns about the unregulated nature of these expeditions. The recovery of evidence from the Titan submersible marks a significant milestone in uncovering the circumstances that led to its destruction.

The USCG announced that a public hearing will be held to thoroughly examine the tragedy. In preparation for the hearing, the MBI will continue gathering comprehensive evidence and conducting witness interviews.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UNs maritime agency, currently has voluntary safety guidelines for tourist submersibles. The IMO has stated that investigative reports of the Titan incident will be reviewed and member states can propose stronger regulations to be considered at the next Maritime Safety Committee session in May 2024.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned the Titan, was based in the United States, while the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The Titans mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada.

The five crew who perished were identified as Stockton Rush, 61, the CEO of OceanGate; Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, a distinguished Titanic expert from France; Hamish Harding, 58, a wealthy British entrepreneur; Shahzada Dawood, 48, a prominent businessman from Pakistan; and his 19-year-old son, Sulaiman Dawood.

Stockton, the submersibles pilot, faces scrutiny for allegedly disregarding safety concerns and charging wealthy tourists $250,000 each to explore the famous 1912 shipwreck.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Publisher Adds Warnings to Hemingway Works, to Dismay of Biographers and Scholars

The monument to U.S. Nobel Prize Ernest Hemingway in the Cojimar neighborhood in Havana on Sept. 8, 2014. (Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images)

Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway is the latest literary target of a politically correct publisher who feels compelled to qualify the writings of one of the nations most influential authors for readers.

Publisher Penguin Random House recently reissued his works with warnings on language and attitudes, a move which is drawing criticism from both Hemingway biographers and some university professors.

Specifically, Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea was reissued while his 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises includes the warning: The publishers decision to present it as it was originally published is not intended as an endorsement of cultural representations or language contained herein.

The For Whom the Bell Tolls writers short story collection received a similar warning. A similar warning appears with his short story collection Men Without Women. Hemingway penned The Sun Also Rises in 1926. While considered one of Americas greatest novels, it also faced criticism for having anti-Semitic tropes.

Biographers and Scholars React

The publishers comments would be hilarious, were they not also alarming, Hemingway biographer Richard Bradford told Englands The Telegraph this week.

Scrutinize any novel or poem written at any time, and search for a passage that could create unease for persons who are obsessed with themselves, and youll find one. And then every publication will need to carry a warning like this, the verbal equivalent of photos of cancer ridden lungs which now decorate cigarette packets, said Bradford. Publishers and the literary establishment as a whole now seem to be informed by a blend of stupidity and bullying regarding what readers should be allowed to think.

Thats as Mary Dearborn, author of Ernest Hemingway, A Biography previously made these comments in the UKs Daily Record when history and literature students at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland were given a graphic content warning. The school is located in an area renowned for its fishing industry.

This is nonsense. It blows my mind to think students might be encouraged to steer clear of the book, said Dearborn. The world is a violent place and it is counterproductive to pretend otherwise. Much of the violence in the story is rooted in the natural world. It is the law of nature.

The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, an aging fisherman who catches an 18-foot marlin while sailing in his skiff off the coast of Cuba. Unable to tie the giant fish to the back of the tiny vessel or haul it on board, Santiago holds the line for an unspecified number of days and nights, suffering intense physical pain yet feeling compassion for the captured animal. Once the fish begins to circle his craft, he finds himself forced to kill it for which he then chastises himself. The story of bloodshed, endurance, and sacrifice, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was cited by the Nobel Committee as contributing to their awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Hemingway in 1954, has been seen by some as a metaphor for Christianity.

Jeremy Black, emeritus professor of history at the University of Exeter, told the Daily Record about the graphic warning given to students: This is particularly stupid given the dependency of the economy of the Highlands and Islands on industries such as fishing and farming. Many great works of literature have included references to farming, fishing, whaling, or hunting. Is the university seriously suggesting all this literature is ringed with warnings?

The school had previously issued content warnings for other classics including Homers The Iliad and Beowulf, English poems written around 1025 AD, with both given warnings they contain scenes of violent close combat. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein was marked as containing violent murder and cruelty and Shakespeares Hamlet and Romeo And Juliet were noted to contain scenes of stabbing, poison and suicide.

Hemingway isnt the first prolific author to be hit by such trigger warnings. The books of childrens author Roald Dahl have also been flagged. Thats while the website BookTriggerWarnings.com singled out content from close to 7,000 books, which included classics from Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Red flag content ranged from such diverse topics as discrimination against gypsies to fatphobia.
Putin Planned to Wipe Out Wagner Mutineers: Lukashenko

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks to journalists during his visit to a military-industrial complex facility in the Minsk Region, Belarus, on June 13, 2023. (Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to kill mutinous Wagner fighters marching on Moscow before being talked down, according to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

It is unclear how Putin planned to carry out his plan, but Lukashenko said during a June 27 meeting with military officials that the decision had been made to kill all the Wagner fighters who had mutinied, according to Belarusian state media.

I also understood a brutal decision had been made, and it was the undertone of Putins address, to wipe out the mutineers, Lukashenko said, using a slang phrase popular among Russian criminal groups to refer to killing someone.

Lukashenko added that he pressed Putin not to kill Wagner leader Yevegny Prigozhin, encouraging him to engage in dialogue instead. Putin responded, however, that Prigozhin was refusing to take his calls.

[Putin] told me: Listen, Sasha, its useless. He doesnt even pick up the phone, he doesnt want to talk to anyone.

Belarus to Assume Control of Wagner

Putin at first vowed to crush the Wagner mutiny last week, comparing Wagners rebellion to the 1917 revolution that destroyed the Russian Empire and brought the Bolshevik communists to power. He used the same phrase in 1999, when he vowed to wipe out Chechen militants that had infiltrated Russian-controlled Dagestan.

Though Putin accused Prigozhin and his Wagner supporters of treason, hours later, he agreed to a deal brokered by Lukashenko to let the mutinous fighters go into exile in Belarus or else join the Russian military.

Prigozhin flew to Belarus from Russia on June 27.

Lukashenko, who is both an old acquaintance of Prigozhin and a close ally of Putin, said that he had advised the Russian president to think beyond our own noses, and that Prigozhins assassination could lead to a widespread rebellion by Wagner, which maintains around 25,000 fighters.

He added that his own army could also benefit from the experience of Wagner troops who, according to the deal struck with the Kremlin, are now free to move to Belarus.

This is the most trained unit in the army, Lukashenko said of the incoming Wagner fighters, according to Belarusian state media. Who will argue with this? My military also understands this, and we dont have such people in Belarus.

People fail to understand that we are approaching this in a pragmatic way  [Wagner has] been through it. Theyll tell us about the weaponry, what worked well [and what] worked badly.

Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to base, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 24, 2023. (Reuters)

Wagner Rebelled Against Senile Russian Defense Leaders



Prigozhin, an ex-convict and restaurateur, founded Wagner in 2014 after serving Putin as a caterer for the Kremlin. The companys troops have since fought throughout numerous theaters, including in the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Sudan, and Syria, in addition to Ukraine.

The group is designated by several nations as a terrorist group and has been widely condemned for its many human rights violations, including the frequent use of sledgehammers as a method of torture and execution.

Wagner has nevertheless gained a large cult following in Russia for its nationalist rhetoric and refusal to cede ground in Ukraine, even as the Russian military surrendered whole cities at a time.

Prigozhin halted what he referred to as his march of justice on Moscow after Lukashenkos intervention. Wagner troops in Russia have since been ordered to surrender their heavy weapons, including tanks, aircraft, air defense systems, and howitzers.

The apparent mutiny was the boiling-over point of a long-running and highly-publicized feud between Wagners Prigozhin and Russian military brass.

In a series of viral speeches on Telegram, Prigozhin has alleged for months that the Russian militarys incompetence resulted in mass ammo shortages and an overwhelming number of untrained conscripts being sent to the front lines in Ukraine.

The enmity between Wagner and Russias military leadership exploded last week, when Prigozhin claimed that Russian forces had conducted airstrikes against Wagners rear bases, killing those fighting for Russia. The Russian defense ministry denies the allegations.

Following that incident, Prigozhin vowed to purge the evil from Russias military leadership, seized the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don without resistance, and announced his march on Moscow.

Prigozhins demands included the removal of Russias Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, according to a transcript of a conversation between Prigozhin and military leadership published on Telegram by Wagner and translated by Meduza.

Well remain here until we have [Gerasimov and Shoigu]; well blockade the city of Rostov and go to Moscow, Prigozhin said.

Prigozhin added that he believed it was necessary to remove senile clowns from the Russian bureaucracy to end the disgrace of Russias losses in Ukraine.

Were saving Russia, Prigozhin said.

It is unclear how Lukashenko came to mediate the crisis between Prigozhin and Putin, but he claimed that such was necessary to prevent Belarus from falling into its own civil war as a result of Russian collapse.

If Russia collapses, we will remain under the rubble; we will all perish, Lukashenko said.

Lukashenko has worked to tie his nations fate to that of Russia in recent years. Belarus served as a critical staging point for Russian troops invading Ukraine last year, and this month, the nation began to house tactical nuclear weapons for Russia.

Lukashenko boasted that the weapons were three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945. He also claimed that there is currently no need to deploy strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus.

It is the first time Russia has deployed the shorter-range, less powerful nuclear weapons outside its territory since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Reaching Net Zero Will Need 450 Percent Increase in Mining: Australian Treasurer

Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down the 2023 Budget in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on May 9, 2023. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

Australias Federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has said that a 450 percent increase in mineral production will be needed to meet net zero by 2050.

This comes as Resources Minister Madeleine King released a new strategy (pdf) for making Australia a global producer of raw and processed critical minerals.

Speaking at the 26th World Mining Congress in Brisbane on June 29, Chalmers said Australia stands ready to play a part in meeting the worlds climate goals by 2050 but admits that this requires a strong and successful resources sector.

We cant generate renewable energy or get to net zero without the copper and cobalt that go in solar panels and wind turbines, he said.

And we cant store it without the lithium, nickel, and graphite needed for batteries.

Thats why, on some estimates, meeting the worlds climate goals by 2050 will require a 450 percent increase in the production of these minerals.

The interim CEO of Newcrest Mining, Sherry Duhe, also revealed the cost of producing electric cars was far higher than conventional vehicles.

When you look at the amount of earth we have to move to produce one car, its ten tonnes, she told the Congress.

And when you think about that in terms of being six times the total material you need for a conventional vehicle, it just shows you the enormity of the problem and the challenge that were facing. And thats just to electrify vehicles; thats just one element of the electrical system.

Previously, mining magnate Gina Rinehart has made similar statements.

You simply cant build minerals-guzzling electric vehicles without massive mines. The average electric vehicle contains over 206 kilograms of copper, lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements, Rinehart said in May.

Currently, Australia is the worlds largest producer of lithium, third-largest producer of cobalt, and the fourth largest producer of rare earths.

Chalmers said that Australia has what the world needs in terms of critical minerals.

And many of those resources are right here in Queensland.

However, BHP CEO Mike Henry said that increasing mining royalties in the state of Queensland, as well as recent policies in state and federal governments, would compel companies such as BHP to pull investment from the region, despite major opportunities in critical mineral mining.

Capital is global. It will flow to where the risk/returns ratio is most attractive. Where governments act unpredictably and unreasonably, they increase risk for investment, he told attendees at the World Mining Congress in Brisbane on June 27.

In 2022, the Queensland government raised mining royalties amid rising public spending.

Federal Environmental Approves New Mine Despite Criticism From Greens

In May, Federal EnvironmentMminister Tanya Plibersek granted approval for Australian miner Bowen Coking Coals Isaac River project with a five-year lifespan for producing steel-making coal. The coal mine is in central Queensland.

This was a first for the minister, despite accusations from Greens environmental spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young, who said that the coal mine would fuel global warming.

The environment minister has the final say in approving major projects of environmental significance under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

The Albanese government has to make decisions in accordance with the facts and the national environment lawthats what happens on every project, and thats whats happened here, Plibersek said.

However, in February, Plibersek vetoed Clive Palmers proposed coal mine site in the Great Barrier Reef catchment due to concerns over environmental damage.

In May, Plibersek also rejected two other Queensland coal mine proposalsthe MacMines China Stone mine and the Stanmore Resources Range projectdue to the proposals failure to provide information on potential damage to the environment.

Coordinated Approach Between Industry and Government

Chalmers outlined three factors federal Labor would capitalise on in the mining sector.

One, building new resilience in supply chains. Two, making the right critical mineral investments that work for our people and our international partners. And three, linking critical minerals up properly with a broader effort to drive growth through the energy transformation, he said.

Chalmers added that a central strategy to the plan is building international partnerships that will help diversify the supply chain.

Currently, there is one country that dominates processing for copper, rhenium, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and virtually every other critical mineral and rare earth I could nameand thats China, he said.

This kind of concentration isnt going to lead to the strong, secure supply chains that we need, and if critical minerals are going to create the opportunities that they should for the global community, weve got to address it.

According to the strategy, the government will target $500 million of new investment into critical mineral projects via the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

Additionally, the existing National Reconstruction Fund will add an additional $1 billion for value-add in resources to support critical mineral projects. Another $3 billion is earmarked for renewables and low emission technologies priority areas.

Increasing Australias sovereign capability in mineral processing will involve moving beyond exporting ores and undertaking more concentration, separation, refining and smelting onshore, the strategy report states.

We can use these highpurity, value-added chemicals and metals to realise economic benefits for Australia.

Queensland Resources Councils (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the council welcomed federal Labors Critical Mineral Strategy.

Queensland has abundant reserves of the new minerals the world needs as we transition to a decarbonised future, and the Federal Governments Critical Minerals strategy recognises that more mines will be needed if we are to meet ambitious emissions reduction targets, Macfarlane said on June 20.

Meanwhile, Rio Tinto CEO Sinead Kaufman told attendees at the World Mining Congress that mining has always been key to Australias wealth.

In the last few years, as decarbonisation, critical minerals and increasingly complex geopolitics have put the importance of mining back on the global agenda, it is clear that there are still some elements of what was true last century that still holda good quality resource and great people to develop and mine it are still important, Kaufman said.

A very strong ability to partner with communities, stakeholders and governments as well as other industry partners has also become an even more important factor for success.

Daniel Y. Teng contributed to this report.
Remembering the Forgotten War: The 2IDA Memorials Foundation Announces Modification of 2nd Infantry Division Memorial

A commemoration event will be held on Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, the 2IDA Memorials Foundation will host an event at its 2nd Infantry Division Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 26, highlighting the often-overlooked history of the DMZ War. The occasion will also serve to announce an extension of the memorial to honor both American and Korean soldiers who laid down their lives during this conflict.

The proposed modification has received Congressional approval, being the successful outcome of tireless efforts by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and former Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska). The changes will reflect the significant role of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) in the DMZ War during the late 1960s, an event largely overshadowed by the Vietnam War, and its subsequent impact on the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

The DMZ War, launched by communist North Korea in an attempt to destabilize South Korea and drive American forces who remained on the Korean Peninsula following the Korean War in the 1950s, saw numerous U.S. Army battalions deployed along a stretch of the Demilitarized Zone. Despite its significance in shaping the geopolitics of the region, the history of this war remains less widely recognized, and the upcoming event aims to rectify this.

The broader purpose of the 2ID Memorials Foundation is to educate both Americans and Koreans about the shared history and enduring relationship between the two countries. Americans are almost entirely unaware of the DMZ War and the special relationship that was forged during that era, which marked South Korea as one of Americas most important allies, explained Aves Thompson, a 2nd Division veteran and Chairman of the 2ID Memorials Foundation.

The 2ID Memorial, located in Presidents Park, was first dedicated in 1936 to the fallen of World War I and rededicated in 1962 with additions for World War II and the Korean War (195053). However, the veterans and the members of the 2IDA felt the memorial needed to be updated to honor the fallen soldiers of the DMZ War (196669), the Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army (KATUSAs), and those who sacrificed their lives during the War on Terror (200103). The Foundations efforts resulted in Congressional permission to expand the memorial.

Thompson, a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Conference on Weights and Measures, has served as the Chairman of the 2ID Memorials Foundation since 2016. He believes the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement that halted the Korean War offers an exceptional opportunity to educate Americans and Koreans about the history of the Alliance.

The works on the memorial represent the importance of the shared history between the U.S. and South Koreaand the need for the young people of both countries to understand this history, Thompson emphasized, reiterating the sentiments expressed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and President Joe Biden during Yoons recent state visit to the United States.

President Yoons message of respecting those who gave their lives for their country aligns perfectly with the goals of the 2ID Memorial Project, according to Thompson. The Foundation plans to extend educational initiatives about the history of the U.S.-South Korea Alliance and its strategic importance today and in the future.

The Oct. 26 event will also serve as a platform to continue fundraising for the cost of re-engineering and reconstructing the 2ID Memorial in Washington, D.C. Despite the financial challenges, the project aims to educate, remember, and celebrate the unbreakable bond between the United States and South Korea, forged in the crucible of war.

The DMZ War

The DMZ War, also known as the Second Korean War, was a series of low-level armed clashes between North Korean forces and the forces of South Korea and the United States, primarily taking place between 1966 and 1969 at the Korean DMZ. This conflict emerged in the wake of a shift in the balance of power in North-East Asia following Chinas Cultural Revolution and the United States increasing involvement in the Vietnam War.

The Norths military campaign aimed to destabilize the South and its U.S. ally, launching a series of incursions and incitements that escalated into a full-scale conflict. Although lesser known, the DMZ Wars significance lies in its major impact on the regions geopolitics. It reinforced the vital role of the U.S.s presence and its commitment to South Koreas defense against Northern aggression.

The 2nd Infantry Division, integral to South Koreas defense, stood resilient against North Koreas provocations, thus facilitating the so-called Miracle on the Han River, South Koreas rapid economic development and democratization. However, this period of conflict and the heroes who fought in it has largely remained in the shadows of public historical consciousness, which the 2IDA Memorials Foundation seeks to change.

President of 2IDA: Aves Thompson

Aves Thompson has dedicated his life to public service, notably in the sectors of transportation, military affairs, and education. His versatile career, spanning over five decades, includes significant contributions in regulating commercial vehicles, advocating for truck safety, and commemorating the valor of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) in the Republic of Korea.

Aves Thompson, a 2nd Division veteran and Chairman of the 2nd Infantry Memorials Foundation (Courtesy of Aves)

Born and raised in Alaska, Aves began his career with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, working his way up to division director of the commercial vehicle enforcement program. He devoted 24 years to overseeing the regulations governing commercial vehicles in the state. His leadership was characterized by integrity, tenacity, and a deep commitment to safety. In this role, he also served as Chairman of the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), an organization of over 3,500 members dedicated to maintaining uniformity in national weights and measures laws. For his exceptional service and dedication, the NCWM recognized Aves with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Following his retirement in 2006, Aves wasnt one to simply rest on his laurels. Instead, he took on the role of Executive Director of the Alaska Trucking Association. For 13 years, he advocated for truck safety issues, reflecting his unwavering commitment to public welfare.

Today, Aves continues to serve in multiple advisory roles, contributing his expertise in transportation and logistics to various organizations. His responsibilities include serving on the Anchorage Port Commission, the Statewide Freight Advisory Committee, and the State Long Range Transportation Committee. He also advises the Engineering, Logistics, and Diesel Technology Schools at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Beyond his achievements in transportation and logistics, Aves has been instrumental in honoring the service and sacrifices of the 2nd Infantry Division veterans. He, himself, is a veteran of the 2nd Infantry Division, having served in the Republic of Korea from 1965 to 1966. As a member of the Communications Platoon of the 3rd Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, his responsibility was to ensure reliable radio communications for the battalion, a role he carried out with diligence and dedication.

Aves Thompson receiving an award from the Deputy Commander of Combined Forces Command (CFC) of U.S. Forces Korea in 2015. (Courtesy of Aves)

Continuing his connection to his military service, Aves served as president of the 2nd Indianhead Division Association (2IDA), leading the organization in its mission to serve the needs of the 2ID veterans. Under his leadership, in 2015, he led a contingent of 2ID veterans on two successful return visits to Korea.

Most notably, Aves has been instrumental in gaining Congressional and Presidential approval to modify the 2ID Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This initiative, undertaken during his tenure as Chairman of the 2ID Memorials Foundation since 2016, aims to honor the fallen warriors of the DMZ War and the War on Terror.

As we approach the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Aves continues to work tirelessly toward the expansion and preservation of the 2ID Memorial, ensuring that the sacrifices of these brave servicemen and servicewomen are not forgotten. His dedication to this cause truly embodies his commitment to service, respect for military history, and his deep-seated belief in the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

If you are interested in participating or donating, visit the 2ID Memorials Foundation website for more details.
Republicans Laud, Democrats Lament Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. (Front LR) Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Justice Elena Kagan. (Back LR) Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Politicians from both sides of the political aisle spoke out regarding the Supreme Courts historic June 29 Affirmative Action ruling with support and condemnation.

The decision struck down the use of racially based admission policies in the United States, ending the so-called affirmative action in higher education.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sent a tweet saying he agreed with the ruling and including a portion of Chief Justice John Robertss majority decision (pdf) which summed up the legal and moral rationale for the courts ruling: The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual-not on the basis of race.

Many universities have for too long done just the opposite, the chief justice went on.

And in doing so they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin.

Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Responses to the ruling were split firmly down party lines with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also lauding the ruling, saying: The Supreme Court made the right decision today. Colleges should not be able to discriminate against applicants based on the color of their skin.

Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif) offered her support for the decision saying, Todays decision is a huge victory for students of all backgrounds. All students should be able to achieve their American dream. Race-based education policies divide our nation, undermine global competitiveness, and prevent students from reaching their full potential.

These out-of-touch policies make the American dream out of reach. We should not hold students back and send a dangerous message that ones race and background matters more than ones merits and character.

Rep. Scott Franklin (R-Fla.) linked to an article on the ruling in his post saying, the decision was an important step to restore true Equal Protection under the 14th Amendment. Racial discrimination should play no part in the college admissions process.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) said the Supreme Court upheld the Constitution and reaffirmed that discriminating against someone based on their race is unconstitutional. The decision aligns with the views of most Americans as well as the spirit of MLKs [Martin Luther King] dream that people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.'

Democrats React

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) had harsh words for the courts decision saying, America is not yet a perfect union. Centuries of discrimination still divide us, most dramatically in economic opportunity. Much of that springs from college admissions.

The Supreme Court decision keeps the good old boys club alive, and the more perfect union on life support.

Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) took exception to the courts ruling saying that the Supreme Court has undermined the promise of equal and fair opportunity in America and has failed students who are disenfranchised in our education system.

The lawmaker went on to say in his full statement: Affirmative Action is a crucial tool used to ensure students of color, who have historically been impacted by lack of access, are not overlooked during the admission process and have a fair chance at attaining a quality education.

With their decision, the Court has denied minorities the promise of equal and fair opportunity in America and has failed students who are disenfranchised in our education system.

Fellow Texas lawmaker, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), also took a stand against the ruling saying, We must confront the SCOTUS decision on affirmative action at universities, a setback for equal opportunity in our education system.

It undermines efforts to address inequities and promote diversity. We should strive for inclusive education reflecting our diverse society.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) spoke out against the decision.

Im disappointed in the Supreme Courts ruling effectively barring the use of race as a factor in college admissions.

The Courts conservative majority just upended nearly 50 years of established precedent in a move that undermines the progress our country has made advancing racial justice.

Now, students of color will face admissions cycles that devalue their lived experience in America.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said she was deeply disappointed in todays Supreme Court decision which she said puts a huge roadblock in our work toward racial justice.

Ruling Details

The Courts decision to end the use of so-called affirmative action in higher education has long been a goal of conservatives.

The justices voted on the two separate cases, 62 and 63, to outlaw discriminatory admissions practices at U.S. colleges. The decision forces institutions of higher learning to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

The Court ruled on two separate appeals that were heard together on Oct. 31, 2022: Students for Fair Admissions Inc. (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, and SFFA v. University of North Carolina (UNC).

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion (pdf), joined by Elena Kagan, where she said the new decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

Because Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson served for years on one of Harvards governing boards, she recused herself from the Harvard case but wrote a dissent (pdf) in the North Carolina case, which Kagan and Sotomayor joined.

The justices votes in the Harvard case were the same as in the UNC case, except that Jackson did not participate.

Harvard and UNC are the oldest private and public universities in the United States, respectively.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says Hes Proud That Trump Likes Him

The comment at NewsNations Town Hall came after RFK Jr. pulls out of Moms for Liberty Conference

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy on June 28 said the focus of his 2024 campaign was to bring people together, and he doesnt want to alienate people.

In a town hall hosted by News Nations in Chicago, Kennedy was asked how he thinks of Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.

Im not going to attack other people personally, he said. I dont think its good for our country.

What Im trying to do in this race is bring people together is to try to bridge the divide between Americans.

Im proud that President Trump likes me, even though I dont agree with him on most of his issues.

Kennedy announced his presidential campaign in April, becoming one of two candidates challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. The other is author Marianne Williamson.

Moderator Elizabeth Vargas noted Kennedys supporters included a lot of leading voices on the right, such as former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, talk show host Tucker Carlson, and Alex Jones.

Trump also heaps praise for the Democratic hopeful.

Hes been very nice to me. Ive actually had a very nice relationship with him over the years. Hes a very smart guy and a good guy, Trump said of Kennedy during the radio talk show, The Howie Carr Show, on June 26.

A Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, stands on stage after being introduced during the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Womens Lilac Luncheon in Concord, N.H., on June 27, 2023. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

The former president stated that he was impressed by a surge of support for Kennedys 2024 presidential campaign.

Hes doing really well. I saw a poll; hes at 22. Thats pretty good! Thats pretty good, doing very well, Trump said.

Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, suggested he hasnt talked to his potential rival, but hes willing to do so in the future.

Hes a common sense guy, and so am I. So, whether youre conservative or liberal, common sense is common sense, he said. A lot of what I run on is common sense.

During Wednesdays town hall event, Kennedy highlighted his goal was to bring people together, and he felt flattered by the wide spectrum of supporters.

I want to bring people together. Im proud that all these people like me, and that I have independent supporters and Democratic supporters, and Im able to bring a lot of people, he said.

Every Democrat says, I want to end the polarization. But how do you do that without talking to people who dont agree with you? he continued. My purpose is to find the issues of values that we have in common other than focus on the issues and the personalities that keep us all apart.

President Joe Biden addresses union workers in Philadelphia, Pa., on June 17, 2023. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

I Dont Have a Plan B

There are also speculations that Kennedy would finally run as an independent, which Democrats say would hurt Biden and pave the way for Trumps return to the White House. Kennedy, who declared to be a lifelong Democrat, was asked whether he would back whoever his party nominated.

Oh, of course, Im not gonna do that, Kennedy replied.

So if you dont get the nomination, you wont support President Biden? Vargas asked.

I dont know what Ill do, Kennedy said. Lets see what happens in this campaign. Lets see  if people are living up to democratic values and having debates and having discussions and, you know, talking to each other, but Im not going to bite.

According to the latest RealClearPolitics average of polls, Biden leads the Democratic primary field with 64 percent of the vote. Kennedy places a distant second at 14.4 percent.

Pressed by Vargas about whether he would support a Republican presidential candidate or run as an independent, Kennedy said, My plan is to win this election, and I dont have a Plan B.

A sign reading We Do Not CO-PARENT with the Government is seen in the hallway during the inaugural Moms For Liberty Summit at the Tampa Marriott Water Streetin Tampa, Florida, on July 15, 2022. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Dropped out of Moms for Liberty Summit

Kennedy differs from Biden and progressive Democrats on multiple issues.

An environmental attorney and the founder of Childrens Health Defense, Kennedy is widely known for his outspoken stances about the dangers of the COVID-19 vaccines to some in the population who were forced to take them, and of vaccines in general.

Kennedy drew headlines last week when Moms for Liberty announced the Democrat presidential candidate would be a guest speaker at its annual summit in Philadelphia.

Moms for Liberty is a Florida-based nonprofit that has pushed for banning sexually explicit books in school libraries and limiting critical race theory in curricula. On June 20, a group of Democrats from the Pennsylvania Senate penned a letter to the Museum of the American Revolution, criticizing the decision to agree to host Moms for Libertys event and pressuring the museum to cancel it.

The convention, which will begin on June 29, features GOP hopefuls, including Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Former South Carolina Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson are also on this years speaker list.

On Monday, the non-profit group said Kennedy pulled out of the conference.

The RFK campaign told us his schedule changed ,and he can no longer speak to our Summit, Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

The press team of Kennedys campaign The Epoch Times on Wednesday that he dropped out for family reasons.

Samantha Flom and Jeff Louderback contributed to this report.
San Diegos First Safe Sleeping Camping Site for Homeless to Open June 29

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (back) listens as San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria speaks to members of the media during a press conference at Petco Park in San Diego on Feb. 8, 2021. (Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images)

San Diegos first new Safe Sleeping program site in the Golden Hill neighborhood will open on June 28, offering legal camping for those experiencing homelessness, Mayor Todd Gloria announced.

The citys Central Operations Yard has the capacity to hold 136 tents, each in a space measuring 13 feet by 13 feet. The number of people at the site may be larger than 136, as each tent can accommodate two people and clients may have a partner or caretaker, officials said.

Officials said Glorias announcement is ahead of the already aggressive timeline for launching.

The Safe Sleeping program is more than just a safe place to sleepits a place for people experiencing homelessness to be connected to the services they need to get back on their feet and to put them on a path toward permanent housing, Gloria said. The quickness with which weve stood up this site should be the standard for a crisis this urgent and underscores my pursuit of measures to cut bureaucratic red tape and speed our response to homelessness.

Officials said that as part of a contract with the citys Homelessness Strategies and Solutions department, Dreams for Change will operate the site, which will feature round-the-clock security.

Wednesdays announcement follows the City Councils recent approval of the Unsafe Camping Ordinance that will prohibit tent encampments in all public spaces throughout the city if shelter beds are available.

We announced our intention to open our first Safe Sleeping site at 20th and B on July 1. But we arent waiting that long. We are opening the site tomorrow. This will provide another safe place for people living in tents to go while also connecting them to services. #ForAllofUs pic.twitter.com/2aLwwv8wpU  San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) June 28, 2023

According to the city, the Golden Hill site will offer a safe and secure alternative to traditional congregate shelters, and feature basic-needs assistance, case management, food, resource referrals, and restrooms.

People will be transported to the location based on a referral by agencies such as People Assisting the Homeless or the San Diego Police Department.

Clients will also receive transportation to appointments or other activities. Councilman Stephen Whitburn said those using the site will have a safe place to sleep, while people in our neighborhoods will get sidewalks they can use.

Everyone will benefit when people experiencing homelessness move off of our sidewalks and come to this location instead, said Whitburn, a Safe Sleeping program advocate.

Councilman Joe LaCava called the new site the initial step in the citys 2024 budget investments in housing, outreach, rental assistance, shelters, and tenant protection.

Only by working together can we prevent homelessness, support them if they fall out, and expand housing opportunities, LaCava said.

The Safe Sleeping program will include another location at Lot O on the outskirts of Balboa Park, close to the Naval Hospital. When opened this fall, it will accommodate 400 tents, officials said.

That site and the Golden Hill location were chosen early last month after a review of vacant city-owned land, followed by preparation work.
The 2nd China Mango Industry Conference is held in Tiandong County of Baise City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, June 28, 2023.(China Mango Industry Conference/Handout via Xinhua)

NANNING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The 2nd China Mango Industry Conference was held on Wednesday in Tiandong County of Baise City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

During the conference, meetings, dialogues and forums were held simultaneously, and a mango price index was released for the first time. More than 300 officials, experts, scholars and mango suppliers from across China attended the conference.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Li Shanglan, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said China's mango industry has continued to boom in recent years.

According to Ning Yu, deputy director of the index division of China Economic Information Service, the Xinhua-Baise mango price index will serve as a "wind vane" for the market price of mangoes and provide a new tool for the digital management of the mango industry's development.

Guangxi, being a subtropical region, possesses distinctive geographical and climatic conditions that are conducive to the cultivation of mangoes.

Mangoes cultivated in Baise City benefit from a favorable environment with an abundance of sunlight and warmth.

In 2022, the city cultivated more than 30 varieties of mangoes with a planting area of over 900,000 hectares. The mango yield reached 1.25 million tonnes, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the country's total planting area and output, with a comprehensive output value of 13.4 billion yuan (about 1.86 billion U.S. dollars).

Tiandong County is a vital mango production area in Baise. The mango planting area of the county reached nearly 22,800 hectares, generating an output of 321,000 tonnes in 2022. This year the county is expected to see an output of 360,000 tonnes of mangoes. 
Senior Govt Officials Received CSIS Doc on Beijing Threats to MPs, Departments Confirm

Conservative MP for Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong appears as a witness at the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) regarding foreign election interference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on May 16, 2023. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press)

Three federal departments have confirmed that their senior leadership was provided with an intelligence assessment from Canadas spy agency that highlighted the Chinese regimes attempt to target MPs.

The information is highlighted in an order paper filed with the government by Conservative MP Michael Chong on May 5four days after the Globe and Mail published a report on the classified assessment and identified Chong as a target of Beijing.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had initially said on May 3 that he had learned about the issue from the Globe report and that the information had never left the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

Chong asked the government on what date and who at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the Privy Council Office (PCO), and Public Safety Canada (PS) received the document from CSIS.

The government provided its response on June 21, saying that GACs Intelligence Bureau received the CSIS assessment on July 2021. The document is titled PRC Foreign Interference in Canada: a Critical National Security Threat and is dated July 20, 2021.

As with all intelligence products, the report was provided to the appropriate GAC senior leadership through secure and classified channels on July 21, 2021, says the response.

Public Safety says it received it on the same date and that it was provided to the appropriate PS senior leadership the following day.

Never Notified

Then-public safety minister Bill Blair, currently minister of emergency preparedness, has blamed CSIS for not being briefed on the matter when he testified before a House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs committee (PROC) on June 1.

Blair said CSIS Director David Vigneault had determined it was not information he needed to know, and he was never notified of the existence of that intelligence, nor was it ever shared with me.

CSIS had also taken the step to send an issues management brief to Blair in May 2021 to advise him of Beijings actions and its intent to provide defensive briefings to MPs, but that also didnt make it all the way to the minister.

I think the fact that we did an issues management note speaks to the notion that we wanted to highlight the information, Vigneault told PROC on June 13.

As for PCO, it says it received the document on July 20, 2021, and it was included in the read package of acting National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the prime minister, David Morrison, on August 17, 2021.

Morrison had provided those details when he testified at PROC on June 13, while mentioning he had no recollection of receiving it or reading it at the time. He said his focus was on Afghanistan, which had fallen to the Taliban two days prior on August 15.

After eventually consulting the CSIS assessment, Morrison took the decision not to brief Trudeau on the matter.

It was not a memorandum for action, it was a report for awareness, Morrison said of the document.

Even though the CSIS assessment made it to the senior leadership of three relevant departments, the ministers say they were never briefed on the matter.

Inquiry

Former special rapporteur on foreign interference David Johnston wrote in his May 23 report that the failure to bring the information to ministers on this matter is certainly the most prominent, but not the only, example of poor information flow and processing between agencies, the public service and Ministers.

Trudeau had appointed the former governor general in mid-March instead of calling a public inquiry into foreign interference as requested by opposition parties. The NDP, which has a confidence-and-supply deal to keep the minority Liberals in power, passed a motion in the House calling on Johnston to step down.

Johnston initially resisted, saying his mandate came from the government, but eventually resigned on June 9, blaming the highly partisan atmosphere.

The Liberal government has shown some openness to holding an inquiry since, but no progress has been announced, with Trudeau saying opposition parties need to buy in to the process.
Sky-High Divorce Trending Among Chinas Super Wealthy

Divorce settlements offer major shareholders a way to cash out billions in stock

Investors look at a screen showing stock market movements at a securities company in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on Feb. 3, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas super wealthy couples are turning to divorce as a way to cash out stock and avoid tough sales restrictions. A slew of high-profile splitsnicknamed sky-high divorces because they are tied to high stock priceshave made the news recently, with massive quantities of stock changing hands in divorce settlements.

Analysts say corporate shareholders are employing the strategy for a variety of reasons, including the shaky state of the Chinese economy and the iron grip of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The communist leaders common prosperity mantra has caused many wealthy Chinese to fear for both their financial and personal safety.

But for the executives who control Chinas corporate giants, restrictions on the sale of A-sharesshares of mainland companies that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchangemake it difficult to cash out. Divorce settlements offer a way around those restrictions.

On June 20, Maxscend Technologies announced that Tang Zhuang, its controller, director, and deputy general manager, gave 6.1 percent of its shares to his ex-wife, Yi Gebing, as part of their divorce. The settlement, worth about 3.4 billion yuan ($473 million) totaled more than 80 percent of Tangs holdings in the company. Shares of the chip enterprise tanked after news of the settlement broke.

Prior to the change in equity, Tang held more than 40 million shares of Maxscend, accounting for 7.67 percent of the total share capital of the company; his ex-wife was not a shareholder. After the settlement, Yi renounced her voting rights, so Tang remains the companys controller.

The $1.25 Billion Break-up



Two months ago, an even more dramatic break-up made headlines, involving the founder and chairman of Chinese cybersecurity giant 360 Security Technology Inc.

Zhou Hongyi agreed to hand over 446 million shares, equal to nearly 6.3 percent of the companys total, to his ex-wife, Hu Huan. The settlement totaled almost 9 billion yuan, or about $1.25 billion.

Zhou Hongyi, Founder of 360 Technology Co. speaks during China Development Forum (CDF) 2023 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on March 25, 2023. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Zhou had held about 800 million shares of 360 Security, accounting for almost 12 percent of the total share capital of the company.

Hu did not own shares of the company before the change in equity. She was not involved in the company; therefore the change in equity had no substantial impact on its operation and management.

In all, the last three months saw at least five sky-high divorces, involving billions of dollars worth of stocks. Executives at Tongcheng New Materials, Shenzhen Kexin Communication Technologies, and Hubei Forbon all transferred large amounts of stock as part of divorce settlements.

Cashing Out Post Divorce



After the behemoth settlements, many wealthy ex-wives reduce their holdings or cash out.

The latest example of this is Li Qiong, the ex-wife of billionaire Zhou Yahui. Zhou made his fortune as founder of game developer Kunlun Tech. In 2016, the couple divorced, and Li walked away with Zhous 298 million shares of Kunlun stock. Her shareholdings increased to 26 percent, worth nearly 7.5 billion yuan (around $1 billion).

Since the divorce, Li began selling her stake in the company but still held 11 percent of company shares, according to Yicai Global. On June 21, Kunlun Tech announced that Li planned to reduce her holdings by about 35 million shares, up to 3 percent of the firms stock. Shares of the company tanked after the announcement.

Chinese 100 yuan (RMB) bank notes are counted at a bank in Huaibei in eastern Chinas Anhui province on Sept. 24, 2013. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

A Question of Expediency

China is not the only country to make headlines for high-profile divorce cases, with mammoth stock settlements.

For instance, last year, in one of the most watched divorces, Microsofts Bill Gates transferred 2.4 billion in stocks to his wife, Melinda, upon their divorce.

And in July 2019, Amazons Jeff Bezos transferred $38 billion to his ex-wife, MacKenzie, making it the largest divorce settlement in history, and immediately making the former Mrs. Bezos the worlds fourth wealthiest woman.

MacKenzie Bezos promised to give away at least half of her fortune. In January 2020, Forbes reported that she had sold, gifted, or transferred about $350 million worth of Amazon shares.

What makes China different is that major shareholders of companies that are listed on Shanghai or Shenzhen exchanges cannot arbitrarily reduce their shares, since CCP regulators have strict rules in this regard. However, major shareholders can get around these restrictions by transferring their shares to their ex-spouses, who are usually exempt from the restriction, Japan-based current affairs commentator Li Yiming told The Epoch Times on June 24.

An ex-spouse probably doesnt work for the company, or even has nothing to do with it, Li said. As an ordinary investor, the ex-spouse can sell  shares at any time to cash out, Li said.

On the flip side of the coin, sometimes a divorce keeps stock in the family.

In May 2017, Chinas Securities Regulatory Commission issued regulations that required major shareholders, directors, supervisors, and executives of publicly listed companies to reduce their stock holdings. The following month, five listed companies announced that their senior executives had split shares as part of divorce settlementswithin the space of one week. Chinese state media was quick to notice, with the Beijing Youth Daily raising concerns about fake divorce for real cashing out.

A China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) sign is seen at its headquarters in Beijing, China, on Nov. 16, 2020. (VCG via Getty Images)

Leaving a Sinking Ship

Li said that while not all sky-high divorces are simply a means of cashing out, the motivation for many of the splits can be understood at a glance.

The economic situation in China is clearly getting worse and worse, he said. Many rich people want to flee, but most of their wealth is in the stock market, so how can they transfer their wealth? [They] have to find a way to reduce holdings and cash out.

The CCP boat is going to sink, but before it sinks, everyone wants to maximize as much profit as possible. Thats what the whole Chinese society thinks now.

Meanwhile, China is expected to once again lead the world in wealth migration.

According to estimates by Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2023, released June 13 by British consulting firm Henley & Partners, China will lose 13,500 high-net-worth individuals this year, the highest number in the world. Thats 2,700 more millionaires leaving in 2023, up 25 percent from last years total.

The figures do not include Hong Kong, which is expected to lose another 1,000 millionaires this year.

Ellen Wan contributed to this report.
Stagnant Population, Shrinking Economy Bode Ill for Michigans Future, Studies Warn

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at Ford's press conference announcing its partnership with Chinese EV battery maker to create a new EV battery park in Marshall, Mich., on Feb. 13, 2023. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Michigans Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmers potential place on her partys presidential ticket may be threatened after a pair of studies showed her state is in population and economic freefall.

After her easy reelection in November 2022, Whitmer has been talked about as a possible replacement for Vice-President Kamala Harris or as a strong candidate for president should Joe Biden drop out of the race.

All that may be jeopardized by studies conducted by the privately funded, nonprofit Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRCM) and Altarum, a nonprofit, quality-of-life research organization.

The two organizations combined their findings and published a series of reports in May.

For the purposes of this article, the reports will be referred to as the study.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) (L), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (2R), former Vice President Joe Biden (2L), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) (R), at a campaign rally at Renaissance High School in Detroit, Mich. on March 9, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The study said that Michigan has fallen behind other states in population growth, jobs, earnings, health, educational achievement, and the quality of public services.

The research also found that Michigan is relatively poor when compared with the average state, ranking 34th of 50 in both real per capita personal income and real median household income as of 2021.

The latest data for 2022 ranks Michigan 38th in personal per capita income, 13 percent below the national level.

In terms of workforce participation, Michigan ranks in the bottom 10 of the 50 states.

Less Educated Population

Michigan also ranked 34th in the percentage of its 25 and older population that held either a two or four-year college degree.

The study said the states high school graduates are not meeting college readiness standards and in 2022 those in grade 4 and grade 8 scored below the national average in math and reading.

Absent policy changes and investments, Michigans current path will lead to a shrinking population and continuing declines in the states competitiveness and quality of life, the study said.

On June 1, 2023, Whitmer issued an executive order creating a 28-member commission composed of government officials, business leaders, academics, and social activists tasked with reversing, or at least stabilizing, the dismal demographic trajectory of the past 50 years.

The CRCM study found that from 2000 to 2020 Michigan grew more slowly than all but one state. The trend is projected to continue for the next 17 years, until about 2040 when the states population will start to shrink as deaths begin to exceed births.

With large numbers of young people leaving the state in search of better opportunities, the study projects that by 2030 the working-age population (18 to 64) of Michigan will shrink by 150,000 people, while the retirement-age segment will increase by 450,000.

These population trends will affect the talent pipeline, the level of employment, the demand for goods and services, the tax base and fiscal environment, and the potential for growth over the next decade and beyond, the study said.

Former Industrial Powerhouse

In the early 20th century, Michigan became the automobile manufacturing capital of the world, with Detroit, its largest city, earning the nickname The Motor City.

For decades the prospect of good-paying jobs in the auto industry drew people from all over the country to the Great Lakes State.

During the 1940s, Michigan converted its formidable manufacturing base to wartime production with the state being dubbed The Arsenal of Democracy.

According to the study, strong population and economic growth continued from 1940 through the 1960s, making Michigan the nations seventh most populous state.

Through the 1970s and 1980s free-trade policies brought about a sharp jump in the number of foreign-made cars imported into the United States, resulting in the gradual shrinking of Michigans manufacturing base. Wages and benefits declined and thousands of jobs were lost.

These factors contributed to a slowing and then leveling off of the states population growth.

Jim Farley (L), CEO of Ford; Bill Ford (C), executive chairman of Ford Motor Company; and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (R) announcing at a Feb. 13, 2023, press conference in Romulus, Mich. that Ford will be partnering with a China-based company to create an electric-vehicle battery plant in Marshall, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

As more people began moving out of the state than moving in, the 1980 census showed Michigan had dropped to the eighth most populous state.

By 2023 the state dropped to 10th.

According to the study, the states population actually declined at a rate of 0.3 percent per year from 2004 to 2010.

The signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1992; China being given most-favored-nation trade status in 2000, followed by the 2001 acceptance of China into the World Trade Organization and its designation as a developing nation, combined to trigger a mass closing of Michigan factories, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.

In 1990, manufacturing jobs made up 25 percent of employment; by 2021, that percentage had dropped to around 16 percent.

The result of this 30-year transition is that Michigan slowly saw employment shift from higher-wage to lower-wage employment sectors, the study showed.

Electric Cars Will Cost Jobs

The study said that the ongoing shift away from gasoline-powered to electric-powered vehicles reduces the production hours required for each unit by 30 percent.

Gasoline-powered vehicles contain 30,000 components, while electric vehicles have about half that many.

These two factors have caused the further loss of jobs among automakers and their network of small parts manufacturersa trend that is expected to accelerate.

From 2000 to 2020 West Virginia was the only state to fare worse than Michigan in maintaining its population. The Mountain State posted a loss of one percent of its people, while Michigan only gained one percent.

This occurred at a time when Americas total population grew by 18 percent.

During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Michigans population went down. It also declined in 2022.

The states political clout based on the number of seats in the U.S. House of Represents plummeted from 19 congressmen in 1970 to 13 in 2020.

This reduced the number of the states Electoral College votes from 21 to 15 during the same time period.

Fewer Students, Workers

Between now and 2030, the current number of children in Michigan (2.15 million) is projected to fall by 110,000, or about five percent.

The impact on K12 education of the declining number of children has already posed difficulties for many local, public school districts, whose state funding is based on a per-pupil formula.

The working-age population is projected to decline by more than 160,000 people (2.7 percent) by 2030, begging the question of whether there will be enough people around to care for the increasing numbers of elderly.

Fewer working-age people employed in the already staff-strapped healthcare industry could mean greater shortages of nurses and other caregivers as the elderly population rises.

As a result of an aging population, it is projected that Michigan will be home to half a million more retirees in 2050 than in 2020.

Between 2020 and 2040, the population over 65 will rise by about 30 percent.

The steep increase in the number of elderly people is not being offset by the hundreds of Michigan retirees moving permanently to Florida each year, the study said.

Older, Sicker, Poorer

CRCM researchers wrote, Michigan is an older than average state and so will see the impacts of an aging population ahead of much of the nation.

Michigans real estate market could also suffer due to a lack of demand on the part of the shrinking working-age population.

Because more people are expected to continue to move out of Michigan than move into the state, the net loss of people will exceed 270,000 over the next 30 years, the study said.

According to the study, Michigan gains about 20,000 people per year from international migration. This represents about two percent of the total number of legal immigrants arriving in America annually.

Efforts to provide housing for the influx should be accelerated and more resources must be allocated to English language instruction, as part of a plan to make Michigan more attractive to foreign immigrants, according to the study.

Making Michigan an LGBT-friendly place, as well as embracing a youth-friendly social agenda, are seen as positive ways of attracting young, educated move-ins from other states to build up the workforce and boost the population.
State Department Not Measuring Its Greenhouse Gases Despite Biden Executive Order: GAO Report

US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to the traveling press following the COP21 U.N. conference on climate change in Le Bourget, near Paris, on Dec. 12, 2015. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

Some 450 U.S. diplomatic officials and employees attended two U.N. climate conferences, but nobody in the State Department knows how much greenhouse gases were emitted as a result of that travel, despite President Joe Bidens 2021 executive order directing the federal government to measure its emissions, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The U.S. delegation to the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, from Oct. 31, 2021, to Nov. 12, 2021, included 191 federal executive branch officials and employees, and the 27th conference (COP27) met in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from Nov. 6, 2022, to Nov. 20, 2022, with 259 U.S. officials in attendance.

State Department officials told the GAO the meetings merited sending such large U.S. delegations because of the importance of dealing with climate change issues and the difficulties of negotiating in a virtual setting.

State Department officials told us that there is no substitute for attending COP meetings in person, because negotiations are complex and typically run all day and night for a number of days. Specifically, they said that informal side discussions are an essential mode of reaching agreement, and that such interactions would be almost impossible to replicate in a virtual setting, the GAO report reads.

State officials also stated that meetings of annual Conference of the Parties are considered to be important gatherings for the numerous organizations that have a strong stake in the outcomes of the deliberations, and they attract thousands of academic experts, civil society leaders, nongovernmental organization advocates, business and labor leaders, and government officials.

They said that it is implausible that the U.S. would not send a strong negotiating team to these meetings in order to ensure that outcomes are consistent with U.S. policy and to maintain U.S. leadership and influence in the face of challenges from other countries on such a consequential issue.

French President Francois Hollande (R), French Foreign Minister and COP21 President Laurent Fabius (2nd R), U.N. Climate Chief Christiana Figueres (L), and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon celebrate after the final conference at the COP21 in Le Bourget, Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

In a footnote, the GAO report states that State Department officials also claimed that the world was headed for well over 2C of warming by the end of the century, missing the goals of the Paris Agreement and posing significantly worse climate risks.

They said that, based on the outcomes and pledges that emerged from COP26 in Glasgow, the International Energy Agency (IEA) calculated that fulfillment of these commitments would be enough to hold the rise in global temperatures to 1.8C by the end of the century, the report reads.

There are no data on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the process of sending, supporting, and returning the U.S. delegations because, the GAO said it was told, State Department officials have no systematic way to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. delegation travel to COP26, COP27, or any past meetings of the Conference of Parties.

The State Department also told the GAO that theyre developing methods to estimate future travel emissions, but they also claimed that there are no data to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from the full delegation travel to COP meetings because each participant makes their own travel arrangements using the travel management systems of their agency.

Further, they said that the White House has information about which officials traveled on Air Force One, but State does not have access to that information, the report reads.

Bidens executive order directing the State Department and all other departments and agencies to begin measuring greenhouse gases resulting from their operation was issued on Dec. 8, 2021, followed by an implementation plan in August 2022.

The only recommendation from the GAO was that Secretary of State Antony Blinken ensure that the State Department consistently estimates greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. delegation travel to meetings of the UN Conferences of the Parties to align with the executive order.

The GAO report was requested by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

The gas is always greener when youre burning fossil fuels in the name of saving the planet, Ernst said in a statement provided to The Epoch Times. While giving lip service to greenies, Biden bureaucrats are blatantly emitting the greenhouse gases they demonize. The double standard is clear, and Americans have had enough of this hot air. Its time for Biden bureaucrats to face the facts: According to their own actions, American-made fossil fuels are not the enemy. I am committed to exposing this hypocrisy.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) speaks to the crowd during a Defend the Majority rally for U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and Sen. David Purdue (R-Ga.) at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center in Perry, Ga., on Nov. 19, 2020. (Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Cotton said in the same statement: Joe Biden and his officials say they are addressing an existential crisis by participating in climate conferences, all while traveling on private jets to and from the conferences. The Biden administration should instead focus its efforts on American energy productionor at the very least, let American taxpayers know about the private travel they are paying for.

Capito said in the statement: Americans are tired of bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. who dont practice what they preach when it comes to protecting the environment. In the Biden administration, the same people who are closing down power plants across the country and forcing Americans to buy electric vehicles are also the ones flying to climate conferences and using fossil fuels without apology.

Ernst also said shes giving her latest Squeal Award, which calls out what she describes as wasteful government spending, to Bidens Climate Envoy, John Kerry, the former secretary of state and former Massachusetts senator, because Kerry also attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, stating it was truly extraordinary to be part of a select group of human beings  able to sit in a room and come together and actually talk about saving the planet.'

In April, Kerry was off to Japan to attend the G7 Ministers Meeting on Climate, Energy, and Environment, she said.

The Iowa senator also said shes introducing legislationthe Executive Branch Emissions Transparency Actto require a continuing calculation of the fossil fuels emitted by the travels of the climate czar, the president, and the rest of the Biden administration.
Supreme Court Rules for Christian Postal Worker

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on June 29 that a lower court applied the wrong standard in a case about whether the U.S. Postal Service violated the constitutional rights of an evangelical Christian mail carrier when the agency refused to accommodate his wish not to work on the Sunday Sabbath.

Supporters say the decision means more employers will be required by law to respect the religious beliefs of their employees by granting them workplace accommodations.

The ruling, which comes as the Supreme Court has become increasingly protective of First Amendment-based religious freedoms in recent years, interprets for the first time in many years a 46-year-old precedent known as Trans World Airlines (TWA) v. Hardison. The 1977 decision held that to reject an employees request for a religious accommodation under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the employer need only demonstrate that the accommodation imposes an undue hardship on the business.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote the courts opinion (pdf) in Groff v. DeJoy (court file 22-174). The respondent, Louis DeJoy, is the U.S. postmaster general.

Based on a line in this Courts decision in Hardison, many lower courts  have interpreted undue hardship to mean any effort or cost that is more than  de minimis. In this case, however, both parties  agree that the de minimis reading of Hardison is a mistake. With the benefit of thorough briefing and oral argument, we today clarify what Title VII requires.

The justices spent much of the oral hearing on April 18 discussing the meaning of de minimis, a legal expression meaning too minor to be meaningful or taken into consideration.

We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business, Alito wrote.

What matters more than a favored synonym for undue hardship (which is the actual text) is that courts must apply the test in a manner that takes into account all relevant factors in the case at hand, including the particular accommodations at issue and their practical impact in light of the nature, size and operating cost of [an] employer.

Having clarified the Title VII undue-hardship standard, the court leaves the context-specific application of that clarified standard in this case to the lower courts, the justice wrote.

The Third Circuit assumed that Hardison prescribed a more than a de minimis cost test, and this may have led the court to dismiss a number of possible accommodations, including those involving the cost of incentive pay, or the administrative costs of coordination with other nearby stations with a broader set of employees.

The Supreme Court remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Earlier this year and over the opposition of the Biden administration, the court agreed to take up the civil rights lawsuit of Gerald Groff, who began working as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in 2012.

Groff was a rural carrier associate who filled in for absent career employees and delivered packages for Amazon, the online retailer, under an agreement Amazon has with the USPS.

Groff worked at the Quarryville, Pennsylvania post office until he transferred to the Holtwood post office in August 2016. The postal service initially tried to accommodate his request not to work on Sundays, but he quit in 2019 after the agency stopped exempting him from Sunday work. He sued, claiming the postal service discriminated against him by refusing to accommodate his religion. The suit went forward under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which was originally passed in 1964, but was amended in 1972 to require employers to provide reasonable accommodation for religious employees.

The 3rd Circuit turned down Groffs appeal, finding that exempting him from working on Sundays, as he had asked, would have imposed an undue hardship on the postal service.

Title VII generally prohibits an employer from discriminating against an individual because of that individuals religion. The law defines religion to include all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employees or prospective employees religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business.

But in 1977, the Supreme Court narrowed the application of the religious provision. In Trans World Airlines (TWA) v. Hardison, the court held that an employer suffers an undue hardship in accommodating an employees religious exercise whenever doing so would require the employer to bear more than a de minimis cost.

Meanwhile, Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Sarah Parshall Perry praised the new decision.

The Supreme Court reminded employers that religious employees must not be forced to choose between their employment and their convictions, she said in a statement.

After the Trans World Airlines v. Hardison decision, courts for too long ruled that an employer was under no obligation to accommodate a religious employees on-the-job requests if the impact on the operations of that employer was even triviala standard unsupported by the text of Title VII itself.

Groff himself praised the new court decision in a statement provided by First Liberty Institute, which backed the lawsuit.

I am grateful to have had my case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court and that they have decided to uphold religious liberty. I hope this decision allows others to be able to maintain their convictions without living in fear of losing their jobs because of what they believe.

Aaron Streett of Baker Botts in Houston, Texas, who represented Groff at the Supreme Court, also hailed the new ruling.

We are thrilled the Court today recognized that an America that values religious pluralism should respect the religious liberty rights of every employee. Our nation has a long history of protecting its employees from being treated differently at work just because of their faith. This decision is consistent with that history and is a tremendous win for all people of faith.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State president and CEO Rachel Laser was relieved the court didnt go farther in its ruling. She also denied Groffs victory.

Were facing an aggressive movement working to weaponize religious freedom, but religious freedom must never be a license to harm others, and that remains true in the workplace. Today, in a unanimous opinion, the court clarified the standard for granting religious accommodations without overturning precedent, Laser said in a statement.

Religious accommodations that dont burden or harm others, like wearing a hijab or having a beard, or praying privately, are exactly what the law was designed to permit. In this case, however, Groff was hired as a part-time, flexible carrier at a 4-person post office, and he refused to show up for 24 Sundays of work. He refused to work the same flexible schedule for which he was hired, she said.

Importantly, Groff has not won this case. We live to fight another day.

The Epoch Times reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice, which represents DeJoy, but had not received a reply as of press time.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Race-Based Admissions at Colleges

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts attends the State of the Union address on Feb. 7, 2023, in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol. (Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)

The Supreme Court struck down on June 29 the use of racially discriminatory admissions policies at U.S. colleges.

The 63 decision ends the use of so-called affirmative action in higher education, a longtime goal of conservatives.

The ruling will be felt immediately as a million high school students begin applying for fall acceptance at the nations colleges and universities. Students may reportedly avoid stating their race or ethnicity in the Common App, which many use to apply to multiple schools at once.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote (pdf) for the court that, for too long, universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin.

Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice, he wrote.

In a footnote, Roberts carved out an exception in the ruling for military academies.

Because military academies didnt participate in the case and none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context, the new decision applies only to civilian educational institutions of higher learning, he wrote, noting that there may also be potentially distinct and compelling interests here related to national security.

This appears to mean that the court could in the future consider the use of affirmative action in admissions at military academies.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, writing that the majority decision rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits, the justice wrote.

In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

The case is actually two separate appeals that were heard together on Oct. 31, 2022: Students for Fair Admissions Inc. (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, court file 20-1199, and SFFA v. University of North Carolina (UNC), court file 21-707.

Roberts wrote the majority opinion in the UNC case, which was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett. The courts three liberal justicesSonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. This means the vote was 63.

The justices votes in the Harvard case were the same except that Jackson didnt participate in that decision after she recused herself because she has close ties to Harvard. Kagan didnt recuse herself even though she had been dean of Harvard Law School from 2003 to 2009. The vote in this case was 62.

SFFA calls itself a nonprofit membership group of more than 20,000 students, parents, and others, who believe that racial classifications and preferences in college admissions are unfair, unnecessary, and unconstitutional.

Harvard and UNC are, respectively, the oldest private college and the oldest public college in the United States.

In the Harvard case, U.S. District Judge Allison Dale Burroughs, who was appointed by then-President Barack Obama, previously found after a 15-day nonjury trial for Harvard, ruling that its admission policy that was said to discriminate against Asian American applicants wasnt motivated by racial animus  or intentional discrimination and was narrowly tailored to achieve diversity and the academic benefits that flow from diversity.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit upheld the lower courts decision, ruling against SFFA.

In the UNC case, U.S. District Judge Loretta Copeland Biggs, also an Obama appointee, previously held an eight-day nonjury trial to determine if UNC was complying with existing precedent.

The court approved the schools admissions policy because it uses race flexibly as a plus factor and only as one among many factors.

It found that UNC had no viable race-neutral alternatives to help it achieve the educational benefits of diversity about as well as its current race-conscious policies and practices.

The court stated that providing admissions preferences based on socioeconomic status instead of race wouldnt work because the majority of low-income students are white, so the schools would just be choosing more white students.

Race should be used by UNC indefinitely because its interwoven in every aspect of the lived experience, according to the court.

Until the United States one day resolves its struggle with racial inequality, minority students will continue to be less likely to be admitted in meaningful numbers on [race-neutral] criteria, it stated.

SFFA went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, but before it could rule on the case, the SFFA also sought review from the Supreme Court, which was granted.

In the majority opinion, Roberts wrote that the Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause.

Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful endpoints, he wrote. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.

Years earlier, then-Justice Sandra Day OConnor had predicted the demise of affirmative action.

In Grutter v. Bollinger, she wrote: We expect that 25 years from now the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today.

Making race-conscious admissions decisions is dangerous, OConnor wrote, calling it a deviation from the norm of equal treatment.

Such programs must be limited in time, she said, noting that all governmental use of race must have a logical end point.

While race cant be used as a factor in admissions decisions, this doesnt mean that college applicants have to refrain during the process from discussing race, the new opinion states.

Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise, Roberts wrote.

A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that students courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that students unique ability to contribute to the university.

In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individualnot on the basis of race.

Thomasthe nations second black Supreme Court justice after Thurgood Marshall, who left the court in 1991 and died in 1993who has long pressed to end affirmative action, wrote a 58-page opinion concurring with the majority.

The new ruling sees the universities admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes.

Jackson, the first black female justice on the Supreme Court, wrote in a separate, 29-page dissenting opinion in the UNC case that the majority opinion is truly a tragedy for us all.

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life, Jackson wrote.

And having so detached itself from this countrys actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve Americas real-world problems.

Sotomayor and Kagan joined Jacksons dissent.

Both schools stated that they were disappointed in the majority opinion.

Carolina remains firmly committed to bringing together talented students with different perspectives and life experiences and continues to make an affordable, high-quality education accessible to the people of North Carolina and beyond, UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement.

While not the outcome we hoped for, we will carefully review the Supreme Courts decision and take any steps necessary to comply with the law.

Harvard stated that it continues to support diversity.

We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday, the school said in a statement.

Three U.S. presidents, past and present, weighed in on the ruling.

President Joe Biden expressed dismay at the new majority decision, saying that this is not a normal court.

I strongly disagree with the Courts decision because affirmative action is so misunderstood, he said. Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not how college admissions work.

Former President Donald Trump said that this is a great day for America.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded, he said.

Former President Barack Obama lamented the ruling, saying affirmative action helped him and his wife.

Like any policy, affirmative action wasnt perfect. But it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged, he said.

Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.

Zachary Stieber, Emel Akan, and Janice Hisle contributed to this report.
House Bill Would Bar Unions From Disguising Organizers as Real Employees in Targeted Firms

When Michelle Eisen told a congressional hearing last year about her experiences working as a barista at a Buffalo, New York, Starbucks, she did so without disclosing that she was also a paid activist helping to organize the coffee chains first unionized shop.

Eisen was reportedly paid nearly $50,000 by the Workers United affiliate of the Service Employees International Union for helping in the campaign to organize Starbucks, an effort that, to date, has succeeded in unionizing more than 330 additional shops since 2010. A spokesman for the union also didnt respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), then-chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee before whom Eisen testified, didnt respond to The Epoch Times inquiry asking if he was informed of Eisens nondisclosure agreement, and if so, what was his response.

The Eisen incident focused national attention on a previously rarely discussed tactic used by unions thats known informally as salting a nonunion firm with newly hired employees who are paid to agitate for union representation and gather inside information about the companys practices.

With manufacturing jobs growing rapidly in the Southern tier of U.S. states, unions are expected to more actively employ salting in their campaigns to organize such facilities below the Mason-Dixon line, particularly in the auto industry, according to The Nation, a left-wing opinion journal with strong union ties.

If the UAW and the labor movement are serious about contending for power in strategic sectors of the economy like manufacturing, then salting in the auto industry must be considered a key task. There is no substitute for politically motivated workers organizing their coworkers from the inside of a facility, The Nation stated.

Incoming CEO Laxman Narasimhan speaks during Starbucks Investor Day 2022 in Seattle on Sept. 13, 2022. (Stephen Brashear/AP Photo)

Our hope is that well-educated workers who have earned their spurs in contract campaigns and strikes at large universities and elsewhere will now get auto jobs and make their mark in the industrial South.

But Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) has other plans for the union practice of saltingnamely, banning it. Allen introduced The Truth in Employment Act of 2023 on June 26, which would make it illegal for unions to insert organizers disguised as regular employees in a company thats targeted for a unionization campaign.

Big labor and union bosses will stop at nothing to coerce more American workers into unionization, even if it means targeting small businesses in need of new employees. The deceptive practice called salting is becoming more common across the country and is nothing more than a desperate attempt to strongarm nonunion employers into unionizing their workforce without a voteor forcing them to shut their doors, Allen said in a statement announcing his proposal.

The Truth in Employment Act is necessary to ensure employers are not required to hire an employee who enters the hiring process for the purpose of unionizing a workplace or to put the nonunion company out of business. Access to a reliable workforce is often the number one issue facing employers, and this legislation is an important step to make certain job creators are free to use their valuable time and resources to hire workers who actually want to work.

Enthusiastically cheering Allens efforts are officials of the National Right to Work Committee (NRTWC), which has, for decades, successfully championed laws adopted in 27 states that protect a workers right to keep his or her job without being forced to join a union.

Because the vast majority of Americans have little or no interest in unionization, union bosses are increasingly turning to unionization tactics that dont rely on worker support. They hope that by sending in salts to bring chaos and litigation, employers will capitulate and turn their workers over to union bosses they never voted for, NRTWC President Mark Mix said in a joint statement with Allen.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) often sides with union agents in these matters, ruling against employers who did nothing more than fire paid agitators from an outside organization. Congressman Allens Truth in Employment Act blocks this union legal tactic by making it absolutely clear that employers are well within their rights to refuse to hire union salts. Congress should pass the Truth in Employment Act to protect workers from being deceived and harassed at work by agents of a union that only want to take dues money out of their paychecks.

The labor union organizing push in the South could determine whether such worker groups have a future in the United States. Union membership in the country has steadily declined since 1983, when 20.1 percent of all employees were union members to just 10.1 percent in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Public employees are five times more likely to be union members, according to the BLS, which noted that 33 percent of such workers are unionized, compared to just 6 percent in the private sector.
Is this the loneliest house in the world? Looking at the mysterious island cottage standing on its own, the question of who lives there comes instantly to mind.

The house stands in the middle of Ellidaey, the most northeastern island in the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands), located south of Iceland. The cottage is not a residential home, but a hunting lodge built by the islands official hunting association.

Flocks of puffins are the targets, and hunters travel to the Vestmannaeyjar from far afield. Hunting puffins for meat is a tradition in the archipelago but everywhere else in the country, except the north where seabirds have been crucial to the survival of the population for centuries, the practice is banned.

Aside from the declining numbers of puffins, scarce other wildlife is found on Ellidaey, and no humans live there permanentlybut this wasnt always the case.

According to media reports, around three hundred years ago, five families made their home on the remote outcrop, living off seabirds, fish, and cattle that they raised on the green slopes. But it was a tough existence and by the 1930s, all inhabitants had deserted the island for a kinder life on the mainland.

The puffins had the island all to themselves for two decades until the hunting association arrived. In 1953 the cabin was built, relying on a generator for electricity and without modern luxuries including internet access, but with a little treat for hunting groups in the form of a reportedly impressive sauna.

The third largest island in the archipelago that consists of some 15 islands, Ellidaey is about 500 square meters (0.19 square miles) in size. It is easily accessible by boat from the mainland, which is 9 kilometers (approx. 5.5 miles) away.

But getting onto the island itself isnt so simple. Visitors must make use of a rope to climb from their boat up to the solid groundso only the fittest need apply.

Popular YouTuber and vlogger Ryan Trahan visited Ellidaey and videoed himself tackling the jump from the small boat he arrived on to the rope dangling down the cliffside.

This is the part of the video where I can never really illustrate how scared I am, he says in the video, and like just how dangerous this is for someone like me who has no experience doing anything, but I have to jump off of this boat into the deathly icy waters. I hope I dont fall.

Trahan succeeds in catching the rope but says, This is insane, before climbing up the rock to spend the night in the worlds loneliest house.

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
This Is Not a Normal Court: Biden Reacts to Supreme Courts Decision

President Joe Biden speaks about the US Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 29, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden on Thursday responded to the Supreme Courts decision to effectively end affirmative action in college admissions, criticizing the court for breaking with decades of precedent.

I strongly disagree with the courts decision because affirmative action is so misunderstood, Biden said at the White House before departing for New York.

Many people wrongly believe that affirmative action allows unqualified students to be admitted ahead of qualified students. This is not how college admissions work, he said.

Biden continued by saying that, in order to get into college, prospective students must first meet the schools initial requirements such as test scores and GPA. The students are then and only then chosen for the class depending on a number of factors, one of which is their race, he noted.

When questioned after his speech whether the Supreme Court is a rogue court, Biden replied, This is not a normal court.

The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the use of racially discriminatory admissions criteria at U.S. colleges is unconstitutional, thus banning the use of so-called affirmative action in higher education, a longtime goal of conservatives.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote (pdf) that for too long universities have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.

Biden, however, disagrees with the court, emphasizing that it is critical to make opportunities available to individuals who have been left behind.

I believe our colleges are stronger when theyre racially diverse, the president said. We cannot let this decision be the last word.

During his remarks, Biden advised the countrys colleges not to abandon their commitment to enrolling diverse student bodies that reflect all of America.

We need a new path forward. A path consistent with the law that protects diversity and expands opportunity, he said.

He urged universities to consider the unique challenges that each student has endured throughout life, including racial discrimination.

Students from the top 1 percent of family incomes in America are 77 times more likely to get into an elite college, he noted.

He also warned businesses against using the Supreme Courts decision as an excuse to abandon diversity and equality efforts.

We cannot let the decision be a permanent setback for the country, Biden said.

Many schools have made diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) one of their top priorities in recent years, hence they may continue to search for loopholes and workarounds, according to Brian Fitzpatrick, the Milton R. Underwood chair in free enterprise at Vanderbilt University Law School.

Although the Court did not overrule its precedent allowing universities to consider skin color in admissions, the decision today will make it very difficult for universities to continue doing so, Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

The Court recognized the Constitution guarantees equal treatment for all races, and exceptions to that rule should be rare and fleeting. I do not expect universities to take this decision lightly, he noted.

I expect universities to look for loopholes and workarounds. But at the end of its decision, the Court was clear that these workarounds will be illegal as well: What cannot be done directly, cannot be done indirectly.

Matthew Vadum contributed to this report.
Toronto Air Quality Ranks Among Worst in the World Amid Wildfires

Smoke from wildfires burning across both Ontario and Quebec blanket the skyline in Kingston, Ont., on June 6, 2023. (Lars Hagberg/The Canadian Press)

In a top 100 ranking of poor air quality and pollution in cities around the world, Toronto ranked sixth place for unhealthy air Wednesday.

The IQ Air Quality Index produces a daily live, major city ranking, and on June 28 at 7 p.m. ET, Toronto took one of the top spots on the list, with smoke from forest fires in parts of northeastern Ontario and Quebec hanging over the city.

For a brief period around 4 p.m. local time, Toronto was in first place as the worst city in the world for air quality, followed by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The thick smoke prompted Environment Canada to issue a warning for the Toronto area on June 28, advising that smoke plumes from fires over northeastern Ontario and Quebec were resulting in deteriorated air quality. Those very high levels of air pollution are expected to continue for the remainder of the day, improving in some areas by the end of the week.

The city of Toronto made changes to programming in response to the air quality, warning that certain individuals, including seniors, pregnant individuals, infants and young children and those with chronic heart or lung conditions are at a higher risk of health problems when exposed to air pollution.

Exposure to air pollutants can result in various symptoms, such as irritated eyes, increased mucus production, coughing and difficulty breathing, said the city, advising people to limit their outdoor activities and close their windows and doors, being mindful of exposure to excess heat.

Toronto suspended all outdoor activities at its early childhood learning and daycare centres, and moved city-run outdoor museum programs indoors on June 28.

As the day progressed into evening, Toronto trailed behind Chicago in first place, Dubai in second place, and Delhi, India, in third. U.S. cities Detroit and Minneapolis took fourth and fifth place respectively, largely due to drifting smoke blowing in from Canadas out-of-control wildfires.

The federal weather agency said air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.

Canada has an Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) as part of Environment Canada, which reports current air quality based on health risks. On June 28, the index was reporting high risks with regard to air quality in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

According to the Environmental Protection Agencys AirNow.gov site, on June 27, parts of Illinois, lower Michigan, and southern Wisconsin had the worst air quality in the United States, while Chicago, Detroit, and Milwaukee had air quality categorized as very unhealthy.

Fires burning in northern Quebec, in combination with a low pressure system over the eastern Great Lakes, are to blame for smoke travelling into northern Michigan and across Wisconsin and Chicago, according to meteorologists.

Between Jan. 1 and June 26, data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre indicates that 76,129 square kilometres of Canadian land including forests has burned across the country. As of June 28, there were 482 active fires across the country, including 240 burning out of control.

One-quarter of the fires currently burning are in Quebec.

According to Europes Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, smoke from Canadian wildfires is drifting across the Atlantic Ocean to Western Europe.

Record levels of emissions generated by the intense wildfire activity across Canada in May and June are having a major impact on air quality, both in Canada and further afield, the weather service said in an update on June 27.

The significant wildfire activity witnessed in Canada in May has continued and intensified throughout June  with significant long-range transport of smoke crossing the Atlantic and reaching Europe, said Copernicus.

Environment Canada indicated that smoke from wildfires in forests and grasslands can be a major source of air pollution for Canadians.

The fine particles in the smoke can be a serious risk to health, particularly for children, seniors and those with heart or lung disease. Because smoke may be carried thousands of kilometres downwind, distant locations can be affected almost as severely as areas close to the fire, said the department.
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Thursday in Beijing.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that China has always firmly supported the cause of the UN as a founding member. China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order, no matter where China is in history or what stage of development China has reached.

China firmly supports the central role of the UN in international affairs, firmly advocates and practices genuine multilateralism, and firmly upholds the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Wang said.

Wang said that China has put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative to address the deficits in peace, development, security and governance that the world is facing today. He said this is a response to the most common and urgent aspirations of developing countries and reflects China's responsibility as the largest developing country.

"Development is our common cause," said Wang, adding, "China is ready to strengthen collaboration with all UN agencies and work for the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on time."

Mohammed thanked China for its firm support for the cause of the UN and said that the two sides have carried out in-depth cooperation in areas such as maintaining peace and promoting development.

The UN appreciates and supports China's important initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, said Mohammed. "In the face of many global challenges, we must adhere to multilateral partnerships and look to China for leadership to jointly find solutions."

Mohammed also expressed her hope for strengthened cooperation with China on sustainable development, fighting climate change, desertification prevention and control, digital innovation and other fields. 
President Joe Biden touted Bidenomics Wednesday and his record on the economy.

Could a federal sales tax replace income tax? Former President Donald Trump is bashing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss new plan, as the two try to change minds in the Republican primary. Will Congress vote on it? We hear from a tax analyst about the implications.

A new report has more about what information government agencies had ahead of Jan. 6.

Trump is suing writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation. He accuses Carroll of persisting in claims that a jury rejected in a civil suit she brought against him.

Presidential candidate and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez appears to be unaware of who the Uyghurs are. His response in a recent interview is catching a lot of attention online.

National security expert Steve Yates explores the significance of the Chinese regimes spy base in Cuba. What could the Chinese Communist Party potentially be doing at the spy base?
Trump: Great Day for America As SCOTUS Rejects Affirmative Action in Colleges

Former President Donald J. Trump speaks during the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority conference at Hilton in Washington on June 24, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Former president Donald Trump and other Republican presidential candidatesincluding two who are ethnic minoritieslauded the U.S. Supreme Courts historic decision declaring that colleges cannot use race when considering which students to admit.

Because of the ruling nixing this type of affirmative action policy, Trump called June 29 a great day for America.

People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded, he said in a news release from his campaign. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for, and the result was amazing.

The courts justices voted on two separate cases, 6-2 and 6-3, to outlaw discriminatory admissions practices at U.S. colleges. The cases involved policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. An appeal has already been filed. The decision forces institutions of higher learning to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies, The Associated Press said.

Trump, whose statement was also posted on his Truth Social account, said the ruling has global implications. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world, he said.

Agreement From DeSantis, Too

The former presidents closest GOP rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, agreed the decision was correct.

College admissions should be based on merit, and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity. The Supreme Court has correctly upheld the Constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities, DeSantis wrote on Twitter.

The decision marks a return to the American ideal that people will succeed based on their strengths, without consideration for racial classifications, the former president said.

Our greatest minds must be cherished, and thats what this wonderful day has brought, he wrote. Were going back to all merit-basedand thats the way it should be!

Fundamentally Wrong To Use Race

Fellow GOP presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, both children of immigrants from India, joined Trump in praising the decision.

The world admires America because we value freedom [and] opportunity. SCOTUS reaffirmed those values today, Haley said in a tweet. Picking winners & losers based on race is fundamentally wrong. This decision will help every studentno matter their backgroundhave a better opportunity to achieve the American dream.

Ramaswamys reaction, also posted on Twitter, was short and to the point: Affirmative action is a badly failed experiment: time to put a nail in the coffin & restore colorblind meritocracy.

He later followed up with a longer statement, denouncing affirmative action as the single greatest form of institutional racism in America today. Ramaswamy also pledged that, if he is elected president, he would end it in every sphere of American life and would instruct the Department of Justice to end these illegal practices. Further, he would repeal President Lyndon Johnsons disastrous Executive Order 11246, which mandated that federal contractors adopt race-based hiring preferences. He concluded, Time to restore colorblind meritocracy once and for all.

However, a pair of other prominent minorities, former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, both reacted with disappointment.

Affirmative action was never a complete answer in the drive towards a more just society, former President Obama wrote on Twitter. But for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of Americas key institutionsit gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table.

In the wake of the Supreme Courts recent decision, its time to redouble our efforts, he said.

Michelle Obama issued a lengthy statement that concluded, Today, my heart breaks for any young person out there whos wondering what their future holdsand what kinds of chances will be open to them.

The Associated Press, Emel Akan, Andrew Moran, and Jackson Richman contributed to this report.
Trump Says He Didnt Have Any Documents in Audio Recording: It Was Bravado

Former President Donald J. Trump speaks during the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority conference at Hilton in Washington on June 24, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Former President Donald Trump said he was holding random sheets of papers, not revealing classified documents during an audio recording in which he was heard mentioning classified material.

I would say it was bravado, if you want to know the truth, it was bravado, Trump told ABC News and Semafor in an interview on June 27. I was talking and just holding up papers and talking about them, but I had no documents. I didnt have any documents.

I just held up a whole pile ofmy desk is loaded up with papers. I have papers from 25 different things, Trump added.

On Monday, CNN first aired the audio recording in which it sounded like the former president was describing military plans for an attack on Iran. A partial transcript of the recording appears to match up with a portion of special counsel Jack Smiths 37-count federal indictment against Trump, which describes a meeting between Trump, a writer, a publisher, and two members of his staff in July 2021. During the meeting, they talked about the attack plan while interviewing Trump for a memoir about his former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

In the recording, Trump said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley formulated an attack plan on Iran, despite claims reported by media that Milley feared the former president would start a war with Iran.

I just found, isnt that amazing? This totally wins my case, you know, Trump says in the audio recording. Except it is, like, highly confidential, secret, this is secret information. Look. Look at this, you attack, and.

Trump later says, These are the papers  this was done by the military and given to me. I think we can probably, right?

An unnamed speaker responds, I dont know, well have to see, well have to try to figure out a.

Declassify it, Trump interrupts, before adding, See, as president I could have declassified it.

Now I cant, you know, but this is still a secret, Trump says.

During the Tuesday interview, Trump was asked if he had any regrets about the ways he had handled classified documents.

No, I have no regrets, he said. I didnt have a classified document. There was no classified document on my desk.

The former president faces a total of 37 felony counts over his handling of documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort, including violating the federal Espionage Act and other federal statutes for allegedly making false statements, concealing documents, and conspiring to obstruct justice.

FBI agents raided Mar-a-Lago in August 2022, seizing over 11,000 documents and photographs without classified markings and around 100 documents marked classified or top secret. However, Trump has said he declassified the materials when he left office.

Trump Says Hes Not Concerned About Audio Recordings

Trump said the release of the audio recording amounted to election interference, more than anything else, but again said there was no indication he had acted inappropriately with classified documents.

Fox News asked Trump whether he was concerned about his voice appearing on the recording.

My voice was fine. What did I say wrong on those recordings? I didnt even see the recording. All I know is I did nothing wrong, Trump replied. We had a lot of papers, a lot of papers stacked up. In fact, you hear the rustle of the paper. And nobody said that I did anything wrong other than the fake news, which of course is Fox, too.

Fox News then asked Trump if he was aware of any additional audio recordings pertaining to his handling of classified documents.

I dont know of any recordings that we should be concerned with because I dont do things wrong, Trump said. I do things right. Im a legitimate person.

While stating he acted appropriately with government documents, Trump repeatedly referenced the discovery of classified documents in President Joe Bidens possession, as well as claims the Biden family engaged in bribery and influence peddling schemes.

Im not like Biden that gets hundreds of millions of dollars from people and countries, Trump said.

Election Polls

Trump, the leading presidential candidate in the crowded GOP field, is locked in a virtual dead heat in a hypothetical two-way matchup against President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

The poll, which was released on June 28, found that 47 percent of respondents supported Trump, leading Biden by one percentage point.

Though battling fierce legal headwinds, Trump leaves the rest of the GOP pack (including Ron DeSantis) looking like also rans and is running neck and neck with President Biden, said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy in a news release.

Trump received 49 percent of support, with the Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finishing second with 25 percent of support. Tied at third with five percent of support were former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The poll was conducted from June 22 to June 26 with 1,584 self-identified registered voters in Pennsylvania.

Ryan Morgan from NTD news contributed to this report.
Undercover Police Spying Wasnt Justified, Inquiry Rules

Metropolitan Police officers outside the Houses of Parliament in London on March 21, 2023. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

An inquiry into undercover policing has found that the great majority of clandestine operations in the early years of a controversial Metropolitan Police unit were unjustified.

An interim report, published on Thursday, examined the activities of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) that conducted undercover policing activities from 19681982. The purpose of the unit was to infiltrate political or single-issue groups to prevent or investigate serious crime, including terrorism, the report said.

The chair of the undercover policing inquiry, Sir John Mitting, said that the great majority of SDS deployments in the examined period didnt meet the criteria set out by the units purpose.

The inquiry revealed details of intrusion into peoples lives and the relationships that were forged by undercover police officers with members of the public.

The question is whether or not the end justified the means set out above. I have come to the firm conclusion that, for a unit of a police force, it did not; and that had the use of these means been publicly known at the time, the SDS would have been brought to a rapid end, Mitting said.

Senior officers within the Metropolitan Police and Home Office officials have failed to address a number of issues, developed as a result of SDS activities, said the inquiry.

This includes the police tactic of long-term deployments into political groups, which resulted in the development of sexual relations, intrusion into peoples lives, and befriending members of target groups.

One of the inquiry witnesses was Eleanor Fairbraida, who had a sexual relationship with undercover officer Mark Kennedy, without knowing his true identity. Kennedy was married and had sexual relations with at least 10 other women while working undercover in the period of 20032010.

Subversion of Our Democracy

These units should never have been there in the first place, Fairbraida told the PA news agency.

Its a subversion of our democracy, we were just trying to make the world a better place. The state covertly surveilling its citizens like it has done, and its thousands and thousands of citizens, not just the people involved in the inquiry, is a real subversion of democracy, she added.

The inquiry report said that gaining entry to peoples homes while undercover would generally vitiate the consent which the officer had been given and so might make him or her a trespasser.

The technique of using the identities of deceased children by police officers without the bereaved relatives consent should have been referred to senior Met staff and the Home Office, the inquiry revealed. The technique would have been bound to have given rise to legitimate public concern and to embarrassment to the Commissioner and to his police authority  the Home Secretary, said the document.

Responding to the findings, Met Commander Jon Savell acknowledged the distress caused by the undercover policing activities.

We know that enormous distress has been caused, and I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the apologies made to women deceived by officers into sexual relationships, to the families of deceased children whose identities were used by officers, and to those who suffered a miscarriage of justice because of the actions of SDS officers, Savell said in a press release.

He added that undercover policing has undergone radical reform and bore no relation to how it was conducted in the 1970s.

Members of the Police Spies Out of Lives campaign have criticised the undercover police activity, branding it unjustified and undemocratic, and condemned the misogynistic culture that pervades policing today.

Set up in 2015, the undercover policing inquiry began hearing evidence in 2020 from political activists, trade unionists, and women deceived into relationships.

The final report is expected to be published in 2026.
IN-DEPTH: US Ramps Up Transgender Procedures for Minors While European Countries Back Away

A transgender flag sits on the grass outside of the U.S. Capitol building, on May 22, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Much of America has turned a blind eye to how medical institutions in European nations have shifted away from transgender procedures, according to doctors who are critical of the U.S. model.

Dr. Julia Mason, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), told The Epoch Times that the push in the United States for transgender medical interventions on minors is primarily political and linked to profit-making.

The United States is becoming more of an outlier every day, Dr. Mason said. Every country that has taken a serious look at the evidence has concluded that medical transition of children is experimental, and the evidence doesnt support doing it.

In recent years, leaders in the U.S. health care industry such as the AAP have ramped up the promotion and use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and have even recommended gender transition surgeries for children.

But as President Joe Biden and blue states harden their political resolve to support what they call gender-affirming procedures as the only approach to treatment for the recent surge in gender dysphoria, red states are pushing back with legislation to protect minors from what many Americans see as child abuse.

The Wall Street Journal reported in May that 16 states have restricted transgender medical interventions for minors this year, while 16 others introduced similar legislation.

In his remarks at the White House on June 8, President Biden condemned attempts to ban sex-change surgeries and transgender medical interventions on children, calling such proposed legislation cruel and callous.

In contrast, European medical institutions in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and France are growing increasingly skeptical of what supporters call the gender-affirmation model, citing a dearth of evidence that the benefits of such medical interventions for minors are worth the risks.

Britains National Health Service announced on June 9 that it would ban the use of puberty blockers on children, except in clinical trials. Meanwhile, an independent and systematic Cass Review in 2022 led to the closure of the Tavistock Clinic in London.

The Political Divide

In the United States, pushback from detransitioners and conservative, religious, and parental rights groups against gender ideology has triggered protests organized by trans activists, including far-left Antifa militants.

Transgenderism, Dr. Mason said, has become a political tribal marker and a wedge issue.

Dr. Julia Mason speaks at the First Do No Harm rally against transgender medical interventions in youth in Anaheim, Calif., on Oct. 8, 2022. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

Im a Democrat, she said. California is one of the most Democratic states, and being pro-transition, pro-transgender, pro-pediatric transition is a Democratic tribal marker, and so California is just leading the way on that topic for that reason.

Many people are treating the gender-affirming model as though it were settled medical science, she said.

Were far from settled science, and its just getting more unsettled, Dr. Mason said, noting that a paper she wrote, Far from Settled Science: a Call for Caution in the Care of Gender Dysphoric Youth, was rejected by the Journal of Pediatrics about three years ago.

Dr. Mason, who practices medicine in Oregon, has also drafted a resolution calling on the AAP to align its treatment recommendations for gender dysphoria with findings from systematic reviews of evidence. It states that as of February 2023, there is no evidence that the AAP plans to conduct a systematic review of evidence related to gender dysphoria treatments, pursuant to the AAPs Statements, Technological Supports and Manuals in Progress on its Section on LGBT Health and Wellness.

Although nearly two dozen AAP fellows signed the resolution, Dr. Mason couldnt find anyone in the organizations leadership to co-sponsor it so that it could be put to a vote.

Dr. Mason is also an adviser to Genspect, an international alliance of professionals, transgender people, detransitioners, parent groups and others that offers an alternative to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care, and a board member of the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine, which promotes ethical and evidence-informed healthcare for children and young adults with gender dysphoria and opposes all transgender medical interventions on anyone under the age of 25.

She said that while mature adults can make their own decisions, she worries about vulnerable adults, especially those with undiagnosed autism, making life-altering decisions to transition.

I dont want to block all transition. I just think people should be made aware of whats going on, she said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) proposed legislation to block funding for childrens hospitals that offer gender-affirming caresuch as surgeries, hormone therapy, and puberty blockersmedical interventions that he said arent backed by scientific data and can cause serious irreversible damage to children.

Rep. Crenshaw called the interventions on minors a human rights atrocity  within the very institutions that should know better, in a June 9 statement.

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw speaks during a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing in Washington on June 14, 2023. (Screenshot via YouTube/Rep. Dan Crenshaw)

In a place where do no harm is the ultimate guiding principle, there is no excuse to ever perform these treatments that permanently alter a childs physiology, he said. From now on, we will not allow a dime of this taxpayer-funded program to go toward childrens hospitals that cater to the harmful pseudoscience that is gender-affirming care.

At a recent congressional hearing, Rep. Crenshaw questioned Dr. Meredithe McNamara, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine and a Democrat witness, about criticisms of his proposal to bar funding.

We keep hearing this is a politicized issue, this is manufacturing a culture war, Rep. Crenshaw said. Ive got to say, we arent the ones who did that. We arent the ones that came up with this radical new movement that is performing permanent physiological changes to children with no evidence of any benefits. We didnt start that. Were just trying to stop it, because its crazy.

He asked McNamara why there havent been systematic reviews of gender-affirming care, considering that the British Journal of Medicine looked at 61 systematic reviews and concluded there is great uncertainty about the effects of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries in young people.

When Crenshaw asked Dr. McNamara to name a study that can show strong evidence of the benefits of gender-affirming therapies, she didnt identify one, instead deferring to standards of care and the quality evidence grading system.

Rep. Crenshaw said taxpayer money shouldnt be used to pay for gender-affirming care for minors when nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose it.

This is the hill were going to die on, he said.

AMA Position

Earlier this month, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed an Endocrine Society resolution reaffirming its commitment to protect access to evidence-based gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

The resolution was co-sponsored by the AAP among other organizations and suggested that policies and legislation that contradict the gender-affirming model do not reflect the research landscape.

Due to widespread misinformation about medical care for transgender and gender-diverse teens, 18 states have passed laws or instituted policies banning gender-affirming care, the society said in a statement. These policies do not reflect the research landscape. More than 2,000 scientific studies have examined aspects of gender-affirming care since 1975.

A childrens book on gender in Irvine, Calif., on Sept. 7, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

As political attacks on gender-affirming care escalate, it is the responsibility of the medical community to speak out in support of evidence-based care. Medical decisions should be made by patients, their relatives, and health care providers, not politicians, the statement reads.

The AMA stated that its opposed to any criminal and legal penalties against patients seeking gender-affirming care, family members or guardians who support them in seeking such care, and health care facilities and clinicians who provide such care. Additionally, it will work with federal and state legislators to oppose such policies and collaborate with other organizations to educate the Federation of State Medical Boards about the importance of gender-affirming care.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Urological Association, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Physicians, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality, and AMAs Medical Student Section co-sponsored the resolution.

The AMA pointed out that the Endocrine Society stated that because of widespread misinformation about medical care for transgender and gender-diverse teens, 18 states have passed laws or instituted policies banning gender-affirming care, and that, according to the Human Rights Campaign, more than 30 percent of transgender youth live in states with such bans.

There are about 1.6 million people aged 13 and older in the United States who identify as transgender, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.

WPATH Influence

Dr. Michael Laidlaw, a California-based endocrinologist who works with adults, said medical organizations in the United States, including the Endocrine Society and AMA, are completely under the influence of the advocacy organization WPATH.

Dr. Laidlaw said in an email to The Epoch Times that these organizations show no ability for independent thought with respect to the treatment of child and adolescent gender dysphoria.

In contrast, institutions like [National Health Service] England in their recent guidance do not appear to reference WPATH at all and instead recommend psychosocial and psychological support and interventions, he said.

Similarly, other European nations dont seem beholden to WPATHs approach, according to Dr. Laidlaw, who is featured in the docudrama Gender Transformation: The Untold Realities, which exposes transgenderism and the gender ideology behind it.

WPATH pushes kids down the path of harmful social transition, puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries even though the majority would have desisted by adulthood if not put on that pathway, he said. Unfortunately, our American medical organizations care more about being politically correct than looking out for whats best for kids.

Dr. Jeff Barke, a primary care physician in Orange County, Calif. (Courtesy of Jeff Barke)

Should Be Illegal

Dr. Jeff Barke, a primary care physician in Californias Orange County and member of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, told The Epoch Times that the recent surge in support for the transgender movement is political and contrived.

Its not science. It is politics, he said. Europe is moving toward freedom  while we are headed toward more socialism and totalitarianism.

Dr. Barke said that performing gender transition surgery on minors is a grotesque form of child abuse that should be illegal.

He suggested that euphemisms such as top surgery and bottom surgery were created to normalize these surgeries to make them seem benign and less harmful and invasive.

Just as no surgeon would remove a healthy arm because a patient requested it, neither should they remove healthy breasts or genitals, he said.

He scoffed at the notion that gender-affirming care is settled science.

Gender-affirming care and the move towards that is new. This is not settled science. If it was settled science, where was it 100 years ago? he said. There is no such thing as settled science.

Science, by definition, is experimentation, argument, debate, and discovery, Dr. Barke said.

He said that given the high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among transgender people, gender dysphoria should be treated as a mental health issueand not just simply affirming patients and using hormones and surgery to permanently dismantle and disfigure them.

Puberty blockers also shouldnt be used like a Band-Aid that can be put on or taken off, because they can have lifelong consequences for children, such as affecting their ability to go through puberty and to reproduce, he said.

AAP Doubling Down

Another physician and AAP member, who goes by the pseudonym Dr. Grace Clark for fear of retaliation, told The Epoch Times she is deeply concerned about the shocking and abysmal lack of interest among the United States medical societies to review gender-affirming policies.

Dr. Clark said the AAP seems to be doubling down on gender-affirming care and that people who dissent from such policies have no recourse but legislation or the courts.

Thats not where these kinds of things should be decided, she said. Thats a really heavy-handed way of figuring out the best medical way forward, but the American Academy of Pediatrics has been so unwilling to entertain a broader point of view.

From a medical standpoint, Dr. Clark said she agrees with Republican views against the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for gender dysphoric children but recommends focusing on the children instead of political goals.

Its become really political rather than medical, she said. Now, it seems like people on both sides are trying to score points. So, theyre trying to use this topic for their benefit without actually thinking about whats good for kids.

Both Dr. Mason and Dr. Clark said that because many European countries have nationalized health care, they have a fiduciary responsibility to spend the publics dollars wisely on medical programs that are evidence-based and subject to systematic reviews.

But in the United States, where health care is more profit-driven, its different, Dr. Mason said.

Government-run medicine, however, also has its downsides, she said.

People are interpreting Obamacare to mean  that you have to cover gender-affirming care, Dr. Mason said. I dont know if thats true, but thats what everyones running with.

A study comparing the United States with 11 European countries on legal requirements to change gender, provisions for medical transition, the minimum age for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, and the number of youth gender clinics, found the United States to be the most permissive for legal medical gender transitioning of children.

The report, released on Jan. 16, was conducted by Do No Harm, a group that seeks to remove radical, diverse, and discriminatory ideology, from the health care profession.
Wagner Troops Threaten Europe, NATO Allies Say

Members of Wagner group sit atop of a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023. (Photo by Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the transatlantic military alliance is prepared to defend itself against the threat from the Wagner mercenary force that is relocating to Belarus after a short-lived rebellion in Russia.

Wagner forces thunder run towards Moscow in protest against Russias military leadership last weekend ended in an amnesty deal with the Kremlin in which the mercenaries and their chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, would relocate to neighboring Belarus.

While the status of Wagners redeployment in Belarus remains unclear, Prigozhin arrived in Minsk on Tuesday. Wagner forces expected relocation to Belarus has raised fears among NATOs Eastern European members that having the mercenary force close to its borders poses a security risk.

If Wagner deploys its serial killers in Belarus, all neighboring countries face even bigger danger of instability, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Wednesday after a meeting in the Netherlands with NATOs Stoltenberg and leaders from other NATO member countries.

Stoltenberg said Wednesday that it was too early to say what the Wagner presence in Belarus could mean for NATO allies but that the military alliance would protect every ally and every inch of NATO territory against threats from either Russia or neighboring Belarus.

The mutiny by Wagner mercenaries  is an internal matter for Russia, Stoltenberg said, adding that the failed rebellion proves that Russias actions in Ukraine are a big strategic mistake.

But we should not underestimate Russia, Stoltenberg continued. We must continue to support Ukraine, and we must keep our defenses strong to send a clear message to Moscow and Minsk that NATO will protect every inch of allied territory.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivers remarks to journalists as he arrives at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on June 15, 2023, during a two-day meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC). (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images)

Very Concerning

Besides fighting some of the bloodiest battles in Ukraine in what the Kremlin calls a special military operation, Wagner forces have fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, and Mali, among others.

In January, the United States designated Wagner as a transnational criminal organization responsible for widespread human rights abuses, with the Kremlin accusing Washington of having baselessly demonized the group.

Poland, which shares a border with Belarus, has expressed concern about the presence of Wagner forces in the country.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday he hopes that the issue of Wagners presence in Belarus and the security threat that it apparently poses would be on the agenda at a summit of all 31 members in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12.

This is really serious and very concerning, and we have to make very strong decisions. It requires a very, very tough answer of NATO, Duda said.

Polish President Andrzej Duda attends a joint press conference with the Austrian President during an official visit in Vienna, on April 14, 2023. (Alex Halada/AFP via Getty Images)

The NATO chief said that allies have already increased their military presence along NATOs eastern flank in Europe and that more decisions will be made at the next summit about further bolstering the pacts defense capabilities with more high-readiness forces.

In the wake of recent developments, several Baltic countries have expressed concerns about how Wagners redeployment to nearby Belarus would affect regional security and have urged the European Union to label Wagner a terrorist organization.

The emergence of the Wagner mercenary group in Belarus could make the security situation on the eastern borders of NATO and the EU even more precarious, parliament speakers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania said in a joint statement.

Wagner in Belarus

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered Wagner forces the opportunity to go home to their families, relocate to Belarus, or be folded into the regular Russian army.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said those Wagner fighters who dont want to fall under the command of the Russian Defense Ministry can stay in Belarus for some time at their own expense.

Lukashenko said he had offered them an abandoned military unit to set up camp and promised to help with whatever we can.

Were looking at it pragmaticallyif their commanders come to us and help us, [we get their] experience, Lukashenko said.

While its unclear where Wagner forces might deploy in Belarus, there have been reports in Russian media it could be in Osipovichi, a city 142 miles north of the border with Ukraine and around 50 miles away from Minsk.

Aliaksandr Azarau, leader of the Belarusian BYPOL guerrilla group of former military members, told The Associated Press that were categorically against stationing Russian mercenaries in Belarus and are preparing a warm welcome to Wagnerites in Belarus.

Azarau said that construction had begun in Osipovichi for a Wagner site and that Belarusian soldiers were involved.

Satellite images of a nearby village of Tsel appear to show new facilities set up in recent days, suggesting the swift construction of a Wagner base.

Lukashenko has been a close ally to Russia in the Ukraine conflict, welcoming a continued Russian military presence in his country, including the deployment of some of Russias tactical nuclear weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walk during a meeting in Sochi, Russia, on May 23, 2022. (Ramil Sitdikov/Kremlin via Reuters)

Wagner Background

The Wagner Group, officially known as PMC Wagner, or Wagner Private Military Company, is a Russian paramilitary organization first identified in 2014 when it backed pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Amid Russias invasion of Ukraine, Wagner forces have provided the Kremlin with key support, doing much of the heaviest fighting in the Donbas region and taking significant casualties in the fight for Bakhmut.

In the course of the conflict in Ukraine, however, the Wagner chief has feuded with Russias top military commanders, accusing them of starving Wagner forces of weapons and supplies and later alleging that they ordered air strikes against the mercenary group.

A culminating point was a June 23 accusation Prigozhin made in a post on his Telegram channel against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who the Wagner chief accused of destroying his fighters and appeared to call for an armed mutiny.

Prigozhin, who has been a Putin ally for decades, later posted on his Telegram channel that there was no coup attempt but only a march for justice.

Wagner has enjoyed widespread support in Russia, where many see it as a paramilitary force that acts in support of Russian interests abroad.
Waterloo University Student Charged in Stabbing Attack: Police

Emergency alert system was reportedly delayed in notifying campus of incident

Members of the Waterloo Regional Police investigate a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ont., Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Waterloo Regional Police said three victims were stabbed inside the universitys Hagey Hall, with one person was taken into custody. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)

Police have arrested a university student in what they call a hate-motived stabbing that took place inside Hagey Hall at the University of Waterloo on June 28.

Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) announced in a press release on June 29, that they have arrested a 24-year-old international student, who studied at the university at some point in time.

The suspect was held in custody overnight and made a court appearance on June 29. Police said they have recommended the suspect be remanded into custody without bail.

Geovanny Villalba-Aleman faces charges of three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and mischief under $5,000. One teacher and two students were taken to hospital after being stabbed, and are in serious, but not life-threatening condition, according to police.

University officials stated that the emergency alert system did not activate as expected on the day of the stabbing, even though it was tested earlier that same day.

Members of the Waterloo Regional Police investigate a stabbing at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ont., Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Waterloo Regional Police said three victims were stabbed inside the universitys Hagey Hall, with a student suspect arrested. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)

We did have some concerns about the coordination of all the channels of communicating. So whereas some social media, university based accounts were putting messages out and web based communications were occurring, the coordination with our emergency incident alert system wasnt activated as quickly as we would have normally expected, said James Rush, vice-president academic and provost, speaking at a news conference on June 29 at police headquarters.

Rush said there were a number of reasons the alert system was delayed, and that it is a priority for the university to ensure the technology elements of that system are more finely tuned in the future.

The university official said, despite the unfortunate delay, the location of the incident was localized, and communication that was in deficit would have been to the broader areas of the campus. He said the delay in the alert system didnt impact the response to the incident itself.

He disputed reports suggesting the alert system was not activated for 90 minutes, saying that was incorrect. Some students reported that it took hours to receive an emergency alert warning of the incident. One student said she wasnt notified by the alert until three hours after the stabbing.

Motivated by Hate

Mark Crowell, WRPS Chief of Police, said the stabbing was a planned, senseless act of violence motivated by hate related to gender expression and gender identity. He said the investigation is still ongoing and police have sought a court order to search the suspects home.

Crowell said that police received multiple 911 calls from students and the first officers who appeared on the scene within three minutes located the accused male, and made an arrest. He said the accused had originally posed as a victim, but due to excellent descriptions from witnesses was apprehended.

According to police, the suspect, who has no prior criminal record, specifically targeted a gender studies class that had about 40 students inside the classroom.

The accused was not a member of the class, but spoke with a professor in the classroom before attacking her with two large knives without provocation, police said, adding the exchange was brief and consisted of the suspect asking what the class subject matter was.

According to police, several students attempted to stop the attack, while others fled the room. Some actively tried to involve themselves and stop the attack. I applaud those who sought to stand up and intervene the best they could, said Crowell.

While students were trying to escape the accused stabbed two students and attempted to stab a third student who was not physically injured.

A 38-year-old female teacher suffered serious but not life-threatening stab wounds and was transported to an out-of-region hospital, he said. Two students within the class were also stabbed and taken to hospitala 20-year-old female, with serious, but not life-threatening wounds, and a 19-year-old male who sustained non-life threatening injuries.
YouTube Removes Another RFK Jr. Interview

Candidate says its election interference

YouTube has censored Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yet again, this time by removing his recent interview with former New York Post reporter Al Guart.

Sharing the news via Twitter on June 27, Kennedy characterized YouTubes actions as an attempt to influence the 2024 presidential election.

People made a big deal about Russia supposedly manipulating internet information to influence a Presidential election, he noted in a post. Shouldnt we be worried when giant tech corporations do the same?

According to Guart, the video was removed for supposed violations of YouTubes community standardsan explanation he found to be inadequate.

RFK Jr. and I covered many topics of public interest and there was no threat or harm contained in the hour long discussion, he wrote in a tweet.

Guart added that his conversation with Kennedy had addressed the topic of social media censorship and how the Democrat would combat the issue if he became presidentpotentially by removing platforms legal protections as publishers.

Was that a topic YouTube didnt want out in the public square? he wondered.

YouTube did not return an inquiry from The Epoch Times.

Controlling Narratives

As an outspoken skeptic of vaccine safety, Kennedy is no stranger to de-platforming.

He experienced the same treatment from YouTube earlier this month, when the platform pulled his conversation with Canadian podcaster Jordan Peterson for alleged violations of the companys vaccine misinformation policy.

Kennedy is also currently banned from TikTok, and only recently had his Instagram account reinstated after drawing attention to his suspension from that platform via Twitter. As such, Big Tech censorship was a major topic of his wide-ranging interview with Guart, which has since been posted on Rumble.

.@YouTube just pulled another of my videos, with former NY Post political reporter @al_guart. People made a big deal about Russia supposedly manipulating internet information to influence a Presidential election. Shouldnt we be worried when giant tech corporations do the same?  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) June 27, 2023

One of the problems of dealing with the Big Tech companies is they have become the public square, Kennedy said. And its very limited how you can now communicate with other peoplewith large groups of peopleexcept through those mechanisms.

Theyre controlling our communications with each other, and theyre controlling our worldview, and theyre controlling narratives, which means they can craft the political narratives. And thats very, very dangerous.

Other forms of communication, he noted, once had legal safeguards in place to prevent such a monopoly under the Fairness Doctrine.

First introduced by the Federal Communications Council (FCC) in 1949, the Fairness Doctrine required broadcast networks to cover and devote equal airtime to conflicting views on issues of public interest. This included granting equal time to candidates for public office and those personally attacked on air. In 1959, a portion of the policy became law when Congress amended the Communications Act to include the equal airtime rule.

For years, the doctrine faced opposition from those who felt it violated First Amendment rights. In 1987, under the Reagan administration, it was formally repealed by the FCC, save for the provisions regarding editorial coverage and responses from those personally attacked. Those provisions remained in effect until 2000.

Although controversial, those safeguards, Kennedy said, served to prevent exactly whats happening today.

The Fairness Doctrines repeal, he said, allowed this consolidation of all the big communications companies. So now, I think you have four companies that control  virtually all the radio and all the television stations in our country, all the newspapers, and most of the large internet content providers.

Tech Giants or CIA Assets?

With the introduction of digital and social media, Kennedy noted that even the traditional communications monopolies had been supplanted by Big Tech companies, some of which have contracted with intelligence agencies.

The CIA has a hedge fund called In-Q-Telor an investment fundwhich funded a lot of the Silicon Valley companies. Customarily, they fund you and then they help you find government contracts for your technology. In the process of that, most of those people are required to sign state secrecy agreements, which give them huge penalties  if you even tell anybody that you signed that agreement.

Such arrangements, he added, are not a good thing for our country, if these guys are now essentially assets of the CIA.

As for how he would correct that situation, Kennedy said he would meet with tech companies to find a fix.

If they cant come up with their own plan for doing it, the backstop would be to make them common carriers. If theyre a common carrier, then theyre legally not allowed to do any kind of censorship.

He also added that threatening companies Section 230 protections could be another means of forcing them to the negotiating table.

But where such threats have failed to produce solutions in the past, Kennedy was confident when he said, Im going to make something happen.

Presidential Bid

Since declaring his candidacy for president in April, Kennedy has not only been iced out by Big Tech platforms but also his own party.

Although he is now one of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination, the Democratic National Committee has chosen not to schedule primary debates. Instead, the party has opted to back the reelection of President Joe Biden.

Yet while fellow challenger Marianne Williamson has received little support in the polls, Kennedy has consistently polled at upward of 15 percent, and in some cases, more than 20.

The president continues to dominate the field, but with questions still swirling about his mental and physical health, it remains unclear whether that support would hold steady if he were forced to hold his own in a debate.

Biden may also face the more pressing problem of his familys business dealings. Last week, previously unseen WhatsApp messages released by the House Ways and Means Committee raised new questions about whether he has been honest about not participating in his family members business dealings.

In one 2017 exchange, Hunter Biden, the presidents son, demanded payment from Henry Zhao, also known as Zhao Xuejun, the president and CEO of Beijing-based investment firm Harvest Capital Management.

I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled, the younger Biden wrote.

Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, he added. And now means tonight. And Z if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the Chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.

The president has denied that he was in the room with his son for that exchange. He has also denied involvement in any of his family members business dealings.
Acute Crisis In Russia





By Gwynne Dyer

UP UNTIL late afternoon Moscow time on Saturday, Russia was in a state of acute crisis, with Yevgeny Prigozhin pulling his Wagner Army of mercenary soldiers out of Ukraine and sending some of them racing up the highway towards Moscow instead. Their task was to force Russias military leadership to quit for corruption and incompetence. Why? Theres no good reason to believe that the Wagner founder had tacit support from President Vladimir Putin or anybody else. Prigozhin is known for his emotional and reckless behaviour, and the regime certainly seemed to be taking his threats seriously. Machines were digging tank traps across the main roads in the outskirts of Moscow, protected by machine-gun emplacements, and the population was being told to stay home. Several Russian air force helicopters that tried to attack the Wagner convoy coming up the M4 were shot down in the course of the day. Putin had already been on national television on Saturday morning denouncing the traitors in the strongest terms. All those who consciously chose the path of betrayal... will suffer an inevitable punishment, he vowed  but twelve hours later he cut a deal that involved no punishment whatever.

Or rather, Aleksandr Lukashenko, the President of Belarus and Europes longest-ruling dictator, announced that he had cut a deal in which Prigozhin would order all the Wagner troops to return to their bases and then go into exile himself in Belarus. Both he and his 25,000-odd Wagner soldiers would get an amnesty: nobody would be punished. The only explanation Prigozhin offered for his about-turn was that he didnt want to shed Russian blood. That seems unlikely, given that he has already said (a) that 20,000 Wagner fighters were killed in the battle of Bakhmut, and (b) that he knows the invasion of Ukraine was justified on entirely false pretenses. So the prospect of a few more Russian deaths to rid the country of the two men he blames for both provoking and bungling the war in Ukraine, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Defence Staff Valery Gerasimov, seems unlikely to have made him change his mind at the last moment. Maybe there was some other calculation in play, but what was it? Hundreds of analysts in a dozen countries are working on that mystery right now, because Russia is still an important place, and Putins power has clearly been damaged by this bizarre incident. At the very least, the lack of popular resistance to Prigozhins attempted coup (if thats what it was) is deeply worrying for Putin.

The populations of the Russian cities that the Wagner troops occupied, Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh, were generally welcoming to them, and even applauded and cheered as they pulled out again on Sunday. Moreover, none of the Russian regular Army units the Wagner troops encountered showed hostility to them, or tried to impede their movements in any way, although they were obviously acting without official authorisation. This should be deeply worrying for the Kremlin. And why on Earth did Putin let the tinpot Belarusian dictator Lukashenko do his negotiating with Prigozhin for him? It makes Putin look even weaker, when the appearance of strength is a dictators most important asset. I realise that Im asking questions here and not providing answers, but its at least clear that theres a lot more going on within the Russian elite than is visible to outsiders. Loyalties and expectations are shifting, and even the window of opportunity that the Ukrainian leaders have been hoping for may open some time soon. In the meantime, consider this. Yevgeny Prigozhin put a spray of angry messages up on Telegram during the crisis, and one in particular will circulate and resonate among the younger Russians whose lives the war in Ukraine is blighting. Prigozhins people have been fighting in the Donbas since 2014, and he knows where the bodies are buried. We were hitting (the Ukrainians), and they were hitting us.

Thats how it went on for those eight long years, from 2014 to 2022. Sometimes the number of skirmishes would increase, sometimes decrease. On 24 February 2022 (the day of the invasion), there was nothing extraordinary happening in Ukraine. Now the Ministry of Defence is trying to deceive the public, deceive the President and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine; that  together with the whole NATO bloc  Ukraine was planning to attack us. The war was needed so that Shoigu could (get a promotion). The war wasnt for demilitarising or de-nazifying Ukraine. It was needed for an extra star. One should add that it was also needed as Putins legacy project (reuniting at least the Slavic bits of the old Soviet Union), but you wouldnt expect Yevgeny Prigozhin to get into that.
Heavy rains lash Mumbai, one killed in tree collapse





MUMBAI :

HEAVY rains led to waterlogging in many areas of Mumbai on Wednesday, forcing the closure of the busy Andheri subway, civic officials said. A tree collapse incident claimed a mans life in suburban Malad, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release. The local train traffic on the Central and Western Railway routes was mostly normal though the trains were running a few minutes late, railway officials said. Due to accumulation of 1.5 to 2 feet of water, Andheri Subway is closed for vehicular movement. Traffic is diverted towards SV Road, Mumbai Traffic Police tweeted in the afternoon.

The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport or `BEST buses on three routes were diverted at Ketki pada in Dahisar East. In the 24 hours since previous morning, there were 26 incidents of tree fall, 15 incidents of short-circuit and five incidents of collapse or partial collapse of houses, the BMC said. Rains also pounded neighbouring Thane city, leading to waterlogging and incidents of wall and house collapse. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more showers in Mumbai, with moderate to intense rain spells in isolated places. Kaushal Doshi (38) was severely injured in a tree fall at Mamledarwadi junction in the western suburb of Malad. He was rushed to the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, a BMC official said. The island city (south Mumbai), eastern and western suburbs received 12.44 mm, 42.41 mm and 40.46 mm of rainfall, respectively, between 8 am to 12 noon on Wednesday, as per civic officials. IMD Mumbai issued a nowcast warning at 9.30 am, saying moderate to intense spells of rain very likely to occur at isolated places in Mumbai.
GENEVA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China has attached great importance to protecting the rights of women and children and has made great progress in combating trafficking in women and children, a Chinese expert told the ongoing 53rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

During an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on human trafficking, Bianba Lamu, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a member of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said that the number of cases of human trafficking crimes in China dropped by 88.3 percent from 2013 to 2021.

She attributed this achievement to the Chinese government's great efforts and the implementation of a multi-sectoral mechanism, increased international cooperation, and the contribution of anti-trafficking forces from all sectors of Chinese society.

She said that China recognizes that the fight against human trafficking is a systemic project that requires joint efforts.

"China strives to establish and improve the integrated working mechanism involving prevention, combat, rescue and resettlement, to tackle the root cause of the problem and address it in a comprehensive manner," she said. 
High Court raises concern over choked sewer line in Dhantoli





Staff Reporter

THE Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has questioned the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) regarding the measures taken to address the persistent problem of the narrow sewer line that got choked, in D h a n t o l i . Despite the NMCs claims of laying sewer line pipes, the issue of sewer line getting choked continues to plague the area. Local residents of Dhantoli face severe problems during the rainy season due to the narrow sewer line. A public interest litigation (PIL) addressing the issue has been filed in the High Court, prompting the division benchof Justice Atul Chandurkar andJustice Vrushali Joshi to directthe NMC to submit an affidavitby July 12.

Adv Neerja Choubey, a resident of Purushottam SatheMarg, has filed the petition, highlighting the worsening situation in Dhantoli over the pastfew years. She attributed it tothe construction of skyscrapers along thesewer lines. The NMCs failure to adapt thesewer lines tothe changingneeds has exacerbated thep e r s i s t e n tchoking of thesewer lines. Even in the absence of rainfall, dirty water emanates from thechamber, emits an unpleasant odor and posing health risksto the citizens. Despite previous notifications issued to theNMC, urging them to repair the sewer line, no measures have been taken thus far, it was mentioned in the petition.

During hearing, Dr Papia Bhattacharya, a member of the Dhantoli Nagrik Mandal, has filed a mediation application, which was rejected by the High Court. The court advised Dr Bhattacharya to file a separate petition. Not satisfied with the NMCs submitted reply, the High Court demanded a fresh affidavit addressing the issue.
Home Minister Mishra slams Owaisi for questioning PM Modis statement on UCC





BHOPAL,

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Wednesday slammed All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi for raising questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modis endorsement of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country. Owaisi is speaking the language of Congress and British. Owaisi also opposed the law for the uplift of women. It is a pseudo mentality, Mishra told reporters here. Notably, the AIMIM chief on Tuesday said, PM considers Indias diversity and its pluralism a problem. So, he says such things... Maybe Prime Minister doesnt understand Article 29. Will you strip the country of its pluralism and diversity in the name of UCC?

He further alleged that when the Prime Minister speaks of UCC, he is referring to Hindu Civil Code. When he speaks of UCC, he is speaking of Hindu Civil Code. Now they will treat all Islamic practices as illegal and will protect all Hindu practices under the law. I challenge him-can he abolish Hindu Undivided Family? Go and tell the Sikhs in Punjab about UCC, see what will be the reaction there..., he added. Meanwhile, slamming the Congress party for giving guarantees, Mishra said, What to talk about the Congress guarantee. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had come (during 2018 Assembly polls) and promised to waive off the loan of the farmers but not a single farmers loan up to Rs 2.5 lakh was waived off. What kind of guarantee is this? Besides, reacting to the allegation on the Youth Congress leaders about taking money, the home minister said, It is their (Congress) culture, no work is done without money. This is the real face of Congress right from bottom to the top. Thats why we said Vallabh Bhavan (state secretariat) had become a den of brokerage during the 15 months rule of the Congress party. Even a Congress worker cannot say that he has got the work done without paying.
MUMBAI,

THE Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has broken into the worlds top 150 universities and topped India rankings in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, UK, officials said here on Wednesday. The IIT-B has climbed up from 172 last year to 149 this year in the global ranking  first time that it has been included within the Top 150, with an overall score of 51.7/100. Over, it has improved on its performance by 23 places and in the 2024 edition, it has been placed within the top 10 per cent of the worlds highest 1,500 universities that were considered worth ranking.

This is the first time in eight years that any Indian institution of higher education has made it to the top 10 per cent -- in 2016, the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru had been ranked at No. 147. While the IIT-B has zoomed up, the IISc nose-dived from 155 to 225, IIT-Delhi fell from 174 to 197, IIT-Kanpur came down from 264 to 278 and IIT-Madras fell from 250 to 285, IIT-Guwahati improved from 384 to 364, IIT-Roorkee remained at 369. The IIT-B scored impressive -- 81.9 in employer reputation, 73.1 in citation per faculty, 55.5 in academic reputation, 47.4 in employment outcome, 54.9 in sustainability, 18.9 in faculty-student ratio, 4.7 in international faculty, 8.5 in international research network and 1.4 in international students, all scores out of a maximum of 100 points.

Among these nine parameters, the employer reputation indicated the strongest one for IIT-B with a world ranking of 69. Excellence in teaching and research is the key driving point for IIT-Bombay. Our efforts lie in providing an ambience and infrastructure that is conducive to achieving excellence by our students and faculty, said the Director Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri.
Kharge, Rahul chalk out poll strategies with CG leaders





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

All India Congress Committee (AICC) National President Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress National President Rahul Gandhi recently held a meeting with Congress party leaders from Chhattisgarh at the AICC Headquarters in New Delhi. The purpose of the meeting was to strategise for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled to be held in November and December. During a press conference at the AICC Headquarters, AICC General Secretary for Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja stated that the meeting was guided by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal. The senior leaders of the Congress party discussed the political situation in Chhattisgarh in detail.

Selja further mentioned that Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi received reports from the party leaders of Chhattisgarh regarding the ground-level work, achievements of the Congress Government, and the political situation in State. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel presented the achievements of the Chhattisgarh Congress government, while CPCC President Markam discussed the organizational activities of the party. The meeting also focused on the functioning of the government ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The decisions taken by the Chhattisgarh government and the work done over the past four and a half years were discussed. It was highlighted that the promises made by Rahul Gandhi during the previous assembly elections are being implemented in Chhattisgarh, benefiting the people of the state. Cabinet ministers and senior party leaders of Chhattisgarh provided suggestions for the upcoming assembly elections during the meeting. The discussions covered social and political issues in detail. Kumari Selja emphasized that the Congress government in Chhattisgarh has fulfilled the hopes of the people, and the party will work together to contest the elections. She also stated that the Congress party will uphold the values of the constitution and not fall for the BJPs trap, which she characterized as a short-term focus on religion rather than addressing broader issues. The meeting included presentations from AICC Secretaries for Chhattisgarh, who reported on the political situation in their respective areas.

The Congress leaders of Chhattisgarh expressed their commitment to working together to ensure the partys victory in the upcoming assembly elections. Selja added that it is natural for expectations to be high when a government is formed, and party workers also have expectations from the government. Mallikarjun Kharge guided the party leaders in the meeting and said that constitution is paramount for the country. The Congress party has to uphold Indian constitution and its values. The BJP has nothing but religious issues and they have no agenda other than to trick people into religious issues. Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President Mohan Markam, Speaker of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Dr Charan Das Mahant, Health and Family Welfare Department Minister T S Singhdeo, Cabinet Ministers Tamradhwaj Sahu, Dr Shiv Kumar Dahariya, Kawasi Lakhma, Mohammad Akbar, Jaisingh Agrawal, AICC Secretaries for Chhattisgarh Dr Chandan Kumar Yadav, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, AICC Joint Secretary Vijay Jangid, senior Congress Satyanaryan Sharma, Dhanendra Sahu and other party leaders attended the meeting.
Mah Governments flagship health insurance scheme to cover all: CM





MUMBAI,

MAHARASHTRA Governments flagship health insurance scheme will cover the entire population of the State, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday. The premium of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MPJAY) has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, Shinde told reporters after attending the State Cabinet meeting. The health insurance scheme will cover the entire 12.5 crore population of the State, he said. This health scheme provides end-to-end cashless services for identified diseases through a network of service providers from the government and private sector.

As of now, the beneficiaries of the scheme include holders of the yellow ration card, Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration card (AAY), Annapurna ration card, and orange ration card, besides white ration card-holder farmer families from 14 agriculturally distressed districts, and other sections.The Chief Minister also said the aapla davakhana scheme for providing health services to common people will be expanded in the state beginning with Mumbai. A total of 700 clinics will be set up across the state under aapla davakhana scheme with the sanctioned budget of Rs 210 crore, he added. The State Cabinet also approved to set up a separate corporation for the unorganised sector.

As per this plan, workers employed in the unorganised sector will be registered. In the second phase, benefits of various welfare schemes meant for the unorganised sector will be provided, Shinde added. Mah Govt to pay Rs 300 per day to families of fishermen in Pak jails: THE families of fishermen from the state who are in Pakistani jails will be paid Rs 300 per day for living expenses, the Maharashtra Government said on Wednesday. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting here, an official said. The Gujarat government provides a similar benefit to the families of fishermen in the neighbouring countrys custody. Pakistani maritime security agencies routinely apprehend Indian fishermen accusing them of entering the Pakistani waters.
Odisha train accident victims kin still wait for bodies





BHUBANESWAR,

THERE is no end to the misery and anguish of the kin of the June 2 Odisha train mishap victims as they continue to wait for the bodies of their near and dear ones, almost four weeks after the deadly accident that claimed nearly 300 lives. Basanti Devi from Bari-Ballia village in Bihars Begusarai district has been camping in a guest house located at an isolated area near AIIMS since the last 10 days to claim her husbands body. Im here for my husband Yogendra Paswan, a contract labourer. He was killed in the accident at Bahanaga Bazar while returning home in the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She claimed that officials havent given her any deadline when she will get the body. While some officials say it will take 5 more days, others say it might take more time. There is just no clarity by the administration, she added. I have five kids. I have left behind three kids and brought two sons with me. My husband was the sole breadwinner. I dont know how I will be able to survive, she added. Similar is the situation of Narayan Rishidev from Purnia, who has been waiting to claim the body of his grandson Suraj Kumar since June 4. Suraj was travelling to Chennai in the ill-fated Coromandel Express. After completing his matriculation, Suraj was heading to Chennai in search of a job. The authorities have already taken my DNA sample, but the report is yet to come, he added. Shivkant Roy from West Bengals Cooch Behar district said his son Vipul was returning home from Tirupati for his marriage in June-end.

My sons body was kept at KIMS Hospital but I kept looking for him in a Balasore hospital. I was later informed that KIMS Hospital handed over the body to someone from Bihar, who took it with him and cremated it, Shivkant Roy told PTI. Similarly, Rajkali Devi from Bihars Mizaffarpur has been waiting for her husbands body who was on way to Chennai. As many as 35 persons are camping at the guest house while 15 others have left for home due to delay in arrival of DNA reports. Calls and messages from PTI to AIIMS director Ashutosh Biswas went unanswered. The railway are appealing to claimants to provide their DNA samples.
Ratapani awaits notification as Tiger Reserve for 15 years!





By Ankita Garg

Though Madhya Pradesh claimed to have dense population of cat species like tiger and leopard in Census 2022, it has presented a long term plan to provide adequate space to the wildlife. It is commonly known in Madhya Pradesh that insufficient space for the tigers and leopards is giving tough time to the wildlife as well as forest officials. Like Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, now Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary is also facing space crunch for the tigers. The recent territorial fight among tigers, in which a male tiger died in first week of June, is the result of space crunch in the sanctuary. Proposal to declare the wildlife sanctuary as tiger reserve is pending for more than ten years. Forest officials and wildlife experts have raised voice many times to make the sanctuary as tiger reserve for safe and secure habitat to the wildlife. After the recent territorial fight among tigers, once again experts and wildlife enthusiasts have raised their voice to notify Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve.

They said that about 15 years back, in-principal approval to declare the sanctuary as Tiger Reserve was given by the Government. At the time, there were only 7 tigers in the sanctuary. Now their population increased to over 60. In past 15 years, tiger population increased by 8 fold but the area is same. The sanctuary is spread over 925 sqkm of area and around 60 tigers, 150 leopards and many other species are residing in the jungle. Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuarys former superintendent Ramakant Dixit said that in year 2010 there were only 11 tigers and four cubs and at the time space was not enough for them. To make separate territory, tigers were moving towards Bhopal.

Pushpendra Nath Dwivedi, working with an NGO for wildlife conservation in Bandhavgarh, said that a tiger forms territory in 20 to 30 sqkm of area and 2 to 3 females can stay in his territory. But a male tiger never allows other male in his territory. This is the main reason of territorial fight among them. Talking to The Hitavada Pushpendra Dwivedi said that after forming the sanctuary as tiger reserve, safe and secure habitat with adequate space would be provided to the big cats. He said that after formation of tiger reserve, Supreme Court of India and NTCA would directly monitor the area and sufficient budget and resources will be allocated from centre. Green land and herbivore will be increasing and special efforts will be made for tiger conservation and their safety after formation of the tiger reserve, added Pushpendra Dwivedi. He said that a tiger reserve does not include human being and political interference. Ajay Dubey, an RTI Activists and runs an NGO Prayatana, said, We are boasting off cheetah conservation but this is pitiable that we are unable to provide space to our tigers. Population of tigers are surpassing in Ratapani. We are fighting to declare the sanctuary as Tiger Reserve in court since year 2008 but there are many barriers.
T S Singhdeo appointed Dy CM of Cgarh





Staff Reporter :

RAIPUR,

In a significant development within the Chhattisgarh Government, T S Singhdeo, a senior minister in the Congress party, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. The decision comes ahead of the State elections scheduled for November 2023. K C Venugopal, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, issued a letter confirming that the Congress President has approved the proposal for Singhdeos appointment.

The move follows a period of political discontent within the Congress party regarding power sharing. Singhdeo had previously raised concerns about the distribution of power between himself and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel after the government completed two and a half years in office. Although no official confirmation was given regarding power sharing, Singhdeo expressed his dissatisfaction by relinquishing the Panchayat portfolio. Singhdeo played a pivotal role in the 2018 election as the Chairman of the Election Manifesto Committee for the Congress party. The credit for the partys successful manifesto, which contributed to their victory in the State, goes to Singhdeo. A senior leader from the All India Congress Committee explained that the partys high command was aware of the power dynamics within the State and aimed to strike a balance and appease the disgruntled faction. This led to the adoption of the current formula. The main question now arises as to whether this decision will benefit the Congress party in the upcoming elections.
THEIR SILENCE





TWO news reports have come back to back. The first one is about presence of women erased from public life in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. More recent one is about the United Nations (UN) flagging high civilian casualty after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. While the UN has done its job in this regard, the silence of champions of democracy, rights activists, thinktanks, intellectuals and authors across the world has thrown open certain questions. The first and foremost question is: Is all the talk about democracy and rights and gender sensitisation restricted for the thriving democracies like India? Another question is: Why is there deafening silence of the elitists on democratic backsliding, nay, absence, in fundamentalist, radicalised, and authoratarian regimes across the world? To understand the situation better, one must realise that the Western world has been adopting double standards.

The dominating Western powers have, over the years, developed an ecosystem of intellectuals, academics, thinktanks, so-called independent organisations, rights groups, foundations, and trusts and using them as extended arms of diplomacy to further own interests to exert control over resources, narratives, political or economic institutions. However, they ignore the situation in countries with fundamentalist or authoritarian regimes if it does not suit their agenda. The ecosystem groomed by the Western powers has conveniently ignored to comment on happenings in Myanmar where military junta overthrew democratically elected Government. The ecosystem has conveniently forgotten an incarcerated Nobel Peace Prize winner Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, who was once celebrated the world over. Similarly, silence is observed about Pakistan whose history has been defined by radicalisation, dictatorships undermining democracy, atrocities on Balochis, suppression of dissent etc. The authoritarian regime in Communist China has been accused of atrocities against Uyghurs, Tibetans, other dissenters. However, the ecosystem attacks China only due to competition and not out of genuine concern for democracy. The US, Canada, and the UK have been the dominating Western powers. They grant asylums to separatists from other countries and use them for own political gains, as and when needed. That, they celebrate as liberalism.

However, their ecosystem hides the dark history of slavery, discrimination, surveillance, cancel culture. Instead, it comes up with reports targetting potential competitors like India. Not long ago, a report on safety of journalists placed India below Afghanistan, Belarus, and Egypt. In academic freedom, India was placed behind Pakistan, Iraq, and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan! There are several examples where the Western-bred ecosystem applied skewed logic to downgrade a thriving democracy and rising economy like India. The so-called liberals in such cases prove to be dogmatic, and prefer to twist the narrative instead of offering genuinely convincing answers to above-raised questions. They create modern orthodoxies wherein democratic countries are pressed for values and violators are left untouched. Unfortunately for them, in the changing world, people are becoming smarter and realising such devious games of Western powers and their ecosystem footsoldiers. People have started questioning these ecosystem footsoldiers -- abroad and within India -- on their blindness towards need for democratic restoration in countries with fundamentalist and authoritarian regimes and wilful neglect of rich Indian democratic system. Probably, this is the beginning of the end of Western hegemony in various spheres, and emergence of sustainable and culturally rich Indian thought leadership that aims at global good.
LUSAKA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 18 Zambian companies have accompanied a government delegation to attend the upcoming China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, a government official said on Wednesday.

Chipoka Mulenga, minister of commerce, trade and industry, said the companies involved in various sectors, including mining, gemstones, timber, and fishing, among others, have accompanied him to the expo which runs from June 29 to July 2 in central China's Hunan Province.

He said in a statement that Zambia was ready to learn good practices in commerce and industry from technologically advanced countries like China.

He added that there was no country in the world that has developed without the involvement of its citizens through partnerships, and has since called on Zambians to get involved especially in value addition.

First launched in 2019, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries. 
Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE  Free Report) (NYSE:BTE) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the six brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$7.48.

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. National Bankshares increased their price target on shares of Baytex Energy from C$7.75 to C$8.50 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Raymond James lowered shares of Baytex Energy from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and dropped their price target for the stock from C$8.00 to C$5.50 in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. TD Securities upgraded shares of Baytex Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a C$7.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on shares of Baytex Energy from C$7.00 to C$6.25 in a research note on Monday, May 8th. Finally, ATB Capital upgraded shares of Baytex Energy from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st.

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Baytex Energy Stock Up 4.0 %

Baytex Energy stock opened at C$4.15 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of C$2.26 billion, a PE ratio of 2.73, a P/E/G ratio of 0.12 and a beta of 2.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 31.23, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 0.90. The firms 50 day moving average price is C$4.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$5.22. Baytex Energy has a twelve month low of C$3.83 and a twelve month high of C$8.15.

Baytex Energy Company Profile

Baytex Energy ( TSE:BTE Free Report ) (NYSE:BTE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported C$0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$0.11 by C($0.02). The company had revenue of C$555.34 million during the quarter. Baytex Energy had a net margin of 38.01% and a return on equity of 31.92%. On average, research analysts predict that Baytex Energy will post 0.8090349 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Free Report

Baytex Energy Corp., an energy company, engages in the acquisition, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and in the Eagle Ford, the United States. The company offers light oil and condensate, heavy oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas.

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DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DV  Free Report) Director Laura Desmond sold 11,002 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.79, for a total value of $415,765.58. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 179,071 shares in the company, valued at $6,767,093.09. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Laura Desmond also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Tuesday, June 13th, Laura Desmond sold 11,003 shares of DoubleVerify stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.31, for a total transaction of $399,518.93.

On Tuesday, May 9th, Laura Desmond sold 11,003 shares of DoubleVerify stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.08, for a total transaction of $297,961.24.

On Tuesday, April 25th, Laura Desmond sold 11,002 shares of DoubleVerify stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.69, for a total transaction of $326,649.38.

On Tuesday, April 11th, Laura Desmond sold 11,003 shares of DoubleVerify stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.56, for a total transaction of $336,251.68.

DoubleVerify Stock Down 0.4 %

DoubleVerify stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $38.34. The stock had a trading volume of 1,568,168 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,498,783. DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $20.38 and a 52-week high of $38.74. The firm has a market cap of $6.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 132.11 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a fifty day moving average of $32.54 and a 200 day moving average of $28.43.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On DoubleVerify

DoubleVerify ( NYSE:DV Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 10th. The company reported $0.07 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.04 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $122.59 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $117.93 million. DoubleVerify had a net margin of 10.64% and a return on equity of 5.91%. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.03 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. will post 0.35 EPS for the current year.

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of DoubleVerify by 7.3% during the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 15,823 shares of the companys stock worth $477,000 after buying an additional 1,070 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in DoubleVerify by 420.5% during the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 395,217 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,916,000 after purchasing an additional 319,286 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in DoubleVerify by 318.1% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 155,470 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,687,000 after buying an additional 118,285 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its holdings in DoubleVerify by 6,785.5% in the first quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 9,502 shares of the companys stock valued at $286,000 after buying an additional 9,364 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans purchased a new position in DoubleVerify in the first quarter valued at $2,611,000. 94.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have weighed in on DV. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on shares of DoubleVerify from $35.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on DoubleVerify from $37.00 to $38.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 11th. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of DoubleVerify in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. TheStreet downgraded shares of DoubleVerify from a c- rating to a d rating in a report on Wednesday, May 10th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of DoubleVerify in a report on Tuesday. They set an overweight rating and a $44.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $37.25.

About DoubleVerify

(Free Report)

DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc provides a software platform for digital media measurement, and analytics in the United States and internationally. The company provides solutions to advertisers unbiased data analytics that enable advertisers to increase the effectiveness, quality and return on their digital advertising investments.

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CHONGQING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and nine injured Thursday as a passenger bus was hit by falling rocks in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, according to local authorities.

The accident happened at around 3:30 p.m. in Fengjie County. A medium-sized bus, carrying 19 people including the driver, was struck by falling rocks from a nearby hill. The nine injured passengers sustained minor wounds, according to the publicity department of Fengjie.

The rescue operation has concluded, and local authorities are investigating potential hazards to prevent similar incidents.

Fengjie County has been experiencing continuous heavy rain recently. The local meteorological service on Thursday afternoon issued a yellow alert for rainstorms, the second-highest in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system. 
New Hampshire Trust lessened its stake in Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ  Free Report) by 43.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 640 shares of the companys stock after selling 492 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $145,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Prudential PLC bought a new position in Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth about $705,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in Constellation Brands by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 17,026 shares of the companys stock worth $3,921,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Constellation Brands by 17.6% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,149 shares of the companys stock worth $725,000 after acquiring an additional 471 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Constellation Brands by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,601,280 shares of the companys stock worth $2,902,327,000 after acquiring an additional 313,344 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ergoteles LLC bought a new position in Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth about $257,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.49% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on STZ. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $295.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a report on Monday, April 10th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Constellation Brands from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Friday, June 16th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $267.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, April 10th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $279.00 to $277.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 11th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $218.00 to $231.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $259.45.

Insider Transactions at Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands Trading Down 0.1 %

In other news, major shareholder Business Holdings Lp Ajb sold 650,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $223.53, for a total transaction of $145,294,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 3,365,715 shares of the companys stock, valued at $752,338,273.95. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In related news, Director Richard Sands sold 3,858,476 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $223.53, for a total value of $862,485,140.28. Following the sale, the director now owns 20,488,818 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,579,865,487.54. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, major shareholder Business Holdings Lp Ajb sold 650,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $223.53, for a total transaction of $145,294,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 3,365,715 shares in the company, valued at approximately $752,338,273.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Corporate insiders own 16.19% of the companys stock.

Shares of STZ opened at $246.81 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.54. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a 12-month low of $208.12 and a 12-month high of $261.32. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $235.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $228.76.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ  Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 6th. The company reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $2 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.02 billion. Constellation Brands had a negative net margin of 0.70% and a positive return on equity of 20.48%. Constellation Brandss revenue was down 11.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.37 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 11.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Constellation Brands Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 4th were paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.44%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, May 3rd. This is a positive change from Constellation Brandss previous quarterly dividend of $0.80. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -698.03%.

Constellation Brands Company Profile

(Free Report)

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Premier, Corona Familiar, Corona Light, Corona Refresca, Corona Hard Seltzer, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Modelo Chelada, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.

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Sterling Investment Counsel LLC lowered its stake in Sonoco Products (NYSE:SON  Free Report) by 11.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,040 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 630 shares during the period. Sterling Investment Counsel LLCs holdings in Sonoco Products were worth $307,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of SON. Nuveen Asset Management LLC grew its position in Sonoco Products by 35.8% during the 3rd quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 346,837 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $19,676,000 after purchasing an additional 91,388 shares in the last quarter. Lido Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Sonoco Products during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $914,000. Retirement Systems of Alabama grew its position in Sonoco Products by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 128,523 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $7,803,000 after purchasing an additional 870 shares in the last quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Sonoco Products by 13.6% during the 1st quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 240,724 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $14,684,000 after purchasing an additional 28,863 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Edgestream Partners L.P. grew its position in Sonoco Products by 59.4% during the 4th quarter. Edgestream Partners L.P. now owns 42,116 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,557,000 after purchasing an additional 15,701 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.74% of the companys stock.

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Sonoco Products Stock Performance

NYSE SON opened at $58.03 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $5.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.49, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 0.71. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $60.19 and its 200 day simple moving average is $59.84. Sonoco Products has a twelve month low of $53.78 and a twelve month high of $65.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23.

Sonoco Products Increases Dividend

Sonoco Products ( NYSE:SON Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The industrial products company reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.07. Sonoco Products had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 29.17%. The business had revenue of $1.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.84 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.85 earnings per share. Sonoco Productss revenue was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Sonoco Products will post 5.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 9th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 10th were issued a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 9th. This is a positive change from Sonoco Productss previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.52%. Sonoco Productss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 40.40%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on SON shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of Sonoco Products from $61.00 to $57.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 15th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Sonoco Products from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 20th. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Sonoco Products from $76.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sonoco Products from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, June 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Sonoco Products currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $66.17.

Sonoco Products Company Profile

(Free Report)

Sonoco Products Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells various engineered and sustainable packaging products in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company operates through two segments: Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging.

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Glaukos (NYSE:GKOS  Free Report) had its price target upped by Stifel Nicolaus from $65.00 to $77.00 in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on GKOS. BTIG Research raised their price target on Glaukos from $58.00 to $67.00 in a research report on Monday, June 5th. StockNews.com upgraded Glaukos from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, June 8th. Piper Sandler upgraded Glaukos from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and upped their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $80.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Glaukos from $44.00 to $63.00 in a research note on Monday, June 5th. Finally, 888 restated a maintains rating on shares of Glaukos in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Glaukos presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $63.56.

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Glaukos Stock Up 1.2 %

Glaukos stock opened at $70.34 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $3.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -24.09 and a beta of 1.23. Glaukos has a 52 week low of $40.45 and a 52 week high of $70.58. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $59.04 and its 200 day moving average price is $51.67. The company has a quick ratio of 6.02, a current ratio of 6.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70.

Insider Buying and Selling at Glaukos

Glaukos ( NYSE:GKOS Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The medical instruments supplier reported ($0.59) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.61) by $0.02. Glaukos had a negative return on equity of 21.20% and a negative net margin of 48.15%. The company had revenue of $73.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $67.74 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned ($0.38) EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Glaukos will post -2.27 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, CEO Thomas William Burns sold 17,382 shares of Glaukos stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.20, for a total value of $1,168,070.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 673,963 shares in the company, valued at approximately $45,290,313.60. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Over the last three months, insiders sold 32,897 shares of company stock worth $2,100,990. 7.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Glaukos by 0.4% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,380,720 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $286,470,000 after buying an additional 23,473 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Glaukos by 6.8% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,684,699 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $234,703,000 after purchasing an additional 299,043 shares during the last quarter. Brown Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Glaukos by 7.1% in the first quarter. Brown Capital Management LLC now owns 2,904,658 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $145,523,000 after acquiring an additional 191,849 shares during the period. Braidwell LP increased its position in Glaukos by 8.7% during the first quarter. Braidwell LP now owns 1,806,651 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $90,513,000 after acquiring an additional 144,800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp increased its position in Glaukos by 2.6% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,750,876 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $87,719,000 after acquiring an additional 44,555 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.50% of the companys stock.

Glaukos Company Profile

(Free Report)

Glaukos Corporation, an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company, focuses on the development of novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. It offers iStent, iStent inject, iStent inject W micro-bypass stents that enhance aqueous humor outflow inserted in cataract surgery to treat mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma.

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Ventas (NYSE:VTR  Free Report)s stock had its reiterates rating reiterated by research analysts at 92 Resources in a research report issued on Tuesday, Benzinga reports.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on VTR. Mizuho decreased their price objective on Ventas from $60.00 to $53.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 30th. Raymond James raised Ventas from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $55.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, June 23rd. StockNews.com raised Ventas from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 11th. Credit Suisse Group reduced their target price on Ventas from $51.00 to $50.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on Ventas from $57.00 to $55.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 25th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ventas currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $53.55.

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Ventas Price Performance

NYSE VTR traded up $1.04 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $47.62. 2,412,173 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,272,739. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.63. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $45.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $46.58. The company has a market cap of $19.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -264.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.19. Ventas has a 1-year low of $35.33 and a 1-year high of $54.11.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ventas

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ventas

In other Ventas news, Director Walter C. Rakowich sold 1,242 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.57, for a total transaction of $52,871.94. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 24,528 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,044,156.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Synovus Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Ventas by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 8,274 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $373,000 after buying an additional 198 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in Ventas by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 25,800 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,162,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in Ventas by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 13,395 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $827,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the period. Securian Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Ventas by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc. now owns 33,043 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,432,000 after purchasing an additional 223 shares during the period. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC boosted its stake in Ventas by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 10,355 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $449,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.87% of the companys stock.

Ventas Company Profile

(Free Report)

Ventas Inc, an S&P 500 company, operates at the intersection of two large and dynamic industries healthcare and real estate. Fueled by powerful demographic demand from growth in the aging population, Ventas owns a diversified portfolio of over 1,200 properties in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

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Wendell David Associates Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 17.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,800 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the quarter. Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings in Altria Group were worth $303,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Altria Group by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,134,691 shares of the companys stock worth $6,425,858,000 after purchasing an additional 1,275,790 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in Altria Group by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 71,579,128 shares of the companys stock worth $2,957,671,000 after purchasing an additional 513,208 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Altria Group by 8.7% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 44,066,327 shares of the companys stock worth $2,000,861,000 after purchasing an additional 3,516,646 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Altria Group by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 35,184,122 shares of the companys stock worth $1,606,259,000 after acquiring an additional 218,861 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Altria Group by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 24,517,169 shares of the companys stock worth $990,002,000 after acquiring an additional 1,192,266 shares in the last quarter. 58.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $49.50 to $47.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. They set a buy rating and a $52.00 price target for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $44.63.

Altria Group Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:MO traded up $0.28 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $44.78. The stock had a trading volume of 1,746,973 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,869,407. Altria Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $40.35 and a 12 month high of $51.57. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $45.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $45.70. The company has a market cap of $79.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.31, a PEG ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.59.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.19 by ($0.01). Altria Group had a net margin of 22.44% and a negative return on equity of 245.43%. The business had revenue of $4.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.89 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.12 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Altria Group, Inc. will post 4.97 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.94 per share. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.40%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio is 120.90%.

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The presence of U.S. military forces and equipment in the Philippines would put the country in danger, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said.

"We are in a bind. If the Americans are here to stay and bring arms ... it would be too pretty naive or stupid for Filipinos to think that the Americans would only bring conventional warheads," Duterte said in a recent interview with a local media SMNI, aired late Wednesday night.

The former president opposed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a military pact allowing the United States to deploy its troops, weapons, and equipment in up to nine military bases within the Philippine territory.

"It's my concern for my country, and an open dialogue is always good," Duterte added.

Filipinos have become concerned over the enhanced military alliance and strategic security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, particularly after the latter had expanded access to the Philippine military bases under EDCA, as well as more extensive joint military exercises in the Southeast Asian country.

Some analysts believe the United States' ulterior goal is to preserve its dominance in Asia at the cost of provocation and even war, and the Filipinos, who will be caught in the crossfire, will suffer the most. 
Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has withdrawn all her members covering the State House of Assembly with immediate effect.

The withdrawal order was contained in a communique issued at the end of the State Congress of the union held at its secretariat, which was jointly signed by the State Council Chairman, Comrade Amos Etuk, State Council Secretary, Comrade Dominic Akpan, Comrade Iniobong Ekponta, Chairman of Communique Drafting Committee, Comrade Dianime Uko, Secretary Drafting Committee and Comrade Emem Okon.

The communique explained that the order was as a result of the appointment of a non-journalist, Mr Nkereuwem Udom, as the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Mr Udeme Otong.

According to the communique, the union warned that any member that defaults the directive of the congress will face servere sanctions.

The communique in parts, Congress directed all journalists covering the activities of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, including the Press Corps to withdraw their services with immediate effect over the appointment of a non-journalist as the Press Secretary (Head of Press Corps) by the Speaker, Mr Udeme Otong.

Congress frowned at this development and consequently warned that any defaulting member of the Union shall face severe sanctions, communique stated.

The communique also called on the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to take immediate action against indiscriminate dumping of refuse along Atiku Abubakar Way, which has blocked drainage causing flooding in the area.

The union in the communique called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to henceforth enforce the law, arrest and prosecute drivers, who drive against traffic (wrong way drive) as the ugly development always cause road crashes.

Congress called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Motor Traffic Division of the Nigeria Police and other authorities involved in traffic management to arrest and prosecute motorists who drive against the traffic as the ugly development has often resulted in accidents and injuries.

Congress also noted that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has shortchanged oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom State by not remitting the funds generated from fines from gas flaring in the affected communities to them directly, as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. Congress, therefore, urged NUPRC to henceforth start paying gas flaring fines to the affected communities.

The communique further called on the Nigeria Police Force Akwa Ibom Command and other security agencies in the state to step up their surveillance and come up with measures to arrest the increasing cases of phone theft in Uyo metropolis.
Two popular individuals within the Anambra and wider social media communities in Nigeria, - MC I Go TUK, also known as Ogbuefi Main Market and On-Air-Personality (OAP), Huge Man (Ifeanyi Orakwue) of Onitsha-based Sapentia Radio put out viral videos recently criticizing Anambra state Governor, Professor Charles Soludo. They are of the view that the Governors recent interactive session with Ndi Anambra living in Lagos on home-bound investment drive was an exercise in futility. They point at some of the challenges Anambra state is facing at the moment, ranging from insecurity, poor road networks in and around markets in Nnewi, Awka and Onitsha. They emphatically advised Ndi Anambra not to bother coming back home to invest until the government has tackled these challenges.

These outbursts that have since gone viral suggest that the honeymoon period that new governments enjoy has finally come to an end for Governor Soludo and his team. As we draw nearer to the 2025 Anambra state gubernatorial elections, it is normal to anticipate that many of such harsh criticisms will come. Soludo governments honeymoon period lasted over a year. Thats a record I should say. During our time in the Obiano government when I served as the Managing Director and CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), we never enjoyed such long honeymoon period. The largest political propaganda known to man in these parts was unleashed on the government and its officials almost at the onset. This was occasioned by the almost immediate fall-out between Governor Obiano and his predecessor, Peter Obi.

Ndi Anambra have high expectations of their elected officials especially their Governors. As the self-styled A state, which other states in the South-East look up to, Ndi Anambra expect their state to be ahead always in all the development indices. From the perspectives shared in the two viral videos and by some others, it appears that that is not the case at the moment. This disappointment is now manifesting in the increasing criticisms against the Soludo government.

I align with the view of late Boma Erokosima of blessed memory. The 80s and 90s Radio Rivers 2 FM Stereo presenter said that, advise no be curse. It is within the rights of the citizens to criticize their government and offer advice. The governor himself has variously criticized the government of his predecessor-Willie Obiano. He also criticized former Governor Peter Obi heavily in an attempt to discourage him, when he was campaigning for the presidency under Labour Party during the 2023 Nigeria general elections.

Criticisms are part of the democratic process if they are constructive rather than malicious. Criticisms should not be misconstrued to mean that the critics are unpatriotic as some of the counter narrative from some Anambra state government officials have alleged. Government critics are also Ndi Anambra and are stakeholders in the Anambra project. They may have or may not have voted for the Governor. They may belong to his political party - All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), or to other political parties, but as long as they are Ndi Anambra, they can criticize the government, offer advice and also commend the government where necessary. The critics are no less patriotic than those on the government side who would normally see things from their own narrow prism.

Has the Soludo government done some things right? Definitely. One can point at the road projects going on all over the state, teacher recruitment and other progress the government has made in other social-economic areas in just 15 months of its life.

Are there areas for the government to fast-track its efforts? Yes. One can point at the insecurity challenge. Obviously the kinetics approach the security forces have adopted in the state has not worked. Kinetic approach which is reactionary involves putting boots on the ground, invading communities and executing active warfare using lethal force against suspected insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers. This approach comes with huge collateral damages. There is need to introduce other methods such as the use of satellite surveillance, drones and other technologies. We can take cues from what Nnewi, Oraukwu, Alor and Enugwu-Ukwu communities in Anambra state have done.

Attracting Investments to Anambra State

On the issue of attracting investments and the plea by the Governor to Ndi Anambra living outside Anambra to bring their wealth home, its a good call. Former Governor Willie Obiano actively marketed Brand Anambra to Ndi Anambra and other investors from the very first day of his administration. The Aku luo uno concept was popularized during the Obiano administration.

In 2016, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the creation of Anambra state at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the traditional ruler of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, (Obi of Onitsha/Agbogidi) was the guest speaker and he spoke on the concept of Aku Luo Uno. His presentation was well received and triggered discussions and actions on the concept. Igwe Achebe, while delivering his lecture titled, Think Nigeria, Invest in Anambra (Aku Luo Uno), observed that no people can achieve greatness and respect in the comity of nations, based solely on their prowess in the diaspora and urged them to make the region their economic power-base to underpin their business interests all over the world.

In his words, You have to be strong in your home base. Ndi-Igbo have a beautiful God-given homeland, let us develop it and be proud of it. We are not saying that you should pull out and come home, no, diversify back home and ultimately let us make Ala-Igbo the power house to support and underpin our interest all over the world. If you are strong in your home base, they cannot insult you in their land.

It is to the credit of the Willie Obiano administration, as part of the Invest in Anambra strategy that Anambra Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA) was created. The pioneer Managing Director, late banker, Joe-Billy Ekwunife and his team, including the current MD of ANSIPPA, Mark Okoye, who was an Executive Director of the agency at the time did a lot of foundational work during Obianos first tenure. ANSIPPA was set-up to be a one-stop shop for everything investment in Anambra state. Its good to learn that the Soludo government plans to expand the scope of the agency. Its Managing Director, Mark Okoye, had at a media parley in June 2023 announced that ANSIPPA will transition into the Anambra Development and Investment Corporation (ADIC)  a full-fledged development corporation. The move will expand ANSIPPAs role, enabling it to undertake key phases of project development, such as conceptualization, design, bankability, structuring, and financing.

Notable investments which came into Anambra state during Obianos government included Lynden mechanized farms at Igbariam, Awka Millennium City, Roban Supermarket, Zara Stores, Radopin Stores, Coscharis Rice, Stine Industries (Anambra Rice), Joseph Agro and others. It was also during that period that international hospitality brands such as Best Western and BON birthed in Awka, Anambra state. There was a strategic attempt at marketing Brand Anambra as a favourite destination in the South-East to live, play, work and invest. Governor Obianos government built the Anambra Cargo Airport and the International Convention Centre, Awka. These facilities helped in investment promotion and attraction.

Governor Obiano did not wait for crime to reduce to zero before making his investment drives. This was because it is almost impossible to arrive at such zero-sum state in internal security. In New York, London and other developed cities in the West, crime has not reduced to zero. Governor Obiano re-doubled efforts and deployed additional state resources towards reducing crime and criminality. This approach paid off, at least in the first tenure before the politics of succession in the 2nd tenure took over and efforts went towards achieving that, leading to the neglect of security which had been the bedrock of the very successful first tenure of the administration.

I believe that what should be the discussion are suggestions how the state government can tackle some of the noted challenges, rather than calling on Governor Soludo not to ask Ndi Anambra to bring home some of their investments.

Factors That Influence In-Bound Investments

We must bear in mind that investments are made by investors for emotional and financial (return-on-investments) reasons. Investors and capital move more towards the direction where it will earn higher return-on-investment (ROI). In terms of percentage, there is no evidence to show the weighting between emotional and financial reasons in investment decision making index. Also, attracting investments to a town, state, region and country is not as simplistic as it may seem just as some of the government appointees are postulating on social media.

Several factors come into play. We can look at some of what applies in the case of nation marketing or nation branding, calibrate the ideas and localize them for states and towns. For example, the nation brand hexagon developed by the worlds leading authority on destination marketing and nation branding, Simon Anholt, lists various factors in the hexagon which interplay with each other in influencing the perception of a nation and its ability to attract investments. These are its people, culture and heritage, foreign and domestic policy, Investment and immigration, and tourism.

Anholt also introduced the concept of Competitive Identity, a model that combines the evaluation of a countrys identity (and acknowledges its strengths and weaknesses) with the possibility of re-shaping certain behaviors and actions to improve it. The notion of Competitive Identity underlines the fact that a countrys image has more to do with national identity and the politics and economics of competitiveness than with branding techniques. Through the lens of Competitive Identity, a countrys image does not depend on what the country tells the world, it depends on what its national identity stands for and its actions and behaviors in relation to the broader global community. Anholt notes that international perceptions of what a country stands for may be molded and repositioned over time as it adapts and responds strategically to new scenarios and circumstances.

Following Anholts criterion, such adaptation involves a multi-pronged approach where action is taken in a range of spheres (economic, political, legal, social and cultural). This may involve, for example, developing and implementing innovative policies and laws, building modern institutions, fostering cutting-edge science and technology, and offering innovative products and services along with a favourable investment and business environment. Like I said earlier, these nation branding and destination marketing concepts could be modified and applied at the sub-national state and local government levels.

Jian Wang writing on Shaping Chinas Global Imagination in Branding Nations notes as follows, While managing a nations image has long been an important task for nation-states, it is now more important than ever, as we move from the "modern world of geopolitics and power to the postmodern world of images and influence. In this context, national image refers to the climate of opinion formed by collective expressions of perceptions and judgments of a country by its foreign publics. The underlying idea is that the international publics perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs influence and drive nation-state behaviors and cross-national interactions. National image is a multidimensional construct and its sources include both discursive and nondiscursive elements. The fast-changing global contextcharacterized by sweeping advances in information technology, expanding civic participation, and increasing economic integrationhas made the management of a nations image ever more complex and challenging. Some of these ideas can aso apply to sub-national states such as Anambra state.

The website accountlearning.com lists the factors that influence foreign direct investments (FDIs) to include stability of the government, flexibility in the government, government policies, proactive measures of the government to promote investments (infrastructure development etc), exchange rate stability, tax policies and concessions, scope of the market. Other factors listed include logistics, availability of skilled labour and finally rate of return on investment.

This compares also to the factors listed on economicshelp.org - political stability, wage rates, tax rates, transport and infrastructure, size of local market, commodities, and access to free trade areas. While these apply to nations, some of the factors listed affect sub-nationals at the state level too. The government should note these as emotional factors alone are not enough to attract investments to a state.

Following on from the efforts of the Willie Obiano administration, the Charles Soludo government in Anambra state has through some of its policies and activities moved Anambra state up in the Nigeria Ease of Doing Business Ranking. Anambra state with a rating of 6.19 out of a possible 10 points currently ranks first amongst South-Eastern states in the Federal Government of Nigeria Ease of Doing Business report published in March 2023. It ranked 7th in the whole country.

The Sub-National Ease of Doing Business Report for 2023 was published by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). In the second edition of the report, Gombe, referred to as the Jewel of the Savannah, recorded a weighted score of 7.15 to emerge as the state providing the friendliest environment for business in Nigeria. Jigawa State (6.79) came second, followed by Sokoto State (6.88) which came third.

The states were rated and ranked on six indicators, namely; Infrastructure, secure and stable environment; transparency and accessibility of Information, regulatory environment, skills and labour, and finally economic opportunity. Each state was rated on a 10-point scale across the indicators, providing the basis for calculating the 2023 weighted EoDB score for each state.

The report showed that targeted communication and continuous improvement in performance and governance are essential to ensuring that sub-nationals are successful in improving their business climates and attracting investments. This is another important point for Anambra state government to note.

Conclusion

Both the critics and those on the government side mean well. It becomes a different question when such criticisms are made for ulterior political motives. In the case of Ifeanyi Orakwue (Huge Man) and Ogbuefi Main Market, we dont know that they were influenced by any ulterior political motives. What we want, just like the critics is to see collectively a progressive Anambra state. One that as Governor Soludo always says would be a liveable and prosperous homeland.

Uche Nworah, Ph.D, an adjunct Professor at The Continents States University, U.S.A, is Managing Partner at Woodhouse Consulting Limited, a Media, Communications and Branding consultancy. ( [email protected] )
Speaking on containers, maritime experts disclosed that 90 per cent of containers brought into Nigeria are not efficiently utilised.

The experts while speaking linked the hike in freight rates for cargoes destined for Nigeria to the underutilisation of those containers in the country.

In a discussion with journalists in Apapa, Lagos recently, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, Timi Bomordi, said that Nigerian importers pay for the two legs of shipping.

He explained, In Nigeria, the cost of shipping is always higher than in Europe, Asia, and America. It is usually so because Nigerian importers pay for the two legs of the shipping. If a container leaving Asia for Europe costs $1,000, the container knows that it is not going to come back empty. If they spent $1,000 going there, they will also get the money back coming because it will be laden. It wont be empty. So, the utility value of the container is in two ways. But in Nigeria, 90 per cent of the time, it is not. The utility value of the box is one way because we are a net importing country. We import much more than we export.

Bomordi further disclosed that the chance of containers bringing in goods to Nigeria going back with goods is low.

He explained, So, what is the probability that a box that comes in with goods from Europe, Asia, or America will go back with something? The probability is next to nothing. It is negative. So, the shipping companies are wise. They know that it cost them the same amount to fuel their vessels and bring these boxes here. So, who is going to pay for that? Who will pay for the empty boxes? So, they will tell the importers that they have to pay for the return. So, they charge the importers for two ways."

Similarly, Mr Festus Ukwu, a licensed Customs agent, urged the government to encourage exporters in the country.

He said, We do not have much to export. So, the volume of importation is far higher than the volume of exportation. If you look around, you will find out that many goods are under prohibition, which limits export. The government just currently lifted the ban on the export of wood, which will escalate export.

The number of containers that come in is more than the ones that go out. We dont have much to export that is the reason. It is the fault of the National Export Promotion Council because there is no incentive for exporters. There is no attraction for export. Exporters need to be encouraged. Most of the goods they export in Nigeria are unfinished goods."
The Nigerian Navy has announced deployment of new Flag Officers Commanding (FOCs), commandants of Teri-service institutions to man the commands and units of service across the country.

This was made known in a statement issued on Wednesday night signed by the Director naval information, Commodore Ayo-Vaughn.

The deployment comprises of 56 rear admirals and one Commodore.

Below is the full list of deployment:

The names of the newly appointed officers include Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole formerly the Director of Logistics, Defence Space Administration, is now appointed as the Chief of Communications and Information Technology, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Alexander Bingel formerly Director Combat Policy and Tactics is now the Director of Logistics, Defence Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, formerly Director Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Naval Headquarters is now the Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Kennedy Ezete formerly Director Project Monitoring, Defence Headquarters resumes as the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Livingstone Izu who was the Director Manning at Naval Headquarters is the new Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Musa Madugu formally Deputy Director Special Operation Forces at the Defence Headquarters has been appointed as the Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordinance Depot.

Rear Admiral Daupreye Matthew, the erstwhile Director of Innovation and Concept Development, Naval Headquarters is now the Director of Training, Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Zakariya Muhammad, the former Director of Training, Naval Headquarters has been reappointed Chief of Training and Operations.

Rear Admiral Emmanuel Nmoyem has been reappointed Director Human Rights Desks at the Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima formerly Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command moves to Defence Headquarters as Director of Plans.

The former Director of Plans, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere has been appointed the Chief of Defence Admimistration at the Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje who was the Director Equipment Standardization and Harmonization, Defence Headquarters has been appointed Group Managing Director, Navy Holdings Limited.

Rear Admiral Sulaiman El-ladan who was the Chief of Naval Engineering, Naval Headquarters is now at the Defence Research and Development Bureau at Defence Headquarters as the Director Marine Research while Rear Admiral Idi Abbas formerly Director of Operations, Naval Headquarters is now reappointed Chief of Naval Safety and Standards.

Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdullahi, the immediate past Director Communications at Naval Headquarters takes over as the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command while Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande formerly the Commandant Naval War College Nigeria has been appointed Director Operations, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Istifanus Albara formerly the Head ECOWAS Maritime Security Coordination Centre, Abidjan moves to Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary while Rear Admiral Clement Atebi has been reappointed to Naval Headquarters as the Director Audit.

Rear Admiral Samson Bura formerly Director Search and Rescue, Defence Headquarters is now the Director of Logistics at the Defence Intelligence Agency while Rear Admiral Umar Chugali formerly Director Cyber at the Defence Space Administration takes over as the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command.

Rear Admiral Oluwole Fadeyi has been reappointed Director Record Returns and Analysis, Naval Headquarters, likewise Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire reappointed Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command.

The new postings also saw Rear Admiral Eugenio Ferreira reappointed Commander Operation DELTA SAFE, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan formerly Director of Policy, Naval Headquarters redeployed to Naval War College Nigeria, Calabar as the Commandant while Rear Admiral Baratuaipri Iyalla formerly Chief Staff Officer, Logistics Command reappointed Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Oghara.

Rear Admiral Kohath Levi formerly Chief Staff Officer Naval Doctrine Command resumes at Naval Headquarters as the Chief of Naval Engineering while Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed formerly Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters is now the Director Project Monitoring, Defence Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Julius Nwagu formerly Director Campaign Planning, Naval Headquarters is now appointed Commandant Defence Intelligence College. Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu has been reappointed Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command while Rear Admiral Mike Oamen who was the Director Veterans Affairs, Naval Headquarters is now the Chief of Naval Transformation at the Naval Headquarters.

Also, Rear Admiral James Okosun has been reappointed Commandant Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, Rear Admiral Ayodeji Olugbode formerly Managing Director Admiralty Maritime Services Limited takes over as Hydrogragher of the Nigerian Navy while Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu formerly Director of Ships Design and Acquisition at the Naval Headquarters has been appointed as the Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The immediate past Commander Naval Drafting, Rear Admiral Habilla Zakaria resumes Headquarters Naval Doctrine Command as the Flag Officer Commanding while Rear Admiral Suleiman Abdullahi, formerly Managing Director Navy Exchange Limited is now the Director of Logistics, Defence Space Administration at the Defence Headquarters.

The erstwhile Chief of Accounts and Budget, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Kasimu Bushi has been appointed Managing Director Navy Hotels and Suites Limited while the immediate past Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan resumes Naval Headquarters as the Chief of Policy and Plans.

Rear Admiral Abdulmajid Ibrahim, former Director Peace Keeping Operations, Naval Headquarters is appointed Director Defence Transformation at the Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu former Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command takes over as the Commandant National Defence College, Abuja.

Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu, formerly the Director Marine Engineering, Naval Headquarters is appointed Managing Director Navy Building and Construction Company Limited while Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed who was Director of Recruitments Resettlement and Reserve, Naval Headquarters has been appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Space Administration at the Defence Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Fredrick Damtong formerly the Director of Weapon Engineering, Naval Headquarters resumes as the Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited.

Also, Rear Admiral Abdul-rasheed Haruna has been reappointed as the Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Eastern Naval Command while Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim who was Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited has been appointed Managing Director Admiralty Marine Services Limited.

Rear Admiral Sunday Oyegade, the outgone Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited assumes office as the Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation at Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral John Mamman is reappointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Western Naval Command likewise Rear Admiral John Okeke is reappointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Central Naval Command.

Rear Admiral Olatunde Olodude, the former Fleet Commander Western Fleet resumes Naval Headquarters as the Director of Plans.

The redeployment also affected Rear Admiral Peter Zakaria formerly Director of Arms, Naval Headquarters now appointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Logistics Command and Rear Admiral Sunday Atakpa who is reappointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Naval Training Command.

Rear Admiral Abdul-hamid Baba-Inna, formerly the Director of Legal Services, Naval Headquarters is now Director of Administration, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Patrick Effah, formerly Director of Maritime Domain Awareness, Naval Headquarters is now the Director of Naval Intelligence.

Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha who was the Deputy Director Defence Affairs at the Office of the National Security Adviser assumes office as the Director of Training, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie, the immediate past Director of Personnel Release at the Naval Headquarters takes over as the Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

Rear Admiral Olusegun Soyemi, formerly the Director Monitoring and Evaluation Analysis , Naval Headquarters is appointed Director of Policy, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Abraham Zipelle, formerly Commandant Defence Intelligence College now moves to Naval Headquarters as the Director of Manning.

Furthermore, Commodore Omotola Olukoya who was the Commander Central Pay Office resumes as the new Chief of Accounts and Budget, Naval Headquarters.
In spite of the many investments and campaigns being carried out by government and non governmental organizations alike, against Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria, the practice still persists in most States, taking roots mostly in rural communities.

The 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) show that the national prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting among Nigerian women aged 15  49 years stood at 20% representing approximately, only 5% decline from the 25% prevalence reported in 2013 NDHS. This statistics raises concerns about the slow pace at which the practice is being abandoned in the midst of many ongoing public community denouncement.

In Ebonyi State particularly, although the prevalence dropped from 74.2 percent in 2013 to 53.2 percent in 2018, the State is still rated around the third Highest in Nigeria.

Worried by the development, a nongovernmental Youth Organization, Global Youth Consortium Against FGM recently organized a one-day End FGM summit in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.

The summit supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) brought together youths from all walks of life to share knowledge, experiences and pledge their commitment to bond together in fighting the menace of FGM prevalence in the State.

Participants at the summit acknowledged that while actual clitoral cutting has significantly reduced in Ebonyi State, other forms of mutilation still abounds. They identified ignorance, superstition and other sociocultural factors as responsible for the trend.

Augustine Onwe, country representative of Global Youth Consortium explained that the program was aimed at galvanizing the efforts of young people and bringing more of them onboard the fight against Female Genital Mutilation through proper orientation and education, adding that the target of the group was to achieve a world totally free of FGM by 2030.

Onwe elaborated: "We believe that when you catch them young, educate them, it will go a long way in nipping FGM as an aspect of human rights violation, Sexual and Gender based violence.

"FGM rate in Ebonyi is still at 53. 2 percent which is still very high, and our target is that by the next time we carry out survey of the indicators, we want to see the rate drop to barest minimum if not completely eradicated.

"We are committed to delivering the 2030 promise of zero FGM.

"Our generation must be the one to end FGM, and we don't want the next generation to experience the practice."

He noted that while adult Female Genital Cutting seems to be publicly declining, other forms of mutilation such as massaging, numbing, pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization have continued to increase especially against the female child.

Speaking to our correspondent at the event, one of the key participants and discussant, Christopher Okorie described the practice of FGM as a brazen abuse of the rights and dignity of the woman and the girl child.

Okorie who is the Ebonyi State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission added that FGM is not only a life-threatening practice but also one of the major causes of divorce and promiscuity in marriage.

He said: "FGM touches negatively on the rights of a female child.

"When the female genital is mutilated, it touches directly on her rights to human dignity, and if from there, complications arise, it also touches on her right to life.

"Every child has the right not to be violated or violently touched physically, emotionally and psychologically.

"Female genital mutilation can lead to excessive bleeding; It can lead to keloid which causes cancer; it can lead to a woman's inability to express her sexual feelings as she should, which can lead to divorce, infidelity and other abnormal outcomes."

Okorie however, admonished FGM survivors not to allow the experience negatively affect their self esteem but to move on with optimism.

"Above all, they should stand up to ensure that future generations do not go through same experiences", he added.

In a presentation, one of the resource persons and the GYC Programme coordinator in Nigeria, Felx Fame Emisire, explained that there are 4 major types of FGM as classified by the World Health Organization. He named them to include Clitoridectomy in which the clitoris of a female is partially or completely removed; Excision which involves partial or complete removal of the labia minora and or the labia majora.

He identified the third type as Infibulation, in which the vaginal opening of the female is mechanically narrowed and a covering seal created, while the 4th encompasses all other unclassified harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes and includes practices such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, and cauterizing of the genital area.

Emisire decried the situation where women are made objects of pain through genital mutilation stressing that the youth group was determined to reverse the ugly trend.

Speaking on their experience at the summit, two students, Precious Nwigbo of Girls High School, Abakaliki and Peter Nkashi of Abakaliki High School said the summit was packed with knowledge.

They appreciated the organizers while pledging to take the message to their peers in school so that a formidable youth and adolescent movement against FGM would be put in place.

Global Youth Consortium against FGM is a movement of young people formed in 2021 with support from UNFPA. It is made up of youth- focused organisations, young activists who are passionate about eliminating FGM from all over the world. Its slogan is "young people leading a world free from FGM by 2030."
President Bola Tinubu has stated that he invoked the spirit of freedom in Ijebu land against President Muhammadu Buhari and former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, when they appeared to be threatening his political ambition.

Your monies were confiscated. The cash swap didnt work. It was terrible then. I realised that I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom for which we are noted for, Mr Tinubu said.

I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba (referring to Awujale). The spirit of Baba  Emi lokan (its my turn), thats Baba. The spirit for being blunt and that is him. And the second spirit is that of money (naira scarcity), ama dibo ama wole (we will vote and we will win) even if there is no money. And that, ever since, has been the spirit that is driving me to serve.

Tinubu made this remarks at the Palace of Awujale of Ijebu Land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, when he paid a courtesy visit on Thursday.

Recall that while speaking with All Progressives Congress delegates in June 2022 in Ogun state, in the run-up to the partys primary, Mr Tinubu declared that emi lo kan, while narrating how he helped former President Muhammadu Buhari to clinch the presidency in 2015.

He tried the first time and failed. He tried a second time and failed. He tried a third time and failed. He even cried on television that he would never run for president again, Mr Tinubu said. I went to meet him and told him this is not a crying matter: we will support you and you will be president.

Again, in January 2023, during APC presidential campaign in Ogun state, Mr Tinubu accused the Buhari regime of using the raging fuel scarcity and naira redesign and cash handling policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to blunt his chances at the ballot box at the February polls.

Youre hoarding fuel and hoarding the naira, Mr Tinubu said in Abeokuta. Still, we will vote, and we will win this election.

Whether you change the ink of the naira or spend money till you are in debt, things wont turn out as you hope, we are the ones who will win the election, and our opponents will fail, he had boasted.
Chinese artists perform Kung Fu during a tea salon held at the Chinese embassy in Bucharest, Romania, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

BUCHAREST, June 29 (Xinhua) -- With cups of tea being presented to Romanian guests from different walks of life, Chinese Ambassador to Romania Han Chunlin said with a smile that "through tasting tea together, we become better friends" during a tea salon held at the grand hall in the Chinese embassy in Bucharest.

The tea served to the guests, including politicians, ambassadors, sinologists, think-tankers and media reporters, was made from tea leaves from Emei Mountain in Leshan in southwestern China's Sichuan Province.

Emei Mountain is emblematic in China for its spiritual strength to gather scholars, writers and poets to visit and exchange philosophical ideas by tasting tea, admiring flowers and vegetation, and practicing calligraphy and traditional painting skills in ancient times, Guo Jie, an official of Leshan, explained to the Romanian guests during the Cultural Gala and Tea Salon on Tuesday.

One thousand years later, in our days, Emei Mountain still represents the perfection of natural beauty, flavors of the most refined tea and Buddhist wisdom, said Guo, continuing that Leshan is famous for its giant panda habitat, one of the four huge Buddha statues in China, and worldwide known green tea which she called "a peace messenger to the entire world."

Kung Fu performances, the musical instrument guzheng, and traditional calligraphy and painting activities were presented at the salon, part of the "Seeing China" series of cultural events to bring together Chinese and locals to understand better the Chinese way of thinking, philosophy of life and wisdom.

"The tea brings peace to the world," wrote an artist in calligraphic style under the eyes of the audience.

Martial arts performances of the Wudang Wushu artists from the city of Shiyan, central China's Hubei Province, illustrated a physical approach to Chinese philosophy -- an exercise of the mind and body to reinforce strength and coordination.

On the occasion, Han briefed the status of China-Romania relations and vowed that China will continue the bilateral friendship. "The China-Romania friendship has a huge potential, and cooperation has wide prospects; We are open to working together with all kinds of social categories in Romania along the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Central and Eastern European Countries platform to achieve new progress for the benefit of the two peoples."

Wu Hailong, president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, underscored the traditional relations between China and Romania and promised further development. "Cultural and people-to-people exchanges have been expanding. The Romanians have been interested in martial arts and learning Wushu for over 50 years. The China-Romania friendship has passed the test of time and obstacles," Wu said.

"The association will work shoulder to shoulder with you to promote interpersonal and cultural exchanges from a deeper and wider perspective," Wu, who led a delegation of the association in Bucharest, told the guests.

Emil Constantinescu, a former president of Romania, and Adrian Nastase, a former Romanian prime minister, reminisced about important moments and the mutual support between the two countries throughout their shared history, with the latter inviting everybody attending the salon to "look back and learn from histories, to become wiser for the future."

Gabriela Cretu, deputy president of the committee for culture, arts and mass media of the Romanian Senate, said that "China has brought the biggest contribution to the progress of humankind by alleviating hundreds of millions of people out of poverty," adding that "we must also learn to view on long-term, wide perspective, like the Chinese."

Another former Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said that economic relations should develop more because China has tremendous potential. "Friendship, cooperation and trust are the foundation of a better world," Dancila said. 

A Chinese artist performs the art of tea during a tea salon held at the Chinese embassy in Bucharest, Romania, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Chinese artists perform during a tea salon held at the Chinese embassy in Bucharest, Romania, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Chinese artists perform the art of tea during a tea salon held at the Chinese embassy in Bucharest, Romania, June 27, 2023. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)
Chinese women arrested at Phuket airport for working illegally

PHUKET: Immigration officers have arrested two Chinese women taken into custody in the car park at Phuket International Airport for working illegally.

tourismChineseimmigrationcrime

By The Phuket News

Thursday 29 June 2023 11:10 AM

Photo: Phuket Airport Immigration Checkpoint

The two women were placed under arrest at about 1:30pm yesterday (June 28), reported the Phuket Airport Immigration Checkpoint.

Leading the arrest team was Pol Lt Col Akkaraphon Kaewkiat.

The names of the women were not reported, and they had their faces covered in the photo released by immigration officers.

The two women were arrested for "working without a work permit or performing duties beyond the limits of those permitted, said the report.

There was also a violation of the conditions of stay in the country, since the womens visas did not provide for work.

The two women were taken to Sakhu Police Station, which is responsible for Phuket International Airport. If found guilty, the women face fines and deportation, with the possibility of being banned from re-entering Thailand for a specified period.

Phuket Immigration officers regularly reports arrests of Chinese citizens for illegal work at the airport, and all such reports indicate the same location  a parking lot near the international terminal, which the agency also refers to as "tourist parking", probably referring to tourist buses.

Meanwhile, the Thailand Tourism Authority (TAT) and tourism business associations continue to highlight that the flow of organised tourist groups from China has not yet approached pre-pandemic levels.

Tourists from China now arriving on the island are mostly independent travelers, but are still enough in numbers to provide China with first place in terms of the number of tourist arrivals to Phuket.
Phuket tsunami drill to get competitive twist

PHUKET: Registration continues for the inaugural Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event to be held in Mai Khao on Sunday, July 16. The exercise will have a new competitive twist to enhance engagement.

tourismSafety

By The Phuket News

Thursday 29 June 2023 01:30 PM

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held in Mai Khao on July 16, registration closes on July 9. Image: DDPM Phuket

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held in Mai Khao on July 16, registration closes on July 9. Image: DDPM Phuket

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held in Mai Khao on July 16, registration closes on July 9. Image: Mai Khao OrBorTor

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held in Mai Khao on July 16, registration closes on July 9. Image: Mai Khao OrBorTor

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held in Mai Khao on July 16, registration closes on July 9. Image: DDPM Phuket

Phuket will be among six Andaman provinces to try the new, more engaging format of the safety exercise, according to the Phuket office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM Phuket) and Mai Khao Tambon Administrative organization (Mai Khao OrBorTor).

"All people from the area, including Thai residents and foreign tourists, can join the event for free. There is no application fee. Registered participants who cross the finish line within the allotted time will receive commemorative Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 pins, while the top five finishers will receive special prizes from the DDPM," Mai Khao OrBorTor said in its announcement of the event.

The inaugural Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 will start from Sala Phuket in Mai Khao at 4pm on July 16. The 3.2-kilometer-long evacuation route will finish at the designated evacuation meeting point near the Mai Khao OrBorTor office and Phuket Checkpoint.

As Sala Phuket is adjacent to a lake, the participants will first have to proceed northward from the hotel and pass JW Marriott, Anantara Villas, and Marriotts Mai Khao Beach before turning right onto Thepkrasattri Rd.

Runners and walkers will then go past the Phuket Administrative Court Office and Region 8 Police Headquarters before reaching the final destination.

No exact normative for receiving a commemorative pin has been given so far, but Mai Khao OrBorTor mentioned in its notice that it normally takes around 30 minutes to cover a distance of 2-4 km at a regular pace.

The said 30 minutes were recently given as the time which Phuket residents will have for evacuation after receiving a warning from Station 23461 buoy, installed in the Andaman Sea approximately 340km northwest of Phuket, about halfway between Phuket and the Nicobar Islands.

The Walk & Run for Tsunami Learning 2023 event will be held on July 15-16 in all six Andaman provinces, including Phuket, Phang Nga, Ranong, Trang, and Satun. Registration closes on July 9.

To register, please go to https://shorturl.at/adehY or scan a QR code available here.
Rewat urges hotels to pay PPAO room tax

PHUKET: Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) has called on hotel and other guest accommodation operators to step up and pay the 1% room rate tax collected by the PPAO to help fund tourism promotion and development.

tourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Thursday 29 June 2023 10:11 AM

Mr Rewat made his plea at an event held at the Royal Phuket City Hotel in Phuket Town, attended by some 450 hotel operators.

Present to support the call was Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew.

Mr Rewat explained that PPAO has had the power to levy the tax since 1999 under the Provincial Administrative Organization Act, B.E.

The PPAO is empowered to levy a tax of up to 3% on the monies paid for each tourist room or other form of accommodation rented, but the PPAO has never asked for more than 1%, he explained.

The PPAO has had good cooperation from hotel operators in Phuket who paid the room rate tax, Mr Rewat said.

However, there were still too many hotel and tourist accommodation operators who refused to pay the tax, he said. Of note, AirBnB operators were not mentioned.

Mr Rewat called on hotel and other tourist accommodation providers to step up and pay the tax, so the PPAO can push forward with projects in social development, preserving the environment and promoting and developing sustainable tourism in Phuket  all with the participation of hotel operators.

For decades many hotel operators have refused to pay the PPAO room rate tax through objections over a lack of transparency on how the money would be spent.

Such a lack of transparency was painfully clear during the administration of Watcharin Patomwatthanapong, who served as PPAO Acting Chief after former PPAO President Paiboon Upatising passed away from cancer in 2015.

The entire lifeguard crisis throughout 2017-18 unfolded under Mr Watcharins administration, with one bureaucratic bungle after another resulting in zero lifeguards on Phukets main beaches during the busy heyday of hordes of foreign tourists holidaying on the island.

The problem was the money; Mr Watcharin said the PAPO did not have enough to increase the budget to pay for lifeguards. However, rumours of rampant corruption were common at the time.

Mr Rewat yesterday addressed that concern.

You will be informed of how the income that the PPAO collects from hotel guests and all other income collected by the PPAO has been utilised in public service and how to promote the tourism of Phuket, he said.

It is expected that this time participants will be informed and have a good understanding and inspiration to pay hotel fees, so that we can generate income to develop our Phuket province to be as effective as possible, he added.

Since being elected PPAO President in 2021, Mr Rewat has been noticeable in explaining how PPAO budgets are spent.

He has also driven a raft of projects to promote and develop new tourism attractions in Phuket. During his time the PPAO has driven forward projects to support communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, namely through local food festivals held to generate incomes for hard-hit families, and developed the new Chalong-Patong road.
Tiny Thai school on the climate change front line

BAN KHUN SAMUT CHIN: Each morning, four children stand barefoot in a line and proudly sing the national anthem as the Thai flag is raised outside their school, perched on a finger of land surrounded by the sea.

environmentweather

By AFP

Thursday 29 June 2023 09:30 AM

A temple surrounded by the sea in Ban Khun Samut Chin nearby the school. Photo: AFP

They are the last pupils left at the school in Ban Khun Samut Chin, a coastal village less than 10 kilometres (six miles) from the edge of Bangkok that is slowly being devoured by the waves.

About 200 people cling on in the village, in a glimpse of what the future may hold for countless coastal communities around the world as climate change melts glaciers and ice sheets, causing sea levels to rise.

I used to have many friends, around 20 or 21 classmates when I started kindergarten, says 11-year-old Jiranan Chorsakul.

Im a bit lonely and I would like new students to enrol.

At a Buddhist temple, supported on posts as it juts far out into the turbid brown-green waters of the Bay of Bangkok, village head Wisanu Kengsamut tells AFP that two kilometres of land have been lost to the sea in the past 60 years.

Behind me there used to be a village and a mangrove forest and you could easily walk from the village to this temple... Villagers started moving inland, further and further away from the temple, he says.

Now the only visible signs of where the village once stood are old power poles sticking out of the water.

Vision of the future

United Nations climate experts warn that sea levels have already risen by 15 to 25 centimetres (six to 10 inches) since 1900, and the pace is accelerating, especially in some tropical areas.

If warming trends continue, the oceans could rise by nearly one additional metre around the Pacific and Indian Ocean islands by the end of the century.

The effects would hit Thailand hard. An estimated 17% of the kingdoms population - about 11 million people - live by the coast and are dependent on fishing or tourism for their livelihoods.

Dublin City University environmental politics assistant professor Danny Marks says Ban Khun Samut Chin is a vivid warning of what a climate-ravaged world could look like.

We can see this as a stark microcosm of the risk that sea-level rise poses to us, particularly in the developing world, he told AFP.

The severe erosion at Ban Khun Samut Chin has been exacerbated by poor management of the local environment and storm surges made more powerful by climate change.

Groundwater has been over-exploited and thick mangroves - which acted as a barrier to tame the waves - were destroyed to make way for prawn farms.

And dams upstream on the Chao Phraya - the river that flows through Bangkok and discharges near the village - have slowed the deposition of sediment in the bay.

The village has been working for some years with a Chulalongkorn University research project to put in bamboo and concrete pillars and replant mangroves to hold back the sea.

But in the long term these measures might not be enough to withstand the force of nature and the village could be lost, Wisanu says.

We have no plans to move the village further inland because there is no more land for us to move to, so we must try to preserve what we have somehow, he says.

Appeals to the government for help have led nowhere, he adds.

Ive given up hope that the government will step in. We have to save ourselves.

If its still here...

The village has a homestay programme and hopes to use eco-tourism tours to raise money and educate the public about their fight for survival.

The children are studying the local ecology, learning to identify plants and animals, and might one day be tour guides, school principal Mayuree Khonjan says.

Back in the classroom decked out with four tiny pink chairs and desks, Jiranan concentrates hard as his teacher writes numbers on the board.

I want to be a teacher so I can pass on knowledge to other students. I want to teach at this school, if its still here, Jiranan says.

But next year one boy will graduate to high school, and only three youngsters will be left to line up and sing the national anthem each morning.
ADEN, Yemen, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Houthi militia in Yemen on Thursday threatened to resume fighting against the government forces and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition.

Mohamed Al-Atifi, the defense chief of the Houthi rebel militia, accused the coalition of "deception and dishonesty" during ongoing peace talks with the rebels, declaring that the group is actively preparing for new military actions to expel coalition forces from Yemen and seize control of all territory.

The recent military parades and maneuvers conducted by the Houthis were not mere shows of force but rather a signal of their readiness for a new round of warfare, he warned.

The fresh threats came as Al-Atifi visited Houthi frontline positions in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz, where the rebel group recently deployed large reinforcements.

In response, leaders of the Yemeni government backed by the Saudi-led coalition announced that their forces are on high alert and prepared to confront any potential military escalation.

Mohamad Bin Rasiah, the chief of staff of the Yemeni army's Sixth Regional Military Command, stated that extensive preparations had been made to counter the Houthis' "intransigence" and their refusal to comply with initiatives aimed at ending the long-standing conflict.

On Saturday, Yemeni Defense Minister Mohsen Al-Daari announced that the government forces have raised their combat readiness in response to a large military parade held by the Houthis in the central province of Ibb, where Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Houthis' Supreme Political Council, vowed to continue fighting and promised to introduce advanced weapons in the "next battle."

Yemen's civil war broke out in late 2014 when the Houthi group seized control over much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government out of the capital Sanaa. 
Arson bid foiled

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BISHNUPUR, Jun 29: After Rahul Gandhi was prevented from continuing his journey to Churachandpur on road at Bishnupur, a large number of people stormed the Bishnupur district BJP office today.

At around 5 pm, people from all sides converged at the district BJP office in a bid to set it on fire.

Security forces deployed in the area fired tear gas shells and hundreds of rounds of bullets to disperse the mob.

The angry mob pelted stones at the office damaging the windows.

No one was hurt in the incident. Later, people burnt tyres and blocked the Bishnupur road.
Interaction programme held

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IMPHAL, Jun 29 : Indigenous Development Mission (IDM) in association with Department of Law, Manipur University today organised an interaction programme at the Senata Hall of Earth Science Department, Manipur University.

In a release, IDM informed that about 100 delegates from Manipur and other States took part in the event.

The participants also observed two minute silence to pay respect to those who had lost their lives during the ongoing conflict in Manipur.
A session themed "China and Africa: Mutually Transformative" is held during the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Meng Chenguang)

TIANJIN, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Global investors are seeking new business opportunities from China as the world's second-largest economy embarks on a path of innovation-driven development.

During the 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, heavyweight companies from home and abroad have reached a consensus that China's commitment to innovation helps them thrive in an increasingly digitalized world.

German mechanical and electrical drive producer, Flender, has scaled up its investment in the Chinese market over recent years while eyeing the country's growing appetite for hi-tech and innovative products.

Over the past two decades, the number of customers of high-end industrial materials and industrial components has expanded exponentially in the Chinese market, said Gou Jianhui, chairman and CEO of Flender Ltd., China.

"This shows that China's industrial technologies have kept evolving, and its consumer demand is shifting to upmarket products, which are positive trends of development," Gou said.

In the northern port city of Tianjin, a new research and development (R&D) center has been put into service this year by Pegasus, a century-old Japanese manufacturer of industrial sewing machines. According to Pegasus, the move aims to boost the market competitiveness of its products.

As China's high-end clothes sewing market thrives, this R&D center will help the company cater to China's growing demand for high-performance, multi-functional sewing machines, said Okada Yoshihide, general manager of Pegasus (Tianjin) Sewing Machine Co., Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary.

"We will increase our efforts in R&D and sales of new products to further expand our business in China," Okada added.

Official data showed that overseas firms are important drivers and beneficiaries of China's innovation-driven growth, with the R&D investment by major foreign-funded industrial enterprises in the country soaring by 91.5 percent from 2012 to 2021. The number of their valid invention patents increased from 68,000 to 241,000.

Behind the figures are the country's persistent endeavors to encourage innovation on all fronts. Official data showed that China's spending on R&D totaled 3.087 trillion yuan (about 427.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022, an increase of 10.4 percent over the previous year.

The country has recorded double-digit growth in such spending annually since 2016, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Among the latest efforts in this regard, Chinese policymakers decided last month that "the principal position of enterprises in sci-tech innovation should be ensured with institutional arrangements," and opportunities presented by the new sci-tech revolution, such as artificial intelligence, should be seized.

"In the long term, the innovation capacity of China is growing rapidly, and we believe that China will be at the center of the future pharmaceutical revolution," said Alex Zhavoronkov, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in New York and Hong Kong.

Attracted by China's huge market and growing innovation capacity, Insilico Medicine built a drug research and development center in Shanghai in 2019. It has now become the largest and most talent-intensive among the company's centers and offices globally.

"Our Chinese team, with strong innovation and expertise, is driving Insilico Medicine's global business development. We are optimistic and confident about the business growth in China in the future," said Zhavoronkov.

Transforming into a global hub for innovators, China moved up to the 11th spot in the Global Innovation Index 2022 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, marking an impressive climb of 23 places from its 2012 ranking.

Yu Feng, president of Honeywell China, said that China's solid implementation of an innovation-driven development strategy had helped the digital economy flourish and nurtured new sectors and hi-tech products.

"This provides vast opportunities for companies that are dedicated to technological innovation," Yu added. 
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addresses the opening ceremony of the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

CHANGSHA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to provide new opportunities for Africa through Chinese modernization and high-quality development, and will make the pragmatic cooperation between the two sides deeper and more solid, Vice President Han Zheng said Thursday.

Han made the remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, which is taking place in Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province. The four-day event has attracted over 1,000 representatives from 68 countries and regions.

Over the past decade, no matter how the international situation has changed, China and Africa have always been friendly and united, and have become a community with a shared future and common interests, Han noted.

He said China firmly supports Africa in taking an independent development path, and will advance China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, forging a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

China-Africa cooperation plays an important leading role in South-South cooperation, as well as international cooperation with Africa, and has set a model for building a new type of international relations, he said.

He added that the expo is expected to be a good platform for the two sides to enhance exchanges and discuss cooperation. 

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng visits an exhibition hall of the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo prior to the opening ceremony of the event in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 29, 2023. Han addressed the opening ceremony of the expo on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)
MACAO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Macao's total merchandise export amounted to 1.17 billion patacas (about 145 million U.S. dollars) in May, up 2.6 percent year on year, the special administrative region's statistical service said on Thursday.

The merchandise import went up 4.3 percent year on year to 12.53 billion patacas, and the merchandise trade deficit totaled 11.35 billion patacas in May, the latest report from Macao's Statistics and Census Service showed.

The value of re-exports rose 3.8 percent to 1.02 billion patacas, whereas the value of domestic exports decreased 4.8 percent to 157 million patacas, the report said. (1 pataca equals 0.12 U.S. dollars) 
No other global leader would have mustered the courage to call President Xi Jinping of China a dictator, as President Joe Biden did during his recent 2024 election fund-raising visit in California. It wasnt a senior moment, a slip of the tongue in an unguarded moment, because later on Biden defended his remark without any regrets, when he said, just not something Im going to change very much. In spite of fierce outrage from Beijing, Biden said that he would nonetheless meet with Xi sometime soon.

Ironically, this happened just after Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned from China, where he had gone to mend fences after the shooting of the Chinese spy balloon had created a diplomatic furore. After the conciliatory meeting with President Xi, Secretary Blinken said that he had no illusion about how profound and vehement the disagreements were between the two nations  about Taiwans de facto separate and self-governing status as a democratic country; Chinas hegemonic efforts to dominate the South China Sea; Chinas support for Russias aggression against Ukraine;

Chinas technology and intellectual property thefts; and Chinas role in the smuggling of synthetic drugs that has led to the fentanyl crises. Its worth noting that Secretary Blinkens visit took place on the backdrop of the recent revelations that China was building a spy base in Cuba, as The Wall Street Journal reported. Putting up a cheerful diplomatic face, Secretary Blinken said that the relations with China could be managed, nonetheless. The United States has always managed to work with dictators without however giving up on its ideals of maintaining the liberal democratic global order based on the rule of law. Which dictators like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are challenging now on the mistaken belief that the United States and the West are in a state of irretrievable decline.

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Since dictators, paramount leaders, and presidents for life dont care for freedom and truth, they overestimate their powers and cause chaos and destruction. They believe that disorder would create new order shaped by them. Writing in Foreign Affairs, China Is Ready for a World of Disorder, Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, recounts an interesting and revealing conversation between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in their March meeting in Kremlin. Xi told Putin, Right now, there are changes  the likes of which we havent seen for 100 years  and we are the ones driving these changes together. Putin, smiling, responded, I agree. Leonard writes that the exchange neatly encapsulates the contemporary Chinese way of thinking about the emerging global order  or, rather, disorder. Is China is really looking for competitive coexistence with America?

Only a bold US president, confident of Americas power, could speak the truth to dictators. Instead of forgetting about the spy balloon, President Biden dwelled upon it, Thats whats a great embarrassment for dictators when they didnt know what happened. That wasnt supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course up through Alaska and then down through the United States. And he didnt know about it.

When it got shot down, he was very embarrassed. He denied it was even there. If President Xi did not know about the spy balloon, what else does this most powerful man on the planet  head of the state without any term limits or accountability, commanderin-chief of the PLA, the worlds largest military force, unchallenged boss of the ruling Communist Party  not know that could be dangerous to the world. Instead of spy balloons, there could be Chinese warplanes over Taiwan, but President Xi couldnt pretend innocence. Lately, in fact, Chinese warplanes and naval ships have carried out maneuvers around Taiwan and the South China Sea that were extremely threatening to the USs legitimate security presence and responsibilities in the region.

In an interview with 60 Minutes, last year President Biden said that the United States would defend Taiwan if there was an unprecedented attack. This is the bipartisan consensus and the determination which would test Americas willpower in case China attacked. Last year President Biden called Vladimir Putin a murderous dictator and pure thug and condemned the invasion of Ukraine as an immoral war. The Ukrainian war has rejuvenated NATO and Europe as well as America.

But Russia, in spite of its vast natural resources and nuclear weapons, is much less integrated with the global economy than China. Concerned about the aggressive rise of China and its global ambitions, European countries have begun to reassess their relations with China and re-think about the importance of the Indo-Pacific, a region as vital to their geopolitical and economic interests as it is to the United States and the rest of world. Last year the US and Europes bilateral trade with China exceeded $1.6 trillion involving complex global supply chains connecting several nations in the Indo-Pacific. Therefore, for China the war against Taiwan would be different, much more catastrophic than it has been for Russia against Ukraine.

And defending Taiwan wouldnt be easy for the United States and its allies. But there would be no choice. Even decoupling from the Chinese economy seems difficult. As European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen said, I believe it is neither viable  nor in Europes interest  to decouple from China. Our relations are not black or white  and our response cannot be either. This is why we need to focus on derisk  not decouple. American and European Unions strategies to de-risk their economies from Chinese economic power include ensuring the supply of critical raw materials, maintenance of crucial supply chains, monitoring the flow of investments that might pose security risks, and controlling technologies with military and intelligence applications.

Today America, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific countries face the challenge of how to continue economic ties with the worlds second biggest economy without letting China control the choke points and levers of global trade for which American power and the defense of Taiwan are indispensable. A judicious blend of European-style conciliatory and American-style confrontational diplomacy with China might work.

(The writer is affiliated with the diplomacy and international programme at the Norwich University Graduate College, US, and is the author of India In A New Key: Nehru To Modi. He publishes the Freedom Public Square newsletter and podcast.)
Four news items have caught my attention in the last couple of days. The first was about the rebellion by soldiers of the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary contractor fighting the war in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops. The Wagner chief, seen as an ally of President Vladimir Putin, was obviously working for money.

While there might be some truth in reports about his frustration with delayed supply of military hardware and demand for ousting the Defence Minister, the fact remains that, unlike the state forces, this man was running a business enterprise which profits from war. He hired convicted criminals and renegade soldiers to create a fighting machine which sold its services for a price. The corollary was that it could switch loyalties for better returns. Did it?

So far we dont know but a deal was apparently struck to hold him up in Belarus, while the fighting men were disarmed. Why was the Wagner Group so much in the news while we got to hear so little about the Blackwater, Halliburton, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Northbridge and many other similar groups which fought dirty wars, or provided logistics for dirty wars, in many other countries being destroyed by long drawn wars?

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Yes, if these companies are profiting from war they will perpetuate the strife for as long as they can. They will do everything, contrived intelligence et al, to keep the profit making wars go on. Their fighters are contract workers, who need to keep fighting to keep their jobs.

The Russian fiasco, which forced the state to negotiate with criminals, has shown that mercenary soldiers cannot replace a trained army of disciplined men and women fighting for their country, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the security of their motherland. If we accept that outsourcing of wars to contractors is good state policy, we might as well say goodbye to negotiations and peaceful coexistence of nations.

Who starts many of these wars is another matter. The citizens obviously have no say in these decisions, whether it is in the worlds oldest democracy or a dictatorial regime. The second news was about British PM Rishi Sunaks former close ally and Deputy PM, Dominic Raab, calling on the PM to up the governments game to reap the full dividends of a closer partnership with India. Raab, unabashedly, spoke of Sunaks Indian roots and heritage as an advantage which should be leveraged to the UKs gain. The lesson is stark. Stop treating foreign nationals as your own.

Their loyalty lies with the country to which their future and that of their progeny is tied. They want to keep ties with their country of origin for two reasons only. Firstly, it gives them a distinct ethno-cultural identity which provides them a reason to coalesce in a foreign land. Often the regressive adherence to a historical heritage gives them a reason to feel superior in some way, even if it is superficial.

The second reason is that from a commercial viewpoint, they cannot but salivate at the huge Indian market for everything from technology to military hardware, or pharmaceuticals to fast foods. They use their sheer numbers and consequent political heft to lobby the legislatures for improved commercial and strategic ties. It is projected, ad nauseam, that both nations would gain through deepening of bilateral relations. Please remember that win-win is a fake concept ~ one side always takes advantage of the other.

Even if both parties gain, someone, somewhere pays a price. Specifically, on Americans of Indian origin, their love for the motherland is often limited to waving flags and cheering our political leaders when they go visiting foreign shores. A lot of coverage is given to what is promised in technological and strategic terms but we the people never get to learn about the price we are paying for the bonhomie. Will we see an audit of what the country has gained from the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, the LEMOA, COMCASA, ISA and more? When we seek more visas for our young technocrats and other professionals, the policy runs in the face of our avowed commitment to indigenisation.

Technology transfer, to be effective, has to be internalised by our own men and women and we do a disservice to the nation by promoting the flight of our young qualified people. If the adaptation of technology imports is to be parcelled out to private operators, let us rest assured that there shall be no indigenisation. There is far more money to be made in over-invoicing of imports than there is in manufacturing at home; not to forget the huge opportunities for siphoning out our national wealth.

The third item was about IT experts advising common citizens to educate themselves for identifying the ever growing innovations in online scams, which could cause them loss of wealth and privacy. The government and the Reserve Bank of India also periodically issue such advisories, essentially placing the responsibility for IT crimes, at least to some extent, on the uneducated and unprepared citizens ~ who are being bludgeoned into adopting online financial services.

Nobody asked me if I wanted digitisation. Did they ask you? So why are we being made responsible for our losses on account of technologies we never demanded? When a contract is breached the vendor and the manufacturer have to be penalised, not the buyer or consumer. If your dog bites me, I have the right to take you to court and seek damages.

Likewise, if the IT solutions or software purchased by a public or private entity carries loopholes, bugs or other malware which results in losses to the end consumer then why shouldnt the IT company or software vendor be dragged to court? Why does the law punish only criminals who misuse the system to cheat the gullible masses, why not the system developers and vendors, who cause the losses through poorly designed or vulnerable systems? And the governments, which are forcing digitization without understanding the perils of IT? After all, we dont punish the dog, we punish its master and owner, who exposes an innocent child to danger by taking out an untrained dog on the street, without a leash.

The fourth item was about how top leaders of democratic countries are single-mindedly focussed on pushing the interests of corporations across the world. Legislation is customized and regulatory institutions tamed to provide them opportunities to get rich. All concern for social development, fundamental rights and quality of life of the common citizens appear to have been placed on a back burner, or even lost sight of. It is only about investment and business opportunities.

Who was pushing the idea that nation states have lost relevance in a globalised world and that there should be no hindrance to movement of money across borders? Was it you? It was certainly not me. Are we still willing to buy the falsehood of the trickle-down theory, when profits and incomes instead of being shown in the books of the local corporate are seamlessly moved to third country shell companies? What will eventually trickle down is the dole and free rations that the state will provide to a sickly, poorly educated and dehumanised population, which is being conditioned to believe in destiny and fate.

The population is being dumbed and their selfrespect robbed. Soon they might become so dependent on freebies and charity that they might even lose the will to strive for improving their financial and social standing ~ forget fighting for their rights. And then social development stops. So what is the common strain here? Yes, let us face it ~ the world has been colonized, not by powerful nations, but by big money. Elected leaders, legislators, regulators, bureaucracies, law enforcement agencies, foreign policymakers, economists, educators and oversight institutions have all been co-opted for smoothening the way for profiteering by a few people.

Nation states are being brought to heel, social security networks torn down and deleterious technology forced down peoples throats for the enrichment of a handful of people, who have subverted the will of the masses, normalising corruption and teaching them to relish poison. Soon we will have more and more people who are conditioned to believe in these fake economic development and strategic cooperation models. The mind space would then be colonised by a handful of people across the world. Are the Club of Rome and Limits to Growth advocates still around? Or even Victor Frankenstein?

(The writer is former Chairman, Union Public Service Commission)
Massive waterloging in vast areas surrounding Thanthania in north Kolkata will be a thing of the past soon.

A drainage pumping station is coming up at Rishikesh Park. Mayor Firhad Hakim visited the construction site and is hopeful that the pumping station will be inaugurated soon.

Vast areas surrounding Thanthania is infamous for water logging and even Netaji when he was the mayor had to put on gumboots to visit Thanthania during the rainy season, he remarked.

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Residents who live in the areas surrounding Thanthania like Jhamapukur Lane, Sukua Street, Amherst Street, Keshab Sen street spend sleepless nights when there is heavy rain. There is waist deep water on these roads and water enters the ground floor of the houses that are situated on these roads.

AAj Kal, a vernacular daily which had its office on Amherst Street had purchased rubber boats in the early 1980s to ferry journalists. Amherst Street police station used to keep boats ready to evacuate people occupying the ground floor of houses to safer places during heavy shower.

To address the age old problem the situation, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation ( KMC) thought to construct a drainage pumping station to clear the accumulated water from the streets. The estimated cost of the pumping station is Rs 82 crore.

Senior KMC officials said once the drainage pumping station is functional, there may be waterloging with much volume in these areas and water will recede fast. In the 1980s, water took three to four days to recede. It may be recalled that these areas were under water for nearly 10 days in 1978 and again in 1986.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore school recruitment case has now summoned actressturned-politician and Trinamul Congress state youth wing president Sayani Ghosh for questioning in connection with the case. She was summoned at EDs central government office (CGO) complex at Salt Lake in the northern outskirts of Kolkata on 30 June.

A notice had been served to Ghosh late Tuesday evening, sources said. Sources said that the notice to Ghosh was issued after two clues came to the notice of ED sleuths. The first was recovery of some WhatsApp chats between Ghosh and expelled youth Congress leader Kuntal Ghosh, who is currently in judicial custody because of his alleged involvement in the school recruitment case.

Secondly, sources said, some banking transactions between Sayani Ghosh and Kuntal Ghosh relating to some purchase of property were found. The WhatsApp chat history has been recovered from the mobile phone of Kuntal Ghosh. Sayani Ghosh is not the first celebrity from the Bengali silver screen world who has been summoned and questioned by ED sleuths in connection with the school recruitment case. In March this year, actor Bonny Sengupta was similarly questioned by the central agency sleuths after it came to the notice that the investigating officials got access to clues of Sengupta receiving a huge amount of money from Kuntal Ghosh.

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Calcutta High Court today held that the appointments of vice-chancellors in 11 state universities made by Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the chancellor, were valid. It thus dismissed the state governments petition, which contended that the appointments of VCs in 11 state universities by the chancellor of the state universities were illegal and unconstitutional since those were made sans the consent of the state education department. In the same vein, the Division Bench of chief justice TS Sivagnanam also asked the state government to start disbursal of allowance to the 10 VCs, which had been stalled by the state government, with immediate effect.

Earlier, the alleged appointments of 10 vice-chancellors in about 11 state-run universities on an interim basis by the governor and chancellor had run into rough weather after the state education minister Bratya Basu, taking exception to the appointments, alleged that the decision was taken without any consultation with the state education department. He also agued since the appointments were illegal and unconstitutional, the state education department had decided to stop disbursal of the salaries and honorarium of those appointees.

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BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The 14th national dance exhibition will be held from July 6 in the city of Ordos in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Performers from 30 provincial-level regions will take part in the event, with more than 80 outstanding works to be presented, ministry official Huang Xiaoju said at a press conference on Thursday.

The high-quality program will cover a wide range of subjects, including traditional Chinese culture, the country's revolutionary history and the process of China's industrial growth, and will demonstrate the vigorous development of the art of dance in China, Huang said.

The productions will have low ticket prices for members of the public, and will also be livestreamed online to make the arts more accessible for a wider audience. 
On the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day ( June 15) HelpAge India released its national 2023 report: Women & Ageing: Invisible or Empowered? A total of 58 per cent of citys elderly women do not feel financially secure. Sixty-seven per cent accept that elder abuse exists in society, even though only seven per cent have experienced it, among the lowest abuse figures in the country, as per the survey.

The report says about 42 per cent of women in Kolkata are widowed, and merely 14 per cent own some kind of asset or property. Only 22 per cent of senior women are employed in the city and the rest are dependent on family support. The national HelpAge report is first of its kind report focusing only on older women, who are often the lost and the last in line, where their needs and rights are concerned.

As per the 2020 Population Projections for India and States report and the demographic shifts, there is a distinct feminization of ageing that is taking place due to rapid rise in ageing population and women living longer. While the gender ratio for the overall population is 948 females for 1,000 males, the ratio in elderly is 1,065 (more females in elderly population) which further increases with age.

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The report was spread across the length and breadth of the country covering both rural & urban India across 20 states, 2 UTs and 5 metro cities, including, West Bengal and Kolkata, with a sample size of 7911, covering various socio-economic categories. In total, West Bengal, including Kolkata had a robust sample size of 589 respondents.

The report also points out that 56 per cent older women lacked awareness on redressal mechanisms available for abuse, with only 15 per cent being aware of the Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act and 78 per cent older women are not aware of any government welfare schemes. Nilanjana Moulik, secretary, Alzheimers Society, Kolkata, said, From experience, we know the situation in rural India is better for the elderly with life there being less stressful.

Many are moving out to work in cities and their mental set up is changing. Our estimate is in the next 5 years, the rural setting will also undergo a change as it will trickle down. In rural areas the abuse which is happening, is happening unknowingly.

They are not aware of what amounts to abuse. Talking about the Alzhimers women patients, Nilanjana said there is a belief that women patients have less power to respond to abuse. But, we have had cases where the women patients have attacked when they were abused, she added. But the mental abuse is equal for both. In the dementia care setting, we find that paid caregivers or family caregivers are both to blame for abuse.

Financial abuse is a lot prevalent. The paid caregivers, in effect, take advantage of their helplessness and abuse them. Most common is verbal abuse. Women elderly population, have no financial independence. Once the husband is dead, the children neglect their mothers. In some families, there are also financial constraints, which leads them to stop their intervention.
During one of her election rallies as she campaigned in the northern district of Cooch Behar for next months rural polls, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told the crowd that had gathered that she would never discriminate against them even though they didnt really support her party in the past two important elections  the Parliamentary elections of 2019 and the Assembly elections of 2021. She told them that as the chief minister of the state she would always mete out equal treatment to all the people of her state, regardless of how they voted or whether they lived in the northern part of the state or the south. Cut to the campaigning that is taking place in the states southern districts and it is all about acknowledging the massive support that Trinamool received from the people in the same elections.

Though Banerjee has always negated the idea of making a distinction between north and south, pointing out that there is no division and that West Bengal, after all, is one state, when it comes to campaigning, she is keenly aware of the differences between the two parts. The problems are different. The issues are different. The requirements are different. The expectations are different.

In the northern part of the state, there are groups of people who dont feel that they belong to the mainstream of Bengal and want a separate state based on identity, like the Gorkhas of Darjeeling, points out Tarun Ganguly, Bengal political expert. There are also groups like the Koch and Rajbangshis, who feel that they have been neglected and are becoming minorities in their own indigenous land because of the problems of illegal infiltration of people from the neighboring country of Bangladesh.

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The BJP which has not unequivocally ruled out the carving out Gorkhaland from Darjeeling has kept the hope of Gorkhas alive and therefore have always done well in elections from this constituency. They have retained the Darjeeling Parliamentary seat for over two decades. The Koch and Rajbangshi groups too see BJPs promise of sealing borders and stopping illegal infiltration as a sign that this is a party which could benefit them and meet their requirements. During the three and half decade of Communist rule, the northern part of the state had also suffered from lack of infrastructural development (landslides in the hills are common making maintenance of roads an urgent requirement which was often delayed  though the Banerjee government is better at providing administrative assistance in the hills and has even started a separate wing of the secretariat in the north to instill confidence in the people of the north).

Those tracking Trinamools campaign trails as West Bengal heads for the Panchayat Polls on July 8, would note the subtle differences in approach in the way that the party leaders are addressing the electorate in different parts of the state. If in the southern districts party leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, Mamatas nephew, the general secretary of the partys national unit and Trinamools number-two, are shouting from the rooftops about the numerous developmental(public distribution) schemes that Trinamool has showered upon the people of the districts and villages and in the process also thanking them for their reciprocation by way of votes in the past elections, in the northern districts, the tone is more hurt but still hopeful. Mamata told the crowd that had gathered in Cooch Behar that she is confident that they would stand by her just as she is standing by them even though they did not support her in the past. Cooch Behar, of course, is one of the seven Assembly constituencies of the Alipurduar Parliamentary constituency, which voted entirely for Banerjees chief political rival, Bharatiya Janata Party.

In an interview to The Statesman Trinamool MP and veteran politician, Professor Saugata Roy, who had been selected, among other senior party leaders, by Banerjee to conduct campaigning on behalf of the party candidates who are contesting the rural polls, that the campaigning would fall into two broad categories. In the first, Trinamools performances would be highlighted and in the second BJPs failures and failed promises would be highlighted.

Which part to highlight and where depends on the target electorate, if one can borrow a marketing jargon and apply it to the present context. In fact, political analysts would agree that target campaigning is a successful strategy that Trinamool is currently employing in elections. And perhaps this is one of the secrets of the success that Trinamool experienced in the state elections of 2021, when it managed to ward off a menacing BJP which was breathing down its neck with a virtually foolproof strategy with the help of the poll strategist Prashant Kishore and his marketing team.
As West Bengal panchatyat polls draws near The Statesmans Dola Mitra spoke to TMC sitting MP from Dum Dum parliamentary constituency Prof Saugata Roy on a variety of issues pertaining to the TMCs poll plank and how it will tackle the rise of BJP and how Didi is going all out to every nook and corner of the state leaving no stone unturned. Here is what Prof Saugata Roy has to say.

Excerpts

Q. You are amongst the 50 senior leaders of the party to have been hand-picked by Didi to campaign in the rural areas before the Panchayat Polls next month. When you reach the villages tomorrow what will be the main focus of your campaigning?

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A. There will be two broad aspects to the campaigning. In the first, we will highlight the progressive, developmental projects and scheme of the Mamata Banerjee government, and in the second we will focus on the deprivations and neglect meted out to the state of West Bengal by the BJP-led government at the Centre. In the first aspect, we will highlight the Trinamool governments contributions which immensely benefitted the poor people in the districts and other rural areas. We will especially highlight the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme which already benefitted 2 crore women from poor families since its inception. The other developmental scheme that we will focus on is the Kanyashree program, which has already benefitted 1 crore girls and women from needy families. We will also bring attention to the Sabuj Sathi scheme which has benefitted 1 crore students. We will also highlight the Swasthy Swathy scheme which has not only benefitted the poor but people of different economic groups too and has helped all.

Our next focus will be to highlight how the BJP-led government has deprived the state of its financial entitlements. This includes not clearing money for payment of dues to the laborers engaged in the 100-days-work guarantee scheme under the national rural employment act. We will also point out how while Mamata gives rice for free, the Modi government charges Rs1200 for cooking gas.

Q. What about other issues and future plans for progress and development in rural areas?

A. Yes, thats also a big part of the campaigning. We are going to highlight developmental work which is in progress. We will bring attention to one of the most important projects in progress which is the piped water scheme in which the homes of the poor people in the districts and villages will receive water in pipelines. The work is going on and it is scheduled to be completed by the year 2025.

Q. While Mamata Banerjees public distribution schemes in the rural areas are indeed very popular and the poor people do, clearly, appreciate these, going by the results of elections in the past decade, a section of the rustic electorate, however, say that they would like to give the political party which did not yet have a chance at governing West Bengal (namely BJP) a chance. How would you address this issue?

A. Anti-incumbency is not a strong factor in these elections. The BJP had tried to push its communal agenda throughout Bengal and it did not succeed. The number of people who say that they want to give a chance to an alternative is very small.

Q. How would you explain the BJPs gains in terms of both increases in the number of seats as well as rises in vote share?

A. BJP is a communal party. They tried their divisive agenda and they took it everywhere. Ultimately it did not convince the electorate of West Bengal.

Q. From tomorrow Didi will begin campaigning in North Bengals Cooch district. Trinamools All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee will start campaigning in South Bengals Nadia district before heading out to other areas. That too after completing a massive two-month long rural-outreach program during which time he visited virtually every part of the state. Why is the Trinamool government going all out as far as campaigning for the rural elections is concerned if the impact of the rural developmental project is so positive and the public distribution schemes so popular?

A. We are constantly strengthening our rural base and it is important to stay connected with the people on the ground. The Parliamentary elections are coming up next year. This is also a preparation for that.

Q. How would the Panchayat Polls be a preparation for the Parliamentary elections?

A. The results of rural elections are going to give us an indication of the ground.

Q. Please comment on the violence that had allegedly been taking place during the filing of nomination papers for the Panchayat polls.

A. Trinamool is for free and fair elections. While a few incidents would have occurred, the scale of violence is much less now than in the past.

Q. Finally, what do you think of the decision made by Didi in the June 23 meeting in Patna to join hands with other Opposition parties to fight the BJP in the 2024 general elections? Will the camaraderie with the Left at the Centre be extended to the state?

A. The state will not at all be impacted by the decision at the Centre. The Trinamool is fighting the BJP at the Centre with other Opposition parties to defeat the BJP-led NDA government. In the state, the Trinamool does not need the help of the Congress and the Left. It is not trying to defeat the BJP here. Trinamools only agenda in the state is to continue to give its people, progress, and development and to ensure that it has the peoples support.
Union minister Piyush Goyal said that the government is committed to fostering a conducive business environment and accelerating growth in sectors that fall under Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

While delivering the keynote address at a workshop on PLI organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Minister encouraged industrys feedback and collaborative engagement to shape the policies, procedures and effectiveness of the scheme. The workshop was organised in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to make India a global hub for manufacturing, a press release from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said Wednesday.

Attendees included members from Wistron, Foxconn, Samsung, Dell, Wipro GE, Dr Reddys, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, Nokia Solutions, ITC, Dabur, JSW, and Reliance, among others.

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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Goyal emphasized the importance of the industrys concentration on producing high-quality products that cater to both the industrys and consumers needs.

He also urged PLI beneficiaries to take up any procedural challenges or issues with respective implementing ministries or departments so that positive reforms can be brought about and the PLI scheme can be made more efficient and effective.

According to the release, the Minister added that the Government officials of the implementing Ministry or Department must hold regular consultations and roundtables with their respective PLI beneficiaries to resolve the issues promptly.

Incentives amounting to around Rs 2,900 crores have been disbursed in 2022-23 under PLI schemes, it added.

As part of its Atmanirbhar and Make in India plan, the Government launched Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes in varied sectors to make Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attract investments, enhance exports, integrate India into the global supply chain, and reduce import dependency.
India and Philippines on Thursday co-chaired the 5th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) here.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations including political, defence, security, maritime cooperation, trade & investment, health, tourism, agriculture, financial technology, and also discussed regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

The Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while the Philippines was represented by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo.

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Manalo is visiting the at the invitation of Jaishankar to co-chair 5th India-Philippines JCBC.

I really look forward to sitting down with you today and discussing how to take our cooperation forward. I would also like to express my appreciation for your participation in the Global South Summit, Jaishankar told the Philippines delegation prior to the meeting.

And I truly believe today that we are two countries who share so much, who look at global developments and continental developments with so much convergence and who have so many economic complementarities.

On his part, Manalo expressed appreciation for the invitation to discuss the JCBC.

India is a priority partner of the Philippines in science and technology, space cooperation. We have large diasporas in our respective countries. Especially in the last five years, more and more of your countrymen have been coming to the Philippines to visit and study and to further facilitate the flow of people through increased commercial flights.

I am very pleased to announce that the Philippines has ratified the updated Air Services Agreement with India, he added.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Manalos visit will provide an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral relations between India and Philippines and to explore ways to further deepen and strengthen them.
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday urged Indian banks to provide MSMEs with improved and inexpensive loans in order to meet the aim of 1 trillion dollars in product exports.

Piyush Goyal has asked the Indian banks to ensure enhanced and affordable credit to MSMEs to achieve the target of 1 trillion dollar merchandise exports, read the Ministry of Commerce & Industry press release. According to the official statement, the meeting was convened by the Department of Commerce in coordination with Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited, (ECGC) in New Delhi.

The meeting was attended by the top officials of 21 banks which included the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Central Bank of India, said the official statement.

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A presentation on Export Credit and Export Credit Insurance for Banks (ECIB) was prepared by CMD ECGC, M Senthilnathan, it added.

According to the official statement, ECGC has now proposed additional improvements to provide adequate and affordable financing to a larger variety of MSME exporters based on its experience with the extended coverage plan.

Based on ECGCs experience under the scheme of enhanced cover, ECGC has now proposed further modifications to make available adequate and affordable credit to a larger section of MSME exporters, the statement said.

The product facilitates the borrower accounts to be treated equivalent to AA-rated accounts with reduced cost of export credit to the exporters, it further added.

The Commerce and Industry Minister also mentioned at the meeting that the ECGC might look into expanding the programme that was proposed for nine banks to all banks in order to improve the export credit offtake for MSME Exporters, it said.

The Commerce and Industry Minister also recommended ECGC follow a pattern on similar lines to compensate for their loss for the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), and bankers suggested that ECGC implement a claim processing technique similar to that.

The Union Minister advised the banks to take advantage of the proposed scheme and extend adequate and affordable export credit to MSME exporters. This would enable the country to achieve its target of USD 1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030, said the statement.

The Union Minister also advised ECGC to examine 75 per cent of claim payments to banks under the ECIB scheme, within 45 days of receiving the claim, said the official statement.

The Commerce and Industry Minister further informed that in the next four months, all the ECGC services would be digitized so that physical interaction can be minimized, it added.
A minor girl was allegedly raped by an elderly in a North Delhi neighbourhood, police said on Thursday.

The police further informed that the accused was arrested. According to officials, the incident was reported to the Burari police on June 27.

On June 27, around 11.15 am, a PCR call was received at the Burari police station, with the caller claiming that a man in a North Delhi locality had raped his minor daughter, an officer said.

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Further, according to the officer, as soon as word of the incident was received, the minor was provided with the services of a woman counsellor from helpline number 181.

During the counselling, the minor narrated her ordeal, stating that the accused was an acquaintance of her family and was a resident of the same colony where she lives, the official informed further.

According to the police, the accuseds son filmed the act and the minor, who was in trauma and fear for two months, opened up only after her father came across the clip.

The accuseds son sent the clip to the victims father, police said, adding that he was booked under the IT Act.

The minor was threatened into silence and her father only learnt of the incident after the accuseds son sent a clip of the act to him, an official said.

The accused and his son were interrogated. The former was arrested and remanded to judicial custody, he added.

The police said they took custody of the mobile phone used for filming and sending the video and examination of the technical evidence helped establish the guilt of the accuseds son, officials added.

A case was registered on the minors statement against the accused and his son for relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), officials informed further.

We registered a case against the accused and his son on the statement of the victim. The cause was filed under IPC sections 376, 506 and 354, as well as Section 4 of the POCSO Act, they said.

Further, police said the accused would frequent the minors house, adding that two months ago, he lured her to his house while she was playing and raped her.

According to the police, the minor, in her statement, said the accused visited her home under one pretext or another and often find opportunities to be alone with her.

The probe further revealed that between April 20 and 30, the accused lured the girl into his house and took her to a secluded corner to commit the crime, officials said.

A special counselling session was arranged for the minor and she is also scheduled to undergo Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) counselling on the request of the police, officials said.

Further, officials said some locals tried with the accused elderly and intervene in the matter, adding that they were booked separately for criminal intimidation and assault.

All possible efforts are being made to gather evidence on merit. The minor is cooperating with the probe and her statement will be recorded under Section 164 CrPC, for which the date has already been fixed by a learned judge, the official added.

According to police sources, the accused was influenced by a character in a popular television series.
India is on the brink of establishing itself as a world leader in the online education industry by 2023, with exponential growth projected over the next decade. The number of individuals engaged in online learning has skyrocketed from 2.679 crore in 2017 to 14.6 crores in 2023, and according to Statista Market Insights, experts predict that by 2027, a staggering 24.4 crore Indians will be studying online.

To support the needs of the worlds fastest-growing economy, India must sustain this remarkable growth in education. However, the cost of accessing world-class education remains a significant hurdle for students from lower and middle-class backgrounds.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of making India a Vishwa Guru (world leader) in education, the Ministry of Education has implemented the National Education Policy 2020. As a result, numerous globally renowned institutions and groups have expressed keen interest in contributing to the Indian education market.

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One notable example of the Prime Ministers impact on achieving world-class education is the Education Centre of Australia (ECA) Groups entrance into the Indian online education market. ECA, led by founder Rupesh Singh and his brother Rajesh Singh, will launch the OpenLearning platform in New Delhi in July 2023. ECA is known for its exemplary model of operating partner university campuses in Australia, which was introduced to India in 2018 to offer international university programs to the Indian masses under the leadership of Rupesh and Rajesh.

As an Indian-led organization, ECA is poised to make a substantial contribution to the Indian higher education market. This development underscores the favorable opportunities created by the Indian government to attract world-class educational expertise.

Backed by the Education Centre of Australia, OpenLearning is ready to introduce OpenLearning Bharat in India, bringing their successful model and expertise to serve the Indian student population. OpenLearning is the largest e-learning platform, dominating countries like Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. With over 5 million students worldwide, this platform offers a wide range of career-building programs, skill enhancement courses, professional training certifications, and full qualifications. Over 300 of the worlds top 3% international universities trust OpenLearning, placing the platform at the forefront of online education.

The collaboration between the Education Centre of Australia and Indian universities for OpenLearning Bharat has the potential to revolutionize the education landscape in India. It provides universities with the opportunity to leverage cutting-edge Learning Management Systems (LMS) to deliver a more effective and comprehensive learning experience to students. Additionally, ECA offers Indian universities the chance to run international programs in collaboration with ECA, focusing on the latest in-demand management and cutting-edge technology domains in India.

OpenLearning Bharat, under the leadership of ECA Online, is eagerly preparing for its launch on July 1, 2023, at the Taj Palace in New Delhi. The event promises to be a momentous gathering, with esteemed guests including Vice-Chancellors from renowned universities, CEOs and CHROs from leading corporations, education service providers, education consultants, and representatives from the press and media.

The launch of OpenLearning Bharat signifies a significant milestone in Indias education landscape. This event marks a crucial step toward bringing world-class education and innovative learning experiences to Indian students.
Actor Sonam Kapoor attended the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks reception in the UK-India Week 2023 in a beautiful floral printed saree.

On Wednesday, she posted a couple of pictures of herself in a floral print saree on Instagram. Sonam draped a green saree with a white floral print blazer. She amped up the glamour quotient with red earrings and a green stone ring. She raised the glam quotient with bold red lipstick with minimal makeup. This saree is from the shelves of the designer Rohit Bal.

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Along with the post, she wrote, Representing in @rohitbalofficial for the reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate UK india week. What a beautiful day and so happy I got to wear a sari in the gorgeous London summer.

UK-India Week 2023 is the 5th iteration of IGFs flagship event, a weeklong programme that seeks to honour and strengthen the longstanding partnership between these two countries by providing a platform to spotlight crucial topics, including politics, trade, business, sustainability, inclusion, and innovation.

The reception will be hosted by Rishi at his official residence and office in 10 Downing Street and is a part of India Global Forums flagship event UK-India Week, which is being held from June 26-30 in London.

It was known that Sonam will be attending the reception on June 28th to represent India and its cultural influence globally.

Earlier in May, Sonam also performed at King Charles IIIs coronation concert.

Sonam took centre stage at the Coronation Concert as she introduced various choir performers of the Commonwealth. Her piece served as a prelude to the inspiring virtual choir performances by the Commonwealth, made up of choirs, solo artists and duos from the 56 Commonwealth countries.

Sonam also introduced Steve Winwood, who performed a modern version of his iconic song Higher Love accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra.

She began her speech with Namaste. She was introduced as one of the biggest actors in Bollywood. The Khoobsurat actor emphasized the diversity of the Commonwealth during her spoken word performance. She also elucidated upon the oneness that binds the diversity of the nation.Our Commonwealth is a union. Together, we are one-third of the worlds people, one-third of the worlds oceans, and one-third of the worlds lands. Each of our countries is unique, and each of our people is special but we choose to stand as one. Learning from our history, blessed by our diversity, driven by our values and determined to build a more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous place where every voice is heard,  Sonam Kapoor said in her speech.

Meanwhile, on the work front, she will be now making her grand comeback to the movies with the film Blind.Helmed by Shome Makhija, the film will stream on the OTT platform Jio Cinema from July 7.
As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to grow across various sectors, researchers are increasingly studying its relevance, biases, and other aspects. While AI tools have made our tasks more convenient, there is growing concern about the data used to train them, as it can influence the types of results they produce.

Manish Gupta, the director of Google Research India, recently addressed these issues during a developer event in Bengaluru hosted by Google. He discussed the improvement of data quality in Indian languages, Googles efforts to address computing access challenges for Indian researchers, and the differences in handling AI bias between India and Western countries.

During the event, Google also announced the opening of access to its Pathways Language Model (PaLM) large language model for Indian developers. Gupta acknowledged the challenges faced by researchers in Indian institutes regarding the availability of digitized datasets in local languages. However, he highlighted the significant progress made by multinational tech companies collaborating with Indian institutes to digitize large datasets in various Indian languages.

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Gupta assured attendees that the data is now open-sourced, meaning it is freely accessible to academic researchers, startups, and large corporations. He emphasized that this is only the beginning, as more Indian language data will be added to their databases over the coming months and the next year, with several tech giants contributing.

Regarding AI bias, Gupta explained that the first step was to understand the issue within a non-Western context. He pointed out that most AI literature on bias, including research on race and gender-based biases, primarily focused on Western contexts until about two years ago. Gupta recognized the significance of societal context in India, where additional biases based on caste, religion, and other factors exist.

The technological gap in language models for Indian languages, compared to more established languages like English, posed a challenge in this regard. Google aimed to gain a deeper understanding of these biases and address the limitations of language models in Indian languages, he added.
BAGHDAD, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the Swedish ambassador over the burning of the Muslim holy book Quran as Muslims worldwide marked the festival of Eid al-Adha.

The ministry voiced its strong protest against the Swedish government's permission for an extremist to burn a copy of the Quran in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also called on the Swedish government to take necessary measures to stop the repeated insults to the Quran, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid said in a statement that "we follow with great anger the irresponsible behavior that is being practiced in Sweden," adding that "these attacks and abuses have nothing to do with freedom of thought and belief."

On Thursday afternoon, dozens of Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad following a call for an "angry demonstration" by the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, according to Iraqi media reports.

So far, there has been no report of serious property damage or injuries.

A Swedish citizen of Iraqi origin reportedly tore up a copy of the Quran and burned it in front of a Stockholm mosque on Wednesday during a demonstration authorized by the Swedish authorities, which sparked furious reactions from Muslims across the world. 
Indian defence forces are planning to integrate made-in-India missiles on Predator drones, which are being acquired from the US under a foreign military sales deal.

Defence officials told ANI that the forces are in the process of identifying indigenously developed weapon systems which can be equipped on these drones when they arrive. When indigenous weapons are made, how do we integrate them into this (Predator), Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said in an interview with ANI on Wednesday.

The deal for 31 Predator drones is being negotiated between India and the US and includes proposals for making an unmanned aerial systems hub in the country as part of the programme.

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In the recent past, there are many private and public sector companies that have developed their own weapons and missiles for the defence forces. The Navy chief also stated that many technologies of the high technology drones are getting transferred.

As many as 21 of these drones are going to be assembled here for which there will be a requirement for smaller companies, MSMEs, and startups to participate.

The Predator is armed with air-to-ground missiles and other weapons along with big surveillance and intelligence payloads.

The Indian drones would be equipped with both land and sea surveillance equipment, which they would be able to use in different terrains as per requirements.
Mar Joseph Pamplany ,metropolitan Archbishop of Thalassery Archdiocese of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government over the ongoing violence in Manipur. He compared the ongoing violence in Manipur with the 2002 Gujarat riots

Speaking to media persons in Thalassery, Mar Joseph Pamplany said both the state and Central governments have failed to suppress the violence in Manipur.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent statement in US that there is no discrimination in India on the grounds of caste or religion, Bishop Pamplani said instead of saying in the US that there is no discrimination in India, he( Prime Minister Modi) should try to convince the Christians in Manipur about that.

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If Modi can convince the Christians in the north-eastern state that there is no discrimination, then only his statement to that effect would be seen as honest and sincere by the people of India.Otherwise, no one can be faulted for thinking that there is a silent approval of the government to those engaging in violence and killing in that state, said Bishop Pamplani.

During his US visit, Modi said that there was no discrimination in India.We all want that to be true. However, if that statement of his is honest, he should make the Christians in Manipur believe that. He should say to their faces that there is no discrimination. If he can make them believe that, then only would his statement be seen as honest and sincere by the people of India, he said.

During his recent US Visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ,at the joint press conference with US President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, said there is no question of discrimination in India on the grounds of caste or religion because his government follows the Constitution, which is formed on the basic values of democracy.

He was responding to a question from a US journalist about the steps taken by his government to improve the rights of minorities in India.

Expressing concern over the riots, Pamplani feared whether the Manipur violence would turn into a genocide.

The situation in Manipur has turned out to be another version of the riots that happened in Gujarat years ago, the Bishop said.

Calling the violence in Manipur,a planned insurgency, the Bishop said it was natural for the public to think that the government was protecting those behind it.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the state after clashes broke out between them on 3 May.

In Last March, Bishop Pamplani has stated that BJPs dearth of an MP from Kerala would be addressed, if the Centre promised to increase the price of rubber procurement to Rs 300 per kilogram.

Recently, the Bishop has courted controversy by stating that political martyrs are those who died after getting into unnecessary fights.

Speaking at a meeting organised by Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany said that the martyrdom of the 12 apostles of Jesus was different from that of political martyrs.  Political martyrs are those who died after getting into unnecessary fights, he said.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) on Thursday came down heavily on the Central and state governments over the handling of Manipur violence and demanded to impose Presidents rule in the state.

KCBC spokesperson Fr Jacob Palackappilly said If it was a conflict between two tribal groups, then there will not be a situation where only one group is attacked. People with vested interests and pre-planned agenda are acting behind the violence.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala unit on Thursday opposed a request made by a group of female Muslim MBBS students of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College. The medicos had sought permission to wear long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods in operation theatres.

The IMA Kerala president Dr Sulphi Noohu said here on Thursday that international standards should be followed in the operation theatres and priority should be given to the safety of the patients. An infection-free environment should be created in operation theatres.

In hospitals, top priority is given to the safety of patients. There is a globally accepted dress code for medicos who conduct surgeries. IMA will continue to stick with the protocols and is not ready to compromise on patient safety, Dr Zulfi Nuhu pointed out.

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Seven MBBS students of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College had sought permission to wear attire covering their heads while in operation theatre.

Stating that Islamic religious belief mandates them to wear hijab all the time, the students demanded that the college principal allow them to wear long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods inside the operation theatre.

The students claimed that the operation theatre (OT) dress code required as part of hospital regulations makes it difficult to comply with the attire mandated by their religious belief.

Permitting long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods would allow them to maintain sterile precautions as well as religious attire, the students said in their representation to the college principal.

The college principal Dr. Linet J Morris said it is not practically possible to wear long-sleeve jackets, as they demand, inside the theatres as several rounds of scrub-up (washing up to the elbow in running water) are involved while doing a surgical procedure or assisting in it. However, the principal said that she would call a meeting of surgeons and the infection control team to discuss the matter.
The Manipur Government is making efforts to reissue lost or destroyed documents and cards of people who were displaced from their native villages and are now in relief camps.

Such documents include Bank Passbooks, CMHT cards, Ayushman Bharat Cards, Ration Cards, Old age pension cards, and Aadhaar Card. The Additional Chief Secretary (RD&PR) of the Manipur government informed that there is a provision under MGNREGA that special MGNREGA job cards can be prepared for those persons who are presently in relief camps across the State. These job cards will be of temporary nature until the beneficiaries could return to their native villages.

The Deputy Commissioners through the BDOs will start the preparation of the cards and identification of works which can be taken up.

For those persons in relief camps in urban areas, work under the MGNREGA job cards could be taken up in the nearest rural area. As instructed by the Commissioner (Health), CMOs and staffs are visiting the relief camps and are collecting necessary details for reconstruction/regeneration of CMHT and Ayushman Bharat cards.

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An agency, namely, Medi Assist Insurance TPA pvt ltd was working with the Health department in this regard. Regarding reconstruction/regeneration of lost/destroyed Aadhaar Card of persons in the relief camps, the Commissioner (Home) informed that it can be done through the existing operators. However, the physical presence of the persons and internet connectivity on the spot i.e., in the relief camps would be required.

It will begin with the inhabitants of Relief camps who can be transported to & from the DC Office/SDO Office, where Aadhaar Cards can be regenerated and biometric data can be captured. The officials of Social Welfare department informed that necessary notification has been issued regarding reconstruction of cards of beneficiaries under the department who are presently in the relief camps.

The District Social Welfare Officers visit the relief camps and are collecting necessary details for regeneration/reconstruction of the cards. A responsible person/official for each relief camp are assigned, who are to visit the camps to ensure that all eligible persons are covered.

The Commissioner (CAF&PD) informed that the District Supply Officers (DSOs) have been designated as nodal officers in each district to take up the task of reconstruction of lost/destroyed ration cards under NSA of the persons in the relief camps.

He further opined that the issue could be approached from two angles, firstly, for those persons whose NSA cards have been destroyed and secondly for those persons who are eligible but do not possess a ration card as yet. The DSOs of Imphal West and Imphal East have started visiting the relief camps for collection of necessary details, and other DSOs are following suit.

The Director, Institutional Finance informed that visit to the relief camps will be started by the LDMs of the districts in consultation with the Deputy Commissioners concerned. The list of relief camps will be shared with the LDMs and the officials of the Banks will visit the relief camps in their service area.
US chip maker Micron on Wednesday signed a deal with the Gujarat government to set up a 2.75 billion dollar facility in the state to manufacture and test semi-conductor products.

The Micron semi-conductor project was one of the many investment ideas discussed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with business tycoons during his recent visit to the United States.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the $ 2.75 billion (Rs 22,540 crores) project was signed here last night between Microns senior vice president Gurusharan Singh and Gujarat Governments Science & Technology Secretary Vijay Nehra.

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Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnav were present during the brief signing ceremony here.

The Microns semi-conductor assembly and test facility would be located at Sanand, about 20 kilometres west of Ahmedabad. Sanand has already emerged as an industrial hub ever since several automobile companies had set up their plants there.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnav said that it will be Indias first semi-conductor manufacturing facility. The first lot of chips will be manufactured here within 18 months, he added.

Indias dependence on imports for semi-conductor chips will be reduced when this plant starts production, Vaishnav said.

More companies are likely to set up semi-conductor projects in India, the Minister added.

The Gujarat Government has allocated the land within six days of the deal being finalised during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the United States, he said.

Micron senior vice president Gurusharan Singh said tha their plant at Sanand would generate 5,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs.
The Congress Maharashtra unit on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not uttering a word despite the violence ravaging the north-eastern state of Manipur for 52 days.

In a sharp reaction, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the country is blessed with an insensitive PM that shames even the legend of Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burnt.

On one hand, the Centre is taking no measures to end the ongoing brutalities in Manipur, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was barred from meeting or speaking with the Manipuris. This is clearly an indicator of Modis dictatorial regime, he said.

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Condemning the move to stop Gandhi in Manipur, he said that the people there are waiting for help and solace from the Centre, but the PM kept busy visiting the USAas the state was in flames.

Rahul Gandhi is visiting Manipur to learn about the sufferings of the people there, to convey his message of peace, love and brotherhood. Initially he was permitted to travel by road, and thousands thronged up to meet him. Seeing his popular appeal, the BJP government got jitters, intercepted his convoy and sent him back, Patole claimed.

When the locals opposed this, they were allegedly targeted with teargas after Gandhi left the place as he was not permitted to meet and interact with them, he added.

According to Patole, for the first 25 days when Manipur was grappling with the holocaust, not a single representative of the Centre visited the state, and later Union Home Minister Amit Shah went there.

Despite Shahs visit, the state has not come under control yet, proving that the people of Manipur have lost faith in both Modi and the BJP, and hold them responsible for their predicament, claimed Patole.

He again condemned the manner in which places of worship are being attacked and burnt, police stations being looted of weapons, huge financial losses incurred and many precious lives lost in the past 52 days. Instead of working to bring the situation there under control, the Centre is making speeches, organising events and releasing advertisements, but the people of Manipur will not forget or forgive the BJPs stance or banning Gandhi from meeting them, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis late-night huddle with senior party leaders on Wednesday has indicated the party has begun seriously reviewing its preparations and strategies for the coming Assembly elections, along with campaign points like the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Besides Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and General Secretary B L Santhosh had attended the meet at the Prime Ministers residence. Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram will have Assembly polls, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

In an elaborate exercise on stock-taking and identifying gaps, the Prime Minister is likely to convene a meeting of his Council of Ministers on 3rd July at the Pragati Maidan convention centre, while the BJP chief is initiating a series of meetings with senior party leaders for three days from 6th July.

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The Prime Minister had a few days ago addressed the partys booth level leaders across several States from Bhopal and answered their questions, giving detailed guidelines the party was to follow for its aggressive pre-poll campaigns.

The Prime Minister has asked party MPs to closely examine the condition of the deprived sections of the society in their constituencies and attend to their needs. The party hopes to get the support of the mass of population which has benefited under the Governments various welfare schemes.

The Prime Minister is keen that performance of members of his Council of Ministers and party MPs in carrying forward the Governments pro-people initiatives be collected and recorded so as to see if there are any gaps.

Mr Naddas participation in the Prime Ministers meeting sparked conjecture about possible changes within the government and the BJP organization, including at the state level, as the party prepares for upcoming assembly elections.

Party sources said that the party has divided various States and union territories into three zones for Mr Naddas meetings so that discussions can be held collectively, while leaders can also give their specific suggestions.

The region-wise meetings will be held in Delhi, Guwahati and Hyderabad. The BJP is in power in Madhya Pradesh. The party has classified the states and union territories into three zones  north, south and east to evolve a cohesive and coherent poll strategy.

The party will not hesitate to take the fullest advantage of the scams and scandals the Opposition Governments were involved in and faced public exposure. At the same time, the party wants to assess the implementation of the welfare schemes on which the Government spent much time and labour, along with providing liberal funds.

The meeting for the east zone is scheduled to take place in Guwahati on 6 July, while for the north zone it will be held in Delhi on 7 July. The meeting for the south zone will be held in Hyderabad on 8 July, sources said.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, MPs, MLAs, party in-charges of these states, state party chiefs, those with organisational responsibilities and members of the national executive from the respective states in the region will take part in the meetings.

The presence of senior leaders at one place will help the party gain collective feedback from the grassroots and evolve the partys strategy in the light of evolving situation.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Manipurs capital Imphal on Thursday for a two-day visit to the violence-hit state.

He was received by former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Keisham Meghachandra Singh at the Imphal airport. Rahul Gandhi on Thursday morning left from Delhi airport for Imphal.

The Congress leader will be in Manipur on June 29 and 30 during which he is scheduled to visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur.

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Rahul Gandhi will visit relief camps and meet people displaced by the ethnic clashes and also interact with representatives of civil society in Imphal and Churachandpur during the visit, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a tweet.

Ethnic clashes broke out in the State nearly two months ago on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Rahul Gandhi ji will be visiting Manipur on 29-30 June. He will visit relief camps and interact with civil society representatives in Imphal and Churachandpur during his visit. Manipur has been burning for nearly two months and desperately needs a healing touch so that society can move from conflict to peace. This is a humanitarian tragedy and it is our responsibility to be a force of love, not hate, said KC Venugopal in a tweet.

Further, speaking about the same, Kh Debabrata, Working President MPCC said, Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Churachandpur to meet people staying in the relief camps and stay with the affected families. Later he will visit Moirang and will interact with the affected families and Civil Society Organisations. Tomorrow he will meet important people in Imphal and also visit two more relief camps.

Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation while appealing for peace and harmony in the state.

Ajoy Kumar, AICC Incharge North East on Thursday said that there is total law and order failure in the state right now.

Rahul Gandhi and Congress party has always been raising the Manipur issue. Rahul Gandhi believes that the country needs to know the situation of Manipur. There is total law and order failure in the state right now. The double-engine government has become the triple problem government. Rahul Gandhi will be meeting the people of the state and I think the government should take a lesson, after this visit, Kumar said while speaking to ANI.

Notably, the BJP is under fire from the Opposition and other quarters over the continuing violence in Manipur.

The Congress has been making scathing attacks against the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the state of Manipur, over their handling of the violence.

The party has already demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Earlier on June 24, Home Minister Shah held an all-party meeting in Delhi and gave an assurance of restoring peace in the state, while the opposition parties questioned PM Narendra Modis silence on the matter at the all-party meeting on the violence in Manipur.

BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and CPI (M) MP John Brittas, among other leaders, were present in the meeting.
Six people died and 15 others sustained injuries after being electrocuted during Ulta Rath Yatra in Tripuras Unakoti district on Wednesday.

Medical Officer at Kumarghat Subdivision Hospital, Dr Sanjit Chakma informed that six people died on the spot and 15 people are hospitalised with severe burn injuries due to electrocution. 6 died on the spot and 15 are hospitalized after being electrocuted during Ulta Rath Yatra at Kumarghat under Unakoti district of North Tripura. Rathyatra was organised by Kumarghat ISKCON Temple, Dr Chakma said.

He further informed that two children are also among the injured.

Two people with burn injuries were brought to the Emergency ward today. After that, 10-12 people were brought, and six were dead. 6-7 people have burn injuries. A total of six people, including two children, died. Six others have been referred to District Hospital, he added.

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Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed his condolences to the bereaved families who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy. Official sources informed that the Chief Minister is travelling to Kumarghar to visit the spot of the tragedy of the Rath Yatra and meet the victims and family members. He will also meet the concerned authorities, the statement said.

In a tragic incident, several devotees have lost their lives & some other people sustained injuries due to electrocution during Ulta Rath Yatra at Kumarghat today. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy. In this difficult time, the State Government stands by the side of the affected families, CM Saha shared in a tweet.
A South African male cheetah was seriously injured along with another in a group clash between Namibian and South African cheetahs at the Kuno national park in Madhya Pradesh.

According to forest officials, the clash was the outcome of a fight for territorial supremacy between the two groups of cheetahs that have been released in the wild.

The fight was also caused probably due to the tussle for attracting female cheetahs, said officials.

According to KNP DFO Prakash Kumar Verma, South African cheetah Agni sustained serious wounds from claws and fangs in the fight. Another cheetah Vayu also sustained injuries in the clash.

The official said both the cheetahs have been shifted into a closed enclosure and veterinarian doctors are treating them. He maintained that both felines are out of danger.

The clash had occured yesterday between the South African cheetah duo of Agni and Vayu against the Namibian cheetahs Gaurav and Shaurya.

The Namibian cheetahs did not sustain much injuries in the fight and did not require any human intervention for treatment, said officials.
BEIRUT, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden.

"This act, which is repeated for the second time, constitutes an assault on the sanctities of Muslims and a provocation to their feelings," the National News Agency quoted a ministry statement as saying.

Such an act, which is against the values of tolerance and coexistence between religions and civilizations, fuels hatred and breeds violence, so it "cannot be justified under the pretext of freedom of expression," it said.

The ministry called for "putting a final end to these provocations and considering them crimes punishable by law".

Some Islamic groups, religious leaders and lawmakers in Lebanon also condemned the Quran burning in Sweden, blaming the Swedish authorities for giving permission to the protesters.

During a protest permitted by the Swedish authorities on Wednesday, an Iraqi man who fled to Sweden several years ago tore up a copy of the Quran and burned it in front of a Stockholm mosque.

The incident occurred as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday. In January, a right-wing extremist burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, triggering outrage in the Muslim world. 
Tourists discomfited by high hotel prices, or sometimes driven by the need to experience the comforts of home while on holiday have often turned to booking sites such as Airbnb to secure accommodations. Those needing longer-stay accommodations also use them. But an increasing number of frauds being reported around the world suggest there is need for caution. Typically, websites such as Airbnb put together an inventory of shortterm rentals available at a destination and make them available to travellers. The available amenities are advertised as are details of the host, the owner or manager, of the property. Travellers sometimes are guided by reviews of those who have used the facility earlier to make up their mind.

While there have been many happy experiences reported by travellers, several cases of fraud have been reported. The trial this week of a former sales executive with a realty firm in Singapore has shown just how easy it is to dupe travellers. The arrested man had obtained photographs of several apartments that he posted on Airbnb, and which he offered to travellers. He even sent contracts to those who expressed interest in short-term rentals and then asked them to wire funds to his account. In all, he cheated 62 people from 12 countries including France, Germany, the United States and South Africa and amassed a sum of Singapore $383,000 (nearly Rs 2.4 crore) before the law caught up with him. This week, he pleaded guilty to 23 charges of cheating, with a further 39 charges taken into consideration, and faces a prison term of up to 10 years or a fine, or both, on each charge. But this is not the first incident involving Airbnb rentals.

Five years ago, a Singaporean who had enrolled at a culinary school in Paris, was cheated of more than 32,000 euros (Rs 29 lakh) by a French fraudster, which led to authorities seeking better security measures from Airbnb. In 2019, Airbnb had committed to a verification of all seven million of its listings worldwide after a deadly shooting at a California home listed on the website. But the serial frauds committed in Singapore in 2022 using the platform suggest that the verifications were, at best, perfunctory. But fictitious properties are not the only ways Airbnb is used to scam travellers. Multiple listings at different price points and last minute cancellations are the most common. Use of fake photographs and posting of fake reviews are also common. But nearly a quarter of the scams involve collection of money by the fraudster, either by hacking a travellers account, by inducing her or him to pay for a facility that does not exist. Better regulation by police forces in host nations is clearly called for.

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Actor Kevin Spaceys trial for multiple sexual assault charges has begun, attracting significant attention as he arrives in London for the proceedings. Heres a timeline of the reported incidents of sexual misconduct involving Spacey, as shared by various individuals in the public domain.

October 29, 2017: Actor Anthony Rapp alleges that Spacey made a sexual advance toward him when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26, while both were at a party. After Rapps accusation, fifteen more individuals came forward with similar claims of abuse.

Actor Anthony Rapp alleges that Spacey made a sexual advance toward him when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26, while both were at a party. After Rapps accusation, fifteen more individuals came forward with similar claims of abuse. October 30, 2017: Spacey responds to Rapps claims by coming out as gay in a statement on Twitter. He acknowledges the existence of stories about him, his relationships with both men and women, and expresses a desire to address the situation honestly.

Spacey responds to Rapps claims by coming out as gay in a statement on Twitter. He acknowledges the existence of stories about him, his relationships with both men and women, and expresses a desire to address the situation honestly. October 31, 2017: The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences revokes Spaceys Emmy honor. Londons Old Vic Theater states that no complaints were made against Spacey during his time as artistic director.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences revokes Spaceys Emmy honor. Londons Old Vic Theater states that no complaints were made against Spacey during his time as artistic director. November 2, 2017: Spacey announces he is seeking treatment in light of the sexual claims made against him.

Spacey announces he is seeking treatment in light of the sexual claims made against him. November 3, 2017: Netflix cuts ties with Spacey.

Netflix cuts ties with Spacey. November 8, 2017: Heather Unruh accuses Spacey of groping her son in 2016. Unruh provides details of the alleged incident during a press conference.

Heather Unruh accuses Spacey of groping her son in 2016. Unruh provides details of the alleged incident during a press conference. November 9, 2017: Filmmaker Tony Montana accuses Spacey of groping him in 2003 during an interview with ABC News.

Filmmaker Tony Montana accuses Spacey of groping him in 2003 during an interview with ABC News. November 16, 2017: A London theater reveals 20 allegations of inappropriate behavior against Spacey, spanning from 1995 to 2013, with the majority occurring before 2009. Most incidents were not reported to anyone else at the theater.

A London theater reveals 20 allegations of inappropriate behavior against Spacey, spanning from 1995 to 2013, with the majority occurring before 2009. Most incidents were not reported to anyone else at the theater. December 4, 2017: House of Cards producers announce that the show will resume production without Spacey, with Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane joining the cast.

House of Cards producers announce that the show will resume production without Spacey, with Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane joining the cast. February 27, 2018: The Kevin Spacey Foundation announces its closure.

The Kevin Spacey Foundation announces its closure. April 11, 2018: The Los Angeles District Attorneys office announces an investigation into Spacey for further review.

The Los Angeles District Attorneys office announces an investigation into Spacey for further review. September 4, 2018: The Los Angeles District Attorneys office declares that Spacey will not face charges concerning a 1992 allegation.

The Los Angeles District Attorneys office declares that Spacey will not face charges concerning a 1992 allegation. September 27, 2018: Spacey is sued by an alleged sexual assault victim from a 2016 incident.

Spacey is sued by an alleged sexual assault victim from a 2016 incident. December 24, 2018: Spacey is charged with indecent assault relating to the 2016 Nantucket incident.

Spacey is charged with indecent assault relating to the 2016 Nantucket incident. January 7, 2019: Spacey pleads not guilty to the sexual assault charges from the 2016 incident.

Spacey pleads not guilty to the sexual assault charges from the 2016 incident. June 27, 2019: A civil lawsuit is filed against Spacey over an alleged sexual assault on Nantucket.

A civil lawsuit is filed against Spacey over an alleged sexual assault on Nantucket. September 9, 2020: Anthony Rapp sues Spacey, three years after making his initial sexual assault claim.

Anthony Rapp sues Spacey, three years after making his initial sexual assault claim. May 26, 2022: Spacey is charged with four counts of sexual assault in the UK, with alleged incidents occurring in London in 2005 and 2008, as well as an additional incident in Gloucestershire in 2013.

Spacey is charged with four counts of sexual assault in the UK, with alleged incidents occurring in London in 2005 and 2008, as well as an additional incident in Gloucestershire in 2013. October 7, 2022: Rapp testifies in the sexual misconduct trial, describing feeling frozen and pinned down during his encounter with Spacey.

These events provide an overview of the allegations and legal actions surrounding Kevin Spaceys reported sexual misconduct.

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The implementation of the Nepal Citizenship (First Amendment) Act, 2079, which has been a subject of controversy for an extended period, has been given the green light. Although the law has been passed twice by Parliament, it was previously suspended by former President Bidya Bhandari. However, the current President, Ramchandra Paudel, has confirmed the act. Despite the absence of any provision in the law regarding citizenship through marriage, concerns and opposition have emerged without a thorough understanding of the law.

A joint bench consisting of Supreme Court Justices Anand Mohan Bhattarai and Kumar Regmi has paved the way for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Earlier, in response to a writ filed by senior advocates Surendra Bhandari and Balkrishna Neupane, Judge Manoj Kumar Sharma issued a temporary interim order on May 21, preventing the implementation of the Citizenship Act. Nevertheless, on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled against the continuation of the temporary interim order. Consequently, the Citizenship Act has now come into effect. The remaining orders will be issued after the final hearing, stated Supreme Court spokesperson Bimal Paudel.

The new law does not introduce any provisions regarding citizenship through marriage; hence, the four-decade-old provision will remain unchanged. As per the Constitution of Nepal 2019, it states, A wife who is married to a Nepali citizen shall be eligible to obtain citizenship at the time of the commencement of the constitution. Thus, during the period when King Mahendra introduced the constitution, there was no specified time frame for foreign women married to Nepali men to acquire naturalized citizenship.

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However, 13 years after the constitution was promulgated, a second amendment was made in 2032, setting a five-year deadline for the legalization of such marriages. The revised constitution stipulated, Foreign spouses married to Nepali citizens must have resided in Nepal for a minimum of five years, and in the case of others, at least 15 years.

Nevertheless, this provision underwent revision within four years. The third amendment in 2037 stated, In the case of a foreign woman married to a Nepali citizen, she shall obtain Nepali citizenship after renouncing her foreign citizenship.

With the restoration of democracy, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, issued in 2047, simplified this provision, stating, Foreign women married to Nepali citizens shall be eligible to obtain Nepalese citizenship after taking the necessary steps to renounce their foreign citizenship. The constitution further required foreign women in such marriages to submit proof of their marital relationship with the Nepali citizen, as well as documentation showing their intent to renounce their foreign citizenship.

Consequently, a foreign woman married to a Nepali man could acquire Nepali citizenship by submitting a certificate indicating her initiation of the citizenship renunciation process. This provision was also followed by the Citizenship Act, 2063, which stated, A foreign woman married to a Nepali man, desiring Nepali citizenship, must submit a certificate confirming the renunciation of her foreign citizenship. A foreign woman who fulfills these requirements shall be eligible for naturalized citizenship in accordance with federal law.

The Citizenship Amendment Act 2079, aligned with the Constitution issued in 2072, has not introduced any new provisions regarding citizenship through marriage. This means that the previous law of 2063 will be applicable to foreign women married to Nepalese citizens. It is important to note that the law of 2063 is essentially the law of 2049. A similar law also existed during the Panchayat period.
In a groundbreaking decision, Nepals Supreme Court has issued an interim order mandating the registration of marriages for gender minority couples. The directive was handed down by Judge Til Prasad Shrestha in response to a case filed by Pinki Gurung against the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Advocates Premchandra Rai, Anurag Devkota, Raunaka Raj Aryal, and Pukar Dahal represented the petitioner, presenting compelling arguments during the proceedings. As part of the ruling, the Supreme Court has instructed the defendants to submit a written response via the Attorney Generals Office within 15 days from the date of receiving the order.

The court has also provided the office of the Attorney General with a copy of the petition and a notice of the retention period. It has been emphasized that if a written response is received within the stipulated timeframe or after the deadline has passed, it must be submitted according to the established rules.

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This landmark decision aligns with Article 12 of the Constitution of Nepal, which allows for obtaining a certificate of citizenship based on gender identity. Furthermore, Article 69(1) of the Civil Code of Nepal, 2074 asserts the freedom of every individual to marry, while Article 18 of the Constitution ensures equality for all citizens under the law. To facilitate the necessary arrangements for registration, an interim order has been issued to the defendants, petitioners, and spouses resembling the petitioners under Rule 49(2) of the Supreme Court Rules, 2074. This ensures the preservation of temporary records of the marriages, as stated in the order.

This development follows a writ petition filed last January by the organization Mitini Nepal, which sought the legalization of same-sex marriage. Claiming that the existing legal system permitting marriage solely between men and women is discriminatory, the organization demanded equal recognition for same-sex marriages. With the Supreme Courts latest ruling, significant progress has been made toward achieving marriage equality for gender minority couples in Nepal.
After days of the Greece boat tragedy case, Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) has arrested two more human smugglers in connection with the Greece Boat incident, according to ARY News.

Tariq Masood, Deputy Director of FIA said that they have arrested two agents in Mandi Bahauddin who sent five people to Greece and charged Rs 2.2 million from them. The smugglers have been identified as Mauzam Riaz and Adnan Anwar, as per ARY News.

So far, 16 human smugglers have been arrested in relation to the Greece Boat tragedy, the official added.

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The FIA has registered human smuggling and money laundering cases against Riaz and Anwar and further investigation is ongoing, reported ARY News.

Earlier, FIA Deputy Director Masood said that human traffickers residing in foreign countries would be bought to Pakistan via Interpol.

While briefing the media on the progress of the probe after the Greece boat tragedy, Masood said that 150 Pakistanis are missing in the incident. Out of 150 missing nationals, 115 belong to Gujrat, 30 from Mandi Bahauddin and one each from Hafizabad and Wazirabad, according to ARY News.

He further mentioned that 11 human traffickers have been arrested and money laundering cases were lodged against them. Overall, 31 cases have been lodged against the suspects, he added.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday said in a statement in the National Assembly that there were at least 350 Pakistanis on an overloaded boat that capsized and sank in open seas off Greece on June 14. He further added that 82 bodies aboard the boat have been so far recovered, ARY News reported.

As many as 750 men, women and children  also from Syria, Egypt, and the Palestinian territories  were on board the vessel, trying to reach relatives in Europe. The sinking was one of the worst disasters of its kind this year. The Greek coast guard has defended its response to the tragedy, according to Al Jazeera.
A visiting delegation of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile has appealed to the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) to raise the issue of the Tibet-China conflict in the European Parliament and to adopt resolutions on Tibet.

The MPs reiterated the need of appointing a special coordinator for the Tibet issue in the European Union (EU), Tibetan parliament secretariat based here said in a statement.

The Tibetan parliamentary delegation comprising Khenpo Jamphal Tenzin, Lopon Thupten Gyaltsen and Dorjee Tseten commenced their official visit to Europe beginning with Belgium on Wednesday.

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The delegates called upon MEP Tomas Zdechovsky from the Czech Republic and apprised him of the situation of human rights and religious freedom in Tibet.

The MEP was also briefed on the historical status of Tibets independence and on the middle-way policy of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

Zdechovsky affirmed his support for the Tibetan freedom movement and assured doing his best to garner support from other relevant governments as well.

The Tibetan delegates also visited an exhibition on the environment organised by one of the MEPs where they presented some Tibet-related documents and books.

The delegation will continue their Tibet advocacy in Belgium until July 2.
Like India and Pakistan, North Korea and South Korea share language, culture, cuisine, music, and much more. And just like the two South Asian neighbours, the two Koreas are also invariably at loggerheads.

Tensions between the two East Asian nations can easily be felt at the Demiliterised Zone (DMZ), a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula which is one of the most heavily-guarded places in the world.

A group of Indian journalists recently visited the DMZ that was established to serve as a buffer zone between the two Koreas under the provisions of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea, China and the United Nations Command.

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Created in 1953, the 250 km long and about four km wide DMZ put an end to the brutal Korean War, which claimed over 3 million lives. There have been various incidents in and around the DMZ, with military and civilian casualties on both sides. Within the DMZ, there is a meeting point between the two nations where negotiations take place as and when tensions flare up. Its called the small Joint Security Area (JSA).

But the most exciting part of the trip to the DMZ was the walk through the Third Tunnel of Aggression, which is one of four known tunnels under the border between North Korea and South Korea.

Only 44 km from the South Korean capital of Seoul, the incomplete tunnel was discovered in October 1978 following the detection of an underground explosion in June 1978, apparently caused by the tunnellers who had progressed 435 meters under the south side of the DMZ. It took four months to locate the tunnel precisely and dig an intercept tunnel.

South Korean officials claim the one-mile incomplete tunnel was designed for a surprise attack on Seoul from North Korea, and could accommodate 30,000 men per hour along with light weaponry. Upon discovery of the third tunnel, the United Nations Command accused North Korea of threatening the Armistice Agreement. Initially, North Korea denied building the tunnel but subsequently declared it part of a coal mine, the tunnel having been blackened by construction explosions.

While four tunnels have been discovered so far, the South Koreans believe there are many more. The South Korean armed forces still spend a lot of time and energy on finding more infiltration tunnels.

Though still well guarded, the tunnel is now a tourist site. Visitors enter either by walking down a long steep incline that starts in a lobby or via a mini train for up to three passengers each. Photography is forbidden in the tunnel. The South Koreans have blocked the actual Military Demarcation Line in the tunnel with three concrete barricades. Tourists can walk as far as the third barricade, and the second barricade is visible through a small window in the third.

Also at the DMZ is the Dora observatory located on the top of Mount Dora. Visitors can use binoculars to see the North Korean territory. On a sunny day, visitors can clearly see South Koreas and North Koreas flags flying on their respective flagpoles through binoculars. One can also see North Koreans in border villages going through their daily routine.

But just over a mile from the DMZ, life is peaceful for residents of Tongil Chon who claim they will never leave despite war clouds hanging over them all the time. North Korea is visible from Tongil Chon too. For decades, North and South Korea have used border villages to show their respective wealth and superiority.

Despite the prosperity in South Korea and visible signs of political repression in the neighbouring North, there are many in the East Asian nation who pray for the reunification of the two countries. Those above the age of 80 are especially desperate to be reunited with their long-lost relatives and friends on the other side of the border before they breathe their last.
UNITED NATIONS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, on Thursday called on parties concerned to increase support to bridge the humanitarian funding gaps in Syria.

"At present, the huge gaps in humanitarian funding for Syria have already affected the implementation of relief operations and early recovery projects. We hope that the parties concerned will honor their commitments and further increase their funding support," Geng said at a UN Security Council briefing on Syria.

The envoy said that the Syrian government has to date opened border crossings of Bab Al-Salam and Al-Ra'ee, taken positive measures to facilitate humanitarian access, ended the case-by-case approval procedure for cross-line assistance, and facilitated visa issuance for humanitarian workers. "These initiatives are welcomed by the parties concerned, and China commends these efforts."

He noted that the Security Council should take into account the developments of the situation in Syria and the implementation of Resolution 2672 in its planning for the next phase of work in a science-based manner to further increase humanitarian relief to Syria and alleviate its humanitarian crisis.

Speaking about the cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism, Geng said that it is "only an exceptional arrangement in response to a specific situation and should eventually be phased out in an orderly manner."

"Promoting the transition from cross-border to cross-line deliveries is the right way forward with subsequent discussions in the Security Council. China hopes that the members of the council will adopt a pragmatic approach and engage in dialogue and consultations on the arrangements to this end," he said.

Geng underscored that cross-line operations should be the primary mode of humanitarian relief in Syria. However, in the past six months, due to the obstruction by the parties in de facto control of northwest Syria, the operations were interrupted for four months.

"The Security Council must come up with practical solutions to break the barriers in cross-line delivery, improve efficiency, and increase scale to ensure greater stability and predictability of the relief work," he said.

On the explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Syria, the envoy said that they continue to cause civilian casualties, threaten the safety and security of humanitarian workers, and impede humanitarian relief efforts.

"We call for incorporating the clearing of ERW into early recovery projects without delay," he added.

Turning to unilateral sanctions, the envoy said that some countries have been voicing their concerns about Syria's humanitarian situation and requesting the council to adopt resolutions on humanitarian issues in Syria. "At the same time, they have been willfully imposing unilateral sanctions, causing Syria's economic and humanitarian plight to worsen."

"Such self-contradictory and hypocritical behavior is no different from pretending to be giving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to a patient without losing the chokehold on the patient's throat. I wish to reiterate that all unlawful, unilateral sanctions against Syria should be unconditionally and fully lifted," he added. 
Police say the stabbings of three people during a gender class in Canada were motivated by hate

A suspect in the stabbing of a professor and two students during a class on gender issues at a university in the Canadian city of Waterloo has been charged in what police are calling a hate-motivated attack
KIGALI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government said Thursday it remains fully committed to the migration deal with the United Kingdom while responding to the UK Court of Appeal ruling which said earlier in the day that the "plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful."

The UK reached a deal with Rwanda in April 2022, under which illegal immigrants and asylum seekers are to be sent to the East African country to have their claims processed there.

On Thursday, the UK Court of Appeal, however, reversed last December's High Court decision that said Rwanda was a safe third country for asylum seekers and refugees.

"The High Court's decision that Rwanda was a safe third country is reversed and that unless and until the deficiencies in its asylum processes are corrected removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda will be unlawful," the appeal court ruled.

In a statement, the Rwandan government said it disagreed with the ruling.

While Thursday's ruling is "ultimately a decision for the UK's judicial system, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country for asylum seekers and refugees," the statement said.

Last December, judges at the UK's High Court ruled that the British government's plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is lawful, but they also criticized the government for failing to properly assess the circumstances of the eight individuals it tried to move under the scheme earlier that year.

The deal, however, faced another legal obstacle after asylum seekers challenged the High Court ruling in the UK Court of Appeal.

Reacting to the latest verdict, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he "fundamentally disagrees" with the ruling of the Court of Appeal and the government will challenge it in the Supreme Court.

"Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work," read the Rwandan government statement. "When the migrants do arrive, we will welcome them and provide them with the support they'll need to build new lives in Rwanda."

The British government hoped the deal will help deter migrants from making the risky journey across the English Channel on small boats.

Rwanda and UK government officials have touted the migration deal as a "partnership that presents an important development in efforts to address irregular immigrants." 
DHAKA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- With the spirit of sacrifice, Bangladeshi Muslims celebrated Eid-al-Adha on Thursday, one of two major festivals in the South Asian country.

In the capital Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh, Muslims offered special prayers seeking divine blessings, peace and prosperity in tens of thousands of congregations of Eid-al-Adha, also known as the festival of animal sacrifice.

The main congregation in Dhaka was held on Thursday morning at the national Eidgah (open ground specified for Eid prayers) where ministers, lawmakers and elite of society, among others, attended.

After prayers, Muslims in Bangladesh sacrificed animals such as sheep, goats, cows and camels in the name of Allah almighty.

Bangladeshi Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim said the demand for sacrificial animals stood at 10 million this year, while more than 12.5 million animals were available for the ritual.

Millions of Muslims and non-Muslim poor people in Bangladesh, who can not afford to buy meat even once in a year, get a chance of eating meat up to satisfaction as rich people will distribute much meat of their sacrificial animals among their poor neighbors and relatives.

Apart from this, millions of hides of sacrificial animals are donated to poor people and orphanages.

The festival is celebrated on the 10th day of the month of the lunar Islamic calendar after holy Hajj.

The Bangladeshi government declared a four-day holiday starting from Monday on this occasion. 
Job Title: National Project Coordinator  NOB (DC) UN Jobs

Organisation: International Labour Organization (ILO)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Salary: UGX 168,791,000 /= annually

Grade: NOB

Ref: DC/DAR/NO/2023/03

About US:

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency dealing with labour problems, particularly international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities for all. The ILO has 187 member states: 186 of the 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands are members of the ILO. In 1969, the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving peace among classes, pursuing decent work and justice for workers, and providing technical assistance to other developing nations.

About Project:

The project will address child labour in the coffee supply chain with area-based intervention models, based on strategic, stakeholder-driven research in coffee regions, that build the capacity of communities to deliver interventions against child labour in any sector, particularly in agriculture. The knowledge and model interventions generated at the country level will inform and strengthen global partnerships to support the dissemination and replication of intervention strategies in other supply chains important to the European market, namely the cobalt supply chain. In coffee, the project will focus on Uganda, Vietnam, and Honduras. Interventions regarding cobalt supply chains will be in The Democratic Republic of Congo. Further, the project will collaborate with private sector through the Child Labour Platform (CLP) and foster multi-stakeholder partnerships on the elimination of child labour through support to the Alliance 8.7 Action Group on Supply Chains.

Job Summary: The ILO seeks to recruit a National Project Coordinator to manage a new Development Cooperation project funded by the European Commission (EC) that will aim to address the root causes of child labour in supply chains through area-based approaches and global collaboration. This project brings together the ILO as the lead UN specialized agency with the FAO, UNICEF and the ITC as partners. It will convene and seek the active cooperation of supply chains actors at the global, regional, national, and local level to advance an approach that puts the emphasis on solving the root causes of child labour and investing in preventive measures. The project will be implemented over a period of 40 months starting on 1st April, 2023.

The National Project Coordinator will oversee the overall project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of the requirements of the cooperative agreement. S/he will establish and maintain systems for project operations; coordinate with UN agency partners; ensure that all cooperative agreement deadlines are met and targets are achieved. S/he shall coordinate the work of other project personnel and ensure smooth functioning of the entire project team and maximize synergies and efficiencies among the project components. S/he will establish and maintain working relationships with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the country where the projects activities will be implemented. S/he will coordinate closely with the Senior Programme Officer on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Supply Chains at FUNDAMENTALS and the Secretariat of Alliance 8.7 and the Child Labour Platform.

S/he will be under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and under the overall responsibility of the Director of the ILO Country Office for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda (CO-Dar es Salaam). The National Project Coordinator will also receive technical guidance from the specialists on supply chains in FUNDAMENTALS and in other technical units in HQ concerned, in the Regional Office and in the Decent Work Team in Pretoria. S/he will also oversee the work of a few national staff in the project office, including general service staff and the M&E officer, as well as External Collaborators. S/he will ensure coordination and effectiveness of interventions with other ILO projects on child labour and other fundamental principles and rights at work in supply chains, in particular ACCEL 2 in Uganda.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead the timely implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Uganda component of the Project through management functions, including provision of technical and administrative supervision to the Project team in line with the ILO policy, rules and regulations and according to the final project document and work plan.

Contribute to the management of human resources including recruitment and performance management of the project personnel at national level.

Oversee the development and approval process of sub-contracts, monitor the performance of sub-contractors and ensure timely implementation of sub-contracts.

Identify problems, propose solutions and action and follow-up with relevant departments at headquarters and regional office, executing agencies, government offices, constituents and other organizations to expedite implementation and meet targets.

Provide or ensure access to legal and policy advice to the government and the social partners on issues related to the effective implementation of the fundamental principles and rights at work, with a particular emphasis on child labour.

Organize training programmes and awareness raising activities to improve understanding on fundamental principles and rights at work and child labour in particular.

Ensure the delivery of quality technical inputs, including qualitative and quantitative research in line with ILO core conventions on fundamental rights at work.

Maintain close cooperation and coordination with government, employers and workers organizations in the planning and implementation of activities under the project.

Establish and develop knowledge management system covering technical activities under the project including other economic and social issues of relevance to the project and proactively share knowledge on the subject of child labour, particularly in Uganda.

Represent the Project in various fora, under the guidance of the ILO Director and the Project Manager.

Periodically report, monitor and facilitate the evaluation of all projects components according to the projects document and work plan. Prepare required technical progress reports and ad hoc reports on the status of project planning and implementation for submission to the ILO and the donor.

Ensure high-level communications to increase Projects visibility at the national and international levels. This includes the responsibility to liaise with the UN country team, and other key stakeholders to ensure effective coordination with relevant national strategies and related technical projects. Under direct guidance of the ILO Country Office in Uganda maintain relations with mass media and concerned media groups in order to increase the impact of the project in society as a whole.

Perform other related duties as assigned by Supervisor.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant for the United Nations International Labour Organization National Project Coordinator job must hold a first level university degree in economics, social sciences, or related field and strong knowledge on development issues particularly in Uganda.

A minimum of three years of experience in project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of grant/cooperative agreement requirements (including meeting deadlines, achieving targets, and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports to the project donor) especially in the field related to child labour interventions at national level.

Languages: Excellent command of English and working knowledge of another language of the duty station will be an asset.

Competencies

Proven capacity to initiate and implement technical co-operation programmes and activities with ILO constituents and NGOs, including negotiation skill with governments, social partners, industry associations, and mobilizing the support of international donor agencies.

Experience in working on child labour issues in a sector-specific setting such as agriculture, as well as in value chain issues.

Knowledge of area-based monitoring and referral systems, migration, labour law enforcement, education and social protection of children.

Good knowledge about social and economic development, including labour and employment, in the country.

Ability to maintain good working relationships with all project stakeholders.

Ability to establish and maintain systems within project operations.

Demonstrated ability to manage technical co-operation projects of international organizations.

Ability to understand and effectively work with Government, workers and employers organizations, nongovernment organizations and UN agencies.

Ability to conduct action-oriented research and write analytical technical report in English.

Ability to conduct policy discussion and high-level political processes.

Good communication skills, both written and verbal, to successfully advocate for and mobilize action to promote freedom of association and right to collective bargaining principles.

Clear commitment to mainstream gender into project activities.

Ability to lead and work in a team and good interpersonal relations.

Ability to train and guide personnel.

Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines.

Ability to work in diversified environments.

Proficient in basic computer software (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Reader) and ability to use other software packages required by the Office.

Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision.

Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the United Nations International Labour Organization in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to apply online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 11th July 2023

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Job Title: Exams Invigilator (Several Job Opportunities)

Organisation: British Council

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. We work in two ways  directly with individuals to transform their lives, and with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the world with the UK.

Job Summary: We are looking for suitably qualified candidates to ensure that any test administered by the British Council runs smoothly on the test day/s and that all assigned test day duties and standards are met. The post holder will be part of Uganda Exams team. The post holder will be part of a wider pool of test day personnel, contracted to support the delivery of a variety of tests on behalf of the British Council across various locations in the country. The post holder will be required to work very closely with a team of other test day personnel and test day service providers.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The applicant for the British Council job must hold a Diploma or equivalent qualification

English language level of B1 (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing skills) or equivalent (e.g. Cambridge English PET, IELTS 5)

Customer Service: Experience of responding to children/ young adults and parents needs (as customers) in a professional manner, to a high level of quality

Desirable Requirements:

Previous invigilator experience

Awareness of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

How to Apply:

All candidates should apply online through the British Council online application system at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 11th July 2023

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Byju Raveendran, co-founder and CEO of beleaguered edtech firm BYJU'S, sought to address the concerns of employees in a townhall event on Thursday.



BYJU'S has been witnessing a series of troubles, including the exit of three senior board members, the resignation of Deloitte Haskins & Sells as its auditor, and mass layoffs. In his first official communication with the company's employees after the high-profile exits, Raveendran admitted that BYJU'S is in a "tough space," but said, "we will come back soon."



"Edtech is not a pandemic phenomenon but a permanent fixture in education," he was quoted as saying.



Last 12 months we have been struggling. But edtech will stay forever, and we are the pioneers. It is one of the most important sectors and we are in the correct space, Raveendran said.



He said board members, G.V. Ravishankar, MD of early-backer Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), Russell Dreisenstock of Prosus and Chan Zuckerberg's Vivian Wu, did not quit because of the resignation of Deloitte, even as he thanked the trio for the contribution they made to the company.



According to media reports, the CEO told the employees that the company is nearing profitability.



Addressing the allegations levelled by its $1.2 billion Term Loan B lenders, he said the dispute is being resolved through constructive discussions, and added that he is "confident about achieving a positive outcome in the next few weeks without court intervention."



Urging the employees to "rise above the noise", Raveendran said the company has had tough times before but emerged stronger, and added that the best is yet to come for BYJU'S.



In a recent call with shareholders, Raveendran had admitted his past mistakes and assured them that his learnings far outweigh any missteps. He acknowledged the resignation of board members but said the company has not yet accepted them and information about their resignation was leaked out prematurely.



Reassuring the Board and shareholders, Byju Raveendran conveyed his conviction that, despite the challenges faced over the past year, the newly appointed CFO, along with the Group Counsel (GC), is steadfastly focused on strengthening all operational processes within the organization.



With agency inputs




Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be addressing a mega-rally at Lakhisarai, Bihar on Thursday. It is just after days of opposition meet in Patna, Shah is arriving in the state for the rally in Munger Lok Sabha constituency.

Shah will offer prayers at Ashok Dham before attending the public meeting.

Shah is scheduled to arrive in the afternoon at the airport, where he will be received by senior BJP leaders including party's state president Samrat Choudhary and union ministers from Bihar.

Ahead of Shah's visit, security has been beefed up in the Munger Lok Sabha constituency.

"Munger Lok Sabha segment has always been remembered for its association with Bihar's first Chief Minister Shri Krishna Singh. Today, the local MP is sitting in the lap of the RJD," said Vijay Kumar Sinha, BJP MLA from Lakhisarai.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last week hosted major opposition party meet in Patna, which was attended by parties including, Congress, TMC, and AAP.

Ahead of Shah's visit the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, comprising JD(U), RJD, Congress and the Left, listed out 12 questions for him to answer during his speech. JD(U) national secretary Rajib Ranjan Singh came out with the questions.

The Munger Lok Sabha seat is currently held by Ranjan, also known as 'Lalan'.

The questions were relating to the past electoral promises by the BJP including the two crore jobs every year, doubling of farmers' income and refusal of the Centre in accepting one nation, one tariff demand of the state government in the power sector.

Ever since Bihar was having the so-called double engine government, Shah never bothered about the state. But he seems to have grown obsessed with Bihar ever since the BJP was thrown out, said RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari.

Notably, Munger is also a Lok Sabha seat which has been won by the BJP-led NDA many times.

Lalan has won the seat twice, with the BJP as his party's ally on both occasions.

(With PTI inputs)
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad's, who was shot at by unidentified men in Uttar Pradesh's Sahranpur district on Wednesday, health condition is stable and is currently recovering at district hospital.

"I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters and workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight Constitutionally...I am fine with the love and blessings of crores of people," Aazad was quoted by ANI.

He will be discharged from the hospital after detailed checkup on Thursday. According to police officials, the investigation is underway and the accused will be arrested soon.

Meanwhile, UP Police has lodged an FIR against the attackers based on the complaint of Manish Kumar, an accomplice of Aazad.

Along with the charges of attempt to murder, provisions of offences under the SC/ST Act has also been imposed.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia arrived at the hospital in Saharanpur to meet Aazad and national president of Aazad Samaj Party Kanshi Ram. "We condemn the attack on him. It is wrong that people like him who stand for the truth are being attacked. I appeal to the people to maintain peace and also appeal to the police to arrest the culprits," Punia was quoted by ANI.

The incident occurred when Aazad was travelling to attend a 'terhavin' ritual at in his supporter's home in Saharanpur district's Deoband. Four shots were fired by the assailants at his SUV when he was leaving, said the workers.

The crime scene has been examined by a forensic team. The assailants are said to be four or five in number, said Senior Superintendent of Police of Saharanpur Vipin Tada.



While the shots were fired at, a bullet grazed through Aazad's abdomen. He was immediately rushed to the hospital. According to the hospital authorities, his health condition is stable.

His supporters gathered at the hospital had demanded Z+ security for him at the district hospital.





Additional force was deployed near the facility to tackle any situation and a detailed report was sought from the Saharanpur police.





An investigation is underway and reportedly police have detained four people in connection with the incident. The vehicle used by the assailants carried a Haryana registration number.

A search operation is going on to recover the vehicle.

"The borders of the district have been sealed and a massive operation to track the assailant and their vehicle has been launched," said Manglik, the SP city.

After the incident, the Samajwadi Party (SP) questioned the law and order situation in UP.



"The murderous attack on Chandrashekhar Azad, National President of Azad Samaj Party in Deoband, Saharanpur, by criminals protected by power is highly condemnable and cowardly act. When people's representatives are not safe under the BJP rule, then what will happen to the general public? Jungle Raj in UP!" SP president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi.



Senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav tweeted the morale of criminals in the state is so high that they "have started breaking all their limits".



"The opposition in Uttar Pradesh is now the target of both the government and the criminals," he said in a tweet in Hindu.



He said the "deadly attack" on the Bhim Army chief is a commentary on the law and order situation in the state. "Wake up government!"





(With PTI inputs)
Maoists killed a deputy sarpanch (elected village head) and a teacher from Burkapal village in the insurgency-affected Sukma district of Bastar in Chhattisgarh after a jan adalat (peoples court). The two were labeled as police informers and their involvement was alleged in the killing of an alleged Maoist in 2021 and some other police actions later.



The killings come days after a BJP leader, Arjun Kaka, was murdered in Usoor of Bijapur district on June 21.



Deputy sarpanch Madvi Ganga and teacher Kowasi Sukka were abducted by the Maoists on Tuesday night, reportedly with another eight villagers from Burkapal. The bodies of the two were found near the village on Thursday morning. They were apparently beaten to death.



Social organisations and tribal organisations like Sarv Adiwasi Samaj and Koya Samaj had appealed for the release of the deputy sarpanch and the teacher. Some students had also made the appeal. However, these were in vain.



The South Bastar Division Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) claimed responsibility for the killings by issuing a press statement that mentions that a jan adalat was held in Tadmetla village in the core Maoist area and people decided to finish off Ganga and Sukka.



The note said the fascist administration and police were using money to lure some teachers, teacher-grade employees, sarpanchs, panchayat secretaries, unemployed youth and students to become part of informer system to eradicate the party (CPI-M), Peoples Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), peoples organisations and revolutionary people. These members of the informer system were engaged in anti-people activities and thus the responsibility of the punishment being given to the two (Ganga and Sukka) is that of government, administration and the police, it said.



The note appealed to the government employees and peoples representatives to condemn the anti-people policies and to participate in peoples movement rather than become a part of the backbiting network. The eight other villagers abducted from Burkapal were reportedly released by the Maoists with this warning.



Civilian killings down to one-fourth in a decade



The inspector general of police (IG) of Bastar, Sundarraj P., while talking to THE WEEK, said such civilian killings, including that of peoples representatives, is a typical modus operandi and strategy of the Maoists to show their might while their area of influence was shrinking rapidly.



The IG said upset by the development activities and those playing a role in these, the Maoists select them as soft targets and label them falsely as police informers. The deputy sarpanch was taking a lot of initiatives to bring positivity in the area by bringing in developmental works. This irritates the Maoists who want to keep people cut off from the development process. Similarly, the teacher (a Shiksa Doot award winner for excellence in teaching initiatives) was an educated man who counseled the local people in the right direction. This did not go well with the Maoists.



Sundarraj further said the number of civilian killings has, however, declined drastically over the past decade. Compared to 2013 when they would kill around 115-120 civilians, including peoples representatives, every year, the number came down to 34 in 2022. So, during the past few years, the average has come down to 30-35. Yet it is a very disturbing trend, but we expect it will continue for only about two more years by which time we will take control of more areas and root the Maoists out.



The IG said the forces have penetrated effectively into the core insurgency areas and in the past four years about 63 security camps have been opened in the area that has blocked the safe corridors of the Maoists. They are losing ground and this is what is irritating them and they continue to pick soft targets, Sundarraj said.


Newly appointed Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister TS Singh Deo has rubbished all reports of infighting in the party, stating that he and chief minister Bhupesh Baghel "were working together and will continue to do so".

TS Singh Deo was appointed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the deputy chief minister in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday in an attempt to stem infighting in the state unit ahead of the year-end Assembly polls.



"Our priority will be to work together for the development of the state. I will fulfil the responsibilities given to me. The CM is Bhupesh Baghel and we will fight in the face of the current CM only, this is how Congress works but we will all work together. No specific responsibility has been given to me as of now," Singh Deo told reporters on Thursday.



He was accorded a warm welcome on Thursday by a huge crowd of supporters at the airport who raised slogans of "TS Baba Zindabad" .



Singh Deo also shot down speculations that there were two-and-half years of power-sharing "agreement" between him and Baghel. " I never discussed any such agreement. It was a buzz in the media. However, I always got positive support from the media," he added.



The factional feud within the party came out to the fore in mid-2021 amid speculations that Singh Deo will replace Baghel as the chief minister for the rest of the term in a power-sharing agreement. Singh Deo had also hinted last year that he was being sidelined in the government.



Baghel hailed Singh Deo's appointment on Wednesday, seeking to put up a united face. Baghel wrote on Twitter, "Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Sahab for getting responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister."



However, political analysts see Deo's appointment as a move by Congress to put up a united front ahead of the elections. Congress faces a formidable challenge from the Opposition BJP. "The decision seems to be the party's move to resolve differences within the ruling Congress in the state. However, it should have been taken much ahead of the Assembly polls. Such a decision at this point in time could boomerang on the party," senior journalist and political analyst R Krishna Das told PTI.



Singh Deo, known in party circles as a humble and grounded leader, has a solid support base in the northern part of the state (Surguja). He is also said to enjoy the confidence of the party high command in New Delhi.



A scion of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, Singh Deo is currently holding Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax (GST) portfolios. A three-time MLA, Singh Deo was elevated to the position of the Congress Legislature Party leader after the party lost the 2013 Assembly polls. Since then, Singh Deo made efforts to bring the party to power in 2018 in the state, considered as one of the bastions of the BJP.



The Congress leader was given crucial charge of drafting the party's manifesto for the 2018 Assembly polls. He travelled across the state and consulted every section of society before preparing the pre-poll document. The promises made by the Congress in its manifesto, particularly for farmers, were credited for the party's resounding victory in 2018.



Meanwhile, the BJP has hit out Singh Deo's appointment. Former CM and senior BJP leader Raman Singh took a dig and tweeted a rhyme, "Dubne lagi kashti to kaptan ne yu kuchh kiya, saup di hai patwar aadhi dusre ke hath me (when the boat started sinking, the captain did something like this, half of the helm has been handed over to someone else). Congratulations to Maharaj ji for the remaining 4 months."



(With inputs from PTI)
Various organisations of medical practitioners including the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday strongly objected to the recent request of a group of female Muslim MBBS students seeking permission to wear long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods in operation theatres.

The IMA said a patient is the most significant person in hospitals and operation theatres and the existing globally accepted protocol should be followed there without fail to ensure their safety.

Sharing similar views, the Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) said granting permission for such a request is not scientifically or ethically appropriate.

Dr Sulphi Noohu, IMA state president, said the association wanted to continue the existing practices and protocols. "Worldwide it is considered that a patient is the most significant person in hospitals and operation theatres. Certain internationally accepted protocols are being followed everywhere to ensure the safety of the patients and to protect them from getting infected," he said.

The IMA wanted to maintain these practices and protocols without fail, Noohu added.

Dr Suresh TN, president, KGMOA, said there is an infection control system in operation theatres and the scientific view is to maintain the protocols as such. As part of the disinfection procedures, hands should be washed repeatedly and gloves should be worn inside the theatres.

"In such a circumstance, long sleeve dress, as demanded by the students, cannot be permitted considering the safety of patients. This is not appropriate scientifically or ethically," he said.

A group of female Muslim MBBS students from the Government Medical College here recently expressed concern over not being allowed to wear hijab inside operation theatres and sought permission to don long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods at the earliest.

A woman medico, belonging to the 2020 batch, wrote a letter to principal Dr Linnette J Morris on June 26, citing the matter. The request letter was also signed by six other female medical students from different batches of the college.

In the letter, the students complained that they were not allowed to cover their heads inside the operation theatre. "According to our religious belief, wearing hijab is mandatory for Muslim women under all circumstances," they said.

"Long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods are available, which allow us to maintain sterile precautions as well as our hijab," they said.

They wanted the principal to look into the matter and grant them permission to wear the same in operation theatres at the earliest. Confirming the receipt of the letter, Morris said she explained to the students the need to follow the prescribed precautionary practices inside the operation theatres and the necessity to adhere to the present globally accepted dress code there.

The principal said it is not practically possible to wear long-sleeve jackets, as they demand, inside the theatres as several rounds of scrub-up (washing up to the elbow in running water) are involved while doing a surgical procedure or assisting in it.

To address the concerns of the students, Morris said she assured them she would form a committee of surgeons to look into the matter.
The Southwest monsoon has thrown life out of gear in Mumbai with several parts of the city facing acute waterlogging on Wednesday. The situation is likely to persist as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has predicted 'very heavy rainfall' for the next 4-5 days.

Two persons were killed and a teenager was injured in rain-related incidents on Wednesday, reported PTI. The waterlogging also resulted in the closure of the subway service, while many suburban train services were delayed due to technical snags.



The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an 'Orange alert' forecasting heavy-to-very heavy rains in six districts of Maharashtra. The BMC has also warned residents of heavy-to-very heavy rainfalls in the next four to five days.



As per the data shared by the IMD, the city received 75.6mm of rain in Colaba, 74.2 mm in Santa Cruz, 148.5 mm in Dahisar, 122.5 mm in Bhayendar in Thane and 69.5 mm in Juhu airport. The BMC also reported the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs received 43.32 mm, 87.47 mm and 89.87 mm of rainfall, respectively, between 8 am and 8 pm.



Meanwhile, Andheri Subway was closed for vehicular movement due to the accumulation of 1.5 to 2 feet of water and traffic was diverted towards SV Road.



Railway officials said no major waterlogging was reported anywhere on the city's suburban network but technical snags in track changing points and signals caused trains to run late by 10 to 15 minutes.



Two deaths reported



Two people died in separate tree fall incidents in Mumbai's western suburbs, the civic officials said. A 30-year-old man, identified as Premlal Nirmal, was rushed to the hospital after branches of a tree fell on a house in the Mitha Nagar area of Goregaon but doctors declared him "brought dead." In the second incident, a 38-year-old person, identified as Kaushal Doshi, suffered injuries when a tree fell on him near Mamledarwadi Junction in Malad.



Besides, the BMC also reported 22 incidents of trees falling -- three in the island city, 7 in the eastern suburbs and 12 in the western suburbs. Mumbai also reported six incidents of house collapse and in one such incident at Shivaji Nagar in the eastern suburbs, a 17-year-old boy, Rehan Shaikh, was injured. He was admitted to nearby Shatabdi Hospital and his condition was stable, said the BMC.



The city also witnessed two landslides, including one at Surya Nagar in Vikhroli, at around 9.45 am, but no one was injured. However, as a precautionary measure families living in 20 to 25 houses near the landslide site in Vikhroli were evaluated and shifted to a private school, it said.


MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The foreign investments yielded net outflows of 124 million U.S. dollars from the Philippines in May, the country's central bank said Thursday.

The figure is lower by 64.6 percent than the amount recorded in April, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

The BSP said the country booked 845 million dollars in foreign investments for May, 18.5 percent higher than the amount recorded in April, mainly from Britain, the United States, and Singapore.

The 969 million dollars gross outflows for May are 9 percent compared to the record in April, the BSP added.

In the first five months, the Philippines' foreign investments yielded net outflows of 805 million dollars, a reversal of the 1.1 billion dollars net inflows recorded for the same period last year. 
With the June 24 Wagner PMC mutiny in Russia generating enough food for thought for military strategists, it is but a truism that the fog of war and information warfare are fast becoming buzzwords in modern warfare. The challenges of separating fact from fiction are growing for modern militaries.

Thucydides, the fifth century BC Greek historian and military strategist, had said: The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.

On Wednesday, the Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari almost toed the Greek philosophers line, although not completely in words, when he underlined the importance of strategic thought in todays technology-infused world of modern warfare.

Pointing out that the complexities of modern warfare with several unknowns and characterised by fog and fiction can be circumvented by knowledge, experience and good planning, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief said: We may need to reeducate entire generation of officers in the next few years, to bring everyone up the speed with the unprecedented acceleration of technology infusion.

The path of transformation is not just aircraft, weapons and equipment but we have to transform our thinking also. As IAF surges ahead into its centenary decade, we must transform our personnel into scholar warriors capable of winning the next war.

The elite military thinkers among us have to be nurtured and valued. It has been seen that military leaders who have invested in continuous learning are more capable of assimilating technology into their strategic plans.

The IAF chief was the keynote speaker at the culmination of IAFs second Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Program (WASP) that was jointly conducted by the College of Air Warfare and Centre for Air Power Studies.

The IAFs WASP aims to nurture scholar warriors or strategic thinkers who can blend cross-domain knowledge to generate policy-driving ideas at the strategic level.

Today, we need rigorous scholarly and analytical tools to identify, measure, and evaluate changes in the character of war to make sense of this volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, ACM Chaudhari said.

While the focus of a military strategist must remain war-fighting, a larger understanding of interconnected aspects will facilitate a more effective orchestration of operational plans.

WASP is a strategic education programme of 15 weeks duration which was started in 2022 and is structured to provide the participants with a deep understanding of strategy.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya has hit out at Rahul Gandhi, a day after he was booked for a tweet showed an animated video allegedly mocking Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. Malviya, who targeted the former MP, said on Thursday that Rahul's visit to Manipur was not out of concern for people but to further his own selfish political agenda. The BJP leader also called Rahul a "political opportunist."

"Not once did Rahul Gandhi visit Churachandpur in Manipur between 2015-17, to meet the victims of ethnic violence, that raged following Congress CM Okram Ibobi Singh Govts decision to pass three Bills  the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, which were seen by the people of Churachandpur district, comprising mostly of Paites and Kukis, as 'anti-Tribal', and a 'conspiracy' by the majority Meitei community to grab Tribal land," the tweet read.



Malviya said that nine young men were shot dead and the protesting communities refused to cremate them for two long years.



"Why didnt Rahul Gandhi visit Manipur then? He is no messiah of peace just a political opportunist who wants to keep the pot boiling. His visit to Manipur is not borne out of concern for people but his own selfish political agenda. There is a reason no one trusts either him or the Congress," he alleged.



He said that the All Manipur Students Union had blamed the Congress for the problems faced by Manipur. "It should have been embarrassing but then Rahul is incorrigible," he said.



Malviya's attack on Rahul came as the latter arrived at Manipur to meet people displaced in the ethnic strife. More than 100 people lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.



This comes as Karnataka police registered an FIR against BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya for "promoting enmity within groups" and "instigating people" over a video that he posted allegedly mocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on social media. BJP dubbed the move an abuse of power.



Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani too hit out against the Congress, stating her party is "in receipt of information with regards to an FIR against a position taken by the BJP with regards to Rahul Gandhi's US visit". She said it shows that the Gandhi family "has again given proof of how far it can go to suppress the truth if it gets power."


Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, visited people displaced by the ethnic strife at Churachandpur in Manipur after reaching there in a helicopter, hours behind schedule as his convoy of vehicles was stopped by the state police mid-way fearing violence.

Gandhi went to a relief camp and interacted with the inmates.

The Congress leader had to stop at Bishnupur, around 20 kilometres from Imphal, after police halted his convoy fearing attacks on it.

"Rahul Gandhi took a state government-provided chopper to visit Churachandpur. Top police and administration officials accompanied him in the helicopter," said a source at the airport.

Tear gas was used at Bishnupur by the local police on demonstrators - some of whom wanted him to proceed to Churanchandpur, while others opposed his visit.

Gandhi's supporters, including a large number of women, hit the streets at Bishnupur demanding that he be allowed to go to Churachandpur.

One of the women said, "If (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah could go to Churachandpur, why not Rahul Gandhi?"
Tamil Nadu governor R.N. Ravi on Thursday dismissed minister V. Senthil Balaji from the cabinet, who was arrested in a money laundering case recently.

There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of V. Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the State," a release from Raj Bhavan said. "Under these circumstances, the Governor has dismissed Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, it said.

Stating that Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering, the release added that Balaji had abused his position as a minister and has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice.

The release from Raj Bhavan comes days after the state government, through an administrative order, allowed Senthil Balaji to continue as a minister without a portfolio after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him in job scam case. Governor earlier refused to allow Balaji to continue in the cabinet.

It may be recalled that a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Madras High Court against Senthil Balaji continuing as a minister in Stalins cabinet. The PIL was filed by Advocate M.L. Ravi of Desiya Makkal Shakthi Katchi. The Madras High Court bench comprising of Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu after hearing the plea challenging the continuation of Senthil Balaji in the cabinet, asked, Under Article 226, how can the court pass an order when there are no specific orders by the governor.

Apparently, Tamil Nadu has been witnessing a running feud between the governor and government, since Ravi took charge as the governor in 2021. Ravi has also been making public comments on the functioning of the government apart from organising programmes on behalf of the Raj Bhavan, meeting the vice-chancellors of various universities, speaking among the civil service aspirants, etc.

The governor had also earlier stirred various controversies when he said it would be appropriate to call Tamil Nadu as Thamizhagam; removing the Tamil Nadu government emblem from the Pongal invitations sent from the Raj Bhavan and his objection to the use of the term 'Ondriya arasu', meaning Union government, by the state government while referring to central government.

Chief Minister Stalin had earlier passed two resolutions in the assembly against the governor. In April this year, a resolution was passed in the assembly urging the union government and the president to prescribe a specific time limit for governors to give assent for bills. There are at least 14 bills, passed in the assembly, pending with the governor. On April 7, Ravi while addressing the civil service aspirants said that if a governor withholds assent to a bill passed in the assembly it means the bill is dead. On the same day, Stalin while speaking in the house raised objections to Ravis explanation for withholding the bills and said that the governor is repeatedly functioning in a manner contrary to his oath of office and detrimental to the welfare of the state.

In January this year, Stalin moved a resolution in the house against Ravi, when he omitted certain portions of the prepared text of the governors customary address to the house. As Stalin was reading the resolution against the governor, Ravi walked out from the assembly in a huff.
Protests continued in France for a second night after a 17-year-old was shot by the police. The teenager named Nael was shot at point blank after he refused to stop when traffic police asked him to. The teenager of French-Algerian descent died, despite efforts by emergency services to save him. 150 people were arrested in the wake of the protests.



The French interior minister called it "a night of unbearable violence against symbols of the republic". France's President Emmanuel Macron described the second night of violence as "unjustifiable". Macron also denounced the attacks on state institutions. People in the Mons-en-Barul suburb of Lille broke into the town hall and started fires. In the suburbs of Nanterre, Paris, and other places, rioters were setting cars alight, throwing fireworks at police and ransacking shops.

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune tweeted, Nothing justifies the violence that targeted them (transport officers) last night and that buses and trams were destroyed in the Ile-de-France region. Drivers fully supported, luckily unharmed, thanks to those who rescued them.

According to a BBC report, last year, a record 13 people were killed by French police after traffic stops. According to rights groups, the number of police shootings has increased since 2017, when a law change broadened the framework for when officers can use firearms. As per a Reuters tally, most of the people killed in traffic stops since 2017 were black or Arab. Three people were killed by police for refusing to stop in 2021, two in 2020, none in 2019 and 6 in both 2018 and 2017.

Under France's legal system, a "refus d'obtemperer" is when a driver fails to comply with an order to stop given by an agent visibly belonging to the police forces. The offence is punishable by two years in jail and a 15,000 euros ($16,431.00) fine. According to Highway Code, a driver can be stopped by police to have his driving documents checked at any time even if there is no visible violation of law.

According to the law, the police are allowed to use their firearms in five different scenarios: When their life or physical safety, or the life of another individual, is put at risk; when a place or people under their protection come under attack; when they are unable to prevent someone likely to threaten their life or physical safety, or other people's, from fleeing; when they are unable to stop a vehicle whose driver has ignored an order to stop and whose occupants are likely to pose a risk to their life or physical safety, or to other people's; if there is reason to believe it will prevent murder or attempted murder.
India and Israel are two ends of a geostrategic arc, but intelligence czars in both countries are battling a common threat- ISIS warriors and their affiliates in the region spread across Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and south and central Asia.

The highly organised terror group is the first to have a stranglehold on both physical and digital territories, raising a red flag for the Israeli Security Agency, also known by its Hebrew acronym 'Shin Bet', and the Indian Intelligence Bureau.

The proscribed terror group, ISIS, responsible for inspiring several lone wolf attacks in India, found mention at both open and closed-door discussions of cyber and intelligence chiefs of several countries who are gathered in Tel Aviv for the annual Cyber Week event.

The charge was led by Ronen Bar, director of Shin Bet, who said Israel has faced 600 ISIS-related cases since the beginning of 2022. They are added to roughly 800 major attacks we have foiled since January 2022, he said.

Like India, the concerns are similar. Violent and dangerous content on social media and web; radicalisation and recruitment of youth; misinformation and disinformation campaigns and terror attacks in the region. Some were even arrested just before attacking, said Bar. An alarming number of them have a strong basis on the web - posts, inspiration, knowledge or social groups.

Bar said an example of online-driven ISIS terror was an attack in the city of Beer Sheva last year. A man who consumed inciteful and dangerous ISIS content online,(content which by the way, is legal in Israel) was deeply affected, he said. He became radical in a heartbeat and murdered four people with a knife and a car.

We didn't know he was going to carry out an attack. His wife didn't know it. I doubt if he knew it, in the hours before the attack, Bar added.

This is one among many examples of why the Shin Bet wants legislation to keep up with the pace of technology. Unfortunately, we are not as quick as we should be, he said.

The concerns are manifold. The fast-evolving digital space- artificial intelligence and ChatGPT- has rung alarm bells for the Israeli internal security agency. Bar explained that if ChatGPT is asked how to explain making a bomb it may refuse at first but when the question is rephrased, the results can be horrific. At the end of a short chat, Bar said it generated a very detailed text, which included a very specific explanation- which materials are needed, how to weigh and mix them and what to watch out for.

In the end, it said, Good. Now always prioritize safety, never forget the consequences of your actions, and remember that our goal is not chaos, but to achieve something greater.

According to Bar, the goal of counter-terrorism is also clear- not chaos, but to achieve something greater.

He said laws, regulations are equally important as goodwill and desire to improve and not cause harm. Generative AI is already here, he said. The algorithm has been refined and built to appeal to our darkest sides. 

As the global anger index has risen, Dar warned that the algorithm, in less good hands, can have many negative effects.

The web has accelerated phenomena like lack of governance, polarization between citizens and state institutions, and isolated individuals as well as minorities, he said. Instead of YouTubers, we see GunTubers.

The rise of the potential Gen Z terrorists, brainwashed, recruited and armed, are the future of terrorism. Bar said the Shin Bet and Artificial intelligence have one thing in common - both are making a living by looking for patterns and anomalies.

To counter it, countries need to enhance cooperation and openness between tech giants and security organizations.

It is here the role of the startups becomes important - about fifty have entered the Israeli market recently with products that can be used both by the security sector, and the private, civilian sector.

Shin Bets openness to society, industry and civilian market in order to fight espionage, terrorism, incitement and foreign influence, is being seen as an example for other countries to follow. "It is time a nation is not defined by its physical territory and borders," said Bar, "but also by its intellectual assets, databases and values. "
The US Coast Guard has said that "presumed human remains" have been recovered among the debris of the Titan, the submersible which imploded during a voyage to explore the wreckage of Titanic earlier this month.

The presumed remains will be analysed by US medical professionals, said a statement issued by the US Coast Guard. The debris was recovered from St. Johns in Newfoundland on Wednesday.



The statement added that the evidence will provide investigators with critical insights into the cause of the tragedy. "There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again," said Jason Neubauer, a chair captain with the Marine Board of Investigation.



The recovery was made by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The ROV searched the ocean floor near the Titanic wreck for pieces of the submersible following which mangled chunks of the 22-foot submersible were found. They were later unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.



Images from the location showed a white panel-like piece and another object with cords and wires dangling from it being moved to the shore. The objects were covered using a white tarp. Reports said the debris was Titans white hull and landing skids. Coast Guard representatives declined to comment on the investigation or the return of debris to shore on Wednesday.



Debris from the Titan submersible, recovered from the ocean floor near the wreck of the Titanic | Reuters

According to Pelagic Research Services, the company that owns the ROV that recovered Titans remains, the team is still on the mission. "They have been working around the clock now for ten days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones," Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company, was quoted by AP.



The investigation into the tragedy is being conducted by a Marine Board of Investigation, convened by the Coast Guard. The Board will also offer suggestions on whether or not to "pursue civil or criminal sanctions as necessary."



Meanwhile, one of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said the analysis of the debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. "And there could be electronic data," Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution told The Guardian, adding that all the instruments on any deep sea vehicle record data. "They pass up data. So the question is, is there any data available?" he said.



Titan, owned by Ocean Gate, embarked on a voyage to explore the remains of Titanic on June 18. But, it lost contact with the mother ship, Polar Prince, about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive. A massive search was launched, following which it was found that the vessel had imploded.



Ocean Gate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush was killed in the implosion along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.


The State Department said a gunman who opened fire on the US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and a local security guard working at the consulate were killed in an exchange of fire.



The motive for Wednesday's attack was not immediately clear, the department said.

The consulate went into lockdown as the shooting took place and no Americans or American staff were injured, it said.

The assailant was killed by Saudi security forces, the State Department said, referring questions to the Saudi authorities, who it said were investigating.

Saudi Arabia's state news agency, citing Saudi police, said the man had gotten out of a vehicle outside the consulate carrying a gun.

Authorities took the initiative to deal with him as required by the situation, the press agency said. It said the slain consulate security worker was Nepalese.
Top Russian generals Valery Gerasimov and General Sergei Surovikin have reportedly vanished from public view after the aborted mutiny led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, said reports.

While 67-year-old Gerasimov has not appeared in public or on state TV since the rebellion on Saturday, Surovkin too has not been mentioned in a defence ministry press release since June 9, reported Reuters. While leading the armed rebellion, Prigozhin had demanded that Gerasimov, who is said to be one of the holders of Russia's three 'nuclear briefcases', be handed over to him.



While Gerasimov was nowhere to be seen when Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the Army for averting a civil war, Shoigu, another of Progozhin's targets, has made several public appearances since.



As per a report by New York Times, Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russia's military operations in Ukraine, knew of Prigozhin's rebellion and had silently supported it. Surovikin is nicknamed 'General Armageddon' by the Russian press for his aggressive tactics in the Syrian conflict.



Though Russia did not respond to reports of Surovkin's involvement, The Moscow Times has reported citing unnamed sources that Surovikin has been arrested "in the context of Prigozhin." The report added that Defense Ministry sources are yet to comment on the arrest.



"The situation with him was not OK. For the authorities. I can't say anything more," one of the sources told Moscow Times.



Rybar, an influential channel on the Telegram messaging application run by a former Russian defence ministry press officer, too claimed Kremlin has begun taking action. He said the authorities were trying to weed out military personnel who allegedly displayed "a lack of decisiveness" in putting down the mutiny. "The armed insurgency by the Wagner private military company has become a pretext for a massive purge in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces," Reuters quoted Rybar.



There were also reports in Russian media that Surovkin is being held in Moscow's Lefortovo detention facility after being arrested. Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of the shuttered Ekho Moskvy radio station, wrote on Telegram that Surovikin has not been in contact with his family for three days and that his guards are not responsive.


An appeals court in the United Kingdom on Thursday ruled against the government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, an ambitious plan proposed by Rishi Sunak to check illegal migration.

The court ruled that the government's plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is unlawful. The illegal migration bill proposed by the government states that all asylum seekers arriving via irregular means could face being forcibly removed to Rwanda.

In a split two-to-one ruling, three Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country where migrants could be sent. The government is likely to challenge the ruling at the UK Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to stop the boats a reference to the overcrowded dinghies and other small craft that make the journey from northern France carrying migrants who hope to live in the UK. More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain across the Channel in 2022, and several died in the attempt.

According to reports, the UNs refugee agency UNHCR, lawyers, charities and a group of asylum seekers supported the appeal against the ruling.

The UK and Rwandan governments agreed more than a year ago that some migrants who arrive in the UK as stowaways or in small boats would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in the East African country rather than return to Britain.

The UK government argues that the policy will deter criminal gangs that ferry migrants on hazardous journeys across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Human rights groups say it is immoral and inhumane to send people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometres) to a country they don't want to live in. They also cite Rwanda's poor human rights record, including allegations of torture and killings of government opponents.

Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million pounds ($170 million) under the deal, but no one has yet been deported there.

Britain's High Court ruled in December that the policy is legal and doesn't breach Britain's obligations under the UN Refugee Convention or other international agreements, rejecting a lawsuit from several asylum-seekers, aid groups and a border officials' union.

The Court ruled that Rwanda is not a safe third country to send illegal migrants even though the Rwandan government provided assurances in good faith. The Court found the proposal was in violation of Article 3 of the European convention on human rights.

But two of the three ruled Rwanda was not safe because its asylum system had serious deficiencies. They said asylum seekers would face a real risk of being returned to their countries of origin, where they could be mistreated.

Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett the most senior judge in England and Wales disagreed with his two colleagues. He said assurances given by the Rwandan government were enough to ensure the migrants would be safe.

The government of Rwanda took issue with the ruling, saying the nation is one of the safest countries in the world.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans," said government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo. "Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this."

(With PTI inputs.)
KABUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Amid increasing demand for medical materials, Afghan hospitals are thankful for having access to cheap and fine medical materials and equipment imported from China.

A number of Afghan businessmen have joined hands to establish a firm to import quality medical materials at reasonable prices from China.

Established in 2017, the Afghan Surgical Corporation Company, with 16 domestic shareholders, mostly focuses on the import of "surgical equipment and medical materials of better quality with low prices from China," said Nasrallah Neyazi, the company's chief executive officer.

"This is why we have chosen the Chinese companies," Neyazi told Xinhua on Sunday, adding that the company imports 50 to 60 40-foot containers of medical materials from China annually.

According to Neyazi, who is also a shareholder of the company, 90 to 95 percent of his company's medical items, both medical equipment and medicine, are imported from China, while in Afghanistan as a whole, 90 percent of medical items at the markets of the country are also made in China.

"We import all medical items, including different kinds of syringes, serum sets, examination gloves and surgical gloves, as well as about 10 to 15 items of medicine, such as ciprofloxacin serums, metronidazole serums, metoclopramide ampules and other ampules," he explained.

Neyazi added that the company's purchase committee staff regularly travel to China to visit Chinese firms, check items, sign contracts, and bring back the materials and equipment to Afghanistan.

In terms of the most needed syringes with needles, he said that imports from China account for 95 percent of the Afghan market nationwide, while Afghanistan's self-made medical materials account for about 4 percent.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese health companies were the main suppliers of the company, which had imported a great number of materials and equipment such as facial masks, hand sanitizers and thermometers from China, said Neyazi.

Dr. Ehsanullah Shinwari, a specialist physician and director of the Kabul-based Mercy Hospital, told Xinhua that "Our country is poor, and items with the same quality from other countries are expensive."

We hope to use more Chinese drugs, which, due to the language barrier, are less used than those from other neighboring countries, said Shinwari. 
BENGALURU, India, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Scribble Data, a machine learning and generative AI company, today announced the launch of Hasper, a fullstack large language model (LLM)-based engine for business leaders to rapidly build AI-powered data products.



Hasper provides engineering guardrails to bring the power of LLMs to enterprises, enabling streamlined data workflows and facilitating contextually rich insights.



"Embracing the rise of generative AI marks a pivotal moment in our journey to unite enterprise analytics with the potential of LLMs. It's the convergence of our Enrich Intelligence platform, built on machine learning and robust workflows, with the transformative power of LLMs. We're already seeing this unlock compelling new use cases for our customers," said Indrayudh Ghoshal, Co-founder and COO at Scribble Data.



Hasper is the latest addition to Scribble Data's flagship product, the Enrich Intelligence platform. The platform now enables building more sophisticated end-to-end workflows seamlessly using both structured and unstructured data, with conversational interfaces.



The system interfaces with all the leading foundational models, so teams can select the LLM that best meets organizational requirements, including cost, enterprise-grade security, and privacy. Moreover, the system's ability to customize data products for each unique use case ensures a clear understanding of context and constraints, significantly reducing the risk of data hallucinations.



A Full-Stack Applied AI Engine



Enhanced Scale and Speed: Hasper leverages the power of LLMs to increase the efficiency of addressing use cases, the speed of workflows, and the productivity of teams.



Intelligent Natural Language Interface: Business users can safely and easily interact with their data in a conversational style, akin to ChatGPT.



Seamless Integration and Customization: Hasper facilitates the integration of LLMs into advanced analytics decision workflows, allowing customization to build domain-specific agents for highly relevant and accurate results.



Hybrid Data Products for Enhanced Insights: Hasper and Enrich together allow a hybrid approach to use cases, combining traditional feature engineering, ML, and LLMs to go from raw data to analytical output.



"Enrich has already demonstrated its potential in industries such as insurance, retail, and e-commerce, with compelling use cases including RFP processing, advisor-in-a-box, contextual data querying, and intelligent responses with hard data. With the launch of Hasper, we can enable and expect to see 10x the number of analytical use cases," said Venkata Pingali, Co-founder, and CEO, of Scribble Data.



Scribble Data remains committed to providing innovative data solutions that transform how businesses leverage data for growth and innovation.



About Scribble Data



Scribble Data is a machine learning and generative AI company, helping enterprises build AI-powered data products for advanced analytics. Our flagship product, the Enrich Intelligence platform, enables data preparation and lightweight ML algorithm execution. Our newly launched Hasper engine sits atop Enrich to make it a full-stack LLM data products platform. Backed by Blume Ventures, we enable organizations to unlock the true potential of data with secure hosting options that ensure trust, reliability, and data integrity.



To learn more, visit our website at scribbledata.io.



Media Contact:

Raghav Kumar

raghav@scribbledata.io



Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2142907/ScribbleDataHasper.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 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the two-day 17th Indian Cooperative Congress on July 1 in the national capital and launch an e-commerce platform NCUI Haat for cooperative products.

Modi will also unveil a cooperative extension and advisory services portal, focusing on a 'learning management system' that provides information and services for cooperative members, leaders, managers and the general public.

The prime minister will also unveil a book on 'Cooperative Growth and Trends in India', a souvenir on cooperative movement, training modules on "Members' role in cooperative" and "Governance in cooperatives", besides a film on the initiatives of the Cooperation Ministry.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will preside over the inaugural session of the Congress -- organised by the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) -- that will focus on the theme "Amrit Kaal -- Prosperity through cooperation for a vibrant India".

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be a chief guest at the valedictory function on July 2. Chemical and Fertiliser Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala will also be present.

"The objective of the Congress is to discuss and deliberate upon the key issues, confronting the cooperative sector and chalk out an effective roadmap for the 'Amrit Kaal'," NCUI President and IFFCO Chairman Dileep Sanghani said in a press conference here.

The prime minister will launch NCUI's e-commerce platform 'NCUI Haat' for cooperative products. This will facilitate capacity-building support in registration, branding and promotion of products free of cost, he said.

The prime minister's inaugural address will give a new direction and guidance to the cooperatives working in different fields. The event will be attended by not only 3,500 delegates of cooperative organisations from all over the country but also from across the globe, Sanghani added.

This year's Indian Cooperative Congress coincides with the International Day of Cooperatives, which is celebrated on the first Saturday of July annually, said International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) President and KRIBHCO Chairman Chandra Pal Singh Yadav.

Representatives from eight countries -- including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea -- will attend the event. Besides, representatives from 34 countries, who are members of ICA, will join the event virtually.

The technical sessions will focus on some key issues: cooperative legislation and policy reforms; cross-sectoral collaboration for strengthening cooperative movement; strengthening cooperative education, training and research; ease of doing business for competitive cooperative business enterprises; innovation and technology for cooperative governance; promoting gender equality and social inclusion; and importance of cooperative credit system in the Indian economy.
Kathmandu, Jun 29 (PTI) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday said it has approved a USD 50 million loan to the Nepal government to support the implementation of policy reforms and help improve the Himalayan nation's domestic and international trade with its key economic partners like India and Bangladesh.

The development of the trade and industry sector will boost competitiveness and help steer the country toward sustainable economic growth, said ADB South Asia Department's Director of Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination, Thiam Hee Ng.

Furthermore, improved trade facilitation can boost exports and help address Nepals balance of payment, he said.

In fiscal year 2022, trade and industry contributed 14.1 per cent to Nepals gross domestic product (GDP).

The Nepal government is pushing to increase the contribution of trade to the country's GDP by improving the trade and export promotion environment and strengthening the supply chain of primary products, according to an ADB press release.

The programme will help implement the current customs reform and modernization plan by improving customs processes through the introduction of digital technologies, such as electronic payments of customs duties and fees, and electronic submission of export documents, according to the ADB.

It will establish an online customs valuation database and reduce export documentation to facilitate customs clearance.

The ADB programme will expand the governments trade facilitation efforts to the logistics sector to promote more efficient movement of goods among producers, distributors, sellers, and buyers.

The project involves activities such as integration of logistics infrastructure to facilitate multimodal transport and last-mile connectivity as well as the establishment of a one-stop logistics information portal, the statement said.

The programme will harmonise technical standards of logistics infrastructure and equipment to facilitate Nepals trade with the country's key economic partners like India and Bangladesh, the release said.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) 'In-yun', or the Korean term for fate that connects people, often crops up in Sundance breakout movie "Past Lives" and its lead star Greta Lee says she now strongly believes in the idea that "we are all connected to each other".

The film, about two soulmates meeting each other after years, marks the phenomenal debut of playwright Celine Song. It is a story that is inspired by a moment from her own life when Song found herself acting as a translator between her American husband and her Korean childhood sweetheart, as the first-time filmmaker said in earlier interviews.

In "Past Lives", Lee plays Na-young or Nora, a Korean who immigrates to Canada as a child and later moves to New York for her writing career.

The 40-year-old actor said they wanted to tell a tale of "human experience of living" through a love story.

"'In-yun' has everything to do with my process. I like to think that I had 'in-yun' with the script, actually immediately. I'd never felt so deeply connected to anything I'd read before... Now, 'in-yun' is something that I see everywhere. I can't unsee it. It's just the way that we are all connected to each other," Lee, also known for web series "Russian Doll" and "The Morning Show", told PTI in a virtual interview.

'In-yun', the leitmotif in "Past Lives", comes from Buddhism and the concept of reincarnation, as Nora's character explains in the film. According to her character, every encounter between people is 'in-yun' but "it takes 8,000 layers of 'in-yun'" for two people to be together in a lifetime.

Lee, an American actor born to Korean immigrants, said she felt an instant bond with writer-director Song.

"She and I had this immediate connection based on what our hopes and ambitions for the movie could be, and telling the way we were hoping to tell the story about love," she added.

"Past Lives" takes viewers on a journey of time and fate through two young souls in South Korea, who, torn apart by destiny, find themselves reunited decades later in New York. The movie also features South Korean star Teo Yoo as Nora's childhood sweetheart Hae-sung and American actor John Magaro as her husband Arthur.

The movie was one of the most talked-about titles at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was later screened at the Berlin Film Festival. Earlier this month, it opened in US cinemas to unanimous praise. PVRINOX Pictures will release the film in India on July 7.

From the beginning, Lee said, they had hoped to tell a specific story with the "direct cultural lens" of Korean-Canadian immigrants but one that was "connecting and linking arms with a much wider group of people".

"It's the bet that we are making, that anyone no matter who you are, can understand what this feeling is like to be a human, and to navigate through the choices that we make in life. That includes who we love and who we let us love back, where we move if we leave home, and how that shapes our lives," the actor said.

It was an honour to play Nora, a character who speaks more through her silences, said Lee, who described feeling "emotionally explicit" in essaying the layered part of a modern woman navigating different identities.

"I like to think of it in terms of music. Sometimes you see in musical theatre, this idea that when there aren't adequate words to express how you feel, a character might burst out into song.

"Similarly, in our film, there are these moments that I think everyone can relate to in their lives when there aren't enough words. We don't have the human capacity to articulate sufficiently what needs to be said. We are using almost a third language, the language of silence, and that was challenging," she added.

Lee said getting an opportunity to be part of a movie like "Past Lives" was the reason she became an actor as she believes in the idea that films can capture something that is "greater and bigger than all of us".

But being an American of Korean origin, she said she never expected to get the chance "to be able to take something like this on".

"It is such a privilege. There's something about the way this story unfolds and the character that it's centered around, that feels very groundbreaking for me, coming up in the industry.

"Over here in the States, we are still grappling with this idea of who can be the centre of a story like this. So often it hasn't been a woman who looks anything like me. So I can't pretend that I don't take that for granted or I'm not fully cognisant of how sacred that is," she added.

Lee said, right from the outset, they were clear that the story will be told without any stereotypes or "palatable explanation" of immigrant experience.

"It's just about love and the human experience told from the point of view of someone who happens to look different from someone you've seen before," she said.
Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) "Hawa", Bangladesh's official entry to Oscars 2023, and the fourth and final season of "College Romance" are set to arrive on SonyLIV next month, the streamer announced on Thursday.

Directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, "Hawa" revolves around a group of seasoned boatmen who find an unheard-of catch in the deep sea, a beautiful yet mysterious young woman.

"Tension rises along with mistrust and misfortune when the mystery surrounding the woman gradually starts to reveal deadly consequences. Hawa, Bangladesh's official entry to Oscars 2023, streaming on 7th July exclusively on SonyLIV," the streaming platform said in a note.

"Hawa" features Chanchal Chowdhury, Nazifa, Tushi, Sariful Islam Razz, Sumon Anowar, Nasir Uddin Khan, Shohel Mondol, Rizvi Rizu, Mahmud Alam, and Bablu Bose.

Teenage drama series "College Romance" will arrive on SonyLIV for one last time on July 14.

The series is directed by Ashutosh Pankaj.

According to the makers, the fourth chapter will see the ensemble cast -- Gagan Arora, Apoorva Arora, Keshav Sadhna, Shreya Mehta, Nupur Nagpal, Jahnvi Rawat, and Eklavey Kashyap -- confront their anxieties and insecurities as they make their way into the real world.

Arora said it is an emotional moment for the team as they bring the final season to the viewers.

"The viewers will surely be reminded of their senior year of college with this season as everyone will take important decisions and prepare to step into the real world. Our hearts are full and we can't wait for the audiences to embark with us on this journey one last time," the actor said in the statement.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
London, Jun 29 (AP) A British court ruled Thursday that a government plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is unlawful, delivering a blow to the Conservative administration's pledge to stop migrants making risky journeys across the English Channel

In a split two-to-one ruling, three Court of Appeal judges said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country where migrants could be sent.

The government is likely to challenge the ruling at the UK Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to stop the boats  a reference to the overcrowded dinghies and other small craft that make the journey from northern France carrying migrants who hope to live in the UK.

More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain across the Channel in 2022, and several died in the attempt.

The UK and Rwandan governments agreed more than a year ago that some migrants who arrive in the UK as stowaways or in small boats would be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in the East African country rather than return to Britain.

The UK government argues that the policy will deter criminal gangs that ferry migrants on hazardous journeys across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Human rights groups say it is immoral and inhumane to send people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometres) to a country they don't want to live in. They also cite Rwanda's poor human rights record, including allegations of torture and killings of government opponents.

Britain has already paid Rwanda 140 million pounds (USD 170 million) under the deal, but no one has yet been deported there.

Britain's High Court ruled in December that the policy is legal and doesn't breach Britain's obligations under the UN Refugee Convention or other international agreements, rejecting a lawsuit from several asylum-seekers, aid groups and a border officials' union.

But the court allowed the claimants to challenge that decision on issues including whether the plan is systemically unfair and whether asylum-seekers would be safe in Rwanda.

In a partial victory for the government, the appeals court ruled Thursday that the UK's international obligations did not rule out removing asylum-seekers to a safe third country.

But two of the three ruled Rwanda was not safe because its asylum system had serious deficiencies. They said asylum seekers would face a real risk of being returned to their countries of origin, where they could be mistreated.

Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett  the most senior judge in England and Wales  disagreed with his two colleagues. He said assurances given by the Rwandan government were enough to ensure the migrants would be safe.

The government of Rwanda took issue with the ruling, saying the nation is one of the safest countries in the world.

As a society, and as a government, we have built a safe, secure, dignified environment, in which migrants and refugees have equal rights and opportunities as Rwandans," said government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo. "Everyone relocated here under this partnership will benefit from this." (AP)





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Islamabad, Jun 29 (PTI) A senior leader of the PML-N on Thursday hinted at the return of former prime minister and party supremo Nawaz Sharif ahead of the general election, saying that the senior Sharif who was earlier eight hours away from Pakistan in London was now only two-and-a-half hours away in Dubai.

Referring to the recent meeting held between Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Dubai to hammer out a consensus on the upcoming poll alliance, senior party leader and federal minister Mian Javed Latif said that "prosperity would return whenever Nawaz returned to the country".

"Nawaz was earlier eight hours away from Pakistan, and now he was only two-and-a-half hours away. He will decide about the PML-N's alliance for the upcoming elections," Latif said while addressing reporters about the meeting between Sharif and Zardari.

Last week Sharif, 73, travelled to the UAE from London, the city where he has been living in self-exile since November 2019 after acquiring a medical bail from jail following his conviction in a series of graft cases.

Nawaz Sharif was issued a diplomatic passport for a period of five years by the government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in November last year. Shehbaz Sharif, 71, is the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif.

On Thursday, Latif said that friendly countries were making investments in Pakistan at the request of Nawaz Sharif, as he would become the prime minister of Pakistan "for the fourth time".

During a party meeting last week, Shehbaz Sharif, the president of PML-N, had also hinted at the possible return of his elder brother to lead the party's poll campaign in the general election and become the premier of the nation for a record fourth time.

In a separate press conference on PML-N and PPP meeting in Dubai, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi said that the shape of any future alliance with the PML-N or other political players depended purely on the outcome of the general election, expected to be held in October.

Insiders said that it was decided that elder Sharif of PML-N and Zardari of PPP, would "talk directly" on these issues instead of allowing a prolonged debate "at the lower level", which would be a waste of time.

Pakistan, currently in the throes of a major political as well as economic crisis, started preparations for the general election with a meeting of the election commission recently. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led by the PML-N is also fighting the challenge posed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

The current National Assembly will complete its five-year term on August 12 and the fresh general election must be conducted within 60 days as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan.
New York, Jun 29 (AP) Three Florida men were arrested on Thursday and charged with illegally making more than USD 22 million by insider trading ahead of the public announcement that an acquisition firm was going to take a media company owned by former President Donald Trump public.

The charges were outlined in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court that did not implicate Trump in any way. The indictment was among four separate insider trading cases brought against 10 people, including a Pfizer employee and an investment firm executive director.

According to the indictment pertaining to the media company, the men were invited to invest in the special purpose acquisition company, Digital World Acquisition Corp., and were provided confidential information that a potential target of DWAC and another acquisition company, Benessere Capital Acquisition Corp., was Trump Media and Technology Group.

Authorities said the defendants bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before news of the Trump media business was made public.

After the public announcement, the men dumped their securities for a significant profit, according to the court papers.

Insider trading is not easy money, US Attorney Damian Williams said in a release. It's cheating. It's a bad bet. Because my Office, the Southern District of New York, is watching. And we're working quickly to investigate and prosecute anyone who corrupts our financial markets. And we'll keep at it as long as it takes. You can bet on that.

The arrested men were identified as Michael Shvartsman, 52, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida; Gerald Shvartsman, 45, of Aventura, Florida; and Bruce Garelick, 53, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was unclear who would represent them at Thursday afternoon initial court appearances in Miami.

Michael Shvartsman owned Rocket One Capital LLC, a venture capital firm. His brother, Gerald Shvartsman, was Rocket One's chief investment officer, according to court papers.

According to the indictment, Garelick was given a seat on DWAC's board of directors and had access to confidential information. It said he then shared that information with his co-conspirators.

A lawyer who has represented Garelick in the past did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday.

The indictment said that between June 2021 and November 2021, the men purchased securities including warrants of their own and shared the secrets with their friends and employees, who also bought tens of thousands of units of securities ahead of the merger announcement with Trump Media and Technology Group.

Typically, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, is formed with the intent to merge with a private company before the private company becomes publicly traded.

In early 2021, representatives of Trump Media, including Trump, began communicating with principles of Benessere about potentially merging to take Trump Media public, the indictment said.

Between March and June 2021, Trump Media and Benessere entered into nonbinding letters of intent to merge, it said.

The letters required confidentiality but did allow Benessere and its agents to share confidential information with investors in the special purpose acquisition companies, the indictment said. (AP) PY

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Athens (Greece), Jun 29 (AP) Dozens of tourists were safely evacuated from a boat that caught fire on Thursday off the Greek resort island of Rhodes, authorities said.

The coast guard said all passengers were safely taken to land after the blaze broke out about 300 metres (1,000 feet) offshore. Officials were not immediately able to say how many people had been on board.

State-run ERT TV said the boat was carrying 82 people and no one was hurt. It said the fire broke out as the vessel was sailing off the area of Archangelos on the island's eastern coast. (AP) PY

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Choe Ryong-hae (2nd R), member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wang Yajun (2nd L) attend a ceremony marking the completion of an interior remodeling project for the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, the DPRK, June 28, 2023. (Chinese embassy in the DPRK/Handout via Xinhua)

SEOUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a ceremony Wednesday to mark the completion of an interior remodeling project for the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in Pyongyang.

Choe Ryong-hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK attended the ceremony, among other officials from the country's ruling party, government and armed forces as well as citizens of the capital city.

At the invitation of the DPRK side, Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wang Yajun attended the ceremony.

Im Kyong Jae, minister of urban management of the DPRK, said at the ceremony that the Friendship Tower has been a proof and symbol of the DPRK-China friendship.

The successful completion of the interior remodeling project bears important significance in inheriting through generations the spirit of the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV), he added.

Wang said that the successful completion of the project demonstrated the importance the DPRK attaches to bilateral ties under the new circumstances.

He stressed that under the strategic design and guidance of the top leaders of China and the DPRK, the traditional friendship between the two countries has been lifted to a new and higher level.

He said China is willing to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus of the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, so as to carry forward the traditional friendship through generations, and bring benefits to the two countries and their people.

The speeches were followed by a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, and all participants observed a moment of silence in honor of the CPV martyrs.

The Friendship Tower was built in 1959 in Pyongyang to commemorate the martyrs of the Chinese People's Volunteers who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War. 

Choe Ryong-hae (2nd R), member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wang Yajun (2nd L) cut the ribbon during a ceremony marking the completion of an interior remodeling project for the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in Pyongyang, the DPRK, June 28, 2023. (Chinese embassy in the DPRK/Handout via Xinhua)
Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Two months after a man was found hanging from a tree in Mumbai, the city police have converted the Accidental Death Report (ADR) into a case of murder and arrested two persons in this connection, an official said.

On April 19, the body was found hanging from a tree in Chembur area here.

Though initially the police registered an ADR, they suspected the man was killed as some marks were found on the body, the official from Tilak Nagar police station said on Wednesday.

When the police enquired with residents of the locality where the body was found, some persons told them that they saw two men assaulting the victim on the day of the incident.

The persons also told the police that they had tried to intervene, but later left from there as the attackers did not listen to them, the official said.

Based on the inputs, the police scanned CCTV footage of the locality and collected more details.

With the help of technical evidence, the police on Wednesday arrested the two accused, identified as Gautam Borade alias Taklaya (28) and Afzal Sheikh (20), the official said.

During questioning, the accused told the police that they had killed the man and later hanged the body using a cloth rope, he said.

The accused also told the police that on the day of the incident, the three of them were drunk. The man abused them following which the accused, in fit of rage, assaulted him severely and he died, the official said.

A case has been registered against the accused under various Indian Penal Code sections, including 302 (murder), the police added.
Thane, Jun 29 (PTI) A couple from Maharashtra's Thane district allegedly posed as customs officials and cheated a policeman of Rs 6.7 lakh under the pretext of getting him a car at a cheaper price, police said on Thursday.

Based on a complaint filed by the victim, posted in the Rapid Action Force in Mumbai, the Nayanagar police here on Wednesday registered a case against the couple and another person on charges of cheating, they said.



The victim wanted to buy a car and came in contact with one of the accused, who introduced the former to the couple, claiming they were customs officials who could faciliate purchase of the car at cheaper rates, an official from Nayanagar police station said.







In August 2021, the accused told the victim that they would get him a car worth Rs 9.7 lakh for Rs 6.7 lakh, he said.

The victim made the payment of Rs 6.7 lakh, but did not get the car, the official said.

When the victim enquired, the accused expressed inability to get the car and gave him a cheque for Rs 6.9 lakh, which was dishonoured by the bank concerned, he said.

The victim later lodged a police complaint, based on which an FIR was registered on Wednesday against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 170 (personating a public servant), 420 (cheating) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the official said.

No arrest has been made so far, the police added.
Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) A man carrying seven children to school on his two-wheeler in Tardeo area of Mumbai has been arrested for allegedly attempting to commit culpable homicide, a police official said on Thursday.

The 40-year-old man was apprehended mid-route on June 23 near the Mumbai Central bridge, he said.

"The accused is a coconut vendor. He was stopped while he was taking seven children to school on his scooter. He was charged under section 308 of the Indian Penal Code as well as provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and arrested," the official said.

The police ensured the children were sent to school in a safer way, he added. BNM

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Pune, Jun 29 (PTI) Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said his party will decide its stand on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after the government clarifies certain things, and also made a pitch for reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting Opposition leaders including NCP MP and his daughter Supriya Sule, and said the PM seemed to have been disturbed by the Opposition's recent meeting in Patna.

The law commission has so far received more than 900 suggestions on the UCC, Pawar told reporters here, referring to Modi recently batting for the uniform code.

The stand of communities like the Sikhs, Jains and Christians should be ascertained, the NCP chief said, adding that he had learnt that the Sikh community had a different view.

"They are not in the mood to support the UCC.....so taking a decision on UCC without the cognizance of the Sikh community (its views) would not be appropriate," Pawar said.

The NCP will decide its stand after the PM provides clarity on some issues, he added.

But it was also possible that the UCC issue was being raised to divert attention as there is resentment among the people about those who are in power, the NCP chief said.

At the national level meeting of NCP office-bearers in Delhi on Wednesday, some party leaders said that before taking up the UCC issue, the Union government should take decision on giving reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Pawar said.

"When I was the CM of the state (Maharashtra), we gave 33 percent reservation to women in local body elections, and later it was increased to 50 percent. After that the decision was replicated at the national level. Now we insist that a similar reservation policy for women should be adopted in (state) legislatures and Parliament," the NCP chief added.

"If Modi ji is ready to take lead on this stand, we, despite having small numbers, would support his stand," he added.

As the BJP was not sure what will happen in the coming elections, the prime minister made some statements which did not befit his post, Pawar said.

"For example, the remarks he made against my party...he said if you (people) want to promote Supriya Sule, you can vote for the NCP," he said.

Sule got elected as MP thrice on her own and her performance in the Lok Sabha has won praise, Pawar said.

"An institution which studies the performance of MPs has given an award to Sule eight times, so irrespective of what the PM says, people vote for her multiple times. That is why the PM's statement is inappropriate, and he should not make such a statement against an MP," he added.



Modi was in the US when the Opposition parties met in Patna, he said.

"It seems that after he got details of the meeting, his restlessness increased, and he started making these personal attacks.... next meeting of the Opposition would take place in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14 where we would discuss how to face the elections and how to face the increased communalism in the states," Pawar said.

Women's safety in Maharashtra was a major issue, the NCP chief said.

"Day by day, attacks on women are increasing....As many as 2,458 girls and women went missing from Pune, Thane, Mumbai and Solapur cities in the last six months. Instead of doing unnecessary things, the home minister (Devendra Fadnavis) should make efforts to find these women and reunite them with their families," he said.
Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Two men were arrested for allegedly selling balloons with "Love Pakistan" printed on them in Maharashtra's Solapur district on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place outside Shah Alamgir Idgah on Hotgi Road where people had gathered in large numbers for the celebration of Eid ul Adha, said an official.

Some members of the Muslim community present there took exception to it and informed police, he added.

A First Information Report under section 153-A (giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the two men at Bijapur Naka police station.

The accused make living by selling small items such as flags and balloons, and the police were probing who supplied them these balloons with a provocative message, the official said.
Munger (Bihar), Jun 29 (PTI) Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Thursday accused opposition leaders, who had attended the June 23 meeting in Patna, of being involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore.

Taking on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who organised the meeting, Shah said the people of the state will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Union home minister was addressing a mega rally at Lakhisarai in Munger parliamentary constituency, organised by his party BJP.

Bihar has always raised its voice against corruption. Opposition leaders who attended the June 23 meeting in Patna are involved in scams worth over Rs 20 lakh croreBihar will give a befitting reply to corrupt leaders in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Shah said.

In a reference to Kumar who dumped the BJP last year to form the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state, Shah said leaders who ditched the National Democratic Alliance must be punished.

Shah also questioned the chief ministers track record and asked, Nitish Babu must explain what he has done for Bihar.

He also alleged that the law and order situation has been worsening by the day under the Mahagathbandhan government in the state.

On the other hand, Shah claimed that the state has gained several major infrastructure projects, including medical colleges, expressways, bridges, new railway tracks, 130 MW thermal power plant, during the nine years of the NDA rule at the Centre.
Patna, Jun 29 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Thursday claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah did a climbdown on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a rally in Lakhisarai district.

Shah told the rally that in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, people will choose between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. He, however, mocked Rahul as "a leader Congress has been trying to launch unsuccessfully for the past 20 years."

Addressing a press conference soon after the rally, JD(U) national general secretary and spokesman Rajib Ranjan said, "Shah ended up acknowledging Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the joint opposition which took shape in last week's meeting here hosted by Kumar. So far, the BJP had been refusing to accept Rahul was a leader".

The JD(U) had walked out of the BJP-led NDA last year and joined the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress, besides the RJD and the Left.

Ranjan, who was with BJP till December last year, also claimed he found Shah "nervous to a degree I have never seen in the last nine years".

JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan", in whose Munger Lok Sabha constituency Lakhisarai falls, also came out with a tweet alleging that the home minister gave credit to the Narendra Modi government for many projects in Bihar, which were fully funded by the state government.

RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari said, "opposition unity has left the BJP scared. Amit Shah made repeated appeals to people to vote for Modi again. But the crowd at the rally remained indifferent to his rhetoric".

Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh came out with a statement accusing Shah of "trying to disturb communal harmony on a day Bakrid festival is being celebrated".

In his nearly 25 minutes long speech, Shah had touched upon construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, issues which the BJP is accused of using as dog whistles, by its political opponents.

The Congress leader also alleged, "after setting Manipur on fire, the home minister came to Bihar, unmindful of the fact that his game was not going to succeed here".
Ranchi, Jun 29 (PTI) Eid-al-Adha, popularly known as Bakrid, and Ghurti Rath Yatra, the return journey of Lord Jagannath, were observed peacefully amid elaborate security arrangements in the Jharkhand capital on Thursday.



People belonging to the Muslim community celebrated the festival of sacrifice with traditional fervour by thronging nearest mosques in large numbers and offering Namaaz.



Hundreds of people gathered at Ranchis Jama Masjid, located in Upper Bazaar area, to offer their prayers.



Imam of Ranchi Idgah, Maulana Asghar Misbahi, said, The festival gives an important message that people should be ready for any sacrifice, he said.



He said people should live in brotherhood and harmony.



Prayers were held for the well-being, prosperity and communal harmony in the country, Misbahi said.



Meanwhile, the ritual of return journey of Lord Jagannath with his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from their Mausi Bari (maternal aunts house) was performed with traditional fervour and gaiety in Ranchi.



The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the event, a police officer said.
Bharatpur (Rajasthan), Jun 29 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda pilloried the Congress on Thursday, saying its leaders get "stomach ache" when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is praised across the globe and call him names.

Addressing a public rally in Nadbai in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, Nadda also targeted the Ashok Gehlot-led state government, alleging it was "neck-deep in corruption".

"The Congress gets stomach ache when Prime Minister Modi is praised across the globe. They call him 'vile', 'snake', 'scorpion', 'tea-seller'," he said.

Training his gun on the Congress dispensation in the state, he said, "The Gehlot government is neck-deep in corruption. They have given an open licence to each of their MLAs for corruption. There is corruption everywhere, out in the open," he said.

Rajasthan goes to assembly polls later this year.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The government was consistently making efforts to exclude India from the UN's annual report on the impact of armed conflict on children, the Women and Child Development Ministry has said after the country did not feature in the report for the first time since 2010.

The United Nations has removed India from its annual report on the impact of armed conflict on children, citing "measures taken by the government to better protect" them.

In a statement, the Women and Child Development Ministry said, "The ongoing engagement of the Government of India with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General sped up after an inter-ministerial meeting in November 2021."

The meeting was attended by Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development Indevar Pandey, Ministry of External Affairs, Permanent Mission of India at New York, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Virginia Gamba, the special representative of the Secretary-General for Children and the UN officials in New Delhi.

The move led to an agreement to appoint a national focal point to identify priority national interventions to enhance the protection of children, a joint technical mission to hold inter-ministerial technical-level meetings with the UN to identify areas of enhanced cooperation for child protection, the statement said.

"A roadmap for cooperation and collaboration on child protection issues was developed by the ministry," it said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his report last year that he had welcomed the engagement of the Indian government with his special representative and noted that it might lead to the removal of India as a situation of concern.

In his 2023 report on Children and Armed Conflict, the UN chief said, "In view of the measures taken by the government to better protect children, India has been removed from the report in 2023."

Guterres highlighted the technical mission of the office of his special representative in July 2022 to identify areas of cooperation for child protection and the workshop on strengthening child protection held in Jammu and Kashmir last November by the government with the United Nations' participation.
by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Muslims across India Thursday celebrated Eid-al-Adha (locally called Bakr Eid) with religious fervor and gaiety.

The devout Muslims across major Indian cities gathered at Eidgahs and mosques to offer special Eid prayers. Placed shoulder-to-shoulder in prayers, devotees bowed down in the direction of the Kaaba, the Muslim holiest city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Later on, Muslims were seen hugging each other and exchanging Eid greetings.

In the capital Delhi, the main congregations were held at Jama Masjid, Fatehpuri mosque and Shahi Eidgah. Undeterred by rains, people wearing bright new clothes gathered in large numbers to offer congregational prayers.

Following the prayers, believers subsequently joined the practice of sacrificing animals.

Eid-al Adha is also called Bakr Eid due to the practice of sacrificing animals.

"Among well-off Muslims, it is incumbent they should offer the sacrifice of animals on Eid-al Adha," said Mufti Zia-ul Haque, a religious scholar. "The meat of the sacred animal is then divided properly as per instructions and distributed among relatives, neighbors, friends and poor."

Around 2 million Muslims converged in valleys and hills around Mecca as part of annual Hajj pilgrimage, according to media reports.

Ahead of the festival, shoppers thronged markets to purchase foodstuffs like bakery, sweets and confectionary, and new clothes. One of major attractions was the purchase of sacrificial animals like sheep, goats, etc. Butchers and nomads were seen roaming around cities and towns to sell the food.

Eid in Muslim communities also means celebrating time among family and friends. Giving pocket money and presents to children on this occasion is one of main rituals. Special foods and delicacies are prepared and money is also distributed to the poor and needy.

Muslims are a minority in India, which accounts for over 14 percent of the country's 1.4 billion population. 
Srinagar, Jun 29 (PTI) Authorities here have disallowed Eid prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid as well as the Eidgah in the city, according to the managing body of the mosque.

Congregational Eid prayers have not been allowed at the Eidgah for the last many years now.

In a statement, the managing body of the Jamia Masjid said on Wednesday, "This is to inform the public that authorities have conveyed to Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid that once again, Eid ul Adha prayers will not be allowed at the historic and central Eidgah Srinagar".

Eid prayers have not taken place at the Eidgah since 2016 after the killing of then Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, as the authorities apprehend law and order issued.

Wani, then a poster boy of militancy in the valley, was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016 -- three days after Eid ul Fitr. His killing led to protests in the valley for many months.

The Anjuman also denounced the continued detention of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, Mohammad Umar Farooq, who traditionally delivers the Eid sermon at Eidgah before Eid prayers.

The Mirwaiz is under house detention since August 5, 2019, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Uttarkashi, Jun 29 (PTI) Under pressure from the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Muslims in the communally sensitive Purola town did not gather for namaz in public places on Eid-ul-Adha.

Local SHO Ashok Chakravarty said the decision to not offer namaz in public place was taken by the community itself after a meeting was held on Wednesday to maintain peace.

VHP working president Virendra Rawat said the outfit had indeed asked Muslims to not gather for namaz in public places.

"We had no intention to hurt the religious sentiments of anyone. We only asked them not to offer namaz collectively in public places. Can anyone be stopped from offering namaz in the privacy of their homes?" Rawat said.

Purola found itself in grip of communal tension days after two men allegedly tried to abduct a woman in an auto on May 26 but were thwarted in their attempt by some alert locals. The two men were arrested the next day.

Hardline Hindutva outfits like the VHP and Bajrang Dal termed the incident an instance of "love jihad" stoking prolonged tension in the town that led to the imposition of prohibitory orders, declared to prevent a 'Mahapanchayat' by right wing Hindu outfits.

The following fortnight saw posters appearing on shops owned or run by Muslim traders threatening them with consequences if they did not shut their shops and leave the town.

Frightened Muslim traders kept their shutters down and some of them even left the town.

Love jihad is a term used by right-wing activists alleging a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women to convert to Islam through marriage. The term however has no validity in the Indian penal law.
Bahadurgarh (Patiala), Jun 29 (PTI) SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami Thursday opposed the Uniform Civil Code, citing concerns about the potential erosion of traditions, culture, and the unique identity of minorities.

His remarks came a day after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said that the implementation of UCC throughout the country would have an adverse impact on minority and tribal communities.

Speaking to the media here, Dhami said the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an apex gurdwara body, has taken a firm stand against the UCC and opposed its implementation.

On the issue of the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Dhami criticised the AAP government in Punjab for interfering in religious matters, saying it was a "direct violation of the rights of the Sikhs".

The SGPC has already passed a resolution, opposing the state government's meddling in Sikh religious affairs, said Dhami.

Dhami further said the SGPC has plans to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take up the issue of the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 with him.

The Punjab Assembly on June 20 passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which is aimed at ensuring free telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple.

The SGPC has been opposing the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, claiming that the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 can only be amended by Parliament.

To a question on the broadcasting of 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple, Dhami said it was not solely about a specific channel, but rather it was the "undue interference" of the state government in Sikh religious matters.

He emphasised the SGPC's commitment to safeguarding the Sikh community's rights and heritage, stating that they would not permit any amendments to the Sikh Gurdwaras Act of 1925.

Asked about the possible launch of a YouTube channel for broadcasting 'gurbani kirtan', Dhami said a sub-committee was looking into it, he said.

Last month, Dhami had said that open tenders would soon be called for the broadcast of a sacred hymn. A five-member committee was also formed for this purpose.

Currently, Gurbani is broadcast from the Sikh shrine by PTC, a private channel often linked to the Badal family. The current agreement with G-Next Media Private Limited (PTC Channel) for the broadcast of Gurbani will expire in July.

The SGPC also raised concerns about the safety and security of Sikhs residing in Pakistan, urging the government to take proactive measures to protect the well-being of their fellow Sikhs in the neighbouring country.

Dhami was here to attend 'Nagar Kirtan' (religious procession) held at Gurdwara Bahadurgarh Sahib.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) An FIR has been registered against an unidentified man for allegedly duping people by using the name of Himanshu Bidhuri, the son of South Delhi BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, police said on Thursday.

In his complaint, Himanshu alleged that the con man met him at his office earlier this month.

He introduced himself as a representative from the State Bank of India (SBI) and requested me to help him hold a camp for people to open Jan Dhan accounts. After about four hours, he called me on my mobile phone and said that he needed contact numbers of at least three people for data entry jobs, and that they will be later given permanent employment. I gave him the contacts of youngsters and widows from a poor economic background," the BJP MP's son said.

According to police, the man used Himanshus name to get in touch with the given contacts and promised them jobs in SBI. He later collected their documents and Rs 25,000 as initial sum to provide them jobs.

The complainant further claimed that these gullible people from his locality visited him the next day. They then informed him about the documents and the money. Smelling something fishy, he immediately contacted the police.

The BJP leader's son also said that the culprit called him again and asked for the contact details of young boys and girls of his South East Delhi locality.

The Delhi Police has transferred the case to its cyber cell for investigation.

Based on Himanshu's complaint, we have registered an FIR and invoked IPC section 420 as it is a case of cheating. We are probing the matter and have not arrested anyone yet, an officer from the cyber crime cell said.


Shimla, Jun 29 (PTI) Himachal Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla Thursday hailed IIT Mandi for its tech-centric inventions to improve the quality of life of the people of Himachal Pradesh, especially those in rural areas.

Presiding over the one-day G-20 Science-20 conclave on 'Technology for Sociey' at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, Shukla said the event enabled influential delegates from both public and private sectors to come together and explore opportunities to address societal development through technological interventions, a statement issued here said.

The governor said the biofuel developed by the institute's researchers from pine leaves was being used in local industries.

He added that the development of other bio-fuels and green fuels deserves to be pursued extensively.

Shukla urged researchers of IIT Mandi to come up with strengthened technologies to predict landslides and avalanches in the state.

He also highlighted the need for entrepreneurship support centres to boost the state's economy.

Speaking about India's technological advancement in healthcare, Shukla said the country's successful projects in low-cost medical devices, robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have helped in addressing health crises in rural as well as urban areas.

On the occasion, IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera spoke about the institute's projects focusing on technology, skill development, and societal contributions.

Speaking on India assuming the G-20 presidency, the Governor stressed the nation's role in addressing global challenges and promoting shared values.

He urged the country's researchers to showcase India's capabilities, philosophy, and intellectual power to the world.

After his address, Shukla visited the institute's labs and centres.


New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi government on Thursday arrested 14 persons, including a motor vehicle inspector, for alleged illegal transfer and renewal of auto-rickshaw permits at the Burari Transport Authority, officials said.

The permits of some deceased drivers were given to new applicants on the basis of forged applications, they said, adding 10 auto-rickshaw dealers/financiers and three touts were among those arrested by the ACB.

The ACB conducted an investigation into the allegation of corruption in the office of auto-rickshaw unit at the Burari Transport Authority, the officials said.

The ACB conducted the probe after a Delhi High Court order passed in May last year on a writ petition filed by several auto-rickshaw unions who alleged corruption in the transport office.

Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) Madhur Verma, who is heading the ACB, said that several registration numbers of auto-rickshaws were mentioned in the writ petition citing them as victims/cases wherein illegality had been committed.

It was also emphasised that auto-rickshaw financiers and dealers had control over this trade and the victim drivers and owners of auto-rickshaws remained helpless.

The preliminary inquiry established commission of offence, and a case under the provision of section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered, police said.

"During investigation, a large number of original registration files pertaining to the said auto-rickshaws were obtained from the Burari Transport Authority and the previous permit holders and present permit holders were examined. The examination revealed dubious role of authority officials, touts and dealers in transfer and renewal of permits on the basis of forged and fabricated applications," Verma said.

The family members of victims and deceased permit holders have said that they have never moved any application for transfer and renewal of the auto-rickshaw permit, he said.

"The investigation clearly exposed the mass level nexus between authority officials, touts and dealers. The investigation revealed that in 2021, in a number of instances permit holders had died long back, but their permits were transferred in name of other people on basis of forged and fabricated applications.

"On Thursday, one motor vehicle inspector, 10 auto-rickshaw dealers and financiers, and three touts were arrested," the JCP added.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar called on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat here on Thursday and discussed pending irrigation projects in the southern state with him.

Shivakumar, who is also in charge of the water resources ministry in Karnataka, met the Union minister at his residence in the national capital, according to an official statement.

He is believed to have discussed the contentious Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river and the Mahadayi drinking water project, among other irrigation projects in the state.

Shivakumar arrived in Delhi on Wednesday night.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) A parliamentary standing committee has called representatives of the Law Commission and the law ministry on July 3 on a recent notice issued by the law panel seeking views of stakeholders on the issue of a uniform civil code.

According to the schedule of the standing committee on law and personnel, it will hear the views of representatives of the law panel and legal affairs and legislative departments of the law ministry "on public notice issued by the Law Commission of India on 14th June, 2023, inviting views from the various stakeholders on the Uniform Civil Code, under the subject Review of Personal Laws".

Till Tuesday evening, the law panel had received nearly 8.5 lakh responses on its public notice.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 77F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 66F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of Greece's New Democracy party, celebrates the party's victory in elections with supporters in Athens, Greece, on June 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

The new cabinet was sworn in on Tuesday. The new parliament convenes next Monday and the vote of confidence in the government is scheduled for July 7.

ATHENS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined the priorities of the new government at the first cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"Our four general directions (are) better wages, a better public health system, a better state, a better life in a strong Greece," he said, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.

"Without a fast-growing economy, there is no prosperous society, and growth is also the solution to combat the greatest social injustice, which is none other than unemployment," he added.

During the next four years the government is aiming for at least 120 reforms, the prime minister said.

On Sunday evening, after his conservative New Democracy party won the general elections, he promised more reforms at a faster pace during his second term in office.

Supporters of Greece's conservative New Democracy party celebrate the party's victory in elections in Athens, Greece, on June 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

The new cabinet was sworn in on Tuesday. The new parliament convenes next Monday and the vote of confidence in the government is scheduled for July 7. 




Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday arrested a man they accused of helping Russia direct a missile strike that killed at least 11 people, including three teenagers, at a popular pizza restaurant in eastern Ukraine.

The Tuesday evening attack on Kramatorsk wounded 61 other people, Ukraines National Police said. It was the latest bombardment of a Ukrainian city, a tactic Russia has used heavily in the 16-month-old war.

The strike, and others across Ukraine late Tuesday and early Wednesday, indicated that the Kremlin is not easing its aerial onslaught, despite political and military turmoil at home after a short-lived armed uprising in Russia last weekend.

There has been no apparent military push by Ukraine to exploit that turmoil, though the government has been tight-lipped about recent battlefield developments as it seeks to gain momentum in its recently launched counteroffensive.

The Kremlin reeled from the weekend mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner private army of prison recruits and other mercenaries. Wagner has played a key combat role for Russia in Ukraine. The rebellion posed the most serious threat so far to Russian President Vladimir Putins grip on power.

Prigozhin went into exile in neighboring Belarus on Tuesday, according to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, after Russia said he wouldnt face charges for the revolt. Prigozhins whereabouts could not be independently confirmed.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the unrest had weakened Putin, though he added that its hard to tell to what extent.

Hes clearly losing the war in (Ukraine), Biden said of Putin before departing Washington for Chicago. Hes losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world.

Two sisters, both age 14, died in the Kramatorsk attack, the city councils educational department said. Russian missiles stopped the beating of the hearts of two angels, it said in a Telegram post.

The other dead teenager was 17, according to Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin.

The attack also damaged 18 multistory buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, regional Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

Rescuers are still searching the rubble for bodies and more survivors in a city where last year, about six weeks after the start of war, 52 civilians were killed in a Russian missile strike on a train station.

Officials initially blamed the strike in Kramatorsk on an S-300 missile, a surface-to-air weapon that Russias forces have repurposed for loosely targeted strikes on cities, but the National Police later said Iskander short-range ballistic missiles were used.

Kramatorsk is a front-line city that houses the Ukrainian armys regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as local residents.

The Security Service of Ukraine said the man it detained, an employee of a gas transportation company, is suspected of filming the restaurant for the Russians and informing them about its popularity.

It provided no evidence for its claim. Russia has insisted during the war that it doesnt aim at civilian targets, although its air strikes have killed many civilians. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov repeated that claim on Wednesday.

Kramatorsk is in Donetsk, one of four Ukrainian provinces that Russia annexed last September but does not fully control. Russia has also occupied Crimea since 2015.

Ukrainian-held parts of the partially occupied provinces have been hit especially hard by Russian bombardment, and are a central point of dispute in the war. The Kremlin demands that Kyiv recognize the annexations, while Kyiv has ruled out any talks until Russian troops pull back from all occupied territories.

Russia has stepped up its air campaign in Ukraine while fighting continues along the front line. Russian forces on Tuesday and overnight also shelled 16 settlements in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian presidential office reported.

It said a 77-year-old civilian was killed in the front-line town of Orikhiv, and that Russian shelling wounded three people in a nearby village recently retaken by Kyiv. Also, a Russian supersonic cruise missile slammed into a cluster of holiday homes in central Ukraine, sparking a fire which injured a child, the presidential office said.

In other developments:

Pope Francis peace envoy, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, was to meet with an aide to President Putin, Yury Ushakov, in Moscow on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the talks would include possible ways of political-diplomatic settlement.

Francis dispatched Zuppi, a veteran of the Catholic Churchs peace initiatives, to Moscow in hopes of helping spur peace negotiations after his visit to Kyiv earlier this month. At the Vatican on Wednesday, Francis again appealed for an end to the war, praying that Ukrainians may soon find peace: There is so much suffering in Ukraine, let us not forget that.

(AP)




Rudy Giuliani, who as a member of Donald Trumps legal team sought to overturn 2020 presidential election results in battleground states, was interviewed recently by investigators with the Justice Department special counsels office.

A spokesman for Giuliani confirmed he met with the special counsel. The appearance was entirely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner, Ted Goodman said in a statement.

A person familiar with the matter said the interview was not done before a grand jury. The person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, would not say what questions investigators asked.

The interview is an additional sign of busy investigative activity by special counsel Jack Smith as his team of prosecutors scrutinizes efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the election in the weeks before the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

Smith filed a separate case earlier this month charging Trump with illegally retaining classified documents at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago.

As a lawyer for Trump, Giuliani pushed bogus legal challenges to the presidential election results. The legal team filed lawsuits in battleground states raising unsupported claims of vast election fraud even though officials, including Trumps own attorney general, William Barr, said no such pervasive problems existed.

Giulianis efforts have made him a key figure in investigations. He was interviewed last year by a House committee that investigated the run-up to the Jan. 6 attack and by prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, who have been investigating efforts to subvert that states election.

Justice Department prosecutors have for months now been examining what role Trump legal advisers played in working to undo the election. Last July, John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who aided Trumps efforts to challenge the election results, reported that federal agents had seized his phone.

A spokesman for the special counsels office did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

CNN first reported the interview with Giuliani.

(AP)




In a significant development surrounding the federal investigation into Hunter Biden, The New York Times has independently verified one of the crucial assertions made by Gary Shapley, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblower. Shapleys allegations have sparked fresh concerns about the handling of the case.

Gary Shapley, who served as the lead IRS official on the Biden investigation, testified that U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss, the chief prosecutor from the Department of Justice, encountered resistance from federal prosecutors based in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Shapley claimed that Weiss sought to press charges against Hunter Biden for tax-related offenses committed in 2014 and 2015 within those jurisdictions.

Heres what the New York Times wrote:

But in mid-2022, Mr. Weiss reached out to the top federal prosecutor in Washington, Matthew Graves, to ask his office to pursue charges and was rebuffed, according to Mr. Shapleys testimony.

A similar request to prosecutors in the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, was also rejected, Mr. Shapley testified. A second former I.R.S. official, who has not been identified, told House Republicans the same story. That episode was confirmed independently to The New York Times by a person with knowledge of the situation.

The explosive allegations made by the whistleblower have raised serious doubts about the extent of U.S. Attorney David C. Weisss authority and decision-making power in the federal investigation of Hunter Biden. The whistleblower, Gary Shapley, has contended that Weiss explicitly stated he would not be the final decision-maker regarding the potential charges against the presidents son. Furthermore, Shapley alleges that Weiss was denied special counsel status, which would have allowed him to pursue charges in jurisdictions beyond his own in Delaware.

These revelations sharply contrast with Attorney General Merrick Garlands testimony, in which he maintained that Weiss possessed complete autonomy in the case. Garland assured Senator Chuck Grassley that Weiss would have the ability to bring charges outside of Delaware. However, Shapleys claims directly contradicts this assertion.

In a recent letter addressed to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Weiss himself affirmed that he maintains ultimate authority over the investigation. This contradictory statement further deepens the confusion surrounding the circumstances and dynamics of the case.

Last week, Weiss reached a deal with Hunter Biden, resulting in a guilty plea for tax crimes committed in 2017 and 2018. Biden also admitted to the facts of a felony gun charge, ultimately avoiding imprisonment. Critics have criticized this agreement, labeling it a sweetheart deal and alleging that it is part of a broader effort to shield the Biden family from legal repercussions.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




For the past nine months, the New York Times has been on a crusade to criticize and undermine the yeshiva community. Story after story contained falsehoods, inaccuracies and half-truths and lacked basic context. Even groups such as the JCRC and Anti-Defamation league called out the Times for their obsession with yeshivas and yeshiva parents. But the Times persisted, hiding behind an underserved presumption of objectivity and legal protections that make it nearly impossible to make a newspaper pay for its journalistic sins.

Those days will soon be over for the paper of record. An email that Times reporter Brian Rosenthal sent to the State Education Department makes it clear that he knew that the facts he reported about yeshivas were false.

On December 29, the Times published a front page story How Hasidic Schools Reaped a Windfall of Special Education Funding written by Rosenthal. The article made incendiary claims about the percentage of students in Brooklyn yeshivas receiving special education services. Despite yeshiva after yeshiva notifying the Times before the article was published that its figures were off, the Times reported them as fact.

One yeshiva, which was singled out in the article as having 59% of its students receiving services, went so far as to hire a lawyer to let the Times know it was about to print falsehoods about them because the fact was that less than 20% of students receives such services. A New York Times lawyer wrote back to defend its story, saying that there is no explanation for why the City and State  which could provide independent and authoritative data  were wrong and should be disbelieved.

The problem for the Times is that there WAS an explanation for why the data it was relying on should be disbelieved. In fact, it was Brian Rosenthal himself who provided that explanation.

PEARLS has obtained an email that Rosenthal sent to the State Education Department about problems with the data about the number of yeshiva students receiving special education services that it had sent him.

Rosenthal wrote that for several schools the State data claimed that the number of students that they have classified as special ed is higher than their overall enrollment.

Thats right, to support its claim that yeshivas have a high percentage of students receiving services the Times relied on data that it knew had to be false because the number of students it claimed were receiving special services was greater than the number of students enrolled in the school!

That didnt stop Rosenthal or the Times from printing its erroneous claims about yeshivas. Their journalistic integrity was as corrupted as the data they relied on.

Rabbi Moshe Dovid Niederman, a member of PEARLS executive board, told YWN that this proves what we and the Orthodox community have been saying all along. The Times wasnt objectively reporting facts about yeshivas but was pushing its anti-yeshiva narrative. Now that they have been exposed, they should do the only decent thing they can do: issue a public apology to yeshivas and the yeshiva community.

Attorney Avi Schick told YWN that the Times likes to put others under the spotlight but now its own conduct will be under scrutiny. It is normally very difficult to establish that a journalist acted with actual malice. But the revelation of this email demonstrates that Rosenthal knew the data he was relying on wasnt accurate. That is the kind of thing that can give a lawsuit legs and allow it it get to the discovery phase where the Times would have to disclose its own internal communications.

Education experts consulted by YWN explained that the State data likely contained cumulative rather than annual figures for schools. In other words, it included students who had received services in prior years but who had already graduated or had left the school.

The New York Times likes to conduct investigations. We suggest they undertake a thorough and transparent investigation of their coverage of the Orthodox community in New York.

YWN Editorial Board

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




A heated exchange between Mayor Eric Adams and a constituent unfolded at a community conversation event held at Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics in Washington Heights. The confrontation stemmed from criticism of the citys new rent increase rules, with the mayor likening the womans behavior to that of a plantation owner.

In video footage captured during the meeting, the woman interrupted Adams to accuse him of raising the rent. The mayor clarified that he does not have control over the Rent Guidelines Board, which recently faced backlash for approving rent hikes of up to 6 percent on New York Citys one million rent-stabilized apartments.

Undeterred, the woman continued her tirade into the microphone, repeatedly pointing her finger at Adams and insisting that he had expressed support for the rent increases. Remaining composed, Adams responded, First, if youre going to ask a question, dont point at me and dont be disrespectful to me. Im the mayor of this city, and treat me with the respect that would deserve to be treated. Im speaking to you as an adult.

The mayor then delivered a stern rebuke, stating, Dont stand in front like you treated someone thats on the plantation that you own. His response garnered some applause from the audience.

Asserting his maturity and composure, Adams added, Im a grown man. I walked into this room as a grown man, and Ill walk out of this room as a grown man. I answered your question  go to the next table.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)




Incitement against Chareidim has grown increasingly worse in recent months, with the latest occurrence in the heart of Jerusalem, only a week and a half after a Chareidi man was accosted by a woman on a bus in Hod HaSharon.

A secular man got on the light rail in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, sat opposite a Chareidi man, and completely unprovoked and without any prior interaction, told him: Its too bad Hitler didnt finish the job with you.

Another Chareidi passenger on the light rail, shocked by what he heard, pulled out his phone and asked him to repeat what you told the man.

The man began mumbling and cursing him but eventually repeated the sentence.

Chareidi journalist Ariel Elharar published the video, writing: A Chareidi avreich, a respectable man, was sitting quietly by himself on the light rail in Jerusalem after a busy day. At one of the stations, a hate-filled man sits opposite him, and without any preamble, hurls at him: Chaval that Hitler didnt finish the job with you.'

The video went viral, with hundreds commenting on it.

Many thanks to Lapid and his friends who made the blood of Chareidim hefker, wrote surfer Yosef Cohen.

Some commented that the man doesnt look all there but unfortunately the mentally ill, who often have less filters, simply express societal ills.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




Israel Police on Tuesday evening announced that they launched an investigation into the statements of former prime minister Ehud Barak and former Meretz MK Yair Golan calling for a civil rebellion, and in Golans case, outright calling to commit illegal acts.

Officials in the law enforcement system said regarding Golans remarks earlier in the day: A statement in such a spirit on a day when the police had to physically confront protesters in front of the home of Justice Minister Levin  theres a suspicion of blatant incitement.

The Likud party filed a police complaint against Barak on Sunday.

Barak responded to the report by stating: This is not a suspicion of rebellion. This is an attempt at political intimidation from the inferior strata that is customary in rotten regimes, an attempt to intimidate me, Yair and you. So I have news for Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir: Were not scared of anyone or anything. And we will continue to fight against the attempt to crush the judicial system and push Israel out of the family of democracies. We will fight and in the end, we will win.

Baraks claim that they are fighting against the attempt to crush the judicial system is amusing considering the report revealing that the protest organizers themselves admitted that the fight is a battle against Netanyahu and has nothing to do with the reform.

The findings of the investigation will be forwarded to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who will decide whether to prosecute Barak and Golan for incitement.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told The Wall Street Journal that he threw out the Override Clause, a crucial part of the judicial reform plan that would allow the Knesset to overturn Supreme Court rulings

In a comprehensive interview published on Thursday, Netanyahu added that he would be advancing only the bills that he believes are supported by the majority of the people. Im attentive to the public pulse and to what I think will pass muster, Netanyahu said.

Legislation regarding changing the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee will be advanced but not in the current structure.

The report caused an uproar among Netanyahus partners in the coalition who are furious about the concessions to the rioters who took to the streets and spread lies about the reform. One senior coalition member told Channel 12 News that Netanyahu simply surrendered the most important parts of the reform to the left.

The UTJ MKs are especially furious as passing the Override Clause was one of the conditions the party set during coalition agreements. The clause is an important one for the Chareidi sector as the Supreme Court often approves anti-religious rulings and strikes down Chareidi Draft Law agreements. UTJ leader Moshe Gafni said recently that without the Override Clause, the government has no right to exist.

Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush is livid following the report, saying that he warned Netanyahu about this unacceptable idea two weeks ago.

Porush said: Two weeks ago, in a meeting with the prime minister and Ministers Levin, Amsalem, and the Cabinet Secretary, I warned against this unacceptable idea and I demanded in the name of UTJ that the amendment to the Draft Law include the implementation of the three signed commitments: the Basic Law of Torah Study, the Override Clause and the amendment of the Defense Security Law. Any other agreement is unacceptable to us.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a statement saying: This is a surrender to the Ayalon burners [rioters who set fires on the Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv] and those calling for civil unrest. Its a victory for violence and a loss for Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)




By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

This week, defense lawyers for Robert Bowers, the man convicted of murdering 11 Jewish worshippers at the Tree of Life, a Pittsburgh temple, began their arguments as to why Bowers should not be sentenced to death.

Outside of the Pittsburgh courthouse, a small group calling themselves Jews Against the Death Penalty held a protest.

There were three congregations housed in Tree of Life at the time of the massacre, and in 2019, two of them  New Light and Dor Hadash  appealed to the federal government not to seek the death penalty. The Tree of Life congregation has not made such an appeal. Seven of the nine families of the victims favor the death penalty, and at least one opposes it.

In April, the New York Times published an op-ed that was headlined Jewish Tradition Rejects the Death Penalty. It was authored by Beth Kissileff, who is married to New Lights rabbi, Jonathan Perlman. Perlman was in the synagogue when the attack occurred.

With due deference to the New York Times vast expertise in Jewish Tradition and that of Ms. Kissileff, there are numerous questions about their assertions.

Jewish Tradition is based on the Bible. We find numerous verses in the Bible that indicate that there should be a death penalty.

The concept of capital punishment was established in Bereishis Genesis 9:6: Shofaich dam haadam badam damo yeshafaich  Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.

And then in the weekly portion entitled Mishpatim (see Shmos  Exodus 21:12), we find the verse, Makeh ish vamais  mos yumas  One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.

In Sefer Vayikra (Leviticus 24:17) we see, And he that smites any man mortally shall surely be put to death.

The Torah in Dvarim Deuteronomy 17:6) decrees that only the testimony of two or more witnesses (together) can result in a persons death sentence. The clear implication is that the death penalty should exist.

This is not to say that capital punishment should be implemented indiscriminately. Great care must be employed when implementing it. The last Mishna in the first chapter of Makkos (1:10) records a debate between the Rabbis about how common or often the death penalty should be implemented. But lets delve into understanding this Mishna.

There appear to be four views in this Mishna. The Mishna begins by recording the Tanna Kammas view

A Sanhedrin that puts a man to death once in seven years is called a murderous one. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah said, Or even once in 70 years. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiba said, If we had been in the Sanhedrin, no death sentence would ever have been passed; Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, If so, they would have multiplied murderers in Israel.

The first three views are clearly concerned with the possibility of state-sponsored death penalties going awry. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliels view is that categorically stating these views is not responsible because it would make murder light in the eyes of society.

The Rishonim from the Rambam down seem to reflect the view of Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel. In contemporary American society the topic seems to be a point of contrast between Rabbi Ahron Soloveitchik ztl and Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl.

RABBI SOLOVEITCHIKS VIEW

In a letter to Dr. David Luchins, cited by Nathan J. Diment on Advocacy.ou.org, Rav Soloveitchik writes:

..In my humble opinion, from a Halachik point of view, every Jew should be opposed to capital punishment. It is truethat the Torah recognizes capital punishment. However, the Torah delegates the authority to mete out capital punishment only to Sanhedrin, not to anyone else. Even [members of the] Sanhedrin are not able to mete out capital punishment if there is no Beis Hamikdash.

Bzman sheyesh kohen makriv, yesh nefashot, bzman sheayn kohen makriv, ayn nefashot. Even capital punishment among Bnei Noach cannot be meted out when there is no kohen makriv. (YH: This point is debatable and seems to contradict other explicit Gemorahs where only Jewish courts are unable to mete out capital punishment when there is no standing Temple).. If a Sanhedrin carried out one execution in seven years it is characterized as a murderous Sanhedrin. Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon say that if they had been in Sanhedrin, no person would have ever been executed..

RABBI FEINSTEINS VIEW

On the other hand, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe CM II #68) ztl, in a letter dated March 20th, 1981 to then Governor Hugh Carey begins by restricting capital punishment to specific limitations of during the Temple era, with two kosher reliable witnesses, and with a direct warning, and states that all of this only applies when the prohibition against murder has not been rendered null and void. But for someone who murders people because for him the prohibition against murder has become meaningless, and similarly when the number of murderers has multiplied so much [due to the prohibition becoming ignored], we apply [capital punishment] in order to deter murder. For to do so is saving society.

THE MURDER RATE

In the past 3 years alone the murder rate has climbed from 5.07 per 100,000 to 6.52. This is a a 22% increase. In Detroit, Michigan, where the death penalty has been banned by the State constitution since 1963  the murder rate is over 40. That means for every 2500 people, one of them is murdered.

In Pirkei Avos, the Mishna discusses the deterrence that the law provides and states that were it not for the fear of punishment  each person would swallow the other whole.

Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zatzal (1873-1936) the Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland in his work entitled, Daas Torah (Shmos, p. 201) addresses this issue in such a manner that one might have thought he was talking about contemporary times:

Rav Yeruchem writes: A person does not appreciate that the only reason that a person can sleep peacefully at night is because there are police in the city. He is certain that if people would attack him or steal something from him  that the police will pounce upon him. Nonetheless, he still locks his house door and his store door at night with strong locks, and he is afraid to go out at night because who knows what can happen..

Robert Bowers ranted incessantly on social media about his hatred of Jewish people well before the 2018 attack, where he murdered 11 people. He was motivated by extreme hostility toward Jews when he opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue during Sabbath services and committed the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

His hate crimes resulted in the death of numerous people, and also the obstruction of the free exercise of religion. This man deserves the death penalty. If not, we further the deterioration of our society. Matters have reached the point where it seems that every other week there is a mass murder. We cannot allow this country to become a war zone in the deaths of the innocent.

The New York Times and Ms. Kissileff are incorrect in regard to what Jewish tradition has always been. Indeed, in regard to such mass murders that are so rampant, it is highly likely that eve Rav Ahron Soloveitchik would have agreed,

The author can be reached at [email protected]
Outsourcing company Serco has once again hiked its profit and revenue guidance for this year after seeing strong demand for its immigration and defence services.

The firm said it expects annual profit to be around 245million, 3 per cent higher than in 2022 and a further upgrade from its previous guidance of 235million.

It has also hiked its revenues forecasts to 4.8billion, from previous expectations of 4.5billion.

The update sent Serco shares rising more than 12 per cent to 160p in early trading on Thursday.

Serco runs immigrant removal centres such as Gatwick's Brook House (pictured)

In the UK the company benefited from high demand for immigration services, including its decade-long Home Office deals to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

The group also runs immigrant detention and removal centres such as Gatwick's Brook House and Tinsley House.

ORS - the business providing immigration services in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy that Serco acquired in September 2022 - has traded 'ahead of expectations' thanks to 'robust underlying demand due to global migration patterns'.

It told shareholders: 'Regionally, we expect organic revenue growth in the UK, supported by high demand for immigration services, the Americas, driven by case management volumes and defence services, and the Middle East, where our new advisory business unit is gaining traction.

'Asia-Pacific is anticipated to see lower revenue due to reductions in volume-variable work in parts of the immigration network and facilities management.'

Serco did well during the pandemic, when it helped with the rollout of the NHS Test and Trace scheme by managing a fifth of the test centres and half the non-clinical call centres.

Long-standing chief executive Rupert Soames, who helped transform Serco from a firm beset by major scandals and nearing collapse into a thriving government services contractor, retired in January this year.

New chief executive, Mark Irwin, hailed a 'strong start' to the year.

'Governments around the world are increasingly looking to us to help them with the complex and difficult challenges they face and our enhanced focus on customers, colleagues and capabilities enables us to respond to their needs.

'This is driving growth in a number of areas of our international business and enables us to upgrade our guidance for the year.'
By Azernews

Qabil Ashirov

Chasing useless hopes based on myth, Armenia reached the brim of an abyss in which any further step will end in calamity for them. Unfortunately, Armenian society has been brainwashed with the fabrications to such an extent that they cannot realize the real situation and stakes the viability of their statehood on daydreams.

Armenian society was infected with the plagues of thoughts such as irredentism, territorial claims against other nations, snobbery, and so on. Needless to say that the first Karabakh war stemmed from the mentioned features. With the help of internal turmoils in Azerbaijan, Armenia was able to wrest from Baku not only Karabakh but other seven adjoining districts. They used the seven districts to bargain on handing over Karabakh. Azerbaijan refused. However, Armenians hoped that soon or late Azerbaijan will agree. In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated all the seven districts and some parts of Karabakh. Besides, with its military power and economic superiority, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia for signing the final peace agreement for three years. Frankly saying, some goals have been achieved  the Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan recognized the Azerbaijan's territorial integrity verbally. But it is not enough, Azerbaijan needs the signed document.

However, every time the Armenian side commits provocation on the eve of important meetings over peace talks. So, the last meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the USA was no exception as well. As a result of the shootout in Karabakh, one Azerbaijani soldier was wounded and as a reuslt, five members of illegal Armenian armed formation were neutralized.

It is crystal clear that the all provocations aim to interrupt peace talks and in particular, cast a shadow on the ongoing negotiations in Washington. Armenians have never hidden that they hope Azerbaijan will make a compromise. So, they go the extra mile to delay the signing of the final peace document expecting that geopolitical circumstances will shift the process in their favor. Or some external actors will interfere with the process and Armenia will get what it has craved for a long.

However, such useless hopes have made Armenians blind to such an extent that they are unable to realize that Azerbaijan did not give up Karabakh in its weakest time, let alone now  after a grandiose victory over Armenia. Secondly, Karabakh is a historical territory of Azerbaijan and compromising Karabakh is out of the question. As for importance of Karabakh, I would like to recall the words of British journalist Thomas de Waal, who is partially prominent with his pro-Armenian stance. He emphasized that geographically and economically, Azerbaijan is not fully viable without Karabakh. In other words, Azerbaijan can overcome some challenges without Karabakh in the short-run, but in long-run, it is very difficult. Compromising Karabakh is tantamount to committing suicide for Azerbaijan. The occupation of Karabakh by Armenians in the 1990s was a big blow to Azerbaijans agriculture sector, especially in animal husbandry. The COVID-19 pandemic proved the significance of this sector once again. In addition, let us not forget that 25 percent of the water resource of the country is located in Karabakh. In addition, the renewable energy potential of Karabakh proved to be 10 GW. Given global warming and climate change, one should lose the mind expecting any compromise from the Azerbaijani side.

But it is contrary for Armenia - loosing grips on Karabakh, the territory of another state, means suicide for Armenia in long-run. It seems that Armenia, which cannot be independent, cannot find a place for itself, and finally sees itself as a state in the historical lands of another state, is reaching the end of the road. Due to the persistent foreign policy, Armenia, once living a prosperous life together in the South Caucasus, during the Soviet Union, reduced into the poorest country in the region after the collapse of the regime. Two of four neighbors closed their borders to the country. Pipelines carrying carbohydrates and big transport routes by-passed landlocked Armenia. Over 30 years, every sixth person has left the country struggling with the economic crisis and the outflow of brains continues even today. Considering the demographic and economic decline in Armenia, some could conclude that the population of the country will be less than two million in the near future consisting with only olds. Needless to say that Azerbaijan enjoyed victory over Armenia in the 44-day war not only with the help of sophisticated weapons but also with demographic superiority.

So, the time works against Armenia, and it will be better if the Armenian side does not miss any opportunity to reach the lasting peace. Azerbaijan soon or late will restore justice and get what it deserves.
BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China urges the U.S. to stop making irresponsible comments and honor its commitments with concrete actions, a Chinese spokesperson said on Thursday.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks in response to a media report. According to the report, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a recent interview that it is no secret that there are differences between the U.S. and China. The U.S. will continue to stand for its interests, stand up for its values and continue to do things and say things that China doesn't like.

Mao said China is dissatisfied with the comments made by Secretary Blinken.

She said the U.S. pursues a misconceived China policy which stems from a misguided China perception, seeks to block, contain and suppress China and has been attacking and smearing China's image to interfere in China's internal affairs.

What the U.S. has said and done violates the basic norms governing international relations. China has every reason to firmly oppose that, said the spokesperson.

"I would like to stress again that mutual respect is the basic principle for countries dealing with each other and an essential ingredient for China and the U.S. to find the right way to get along," Mao said, adding that China urges the U.S. to stop making irresponsible comments and honor its commitments with concrete actions. 
The outgoing boss of Ukraine-based Ferrexpo hailed the spirit of its staff as he finished his final week at the iron ore pellet maker.

Jim North, who has run the FTSE 250 firm for just over three years, ends his stint as chief executive today after a tumultuous tenure bookmarked by the pandemic and a major European war.

Speaking from his home country of Australia, North, 53, told of the frantic scrambling that ensued when Russian troops attacked in February despite the group having planned for the possibility of an invasion.

Russia was throwing everything at Ukraine and attacking from all sides, he said. Back in the beginning [of the war] we were meeting every four hours to discuss the situation and running through scenarios and options.

Stepping down: Ferrexpo chief exec Jim North (pictured) is set to depart after a gruelling three-year stint

Almost overnight, Ferrexpo was forced to reorient its operations and export routes after the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi, which it used to export around half of its iron, was closed.

Difficulties continued last winter when Russian missiles began raining down on Ukraines power grid in a bid to freeze the population and break morale.

It was a major issue  not just from a business point of view but for the local community, North said.

All our employees are recruited from villages surrounding our operation so the prospect of trying to get through winter with minimal power and make sure everybody had heating was one of the biggest worries.

Acknowledging the devastating human impact, he revealed 25 Ferrexpo workers have so far been killed in combat.

Weve done our best to try to support their families but we cant fix things like that, he said. I cant imagine how devastating it is to lose a family member defending your nation.

I have nothing but pride and admiration for how resilient everyone has been and how they have dealt with this threat looming overhead. Ive told my team time and time again how proud I am to have been part of this.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, Ferrexpos board approved around 16million in humanitarian aid  most of which has been spent over the last 15 months on emergency supplies, including food, medicine and first aid kits.

North reserves particular praise for Yaroslavna Blonska, Ferrexpos acting chief marketing officer, who helped to organise a shipment of 60 tons of baby formula and food into the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Ferrexpo was also forced to deal with an influx of refugees fleeing the Russian advance.

Shut: Ferrexpo was forced to reorient its operations after the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi (pictured), which it previously used to export around half of its iron, was closed

North said that, about four months after the invasion, the company had been housing 8,000 refugees, mostly in temporary accommodation usually reserved for visiting contractors and consultants.

While many have moved on, some chose to stick around and were even recruited. Weve offered roles to around 120 who chose to stay, he said. Because where they came from, its not possible to work any more.

The company has also been helping to construct bomb shelters near schools in the area as Russian shelling and missile strikes continue.

North, who last visited the country in February, outlines the complexities of reaching Ferrexpos operations, which are concentrated near the city of Kremenchuk on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river which runs through Ukraine.

Its quite a journey to get in, he said. You fly to either Krakow or Warsaw in Poland. But because of a curfew we cant reach the site directly so we need to overnight in Kyiv.

But he says making the journey is important, adding: The guys working there really appreciate it when we go in. You can support from outside but visiting in person is an absolute must for morale.

The war looks set to cap off a bumpy tenure for North, who was made acting chief executive in May 2020 in the depths of the pandemic.

He took on the role permanently on February 14 last year, ten days before Russian tanks rolled across the border.

While North said 2020 and 2021 were the best years the company has had, war slammed the brakes on many plans.

We hoped 2022 was going to be a great year for us, he said. We have a lot of projects planned so its quite disappointing that the Russians chose to do what they did.

Despite the headwinds that are continuing to batter the business, North says that he is unwavering in his confidence in Ferrexpos employees.

We had quite a few people leave in the early stages of the war but, for those who stayed, the level of commitment has been outstanding, he said.
Thousands of Intelligent Finance customers are receiving letters from the bank informing them that it is set to close all its current accounts.

Intelligent Finance, which is part of the Lloyds banking group, was founded in 1999 and was one of the original pioneers of online banking.

It has said that current accounts will close from 1 August, with others remaining open until later in the year.

Winding down: Intelligent Finance has long been closed to new customers

Although it has long been closed to new customers, it was announced last month that existing Intelligent Finance current accounts will also be closed.

Lloyds said holders would be given at least two months' notice, though one reader told us they received a letter saying their account would close the next day, on 28 June.

An Intelligent Finance spokesperson said: 'Our Intelligent Finance current account hasn't been available since 2009, and we've let existing customers know we won't be offering it anymore.

'There's been lots of innovation in the current account market over the past decade, with more choice than ever for day-to-day bank accounts, and we've contacted customers to let them know their options and next steps.'

It also confirmed that those who hold mortgages or savings accounts with Intelligent Finance, including Isas, will not be impacted at present.

Any customers with cash remaining in their current account will see funds moved into their savings account, if they hold one with Intelligent Finance. Otherwise, they should expect to receive the funds via a cheque in the post.

Alternatively, customers can call Intelligent Finance or log in to online or mobile banking to transfer the balance to another bank account provider, and cancel regular payments made from the account.

There are suggestions that lesser-used current accounts are being closed first, with all remaining active accounts being shut down by the end of the year.

'They said they've been inundated with calls'

A This is Money reader contacted us today to tell us their account was being closed.

They said: 'I got a letter saying my Intelligent Finance current account closes from tomorrow. It said it was closing my current account as it didn't meet my needs. They said it's not just you, and that all current accounts are closing.

'It took a while to get through on the phone. They said they've been inundated with calls.

'My accounts are semi-dormant anyway, but I would have kept it open as it's handy to have as a back-up.

'The woman I spoke to on the phone stressed the company was not going bust.'

Shutting up shop: A This is Money reader contacted us to tell us their account was being closed. This is the letter they received

Lloyds Banking Group would not say how many customers Intelligent Finance has, but told us its current accounts make up less than 1 per cent of the group's overall total.

Those looking for a new bank account can look at This is Money's best current account guide here.
Carnival Co. & (NYSE:CCL  Free Report) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at Barclays from $18.00 to $19.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Barclayss price objective would suggest a potential upside of 9.89% from the companys previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Susquehanna upgraded shares of Carnival Co. & from a neutral rating to a positive rating and set a $11.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 29th. Macquarie upped their price target on shares of Carnival Co. & from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Carnival Co. & from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $11.00 to $20.00 in a research report on Monday, June 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Carnival Co. & from $10.00 to $15.00 in a research report on Friday, June 23rd. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of Carnival Co. & from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $10.00 to $14.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $14.70.

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Carnival Co. & Stock Up 8.8 %

Shares of NYSE:CCL opened at $17.29 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $19.30 billion, a PE ratio of -6.20 and a beta of 2.21. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.44. Carnival Co. & has a twelve month low of $6.11 and a twelve month high of $17.49. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $11.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $10.64.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Carnival Co. &

Carnival Co. & ( NYSE:CCL Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 26th. The company reported ($0.31) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.34) by $0.03. The business had revenue of $4.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.79 billion. Carnival Co. & had a negative net margin of 19.83% and a negative return on equity of 41.35%. The companys revenue was up 104.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned ($1.64) EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Carnival Co. & will post -0.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CCL. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in Carnival Co. & by 13.3% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 33,016 shares of the companys stock valued at $667,000 after acquiring an additional 3,869 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its stake in Carnival Co. & by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 108,222 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,188,000 after acquiring an additional 7,248 shares during the last quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Carnival Co. & by 3.4% in the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 137,825 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,787,000 after acquiring an additional 4,536 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in Carnival Co. & by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,734,230 shares of the companys stock valued at $95,697,000 after acquiring an additional 93,169 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviva PLC grew its stake in Carnival Co. & by 25.5% in the 1st quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 152,741 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,088,000 after acquiring an additional 31,037 shares during the last quarter. 61.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Carnival Co. & Company Profile

(Free Report)

Carnival Corporation & plc engages in the provision of leisure travel services. The company operates a fleet of more than 90 ships visit approximately 700 ports under AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), and Seabourn brand names.

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Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H  Free Report) had its target price lowered by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from $142.00 to $136.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Morgan Stanleys target price indicates a potential upside of 23.12% from the stocks current price.

H has been the topic of several other research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Hyatt Hotels from $113.00 to $121.00 in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Hyatt Hotels from $112.00 to $124.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 7th. StockNews.com started coverage on Hyatt Hotels in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Barclays downgraded Hyatt Hotels from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $130.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 9th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Hyatt Hotels from a c rating to a b rating in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hyatt Hotels presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $121.13.

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Hyatt Hotels Stock Performance

NYSE H opened at $110.46 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $11.68 billion, a PE ratio of 20.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 13.50 and a beta of 1.36. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $113.42 and its 200-day simple moving average is $109.22. Hyatt Hotels has a 1-year low of $71.67 and a 1-year high of $125.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.64.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt Hotels ( NYSE:H Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.47 by ($0.06). The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.59 billion. Hyatt Hotels had a net margin of 9.31% and a return on equity of 12.34%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.33) EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Hyatt Hotels will post 2.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other news, insider H. Charles Floyd sold 6,000 shares of Hyatt Hotels stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.00, for a total value of $684,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 32,927 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,753,678. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 22.15% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hyatt Hotels

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of H. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,469,443 shares of the companys stock worth $361,847,000 after purchasing an additional 37,317 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 43.4% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,055,113 shares of the companys stock worth $341,531,000 after purchasing an additional 925,005 shares in the last quarter. Select Equity Group L.P. grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 196.2% during the 1st quarter. Select Equity Group L.P. now owns 2,206,791 shares of the companys stock worth $246,697,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461,693 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 340.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,033,818 shares of the companys stock worth $183,959,000 after purchasing an additional 1,571,739 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,884,360 shares of the companys stock worth $152,558,000 after purchasing an additional 6,644 shares in the last quarter. 46.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Hyatt Hotels Company Profile

(Free Report)

Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates as a hospitality company in the United States and internationally. It operates through Owned and Leased Hotels, Americas Management and Franchising, ASPAC Management and Franchising, EAME/SW Asia Management and Franchising, and Apple Leisure Group segments. The company manages, franchises, licenses, owns, and leases portfolio of properties, consisting of full-service hotels and resorts, select service hotels, resorts, and other properties, including timeshare, fractional, residential, vacation, and condominium units.

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Ronald Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA  Free Report) by 5.1% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 16,524 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 807 shares during the quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in iShares MSCI Australia ETF were worth $367,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of EWA. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 521.9% in the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,883,495 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $108,560,000 after purchasing an additional 4,098,183 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 27.4% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 3,167,261 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $62,142,000 after purchasing an additional 682,058 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 9.0% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 3,164,528 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $70,347,000 after purchasing an additional 261,794 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,191,015 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $46,493,000 after purchasing an additional 104,317 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,916,000. 48.18% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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iShares MSCI Australia ETF Stock Performance

iShares MSCI Australia ETF stock opened at $22.22 on Thursday. The firms fifty day moving average price is $22.78 and its 200-day moving average price is $23.06. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a fifty-two week low of $19.19 and a fifty-two week high of $25.22.

iShares MSCI Australia ETF Profile

iShares MSCI Australia ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, of publicly traded securities in the Australian market, as represented by the MSCI Australia Index (the Index).

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Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:FMX  Free Report) by 52.1% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,061 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,734 shares during the period. Ronald Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in Fomento Economico Mexicano were worth $395,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of FMX. Belpointe Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in Fomento Economico Mexicano by 117.0% during the 1st quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 421 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 227 shares during the last quarter. Concord Wealth Partners bought a new stake in Fomento Economico Mexicano during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its position in Fomento Economico Mexicano by 15.3% during the 4th quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 920 shares of the companys stock worth $72,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP grew its position in Fomento Economico Mexicano by 550.0% during the 1st quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 1,300 shares of the companys stock worth $107,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100 shares during the last quarter.

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Fomento Economico Mexicano Stock Performance

FMX stock opened at $109.87 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $101.96 and its 200-day moving average is $92.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.77 and a quick ratio of 1.45. Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. has a twelve month low of $58.73 and a twelve month high of $111.74.

Fomento Economico Mexicano Increases Dividend

Fomento Economico Mexicano ( NYSE:FMX Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The company reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.40. The company had revenue of $9.65 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.88 billion. Fomento Economico Mexicano had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 10.38%. Research analysts predict that Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. will post 4.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 5th were paid a $1.0138 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 4th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. This is an increase from Fomento Economico Mexicanos previous semi-annual dividend of $0.85. Fomento Economico Mexicanos dividend payout ratio is 19.49%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on FMX shares. 92 Resources restated a maintains rating on shares of Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Barclays increased their price target on Fomento Economico Mexicano from $103.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Citigroup assumed coverage on Fomento Economico Mexicano in a research report on Friday, March 3rd. They set a buy rating on the stock. HSBC raised Fomento Economico Mexicano from a reduce rating to a hold rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $84.00 to $112.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on Fomento Economico Mexicano in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Fomento Economico Mexicano presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $109.05.

About Fomento Economico Mexicano

(Free Report)

Fomento Economico Mexicano, SAB. de C.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as a bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. The company produces, markets, and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

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Ronald Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in shares of Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE:MUSA  Free Report) by 69.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,379 shares of the specialty retailers stock after purchasing an additional 564 shares during the period. Ronald Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in Murphy USA were worth $386,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Murphy USA by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,269 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $2,312,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. First Republic Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Murphy USA by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,221 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $1,244,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Murphy USA by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,868 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $1,640,000 after buying an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming lifted its holdings in Murphy USA by 14.2% during the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 370 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $103,000 after buying an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Paragon Wealth Strategies LLC lifted its holdings in Murphy USA by 25.0% during the 4th quarter. Paragon Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 250 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.01% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Jeanne Linder Phillips sold 550 shares of Murphy USA stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $283.97, for a total transaction of $156,183.50. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 2,874 shares in the company, valued at approximately $816,129.78. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Murphy USA news, SVP Robert J. Chumley sold 1,075 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $277.72, for a total transaction of $298,549.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,661 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,849,892.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Jeanne Linder Phillips sold 550 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $283.97, for a total transaction of $156,183.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,874 shares in the company, valued at $816,129.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 1,628 shares of company stock worth $455,611 in the last ninety days. 9.04% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Murphy USA Price Performance

Shares of MUSA opened at $297.14 on Thursday. Murphy USA Inc. has a twelve month low of $226.09 and a twelve month high of $323.00. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $283.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $271.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.08 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.50.

Murphy USA (NYSE:MUSA  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The specialty retailer reported $4.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.18 by $0.62. Murphy USA had a net margin of 2.68% and a return on equity of 86.87%. The business had revenue of $5.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.95 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $6.08 EPS. The companys revenue was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Murphy USA Inc. will post 20.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Murphy USA Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Investors of record on Monday, May 15th were paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. This is a positive change from Murphy USAs previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th. Murphy USAs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 5.67%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have issued reports on MUSA. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Murphy USA from $325.00 to $330.00 in a report on Thursday, May 4th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Murphy USA from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, May 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $315.60.

Murphy USA Company Profile

(Free Report)

Murphy USA Inc engages in marketing of retail motor fuel products and convenience merchandise. The company operates retail stores under the Murphy USA, Murphy Express, and QuickChek brands. It operates retail gasoline stores principally in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest United States. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas.

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Ronald Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in Two Harbors Investment Corp. (NYSE:TWO  Free Report) by 48.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 24,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 7,845 shares during the quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in Two Harbors Investment were worth $378,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of TWO. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Two Harbors Investment by 18.2% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 62,766 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $347,000 after purchasing an additional 9,682 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Two Harbors Investment in the 1st quarter valued at $68,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Two Harbors Investment by 37.5% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 162,618 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $899,000 after acquiring an additional 44,348 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Two Harbors Investment by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 974,314 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,388,000 after acquiring an additional 11,111 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS boosted its holdings in shares of Two Harbors Investment by 14.1% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 296,479 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,640,000 after acquiring an additional 36,555 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 63.46% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Two Harbors Investment

In other news, General Counsel Rebecca B. Sandberg sold 4,175 shares of Two Harbors Investment stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.33, for a total value of $51,477.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 93,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,155,210.03. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CFO Mary Kathryn Riskey sold 3,755 shares of Two Harbors Investment stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.33, for a total value of $46,299.15. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 64,391 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $793,941.03. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, General Counsel Rebecca B. Sandberg sold 4,175 shares of Two Harbors Investment stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.33, for a total value of $51,477.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 93,691 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,155,210.03. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 23,534 shares of company stock valued at $289,831. Corporate insiders own 0.45% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Two Harbors Investment Price Performance

Several research firms recently weighed in on TWO. StockNews.com began coverage on Two Harbors Investment in a report on Thursday, March 16th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Barclays cut their price objective on Two Harbors Investment from $16.00 to $14.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Two Harbors Investment from $17.00 to $15.00 in a report on Monday, April 24th. Finally, JMP Securities cut their price objective on Two Harbors Investment from $18.00 to $14.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $16.38.

Shares of TWO opened at $13.71 on Thursday. Two Harbors Investment Corp. has a 12 month low of $11.57 and a 12 month high of $21.84. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $12.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $14.89. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98.

Two Harbors Investment Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 5th will be given a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 13.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 3rd. Two Harbors Investments dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -72.51%.

About Two Harbors Investment

(Free Report)

Two Harbors Investment Corp. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses on investing in, financing, and managing residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), mortgage servicing rights, and other financial assets in the United States. Its target assets include agency RMBS collateralized by fixed rate mortgage loans, adjustable rate mortgage loans, and hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARMs); and other assets, such as financial and mortgage-related assets, including non-agency securities and non-hedging transactions.

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HM Payson & Co. cut its position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) by 4.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,676 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 515 shares during the quarter. HM Payson & Co.s holdings in Southern were worth $812,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SO. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $435,979,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Southern during the 4th quarter worth approximately $369,131,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in Southern by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 63,002,360 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,284,352,000 after acquiring an additional 3,653,841 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $124,282,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Southern by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 94,652,372 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $6,436,360,000 after buying an additional 1,391,612 shares during the period. 63.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Southern Price Performance

Shares of Southern stock opened at $69.87 on Thursday. The Southern Company has a twelve month low of $58.85 and a twelve month high of $80.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $76.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.54, a PEG ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $71.75 and its 200 day moving average price is $69.70.

Southern Increases Dividend

Southern ( NYSE:SO Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The utilities provider reported $0.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $6.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.14 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 10.78% and a net margin of 11.53%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.97 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Southern Company will post 3.61 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 15th were paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.01%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 12th. This is a boost from Southerns previous quarterly dividend of $0.68. Southerns payout ratio is currently 90.32%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on SO. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Southern from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. Guggenheim raised their price objective on Southern from $73.00 to $79.00 in a research note on Monday, April 24th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on Southern from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. StockNews.com raised Southern from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 17th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Southern in a research note on Wednesday, June 7th. They issued a buy rating and a $80.00 price objective for the company. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $74.07.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of Southern stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total transaction of $359,450.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 146,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,516,356.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.89, for a total value of $359,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 146,284 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,516,356.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Thomas A. Fanning sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.76, for a total value of $3,538,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 844,239 shares of the companys stock, valued at $59,738,351.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 205,678 shares of company stock worth $14,888,271 over the last quarter. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Southern Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It operates through three segments: Gas Distribution Operations, Gas Pipeline Investments, and Gas Marketing Services. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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AE Wealth Management LLC lessened its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 44.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 197,450 shares of the companys stock after selling 156,432 shares during the period. AE Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Altria Group were worth $8,810,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Altria Group by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 159,134,691 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,425,858,000 after buying an additional 1,275,790 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its position in Altria Group by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 71,579,128 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,957,671,000 after buying an additional 513,208 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Altria Group by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 44,066,327 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,000,861,000 after buying an additional 3,516,646 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Altria Group by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 35,184,122 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,606,259,000 after buying an additional 218,861 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in Altria Group by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 24,517,169 shares of the companys stock valued at $990,002,000 after buying an additional 1,192,266 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.38% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on MO. Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of Altria Group in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. They issued a buy rating and a $52.00 price target for the company. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $49.50 to $47.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 17th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, June 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $44.63.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of MO opened at $44.50 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $45.32 and a 200 day moving average price of $45.70. The stock has a market cap of $79.43 billion, a PE ratio of 14.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.59. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $40.35 and a 1-year high of $51.57.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.19 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $4.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.89 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 22.44% and a negative return on equity of 245.43%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.12 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 4.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a $0.94 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.45%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 120.90%.

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company provides cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; cigars and pipe tobacco principally under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco products and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; and on! oral nicotine pouches.

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Macron says NATO should give shape to Ukraine's accession prospects 29 June, 12:41 PM Emmanuel Macron (Photo:REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier)

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on NATO to "shape" Ukraine's future accession and put it on a "concrete" path to post-war membership in the alliance, pan-European news website Euractiv reported on June 29.

"We will have to define a path to give shape to Ukraines prospects of joining NATO, which we opened up in 2008 in Bucharest," Macron said during talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Paris on June 28.

Macron also said that the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on July 1112 should be used to make decisions that will demonstrate long-term commitment to Ukraine.

Video of day

"The decisions we take (in Vilnius) will commit us (to action) for years to come  I am thinking first and foremost of support for Ukraine, to which we must make a long-term commitment," Macron said.

In addition to the institutional perspective of NATO membership, Macron said that the Western allies would help Ukraine reform its armed forces, facilitate interaction with the alliance's forces, and provide support beyond military supplies.

Ukraine's accession to NATO  What is known

In 2008, the Bucharest Declaration was signed, in which NATO members promised that Ukraine and Georgia would join the military alliance.

In September 2022, Ukraine applied for NATO membership, with several alliance member states backing Ukraine's candidacy, but with others hesitating or refusing to take a position.

The next NATO summit will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12,. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy has said Ukraine expects to receive a clear signal of the alliances readiness to invite Ukraine to join.

Previously, Stoltenberg said that such a signal would be forthcoming, but without a formal invitation to Kyiv to join the alliance.

At the same time, U.S. news website Politico wrote that five weeks before the summit, the Western allies still do not have a unified position on the security guarantees requested by Ukraine.

According to U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal, prior to joining NATO, the Western partners will offer Ukraine a security model similar to that of Israel. It will facilitate the transfer of weapons and advanced technologies to Kyiv, and will be a step towards membership of the alliance.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that he sees no point in participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius if Ukraine does not receive a clear signal about its membership prospects.

Will you support Ukraines free press? Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations. As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility  to amplify Ukraines voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation. Its the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine. If youre willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda. Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd. If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly. There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If youre willing to stand up for the truth  consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.

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First Hawaiian Bank lessened its position in McKesson Co. (NYSE:MCK  Free Report) by 32.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,773 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,767 shares during the period. First Hawaiian Banks holdings in McKesson were worth $2,055,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLC raised its stake in McKesson by 5.2% in the 1st quarter. Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLC now owns 1,788 shares of the companys stock valued at $637,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in McKesson by 566.1% during the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 307,924 shares of the companys stock worth $109,636,000 after acquiring an additional 261,693 shares during the last quarter. Xponance Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of McKesson by 0.3% during the first quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 23,066 shares of the companys stock worth $8,213,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. Stanley Laman Group Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of McKesson in the first quarter valued at approximately $3,039,000. Finally, GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC bought a new position in McKesson during the 1st quarter worth $221,000. 83.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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McKesson Price Performance

MCK stock opened at $415.34 on Thursday. McKesson Co. has a 1 year low of $315.78 and a 1 year high of $419.33. The stock has a market cap of $56.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $388.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $372.84.

McKesson Dividend Announcement

McKesson ( NYSE:MCK Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 8th. The company reported $7.19 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.16 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $68.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.94 billion. McKesson had a negative return on equity of 234.22% and a net margin of 1.29%. McKessons quarterly revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $5.83 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that McKesson Co. will post 26.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, June 1st will be given a dividend of $0.54 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 31st. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.52%. McKessons dividend payout ratio is presently 8.60%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of McKesson in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a strong-buy rating on the stock. Barclays raised their price objective on McKesson from $415.00 to $420.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 9th. Mizuho upped their target price on McKesson from $376.00 to $390.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Bank of America raised their price target on McKesson from $450.00 to $470.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of McKesson from $450.00 to $475.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $430.17.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Brian S. Tyler sold 3,471 shares of McKesson stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total transaction of $1,388,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 129,714 shares in the company, valued at $51,885,600. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Nancy Avila sold 491 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.38, for a total value of $193,640.58. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 11,720 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,622,133.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Brian S. Tyler sold 3,471 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total transaction of $1,388,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 129,714 shares in the company, valued at $51,885,600. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 28,667 shares of company stock valued at $11,123,837 in the last ninety days. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

McKesson Company Profile

(Free Report)

McKesson Corporation provides healthcare services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Pharmaceutical, Prescription Technology Solutions (RxTS), Medical-Surgical Solutions, and International. The U.S. Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded, generic, specialty, biosimilar and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, and other healthcare-related products.

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Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 8.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 49,742 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,795 shares during the quarter. Allworth Financial LPs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $4,837,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Fairfield Bush & CO. increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.1% in the first quarter. Fairfield Bush & CO. now owns 26,141 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,456,000 after buying an additional 281 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 35.6% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,939 shares of the companys stock valued at $463,000 after buying an additional 1,296 shares in the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 24.7% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 3,065 shares of the companys stock valued at $288,000 after buying an additional 608 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 54.9% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 525 shares of the companys stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. increased its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 14.7% in the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 8,987 shares of the companys stock valued at $844,000 after buying an additional 1,154 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.43% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:PM opened at $96.20 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $149.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.21, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.68. Philip Morris International Inc. has a one year low of $82.85 and a one year high of $105.62. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $94.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $98.03.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 20th. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.04. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 128.55% and a net margin of 10.80%. The company had revenue of $8.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.56 EPS. Philip Morris Internationals revenue for the quarter was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.19 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 23rd will be issued a dividend of $1.27 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 22nd. This represents a $5.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.28%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 90.88%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on PM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $109.00 to $116.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Philip Morris International in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. They set a buy rating and a $114.00 price objective on the stock. StockNews.com started coverage on Philip Morris International in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. UBS Group raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $106.00 to $116.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 1st. Finally, Citigroup raised Philip Morris International from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $109.00 to $117.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Philip Morris International currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $111.40.

About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products that are sold in markets outside the United States.

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Ukrainian forces gain ground in Klishchiyivka, fierce fighting continues 29 June, 01:53 PM Ukrainian military (Photo:Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS)

The Ukrainian army had regained control of the village of Klishchiyivka, south of Bakhmut, as of June 29, military officer Denys Yaroslavskyi has told Radio Liberty.

There is still heavy fighting in this sector of the front, but the Ukrainian army has almost completely captured Klishchiyivka, Yaroslavskyi said.

Yaroslavskyi said that Klishchiyivka is a strategically vital settlement from which an offensive will be launched targeting territory directly south of Bakhmut. From this village, the city lies within visible range.

Video of day

He also said that north of Bakhmut, the 57th Brigade is enjoying operational success and the enemy is retreating from the northern streets of Bakhmut.

Ukraines counter-offensive: Latest

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their offensive on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk sections of the front and are making progress. Ukrainian forces have advanced 1.3 kilometers toward Berdyansk.

Over the past week, as part of the Ukrainian militarys counter-offensive, the Russian invasion army's losses exceeded Ukrainian losses by eight times, Malyar added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that progress since the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive campaign is "slower than we would like," but that Ukraine will move forward "as it sees fit."

On June 15, Malyar reported that the offensive continued on several fronts. The Ukrainian army was slowly but surely advancing and inflicting significant losses on the invaders.

Earlier, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, predicted that the Ukrainian counter-offensive would see difficult and fierce battles.

Will you support Ukraines free press? Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations. As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility  to amplify Ukraines voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation. Its the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine. If youre willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda. Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd. If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly. There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If youre willing to stand up for the truth  consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.

Will you help tell Ukraines story to the world? Twenty years ago, most people hadnt even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyones lips and everyones headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of  from music and culture to technology. We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If youre willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

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In a remarkable display of community support, the Friends of Nenagh Hospital has donated 43,000 towards the acquisition of cutting-edge point-of-care ultrasound systems for the hospital.

The generous donation by the Friends of Nenagh Hospital further advances medical care for patients in the Mid-West.

Called Clarius Scanners, these wireless devices offer exceptional image quality, enabling staff to perform point-of-care ultrasound for inpatients and for those attending the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU).

Through their numerous applications and benefits, the integration of these scanners will enhance patient care at Nenagh Hospital.

Point-of-care ultrasound, also known as bedside ultrasound, is a diagnostic tool that allows medical practitioners to visualise the bodys internal structures in real time, enabling healthcare professionals to make quicker, more informed decisions about a patient's condition.

Another advantage of the new devices funded by the Friends of Nenagh Hospital is that the procedure is non-invasive, painless, and radiation-free, making it a more comfortable experience for patients. The wireless capabilities of this new technology allows for easy sharing of images and information between medical professionals.

The scanners can further serve as a valuable tool for medical education and training.

Healthcare professionals can use these devices to practice and refine their ultrasound skills, ensuring they remain apprised of new medical technology and techniques.

Dr Andrew Scott, a Respiratory Consultant at Nenagh Hospital, has integrated the new devices into his practice for assessing pleural effusions.

By utilising this advanced technology, Dr Scott can visualise fluid in the pleural space quickly and accurately at the bedside, enabling him to make informed decisions about treatment options for his patients.

This innovative approach not only minimises complications but also enhances patient comfort and shortens recovery times.

Furthermore, Dr Scott employs the system for superficial lymph node biopsies in the diagnosis of lung cancer. The real-time imaging capabilities of the scanner allow for more precise biopsies, increasing diagnostic accuracy and reducing the need for additional invasive procedures.

Dr Scott has also found the new device invaluable in aiding intravenous (IV) cannula access.

While point-of-care ultrasound has emerged as a powerful diagnostic tool, it is essential to recognise that it does not replace traditional radiological tests, such as standard ultrasound or CT scans. Instead, when used skilfully by healthcare professionals, point-of-care ultrasound serves as a complementary tool that can guide doctors towards the correct diagnosis more efficiently at the bedside.

The integration of point-of-care ultrasound into the training of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) at Nenagh Hospital will help attract more trainees and doctors.

The Friends of Nenagh Hospitals contribution to the hospital serves as a shining example of the positive change that can be achieved when communities come together to support one another. With the continued backing of organisations like the Friends of Nenagh Hospital, and collaboration with academic institutions, Nenagh Hospital can provide exceptional care to its patients and contribute to the advancement of medical science.

The generosity and commitment displayed by the residents of Nenagh and Tipperary serve as an inspiring example of the power of collective action to effect positive change. Through their continued support of initiatives like the Friends of Nenagh Hospital, the community is leaving a lasting legacy of improved health and wellbeing for future generations.
A rent register is required to show new tenants what previous tenants paid for the property before entering a lease agreement, it has been proposed.

In response to the publication of the Residential Tenancy Boards Q4 2022 Rent Index, Labour Leader and Housing Spokesperson Ivana Bacik TD has called on the Government to pass Labours Renters Rights Bill and, in particular, to introduce a rent register to allow prospective tenants to see what previous tenants paid before entering a lease agreement.

Deputy Bacik said with average rents for new tenancies in Dublin standing at 2,063 per month, the Government must address renters protections in the market and must also grapple with spiralling rents in Rent Pressure Zones.

The latest Rent Index showed that rent increased by 7% in the final months of 2022.

There are now 16 counties in the Republic of Ireland where the average rents monthly rents are now 1,000 per month.

Deputy Bacik said: It is long past time for a comprehensive response from Government to the growing number of people squeezed in a rental market.

"The RTB figures clearly show that renters are suffering hard and deep, asked to pay extraordinary sums of money in rent just to keep a roof over their heads.

Its abundantly clear to me that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are totally out of touch with the reality of the housing crisis. There is not a day that goes by without people contacting my office looking for help and conveying to me the turmoil which is caused by the housing disaster, high rents, and insecurity of tenure.

If passed, Labours Renters Rights Bill would go a significant way towards guaranteeing security and affordability for renters," Deputy Bacik said.
June 28, 2023





As a B2B company, you may think the sass of Wendys social media or the affirming messaging of Doves campaigns wont work for you. That may well be, but even though your business is B2B, it requires a distinct voice. Thats because potential clients still need a reason to choose to do business with you over the competition. When given the choice, your prospects will likely choose the business with the voice that resonates with them.







Giving your business a voice is about understanding your brand identity, creating the proper channels for expression, and establishing consistency. A businesss voice is an important element of brand development sometimes overlooked by players in the B2B world. So focusing on yours can put you ahead of your rivals. Read on to learn about the three main pillars of developing your B2B businesss voice.

Establish Your Businesss Identity

Before you can create a voice for your business, you need to establish its identity. Doing so is like building the structure of a house before painting it. A businesss identity consists of three things: mission, vision, and values. Many of the most successful businesses have a strong grasp of these three core components. In other words, they know who they are and, importantly, they also know who they are not.

Salesforce, for example, is one of the most well-known and established B2B businesses out there. Its mission is to provide its customers with the most innovative cloud-based customer relationship management solutions on the market. Its vision is to create cloud-based platforms that encourage companies and customers to connect and engage in meaningful ways. And its values include trust, customer success, and innovation.

Now say theres a mid-sized software-as-a-service tech company looking to expand their market reach. At this stage in their development, they need products and services that prioritize scalability. Given Salesforces expressed commitment to providing scalable cloud-based platforms, the tech company knows they can trust Salesforce to deliver the products they need. In a similar way, you should establish your businesss brand identity so customers know what they can trust you to deliver.

Develop Content Channels and Marketing Strategy

Once youve developed your brands identity, you can start giving it a voice, whether thats through your company blog or your podcast marketing strategy. The kind of content you produce and the forms it takes will tell your audience a lot about your brands identity. Your accounting firm could demonstrate its financial acumen by offering tax advice via webinars, for instance. Or your digital marketing agency could demonstrate its Gen Z reach by posting videos on YouTube (News - Alert).

Here, too, Salesforce provides a good example of how to develop a content production pipeline that supports their marketing strategy. To communicate to its market that its the go-to source for industry knowledge, the company creates a wide variety of information-packed content. This includes blog posts, webinars, e-books, podcasts, infographics, videos, case studies, and more. This content strikes an informative and authoritative tone to reinforce Salesforces status as an industry leader.

Given that Salesforce is a massive corporation, it can take advantage of as many content channels as possible to reinforce its position. As a smaller company, its important to choose your channels wisely. Perhaps you aspire to be your industrys authority, so you produce in-depth articles you post on LinkedIn (News - Alert). Or maybe you want your brand to feel more personable, so you focus on developing your brands podcast. Find a content channel that reinforces your brands strengths while meshing with the needs and wants of your target audience.

Be Consistent

Youll likely need to try different kinds of content creation before you find what works best for your company. But as you gain experience, youll want to double down on the kind that works best. Dont get distracted by thoughts of missed opportunities. Its better to focus your efforts on one to three main content channels, especially in the earlier phases of brand development.

When it comes to developing content pipelines, consistency is key. From videos to blog posts to podcasts, your audience will develop expectations of you. If you release a new blog post every Friday at 12 p.m., theyll begin to look forward to it. And if theres no new post at the expected time, theyll count it against your brands professionalism.

Consistency isnt only about timing, however; its also about tone. If you want to cultivate a professional tone, avoid adding too much humor to your content. But if you want to sound friendly and familiar, avoid overly technical jargon. The language you use matters, so pay attention to the words you choose across all content you produce. Its one more step in establishing consistency, which reinforces the legitimacy of your businesss voice.

Effective Marketing Is Essential

Effectively marketing your business is no less crucial to success in the B2B world than it is in consumer-facing sectors. Businesses with established brand identities and voices can differentiate themselves from the competition and attract more potential clients. Think of strong B2B businesses that already do this, like Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Slack.

Developing a strong voice for your B2B business requires understanding your brand identity, establishing a content marketing strategy, and maintaining consistency. Its work that takes an upfront investment of time, energy, and money. But its also work that has the potential for massive payoffs.
[June 29, 2023] Twin Valley to Sponsor 125 Teacher Scholarships to Attend Kansas Technology Summit Tweet

The rural broadband provider will first distribute the scholarships to rural Kansas teachers to support rural STEM education. CLAY CENTER, Kan., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of tech education in Kansas, Twin Valley is offering 125 scholarships to educators to attend the highly anticipated 2nd Annual Ad Astra Technology Summit, presented by state tech industry organization FlagshipKansas.Tech. As the state's largest independent broadband and communications company, Twin Valley serves primarily rural communities. This exclusive program will be open to any Kansas educator, with a focus on rural teachers in Twin Valley's service area and throughout the state. "These scholarships are our way of recognizing the dedication and passion of Kansas teachers. We believe in investing in the future of education and empowering those who shape young minds," said Ben Foster, President & CEO of Twin Valley. FlagshipKansas.Tech's cutting-edgesummit will be held on Monday, October 2, in Wichita with event partner Barton School of Business at Wichita State University's iconic Woolsey Hall and Charles Koch Arena. It will feature a fireside chat with the legendary Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple Inc. and lifelong advocate of tech education. Bringing together educators, industry startups, professionals and leaders, government officials, and tech enthusiasts, attendees will explore and address current technology issues in various informative sessions.



The summit embraces the future of education while fueling the growth of Kansas' thriving tech sector. Educators will dive into immersive sessions focused on new pedagogy for computational thinking in K-2, Primary, and Secondary classrooms. They'll gain invaluable insights into how tech concepts can empower students and equip them with the skills they need to thrive in the digital era. This summit is a gateway for educators to build a network of influential professionals, visionary entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking government officials.

"Educators will connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas, and unlock doors to exciting opportunities, which is particularly valuable for rural teachers where these resources may be less accessible," said Megan Harper, FlagshipKansas.Tech Vice-Chair and Twin Valley Director of Marketing & Sales. "They'll gain fresh perspectives on the jobs of the future and make valuable connections that will shape their teaching journey." As part of the Twin Valley pledge to support community outreach initiatives, this scholarship covers the cost of a ticket to the full conference, awards ceremony, and fireside chat. Teachers will also be eligible for one full credit hour of CTE issued through Wichita State University.

This game-changing summit is dedicated to advancing Kansas' tech sector growth and empowering educators. To apply for the scholarship and learn more about the Ad Astra Technology Summit, visit adastrasummit.tech. About Twin Valley

Twin Valley is a fourth-generation family business that has over 80 years' experience providing cutting-edge technology and connectivity throughout the central U.S. Twin Valley helps customers unlock possibilities to realize their full potential by providing a unique combination of broadband, managed IT services, technology consulting, professional services, and cloud/data center solutions for both residential and business customers. Twin Valley made a Pledge to their communities and customers, always striving to provide the most reliable broadband network, the best value for internet, local hometown customer service and meaningful community outreach initiatives. Learn more at twinvalley.com/pledge. About FlagshipKansas.Tech

FlagshipKansas.Tech is a nonprofit organization that brings together Kansas technology companies to shine a light on the depth of skill, ingenuity, and innovation running through our cities and communities. Current goals include raising awareness, attracting and retaining technology talent, and supporting technology workforce training and education. Learn more at flagshipkansas.tech. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/twin-valley-to-sponsor-125-teacher-scholarships-to-attend-kansas-technology-summit-301867395.html SOURCE Twin Valley

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Wolverhampton Wanderers U-Turn

Draped in a cloak of disappointment, Wolverhampton Wanderers recently expressed their decision to withdraw from an anticipated pre-season tour in South Korea. The venture, set to also feature Celtic and Roma, was on the cards for next month. It appears, however, that their Asian sojourn is not to be.

They have communicated that the decision follows an uncertain period filled with weeks of delays by the promoters and tickets not yet on sale for the matches, according to the BBC. This sudden change of plans has left a sizeable dent in their summer itinerary.

Scheduled Departure No More

Wolves had been planning to jet off to South Korea on the 21st of July. Their forward and South Korean international Hwang Hee-Chan, had previously voiced how this tour was significant to him, stating that it means everything to me.

A European Alternative

Despite the unexpected turn of events, the Wanderers are not allowing themselves to be too disheartened. Theyre already seeking a European solution to counterbalance this setback. Their eyes are firmly set on laying the groundwork for the 2023-24 season.

Communications with the Promoters

According to Russell Jones, Wolves general manager for marketing and commercial growth, the club had been in close communication with the tour promoters for the past couple of months. This was a concerted effort to salvage the situation after the original tour investor pulled out.

But unfortunately, and despite numerous promises, they have not delivered, Jones added, his words echoing a deep sense of disappointment.

The clubs management wanted to ensure their loyal fans were not let down and explored every possible avenue. They held extensive discussions with other local promoters in an attempt to find an alternative.

A Setback, but Moving Forward

Jones expressed the unfortunate situation as a big blow to the club from a commercial perspective. However, he did not shy away from reminding everyone of the main purpose of the pre-season  to prepare for yet another competitive Premier League campaign.

Drawing a line under this unfortunate episode, Jones confirmed that the club would have to adapt and quickly bounce back from this disappointment. Wolves are poised to find a European solution, ensuring they receive the best possible preparation for the upcoming season.
[June 28, 2023] COSRX to Showcase Global Success at the Cross-Border E-Commerce Conference In Vietnam, themed "Embrace Asian Experience, Vietnamese Brands Go Global" Tweet

SEOUL, South Korea, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- COSRX, the renowned skincare brand known for its simple yet effective products, is excited to announce its successful participation in the prestigious "Embrace Asian Experience, Vietnamese Brands Go Global" event. This event was organized by Amazon Global Selling & Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency  Ministry of Industry and Trade to meet the growing demand from Vietnamese businesses and empower them to seize the emerging Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) opportunity. The event, which took place in Hanoi on June 7th and in Ho Chi Minh City on June 9th, showcased Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their potential to thrive in the global market. It featured a CBEC conference where the latest insights and information about the e-commerce export industry were shared. The event also highlighted the achievements of successful Amazon selling partners from Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. As a brand that succeeded in achieving global prominence, COSRX was invited as a distinguished guest at the event. On June 7th and 9th, Ms. Hyeyoung Lee, COSRX's Chif Growth Officer, delivered a captivating speech titled "How cross-border e-commerce propelled COSRX as a dominant force into the global beauty industry." Ms. Lee shared valuable insights on the brand's remarkable success as the 2023 TOP Brand Seller on Amazon during the event's "Successful Seller Sharing" section. Her presentation emphasized the pivotal role of CBEC in COSRX's international growth and industry dominance.



Reflecting on COSRX's remarkable journey, Ms. Hyeyoung Lee explained, "In 2018, we launched COSRX on Amazon as an integrated marketing channel targeting the United States. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed a surge of online activity which prompted us to recognize the immense potential of Amazon as a customer-friendly search engine for accessing our products. Consequently, we developed new Amazon strategies that focused on analyzing customer reviews to extract keywords that could be used to improve digital content such as product detail pages and ads. This fine-tuned our ability to target consumers and enabled us to better communicate our products' unique selling points thereby expanding our marketplace presence. Ms. Lee shared that in 2022 alone, COSRX experienced outstanding success with an average growth of +266% in overall sales and +105% with hero products. In addition, the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence proudly secured the position of "#1 Best Seller" in Amazon's Facial Serums category, surpassing numerous renowned skincare brands and solidifying COSRX's leadership in the industry. The essence's exceptional performance during the latest Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BFCM) promotion, where it outperformed other best-selling beauty products, further reaffirmed COSRX's global accomplishments.

COSRX's participation in the "Embrace Asian Experience, Vietnamese Brands Go Global" event at CBEC marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey towards global success. With a steadfast commitment to providing effective skincare solutions and leveraging CBEC opportunities, COSRX continues to solidify its position as a global leader in the beauty industry. Meanwhile, the brand's global reach extends to over 146 countries, with the brand already present on various Amazon marketplaces, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In 2023, COSRX plans to expand into additional marketplaces, demonstrating its commitment to meeting the rising global demand for its exceptional skincare products. About COSRX: With its powerful yet affordable skincare solutions, COSRX has quickly become one of America's favorite skincare brands. Using a minimal number of highly effective natural extracts in concentrated doses, COSRX products deliver visible results by treating the skin with only the essentials it needs and nothing it doesn't. Find its best-selling skincare solutions at retailers nationwide, including Amazon, ULTA, JCPenney, Target and Dermstore. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cosrx

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cosrx_official

COSRX Official Website: https://www.cosrx.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/cosrx-to-showcase-global-success-at-the-cross-border-e-commerce-conference-in-vietnam-themed-embrace-asian-experience-vietnamese-brands-go-global-301865902.html SOURCE COSRX

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[June 28, 2023] ACAMS Launches Korea Chapter, Announces CAMS Korean Scholarship Winners Tweet

The new chapter for AFC professionals comes as part of ACAMS' ongoing commitment to support the fight against illicit finance throughout Korea WASHINGTON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ACAMS, a leading global membership organization dedicated to ending illicit finance, is strengthening its support for anti-financial crime professionals in Korea with the creation of a new ACAMS chapter and a scholarship program for Korean anti-financial crime (AFC) professionals. The new chapterthe 64th in the ACAMS networkwill serve as a platform for ongoing education, knowledge-sharing, and networking for AFC practitioners engaged in financial-crime prevention in Korea's public and private sectors. Attended by AFC professionals from Korea, the launch in Seoul featured opening remarks by Korean Member of Parliament Yun ChangHyun and a special keynote address by Joshua Johnson, Senior Sanctions Coordinator for the Office of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation at the U.S. Department of State. As part of the launch, the chapter convened a panel of experts to discuss building public-private partnerships to fight illicit finance, featuring speakers Ryu YoungHo, Team Leader at the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), Kendrick Yeung, Deputy Attache for U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Jean Chung Managing Director, Regional Head, CFCC Advisory, at Standard Chartered, and Hwang SeokJin, a professor at Dongkuk University. At the event, ACAMS separately announced 6 winners of the CAMS Scholarship for Korean compliance practitioners in the AFC space. In addition to receiving a one-yea membership to ACAMS, the scholarship winners will seek to become Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (CAMS) with a full waiver of associated fees for study materials.



Widely viewed as the global gold standard certification for anti-money laundering (AML) professionals, the CAMS program trains applicants on the international standards for detecting, investigating, and reporting suspicious financial activity and illicit money flows. "As a platform for cross-sector collaboration in the AFC space, our chapters reflect the core belief of ACAMS that we are more effective in preventing illicit finance when we work together," said ACAMS COO Mariah Gause. "The new ACAMS Korea Chapter will help drive conversations on how to fight financial crime more effectively and foster a community of dedicated AFC professionals who will share best practices on safeguarding the financial sector and saving lives."

"We're also proud to award our CAMS Scholarship to 6 remarkable Korean professionals to support their compliance journeys," she said. "As our first scholarship designed for a national market, this initiative reflects the commitment shared by ACAMS and the recipients to prevent criminals from exploiting Korea's private sector. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented scholarship recipients." Find out more about the ACAMS Korea Chapter, including how to join, here: https://www.acams.org/en/chapters/apac/korea-chapter Learn more about the CAMS Scholarship program and the new winners here: https://www.acams.org/en/resources/diversity-equity-inclusion/scholarships About ACAMS ACAMS is a leading international membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities for anti-financial crime (AFC) education, best practices, and peer-to-peer networking to AFC professionals globally. With over 100,000 members across 180 jurisdictions, ACAMS is committed to the mission of ending financial crime through the provision of anti-money laundering/counterterrorism-financing and sanctions knowledge-sharing, thought leadership, risk-mitigation services, ESG initiatives, and platforms for public-private dialogue. The association's CAMS certification is the gold- standard qualification for AFC professionals, while its CGSS and CCAS certifications are for sanctions professionals and AFC practitioners working in the crypto space, respectively. ACAMS' 60+ Chapters globally further amplify the association's mission through training and networking initiatives. Visit acams.org for more information. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/acams-launches-korea-chapter-announces-cams-korean-scholarship-winners-301865293.html SOURCE Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)

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Generational Associates Named Emerging Leaders by The M&A Advisor

Generational Group, a leading investment banking firm for privately held businesses, is pleased to announce that two of its M&A professionals, Jacob Mangalath and Corey Painter, have been named as 2023 Emerging Leaders in the financial services industry by The M&A Advisor.

The recognition of Generational's Emerging Leaders comes on the heels of The Global M&A Network recently naming Generational the USA Investment Bank of the Year.

Jacob Mangalath, Vice President, M&A in Generational's Dallas office, works with clients in managing the marketing of their businesses and negotiating successful transactions that maximize value and help achieve their financial goals. Jacob has over ten years of M&A advisory, deal negotiation, corporate valuation, and market research experience.

As Managing Director, M&A, Corey Painter is a senior member of the Eastern North American M&A team at Generational. In his leadership role, he guides and supports a team of M&A advisors with client positioning strategy, financial preparation, marketing, and transaction management.

The M&A Advisor, now in its 25th year, was founded to offer insights and intelligence on mergers and acquisitions, establishing the industry's leading media outlet. Today, The M&A Advisor is recognized as the world's premier leadership organization for mergers & acquisitions, restructuring and corporate finance professionals.

The M&A Advisor will host a black-tie Awards Gala in New York City on September 19-20, 2023, to introduce the Emerging Leaders Award Winners to the business community and celebrate their achievements. The Emerging Leaders Awards Gala is a feature of the 2023 Leadership in Dealmaking Summit. This exclusive event will pair current and past Emerging Leaders winners together with their peers and industry stalwarts.

"I am so proud of the accomplishments of Jacob and Corey," Brenen Hofstadter, Generational's Chief M&A Officer said. "Ihave had the pleasure of watching them develop over the past 10+ years as leading M&A professionals with our firm and I am very pleased that our industry is recognizing them with these awards."







Ryan Binkley, President and CEO of Generational added, "I congratulate both Jacob and Corey on being recognized by The M&A Advisor. They personify the Core Values our Company is based on, and I look forward to their continued growth as individuals and professionals."

Roger Aguinaldo, Founder and CEO of The M&A Advisor said: "The Emerging Leaders Awards were born as the '40 Under 40 Awards' in 2010 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of young M&A, Financing and Turnaround professionals who have reached a significant level of success and made notable contributions to their industry and community. With the challenges undertaken over the past three years, especially through the pandemic and challenging economic uncertainty, the 2023 award recipients join a truly remarkable, global network of outstanding young professionals."

"In the previous 13 years," Aguinaldo added "The M&A Advisor has recognized over a thousand professionals who remain at the top of their professions. Emerging Leader Award winners will continue to have a significant effect on the advancement of our industry. Through the support of business, philanthropic, academic and personal development experts, we are establishing a connected "leadership community" with the mandate to empower these successful young professionals to improve the life experiences of others through their career."

For a complete list of the 2023 Emerging Leaders Award Winners click here.

About Generational Group

Generational Equity, Generational Capital Markets (member FINRA/SIPC), Generational Wealth Advisors, Generational Consulting Group and DealForce are part of Generational Group, which is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

With more than 350 professionals located throughout 16 offices in North America, the companies help business owners release the wealth of their business by providing growth consulting, merger, acquisition, and wealth management services. The Generational suite of advisory services includes strategic growth consulting, exit planning education, business valuation, value enhancement strategies, M&A services, and wealth management.

The M&A Advisor named Generational Equity Investment Banking Firm of the Year three years in a row, Valuation Firm of the Year in 2020, and North American Investment Bank of the Year in 2022 as well as Consulting Firm of the Year. The Global M&A Network named Generational USA Investment Bank of the Year in 2023. For more information, visit https://www.genequityco.com/ or the Generational Equity press room.

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[June 28, 2023] DATABLE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR Q4 AND 2022 YEAR END RESULTS AND UPDATE FOR YEAR-TO-DATE 2023 Tweet

VANCOUVER, BC, June 28, 2023 /CNW/ - Datable Technology Corporation (TSXV: DAC) (OTC Pink: TTMZF) (the "Company" or "Datable" or "DTC"), the developer of a proprietary, SaaS-based Consumer Lifecycle and Data Management Platform called PLATFORM3, is pleased to announce its financial results for the quarter ("Q4 2022" and the year ended December 31, 2022 ("Fiscal 2022"). In 2022, the Company achieved the following milestones: Revenue increased by 12% to $3,944,911 compared to $3,532,318 in 2021 due to the increase in contracted project deliveries and transactional orders completed in the year.





compared to in 2021 due to the increase in contracted project deliveries and transactional orders completed in the year. One hundred precent of annual and multi-year SaaS licenses renewed, all with leading U.S. based large enterprises.





Had agreements to provide PLATFORM 3 to leading Brands, accounting for total contracted revenue of approximately $6.2 million , including over $2.2 million of revenue expected to be recognized in 2023 and future periods. Total contracted revenue includes agreements signed in the year and multi-year agreements carried forward from prior years.





to leading Brands, accounting for total contracted revenue of approximately , including over of revenue expected to be recognized in 2023 and future periods. Total contracted revenue includes agreements signed in the year and multi-year agreements carried forward from prior years. Total operating expenses decreased by 12% compared to 2021 due to cost-cutting implemented in the second half of 2022. The Company is also pleased to provide the following 2023 updates: Datable has implemented significant cost-cutting such that operating expenses are expected to be reduced by approximately fifty percent in 2023 compared to 2022.





As of the date of this news release, Datable has license agreements that amount to approximately $3.6 million in revenue under contract for 2023 and future periods, of which 56% is expected to be recognized as revenue in 2023. This includes approximately $3.2 million in contracted revenues and close to $0.4 million in expected program fees from customers. Datable expects gross margin to increase to between 40% and 50% in 2023, due to a change in product mix to a higher percentage of high-margin SaaS licenses and improvements in operational efficiency.





in revenue under contract for 2023 and future periods, of which 56% is expected to be recognized as revenue in 2023. This includes approximately in contracted revenues and close to in expected program fees from customers. Datable expects gross margin to increase to between 40% and 50% in 2023, due to a change in product mix to a higher percentage of high-margin SaaS licenses and improvements in operational efficiency. On June 16, 2023 , the Company announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with LMSG to sell its software-as-a-service business in exchange for a 15% interest in LMSG. "We are encouraged by our revenue growth in 2022 despite a challenging environment. All of our core customers renewed their licenses in 2022. Long-term licensees of PLATFORM3 have built valuable first-party consumer databases hosted on our platform and use the tools it provides to drive incremental sales and enhance consumer engagement. While it was difficult to secure new customers in 2022, and some of the contracted programs were delayed based on the economic environment, we signed a new major customer in late 20222 and are re-building our sales pipeline in 2023," said Robert Craig, Datable's CEO. "We have proven that PLATFORM3 drives strong ROI and meets the scalability and security needs of Fortune 500 companies. We believe that the sale of our business to LMSG will provide the resources needed to scale PLATFORM3 and unlock value for Datable's shareholders, debenture holders and customers." Results of Operations: Revenue for year ended December 31, 2022 increased by 12% to $3,944,911, compared with $3,532,318 in 2021 due t overall increase in average contract value, project deliveries and transactional orders compared to 2021. DTC's PLATFORM3 product is an integrated suite of digital marketing applications sold as SaaS for short-term promotions or on an annual subscription basis with recurring revenues. Revenue in the current year reflected recognition of revenue from previous year contracts and new sales of the PLATFORM3 product offering.



Revenue growth for the year of 2022 was partly due to improvements in the functionality of PLATFORM3. In late 2020, DTC launched version 5.0 of PLATFORM3 which included new modules that extended and deepened its differentiation in the market by launching a break-through feature on PLATFORM3 - Dynamic Messaging and Rewards (DMR). This feature empowers brands to deploy omnichannel communications, retargeting and contextual rewards to induce consumer purchases based on their previous and ongoing purchase behavior and Brand engagement. DMR transforms PLATFORM3 into a self-regulating continuous feedback loop for ongoing sales. Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 12% to $1,217,892, compared to $1,378,877 in 2021. The Company's cost of sales for the year ended December 31, 2022 increased by 27% to $2,727,019, compared to $2,153,441 in 2021 due to change in product mix and increase in delivery resources in 2022.

Gross margin as a percentage of revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 was 31%, compared to 39% in 2021. The decrease for the year ended December 31, 2022 was due to higher growth in lower margin services compared to the licensing and Software as a Service product. Gross margin depends on the product mix for the reporting period. Revenues are comprised of a combination of higher margin sales of PLATFORM3, the Company's proprietary Software as a Service product, and reward service combined with some lower margin third party services. The Company's gross margin as a percentage of revenue is expected to improve in 2023, compared to 2022, due to product mix and investments in our technology to automate the integration, delivery, and testing of our services. Cost of sales includes an API connection to third party digital rewards platforms. This service enables DTC clients to offer digital rewards such as gift cards, movie tickets and virtual visas to incentivize purchase and purchase frequency. DTC purchases these rewards on behalf of the Company's clients and charges a transaction fee for the total amount of rewards purchased. Cost of sales also includes the cost of servers to host PLATFORM3, and project management and customer support staff. General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 15% to $1,637,584, compared to $1,928,978 in 2021. The decrease for the year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to a decrease in corporate consultancy fees, professional fees, investor relations and general administration. Sales and marketing expenses include wages and salaries, consulting fees, travel expenses, and advertising and licenses. Sales and marketing expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 44% to $803,716, compared to $1,443,503 in 2021. The decrease for the year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to reduction in staff resources and consultants paid in connection with advertising, sales and marketing activities. Research and development expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2022 increased by 5% to $1,827,444, compared to $1,740,083 in 2021. The increase in research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 was related to enhancement to PLATFORM3, developing platform flexxi and increased staff resources. Research and development expenses in 2023 are expected to decrease due to the completion of enhancements to PLATFORM3. Net and comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 1% to $4,520,444, compared to $4,587,712 in 2021. The slight decrease in net loss for year ended December 31, 2022 was mainly due to the delay of sales and marketing expenses, reduction of general and administrative spendings, partially offset by the growth in revenue. Datable expects a decrease in net and comprehensive loss in 2023 due to increased revenues and gross margin, and a decrease in expenses. About Datable Technology Corporation Datable has developed PLATFORM3 a proprietary Consumer Lifecycle and Data Management Platform that is sold to global consumer brands. PLATFORM3 is delivered as a subscription service (Software as a Service model) and used by some of the worlds' most valuable consumer brands to access new consumer communities and engage them while collecting, analyzing, and managing their first-party data. PLATFORM3 incorporates proprietary technology to monetize the consumer data, including demographics and purchasing behaviour, by sending consumers targeted offers by email and text messages. For more information, visit datablecorp.com. For additional information about the company please visit www.sedar.com. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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 forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors  including the availability of funds and the results of financing efforts,  that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Datable Technology Corp.

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[June 28, 2023] utu Closes US$33 Million Deal, Acquires SC Ventures-Incubated CardsPal to Re-engineer Tax-Free Shopping Globally Tweet

SINGAPORE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Singapore-based travel-tech company utu today announced its acquisition of CardsPal  a Singapore-based platform  along with closing a deal of US$33 million in combined transaction value. The deal, comprising of the acquisition and a funding round, consists of both a portion of new funding, with SC Ventures participating, and the roll-over of earlier funding from Singapore-based investors, who supported the company through the pandemic. With CardsPal's plentiful hyper-localised rewards promotions and existing infrastructure, the acquisition in particular will allow utu to accelerate growth by leveraging the platform's unique mobile-first technology and superb talent. Pivotal to utu's decision to acquire CardsPal is SC Ventures' support incubating the startup to become a full-fledged tech platform that utu can leverage to expand its reach in major tax-free shopping markets in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and beyond. Travel has rebounded after the pandemic, with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasting the industry to reach US$9.5 trillion in 2023, or 95% of 2019's pre-pandemic peak. Despite this remarkable turnaround, McKinsey reports that only about 1% of venture funding in the past 15 years has gone to travel, mostly in short-term rental hospitality. The tax-free shopping sector is especially subject to this innovation lag, and the high cost of refund processing tends to dissipate the benefits of refunds to travellers. Re-engineering tax-free shopping to bring more value to partners and travellers tu, co-founded by travel retail and VAT refund veteran Asad Jumabhoy, is addressing these hurdles. Rather than just competing with existing players, utu collaborates with refund and travel industry partners, enhancing refund value through innovative B2B and B2C solutions. With a reengineered approach that links payments, rewards, and shopping, utu introduces new value for the entire tax-free shopping value chain.



Asad Jumabhoy, co-founder and CEO of utu, said: "The cross-border travel market is ripe for a technology-driven transformation, with tax-free shopping presenting vast untapped potential. By enhancing the value of VAT and GST refunds for travellers, we've reimagined the cross-border retail experience and devised a technology-based business model unlocking previously inaccessible value." utu offers users two primary value-centric benefits when they opt to receive tax refunds via their utu Tax Free Card. Travellers can gain up to 40% more value by choosing frequent flyer miles or hotel points over cash refunds. Secondly, utu can issue an immediate store voucher equivalent to up to 120% of the tax.

For its partners  such as retailers, airlines, and other travel industry players  utu can potentially boost their revenue from tourist shopping by up to 40% and is already delivering this value through key relationships with 10 leading global airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Emirates, EVA Air, and Thai Airways, as well as Europe's largest hospitality brand, Accor. Flourishing capacity and reach The CardsPal acquisition equips utu with a digital marketplace, a unique promotions engine, a self-service merchant registration portal, and more. Its technology and mobile-first technology talent will expedite utu's rollout in major tax-free shopping markets like Thailand, Singapore and Australia, offering VAT and GST refunds. Gautam Jain, Member, at SC Ventures said: "CardsPal is a great example of why we at SC Ventures believe in the power of innovation and support our employees to have transformational impact. Through SC Ventures' Intrapreneurship Program, CardsPal grew to become a substantial business with award winning UX. We look forward to utu's continued success scaling its products across the globe using CardsPal's technology." About utu utu (pronounced "you-too") is transforming tax-free shopping worldwide by empowering travellers with the freedom to obtain a higher VAT refund, by going beyond digitizing refunds to re-engineer the tax-free shopping value chain to the benefit of travellers. Founded in 2015 in Singapore, utu can now be used in over 50 countries. For more information, visit www.utu.global or download the utu app at https://utu.global/get-the-app/. About SC Ventures SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform and catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models. For more information, please visit www.scventures.io and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/utu-closes-us33-million-deal-acquires-sc-ventures-incubated-cardspal-to-re-engineer-tax-free-shopping-globally-301865890.html SOURCE UTU

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[June 28, 2023] Growth for Growth: utu Expansion to Harness Booming Middle East Travel Tweet

Travel-tech company raises US$33 Million, Acquires SC Ventures-Incubated CardsPal to Bring More Value to Travellers DUBAI, UAE, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- utu , a travel technology company transforming the customer experience in tax-free shopping, has closed a deal of US$33 million in combined transaction value. The deal, comprising of an acquisition and a funding round, consists of both a portion of new funding, with SC Ventures participating, and the roll-over of earlier funding from Singapore-based investors, marking a major milestone in scaling up the brand's endeavours to transform tax-free shopping experiences worldwide. Using the Covid hiatus to establish key partnerships with global airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, along with hotel chains and retail brands, utu will use the funds to further expand rewards opportunities for tax-free shopping. In May 2023, the UN World Tourism Organisation published data showing that the Middle East was the first region in the world to reach and exceed pre-pandemic travel levels during Q1 of 2023, surpassing 2019 figures by 15%. With growth of internal resources to meet this external growth in the region and beyond, utu, co-founded by travel retail and VAT refund veteran Asad Jumabhoy, is poised to disrupt the travel shopping industry by re-engineering the tax refund process, reaching more travellers. Re-engineering tax-free shopping with Middle East rewards partners Rather than competing with existing players, utu collaborates with refund and travel industry partners, enhancing refund value through innovative B2B and B2C solutions. With a reengineered approach that links payments, rewards, and shopping, utu introduces new value for tourist shoppers, retailers, VT refund operators and the entire tax-free shopping value chain.



In the Middle East, this value chain extends to major airlines, specifically their frequent flyer programs. With Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, and the Qatar Airways Privilege Club as rewards partners, utu allows users to earn miles with VAT refunds with increased value and to choose among several top regional carriers' rewards programs. It also partners with Accor, Europe's largest hospitality brand. Asad Jumabhoy, co-founder and CEO of utu, commented: "The cross-border travel market is ripe for a technology-driven transformation, with tax-free shopping presenting vast untapped potential. By enhancing the value of VAT and GST refunds for travellers, we've reimagined the cross-border retail experience and devised a technology-based business model unlocking previously inaccessible value. This strategy benefits all stakeholders while also enabling governments to compliantly recycle VAT refunds within their borders."

In re-engineering the refund process, utu offers users two primary value-centric benefits when they opt to receive tax refunds via their utu Tax Free Card. Firstly, travellers can gain up to 40% more value by opting for frequent flyer miles or hotel points over cash refunds. Secondly, utu can issue an immediate store voucher equivalent to up to 120% of the VAT or GST paid during overseas shopping. Accelerating availability of utu worldwide The CardsPal acquisition equips utu with a digital marketplace, a unique promotions engine, a self-service merchant registration portal, and more. This technology will expedite utu's rollout in major tax-free shopping markets like the UAE alongside some 50 countries offering VAT and GST refunds. Additionally, utu is developing plans to integrate CardsPal's hyper-localised retail experience into an improved pay-with-points offer more value. Gautam Jain, Member, at SC Ventures said: "CardsPal is a great example of why we at SC Ventures believe in the power of innovation and support our employees to have transformational impact. Through SC Ventures' Intrapreneurship Program, CardsPal grew to become a substantial business with award winning UX. We look forward to utu's continued success scaling its products across the globe using CardsPal's technology." About utu utu is a travel technology company on a mission to enrich the tax-free shopping experience. Leveraging over 27 years of sector expertise, co-founders Asad and Ameer Jumabhoy sought to create a platform that firmly positions tourists at the heart of the international shopping experience. By making use of innovative cross-border rewards technology, utu is able to reward travellers for every tax-free shopping transaction across 50 countries and with any VAT Refund Operator (VRO). utu is changing the world of tax-free shopping, transforming a once administrative process into a more rewarding experience for everyone involved - brands, VROs and tourists. SC Ventures SC Ventures is a business unit that provides a platform and catalyst for Standard Chartered to promote innovation, invest in disruptive financial technology and explore alternative business models. For more information, please visit www.scventures.io and follow SC Ventures on LinkedIn. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/growth-for-growth-utu-expansion-to-harness-booming-middle-east-travel-301866002.html

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[June 28, 2023] XPONENTIAL ALERT: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is Investigating Xponential Fitness, Inc. on Behalf of Xponential Stockholders and Encourages Investors to Contact the Firm Tweet

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Xponential Fitness, Inc. ("Xponential" or the "Company") (NYSE: XPOF) on behalf of Xponential stockholders. Our investigation concerns whether Xponential has violated the federal securities laws and/or engaged in other unlawful business practices. Click here to participate in the action. Xponential purports to be the largest global franchisor of boutique fitness brands and went public on July 21, 2021 at $12.00 per share. On April 6, 2022, an entity affiliated with Xponential's Chairman of the Board sold 5.175M shares at $20.00 per share in a secondary offering. On February 8, 2023, Xponential's founder and CEO, Anthony Geisler, and the Chairman's entity sold 5.75 million shares at $24.50 per share in another secondary equity offering. Before the market opened on June 27, 2023, Fuzzy Panda Research published a reort Xponential Fitness (XPOF) - "Abusive Franchisor That Is A House of Cards". The report alleges Geisler, "has a long history of misleading investors and business partners.We discovered XPOF is hiding the fact that many of their brands and franchisees are struggling."



On this news, Xponential's stock price has fallen intraday $7.62 per share to $17.51, a drop of 30.3% on very heavy volume. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Xponential shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at [email protected], by telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628183736/en/

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[June 28, 2023] Huawei Launches Four Intelligent OptiX Innovative Practices of F5.5G, Accelerating 10Gbps Take-off Tweet

SHANGHAI, June 28, 2023 /CNW/ -- At the Huawei Product & Solution Innovation and Practice launch event held during 2023 MWC in Shanghai, Huawei took the opportunity to launch four Intelligent OptiX innovative practices of F5.5G, in scenarios of smart home, small and micro enterprises, smart manufacturing and metro network. Richard Jin, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, stated that 1Gbps has been everywhere, and 10Gbps is taking off. In the past year, Huawei's F5.5G innovations, such as FTTR F30/B30, 50G PON, Alps-WDM, and 400G/800G, have been widely adopted in Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It deeply changed people's life and work. We hope more carriers and partners to join the F5.5G innovation and practice and work together to embrace "10Gbps Everywhere". In terms of smart homes, over 4.6 million household users are using Huawei FTTR to create 1Gbps home Wi-Fi connection. In Brazil , Oi and Huawei took the initiative to put FTTR into commercial use in Latin America . They leveraged the ultra-high bandwidth, ultra-wide coverage, ultra-high concurrency, and 5A-level services to build smart homes featuring whole-house ultra-gigabit and whole-house intelligence fo users, thereby improving efficiency, consumer satisfaction and ARPU for Oi.









, Oi and Huawei took the initiative to put FTTR into commercial use in . They leveraged the ultra-high bandwidth, ultra-wide coverage, ultra-high concurrency, and 5A-level services to build smart homes featuring whole-house ultra-gigabit and whole-house intelligence fo users, thereby improving efficiency, consumer satisfaction and ARPU for Oi. In terms of small and micro enterprises, tens of thousands of enterprises have adopted Huawei FTTR solution. Leveraging B30's advantages such as ultra-gigabit Wi-Fi, 300 concurrent terminals, and app-based intelligent O&M, China Unicom Henan released the FTTR B30 fusion package applicable to various scenarios including offices, supermarkets, convenience stores and security protection. Over the past six months, China Unicom Henan has attracted nearly 10,000 enterprise users, and increased consumer satisfaction by 20%, enabling the digital transformation of small and micro enterprises.





In terms of smart manufacturing, China Telecom Research Institute worked with Huawei to complete the world's first 50G PONbased industrial Internet pilot. Huawei's 50G PON provides 10Gbps bandwidth for campuses, provides reliable and flexible access for industrial Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), and achieves a 10-fold improvement in inspection efficiency, realizing positive benefits for smart manufacturing. At present, Huawei has been conducting the innovation verification for its 50G PON solution together with over 30 partners around the world.







Using Huawei's Alps-WDM, China Unicom Chongqing has built metro networks with the optimal TCO. Huawei's Alps-WDM increased the single-wavelength rate from 10G to 100G at the integrated access site, and created a bandwidth resource pool shared by multiple areas for on-demand usage. It also helped created an ultra-low latency circle with "1ms coverage of the main city, 2.5ms coverage of the entire city, and 3ms coverage of Chengdu - Chongqing dual cities". Till now, Huawei's Alps-WDM has dozens of commercial applications worldwide. The 10Gbps era is just around the corner. Huawei calls on all parties in the industry to innovate and enrich F5.5G application scenarios together and apply F5.5G to all aspects of the digital economy. In doing so, we can embrace "10Gbps Everywhere". View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-launches-four-intelligent-optix-innovative-practices-of-f5-5g-accelerating-10gbps-take-off-301866524.html SOURCE Huawei

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[June 29, 2023] Fidelis Insurance Holdings Limited Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering Tweet

Fidelis Insurance Holdings Limited, a global (re)insurance company, headquartered in Bermuda with offices in Ireland and the United Kingdom (the "Company"), announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of an aggregate of 15,000,000 common shares at a price to the public of $14.00 per common share. Of the offered shares, 7,142,857 are being offered by the Company and 7,857,143 are being offered by certain of the Company's existing shareholders. In addition, the underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to buy up to an additional 2,250,000 common shares from the selling shareholders at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The common shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "FIHL" on June 29, 2023, and the offering is expected to close on July 3, 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds it receives from the offering to make capital contributions to its insurance operating subsidiaries, which, together with other sources of liquidity, should enable the Company to take advantage of the ongoing rate hardening in the key markets in which it participates by writing more business under its planned strategy. The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of its common shares by the selling shareholders. J.P. Morgan, Barclays and Jefferies are acting as Joint Lead Bookrunning Managers for the offering. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel company, BMO Capital Markets, Citigroup and UBS Investment Bank are acting as Joint Bookrunning Managers for the offering. JMP Securities, A Citizens Company and Dowling & Partners Securities are acting as co-managers for the offering. The offering of the Company's common shares is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Fiancial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, by telephone at 1-866-471-2526 or by email at [email protected]; Barclays Capital Inc. c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 115 Long Island Avenue Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (888) 603-5847 or by email at [email protected]; and Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388 or by email at [email protected].



A registration statement relating to the common shares was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2023. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the common shares, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale 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 that state or jurisdiction. About Fidelis

Fidelis Insurance Group ("FIHL") is a global (re)insurance company, headquartered in Bermuda with offices in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Our business focuses on three pillars: Specialty, Bespoke, and Reinsurance. We manage volatility thorough our balanced and diversified portfolio. Our strong capital position provides us with the flexibility to engage in attractive underwriting opportunities. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may include forward-looking statements. The words "expect", "intends", "should," and similar expressions (or their negative) identify certain of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are statements regarding the Company's intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, the Company's results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the industry in which the Company operates. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future. Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks, uncertainties and contingencies because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future market conditions, currency fluctuations, the behavior of other market participants, the actions of regulators and other factors such as the Company's ability to continue to obtain financing to meet its liquidity needs, changes in the political, social and regulatory framework in which the Company operates or in economic or technological trends or conditions. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628460371/en/

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[June 29, 2023] July's Exhibition Highlight: Business Summit 'BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference, Exploring New Economy of Business and Technology Integration Tweet

HONG KONG, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The grand launch of "BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference 2023" (BGOV) will take place at Hall 3FG, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai from 12  14 July. The conference is going to showcase a technological extravaganza of next-generation technology as well as the latest trends and applications of technology for the future. Over 160 experts and corporates converge to share insights This year's exhibition showcases over 130 cutting-edge technology solutions, accompanied by the participation of more than 160 industry experts and corporate leaders giving more than 100 sessions of insightful conferences on trending tech issues. The conference aims to help operators and investors from various industries keep updated on the latest technology applications and capitalise on the opportunities afforded by the digital economy. BGOV anticipates hosting and convening 8,000 corporate and industry buyers in three days, providing them with a valuable opportunity to expand their network and gain insights into future business and technological developments. As the organiser of the event, Ms Culsin Li, Managing Director of Baobab Tree Event, emphasises that the integration of business and technology in today's fast-changing business environment is imperative, rather than optional. According to her, to establish an invulnerable position in the business world, leaders and operators must adopt a forward-thinking mindset, explore future trends, and stay at the forefront of emerging trends. She also highlights that BGOV delivers the most state-of-the-art technology applications and business trends to industry leaders, empowering them to stay at the forefront of their respective fields and seize all available business opportunities. Top-notch innovative technology solutions in 9 exhibition areas 'Smart Business Activation' has become the development direction for both international and local conglomerates as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Yet, the 'activation' has to be further driven by continuously strengthening knowledge and capabilities in innovation and technology to keep businesses up with the changing times. This year, BGOV has arranged nine exhibition areas to feature innovative and inspiring solutions from leading exhibitors. Cloud and Edge Computing: Efficient Information Management

FinTech: Simplifying Transaction Processes

Cybersecurity: Strengthening Information Protection

Web 3.0: Driving the Virtual Economy

Marketing Technology: Enhancing Advertising Effectiveness

Immersive Technology: Creating Advanced Experiences

Artificial Intelligence: Improving Work Speed, Accuracy, and Efficiency

Sustainable Development/ESG: Strengthening Corporate Future Competitiveness through Green Technology

Enterprise Digital Transformation: Smart Business Activation While the diverse exhibitions provide a platform for companies to get a handle on different technology applications, the conference also actively encourages companies to integrate innovative elements into their operations, sparking creativity and development in technology integration. This year, the exhibition includes two new themed areas, the 'Immersive Experience Zone' and the 'ESG Zone'. In the 'Immersive Experience Zone', exhibitors take visitors on a guided tour of various immersive tecnologies, including Metaverse, AR, VR, XR, and even IR demonstrations. Furthermore, participants can partake in the MUXIC  Virtual Music Concert, a unique fusion of reality and virtual performances, indulging in an intricate and immersive music feast.



Over s160 exciting conferences in collaboration with 12 industry associations covering various fields In keeping with tradition, the 'BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference 2023' is poised to offer a wealth of rich and cutting-edge topics. This year's BGOV Conference, collaborating with 12 industry associations, presents over 160 stimulating forums covering diverse fields and areas, aiming to explore the latest market trends and the most innovative technologies. Among the selected topics are:

In the opening forum, leaders from Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, Microsoft Hong Kong and Macau , and SenseTime share their expertise and engage in a compelling discussion on 'The Application and Future Development of AI'.





, and SenseTime share their expertise and engage in a compelling discussion on 'The Application and Future Development of AI'. The Big Four accounting firms - Deloitte China , Ernst & Young, KPMG China, and PricewaterhouseCoopers - come together to explore the development and implementation of virtual assets in Hong Kong . This discussion is followed by prominent companies such as HKVAX, Treelion Foundation, and ZA Bank, who then analyse 'Opportunities and Challenges Faced under the VASP Licensing Regime'.





, Ernst & Young, KPMG China, and PricewaterhouseCoopers - come together to explore the development and implementation of virtual assets in . This discussion is followed by prominent companies such as HKVAX, Treelion Foundation, and ZA Bank, who then analyse 'Opportunities and Challenges Faced under the VASP Licensing Regime'. Participants who are interested in exploring smart cities from around the world can do so. Cargo Sous Terrain, Huawei, MIT Design X, NEOM, The University of Hong Kong , and Urban-Air Port share multiple world-class smart city projects with the audience through a hybrid of physical and online modes. In addition, a host of well-known companies, including Accenture, Cathay Pacific Airways, Chinachem Group, China Mobile, China Unicom, CSL Mobile, Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings, Hang Lung Properties, Lenovo, PCCW Solutions, Link REIT, L'Occitane, Maxim's, NVIDIA, SmarTone, are present to share their insights on 'Business x Technology' and unveil the essence of technology enhancing productivity. A never-ending flow of business interactions over three days On top of the rich content, the conference places great emphasis on communication and interaction among participants, creating continuous opportunities for networking. On the first day, a C-levels Leadership Gathering takes place, bringing together industry elites to stimulate possibilities through face-to-face communication and interaction, thereby creating more business value through cross-industry cooperation. The second day features the BUSINESS GOVirtual Tech Awards Ceremony and networking activities, where Tech Award-winning companies explore the boundless possibilities of future technology with participants. On the third day, with a focus on ESG and smart cities, discussions delve into ways to leverage technology to enable urban decarbonisation and energy conservation for the future! BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference will be offering free admission for the public on a first-come, first-served basis. For pre-registration, please visit https://bit.ly/3Jv05se ,For more details, please visit govirtualexpohk.com. Venue: Hall 3FG, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Date & Time:

12 July (Wed) 09:30 - 18:00

13 July (Thur) 09:30 - 18:00

14 July (Fri) 09:30 - 17:00 About the Organiser A multi-disciplinary event & exhibition specialist, Baobab Tree Event Management Co., Ltd. (BTE) organizes and manages an array of exhibitions and mega events in Hong Kong and mainland China to create business opportunities for different industries. Their shows include: BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference  the first B2B "Tech x Business" event in Hong Kong to showcase key technological advancements for social and business engagement for the new digital era;

to showcase key technological advancements for social and business engagement for the new digital era; Vegetarian Food Asia  the most comprehensive vegetarian and green living exhibition in Hong Kong ;

; BEYOND WOMEN FEST  an event dedicated to women who are pursuing healthiness and quality of life; and

Southern China Smart Manufacturing & Innotech Fair  a trade show which aims to support the upgrade of electronic equipment through smart manufacturing by integrating the resources from the full industrial chain. BTE also owns an online community called "Taste of Veg" to promote vegetarian and green living lifestyle. Established in 2011, BTE is headquartered in Hong Kong with branches in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Apart from running its own shows, BTE takes great pride in being a strategic partner to its clients, contributing its expertise and capabilities to the success of more than 20 large-scale exhibitions and mega events annually. BTE manages some of the world's leading tradeshows and events, such as Beijing InfoComm China  Asia's number 1 Pro-AV and ICT exhibition; International Electronics Circuit Exhibition (Shenzhen)  the world's largest PCB & EA exhibition; Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival  one of Asia's largest wine & food events, and International Chinese New Year Night Parade  Hong Kong 's most attended public spectator event. To learn more BTE's expertise, please visit www.baobab-tree-event.com. BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo & Conference 2023

T: (852) 3520-3186

F: (852) 3520-3618

E: [email protected]com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/julys-exhibition-highlight-business-summit-business-govirtual-expo-and-conference-exploring-new-economy-of-business-and-technology-integration-301866795.html SOURCE BUSINESS GOVirtual Expo and Conference 2023

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Is Your 401(k) Bad for the Planet? 7 Ways To Make Your Retirement Plan Environmentally Friendly

deliormanli / Getty Images

If youre invested in a 401(k) retirement plan, congrats  youre doing something good for your financial future. However, theres a pretty big downside of many of these plans  theyre not great for the planet.

Retirement Savings: Experts Say This Magic Number Is the Key  and Its Not $1 Million

Learn: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement

How can a 401(k) be bad for the planet? According to a report from the Business Climate Finance Initiative and the CFA Institute, many of these retirement plans are invested in fossil fuels, which play a huge role in the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving intense climate change.

If you have a 401(k) retirement plan, chances are thatit is going heavily into oil, gas, and coal without you even knowing. Most companies invest that money in fossil fuels. Probably because there are not many options available, said Rayner Teo, founder of TradingwithRayner. But, with growing talk of making the world a better place, there are new options arising daily for sustainable investments. Here are several of those options to make your retirement plan more environmentally friendly.

Exclusionary Screening

Adam Garcia, a financial consultant and CEO of The Stock Dork, recommends several approaches to making your retirement more sustainable. The first, called exclusionary screening, involves excluding investments in certain industries or companies that engage in activities considered harmful or unethical, he said. For example, an investor may choose to avoid tobacco, weapons, or fossil fuel companies due to their negative impact on health, safety, or the environment. Exclusionary screening allows investors to align their portfolios with their values and avoid supporting industries that conflict with their sustainability goals.

This does require doing some research and it may also mean revising your financial goals, as there are fewer of what are called ESG funds (environmental, social and governance) that do not invest in these harmful industries.

Positive Screening

The other side of this approach is to do positive screening, which is to actively select investments in companies that demonstrate strong ESG practices and contribute positively to sustainability.

Garcia said,  look for companies with a strong track record in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting diversity and inclusion, or practicing transparent and ethical business operations. Positive screening enables investors to support and encourage sustainable practices through their investment choices.

Boomers Prefer To Retire Abroad: Top 5 Places To Retire Outside of the US

Impact Investing

Another approach is impact investing, which focuses on generating measurable social or environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Garcia explained, Investors specifically allocate funds to projects or companies that address pressing global challenges, such as renewable energy, affordable housing, or clean water initiatives.

This approach helps funnel money to create positive change and allows investors to directly contribute to solving sustainability issues while seeking financial returns.

Shareholder Advocacy

Additionally, though this wont change what youre invested in overnight, Garcia explained that shareholders of a company can engage in advocacy that encourages companies to undertake better ESG practices, transparency and accountability.

Investors leverage their ownership rights to influence corporate behavior through dialogue, resolutions, and voting at shareholder meetings. Shareholder advocacy allows investors to use their influence to drive positive change within companies, he said.

Proxy Voting

On a similar note, Brandon Juodikis, certified financial planner and founder of BRJ Wealth Management, suggests that shareholders attempt to engage in proxy voting, which, if available, allows them to vote on various issues related to company policies and practices, including environmental matters.

By exercising your voting rights, you can support positive change within the companies you invest in, he said.

Engage With Employers

If your current 401(k) plan does not offer sustainable investment options, dont just assume thats a closed case. Juodikis said, Consider engaging with your employer or HR department. Express your interest in having access to environmentally friendly investment choices and encourage them to consider including such options in the plans offerings. Your input can help drive change within your workplace retirement plan.

Consider a Self-Directed IRA

If your employers 401(k) plan doesnt align with your sustainability goals, you can explore opening a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA), Juodikis said. With a self-directed IRA, you have more control over your investment choices and can select funds or investments that are specifically focused on sustainable or socially responsible investing.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Is Your 401(k) Bad for the Planet? 7 Ways To Make Your Retirement Plan Environmentally Friendly
[June 29, 2023] Private ownership, long-term strategy drives double-digit growth for Lockton Tweet

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockton, the world's largest independent and privately held insurance brokerage, reported revenue growth of 17% on a constant currency basis, with reported organic revenue growth at 16% for its fiscal year ending April 30, 2023. Lockton reported global revenue of $3.1B compared to global revenue of $2.7B in fiscal 2022. Revenue growth metrics are presented on a constant currency basis. The company's strong FY23 revenue growth was posted while lapping record organic revenue growth of 27% in the prior fiscal year. Lockton's U.S. operations, international operations and global reinsurance business all posted double-digit organic growth, exemplifying the strength of an increasingly diversified platform. "The Lockton family is proud to perpetuate the company's private ownership generationally," said Ron Lockton, Executive Chairman. "Our continued commitment to a lower margin and reinvesting in client resources, talent and culture, drives great momentum and opportunity for our people. This growth is a direct outcome of the passion our teams exhibit for bringing the best solutions to clients." In fiscal year 2023, Lockton expanded its geographic footprint with new offices in Colombia, Oman, and Sweden, and bolstered its presence in Brazil with the recent acquisition of THB Brazil. This was in addition to significant investments and recruiting of top talent in cyber, Private Risk Solutions, marine and financial services solutions. Lockton's benefits practice also transitioned to People Solutions reflecting Lockton's holistic approach to helping clients be more successful by making their employees' lives better.



"Jack Lockton founded Lockton Companies in 1966 and believed that intense client focus, creating a caring culture, empowering people and remaining private would combine to create a special place for clients and exceptional talent," said Peter Clune, CEO.?"Our exponential growth is a result of us staying true to his business philosophies combined with the will of our people." Lockton's award-winning culture is recognized around the globe, including being certified as a Great Place to Work in Australia and Mexico, being awarded the highest honor by b-Heard in the U.K., and being recognized among the Best Places to Work in Insurance for 14 years in a row and as a U.S. Best Managed Company for three consecutive years.

About Lockton

What makes Lockton stand apart is also what makes us better: independence. Lockton's private ownership empowers its 10,750+ Associates doing business in over 140 countries to focus solely on clients' risk, insurance and people needs. With expertise that reaches around the globe, Lockton delivers the deep understanding needed to accomplish remarkable results. For more information, visit www.lockton.com. Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2143905/Lockton_CEO_Peter_Clune_on_the_reasons_for_their_success.mp4 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1024406/Lockton_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/private-ownership-long-term-strategy-drives-double-digit-growth-for-lockton-301866595.html

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[June 29, 2023] Pico Continues to Invest in Increased Capacity Adding 100Gbps Support to PicoNet in the US Tweet

100Gbps boosts data rates, enhancing throughput for improved performance

Scalable infrastructure supports growth, meeting evolving client needs

Seamlessly addresses upcoming OPRA feed expansion, ensuring uninterrupted data flow for future growth

NEW YORK, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pico, a leading global provider of mission-critical technology services, software, data and analytics for the financial markets community, today announced the expansion of its offerings to support the next frontier of connectivity - 100Gbps ethernet access. With its commitment to operational excellence, resilience, and increased capacity, Pico continues to drive investment into facilitating seamless support for 100Gbps across its product set. As data volumes saw exponential growth, Pico anticipated and aligned with the industry's demand for higher bandwidth and higher performance and implemented 40Gbps native connectivity in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, Pico introduced the Corvil CNE-10000 to ensure lossless capture and in-depth analytics to support 100Gbps connectivity. Additionally, in 2022, PicoNet updated its New York area network to support full 100Gbps within its core technology. Pico now enables clients to connect at the network edge and transmit market data and orders at 100Gbps across the wide area network between New York and Chicago. Pico has seen demand for higher bandwidth solutions as clients refresh their trading equipment with the latest technology and addres industry changes, including the expansion of the SIAC Options Pricing Regulatory Authority (OPRA) feed which is estimated to grow to nearly 40Gbps after it expands from 48 to 96 channels later this year. Pico will empower clients to handle options data spikes up to 60Gbps and to leverage our New York area network, PicoNet, for 100Gbps connectivity. Pico also continues to increase the capacity of its analytics for market data in response to such demand by substantially increasing the performance of the Corvil Analytics OPRA plug-in to meet its own requirements in managing OPRA market data quality over PicoNet. These increases are available to all Corvil Analytics clients.



100Gbps Ethernet access is the new standard for efficient connectivity. Were seeing a substantial increase in clients upgrading to compatible hardware to take advantage of the throughput and performance to support their trading infrastructure. Coupled with our award-winning Corvil Analytics for packet capture and data analysis, clients have the visibility they need to optimize their highest level of trading performance, said Kristen Pross, Managing Director, Product Management at Pico. The expansion of OPRA to 96 channels has helped accelerate this change, and the demand for higher bandwidth and speed continues to grow as clients look at opportunities to optimize their connectivity for success. Pico clients can now leverage 100Gbps ports in New York and Chicago to optimize connectivity in the data center, and data and order transfer between sites.

Clients can also easily leverage the Corvil CNE-10000 to ensure lossless capture and in-depth analytics to support their 100Gbps connectivity. Sustained 100Gbps capture of packets provides a forensic record of all network activity with real-time indexing to enable search, filter, and export of the packets of interest, compactly fitting into 2 rack units. Contact us to learn more about Picos 100Gbps Ethernet access and the power of Corvil capture and analytics. About Pico

Pico is a leading global provider of technology services for the financial markets community. Picos technology and services power mission-critical systems for global banks, exchanges, electronic trading firms, quantitative hedge funds and financial technology service providers. Pico provides a best-in-class portfolio of innovative, transparent, low-latency markets solutions coupled with an agile and expert service delivery model. Instant access to financial markets is provided via PicoNet, a globally comprehensive network platform instrumented natively with Corvil to generate analytics and telemetry. Clients choose Pico when they want the freedom to move fast and create an operational edge in the fast-paced world of financial markets. To learn more about Pico, please visit https://www.pico.net Contact info:

Pico Press Office

[email protected]



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[June 29, 2023]

BCE Q2 2023 results to be announced August 3

MONTREAL, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) will hold its second-quarter 2023 results conference call with the financial community on Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 8:00 am eastern.

Participants will include Mirko Bibic, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Glen LeBlanc, Chief Financial Officer. Media are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis.

To participate, please dial toll-free 1-800-806-5484 or 416-340-2217 and enter passcode 5876835#. A replay will be available until midnight on August 31, 2023 by dialing 1-800-408-3053 or 905-694-9451 and entering passcode 4674564#.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on BCE's website at BCE Q2-2023 conference call.

About BCE

BCE is Canada's largest communications company1, providing advanced Bell broadband wireless, Internet, TV, media and business communications services. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

Through Bell for Better, we are investing to create a better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and economic prosperity of our communities. This includes the Bell Let's Talk initiative, which promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.









________________________________

1 Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.



Media inquiries:

Ellen Murphy

[email protected]

Investor inquiries:

Thane Fotopoulos

514-870-4619

[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bce-q2-2023-results-to-be-announced-august-3-301866824.html

SOURCE Bell Canada
[June 29, 2023] Rise in commercial EV and technology adoption helping companies move closer to sustainability targets Tweet

Geotab data shows rapid increase in use of green solutions TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - Consumer electric vehicle sales continue to rise due to incentives, improved batteries, range and charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, the demand for the electrification of commercial vehicles is also increasing. In 2022, almost 66,000 electric buses and 60,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks were sold worldwide. New data insights from Geotab Inc. ("Geotab"), a global leader in connected transportation solutions, reveal a significant increase in electric vehicle usage among fleets, as well as further investment from organizations in connected technology to help them reach sustainability and efficiency goals. Challenging market conditions, including fluctuating fuel prices, high maintenance costs and supply chain issues, place continued pressure on fleets. Increasingly, fleets are now leveraging connected vehicle solutions to help achieve efficiency gains, and improve fuel and operating cost bottom lines, all while meeting emissions reduction requirements. Sustainable fleet solutions provide fleets with the necessary data insights to understand current performance, contribute to informed business decisions and drive efficiencies. In the Geotab Greening the Fleet survey of U.S. fleet professionals, 69% reported that their fleet sustainability data helped their organization reduce operating costs in the past year. Geotab has over 3.6 million global connected vehicles and processes 55 billion data points a day, resulting in high quality data insights for decision-making. Summary of findings from the past year: 30% growth in the number of connected EVs on the Geotab platform.

50% growth in users of sustainable fleet solutions with an increasing number of customers utilizing more than one solution.

50% increase in demand for the Green Fleet Dashboard.

31% rise in demand for the Geotab EV Suitability Assessment. "Sustainability is an investment for the planet and for business growth and competitiveness. The worldwide demand for sustainable fleet solutions is increasing as companies see how these data-driven tools benefit both environmental performance and their bottom line. The Geotab Green Fleet Dashboard and EV Suitability Assessment are essential tools for the next-generation sustainable fleet," said Eric Mallia, Vice President, Sustainabiliy Solutions.



The Green Fleet Dashboard is the most popular Geotab sustainability Add-In Some of the top performing sustainability Add-Ins for MyGeotab are the Green Fleet Dashboard, Geotab EV Suitability Assessment (EVSA), EV Charging Cost Report and EV Charge Assurance Dashboard, as of May 2023.

Geotab's Green Fleet Dashboard is powered by data that provides comprehensive tracking and benchmarking for fleet fuel usage from idling, emissions and EV usage. The fully customizable Geotab EV Suitability Assessment (EVSA) uses in-depth analysis to identify which fleet vehicles are suited for EV replacement and provide market-specific make and model recommendations, as well as projected cost savings and CO2 emissions reductions. The EV Charging Cost Report provides a holistic view of the cost of EV charging by vehicle and zone, and the EV Charge Assurance dashboard enables fleets to monitor the charging status of their EVs, including which are charged and ready to go and view warnings for vehicles with charging issues. Geotab's platform provides data intelligence support for over 300 different EV makes and models . Data insights are the key to sustainable business transformation, for understanding performance and charting a strategic path ahead. Sustainable fleet solutions provide quality data to support organizations in successfully transitioning to EVs, achieving efficiency and sustainability goals, and staying competitive in the long run. To learn more about Geotab's sustainable fleet solutions, visit https://www.geotab.com/sustainability-journey/ . About Geotab Geotab is a global leader in connected transportation solutions. We provide telematics  vehicle and asset tracking  solutions to over 47,000 customers in 150 countries. For more than 20 years, we have invested in ground-breaking data research and innovation to enable partners and customers, including Fortune 500 and public sector organizations, to transform their fleets and operations. We connect to over 3.6 million vehicles and process more than 55 billion data points a day so that customers can make better decisions, increase productivity, have safer fleets, and achieve their sustainability goals. Geotab's open platform and Marketplace, offers hundreds of third-party solution options. Backed by a team of industry leading data scientists and AI experts, Geotab is unlocking the power of data to understand real-time and predictive analytics  solving for today's challenges and tomorrow's world. To learn more, visit www.geotab.com , follow @GEOTAB on Twitter and LinkedIn or visit the Geotab Blog. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rise-in-commercial-ev-and-technology-adoption-helping-companies-move-closer-to-sustainability-targets-301866842.html SOURCE Geotab Inc.

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[June 29, 2023] MACH Alliance Announces PayPal is the First Company to Join New Supporter Membership Category Tweet

Announcement signifies the Alliance's expansion into the fintech sector as more industries experience the benefits of MACH SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK and LONDON and AMSTERDAM and BERLIN, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MACH Alliance, the group of independent tech companies dedicated to advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems, announced today that PayPal has become the first company to join its new Supporter membership category. The move by PayPal represents the expansion of MACH Alliance into the fintech sector and highlights the sector's readiness for MACH. The Supporter membership category is for companies that sit outside of the requirements for MACH certification but who have a strong association with MACH technology and the MACH ecosystem. Those could include large technology companies, financial services organizations, government bodies, private foundations, academic institutions and private equity or venture capital firms. "The PayPal Channel Partner team are big believers and promoters of composable commerce and its benefits across the fintech landscape," said David Bruce, VP, Global Head of Channel Partnerships, PayPal. "We've long been working with other technology providers to deliver a complete commerce solution for merchants that's built around MACH principles. We're eager to work with the MACH Alliance and its members to continue promoting the many upsides of MACH within our industry." PayPal already works with several MACH Alliance members in various capacities including BigCommerce, Bold Commerce and EPAM. The company provides payment processing services as part of the commerce platforms from BigCommerce and Bold Commerce, and EPAM develops integrations to enable PayPal payment services for both partners and merchants. "It's a natural fit to have PayPal formally engaged with the MACH Aliance given the close work they have long been doing with many of our members," said Holly Hall, MACH Alliance Managing Director. "Having their trusted brand associated with the Alliance will open doors for both parties in a big way."



PayPal's membership and the announcement of the new Supporter category are the latest in a series of milestones that represent the continued momentum of the Alliance. The group now has nearly 90 members, many of whom came together at MACH TWO in Amsterdam this month discussing the benefits of MACH and how to embrace the changes necessary to make the most of them. To learn more about the MACH Alliance or the new Supporter category, visit https://machalliance.org/members.

About the MACH Alliance The MACH Alliance is a [501(c)(6)] non-profit organization, governed by an independent board and does not endorse specific vendors, members or otherwise. The Alliance was formed in June 2020 to help enterprise organizations navigate the complex modern technology landscape. It aims to guide and show the business advantage of open tech ecosystems that are Microservices based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS and Headless. All MACH Alliance members meet certification principles that are published on the website. The MACH Alliance welcomes technology companies and individual industry experts who share the same vision for the future. Learn more at machalliance.org , read here about MACH certification and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn . Contact:

Megan Lampros

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mach-alliance-announces-paypal-is-the-first-company-to-join-new-supporter-membership-category-301866133.html SOURCE MACH ALLIANCE, Inc

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[June 29, 2023] Lemonade Turns to Synthetic Agents to Finance Growth Tweet

Lemonade (NYSE: LMND), the digital insurance company powered by AI and social impact, announced it has partnered with General Catalyst (GC), a leading venture firm and an early investor in Lemonade, to create Synthetic Agents, a novel financial structure that unlocks growth without depleting cash. Lemonade enjoys strong unit economics - investments in customer acquisition (CAC) are typically repaid three times over - but the initial CAC payback can take a couple of years. This 'cash flow gap' means that many opportunities for profitable growth are passed on, pending payback from prior acquisitions. Insurers often turn to independent agents to solve this cash flow gap. Though agents do deliver CAC-free customers (among other benefits), the costs are nevertheless considerable: agents 'own the customer,' and receive a lifelong commission, siphoning off much of the potential stream of gross profit. Synthetic Agents were designed to deliver the cash flow benefits of independent agents, but without forfeiting the customer relationship, and without ceding much of the gross profit for the lifetime of the customer. Under the program, which will commence on July 1, 2023, General Catalyst (through its Customer Value platform) will finance up to 80% of all Lemonade's CAC, and in return will receive a synthetic 'commission' of up to 16% of the stream of premiums they helped finance. Once GC has recovered their investment and capped return on any one cohort, the remaining 'lifetime value' of the customers from that cohort accrues to Lemonade, entirely and forever. "We think the Synthetic Agents program is something of a game changer for Lemonade," said Daniel Schreiber, Lemonade co-CEO and co-founder. "Thanks to Synthetic Agents, we believe we will be able to accelerate growth without drawing down our capital reserves or selling more equity. That means generating a significantly larger business, sooner, with more cash in the bank, and with a materially higher return on capital." "We believe Lemonade's Synthetic Agents program gives Lemonade a balance sheet to invest in growth, so it can preserve its own capital for investments in its amazing technology and people," said Pranav Singhvi, Managing Director, General Catalyst, and architect of the Customer Value strategy. "We're big fans of Lemonade, a company that we believe has completely turned insurance upside down and become one of the most intriguing public tech companies. As one of Lemonade's early backers, being able to help directly support their next stage of growth is exactly what we built our Customer Value strategy for." For more details on the overall vision and anticipated benefits of the Synthetic Agents program, read more here, on our Lemonade blog, which can also be accessed through our website, www.lemonade.com/blog. Read here to learn more about the Customer Value strategy by General Catalyst.



Lemonade's financial expectations for Q2 and for the full year 2023, as communicated in the Q1 '23 Lemonade Letter to Shareholders, remain unchanged. About Lemonade

Lemonade offers renters, homeowners, car, pet, and life insurance. Powered by artificial intelligence and social impact, Lemonade's full stack insurance carriers in the US and the EU replace brokers and bureaucracy with bots and machine learning, aiming for zero paperwork and instant everything. A Certified B-Corp, Lemonade gives unused premiums to nonprofits selected by its community, during its annual Giveback. Lemonade is currently available in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and the UK, and continues to expand globally. Follow @lemonade_inc on Twitter for updates. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Press Release, including without limitation statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the Synthetic Agents program and expectations regarding its impact on our capital structure, the expected future results of operations and financial position, and our ability to effectively manage the growth of our business are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to the following: our history of losses and the fact that we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future; our ability to retain and expand our customer base; risks related to the "Lemonade" brand; risks related to denial of claims or our failure to accurately and timely pay claims; our ability to attain greater value from each user; risks related to the novelty of our business model; risks related to our Giveback; risks related to our limited operating history and our ability to evaluate our current business performance, implement our business model, and our future prospects; our ability to manage our growth effectively; the intense competition in the segments of the insurance industry in which we operate; risks related to reinsurance, including the availability of reinsurance at current levels and prices and counterparty risk; our ability to maintain our risk-based capital at the required levels; our ability to expand our product offerings; risks related to the operation and confidentiality of our proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms and proprietary technology; new legislation or legal requirements which may affect how we communicate with our customers; risks related to our reliance on artificial intelligence, telematics, mobile technology and our digital platforms to collect data that we evaluate in pricing and underwriting our insurance policies, managing claims and customer support, and improving business processes, and any legal or regulatory requirements that prohibit or restrict our ability to collect or use this data; our reliance on search engines, social media platforms, digital app stores, content-based online advertising and other online sources to attract consumers to our website and our online app; our ability to raise additional capital to grow our business; risks related to security incidents or real or perceived errors, failures or bugs in our systems, website or app; risks related to examinations by our primary state insurance regulators and examinations or investigations by other states in which we are licensed to operate; risks related to our collection and use of customer information and other data, and our ability to protect such information and comply with data privacy and security laws and regulations; our ability to underwrite risks accurately and charge competitive yet profitable rates to our customers; risks related to our ability to generate revenues from new products; risks related to our expansion within the United States and any future international expansion strategy; risks related to combining the businesses of Lemonade and Metromile and the potential failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the mergers; risks related to the historically cyclical nature of the insurance business; risks related to extensive insurance industry regulations; risks related to severe weather events and other catastrophes, including the effects of climate change and global pandemics which are inherently unpredictable; climate risks, including risks associated with disruptions caused by the transition to a low-carbon economy; risks related to increasing scrutiny, actions and changing expectations from investors, clients, regulators and our employees with respect to environmental, social and governance matters; risks related to fluctuations in our results of operations on a quarterly and annual basis; risks related to utilizing customer and third party data for pricing and underwriting our insurance policies; risks related to limitations in the analytical models used to assess and predict our exposure to catastrophe losses; risks related to potential losses that could be greater than our loss and loss adjustment expense reserves; risks related to the minimum capital and surplus requirements that our insurance subsidiaries are required to have; risks related to assessments and other surcharges from state guaranty funds, and mandatory state insurance facilities; risks related to our status and obligations as a public benefit corporation; risks related to significant shareholders and their ability to influence the outcome of important transactions, including a change in control; and risks related to our operations in Israel and the current political, economic, and military environment. These and other important factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 filed on March 3, 2023 and in our other and subsequent filings with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this Press Release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's beliefs as of the date of this Press Release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629382131/en/

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[June 29, 2023] Menlo Park Family Dental Boosts Online Presence and Attracts New Patients With Tebra Practice Growth Technology Tweet

Tebra, a leader in practice automation solutions for independent healthcare practices, today announced that its successful partnership with Menlo Park Family Dental has helped the practice enhance its online presence and attract new patients. The practice chose Tebra Practice Growth technology to help grow its web presence, online reviews, website traffic, and raise search rankings. Dr. Samantha Mohan, the practice owner of Menlo Park Family Dental, purchased the business from another dentist and needed to establish herself as the new provider. In addition to family dentistry, she wanted to advertise her focus on cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Mohan's vision is to offer all the services that a patient would need for the best possible smile and oral care, including orthodontics and periodontics. Tebra has helped the dental practice elevate its presence on Google and stand out from its competitors in the area. Using Tebra, the practice now owns the number one ranking and Google and Yahoo search page position for 72 commonly searched dental queries. It has accumulated 130 online reviews over a 2-year period, amassing a 4.9-star average on Google My Business. It has had approximately 28,000 website visits since starting to work with Tebra, with a monthly average of 842 website visits over the last 6 months. It has also had a monthly average of over 200 website visits directly generated via Google Ads over the last 6 months.The practice has also accumulated 99 backlinks, which support organic SEO and search ranking.



"I haven't had my practice as long as other dentists in the area but I rank high in searchability, and am always in the top dentists listed. Even having my location easily accessible on Google Maps has helped drive new business," Dr. Samantha Mohan, dentist and practice owner, said. "Tebra's portal is very easy to use and I really value the visibility to see my SEO performance and the data behind it. My business has continued to increase because of Tebra and as the owner, I can confirm the investment with Tebra has been worth it." "We're proud to have helped elevate Menlo Park Family Dental's profile in its community and see it achieve such great results," Andrea Kowalski, senior vice-president of product for Tebra, said. "We strive to deliver measurable improvements to enhance a variety of patient touchpoints, while also supporting practice goals."

Click here to read more about Menlo Park Family Dental's success using Tebra Practice Growth Technology. About Menlo Park Family Dental The goal of Menlo Park Family Dental is to provide comprehensive general family dentistry to people of all ages living in Menlo Park, California, and throughout San Mateo County. At Menlo Park Family Dental, the team combines state-of-the-art dental solutions, including crowns, dental implants, dentures veneers, and smile makeovers. Additionally, people can access emergency dentistry, orthodontic treatment with Invisalign, and teeth whitening. Instead of treating as many patients as possible, the team takes time to understand each individual's clinical needs, personal concerns, and goals. They use this information to create custom treatment plans that emphasize comfort, function, health, and beauty. To learn more, visit www.menloparkfamilydental.com. About Tebra In 2021, with a combined mission to unlock better healthcare, Kareo and PatientPop joined forces to form Tebra - a complete practice automation solution for independent healthcare practices. With an all-in-one, purpose-built platform to drive practice success and modernize every step of the patient journey, Tebra provides digital tools and support to attract new patients, deliver modern care, get paid quickly, and operate efficiently. To learn more how Tebra is committed to improving the success and well-being of both patients and providers, visit www.tebra.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230626759066/en/

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[June 29, 2023] FiscalNote's CEO Tim Hwang Named as an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award Winner Tweet

Thursday, June 29, 2023 - Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has announced that Tim Hwang, Chairman, CEO, and Co-founder of FiscalNote Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NOTE) ("FiscalNote") - a leading AI-driven enterprise SaaS technology provider of global policy and market intelligence - has been named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award winner. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program is one of the preeminent competitive awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. Hwang was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, investors and other regional business leaders. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact, among other core contributions and attributes. As an award winner, Hwang is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 National Awards. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2024. "It is both humbling and an incredible honor to recive this prestigious recognition as an Entrepreneur of the Year from one of the world's most prominent and respected companies," said Hwang. "For nearly four decades, this coveted business award has recognized entrepreneurs who challenge the limits of what's possible and who work to create a more equitable and sustainable world that benefits everyone. For me, I know this award would not be possible without the determination, resilience, and partnership of FiscalNote's other Co-founders - Gerald Yao and Jonathan Chen - as well as the work being done every day by my amazing colleagues around the world at FiscalNote, and of course the thousands of customers we serve. I want to warmly thank Ernst & Young, and also congratulate all of the other EY award winners, and salute them for being on this inspiring journey of entrepreneurship together as we constantly strive to break barriers, reach new heights, and innovate for success."



For nearly four decades, EY US has honored entrepreneurs whose ambition, courage and ingenuity have driven their companies' success, transformed their industries and made a positive impact on their communities. Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners become lifetime members of a global, multi-industry community of entrepreneurs, with exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of program alumni and other ecosystem members in over 60 countries - all supported by vast EY resources. Since 1986, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 11,000 US executives. About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall Award winners go on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title. Visit ey.com/us/eoy. About FiscalNote FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) is a leading technology provider of global policy and market intelligence. By uniquely combining AI technology, actionable data, and expert and peer insights, FiscalNote empowers customers to manage policy, address regulatory developments, and mitigate global risk. Since 2013, FiscalNote has pioneered technology that delivers mission-critical insights and the tools to turn them into action. Home to CQ, FrontierView, Oxford Analytica, VoterVoice, and many other industry-leading brands, FiscalNote serves approximately 5,000 customers worldwide with global offices in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. To learn more about FiscalNote and its family of brands, visit FiscalNote.com and follow @FiscalNote. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629883242/en/

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Corporate Social Responsibility Related News Releases and Story Ideas for Reporters, Bloggers and Media Outlets

Following are the latest Corporate Social Responsibility news releases and story ideas available from Business Wire. These recaps, curated by Business Wire, provide reporters and bloggers around the globe instant access to the latest news releases, providing relevant and trending content to share with their audiences. Discover more news via Business Wire's Hot Topic recaps or create a custom news feed specific to your needs here. This service is provided at no charge to members of the media and financial communities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629511098/en/

DENVER -- CSG Joins Forces with EARTHDAY.ORG for The Great Global Cleanup Issuer: CSG

WINCHESTER, Va. -- Trex 2022 ESG Report Highlights Sustainability Integration Across the Company Issuer: Trex Company, Inc.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Travelers Publishes Its 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: The Travelers Companies, Inc.

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom -- AstraZeneca announces $400 million investment in reforestation and biodiversity in support of climate action and human health Issuer: AstraZeneca

JASPER, Ind. -- Kimball Electronics Earns Prime ESG Corporate Rating From ISS ESG Issuer: Kimball Electronics, Inc.

FITZGERALD, Ga. -- Colony Bank Donates $195,000 to Support Nine Schools Through Georgia Goal Scholarship Program Issuer: Colony Bankcorp, Inc.

PITTSBURGH -- Alcoa's 2022 Sustainability Report Highlights ESG Progress Issuer: Alcoa

LONDON, Ontario -- CARFAX Canada Partners with WWF-Canada to Help Protect Wildlife Issuer: CARFAX Canada

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- WindBorne Systems Raises $6M Seed Round to Improve Weather Forecasts with Balloons, Backed by Footwork, Khosla Ventures, Pear VC Issuer: WindBorne Systems Inc.

PARIS -- Teleperformance Expands Commitment to Hiring Refugees Issuer: Teleperformance

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Intuit Commits to Reach Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across Its Value Chain by FY2040 Issuer: Intuit Inc.

SAN ANTONIO -- NatureSweet Becomes World's Largest Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Company to Achieve B Corp Certification Issuer: NS Brands, Ltd.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Pivot Bio: New Data Shows Potential of Agriculture's Most Promising Climate Breakthrough Issuer: Pivot Bio

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- NSF Awards World's First Sustainability Certification for Professional Service Sector Issuer: NSF

MELVILLE, N.Y. & BERLIN & LANGEN, Germany -- Henry Schein Donates Health Care Products to Support Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Screenings at Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 Issuer: Henry Schein, Inc.

CHICAGO -- Clover Environmental Solutions Acquires America's Remanufacturing Company Issuer: Clover Environmental Solutions

MINNEAPOLIS -- Xcel Energy Surpasses 50% Carbon-Free Electricity Generation Companywide Issuer: Xcel Energy

CHICAGO -- Inaugural FHLBank Chicago 2022 Impact Report Demonstrates Mission of Supporting Homeownership and Communities in Illinois and Wisconsin Issuer: Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

NEW YORK -- First Eagle Investments to Be Honored by Working in Support of Education (W!se) Issuer: First Eagle Investments

WASHINGTON -- Network for Good Reaches $5 Billion in Donations Issuer: Network for Good







SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Chegg Releases its 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report Demonstrating Commitment to Responsible Practices and Societal Impact Issuer: Chegg

MIAMI -- World Fuel Services Announces Name Change to World Kinect Issuer: World Kinect Corporation

MONACO -- IBSA Wins the Sport for Nature 2023 Award in Recognition of Its Social and Environmental Commitment Through the Project Sailing into the Future. Together Issuer: IBSA

BOCA RATON, Fla.-- Cross Country Healthcare Issues Annual Sustainability Report Issuer: Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Chemours Details ESG Progress in its Sixth Sustainability Report Issuer: The Chemours Company

CHICAGO -- Motorola Solutions Foundation and Calculated Genius Announce Recipients of 2023 Bright Minds, Bold Futures Scholarship Issuer: Motorola Solutions Foundation

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Assent Launches End-to-End Solution for Manufacturers to Mitigate PFAS Risks Across Supply Chains Issuer: Assent Inc.

MIAMI -- J&J Green Paper and Sintesa Group Forge Strategic Partnership to Produce Eco-Friendly Paper Coating and Combat Global Plastic Waste Issuer: J&J Green Paper, Inc.

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Yamaha Rightwaters Reports Annual Initiative Progress for Year Four Issuer: Yamaha Rightwaters

LONDON -- Smiths Group Announces Launch of Charitable Foundation Issuer: Smiths Group

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Agreena's Farmer Payout for a Second Harvest Year Demonstrates That Carbon Certificates Help Fund and Expedite Farmers' Transition to Regenerative Practices Issuer: Agreena

WASHINGTON -- Greater Washington Community Foundation Announces Over $12.5M in Health Advocacy, Policy, and Systems Change Support Issuer: Greater Washington Community Foundation

PITTSBURGH -- U. S. Steel Issues ESG Report Highlighting Continued Progress on Ambitious Sustainability Goals Issuer: United States Steel Corporation

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Covia Releases Eighteenth Consecutive ESG Report Issuer: Covia Holdings LLC

MINNETONKA, Minn. -- UnitedHealth Group's 2022 Sustainability Report Highlights Efforts To Diversify the Health Workforce, Minimize Its Environmental Footprint Issuer: UnitedHealth Group

MADISON, Wis. -- Promega Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2025 Issuer: Promega Corporation

WILMINGTON, Del. -- AstraZeneca announces innovative partnership with Vanguard Renewables to decarbonize its United States sites Issuer: AstraZeneca

WASHINGTON -- Ez-XBRL launches innovative platform Integix ESG, revolutionizing ESG Reporting Issuer: Ez-XBRL Solutions

NEW YORK -- J.P. Morgan Launches Sustainable Investment Data Solutions for Institutional Investors Issuer: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

TOKYO -- Axelspace to Achieve Sustainable Space Business Settling Guidelines Covering the Entire Life Cycle of Satellites Issuer: Axelspace Corporation

LONDON -- Experian Publishes Three New Global Reports Focusing on a Year of Progress Driving Product Innovation, Consumer Empowerment and Financial Health Issuer: Experian

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Fortune Brands Innovations Publishes 2022 ESG Report Issuer: Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.

LONDON -- Capri Holdings Announces 3-Year Partnership With the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to Accelerate the Adoption of Regenerative Agriculture Practices in the United States Issuer: Capri Holdings

IRVING, Texas -- NEC Foundation of America Announces More Than $500,000 in Grants for 2023 Issuer: NEC Corporation of America

PITTSBURGH -- U. S. Steel Issues 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report Issuer: United States Steel Corporation

PITTSBURGH -- PPG's New Paint for a New Start initiative to beautify schools worldwide with colorful makeovers Issuer: PPG

DALLAS -- Flowserve Releases 2022 ESG Report Detailing Climate, Culture and Core Responsibility Approach Issuer: Flowserve Corporation

HOUSTON -- Crestwood Publishes 2022 Sustainability Report Highlighting Authentic ESG Advancements Issuer: Crestwood Equity Partners LP

MILWAUKEE -- Physicians Realty Trust Publishes Fourth Annual ESG Report Issuer: Physicians Realty Trust

GENEVA -- Changing dishwashing habits can help save more than 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 in Europe Issuer: Procter & Gamble

DESTIN, Fla. -- Yamaha Rightwaters Lends Support to 5th Annual Emerald Coast Open Issuer: Yamaha Rightwaters

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany -- In Industry First, PUMA Creates Sustainability Report Podcast Series to Reach Out to Gen-Z Issuer: PUMA

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Watts Water Technologies Publishes its 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: Watts Water Technologies, Inc

CINCINNATI -- Cintas Named a USA Today Climate Leader 2023 Issuer: Cintas Corporation

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Ingersoll Rand Receives Upgrade from Morningstar Sustainalytics Issuer: Ingersoll Rand Inc.

CHEVY CHASE, Md. -- Forbright Bank Announces 2022 Sustainability Report Issuer: Forbright Bank

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. -- Aptar Releases 2022 Corporate Sustainability / ESG Report Issuer: AptarGroup, Inc.

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[June 29, 2023] Astound Wholesale Wins 2023 Visionary Spotlight Award Tweet

Astound Broadband, the 6th largest U.S. Cable provider, today announced that ChannelVision Magazine has recognized Astound Wholesale as a winner of a 2023 Visionary Spotlight Award in the Service Provider Technology category. The award is for Wholesale Broadband and Capacity and marks the company's fourth consecutive year as a VSA recipient. The judges wrote: "Astound Wholesale is a provider that focuses on last-mile Ethernet, broadband, wavelength, and DIA services across a 100 percent fiber network. Astound provides access to more than 100 data centers across 14 markets with its no-fee 10G and 100G NNI access points. To provide its customers with the high-end service they deserve, Astound has introduced several points of automation to support efficient access to competitive pricing and order processing." "Winning the Visionary Spotlight Award for the fourth consecutive year is a reflection of Astound Wholesale's dedication to innovation, hard work and dependability," said Gus Chimos, SVP, Astound Business Solutions. "In today's fast-evolving business world, it is now more important than ever to provide reliable and flexible solutons that enable our customers to grow with the support of strong infrastructure and superior customer service."



Astound Wholesale's expanding footprint delivers concentrated network coverage and an alternate fiber-based solution for wholesale partners throughout the United States, including metro, urban, and rural areas. Through a combination of flexibility and superior customer support to meet specific client needs, Astound Wholesale enables its partners to position Astound as a top choice for their own customer bases. "We are honored to present Astound Wholesale with this VSA," said Beka Business Media president and CEO Berge Kaprelian. "The judges were impressed by Astound's last-mile options across its fiber network, as well as its reach throughout the United States, All of us at ChannelVision Magazine and Beka Business Media congratulate the entire team at Astound Wholesale.

About the Visionary Spotlight Awards ChannelVision's annual Visionary Spotlight Awards competition was created to highlight channel and service provider innovation in communications and information technologies. The awards honor outstanding products, services and deployments across numerous technology categories. Visionary Spotlight Award winners exemplify this goal, showcasing innovations, a capacity for future-thinking and what sets them apart within the communication and IT sectors. For a complete list of 2023 winners, click here. For more information about the VSA program, contact Berge Kaprelian at [email protected]. About Astound Business Solutions Astound Business Solutions provides IT leaders with high-capacity, secure connectivity for their mission-critical applications while increasing overall agility and responsiveness. A part of Astound Broadband, the award-winning national telecommunications provider offers advanced solutions delivered over a diverse, carrier-grade network that provides the speed, bandwidth, and reliability businesses need to support growing data demands. With coast-to-coast connectivity to over 75,000 business customers, Astound Business Solutions maintains a local, customer-centric approach, with dedicated industry experts on-hand around the clock to help businesses stay on top of today's evolving IT technology and remain competitive in their markets. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629250877/en/

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Key Insights

Significantly high institutional ownership implies Rio Tinto Group's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

The top 25 shareholders own 46% of the company

Insiders have been buying lately

Every investor in Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 61% to be precise, is institutions. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

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.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Rio Tinto Group.

See our latest analysis for Rio Tinto Group

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Rio Tinto Group?

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.

Rio Tinto Group already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. 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 Rio Tinto Group, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Rio Tinto Group is not owned by hedge funds. Aluminum Corporation of China is currently the company's largest shareholder with 11% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 8.4% and 4.4%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.

A deeper look at our ownership data shows that the top 25 shareholders collectively hold less than half of the register, suggesting a large group of small holders where no single shareholder has a majority.

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 plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Rio Tinto Group

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.

Our information suggests that Rio Tinto Group insiders own under 1% of the company. But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. It is a very large company, so it would be surprising to see insiders own a large proportion of the company. Though their holding amounts to less than 1%, we can see that board members collectively own UK46m worth of shares (at current prices). It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

General Public Ownership

With a 27% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Rio Tinto Group. 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.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 12%, of the Rio Tinto Group 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. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Rio Tinto Group (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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[June 29, 2023] Businesses to Deliver Omnichannel Customer Experiences with New Additions to Vonage Conversational Commerce, powered by Jumper.ai Tweet

New Mobility and Engagement Features include Mobile App, AI-Powered Widgets and Messaging Channels HOLMDEL, N.J., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- V onage , a global leader in cloud communications helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, has added new features and capabilities to their Vonage Conversational Commerce, powered by Jumper.ai solution. With these updates, businesses are empowered to elevate engagement with customers across all channels, with features to enhance mobility via live chat and messaging from any device or platform. Vonage Conversational Commerce updates enhance mobility via live chat and offer messaging from any device or platform. Vonage Conversational Commerce Mobile App

The new Vonage Conversational Commerce mobile app for iOS and Android enables conversational commerce agents to access and leverage live chat features on the go, helping businesses to create meaningful connections with their customers from anywhere. With the mobile app, these agents can offer immediate support to customers with queries through real-time messaging with the same access to functionality, resources, CRM and customer information available on the Jumper.ai unified dashboard, including the ability to create orders and share products and images. Attentive Widget

With the Vonage Conversational Commerce Attentive Widget, businesses can embed instant messaging widgets anywhere on their website, never missing an opportunity to engage with customers at their moment of interest. Powered by AI-driven bots and easily accessible through the customer experience management dashboard, the iteractive Attentive Widget helps businesses to:



Start conversations early in the customer journey, facilitating every step of the buying process

Add conversational commerce for product placements on third party sites, such as influencer blogs

Improve visibility of new launches and offers Attentive Widget differentiates from other chat widgets in the market for its laser-focus on e-commerce and broad capabilities, with the ability to live chat, share products, fill orders and make payments all from within the widget. Engaging with customers and starting a conversation with the right context, these conversations can be embedded anywhere - websites, product pages, blog articles, FAQ pages, and more. "As technology advances and customer expectations evolve, businesses must innovate and find new ways to connect with their customers. With Vonage Conversational Commerce, we are meeting these expectations and exceeding them by providing seamless and personalized interactions at every touchpoint," said Ron Maayan, SVP Product for Vonage. "These latest enhancements represent our commitment to continuously push the boundaries of conversational commerce and empower businesses to create meaningful, lasting relationships with their customers.

More Messaging, Better Connections

Vonage Conversational Commerce now also features more messaging capabilities with the addition of SMS and Google Business Messenger (GBM). With these new additions, businesses can send messages directly with customers via these channels through a single customer experience management dashboard, as well as create bots for all of these channels with the AI-enabled Chatbot Builder. Vonage Conversational Commerce also supports social and messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, Twitter and Instagram, as well as LINE, Google Adlingo Ads, Webchat, Telegram, iMessage, and more. Vonage customer HolidayPirates , is one of the fastest-growing, free-to-use, travel search platform providing users with the best value for money travel deals: "We built a marketing channel on WhatsApp and it turned out to be the most engaging channel for us. The messaging strategy is very simple - we're broadcasting the best selection of travel deals on the market. Our users value this service tremendously as they can stay up to date with the best offers without having to do the research themselves," said Kamila Skotsch, Global CRM Team Lead for HolidayPirates. "With Vonage Conversational Commerce we have already increased our cost efficiency by 18%. By targeting our active users, we're connecting in real-time with those that are searching for travel deals and reaching them within seconds - giving them the ability to easily take advantage of these deals and book before the price changes." "Vonage is ahead of the pack of cloud-based solutions supporting Conversational Commerce," explained Dan Miller, Lead Analyst and Founder of Opus Research. "These conversations take place over time and employ multiple channels and culminate in a completed transaction. That requires a global network that integrates VoIP with 5G wireless, informed by Conversational AI and under the control of easy-to-use dashboards or toolkits." Vonage Conversational Commerce Modularization

Also new to the Vonage Conversational Commerce offering are three modular packages to meet the different needs of businesses today: Notify - This package is a powerful module for notifications and marketing use cases that delivers full broadcast and live chat benefits.

- This package is a powerful module for notifications and marketing use cases that delivers full broadcast and live chat benefits. Engage - With this package, incremental benefits to both broadcast and live chat capabilities include the ability to create intelligent bots to meet the growing needs of today's customer with FAQs and customer support.

- With this package, incremental benefits to both broadcast and live chat capabilities include the ability to create intelligent bots to meet the growing needs of today's customer with FAQs and customer support. Convert - This full scale commerce platform has all the benefits of Notify and Engage PLUS commerce and payment capabilities. About Vonage Vonage , a global cloud communications leader, helps businesses accelerate their digital transformation. Vonage's Communications Platform is fully programmable and allows for the integration of Video, Voice, Chat, Messaging, AI and Verification into existing products, workflows and systems. The Vonage conversational commerce application enables businesses to create AI-powered omnichannel experiences that boost sales and increase customer satisfaction. Vonage's fully programmable unified communications, contact center and conversational commerce applications are built from the Vonage platform and enable companies to transform how they communicate and operate from the office or remotely - providing the flexibility required to create meaningful engagements. Vonage is headquartered in New Jersey, with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Israel and Asia and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ericsson. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage . To become a fan on Facebook, go to facebook.com/vonage . To subscribe on YouTube, visit youtube.com/vonage . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/businesses-to-deliver-omnichannel-customer-experiences-with-new-additions-to-vonage-conversational-commerce-powered-by-jumperai-301866350.html SOURCE Vonage

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[June 29, 2023] Kyriba Leads Real-Time Liquidity and Payments Surpassing 100 Million API Calls Tweet

Kyriba ("the Company"), a global leader of cloud-based finance and liquidity solutions, announced today that the Kyriba platform has processed more than 100 million application programming interface (API) calls for their clients to integrate with banks, ERPs, Kyriba's App Marketplace, and clients internal IT systems. Kyriba previously announced APIs with J.P. Morgan Chase and CitiBank and is supporting clients like Hunt Companies, as they migrate to a real-time 'everything' liquidity operation. "Kyriba clients are now using our OpenAPI platform to process 10 million API calls with their banks, ERPs and internal systems every month," said Felix Grevy, Head of Connectivity and Open API at Kyriba. "The Kyriba platform supports over 70 bank API connectors live in production, the most of any treasry management provider. This number continues to grow as the 1,000 banks we currently connect to further embrace bringing to market more API capabilities."



As the recognized leader in treasury, payments and liquidity APIs for corporate customers, Kyriba has delivered live to its clients: A total of 140 APIs across liquidity, cash, payments and risk management that are live in production

70 API bank connectors for bank reporting and payments

35 API ERP connectors for accounting automation, integration of cash forecasting data and management of static data

Over 20 App Marketplace partners including ICD, Trustpair and Copper

OpenAPIs for clients and development partners to integrate their systems and applications securely into the Kyriba platform "Corporate finance and IT leaders require a real-time data strategy and API connectivity to unify their data instantly and on-demand so they can navigate economic uncertainty and financial surprises such as banking meltdowns," said Bob Stark, Global Head of Market Strategy at Kyriba. "With the increasing demand for automation and the remarkable advancements in AI and Large Language Models, API demand will exponentially increase as corporates realize the immense benefits and efficiency that can be achieved through these technologies."

Kyriba's Open API Platform was recognized as 2022's Best Open Banking Treasury Solution by Global Finance Magazine. Kyriba client Charter Communications, leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator, was named winner of the 2023 Liquidity Excellence Awards for Achievements in Productivity around their integration with Kyriba/ICD's API solution. For more information on Kyriba's API integrations, visit https://www.kyriba.com/use-cases/api-integration/. About Kyriba Corp. Kyriba empowers CFOs, Treasurers and their IT counterparts to transform liquidity as a dynamic, real-time vehicle for growth and value creation. Kyriba is a secure, scalable SaaS platform that leverages artificial intelligence, automates payments workflows, and enables thousands of multinational corporations and banks to maximize growth, protect against loss from fraud and financial risk and reduce operational costs. For more than 2,500 clients worldwide, including 25% of Fortune 500 and Euro Stoxx 50 companies, Kyriba manages more than 1.3 billion bank transactions per year, and 250 million payments for a total value of $15 Trillion annually. Kyriba is headquartered in San Diego, with offices globally. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629553430/en/

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[June 29, 2023] Compass Cold Looks to The Future After Celebrating Grand Opening of New Cold Storage Facility Built by Ti Cold Tweet

MULBERRY, Ark., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arkansas River Valley got a lot cooler at the beginning of June as hundreds of people turned out for the grand opening of Compass Cold Storage's highly anticipated complex. Compass Cold held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new cold storage facility located near Fort Smith in Mulberry, Arkansas. Featuring cutting-edge refrigeration and freezing technology, the new complex offers cold storage opportunities for food wholesalers, retailers, and food manufacturing customers in central and northwest Arkansas. State and local leaders, including Mayor Gary Baxter attended and toured the facility that will feature 142,160 square feet and 18,500 pallet positions within the cold storage environment equipped with QFM In-Rack Freezing System. The facility can maintain temperatures ranging from 40F to -20F. QFM In-Rack Freezing System combines blast freezing technology and pallet racking. QFM freezes pallets up to four times faster than traditional blast freezers with the ability to reduce energy consumption by as much as 50%. Doug Bowen and Darren Winstead, owners of Compass Cold, said the event was to mark the company's completion of the first phase of a three-phase project to build a cold storage facility in Mulberry. "Working with the Ti Cold team has been a gratifying and smooth process," said Bowen. "It has only been around a year from groundbreaking to grand opening which is good for almost any type of new build project, but for a commercial project of this magnitude that turnaround timeframe is nothing short of exceptional. We re so pleased with how this has come together. We have already broken ground on phase two of the project with completion scheduled for early fall of this year."



Completion of the second phase of the project is scheduled to be finished by late summer and will include additional freezer and dock space and will bring the project total to about $50 million. An additional third phase is in the planning stage. Mayor Baxter said the company will have a significant economic impact for the city. "This is what I call the cornerstone for our industrial park because it is the largest facility and it is very prominently visible from the highway and the access is so very, very good right off of Interstate 40 at Exit 20," Baxter said.

Others who spoke during the grand opening included state Reps. Chad Puryear, R-Hindsville, and Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, and state Sen. Jim Petty, R-Van Buren. "Any time we at Ti Cold can help fill critical food storage capacity demands within a region we feel great about the accomplishment," said Sam Tippmann, President of Ti Cold. This state-of-the-art complex was developed and built by Ti Cold headquartered in Melbourne, Florida. The professionals at Ti Cold possess decades of experience and have developed similar projects throughout North America. Doug Bowen and Darren Winstead are the operators of Compass Cold and are well known in the Arkansas transportation sector, through their company, Doug's Produce Trucking. They have deep relationships with food processors, manufacturers, and wholesalers across the country. Known throughout the Southeastern region of the United States, Doug's Produce is a fast, friendly, and fully functional professional trucking company that is known for putting the happiness of their drivers first. With this new facility, Compass Cold supports clients with third party logistics (3PL) services. As a 3PL provider the company will store inventory as well as pick, pack and ship the client's products directly from the facility. By providing warehousing, order processing, and shipping and receiving, Compass Cold will give their clients a turnkey solution to fulfilling orders quickly and efficiently. Contact:

Rob Adams

260-424-2222

[email protected]com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/compass-cold-looks-to-the-future-after-celebrating-grand-opening-of-new-cold-storage-facility-built-by-ti-cold-301866183.html SOURCE Ti Cold

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[June 29, 2023] tvScientific Grows Leadership Ranks Tweet

PASADENA, Calif., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- tvScientific , the performance advertising platform for connected TV (CTV), today announced four additions to its leadership team: Chris Johnson as VP of Technology, Michael Bilow as Head of Data Science, Matt Koontz as Head of Product, and Emily Robinson as VP of Marketing. All four bring deep expertise to tvScientific and the CTV space, having held leadership roles at various other advertising and marketing technology companies. Adtech veteran Johnson spent 14 years at engagement advertising platform Infillion/true[X], where he served as VP of Engineering, Director of Software Engineering and Lead Software Engineer. In his new role at tvScientific, Chris will use his deep technical experience designing and building high-volume, cloud-native backend and data systems to mature the tvScientific technology platform and position the company for continued success in performance marketing. Further strengthening tvScientifics technology organization, Bilow previously served as a Principal Engineer at Hyundai's autonomous vehicle brand, Motional. Before that, he was a Senior Data Science Manager at location-based technology and data giant Factual/Foursquare. A longtime machine learning and data engineering leader, Bilow will oversee a team of data scientistsconstantly improving tvScientifics platform.



An adtech expert, Koontz has launched numerous self-serve platforms, built innovative consumer ad experiences, and helped performance marketers grow their businesses through nearly all advertising modalities. He was previously Director of Product Management for SMS marketing platform Attentive, streaming service Hulu and adtech platform Xandr. Earlier, he worked in project management and product roles at Snapchat and Microsoft. Robinson, an adtech advertising veteran and marketing technology expert, most recently served as VP of Marketing at DataGrail and Chief Marketing Officer at influencer marketing solution Aspire. As tvScientific moves through its next phase of growth, she will oversee marketing strategy across brand management, demand generation, go-to-market, corporate communications, and analytics.

Chris, Matthew, Michael and Emily have all joined tvScientific during a banner year for the company, as we witness explosive growth in the CTV market and continual advancement of our comprehensive TV advertising platform, said Jason Fairchild, CEO of tvScientific. With their experienced leadership at the helm of our marketing, technology and product divisions, we expect to continue growing the company as more and more advertisers discover the new capabilities that tvScientific makes possible. About tvScientific tvScientific is the most sophisticated performance advertising platform built for connected TV, making TV advertising accessible and measurable for brands and apps of all sizes. tvScientific offers a self-managed solution custom-built for performance marketers, that simplifies and automates TV buying and optimization, leveraging massive data to prove the actual value of TV advertising. The platform reaches 95% of AVOD inventory using proprietary, deterministic ID technology to measure ad exposure to outcome in an approachable, radically transparent and scalable way. An Idealab company, tvScientific was co-founded by senior executives with deep roots in programmatic advertising, digital media, and ad verification. Today, the company continues to make strategic alignments with key players  the most recent being NBCUniversal  to advance CTV performance advertising forward. The company is headquartered in Pasadena, California. For more information, visit https://www.tvscientific.com. Media Contact:

[email protected]



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[June 29, 2023] Manufacturing Leadership Council Honors Celanese for its Strategy to Enable 'Digital Plant of the Future' Tweet

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global specialty materials and chemical company, today announced it has won the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Award for its outstanding achievement in the Digital Network Connectivity category. The award, which was announced by both the Manufacturing Leadership Council and the National Association of Manufacturers, recognizes the company's efforts to deploy a private 5G network at the company's Clear Lake, Texas facility to enable its global strategic initiative of creating the digital plant of the future. "Across our manufacturing environment, digital transformation will be a major driver to our success in meeting higher customer expectations, increasing connectivity demands, and improving technology to enable a seamless, integrated and unified user experience," said Jon Mortimer, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for Celanese. "Digital manufacturing advancements allow us opportunities to tap into new technologies that give us a competitive edge, produce better products and reduce downtime. However, to digitally transform we need to 'deliver digital' at-speed and innovate at-scale while putting people at the center of the equation," concluded Mortimer. Using its fully private 5G technology architecture, Celanese and its manufacturing plant employees can reliably communicate with equipment, sensors and other staff over thousands of squae feet in a single facility. For Celanese, private 5G provides the flexibility for transmission bands that can be used to penetrate different materials such as sheet metal, steel, glass and concrete, providing service to even the most challenging sites and locations.



This digital transformation project, which began in early 2022, has allowed Celanese to replicate each actual physical asset of a manufacturing site as a digital asset supported by a unified integrated digital thread that can be visualized-enabling improved decision-making on the right data, at the right time, at the right place-so Celanese can improve reliability and operational excellence and continue to manufacture quality products safely. Private 5G networks have the potential to transform industries and redefine the future of work. For this reason, Celanese views 5G as a foundational enabler to the predictable, self-optimizing manufacturing plant of the future.

Self-directed vehicles, ubiquitous IoT (Internet of Things) and augmented reality are just a few examples of what private 5G will enable for Celanese. The company is targeting a full range of use cases to transform how the company is operating its manufacturing sites today. As Celanese embarks on its bold digital transformation journey, connectivity is a key foundational pillar that will allow machines to leverage ultra-low latency connectivity to transmit and receive data in real-time and influence the decision-making process. "This is an inspiring time for Celanese as we go full-speed ahead in executing our digital transformation strategy," noted Mortimer. "Our efforts will be focused first on our people with decisions that pave the way for a data-centric journey that will complement the best of human decision-making capabilities with the power of data and analytics." About Celanese Celanese Corporation is a global chemical leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use the full breadth of Celanese's global chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and the corporation. As we partner with our customers to solve their most critical business needs, we strive to make a positive impact on our communities and the world through The Celanese Foundation. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 13,000 employees worldwide and had 2022 net sales of $9.7 billion. For more information about Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629743029/en/

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[June 29, 2023] Hillsdale College Physics Alumni, Professor Participate in Groundbreaking International Research Work on Gravitational Waves Tweet

Hillsdale College Associate Professor of Physics Timothy Dolch and two physics alumni co-authored a study that discovered the existence of gravitational waves that oscillate slowly - some with a frequency of years or even decades. These gravitational waves, which were first hypothesized by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity, were observed in data acquired by the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav). As part of their research, the Hillsdale colleagues reviewed, recorded, and analyzed the NANOGrav data. NANOGrav researchers studied 15 years of data collected from the radio signals of distant pulsars. Pulsars are small, dense stars that rotate - rapidly and consistently -while emitting radio waves, much like a lighthouse, and can serve as "cosmic clocks." These new findings open up a hitherto hidden part of the gravitational wave spectrum at low frequencies, in which these waves stretch and bend spacetime several times per year. This complements the detection of high-frequency gravitational waves in 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in which spacetime vibrates hundreds of times per second. "It took centuries for physicists to detect radio waves. Those discoveries paved the way for the recent and groundbreaking discovery of the gravitational wave sky," said Dolch. "Through NANOGrav data, we uncovered a previously undetected, low-frequency species of gravitational waves. Though the immediate consequences are still unknown, this discovery will serve undoubtedly as another key in unlocking the vast mysteries of the cosmos." Dolch began working with NANOGrav in 2011 as a postdoctoral researcher and became a full member in 2012. His research has focused on how the hydrogen in our galaxy affects gravitational wave signals, and he has been a regular NANOGrav observer with Arecibo Observatory and the Green Bank Telescope. Since 2019, he has chaired or co-chaired the Education and Public Outreach Working Group though which he has helped involve undergraduate researchers in NANOGrav science. Now pursuing doctoral degrees in physics and astrophysics, respectively, two Hillsdale College alumni, Cody Jessup ('16) and Laura Salo ('19), assisted in the collection and analysis of the 15-year dataset. They are co-authors on one of the papers published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters o present NANOGrav's findings: "The NANOGrav 15-year Data Set: Observations and Timing of 68 Millisecond Pulsars."



Three other Hillsdale College alumni, Daniel Halmrast ('17), Joshua Ramette ('17), and Michael Tripepi ('17, now assistant professor of physics at Hillsdale College) were co-authors on previous NANOGrav papers that analyzed 11-year and 12.5-year datasets. Alumnus Sashabaw Niedbalski ('21) is currently a graduate student in astronomy at Cornell University, working with NANOGrav-related research. He is an associate member of NANOGrav. "When people think of Hillsdale College or the liberal arts, they don't often think of physics," said Dolch. "Physics has been a part of the liberal arts from the beginning. Our students who have worked on NANOGrav data have gone on to study physics and related fields at the highest level - at places like MIT, Oxford, Cornell, Ohio State, University of California Santa Barbara, the University of Minnesota, and Montana State University. We take physics seriously here."

NANOGrav's findings will be presented via livestream on Thursday, July 29, at 1:00 PM ET. The livestream link can be accessed here. For headshots of Dolch, Jessup, and Salo, along with photos from NANOGrav, click here. To read NANOGrav's full statement, click here. For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here. Brief Timeline on Gravitational Wave Theory and Research 1916 : Albert Einstein predicts gravitational waves in his general theory of relativity

: Albert Einstein predicts gravitational waves in his general theory of relativity 1932 : Karl Jansky detects radio waves coming from stars in the Milky Way Galaxy

: Karl Jansky detects radio waves coming from stars in the Milky Way Galaxy 1974 : Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor discover a pair of neutron stars that seemed to behave in a curious pattern, providing the first indirect evidence of gravitational waves

: Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor discover a pair of neutron stars that seemed to behave in a curious pattern, providing the first indirect evidence of gravitational waves 2015 : Advanced LIGO reports the first direct detections of high-frequency gravitational waves resulting from the merger of stellar-mass black holes

: Advanced LIGO reports the first direct detections of high-frequency gravitational waves resulting from the merger of stellar-mass black holes 2023: NANOGrav directly detects low-frequency gravitational waves resulting from two supermassive black holes orbiting one another About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent, nonsectarian, Christian liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 6.4 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629286241/en/

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[June 29, 2023] Ryan Named to List of Best Workplaces in Professional Services in Canada for Seventh Consecutive Year Tweet

Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, has recently been named to the 2023 list of Best Workplaces in Professional Services in Canada. This marks the seventh consecutive year Ryan has been named to this list of top professional services firms. The Firm received this honor after a thorough and independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work. Ryan's presence in Canada includes six offices located in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. "Being named to this prestigious list for seven consecutive years is a great achievement and demonstrates our commitment to not only building a world-class professional services firm, but continuously enhancing it," said Ryan President of Canadian Operations Garry Round. "I am truly proud of our Ryan team members in Canada for contributing to our positive workplace culture and helping make our team the best in the tax industry." This list is base on direct feedback from employees of the hundreds of organizations that were surveyed by Great Place to Work. To be eligible for this list, organizations must be Great Place to Work-Certified in the past year and work primarily in the professional services industry, which includes doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers, and advertising professionals, to name a few.



The full list of this year's best workplaces in professional services in Canada can be found here. About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. A global research and consulting firm, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In Canada, Great Place to Work produces both industry- and demographic-specific Best Workplaces lists and represents the voices of 500,000 employees across industries. This is part of the world's largest annual workplace study, recognizing the world's Best Workplaces in a series of national lists, including those published by The Globe and Mail (Canada) and Fortune magazine (U.S.). About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is an 11-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multidisciplinary team of more than 4,100 professionals and associates serves over 21,000 clients in more than 60 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629153437/en/

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[June 29, 2023] Continuant Recognized as Winner of 2023 Microsoft Converged Communication Partner of the Year Tweet

FIFE, Wash., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuant today announced it has been awarded as Microsoft's 2023 Global Partner of the Year for Converged Communications. The company was honored among a global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Winning Microsoft's Partner of the Year for Converged Communications shows what Continuant's deployment teams can do. Continuant Chief Sales Officer, Bruce Shelby, said, "Winning Microsoft's Partner of the Year for Converged Communications twice in the last four years is a testament to what Continuant's deployment teams can do. As in 2020, we won in 2023 primarily due to our ability to implement Teams Calling and MTRs for our customers on a global scale." The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards recognize Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered outstanding Microsoft-based applications, services, and devices during the past year. Awards were classified in various categories, with honorees chosen from a set of more than 4,200 submitte nominations from more than 100 countries worldwide. Continuant was recognized for providing outstanding solutions and services in its area of expertise  implementing advanced Teams Calling and MTR solutions globally.



"Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2023 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards!" said Nicole Denzen, Chief Partner Officer and Corporate Vice President of Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft. "The innovative new solutions and services that positively impact customers and enable digital transformation from this year's winners demonstrate the best of what's possible with the Microsoft Cloud." The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards are announced annually prior to the company's global partner conference, Microsoft Inspire, which will take place on July 18-19 this year. Additional details on the 2023 awards are available on the Microsoft Partner blog: https://aka.ms/POTYA2023_announcement. The complete list of categories, winners, and finalists can be found at https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/inspire/awards/winners.

About Continuant Continuant is a Managed Services Provider, Systems Integrator, and Technology Consultant operating in the Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) space with over 27 years of industry experiencespecializing in Voice, Audio Video, Contact Centers, Cloud, and Networking systems. A two-time Microsoft Partner of the Year for Teams Phone, Meeting Rooms, and Converged Communications, Continuant is trusted by Fortune 500, Healthcare, and Higher Education leadersin over 50 countriesto design, deploy, and manage solutions within their UC&C environment. Media Contact

Jared Cullop

Business Development Director

253-470-2611

[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/continuant-recognized-as-winner-of-2023-microsoft-converged-communication-partner-of-the-year-301866359.html SOURCE Continuant, Inc.

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[June 29, 2023] Click Boarding Embeds Workato's Product to Help Clients Move Away from Highly Complex and Complicated Integrations Tweet

Workato, the leader in AI-powered enterprise automation, announced today that Click Boarding, the leading employee experience platform, is embedding Workato into its existing Click platform, giving customers a simplistic connection to and from their system, all while helping to eliminate additional build time. For the Click Boarding team, choosing Workato was an easy choice to help their customers scale their employee experiences. With an easy-to-navigate user interface and the biggest library of connectors and recipes available, Workato offered the most value up front and had a dedicated support team who were willing to work with the Click Boarding team getting set up and troubleshooting when needed. Before Click Boarding decided to utilize Workato's integration platform as a service (iPaaS), it was clear that the team wanted to offer a solution that would help customers move away from highly complex and customized integrations that take up too many resources to build, implement, and deploy. Click Boarding's main goal was to offer a solution that increased efficiency for customers, decreased the time it takes to build connectors and recipes and offer a faster go-live experience. Now, Click Boarding customers have access to Workato's library of connectors which helps with overall speed to deployment and allows anyone, regardless of skill set, to utilize its low-code, no-code capabilities. As a leader in the automation and integration space, Workato is helping to drive impact in facilitating automation for enterprises across the globe by connecting any technology regardless of where it sits within a tech stack, to automate business processes for all lines of business like employee onboarding/offboarding, data enrichment, quote-to-cash, CRM hygiene and more with enterprise speed, security, and scalability. "Our clients need a simple solution to ensure accurate data transmission between their HR tech solutions, and Workato provides that," said Josh Hoover, EVP of Client Solutions at Click Boarding. "To best support our clients, we need the ability to control the configuration, make updates, and provide direct engagement. We did not have these options before partnering with Workato." "Working with Workato to embed their iPaaS into our platform has been a seamless and transformative experience. Our customers now have access to Workato's etensive library of connectors through the Click platform, allowing them to continue and scale their automation journey," said Kevin Carney, Integrations Product Owner at Click Boarding. "We are excited to see how Workato's low-code, no-code capabilities help revolutionize what many of our customers are attempting to do - provide a modern lifecycle experience with a high return on investment."



With a focus on creating exceptional employee experiences and insights across the employee journey to increase retention, Click Boarding is dedicated to creating the easiest, most empowering way for HR to deliver modern onboarding experiences that beat employee expectations, maintain superior compliance, and help everyone, including HR, achieve their potential. Knowing that the engagement, productivity, and performance of every employee are tied to their early experiences, beginning the moment they say "yes," Click Boarding prioritizes innovation, experience, scalability, and compliance. Since embedding Workato, Click Boarding customers have found it easier to connect to different ATS and HRIS systems, and even tertiary HR systems that focus on provisioning or background screening, for example. With the power and ease of Workato's solutions, Click Boarding's customers now have a better understanding of how crucial automation, integration, and AI are for a company's digital transformation. "Our team is excited to be a pivotal partner in Click Boarding's path to creating a seamless end-to-end employee experience with an emphasis on engagement, productivity, and performance. Working with the team at Click Boarding to provide readily available, customizable, and easy-to-use solutions for their customers has been an incredibly enriching experience," said Carly Frederick, Head of Solutions, Workato Embedded Platform. "With our embedded platform, Click Boarding is bringing the power of automation, integration, and AI to the employee experience lifecycle, one onboarding experience at a time."

To learn more about Workato and the future of enterprise automation, visit www.workato.com. About Click Boarding, LLC Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Click Boarding, LLC is an employee experience platform providing compliant HR solutions that impact first-year employee growth and retention. With a seamless, mobile-first platform, we help leading enterprise organizations deliver modern, guided lifecycle experiences throughout the entire employee journey, from preboarding to offboarding. Our technology and unparalleled expertise help Fortune 500 companies achieve a higher return on investment. For more information, visit us at www.clickboarding.com. About Workato The leader in AI-powered enterprise automation, Workato helps organizations drive business efficiency at scale without compromising security and governance. Built for Business and IT users, Workato is trusted by over 17,000 of the world's top brands, including Broadcom, Intuit, and Box. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., Workato is backed by Altimeter Capital, Battery Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Tiger Global, and Redpoint Ventures. For more information, visit workato.com or connect with us on social media: Blog: https://www.workato.com/the-connector/

Business Systems Community: https://systematic.workato.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/workato

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workato View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629301351/en/

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[June 29, 2023] New Vision Programme Will Test the Sight of 47,500 Rural Zambians Tweet

Today VisionSpring, Live Well (affiliated with CARE International) and the Council of Churches Zambia (CCZ) officially launched the Reading Glasses for Improved Livelihoods (RGIL) programme in Zambia. This year the programme will test the sight of 47,500 rural Zambians and 12,600 people are expected to acquire the reading glasses they need to see clearly - most for the first-time ever. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628048139/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) Reading glasses are one of the most underutilized, low-cost, high-impact tools available to boost economic and social outcomes for individuals vulnerable to poverty. For the working age adults who will gain clear vision through the programme, eyeglasses are projected to unlock more than $2.5 million (ZK 52.5 million) in income earning potential at the household level. In Zambia currently there is 1 optometrist for every 2,000,000 people. To extend vision services to people who live far from one of the country's few optometrists, VisionSpring is training Live Well and CCZ's community health entrepreneurs to conduct basic sight tests; identify blurry near vision; sell subsidized, low-cost reading glasses; and refer people with other eye conditions for higher level care. Based on initial program data, the organizations expect that 75% of Zambians screened through the RGIL programme will need vision correction - 58% reading glasses and 20% higher level care including distance glasses, cataract, trachoma treatment, etc. Commenting on the launch, Ella Gudwin, CEO of VisionSpring said: "We are honoured to collaborate with Live Well and CCZ to build healthy, prosperous communities. With each pair of glasses, individuals will sustain their livelihoods and increase earnings; experience greater safety and well-being; and more easily participate in mobile banking and the digital economy."



In 2024, the organizations plan to expand the program to reach 110,000 Zambians, helping more than 30,000 people to wear reading glasses. According to the World Health Organisation, one billion people worldwide do not have access to the eyeglasses they need to see clearly, and this problem is greatest among people living in poverty in rural areas.

To address this need, VisionSpring pioneered the RGIL program with BRAC in Bangladesh in 2006. Since then, 2 million people have acquired reading glasses through the program and 1.6 million people have been referred for higher level eyecare. Now, through support for the program from National Vision, Inc., Zambia joins a limited number of countries that are deploying a similar model in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda, Rwanda, and Liberia. The RGIL program, as well as VisionSpring's other eyeglasses initiatives, support the Zambian government's growing efforts to improve eye health. Find out more about the Reading Glasses for Improved Livelihoods programme here. About VisionSpring Founded in 2001, VisionSpring is the social enterprise accelerating the use of eyeglasses in emerging and frontier markets. Our mission is to increase lifelong earning, learning, safety and well-being through eyeglasses for people vulnerable to poverty. We believe in the wonder of clear vision for everyone and envision a world in which all who need glasses will have them to see well and do well by 2050. As of 2022, VisionSpring corrected the vision of more than 10 million people living on less than $4 per-day, unlocking more than $2 billion in income earning potential. VisionSpring has received honours from the Skoll Foundation, Aspen Institute, World Bank, Duke University, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. Their work has been covered by BBC | The New York Times | The Economist | The Lancet and more. www.visionspring.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230628048139/en/

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(Bloomberg) -- Airbnb Inc. said demand for short-term rentals is strong, rejecting data presented in a viral tweet that suggested revenue for property owners in some US cities was down nearly 50%.

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The data is not consistent with our own data, said Sam Randall, an Airbnb spokesperson, in response to a Twitter thread that contained data the author said was from short-term rental analytics site AllTheRooms. As we said during our first-quarter earnings, more guests are traveling on Airbnb than ever before, with nights and experiences booked growing 19% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to a year ago.

According to the tweet, Sevierville, Tennessee, Phoenix and Austin topped the list of US cities with the biggest declines, with revenue per available listing, or RevPAL, shrinking as much as 48% in May over a three-month average compared with a year earlier. Nick Gerli, the author of the tweet who runs a consulting business and YouTube channel advising home buyers and real estate investors, attributed the slump to a decline in demand and increase in supply.

From the Archive: Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away

AllTheRooms, which aggregates property listings from Airbnb and Expedia Group Inc.s Vrbo on a daily basis, didnt respond to a request for comment on the veracity of the data and Gerlis analysis.

Data from another provider, AirDNA, which has been collecting listing data on short-term rentals since 2014, show a more muted decline in the single digits in the same markets, according to a tweet by Chief Economist Jamie Lane.

Airbnb has benefited over the past few years from shifts in work and lifestyle due to the pandemic. It saw a rush of people become hosts to meet a surge in demand for longer stays in rural towns or near popular outdoor tourist destinations like national parks. The platform has seen an acceleration in the year-over-year growth of total active listings, excluding China, in every quarter over the last two years, it said in its first-quarter earnings report. Total active listings grew 18% in the three months ending in March compared with a year earlier, up from 16% in the prior three-month period.

But as more companies call workers back to the office, some pandemic boomtowns have seen dramatic declines in housing prices. And a glut of properties that were listed during the pandemic-fueled boom suddenly caught up with and even overtook demand growth.

Airbnb said the number of nights and experiences booked in the current period will look unfavorable compared with a year ago, when there was a surge in demand following the outbreak of the Covid-19 Omicron variant. As a result, the company expects year-over-year growth in nights and experiences booked to increase at a slower pace in the second quarter than revenue.

Lane said he expects revenue per available room, or RevPAR, to be down about 1% in the first half of this year. We expect something similar in the back half, about 1%-2%, driven primarily by a decline in occupancy and slightly offset by higher rates. The decline in occupancy is due to supply growth outpacing demand, he added. Lane declined to comment on the discrepancy between AirDNAs data and AllTheRooms.

RevPAR is a metric that Airbnb hosts use to measure how much their listings make. Its the same standard the hotel industry uses to assess performance of its properties. In the context of Airbnb listings, RevPAR takes into account the rental price plus cleaning fees set by hosts, multiplied by the occupancy rate.

It offers a more accurate assessment than RevPAL because it excludes the dates on which the listing is not available for booking, Lane said. A full-year comparison would offer a fairer view than just a three-month period, as Gerli reported, due to seasonality in each market, Lane said.

While Lane said he expects RevPAR growth to continue to be flat in 2024, overall demand will still be strong for short-term rentals. It will be much more than hotels and we expect short-term rentals to be gaining share over hotels in terms of total accommodations, he said.

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[June 29, 2023] Carahsoft Named Ping Identity Distribution Partner of the Year for 2022 Tweet

RESTON, Va., June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carahsoft Technology Corp. , The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, today announced that it has been named the Distribution Partner of the Year by Ping Identity , the intelligent identity solution for the enterprise. The award was announced at Pings 2023 Sales Kickoff and acknowledged Carahsofts outstanding achievements and innovations for driving business for the company.

As Ping Identitys Master Government Aggregator, Carahsoft has worked together with Ping Identity to expand its reach within the Public Sector market. In 2022, Carahsoft enabled exponential growth from the previous year and leveraged marketing activities and events to connect Ping with channel and technology alliance partners. In addition, through Carahsofts support, Ping Identity was named a vendor on Carahsofts Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) Cybersecurity Multi-Award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and is now able to offer agencies procurement of the companys Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) products through the Carahsoft Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace. This year, Carahsoft and Ping also hosted an executive briefing session where Pings top leaders presented Pings vision, roadmap and ICAM maturity models. We are honored to be named the Pin Identity Distribution Partner of the Year, said Tyler Nelson, Sales Manager who leads the Ping Identity Team at Carahsoft. This achievement was possible through the hard work of our dedicated sales and marketing teams in collaboration with our essential reseller partners. Together we understand the importance of ICAM, Multi-Factor Authentication and Zero Trust solutions for the Government to maintain security and are committed to providing easy access to acquire those technologies. We look forward to continued growth in our partnership with Ping Identity and reaching new heights in the future.



"This award recognizes the distributor who prioritized a partnership with Ping Identity, achieved sales goals through comprehensive marketing campaigns, and committed to engagement with the Ping sales team, said Alex Ryals, VP of Channel Sales at Ping Identity. Carahsoft has shown immense creativity in executing a growth plan in our Federal business, and we continue to be grateful for their partnership. About Carahsoft

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, we deliver solutions for Big Data, Cybersecurity, DevSecOps, Open Source, MultiCloud, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Visit us at www.carahsoft.com .

Contact:

Mary Lange

(703) 230-7434

[email protected] About Ping Identity

At Ping Identity, we believe in making digital experiences both secure and seamless for all users, without compromise. Thats digital freedom. We let enterprises combine our best-in-class identity solutions with third-party services they already use to remove passwords, prevent fraud, support Zero Trust, or anything in between. This can be accomplished through a simple drag-and-drop canvas. Thats why more than half of the Fortune 100 choose Ping Identity to protect digital interactions from their users while making experiences frictionless. Learn more at www.pingidentity.com .



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[June 29, 2023] Investor Alert: GIS Capital and Quantum AI, IIROC Impersonation Schemes Tweet

Be an informed investor - Don't be fooled by fraudsters misrepresenting themselves TORONTO, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) is warning Canadian investors not to be fooled by GIS Capital and Quantum AI fraudsters. In calls with investors, the fraudsters impersonate employees of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), a legacy organization of CIRO, and ask investors to provide identity documents and financial details such as copies of ID cards, bank card numbers and other sensitive information. The company also claims to offer trading services in forex, stocks, indices and commodities. Neither GIS Capital nor Quantum AI were registered with IIROC and are not members of CIRO. CIRO has noted a spike in advisor and regulator impersonation schemes. In communications with investors, fraudsters claim to be associated with legitimate firms, posing as registered individuals or regulators. If you suspect anything unusual, always independently verify that the person calling or emailing you is the person they claim to be. Often, the name given is a real individual's name, and the fraud is only revealed by a bogus email domain or phone number. Do not rely on unsolicited information, do your own research online, and contact the individual advisor, the firm, or the regulator directly to confirm it was them who had contacted you. CIRO will never ask for your banking or credit card information or copies of identification documents. Additionally, CIRO does not provide assistance with ecovering funds.



Fraudsters also try to imitate legitimate financial institutions and send fake emails requesting personal or financial information. These are called phishing emails. Make sure you delete phishing emails and do not click on any links. They can carry harmful viruses that may infect your computer and steal your sensitive information. Know exactly what you are investing in. Make sure you understand how the investment, product, or service works. Get a second opinion and seek professional advice about the investment.

Investors should also check the background, qualifications and any disciplinary history of investment advisors registered with CIRO or the CSA by checking the free AdvisorReport for advisors registered with investment dealers, or the CSA's National Registrant Search. If you believe you have been a victim of this or a similar scam, immediately contact your bank, local police, your provincial securities commission, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. About CIRO Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization is the national self-regulatory organization that oversees all investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and trading activity on Canada's debt and equity marketplaces. CIRO is carrying on the regulatory functions of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada, and is committed to the protection of investors, providing efficient and consistent regulation, and building Canadians' trust in financial regulation and the people managing their investments. For more information, visit CIRO.ca. SOURCE Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO)

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[June 29, 2023] MINSAIT PRESENTS THE FIRST GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT OF A SCADA SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS CONTROLLING THE ENTIRE ELECTRICITY GRID OF A COUNTRY FROM THE CLOUD Tweet

Reduces the time of diagnosis and identification of anomalies at ENERGUATE, the Guatemalan utility, and incorporates the best practices of user experience and the management of critical information

The Cloud deployment of SCADA systems will allow quicker implementations of the technological infrastructure needed by electric utilities, facilitating the automatic allocation of resources and the replacement of fixed costs into variable ones based on consumption

The advantages of Cloud operations of SCADA, could reduce by up to 50% the initial investment costs and infrastructure update requirement MADRID, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Minsait, an Indra company, presented in Madrid, at the 2023 AWS Summit, the deployment in Latin America of the first cloud-hosted SCADA system worldwide. This system is meant for the operation and monitoring of the critical infrastructures of the national electricity grid of Guatemala. The project, developed jointly with ENERGUATE, the electricity company in Guatemala and the largest in Central America, includes the latest version of PRISM SCADA of Minsait ACS, Minsait's unit in the United States, that is deployed on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud infrastructure. The new PRISM SCADA incorporates best practices in user experience (UX) design to improve the management of critical information coming from Guatemala's electricity distribution network. Energuate oversee operations of almost 50,000 miles of power grid and provides electricity service to more than 2.2 million customers in Guatemala. This new version of PRISM SCADA imroves incident resolution times through a clearer and more intuitive representation of the state of the network and additional contextual information that increases the productivity of operators. Another important feature is the incorporation of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence technologies for learning and continuous improvement on decision-making to reduce outages duration and increase service quality indexes.



50% reduction in infrastructure costs Minsait ACS is working with AWS to implement the technological infrastructure that Energuate needs for the allocation of resources automatically, thus replacing fixed costs with variable ones based on consumption.

The deployment of this type of solution in the cloud can reduce by up to 50% the initial investment and the cost of updating infrastructures. It also leverages the high standards of data security and privacy of AWS cloud elevates for the operation of critical infrastructures, the protection of information and applications. Other benefits of the newest PRISM SCADA are the reduction of onsite activity during system implementation, faster training on the intuitive and user friendly interface, a system architecture for scalability to serve power grids of all sizes. About Minsait ACS Minsait ACS (www.minsaitacs.com), an Indra Company, is a consulting and technology company that offers value-added solutions and services, with projects in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Minsait ACS has over 45 years of experience in the utility industry and is proud to provide the broadest set of Information and Operations (IT/OT) technology solutions to its valued customers. At Minsait ACS we leave our mark by providing solutions and services that support the entire energy value chain, from the intelligent management of networks and data to the commercialization of energy and new services. Our value proposition is based on innovation and knowledge of the processes and challenges of the electricity sector. Our purpose is to help drive digital transformation with an immediate impact on business operations and processes, leaving a positive footprint on society. About Minsait Minsait, an Indra ( www.minsait.com ) company, is the leading Digital Transformation Consulting and Information Technology company in Spain and Latin America. Its high degree of specialization and sectoral knowledge, complements its high capacity to integrate the real and the digital world, and its flexibility. Minsait's offer focuses on high-impact value propositions, providing end-to-end solutions specific for market segments and product portfolio branded Onesait, which deliver tangible impacts to its clients. Communication and Media Relations

Phone: + (34) 91 480 97 05

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minsait-presents-the-first-global-deployment-of-a-scada-system-that-allows-controlling-the-entire-electricity-grid-of-a-country-from-the-cloud-301867237.html SOURCE Minsait ACS

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[June 29, 2023] Inszone Insurance Services Announces Strategic Hire, Kathleen Kozlowski, as Vice President of Carrier Relations Tweet

Inszone Insurance Services: a rapidly growing, national provider of benefits, personal and commercial lines insurance, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Kathleen Kozlowski as Vice President of Carrier Relations. Kathleen brings with her an impressive track record spanning over three decades in the insurance sector, marked by strategic roles and relationship-building prowess. Beginning her career as an underwriter, she mastered the intricacies of the insurance industry, leading to her growth through account management roles at leading insurance brokerages such as Marsh and Willis. Her contributions played an instrumental part in serving high-value clientele, resulting in her established reputation as a trusted business relationship manager for major players in the financial services sector including JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. In her new position as Vice President of Carrier Relations at Inszone Insurance, Kathleen will be working in collaboration with the Sales Leadership team to establish, grow, and maintain positive relationships with carrier business partners. She will collaborate closely with state Vice Presidents, ffering insight and solutions to local and national carrier issues.



At the core of Kathleen's approach to business is an unwavering commitment to building lasting relationships. She states, "I take pride in getting to know people on a personal level." Her remarkable interpersonal skills and an innate ability to foster connections make her an invaluable asset in establishing and enriching partnerships with carrier business partners. "We're excited to welcome Kathleen to our team," says Chris Walters, CEO of Inszone Insurance Services. "Her depth of experience, commitment to our carriers, and passion for building meaningful relationships align perfectly with our mission. As we continue to grow, Kathleen's strategic insight will be instrumental in strengthening our carrier relationships and in navigating the complexities of the insurance world, ultimately resulting in enhanced benefits to our clients."

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Sacramento, California, Inszone is a full-service insurance brokerage firm that provides a broad array of property & casualty insurance, along with employee benefits solutions. With a strong, experienced management team, Inszone continues to grow organically, as well as through acquisitions. With 40 locations across California, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah, the company is looking to further expand throughout the United States. For more information about Inszone, please visit www.inszoneinsurance.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629565828/en/

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[June 29, 2023]

Now Open: Call for Applications Supporting Clean Fuels and Zero-Emission Vehicles Awareness Projects

OTTAWA, ON, June 29, 2023 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan outlined a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and to put it on track toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

With on-road transportation accounting for about 20 percent of Canada's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Canada must undertake a transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and, where necessary in the near term, lower-carbon options for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, clean fuels, such as clean hydrogen, advanced biofuels, liquid synthetic fuels and renewable natural gas will play a critical role in hard to decarbonize sectors such as industry and medium- and heavy-duty freight.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, launched a combined call for proposals to provide funding across three areas of focus through the Clean Fuels Awareness (CFA) and Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI). The call will help fund projects that aim to increase awareness and understanding, while also striving to boost public and industry confidence to implement change through the adoption of ZEVs and clean fuels.

The three areas of focus offered through this call include:
[June 29, 2023] DATAMARK Selected by New Mexico E9-1-1 Bureau to Provide NG9-1-1 GIS Training Tweet

DATAMARK to provide series of statewide training sessions to PSAP and GIS leaders PITTSBURGH, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker International, announced today that the firm has been selected by the New Mexico E9-1-1 Bureau to provide Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) GIS training to Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and GIS leaders throughout the state. DATAMARK kicked off a recurring series of GIS and addressing best practices training sessions at the New Mexico Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) / National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Conference in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in May 2023. "New Mexico joins many other states in taking a thoughtful and proactive approach to NG9-1-1 education for the state's PSAPs, having recognized that early education and planning is crucial to the Bureau's success," said Robert Murphy, Director of Business Development at DATAMARK, Michael Baker International. "Our DATAMARK team will draw on extensive educational outreach and experience with successful NG9-1-1 projects to support New Mexico in raising awareness and understanding of the key elements of a successful NG9-1-1 transition. This project will lay the foundation through valuable knowledge-sharing and training on NG9-1-1 GIS processes and workflows." New Mexico joins a growing list of statewide clients turning to DATAMARK for complex and diverse NG9-1-1 GIS services. This includes the Alabama 9-1-1 Board, State of Idaho, State of Oklahoma, State of Maine and local governments in twenty-two states. "DATAMARK has demonstrated a thorough understanding of NG9-1-1 GIS needs and an ability to communicate those needs to a wide range of stakeholders, o our program is pleased to work with DATAMARK towards a NextGen solution," said Tyler Fosset, New Mexico 9-1-1 GIS Coordinator.



The project includes the on-site facilitation of two different educational courses, Intro to NG9-1-1 GIS and NG9-1-1 GIS Transition. DATAMARK's Intro to NG9-1-1 GIS course introduces PSAP and GIS leaders to NENA standards and best practices and will describe the workflows required to ensure that NG9-1-1 GIS data meets NENA standards to support geospatial call routing. The NG9-1-1 GIS Transition course provides attendees with information to establish processes, describe the functions of NG9-1-1 systems, provide an intermediate understanding of GIS, discuss how Next Generation Core Services use GIS, and detail how data governance affects data completeness. Courses will be held throughout the state over the next several months to provide equal access to educational opportunities to all New Mexico PSAPs. About DATAMARK

As trusted advisors in public safety, DATAMARK brings comprehensive, real-world expertise in police, fire, EMS and 9-1-1 leadership roles to Next Generation 9-1-1 transitions. The DATAMARK team leads the industry by shaping rules and legislation, and by building a suite of products and services that ensure accurate emergency response location data in life-critical situations. DATAMARK empowers its team and stakeholder partners to foster trusted relationships and cultivate data integrity for informed decision making. DATAMARK, the public safety GIS team of Michael Baker International, has decades of proven experience in mission-critical government addressing projects. The team works with clients to solve their complex needs, from data quality checks and addressing to workflow analysis and more. Learn more about the company at www.datamarkgis.com and follow DATAMARK on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook .

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations  like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS). The firm's more than 3,500 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while Reimagining Michael Baker to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm over the next five years. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/. Contact: Julia Covelli

[email protected]

(866) 293-4609 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/datamark-selected-by-new-mexico-e9-1-1-bureau-to-provide-ng9-1-1-gis-training-301866265.html SOURCE DATAMARK

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[June 29, 2023] Pinkerton Academy Extends Use of PowerSchool's College, Career, and Life Readiness Platform to Propel Postsecondary Success for Students Tweet

PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) today announced Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire renewed PowerSchool Naviance CCLR, part of the PowerSchool Workforce Development Cloud, to support the institution's college, career, and life readiness initiative and meet new state compliance requirements. Through Naviance, Pinkerton Academy helps students uncover their strengths and interests, navigate college choices, and explore the array of postsecondary career options available to them. "We've seen story-after-story of students over the years using Naviance to document their career maturity over time, including students making significant changes in their personal career plans based upon the interest assessment results provided through the platform," said Douglas Cullen, Manager of Career Services, Pinkerton Academy. "Based on the positive track record of Naviance, ensuring this solution is available to our students and staff moving forward will be one of our top priorities - especially our freshmen, to assure we're adhering to state career assessment mandates, as part of new legislation." Prior to implementing Naviance in 2016, Pinkerton Academy managed its CCLR prgram through multiple technology solutions and manually tracked students' postsecondary career planning progress. Pinkerton realized that using these disconnected solutions to manage its CCLR program caused more operational friction for both students and staff. To remedy this, Pinkerton implemented Naviance to consolidate and simplify its overall postsecondary career planning initiatives so they would be more accessible for all users.



Among Naviance's features, Pinkerton credited the Career Interest Profiler as one of its most helpful solutions for students in identifying potential postsecondary career paths. Additionally, Pinkerton Academy noted that once fully implemented and adopted, they anticipate that Naviance's work-based learning feature will help students develop deeper connections within the community. Naviance's CCLR platform helps more than 10 million students in the U.S. discover their strengths and interests to find their best-fit path after high school. Through the platform's unified interface, students can search for colleges aligning with their specific interests, take career assessments, explore and plan for careers, and participate in career-connected education such as work-based learning.

Founded in 1814 in Derry, New Hampshire, Pinkerton Academy is the largest independent high school in the United States and serves as the high school of record for the towns of Auburn, Candia, Chester, Derry, Hampstead, and Hooksett, NH. Approximately 3,200 students attend the Academy, and the school's staff includes 530 employees. Pinkerton is a private, non-profit corporation. A Head of School governs the school under the direction of an eighteen-member Board of Trustees. Courtesy, respect, and responsibility, tenets of the Pinkerton community, guide its mission to provide a safe and welcoming environment that prepares all students for success in a changing world. Pinkerton seeks to fulfill its vision where all students become critical thinkers, effective communicators, and respectful, contributing members of society. Learn more at www.pinkertonacademy.org. For more information about PowerSchool Naviance CCLR, visit https://www.powerschool.com/classroom/naviance/. About PowerSchool PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 50 million students globally and more than 15,000 customers, including more than 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in more than 90 countries. Visit www.powerschool.com to learn more.  PowerSchool. PowerSchool and other PowerSchool marks are trademarks of PowerSchool Holdings, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. PWSC-C View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230629680811/en/

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This decision represents a monumental shift in policy across the nation and there are, of course, local implications.

Accordingly . . . One of the top elected officials in the metro offers local context . . .



Jackson County Executive statement on Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. has issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions:



As we reflect on the Supreme Court's decision to outlaw affirmative action in college admissions, we must recall that progress, though hard-fought, can face setbacks. Affirmative action, while flawed, provided generations of students the platform to show they belonged.



Justices Sotomayor and Jackson's dissenting opinions remind us that our journey toward equality should not stall. Their words resonate deeply with us in Jackson County as we consider the implications of this ruling.



As a local government, we stand on the frontlines of equality and opportunity. It is our duty to ensure our actions are in service of everyone, regardless of background. Diversity is not merely beneficial  it is fundamental. It fortifies our courtrooms, hospitals, boardrooms, and government institutions, enriches our cultural spaces, and empowers our neighborhood associations.



Let's look at an example right here in our county: The Our Healthy Jackson County Program. This initiative is confronting health disparities head-on, bringing preventative health services to communities most in need. Under the leadership of Dr. Jannette Berkley-Patton, and with the collaboration of over 60 community organizations, the program is making vital strides in health equity.



The pursuit of equality is a collective journey. And though the road may have its twists and turns, we are committed to traveling it together. We believe in a Jackson County where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. While today's ruling is an unquestionable setback, I know that if we work together we can build a better and more equitable Jackson County for everyone.



###

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Supreme Court guts affirmative action in college admissions | CNN Politics The Supreme Court says colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission, a landmark decision that overturns long-standing precedent that has benefited Black and Latino students in higher education.

The Supreme Court rules against USPS in Sunday work case The court ruled in favor of an evangelical Christian Postal Service carrier who refused to work on Sundays for religious reasons.

Missouri and Kansas colleges must rethink admissions policies after end of affirmative action The U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action on Thursday, outlawing race as a factor in college admissions. It was a 6-3 decision split between the conservative and liberal wings of the court.

Supreme Court Justices Thomas, Sotomayor read affirmative action opinions from the bench in rare move Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor read their conflicting opinions on affirmative action from the bench in a rare move.

Developing . . .
This morning we gather more than a few local link on rising violence, court cases, ongoing investigations, consumer warnings and ALLEGED misdeeds.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Iconic Kansas City radio station KPRS to dedicate 12 hours of airtime Friday to anti-violence programming Radio station KPRS Hot 103 Jamz! is one of the city's top radio stations and a voice for its Black community.

Of nearly 100 homicides, Kansas City police have solved just 32 killings this year. Why? As Kansas City approached 100 homicides so far this year, Kansas City police have made arrests in about one third of the cases.

17-year-old killed during party at Kansas City short-term rental A Kansas City family is grieving after their loved one, just 17 years old, was killed early Sunday.

Mother of Jesus Abarca hopeful her son's killer will be caught more than 3 years later Abarca was just about to graduate from J.C. Harmon High School when someone shot him near 12th Street and Metropolitan Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.

Man convicted of 2021 double homicide in Kansas City sentenced to 60 years in prison Vontez Howard, 26, was sentenced to 25 years for each second-degree murder conviction, along with 10 years on four armed criminal action charges.

Kansas City man arrested, charged for alleged participation in Jan. 6 riot A Kansas City man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly participating in Jan. 6, 2020, riots at the U.S. Capitol.

'Sorry ... I didn't want to go back to jail': Raytown police arrest man on house arrest after chase The suspect was issued citations for careless driving, fleeing and eluding, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and no proof of insurance.

KCK man sentenced for sexually abusing girl he was babysitting A Kansas City, Kansas, man has been sentenced for sexually abusing a girl he was trusted to babysit.

Missouri man sentenced in death of woman who was caged and dismembered BUFFALO, Mo. - A second man has been sentenced to life in prison for the death of a woman who was kept in a cage and dismembered in southwest Missouri in 2021.

Search continues for suspect in Kansas road-rage killing The road was closed during the investigation January 12-photo courtesy KCTV

Kansas prison supervisor harassed, berated employee for years, discrimination suit says Evangelina Pearson, a single mother, said in a federal lawsuit that she was forced to take a job that took more time away from her kids after attempts to file a discrimination complaint against a supervisor failed.

Scammers target KC Taylor Swift fans ahead of upcoming concert series Whether you're a Taylor Swift fan or not, the demand to go to her concert is unmatched. Tickets to KC shows start at $1200, but Lenexa police warn to look out for scams.

Developing . . .
A Kansas City Public School Board contest earned a modicum of coverage from local media but the aftermath was completely overlooked by the political chattering class.

We could talk demographics, power shifts & a glimpse at the future . . . That would be fun and might even ignite a few tempers . . . But that wouldn't be accurate.

School Board is a thankless and unpaid job with almost no political future.

Long, long ago it was a springboard to bigger things . . . Now it's only slightly more important than a position on the PTO.

It's all downside, lots of complaints, reading and accountability without much reward.

The dreamer LGBT advocate proved victorious . . . And he deserves credit for campaigning . . . But the work has only started given the rough shape of KCPS . . .



To be fair, here's the winner's hopeful statement . . .



"Filled with gratitude, joy, and admiration for everyone who voted on Tuesday, June 20th. Similarly, I extend this sentiment to everyone who shared their hopes, goals, and concerns regarding the future of our children. #WeDidIt #Sagastume4Students #THANKYOU"

A quick look at meager election returns via www.TonysKansasCity.com screencap . . .

Developing . . .
Antony Blinken says he told Beijing officials that US does not seek to 'contain' China

The perception that the US intends to "contain" China "economically and globally" was a "lengthy part of the discussions" when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met this month with his Chinese counterparts in Beijing, he said on Wednesday.

Yet holding back the world's second-largest economy was counter to US interests, Blinken said at an event in New York by the Council on Foreign Relations, adding that he told his hosts in Beijing that "if you actually look at what's happening, and what's happened, the facts belie that assertion".

Blinken's remarks in a wide-ranging speech on US foreign policy came as Washington considers another round of restrictions on China's access to US semiconductor technology. In October, the US banned export of certain cutting-edge chips technology to China.

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.

On Tuesday, Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House select committee on China, urged Blinken not to renew a bilateral science and technology collaboration agreement set to expire in August.

Noting that China remains a leading US trading partner and a key destination for US business investment, Blinken described export controls and sanctions on Chinese individuals and companies as "very targeted".

But, he contended, it was not in the interests of the US to allow China to gain access to some critical technology.

"We want to see a China that's actually succeeding economically - it's in our interest. But equally, and again I shared this with our counterparts, how is it in our interest to allow them to get technology that they may turn around and use against us?," he asked.

As examples, Blinken cited China's "building a very opaque nuclear weapons programme and expanding it at a very rapid pace, developing hypersonic missiles [and] using AI, potentially, for repressive purposes".

One of China's DF-17 hypersonic missiles. Blinken cited Beijing's missile development as a US concern. Photo: CCTV alt=One of China's DF-17 hypersonic missiles. Blinken cited Beijing's missile development as a US concern. Photo: CCTV>

Blinken characterised the competition with China as "intense", "long-term" and without a "clear finish line". The purpose of his Beijing trip was to "start to build back sustained lines of communication" since "this is more about getting to a place where we have a peaceful and maybe somewhat more productive coexistence".

As a result of his visit, Blinken said, "you're going to start to see more engagement in both directions with senior Chinese officials coming here, and senior Americans going there".

On Tuesday, Blinken's deputy Wendy Sherman spoke with Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng to follow up on issues raised during his Beijing trip. A State Department officials described the call as "substantive", while a statement by the Chinese side said that Feng urged Washington to "properly handle" important and sensitive issues, such as Taiwan.

Blinken reiterated that the US position on the one-China policy "hasn't changed and won't change", accusing Beijing of taking actions "antithetical to the preservation of the status quo".

"We've seen that in some of the military operations that they've been engaged in the deployment of forces, the exercises, the missile tests, et cetera. We've seen that in the economic coercion exerted against Taiwan - and for that matter exerted against countries that have relationships with Taiwan - we've seen that in the effort to pry Taiwan out of the international system.

"And all of this is a stirring of the pot," Blinken said.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must eventually be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

In Washington on Wednesday, Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said that more high-level dialogue should result from Blinken's visit, but cautioned that military-to-military exchanges were not likely to resume any time soon.

Re-establishing those - suspended since then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan last August - has been problematic, Kritenbrink said at the Centre for Strategic and international Studies, because Chinese counterparts "state that they're worried about providing ... assurances that will somehow embolden the United States to take additional actions that they don't want to see".

Blinken said that the US and China were trying to "sketch" two different views of the world, but that Washington was in a "position of strength" because of the convergence that it has built with key partners in Europe and Asia on "how to approach the challenges that China poses".

Speaking about exploring areas of cooperation amid competition, Blinken said that the two nations were moving toward "more practical cooperation" on dealing with fentanyl crisis in the US.

On the war in Ukraine, Blinken said China could play a "constructive role" because it has a "certain amount of influence" on Russia that may be useful "if we get to a moment where diplomacy has realistic prospects of achieving something".

At the same time, he said, the US must make sure that China does not "do things that would only add fuel to the fire".

"For example, provision of lethal weaponry to Russia for use in Ukraine, something that they've told us they have not done and will not do, but not only us, they told that to many other countries. It's something we watch very closely. It's something that I took up when I was there."

Additional reporting by Robert Delaney

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.
Outcry over a potential police shooting conviction overturn continues . . .

Meanwhile . . .

Notice the volume on this struggle has been turned down . . . Not a brag just a fact that our blog community was the only outlet to debunk the myth that anyone but activists were going to riot on behalf of some guy who has been dead for three years.

In the meantime . . . The political discussion continues and locals might not agree but there's no denying these words are relevant . . .



Kansas City residents should not have to fear the people they pay to protect and serve them. Unfortunately, black residents have good reason to see every interaction with the police as a threat to their lives. Even in our own homes, we are not safe. said President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City Gwen Grant.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Based on provisional data, the balance of travel services in April 2023 showed a surplus of 498.2 million, up from a surplus of 429.2 million in April 2022. More specifically, travel receipts in April 2023 rose by 19.9% to 761.1 million, from 634.9 million in April 2022, while travel payments also increased by 27.8% (April 2023: 262.9 million, April 2022: 205.7 million). The rise in travel receipts was due to a 30.0% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip declined by 8.4%. Net travel receipts offset 21.9% of the goods deficit and contributed 60.1% to total net services receipts.

In JanuaryApril 2023, the balance of travel services posted a surplus of 731.4 million, up from a surplus of 579.3 million in the same period of 2022. Travel receipts rose by 411.7 million, or 38.0%, to 1,494.0 million, while travel payments increased by 259.5 million, or 51.6%, to 762.6 million. The rise in travel receipts reflected a 52.5% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell by 9.6%. Net travel receipts offset 7.6% of the goods deficit and contributed 40.1% to total net services receipts.

Travel receipts

In April 2023, as mentioned previously, travel receipts grew by 19.9% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of EU27 countries increased by 12.5% to 385.2 million, while receipts from outside the EU27 rose by 27.4% (April 2023: 338.4 million, April 2022: 265.6 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU27 is attributed to increases in receipts from euro-area residents by 4.6% (April 2023: 326.3 million, April 2022: 311.8 million) and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries by 92.2% to 58.9 million. More specifically, among major euro area countries of origin, receipts from Germany increased by 1.9% to 117.3 million, as did receipts from France, by 0.8% to 69.1 million. Turning to non-EU27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 8.4% to 82.0 million, while receipts from the United States grew by 89.7% to 71.2 million. Receipts from Russia decreased by 48.6% to 0.8 million.

In January-April 2023, travel receipts totalled 1,494.0 million, up by 38.0% relative to the same period of 2022. This development was due to increases in receipts from residents of the EU27 by 20.5% to 703.9 million and in receipts from residents outside the EU27 by 59.8% to 748.0 million. In more detail, receipts from euro-area residents rose by 16.7% to 593.2 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 45.9% to 110.7 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany remained stable at 180.7 million, while receipts from France rose by 36.6% to 127.0 million. Turning to non-EU27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom grew by 18.0% to 136.9 million. Receipts from the United States increased by 93.9% to 138.1 million, while receipts from Russia dropped by 47.0% to 4.0 million.

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound travellers in April 2023 rose by 30.0% year-on-year to 1,372.6 thousand. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 19.9% year-on-year and traveller flows through road border-crossing points rose by 64.3%. This overall increase was due to higher traveller flows from both within the EU27 (up by 32.7%) and outside the EU27 (up by 26.4%). In greater detail, travellers from within the euro area rose by 20.7% to 570.3 thousand, while travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 76.5% to 227.6 thousand. Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany rose by 33.2% to 199.7 thousand, as did the number of travellers from France, by 12.3% to 103.8 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom dropped by 0.5% to 122.7 thousand, while travellers from the United States increased by 88.6% to 78.5 thousand. Finally, the number of travellers from Russia fell by 89.5% to 0.3 thousand.

In January-April 2023, the number of inbound travellers rose by 52.5% to 3,246.8 thousand (January-April 2022: 2,128.7 thousand). Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 40.7%, while traveller flows through road border-crossing points grew by 88.0%. In the period under review, the number of travellers from within the EU27 rose by 42.1% year-onyear to 1,696.6 thousand and travellers from outside the EU27 increased by 65.8% to 1,550.1 thousand. Travellers from within the euro area were up by 29.9% and travellers from non-euro area EU27 countries were up by 78.7%. Specifically, the number of travellers from Germany grew by 18.7% to 357.7 thousand and travellers from France rose by 34.5% to 196.6 thousand. Turning to non-EU27 countries, travellers from the United Kingdom rose by 26.1% to 271.0 thousand and travellers from the United States increased by 108.1% to 165.0 thousand. Finally, the number of travellers from Russia fell by 58.9% to 4.8 thousand.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: pixabay.com
The agri-food sector, as well as sectors such as high technology, construction materials, medical equipment, medicines and cosmetics, biotechnology, and health services, are sectors of interest for the development of cooperation networks between Greek and Chinese companies, according to the conclusions of a visit by a Chinese delegation to the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ANA reports.

The Chinese delegation was from the Council for the Promotion of International Trade - Shanghai Section and from the Shanghai Chamber of International Commerce.

Welcoming the Chinese delegation, the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA), Sofia Kounenaki Efremoglou, said: "We welcome two important extroversion entities of Shanghai - China's main commercial, industrial and cultural hub. Shanghai is the third leading financial center in the world and a gateway for European products and services to the Chinese market, just as, respectively, Greece is a key gateway to the European market. I believe that the conditions are ideal to pursue the expansion of business relations between Greece and China. In the last decade, these relations have seen steady growth. We already have several examples of successful cooperation in sectors such as shipping and shipbuilding, transport, trade, and tourism. However, there is still great scope for strengthening the presence of Greek products and services in the Chinese market, in a number of sectors in which our country has significant comparative advantages and outward-looking businesses."

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Groubani
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis spoke on the phone with his counterpart of Egypt Sameh Shoukry on Thursday, with the latter congratulating the Greek minister on his assumption of office, ANA reports.

In its tweet, the Greek foreign ministry added that they discussed current international and regional developments, and reaffirmed the excellent strategic relations and strong ties between the two countries.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Orlovic
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.
Get rid of some of the products now
A tribunal has found three Durham police officers guilty of misconduct in relation to their investigation of a 2016 assault on Dafonte Miller, seen here entering the Oshawa courthouse in 2019. - Metroland photo
We asked the CBSA to explain how the agency is responding to an influx of stolen vehicles passing through the Port of Montreal.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / BeMetals Corp. (TSXV:BMET)(OTCQB:BMTLF)(Frankfurt:1OI.F) (the "Company" or "BeMetals") is pleased to announce commencement of its 2023 exploration program at the Pangeni Copper Project ("Pangeni" or the "Project") in the Zambian Copperbelt. Results from core and aircore drilling during the previous program have been integrated into our geological interpretations to generate new and refined existing targets for testing this year. This year's planned US$2 million exploration program will be pro rata funded by both BeMetals and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security ("JOGMEC").

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT PANGENI COPPER PROJECT CORE DRILLING RESULTS:

G-Target: Drill hole G2-C1 intersected 0.5 metres grading 0.71% copper ("Cu") and 0.5 metres grading

1.19% Cu

D-Prospect: Drill hole D5-C2 intersected 0.5 metres grading 0.62% Cu

P-Target: Drill hole P1-C1 intersected 0.78 metres grading 0.48% Cu

2023 exploration program plans to commence with 5,000 metres of shallow aircore drilling and 2,000

Metres of follow-up core drilling

The recently updated exploration interpretation of the Project has identified new, and refined existing,

compelling targets for copper discovery that possess similar geological settings of world class deposits and mines in the Zambian Copperbelt

Note: Table 1 below provides details of these drilled intersections.

John Wilton, President and CEO of BeMetals stated, "We are encouraged by the core and aircore results from the previous program, and the targets now generated for testing this year. Importantly we have now returned significant copper mineralization at both the G and P targets which are near the interpreted basement unit to the Katangan sediment geological contact. This is the same setting known to host many of the large and often high-grade copper deposits and mines in Zambia.

Field activities commenced this week and will begin with approximately 5,000 metres of shallow, aircore drill testing of targets below the Kalahari sand cover. The lines of aircore drilling are focused on testing significant step outs from Targets G, P, and Q, in the south and southeast area of the Pangeni property, and identifying higher-grade shoots at the D-Prospect. We will also test the northeastern extension of a major structural feature trending across the central area of the Project at the new L-target. The drilling results at Pangeni to date, under the thin but extensive sand cover, and its overall geological setting within the prolific Zambian Copperbelt continue to demonstrate the potential for this project to deliver a large-scale copper discovery."

PANGENI COPPER PROJECT

Figure 1 shows the location of the 2022 program drill holes with related widths and grades of copper mineralization intersected in four of the eight holes completed. Tables 1 and 2 below provide details of the results of the drilling. Following an updated interpretation of all the exploration data to date, the yellow circles in Figure 1 indicate the compelling targets for further exploration in this year's exploration program.

G & P TARGET AREAS

Drill hole G2-C1 intersected 0.50 metres grading 0.71% Cu and 0.50 metres grading 1.19% Cu within a wider anomalous zone of 6.50 metres grading 0.20% Cu from 157.58 metres drill hole depth. The mineralization is formed of chalcopyrite with minor bornite copper sulphides. This mineralization hosted within interpreted basement units is in close proximity to Katangan sediments identified in aircore chips. Aircore lines planned for the 2023 program will step out approximately 400 metres along strike to the southwest and northeast of the G2-C1 drill hole testing the basement unit to interpreted the Katangan sediment contact zone.

Drill hole P1-C1 intersected several zones of copper mineralization including 0.50 metres grading 0.37% Cu from 131.46 metres and 0.78 metres grading 0.48% Cu from 148.80 metres drilled depth. This copper mineralization appears to be hosted in basement units. Drill hole P1-C2 some 1,400 metres to the southeast of P1-C1 intersected a package of carbonate and sandstone units interpreted to be the Katangan sediments. Several aircore lines are planned to the eastern strike extension of this area within the P-Target.

L-TARGET AREA

As indicated on Figure 1, the L-Target is located to the northeastern extension of the major structural feature crossing the central area of the Project. This structural feature is interpreted as a major thrust fault zone cutting through both basement and potentially Katangan units. Such structures are thought to provide the pathways for copper rich fluids moving into stratigraphic and other structural traps forming sediment hosted copper deposits. This zone at Pangeni also hosts the CT-Prospect where copper sulphide mineralization was drilled.

D-PROSPECT AREA

Drill hole D5-C2 provided 0.50 metres grading 0.62% Cu within an anomalous zone of 4.50 metres grading 0.20% Cu from 136.25 metres drilled depth. When combined with previously reported drilling results at this prospect, BeMetals is motivated to target several short lines of aircore drilling. These will test and should identify higher grade shoots of mineralization within the currently identified zones of copper.

Q-PROSPECT AREA

Three lines of aircore drilling will be completed at the Q-Prospect to test the Katangan sediments in close proximity to the basement contact zone and previously drilled copper mineralization.

PANGENI COPPER PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Pangeni Project is located on the western extension of the Zambian Copperbelt, within the Lufilian Arc, underlain by Katangan Supergroup metasediments situated unconformably on basement schists and gneisses, which are covered by a thin veneer of Kalahari sands. The open pit Sentinel Copper Mine is operated by First Quantum Minerals Ltd. some 130 kilometres to the northeast of the Pangeni Project. A number of major international mining companies have identified this region of the Zambian Copperbelt to be prospective for the discovery of tier one copper mines and are conducting extensive exploration work in this region. See Figure 2 for the Project location map.

The Pangeni Project property is geologically prospective for the following deposit types; Basement-hosted Cu (analogues: the Lumwana Deposit), Sediment-hosted stratiform Cu-Co (analogues: Nchanga, Konkola, Nkana, and Mufulira Deposits), other Domes Region Deposits e.g. Sentinel, and Kansanshi, and DRC Copperbelt Deposits e.g. Lonshi, Frontier, Kamoa-Kakula).

Figure 1: Recent core drilling results, prospects & targets for 2023 exploration program, airborne magnetic data (Second vertical derivative)

BeMetals Corp, Thursday, June 29, 2023, Press release picture

Table 1: Drill Hole Intersection Results

Target/Prospect, Borehole ID & Interval From

(m) To

(m) Core Interval (m) Cu % G-Target G2-C1 157.58 164.08 6.50 0.20 Including 157.58 158.08 0.50 0.71 Also Including 163.58 164.08 0.50 1.19 D-Prospect D5-C2 136.25 140.75 4.50 0.20 Including 136.25 136.75 0.50 0.62 P-Target P1-C1 131.46 131.96 0.50 0.37* 148.22 149.58 1.36 0.33 Including 148.80 149.58 0.78 0.48 E-Target E8-C1 55.99 56.61 0.62 0.36*

Table 1 Notes: Intertek Genalysis completed the analytical work with the core samples processed at their preparation facility in Kitwe, Zambia. All analytical procedures were conducted in an Intertek Genalysis laboratory in Perth, Australia. Reported widths are drilled core lengths as true widths are unknown at this time. Based upon current data it is estimated true widths range between 80 to 90% of the drilled intersections. A nominal cut-off grade of 0.12% Cu has been used to determine the boundaries of the intersections with no more than 3.5 metres of internal dilution of the intercept. denotes single sample. *Copper oxide mineralization observed.

Table 2: Drill Hole ID, Azimuth, Dip, End of Hole Depth and Collar Coordinates

Drill Hole ID Azimuth Degree Dip Degree End of hole Depth

(m) Easting

(m) Northing

(m) Elevation

(m) Comments D5-C1 315 -60 128.50 175741 8601500 1295 Did not intersect significant Cu D5-C2 090 -60 201.85 175657 8601529 1301 Details reported above & in Table 1 E8-C1 335 -60 150.00 169659 8587292 1220 Details reported above & in Table 1 G2-C1 310 -70 200.80 188666 8590329 1187 Details reported above & in Table 1 P1-C1 315 -60 174.40 187001 8584912 1141 Details reported above & in Table 1 P1-C2 330 -70 173.65 187513 8583605 1132 Intersected sandstones and carbonate units interpreted as Katangan sediments Q3-C2 340 -70 224.70 173112 8584203 1156 Did not intersect significant Cu K2-C1 315 -60 149.90 175291 8588860 1194 Aircore copper anomaly explained by drilled mafic/ultramafic intrusion

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

The results reported here for this core drilling program were analyzed by Intertek Genalysis, an independent and accredited laboratory. Samples were prepared at their facility in Kitwe, Zambia and analytical work conducted in Perth, Australia. The results were determined using multi-acid, near total digest, and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma ("ICP") Optical (Atomic) Emission Spectrometry ("OES"). The core sampling was conducted with a robust sampling protocol that included the appropriate insertion of standard reference material, duplicates, and blanks into the sample stream.

Field operations and management have been provided by Remote Exploration Services ("RES") an independent geological consulting and contracting company. The core drilling was conducted by Blurock Mining Services, of Kitwe, Zambia.

AMENDMENT TO PANGENI PROJECT EARN-IN AGREEMENT

BeMetals is pleased to report it has agreed to extend certain obligations in its option agreement with Copper Cross Zambia ("CCZ") (Further information on the option agreement is detailed in the Company's filed financial statements), including a cash payment of US$350,000 now deferred until June 12, 2024 (a portion of which may be paid in common shares at the option of the Company). Delivery of a preliminary economic assessment and a royalty reduction payment, in order to exercise the initial option, have been extended for as long as BeMetals funds US$ 2 million of annual expenditures on the Project to align with CCZ's underlying agreement with Pangeni Mineral Resources Limited.

Figure 2. Property Location Map

BeMetals Corp, Thursday, June 29, 2023, Press release picture

ABOUT BEMETALS CORP.

BeMetals is a precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on becoming a leading metal producer through the acquisition of quality exploration, development and potentially production stage projects. The Company has established itself in the gold sector with the acquisition of a portfolio of wholly owned exploration projects in Japan. BeMetals is also progressing its tier-one targeted, Pangeni Copper Exploration Project in the prolific Zambian Copperbelt with co-funding investor the Japanese state agency JOGMEC ("Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security"). Guiding and leading BeMetals' growth strategy is a strong board and management team, founders and significant shareholders of the Company, who have an extensive proven record of delivering exceptional value in the mining sector, over many decades, through the discovery, construction and operation of mines around the world.

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The technical information in this news release for BeMetals has been reviewed and approved by John Wilton, CGeol FGS, CEO and President of BeMetals, and a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF BEMETALS CORP.

"John Wilton"

John Wilton

President, CEO and Director

For further information about BeMetals please visit our website at bemetalscorp.com and sign-up to our email list to receive timely updates, or contact:

Derek Iwanaka

Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

Telephone: 604-928-2797

Email: diwanaka@bemetalscorp.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (as defined under applicable securities laws), based on management's best estimates, assumptions and current expectations. Such statements include but are not limited to, statements with respect to future exploration, development and advancement of the Kazan Projects in Japan and the Pangeni Project in Zambia, and the acquisition of additional base and/or precious metal projects. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts", "anticipates", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur. 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 expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the actual results of exploration activities, the availability of financing and/or cash flow to fund the current and future plans and expenditures, the ability of the Company to satisfy the conditions of the option agreement for the Pangeni Project, and changes in the world commodity markets or equity markets. Although the Company 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. The forward-looking statements and forward looking information are made as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any forward-looking statements or forward looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as require by law. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.

SOURCE: BeMetals Corp.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/764431/BeMetals-Commences-2023-Copper-Exploration-Program-at-Pangeni-Project-in-Zambia-Reports-Motivating-Drill-Results-and-Updated-Exploration-Targets




Leyla Abdullayeva, Azerbaijani Ambassadress to France, condemned the attack on the employees of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC on June 28 in France, Azernews reports, citing a tweet by the Ambassadress.

The tweet reads that we condemn the attack that took place in Paris against the employees of Azerbaijan Television. She also noted that the embassy will take appropriate measures to find and punish the perpetrators of this act against journalism.
Biden Administration Turns To Hackers To Tame AI As White House Looks Towards Regulating Artificial Intelligence To Preserve Jobs

To most people, the word hacker has negative connotations, but many individuals in this often misidentified group conduct work for the betterment of the online world.

See Next: Gamers Making Thousands Selling Gaming Skins And Assets: Gameflips Bold Vision For The Future Of Gaming Commerce

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology  led by the growth of ChatGPT  has governments around the world concerned about its impact. The White House is taking steps to address these concerns, including the announcement of a mass hacking event at the DEF CON security conference later this year.

Why Is This Event Needed?

The presidential AI initiative emerges amidst increasing global interest and concern in controlling the technology, driven by the excitement and funding ignited by ChatGPT.

The Biden administration is serious about addressing the future of AI, and its joined globally by many other governments. For example, legislative members of the European Union are finalizing revisions to a comprehensive AI Act that will limit and potentially prohibit certain AI applications.

While there are growing concerns around the use of AI, theres considerable use cases growing outside of chat-based applications, or instances that could threaten global jobs. For example, AtomBeam utilizes AI to compact data by up to 75% which increases data bandwidth 4x.

The White House-endorsed event will be conducted to identify vulnerabilities in generative AI systems. Numerous attendees, including hackers and policy specialists, will be tasked with investigating generative models from leading companies such as Alphabet Inc.s Google, Nvidia Corp. and Stability AI.

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The event is being planned with the help of the AI Vulnerability Database, Humane Intelligence, Microsoft Corp. and SeedAI. A point system will be used to determine a winner, with a capture-the-flag format implemented to encourage participants to focus on various harmful behaviors.

The growing popularity of AI is forcing the hands of governments around the world. Detractors argue that many AI systems, while highly potent, remain enigmatic, posing risks such as promoting biased decision-making, displacing human employment, disseminating false information and possibly engaging in unlawful activities autonomously.

Despite the potential for misuse, AI companies continue to attract large audiences of users and investors.

In an opinion article published by The New York Times, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, noted that the current state of AI is similar to when Google and Facebook were new to the world.

As the use of AI becomes more widespread, public officials have a responsibility to ensure this hard-learned history doesnt repeat itself, she said.

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Published June 29, 2023

CAPTION:ULM Honors Program Director Dr. Joshua Stockley addresses the crowd at the annual Honors Banquet.

MONROE, LA  The ULM Honors Program recognized eleven students graduating with honors in the college, three students graduating with honors in the university, and three students who completed all undergraduate requirements and will enter ULMs Pharmacy program.

Students graduating from honors in the college must complete 20 hours of honors coursework, complete independent honors research, and maintain a 3.4 GPA or higher. Those eleven students graduating with Honors in the College were Maggie Lee Eubanks (Monroe, LA  political science), Noor Sami Farhat (Alexandria, LA  medical laboratory science), Tirian K. Judy (Monroe, LA  computer science), Allison Rose Litwin (West Monroe, LA - biology), Sijan Malla (Nepal  computer science), Kezlie Martin (West Monroe, LA - psychology), Shreeyasha Pandey (Kathmandu, Nepal  computer science), Samantha Bryn Pencil (Sonoma, CA  mathematics, mathematics education concentration), Tram Phan (Hanoi, Vietnam - marketing), Lauren Polson (Shreveport, LA  English), Deepika Shrestha (Chitwan, Nepal  mathematics, actuarial science concentration).

Students graduating from honors in the university must complete 22 hours of honors coursework, complete independent honors research, write a thesis, and maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher. Deepmala Bhomi, a computer science major from Bhaktapur, Nepal, was recognized for her thesis, Investigating Skill-To-Skill Relationship from Resumes. Deepmala will is an Associate Programmer Analyst for DXC Technology. Cherie Mialaret, a communications major from Mandeville, LA, was recognized for her thesis Public Libraries: Still Evolving - An Evaluation of the Public Perception of Local Libraries. Brennan Remington, a psychology major from Vidalia, LA, was recognized for his thesis, The IQ Qualm - A Review of Intelligence Quantification Methods and the Impact of Cultural Bias on Testing Results. Brennan will attend graduate school at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

Three students were recognized for completing the requirements for honors in the college and will enter the Pharmacy graduate program in the Fall. They were Jodi Bourgeois (Vacherie, LA), Caitlyn Breedlove (Hamburg, AR), and Kaitlyn Edwards (Pineville, LA).

The ULM Honors Program also recognized outstanding alumni, faculty, and students. The Faculty of the Year Award went to Dr. Joyce Zhou, associate professor of marketing, in recognition for her exemplary record of creating service learning and research opportunities for honors students. The Alumni of the Year Award went to retired Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Markus Clark. In addition to a long and distinguished record of public service, Justice Clark was recognized for his generous donation used to renovate the Honors Lounge in Strauss Hall.

The recipient for the Jordan Faith Bass Freshman of the Year Award was George Khawas, a computer science major from Nepal; the Sophomore of the Year was Beau Benoit, a toxicology major from Bossier, LA; the Junior of the Year was Jodi Bourgeois, a pre-pharmacy major from Vacherie, LA; the Senior of the Year was Brennan Remington, a psychology major from Vidalia, LA. The honors program also awards a student of the year. The Student of the Year Award is given to the student who best exemplifies the ideals of the ULM Honors Program through excellence in scholarship, high moral character, and outstanding service to the honors program and university. Caitlyn Cullen, a senior political science student from Vacherie, LA was the recipient.

Dr. Joshua Stockley, director of the ULM Honors Program, in brief remarks to those in attendance, said President Berry challenged all ULM faculty, staff, and students to contribute a verse to our University and to our communities. These outstanding students, faculty, and alumni responded to this call and we want to publicly recognize them. Stockley, I am so proud of our graduates. They excelled in their academic programs, completed the honors program, and contributed significantly to the University community. They are our future leaders.

About the ULM Honors Program

The ULM Honors Program is a unique program within ULM that seeks any intellectually curious student who desires to challenge themselves with new ideas and to work with similarly motivated students. The program is open to any student of any major. Honors students are exposed to more in-depth topics and work closely with faculty in smaller courses.

For more information about the Honors Program contact Dr. Joshua Stockley at stockley@ulm.edu or 318-342-3216 or visit ulm.edu/honors.
First two episodes of 'Link Click' Season 2 to premier at special event on July 2

SHANGHAI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bilibili Inc. ("Bilibili" or the "Company"), an iconic brand and a leading video community for the young generation in China, today announced its participation in Anime Expo 2023, one of the world's most prominent anime conventions, to be held in Los Angeles from July 1-4, 2023. Bilibili will host a special screening event at the JW Marriott Los Angeles on July 2 at 19:00 PST, where the long-awaited second season of the Chinese anime series, Link Click, will make its debut outside of China with the unveiling of its first two episodes.

Bilibili's booth at Anime Expo 2023

Bilibili's booth (South Hall Lobby SF4) at the Expo will serve as a gateway to the vibrant world of Chinese animation, featuring a collection of top-quality Chinese anime titles produced by Bilibili, such as Link Click and Heaven Official's Blessing.

Bilibili produced Link Click is one of the most popular Chinese anime series outside of China

Link Click tells the story of two friends, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, who use superpowers to enter photographs to grant their clients' wishes. The upcoming second season will explore the main storyline in more depth with the introduction of brand-new characters.

With each episode featuring a touching story with thrilling plot twists, Link Click Season 1 has received widespread acclaim and recognition among both Chinese and international audiences. In China, the award-winning Link Click has amassed over 300 million views on Bilibili, igniting over 800 million passionate conversations across various social media platforms.

In 2022, Crunchyroll, the global brand offering fans the ultimate anime experience in over 200 countries and territories, launched English dubbed version of Link Click Season 1 in markets globally, followed by the Japanese and Korean dubbed versions on local TV channels and online animation platforms in the two countries. Garnering an impressive 8.73 user rating and a peak ranking of No.18 on MyAnimeList, the world's most active online anime and manga community and database, Link Click has firmly established itself as one of the most popular Chinese anime series among fans outside China.

Expressing his excitement for the upcoming season, Haolin, the director of Link Click, said, "Link Click has always been a passion project close to my heart. It explores themes of friendship, courage, and the unbreakable bonds we form. I am thrilled to present the second season at Anime Expo 2023 and to share this journey with fans worldwide. We're delighted to continue supporting Chinese anime and celebrating its unique creativity and storytelling."

Rooted in the hearts of ACG (Anime, Comic, and Games) enthusiasts, Bilibili is a leading platform for exceptional Chinese anime series as well as one of the largest Chinese anime production companies. Aligned with its "MADE FOR GLOBAL" vision, Bilibili is actively forging partnerships with overseas platforms to produce and showcase more Chinese original animations. Over the past two years, Bilibili has achieved remarkable milestones through collaborations with industry giants such as Crunchyroll, Netflix and ADN, facilitating the global distribution of popular Chinese anime content, including The Legend of Exorcism, The Daily Life of the Immortal King, and Fairies Albums. A total of 29 titles from Bilibili have been introduced by global platforms and available to international audiences.

As a steadfast supporter of Chinese anime, Bilibili remains committed to nurturing and promoting China's animation industry. The annual ANIME MADE BY BILIBILI event stands as a testament to the platform's long-term dedication and initiatives in advancing the Chinese animation scene. With over 100 Chinese anime series released in the past two years and supportive initiatives such as the "Light Catcher Initiative" aimed at nurturing industry talent, Bilibili continues to shape the world of Chinese animation.

Bilibili's participation in Anime Expo 2023 is set to be an exciting experience for anime fans. It will provide a glimpse into the immense potential of Chinese animation and the strong collaboration between Bilibili and the global anime industry.

ABOUT BILIBILI INC

Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday life of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators, and the intense emotional bond among them. Bilibili pioneered the "bullet chatting" feature, a live commenting function that has transformed the viewing experience by displaying the thoughts and feelings of other audiences viewing the same video. It has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests for young generations in China and the frontier to promote Chinese culture worldwide.

Cision

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SOURCE BILIBILI
What Is a Bitcoin ETF, and Why Does Everyone from Blackrock to Fidelity Want One?

With more mainstream popularity than ever, many new people are interested in acquiring some Bitcoin. But many of the crypto-curious still view buying Bitcoin from a crypto exchange as an intimidating and opaque process. The technical aspects of holding Bitcoinsuch as crypto wallets, Bitcoin addresses and private keysare confusing to newcomers, and scare some investors away.

All of this has intensified the appeal of a Bitcoin ETF, or exchange-traded fund. Major financial institutions like Blackrock, Fidelity, and Invesco have applied with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch ETFs.

What is an ETF?

 An ETF is an investment vehicle that is publicly traded, like a stock, but tracks the performance of an underlying asset or index, rather than one company.

 An ETF is a way for investors to get exposure to the value of its underlying asset, like gold or oil.

 ETFs trade on a traditional stock exchange, and their value should rise when the asset increases in price, and fall when it decreases.

SEC Approves First Leveraged Bitcoin Futures ETF

The first ETF launched in 1993, and they became popular as a way for retail investors to invest in a basket of assets at once. If you wanted to invest in 500 of the largest companies in America at once, you could buy shares in a S&P 500 ETF.

A Bitcoin ETF works in much the same way as any other ETF. Investors buy shares in the ETF through whatever brokerage they buy stocks, and can trade them the same way they'd trade shares in Apple or Tesla.

The 2x bitcoin ETF $BITX has become effective, scheduled to launch Tuesday. I was doubtful it would happen but looks like its official. Could this be early sign of SEC lightening up? After $BITO launch I believe they made earlier 2x filers withdraw pic.twitter.com/XXxSt9xypu  Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 23, 2023

Bitcoin ETFs track the current price of Bitcoin, and should act in lockstep with Bitcoin's price swings.

Why the need for a Bitcoin ETF?

So, why wouldnt investors just buy Bitcoin?

For most regular retail investors, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general still look risky.

Besides having unclear regulations around them, owning Bitcoin requires keeping a Bitcoin wallet and trusting crypto exchanges, which are still uncharted territory for people unfamiliar with the space and require a certain level of self-education.

Holding Bitcoin places the burden of security squarely on you, making you responsible for keeping your own private keys safe (unless you want to entrust them to the exchange). This may mean buying a hardware wallet to protect purchased Bitcoin, or storing private keys in a secure manner. Youd also have to work out how to file taxes for sales of Bitcoin that resulted in capital gains.

How To File Your Crypto Taxes In The U.S.

With a Bitcoin ETF, investors need not worry about private keys, storage, or security. They own shares in the ETF just like their shares of stock, and can gain exposure to the cryptocurrency market without having to go through the hoops of purchasing and holding crypto.

And to put it plainly, that is an extremely appealing proposition for many regular folksas well as sophisticated institutional investors.

That's why so many hedge funds and other investment firms have filed applications with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for Bitcoin ETFs. Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were first out of the gate with an application for the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust in 2013. In 2018, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded the Winklevoss brothers a patent for exchange-traded products." But the SEC still hasn't approved their ETFor any others.

How does a Bitcoin ETF work?

A Bitcoin ETF is managed by a firm that buys and holds the actual Bitcoin; the price is pegged to the Bitcoin held in the fund. The firm lists the ETF on a traditional stock exchange, and you, the investor, trade the ETF just as you would any other stock. Bitcoin ETFs also offer new types of trading opportunities, including short-selling, where investors can bet against Bitcoin.

But there are also some key differences between a Bitcoin ETF and other ETFs.

First, some ETFs, like those that track the S&P 500, represent equity shares, so you get a cut of the dividends that any company in the ETF pay to their shareholders. When Tesla pays a dividend and you have shares in an ETF that includes Tesla, you get a (smaller) dividend. Bitcoin is decentralized, so that won't happen with a Bitcoin ETF.

Second, just like with other ETFs, you have to pay fees to the company offering the ETF. But with a Bitcoin ETF, some portion of your fees would go to paying the custody and management fees for the purchase and storage of the Bitcoin that underlies the ETF.

A brief history of Bitcoin ETF progress

Whats so special about a Bitcoin ETF?

A Bitcoin ETF in the U.S. is expected to bring a new level of mainstream trustworthiness and acceptance to Bitcoin investing. In 2020 and 2021, big publicly traded companies including Square and Tesla bought Bitcoin as an investment for their balance sheets, which spurred new adoptionbut the cryptocurrency is still seen by many conservative investors as a risky bet or even a gimmick.

The approval of a Bitcoin ETF by the SEC would mean that institutional investors can more easily speculate on the price of Bitcoin. It would functionally bring Bitcoin to Wall Street, with the Bitcoin ETF traded through the same places as Tesla stock, bonds, gold, oil, or any other traditional assets.

And it would likely be a huge boost to the price of Bitcoin.

Cannabis ETFs have become popular for many of the same reasons that Bitcoin ETFs have. Just like crypto, the marijuana industry is viewed as risky and uncertain by traditional investors who still want the opportunity to profit from it.

Bitcoin Price Stable Despite BitMEX Arrests and Trump's COVID Diagnosis
(@FahadShabbir)

(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 29th Jun, 2023) LONDON, 29th June, 2023 (WAM)  During London Climate Action Week 2023, COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, traveled to London to collaborate with British stakeholders to develop holistic ecosystems that connect policy, technology, finance, and people. During his visit, he collaborated with the UK Government on polices which enable greater climate investments, he galvanized investors to fund climate technology, and he consulted with youth climate advocates to help shape the COP28 agenda.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber met with a wide range of key stakeholders during a visit to London this week, including H.M King Charles III, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP, and Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, the Rt Hon. Lord Zac Goldsmith, as well as business leaders, university students and young climate advocates.

The COP28 President-Designate attended a roundtable on climate solutions joined by H.M King Charles III and attended by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London; Rt Hon. Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero; the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; and the CEOs of HSBC, AstraZeneca, OVO Energy, and Gridserve.

During London Climate Action Week, Dr. Al Jaber said, If we are going to cut emissions by 43 percent in the next 7 years, we need a holistic ecosystem that connects policy, technology, finance and people. We need supportive policies to stimulate adoption of clean energies and incentivize decarbonization. We obviously need to apply the latest technologies rapidly and at scale. That will require finance and lots of capital across the world, and particularly in emerging and developing economies. And a critical success factor is people. We need capacity building, and skills development to train young people for the jobs of the future. Because we must deliver climate action and socio-economic opportunity at the same time.

This is a moment of clarity that we must face with total honesty  we need a major course correction, and we need it now. Our goal must be to stop talking and start delivering.

During his visit, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, also held meetings with UK Government Ministers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to discuss key initiatives and areas for collaboration ahead of COP28.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber also visited Octopus Energy and its founding CEO, Greg Jackson, in their London headquarters. They discussed the latest technologies that support the rollout of renewable energy and storage solutions, improve energy efficiency, and help in the race to net zero.

Masdar, the UAEs world-leading renewable energy company that Dr. Sultan al-Jaber chairs, has committed to invest 1 billion in British battery storage, following its acquisition of Arlington Energy. Masdar has partnered with Octopus Energy to license its groundbreaking technology platform, Kraken, to manage its battery portfolio at low cost and with maximum efficiency. The platform aims to manage 100,000 devices and 6GW of energy capacity by the end of 2023. This will help bring more renewables onto the grid quicker and drive down prices.

During one of his visit highlights, Dr. Al Jaber attended a roundtable with university students and young climate advocates. Hosted by Shamma Al Mazrui, COP28 Youth Climate Champion, the consultation sought views from young people to shape the agenda at COP28, including how the President-Designate can help to ensure that the process and outcomes can be more inclusive and equitable.

Addressing the youth consultation, the COP28 President-Designate said Your generation is critical, because you will inherit some of the greatest challenges of climate change and will also provide many of the solutions. Your perspectives must be heard. And you must be empowered to make a difference. We need pioneers like yourselves  who are impatient set new benchmarks.

He also restated his commitment to making COP28 the most inclusive COP ever, by providing opportunities for youth who have never been included in the process and that come from countries which have seen climate disasters firsthand through initiatives like the Youth Climate Delegates Program.

In his remarks, Dr. Al Jaber emphasized the need for the voices of young people to be included at COP28 and stated his commitment to called on young people to bring your passion, your focus and your courage to meet the challenge, reflecting that it is time to do things differently because we cant afford to rely on business as usual.


Athens, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :Alexis Tsipras on Thursday said he will step down as leader of Greece's left-wing Syriza opposition party following a crushing defeat at the polls.

Voters handed New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis an imposing election victory for the second time in five weeks on Sunday -- while Syriza saw a loss of tens of thousands of voters in just weeks.

The conservatives landed their widest winning margin in almost 50 years, with Mitsotakis securing a second term as Greece's prime minister.

"There are times when crucial decisions have to be taken," an emotional Tsipras told the press in Athens, saying he would call "elections within Syriza for a new leader, in which I will not be a candidate".

For many Greeks, former premier Tsipras is the prime minister who nearly crashed Greece out of the euro, and who reneged on a vow of abolishing austerity to sign the country on to more painful bailout terms.
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed. Investors remained optimistic as new institutional players like Fidelity prepare to file their Bitcoin ETF applications.

See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin remains above US$30,000 as market shrugs off Prime Trusts cease order

Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 cryptos mixed, as Fidelity prepares Bitcoin ETF application

Bitcoin rose 1.07% from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong to US$30,428. Ether gained 1.2% in the same timeframe, to trade at US$1,849.

Bitcoin, the worlds largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, briefly touched US$30,465 during yesterdays session, as risk appetite remained strong after large financial institutions led by BlackRock filed spot Bitcoin ETF applications in the past weeks.

Asset management giant Fidelity is preparing to submit its own spot Bitcoin ETF application, a source familiar with the matter told The Block Tuesday.

This move is seen as a significant step towards legitimizing cryptocurrencies and could bring in new institutional investors into the market, wrote Kadan Stadelmann, chief technical officer of blockchain infrastructure development firm Komodo, in a statement shared with Forkast.

Fidelitys entry into the cryptocurrency market is expected to bring in more institutional money, which could drive up demand for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. This move is also expected to increase the adoption of cryptocurrencies by traditional financial institutions, further legitimizing them as an investment asset class.

Solanas Sol token was the days biggest gainer in the top 10, rising 1.32% to US$16.27. Dogecoin was the days biggest loser, down 1.91% to US$0.06297.

The total crypto market capitalization over the past 24 hours rose 0.03% to US$1.17 trillion and market volume decreased 21.30% to US$29.58 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Bitcoin dominance rose to 50.4%, which marks an over two-year high. April 25, 2021, was the last time Bitcoin Dominance was over 50% when Bitcoin was trading above US$53,000.

Bitcoin NFT sales rise, Ethereum NFT sales fall with Azuki Elementals

The Forkast 500 NFT index fell 0.64% to 2,848.52 points in the 24 hours to 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong and declined 2.22% during the week.

Bitcoins 24-hour non-fungible token sales rose 111.14% to US$3.05 million, as sales for $FRAM BRC-20 NFTs rose 62.94% to US$806,351.

Ethereums 24-hour NFT sales fell 65.84% to US$23.49 million, as sales for Azuki decreased 41.7% to US$3.89 million after collectors were disappointed in the release of the new Azuki Elementals collection. Despite selling out within the first 15 minutes on Tuesday, investors criticized the collection for looking almost identical to the original Azuki collection. 24-hour sales for Azuki Elementals fell 56.13% to US$3.62 million.

Among the Forkast Labs NFT indexes, the Forkast CAR NFT Composite was the only one in the black, inching up 0.43% to 990.62 points.

Asian equities fall, U.S. futures rise as Fed chair warns of more rate hikes

Major Asian equities declined as of 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong, except Japans Nikkei 225 that inched up 0.12%. The Shenzhen Component Index inched down 0.099%, Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index fell 1.24% and the Shanghai Composite lost 0.22%.

Investor sentiment came under pressure from remarks from U.S. Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaling two or more interest rate hikes towards the end of the year. Powell also warned that the U.S. banking turmoil may not be over as there were still some funding vulnerabilities.

Investors await the release of Chinas Purchasing Managers Index for June, scheduled for Friday, which may show some weak signs of the countrys economic recovery.

Despite Powells hawkish remarks, U.S. stock futures strengthened during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong. The S&P 500 futures index inched up 0.13%, the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 futures strengthened 0.17% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.15%.

Although the Fed paused the interest rate hikes on June 14, it projects the interest rate to rise to 5.6% in 2023, indicating two more rate hikes within the year.

The Federal Reserves next meeting on interest rates is July 26 and the majority view is they will raise. The CME FedWatch Tool predicts an 84.3% chance for another 25-basis-point rate hike, up from 74.4% a week ago.

Markets in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are closed for the Eid al-Adha holidays.

See related article: EU publishes draft bill for digital euro and cash payments

(Corrects first section to show Bitcoin is worlds largest cryptocurrency.)
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

TOKYO, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :-- Chinese solar cell manufacturer Aiko Solar is looking to reach more customers in Japan with its highly-efficient solar modules, aiming for a bigger presence in the country's residential and commercial markets.

Shanghai Aiko Solar Energy Co., Ltd. launched its All-Back-Contact (ABC) module in the European and Japanese markets earlier this year, which is based on cells with entirely back-contact technology that could avoid energy losses and make the products more efficient.

"So far, progress in Japan has been better than expected," Zhao Hongbi, the general manager of Aiko Solar's businesses in Japan and the Republic of Korea, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The company has signed distribution contracts with three Japanese groups, including Marubeni Techno-Systems Corporation, WWB Corporation and IGUAZU Corporation, Zhao disclosed, marking a big step forward in its expansion in the market.

Aiko Solar is planning to target application scenarios in residential rooftops and commercial/industrial rooftops, as well as certain special solar power plants, to promote its high-end ABC module products.

Due to limited land area and Japan's government goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the country will inevitably promote residential and commercial/industrial rooftop photovoltaic power installations, Zhao noted.

Aiko Solar module's higher electricity generation capacity and lower construction cost in the long term can help alleviate the rapid increase in electricity prices for Japanese users, he added.

Regarding the expansion strategy in Japan, he said Aiko Solar is planning to develop two or three more distributors in the future to mutually advance business.

It is also seeking partnerships with local EPC companies (engineering, procurement, construction contractors) while working with other enterprises with high demand for photovoltaic components to directly provide services to customers, according to Zhao.

A leading player in cell manufacturing, Aiko Solar made a foray into the solar module market with the launch of the ABC module in the domestic market last year before entry into the European and Japanese markets.

According to rankings published by third-party organization TaiyangNews in June, Aiko Solar breaks its own record by offering a solar module with 24 percent efficiency.
Baghdad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :Iraq has condemned as "racist" and "irresponsible" the burning of a copy of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden during a protest authorised by the police.

Under a heavy police presence, Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old who fled to Sweden several years ago, on Wednesday stomped on the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholm's largest mosque.

Police had granted him a permit for the protest in line with free-speech protections, but said later it had opened an investigation into the Quran burning which sparked anger across the Muslim world.

The incident occurred as Muslims around the world marked the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The Iraqi government in a statement issued late Wednesday strongly condemned "the repeated acts of burning copies of the holy Quran by individuals with extremist and disturbed minds".

"These acts demonstrate a hateful and aggressive spirit that goes against the principles of freedom of expression," it said.

"They are not only racist but also promote violence and hatred.

"These irresponsible actions, in direct conflict with the values of respect for diversity and the beliefs of others, are unequivocally condemned.

" Iran joined in the condemnation on Thursday, calling the Quran burning "provocative, ill-considered and unacceptable".

"The government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran... do not tolerate such an insult and strongly condemn it," said foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani.

"The Swedish government is expected to seriously consider the principle of responsibility and accountability in this regard, while preventing the repetition of insulting the holy sanctities," he added.

Morocco also condemned the incident and recalled its ambassador to Stockholm late Wednesday.

"This new offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at this sacred time of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid al-Adha," it said in a statement.

"Faced with these repeated provocations, committed under the complacent gaze of the Swedish government", Morocco summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat and recalled its ambassador, it added.

In January, a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist burned a copy of the holy Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, also triggering outrage in the Muslim world.
MINA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :The Hajj pilgrims performed the stoning ritual on Thursday, the first day of Ayam-e-Tashreeq, at the giant pillars symbolizing Shaitan in Jamarat, Mina, as part of the frequently repeated rituals of Hajj, and the pilgrimage is now nearing its conclusion.

Wearing normal dress after exiting from the ihram the previous day, Hajj pilgrims began the act of stoning the devil on Wednesday, targeting Jamarat Al-Aqba in Mina.

Stoning at Jamarat is a pivotal and frequently repeated ritual of the Hajj pilgrimage, symbolizing its culmination.

Pilgrims perform the ritual at Jamarat Al-Aqba (largest pillar) on the first day of stoning, known as the Day of Sacrifice.

During Ayam-e-Tashreeq, which are the three days following Eid Al Adha, pilgrims continue their ritual by engaging in the stoning ceremony. This ceremony involves throwing seven stones at three pillars: the small pillar (Jamarat Al-Sugra), the medium pillar (Jamarat Al-Wusta), and the largest pillar (Jamarat Al-Aqba). The pilgrims repeat this act seven times at each pillar, symbolizing their strong rejection of the devil and their unwavering resolve to resist temptation.

This significant ritual, marking the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage, takes place just outside Makkah.

Multiple paths were allocated on all the levels of the Jamarat Bridge Complex to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims' movement.

The stoning ritual during Hajj is the riskiest episode, as tens of thousands of pilgrims gather in an enclosed space, causing congestion and jostling.

The pillars, representing the location where the devil tempted Hazrat Abraham (AS) against sacrificing his son Hazrat Ismael, (AS), serve as the focal point. Each stone thrown symbolizes a rebuke to the devil and reflects the pilgrims' determination to resist temptation.

A significant number of Saudi security personnel, healthcare professionals, and volunteers are being mobilized in and around the Jamarat Complex with the purpose of safeguarding the well-being and safety of the pilgrims. Their presence aims to facilitate the smooth progress of the pilgrims and ensure the proper execution of the stoning ritual while prioritizing their health and safety.

Saudi authorities carefully monitored the crowds to ensure a hajj without any incidents. "The entire process, from crowd management and the stoning ritual in Jamarat to the Tawaf (circumambulation) around Makkah's Grand Mosque, was smooth and effortless," expressed Sadiq Khan, a pilgrim.

Meanwhile, the pilgrims will continue to reside in Mina, a tent city, during the 11th, and 12th of Dhu al-Hijja, as part of their Hajj pilgrimage.

After performing Rami, the pilgrims will leave Mina and proceed to Makkah on the evening of the 12th or 13th of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijja. Before returning home, the pilgrims will perform Tawaf, a ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba.
London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :The UK government said it would challenge a court ruling issued Thursday that blocks its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a set-back to its controversial bid to cut migrant numbers.

Three Court of Appeal judges ruled that Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country, after a challenge to the policy by 10 migrants and a charity supporting asylum seekers.

The ruling was welcomed by human rights groups but sparked an indignant response in Kigali, which insisted it met UN standards for the treatment of refugees.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he respected the court but "fundamentally" disagreed with the judges' conclusions.

"I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries," he said.

"Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The (UN refugee agency) UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda.

"We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court." Tackling asylum claims has become a political headache for Sunak's ruling Conservative government in London, which promised to "take back control" of the country's borders after the UK left the EU.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson brought in the contentious deportation proposal to try to tackle record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France by small boats.

More than 11,000 people have already crossed the Channel in small boats from northern France this year, while the backlog of asylum claims being processed has reached record levels.
HANOI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :-- Vietnam welcomed nearly 5.6 million international arrivals in the first half of this year, more than half of this year's target of 8 million but just equal to 65.7 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO) on Thursday.

During the period, foreign arrivals to Vietnam by air accounted for 87.6 percent of the total, followed by road with 11.4 percent and sea routes with 1 percent.

Most of the arrivals in the first six months were from Asia, with around 75.2 percent, followed by tourists from Europe and the United States, data showed.

The largest markets for Vietnam's tourism during the January-June period include South Korea, China and the United States.

Over 557,100 Chinese tourists arrived in Vietnam over the period, said the GSO, adding that South Korea remained the top source of tourist arrivals with over 1.6 million visitors, while the United States ranked third with nearly 373,800 arrivals.

Chinese tourists accounted for one-third of international arrivals to Vietnam in 2019, the year before the onset of the pandemic.

Vietnam's top legislature has recently approved a looser electronic visa policy by tripling the length of time that foreign travelers are allowed to stay in the country to 90 days, according to a report by Vietnam news Agency.
Madrid, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Jun, 2023 ) :Spain assumes the EU's rotating presidency on Saturday in an important milestone for the pro-Europe nation although all eyes are on an upcoming election that could topple the left-wing government.

"Hello Europe", tweeted Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on 15 June as he presented his priorities for Spain's turn at the head of the 27-nation bloc, before hitting the campaign trail ahead of the July 23 vote.

A leader with an international profile who is keen to increase Spain's influence in Brussels, Sanchez took everyone by surprise, including his European partners, when on May 29 he announced snap polls, a day after the left was trounced in local and regional elections.

Although the country holding the reins of the European Union's rotating presidency has no more influence than fellow member states, the six-month role -- which Spain assumes on July 1 -- offers a chance to make progress on major issues facing the bloc.

"The risk is a presidency that has its eyes elsewhere" even if there is "no real risk of things going off the rails" as Spain is "a staunchly pro-European country", Sebastien Maillard, head of the Institut Jacques Delors, told AFP.

"Obviously (the election) complicates matters. We will have ministers who are out campaigning or focusing on their next job. They will have less time and energy for their European counterparts and reaching agreements with them," he added.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2023) EU countries do not exclude sending military missions to Ukraine with the consent of member states within the framework of "future security commitments," the Financial Times newspaper reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

The EU leaders will also pledge to expand the bloc's initiative to train Ukrainian troops, as well as the possibility of sending EU military missions to Ukraine if conditions "deemed suitable" and agreed by all members, the newspaper said.

The EU member states also will commit to continue financing arms supplies to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2023) At least two foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine have been wounded in a Russian strike on the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), CNN reported.

Russia's Defense Ministry reported on June 28 that a point of temporary deployment of the commanders of the 56th motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kramatorsk was hit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the Kremlin's attitude toward Kiev's statement that civilians were allegedly killed as a result of the Russian strike on Kramatorsk, said Russia does not attack civilian infrastructure, but hits military infrastructure-related facilities.

According to the US broadcaster, American mercenary Nick Duckworth said he and his "colleagues," including UK mercenary Mo Hornik, escaped with minor injuries.

The report quoted Duckworth as saying there was a "kids' party", humanitarian workers, journalists and "very few actual military personnel" at the site.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2023) India's lunar exploration mission Chandrayaan-3 with a rover will be launched between July 12 and 19, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Sreedhara Somanath said Wednesday.

"Currently, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is fully integrated. We have completed the testing and also mated with the rocket compartment ... Currently, the window of opportunity for launch is between July 12 and 19 and we will take the earliest possible date, maybe the 12th, maybe the 13th or maybe the 14th. We will announce the exact date after all the tests are completed," the ISRO chairman told the Ani news agency.

The launch of the mission was initially scheduled for 2020 and then was postponed to the first half of 2021, and then was rescheduled to August 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reforms in the space sector of India and the introduction of new models.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is planned to correct possible mistakes made during the launch of the previous Chandrayaan-2 mission.

The Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft was put into lunar orbit on August 20, 2019. As part of the mission, the Vikram lander was supposed to target a patch of high ground between two craters called Simpelius N and Manzinus C. The lander attempted a soft landing on the lunar surface but lost contact with the ground station in September for yet unknown reasons.

The Chandrayaan-2 was India's second lunar exploration mission, following the Chandrayaan-1 mission that was sent to the Moon in 2008. If the third launch is successful, the mission will make India the fourth state to claim a presence on the Moon after the United States, Russia and China.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2023) Israel cannot provide the Iron Dome anti-missile system to Ukraine due to concerns that it could fall into hands of Iran and be used against Israeli citizens, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

"I think it's important to understand that we are concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands and could be reverse engineered and we would find ourselves facing Israeli systems used against Israel ... Now if that system (Iron Dome) were to fall in the hands of Iran, then millions of Israelis would be left defenseless," Netanyahu told The Wall Street Journal.

At the same time, the prime minister said that Israel was not neutral in the Ukraine conflict, and it had provided assistance to the Ukrainian government.

"The former government made some promises, which were in the process (regarding aid to Ukraine). Well, they weren't delivered, but I delivered them.

And I think people know, maybe you should find out what's going on, but we're not neutral. We've expressed our sympathy and our position with Ukraine," Netanyahu said, adding, however, that there were still "limitations" that Israel had in terms of its support for Kiev.

Last week, Netanyahu said that there had already been multiple cases when weapons supplied to Kiev by the West were found near the Israeli border.

Western countries have been providing financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's military operation in February 2022. The support evolved from lighter artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023. For months, Ukraine has been pushing to be supplied with Israel's Iron Dome system, which has been met with resistance by the Israeli government so far. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev.
(Bloomberg) -- Global fund managers building out private markets activities in China are finding lucrative opportunities to deploy capital even as heightened geopolitical tensions chill fundraising efforts, leading others to scale back operations.

Most Read from Bloomberg

BlackRock Inc, Schroders PLC and AllianceBernstein Holding LP are among the international firms with operations in the region that are actively buying up mainland China private credit, private equity and distressed debt assets that in some cases offer steep discounts.

One such target is software and services companies that have robust revenue streams from a blue-chip client base but few assets, said Simon Chan, director, Asia Pacific private credit team for BlackRock.

The lack of assets means such firms may struggle to persuade banks to underwrite their funding activities, prompting them to turn to private sources, Chan said at a panel at the ASIFMA China Capital Markets conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

These companies are actually finding it very difficult to borrow from traditional channels, Chan said. This is a typical segment where BlackRock likes to step in.

Schroders said its found success in Chinas yuan-denominated private equity secondaries market.

While US-dollar fundraising for China private equity deals has slowed, local currency fundraising remains active. In yuan private equity funds, up to 70% of limited partners are not institutional investors and discounts on secondaries deals are common, according to Jun Qian, head of Private Equity China, Schroders Capital.

Attractive Field

In many cases they are not long-term investors, Jun said at the same event. For the RMB secondary deals which we see, typically you can ask for between a 30% to 40% discount, which translates to 1.5x to 1.5x on day one, Qian said at the same panel. Its a very attractive field.

Some firms are taking steps to shift their business as ties between China and the US fray and the geopolitical outlook grows more clouded. KKR & Co. recently reshuffled its Asia-Pacific private equity team in a move that placed its head of India private equity to be the sole Asia-Pacific head for the asset class. Sequoia Capital earlier this month announced it would split into three, carving off China and India from its US business.

While Greater China-focused private equity assets under management rose to record$539 billion last year, fundraising for China-based funds was just a quarter of the average over the three prior years, according to Preqin data.

Beijings recent crackdowns on private enterprise and US efforts to limit Chinas access to certain technologies also means firms can be wrongfooted. The Biden administration is nearing completion of an executive order that would regulate and potentially cut off certain US investments in China, people familiar with the deliberations said earlier this month.

Too Big to Ignore

But for some funds, China remains a potentially rich source of profits.

Singapore-based AB Carval Investors LP, a private markets fund manager acquired by AllianceBernstein in 2022, is another firm hunting opportunities in China, according to managing director Avery Colcord, who also spoke on the panel. The firm has targeted nonperforming loans and hopes to launch a fund in China in part to target debt from struggling property developers.

The market size in China is too large to ignore, Blackrocks Chan said. The uneven access to capital actually opens up a very interesting scene for private lenders like ourselves to serve the underserved borrowers on the ground.

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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2023) At least two foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine have been wounded in a Russian strike on the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), CNN reported.

Russia's Defense Ministry reported on June 28 that a point of temporary deployment of the commanders of the 56th motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kramatorsk was hit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the Kremlin's attitude toward Kiev's statement that civilians were allegedly killed as a result of the Russian strike on Kramatorsk, said Russia does not attack civilian infrastructure, but hits military infrastructure-related facilities.

According to the US broadcaster, American mercenary Nick Duckworth said he and his "colleagues," including UK mercenary Mo Hornik, escaped with minor injuries.

The report quoted Duckworth as saying there was a "kids' party", humanitarian workers, journalists and "very few actual military personnel" at the site.

In November 2022, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said over 8,000 mercenaries from more than 60 countries had arrived in Ukraine, the largest groups coming from Poland, the United States, Canada, Romania and the UK, despite the fact that in many countries mercenary activities are prohibited by law and prosecuted.

Over 3,000 foreign mercenaries had already been killed by that time, the same number had returned home. According to Western media estimates, as of January, between 1,000 and 3,000 foreign mercenaries were operating in the Ukrainian forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 16 that Russia was successfully hitting Ukraine's military targets with long-range precision weapons, destroying weapons depots and foreign mercenaries.

Russia's Defense Ministry has repeatedly said Ukrainian armed units place weapons and military personnel in residential buildings, hospitals, schools, kindergartens and other civilian facilities, using civilians as human shields. Moscow has called such actions "terrorist tactics." The Russian ministry said foreign mercenaries would be killed wherever they are.
(UroToday.com) The 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, IL between June 24th and 27th, 2023 was host to a prostate cancer session. Melanie Hohberg presented the results of an analysis evaluating whether tumor-to-kidney ratio on pre-treatment PSMA-PET/CT was predictive of treatment response in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients.



177Lu-PSMA is currently approved for the treatment of mCRPC patients with disease progression following use of prior taxane-based chemotherapy and androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSIs).1,2 The objective of this study was to evaluate the absorbed dose of 177Lu-PSMA in osseous and lymphatic metastases in mCRPC patients, and whether the mean dose changed over treatment cycles, stratified by treatment response status. Pre-treatment PSMA-PET/CTs were also evaluated for their ability to predict treatment response.



The investigators performed a retrospective analysis of 30 patients with mCRPC who received 3 cycles of 177Lu-PSMA therapy (177Lu-PSMA-I&T). Pre-treatment PET/CT scan were performed using either of the following two radiotracers: 18F-JK-PSMA-7 or 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC. For each therapy cycle, the mean activity of 177Lu-PSMA-I&T was 7,209 MBq +/- 379 MBq. Quantitative SPECT/CT images were obtained 24, 48, and 168 hours after 177Lu-PSMA-I&T administration. Artificial intelligence-based segmentation of the kidneys and gradient-based segmentation of the lymph node and bone lesions were performed on pre-treatment PET/CT and the 1st SPECT/CT images. Radiation dosimetry was performed using the MIM dosimetry software. Partial volume correction was also applied for all segmented volumes of interest. The tumor-to-kidney uptake ratio was quantified using the SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, and SUVmedian.

Response assessment was performed based on PSA levels:

Responders: PSA decline of 50%

Non-responder: Unchanged or increasing PSA level

Baseline PSA level was determined on the day of or the day prior to 177Lu-PSMA-I&T initiation. The last PSA level assessed was six weeks following completion of the third therapy cycle.

Results from the kidney dosimetry are demonstrated below. There were no significant differences in renal mean dose (Gy/GBq) at the time of the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd treatment cycle.



Next, the investigators evaluated mean doses among lymph node metastatic lesions among responders and non-responders. As seen below, responders had a 27% decrease in the mean dose between the 1st and 2nd cycles only, with no significant changes from the 2nd to 3rd cycle. Conversely, in non-responders, the mean dose in the lymph node lesions remained relatively stable throughout.



Among bone lesions, significant declines in mean dose among responders were observed from the 1st to 2nd (-33%) and 2nd to 3rd cycles (-50%). No significant differences in the mean doses of bone lesions were observed between the treatment cycles among non-responders.

Results of the residence time analysis mirrored those of the mean dose changes between treatment cycles among both responders and non-responders.

Given that the mean kidney uptake was similar among responders and non-responders, the kidney uptake was used as the reference standard among the patient cohort. As seen in the PSMA-PET/CT images below, patient 1 had a significantly higher lesion/kidney uptake ratio (>1) and was a treatment responder. Conversely, patient 2 had an uptake ratio <1 and was a non-responder.

The lymph node to kidneys uptake ratio among responders was consistently two-fold higher among treatment responders, irrespective of whether SUVpeak, SUVmean, SUVmedian, or SUVmax were evaluated.

A similar pattern was seen for bone lesion to kidneys uptake ratio among responders, with an uptake ratio of approximately two-fold higher, compared to non-responders.

The authors concluded that:

Responders to 177 Lu-PSMA therapy, based on PSA criteria, achieved higher absorbed doses compared to non-responders

Lu-PSMA therapy, based on PSA criteria, achieved higher absorbed doses compared to non-responders Absorbed doses decreased over the three therapy cycles among responders

Tumor-to-kidney uptake may serve as a parameter to identify potential responders on pre-treatment PSMA-PET/CT

Presented by: Melanie Hohberg, Research Scientist, MPE at Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Written by: Rashid K. Sayyid, MD, MSc  Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) Clinical Fellow at The University of Toronto, @rksayyid on Twitter during the 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Sat, June 24  Tues, June 27, 2023.

References:
By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

Researchers at the University of South Florida are urging the public to take photos of mosquitoes and share them to help track and mitigate the potential spread of malaria. The Florida Department of Health has issued a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory after four confirmed cases of malaria in Sarasota County. An additional case has also been reported in Texas.

Ryan Carney, assistant professor of integrative biology, and Sriram Chellappan, professor of computer science and engineering, developed mosquitodashboard.org, which utilizes data provided by ordinary citizens and artificial intelligence to identify the location and species of disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Funded in part by the National Science Foundation, the public dashboard serves as an aggregation of data from multiple smartphone apps, including NASAs GLOBE Observer, iNaturalist and Mosquito Alert, where people are encouraged to be citizen scientists and upload photos of any mosquitoes that they find. The data from each app is displayed on the dashboard, which features an interactive map that allows users to analyze mosquitoes near them and around the world.

It would be phenomenal for citizen scientists in Sarasota County and beyond to download and use our partner apps, Carney said. Citizen scientists with smartphones can serve as extra sets of eyes to help monitor these malaria mosquitoes, in locations and at a scale otherwise impossible via traditional mosquito trapping methods. Importantly, by contributing valuable data on exactly where these malaria mosquitoes are found in their community, everyday citizens can help guide local mosquito surveillance and control programs."

By leveraging the photos uploaded, the team has gathered more than a half million images, allowing their artificial intelligence algorithm to better identify mosquitoes in the adult and larval stage  a critical element to mitigating mosquito-borne diseases. By identifying the species of mosquito, the team can determine its potential for carrying diseases and alert local authorities.

"Advances in artificial intelligence algorithms yield novel technologies for accurate, fast and large-scale surveillance of malaria-spreading mosquitoes, Chellappan said. The impact of these technologies is significantly amplified when fueled by data from the general public, the consequence of which greatly strengthens our fight against malaria.

These technologies have proven successful locally and globally. In Tampa Bay, the team recently examined the abundance and ecological drivers of Aedes aegypti, a mosquito that carries dengue, yellow fever and Zika. They hope their study will serve as a framework for leveraging mosquito abundance data to inform habitat models and local control efforts. With that, the team will further examine the abundance of mosquitoes capable of transmitting malaria in Florida and Texas.

Ultimately, the strategy is to further deploy our arsenal of next-generation digital technologies to enable more accurate and precise surveillance and control of mosquitoes carrying deadly diseases in Florida and beyond, Carney said.

Carney and Chelleppan are working to obtain additional funding to make the technology even more accessible around the globe.
USM Graduate Student Debuts First Full-Length Poetry Collection

Thu, 06/29/2023 - 09:11am | By: Ivonne Kawas

Katherine Gaffney, a graduate student in the Center for Writers at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), is excited to debut her first full-length poetry collection Fool in a Blue House. (The University of Tampa Press, 2023).

Gaffney is the recipient of the prestigious 2022 Tampa Review Prize for Poetry, which includes a $2,000 cash award and the publication of Gaffney's collection in both hardback and paperback formats by the University of Tampa Press.

Having the poems and thus the manuscript as a whole recognized by this prize really meant the world to me as a burgeoning poetit felt like these poems were getting little crowns I had hoped they might deserve, stated Gaffney. More importantly, having the team at University of Tampa Press care so much for this book, take so much time in editing and laying out this book in connection with this prize really made the process of bringing this collection into the world such a delightful and enriching experience.

Gaffney shares the significance of debuting her first collection and the feeling of holding the book in her hands as a first-time author.

Debuting my first collection and holding the book in my hands feels like a persimmon tree finally bearing fruit after tending to it from a seed, said Gaffney. It is such a gift to see these poems correspond with one another in a way that can reach readers other than myself and those dear to me, bound so beautifully.

The poems in Gaffneys collection are full of heartbreak, love, hope, but also growth.

This book was born from a time populated by re-constellating intimate relationships, familial, romantic, maternal impulses toward a menagerie of animals and myself, expressed Gaffney. It was a tectonic time. Fool in a Blue House will always be dear to me as it captures such a key time in my development as a personembodied, tender, but also a bit feral.

During Gaffneys time at USM, she mentions she has been able to stretch her skills not just as a poet but also as a scholar of literature and writing pedagogy.

At USMs Center for Writers, I have had an incredible opportunity to grow my community of writers and develop a new project that branches away from this first full-length collection in ways that challenge myself and my conception of poetry, said Gaffney. What's more, the time I have spent in this program has really helped me stretch my skills not just as a poet but also as a scholar of literature and writing pedagogy. And, of course, the sharpening of all those skills certainly circles back to my own poetry as these disciplines are all interconnected in one way or another.

Her time at USM also helped her find the avenues to write and develop new poems that essentially made it into the final collection.

The space the program provided for reading and workshopping the work of new, fellow poets and colleagues (who have now become dear friends) was instrumental in helping me round out the manuscript, said Gaffney. That is, thanks to my time in the Center for Writers I have been able to write and develop new poems and more globally edit, revise, and reorder the manuscript to shape its final form. Further, the emphasis on literary citizenship at USM has truly shaped my literary consciousness in ways I am eternally grateful for and in ways that have made my poems increasingly community oriented.

Gaffney is a native of Hollywood, Fla. and holds an MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

You can read her work in jubilat, Harpur Palate, Mississippi Review, Meridian, and elsewhere. She has won the Mississippi Review Poetry Prize among others and has attended the

TinHouse Summer Writing Workshop, the SAFTA Residency, and the Sewanee Writers Conference as a scholar. Her first chapbook, Once Read as Ruin, was published by Finishing Line Press.

Check out Gaffneys Poetry Collection. Learn more about USMs Center for Writers.
Miss Mississippi Vivian ONeal, a USM Alumna, Readying for the Big Stage in Quest for Miss America Crown

Thu, 06/29/2023 - 04:32pm | By: David Tisdale

Miss Mississippi Vivian ONeal, a USM alumna, discusses her plans in preparing for the Miss America Pageant with USM President Dr. Joseph S. Paul (USM photo by Kelly Dunn)

Vivian ONeal nearly took a pass on taking one more shot at the opportunity of a lifetime.

A University of Southern Mississippi (USM) alumna who won this years Miss Mississippi Pageant, ONeal had considered not entering this years edition of the contest. But a change of heart led to her getting in the mix for the title, and she defied the odds  her fifth time participating in the event proved the charm  and she now finds herself vying for the Miss America Pageant crown.

Im just overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, said ONeal, a Hattiesburg area native who earned a degree in public relations and minor in political science from USM in 2020. She placed as first alternate at the Miss Mississippi pageant in 2021, participating as Miss University of Southern Mississippi (2019).

ONeal wasnt planning to return to competition, deciding instead to move on to establish a career and complete her masters program in higher education at USM. But her supporters  along with whispers from her inside voice - convinced her to give it one more try.

So many different parts of my life fell into place that pointed toward competing again, and I had so many voices, strong voices, people close to me who shared that they felt I should compete one more time and so I just said, What the heck.

A new sense of self trust also buoyed ONeal enroute to the title.

That was one of the most influential, one of the most important themes through my preparation this year, was trusting myself and deciding I was going to do it my way, she explained. And this year, I said if I do this again, I'm wearing the dress I want to wear, I'm dancing to the song I want to dance to, I'm going to say what I want to say in the interview, and just really trust those instincts and trust the decisions I was making, and it paid off.

The life of Miss Mississippi is hectic, to say the least. But ONeal is relishing the moment and the opportunities to meet and connect with people from across the Magnolia State.

No two days are the same, she said of her schedule. This past week, it's been a lot of media interviews, and then next week, it'll be a lot of meetings with my prep team and getting established and onboarding this job just like any other job.

The day-to-day duties can be anything from presenting on my non-profit community service initiative, CapABLE, being a public speaker at an event or a conference, to working with kids and hanging out with kids doing arts and crafts or other activities, or talking at a school promoting CapABLE.

CapABLE is employed in classrooms in multiple states providing educators and their stakeholders with solutions for bridging emotional learning for all students, including those with disabilities. Inspired by her relationship with a sibling with disabilities, ONeal says CapABLE celebrates the differences between students in its quest to eliminate stigma and encouraging diversity.

As the daughter of educators and sister to a child with a disability, my perspective was significantly impacted by these relationships in founding CapABLE to advance curriculum inclusion for students with disabilities in the classroom, and so far, the program has reached more than 20,000 students, ONeal explained. So, Im hoping that through my role as Miss Mississippi that CapABLE can become a nationally recognized nonprofit and double the number of students who are served through its programming.

ONeal says its very special to her to represent USM as an alumna both as Miss Mississippi and when she competes for Miss America in January 2024, describing her alma mater as a place that has poured so much into me and has certainly left me better than it found me.

USM has been so influential in not only my ability to succeed, but in shaping the story of my life though the people Ive connected with here, she said.

USM President Dr. Joseph S. Paul said ONeals journey to becoming Miss Mississippi exemplifies true Southern Miss grit.

She never gave up, never gave in, Dr. Paul continued. We could not be prouder of her.
USM Hosts Transatlantic Shipbuilding and Maritime Industry Conference

Thu, 06/29/2023 - 09:53am | By: Gabriela Shinskie

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) hosted the Transatlantic Shipbuilding and Maritime Conference on Wednesday, June 28 at the Universitys Gulf Park Campus that included 10 German shipbuilding and maritime industry suppliers to the Gulf Coast.



The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S., President Matthias Hoffmann, was among those in attendance to discuss developments on the coast. Many professionals gathered for a day of networking and informational sessions from German and United States maritime speakers.

Dr. Jason McKenna, Director of Research, Development, Testing, Evaluation, and Training at USMs Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise spoke about research partnerships to promote the new blue economy in the Gulf of Mexico along with projects Ocean Enterprise is working on with federal, state, industry, and non-profit agencies.

The Gulf of Mexico is fast becoming a new blue economy hub, said McKenna

McKenna talked about new blue tech start-up companies and industry partners having unique access to the Gulf of Mexico through USM and the Port of Gulfport to test their technology. USMs Coastal Operations provides unique, water-front access to these new companies.

Keynote speaker Captain David Wolynski, Commanding Officer of the Naval Oceanographic Office, focused on the maritime industry and forecasting models of maritime growth through uncrewed platforms.

We have to make sure our ships are survivable, said Wolynski.

He stressed how uncrewed platforms can provide real-data and reach where crewed vessels find those applications limited. The United States Navy is working to release more uncrewed platforms in the next five years.

The conference included panel discussions and presentations focused on latest trends in German shipbuilding, offshore energy and the new blue economy.
JUNE 29, 2023  Editors note: This message was shared with the campus community today by UTSA President Taylor Eighmy.

Todays U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the use of race-based affirmative action criteria for college admissions provides me an opportunity to share some perspective with our Roadrunner community and clarify any possible effect on admissions policies at UTSA.

We do not anticipate any impact from this decision at this time. We have not and do not use race in our admissions process. Beyond our guaranteed admissions requirements, the holistic review process we use considers a variety of information to best understand each applicants potential to achieve success at UTSA. Test scores, high school grade point average (GPA), prior college coursework, letters of recommendation and personal experience all contribute to a complete view of each applicant.

At UTSA, our student body is as diverse as the communities we serve. Its notable that 71% of our student body is comprised of underrepresented groups; 45% are Pell eligible; and 45% are first-generation college students. We graduate 7,000 students annually and are dramatically increasing our student retention and graduation rates. Also, our average time to graduation for our first time in college students has declined to its current 4.3 years from 5.4 years just 10 years ago. Equally important, the average total impact per student with debt has been reduced over $5,000 to a total of $23,000, and our continued collaboration with community colleges creates a robust, affordable pipeline for seamlessly achieving a two-year, then four-year degree.

Earning a degree from UTSA yields a powerful return on investmentour graduates rank very high on social mobility indices. We are educating students to develop the essential skills our city, state and nation need to address societys grandest challenges. We welcome applications from everyone and look forward to continuing our partnership with San Antonio, South Texas and the State of Texas to admit and graduate students who are well prepared to go out into the workforce and achieve success.

To learn more about our admissions process, visit UTSA Admissions or contact admissions@utsa.edu.
I would also like to recognize the search advisory committee and chair Tammy Wyatt for their work in identifying an outstanding candidate to advance honors education at UTSA.

Fleuriet has served as honors associate dean since 2017. Additionally, she served as acting dean from 2020-2021 and 2022-present. During her tenure, she helped reimagine the college's curriculum with high impact teaching practices and experiential learning to better serve and prepare UTSA's students for the workforce.

Among other accomplishments, she built the honors curriculum, including the initial honors counseling policies and procedures; designed the colleges Experiential Learning Fair for students to share their out-of-classroom experiences in research, study abroad, internships or service learning; created a transfer student path in honors; and developed and managed a teaching honors faculty fellows program that provides group and one-on-one mentoring in experiential, active, inclusive and transformative pedagogies and course design.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fleuriet led the development and rapid deployment of virtual mental health and community building programming for honors students, and she worked with faculty to find effective strategies to take experiential learning online, partnering with the division of Academic Innovation.

More recently, she has worked collaboratively to help develop college-based honors programming with the UTSA College of Sciences, the College for Health, Community and Policy, the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

Spreading the word far and wide about our UTSA honors experience and providing more classroom-to-career research and award opportunities for UTSA students are two critical next steps to grow honors education at UTSA. Were also committed to expanding our student life programs so that honors students can take full advantage of San Antonios strengths, opportunities and varied communities, said Fleuriet.

She continued, I am a passionate advocate for our students on and off campus. I look forward to continuing to work with the accomplished Honors Residential College team and campus partners to take honors education at UTSA to the next level. It is what our Runners deserve.

A professor of anthropology, Fleuriet joined the UTSA faculty in 2003 after earning her Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford University. She also holds M.A. degrees from Stanford and San Diego State University, and a B.A. from Harvard. A cultural and medical anthropologist from the Rio Grande Valley, her scholarship focuses on wellbeing and forms of care in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and in higher education.
Johnson County Library staff members pose with blood pressure monitoring kits. From left are Heather Kuzara, assistant director; Cassi Kelly, interlibrary loan; Teresa Allgood, teen services and periodicals; Lindsey Belliveau, director; and Jessica Zimmerschied (kneeling), childrens services. (Dian True Photo)

Self-measured blood pressure monitoring kits are now available for checkout at the libraries in Buffalo and Kaycee. The kits are offered through a collaborative pilot project involving the Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) at the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Healths Chronic Disease Prevention Program and the Johnson County Library.

The kits, available in both English and Spanish, include an automated home blood pressure cuff; blood pressure logbooks; educational materials from the American Heart Association; information on what blood pressure is; and ideas for healthy lifestyle changes. The kits also include a resource directory to local community-based organizations and referral resources to the Healthy U chronic disease self-management program and Cent$ible Nutrition Program.

The loan period is three weeks. Blood pressure kits can be renewed, up to two times, if there are no holds on the item. Failure to return a blood pressure cuff kit will result in a blocked account until the item is returned. This program also is currently available to residents in Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Hot Springs, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Niobrara, Park, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, Washakie and Weston counties, with plans to be in all 23 counties by the end of June.

Nearly half of adults in the United States -- 47 percent, or 116 million -- have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, or are taking medication for hypertension, and 24 percent with hypertension have their condition under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Wyoming, 30.7 percent of adults have been told that they have high blood pressure, according to the Wyoming Department of Healths Chronic Disease Prevention Program.

While self-measured blood pressure is not a substitute for regular visits to primary care physicians, it is a way for individuals to see and track their numbers, giving them more information that can be communicated to their doctors.

Information is power and, the more information a patient and their doctor have, the better the treatment plan, says Dian True, a senior project coordinator with WyCOA. Better treatment plans lead to better overall health. Thats the goal of this project -- to work to improve the health of our communities.

The Johnson County Library is committed to building and supporting strong, healthy communities. This project provides a unique opportunity to offer the community more information about self-monitored blood pressure and its important role in health.

Were excited to partner with the Wyoming Department of Health and WyCOA to bring these much-needed resources to the community, says Heather Kuzara, assistant director at the Johnson County Library.

To learn more about the Johnson County Library, go to https://jclwyo.org/.

To learn more about WyCOA and its programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/wycoa/.
Most readers would already know that Boston Scientific's (NYSE:BSX) stock increased by 6.8% over the past three months. However, the company's financials look a bit inconsistent and market outcomes are ultimately driven by long-term fundamentals, meaning that the stock could head in either direction. Specifically, we decided to study Boston Scientific'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. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

View our latest analysis for Boston Scientific

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

ROE can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Boston Scientific is:

5.0% = US$902m  US$18b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.05 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. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a companys earnings growth potential. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics.

Boston Scientific's Earnings Growth And 5.0% ROE

On the face of it, Boston Scientific's ROE is not much to talk about. A quick further study shows that the company's ROE doesn't compare favorably to the industry average of 9.8% either. Therefore, it might not be wrong to say that the five year net income decline of 11% seen by Boston Scientific was probably the result of it having a lower ROE. We reckon that there could also be other factors at play here. For example, it is possible that the business has allocated capital poorly or that the company has a very high payout ratio.

So, as a next step, we compared Boston Scientific's performance against the industry and were disappointed to discover that while the company has been shrinking its earnings, the industry has been growing its earnings at a rate of 10% over the last few years.

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. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. If you're wondering about Boston Scientific's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Boston Scientific Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Boston Scientific doesn't pay any dividend, meaning that potentially all of its profits are being reinvested in the business, which doesn't explain why the company's earnings have shrunk if it is retaining all of its profits. So there could be some other explanations in that regard. For instance, the company's business may be deteriorating.

Summary

On the whole, we feel that the performance shown by Boston Scientific can be open to many interpretations. Even though it appears to be retaining most of its profits, given the low ROE, investors may not be benefitting from all that reinvestment after all. The low earnings growth suggests our theory correct. With that said, we studied the latest analyst forecasts and found that while the company has shrunk its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to grow in the future. To know more about the latest analysts predictions for the company, check out this visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Britains first lithium mine to open in boost for electric carmakers

The project will create more than 300 jobs in Cornwall and has reserves lasting for around 30 years - Kevin Britland/Alamy Stock Photo

A French-backed business is to build Britains first commercial lithium mine, with plans to power the production of 500,000 electric cars a year.

The project in Cornwall, a joint venture between Frances Imerys and the start-up British Lithium, will mean an investment understood to be around 575m.

The mine, which will expand operations at an existing Imerys granite site near St Austell, aims to produce 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate a year by the end of the decade  enough for the batteries in 500,000 electric cars or two thirds of British vehicle production.

Securing domestic lithium supplies is regarded as crucial to energy security as transport and the electricity grid move away from fossil fuels and towards intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind, which require more storage.

The worlds biggest lithium deposits are in Australia and Chile, but China controls the majority of battery production and dominates processing. In 2021 Chinas Ganfeng Lithium took over British company Bacanora Lithium, which is developing a mine in Mexico.

The joint venture said it had deposits to last for around 30 years. The project is expected to create more than 300 jobs, and has been cleared by the Government under national security legislation.

Alessandro Dazza, Imerys chief executive, said the scheme could seek Government support next year, once it has conducted a feasibility study.

He said: Its an innovative technology and important for the independence and sovereignty of the country.

To leave it all on the shoulders of a private investor might not work, so Im convinced that there will be a co-operation between public and private to make it happen.

British Lithium, which is partly funded by Government grants, has been conducting tests on the open pit mine since 2017.

Granite deposits at the mine are believed to contain around 0.54pc lithium oxide, a promising level to extract the crucial battery metal.

The site will include a quarry and processing facilities to extract high-purity lithium.

The joint venture, which will be 80pc owned by Imerys, is a significant boost to Britains electric car ambitions.

It comes after the collapse of Britishvolt, which had aimed to build one of the countrys only gigafactory battery production plants, and as rival miner Cornish Lithium warns it needs millions in new funding to avoid collapse.

A House of Lords committee report two years ago had warned that the UK needs to step up lithium mining in Cornwall to rescue its car industry.

The Government will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by the end of the decade.

Mr Dazza said the UK was a bit behind the US and Europe in battery production but that it would be essential for Britains car industry, which produced around 750,000 vehicles last year.

He said: Its a significant and important industry for the country.

It will be electric one day so I do believe that the country will need the full value chain, for sure batteries but also critical raw materials. It is just too important to let go.

Imerys had previously announced a 1bn (860m) mining operation in central France, with the Cornish site around two thirds the size. Existing lithium mining operations in the UK are largely small-scale projects.

Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, said: This joint venture between Imerys and British Lithium will strengthen our domestic supply of critical minerals, which is vitally important as we seek to grow the UKs advanced manufacturing industry and help create the jobs of the future.

This partnership shows again that the UK remains an attractive destination for international investment and will boost economic prosperity, support green industries, and bolster our energy security  not only in Cornwall, but right across the UK.

Alessandro Dazza, chief executive of Imerys, said: We look forward to unlocking the joint potential of British Lithium and Imerys to make Cornwall a successful lithium hub, building on its centuries-old mining heritage.

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.
Transcript:

The Inside Story: Uncertainty in Russia, Fear in China

Episode 98  June 29, 2023

Show Open:

This week on The inside Story: Uncertainty in Russia... Fear in China.

A mutiny by the leader of the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group and the dramatic challenge to the Putin regime.

What happened? What are world leaders saying about the Kremlin? And what does this mean for the war in Ukraine?

Plus, the VOA mini-doc series, "From Fear to Freedom."

See what life is like for Chinas Uyghur population.

Now... The Inside Story... Uncertainty in Russia... Fear in China.

The Inside Story:

JESSICA JERREAT, VOA Press Freedom Editor:

Welcome to The Inside Story, Im Jessica Jerreat in Washington.

Today, were going to focus on the plight of the Uyghur people in China.

It is a tale of repression, mass arrest, and family separation.

But before that, were going to try to shed some light on what exactly is happening between Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

It is a tale of two men and three countries: Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

All that today on The Inside Story.

An attempted mutiny in Russia seems to have fallen flat about a day after it began.

The destabilizing and dramatic events followed a rebellion by Russian paramilitary Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin against top leaders in Putins government.

Prigozhin publicly blames the Kremlin for mishandling the war in Ukraine, leaving his fighters in heaps.

Yevgueni Prigozhin, Wagner Group Leader:

We have daily losses of up to 1,000 people. This includes those killed, those missing and those injured and those who are refusing - who don't want to fight: not because they are cowards but because they have no choice, no weapons supplies, no command structure.

Putin called the move treason.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President:

What were facing is exactly internal betrayal. Extraordinary ambitions and personal interests led to treason. Treason of their own country and people and of the case that fighters of Wagner were dying for alongside our soldiers.

The showdown of Wagner mercenaries advancing on Moscow posed the biggest threat to-date of Putins 23-year reign in Russia.

And world leaders took notice.

Western governments say the attempted coup shows weakness at the highest levels of the Kremlin, with European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell saying this was Putin being bitten by the monster he created.

China meanwhile, remains publicly steadfast in its support of Russia.

And while the rebellion was short  fewer than 24-hours from start to finish  big questions remain about Putins grip on the country.

Not to mention what all this means for Ukrainians fighting on the frontlines against a Russian military widely believed to be demoralized.

A lot to unpack here, so lets begin with VOAs White House Correspondent Anita Powell for the reaction from Washington.

Well then join VOA Correspondent Heather Murdock on the frontlines in Ukraine.

Travel to VOAs Moscow Bureau for the scene inside Russia

And, well hear from VOA Correspondent Henry Ridgewell all contributing to this report.

ANITA POWELL, VOA White House Correspondent:

Over the weekend, Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin halted his fighters march just 200 kilometers from Moscow and accepted a Kremlin offer for him to go to Belarus. That, in effect, could neutralize him and his mercenaries.

What this all means to Washington is another story.

On Monday, questions continued to swirl.

John Kirby, National Security Council:

I think I'd be fibbing to you if I told you that there was some sort of big agenda change because of what happened over the weekend. We'll have to see how this plays out.

ANITA POWELL:

He said President Joe Biden was briefed hourly on events over the weekend. And on Monday, Biden answered one critical question:

President Joe Biden:

We made clear that we were not involved. We had nothing to do with it. This is part of a struggle within the Russian system.

ANITA POWELL:

In an address Monday, Putin appeared to question that:

Vladimir Putin, Russian President:

It was precisely this outcome  fratricide  that Russia's enemies wanted: both the neo-Nazis in Kyiv, and their Western patrons, and all sorts of national traitors.

Analyst Leon Aron told VOA that one thing is clear.

Leon Aron, American Enterprise Institute:

I think the friendship is probably over. And the question is whether Putin can forgive Prigozhin.

Now, the Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, probably does not sneeze before checking it with Putin. So, whatever guarantees he gave to Prigozhin may not be worth the paper or the phone call they were conveyed on.

ANITA POWELL:

Prigozhins troops halted their advance just a few hours from Moscow.

In an audio statement released Monday, Prigozhin said he sent tanks in Moscows direction to express our protest, not to oust the government.

Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House.

JONATHAN SPIER, VOA News:

Wagner mercenary troops occupied the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday for about 12 hours, encountering little resistance as they seized the local military headquarters.

Russian officials have flooded the media with assurances that Putin emerged stronger from this short crisis. But international observers say on the contrary, the Russian leaders weaknesses have been irreversibly exposed.

Keir Giles, Chatham House:

This destroys the myth that Putin has cultivated so hard of being completely in control and having a firm grip of power throughout the country. That is plainly no longer the case. And the Prigozhin incident sets an extremely dangerous precedent for power in Russia. Once other people see that this can be done and it can be survived, there will be other challenges.

JONATHAN SPIER:



Now the Russian authorities are working to cover up the tracks of the Wagner Group, which until last week was praised by Kremlin propaganda.

Observers believe that whatever deal Putin has made with Prigozhin, a dark future awaits the mercenary leader.





Keir Giles, Chatham House:

Whatever happens, for the rest of his life he will be a man looking over his shoulder because he will now be a marked man. He has challenged power in Russia and so far, survived. The question is for how long?

JONATHAN SPIER:



Calm has returned, at least for the moment, to the streets in Russia, but after the acute crisis last weekend, analysts say the events of the last few days may be a precursor to something bigger.

For the VOA Moscow Bureau, Jonathan Spier, VOA News.

HEATHER MURDOCK, VOA Correspondent:

While many Ukrainians anxiously watched the recent chaos in Russia, hoping their foe will defeat or at least weaken itself, soldiers on the front lines battled on.

They say there have been no observable changes in the field, and Russian forces continue lob artillery at Ukrainians, who are now on the offensive.

Bogdan, Ukrainian combat soldier:

When we are on the offensive, conducting an assault, our artillery works first, and most of the Russian soldiers flee their positions. Only a few stays, maybe two or three soldiers. But then we throw a couple grenades and that is the end.

HEATHER MURDOCK:

Like many soldiers fighting in Ukraine weeks-old counteroffensive, he says he has overheard panicked Russian soldiers complaining about lack of ammunition and reinforcements.

But soldiers also say the battles have been fierce, as Russian troops have had more than a year to build fortifications and devise strategies to hold this area.

Ivan, Ukrainian military Medic:

If you are also monitoring the situation, you know that the offensive and the liberation of cities are not progressing as fast as we would like. But they are progressing quite well.

HEATHER MURDOCK:

Once a picturesque string of quaint villages, Ukraines battle here is for what has become an abandoned wasteland.

In more peaceful Ukrainian cities and towns, locals say they hope that Russian infighting will speed the end of this war but its hard to say if that will happen.

Whats obvious, they add, is that the death and destruction they have already suffered make it impossible for it to ever end all that happily.

Valentina Yefimenko, Zaporizhzhya resident:

How many young people died? How many became disabled? The things can be rebuilt, but we cannot bring people's lives back.

HEATHER MURDOCK:

Besides more than a year of shelling, Zaporizhzhya has suffered from the destruction of the Kokhova Dam that killed dozens and turned this regions reservoir into a massive desert, leaving locals to try to stave off what is now a looming food and water crisis.

But in the combat zone, soldiers say as battle rage on, its impossible to look beyond what they say is their most immediate goal.

Yuri, Ukrainian combat soldier:

We are doing everything to make it all end as soon as possible. I would say we are motivated. We want to go home. We understand that we will not go home until our mother Ukraine is free and intact.

HEATHER MURDOCK:

He says for soldiers, the war will only end if or when Ukraine is victorious, which means, for them, retaking all of the land internationally recognized as Ukraine.

Heather Murdock, VOA News, Storozheve, Ukraine.

HENRY RIDGWELL, Reporting for VOA:

The chaos in Russia is making Warsaw nervous.

Mateusz Morawiecki, Polish Prime Minister:

We don't know, and no one in the world knows, what were the real reasons behind the events.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the mutiny revealed weakness in the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Josep Borrell, EU Foreign Policy Chief:

The monster that Putin created with Wagner, the monster is biting him now. That monster is acting against his creator. The political system is showing fragilities, and the military power is cracking.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly noted that Prigozhin had questioned Putins justification for the invasion of Ukraine.

James Cleverly, UK Foreign Secretary:

The Russian government's lies have been exposed by one of President Putin's own henchmen.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg echoed that view.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General:

Yet another demonstration of the big strategic mistake that President Putin made with his illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

Can Ukraine take advantage of the turmoil in Russia?

Gen. Philip Breedlove, Former Commander of US European Command:

Certainly, this begins to open some doors of opportunity, but we don't go rushing headlong through them. We take them as they are applicable to the plan that Ukraine has already set out.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

Meanwhile Moscows ally China described the attempted mutiny as a Russian internal affair.

Mao Ning, China Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson:

China supports Russia in maintaining national stability and achieving development and prosperity.

HENRY RIDGWELL:

European Union member states agreed Monday to boost a special fund used to finance military aid for Ukraine by 3.8 billion dollars  raising its ceiling to over 13 billion dollars.

Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London.

JESSICA JERREAT:

Well continue to monitor the events in Russia, but now we move to China, for a tale in three parts about the Uyghurs, an ethnic group living predominantly in Xinjiang, Northwest China.

In a new documentary, From Fear to Freedom, VOA looks at the struggles of Uyghurs living under Chinese repression.

We begin with the story of Kasim Kashgar, a reporter who works for VOAs Mandarin service.

For decades, Kashgar lived in fear: first as a Uyghur in Xinjiang, where he was repeatedly questioned by police, and later as an exile, acutely aware that speaking out could put family in China at risk.

Kashgar fled to the U.S. where he now has asylumand the courage to speak out. He shares his story with Elizabeth Lee.

ELIZABETH LEE, VOA Correspondent:

Fear can be paralyzing

Kasim Kashgar, Uyghur in Exile:

You just lie in your bed but you can't just get up.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Fear also pushed Kasim Kashgar to do something he never thought possible.

Kasim Kashgar, Uyghur in Exile:

I didn't want to leave my home country.

ELIZABETH LEE:

With Beijing persecuting Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and police repeatedly calling him in for questioning, Kashgar fled China in 2017. He ended up in the U.S., eventually landing a job as a journalist at Voice of America. But the Uyghur reporter still feared what the Chinese government would do to his family back home if he wrote under his own name.

Kasim Kashgar, Uyghur in Exile:

I've seen dozens of friends, personal mentors, teachers and some relatives

being targeted. They had been interned, imprisoned, killed.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Uyghur experts  including Sean Roberts, author of the 2020 book "The War on the Uyghurs"  say that of the estimated 11 million Uyghurs living mostly in Xinjiang, more than 1 million have been detained in mass camps.

Sean Roberts, 'The War on the Uyghurs' Author:

These arrests have been ethnically profiled, mean(ing) that all Uyghurs are under constant fear of the potential that they might be detained, arrested.

ELIZABETH LEE:

The U.S. and several other countries have accused Beijing of genocide. The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. declined an interview but directed VOA to comments stating that the camps were vocational centers and that China's policies were justified in the wake of terror attacks.

Shohrat Zakir, Xinjiang Governor:

Some anti-China forces in the United States and the West ignore the fact that the people of Xinjiang are living a better life. They stigmatize and demonize Xinjiang with no bottom line, reason or grounds and even fabricate the lie of the century of genocide.

ELIZABETH LEE:

While living in China, Kashgar won several English-speaking competitions  this one airing on Chinese state TV. But the publicity caught the attention of authorities.

He says police even tried to recruit him to work overseas, to spy on Uyghur rights organizations.

Kasim Kashgar, Uyghur in Exile:

I was disgusted. I felt dishonored.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Instead, Kashgar started a language school. But as Chinas repression increased, authorities began interrogating him, and people he knew started disappearing.

Fearing he too could be disappeared, Kashgar fled with his wife and young daughter.

At VOA, Kashgar now reports on Xinjiang and Chinas minorities.

Kasim Kashgar, Uyghur in Exile:

At the end, I would feel joy and comfort in doing this because I know that I am

making some impact in letting the world know what is happening.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Knowing that silence is no guarantee of safety, Kashgar says he is ready to share his stories and those of others by writing under his real name.

Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington.

JESSICA JERREAT:

We just saw the risks for Uyghurs trying to escape Xinjiang, but even those who return to their homeland face danger.

Take Mihrigul Tursun . She returned to her home city in 2015 so her family could meet her months-old triplets.

But at the airport, officials separated her from her babies and took Tursun away.

What came next still haunts the young mother. Here, she

recalls the events that forever changed her life.

Mihrigul Tursun was visiting Chinas Xinjiang region in 2015 when authorities separated the Uyghur mother from her months-old triplets and detained her. In an interview with VOAs Elizabeth Lee, she recalls the harrowing months inside Xinjiangs notorious detention camps and the pain of losing her son.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Mihrigul Tursun is keeping a painful secret from her children  the truth about their sibling Mohanned.

Mihrigul Tursun, Uyghur in Exile:

Sometimes they ask, Mom, we have three kids. Where is one?

When they are grown up, I will let them know, You have actually one brother. He die by the Chinese government  killed him.

ELIZABETH LEE:

In this book, What has happened to me, Tursun has shared her story.

A Uyghur from Chinas northwest Xinjiang region, Tursun moved to Egypt for graduate school.

There she met and married an Egyptian man and gave birth to triplets.

In 2015, during a visit to China so her parents could meet their 2-month-old grandchildren, Tursuns life turned upside down.

At the airport, she says, police separated her from her babies, and then they took her away.

Mihrigul Tursun, Uyghur in Exile:

Tape my mouth, then give my head black hood and then handcuffs to take me to, from the airport to Urumqi prison.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Fergus Shiel has heard similar stories. He managed an international journalism project that analyzed and reported on evidence of mass internment camps, as revealed in Chinese documents leaked to the outside world.

Fergus Shiel, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists:

One of the quickest ways you can get yourself into a detention camp  this is really quick, you're on the fast track  is to either have a passport or to be returning from overseas.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Several countries, including the U.S., call Chinas treatment of the Uyghurs genocide. China denies that, saying it is fighting extremists.

Cui Tiankai, Then Chinese Ambassador to US:

From 1990 to 2016, there have been thousands of incidents related to violent terrorists, injuring innocents and creating tremendous losses. To target these incidents, the Chinese government implemented a proper and powerful policy to support Xinjiang.

ELIZABETH LEE:

China claims the detention facilities are vocational centers.

Tursun has a different view. She spent close to three months in detention before the police briefly freed her, saying her children  Moez, Elina and Mohanned  were sick. She is still haunted by what was waiting for her.

Mihrigul Tursun, Uyghur in Exile:

Your son Mohanned passed away this morning, so we put his body in the freezer. How my kid is die and in the morning put in the freezer like ice cream?

Shave my hair, give torture.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Tursun says police detained her three times and tortured her with electric shocks.

With help from the Egyptian Embassy and her husband, Tursun was finally released from custody, three years after arriving in China. She fled with her two children, first to Egypt and then to the U.S., where she spoke about her ordeal.

But doing so prompted Chinese state media CGTN to air a report showing this photo more than once suggesting the photo is of Mohanned.

But if you listen carefully, Tursuns mother is saying this photo is of Moez, her grandson who survived.

Tursun says China is forcing her family to discredit her, but she doesnt mind.

Mihrigul Tursun, Uyghur in Exile:

Near 7 years I dont have any contact with them.

ELIZABETH LEE:

While in detention, Tursun promised God that if she was released, she would speak out and give voice to those still detained.

Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington.

JESSICA JERREAT:

As we saw, China denies and dismisses claims that Uyghurs are abused.

But bringing awareness to what is happening in Xinjiang has become the passion of activist, Zubayra Shamseden.

Motivated by a deadly protest in her hometown and the jailing of her brother, Shamseden now devotes her career to exposing abuses.

We go back to Elizabeth Lee who has more on this story.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Zubayra Shamseden can never return to her homeland.

Zubayra Shamseden, Uyghur Human Rights Project:

If I was in China, I don't think I will be alive.

ELIZABETH LEE:

As a Uyghur living in the U.S., Shamseden is devoted to fighting against what she and many other organizations worldwide say are injustices against Uyghurs in China, especially in the Xinjiang region.

As Chinese outreach coordinator for the group Uyghur Human Rights Project, she tries to educate Mandarin speakers about what is happening there.

Zubayra Shamseden, Uyghur Human Rights Project:

Uyghurs [are] either detained in the concentration camps or detained in the slave, slave labor, Chinese factories.

ELIZABETH LEE:

A 2022 United Nations report found China responsible for serious human rights violations. The U.S. and other Western countries have accused China of actions akin to genocide in Xinjiang.

In response to VOAs inquiry, the Chinese Embassy in Washington sent links to statements by officials about Beijings policy in the region.

Cui Tiankai, Chinese Ambassador to the US:

The Uyghur population in Xinjiang has more than doubled in the past four decades. Where did the genocide come from? Forced labor is also nonsense. Workers in Xinjiang choose occupations entirely according to their own wishes.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Chinese officials say its policies in Xinjiang have helped suppress terrorism.

Shamseden says members of her own family have experienced violence under Chinas Xinjiang policy. In 1997, in the city that Uyghurs call Ghulja, a protest calling for equal treatment turned deadly.

Zubayra Shamseden, Uyghur Human Rights Project:

It's kind of [a] turning point in my life. In 1997, the Ghulja massacre happened, which is my hometown, and many [of] my family members became direct victims of that massacre.

Zubayra Shamseden, Uyghur Human Rights Project:

One of my brother[s], he is still in prison as a political prisoner because of his connection with the Ghulja protests.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Shamseden decided to switch her career from computers to law and international relations which led her to activist work in the U.S.

China sees what happened in 1997 differently, as shown in this state media report that uses the citys Chinese name, Yining.

CGTN reporter narration:

Among some of the worst incidents, the 1997 Yining terror attack, which left seven dead and 198 wounded.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Beijing also says Xinjiang is benefiting from its counterterrorism efforts.

English speaking narration form Chinese State TV:

This is a land of harmony and stability where people from various ethnic backgrounds live and work in peace and contentment.

Fergus Shiel, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists:

There are Uyghurs all around the world that are, can tell you that they are not living a safe, happy and fulfilling life, despite what Beijing says.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Shamseden says even those who are not in prison are still not free and live under digital and physical surveillance.

Zubayra Shamseden, Uyghur Human Rights Project:

Uyghurs have no space to breathe.

ELIZABETH LEE:

Because of her work, Shamseden says her relatives in China are under surveillance and travel and communications restrictions. But it is her connection to that repression, she says, that compels her to fight for the rights of Uyghurs. Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington.

JESSICA JERREAT:

Stay up to date with all the news at VOANews.com.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at VOA News.

Follow me on Twitter at Jessica Jerreat

Catch up on past episodes at our free streaming service, VOA Plus.

For all of those behind the scenes who brought you todays show, Im Jessica Jerreat.

Well see you next week for The Inside Story.

###
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA  A Florida sheriff's deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting.

Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as the verdicts were read. The jury had deliberated for 19 hours over four days.

The campus deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Peterson had been charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz during his six-minute attack inside a three-story classroom building on Feb. 14, 2018, that left 17 dead.

He could have received nearly 100 years in prison, although a sentence even approaching that length would have been highly unlikely given the circumstances and his clean record. He also could have lost his $104,000 annual pension.

Prosecutors, during their two-week presentation, called to the witness stand students, teachers and law enforcement officers who testified about the horror they experienced and how they knew where Cruz was. Some said they knew for certain that the shots were coming from the 1200 building. Prosecutors also called a training supervisor who testified Peterson did not follow protocols for confronting an active shooter.

Peterson's attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, during his two-day presentation, called several deputies who arrived during the shooting and students and teachers who testified they did not think the shots were coming from the 1200 building. Peterson, who did not testify, has said that because of echoes, he could not pinpoint the shooters location.

Eiglarsh also emphasized the failure of the sheriff's radio system during the attack, which limited what Peterson heard from arriving deputies.

Security videos show that 36 seconds after Cruz's attack began, Peterson left his office about 100 yards (92 meters) from the 1200 building and jumped into a cart with two unarmed civilian security guards. They arrived at the building a minute later.

Peterson got out of the cart near the east doorway to the first-floor hallway. Cruz was at the hallway's opposite end, firing his AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

Peterson, who was not wearing a bullet-resistant vest, didn't open the door. Instead, he took cover 75 feet (23 meters) away in the alcove of a neighboring building, his gun still drawn. He stayed there for 40 minutes, long after the shooting ended and other police officers had stormed the building.

Peterson spent nearly three decades working at schools, including nine years at Stoneman Douglas. He retired shortly after the shooting and was then fired retroactively.

Cruz, a 24-year-old former Stoneman Douglas, student was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's four-day visit to Beijing, which coincided with the June 25 arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam, appears to be an example of Hanoi's balancing act between the United States and China, analysts said.

The U.S. Navy's USS Ronald Reagan arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam, for a scheduled five-day port call on June 25, the third time a U.S. aircraft carrier has visited the country since 2018.

That same day, Chinh arrived in Beijing at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang for an official visit.

"China regards Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a welcome statement that included remarks from Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, who is traveling with the prime minister.

"Vietnam regards its relations with China as its top priority, pursues the one-China policy with a clear-cut stance, and firmly supports the development and growth of socialism with Chinese characteristics," said Son.

The visit by the only U.S. Navy carrier operating in the Indo-Pacific is a highly visible development in U.S.-Vietnam relations.

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Chinh and described the two nations "as friends who know each other well," citing cooperation in areas as varied as people-to-people cooperation, China's Belt and Road infrastructure projects, and trade, according to China's officialXinhua News Agency.

"The carrier visit comes as Hanoi faces growing challenges from China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and as Washington continues to push for raising ties to the level of a strategic partnership," said Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow with the Wilson Center's Asia Program.

Shared concern about China

The United States and Vietnam are marking the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership at a time when the two countries share an increasingly close trade relationship and similar concerns about China's growing power in the region.

"This visit marks a special occasion as our countries celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, showcasing our shared commitment to a prosperous and secure future," said a U.S. State Department spokesperson in an email to VOA this week. SEE ALSO: US Aircraft Carrier Arrives in Vietnam

The U.S. reestablished diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995, 20 years after the fall of Saigon  now Ho Chi Minh City  marked the defeat of U.S. ally South Vietnam.

"We're excited to come to Vietnam and appreciate the welcome our strike group has received," Rear Admiral Pat Hannifin said in a press release on June 25.

"Visits like this reinforce our partnership and commitment to confronting shared challenges in the maritime domain. They also provide a great opportunity for our Sailors to engage with the Vietnamese people and culture," he said.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said the USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Danang, scheduled to end on June 30, is an "ordinary exchange" that is "meant to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world," the official Vietnam News reported.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on June 26 responded to a question about the carrier's visit to Vietnam.

"We hope that efforts to grow relations and have exchanges and cooperation between relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity," she said.

Agreement to manage disputes

On Monday, China's Li and Chinh agreed that Beijing and Hanoi should manage their differences in their South China Sea dispute, according to China's official Global Times. Vietnam is just one of the nations in the region disputing China's territorial claims to the resource-rich waters.

On Tuesday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu met his Vietnamese counterpart, Phan Van Giang.

Phan told Li that the Vietnamese military is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with Beijing in politics, border defense and personnel training, according to the Global Times.

Planned 'bamboo diplomacy'

Analysts say the visits by the diplomats and the U.S. aircraft carrier were not coincidences, adding that they were well planned by Hanoi, with both visits showing proof of Vietnam's so-called "bamboo policy" of balancing the interests of competing powers.

The phrase was coined by the general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, in 2016. It describes Hanoi's "unique and special foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, flexibility, and diversification of relations" according to the official Vietnam+.

"Obviously, China is unhappy" whenever a U.S. aircraft carrier visits Vietnam, Raymond Powell, director of Stanford University's Project Myoushu in the South China Sea, who observed recent Chinese research vessels entering Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, told VOA in a phone interview.

"To see the third U.S. aircraft carrier visit to Vietnam  and I think that's a very positive step  it is something that's clearly for Vietnam. It takes quite a lot of coordination and political will to allow a U.S. carrier visit," Powell said. Asked about the USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Vietnam, Mao, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told Agence France-Presse on June 26, "We hope that efforts to grow relations and have exchanges and cooperation between relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity."

A day earlier, she said of Chinh's visit, "We believe the visit "will strengthen the sound momentum of growth in bilateral relations and promote solid progress in our deepening comprehensive strategic cooperation."
WASHINGTON  Top U.S. lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to brief Congress on the spy station China is allegedly building in Cuba, but American analysts fear that Chinas plans for Americas backyard may go beyond intelligence gathering.

If a war over Taiwan were to break out, these analysts warn, the Chinese military could operate in Latin America and the Caribbean to disrupt U.S. military operations or even strike the continental U.S.

In a June 22 letter to CIA chief William Burns and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, requested that detailed information on Chinas activities in Cuba be provided by July 14.

The lawmakers concern originated with a June 19 Wall Street Journal report quoting current and former U.S. officials as saying that China is negotiating with the Cuban government to establish a joint military training facility in the island nation just 166 kilometers from Florida. The enterprise could lead to the stationing of Chinese troops at the facility and expansion of Chinese intelligence-gathering against the U.S.

"It is imperative that we understand in full detail: the exact nature and objectives of the PRCs intelligence gathering in Cuba and military partnership with the regime; the implications of such efforts for U.S. national interests; and what the Biden administration is doing to mitigate such efforts and deter their further expansion with Cuba and the Western Hemisphere, the letter says.

"The American public needs to be assured that their government unequivocally condemns this escalation, and is working to do everything in its power to counter it, the lawmakers wrote.

Some US success

Blinken told NBCs Meet the Press on June 25 that Washington had made its concerns clear to Beijing and Havana and had had some success in preventing China from building military bases overseas.

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of a select committee on U.S.-China strategic competition, told VOA Mandarin in a June 26 email, If true, this [WSJ] report illustrates yet again why it is foolish for the Biden administration to shelve defensive actions and disclosures simply to secure a diplomatic audience with General Secretary Xi [Jinping]. The [Chinese Communist Party] is the only party seeking to upend the peaceful status quo, and prioritizing endless dialogue over competitive policies invites aggression.

VOA Mandarin emailed the Chinese Embassy in Washington for comment on the latest developments but has not received a response. The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 20 that he was unaware of this situation.

However, a June 26 op-ed in Chinas official Global Times referred to U.S. alarm as the disinformation campaign hyping up the so-called Chinese spy base in Cuba.

If established, a Chinese facility in Cuba could have military and strategic consequences for U.S. homeland security, warned Gordon Chang, a distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute think tank.

In a June 23 article, Chang wrote that adding nuclear missile silos in Cuba would give Chinas People's Liberation Army the advantage of shorter flight times"  meaning less warning time.

Moreover, U.S. missile defenses  and radars  are currently oriented to attacks from over the Arctic, from the north. Cuba gives China venues for southern attacks.

Intelligence gathering

David Stupples, professor of electronic and radio engineering at the City University of London, told VOA Mandarin that even if China is unable to station many troops in Cuba, Beijings outpost there could collect intelligence from U.S. submarines.

Evan Ellis, a professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College who focuses on the regions relationships with China and other non-Western Hemisphere actors, told VOA Mandarin that Cuba may have granted China access to three Soviet-era surveillance facilities as early as 1999 or 2000.

Ellis said the establishment of a new station would create the opportunity for a semipermanent presence that increases the level of military collaboration and coordination between China and Cuba.

Chinas alleged expansion into Americas backyard supports its economic and political ambitions and access to critical minerals such as lithium, copper, rare earths and resources such as coal and oil.

Ellis said in a recently published paper, The Strategic Role of Latin America in a Global Conflict Over Taiwan, that part of Chinas growing involvement in the Caribbean region is that five of the 14 countries in the world that continue to recognize Taiwan diplomatically are located in this region.

Ellis said China could use the proximity of Cuba to deploy special operations personnel, disrupt the U.S. military, and attack the U.S. mainland to snap key supply chains supporting U.S. defense if Beijing attacked Taiwan.

'On, near and over' US

Chang wrote, A war in Asia will be fought on, near and over the American homeland  perhaps with nukes.

His article also stated that China's People's Liberation Army "could deploy anti-ship cruise missiles in Cuba both to hit U.S. Navy bases in Florida and block the movement of American vessels. China might also put surface-to-air missiles on Cuba, potentially to shoot down planes over the southeast United States.

Gallagher sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on June 20 demanding answers on whether Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, which operate in Cuba, are collecting intelligence on Americans and sensitive U.S. military sites from the Chinese spy base in Cuba.

Stupples said that through intellectual property theft and the development of satellite networks, China has leapfrogged its signals intelligence capabilities over the past decade, possibly only second to the U.S. in the amount of information it gathers.

Stupples speculated that China might bypass the supervision of the Cuban government and collect cyberintelligence through local private companies and technical personnel.

According to a background report by the Council on Foreign Relations on Chinas growing influence in Latin America, Chinas increased presence in Cuba is part of a buildup of military ties, including increased arms sales, military exchanges and training programs, throughout Latin America.

Venezuela remains the region's largest buyer of Chinese military equipment after the U.S. government banned all commercial arms sales to Venezuela in 2006. Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have also bought multimillion-dollar Chinese military aircraft, ground vehicles, air defense radars and assault rifles.

Spread of 'malign influence'

On March 23, U.S. Southern Command Commander Laura Richardson testified before the House Armed Services Committee that she was concerned by the myriad of ways in which the PRC is spreading its malign influence, wielding its economic might, and conducting gray zone activities to expand its military and political access and influence.

The PRC is investing in critical infrastructure, including deep-water ports, cyber and space facilities which can have a potential dual use for malign commercial and military activities. In any potential global conflict, the PRC could leverage strategic regional ports to restrict U.S. naval and commercial ship access. This is a strategic risk that we cant accept or ignore, she said.

She mentioned dual use Chinese-funded or -owned civilian projects or ones that could be used for military purposes. These include at least 11 facilities Beijing is operating for tracking activities in space  including one with deep space capacities in Argentina  and surveillance capabilities.

Short of military intervention to remove China's military assets in Cuba, Ellis said the U.S. needs to show a very strong hand to demonstrate that it wont forgive and forget and go to the next thing.

I have every reason to believe the PLA is preparing for the war, he said. The PLA is not going to allow the U.S. to fight an away game like it fought with Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
(Bloomberg) -- Californias reparations task force is leaving a decision on potential monetary compensation for eligible African American residents to state lawmakers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In its nearly 1,200-page final report, the task force on Thursday recommended the state issue a formal apology for human rights violations, establish a curriculum on its findings for all grade levels and make greater investments in Black communities. But it stopped short of recommending a dollar figure for compensation, instead offering calculation models the legislature can use, should it approve payments.

The task force delivered its report after spending two years documenting discriminatory laws and practices linked to slavery, which was never legal in California. They calculated $800 billion in economic and other harms to Black residents since the states founding in 1850. Lawmakers will have the summer to read the report and are expected to start proposing legislation in September.

Our nation has for too long overlooked the atrocities visited upon African Americans or consigned them to vestiges of the past, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. This final report decisively establishes that now is the time for California to acknowledge the states role in perpetuating these harms, and ensure that through a comprehensive approach to reparations, we commit ourselves to the healing and restoration of our African American residents.

The California Department of Justice supervised the task force of outside experts. Made up of consulting economists, policymakers and international reparations experts, the group assessed the losses across six categories: health disparities; mass incarceration and over-policing; housing discrimination, devaluation of African-American businesses; unjust property takings by eminent domain; and labor discrimination.

Its nearly impossible to put a dollar figure on these human rights violations, said task force Chair Kamilah Moore in an interview.

Read more: California puts slavery reparations to an $800 billion test

To help close the wealth, educational and health gaps it identified, the panel issued more than 100 recommendations for the legislature to fund improvements in housing, schools, health care and businesses in Black communities. The task force also recommended that eligible students be able to attend the states publicly funded colleges and universities tuition-free.

Moore said the recommendation wouldnt be affected by Thursdays Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action in university admissions, because the panel intentionally recommended that lineage, rather than race alone, be the standard for eligibility. The task force defined lineage to mean anyone descended from a free or enslaved African American person in the US prior to 1900.

Calculating Payments

Rather than propose dollar amounts for individual compensation, the task force detailed methods for the legislature to use in calculating payments they might approve for eligible residents. Compensation amounts, if any, would depend on the length of residency in California and the harms documented.

To assist residents in documenting eligibility and applying for programs or compensation they would be qualified to receive, the panel recommended the state establish a new department, the California American Freedmens Affairs Agency, modeled on the Freedmens Bureau created by the US government after the Civil War.

The task force also deferred to the legislature on how to fund reparations should they be approved. After years of budget surpluses, California now faces a projected $32 billion budget deficit, and Governor Gavin Newsom, who supported the creation of the task force in 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd, has since urged caution about committing additional funds to reparations, as opposed to symbolic measures such as an official apology.

It is not a preposterous idea  its not welfare, its not a check in the mail, said Donald Tamaki, a task force member, civil rights advocate and expert on Japanese-American reparations. It goes to the very heart of who we are as Americans.

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A U.N. human rights expert said Wednesday that a specialized international force is needed to help fight gang violence in Haiti and that a weapons embargo should be implemented immediately.

William O'Neill, who was appointed expert on human rights in Haiti in April, spoke at the end of a 10-day trip during which he met with civil society leaders, government officials and victims of gang violence.

"I found a country bruised by violence, misery, fear and suffering," he said, adding that all types of human rights are being violated. "It is urgent to take action. The survival of an entire nation is at stake."

O'Neill said the absence of government is palpable and that the lack of response by officials is affecting people's access to water, food, health, education and housing. He added that while Haitian authorities face "immense challenges," the government has a duty to respond within its limited capabilities.

"Entire neighborhoods are left to their fate, without access to any public service," he said.

O'Neill's visit comes as an understaffed and under-resourced police department struggles to fight against warring gangs who have grown more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, with gangs now estimated to control up to 80% of the capital. The violence has led to an increase in starvation, with people unable to leave their homes and trucks unable to transport goods to Port-au-Prince and beyond.

The surge in killings, rapes and kidnappings in Haiti has led to a violent uprising, with civilians killing nearly 200 people since April in their fight against suspected gang members. The uprising has been criticized by some who worry that innocent people are being targeted, while O'Neill said the movement reflected a failure of Haiti's judicial system.

"History has shown that popular justice and its many excesses have never made it possible to resolve violence," he said.

O'Neill said deploying a specialized international force that would work alongside Haiti's National Police "is essential to restore the freedom of movement." He also said that an embargo on arms, especially those from the U.S., is crucial given that no weapons are produced in Haiti.

Several U.N. officials have called for such a deployment, a request first made by Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in October last year, but the U.N. Security Council has not taken action, opting instead to impose sanctions.

In an aside with The Associated Press after the press conference, O'Neill said he envisioned a specialized police force skilled at dealing with gangs and organized crime working alongside Haiti's National Police, with local authorities taking the lead. He said such a force would provide advice, guidance and possibly backup.

"Whoever comes, if they come, is not going to stay forever," he said.

O'Neill also noted that despite calls for Haiti to hold general elections, it's currently not safe to do so.

O'Neill also criticized what he called the inhumane conditions that inmates at the main prison in Port-au-Prince and in Cap-Haitien face, noting that more than 200 of them died last year.

"I ask the authorities to make every effort to allow detainees to live in dignity; this includes immediate and constant access to basic needs," he said.

He also urged authorities to restore operations at a court in Port-au-Prince that was captured by gangs last year and has not functioned since then.

In addition, O'Neill also called on Haiti's government to fight sexual violence, with the number of such incidents doubling last month. He noted that gangs often collectively rape girls and women as a way to control the population.
Cameroon is cracking down on the smuggling of cocoa, cotton, and other cash crops to Nigeria by temporarily banning the legal trade as well. Since announcing the ban two weeks ago, authorities have sent hundreds of police to the border and seized scores of trucks. But Cameroon's struggling farmers are protesting the ban, saying it's more profitable and safer to sell their goods to Nigeria.

Cameroon police and customs officials say they blocked scores of trucks that attempted to smuggle cash crops in the past two weeks from northern towns and villages into Nigeria.

Police say they seized wheat, corn, rice, cocoa, and cotton since launching a temporary ban on all crop exports to Nigeria on June 13.

Cameroons ministry of trade says the ban was needed as it loses $165 million each year from the smuggling of cash crops to its northern neighbor - 60% of the total trade.

The government ordered hundreds of police to the border and to track down at least 12 trucks that fled from authorities.

Cameroons farmers say the ban will be hard to enforce along the porous, 2,000-kilometer-long border.

Baba Ahmadou is the spokesperson of the Association of Cereal Farmers on Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria.

Speaking by phone from the border town of Mara, he says many farmers are not able to store their crops for selling in Cameroon.

Ahmadou says Cameroon does not have enough facilities to protect cocoa, wheat, corn, rice and sorghum from moisture, dust, and [insect] swarms that invade and destroy crops after harvest. He says farmers prefer selling their produce to a ready Nigerian market because rice, corn, and raw cotton processing equipment is scare, old, and there are regular power cuts.

Ahmadou says selling to Nigerian merchants is also more profitable, and he cites the example that farmers can get about 20% more for a 50-kilogram bag of unprocessed rice.

Cameroons government complains it pays subsidies to farmers to sell their cash crops locally and at agreed prices.

The ban was announced by Cameroons trade minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana.

He says they are aware of the challenges for the government and the farmers.

"One of the challenges, of course, is the inadequacies of post-harvest processing and storage facilities," he said. "The government has developed some programs to process 40 percent of our total production, and now with the prohibition of child labor and with the prohibition of deforestation, those people who are destroying forests to create new plantations will not have access to the international market."

Cameroon's Ministry of Agriculture says illegal cocoa exports to Nigeria spiked after anglophone separatists in 2017 launched a rebellion against Yaounde.

The rebels are seeking to create a breakaway state from Cameroons French-speaking majority.

Shivron Arrey, a cocoa exporter in Kumba, an English-speaking Southwestern town, says the rebels stop them from selling the cash crops to French-speaking towns.

"With the separatists crisis, enterprises no longer come to buy cocoa," she said. "Fighters destroy vehicles belonging to companies that attempt to buy. Cocoa farmers were abandoned to themselves. The easiest market they could count on was across the border in Nigeria."

Cameroon authorities say the military is protecting farmers from rebels so the domestic trade can resume.
PORTLAND, MAINE  The U.S. Coast Guard says it has likely recovered human remains from the wreckage of the Titan submersible and is bringing the evidence back to the United States.

The submersible imploded last week, killing all five people on board. The vessel was on a voyage to see the wreckage of the Titanic.

The Titan debris returned to port in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Wednesday is a key piece of the investigation into why the submersible imploded. Twisted chunks of the 22-foot submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.

The U.S. Coast Guard said late Wednesday that it had recovered debris and evidence from the sea floor, and that included what it described as presumed human remains.

"I am grateful for the coordinated international and interagency support to recover and preserve this vital evidence at extreme offshore distances and depths," U.S. Coast Guard Chief Captain Jason Neubauer said in a statement. "The evidence will provide investigators from several international jurisdictions with critical insights into the cause of this tragedy. There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again."

The Canadian ship Horizon Arctic carried a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to search the ocean floor near the Titanic wreckage for pieces of the submersible. Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York that owns the ROV, said Wednesday that it had completed offshore operations.

Pelagic Research Services' team is "still on mission" and cannot comment on the Titan investigation, which involves several government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, said Jeff Mahoney, a spokesperson for the company.

"They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, and are anxious to finish the mission and return to their loved ones," Mahoney said.

Debris from the Titan was located about 3,810 meters underwater and roughly 488 meters from the Titanic on the ocean floor, the Coast Guard said last week.

Five fatalities

Officials announced on June 22 that the submersible had imploded, and all five people on board were dead.

The victims were OceanGate CEO and pilot Stockton Rush; two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

The Coast Guard is leading the investigation into why the submersible imploded during its June 18 descent. It has convened a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion  the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard.

One of the experts the Coast Guard consulted with during the search said analyzing the physical material of recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan. And there could be electronic data, said Carl Hartsfield of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

"Certainly, all the instruments on any deep-sea vehicle, they record data. They pass up data. So, the question is, is there any data available? And I really don't know the answer to that question," he said Monday.

Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment.

Representatives for the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which are both involved in the investigation, also declined to comment. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the Coast Guard has declared the loss of the Titan submersible to be a "major marine casualty" and the Coast Guard will lead the investigation.

A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization, the U.N.'s maritime agency, has said any investigative reports from the disaster would be submitted for review. Member states of the IMO can also propose changes such as stronger regulations of submersibles.

Currently, the IMO has voluntary safety guidelines for tourist submersibles, which include requirements they be inspected, have emergency response plans and have a certified pilot on board, among other requirements. Any safety proposals would not likely be considered by the IMO until its next Maritime Safety Committee which begins in May 2024.

OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S., but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. The OceanGate company in Everett, Washington, closed when the Titan was found. The Titan's mother ship, the Polar Prince, was from Canada.

The operator charged passengers $250,000 each to participate in the voyage.

The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard also wants to use the investigation to improve the safety of submersibles.
More than three million Syrians have made Turkey home since the start of their countrys conflict in 2011. Despite the challenges of life in Turkey, many have remained active, trying to help other Syrian refugees. VOA's Eyyup Demir has the story from Ankara, narrated by Sirwan Kajjo.
The United States will add eight new fields of study for international students looking to acquire practical work experience in the country, the Department of Homeland Security announced last week.

The eight new fields of study include: landscape architecture; institutional research; mechatronics, robotics and automation engineering technology/technician; composite materials technology/technician; linguistics and computer science; developmental and adolescent psychology; geospatial intelligence; and demography and population studies.

The new fields will all be added to the science, technology, engineering, mathematics Optional Practical Training, or STEM OPT, program. Announced in a July 12 Federal Register notice, the additions will provide international students with more opportunities to temporarily work in the United States.

This is the latest move intended to attract more foreign STEM students to the United States.

Early last year, the Biden administration added 22 fields of study to the STEM OPT program.

STEM innovation allows us to solve the complex challenges we face today and make a difference in how we secure and protect our country, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in announcing the 2022 expansion. Through STEM education and training opportunities, DHS is expanding the number and diversity of students who excel in STEM education and contribute to the U.S. economy.

DHS received nominations for 120 fields, from which eight were selected and announced last week.

Through OPT, international students on an F-1 visa can gain experience in their area of study during or following the completion of their degree.

More than 200,000 international students used the program to gain work experience in the United States during the 2020-21 academic year.

The program usually lets students work for up to one year, but certain STEM students can extend that for an additional two years.

Boundless, a firm that helps people immigrate to the U.S., hailed the latest STEM expansion.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, initiatives like STEM OPT play a crucial role in promoting innovation, economic growth and cultural exchange, the Seattle-based company said in a recent statement. By expanding access to practical training, the U.S. signals a commitment to fostering a diverse and globally connected workforce.
On June 20, the federal court in Brooklyn, New York convicted a former New York City police sergeant and two Chinese nationals living in the United States in a trial related to Operation Fox Hunt, a Chinese campaign on American soil aimed at pressuring expatriates to return to China.

Asked about the convictions the following day, PRC Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said Chinas law enforcement is always ready to cooperate and bring criminal suspects to justice.



She added:



The U.S., on the other hand, has chosen to ignore the facts, deliberately distorted Chinas efforts as something sinister and even resorted to judicial action. China firmly opposes this.



That is false.



Details of the convictions released by the U.S. Department of Justice showed how these three individuals violated U.S. law by pressuring a Chinese man and his family to go back to China, using various methods of harassment and intimidation.



Retired NYPD sergeant, 55-year-old Michael McMahon, 27-year-old Zheng Congying and 66-year-old Jason Zhu had been found guilty of interstate stalking. McMahon and Zhu were also convicted of acting as illegal agents of the PRC. Zheng and Zhu are Chinese nationals living in the U.S.

Prosecutors said that Zhu hired McMahon, who was working as a private detective, to surveil a New Jersey resident wanted by Beijing. The Associated Press identified this wanted person as former Wuhan city official Xu Jin, who moved to the U.S. with his wife and daughter in 2010.



Between approximately 2016 and 2019, Zhu and McMahon knowingly acted" at the direction of the PRC government officials to threaten, harass, surveil and intimidate Xu into returning to China.



Zhu hired McMahon to obtain detailed information about Xus family, including their address, from a law enforcement database. McMahon also conducted surveillance outside the New Jersey home of Xus sister-in-law. He provided all the information in detailed reports to Zhu and other Chinese officials.



Meanwhile, Zheng stalked the Xu family, leaving a threatening note at their door that read: If you are willing to go back to the mainland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be alright. Thats the end of this matter!

The prosecutor said the operation was directed by several PRC law enforcement officials, including Hu Ji, a police officer with the Wuhan Public Security Bureau, and Tu Lan, a prosecutor with the Wuhan Procuratorate.



The conviction of these three defendants  including a retired NYPD sergeant  is yet another powerful reminder of the Chinese governments ongoing, pervasive, and illegal behavior here in the United States, said Suzanne Turner, assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division.



The convicted trios activities were part of Operation Fox Hunt, a global repatriation campaign launched by Chinese law enforcement in 2014 after Xi Jinping came to power.



China said the operation targeted those who had taken bribes or were accused of financial crimes.

Yet a 2021 ProPublica investigation found that the targets also included dissidents, whistleblowers or relatively minor figures swept up in provincial conflicts.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said in 2020 that China was using threats and intimidation in Canadas Chinese community through Operation Fox Hunt.



ProPublica quoted former U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Demers as saying China was setting a dangerous precedent by pursuing expatriates on U.S. soil, violating U.S. laws and abusing human rights in both countries.



The Foreign Agents Registration Act, a U.S. law enacted in 1938, requires certain agents of foreign principals who are engaged in political activities or other activities specified under the statute to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities.



The penalty for a willful violation of FARA is imprisonment for less than five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.



Under the Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act, interstate stalking is a federal crime punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment.
During his visit to Beijing, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized to his Chinese counterpart that resolving the cases of Americans in China who are wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans remains a U.S. priority.

Chinese Foreign Spokesperson Mao Ning, asked on June 20 about Blinkens statement, responded:



China is a country under the rule of law and relevant cases are handled in accordance with the law. There isnt an issue about individuals being wrongfully detained.



That is false.



At least three Americans remain wrongfully detained in China.



They are Mark Swidan, a 48-year-old Texas businessman who was detained in 2012 and sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges in 2019; David Lin, a 67-year-old pastor imprisoned in China since 2006; and Kai Li, a 60-year-old sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges in 2018.



Here are details of each case.



Mark Swidan



Mark Swidan was detained in 2012 when he traveled to China to purchase materials for his business and to secure furnishings for his home in Texas, The Wall Street Journal reported.



Swidan was arrested for alleged large-scale drug manufacturing along with other foreigners at a hotel where he was staying.

A United Nations working group investigated Swidans case and found that during his arrest, Chinese authorities burst into Swidans room without showing a warrant while he was talking to his family on the phone. It noted that judging by data from Swidans passport, he was not in China at the time of the alleged offense.



[T]he evidence against Mr. Swidan, as contained in the indictment, is weak and circumstantial and based almost entirely on hearsay. No drugs were found on Mr. Swidan, in his room or in his body. Furthermore, the prosecution produced neither forensic nor telecommunications evidence such as emails, information on telephone calls or letters, the U.N. body wrote in its 2020 report.



The U.N. Human Rights Council called Swidans detention arbitrary.



Chinese authorities delayed Swidans verdict for more than six years and sentenced him to death in 2019. Swidan has denied all charges of narcotics trafficking.



In April 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution calling for Swidans release, saying he was being unjustly and arbitrarily detained by the Chinese government.



David Lin



67-year-old David Lin was on a ministry trip to China in 2006 when he was arrested in Beijing after helping build a house church, according to Bitter Winter, an online magazine on religious liberty in China.

Lin was convicted of contract fraud in 2009 and sentenced to life in prison.



Many believe Lin was detained for proselytizing Christianity in China. While Chinas constitution states that citizens enjoy religious freedom, freedom to practice religion is very limited in China.

Chinese authorities only permit patriotic religious associations from five official religions (Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism) to hold worship services after registering with the government.



The Chinese government has intensified its crackdown on house churches not registered with the state. Freedom House, a Washington-based human rights group, said in a 2017 report that religious groups have been swept up in a broader tightening of CCP [Chinese Communist Party] control over civil society.



Kai Li



The third case involves 60-year-old Kai Li, an American citizen jailed in China whom the U.S. State Department says was wrongfully detained. According to CNN, when Li traveled to Shanghai in 2016 for a ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of his mothers death, he was taken away by state security agents. Two years later, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges.



Li owns an export business that wholesales and redistributes space solar cells for Boeing and Hughes Aircraft.

A Chinese court convicted him of furnishing the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation with five state secrets.



Lis family said the charges were politically motivated. His son, Harrison Li, told The New York Times that all the so-called state secrets are publicly available online.



Moreover, Lis trial was held behind closed doors and U.S. diplomats were prevented from attending it, according to the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, an independent U.S. government agency.



The New York Times said that the case raises broader questions about how foreign businesspeople dealing with sensitive sectors in China  in this case, the aerospace sector  are vulnerable to espionage charges.



Legal experts note that as U.S.-China relations deteriorate, Beijing has proved increasingly willing to use foreign nationals as bargaining chips or otherwise disregard the rights of foreign nationals when politically expedient.



The U.S. State Department has raised its China Travel Advisory to level three this year, warning Americans in the PRC to exercise increased caution due to wrongful detentions.
During a Q&A with Kremlin pool journalists on June 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had to slow down the counteroffensive it launched on June 4 because of heavy personnel and equipment losses.

Ukraines losses are so massive, he said, that the question is not about its ability to continue the offensive but about the Ukrainian armys loss of overall combat capability.

As of tonight ... our guys have nailed 245 enemy tanks and about 678 armored vehicles of different types, Putin said.

These claims are false.

Putins claim the Ukraine military has lost overall combat capability is completely wrong, retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, told Polygraph.info.

Neither the Kremlin nor any of its spokesmen nor President Putin himself have a shred of credibility, so I would not trust or accept any assessments of the war from them, Hodges said.

At the time of Putins statement, Ukraine had reclaimed at least eight Russian-occupied towns and villages. Speaking to reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels on June 16, General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Ukraines counteroffensive will likely take a considerable amount of time  and at high cost.

Still, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was standing next to Milley, expressed confidence in the Ukrainian armed forces capabilities.
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EU leaders arrive for Brussels summit to debate aftermath of Russian mutiny. Ukraine begins nuclear disaster response drills in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. Ukrainian fighters expected to take part in the 2023 Invictus Games
Escalating violence following the death of a French teenager is stirring memories of 2005 riots that rocked France, amid longstanding accusations by critics of police violence that disproportionately targets youngsters from marginalized neighborhoods.

On Thursday, thousands of people marched in the working-class Paris suburb of Nanterre, two days after a police officer shot 17-year-old Nahel M. at a traffic stop there.

Justice for Nahel, protesters chanted during the march, led by the teens mother. Some brandished signs reading, Police kill, during a demonstration that began peacefully but was later punctuated by violence.

The policeman received a preliminary charge of voluntary homicide Thursday and was placed in provisional detention. His lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, told Frances RTL radio the officer acted within the law.

Police sources initially suggested the teen had been shot as he rammed his car into two officers who detained him for a traffic violation. But a video posted on Twitter  reportedly taken by an alleged witness  told another story.

It shows two officers questioning the driver of a yellow car. One then shoots toward the driver at point-blank range as the car pulls away.

On Thursday, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said the legal conditions for the officers use of force have not been fulfilled. He also said the teenager had been known by police for refusing to comply with traffic stops.

The incident has triggered a fierce backlash around the French capital and elsewhere in the country. The past two nights have seen protesters clashing with police, setting cars, town halls and trash cans on fire, and ransacking stores.

French authorities are mobilizing 40,000 police officers countrywide  including 5,000 in Paris alone - to respond to more unrest feared Thursday night. Some public transportation is stopping early, and at least one Paris-area town announced a curfew.

The state must be firm in its response, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

The mounting unrest feeds into a longstanding debate  and anger  about policing, especially in the countrys poor, ethnically diverse towns.

In 2020, tens of thousands of French joined global demonstrations against police violence following the death of George Floyd in police custody in the United States. Many then saw similarities to Adama Traore, another Black man, who died in police custody in France a few years before. Traores sister joined Thursdays protests in Nanterre.

In 2005, the death of two teens as they escaped from police in a Paris suburb unleashed nationwide rioting.

Relations broken

Relations are broken between the police and youngsters, said Aboubacar Ndiaye, co-founder of a youth association in Bobigny  one of the low-income, ethnically mixed suburbs ringing Paris, known here as the banlieues.

The town, too, has seen an increase in violence in recent days. Ndiaye largely blames police for the tensions  and the media for feeding negative perceptions of banlieue youngsters.

Police are supposed to ensure our safety, Ndiaye said, but instead people are afraid. Young people are afraid of the police, and the police are afraid of the youngsters.

Police officers also have denounced rising violence on the job, especially in tough neighborhoods. The dilemma experienced by both sides  police and youngsters  was captured in an acclaimed 2019 French crime thriller film, Les Miserables.

The death of 17-year-old Nahel  is a drama susceptible to inflame the countryside, from the banlieue to the National Assembly, according to the regional newspaper LAlsace in an editorial. It carries lessons both for the disproportionate use of force by some officers, the newspaper said, but also a sentiment among some youth that delinquency is a trivial game without consequence.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called this latest bout of unrest unjustifiable  but also Nahels death inexcusable. His prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, urged calm but said the current situation does not merit declaring a state of emergency.

Action needed

Meanwhile, rights groups and the leftist opposition NUPES party are demanding the reversal of 2017 legislation giving police officers greater powers to use their weapons.

Since the measure was passed, the number of police shootings has jumped by 40 percent, reports say, with 13 people killed last year alone for refusing to stop for traffic checks.

Outrage is not enough, there must be action, the French Human Rights League said in a statement. False declarations that sustain police immunity are intolerable.

There is no question of downplaying the pressures faced by police officers in the face of rising aggression, Frances respected Le Monde newspaper wrote in an editorial, even as it called for a thorough overhaul of the conditions under which police officers use their weapons.

French police unions have offered a fractured response. Some denounced anti-cop sentiment and said the officer suspected of firing on the teen had a right to be presumed innocent like all French citizens.

The right-wing France Police union cheered the officer who had fired at the Nanterre teen. The only ones responsible for the death of this thug are his parents, incapable of educating their son, the union tweeted.

Interior Minister Darmanin said he would take legal action against the union, calling for its dissolution.
(Bloomberg) -- ChatGPT creator OpenAI Inc. is stealing vast amounts of personal information to train its artificial intelligence models in a heedless hunt for profits, a group of anonymous individuals claimed in a lawsuit seeking class action status.

Most Read from Bloomberg

OpenAI has violated privacy laws by secretly scraping 300 billion words from the internet, tapping books, articles, websites and posts  including personal information obtained without consent, according to the sprawling, 157-page lawsuit. It doesnt shy from sweeping language, accusing the company of risking civilizational collapse.

The plaintiffs are described by their occupations or interests but identified only by initials for fear of a backlash against them, the Clarkson Law Firm said in the suit, filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco. They cite $3 billion in potential damages, based on a category of harmed individuals they estimate to be in the millions.

A Different Approach: Theft

Despite established protocols for the purchase and use of personal information, Defendants took a different approach: theft, they allege. The companys popular chatbot program ChatGPT and other products are trained on private information taken from what the plaintiffs described as hundreds of millions of internet users, including children, without their permission.

Microsoft Corp., which plans to invest a reported $13 billion in OpenAI, was also named as a defendant.

A spokesperson for OpenAI didnt immediately respond to a call or email seeking comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson for Microsoft didnt respond right away to an email.

Read More: OpenAI, GitHub Must Face IP Claims in Suit Over Coding Tool

ChatGPT and other generative AI applications have stirred intense interest in the technologys promise but also sparked a firestorm over privacy and misinformation. Congress is debating the potential and dangers of AI as the products raise questions about the future of creative industries and the ability to tell fact from fiction. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman himself, in testimony on Capitol Hill last month, called for AI regulation. But the lawsuit focuses on how OpenAI got the guts of its products to begin with.

Secret Scraping

OpenAI, which is at the forefront of the burgeoning industry, is accused in the suit of conducting an enormous clandestine web-scraping operation, violating terms of service agreements and state and federal privacy and property laws. One of the laws cited is the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a federal anti-hacking statute that has been invoked in scraping disputes before. The suit also includes claims of invasion of privacy, larceny, unjust enrichment and violations of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

Misappropriating personal data on a vast scale to win an AI arms race, OpenAI illegally accesses private information from individuals interactions with its products and from applications that have integrated ChatGPT, the plaintiffs claim. Such integrations allow the company to gather image and location data from Snapchat, music preferences on Spotify, financial information from Stripe and private conversations on Slack and Microsoft Teams, according to the suit.

QuickTake: A Cheat Sheet to AI Buzzwords and Their Meanings

Chasing profits, OpenAI abandoned its original principle of advancing artificial intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, the plaintiffs allege. The suit puts ChatGPTs expected revenue for 2023 at $200 million.

While seeking to represent the massive class of allegedly harmed individuals, and requesting monetary damages to be determined at trial, the plaintiffs are also asking the court to temporarily freeze commercial access to and further development of OpenAIs products.

The case is P.M. et al. v. OpenAI LP, 23-cv-03199, US District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

--With assistance from Christopher Brown, Rachel Metz and Dina Bass.

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Come summer, a group of women in India's northern state of Himachal Pradesh comb a nearby forest to gather dead pine needles that the trees have shed.

Strapping huge bundles on their backs, they lug the pine needles home, then boil them in water with glycerin to give them a sheen. After drying them, they use colorful threads to weave the pine needles into handcrafted products, such as pen stands, trays, bread boxes and coasters. It's a skill they mastered during a short training course.

In these Himalayan mountains, where most families rely on modest farm incomes, this work is putting money in their hands for the first time.

"I no longer need to borrow money from anyone. I help my husband as well in household expenses," said Lata Devi, a resident of Mandi district who is part of the group of about 40 women involved in the project.

The initiative in Mandi supported by the forest department, started about a year ago, has a twin purpose. It aims to provide local women with livelihoods and to reduce the risk of forest fires that have often ripped through the region where thick pine forests clothe the Himalayan slopes.

The clean-up operation in the forest gets rid of the pine needles that become highly flammable when they dry during the summer, a problem that authorities have long grappled with.

"Our main issue has been to solve the problem of forest fires. How do we deal with these pine needles?" Vasu Doegar, deputy conservator of forests in Mandi told VOA recently. He said that while the handicrafts project will not completely solve the problem, it is yielding benefits.

"It is increasing the overall economy and incomes of the households as well," he said.

Leaves become fuel, too

Authorities say turning the dead needles into handicrafts is just one of the projects to use pine needles. Others involve turning them into briquettes for fuel. The women also sell pine needles to briquette plants, but turning them into handicrafts provides a better, and sustained, income through the year.

Gathering needles from the forest is also an effective way to connect local communities with the region's fragile ecology. During monsoon months, women participate in tree-planting drives to revive degraded forest areas.

"When we take the public into confidence, it raises awareness and gives them a sense of responsibility," said Jiten Sharma, a project officer who leads the women's groups in the project. "It makes them understand the importance of conserving the environment."

Marketing the handicrafts can be a challenge but promoting them as eco-friendly products at local fairs and college campuses is helping. A recent bulk order from a nearby college gave the women a boost.

"We used to work till 12 or 1 at night and then get back to work in the day too. We managed to make 50 pen stands in a week," according to Dromati Thakur, one of the project participants.

The earnings and consequent self-confidence has provided the motivation to burn the midnight oil.

Another project participant, Nirma Thakur, uses the money both for household expenses and her children's education.

"I buy their books and uniforms with this money. I have also opened a bank account and try to put some money in it," she told VOA.

The way ahead

Authorities say they will try to connect women with corporations, government agencies and hotels in a state that is a tourist hot spot, so that they can secure more bulk orders. An outlet that will be stocked with these handicrafts also has been built on a busy highway, according to Deogar.

In a country struggling to create jobs, especially in remote areas, such entrepreneurial work is seen as the way ahead. Only about 10% of India's 1.4 billion people have formal jobs.

"In India, more and more people need to be self-employed," Sharma said. "This also helps the cause of empowerment of women."
A Myanmar pressure group is urging India to stop selling arms to their war-torn country's military and asking its Western allies to join the call, singling out Sweden and the United States.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first state visit to the U.S. last week. Both countries are members of the Quad alliance, along with Australia and Japan, widely seen as working to counterbalance China's growing sway in the Asia Pacific.

The pressure group, Justice for Myanmar, says its research has found weapons parts made in India but of Swedish design being shipped to Myanmar, even after a 2021 military coup that toppled the country's elected government.

United Nations experts have accused Myanmar's military of crimes against humanity and war crimes as it battles a stubborn armed resistance, killing thousands of civilians and displacing over 1.5 million people across the country.

While the U.S., European Union and others have imposed arms embargos on Myanmar, India, which shares a 1,600-kilometer border with the country, remains one of the military regime's few remaining suppliers.

"Indian exports of arms and dual use goods and technologies are significant for the Myanmar military and enables it to continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity," Justice for Myanmar spokeswoman Yadanar Maung told VOA.

She said India's latest shipments make it "further complicit" and urged its Quad allies to "step up and start using their leverage to stop India's abhorrent support for the junta."

Make in India

Justice For Myanmar said its review of Indian export records found more than $5 million worth of deliveries from state-owned Bharat Electronics to the Myanmar military and its known arms brokers between November 2022 and April. It says the shipments included transducers and sonar parts for naval vessels, radar equipment and battlefield radios.

The group said the records also show a shipment of 20 122 mm barrels from Yantra India in October last year, likely for howitzer artillery guns of the sort the military is reported to have used on civilian targets.

Data from global trade tracking service Panjiva, it adds, show thousands of explosive fuses shipped to another known arms broker for Myanmar's military in 2019, 2020 and 2022 from India's Sandeep Metalcraft.

Panjiva gathers and shares commercial shipping data using government-issued records from 17 countries, including India. While the records for the 2020 and 2022 shipments do not specify the types of fuses, Justice For Myanmar said the 2019 deliveries were listed as model 447, for the 84 mm Carl Gustaf rifle, a shoulder-fired weapon originally designed and manufactured by Sweden. The pressure group said it believes the later fuse shipments were of the same type.

In September 2022, Swedish arms giant Saab announced plans to build a factory to make the Carl Gustaf rifle in India and to have the plant up and running by 2024.

Given India's ongoing exports, Justice For Myanmar said it worries the rifles the factory will soon be turning out could, like the fuses, end up in the junta's hands.

"When Saab produces arms in India, there are no guarantees over what will happen with these arms. There may be requirements on end use and end users imposed by Sweden and Saab, but we have not seen the terms so there is no way to know what, if any, requirements there would be to not sell onwards to Myanmar," Yadanar Maung said.

Even with such terms, there is no practical way to guarantee the rifles will not be exported, she added, calling on Sweden to suspend all licensing and production agreements with Indian arms makers.

Neither Saab nor Sweden's Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied to VOA's requests for comment.

Bharat, Sandeep, Yantra and India's Ministry of External Affairs did not reply either.

Means to an end

The shipments from Bharat, Sandeep and Yantra are only the latest in a string of Indian arms exports to Myanmar over the past few years.

In a report last month, the U.N.'s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said India's post-putsch arms exports to the country come to at least $51 million in all.

In his report, Andrews said India has no excuses not to know of the Myanmar military's "probable war crimes" and that the exports "likely violate" New Delhi's obligations under the Wassenaar Agreement. The nonbinding treaty obliges members, which include India, to prevent arms transfers to end users whose behavior becomes "a cause for serious concern."

"India should therefore be aware that the arms it provides to the Myanmar military ... are likely to be used in the commission of international crimes," Andrews wrote.

"It would be in the interest of the people of Myanmar for India's state-owned arms manufacturers to stop selling arms and associated materials to the Myanmar military and the government of India to stop authorizing these arms transfers," he added.

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute tracking the region's relations with major powers, said he sees little chance of that.

"For India, arms sales to Myanmar are seen as a means to stay on the junta's right side and prevent the country from becoming too dependent on China and Russia," he told VOA.

"New Delhi's Quad partners can do little to prevent the transfer of weapons from India to Myanmar," he added. "As we have seen with India's policy towards the Russia-Ukraine war, New Delhi acts to advance what it sees as its national interests, not those of other countries."

Calling all countries

India has lately stepped up its arms and oil orders from Russia and abstained from votes at the U.N. condemning its invasion of Ukraine. It also joined China and Russia in staying out of a U.N. Security Council vote demanding an immediate end to the violence in Myanmar in December.

Justice for Myanmar released its latest findings on India's arms exports to Myanmar last week, just ahead of Modi's state visit to the U.S. It urged Washington to push New Delhi to cut the junta off and to apply pressure by placing conditions on its own military aid to India.

VOA asked the U.S. State Department whether the United States raised the arms exports during Modi's stay. In an emailed reply, the department's press office said the U.S. "expressed deep concern about the deteriorating situation" in Myanmar during his visit but it did not provide a direct answer to the question.

It said the U.S. urged "the international community and all countries" to block arms exports to Myanmar and that stopping their flow was "critical to preventing the recurrence of atrocities against the people of Burma," using another name for Myanmar.
The war in Sudan that began in April 15 has so far forced some 2.5 million people from their homes, according to the U.N., with about 80 percent of them displaced internally. Sidahmed Ibraheem spoke to some of the displaced, now living Sudans Al Jazirah state, in this story narrated by VOAs Vincent Makori.
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Web Synopsis: Reaction to Prigozhins rebellion continues; an arrest made in Ukraine in the Kramatorsk restaurant attack; and a look ahead to the EU Summit and the Five Eyes alliance meeting.
Iran's foreign ministry has summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Tehran over the burning of a copy of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm, state media reported on Thursday, condemning what it said was an insult to the most sacred Islamic sanctities.

A man tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al Adha holidays.

"While Muslims are performing the Haj ... insulting their sanctities merely serves the path of spreading hatred and violence, exploiting the principle of freedom of expression," Iranian state media said, citing a statement by the ministry.
The Kremlin said Thursday it could not provide information about Russian General Sergei Surovikin, who has not been seen in public since Saturday, when Wagner mercenary group head Yevgeny Prigozhin led a mutiny attempt against the Russian military.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters he could not clarify the situation with Surovikin and said they should contact the defense ministry.

Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, appeared in a video Saturday urging the Wagner group to halt any moves against the army and return to their bases.

Prigozhin arrived in Belarus earlier this week at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as part of a deal to halt the mutiny. It still is not clear where Prigozhin is in Belarus, how many fighters accompanied him or how long he plans to stay there. Peskov told reporters Thursday that he did not have information about Prigozhins location.

SEE ALSO: Lukashenko: Russian Mercenary Chief Prigozhin in Belarus U.S. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has absolutely been weakened inside Russia by Prigozhins rebellion effort.

But Biden, speaking to reporters at the White House, said it was hard to tell the extent to which Putin is diminished.

"On balance, Putin is much weaker today than he was just four or five days ago. Elites in Russia, soldiers in Russia are all watching this and wondering, What's happened to our leader?

And I think that's good. Because a weakened Russia might do less in terms of damage, principally in Ukraine, McFaul said.

While pledging that Prigozhin would be safe in Belarus, Putin has expressed mixed views about the Wagner Group since the rebellion. Putin has characterized Wagners leaders as traitors but said the rank-and-file mercenaries really showed courage and heroism" in their fight against Kyivs forces.

SEE ALSO: Putin Excoriates Wagner Group Over Rebellion, Absolves Soldiers of Culpability Prigozhins arrival in Belarus came as Putin said Tuesday that Moscow had paid $1 billion between May 2022 and May 2023 to fully fund the Wagner mercenary fighters, contrary to claims by Prigozhin that he had financed his mercenaries.

Russia once denied the existence of the Wagner Group but it has advanced Russias interests in several African and Middle Eastern countries.

SEE ALSO: Will Prigozhins Brief Russia Rebellion Have an Impact in Africa? Many of the Wagner fighters in Ukraine were convicted criminals freed from Russian prisons on the promise that if they fought in neighboring Ukraine for six months, the remaining portions of their sentences would be rescinded.

Prigozhin said earlier this year that he had always financed Wagner but had looked for additional funding after Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine.

Prigozhin said Monday that his troops advance on Moscow had not been an attempt to overthrow the Russian government and that he remained a patriot.
Latest developments:

European Union leaders to discuss security assistance for Ukraine at summit.

U.S. State Department approves sale of up to $15 billion in Patriot missile defense systems for Poland.

Crews in Ukraine found a body Thursday in the rubble of a pizza restaurant in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, bringing the death toll from a Russian missile attack on the site to 12 people.

Ukrainian authorities said the dead include three children, and that the attack injured another 60 people.

Ukraine's counterintelligence service said Wednesday it arrested a man it accused of helping Russia direct the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said those who help Russia "destroy life" deserve maximum punishment.

"Anyone in the world who does not understand that one cannot be an accomplice of a terrorist state must be held accountable by the entire international community," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. "The spotter is being charged with treason. The possible punishment is life imprisonment. Accomplices of a terrorist state must be treated as betrayers of humanity."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday his foreign ministry would send a note of protest to Russia after the strike in Kramatorsk injured "three defenseless Colombian civilians."

Petro tweeted that Russia "violated the protocols of war."

The restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers, and soldiers as well as local residents. The Security Service of Ukraine provided no evidence for its claim that the man filmed the restaurant and told the Russians about it. Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov repeated Russia's claim that it does not target civilians.

The strike during dinnertime on Tuesday was one of several Russia launched on Ukrainian cities throughout the evening and into early Wednesday.

Kramatorsk is west of the front lines where fighting is taking place in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine.

A Russian airstrike on the city's railway station in April 2022 killed 63 people.

Ukraine also reported a Russian missile strike Tuesday in Kremenchuk, which came exactly a year after a Russian attack there killed at least 20 people at a shopping mall.

"Each such manifestation of terror proves over and over again to us and to the whole world that Russia deserves only one thing as a result of everything it has done  defeat and a tribunal, fair and legal trials against all Russian murderers and terrorists," said Zelenskyy.
Latest developments:

Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, during which he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and toured three cities ravaged by Russia.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to visit Ukraine this weekend.

The visits came just after a devastating Russian attack on a pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Pence is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet with the Ukrainian president during the campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

I believe Americas the leader of the free world, Pence told NBC News, which first reported his trip. But coming here just as a private citizen  being able to really see firsthand the heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers holding the line in those woods, see the heroism of the people here in Irpin that held back the Russian army, to see families whose homes were literally shelled in the midst of an unconscionable and unprovoked Russian invasion  just steels my resolve to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support for our Ukrainian friends and allies.

In addition to meeting Zelenskyy, Pence reportedly visited Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin, three communities that Russia severely damaged.

Also Thursday, the International Monetary Funds executive board completed its first review of Ukraines $15.6 billion loan program, allowing Kyiv to immediately withdraw $890 million for budget support.

That brings Ukraines withdrawals under the program, which launched at the end of March, to about $3.6 billion.

Russias invasion of Ukraine continues to have a severe impact on human and physical capital, and the environment, with loss of life, drop in living standards and rise in poverty, as well as damage to infrastructure, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to visit Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday as Spain takes over the European Unions six-month rotating presidency.

Sanchez wants the trip to be the Spanish presidency's first act "to show with his presence the EU's undivided support to Ukraine in all fields: military, humanitarian and economic," his office said.

Pences visit to Ukraine came just after a deadly Russian missile strike on a pizza restaurant in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk.

Crews in Ukraine found a body Thursday in the rubble of the restaurant, bringing the death toll from the attack to 12. Ukrainian authorities said the dead included three children, and that the attack injured an additional 60 people.

Ukraines counterintelligence service said Wednesday that it had arrested a man it accused of helping Russia direct the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said those who help Russia destroy life deserve maximum punishment.

Anyone in the world who does not understand that one cannot be an accomplice of a terrorist state must be held accountable by the entire international community, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

The spotter is being charged with treason. The possible punishment is life imprisonment. Accomplices of a terrorist state must be treated as betrayers of humanity, he added.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday that his Foreign Ministry would send a note of protest to Russia after the strike in Kramatorsk injured three defenseless Colombian civilians.

Petro tweeted that Russia violated the protocols of war.

The restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers as well as local residents. The Security Service of Ukraine provided no evidence for its claim that the arrested man had filmed the restaurant and had told the Russians about it.

Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov repeated Russias claim that it does not target civilians.

The strike during dinnertime on Tuesday was one of several that Russia launched on Ukrainian cities throughout the evening and into early Wednesday.

Kramatorsk is west of the front lines where fighting is taking place in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine.

A Russian airstrike on the citys railway station in April 2022 killed 63 people.

Ukraine also reported a Russian missile strike Tuesday in Kremenchuk, which came exactly a year after a Russian attack there killed at least 20 people at a shopping mall.

Each such manifestation of terror proves over and over again to us and to the whole world that Russia deserves only one thing as a result of everything it has done: defeat and a tribunal, fair and legal trials against all Russian murderers and terrorists, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
A Moscow court on Thursday sentenced a Russian media publisher to eight years in prison in absentia for criticizing Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Ilya Krasilshchik, who left Russia after the invasion and now lives in Berlin, is a former publisher of the exiled Russian news outlet Meduza, which is based in Latvia.

Krasilshchik was charged in absentia in April 2022 with spreading fake news about the Russian military motivated by political hatred over comments about the massacre of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, by Russian troops.

Spreading false information about Russias military became a criminal offense in Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Krasilshchik now runs the Help Desk project, a media platform and service that helps those impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Besides his previous work at Meduza, he formerly served as editor-in-chief of the Russian lifestyle magazine Afisha.

In addition to the prison sentence, the Moscow court banned him from administering websites for four years.

Responding to the sentence on Twitter, Krasilshchik said he will now have four years of excuses for why Im not answering messages.

The press freedom group the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, called on Russia to drop the charges against Krasilshchik when they were brought against him last year.

Russias new laws criminalizing so-called fake information about the war in Ukraine serve only one purpose: to censor and criminalize accurate coverage of the conflict, Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said in a statement at the time.

In a Facebook post commenting on the sentence, Krasilshchik said he will not appeal the sentence.

The circus is over, and to hell with it, he wrote.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press.
The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya is still reeling after about 400 Jewish settlers, furious over a Palestinian terror attack, rampaged through it. U.S. citizens who live in the village say the U.S. must do more to keep them safe. Linda Gradstein reports from Turmus Ayya. Camera: Ricki Rosen.
China Mobile, one of the largest Chinese telecommunications companies, has launched a metaverse industry alliance with 24 founding members, including tech giants Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China.

See related article: Back to the physical: China metaverse seeks to boost real-world economy

Announced at the 2023 Mobile World Congress in Shanghai on Wednesday, the alliance aims to boost collaborations across metaverse content creation, extended reality (XR) terminals, computing networks, and technological research, Shanghai Securities Journal, a state-backed media outlet, reported.

Liu Xin, general manager of China Mobiles digital content subsidiary Migu Culture Technology, has reportedly been appointed as the chief secretary of the alliance, according to The Paper, a local digital news service.

Liu reportedly stated on Wednesday that the alliance will bolster the metaverse initiatives of its members by setting up an investment fund under China Mobile. Additionally, he said that the companys financial commitment to metaverse projects is expected to double over the coming three years.

China Mobile is a state-owned telecommunication company and one of the worlds largest mobile network operators, with almost 1 billion subscribers. The company is also known for its involvement in blockchain technology as a founding member of Chinas state-backed Blockchain-based Service Network.

China Mobile also introduced the General Standard for XR last week, which is reportedly Chinas first industry standard for the interoperability of XR devices.

The unveiling of the metaverse industry alliance comes amid growing interest in the metaverse across China, with multiple cities including Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou having released metaverse policies or plans in 2023.
Officially, conscript units are intended for rear support and security roles while only professional units are supposed to serve on the front lines.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the mobilization target was met by November, but Putin allowed the processing of military personnel to continue, allegedly in consultation with the states legal counsel.

Putin has consistently denied that untrained personnel would participate in the special military operation. I will talk with lawyers [about] whether it is necessary to declare by decree that it (partial mobilization) is completed, he said. But it is completed...

RBC.ru reported that Putin also "clarified" that nearly 260,000 Russian servicemen drafted into the army through the mobilization are not participating in hostilities, but are being trained.

However, Siberian news media reports proved the information in the RBC article was false at the time of its publication. Several Russian conscripts were reportedly killed in Ukraine just 10 days after they were mobilized.

Among the dead are 40-year-old Kodinets Yevgeny Dorofeev, 42-year-old resident of the village of Khrebtovoy, Alexei Shchukin, and 32-year-old Artem Smirnov from the village of Zaledeyevo, Ngs24.ru reported on October 14, 2022.
An immense explosion near Sudans army headquarters was felt across Khartoum on Thursday, according to locals.

Even though the warring generals in Sudan's conflict made separate unilateral truces for the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha holiday, huge columns of smoke rose from the area of the military complex. The source of the explosion remained unclear.

People more than 4 miles from the blast felt the tremor in their walls, one resident told Agence France-Presse.

It also has not been confirmed whether the explosion caused any casualties.

Also on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it facilitated the release of 125 Sudanese soldiers who were held by the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Members of the U.N.s cultural agency are gathering Thursday for the start of two days of meetings in Paris that are expected to include a vote to accept the return of the United States to the organization.

The United States withdrew in 2018 complaining of anti-Israel bias and mismanagement at the agency.

Before leaving, the U.S. was UNESCOs largest single donor, providing about one-fifth of the agencys overall funding.

U.S. officials said earlier this month that the desire to return to UNESCO was motivated by concerns about Chinas influence in policymaking at the agency, particularly regarding artificial intelligence and technology education.

As part of the proposed return plan, the Biden administration has requested $150 million in funding for 2024 UNESCO dues and arrears.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
WASHINGTON - The fallout from Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhins aborted mutiny and exile to Belarus is set to broaden the agenda beyond Ukraine in talks at the upcoming annual NATO summit in July 1112.

The meeting will take place in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, just 35 kilometers from the border of Prigozhins new home base, highlighting urgency to fortify the alliances eastern flank and increase defense spending.

It is still not clear how many members of Prigozhins mercenary army will accompany him to Belarus, but the thought of them setting up camp just a few hours away is rattling nerves in the Baltic countries of Lithuania and Latvia as well as Poland. All of them share a land border with Belarus.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia immediately urged NATO members to bolster their defenses.

If Wagner deploys its serial killers in Belarus, all neighboring countries face even greater danger of instability, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Wednesday. Under such circumstances, deterrence and forward defense is a top priority.

Fortification efforts began immediately. On Monday, Germany announced it will permanently station a 4,000-strong army brigade in Lithuania, something Vilnius has demanded since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Until the Wagner uprising, Berlin was only willing to deploy its troops to Lithuania on a temporary basis.

While reiterating that the attempted mutiny is an internal matter for Moscow, on Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said it demonstrates that there are cracks and divisions within the Russian system.

Earlier this week, he said it was too early to say what the Wagner presence in Belarus could mean for the alliance, but vowed that NATO would protect every ally, every inch of NATO territory against threats from Moscow or Minsk.

The Wagner fallout also bolsters the case for NATO to increase its defense spending. Earlier this month Stoltenberg reiterated the need for each alliance member to commit at least 2% of their GDP to defense, a long-standing NATO goal.

A NATO report released in March shows that while defense spending across the alliance increased by 2.2% from 2021-22, only seven of NATOs 30 member states in 2022 met the 2% target  the United States, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom.

Russian instability

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he believed Putin had "absolutely" been weakened inside his country from his clash with Prigozhin but that it was hard to tell the extent to which Putin had been diminished.

As soon as the chaos unfolded in Russia, Biden said he directed his national security team to prepare for a range of scenarios, and convened a video call with NATO allies.

We had to make sure we gave Putin no excuse to blame this on the West or to blame this on NATO, Biden said Monday. We made clear that we were not involved. We had nothing to do with it. This was part of a struggle within the Russian system.

However, its clear that in Vilnius Biden and NATO leaders will need to address questions of the broader threat posed by Russia and its ally Belarus.

We've gone from thinking about Ukraine as a slightly isolated conflict to again thinking about NATO having this incredibly long, thousands of miles border, all down Finland and down Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, said Kristine Berzina, managing director for German Marshall Funds North and co-leader of GMFs Russia Transatlantic Initiative.

And Poland, because of Kaliningrad, she told VOA, referring to the Russian exclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania where Moscow has stationed thousands of troops.

Is Russia unstable? What happens to the nuclear arsenal should Russia be unstable? What happens if you have someone who is more warmongering than Putin coming to power in Russia, and perhaps less predictable? These are questions for NATO itself to answer, Berzina added.

Concern about Russian instability is decades old, said Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia who is now director at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.

Russia has nuclear weapons, and we don't want those nuclear weapons to get into the hands of people irresponsible, he told VOA.

Diplomatic end

McFaul argues that since the mutiny attempt by Wagner soldiers was sparked by Putin's invasion of Ukraine, leaders concerned with Russian instability would be well-served to find a diplomatic end sooner rather than later.

Whether you're President Biden, or Xi Jinping in China, I think this is the time to put more pressure on Mr. Putin to end his war in Ukraine, he said. Because the longer that war goes on, the more likely we are going to see future events of instability inside Russia.

Administration officials have long underscored that the way to ending the conflict is by boosting Ukraines battle capabilities to strengthen Kyivs hand in the negotiation table.

The biggest impediment to reaching a diplomatic settlement for a just and durable peace is Putin's conviction that he can outlast Ukraine and NATO, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken during an event at the Council of Foreign Affairs think tank Wednesday.

The more we're able to disabuse him of that notion, the more likely it is that at some point, he'll come to the table, Blinken said.

As NATO leaders meet in Vilnius to address the concerns surrounding Wagner, they must also decide on the kind of security guarantee to provide to Kyiv. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded clarity on his countrys future in the alliance during the summit.

During the war we cannot become a member of NATO, but we must be confident that after the war we will be, he said. And this is exactly the signal we want to receive, that after the war Ukraine will be a member of NATO.

On Thursday, Stoltenberg stopped short of making such a promise, saying only that the alliance will agree on a multiyear program to help Ukraine move towards NATO, to be fully interoperable with NATO.

Yulia Savchenko and Misha Komadovsky contributed to this report.
About 180,000 Zimbabweans working in South Africa who faced the threat of being kicked out of the country, even if their children are citizens, have welcomed a court ruling to stop the action. Pretoria's High Court ruled the government's plan to terminate their special residency permits was unconstitutional.

The High Courts decision is a blow to South Africa's Home Affairs Ministry and a win for Zimbabweans, many of whom have been in South Africa for more than a decade, having left neighboring Zimbabwe amid political and economic turmoil during former president Robert Mugabes rule.

To deal with the influx from across the border, South Africa initially introduced special permits to allow them to work but in 2021 said it was ending the program.



The Zimbabwe Immigration Federation challenged the government's intention to force Zimbabweans to return home and the groups chairman, Luke Dzviti, on Thursday welcomed the courts verdict.

I welcome with two hands the judgment, handed yesterday by the High Court of South Africa, in the favor of our organization, Zimbabwe Immigration Federation, and such stance or gesture shows that justice is still prevailing in the Republic of South African, and we are grateful because there was going to be a humanitarian disaster, he said.

Dzviti said the ending of the Zimbabwe exemption permits would have caused a huge exodus and meant many families in Zimbabwe being supported by a breadwinner in South Africa would have been pushed into greater poverty.

The court ruled that the permits would be extended for one more year. After that, Dzviti said his organization would launch another application.

Siya Qoza, spokesman for South Africas Minister of Home Affairs, said it was uncertain whether the government would appeal.

The minister is still studying the two judgements and taking legal advice on them. He will, in due course, respond fully to them. In the ensuing communication he will outline further steps that will be taken, including appeals, if any, he said.

Silous Sibanda is a driver who has been living in South Africa for about 20 years and currently holds an exemption permit.

When there was no verdict yet, we remember we were still in the dark. We couldnt do anything, we couldnt move, we were worried that maybe wed lose whatever wed done. ... It's better for those with jobs and who were working. But at least now we are given the space so we can do things properly, and proper planning as well, so it was a big relief for most of us, said Sibanda.

As Africas most industrialized economy, South Africa is a favored destination for Zimbabweans and other migrants from the continent. There have been incidents of xenophobic violence, however, with South Africans targeting other African nationals. Last year, a Zimbabwean man in Johannesburg was killed by a mob.
By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Liquid water flowed on Mars just a few hundred thousand years ago, scientists say .

Thawing ice carved gullies into the landscape where environments could have been habitable - increasing hope of finding evidence of life.

They resemble those in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica - caused by water erosion from melting glaciers.

Ancient lakes once dotted the Red Planet. Vast quantities of water are locked up in sheets of permafrost at the frigid poles.

Lead author Professor Jim Head, of Brown University, explained: "We know from a lot of our research and other people's research that early on in Mars history, there was running water on the surface with valley networks and lakes.

"But about three billion years ago, all of that liquid water was lost, and Mars became what we call a hyper-arid or polar desert.

"We show here that even after that and in the recent past, when Mars axis tilts to 35 degrees, it heats up sufficiently to melt snow and ice, bringing liquid water back until temperatures drop and it freezes again."

Mars will eventually tilt to 35 degrees again, the researchers said.

Added Head: "Could there be a bridge, if you will, between the early warm and wet Mars and the Mars that we see today in terms of liquid water?

Everybody's always looking for environments that could be conducive to not just the formation of life but the preservation and continuation of it.

"Any microorganism that might have evolved in early Mars is going to be in places where they can be comfortable in ice and then also comfortable or prosperous in liquid water.

"In the frigid Antarctic environment, for example, the few organisms that exist often occur in stasis, waiting for water."

Scientists have long wondered whether life ever existed on Mars. NASA's mantra in the search for extraterrestrials is to follow the water.

On Earth, all lifeforms require water to survive. Among the planets in our solar system, only Earth has a more hospitable climate than Mars. It is suspected Mars once sheltered primitive, bacteria-like organisms.

The U.S. team used a computer model to simulate a 'sweet spot' when conditions on Mars allow the planet to get above freezing - leading to periods of flowing liquid water.

As Mars tilts on its axis to 35 degrees, the atmosphere becomes dense enough for brief episodes of melting to occur at gully locations.

Data was matched to spells when gullies in a region known as Terra Sirenum are believed to have expanded rapidly downhill from high elevation points.

The phenomenon could not be explained without the occasional presence of water.

The vast area in the southern hemisphere is known for deposits of minerals - with implications for the possible existence of Martian life.

The study in the journal Science fills missing gaps in the planet's geological history.

Previous theories suggest gullies were carved by carbon dioxide frost, which evaporates from soil, causing rock and rubble to slide down slopes.

But their height indicated meltwater from glaciers had to be involved because of the distance they traveled down the slopes and levels of erosion.

Temperatures typically hover about 70 degrees below freezing. Proving liquid water could exist has been difficult.

Head and colleagues believe gully formation was driven by a combination of melting ice and CO2 frost evaporation in other parts of the year.

The researchers found this has likely occurred repeatedly over the past several million years - with the most recent occurrence about 630,000 years ago.

If ice was present, conditions would have been right for melting as temperatures rose above 273 degrees Kelvin, equivalent to about 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lead author Jay Dickson, now at California Institute of Technology, said: "Our study shows the global distribution of gullies is better explained by liquid water over the last million years.

"Water explains the elevation distribution of gullies in ways that CO2 cannot.

"This means that Mars has been able to create liquid water in enough volume to erode channels within the last million years, which is very recent on the scale of Mars geologic history."

The researchers had seen similar features firsthand in Antarctica. There, despite the cold temperatures, the sun is able to heat ice just enough for it to melt and for gully activity to occur.

NASA's rover Perseverance is currently drilling for telltale signs that microbial life may have lived on Mars.

The study also introduces the importance of these gullies in terms of potential targets to visit during future exploration missions.
Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and riding app Uber have extended their partnership to integrate Ubers Reserve product  for the first time globally  on a rail platform to enable passengers to pre-book up to 4 Reserve rides to and from 7 train stations across 6 cities in Saudi Arabia via the SAR website and app when purchasing train tickets.

The two entities join forces once again to launch a first-of-its-kind service to offer the Kingdoms commuters and tourists greater access to seamless travel.

According to SAR, the new service will be available to and from stations in Riyadh, Majmaah and Qassim on the North Train line, and for the East Train, Riyadh, Hofuf, Abqaiq and Dammam. Later, services will be activated for Hail, Jouf and Qurayyat.

The offering has been introduced to support passengers in embarking on more hassle-free end-to-end journeys that can be pre-planned, as bookings can be made up to 90 days in advance.

In Saudi Arabia, Uber charts the future of urban mobility in line with Vision 2030s goal to bolster the kingdoms transport network and services. Using innovative technology, this agreement with SAR aims to develop a full, state-of-the-art ecosystem of mobility solutions across the kingdom.

Uber Saudi Arabia General Manager Mohammad Aljuraish said: "As a company that connects the physical and digital worlds to help make movement happen at the tap of a button, we are delighted to be working closely with SAR to transform mobility in the Kingdom."

"For the first time for Uber globally, we launch Reserves integration with great pride in Saudi Arabia, as our commitment to the Kingdom and aligning with the Vision 2030 goals is made evident. We are also supporting the growth of tourism within the Kingdom, with inbound and outbound travelers having a streamline opportunity to explore the cities freely. This new service will make the most out of our respective technologies and platforms to offer greater access to quality mobility solutions, raising the bar for quality transportation," noted Aljuraish.

SAR Senior Vice President (Passenger) Khaled Al Harbi said: "True leadership is marked by a commitment to innovation, and our collaboration with Uber charts a way forward for our efforts in enriching the logistics sector, in addition to supporting tourism in the kingdom through offering integrated transportation services enhancing the passenger experience."

"This partnership prioritizes travel convenience for our customers by providing safe, comfortable, and reliable trips, as SAR aspires to promote railway transportation across the Kingdom," he noted.

The new launch ushers in the second phase of Ubers strategic partnership with SAR, following the signing of an agreement in 2021 to facilitate more streamlined pick-up and drop off for commuters at SAR stations, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
By Amy Lv and Dominique Patton

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is set to export the most steel this year since 2016, say analysts, as the weakening yuan and competitive prices help the world's biggest producer offload surplus metal due to weak demand at home.

China's massive steel industry has been hard hit by a months-long slump in the country's huge property sector, pushing steel prices to three-year lows in May.

But strong demand mostly from Asia and Africa is helping keep a lid on stocks and allowing mills to continue operations.

Steel exports in the first five months were up 41% compared to a year ago, customs data showed, and traders said they have recently seen improved overseas buying appetite.

Exports for 2023 could easily surpass the 67.32 million metric tons shipped last year, said three analysts who expect volumes of up to 77 million metric tons.

"The most direct reason is that a weaker yuan is beneficial for exports. Also, (China's) export prices are appealing," said Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based senior analyst at international brokerage FIS.

The yuan has depreciated almost 5% against the U.S. dollar since the beginning of the year.

Steel exports hit 8.36 million metric tons in May, the highest since September 2016, but the shipments were worth 27.5% less than the same month a year ago at $7.7 billion, or an average of $922 per metric ton, shows customs data.

Demand is strong from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, said traders, with high energy costs in many countries making steel production less competitive with China's prices.

A pick-up in construction of China-backed projects abroad after a three-year hiatus due to COVID travel restrictions also contributed to higher exports.

"Demand for flat and sectional steel products from Indonesia has been pretty good in the past few months driven by the building of factories for projects invested by Chinese companies," said Li Peng, a purchase director at the International Corporation of the Third Construction Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of state-owned China State Construction.

The strong exports in the first five months, coupled with lower steel imports over the same period, helped prevent a rise in inventory at home, even as domestic demand disappointed.

Stocks of five major steel products stood at 15.44 million metric tons on June 21, the lowest since mid-January, and 30% lower than the same period a year ago, data from consultancy Mysteel showed.

Steel exports may fall in June but are likely to rise again in July and August, said two steel traders, noting increasing inquiries recently from Southeast Asia and South Korea.

The growing shipments are hurting producers abroad, said Tomas Gutierrez, head of data at consultancy Kallanish Commodities.

"On export markets the impact is very bad. Overseas markets are already struggling and increased imports in many regions has forced down local production," he said.

Steel output in Asia and Oceania fell 6% on the year in May, according to the World Steel Association.

India is considering imposing countervailing duties on steel imports from China, after applying an anti-dumping duty on stainless steel imports last year.

(Reporting by Amy Lv and Dominique Patton in Beijing; Editing by Sonali Paul)
The European Union has set up a contact group with the Belarus opposition appointed by Washington.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell chaired the meeting in the presence of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an unsuccessful ex-presidential candidate, currently exiled in Lithuania.

At the outset of the Russian special military operation, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the formation of a Belarus government in exile, and has recently declared herself head of state.

During the Yevgeny Prigozhin rebellion, the Ukrainian authorities called for the overthrow of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. The Kastous-Kalinowski Regiment, made up of approximately one thousand Belarusians, is already at Kievs disposal.

Cautiously, Josep Borrell failed to recognize either this military group or the government in exile, preferring to define them as representatives of democratic forces and civil society.
Photo: Leon Bennett/Getty Images

In 2016, Miranda Sings was borderline inescapable. A character created by Colleen Ballinger in 2008, Miranda Sings is a parody of a teenage girl with an annoying (on purpose) personality, bad red lipstick, and a smug, crooked smile. It was simple enough for Ballinger, then a 21-year-old student at Azusa Pacific, a private Christian university, to transform into Miranda Sings. All she needed was a crumpled blue button shirt, red sweatpants hiked to her waist, and a signature, yet unplaceable, accent. And not liking Miranda Sings was always part of the brand. But now, former fans of the YouTuber and 36-year-old mother of three are more than annoyed. In the midst of her national tour as Miranda Sings, Ballinger is facing multiple accusations of inappropriate relationships with minors and bullying. One of her tour stops has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, and more past racially insensitive material is coming to light.

Early in her career, Ballinger, who majored in vocal performance, said that she created her Miranda Sings character to mock other videos she saw of actual teenagers singing in their rooms in hopes of being discovered on YouTube. They were terrible, she said in a 2011 interview with Seth Rudetsky for his Playbill YouTube show, Obsessed. But they were so cocky. On their YouTube pages, in their profiles, theyd be like Im doing this to become famous.

Now that Ballinger herself is famous with almost 9 million followers on her personal YouTube channel and close to 11 million on her Miranda Sings channel  although her popularity has largely waned  shes maintained a legacy, both as herself and her most popular character, by regularly posting YouTube, TikTok, and a new podcast co-hosted with another controversial internet figure, Trisha Paytas (who has since said she is embarrassed to be associated with Ballinger).

Accusations of inappropriate behavior by Ballinger date back to an April 28, 2020, video by Adam McIntyre, an ex-fan and YouTuber. McIntyre has claimed that Ballinger interacted inappropriately with him when he was a minor, a claim that Ballinger addressed in an apology video. However, more allegations have since surfaced, which she responded to on June 28, 2023 in the form of a 10 minute ukulele song (yes, thats real). Heres a breakdown of everything we know so far about the controversy around Ballinger.

What were the first allegations against Colleen Ballinger?

On April 28, 2020, a 20-year-old YouTuber from Derry, Ireland, named Adam McIntyre uploaded a video titled colleen ballinger, stop lying to address recent drama he had with Ballinger. McIntyre started running a fan account for Miranda Sings in 2013, when he was just 10 years old, and had since developed an online friendship with Ballinger. In the video, he says just a month prior, on March 26, 2020, he was given control of the official Miranda Sings Twitter account to post preapproved original content. I have a present for you today. Ive never done this with anyone but Im trusting you, McIntyre claimed Ballinger messaged him on Instagram on March 26, 2020. Right now Im considering you my social media intern. After he posted a satirical tweet he posted on the Miranda Sings account about her coming out as a Meghan Trainor fan received backlash, Ballinger issued an apology and deleted the post, as well as everything else McIntyre had posted. As a result, McIntyre claims Ballinger ignored him, bad-mouthed him, and caused him to lose the community of friends he had made through running his fan account and the Miranda Sings account. In the video, he holds up lingerie that he says Ballinger sent to him, which his mother took from him cause she was so shocked. (McIntyre will come up again soon, as hell release 12 more videos describing Ballingers behavior and their interactions.)

Did Colleen Ballinger respond to the initial allegations against her?





Around the same time McIntyre shared his story about the lingerie, Ballinger answered for other bad behavior, including a racist video she made mocking Latinas, a fatphobic comment she made about a woman on an airplane, and a video where she talks about abusing her childhood dog. She apologized for all of these videos in a video titled addressing everything, released May 12, 2020. She also seemed to address McIntyres claim that she sent him lingerie: No, I should have never sent a fan underwear, how stupid am I? No, I definitely should have never given him access to my Twitter account, and no, I shouldnt have talked to him as often as I did, she said. But, I am not a monster and I am not a groomer. She said that McIntyre wanted to move on, and so did she. So, Ballinger kept making videos, both as Miranda and as a family-channel vlogger, while McIntyre began making videos for his own channel, which now has 232,000 subscribers. The matter was scarcely discussed after 2020, until Kodee Tyler Dahl brought the conversation to 2023.

Why have allegations against Ballinger resurfaced?

On June 4, 2023, Kodee Tyler Dahl posted a now-deleted video titled why I left the colleen ballinger fandom  In the video, Dahl says Ballinger reached out to them in 2020 after McIntyre posted his video. Dahl, 33, claimed they were planning on making a video on their own drama channel, KodeeRants, siding with McIntyre, until Ballinger reached out. I wanted to reach out to you privately and in confidence and let you know why Im staying silent, Dahl claims Ballinger wrote in a private message on Twitter. In the video, Dahl says Ballingers message made them feel important, saying I was going to be her knight in shining armor. Dahl started to become less entrenched in the fandom when they learned about previous jokes Ballinger had made regarding race, weight, and sexual assault. But the bulk of the new allegations come from a group message on Twitter called colleenys weenies group chat.

Wait, what is colleenys weenies group chat?





Colleenys weenies was a group chat on Twitter reserved for Ballingers inner circle of fans  what members have said were mostly minors, at the time  to vent, talk about the fandom, and send memes with Ballinger herself. In one message to the group, McIntyre, who was around 15 at the time, asked the group for questions to be used in a YouTube Q&A. Dahls alleged screenshot appears to show that Ballinger, who was in her early 30s, responded Are you a Virgin? and also asked McIntyre what his favorite sex position was. In another alleged screenshot, Adam tells the chat his ass looks good today and Ballinger appears to respond pics adam. Ballinger has yet to comment on these screenshots. In Ballingers 2023 response, she did not directly comment on the screenshots. Dahl also agreed with McIntyres claims that Ballinger would trauma dump on the group of tweens she called friends, especially when she was getting her divorce from Joshua David Evans.

In his June 7, 2023, video, McIntyre says Ballinger would promise special things, including a trip to the National Wax Museum, in exchange for his loyalty. The 15-year-old and 31-year-old had planned to spend the day together in Dublin before her June 8, 2018, show. However, in the video, McIntyre says that when the day came, she was being unkind and flaky to the point that even his parents were apprehensive about them meeting. He says they ended up meeting for only five minutes. He still cites this as an example of emotional whiplash that he said had become all too common in their dynamic. Ballinger has yet to directly respond to these claims and did not respond when asked for comment.

Though people have been doxxing him and sending death threats, to the point where he claims to have filed a police report, McIntyre said he isnt backing down. Since Dahls video was posted, McIntyre has made 12 YouTube videos on the controversy. In a recent video, he claims Ballinger grooms her fans emotionally.

On June 4, 2023, Dahls why I left the colleen ballinger fandom  video had less than 1,000 views, but still ignited conversation about Ballingers behavior. Ballinger did not respond to the accusations in the video.

So, Colleen Ballinger has been accused of her own inappropriate behavior, but what is happening with Miranda Sings?

On June 13, 2023, a former Miranda Sings fan with the TikTok username @noitsbecks described an experience she had at a 2019 Miranda Sings show where she said she was left feeling humiliated onstage. It was well known that Ballinger would bring up audience members for various segments of the show, usually seeking out a specific type of person to fulfill different roles in her show. She scouted girls wearing short dresses, crop tops, or anything Miranda would consider racy, so she could make jokes about it during the show. So, Becky chose to dress for the Miranda gaze and wore a romper. I was kind of trying to dress skimpy, so that I would be called up onstage, Becky said in a TikTok video posted on June 13, 2023. She also tweeted about the incident. Instead of being chosen for the porn bit, she was chosen for the yoga bit.

Pause. What is a porn bit and what is a yoga bit?

These names of the portion of the show are extreme to elicit a reaction from the audience, but its still a bit weird. Both the porn bit and yoga bit required audience volunteers. For the porn bit, it was usually a young girl wearing something that showed skin. So think spaghetti straps, skirts, crop tops  basically anything that would get you dress-coded in a strict public school. She would also bring up a fan in red sweatpants and full coverage top  the Miranda Sings uniform  to compare the two outfits. The girl showing even the slightest bit of skin was porn and the Miranda Sings clone was not. For the yoga bit, Miranda and an audience volunteer copied bizarre-looking, difficult yoga-inspired poses. At the show Becky attended, she was chosen to come on stage for the yoga bit, and she said the experience left her feeling unsafe in front of a large audience of people. Becky is not the only former fan who has come forward to talk about their uncomfortable Miranda Sings tour experiences as minors.

ive been debating posting this picture, but this was me on stage. she encouraged her fans to wear revealing clothing so we would get called on stage. and then she exploited us and our bodies for her own gain. so yeah, im okay with calling her a predator. https://t.co/uQRHsi9zD7 pic.twitter.com/8CWZtoN8cw  becky (@noitsbecks) June 10, 2023

Similar to Becky, a person named Grace posted a video to TikTok about seeing the Miranda Sings tour when she was 14. In the video, the 14-year-old has on a black skirt, white shirt, and green jacket and a 31-year-old Ballinger, as Miranda, declares that all it takes is a little breeze and Ill see all the bits. Another portion of the show had Miranda going on dates with audience members during a search for a bae segment. A portion of this segment she would repeat was putting a bag of cheese balls in the front of her pants, and inviting the audience member to reach in and grab a handful of cheese balls. One infamous clip of a young boy named James participating in this bit during a 2016 London show has resurfaced, amongst other photos and videos of similar occurrences in multiple cities and over the span of a couple years. Ballinger has not directly responded to the allegations by Becky, Grace, or anyone else alleging inappropriate behavior during any Miranda Sings tour show.

colleen ballinger pretending to be on a date with a 9 year old and telling him to reach into her pants for a snack.making child incredibly uncomfortable towards the end as everyone laughs at him.



WTF WTF WTF

@theadammcintyre @noitsbecks pic.twitter.com/cA9yguVq8e  vinny (@lomlgraperry) June 7, 2023

What are Kory DeSoto and Trent Ballinger accused of?

An 18-year-old former fan named Oliver claims they had inappropriate interactions with Colleens brother Trent Ballinger, mostly over Twitter direct message and later via text. Oliver claims they were 13 to 14 at the time, while Trent was in his 30s. Oliver said the conversations centered around their sexuality.

DeSoto and Ballinger met as freshmen at Azusa Pacific University. He eventually ended up working for Ballinger, and even lived with her for a time. He was widely known in the fandom, and even has his own online presence and fanbase. Some of his fans created a group chat, named korys klit. Members of the group, mostly minors, claim that DeSoto did not name the group chat, but he was an active participant in it. Some members of the group chat claim he was modeling similar strange and inappropriate behavior to Ballinger  trauma dumping, bullying, taunting fans, complaining about Ballinger, and talking about sex, drugs, and alcohol. One leaked message also appears to show that DeSoto would threaten to block people if they shared info about the group chat. A Reddit group, r/ColleenBallingerSnark claims DeSoto started scrubbing various social-media accounts once allegations about himself and Ballinger started to spread on social media. Controversy struck. One post claimed that he had deleted 80 videos and listed 75 of the titles of those videos, which included SEXY WALL TWERKING and Sex Advice: Cosmo Corner. DeSoto deleted his Twitter around June 11, 2023.

Another former fan and employee of Ballingers, Johnny, came out with a video with similar allegations of bullying and being paid and treated poorly during his time on tour with Ballinger, Evans, and DeSoto. In this, he claims that DeSoto was a bully. Evans issued a public apology to Johnny. Ballingers response did not specifically respond to Johnnys claims and DeSoto has yet to respond entirely.

Has Colleen Ballinger/ Miranda Sings released an apology?

Ballinger posted a ten-minute video, titled hi, on June 28, 2023, where she denied the allegations in song while accompanying herself on the ukulele. After looking dejected for ten seconds, she launches into a speak-sung monologue, in which she condemns the internet for boarding the toxic gossip train, chugging down the tracks of misinformation. In this video, she declares that her team advised her to not speak on the allegations against her, but said nothing about singing. This video has a decidedly different tone than her 2020 response. Yes, she admits to messaging fans, but says it was in a loser way because, as she put it, the only thing Ive ever groomed is my two Persian cats. She claims to have made jokes in poor taste and bad decisions, but sings that her intentions were not malicious, despite what millions of people have decided. I know that you wanted me to say that I was 100 percent in the wrong / Well, Im sorry Im not going to take that route of admitting to lies and rumors that you made up for clout, she sings. She also states that Miranda Sings is PG-13-rated content and blames parents for bringing their kids to her shows as it is not her responsibility to cater to a younger audience: Thats why you wont find my videos on the YouTube Kids app. The message of the video is best described with one of Ballingers lyrical denials: Im not a groomer / Im just a loser. Multiple times in the video, including a long chorus near the end in which she rhymes human with human, she states that she is not a horrible human, but a human who made a mistake and doesnt deserve hate. The video/song ends with Ballinger resigning both the chorus and herself: Well, what do I know? Fuck me, right? Vulture reached out to Ballinger for comment.

Previous to the video, her podcast with Trisha Paytas has lost sponsorship from OneSkin and ZocDoc, according to TMZ. We were made aware of this previously and have decided to cease the relationship completely. This behavior is appalling and we do not condone or support it in any form, OneSkin said in a statement to TMZ. As of publishing, she has lost 30,000 followers since June 15. Ballingers June 28 video on her vlog channel has been her only response, besides an impromptu speech at a recent tour stop, where she claimed there were so many things to say, but decided to not say those things. One person reportedly booed at the end of the show, and one twitter user claims they spent $3 on a ticket and attended just to support McIntyre.

Ballingers August 10 tour stop in St. Louis, Missouri, was canceled on July 5 due to unforeseen circumstances, per the venue. Currently, Ballinger has six other shows set before August 10. Vulture reached out to the concert promoter for additional comment.

Have there been any further accusations?

Yes. Ballinger has been accused of body shaming Trisha Paytas and texting unsolicited nudes of Paytas to at least two former fans  including Adam McIntyre, who confirmed in a July 4 video that he was 14 years old at the time. In a 21-minute video titled colleen, Paytas addressed Ballingers alleged messages, calling them disgusting and illegal. Referencing a fans description, she claimed Ballinger held viewing parties of my adult content to make fun of me. According to Paytas, Ballinger vehemently denied ever sending any photos of Paytas, instead claiming that an underage fan sent the photos and everything was being taken out of context. Paytas said she is embarrassed to be associated with Ballinger. She further noted that her sexual content is paywalled to people over age 18 and criticized the negative impact that Ballingers alleged actions could have on perceptions of sex workers. I will never speak on Colleen again, Paytas concluded. She just does not exist to me anymore. Ballinger has not publicly responded to Paytass video.

Meanwhile, April Quioh, a television writer and former writers assistant on Ballingers short-lived Netflix show Haters Back Off, wrote about her experience on the show in her newsletter. Quioh described her time as writers assistant as so, so uncomfortable due in part to Ballingers demand that the show include incestual innuendo involving a character named Uncle Jim. (Uncle Jim, part of Miranda Sings lore, has an implied sexual relationship with Miranda). She often pitched stories in which Miranda and Uncle Jim would be caught in compromising positions or stomach-churning moments of intimacy that could always be easily explained away by a clueless Miranda, Quioh wrote.

Quioh also wrote about racist behavior from Ballinger, including Ballingers insistence that we used limited POC background actors as the show took place in Washington. While filming in an Asian food market dressed as a bodega, Ballinger demanded assurance that all the Asian shit would be removed before filming, according to Quioh. Ballinger repeatedly crossed professional boundaries with Quioh and the rest of the crew, per Quioh. She had a knack for making funny, biting comments about the people around her and since we all had her to thank for our jobs, we were forced to just go with it, Quioh wrote. She saw no issue with commenting on my hair, or my clothes, or asking about my personal life. Her lack of boundaries was remarkable. Ballinger has not responded to the accusations from Quioh.

On July 5, 2023, YouTuber Paige Christie posted a clip of Ballinger (as Miranda) allegedly in blackface, pretending to be Beyonce while performing Single Ladies in 2009. Legal representation for Ballinger denied she was doing blackface in a statement to Vulture. A full video shared by Variety shows Ballinger in Elphaba-green face paint performing As Long As Youre Mine from Wicked with Oliver Tompsett, a member of the original West End cast, directly before going into her Single Ladies performance.

This post has been updated.
(Reuters) -Chinese food delivery giant Meituan said on Thursday that it is acquiring artificial intelligence (AI) company Light Year from its co-founder and former director Wang Huiwen, in a bid to develop its own generative AI.

The deal comes at a time when AI has captivated investor interest across the globe, prompting a flurry of investments or acquisitions by businesses in a rush to develop generative AI like ChatGPT.

The total deal for Light Year includes $233.7 million in cash with 366.9 million yuan ($50.66 million) worth of debt and a payment of $28 million to the AI firm's previous investor HongShan, a investment fund by Sequoia Capital China Growth Fund VII, Meituan said.

The deal allows Meituan, in which online advertising giant Tencent holds an 18.7% stake, to strengthen its position in the AI landscape of China.

Light Year, which had net cash of around $285 million as of June 29, is involved in the research and development of large language models, and was founded and controlled by Wang who helped establish Meituan in 2010.

Wang resigned as the non-executive director of food delivery giant on Sunday due to health reasons.

Meituan will control 100% of Light Year after completion of the deal.

(Reporting by Navya Mittal and John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
Photo: Prince Williams/WireImage

Update, Saturday, July 1 at 3:00 p.m.: Drakes representatives at OVO Sound stated to Vulture that the reason behind the tour delay is due to singer H.E.R.s official DJ  and Its All A Blur tour DJ, DJ Prince, having health complications with cancer.

Original story follows.

When Drake said Its all a blur, maybe he was talking about the scheduling for his new tour. The rapper quietly delayed the first shows of the Its All a Blur tour with 21 Savage this week. It was set to start today, June 29, in Memphis. That show will now take place on August 6, while a July 1 show in Columbus, Ohio, has been rescheduled for October 9. That means the tour now kicks off nearly a week later than it was supposed to, on July 5 in Chicago, with little explanation. And its all happening after Drake and 21 already delayed the start of the tour once in April, pushing it from June 16 to July 29. Vulture has reached out to representatives for Drake, 21 Savage, and promoter Live Nation for comment.

This isnt the first time Drake has pulled a last-minute delay. The rapper postponed two weeks of shows for his tour with Migos in 2018. At that time, a rep for Drake said the delay was in order to deliver the high standard tour experience our fans expect and deserve. Its unclear whether thats the case again  given this is Drakes first tour since that outing  or if Drizzy just wanted to catch the NASCAR street race in Chicago this weekend.
Streamliner At your service. On the redesigned Max app, Martin Scorsese, director of Raging Bull, is credited as one of eight of the films creators instead of its director. Photo: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Update, Wednesday, June 28: Its been a little over a month, but Max is finally beginning to fulfill its promise of correcting listed credits from creators back to properly separating the directors, writers, and actors of their programming. As of now, that change to film and TV listings has been updated on the Max website and will begin rolling out to all device platforms in the coming week.

Original May 24 story follows:

Taking HBO out of its name wasnt the only cut Max made yesterday. As the streamer rebranded to Max, writers called out a change to its details pages for movies and TV. Originally, HBO Max credited actors (as starring), directors, and writers. For Max, credits pages were tweaked to combine the latter two positions under the umbrella term creators. In response, the Writers Guild of America, West, which is leading the ongoing writers strike, and the Directors Guild of America released a joint statement condemning the move as a credits violation.

DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter wrote, This devaluation of the individual contributions of artists is a disturbing trend and the DGA will not stand for it. Noting her guilds solidarity with the WGA, Glatter continued, We intend on taking the strongest possible actions  to ensure every artist receives the individual credit they deserve, while WGAW President Meredith Stiehm added how disrespectful and insulting the change Max made is to the artists behind the works that make corporations billions.

A screenshot of the Raging Bull Max page, where Martin Scorsese (director) and Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin (screenwriters) are jointly credited as creators. Photo: Max

A Max spokesperson says, We agree that the talent behind the content on Max deserve their work to be properly recognized. We will correct the credits, which were altered due to an oversight in the technical transition from HBO Max to Max and we apologize for this mistake. Its worth noting that, in general, its not always a given that credit information will be readily visible on a given streaming services user interface, which makes it all the more jarring when cast or crew find themselves miscredited. As for when the corrections will be made, Max has not yet made that clear.

The new HBO Max (MAX) has eliminated writer/director credits in their interface in favor of a vague "Creators." This is what Raging Bull currently looks like. It's so fucking over. pic.twitter.com/gPveQ469GB  John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) May 24, 2023

An absolute master class in how to fuck up a streaming service. This will be studied for years. https://t.co/zl1GB2ggc3  Steven DeKnight (@stevendeknight) May 24, 2023

Content, contd: Made by (a bunch of people in no particular order who gives a shit well delete this anyway if we need a tax write off who cares if this is what our whole business is actually based on hey what does Home Box Office mean) https://t.co/jdpkeHA5Bx  Peter (or is it?) Ramsey (@pramsey342) May 24, 2023

This is why unions and solidarity are so important.



When the DGA & WGA were formed, one of the first things we fought for was proper credit for our work. If we didnt have our unions, WBD would be getting away with this. But not today, Zaslav. Not today. #WGAStrong #DGAStrong https://t.co/z3YXTRYihc  David Slack (@slack2thefuture) May 24, 2023
Photo: Zachary Scott

Ashley Park wondered if she was a bad person. If maybe she was getting things she didnt deserve. Shed always been a hard worker, a schedule filler, what with theater and dance and choir and a cappella and piano and, why not, sousaphone  all of which had stopped when she was diagnosed with leukemia at age 15 and ended up in the hospital for most of her sophomore year. Before cancer, shed tried out for her high schools production of High School Musical and did not get Sharpay. After cancer, she tried out for Thoroughly Modern Millie and got Millie. She was thrilled, but she was conscious of how shed changed. She was used to being seen as the Asian girl. Now she was also the sick bald girl. She wore her wig and tuned up her Charleston and thought, Everybodys being forced to be nice to me.

Then she got the lead again in senior year, as the tragic Vietnamese woman Kim in Miss Saigon. A group of white girls from choir whom shed thought of as close friends complained to their parents, then the parents complained to the school: It was unfair to choose a show that favored some people who happened to look the part. This was liberal Ann Arbor, so no one quite said it out loud. What was clear to Ashley was that they were done being nice to her. She pleaded her case and the show went ahead and she wondered what shed done wrong: When I was front and center, it was, Oh, look at Ashley; shes a diva. I thought, Wow, I never want to be called that again.

Park just turned 32. The actress has made a career of being as successful as possible without being front and center. Shed once dreamed of Broadway, modestly  like maybe shed get ensemble in Wicked?  then she surprised herself. She landed the role of Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls, the musical, and played the henchwoman full of yearning. She jumped to Netflix for Emily in Paris, a show that makes Mindy Chen, Parks singing, dancing charisma-bomb-of-an-heiress, the improbable sidekick to a junior marketing executive. If you believe her as No. 2, its because Park believes it as well. When she was nominated for a Tony for Mean Girls in 2018, she told an interviewer, What I pulled from for Gretchen is that when I was growing up, always, no matter what, when there was a white girl in the room, I was going to be second best. What I love about Gretchen is she doesnt want to be anything but the beta.

But did Gretchen really choose that? Did Park? On July 7, she gets top billing for the first time in her adult life in Joy Ride, a raunchy, friends-trip comedy directed by Adele Lim and co-starring Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, and Sabrina Wu. When we meet in early June at a noodle spot in L.A.s Koreatown, Park lists all the firsts Joy Ride represents, smacking the table with her long, manicured fingers: Yes, its one of the first times shes even been approached to play the lead. It might just be the first R-rated studio comedy to star Asian women and nonbinary actors. And its definitely the first in which they shove condoms full of cocaine up their assholes.

Park had to bring what Lim calls the stealth heart of the movie: Parks character, Audrey, is an overachieving lawyer who was adopted from China by white American parents when she was a baby and who has spent more time thinking about making partner than wondering about her birth mother. Then a work trip sends her to Beijing along with her slacker best friend, Lolo (Cola), as translator, and Audrey ends up on a hunt for her biological family that spins out of control. (How do Lolos cousin Deadeye, played by Wu, and Audreys college friend Kat, played by Hsu, end up on this work trip too? Thats just buddy-comedy magic, baby.)

Audrey is the straight man in the fitted stretch blazer, so goal oriented that even a threesome reads like extra credit. Its a true ensemble comedy  think Girls Trip and Bridesmaids  and though Park was top of the call sheet, sometimes it feels more like Hsus movie, or Colas, or Wus. As we talk about what Joy Ride means for her, Park keeps steering back to what it means for her co-stars. Maybe thats just her way of playing the lead: Shed rather be part of a team. This is, after all, a woman with a tattoo that reads YES, AND.

Photo: Zachary Scott

No one was shocked when little Ashley wanted to take dance classes  her mom loved to dance too, had even been a cheerleader at UCLA. Her parents were more surprised to hear Ashleys voice. They were like, Wait, is she singing on key? Park says. Theyre both tone-deaf. They had no clue what the heck was going on. The family lived in San Diego, a couple hours from where her parents grew up after emigrating from South Korea. They moved to Ann Arbor when Ashley was 5 and her sister Audrey was 2, and Ashley started going all-in: more dance, piano, Ann Arbor Angels Choir.

Susan Hurwitz, whom Park calls one of her amazing Jewish grandmothers, helped run the theater program at Parks high school. She first noticed Ashley when the teenager was a featured dancer in Carousel  but they became closer when Ashley received her cancer diagnosis the following year. Hurwitz, who had also survived cancer, started visiting Ashley in the hospital. Just a few weeks after Ashley was allowed to go home, Hurwitz was shocked to see the 16-year-old back at school at the auditions for Thoroughly Modern Millie, a bandanna covering her head. Im scared to death  What are you doing here? says Hurwitz. And she proceeds to just nail the audition. Im crying. Shes phenomenal. When I tell her that Park thinks she got the part because people felt bad for the cancer girl, Hurwitz sounds insulted. No, absolutely not. Shes so wrong about that. Honestly, thats ridiculous.

Hurwitz is disdainful of the classmates and parents who protested the choice of Miss Saigon the following year, some of whom came to her to complain. We had done lots of shows that featured Caucasian leads, and fact is it was an open competition. But nobody else could access the pain the way she could, she says. Afterward, one of those parents wrote Hurwitz a note admitting it was a great show.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation had paid for Ashley and her family to travel to New York and see Broadway shows during her treatment; now that she knew Broadway wasnt just the name of a theater building somewhere, thats where she wanted to be. After graduating from the University of Michigans musical-theater program, Park moved to New York in 2013, hoofing it in the ensemble for Mamma Mia! before being cast as the concubine Tuptim in The King and I. Hsu, who has done both Broadway and experimental theater  and who would later audition for Mindy in Emily in Paris  met Park in a workshop around that time. She remembers Park was squeezing in the workshop between a King and I matinee and an evening performance. Broadway is crazy like that. Theres just nothing harder, says Hsu. Youre singing. Youre dancing. Youre kicking your face for two and a half hours. If your show is in the running for a Tony, you do Good Morning America at 5 a.m. Thats so grueling, I say. It is, says Hsu, but it trains you to be sort of impenetrable.

Park used to pride herself on being that way. She loved when people said, Ashley has an endless battery. The same week she started rehearsals for Mean Girls, she was already playing a lead role in the first iteration of KPOP, a musical that would later go to Broadway; she would rehearse for eight hours, then race across town to perform. She was also starting to go for onscreen parts. When she booked Emily in Paris, her agents encouraged her to make a hard break from the stage: They were like, You dont see that youre giving so much more to that building than youre getting out of it. When she announced she was leaving Mean Girls, she remembers a castmate there telling her, Oh yeah, its a good time for you to leave because this is a good time for ethnic people to be trying to do TV.

Only in relative terms. On Emily in Paris, Parks Mindy is a font of patience. Through Emilys endless low-stakes crises, Mindy remains the platonic, bedazzled ideal of a BFF, always down to party or lend an ear. Park and Lily Collins, who plays Emily, soon found they were most recognizable in Paris as a duo: One day when they were walking around the Jardin des Tuileries in masks while shooting season two, excited fans clocked them just from the sound of their loud American voices.

Meanwhile, Park was doing chemistry reads for Joy Ride. Lim had approached her back in 2019, before Emily in Paris came out  the actress had been recommended by Lims friend Daniel Dae Kim, whod met Park when they were doing The King and I. Lim, who co-wrote Crazy Rich Asians, says it can be a struggle to find an Asian American actor with the star power to play a lead: Its not like we dont have the talent, but we really have not had the same opportunities, she says. What we were looking for was this unicorn, and I expressed all that to Daniel. He said, I think I have the person for you.

Hsu, Wu, Park, and Cola in Joy Ride. Photo: Ed Araquel/Lionsgate

Lim and co-writers Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao had wanted to write a movie like The Hangover, all about celebrating your nasty, disgusting friends  who in this case happen to be Asian. When I ask Hsu if shes ever worked on another project where there was more than one part for a young Asian woman, she pauses for a beat then says, witheringly, Is that a rhetorical question? Still, she doesnt think Joy Rides Asianness is what we should be talking about. (The Oscars whirl for Everything Everywhere All at Once would stretch anyones patience for that.) She thinks its more interesting that Joy Ride is a hard R. Theres a new generation of raunchy comedies coming our way. That should be the focus.

But the movie does make Asianness the focus. Lim says they were inspired to write Audrey as an adoptee in part because they wanted a character who experienced a heightened form of the alienation that Lim thinks all Asian Americans feel; for Audrey, Lim wondered, How can we put that character on the extreme of that spectrum of feeling this otherness where it didnt matter what space she was in? We watch as Audrey endures multiple people telling her, Youre basically white. Lim says this means the other characters think Audrey is ashamed of who she is: Its like youre trying to pledge to a sorority that isnt about you.

Joy Ride also finds a way to say it groin-first. We learn that Audrey has never slept with an Asian man before  a problem she solves by taking two of them to bed at once. It was Parks first time shooting any kind of sex scene: Im so seasoned now. To go from never having done a scene of that nature to having a threesome with two guys eating you out is just its own thing. That evening, she says Hsiao invited her and a bunch of other people over for pizza. Teresa just goes, Okay, everyone, lets slow clap for Ashley: first Asian kiss, first Asian sex. Park was embarrassed. Shed never been with an Asian guy either  though she has now. What Ive learned is good guys are good no matter what they look like. And toxic, awful guys are also Asian sometimes.

Park is good at making friends in her industry. She drops, casually, that she knows a few of the Blackpink girls  Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa. She counts Collins and Florence Pugh, whom she met at a Valentino show last year, among her confidantes. Pugh says that when they get together, Well do face masks. Well order room service. Well laugh and cry and talk all in the space of about 130 minutes. But her schedule has not made it easy to date, and her romances havent tended to last long  until the one shes in now. She wont say who her boyfriend is because we havent hard launched, just that hes also an actor, and her best friend, and the longest relationship of her adult life. One of the first conversations we ever had was why we would never date another actor or person in the industry, she says. And here we are.

Park says she is still seeking balance, learning to say no to parties and events when all she wants to do is sleep. When shes with a friend, shes plugged in; the next day, her drive is wiped. You know how I keep energy? Park says. I literally, in the best way, dissociate really well. Its now been over three years since her last performance on Broadway, nearly four since she first started filming in Paris. She played a small, brutal part in Beef and will be in the next season of Only Murders in the Building. Shes curious about doing more theater  shes thinking about the West End  but its hard to imagine when. We meet in L.A. on the day before Parks birthday. When I mention this, she looks blank for a moment, then scrambles to look at the date on her phone.

She does not love her birthday: I get anxious when I feel like people are forced to be kind to me. I never want any handout for any reason that is out of my control. It reminds her of a powerlessness shed rather not think about. I want to earn when people are congratulating me, Park says. I wish my birthday was something I earned.

Production Credits Photograph by Zachary Scott

Styling by Erin Walsh

Hair by Rena Calhoun

Makeup by Jenna Nicole
Kenny Leons production, starring Ato Blankson-Wood, gestures at a lot without capturing any one thing. Photo: Joan Marcus

While Hollywood is hitting Peak TV, New York theater is somewhere near Peak Hamlet. In the past year alone, weve gotten Robert Ickes sleek and modern Hamlet at the Park Avenue Armory, Thomas Ostermeiers muddy and German Hamlet at the BAM Next Wave Festival, and James Ijamess revised southern-cookout version, Fat Ham. Expand the scope further and you could include the opera at the Met and pre-pandemic forays to Elsinore starring Ruth Negga and Oscar Isaac. Thats fine. Theres plenty to explore in the messy, melancholy classic, but if youre going to keep staging the play, youd better bring something new. Thats where Kenny Leon and the Public Theater, which is Danish double-dipping after producing Fat Ham, falters in its Shakespeare in the Park offering this summer. Although led by an able Ato Blankson-Wood, this is a Hamlet that, like its main character, cant make up its mind about what it wants to say or do.

Leon brings Hamlet to the present-day American South. As the show begins, the dead King Hamlet receives a military funeral, and his portrait in formal marine dress hangs at the back of the set, sternly watching over the rest of the play. The director is picking up a lot of the ideas he deployed in his 2019 take on Much Ado About Nothing, which cast an ensemble of Black actors led by Danielle Brooks, set the action in present-day Georgia, and encouraged awareness of what race can bring to the text. This time, Leon similarly struck place names from the script (you wont hear anyone mention Denmark or even Elsinore) and brought things nearer to the present day  specifically 2021, according to the Publics notes  and theres a bit of business with actors donning and removing surgical masks. Much Ado had a Stacey Abrams 2020 campaign sign onstage; Beowulf Boritts designs for the Hamlet set also include a Stacey Abrams 2020 sign, though this time its half buried in the ground as if displaced by a lightning strike at the side of the stage.

The point, perhaps, is that the pandemic and protests over police violence in 2020 made it all the more obvious that something is rotten in America. But Hamlet is a big, ungainly play on its own terms, and when Leon tries to wrap it around all these contemporary signifiers, it resists bending toward his interpretation. Hamlets family, John Douglas Thompson as Claudius and Lorraine Toussaint as Gertrude, is Black and styled in Jessica Jahns modern costumes as a luxe, lowercase-c conservative military household. Its an interpretation that, like Fat Hams, makes you aware of the masculine expectations for the young prince, but its hard to graft the dynamics of a royal court onto of-the-moment American politics and say anything clearly. Daniel Pearces Polonius is a Colonel Sandersstyle white Southern fop; theres room here for something about white resentment, especially as Nick Rehbergers Laertes is styled as a lit bro who could plausibly go alt-right, but Leon doesnt pursue it thoroughly. When Laertes returns late in the play to seek revenge for Poloniuss murder, the characters briefly bar a door with an American flag  an image that invokes the January 6 insurrection  but the ensuing duel is staged more as a collegial bit of fencing than anything approaching genuine hatred. This production also lacks a Fortinbras, the Norwegian prince who captures the castle in Shakespeares Hamlet and who might have been a more plausible figure on which to hang an allegory about a coup attempt.

The productions endeavors to find something outside the text to hang a message on also muddle the inward-directed tendency of the characters, especially Hamlets. We cant hear him think well because the direction is speaking over him, telling us to focus on something else. Leon deploys projections and a booming audio effect for Hamlets encounters with his fathers ghost (recorded dialogue by Samuel L. Jackson) with Blankson-Wood mouthing along to the messages as if possessed. But the bombastic staging doesnt clarify how Hamlet feels about this revenge task, especially when the texts early-modern theological questions about salvation and damnation have been so thoroughly brushed aside. Hamlets soliloquies often turn on internal doubts that, because Leon so underemphasizes them, lack a solid place to get their footing. Blankson-Wood has a crisp delivery, but he struggles to convey that he is thinking onstage instead of just reciting lines. Hes chasing after the princes curlicuing motivations from one scene to the next instead of leading us through the labyrinth. When Hamlet holds his knife above Claudius, about to strike him down in prayer, the only reason Blankson-Wood doesnt go in for the kill seems to be simply because thats not what happens in the play.

He and the production do improve, however, when it comes to Hamlets play-acting side. The heros a theater aficionado who gives notes to the players once they arrive at the castle; in this version, those performers are styled as a star rapper and his entourage with Hamlet as the eager, wealthy  but also relatively dorky fanboy organizing a private gig. Here, Leon pokes at an engaging strand of class dynamics and includes new songs by Jason Michael Webb. The lyrics could use further revision  Wanna chop em like Priam, stick em wit da pointy end, goes one line  but theres something to the idea that, in music and in art, Hamlet sees a way to communicate that gets at what he cant express with his words, words, words. Yet Leon doesnt capitalize on the possibility. He inserts a lot of music throughout the production, starting off with a praise team singing Ecclesiastes at the funeral and ending with the company reprising a bit of that song about Hecuba, I could tell you a tale, Gods cry / Gods cry, Gods cry, I could make the Gods cry. With Hamlet and the players, those insertions are intriguing. At other times, such as when Solea Pfeiffers Ophelia sings, it mostly serves to remind you that Pfeiffer, best known for musicals, has a great voice.

Like many members of Hamlets ensemble, Pfeiffer works hard to make an impression without a sense of where the character fits in with everything else. During Ophelias collapse into madness, I could feel Pfeiffer reaching out and trying to engage the audience by going big. Shes got shreds of something to build a character around  Ophelias done up in braids and music-festival-ready flowered dresses, as in the Millais painting by way of Instagram  but not a complete thought. The costumes, the surgical masks, the SUV parked on the side of the stage: All point toward potential contemporary relevance that progressively overwhelms the performances. Leon keeps gesturing to ideas that a version of Hamlet might speak to, but in doing so, he forgets whatever specific ideas his Hamlet might articulate.

Hamlet is at the Delacorte Theater through August 6.
What does it say that the best moments of this episode were all about the past? Tamra gets into a weird dune-buggy-ass-looking thing, and Heather Dubrow tells her, Dont flip that thing, just like she did back in the day at the Glamis Dunes. Then Tamra is at dinner with Taylor Armstrong and she orders My Opinion wine and is like, Hmm, where have I heard that before. ROLL TAPE! Then when theyre going over Heathers IMDb page at dinner, they revisit Malibu Country, and Tamra tells us that not only did Heather end up on the sitcom that offered a role to both Gretchen Rossi and Alexis Bellino, they offered a role to Tamra too.

Girl, that tea is not hot. Its been sitting on Andy Cohens bedside table for ten years. Its been there longer than his PReP prescription. Its like Miss Havishams wedding cake at this point, with cobwebs grown over it and fake eyelashes stuck to the side and maybe a loose extension or two lying by it.

Whats great about Housewives, particularly RHOC, is that weve been with it for 17 long years, and its nice to have those flashbacks every now and again. But it seems like this episode was resting on it. Theres something about reality television that should feel like a ritual, like things are always a little bit the same. But when it becomes too rote, then it just becomes stale. Its less like a meditation session and more just like standing in line at the Genius Bar waiting for someone to tell you that you will go without a laptop for a week as if that is somehow physically possible.

Look at the episode. We get the women going on a trip. They have to pick rooms and there is drama. They ride a mechanical bull, they make silly videos on a private plane, Shannon runs out of dinner to go put on a costume and thinks that its a big surprise, and the only thing that people are surprised about is that it isnt as shitty as the bear costume from last season. Or maybe two seasons ago. See, just like my 20s, its all blurring together and I dont think I ever want to go back.

And, just like the women, I once again have to reiterate that there is no such thing as assless chaps. All chaps are made without an ass. Thats like saying flightless car or remorseful Danielle Staub. Its right there in the design. You dont need to say that they are assless. Deep exhale.

Thats not to say there wasnt much fun to unpick in this episode. Im kind of living for this fight between Jenn and Gina, two former air hostesses both with four letters in their names but only one with the correct number of vowels. Gina says that Jenn trying to rationalize her infidelity is a trigger for her because of what happened with her and her ex, Matt, the definition of a red flag that I would totally fuck anyway. Matt was arrested for a domestic-violence incident with Gina that was covered on the show. She said she wanted her children to see that bad actions have consequences. Now that consequence is that Matt has a felony conviction, cant get a job, and, Id assume, cant pay the sort of child support Gina wants. She says she is helping him get his record expunged to save his family. I mean, I get it, but also, isnt this just showing the kids that their actions have consequences unless theyre white, attractive, and wealthy, and then you can just make all of those consequences go away with enough lawyers?

Anyway, the debate is about Jenn and Ryans relationship and just how faithful either of them can be. Apparently, Ryan is a bit of a playboy who has cheated on every serious partner hes ever had. Jenn doesnt seem to have the best relationship with monogamy, but she says shes terrified of another failed relationship. Well, sweetie, there is only one solution and its the one straight people never want to hear about: an open relationship.

Ryan is going to sleep with other women. That is just a fact. He is going to do it whether or not Jenn likes it. Her choices are either to insist on monogamy, wait for him to cheat, and then break up, or they could talk about what is going on, put some parameters into place, and then find a way that ethical non-monogamy can work for them. So, yeah, if she wants this relationship to last, she better start letting Ryan take a few new ladies for a spin around the gym parking lot (if you know what Im saying).

Next, we get everyone preparing for a trip to Montana by shopping for westernwear and packing it all up. Eddie comes into the bedroom to give Tamra her birthday gift, and its a pair of Louis Vuitton boots. Im not entirely sure, but I believe they are from the Herman Munster collection that he did around 2011, and this is just further evidence that even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes. (God, Im just as nostalgic as this episode.)

Then we see Shannon with her twin daughters, telling them that no boys are allowed upstairs when shes out of town. Seriously? This reminds me of when I was in high school. I had a friend named Molly Dolittle, and her mother made her keep the door open if she had boys in her room. First of all, rules like this erroneously assume that everyone is heterosexual. Shannon would totally let Adeline have her best friend over and they could be scissoring like they just finished The Ultimatum: Lesbian Drama Edition, while Stella could have her best gay over and theyre doing absolutely nothing.

Secondly, if teens want to fuck, theyre going to fuck. Theyll fuck in your laundry room while youre making Mac N Cheese in the kitchen. Theyll fuck in the car. Theyll fuck in the park. Theyll fuck in the gym locker room. If teens wanna fuck, theyre going to be fucking and no amount of no boys upstairs is going to keep that 17-year-old peen out of a 17-year-old veen. Im not saying its right; Im not saying its moral; Im not saying its without consequence; Im just saying that there is nothing stronger than hormones, not even Shannon Storms Beadors disdain.

After the bull ride and while everyone is having dinner, Taylor Armstrong lets us know that she is bisexual, which means she is now technically the first Housewife under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, even if it took her after Braunwyn Windham-Burke, Julia Lemagova, and Jenna Lyons (for whom we pre-stan) were on the shows to actually tell us about it. In response, Jenn tells us that she once worked for Jet Blue, which is the bisexual of airlines. I will not be taking questions at this time.

The final fight is one of the pettiest, silliest, and dumbest of fights. Its one that I would usually love, but it does feel like Malibu Country take two. Taylor says that Heather was condescending to her about her weird Oklahoma art curator movie, but Heather is condescending like most people breathe. She cant help it, doesnt know when shes doing it, and would die if she stopped for more than a minute. Then Heather finds out that the producers wanted to see her acting reel because they didnt know what she had done.

Im sorry, but Im with Heather on this one. They offered her a role, but then they needed to see her work? Shes too good for them, and then shes not good enough. The whole thing reeks of unprofessionalism and story-line pandering, and Im kind of here for it, but also I kind of dont care. I dont know. This is all bound up in old ideas, old expectations, old feuds and rivalries. Remember, you can never go home again, but if you want a Housewives trip to Montana, well, it seems like yet another one is entirely possible  even if you feel like youve seen it before.
500 colleges in the US are leaving their 1.5 million students in worse financial shape than if they didn't go at all, report says  why they might not be worth the debt, and what can change

500 colleges in the US are leaving their 1.5 million students in worse financial shape than if they didn't go at all, report says  why they might not be worth the debt, and what can change

While theres long been debate surrounding the value of higher education in America, new data reveals some institutions may actually leave graduates financially worse off than if they hadnt attended college.

Around 500 institutions, enrolling nearly 1.5 million undergraduate students, dont provide a minimum economic return to students, according to a June report from postsecondary research and advocacy organization the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP).

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Students meet this threshold if they earn at least as much as the typical high school graduate in their state, plus enough to recoup their investment in college within 10 years.

"We should expect at a minimum that colleges are not leaving students worse off than had they not attended," Diane Cheng, IHEP vice president of research and policy, told MarketWatch.

Heres why some institutions may not seem worth the cost, and what needs to change.

Why college sometimes isnt worth it

There have been a number of headlines lately questioning whether college has lost its shine for young Americans.

Even big employers like Google and IBM are no longer listing postsecondary degree requirements on some of their job postings.

Plus, there are around 43 million borrowers in the U.S. who owe over $1.6 trillion in student debt  and will need to resume repayments in October, with the question of loan forgiveness still up in the air.

Read more: 3 big mistakes people make with cash back credit cards that cost them every time they swipe

Although the IHEP reports 83% of schools do provide a minimum economic return for students  the typical post-school earnings at most public and private non-profit institutions are about $8,981 above the threshold  some schools actually leave their students worse off after graduating.

Among the 507 institutions that didnt meet the threshold  many of which are either private for-profit or private non-profit institutions and require significantly more financial investment than public entities  the average students earnings fell $4,064 below the threshold.

The IHEP also acknowledges that race, family income and gender can play a role in how much value students actually gain from college due to inequities in higher education and the workforce.

What needs to change

The IHEP proposes several affordability programs to reduce these inequities across race and income levels.

This includes doubling the maximum amount available via federal Pell Grants  awarded to low-income students  which stands at $7,395 for the 2023-2024 academic year. The IHEP notes the grant has failed to keep up with rising costs. The maximum amount available in 2018-19 covered just 28% of the cost of a four-year program  compared to 1975-1976, when it covered over 75%.

Doubling the grant would increase the number of schools that meet the economic threshold for students by 95, accounting for around 610,000 undergrads, according to the IHEP.

Investing in first-dollar free college programs  which effectively offer grant amounts equivalent to the full amount of an institutions tuition and fees (regardless of any other aid students receive)  could also reap more economic benefits for students from low-income backgrounds.

While most free college programs remain restricted to two-year colleges, extending these programs to four-year institutions would add further value as well.

Additionally, colleges could consider providing funding for non-tuition expenses, like housing, health care and transportation costs, and support to increase their complete rates.

The IHEP recommends expanding eligibility requirements for financial aid to make them more inclusive so that aid is provided to low-income students irrespective of whether they attend part-time, enroll immediately after high school or later in their careers, transfer schools or work in another state after graduating.

The organization also suggests improving data collection on student earnings by race, ethnicity and college attendees who do not complete their degrees.

What to read next

36% of millionaires say itll take a miracle to retire amid rising costs and a shaky market  here are the best shock-proof assets to grow your nest egg

If you owe $25K+ in student loans, there are ways to pay them off faster

Scrubs to riches: A California nurse just went viral showing how she paid off her student loans by 27 while making up to $500K a year  here are 5 ways to build wealth without a wild salary

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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Its a large coastal metropolis that has been losing residents to other parts of the US for years and lost population outright early in the pandemic. Increasingly unaffordable housing appears to be the main cause. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight That description applies to multiple cities. That Miami is one of them might be something of a surprise. In the popular imagination, it is one of the great boomtowns of the moment. The popular imagination is not entirely mistaken: A lot of incredibly affluent people moved to the area in 2020 and 2021; employment growth has been strong; and Miami has had some notable successes in attracting tech and financial companies. But when billionaire investor Peter Thiel said in May that Miami had become too expensive to consider relocating his operations there from California, he was on to something.

Despite significant differences in taxes, politics and weather, metro Miami, population 6.1 million, shares crucial characteristics with the big metropolises of the East and West Coasts. Its vibrant. Its diverse. Its cosmopolitan. Its also getting more and more expensive to live there  in part because the area has been building new housing at roughly the same rate relative to population as New York and Boston.

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One reason for this is geography. With the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the vast Everglades wetlands on the other, Miami never had a lot of room to sprawl. When Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Albert Saiz set out a decade and a half ago to measure The Geographic Determinants of Housing Supply, he found that, among large US metro areas, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach ranked second, third and seventh in how much of the land within 50 kilometers of the city center was under water, on too steep a slope or otherwise undevelopable. (The three areas have since been combined into a single Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach metropolitan area.)

The Miami areas less-than-bountiful supply of developable land is now pretty much all developed. In 2013, the Census Bureau found it to be the countrys ninth most densely populated metropolitan area, on a population-weighted census-tract-by-census-tract basis,(1)and the most consistently dense in the sense that neighborhood density remained high even 50, 60 or 70 miles from downtown Miami. Adding new housing in the Miami area, as in other coastal metro areas, thus requires building in already built-up neighborhoods.

Tall apartment buildings are part of South Floridas DNA, and Miami and nearby cities have continued to add new ones in and around their downtowns and other commercial districts. But for a variety of reasons  scarce land, high construction costs related to hurricane risk, continuing caution in the wake of the last housing bust, which hit Miami hard, and a steady supply of ultra rich buyers from Latin America and elsewhere  these new buildings are even more likely than those in other regions to skew toward superluxury. Over the past two years, the average sales price per square foot has been about 50% higher in Miami for new housing than for existing buildings, according to real estate brokerage Redfin. Nationwide theres been effectively no difference, and the only metro area I found with a significantly bigger price gap than Miami was New York.

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Meanwhile, adding density to existing single-family neighborhoods is about as hard to do in metro Miami as it is elsewhere, with the area settling into the development pattern common on the coasts that housing economist Issi Romem once dubbed pockets of dense construction in a dormant suburban interior. Some states have been pressuring cities and suburbs to break out of this single-family rut, but Florida seems to be pushing in the opposite direction, with Governor Ron DeSantiss administration suing to stop one northern Florida city from ending single-family-only zoning. Last year, in what may have been a fluke but felt a little like a sign of the times, Miami Beach turned down a new Frank-Gehry-designed apartment tower while the famously developer-wary Southern California beach city of Santa Monica approved one.

One result of this constrained housing supply has been a steady outflow of Miami area residents to cheaper locales. The Census Bureau tracks domestic migration by county, and its statistics show Miami-Dade County losing an average of about 40,000 people a year, net, to other parts of the US over the past decade, with Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) turning negative more recently and Palm Beach County still experiencing net domestic inflows but not nearly enough to make up for Miami-Dades losses.

More recent estimates from Placer.ai, a location analytics firm that has had success identifying population trends later confirmed by the Census Bureau, indicate that the Miami metro area experienced a net domestic outflow of 1% of its population, about 60,000 people, during the 12 months ended in March, with the biggest net flows going to the Orlando and Port St. Lucie, Florida, metro areas.

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This doesnt mean metro Miami is shrinking. Broward and Miami-Dade counties have had a few more births than deaths in recent years (Palm Beach County hasnt), and the region attracts many people from outside the US. It was the near-halt to immigration early in the pandemic that caused population to decline from April 2020 to July 2021, but that has since normalized. Migration to and from the Miami area follows a pattern similar to that seen in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other coastal cities a decade or so ago, with international inflows mostly or entirely canceling out domestic outflows.

Also reminiscent of the 2010s California data is that the people coming in are more affluent than those leaving, although Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties really took this to new heights early in the pandemic. The average adjusted gross income of the 45,160 federal income taxpayers who changed their addresses to Miami-Dade County between 2020 and 2021 came to $229,662, while that of the 59,292 who left was just $66,354, according to the Internal Revenue Service (which hasnt released more recent data), while in Palm Beach County the 44,354 new taxpayers averaged $242,684, and the 38,649 departed ones $96,395.(2)Measured by the overall net inflow of income, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach had no real peers among the largest US counties in 2020-2021, and Broward was also a top performer.

Swapping out poorer people for richer ones can of course be great for state and local finances, although Floridas lack of a state income tax does limit the bounty. And unless the transition also raises incomes substantially for the locals who stay behind, it will be politically fraught for a region where the median household income in 2021 was just $63,814, compared with a national median (as measured by the Census Bureaus American Community Survey) of $69,717. The combination of low incomes and rising housing prices has pushed metro Miami down to eighth-to-last place in the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlantas Home Ownership Affordability Monitor for April, with listings website RealtyHop ranking the city of Miami dead last for housing affordability in June.

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The two least-affordable metro areas in the Atlanta Feds ranking are Los Angeles and San Francisco, two places with perennial housing problems and, in recent years, many other problems too. Theres been a long-running debate over whether San Franciscos woes in particular are due mainly to poor governance or inadequate housing supply. Miami may be about to help us figure out the answer.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 What Do US Growth Zones Have in Common? New Housing: Justin Fox

 The Real Estate Bust Americas Suburbs Need: Conor Sen

 Miami Crypto Bet May Fail But Was Still Worth It: Jonathan Levin

--With assistance from Jonathan Levin.

(1) That is, the Census Bureau calculated the population density of every census tract, then averaged that on a population-weighted basis across metro areas.

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(2) These are per-tax-return numbers. The number of individuals moving was higher and the per-person incomes lower.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Justin Fox is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business, economics and other topics involving charts. A former editor and writer at the Harvard Business Review, Time and Fortune, he is author of The Myth of the Rational Market.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has faced down the biggest threat his regime has confronted in more than two decades in power. For now. As details about the dramatic mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin  the ex-con who founded the PMC Wagner paramilitary group, which has been fighting in Ukraine  have emerged, its become clear that Putin narrowly avoided disaster.

On Wednesday, news media reported that Prigozhin had intended to kidnap two top Russian officials  Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russias general staff  when the two visited a Russian region neighboring Ukraine. Western officials say the plot likely had a good chance of working until details leaked to Russias Federal Security Service and Prigozhin marched toward Moscow instead.

Two elements of the failed plot stand out.

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First, Prigozhin, a brutal warlord with longstanding ties to Putin, seized a strategically important Russian city, shot down Russian aircraft, took over several key military installations and marched his troops to within hours of the Kremlin, all without meeting significant resistance. The sheer boldness of his original plot  which reportedly included amassing huge amounts of military hardware and advanced weaponry  suggests Prigozhin expected many rank-and-file Russian troops to join in the uprising.

Perhaps more surprising: Putin, a merciless strongman who has routinely crushed perceived threats in the past, seems to have allowed the mutineers to walk. Although the details are still murky, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally, brokered a deal under which the rebellious forces withdrew, Prigozhin got safe passage to Belarus, and Wagner troops would face no legal consequences.

Although any kidnapping attempt failed, Putin has emerged from this fiasco as a much-weakened leader. Not only did he appear dazed and vulnerable, he has now been forced into a widespread shakeup of the armed forces, wary of further disloyalty. Prigozhins denunciation of the war effort  which he said was based on false pretenses and riddled by corruption  is likely to undermine public support. As Russias military and its economy continue to suffer steep losses, the potential for more instability will only rise.

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How should the West respond? So far, NATO has rightly stayed above the fray. Any attempt to influence Russias internal politics at such a time is likely to be either ineffectual or counterproductive. Two more modest steps would help, however.

One is to reiterate through all channels the importance of controlling nuclear devices and following established safety protocols. Russias embattled leader has not hesitated to make nuclear threats in the past, and recently began moving weapons to Belarus. Amid this added chaos, NATO should ensure that risk-reduction measures, including communication hotlines, are maintained. It should also accelerate recent efforts to bolster its conventional forces, secure its borders and improve ballistic-missile defenses so that they have the capacity to meet any escalation.

Next, the West should continue its support for Ukraine unabated. Any withdrawal of the battle-hardened Wagner troops from the fight (Russia is insisting they be contracted directly with the defense ministry) will likely help Ukraines forces, which are undertaking a grueling counteroffensive. Itd be foolish to hold back much-needed military assistance now when it could be most effective on the battlefield and ultimately hasten the end of the war. Theres no need for a reckless escalation: The Wests job is simply to stay the course.

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Prigozhins brief mutiny called to mind Winston Churchills old saying about Russia in 1939: a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Perhaps an older proverb, about those who live by the sword, may prove more apt. Putins reign  long abetted by a grotesque cast of gangsters, mercenaries and war criminals  was never likely to end well for him. The question is how much damage he can do in the meantime.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 And Now Putin Decides Which Bugs to Crush: Andreas Kluth

 Ukraine Allies Shouldnt Overplay Their Hand on Putin: Lionel Laurent

 Russias Mutiny Underscores Oils Fragility: Liam Denning

The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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CMT pulled the video for Jason Aldean's "Try That in a Small Town," which is set at the Maury County Courthouse where a lynching and race riot took place.
Could The Market Be Wrong About Manulife Financial Corporation (TSE:MFC) Given Its Attractive Financial Prospects?

With its stock down 3.4% over the past month, it is easy to disregard Manulife Financial (TSE:MFC). However, a closer look at its sound financials might cause you to think again. Given that fundamentals usually drive long-term market outcomes, the company is worth looking at. In this article, we decided to focus on Manulife Financial's ROE.

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors money. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Manulife Financial

How To 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 Manulife Financial is:

20% = CA$9.8b  CA$49b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. That means that for every CA$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CA$0.20 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a companys earnings growth potential. 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.

Manulife Financial's Earnings Growth And 20% ROE

To start with, Manulife Financial's ROE looks acceptable. Especially when compared to the industry average of 14% the company's ROE looks pretty impressive. This probably laid the ground for Manulife Financial's moderate 14% net income growth seen over the past five years.

As a next step, we compared Manulife Financial's net income growth with the industry and found that the company has a similar growth figure when compared with the industry average growth rate of 15% in the same period.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. 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. Has the market priced in the future outlook for MFC? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report.

Is Manulife Financial Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Manulife Financial has a healthy combination of a moderate three-year median payout ratio of 41% (or a retention ratio of 59%) and a respectable amount of growth in earnings as we saw above, meaning that the company has been making efficient use of its profits.

Additionally, Manulife Financial 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. Upon studying the latest analysts' consensus data, we found that the company is expected to keep paying out approximately 44% of its profits over the next three years. Regardless, Manulife Financial's ROE is speculated to decline to 11% despite there being no anticipated change in its payout ratio.

Summary

On the whole, we feel that Manulife Financial'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. Having said that, on studying current analyst estimates, we were concerned to see that while the company has grown its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to shrink in the future. To know more about the latest analysts predictions for the company, check out this visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Well-known brands including RSPCA, Woolworths and Medibank were temporarily blocked from selling pet insurance policies because the insurers failed to properly consider the financial situation of prospective customers.

On Thursday morning, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issued 38 interim stop orders relating to 67 pet insurance products issued by The Hollard Insurance Company and PetSure Australia across different levels of cover.

These insurance products were issued via brands including Woolworths, RSPCA, Petbarn, Guide Dogs, Medibank, Bupa and HCF. On Thursday evening Hollard and Petsure said they had addressed ASICs concerns and the stop orders had been lifted.

The stop orders mean affected insurers will be barred from engaging in the distribution of their products to new customers. Credit: Nine

The stop orders had meant affected insurers were briefly barred from selling their products to new customers. ASIC said it had taken the action because the insurance companies had failed to properly consider the financial situation of prospective customers.
To secure the remaining tickets she needs for Taylor Swifts Australian tour, Blaise De Vos has initiated a military-grade plan  one that ensures precision, speed and cooperation when battling the notoriously temperamental ticketing websites.

We need to be prepared because its honestly like The Hunger Games. Its actually worse than The Hunger Games, De Vos says. Youve just got to be fast, its all about timing.

Swiftie Blaise De Vos bought tickets during Wednesdays presale. But she needs more, so shell put her meticulous gameplan to use again on Friday. Credit: Eddie Jim

As dramatic as the analogy sounds, it is fitting considering over four million Australians have tried this week to secure tickets to the artists Sydney and Melbourne shows, with many missing out. In fact, demand has been so high that Swift announced an additional show in both cities on Thursday.

On the night before the final round of tickets go on sale on Friday, De Vos has planned an in-person reconnaissance mission with her friend, ensuring they have created the necessary accounts, topped up their debit cards, checked expiry dates and memorised the MCG seating chart.
The report notes that Ms Berejiklian must have known that she was not entitled to refuse to exercise her official functions for her own private benefit, or for the benefit of Mr Maguire, the ICAC said in a statement. To do so to conceal conduct she suspected concerned, or might have concerned, corrupt conduct on the part of Mr Maguire, another member of Parliament, both to protect herself and him from the commission exercising its investigative powers was grave misconduct. Former premier Gladys Berejiklian arrives at the ICAC in October 2021. Credit: Renee Nowytarger It undermined the high standards of probity that are sought to be achieved by the ministerial code which, as premier, Ms Berejiklian substantially administered. However, despite the findings, the ICAC will not seek her criminal prosecution. It said it did not believe that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP with respect to the prosecution of Ms Berejiklian for any offence.

The ICAC also made serious corrupt findings against Maguire, finding he misused his role as an MP to advance his own financial interests, as well as the commercial interests of his associates. One of those related to an alleged cash-for-visa scheme for which he is currently facing criminal charges. The ICAC recommended the DPP consider the further prosecution of Maguire and two of his business associates. The report made 18 recommendations to address the codes of conduct governing MPs, saying its ultimate goal is to improve and enhance the reputation of the NSW parliamentary system to the betterment of the people of NSW through the adoption of the recommendations.

Loading NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman praised Berejiklian on Thursday, saying she led the state with strength and determination through the most challenging conditions since the Second World War. Speakman said he would give closer consideration to the report but his early observations were that his former leader had not broken the law. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) does not suggest that there has been any arguable breach of the criminal law by the actions it investigated by Ms Berejiklian nor was it suggested in the inquiry that Ms Berejiklian received any personal financial benefit, Speakman said in a statement. The delays in providing a report have been unacceptable and should not be allowed to occur again. Our community deserves a timelier resolution of investigations undertaken by ICAC, especially when they concern the senior leadership of our state.

Speakman was, however, scathing of Berejiklians former boyfriend. Daryl Maguires actions were a reprehensible abuse of his position, Speakman said. The explosive inquiry, which ended Berejiklians premiership in October 2021, was launched to investigate whether she had engaged in conduct that breached public trust when awarding government grants during a relationship with Maguire. The long-awaited corruption report into Berejiklians conduct was due to be released in October last year, but the term of commissioner Ruth McColl, SC, was extended. Berejiklian resigned abruptly as premier in October 2021 after the ICAC confirmed it was investigating whether she had engaged in conduct that breached public trust during her secret relationship with Maguire.

Loading Resigning ... is against every instinct of my wellbeing ... I love my job and serving the community, but I have been given no option following the statement, she said at the time. The first elected female premier of NSW, Berejiklian was the third Liberal leader to be forced to resign from the states top job amid an ICAC scandal, following Nick Greiner and Barry OFarrell. The former premier is now a senior executive with telecommunications company Optus. Maguire quit NSW Parliament in July 2018 after a corruption inquiry exposed his attempts to broker property deals and seek commission on behalf of a Chinese developer.

The ICACs Operation Keppel probe in October last year examined whether Berejiklian breached public trust when she awarded grants to several community organisations in the NSW Riverina region between 2012 and 2018. The inquiry heard taped phone calls between Berejiklian and Maguire during their five-year secret relationship. It heard Berejiklians relationship with Maguire began in 2014 or 2015 and continued even after she asked for Maguires resignation in 2018. In his evidence to the ICAC, Maguire disclosed private details about their relationship, including that he would stay with Berejiklian and had a key to her house. The ICAC focused on two multimillion-dollar grants  issued to a gun club and a music conservatorium  in Maguires electorate while the pair were in a relationship and Berejiklian was treasurer and later premier.
Because when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy do very well still. And we middle class can get a shot. We do well as well, Biden said. But that same month, the Biden administration issued a mea culpa, in a speech by a national security adviser no less, that has been called the most carefully intellectually developed exposition of the administrations philosophy to date. We were wrong: White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Credit: AP Biden repeated the theme in Chicago on Wednesday: The trickle-down approach failed the middle class, he told a crowd. So its important to note how much American thinking on the economy and democracy has been wrong.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in April that while in past decades the finance sector expanded, other essential sectors ... atrophied. Our industrial capacity  which is crucial to any countrys ability to continue to innovate  took a real hit, he said during an address in Washington. The White House now hopes to build new norms, Sullivan said, that allow the US to address with allies the challenges posed by the intersection of advanced technology and national security, without obstructing broader trade and innovation. Our industrial capacity  which is crucial to any countrys ability to continue to innovate  took a real hit. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in an address in April The White Houses thinking has been shaped by the fact that after decades of deregulation and faith that wealth would trickle downward in the economy, it has instead lowered the incomes and opportunities for swaths of the middle class.

Even as the economy grew, prosperity didnt reach the middle class and below. Loading There have been other drivers: the financial crisis and lack of reform in 2007-08. Then the 2016 election of Donald Trump, which exposed the grievances of rust-belt voters. Through it all, the orthodoxy of free market economics effectively blinded leaders to the fact that China was using a Washington-led financial order (rules-based trade, IP protection and arbitration in disputes) as a step stool for its own ambitions for economic prominence. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed how, in a crisis, democracies withered supply chains left them incapable of protecting their own people.

So it turns out that what an economy or society makes, and the kind of growth it creates, does matter. Microchips not potato chips. Credit: Monique Westermann Its not hard to find examples. Just ask the Taiwanese. One of their most significant defences against the speculated threat of invasion by China is the island nations dominance of the microchip manufacturing. Anyone who invades Taiwan could end up paralysing their own economy and stifling growth.

Australia, like the US and advanced economies everywhere, has got itself in trouble by relying too much on the wisdom of the market to allocate resources. Australian universities, for example, are great exporters of high-quality education. But they have developed an unhealthy dependence on foreign students. In the process, Australias university research sector has become a potential step stool for Chinas strategic ambitions. Joe Biden and Jake Sullivan in February, going over a speech the president gave marking the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Credit: AP

And you dont have to look too far inward at Australias economy to see the pitfalls of too much faith in the market. Market forces have driven a wedge between the housing haves and have-nots. What was once considered something akin to a right for those willing to work has become an asset, now unreachable for too many. Worse, the free market model doesnt and cant offer a plan for the future for Australian housing. A US Navy ship observes a Chinese navy ship conducting manouvres in the Taiwan Strait on June 3. Credit: AP

While the ills of the US economy are different and arguably more extreme, its no secret Australians are suffering from the same dislocation and inequality that afflicts middle classes everywhere. Loading Treasurer Jim Chalmer made reference to this in his essay on values-based capitalism in January, stressing that economic institutions  and also markets  need renewing and restructuring. The neoliberal [free market] model ... pretends to be agnostic on these questions, but ultimately a choice is still being made through passive de-prioritisation and the perverse outcomes and greater vulnerability that emerge over time, Chalmers wrote. This helps explain why there is so much middle-class pain in Australia, where market forces have been unleashed on the public.

This is part of what the White Houses Sullivan termed the challenge of inequality and its damage to democracy. Owning a home is now unreachable for many Australians. Credit: Tamara Voninski Economically, the White House wants to restart the wheels of social mobility for citizens (the ability for people to move upward through work and saving) which have ground to a halt in past decades. And that is at the heart of what Bidens White House has campaigned on, a so-called foreign policy for the middle class. On one hand, this requires an industrial strategy that identifies key sectors needed for growth, key sectors that are strategic from a national security perspective, and looks where industry cant make the investments on its own needed to secure national ambitions.

Loading The underlying fact is that economies help shape political realities. That was true in post-war Australia and post-war US, when the middle classes surged, wages rose, houses were bought and the quality of life improved for many. Leaders from those eras understood that ensuring citizens can thrive is what effective governments do. Ironically, what the Biden White House is pursuing matches a broad rhetorical goal embraced in China.

In 2021, Chinas leader Xi Jinping warned that in some countries, the wealth gap and middle-class collapse have aggravated social divisions, political polarisation and populism. The solution in China, he said, was the party goal of common prosperity. If a democracy cant create conditions of where middle-class prosperity is possible, where some level of prosperity is shared, what kind of liberty can be expected? And to be clear: one of the most surprising and disruptive features of the Biden White House has been its willingness  if not outright zeal  in making statements and reforms aimed at bolstering the middle class. This ranges from cancelling student debt and providing healthcare for children, to cutting the excessive costs for concert tickets. In admitting its error on trade, and pointing out a new path, the White House identifies yet another dimension of competition with the authoritarian world: which society can better provide for its citizens. Its hard to see liberal societies winning this contest on the strength of its potato chips.
Infoline Tec Group Berhad (KLSE:INFOTEC) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Meaning, you will need to purchase Infoline Tec Group Berhad's shares before the 4th of July to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 14th of July.

The upcoming dividend for Infoline Tec Group Berhad will put a total of RM0.014 per share in shareholders' pockets. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Infoline Tec Group Berhad's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

View our latest analysis for Infoline Tec Group Berhad

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Infoline Tec Group Berhad paid out 57% of its earnings to investors last year, a normal payout level for most businesses. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 31% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

Click here to see how much of its profit Infoline Tec Group Berhad paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Infoline Tec Group Berhad's earnings per share have plummeted approximately 58% a year over the previous five years.

We'd also point out that Infoline Tec Group Berhad issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend while issuing large amounts of new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill.

This is Infoline Tec Group Berhad's first year of paying a dividend, which is exciting for shareholders - but it does mean there's no dividend history to examine.

To Sum It Up

Has Infoline Tec Group Berhad got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? The payout ratios are within a reasonable range, implying the dividend may be sustainable. Declining earnings are a serious concern, however, and could pose a threat to the dividend in future. While it does have some good things going for it, we're a bit ambivalent and it would take more to convince us of Infoline Tec Group Berhad's dividend merits.

With that being said, if dividends aren't your biggest concern with Infoline Tec Group Berhad, you should know about the other risks facing this business. We've identified 3 warning signs with Infoline Tec Group Berhad (at least 1 which is a bit unpleasant), and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Agnico Eagle Mines with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Agnico Eagle Mines

How Quickly Is Agnico Eagle Mines Increasing Earnings Per Share?

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. To the delight of shareholders, Agnico Eagle Mines has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 40%, compound, over the last three years. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. On the revenue front, Agnico Eagle Mines has done well over the past year, growing revenue by 40% to US$5.9b but EBIT margin figures were less stellar, seeing a decline over the last 12 months. So it seems the future may hold further growth, especially if EBIT margins can remain steady.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Agnico Eagle Mines' future EPS 100% free.

Are Agnico Eagle Mines Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Agnico Eagle Mines, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. To be specific, they have US$38m worth of shares. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. While their ownership only accounts for 0.2%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.

While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. For companies with market capitalisations over US$8.0b, like Agnico Eagle Mines, the median CEO pay is around US$12m.

Agnico Eagle Mines offered total compensation worth US$7.6m to its CEO in the year to December 2022. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Does Agnico Eagle Mines Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Agnico Eagle Mines' earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The sharp increase in earnings could signal good business momentum. Agnico Eagle Mines certainly ticks a few boxes, so we think it's probably well worth further consideration. We should say that we've discovered 4 warning signs for Agnico Eagle Mines (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). We'll use ROE to examine Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (KLSE:ASTRO), by way of a worked example.

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 Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad

How To 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 Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad is:

11% = RM128m  RM1.1b (Based on the trailing twelve months to April 2023).

The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that for every MYR1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated MYR0.11 in profit.

Does Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad Have A Good Return On Equity?

By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. You can see in the graphic below that Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad has an ROE that is fairly close to the average for the Media industry (9.7%).

roe

So while the ROE is not exceptional, at least its acceptable. Even if the ROE is respectable when compared to the industry, its worth checking if the firm's ROE is being aided by high debt levels. If true, then it is more an indication of risk than the potential. Our risks dashboardshould have the 3 risks we have identified for Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad.

Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE

Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad's Debt And Its 11% ROE

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad clearly uses a high amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.47. The combination of a rather low ROE and significant use of debt is not particularly appealing. Debt increases risk and reduces options for the company in the future, so you generally want to see some good returns from using it.

Summary

Return on equity is one way we can compare its business quality of different companies. In our books, the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

If you would prefer 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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WSU selected by Amazon as an Education Partner for Career Choice Program

June 29, 2023

OGDEN, Utah  Weber State University has been selected as an education partner for Amazons Career Choice program, providing Amazons hourly employees access to over 200 certificate and degree programs.

Amazons Career Choice program is an educational benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. The program meets individual learners where they are on their education journey through various education and upskilling opportunities, including pre-paid college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs. In the U.S., the company is investing $1.2 billion to upskill more than 300,000 employees by 2025 to help move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.

Were thrilled that more students can receive financial support to complete their credential or degree, said Jessica Oyler, vice president for Student Access & Success at WSU. This partnership is so helpful for our greater community, especially for the many Amazon employees that live in the area.

Weber State serves nearly 30,000 students. From arts to sciences, students can choose from a wide range of programs, including WSUs top degrees: nursing, computer science, radiologic sciences, professional sales and medical laboratory sciences.

Amazons Career Choice program has a rigorous selection process for third-party partner educators, choosing partners that are focused on helping employees through their education programs, assisting them with job placements and overall offering education that leads to career success.

Were looking forward to Weber State coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the hundreds of best-in-class offerings available to our employees, said Tammy Thieman, global program lead of Amazons Career Choice program. Were committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether thats with us or elsewhere. We have intentionally created a partner network of third-party educators and employers committed to providing excellent education, job placement resources and continuous improvements to the experience. Today, over 130,000 Amazon employees worldwide have participated in Career Choice, and weve seen first-hand how it can transform their lives.

More information is available on Amazons Career Choice website or Weber States website.
Some (Potential) Bad News: You Could Have to Pay Taxes on Catch-Up Contributions if You Make Over $145K

If You Make Over $145,000, You May Have to Pay Taxes on Your Catch-Up Contributions

Catch-up contributions are about to change. Starting in 2024, some workers who make catch-up contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans, like a 401(k), will have to put this money in a Roth account. This means that they cannot deduct these contributions from their income taxes, but will be able to withdraw the accounts gains later in life tax free. This change will apply to anyone who earns $145,000 or more. Heres whats going on.

Consider working with a financial advisor as you evaluate your options for building a nest egg.

What Are Catch-Up Contributions?

Every tax-advantaged retirement account has a maximum contribution limit. This is the cap on how much money you can put into the account each year without paying taxes. For example, in 2023, an individual can only contribute up to $22,500 to his or her 401(k) account. For IRA account, you can contribute up to $6,500.

In order to incentivize retirement savings, the IRS allows catch-up contributions for those who are age 50 or older. So if youre over the age of 50, you can contribute an extra $7,500 to a 401(k) or an additional $1,000 to an IRA in 2023. This is on top of the aforementioned contribution cap.

Historically, the rules around catch-up contributions have been based on the underlying account. If you make catch-up contributions to a 401(k), for example, you receive the standard tax deduction of that account. If you put catch-up contributions in a Roth IRA, you pay taxes up front and pay no taxes on withdrawals.

For higher-earning households, however, thats about to change.

Section 603 Changes How Catch-Up Contributions Work

In 2022, Congress passed the law known as SECURE 2.0, a sweeping collection of changes to retirement in the United States. Although it had a few signature elements, most notably the transition of 401(k) programs from opt-in to opt-out, most of the law makes detailed changes to a very large number of programs.

But detailed changes arent the same as small ones, a fact that has become quite clear with the now-infamous Section 603.

In Section 603 of the SECURE 2.0 Act, Congress changed how catch-up contributions work for higher-earning households. Specifically, with employer-sponsored plans such as a 401(k), if you earned more than $145,000 in the previous tax year you must make all catch-up contributions on a Roth basis. This means that you cannot deduct the income they use for catch-up contributions, but will not have to pay taxes on the money or its earnings when you withdraw it later in life.

This rule does not affect IRA plans.

Contribution limits will not change, since individuals will still contribute this money to an employer-sponsored plan. Instead, employers who allow catch-up contributions will need to begin offering Roth plans in addition to their standard pretax retirement plans. This has led to some pushback, with retirement industry groups citing the time and costs involved with establishing new Roth plans.

These changes are set to take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

What Does This Mean for Taxes?

If You Make Over $145,000, You May Have to Pay Taxes on Your Catch-Up Contributions

The first thing to note is that Section 603 does not phase in. Individuals who earn $144,999 or less are exempt. They may fully deduct the income that they contribute to an employer-sponsored retirement account, including any catch-up contributions.

This section fully applies to individuals who earn $145,000 or more. They may fully deduct the income that they contribute to a 401(k) account up to the standard annual limit. They cannot deduct any income that they use for catch-up contributions and must pay taxes on that money. They must put this money into a Roth account, which will return its growth untaxed.

Specific tax impact will depend entirely on an individuals income. Take, for example, someone who earns $150,000 and makes the maximum catch-up contributions. Without addressing other deductions or other tax implications, the impact on their income tax would look like this:

Currently they would be able to deduct this contribution, allowing them the following deduction:

Income  $150,000

Top Tax Bracket: 24% for income between $89,076  $150,000

Tax Deduction  $7,500

Remaining Taxable Income  $142,500

Tax Deduction  24% x $7,500 = $1,800

Final Income Taxes  $24,928

Income tax deductions always come from the highest income bracket first. In this case, the individuals top tax bracket is 24%. They can deduct $7,500 from the money currently taxed at 24%, giving them a deduction worth $1,800 in total tax savings.

Starting in 2024, this same person will not be able to deduct catch-up contributions. Assuming the same catch-up contribution limit (which will increase each year), this persons new taxes will look like this:

Income  $150,000

Tax Deduction  $0

Remaining Taxable Income  $150,000

Final Income Taxes  $26,728

The individual has functionally $1,800 less with which to invest. However, while it will make retirement saving more expensive up front, it will also incentivize employers to establish more Roth options in their retirement plans. These plans have much larger tax advantages in the long run, since ultimately the investor pays no taxes on the larger amount withdrawn in retirement, rather than the smaller amount invested up front.

For individuals looking to avoid this tax issue, a good option would be to open an IRA. These are pretax accounts, and you can have both a 401(k) (or equivalent) and an IRA at the same time. While IRAs have much lower maximum contribution limits, you can generally invest almost as much in an IRA as you could invest through catch-up contributions, making this a good equivalent investment strategy.

This Issue Has Been Mistaken for a Mistake

The new tax cap is not a mistake. The original text of SECURE 2.0 contained a drafting error related to catch-up contributions. In brief, among its changes, Section 603 deleted a small paragraph in the Internal Revenue Code. The deleted section of the Internal Revenue Code (IRS) establishes that, if the IRS allows a plan participant to make catch-up contributions to a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored plan, those contributions qualify for pretax status.

The idea was to prevent contradictory language in the tax code. But in deleting this section, instead of specifying that it only applies to some taxpayers, Congress potentially made pretax catch-up contributions illegal for everyone. Members of Congress have since stated that this was a drafting error and they intend to correct it, although at time of writing it has not been fixed.

Some reporting has conflated this error with the new tax cap, suggesting that Congress might roll back the $145,000 cutoff. This is inaccurate. The new catch-up contributions cap was intentional.

Bottom Line

If You Make Over $145,000, You May Have to Pay Taxes on Your Catch-Up Contributions

If you earn more than $145,000 per year, starting in 2024 you will not be able to deduct catch-up contributions that you make to an employer-sponsored plan. Instead, all such contributions will have to go into a Roth plan, on which you will pay taxes up front but not when you withdraw the gains.

Retirement Planning Tips

A financial advisor can help you build a comprehensive retirement plan, including how to handle catch-up contribution opportunities. Finding a financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Catch-up contributions can be a great way to add extra liquidity to your retirement account, particularly given that most people will work and save for almost 20 more years. So its worth making the absolute most of them.

Photo credit: iStock.com/designer491, iStock.com/Paolo Cordoni, iStock.com/zamrznutitonovi

The post Earn Over $145k? You May Have to Pay Taxes on Your Catch-Up Contributions appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Charles Schwab with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for Charles Schwab

How Fast Is Charles Schwab Growing?

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. We can see that in the last three years Charles Schwab grew its EPS by 14% per year. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. It's noted that Charles Schwab's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While we note Charles Schwab achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 15% to US$21b. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Charles Schwab's future profits.

Are Charles Schwab Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Charles Schwab, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$1.4b. This suggests that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!

Is Charles Schwab Worth Keeping An Eye On?

One positive for Charles Schwab is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. For those who are looking for a little more than this, the high level of insider ownership enhances our enthusiasm for this growth. That combination is very appealing. So yes, we do think the stock is worth keeping an eye on. If you think Charles Schwab might suit your style as an investor, you could go straight to its annual report, or you could first check our discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation for the company.

Although Charles Schwab certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Any t-storms end around sunrise, then clouds mixing with some sunshine; a few more showers or a t-storm or two pop up during the day. Lingering humidity for one more day. .

Tonight

Skies becoming mostly clear overnight with lowering humidity.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Any t-storms end around sunrise, then clouds mixing with some sunshine; a few more showers or a t-storm or two pop up during the day. Lingering humidity for one more day. .

Tonight

Skies becoming mostly clear overnight with lowering humidity.
ALLENTOWN, Pa.  Allentown City Council advanced a bill to give a developer $2 million for an affordable housing project Wednesday night at city hall.

The city will amend the 2023 American Rescue Plan Act budget and designate the money to Cortex Residential, an affordable housing developer that made the request. The money is scheduled for use in the proposed Walnut Square Apartments complex, which will be located at 40 S. Eighth St.

Walnut Square will feature a four-story building with 52 total units. The project will provide newly constructed affordable housing units that will serve extremely low-income and low-income residents. Those income limits would be required to range from 20% to 80% of what is called "area median income," or AMI.

Cortex Residential requested place-based vouchers from the Allentown Housing Authority for eight of the units.

A total of 13 one-bedroom apartments are 60% area median income-based, while 23 one-bedroom that are 80% AMI. Then four two-bedroom apartments will be 60% AMI, while two, two-bedroom apartments will be designated AMI.

The $2 million will cover what developers call an "unfilled gap." Cortex officials indicated Wednesday night they are procuring federal and state tax credits for the project. Overall Walnut Square will cost about $21.9 million to complete.

When asked by Councilwoman Cynthia Mota to describe potential tenants, Cortex principal Jonathan Strauss described a single mother, a young couple or senior citizens as residents. In addition, Strauss said residents in the community will not be impacted by tenant parking.

The bill was forwarded favorably later in the evening during council's economic and development committee meeting.

New appointments

In other news, City Council approved John "Jack" Gross as city solicitor and Nadeem Eli Shahzad as human resources director. Gross will receive $70,000 in annual salary for the rest of the year, although he will not be a W-2 employee. Shahzad will be paid $128,000 a year.

Housing assistance

Finally, the legislative body approved an ordinance to add an additional $20,000 from Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development funds to assist the Third Street Alliance for Women and Children with homeless prevention and rapid rehousing services for victims of the Memorial Day fire in Easton.
Key Insights

The projected fair value for Berjaya Corporation Berhad is RM0.25 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

With RM0.29 share price, Berjaya Corporation Berhad appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value

When compared to theindustry average discount of -52%, Berjaya Corporation Berhad's competitors seem to be trading at a greater premium to fair value

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Berjaya Corporation Berhad (KLSE:BJCORP) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

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. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Check out our latest analysis for Berjaya Corporation Berhad

The Method

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.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM241.1m RM242.1m RM245.5m RM250.5m RM256.7m RM263.9m RM272.0m RM280.7m RM290.0m RM299.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -0.91% Est @ 0.43% Est @ 1.38% Est @ 2.03% Est @ 2.49% Est @ 2.82% Est @ 3.04% Est @ 3.20% Est @ 3.31% Est @ 3.39% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 20% RM202 RM169 RM144 RM122 RM105 RM90.2 RM77.7 RM67.1 RM58.0 RM50.1

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM1.1b

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 3.6%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 20%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032  (1 + g)  (r  g) = RM300m (1 + 3.6%)  (20% 3.6%) = RM1.9b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM1.9b ( 1 + 20%)10= RM324m

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 RM1.4b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM0.3, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. 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. 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 Berjaya Corporation 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 20%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for 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. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Berjaya Corporation Berhad, we've compiled three pertinent factors you should explore:

Risks: You should be aware of the 2 warning signs for Berjaya Corporation Berhad (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) we've uncovered before considering an investment in the company. 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 Environmentally-Friendly Companies: Concerned about the environment and think consumers will buy eco-friendly products more and more? Browse through our interactive list of companies that are thinking about a greener future to discover some stocks you may not have thought of!

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
The long-term ocean freight rates have registered a major decline again, with 50% drop in key pricing benchmark across last three months, according to Xeneta, a leading ocean and air freight rate benchmarking and market analytics platform headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

The beleaguered carrier industry took another major hit in June, with the latest data from Xenetas Shipping Index (XSI) showing a decline of 9.4% in global long-term shipping rates.

Close on the heels of a 27.5% collapse last month and a 10.3% fall in April, contracted rates have now shed 47.2% of their value in the last three months alone, and 51.7% over the course of 2023, it stated.

Xenetas real-time data, crowd-sourced from leading global shippers, shows falls in the prices of valid long-term contracts across all key trading corridors.

Even as the uniform declines have now pushed the XSI to a 23-month low, Xeneta CEO Patrik Berglund says there is a little hope of a turnaround on the industry horizon.

Challenging times

"The fall from the peaks of last year have almost been as dramatic as the rates explosion which gave carriers such a profitable 2022. Those higher rates now appear to be a distant memory, while 2023 is becoming quite challenging," stated Berglund.

"A fall of almost 50% in contracted prices in just three months on the XSI is highly unusual," he pointed out.

"Furthermore, with on-going weak demand, continuing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, and a growing excess of capacity, its difficult to see how the industry can turn this current trend around  at least in the short-term," he added.

According to him, Xenetas data demonstrates a case of the bigger they are, the harder they fall, with huge declines for the year to date on the main container corridors.

The Far East export benchmark, a key link in the global supply chain, has, steeply declined since December 2022, shedding 65.3% of its value, stated Berglund.

Meanwhile, the US import sub-index is down 56.3% for the year, with the European import benchmark declining 46.2%. The opposing European export figure fared only slightly better, down 38.3%, he added.

Dramatic drops

"If we sift through those headline figures and look at individual trades, we see some eye-catching reversals in fortune over the first six months of the year," explained Berglund.

"For example, China to North Europe and Indian West Coast & Pakistan to North Europe are two trades that have racked up total declines of more than 70% since the end of last year. Taiwan to the Mediterranean and Taiwan to North Europe have also plummeted from the heights of 2022, with falls of 65.5% for 2023 to date," he noted.

"There really are very few bright spots with the only exception this month being the trade lane from South America East Coast to China, which is up by 11% month-on-month. Hardly enough to lift the hopes of anyone within the carrier community," he added.
(Bloomberg) -- A former Pfizer Inc. employee was charged with using inside information about the companys Covid-19 treatment Paxlovid to make illegal options trades.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Amit Dagar, 44, was charged in a federal indictment unsealed Thursday with conspiracy and four counts of securities fraud for allegedly trading on confidential news of positive clinic trial results for the drug and for passing the tip to a close friend. The friend, Atul Bhiwapurkar, 45, was charged in the same indictment.

In a parallel, civil case, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said that Dagar, who had served as a senior statistician for the Paxlovid trial in 2021, made $214,395 by buying Pfizer stock options a day before the trials results were announced. The friend, Bhiwapurkar, 45, passed the tip on to another friend, who isnt identified or charged, according to the government.

Together the three made more than $350,000 illegally trading in short-dated, out-of-the-money call options, according to the government.

Dagar pleaded not guilty on Thursday afternoon in federal court in Manhattan and was ordered released on a $1 million bond, secured by his residence and two cosigners.

Dagar, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, and Bhiwapurkar, of Milpitas, California, are each charged with conspiracy and securities fraud. If found guilty, they face as many as 20 years in prison for securities fraud and up to five years for conspiracy, although they would likely receive much less time under federal sentencing guidelines.

In its lawsuit, the SEC said Bhiwapurkar made $60,300 in illicit profits trading on the information. Dagar and Bhiwapurkar denied the SECs allegations through lawyers.

Nobody at Pfizer ever told Mr. Dagar, who was on the blinded side, the results of the Paxlovid trial, Dagars lawyer, Patrick Smith, said in a statement. As the indictment indicates, the governments theory is based upon an aggressive and incorrect interpretation of a single text message that itself did not state any results.

Michael Bachner, a lawyer for Bhiwapurkar, said his clients decision to purchase Pfizer stock was based on public information.

The criminal case is US v. Dagar, 23-cr-319; the civil case is Securities and Exchange Commission v. Dagar, 23-cv-5564; US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

(Adds Dagars plea and bond in fifth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Daito Trust Construction Co.,Ltd. (OTCMKTS:DIFTY  Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decrease of 88.9% from the May 31st total of 900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 10,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Daito Trust Construction Co.,Ltd. Stock Up 1.0 %

OTCMKTS DIFTY traded up $0.25 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $24.50. 3,778 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,514. Daito Trust Construction Co.,Ltd. has a fifty-two week low of $20.00 and a fifty-two week high of $28.50. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $24.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.48.

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About Daito Trust Construction Co.,Ltd.

(Free Report)

Further Reading

Daito Trust Construction Co,Ltd. designs, constructs, and rents apartments, condominiums, and office buildings in Japan. It operates through three segments: Construction, Real Estate, and Finance. The company rental housing and other structure construction; ironwork and construction; whole building leasing, and building management and renovation; tenant guarantor services; advertising; and LP gas supply businesses.

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By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) -The United States and the Netherlands are set to deliver a one-two punch to China's chipmakers this summer by further restricting sales of chipmaking equipment, part of the countries' ongoing effort to prevent their technology from being used to strengthen China's military.

While the Dutch are planning to curb certain equipment from national champion ASML, and other companies, the U.S. is expected to go one step further and use its long reach to withhold even more Dutch equipment from specific Chinese fabs.

The Dutch government and ASML declined to comment, as did the U.S. Commerce Department, which oversees export controls.

The U.S. in October imposed export restrictions on shipments of American chipmaking tools to China from U.S. companies like Lam Research and Applied Materials on national security grounds, and lobbied other countries with key suppliers to adopt similar curbs.

Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu in Washington decried the move and said the U.S. "has deliberately blockaded and hobbled Chinese companies and forcibly relocated industries and pushed for decoupling," and said China would "closely follow the developments and firmly safeguard our own interests."

Japan, home to chip equipment makers Nikon Corp and Tokyo Electron Ltd, has since adopted rules to restrict exports of 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment that will take effect July 23.

The Dutch government plans to announce new regulations on Friday with a licensing requirement for the top tier of ASML'S second-best product line, deep ultra violet (DUV) semiconductor equipment. ASML's most sophisticated machines -- extreme ultraviolent "EUV" lithography machines -- are already restricted, and have never been shipped to China.

ASML said in March it expects the Dutch regulations to affect its TWINSCAN NXT:2000i and more sophisticated models.

But the company's older DUV models, like one called the TWINSCAN NXT:1980Di, could also be kept from about six Chinese facilities by the U.S. The facilities are expected to be identified in a new U.S. rule that will allow the U.S. to restrict foreign equipment with even a small percentage of U.S. parts to those sites, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to speak publicly.

The new Dutch regulations will not take effect immediately, sources said, with one person expecting the effective date to be September, two months after publication.

The planned U.S. rule, which sources said may be published by late July, will require licenses to export equipment to about a half dozen Chinese facilities, including a fab operated by SMIC, China's largest chipmaker, the person familiar with the U.S. plans, said. Licenses to ship the equipment to those facilities will likely be denied, the person said.

The U.S. rule is expected to apply to ASML, the world's leading chip equipment maker and Netherlands' largest company, because its systems contain U.S. parts and components.

It is not unusual for the U.S. to modify proposals before clearing regulations, so both the timing and the restrictions could change. The plan described reflects thinking in late June.

The U.S. is also expected to come out with other updates to its sweeping October rules in July, according to sources.

ASML is Europe's largest chip equipment company due to its dominance in lithography, one of the central steps in the computer chip making process.

Other companies that could be impacted by the new Dutch rules include atomic layer deposition firm ASM International. A spokesman for the Almere-based company declined comment ahead of Friday's announcement.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Editing by Anna Driver and Stephen Coates)
Electricite de France S.A. (OTCMKTS:ECIFF  Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a drop of 83.3% from the May 31st total of 600 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently  days.

Electricite de France Price Performance

Shares of ECIFF remained flat at $12.86 during trading hours on Wednesday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $12.86 and a 200 day moving average of $12.74. Electricite de France has a 12-month low of $7.75 and a 12-month high of $13.00.

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Electricite de France Company Profile

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Electricite de France SA, an integrated energy company, engages in the power generation, transmission, distribution, supply, and trading activities in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and internationally. The company generates electricity through nuclear, fossil fuel, hydro, solar, wind, biomass, biogas, thermal, and cogeneration plants.

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Dongfang Electric Co. Limited (OTCMKTS:DNGFF  Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 8,800 shares, an increase of 1,000.0% from the May 31st total of 800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 88.0 days.

Dongfang Electric Stock Performance

Shares of DNGFF remained flat at $1.22 during trading hours on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $1.44. Dongfang Electric has a twelve month low of $1.22 and a twelve month high of $1.78.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, HSBC cut shares of Dongfang Electric from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, April 13th.

About Dongfang Electric

Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited engages in the design, develop, manufacture, and sale of power generation equipment in China and internationally. It operates through five segments: Renewable Energy Equipment, Clean and Efficient Energy Equipment, Engineering and Trade, Modern Manufacturing Services Industry, and Emerging Growth Industry.

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FCF Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 25.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,696 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after acquiring an additional 3,004 shares during the period. FCF Advisors LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,488,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 104,649.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,247,436 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $3,320,866,000 after buying an additional 30,218,560 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth about $1,893,715,000. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $4,278,132,000 after buying an additional 4,886,954 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 83.1% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,925,012 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $582,924,000 after buying an additional 2,235,314 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 154,563,421 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $14,955,557,000 after purchasing an additional 2,011,683 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.08% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred 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 in the company, valued at approximately $7,786,409.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Abbott Laboratories 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 transaction of $5,551,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 6,825,316 shares in the company, valued at approximately $757,746,582.32. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total value of $909,466.56. Following the transaction, 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. Insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 0.3 %

ABT stock traded down $0.35 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $107.26. 408,299 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,083,559. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $93.25 and a 12-month high of $115.69. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $186.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.67. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $106.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $106.38.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.05. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 22.36% and a net margin of 13.98%. The business had revenue of $9.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.73 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 18.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.39 EPS for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 14th will be issued a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.90%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.01%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on ABT. BTIG Research lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. StockNews.com began coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Raymond James lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $123.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. One research 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. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $121.26.

About Abbott Laboratories

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Tufton Capital Management increased its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 0.5% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 73,128 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 369 shares during the period. Abbott Laboratories comprises approximately 1.6% of Tufton Capital Managements holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Tufton Capital Managements holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $7,405,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,133,426 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $113,728,000 after buying an additional 93,295 shares during the last quarter. Mcdonald Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Mcdonald Partners LLC now owns 14,820 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,501,000 after buying an additional 239 shares during the period. FCF Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 25.7% during the 1st quarter. FCF Advisors LLC now owns 14,696 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,488,000 after buying an additional 3,004 shares during the period. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 18,210 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,844,000 after buying an additional 379 shares during the period. Finally, Connecticut Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 80.5% during the 1st quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,448 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $349,000 after buying an additional 1,538 shares during the period. 73.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ABT has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wolfe Research reduced their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $107.00 to $103.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. SVB Leerink boosted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $90.00 to $102.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Friday, March 31st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $136.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, BTIG Research boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Abbott Laboratories presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.26.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

NYSE ABT traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $107.54. The company had a trading volume of 757,603 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,086,287. The business has a 50 day moving average of $106.99 and a 200-day moving average of $106.38. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $93.25 and a 1-year high of $115.69. 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 cap of $187.01 billion, a PE ratio of 32.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.67.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) last announced 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 business had revenue of $9.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.64 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 22.36%. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 18.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.73 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.39 EPS for the current year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 14th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 13th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.90%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 62.01%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total transaction of $5,551,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares in the company, valued at approximately $757,746,582.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were 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 directly owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,786,409.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total transaction of $5,551,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at $757,746,582.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Abbott Laboratories Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Close Asset Management Ltd trimmed its holdings in Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR  Free Report) by 0.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,176,576 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,960 shares during the period. Avantor comprises about 5.4% of Close Asset Management Ltds investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Close Asset Management Ltd owned about 0.77% of Avantor worth $109,355,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in AVTR. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV boosted its holdings in shares of Avantor by 211.2% in the first quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 1,363 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 925 shares during the period. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA acquired a new position in shares of Avantor in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Gladius Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Avantor in the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Avantor during the 4th quarter worth about $44,000. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Avantor during the 4th quarter worth about $58,000. 89.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Transactions at Avantor

In other news, EVP Christophe Couturier sold 1,498 shares of Avantor stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.18, for a total transaction of $31,727.64. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 98,650 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,089,407. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Avantor Stock Up 3.3 %

AVTR has been the topic of several analyst reports. 888 reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Avantor in a research report on Monday, May 1st. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Avantor from $30.00 to $27.00 in a research note on Sunday, April 30th. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Avantor from $25.00 to $22.00 in a research note on Monday, May 1st. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on shares of Avantor from $27.00 to $24.00 in a research note on Monday, May 1st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada started coverage on shares of Avantor in a research note on Wednesday, June 21st. They set an outperform rating and a $27.00 target price on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $28.65.

AVTR stock traded up $0.65 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $20.16. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,457,635 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,703,989. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Avantor, Inc. has a 52-week low of $17.91 and a 52-week high of $32.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 1.33. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $20.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.45.

Avantor (NYSE:AVTR  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 28th. The company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.28 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.78 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.77 billion. Avantor had a net margin of 8.41% and a return on equity of 18.81%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 8.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.38 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Avantor, Inc. will post 1.29 EPS for the current year.

About Avantor

(Free Report)

Avantor, Inc engages in the provision of mission-critical products and services to customers in biopharma, healthcare, education and government, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers materials and consumables, such as purity chemicals and reagents, lab products and supplies, formulated silicone materials, customized excipients, customized single-use assemblies, process chromatography resins and columns, analytical sample prep kits, education and microbiology products, clinical trial kits, peristaltic pumps, and fluid handling tips.

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B2Gold Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:BTG  Free Report) (TSE:BTO) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the four analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $6.46.

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. National Bank Financial upped their target price on B2Gold from C$7.25 to C$7.75 in a research note on Friday, May 12th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on B2Gold from C$7.50 to C$8.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. TheStreet lowered shares of B2Gold from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Friday, June 16th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of B2Gold in a report on Thursday, April 20th. They set an outperform rating for the company. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of B2Gold from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday.

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B2Gold Stock Performance

NYSEAMERICAN BTG opened at $3.43 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $3.84 and a 200 day moving average price of $3.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 4.00 and a quick ratio of 2.69. The company has a market capitalization of $4.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.72 and a beta of 0.96. B2Gold has a 1-year low of $2.81 and a 1-year high of $4.40.

B2Gold Announces Dividend

B2Gold ( NYSEAMERICAN:BTG Free Report ) (TSE:BTO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The basic materials company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.07 by $0.03. B2Gold had a return on equity of 9.94% and a net margin of 14.02%. The business had revenue of $473.56 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $416.00 million. Sell-side analysts expect that B2Gold will post 0.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 16th were issued a dividend of $0.04 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 15th. This represents a $0.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.66%. B2Golds payout ratio is 64.00%.

Institutional Trading of B2Gold

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BTG. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its holdings in B2Gold by 48.3% in the 1st quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 9,015 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 2,935 shares in the last quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp boosted its position in shares of B2Gold by 13.0% in the first quarter. Peapack Gladstone Financial Corp now owns 26,023 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $103,000 after buying an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL grew its stake in shares of B2Gold by 1.6% in the third quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 224,400 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $723,000 after buying an additional 3,570 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of B2Gold by 10.4% during the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 38,054 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $122,000 after buying an additional 3,600 shares during the period. Finally, Signaturefd LLC lifted its position in B2Gold by 140.1% during the 1st quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 6,406 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 3,738 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 44.97% of the companys stock.

B2Gold Company Profile

(Free Report

B2Gold Corp. operates as a gold producer with three operating mines in Mali, the Philippines, and Namibia. It operates the Fekola Mine in Mali, the Masbate Mine in the Philippines, and the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia. The company also has an 25% interest in the Calibre Mining Corp.; and approximately 19% interest in BeMetals Corp.

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Shares of B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE:BGS  Free Report) have been given an average rating of Reduce by the six analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have given a hold rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $15.75.

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. TheStreet raised B&G Foods from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Friday, March 24th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on B&G Foods in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on B&G Foods from $15.00 to $16.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th.

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B&G Foods Trading Down 1.8 %

NYSE:BGS opened at $13.94 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $14.12 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.88. B&G Foods has a 52 week low of $10.91 and a 52 week high of $26.13. The company has a market capitalization of $1.01 billion, a P/E ratio of -31.16 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.65, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 4.06.

B&G Foods Announces Dividend

B&G Foods ( NYSE:BGS Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $0.27 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.26 by $0.01. B&G Foods had a positive return on equity of 8.59% and a negative net margin of 1.48%. The company had revenue of $511.81 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $528.18 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.34 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that B&G Foods will post 1.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.45%. B&G Foodss dividend payout ratio is currently -172.73%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other B&G Foods news, EVP Jordan E. Greenberg sold 13,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.45, for a total transaction of $174,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,999 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $766,636.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.80% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of B&G Foods

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BGS. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of B&G Foods by 116.3% in the 1st quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 1,113,229 shares of the companys stock valued at $17,288,000 after purchasing an additional 598,658 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in B&G Foods by 505.5% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 713,859 shares of the companys stock worth $7,960,000 after acquiring an additional 595,968 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in B&G Foods by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,543,629 shares of the companys stock worth $140,884,000 after acquiring an additional 453,830 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of B&G Foods in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $3,959,000. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of B&G Foods by 8.5% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,743,964 shares of the companys stock valued at $90,719,000 after buying an additional 293,363 shares during the last quarter. 63.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

B&G Foods Company Profile

(Free Report

B&G Foods, Inc manufactures, sells, and distributes a portfolio of shelf-stable and frozen foods, and household products in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The company's products include frozen and canned vegetables, vegetables, canola and other cooking oils, vegetable shortening, cooking sprays, oatmeal and other hot cereals, fruit spreads, canned meats and beans, bagel chips, spices, seasonings, hot sauces, wine vinegar, maple syrups, molasses, salad dressings, pizza crusts, Mexican-style sauces, dry soups, taco shells and kits, salsas, pickles, peppers, tomato-based products, baking powder and soda, cookies and crackers, corn starch, nut clusters, and other specialty products.

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BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MIY  Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 26,600 shares, a growth of 383.6% from the May 31st total of 5,500 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 61,200 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.4 days.

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Stock Performance

MIY traded down $0.07 during trading on Thursday, hitting $11.01. The stock had a trading volume of 35,939 shares, compared to its average volume of 60,242. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $11.00 and a 200-day moving average price of $11.22. BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund has a one year low of $10.56 and a one year high of $13.90.

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BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.0345 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.41 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.76%.

Institutional Trading of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Company Profile

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 1.1% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 87,248 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,118,000 after buying an additional 991 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 121.6% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 2,247 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,233 shares during the last quarter. Stifel Financial Corp lifted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 43,884 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $491,000 after buying an additional 1,352 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 40,746 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $455,000 after buying an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Well Done LLC lifted its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Well Done LLC now owns 208,483 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,333,000 after buying an additional 1,620 shares during the last quarter. 18.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

(Free Report)

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality 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 the fixed income markets of the United States. It primarily invests in investment grade, long-term municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes and Michigan income taxes.

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Carderock Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR  Free Report) during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund purchased 1,800 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $177,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in DLR. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 10.4% during the first quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 102,610 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $9,778,000 after acquiring an additional 9,647 shares during the last quarter. Brookstone Capital Management grew its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 142,528 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $13,711,000 after buying an additional 11,648 shares during the period. Peak Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust during the 1st quarter worth about $209,000. Marshall Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in Digital Realty Trust by 5.2% in the 1st quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLC now owns 18,811 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,849,000 after acquiring an additional 922 shares during the period. Finally, New Hampshire Trust raised its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 6.9% in the 1st quarter. New Hampshire Trust now owns 5,278 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $519,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. 97.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

DLR has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Digital Realty Trust from $115.00 to $105.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 21st. 22nd Century Group reissued a reiterates rating on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research note on Tuesday, May 30th. Barclays increased their price objective on Digital Realty Trust from $79.00 to $80.00 in a report on Monday, May 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on Digital Realty Trust from $113.00 to $112.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 7th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets downgraded Digital Realty Trust from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and cut their price objective for the company from $121.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Monday, March 27th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $116.69.

Digital Realty Trust Stock Up 0.2 %

DLR traded up $0.26 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $109.85. 744,436 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,641,177. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.62. The companys fifty day moving average price is $99.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $102.01. The company has a market cap of $32.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 98.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.52. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a one year low of $85.76 and a one year high of $138.09.

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR  Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.65 by ($1.46). The firm had revenue of $1.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.41 billion. Digital Realty Trust had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 2.34%. Digital Realty Trusts revenue for the quarter was up 18.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.67 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Digital Realty Trust, Inc. will post 6.71 EPS for the current year.

Digital Realty Trust Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th were issued a dividend of $1.22 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.44%. Digital Realty Trusts payout ratio is 439.64%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Peter C. Olson sold 700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.67, for a total transaction of $73,969.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 7,134 shares of the companys stock, valued at $753,849.78. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Jean F. H. P. Mandeville sold 1,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.47, for a total value of $146,205.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 10,176 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $991,854.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Peter C. Olson sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.67, for a total transaction of $73,969.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 7,134 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $753,849.78. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

About Digital Realty Trust

(Free Report)

Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL, the company's global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data "meeting place" and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx) solution methodology for powering innovation and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges.

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Cardinal Capital Management trimmed its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 0.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 37,117 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 79 shares during the quarter. Illinois Tool Works accounts for approximately 1.9% of Cardinal Capital Managements investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Cardinal Capital Managements holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $9,084,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Connecticut Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the first quarter valued at $340,000. Godsey & Gibb Inc. grew its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 29.2% during the first quarter. Godsey & Gibb Inc. now owns 775 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $189,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 5.8% during the first quarter. Relyea Zuckerberg Hanson LLC now owns 2,167 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $528,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares during the period. HM Payson & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 1.3% during the first quarter. HM Payson & Co. now owns 27,241 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $6,632,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 44.2% during the first quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 2,054 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $500,000 after purchasing an additional 630 shares during the period. 79.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on ITW shares. StockNews.com downgraded Illinois Tool Works from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, June 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $183.00 to $181.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Barclays dropped their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $205.00 to $203.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $240.00 to $236.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Illinois Tool Works from $250.00 to $227.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $228.21.

Insider Transactions at Illinois Tool Works

Illinois Tool Works Price Performance

In other news, CAO Randall J. Scheuneman sold 5,425 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $239.23, for a total transaction of $1,297,822.75. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 8,870 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,121,970.10. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . Corporate insiders own 0.88% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE ITW opened at $248.12 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.20. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $173.52 and a fifty-two week high of $253.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.40 billion, a PE ratio of 24.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 1.10. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $234.04 and its 200-day simple moving average is $232.17.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.33 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.23 by $0.10. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 92.13% and a net margin of 19.27%. The business had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.98 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.11 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $1.31 per share. This represents a $5.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 52.40%.

Illinois Tool Works Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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Fetal Bovine Serum Market to Grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2021 to 2031, reaching US$ 1.6 Billion: As per TMR Study

Transparency Market Research

Increasing investments in life sciences is a major factor that is anticipated to escalate the market growth. Increasing focus on personalized medicine, is another factor that is anticipated to stimulate the market share in the coming years

Wilmington, Delaware, United States, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global fetal bovine serum market stood at US$ 842.7 billion in 2020, and the global market is projected to reach US$ 1.6 billion by 2031. The global industry is anticipated to record a CAGR of 6.4% between 2021 and 2031.



The value of fetal bovine serum market is increasing, owing to the increasing demand for biopharmaceuticals and regenerative medicine. There is a growing need for effective therapeutics and novel treatment approaches, with the rise in chronic diseases. FBS plays a vital role in cell-based research and the development of biopharmaceutical products, including vaccines, antibodies, and cell therapies. The need for high-quality FBS as a cell culture supplement will also increase, as the demand for these advanced therapies continues to rise, driving the market growth.

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The expanding applications of FBS across various research fields, such as stem cell research, cancer research, and tissue engineering, is another significant factor contributing to the market growth. Stem cell research, in particular, holds immense potential for regenerative medicine and disease modeling. FBS provides essential nutrients and growth factors that support the growth and differentiation of stem cells, making it a critical component in stem cell culture. The demand for FBS is expected to witness substantial growth, as research in these areas continues to advance.

The market prospects have been driven by factors such as the increasing investments in life sciences research and development. Governments, academic institutions, and pharmaceutical companies are allocating significant funds for research and drug discovery activities. The investments drive the demand for FBS as a key component in cell culture systems, as it enables researchers to conduct in vitro experiments and study cell behavior. The growing emphasis on precision medicine and personalized therapies further fuels the demand for FBS, as it is an essential tool in studying disease mechanisms and developing targeted treatments.

Key Findings of the Market Report

On the basis of application, cell media culture segment is likely to be most preferred, expected to expand at a significant share, attributed to the increasing demand for cell-based therapies, and growing biopharmaceutical industry.

Advancements in regenerative medicine, as well as research & academic institutions are other factors that are anticipated to augment the market demand.

By end-user, research & academic institutes segment is expected to boost the market growth, attributed to the factors including increasing research activities, and expanding collaborations & partnerships.



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Global Fetal Bovine Serum Market: Growth Drivers

The global fetal bovine serum market is projected to expand at a steady pace from 2021 to 2031, owing to continuous advancements in cell culture technologies & manufacturing processes, and increasing awareness regarding the importance of quality & safety in cell culture practices.

Other factors that are projected to augment the market growth include growing prevalence of chronic diseases, and expansion of biotechnology & pharmaceutical industries.

Technological advancements in cell culture techniques, and increasing focus on personalized medicine, are the major factors that are anticipated to fuel the market prospects in the near future.



Global Fetal Bovine Serum Market: Regional Landscape

North America is expected to dominate the fetal bovine serum market, and is expected to hold a significant share during the forecast period, attributed to rising adoption of cell-based therapies, and collaborative research initiatives in the region.

The regional market is witnessing an increase, due to the factors such as strong presence of key market players, as well as favorable regulatory environment.

Increasing demand for biopharmaceuticals, and rising adoption of cell-based therapies in the region, are also anticipated to escalate the growth of the regional market over the analysis period.



Global Fetal Bovine Serum Market: Key Players

Some of the key market players in the global fetal bovine serum market are:

ANZCO Foods (Bovogen Biologicals Pvt. Ltd.)

ATCC

Bio-techne (Atlanta Biologicals)

Captivate Bio

Danaher (Cytiva)

HiMedia Laboratories

Merck KGaA

PAN Biotech GmbH

Rocky Mountain Biologicals

TCS Biosciences Ltd.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Zen-Bio, Inc.

Competitive Landscape

Prominent players in the fetal bovine serum industry are taking advantage of the rapidly increasing demand for fetal bovine serum. To further their outreach, players are relying on collaborations, partnerships and acquisitions with existing small, medium and large-scale providers. Some prominent market developments are as follows:

In 2021, Thermo Fisher Scientific expanded its FBS product portfolio by launching the Gibco Heat Inactivated Fetal Bovine Serum. The product is designed to provide researchers with a consistent and reliable FBS option for cell culture applications.

In the same year, Merck KGaA introduced the EX-CYTE FBS in 2021, which is a high-quality, heat-inactivated FBS that offers enhanced cell performance and productivity. The product aims to meet the growing demand for premium FBS products in biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing.

GE Healthcare announced the launch of its HyClone Fetal Bovine Serum in 2021. The FBS product is manufactured using strict quality control processes and is intended to support reliable and reproducible cell culture performance in various applications.



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Global Fetal Bovine Serum Market: Segmentation

Application

Drug Discovery

Cell Media Culture

In Vitro Fertilization

Human & Animal Vaccine Production

Diagnostic

Others

End-user

Research & Academic Institutes

Industry

Healthcare Facilities.



Regions

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

Latin America



About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. The firm scrutinizes factors shaping the dynamics of demand in various markets. The insights and perspectives on the markets evaluate opportunities in various segments. The opportunities in the segments based on source, application, demographics, sales channel, and end-use are analysed, which will determine growth in the markets over the next decade.

Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision-makers, made possible by experienced teams of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants. The proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques we use always reflect the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in all of its business reports.

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China Youzan Limited (OTCMKTS:CHNVF  Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,824,000 shares, a drop of 73.8% from the May 31st total of 14,573,600 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 16,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 236.0 days.

China Youzan Stock Performance

China Youzan stock remained flat at C$0.02 during midday trading on Thursday. China Youzan has a fifty-two week low of C$0.01 and a fifty-two week high of C$0.04. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$0.02 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$0.03.

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About China Youzan

(Free Report)

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China Youzan Limited, an investment holding company, provides online and offline e-commerce solutions in the People's Republic of China, Japan, and Canada. The company operates through five segments: General Trading, Third Party Payment Services, Onecomm, Merchant Services, and Others. It trades in watches and other good; sells integrated smart point of sales devices; and offers third party payment and related consultancy services, as well as third party payment management services.

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CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corp reduced its stake in Fortis Inc. (NYSE:FTS  Free Report) by 3.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,416 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 252 shares during the quarter. CLARET ASSET MANAGEMENT Corps holdings in Fortis were worth $273,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Fortis by 22.4% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 24,569 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,215,000 after buying an additional 4,500 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Fortis by 9.9% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,569 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $177,000 after purchasing an additional 322 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors L.P. increased its position in shares of Fortis by 9.1% during the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 26,923 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,333,000 after purchasing an additional 2,249 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of Fortis by 45.3% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 510,446 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,266,000 after purchasing an additional 159,068 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Fortis by 32.5% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 212,935 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $10,540,000 after purchasing an additional 52,248 shares during the period. 45.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on FTS. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Fortis in a research report on Friday, March 24th. StockNews.com began coverage on Fortis in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $58.75.

Fortis Price Performance

NYSE FTS opened at $42.43 on Thursday. The firms 50 day moving average is $43.43 and its 200-day moving average is $42.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. The company has a market capitalization of $20.56 billion, a PE ratio of 19.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 0.44. Fortis Inc. has a 12-month low of $34.76 and a 12-month high of $48.22.

Fortis (NYSE:FTS  Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.06. Fortis had a return on equity of 6.63% and a net margin of 12.42%. The business had revenue of $2.45 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.25 billion. Equities research analysts anticipate that Fortis Inc. will post 2.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Fortis Company Profile

(Free Report)

Fortis Inc operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 443,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 102,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,328 megawatts (MW), including 68 MW of solar capacity and 250 MV of wind capacity.

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Connecticut Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR  Free Report) by 4.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 113,008 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,209 shares during the quarter. Connecticut Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Carrier Global were worth $5,170,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its position in Carrier Global by 5.3% in the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 15,239 shares of the companys stock worth $697,000 after purchasing an additional 764 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in Carrier Global by 54.0% in the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 45,401 shares of the companys stock worth $2,077,000 after purchasing an additional 15,920 shares during the period. Core Alternative Capital increased its position in Carrier Global by 142.9% in the first quarter. Core Alternative Capital now owns 1,003 shares of the companys stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 590 shares during the period. Xponance Inc. grew its position in shares of Carrier Global by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 139,362 shares of the companys stock worth $6,376,000 after buying an additional 1,944 shares during the period. Finally, Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY grew its position in shares of Carrier Global by 21.7% during the 1st quarter. Burns J W & Co. Inc. NY now owns 12,463 shares of the companys stock worth $570,000 after buying an additional 2,225 shares during the period. 86.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Jurgen Timperman sold 138,956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.01, for a total transaction of $6,254,409.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.38% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Carrier Global Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of CARR stock opened at $49.34 on Thursday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $43.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $44.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.70 and a quick ratio of 1.23. Carrier Global Co. has a 1 year low of $33.10 and a 1 year high of $49.63. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.67, a PEG ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.32.

Carrier Global (NYSE:CARR  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.49 by $0.03. Carrier Global had a net margin of 12.02% and a return on equity of 25.56%. The firm had revenue of $5.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.54 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Carrier Global Co. will post 2.57 earnings per share for the current year.

Carrier Global Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 23rd will be paid a $0.185 dividend. This represents a $0.74 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 22nd. Carrier Globals dividend payout ratio is presently 25.00%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CARR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Carrier Global in a research report on Monday, March 27th. They set an outperform rating and a $51.00 target price for the company. Barclays lifted their price objective on Carrier Global from $48.00 to $53.00 in a report on Friday, June 16th. 92 Resources reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Carrier Global in a report on Monday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Carrier Global from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 13th. Finally, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Carrier Global in a report on Thursday, April 27th. Four equities research 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, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $49.20.

Carrier Global Profile

(Free Report)

Carrier Global Corporation provides heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation technologies worldwide. It operates through three segments: HVAC, Refrigeration, and Fire & Security. The HVAC segment provides products, controls, services, and solutions to meet the heating, cooling, and ventilation needs of residential and commercial customers.

Further Reading

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Richwood Investment Advisors LLC reduced its stake in shares of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED  Free Report) by 2.4% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,127 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 125 shares during the period. Richwood Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Consolidated Edison were worth $490,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Roundview Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Consolidated Edison during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $680,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Consolidated Edison by 22.6% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,030,616 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $97,579,000 after buying an additional 190,138 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in shares of Consolidated Edison by 54.4% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 18,204 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,693,000 after buying an additional 6,412 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of Consolidated Edison by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 19,489 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,845,000 after buying an additional 254 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Consolidated Edison during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $214,000. 67.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Consolidated Edison Stock Up 0.1 %

Shares of ED stock traded up $0.12 on Thursday, reaching $90.23. 422,095 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,857,119. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $95.19 and its 200 day moving average price is $94.88. The company has a market capitalization of $31.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.84, a PEG ratio of 9.44 and a beta of 0.38. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a twelve month low of $78.10 and a twelve month high of $102.21.

Consolidated Edison Announces Dividend

Consolidated Edison ( NYSE:ED Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.62 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $4.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.01 billion. Consolidated Edison had a net margin of 15.56% and a return on equity of 8.36%. The companys revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.47 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 4.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 17th were paid a $0.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 16th. This represents a $3.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.59%. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio is presently 46.15%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ED has been the topic of several analyst reports. Argus raised shares of Consolidated Edison from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $104.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Consolidated Edison in a research report on Wednesday, June 7th. They issued a sell rating and a $88.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Consolidated Edison from $70.00 to $77.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Bank of America cut their target price on Consolidated Edison from $96.00 to $92.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Guggenheim boosted their target price on Consolidated Edison from $86.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $90.38.

About Consolidated Edison

(Free Report)

Consolidated Edison, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,530 customers in parts of Manhattan.

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National Bank of Greece (OTCMKTS:NBGIF  Free Report) is one of 270 publicly-traded companies in the BanksRegional industry, but how does it compare to its competitors? We will compare National Bank of Greece to related businesses based on the strength of its institutional ownership, risk, valuation, earnings, profitability, dividends and analyst recommendations.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares National Bank of Greece and its competitors gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio National Bank of Greece N/A N/A 19.11 National Bank of Greece Competitors $2.49 billion $680.42 million 271.38

National Bank of Greeces competitors have higher revenue and earnings than National Bank of Greece. National Bank of Greece 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.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

Analyst Recommendations

9.9% of National Bank of Greece shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 30.8% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are held by institutional investors. 15.1% of shares of all BanksRegional companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for National Bank of Greece and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score National Bank of Greece 0 0 1 0 3.00 National Bank of Greece Competitors 1029 2944 2898 9 2.27

As a group, BanksRegional companies have a potential upside of 335.71%. Given National Bank of Greeces competitors higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe National Bank of Greece has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Profitability

This table compares National Bank of Greece and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets National Bank of Greece N/A N/A N/A National Bank of Greece Competitors 33.88% 10.33% 0.87%

Summary

National Bank of Greece competitors beat National Bank of Greece on 9 of the 11 factors compared.

National Bank of Greece Company Profile

(Free Report)

National Bank of Greece S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Greece, the United Kingdom, North Macedonia, Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Malta, Egypt, and Luxembourg. It operates through Retail Banking, Corporate & Investment Banking, Trouble Assets Unit, Global Markets and Asset Management, Insurance, International Banking Operations, and Other segments. The Retail Banking segment provides deposit, investment, bancassurance products, mortgage loans, consumer and small business lending, debit and credit cards, prepaid cards, and other traditional products and services for individual customers, professionals, and small-medium and small sized companies through its network of branches and digital businesses. The Corporate & Investment Banking segment offers financial and investment advisory services, deposit accounts, loans, foreign exchange, and trade services for corporate customers; and lending services for large and medium-sized companies, as well as shipping finance services. The Trouble Assets Unit segment manages various loans. The Global Markets and Asset Management segment is involved in treasury activities; and provision of asset management, custody, private equity, and brokerage services. The Insurance offers various insurance products. The International Banking Operations segment offers traditional commercial banking, such as commercial and retail credit, trade financing, foreign exchange, and deposits; shipping finance; investment banking; and brokerage services through its foreign branches. The Other segment engages in the real estate management and warehousing businesses. National Bank of Greece S.A. was founded in 1841 and is headquartered in Athens, Greece.

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Donald L. Hagan LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ  Free Report) during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor purchased 7,771 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $456,000.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 87.5% in the first quarter. Colton Groome Financial Advisors LLC now owns 81,641 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $4,792,000 after acquiring an additional 38,088 shares during the last quarter. Deltec Asset Management LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the first quarter worth about $3,389,000. JGP Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the first quarter worth about $278,000. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 6.0% in the first quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 676,404 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $39,698,000 after acquiring an additional 38,099 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 14.0% in the first quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 30,322 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,780,000 after acquiring an additional 3,722 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of NYSEARCA EWJ opened at $61.82 on Thursday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $60.69 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.14. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a 52-week low of $47.64 and a 52-week high of $64.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.68.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index).

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ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWP  Free Report) by 9.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 12,737 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,271 shares during the period. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF makes up approximately 0.3% of ERTS Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 25th biggest position. ERTS Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF were worth $1,160,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 22.0% during the 4th quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 3,662 shares of the companys stock valued at $306,000 after purchasing an additional 660 shares during the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Prosperity Planning Inc. increased its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. Prosperity Planning Inc. now owns 3,061 shares of the companys stock valued at $279,000 after purchasing an additional 239 shares during the last quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $238,000. Finally, Verdence Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,023 shares of the companys stock valued at $316,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSEARCA IWP opened at $95.09 on Thursday. iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $75.88 and a 52 week high of $96.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.03 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $91.21 and a 200-day moving average price of $89.49.

About iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF

iShares Russell Mid-Cap Growth ETF, formerly iShares Russell Midcap Growth Index Fund (the Growth Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell Midcap Growth Index (the Growth Index).

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Shares of Flowserve Co. (NYSE:FLS  Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of Hold by the nine analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $36.78.

Several brokerages recently issued reports on FLS. StockNews.com lowered shares of Flowserve from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Flowserve from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a report on Friday, April 14th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Flowserve from $34.00 to $38.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on Flowserve from $37.00 to $40.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd.

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Flowserve Trading Down 0.5 %

Shares of Flowserve stock opened at $36.42 on Friday. Flowserve has a 52-week low of $23.89 and a 52-week high of $38.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.92. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $34.92 and its 200 day simple moving average is $33.60.

Flowserve Announces Dividend

Flowserve ( NYSE:FLS Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The industrial products company reported $0.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.14. Flowserve had a net margin of 6.13% and a return on equity of 10.44%. The business had revenue of $980.31 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $898.83 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.07 EPS. Flowserves revenue was up 19.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Flowserve will post 1.81 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 7th. Investors of record on Friday, June 23rd will be issued a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 22nd. Flowserves payout ratio is currently 45.71%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Flowserve

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. First Manhattan CO. LLC. lifted its position in shares of Flowserve by 682.6% during the 1st quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 900 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 785 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP bought a new position in Flowserve during the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in Flowserve by 79.5% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 1,581 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 700 shares during the period. Gyon Technologies Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Flowserve in the 4th quarter worth about $58,000. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Flowserve by 17.1% in the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 2,073 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.77% of the companys stock.

Flowserve Company Profile

(Free Report

Flowserve Corporation designs, manufactures, distributes, and services industrial flow management equipment in the United States, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Europe. It operates through Flowserve Pump Division (FPD) and Flow Control Division (FCD) segments. The FPD segment offers custom and pre-configured pumps and pump systems, mechanical seals, auxiliary systems, replacement parts, upgrades, and related aftermarket services, including installation and commissioning services, seal systems spare parts, repairs, advanced diagnostics, re-rate and upgrade solutions, retrofit programs, and machining and asset management solutions, as well as manufactures a gas-lubricated mechanical seal for use in high-speed compressors for gas pipelines.

Further Reading

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Shares of Games Workshop Group PLC (LON:GAW  Free Report) crossed above its 50-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 9,799.99 ($124.60) and traded as high as 106.42 ($135.31). Games Workshop Group shares last traded at 105.20 ($133.76), with a volume of 28,043 shares traded.

Games Workshop Group Price Performance

The business has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 9,826.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 9,314.60. The company has a current ratio of 3.65, a quick ratio of 2.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.77. The stock has a market cap of 3.54 billion, a PE ratio of 2,893.90, a P/E/G ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 1.30.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Kevin Rountree bought 149 shares of Games Workshop Group stock in a transaction on Friday, May 19th. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 9,767 ($124.18) per share, for a total transaction of 14,552.83 ($18,503.28). Company insiders own 2.40% of the companys stock.

Games Workshop Group Company Profile

Games Workshop Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells miniature figures and games in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Core and Licensing. The company offers games under the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 names, as well as Horus Heresy, an off shoot of Warhammer 40,000.

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Grupo Simec, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSEAMERICAN:SIM  Free Report)s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $34.10, but opened at $35.00. Grupo Simec shares last traded at $35.00, with a volume of 1,099 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Grupo Simec in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company.

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Grupo Simec Price Performance

The companys 50-day simple moving average is $34.91 and its 200-day simple moving average is $32.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.71 and a beta of 0.31.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Grupo Simec

Grupo Simec ( NYSEAMERICAN:SIM Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter. Grupo Simec had a net margin of 13.44% and a return on equity of 14.87%. The company had revenue of $687.21 million for the quarter.

An institutional investor recently bought a new position in Grupo Simec stock. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Grupo Simec, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSEAMERICAN:SIM  Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 7,455 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $273,000. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Grupo Simec Company Profile

(Free Report)

Grupo Simec, SAB. de C.V. manufactures, processes, and distributes special bar quality (SBQ) steel and steel alloys products in Mexico, the United States, Brazil, Canada, Latin America, and internationally. The company produces I-beams, channels, structural and commercial angles, hot rolled bars, flat bars, rebars, cold-finished bars, electro-welded wire mesh and mesh panels, and wire rods, as well as semi-finished tube rounds and other semi-finished trade products.

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(Bloomberg) -- Fidelity Investments is the latest financial services heavyweight to throw its name into the race to offer the first US exchange-traded fund investing directly in Bitcoin.

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The Boston-based asset manager, which has about $11 trillion in assets under administration and has tens of millions of customers, re-filed for the Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, according to a document submitted Thursday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Similar to previous US spot Bitcoin ETF filings in the past few weeks, the updated application says that Fidelity expects to enter into a surveillance-sharing agreement with a US cryptocurrency exchange.

Its the latest high-profile traditional-finance firm to join the race after BlackRock Inc. made a splash with its June 15 application for a spot ETF, which opened the floodgates for others to try their hand at it, as well. For crypto fans, its been a significant string of developments given BlackRocks reputation on Wall Street, and the view by some market-watchers that the asset manager wouldnt be making an attempt were it not confident it could get regulatory approval.

There have been about 30 tries for a spot-Bitcoin product, according to a tally from Bloomberg Intelligence. But applications have faced opposition by regulators, who have in the past cited market concerns and a lack of investor protections, among other things. Fidelity originally filed for the Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust in 2021, which was denied by the SEC in January 2022, according to a Fidelity spokesperson.

Even so, BlackRocks move spurred a number of similar filings from other issuers, including by Invesco Ltd., WisdomTree, Valkyrie and Bitwise. Meanwhile, Cathie Woods ARK Investment Management has said that it believes it could be first in line to get any potential regulatory approval. ARK had in April, in conjunction with crypto-issuer 21Shares, re-filed its application for one.

Fans of digital assets are excited about the prospect of crypto potentially becoming more easily accessible to everyday investors, and the wave of filings has been a boon for token prices. Bitcoin jumped back above $30,000 in June and is trading at its highest levels in about a year. The token on Thursday traded around $30,500. Thats still less than half the record of almost $69,000 reached in November 2021.

To be sure, this isnt the first hype-cycle over a potential launch. Crypto fans, who have been yearning for a spot-Bitcoin ETF for years, have been through periods of excitement before, only for regulators to ultimately rebuff all attempts.

While BlackRocks filing was credited by observers for helping to push the price of Bitcoin to a one-year high last week, the market reaction to the Fidelity refiling was fairly muted. Bitcoin was up about 1.5% to $30,500 as of 2:25 p.m. in New York, though off the highest level of the day.

--With assistance from Tom Maloney.

(Updates with details of surveillance-sharing agreement in second paragraph.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:IMPUY  Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,900 shares, a drop of 66.9% from the May 31st total of 11,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 194,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Impala Platinum Stock Down 2.3 %

Shares of OTCMKTS IMPUY traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $6.77. 73,362 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 107,184. Impala Platinum has a 12 month low of $6.62 and a 12 month high of $14.06. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $8.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $10.12.

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Impala Platinum Company Profile

(Free Report)

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Impala Platinum Holdings Limited engages in the mining, processing, refining, and marketing platinum group metals (PGMs). The company produces platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, and by-products. It has operations on the PGM-bearing ore bodies, including the Bushveld Complex located in South Africa; and the Great Dyke situated in Zimbabwe.

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Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) EVP John D. Rainey sold 8,526 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.00, for a total transaction of $1,321,530.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 180,261 shares of the companys stock, valued at $27,940,455. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Walmart Stock Up 0.5 %

Walmart stock traded up $0.84 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $155.33. The stock had a trading volume of 6,077,086 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,215,097. Walmart Inc. has a 52-week low of $119.89 and a 52-week high of $158.23. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $151.50 and a 200 day moving average price of $146.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market cap of $418.28 billion, a PE ratio of 37.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 0.49.

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Walmart (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 18th. The retailer reported $1.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.15. Walmart had a net margin of 1.82% and a return on equity of 21.30%. The company had revenue of $152.30 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $147.91 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.30 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Walmart Inc. will post 6.21 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Walmart from $159.00 to $162.00 in a research report on Sunday, May 21st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Walmart from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $169.00 to $174.00 in a research report on Friday, May 19th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $157.00 to $161.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $165.00 to $170.00 in a research report on Friday, May 19th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $166.91.

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Carl Stuart Investment Advisor Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 1st quarter worth approximately $4,210,753,000. My Personal CFO LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Sageworth Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 2,414.3% during the 1st quarter. Sageworth Trust Co now owns 176 shares of the retailers stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Walmart by 58.3% during the 1st quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 190 shares of the retailers stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 31.95% of the companys stock.

About Walmart

(Free Report)

Walmart Inc engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, and other units worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com, walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, and samsclub.com; and mobile commerce applications.

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Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH lowered its position in iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (BATS:USHY  Free Report) by 65.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,443 shares of the companys stock after selling 21,727 shares during the quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OHs holdings in iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF were worth $407,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in USHY. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new position in shares of iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $809,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $374,000. High Net Worth Advisory Group LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 5.8% during the first quarter. High Net Worth Advisory Group LLC now owns 40,374 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,568,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares during the period. BTS Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $3,203,000. Finally, Flow Traders U.S. LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 433.3% during the first quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 89,816 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,490,000 after acquiring an additional 72,974 shares during the period.

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iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Stock Performance

Shares of BATS USHY traded up $0.17 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $35.21. 3,737,330 shares of the company traded hands. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.99 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a fifty day moving average of $35.02 and a two-hundred day moving average of $35.09.

About iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF

The iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the ICE BofA US High Yield Constrained index. The fund tracks a market value-weighted index of USD-denominated high yield corporate debt with broad maturities. USHY was launched on Oct 25, 2017 and is managed by BlackRock.

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TrueWealth Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 24.6% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 12,585 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,101 shares during the quarter. TrueWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $1,254,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management grew its stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 145.5% during the 1st quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 6,590 shares of the companys stock worth $705,000 after purchasing an additional 3,906 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 36.2% during the first quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 52,003 shares of the companys stock worth $5,570,000 after buying an additional 13,829 shares in the last quarter. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the first quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the first quarter worth approximately $241,000. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 14,640 shares of the companys stock worth $1,568,000 after acquiring an additional 292 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.13% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Price Performance

Shares of AGG traded down $0.75 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $97.73. The stock had a trading volume of 1,001,622 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,995,915. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $98.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $98.79. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 1-year low of $93.20 and a 1-year high of $104.39.

About iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF

IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account.

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Johnson Midwest Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IVW  Free Report) in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor bought 243,586 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,563,000. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF accounts for about 22.3% of Johnson Midwest Financial LLCs holdings, making the stock its 2nd largest position.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Veracity Capital LLC lifted its stake in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 1.0% during the first quarter. Veracity Capital LLC now owns 16,943 shares of the companys stock worth $1,082,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Domani Wealth LLC lifted its stake in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.5% during the first quarter. Domani Wealth LLC now owns 34,255 shares of the companys stock worth $2,189,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. First Manhattan Co. lifted its stake in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.5% during the first quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 37,027 shares of the companys stock worth $2,828,000 after purchasing an additional 166 shares during the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. lifted its stake in iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 0.3% during the third quarter. Family Firm Inc. now owns 56,253 shares of the companys stock worth $3,254,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CoreCap Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 8,877 shares of the companys stock valued at $519,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Stock Performance

Shares of IVW opened at $69.33 on Thursday. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF has a 52 week low of $55.30 and a 52 week high of $71.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.15 and a beta of 1.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $66.48 and a 200-day moving average of $63.08.

iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF Company Profile

iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, formerly iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund (the Growth Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500/Citigroup Growth Index (the Growth Index). The Growth Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market.

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Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) had its price objective upped by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $102.00 to $112.00 in a report published on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages have also commented on COF. Odeon Capital Group lowered Capital One Financial from a hold rating to a sell rating and set a $94.20 target price on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, March 2nd. Bank of America increased their price objective on Capital One Financial from $109.00 to $116.00 in a report on Tuesday, June 6th. Credit Suisse Group reduced their price objective on Capital One Financial from $112.00 to $108.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Citigroup raised their price target on Capital One Financial from $119.00 to $121.00 in a report on Friday, June 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Capital One Financial from $96.00 to $85.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Capital One Financial currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $113.26.

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Capital One Financial Price Performance

Shares of NYSE COF opened at $109.26 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.72 billion, a PE ratio of 7.54, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $100.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $101.21. Capital One Financial has a fifty-two week low of $83.93 and a fifty-two week high of $123.09.

Capital One Financial Announces Dividend

Capital One Financial ( NYSE:COF Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The financial services provider reported $2.31 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.80 by ($1.49). Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 10.90% and a net margin of 14.33%. The firm had revenue of $8.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.07 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $5.62 EPS. The companys revenue was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Capital One Financial will post 12.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.55%.

Insider Activity

In other Capital One Financial news, insider Mark Daniel Mouadeb sold 469 shares of Capital One Financial stock in a transaction on Friday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.00, for a total value of $51,590.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 16,396 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,803,560. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.41% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired a new position in shares of Capital One Financial in the first quarter worth about $954,100,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $318,480,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Capital One Financial by 536.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 2,398,647 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $230,654,000 after buying an additional 2,021,932 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 147.0% in the 1st quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 3,108,747 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $298,937,000 after acquiring an additional 1,850,162 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Capital One Financial by 603.3% during the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,731,554 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $227,336,000 after buying an additional 1,485,339 shares in the last quarter. 88.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Capital One Financial

(Free Report)

Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association, which provides various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.

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Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE:KOS  Free Report) shares rose 4.9% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $5.75 and last traded at $5.75. Approximately 847,175 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 86% from the average daily volume of 5,854,272 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.48.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on KOS. StockNews.com began coverage on Kosmos Energy in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating for the company. TheStreet upgraded shares of Kosmos Energy from a c rating to a b- rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd. Peel Hunt initiated coverage on Kosmos Energy in a report on Friday, March 10th. They set an add rating and a $8.94 price target on the stock. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on Kosmos Energy from $10.75 to $10.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $154.71.

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Kosmos Energy Trading Up 4.7 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.52. The stock has a market cap of $2.64 billion, a PE ratio of 8.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 2.79. The businesss fifty day moving average is $6.26 and its 200 day moving average is $6.84.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Kosmos Energy ( NYSE:KOS Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.19 by ($0.03). Kosmos Energy had a net margin of 15.16% and a return on equity of 51.10%. The firm had revenue of $393.87 million during the quarter. As a group, analysts predict that Kosmos Energy Ltd. will post 1.07 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, Director Deanna L. Goodwin sold 112,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.69, for a total transaction of $749,280.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 99,532 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $665,869.08. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.79% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. William Blair Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Kosmos Energy in the 1st quarter valued at about $113,238,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Kosmos Energy by 207.6% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 19,684,099 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $146,451,000 after buying an additional 13,284,372 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in Kosmos Energy by 291.5% during the first quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 8,048,295 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $57,868,000 after buying an additional 5,992,660 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in Kosmos Energy by 22.6% during the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,401,775 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $182,639,000 after buying an additional 4,679,471 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of Kosmos Energy by 268.2% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,197,882 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $46,113,000 after acquiring an additional 4,514,662 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.51% of the companys stock.

Kosmos Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Kosmos Energy Ltd. engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas properties along the Atlantic Margins in the United States. The company's primary assets include production projects located in offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, as well as a gas projects located in offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

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Marshall Financial Group LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Infosys Limited (NYSE:INFY  Free Report) by 13.1% in the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 49,742 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 7,507 shares during the quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLCs holdings in Infosys were worth $868,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Trust Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Infosys by 69.4% in the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 23,292,667 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $395,276,000 after buying an additional 9,539,373 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Infosys by 34.6% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 19,989,499 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $497,539,000 after buying an additional 5,143,124 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Infosys by 21.6% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 16,604,648 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $281,780,000 after buying an additional 2,944,245 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. acquired a new position in Infosys in the 4th quarter worth $202,987,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Infosys by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 9,239,937 shares of the technology companys stock worth $229,982,000 after purchasing an additional 149,668 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 12.16% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on INFY shares. Credit Suisse Group lowered shares of Infosys from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, April 14th. Nomura cut shares of Infosys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Citigroup cut shares of Infosys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Infosys in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Wedbush cut their price target on shares of Infosys from $25.00 to $22.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $18.57.

Infosys Stock Performance

Shares of INFY stock opened at $15.76 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $65.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.19, a PEG ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.99. Infosys Limited has a 52-week low of $14.71 and a 52-week high of $20.60. The firms 50-day moving average is $15.45 and its 200-day moving average is $17.08.

Infosys (NYSE:INFY  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 13th. The technology company reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $4.55 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.73 billion. Infosys had a return on equity of 31.78% and a net margin of 16.37%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.18 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Infosys Limited will post 0.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Infosys Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.2134 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 1st. This is a boost from Infosyss previous semi-annual dividend of $0.17. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. Infosyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.70%.

Infosys Company Profile

(Free Report)

Infosys Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides consulting, technology, outsourcing, and next-generation digital services in North America, Europe, India, and internationally. It provides application management and application development services, independent validation solutions, product engineering and management, infrastructure management services, traditional enterprise application implementation, support, and integration services.

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Marshall Financial Group LLC lessened its stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) by 61.4% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,156 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 5,023 shares during the quarter. Marshall Financial Group LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $768,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Red Tortoise LLC acquired a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Riverpoint Wealth Management Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Illinois Tool Works during the 4th quarter worth approximately $45,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.37% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on ITW shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $250.00 to $227.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Barclays cut their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $205.00 to $203.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $183.00 to $181.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. 3M reiterated a maintains rating on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Illinois Tool Works from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, June 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Illinois Tool Works has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $228.21.

Insider Activity

Illinois Tool Works Trading Down 0.6 %

In other news, CAO Randall J. Scheuneman sold 5,425 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $239.23, for a total transaction of $1,297,822.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,870 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,121,970.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Insiders own 0.88% of the companys stock.

Shares of Illinois Tool Works stock opened at $248.12 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78. The firm has a market cap of $75.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 1.10. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $234.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $232.17. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $173.52 and a fifty-two week high of $253.37.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.23 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $4.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.98 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 92.13% and a net margin of 19.27%. The companys revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.11 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Illinois Tool Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be issued a $1.31 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a $5.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.11%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 52.40%.

Illinois Tool Works Company Profile

(Free Report)

Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment worldwide. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment offers plastic and metal components, fasteners, and assemblies for automobiles, light trucks, and other industrial uses.

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MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF (NYSEARCA:PXJ  Free Report) by 18.2% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 56,795 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 8,727 shares during the quarter. MinichMacGregor Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF were worth $283,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $30,000. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $54,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $82,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF during the second quarter worth approximately $102,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its holdings in shares of Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF by 13.1% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 25,947 shares of the companys stock worth $133,000 after purchasing an additional 3,001 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF Stock Up 1.9 %

PXJ stock traded up $0.09 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $4.86. 9,199 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 452,599. The firms fifty day moving average price is $4.71 and its 200-day moving average price is $5.05. Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF has a 52 week low of $3.25 and a 52 week high of $5.98. The company has a market cap of $84.66 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -72.41 and a beta of 1.76.

Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF Company Profile

The Invesco Dynamic Oil & Gas Services ETF (PXJ) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in energy equity. The fund tracks an index of US companies in the oil and gas services sector that are weighted in tiers. The index uses a multi-factor methodology to select holdings. PXJ was launched on Oct 26, 2005 and is managed by Invesco.

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In this photo provided by Japan's Finance Ministry, Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, left, and South Korea's Economy and Finance Minister Choo Kyungho shake hands as they pose for a photo before their meeting at the finance ministry in Tokyo, Thursday, June 29, 2023. Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive a currency swap agreement for times of crisis, in the latest sign of warming ties as the countries work to smooth over historical antagonisms dating back nearly a century. (Japan's Finance Ministry via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

TOKYO (AP)  Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive a currency swap agreement for times of crisis, in the latest sign of warming ties as the countries work to smooth over historical antagonisms.

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki announced the agreement after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Choo Kyungho. It was the first time the two countries have held annual financial talks in seven years, though Suzuki and Choo also met in South Korea in May.

Suzuki told reporters that the 3-year currency swap agreement would help reinforce trust in the financial stability of the two countries as a fallback in an emergency. But he emphasized that Japan is fully prepared to deal with fluctuations in the Japanese yen, which has weakened sharply against the U.S. dollar in the past year.

The $10 billion swap arrangement expired in 2015 and had not been renewed. Largely symbolic, it allows the South Korean and Japanese central banks to exchange currencies for each country's reserves of U.S. dollars to provide extra liquidity, or cash supplies, in case of a crisis.

The two major Asian economies, both U.S. allies, have recently mended ties as they contend with challenges posed by China and North Korea, despite tensions over issues left over from Japans 35-year occupation of the Korean Peninsula before and during World War II.

From July 21, Japan plans to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status. That will essentially end a four-year trade dispute that began in July 2019 when Japan removed South Korea from its white list of countries given fast-track approvals in trade as ties deteriorated over compensation for Japanese wartime actions.

Japans tightening of trade controls against Seoul was in apparent retaliation for South Korean court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean workers for abusive treatment and forced labor during World War II.

Japan also tightened export controls on key chemicals used by South Korean companies to make semiconductors and displays, prompting South Korea to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization and remove Japan from its own list of countries with preferred trade status.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met in March in the first formal summit between the two countries since 2015.

Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945, imposing Japanese names and language on Koreans and conscripting many into forced labor or prostitution in military brothels before and during World War II. Japan gave $800 million to South Koreas then-military-backed government under a 1965 accord to normalize relations which was mainly used on economic development projects driven by major South Korean companies. A semi-government fund set up by Tokyo offered compensation to former comfort women when the government apologized in 1995, but many South Koreans believe the Japanese government should take more direct responsibility for the occupation.

The two sides also have a longstanding territorial dispute over a group of islands controlled by South Korea but claimed by Japan.
Advantage Energy (TSE:AAV  Free Report) (NYSE:AAV) had its target price reduced by research analysts at National Bank Financial to C$11.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Stock Target Advisor reports. National Bank Financials target price suggests a potential upside of 27.31% from the stocks previous close.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on AAV. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on shares of Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$11.00 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. CIBC lowered their target price on shares of Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$10.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 14th. Finally, National Bankshares lowered their target price on shares of Advantage Energy from C$12.00 to C$11.00 in a research note on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$12.97.

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Advantage Energy Stock Up 2.2 %

Shares of TSE:AAV traded up C$0.19 during trading on Thursday, reaching C$8.64. The stock had a trading volume of 478,193 shares, compared to its average volume of 849,679. Advantage Energy has a one year low of C$6.79 and a one year high of C$12.19. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.78, a PEG ratio of -3.58 and a beta of 1.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 18.92. The firms 50-day simple moving average is C$7.56 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$8.16.

Advantage Energy Company Profile

Advantage Energy ( TSE:AAV Free Report ) (NYSE:AAV) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported C$0.17 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.26 by C($0.09). The company had revenue of C$128.55 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$156.00 million. Advantage Energy had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 42.45%. As a group, research analysts expect that Advantage Energy will post 0.7335766 EPS for the current fiscal year.

(Free Report)

Advantage Energy Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, exploits, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the Province of Alberta, Canada. The company focuses on the development and production of oil and natural gas resource that includes 228 net sections covering an area of 145,920 net acres of Doig/Montney rights in Glacier, Valhalla, Progress, and Pipestone/Wembley.

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New Hampshire Trust raised its holdings in shares of Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD  Free Report) by 12.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,223 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 241 shares during the period. New Hampshire Trusts holdings in Prologis were worth $277,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of PLD. RB Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 14.7% in the first quarter. RB Capital Management LLC now owns 3,004 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $485,000 after purchasing an additional 385 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 5.3% in the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 21,612 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,490,000 after purchasing an additional 1,092 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 87.7% in the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,382 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $546,000 after purchasing an additional 1,580 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in Prologis by 41.8% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 241,219 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,952,000 after buying an additional 71,112 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zions Bancorporation N.A. raised its stake in Prologis by 38.8% in the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,078 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $336,000 after buying an additional 581 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.74% of the companys stock.

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Prologis Price Performance

NYSE:PLD opened at $120.60 on Thursday. Prologis, Inc. has a one year low of $98.03 and a one year high of $138.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.35. The firm has a market cap of $111.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.44, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 1.00. The firms fifty day moving average is $123.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $122.05.

Prologis Announces Dividend

Prologis ( NYSE:PLD Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.21 by ($0.71). Prologis had a net margin of 41.06% and a return on equity of 5.54%. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.65 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.09 earnings per share. Prologiss revenue for the quarter was up 64.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Prologis, Inc. will post 5.49 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.87 per share. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.89%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 15th. Prologiss payout ratio is currently 105.14%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Mizuho assumed coverage on shares of Prologis in a research note on Monday, March 20th. They issued a buy rating and a $140.00 price objective for the company. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Prologis from $160.00 to $159.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Prologis from $140.00 to $135.00 in a research note on Tuesday. StockNews.com started coverage on Prologis in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Prologis from $125.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $143.62.

About Prologis

(Free Report)

Prologis, Inc is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. As of December 31, 2022, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.2 billion square feet (113 million square meters) in 19 countries.

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Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NQP  Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 6,400 shares, a decline of 80.1% from the May 31st total of 32,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 48,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Institutional Trading of Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Raymond James & Associates grew its stake in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund by 52.4% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 86,226 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,164,000 after acquiring an additional 29,629 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund in the 1st quarter valued at about $303,000. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund in the first quarter valued at approximately $283,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. purchased a new position in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund in the first quarter worth approximately $225,000. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund by 3.5% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 45,308 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $612,000 after purchasing an additional 1,512 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.25% of the companys stock.

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Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE:NQP traded down $0.05 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $11.21. 33,730 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 54,456. The business has a 50-day moving average of $11.15 and a two-hundred day moving average of $11.33. Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund has a 12-month low of $10.25 and a 12-month high of $12.75.

Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend

Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile

The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.029 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.35 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.10%.

(Free Report)

Nuveen Pennsylvania Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of Pennsylvania. The fund invests in tax exempt municipal bonds, with a rating of Baa/BBB or higher.

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LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB  Free Report) had its price objective decreased by analysts at Piper Sandler from $113.00 to $108.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. Piper Sandlers price objective would suggest a potential upside of 18.05% from the companys current price.

LYB has been the subject of several other research reports. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a report on Tuesday, June 13th. They set a neutral rating and a $89.00 target price for the company. KeyCorp lowered their target price on LyondellBasell Industries from $84.00 to $81.00 in a research note on Friday, June 16th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded LyondellBasell Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their price target for the company from $113.00 to $90.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $130.00 to $121.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $102.00 to $104.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 1st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $97.33.

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LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance

LyondellBasell Industries stock traded up $0.66 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $91.49. 163,643 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,995,284. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $90.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $91.15. The firm has a market cap of $29.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 1.85. LyondellBasell Industries has a 52 week low of $71.46 and a 52 week high of $101.30.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On LyondellBasell Industries

LyondellBasell Industries ( NYSE:LYB Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.80 by $0.70. LyondellBasell Industries had a return on equity of 28.95% and a net margin of 6.40%. The company had revenue of $10.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.00 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 22.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that LyondellBasell Industries will post 9.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Aspire Private Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 1st quarter valued at about $12,017,920,000. Community Bank N.A. acquired a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. CI Investments Inc. raised its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 1,006.5% during the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 343 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV lifted its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 109.8% in the 1st quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 363 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares during the period. 70.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile

(Free Report)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology.

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Premier Foods plc (LON:PFD  Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 120.11 ($1.53) and traded as high as GBX 133 ($1.69). Premier Foods shares last traded at GBX 126.40 ($1.61), with a volume of 583,451 shares traded.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Shore Capital reiterated a house stock rating on shares of Premier Foods in a research note on Tuesday, March 7th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Premier Foods from GBX 140 ($1.78) to GBX 175 ($2.23) and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd.

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Premier Foods Stock Performance

The business has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 129.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 120.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.09. The company has a market capitalization of 1.10 billion, a PE ratio of 1,174.55, a PEG ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 1.17.

Premier Foods Increases Dividend

Insider Transactions at Premier Foods

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 29th will be paid a GBX 1.44 ($0.02) dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.11%. This is a boost from Premier Foodss previous dividend of $1.20. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. Premier Foodss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 909.09%.

In other news, insider Duncan Leggett sold 6,921 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 134 ($1.70), for a total value of 9,274.14 ($11,791.66). Company insiders own 25.05% of the companys stock.

Premier Foods Company Profile

(Free Report)

Premier Foods plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes branded and own label food products in the United Kingdom, other European countries, and internationally. The company operates through Grocery, Sweet Treats, and international segments. It offers a portfolio of product categories, including flavorings and seasonings under the Bisto, OXO, and Paxo brands; cooking sauces and accompaniments under the Sharwood's, Loyd Grossman, Spice Tailor and Homepride brands; and quick meals, snacks, and soups under the Batchelors and Smash brands; ambient desserts under the Ambrosia, Bird's, and Angel Delight brands; and ambient cakes under the Mr Kipling, Cadbury, and Lyons brands.

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Raymond James (NYSE:RJF  Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 24th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, July 3rd will be paid a dividend of 0.42 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, July 17th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 30th.

Raymond James has increased its dividend payment by an average of 15.8% annually over the last three years and has raised its dividend annually for the last 2 consecutive years. Raymond James has a payout ratio of 17.7% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Raymond James to earn $9.35 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.68 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 18.0%.

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Raymond James Stock Performance

Shares of RJF opened at $102.04 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $92.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $100.36. Raymond James has a 12-month low of $82.00 and a 12-month high of $126.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.62 billion, a PE ratio of 13.44 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.97.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Raymond James ( NYSE:RJF Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The financial services provider reported $2.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.17 by ($0.14). The firm had revenue of $2.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.89 billion. Raymond James had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 14.01%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.55 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Raymond James will post 8.71 EPS for the current year.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Raymond James in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Citigroup cut their target price on Raymond James from $130.00 to $100.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 11th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Raymond James from $136.00 to $112.00 in a research note on Monday, June 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Raymond James from $121.00 to $114.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Raymond James currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $116.86.

Insider Activity

In other news, COO Jeffrey A. Dowdle sold 5,281 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.36, for a total transaction of $508,877.16. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 48,314 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,655,537.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 9.46% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Raymond James by 1.9% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,689,564 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,383,900,000 after acquiring an additional 410,025 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake in Raymond James by 26.7% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,876,054 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $641,330,000 after purchasing an additional 1,448,047 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Raymond James by 80.5% during the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,629,875 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $618,780,000 after acquiring an additional 2,510,966 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Raymond James by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,018,058 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $373,915,000 after acquiring an additional 76,385 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its position in Raymond James by 35.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 2,278,272 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $243,433,000 after acquiring an additional 591,327 shares during the period. 74.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Raymond James Company Profile

(Free Report)

Raymond James Financial, Inc, a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments.

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StockNews.com began coverage on shares of WidePoint (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY  Free Report) in a research note published on Monday. The firm issued a sell rating on the technology companys stock.

WidePoint Price Performance

Shares of NYSEAMERICAN WYY opened at $1.87 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.33 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.07 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50-day moving average of $1.84 and a 200-day moving average of $1.93. WidePoint has a fifty-two week low of $1.70 and a fifty-two week high of $3.06.

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WidePoint (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 27th. The technology company reported ($1.02) earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $23.34 million during the quarter. WidePoint had a negative net margin of 16.03% and a positive return on equity of 2.98%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WidePoint

WidePoint Company Profile

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Susquehanna International Group LLP acquired a new stake in WidePoint in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Channel Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in WidePoint in the 1st quarter valued at about $40,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in WidePoint by 27.5% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 43,483 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 9,377 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in WidePoint by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 390,757 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $833,000 after purchasing an additional 34,072 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Koss Olinger Consulting LLC lifted its stake in WidePoint by 94.5% in the 3rd quarter. Koss Olinger Consulting LLC now owns 68,171 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $145,000 after purchasing an additional 33,113 shares during the last quarter. 11.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

(Free Report)

WidePoint Corporation provides technology management as a service (TMaaS) to the government and business enterprises in North America and Europe. The company offers TMaaS solutions through a secure federal government certified proprietary portal and secure enterprise portal that provides ability to manage, analyze, and protect communications assets, as well as deploy identity management solutions that provide secured virtual and physical access to restricted environments.

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The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Stock traders bought 51,390 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 36% compared to the typical daily volume of 37,818 call options.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 9,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total transaction of $105,570,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 51,676,439 shares in the company, valued at $606,164,629.47. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, insider Kathryn H. Ruemmler sold 7,277 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $332.67, for a total transaction of $2,420,839.59. Following the sale, the insider now owns 4,334 shares in the company, valued at $1,441,791.78. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 9,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.73, for a total value of $105,570,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 51,676,439 shares in the company, valued at approximately $606,164,629.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 33,833,500 shares of company stock worth $646,620,506. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On The Goldman Sachs Group

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the first quarter valued at $66,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 1,505.1% in the first quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 41,300 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $13,633,000 after purchasing an additional 38,727 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 18.5% in the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 118,609 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $39,153,000 after purchasing an additional 18,540 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 79.4% in the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 827 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $273,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 118.3% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 310 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $102,000 after purchasing an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. 76.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Credit Suisse Group reiterated an outperform rating and set a $410.00 price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. Barclays dropped their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $495.00 to $437.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. JMP Securities increased their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $460.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $339.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $389.17.

NYSE GS traded up $9.43 on Thursday, reaching $323.09. 3,517,545 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,617,279. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $329.05 and its 200 day simple moving average is $340.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25. The company has a market cap of $107.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.41. The Goldman Sachs Group has a 12 month low of $277.84 and a 12 month high of $389.58.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The investment management company reported $8.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.14 by $0.65. The firm had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.66 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 9.84% and a net margin of 13.23%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $10.76 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 31.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 1st will be paid a dividend of $2.50 per share. This represents a $10.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.10%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 31st. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 35.60%.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in resale agreements.

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Tiaa Fsb grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (BATS:QUAL  Free Report) by 10.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 500,546 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 45,911 shares during the quarter. Tiaa Fsb owned 0.32% of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF worth $62,100,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of QUAL. Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Kerntke Otto McGlone Wealth Management Group purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Arlington Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. GeoWealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF in the 4th quarter worth $35,000.

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iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF Price Performance

Shares of BATS:QUAL traded down $0.31 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $132.81. The company had a trading volume of 1,108,962 shares. The company has a market cap of $30.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.30 and a beta of 1.03. iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF has a 12-month low of $71.96 and a 12-month high of $88.63. The company has a fifty day moving average of $127.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.59.

About iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF

The iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Sector Neutral Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap stocks, selected and weighted by high ROE, stable earnings growth and low debt\u002Fequity, relative to peers in each sector.

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Shares of TimkenSteel Co. (NYSE:TMST  Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $21.05 and last traded at $20.94, with a volume of 64265 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.30.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of TimkenSteel in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock.

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TimkenSteel Trading Up 4.8 %

The stock has a market cap of $933.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.88, a PEG ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.71. The stocks 50 day moving average is $18.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.31.

Institutional Trading of TimkenSteel

TimkenSteel ( NYSE:TMST Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 5th. The basic materials company reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.26. TimkenSteel had a net margin of 3.26% and a return on equity of 11.03%. The firm had revenue of $323.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $309.20 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.92 EPS. TimkenSteels quarterly revenue was down 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that TimkenSteel Co. will post 1.75 EPS for the current year.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its holdings in TimkenSteel by 148.7% during the first quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,574 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in TimkenSteel during the first quarter worth about $40,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in TimkenSteel by 58.7% during the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 3,067 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 1,135 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in TimkenSteel during the first quarter worth about $81,000. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank acquired a new position in TimkenSteel during the second quarter worth about $84,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.09% of the companys stock.

About TimkenSteel

(Free Report)

TimkenSteel Corporation engages in manufacture and sale of alloy steel, and carbon and micro-alloy steel products in the United States and internationally. It offers carbon, micro-alloy, and alloy steel ingots, bars, tubes, and billets. Its products are used in gears; hubs; axles; crankshafts and connecting rods; oil country drill pipes; bits and collars; bearing races and rolling elements; bushings; fuel injectors; wind energy shafts; anti-friction bearings; and other applications.

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The Small Business Administration distributed more than $200 billion in potentially fraudulent Covid-19 relief funds, according to a federal watchdog.

The findings, released Tuesday by the SBAs inspector general, underscored how the emergency funds from the government designed to combat a once-in-a-century pandemic became a magnet for fraudsters.

At least 17% of the $1.2 trillion distributed by the SBA was wasted in fraud, the report found.

To put it another way: The SBA paid out approximately 4.5 million potentially fraudulent loans and grants, amounting to 21% of the total 22.1 million loans and grants that were disbursed.

The fraud estimates focus on two programs rapidly launched by Washington after the health crisis began: the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provided forgivable loans to small businesses.

Most of the fraud apparently happened through the EIDL funds, with the inspector general estimating more than $136 billion of fraudulent activity in that program. Another $64 billion of potential fraud was found to have been distributed in PPP funds.

The EIDL funds provided long-term, low-interest loans for eligible small businesses. Unlike the PPP loans, business owners are required to pay the EIDL loans back and payments started to become due earlier this year.

PPP was the more popular program, and a key part of the federal governments response to the pandemic. In the early months of 2020, it was designed to get money out as quickly as possible to small businesses who were struggling to pay their employees. Small business owners who used the money for a qualifying reason, like payroll, would see their loan forgiven.

While the program successfully helped many companies pay workers during the pandemic, it was plagued by questionable lending and rampant fraud. Both the SBA and lenders were under incredible pressure to get a massive amount of money out within a matter of weeks when the pandemic first hit.

Between a rocky rollout, regularly shifting rules and guidance, and an initial round of funding that favored small businesses with long-term relationships with lenders, there was no shortage of criticism from businesses, banks and lawmakers alike.

Disclosures by a series of large public companies and well-known brands, ranging from restaurants like Potbelly, Shake Shack and Ruths Chris Steakhouse to the NBAs Los Angeles Lakers, also raised pressure on the Trump administration as it worked through the programs earliest days.

In this weeks report, the inspector general pinned the blame on lax safeguards at SBA.

The agency weakened or removed the controls necessary to prevent fraudsters from easily gaining access to these programs and provide assurance that only eligible entities received funds, the report said. However, the allure of easy money in this pay and chase environment attracted an overwhelming number of fraudsters to the programs.

The inspector generals office said its investigative work has resulted in 1,011 indictments, 803 arrests and 529 convictions related to Covid fraud as of May  and more are likely coming as investigators comb through tens of thousands of leads. To date, the agency has recovered nearly $30 billion in funds, according to the report.

- Correction: A previous headline on this story misstated the likelihood of potential fraud.

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TrueWealth Advisors LLC lessened its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO  Free Report) by 15.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 8,254 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 1,530 shares during the quarter. TrueWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $333,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 311.0% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 637 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 482 shares during the period. Endurance Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 303.2% in the 4th quarter. Endurance Wealth Management Inc. now owns 633 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 476 shares during the period. Retirement Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA lifted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 110.1% in the 4th quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 689 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 361 shares during the period. Finally, Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000.

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Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of VWO stock traded down $0.18 on Thursday, hitting $40.32. The company had a trading volume of 1,512,613 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,633,600. The firm has a market cap of $71.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.00 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $40.27 and a 200-day moving average price of $40.41. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a twelve month low of $34.88 and a twelve month high of $43.22.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Company Profile

The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries.

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Tufton Capital Management increased its position in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 7.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 260,927 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 18,780 shares during the quarter. Bank of America comprises approximately 1.6% of Tufton Capital Managements portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Tufton Capital Managements holdings in Bank of America were worth $7,463,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BAC. Legend Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Bank of America by 6,772.7% in the 4th quarter. Legend Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 756 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 745 shares during the last quarter. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of America in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of America in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Mendota Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of America in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of America in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.34% of the companys stock.

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Bank of America Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BAC traded up $0.67 during trading on Thursday, hitting $28.74. 31,231,184 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 52,369,938. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.82. Bank of America Co. has a 1 year low of $26.32 and a 1 year high of $38.60. The company has a market cap of $229.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.43, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.37. The firms fifty day moving average price is $28.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $31.01.

Bank of America Dividend Announcement

Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $26.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.28 billion. Bank of America had a net margin of 21.85% and a return on equity of 11.72%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.80 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Bank of America Co. will post 3.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 2nd will be issued a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.06%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 1st. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.43%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on BAC shares. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Bank of America in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Bank of America from $38.00 to $33.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Bank of America from $44.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Bank of America from $52.00 to $45.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. Finally, Odeon Capital Group downgraded shares of Bank of America from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $35.20 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, March 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $36.77.

Bank of America Profile

(Free Report)

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans.

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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Vista Gold (NYSE:VGZ  Free Report) in a research note released on Monday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock.

Separately, HC Wainwright lifted their target price on shares of Vista Gold from $2.25 to $2.75 in a research report on Friday, June 16th.

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Vista Gold Price Performance

NYSE:VGZ opened at $0.50 on Monday. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $0.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $0.58. Vista Gold has a one year low of $0.46 and a one year high of $0.76. The company has a market cap of $60.05 million, a PE ratio of -8.33 and a beta of 1.38.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Vista Gold ( NYSE:VGZ Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter. Equities research analysts expect that Vista Gold will post -0.06 EPS for the current year.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Vista Gold by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 77,500 shares of the companys stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 15,000 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its position in shares of Vista Gold by 64.6% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 272,415 shares of the companys stock worth $135,000 after purchasing an additional 106,874 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in shares of Vista Gold by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 1,659,341 shares of the companys stock worth $1,742,000 after purchasing an additional 65,000 shares during the period. Finally, Kopernik Global Investors LLC lifted its position in shares of Vista Gold by 54.5% in the 3rd quarter. Kopernik Global Investors LLC now owns 2,258,884 shares of the companys stock worth $1,189,000 after purchasing an additional 797,166 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 29.94% of the companys stock.

About Vista Gold

(Free Report)

Vista Gold Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration, and advancement of gold exploration and development projects primarily in Australia. The company's flagship asset is the 100% owned Mt Todd gold project located in Northern Territory, Australia.

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Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) major shareholder Jim C. Walton sold 581,908 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.84, for a total transaction of $90,102,634.72. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 239,117,965 shares of the companys stock, valued at $37,025,025,700.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Walmart Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE WMT traded up $0.84 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $155.33. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,077,086 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,215,097. The stock has a market cap of $418.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.23. Walmart Inc. has a one year low of $119.89 and a one year high of $158.23. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $151.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $146.43.

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Walmart (NYSE:WMT  Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 18th. The retailer reported $1.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $152.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $147.91 billion. Walmart had a net margin of 1.82% and a return on equity of 21.30%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Walmart Inc. will post 6.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. My Personal CFO LLC bought a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Sageworth Trust Co boosted its stake in Walmart by 2,414.3% during the 1st quarter. Sageworth Trust Co now owns 176 shares of the retailers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP bought a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. JDM Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Walmart during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Ulland Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Walmart by 105.3% during the 4th quarter. Ulland Investment Advisors LLC now owns 195 shares of the retailers stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 31.95% of the companys stock.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on WMT shares. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $160.00 to $164.00 in a report on Friday, May 19th. 92 Resources reaffirmed a maintains rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Monday, May 22nd. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Walmart in a report on Tuesday, March 28th. Gordon Haskett raised shares of Walmart from an accumulate rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $155.00 to $165.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Walmart from $165.00 to $170.00 in a report on Friday, May 19th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $166.91.

About Walmart

(Free Report)

Walmart Inc engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, and other units worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com, walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, and samsclub.com; and mobile commerce applications.

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Wendell David Associates Inc. raised its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR  Free Report) by 0.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 105,444 shares of the business services providers stock after acquiring an additional 697 shares during the period. Broadridge Financial Solutions makes up approximately 1.8% of Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest position. Wendell David Associates Inc. owned approximately 0.09% of Broadridge Financial Solutions worth $15,455,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of BR. Money Concepts Capital Corp increased its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 400.0% in the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 195 shares of the business services providers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 156 shares in the last quarter. Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Asset Dedication LLC purchased a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC increased its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 730.0% in the 4th quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 249 shares of the business services providers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Institutional investors own 89.05% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on BR. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada began coverage on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a report on Monday, April 24th. They set an outperform rating and a $169.00 price objective for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Broadridge Financial Solutions has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $161.40.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Broadridge Financial Solutions Trading Up 0.7 %

In related news, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,052 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.73, for a total transaction of $622,913.96. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 5,825 shares of the companys stock, valued at $895,477.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . In related news, VP Laura Matlin sold 4,052 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.73, for a total transaction of $622,913.96. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 5,825 shares of the companys stock, valued at $895,477.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Leslie A. Brun sold 6,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.98, for a total value of $1,027,962.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 59,916 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,926,285.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 27,397 shares of company stock valued at $4,162,229. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

BR stock traded up $1.09 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $162.82. The companys stock had a trading volume of 43,836 shares, compared to its average volume of 581,120. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a current ratio of 1.35. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $152.67 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $145.76. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a 1 year low of $131.35 and a 1 year high of $183.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.71 and a beta of 0.99.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR  Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The business services provider reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.01 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $1.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.65 billion. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 40.29% and a net margin of 9.33%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.93 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 6.9 EPS for the current year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 6th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a $0.725 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $2.90 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.78%. Broadridge Financial Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.23%.

About Broadridge Financial Solutions

(Free Report)

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.

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Wendell David Associates Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW  Free Report) by 15.9% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 54,575 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 10,325 shares during the period. Wendell David Associates Inc.s holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $4,515,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EW. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 11.4% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,181 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,081,000 after buying an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. boosted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 34.7% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 1,738 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $204,000 after buying an additional 448 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd boosted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 18.2% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,223 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $144,000 after buying an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. boosted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 53.5% during the first quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 7,182 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $846,000 after buying an additional 2,503 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp boosted its holdings in Edwards Lifesciences by 3.1% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 655,567 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $77,173,000 after buying an additional 19,798 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.78% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Edwards Lifesciences

In related news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 80,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.54, for a total transaction of $7,145,178.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 18,294 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,619,750.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 80,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.54, for a total transaction of $7,145,178.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 18,294 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,619,750.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 6,725 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.09, for a total transaction of $558,780.25. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 62,824 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,220,046.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 201,151 shares of company stock valued at $17,523,816. Corporate insiders own 1.29% of the companys stock.

Edwards Lifesciences Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock traded up $1.06 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $91.50. The companys stock had a trading volume of 823,201 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,096,430. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 1-year low of $67.13 and a 1-year high of $107.92. The business has a fifty day moving average of $87.44 and a 200 day moving average of $81.68. The company has a market capitalization of $55.47 billion, a PE ratio of 37.91, a P/E/G ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a quick ratio of 2.17, a current ratio of 3.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW  Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The medical research company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.61 by $0.01. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 27.07% and a return on equity of 25.81%. The company had revenue of $1.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.39 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.60 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $94.00 to $102.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $95.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 25th. TheStreet raised shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $97.00 to $101.00 in a report on Thursday, May 18th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $90.00.

About Edwards Lifesciences

(Free Report)

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease, and critical care and surgical monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of heart valves; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases.

Further Reading

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Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) had its price objective cut by Wolfe Research from $62.00 to $60.00 in a research note published on Monday morning, The Fly reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. StockNews.com cut Charles Schwab from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Monday, May 29th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Charles Schwab from $75.00 to $65.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 29th. Morgan Stanley lowered Charles Schwab from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $99.00 to $68.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 30th. Barclays lowered their price objective on Charles Schwab from $61.00 to $56.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 14th. Finally, Raymond James raised Charles Schwab from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $63.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 15th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $66.68.

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Charles Schwab Stock Up 1.0 %

Charles Schwab stock opened at $55.78 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $98.68 billion, a PE ratio of 15.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.88. Charles Schwab has a 12 month low of $45.00 and a 12 month high of $86.63. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $52.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.39 and a quick ratio of 0.39.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 17th. The financial services provider reported $0.93 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.03. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 27.83% and a net margin of 34.82%. The firm had revenue of $5.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.13 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.77 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Charles Schwab will post 3.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 26th. Investors of record on Friday, May 12th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 11th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.79%. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is presently 27.32%.

Insider Activity at Charles Schwab

In related news, Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 77,640 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.76, for a total value of $4,018,646.40. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 59,771,278 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,093,761,349.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Toronto Dominion Bank boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 32,224.4% in the 4th quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 225,994,826 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $18,816,289,000 after purchasing an additional 225,295,680 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 124,437,061 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,943,291,000 after purchasing an additional 2,589,952 shares during the period. Dodge & Cox boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 78,462,490 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,109,865,000 after purchasing an additional 1,033,760 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 65,566,364 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,712,255,000 after purchasing an additional 717,683 shares during the period. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 5.0% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 41,880,424 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,193,697,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000,383 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.77% of the companys stock.

About Charles Schwab

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Wynnstay Group Plc (LON:WYN  Free Report) shares passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of GBX 449.94 ($5.72) and traded as high as GBX 479 ($6.09). Wynnstay Group shares last traded at GBX 472.50 ($6.01), with a volume of 10,906 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Shore Capital reissued a house stock rating on shares of Wynnstay Group in a research note on Thursday, June 8th.

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Wynnstay Group Trading Up 0.1 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.03, a current ratio of 1.77 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The business has a 50-day moving average of GBX 450.59 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 502.71. The firm has a market cap of 106.66 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 583.33 and a beta of 0.65.

Insider Buying and Selling

About Wynnstay Group

In related news, insider B Paul Roberts sold 2,188 shares of Wynnstay Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 437 ($5.56), for a total transaction of 9,561.56 ($12,157.10). 25.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

(Free Report)

Wynnstay Group Plc manufactures and supplies agricultural products in the United Kingdom. It operates through Agriculture and Specialist Agricultural Merchanting segments. The Agriculture segment offers animal nutrition products to the agricultural market; and seeds, fertilizers, and agro-chemicals to arable and grassland farmers, as well as markets grains.

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Zhihu Inc. (NYSE:ZH  Free Report)s share price gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $1.12, but opened at $1.09. Zhihu shares last traded at $1.10, with a volume of 605,440 shares changing hands.

Zhihu Trading Down 1.8 %

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $1.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $1.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $703.12 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.06 and a beta of 0.24.

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Zhihu (NYSE:ZH  Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 24th. The company reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Zhihu had a negative return on equity of 19.86% and a negative net margin of 29.93%. The company had revenue of $144.77 million during the quarter. On average, equities analysts expect that Zhihu Inc. will post -0.23 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

About Zhihu

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Zhihu by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 230,317 shares of the companys stock valued at $299,000 after buying an additional 7,995 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Zhihu by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,641,947 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,980,000 after buying an additional 14,245 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its position in Zhihu by 628.2% in the 2nd quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 17,477 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 15,077 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in Zhihu by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 512,700 shares of the companys stock valued at $918,000 after buying an additional 20,900 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Focused Wealth Management Inc bought a new position in Zhihu in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. 12.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

(Free Report)

Zhihu Inc operates an online content community in the People's Republic of China. Its community allows people to seek inspiration, find solutions, make decisions, and have fun. The company also offers technology, business support, and consulting services; information transmission, software, and information technology services; information and marketing services; vocational training; and internet services, as well as holds audio-visual permit.

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Overstock.com decided to stop doing business online under its eponymous domain name after paying $21.5 million for the brand of Bed Bath & Beyond.

Overstock.com (OSTK) paid $21.5 million so it could use the brand of Bed Bath & Beyond, which filed for bankruptcy in April. It liked the name so much that it decided to stop using its own online.

The e-commerce retailer on Wednesday announced plans to scrap doing business online under its eponymous domain name and instead operate under Bedbathandbeyond.com.

The news came after its offer to buy Bed Bath & Beyonds (BBBYQ) intellectual property assets was approved by a federal bankruptcy court. That deal does not include Bed Bath's physical stores, which are closing.

"We think we are a Bed, Bath, and a bigger and better Beyond," Overstock.com CEO Jonathan Johnson told Yahoo Finance in a live interview Thursday. "When this opportunity came up, it just made a lot of sense."

He said he expects the corporate name of Overstock.com would also change "in the coming months" but no decisions have been made yet on what that would be.

Overstock.com CEO Jonathan Johnson, center, speaking to reporters in 2018. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Bed Bath filed for Chapter 11 protection in US bankruptcy court in New Jersey in April, positioning the company for both a wind-down and the possibility of staying in business.

Bed Baths stock, which now trades as a penny stock, rose 60% in June. In pre-market hours shares were trading at $0.34.

Overstock's stock surged Thursday, climbing more than 13% as of 11 a.m. ET.

Overstocks bid, submitted as a starting bid or floor bid known as a stalking horse purchase agreement, included Bed Baths brand name, business internet properties, mobile platform, advertising and marketing material, and business data.

However, it does not include the companys physical retail stores or the company's buybuyBaby chain. It is not clear who would purchase the buybuyBaby chain.

Bed Bath did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finances request for comment.

Bed Bath & Beyond stores are not part of the Overstock.com deal.

The approval indicates that the bankruptcy court, following a hearing over the agreements on June 27, determined that the Overstock.com agreement is in the best interests of Bed Baths debtors and stakeholders.

Overstocks offer was the sole bid for the assets.

Within the next week, Overstock plans to relaunch the Bed Bath & Beyond domain in Canada, followed weeks later by the relaunch of a website, mobile app, and loyalty program in the United States.

New and existing customers of both Overstock and Bed Bath & Beyond will have a single online shopping destination  bedbathandbeyond.ca in Canada and bedbathandbeyond.com in the US.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a congratulatory letter to a forum on people-to-people friendship between China and the United States.

The event, titled "Bond with Kuliang: 2023 China-U.S. People-to-People Friendship Forum," is being held in Fuzhou, east China's Fujian Province.

In the letter, Xi said that back in 1992, he invited Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner to Kuliang, helping her fulfill the wish of her late husband to return to his childhood home. In the following 30 years and more, members of the Kuliang Friends and people from various sectors of both countries have delved deep into the history of this town, actively spread its culture, and worked tirelessly to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.

"I was very glad to hear from members of the Kuliang Friends, and to know from your letter more touching stories about your connection with Kuliang," said Xi in the letter. He pointed out among them are Mr. Len Billing, 103 years old, who recorded his time in Kuliang with many photos; Dr. E. L. Bliss, who wrote "I love the Chinese people" as his last words; and Mr. Donald Maclnnis, who wanted to have his ashes scattered in the Minjiang River.

"Their stories have shown once again that the Chinese and American peoples can transcend differences in system, culture and language, and build profound friendship," said Xi.

Amity between peoples holds the key to the relationship between countries, and the people are the cornerstone of its growth, Xi said. "I hope that you will continue to write the Kuliang story and carry forward the special bonds, so that the friendship between our two peoples can stay forever strong and robust like the thousand-year-old cedar trees in Kuliang."

The Kuliang story is a widely told one about Xi's personal efforts to promote friendly exchanges between Chinese and American peoples. In 1901, Milton Gardner, born in the United States, came to live in Fuzhou with his parents when he was still in his infancy, and his whole family moved back to the United States in 1911. Gardner had been longing for revisiting his childhood home, but had never been able to make his wish fulfilled. With assistance from Chinese students in the United States, Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner finally came to know the place his husband had been dreaming of is Kuliang in Fuzhou.

In 1992, Xi Jinping, who was then secretary of the Communist Party of China Fuzhou Municipal Committee, invited Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner to visit China. In 2012, when visiting the United States as China's vice president, Xi shared the Kuliang story with the audience at a welcome luncheon held by American friendly groups, drawing warm response from all sectors in the two countries.

The Forum, jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the government of Fujian Province, was attended by people from various sectors in China and the United States including some members of the Kuliang Friends.

(Source: Xinhua)
150 arrested in second night of French protests after 17-year-old shot dead by police
Johnson City welcomed its first-ever adult-use cannabis dispensary to the village Thursday as the Greenery Spot officially opened at 246 Main St.

The business was founded by Endicott native Chris Myers, who quickly made his first sale after cutting the ceremonial ribbon on the new venture Thursday afternoon.

Opening a cannabis dispensary has been a dream of mine for years, said Myers. Today is the culmination of hard work from me, family, friends, dozens of supporters and Im honored to start welcoming customers and providing a venue to support local growers and farmers who are producing the highest-quality cannabis on the market.

The Greenery Spot is the 16th adult-use cannabis dispensary to open in New York state since the first legal sale in December.

Johnson City Mayor Marty Meaney said the new cannabis store is a welcomed addition that will likely bring new foot traffic to the villages downtown district.

We are excited to welcome the visitors that Greenery Spot will bring to our downtown, said Meaney. We believe that the opening of this new and unique business will move the revitalization of our downtown forward at a much faster pace than was anticipated and are delighted that Greenery Spot chose Main Street in Johnson City for the location of their dispensary.

What can you buy at Greenery Spot?

Owner Chris Myers cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the grand opening of the Greenery Spot Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 246 Main St. in the Village of Johnson City.

The Greenery Spot carries a wide variety of cultivated cannabis products including flower, vape pens, edibles and topicals. Products are regulated by New York state. The interior of the store was designed by the Temeka Group, which has supported hundreds of dispensary openings across the country. The walls feature a green backdrop and cannabis-inspired artwork.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) noted Greenery Spot is the second legal adult use cannabis dispensary to open in Broome County. Just Breathe debuted in Binghamton in February through a partnership with the Broome County Urban League.

This family-owned business with local roots will add a lot to the ongoing revitalization of downtown JC, said Lupardo. I applaud the Myers familys interest in the economic growth of our community and wish them the very best for a successful business launch.

Where does the Greenery Spot get its cannabis?

Customers check out the Greenery Spot, which opened Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 246 Main St. in the Village of Johnson City.

The Greenery Spots cannabis is grown by New York farmers. The store promises high-quality, tested cannabis products that support jobs in the industry.

"The Greenery Spots emphasis on supporting our areas farms and selling locally-sourced products align with the broader vision of building a more sustainable and interconnected economy within the Southern Tier, said State Senator Lea Webb (D-Binghamton). New Yorks cannabis industry is built on principles of equity, and we look forward to the economic growth and new jobs that The Greenery Spot will bring to our community.

State cracks down on unlicensed cannabis businesses

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) speaks Thursday during the grand opening of the Greenery Spot Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 246 Main St. in the Village of Johnson City.

The Greenery Spot opens as New York state is attempting to crack down on sales at unlicensed businesses. State agencies inspected several dozen storefronts in June stretching from New York City to Ithaca and Binghamton, leading to violations at 31 businesses and the seizure of over 1,000 pounds of illicit cannabis valued at roughly $11 million.

A handful of Broome County businesses were cited, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced June 22, including Green Magic and Take Off in Binghamton, Royal Vapes of Endicott, and BMillz of Endicott and Conklin.

As a fully licensed and legal establishment, in an area previously plagued by illicit shops, Johnson City residents can now be confident that they are being provided with safer, more reliable cannabis options, said Brian Farmer, a spokesperson from the Office of Cannabis Management.

Access to the legal market means high-quality products and professional guidance in ensuring a positive and responsible cannabis experience for all.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Greenery Spot in Johnson City is New York's 16th cannabis dispensary
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Former Vice President Mike Pence participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN's Dana Bash at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 7.
Titan debris brought up from the ocean floor is unloaded Wednesday from the Horizon Arctic ship at the Canadian Coast Guard pier in St. John's.
Weather Alert

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri, including the following areas, in southern Illinois, Alexander, Franklin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry IL, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson. In western Kentucky, Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, Todd and Trigg. In southeast Missouri, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi, Perry MO and Scott. * WHEN...Until Noon CDT today. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Any additional rainfall of significance may lead to renewed flooding in locations that experienced torrential rainfall this week and where the ground is already saturated. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding, and especially those who experienced flooding Tuesday night into Wednesday, should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. &&
Weather Alert

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1030 AM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN UNION...PULASKI...NORTHWESTERN MASSAC...SOUTHWESTERN JOHNSON...NORTH CENTRAL ALEXANDER...NORTHEASTERN BALLARD AND NORTHWESTERN MCCRACKEN COUNTIES... At 948 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Dongola, or 12 miles southeast of Jonesboro, moving southeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. Locations impacted include... Dongola, Tamms, Karnak, Ullin, Kevil, Joppa, Olmsted, Cypress, New Grand Chain, Pulaski, Belknap and Mill Creek. This includes Interstate 57 in Illinois between Mile Markers 12 and 26. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. && THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE; HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED; MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN; WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED; MAX WIND GUST...70 MPH

...Heavy rains may again impact portions of northeastern Carlisle, eastern Ballard, McCracken and northern Graves Counties... A cluster of thunderstorms is moving into parts of the Purchase area of western Kentucky from the northwest. This storm is producing heavy rains. On its current track the system may impact parts of McCracken and Ballard Counties through 1100 am. This would likely lead to rapid onset flash flooding given the recent heavy rains. The storms for now look likely to remain north of the Mayfield, Wingo and Bardwell areas but residents in the area should closely monitor for updates. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor closely for updates through noon today. && MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN; MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH

...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri, including the following areas, in southern Illinois, Alexander, Franklin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry IL, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson. In western Kentucky, Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, Todd and Trigg. In southeast Missouri, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi, Perry MO and Scott. * WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Additional thunderstorms may move over the area this morning and afternoon. Any rainfall of significance may lead to renewed flooding in locations that experienced torrential rainfall this week and where the ground is already saturated. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. &&
In order to justify the effort of selecting individual stocks, it's worth striving to beat the returns from a market index fund. But in any portfolio, there will be mixed results between individual stocks. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Hawesko Holding SE (ETR:HAW), since the last five years saw the share price fall 27%. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 16% in the last three months.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

Check out our latest analysis for Hawesko Holding

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. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the unfortunate half decade during which the share price slipped, Hawesko Holding actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 4.4% 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. Having said that, we might get a better idea of what's going on with the stock by looking at other metrics.

We note that the dividend has remained healthy, so that wouldn't really explain the share price drop. It's not immediately clear to us why the stock price is down but further research might provide some answers.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Take a more thorough look at Hawesko Holding's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. 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. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, Hawesko Holding's TSR for the last 5 years was -9.3%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

Investors in Hawesko Holding had a tough year, with a total loss of 9.9% (including dividends), against a market gain of about 8.5%. 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 1.8% 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Hawesko Holding better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Hawesko Holding is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , 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 German exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Just a few days after the failed coup in Russia and a week before the NATO summit in Vilnius, Germany is increasing its deployment of combat troops in Eastern Europe.

At a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anusauskas in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Monday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (Social Democratic Party, SPD) announced that Germany was ready to permanently station a robust brigade in Lithuania. The prerequisite for this was that the corresponding infrastructure is available, barracks, training facilities and the aforementioned depots. For a brigade, we are talking about 4,000 soldiers, plus material, and in the case of a permanent stationing, also family.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks during a press conference at Exercise Griffin Storm 2023 during the visit to the Training Range in Pabrade, some 60 km (38 miles) north of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, Monday, June 26, 2023. [AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis]

The far-reaching plans were announced by Pistorius without any public discussionlet alone a parliamentary vote. They stem from an agreement reached between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda about a year ago after the last NATO summit in Madrid. That they are now being implemented is part of the escalation of the war against Russia in Ukraine by the imperialist powers, which is also the focus of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius.

The original agreement between Scholz and Nauseda shows that the German combat troops on the Russian border will serve to intensify the aggression against Moscow. Both politicians expressed the will to further strengthen the eastern part of NATO in order to continue to ensure the Alliances credible deterrence and defence, as the text says. It was agreed that in addition to the already existing and upgraded enhanced forward presence Battlegroup, Germany is ready to lead a robust and combat-ready brigade in Lithuania, to deter and defend against Russian aggression.

This is the usual propaganda that turns reality on its head. In fact, it is the imperialist powers, not Moscow, who are the main aggressors in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. With its systematic military encirclement of Russia, NATO deliberately provoked the reactionary intervention of the Putin regime. Since then, it has continued to fuel the conflict and is now also using the failed coup attempt for a further escalation of the war.

In Lithuania, Pistorius visited the Griffin Storm exercise at the Pabrade military training area together with Anusauskas, Nauseda and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. According to the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces), armoured infantry brigade 41 Vorpommern is training there for deployment on NATOs eastern flank and has deployed around 1,000 soldiers to Lithuania for this purpose.

Standing in front of a martial backdrop of German battle tanks with their Iron Crosses, they competed in their threats against Russia. Stoltenberg thanked Pistorius for Germanys contributions. Griffin Storm demonstrated the ability to rapidly increase the German-led NATO battlegroup to brigade size, he said. The exercise sends a clear message: NATO is ready to defend every inch of the alliances territory. There were now more than 40,000 troops under NATO command, especially in the eastern part of the Alliance, supported by a strong air and naval force. And further strengthening would be high on the agenda at the Vilnius summit.

Nauseda affirmed that he would do his part of the job as well and as quickly as possible to accommodate the brigade-sized presence of German troops in my country. He said that there was a firm political determination to raise the necessary financial resources to finance the infrastructure needs. And of course, the modernisation of our armed forces is also a high priority.

In his own statement, Pistorius boasted of Germanys leading role in the war build-up against Russia in Eastern Europe. Three decades ago, Germany was the eastern flank of NATO territory until the end of the Warsaw Pact. Today, the Baltic countries, Poland and Slovakia are the eastern flank and quite exposed because of their geographical location. Now, he said, Germany was ready to take responsibility and make our contribution to protecting the eastern flank.

Pistorius preferred not to delve into what Germanys role on the eastern flank or eastern front had been eight decades ago under the Nazis. But the aggressive posturing of German imperialism in Eastern Europe and the deployment of German combat units for war against Russia reveal the sinister tradition in which the entire NATO war offensive stands.

82 years ago, Hitlers Wehrmacht (Armed Forces) invaded the Soviet Union and plunged the whole of Eastern Europe into a war of extermination in which at least 27 million people lost their livessix million of them Jews, in the Holocaust. Despite these terrible crimes, the imperialist powers are once again pursuing the goal of subjugating the geostrategically important Russia and plundering its huge reserves of raw materials.

The aims of German imperialism extend far beyond Russia now, as they did then. The German ruling class is deliberately using the conflict to re-establish itself as the leading military power in Europe after losing two world wars, in order to pursue its great power ambitions.

Significantly, ahead of the European Council on June 29-30, Scholz focused his recent government statement on some key statements of Germanys new National Security Strategy. The World Socialist Web Site has commented on the document, calling it a blueprint for war abroad and the establishment of a military state at home.

Scholzs remarks confirmed this assessment. We are taking a much more active role in protecting our alliance territory and our friends in NATO. We are laying the foundations for a geopolitically capable Europe, he declared. What this means is the militarisation of the continent under German leadership.

Strengthening Europes role in NATO means above all, that we bundle our defence efforts in Europe, give the defence industry in Europe a long-term perspective and accelerate its production. Partner nations were being offered the opportunity to join our procurement initiatives. The Chancellor praised major projects such as the European Sky Shield Initiative, a European missile shield initiated by Berlin.

The National Security Strategy also set concrete goals for national and alliance defence, i.e., the ability to wage a major war. First, to strengthen the Bundeswehr so that it becomes a guarantor of conventional defence in Europe; second, to promote military capabilities for the future; and third, to expand the security and defence technological base in Europe.

The cost of this war madness is to be borne by the working class in every respect. Scholz announced his governments goal of increasing military spending to two percent of GDP, even despite the special fund of 100 billion for the Bundeswehr introduced by his coalition government with the Green and Liberal Democrats (FDP). He said that care would be taken to ensure that the Bundeswehr finally receives the equipment it needsthrough effective procurement from the special fund, but also by spending 2 percent of our GDP on defence for the first time in decades, starting next year.

The social attacks on the working class to come are gigantic. In concrete terms, implementing the two percent target means increasing the regular military budget by almost 30 billion. The annual war budget would then amount to about 80 billion. By comparison, the current education budget is 21.46 billion. Last year, the health budget was already cut from 64 to 22 billion. And for the current budget, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is planning an austerity package of at least 20 billion.

All the capitalist parties in Germany are working closely together to push through the pro-war course and the associated massive social attacks against opposition among working people. According to the parliamentary record, at the beginning of his government statement, when Scholz announced his administration would support Ukraine in its defence struggle with all its strength and above all for as long as necessary, not only the deputies of the governing parties SPD, FDP and Greens applauded, but also representatives of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Left Party.
Over 120 million people, or more than a third of the US population, were under air quality alerts Wednesday in over a dozen states spanning from the Midwest to the East Coast as a result of an immense smoke plume from hundreds of wildfires raging across Canada.

Canada is presently experiencing the most destructive wildfire season in the countrys history, a direct manifestation of the deepening climate crisis. Occurring annually from May until October, Canadas wildfire season typically peaks in August. But only two months into the wildfire season, nearly 8 million hectares of landclose to 20 million acreshave been burned, already an all-time record for a single year. Over the last 24 hours alone, this number has increased by over 100,000 hectares.

Since the beginning of 2023, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre has recorded nearly 3,000 wildfires. At present, there are at least 477 fires burning in Canada, ranging from the countrys westernmost provinces to the furthest eastern regions. Of these fires, 237 are classified as out of control, 151 are officially considered under control and 89 fires are classified as being held, which means blazes are not under control, but stationary. On Wednesday, officials reported the highest number of current active fires in Quebec, 113 fires, and the second-highest in British Columbia, 94 active blazes.

Tens of thousands of people in Canada have been forced to flee their homes in the face of the raging fires, and millions more face high risk air quality from lingering smoke and smog.

Just three weeks after over 115 million people across the US East Coast and Canada were suddenly engulfed in toxic smog, this horrific environment has once again descended upon vast swaths of North America. Air quality index (AQI) scores have ranged from unhealthy to very unhealthy and even hazardous.

Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Toronto and Washington D.C. were among the top 10 cities with the highest air pollution in the world on Wednesday, while other major cities reached the very unhealthy or hazardous thresholds, including St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Louisville and Indianapolis.

Smoke fills the sky reducing visibility Wednesday, June 28, 2023 in Detroit. [AP Photo/Paul Sancya]

The inhalation of fine particulate smoke produced by wildfires is known to have serious negative health effects, including triggering asthma attacks and heart attacks. Longer-term health problems also result from extended exposure and inhalation of this smoke, including lung cancer. Inhalation can also exacerbate conditions for those who recently suffered pneumonia or myocarditis, which are common conditions suffered by those infected with COVID-19. Poor air quality is a leading cause of death, killing at least 6 million people internationally every year.

Under these conditions, not even the most basic public health measures were taken to ensure the safety of the population. Despite the serious health risks, businesses and schools remained open, and industrial production continued uninterrupted throughout the vast geographic region inundated with smoke. At the federal, state and local levels, both Democratic and Republican politicians either ignored the danger or only issued perfunctory health advisories, which businesses flouted with impunity. At most, masking was only encouraged, with no explanation of the crucial importance of using a well-fitting N95 mask.

In his statement on Chicagos air quality, newly-elected Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson, backed by the pseudo-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), perfectly illustrated the neglectful, indifferent response of capitalist politicians to the lives of workers:

The City of Chicago is carefully monitoring and taking precautions as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has categorized our Air Quality Index as unhealthy due to Canadian wildfire smoke present in the Chicago region. We recommend children, teens, seniors, people with heart or lung disease, and individuals who are pregnant avoid strenuous activities and limit their time outdoors. For additional precautions, all Chicagoans may also consider wearing masks, limiting their outdoor exposure, moving activities indoors, running air purifiers, and closing windows. (Emphasis added.)

Everywhere the solution to this immense public health problem is presented as an individual issue. No serious protective and preventative public health measures have been taken to ensure the health and safety of the population. The Chicago Department of Public Health waited a full day before issuing an alert on the dangerous air quality and has done nothing to ensure that every resident be provided with N95 masks, improved ventilation or any other public health measures. The same can be said for every major city affected by the wildfire smoke.

In a rational society, not one which subordinates everything to the altar of profit, schools and non-essential production and businesses would be temporarily closed with full compensation provided to affected workers, while essential workers would be given the best protective equipment and ventilation technology available.

However, as has been demonstrated over the last three years by the criminal response of the ruling class to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this is not how the decaying capitalist profit system operates. The corporate-financial oligarchy which runs society will not tolerate any interruption to the production of profits. Thus, over the past two days, workers in the most polluted areas have been forced to continue working.

Workers from across the Midwest have sent reports to the World Socialist Web Site documenting horrific working conditions amid this public health and environmental catastrophe. Forced to work in smoke-filled factories, they have often barely been able to breathe, with many witnessing co-workers collapse on the line. Inside many factories, the air quality has been worse than outside, registering AQI scores of over 200.

A worker at the Warren Truck Assembly plant in Detroit told the WSWS, Its muggy and thick in the plant. You can definitely tell a difference in the plant air when you walk outside.

A worker at the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan described conditions workers faced Tuesday afternoon and evening:

The air was bad yesterday already but when I walked into the plant for my shift it was even worse. The whole area around the chassis line was filled with thick smog. It smelled real bad too, like chemicals. Everyone was talking about it and taking pictures of the smoke, posting on our locals Facebook page. Lots of workers were saying that they were having asthma attacks and couldnt breathe, and their eyes were burning because of the smoke. I heard that someone went down from having an asthma attack too.

Photo from inside a smoke-filled auto plant on Tuesday

Another autoworker commented on social media, They [the company] wont do anything until someone with compromised breathing (asthma, emphysema, COPD) literally goes down. And even then, its a long shot. They give zero f*** about us.  Look out for you. No one else does in that place.

A Dearborn Ford worker commented on social media, Currently working at the Dearborn Truck Plant being smothered by the smoke. Its all in the building.

Not a peep of opposition to these horrendous conditions has come from the trade union bureaucrats, including the newly-elected and DSA-backed United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain. As took place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the union apparatus, dominated by wealthy bureaucrats, has obediently carried out its duties as a labor police force for the ruling class by keeping workers on the job.

The same GM worker told the WSWS:

The UAW didnt do a single thing and was keeping us working despite the health danger of working in this bad air quality. Our local union chairperson responded to questions on our app about the air quality, dismissing and avoiding the issue, saying people were leaving a few overhead doors open and thats why the smoke was getting in. He didnt call for us to walk out or anything. The union doesnt care about our health and safety. They just want to make sure we dont walk out no matter how bad things get and to keep making profits for the company. We should all be refusing to work in these hazardous conditions.

The worker at Dearborn Ford commented, our union [UAW] aint sh**. They so-called tested the air quality in the building saying that they dont detect anything. Straight bullsh**! You can taste it in the air.

Workers reported smelling chemicals, something like burning plastic and rubber tires. This indicates that the smoke from the wildfires, composed of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), through interaction with ultraviolet radiation from the sun has likely created benzene and formaldehyde compounds in the atmosphere. These are toxic air pollutants that can have extremely serious negative health consequences.

The unfolding climate and public health disaster across large portions of the US and Canada, for the second time in less than a month, is yet another devastating exposure of the bankruptcy of the capitalist system. The ruling elites and their representatives in the capitalist political parties and trade unions have nothing but contempt for the working class, whom they view as simply fodder for exploitation.

Workers enduring ever-greater suffering must draw the necessary conclusions. The WSWS urges workers in every industry to organize rank-and-file committees to assert your own independent interests, enforce temporary paid shutdowns, and guarantee that necessary public health measures are taken to protect the population.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its global rampage unabated, there is a growing body of research on the damaging effects the disease can have on virtually every organ system.

The World Socialist Web Site recently reported on a groundbreaking study which points to a mechanism of the virus that could potentially cause the irreversible fusion of brain cells. Three other recent studies have identified an association between infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the development of Alzheimers disease, thyroid dysfunction and cancer. In each case, the effects can extend over long periods, indicating that the full impact of the pandemic will continue to unfold over decades unless a determined worldwide campaign is undertaken to stop it.

In all three of the recent studies, a common feature is the influence of the immune system reaction known as the cytokine storm which is caused by COVID-19. During the cytokine storm, the innate immune system causes an uncontrolled and excessive release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules called cytokines. Normally, cytokines are part of the bodys immune response to infection, but their sudden release in large quantities can cause multi-system organ failure and death.

In the case of Alzheimers, rapid onset of the disease has been observed in a variety of patients, including young adults, suffering from COVID-19. The study found that the affected mechanism is known as the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which regulates innate (as opposed to acquired) immunity, various microbiota (normally occurring microbial populations within the human body), and autonomic (involuntary or unconscious) processes of the kidney, lungs and heart.

RAS exists in every cell in the body. The overstimulation of RAS has a number of consequences, including increased production of oxygen that kills cells, promotion of blood clots, promotion of the growth of blood vessels and tumors, arterial hypertension (high blood pressure), to name only a few. The last is particularly relevant to brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimers, since it causes vascular constriction, limiting blood flow to the brain, resulting in neurological damage.

The effect of SARS-CoV-2 on RAS is also being studied with respect to its potential to cause cancer. In a study titled, Possible cancer-causing capacity of COVID-19: Is SARS-CoV-2 an oncogenic agent? it is posited that the effects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection may be similar to other oncogenic (cancer-causing) viruses in their impact on the RAS system.

The study notes that other coronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), have already been demonstrated to lead to cancer. These viruses cause cancer by altering tumor suppressing pathways by means of its nonstructural proteins, and triggering inflammatory cascades by enhancing cytokine production in the form of a cytokine storm paving the way for the emergence of cancer stem cells in target organs.

Separate research conducted at the Karolinska Hospital, based on autopsies of individuals who have died from COVID-19, has demonstrated that a significant number showed evidence of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), which is the cause of death for 70 percent of such patients, resulting from cytokine storm.

The authors of the study linking COVID-19 to cancer conclude:

Experimental studies show that SARS-CoV-2 is able to induce re-infection/reactivation and persistent infection in the same manner as seen with other viral infections. One of the most worrying long-term effects of infection is the potential to induce malignant neoplasms [cancer], which will be a major health concern over the coming decades.

The study on COVID-19s effects on the thyroid, Impact of Covid-19 disease on thyroid function: longitudinal study, was conducted under the direction of Dr. Ilaria Muller, assistant professor in endocrinology, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health at the University of Milan, Italy. The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones which regulate a variety of body functions, including metabolism, heart rate, digestion and body temperature. Dysfunction of the thyroid can result in higher or lower hormone production which results in a range of serious negative effects.

The clinical study, which involved one hundred patients admitted to hospital for severe COVID-19, notes that the cytokine storm can adversely affect hormone production and produce inflammation of the thyroid.

In the short term, patients thyroid function returned to normal once they recovered from the acute phase of the disease. However, in a follow-up study 12 months later, the researchers found regions of thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid) remained visible via thyroid ultrasound in half of the patient population. Furthermore, four out of six patients had symptoms of thyroiditis. Determination of the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the thyroid are unknown and will require further study.

When viewed together with other long-term effects of COVID-19, such as irreversible damage to brain cells, and potentially others as yet undiscovered, it becomes abundantly clear that the forever COVID policy which has been implemented across the globe, prioritizing the short-term interests of private profit over peoples lives, is condemning humanity to progressively intensifying debilitation and death.

Only a worldwide program to implement a proven array of public health measures, along with the commitment of all necessary economic resources to sustain this effort, can avert this catastrophe. Such a mobilization is inconceivable under capitalism. Only the working class can implement the necessary socialist measures as part of a thorough transformation of society.
A CSX train in South Carolina in December 2017. CC BY 2.0] [Photo by Reginald McDowell

On Monday, a CSX conductor trainee, Derek Scott Little, was reported killed on the job due to an accident at the Seagirt Marine Terminal worksite in Baltimore, Maryland. He was only 28 years old.

As is commonplace when a worker dies, the media hardly picked up on the death, with the only news outlet reporting on the incident being a local affiliate of CBS. CBS Baltimore merely cites the companys self-serving press statement, which notes that safety of our railroaders is CSXs highest priority.

According to workers, Little was a recent hire and a father-to-be who had only been with CSX for about three months. Workers at the site told the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) that Little was riding a shove, or a rail car in the opposite direction of his trainer, when he suddenly slack-rolled out between rail cars, causing him to fall off and be run over by the incoming train.

The job [Little] was working was assembling the trains in the yard, which involves coupling, uncoupling cars, operating switches, and communicating with the engineer, reported a worker familiar with the incident. Often they ride on the back of the last car hanging from the side. They hold on to grab irons with one hand and communicate with the engineer on the other end of the train by radio telling him how much distance before he needs to stop.

From what we were told he was thrown off by slack action. Every coupler has a little slack in it, but the more cars, the more violent it is starting and stopping at the opposite end of the train from the locomotive. It was also raining here on and off all night, slippery hand holds and rungs Im sure contributed to him not being able to hang on.

Another railroad worker said, My only concern is the company putting financial gains over employee safety. Why is a trainee working at night? Was he alone? In this unforgiving industry I think a more seasoned employee should have been with him. We have trainees in position of trainers, thats unacceptable.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2021 that a workplace injury occurred every 101 minutes in the United States. Nearly 5,200 workplace deaths were recorded in America that year, a 9 percent increase from the year before, yet still likely a vast undercount.

In an internal email, CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs stated that Little had suffered fatal injuries last night as a result of an unfortunate accident and that his deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and coworkers during this difficult time.

Attempting to avoid any responsibility and implicitly place the blame on workers for their injuries and deaths, Hinrichs continued, I urge everyone to redouble your commitment to following safety protocols, claiming that Littles was the first loss of life on our railroad in over two years, the longest such stretch in our history.

In fact, the rail industry is notoriously dangerous. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), Railroad deaths totaled 893 in 2021, a 20% increase from the 2020 revised total of 744 and the highest since 2007. In addition, the Federal Railroad Administration reported about 1,164 derailments last year, or about three derailments a day.

Aaron Gordon, a reporter for Vice Motherboard, has written that industrywide, since 2016, according to government data, the workforce of the freight rail industry has been reduced by 30%. Gordon states that while rail operators may claim they have managed to maintain safe operations, I have not heard that from anyone who actually works on the railroads. Instead, what they tell me is they have less time and fewer resources to do their jobs.

Gordon notes that at Northfolk Southern, the rail company responsible for the toxic derailment outside of East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, workers used to have two to three minutes to inspect each railcar, and each railcar can be up to 100 feet long. Theyre inspecting  more than 100 points on the train to make sure that its safe to run. And now they have fewer than 90 seconds.

Earlier this month, a CSX locomotive crash at a CSX railyard in Baltimore resulted in a diesel fuel spill that poisoned the air at the site and the adjacent Curtis Bay community. The fuel spill followed an explosion at another Baltimore CSX site, a coal pier, where CSX got away with a wrist-slap fine of about $15,000 to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and $100,000 to the South Baltimore Community Land Trust, an infinitesimal fraction of the companys annual profits.

Emboldened by the broader conspiracy of Wall Street, the Biden administration and the rail union bureaucracy against railroaders, the railroads have continued to move aggressively to attack workers. Last month CSX locked out 40 car haulers at a CSX site in Annapolis Junction, Maryland, operated by a subsidiary, while weeks prior, on May 17, due to the debt limit crisis, the Biden administration directly cut railroader unemployment and sickness benefits by 5.7 percent.

The railroads are directly responsible for the type of conditions that allowed the loss of the young railroaders life to take place. Railroaders routinely walk into hazardous worksites with no guarantee of coming back.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employee Division (BMWED) has released no comments on the death of Little. The rail union bureaucracy has in fact assiduously worked to subjugate railroaders to the interests of Wall Street and the Biden administration. They played a critical role in blocking a national rail strike last year. Since their betrayal, they have launched a cynical campaign of begging the railroad CEOs to no avail to improve the conditions of the railroads.

Another CSX employee, Will, a maintenance worker, placed the tragedy into a broader context. He said to the WSWS, The death of this man lays directly at the feet of the parasites on Wall Street and their spineless lackeys installed in railroad management. He blamed the death on the companys profit drive, which caused a shortage of workers.

Railroaders cannot turn to the railroad CEOs, the Biden administration or the union bureaucracy to improve their safety conditions. Railroaders must organize the political struggle for better conditions independently of the rail union bureaucracies through rank-and-file worker organizations such as the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee.
(Bloomberg) -- Davidson Kempner Capital Management isnt fully disbursing a $250 million loan it had extended to the Indian ed-tech firm Byjus as the US hedge fund reviews the lending decision in light of an escalating crisis at the company, according to people familiar with the matter.

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The fund, which manages more than $38 billion, has given out less than half of the $250 million of convertible debt it had offered the Indian startup as some loan agreement covenants werent met, the people said, asking not to be named as the information isnt public. The firm is reviewing its lending decision after the company lost its auditor and three board members in the same week, raising questions about its accounting practices.

The US firms decision to hold back funds poses a fresh headache for the company that is trying to boost investor confidence through a proposed $1 billion fund raise. Byjus has also skipped payments on a $1.2 billion term loan and triggered a legal fight with creditors seeking quicker repayment.

Spokespersons for Davidson Kempner and Byjus declined to comment.

The firm, valued at $22 billion in its latest funding round, has been facing problems since it missed several deadlines to file audited financial accounts. The company has also been laying off thousands of employees as it seeks to cut costs.

Representatives of three influential backers  Peak XV, Prosus NV and the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative  quit Byjus board in the same week that Deloitte Haskins & Sells resigned as its auditor, underscoring a rapid erosion of trust within the companys ranks.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis four-day, June 2023, state visit to the US concluded with the signing of a flurry of agreements, concerning everything from arms sales and joint military production to critical minerals and resilient production chains.

Modi, US President Joe Biden, their aides and the media in India and the US have all hailed the summit and accompanying agreements as marking a new chapter in Indo-US relations.

Indeed they do. Washington is integrating India ever more fully into its all-sided, diplomatic, economic, strategic and military offensive against China. And the Modi regime and the Indian ruling class are more than willing to facilitate US imperialisms drive to thwart Chinas rise in exchange for strategic favours. While the Indian bourgeoisie boasts about the countrys world-beating growth, it fears the window for realizing its great-power ambitions is rapidly closing and that it could soon face the wrath of the countrys rapidly growing, brutally-exploited working class.

President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Washington. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

During Modis four days in Americawhich included a state dinner, a two-hour one-on-one meeting with Biden, a speech to a joint session of Congress and meetings with Elon Musk and other billionaires and corporate CEOsthere was much bluster about how the Indo-US global strategic partnership is based on democracy and shared values. Biden, with his decades-long tenure presiding over imperialist wars and intrigues, didnt so much as blush or wince as he feted Modi, who heads a far-right authoritarian regime that is relentlessly fomenting Hindu communalism and who was himself long barred from entry to the US for his role in the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim pogrom.

At the summits conclusion, Modi and Biden issued a more than 6,000 word, 58 paragraph long joint statement. It listed many joint initiatives and embellished on the phony, mendacious invocations of a common commitment to democracy, diversity and human rights.

But the true foundation and impetus for the ever closer Indo-US alliance was baldly spelled out at the conclusion of the statements very first paragraph. It emphasized the significance of the Quadthe anti-China, quasi-military alliance between India, the US and its principal Asia-Pacific allies, Japan and Australiaand did so in the language that Washington routinely employs to justify its drive to strategically encircle China and legitimize its own hegemony over Asia. Our cooperation, the joint statement declared, will serve the global good as we work through a range of multilateral and regional groupingsparticularly the Quadto contribute toward a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. No corner of human enterprise is untouched by the partnership between our two great countries, which spans the seas to the stars.

The initiatives and agreements made or reaffirmed at the summit are aimed at countering Chinas influence, isolating it strategically, pressuring it militarily and weakening it economicallyand all with the aim of girding US imperialism to wage war against the state it has publicly labeled its principal strategic adversary.

Many of these initiatives are directly bound up with strengthening Indo-US military ties and the interoperability of their armed forces. Others serve to promote India as an alternate production-chain hub to Chinaas part of US efforts to friendshore manufacturingand to secure the resources needed in the production of high-tech goods and weapons.

The new or recently launched initiatives include:

The building by the US-based Micron Technologies of a $2.75 billion microchip manufacturing and testing facility in Modis home state of Gujarat. Micron is to invest $825 million with the remainder of the financing to come from the Indian and Gujarat governments.

Indias accession to the US-led Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), which is aimed at securing access to critical minerals, including rare earths, and developing refining capacity. The existing members of the MSP are the G-7 powers, the European Union, Sweden, Finland, South Korea and Australia.

Indias incorporation into the US-led Artemis Accords on space cooperation, which is aimed at facilitating Indo-US cooperation in rocketry and other space-related technologies, many of which have military applications.

Agreements between the US Navy and three Indian shipyards, two on Indias west coast (the Arabian Sea) and one on Indias east coast (the Bay of Bengal), to provide service and repair to US warships mid-voyage.

Multiple mechanisms to foster the co-production and development of weapons and weapons system. These include: a defense industrial cooperation roadmap; a security of supply arrangement and reciprocal defense procurement arrangement that will enable the supply of defense goods in the event of unanticipated supply chain disruptions; and an India-US defense acceleration ecosystem (INDUS-X). The latter is described as a network of university, incubator, corporate, think tank, and private investment stakeholders. It is to foster new military technologies and accelerate the integration of Indias budding private sector defense industry with the U.S. defense sector.

India has also now finalized plans to buy US-made armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs or predator drones at a cost of more than $3 billion.

Both Indian and the US government spokespersons and military-security analysts have emphasized the special importance of General Electrics proposal to jointly produce its F414 jet engine in India with the partially privatized Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The engine will be used in Indias indigenously produced Tejas Mark 2 fighter jet, which is set to begin production in 2026. The US zealously guards its jet engine technology and has hitherto shared it only with its closest treaty allies. According to reports, under the agreement GE will share some 80 percent by value of the technologies used in the F414 with its Indian partners.

Announcing the GE-HAL agreement beside Modi in Washington last Thursday, GE CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. called it historic, adding that GE was proud to play a role in advancing President Joe Biden and PM Modis vision of closer coordination between the two nations.

From Washingtons standpoint, the weapons sales, co-production agreements and technology transfers serve multiple purposes. They bolster Indias military capabilities vis-a-vis China; can help wean India from its dependence on Russian-made weapons and weapons-systems, with a view to diminishing and ultimately breaking the longstanding Indian-Russian strategic partnership; and make India and its military increasingly dependent on the US.

Washington and New Delhi also share the objective of making India a major subcontractor of the US weapons industry and cheap-labour producer of US-designed armaments. The Pentagon aims thereby to slash its own costs and enlarge the bottom lines of US arms manufacturers. Indias goals are increased US investment and a major boost for its military industries. Currently one of the worlds largest weapons importers, India under the BJP has set itself the goal of massively expanding indigenous arms manufacture and raising its arms exports to $5 billion annually by 2025.

The Biden administrations drive to harness India to US imperialisms strategic offensive against China builds on the policies pursued by the previous four Democratic and Republican administrations.

These policies have been ever more explicitly directed at transforming India into a US frontline state against China, both on land and at sea. India neighbours China and boasts that it has developed nuclear-capable missiles that can strike all parts of China from anywhere on the Indian land mass. It is also geographically the best vantage point from which to dominate the Indian Ocean, through which much of Chinas oil and exports flow. With US encouragement, India is building a blue water navy and has laid claim to a growing role in policing the Indian Ocean.

Through an ever-expanding network of bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral military-security agreements and exercises with the US, Japan and Australia, New Delhi has become enmeshed in Washingtons war preparations against China.

During the past three years, Washington has also obtrusively intervened in the Sino-Indian border dispute. As a matter of course, the US now ties the conflict in the Himalayas to those it has helped incite between China and its South China Sea neighbours as examples of Beijings aggression.

Even more ominously, the Indian military is now receiving real time US intelligence about Chinese troop movements, intelligence that it boasts has materially impacted on encounters between Indian and Chinese troops along their disputed border, where the two countries have forward-deployed tens of thousands of troops, tanks and warplanes.

To be sure, Washington gnashed its teeth when New Delhi balked at western demands it denounce Russia as the aggressor in the NATO-instigated war with Russia over Ukraine and join in the imposition of sanctions. But the Biden administration and Pentagon have tempered their angereven turning a blind-eye to Indias sharply increased imports of discount-priced Russian oilin pursuit of what they perceive to be the more important strategic prize, strengthening their hand against China. This of course does not mean for a moment that Washington is not working in the long term to undermine and ultimately break New Delhis strategic partnership with Moscow.

The Modi government, with the full complicity of the Congress Party and other bourgeois opposition forces, tries for its part to cover up the aggressive and increasingly bellicose character of the Indo-US alliance with occasional affirmations that it is directed against no other country.

This is belied on a daily basis, in word and especially in deed, by both Washington and New Delhi.

The Indo-US alliance is reactionary, reckless and incendiary. It is drawing the region and the world ever closer to a catastrophic military conflagration. It has encouraged Washington in its simultaneous pursuit of confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia and China, and it has resulted in Indias border conflict with China and historic rivalry with Pakistan becoming intertwined with the US-China clash, adding to each a massive new explosive charge.

The development of an anti-war movement uniting workers across South Asia, China, the US and around the world in opposition to imperialism, the rival capitalist governments and all the political representatives of capitalism is a strategic imperative.
Kshama Sawant [Photo: Seattle City Council]

Earlier this month, Socialist Alternative held a public meeting at the Borough of Manhattan Community College for the New York City launch of its Workers Strike Back (WSB) campaign.

The event featured a panel discussion, which included Socialist Alternative leader Kshama Sawant, journalist Chris Hedges and former Bernie Sanders press secretary Briahna Joy Gray. The meeting also took contributions from former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader and a representative of the Morenoite publication Left Voice.

The announcement of the Workers Strike Back initiative marked an abrupt shift from the electoral work Sawant and Socialist Alternative were engaged in during her tenure as a member of the Seattle City Council. During the last two years, Socialist Alternative has attempted to transform the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which is a faction of the Democratic Party, from within. This was aimed, they claimed, at creating a viable alternative to the Democratic Party and rebuilding a fighting and democratic labor movement, struggles against oppression, and lay the foundations for a new mass working class party in the US. The DSA has subsequently exposed itself as a supporter of the US-NATO war against Russia, and its members in Congress voted to illegalize a potential railroad strike last December.

The WSWS previously wrote about the formation of WSB, Socialist Alternatives decision to launch a sudden new initiative is a tardy attempt to rinse off the mud from rolling around the Democratic Party pigsty. Its aim is also to avoid any political discussion of its disastrous policy by rushing its membership from one pragmatic activist exercise to the next.

WSB, as Socialist Alternative has stressed, is a non-socialist initiative. This is proven by the decidedly anti-socialist figures with whom Socialist Alternative associated at the WSB event in New York.

Chris Hedges, for example, has spent the beginning part of the year campaigning for an alliance between the political left and the right. He was the opening speaker at the reactionary Rage Against the War Machine rally and defended his position to join it by writing: We will not topple corporate power and the war machine alone. There has to be a left-right coalition, which will include people whose opinions are not only unpalatable but even repugnant, or we will remain marginalized and ineffectual. This is a fact of political life.

Ralph Nader was the first speaker at the WSB event and made explicit the groups orientation to elected officialsthat is, the Democratic Party. For broad reform, where do we have to go? Its either Congress and state legislatures or local city council, Nader said. So what you want to do is demonstrate in front of the local office of your senators and representatives. That sends a message back to Washington. They see the workers have a pulse. They see the workers are going to connect it with voting in November. Always connect all your effort to focus for the longer term on changing the Congress and the state and local legislators.

In the panel discussion, Sawant said, Its not working with the Democrats and Republicans, and that what was needed is real militant fighting kind of strategies. Whats missing is political leadership to make some sort of change. Thats where WSB comes in. Thats where all the work that we have done in the nearly 10 years that weve had the office in Seattle and Socialist Alternative comes in.

However, Sawant and Socialist Alternative have not spent this time building socialist political leadership but promoting illusions in the Democratic Party and supporting the very same progressive Democrats she now denounces as betrayers of the working class. Sawant was regularly endorsed by Democratic Party groups, and in the last years Socialist Alternative has transformed itself into an election campaign team for Bernie Sanders in both 2016 and 2020. It has also lent support to congresspersons like the DSAs Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Progressive Caucus leader Pramila Jayapal.

The panelists at the WSB event also discussed the crisis of legitimacy confronting the trade union bureaucracies.

Hedges stated, This movement  is not just confronting a system thats gamed against us through the two-party duopoly, but its also confronting a union leadership that has become junior partners in the capitalist system.

Joy Gray asked about the issues surrounding union leadership and how to make unions more effective so that they arent self-defeating because the leadership is co-opted.

Sawant spoke of the prevalence of business unionism in the labor movement. We hear about frustrated workers who dont want to be in a union anymore.  [we] really need to be emphatic about the role of the union  the union is a way for workers to be organized as one unit and build solidarity  without it, workers are crushed. ... on that basis, there is a huge potential to win over workers.

Sawant stated the importance of reform caucuses being formed because it shows that the union leadership is also under pressure. A recent statement on the WSBs website titled A Rank-and-File Rebellion focuses on the fact that workers are increasingly fighting not only the bosses, but also their own union leadership. It continues, commenting on the rise of reform caucuses: We need to get organized to demand that these newly-elected union [reform] leaders follow through on their promises. In some cases, however, the leaders of these caucuses are promoting a watered-down form of business unionism.

While admitting that the corporatized trade unions have become discredited in the eyes of workers and that a rank-and-file rebellion is currently taking place against the union bureaucracy, the WSB campaign is only serving to redirect this anger back into promoting illusions that it is possible to make the union bureaucracies fight. This is a dead-end trap for rank-and-file workers looking for a way to fight back. Instead of breaking workers from the union apparatus and encouraging the rank-and-file rebellion, WSB is only helping the bureaucracies prepare to trap and harness the emerging rebellion.

There is a long history of failed union reform movements over the last half-century which Socialist Alternative ignores. American trade unions today, led by the AFL-CIO, function as a critical instrument for the suppression of the class struggle while promoting US imperialism, ensuring the working class is disciplined at home in order to pay for billions spent on war abroad.

Two such reform movements, the Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) and Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) in the UAW, now occupy top posts within their unions and are playing critical roles in selling out tens of thousands of UPS and auto workers. The Amazon Labor Union, which WSB promotes as groundbreaking, has failed to bring Amazon to the bargaining table one year after unionizing in Staten Island and currently faces an internal crisis.

Joy Gray criticized the left for not being united under one ideological umbrella, the way that Bernie kind of presented to us. She asked Hedges how to direct people back into a leftward direction.

Hedges said, Any progressive, even Bernie, has no power without the power of unions. And that is the most important political tool we have is organizing the working class to begin to put pressure on an oligarchic system that has orchestrated social inequalityunlike anything we have seenin the United States  politics is not a game of compromise, politics is a game of fear. And our job is to make them very, very afraid. [Emphasis added.]

In the course of his remarks, Hedges also heaped praise on Sawant, Naderfor whom Hedges was a speechwriterand Cornel West. Hedges said he was meeting with the Green Party the following day to recommend West run as their candidatewhich West is now doingand raised the possibility of Sawant running with West.

In a recent statement, Socialist Alternative said that they, along with WSB, will be taking up the fight for Cornel Wests campaign, and that a strong independent Cornel West campaign has the potential to help kick off a new wave of mass struggle and be a political earthquake in US politics.

Sawant later responded to Hedges. As Chris was saying, its what are they afraid of. Theyre not afraid of any one individual. What theyre afraid of is an army of working people that shows up in city council chambers and exposes the rottenness of the politicians who speak from both sides of their mouth.

Raising her experience in Seattle, Sawant said that if pressure is applied, they are forced to vote yes on renters rights, which is what has happened. We won a whole host of renters rights victories on that basis. Ultimately, thats the approach we need, whether were talking about union rights or electoral campaigns.

The panel discussion ended with a contribution by Hedges, who said: [Naders] whole argument, which I bought, was if we could get five, 10, 15 million people to stand in a third party, the Democrats will have to respond. And thats what we have to do now. We have to hold fast to these moral imperatives to frighten. Thats the only way theyre going to respondfrighten these systems into beginning to address the grotesque social inequality and the abuse of the working class. [Emphasis added.]

It must be stated emphatically: Opposing the right-wing, pro-imperialist Democratic Party is totally incompatible with attempting to pressure the Democrats into making reform. While Socialist Alternative and Hedges say they want to oppose the Democratic Party, the trade union bureaucracy and the DSA leadership, their politics are oriented towards these same hostile forces by pressuring them to reform themselves. This only serves as a block to the leftward movement of workers and young people seeking an independent path against these class enemies.

The ruling class will not be scared into reform. Todays Democratic Party, just like the Labour Party in Britain, responds to pressure from below by ruthlessly suppressing its left and appealing for unity with its friends in the fascistic Republican Party. There is no social constituency within the Democratic Party for reform because of the position of American imperialism. The Roosevelt administration could make certain concessions to stave off the threat of revolution because of the geopolitical dominance of American capitalism. Those days are long gone.

It is noteworthy that the word socialism was only raised once during the WSB meeting in New York, while the US-NATO proxy war in Ukraine was not raised a single time nor was the pandemic. Socialist Alternative has downplayed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including by advocating (alongside openly pro-imperialist organizations) for the lifting of Zero-COVID policies in China.

In sharp contrast to Socialist Alternatives initiative, the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) is fighting for the development of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) to encourage the emerging rank-and-file rebellion.

In the founding statement in April 2021, the ICFI wrote: For the working class to fight back, a path must be created to coordinate its struggles in different factories, industries and countries in opposition to the ruling class and the corporatist unions.  The IWA-RFC will work to develop the framework for new forms of independent, democratic and militant rank-and-file organizations of workers in factories, schools and workplaces on an international scale. In addition, it added, Sustaining and developing a network of independent organizations requires the development of a socialist leadership in the working class.

Another key document on building the IWA-RFC states:

While the IWA-RFC is not a replacement for the revolutionary party, it is also not merely an instrument of conventional trade union struggles. Its aim is to facilitate the development of a movement out of the control of the corporate-state AFL-CIO apparatus and unleash the tremendous social power of the American working class. Trotsky wrote in The Trade Unions in the Epoch of Imperialist Decay, the party must mobilize the masses, not only against the bourgeoisie, but also against the totalitarian regime within the trade unions themselves and against the leaders enforcing this regime. Smashing the AFL-CIO apparatus will require nothing less than a rebellion that transfers power to the workers themselves.

A growing network of rank-and-file committees of autoworkers, railroad workers, educators, postal workers and other sections of the working class is being built and has played a critical role in strikes and the broader development of the class struggle. This is encompassed in the campaign waged by socialist autoworker Will Lehman for UAW President based on abolishing, not reforming the UAW apparatus. This is the opposite of Socialist Alternatives futile calls to pressure the Democratic Party.
In a blow to the Conservative government, the Court of Appeal in London ruled Thursday that its plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful.

In a two-to-one majority decision, the ruling by Lord Burnett of Maldon, Sir Geoffrey Vos, and Lord Justice Underhill was handed down following a four-day hearing in April. The Court of Appeal was hearing the case after the High Court had ruled, last December, that the Rwanda policy was lawful. That decision was challenged by 10 asylum-seeker appellants and a charity, Asylum Aid, after the High Court left open the possibility of an appeal.

Ahead of the Court of Appeal ruling, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman held a bilateral with Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Vincent Biruta. June 22, 2023, [Photo by Lauren Hurley/DHSC / CC BY 2.0

The court cases stem from the eleventh-hour ruling last June by the European Court of Human Rights to stop a deportation flight to Rwanda, after an appeal was made by asylum seekers. Hailing from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan and Albania, they had arrived in Britain by crossing the English Channel from France in small boats. Central to the governments Illegal Migrants Bill is a policy allowing the deportation of asylum seekers who reach the UK via the Channel to Rwanda and other destinations deemed safe third countries.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made one of his five policy promises a pledge to Stop the Boats, appearing at press conferences and other events with the slogan on podiums and backdrops.

The Court of Appeals response was given in a 161-page judgement. It ruled that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they faced persecution or other inhumane treatment, when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum.

In their five-page summary judgement, the judges said, The central issue before the High Court and before the Court of Appeal was whether the asylum system in Rwanda was capable of delivering reliable outcomes. The Appellants case is that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that any persons sent to Rwanda will be removed to their home country when, in fact, they have a good claim for asylum. Sending them to Rwanda in those circumstances would breach article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In that sense, the appellants submitted that Rwanda is not a safe third country.

The summary judgment states, That conclusion is founded on the evidence which was before the High Court that Rwandas system for deciding asylum claims was, in the period up to the conclusion of the Rwanda agreement, inadequate.

While accepting that the assurances given by the Rwandan government were made in good faith and were intended to address any defects in its asylum processes, the judges believed that the evidence does not establish that the necessary changes had by then been reliably effected or would have been at the time of the proposed removals. In consequence sending anyone to Rwanda would constitute a breach of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, with which Parliament has required that the Government must comply (Human Rights Act 1998, section 6).

Home Secretary Priti Patel and Minister Biruta sign the migration and economic development partnership between the UK and Rwanda. April 14, 2022 [Photo by UK Home Office / CC BY 2.0

Lord Burnett dissented and reached the opposite conclusion, the summary explains. He agrees that the procedures put in place under the Rwanda agreement and the assurances given by the Rwandan government are sufficient to ensure that there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy will be wrongly returned to countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment.

The judgement gave the government immediate grounds to appeal, ruling out other grounds on which the appellants case was founded. These were centred on issues of law relating to the effect of the Refugee Convention, retained EU law, the designation of a country as a safe third country, data protection, and the fairness of procedures.

Moreover, the summary judgment concluded, the Court of Appeal makes clear that its decision implies no view whatever about the political merits or otherwise of the Rwanda policy. Those are entirely a matter for the Government, on which the Court has nothing to say. The Courts concern is only whether the policy complies with the law as laid down by Parliament.

Teeing up a government appeal, it added, a deliberately tight timetable has been set for consequential orders and directions, partly so that any application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court can be decided promptly.

Sunak responded that his government fundamentally disagrees with the decision, would challenge it and would consider an appeal to the Supreme Court. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was determined to stick with the Rwanda policy. Seizing the opportunity to whip up further hostility to refugees among the Tories right-wing constituency, she told a reporter, We need to change the system, we need to change our laws, thats how were going to stop the boats. Taxpayers were paying 6 million a day in hotels for asylum seekers, she continued, and the problem is out of control.

This far-right sociopath, who said at the Tory Party conference last October that her dream and obsession was to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, doubled down on her incendiary language, telling Parliament Thursday that the government had to stop providing hotel accommodation for asylum seekers and putting up people who have broken into this country. To do so was madness and the government would do whatever it takes to stop the boats.

The Tories used the Court of Appeal judgement to justify an appeal to strike it out completely, saying that it broadly agreed with the government and found it is lawful in principle for the government to relocate people who come illegally to a safe third country. Sunak noted also that it was not a unanimous verdict.

The government is intent on pushing through its reactionary law, as a right-wing media echo chamber churns out non-stop vitriol about the UK being invaded. This is the case even though only a few tens of thousands of people attempt to make the hazardous Channel crossing each year. The Tories are proceeding despite the Home Offices own official economic assessment of the Illegal Migration Bill showing that it would cost 169,000 per person to send an asylum seeker to Rwanda63,000 more per person than allowing them to remain in Britain.

The government has until July 6 to lodge an appeal. While it is unlikely to be heard until the autumn, the Tories intend to have their legislation in place, up to and including the UK leaving the European Convention on Human Rights if that is required.

A substantial body of Tory MPs would back such a move, with Sunak declaring, The policy of this government is very simple: it is this countryand your governmentwho should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen. Braverman has supported leaving the European Convention on Human Rights. Were the government to win the case at appeal in the Supreme Court, the appellants could take the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Every person on the planet has a right to asylum under international law stretching back decades. The Court of Appeal ruling noted, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was permitted to make submissions as an interested party and evidence filed on behalf of the UNHCR formed the foundation for much of the Appellants case.

The UNHCR statement released after the Court of Appeal judgement said there were longstanding and well-known concerns about the externalization of asylum obligations by states seeking to offload their responsibilities to people seeking refugee status to other nations.

None of the parties of the ruling elite have any fundamental differences with the Tories. Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called for a stricter enforcing of current anti-immigrant legislation, saying, Time and again, ministers have gone for gimmicks instead of getting a grip, and slogans instead of solutions, while the Tory boats chaos has got worse.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said, The government hasnt got a plan. Its had one gimmick, one headline-grabbing gimmick, Rwanda, which has already cost the taxpayer 140 million without anybody having gone to Rwanda. What the courts judgment shows is theyve spent that 140 million of taxpayers money without even doing the basics to see whether the scheme was really fit for purpose.
Following this weekends failed coup attempt by the far-right mercenary leader Evgeny Prigozhin in Russia, the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attempting to present the coup attempt as a turning point in the war and divert attention from its obviously failing counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.

Zelensky gleefully responded in real time to the coup attempt on Saturday, claiming on Twitter that the events highlighted Russias full-scale weakness.

Later, Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, speaking with CNNs Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday, stated that these last days, its finally destroying the myth that everything in Russia is under control, and that after these events, more people in the world will be more sure about Ukrainian victory.

Immediately following the attempted coup, Yermak had written on Twitter, A Russian civil war was the only plausible outcome to Putins unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

These statements show the degree of NATOs and Kievs support for the coup attempt. In fact, an earlier interview with the Washington Post indicated that Zelenskys intelligence service had been in contact with Prigozhin for months.

They also give, yet again, the lie to the war propaganda claims that the Zelensky government defends and stands for democracy in the war against Russia.

Evgeny Prigozhin is a convicted criminal, fascistic warlord and billionaire who has never even tried to claim to have anything to do with democracy. His Wagner mercenaries are known to maintain ties to the far right, and routinely glorify extreme violence on their social media channels. Until recently, Prigozhins main criticism of the Russian army leadership was that it did not carry out the war in Ukraine aggressively enough.

Yet the Zelensky government cheered on the coup attempt, calculating that it would help destabilize the Putin regime and divert attention from Kievs failing counteroffensive in southern Ukraine two weeks ahead of the critical NATO summit in Vilnius. While the Zelensky government and its imperialist backers also expressed the hope that the chaos in Russia would facilitate the counteroffensive, so far nothing of the sort has occurred.

Amid the confusion of the unfolding coup, Ukraine launched new offensives north and south of Bakhmut, in Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka, Yahidne, Klishchiivka and Kurdyumivka. Yet despite the chaotic situation in Russia and the almost day-long seizure by Prigozhin of the headquarters of Russias Southern Military District, which oversees the Russian armys operations in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military advanced just 17 square kilometers (6.6 square miles) compared with a week earlier, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.

All told, Ukraines much publicized counteroffensive has liberated just 130 square kilometers (50.1 square miles) of territory in three weeks at the price of the lives of tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian soldiers are still miles away even from reaching Russian defenses.

This week, Russia released horrific drone footage showing Ukrainian troops being torn apart as they drove head-on into heavily mined Russian defenses.

These videos essentially confirm earlier reports from both Ukrainian and Western officials that, despite billions of dollars in training and weaponry, the Ukrainian counteroffensive was going nowhere, even as Ukraine is suffering heavy casualties, with deaths of up to 1,000 a day.

Despite the obvious failure of the counteroffensive, Deputy Defense Minister Maliar continued to make absurd claims, such as, The enemys casualties over the past week are eight times more than ours.

To make up for mass casualties at the front and in a desperate attempt to mitigate the ever-growing problem of a lack of manpower, the Zelensky government is now carrying out a new wave of mobilizations in at least three provinces.

According to Volodymyr Arap, the head of the Kharkiv regions recruiting offices, the military will be drafting men from ages 18 to 60 throughout July, regardless of military experience or desire to fight in the war.

In response to a question on whether the military was sending people to the front who do not want to go or are unmotivated, Arap bluntly stated the persons desire to serve in the war was inconsequential.

You are a citizen of Ukraine and must do everything in your power to protect her sovereignty and independence! Arap responded.

As the WSWS has confirmed in interviews with Ukrainian youth, there is widespread fatigue over a war that has claimed the lives of at least 200,000 Ukrainian soldiers, wounding many more. Workers and youth who reject fighting in this bloody war, which is waged against Russia in Ukraine on behalf of the imperialist powers, are simply grabbed off the street and sent to the front.

In stark contrast to the false image of a country united in war against a common foe that has been created by the Ukrainian and NATO governments and their media, polls indicate that views on the war within Ukrainian society are highly ambiguous.

According to a poll by the George Soros Foundation-funded VoxUkraine, 25 percent of respondents in Ukraine and 29 percent of Ukrainian refugees abroad agree with the statement that, The West is using Ukraine for its own purposes in the war against Russia.

The poll also found that 29 percent of respondents in Ukraine and 35 percent of Ukrainian refugees agreed that the so-called Revolution of Dignity of February 2014the official term given to the overthrow of a pro-Russian government by far-right forces with the backing of the US and EUwas, in fact, a coup.

As Ukrainian political scientist Ivan Katchanovski noted on Twitter, these results were all the more significant because they did not include areas under Russian occupation, and the responses were given in an environment of widespread political censorship and terror being carried out within Ukraine.

These polls clearly indicate that among many ordinary Ukrainians, there is, in fact, growing skepticism and discontent with the war. Yet these sentiments find no expression in an atmosphere of a near-permanent war hysteria that is being whipped up by NATO and oligarchical and right-wing nationalist upper-middle class layers of Ukrainians that are given the limelight in Western media and academia.

With just two weeks to go until the NATO summit in Vilnius, the only response by NATO and the Ukrainian oligarchy to the mass killings and lack of any serious advance at the front has been to prepare a further escalation of the already catastrophic conflict.

This week, Denmark began training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

While no Western country has yet delivered F-16s to Ukraine, it is clear that a campaign is being conducted to promote the eventual introduction of the American fighter jets into the war despite earlier assurances from President Biden that this would never happen because it would mean World War Three.

In comments in Kiev on Tuesday, Andriy Yermak claimed that Ukraine needed at least 100 F-16s to win the war. I believe that it is absolutely realistic to receive the F-16 fighter jets before the end of the year, Yermak said.

His words show that Ukraines attempts to procure F-16s and even further escalate the bloodbath are well known and conducted with the full knowledge and support of Kievs NATO backers.

There is no such thing as someone not doing something and we dont know why: Everything is open and transparent, in complete trust, Yermak stated.
The credit financing provided by the national banks in the UAE to the business and industrial sectors has increased by 5.8% as of April, thus taking the total to AED737.3 billion ($200 billion) from AED696.7 billion ($189 billion) last year.

As per the latest Central Bank of the UAE data on credit financing, the national banks increased their credit balance for the two sectors by AED2.1 billion or 0.3 percent in April, up from AED735.2 billion in March.

The national lenders gave 90% of their accumulated credit balance of AED818.9 billion to the countrys business and industrial sectors by the end of April, while foreign banks only provided 10%, it stated.

The central bank said by the end of April, the Abu Dhabi banks had provided AED365.6 billion in credit to these sectors, banks in Dubai AED351.3 billion, and those in the other emirates AED102 billion.

The credit financing was mostly from traditional banks, which provided AED675.5 billion or 82.5% of the total, while Islamic banks only contributed 17.5%, it added. -TradeArabia News Service
Home sellers have little reason to list as mortgage rates head higher

Homebuyers didnt get any relief in mortgage rates this week, leaving them with little choice to either move forward with their purchase plans at elevated rates or stick to the sidelines.

The rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged higher to 6.71% from 6.67% the week prior, according to Freddie Mac. Rates have swayed between 6% and 7% since the start of the year, showing little signs of softening this summer.

The high rates have kept many homeowners from listing their homes, driving up prices on whats left in the market and creating unfavorable conditions for the buyers still on the hunt.

That move-up buyer is pretty much gone, Luis Padilla, CEO of Oceanside Realty and Padilla Team in Miami, told Yahoo Finance. It's whats putting the brakes on the market and inventory.

Rate-trapped homeowners stall inventory growth

The latest data showing homes that went into contract in May underscores the inventory challenges.

Pending home sales, a leading indicator of the housing market's health, dropped 2.7% in May from the previous month, much more than what was expected. Thats largely because buyers couldnt find enough homes to make a deal, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, noting that each listing received three offers on average.

The shortages have persisted. There were 459,000 single-family homes on the market for the week ending June 26, according to Altos Research. While up 1.9% from a week prior, thats 10% fewer homes compared with a year ago.

Normally by mid June youd have 10-20% more homes on the market than over the holidays, Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research, wrote in his blog. But this year we have fewer.

Chad Wootton looks at the listings of homes for sale while talking on the phone in Los Angeles. (Jae C. Hong, AP Photo)

The biggest reason for the dearth of properties is reluctance from homeowners, most of whom have a much lower mortgage rate than the prevailing rate.

That move buyer doesnt want to give up that 3% mortgage rate, Padilla said. They would rather commute 30 minutes to work than pay hundreds more on a monthly mortgage payment.

Buyers move on to new homes

So whats a homebuyer to do? Many of them who are still in the market are looking at new builds.

That was one factor that pushed the volume of mortgage applications for purchases up 3% for the week ending June 23, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Thats the third week of increases and the highest level of activity since early May.

New homes sales have been driving purchase activity in recent months as buyers look for options beyond the existing-home market, MBA Deputy Chief Economist Joel Kan said in a statement. Existing-home sales continued to be held back by a lack of for-sale inventory as many potential sellers are holding on to their lower-rate mortgages.

A Beazer home is shown under construction in Gilbert, Ariz. (Matt York, AP Photo)

Though new inventory offers a glimmer of hope, very few homes that are available are affordable to entry-level buyers.

Padilla noted that while the share of active listings had increased 19.5% in May in the Miami-Dade area, the average cost of a single-family home was $620,000, up 7.8% from a year prior. Prices for condos increased 6.5% to $415,000.

That tracks with national data this week showing prices have increased for three months in a row, making conditions worse for buyers out there.

"This is good news for homeowners gaining more equity, Mark Fleming, First American's chief economist, previously told Yahoo Finance. But it will pressure affordability for the potential first-time homebuyer."

Gabriella is a personal finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @__gabriellacruz.

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(Bloomberg) -- Swire Pacific Ltd. has become the second notable Hong Kong company to announce plans to offload assets in as many days as part of efforts to reduce debt in the face of rising borrowing costs.

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The conglomerate announced late Wednesday it will sell its US beverages business to its controlling shareholder run by the wealthy Swire family for $3.9 billion. The sale would lower one measure of the companys indebtedness by more than one-third, it said in a statement. The firm also proposed a special dividend of about HK$11.7 billion ($1.5 billion), representing about half of the expected gain from the disposal.

The deal came a day after the billionaire Cheng family announced a similarly structured $4.5 billion deal to buy a unit owned by builder New World Development Co. The move would effectively shift cash from the familys investment holding company to New World, which is one of the citys most indebted real estate firms.

Rising borrowing costs are making it tougher for firms across the globe to juggle their debt loads. In Hong Kong, which imports its monetary policy from the US due to a currency peg with the greenback, the one-month cost of interbank borrowing has jumped to about 5% from less than 1% a year ago. A rare downturn in the property market is adding to economic pressures with major developers resorting to providing discounts and various perks to boost sales.

Both deals make a lot of sense, said Willer Chen, senior analyst at Forsyth Barr Asia Ltd. The asset sales will generate capital to strengthen the companies balance sheets while sharpening their strategic focus, he said.

Investor reaction to the Swire news was positive. The companys stock price jumped as much as 8.2% Thursday in Hong Kong, the most since August, before paring gains to 5.2%. New World shares are trading below the level before the deal was announced Tuesday.

Read more: Billionaire Cheng Family to Buy Out NWS in $4.5 Billion Deal

Under the agreement, Swire Coca-Cola, USA will be sold to a wholly-owned subsidiary of John Swire & Sons. The US unit produces, sells and distributes Coca-Cola and other beverages in 13 states across western US and will continue to do so after the sale. The conglomerate will still charge an annual management service fee from the US business. The sale is consistent with Swire Pacifics focus on Greater China and Southeast Asia, the company said.

Profit at Swire Pacific, one of the citys largest developers and owner of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., took a hit from strict pandemic measures. In New Worlds first-half earnings, the property firm saw underlying profit fall 14% to HK$3.36 billion due to Covid-19 disruptions.

Recovery has been slow since Hong Kong reopened at the start of the year. Commercial real estate is suffering from a lack of tenants. The overall grade A vacancy rate was almost 15% in April, more than three times the level in 2019, data from Colliers International Group Inc. show.

Read more: Hong Kong Tycoons Skyscraper Vacancies Signal Deep Market Shift

Hong Kongs residential market is showing fresh signs of weakness after a short-lived rebound in the first quarter. Home prices may end the year unchanged from the start of 2023, suggesting a 7% drop, Citigroup Inc said last month. A gauge of second-hand property prices is down 13% from its record in 2021.

Tourism  a big driver of retail sales  remains lackluster. Visitor numbers from mainland China were just 54% of 2019 levels in April, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

At the same time, higher borrowing costs are making it more expensive for companies to service their debts. New World, founded by the late billionaire Cheng Yu-tung, is one of the most indebted Hong Kong developers among its larger peers, with a net debt-to-shareholder-equity ratio of about 47%. The companys net gearing would decrease to around 42% after the deal.

Asian Focus

Other conglomerates may follow the moves by New World and Swire, Chen said, adding that smaller property developers with low valuations may also consider privatization amid weak market sentiment.

Swire Pacifics planned sale also reflects the companys priority on building up its Asian business. Last year, the company agreed to buy Coca-Cola Co.s bottling operations in Vietnam and Cambodia for about HK$1 billion, marking its first foray into the Southeast Asian beverages market.

The groups management said on a call that it will retain its Coca-Cola franchises in China, which contributes about half of its revenue from the beverages business, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia and Vietnam, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts including Simon Cheung wrote in a note on Thursday.

Net proceeds from the asset sale will mostly be used to expand the conglomerates core property and beverages businesses, as well as investing in health care in China and Southeast Asia, said Citigroup Inc. analysts including George Choi.

Swire Pacific, one of the last remaining British trading houses in Hong Kong, has been increasingly looking at China for growth. Last year, it committed $15 billion over the following decade to develop its property and health-care businesses in the country.

--With assistance from Charlotte Yang.

(Updates to add analyst quote, share reaction, details from fifth paragraph.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Humans Are More Likely to Believe Disinformation Generated By AI

Disinformation, propaganda, alternative factsthe deployment of biased or false information has been a part of politics and social engineering since the first caveman con artist. But the last few years of politics and social media has seen the practice grow exponentiallyand the mainstream embrace of AI will only accelerate the practice.

And AI appears to be even better at fooling people than people are.

A new report published in Science Advances on Wednesday makes the troubling claim OpenAI's older AI chatbot, GPT-3, is better able to spread disinformation than humans.

Founded in Dec 2015, OpenAI launched GPT-3 in June 2020; in September of that year, Microsoft, which had invested $1 billion into OpenAI in 2019, announced an exclusive license to use GPT-3.

As of 2023, the default version of OpenAI's ChatGPT is GPT-3.5, with the more advanced GPT-4 reserved for subscribers to ChatGPT Plus.

The study, recapped in the report titled, "AI model GPT-3 (dis)informs us better than humans," surveyed 697 participants to see if they could distinguish disinformation from truth created to look like tweets using OpenAI's GPT-3, and if the participants could determine whether a tweet was by a human or AI.

"We asked GPT-3 to write tweets containing informative or disinformative texts on various topics," the report said, adding that tweet topics included vaccines, 5G technology, COVID-19, and the theory of evolution.

Survey researchers said these topics were chosen because they are commonly subject to disinformation and public misconception. Twitter was chosen over other social media websites due to having nearly 400 million regular users who primarily consume news and political content.

"[Twitter's] easy-to-use API allows the creation of bots, which despite being only 5% of users, produce 20-29% of content," the report said, adding that while the focus was on Twitter, the findings could extend to other platforms.

Researchers scored the ability to recognize a chatbot on a 0 to 1 scale, measuring the ability of respondents to recognize whether tweets were real or fake. According to the report, the average score was 0.5, suggesting that participants could not distinguish between AI-generated and human tweets.

The report also found that the accuracy of the information in the tweet did not make a difference in whether participants could tell if the tweet was from an AI or a human.

"Starting from our findings, we predict that advanced AI text generators such as GPT-3 could have the potential to greatly affect the dissemination of information, both positively and negatively," the report said. "As demonstrated by our results, large language models currently available can already produce text that is indistinguishable from organic text; therefore, the emergence of more powerful large language models and their impact should be monitored."

Rapid developments in generative AI since the public launch of ChatGPT in Novemberand the latest version, GPT-4 in Marchhad many in the tech industry sounding the alarm and calling for a pause in AI development.

The report goes on to say that if artificial intelligence contributes to disinformation and worsens public health issues, then regulating the training of AI will be crucial to limit misuse and ensure transparency.

Earlier this month, the spread of AI-generated mis/disinformation and deepfakes led the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to come out in favor of an international agency, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to monitor the development of artificial intelligence.

"The proliferation of hate and lies in the digital space is causing grave global harm now, Guterres said during a press conference.It is fueling conflict, death, and destruction now. It is threatening democracy and human rights now. It is undermining public health and climate action, now."
Hunt handed 2.8bn boost after Bulb rescue cost far less than feared

Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt is to get a 2.8bn boost after falling gas prices meant the rescue of energy supplier Bulb cost less than feared.

The Chancellor was previously facing a bill of up to 6.5bn for temporarily running the company, which collapsed and was put into special administration in November 2021, according to official estimates.

But after gas prices plunged and Bulb, which had 1.5 million customers, was bought by Octopus Energy, the costs of the rescue fell as well.

Under a deal with Octopus, the Government agreed to lend the energy supplier money to hedge all of Bulbs customers  or buy energy for them in advance.

That had originally been expected to cost 1.77bn but ended up costing 1.63bn because of falling energy prices, Octopus confirmed.

Meanwhile, the company is expected to pay the Government back about 2.84bn by the end of 2024 on current projections  meaning it will make a return of around 1.21bn on the deal.

Octopus said this amount was still subject to change because it includes a profit-sharing agreement that will remain in place until the company has repaid everything it owes.

It comes after the company fought off a legal challenge to its takeover by rivals including British Gas, which claimed that Octopus had been given a sweetheart deal.

Since then, Octopus said it had successfully completed the transfer of Bulbs 1.5 million customers to its own systems.

Greg Jackson, Octopuss boss and founder, said: This outcome has been the best case scenario for taxpayers, customers and Bulbs team after the torrid period of uncertainty and risk prior to Octopuss acquisition.

Thanks to our experience, technology and a phenomenal effort by both teams, we delivered this transfer seamlessly and in record time, with barely any disruption to customers.

It is also despite previous warnings from some critics that Treasury rules preventing Bulb from hedging  and meaning administrators had to buy energy at short-term wholesale prices - would end up costing the Government dearly.

But in the event, the decision not to hedge actually saved money after gas prices plunged in early 2023.

A Treasury source told the Telegraph: For months, the Labour Party and countless commentators were calling on the Treasury to hedge Bulbs energy at the highest point in the market.

Thank goodness we ignored them.

At one stage, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned the Bulb rescue could end up costing taxpayers as much as 6.5bn, as gas prices soared to record highs.

The National Audit Office then estimated in March that the net cost to the Treasury of the Bulb rescue would actually be about 240m, and this balance would be recovered eventually by a levy on consumer bills.

However, it is thought this figure could now be even lower due to the final costs of hedging being lower than expected.
1. In his memoir, Pageboy , Elliot Page wrote about his secret relationship with Kate Mara, which happened at the same time she was dating actor Max Minghella. He wrote, "The first person I fell for after my heart was broken was Kate Mara."

Elliot recalled seeing Kate at a party where she started flirting with him, but he "could never imagine Kate Mara would want [him]." Weeks later he attended a party at Kate and Max's home where she openly flirted with Elliot, and Max stood closeby "not giving it a second look." "I could not stop thinking about her. I was a goner," he wrote after adding that the couple had gone on several dates. Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

But while he was falling, he knew he was setting himself up for heartbreak because Kate was still with Max. "Everything with Kate was becoming more complicated, more loaded. I was feeling let down. Perhaps the excitement no longer outweighed the challenges," he added. "I was chasing something that could not be, letting lust overwhelm me."

Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for Vacheron Constantin

2. Juno costar, Olivia Thirlby, was the "first woman I had a suitably consensual sexual relationship with." Elliot also revealed that hiscostar, Olivia Thirlby, was the "first woman I had a suitably consensual sexual relationship with."

Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas / Getty Images

"We started having sex all the time: her hotel room, in our trailers at work, once in a tiny, private room in a restaurant. What were we thinking? We thought we were subtle," he wrote . "Being intimate with Olivia helped my shame dissipate. I didn't see a glint of it in her eyes and I wanted that  done feeling wretched about who I am."

Phillip Faraone / FilmMagic

3. Star Wars movie in the '70s. At the time, she was 19 and he was 33, married with two kids. In her memoir, The Princess Diarist , Carrie Fisher revealed that she had an affair with Harrison Ford while filming their firstmovie in the '70s. At the time, she was 19 and he was 33, married with two kids.

She wrote, "I began filming Star Wars hoping to have an affair. Hoping to strike people as sophisticated and louche, someone youd think had gone to boarding school in Switzerland with Anjelica Huston and had learned to speak four languages." Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

She recalls the first time they slept together was after George Lucass 32nd birthday, in his studio car on their way back to London. She said, "A tug-of-war involving my wine-sodden virtue was underway, and I was unclear how it would turn out  but I realized who it was I wanted to win: my co-star, the one with the scar on his chin, the dialogue in his head and the gun in his belt  not now, just when in character, but still. After a mad scuffle, Mr. Ford threw my virtue and me into the back seat of his studio car and commanded the driver to 'Go! GO!' We went, followed by the crew."

She said, "Harrison made me feel nervous. I got tongue-tied in his company, and clumsy. I was with him when we worked together and tried to avoid him otherwise, so as not to annoy him. It was more comfortable to hang out with the cast and crew, who were more fun and less immune to my charms. But when I look back with squinting eyes, I figure Harrison was scoping out the set in those early days. Not to have an affair, necessarily, but not not to, either. We were on location, after all, and a quiet jaunt on the side was almost expected." New York Daily News Archive / NY Daily News via Getty Images

She added that the affair went on for three months before she ended things and they "never again acknowledged that anything of that nature had occurred."

Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images

4. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry wrote about falling in love with Julia Roberts, but ultimately, breaking up with her because he couldn't handle the pressure. In his book,Matthew Perry wrote about falling in love with Julia Roberts, but ultimately, breaking up with her because he couldn't handle the pressure.

"I did let her in, both figuratively and literally, and a relationship began," he wrote. "It was like she was placed on this planet to make the world smile, and now, in particular, me. I was grinning like some 15-year-old on his first date." Phillip Faraone / Getty Images for GQ

"Dating Julia Roberts had been too much for me. I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me. Why would she not? I was not enough; I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unlovable," he wrote . "So instead of facing the inevitable agony of losing her, I broke up with the beautiful and brilliant Julia Roberts."

Getty Images

5. In his book, Spare , Prince Harry recalled the night he lost his virginity during an "inglorious episode" with "an older woman" when he was 17 years old.

Karwai Tang / WireImage

"She liked horses, quite a lot, and treated me not unlike a young stallion," he wrote. "Quick ride, after which she'd smacked my rump and sent me off to graze. Among the many things about it that were wrong: It happened in a grassy field behind a busy pub."

Tim Graham / Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

6. In her book, Inside Out , Demi Moore opened up about "bringing a third person" into her relationship with Ashton Kutcher in hopes of saving their marriage. She wrote, I wanted this marriage to work, and I was willing to do whatever it took, to jump through any hoop. So when [Ashton] expressed his fantasy of bringing a third person into our bed, I didnt say no. I wanted to show him how great and fun I could be."

Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

She added, "Having other people in our marriage presented a totally false sense of power, and an absolutely temporary sense of excitement. There were two different people we opened our relationship to, and they didnt have bad intentions; they held it in the right space. To this day, I know I could reach out to either of them for friendship; one is now married and has a kid. They were good people, but it was still a mistake. Part of the point of monogamy is the energy of somebody making the sacrifice or the choice for you, and that you thereby hold this special place that no one else can have. As soon as another person is brought in, you are no longer being held in that sacred spot."

Anthony Harvey / Getty Images

7. Demi also shared about the day she found out that Ashton had cheated on her, which ended their marriage. She wrote, Ashton had slept with a 21-year-old, in our home, while I was out of town. I remember the night they met. We were at a bowling alley with Rumer [Willis], and when he went to switch out our shoes, she gave him her number on a napkin. Or thats what he told me at the time. When we got home that night and he showed it to me, I said, That is just gross. We were there with our kid, and she was there with her mother and her sister! I had a visceral response  it was revulsion. So the fact that he then pursued her felt like a real fuck you.

Michael Campanella / Getty Images

She added, He admitted it right away. Then I had to hang up and go walk the red carpet praying with every step that this information hadnt gone wide yet, that nobody would thrust a microphone in my face and ask how I felt about my husband of six years fucking a 21-year-old hed been hanging out with in a hot tub the weekend of our anniversary. I really thought I might throw up.

Because we had brought a third party into our relationship, Ashton said, that blurred the lines and, to some extent, justified what hed done. I think he felt remorse, but he was also looking for a way to deflect blame, to maintain his own perception of himself as a decent family guy. Ashton did not compensate for his behavior by being extra solicitous and kind. In retrospect, I think all of this was his way of trying to get our of our marriage. Jeff Vespa / WireImage

8. In her memoir, Unqualified , Anna Faris recalled falling for Chris Pratt before she ended her marriage with her first husband Ben Indra.

Victor Chavez / Getty Images

She wrote, "Sure, I get to proclaim I didn't fuck Chris before I left Ben, but what is there to celebrate in that? It didn't make me a hero. After all, I wanted to, desperately. And I had feelings for him, obviously, even if I wasn't honest with myself about what those were. So while I didn't cheat I'm not completely innocent, either."

Rune Hellestad - Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images

9. Will, Will Smith In his memoir,Will Smith revealed that his first serious relationship was with a girl named Melanie, who cheated on him. As a way of coping with the betrayal, Will confessed to homeopathic remedies of shopping and rampant sexual intercourse."

He explained that as soon as he met her she became "the center" of his life and he became preoccupied with healing the pain of her trauma. He also said, The look in Melanie's eyes became the substitute for Gigi's [his grandmothers] approval. I've always needed a woman to achieve for, Jason Merritt / Getty Images

Engaging in so much sex actually led Will to have a "psychosomatic reaction" to having an orgasm and he would "gag and sometimes even vomit."

He said, "I had sex with so many women, and it was so constitutionally disagreeable to the core of my being, that I developed a psychosomatic reaction to having an orgasm." Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

He also shared that when he started dating his current wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, he immediately tried to "satisfy" her by having sex multiple times a day, every day for four straight months.

He wrote, I started to wonder if this was a competition. Either way, as far as I was concerned, there were only two possibilities: (1) I was going to satisfy this woman sexually, or (2) I was going to die trying." Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty

Gregg Deguire / WireImage

She added that she believed she helped him finish. Mr. Nicholson had two beautiful women with him, she wrote. They were all giggling and kissing up against the wall, sliding all over each other. I walked by to use the mirror, bending over the sink to fix my lip gloss. Trying not to look, but I couldnt help myself and caught his eye in the reflection. I guess that got him to the finish line, because he made a funny noise, smiled and said, Thanks, dear.

Ron Galella, Ltd. / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

11. In his book, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard , Tom Felton shared that while he and Emma Watson never dated, he does consider them to be "soulmates."

That isnt to say that theres never been a spark between us. There most definitely has, only at different times, he wrote. Rumours started to abound that there was more to our relationship than we were letting on. I denied that I liked her in that way, but the truth was different. David M. Benett / Dave Benett / Getty Images for ES X Perfect Magazine

"My girlfriend at the time knew straight away that there was something unspoken between us. I remember using the familiar old line, I love her like a sister. But there was more to it than that, Tom continued. I dont think I was ever in love with Emma, but I loved and admired her as a person in a way that I could never explain to anybody else We were kindred spirits. I know for certain Ill always have Emmas back and shell always have mine too.

12. Open Book, Jessica Simpson revealed she had an Dukes Of Hazzard. At the time, Jessica was married to Nick Lachay and Johnny was married to Melanie Lynn Clapp. In her memoir,Jessica Simpson revealed she had an "emotional affair" with Johnny Knoxville that started on the set ofAt the time, Jessica was married to Nick Lachay and Johnny was married to Melanie Lynn Clapp.

She wrote, "Sigh, Johnny. The boy from Tennessee, as I coded him in my diary. First off, we were both married, so this wasn't going to get physical. But to me, an emotional affair was worse than a physical one." Amy Sussman / Getty Images

She explained that Johnny was one of the people she could be her "deepest authentic self" with and that he laughed with her, instead of at her. She even admitted to writing him love letters while her husband Nick was passed out in bed next to her.

She said, "We wrote these flowery love letters back and forth, often at night with Nick passed out in the bed next to me. We talked about music, and I would listen to the Johnny Cash songs he suggested just to feel like we were still together." Michael Loccisano / FilmMagic / Getty

13. Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny, Holly Madison shared the details of her In her memoir,Holly Madison shared the details of her first night living in the Playboy Mansion. She learned that having sex with Hugh Hefner was a requirement to live there and he even offered her a quaalude, saying, "In the '70s they used to call these pills 'thigh openers.'" She refused the drug but still got drunk.

Michael Bezjian / Getty

Tina Jordan, Hugh's No. 1 girlfriend at the time, brought Holly into his bedroom, which she explained was "like an episode of Hoarders." She recalled hardcore porn being played on two TV screens as Hugh masturbated to other girlfriends acting out lesbian scenes. Holly remembered being pushed towards Hugh as a girlfriend urged him to "be with the new girl." She wrote, "It was so brief that I can't even recall what it felt like beyond having a heavy body on top of mine."

Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic / Getty

14. Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, Kelly Ripa revealed that she and her now-husband Mark Consuelos actually broke up just five days before they eloped in 1996. Finally, in her memoir,Kelly Ripa revealed that she and her now-husband Mark Consuelos actually broke up just five days before they eloped in 1996.

Paul Morigi / Getty Images

She said that she "had never really been dumped," and added that she felt "part rage, part indignation, part 'I'll show you what you lost.'" But after being forced to see Mark backstage before an appearance on Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee, they went back to Mark's apartment where he said "We have tomorrow and Thursday off. Why don't we fly to Vegas and get married?"
Jonathan Majors is scheduled to stand trial over his misdemeanor assault and harassment charges in New York City in August

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Anthony Mackie and Jonathan Majors

Anthony Mackie is weighing in on fellow Marvel actor Jonathan Majors' assault and harassment charges.

While speaking with Inverse for a profile published Wednesday, Mackie, 44, said "nothing has been proven" yet in Majors' criminal case brought against him in New York City, in which he is expected to stand trial this August.

Were a country that was built on everyone is innocent until proven guilty, " the actor said, as the outlet raised the topic of Majors' potential future as Kang the Conquerer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thats one of the staples of this country. Nothing has been proven about this dude. Nothing," Mackie told the outlet. "So everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Thats all I can say. Its crazy where we are as a society. But as a country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

The 33-year-old Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania actor was arrested in New York on March 25 over an alleged domestic violence incident.



Related: A Timeline of Jonathan Majors' Recent Controversies

Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Anthony Mackie attends the 64th annual Grammy Awards

Though Majors was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment, his defense attorneys have insisted they hold "irrefutable evidence" that the alleged victim in the incident "is lying" about the facts of the case.

Majors last appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court on June 20; he filed his own domestic violence complaint against the alleged victim in the case the following day, Insider reported.



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.

In the complaint, Majors claimed the "drunk and hysterical" woman caused him pain and bleeding after the alleged assault, according to Insider, which obtained a copy of the report and a sworn affidavit. The actor also alleged in the report that the woman had attacked him in previous incidents, though he said he did not file reports in the past.

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The Manhattan District Attorney's office declined PEOPLE's request for comment earlier this week, while NYPD confirmed its investigation into the incident is ongoing.



Related: Anthony Mackie Wrote Letters to Marvel About Wanting to Play Black Panther Before Being Cast as Falcon

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

With Majors' criminal trial still to come, his future in upcoming Marvel Studios projects remains unclear; his character is expected to appear in both the upcoming second season of the Disney+ series Loki and as the villain in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, currently scheduled for release on May 1, 2026.

Back in April, multiple outlets reported that Majors was taken out of consideration for roles in multiple upcoming films after the charges were filed.



Meanwhile, Mackie will lead his own Marvel movie in the forthcoming Captain America: Brave New World, scheduled for July 26, 2024.



Theres a huge amount of pressure, Mackie told Inverse of expectations placed upon him as Marvel's next Captain America. You throw my dumb a-- in the water, and youre like, Swim. I'm like, S---. But at the same time, its all in the state of mind. Ive been given a great cast. Ive been given a great group of people who Ive worked with before."



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"Boy Meets World" star Ben Savage is "wandering down this road that we call life" without his childhood friends, his former-co-stars say.

Savage, who starred as Cory Matthews on the ABC sitcom alongside Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle from 1993-2000, hasn't spoken to his castmates in three years, the actors claim in a Variety interview published Wednesday.

"He disappeared  I wish I knew why, to this day," Friedle told the outlet. "We didnt have a fight. Theres no falling out. There was no animosity. He just woke up one day and decided, 'I dont want this person in my life anymore.' "

The cast of "Boy Meets World," including Ben Savage, from left, Matthew Lawrence, Betsy Randle, Rider Strong, Trina McGee, Maitland Ward and Lily Nicksay attend the ATX Television Festival opening night red carpet on June 6, 2013, in Austin, Texas.

Friedle, who portrayed Savage's TV brother Eric Matthews, said he spent about a month trying to get in contact with Savage, to no avail.

"I finally sent a text saying, 'I've known you for 30 years, whats going on?' " Friedle said. "I said, 'I'm gonna call you every day until you tell me not to call you anymore.' "

USA TODAY has reached out to Savage's representative for comment.

Savage, who is running for a congressional seat in Californias 30th District in the House of Representatives, returned to his "Boy Meets World" roots for the reboot "Girl Meets World," which ran from 2014-2017. Fishel, who played Cory's love interest and eventual wife Topanga, also returned to the series in a co-starring role. Friedle and Strong made numerous guest appearances on the show.

Savage's co-stars said they remained close after "Girl Meets World" finished production, including cast appearances at fan conventions. However, Fishel said that when the idea for a rewatch podcast "Pod Meets World," which launched in June 2022, was proposed, Savage wasn't interested.

"He was very adamant that it was not for him," Fishel said. "He was also very clear, 'I dont want it to stop you. If you guys want to do it, go ahead.' The time between those conversations and the time we actually started the podcast was a significant amount of time."

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Fishel said that while she and Savage grew closer following the birth of her first child in 2019, Savage abruptly stopped participating in fan conventions and withdrew communication.

"He just kind of disappeared from our lives," Fishel said. "He ghosted us."

Fishel said she remains optimistic that this rough patch in their friendship is not "the end of our story."

"If theres anything this podcast has taught me, its that everyone is on their own journey and having their own experiences that can be perceived many different ways, depending on your POV," Fishel said. "Ben and I may be estranged right now, and we may have our complaints about each other, but I will always love Ben and want whats best for him."

'Pod Meets World': Adam Scott says incident with 'Boy Meets World' co-star Rider Strong 'has been tugging at me for 29 years'

'Together, we can do better': Ben Savage officially launches campaign for Congress

Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle discuss 'inappropriate' workplace situations while filming sitcom

Fishel, Strong and Friedle have done some major reflecting since reuniting for "Pod Meets World."

On the June 15 episode, Friedle said he witnessed "inappropriate" behavior on the set of "Girl Meets World," which cause him to to think about his own experience as a teenager on "Boy Meets World."

"I got to come in and occasionally look at the entire thing that was happening. You saw a lot of those traits, where it was, youd walk in and somebody 13 or 14 would be sitting on somebodys lap whos 35. Theres nothing overtly sexual about it, but its still inappropriate," Friedle said of his times as a guest star.

Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel), at right, returned in the "Boy Meets World" sequel, "Girl Meets World." The Disney Channel show featured the classic couple raising their daughter, Riley (Rowan Blanchard).

He added that it's "completely on the adults" to call out the inappropriate behavior rather than relying on the teenage girls to speak up for themselves. "Its on the man to go, 'No, no, no  I like you a lot but why dont you sit over there and well have a conversation. Its just not appropriate.' You dont seen that nearly as much as you should. It was very strange."

Friedle expanded on that in their Variety interview, saying that looking back to their time on "Boy Meets World," "Certain people counted on us not talking to each other. When it was revealed that we were talking to each other, the curtain was pulled away. When we started comparing notes, it wasnt great."

"So, Im very glad that I had very limited involvement with 'Girl,'" he added.

Fishel opened up about being sexualized as a teenager on the same episode, telling her co-hosts, "I had people tell me they had my 18th birthday on their calendar. I had a male executive, I did a calendar at 16, and he specifically told me he had a certain calendar month in his bedroom."

Theres a lot to be said for taking some normal work-place environment rules to Hollywood. Maybe, if this would never fly in any other professional environment, maybe some of those professional rules should apply on our sets," she told Variety. "Maybe the things that would happen in your accountants office where someone would then call HR and it would come to an end, maybe we should participate in those things here."

Fishel said she would occasionally call out behavior even though "its normal for what we do, but I dont think it should be normal and I think we should stop this from happening."

Contributing: Naledi Ushe, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ben Savage's 'Boy Meets World' co-stars allege he 'ghosted' them
Potential Australian Rare Earths Limited (ASX:AR3) shareholders may wish to note that the Independent Non-executive Director, Angus Barker, recently bought AU$227k worth of stock, paying AU$0.45 for each share. That's a very solid buy in our book, and increased their holding by a noteworthy 23%.

Check out our latest analysis for Australian Rare Earths

Australian Rare Earths Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by Angus Barker was the biggest purchase of Australian Rare Earths shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that even when the share price was higher than AU$0.27 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

While Australian Rare Earths insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. The average buy price was around AU$0.34. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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 Australian Rare Earths Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Australian Rare Earths insiders own about AU$10m worth of shares. That equates to 25% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Australian Rare Earths Tell Us?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchases. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Australian Rare Earths insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To that end, you should learn about the 5 warning signs we've spotted with Australian Rare Earths (including 3 which are concerning).

But note: Australian Rare Earths may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.

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Californias highest court has agreed to hear a challenge to Proposition 22, the controversial 2020 ballot measure that classified gig drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.

A group of union-supported drivers asked the California Supreme Court to hear their case back in April. They hope the court will strike down an appeals court ruling from March that determined Prop. 22 could stand as state law  a significant win for Californias ride-hailing and food delivery industry.

Im grateful that the California Supreme Court is reviewing the case, said gig driver Hector Castellanos, one of the plaintiffs in the case, in a statement Wednesday. We are hopeful it will defend our states Constitution so that gig workers are treated with dignity and respect.

The court has yet to set a date for oral arguments.

We remain confident that the court will uphold Prop. 22 to protect the peoples right of initiative and the overwhelming will of California voters, read a statement released Wednesday by the Protect App-based Drivers and Services Coalition, which supports Prop. 22.

Attorneys for the drivers have previously argued that because the California Constitution requires the Legislature to enforce a complete workers compensation program, carving out independent contractors violates that mandate. If the Prop. 22 supporters wanted to change employment benefits law, they would have needed to do so through a constitutional amendment, opponents argue.

You have a number of factors that are pointing in favor of the court taking review, said Stacey Leyton, legal counsel for the plaintiffs, in a previous interview with The Sacramento Bee. This was a major statewide initiative, and its really important for the California Supreme Court to resolve whether it was valid or not.

The PADS coalition says that the Supreme Court has previously settled the question of whether voters can enact policies through ballot initiatives that the state constitution reserves for the Legislature.

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This case is about the voters initiative power. Did the voters have the constitutional authority to enact Prop. 22 in the first instance? said Kurt Oneto, legal counsel for PADS, in an earlier interview. You can find cases that are a century old and you can find cases from the last few years where the California Supreme Court has held that the power of the Legislature and the power of the voters is co-equal.

The Supreme Courts decision to hear the case could potentially add years to the already drawn-out battle over gig worker classification.

The saga began with a 2018 California Supreme Court decision that made it more difficult for companies to hire workers as independent contractors rather than employees. The courts unanimous embrace of the ABC test abandoned three decades of legal precedent and led to a slew of criticism from business groups.

In an effort to codify the courts ruling and provide some clarity, the Legislature passed Assembly Bill 5 a year later. The bill broadly redefined an employee as a worker who performs duties that are central to a companys business. Gig companies lobbied hard against the bill and responded to its passage with Prop. 22.

Voters approved the initiative in November 2020 after businesses like Uber and Lyft poured more than $200 million, a record-setting amount, into the campaign and threatened to cut services in the state. The measure exempted app-based gig workers, such as drivers for DoorDash and InstaCart, from state laws that required businesses to hire more workers as employees rather than independent contractors.

The following year, workers supported by the Service Employees International Union sued the state twice  once in the Supreme Court and once in Alameda Superior Court  on grounds that the proposition unconstitutionally prevented the state from overseeing the workers compensation system.

Ride-hailing drivers, backed by SEIU, sued the state in early 2021 arguing that the initiative violated the state constitution by infringing on the Legislatures authority to enact a workers compensation program and by requiring a seven-eighths majority by lawmakers to amend AB 5  a nearly impossible threshold. An Alameda judge agreed with the workers and ruled in August 2021 that the law was unenforceable and unconstitutional.

The appellate justices in March determined that Prop. 22 did not violate the California Legislatures power over workers compensation, nor did it violate the single-subject rule that limits the scope of ballot initiatives to one single issue.

The ruling did overturn the seven-eighths majority requirement for any legislation that would allow gig workers to unionize. The court said the language violated the separation of powers principle.

Although the appellate court determined that Prop. 22 did not violate the Legislatures power over workers compensation, Justice Jon B. Streeter disagreed and gave the measures opponents some hope going into their Supreme Court appeal.

I believe we must invalidate Proposition 22 in its entirety, Streeter wrote in his dissent.
Exhibition giant and Regal Theaters owner Cineworld said Thursday that the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division has confirmed a third amended Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, which calls for a new board led by former Pepsi and Pepsi Bottling top executive Eric Foss.

This milestone paves the way for the group Chapter 11 companies to implement the restructuring transactions contemplated by the plan and to successfully emerge from their Chapter 11 cases, the worlds second-largest movie theater company said. Cineworld continues to expect to emerge from the Chapter 11 cases in July.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

The plan calls for a newly incorporated company, NewCo, to become the sole owner of Cineworld when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It will get a new board of directors. The latest restructuring plan update set out that the group Chapter 11 companies expect the NewCo board to include Eric Foss as chairman, Cineworld said. The executive has served as chairman and CEO of two Fortune 200 companies and has extensive global business experience in the food, beverage and service industries, it highlighted. The company understands that the selection of additional NewCo board members is ongoing.

Foss served as CEO of Aramark, a provider of food, facilities and uniform services to hospitals, universities, school districts, stadiums and other businesses around the world, from 2012 and as its chairman and CEO from 2015 until his retirement in 2019. Before that, he was CEO of PepsiCo unit Pepsi Beverages Company and chairman and CEO of publicly traded The Pepsi Bottling Group. Foss currently serves on the boards of Cigna, Diversey Holdings, Primo Water and Selina Hospitality.

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The confirmation of our plan of reorganization is a significant milestone as Cineworld moves towards emerging from this process in a strong financial position and with a more resilient capital structure, said Cineworld CEO Mooky Greidinger. Cineworld remains focused on refining and growing our global business and cinemas for our guests around the world and delivering the most immersive and cutting-edge cinema experiences that make us the Best Place to Watch a Movie.'

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

Click here to read the full article.
Colleen Ballinger at the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles. (Willy Sanjuan / Invision / Associated Press)

Internet personality Colleen Ballinger, known for her beloved Miranda Sings character, has responded to claims of inappropriate behavior with minor fans by singing a song.

In recent weeks, Ballinger became the target of fellow YouTubers and former superfans who accused her of "grooming" them for labor, as well as allegedly making sexual jokes with minors in a group chat. As the allegations swirled, the "Haters Back Off!" actor, who is in the middle of a Miranda Sings tour, had stopped posting on her social media pages for nearly a month.

Ballinger broke her silence on Wednesday, posting a 10-minute video on her Colleen Vlogs YouTube account titled "hi." In it, she addresses the allegations in the form of a song, while strumming a ukulele. Ballinger's team "strongly advised me to not say what I want to say," she sang, adding cheekily that she "recently realized that they never said that I couldn't sing."

Read more: My Favorite Room: Colleen Ballinger makes room in her office for Miranda and her YouTube fans

"Everyone just believes that you are the type of person who manipulates and abuses children  I just wanted to say that the only thing I've ever groomed is my two Persian cats," Ballinger sang. "I'm not a groomer, I'm just a loser who didn't understand I shouldn't respond to fans. And I'm not a predator, even though a lot of you think so, because five years ago I made a fart joke."

The latter line refers to a recently resurfaced clip from one of Ballinger's live shows, in which she had a fan lie on her back and spread her legs, as a fart noise sounded through speakers. TMZ reported that the viral clip led to the loss of several sponsorship deals with several companies on her "Relax!" podcast. The Times confirmed with New York-based online telemedicine appointment service Zocdoc that it had canceled its advertisements on Ballinger's podcast amid the drama.

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"I never had any bad intentions, but I do feel like s," Ballinger sang toward the end of her song, staring intensely at the camera with a defeated look, before looking down and continuing to play her "toxic gossip train" chorus, which she repeated throughout the song.

Read more: Review: 'Haters Back Off' offers the funny origin story of Miranda Sings

Many of the allegations against Ballinger were first leveled in April 2020 by Adam McIntyre, a former superfan of Ballinger and now a successful YouTube personality himself. In a video, McIntyre claimed that Ballinger used him for unpaid social media work to revive her Miranda Sings account before severing ties with him over a controversial tweet that he had sent on her account about LGBTQ+ people, then ghosting him. Ballinger also drew fire for sending underwear to McIntyre as a joke.

Ballinger had issued a 13-minute apology video a month later, explaining that it was normal for her to hire fans for her social media work, as well as work on tour, but that she often gave them a test run before employment. Such was the case with McIntyre, she said, taking the blame for the controversial tweet.

"I am not a monster, I am not a groomer," Ballinger said in her 2020 video, adding that she had been in touch with McIntyre's mother after the tweet issue. "I care about him so much as I do with all my fans that I've interacted with over the years, and I wish him nothing but success and happiness and love."

Read more: Inside the blockbuster lawsuit threatening one teen YouTube star's multimillion-dollar empire

Fans rallied around Ballinger after her apology and continued to support her work, dismissing McIntyre's allegations.

Earlier this month, however, McIntyre doubled down on his stance that he had been wronged by Ballinger, claiming that she "used" and "groomed me."

The issue resurfaced after YouTube personality Kodee Tyler, know as KodeeRants, shared a lengthy video on June 3 retelling her relationship with the Miranda Sings star and Ballinger's "toxic" fan base. She referenced McIntyre's earlier video about Ballinger, defending him for speaking up in 2020. Days later, Tyler deleted the video and disabled her YouTube and other social media accounts.

Read more: As TikTok eats the world, YouTube makes a bid for creators' hearts  and wallets

Tyler also shared purported screenshots that she had obtained that appeared to show Ballinger asking minors in a group chat whether they were a virgin, and to name their favorite sex position. In a follow-up video, McIntyre claimed that he was the recipient of those texts in the group chat, adding that he was 15 at the time.

Tyler acknowledged that she was also in the same group chat, already an adult at the time, and apologized, saying, "I should not have been in a group chat with minors."

Ballinger acknowledged her group chats and direct messages with fans in her sung statement, admitting that she had at times lacked "boundaries" and would "overshare details of my life, which was really weird of me." But she added that she changed her behavior years ago and had since held herself accountable.

Read more: YouTube has gone from Hollywood pariah to partner. Meet the executive who led the change

McIntyre took to his YouTube channel to respond to Ballinger's statement, saying he didn't get a private apology from the performer. "We're getting a video of you singing a song, making fun of it all?" he said. "I'm so happy for you, Colleen, that you get to make a silly little song about this and no repercussions. ... There will be no repercussions for what you've done to people and what you've done to me."

Since she started posting videos of her Miranda Sings character in 2009, Ballinger has tapped the hate she's received online and channeled it into her over-the-top diva persona. She crafted Miranda as an egotistical satire of an internet personality who sings badly and has poor comic taste.

"People hated me ... that was all I got in the beginning was hate  people despised Miranda," Ballinger said during a 2017 appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon. In the early days of YouTube, Ballinger said she was still unaccustomed to online trolls sending hate mail. So instead of tuning them out, she listened and "would egg it on."

Read more: Ken has taken over Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse. And it's listed on Airbnb

"So in each video, if they said they didn't like my lipstick, I'd make it bigger," she said. "If they didn't like the way I was talking, I would talk weirder. So, the haters kind of created the weird character, because whatever they hated, I did it more."

Her fame hit a high point in 2016 when Netflix allowed her to develop a two-season series, "Haters Back Off!" based on her Miranda character. Along with appearances on Fallon's late-night show, she graced the cover of Variety and appeared on "Chelsea" with Chelsea Handler and "Live With Kelly and Ryan."

In 2018, Ballinger gave The Times a tour of her Encino home, half of which she had designated for office work, pointing to her favorite non-Miranda items, such as her ukuleles. The other half was dedicated to her Miranda character, with eccentric fan art and gifts, such as drawings and dolls fashioned as her alter ego, adorning the walls. The closet space was lined with colorful, campy costumes. The space served as the backdrop for many of her Miranda videos.

I wouldnt be in this house if it werent for the fans watching my videos and supporting me," Ballinger told The Times. "So its important to have them be a part of the videos and journey."

Representatives for Ballinger did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Duggar family, including parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, rose to fame following the premiere of their reality series 17 Kids & Counting in 2008. While on air, the couple welcomed daughters Jordyn-Grace and Josie, subsequently changing the name of the series to 18 Kids & Counting and finally 19 Kids & Counting. In the years since their shows were canceled, the couple has taken a step back from the public eye. Keep reading to find out where Jim Bob and Michelle are today.

Where Do Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar Live?

The large family resides on an equally large compound in Tontitown, Arkansas. The main home on the 97-acre property boasts 7,000 square feet and was often featured on their former reality show.

While many of the couples children choose to remain on the property after becoming adults, their youngest children, daughters Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace and Josie, as well as great-nephew Tyler Hutchins, still live in the main home.

What Are Jim Bob and Michelle Duggars Job?

The family patriarch has worn many hats over the years, including Arkansas state politician, serving as an Arkansas House of Representative from 1999 to 2003. He is also a licensed real estate agent as well as an investor in commercial property.

In addition to his professional roles, Jim Bob and Michelle are ranking members in their religious organization, Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

Because Mr. Gothard has been taken out of [IBLP], from what my understanding is, is that Jim Bob and Michelle are now his replacement, their former friend Bobye Holt said during her appearance on the Amazon Prime docuseries, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, after being asked by a producer if she believed the Duggar patriarch was trying to emulate Bill Gothard.

She went on to say that because of the platform that their former reality series gave them, Jim Bob and Michelle have been able to encourage people to come to IBLP.

Theyve encouraged people to move to Arkansas [as well], Bobye added. Which is completely a cult move.

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Bobyes husband, Jim Holt, claimed, [Jim Bob] has changed so much, I dont know if hes even the same guy that I knew.

Do Jim Bob and Michelle Still Talk to Their Children?

Despite strained relationships with some of their children (daughters Jinger and Jill Duggar have spoken out about their upbringing), the parents of 19 released a statement following the premiere of the four-part documentary, saying, We love every member of our family.

Like other families, ours too has experienced the joys and heartbreaks of life, just in a very public format, their June 1 statement read. [We] will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one. Through both the triumphs and the trials we have clung to our faith all the more and discovered that through the love and grace of Jesus, we find strength, comfort, and purpose.
David Corenswet Superman David Corenswet Superman.jpg - Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

David Corenswet may be the first Jewish actor to play Superman, but the Man of Steel himself is as Jewish as matzo ball soup.

As you may or may not know, Superman debuted in 1938, the creation of American and Canadian Jewish teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. But that authorship is just the beginning. In fact, the entire Superman myth is an American-Jewish fantasy, lifted from numerous Jewish legends and fulfilling the dream of revenge against Hitler.

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Come and learn, people.

First theres the name. The -El surnames of Supermans Kryptonian family is a Hebrew appellation for God  prefiguring the gods-are-actually-powerful-aliens/superhumans plots that would feature in Thor, Wonder Woman, The Eternals, and numerous other comics.

More deeply, though, as Roy Schwartz detailed in his rather awfully-titled book Is Superman Circumcised? The Complete Jewish History of the Worlds Greatest Hero, Supermans origin story is a lot like that of the Biblical Moses: sent away by his parents in a desperate attempt to escape certain death, he is raised among humans, but learns that he is not one of them at all, but has a greater destiny in store. His mini-spaceship is even like the little ark that carried Moses down the River Nile.

Siegel also analogized Superman to the Biblical prophet Samson, who also had superhuman strength; Schwartz unearths several explicit references to Samson in the early books.

Clark Kent, too, is a kind of 20th-21st century Jewish archetype: brainy and kind, but also nerdy, awkward, and, in some renditions, a bit of a loser. Only, beneath that bookish exterior, Kent is the ubermensch, the Nietzschean superman with powers far beyond those of mortal humans. Its the dream of every Jewish nerd: that beneath the surface, there is someone powerful, strong, and cool.

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But not only cool. As is well known, Nietzsches theories of the superman were co-opted by the Nazis, who depicted themselves as inherently superior, the master race. Siegel and Schusters reclaiming of the term superman is itself an act of revenge  as is, of course, Supermans primary occupation in those early years: namely, kicking the crap out of Nazis. Which is all he did, all the time. He mocked them, beat them, blew them up. He was a Jewish revenge fantasy writ large, and colored in red, yellow, and blue.

But theres more. To our ears, fighting for truth, justice, and the American Way may sound like old-fashioned patriotism. But in the 1940s, it was controversial.

Superman kicking Nazi ass.

As Rachel Maddows devastating podcast Ultra has shown, the American Right in the 1930s and early 1940s was actually quite enamored of Hitler and the National Socialists, and several Republican senators were literally on his payroll. They saw themselves as fighting the same fight against cosmopolitans and non-Christians, which is the same rhetoric used by right-wing extremists today.

Really, we havent changed that much. Those who see America as essentially white, Christian, and ruled by alpha males rail against anyone and anything that might disturb that hierarchy  most often against elites in politics, finance, or the media who are either explicitly Jewish (like George Soros) or coded as such.

Even one of Ron DeSantiss leading social media trolls, Pedro Gonzalez, was just exposed to have shared overtly antisemitic tweets with exactly that message. In one, a blond-haired dude in a Pepe T-shirt twists the gigantic nose of a glasses-wearing editor-in-chief named Mr. Heebawitz. Lmao, Gonzalez commented.

In fact, looking back on those early days, Superman was very woke. He was known as the Champion of the Oppressed. At a time when Republicans opposed President Roosevelts liberal programs and opposed entering World War II, Superman supported  in comic books and on a wildly successful radio program  the New Deal, open immigration, and entering the war against Hitler. Some episodes of the radio show lampooned the KKK.

Indeed, in 1940, Nazi propaganda accused Superman of being a Jewish conspiracy to poison the minds of American youth.

Of course, after Pearl Harbor, American sentiment changed, and Superman became a national hero, not only fighting Nazis in the comic books but with his image emblazoned on tanks and planes. At first, however, he was a progressive  even a radical.

And of course, Superman was also an immigrant. As Schwartz puts it in his book, he is the ethnic guy with the Hebraic name Kal-El who came to America, changed his mannerisms and appearance. He tucks his tallit [Jewish prayer shawl, but Schwartz means Supermans costume] down into his suit, and he goes around the world like a gentile. So its sort of like the ultimate assimilation/assertion fantasy, the ability to decide which part of you should interact with society at any given moment. What is more American than being an ethnic immigrant, and bringing the gifts and uniqueness of your cultural heritage to the greater benefit of the American society?

Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster pose in front of sketches of their creation in 1975.

As the decades went on, Supermans Jewishness was a kind of on-again, off-again affair. In the 1970s, lead writer Elliot Maggin incorporated elements of the Bible, Jewish history, and even Kabbalah into Supermans own story and described his Jewishness as canon. Theres a Passover Seder in Superman #400 (1984), Superman defends the Warsaw Ghetto in a time-travel plot from a 1998 issue, and there are references to Jewish angels and magical lore. And in the film Superman II (1980), an old lady exclaims, after Supe rescues a boy from Niagara Falls, What a nice man! Of course hes Jewish!

But as Superman went through various metamorphoses, and corporate overseers, his Jewish particularism ebbed and flowed, depending on who was writing, acting, or directing. Sure, he kept his Ashkenazi pale skin and dark hair, but a lot of the formerly obvious references from earlier decades became less obvious, especially as the American Jewish experience evolved as well. Many of us, after all, have been in this country for three generations and may not see ourselves as immigrants anymore. Tragically, many no longer see ourselves as in solidarity with the oppressed.

Personally, though, I always saw Superman as one of us. I came of age in the Christopher Reeve era, and absolutely idolized him  Reeves Superman was one of my first unarticulated crushes. (Literally, my heart just started beating faster thinking about him.) It wasnt just the skin-tight costume  though of course it was that  it was what I imagined to be a deeper resonance. Like Reeves Clark Kent, I was a pale, awkward, tall nerd who kept saying and doing dumb things. Maybe, I too, had an inner Superman, just one phone booth away from beating up the bullies and saving the world. If only!

So, sure, its exciting to have an actual MOT (Member of the Tribe) in the Superman role, not to mention with Lois Lane played by Rachel Brosnahan, who is not Jewish by birth or religion but who is an honorary Jew for her years on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. While one day, it would be great to have a non-white actor in the role, its nice to have a Jewish actor play a role that owes so much to the American Jewish experience. I can only hope that his new Superman brings back the courageous, progressive decency of the original one. We need that now more than ever.

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Im beyond frustrated at the situation, Bay County sheriff Tommy Ford wrote on Facebook

Getty Images Tourists swimming on Panama City Beach, Florida

A series of deadly rip tides have claimed the lives of at least 11 people along the Florida Panhandle coast in the past two weeks.

The combination of southwest waves and the strengthening sea breeze will increase wave heights and heighten the rip current risk, meteorologist Kathryn Prociv told the NBC News on Thursday. The outgoing tide from midday through early afternoon today will also add to the rip current risk.

Tom Gill, a spokesman for the nonprofit United States Lifesaving Association added that summer heat and a lack of lifeguards have contributed to the issue. Swimming on an actively guarded beach is always the safest option, Gill said. But not every beach is patrolled by a lifeguard and the high heat has been pushing a lot of people into the water.

According to the NWSs Surf Zone Fatalities database, Panama City Beach has seen seven of the 11 drowning deaths in the Florida Panhandle in the last two weeks, making it the U.S. location with the most drownings this year. The database lists four more deaths in recent weeks, one at Blue Mountain Beach, two at Miramar Beach and one at Pernido Key.

Aileen Perilla/Bloomberg via Getty Images People swim at a beach in Panama City, Florida, U.S., on Friday, July 31, 2020

In Florida, where millions of tourists flock to enjoy the sunshine and the sand, rip currents pose a serious threat to beachgoers, especially during the summer months when storms and hurricanes increase the wave activity.

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Panama City Beach spokeswoman Debbie Ingram told NBC News that the popular nine miles of beach does not have enough lifeguards to staff it. Hiring is a struggle, Ingram said in a text, per the outlet. We are competing with other beach communities, some of whom offer higher wages. Many times we get college kids who go back to school.

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Ingram told CNN on Tuesday that Panama City Beach had closed the water to the public last Friday. The waves turned rough, there were numerous rescues, and we upgraded back to double reds at 12:30 p.m. she added. In the beach flag warning system, double red flags indicate that the water is closed to the public.

Officials in the area have expressed their frustration at the loss of life and urged beachgoers in the area to be responsible. Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, whose jurisdiction includes Panama City Beach, shared a lengthy post on the departments Facebook page on Monday.

Related: 'Presumed Human Remains' Recovered from 'Titan' Sub Wreckage, Coast Guard Says

Im beyond frustrated at the situation that we have with tragic and unnecessary deaths in the Gulf, he wrote. I have watched while deputies, firefighters and lifeguards have risked their lives to save strangers. I have seen strangers die trying to save their children and loved ones, including two fathers on Father's Day.

These same heroes, who have risked it all to save others, have been cursed and given the finger, while trying to warn visitors of the life-threatening dangers, he continued. We have used the tools provided by the county commission to fine violators $500 for entering the water on double red flags."

Ford urged beachgoers to learn how to spot and avoid rip currents before heading into the water. He also advised them to swim near a lifeguard tower or a designated swimming area with flags indicating the water conditions, writing, If you do find yourself caught in a rip current do not panic or swim against it. Swim parallel to shore until you are out of it then swim back to shore.

"Im so proud of the men and women at the sheriffs office and partner agencies that are giving their absolute best to save lives. Please be responsible and dont put your life or theirs in danger," his post concluded.

Advice on the National Weather Service echoes Ford's advice. According to the site, the best way to escape a rip current is to, "turn sideways to the shore, and wade or swim until you are out of the rip current. Then move back toward shore at an angle away from the rush of water."



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Presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis has been ridiculed for a seemingly photoshopped campaign photograph that has resurfaced as the Republican presidential primary begins to take shape.

The image was taken for Mr DeSantiss brief campaign for Senate in 2015 ahead of the 2016 election when incumbent Florida Senator Marco Rubio was running for president before campaigning for re-election to the upper chamber.

A Flickr account called DeSantis for Senate has a small number of images publically available showing Mr DeSantis speaking to voters as well as the image of Mr DeSantis walking on the beach alongside his wife.

Some users photoshopped the couple onto different backgrounds and others compared the lack of footprints in the sand to the two sets of footprints fable in which Jesus picks a man up and carries him.

Mr DeSantis was branded a plastic politician during his early pre-campaign trail endeavours when he was essentially campaigning without having declared his intention to make a White House run.

Its just an example of another plastic politician whos beholden to his donor masters thats running around the country pretending like hes governing in the State of Florida while actually, we all know he is running a Presidential campaign, Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy said before Mr DeSantis confirmed his presidential bid.

His actions also drew the ire of former president Donald Trump, who previously described his now closest rival for the Republican ticket as disloyal for considering a run.

Mr DeSantis originally posted the image to his personal Twitter account in 2015 along with a quote from his wife, calling him a man of integrity and honor.

As an Iraq veteran & current officer in the US Navy Reserve, Ron understands the needs of our vets. @CaseyDeSantis pic.twitter.com/MNpYuv1AL5  Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) August 6, 2015

After it resurfaced amidst his campaign for president, Twitter users mocked the photo for supposedly being edited.

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Before it was photoshopped pic.twitter.com/pvDEcQgAxG  Freakanatcha (@Freakanatcha) June 28, 2023

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo tweeted: Oh dear heres man of integrity meatball Ron standing with his wife in a studio in front of a beach poster (hat tip to @patriottakes). Ron is so unwoke he doesnt leave footprints. Literally.

In fairness, I think its possible that Ron is the type of guy who breaks out in hives when exposed to the sun or sand or people having fun. But he still declines to release a letter from his paediatrician to clarify this.

I didnt notice this at first but if you look at MBs left hand his fingers may be even shorter and stubbier than Trumps. possible he had some sort of surgical finger shortening procedure to be more similar.

I didnt know it was possible to make a beach photo shoot creepy, but Ron DeSantis managed to do it. Is anything real about this man? Leah McElrath tweeted.
[Source]

Christopher Chambers, a father and husband, recounted the day he and his son discovered the horrifying crash scene that killed his wife and their daughter in Santa Clara, California.

What happened: On June 14, Santa Clara police officers responded to a solo vehicle collision on San Tomas Expressway, where they located a white 2021 Tesla Model Y that crashed into a tree and burst into flames at around 2 p.m.

The occupants of the vehicle were identified to be Chamberss 44-year-old wife, Beidi, and their 12-year-old daughter, Elyse. The two were pronounced dead at the scene by Santa Clara Fire Department paramedics.

Details on what caused the crash have not been released.

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Chamberss horrifying discovery: On a GoFundMe page, Chambers recalled the day of the incident that filled him with dread and unbearable questions. Chambers, who was home with his son Ethan, received a call from the doctor  who Beidi and Elyse were scheduled to have an appointment with  saying that the two did not arrive.

I didnt even say goodbye. Neither their phones nor their Teslas location could be traced. Minds racing, Ethan and I drove to the doctors office in an attempt to retrace their path. En route, we saw dark smoke billowing into the sky ahead of us. We ran towards it through the throng of emergency responders, only to find a burning, twisted white Tesla Model Y. Just like ours, Chambers recounted.

As police restrained him, he provided his familys vehicle identification number to police, who then confirmed it was theirs.

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Overwhelmed, I fell to my knees, he wrote. Id often told Beidi that I wasn't afraid of death - that Id go first and be waiting for her when her time came. I desperately wished it had been me burning in that car instead - if only my willing sacrifice would bring my girls back.

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Chamber and Beidi: According to Chambers, he met Beidi while studying in China, where she was a student and a language tutor at Tsing Hua University. As the pair started dating, Chamber said he stayed in Beijing just to be close to her. A few years later, they married and moved to the U.S., where they built their American Dream and had two children.

Their sudden absence has left a deep scar on our family, Chambers wrote. A grieving husband and father, a bewildered son, and Beidis mother, mourning the loss of her only daughter  not to mention all the extended family and friends whose lives were touched by their lives and love.

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The GoFundMe fundraiser has raised more than $90,000 as of Wednesday.

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(Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney)

Were nearing the end of a very long wait, kids  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters this week, promising grand adventure and a somber approach to our iconic hero. Its not very Spielberg-ian, if you ask me. However, Steven Spielberg didnt direct the fifth entry in the long-running franchise. Instead, James Mangold, the acclaimed director of Walk the Line and Logan, among others, took the reins.

For those unfamiliar with Mangolds work, Ive compiled a list of the best James Mangold movies from his oeuvre that you should check out to familiarize yourself with his style before heading into Dial of Destiny.

Logan (2017)

Of all the films on this list, Logan feels like the perfect side-by-side comparison to Indy Vbased on the reviews Ive read, at least. Here, we find Hugh Jackmans Logan, aka Wolverine, nearing the final stages of his life. He still possesses the same fiery temper but is also broken, angry, and detached from societysimilar to Indy at the start of Dial of Destiny. However, adventure comes calling in the form of a young girl with mutant powers, and Logan must once again assume the Wolverine mantle to protect her from a dangerous threat.

Mangold envelops Logan in a very R-rated, mature tone, filled with blood, plenty of F-bombs, and numerous adult themes. This is not your typical comic book adaptation meant for the whole family. Logan is dark, mean, often difficult to watch due to its brutality, but it is never less than masterful in its execution. It lingers a little longer than necessary and lays on the pathos pretty thick. Yet, at its core, this is a hopeful examination of a broken man seeking one last shot at redemption. Sound familiar?

Walk the Line (2005)

Mangolds Walk the Line is a perfect biography. While other films based on legendary stars often get too caught up in the superstardom, meticulously recreating moments from their lives without actually examining their subjects, Walk the Line strips Johnny Cash down to his bones, allowing us to see the man behind the myth. Portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix (who sings all of Cashs tunes!), Cash is an ordinary man grappling with fame, fortune, love, drug addiction, the loss of his younger brother, and his overbearing father. By the end of the film, songs such as Ring of Fire and Walk the Line carry more weight, as does our view of Cash and his eternal flame, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon in her best performance).

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Mangold handles the material well, refraining from judging Cash and simply pointing a camera at his antics, giving us a chance to walk in his shoes. Its a brilliant film and one of the best biographies ever made.

No, Indy doesnt sing like Johnny Cash, but it seems like he experiences the same aches and pains as our fabled country star.

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Speaking of men grappling with fame, 3:10 to Yuma pits Russell Crowes superstar outlaw against Christian Bales down-on-his-luck farmer with delicious results. More action-adventure than a traditional Westerndid we need the Gatling guns?this violent drama peels back the layers on both men and offers a glimpse into their psyches to see what makes them tick. When the time comes for Bale, a former Civil War veteran looking to collect a bounty and earn the respect of his dismissive son, to transport Crowes character to a train and send him to prison, we understand and respect both of these men equally. Think Michael Manns Heat, just more outlandish and with at least twice as many horses.

Mangold ramps up the death count to absurd heights, especially during the third-act sequence, but he intersperses the mayhem with quieter, intimate moments that work because the two leads are extraordinary.

3:10 to Yuma may not be a classic genre entry, but it moves at a brisk pace and offers an enticing character study about two disillusioned men operating on opposite sides of the law.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Ford v Ferrari may boast thrilling race sequences and a clear affection for cars, but make no mistake, this is a movie about fathers and sonsits also one of the saddest films youll ever see.

Are you noticing a pattern here? James Mangold makes films about broken men reconciling with their poor life decisions. Theyre still heroes and remarkably efficient at what they do, but they carry a lot of baggage and are often forced on a journey that allows them to break free of their past regrets.

Does that work for Indy, a man who once rode off into the sunset without a care in the world alongside his dad and friends moments after losing the latest love of his life? Well see.

Regardless, the approach works incredibly well for Ford v Ferrari. Sure, theres definitely a need for speed on display, but Mangold is more interested in the complex engines operating under the hood, if you catch my drift. Thankfully, stars Christian Bale and Matt Damon rise to the task of molding their characters into more than just caricatures of larger-than-life icons. For all their innovation and expertise, Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby are remarkably human, which means we feel their pain even more.

Cop Land (1997)

Speaking of heavy character dramas, you would all do well to watch the terrific Copland from 1997, starring Sylvester Stallone in one of his best performances as an aged cop faced with a difficult decision: to protect his idolized officers or uphold the law and bring the truth to light. The film delves into the complex dynamics of power, morality, and the consequences of choices made by the characters.

Once again, Mangold delves into the psyche of his male protagonists and allows Stallone a chance to play against type. Copland ventures into fascinating territory and serves as a solid exploration of the dark side of law enforcement.

In other words, take a look at James Mangold movies and maybe youll be more inclined to accept his version of Indiana Jones.

The post Essential James Mangold Movies to Watch Before Indiana Jones 5 appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
A Thai court on Wednesday acquitted five activists accused of obstructing the Queens motorcade at a protest in 2020, in a landmark judgment that ended the prospect of more severe punishment nearly three years after rare calls for reform of the powerful monarchy erupted in the kingdom.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, which represented two of the activists, said a court in the capital Bangkok acquitted the defendants on all the charges, ruling the protesters were not aware of the incoming royal convoy.

There was enormous tension in the room as we waited for the presiding judge to finish his verdict, one of the defendants Bunkueanun Francis Paothong, 24, told CNN. But as soon as he reached his conclusion we all felt relieved that our beliefs and determination have been vindicated.

If found guilty, the defendants had faced a minimum sentence of 16 years in prison for allegedly violating the Queens liberty and her well-being. Maximum sentences included life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The royal institution is regarded by many in Thailand with deity-like reverence and even speaking openly about the monarchy was long considered taboo.

Protesters in 2020 were calling for amendments to Article 112 of the Criminal Code  Thailands strict lese majeste law that criminalizes criticism of the monarchy and makes any frank discussion of the subject fraught with risk.

Lese majeste convictions carry long prison terms and currently, anyone can bring a case, even if they arent connected to the alleged crime.

Thailands Move Forward Party, which won the most votes in Thailands May election, has pledged to amend the law.

What happened at the protest

The incident in October 2020 was a turning point in the youth-led mass demonstrations that had broken out across the country for months. Thousands of people had taken to the streets demanding democratic and military reforms, constitutional change, and  what was unprecedented in Thailand  reform of the monarchy.

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On October 14, 2020, dozens of protesters had gathered outside Bangkoks Government House when Queens Suthidas motorcade drove past.

Video from the scene showed the crowd shouting and holding up the three-finger salute inspired by the Hunger Games movie franchise that became a symbol of the protests. Police were seen pushing back the demonstrators as the car, which also carried King Maha Vajiralongkorns youngest son, Prince Dipangkorn, slowly drove past.

The incident with the royal motorcade was cited by the government as one of the reasons for announcing an emergency decree that banned gatherings of more than five people and a nationwide ban on publishing and broadcasting news and information that incites fear among the public.

In defiance of that decree, thousands of demonstrators escalated their protests, with dozens arrested.

The five: Bunkueanun, Ekachai Hongkangwan, Suranat Paenprasert and two others were arrested on three charges for assaulting the Queens liberty, inciting chaos and obstructing traffic.

The most serious was Section 110, with those found guilty facing 16 years to a maximum life imprisonment for violence or attempted violence against the Queen, the heir-apparent or regent. If the actions are considered likely to endanger the Queens life, then the death penalty could be applied.

Relieved

Bunkueanun confirmed to CNN that all defendants were cleared of the three charges.

The court in its ruling found that on the day of the incident, police did not manage the route of the royal procession properly and officers at the scene didnt know which royal procession it was, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

When the protesters realized it was a royal procession, they allowed it to move through and there were no objects thrown or obstruction of the procession, the court found, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

Bunkueanun, who is studying International Relations at Mahidol University, said he was relieved with the verdict and called the judges fair handed and very impartial.

He told CNN the case has not put him off his activism, though he may give future street protests a second thought.

My determination has not changed since then, he said.

This story has been updated to clarify the role of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

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By Niket Nishant and Krystal Hu

(Reuters) -Inflection AI, a startup backed by several Silicon Valley heavyweights, said on Thursday it had raised $1.3 billion from investors including Microsoft and Nvidia, amid a boom in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

The investment, a mix of cash and cloud credit, valued the one-year-old company at $4 billion, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Inflection released its chatbot Pi last month. Founded by Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, it focused on building consumer-faced AI products and is considered a top rival of OpenAI.

Pi uses generative AI technology, similar to ChatGPT, to interact with users through dialogues, allowing people to ask questions and share feedback. Inflection said it wants to build a personal AI that will help people plan, schedule, gather information and perform other tasks.

Palo Alto, California-based Inflection AI has about 35 employees. It raised $225 million in a first round of funding in early 2022 from Greylock, Microsoft and Reid Hoffman.

Last week, it released a report on its model Inflection-1, which powers Pi, and claims it has outperformed most models available.

Most of the funding will be used to build computing power to develop a more powerful foundation model, according to Suleyman, chief executive at Inflection.

"We'll be building a cluster of around 22,000 H100s. This is approximately three times more compute than what was used to train all of GPT4. Speed and scale are what's going to really enable us to build a differentiated product," Suleyman said at Collision Conference on Thursday.

The AI space has been hailed as the next frontier for technology after OpenAI's bot ChatGPT became a viral sensation late last year.

The industry has drawn several investors in the past few months as corporates examine ways to integrate the technology into their businesses, while regulators have been mulling over how to tackle the technology.

Microsoft, an existing investor and also backer of rival OpenAI, participated in Inflection's latest fundraise.

Nvidia, which has stepped up its AI investments recently, Hoffman, Bill Gates and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt also participated in the latest round, Inflection said.

(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru and Krystal Hu in Toronto; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Conor Humphries)
"I'm so passionate to tell her story and to bring justice to this character and her legacy," the actress said

Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty, DeAgostini/Getty Gal Gadot and the ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra

Gal Gadot aims to change the perception of Cleopatra in her upcoming movie.

While speaking with Vogue Hong Kong about her new Netflix film Heart of Stone for the magazine's July issue, Gadot, 38, noted that she grew up understanding the ancient queen Cleopatra as "a household name" in her native Israel, which borders Egypt.

"You know, if Wonder Woman is the imaginary strong female leader, Cleopatras actually the real one," the actress said. "Thats a perfect example of a story that I wanted to tell because I started reading different books about Cleopatra, and I said, wow, thats fascinating."

"All I ever saw in regards to Cleopatra from film was that she was this seductive woman who had an affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony," she added.

In Gadot's view, Cleopatra  the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt and a descendant of Ptolemy, a Macedonian general who served under Alexander the Great  was "so ahead of her time."

"Egypt and what Egypt was back then, was still futuristic to where we are today. I cant say much," the actress said of her upcoming movie, which has not yet entered production. "But to me, Im so passionate to tell her story and to bring justice to this character and her legacy and celebrate her and her legacy."

She added, "We have a beautiful script, and I cannot wait to share this story with the world and change the narrative of Cleopatra simply being a seductor."



Related: Margot Robbie Reveals Gal Gadot Was Considered for Barbie Role: 'She Is Barbie Energy'

Corey Nickols/Getty for IMDb Gal Gadot

Gadot was first attached to the project covering Cleopatra's life back in 2020, when Deadline reported the actress would team up with her Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins for the film. Kari Skogland (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) is now the film's director, with Jenkins still listed as a producer on the project after a change of plans in December 2021.

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"I can't reveal a lot, but I can tell you that we're going to celebrate the Cleopatra story," Gadot told InStyle of the film in January 2022. "We're going to show not just how sexy and appealing she was, but how strategic and smart, and how much impact she had and still has on the world we're living in today."

"I've watched all the Cleopatra movies throughout history," she added, "but I feel like we're telling the story the world needs to hear now."

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Related: Gal Gadot Says She 'Changed' Her Voice as Evil Queen for 'Super Fun' 'Snow White' Live-Action Musical

Amy Sussman/Getty

Elizabeth Taylor starred in 1963's Cleopatra, which cost 20th Century Fox $31 million and nearly bankrupted the studio at the time. The film went on to win four Oscars.

Gadot weathered some criticism that her casting as Cleopatra was "whitewashing" after the film was first announced in 2020, though she noted at the time that the ancient Egyptian queen was actually of Macedonian descent.



"We were looking for a Macedonian actress that could fit Cleopatra," Gadot, whom IMDb lists as responsible for the film's story and as a producer along with her husband Jaron Varsano, told BBC Arabic at the time. "She wasn't there, and I was very passionate about Cleopatra."



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When does a 500-year-old classic appear to have ripped off a new play? Fat Ham and Hamlet are performing concurrently in New York City, and if you havent seen either, be sure to check out James Ijamess novel riff on the Bard, now on Broadway for only a few more performances. Skip the original, which opened Wednesday at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Ripped off may be too strong. Weak imitation is more apt. Kenny Leon directs this Hamlet, and his cribbing of Fat Ham is most obvious when Claudius (John Douglas Thompson) and Gertrude (Lorraine Toussaint) make out in public and all their underlings have to turn away to hide their smirks. Its not the only time the classic seems to be a retread of the much newer version.

Also Read:

Fat Ham Broadway Review: Somethings Rotten  and Ripe With Laughs  in North Carolina

Ijames achieves a real coup de theatre by having Claudius and the Ghost of Hamlets father played by the same actor (Billy Eugene Jones). Leon achieves very mixed results here. Sometimes the Ghost in his Hamlet is suggested by Jeff Suggs projections, which recall the sci-fi monster in The Forbidden Planet once the thing has been electrified. And sometimes the Ghost inhabits Hamlet himself. Playing what is one of the most daunting title roles ever written, Slave Play standout Ato Blankson-Wood doesnt need Suggs special effects. This Hamlet as inhabited by his fathers spirit is absolutely chilling.

Justin Ellingtons sound design helps by giving the spectral voice an ominous echo, which is actually the prerecorded voice of Samuel L. Jackson. Most impressive is not the way Blankson-Wood lip-synchs, which is expert; rather, its the twisted contortions of his body that reduce this Hamlet to a human-size puppet. He even manages to show us nothing but the whites of his eyes. Which is awesome for about two or three minutes.

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Elsewhere, the actor is much more down to earth, although a bit scattered. He presents a very elegant and aristocratic Hamlet, not all that removed from the classic hand-on-the-mantle variety that was popular on the British stage before actors of the Angry Young Man generation took over.

Blankson-Woods Hamlet is super friendly with Horatio (Warner Miller), brutal with Ophelia (Solea Pfeiffer), skeptical of Rosencrantz (Mitchell Winter) and Guildenstern (Brandon Gill), crazy as hell with Polonious (Daniel Pearce), wounded with Gertrude and contemptuous of Claudius. If not always as riveting as the possessed and eyeball-rolling Hamlet, this scattershot approach to the character makes sense. The actor also handles the poetry beautifully, and never counters the iambic pentameter with the harsh American delivery employed here by Pearce and Miller.

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Once Upon a One More Time Broadway Review: Oops Britney Spears Musical Just Did It Again

But where, oh where, is this Hamlet experiencing his tragedy?

Beowulf Borits set is part West Wing, complete with the ol Stars and Stripes, and part The Wizard of Oz, with Dorothys Kansas house having landed in Cuba  if that island had somehow been converted into Americas 51st state. Oh yes, and along the way we are treated to the Harry Belafonte classic Day-O (The Banana Boat Song).

Ijamess best rewrite of Shakespeare is his turning the play-within-a-play into a game of charades in Fat Ham. Leon, only somewhat more wedded to Shakespeares script, turns the players into rappers, but drops that conceit as soon as it comes to the Mousetrap. In Leons staging, those rappers are now mimes and Hamlet narrates the murder plot, which clearly makes him the architect of this snare and not the mute players. In other words, it completely defeats Hamlets purpose for employing the players in the first place.

As a result, this Hamlet makes you feel sorry for Claudius and Gertrude, with both Thompson and Toussaint presenting genuinely pained parents. Hamlets mistaken murder of Polonius has an oddly calming effect on Blankson-Woods mercurial performance, as if killing somebody (anybody!) has alone fulfilled his goal. As this Hamlet retreats  or, perhaps, loses his way  others rush in to fill the dramatic void: Pfeiffer goes completely Bette Davis/Baby Jane with Ophelias mad scene, and Tyrone Mitchell Henderson turns Osric into a caricature that would have forced Franklin Pangborn to strap down his own wrists.

Fat Ham started at the Public Theater, which is also presenting this Hamlet. Not long ago, the Public delivered a revelatory Hamlet starring Oscar Isaac and directed by Sam Gold. A highpoint in that production was seeing its Ophelia (Gayle Rankin) morph into the Gravedigger. That cemetery scene in this Central Park staging lacks focus, and Leons bloody finale, beyond being cursed with Hendersons intensely fey Osric, ends with a reprise of an original song, Gods Cry, written by Colby Lewis and Jason Michael Webb. Its not enough that umpteen murders are committed on stage in record time. This Hamlet needs to remind us in song, I could tell you a tale, gods cry, god cry, god cry, I could make the gods cry.

The Public Theater scored bigtime with Ijamess Fat Ham and Golds Hamlet. As odds go, two out of three is pretty good when it comes to Shakespeares moody Dane.

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(Everett Collection)

What if Tom Selleck hadnt turned down the role of swashbuckling, Nazi-slugging archeologist Indiana Jones in 1981s Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Such is one of Hollywoods great sliding-door moments. Selleck was the first choice for the adventure film helmed by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Selleck wanted the part. Unfortunately, he had to give it up because he was contractually obligated to a new drama that CBS just picked up for series, Magnum, P.I.  a show that would eventually catapult him to stardom.

Harrison Ford had no idea at the time.

The actor had recently completed The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Star Wars boss Lucas, who conceived the character of Jones in 1973, asked his Han Solo to read the Raiders script.

I didnt know that it was a script that someone else had read and was unable to take the job of Indiana Jones because of a contract, Tom Selleck, Ford, 80, tells us in a new interview. (Selleck would eventually get his shot as a big-screen action hero in 1983s High Road to China, one of the many Indy-inspired films that flooded theaters following the blockbuster success of Raiders.)

Ford says he was enthusiastic about the Lawrence Kasdan-penned screenplay and excited to work with director Spielberg  but he also couldnt have imagined that hed be donning Indys famed fedora and cracking that signature whip for four decades. After Raiders became an instant classic in 81, there have been four sequels: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and this weeks Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which marks Fords swan song in the series.

As far as I knew, it was a one-off, Ford says now about Raiders. I mean, I didnt really have my head around anything but that job at work right there. I never thought of continuing on to make a four films over 42 years now. But the opportunity came because the films were so satisfying for an audience, and they were made with such skill and ambition, and so I was delighted to be along for the ride.

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Set primarily in 1969, Dial of Destiny finds Indy on the brink of retiring from his day job as a college professor when hes lured back into action by his goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Shes in a race against an ex-Nazi scientist (Mads Mikkelsens Jurgen Voller) to recover the mythical Archimedes Dial, a device thought to be capable of time travel.

Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. (Photo: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)

One thing I asked for in each of them was to further embrace a complication of the character, Ford says of his evolution as Indy. I wanted to know more about Indiana Jones. I wanted the things that he did to be generated out of his character, out of his nature, out of his experience. I didnt want it just to be pinned on like a merit badge.

I wanted these films to inspire people, to make them laugh, to make them cry. And so for me its been just an unbelievable experience to have this opportunity. And the last one, I wanted to be about character. I wanted it to be about what it's like to be an older archeologist.

Dial of Destiny is written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp and James Mangold, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind Walk the Line, Logan and Ford v. Ferrari. Like seemingly every other major director who came of age with 1980s movies, Mangold was deeply influenced by Raiders, particularly for its boldness.

Theres so many risks in that movie, he says of the original film. Its such a wild anachronism. Its screwball, its kind of comedic. Its about an archeologist who carries a whip, who is brilliant, but also scared of snakes, who can take on action, but kind of gets freaked out in social environments. Its such a bunch of contradictions that no one would go, That smells like a hit, George. Its such an amalgam of wonderfully eccentric things that, in the alchemy of [Ford] in the role and [Spielberg] directing and Larry Kasdan writing and George producing and guiding, something happened, which was bigger than the sum of the parts.

And that thing is something that can instruct all of us who make movies now. And for me, there was the opportunity to be part of this world and try to understand that alchemy. But its also an inspiration for the projects I do beyond the world of this franchise, which is that you can take these swings. They dont have to always make sense by the standard rules of the day of what a hero is or what a protagonist does.

One things for sure about the Indiana Jones franchise. There are few 80-year-old action stars out there that can still do what Harrison Ford  or the bionic man, as franchise producer and Lucasfilm President Kathryn Kennedy called him  does in Dial of Destiny.

Mads Mikkelsen (left), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (center), Harrison Ford (right, back to camera) star in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. (Photo: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Harrison said to me quite early on, he was like, You are just doing all the [action] that I used to do cause I cant do them anymore, Waller-Bridge recalls. But then every time I was doing anything, Harrison was always there, on the wall next to me or in the boat [or] jumping out the plane. Like he did all the same stuff as me.

She adds laughing, I was like, This is not a passing of the baton. This is a war over it. He does not let go. It was amazing.

Recalls Shaunette Renee Wilson, who plays a government agent caught in the middle of Joness battle with Voller: Hed just be jumping on a horse and galloping away.  My mind was just like, What is happening? It was like the Indiana Jones [of old].

Yeah, try to get off the floor with hands cuffed and not touch the ground, adds Boyd Holbrook, who plays Klaber, Vollers lead henchman. Harrisons got the body of a 40-year-old, its just bizarre. Unfortunate for me. Good for him.

Obviously his age has been mentioned a lot, says Mikkelsen. But I think we underplay the talent were dealing with. Hes just a tremendously talented person and you dont think about [his age] one second when youre working with him. Hes just a very talented man.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens Friday, June 30.

Watch the trailer:
A federal judge temporarily blocked part of Kentucky's ban on gender-affirming health care for trans youth, just hours before the full ban was set to go into effect.

U.S. District Judge David Hale sided with the ACLU of Kentucky on Wednesday in issuing the temporary injunction, keeping puberty blockers and hormone therapy legal and accessible to those under 18 in Kentucky while a larger lawsuit plays out.

"After careful consideration, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have shown a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their constitutional challenges to (Senate Bill 150) and otherwise meet the requirements for preliminary injunctive relief," Hale said.

By Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican running for governor, had appealed the ruling.

The ACLU of Kentucky, along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights and law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, filed suit in early May on behalf of transgender children and their parents, arguing Senate Bill 150's bans on gender-affirming health care are unconstitutional.

SB 150, they contend, singles out trans kids by blocking access to medical care that cisgender kids can receive. They also say it unjustly limits a parent's rights to make medical decisions for their children.

The ACLU's lawsuit focuses solely on puberty blockers and hormone therapy. SB 150's ban on gender-affirming surgeries on minors, which already weren't happening in Kentucky, is not being challenged and went into effect as scheduled Thursday.

In his ruling, Hale wrote that "the Court finds that the treatments barred by SB 150 are medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children under the evidence-based standard of care accepted by all major medical organizations in the United States."

Senate Bill 150: Did lawmaker goof on Kentucky's anti-trans bill 'or' not? SB 150 may have loophole

"These drugs have a long history of safe use in minors for various conditions," he wrote. "It is undisputed that puberty-blockers and hormones are not given to prepubertal children with gender dysphoria."

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Much of SB 150 went into effect immediately after lawmakers overrode Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of the measure in late March. The section prohibiting gender-affirming care was set to go into effect Thursday.

"Well, a federal judge ruled what I believe: that parents have the legal right to make important and sometimes difficult medical decisions for their kids - that a parent should always be trusted to make medical decisions for their children, not government," Beshear told reporters Thursday. "This is one where I believe in the rights of parents, being a parent, to do what's right for their kids."

Opponents to SB 150 and other anti-LGBTQ+ measures celebrated Wednesday's injunction.

"A bill that would have wreaked havoc tomorrow was thwarted by the U.S. Constitution today," Ban Conversion Therapy Kentucky Executive Director Rebecca Blankenship and government affairs director Michael Frazier said in a joint statement on Wednesday. "As we have said many times, and as the ACLU proved with their suit, bans of sex reassignment surgeries for minors are perfectly appropriate and uncontested by every pro-LGBT organization in this Commonwealth. But puberty blockers and hormone therapy save lives.

"This will be a breath of air for trans youth, whose admissions to in-patient psychiatric care facilities dramatically spiked after the 2023 legislative session," they said.

Shortly after Wednesday's ruling, Cameron called the decision a "misguided decision by a federal judge" that "tramples the right of the General Assembly to make public policy for the Commonwealth."

Cameron, whose office intervened in the lawsuit, added: "There is nothing 'affirming' about this dangerous approach to mental health, and my office will continue to do everything in our power to defend this law passed by our elected representatives."

Meanwhile, Mason Chernosky, a 25-year-old trans man who protested against SB 150 during the legislative session, said he was "relieved and inspired by the news."

"Access to gender-affirming care is life saving and I know many kids and families who are grateful that the judge granted the injunction," he said.

Emma Curtis, a trans woman who was a prominent pro-trans rights protester during the session and is running for a statehouse seat in Lexington, said, "With an injunction preventing S.B. 150's most damaging provisions  bans on puberty blockers and hormone therapy  from going into effect, trans youth today found a measure of vindication in the courts.

"As we have long proclaimed, trans rights are human rights," she said. "With all my heart, I will continue working to ensure trans youth see resilience, joy, and representation that makes their lives more hopeful."

Similar bans on gender-affirming health care across the country have been subject to legal scrutiny and subsequent restrictions in recent weeks. Shortly after Wednesday's injunction in Kentucky, a federal judge temporarily halted a similar law in Tennessee.

Judges also stopped a similar law in Indiana earlier in June, as well as a 2021 Arkansas law blocking gender-affirming medical treatments for minors and a set of Florida rules restricting Medicaid coverage for similar types of health care.

Joe Sonka contributed reporting. Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky's ban on gender-affirming care for trans kids blocked by judge
The United States is currently seeing five cases of malaria spread by mosquitos within the past two months  the first time there has been a local spread in the past 20 years.

Four of the cases were identified in Southwest Florida and one in southern Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Due to the unusual spread, Florida authorities are issuing a public health alert to warn doctors, public health authorities, and the public about the risk.

All four people in Sarasota County who were infected have been treated and have recovered. Here's what we know so far about the cases and disease:

Breaking news on malaria cases: Malaria cases in Texas and Florida are the first US spread in 20 years, CDC says

What is malaria?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Malaria is a disease transmitted through the bite of an infective female anopheline mosquito that can rapidly become very severe and life-threatening.

In Florida, malaria is transmitted through infected Anopheles mosquitoes

If not promptly treated, the infection can become severe and may cause kidney failure, seizures, mental confusion, coma, and death.

Where are the current cases of malaria in Florida?

Four cases were identified in Sarasota County, according to the CDC. The Florida Department of Health issued a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory Monday.

Malaria in Sarasota. What to know: How did malaria get to Sarasota? Answers to questions you may have about the disease.

Has malaria spread to other states?

The CDC announced that a fifth case of the disease was found in southern Texas. This case and the four Florida cases do not appear to be related, according to officials.

How often is malaria seen in the United States?

The CDC highlights that the U.S. was once a malaria-endemic country, but malaria was declared eliminated in 1951 from the nation. Now approximately 1,500 malaria cases and five deaths are reported in the United States annually, typically in returned travelers.

When was the last local outbreak of malaria?

Rhoel Dinglasan, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Floridas College of Veterinary Medicine, told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that cases of locally acquired malaria are not common. The last outbreak of malaria cases in the country was in 2003 when Palm Beach County saw eight such cases.

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What are the signs of malaria?

Malaria symptoms usually appear within 7 to 30 days but can take up to one year to develop. Symptoms of malaria include:

Fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, sweats, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are possible.

Malaria may cause anemia and jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes).

Anyone with symptoms of fever, chills, sweats, nausea/vomiting, and headache should seek immediate medical attention, the Florida Health Department said

Is malaria contagious?

No. Malaria is not spread from person to person, and it cannot be sexually transmitted, according to the Centers for Disease Control. You cannot get malaria from casual contact with malaria-infected people.

Infected mothers can transmit parasites to their child during pregnancy before or during delivery.

While rare, transfusion-transmitted malaria does happen and when it does, it is a potentially severe complication in blood recipients. On average, only one case of transfusion-transmitted malaria occurs in the United States every two years, the CDC said.

What should I do if I recognize any signs of malaria?

The surest way to know whether you have malaria is to have a diagnostic test where a drop of blood is examined under the microscope for the presence of malaria parasites.

If you are sick and there is any suspicion of malaria, a test should be performed without delay, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Is there a malaria vaccine?

Attempts at producing an effective malaria vaccine and vaccine clinical trials are ongoing, the CDC said.

The malaria parasite is a complex organism with a complicated life cycle. The parasite has the ability to evade the body's immune system, making vaccine development difficult

If you get malaria, do you have it for the rest of your life?

Not necessarily. In general, if you are correctly treated for malaria, the parasites are eliminated and you are no longer infected with malaria.

However, the disease can continue if it is not treated or if it is treated with the wrong drug. Some drugs are not effective because the parasite is resistant to them. Some people with malaria may be treated with the right drug, but at the wrong dose or for too short a period of time, the CDC said.

Two types (species) of parasites, Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale, have liver stages and can remain in the body for years without causing sickness. If not treated, these liver stages may reactivate and cause malaria attacks months or years later.

People diagnosed with P. vivax or P. ovale are often given a second drug to help prevent relapses.

How can I protect myself against malaria?

The CDC recommends those traveling to other countries use these tips to avoid any interactions with mosquitos:

Use an EPA-registered insect repellent

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants

Treat clothing and gear with permethrin

Keep mosquitoes out of your hotel room or lodging

Sleep under a mosquito net

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Malaria found in Florida for first time in 20 years. What we know
In Thailand, Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip is a household name. Much of the rest of the world, however, is only now getting to know the transgender media mogul.

The 44-year-old Jakrajutatip, also known as Anne JKN, made headlines last year for her $20 million purchase of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO). For American media outlets, the angle was irresistible: a transgender tycoon had bought a pageant company once co-owned by former U.S. president Donald Trump, who advanced anti-LGBTQ+ policies while in office and whose rhetoric around COVID-19 was linked to a rise in anti-Asian sentiment. But Jakrajutatip didnt buy MUO for the optics; indeed, she has aspirations to turn it into an inclusive and progressive operation, serving the demographics that tune in to watch pageants in the first place.

I would love to see Miss Universe become one of the largest online magazines for women and LGBTQ [people] in terms of how to live the best life, how to dress, how to walk, talk, cook, exercise, travel, money, love, how to look after your children,Jakrajutatip tells Them via Zoom from a conference room inside her Bangkok offices, decorated with glossy photos of some of her most glamorous looks. We are sometimes clueless on how to live life and we want to live the best life so we have to be the girlfriend for all women around the world.

Jakrajutatip, reportedly the third richest trans person in the world, is far from clueless herself, having racked up an estimated net worth of $210 million by transforming her parents video rental store into a content distribution giant, airing foreign films, programs, and documentaries in Thailand. She now owns multiple Thai TV channels, oversees numerous beverage and beauty product lines, and hosts the likes of Thailands Shark Tank and Project Runway. In 2018, she also founded the nonprofit Life Inspired for Transsexuals Foundation, which supports transgender people by tackling stigma and advocating for the ability to legally change their gender.

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Before Jakrajutatip came into her fortune, however, it would have been hard for her to imagine the luxurious life her glossy Instagram feed depicts today. Growing up in a Chinese family in Bangkok, Jakrajutatip says she endured harassment and bullying as she grappled with her identity.

I did not know my identity... I knew for sure that Im not gay, Im not bi, she recalls. Around the age of 13, she took a high school public speaking class that would give Jakrajutatip an opportunity to film a shopping video. That gave her the taste for television that proved to be life-changing.

I wanted to have the weapon that is the microphone to express my attitude [and] exhibit that leadership to everyone. No more bullies. You cannot do anything harmful to me because Im clever and smart and I can be successful, she recalls thinking.

I needed to become successful in order to convince [people] that we are not wrong.

With newfound confidence and a growing intolerance of the judgment she felt she faced for feeling different, Jakrajutatip left Thailand to attend university in Sydney. It was there, while working at a petrol station to cover her tuition fees, that she realized she was transgender. It would be over a decade, however, before shed feel comfortable transitioning. Although Thailand is considered a more liberal country compared to its Southeast Asian neighbors, laws still prohibit same-sex marriage and the countrys large trans population is still barred from changing their gender on legal documents. That continuing culture of discrimination kept Jakrajutatip in the closet. When she returned to Thailand at the age of 21 with an international relations degree in tow, she felt she had to achieve more before she could fully embrace her true identity.

I could not come across as being a trans woman at that time or become totally a woman because I needed to prove myself, she shares. I needed to become successful in order to convince [people] that we are not wrong.

From her familys home video shop, she began working with overseas companies, such as the BBC, to import their documentaries to be aired locally. As this model expanded to other content types from around the world, including Bollywood soaps, the entrepreneur founded JKN Global Group in 2014. From there, the company evolved, creating its own content as well as cosmetics, drinks, and food supplements. The profits enabled Jakrajutatip to purchase a convenience store, cafe, and service station. Eventually, the success meant Jakrajutatip felt comfortable presenting as herself, but her appetite for success did not go away.

Locally in Thailand, I inspire so many people, particularly [those in the] LGBTQ community and women I thought what is next for me? What is the next level? How can I allocate myself and maximize my full potential? she says.

It was around this time that Jakrajutatip went to see a Miss Universe pageant where Angela Ponce, Miss Universe Spain 2018, made history as the first trans woman to participate. I stood up and applauded for her. I cried and she also cried on the stage, Jakrajutatip recalls. When I turned back, everyone just stood up after me and applauded her big time. That moment, I thought, This is it. This is a pageant I can turn into a platform and it must be a women's empowerment platform.

But there were more life changes in store before she got into the pageant business. In 2020, JKN Global Group was listed on the stock market, with Jakrajutatip as its chief executive and largest shareholder. Shortly afterward, she allowed herself to undergo the gender confirmation surgery shed been longing for. Within six months of that procedure, she was a mother, having saved her sperm and found an egg donor. Her second child arrived within the year, Jakrajutatip shares. Since then, the proud mother of two has continued her hustle, intent on growing an empire she can leave as a legacy. Snapping up MUO at the end of 2022 was part of that vision.

To negotiate the sale, JKN Global simply approached the then-owner  sports, events and talent management company IMG  about purchasing the pageant organization. The company, she says, gave the impression they didnt like the event and were just holding onto it until Donald may take it back. He never did, but Jakrajutatip was waiting in the wings with a simple elevator pitch: If you think about it, its for women and for LGBTQ [people], so who else should you sell [to] apart from trans women? You dont have to consider where I come from, I have a global stage anyway Im strong enough, qualified enough to make Miss Universe the perfect platform.

Shortly after the announcement of JKN Global Groups purchase, Jakrajutatip took the stage at the 71st Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in New Orleans in January and called times up on male ownership of the female empowerment competition. Welcome to the new era, she said. From now on its going to be run by women, owned by a trans woman, for all women around the world.

Kicking off that new era, the 2023 Miss Universe pageant marks the first time women who are married, divorced, or have children will be able to enter the pageant. Looking ahead, Jakrajutatip plans to make other significant changes to Miss Universe with the aim of transforming the historic institution into a more lucrative business  think commercial products like Icelandic water, skin care and fashion  as well as an online hub for empowering and inclusive content.

Even as her business expands, Jakrajutatip remains hands-on, sharing that she often sleeps in her Bangkok-based TV studio when shes not traveling. MUOs headquarters remain in the U.S., as does its longstanding executive team, and the organization is currently preparing for the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, to be held in El Salvador later this year.

As MUO has changed hands, some critics said that the pageant itself is irredeemable  that it will remain sexist, misogynistic, and irrelevant no matter who owns it. Others have called pageants as a whole regressive, old-fashioned, and guilty of putting women in an archaic box.

Thats why Jakrajutatip is intent on updating the event in the hope that it will eventually garner the same enthusiasm and viewership as Formula 1 Racing or the Super Bowl. People never get bored because they have the evolution in the production, representation, everything combined so you have to make it more relevant. Therefore we all have to elevate the show, the platform, the content [to] make it sexier [and] younger.

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On a practical level, Jakrajutatip says contestants are already encouraged to represent their culture in a cape to be worn during the swimsuit competition. The way that we present on stage, we dont objectify them by showing their sexiness, by having them exploited sexually by the audience, but in fact, if you really have a close look into the purpose Theyre proud to be themselves, theyre proud to show their healthiness, and also proud to show their culture under the cape.

Jakrajutatip knows that for many young hopefuls, pageants can be the stepping stones that those first distributed documentaries were for her. The Miss Universe stage is a literal platform that can lead to wealth and success  something Jakrajutatip felt she needed before she could step into her true identity. She believes that for marginalized groups like trans people, the globally recognized pageant can be a mechanism for eliminating stigma and sparking change.

Trans women can do it and were going to transform the world by having everyone look at us. We can make it successful, she says. I am ready to do my service for LGBTQ people. This is the purpose of my life and I will pursue it for the rest of my life.

Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here.

Originally Appeared on them.
New Mexico teenager Enrique Padilla, 19, who allegedly shot a man dead in a weekend dispute over reserved movie seats, has been captured.

The dispute that sparked the shooting happened late Sunday night in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ironically, the incident happened before a screening of the Jennifer Lawrence comedy film, No Hard Feelings.

More from Deadline

Padilla stands accused of one count each of homicide, shooting at an occupied building, and tampering with evidence. He was arrested and charged Monday after being discovered hiding in some bushes near an emergency exit for the theater. He also suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen in the altercation, but police have not said how that happened.

Padilla was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital for treatment after he was captured early Monday morning, police said. Michael Tenorio, 52, was shot and killed. He died at the scene despite an off-duty police officer administering CPR.

Witnesses claimed Padilla and his girlfriend were loudly arguing with an older couple prior to the shooting. Tenorio and his wife had allegedly been moved into different seats than those they had purchased by a movie theater employee. A report said that Tenorio and his wife paid for seats 8 and 11, but an employee suggested they sit together.

Padilla and his girlfriend were allegedly unhappy with the new seat arranging because it affected at least one of the seats they had reserved. A manager managed to briefly work out a deal, and the two couples were seated directly next to each other.

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However, Padilla allegedly threw a bucket of popcorn at the older couple, and Tenorio pushed Padilla against a wall.

The incident occurred at the Century Rio movie theater. The venue was evacuated post-shooting and swept for safety.

There was a sense of chaos here, APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told the Albuquerque Journal. A lot of people were running from the theaters and trying to get out of the way.

The theater is now closed.

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Hackers have compromised the personal data of more than 15.5 million individuals by exploiting a security vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer tool, and the number of victim organizations continues to grow.

There are more than 140 known victims of Clop ransomware attacks targeting a vulnerability in MOVEit Transfer, an enterprise file transfer tool developed by Progress Software. Brett Callow, a ransomware expert and threat analyst at Emsisoft, tells TechCrunch that while only 10 of these victims have so far confirmed the number of people affected, the number already exceeds more than 15.5 million individuals.

This includes approximately 3.5 million Oregon driver's license holders; roughly 6 million Louisiana residents; some 770,000 members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System; between 2.5 and 2.7 million Genworth Finance clients; approximately 1.5 million customers of insurance provider Wilton Reassurance; more than 170,000 beneficiaries of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System; and more than half a million Talcott Resolution customers.

Callow tells TechCrunch that the mass-hacks include U.S. educational nonprofit National Student Clearinghouse, which could be a potentially significant breach in terms of numbers. The organization, which began notifying schools of the data breach, works with 3,600 colleges and universities and 22,000 high schools.

Callow noted that at least seven of the known MOVEit victims are U.S. universities, and 16 are U.S. public sector organizations.

This includes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to Bloomberg, which reported Wednesday that officials notified Congress of an incident involving the exposure of more than 100,000 individuals. HHS did not respond to TechCrunchs questions and has not yet been added to Clops dark web leak site.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency previously told TechCrunch that several U.S. government agencies had experienced intrusions related to the exploitation of the MOVEit transfer flaw, and a spokesperson for the Department of Energy confirmed that this included two DOE entities.

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Its not just government departments that have been targeted.

Clop, which claimed responsibility for the widespread attacks, has added tens of new victims to its leak site this week alone, including banks, consultancy and legal companies, and energy giants.

Siemens Energy spokesperson Claudia Nehring confirmed to TechCrunch that the company is among the targets of the MOVEit attacks. Based on the current analysis no critical data has been compromised and our operations have not been affected. We took immediate action when we learned about the incident, Nehring added.

The University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (UCLA), which used MOVEit Transfer to transfer files across campus and to other entities, is also among Clops newly listed victims. UCLA spokesperson Margery Grey told TechCrunch that the university notified the FBI and worked with external cybersecurity experts to investigate the matter and has notified those who have been impacted. UCLA declined to say how many individuals have been affected.

None of the other victims listed by Clop have yet responded to TechCrunch's requests for comment.

The exact number of impacted organizations, and subsequently breached individuals, remains unknown. In a post on its leak site, Clop claims to have compromised hundreds of organizations, which means that more victims are likely to come to light in the coming days and weeks.

In light of this latest wave of mass attacks, U.S. State Department earlier this month offered a $10 million bounty for information on the Clop ransomware group, a Russia-linked gang that was also responsible for previous mass-attacks exploiting flaws in Fortras GoAnywhere file transfer tool and Accellions file transfer application.

Do you work at an organization that's affected? Do you have more information you can share? You can contact Carly Page securely on Signal at +441536 853968 and by email. You can also share tips and documents with TechCrunch via SecureDrop.
Pass the tissue box again: After already saying goodbye to Han Solo, we're now doing the same for Harrison Ford's other iconic character.

This weekend, Indiana Jones rocks the signature fedora one more time in a fifth and final Indy adventure, opposite Phoebe Waller-Bridge ("Fleabag") as a roguish new character in the franchise and Mads Mikkelsen as a villainous Nazi scientist. But if animation is more your jam, Annie Murphy and Jane Fonda star in a coming-of-age comedy about a teenage kraken girl while Riz Ahmed and Chloe Grace Moretz headline a Netflix fantasy.

Here's a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on-demand debuts:

If you live for Harrison Ford cracking a whip: 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny'

Harrison Ford (with Phoebe Waller-Bridge) returns for one final adventure in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

Indy's swan song isn't one of his greatest adventures, but director James Mangold's action-packed franchise installment does enough right to satisfy longtime fans. Set in 1969, Indy retires from academia and is pulled into another globe-trotting quest with his goddaughter (Waller-Bridge) to find the rest of the mysterious and powerful Archimedes Dial and keep an ex-Nazi scientist (Mikkelsen) from using it to change history. While the plot has pacing issues and the movie is reticent to veer from the proven "Jones" formula, it all leads to a bonkers finale and an emotionally satisfying sendoff for Ford's Man in the Hat.

Where to watch: In theaters

Is Harrison Ford really retiring Indy? He might role play at home: 'Not your business!'

If you're not a fan of mermaids: 'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken'

"Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken" centers on shy teen Ruby (right, voiced by Lana Condor), who discovers she's next in line to inherit the mantle of Warrior Queen of the Seven Seas from her grandma (Jane Fonda).

In the kid-friendly fish tale, awkward 16-year-old Ruby (voiced by Lana Condor) is forbidden from going in the water by her protective mom (Toni Collette) but learns from her grandma (Fonda) that she's the latest in a line of sea protectors who can transform into a giant kraken. Their duty is to keep the oceans safe from villainous mermaids, and if young adulthood wasn't already stressful enough, the popular new girl at high school (Murphy) turns out to be one of these power-hungry baddies.

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Where to watch: In theaters

If your kids are in need of an excellent adventure: 'Nimona'

A knight (voiced by Riz Ahmed, left) is framed for a crime he didn't commit and the only person who can help him prove his innocence is a shape-shifting teen (Chloe Grace Moretz) in the techno-medieval animated adventure "Nimona."

Based on the ND Stevenson graphic novel, this lively and refreshing family fantasy stars Ahmed as Ballister Boldheart, a knight in a futuristic medieval world who's framed for murdering the queen. To prove his innocence, Ballister teams with mercurial Nimona (Moretz), a shape-shifting teen who might be the same creature the kingdom's knights have been trained to destroy. It's an inclusive and thoughtful piece about friendship and honor with engaging queer characters that's also a heck of a lot of fun.

Where to watch: Netflix

If you're a big fan of 'Succession' or 'The Babadook': 'Run Rabbit Run'

Sarah Snook stars as a divorced Australian mother forced to confront dark secrets from her family's past in the psychological horror film "Run Rabbit Run."

In the creepy-kid psychological horror flick, Sarah Snook ("Succession") stars as a divorced Australian mother forced to confront dark secrets and repressed trauma from her family's past. She's not overly pleased when her 7-year-old daughter (Lily LaTorre) takes in a stray bunny as a pet for her birthday, but the newest member of the household is just the inciting incident for a series of bizarre turns and revelatory truths as the youngster exhibits increasingly dangerous bad behavior.

Where to watch: Netflix

Ranked: The 10 best movies of 2023 (so far), from 'Spider-Verse' to 'Air'

If you're a lover of American music history: 'Anthem'

Grammy-winning producer DJ Dahi (left) and composer Kris Bowers work on crafting an American national anthem for modern times in the Hulu documentary "Anthem."

"The Star-Spangled Banner" dates back to the 19th century and is set to an old British tune, so maybe it needs a modern refresh? That's the premise of this inventive documentary, which features composer Kris Bowers and Grammy-winning producer DJ Dahi embarking upon a cross-country road trip to learn about the different genres of American music (from country to jazz to Latin) from the people who play them and then crafting a new national anthem that speaks to our complicated cultural landscape. It's a project full of creativity and even conflict  and their song's not half bad either.

Where to watch: Hulu

Also on streaming:

Lin-Manuel Miranda (center) stars as Alexander Hamilton in the musical "Hamilton."

Just in time for the Fourth of July, a new sing-along version of the musical "Hamilton," starring creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr., premieres on Disney+ Friday.

The family comedy "About My Father," starring Robert De Niro as an Italian hairdresser dad and writer Sebastian Maniscalco as his son, is now available to buy/rent on Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon and Google Play.

The psychological thriller "Sanctuary," with Christopher Abbott as a hotelier and Margaret Qualley as his dominatrix, is available to buy/rent on Apple TV and other on-demand platforms.

The comedy sequel "Book Club: The Next Chapter," featuring Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen as besties on a trip to Italy, streams on Peacock beginning Friday.

'Dial of Destiny' review: Harrison Ford's final 'Indiana Jones' plays it safe raiding past films

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New movies to watch: 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,' 'Nimona'
Protesters convene inside the Ohio Statehouse in May as the Ohio House decides whether to create an August special election for Issue 1.

Ohioans will decide this summer if it should be harder to amend the state's constitution.

The state will hold an Aug. 8 special election on Issue 1, a proposal that would change the rules for enacting new constitutional amendments. The issue is complicated and controversial, and groups on both sides of the fight are working to sell their pitch to voters.

The USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau compiled answers to reader questions and other information voters should know about the issue.

How to vote: Key dates to know for Ohio's August special election

What would Issue 1 do?

The proposal, if approved, would require 60% of voters to pass a new constitutional amendment, instead of a simple majority of 50% plus one. It also would:

Require citizens who want to place an amendment on the ballot to collect signatures from at least 5% of voters from the last gubernatorial election in all 88 counties, instead of the current 44.

Eliminate a 10-day cure period that allows citizens to replace any signatures deemed faulty by the secretary of state's office.

Issue 1 needs a simple majority to pass. If approved, the 60% threshold would take effect right away, and changes to signature gathering would be in place starting Jan. 1.

Does this only apply to citizen-proposed amendments?

Yes and no.

The 60% threshold would apply to amendments proposed by citizens and the Legislature. Changes to the signature-gathering process apply only to citizen amendments.

That's because lawmakers don't collect signatures to place amendments on the ballot. Instead, they must pass a resolution with a three-fifths majority in the House and Senate.

What will my ballot look like?

The Ohio Ballot Board, which is tasked with setting language for ballot issues, approved the following language for Issue 1:

Ballot Language and Certification by Jessie Balmert on Scribd

Does this apply to initiated statutes?

In addition to amendments, citizens can propose laws for the Legislature to consider before placing them on the ballot. This is known as the initiated statute process, and Issue 1 does not apply to that.

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That means Issue 1 would not affect the current effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio.

What are people saying about Issue 1?

Proponents say these changes are necessary to protect the Ohio Constitution from special interests. They contend the constitution contains too many policies that aren't appropriate for the state's founding document, such as the location of casinos in Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland.

Critics say Issue 1 would make it harder for citizens to be heard, particularly when one party dominates state government. They also believe only well-funded groups could meet the new requirements and successfully put something on the ballot.

The issue's backers include anti-abortion groups, gun rights lobbyists and business organizations like the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Restaurant Association.

Issue 1 is opposed by unions, the Fraternal Order of Police and abortion rights advocates, among hundreds of other organizations. Both sides have attracted support from churches and religious groups.

Why now? And how does abortion fit in with this?

Advocates are working to put a ballot question before Ohio voters in November that would enshrine abortion access and other reproductive rights in the constitution.

Republican officials have openly said Issue 1 aims, in part, to keep that issue from passing. Michigan approved a similar measure in 2022 with 56.7% of the vote. Recent polling in Ohio suggests support for abortion sits over 50% but less than 60%.

Has this idea been floated before?

Similar ideas for the constitution have been discussed, but were never executed. And they were typically discussed in tandem with reforms to encourage people to pick initiated statutes over changing the constitution.

The Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission, established in 2011, debated whether to change the initiated statute process and increase the passage requirement for amendments to 55% of the vote. The commission ultimately decided against those changes before it disbanded in 2017.

Do other states let citizens propose constitutional amendments?

Ohio is one of 16 states that allows citizens to take amendments directly to the ballot, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Ohioans sought that right 111 years ago as part of an effort to weed out corruption and make government more responsive.

The passage threshold varies in other states. Florida and Colorado are the only two states that consistently require a supermajority  60% and 55%, respectively. In Illinois, an amendment can pass either with a majority of people voting in the whole election, or 60% of those voting on the amendment itself. Last year, Arizona voters approved a 60% threshold for any ballot measure involving taxes.

A dozen other states, including Michigan, Missouri and California, require a simple majority for statewide ballot measures. Amendments in Nevada need a simple majority, but they must pass in two consecutive elections. Arkansas voters decided in November to retain a majority for amendments and rejected a proposal to increase it to 60%.

How many amendments have passed with at least 60%?

Ohio voters have approved 127 of the 227 amendments placed on the ballot since 1913. Seventy-six of them got at least 60% of the vote. Fifty-one amendments passed with a simple majority but fell short of 60%.

Those numbers include amendments proposed by the Legislature and citizens. Lawmakers have sent more than twice as many amendments to the ballot than Ohioans.

Read more here about what policies would and wouldn't be in place under a 60% threshold.

How can I vote?

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8. Like any other election, you can also cast an absentee ballot by mail or vote early at your local board of elections. Visit voteohio.gov to register, request an absentee ballot find your polling location and find other information about voting. The deadline to register to vote is July 10. Early in-person voting starts July 11.

Key election dates and deadlines are listed here.

Reminder: Ohio's new election law requires voters to present a photo ID if they vote in person.

Didn't Ohio just restrict August elections?

Part of that new law limits when special elections can be held in August. Specifically, it states that local governments and school districts can only conduct them if they're under a fiscal emergency. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Republican lawmakers championed the idea last year, arguing August elections are costly and generate low turnout.

As part of the effort to get Issue 1 on the ballot, Republicans initially planned to pass a separate bill to expand August special elections. They ditched that legislation after it stalled in the House and set the Aug. 8 election with a resolution alone.

GOP leaders say the new law doesn't affect the Legislature's ability to set elections for proposed amendments, a power outlined in the constitution. The Ohio Supreme Court ultimately agreed and decided the Aug. 8 election can proceed after opponents sued over it.

The court's Democratic justices dissented from the decision, saying the Legislature can't flout the laws it creates.

How much will the election cost taxpayers?

The Ohio Senate budget includes $16 million for LaRose's office for the election. LaRose has said he can request additional funds from the state if it costs more.

Read more about Issue 1 and the August election

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

If you have questions about Issue 1, you can email her at hbemiller@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What is Ohio Issue 1 on the ballot in August 2023?
Ideally, your overall portfolio should beat the market average. But every investor is virtually certain to have both over-performing and under-performing stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term City Developments Limited (SGX:C09) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 38% over a half decade.

Now let's have a look at the company's fundamentals, and see if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

Check out our latest analysis for City Developments

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

While the share price declined over five years, City Developments actually managed to increase EPS by an average of 20% 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.

Due to the lack of correlation between the EPS growth and the falling share price, it's worth taking a look at other metrics to try to understand the share price movement.

The steady dividend doesn't really explain why the share price is down. However, revenue has declined at a compound annual rate of 11% per year. With revenue weak, and increased payouts of cash, the market might be taking the view that its best days are behind it.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

City Developments is well known by investors, and plenty of clever analysts have tried to predict the future profit levels. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, City Developments' TSR for the last 5 years was -29%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

Investors in City Developments had a tough year, with a total loss of 14% (including dividends), against a market gain of about 3.7%. 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 5% 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. Even so, be aware that City Developments is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those are concerning...

But note: City Developments may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

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.

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The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that race-based college admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are unlawful, ending affirmative action programs at colleges across the United States. And in her dissent, Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pulled no punches as she called the ruling let-them-eat-cake obliviousness.

The vote was 6 to 3, with the Supreme Courts liberal members voting against the decision, and Jacksons lengthy dissent quickly caught traction on social media.

With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces colorblindness for all by legal fiat, the dissent reads in part. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life. And having so detached itself from this countrys actual past and present experiences, the Court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are doing to solve Americas real-world problems.

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The dissent continues: No one benefits from ignorance. Although formal racelinked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and todays ruling makes things worse, not better. The best that can be said of the majoritys perspective is that it proceeds (ostrich-like) from the hope that preventing consideration of race will end racism. But if that is its motivation, the majority proceeds in vain. If the colleges of this country are required to ignore a thing that matters, it will not just go away. It will take longer for racism to leave us. And, ultimately, ignoring race just makes it matter more.

Jackson, who was appointed to the Court by President Joe Biden in 2022, called for leveling the playing field against systemic racism with programs like those in place at Harvard and UNC.

The only way out of this morass  for all of us  is to stare at racial disparity unblinkingly, and then do what evidence and experts tell us is required to level the playing field and march forward together, collectively striving to achieve true equality for all Americans. It is no small irony that the judgment the majority hands down today will forestall the end of race-based disparities in this country, making the colorblind world the majority wistfully touts much more difficult to accomplish.

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In conclusion, Jackson said the decision is a tragedy.

The Court has come to rest on the bottom-line conclusion that racial diversity in higher education is only worth potentially preserving insofar as it might be needed to prepare Black Americans and other underrepresented minorities for success in the bunker, not the boardroom (a particularly awkward place to land, in light of the history the majority opts to ignore). It would be deeply unfortunate if the Equal Protection Clause actually demanded this perverse, ahistorical, and counterproductive outcome. To impose this result in that Clauses name when it requires no such thing, and to thereby obstruct our collective progress toward the full realization of the Clauses promise, is truly a tragedy for us all.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor also wrote a dissent, saying the decision rolls back decades of progress.

Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits, Sotomayors dissent reads in part. In so holding, the Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter. The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society. Because the Courts opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent.

Read Jackson and Sotomayors complete dissents here.

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Anti-vaccines activist and  for some reason  Democratic presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. got his own town hall on Wednesday night, courtesy of cable channel NewsNation. And unsurprisingly, RFK Jr.s talking points were on brand.

In the event, moderated by NewsNations Elizabeth Vargas, Kennedy Jr. made an unusual pitch to Democratic Primary voters: A grab bag of conspiracy theories that of course included his pet obsession with vaccines, but also warnings about radiation from 5G towers, and even an attempt to link the crisis of mass shootings to antidepressants. Its a lot, so lets dive in.

Kennedys pitch wasnt just conspiracy theories however. Amid that, he proposed practical solutions to the problem of drug addiction and abuse, expressed opposition to militarism, and said he would like to be the first president to tell the American people the truth while speaking at the networks Chicago headquarters.

The only way were going to heal this country is if the government starts telling the truth, he said.

Moderator Elizabeth Vargas asked Kennedy if he is a spoiler, in this election, noting that he gets praise from Republicans like Donald Trump, who has called him smart.

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Im proud that Pres. Trump likes me. Even though I dont agree with him on most of his issues. I dont want to alienate people. My purpose is to find values we have in common, said Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and the son of former U.S.Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of Pres. John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy said he wants the U.S. to get out of foreign entanglements like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and funding Ukraines fight against the Russian invasion.

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We ended up killing more Iraqis than Saddam Hussein. All of this money that were spending on the military is not making us safer and is not making us friends abroad, he said. We cant keep spending money we dont have, since were so far in debt.

Kennedy said he would rather spend that money on combating domestic problems like the crisis of addiction to opiates and fentanyl, and favors opening drug treatment to help addicts, rather than treating them like criminals. Himself a former addict, Kennedy said he attends up to nine support group meetings a week to stay clean and sober.

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Kennedy said he does not consider marijuana use as part of the national drug problem. He said he favors full decriminalization of marijuana and certain psychedelic drugs at the federal level, and wants a federal tax on these products.

But along with those reasonable sounding proposals he also had thoughts on other things. As he often does, Kennedy denied he is an anti-vaxxer, and accused critics who point out his views of silencing me. He also claimed vaccines have not been tested properly and suggested people need fewer of them.

I think most people dont know what my stance on vaccines Ive never been anti-vaccine. And Ive said that hundreds and hundreds of times, but it doesnt matter, because that is a way of silencing me using that pejorative to describe me his way of silencing or marginalizing me. And my position on vaccines, I think is I think virtually every American would agree with my stance on vaccines, which is that vaccine should be tested like other medicines, it should be safety tested, he said. And unfortunately, vaccines are not safety tested. Theyre not. Theres of the 72 vaccine doses now mandated essentially mandated, they recommended but theyre really mandated American children, none of them one has ever been subjected to a pre licensing. Lets see a controlled trial.

Suffice to say, these claims are not accurate. Read more here.

Another health threat he warned of is radiation broadcasted from 5G towers for cell phones and other technologies. He said there should be no 5G towers near schools. This is of course a wholly unsupported claim, and is the evolution of a conspiracy theory spread during the pandemic that somehow, COVID-19 was caused by 5G signals. It wasnt. Read more here.

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And as we said, he tried to blame mass shootings on antidepressants. When called out by Vargas who said one of his points doesnt mean theyre a cause of mass shootings, he said, of course it does, we ought to be looking at it, shouldnt we? Shouldnt we be looking at video games, and cell phones, and some of the social, you know, social media stuff? We should be looking at all these things.

He then said there is a study showing a link between antidepressants and mass violence. But this, by the way, is untrue and has been debunked many, many, many times. It is, however, a theory popular with people who oppose restrictions on guns, including Tucker Carlson.

.@RobertKennedyJr says video games and social media should be looked at when it comes to the gun violence epidemic. More: https://t.co/ulvWgXBmaN #RFKTownHall pic.twitter.com/OdB7UdCplR  NewsNation (@NewsNation) June 29, 2023

Vargas said many Democrats see him as extreme on such issues, and noted that members of the Kennedy family have distanced themselves from him because of his vaccine stance.

In response, Kennedy smiled and asked, Does your family agree with you on everything, to which Vargas chuckled and said absolutely not, as the crowd laughed and applauded.

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Kennedy said the United States is in a struggle for world influence with China, but believes we should focus more on economic growth and less on military spending.

China wants to dominate the world, but they want to do it economically. I dont fear that competition with them, he said.

Talking about the rapid boom of artificial intelligence software, he said AI has the capacity to do terrible things to us, and wants the United States to sit down with other nations, from allies to Russia, China and Iran, to work out a plan to keep the human population safe from AI.

Kennedy said he would start his presidency by telling the truth to the American people about everything, even in regards to intelligence agencies and what they do.

But adding to concerns he is running a spoiler campaign that could end up helping Republicans, when asked to pledge support for whoever the Democratic nominee is if its not him, he refused although he did call Pres. Joe Biden a friend.

My plan is to win this election, and I dont have a Plan B, Kennedy said, adding that any support he might offer a future nominee would depend on if they support Democratic values.

.@RobertKennedyJr on supporting a Democratic nominee if it isn't him: "My plan is to win this election." Watch live: https://t.co/xpZ0VsfZZg #RFKTownHall pic.twitter.com/ayMOmxifue  NewsNation (@NewsNation) June 29, 2023

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Olivier Douliery / Getty Images

The United States Supreme Court is facing backlash after it struck down race-conscious admissions programs at U.S. universities.

The landmark decision was announced Thursday, more than 40 years after SCOTUS first permitted colleges to use race-based affirmative action in admissionsa move that aimed to combat discrimination practices and bolster diversity. However, opponents of affirmative action argued that the programs resulted in reverse racism, as they disadvantaged white and Asian American students who were selectively held to a higher standard than brown and Black applicants. These arguments were laid out in two separate lawsuits against Harvard University and the University of Northern Carolina, which have allowed race to be a deciding factor during the admissions process.

The courts conservative justices ruled against UNC and Harvard in a vote of 6-3 and 6-2, respectively; Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself from the latter case because she previously sat on the Harvard Board of Overseers. The court ruled that affirmative action in higher education violated the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause, determining that race should play a limited role in deciding which students receive admissions.

Chief Justice John Roberts penned the majority opinion, which stated UNC and Harvards programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today."

At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicants discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.

Justice Sonia Sotomayorthe first Latina member of the Supreme Courtwrote the main dissent, saying the ruling rolled back decades of precedent and momentous progress.

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The Court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter, Sotomayor wrote. The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society, she added. Because the Courts opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent.

A number of political leaders echoed Sotomayors position, including former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, former President Donald Trump, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and current President Joe Biden.

Like any policy, affirmative action wasnt perfect, Obama said. But it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now its up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.

Biden also expressed disappointment in the courts decision.

We cannot let the decision be a permanent setback for the country, he said. We need to keep an open door of opportunities. We need to remember that diversity is our strength.

The ruling also garnered reactions from political commentators, state-level lawmakers, and students, many of whom pointed out that the court did not eliminate legacy admissions, a form of affirmative action thats based on alumni status rather than race. You can read some of the responses below.

What a sad day! This is another attack on Black people! Let us prepare for a more intense fightback! Here is my statement on Affirmative Action on my sister Dana Bashs CNN show! #AffirmativeAction pic.twitter.com/AqwbZ3r4VW  Cornel West (@CornelWest) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @CornelWest

I dont know who needs to hear this but white women have benefited more from affirmative action policies than any other demographic. The problem with always trying to hurt Black people is that you inevitably end up hurting yourselves. https://t.co/W9oaz6RjRV  Olayemi Olurin (@msolurin) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @msolurin

Let me get this straight. SCOTUS says colleges can't take race into consideration during admission....But they can give preference to "legacies."Since non-white students were barred from most colleges for 200+ years, legacy students are by definition most likely white.  Robert Reich (@RBReich) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @RBReich

Media outlets are going to rush to ask Black people to react to this. Meanwhile, white women benefit the most from affirmative action and DEI policies. Yall should also be sticking the mics and cameras in their faces. But yall wont because we all kn *signal drops* https://t.co/ZpBGA9xJBv  Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @KarenAttiah

Notably the Supreme Court decision doesnt strike down preferential admissions for legacy students or any donors who wants to put their name on a building in exchange for their child getting a chance to attend.  Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @malcolmkenyatta

Before you begin your thinkpiece, the Supreme Court DID NOT strike down Affirmative ActionAdmission preferences for legacies, donors, employee families and special recommendations are still allowed The Court struck down Affirmative Action For everyone except WHITE PEOPLE  Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @michaelharriot

A sad day for mediocre white students with an overinflated sense of academic worth everywhere. https://t.co/f9jI4eJkm5 pic.twitter.com/owk8mnpTd5  Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @briebriejoy

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has long acknowledged affirmative action helped him get into Yale Law School.Today, he slammed shut the same door of opportunity that elevated him to power on the next generations of students of color.Hypocrisy at its finest.  Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLeeForCA) June 29, 2023

Twitter: @BarbaraLeeForCA

Twitter: @ninaturner

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Naval-Strike-Missile-NSM

Ukraine could be in line to receive the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile, or NSM, from Polish stocks, with reports in the Polish media suggesting that talks between the two countries about a possible transfer of these coastal defense systems are underway.

A report on the Defence24.pl website says that negotiations are at an advanced stage. The NSM would provide Ukraine with a powerful ability to attack both naval and land targets at distances of over 124 miles. Among its other features, the NSM has low-observable characteristics to make it more difficult for adversaries to spot in advance and it employs unpredictable movements in its terminal stage of flight to help avoid enemy air defense systems. The missile also has an imaging infrared (IIR) system for terminal homing, meaning it gives no radio-frequency warning and cannot be spoofed using RF jamming tactics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMowaZ3I90o

The report claims that a transfer could possibly be secured using European Unions funds, which would in turn allows Poland to backfill its NSM units.

The Polish Navy currently operates two complete NSM systems within its Coastal Missile Squadron. Each consists of two batteries, each battery having three launchers with up to four missiles each, and supporting command and fire control vehicles. In addition, there are battery and squadron command vehicles, mobile communication centers, plus target detection and tracking radars.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1673997522371584002?s=20

Poland was the first NSM operator to deploy a coastal defense variant, although the U.S. Marine Corps, Romania, and Latvia subsequently decided to acquire the same. The U.S. Navy and Norway use NSM missiles in their ship-launched variant.

A Polish Navy NSM launch truck, which uses a locally produced chassis. Szymon Rutkowski/Wikimedia Commons

Before we head into the latest news from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can catch up on our previous rolling coverage here.

The Latest

At least 11 people have been killed after a Russian strike on the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in the eastern Donetsk region, according to the citys mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko.

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The attack last night hit a busy pizza restaurant in the city, killing at least three children, and reportedly injuring a further 56 people. Emergency services said seven people had been found under the rubble.

https://twitter.com/RomanTrokhymets/status/1674070047034073091?s=20

Donetsk is one of the regions of Ukraine that Russia claimed to annex last year.

https://twitter.com/SESU_UA/status/1673992297766060032?s=20

Among those killed, according to Ukrainian authorities, were two 14-year-old twin sisters, named as Yulia and Anna Aksenchenko.

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1674003554988613632?s=20

According to Ukrainian state news agency Suspilne, Rescuers continue to clear the rubble, and have rescued seven people  Dog handlers and psychologists also work on site.

https://twitter.com/johnsweeneyroar/status/1674080475541798921?s=20

Further details of the attack were provided on Telegram by Pavlo Kyrylenko, Ukrainian governor of Donetsk Oblast:

The Russians struck with two missiles  one aimed at a private enterprise, the second at a pizzeria.

The impact completely destroyed the building of the pizzeria, damaged 18 high-rise buildings, 65 private houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, a hotel, an administrative building, and a recreational facility.

Search and rescue efforts continue after the Russian missile attack that hit a restaurant in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

In an initial statement, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Russia used S-300 surface-to-air missiles in a surface attack capacity, although subsequent reports from Ukraine suggested that the weapons used were Iskander short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs).

https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1673795752600952836?s=20 https://twitter.com/olliecarroll/status/1674015583304658944?s=20

Meanwhile, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) claims it has arrested a man that it accuses of having helped carry out the Kramatorsk attack. The man was described by the counter-intelligence service as an agent of the Russian special services. According to the SSU, the man was a resident of the city and worked for a local gas transportation company.

The agent of the Russian Federation will definitely answer to the Ukrainian court, said Vasyl Malyuk, the head of the SSU. But his detention is also a signal to all other adjusters and traitors who work for the enemy. Remember: the punishment is inevitable!

https://twitter.com/anno1540/status/1673994125870333956?s=20

For its part, Moscow today issued a denial that it deliberately launches attacks on civilian targets.

The Russian Federation does not strike at civilian infrastructure, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Strikes are carried out on objects that are connected with military infrastructure in one way or another. Peskov was responding to a question about the strike on Kramatorsk, in particular, but he did not offer an explanation as to why the restaurant was hit.

Subsequently, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the target hit in Kramatorsk was a temporary command post of the Ukrainian army, according to a Reuters report.

He added: Strikes are carried out on objects that are connected with military infrastructure in one way or another.

Triggering a social-media conspiracy theory was the justification presented by Russian state TV, claiming that the missiles were aimed at NATO instructors and the strikes objective was achieved, again suggesting that the pizza restaurant was deliberately targeted after all.

https://twitter.com/MarkUrban01/status/1674010421328486400?s=20

While Ukraine blamed the strike on the city of Kramatorsk on a Russian missile, Russian drones were also used overnight to attack targets in the country. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, six Iranian-made Shahed drones were destroyed by its air defenses, two of them being brought down over the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine. In the same region, another two of the drones hit an empty warehouse, again according to Ukrainian Air Force accounts.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1673949433371717632?s=20

Elsewhere in Ukraine, local authorities have reported casualties as a result of Russian shelling. Oleh Synyehubov, the governor of Kharkiv Oblast, in the northeast of the country, said that three civilians had been killed by shelling in the village of Vovchan, in the Chuguyiv district.

The enemy continues to fire on peaceful residents of Kharkiv Oblast, Synyehubov said. Unfortunately, there are victims.

Synyehubov also said that a 70-year-old woman had been injured in shelling in the Kupiansk district. He also added that the attacks were prosecuted using surface-to-air missiles, suggesting that Russia used S-300 missiles in a surface attack capacity.

According to Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne, three people were injured overnight by Russian shelling in the Kherson region. Its report claims that the Kherson community was hit 12 times, 49 shells were fired. Three residents of the community were injured.

With Ukraines air defenses under continued pressure from Russian attacks of all kinds, there remains a huge demand for additional ground-based air defense systems, especially modern Western ones, to supplant Kyivs mainly Soviet-era systems.

Today, Lithuanias president, Gitanas Nauseda, confirmed that his country will supply Ukraine with two NASAMS launchers. Nauseda made the announcement during a visit to Kyiv today.

https://twitter.com/GitanasNauseda/status/1673927715819249664?s=20

Ukraine has already received eight NASAMS batteries from the United States, delivered beginning in November 2022, with another two firing units pledged by Norway and one battery by Canada. As well as the firing systems, AMRAAM missiles compatible with these have been promised by Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

https://twitter.com/Lithuanian_MoD/status/1673956862042030081?s=20

Lithuanias neighbor and fellow NATO ally Poland has said that its ready to strengthen security on its border with Belarus. The move follows the arrival in Belarus of exiled former Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and suggestions that he and his mercenaries could begin working there on behalf of the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko.

https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1674108527521021952?s=20

If necessary, its readiness will be strengthened, Polands President Andrzej Duda told a news conference today. It is at a high level now and it is very professional.

Duda also confirmed that both Poland and Lithuania will do everything they can to ensure that Ukraine joins NATO as soon as possible, according to a report from Reuters.

https://twitter.com/prezydentpl/status/1674004613681356801?s=20 https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1674059847128473601?s=20

Previously, NATO chief, Jens Stoltenberg, ruled out Ukraine joining the alliance until the war is over.

Speaking today, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said he wanted to receive a signal that the country could join NATO after the war ends.

We understand that we cannot be a member of NATO during the war, but we need to be sure that after the war we will be, Zelenskiy told a press conference with the visiting Polish and Lithuanian presidents.

https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1674015965191843840?s=20 https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1673873144157986816?s=20

Efforts are being made to bolster the production of weapons in Ukraine, with one recent step being the appointment of a new head of the state-owned Ukroboronprom arms manufacturer.

The newly appointed general director faces three main tasks: to increase the production of ammunition and military equipment, build an effective anti-corruption infrastructure in the company, and transform Ukroboronprom, explained Oleksander Kamyshyn, minister for Ukraines strategic industries, in a report from Reuters.

The new head of Ukroboronprom is Herman Smetanin, previously in charge of the Kharkiv Malyshev plant in northeast Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/DerekBisaccio/status/1674032661847764992?s=20

On the battlefield, Kyiv claims that its forces have made more progress in their ongoing counteroffensive, although the latest remarks from Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov are deliberately vague. Talking to the Financial Times, Reznikov only confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have made certain gains that have not been made public. He added that the bulk of the countrys troops had not yet been deployed in the counter-offensive.

https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/1668942895703891976?s=20

When it happens, you will all see it, Reznikov said. Everyone will see everything, apparently in response to reports of the slow progress being made by Ukrainian troops, who have faced heavily dug-in Russian positions, as well as increasingly effective Russian threats including Ka-52 attack helicopters.

https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1673973772888555521?s=20 https://twitter.com/oleksiireznikov/status/1673995041113513984?s=20

Russian ground-based air defenses also continue to menace Ukrainian tactical aircraft and drones operating close to the front lines. In the following official Russian Ministry of Defense video, we see the activity of a Russian Strela-10 (SA-13 Gopher) short-range surface-to-air missile system.

https://twitter.com/FramingNewstv/status/1673965930408452097?s=20

Meanwhile, on the Ukrainian side, soldiers are claimed to have shot down a Russian Su-25 ground-attack aircraft using an Igla series man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). Again, the action purportedly took place in the Bakhmut region, although the precise date and location cannot be confirmed.

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1674089811039092739?s=20

Amid recent reports of Ukrainian forces continuing to liberate villages previously held by Russian occupation forces, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reiterated that he will not accept any peace plan that would have the effect of freezing Russian territorial gains made since the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.

Speaking to the Ukrainian parliament today, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine will not agree to any of the variants for a frozen conflict.

Among the prerequisites of Zelenskys peace formula are the full restoration of Ukraines territorial integrity, the withdrawal of all Russian troops, and the restoration of Ukraines state borders.

In one apparently recent example of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continuing their push in the east of the country, this video shows soldiers of the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade attack Russian positions, purportedly in the Bakhmut area:

https://twitter.com/2uwmp/status/1673798227047399426?s=20

More from Bakhmut in the next video, too, which purportedly shows Ukrainian forces from the 18th Mechanized Brigade placing a flag on the dam outside of Kurdyumivka in the Donetsk Oblast, southwest of the city of Bakhmut.

https://twitter.com/UKikaski/status/1673976821107261443?s=20

More interesting  apparently recent  footage has also come to light of a significant Ukrainian strike against a Russian rear area, this time in Zaporizhia Oblast. Artillery fire was called in with the aid of a drone, apparently knocking out at least six Kamaz trucks and a cargo van.

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1673886181518393344?s=20

More Ukrainian drones in action in the next video, this time showing attacks on Russian vehicles being used to create defensive lines somewhere in the south of the country:

https://twitter.com/Seveerity/status/1673679555633074178?s=20

Russian officials today issued reports of various different explosions and other incidents both on Russian territory as well as in parts of Ukraine controlled by the Kremlins forces.

Explosions have been heard in the city of Polohy, in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, according to one of its Russian-imposed leaders, Vladimir Rogov. On Telegram, Rogov claimed that three explosions were heard near the train depot there.

https://twitter.com/LvivJournal/status/1673978675522412545?s=20

Another Russian-imposed leader, Vladimir Rogov, claimed that there were loud explosions heard in occupied Melitopol, which he attributed to local air defenses.

Meanwhile, in the Belgorod Oblast in Russia, which borders Ukraine, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has claimed that a Ukrainian cross-border strike resulted in the water supply being temporarily cut off for around 220 people in the region. Gladkov said Ukrainian strikes had hit multiple settlements, apparently using drones rigged to drop explosive devices, but he reported no injuries.

More details have emerged of some of the heavy losses inflicted on the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) by the mercenaries of the Wagner Group, during the rebellion last weekend.

The regional governor of the Pskov Oblast, Mikhail Vedernikov, paid tribute to two Russian pilots who served at a base in the region.

Lt. Col. Alexei Vorozhtsov and Lt. Denis Oleinikov were flying a Ka-52 attack helicopter downed by Wagner fighters. This suggests that the crew was assigned to the 15th Army Aviation Brigade, based at Ostrov, which is equipped with the Ka-52 as well as Mi-28N attack helicopters and Mi-35M assault helicopters, among others.

https://twitter.com/AndrewW66619812/status/1673842868182548480?s=20

TASS quotes Vedernikov saying: The events of the weekend will remain in our memory for a long time: before our eyes, an armed rebellion broke out and quickly burned out, but it had threatened to develop into a fratricidal conflict with a large number of victims. The trouble passed by thanks to the professional, diplomatic work of a number of departments who saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1672551747212935170?s=20

Ostrov Air Base was also the scene of an apparent sabotage attack in November last year, during which operatives detonated explosives placed on the attack helicopters, including a Ka-52. You can read more about the raid here.

Thats it for now. We'll update this story when theres more news to report about Ukraine.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com
US Green Berets are looking to troops from NATO's newest member as 'mentors' for harsh winter combat

US Army Green Berets board a Finnish NH90 helicopter with the Utti Jaeger Regiment on March 12. US Army/Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant

Finland became NATO's 31st member in April, but it has long worked closely with the alliance.

Finns are adept at winter warfare, an area of focus for militaries worried about the Arctic.

In March, US Green Berets trained in the Arctic with "mentors" from Finland's Utti Jaeger Regiment.

One of the biggest shifts in European security prompted by the war in Ukraine has been Sweden's and Finland's decision to abandon non-alignment and apply to NATO.

After intense diplomacy, Finland officially joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO's 31st member. Sweden's application is pending, but officials say it will join soon.

Adding Finland doubled NATO's border with Russia to about 1,600 miles overnight, moving alliance territory much closer to some of Russia's most sensitive military outposts.

While much smaller than its eastern neighbor, Finland has a well-equipped military of about 30,000 troops, though in wartime it can call up 250,000 reservists.

Where the Finns truly excel is in winter warfare, and even the US special-operations community is taking lessons from Finnish commandos.

The Utti Jaeger Regiment

Utti Jaeger Regiment soldiers during training in May 2019. US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins

Among the Finnish military's small professional force, the Utti Jaeger Regiment stands out. Its nearly 700 professional and conscript troops are divided into a headquarters unit and three components.

The Special Jaeger Battalion focuses on special reconnaissance, direct action, and unconventional-warfare missions. The battalion comprises a company of paratroopers that is largely composed of conscripts and a special Jaeger company of professional troops.

The regiment also has a helicopter battalion that supports Finland's special operators. The battalion operates 20 NH90 medium transport helicopters and seven MD500 light transport helicopters.

Finally, the regiment's support battalion provides logistical support to Finland's special operators. It also trains Finnish conscripts to perform support tasks.

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The Utti Jaeger Regiment takes part in about 40 "executive assistance tasks," which likely includes training and real-world missions, each year. But where the Utti Jaeger Regiment really shines is in winter warfare.

Arctic operations

US Green Berets during training with Finnish special-operations forces in Lapland on March 8. US Army/Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant

In March, US Army Special Forces soldiers trained with the Utti Jaeger Regiment on winter operations in Lapland, Finland's northernmost region.

Green Berets are no strangers to harsh conditions. The Special Operations Winter Mountain Operator Course, held twice a year at Fort Carson in Colorado, tests the ability of US special-operations troops to fight at high altitude and in severe weather. Green Berets also train regularly in Alaska alongside other elite US military units.

But Finnish forces live in those conditions, and the Special Forces soldiers looked up to them because of it.

The Green Berets saw the Utti Jaeger Regiment "as mentors because they operate in this environment, they live here; they're very good at winter warfare, so we look to them on how to do things the right way," an assistant detachment commander with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) said in a press release.

US Green Berets and Utti Jaeger Regiment troops at a helicopter landing zone in Lapland on March 12. US Army/Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant

Winter warfare is not just about patrolling skills, marksmanship, or small-unit tactics. In such an unforgiving environment, troops must work to stay alive. With a narrow margin for error  exposing skin for just a few minutes can be harmful or even deadly  small mistakes can lead to disaster.

"That one mistake you made with your socks or your glove liners on day one is now making you combat ineffective come day five," the assistant detachment commander said in the release.

The US commandos came to the exercise directly after a five-week winter-warfare course at the Swedish Subarctic Warfare Center and applied skills learned there to the training with the Finns.

US and Finnish soldiers "linked up and focused on interoperability" and synchronization of standard operating procedures, the assistant detachment commander said. "The exercise focused on deep strike operations, or neutralizing a target deep behind the front line."

The 10th Special Forces Group's area of operations is Europe, and Green Berets from the unit work closely with their European counterparts. Indeed, the 10th Special Forces Group has led much of the US's training and advising for Ukrainian special-operations forces.

US Air Force CV-22B Ospreys and a NH90 helicopter from the Utti Jaeger Regiment Helicopter Battalion at a base in Finland on March 30. US Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Izabella Workman

Although Finland just joined NATO, its special-operations forces have worked closely with the alliance for some time, building interoperability that will allow the Utti Jaeger Regiment to get up to NATO standards in almost no time.

"Working with US forces, I'm really (impressed) with how we went straight from shaking hands to conducting missions in a very short amount of time, which tells a lot about our forces being interoperable and well-suited for combined missions together," a Finnish special-forces soldier assigned to the Special Jaeger Battalion said in the release.

The Green Beret training reflects the US Army's increasing focus on Arctic warfare. In 2021, the Army released a strategy document describing how it planned to defend US national security interests in the region. As a part of that, the Army has solicited help from allies and partners to increase its Arctic warfare capabilities.

Although the US special-operations community has credible Arctic warfare skills and has been honing them, the Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Danish militaries have experts with valuable knowledge and experience.

The Utti Jaeger Regiment's proficiency in winter warfare and its ability to train US and NATO special operators will only increase the alliance's ability to deter and respond to threats.

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. He is working toward a master's degree in strategy and cybersecurity at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Galactic 01 from Virgin Galactic  the brainchild of British billionaire Sir Richard Branson  is the company's first trip with paying customers

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

A group of Italian researchers reached the edge of space on Thursday, hours after taking off from the New Mexico desert on a quest to deliver Virgin Galactics mission of bringing commercial spaceflight to all.

Two members of the Italian Air Force and an engineer with the National Research Council of Italy are the first paying customers for the trip, termed Galactic 01, according to CNBC.

The researchers hope to conduct a series of microgravity experiments while they experience weightlessness, the Associated Press reports.

Virgin Galactic  the brainchild of British billionaire Sir Richard Branson  will proceed with a second mission in August, per CNBC.

Related: Virgin Galactic Begins Selling 'Transformational' Tickets to Space for $450,000

The company aims to fly its spacecraft, VSS Unity, once a month, the outlet reports.

The suborbital flights last a minimum of 90 minutes and reach 2,600 mph while transporting four passengers to the edge of space for incredible views, according to the program's website.

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.

By midday Thursday, the spacecraft had begun gliding back to Earth to land, CNBC reported.

Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo in Flight

Virgin Galactic has a backlog of about 800 people who have already purchased their tickets to experience space flight.

Related: FAA Launches Probe into 'Mishap' on Richard Branson's Space Trip, Grounds Virgin Galactic Flights

Initial tickets cost about $200,000 but recent prices are much higher, the company told PEOPLE last year.

"Spaceflight reservations are a total price of USD $450,000," a spokesperson told PEOPLE last year. "Following an initial deposit of USD $150,000, customers will make their final payment before their flight."

Story continues

However, the company's mission has come under fire in the past due to safety concerns.

According to The Guardian, Virgin Galactic investors are suing the company, alleging defects in the spacecraft have not been disclosed, which has led to ongoing delays.

And Branson's own first trip into near-space was investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021 after pilots on the flight went "off trajectory," after they were allegedly alerted to yellow and red warning lights as the crew of six flew to space.

The lights, according to the New Yorker, were intended to notify the pilots that the ship wasn't vertical enough to properly glide back down to Earth with enough momentum after reaching space.



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Read the original article on People.
"We need to find new ways of being in solidarity," says Hector Tobar, whose latest book, "Our Migrant Souls," examines Latino identity. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Hector Tobar is tired of the Latino caricature.

Its everywhere from Netflix to the nightly news, from the Instagram feeds of the red-pilled to the bookshelves of the woke. Conservative propagandists arent alone in reducing Latinos to killers and cartel bosses. Liberal scribes traffic in such tropes too. But in their stories, Latinos arent always sinners. They can also be  spicy , suffering or saintly characters.

No wonder so many people are silent or even celebratory in the face of the mass expulsion and exploitation of the most marginalized among us. Why should they care about the one-dimensional figures they imagine us to be?

Tobars latest book, Our Migrant Souls, is the culmination of his decades-long struggle to correct this dehumanization. A bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who spent two decades at The Times, Tobar interrogates Latino identity with a subversive nuance. He is not writing for the white gaze, instead directly addressing young Latinos, including his former students at UC Irvine. At times, he cites their work to elucidate the fact that many Latinos, from the Afro-Puerto Rican to the Blaxican or part-Asian, feel they dont fully belong anywhere. This sense of unbelonging is, in fact, what binds us.

The books subtitle, A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of Latino, reflects Tobars commitment to gray areas and contradictions. He writes: An African heritage. Your indigeneity. Your Europeanness. You are everything  and you are the very specific places your parents came from.

Read more: Hollywood's Latino culture gap: How new and veteran creators are working to reverse a brutal history

By reading the essays of those young Americans, who re-create their parents love stories and their own messy secrets, Tobar learned a lot about what Latino can mean. He observes: Our humanity and our complexity exist outside broadcast and printed culture, rarely as alive and full as I see in your writing.

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Our Migrant Souls also illuminates deeper truths about the United States, an empire that has displaced millions of people and then trapped them here. Tobar spoke with The Times over the phone, in a conversation edited for clarity and length, about how Latinos are not only Americas future but also the essence of a country conflicted over its own mestizo identity.

You started this book in 2020. What inspired you to create this at that time?

I was teaching students and hearing their stories, and it was during the George Floyd uprisings. We were having this national conversation about race, and it seemed to me that Latino identity and the space Latino people occupy in the race ideas of this country wasnt a subject of national discussion  To me, its the defining race question of the 21st century.

Why did you frame the book as a conversation with young Latinos?

I was inspired, like Ta-Nehisi Coates was, by James Baldwins The Fire Next Time [rhetorically structured as a letter to his nephew]. In many ways the book is a tribute to Baldwin. The fact that we as Latinos can stand up for ourselves, that we can begin to understand the race scheme of this country, is due in large measure to the work of African American activists, thinkers and writers.

So Id read Baldwin, but I didnt really feel that I wanted to address my own children because theyve heard enough from me already. And my children are privileged in relation to most young Latino people in this country. I wanted to speak to those strivers that I met at UC Irvine. Those young people who have so much going on intellectually, who are very curious, and also hurt and angry. I wanted to share what theyve taught me.

Read more: LA Vanguardia: An L.A. Times project celebrating the Latino vanguard transforming our cultural landscape

Many Latinos have a love-hate relationship with the terms that define us. Whats your biggest problem with the word Latino?

The biggest problem is that it centralizes Europeanness. Latin America was a phrase championed by, among others, the French intellectuals attempting to justify the French intervention in Mexico. Its this attempt to tell people south of the Rio Grande that they have common cause with the French and Spanish elite over the Anglo American elite.

At the same time, its a term that's used by marketers but also activists. The origin of Latino, the way we use it and the way it began to be used in the L.A. Times, one of the first media organizations to use the term, was as an expression of an alliance between people of many nationalities. Its a name for a group of people who do have a shared experience  of mixing, of journeys, of surviving empire.

You write: Latino and Latinx are synonyms for mixed. Is there a risk that this conception of Latino identity as mestizo replicates mainstream Latino erasure of Black or Indigenous people who dont identify as mixed?

Absolutely. I think any generalization about a large group of people is going to create lies. And erasures  We need to find new ways of being in solidarity.

Read more: Whos Hatemonger in chief? Stephen Miller's biographer explains Trump's true believer

In your chapter Ashes, the books most powerful and haunting section, you write persuasively about the militarized border as a state killing machine that targets Latinos, drawing an implicit parallel to the machinery of the Holocaust. Your framing didnt feel exaggerated to me as someone who has had repeated encounters with human remains at the border, which has become a mass grave where bodies are incinerated by nature. You describe the rerouting of migrants into the hostile desert as a perfect American slaughter for the media age. Why did you decide to focus an entire chapter on this comparison? Is there a reason you didnt state it explicitly?

I didnt want to be accused of saying that there was a moral equivalency because thats not what Im saying.  Im saying that both of those crimes exist on the same continuum of human history. That theyre both expressions of the idea of race cleansing and race purity and race defense as instruments of nation building. The Nazis employed industrial methods to murder millions of people in the name of defending the German race against the Jewish race. [Border militarization] is this horrific crime and serves the same purpose as any violent act. It intimidates an entire people. The stories of what happens at the border reach into the hearts and minds of Latino families and shape the way they make decisions. Theyre related incidents in the history of mankind.

You devote another chapter to the lies told about Latinos, whether in liberal Hollywood or on conservative Fox News. Are they linked?

Both our infantilization in the liberal media and our depiction as monsters in the right-wing media are symptoms of our voicelessness in American media. The root of that is a stereotype about Latino people, which is that were not intellectuals. Were not and can never be. Not that theres a great intelligentsia in this country.

Read more: How the Salvadoran diaspora became a literary juggernaut

Did you write this book to rebel against that idea?

It's born from frustration as an artist. I just love the complexity and the textures of the storytelling of my students. Once you give them the idea that a complex father is more interesting to read about than a saintly father or a saintly mom, then you get a lot of interesting insights into the human condition. The thing that really bothers me is the didactic quality of so much of our [well-known] art  its what Roberto Lovato calls the folklorico-industrial complex. Were selling this colorful  the equivalent of the abuelita on the label of the Abuelita chocolate. But theres so much exciting work, some of which I mention in my book  great artists and photographers. I do believe were at the beginning of a Latino Renaissance like the Harlem Renaissance. Ive been saying that for about 10 or 15 years, but now more than ever, I really feel it happening.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Queen Elizabeth was not crowned at the National Service Thanksgiving at St. Giles' Cathedral 70 years ago either

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty King Charles at the first Royal Ascot of his reign in June 2023.

King Charles coronation celebration in Scotland will not include a climactic moment of crowning.

The King, 74, will step into the spotlight during the first Royal Week of his reign on July 5, when his May 6 crowning is honored with a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. King Charles and Queen Camilla will follow the precedent set by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip when they process to the church, where Charles will be ceremoniously presented with the Honours of Scotland, the countrys crown jewels. Though the highlight of the historic suite is the crown of King James V of Scotland, it will not be placed on the Kings head.

According to British Parliament, the independent kingdoms of Scotland and England were "united into one kingdom by the name of Great Britain" through the Act of Union 1707. It was decided that the line of succession for the (literally) United Kingdom would pass to Princess Sophia, Dowager Electress of Hanover, and her heirs. The Kingdom of Ireland joined in 1801, though much of the country seceded in 1922, resulting in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the latter of which remains affiliated with the U.K. today.



Because Scotland has not operated as an independent royal realm for over 300 years, it would be inappropriate  and inaccurate  for Charles to be crowned as King in Scotland.

JOHN BRACEGIRDLE/Alamy Stock Photo The Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels.

RELATED: King Charles Is Having a Second Coronation Celebration! All About What's Happening in Scotland

Seventy years ago, Scotland honored the coronation of Queen Elizabeth with a National Service of Thanksgiving that likely inspired the festivities being organized for her eldest son and successor next week. She was presented with the Honours of Scotland  a sword, sceptre and King James crown  inside St. Giles Cathedral, and the epic headpiece was not raised onto her head.

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The Honours of Scotland have not been used for a coronation since the crowning of Charles II at Scone in 1651, Royal.UK states.

Historia/Shutterstock Queen Elizabeth attends the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles Cathedral on June 24, 1953.

Though Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrived for the Scottish coronation celebration on June 24, 1953, with huge fanfare, according to Scotland magazine, there was controversy around what she wore  or rather, did not.



The newly-crowned young Queen was presented with the Honours of Scotland in St. Giles Cathedral at a ceremony that should have been full of pomp and dignity. Instead, she offended Scottish sensibilities by not wearing formal robes and carrying an obtrusive handbag, presumably ill-advised by someone who had misread the mood of the people, Scottish newspaper The Herald reported in a story for the Queen's 80th birthday in 2006.

Yet on the eve of her departure, 100,000 people gathered on Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park at midnight to bid her farewell and broke into: Will ye no come back again? 

United Press Photo/SuperStock/Alamy Stock Photo Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland for the coronation celebration on June 24, 1953.

RELATED: Every Photo from the Coronation of King Charles III

While much remains under wraps about the upcoming coronation celebration, the Scottish governments announcement of the plans in June hinted that the pageantry would mostly focus on King Charles.

Scotland will mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla during Royal Week in Edinburgh on Wednesday 5 July, the statement said. The King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles Cathedral following processions on the Royal Mile. Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay will also attend events.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Charles and Camilla attend the Braemar Games in Braemar, Scotland in September 2022.

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The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay are two familiar faces  Prince William and Kate Middleton. While the couple is known as the Prince and Princess of Wales in England, their highest royal titles, they are styled by the Rothesay titles while abroad in Scotland. Prince William and Princess Kate, both 41, inherited the Rothesay appellations from King Charles and Queen Camilla upon Queen Elizabeth's death in September.

The prince and princess also the hold Scottish titles of Earl and Countess of Strathearn, which they were given on their 2011 wedding day, though they now use the higher-ranking duke and duchess styling.



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Read the original article on People.
Since the groups 2022 debut, XG has been making waves in Korea, Japan and the United States. The septet  which consists of members Jurin, Cocona, Chisa, Hinata, Maya, Juria and Harvey  is gearing up to keep the global domination going with the release of its forthcoming album GRL GVNG on June 30, but before then, the girls caught up with Billboard News to discuss the past year as a group, meeting fans for the first time, and their ongoing docuseries.

XG performed at the Head in the Clouds Festival in New York last month, and had the chance to meet members of their dedicated fan base for the first time. It was such an incredible moment getting to meet our U.S. Alphaz for the very first time as well as performing in the U.S. for the very first time. The energy was amazing, we had so much fun. We felt so alive after the whole performance and we were really grateful that we had the opportunity and it was an amazing experience, Maya explained.

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Related

XG

XG, Jackson Wang, Rina Sawayama & More Announced for Head in the Clouds LA

06/28/2023

Hinata also shed light on the groups first fan meeting experience in Japan, adding, We were really welcomed by a lot of Alphaz and even showed us cards saying Welcome back, XG! It was really heartwarming, and we were grateful for that. We had an amazing and exciting performance, so it was really great.

XG takes fans on the journey of its formation in the docuseries XTRA XTRA, shedding light on how all of the members got so close. According to Jurin, the girls in the group have a name for that bond. We express the relationship between the seven of us as Hesono O in Japanese. It represents a connection that continues and symbolizes a family tied by an umbilical cord, she said. I think the backstory to that phrase is revealed in the documentary, so we hope the Alphaz can pick up on that.

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While XG is just getting started, they have a clear goal in mind for the future and their plan to reach new fans. We are Japanese, based in Korea, singing in English. We understand that it makes us a unique group. Our goal is to reach as many people as possible, so we learned English and Korean, Jurin added. We have a strong desire to reach out to a lot of people and we hope that we can accomplish our goals.

Watch XGs full interview with Billboard News in the above video.

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Click here to read the full article.
Republican presidential candidates who qualify for the first primary debate will have to satisfy one final, somewhat controversial requirement, sources say: signing a pledge to back whomever the party's eventual nominee is, including if it's Donald Trump.

Two sources familiar with the discussion told ABC News that the pledge will only be presented to candidates for their signature after they earn their spot on the debate stage, in Milwaukee in August, rather than earlier in the process.

This order would signal that they cannot lean on the pledge as a reason not to participate.

Three GOP hopefuls who are critical of Trump -- former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd -- have expressed concerns about the pledge.

MORE: The Rise and Fall of the GOP Loyalty Pledge

Trump himself has not committed to backing another candidate should he lose the primary.

A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, asked for comment, referred ABC News to what RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said on Fox News last week: that the pledge was about backing voters' views.

"Anybody who wants to seek the nomination of our party should pledge to support the voters," McDaniel said then. "If you go through this process and you take time on the debate stage and you're going to be there, the No. 1 pledge should be: Beat [Joe] Biden."

PHOTO: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (R) and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speak during the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, October 19, 2016. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)

All candidates have up until 48 hours prior to the Aug. 23 debate to prove to the RNC that they've hit at least 1% in three national polls or in a mix of national and early state polls recognized by the committee plus accrued 40,000 individual donors to their campaigns from at least 200 unique donors per state in 20 or more states.

Hutchinson, who is polling at 1.1% according to an average from FiveThirtyEight, has publicly objected to both the loyalty pledge requirement and donor threshold, which he said was too limiting.

His campaign pressed RNC officials to reconsider the pledge after Trump was federally charged earlier this month, now facing two criminal prosecutions. (Trump has pleaded not guilty in both.)

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During a call between RNC leaders and a staff member of the Hutchinson campaign on June 15, party officials insisted there would not be any changes to their debate guidelines.

"Individuals who are seeking the Republican nomination for President are being asked to respect the decision of Republican Primary voters and support the eventual nominee they pick to beat Biden," RNC senior adviser Richard Walters told ABC News' Rachel Scott in a statement. "Candidates who are complaining about this to the press should seriously reconsider their priorities and whether they should even be running."

Hutchinson's campaign subsequently took issue with the party's plan not to deliver the loyalty pledge to candidates until they have met donor and polling benchmarks.

PHOTO: RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel speaks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute's 'A Time for Choosing Speaker Series' at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on April 20, 2023 in Simi Valley, California. (David Mcnew/Getty Images)

"It's been our understanding that the text of the pledge would be provided to the campaigns well in advance of whatever deadline is set by the RNC," Hutchinson's campaign manager, Rob Burgess, told ABC News.

Nonetheless, Burgess said, "I am confident Gov. Hutchinson will be on the debate stage in order to demonstrate what true consistent conservative leadership looks like."

Christie has also made his displeasure with the pledge clear, calling it a "useless idea" and telling ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos earlier this month that he would take the pledge "just as seriously as" Trump did in the 2016 election cycle -- that is to say, he would disregard it as needed.

During the 2016 cycle, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and then Ohio-Gov. John Kasich also suggested they would drop the pledge. Cruz later endorsed Trump.

A spokesperson for Christie's campaign pointed ABC News to what Christie said on CNN in regard to his thoughts on the pledge, which they said he's also expressed directly to McDaniel and the RNC.

"The idea is you support the Republicans, whether you won or whether you lost. ... It's only the era of Donald Trump that you need somebody to sign something on a pledge. So I think it's a bad idea," Christie said on CNN.

MORE: Asa Hutchinson wants 'more courage' in 2024 GOP field as some promise to pardon Trump

Hurd, upon his long shot entrance into the GOP field last week, hesitated when asked on CNN if he thought he would be able to get on the debate stage.

He also said he wouldn't sign a candidate pledge or support Trump should Trump become the nominee. He suggested that the RNC was attempting to tip the scales of the primary by implementing debate requirements like the pledge.

PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson addresses The Faith and Freedom Coalition's 2023 'Road to Majority' conference in Washington, June 23, 2023. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

"The bottom line is this: I've taken one pledge and that's when I put my hand on the heart to pledge allegiance to the flag. I've taken one oath, asked to defend the Constitution of America. And I've taken one vow, to my amazing, beautiful wife," Hurd said.

In response to the RNC's claim that they will not deliver the loyalty pledge to candidates until they qualify for polling and donor thresholds, Hurd told ABC News, in part: "Im not in the business of lying to the American people for the sake of a microphone. I fully intend to get to 40,000 donors, meet the polling threshold and show up to Milwaukee for the debate. I will not sign a pledge to any political leader."

Meanwhile Trump's chief primary rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, said earlier this month that he would "respect the outcome of the process" but stressed that he intended to win.

"I think I'm going to be the nominee," he said. "No matter what happens, I'm going to work to beat Joe Biden."

ABC News' Libby Cathey, Will McDuffie and Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

RNC won't present loyalty pledge to candidates until after they qualify for debate: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Eneraqua Technologies plc (LON:ETP) share price has dived 33% in the last thirty days, prolonging recent pain. The recent drop completes a disastrous twelve months for shareholders, who are sitting on a 59% loss during that time.

Even after such a large drop in price, given about half the companies in the United Kingdom have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 15x, you may still consider Eneraqua Technologies as a highly attractive investment with its 4.6x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.

Recent times have been advantageous for Eneraqua Technologies as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think this strong earnings performance might be less impressive moving forward. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Eneraqua Technologies

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Eneraqua Technologies.

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

Eneraqua Technologies' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling earnings, and importantly, perform much worse than the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 40% gain to the company's bottom line. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year EPS frustratingly shrank by 85% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the dual analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 6.7% over the next year. With the market predicted to deliver 7.6% growth , the company is positioned for a comparable earnings result.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Eneraqua Technologies' P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Final Word

Eneraqua Technologies' P/E looks about as weak as its stock price lately. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Our examination of Eneraqua Technologies' analyst forecasts revealed that its market-matching earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Eneraqua Technologies you should be aware of, and 2 of them are a bit unpleasant.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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OceanGate's Titan was able to dive in deep waters without worrying about too many rules or regulations, legal experts say. That has raised questions after it imploded. Oceangate Expeditions/Reuters

The implosion of OceanGate's Titan submersible sparked questions about what's allowed in the sea.

Governments and maritime laws could oversee safety and activity even in the high seas, experts said.

But new submersibles fall outside traditional definitions of ships, experts said.

The OceanGate submersible's catastrophic attempt to visit the Titanic's wreckage led to the death of all five of its passengers and a costly search effort.

The tragic and bizarre episode prompted questions about the materials used to build the vessel, the liability that OceanGate may face, and what safety warnings the company's CEO Stockton Rush  one of the passengers who died on board the Titan  had apparently waved away.

But why are private commercial vessels allowed to dive some 13,000 feet at all, with apparently little-to-no government oversight?

The quirks of maritime law offer one explanation: The realm of international waters, hundreds of miles from shorelines, is often thought of as an ambiguous legal zone. But while countries can't claim ownership of the high seas, there are still ways for governments to regulate the actions of their own citizens and their registered vessels even in that remote domain, experts said.

So what was missing here? The issue was that novel vessels like new submersibles are currently not necessarily subject to the registration and inspection requirements that apply to traditional vessels like ships, maritime law experts told Insider.

The bow of the Titanic wreck underwater, photographed by Alan Stern on July 2022.

The submersible was attempting to get to the Titanic wreckage.Alan Stern

In the US, for instance, the Coast Guard conducts inspections of ships registered in the US to gauge their seaworthiness.

"International maritime law is comprehensive  there are many treaties governing every aspect of ship design, construction, and operation," said Robert Jarvis, maritime and space law expert and law professor at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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But in the case of a submersible like the Titan, the law simply was behind the latest technology, he said. There's nothing that prevents countries from making rules for such new vessels  but, Jarvis said, "this is an example of where the law did not catch up."

The phenomenon of deep-sea tourism has invited some comparisons to private commercial space flight, gaining media attention with the likes of Blue Origin's trips with passengers. And there are some legal similarities in how the sea and space are governed, according to experts.

Space travel is overseen by international laws that articulate that no country can own outer space (just like no country can own the high seas). Anyone launching vehicles into outer space also needs to inform their national government.

The Titan, in a file photo, imploded on its way to the Titanic, experts have said. OceanGate

It can be somewhat more complex for seafaring vessels. In general, ships that are registered to a country are bound by the laws of that country. Vessels like submersibles, linked to another boat, could be in a gray zone if they're not registered.

But in this case, given that the Titan was linked to a Canadian-flagged vessel, the Polar Prince, it's likely that Canadian laws would govern the submersible, according to Annie Brett, an ocean law expert at the University of Florida law school.

Still, the issue is that governments don't have intensive regulations or requirements for new vessels like submersibles in the first place, she said. That can make the depths of the sea something of a legal Wild West, she said.

"The space industry has become heavily regulated," Brett said. "That's different from what's happening in the ocean."

"And there hasn't really been that much in terms of operation in the deep sea," she added. "Now we're talking about deep-sea mining and tourism, but that's all very new."

In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration provides licenses for commercial space trips. But even that oversight has its limits  the agency licenses the activity specifically, and doesn't regulate the actual craft, said Michael Listner, an attorney and expert in outer space law and policy who advises private companies, non-profits, and government agencies.

Stockton Rush, the now-deceased CEO of OceanGate, apparently waved away some concerns on safety. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Vessel safety in the ocean is governed by more of a patchwork of oversight. Besides government agencies, insurance companies can play a role, and private organizations known as classification societies can set safety standards for vessels.

There are submersibles, for instance, that inspect pipelines in the deep sea and look under oil rigs, which are involved in industrial operations that require adequate insurance, said John Paul Jones, a maritime law expert and professor emeritus at the University of Richmond law school.

"And insurance companies won't provide insurance if those vessels aren't meeting strict safety requirements," he said. "Everyone's in business to make a profit, not pay off giant liability claims."

As for OceanGate, the Titan was not classed according to industry standards, and experts said it's likely that the submersible itself wasn't registered as a vessel of any country, despite being apparently tied to a Canada-based boat.

A representative for OceanGate Expeditions declined to comment to Insider, saying the company is "unable to provide any additional information at this time."

Read the original article on Insider
Terry Jo Duperrault was just 11 years old when she was found floating in the ocean on a small raft. It turned out that Terry had been on a boat just a few days before with her family and a man named Julian Harvey...who had, himself, been recently rescued out at sea.

The twist is that Harvey had actually tried to kill Terry and her family. He had been hired by Terry's family to captain a yacht for a once-in-a-lifetime around-the-world trip. But, instead, he murdered everyone on board and left Terry on the sinking yacht to drown before he escaped.

When Terry was found alive, Harvey (who did not expect her to survive his ploy), was notified. Just hours later, Harvey died by suicide.
Have you ever had Mexican food and simultaneously had a bad day? We didnt think so. When it comes to tacos, there are three cardinal rules: nothing soggy, chewy or bland, please. Because theres nothing worse than biting into a sad taco. Thats why were committed to helping you find the best tacos New York City has to offerand trust us, there are plenty. Whether youre looking for vegan or gluten-free options, from a Mexican restaurant, a hole in the wall or a beloved taco truck, you cant go wrong with any of these picks. Ranging across the five boroughs, weve rounded up 32 stand-out options of the best tacos in NYC for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday or any old meal.

The 34 Best Outdoor Brunch Spots in NYC

A taco is only as good as the tortilla in which its served. Luckily, this no-frills Bushwick shop is one part taqueria, one part tortilla factory, which means those corn tortillas are going to be just about as fresh as can be. If youre having a hard time deciding what to order, were big fans of the spicy chorizo and potato number.

271 Starr St, Brooklyn; (718) 456-3422

Make a reservation

Whats better than watching the cook slice juicy chunks of meat off of a roasting al pastor? Pretty much nothing. If you dont mind waiting in line, stop by this Greenpoint taqueria Wednesday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. for one of the best Mexico City-style tacos youll ever have. If youre not sure what you want, dont worry, the menu is small with only six mouthwatering options.

94 Franklin St., Brooklyn; taqueriaramirezbk.com

Check it out

If youre a connoisseur of birria tacos, youve got to check out this Brooklyn taqueria thats been cooking up the same family recipes for generations. Opened during the pandemic, they now have locations in Bushwick, Park Slope, and Barclays Center (thats only open during Nets games), where you can snag tacos, burritos, nachos, tortas, tostadas, empanadas, aguas frescas, and moreall served with a pinch of passion in every plate!

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Multiple locations; nenestaqueriausa.com

Make a reservation

This sit-down Bushwick joint has plenty more than just tacos on the menu (including the crab meat tostada, which you should definitely order), but we cant stop thinking about the steak tacos with caramelized onions and chile de arbol sauce (pictured up top to the left). Yum!

887 Hart St., Brooklyn; amarantobklyn.com; (718) 576-6001

Make a reservation

Sopas, enchiladas, and tacos, oh my! This cozy East Village institution has been serving up authentic Mexican classics, delicious margaritas, andbelieve it or notLos Angeles sports team pride since 2018. With 11 tacos to choose from, like lengua, bistec, cecina and cabeza, theres something for everyone at this local gem.

79 St. Marks Pl;.taquerialowereastside.net; (646) 964-5614

Check it out

This Jackson Heights taqueria was so good, it expanded into a fleet of taco trucks around Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as a second location in Alphabet City, Tacos Cuautla Morelos. Our pick here is the al pastorseriously juicy pork marinated with chiles and pineapple. Any of their huevo (egg) dishes are also top-notch if youre in a breakfast mood.

Multiple locations; tacosmorelosny.com; (718) 947-6381

Make a reservation

Cafe Habana

If youre not eating these chicken tacos with Cafe Habanas famous Cuban-Mexican street corn smothered in spices and cotija cheese, youre doing it wrong. Order an extra portion (you wont regret it) and dont forget the napkins! For extra fun, stop by for happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at their Nolita location for $5 beers and $7.50 cocktails. Theyre celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, so you might even get a special treat the next time you stop by.

Multiple locations; cafehabana.com; (212) 625-2001, Ext. 2

Make a reservation

Empellon

Chef Alex Stupaks taco empire includes Empellon Taqueria in the West Village and Waterline Square and Empellon Al Pastor in East Village, but Empellon, located in Midtown, is the must-try spot. Grab a table and chow down on maitake mushroom, fish tempura or pastrami tacos. Pick up Empellons award-nominated taco cookbook if you want to take the flavors home with you.

Multiple locations; empellon.com

Make a reservation

Named after Sinaloa, the state in northwest Mexico, you could easily walk right past this tiny taco shop in the Bronxs Marble Hill neighborhood. In-the-know locals, however, will tell you this is one of the best places in town for tender, juicy birria tacos served with consome. While youre there, try one of their specialty smoothies, or licuados, made with fresh juices.

113 W 225th St., Bronx; taqueriasinaloa.com; (917) 261-4146

Make a reservation

Taqueria Diana

This spot with three locations around Manhattan and Brooklyn isnt the fanciest (in fact, its more like a hole in the wall), but the tasty tacosespecially the carnespeak for themselves. Known for its San Francisco Mission-style Mexican food, make sure to try its burritos, nachos, mezcal and horchata at the East Village, Hells Kitchen, or Williamsburg locations.

Multiple locations; taqueriadiana.com

Make a reservation

On a warm summer day, your weekend plans are pretty much laid out for you: head to the Rockaways, hit the beach, and then fill up on the completely out of this world crispy Baja-style fish tacos (and maybe some elote and fresh juice too) at Tacoway Beach. FYI, this yummy spotpatio, indoor bar and allis only open during summer months.

302 Beach 87th St., Queens; tacowaybeach.com

Make a reservation

Theres no shortage of excellent Mexican food in Sunset Park, but Ricos Tacos is a top contender. Pop into this hole-in-the-wall for $3 or $4 tacos (al pastor for the win), $2 taquitos and delicious $3.50 or $4.50 tostadas. Oh, and did we mention its open until 1 a.m. every single day?

505 51st St., Brooklyn; ricostacos.mobile-webview2.com; (718) 633-4816

Make a reservation

Atla

Chef Enrique Olveras all-day Noho eatery has a diverse menu, offering everything from tostadas and flautas to chilaquiles, but the tacos are a much-welcome addition to any meal here, especially the melt-in-your-mouth suadero tacos on colorful corn tortillas topped with avocado and salsa cruda.

372 Lafayette St.; eatatla.com; (347) 662-3522

Make a reservation

If the homemade corn tortillas and incredible al pastor tacos arent enough to get you excited, wait until you try the Mexican iced coffee that puts Starbucks to shame. The shop now also sells three different taco kits to-go! While the original location in Corona closed permanently during the pandemic, theres an outpost housed in the Market Line at Essex Crossing.

115 Delancey St.; nixtamal.nyc

Make a reservation

This unassuming storefront just off the Bowery is the size of a studio apartment, but they make some of our favorite tacos (and burritos) in the East Village. The tortillas are fresh, the tacos are large, and the toppings are plentiful. We love the fried fish tacos, which come with pickled cabbage and spicy mayo, and the carnitas topped with guacamole. For $2.50 extra, add double filling to any taco.

60 E. 3rd St.; (646) 692-9268

Make a reservation

Amanda H./Yelp

There isnt much you can buy in the West Village for under $10, but you can have a very satisfying meal at The Little Taco House, a counter-service spot on West 4th Street. Order the carne enchilada (spicy pork meat) and carnitas tacos, which are topped with guac, cilantro, onions and salsa. If youre in more of a bowl mood, all of their burritos are also available as bowls.

246 West 4th St.; (646) 719-1600

Make a reservation

If theres one food trend that has taken off in recent years, its birria tacosand according to The New York Times, Birria-Landia has changed the taco landscape. Birria is supremely savory, tender slow-cooked Mexican beef stew, which is piled high in tortillas and served with the broth on the side (consome) for dipping. This Jackson Heights food truck (now with trucks in Williamsburg, the Bronx and the Lower East Side) is the place to go for Birria tacos, tostadas or quesadillas. Plus, they all stay open til 1 a.m. for your late night fix (aside from the Bronx location, which closes at 11 p.m.).

Multiple locations; birrialandia.com

Make a reservation

Los Tacos No.1

Hey, they call it No. 1 for a reason... Since opening its first location inside Chelsea Market, this must-try eatery has expanded to Grand Central, Tribeca, Noho and Times Square. The menu is small but mighty, offering just a handful of tacos and quesadillas. You cant go wrong, but the pollo asada is outstanding.

Multiple locations; lostacos1.com

Make a reservation

This unsuspecting upscale Long Island City restaurant boasts a Michelin star, and youd be wise to venture beyond the tacos and into the creative entrees. But any meal of chiles rellenos and Puebla-style mole tastes even better when it begins with a duo of brisket tacos.

5-48 49th Ave., Long Island City; casaenriquelic.com

Make a reservation

There werent many great things that came out of the year 2020, but thank goodness for Yellow Rose. This East Village temple to Tex-Mex cuisine boasts some outrageously good tacos filled with fixings like beef barbacoa, papas ranchera and chicken verde. The best surprise of all though are the breakfast tacos, which are reminiscent of Austin but hard to come by in the Big Apple.

102 3rd Ave.; yellowrosenyc.com; (212) 529-8880

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If we had to give a single award for best tacos in Sunset Park, its going to Tacos El Bronco  and their truck in the Bronx is just as tasty. This is a no-frills joint for Mexican-style home cooking where the tacos are cheap and piled high with meat. The salty beef and veal head options are unique and delicious, but one bite of the al pastor tacos topped in green sauce will transport you straight to Mexico City. Plus, all tortillas are handmade in-house.

Multiple locations; (718) 788-2229

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The next time you find yourself in Park Slope craving tacos and margaritas, Alta Calidad is a no-brainer. The shrimp tempura tacos with cabbage, salsa negra and chorizo powder are always on our table. Theyve also got an extensive brunch menu featuring Mexican classics like huevos rancheros and breakfast burritos for all of your mid-morning cravings.

552 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn; altacalidadbk.com; (718) 622-1111

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As you exit the 7 train in Corona, Queens, youll quickly notice theres no shortage of taquerias, but Homemade is one to seek out. The move here: three taquitos, which are served on double corn tortillas and topped with spit-grilled pork, cilantro and raw onions. (Psst: There are a whopping 15 locations in the five boroughsplus one in Long Islandwhich are all just as good). Because if its not homemade, its not the best!

Multiple locations; homemadetaqueria.com

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Cant swing a trip to Mexico this summer? Not a problem. Take a trip to this taqueria thats been slinging tacos since 1991 for the next best thing. Started originally as a small taco cart in Harlem, Taco Mix now has another location in Brooklyns Industry City. The mouthwatering birria tacos are the real deal, peopleand make sure to try the tortas and cemitas, too.

Multiple locations; tacomix.com

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This permanent taco truck is parked in the back of a Mexican-themed dive bar in BedStuy, with another newly opened location in Greenwood, Brooklyn. Need we say more? The fish tacos are the best here, and they taste even better with a frozen margarita. Vegetarians also love the avocado tostadas or tortas, topped with black bean puree and lettuce.

Multiple locations; chilosbk.com; (718) 676-5245

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Oxomoco

With its light-drenched interior and green plants dripping from the ceilings, a meal at this Michelin-starred Greenpoint eatery always feels like a treat. In addition to your lamb barbacoa and swordfish tacos, youll also find some unique creations like vegetarian beet chorizo and artichoke with olive tacos.

128 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn; oxomoconyc.com; (646) 688-4180

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Andrea Grujic

Newly opened in 2021 with a brand-new outdoor patio with a view of the Williamsburg Bridge, Aldama is an ode to the vibrant nightlife of Mexico Cityand you can taste it. Our pick? Try the taco de trompo, a delectable mix of pork belly, flank steak and adobo with pineapple and serrano gel on an heirloom corn tortilla. While the taco selection at the upscale eatery is limited, you cant go wrong with any of their ceviches, moles or other twists on traditional Mexican street food.

91 S 6th St., Brooklyn; aldamarestaurantbk.com; (929) 298-0233

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With two locations, one on the Lower East Side and a newer location in West Village, La Contenta offers traditional Mexican food with French accentsplus, the largest all-Mexican wine list in the U.S. Enjoy the carne asada taco topped with grilled hanger steak, guacamole, pico de gallo and tomatillo salsa, or opt for tacos de birria, de carnitas, de queso, de pescado, or de pollo. We also recommend their pan-roasted shrimp enchiladas if youre a little hungrier.

Multiple locations; lacontentanyc.com

Make a reservation

Social Club Studio

Stop by any of the four NYC locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn for the plant-based Mexican meal of your dreams. Yep, everything on the expansive menu is void of animal products! Of their street tacos, the buffalo flower, mezcal mushroom and chipotle sweet potato are must-tries. Whats more? They serve an excellent brunch on weekends at all locations aside from Hudson Yards. Salud!

Multiple locations; jajajamexicana.com

Make a reservation

Courtesy of Tacombi

Youve likely seen one of Tacombis 11 locations in the Big Apple, connecting people to the food and culture of Mexico across all of the boroughs. Their menu offers a variety of tacosBaja crispy fish, seared fish, al pastor, black bean and sweet potato, carnitas and moreand other Mexican snacks alongside ice-cold beer, cocktails and house-made juices in lively settings.

Multiple locations; tacombi.com

Make a reservation

Laura Jane Brett

While Ninas is known for their burritos, their tacos are just as spectacular. The restaurant tells the story of its chef and founder, Nina Guzman Floresfrom growing up in Mexico to opening her own restaurant in NYCthrough food. The homey Mexican fares highlights include the spicy potato and jalapeno tacos, the crispy fried chicken tacos, and the nacho nortenos topped with shredded beef birria and chipotle cheese dip.

522 Columbus Ave.; ninasgreatburritobar.com; (212) 724-5151

Make a reservation

Courtesy of La Esquina

For a lively dining experience with fresh cocktails, hip music and saucy tacos, La Esquina is your spot. The coliflor taco, made with roasted cauliflower, homemade guacamole and salsa macha with queso fresco, is their newest addition, joining the bistec con queso taco, the avocado taco, the adobo-grilled chicken taco, and more. Looking for more of a sit-down experience? They recently revamped the dine-in cafe menus at all three locations.

Multiple locations; esquinanyc.com

Make a reservation

The 54 Best Rooftop Bars in NYC to Hang Out on from Now Until September
Four garment union leaders were among 13 people killed in the Honduran manufacturing city of Choloma on Saturday after heavily armed men fired into a pool hall during a birthday celebration.

All four of themXiomara Cocas, Delmer Garcia, Lesther Almendarez and Jose Rufino Ortizbelonged to Sindicato de Trabajadores de Gildan San Miguel, which represents workers at Gildan Activewears San Miguel plant. Cocas was the unions president. Her son, Eduardo Melendez, also died in the shooting.

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President Xiomara Castro on Sunday described the incident as a brutal and ruthless terrorist attack. She declared a 15-day curfew in Choloma from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., effective immediately, as well as in nearby San Pedro Sula, effective July 4.

She blamed the deaths on hired killers trained and directed by drug lords in the northern Sula Valley, adding that multiple operations, raids, captures and checkpoints are initiated. The government has offered a reward of 800,000 Lempiras ($32,325) to identify and capture the assailants.

Police investigating the shooting said there was a possibility that the incident was connected to the gang-related slaughter of 46 inmates at a womens prison in Tamara, far north of Choloma. Some of the victims were killed by gunfire, and others were hacked to death by machetes. Still more with doused with a flammable liquid, locked in their cells and set alight.

Choloma is said to be the home turf of Barrio 18, the organization believed to be responsible for the massacre.

Additional information has surfaced today that a total of four members of the same SITRAGSAM union were killed during the Choloma massacre yesterday evening #Honduras. pic.twitter.com/puVpnXVDfj  Honduras Now (@HondurasNow) June 26, 2023

We do not rule out these crimes could be some sort of revenge for what happened in the womens prison, said national police commissioner Miguel Perez Suazo, noting that authorities have detained one suspect and are on the hunt for others. But we also do not rule out that it could have been some type of revenge by criminals against civilians, he added.

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Buoyed by the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, and a post-Covid desire to increase nearshore production, Honduras has become the beneficiary of significant textile and apparel investment, with some $1 billion manifesting in 2022 alone.

But the Fair Labor Association, the multistakeholder organization whose roster includes Gildan, told its members on Wednesday that the countrys recent escalation of violence warranted additional measures to ensure the safety of workers and union representatives.

The shooting took place just as Gildan announced the closure of its San Miguel factory. Sindicato de Trabajadores de Gildan San Miguel, according to Solidarity Center, an international workers rights organization, was in initial talks with management about the move, which will leave 2,700 workers unemployed. Gildan, unlike most brands, owns many of its own factories, which are concentrated in Central America and the Caribbean.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the worlds largest trade union federation, suggested that the deaths could be linked to false rumors that the union was responsible for the plants shuttering. But it also noted that Choloma is a flashpoint for hostilities against efforts by the government to rein in organized crime, including suspending parts of its constitution in December to do so.

We stand in solidarity w/ 2700 Honduran factory workers losing their livelihoods due to announced closure of #Gildan San Miguel.@CODEMUH1 & Canadian partners call on #Gildan to integrate 300+ injured workers into other Gildan plants #Workyesbutwithdignity #empleosiperocondignidad pic.twitter.com/ZKYYNr7fTq  CoDevelopment Canada (@CoDevCanada) June 26, 2023

There must be a full and credible investigation to bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice without delay, said Luc Triangle, acting general secretary of ITUC, which rates Hondruas a 5 in its Global Rights Index, meaning no guarantee of rights. Honduras has an appalling record of killings, intimidation and violence against workers and their unions, with hundreds of murders remaining unsolved over several years.

The Solidarity Center urged Gildan, which did not respond to a request for comment, to recognize the impact of the murders on the union and its general workforce and to take stronger measures to ensure the safety and security of Gildan San Miguel workers as they return to work following this tragic event.

We urge the government of Honduras to immediately carry out a thorough investigation that manages to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous act, and to take all necessary measures to ensure that unions and their representatives can act without intimidation or violence in their role as elected representatives of the workers, wrote Atle Hie, secretary general of IndustriALL Global Union, a Geneva-based global union federation, in a letter to President Castro.

We hope that these murders do not go unpunished, that the relatives of the victims receive the necessary compensation, and that the government of Honduras achieves absolute respect for human rights and fundamental trade union rights, as reflected in Convention 87 on the freedom of the protection of the right of indication and Convention 98 on the right of unionization and collective bargaining of the International Labour Organization, he added.

Other union organizations expressed their sorrow over the loss of lives, which occurred just a day before the murder of Bangladeshi campaigner Shahidul Islam. The father of two had been trying to negotiate the payment of outstanding wages and Eid-ul-Azha bonuses on behalf of workers at Prince Jacquard Sweater in the Satai area of Gazipur when he was beaten to death.

We join Honduran civil society in denouncing this violence and stand with you in this difficult time, the Worker Rights Consortium, a Washington, D.C. watchdog group, wrote on Facebook. This shocking act of violence is indescribably tragic.

Click here to read the full article.
A rare real estate opportunity just became available in the New York City suburbs, but turnkey it is not.

An unbuilt mansion on the waterfront in Rye has hit the market for $30 million, The Wall Street Journal reported, making it the most expensive residential property for sale in the neighborhood. Located at the Tide Mill Yacht Basin, a 50-slip marina, the estate is envisioned as a seven-bedroom main house with a two-bedroom guesthouse and a waterfall-edge pool.

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The builder Paul Varsames plans to knock down an existing home on the lot to make room for the 11,000-square-foot house. Since construction wont start until someone buys the home, that person could customize the plans. But for now, the property is expected to include a gym with a sauna and steam shower, while outside there will be a covered living area with a grill and ceiling heaters.

A rendering of the mansion

Sitting on Kirby Pond, the estate also includes a mill building created around 1770. The current owner, Peter Donahue, uses it as office space and a workshop. Its probably the most photographed location in Rye, he told the WSJ. The new plans for the property keep the mill building intact but have it serving as a recreational space, with a kitchenette, sitting room, gaming room, and storage spaces.

Donahues family has owned and operated the marina since 1972, with Paul taking over in 1986 and moving into the 1830s home that currently sits on the three acres of land. Now that hes planning to retire, hes sellingand whoever buys the property could choose to continue operating the marina as well.

If the Rye estate sells for its asking price, it would become the most expensive sale in the area, according to Joan OMeara of Houlihan Lawrence, one of the listing agents, alongside Sara Gore of Serhant. She told The Wall Street Journal that the priciest sale so far is a home that sold for $21.2 million in 2016. And the area has become even more popular over the past few years, with 80 to 90 houses for sale at any given time pre-pandemic and just 22 properties on the market right now.

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Given that such large lots are rare for Rye, as is new construction on the water, the marina property may be a real catch.

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At 77, Goldie Hawn Poses in Swimsuit for Stunning Sunset Pic and Fans Go Wild

GOLDEN HOUR LOOKS good on Goldie Hawn, who shared a stunning swimsuit photo at sunset from her recent vacation in Skiathos, Greece. In the shadowy snap, Hawn stands knee-deep in the ocean wearing a one-piece with her arm lifted in a slight, whimsical backbend.

Last day in Skiathos this year. Bye bye paradise , she captioned the post.

Fans and followers adored the magical shot. Oh Goldie what a stunning photo!  one person commented. What a beautiful photo, another added. Stunning, someone else wrote.

At 77, Hawn and her husband Kurt Russell, 72, are living life to the fullest, whether or not theyre on holiday. Hawn is especially dedicated to running MindUp, her mental health organization that aims to help kids manage stress, regulate emotions and face the challenges of the 21st century with optimism, resilience, and compassion, and she regularly shares helpful, uplifting tips for feeling your best.

In a recent video, she showed off her new t-shirt that read, Be Kind to Your Mind.

Our mindset is everything. Its how we go through the day, its how we watch our mind, and how we care for it, she said. In other clips, she shares exercises for mental health, and the importance of daily moments of gratitude and self-care.

These topics are especially important to Hawn because she struggled with anxiety and panic attacks after being launched into stardom as a young actress. I was so scared about what was going on with me that I saw a doctor, she told Today last year. I wanted to get happy again. My intention was not to live this way.

Years of therapy and mental health education helped, and now, shes passionate about spreading awarenessits been her focus since she took a break from acting in the early 2000s.

We need to build a kinder world, she continued. A world that actually has greater capacity for critical thinking.

That, to her, is far more important than filling out an IMDb page. With the exception of a few specific roles (a reprise of Mrs. Claus in The Christmas Chronicles or a Firsts Wives Club sequel), shes content with spreading kindness, she told Variety earlier this yearand occasionally taking dips in Grecian seas, of course.

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We all have dreams, she said. But its how we fulfill them.

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SHANGHAI  After a day trip in Beijing, Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, spent Wednesday in Chengdu and Thursday in Shanghai during his whirlwind China trip.

Customers who caught wind of his whereabouts crowded shopping malls to glimpse him up close. Perhaps their only chance to see the man of such great fortune in person, they documented his visit with enthusiasm and deity-like worship, hailing him as the god of fortunes.

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Despite a growing number of fortune-seekers trekking along at every stop, Arnault took his time to inspect many LVMH-owned retail outposts in detail.

Arnault and a group of LVMH executives, including his daughter, Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture; his youngest son Jean Arnault, director of marketing and development, Louis Vuitton watches; Michael Schriver, LVMH group president North Asia; Charles Delapalme, CEO of Christian Dior Couture; Pietro Beccari, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, were joined by the head of local retail partners on his store visits, which included SinoOcean Taikoo Li Chengdu, Chengdu IFS, Chengdu SKP, Shanghais Taikoo Li Qiantan, HKRI Taikoo Hui, Zhang Yuan, Shanghai IFC and Plaza 66.

The weather was amazing, the mall was packed, Mr. Bernard Arnault was even more gracious, kinder and happier than the last time he visited, Molly Wu, general manager of SinoOcean Taikoo Li Chengdu shared on Xiaohongshu, the popular social commerce platform.

Bernard Arnault and LVMH executives visited Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu on Wednesday.

Bernard Arnault inspecting a Dior store during his China vist.

Arnaults high-profile China trip is viewed as an effective strategy to reiterate the importance of the China market and boost team morale.

The move is to tell shoppers and local partners that the company is confident and has high hopes for the future of the China market, especially now that the market is experiencing an uneven economic recovery, said Ting Zhou, dean of Yaok Institute, a luxury research and consulting organization in China.

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The head of luxury brands want to be on the ground to obtain more firsthand information that will better inform their decision-making process and management strategy, Zhou added.

According to sources on Chinese social media, Arnault will be heading to Hong Kong Friday.

Despite an uncertain economic outlook, the China market continues to be a main driver of growth for LVMH, and helped lift group revenue by 17 percent in the first quarter.

Arnaults China visit follows trips made by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, to Beijing last month. In recent months, Chinese authorities have been keen to woo global executives to assuage concern that the country is closing off to foreign business despite last Decembers reopening.

During the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forums Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin this Tuesday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged countries to strengthen dialogue, bridge differences and enhance consensus to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.

Li said China firmly opposes politicizing economic and trade issues and stressed that openness and cooperation should be cherished.

Li concluded his speech by saying that China remains confident that it would achieve this years economic growth target of around 5 percent. He remained confident that second-quarter gross domestic product growth could surpass first quarters 4.5 percent.

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Click here to read the full article.
Over the past 50 years, artists including Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer and Robert Rauschenberg have been chosen by the luxury car company to use a BMW as their canvas, each adorning one of the famous BMW Art Cars in their signature style.

Now, Ethiopian American artist Julie Mehretu, known for her work in abstract painting, has been chosen to create the companys next Art Car. Her artwork, painted on a BMW M Hybrid V8, will be on the track at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June 2024.

The first BMW Art Car was painted in 1975 by the American sculptor Alexander Calder after French racing driver Herve Poulain brought the idea to BMW. Poulain drove the Calder-painted BMW 3.0 CSL at Le Mans that year. In 1977, Roy Lichtenstein covered a BMW 320 Group 5 in the graphic stripes and dots he was renowned for; Warhol painted a BMW M1 in 1979 with textured, pastel brushstrokes.

The first woman to take on a BMW Art Car was South African artist Esther Mahlangu, who in 1991 painted a 525i sedan. In 1996, Holzer covered a BMW Le Mans race car in the words Protect Me From What I Want, among other provocative phrases.

Esther Mahlangu's Art Car featured the bold colors and geometric patterns used in the traditional arts and crafts of the Southern Ndebele people. - Enes Kucevic/BMW

Mehretus will be the 20th BMW Art Car. Her practice frequently draws inspiration from architecture and busy urban settings, featuring intricate juxtapositions of lines and shapes  inspired by technical drawings and building plans  and, sometimes, splashes of color or deep darkness. Her work has also addressed themes such as migration, colonialization and globalization.

Critics often highlight the sense of humanity apparent in her innovative, abstract works. Theres movement and complex emotion. Mehretu is best known for large-scale pieces, like an eighty-foot-long mural she created for the lobby of the Goldman Sachs building in Manhattan. Its busy and bright with colored shapes overlaying dark straight lines; the red, yellow, blue and green forms appear to be actively shooting out across the huge wall. Other works, like Mogama (A Painting in 4 Parts), are grayer and more pensive but retain a soft, rippling sense of motion.

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She is represented by the Marian Goodman Gallery, which describes her body of work on its website as a dynamic visual articulation of contemporary experience, a depiction of social behavior and the psychogeography of space.

Mehretus practice in painting, drawing and printmaking equally assert the role of art to provoke thought and reflection, and express the contemporary condition of the individual and society, the gallery added.

Julie Mehretu, pictured here with one of her works. - Josefina Santos/BMW

Mehretu was born in 1970 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to an Ethiopian father and an American mother. Seven years later, the family moved to the United States to escape a brutal civil war then-raging in the country. In 1997, she earned a Masters of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design; she is currently based in New York.

She has received widespread acclaim for her work, and prestigious awards including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2005 and, in 2015, a US Department of State Medal of Arts Award.

She was unanimously selected for this project by a jury of prominent gallery and museum directors.

Madeleine Grynsztejn, Pritzker Director at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and a member of that jury, described Mehretu as the perfect artist to take on the BMW Art Car in a statement. For years, Julie has painted speed and for a long time worked very successfully at scale, Grynsztejn said. To merge her work with the shape and form of a speeding vehicle is really an alignment of perfection.

Mehretu spent time with the BMW racing team at 24 Hours of Daytona in Daytona Beach, Florida this past January, attending a racing event for the first time.

"I've loved cars for most of my life, as toys, as objects, as possibilities," Mehretu, pictured here at the Daytona International Speedway, said in a statement. "It is from that space that I'm really excited to be working on the next BMW Art Car more than anything. - Julian Kroehl/BMW

The number of times the cars are going around for 24 hours, that kind of endurance the immense number of people that are part of making that happen, the kind of collaborative work of it  all of that was so exhilarating, Mehretu said at an event held at New York Citys Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Wednesday night.

The BMW M Hybrid V8, a plug-in hybrid, is a track-only racing car created to compete in the international endurance racing circuit. Designed and engineered in collaboration with the Italian race car manufacturer Dallara, its low and wide with an enormous rear wing and a large vertical rudder.

While she hasnt decided, yet, exactly what shes going to paint on the car, Mehretu said she was impressed with the speed and motion of the cars racing at Daytona and the way they blurred past at incredible speeds. The M Hybrid V8, specifically, will likely reach speeds over 200 miles per hour at Le Mans.

Its like the social fabric of our moment. Its something thats indiscernible, its unstable, its something that we cant quite grasp, she said, and that blur and uncertainty is something that I really want to explore in this space.

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Wildfire smoke from Canada triggered air quality warnings Wednesday in Kentucky. The Bluegrass state is the furthest south to be significantly impacted by smoke, causing public officials to urge residents to stay indoors when possible.

Louisville and Lexington, the states largest cities, saw Air Quality Index levels above 180, which is considered unhealthy according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The recent bout of smoke has caused air quality to dip drastically all across the Midwest, from Iowa to West Virginia. As of Wednesday, Detroit has the worst air quality in the U.S., being labeled hazardous by federal regulators. Indianapolis and Springfield, Ill., also have hazardous air quality designations.

The Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet put out an alert over the air quality Wednesday, telling Kentuckians to limit their activity outside when possible.

Wildfire smoke can irritate the eyes and exacerbate health problems for those with breathing difficulties.

Earlier this month, another wave of smoke turned East Coast cities skies orange in a haze. On Tuesday, Chicago was under the very unhealthy designation and had the lowest quality air in the world.

Unhealthy air quality designations are present from Des Moines, Iowa, to Buffalo, N.Y., as Canada is hit with hundreds of simultaneous wildfires.

More than 482 wildfires are burning across Canada, according to national authorities, with 253 of them considered out of control. Nearly 30,000 square miles of land have burned so far this year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Black Woman Overlooking Cape Town South Africa

Africa is increasingly becoming a popular destination for digital nomads seeking remote working opportunities. With its stunning natural beauty, affordable cost of living, and improving internet connectivity, Africa offers a unique and enticing experience for those looking to combine work and travel.

In a recent study conducted by Resume.io, the most popular remote working destinations in Africa were determined. The study utilized a sample of 25,976 Instagram posts that included the widely-used #digitalnomad hashtag. In order to rank the destinations, the estimated number of posts geotagged in each location was extrapolated.

These are the top seven remote working destinations in Africa that have captured the attention of digital nomads.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town has emerged as the undisputed leader in attracting digital nomads as the premier remote working destination on the African continent. The city has breathtaking natural beauty, pristine sandy beaches, and an exquisite culinary landscape.

In a city that prides itself on being digital nomad-friendly, coworking spaces, internet cafes, and ample accommodations are readily available. These offerings guarantee that individuals living a location-independent lifestyle have access to all the essential resources required for a delightful stay.

Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech has firmly clinched the highly coveted second spot on the list. Known for its enchanting markets, intricate architecture, and vibrant arts scene, the city offers digital nomads a fusion of work and cultural exploration.

In the bustling metropolis, a plethora of coworking spaces await professionals seeking a productive haven. This urban landscape, known as the Red City, exudes an invigorating ambiance that serves as a wellspring of inspiration for remote workers. Within this dynamic environment, creative juices flow freely, allowing professionals to harness their innovative potential.

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenyas capital, has recently gained recognition as an exciting hub for remote working. This bustling city seamlessly blends the convenience of urban living with awe-inspiring natural landscapes.

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Nairobi acts as a crucial entry point to Kenyas internationally acclaimed national parks. Here, digital nomads have a unique chance to witness wildlife in their undisturbed natural environments. The number of coworking spaces is also on the rise, providing professionals with a conducive environment for work while immersing themselves in the citys lively social scene.

Luxor, Egypt

Luxor, located along the Nile River, is a captivating metropolis that transports modern-day digital nomads to ancient Egypt. The city is adorned with magnificent temples and archaeological marvels, offering an unparalleled backdrop for remote work. Nomads can explore the Valley of the Kings, and the Karnak Temple, and enjoy a leisurely felucca ride along the Nile for tranquility and relaxation.

Hurghada, Egypt

This beautiful beach town on the Red Sea is the ideal place for digital nomads to work and unwind. Hurghada is a great place to get away from the daily grind.

The city has beautiful beaches and lots of places to explore underwater. Remote workers can dive into the crystal-clear waters to see the rich marine life, or they can relax on the beach and get ideas from the peacefulness of the sea.

Agadir, Morocco

Agadir, on the coast of Morocco, is a great destination for digital nomads. Getting some work done from the beach in Agadirs relaxed atmosphere is easy. Agadir is a tranquil location for remote work thanks to its abundance of coworking spaces, spas, and Atlas Mountain excursions.

Dakar, Senegal

Dakar, Senegals cultural and economic capital, is becoming a popular destination for digital nomads. The city is a hub for commerce, cuisine, and culture.

Dakar provides an inspiring and fruitful setting for remote workers to advance their careers. Additionally, Dakar offers a vibrant nightlife scene, with live music venues and trendy bars where digital nomads can unwind after a productive day. The citys history and architecture also provide ample opportunities for exploration and cultural immersion.
Statistically speaking, long term investing is a profitable endeavour. But that doesn't mean long term investors can avoid big losses. To wit, the Essentra plc (LON:ESNT) share price managed to fall 64% over five long years. That's an unpleasant experience for long term holders. We also note that the stock has performed poorly over the last year, with the share price down 36%. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 15% in the last 90 days.

Now let's have a look at the company's fundamentals, and see if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

View our latest analysis for Essentra

Essentra isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

Over half a decade Essentra reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 14% for each year. That's definitely a weaker result than most pre-profit companies report. It seems appropriate, then, that the share price slid about 10% annually during that time. We don't generally like to own companies that lose money and don't grow revenues. You might be better off spending your money on a leisure activity. This looks like a really risky stock to buy, at a glance.

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 Essentra's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. 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. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Essentra's TSR for the last 5 years was -53%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

Investors in Essentra had a tough year, with a total loss of 24% (including dividends), against a market gain of about 2.3%. 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 9% 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. Shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on British exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



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woman dancing at a party - Hip Hop Block Party in Washington DC this fall



Amapiano music has emerged as a vibrant and influential genre that has impacted both the local and global music scene. Amapiano combines elements of deep house, jazz, and traditional South African sounds to create an infectious and distinctive sound.

The genres origins can be traced back to the underground music scene in Pretoria. DJs and producers began experimenting with slower tempos and a unique fusion of melodies and rhythms. Amapiano music quickly gained popularity through informal gatherings. Music lovers would come together to dance and immerse themselves in the energetic beats and soulful melodies.

Amapiano Musics Impact

One of the key factors behind amapianos cultural impact is its ability to bridge social divides and unite people from different backgrounds. It has become a symbol of South African youth culture. It brings together diverse communities to celebrate their love for music and dance.

On a global scale, amapiano has a growing international fan base. Its infectious beats and lively melodies have reached dance floors worldwide. Artists collaborating with renowned musicians from various genres. Amapiano musics impact can be felt in festivals, clubs and playlists. It is establishing its place as a distinct and influential genre in contemporary music.

Amapiano musics birth in South Africa has impacted culture. It has provided a platform for artistic expression, fostered unity and shared joy across communities. If youre planning a trip to South Africa, experience the region through the lens of music. Below are some places you can dance the night away to amapiano music.

ZONE 6

Zone 6 is a popular dance club located in Soweto, South Africa. It is known for its vibrant atmosphere and energetic nightlife. Situated in the heart of the township, Zone 6 has become a go-to destination for music enthusiasts and partygoers.

The club features a spacious dance floor, state-of-the-art sound systems, and impressive lighting setups that create an immersive and electrifying experience. Zone 6 hosts various events, including live music performances, DJ sets, themed parties and more. Visitors typically need to purchase tickets to enter the club with prices varying depending on the specific event or occasion.

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Disoufeng

Disoufeng has etched its name in the countrys nightlife history. Located in Soweto, Disoufeng has become an iconic venue for its pulsating energy, vibrant atmosphere and fusion of diverse musical genres. Disoufeng has been a driving force behind the evolution of South African dance and music culture.

It has provided a platform for emerging and established artists, hosting electrifying live performances, DJ sets and captivating dance battles. The clubs diverse programming includes genres, such as kwaito, hip-hop, house and amapiano. It caters to various musical tastes. The entrance fee may vary depending on the event or night, but the experience is worth the price.

BunkHouse

Bunkhouse, located in Pretoria Central, is an energetic and vibrant club and dance hall that has become a popular nightlife destination in the city. With its lively atmosphere, Bunkhouse offers an unforgettable experience for partygoers and music enthusiasts. Bunkhouse hosts various events, including themed parties, DJ nights, and live music performances by local and international artists.

Bunkhouse is easily accessible for locals and visitors. It attracts a diverse crowd, including music lovers, dancers and those looking to have a memorable night out. The clubs vibrant energy, captivating music and friendly atmosphere make it ideal for celebrating special occasions or simply letting loose and enjoying the rhythm.
Just two months after the ribbon cutting, a fire broke out at Tiffany & Co.s newly renovated flagship store in New York City on Thursday morning.

The New York City Fire Department received a report of a transformer fire at the famed jewelry store, located at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, at 9:38 a.m., the department told Robb Report. Eighty firefighters were sent to address the blaze, which as of 12:02 p.m. was under control. Local utility company Con Edison was also at the scene.

More from Robb Report

This morning prior to store opening hours, an electrical fire broke out in the basement on the periphery of the Tiffany Landmark on Fifth Avenue in New York City, Tiffany & Co. said in a statement to Robb Report. The fire has since been put out and no injuries or casualties were sustained. Nearby properties are also being inspected, the FDNY told Patch.

Tiffany's flagship store in NYC just underwent a $500 million restoration.



Now it's on fire. No info yet on cause or injuries. Developing. pic.twitter.com/3Jl3gdWuUd  Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 29, 2023

The company added: We are working with the New York Fire Department to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our employees and clients. The store is expected to open later today following inspection by the Fire Marshal.

The iconic location was made famous by the 1961 Audrey Hepburn film Breakfast at Tiffanys. Its elegant renovation, helmed by fashion-world favorite architect Peter Marino, made the stores interiors lighter and brighter. And in a signature LVMH move, it surrounded the brands enviable jewels, homewares, and other products with a world-class art collection filled with examples from blue-chip artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Anish Kapoor, Daniel Arsham, Richard Prince, Rasheed Johnson, and Julian Schnabel. The building, located next to Trump Tower, reopened in April after a basement-to-penthouse renovation that took place over nearly three years. Analysts told Insider that the project may have cost up to $500 million.

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At the time of the reopening, Tiffany & Co. president in CEO Anthony Ledru said in a statement: The reopening of the iconic Fifth Avenue Landmark is a major milestone for our house. Symbolic of a new era for Tiffany & Co., the Landmark is much more than a jewelry storeit is a cultural hub with an exquisite showcase of architecture and superior hospitality, as well as cutting-edge art and design.

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Click here to read the full article.
Organizer Matthew Parks and other volunteers hand out free ice cream cones at his house in Orem on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Editors note: This story was originally published on June 29, 2023. It has been updated for National Ice Cream Day.

National Ice Cream Day is on Sunday. If youd like to celebrate the day at home, you can pick up some ice cream on Friday or Saturday.

There are dozens of ice cream flavors to choose from these days.

From classic flavors like vanilla or chocolate to more outside of the box flavors that combine unexpected ingredients, there are different options to mix up your ice cream selection.

If youre in an ice cream slump and want to try some new flavors and brands, heres a guide for you on some ice cream cartons you can pick up at the store.

Related

What brand of ice cream is the best?

When it comes to ice cream, the brand of ice cream you think is best will depend on what you value about the food products you buy and the taste of the ice cream, among other potential factors.

After looking at 10 expert websites, Study Finds said the top five brands of ice cream were Haagen-Dazs, Talenti, Tillamook, Ben & Jerrys and Jenis Splendid Ice Cream.

Which chocolate ice cream is good?

Chocolate ice cream can be rich, sweet and creamy or fluffy and a deeper, bolder chocolate flavor. Here are some chocolate ice cream cartons to pick up at the grocery store and try.

Haagen-Dazs Chocolate: Its rich, creamy and classic. Edys Chocolate: Its sweet, but not too sweet and classic. Jenis Darkest Chocolate: It has a bolder chocolate taste. Breyers Chocolate: Its not too sweet, rich and tastes like creamy frozen hot chocolate. Turkey Hill Dutch Chocolate: Its a little bolder than a sweet chocolate ice cream. Kemps Decadent Chocolate: Its creamy and perfect for toppings. Ben & Jerrys Chocolate: Its rich, decadent and melts well. Kroger Death by Chocolate: Its fluffy and tastes like milk chocolate.

Which vanilla ice cream is good?

Vanilla ice cream comes in different forms. Theres vanilla bean ice cream with speckles of vanilla bean peering through the base and then theres French vanilla that gets its yellow hue from the egg yolks in the batter.

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Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean: Its perfect for a lover of ice cream on the icier side. Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla: Its classic and great to scoop on top of pie. Van Leeuwen Vanilla Bean: Its creamy, light and fluffy. Tillamook Vanilla Bean: It tastes great as it melts and tastes like real vanilla. Ben & Jerrys Vanilla: Its classic vanilla that tastes like it was scooped from an old-timey diner. Whole Foods 365 Organic Vanilla Bean: Its fluffy, light and not too sweet. Breyers French Vanilla: Its rich and almost custard-like. Farr Vanilla Bean: Its a classic flavor with strong vanilla taste. Breyers Homemade Vanilla: Its smooth and creamy. Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean: Its fluffy and has a strong vanilla taste. Turkey Hill Original Vanilla: Its thick, rich and not sweet.

What are the differences between French vanilla and homestyle vanilla ice cream?

The difference between French vanilla ice cream and vanilla ice cream comes down to the base of the ice cream. The base of French vanilla ice cream contains egg yolks, and traditionally, the base of plain vanilla ice cream does not, Corey Williams said on All Recipes. The egg yolks give the French vanilla its distinct yellow hue.

Best fruit ice cream

Sometimes a fruit ice cream, like blueberry cheesecake or strawberry, is the perfect treat to have on a summers day.

Tillamook Oregon Strawberry: Its fluffy, light, easy to scoop and tastes fresh. Ben & Jerrys Cherry Garcia: If you love the taste of cherries, this one may be for you. Haagen-Dazs Strawberry: Its thick, creamy and smooth. Favorite Day Blueberry Cheesecake: Its unexpected, rich and not too sweet. Tillamook Marionberry Pie: It has a dynamic texture and is fluffy. Turkey Hill Strawberry: Its classic, smooth and melts in your mouth. Breyers Peach: Its creamy and tastes like real peaches.

Related

What is the best flavor of sorbet?

Sorbet is sort of like the dairy-free cousin of ice cream. It allows the flavors of the fruit to shine through and is smooth.

Haagen-Dazs Mango: Its creamy, smooth and sweet. Talenti Roman Raspberry: Its sweet and a little zesty from raspberries. Talenti Alphonso Mango: Its sweet and creamy with a little zest. The Frozen Farmer Cherry: Its tangy and creamy. Great Value Red, White and Blue: Its reminiscent of childhood summers. Jenis Frose: It tastes like a mixture of bright, sweet fruits. Haagen-Dazs Raspberry: Its smooth, sweet and tangy. The Frozen Farmer Peach: Its creamy,

Is Tillamook ice cream quality?

Tillamook said on its website that the company sources its berries from the Pacific Northwest and its always quality above all else.

About its ice cream, Tillamook said on its website, Tillamook Ice Cream is still, and will always be, made with high quality ingredients, more cream and less air than the industry standard for ice cream, with no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no synthetic colors, and no high fructose corn syrup.

Here are 10 Tillamook ice cream flavors you could consider trying.

Mudslide: It has a fudge ripple and is extra chocolate-filled. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: It has big chunks of cookie dough in it. Butter Pecan: Its creamy, buttery and full of pecans. Mint Chocolate Chip: It has thick chocolate chunks and a fresh mint taste. Strawberry: Its smooth and creamy. Dark Cherry: Its tangy and creamy. White Chocolate Raspberry: Its a mix of sweet and tangy with different textures. Banana Split: Its sweet and decadent. Mountain Huckleberry: Its fresh and has a tart taste. Chocolate Chip: Its a classic.

What are good Ben & Jerrys ice cream flavors?

Ben & Jerrys has a reputation for having a variety of mix-ins in its ice cream. Here are some Ben & Jerrys flavors to try.

Everything But The ...: It has a lot going on, is sweet and decadent. Half Baked: It has a mix of fudge brownies and cookie dough. Milk and Cookies: Its sweet and the cookie adds crunch. Vanilla: Its a smooth, creamy classic. Strawberry Cheesecake: The cheesecake-like element to the ice cream adds tang. Chocolate Therapy: Its the most chocolate tasting of the chocolate ice creams. Brownie Batter Core: It has a thick column of brownie batter along with chocolate and vanilla ice cream with brownie bits. Tonight Dough: A mix of caramel and chocolate ice cream with cookie dough. Chubby Hubby: Its a deeper vanilla flavor with crunchy pretzels, fudge and peanut butter. Chocolate: Its creamy and sweet.

What is the most popular flavor of Ben & Jerrys?

Ben & Jerrys compiled a list of the top 10 flavors of 2022. Heres what was included in the top 10.

Half Baked: It has a mix of fudge brownies and cookie dough. Cherry Garcia: Its a mix of chocolate and cherry. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Its creamy with chunks of cookie dough. Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Its deep chocolate ice cream with chunks of brownie. Tonight Dough: A mix of caramel and chocolate ice cream with cookie dough. Strawberry Cheesecake: The cheesecake-like element to the ice cream adds tang. Phish Food: It has marshmallow, caramel and chocolate in it. Americone Dream: Think of fudge covered waffles with a caramel swirl. Chunky Monkey: Thick chunks of chocolate combine with a banana nutbread in this ice cream. Brownie Batter Core: It has a thick column of brownie batter along with chocolate and vanilla ice cream with brownie bits.

Best ice cream toppings

Heres a list of some ice cream toppings to try.
In South Florida, surveys routinely show that residents care deeply about having clean water and air, and unpolluted water to swim and fish in. But when it comes to perhaps the biggest environmental threat yet  climate change  its not the kitchen table conversation that environmentalists believe it should be.

An $8 million cash infusion by the Knight Foundation intends to change that, by funding two of the bigger environmental nonprofit in the state. The donation  $5 million to Miami Waterkeeper and $3 million to the Everglades Foundation over six years  is meant to increase awareness of the risks of climate change in Miami.

What we hope to get out of this is a Miami that is much more engaged and much more active in discussing and defining the kinds of climate solutions that will build a resilient future, said Raul Moas, a senior director at the Knight Foundation.

Moas called the grants a significant and large donation for Knight, in line with the $60 million its given to technology and entrepreneurial causes over the last 11 years. Along with an investment in the Aspen Climate Ideas festival in Miami Beach, its one of the foundations recent, big steps into the topic of climate change.

We deeply believe in being catalytic investors, Moas said. We hope our donation is a signal to others that this is a very serious thing.

Raul Moas, Knight Foundations program director, looks towards the artist rendering of the new Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences building presented by FIU president, Mark B. Rosenberg. FIU received $10M donation by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to launch the initiative to support Miamis tech boom and name FIUs School of Computing and Information Sciences, the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at the FIU Tamiami campus on Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

For Miami Waterkeeper, a clean water advocacy group that pulls in about $1 million a year in fundraising, its a very big deal.

Rachel Silverstein, executive director of Miami Waterkeeper, said her team plans to use the grant to beef up staffing and double down on building out some of the groups most popular tools, like its water-quality monitoring map.

Its giving us the capacity to reach new audiences, to tell stories and to message this issue in our community, really with the eye toward making Miami the most climate literate city in the nation, she said. Its the largest single gift we have ever received.

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Silverstein said the timing of the gift aligns well with some big decisions the city will soon have to make, including what kind of coastal protection it wants from the federal government through the Back Bay project or how it will revise the series of pumps and canals that keep South Florida dry in the face of storms.

Closing off Biscayne Bay with massive gates? New ideas to protect Miami from storms

Federal  and state  money for climate solutions is flowing into South Florida, and Silverstein said this grant will help her group inform Miami residents of whats at stake and what their options are.

The next ten years will be make or break, she said. We really need to re-envision how our entire community operates, from the streets to whats under them, to our canal system that keeps us dry. This area was not envisioned with sea level rise in mind, so we need to be rethinking everything.

Its a challenge, but its also an opportunity to build the city of the future.

Meenakshi Chabba, an ecosystem and resiliency scientist with the Everglades Foundation, studies mangroves. The Foundation just received $3 million from the Knight Foundation to raise awareness of climate change in Miami.

For the Everglades Foundation, which raises about $12 million a year and is the most politically powerful and well-funded of Floridasenvironmental groups, the $3 million grant will fund an executive-level position focused on technology and digital innovation.

The goal, said Meenakshi Chabba, an ecosystem and resiliency scientist with the Everglades Foundation, is to help Miami residents understand why the Everglades matters to them and why its worth protecting. Part of that is reminding people that a restored Everglades could be a massive help in protecting Miami from the impacts of climate change.

Climate change forces a rethinking of mammoth Everglades restoration plan

Everglades restoration is a resilience project by itself, but its complicated, she said. It has layers and layers of projects and science behind it, so its hard to comprehend and even harder to convey.

With a new position focused on creating understandable graphics and data visualizations, Chabba said she hopes it will be a more digestible topic for residents, many of whom dont even know their water comes from the giant wetlands.

We want Everglades restoration and climate resilience to become living room talks for people here in South Florida, she said. Were only going to take good care of it when the community realizes how important it is.
It's rare than an 18-year-old this good at surfing seemingly appears out of thin air.

In the case of Portugal's Joao Mendonca, that's exactly what happened.

Prior to this 9-minute introductory edit from Billabong showing up on our YouTube feed, we'd never heard Mendonca's name.

And we doubt you had, either.

So, it was a surprise to see Mendonca not only ripping through his home country of Portugal, but also packing pits and throwing himself over the falls at Backdoor and Pipeline last winter. How did we miss that?

The way he charges with reckless abandon reminds us a little of the other Joao  Joao Chianca. And like Mendonca, Chianca was also a little-known name until he burst on the scene in Hawaii just a few years ago. Now he's sitting third in the world.

Those are some big shoes to fill, but with the way he's surfing in the edit above, it's obvious he's got the talent to make it happen. Will we see two Joao's on tour soon?

Either way, he's on our radar now.

***

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Former President Trump is stronger than he was in 2016, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in an interview Tuesday that followed one in which he questioned whether Trump is the strongest possible nominee for the GOP in 2024.

McCarthy told Breitbart News that media outlets are trying to divide Trump from House Republicans, but polls are showing Trumps viability as the Republican nominee for the 2024 general election.

He pointed to a Morning Consult poll released Tuesday that showed Trump leading President Biden in a hypothetical general election matchup by 3 points, 44 percent to 41 percent. Biden, meanwhile, led Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has consistently come in second in most GOP primary polling, by 2 points.

Just look at the numbers this morning  Trump is stronger today than he was in 2016, McCarthy said.

The interview came after McCarthy questioned, in an interview earlier Tuesday on CNBC, whether Trump was the best choice to face Biden in the general election. A co-host on the show Squawk Box brought up that Trumps legal difficulties, including the multiple indictments filed against him, are complicating his run.

McCarthy argued Trump could defeat Biden and win the election.

The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I dont know that answer, the House Speaker said. But can somebody, anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden. Can Biden beat other people? Yes, Biden can beat em. Its on any given day.

McCarthy said Republicans will choose their nominee, and Trumps policies are better than Bidens.

Trump ally and former White House adviser Steve Bannon slammed McCarthy following his comments on CNBC, arguing that McCarthy was implying Trump is not terrific by saying his policies are. He said McCarthy is putting a shiv into Trump every day, and Trump should no longer support McCarthy as speaker.

McCarthy has not endorsed any candidate in the GOP race for president. He has remained closely tied to Trump since soon after the former president left office in 2021.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Kansas is studded with military bases that dont pay property taxes to the counties that host them.

Should they?

A former Wichita-area congressman thinks so, and is attempting to put together a coalition of counties that would lobby the federal government to make payments in lieu of taxes, or PILT, on military installations across the sunflower state.

Former U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, now a Washington lobbyist, is asking eight Kansas counties with a significant military presence to pay his company $3,000 a month to advocate for PILT on military bases, including McConnell Air Force Base at the southeast edge of Wichita, Fort Riley in Geary and Riley counties and Fort Leavenworth in Leavenworth County.

Sedgwick County commissioners David Dennis and Jim Howell recently participated in a video meeting with Tiahrt and several other counties, and Dennis told the rest of the commission about the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday.

Dennis, a 29-year veteran of the Air Force and retired colonel, was not enthusiastic about the county seeking more income from the air base.

Remember, Im retired military and I want to make sure that our defense budget meets the needs of the defense of our nation, and its not siphoned off for other things like sending tax money to counties, he said. Anything that siphons money away from the Department of Defense  that worries me.

He said the base is the countys fourth-largest employer, with about 9,300 employees, and that it accounts for an estimated $825 million in area economic impact.

I do not want to ever do anything that (negatively) impacts the partnership we have with McConnell Air Force Base, he said.

He said at a dinner Tuesday night, he bounced the idea off of congressional aides for Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Ron Estes and they hadnt heard about it.

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins also hadnt heard about it, but their initial reactions were that its a bad idea, he said.

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But Tiahrt makes enough of a case to justify at least taking a long, hard look at the proposal.

The principle here is that county governments, and county taxpayers, do have to provide some services to military bases in their midst.

McConnell provides a lot of its own police and fire services, but local courts handle cases that originate on the base and local governments build and maintain the road systems that provide the base with shipping access routes.

While thats not a big a deal in Sedgwick County with its large population, tax base and budget, its a lot harder on smaller counties, Tiahrt said.

And payments in lieu of taxes is not a new concept to the federal government.

This year, the Department of the Interior is allocating $578 million to 1,900 state and local governments for payments in lieu of taxes  covering properties managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Forest Service and other agencies.

Its been going on since 1976.

In fact, Sedgwick County gets a share of that, albeit a small one because theres not much federal property here.

According to federal records, there are 1,031 acres of PILT-eligible property in the county, and the county will get a payment in lieu of taxes of $3,246 this year.

Statewide, the federal government controls about 550,000 acres in Kansas and pays $1.5 million in lieu of taxes.

Military installations are currently exempt from payments.

There is, however, a pilot project underway in which the Defense Department is offering grants to local governments to share the cost of general public infrastructure that supports military bases and the families who live there.

On Wednesday, the commission approved an application for about $9.8 million under the DODs Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program, to help fund a new $15 million Emergency Preparedness Center.

Its a little unclear why applying for that grant is OK, but seeking payments in lieu of taxes would be siphoning money from our national defense.

The next step should be for Sedgwick County to figure out how many local tax dollars are funding services for the air base.

Once thats established, then commissioners can make a more informed decision on whether Tiahrts payment in lieu plan is a good idea or not.

It may not ultimately be something Sedgwick County needs, but it would be a mistake to dismiss it out of hand.
Patrick Kielty says he "can't wait to get started" as The Late Late Show presenter

Patrick Kielty has said his deal with RTE to present The Late Late Show is worth 250,000 (216,000) for each series.

He revealed the figure amid controversy about substantial undeclared payments that had been made to his predecessor Ryan Tubridy.

Dee Forbes, the director general of the Irish public service broadcaster, resigned on Monday as questions mounted about the deal with Mr Tubridy.

On Thursday Mr Kielty said he had signed a three-series deal to host The Late Late Show on RTE One, with each series consisting of 30 episodes.

He said he would be paid 250,000 (216,000) for each series, earning 750,000 (648,166) over the course of the deal, with any additional episodes paid on a pro-rata basis.

Dee Forbes was suspended last week and resigned on Monday

The entertainer will also receive a one-off payment of 20,000 (17,279) to cover pre-production and rehearsals from now until September.

"The contract allows me to submit flight and accommodation expenses but Ive waived this," said the Northern Ireland-born comedian.

"Ive made it clear to RTE that I will be covering my own flights and accommodation costs.

"I genuinely hope this helps clarify things going forward. I can't wait to get started."

The Late Late Show is one of the world's longest-running late-night chat shows, having started in 1962.

Mr Tubridy stepped down as its host in March, with his replacement announced last month.

Mr Kielty, who is originally from County Down, has had a long career in stand-up comedy and TV and radio presenting.

On Wednesday RTE had said it would be willing to publish details of Mr Kielty's salary if he agreed after calls for the figure to be made public.

Last week it emerged that Mr Tubridy received 345,000 (296,000) more between 2017 and 2022 than RTE had previously declared.

The extra payments were uncovered after the company's auditors alerted the board to some of the transactions in March.

RTE representatives were questioned by an Oireachtas (Irish parliament) committee on Wednesday and denied suggestions that the discovery of the invoices were linked to Mr Tubridy's announcement that he was leaving The Late Late Show.

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RTE staff have been protesting to call for transparency at Ireland's national broadcaster

Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin has ordered an external review into the governance and culture at RTE.

Ms Forbes was suspended last week and then resigned with immediate effect on Monday.

She had been RTE's director general for almost seven years, having taken up the post in July 2016.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar has said that Ms Forbes, Mr Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly should face questions from the Oireachtas.

"We are trying to get to the bottom of what happened when it comes to these unusual, clandestine payments in RTE," said Mr Varadkar.

"There are procedures, they will be treated fairly and I think that would be the right thing to do from their part.

"They may have a story to tell and I think it's right that they should be allowed to tell their side of the story."
Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books/ Luke Fontana

Maxwell Poth is an LA-based professional photographer that has photographed some very big celebrities over the years; like Ricky Martin, Emily Hampshire, and Imagine Dragons' frontman Dan Reynolds. But, it is his work in documenting LGBTQ+ youth that is the focus of his wonderful and powerful first book, Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth. The book features LGBTQ+ kids aged 11 to 18, from across the US, sharing their stories of what it is like being queer in America today.

It all started in 2019, when Maxwell  who grew up in Utah and was raised Mormon  learned that the leading cause of death in his home state for young people between the ages of 10 and 17 is suicide. This startling statistic led him to travel to Utah to document what its like for kids growing up "where no one is outwhere being queer isnt an option." Eventually, his work documenting LGBTQ+ youths would evolve into Project Contrast  a nonprofit that helps queer kids who are struggling to find community, connect with one another, and share their stories.

Recently, BuzzFeed got a chance to talk to Maxwell about Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth, what it is like to document young queer people, religious trauma, and what kind of feedback he has gotten on the book (especially in this time of idiotic LGBTQ+ book bans).

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

I wanted to start off by asking about Project Contrast  for people who not might not be familiar with it. Because aside from you being a photographer, you have a nonprofit, and I was interested to know what made you want to start it?

Maxwell Poth: I started it because it just felt like what I needed to do. I started it in my home state of Utah, and I started it there because I grew up gay  I was the only openly gay kid in my entire town, Bountiful, Utah. And I kind of just felt alone, and I had no one to talk to, or, like, even compare my life to and see other people like me. I also originally started it there because of the high suicide rates within queer youth in Utah alone; in fact, teen suicide was the leading cause of death. Since I am a photographer, it first did just start as a photo project, and from there, it just bloomed into a nonprofit, because I wanted to take it to more places than just Utah. And I wanted to highlight queer youth all over the country, and help struggling queer youth across the country find other queer people like them to hopefully build community. And that's kind of how Project Contrast started.

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You actually sort of went into my next question, which is: What made you want to start documenting LGBTQ+ young people in particular?

MP: So yeah, I just wanted to highlight them, you know, for the reasons that I just said: helping them find community and showing these kids that there are other people like them. But, I did learn by doing it that these kids are just young advocates, because they have to be. And they're just wise beyond their years.

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

I wanted to touch a little bit on your religious upbringing, because I think for a lot of people, that can hinder them coming out, or it could it could leave them with a lot of internalized homophobia. So, what would you want to say to someone who is religious and is struggling with coming out? Or perhaps is suffering from religious trauma?

MP: Yeah, you know, religious trauma. And that question is so complex to me, because I don't want to be angry at religion, and I don't want to be angry or hateful toward religion, but you know, growing up Mormon, I do have a lot of anger toward it. I was lucky enough to get out of internalized homophobia with religion, like I never let religion tackle it, tackle me, and destroy me as much as I see a lot of other peers, especially peers back home in Utah, where it really just haunts them.

But, if you're struggling with religion and especially struggling with a religion that doesn't support you, it's really tough, because for so many of these people in that situation, that's all they know, it's all they're familiar with. So they're so afraid to leave because they think that's the only community they have. And I just want to give them the advice of trying to find people who accept you, validate who you are, and validate your queerness. Letting them know that validation and community doesn't have to come from an organized religion, that can come from so many different people in different groups to help you find that love and that confidence that religion is causing trauma for.

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

Obviously you, the LGBTQ+ people you photograph in the future, in your new book are Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Do you think the process of coming out has gotten any easier? And what new challenges do you see?

MP: Yes and no. I would definitely say it has become easier for the L and the G and the B of the LGBTQ+ community. But at the same time, it's not that it isn't as easy. So, it depends on where you live. I have seen a lot of white cis, gay men/boys come out and be able to live their lives.

This is something I actually like to mention, I have mentioned that in the past where if I went to some location, let's say I go to South Dakota, I have a white gay boy, a Black gay boy, and trans person  and they go to the same high school and live in the same town  all three of their answers will be different. Usually, the white gay boys now are saying, "Yeah, it's been pretty easy for me, my family accepts me, I have friends." And then, the Black gay boys I ask usually say something similar, but struggle mainly more with their family dynamic. And then, a trans person, it's kind of the whole nine yards, they're really struggling at home with their family, and they're struggling with people around them. Whereas, when I was younger, as a white gay boy, it wasn't talked about still. And so a lot has changed in that sense.

Online there seems to be, like, an obvious generational divide between older LGBTQ+ people, and, like, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. What do you think millennials get wrong about younger LGBTQ+ people?

MP: Oh, interesting. I would say a lot of them feel definitely misunderstood, especially with the generation older than me. You know, I think my generation as I'm a millennial, a lot of us at the younger side, we tend to try and I guess, understand more, but it is definitely more about this fight on gender, that I see that a lot of older queer people struggle to understand. Like, with pronouns, and so many different ways of identifying yourself.

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

I did want to ask you about the subjects that you've documented over the years. Do you hear from them still? And how do they feel, in retrospect, about sharing so much of themselves publicly?

MP: Yes, I try and stay in contact with as many kids as possible. But, I kind of leave that up to them. I always leave the door open or have that outreach available. Some I only hear from when I meet them and document them, and then you know, they don't answer an email ever again, but others I talk to almost weekly if not, sometimes daily. So, it's kind of all up in the air there. There's so many of them, but I definitely do keep my tabs on them. And see them grow and have little, I call them zoom catch-ups. So, they kind of let me know when they want to hang out again and talk and tell me what's new.

Do you plan on maybe making this into, like, a series?

MP: Yeah, I definitely would love to keep going. If this book does well, I would love to do a Volume 2. I have, like, other ideas that aren't just queer youth. And I would love to, in a perfect world for me, which I see happening, is doing a young queer Canada, doing a young queer UK, and eventually going to other places, and figuring out how that would work. Because these young kids are the future of the queer community. And I feel like even though people interview queer kids in the past, and even now, like, I feel like nobody's necessarily doing exactly this, and I would love to keep going and make that a reality.

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

In an era of, like, all these nonsense book bans, how has the feedback been with your new book?

MP: So far, because it is only been out a month, I haven't seen too much in the book bans about my book. I've been seeing that they've been banning a lot of queer books in libraries. I just don't know if mine have reached those libraries yet, because we did just publish. But I can tell you that I am preparing for it. So are my kids.

Finally, what's the best feedback you've gotten with your project, from someone who came across it or participated?

MP: I mean, I get amazing feedback from the kids themselves. You know, once this book was published, a bunch of these kids were just sharing the most, like, loving messages and surprising messages. Usually, when I do a project like this, these stories get posted pretty quickly, like within a month or few months after, but these kids, they wrote these stories about two years ago. So, a lot of them have come back and been like, "Holy crap, like, I can't believe I wrote this, like, I needed to hear this even now."

Aside from that, just seeing other kids share this, a lot of these kids are getting outreach themselves after sharing it on their own platforms. And I've also gotten a lot of parents who have told me that they are glad this book exists, and that it even helped them understand their own queer child more. So, that's amazing.

Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth through this You can buythrough this link . And if you want to see more of Maxwell's work, you can check out his website , and learn more about Project Contrast over on their site

Courtesy of Maxwell Poth/Chronicle Books

Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2023
Delta Air Lines

Joby Aviation stock soared as much as 44% on Wednesday after the company received a permit to begin flight testing.

The company launched its production line and expects to deliver the first ever eVTOL aircraft.

Joby has received investments from Toyota and Delta Air Lines, among others.

Joby Aviation stock soared as much as 44% on Wednesday and hit its highest level since November 2021 after the flying-taxi company said it secured a special permit to begin flight testing.

The stock was trading at $9.09 per share at 3:45 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Joby received a Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft it built at its production line in Marina, California, according to a Wednesday press release from the company.

The company develops and manufactures electric vertical-take-off-and-landing vehicles, with the hope that its new class of vehicles could open up urban travel opportunities. The company received an investment from and partnered with Delta Air Lines, with the hopes of launching an eVTOL taxi-service from Manhattan to JFK, which would turn an hour and change car drive into an under 10-minute flight.

Joby also received an investment from and partnered with Toyota Motors, as the two companies collaborated on the production of its eVTOL aircraft, which essentially looks like a super-sized drone that can hold four passengers and a pilot.

Toyota president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America Tetsuo Ogawa will join Joby's board of directors, according to Joby.

Joby still has a ways to go before it can start flying passengers to airports across the country, with the company estimating that it will begin passenger operations in 2025 assuming all of its test flights go as planned. Joby had previously estimated that it would begin passenger operations in 2024.

Between now and then, Joby will supply its eVTOL aircraft to the Edwards Air Force Base as part of a contract worth up to $131 million with the US Air Force, with the goal of demonstrating its range of potential logistics use cases.

Markets Insider

Read the original article on Business Insider
Polish officials are increasing their security around the nations border with neighboring Belarus due to concerns that the presence of the Wagner Group may intensify conflict between the two countries.

According to a Bloomberg report, officials estimate about 8,000 Wagner members will be stationed in Belarus, which could lead to a new, but more difficult phase of hybrid warfare.

Polish authorities also reported an increase in African and Middle Eastern migrants attempting to cross the border illegally and accused Belarus of purposefully aiding the process.

We potentially have a new situation in Belarus with the Wagner presence, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jarosaw Kaczynski said at a press conference Wednesday, Bloomberg reported. The situation is dangerous for Ukraine, and its also potentially dangerous for Lithuania and us.

Kaczynski also said in the news conference that the country plans to increase its military presence and build new military defenses close to the border.

Polands latest move comes days after Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, relocated to Belarus after brokering an agreement between the mercenary company and the Russian government. The move was made in an effort to prevent a civil war in Russia.

Prigozhin urged an armed rebellion over the weekend to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, also challenging Russian President Vladimir Putins justification for the countrys ongoing war with neighboring Ukraine.

Prigozhin eventually ordered his private army to stop its advance after reaching an agreement in which Russia would drop its charges against him for leading an armed rebellion, and he would relocate to Belarus.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal between the two sides, said he convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin not to eliminate the Wagner Group.

The most dangerous thing, as I saw it, was not the situation itself, but its possible ramifications. That was the most dangerous part of it, Lukashenko said in a statement on Tuesday. I also realized that a tough decision was taken  to eliminate those involved.

I suggested that Putin should not rush to do it. I suggested that I talk to Prigozhin, his commanders, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A second southwest Missouri man has been sentenced to life in prison in the gruesome killing of a woman who authorities say was kept in a cage.

In a Dallas County courtroom Tuesday, Timothy Leroy Norton pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the death of Cassidy Rainwater and was immediately sentenced.

His plea  which came about two months after his co-defendant James Phelps also was sentenced to life in prison without parole  ended a two-year saga for the Dallas County sheriffs department.

Im just very glad its done with, Sheriff Scott Rice said in a phone call Wednesday. Its been very trying on my office. It required everybody that worked here to contribute many, many man hours to it.

Rice said he doesnt disagree with the plea deals the prosecutor obtained, but for him, I wish they had gotten the death penalty  for everything that she went through.

When asked how Rainwaters family is doing, Rice said, I dont know theyll truly get over all of it, but theyre glad that theyve seen justice happen.

The Rainwater case dates back to September 2021. Thats when the Kansas City office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation received an anonymous tip with photos of Rainwaters partially nude body inside a cage.

Some photos showed the womans body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department posted on its Facebook page back then.

That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched a weeks-long criminal investigation. The tip the FBI received was titled Cassidy. Phelps and Timothy Norton, both of Dallas County, were charged in September 2021 with kidnapping the 33-year-old woman and facilitating a felony, inflicting injury and terrorizing.

A fire in October 2021 destroyed a home near Windyville, Missouri, where James D. Phelps lived. He and Timothy Leroy Norton have been sentenced in the death of Cassidy Rainwater.

After tests confirmed that the labeled remains found in a freezer inside Phelps rented home were Rainwaters, the charges were upgraded to murder several weeks later. The men also were charged with abandonment of a corpse.

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Deputies searched the property for seven days, according to the Dallas County Sheriffs Department. Skeletal remains believed to be Rainwaters were located on the adjacent property.

Rainwater had ties to the Kansas City area. In a 2003 yearbook from Harrisonville High School in Cass County, she was listed as a freshman.

She was reported missing in late August 2021 by a woman named Cora Terry. She told authorities that the last time Rainwater was seen was about six weeks earlier and she believed that a James Rainwater was the last person to see her.

Authorities later learned that she was talking about James Phelps.

Deputies went to Phelps home at 386 Moon Valley Road near Windyville and asked if he knew Rainwater. Sheriffs officials have said that Phelps said he did but that he hadnt spoken to her in roughly a month. He said that Rainwater was talking about going to Colorado.

About a week later, a Dallas County detective went to Moon Valley Road and spoke to Phelps about the missing person case. Phelps then said that Rainwater had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, according to the probable cause statement related to the initial charges filed against Phelps.

He also told the deputy that at the end of July 2021, Rainwater had left in the middle of the night and met with someone in a vehicle at the end of the driveway and he had not seen or heard from her since.

After receiving the information from the FBI, deputies went back out to Moon Valley Road and recognized items in Phelps back yard that coincided with the photos.

Authorities said Norton told them that he knew that Rainwater was being held at the home of Phelps and that she had been kept in a cage, court records show. Norton further said that Phelps had contacted Norton to come to Phelps home, an affidavit said.

Norton then admitted that after arriving at Phelps home he did physically confine CR by holding her down for a substantial period of time, for the purpose of facilitating the commission of a felony, or inflicting physical injury on, or terrorizing CR, the document said.

Rice said on Wednesday that Norton and Phelps never showed any remorse.

They had this planned out, the sheriff said. This is a fantasy that they had planned out to do.

Phelps entered an Alford plea in late April. An Alford plea is when a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict if the case had gone to trial.

Rice said authorities investigated whether there could have been other victims. They had evidence that several other women may have been at Phelps home at some point and wanted to make sure nothing had happened to them.

There were eight other people that we were concerned about, Rice said. But we found every one of them people alive.

I think it was the beginning of something worse. Just glad we stopped it before it got further down the road.
Black Woman putting hat on man's head

People flock to the Caribbean to immerse themselves in paradise for a few days, a week, or longer. If rural settings appeal to you, there are plenty. If youre looking for more action, the Caribbean capitals house many restaurants, hotels, and cultural centers. From Kingston to Havana, San Juan to Castries, these energetic cities appeal to locals and tourists alike.

Heres a brief history of four vibrant capitals in the Caribbean.

Kingston, Jamaica

Before Kingston, there was Port Royal, where slavery, sugar trade, and piracy were big business. In June 1692, it experienced a catastrophic earthquake. According to The Guardian, Two-thirds of the bustling commercial center of Port Royal was sunk by the earthquake, and still lies preserved underwater, like a submarine Pompeii. From there, Kingston rose as the new commercial center, and survivors of the Port Royal earthquake flocked there to start a new life.

Kingston is an epicenter of business, gastronomy, and tourism for Jamaica. Some of the top tourist attractions include the Bob Marley Museum and Emancipation Park. The park features two statues of a man and a woman gazing at the skya symbol of triumph over slavery. Created by Jamaican artist Laura Facey, the work is called Redemption Song.

Port Au Prince, Haiti

If there was ever a Caribbean city that has experienced its share of terror, triumph, and tragedy, its Port Au Prince. It officially became the capital of Haiti in 1804, following the Haitian Revolution.

Here, you can visit Musee du Pantheon National Haitien, which covers pre and post-colonial Haiti. It also honors Toussaint Louverture, the most celebrated of the islands founding fathers. The most haunting pieces of history youll find at this museum are slave shackles and the anchor of Columbus ship, the Santa Maria. While youre in the capital, check out Place Saint-Pierre and Champ de Mars, where youll find crafts and artwork by local artists. For a hike, head to Fort Jacques, one of the oldest, and best-preserved forts in Haiti. Its best to hire a guide to accompany you if possible.

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Bridgetown, Barbados

The Bajan capital was originally called Indian Bridge, and Town of St. Michael, before Bridgetown stuck.

The Amerindians were the first inhabitants of Barbados, followed by the Arawaks and the Caribs. Spain and Portugal appear in the islands history, but it became a British colony in 1625. At the time, Barbados chief exports were tobacco, cotton, and sugar, and slavery wasnt abolished until 1834.

From there, Barbados took steps to carve its own identity. It gained independence in 1966 and became a republic in 2021. In honor of this, fireworks and gun salutes went off in Bridgetown.

Bridgetown is a great city for walking tours, tasty food, bars, galleries, and more. There are numerous accommodations for tourists, from luxury resorts to guesthouses.

Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo was founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1498. According to Visit Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo was the first headquarters of the Colonial Spanish government in the New World.

You can still see the Spanish influence today, especially in the architecture. Some examples of this include Alcazar de Colon, Fortaleza Ozama, and Calle Las Damas, the oldest paved street in the New World.

Some tourist sites to check out include National Zoological Park, Guibia Beach, and Los Tres Ojos. This nature park is just across the Ozama River, and its known for its beautiful lagoons and limestone caverns.
Tan France admits he feels safer living in the US than the UK as he details racist experiences (Getty Images for Elton John AIDS)

Tan France has said he feels safer living in America than in the UK as he discussed the racism he experienced growing up in Doncaster.

The Queer Eye star has been living across the pond for 15 years with his husband, RobFrance, and is now based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with their two sons.

In a candid new interview, the Netflix favourite recalled his experiences of racism on home soil, revealing how he was physically attacked by a group of white men aged six.

Appearing on The Louis Theroux podcast, France detailed several other horrific situations where he had been a victim of racism and homophobia.

The presenter now lives in Utah with his husband Rob and their two sons (Rob France / Instagram)

The TV star said that racism is still a huge issue in Britain and explained that is why he feels happier putting down roots in the States.

France reflected: The hard part about talking about life in the UK is that the Brits dont want to hear it.

They arent ready to hear it. It makes them really, really angry. And I think that speaks volumes, Louis. I think thats a real issue we have back home and its the reason why Im so much happier here.

Expanding on his point, the Next in Fashion host continued: [I know] that comment gets a lot of negative reaction saying, weve seen the racism on the news in America and youre telling us that its worse in the UK?

For me personally, yes, thats exactly what Im saying.

He shared: For the black community here in America, racism is disgusting, and it has impacted their lives so greatly.

And in England, that might be the case also, but I dont know the black experience in the UK. I know the Asian experience and Ive got a lot of family and we all experienced the same thing. My family continues to experience the same thing.

France admitted that hes frustrated that his experiences havent being taken seriously, and just wants people to believe him.

The presenter added: Im not saying that I hate the UK, I love the UK - and I love the majority of the people in the UK, who are amazing and compassionate, and arent racist at all.

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But as we know, its not those lovely people that are speaking up. Its the people who hate you and who are going to tell you they hate you on the street.

Im incredibly frustrated a lot of the time with [people] not willing to believe that me or any other entertainer who speaks out about it.

Concluding his sentiments, France said he now feels empowered to speak about the issues the UK is facing as he has perspective being away for 15 years.

The Louis Theroux Podcast is available for free exclusively on Spotify with new episodes airing every Tuesday
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters gave UPS an ultimatum Tuesday: present a powerful tentative agreement for a new contract within one week, or the union would entertain just one final offer from the shipping giant.

On Wednesday, the union turned the heat up after another day of negotiations, pushing UPS to share its last, best and final offer no later than Friday.

More from Sourcing Journal

The current national contract, covering roughly 330,000 UPS employees, expires July 31. The two sides are currently negotiating economic terms including pay and benefits.

Teamsters general president Sean OBrien insists members will not work beyond the contracts expiration date without a new contract, with the union saying Wednesday that a strike was imminent.

The largest single-employer strike in American history now appears inevitable, said OBrien in a statement. Executives at UPS, some of whom get tens of millions of dollars a year, do not care about the hundreds of thousands of American workers who make this company run. They dont care about our members families. UPS doesnt want to pay up. Their actions and insults at the bargaining table have proven they are just another corporation that wants to keep all the money at the top. Working people who bust their asses every single day do not matter, not to UPS.

UPS employees coordinated practice picketing sessions Tuesday and Wednesday at numerous distribution hubs across the U.S., including Seattle, Louisville, Ky. and El Paso, Texas. In Louisville, the picketing took place at UPS Worldport, a 5.2 million-square-foot campus that is the largest sorting and logistics facility in the U.S., handling 416,000 packages per hour.

JUST PRACTICING, JUST GETTING STARTED @UPS #Teamsters put up practice picket lines in Seattle today, part of a nationwide blitz of practice picketing actions taking place over the next few weeks. #1u pic.twitter.com/OkZQTWosxb  Teamsters (@Teamsters) June 27, 2023

Practice picketing is not a strike, but serves as a training exercise of sorts for employees, and puts added pressure on UPS to come up with more favorable terms ahead of possible labor action.

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Teamsters were explicitly instructed ahead of the picketing not to interfere with or disturb working operations for employees on the clock, disparage UPS and or tell the public to boycott the company.

As has been the theme of the negotiations, UPS has put on a happy face in public, saying it welcomed the Teamsters urgency to get a ratified contract in place by the Aug. 1.

Last week, we provided our initial economic proposal. This week we followed with a significantly amended proposal to address key demands from the Teamsters, UPS said in a statement Wednesday. Reaching consensus requires time and serious, detailed discussion, but it also requires give-and-take from both sides. Were working around the clock to reach an agreement that strengthens our industry-leading pay and benefits ahead of the current contracts expiration on August 1. We remain at the table ready to negotiate.

The fallout from a strike could be far reaching, with UPS accounting for nearly one-fourth (24 percent) of total parcel volume shipped in the U.S. in 2022, according to data from the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index.

The shipping companys market share is second only to the U.S. Postal Service, which accounts for 32 percent of all volume shipped in the country. Amazons delivery service was responsible for 23 percent of the total, while FedEx shipped 19 percent.

In total, UPS is estimated to have shipped 5.2 billion parcels in 2022, which would amount to 14.2 million packages per day, according to Pitney Bowes. And UPS says it delivers about 6 percent of the nations gross domestic product.

Chris Creyts, senior director in Alvarez & Marsals consumer and retail group, previously told Sourcing Journal that options for shippers would be limited if a strike occurred, noting that shipping delays would spill over to all carriers struggling to absorb the additional volume.

UPS still may keep a shell operation functioning but would likely primarily serve critical time sensitive customers (e.g., medical supplies), Creyts said. UPS parcel service as we know it would almost certainly grind to a halt until the strike was resolved.

Creyts expects an agreement to be made relatively quickly to avert more supply chain pain if union workers go on strike.

The backlash from any interruptions today would be intensedespite most shippers having limited short-term options, this incident will be burned into the minds of their executives over the long term, he said.

The Teamsters have been busy recently, supporting a strike by 84 former Amazon delivery contractors in California, authorizing a possible strike by employees at truckload freight carrier TForce Freight and agreeing to a new deal for workers at less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier ABF Freight.

The union was recently sued by LTL trucking giant Yellow Corp. on allegations that it has prevented the transportation company from conducting the next phase of its restructuring plan.

Click here to read the full article.
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WE CAN all can relate to FOMO, especially when it comes to movies and television. In this day and age of mass media consumption, there's not much worse than noticing that it feels like everyone is suddenly talking about something, only to... not have any idea what it's all about. Sometimes, getting in on whatever it is can feel a little bit impenetrablethe Marvel Cinematic Universe, for example, is up to 30+ movies and several TV series. It's a lot. Luckily, though, Summer 2023's offerings are a bit easier to crack, starting with the return of a certain Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr.

That's right42 years after his first big screen adventure in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford is back for one last international ride as Indiana Jones, fedora and whip of course in tow. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters with a new director (James Mangold steps in for Steven Spielberg), a strong supporting cast (including villain Mads Mikkelsen and sidekick Phoebe Waller-Bridge), and tons of lore and excitement carrying over from the franchise's past outings.

And while 42 years of Indiana Jones storytelling may seem a bit daunting, we can assure you, it's not so badand is, in fact, quite a bit of fun. The series has just six films (and a TV series as a bonus, if you're hungry for even more), and while they jump around chronologically a tiny bit, they're all easy watches where Ford's charm as Jones is always a highlight, second only to the set pieces that a director as masterful as Spielberg is able to constantly gift to audiences.

So, even if you've never watched a second of an Indiana Jones movie, you've got no need to worry. Below, we take you through the best ways to become your friend group's resident Indiana Jones superfan, just in time to see Dial of Destiny (as fun an adventure as you'll see in the theater this year) on as big a screen as possible.

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Some people might be interested in watching every Indiana Jones movie/project in chronological order...

Disney

For reasons I cannot quite explain, for some reason people always seem to be interested in watching franchise installments in "chronological order." If this is the order in which they were released, then, sure! Why not. Knock yourself out.

But people who prefer to watch things in "chronological order" when that's not the order in which the things were released are making a grave, grave mistake. When something is set up as a prequel, it's being designed with the idea that audiences know what ends up happening; they know where this story eventually leads. So the excitement isn't necessarily in the outcome, but rather in the how. When you break this intended order and watch in "chronological order," you mess this all up.

Anyway. The Indiana Jones series is basically all in chronological order anyway, with the exception of Temple of Doom serving as a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Last Crusade opens with a flashback sequencefeaturing the late River Phoenix as young Indybut the rest of the movie is pure sequel. The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones is a TV projects and not a film, so we really only recommend checking that out if you've already seen all the movies (probably multiple times) and truly just want more.

Though we don't suggest it, here's the chronological order of everything in the Indiana Jones series.

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (1992-1994)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (opening scene) (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (rest of the movie) (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

But we recommend watching the Indiana Jones franchise in release order.

The Indiana Jones series has been masterfully crafted by some of the best filmmakers we have, initially a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, with James Mangold (the man behind Logan, Ford v Ferrari, and Walk the Line) stepping in for Dial of Destiny. And watching in the order they were released, in our opinion, is essential: each film builds off the last, not particularly in a way that makes the series ultra-serialized, but in a way that it's simply to see how the series and Indiana himself evolve.

You can rent all of these films on Amazon Video, but they're also all available to watch on Disney+.

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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Paramount

The unquestioned masterpiece of the Indiana Jones franchise is the very first movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Viewers meet Indiana Jonesan adventurer/university professor who is, to put it simply, one of the most charming and charismatic characters of all timeand follow him as he races against an old acquaintance and some Nazis working for Adolf Hitler to find the legendary Ark of the Covenant. The movie features some of the most iconic action sequences in the history of film, and is widely considered to be one of Steven Spielberg's best and most signature filmswhich for him, obviously, is really saying something.

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Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Paramount

Temple of Doom is pretty clearly the weakest film of the original Indiana Jones trilogy. And while it has certainly not aged particularly well and was made at a rough time in its filmmakers lives (Spielberg and Lucas were both going through divorces during production), it still comes with a number of incredibly fun action/adventure sequences and that signature Spielberg visual flourish. Plus, if you want to know why everyone originally loved 2023 Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan, it's for his role as Indy's wise-cracking sidekick, Short Round. He is an awesome kid, and if anyone felt like capitalizing on Quan's comeback, we would not object to a new Short Round project in the slightest.

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Paramount

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade dares to ask an ever-important question: what if we brought together two of the biggest movie stars of all time? The third installment of the franchise leans hard into a father and son theme, and through meeting Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery), we learn so much about Indiana Jones and how he came to be the hero we know and love. Connery is awesome and a natural fit in this movie, which, naturally, is about the search for the Holy Grail. What else? The opening scenefeaturing River Phoenix as a young Indy on one of his first adventuresis an all-time tone setter.

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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Paramount

Almost 20 years after his last adventure, Indy returned in 2008 for the polarizing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. You may have heard bad things about this movie through the years, but we'll tell you bluntly: it's definitely fun, and pretty darn solid. Is it a perfect movie? No it's not! Is Shia LaBeouf's character, Mutt Williams, fairly ridiculous? He is! But the movie's opening 20-30 minutes are impeccable, with one thrilling sequence after the next. And while LaBeouf's Mutt is subpar, the movie also adds a very entertaining scoundrel character named Mac, played by Ray Winstone, and the movie's villain is played by a fantastic-as-always Cate Blanchett. Some CGI hasn't particularly aged well, but if you come into this movie with no baggage, you'll probably have a good time. It's a classic Indy adventure.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Disney

Indy's final adventure comes another 15 years after his last, and with a new directorJames Mangoldat the helm. It's fair to have trepidation about an Indiana Jones movie where the titular character is 80 years old, but Mangold and Ford do a great job of making this movie feel like Indy of old in the best ways while still updating it in a way to keep up with the movies of 2023. Indy is joined for the fun by his goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge, having a blast) and comes to blows with a new set of villains, played by the always charismatic Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook. If you recognize the type of movies that the Indiana Jones series has always beenpulpy, swashbuckling, genre adventuresyou're going to have a great time with Indy's last ride.

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Bonus: The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (1992 - 1994)

ABC

If you reallllly loved all of the above, and have rewatched them so much that you really just need something more, then we have good news: there's more, although it only barely involves Harrison Ford. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles aired for two season and 28 episodes between 1992 and 1993, followed by four more made-for-TV movies that aired until 1996; Young Indy was played primarily by Sean Patrick Flannery.

These stories, now, exist in the form of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, after the series was recut into 22 movie-ish episodes back in 1999. Some of the lore is a little loosey goosey with everything else (there are references to an older Indy having a daughter, which we've never heard of elsewhere, and no reference to the Mutt Williams (Indy's son).

But if you want more Indiana Jones? Well, it's here.

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young boy with camping supplies

Refugee camps scattered across the globe are beacons of hope for those uprooted from their homes. These crucial sanctuaries are pivotal in extending temporary  and sometimes enduring  support to displaced individuals. The UN Refugee Agency describes refugees as brave souls who flee from war, violence, conflict, or persecution, traversing international borders in search of a secure haven. In their quest for safety, they abandon their dwellings, possessions, livelihoods, and often even their loved ones. However, their journey toward a better future remains fraught with perils, and the challenges persist even within the confines of a refugee camp.

Within these refugee camps, hunger, linguistic barriers, unemployment, and limited access to healthcare plague the lives of the displaced. Astonishingly a staggering 6.6 million people, approximately a fifth of the worlds refugee population, reside within these settlements.

Photo credit: Mumtahina Tanni

Kutupalong in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh

Bangladesh stands as the home to Kutupalong, the largest refugee camp on Earth. The camp shelters approximately 880,000 Rohingya refugees from neighboring Myanmar. These individuals sought sanctuary in 2017, escaping the relentless ethnic and religious persecution that has plagued the Rohingya. The stateless population has long been oppressed by discrimination. While the influx of Rohingya into Bangladesh has diminished compared to six years ago, families continue to flee Myanmar, albeit in smaller numbers.

Upon reaching Kutupalong, refugees encounter a fresh array of perilous trials. The camps densely packed bamboo and tarpaulin shelters create a tinderbox susceptible to fast-spreading fires. Furthermore, the arrival of cyclone and monsoon seasons each spring poses an ongoing threat of floods and landslides. The COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened their plight, with the local economy shuttered and supply chains disrupted.

Amid these daunting challenges, the UN WFP steadfastly strives to provide vital sustenance to the majority of Rohingya refugees. Through a range of initiatives, the organizations efforts encompass emergency nutrition aid, livelihood support, and school meals. WFP ensures that approximately half of the refugees receive essential in-kind food assistance including staples like rice, beans, and fortified oil. The remaining half benefits from WFP e-vouchers, pre-loaded with funds enabling refugees to acquire diverse food items from WFP-contracted shops. Additionally, WFP operates learning centers in the camp, offering High-Energy Biscuits to nourish children and promote educational participation.

Story continues

Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

The Kakuma Refugee Camp, in northwestern Kenya, resembles a miniature city with its thatched roof huts and tents. Over 200,000 refugees, displaced by conflicts and climate catastrophes, call this sprawling camp their home. Many have endured a quarter-century or more of refuge from their strife-ridden nations. Such countries include South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Life within Kakuma brings forth an unyielding series of tribulations. From dust storms and scorching temperatures to recurrent malaria outbreaks, refugees confront an unforgiving environment. Under Kenyan law, once admitted, refugees are bound to remain in the camp, causing children who arrive to grow up into adulthood within its confines. Limited by both legal constraints and inhospitable surroundings, self-sufficiency eludes the inhabitants. The hot climate renders agriculture unfeasible, while employment opportunities remain scarce, preventing refugees from securing a means to sustain themselves.

Dadaab Refugee Complex, Kenya

Comprised of three refugee camps  Hagadera, Dagahaley, and IFO  in eastern Kenya, the Dadaab Complex was initially established in 1991 as a temporary refuge for those escaping violence in Somalia. Today, under the management of UNHCR, these camps have evolved into mini-towns. They serve as vital hubs that connect northeastern Kenya with southern Somalia.

Within Dadaab and Kakuma camps, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) plays a critical role, providing a combination of cash and food assistance to over 500,000 refugees. However, a recent surge in arrivals from Somalia has placed immense strain on already stretched camps operating at full capacity. Regrettably, the available funding fails to keep pace with the growing needs, resulting in a significant shortfall. Presently, residents of Dadaab receive only 80% of their usual rations from WFP, exacerbating the challenges faced by the refugee population.

Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan

Since its establishment in July 2012, the Zaatari Refugee Camp stands as a stark testament to the enduring and devastating refugee crisis stemming from neighboring Syria. Today, it shelters a staggering 80,000 individuals, many of whom have known no other home than this sprawling camp.

Amidst this protracted displacement, the plight of refugee children is particularly poignant, as Zaatari represents their sole familiar abode. However, challenges abound within the camp. Merely 4% of the refugees possess work permits, and women often face exclusion from employment opportunities due to prevailing social norms. Consequently, humanitarian aid becomes an indispensable lifeline for most Syrian families in Jordan, addressing their daily needs. Yet, hunger emerges as a pressing concern, with over 80% of Syrian refugees in the country either enduring hunger or teetering on its precipice.

Stepping into the breach, the UN World Food Programme endeavors to meet the basic food requirements of nearly 500,000 refugees in Jordan, a population equivalent to that of Atlanta, Georgia. By employing cash assistance and other programs, the organization extends a crucial hand. In Zaatari, refugees receive $32 each month through e-vouchers, which can be redeemed at locally contracted shops. Nevertheless, the food security situation remains precarious. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of refugees experiencing hunger in Jordan doubled, highlighting the persisting challenges faced by this vulnerable population.

U.N. World Food Programme Extends Aid to Refugees and Displaced Communities

Millions of lives teeter on the edge of survival, and it is the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) that offers a lifeline in the face of dire circumstances. When crisis strikes and starvation looms large, the organizations timely intervention becomes a beacon of hope, rescuing people from the brink of despair.

At every juncture of their arduous journey to safety, UN WFP stands beside refugees, providing crucial assistance. Refugee camps serve as vital stepping stones along this path, offering a temporary sanctuary for those uprooted from their homes.
Its economy lie-flat seating concept is making waves, and now Air New Zealand is officially the airline of the year, at least according to Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com.

AirlineRatings.com cites AirNZs intriguing SkyNest economy beds  set to launch in 2024  as one of the key factors determining its number one spot.

The airline is always innovating and not content to take off-the-shelf products and seats but go one better, Geoffrey Thomas, AirlineRatings.coms editor-in-chief, told CNN Travel, crediting Air New Zealands dedicated design studio and its output. Its this focus on the economy travelers wellbeing and comfort that impressed the judges.

AirlineRatings.com also praised Air New Zealands operational safety, environmental leadership and staff motivation.

Ranking airlines

Qatar Airways topped AirlineRatings.com's 2022 list. This year the airline came in at number two. - Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket/Getty Images

After a couple of years of reduced air travel in the wake of the pandemic, travelers returned to the air in 2022 to significant airline chaos  canceled flights, lost luggage and overstretched staff.

The result, said Thomas, was an interesting year all in all, as most airlines suffered declines in passenger approvals as the industry struggled to get into the air.

The jurys still out on whether this year will see a more stable air travel landscape. And interestingly, while Air New Zealand came out on top for 2023, Thomas said the results were close among the top five.

Qatar Airways, which topped last years AirlineRatings.coms ranking, came in at number two this year, also winning the Best Business Class, Best Catering and Excellence in Long Haul Travel - Middle East awards.

Singapore Airlines took the fifth spot on AirlineRatings.com's 2023 list and also won the Best First Class award. - Johannes P. Christo/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Abu Dhabis Etihad Airways is number 3 on AirlineRatings.coms 2023 list. Korean Air, which also won the Excellence in Long Haul Travel - North Asia award was at number four. Singapore Airlines, named top in the Best First Class award and the Excellence in Long Haul Travel - Southeast Asia award, took fifth place overall.

To produce its rankings, AirlineRatings.com examines major safety and government audits, as well as looking at airline fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings and staff relations. Since the awards launched in 2014, Thomas said scoring and categories have morphed to reflect the ever changing dynamics of the industry and customer expectations.

Story continues

Air New Zealand is also making headlines this week for other reasons. From now until July 2, 2023, New Zealands Civil Aviation Authority is asking its national airline to weigh passengers departing on international flights from Auckland International Airport.

AirlineRatings.coms top 25 airlines for 2022

1. Air New Zealand

2. Qatar Airways

3. Etihad Airways

4. Korean Air

5. Singapore Airlines

6. Qantas

7. Virgin Australia/Virgin Atlantic

8. EVA Air

9. Cathay Pacific Airways

10. Emirates

11. Lufthansa / Swiss

12. SAS

13. TAP Portugal

14. All Nippon Airways

15. Delta Air Lines

16. Air Canada

17. British Airways

18. Jet Blue

19. JAL

20. Vietnam Airlines

21. Turkish Airlines

22. Hawaiian

23. KLM

24. Alaska Airlines

25. United Airlines.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Catherine Langabeer, left, the head of sustainability at the Countdown chain of supermarkets, and Associate Environment Minister Rachel Brooking demonstrate collecting fruit in reusable polyester mesh bags on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at a Countdown supermarket in Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand's government says that from Saturday, it will be the first nation in the world to ban the thin plastic bags that supermarket customers use to collect their fruit and vegetables. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Beginning Saturday, New Zealand will become the first country to ban the thin plastic bags that supermarket customers use to collect their fruit and vegetables.

The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and silverware, as the government expands a campaign against single-use plastics it started in 2019 when it banned the thicker plastic shopping bags that customers used to carry home their grocery items. These days, most customers bring their own reusable tote bags to stores.

Officials estimate that on average, each New Zealander sends more than three-quarters of a ton of waste to landfills every year.

New Zealand produces too much waste, too much plastic waste, said Associate Environment Minister Rachel Brooking.

Brooking said the 2019 bag ban had already prevented more than 1 billion plastic bags from being used in New Zealand, and the new ban on thin bags would add a further reduction of 150 million bags per year.

Officials investigated concerns the latest ban wouldn't help the environment much if customers simply switched to using disposable paper bags to collect their fruit and vegetables.

The answer was still yes, its still worth doing this, but we really want to reduce single-use anything packaging, Brooking said. So we want people to be bringing their own bags, and supermarkets are selling reusable produce bags.

Brooking said the emphasis would be on educating people but that officials could impose penalties on businesses that chose to flaunt the rules.

The Countdown chain of supermarkets has begun selling polyester mesh bags that can be washed and reused.

Catherine Langabeer, Countdown's head of sustainability, said the mesh bags were tested to be reused up to 5,000 times each. Countdown was working hard to get customers to think of reusable fruit-and-vegetable bags as the norm, she said.

But we know change is hard and will take them a little while, Langabeer said. We get some grumpy customers."

She said other customers were finding creative ways to carry home their purchases without using any plastic.

Critics have questioned the liberal government's environmental record, pointing out that the nation's overall greenhouse gas emissions have not decreased since the government symbolically declared a climate emergency in 2020.
The News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged lawmakers in his country to legalize medical marijuana on Wednesday.

"We must finally honestly legalize cannabis-based medicine for everyone who needs it, with the relevant scientific research and controlled Ukrainian manufacturing," Zelenskyy told Ukraine's parliament, according to Pravda.

Zelenskyy previously voiced support for the idea during his campaign for president, and last year his government pushed the idea as a way to help people suffering physically and mentally following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Know More

Zelenskyy said Ukraine should create Europe's strongest mental and physical rehabilitation network using global best practices and unusual solutions so Ukrainians can endure the impact of the war, per Pravda.

A proposed bill would allow patients to use medical cannabis to treat over 50 pathological conditions, including war-related post-traumatic stress disorders.

Before the war broke out, Ukraine legalized certain types of medical cannabis products, including two synthetic cannabis-like chemicals and a cannabis extract.

Step Back

Europe has traditionally taken a more conservative approach to marijuana policy, but more countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, and Luxembourg have taken steps toward legalization in recent years. But the continent remains a patchwork of laws, CNBC reported.
BNET, a provider of broadband network services in Bahrain, has recently obtained membership in the Telecommunications Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T).



The membership makes it sole entity representing the Kingdom in the telecommunications Standardization Sector of the ITU. The ITU is an independent specialized agency of the United Nations and plays a crucial role in defining and standardizing international standards for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.



BNET, the sole telecommunications company in Bahrain to join the International Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), has gained access to a dynamic platform where leading international experts in the sector meet to collaborate and participate in the development and formation of unified recommendations for the telecommunications sector. This contributes to technological progress and enhances interoperability of systems on a global scale, making BNET an active player in shaping the future of the sector.



Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of BNET, said: We are pleased to join the ITU Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T). This is a significant achievement for BNET and the Kingdom of Bahrain. We would like to express our gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, for his continued support of the communications and information technology sector. We are committed to continuing to contribute to the development of this sector in line with national aspirations.



Ahmed bin Jaber Aldoseri, CEO of BNET, said: We are proud to be granted membership in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T). It demonstrates our commitment to excellence in our various services and dedication to being at the forefront of telecommunications technology and standards. We are excited to have the opportunity to shape the future of the international communications and information technology industry alongside leaders and professionals from across the world."  TradeArabia News Service
Eddie Stobart lorries queue at a security barrier

Two of the worlds largest accounting firms have been slapped with fines over their audits of Eddie Stobart Logistics.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issued KPMG a fine of 877,500 for its 2017 audit of the lorry company, and also fined one of its former partners.

PwC was fined 2m over the 2018 audit, along with a partner. The FRC said the penalties were because both PwC and KPMG had not satisfied relevant requirements in their audit work.

Regulators pointed to numerous, serious and pervasive failings in PwCs work and some serious failings in KPMGs case. However, the fines were reduced after exceptional cooperation and admissions made to the regulator.

It comes years after the FRC first kicked off its investigation into the two companies. Both had signed off separate sets of Eddie Stobarts results in the run-up to a bookkeeping scandal which brought the company to its knees. The issues resulted in shares being suspended between late 2019 and 2020. The FRC had been investigating a 2m misstatement of profits and whether the auditors should have spotted the black hole.

Since then, Eddie Stobart has gone through multiple changes of ownership. It almost collapsed in 2019, owing more than 200m to its banks. However, it was rescued by offshore private equity firm Dbay Advisors in a 55m deal.

The son of Eddie Stobarts founder William was appointed executive chairman under the terms of the deal. Eddie Stobart was later sold to Culina Group, with William Stobart moving into a role as deputy chief executive of Culina.

PwC said it was focused on ensuring consistent delivery of high quality audits and that it had made significant and continuous investment in improving the quality since 2018. A PwC spokesman said: Our work was not of the required standard on this occasion and for this we apologise.

KPMG said it regretted that elements of its work fell short of required standards, adding: This development marks another step forward in dealing with these matters, and we continue to invest significantly in audit quality, in our technology and training, to drive further improvements.

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Donald Santini, 65, evaded capture for nearly 40 years until he was arrested earlier this month in San Diego, California. (Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office))

A Florida man who appeared on Americas Most Wanted has been caught after four decades on the run for a 1984 murder he is accused of committing.

Donald Santini, 65, evaded capture for nearly 40 years until he was arrested earlier this month in San Diego, California.

He is charged with first-degree murder over the death of 33-year-old Cynthia Ruth Wood, who lived in Bradenton, Florida, reported WFLA.

Wood, who was going through a divorce, was last seen leaving her house with Mr Santini on the night of 5 June 1984.

Donald Santini, 65, evaded capture for nearly 40 years until he was arrested earlier this month in San Diego, California. (Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office))

A woman told investigators that the suspect allegedly confessed that he had strangled Wood and dumped her body in a canal, according to an arrest warrant.

Detectives identified Mr Santini as the suspect, but he fled by the time an arrest warrant was issued.

He was hunted across the country and the world and his case was featured on Americas Most Wanted several times between 1990 and 2013.

The arrest of Donald Santini brings closure to a long-standing cold case and provides justice for the victim and her family after nearly four decades of waiting, Sheriff Chad Chronister said. Lets not forget the tireless work that has gone into this case over the years, the resources, and expertise to pursue justice for Cynthia Wood.

Officials say that Mr Santini has previously served time for raping a woman in Germany.

He has now been returned to Hillsborough County and was due to make his first court appearance on Thursday. He has been relocated to the Falkenburg Road Jail, where he will await his trial.
Spending an entire work day outside in Columbus on Wednesday is equivalent to smoking nearly two cigarettes, according to an online air quality converter.

Using a scientific formula that calculates the health impacts of particle concentration in the air and converts that to the health impacts of smoking cigarettes, an eight-hour exposure to Columbus "unhealthy" air (183 air quality score) Wednesday would be the same as smoking 1.84 tobacco cigarettes, according to the converter. A 12-hour exposure would be equivalent to smoking 2.76 cigarettes. And a 24-hour exposure at a consistent air quality of 189, would equate to almost six cigarettes.

The region is again under an air quality alert as persistent smoke from Canada has caused elevated concentrations of particulate matter, or microscopic particles in the air that can be inhaled. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, which issues the alerts, said Wednesday's level will be the first "unhealthy" level since August, 2003.

Canada wildfire smoke: Canadian wildfire haze drifts into Ohio. Air quality alert for unhealthy level first since 2003

The polluted air can be particularly cruel to vulnerable populations of people with preexisting conditions. In Ohio, nearly 1 in 10 residents have chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or emphysema, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The wildfires prompted the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to issue its first-ever statewide air quality advisory earlier this month. The Ohio Department of Health also sent out a warning asking residents to be aware of the air quality and some of its impacts.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Columbus air quality: Long exposure like smoking almost 2 cigarettes
Hillsborough County is famous for being the nations winter strawberry capital, where every year it hosts one of the largest festivals to honor the harvest of its iconic crop.

But the regions dominance as the primary producer of strawberries in Florida could be at risk because of climate change.

By 2050, Hillsborough will be too hot to grow strawberries, according to a report from the Environmental Defense Fund published in May. The report says ideal conditions for farming the fruit could shift north into Marion County, home of Ocala.

Based on the current market conditions, its a pretty significant hit for an industry thats struggling under land development pressure and narrow profit margins, said Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director for the Environment Defense Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group studying how to combat climate change.

Rising heat and more dangerous days

Strawberries are the states most prominent crop after oranges.

Nationally, California dominates. But Floridas $400 million berry industry has a short window when its the countrys primary grower in the wintertime.

Much of the farming is done in Hillsborough County outside of Tampa, in and around Plant City. Hillsborough has the most strawberry farms in the state and holds nearly 88% of farming land in Florida devoted to growing the fruit, according to federal data. Its been an ideal region because it currently sits in whats known as the goldilocks zone, where precipitation and temperature conditions are neither too hot nor too cold for farming strawberries.

But that is changing.

Average temperatures in Hillsborough County are trending to rise 4% by 2050 during the states strawberry season that runs between October and April, the report found.

Highs of 78 degrees going up to 80 on average will make it more difficult for strawberries to survive. If trends continue this way, the report said, Hillsborough farmers would produce 11% fewer strawberries.

The chance of dangerous days for strawberries will also be higher. Temperatures exceeding 85 degrees can kill the fruit. Days with harmful conditions in Hillsborough during the growing season are set to jump 50% in 27 years, the report found.

Story continues

Therell be much more frequent and dangerous days over 85 degrees to where growing is just not going to be profitable, Shirreffs said.

The region will also have a 7% higher vapor pressure deficit, which is how much water the atmosphere can hold, meaning that strawberries will require more watering. All these factors could push Hillsborough out of the goldilocks zone.

Instead, the conditions to grow strawberries would be just right more than 100 miles north.

Halfway into the century, Marion Countys average temperatures will rise closer to what Hillsboroughs have been this decade.

Solutions to growing pressures?

Berry farmers need to start planning for rising temperatures, Shirreffs said.

That may mean expanding north into Marion County, though that can be expensive and it can be difficult to find land. Even then, the risk of dangerous days for strawberries are also expected to rise further north.

More severe hurricanes will also be more likely because of climate change, which can delay crop planting like with Hurricane Ian last year.

But there are other ways to limit impacts.

Wish Farms in Plant City is working on new strawberry varieties like the Sweet Sensation that can grow faster and are more resistant to diseases. They could be planted later to avoid the hottest days.

We work closely with the University of Floridas Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to develop new berry varieties that not only taste great, but that are also suitable to our growing conditions here in Florida, said Wish Farms public relations manager Nick Wishnatzki in an emailed statement. Farmers are always adapting, and we will continue to do so for the next 100 years.

The report also mentions investing in shading, cooling, automation and aquifer recharging technologies.

The budding problem of climate change adds to the myriad of issues local strawberry farmers have to deal with, Shirreffs said.

Matt Parkes, a fourth generation farmer at Parkesdale Farms, said many strawberry farmers arent worried about climate change driving them out of Hillsborough County  theyre more worried about rapid development. As the regions housing market has boomed, there may not be enough space to grow more strawberries, he said, and they also face stiff competition from Mexican imports.

If were going to continue to grow, were gonna have to find somewhere that is not a desirable area to be, Parkes said.

He added that Parkesdale Farms, which has been in Hillsborough since 1956, has no intention of selling. Rather, theyll have to make use of what space they have and wait for some climate controlling technologies to become more economical.

One thing were doing right now is trying to figure out how to maximize the use for the future, Parkes said. But until power gets more affordable or it makes enough sense to be able to do climate control, were going to depend on Mother Nature to give us the sun and the temperatures that we need.
Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union are taking up the case of a Delaware prisoner who was punished for trying to organize a boycott of exploitative costs of internet services in prison.

David Holloman is imprisoned at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna where last year he tried to organize a prisoner boycott of internet-connected tablets that charge prisoners per-message rates to keep in touch with family and per-minute rates to access otherwise free entertainment content.

In April, Delaware Online/The News Journal wrote about Holloman's grievances with the high cost of the tablet services, as well as the punishment he's faced from prison officials that cracked down on his planned protest.

Read Holloman's Story: What happened when a Delaware prisoner tried to boycott the internet behind bars

Essentially, he went from being treated as a model prisoner to being confined in one of the most restrictive areas of the prison. In a lawsuit filed without the assistance of an attorney earlier this year, Holloman claims his punishment is a violation of his rights.

In a video interview from Vaughn on Thursday, Holloman said he hopes his case shows the need for prison reform in Delaware.

"I hope the light is shed on the prison system in Delaware and also the fact that our constitutional rights are not respected here in the prison," Holloman said.

Delaware-based attorneys for the ACLU agree, announcing Thursday they are going to step in to represent him in litigating his federal lawsuit. In a written statement, Dwayne Bensing, legal director for ACLU of Delaware, said Holloman's case demonstrates the "critical need to reaffirm our First Amendment right to free speech."

David Holloman pictured with his mother at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna.

Corporate profits are no substitute for penological interests; these prison officials must be held accountable for their unconstitutional retaliatory and unjustified treatment of Mr. Holloman, Bensing said in a written statement.

Story continues

Read our previous coverage of Holloman's plight, as well as his lawsuit, here.

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Follow @Ber_Xerxes on Twitter. Delaware prisoners may also contact Xerxes Wilson on the GettingOut app.

David Holloman (SBI: 342123) can also be reached on the GettingOut app.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: ACLU of Delaware takes on state prisoner's case over internet boycott
On Tuesday, Breitbart revealed that Pedro Gonzalez, a prominent conservative influencer and supporter of Ron DeSantis, sent a slew of nakedly antisemitic messages. Gonzalez responded on Twitter by claiming that the messages, which were sent in 2019 and 2020, were from a different, dumb season of my life, while accusing Donald Trump supporters of leaking them as part of a smear campaign.

I am blown away by the amount of support Ive received from every corner amid this smear campaign by Trumps camp. I cannot express in words how much it means that so many are standing with meeven those who have vehemently disagreed with me in the past.



The only reason my  Pedro L. Gonzalez (@emeriticus) June 28, 2023

Pro-DeSantis social media influencers and members of the Claremont Institute, where the Florida governor enjoys strong support, have been quick to rally behind their antisemitic friend  despite the revelation that he repeatedly denigrated Jewish people, praised white supremacists, and pushed anitsemitic conspiracy stereotypes and conspiracy theories.

When did Breitbart become Media Matters? This kind of content is beneath you, wrote Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing influencer who has praised DeSantis. Jeremy Carl of The Claremont Institute agrees. @emeriticus is a good guy and a friend, he wrote, tagging Gonzalez. He has made mistakes in his past that he has owned up to. Embarrassing to see a conservative media site printing stuff Id expect to see from the SPLC and Media Matters.

Carls tweeted was shared by anti-Trump conservative writer Ryan James Girdusky. The @emeriticus I know is a stand up man and a great father, Girdusky added in a message of his own. Hes one of the few people on this dumpster fire of a website Id call a real friend. Who he was isnt who he is.

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Pro-DeSantis conservatives have been sharing each others messages of support for Gonzalez since Breitbart revealed the extent of his antisemitism. Scott Morefield of Townhall.com retweeted Girduskys message, as well as a similar missive from pro-DeSantis influencer David Reaboi. The slime-job attack on Pedro from Breitbartas well as a host of people at the very top of MAGA world, behind the scenesis totally reprehensible, Reaboi wrote, adding that Gonzalez walked away from the scene is was in a few years ago, and is an honorable man.

Plenty of others have been interacting directly with Gonzalezs response  including Trump attorney-turned-DeSantis backer Jenna Ellis, who liked the message on Twitter. That article sadly reads exactly like a liberal hit piece, Gays Against Groomers founder and DeSantis supporter Jaimee Michell added in a reply. Pulling the antisemite and racist card is standard leftist practice. Im Jewish and even I recognize the issues and problems elite Jews cause, which give all Jews a bad name. Theyre scared of you. Keep up the good work!

Pedro is a good man, wrote DeSantis-loving journalist Jordan Schachtel.

DeSantis online lackeys are defending someone who wrote that most Jews are problematic; who argued that America is fucked unless whites survive but whites themselves are too cucked to preserve their own civilizations; and who called Black Daily Wire personality Candace Owens and Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro The Negress and the Jew.

Gonzalez also repeatedly praised Nick Fuentes, calling the white supremacist Holocaust denier intelligent and the future while writing that he never thought I would agree with so much of what Fuentes has to say. Gonzalez wrote in one message that Fuentes does one good thing when he trolls Jews: He shows people how subversive they can be.

Gonzalezs antisemitism is not limited to a few messages. Breitbarts piece is rife with examples of his bigotry. Gonzalezs fellow DeSantis supporters are more aghast that the messages were leaked than they are with the countless illustrations of his racism, which theyve excused as part of an isolated period of his life way back in 2020. While Gonzalezs supporters have painted the story as political retribution for the pundits pivot from Trump to DeSantis, Gonzalez said what he said, he said it repeatedly, and some of the Florida governors most prominent online influencers have responded by lauding him.

The support has come largely from DeSantis supporters, although Gonzalez made sure to note on Twitter that he also appreciates my friends who still support Trump but are defending me against this. The most prominent such friend is Rep. Matt Gaetz. I support Trump, the Florida congressman, who once invited a prominent Holocaust denier to the State of the Union address, wrote. I do not support the smears against Pedro.

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A divorced Florida couple successfully pulled off two arcade robberies by masquerading as gaming commission investigators, using name tags and a holstered pistol, according to the Lee County Sheriffs Office.

Their big mistake, investigators say, was doing it twice in one afternoon.

The duo was arrested after the real Florida Gaming Control Commission confirmed none of its agents had been at either arcade in North Fort Myers, the sheriffs office said in a news release.

Both robberies occurred Monday, June 26, and involved a man dressed in a uniform shirt with a patch labeled US Security Associates and a holstered firearm and a woman wearing business attire and had a lanyard around her neck with an ID card, officials said.

A staff member at 777 Arcade in North Fort Myers reports the couple said they were from The Gaming Commission and stated the business was operating illegally, the sheriffs office said.

(They) instructed the victim to turn over currency from the safe for documentation: $660.00, a computer mouse, and a DVR system were taken by the pair as they left the business, officials said.

The suspects then went to Quick Hits Arcade in North Fort Myers, officials said, and got just over $2,000 using the same routine.

With the assistance of the Real Time Intelligence Center analysts, detectives were able to identify (the man) through surveillance images and facial recognition software, officials said.

The vehicle the duo drove away in was registered to (the womans) child. ... Tactical Narcotics Team members nabbed (the suspects) during a traffic stop near their home in Cape Coral. Evidence was located during the traffic stop that linked the duo to the heists.

The 48-year-old man is charged with impersonating an official, fraudulently obtaining property, and driving while license revoked, officials said. The woman, who is 51, was charged with fraudulently obtaining property.

Man seen on Americas Most Wanted is in Florida jail after 39 years on run, cops say

Babysitters bizarre outing saw 2 kids taken from Florida to Wisconsin park, cops say

Illegal street race in Target parking lot injures a spectator in Florida, video shows
[Source]

A Florida woman is facing a civil rights complaint in Maine for allegedly racially attacking and threatening to run over an Asian American woman with her van earlier this month.

How it started: Vicki Lush, 66, of St. Port Lucie, got into an argument with the victim at a seafood restaurant in Kennebunkport on June 6, according to the complaint.

Lush allegedly called the victim a foreigner and told her to go back to your country.

The victim responded by saying that Lush wouldnt say this to a white person. Lush then allegedly snapped back by calling her a Chinese [expletive].

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Alleged threat made: The altercation reportedly continued to the restaurants parking lot. There, Lush allegedly threatened to run over the victim, swerving her van in the victims direction.

She allegedly made statements such as You have no idea who you are messing with, Ill lay you out right here, Get out of my way or Ill run you over and You foreigners need to go home. The victim, a 40-year-old Korean woman visiting from Massachusetts, managed to take a photo of Lushs vehicle.

What the complaint says: Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey filed the civil rights complaint against Lush this week.

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The Maine Civil Rights Act prohibits the use of violence, the threat of violence or property damage against any person motivated by that persons race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.

The recently filed complaint seeks a court order to prohibit Lush from contacting the victim, prevent her from further violations against the act and fine her up to $5,000 for each future violation. Any violation of the act is a Class D crime, punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail and $2,000 in fines.

Story continues

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Its property assessment season in Jackson County, and many homeowners are alarmed and frustrated about stark increases to their valuations.

The Star has heard from readers wondering about the process of contesting these valuations, so we reached out to county assessors for answers.

Jackson County introduced a new informal review process this year, which assessors touted as a way to help property owners resolve their concerns more quickly. But this process is proving difficult to access, and the July 10 deadline to file an appeal with the county is approaching. If homeowners miss this deadline, they wont be able to contest the countys estimate of their homes value.

The Star brought your questions directly to Gail McCann Beatty, the director of the countys assessment department. Heres what she said.

A reader asked: (Ive heard) the county cannot raise your house taxes more than 15% at a time, per Missouri law. But I have also heard that law excludes the cities of Kansas City and St. Louis. Can you tell me which version is true?

Actually, neither of these are true, Beatty told The Star. County assessors can increase property values in Missouri by as much as they deem appropriate  theres no legal limit on these increases.

Valuation increases dont automatically mean that your property taxes will increase  your local taxing jurisdictions (cities, school districts, etc.) still have to set their tax rates once property values have been finalized.

If a home valuation rises by more than 15%, the county has to perform a physical inspection of your home from the outside  something Beatty says the department has already done for all homes in the county. Homeowners also have the option of scheduling an interior inspection of their home as part of the appeal process. This rule used to only apply in St. Louis, but it was recently expanded to cover the whole state.

Interior inspections are optional, and the county does not have to automatically perform them on all homes with an increase of 15% or above  it just has to give homeowners the option of requesting one.

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According to state law, The owner shall have no less than thirty days to notify the assessor of a request for an interior physical inspection. The current deadline to apply for one is July 10, but if you received your valuation notice after June 10, state law says you should have at least 30 days to make the request.

You can request an inspection when you file an appeal through the assessment offices website.

Reader Deanna asks: Can you help me find out how to get an appointment for a meeting at 1300 Washington?

Homeowners can make an appointment for an informal valuation review at the countys assessment office at 1300 Washington St. when they file an appeal online through the departments website. The deadline to file this appeal is July 10.

When you go in and you file your appeal, when you get to the end, there is a button that you push to schedule the informal review, Beatty said.

You read that right: Jackson County is requiring residents to submit an official appeal before they are able to schedule an informal review meeting, even though the county added the informal review step this year in order to reduce the need for an appeal. Here are three things to consider including in your appeal.

If you reach an agreement on your homes value during this informal meeting, you can then close your appeal and opt out of the next step of the process, which is a formal hearing.

Beatty said the reason for this appointment system is that the county may not be able to provide an informal review for every resident who requests one.

We want to make sure that we are protecting everyones appeal rights, Beatty said. So by requiring them to file the appeal to get the informal (meeting), it ensures that if for whatever reason, we cant get through all the informals, that they have not missed out on their opportunity to file an appeal.

If youd prefer to not file an official appeal before having an informal review meeting, you have the option of walking in at 1300 Washington St.  but Beatty said that wait times for walk-in clients are significant, and people may get turned away.

They will likely be here most of the day, Beatty said. We may stop the number of people that are coming in so that we dont have someone that sits here literally all day and then cant get seen.

The 1300 Washington St. office location is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Reader Mick asked: If you have a new appraisal done and it comes in higher than the countys number, does that get reported to the county?

If you hire an outside appraiser to calculate the value of your home, this number will not be reported to the county unless you or your appraiser chooses to report it.

You can bring an appraisal document with you to your informal review meeting or submit it as part of your appeal as proof of your homes correct value.

If a county inspector comes to your home, they may land on a value higher than the countys calculated number. If you continue to appeal your valuation after that, the countys Board of Equalizations will have access to the appraisal and may choose to increase the valuation of your home, Beatty said.

If you dont want to risk this happening, your other option is to drop your appeal and agree to the countys original estimate.

Mick also asked: Would an appraisal tied to the home purchased in January 2021 be useful toward appealing if I should choose to do so?

In general, the county prefers to see appraisal documents that are less than a year old, Beatty told The Star. For a 2021 appraisal, she said assessors will increase the appraised value by an amount that reflects the rise in home prices in your neighborhood in the past two years.

We start with the neighborhood, and if there are (an) adequate number of sales within the neighborhood, thats where we stop, she said. We try to stay within one mile of the house.

Reader Linda asked: Our home is on a section of agricultural acreage. We can see the total assessment when we look online, but not the breakdown of agricultural land and residential. Who can we contact to get the complete Reassessment Notice?

Beatty said that the best course of action is to email the assessment department at assessment@jacksongov.org with the subject line Need Value Notice.

Department employees are actively answering emails, and requests for value notices often take priority over more complex requests because they can be completed quickly.

Well take care of those first. We want to make sure we take care of those to give people time to file their appeal, Beatty said.

The county aimed to send out value notices in the mail by June 15. The deadline to appeal your valuation is July 10. You can also check your valuation online.

Reader Pam said: While my friends and family have had our property values double, it would be interesting to see how many other elected officials had little or no increase.

Anyone can go onto the assessment departments website and look up the assessed value of any property in Jackson County  and how much that value has increased over the past five years. You can look up properties by address, the owners name or the parcel number.

Nine-digit parcel numbers represent personal property, usually meaning vehicles. Real estate parcel numbers are 17 digits long with lots of dashes, and usually return three property values: market value, taxable value and assessed value.

The market value shows the assessment departments full valuation of your home, a department employee confirmed to The Star over email. To see the percentage increase of your homes value, look at how the market value in 2023 compares to the market value in 2021.

The county hasnt yet calculated the percentage increases in valuations seen in each taxing jurisdiction  but it plans to certify its calculations over the weekend. Well follow up next week once we have data on the average increases in the Kansas City area.

A reader also asked: For those of us who have managed to pay off our homes, when and how do our insurance providers learn about their increased market value?

The county does not send assessed values to any insurance companies, Beatty said.

While your insurance company could technically look up your address through the departments online system to see your new valuation, she added that many do not rely on assessed values to set insurance rates.

Instead, the companies often do their own calculations to get a homes replacement value, which may be different from its assessed value.

Its also important to keep in mind that homeowners who have paid off their homes are still required to pay property taxes.

Do you have more questions about property assessment in Jackson County? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
The News

Wagner Groups rebellion in Russia may have knock-on consequences in other regions where the mercenary organization operates. The paramilitary group has a presence in countries around the world, and is particularly active in Africa, where it is using its presence to pillage natural resources and fund its operations elsewhere.

Know More

Wagner mercenaries are inextricably linked to CAR, where they have had a presence since 2018. The country has been described as a perfect laboratory for what Wagner, and by extension the Kremlin, are capable of in the region.

The Financial Times reported in 2021 that Wagner operates with impunity in CAR, with one senior security official in Bangui describing the situation there as a shit show.

We've curated insightful analysis on how Russia's takeover of Wagner might spell trouble for Africa.

Insights
Ron DeSantis presidential campaign has the formal backing of five U.S. representatives, one governor, and exactly zero U.S. senators  a grand total of six endorsements from the nations top elected officials.

Hes also won the support of at least 259 state lawmakers.

The discrepancy is no accident.

As he tries to build support for his GOP primary campaign, DeSantis and his political team have undertaken a calculated and sustained effort to court the endorsement of state lawmakers, hopeful that politicians with little national profile but close ties to grassroots voters can best bolster the Florida governors candidacy.

The strategy  one that top campaign officials say is suited to DeSantis background and strengths as a politician  has yielded tangible results, particularly in key early states, and especially in comparison with his lack of support from better-known federal officials who have flocked to Donald Trumps campaign.

To DeSantis officials, these state lawmakers serve as a rebuttal to the perception theyre losing the endorsement battle to Trump  and offer an important group of allies to help appeal to rank-and-file Republican voters across the country.

These folks are people who are closest to our voters day to day, said Sam Cooper, the DeSantis campaigns political director. So you talk about a presidential campaign and the scale at which we operate, we cant talk to everybody. So you go out and get these lawmakers, theyre not congressmen, theyre not senators. Theyre going to local Chamber meetings, theyre going to county fairs. Thats a way for us to reach our folks.

Asked about the criticism over losing out on endorsements, including the vast majority of U.S representatives from Florida, Cooper scoffed.

Weve got the workers and the movers and shakers in these states, Cooper added. Were running against Washington, not to be a part of Washington. So if thats the biggest knock on us, well take that all day long.

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The latest round of state-lawmaker endorsements came Wednesday, when the DeSantis campaign announced the support of 18 legislators from North Carolina. That followed an announcement last week of endorsements from 15 South Carolina state legislators.

RELATED CONTENT: Ron DeSantis says hell end birthright citizenship as president

ENDORSEMENTS

In statements announcing their support, lawmakers offer a standard rationale for their endorsement, saying they think DeSantis is an impressive leader and represents the best choice for president.

In interviews, however, many of them offer a more detailed explanation, citing the governors electoral track record, his campaigns diligent outreach efforts, even the presence of DeSantis wife, Casey DeSantis.

They also cite his record in Florida  one many of them are familiar with as state-based policy makers themselves  and the governors own understanding of the issues as reasons for their support, arguing they share a vision for conservative governance that they dont necessarily see from DeSantis Republican rivals.

We need somebody who isnt just one tweet away from the next topic, said Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair. He knows what hes talking about. He has a deep understanding of the things hes working on.

Sinclair was one of 37 Iowa state GOP lawmakers to endorse DeSantis in May, more than one-third of all the states 98 total Republican state legislators. The Senate president said she was absolutely shocked so many of the states GOP members were ready to back the governor, especially at such an early juncture of the race.

DeSantis has still struggled to rack up endorsements compared to Trump, whom the governor trails by significant margins in polls of the 2024 GOP primary. According to an 2024 endorsement tracker from FiveThirtyEight.com, Trump has the formal support of 10 U.S. senators, two governors, and dozens of members of the U.S. House, in addition to his own plethora of state House endorsements.

The former president undercut DeSantis in April, when most of Floridas GOP congressional delegation backed Trump in the governors backyard. In interviews, some of those U.S representatives cited their personal relationship with Trump as a reason for their support of him, comments that underscored concerns within the Republican Party that DeSantis hadnt done enough personal outreach with fellow GOP officials.

But even before he officially launched his campaign in May, DeSantis and his political aides have made a concerted effort to show a personal touch to state lawmakers. In interviews, many of them said they had received at least one phone call from the governor to talk, been asked to greet him ahead of stops on the campaign trail, or been invited to attend small gatherings with him.

DeSantis also made a point of visiting state capitals this year, including in Des Moines, Atlanta and Harrisburg, often visiting the Capitol buildings to meet with lawmakers. During one such meeting, in Atlanta in March, DeSantis and his wife met with Georgia lawmakers in the Capitol for two hours, according to GOP Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch.

About two dozen Georgia Republican senators gather in the state Capitol to greet Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is in town for a book tour stop thats seen as a prelude to a 2024 run. #gapol pic.twitter.com/Fk7RQvLxM6  Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) March 30, 2023

About 25 to 35 GOP members attended, Gooch said, a number that impressed him given that the states legislative session had just ended and most lawmakers normally cant wait to leave town.

He really just opened up and was very sincere and genuine, said Gooch, who noted that DeSantis didnt need notes or the help of an aide to talk policy with them. And I think everyone in the room left there somewhat surprised he was so easy to approach.

Gooch has not endorsed DeSantis presidential campaign, saying in an interview that he was mindful that the states sitting governor, Brian Kemp, might enter the presidential race at a later time. But he was not the only GOP lawmaker who said DeSantis reputation for aloofness and curtness was belied by their own experience.

We had heard this legend of Ron DeSantis and what an impersonal kind of a--hole he is, said Jason Osborne, the GOP House Majority Leader in New Hampshire. Hes awkward around people, doesnt know how to talk, etc 

So he shows up, gives a great speech, lots of standing ovations, and hangs out and talks to the crowd for an hour, Osborne continued. And everyone says, Hey, what a cool dude.

READ MORE: When is DeSantis governing vs. campaigning? The line  and the ethics  can be blurry

KINDRED SPIRITS

Osborne, who backed Rand Pauls presidential campaign in 2016, is one of 50 New Hampshire legislators who have backed DeSantis. (The number is high in part because New Hampshire has 424 state lawmakers total, the most of any state.)

Osborne said about 20 to 30 Republicans met with the governor in May, a group the majority leader described as fanboys and girls of the way DeSantis managed the state during the coronavirus pandemic.

Among many of the state lawmakers who endorsed him, DeSantis response to the pandemic was the first time they learned about the governor, impressed with what they saw as a principled fight against many public health experts and federal officials.

When DeSantis meets with state lawmakers now, they say, the governor often tries to win them over not with offers of friendship or personal anecdotes but deep dives on key policies, offering advice about how to approach different issues and relating the discussion to what he did as governor  an approach lawmakers said was relatable to the challenges they themselves face in their own elected positions.

He had real answers, real nuts and bolts solutions to real problems that were facing every day, said Bill Gustoff, a GOP lawmaker from Iowa who endorsed DeSantis after the governor visited Des Moines in March. And he had a blueprint for how to take that to the nation.

DeSantis campaign officials say they recognized early on that the governor was good at talking public policy, liked to do so, and would naturally find an audience of kindred spirits with state lawmakers engaged in their own legislative fights. According to Cooper, the campaigns political director, simply telling DeSantis that a certain lawmaker sits on a health care committee can prompt a 30- to 45-minute discussion between the lawmaker and governor on that topic alone.

He is happy sitting and talking to state lawmakers about public policy in their states, Cooper said. He really enjoys it and is good at it.

In June, DeSantis participated in a call with 100 or so state lawmakers who were members of the State Freedom Caucus Network, a group modeled after the Freedom Caucus DeSantis helped found in the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers quizzed him on a range of policy subjects, according to a source listening to the call, with the governor impressing many of them with a pledge to use executive authority as president to fire any member of the federal bureaucracy whom he thought was not doing his or her job.

The governors interest in talking policy comes across, to say the least.

I get the sense thats literally the only thing he likes to do, Osborne. Or if he doesnt, I dont know where he finds the time to do anything else.

READ MORE: Beyond fighting wokeism. Understanding Ron DeSantis conservative policy agenda

ELECTIONS

Osborne said he also backed DeSantis because he thought the governor was best positioned to help the GOP win in next Novembers elections, citing his nearly 20-point re-election win in Florida last year.

Other lawmakers said Casey DeSantis, a regular presence on the campaign trail, also encouraged their support.

A lot of it is the fact that his wife is a strong voice, said Ashley Trantham, a GOP state lawmaker from South Carolina. And I feel like shes going to be a strong first lady, and be more effective than President Trumps wife, not to discount anything she did. But I just believe Casey is just going to be able to hit the ground running and demand the respect that position deserves.

How much support from state lawmakers  or any endorsement from a politician  can ultimately move the needle with voters is a matter of debate. DeSantis, for his part, hasnt been shy about touting their endorsements on the campaign trail: When he began his campaign in Iowa in May, DeSantis was often introduced at events by a state lawmaker, signaling to the audience that he had local support. At a press conference with reporters near Des Moines, he was also flanked by more than a dozen of them.

Sinclair, who said she is only volunteering to help the governor, said she plans to let people in her own political circles know which candidate she is backing.

As a state lawmaker, Sinclair said, seeing him do that in his state, I want that for my nation as well.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Win McNamee/Getty Images

A lawsuit alleges OpenAI stole personal data from "millions of Americans" to train ChatGPT.

The lawsuit alleges OpenAI crawled the web to amass huge amounts of data without people's permission.

It also stored chat-log data from ChatGPT users, including via apps like Snapchat and Spotify, the lawsuit alleges.

OpenAI stole "massive amounts of personal data" to train ChatGPT, a lawsuit alleges.

The proposed class-action suit claims that Sam Altman's company "secretly" harvested data to train its large language models so that its chatbot could replicate human language.

"Despite established protocols for the purchase and use of personal information, Defendants took a different approach: theft," the lawyers wrote in the 157-page lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI crawled the web to amass huge amounts of data, including vast quantities taken from social-media sites. OpenAI's propertiatary AI corpus of personal data, WebText2, for example, scraped huge amounts of data from Reddit posts and the websites they linked to, the lawsuit claims.

The data accessed included "private information and private conversations, medical data, information about children  essentially every piece of data exchanged on the internet it could take  without notice to the owners or users of such data, much less with anyone's permission," per the lawsuit.

This amounted to "the negligent and otherwise illegal theft of personal data of millions of Americans who do not even use AI tools," the lawsuit claims.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside of regular working hours.

As well as scraping the "digital footprints" of the wider public, the lawsuit claims that OpenAI also stores and discloses users' private information, including the details they enter to create OpenAI accounts, their chat log data, and social media information.

Alongside people who use ChatGPT directly, this includes data from people using applications that have integrated ChatGPT, such as Snapchat, Stripe, Spotify, Microsoft Teams, and Slack, the lawsuit alleges. The companies did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The lawsuit is seeking a temporary freeze on commercial access to and commercial development of OpenAI's products until the company has implemented more regulations and safeguards, including allowing people to opt out of data collection and preventing its products from "surpassing human intelligence and harming others." The lawsuit also seeks financial compensation for people whose data was accessed to train the bots.

As well as OpenAI, major backer Microsoft was named as a defendant.

The plaintiffs were identified only by their initials, occupations, and state, which their lawyers said was to "avoid intrusive scrutiny as well as any potentially dangerous backlash."

Generative AI, which can create text, audio, images, and videos, has exploded in popularity since OpenAI released its ChatGPT in November. People have been using generative AI for personal, professional, and academic purposes, though there are concerns about its access to data.

Italy in March announced a temporary ban on access to ChatGPT over privacy concerns, claiming that there was no legal basis to justify "the mass collection and storage of personal data" used to train the algorithms behind ChatGPT. Some companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, have instructed employees not to enter confidential information into the chatbot. Samsung, meanwhile, has banned staff from generative AI tools.

Wednesday's lawsuit says that though AI platforms "undoubtedly have the potential to do much good in the world," they could also create a "potentially catastrophic risk to humanity."

As well as concerns that it could massively disrupt the jobs markets, AI has been known to spread false information and some people have used it for malicious purposes. OpenAI's creators have said that AI could surpass human expertise in most areas within the next 10 years and some critics fear the technology poses an existential risk.

"We face imminent and unreasonable risks of the very fabric of our society unraveling, at the hands of profit-driven, multibillion-dollar corporations," the lawsuit says.

"Powerful companies, armed with unparalleled and highly concentrated technological capabilities, have recklessly raced to release AI technology with disregard for the catastrophic risk to humanity in the name of 'technological advancement,'" the lawsuit says.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Employees at Hickey Freeman look over shelves of fabric and lining on April 13, 2021.

The Tom James Co. is set to take over the former Hickey Freeman factory in Rochester, which was recently rebranded as Rochester Tailored Clothing.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. on Thursday announced that the company, the largest U.S maker of custom clothing, plans to purchase the Rochester factory, maintaining nearly 200 union employees and promising to add up to an additional 45 jobs over the next five years.

Hickey Freeman, known for its high-end men's suits, was founded in Rochester in 1899 by Jeremiah Hickey and Jacob Freeman and has been manufacturing clothing from its factory on North Clinton Avenue since 1912. The company has undergone a number of ownership changes in recent years and is the last remaining garment manufacturer in Rochester.

The company announced in May that starting in June its iconic Hickey Freeman suits would no longer be made in Rochester. The local operation  with approximately 200 employees  continued making clothing for other apparel brands. Earlier this year, Peerless Clothing, acquired the rights to design, manufacture and distribute Hickey Freeman-tailored clothing through an agreement with Authentic Brands, which owns the Hickey Freeman label. Manufacturing operations are moving to Mexico.

This 112-year-old factory is a Rochester institution, woven into the very fabric of the community," Schumer said in a news release. "The hundreds of skilled Rochester union workers are the beating heart of this operation, and that is why Ive fought time and again to keep it in business whenever it faced challenges."

Schumer, a longtime supporter of Hickey Freeman, sought out Tom James Co. CEO Todd Browne to take over the business and Browne agreed. The Tom James Co. is expected to officially acquire the Rochester factory this summer, Schumer said.

Founded in 1966, the Tom James Co. operates its headquarters in Tennessee, employs 3,000 workers across 13 factories including nine U.S. factories in which workers are members of the Workers United union  the same union that represents the Rochester factory workforce.

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With the purchase, Rochester Tailored Clothing will become Tom James Co.'s 10th domestic manufacturing facility.

When I visited this Rochester facility a few years ago and walked the floor alongside the factorys hardworking employees, many of whom have worked there for decades, I committed to making sure their future was secure for years to come," Schumer said. "Tom James Co., fueled by its own Workers United union workforce, has become an industry leader and is tailor-made to sew success now for Rochesters future. Today, Im proud to say that a promise made is a promise kept.

Browne, in a news release, said that Tom Jones Co. is "firmly committed to preserving, and enhancing, the art of garment-making in the United States. We know of no workforce more qualified to further this mission than the men and women of Rochester Tailored Clothing."

In recent years, Hickey Freeman received substantial governmental aid. Among them: a $4 million loan-to-grant from the state, along with $500,000 from the city, announced in February 2019 when the company announced plans to invest $8 million and create at least 80 jobs. The company employed 420 at the time.

During the pandemic, the company's business dropped by more than 75%. By 2021, the company had cut half its workforce and downsized its factory. But in a October 2021 press conference led by Schumer, the company said it planned to add 100 jobs and Schumer saw a place for the company to be an onshore supplier for PPE.

Rochester Regional Joint Board Manager Gary Bonadonna Jr. said he is looking forward "to a bright future to strengthen and grow the Rochester factory and its workforce.

The Rochester Tailored Clothing retail factory store  located at the corner of South Union and East Broad streets will remain open, according to the news release.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Tom James Co. to acquire former Hickey Freeman factory in Rochester NY
Meta's Oversight Board has called for a six month ban on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook and Instagram accounts for inciting violence, it wrote in a news release. It's the second time in the last week that the Board has reversed a high profile Meta review, after a Brazilian user posted a video asking followers to "besiege" government. However, it's the first time the Oversight Board has asked for a head of state to be banned, a decision that may have ramifications for future policy decisions.

Hun Sen, who has led Cambodia since 1985, is facing an election this month. Earlier in the year, he posted a video of a speech telling political opponents he'd "gather CPP (Cambodia People's Party) people to protest and beat you up." Following several user reports and appeals, Meta policy and subject matter experts recommended leaving the post up based on newsworthiness, even though it violated the company's community standards for violence and incitement.

"Given the severity of the violation, Hun Sens history of committing human rights violations and intimidating political opponents, as well as his strategic use of social media to amplify such threats, the Board calls on Meta to immediately suspend Hun Sens Facebook page and Instagram account for six months," it wrote. The suspension is non-binding, but Meta must take down the contested video within 60 days.

In explaining the decision, the Board said that the "harm caused by allowing the content on the platform outweighs the post's public interest value," particularly given the prime minister's reach on social media. The original moderation decision, it added, "results in Meta's platforms contributing to these harms by amplifying the threats and resulting intimidation."

Such behavior should not be rewarded. Meta should more heavily weigh press freedom when considering newsworthiness so that the allowance is not applied to government speech in situations where that government has made its own content more newsworthy by limiting free press.

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On top of Hun Sen's ban, the Board advised Meta to make clear that its moderation policies are not restricted to single incidents of civil unrest or violence. It also recommended removing the newsworthiness allowance policy in cases involving incitement of violence, and prioritize reviews involving heads of state and senior members of government. Finally, it asked Meta to reveal the reasoning behind its decision for Hun Sen "and in all account-level actions against heads of state and senior members of government."

The Board's review could set a bar for moderation of other authoritarian leaders in Asia, Human Rights Watch director Phil Robertson told The Post, while calling the takedown request of Hun Sen "long overdue." Facebook famously banned former US president Donald Trump from the platform (and restored his account earlier this year), but has caved to censorship demands in nations including Vietnam. Twitter owner Elon Musk recently justified censorship in Turkey ahead of an election, saying the company has "no actual choice" but to comply with such requests.

The Cambodian government hasn't responded yet to the board's decision, but previously said that the remarks were "only a confirmation of the legal process" in the nation. Hun Sen, who has 14 million Facebook followers, said today that he would halt any active posting on Facebook and use Telegram instead.
Before the Hamilton County, Indiana, chapter of Moms for Liberty achieved national notoriety this month for quoting Adolf Hitler in its newsletter, it was already at war over education in the schools of Indianapolis suburbs.

School board meetings blew up over critical race theory and social emotional learning. A slate of conservative school board candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty faced off last year against a slate opposed to the groups efforts to commandeer the school system. The diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator of Carmel Clay Schools was under attack. Transgender students, or the theoretical threat such students could pose, were suddenly front and center.

It was bad, said Carmella Sparrow, the principal at a charter school in Indianapolis who had moved to suburban Carmel, Indiana, for the public schools but found herself doing battle with Moms for Liberty and its supporters at local school board meetings. They were screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. You could not conduct any meaningful business.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

The groups reputation for confrontation and controversy is very much intact, but as Moms for Liberty convenes Thursday in Philadelphia, it is doing so not as a small fringe of far-right suburban mothers but as a national conservative powerhouse  precisely because of chapters like Hamilton Countys and their energized members.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a left-leaning human rights organization, deemed Moms for Liberty an anti-government extremist group this year. But five Republican presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, will be addressing its Joyful Warriors National Summit.

Looking forward to seeing all my fellow moms on a mission this Friday at the @Moms4Libertys Joyful Warriors summit, Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and current presidential candidate, wrote on Twitter this week. Nothing will stop us from using the power of our voices to shake up Washington!

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The group draws power from its diffusion  275 chapters in 45 states with nearly 115,000 members, it claims  and the social issues that animate it. These include the teaching of LGBTQ+ issues, critical race theory, and school books that it considers pornographic  all of which have captivated the base of the Republican Party.

The vote of the American parent is important, said Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty and former school board member from Indian River County, Florida.

Moms for Liberty almost certainly would not have been formed in January 2021, by three Florida mothers, were it not for the coronavirus pandemic. Disparate parents groups on the right had for years tried to cajole, harangue or even take over school boards, but the pandemic galvanized parental rage  first over school shutdowns, then over mask mandates and finally over curricula that parents could see firsthand through the computer screens their children were glued to.

What COVID did was fast-tracked and expedited the concern about the materials in our childrens education, said Christian Ziegler, chair of the Florida Republican Party, whose wife, Bridget Ziegler, was a Moms for Liberty co-founder. It forced parents to basically become assistant teachers. We all became teacher aides.

Conservatives who flocked to school board meetings in places like Carmel and Franklin, Tennessee, either on their own or under the auspices of local groups like Unify Carmel, soon formed chapters of Moms for Liberty, whose funding sources remain mysterious but seemingly plentiful. As the pandemic receded, issues of race, gender and sexuality rose to the fore among these parents, just as they did in the Republican Party.

Critics of these groups saw their activism as demagoguery, violent threats and opposition to public education masquerading as parental concern. At one meeting of the Carmel Clay Schools board, a conservative protester was arrested after a handgun fell out of his pocket.

Diane Hannah, a Rutgers religion professor and a parent in the school district battling the Hamilton County chapter of Moms for Liberty, said many of the members showing up at school board meetings were not parents of children in the public schools.

The problem is, they have an audience of people who watch Fox News, who read the sensationalist reporting and who dont have kids in the schools, she said, so they believe there are litter boxes for students who identify as cats. They believe that gay kids are bullying straight kids to be gay.

Justice pushed back on that hard, denying any violent intent from her group and accusing opponents of trying to silence conservatives.

Parents came to the schools to express their concern and to try to see what could be done, she said, and instead of the schools listening to the primary caregiver of that child, the person that is responsible for directing the upbringing of the child, they shut them down.

Beyond Ziegler and the Florida GOP, the ties that bind Moms for Liberty, which is ostensibly nonpartisan, to the Republican Party are tight. DeSantis has long been a supporter of the group hatched from his home state, but more moderate Republican voices like Haley and Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas, will also be in Philadelphia to lend their support.

Vivek Ramaswamy, the self-funded entrepreneur in the race, already addressed a chapter in New Hampshire this month. He will speak to the national conference Saturday.

The speaking schedule included one Democrat, the anti-vaccine gadfly Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but he backed out Tuesday, citing a family holiday obligation.

The candidates who are going were undeterred by the negative attention the group received when its Hamilton County chapter published a quotation from Hitler in its newsletter: He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.

After initially defending the quote, the chapter was forced to apologize.

We condemn Adolf Hitlers actions and his dark place in human history, Paige Miller, the chapters chair, said in a statement. We should not have quoted him in our newsletter and express our deepest apology.

Miller did not respond to interview requests, but Justice said the swarm of attention only proved how the news media, teachers unions and the liberal establishment were trying to stifle parental voices.

Never in a million years did this mom think she supported Hitler, Justice said. That was maybe naive, but the death threats were getting now  you should see the things people send me. They want to put a bullet in my childrens head because Im a Nazi.

But, she said, the quote pointed to the efforts by the genocidal monsters of history, like Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, Mao Zedong and Hitler, to control their nations youth. She added, This is like a slippery slope here, people. Youve got Joe Biden saying theyre not your children. Theyre all of our children.

c.2023 The New York Times Company
Connecticut State Rep Maryam Khan was assaulted in front of her family while they were observing the Muslim holiday of Eid, according to local reports.

The state's chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has demanded law enforcement investigate the attack, according to WTNH News 8.

We urge local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this attack and to ensure the safety of the Connecticut Muslim community during the ongoing Eid al-Adha celebrations, CAIR-Connecticut Chair Farhan Memon said in a statement on Wednesday. All too often we have seen American Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslim, targeted by hate because of their attire, race or ethnicity.

Ms Khan was reportedly out with her three children, a friend, and her sister near the XL Centre when they were approached by a man who allegedly made vulgar remarks to them, according to CAIR.

The organisation says the man grabbed the lawmaker, hit her, and shoved her to the ground. Another worshipper chased after the man until police arrived to the scene of the assault.

Police arrested Andrey Desmond, 30, in connection with the event. He has been charged with second-degree unlawful restraint, and third-degree assault, second degree-breach of peace, and interfering with police.

Ms Khan was not officially named as the individual assaulted per the police department's policy of not naming victims, but it did note that he allegedly attacked a public figure near the XL Centre.

The police report says Mr Desmond allegedly approached a public figure, made "unwanted advances," tried to stop her from leaving, and then proceeded to assault her.

The state's governor, Ned Lamont, offered his support to Ms Khan on Twitter.

Please keep @khanforconn in your prayers.



See my full statement below  https://t.co/HECaX5Pb7D pic.twitter.com/Bg6LmOv99W  Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) June 29, 2023

My heart is with Rep. Maryam Khan who was attacked today after attending Eid al-Adha services with her family, Mr Lamont said in a statement on Twitter. Its disturbing to me that this happened on a holy day meant to be marked with peaceful prayer.

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Muslims from across the state celebrated the holiday at the XL Centre in Hartford, Connecticut.

Eid al-Adha remembers the story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son to obey God  though ultimately God spares Abraham from having to do so  and honours his trust in God.

Muslims observe the holiday through prayer, the giving of small gifts to children, and acts of service to the needy.
Naomi Campbell is celebrating the arrival of her new bundle of joy.

The supermodel, 53, announced the birth of her baby boy on Instagram on Thursday, calling her son a true gift from God.

Campbells newborn made his social media debut while being cradled by his mom in a photo by music producer and photographer Mathieu Bitton.

Though she didnt disclose her sons name or birthdate in the post, the catwalk queen offered a glimpse into her babys first moments in the accompanying caption.

My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence, Campbell wrote.

A True Gift from God, she added. Blessed ! Welcome Babyboy.

Naomi Campbell attends the opening gala for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in France on May 16. She recently shared on social media that she's a proud mom of a baby boy.

Naomi Campbell attends the opening gala for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in France on May 16. She recently shared on social media that she's a proud mom of a baby boy.

The star added the tag #mumoftwo and reminded fans, Its never too late to become a mother.

Campbell surprised the world when she welcomed her first child, a daughter, in May 2021 at 50 years old.

A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother, she wrote in an Instagram post announcing her firstborns arrival.

So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel, Campbell continued. There is no greater love.

While shes remained private about the details of her daughters birth, the star told British Vogue, She wasnt adopted  shes my child in February 2022.

The model expanded on motherhood in the interview, telling the magazine, I always knew that one day I would be a mother, but its the biggest joy I could ever imagine. Im lucky to have her and I know that.

Campbell also offered some advice for older adults thinking about becoming parents for the first time.

Repeating the advice shes giving friends, she said, Im telling them all, do it! Dont hesitate!

Related...
[Source]

Three North Korean citizens have risked their lives to expose the reality of starvation, crackdowns and disaster in their closed-off country.

For several months, the interviewees  whose names have been changed to protect their identity  secretly shared their stories with British broadcaster BBC, which published the interviews earlier this month, aware that they could face death if their government were to find out.

Myong-suk: A businesswoman selling smuggled medicine, Myong-suk is no stranger to the threat of prison. She once ran a successful business, but after North Korea closed its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, everything changed.

Before COVID, life was stable, she shared with BBC. But since COVID, my earnings have halved. Its become much harder to smuggle things over the border and the crackdowns have become much stricter.

More from NextShark: Downed Chinese balloon is part of larger surveillance program on 5 continents, US officials say

Since her husbands mandatory state job does not pay enough, Myong-suk became the main breadwinner of her family. She managed to keep herself, her husband and their children afloat with her business, but due to North Koreas border closure on Jan. 27, 2020, Myong-suk and her family ended up living on the front line of life.

Most of the products in the market came from China, but its empty now. You could always find grain, but not these days, Myong-suk explained. The scarcest thing is medicine. Even if you can find it, its too expensive.

In desperation, Myong-suk once attempted to smuggle the medicine herself, which resulted in her capture. Barely able to provide a bribe that kept her out of prison, Myong-suk now lives under constant surveillance and suspicion of those closest to her.

More from NextShark: S. Korea's safety minister impeached over Halloween crush that killed nearly 160

Really [the authorities] want to crack down on the smuggling and stop people escaping, she shared. Now, if you even just approach the river to China, youll be given a harsh punishment.

Story continues

Chan-ho: A construction worker, Chan-ho spends his time working his compulsory state job that barely pays 4,000 won (approximately $4.44) per day.

Often, we have to work late into the night, and I sleep at the site, he told BBC.

More from NextShark: South Carolina passes bill banning Chinese citizens from buying land

In the mornings, Chan-ho helps his wife set up shop at the market, which provides the family with the means to stay alive.

I wouldnt be able to survive if my wife didnt work at the market, he said. When they closed the border, everything became scarce. The price of grain sugar and seasoning has shot up. Food supplies are so low, people have started dying.

Currently, starvation is more of a threat than COVID to Chan-ho, who has seen several people around him die from hunger, including a mother and her children in his village. Initially, the mother was able to survive by begging. However, as she fell sick, she and her children inevitably starved, Chan-ho recalls.

More from NextShark: North Korea passes 'irreversible' law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state

He also mentions another mother who was forced to work hard labor for violating the countrys quarantine rules and eventually starved to death with her son.

If I live by the rules, Ill probably starve to death, but just by trying to survive, I fear I could be arrested, branded a traitor, and killed, Chan-ho was quoted saying. We are stuck here, waiting to die.

I want people to know that I am regretting being born in this country, he continued. I cant sleep when I think about my children, having to live forever in this hopeless hell.

Ji-yeon: In capital city Pyongyang, Ji-yeon works at a food shop to support her husband and two children. In the past, she used to take fruits and vegetables from the store to sell for additional income at the market. Meanwhile, her husband would sell cigarettes and other goods he received as bribes.

However, Ji-yeon lamented that its now impossible to have a side hustle. With thorough searches of her bags, people can no longer steal or give goods away.

Faced with the threat of starvation, Ji-yeon and her family were once forced to consume puljuk  a porridge-like paste of vegetables, grass and plants that was prominent during North Koreas famine in the 1990s  for a week. But despite her hunger, Ji-yeon reveals that she pretends to have eaten three meals a day, choosing hunger over the humiliation of poverty.

We survive by thinking 10 days ahead, then another 10, thinking that if my husband and I starve, at least we will feed our kids, Ji-yeon explained to BBC. I thought I was going to die in my sleep and not wake up in the morning [after not eating for two days].

In addition to her own hardships, Ji-yeon noted the suffering of those around her.

I know one family that starved to death at home, she recalled. No one came in or out for three days. Water was brought around, and we knocked on their door telling them to get some. With no answer from her neighbors, the authorities were called, only to find the family had died from starvation.

Its a disaster, Ji-yeon stated. With no supplies coming from the border, people do not know how to make a living.

Some people have resorted to begging, and if [the beggars] are lying down, we check them and usually find theyre dead," Ji-yeon shared.

Meanwhile, others have opted for suicide, choosing to kill themselves at home or disappear into the mountains.

Even if people die next door, you only think about yourself, Ji-yeon said about the mentality of those who live in her city. Its heartless.

Food shortage: In recent months, concerns regarding the countrys food shortage have only increased. Despite its insistence on its agricultural innovations  which include increased greenhouse vegetable production, new vegetable strains and cultivation technology  assessments by the United Nations and South Korea have exposed dire food supply conditions.

According to research analyst Lucas Rengifo-Keller, the North Korean food supply has dipped below the amount needed to satisfy minimum human needs, CNN reports. In these circumstances, you would have hunger-related deaths.

COVID-19s impact: According to Ji-yeon, COVID-19 has heavily impacted the people of her country.

When speaking with a doctor, she discovered that one in 550 people in each Pyongyang neighborhood had died. However, despite the pandemic heavily impacting North Korea, the deaths would be attributed to alternative causes such as tuberculosis.

The COVID-19 pandemic also presented itself as an opportunity for Kim Jong-un to completely close North Koreas borders. In satellite images taken by Human Rights Watch, North Korean border security was seen increasing via additional walls, fences and guard posts over the past three years.

Alongside border closure, the pandemic has also allowed Kim to strengthen crackdowns. One such legislation was the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act in 2020, which authorized the execution of those who smuggle foreign videos into the country. Called the scariest new law of all by Chan-ho, the presence of foreign videos in North Korea has significantly decreased out of fear of imprisonment or death.

People were shocked how much harsher the punishment was, Ji-yeon told BBC, referring to the act and its subsequent crackdown groups. People dont trust each other now. The fear is great.

However, despite Kims attempts to control the country, Chan-ho and Myong-suk do not believe in the governments propaganda.

The state tells us we are nestling in our mothers bosom. But what kind of mother would execute their child in broad daylight for running to China because they are starving? Chan-ho asked.

Before COVID, people viewed Kim Jong Un positively, Myong-suk stated. But now almost everyone is full of discontent.
Three investors in the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that took Trump Media public have been indicted for insider trading concerning the deal, making $22m in illegal trades.

Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick were named in a federal indictment unsealed on Thursday (29 June) in Manhattan federal court.

All three were charged with trading in securities of Digital World Acquisition Corporation (DWAC) based on non-public information about the companys planned business combination with Trump Media & Technology Group  founded by former President Donald Trump  the parent company of social media platform Truth Social.

They were arrested this morning in Florida.

In 2021, the three investors were invited to invest in DWAC and another SPAC. After signing non-disclosure agreements, they were provided with confidential information, including the planned deal with Trump Media. They were prohibited from using this knowledge in the open market.

According to the indictment, after making initial investments into DWAC through the initial public offering process, Mr Garelick was given a seat on the board of directors, which gave him access to valuable non-public information about the planned merger. He provided these updates to his co-conspirators, calling it intelligence.

The defendants bought millions of dollars of DWAC securities on the open market before the news of the Trump Media business combination was public. In addition to their own purchases, they also passed the information to their friends on a trip to Las Vegas, to Michael Shvartsmans neighbours, and to Gerald Shvartsmans employees at a furniture supply store.

After DWACs merger with Trump Media was announced publicly on 20 October 2021, the stock and warrant holdings significantly increased in value. The defendants and the individuals they tipped then sold their DWAC securities for a significant profit.

Michael Shvartsman and Bruce Garelick have been charged with five counts of securities fraud under Title 15, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; Gerald Shvartsman has been charged with three counts.

All three defendants have also been charged with one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
A crew of three specialists from Italy boarded a rocket plane Thursday bound for the edges of space in the first commercial flight for billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism company.

The two Italian Air Force officers and an aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy successfully embarked on 90-minute flight to conduct a series of suborbital scientific experiments, the company said in a media release. The crew was joined by a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor and the spaceplane's pilots for a flight dubbed Galactic 101.

The mission represents the dawn of commercial space travel for private citizens with deep pockets who can afford the hefty $450,000 price to purchase a ticket aboard one of Branson's rockets. Now that the scientific excursion was completed above the New Mexico desert, commercial space flights for ticket holders will begin in August and continue monthly, the company has said.

More: What does the Titanic submersible implosion mean for extreme tourism?

How to re-watch the launch

Virgin Galactic offered a livestream of the spaceflight on its website, virgingalactic.com.

The livestream remains available for those interested in viewing the launch.

WATCH LIVE: Join us for the launch our first commercial spaceflight and scientific research mission, #Galactic01 crewed by @ItalianAirForce & @CNRSocial_. https://t.co/rptoP4PeEk  Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

Who was on board?

The crew consisted of two members of the Italian Air Force: Col. Walter Villadei, who wore a smart suit to measure his biometric data and physiological responses; and Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, a physician who conducted tests to measure cognitive performance and how liquids and solids mix in microgravity.

Story continues

Pantaleone Carlucci, an engineer with the National Research Council of Italy, also was aboard to conduct tests that involved wearing sensors to examine his heart rate, brain function and other metrics.

This image released by Virgin Galactic shows the company's Unity spacecraft during the final test mission on May 25.

Colin Bennet, a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor who carried out the training and preparation for the mission, also flew with the crew.

The crew took off aboard the VSS Unity, which is piloted by Mike Masucci and Nicola Pecile, according to Virgin Galactic.

'Internet apocalypse': How NASA's solar-storm studies could help save the web

Launch is culmination of years-long billionaire space race

The launch occurred amid a years-long billionaire space race that has seen Branson competing with the likes of Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to take civilians to space.

Branson himself was aboard a 2021 test flight, the completion of which led the the Federal Aviation Administration to ground Virgin Galactic for 11 weeks and conduct an investigation amid concerns that the rocket deviated off-course.

Two years later, Virgin Galactic completed its final test flight on May 25, landing at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico after a short flight to space that included a few minutes of weightlessness.

"We're honored to have been selected by the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council to support their first space research mission," Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement. "Virgin Galactic's research missions will usher in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for government and research institutions for years to come."

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: Space tourism: Virgin Galactic launches first commercial spaceflight
a white, twin-fuselage airplane flies in a light-blue sky with a space plane beneath its wings

Update for 12:20 p.m. ET, June 29: Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane, VSS Unity has successfully landed, completing the company's first commercial spaceflight. See more images, video and read our full wrap story.

Virgin Galactic is ready for the crucial first fully commercial flight of its SpaceShipTwo space plane.

The mission, known as Galactic 01 , will fly from Spaceport America in New Mexico on Thursday (June 29), carrying four passengers and 13 experiments for collecting medical and cosmic radiation data and studying fluid dynamics. Liftoff is expected sometime after 11:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT); you can watch the action live here at Space.com, courtesy of Virgin Galactic.

Two pilots will guide the mothership VMS Eve to an altitude of 50,000 feet (15,000 meters), before the SpaceShipTwo vehicle VSS Unity separates and ignites its rocket engines for the climb to suborbital space. Aboard Unity will be another pair of pilots, Nicola Pecile and Mike Masucci, along with three passengers from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council (of Italy) who will conduct and oversee the experiments. A fourth passenger, Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor Colin Bennett, will fly with the trio to help with such work.

Related: Virgin Galactic's 1st commercial spaceflight launches this week. Meet the 6-person crew of Galactic 01

The flight is also a major moment for Virgin Galactic's plans for future flights. "Virgin Galactic's research missions will usher in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for government and research institutions for years to come," said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement .

The mission also aims to demonstrate SpaceShipTwo's microgravity research capabilities, another source of potential revenue alongside private tourist spaceflight services.

"This flight will showcase our distinctive spaceflight system, which allows researchers to fly with their experiments, and our capacity to offer regular access to space for the science and technology community," said Sirisha Bandla, vice president of government affairs and research operations at Virgin Galactic, in a statement.

Story continues

Portrait images of the crew of Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight mission, Galactic 01; from left to right, Col. Walter Villadei, Pantaleone Carlucci, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, and Colin Bennet

Beyond the details and aims of the mission, the flight is widely seen as a big moment for the company.

"Despite delays, this is a significant milestone for the company and might open up a new era for suborbital flight," Matija Rencelj, research manager at the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, told Space.com.

The flight will also be crucial for Virgin Galactic's expansive future plans. A flawless flight is needed to ensure a quick turnaround, which the company is shooting for. The second flight of Virgin Galactic's commercial spaceflight services, named Galactic 02 and tailored to private astronauts, is scheduled for early August.

Full success can't be taken for granted, of course. The company's first fully crewed mission, carrying Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and several other passengers in July 2021, veered off its approved flight envelope due to a failure to take into account strong high-altitude winds. SpaceShipTwo was grounded while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted an investigation into the incident. The company performed its next test flight on May 25, nearly two years later. (Virgin Galactic also took time during this stretch to maintain and upgrade both Eve and Unity.)

RELATED STORIES:

 Photos: Virgin Galactic's 1st fully crewed spaceflight with Richard Branson

 Virgin Galactic trio, including the 1st woman, receives their commercial astronaut wings

 The first space tourists (photos)

If all goes well with Galactic 01 and 02, Virgin Galactic aims to conduct monthly spaceflights. Keeping up this rate of activity will be key to generating and maintaining interest as well as revenues, with flights selling at $450,000 per seat .

This monthly cadence, however, still may not be enough to make the company's plans sustainable. At the moment, VMS Eve and VSS Unity are Virgin Galactic's only carrier aircraft and spacecraft, respectively.

"What will be more important for the economic viability of Virgin Galactic's business is the ability to sustain a high cadence of flights and spark recurrent interest of passengers," said Rencelj, who noted that the company accrued significant losses in recent years, including $500 million in 2022.

The company also recently raised $300 million and is seeking to raise a further $400 million in order to develop and expand its spacecraft fleet, CNBC reported on June 22.

Rencelj said that Virgin Galactic customer deposits are indicated in the range of $100 million, meaning the company is "betting big on future revenues once commercial spaceflight operations commence."

"It will be interesting to see how the pricing and product evolve, and whether first reactions of paying customers can catalyze further interest. The company will need a strong demand push," Rencelj said.

There is also the backdrop of recent events in other extreme environments. The flight is taking place against the backdrop of the Titan sub tragedy , in which the catastrophic implosion of an uncertified tourist submersible claimed the lives of five people.

A tragedy high above Earth would likely have serious implications not just for Virgin Galactic, but for the nascent private spaceflight industry as a whole.
After years of testing and delays, Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight is finally taking off  today, if the company's plan goes as intended. Galactic 01 is scheduled to launch from the company's Spaceport America facility in New Mexico past 11AM Eastern time, and you can stream the event live on Virgin Galactic's website or through the video below.

The mission will carry a three-person crew from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy to suborbital space aboard the VSS Unity. That's Virgin Galactic's second SpaceShipTwo space plane, which first reached space back in 2018. The flight will last for 90 minutes, during which the crew will conduct 13 scientific experiments. A particular experiment requires one of the passengers, Col. Walter Villadei, to wear a state-of-the-art smart suit to measure his physiological responses and biometric data in space.

Virgin Galactic posted a net loss of $159.4 million for the quarter ending in March 31st this year, almost twice the loss it posted for the same period a year ago. Galactic 01's success will lead to more and frequent launches in the future, and that could eventually lead to profitability. If this mission goes off without a hitch, the company plans to launch Galactic 02 with a private crew in early August. After that, the company plans to launch suborbital flights on a monthly basis, charging passengers $450,000 a seat.
The board of Manulife Holdings Berhad (KLSE:MANULFE) has announced that it will pay a dividend of MYR0.07 per share on the 9th of August. This payment means the dividend yield will be 3.5%, which is below the average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Manulife Holdings Berhad

Manulife Holdings Berhad's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Prior to this announcement, Manulife Holdings Berhad's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 2.6% over the next 12 months. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 36% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from an annual total of MYR0.15 in 2013 to the most recent total annual payment of MYR0.07. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 7.3% per year. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve

Dividends have been going in the wrong direction, so we definitely want to see a different trend in the earnings per share. Earnings has been rising at 2.6% per annum over the last five years, which admittedly is a bit slow. Manulife Holdings Berhad is struggling to find viable investments, so it is returning more to shareholders. This isn't bad in itself, but unless earnings growth pick up we wouldn't expect dividends to grow either.

Our Thoughts On Manulife Holdings Berhad's Dividend

Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. While Manulife Holdings Berhad is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 4 warning signs for Manulife Holdings Berhad that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Jasper Kenzo Sundeen's reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com.
FILE - Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, speaks to guests during the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, April 18, 2022, in Washington. On Friday, June 23, 2023, The Associated Press reported on posts circulating online incorrectly claiming Biden is pleading guilty to the same gun charge previously faced by rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, despite facing different penalties.
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.
Horoscop 21 iulie 2023. Unele zodii pot pierde bani astazi

Horoscop 21 iulie 2023. Sunt cateva zodii care ar fi bine sa fie atente la bani astazi sau la anumite contracte pe care le semneaza, pentru ca sunt posibile pierderi in plan financiar. Nu trebuie acum sa va panicati ca-n povestea cu drobul de sare pentru ca se poate evita, totusi, [citeste mai departe]
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Microsoft President Brad Smith on Thursday talked up the benefits of regulating artificial intelligence and how the U.S. software giant can help, reiterating a message to a Brussels audience that he delivered in Washington last month.

Together with Twitter-owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Smith has sought to court regulators and lawmakers with calls for regulating AI, a technology that has drawn massive public interest with the arrival of Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Big Tech has shared suggestions on how best to regulate AI, which could help to blunt some of the impact of such rules on their business.

The European Union is working out the details of rules known as the AI Act, a global first that could set the benchmark for other countries.

"Our intention is to offer constructive contributions to help inform the work ahead," Smith said in a blogpost. He subsequently reiterated his message at a conference in Brussels.

He said Microsoft's five-point blueprint for governing AI, which includes government-led AI safety frameworks, safety brakes for AI systems that control critical infrastructure and ensuring academic access to AI aligns with the EU's proposed legislation.

Smith also urged the EU, the United States, G7 countries, India and Indonesia to work together on AI governance in line with their shared values and principles.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- The Government approved, by decision, the payment of Romania's annual financial contribution to the budget of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, related to the year 2023, following the acquisition of the status of an associated member state within the anti-bribery working group,

- The General Inspectorate of the Border Police informs that, during Wednesday, approximately 237,400 people, Romanian citizens, went through the control formalities (both inbound and outbound) through the border points throughout the country and foreigners, and over 59,000 means of transport.

- Finance Minister Marcel Bolos said on Thursday that it's a fact that Romania's five-month budget deficit stands at 2.33 percent or 37 billion RON, noting that he is working on a plan of fiscal measures to ensure that the budget deficit risk is properly managed and the pledged year-end target of 4.4

- A new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for Black Hawk helicopters is planned to open in Bacau under a partnership between American aerospace and security company Lockheed Martin and Romanian aircraft construction, repair and upgrading company Aerostar S.A. CITESTE SI FinMin Bolos:

- Gov't Deputy Secretary General Tutuianu: Romania could meet OECD accession requirements in 5-7 years. Romania could meet, in 5 to 7 years, all the conditions for the accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and have adopted all the regulations corresponding to

- The National Bank of Romania has been constantly involved in the process of joining the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 2008, and in accordance with its legal mandate it has engaged in the development of the relationship with the OECD, the governor of the central

- Mai putin de 10% din totalul celor aproximativ de 4.000 de colectori existenti de deseuri de ambalaje activi in Romania au reusit sa achite garantia de 500.000 lei catre stat, potrivit Clean Recycle.

- Gov't to pass memorandum on Romania's accession to OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.At today's meeting, the government will adopt a memorandum on Romania's accession to the Anti-Bribery Convention on an invitation from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Secretary General Mathias
Protests spread in France over police killing of 17-year-old Unrest continued in France for a second night as security forces deployed in their thousands to quell protests over the killing of a 17-year-old boy by police, which French President Emmanuel Macron described as inexcusable while pleading for calm as justice took its course, according to Aljazeera. Approximately 2,000 riot police were called up in suburbs [] The post Protests spread in France over police killing of 17-year-old appeared first on Stiri online, ultimele stiri, presa online, ziar online - Sursazilei.ro . Citeste articolul mai departe pe sursazilei.ro

Sursa articol si foto: sursazilei.ro

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- Belgium has agreed with operator Engie to extend the use of the countrys nuclear reactors by 10 years after Russias invasion of Ukraine prompted Belgiums governing coalition to rethink plans to rely more on natural gas, according to Euractiv. According to the agreement, Belgium was to have exited

- Proteste masive si tensiuni sociale au erupt, peste noapte, in Paris, ca urmare a unui episod de brutalitate a politiei in care a fost ucis un adolescent de 17 ani pentru ca nu s-a oprit la semnalele politistilor rutieri, relateaza BBC. Protests erupt in France after teenager shot dead in Paris suburb

- Three Kosovo police officers who were detained for almost two weeks in Serbia have been released, in a development that could help jump-start stalled talks between the two Western Balkan countries, according to Politico. We confirm that the three kidnapped police officers have been released, Kosovos

- Atac fara precedent intr-un parc din Franta. Un barbat a injunghiat mai multe persoane printre care si 6 copii mici, in varsta de 3 ani. #Update: Just in  Video footage of the helicopter at the park in #Annecy, #France, after allegedly an suspected mass stabbing terror attack injured at least 8 minors

- Ryanair delivered a petition signed by 1.1 million EU passengers to the European Commission on Wednesday, demanding overflights be protected from air traffic control (ATC) strikes, particularly in France, to help avoid travel disruption, according to Reuters. CEO Michael OLeary told reporters that

- Anger at France boiled over on Wednesday as EU countries accused Paris of taking a key piece of EU climate legislation hostage at the last minute to extract further concessions in the text, according to Politico. EU ambassadors were due to sign off on the Renewable Energy Directive on Wednesday, an

- A bill to speed up the construction of new nuclear reactors was approved by the French parliament on Tuesday, with the government hailing it as an environmental step forward, according to Euractiv. Lawmakers on Tuesday validated the bill to accelerate the construction of new nuclear reactors. The compromise

- French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang agreed on the need to develop an economic relationship that is both stronger and more balanced, the foreign ministry in Paris said after they met on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The meeting followed French President
The mayor of the Austrian border town of Schatterndorf plans to introduce a nearly 160 entrance fee to Hungarians, as he maintains that they cause too many road accidents and disturb local residents, RTL Hirado reports.

The one-off fee will be levied from July 3. Of the total, 140 can be used to buy goods at Austrian shops. The entry permits will be valid for two years.



On the Hungarian side of the border, residents of the village of Agfalva expressed their displeasure in a protest rally on Tuesday.



Reports indicate that entry to Austria must be authorised by Austrian authorities upon payment of the fee. An Austrian panel will assess the applications.
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/2023/29-june.html



A. First up, here's is a quick look at a great variety of 15 events happening around Hungary this July:

1. 'World Music Week', Kobuci Garden Budapest, Now on Until 1 July

2. 'Zsolnay Festival of Light', Pecs, 6  9 July

3. 'Duna-Part Fest' in Rackeve , 6 - 8 July

4. 'International Palace Games' in Visegrad, 7 - 9 July

5. Joss Stone & Norah Jones Perform in Veszprem, 12 - 15 July

6. 'Equestrian Days' in Hortobagy, 14  16 July

7. 'Night of Cable Cars' in Hungary, 15 July

8. 'Pride March' in Budapest, 15 July

9. Johnny Depp & Alice Cooper Concert in Budapest, 18 July

10. Guns N' Roses Concert in Budapest, 19 July

11. 'Bass Paradise', Barba Negra Budapest, 20 - 22 July

12. 'Valley of Arts Fest' in Kapolcs, 21 - 30 July

13. Depeche Mode Concert in Budapest, 28 July

14. Bonnie Tyler Concert in Veresegyhaz, 29 July

15. 'Night of Beaches' in Hungary, 29 July
Prime Minister Viktor Orban has acknowledged the intention of Justice Minister Judit Varga to step down from her post and focus on the European parliamentary election campaign.

Orban has nominated Bence Tuzson, state secretary of the Prime Ministers Cabinet Office, to fill the post, his press chief said.



The daily Magyar Nemzet said earlier in the day that Varga is slated to lead ruling Fideszs list in the 2024 European Parliament election and would step down from her ministerial post.



In an interview with the paper, Varga said much was at stake in the EP elections, and she wanted to take an active role in forging conservative European institutions and to build multiple alliances.



A vibrant conservative movement is growing across Europe, she said. We must build on this. Varga said the left-liberal predominance in the EU must be overturned.



Referring to her ministerial legacy, she said two major agreements were brought about in Brussels: a big step forward in the conditionality procedure in December, and the completion of the judicial package in May, which is yet to be implemented.



Varga also referred to the creation of a national victim help network, the strengthening of child and family rights and a big salary increase for judges and prosecutors.
Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen took over in a formal ceremony an aid donation provided by the Constantinian Order of Saint George for people in need in western Ukraines Transcarpathia region.

At the event in Mariapocs, near the Ukrainian border, Semjen said charities and churches were essential in providing aid to those in need.



They know best where the aid is needed most and by whom and they are instrumental in its distribution, he said. Semjen noted that since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, 1,300,000 refugees had come to Hungary.



He said the Orders aid will be taken to Transcarpathia with the cars of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta. Lajos Gyori-Dani, managing deputy president of the charity, said the aid was worth 30 million forints (EUR 80,860).



Part of it will be delivered to Ukraine and the rest provided for refugees staying in Hungary, he said.
Seattles Space Needle. Mount Rushmore. The Grand Canyon. Disney World.

Air Force and Air National Guard refueling tankers flew over all of these landmarks and dozens of others across the country Tuesday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the very first air refueling mission.

The event, called Operation Centennial Contact, involved 82 KC-135, KC-46 and KC-10 refueling tankers and 70 receiver aircraft that were refueled during the nationwide demonstration.

In Nebraska, a KC-135R tanker from the Lincoln-based 155th Air Refueling Wing gassed up a South Dakota Air National Guard F-16 fighter during a 2-hour and 45-minute flight that also took it low over Chimney Rock in western Nebraska and the State Capitol in Lincoln.

But a third flyover, of Charles Schwab Field in Omaha  one day after the College World Series wrapped up there  was canceled at the last minute because of a thunderstorm.

We looked out at the radar between us and Omaha, and we got disappointed, said Lt. Col. Randy Douglas of Ravenna, a 35-year veteran with 7,000 flight hours, who piloted the flight.

But he said the crew (including Capt. Ryan Dalton of Waverly, the co-pilot, and Tech. Sgt. Chad Johnson of Omaha, the boom operator) enjoyed the part of the flight they completed.

It was hazy out there, but we had enough visibility to refuel the F-16, Douglas said. It was actually pretty cool.

The 185th Air Refueling Wing, based in Sioux City, also flew over landmarks in Iowa and the Dakotas.

The very first aerial refueling operation took place near San Diego on June 27, 1923, when 1st Lts. Virgil Hine and Frank Seifert, piloting an Army Air Service DeHavilland DH-4B biplane, passed gasoline through a hose to a second DH-4B flown by Capt. Lowell Smith and 1st Lt. John Richter.

Two months later, Smith and Richter set an endurance record by flying 37 hours through nine consecutive in-flight refuelings.

In the late 1940s, Gen. Curtis LeMay, commander of the Offutt-based Strategic Air Command, asked Boeing to develop a much faster transfer system because aerial refueling was central to its ability to drop nuclear weapons on targets in the Soviet Union.

Boeing developed the propeller-driven KC-97 tanker in the early 1950s, and later built more than 700 KC-135 tankers, a military variant of the Boeing 707 civilian airliner during the late 1950s and early 1960s. They remain the backbone of the Air Forces aerial refueling fleet.

Modern tankers can refuel multiple aircraft at once through a rigid, telescoping tube that locks into a fuel receptacle in the receiving aircraft flying at the same speed and slightly below the tanker. Its an exacting skill, but one that is performed by military pilots every day, around the world.

The Nebraska Air National Guard received its first tanker in 1993, and within two years the 155th Air Refueling Wing was stood up in Lincoln. The unit flew its first combat missions during the bombing campaign against Serbia and Kosovo in 1999.

Two 155th ARW tankers were among the few aircraft flying Sept. 11, 2001, following the al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. The units tankers and crews have since operated in the combat theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Air refueling propels our Nations air power across the skies, unleashing its full potential, said Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of the Air Forces Air Mobility Command, in a statement, adding that it embodies our resolve to defend freedom and project power, leaving an indelible mark on aviation history.
(Bloomberg) -- Monster Beverage Corp. is closing in on a $362 million deal to acquire rival drink maker Bang Energy out of bankruptcy, but a regulatory review has put the tie-up in jeopardy, according to court papers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Bang Energy maker Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc. said in a Wednesday court filing that the proposed sale to Monster is supported by its lenders and represents the only viable path to repaying its creditors in Chapter 11. The deal also includes a related settlement of litigation between the two companies.

Bangs parent company said the transaction is being held up by a US Federal Trade Commission review. The FTC has indicated it will require more information on the sale as part of a review process.

But if impediments to the deal dont fall away by the end of the week, the company could be forced to liquidate, according to Bang. The companies are urging the FTC to grant early termination of the review.

Bang lawyer Andrew Sorkin said during a Thursday court hearing that the company will cease operations if its unable to move forward with the Monster transaction, an outcome that would cost roughly 700 jobs. The FTC needs to make a determination within 24 hours because Monsters asset purchase agreement terminates if the deal doesnt clear the agencys review process by tomorrow night, he said.

Either theres a sale to Monster or there will be an immediate liquidation, Sorkin said.

The FTC review puts the company in a challenging and uncertain position because Monster requires the deal close by August 3 and financing for its Chapter 11 case matures on June 30, Bang said in court papers. Bloomberg has reported the FTC and Justice Department are requiring firms turn over more information about their transactions to crackdown on illegal mergers, a change that could add two to three months to deal timelines.

The FTC is evaluating whether the so-called failing firm defense applies to the transaction, which would provide a justification for ending its review early, because Bang would be forced to liquidate if the Monster deal falls through, Sorkin said.

An FTC spokesman said the agency doesnt comment on merger investigations.

The transaction is also contingent upon the companies getting court approval of a related settlement of Monsters false advertising suit against Bang over super creatine branding on some Bang products and related litigation.

Bangs parent company filed bankruptcy last October, months after a California jury awarded Monster $293 million against Bang and its founder and former Chief Executive Officer Jack Owoc. Earlier this year, the energy drink maker fired Owoc, who has publicly criticized how advisers are handling the Chapter 11 case and has fought the company over use of his social media accounts.

Owoc and lawyers for Bang Energy and Monster didnt respond to messages Thursday seeking comment.

(Updates headline and includes details on FTC antitrust exception.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
LINCOLN  Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer kicked off her campaign for a third term in the U.S. Senate Wednesday, surrounded by a crowd of Republican office-holders and supporters.

The state's senior senator made the announcement in the State Capitol Rotunda, where she was joined by current Gov. Jim Pillen, former governors Dave Heineman and Kay Orr, as well as U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.

"Today I humbly ask your support so that I can continue to serve the people I know and the state that I love," Fischer said, pledging to build Nebraska, protect the nation, stand up for "our shared values" and "secure a brighter future for our children and our grandchildren."

Fischer, 72, will be the first Nebraska senator to seek a third term since the late Jim Exon was re-elected in 1990. A Republican, she was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and won reelection in 2018.

Two years ago, she announced that she planned to seek reelection so she could leverage her seniority to become more effective as a senator.

"If you want to get things done, seniority matters," she said at the time.

On Wednesday, she touted her record as a conservative, fighting for limited government and conservative values, while making sure that Nebraska "gets its fair share" of federal support for needed projects.

Her influence already increased this year, when she landed a seat on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. She also holds seats on the Armed Services Committee, the Agriculture Committee and the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The former Deb Strobel, Fischer grew up in Lincoln. But her life took a rural turn when she married Bruce Fischer, a rancher from the Valentine area, in 1972. There, she got involved with numerous agricultural and community groups.

She served on the Valentine Rural High School Board of Education before running for the state Legislature in 2008. In the Legislature, she chaired the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and was instrumental in getting major road-building legislation passed.

Ten years ago, she won a come-from-behind election against then-Attorney General Jon Bruning and State Treasurer Don Stenberg in a bid for the Republican nomination for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
YORK  Alumni and friends (and their families) are invited to join a volunteer crew on the York University campus Thursday, July 27, Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29 to help beautify the campus before the students return for the fall semester.

Every year a group of volunteers pitch in to give the campus a little TLC. Groups pull weeds, spread mulch, trim bushes and more to get the grounds ready for the upcoming semester. The small touches make a big difference.

Faculty, staff, students and community friends are welcome as well.

Participants can stay on campus and eat in the cafeteria free of charge during Workdays. If you wish to volunteer, please contact Scott 79 and Lisa (Hinrichs 81) Eckman or the Advancement Office.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that everybody is free to visit his state as Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Lakhisarai to meet party leaders. Kumar, who was speaking to reporters here, however, evaded questions on the Narendra Modi government's strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code.

"Everyone is free to come here. Everyone has the right to visit Bihar," the Chief Minister said to questions on Shah's proposed visit to Lakhisarai later in the day. Asked for his comment on the Opposition parties' meeting here, which was hosted by him, Kumar said, ''The meeting is over, We will speak later on this.''

Shah arrived at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport this afternoon and left for Lakhisarai in Munger district, about 150 km away, in a helicopter. He was received by senior BJP leaders, including the state party president Samrat Choudhary and union ministers from Bihar. Shah's visit to the state is the first by any top BJP leader after the June 23 meeting of opposition parties here which was held to discuss and chart out a path ahead of the 2024 general election.



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In Lakhisarai, Shah will also offer prayers at Ashok Dham, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, before addressing a public meeting there. Shah had last visited the state nearly three months ago.

Meanwhile, ahead of his visit to Lakhisarai, supporters of the ruling Mahagathbandhan parties and the opposition BJP have put up posters near the airport and at several locations in Patna. Those put up by supporters of the Grand Alliance government criticised the BJP leadership for violence in Manipur and misuse of central agencies, the CBI, ED and the Income Tax department.

Some of the posters put up by the ruling alliance questioned the alleged silence of BJP leaders in the matter of wrestlers protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

On the other hand, BJP supporters have put up posters slamming the opposition unity against it. Reacting to the poster war, spokesperson Neeraj Kumar of the ruling JD (U), said ''The party has nothing to do with these posters. The concept and ideas for them were created by party workers and they have put posters in the city.''

There is nothing wrong with the messages in the posters, he said and sought to know what had happened to the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his NDA government to the people.
New Delhi: Solapur Farmer Success Story: A farmer of Solapur in Maharashtra called Prakash Imde has become the talk of the town because of his bungalow that is worth Rs 1 crore. The buzz around the bungalow that the farmer built is not only because it is worth Rs 1 crore, but because he did so by selling cow's milk and dung.

Prakash has progressed through a very tough journey and is an inspiration for several entrepreneurs in Maharashtra. Here is all about Prakash Imdes success story.

Prakash started his arduous journey with just one cow and four acres of ancestral land. Since the land was uncultivable, Prakash left farming started selling milk and dung. He started this business in 1998. Due to technological advancement as applied by Prakash's, his milk business reached unprecedented heights. Prakash farm now produces 1,000 liters of milk per day. Prakash Imde earns an annual income of Rs 1.5 crore from milk and cow dung.

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His entire family is now involved in this business. They do all the work of feeding the cow, milking it and taking care of it and also maintains the farm.

The cow from which Prakash had started his business was named Lakshmi who died in 2006. Till date, Prakash has raised the same lineage of cow after Lakshmis death. He has not sold a single calf so far. He has over 150 cows in his farmer as of today.

Prakash is affectionately called Bapu by the villagers. Bapu starts his day by worshipping cow and goddess Lakshmi. The photo of the cow is installed in his home shrine. Also, the bungalow that he has built has been named Godhan Niwas. A statue of a cow and a milk kettle is erected on the terrace of the house that attracts the attention of people in and around the village.

Today, Prakash's farm has successfully conducted many experiments using technology due to which people in his village have got employment in the village today.

The animals in Prakashs farm need four to five tons of green fodder while he grows most of the fodder in the farm, he also buys additional fodder from the market to meet the demand. The farm also has a big tank that provides adequate water to the animals.

Success spreads far and wide when the hero of the story rises up from the most humble beginnings. Prakash Imde's success story has inspired several entrepreneurs around the town. Milk businessmen from all over the state and also from other states visit every day to see the glorious business model of Prakash who himself meets them and gives them a tour of his farm.
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a package of innovative schemes for farmers with a total outlay of Rs 3,70,128.7 crore.

The bouquet of schemes focusses on economic betterment of farmers by promoting sustainable agriculture, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told mediapersons.

He said that the cabinet approved continuation of the urea subsidy scheme, under which Rs 3,68,676.7 crore has been committed for urea subsidy for three years i.e. from 2022-23 to 2024-25.



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The continuation of the urea subsidy scheme would ensure constant availability of urea to the farmers at the same price of Rs 242 for a 45 kg bag excluding taxes and neem coating charges.

Meanwhile out of the package's total outlay of Rs 3,70,128.7 crore, Rs 1,451 crore have been approved for market development assistance (MDA) scheme to exemplify model of wealth from waste.

Under MDA, Parali and organic manure from Gobardhan plants would be used to enrich the soil and keep the environment safe and clean, Chemical and Fertiliser Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters.

The MDA scheme envisages support for marketing organic fertilisers, which has been branded as PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth or PM PRANAM.

Such organic fertilisers would be branded in the names of Bharat Brand FOM, LFOM and PROM.

It will also help in keeping the environment clean and safe and at the same time provide an additional source of income for farmers.

Farmers will get organic fertilisers at affordable prices, Mandaviya said.

Another initiative of the package is that the Sulphur coated urea (Urea Gold) has been introduced in the country for the first time.

It is more economical and efficient than the currently used neem-coated urea, official sources said.

It will address Sulphur deficiency for the soil in the country. It will also save input costs for the farmers and also raise incomes for farmers with enhanced production and productivity.
Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's political rival TS Singh Deo has been named his deputy ahead of state elections due by the year-end, ending speculation about a change in the top post. The decision was made at a meeting at the Congress headquarters in Delhi Wednesday. The party made the announcement later in the evening. In a statement, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said: "INC President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for appointment of TS Singh Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh."

Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Chhattisgarh CM Baghel, party in-charge for the state Kumari Selja and general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal were among the leaders who attended the meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi.





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TS Singh Deo appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Government. pic.twitter.com/4r856Ja7hW  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

Move To Stem Infighting, Say Insiders

The Congress move on Wednesday to appoint Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo, locked in a turf war with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for months, as deputy CM appears to be an attempt to stem infighting in the state unit and prepare it for the year-end Assembly polls.

Baghel, who faces a formidable challenge from the Opposition BJP in the crucial Assembly elections, immediately hailed Singh Deo's appointment, seeking to put up a united face. What works in Singh Deo's favour is that he is a prominent leader and has a considerable following in the northern part of the state (Surguja).

The sitting MLA from Ambikapur also enjoys the confidence of the party's high command in New Delhi. After the appointment of Singh Deo, who hails from a royal family, Baghel wrote on Twitter, ''Congratulations and best wishes to Maharaj Sahab for getting responsibility as Deputy Chief Minister.''

According to political experts, the decision reflects Congress's high command's attempt to keep its house in order ahead of the Assembly elections, where it will seek to retain power.

Baghel Vs Deo In Chhattisgarh

The alleged differences between Baghel and his cabinet colleague Singh Deo had spilt out in the open in mid-2021 when speculation was rife that the latter will take over as CM for the remaining term as per a purported power-sharing pact agreed after the 2018 Assembly election results. The CM post-sharing formula had been a buzz in Chhattisgarh's political circles after the Congress came to power in December 2018 after a gap of 15 years. Then Baghel and his two senior cabinet colleagues -- Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu -- were leading contenders for the top post.

The power tussle between Singh Deo and Baghel took a new turn last year when the former gave up the panchayat and rural development department, hinting he had been sidelined in the government though he continued to hold four other portfolios. A scion of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, Singh Deo is currently holding Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Twenty Point Implementation and Commercial Tax (GST) portfolios.

A three-time MLA, Singh Deo was elevated to the position of the Congress Legislative Party leader after the party lost the 2013 Assembly polls. Since then, Singh Deo made efforts to bring the party to power in 2018 in the state, considered as one of the bastions of the BJP. He was born on October 31, 1952, in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad).

His father late MS Singh Deo, an IAS officer, retired as Chief Secretary of the United Madhya Pradesh. His mother Devendra Kumari had been a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government. TS Singh Deo studied at Scindia School, Gwalior, and later graduated in history from the prestigious Hindu College, New Delhi.

Thereafter, he did his post-graduation at Hamidia College, Bhopal. His political career started with the Municipal Council of Ambikapur of which he has twice been the chairman during 1983-88 and 1995-99. Singh Deo was elected as an MLA for the first time in 2008 from the Surguja constituency, which was earlier reserved for ST candidates and became a general seat (and came to be known as Ambikapur) after the delimitation in 2008.

He retained the seat in 2013. The Congress leader was given crucial charge of drafting the party's manifesto for the 2018 Assembly polls. He travelled across the state and consulted every section of society before preparing the pre-poll document. The promises made by the Congress in its manifesto, particularly for farmers, were credited for the party's resounding victory in 2018. Among people and political opponents, Singh Deo is seen as a soft-spoken, grounded and humble person.

BJP Calls It An Insult

BJP's Chhattisgarh unit chief Arun Sao has termed state minister T S Singh Deo's appointment as the state deputy chief minister as his insult and said the decision will not save the Congress from being defeated in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Talking to reporters, Sao said, the move is just an attempt to settle differences within the ruling party in the state.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's convoy was stopped at Bishnupur by the Manipur police while he was on his way to meet victims of violence in Churachandpur, news agency PTI reported. "The Congress leader has been stopped fearing violence," PTI quoted Manipur police as saying. Gandhi arrived at Imphal for a two-day visit to strife-torn Manipur on Thursday. He left for Churachandpur district where he will visit relief camps to meet people displaced by ethnic strife that rocked the northeastern state since early last month.

Questioning Manipur Police's act, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said "We are not able to understand why they have stooped us." "Rahul Gandhi's convoy has been stopped by police near Bishnupur. Police say that they are not in a position to allow us. People are standing on both sides of the road to wave to Rahul Gandhi. We are not able to understand why have they stopped us," news agency ANI quoted Venugopal as saying.

#BREAKING |          #RahulGandhi #Manipur #Imphal #Congress | @malhotra_malika @priyasi90 @Ravi_ZeeNews pic.twitter.com/eRgh4oj3qc



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 Zee News (@ZeeNews) June 29, 2023

Also Read: Who Is Sunita Viswanath And Whats The Controversy Surrounding Her Meeting With Rahul Gandhi In US?

Around 50,000 people are now staying in over 300 relief camps across the state since ethnic strife started in May this year.

On Friday, Gandhi is scheduled to visit relief camps in Imphal and hold talks with certain civil society organisations, Congress sources said.

Also Read: BJP's Smriti Irani Questions Rahul Gandhi's Alleged Meeting With George Soros Aide In US

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far.
Athar Aamir Khan, a renowned Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer currently serving in the Kashmir cadre, has garnered immense admiration for his remarkable achievements. Despite the challenges posed by terrorism in the region, Athar's unwavering dedication to his studies propelled him towards success. From his early school days, he exhibited exceptional intelligence, which eventually led him to secure the second position in the Civil Services Examination (UPSC) on his very first attempt. Let us delve into the story of this exceptional individual.

Early Life and Education of Athar Aamir Khan

Born on September 5, 1992, Athar Aamir Khan hails from Anantnag, Kashmir, belonging to an Islam Sunni family. His father, Mohammad Shafi Khan, is a teacher, while his mother is a homemaker. Athar has two siblings, a younger brother, and two younger sisters.



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Athar's academic journey began with his exceptional performance in various engineering entrance examinations after completing his schooling. His brilliance enabled him to crack multiple competitive exams, eventually leading him to join the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mandi. At IIT Mandi, he pursued a B.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering, while also showcasing his talent beyond academics. He even earned the prestigious 'Best Young Scientist' award in the National Children's Science competition.

During his B.Tech studies, Athar discovered Shah Faisal, the UPSC Civil Services Examination topper, igniting his interest in pursuing the IAS exam. Despite receiving a job offer in the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) after qualifying for the railway exam in 2014, Athar Aamir Khan chose to dedicate himself to IAS training, drawn by his passion for the field. His humanities studies during his engineering years, particularly his focus on Geography, further fueled his enthusiasm for the IAS examination.

Conquering the Civil Services Examination

In 2016, Athar Aamir Khan achieved a significant milestone by successfully clearing the Civil Services Examination (UPSC) in his very first attempt, securing an impressive 50.27% marks and securing the second rank. Notably, he achieved a remarkable score of 1018 out of 2025 (50.27%). Athar became the second Kashmiri to top an IAS examination, following in the footsteps of Shah Faesal, who attained the top rank in 2009.

Athar Aamir Khan's Marriage to Mehreen Qazi

Following his divorce from IAS Tina Dabi, Athar Aamir Khan entered into a second marriage. Currently, both Athar and Tina have moved on and established new lives after their second marriages. Dr. Mehreen Qazi, Athar Aamir Khan's second wife, has gained attention not only for her beauty but also for her career as a doctor at the renowned Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Research Institute in Delhi. With a substantial fan following, she actively engages with her audience on social media platforms. Athar Khan and Mehreen Qazi tied the knot in October 2022.

Recently, Mehreen Qazi shared captivating pictures from their trip to Denmark, capturing the hearts of many. Her Instagram post, where she stood on a river bridge in Copenhagen City, went viral. Fondly referred to as the "bud of Kashmir," Mehreen Qazi hails from Lala Bazar in Srinagar. Notably, her husband, IAS Athar Aamir Khan, is currently serving in the Kashmir cadre, dedicating himself to public service.

In conclusion, Athar Aamir Khan's inspirational journey from his early years to his outstanding accomplishments in the civil services domain has made him a role model for aspiring candidates. His second marriage to Mehreen Qazi marks a new chapter in his personal life, while both continue to contribute positively to society in their respective fields.
NEW DELHI: Sunita Viswanath, a United States-based womens and human rights activist, is in the media spotlight over her alleged meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his recent visit to the country. Sunita Viswanath is also a close associate of George Soros, the billionaire investor and philanthropist, who is also known as a staunch critic of the Narendra Modi government.

Whats The Controversy Surrounding Sunita Viswanath?





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Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani made a blistering attack on the Congress party and questioned Rahul Gandhi's alleged meeting in the USA with Sunita Vishwanath. During her press conference, Irani claimed that Sunita Vishwanath is a member of an organisation owned by billionaire investor George Soros, who is allegedly involved in anti-India activities.

Irani sought to know why is Rahul Gandhi "hobnobbing" with those who are funded by George Soros as it is known to everyone what Soros intends to do. While levelling the allegation, Irani also produced a photograph before the media in which Rahul Gandhi can be seen sitting with Vishwanath.

Irani further claimed that Rahul Gandhi's trip to New York had been coordinated by Tanzeem Ansari, project director of Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), which has links to the Jamaat-e-Islam - both hardline Islamist organisations.

"When it is clear to every Indian what George Soros intends to do, why is Rahul Gandhi hobnobbing with those who are funded by Soros? It is also evident that this is not the only Soros connection. Even in Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, the Global Vice President of the Open Society Foundation, funded by George Soros, was found accompanying Rahul Gandhi," Irani said while addressing the press conference.

"What is extremely distressing is the link with the Islamic Circle of North America," she said, adding that if one ran a public domain search on the registration process for NRI interaction with Rahul Gandhi in New York, s/he will find the contact of Tazeem Ansari," she added.

It may be recalled that former Wayanad Congress MP Rahul Gandhi went on a 10-day visit to the USA from May 31 and participated in programs in three cities, San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York. However, his US trip was mired in controversy due to his anti-government statements and his meeting with controversial figures like Sunita Vishwanath and Tanzeem Ansari.

Iranis scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi came after an FIR was registered against Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP's IT department in Karnataka. The Karnataka police registered an FIR against Malviya based on a complaint from Ramesh Babu, a member of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. The FIR accuses Malviya of promoting enmity between groups and instigating people through a video allegedly mocking Rahul Gandhi that he posted on social media.

"The Gandhi family once again proved the extent that they can go to suppress the truth even after they get the power in a state (Karnataka). But information available on public domain reveals that the meeting was convened by those with links with Jamaat and the meeting was with those with links with George Soros," Irani said.

So, Who Is Sunita Viswanath?

Besides being a women's rights activist, Sunita Viswanath is the co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights - a US-based organisation. She has also been accused of being a proxy for George Soros in the backdrop of allegations that her NGO for Afghan women received funds from the billionaire US investor.

Born in Chennai, she is said to have moved to the United States at an early age. In 2001, she co-founded the nonprofit humanitarian organization Women for Afghan Women (WAW). In 2011, Sunita Viswanath co-founded Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus - a progressive Hindu movement aligned with social justice commitments to anti-casteism and anti-racism.

In 2015, she was honoured as a White House "Champion of Change" for her work with Sadhana. In 2019, she co-founded Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a US-based advocacy organization that aims to promote religious pluralism in North America and South Asia.

In May 2021, Viswanath was a named defendant in a defamation case filed by the Hindu American Foundation, which was dismissed in 2022. Though she was awarded the Feminist Majority Foundation's Global Women's Rights Award in 2011 for her work with WAW, she is no longer affiliated with it.

She holds a bachelors degree in mathematics from Douglass College, Rutgers University and a MA in sociology from SNDT Women's University. Sunita Viswanath was first married to writer Suketu Mehta but she later married Stephan Shaw.
Saharanpur: Dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who was injured after being shot at by some unidentified assailants in Deoband on Wednesday, has appealed his supporters to maintain peace at any cost. In a video released from the hospital, Azad said that his party would continue its fight constitutionally. "I did not expect such a sudden attack. I want to appeal to my friends, supporters and workers across the country to maintain peace. We will continue our fight Constitutionally...I am fine with the love and blessings of crores of people," Azad said from his hospital bed. Doctors said his condition was now stable.

Bhim Army Chief Shot At By Armed Assailants

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Azad (36) had gone to attend a 'terhavin' ritual at a supporter's home in Saharanpur district's Deoband, they said, adding the assailants fired "four shots" at his SUV when he was leaving. The incident occurred at around 5 pm near Union Circle under the Deoband Police station area. "Police received a phone call about the incident and a police team rushed to the spot. The police team and his supporters took the injured to the nearby Community Centre from where he was referred to the district hospital," Senior Superintendent of Police of Saharanpur Vipin Tada said.

"The crime scene has been examined by a forensic team. As per preliminary findings, four shots were fired at Azad's vehicle. The assailants are said to be four or five in number," said the SSP, adding no complaint has been received. Superintendent of Police (City) Abimanyu Manglik said the assailants were in a car and opened fire on Azad's SUV from the right side. "A bullet grazed his abdomen. He has been admitted to the hospital and his condition is stable."

Soon after Azad, the chief of the Azad Samaj Party, was admitted to the district hospital his supporters from nearby areas began gathering there and demanded Z+ security for him. Police deployed additional force near the facility to tackle any situation even as officials at the state police headquarters said Director General of Police Vijay Kumar sought a detailed report from the Saharanpur police.

According to police, the vehicle used by the assailants carried a Haryana registration number. "The borders of the district have been sealed and a massive operation to track the assailant and their vehicle has been launched," said Manglik, the SP city. The officer added the Saharanpur Police has also reached out to its counterpart in adjoining districts to seek their support in the effort to nab the attackers.

SP Alleges Jungleraj In UP

The Samajwadi Party hit out at the state government over the incident, questioning the law and order situation under the BJP rule. "The murderous attack on Chandrashekhar Azad, National President of Azad Samaj Party in Deoband, Saharanpur, by criminals protected by power is a highly condemnable and cowardly act. When people's representatives are not safe under the BJP rule, then what will happen to the general public? Jungle Raj in UP!" SP president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi.

Senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav tweeted the morale of criminals in the state is so high that they "have started breaking all their limits". "The opposition in Uttar Pradesh is now the target of both the government and the criminals," he said in a tweet in Hindu. He said the "deadly attack" on the Bhim Army chief is a commentary on the law and order situation in the state. "Wake up government!"

President of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Jayant Chaudhary tweeted in Hindi, "The murderous attack on Chandrashekhar Azad is a disturbing incident! I have faith that @BhimArmyChief will get well soon and continue on his chosen path!"
NEXT plc (LON:NXT) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 1st of August to 1.40. This makes the dividend yield 3.0%, which is above the industry average.

Check out our latest analysis for NEXT

NEXT's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. However, NEXT's earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 4.1%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 34%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Dividend Volatility

Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from 1.05 total annually to 2.06. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 7.0% over that duration. A reasonable rate of dividend growth is good to see, but we're wary that the dividend history is not as solid as we'd like, having been cut at least once.

We Could See NEXT's Dividend Growing

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. NEXT has impressed us by growing EPS at 7.1% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

In Summary

In summary, it's great to see that the company can raise the dividend and keep it in a sustainable range. The payout ratio looks good, but unfortunately the company's dividend track record isn't stellar. The dividend looks okay, but there have been some issues in the past, so we would be a little bit cautious.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for NEXT that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Is NEXT not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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New Delhi: Employees of the Central Government may be in for a big surprise in the coming months! The government may boost other allowances, such as House Rent Allowance (HRA), in the near future, said media reports.

The last time the HRA was raised was in July of 2021, when the DA passed the 25% barrier. The government had hiked the DA to 28 percent at the time. HRA is expected to be revised as DA is raised to new levels.

As per media reports, government employees' HRA (House Rent Allowance) may be increased soon and the employees will experience a considerable raise in their salary if the HRA increase goes into effect soon.



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The category of the city in which government employees work determines their HRA. The three categories are X, Y, and Z. HRA is now paid at a rate of 27 percent of basic income to employees in the X category cities, and 18 percent to those in the Z category cities. Employees in the Z class currently receive a 9% HRA on their basic wage.

HRA is paid to central employees who fit into the X category at a rate of 27%. HRA for employees in the Y group will range from 18% to 20%, while HRA for employees in the Z class would rise from 9% to 10%.

How much will HRA increase?

HRA for government employees could increase by up to 3% in the foreseeable future. Employees in X Class cities may get a 3% increase in their HRA, while those in Y Class cities may see a 2% increase in their allowance.

Additionally, employees in Z class cities may receive a 1% raise in their HRA. As a result, the HRA for government employees will rise from 27% to 30% in the best-case scenario.

Dearness Allowance Hiked On March 2023

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on March 24 gave its approval to release an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance to Central Governments employees and Dearness Relief to Pensioners with effect from 01.01.2023. The additional instalment will represent an increase of 4% over the existing rate of 38% of the Basic Pay/Pension to 42 percent, to compensate against price rise.

The combine impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs.12,815.60 crore per annum. This will benefit about 47.58 lakh Central Governments employees and 69.76 lakh pensioners. This increase is in accordance with the accepted formular which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, the official statement had said.
New Delhi: One of the most reliable brands in the nation, the post office, has created a fantastic opportunity for those looking to launch their own company. With their Post Office Franchise Scheme, you may start your own business for only Rs 5,000! After going through this article, we hope you'll have a much better idea of whether starting a business in the post office is right for you. then let's get going!

Post Office Franchise Scheme/Business Idea

For individuals who are interested in starting their own businesses, the Department of Posts offers a wide range of services to the people of India. Entrepreneurs can open their own businesses and take advantage of all the perks that come with being a member of this government entity thanks to the Post Office Franchise Scheme.



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Post Office Franchise Scheme: Eligibility Criteria

When applying for a post office franchise, a candidate must be an Indian citizen or permanent resident and must not be older than 30 years old; however, candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) may be older than 30 years.

The minimal requirement for the candidate is a Class X pass from an accredited board or university.

Post Office Franchise Scheme: Earning

The department may start paying the applicant commission based on the sales of the items and services provided at the store. The initial revenues can range from Rs 20,000 to Rs 80,000, depending on the number of consumers. The more you work, the more revenue you will generate as the earnings depends on the service.

Post Office Franchise Scheme: How To Apply

It is vital to carefully read the official notification provided by the post office before submitting your application on the Internet. To get the application form and continue with the application procedure, go to the official website (https://www.indiapost.gov.in/VAS/DOP_PDFFiles/Franchise.pdf).

(Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes. The calculator is also mostly based on assumptive figures to give an example of a certain type. The article does not intend to give any financial advice of any sort. Investors/subscribers must check with their portfolio managers before investing in any scheme/policies.)
New Delhi: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has been postponing the PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline numerous times since March 31, 2022. The current deadline to link your PAN Card with Aadhaar Card is June 30, 2023, post which the financial document will become inoperative.

The point to note however is that even though the deadline is June 30 to link PAN with Aadhaar, there is a Rs 1,000 fine for peopole who have not linked the two important documents. Aadhaar and PAN could no longer be linked after the original deadline of March 31, 2022, without paying a fine of Rs 500 until June 30, 2022. This fine was later was raised to Rs 1,000 from effective from July 1, 2022. The penalty amount is still the same even though the PAN-Aadhaar connecting deadline was once again extended from March 31 to June 30, 2023.

Direct Link Of Income Tax Website To Link PAN with Aadhaar

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For linking PAN with Aadhaar, you can visit the income tax department's official website https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/. Thereupon you can go to the Dashboard and in Profile Section under the Link Aadhar to PAN option, click Link Aadhar.

PAN-Aadhaar Linking: How To Do It?

To link your Aadhaar PAN online, follow these steps:

- Visit the official Income Tax e-filing website at www.incometax.gov.in.

- Log in to the income tax portal using your login information.

- A pop-up window emerge

- If not, navigate to Profile Settings from the Menu Bar and pick the 'Link Aadhaar' option.

- A new window will appear.

- Enter your PAN number, Aadhaar details, name, and mobile number in the areas provided.

- After validating the information, select the 'I agree to validate my Aadhaar details' option.

- Now click the 'Continue' button.

- A one-time password (OTP) will be sent to your registered mobile number.

- Fill in the blanks on the screen and press the 'Validate' button.

- After you have paid the penalty, your PAN-Aadhaar linkage will be completed.

PAN-Aadhaar Linking Penalty: Here is the complete list of Banks that are authorized for e-Pay Tax

The penalty has to be paid via a single challan and several banks have been authorised to collect the e-Pay Tax.

Axis Bank

Bank of Baroda

Bank of India

Bank of Maharashtra

Canara Bank

Central Bank of India

City Union Bank

Federal Bank

HDFC Bank

ICICI Bank

IDBI Bank

Indian Bank

Indian Overseas Bank

IndusInd Bank

Jammu & Kashmir Bank

Karur Vysya Bank

Kotak Mahindra Bank

Punjab National Bank

South Indian Bank

UCO Bank

Union Bank of India
New Delhi: Indian origin billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal and his wife Radhika Oswal have bought one of world's most expensive houses in switzerland for Rs 1,649 crore. The 430,000-square-foot villa --called Villa Vari --overlooking the snow-capped Alps in the Swiss village of Gingins, is said to have cost the billionaire couple a whopping $200 million.

Previous owner of Villa Vari

The villa had formerly belonged to Christina Onassis, the daughter of prominent Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, before being purchased by the Oswal family. The house is known as one of the worlds top ten most expensive homes.

Villa Vari Renovation Work Given to renowned interior designer Jeffrey Wilkes

A GQ report said that the villa's renovation was assigned to renowned interior designer Jeffrey Wilkes who has in his repertorie projects like Oberoi Rajvilas, Oberoi Udaivilas, and the Leela Hotels. Wilkes has given the home a fantastic makeover that ozzes of both luxury and sophistication.

Villa Vari's Scenic Location

The home offers amazing views of the snow-covered Alps and is located in the quaint village of Gingins, just 15 minutes from Geneva. In the Canton of Vaud, Villa Vari has the distinction of being the largest estate.

Before shifting to Switzerland where the couple has been living for the last 10 years with their daughters Vasundhara and Ridi, they had stayed in Australia.

Oswal's Unfinished Mega Mansion Dubbed Taj Mahal On-the-Swan

A 70-million-dollar unfinished mega mansion dubbed Taj Mahal on-the-Swan owned by Pankaj Oswal in Australias Perth could not be materialised. The Australian authorities had ordered it to be torned-down in 2016. Pankaj and wife Radhika Oswal had planned to build the Indian-style mansion in Perth, where the Swan River meets the southwest coast. Had it been finished, the palace would have included seven domes, a temple, gym, swimming pool and parking for 17 cars. The residence was said to emerge as Perths most expensive home on the 6,600 square metre block of land in luxurious riverside suburb of Peppermint Grove for which the couple had already paid more than 22 million dollars.
Bakrid, also known as Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide. During Bakrid, Muslims gather for special prayers at mosques and communal areas. The day begins with a special congregational prayer, usually performed in the morning. The prayer is followed by a sermon, which highlights the significance of the occasion and encourages acts of charity, compassion, and sacrifice.

One of the key traditions of Bakrid is the sacrifice of an animal, typically a goat, sheep, or cow, to symbolize Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son. The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts: one part is given to the poor and needy, one part is shared with friends and family, and the remaining part is kept for personal consumption.

Apart from the sacrificial ritual, Bakrid is a time for Muslims to come together with their loved ones, exchange greetings and gifts, and enjoy festive meals. It is a time of joy, reflection, and gratitude, as well as an opportunity to strengthen family and community bonds.



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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted people on the occasion of Eid ul-Adha.

"Greetings on Eid ul-Adha. May this day bring happiness and prosperity to everyone. May it also uphold the spirit of togetherness and harmony in our society. Eid Mubarak!" he tweeted.

Also read: Eid Al-Adha 2023: 10 Places To Try Lip-Smacking Food This Bakra Eid

Heres How Bakrid Was Celebrated Across The Globe:

In India, Eid Al-Adha was celebrated in various states including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jammu And Kashmir, Delhi and more.

Eid Celebrations In India

Delhi

June 29 witnessed a joyous and traditional celebration of Eid ul-Adha in the national capital, as devotees flocked to mosques, including the historic Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid, despite the presence of rain, to partake in special prayers. Following the ceremonial 'Qurbani' or cattle sacrifice, individuals also took the opportunity to visit friends and family, exchanging greetings and sharing meals.

Notable figures such as Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and President Droupadi Murmu conveyed their warm wishes to the public on this auspicious occasion. President Murmu also encouraged everyone to embrace unity and harmony within society, emphasizing that Eid ul-Adha symbolizes a sacred festival of love and sacrifice. This observance honors the Islamic tradition inspired by Prophet Ibrahim, who, in a dream, demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice even his beloved son at the request of Allah.

Kerala

Eid was celebrated in Kerala by Muslims with great religious enthusiasm and traditional joy. However, alongside the festivities, they expressed their disapproval of the Centre's statements regarding the Uniform Civil Code. From early morning, people dressed in their customary attire hurried to the mosques and Eidgahs, where separate enclosures were arranged for women. The renowned Palayam Mosque, located near the State Secretariat, was filled with worshippers. Imam Dr. V.P. Suhaib Moulavi passionately called on the Centre to abandon the Uniform Civil Code, citing its infringement and violation of the Constitution.

There should be no attempt to take away the religious rights of the people. The Centre should desist from this, said the Moulavi.

With the Muslim population in Kerala constituting 26 percent of the state's total population of 3.30 crore, the demand to protect religious rights was resoundingly expressed.

Andhra Pradesh

On Thursday, Muslims in Andhra Pradesh enthusiastically celebrated Eid-Ul-Adha (Bakrid). A large gathering of Muslims took place at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada. The Chief Minister, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, conveyed his Bakrid greetings to the Muslims in the state, highlighting that this festival commemorates the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim. N Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of TDP, also extended his wishes to the people on the occasion of Bakrid. He emphasized that Bakrid is a festival that promotes the act of sharing what one has with others, exemplifying the Muslims' devotion to God.

Eid Celebrations In Indonesia

In Indonesia, Muslims rejoiced on Thursday as they marked Eid al-Adha, a significant event in the Islamic calendar. This festive occasion, also referred to as the "Feast of Sacrifice," aligns with the culmination of the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The day was marked by abundant meat-centered feasts, as concerns over the previous year's foot-and-mouth disease outbreak had subsided. During Eid al-Adha, devout Muslims traditionally purchase and sacrifice animals, sharing a significant portion of the meat with those in need as an integral part of the celebration.

Many Southeast Asia nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore observed Eid al-Adha on Thursday, while Muslims in other parts of the globe, including in countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Afghanistan and Nigeria, celebrated the holiday on Wednesday. It varies according to moon sightings in different parts of the world.
ICSI CSEET Admit Card 2023: The ICSI CSEET Admit Card 2023 for the July session exam is coming soon. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, /CS/ will release the CSEET Admit Card for the July 2023 session on the official website, icsi.edu. Candidates who have registered for the exam can use their registration number and date of birth to check and download their admit card.

The ICSI CSEET 2023 July session exam is scheduled for July 8. The examination will be remote proctored. Candidates must have their admit card ready while taking the exam.

ICSI CSEET 2023: Steps to download admit card here

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1. Go to the official website-icsi.edu.

2. On the appeared homepage, click on the ICSI CSEET Admit card 2023 download link.

3. A new login page would open.

4. Enter your application number and date of birth.

5. Access the admit card and download the same.

6. Take a printout for the future references

The ICSI CSEET 2023 question paper will be worth 200 marks, and applicants will have two hours to finish the test. The questions will be in the MCQ format.
The Bihar government has imposed a ban on its employees in the State Education Department from wearing jeans and t-shirts to the office. The department argues that such attire contradicts the culture of the current working environment. In an order issued by the Director (Administration) of the Education Department on Wednesday, employees were expressed disapproval for wearing t-shirts and jeans to the office.

Contradiction to Office Culture

The order states, "It has been observed that officers and employees of the department are coming to the office in attire that goes against the office culture. It is against the work culture of the office for officers or other employees to come to the office wearing casual clothes."



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According to PTI's report, the order says, "All officers and employees should come to the Education Department's offices in formal attire. Therefore, all officers and employees should come to the Education Department's offices wearing 'formal' clothes. Immediate effect will be given to the prohibition of wearing any 'casual' attire, especially jeans and t-shirts, in the Education Department's offices."

No Contact with Education Minister for Comment

Attempts were made to contact Bihar's Education Minister, Chandrashekhar, several times to obtain his reaction to the Education Department's order, but he could not be reached. It is worth noting that in April, the District Magistrate of Saran district imposed a ban on government employees wearing jeans and t-shirts in government offices.

They were instructed to wear formal attire and carry identity cards. The Bihar government had imposed a ban on wearing jeans and t-shirts in the State Secretariat in 2019 with the aim of maintaining the decorum of the workplace. Government employees in the State Secretariat are required to wear simple, comfortable, and light-colored clothing to the office.

Conclusion

The ban on wearing jeans and t-shirts in Bihar's Education Department offices has sparked a cultural controversy. While the department argues that such attire contradicts the office culture, it remains to be seen how this decision will be received by the employees and the public. The debate on dress codes and cultural norms in the workplace continues to evolve, with different perspectives on the matter.
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani has made a blistering attack on Congress and questioned its leader Rahul Gandhi's alleged meeting in the USA with Sunita Vishwanath, who is a member of an organisation owned by billionaire investor George Soros, who is allegedly involved in anti-India activities. Addressing a press conference, Irani asked why is Rahul Gandhi "hobnobbing" with those who are funded by George Soros as it is known to everyone what Soros intends to do. While levelling the allegation, Irani also produced a photograph before the media in which Rahul Gandhi can be seen sitting with Vishwanath.

Irani also claimed that Rahul Gandhi's trip to New York had been coordinated by Tanzeem Ansari, project director of Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), which has links to the Jamaat-e-Islam - both hardline Islamist organisations.

"When it is clear to every Indian what George Soros intends to do, why is Rahul Gandhi hobnobbing with those who are funded by Soros? It is also evident that this is not the only Soros connection. Even in Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, the Global Vice President of the Open Society Foundation, funded by George Soros, was found accompanying Rahul Gandhi," Irani said while addressing the press conference.



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"What is extremely distressing is the link with the Islamic Circle of North America," she said, adding that if one ran a public domain search on the registration process for NRI interaction with Rahul Gandhi in New York, s/he will find the contact of Tazeem Ansari," she added.

#WATCH | Union Minister Smriti Irani says, "...The question that has been left unanswered by the Congress party is - Is it true that Rahul Gandhi met Sunita Vishwanath during his trip to the US?...When it is clear to every Indian what George Soros intends to do, why is Rahul pic.twitter.com/GhWoCjkTBS  ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2023

Former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi went on a 10-day visit to the USA from May 31 and participated in programs in three cities, San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York. Regarding the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Irani slammed Congress for the presence of the Global Vice President of the Open Society Foundation funded by George Soros in the Yatra who was seen accompanying Rahul Gandhi.

"Even in Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, the Global Vice President of the Open Society Foundation funded by George Soros was found accompanying Rahul Gandhi. What is extremely distressing is the link with the Islamic Circle of North America. Those in the public domain who will research how the registration process for NRI interaction with Rahul Gandhi in New York ensued will find contact with a man named Tazeem Ansari. He has an organisational link with Jamaat-e-Islami...."

Irrespective of all this till now Congress party has not denied the meeting between Gandhi and Sunita Vishwanath, said the Union Minister.

BJP Hits Out At Congress After FIR Against Amit Malviya

Irani's scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi came after an FIR was registered against Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP's IT department in Karnataka. The Karnataka police have registered an FIR against Malviya based on a complaint from Ramesh Babu, a member of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. The FIR accuses Malviya of promoting enmity between groups and instigating people through a video allegedly mocking Rahul Gandhi that he posted on social media.

Who Is George Soros?

George Soros, a 92-year-old American-Hungarian, is a billionaire investor, philanthropist, short-seller, and political activist. With a net worth of USD 8.5 billion, Soros is renowned for establishing the Open Society Foundations, an organization that provides grants to support democracy, transparency, and freedom of speech initiatives.

Born in Hungary in 1930, Soros hails from a wealthy Jewish family and is recognized as one of the prominent international investors. In response to the prevailing anti-Semitism during that time, his family changed their surname from "Schwartz" to "Soros" to protect their Jewish identity. They endured the horrors of the Holocaust during the Nazi occupation in Hungary before eventually relocating to London in 1947.

In 1970, Soros founded Soros Fund Management, an investment management company that has achieved tremendous success over the years. The firm has consistently generated billions of dollars in profits on a global scale.

The billionaire investor is also a known critic of the Narendra Modi government. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, Soros alleged that the turmoil over Gautam Adani's business empire might weaken PM Modi's hold on the government. He said PM Modi would "have to answer questions" from foreign investors and Parliament.
New Delhi: A day after he was attacked, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad on Thursday demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming his government was providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion. In a note posted on Twitter, Aazad alleged the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is worsening and "government-backed" criminals are in high spirits. A bullet grazed the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief's abdomen when unidentified assailants opened fire at his car in Saharanpur's Deoband, where he had gone to attend a ritual at a supporter's home, on Wednesday evening.

He is undergoing treatment at the Saharanpur district hospital. Aazad, who is also the president of the Azad Samaj Party, said the attack on him was a failure of the government. "My 56-inch chest is real, not fake. The fatal attack on me is a failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the responsibility of the government and I am also a responsible citizen of the state," he said in his note.

The chief minister should take moral responsibility for protecting criminals and resign immediately, he said. Aazad said what happened with him could happen to the chief of any other political party or their supporters.



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Also Read: 'Will Continue To Fight Constitutionally': Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad Appeals For Peace After Being Shot At

"There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is getting worse and secondly, the government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion. Due to this, the government-backed criminals are in high spirits. Today, they neither fear the law nor the police," he charged.

He said when such criminals can target politicians like him, one cannot imagine the atrocities being committed against women, Dalits, backward classes, tribals and minorities in the state. Some people are so drunk on power that they are bent on silencing the voices being raised against them, Aazad said, without naming anyone.

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"Earlier, these people used to misuse ED, CBI and Income Tax officials for this, then they started getting fake police encounters done and now government-backed criminals have started using guns and bullets to eliminate opposition leaders," he said.

"They are forgetting that the history of India is full of our forefathers' sacrifices. They are forgetting that even today our bahujan samaj is protecting the country by giving their lives on the borders without any fear. I am also a part of the same society. That's why you can neither make Chandrashekhar bow down nor scare or shake him with bullets and guns," he said.

Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the Saharanpur district hospital.

In a video message on Wednesday night, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally
Gwalior: Congress party appears to have landed in legal trouble over its poster campaign targeting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan which also allegedly fintech company featured PhonePe's brand name and logo. According to reports, posters featuring Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, which purportedly say, pay 50 per cent (commission) and get your work done, have been put up at various locations in Gwalior town and other parts of the BJP-ruled state.

Such posters were also seen in Chindwara, Rewa, Satna, and the state's capital city Bhopal, and were later removed by the administration. The Congress poster campaign, however, drew a sharp warning from digital payments company PhonePe. The Fintech services company has accused Madhya Pradesh Congress of "unauthorized usage" of its logo and noted that it may take legal actions against them.

The posters are in the form of QR code sheets used by fintech companies for accepting online payments. 'PhonePe' could be clearly seen written on top of those posters.



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"PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party," PhonePe posted on its Twitter handle.

PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party.  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

"The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePe's intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request Madhya Pradesh Congress to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour," it said, tagging the Twitter handle of the party's state unit.

The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePes intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour .  PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

In the wake of the controversy, the MP Congress claimed that it is the BJP which started the poster war with "Wanted Commission Nath" posters that came up last week - a charge refuted by the ruling BJP.

In the meantime, an FIR has been lodged at Padav Police Station against unknown people who pasted the posters and the police are looking for them.
Rudy GiulianiAlex Wong/Getty Images

As the Justice Department's investigation into former President Donald Trump's role in overturning the 2020 election advances swiftly, prosecutors are examining the role his allies played in pushing out false claims about election fraud, including plans to assemble "fake electors" in key swing states that were won by President Joe Biden, according to The New York Times.

Federal prosecutors last week interviewed Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who actively promoted baseless legal theories challenging the presidential election results, individuals familiar with the matter told The Times.

Trump's legal team also filed lawsuits in key states, asserting unsubstantiated allegations of extensive election fraud, despite statements from officials, including Trump's own Attorney General William Barr, who confirmed that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

"Trump's lawyers can be charged with conspiring to overturn the election results," former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Salon. "There is legal advocacy on behalf of a client and there is criminal conduct in coordination with a defendant, and Trump's lawyers may have crossed that line."

Related

Legal scholar: Report suggests DOJ about to indict Trump's "whole criminal gang" for conspiracy

Giuliani's role has made him a prominent figure in ongoing investigations. He faced questioning last year by a House committee investigating the events leading up to the January 6 attack and was interviewed by prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, who are examining attempts to undermine the state's election.

"Giuliani, in particular, may be charged as a co-conspirator for coordinating the fake electors," Rahmani said. "A conspiracy is an agreement to do something unlawful and an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy."

For several months, Justice Department prosecutors have been investigating the involvement of Trump's legal advisers in their attempts to overturn the election. The DOJ is examining the roles Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Kurt Olsen, Kenneth Chesebro, and then-Justice Department lawyer Jeffrey Clark played in helping push false claims regarding election fraud, a source told the Washington Post.

In July of last year, Eastman, a conservative lawyer who assisted Trump in contesting the election results, revealed that federal agents had confiscated his phone.

Special counsel Jack Smith's team has questioned multiple witnesses about the lawyers' actions related to creating fake slates of pro-Trump electors in key swing states that were actually won by Biden, one person familiar with the matter told the Times.

Related

"Acting like a Mafia boss": Experts fear Trump encouraging followers to target Jack Smith's family

"The fake electors scheme, which can be described as unapologetically brazen in its disregard for the law, appears to be at the center of the special counsel's January 6th inquiry and has been a focus of Fulton County District Attorney's investigation into President Trump and his team," Temidayo Aganga-Williams, partner at Selendy Gay Elsberg and former senior investigative counsel for the House Jan. 6 committee, told Salon.

Trump's allies have defended their actions arguing that there was nothing criminal about preparing alternate electors in case they were needed, the Post reported.

"Assuming the agreement to overturn the election was unlawful, then preparing fake electors in case they were needed is not a legal defense and satisfies the overt act requirement," Rahmani said.

Former U.S. Attorney Barb McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor, told Salon that several lawyers, including Giuliani, Eastman and Clark, "appear to have criminal exposure."

"One potential crime is conspiracy to defraud the United States by interfering in the lawful transfer of presidential power," McQuade said. "Anyone who knowingly entered into that agreement could face charges. Conduct such as knowingly promoting false claims of election fraud, coordinating fake electors, pressuring Mike Pence to overturn the election or persuading state legislatures to replace their states' duly elected electors could constitute criminal conduct."

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Trump was indicted earlier this month on 37 federal counts arising from his possession of classified material and government records after he left the White House. Smith alleges that the former president willfully retained classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and obstructed government efforts to retrieve them.

Now, Smith is also examining Trump and his allies' efforts during and around January 6, 2021, when a violent mob of his supporters forcefully breached the Capitol in a violent effort to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal told MSNBC that the recent activity in the probe, including the testimony of at least five Secret Service agents being questioned by a grand jury in the probe, suggests the walls are closing in on the former president.

"Jack Smith is certainly moving  it looks to me  to indict Trump for Jan 6," Katyal said. "The Secret Service, bringing them in to testify before the grand jury, is an extraordinary step."

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about the Jan. 6 probe
New Delhi: The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh has decided to include Vinyak Damodar Savarkar's biography as a compulsory subject for students of the state board. State Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said the government has decided to include biographies of true heroes and the new syllabus will include Veer Savarkar, Bhagavad Gita Sandesh, Lord Parshuram, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, and others. The minister said Savarkar is one of those revolutionaries who have been imprisoned twice in one life.

He further said that Veer Savarkar was the first writer who called the movement of 1857 as freedom struggle, otherwise, people used to call it Ghadar. "Veer Savarkar has an irreplaceable contribution to India's independence and he should be honored in society. But unfortunately, the great revolutionaries of India were not given a place in the pages of history," Parmar added.

Also Read: Karnataka: Hedgewar, Savarkar Removed; References To Nehru, Indira Back In Textbooks



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Meanwhile, the criticised the Congress claim the true revolutionaries were not given enough space in school syllabus in the past several decades. "In 2019, a book, based on biography of Veer Savarkar was distributed in some schools, but the Kamal Nath led Congress government had suspended the school principals," he claimed.

Also Read: Cong-led Karnataka Govt To Amend Anti-Conversion Law, Take Up Revision Of Textbooks

The BJP government's this decision is likely to spark political controversy in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh as the Congress has objected the proposal. Congress MLA Arif Masood talking to the press on Thursday said, he would oppose the government's decision.

"It is unfortunate that they want to include Savarkar. He apologized to the British and including him in the syllabus is an insult to freedom fighters," Masood said.
New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday announced that the next Opposition meeting will be held in Bengaluru on July 13-14 and not Shimla. Targeting the BJP government in centre over the Uniform Civil Code, Pawar said "before talking about the UCC, the Centre should first bring reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies." Addressing a press conference in Maharashtra's Pune, the NCP Chief also slammed centre on Manipur violence. He said "Manipur is 'burning', but the Modi government is not taking any steps to bring the situation under control."

Also Read: Live Updates| Rahul Gandhi Manipur Visit: Rahul To Meet Victims Of Violence At Relief Camps In Churachandpur

Pawar also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become anxious after the Opposition parties meeting in Patna.On the UCC debate, he said the NCP will make its stand clear after assessing the suggestions and demands of various communities. But before that, reservation should be given to women in Assemblies and the Lok Sabha, which is a long-pending demand, the senior leader said.



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Also Read: 'Apply To Hindus First': Stalin's DMK Slams PM Modi's Remark On Uniform Civil Code

On Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnaviss claims about Pawar being aware of the BJPs plans to form government in Maharashtra along with a group of NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar in 2019, the senior Pawar said Fadnavis should focus on womens security in the state instead of making such comments.
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Thursday dismissed DMK leader jailed minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect. Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam case. "Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect", stated a release issued by the Raj Bhavan in Tamil Nadu.

The release further stated, "Abusing his position as a Minister, he (Senthil Balaji) has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. He is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal codes are being investigated by the State Police."

Also Read: MK Stalin Warns BJP Over Minister Senthil Balaji's Arrest, Says 'We Also Know All Kinds Of Politics



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The Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise in the MK Stalin government, Balaji, was arrested on June 14 and admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pains. He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.

Also Read: TN: BJP Calls Its Leader's Arrest Stalin's 'Revenge' For ED Action Against Balaji

The Supreme Court, earlier this month, refused to interfere with the Madras High Court order allowing Balaji to be moved to a private hospital in Chennai and admitted a habeas corpus petition filed against his arrest.
In a significant ruling, the US Supreme Court has recently banned the use of race and ethnicity as factors in university admissions, overturning a long-standing practice aimed at promoting educational opportunities for minorities. The conservative majority, consisting of six justices, supported the ban while three justices dissented. The decision strikes at the heart of affirmative action policies that emerged during the Civil Rights Movement and aimed to address historical discrimination. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, argued that while well-intentioned, affirmative action amounted to unconstitutional discrimination. This explainer provides key points to understand the implications and perspectives surrounding this ruling.

1. What happened? The US Supreme Court recently made a significant ruling, prohibiting the use of race and ethnicity as factors in university admissions. This decision marks a departure from a long-standing practice aimed at promoting educational opportunities for minorities, particularly African-Americans.

2. Court's composition: The decision was reached by a conservative majority, with six justices supporting the ban and three dissenting. This aligns with a pattern of the court's recent conservative-leaning judgments.



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3. What is affirmative action? Affirmative action refers to policies that seek to promote diversity in university admissions and address historical discrimination. It emerged during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and aimed to provide equal opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities.

4. Majority opinion: Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, acknowledged the well-intentioned nature of affirmative action but argued that it amounted to unconstitutional discrimination. The majority emphasized the importance of treating students as individuals based on their experiences rather than their race.

5. Dissenting opinion: Justice Sonia Sotomayor strongly dissented, asserting that the majority failed to acknowledge the persistent reality of racial segregation in society. Sotomayor argued that overlooking race would not lead to true equality and emphasized the need to address existing inequalities.

6. Lawsuit and universities involved: The decision was prompted by a lawsuit filed by the activist group Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC). The lawsuit alleged that race-conscious admissions policies disadvantaged Asian American applicants who were equally or better qualified.

7. Impact on universities: The ruling allows universities to consider an applicant's background, including experiences of racism, when evaluating applications. However, the decision restricts significant consideration based on an applicant's race or ethnicity, deeming it as racial discrimination.

8. Conservative viewpoint: Conservatives hailed the ruling as a victory, arguing that affirmative action is unfair and no longer necessary due to the progress made by Black Americans and other minorities. Former President Donald Trump and Republican US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy welcomed the decision, emphasizing fairness and equality.

9. Asian American perspective: Supporters of the ruling, such as Kenny Xu from Students for Fair Admissions, claim it will curb bias against Asian American students. Xu highlighted disparities in admission requirements, where Asian Americans often faced higher standards compared to other racial groups.

10. Progressive concerns: Progressives expressed disappointment with the ruling, as it represents another setback following the court's overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights. They fear the decision may lead to the discontinuation of programs designed to provide additional considerations to disadvantaged minorities during the admissions process.
Actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan is beaming with pride, as his daughter Ishita Shukla is all set to join the countrys armed forces as an Agniveer under the central government's Agnipath scheme launched last year. While the news has already started making headlines, the actor has been receiving a lot of congratulatory messages and well-wishes on social media. In the latest instance, actor Anupam Kher has extended his best wishes to Ravi Kishan and his daughter, Ishita Shukla. Calling her achievement an inspiration, Anupam Kher expressed his happiness and pride on hearing the news.

Anupam Kher also gave his blessings to Ishita Shukla and further mentioned that her steps will go on to become an inspirational example for millions of girls. The actor even shared a picture of the actor-turned-politician along with his daughter, dressed in her uniform.

Anupam Kher captioned the post, Read inspirational news about your daughter #Ishita! That she has joined our Defense Forces under the Agniveer scheme. I am happy as well as proud. Give my love and blessings to Ishita. And tell her that this step of hers will become an example of inspiration for millions of girls! Jai Hind!



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Check:

Ravi Kishan also reshared the post with folded hands and the India flag symbol. Notably, the actors daughter will be joining the forces under the Combined Defence Services Examination recruitment scheme soon. She is an NCC cadet and was also seen participating in the Republic Day parade earlier this year. The scheme, which was launched in June last year, is aimed at enrolling the youth as Agniveers for a service duration of four years.

Ravi Kishan flooded with congratulatory messages

While the news of Ravi Kishan's daughter joining the armed forces is not new, it has gained a lot of attention now as she is completely ready to join as an Agniveer. As congratulatory messages poured in, the actor has been sharing and thanking people for their well-wishes and greetings for his 21-year-old daughter.

Earlier, Ravi Kishan took to social media and confirmed the news about his daughter joining the Indian Army. In January this year, he said that his daughter was working hard for the past several years for joining the armed forces.
New Delhi: Over the years, R Madhavan has delivered countless performances that have established him as one of the most versatile actors in the industry. The actor has been on a roll this year and has been shooting back to back for multiple projects. He is currently in London shooting for his next untitled project. Madhavan took to Instagram and dropped a photo with the caption reading, "A little bit of dye and off to work in London."

The actor recently wrapped up the final shooting schedule for his movie 'Test'. Madhavan also recently won an IIFA Award for his directorial debut film 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect'.

Also Read: Bigg Boss OTT 2: Manisha Rani, Bebika Dhurve's Friendship Ends? Former Yells, 'Muh Kholti Hai Toh Gutter'

Madhavan will also be seen sharing screen space with Akshay Kumar in an upcoming supernatural thriller film. The yet-to-be-titled film will be directed by Vikas Bahl, who directed the National Award winning film 'Queen'. The film is currently in the pre-production stage and will go on floors next month. It will be extensively shot in Mumbai, Mussoorie and London.

Also Read: Leaked: Kartik Aaryan-Kiara Advani's Satyaprem Ki Katha Hit By Piracy, Full HD Version Download Online On Moviesrulz, Tamilrockers, Filmyzilla

For the film Ajay, who is also producing the film, has teamed up with 'Drishyam 2' producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak. The film is being produced under the banner of Ajay Devgn Ffilm and Panorama Studios.
New Delhi: An AirTag has helped to bust robbers who stole more than $62,000 in thefts, the media reported. A Texas family became fed up with gravesite robbers and installed a hidden AirTag to capture them in the act, reports AppleInsider.

The family didn't anticipate that their smart use of AirTag would help authorities find stolen bronze memorial vases valued at more than $62,000. According to Tony Velazquez, his uncle's gravesite at the Restwood Memorial Park in Clute, Texas, had been frequently robbed.

"Each time, thieves had absconded with a bronze memorial vase -- which retails for $600 -- that had adorned the grave," the report said. Velazquez dropped an AirTag into the vase as a safety measure in case the thieves struck again.



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He provided the authorities with the AirTag data, which they then used to locate the vase and dozens more at a house 45 minutes away. Local authorities then arrested the suspects, accused of stealing 102 vases over the last two months.

Clute Police Chief James Fitch said that the thieves intended to sell the vases for a quick profit at a nearby scrap yard. "They had actually tried to take the entire vases to a scrap yard," Fitch said, "They turned them down luckily."
On Wednesday, Google introduced some new AI-powered tools for Indian developers at its first-ever India-Specific I/O connect conference in Bengaluru. These tools aim to improve user experiences, drive digitisation and foster industry growth. During the conference, Google launched a new feature within its Maps called Address Descriptors. From showcasing its support for Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) to sharing new updates on AI tools, here are the key announcements from the event.

LLM Model

At the event, the company said that the developers in India can now access its new Large Language Model (LLM) PaLM 2. Through this language model, Google aims to bring AI capability to all its products such as Gmail, Google Docs and Bard. According to Google, PaLM 2 has been trained on multilingual texts from over 100 languages.



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Apart from this, the company also said that generative AI support is now available on Google Clouds Vertex AI. On June 28, Google India tweeted about the same announcing the availability of the model to Indian developers.

Developers in India will now have access to both PaLM API and Makersuite, tweeted Google

At #GoogleIOConnect Bengaluru, Rahul Sukthankar talks about how we're making it easier for developers to boost their productivity with Generative AI.



Developers in India will now have access to both PaLM API and Makersuite __

Sign up to know more https://t.co/Zzb55P7B1n pic.twitter.com/1WC7ZfSyMw  Google India (@GoogleIndia) June 28, 2023

Project Vaani

Google launched Project Vanni in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc) last year, to collect anonymous speech data from people across 773 districts in India. At the I/O Connect Bengaluru, Google announced that IISc is open-sourcing the datasets which it has collected over a year. It will give developers access to over 4,000 hours of speech data across 38 languages, collected from over 10,000 speakers from 80 districts. It can be used by companies to build their own technologies and application to cater to the needs of their customers.

We're opening access to Google's research models and datasets to help developers build meaningful solutions with India-focused speech data and location information.



Hear more on this from Rahul Sukthankar, VP, Research, Google at #GoogleIOConnect: https://t.co/9wnh9CIb7L. pic.twitter.com/pyODh5IO6x June 28, 2023

Support to ONDC

Google extended its support for Open Networking Digital Commerce (ONDC) by providing an accelerator program for the same. It will help the business to scale its digital operation and commerce. It will help the developers to enhance their search experiences on their network by giving them access to the Retail search and Discovery AI.

It also announced a startup credits program for organisations under which they will get a $25,000-grant if they enable ONDC.

.@GoogleCloud_IN is launching an Accelerator Program for @ONDC_Official and making it easier to onboard the network by bringing in technology to enable better consumer experiences when it comes to buying and selling online.



Know more: https://t.co/9wnh9CIb7L#GoogleIOConnect pic.twitter.com/YcjI3jSIvN  Google India (@GoogleIndia) June 28, 2023

Improved Maps

The I/O Connect Bengaluru 2023 witnessed the launch of the latest India-Specific feature of Google Maps which will enable developers to help their customers to find addresses easily. This feature is called address descriptors, an India-first experiment that is available in over 25 cities. It will help the customers in finding the address by navigating them through the nearest landmarks and area names.

Project Bindi

Google Launched Project Bindi last year under which they evaluate and mitigate biases in Natural Language Processing within the Indian socio-cultural context. Now, it claims that it has formed a huge SeaGull Database that consists of the datasets which address the stereotypes that exist in India. Google is now open-sourcing the data and will be available for the developers from next month.

Outsourcing of Open Building Datasets

Google will also be outsourcing its open building datasets which are based on satellite images of the more than 200 million buildings that are currently present in India. With this, it aims to help developers in urban planning, environmental science and much more.
New Delhi: Twitter's new chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, is working on a slew of measures to bring back advertisers who left the platform under Elon Musk's ownership, including introducing a video ads service, pursuing more celebrities, and raising headcount, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Wednesday.

Yaccarino, who started as CEO on June 5, is planning to launch full-screen, sound-on video ads that will be shown to users scrolling through Twitter's new short-video feed, the newspaper reported, citing three people familiar with the situation.

She is in talks about a broader partnership with Alphabet-owned Google that would include advertising and access to some of Twitter's data, the report said, citing someone familiar with the matter.

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Twitter also hopes to renegotiate multiple contracts with tech companies such as Amazon.com, Salesforce and IBM into single broader partnerships, according to the newspaper.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

Reuters earlier this month reported that Twitter plans to focus on video, creator and commerce partnerships to revitalize the social media company's business beyond digital advertising.

After Musk acquired Twitter in October, the social media firm faced months of chaos, including layoffs of thousands of employees, criticism over lax content moderation, and an exodus of many advertisers who did not want their ads appearing next to inappropriate content.
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration is considering new restrictions on exports of artificial intelligence chips to China, potentially adding to a list of banned semiconductor technology from Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and other US companies.

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The U.S. Department of Commerce could prohibit shipments of chips from Nvidia and others to customers in China as soon as early next month, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. Such an action would be part of final rules codifying and expanding export control measures announced in October, the Journal said, including:

Logic chips using so-called nonplanar transistors made with 16-nanometer technology or anything more advanced than that. Generally speaking, the smaller the nanometers, the more capable the chip.

18-nanometer dynamic random access memory chips.

NAND-style flash memory chips with 128 layers or more.

Nvidia, which produces graphics chips that drive the technology behind OpenAI Inc.s ChatGPT and Alphabet Inc.s Bard chatbots, responded to the governments controls by making a version of its AI chips for the Chinese market called the A800 that initially fell below performance thresholds outlined by the Commerce Department. That chip replaced the A100, which is widely used in data centers to do AI computations. The new restrictions being contemplated by the department would ban the sale of even A800 chips without a license, the Journal reported.

Other countries are joining the US in banning certain chip technology to China. The Dutch government is planning to publish new export controls that will restrict the shipments of three models of ASML Holding NVs machines from being sent to China as soon as this week, Bloomberg previously reported. Japan joined the US and Netherlands, limiting 23 types of chip exports to countries including China as early as July.

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New Delhi: The U.S. antitrust regulator is planning to file a suit targeting Amazon.com's core online marketplace in the coming weeks, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.

The main allegation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to be that Amazon uses its power to reward those online merchants that use its logistics services and punish the ones that don't, the report said.

The e-commerce giant did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The FTC declined to comment.



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The potential suit adds to the agency's latest action against Amazon in recent weeks. FTC boss Lina Khan's office has been working on the complaint for several months and finalizing key details, like where to file the suit, the report said.

The lawsuit would be among several actions taken by President Joe Biden's administration intended to rein in the outsized market power of Big Tech firms, as it tries to increase competition to protect consumers.

Just last week, the FTC accused Amazon of enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to cancel.

The FTC is also investigating Amazon's $1.7-billion deal for "Roomba" vacuum maker iRobot.

The agency's antitrust case targeting Amazon's online marketplace has been in the works for a long time, according to the report. Amazon got the FTC notice for initial investigation in June 2019, Bloomberg reported, citing documents.

Those documents included questions about how using Amazon's warehousing and delivery services impacted third-party sellers product placements in its online marketplace, including boxes on the website that give products additional prominence.

The FTC had also sought records of any arrangements Amazon has with Apple Inc, the report said. The two companies had entered into a deal to sell Apple iPhones, iPads and other devices on Amazon's marketplace in 2018.
Washington DC: US President Joe Biden in a verbal slip on Wednesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin "is clearly losing the war in Iraq," instead of saying Ukraine. "Vladimir Putin is clearly losing the war in Iraq. He's losing the war at home. And he has become a bit of a pariah around the world. And it's not just NATO; it's not just the European Union. It's Japan. It's, it's, you know, it's 40 nations," Biden said during a press briefing.

Biden said this while speaking to reporters briefly before departing the White House on a trip to Chicago. Biden was asked if Vladimir Putin had been weakened by the brief uprising led by a Russian mercenary chief whose forces had been fighting against Ukraine.

It was the second slip-up in 24 hours. On Tuesday night, President Biden corrected himself at a campaign fundraising event - referring to China when he meant India. "You probably saw my new best friend - the prime minister of a little country that's now the largest in the world, China - I mean, excuse me, India. India is not looking for a permanent alliance, but they're looking for some hedge against - in the region," he said.



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Recently, the US Department of Defence has announced an additional security assistance package, valued at up to USD 500 million, for Ukraine to meet its "critical security and defence needs." The security package includes crucial capabilities to aid Ukraine's counteroffensive operations in its ongoing conflict with Russia and to strengthen its air defences.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US has condemned all acts by Moscow and has shown firm support to Ukraine, and its people. A week back, Blinken also noted the US commitment to working with the private sector to enable Ukraine's modernization and revitalization.

On Tuesday, at least four people, including a child, were killed and several others were injured when a Russian missile struck a bustling location in the middle of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, reported CNN citing local authorities.

According to Pavlo Kyrylenko, chief of the military administration for the Donetsk area, the attacks occurred at approximately 7:30 PM local time on Tuesday. "We are now working in the city to establish the number of wounded and possibly dead. This is the city centre. These were public eating places crowded with civilians," he said.
Italy has named its worst employee - a teacher who avoided going to work for 20 years using the sick leave option, as well as other alternative holidays and permits to attend conferences, a media report said. In its report, the Daily Mail said that Cinzio Paolina De Lio was employed by a secondary school near Venice to teach literature and philosophy - but only showed up for four out of the 24 years she worked there. The disgraced 56-year-old teacher was finally sacked on June 22, the report said.

Even on a rare occurrence when she showed up at the school, her students went on strike after she texted during their oral exams, gave out grades randomly, and did not have a copy of the textbook. De Lio was described by the Italian Supreme Court as "permanently and absolutely unsuitable" for the job, despite her claims to have three degrees. She even refused a request for comment from Italian journalists because she was "at the beach". Eventually, her actions caught the attention of school inspectors, who described her lessons as "confused". The school then sacked her.

De Lio is not the only worker who has been accused of cutting corners during employment in Italy, the Daily Mail report said. In 2021, it was revealed that public health worker Salvatore Scumace, 66, had allegedly cost the state 538,000 euros as he falsely claimed to work as a fire safety officer in the Pugliese-Ciaccio Hospital in Catanzaro for 15 years. He was only seen at the hospital once - on the day he went to sign his work contract in 2005, according to The Telegraph. As a result, he was dubbed the "King of absenteeism" and was charged with aggravated extortion, fraud, and abuse of office.



cre Trending Stories
Worldwide Flight Services is leasing a large, new cargo warehouse from a developer at Chicago OHare airport but cant bring freighters to the door for efficient cargo transfers because the taxiway hasnt been built yet. (Photo: Realterm)

The third and final phase of a large air cargo development at Chicago OHare International Airport is completed, but freighter aircraft cannot yet reach the large transfer facility because the citys Department of Aviation hasnt completed a taxiway connection.

Ground handling company Worldwide Flight Services has moved in and is already processing cargo at the 132,000-square-foot facility but temporarily faces higher expenses because it must truck shipments from the opposite end of the airport where airline customers can bring cargo jets.

WFS announced in early June that it had signed a 15-year lease with developer Realterm to run the quick-turn warehouse at one of the nations largest passenger and cargo gateways. The new facility increases WFS cargo capacity at OHare airport by more than 10%. The provider of airport ground services controls three other transit centers with a combined footprint of nearly 600,000 square feet, not including space subleased from an airline tenant. The new building on the northeast quadrant of the airport is flanked by about 200,000 square feet of ramp space that can accommodate two large freighters the size of a Boeing 747-8.

Ben Dawson, WFS vice president of cargo operations, said city construction crews are expected to finish pouring concrete for the taxiway within a couple of weeks and that freighters will begin rolling to the warehouse by the second half of July. The citys Aviation Department declined to provide anyone who could discuss the significance of the new project or why the path connecting the parking area and runway is delayed.

Right now were handling our aircraft on the south side and cargo is trucked directly to the building, which is accessed from the front. Once we get operational, it will be the rear side with [airside access], said Dawson.

The overall project was delayed 18 months by pandemic-related supply chain challenges, including a concrete shortage in Chicago. Dawson said taxiway construction more recently has been hindered by weather conditions.

WFS provides cargo and ramp services (refueling, aircraft pushback and towing, etc.) at OHare for freighter operators such as Air France/KLM, Atlas Air, China Airlines, Eva Air, Kalitta Air, Flexport (a logistics company that contracts with Atlas Air for chartered service), UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. Last year it handled more than 684 million pounds of cargo.

The cargo campus delivered by Realterm, which leased the land for 35 years from the airport authority, encompasses 930,000 square feet of terminal space, 13 parking spaces for extra-large freighters and a fuel farm. Phases one and two were delivered in 2016 and 2017.

Realterm originally said it planned to invested $56 million in the new building and ramp, which includes solar panels and chargers for electric forklift vehicles and required major excavation and site preparation. The price is believed to have escalated significantly since 2021. Marketing Director Sophia Stuart declined to provide an updated figure of the development cost.

Truck docks at the Worldwide Flight Services transfer station at Chicago OHare International Airport. (Photo: WFS)

The site is fitted with a three-level container storage racking system to optimize productivity and an automated bypass system. It also has a 3,000-square-foot refrigeration room with vertical storage and capacity for more than 100 pallets and six containers for temperature-controlled products.

Chicago OHare is the third-largest airport in the U.S. by tonnage, excluding the FedEx and UPS super hubs and the trans-Pacific refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska, according to Airports Council International. Last year it facilitated the movement of more than 2.5 million tons of cargo. That was off 12.9% from 2021, when air cargo was superheated by pandemic disruptions, but 20% higher than in 2019. The airport has seen significant increases in cargo volumes and freighter activity during the past 2.5 years, led by pharmaceutical, aerospace, chemical and e-commerce products.

Freight, express and mail traffic was down nearly 22% year over year for the January-April period, according to Chicago Department of Aviation statistics. Congestion at OHare is also down, but logistics companies still complain about pinch points from outdated building infrastructure, inadequate road and receiving areas for trucks, labor shortages and limited digital communications between stakeholders.

The Chicago area has a high concentration of freight forwarders, trucking companies, and importers and exporters moving freight in and out of the Midwest.

Air France/KLM cargo modernization

Meanwhile, Air France/KLM this month completed the renovation of its cargo terminal at OHares South Airfield, increasing capacity by 40%, according to a news release. Sister company Martinair Cargo shares the site. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday.

The project included an overhaul of the companys flow management system. The combination of more space and efficient procedures will enable the airline to handle more cargo  including for other airlines  with faster turn times, officials said. The upgrade created more room for pharmaceutical storage and plugs for refrigerated containers.

AFKLM got rid of high-maintenance, polluting equipment and is converting to all-electric equipment, including ball deck systems for storing and moving pallets. LED lighting has also been installed in the warehouse, said spokesman Gerard Roelfzema via email.

AFKLM paid for the $5.5 million project but is getting rental credits from the city for upgrading the facility, he said.

The facility processes cargo for Air France and KLM wide-body passenger flights that operate six times a week for each airline, as well as six weekly Air France freighter flights and one weekly Martinair freighter flight.

Worldwide Flight Services provides labor for loading, unloading and sorting freight at the facility for Air France/KLM and subleases a section to handle cargo for its own customers.

Click here for more FreightWaves stories by Eric Kulisch.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Chicago OHare avoids labor impasse, cargo disruption

Fed up with cargo congestion, freight forwarders flee OHare airport

Cargo handlers move to airport suburbs to escape OHare congestion





The post OHare airport cargo terminal opens without taxiway for aircraft appeared first on FreightWaves.
flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, is preparing for its busiest summer to date; with more than 4.5 million passengers expected to travel between June1 and September 30 across its growing network.



Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: as we prepare for another record-breaking summer, we would like to commend the efforts of all the stakeholders who are working together to ensure that passengers travelling through Dubais aviation hub have a great experience. More than 4.5 million passengers are expected to travel across the flydubai network over the next few months, which reflects the increasing demand for travel, passengers confidence in our services and the attractiveness of Dubais offering as well as our growing network.



Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: we are pleased to offer passengers more options to travel this summer with more than 115 destinations to choose from. flydubais seasonal summer routes, alongside its growing network, will enable more people to travel whether for a holiday, business or visiting friends and family. We have added 33% more capacity across our markets and look forward to welcoming passengers on board for the Eid holiday and busy summer period.



The carrier offers passengers the option to travel to 117 destinations across 52 countries this summer, including Krabi, Milan-Bergamo, Neom, Pattaya, St Petersburg and more. flydubai will start operating to nine seasonal summer destinations from 21 June onwards.



Eid Al Adha busy travel period: the carrier has increased capacity by 20% on select destinations across its network to accommodate the surge in demand for travel over the Eid Al Adha holiday period between 24 June and 02 July. This includes popular destinations such as Baku, Beirut, Colombo, Male, Tbilisi, Yerevan and Zanzibar.



To meet increased demand, capacity has increased across the network by 33% between June 1 and September 30, compared to the same period in 2022.



European Network: flydubai has grown its network in Europe to 28 destinations, including five destinations in Italy, Belgrade, Budapest, Prague, Salzburg, Warsaw, Zagreb and many more.



An average of 9,400 flights per month are scheduled across flydubais network between 01 June and 30 September, with August being the busiest month.



Growing fleet and workforce

flydubai has taken delivery of seven new aircraft since the start of 2023, growing its fleet of Boeing 737s to 79 aircraft, an increase of 23% compared to the number of aircraft the carrier operated in the same period in 2022.



To support this growth trajectory, flydubai has grown its workforce by 560 new colleagues over the last six months which includes pilots, cabin crew and talented professionals from 138 different nationalities.  TradeArabia News Service
Overstock.com will relaunch Bed Bath & Beyond after buying its IP assets for $21.5 million

Overstock.com will relaunch Bed Bath & Beyond after buying the troubled home goods retailer's intellectual property in a bankruptcy proceeding for $21.5 million.

In a press release Wednesday afternoon, Overstock said that within the next week it would debut a new Bed Bath & Beyond website in Canada, followed weeks later by the relaunch of a refreshed website, mobile app and loyalty program in the United States.

At that point, the company said, customers of both Overstock and Bed Bath & Beyond will encounter a single online shopping destination at bedbathandbeyond.com.

Bed Bath & Beyond is an iconic consumer brand, well-known in the home retail marketplace," said Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson. "The combination of our winning asset-light business model and the high awareness and loyalty of the Bed Bath & Beyond brand will improve the customer experience and position the Company for accelerated market share growth.

A bankruptcy court judge approved Overstock's all-cash $21.5 million bid for Bed Bath & Beyond's intellectual property assets on Tuesday. The company said the move would not affect Bed Bath & Beyond's physical store locations, which are still slated to close.

The move also won't impact Buy Buy Baby, which may now be slated for two separate auctions according to CNBC: one for the chains intellectual property, including its trademark and domain, and another for its physical stores.

Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy protection in April, and the fate of its Buy Buy Baby subsidiary remains to be seen.

At the time of its bankruptcy filing, Bed Bath & Beyond reported debts of more than $5 billion. The company folded despite multiple attempts to revive the flagging brand, including a short-lived intervention last year by current GameStop Executive Chairman Ryan Cohen. Part of Cohens proposed turnaround strategy involved spinning off Buy Buy Baby, which he said in a March 2022 letter was likely much more valuable than Bed Bath & Beyonds entire market capitalization.

Bed Bath & Beyond closed multiple locations as part of its early efforts to cut costs.

Cohens brief interest in the company  he sold his position in the company in November 2022 without further comment  put Bed Bath & Beyond shares into the realm of meme stocks, a retail investor-driven phenomenon in which struggling companies gain interest from day traders who are betting on a long-shot revival.

Though now worth less than $1, its shares have climbed approximately 19% in the past 30 days on reports that the company was successfully paying off some of its debts.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Play defense and load up on quality stocks because a recession is coming, Wells Fargo strategist says

A trader works at the New York Stock Exchange NYSE in New York, the United States, on March 9, 2022. Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty

Investors should target high-quality stocks with a recession coming, according to a Wells Fargo strategist.

"Move into larger cap, higher quality US equities  we like the energy, materials and healthcare sectors," Sameer Samana told Yahoo Finance.

But it's important to treat the AI boom with caution, he added.

It's time for equity investors to adopt a defensive approach - they should load up on high-quality energy, materials, and healthcare stocks while staying cautious on tech with a recession looming, according to a Wells Fargo strategist.

Sameer Samana said Wednesday that he believes the US economy will slip into a moderate recession in the latter half of the year  and "that means that at least right now, you should be playing defense."

"Move into larger-cap, higher-quality US equities," Samana, senior global market strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, told Yahoo Finance. "We like the energy, materials and healthcare sectors."

Large-cap stocks have been some of the market's best-performing names this year  because the sector is so highly concentrated around tech, which has benefited from the explosion of interest in artificial intelligence and the Federal Reserve easing up on its interest-rate hikes.

Those gains have come despite many analysts fretting about a looming economic slump, with US GDP growth slowing to just 1.1% in the first quarter and yet to feel the full force of the Fed's tightening campaign.

"We will continue to favor larger-cap, higher quality US companies. That area has actually done the best this year because a lot of the tech companies kind of tend to sit in that catbird seat," he said.

But Samana cautioned against loading up on mega-cap tech stocks only without diversifying into other sectors, likening the AI buzz to the dot-com boom in the late 1990s.

While AI is bound to be a transformational technology  just like the internet was  there is no way of knowing which companies will come out on top, he said.

"Price is running ahead of expectations," the strategist added. "Tech should be a neutral weighting within client portfolios."

Read the original article on Business Insider
ReportLinker

Segmented By Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Light Commercial Vehicle, Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle), By Powertrain (Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid, Combined Hybrid), By Range (Up to 40 km, 40 to 60 km, Above 60 km), By Battery Capacity (Less than 10 kWh, 10 to 20 kWh, More than 20 kWh), By Region, Competition.

New York, June 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market  Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2018-2028F" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06471079/?utm_source=GNW



Global Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market size has increased in 2021 when compared with total sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2020.

In plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), an internal combustion engine and the electric motor are powered by gasoline and batteries, respectively.Regenerative braking, wall outlets, or charging equipment have all been used to charge Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle batteries.



Automobiles can fully run on electric motors until the battery depletes, and later it automatically switches back to an ICE vehicle. Battery pack, charging port, DC/DC converter, electric generator, electric traction motor, power electronics controller, onboard charger, internal combustion engine (spark-ignited), etc., are some of the components that make up a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

The global electric vehicle market has shown significant growth in 2021.The Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market increased its overall share in 2021 and is expected to develop at a gradual pace in the projected years.



Along with plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles, there are various light-duty plug-in hybrid electric vehicle models currently on the market.

The vehicle industry saw a decline in sales in 2020 and 2021 as a result of COVID-19, which is linked to weaker economic growth.Restrictions on the import of parts from China had an impact on the majority of factories and assembly lines for the manufacture of automobiles.



The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) estimates that worldwide vehicle manufacturing will fall by 13% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Furthermore, the market for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is seeing an increase in demand due to the growing trend for zero-emission vehicles and a limited range of 40-60 km for daily commutes, which is boosting sales of electric vehicles globally.

Increasing Demand for Electric Vehicles and Environment Concerns

Many governments are focusing on lowering the usage of cars that emit Greenhouse gases and fuel-based energy while also supporting low-carbon energy alternatives.The demand for electric vehicles is increasing as technology advances, which in turn affects the size of the electric vehicle market.



According to the IEA, the total number of electric vehicles sold in 2021 reached more than 6.8 million units. Additionally, China sold twice as many PHEVs in 2021 than in 2020, reaching more than 600,000 units. Overall, as a result of the aforementioned factors, demand for PHEV vehicles is expected to rise in the upcoming years.

Rising Demand for Everyday Short Distance Travel

Many consumers continue to prioritize driving the range of electric vehicles.In order to increase sales, automakers often strive for longer ranges.



New plug-in hybrid vehicle models average driving range increased by 8.5% in 2021 and surpassed 60 km, which increases demand for everyday short commute travel. Many consumers prefer PHEVs over ICE vehicles due to the additional advantage of the extended EV range for daily commutes. Nearly two third of the global market for electric cars share is captured by China, Europe, and the United States. Less than 5% of all sales are in developing nations such as Brazil, India, and Indonesia. However, there has been considerable growth in recent years. In 2021, total plug-in hybrid vehicle sales globally increased by over 90% from the previous year, and the majority of plug-in hybrid vehicles worldwide sales came from China.



High Initial Cost of Vehicle

Plug-in hybrid vehicles have an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.The availability of new plug-in hybrid electric models with larger batteries and lower-rated CO2 emissions are factors contributing to this growth.



Longer driving distance necessitates larger batteries, more resources, and more expensive components.There are numerous factors that lead to a higher initial cost of purchasing, even if maintaining electric vehicles is less expensive than maintaining internal combustion engines (ICE), which accounts for slower adoption in many countries.



However, some of the costs can be mitigated by fuel savings and other financial incentives and subsidies. However, the high overall cost of plug-in hybrid vehicles over ICE vehicles is anticipated to slow down the plug-in hybrid electric market growth.

Market Segmentation

The global plug-in hybrid electric market is segmented by vehicle type, powertrain, range, battery capacity, and by region.On the basis of vehicle type, the market is segmented into Passenger cars, Light Commercial vehicles, and Medium & Heavy Commercial vehicles.



Based on powertrain, the market is divided into Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid, and Combined Hybrid.Based on the range, the market is segmented into Up to 40 km, 40 to 60 km, and Above 60 km.



Based on battery capacity, it is further divided into Less than 10 kWh, 10 to 20 kWh, and More than 20 kWh. The market analysis also studies the regional segmentation to devise a regional market, divided among Asia-Pacific, Europe & CIS, North America, South America, Middle East & Africa.

Company Profiles

Renault SA, Nissan Motor Corporation Ltd., Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Company Ltd., General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Daimler AG, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation are the key players developing advanced technologies to stay competitive in the market and enhancing their product portfolio in the regions to increase their customer outreach.



Report Scope:



In this report, global plug-in hybrid electric vehicle Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market, By Vehicle Type:

o Passenger Car

o Light Commercial Vehicle

o Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle

 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market, By Powertrain:

o Series Hybrid

o Parallel Hybrid

o Combined Hybrid

 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market, By Range:

o Up to 40 km

o 40 to 60 km

o Above 60 km

 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market, By Battery Capacity:

o Less than 10 kWh

o 10 to 20 kWh

o More than 20 kWh

 Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market, By Region:

o Asia-Pacific

China

India

Japan

South Korea

Australia

Thailand

o North America

United States

Canada

Mexico

o Europe & CIS

Germany

Russia

France

Spain

Italy

United Kingdom

Sweden

Belgium

Denmark

Netherland

o South America

Argentina

Brazil

Colombia

o Middle East and Africa

Israel

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

South Africa



Competitive Landscape



Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in global Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market.



Available Customizations:



With the given market data, we offers customizations according to a companys specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:



Company Information



 Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06471079/?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.



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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




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Most workers in America are counting on Social Security income to help fund their retirement. After all, ever since they began working, they have been paying Social Security taxes based on the expectation that they'll be receiving benefits in the future. But the reality is that the Social Security trust fund is expected to be exhausted by 2033.

This doesn't mean Social Security will go away entirely, as there will always be workers paying into the system, but it does mean that your benefits are likely to be reduced. That's why now is the time to plan ahead for a retirement without Social Security, so that any benefits you may receive can just be icing on the cake for you.

Social Security: No Matter Your Age, Do Not Claim Benefits Until You Reach This Milestone

Learn: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement

mixetto / Getty Images

Work Longer

The unfortunate truth for many Americans is that they'll have to work longer to offset any reduction in Social Security benefits. However, this might not be as discouraging as it seems. For starters, many workers actually enjoy their jobs. The social interaction and sense of fulfillment they get from working at their job is a healthy combination of factors that can actually help extend life.

Plus, the more years that you work, the longer you can enjoy retirement. Even just a couple of extra years of work can be a big help in providing a secure retirement, as most workers are at their peak earnings rate shortly before they retire.

Retirement Savings: Experts Say This Magic Number Is the Key -- and It's Not $1 Million

See: Here's What the Average Social Security Payment Will Be in Summer 2023

nevarpp / iStock.com

Increase Your 401(k) Contributions

Increasing your 401(k) contribution is one of the best ways to help fund your retirement. Not only will you increase your tax-deferred earnings, but you may also garner a more sizable matching contribution from your employer.

Higher 401(k) contributions are particularly important when you are younger, as your account will have a longer period of time to benefit from the effects of compounding. However, even if you're approaching retirement, the more funding you can get into your 401(k), the less likely you are to outlive your money once you retire.

Read: 10 Brilliant Ways To Reduce Your Taxes in Retirement

shapecharge / Getty Images

Save Outside of Your Retirement Plans

You'll generally get the most bang for your buck investing for retirement in a tax-deferred account like a 401(k) plan. However, there's nothing stopping you from saving extra money outside of a formal retirement plan to boost your savings.

Even contributing $100 extra dollars per week or month to a regular, taxable investment account can provide you with enough additional savings by retirement to help offset any future cuts to Social Security payouts.

szefei / Shutterstock.com

Boost Your Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is the cornerstone of any good financial plan. Without an emergency fund, you'll have to dip into your retirement savings or even go into debt to take care of unexpected expenses. With a smaller Social Security check awaiting you in retirement, a bigger emergency fund is a must, as you'll have less income to help cover unplanned costs.

Once you stop working, you won't have any additional income to shore up your emergency fund, so start on this step as soon as you can.

digitalskillet / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Earn More Income Now

The most straightforward way to counteract reduced Social Security income in retirement is to earn more money now. While this may be easier said than done, there are a number of strategies that can help you earn more while you're still working. For example, if you've been at your job for a number of years and haven't received a raise, don't be afraid to go to your supervisor and ask for one.

Another option is to pick up a side gig. Working a few extra hours per week at a different employer or even selling items on the internet from home can generate anything from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars every month, and that can make a huge difference for your retirement savings.

Learn More: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job

firemanYU / iStock.com

Turn Your Hobby Into Income During Retirement

While you may not want to get a "real job" after you retire, there are likely plenty of options that can help generate revenue for you. If you have any hobbies that require specialized knowledge or skills, you may be able to turn those into profit centers even after you retire.

For example, if your hobby is woodworking, you can likely sell some of your pieces either locally or on the internet to earn a few bucks. The same is true for countless other hobbies, from needlework to baking to writing.

MikeCanada / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Relocate

There's a wide variety in the cost of living across America, and indeed all over the world. One way to give yourself an immediate "raise" is to move to a lower-cost area.

For example, if you were born and raised in Los Angeles, you might be shocked to discover the cost of living in places like Arkansas, where you may be able to buy a 1,500-square-foot, two-bedroom, three-bath house for $175,000 and the cost of regular gas is just $3.13 per gallon.

Ridofranz / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Check Your Pension Status

Not many companies offer a traditional pension plan anymore, but if you have changed jobs a lot in your life, you might have left some money behind you that you didn't even know about. If you're nearing retirement age, it's actually likely that you have earned pension money somewhere along the line, and it behooves you to examine where that money might be.

If you're a younger worker, consider seeking out employers that do still offer traditional pensions, which allow you to earn retirement savings from your employer at no cost to you while you're still saving on your own.

See: I'm a Financial Advisor Who Knows What Retirees Actually Do With Their Savings (It Might Surprise You)

DragonImages / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Get Good Insurance

Insurance programs like Medicare are designed to cover some of your medical costs in retirement, but Medicare alone won't cover everything, especially non-medical expenses. You'll likely need additional insurance policies to help protect against claims draining your available funds.

You may consider getting some lifelong insurance policies while you're still young, both to help keep costs down and to prevent any claims from draining your money allocated for savings.

RichVintage / Getty Images

Adjust Your Investment Strategy

If you're too conservative with your investment strategy, you might be far behind where you need to be by the time you retire. Many retirement models are built on the assumption that you'll earn 8% to 10% per year on your investments, and that may indeed be the long-term average in a portfolio dedicated 100% to U.S. equities. However, if you have too much money in bonds, cash or other lesser-performing asset classes, you'll get nowhere near where you expect to be if you're assuming that 8% to 10% return.

While you should consult with your financial advisor to develop a portfolio that's in line with your investment objectives and risk tolerance, being too conservative with your investments will likely lead to disappointing results by the time you retire, especially in an environment of reduced Social Security payouts.

More From GOBankingRates

Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How To Retire Without Social Security
Passive investing in an index fund is a good way to ensure your own returns roughly match the overall market. When you buy individual stocks, you can make higher profits, but you also face the risk of under-performance. For example, the Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (LON:PPHC) share price is down 11% in the last year. That's disappointing when you consider the market declined 2.3%. We wouldn't rush to judgement on Public Policy Holding Company because we don't have a long term history to look at.

Now let's have a look at the company's fundamentals, and see if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

Check out our latest analysis for Public Policy Holding Company

Public Policy Holding Company isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

In the last year Public Policy Holding Company saw its revenue grow by 9.5%. While that may seem decent it isn't great considering the company is still making a loss. Given this lacklustre revenue growth, the share price drop of 11% seems pretty appropriate. It's important not to lose sight of the fact that profitless companies must grow. So remember, if you buy a profitless company then you risk being a profitless investor.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Public Policy Holding Company, it has a TSR of -2.7% for the last 1 year. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

A Different Perspective

While Public Policy Holding Company shareholders are down 2.7% for the year (even including dividends), the market itself is up 2.3%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Notably, the loss over the last year isn't as bad as the 3.6% drop in the last three months. So it seems like some holders have been dumping the stock of late - and that's not bullish. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Public Policy Holding Company better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Public Policy Holding Company (including 1 which shouldn't be ignored) .

Public Policy Holding Company is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on British exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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By Scott Murdoch and Kane Wu

SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese companies are finding it challenging to get timely regulatory approvals for overseas share offerings as scrutiny of their proposals has intensified under new listing rules, frustrating potential issuers and investment bankers.

Since the launch of the overhauled listing regime on March 31, not a single Chinese firm has gone through the process and successfully listed in their favoured destinations of Hong Kong or the U.S., publicly available data showed.

The trend underscores mounting challenges for Chinese firms looking to raise capital offshore even as an unprecedented regulatory crackdown on private enterprises over the last three years has ebbed and Beijing is looking to shore up its economy.

China's long-awaited rules for offshore stock exchange listings form part of a regulatory tightening on cross-border listings after years of a laissez-faire approach.

The Chinese securities regulator has accepted offshore listing filings from 14 companies as of June 15, and is awaiting additional documents from 38 other firms for their filings to be accepted, public disclosures showed.

Out of the 52 planned listings, as many as 43 are for Hong Kong and nine are for the U.S.

Only two firms - self-driving technology firm iMotion Automotive Technology (Suzhou) and food company Shiyue Daotian Group, have successfully completed their listing filings with the securities regulator to float shares in Hong Kong, showed the disclosures.

The two are, however, yet to go public.

Under the new regime, the waiting time for approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) for offshore listings has increased to at least six months from the earlier 2-3 months, said a Hong Kong-based capital markets lawyer.

Only companies from selective industries are able to win the CSRC's approval to list offshore, said the lawyer, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The CSRC did not respond to a request for comment.

Among those awaiting CSRC's green light are JD.com's property and industrial units, which the online retailer planned to float in Hong Kong as soon as possible in what could be a $1 billion deal each, people with knowledge of the two IPOs said.

JD.com was hoping to list at least one of the units by mid-year, said one of the people. The earliest the IPOs can happen now is the third quarter, given the pending approvals, the sources said.

CSRC disclosures showed the listing filings of the two units are pending "additional materials".

JD.com did not respond to a request for comment.

REGULATORY 'BLACKBOX'

The new listing regime requires CSRC to respond within 20 working days upon accepting an issuer's listing filing. If the regulator deems the filing incomplete, it can ask an issuer to submit additional documents within five days of receiving the filing, and an issuer will need to respond within 30 days.

Submitting additional materials can be time-consuming and thus delay the listing process, said bankers and lawyers.

A banker said the approval process has become a "blackbox", as the CSRC also needs comments from other industry supervisory bodies before making a decision, and in most cases it's not clear which part of the process the application gets stuck in.

On Tuesday, Asia's largest financial lobby group told Reuters the new rules have left bankers and lawyers who work on listings unsure how to take on liabilities and avoid breaching tightened confidentiality rules.

(Reporting by Scott Murdoch in Sydney and Kane Wu in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
The chicken sandwich wars are heating back up. Just ask top execs at Popeyes and McDonald's.

Popeyes and Burger King parent company Restaurant Brands International (QSR) and its rivals are still pouring money into the chicken sandwich wars.

After years of chicken sandwich competition among fast food giants  including McDonald's (MCD), Chick-fil-A, Wendy's (WEN), and KFC (YUM)  the new Restaurant Brands CEO told Yahoo Finance that the company is preparing even more chicken sandwich innovation in hopes that the menu item can once again fatten profit margins and customer engagement.

"I think we totally changed the game in chicken sandwiches a few years back with the Popeyes chicken sandwich," Restaurant Brands International CEO Joshua Kobza told Yahoo Finance Live (video above). "For me, it is hands down the absolute best product out there in the space. ... I don't know why anyone would go anywhere else because our product is so amazing, and we've been doing some new things with our chicken sandwiches as well."

"We just launched a blackened chicken sandwich," Kobza continued, "and we're launching even more innovation around our chicken sandwich through the back half of this year."

Randy Estrada holds up his chicken sandwiches at a Popeyes, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, in Kyle, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Chicken sandwiches becoming 'as robust as the burger business'

When Popeyes entered the chicken sandwich wars in 2019, it was met with a viral social media reception that led to a multi-year influx of new franchisees and restaurant growth.

At the height of that demand, Popeyes systemwide sales (from both company- and franchisee-owned stores) grew 18.5% for the year. The performance of the "Louisiana Kitchen" that year handily overshadowed the growth of sister company Burger King, at 9.3%, and competitor McDonald's, which reported constant currency systemwide sales growth of 7%.

While Restaurant Brands International gained consumer mindshare early on, the fast food chain's stock struggled to outpace its quick service industry competitors. But recent turnaround efforts at Restaurant Brands have been well underway, as reflected in the stock's 19% gain year to date.

Last year, Popeyes experienced its strongest year of restaurant growth since it was acquired by Restaurant Brands in 2017, increasing its number of restaurants by 10.4%. And in the first quarter of 2023, Burger King sales grew by a solid 10.8% while Popeyes sales rose by 5.6%.

However, Restaurant Brands faces competition from other quick-service restaurants that aren't showing signs of retreating.

When asked recently whether the chicken sandwich wars are done, McDonald's chief marketing and customer experience officer Tariq Hassan replied, "No."

"We continue to steal share in that side of the business," Hassan told Yahoo Finance at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. "It is going to be as robust as the burger business is. As you look at the consumption of chicken in the country, it continues to grow. We are not taking our eye off the ball. We've got a great sandwich in [the] McCrispy."

Brad Smith is an anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @thebradsmith.

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(Bloomberg) -- Hundreds of millions of euros heading into Romania during a major share offering are set to add pressure in the coming weeks to the local currency market, where any sharp moves in the leu have been tightly controlled by the central bank.

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The leu will probably see inflows when foreign investors exchange funds to buy local shares in power producer Hidroelectrica SA, whose offering is estimated at as much as 8.7 billion lei ($1.9 billion) and is expected to close on July 4.

The expected move in the leu is set to test the central banks tolerance for moves in the currency. The authority will likely step in to temper the appreciation and keep the leu stable below or close to 5 against the euro this year, according to economists.

The Romanian central bank declined to comment, as part of their regular practice of not commenting on currency moves.

It is reasonable to assume that out of the more than 1 billion estimated inflows from institutional investors, a fair size will be fresh money into the Romanian market, said ING Bank Romania economist Valentin Tataru.

Closed-end fund Fondul Proprietatea SA, which is managed by Franklin Templeton Investments, is seeking to sell about 17.3% of its 20% holding in Hidroelectrica on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The largest part of the stake is offered to institutional investors and only 15% to retail investors. Demand already exceeds the full deal size throughout the price range, according to terms of the deal seen by Bloomberg News.

Given the limited depth of the local FX market, a transitory appreciation of the leu could be envisaged and might test the central banks limited tolerance for downside EUR/RON moves, INGs Tataru said.

Support Level

Tataru sees the 4.92 area as a good support level for the leu and predicted the currency will weaken slightly to 5.02 against the euro by the end of the year.

The leu has been one of the most stable currencies this year in eastern Europe under the central banks managed floating regime. Neighboring Hungarys forint weakened to a record low last year amid a dispute with the European Union over funding, before paring a large part of the losses in volatile trading.

To be sure, the leu has recently gone through a weakening spell as well, hitting a record low last month after the central bank signaled it will allow more flexibility as part of a move aimed at curbing a recent jump in foreign-currency loans. It has since rebounded and traded at 4.9658 against the euro by 4:48 p.m. in Bucharest.

Weve had the most stable exchange rate in the region, barring some episodes of ups and downs and I think well see such an episode this summer, as the Hidroelectrica IPO will help with inflows, BRD-Societe Generale SA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Claudiu Cercel told a banking summit in Bucharest this week. But this is just conjecture, and excluding these factors, I think well see a stable currency and the leu will stay below 5 against euro this year.

The central banks market operations director Victor Andrei also reinforced the view that the Bucharest-based regulator aims to keep volatility in check.

A fluctuation of the exchange rate in a relative stability ensured by the cental bank is pretty important, Andrei said at the same banking forum this week. There are quite a few people and companies that tend to forget theres a foreign exchange risk and potential currency swings bring back the awareness about that risk.

(Updates currency level below subhead, adds comment by central bank official in last two paragraphs.)

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Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters

A senior Russian general who reportedly had advance knowledge of Yevgeniy Prigozhins shocking coup attempt last weekend hasnt been seen since Saturday, with reports circulating Wednesday that the alleged turncoat had been thrown in a Moscow prison.

Two sources close to Russias Ministry of Defense told The Moscow Times, an independent outlet, that Sergei Surovikin had been taken into custody. In the context of Prigozhin apparently he [Surovikin] chose the side [of Prigozhin during the rebellion] and they grabbed him by the balls, one source said.

Blogger Vladimir Romanov also claimed on Telegram that Surovikin was rounded up on Sunday by the Deputy Commander of the Joint Group of Troops (Forces) and taken away to Lefortovo, a prison in Moscow.

However, Surovikins deputy, Colonel General Andrei Yudin, denied Wednesday that Surovikin had been detained.

The Ministry of Defense has not publicly commented on Surovikin, who hasnt been seen since he recorded a video on Saturday during the mutiny, according to the Financial Times.

Opposition Figures Fear Prigozhin May Try Another Mutiny in Belarus

The confusion over his possible arrest comes as the Kremlin is doing a sweep to find out who sympathized with Prigozhins mutiny, according to The New York Times, which first reported that Surovikin knew of Prigozhins march on Moscow in advance. Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko negotiated Prigozhin into calling off the march on Moscow and exiling to Belarus, the attempted mutiny could be a key indicator that loyalties to Putin have been disintegrating behind the scenes.

Prigozhin and Putin have been infighting for months over Russias support to Prigozhins Wagner mercenaries, who have been fighting in Ukraine. Wagner fighters have begged Moscow to provide them more ammunition to help the war effort, to no avail. Prigozhin staged his rebellion over the weekend in order to call for the removal of Russias defense minister, Sergei Shoigu.

Surovikin, for his part, was previously in charge of Russias forces in Ukraine, until Putin removed him from the role early this year.

U.S. officials are still reportedly working to determine if Surovikin helped plan Prigozhins plot, or whether he simply knew about it beforehand, according to the Times. There are other Russian generals who supported Prigozhins mutiny, U.S. officials told The New York Times.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Qatar Airways is sharing its Eid Al Adha festivities with passengers onboard and at its global premium lounges by creating memorable experiences showcased through special product designs and passenger giveaways.



The airlines Eid Al Adha celebrations will start from June 28 to July 1 in both Premium and Economy cabins.



Marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage and the start of Eid Al Adha holiday, Qatar Airways will welcome Premium passengers onboard with celebratory beverages, and invite them to explore a bespoke a la carte menu that feature lentil soup, Middle Eastern spiced prawns and a special local dish prepared by Chef Aisha Al Tamimi. Meals will be presented with a themed festive lantern, napkin band, beverage coaster, and a dessert box filled with traditional Baklava.



Passengers travelling in the Economy cabin can select from holiday favourites including dates and Couscos salad with Labneh and a traditional grilled Kofta with Bukhari rice. Food will be served with a custom made cutlery band, featuring a special message wishing passengers a blessed Eid. When travellers are ready for desserts, they can indulge in a Kunefe cheesecake  an indulgent holiday dessert.



Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive. Akbar Al Baker, said: Eid Al Adha signifies an important occasion for our passengers; it is a time for sharing gifts and spreading positivity, as well a time to reunite with ones friends and family. At Qatar Airways, we take pride in connecting passengers with their loved ones. To make their travel journey a memorable experience, we have added small gestures to make our passengers smile at every touchpoint. On behalf of Qatar Airways, I wish you and your families a very blessed Eid.



At Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways will host Eid celebrations at Al Safwa First and Al Mourjan Business Lounges, where passengers will be offered a variety of welcome drinks including Qamar Al-Deen, Tamar-Hindi, and Jallab. In addition, customers will also be able to treat themselves to a selection of Eid flavours that will be offered as part of the lounges expansive food menus. The celebrations will also continue in our global Premium Lounges at Bangkok, Beirut, London, Paris, and Singapore.  TradeArabia News Service
FILE PHOTO: The company logo for Salesforce.com is displayed on the Salesforce Tower in New York

LONDON (Reuters) - Salesforce will invest $4 billion in its UK business in the next five years, the U.S. software company said on Thursday, thanks to strong demand for digital transformations and artificial intelligence.

The company said the plan builds on a previous five-year injection of $2.5 billion it set out in 2018.

The new investment will be seen as a boost to the country's tech industry coming weeks after Microsoft's president Brad Smith criticised a regulatory decision to block its takeover of Activision Blizzard, saying it had "shaken confidence" in Britain.

"Salesforce's major investment in its UK business over the next five years is a ringing endorsement of our economy, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in the statement released by the NYSE-listed company.

During his Washington visit earlier this month, Sunak set out plans to host a global summit on AI safety in Britain later this year as governments around the world scramble to draw up rules on the use of the revolutionary technology.

Salesforce said it would work with the government to drive the next wave of digital transformation "in this new AI era."

"A clear pro-innovation regulatory framework that compels safe and responsible use of AI is vital, and Salesforce is fully focused on bringing secure, trusted, enterprise ready generative AI to UK businesses," Salesforce UKI boss Zahra Bahrololoumi said.

Earlier in June Salesforce blamed an uncertain U.S. economy and weaker demand from financial services and tech companies for its disappointing quarterly results.

(Reporting by Muvija M; editing by Sarah Young)
Small boats

Serco, one of Britains biggest outsourcers, has boosted its profits forecast as demand for immigration services soars amid a mounting asylum backlog.

Shares in the company jumped as much as 12pc on Thursday after it said demand for its immigration services business, which includes detention centres, had more than made up for a decline in contracts after the pandemic. Sercos stock later pared back slightly to close 9.6pc higher at 155.9p.

Serco is also benefitting from a boom in defence, particularly in the US where the outsourcers operations include ship design and managing computer systems.

Mark Irwin, chief executive of Serco said: We have had a strong start to the year, including robust demand for immigration services.

Governments around the world are increasingly looking to us to help them with the complex and difficult challenges they face and our enhanced focus on customers, colleagues and capabilities enables us to respond to their needs. This is driving growth in a number of areas of our international business and enables us to upgrade our guidance for the year.

Serco has now projected that sales during the first half of the year will be 13pc higher than forecast at 2.5bn. For the year as a whole, sales will be 4.8bn, 6pc higher than it has previously envisaged. It estimates trading profit, its favoured earnings measurement, will be 245m, 4pc higher than previously thought.

The company said: ORS, the business we acquired in September 2022 to enter the European immigration services market, has traded ahead of expectations with robust underlying demand due to global migration patterns.

It comes as the Government faces resistance in having its small boats bill passed by the House of Lords and the legal system.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said she will not take a 'backwards step' on plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda - Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Peers were accused of wrecking the bill on Wednesday night by voting to allow Channel migrants claiming asylum and modern slavery to remain in the UK.

Lords including Tory peers inflicted four defeats on the Government by amending the Illegal Migration Bill ahead of Thursdays key Court of Appeal judgement. Plans to deport migrants to Rwanda to claim asylum there were deemed unlawful by judges.

Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, is expected to seek to reverse the amendments when the Bill returns to the Commons next month but is likely to face opposition from senior Tories, including former prime minister Theresa May and former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith.

Ms Braverman said she will not take a backward step on the Governments plans to tackle the small boats crisis despite suffering a significant setback at the Court of Appeal.

Rishi Sunak said he fundamentally disagreed with the decision and the Government will seek to appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Ms Braverman responded to the ruling by saying she remained fully committed to the Rwanda policy.

Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of having no clue and absolutely no plan to tackle the migrant Channel crossings after the Rwanda policy was blocked by the Court of Appeal.

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Seth Pitts to take over as CEO of Bay State Savings Bank in Worcester

Seth Pitts, left, and Peter Alden

WORCESTER - Peter B. Alden, the president and CEO of Bay State Savings Bank, will retire at the end of the summer.

Seth Pitts, now the chief financial officer and an executive vice president, will take over the top spot when Alden leaves, effective Aug. 31.

The Worcester-based bank announced the change in leadership Thursday.

Peters retirement caps a great period in which he led the Bank to growth of nearly twice our size since he joined, said William Fay, chairman of Bay State's Board of Directors.

Alden became CEO of the bank in July 2011.

Pitts joined Bay State Savings Bank in 2020 after time with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and other government agencies.

I plan to build on the foundation Peter laid and prepare Bay State to continue to serve our communities for at least another 100 years," he said.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Seth Pitts to take over as CEO of Bay State Savings Bank in Worcester
The good ole' days: Terminals in Shenzhen, China, were chock full during the COVID-era boom. (Photo: Shutterstock/Weiming Xie)

A strong Chinese economy creates a virtuous cycle for ocean shipping. The manufacture of goods fills container ships and car carriers on the way out, and directly or indirectly drives demand for bulk commodities that fill bulkers and tankers on the way in.

Exports became even more important to Chinas economy in recent years as COVID curbed domestic consumption and a credit crunch squeezed property development. Now, Western demand for Chinese containerized exports has dropped just as the post-COVID rebound in Chinese domestic spending is faltering.

People really expected China to come out and really accelerate but the Chinese recovery has been really poor, said Ole Slorer, head of infrastructure and energy at investment bank BTIG, at the Marine Money Week conference on June 22.

Chinese stimulus is still believed to be coming, but there is growing sentiment that it wont be big enough  or raw materials-intensive enough  to jump-start bulk commodity shipping rates. After the global financial crisis, China engaged in a mega-stimulus. We should not expect to see a mega-stimulus this time around, said Duncan Wringley, chief China economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, during a presentation on June 20.

As for Chinas all-important containerized exports, the spot rates tell the story: The Freightos Baltic Daily Index for the China-North America West Coast lane put spot rates at just $1,190 per forty-foot equivalent unit on Tuesday. Thats down 17% from June 6 and 14% year to date.

Average spot rates in USD per FEU. (Chart: FreightWaves SONAR)

Exports playing a bigger role in steel demand

China drives everything in the dry bulk shipping world and everyone seems to be waiting for this big stimulus, which always seems to be right around the corner, said Serafino Capoferri, associate director of asset manager Macquarie, at Marine Money Week.





Shipping rate optimism rests on stimulus in the property and infrastructure sectors that would hike demand for steel and thus demand for imported volumes of iron ore and metallurgical coal.

Macquaries Serafino Capoferri. (Photo: Marine Money/David Butler)

But Capoferri stressed the importance of Chinese exports to steel, and by extension, Chinese dry bulk imports. One point that is very important to make, especially when youre thinking in terms of stimulus, is that since the pandemic, the manufacturing sector has played a much bigger role when it comes to overall steel consumption in China.

Very often in this industry [shipping] we think its all about property development, but in reality, manufacturings share of total steel demand has grown, really driven by this export boom weve seen since 2020. Clearly, China remains the factory of the world, and exported goods contain a lot of commodities and a lot of steel.



The best example of steel use in exports (albeit noncontainerized) is automobiles. Chinese auto exports have tripled since 2020.

Altogether, Macquarie estimates China indirectly exported 143 million tons of steel via goods exports last year, or 14% of production, not including direct exports of finished steel. The numbers highlight how important manufacturing has become and how exposed China is to the ex-China cycle, said Capoferri.

Pronounced slowdown of exports in 2nd half?

Wringley said, Demand is slowing down and wheres that demand slowing down? Number one, on the external side of things. Manufacturing is cooling, quite obviously.

Chinas goods exports bounced in March then fell back. The strongest reason for the bump in March was the catch-up with back orders that built up during the zero-COVID policy and the exit [infection] waves as zero-COVID was dropped, Wringley said.

That brief catch-up period has already begun to fade as we go into June and the second half of the year. If you look around the world, global demand is clearly slowing. If you look at other Asian countries like Korea, exports have been falling quite sharply.

There will be a little bit of a cushioning effect as China has managed to diversify exports to nontraditional markets, like Belt and Road [supply chain partner countries], like  notoriously  Russia, and to some other countries. But I think that can only partly mitigate what is going to be a pronounced slowdown of exports in the second half of the year.

Data from Descartes shows that U.S. containerized imports from China have followed the same pattern as the broader market, falling back from one-off COVID-era peaks. U.S. imports from China in January to May were down 26% from the same period last year.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Descartes Datamyne)

They dont want another big debt hangover

According to Pantheon, manufacturing accounts for 27.5% of production inputs to Chinese GDP, with construction at 53.5%, services at 12.1% and other production at 6.9%.

Dry bulk shipping has historically benefited from Chinese stimulus that spurs construction. But Wringley said there are risks that are holding back the government from pushing the traditional stimulus pedals in the property sector or really boosting infrastructure.

They dont want another big debt hangover, he said. In addition, there are just fewer economically productive opportunities for investment in property development and infrastructure. The more you try to accelerate infrastructure, the more local governments reach for those white elephant projects.

Wringley believes there will be stimulus, but it will be pretty limited stimulus.

Stimulus upside: Nothing too cray-cray

According to Capoferri, Theres no question the government is moving more and more toward supporting the economy, but we dont think were going to see a big push on property this time around. The structure of the Chinese economy has changed. Services are much more important than they used to be, and manufacturing as well.

A bulk carrier unloads iron ore at a Chinese terminal. (Photo: Shutterstock/Ambient Pix)

The property sector faces a lot of structural challenges. Its obviously a saturated market in the sense that urbanization is slowing and demographics are not as favorable, so pushing that sector would bring risks, particularly around financial stability, and we think the Chinese leadership is aware of this.

Thats why we think these hopes of a big push for property have been consistently disappointed. The market has been waiting for a property stimulus for 12-18 months and it hasnt happened.

What we think is more likely is more targeted support measures around other sectors. And within the infrastructure basket, we think it will focus on areas like the power grid and the energy transition  and unfortunately [for commodity shipping], those are not super steel-intensive.

Pessimism on stimulus upside for dry bulk rates is growing. New stimulus measures could bring a little boost to the market, but nothing too cray-cray, said ship brokerage BRS.

Crude imports strong but signs of weakness emerge

Amid the daunting outlook for container exports and unexceptional outlook for dry bulk imports, Chinas liquid bulk imports have outperformed. Liquefied gas carriers transporting propone from the U.S. to China are in high demand, and Middle East-to-China oil volumes supported a temporary spike in supertanker rates earlier this month.

According to data from price-reporting agency Argus, Chinas crude imports averaged 12.1 million barrels per day (b/d) in May and 12.3 million b/d in March. The only two months on record with higher volumes were June and July 2020, when COVID heavily depressed crude prices.

(Chart: FreightWaves based on data from Argus)

Yet here too, there are bearish signs that Chinese shipping volumes may not grow as much as hoped.

A laden tanker off Qingdao, China. (Photo: Shutterstock/Igor Grochev)

Ship brokerage Braemar said Wednesday the Chinese National Petroleum Co. cut its 2023 forecast for Chinas year-on-year oil demand growth to 3.5%, from 5.1%.

Brokerage and consultancy Poten & Partners said Friday that jet fuel demand growth is lagging  [and] one of the key reasons is China. While domestic flights are booming, international flights are lagging. Poten said growth in Chinas international flights has been focused on regional flights with destinations in Southeast Asia  short-haul routes that consume much less fuel than long-haul routes to North America and Europe.

Argus said in mid-June that crude prices had eased on slower-than-anticipated Chinese demand growth.

Argus reported Friday that Chinese crude imports  continue to pile up in storage tanks while apparent refined products demand  refinery output plus net products trade  dropped by 560,000 b/d in May versus April. Chinese oil demand remained high in May but emerging signs of weakness suggest a significant pullback is in the cards, warned Argus.

Related articles:

The post Shipping faces fallout as Chinas post-COVID rebound falls flat appeared first on FreightWaves.
(Bloomberg) -- Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping are trying to ease tensions and calm trade fights between the world's top economies. The collapse of a project in the American heartland shows just how deep a chill has set in.Biden dispatched Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a visit to Beijing and a meeting with Xi last week, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is planning her own visit in July, according to people familiar with the matter. But Bidens gestures are accompanied by a souring national mood on China. Underneath the pomp of top-tier visits by US officials, there is growing resentment among ordinary Americans and state and local politicians toward Chinese attempts at US investment. Theres no clearer example of the grassroots shift in sentiment than in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where a failed agricultural complex led to new proposals at both the federal and state level to restrict China-linked development.The city this year abandoned a project that, just two years earlier, it had aggressively sought as an economic bonanza: a $700 million corn mill that would have risen from rich farmland on the outskirts of the community. The mill faced a groundswell of opposition, especially regarding its owner: a Chinese company, Fufeng Group.

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The saga touched off a battle emblematic of growing US angst about Chinese investment. It combined swirling local concerns, opaque federal rules, saber-rattling politicians and potential loopholes in security laws, ultimately concluding with an unusual public warning from the Air Force that the corn mill posed a national security threat.The ripples reached beyond Grand Forks, as Bidens administration in May quietly moved to tighten scrutiny of foreign property purchases near the citys Air Force base and other military facilities.

Read more: Blinkens China Trip Yields Best Possible Result: More TalksThe abandoned corn mill also illustrates a political shift. Politicians who once backed the project including North Dakotas governor, Doug Burgum, a Republican running for president  now oppose it. Some Republican-led states, including Burgums, seek to restrict or outright ban Chinese property purchases. The mayor of Grand Forks, Brandon Bochenski, says cities like his shouldnt be left to determine foreign investment policy.

Until there is an actual strategy, I dont see how you can have really any investment from China  whether its ag, or tech, or anything, Bochenski said in an interview in a city building that once housed the local newspaper.

Right now, I think thats the problem, he said. "Theres no clear direction from the federal government.

`Great Day for Grand Forks

Fufeng Groups corn mill once looked like an economic prize. It promised hundreds of jobs and enough corn products to fill 180 train cars a week. Grand Forks won the project over about two dozen other Midwest locations.

Fufeng Group, founded in 1999 and listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, is the worlds largest manufacturer of the common food additives monosodium glutamate and xanthan gum, according to its website. Its investors include Treetop Asset Management, Blackrock Inc. and the Vanguard Group.

The companys US representatives declined interview requests but said in written responses to questions that it does not pose a national security threat.

Our plant is designed to mill corn and make livestock feed ingredients, the companys spokespeople said. Neither the US company nor the Fufeng Group have any ties to any government, political party, or official.

Fufengs US subsidiary sought in the spring of 2020 to build its first US wet corn mill. The endeavor was dubbed Project Peony, after a flower popular in both China and the US. Grand Forks officials were jubilant when the company notified them theyd won.

Great Day for Grand Forks, Great Day for North Dakota! Keith Lund, who leads the citys economic development agency, wrote in an email.

Local opposition focused at first on concerns such as pollution, subsidies and land use, but soon shifted to the mills ownership.

"Larger and louder than all of the other concerns was a fear of Communist China," said Katie Dachtler, the only member of the city council to initially vote against the project, who has since left office. "And we can't talk about the Chinese without them being 'communists.'"

People in Grand Forks who opposed the project from the start say their political leaders should have seen the trouble coming.You come here because you can get away with stuff, said Frank Matejcek, a farmer who lives just outside the city.

Everyone kept saying they would do due diligence, and look into this, and the company had been vetted and all this stuff, when actually none of this was happening, he said.

Fufeng Fighters

The city and Fufeng signed a deal in May 2022. But as complaints mounted, city leaders grappled for a clear answer about whether the mill could be a front for Chinese spies. City and state officials, including its two senators and the governor, requested a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, or CFIUS, a secretive panel led by Yellen.

It would not have been Grand Forkss first experience doing business with China. Cirrus Aircraft Corp., which operates a factory in the city, is owned by a Chinese government-controlled firm, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft. Cirruss purchase by CAIGA in 2011 was subject to a CFIUS review, which yielded an agreement allowing the government to closely monitor the businesss operations.

But CFIUS told state and local officials it didnt have jurisdiction over the mill. Building the project on land Fufeng had already bought  for $26,000 an acre, according to its opponents, a price they regarded as suspiciously inflated  wasnt considered an acquisition, and the property wasnt close enough to the base to trigger a probe, under rules in effect at the time.

If a wet corn-milling plant run by Fufeng isnt under CFIUS jurisdiction, then CFIUS has a problem, said Kelly Armstrong, the states lone House member.

The Air Force would have its own say. In January, the services assistant secretary, Andrew Hunter, wrote to the states two senators, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven. The Air Forces unambiguous view, Hunter wrote, was that the mill posed a significant threat to national security, with both near- and long-term risks.

The one-page letter didnt elaborate. But political support evaporated, and the city council voted Feb. 6 to end the project  two days after President Joe Biden ordered an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon shot down after it floated across the country.

Spokespeople for the Air Force and the Grand Forks base declined further comment.

Cramer, who received a classified briefing on the project in December, said he has little doubt about Fufengs motive.

It was highly likely that the investment was made to take advantage of its proximity of the Air Force base, the senator said in an interview.

Local opponents  who call themselves the Fufeng Fighters, a play on the name of the rock band Foo Fighters  say the federal government should have been more involved from the start.

Its easy to see how there needs to be more federal scrutiny, said Ben Grzadzielewski, a contractor who organized a petition over a range of concerns, including the mills environmental impact and public subsidies. Because at a local level, its pretty easy to convince them of how great things are, and get them to run with it.

Burgum Reversal

Burgum, the governor who helped woo Fufeng to North Dakota, initially expressed support for the value that a wet corn mill would add for the areas corn growers and the economic benefits to the region, his spokesman Mike Nowatzki said in a statement.

But he said the governor urged an expedited review of the land purchase and shared our U.S. senators concerns about the project several months before it was canceled.

The projects demise has been felt far beyond Grand Forks.

The Treasury Department in May proposed adding the Grand Forks base and seven others to a list of military facilities around which foreign investment within 100 miles triggers a CFIUS review.

The North Dakota saga ended hopes of reviving plans by Chinese state-owned food processor Cofco Corp. to purchase an interest in a Cargill Inc. and CHS Inc. shipping terminal, according to a person familiar with the proposed transaction.

North Dakota passed a law this year banning foreign purchases of agricultural land, except by Canadians. A similar bill in Texas passed the states Senate but died in the House. Floridas government has been sued over a law it adopted earlier this year banning all property purchases by Chinese nationals.

Fufeng still owns its Grand Forks land but is seeking alternative options. The US political climate is working against it.

Bob Scott, the mayor of Sioux City, Iowa, another city Fufeng considered, said in an interview that theres no longer any interest. Following that, up in North Dakota, theyre going to have a very, very difficult time getting a community, he said.

--With assistance from Tyler Kendall, Dave Merrill, Hallie Gu and Isis Almeida.

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
Opcom Holdings Berhad's (KLSE:OPCOM) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18x might make it look like a sell right now compared to the market in Malaysia, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 13x and even P/E's below 8x are quite common. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Opcom Holdings Berhad has been doing very well. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

View our latest analysis for Opcom Holdings Berhad

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Opcom Holdings Berhad will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as high as Opcom Holdings Berhad's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 129% gain to the company's bottom line. Still, EPS has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 12% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

With this information, we find it concerning that Opcom Holdings Berhad is trading at a P/E higher than the market. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Final Word

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

Our examination of Opcom Holdings Berhad revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. When we see weak earnings with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 3 warning signs for Opcom Holdings Berhad (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Latest agreements in EMEA, APAC and LAC will add more than 4,000 future restaurants to Subway's global footprint over next 20 years

MIAMI, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Subway, one of the world's largest restaurant brands, is continuing to strategically expand its international footprint and recently celebrated the signing of its 15th new master franchise agreement over the past two years.

Subway Celebrates 15 New Master Franchise Agreements Since 2021

The brand's latest agreements in Bahrain, Georgia, Mainland China, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Panama will add more than 4,000 future restaurants across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC), and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) within the next 20 years. Since 2021, Subway has signed 15 master franchise agreements or country development agreements across EMEA, LAC and Asia Pacific, totaling more than 9,000 future restaurant commitments.

The master franchise agreements are a continuation of Subway's international strategy to partner with experienced, well-resourced operators with specific market expertise as it strengthens its global presence. The master franchisees will have exclusive rights to manage and develop Subway locations in their respective countries and have committed to remodeling existing locations as well as opening new restaurants in the brand's current, contemporary image.

"There is significant opportunity for Subway to expand its presence around the world and the new master franchise agreements are a reflection of the confidence that operators have in Subway and our transformation journey," said John Chidsey, CEO of Subway. "As we continue to execute against our international expansion strategy, we are excited to grow the brand with new and existing international multi-unit and multi-brand operators to serve more guests around the world."

The agreement in Bahrain will reestablish Subway's footprint in the country  where it opened its first restaurant outside the U.S. in 1984. Food Innovation Company, the new master franchisee, is one of the oldest, family-owned companies in Bahrain, and will help reconnect loyal Bahraini guests to the brand and introduce new ones to Subway's freshly-made, craveable food.

In Georgia, Subway's agreement with Wissol Group will significantly increase the number of restaurants in the country, expand the brand's presence into new cities and solidify Subway's position as a destination for new and existing Georgian guests. Bahrain and Georgia mark the sixth and seventh master franchise agreements in EMEA as the region plans to double its footprint in the coming years.

Mainland China marks Subway's largest master franchise agreement to date. The consortium of investors, joining the Subway family as Shanghai Fu-Rui-Shi Corporate Development Co., Ltd. (FRS), bring decades of experience managing large global QSR chains across Asia and will grow Subway's current footprint in the market by more than seven times.

In LAC, Subway is partnering with Grupo Vierci, a multi-unit, multi-brand operator with experience in the quick service restaurant industry as well as retail brands, to more than double its presence in Uruguay. In addition, Subway signed master franchise agreements in Costa Rica and Panama with operators that are familiar with Subway's business model and a history of success in their respective regions. With these new partners, LAC now has four master franchise agreements in the region, including Brazil, with more to come.

In the past 18 months alone, the brand has opened over 1,000 new restaurants globally, with more than 40% driven by master franchise agreements.

About Subway Restaurants

As one of the world's largest quick service restaurant brands, Subway serves freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls to millions of guests, across more than 100 countries in nearly 37,000 restaurants every day. Subway restaurants are owned and operated by Subway franchisees  a network that includes thousands of dedicated entrepreneurs and small business owners  who are committed to delivering the best guest experience possible in their local communities.

For more Subway News visit: Newsroom (subway.com)

Subway is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP LLC.  2023 Subway IP LLC

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SOURCE Subway Restaurants
For years, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, has crusaded for stakeholder capitalism, the idea that business leaders should value the well-being of people and the planet along with the interests of shareholders.

These woke beliefs  Salesforce offered to relocate employees who were concerned about being able to get an abortion in Texas and stopped selling software to retailers that stock military-style rifles, and Benioff spoke out against Georgia and North Carolina for passing laws that would allow LGBTQ discrimination  have gotten this activist CEO in hot water with conservatives who say hes sacrificing profits for politics.

But Benioff hasnt backed off. Last fall, Salesforce sided with Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in a pair of cases before the Supreme Court challenging the practice of considering race in admissions to build diversity on college campuses.

Co-founder, chairman and CEO of software company Salesforce Marc Benioff attends a session at the Congress centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 17, 2023.

In a 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the high court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

The decision is limited to higher education and wont directly affect employers like Salesforce, which are governed by a different statute. But the ripple effects from the ruling could come quickly, starting with a decline in college graduates from underrepresented backgrounds, meaning the loss of "a pipeline of highly qualified future workers and business leaders," companies from Google to General Electric warned the Supreme Court.

Legal experts say the move to restrict affirmative action also could lead to more challenges in how corporations make hiring and promotion decisions.

Whats more, the affirmative action reversal could emerge as the latest flashpoint in the nation's culture wars. Observers expect the ruling to embolden attacks on corporate diversity and equity and inclusion initiatives as tensions rise over how corporate America should address lingering workplace inequality.

In response, companies are holding discussions and contemplating changes to diversity programs. Some are second-guessing setting public targets for racial diversity in their executive ranks or running leadership training programs exclusively for underrepresented groups. Others are wondering if they should remove diversity from job titles to avoid scrutiny.

But many employers  including Salesforce  say they plan to stay the course.

Salesforce Chief Equality Officer Lori Castillo Martinez

The company says one of its core values is equality, and it has built diversity initiatives from recruiting people from underrepresented backgrounds to creating an employee advocacy program for people of color that take into account that talent is spread evenly but opportunity is not.

We dont waver, Salesforce Chief Equality Officer Lori Castillo Martinez told USA TODAY. Equality is our value, and that is something we will continue to focus on, especially in these challenging times.

Affirmative action decision will increase scrutiny of diversity programs

Coming as conservative groups push back against diversity programs and consumers vent frustrations over corporations becoming more vocal on progressive issues like LGBTQ rights, abortion and racial equity, the Supreme Court decision probably will invite greater scrutiny of the strategies companies use to increase diversity, according to Andrew Turnbull, a labor and employment partner at law firm Morrison & Foerster.

Federal law prohibits employers from considering race and other protected characteristics in employment decisions. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, on the other hand, help employers make their workforces less homogeneous and their workplaces more inclusive by casting a wide net for qualified workers from different backgrounds, Turnbull said.

We may see an increase in challenges to those programs because some employees may incorrectly assume this means that their employers can no longer have workplace affirmative action or DEI programs, he said.

Andrew Turnbull, a labor and employment partner at law firm Morrison & Foerster

The debate swirling around diversity programs has increased the possibility that corporations will be hit with discrimination lawsuits  from those who support these initiatives and those who oppose them.

In the decade from 2011 to 2021, the number of reverse discrimination claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dropped from about 4,000 to 2,000 a year, according to data USA TODAY obtained from the EEOC. Though white people account for about two-thirds of U.S. workers, those claims made up about 10% of overall race-based discrimination claims.

Protestors gather outside as the U.S. Supreme Courts hears oral arguments in two affirmative action college admission cases on October 31, 2022.

Lawyers see an increase in reverse discrimination claims as GOP backlash escalates

But Turnbull says lawyers are seeing an increase in reverse discrimination claims. Earlier this month, a federal jury in New Jersey ordered Starbucks to pay $25.6 million to a former regional manager after determining that the company fired her because she was white.

As the GOP backlash increasingly targets the private sector, legislative challenges to diversity policies in red states are also proliferating, Turnbull said.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at an annual Basque Fry at the Corley Ranch in Gardnerville, Nev., on June 17.

Much depends on how employers respond to the ruling, said Stanford law professor Richard Thompson Ford. Robert's majority opinion leaves room for colleges to consider how race affected an applicant's life.

"As far as I know workplace DEI is individualized, so even if the courts logic were applied to workplace programs, it would not seem to prohibit the kinds of policies most employers use," he said.

Few employers engage in the type of affirmative action that was used by selective colleges and universities, according to Ford.

Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company

In employment, affirmative action means acting affirmatively to create an environment that is welcoming and fair to all workers and that encourages diverse candidates to apply for positions, said Christy Kiely, a labor and employment partner with law firm Seyfarth. Employment decisions are then based on merit, Kiely said.

It is lawful for employers to affirmatively recruit people so that they have the widest range of applicants and pick the most talented candidates, said Amalea Smirniotopoulos, senior policy counsel at NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. I dont think that will change.

Affirmative action is latest GOP target after CRT and ESG

Corporations have turned to diversity programs to right decades of lost opportunities for Black people and other groups who have been historically underrepresented, especially in leadership roles. Those efforts intensified after the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Pledges from corporations to address racial inequities drew a sharp backlash, from legislation in GOP-controlled state houses restricting how corporations talk to employees about racism to the targeting of trillions of dollars in investments that take into account ESG, short for environmental, social and governance principles.

If there is any sense in these C-suites, companies will take this as the catalyst, the catapult, the warning they need to get back to not discriminating. Scott Shepard, director of the National Center for Public Policy Researchs Free Enterprise Project

The Supreme Court ruling is a warning to corporate elites to stop foisting their liberal agenda on the nation, said Scott Shepard, director of the National Center for Public Policy Researchs Free Enterprise Project.

Scott Shepard, director of the National Center for Public Policy Researchs Free Enterprise Project

In August, the conservative think tank sued Starbucks executives and directors on behalf of a Starbucks shareholder, claiming that by setting hiring goals for Black people and other people of color, awarding contracts to diverse suppliers and tying executive pay to diversity, the coffee chain is engaging in racial discrimination.

Stephen Millers America First Legal has filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission asking for investigations into the hiring and employment practices at companies including Starbucks, McDonald's and Morgan Stanley.

If there is any sense in these C-suites, companies will take this as the catalyst, the catapult, the warning they need to get back to not discriminating, Shepard said.

Affirmative action ruling chilling effect? Im already seeing this downturn in DEI

Natalie Gillard, who created Factuality  an employee training tool used by companies such as Google, Nike and American Express  says shes worried the affirmative action decision will have a chilling effect, much like President Donald Trumps 2020 executive order banning the U.S. government and federal contractors from teaching employees about systemic racism caused some private employers to pause training.

I'm already seeing this downturn around DEI efforts in institutions, organizations and corporations, said Gillard, who has lost business in Florida and Texas where public universities are barred from spending money on diversity programs.

Natalie Gillard, founder of FACTUALITY

Alvin B. Tillery Jr., director of the Center for the Study of Democracy and Diversity at Northwestern University, says hes concerned about what conservatives may have planned next. He expects they will double down on efforts to rid the public sector of affirmative action, from government hiring to contracting.

Supplier diversity programs and federal contracting  thats the big prize, said Tillery, founder of the 2040 Strategy Group, which works closely with Fortune 500 clients. It's really about taking away set-aside programs and racial equity programs, including at the local government level. Those are things that have a much bigger impact on society than affirmative action at colleges.

Alvin B. Tillery Jr., director of the Center for the Study of Democracy and Diversity at Northwestern University.

Will big businesses like Apple, Google, Nike and Starbucks back off diversity efforts?

Last fall, some of the nations largest companies, including Apple, Google parent Alphabet and Starbucks, filed briefs siding with colleges and universities that consider race as one of the factors in their admissions process.

Evelyn Carter, president of diversity firm Paradigm

"Racial and ethnic diversity enhance business performance," the companies told the Supreme Court. "Research and experience demonstrate that racial diversity improves decision-making by increasing creativity, communication, and accuracy within teams."

Our clients are coming to us, not saying how do we stop this, but saying, how do we educate our team around why this is still important. Evelyn Carter, president of diversity firm Paradigm

Will corporate America shrink from diversity initiatives under growing pressure from the political right? Evelyn Carter, president of diversity firm Paradigm, doubts it.

A Bain & Company survey of CEOs showed that 85% of the nearly 300 business leaders view social issues  labor standards, human rights, DEI, health; and product safety  as urgent concerns for their companies. When asked about the primary role of their business, 60% said either creating positive outcomes for society or balancing the needs of all stakeholders.

Our clients are coming to us not saying 'How do we stop this?' but saying 'How do we educate our team around why this is still important?' Carter said.

Coqual CEO Lanaya Irvin

Corporations are just starting to see the benefits from the progress theyve made in diversifying their workforces and leadership, said Lanaya Irvin, CEO of Coqual, a think tank that researches workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Data shows that corporate America still has very little diversity, especially at the top.

White men represent 7 in 10 executives at the very top of the nations 100 largest publicly traded companies, according to a USA TODAY analysis of named executive officers. In fact, they are even more likely today than their grandfathers to be managers despite a diversifying workforce.

Its definitely not time to take ones foot off the gas or to retrench, Irvin said.

Nike CEO John Donahoe

Nike CEO John Donahoe recently commended Bob Iger for standing up for Disneys values in a spat over LGBTQ legislation with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who announced his presidential campaign late last month.

Corporations should pick their battles but speak out on issues that are core to who you are, Donahoe said.

For Nike, that means standing up for the values of racial and social justice, according to Donahoe.

Our core consumer for the Nike brand, the Jordan brand, the converse brand, are urban Black and brown communities  thats where sneaker culture started, Donahoe said during the CNBC CEO Council Summit last month. We listen to our athletes and to our consumer about what they care about, and they care about racial and social justice, and so we view that as core to who we are, core to our identity.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Affirmative action reversed in college. Next target: diversity at work
The US Supreme Court struck down decades of legal precedent that allowed colleges and universities to consider race as a factor in admissions.

The court on Thursday specifically ruled against race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

Those programs "violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the 6-3 majority ruling in both cases, Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.

Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented in both cases, with Jackson, a Harvard Law alumna, having recused from voting on the case involving the college.

Dozens of major corporations across various industries took interest in the case, including Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG, GOOGL), General Motors (GM), General Dynamics (GD), Dell, and Starbucks (SBUX).

Those companies and nearly 40 others joined in an amicus brief contending that diversity in higher education ultimately helps their businesses by providing a diverse pool from which they can recruit.

The supporters went on to argue that doing away with the policy would also weaken the militarys pool of eligible college-trained recruits.

The Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The decisions overhaul a string of Supreme Court cases that address the role of race in institutionalized education, starting with the high courts landmark 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. In Brown the court outlawed race-based segregation in public schools.

The court acknowledged that its prior rulings permitted race-based admissions, saying it did so only "within the confines of narrow restrictions."

University programs, the court said, must comply with strict scrutiny  the highest standard of review applied to constitutional questions. In writing for the majority, Roberts said the universities therefore "may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and  at some point  they must end."

The challenger in both cases, Students for Fair Admissions, argued that affirmative action is illegal in public and private college settings because it penalizes equally qualified Asian-American and other minority applicants.

The group, led by conservative activist Edward Blum, claimed that UNCs consideration of race violates the 14th Amendments equal protection clause, which bars government entities and public universities from discriminating based on race.

Students walk through Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

In its case against Harvard, a private university, the organization claimed that the schools admissions policy violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars race-based discrimination by organizations that take federal funds.

Specifically, Students for Fair Admissions asked the court overturn its 2003 decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, which held the University of Michigan's Law School could consider race as a factor in admissions, so long as its practice was narrowly tailored to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body."

Former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who penned the majority opinion in Grutter, predicted that after 25 years, affirmative action would no longer be necessary to make colleges more diverse.

"How will we know when the time has come?" Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked about O'Connor's prediction during arguments in the UNC case.

In concurring with the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that under the 14th Amendment, "the color of a persons skin is irrelevant to that individuals equal status as a citizen of this nation.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it irrelevant in reality.

"And having so detached itself from this countrys actual past and present experiences, the court has now been lured into interfering with the crucial work that UNC and other institutions of higher learning are do- ing to solve Americas real-world problems."

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's (KLSE:TECGUAN) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to MYR0.05 on 10th of August. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.2%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Teck Guan Perdana Berhad

Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see a healthy dividend yield, but that is only helpful to us if the payment can continue. However, Teck Guan Perdana Berhad's earnings easily cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share could rise by 118.7% over the next year if the trend from the last few years continues. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 2.7%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Teck Guan Perdana Berhad Is Still Building Its Track Record

It is tough to make a judgement on how stable a dividend is when the company hasn't been paying one for very long. This doesn't mean that the company can't pay a good dividend, but just that we want to wait until it can prove itself.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. We are encouraged to see that Teck Guan Perdana Berhad has grown earnings per share at 119% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.

Teck Guan Perdana Berhad Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Teck Guan Perdana Berhad that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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The Airports Council International (ACI) has announced that the venue for its ACI Asia-Pacific world annual general assembly next year will be the Saudi capital Riyadh. It is set to be organised by Riyadh Airports Company from May 21 to 23.

The announcement was made at the closing and handover ceremony of 33rd ACI EUROPE/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA) held this year in Barcelona, Spain.

The event Riyadh Airports Company was announced as host of the ACI Asia-Pacific / ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA). The event attracted over 800 delegates including global and regional airport CEOs, regulators, and dignitaries.

The trade association of the worlds airports, ACI is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific, ACI Europe, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America.

In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI said it makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable.

As of January 2023, ACI serves 712 members, operating 1,925 airports in 171 countries.

ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: We are thrilled to be joining forces with ACI Asia-Pacific and Riyadh Airports Company to host WAGA 2024, the most important global gathering of airport leaders."

"The Asia Pacific region is home to the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and to leading airports that are raising the bar on all fronts for travellers and communities," stated de Oliveira.

"As we build a sustainable and resilient aviation ecosystem, our continued engagement with the global airport community and its relevant stakeholders remains the deciding factor in reaching our industry global targets, he added.

ACI Asia-Pacific Director General Stefano Baronci commended Riyadh on being selected as the venue for next year's WAGA.

"This is a significant meeting of global aviation leaders, and a great forum to debate current issues and possibilities in the aviation sector, as well as exploring innovative strategies for long-term success. We are excited to welcome aviation leaders from all over the world and make it a memorable experience for all, he stated.



Musad Aldaood, CEO of Riyadh Airports Company, said: "It is a proud moment for us to announce hosting the WAGA 2024 in Riyadh. Enthusiastically, we are excited to welcome aviation leaders from across the globe to ensure a memorable experience for all."

"Furthermore, the important convergence of global aviation authorities is a prime venue to address current challenges and explore opportunities in the aviation sector, as well as to investigate forward-thinking and explore innovative strategies for long-term success, he added.

At the Barcelona event, ACI members agreed on key resolutions on cleaner energy transition, thus reflecting the priorities for airports in building a sustainable aviation ecosystem.

Recognizing the need for collective action to deliver the long-term goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the Resolution Leading through cleaner energy transition and robust ESG practices, called upon the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and governments to work with all financial institutions to facilitate access to green finance for aviation and to stimulate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development.

The ACI resolution urged governments to provide the necessary technical and economic support and required regulatory framework for supporting the airport sector energy transition.



It urged airports to consider adopting robust Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices according to their specific circumstances as well as engage with ACI in developing the Airport ESG Global Framework, and participate in global efforts to accelerate the deployment of SAF.



Recognizing that the aviation industry relies on interconnected systems and advanced technologies and that they may be vulnerable to increasing cyber threats, the Resolution affirmed airports commitment to addressing the evolving cyber threats in aviation.

Lauding the concrete actions already taken by airports, the ACI called upon all aviation stakeholders to strengthen their awareness and mitigation measures in this area.

The Resolution urged governments, international organizations, and relevant stakeholders to leverage the existing international standards and frameworks on information security and cybersecurity in the development of aviation cybersecurity frameworks, standards, and guidelines.

It also urged governments to implement the necessary measures to support the development of a skilled aviation cybersecurity workforce.-TradeArabia News Service
(Bloomberg) -- Holders of hundreds of millions of pounds of obscure debt issued by an entity linked to Thames Water could escape any potential nationalization without a haircut because of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

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Britains biggest water supplier inserted a clause for about 560 million ($709 million) of outstanding debt that forces the company to repay the money, including accrued interest, immediately if it is taken over by the state. The safeguard was introduced in response to Corbyns threat to nationalize the UKs water companies if he won power in the 2017 election.

The clause could prove a headache for management and the government, which is weighing a temporary takeover of the firm, as concerns grow over Thames Waters debt pile. Some bondholders in the wider debt structure may take a haircut of as much as 25% if the firm enters a so-called special administration regime, Bloomberg Intelligence estimates.

News of the firms problems sent bonds issued by junk-rated Thames Water Kemble Finance, a unit that does not have the safeguard and relies on cash from the operating company to service its debt, tumbling. They fell to just over half of their face value on Wednesday.

The four senior secured notes that contain the nationalization clause were issued privately in 2018 and 2019 by Kemble Water Finance. In a prospectus at the time, the issuer cited as a risk factor Corbyns election manifesto and a reaffirmation of the policy by a senior politician a few months later.

Theres little to no secondary market for the securities, making pricing difficult to discern. A spokeswoman at Thames Water declined to comment on the potential outcome for these notes, saying that the company does not comment on speculation. Corbyns office did not reply to calls and an email seeking a request for comment.

Thames Water dropped the nationalization clause in bond documents in subsequent years. The latest prospectus, filed last year, lists a potential nationalization of the company by the opposition party as a risk if it were to come to power in the next national election.

Current Labour Party leader Keir Starmer ruled out public ownership of energy companies in 2021.

--With assistance from Giulia Morpurgo and Sujata Rao.

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Ideally, your overall portfolio should beat the market average. But in any portfolio, there will be mixed results between individual stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term SBM Offshore N.V. (AMS:SBMO) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 10% 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.

View our latest analysis for SBM Offshore

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. 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, SBM Offshore moved from a loss to profitability. 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.

The steady dividend doesn't really explain why the share price is down. While it's not completely obvious why the share price is down, a closer look at the company's history might help explain it.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

We know that SBM Offshore has improved its bottom line lately, but what does the future have in store? So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think SBM Offshore will earn in the future (free profit forecasts).

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, SBM Offshore's TSR for the last 5 years was 17%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

SBM Offshore provided a TSR of 2.5% over the last twelve months. Unfortunately this falls short of the market return. On the bright side, the longer term returns (running at about 3% a year, over half a decade) look better. It may well be that this is a business worth popping on the watching, given the continuing positive reception, over time, from the market. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand SBM Offshore better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for SBM Offshore (2 make us uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

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 Dutch exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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TikTok is picking up the bill for its Montana creators suing against ban, report says

TikTok and the US flag. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images

TikTok users in Montana are suing the state over its banning of the app.

The company just confirmed that it's been funding the lawsuit, the NYT first reported.

At least two of the plaintiffs said they got involved in the complaint after being approached by TikTok's lawyers.

TikTok is funding a lawsuit brought by its users in Montana against the state's ban on the app, The New York Times reported.

While the likes of the US and European Union have banned government employees from using TikTok, Montana's ban is unique because it would apply to all citizens.

Governor Greg Gianforte signed the law last month, and it's expected to take effect from the start of 2024, the Associated Press reported.

But five TikTok creators filed suit against the state's attorney general, citing first amendment rights.

"Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes," the lawsuit says.

The plaintiffs range in follower count from 44,000 to 215,000. They post about various topics, like promoting a small business, comedy, and camping.

It appeared to be a grassroots movement, but now TikTok has confirmed that it's footing the bill for the lawsuit, the Times reported.

"We support our creators through various programs and have an ongoing dialogue about their presence on TikTok," a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement sent to Insider.

"Throughout this process, many creators have expressed major concerns both privately and publicly about the potential impact of the Montana law on their livelihoods. We will support our creators in fighting for their constitutional rights."

Two of the plaintiffs also told the Times that they only joined the suit after being approached by TikTok's lawyers.

The social media platform has provoked controversy because it's owned by the Chinese company Bytedance  lawmakers feared that users' data could be accessed by the country's government or spy agencies.

TikTok  which is headquartered in Singapore and Los Angeles  is building data centers in Europe and the US to convince people that China won't be able to access users' information.

Although Forbes reported earlier this month that sensitive information about American creators who sign up to earn money through TikTok is in fact stored in China.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Clergerie has found a new owner. Today, Titan Industries, Inc. has taken over the French footwear brand  saving it from liquidation.

Titan CEO and founder Joe Ouaknine confirmed the buyout, telling FN the company is committed to maintaining 45% of the workforce (59 of the 134 employees). Titan had paid 700,000 euros to buy the Clergerie name, with a commitment of 6 million euros of investment.

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Clergerie filed for court protection March 29. The company had been placed in receivership after a relaunch under new parent company French Legacy Group in 2020 that failed to take off.

The situation at Clergerie Group was very fragile at the time of our takeover, and the impact of the pandemic and situation in Ukraine was a double shock. We hit a wall with the decrease of traffic in stores, longer lead times and delays in deliveries from suppliers, FLG president Jerome Espinos told FN in April.

Joe Ouaknine, founder of Titan Industries. Eric T. White

Theres a lot of work to do. We are shoe people and theres a solid following of the brand that we are going to take advantage of, added Ouaknine.

Clergerie was founded by Robert Clergerie in 1981 and manufactured shoes in its owns factory in the historic shoe-making capital of Romans-sur-Isere, France. Ouaknine said they will keep the factory in France.

The brand has 13 standalone stores, with shops across France and boutiques in Brussels, Geneva, Los Angeles, London, Madrid, New York City and Tokyo. Ouaknine said there are plans to close some locations, and the brand will continue to partners with key retailers.

Through Titan, Ouaknine has built one of the industrys most notable shoe businesses. His brand roster now includes Badgley Mischka, LAgence, Daniel x Diamond and Dee Ocleppo. Ouaknine has worked with many celebrities over the years and launched Gwen Stefanis L.A.M.B. collection and Daya by Zendaya as well.

Best of Footwear News
The Trump family is back with another round of NFTs. Just two months after former U.S. President Donald Trump released a second batch of his NFT trading cardswhich torpedoed the value of the first set in the processhis wife Melania has launched a set of NFTs inspired by the upcoming Independence Day holiday.

Melania Trumps Solana-based NFTscalled The 1776 Collectionlean on familiar American imagery, using photos of landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore affixed to animated placards. Each digital collectible sells for $50 apiece, spanning seven designs for a total run of 3,500 NFTs.

The NFTs are being sold through a website called USA Collectibles, and Melania Trump's Twitter account retweeted the companys tweet about the sale this morning. The website also offers POTUS TRUMP NFTs featuring photos of the former president and first lady.

Although not stated on the actual NFT website, a Fox News story suggests that an undisclosed portion of sales will benefit Fostering the Future, a part of Melania Trumps broader Be Best resource program focused on helping foster children.

The Trumps have amassed a considerable history in the NFT space over the past two years. Melania Trump was the first of the duo to release her own NFT in December 2021, with representatives of Solana Labsthe startup behind the Solana blockchainclarifying to Decrypt at the time that it was not a Solana-led initiative.

She released more NFTs in 2022 before Donald Trump launched his popular digital trading cards collection, with 45,000 total NFTs on Ethereum scaling network Polygon that were sold for $99 apiece. Each NFT was tied to potential special perks, such as dinner with the ex-president or an invite to a group Zoom meeting with him.

Although widely mocked, the NFTs sold out within 24 hours and were the talk of both the NFT world and mainstream observers, causing the resale value to surge. At their peak, the Trump cards started at a price of over $1,000 apiece on secondary marketplaces, and collectively the NFTs have generated over $20 million worth of sales to date.

Trump Drops More NFTsAnd Now the First Batch Is Plummeting in Price

Trump then released 47,000 more NFTs in April for $99 apiece, and the launch of the second collection caused the value of the original NFTs to fall dramatically. Currently, the original Trump digital trading cards start at $185 worth of ETH on the secondary market, while the second set starts at nearly half the mint priceabout $54 worth of ETH.
Twitter's new chief working on plans to bring advertisers back to platform - FT

Twitter's new chief working on plans to bring advertisers back to platform - FT Illustration picture of Twitter and ad

(Reuters) - Twitter's new chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, is working on a slew of measures to bring back advertisers who left the platform under Elon Musk's ownership, including introducing a video ads service, pursuing more celebrities and raising headcount, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Wednesday.

Yaccarino, who started as CEO on June 5, is planning to launch full-screen, sound-on video ads that will be shown to users scrolling through Twitter's new short-video feed, the newspaper reported, citing three people familiar with the situation.

She is in talks about a broader partnership with Alphabet-owned Google that would include advertising and access to some of Twitter's data, the report said, citing someone familiar with the matter.

Twitter also hopes to renegotiate multiple contracts with tech companies such as Amazon.com, Salesforce and IBM into single broader partnerships, according to the newspaper.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

Reuters earlier this month reported that Twitter plans to focus on video, creator and commerce partnerships to revitalize the social media company's business beyond digital advertising.

After Musk acquired Twitter in October, the social media firm faced months of chaos, including layoffs of thousands of employees, criticism over lax content moderation, and an exodus of many advertisers who did not want their ads appearing next to inappropriate content.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
The redevelopment a former state office building Downtown and a vacant East Side car dealership got a big boost from the state on Thursday.

The projects were among 38 developments statewide to receive $50.5 million in the latest round of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits.

Many of these buildings were once home to the factories, shops, and offices that drove Ohio forward, and they still have a place in Ohio's future," said Gov. Mike DeWine in a news release. "We are excited to help revive these historic structures so they can once again be a valuable part of their communities."

The credits will allow work to move forward on both the Columbus projects:

Former state office building

A $70-million renovation of this former state office building at 145 S. Front St. has been approved for tax historic preservation tax credits.

A $69.4-million plan to renovate the former state office building at 145 S. Front St. was awarded $6.5 million in tax credits. The project has also received $12.3 million in Federal Historic Tax Credits.

The plan calls for converting the 207,000-square-foot building from 1964 into offices on the first two floors topped by 100 apartments on the upper four floors. The project includes two floors of indoor parking and a cafe with outdoor terrace on the first floor overlooking the Scioto River.

The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services vacated the building in 2006. Two years ago, the state sold the building for $3 million to the Columbus Partnership, which is working with developer Brad DeHays to redevelop the property.

"With a proposed investment of nearly $70 million, the project will transform this long-vacant and distressed state office building, attracting a new generation of residents and businesses who will contribute significantly to the local economy, while also enhancing a key area of the city and strengthening connectivity between downtown Columbus and its riverfront," wrote DeHays in his application.

McClure-Nesbitt Motor Company

A plan to renovate the former McClure Motor Co. building at 1505 E. Main St. has received state funding.

The state also approved $250,000 in tax credits to convert the former McClure-Nesbitt Motor Company at 1505 E. Main St. into a restaurant, office and retail building. The total project cost is estimated at $5.47 million.

Built in 1926 in an Art Deco-style, the former car dealership has been vacant and in serious disrepair for decades.

Several attempts have been made at redeveloping the property. A previous plan to convert the building into a theater, art gallery, music studio and event space topped by apartments was approved for $250,000 in historic tax credits in 2018, but did not move forward.

"The interior of the building was in dire condition when previously submitted, and its deterioration has continued since that time," according to the new tax credit application. "There are large holes in both the roof and in the first floor ceiling/second floor. A roof which was added to the building's courtyard sometime in the 1930's-1940's has now completely collapsed."

A developer is not identified on the application, but the application was filed by Max Hartings, with the Columbus-based developer Equity.

The largest project is the $144 million redevelopment of the Park Synagogue in Cleveland, while Cincinnati projects received the most awards, with 15.

jweiker@dispatch.com

@JimWeiker

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former state office building and car dealership get development boost
(Reuters) -The U.S. antitrust regulator is planning to file a suit targeting Amazon.com's core online marketplace in the coming weeks, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.

The main allegation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to be that Amazon uses its power to reward those online merchants that use its logistics services and punish the ones that don't, the report said.

The e-commerce giant did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The FTC declined to comment.

The potential suit adds to the agency's latest action against Amazon in recent weeks. FTC boss Lina Khan's office has been working on the complaint for several months and finalizing key details, like where to file the suit, the report said.

The lawsuit would be among several actions taken by President Joe Biden's administration intended to rein in the outsized market power of Big Tech firms, as it tries to increase competition to protect consumers.

Just last week, the FTC accused Amazon of enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to cancel.

The FTC is also investigating Amazon's $1.7-billion deal for "Roomba" vacuum maker iRobot.

The agency's antitrust case targeting Amazon's online marketplace has been in the works for a long time, according to the report. Amazon got the FTC notice for initial investigation in June 2019, Bloomberg reported, citing documents.

Those documents included questions about how using Amazon's warehousing and delivery services impacted third-party sellers product placements in its online marketplace, including boxes on the website that give products additional prominence.

The FTC had also sought records of any arrangements Amazon has with Apple Inc, the report said. The two companies had entered into a deal to sell Apple iPhones, iPads and other devices on Amazon's marketplace in 2018.

(Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Pooja Desai)
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So when we looked at HG Metal Manufacturing (SGX:BTG) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on HG Metal Manufacturing is:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.039 = S$4.7m  (S$158m - S$37m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

Thus, HG Metal Manufacturing has an ROCE of 3.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Trade Distributors industry average of 8.0%.

See our latest analysis for HG Metal Manufacturing

roce

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for HG Metal Manufacturing's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of HG Metal Manufacturing, check out these free graphs here.

What Does the ROCE Trend For HG Metal Manufacturing Tell Us?

We're delighted to see that HG Metal Manufacturing is reaping rewards from its investments and has now broken into profitability. While the business was unprofitable in the past, it's now turned things around and is earning 3.9% on its capital. While returns have increased, the amount of capital employed by HG Metal Manufacturing has remained flat over the period. That being said, while an increase in efficiency is no doubt appealing, it'd be helpful to know if the company does have any investment plans going forward. So if you're looking for high growth, you'll want to see a business's capital employed also increasing.

For the record though, there was a noticeable increase in the company's current liabilities over the period, so we would attribute some of the ROCE growth to that. The current liabilities has increased to 23% of total assets, so the business is now more funded by the likes of its suppliers or short-term creditors. Keep an eye out for future increases because when the ratio of current liabilities to total assets gets particularly high, this can introduce some new risks for the business.

The Bottom Line

To bring it all together, HG Metal Manufacturing has done well to increase the returns it's generating from its capital employed. Considering the stock has delivered 33% to its stockholders over the last five years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. Given that, we'd look further into this stock in case it has more traits that could make it multiply in the long term.

HG Metal Manufacturing does come with some risks though, we found 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable...

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.

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Thames Water

Britains biggest pension fund risks the wipeout of its biggest single investment if Thames Water were to collapse.



Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), which serves 500,000 members and has 82bn of investments, increased its stake in Thames Water just 18 months ago, hailing the companys performance under then boss Sarah Bentley.



USS acquired an additional 8.77pc of Thames Water from Wren House, the infrastructure investment arm of the Kuwait Investment Authority, in December 2021.

Infrastructure funds typically hold investments for long periods of time, but Wren House sold out after just four and a half years.

The sale of its stake to USS took the UK pension funds shareholding in Thames Water to 19.7pc, making it the companys second largest investor. USS is the only UK investor among Thames Waters nine shareholders.



USS does not disclose the value of its stake in Thames Water  but a write-off is likely to be substantial.

The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (Omers) and Wren House acquired a 26pc stake from Australian bank Macquarie in 2017 for 1.35bn  valuing the business at 5.2bn.

This indicates that if business valuation is similar today, USS may have to take a writedown of more than 1bn if a rescue of Thames Water cannot be agreed.



Thames Water is in talks with its owners to inject 1bn of new capital. Shareholders are yet to agree to the injection despite months of talks.

The shock exit of Ms Bentley as chief executive shone a light on Thames Waters finances, leading to revelations that the Government was drawing up contingency plans for the companys collapse.



USS is believed to be broadly supportive of injecting its share of the new capital  but has yet to formally agree to the move. Others, such as OMERS, are yet to be convinced, however. USS and Omers declined to comment.

Thames Water's boss Sarah Bentley quit earlier this week as the company tried to raise funds from investors - PA

The USS was a high-profile victim of a cyber attack against Capita, the outsourcing company that administers the pension fund. Pension fund bosses warned in May that they could not confirm if the personal data of some of USSs 470,000 members had been accessed.



Earlier this month USS faced a backlash from staff at London Universities for not doing enough to protect the environment. Professors sued directors and trustees for failing to divest in fossil fuels, which they say threatens to diminish returns.



University staff launched industrial action earlier this year amid claims by the University and College Union that the USS had reduced retirement benefits.

Recent scheme valuations have suggested that the USS is better capitalised than in previous years. Bosses said in May that the funding position looks very encouraging and revealed a 7.6bn surplus.



Announcing the surplus, USS group chief executive, Bill Galvin  who will be replaced by NatWest employment director Carol Young later this year  sought to soothe fears about the Capita data breach.



Mr Galvin said: I want to assure you that data privacy and security is a top priority for us. Having reviewed our own systems and controls to ensure they remain robust, we are very confident members pensions remain secure.



But we know our members will be concerned about their personal data. We very much regret that this has happened and are committed to supporting them through this issue.

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) -- The US Department of Health and Human Services was ensnared by a sweeping hacking campaign that exploited a flaw in file-transfer software called MOVEit, according to an official with the department.

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The attackers gained access to data by exploiting MOVEit software used by third-party vendors, the official said, adding that no HHS systems or networks were compromised. Congress was notified of a major incident on June 27, according to the official, indicating it may involve exposure of data from 100,000 or more people.

However, HHS has no evidence to suggest internal email communications have been compromised, the official said.

HHS leadership believe the hackers to be a Russian-speaking group called Clop, the gang that has claimed responsibility for the MOVEit attacks, according to two other people familiar with the incident. The HHS official and the two people asked not to be identified because the details arent public.

The vulnerability allowed the hackers to steal files from companies and organizations that had been uploaded to MOVEit.

Among the other companies and organizations that were impacted are Ernst & Young, Honeywell, the government of Nova Scotia, the New York City Department of Education and the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, where names, addresses, social security numbers and dates of birth were likely exposed for all Louisianans with a state-issued license. Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, tweeted Wednesday that 137 organizations are known to have been affected by the MOVEit attacks, compromising the records of more than 15 million people. That includes 16 entities in the US public sector, he said.

Several federal agencies experienced intrusions affecting their MOVEit applications, a US official said earlier this month, without naming them. Since then, further details have trickled out about the impact on the US government.

For instance, the US Department of Energy received ransom requests from the hackers after two of its entities fell victim to the intrusions.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Agriculture, in response to questions about the MOVEit breach, said fewer than 30 employees may have been impacted through a third-party vendor data breach. The USDAs network wasnt affected, the spokesperson said.

A General Services Administration spokesperson said two contractors providing solutions through GSA contracts were using MOVEit software. The GSA isnt aware of any major incidents involving information systems either directly or indirectly managed by GSA, according to the spokesperson.

A December memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget defines a major incident relating to a government cybersecurity breach as one likely to result in demonstrable harm to national security and other US interests, or a breach that involves the exposure of personally identifiable information. The memo said a breach exposing data belonging to 100,000 or more people automatically qualifies as a major incident.

A senior administration official described the MOVEit hack as a troubling incident but not particularly significant for US national security, saying it indicated the ongoing risk of software laden with multiple bugs. Although a major incident may expose tens of thousands of peoples data, such a scenario is less severe than breaches that disrupt services or result in theft in sensitive national security information, the official said.

Adam Hodge, spokesperson for the National Security Council, said the Biden administration requires all new government purchases to use a new security standard for software.

Progress Software Corp., which markets MOVEit software, issued a patch for the flaw, and for two subsequent vulnerabilities that have since been found by cybersecurity researchers.

Clop, also known as Cl0p, is the name of a variant of ransomware, a type of malware used to encrypt a victims computer files until a payment is made. It also refers to the hackers that deploy the ransomware, one of several methods they use to extort its victims. They also steal documents from victims and threaten to post them online unless a ransom is paid, as they did with users of MOVEit software.

--With assistance from Anna Edgerton.

(Adds additional details throughout.)

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(Bloomberg) -- US pending home sales in May fell to the lowest level this year as high mortgage rates and inventory constraints continue to impact sales.

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The National Association of Realtors index of contract signings to purchase previously owned homes dropped 2.7% to 76.5 last month, according to data released Thursday. The decrease was bigger than all but one estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The resale market continues to face headwinds as high borrowing costs and low supply weigh on sales. Many homeowners who locked in lower mortgage rates in the past are reluctant to move, adding to inventory constraints that are pushing many buyers into the new-home market and helping keep existing-home sales subdued.

The lack of housing inventory continues to prevent housing demand from being fully realized, Lawrence Yun, NARs chief economist, said in a statement. It is encouraging that homebuilders have ramped up production, but the supply from new construction takes time and remains insufficient.

The pending home sales report is often seen as a leading indicator of existing-home sales given homes typically go under contract a month or two before theyre sold.

Sales declined in three of four regions, with transactions in the Midwest falling to the lowest level since April 2020. From a year earlier, US home purchases were down nearly 21% on an unadjusted basis.

--With assistance from Chris Middleton.

(Adds graphic)

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(Bloomberg) -- The former head of the US safety agency that investigates major industrial accidents improperly charged the government for tens of thousands of dollars in travel and office-furnishing expenses, a federal watchdog said in a report made public Thursday.

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Katherine Lemos, who served as chair of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board from 2020 until July of last year, charged the government nearly $50,000 in airfare and other costs to travel from her residence in San Diego to the safety boards headquarters in Washington, DC, the Environmental Protection Agencys Inspector General concluded. Lemos also billed the government for a trip to Norfolk to attend the embarkation of an aircraft carrier, the report said, adding the expenses were in violation of federal travel regulations.

In addition, Lemos, who was nominated to head the board by then President Donald Trump, spent more than $22,000 to redecorate her office in the safety boards Washington headquarters  more than four times the $5,000 limit  according to the inspector general. Among the purchases: $4,340 for red chili pepper leather upholstery for two lounge chairs with matching foot rests. The report added documentation for one of the purchase orders, noting that it appears to have been designed to obscure the fact the furniture was intended for Lemos office.

Read More: US Chemical Safety Board Chair Resigns Citing Lost Confidence

In response to a request for comment, Lemos provided a June 15 letter from her attorney to the inspector general that said the agency ignored exculpatory evidence and refuses to credit Dr. Lemos explanations.

The inspector generals report said Lemos, through her counsel, disagreed with the reports conclusions and asserted that she relied on the advice of CSB staff regarding the expense reimbursements at issue.

The board, which has investigated incidents ranging from BP Plcs 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blowout to a chemical spill that tainted drinking water for hundreds of thousands of West Virginians, was proposed for elimination by Trump who argued the groups focus on regulation had frustrated both regulators and industry.

(Updates with letter from Lemos attorney in fourth paragraph.)

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Heres How the US Social Security Compares to Other Countries: What That Means for Your Wallet

Richard Stephen / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Social Security isnt an exclusively American program. In fact, most developed nations have some form of retirement benefits program for seniors. What may be a surprise to some is that the U.S. version of Social Security pays out far less than many other countries. This can have serious ramifications on your retirement planning.

Social Security: 20% Cuts to Your Payments May Come Sooner Than Expected

Find Out: 3 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Retirement

Whereas many workers across the globe can live a relatively prosperous life just off Social Security benefits, this isnt usually the case in the United States. Heres how Social Security in the U.S. compares with other countries, and what it may mean for your wallet.

Average and Maximum Social Security Benefits in the US

The amount you earn in Social Security retirement benefits is based on how much you earn and at what age you file for benefits. For those born in 1943 or later, 67 is considered full retirement age, at which point you receive your full Social Security payout. But youre allowed to claim as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. Claiming early results in a cut to your monthly benefit of as much as 30%, while filing after age 67 results in an increase of 8% per year, up to the maximum boost of 24% at age 70.

While the maximum Social Security benefit as of 2023 is $4,555, very few Americans reach that lofty amount. To do so would require 35 years of earning at the maximum Social Security wage base, which is $160,200 in 2023. The average Social Security benefit is a far cry from this maximum, coming in at just $1,787.31 as of May 2023. According to the Social Security Administration, 37% of men and 42% of women receive 50% or more of their income from Social Security.

Retirement Savings: Experts Say This Magic Number Is the Key  and Its Not $1 Million

How Much Do Other Countries Pay Out?

Globally, Social Security systems pay out an average of 57.9% of workers earnings in retirement benefits. In the U.S., however, that average is just 41%. At the top of the pile is the Netherlands, which pays out more than 90% of the median workers earnings in retirement. Like the United States, Canada pays out a below-average amount, but it still reaches 50%.

There are some countries that pay less on average than the United States  Japan and the United Kingdom, for example, both pay out less than 40% of median worker earnings. But on a global basis, the payout in the United States is near the bottom of the spectrum. Israel, Denmark, Austria, Spain, Iceland, Hungary, Italy and others pay out more than the global average.

Numerous factors contribute to the wide discrepancy among Social Security programs across the world. The Netherlands, for example, relies heavily on private employers to contribute to workers pensions, and taxes are much higher than in the United States. The Netherlands also has a much smaller population than the U.S., making it easier to fund the retirement needs of the population as a whole. Canada also has a much smaller population than the United States, and like the Netherlands, it benefits from pension plans offered by individual businesses, something that has become a rarity in the United States. But while Social Security taxes are high in the Netherlands  running at 17.9%  they are just 4.95% in Canada, lower than the 6.2% in the United States.

Ways You Can Supplement Your Social Security Benefits

Regardless of the reasons for the low Social Security payout in the United States, its important for workers to start saving for their own retirements as early as possible. With an average Social Security benefit of less than $1,800 per month, it can be hard if not impossible to lead an enjoyable retirement without supplemental earnings. Here are some of the steps you can take to boost your retirement nest egg:

Start saving as early as possible, and let compound interest work its magic.

Maximize your contributions to workplace retirement plans, and take advantage of employer matching programs.

Strive to save at least 10% of your income, if not more.

Dont invest too conservatively, particularly at a younger age.

Increase your contributions as your income rises.

Do not withdraw your retirement funds before reaching retirement age.

Work for at least 35 years to boost your Social Security payout.

The Bottom Line

On an absolute basis, the U.S. Social Security system pays out much less than other countries. However, this is not always an apples-to-apples comparison, as demographics, taxation and various other factors are different from country to country. The bottom line reality, however, is that Social Security in the U.S. doesnt generally provide enough income for seniors to enjoy a comfortable retirement lifestyle. Thus, its imperative for workers to do all they can to boost their savings to supplement what theyll receive from Social Security after they retire.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Heres How the US Social Security Compares to Other Countries: What That Means for Your Wallet
HANOI, VIETNAM --News Direct-- Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 29 June 2023 - VinFast announced the rollout of the exhibition series "VinFast - For a Green Future" to introduce to the public its entire electric mobility ecosystem, as well as the journey of the first global electric vehicle (EV) maker of Vietnam. From July 7 to September 20, 2023, a series of consecutive events will occur in 11 prominent cities and provinces across Vietnam and will offer visitors various interactive activities, test drives, and unique experiences.

"VinFast - For a Green Future" is the largest series of electric mobility exhibitions ever held in Vietnam. The first exhibition will be held at the Viet Xo Friendship Labor Cultural Palace, Hanoi, from July 7 to 9, 2023, before being rolled out in 10 other cities and provinces across Vietnam.

The exhibition will be divided into different sections, including product showcase - production simulation - "car anatomy" - test drive, and other auxiliary areas such as food, game, socializing, etc.

This will be the first time VinFast displays its comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem, including e-buses, e-scooters, e-bikes, and a complete range of electric cars, covering a wide range of segments, from mini cars to the A-B-C-D-E segments (VF 3, VF 5 Plus, VF e34, VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9). In particular, Vietnamese consumers will have the opportunity to be introduced to the VF 3, VF 6, VF 7, and e-bike models for the first time.

Additionally, VinFasts journey from the first Vietnamese automotive company to the global smart EV maker will be presented vividly with advanced performance technologies. A part of the factory space with automated production by top-notch robots will simulate the production process of the made-in-Vietnam electric cars.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the detailed internal structure of each VinFast vehicle through its car anatomy." Utilizing modern demonstration technology, the public can delve deeper into the vehicle structure, components, and smart technologies integrated into VinFast car models. They can also interact with VinFast's Voice Assistant, the latest version that supports natural conversations in Vietnamese.

At the exhibition, visitors can also directly experience the operation and smart features of VinFast electric cars and motorbikes at the test-drive ground.

There will also be many sideline activities for visitors to engage with VinFasts experts, participate in games and brand activations, or enjoy the culture and cuisine of North America and Europe - the international markets where VinFast operates. Members of the VinFast Global Community attending the event will receive many attractive privileges.

"VinFast - For a Green Future" is a series of special exhibitions celebrating the 30th anniversary of Vingroup. The exhibition provides the public with an overview of the rapid development journey and proud milestones of the Vietnamese automotive company and aims to share with the public VinFast's aspirations and vision of bringing Vietnam to the world stage.

*Planned timeline of exhibition series "VinFast - For a Green Future" (The event timing might be adjusted according to the actual situation and will be announced in advance)

# Location Time 1 Ha Noi July 7 - 9 2 Hai Phong July 11 - 13 3 Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) July 22 - 25 4 Bien Hoa (ong Nai) July 28 - 30 5 Binh Duong August 4- 6 6 Can Tho August 8 - 10 7 Ho Chi Minh August 18 - 20 8 a Nang August 25 - 27 9 Ha Tinh August 30 - September 1 10 Nghe An September 8 - 10 11 Phu Tho September 18 - 20

Contact Details

Media Contact

v.chidqd1@vingroup.net

Company Website

https://vinfastauto.com/

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/vinfasts-for-a-green-future-exhibition-series-to-showcase-its-comprehensive-electric-mobility-ecosystem-in-vietnam-963954949
Sir Richard Bransons rocket business Virgin Galactic has successfully carried its first paying customers towards space nearly two decades after the company was founded.

A plane carrying the space companys VSS Unity rocket took off from the New Mexico desert for its Galactic 01 mission at around 4pm BST, or 11am local time.

Virgin Galactics mothership - VSS Eve - flew to around 45,000ft before dropping the rocket plane from under its hull, which then blasted towards space.

The spaceplane, carrying six pilots and crew, accelerated to nearly three times the speed of sound, soaring to 50 miles above the surface of the earth.

The missions crew included members of the Italian Air Force, who have been waiting to use the flight to conduct a series of experiments on board.

Once reaching its highest point, the crew were able to unclip their belts and enjoy a few minutes of weightlessness, before the spaceplane glided back down the earth. The astronaut crew unfurled an Italian flag as the rocket reached its apogee.

The launch was nearly 20 years in the making, finally making commercial space flight a reality for the British billionaire.

Despite multiple setbacks and delays, Virgin Galactic now plans to carry customers who will pay up to $450,000 per ticket to space on a monthly basis.

It already has a backlog of around 800 passengers hoping to reach space with the company, but still expects to burn hundreds of millions of dollars this year as it ramps up launches.

Shares in Virgin Galactic dipped as much as 10pc despite the flights safe return to earth.

Read the latest updates below.

05:35 PM BST

That's all for today's mission

Sir Richard Branson can breathe a sigh of relief as VSS Unity returns safely to earth, heralding the success of Virgin Galactics first commercial mission.

Galactic 01 is complete - we will see if it returns next month for its second commercial flight as planned.

05:06 PM BST

Virgin Galactic to begin monthly flights

The safe conclusion to Virgin Galactics first commercial mission paves the way for regular commercial space flights, with customers paying up to $450,000 for a ticket to become astronauts.

The company is hoping to fly monthly space missions, which will carry various scientists, researchers and space tourists 50 miles to the edge of space. Around 800 customers have already reserved a seat on one of the flights.

Looking further forward, Virgin Galactic is developing a series of new space craft that will undertake weekly flights.

After two decades, the company is now hoping to turn its years of development into regular revenues.

04:56 PM BST

Mission success not enough to lift share price

Despite Virgin Galactics mission going seemingly smoothly, it has not been enough to lift the companys share price. Its stock dipped nearly 10pc as the mission completed.

04:44 PM BST

Touchdown

VSS Unity has returned to earth safely after its first successful commercial mission to space.

Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic01! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed smoothly at @Spaceport_NM. pic.twitter.com/f8YQowQN2x  Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

04:43 PM BST

VSS Unity begins landing approach

The spaceplane is now around 10,000 feet above earth and will land back at Spaceport America. The landing gear is correctly down and the plane is making its final approach.

04:37 PM BST

Space plane begins gliding back to base

The VSS Unitys wings have returned to their normal flight position, and the spaceplane will now drift its way back to earth.

04:35 PM BST

VSS Unity begins to fall back to earth

Virgin Galactics rocket has started its descent back towards earth after just a few minutes of weightlessness.

The crew have all returned to their seats and strapped themselves back into their seats.

VSS Unity has begun its glide at about twice the speed of sound back towards earth.

04:32 PM BST

Crew undo unclip their seatbelts

The crew of VSS Unity have unclipped their seatbelts for their roughly four minutes of weightlessness as Virgin Galactic reaches its apogee.

The Italian Air Force pilots unfurl an Italian flag to celebrate becoming astronauts.

04:30 PM BST

VSS Unity releases and blasts off

The rocket has descended from the mothership and blasted towards space travelling at Mach 1.4.

04:29 PM BST

1 minute until release

VSS Unity is nearly ready for release

04:23 PM BST

10 minutes until release

Just minutes now until VSS Eve releases Unity from under the plane for the final stage of its launch.

04:22 PM BST

Branson's Galactic returns to operations after two years

Todays launch comes nearly two years after Sir Richard made it to space for the first time when he was a member of the crew aboard Virgin Galactics maiden fully crewed flight.

The mission on 11 July, 2021, allowed Sir Richard to beat billionaire rival, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, in reaching space for the first time.

It was not Sir Richards first high altitude adventure. The billion, who founded Virgin Records, undertook multiple daredevil flights on high altitude balloons.

Sir Richard Branson pops champagne after his first space flight - Reuters

However, Galactics first fully crewed mission did not go entirely as planned.

The companys spaceplane drifted slightly off course during its flight, resulting in an investigation by US regulators. The company also uncovered technical problems that needed costly alterations before the aircraft could return to space.

That led to a nearly two year hold up, before a further test flight in May ahead of todays mission.

04:04 PM BST

Galactic 01 lifts off from Spaceport America

Just now, the VSS Eve plane - named for Sir Richards mother - carrying the VSS Unity space plane under its wing, has taken off from Spaceport America in New Mexico - ahead of a blast off expected in around 40 minutes time.

We have #Galactic01 take-off from @Spaceport_NM! Our livestream will begin shortly, around 9 am MDT | 11 am EDT, just prior to spaceship release. WATCH: https://t.co/5UalYTpQxj pic.twitter.com/h4OEginD8O  Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

The aircraft will now carry to the rocket to around 50,000 feet, before the rocket plane drops and blasts towards space. The whole mission is expected to take around 90 minutes from start to finish.

VSS Unity is currently climbing to release altitude. Our #Galactic01 crew from the @ItalianAirForce & @CNRsocial_ are preparing to conduct 13 scientific research experiments throughout the stages of flight. Our livestream will begin shortly. WATCH: https://t.co/5UalYTpQxj  Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

04:01 PM BST

Meet the crew of Galactic 01

Virgin Galactics first commercial mission will carry two Virgin pilots and four crew members - who all will become astronauts if the mission is a success.

The crew include commander Michael Masucci, a former US Air Force pilot on his fourth space flight, and pilot Nicola Pecile.

The mission crew include three Italian Air Force officers who will be undertaking a series of experiments measuring their biometric during the mission - Col Walter Villadei, Lt Col Angelo Landolfi and Pantaleone Carlucci of the National Research Council of Italy - as well as British astronaut instructor Colin Bennett.

03:38 PM BST

Galactic 01 mission to move on from Virgin Orbit failure

Virgin Galactic is Sir Richards space tourism venture, carrying passengers into space. But until earlier this year it was one of two space companies the billionaire had backed.

The other was Virgin Orbit, a satellite launch company that used a Boeing 747 to carry rockets to 37,000 feet, before blasting them into space.

The company tried to launch the first domestic mission from UK soil in January, but the rocket suffered an anomaly and failed to reach orbit.

Virgin Orbit, Sir Richard's other space venture, went bankrupt earlier this year - Bloomberg

Weeks later, the company was forced to file for bankruptcy. Sir Richard had ploughed more than $1bn into the space business, which was later sold for parts to rivals for just $36m.

With Virgins new Galactic 01 mission, the British entrepreneur has a chance to make at least one of his space companies a success.

03:19 PM BST

VSS Unity prepares for lift off

Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog of Virgin Galactics first commercial launch.

Two years after Sir Richard Branson finally made it into space, his company is back with a proper commercial mission, carrying customers up to the edge of space.

Events are due to begin in around an hour, when a live stream of Virgin Galactics mission will begin, barring any last minute delays.

VSS Unity prepares for the Galactic 01 flight from New Mexico - Reuters

The rocket will take off from Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert. The mission uses a large plane, VSS Eve - or White Knight Two, to carry a rocket plane to high altitude.

The plane then drops from between the dual fuselage, blasting its rocket engines and firing towards the edge of space.

It will reach a high point of just over 50 miles above the earth, where passengers will experience a brief period of about five minutes of weightlessness, before gliding back to earth.

VSS Unity and our #Galactic01 crew are on schedule to take-off from @Spaceport_NM for our first scientific research mission! Our livestream will begin shortly after take-off and just before spaceship release at approximately 9:00 am MDT | 11:00 am EDT.



WATCH: pic.twitter.com/wQcV2DXRYU  Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

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Unity 25, which completed its test mission with six staff and crew on board, will start flying tourists and scientists miles above earth - Virgin Galactic

In May, dropping from under its mothership, the tiny silhouette of VSS Unity fell for a few seconds before its rocket engines kicked in, boosting the spaceship to three times the speed of sound.

Within minutes, it was on the very edge of earths atmosphere. We have reached space, Virgin Galactic, the company behind the rocket, declared.

The successful test mission, Unity 25, which carried six staff and crew to 54 miles above the earth, had less of the fanfare that accompanied Sir Richard Bransons last launch, almost two years ago. The flight was not live streamed or broadcast by Virgin, although space enthusiasts filmed the mission from down on earth.

Yet the launch was a critical final test for the billionaires company as it returned to space at last. In 2021, the British entrepreneur made history and fulfilled his dream of reaching space aboard his companys spacecraft, beating rival Jeff Bezos and his company Blue Origin by mere days.

But that mission was followed by an investigation by US authorities after it emerged the rocket had veered slightly off course. The company has also spent the past 23 months making costly alterations to its craft and endured a share price collapse.

On Tuesday, Virgin Galactic begun commercial space launches with its Galactic 01 mission in what chief executive Michael Colglazier described as the next exciting chapter for the company.

Virgin Galactic will start taking tourists and scientists miles above earth, with its first launch carrying a trio of Italian Air Force researchers.

Hundreds of prospective astronauts have already agreed to pay $450,000 (354,000) for the rare privilege of five minutes of weightlessness. The rockets will depart the companys sleek hanger  Spaceport America  in the New Mexico desert, just south of the unusually named city of Truth of Consequences.

It has been a long wait for Sir Richard, now 72. The commercial rocket venture has been almost two decades in the making after multiple setbacks, disasters and tragedies.

Success would banish memories of the failure of the billionaires other space venture, Virgin Orbit, after it collapsed earlier this year. The independent satellite launch company, majority owned by Virgin Group, spent more than $1bn in an effort to commercialise its technology, before running out of money and being sold for parts to rivals in a bankruptcy process.

Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin Galactic in 2004 - JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS

The genesis of Virgin Galactic came following a meeting between Sir Richard and Buzz Aldrin in 1995 in Marrakech, says Will Whitehorn, the companys former president. By that time, Sir Richard was already a corporate daredevil who had undertaken several record-breaking high-altitude balloon trips.

The meeting inspired Sir Richard to consider a space company in earnest, using a reusable plane to reach the edges of the atmosphere. In the 1950s, the US launched space planes from under B-52s  the X-15, says Whitehorn.

A meeting with Buzz Aldrin (top centre) in 1995 inspired Sir Richard to launch a space company - Philip Hollis

Following the meeting, Sir Richard tasked Whitehorn with a modern take on the concept. Whitehorn thought it would be feasible to build a relatively cheap space plane rather than using giant rockets. In 2004, Virgin Galactic was officially founded.

He did not expect things to take quite so long. Space is not easy, says Whitehorn, who was Virgin Galactic president until 2010.

It is difficult. It has taken them more time, and more money, than I would have forecast.

Virgin Galactic uses a carrier vehicle, a dual fuselage plane called White Knight 2, to carry a rocket-powered space plane to high altitude. This plane then detaches, and blasts into the upper atmosphere.

But the company has endured a series of technical hurdles to its system, forcing long delays. It also faced disaster in 2014, when its VSS Enterprise vehicle, builts by contractor Scaled Composites, crashed. The failure killed leading Virgin test co-pilot Michael Alsbury.

An official report put the accident down to pilot error by Alsbury, who, under high levels of stress, rotated the crafts tail fins too early as it rapidly accelerated, resulting in a high-altitude break-up. It was also down to poor design choices by Scaled Composites, which failed to mitigate for such a mistake.

Despite the tragedy, Sir Richard was able to steer Virgin Galactic to a public float on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019, merging it with a takeover vehicle run by Silicon Valley investor Chamath Palihapitiya.

At one stage in mid-2021, the company was valued at around $4bn. Sir Richard subsequently sold more than $1bn in the companys stock.

But since the float there have been fresh setbacks. In 2021, a book about the company  Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut  reported that a test flight conducted two years earlier had resulted in serious damage.

Sir Richards maiden flight aboard his own rocket led to delays after it was investigated by the US Federal Aviation Authority - Virgin Galactic handout/Shutterstock

The book, by journalist Nicholas Schmidle, quoted Todd Ericson, the companys former safety lead who later resigned, as saying: I dont know how we didnt lose the vehicle and kill three people.

The claims have prompted a flurry of shareholder litigation. One case filed earlier this year, which names Sir Richard as a defendant, accuses directors of attempts to conceal significant mishaps and setbacks during test flights while selling hundreds of millions of dollars in shares.

Virgin Galactic has said the claims are without merit and we stand by the safety of our vehicles.

Significantly, Sir Richards maiden flight aboard his own rocket also created further delays after the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) investigated it. On its ascent, the rocket drifted from its planned route for a minute and forty seconds, resulting in a red warning light.

At the time, Virgin Galactic insisted the flight was safe and successful. The company has since expanded the airspace it needs for future missions.

News that Virgin Galactic may at last begin commercial launches have sent shares soaring  up roughly 40pc in the past week, despite the company losing $500m in 2022.

Experts believe there is a very real market for space tourism, despite the costs and hazards involved. Carissa Christensen, of space consultancy Bryce Tech, says: For suborbital commercial space flight there is very clearly commercial demand.

There is a market, unambiguously. This space market has been supply constrained, rather than demand constrained.

Upon reaching its apogee, more than 50 miles above earth, Virgin Galactics tourist crew are able to unclip their belts and experience weightlessness for a few brief minutes, while gazing down on the earth far below.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is working on his own tourism venture called Blue Origin - Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America

On his own flight, Sir Richard hailed the experience as the complete experience of a lifetime.

With a $450,000 price tag for a seat, Christensen notes the potential revenues per flight of Virgin Galactic are pretty modest compared to multimillion-dollar satellite launchers.

Sir Richards rival, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is working on his own tourism venture. Blue Origin has flown a total of six missions with a tourist crew on board, including Bezos himself. It uses a more traditional rocket, has designs on lucrative satellite contracts and is part of NASAs Moon mission plans.

Virgin Galactic has said it will launch one mission per month to begin with. But this will need to accelerate. You need to have a fair launch pace, it would seem, to recover the costs, Christensen says.

The company is working on a new variant of its space plane, dubbed Delta, which will aim to ramp up launches to one per week by 2026.

Despite all its challenges, Whitehorn, Virgin Galactics former president, says he would gladly fly on Unity, although he doesnt yet have a ticket. I hope to become one of them [a passenger] myself.

The economics of going to space have been transformed, he adds. This is the industrialisation of space. Space tourism is going to be a little part of that  helping push the technology forward.

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(Bloomberg) -- Dalian Wanda Group Co. told investors that one of its key units suspended a bond-sale application after receiving guidance from a Chinese regulator, according to some of those investors.

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Dalian Wanda Commercial Management Group Co. filed to retract the request this month following regulatory guidance, said the investors, who asked not to be named as theyre not authorized to speak publicly.

It was suggested to the firm that it apply to halt the note-issuance application given a mall units proposed initial public offering is being reviewed by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, according to the investors, and that the bond-sale request be resumed when theres progress on the IPO.

The CSRC said Wednesday it received an application from Wanda Commercial to suspend the issuance proposal, and the regulator agreed to the request. The company filed with the Shanghai Stock Exchange last November to sell as much as 6 billion yuan ($828 million) of bonds, with proceeds to be used for debt repayment.

Wanda Group, the CSRC and the exchange didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

The development again puts the delayed listing of Zhuhai Wanda Commercial Management Group Co. in the spotlight. The company, whose fourth filing to go public was posted on the Hong Kong stock exchanges website Wednesday, may have to repay pre-IPO investors about 30 billion yuan if a listing doesnt occur this year. The first application was made in 2021.

The CSRC early this month sent a letter to Zhuhai Wanda about its overseas listing plan. The agency, which requires mainland companies to register a planned overseas listing with it, had asked Wanda Commercial in March about the IPO and how it might affect debt-repayment capabilities.

The halted bond application is highly negative for bondholder sentiment and could act as a negative read for Zhuhai Wandas IPO prospects and lead to a vicious liquidity cycle, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Andrew Chan and Hui Yen Tay.

Wanda dollar notes were generally lower Thursday, according to prices compiled by Bloomberg, adding to declines late Wednesday. A bond maturing July 23 fell nearly 1 cent to 91 cents, further paring some of this weeks rebound.

--With assistance from Lorretta Chen.

(Adds details in the fourth paragraph.)

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2023 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Much of Russias existing gas export infrastructure points West. Unfortunately for Moscow, most of its gas customers are now to its East and a lot of the infrastructure it needs to supply them is yet to be built. This mismatch of pipelines and customers  which is likely to take years to resolve  forms part of a bigger question triggered by Moscows assault on Ukraine. The war has cut Russia adrift from Europe, its biggest gas export market. So what has Russia  which has the largest reserves in the world  done with all that spare gas?

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In 2021, Russia pumped about 150 billion cubic meters of pipeline gas to Europe  more than enough to satisfy the combined annual consumption of Germany, France and Austria. Europe represented two-thirds of the countrys gas exports including flows of liquified natural gas. Since the Ukraine invasion severely dented that trade Moscow has sought new markets, expanded others and committed to provide gas to parts of Russia not yet on the domestic network.

Even with these efforts, Russia has no customers for about 90 billion cubic meters of pipeline gas, the estimated drop in flows to Europe last year, adding to the pressure on its heavily sanctioned economy. A more than 50% fall in gas prices this year has further squeezed earnings. Oil and gas together contributed more than a third of Russias pre-war budget revenues. And while oil has kept flowing, the Russian gas industry has been at the center of a whirlwind that has slashed gas revenues for the state and the countrys biggest producer Gazprom PJSC.

Gas production fell more than 13% in the first five months of the year compared to the same period in 2022. Gazprom, which exported the pipeline gas that went to Europe, accounts for the majority of that drop. Had it not been for Novatek PJSC, Russias largest LNG producer, which kept its production flat and Rosneft PJSC, which pumped additional supplies to the domestic market, the fall would have been more severe.

European leaders accused Moscow of weaponizing gas flows at the start of the war by using pretexts for halting supplies to punish countries backing Ukraine. As a result, prices surged and Europe filled its storage sites last summer with the most expensive gas the region had ever seen, partly the result of the capping of flows from the Nord Stream pipeline system which was subsequently damaged by blasts and shut indefinitely last September. A mild winter helped Europe swerve a deep energy crisis, but for Moscow, replacing Europe has not been as easy. Gas revenues fell almost 45% between January and May compared to the same period in 2022 to 710 billion rubles ($8.3 billion), according to finance ministry data.

When countries come under sanctions, there is initially a period where they struggle to adapt to the new situation, said Peter Tertzakian, managing director of ARC Financial, a veteran energy investor referring to the impact of the broader sanctions on the sector. However, the harder the sanctions, the more creative a country typically gets in terms of figuring out how to overcome them.

Russia has accelerated its pivot to China. Earlier this year President Vladimir Putin declared that the development of gas production, processing and shipment facilities in the east of Russia, close to the border with China, has a truly strategic importance. Yet a visit by Chinas President Xi Jinping to Moscow in March failed to produce an immediate commitment from Beijing to buy more Russian gas.

The Kremlins switch to China will require new pipelines to be built to supplement the Power of Siberia link, which began operating in December 2019. Shipments to China are just a fraction of those that flowed to Europe before the war, but they have grown and are expected to rise by 42% this year to 22 billion cubic meters before increasing to 38 billion cubic meters a year by 2025, enough to satisfy the annual consumption of France.

Ahead of the invasion of Ukraine, Gazprom signed a second supply deal with China, under which the energy company will deliver a further 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually over 25 years via a second pipeline known as the Far Eastern route, which is yet to be built.

Talks over the so-called Power of Siberia 2 project  which would double Russian gas flows to China to almost 100 billion cubic meters  have been at final stage for months, according to Moscow. Even if a deal is agreed by the end of 2023, it would take at least five years to build the pipeline, underscoring how difficult it is for Moscow to replace Europe overnight.

China seems to be under no time pressure to negotiate, said Vitaly Yermakov, senior research fellow at The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. While Russia is sitting on a time bomb, facing a potential sharp reduction in gas export volumes.

While some in the market believe a partial resumption in flows to Europe is possible, the reality is that at some stage the European Union was going to turn its back on Russian gas. But, most thought the trigger would be the EUs net-zero target of 2050 for greenhouse gas emissions, rather than military adventurism, and that they would have more time to adapt.

Even if the war is to end tomorrow, if there is a regime change in Russia  and it is back in the framework of international law  Russia has violated the trust of businesses and governments in Europe, said Kateryna Filippenko, director for global gas research at Wood Mackenzie Ltd. It will take time to rebuild that trust, and to come back to any sort of additional volumes.

Selling Gas Door-to-Door

Some countries like the UK and the Baltic states banned Russian gas outright, including LNG, and more governments in the region called on companies to reduce reliance on it. But a total embargo on gas flows from Russia has so far been politically unpalatable in the EU. Still, the speed with which western European markets adapted to the reduction in Russian pipeline gas hit Gazprom particularly hard. Production was cut by 20% in 2022 to 412.6 billion cubic meters, the lowest in at least 15 years. And its net income attributable to shareholders fell more than 41% to 1.23 trillion rubles.

Turkey has traditionally been among Gazproms top three buyers. Russian pipeline gas exports to the country reached almost 27 billion cubic meters in 2021 up from 16.4 billion in 2020, according to the most recent Gazprom data.

Russia is now seeking to leverage that relationship to use Turkey to transit exports to Europe. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has positioned himself as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine, has welcomed Putins idea to create a trading hub in Turkey, where Moscows gas could be marketed, but the details remain vague.

Gazprom has already shared its concept plans for the creation of the hub with Ankara. The company has also intensified talks with some former Soviet republics. It signed a supply contract with Uzbekistan in June and is discussing with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan opportunities to work together. Talks with Kazakhstan appear further advanced with the two sides signing a cooperation agreement at the start of 2023 that could boost imports of Russian gas but also lead to the construction of new pipelines to transit the fuel to China.

All of these options  the Turkish trading hub, new markets in central Asia and additional pipelines to China  require significant political wrangling to progress, leaving Russia with limited choices in the short term of what to do with its spare gas.

Production falls suggest that much of it is staying in the ground.

Yet exports of Russian LNG are booming, albeit from a very low base, accounting for 12% of total LNG imports into western Europe this year. France, Belgium and Spain imported record volumes from Russia in 2022, a fact European officials are starting to pay close attention to. The Netherlands and Spain are both taking steps to ban imports of LNG from Russia, but the region as a whole is unlikely to stop purchasing the super-chilled fuel from Moscow any time soon.

Moscow wants to triple LNG production by the end of the decade, and it could use spare pipeline capacity after the drop in flows to Europe to reach the goal. Novatek wants to connect a proposed LNG facility in Murmansk to Gazproms gas network, in a move that could allow the company to liquefy gas that would previously have been piped to Europe.

Swiss-based MET International used to trade Russian pipeline gas. Along with other traders it now relies on global deals for LNG to plug the gaps in Europes gas needs, a task Gyorgy Vargha, METs chief executive, described as enormous.

The type of relationship is different, you suddenly have to be in touch with global traders, Asian utilities, American and African companies, said Vargha. This is a major shift for energy buyers all over Europe.

Keeping the Home Fire Burning

Russia was already expanding the domestic gas network before the war began. The process is being accelerated across Russias vast territories to boost demand and support production. Putin said last year that wherever is possible, gas, either pipeline or liquefied, must reach a consumer. The ambition is to raise the domestic rate of access to the fuel to 83% by 2030 from 73% last year.

To achieve that, the gas industry will need to connect homes like that of Alexandra and Anatoly Alikov, who live in a village in the Leningrad region. In January the couple received a visit from Dmitry Medvedev, ex-president and Putins deputy in the Russian Security Council. Over tea and buns  all carefully captured by state TV  Medvedev revealed the reason for his visit: the cottage had just been added to the gas network, 15 years after it was built.

There are smiles on the faces of people who have just received gas, weve just seen it, Medvedev told the television cameras. You can tell the difference, as they say, he added, seemingly mocking European households that had been forced to replace Russian gas.

Propaganda aside, Russia and its gas industry are likely to be feeling the difference for years to come.

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Key Insights

Significant control over Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad by public companies implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions

The largest shareholder of the company is Carlsberg A/S with a 51% stake

Institutions own 16% of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad

Every investor in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:CARLSBG) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that public companies own the lion's share in the company with 51% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

And individual investors on the other hand have a 30% ownership in the company.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad, beginning with the chart below.

See our latest analysis for Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad?

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.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad, (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 Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Carlsberg A/S with 51% of shares outstanding. This essentially means that they have extensive influence, if not outright control, over the future of the corporation. With 3.5% and 2.3% of the shares outstanding respectively, Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad, Insurance Investments and AIA Investment Management Private Limited are the second and third largest shareholders.

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 Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad

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 some shares in Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad. It is a pretty big company, so it is generally a positive to see some potentially meaningful alignment. In this case, they own around RM79m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 30% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Public Company Ownership

Public companies currently own 51% of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad stock. We can't be certain but it is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.

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.

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While shareholders of Gray Television (NYSE:GTN) are in the red over the last year, underlying earnings have actually grown

This week we saw the Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:GTN) share price climb by 12%. But that isn't much consolation to those who have suffered through the declines of the last year. Like a receding glacier in a warming world, the share price has melted 55% in that period. Some might say the recent bounce is to be expected after such a bad drop. You could argue that the sell-off was too severe.

The recent uptick of 12% could be a positive sign of things to come, so let's take a look at historical fundamentals.

See our latest analysis for Gray Television

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

During the last year Gray Television saw its earnings per share increase strongly. The rate of growth may not be sustainable, but it is still really positive. As a result, we're surprised to see the weak share price. Some different data might shed some more light on the situation.

Gray Television's dividend seems healthy to us, so we doubt that the yield is a concern for the market. The revenue trend doesn't seem to explain why the share price is down. Unless, of course, the market was expecting a revenue uptick.

You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think Gray Television will earn in the future (free profit forecasts).

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 14% in the last year, Gray Television shareholders lost 53% (even including dividends). 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 8% 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Gray Television better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Gray Television (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

Gray Television is not the only stock that insiders are buying. 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 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.

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Why is there no more Sriracha? Sauce shortage hiking some Huy Fong bottles over $60

Sauce lovers everywhere are getting worried this summer as the Sriracha shortage returns with a vengeance. One of America's most popular Sriracha manufacturers announced this month that supplies continue to be limited and shoppers looking for those full-bodied red bottles with recognizable green caps may be out of luck.

Huy Fong Foods, the California-based company which makes the most recognizable brand of Sriracha in the U.S., first announced the shortage last year citing a severe shortage of the chili peppers central to the sauce's recipe. Particularly dry conditions in Mexico had caused red jalapeno pepper crops to fail.

"Climate change is the ultimate driver, but its also how we manage the water equitably, Gary Nabhan, an agricultural ecologist and professor emeritus at the University of Arizona told the Los Angeles Times.

The Sriracha hot sauce shortage is back. Huy Fong Foods says it's experiencing an unprecedented inventory shortage and it does not know when supplies will return to store shelves.

Last year the company indicated it hoped for a better fall harvest but it wasn't enough to alleviate the strain. In a statement, representatives from Huy Fong wrote "Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material. Although some production did resume this past fall season, we continue to have a limited supply that continues to affect our production. At this time, we have no estimations of when supply will increase."

Wait, this bottle costs how much?

With the shortage now over a year on and no end in sight, spice lovers have been forced to seek alternatives or pay premium prices for the popular sauce.

Prior to the shortage, bottles were usually sold for under $10. Now with the sauce in short supply, those lucky enough to have their hands on the product are hoping for a cash boon. Particularly egregious examples include a 2-pack of 17oz Huy Fong Sriracha bottles being sold on Amazon for $123.99 and a singular 28 oz bottle listed on eBay for $69.99.

For some sauce enthusiasts, desperate times call for desperate measures. SF Gate reported earlier this month that the shortage had driven some consumers to swipe the bottles from restaurants. Mariel Edwards, the operations manager at Senor Sisigs, a Filipino fusion restaurant in San Francisco, told the paper that bottles of the condiment had been vanishing from tables. They literally disappear, she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is there still a Sriracha shortage? Why the sauce remains elusive
Vector illustration of unhappy tired female character holding huge stone on shoulders

Credit - Getty Images

Sahara Artiga, one of 16 million student loan borrowers who was approved for student loan forgiveness but has not yet received aid because of ongoing legal challenges to President Bidens loan relief plan, spends her days balancing her job as a benefits specialist and mom to a 2-year-old child.

Artiga, 30, originally took out $29,000 in student loans to go toward her education at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She started paying off her loans in 2014 after she graduated. But while she has been making monthly payments towards her loans (even during the payment pause), she still owes some $27,000.

That debt, she says, is affecting her career aspirations. I actually cannot afford child care. The daycares around me are $3,600 a month, which is more than my rent in D.C. Artiga tells TIME. Im essentially staying in a work-from-home job so that I can take care of my kid at the same time, and while thats saving me money, its not easy.

As millions of borrowers anxiously await a looming Supreme Court opinion that will decide whether President Bidens student loan forgiveness is constitutional, a subset of that population finds themselves especially eager to hear the news: women. Women hold nearly two-thirds of the countrys student loan debt, owing $929 billion of the $1.54 trillion student debt, according to the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

Thats a pretty substantial amount of money that women are taking on in many cases to just sort of achieve what men dont even need to have a degree to achieve, Gloria L. Blackwell, CEO of AAUW, tells TIME.

Why do women owe so much more than men?

Although women make up more than half of the college educated labor force, per the Pew Research Center, women still face barriers to paying off their loans due to the gender wage gap, a lack of generational wealth and gender norms placed on women.

Black women are particularly affected by student loan debt, owing an average of $37,558 compared to the $29,862 white men owe and $31,346 white women owe. If you are coming from a space where you have fewer resources available, that means that youre going to take longer to pay your loans off, says Blackwell.

The gender wage gap has remained relatively stable in the U.S. throughout the past two decades, with women earning an average of 82% of what men earn. Black women make less, earning about 63 cents for every dollar made by non-Hispanic white men, though Hispanic and Native American women fare even worse, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

That gap means women earn less, delaying the time it takes to pay off their student loans, but also pushes women to pursue advanced degrees in an effort to increase their pay and reach the economic standing of their male counterparts.

Women are still required to have higher credentials to really pursue their careers and to seek out the same opportunities that men have, and so that means that they are going to school, not just for undergraduate degrees, but for graduate degrees as well, Blackwell says. Other experts, like Sabrina Calazans, managing director at the Student Debt Crisis Center (SDCC), concur. The SDCC is a national nonprofit that advocates on behalf of student loan borrowers and also conducts education and outreach work for borrowers.

What we hear from women is oftentimes, I went to grad school because I needed to make up for the gender pay gap. Or, I went because Im a woman of color, and Im often paid less than my white and male counterparts, she tells TIME.

And the lack of familial support can be an additional barrier for borrowers who come from low-income backgrounds. Calazans says that the lack of generational wealth makes it difficult to pay for not only tuition, but also additional costs like books, supplies and transportation. For a lot of people who dont come from generational wealth, it is tough because its not just tuition, right? Its a cost of living, Calazans adds.

Student loan debt is stifling

Calazans adds that for many, student loan debt is something that borrowers carry for life. The SDCC mostly speaks to women between the ages of 35 to 50, which she says is the point when the economic harm of their debt really begins to settle.

One of the main concerns that I see coming into my inbox is from older folks who are looking to retire or thinking about retirement, or their children are now going to college and so theyre concerned they cant retire now, Calazans tells TIME. Artigas mother, for instance, is paying off a Parent Plus loan she took out to support her daughters college aspirations in addition to her own student loans she took out in the 90s.

That financial burden takes an emotional toll on womens lives. Women are caregivers, women are mothers, women are, you know, more likely to be raising children or taking care of elders and other people while theyre pursuing their college degrees, Blackwell tells TIME. Working and taking care of those other responsibilities certainly have a disproportionate impact on women.

Artiga especially felt that two years ago when she had her child and she was unable to breastfeed her baby, forcing her to pay for baby formula during the formula shortage, a period where prices skyrocketed. The payment pause was a saving grace for her, but as payments are set to resume in the fall, Artiga fears that the ongoing economic crisis in America will impact her and make it even more difficult to pay off her student loans.

Once the payment pause comes off Im nervous that were going to have to start going into like our mortgage savings because I dont want the interest to kind of catch me like it did the first time, Artiga says.

Artiga and her family believe it will be feasible for them to purchase a home within the next three years but they are prioritizing paying off their existing student loan debt first. Student loan cancellation could have helped them achieve that goal more quickly, but Artiga says she does not want the interest to make [her] loan way more than [shes] ever taken out.

Her fears are well-founded, according to Blackwell. So much research has demonstrated that 10 years after [graduating] youre paying your student loans, and many students, particularly Black women, owe more than when they started out. Its that cycle that they cant get out of. Youre just on that hamster wheel, and theres literally no relief, Blackwell says.

The Supreme Court is set to make their decisions on student loan forgiveness in the upcoming days.
The collaboration between Eddie Russell of Wild Turkey and Dr. Joy Spence of Appleton Estate, two masters of their craft, will be available this July at select retailers

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wild Turkey , the iconic American bourbon brand, today announces the release of Master's Keep Voyage, the latest expression in the annual limited-edition series of highly sought-after whiskies. Crafted by Master Distiller Eddie Russell in a first-time collaboration with Dr. Joy Spence, the renowned Master Blender of Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, this 106-proof expression of 10-year-old bourbon was finished with a secondary maturation period in Jamaican rum casks, marking the first rum cask finish in Wild Turkey's history. It will be available at select retailers beginning in July.

This July, Wild Turkey, the iconic American bourbon brand, releases Masters Keep Voyage, the latest expression in the annual limited-edition series of highly sought-after whiskies.

"Every year, we look forward to the release of Master's Keep as an opportunity to rethink what our bourbon can be," says Wild Turkey's Master Distiller Eddie Russell. "Creating Master's Keep Voyage in collaboration with Dr. Joy Spence was a real privilege, and I think our shared passion for telling a story through our spirits comes through in this one-of-a-kind whiskey."

Master's Keep Voyage captures the hallmarks of both bourbon and rum making and reflects Eddie Russell and Dr. Joy Spence's more than 80 years of combined experience in crafting exceptional spirits. To begin, Dr. Joy Spence hand selected some of the finest casks from the iconic Jamaican rum house Appleton Estate  these casks previously held 14-year-old pot still rum and were chosen for their potential to best complement the bold top notes and rich caramel undertones of Wild Turkey's extra-aged bourbons. The casks then made the voyage to the Wild Turkey Distilling Co. in Lawrenceburg, KY, where Eddie Russell hand selected a batch of 10-year-old bourbon that had been aged in Wild Turkey's classic No. 4 char barrels. The bourbon was finished in the rum casks in the heat of a Kentucky timber rickhouse, resulting in a tropically influenced American icon bursting with a palate of fruits, caramel and aged oak with a warm, long-lasting finish of chocolate and spice.

"With Voyage, we set out to develop a spirit that allows the notes of the rum and bourbon to work in harmony," said Appleton Estate Master Blender Dr. Joy Spence. "By aging Eddie's hand-selected batch of 10-year-old bourbon in the finest casks we have at Appleton Estate, we were able to achieve a new level of flavor that gives whiskey and bourbon lovers a new way to enjoy their favorite drinks."

The Master's Keep series, first launched in 2015, was born from Eddie Russell's desire to push the boundaries of traditional bourbon-making by experimenting with aging techniques and finishes. Each annual release in the collection is highly coveted and available in limited quantities.

Master's Keep Voyage will be available nationally at select retailers beginning in July. SRP for a 750ml bottle is $275. The makers of Wild Turkey and Appleton Estate took their time crafting this one-of-a-kind whiskey, and they encourage fans to take their time enjoying it and to drink in moderation.

About Wild Turkey

The distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is located in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high-quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have over 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery.

The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthey took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for "some of that Wild Turkey whiskey" and the brand was born.

Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbons. This results in a much richer flavor, as less is cooked out during the production process. Aging in the highest quality new American oak barrels with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 "alligator" char), imparts a smooth flavor and deep amber color to the whiskey. The barrels are filled at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Website: wildturkey.com.

About Campari Group

Campari Group is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spreading across Global, Regional and Local priorities. Global Priorities include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey and Grand Marnier.

The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. It has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group's growth strategy aims to combine organic growth through strong brand building and external growth via selective acquisitions of brands and businesses.

Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 23 countries. The Group employs approximately 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001.

Wild Turkey (PRNewsfoto/Wild Turkey)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wild-turkey-unveils-masters-keep-voyage-a-limited-edition-craft-bourbon-perfected-with-time-in-jamaican-rum-casks-301866545.html

SOURCE Wild Turkey
Yellow has suffered from financial mediocrity that has led to the inevitable outcome. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Yellows days are numbered.

As the largest less-than-truckload (LTL) unionized carrier and the second-largest trucking company affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (UPS is the largest), Yellow has suffered from financial mediocrity that has led to the inevitable outcome.

The Teamsters leadership is largely responsible for its own demise, forcing an operational structure that has made it impossible for Yellow to compete against higher-quality operators delivering more consistent and reliable service offerings. A lack of flexibility in staffing levels and operations that would allow unionized carriers to respond to freight market volatility means these carriers are always at a disadvantage to their non-unionized competitors.

While Yellows current executive management is highly competent, the task of turning the largest unionized LTL carrier from the die that was cast decades ago has been a nearly impossible task. Yellow has faced bankruptcy several times over the past two decades because it was saddled with too much debt and operational complexities after an acquisition binge that was instigated in the early 2000s.

Bill Zollars, the CEO of Yellow from 1999 to 2011, dreamed of creating a unionized LTL super-carrier when he consolidated Yellow with Roadway and USF. These carriers were among the few trucking companies left from the pre-deregulation era, when the Teamsters were the most powerful force in the industry. During the period when trucking was regulated by the federal Interstate Commerce Commission, or ICC, unions prospered along with the trucking companies, in large part because pricing and competition were limited by the ICC.

Trucking unions and deregulation are not compatible

Transportation and logistics have been instrumental to the economic prosperity of the United States since 1980.





From 1935 until 1980, all interstate transportation service lanes  and the prices trucking companies could charge on those lanes  were regulated by the ICC. If a carrier wanted to change a rate or add a new service lane, it had to seek ICC approval first. This was a slow and cumbersome process that severely impacted economic growth. Prior to deregulation, trucking companies held the economy back with lousy service, lack of flexibility, and high rates.

Owning a motor carrier under the ICC regime meant high profits and protection from competition. In that era, unions made sense because profit margins for owners were fat, and due to the fixed nature of rates and service, operational flexibility wasnt required.

During the Carter administration, the airline, railroad and trucking industries were all deregulated, removing governmental control over the number of carriers, their routes, pricing and other services.

Over the last 43 years, the trucking industry has transitioned from an antiquated system to a landscape in which any carrier can service any lane or region it wishes to. Rates are no longer under bureaucratic control; instead, market participants  namely shippers, carriers and brokers  call the shots.

Customers largely benefited with far lower transportation costs and an infinite number of service options. The just-in-time transportation networks that drive much of our modern economy wouldnt have been possible without transportation deregulation.

Thousands of new companies entered the trucking industry in the deregulated market, and most of the new trucking companies did not (and do not) have the burden of a union workforce. Non-union trucking companies thrived in the deregulated market, introducing higher quality service offerings, flexibility, and far lower pricing for shippers.

By contrast, many of the unionized carriers were saddled with a lack of flexibility, high labor costs and abysmal service offerings. This put them at a significant competitive disadvantage. Most failed.

In 2002, unionized carrier Consolidated Freightways (CF) filed for bankruptcy and shut down. It was the largest trucking bankruptcy in history, costing 15,500 employees their jobs and shuttering a $2 billion LTL operator.

Bill Zollars, the CEO of Yellow from 1999 to 2011, dreamed of creating a unionized LTL super- carrier when he consolidated Yellow with Roadway and USF. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Yellow becomes a unionized conglomerate through consolidation

After taking the helm as CEO of Yellow, Zollars believed that the best way for the unionized carriers to compete against their non-union competitors was through economies of scale. Riding the momentum of volume gains from freight that was previously handled by CF, Yellow acquired Roadway in 2003 and USF in 2005. Yellow was renamed Yellow Roadway Consolidated Worldwide (YRC).

Under Zollars, Yellow borrowed heavily to acquire Roadway and USF, saddling the carrier with massive amounts of debt. He believed that he could gain greater leverage over labor negotiations with the Teamsters because of the number of unionized employees at the new company. He also believed the Teamsters would support the carrier conglomerates goal of achieving operational efficiencies between its various subsidiaries.

Unfortunately, Zollars big bet didnt work out

In 2006, a year after the USF acquisition, the freight market went into a recession.

As the freight market sputtered along, one of the biggest economic downturns in American history occurred: the Great Recession of 2008-09. The economic crisis severely impacted the LTL industry, prompting carriers to engage in pricing wars. LTL carriers saw a significant and simultaneous deterioration in volumes and rates.

In 2006, YRCs revenues were $9.9 billion. By 2009, revenues were down a staggering 40% to $5.3 billion.

Unfortunately, YRC couldnt react to the market dynamics as quickly as its non-unionized competitors and faced imminent bankruptcy. Drivers for the company made far more than their counterparts at non-union companies and also had a lucrative pension and other benefits  uncommon in the deregulated trucking industry.

Led by Jimmy Hoffa Jr., the Teamsters understood the incredibly challenging conditions that YRC was in. Hoffa also understood that alternative employment opportunities for Teamsters were few and far between in this midst of the financial crisis.

Over a period of years, Hoffa and the Teamsters agreed to a number of major concessions that saved YRC.

For example, in 2009, the Teamsters agreed to wage reductions of 15% and a sharp reduction in the companys contribution to the pension plan. The Teamsters also agreed to allow Yellow to consolidate operations with Roadway, creating a far more efficient business, with fewer duplicative terminals and equipment. These cost reductions and efficiencies helped the company survive its short-term cash crisis, but it was far from out of the woods.

The company had to restructure its massive debt, implementing 21 credit amendments between 2009 and 2011.

In mid-2009, Yellow exchanged pension payments for real estate, avoiding a default. In late 2009, Yellow exchanged $470 million in debt for 94% of the shares in the company.

Unfortunately, this didnt work out for the new shareholders, because those shares were diluted once again in 2011. That financial restructuring wiped out nearly all of their equity in the company, leaving them with just a 2.5% stake.

This massive dilution helped the company avoid bankruptcy once again, but it wasnt the end of YRCs woes.

In 2014, the company faced bankruptcy once again when it attempted to renegotiate $1.4 billion in debt that had matured. YRC was able to secure $300 million, but only on the condition that the Teamsters would accept 15% in wage cuts and other concessions. The union initially rejected the refinancing, but finally accepted it after the company reduced the cuts to union benefits and compensation.

In 2019, YRCs new contract with the Teamsters forced the company to increase wages by 18% over five years. YRC lost $104 million that year.

Transportation and logistics have been instrumental to the economic prosperity of the United States since 1980. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

COVID nearly killed Yellow, but the US Treasury stepped in

Unfortunately, YRCs prospects didnt improve in 2020 when COVID hit, forcing the company to contend with 20%+ volume declines.

As a unionized carrier, it once again did not enjoy the flexibility that its non-union competitors had in addressing costs.

On May 11, 2020, YRC stated that there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, in its first-quarter filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

This was quickly dealt with, however, in a controversial bailout by the U.S. Treasury Department. The carrier gave 30% ownership of the company to the federal government in return for a $700 million loan. The loans are priced at LIBOR plus 3.5% and mature in September 2024  now just 15 months away.

The justification for the loans was that Yellow was a major carrier for the U.S Department of Defense and if the carrier shuttered, it would disrupt transportation services for the military. It was later determined that this was nonsense, as other carriers in the LTL market could easily handle Yellows freight volume should it shut down.

One Yellow

In May 2022, YRC changed its corporate name to Yellow and implemented a strategy known as One Yellow, with the goal of consolidating its various subsidiaries into super-regional carriers under the Yellow banner. The goal was to eliminate duplicate linehaul networks and to drive efficiencies through the consolidation of facilities, staff, and equipment under the One Yellow banner.

The Teamsters initially supported the changes, allowing Yellow to pursue consolidation in its operations in the western U.S. Unfortunately, the cooperation was short-lived. By June 2023, as Yellow pursued more changes, including the shuttering of some terminals, redefining its employee work rules, and expansion of its use of purchased transportation (outside carriers), the union started to aggressively push back.

According to Yellow management, all of these changes were necessary for company viability.

Earlier this month, Yellow management notified the Teamsters that the company will be out of money by August.

Yellow has been unable to effectively manage itself for a long time, said Sean OBrien, Teamsters general president, in a video to members. Now, the company says itll be out of money by August. Do not forget: Teamsters have already given back everything they possibly could to keep Yellow afloat.

Yellow management insists that structural changes to its labor relations and network are necessary for the company to stay afloat, stating that the changes are necessary to avoid Yellows economic ruin. It is currently suing the Teamsters for $137 million in damages it claims are owed due to the unions opposition to its attempt to overhaul company operations.

Yellow management cites a 33% drop in tonnage volume over the past two years as a primary justification for the proposed changes.

In the lawsuit, Yellow disclosed that it has $168 million in liquidity, having burned through more than $109 million over the past year. The company stated it would run out of cash by mid-August and would be forced into liquidation.

While a restructuring is always possible, the chances of that are quite small

Yellow has been a zombie company for the past two decades, barely surviving. Its frequent flirtations with bankruptcy  as well as its relationship with the Teamsters  makes it undesirable for investors (even those with appetites for aggressive risk).

Yellow is largely regarded as a low-priced carrier with inferior service, much of this due to the limitations imposed on the company by its unionized labor. A unionized LTL carrier is a legacy of a bygone era when the government restricted competition, thus protecting labor from the volatility of the freight market and the tight margins in trucking.

If Yellow does shut down this year, it will become the largest bankruptcy in trucking history, representing 10% of the LTL market at $5.1 billion in revenues. More than 30,000 employees will be out of work, over twice as many as when Consolidated Freightways shut down.

Such an outcome would also be a significant blow to the Teamsters, which hold a great deal of power over whether Yellow survives or dies. If the Teamsters decide to hold their ground on potential concessions, they will only have themselves to blame when they wipe out 22,000 union jobs.

Those jobs are likely to never return, as unions are not compatible with modern trucking.

The post Yellow is a zombie company  its time to let it go appeared first on FreightWaves.
Crisis at Thames Water has triggered broader concerns for the industry - Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

One of Britains biggest water companies is preparing to unveil a 500m injection from shareholders as suppliers scramble to shore up their finances amid a crisis at Thames Water.

Southern Water is closing in on a deal with Australian owner Macquarie to supply extra funds as it grapples with soaring costs and rising interest rates.

Macquarie will also delay planned dividend payments until after 2025 under the agreement, according to City sources.

A prospective decision to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into Southern, which provides services to 4.6 million people in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, comes after it emerged that Yorkshire Water had raised 500m from shareholders to bolster its finances.

Meanwhile, Whitehall officials are understood to have approached a number of restructuring and insolvency experts to develop contingency plans amid concerns that the Government is ill-prepared to handle a major water company insolvency.

Crisis accountants from Teneo and FTI are among those put on alert by the Government, City sources said.

Fears over the future of Thames, which supplies one in four UK households, erupted on Tuesday following the shock exit of chief executive Sarah Bentley.

The companys shareholders have been in discussions for months over a 1bn injection needed to shore up the companys finances.

Sources close to Thames said that some of its nine investors had become disillusioned with its turnaround plan under Ms Bentley in recent weeks.

A failure to secure the 1bn of new capital could force ministers to step in and put Thames into a special administration regime.

On Thursday the business was finalising plans formally to unveil Sir Adrian Montague, former chairman of British Energy, Anglican Water and Aviva, as its new chairman.

Thames declined to comment.

Southern, meanwhile, is thought to have warned that it needed an additional 500m after costs to upgrade the network have surged about 20pc.

Coupled with rising interest rates, it is believed that the alternative would have been to slow down Southerns upgrade programme  a move that could have prompted a major backlash from campaigners demanding the water industry cleans up its act after years of underinvestment.

Macquarie and Southern declined to comment.

Separately, it emerged that a campaign by Jeremy Corbyn to bring water companies back into public ownership may have unwittingly left taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of pounds of obscure debt issued by an entity linked to Thames.

Bosses at Thames inserted a clause for about 560m of loans that forces the company to repay the money, including accrued interest, immediately if it is taken over by the state.

The safeguard was introduced in response to Corbyns threat to nationalise the UKs water companies if he won power in the 2017 election.

On Thursday night Thames Waters executives were facing the prospect of a parliamentary grilling despite ongoing talks with shareholders aimed at putting the business on a firmer footing.

MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee intend to explore the difficulties facing the company and the water industry more generally at a hearing on July 12.

Former and current senior management from Thames Water, regulator Ofwat and water minister Rebecca Pow are expected to be hauled in front of the Defra committee.

The committee said: The current financial regulations and legal oversight of water utilities may also be probed.

Other questions may be asked on issues including water quality, investment and corporate dividends.

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.
Two critically acclaimed African American artists inextricably tied to Richmond  one by birth, the other by a moving tribute  are featured in two installations at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts that visitors can see for the price of one.

One ticket will enable visitors to see Benjamin Wigfall and Communications Village and Whitfield Lovell: Passages at the VMFA through Sept. 10.

Combined, the exhibitions are a shared space by two distinguished artists  one focused on memory and identity, the other on community and daily life  whose muse took them in opposite directions with Richmond as a point of intersection.

We are delighted to bring attention to the works of these remarkable artists, said Alex Nyerges, VMFAs director and CEO. Benjamin Wigfall and Communications Village celebrates Wigfall, who hailed from Richmonds Church Hill neighborhood, and his lifes work as a barrier-breaking abstract artist, educator and mentor to future artists. Visitors to Whitfield Lovell: Passages will be captivated by the erased histories, including the stories of individuals from the citys important Jackson Ward neighborhood, intimated by Lovells profound works.

Lovell, a native of the Bronx, traveled from New York to Richmond in 2001 to pay homage to Jackson Ward, a national historic landmark and onetime center of commerce where William Washington Browne and Maggie L. Walker became the first Black man and Black woman to charter banks in the United States.

His work Visitation: The Richmond Project features dozens of faces known and unknown and a soundtrack reading the names of Jackson Ward residents. Tucked amid the likenesses are boxes filled with pennies  a nod to Walkers St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. He created the work at the Hand Workshop Art Center, now the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

Lovell, 63, was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the so-called Genius Grant, in 2007.

His VMFA exhibition, the most comprehensive collection of his work to date, showcases his collection of vintage photographs spanning from 1863s |Emancipation Proclamation through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Its anchored by his Richmond work and Deep River, a multisensory room designed to immerse visitors in the waters of the Tennessee River, from the perspective of the enslaved seeking escape.

Alexis Assam, a curator at the VMFA, said Lovells works breathe new life into the likenesses of anonymous individuals and confront the viewer with past histories and their importance to our present understanding of American history.

Benjamin Wigfall and Communications Village comprises nearly 90 works of art by Wigfall and visitors to the village  including Virginia-connected artists Betty Blayton and Mavis Pusey  as well as 12 printing plates and blocks and more than 50 archival objects.

More than 50 works in the exhibition were recently added to VMFAs permanent collection as a major acquisition from the Wigfall estate, enabling the museum to expand its representation of the artist beyond his early works, Chimneys and Corrosion and Blue. In addition to 36 works by Wigfall, the acquisition included 19 prints by artists who visited Communications Village.

The exhibition on Wigfall, who died in 2017 at age 86, is both biographical and geographical, said Sarah Eckhardt, who co-curated the exhibition with Drew Thompson, associate professor of Visual Culture and Black Studies at Bard Graduate Center.

Its the portrait of the artist as a young man whose life began to change in the late 1940s when he successfully lobbied his principal at Armstrong High School to hire an art teacher, Stafford Evans. It was Evans who introduced Wigfall to VMFA, where the student was encouraged to apply for a VMFA fellowship to attend Hampton Institute, now Hampton University  the start of a consequential and enduring relationship for both the artist and the institution. He would receive additional museum fellowships and remain in frequent correspondence with museum director Leslie Cheek.

I dont think theres another artist, period  not just African American artist  who is more woven through the warp and weft of both the art education and the art mission of the museum, Eckhardt said during a media preview of the exhibition.

Benjamin Wigfall and Communications Village showcases his development as an artist who would shift from painting to printmaking. But it also tracks his journey from Richmond to Hampton University, where he studied and taught art, before earning a master of fine arts degree from Yale University. In 1963, he began teaching at State University of New York at New Paltz. In search of a Black community, he found one in Ponckhockie an African American neighborhood in Kingston, New York. With the help of local youths, he converted an old livery stable into Communications Village, a neighborhood community arts center and printmaking studio where Wigfall and visiting artists from New York would mentor young people.

Visitors to his exhibition will be greeted by his seminal 1951 oil-on-canvas abstract work, Chimneys, portraying the smokestacks beside the former Marshall Street Viaduct connecting downtown to Church Hill. Wigfall received a VMFA prize for the painting, and the museum purchased a second painting by Wigfall, Corrosion and Blue, in 1958.

But Wigfalls fruitful relationship with the museum occurred as Virginia became enveloped in the Massive Resistance era.

During the 1950s, a new auditorium opened at the museum with integrated seating, per orders by Cheek. But white patrons complained, and VMFA as a state agency was compelled to segregate its seating, Eckhardt said.

Although Wigfalls talent had earned him respect and patrons in the local art community, he could not escape the bigotry of his hometown. He was tackled by police outside the Miller & Rhoads department store in downtown Richmond  where one of his works of art was hanging inside  and was handed a trumped-up charge that was later dismissed with the aid of attorney Oliver Hill, Eckhardt said, citing coverage of the event by The Hampton Script, the student newspaper of Hampton University, where Wigfall was a beloved art teacher.

Theres no way that that history of segregation would disappear in an institution like this, she said. A space was made, a small space. But that doesnt mean that he wasnt feeling the effects of racism and segregation every time he probably set foot in the museum.

Wigfalls work generally was not overtly political. But the undertones are clear in his Picasso-esque 1955 etching, Victim and Accused, an anti-segregation statement.

He had to take a bus from Church Hill and into this completely white neighborhood to get to the museum, Eckhardt said. So I dont want to in any way erase how he would have felt in that circumstance. And I think that is what is key to Communications Village and to what he established in Kingston, and to the questions he started asking. Really the shift from the early 60s, with the emphasis on integration, to the late 60s, when he was thinking much more about what Black culture had to offer and what it would mean to root his own practice in Black culture.

Massive Resistance cost Virginians more than desegregated schools. Its ripple effects had an impact on culture.

Really, after Massive Resistance, I think that you lose the thread on African American art at VMFA for about 30 years, Eckhardt said.

The centerpiece of Wigfalls VMFA exhibition is the Communications Village, formally organized in 1973. A photo of the brick building takes up an entire wall; the opposite side features photos of professional artists and community people, and its stated mission to produce prints, audio recordings and photos to document the life and history of the community.

In one life-size photo, Wigfall  in shirt, tie and jacket, wearing headphones and toting recording gear  looks more like a radio journalist than an artist. Its clear he viewed the roles as complementary and interchangeable.

In one interactive room, the transcribed words of residents are written on prints, with their recorded words available at the push of a button.

What he wanted to do for the kids there, I think, and the message he had repeatedly said over and over was: You dont have to leave your community to make art, Eckhardt said.

His goal wasnt to make them artists. It was to help them see differently. And that you could see differently within your own community. You could find art. ... And I think that that, to my mind, is very attached to what he learned, and then what he wasnt able to learn, at VMFA when he was here.

The nurturing of his talents across racial lines might have seemed unlikely, given the racial divides of his formative years. But Wigfall appeared to absorb the notion that it takes a village to raise an artist.

You would really be surprised how Richmond becomes a point of origin for so much  historically, artistically, said Valerie Cassel Oliver, curator of modern and contemporary art at the VMFA. Wigfall took roots nourished in Richmond and planted them elsewhere, to create and flourish opportunities for other artists, particularly young artists of color.
Three-term Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Howard Jenkins has been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy, four counts of honest-services mail and wire fraud and eight counts of federal programs bribery, according to a Thursday news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia.

According to the indictment unsealed June 29, from at least April 2019, Jenkins, 51, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions totaling at least $72,500 from Rick Tariq Rahim, 55, of Great Falls; Fredric Gumbinner, 64, of Fairfax; James Metcalf, 60, of Manassas; and at least five others, including two undercover FBI agents.

In return, Jenkins appointed them as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law enforcement position, and issued them Culpeper County Sheriffs Office badges and identification cards, the release stated.

The three men named in the indictment were also charged.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jenkins told or caused others to tell the bribe payers that the law enforcement credentials authorized them to carry concealed firearms in all 50 states without obtaining a permit. In addition, Jenkins assisted Rahim in gaining approval for a petition to restore his firearms rights filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court that falsely stated Rahim resided in Culpeper County, authorities said.

Scott Jenkins not only violated federal law but also violated the faith and trust placed in him by the citizens of Culpeper County by accepting cash bribes in exchange for auxiliary deputy badges and other benefits, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in a statement. Our elected officials are expected to uphold the rule of law, not abuse their power for their own personal, financial gain.

In a statement, special agent in charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI's Richmond Division said law enforcement officers are sworn to protect and serve their communities.

We do that by upholding the law equally, and not abusing the powers that are entrusted to us, he said. With today's announcement, FBI Richmond re-enforces our commitment to the community of ensuring abuses of public trust will not be tolerated and those responsible will be held accountable.

Rahim was charged with conspiracy, three counts of honest-services mail and wire fraud and three counts of federal programs bribery. Gumbinner was charged with conspiracy, honest-services wire fraud and two counts of federal programs bribery. Metcalf was charged with conspiracy, honest-services wire fraud and two counts of federal programs bribery.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy, up to 20 years in prison per count of honest-services mail and wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for each count of federal programs bribery, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence for all four defendants after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors, the release stated.

The defendants were scheduled to make an initial court appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.

The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case. Trial attorney Celia Choy of the Justice Department Public Integrity Section and assistant U.S. attorneys Heather Carlton and Melanie Smith of the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Xavier Downs will be the new principal of Spotsylvania Countys Riverbend High School.

Downs replaces longtime Riverbend principal Troy Wright, who had been employed in the division since 1992. Wright left Spotsylvania schools in May to become the deputy superintendent of King George County schools.

Downs comes to Spotsylvania from Alaskas Lower Yukon School District, where he was principal of Kotlik School.

Kotlik serves students from preschool through 12th grade and had a total enrollment of 153 as of the 202122 school year, according to the Alaska Department of Education.

Total enrollment in the Lower Yukon School District that year was 1,995. The district has 12 schools, including one charter school.

Riverbend High School had 1,998 students enrolled last school year, according to the Virginia Department of Educations school quality report.

Downs attended the private Baptist Carson-Newman University in Tennessee for his undergraduate degree in special education, he said in a letter to the Riverbend community.

He has a masters degree in educational administration from Virginias Liberty University, taught special education in Prince William County and Portsmouth public schools and served in the Army from 2006 to 2013.

After leaving the Army, Downs worked in administration for Waco County schools in Texas and as an assistant principal and academic dean in several schools in the Houston, Texas area before moving to Alaska.

In his letter, Downs said he looks forward to continuing to build and strengthen the Bear community.

I believe that a strong partnership between home and school is essential to student success, he said. I am eager to get to know each and every student, and I will work to ensure that each family feels connected to the Riverbend High School learning community.

The Spotsylvania School Board held a special meeting Monday to review and approve a personnel packet that included the names of a number of new principals.

Board member Dawn Shelley said during public discussion that the new principals coming to the county will be making higher salaries than existing principals.

Its awesome about the salaries that we will be paying our new principals, but what I could not say in closed session is that now our brand-spanking-new principals are coming to Spotsylvania making more than our current principals, she said. I am going to ask (Superintendent Mark Taylor) and staff to do what you have to with the budget that we have and fix our current principals salaries so nobody new is making more than they are.

Division spokeswoman Tara Mergener said Thursday morning that salary information for Downs is not yet available.
A former Tekamah police officer has been charged with two felonies in connection with his activities during a police standoff in Lyons Feb. 25.

In a hearing conducted by an interactive Internet link, Robert Rivera, 52, of Lyons, was arraigned in Burt County Court on Friday. He faces three charges including possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, a Class 1C felony; issuing terroristic threats, a Class 3A felony; and obstructing a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor. A Class 1C felony carries a minimum prison term of five years up to 50 years. Because the gun charge is filed in connection with another felony, any sentence must be served consecutively to the underlying felony.

Rivera called all the accusation a lie and was admonished by Judge Edward Matney to maintain decorum. Rivera apologized, blaming the outburst on his post-traumatic stress disorder, saying, This is not a good place for me.

Judge Matney on Friday set Riveras bond at $300,000 or 10 percent cash and scheduled a preliminary hearing on July 11.

At a preliminary hearing, the state must show that probable cause exists showing Rivera committed the felonies. If the state meets its burden, the felonies will be bound to district court. If not, they must be dismissed. If the case is bound over, the accompanying misdemeanor would be dismissed at the county level and could be refined directly in district court.

Because Rivera was an employee of the Tekamah Police Department at the time of the incident, the case is being prosecuted by lawyers from the state attorney generals office. Assistant Attorney General George Welch said his office was only recently appointed to the case and reports are still being reviewed to determine the proper charges.

Ive been in here 10 days and nobodys looked at anything? Rivera asked.

Judge Matney told Rivera if a preliminary hearing isnt needed, a further first appearance on misdemeanor charges will be held instead.

During his incarceration, Rivera filed a financial affidavit supporting a request for court-appointed counsel. The judge said an attorney would be appointed later in the day and Rivera should consult with that attorney regarding bond conditions and possible options.

Rivera has been held in Thurston County Jail since his June 14 arrest on a warrant issued the same day. The warrant ordered Rivera be held without bond until he appeared in court.

The case centers around Riveras alleged involvement in a standoff in Lyons between law enforcement and a suspect who was believed to be suicidal.

Lyons police and Burt County deputies responded to a domestic assault that occurred in a moving vehicle on Highway 32 during the afternoon of Feb. 25. Officers met with the reporting party at a home on Logan Ave. in Lyons before making contact with the alleged assailant, Chris Garrett, at a home on State Street, two blocks from Riveras house.

Once gaining access to the house, officers found the male suspect hiding in a stairwell.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in connection with his arrest, Rivera then entered the house. Records show he was not requested to assist, nor was he on duty for any law enforcement agency. At the time, Rivera was employed by the Tekamah Police Department. Tekamah Police Chief Dan Jacobs has said Rivera was on his way to work when he saw Lyons police heading to the scene.

According to records, the responding officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Rivera, with his gun drawn, continued speaking with the suspect. Although requested by the officers to back away, Rivera allegedly would not. He was nearly struck in the face by an object the suspect threw.

Rivera was again told to leave by the responding officers and allegedly made a threatening remark toward one of them. A statement from a witness backed up the allegation of the threat.

Following the incident, Rivera was relieved of his duties with the Tekamah Police Department.

During his arraignment, Rivera asked for a low bond, saying he was working a full-time job in Winnebago and another part-time job in Macy, all to help make ends meet.

Im not a risk, he told the judge. I live in Lyons and raising my three boys. The community and I mesh. If I lose my house, the boys have nothing.
Fremont Police officers were dispatched at about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, to the 600 block of West Military Avenue in reference to a trespassing complaint.

Upon arrival officers learned the individual had left, but not before leaving behind a duffle bag that contained stolen property, a press release said.

As a result of the investigation, Jenna M. Boschult, 32, homeless, was arrested for second-degree trespassing and two counts of theft by receiving stolen property.
When Nebraska lawmakers passed restrictions on gender-affirming medical care into law, they turned power to  and placed a spotlight on  Dr. Timothy Tesmer, a Lincoln ear, nose and throat doctor.

The new law bans gender-affirming surgeries for minors. It tasks Tesmer, the states new chief medical officer, with making rules for puberty blockers that pause physical changes and hormone therapy that feminizes or masculinizes a persons body.

Nebraskas chief medical officer will make these rules  a setup that may be unprecedented in state history  even as the new law is challenged in court. It appears to sit on uncertain legal ground after a federal court in Arkansas struck down a similar law last week.

Tesmer, who previously chaired the state Board of Health, has a good reputation in the medical community, say doctors interviewed by the Flatwater Free Press. And he pledged at his confirmation hearing to set aside personal opinions and make the new rules with a team of experts.

But hes also appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen, who has pledged to fight the radical transgender agenda and who recently invoked Satan when talking about children seeking gender-affirming care.

We believe in protecting our kids, making sure that they  parents and kids  dont get duped into the silliness that if you do this youre going to become happy, Pillen said. That is absolutely Lucifer at its finest.

Opponents have also raised alarms over Tesmers leadership on the state Board of Health, which supported a total ban on gender-affirming care  including banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy  earlier this year.

How can the public trust Dr. Tesmer to provide proper accountability  if hes going to allow politics to be put before process? said Abbi Swatsworth, executive director of OutNebraska, at Tesmers confirmation hearing.

The Nebraska Legislature approved Tesmers appointment after combative discussion in the Health and Human Services Committee.

I get it. I know people are hurting, Tesmer told senators at his confirmation hearing. We want to do the right thing within the guidelines of the law thats now been enacted.

Opponents and some medical providers are training a watchful eye on what Tesmer does next.

That includes Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, a Democrat from Omaha who led a filibuster against efforts to restrict gender-affirming care.

Shes wary because shes seen no gender-affirming care providers or families of trans youth included in the Pillens administrations decision-making, she said.

Im just concerned about who hes going to include, Cavanaugh said.

Tesmer, a Grand Island native, graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1982 and worked as an ENT for over three decades, most recently in Lincoln.

He served on the states Board of Health starting in 2020, which spurred his desire to become a public servant, he said.

The chief medical officer, under state law, oversees the discipline of licensed professionals and facilities. The position has often been a patronage-type job, said Tom Safranek, longtime state epidemiologist, though he noted exceptions.

The Nebraska Medical Association supported Tesmers appointment. Medical providers interviewed also have a favorable impression of Tesmer.

He fits the bill for what you need for a chief medical officer, said Dwight Jones, chair of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Department of Otolaryngology, who said hes known Tesmer peripherally for decades.

Nurse practitioner Clara Fynbu Eggert, who occasionally worked with Tesmer while caring for patients in Lincoln, said she regarded him as a collegial, very pleasant, very evidence-driven clinician.

Thats why it surprised her, she said, when she saw a news story from the Nebraska Examiner detailing how Board of Health members worked with Sen. Kathleen Kauth, a Republican from Omaha, to get a statement supporting her LB574 into senators hands before the Legislature started debating the bill this March.

At the time, the bill was a total ban for people under 19. It was part of a deluge of similar bills introduced across the country.

The boards statement concluded that the board does not support irreversible surgical and hormonal manipulation of minors for the purposes of gender reassignment. According to meeting minutes, Tesmer tried and failed to remove that sentence. The board, including Tesmer, then approved the statement 11-0.

The hardest thing about reading that letter is that I dont believe that any of the people on the Board of Health are involved in gender-affirming care, said Fynbu Eggert, who now works at pediatric and behavioral health clinics in Lincoln, including with clients who are gender nonconforming.

Tesmer said he did not know about the bill or the statement until the day the board approved it.

He said he voted for the statement because he agreed that irreversible treatment should not be done for minors, which in his mind referred to surgeries. The effects of puberty blockers, he pointed out, are reversible.

Sen. Jen Day, a Democrat from Gretna, took issue with Tesmers responses about his role in the statement. Either he didnt know what was going on, which she called troubling, or he did and lied to the committee, she said.

Sen. Ben Hansen, a Republican from Blair who chairs the Health and Human Services committee and brought the amendment that delegated rulemaking to the chief medical officer, said he was happy with Tesmers hearing and that questions from opponents were legitimate.

He made explicitly clear that Its not just me whos making decisions, I need to rely on other people who take care of  transgender children and other people to make the best decision that we can, he said. So, I trust him.

The path ahead is now uncertain for Tesmer, for the rules he must put in place and for minors and their families seeking gender-affirming care.

The issue is headed to court after a recent lawsuit alleged the new law, which also tightens abortion restrictions, is unconstitutional because it violates Nebraskas requirement that laws stick to one subject.

And just last week, a federal judge in Arkansas blocked that states ban on gender-affirming care for people under 18, ruling it unconstitutional. The Arkansas attorney general plans to appeal.

Arkansas is in the 8th Circuit with Nebraska. The ruling strengthens the case against Nebraskas law, said Sen. John Cavanaugh, a Democrat from Omaha and an attorney.

I think it makes it more certain that someone will bring a federal lawsuit and prevail, he said.

If not affected by a court decision, Nebraskas restrictions are set to go into effect Oct. 1  though Tesmer has warned the new rules wont be ready then.

Under the new law, Tesmer is required to put into place rules regarding use of nonsurgical gender-altering procedures, like puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

While the Department of Health and Human Services is often tasked with creating rules and regulations, spokesperson Jeff Powell said its typically done by putting that responsibility with the departments CEO and allowing the CEO to delegate.

He didnt respond directly when asked if the Legislature had ever before tasked the chief medical officer with establishing rules and regulations.

Tesmer said he wont do this alone. He said every attempt will be made to assemble legal experts and doctors of different kinds who will make regulations in a thorough, evidence-based fashion.

After the regulations are written and revised  a process that will involve at least one public hearing  the regulations will go to the Board of Health, then the Nebraska Attorney Generals office and then Pillen for review, Tesmer said.

The rules wont be in place by Oct. 1, when the law goes into effect, Tesmer said. He didnt offer an expected timeline, and neither did a DHHS spokesperson.

I understand theres going to be a hiatus  a limbo land, here, Tesmer said. But we will do our very best effort to get something out.

Once Oct. 1 hits, Hansen said his legal counsel believes minors wont be able to start receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy until rules are in place. In his understanding, people already receiving care will be able to keep receiving it under the new law.

If Tesmer and his team want to use them, there are existing guidelines used to guide the care of youth with gender dysphoria. World Professional Association for Transgender Health and the Endocrine Society  which the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry call the most widely known guidelines for providers  recommend against puberty blockers and hormone therapy for prepubescent children and set out specific recommendations for gender-affirming care after they hit puberty.

Theres a mistaken perception that doctors administer puberty blockers to young children, Fynbu Eggert said. This perception is not aligned with reality, she said.

When the discussion  begins it is often not a sudden seismic shift but rather the natural progression of the discussions being had over the course of five to 10 years, Fynbu Eggert said.

But Tesmers rules will look at least somewhat different than those existing guidelines. Standards from those organizations dont include a minimum number of hours of psychotherapy for minors before they receive gender-affirming care. The new Nebraska law calls for Tesmer to set a minimum. Tesmers rules also must include a minimum waiting period between when a doctor gets informed consent from a patient and family, and when they prescribe medication.

Alex Dworak, OneWorld Community Heath Centers associate medical director of family medicine, provides gender-affirming care as a part of his practice. He doesnt use a waiting period.

This isnt a handgun, Dworak said. We take very thorough precautions in a way that we dont with almost any other thing that we do in primary care, detailing the multi-step process that occurs before he prescribes puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

Dworak described his current position on Tesmer as trust but verify.

(Tesmer) seems to have good ideas and to genuinely be committed to public health in Nebraska, but he participated in an active harm to the trans community and to us medical professionals who serve them, while on the Board of Health, Dworak said. He needs to account for that and do better before I would ask any of my patients or their families to trust him.

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

Photos and video: Scene at Nebraska Capitol as lawmakers pass LB574
Episode 96: If you follow local government, whether in big cities or small towns, youll undoubtably hear debates about parking. There is often little agreement about how to pay for parking, how much to require and where to put it.

The recent book by Henry Graber, Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World, is taking a critical look at our countrys obsession with parking.

The hosts discuss why such policies can hurt cities and often cause a lack of affordable housing.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

America has eight parking spaces for every car. Heres how cities are rethinking that land, by Daniel Baldwin Hess and Jeffrey Rehler, Fast Company

Why the U.S. builds more three-car garages than one-bedroom apartments, by Connor Donevan, Christopher Intagliata and Juana Summers, National Public Radio

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Representatives from the Colorado Springs Airport and the Transportation Security Administration on Wednesday held a news conference to help prepare Fourth of July airline customers for what is expected to be one of the busiest travel holidays since the federal agencys 2001 inception.

From Thursday, June 29 to Wednesday, July 5, the TSA anticipates that more than 17 million people will travel across the country, officials said. The peak travel day is expected to be Friday, when an estimated 2.8 million people will be screened at TSA checkpoints in 430 airports nationwide.

Every single airport is going to be busy, said TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers. Every single bit of the travel process is going to take longer. You are going to need to arrive early, and youre going to need to arrive prepared.

Colorado Springs Airport is on pace for its busiest June on record, with approximately 100,000 passengers expected to depart the airport by the end of the month, according to a news release.

The summer travel season is shaping up to be busy not only at COS, but at airports across the country, said Anne Cross, TSAs acting federal security director for Colorado.

With such high passenger volumes, long lines and delays are inevitable, but there are steps travelers can take to help move the queues along as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Pack smart, Dankers said. Thats one of the most important things you can do to help the screening process.

Travelers are advised to carefully check the contents of their carry-on luggage prior to leaving home. Prohibited items such as firearms, fireworks and certain fluids slow the check-in process.

Among the many items confiscated at COS on Wednesday were fireworks, a pepper spray canister and a handgun  the sixth such weapon found at the airport this year, Dankers said.

Depending on the type of gun, and whether or not it was loaded, that traveler is going to be fined as much as $15,000, she said.

To determine which items are permitted in carry-on baggage, the MyTSA app has a What Can I Bring feature, according to the release. Travelers can also snap a picture of a certain item and send it to @AskTSA on Twitter or Facebook Messenger.

Airline customers are also advised to use their time wisely while waiting in the checkpoint line by having photo ID ready when their turn comes.

Dont wait until its your turn at the checkpoint to go searching in your pockets, Dankers said. If that process is repeated 3,000 or more times per day, or more, depending on the size of the airport, it makes the screening process even more time-consuming, and it frustrates the other customers.

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Efficiency and expediency are important to every traveler, but security takes precedence, so customers are advised to exercise patience.

We will never compromise security to rush people through the security checkpoint, Dankers said. Every traveler, and all their belongings, will be screened.

The agency also announced a policy change and a new program designed to get travelers to their destination quickly and comfortably.

TSA PreCheck, which helps expedite the screening process for qualified travelers, is now permitting travelers aged 17 and under to use the PreCheck lane when traveling with an eligible parent or guardian, the release stated. The previous maximum age was 12.

This is a game changer for families, Dankers said. It helps keep teenagers from getting separated from their parents.

For travelers with disabilities or special circumstances, the TSA Cares program has trained passenger support specialists ready to assist with screening. Anyone who might need personalized assistance is eligible for this free service, according to TSA officer and support specialist Theresa Adams.

There is no issue that is too big or too small. We are here to help with any circumstance, Adams said.

Adams said she and her fellow support specialists have assisted a wide variety of patrons, including parents traveling alone with small children, people with temperature sensitive medications and travelers carrying the cremated remains of a loved one.

Maybe youre afraid to travel. Maybe you havent flown in 20 years and dont know what to expect. Were here to help anyone who needs it.

Anyone needing personalized assistance can contact TSA Cares toll-free at 855-878-2227 or email [email protected].

Planning ahead, arriving early and being prepared will help TSA officers do their jobs and get passengers to their flights with a minimum of delay, officials said.

Its going to be the busiest period weve seen in a long time, Dankers said. Consider yourself warned.
Tuesday's travel woes from customers attempting to fly United Airlines and facing cancellations continued Wednesday, with 92 United flights cancelled into and out of Denver International Airport out a total 95 flights cancelled at the airport.

Across the United States, United had cancelled 442 flights and delayed another 887, far more than any of their fellow airlines, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.com. The airline with the next highest number of cancelled or and delayed flights Wednesday was JetBlue with 90 cancelations and 389 delays.

Wednesday afternoon, United officials told the Denver Gazette their delays and cancelations were due to "severe weather in the Northeast, which has also caused our flight crews to be out of place," Russell Carlton, a spokesperson for United at DIA, said.

United's Airport Operations Team is fully staffed in Denver and working extra hours to get customers to destinations, Carlton said.

The airline has also increased staffing to restore flight attendant schedules and is offering triple pay to pick up open trips, he said.

"We know our customers are eager to get to their destinations and our airport and call center teams are working overtime to assist them," Carlton said. "We are focusing on helping our customers whose travel has been disrupted over the last few days."

Carlton pointed customers to the United mobile app, in which they can now access personalized re-booking options, bag tracking information and meal and hotel vouchers when eligible, he said. That's despite the fact many customers have complained about the app.

"Customers who have had flights canceled are able to receive a refund if they no longer wish to travel," Carlton said.

Wednesday's flight woes came after an equally frustrating Tuesday for travelers, with some 500 United Airlines flights canceled in the U.S. by 5 p.m., the most by any airline, according to FlightAware.

In a message to employees, United CEO Scott Kirby said Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration "failed us."

FAA staffing issues in the midst of East Coast weather challenges are at the core of United's operational issues, Scott said. Over 150,000 customers are estimated to have been impacted last weekend by "FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic."

FAA spokesperson Emma Duncan said there were no East Coast staffing issues on Monday or Tuesday.

The FAA "will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem," Duncan added.

Another FAA spokesperson said Wednesday the agency is "taking action to reduce the air traffic controller training backlog that COVID created."

At the height of the pandemic, the FAA paused training to protect the workforce and keep the airspace "safe and working," they said. However, they don't claim to have controller staffing issues, as Kirby claimed in the letter to employees.

"Weather and volume drove nearly all the delay minutes in 2022, not controller staffing issues," the FAA spokesperson said.

This year, the FAA will hire 1,500 controllers and next year plans to hire 1,800.

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Brooks Proch and his girlfriend, Danielle Chavira, were supposed to leave from Salt Lake City on vacation when Proch's United flight was cancelled during his layover at DIA, leaving him among a sea of stranded travelers in Denver.

Brooks was coming home from a work trip in Ohio and was supposed to board his second flight home to his girlfriend.

Luckily, Proch and Chavira had plans to vacation to Denver from Salt Lake and Proch had family in the area, otherwise it would have been "much worse" Chavira said.

"We're one of the lucky ones dealing with all of this nonsense," Chavira said. "I just told him to stay there and wait for me since I'm already driving to Denver and fortunately he has family so he's not terribly stuck."

From DIA, Proch sent Chavira videos and photos of the chaos inside the airport, including "people in their 70's sleeping on the ground," Chavira said.

"I feel terrible for everyone else," Chavira said. "I can't imagine if we were in any other situation this would be a different and terrible story for us."

The travel woes came after complications with checking in to the flight to begin with, Chavira said, explaining that both she and boyfriend had tried multiple times to check him in for his flight through the United app and not had any luck.

The couple rarely travels via plane and, after the fiasco this week, never want to again, Chavira said. Proch generally uses United when he has to fly for work and told Chavira over the phone that he never will again.

"We typically drive places, so it's rare for us to fly," Chavira said. "When all of this has happened, we're like 'we're never flying again'."

Don McNeil was in a similar situation, waiting for a stranded family member at DIA to get home after a cancelled United flight.

McNeil's 16-year-old daughter got stranded in Denver Tuesday night and McNeil spent a good portion of his day Wednesday trying to locate her bags and get a refund from the airline.

He was able to get his daughter onto a Southwest Airlines flight, but has yet to reach United to get ahold of her bags and get their money back.

"The most frustrating thing is the inability to communicate with @united customer service," McNeil wrote to the Denver Gazette on Twitter. "To pay that much money to spend several hours on hold is disappointing."

As the holiday weekend approaches, DIA is forecasting over 550,000 passengers to travel through TSA checkpoints, according to DIA spokesperson Jose Salas.

"Unfortunately, cancelations and delays can be unexpected and occur for a variety of reasons," Salas wrote in an email to the Denver Gazette. "We understand these incidents are an inconvenience and can present challenges to passengers. When delays or cancelations occur, it is our role as an airport to support our passengers and help maintain efficient operations through security checkpoints, the airfield and customs."

In the wake of delays and cancelations into and out of the airport, Salas said the airport's biggest tip for passengers over the holiday weekend is to check their flight status with their airline in advance.

"It's always better to see your flight is delayed before heading to DEN," Salas said.
Just before a recent, early-morning departure from Colorado Springs Airport, as Victor Para watched his carry-on luggage emerge from the security scanner, he saw that an important piece was missing: His CPAP machine.

My backpack and small suitcase was there, Para said. But the CPAP machine never showed up.

At the suggestion of a TSA agent, Para backtracked his steps, all the way to the curbside where he had been dropped off. The machine wasnt there. He called a friend, who had driven him to the airport, to see if hed left the CPAP in the vehicle. No luck. An employee at the check-in counter suggested Para drop by the police station on the airports lower level.

I didnt even know the airport had a police station, Para said.

After giving his information to Officer Jerry Bellow, Para realized he was running out of time and was going to have to make his flight without the machine he depended on to help him sleep.

Moments after Para boarded his flight, a flight attendant asked that Victor activate the call light for his seat. When Para complied, the attendant approached, carrying his CPAP machine.

I thought, Wow! How did that happen? Para said. And how did it happen so quickly?

Officer Scott Carnes had been patrolling near the security checkpoint when a TSA agent informed him that a passenger had reported seeing an abandoned CPAP machine nearby, and that an earlier airline customer had reported one missing.

It didnt take Carnes long to find it.

Sure enough, there it was, all by itself near the fireplace, he said.

When Carnes opened the case, he saw the machine and several medications inside.

I knew that whoever owned the machine either wouldnt have been able to sleep, or would have had a miserable time, he said.

Using the FlyCOS app, Carnes was able to pinpoint the flight that Para would most likely be on.

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It was a Southwest flight, which is way on the north side of airport, he said. And it was boarding.

Carnes returned to the checkpoint and explained the situation to the TSA agents. They understood time was of the essence, but the machine had to go through the security scanner before Carnes could run it to the Southwest gate.

As soon as the machine went through, I grabbed it, and I was off to the races, he said.

He sprinted across the airport to the Southwest gate and verified that Para was, in fact, on the flight.

I told the employee, Im going to wait here until you come back and tell me that you physically put (the CPAP) into Mr. Paras hands,' Carnes said.

When the employee returned and verified that Paras machine had been returned to him, Carnes could finally exhale.

I just went, Whew! he said.

Para marveled at the coordinated effort between the TSA, the Colorado Springs Police Department and Southwest Airlines  just so a single traveler could get a good nights sleep.

I have, on more than one occasion, been critical of airport personnel, Para said. But my perspective has changed. A lot of good people went beyond the scope of their job, with an amazing result.

Carnes, who spent 30 years as a Colorado Springs Police Department patrol officer with the Sand Creek division before taking the airport job in April 2022, said he enjoys the personalized assistance he is able to provide nearly every day.

I love this job, Carnes said. The things that we might consider small, can have a huge impact on people. Everyone on this team goes out of their way to help travelers have the best experience possible. On that day, it just happened to be me.
Leaders of the University of Colorado spoke out against the Supreme Courts affirmative action decision on Thursday, which ruled higher education institutions may not consider race in the admissions process.

A statement issued by the systems president and chancellors affirmed CUs unwavering commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion, equity and access, which is one of its four strategic plan pillars.

The university will continue to employ admission processes that consider the whole student. The statement cited CUs board-set policy that states diversity refers to both demographic characteristics and life experiences and perspectives.

UC President Todd Saliman, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Chancellor Venkat Reddy and the university systems three other chancellors signed the letter in support.

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By fostering an environment that promotes inclusiveness and belonging, we create opportunities for collaboration, dialogue, mutual respect and understanding, the statement reads. That doesnt mean we will always agree with one another. We wont. And thats not the goal. Instead, it means our community will have the tools and critical thinking skills needed to engage and thrive in our complex world. And thats what higher education is all about.

In a 6-3 ruling on race-conscious admissions processes at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court distinguished between a persons race and their individual experiences. Plaintiffs in the case accused their respective universities of discriminating against white and Asian students.

Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority ruling.

We are steadfast in our belief that a vibrant and inclusive community leads to a richer educational experience for all, contributes to a positive society, and prepares our graduates to excel in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world, the statement ends.
The Denver Police Department seized $80,000 worth of fireworks on Monday, after it was discovered that the fireworks were being illegally sold out of a southwest Denver residence.

After receiving a tip about the operation, the police department, the District 4 Narcotics team, and the Denver Police Bomb Squad responded. The fireworks were collected for safe disposal.

Denver Police Department reminded the public that all fireworks are illegal to sell, purchase, possess and light in Denver.

At the state level, the sale or use of illegal fireworks is a class three misdemeanor, subject to punishment of up to a $750 fine and up to six months in jail. In Denver, penalties can be up to $999 in fines and a year in jail.

Information about whether or not suspects were charged was not included in the press release on the matter.

Those wanting to report the sale of illegal fireworks in Denver are asked to call 720-913-2000.
A man is dead and a homicide investigation is underway in Pueblo.

Pueblo police issued a news release explaining they were called to a home Tuesday at about 8 p.m. in the 2000 block of North Hudson Avenue for a reported shooting. The neighborhood is near U.S. 50 east of Interstate 25. When police arrived, they found the victim dead. He has not been publicly identified.

No suspect has been taken into custody at this time, police wrote in the news release. This is an active and ongoing investigation. Updated information will be released when it becomes available. This is the eleventh homicide investigation of 2023.

If you have information that could help the police, call 719-553-2502.
A man who was shot and killed after entering a Colorado Springs home Tuesday evening has been identified as 28-year-old William Zink, of Colorado Springs, police reported Wednesday.

Police said at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, officers with the Gold Hill division received reports of a burglary on the 700 block of Nebula Court in the Upper Skyway neighborhood.

The homeowner told police that he had been armed with a handgun and shot the stranger who entered his home.

Zink was later found by police in the area and was taken to a hospital, where he died.

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According to police, Zink's death is being investigated as the 14th homicide in the city this year. There were 26 homicide investigations at this time last year.

No other arrests have been made, but there is no danger to the community and those involved in the incident "have been accounted for," police said. Anyone with further information about the incident are asked to contact CSPD at 719-444-7000 or, to remain anonymous, the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-7867 or 1-800-222-8477.
Colorado universities signaled they would modify their approach to diversity goals following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down the race-based components of the admissions programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina.

Education officials said their commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and access will not diminish.

But the overarching question facing universities is how.

A statement from the University of Colorado  signed by the president and chancellors  hints at how the educational system intends to achieve its diversity goals in light of the court's sweeping conclusion that "eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it."

"Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individuals identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin," the court's opinion stated. "This Nations constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

In response, the university noted that diversity also encompasses demographic characteristics, while also encompassing diverse life experiences and perspectives.

We will continue to employ admission processes that consider the whole student and their ability to succeed in our academically rigorous and supportive environment, the officials said. "Our dedication to cultivating a diverse university community runs deep. In fact, our board has set policy that makes it clear that diversity encompasses demographic characteristics while also encompassing diverse life experiences and perspectives.

In a separate statement, CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano said the court's decision recognizes that universities may still consider the unique experiences of individual students, which might include how race has affected the applicants life.

Those experiences, he added, can demonstrate an applicant's unique ability to contribute to the university.

DiStefano was referring to the court's opinion that said nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicants "discussion of how race affected the applicants life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university."

CU Boulder, in particular, outlined several approaches to achieve its goals consistent with the principles of the court ruling.

Those approaches include employing admission processes that consider the whole student and their ability to succeed in our academically rigorous and supportive environment; "aggressively" recruiting students from minoritized backgrounds; awarding financial aid to students who demonstrate academic promise and financial need; and, creating a "welcoming living and learning communities.

The university also it would amplify the voices of marginalized communities.

Colorado College leaders took a similar approach.

In a statement signed by President L. Song Richardson and other officials, the college said the decision "does not prevent us from doing what we have always done."

"We will continue to consider how each students background, strengths, and characteristics contribute to our intellectually stimulating, creative, and unique community. We will continue to admit talented and well-rounded students who think differently, demonstrate courage and resilience, have the enthusiasm to learn within our immersive Block Plan, and seek to collaborate with and learn from diverse communities," the officials said.

CSU President Amy Parsons sent to campus this morning following the SCOTUS decision on Affirmative Action. Youll also find a statement CSU System Chancellor Tony Frank shared.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University President Amy Parsons sought to reassure students considering going to CSU that the court decision would not effect them.

"This constitutional ban on race-conscious admissions will impact admissions practices at many institutions. Here at CSU, the courts decision will not affect the undergraduate admissions process we have had in place for decades," Parsons said. "CSUs process assesses the student holistically through a wide range of factors, including personal experiences and academic achievements. At CSU, a public land-grant university, no qualified student is turned away from earning a world class 4-year degree."

Because MSU is a modified open access institution with 54% of the student body at are people of color, officials there said they believe the courts decision will not have a direct impact.

This has been coming for a while, said Vaughn Toland, MSU director of admissions and outreach. Its not a huge shock, the decision.

Justices created a carveout in their ruling. Military service academies  such as the Air Force Academy just north of Colorado Springs  are exempt from the ban. This means, at least for now, that military academies can continue using race as a factor in admissions. Dean Miller, an Academy spokesperson, declined to comment on the ruling.

Some faculty members blasted the court ruling, calling the idea of colorblindedness ... a complete farce.

Alexi Freeman, associate dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Denver's law school, said her classroom benefits when people with varying "lived experience" are included. Speaking for herself and not on DU's behalf, she added that affirmative action has helped institutions reckon with the historical lack of access to educational opportunities some communities have experienced due to racism.

As a woman of color, I cried this morning thinking about the validation of the concept of colorblindness, Freeman said. Colorblindness is a complete farce, but has essentially been sanctioned by this Court. How terrifying and disappointing.

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The fallout from the landmark U.S. Supreme Courts 6-3 decision will likely mean a decline in students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, several postulated.

In the lead up to Thursdays decision by nations highest court, officials at the Colorado Department of Higher Education based that assessment on laws enacted in Michigan and California that prohibited race-based admissions, which resulted in admission declines among racial minorities in those states.

In a University of Michigan amicus brief supporting Harvard University and the University of North Carolina  the two universities at the center of the case  officials noted that the institute experienced a sharped drop in minority enrollment, with the number of Black students falling by 44% and Native American by 90%.

At least nine states  California, Washington, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Idaho  have banned affirmative action in college admissions.

Nearly 20% of four-year universities in the U.S. reported in 2015 that they considered race in the admissions process, according to BallotPedia.

Its unclear how many Colorado institutions of higher education make race-conscious admissions.

The state doesnt track this, said Megan McDermott, a Colorado Department of Higher Education spokesperson.

Todays Supreme Court decision to end almost all consideration of race in college admissions  putting an end to affirmative action in higher education  is troubling, disappointing, and will alter the lives of many students of color in pursuit of their dreams and the entire student body that benefits from a diverse student population, Angie Paccione, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, said in a statement.

Paccione added, During our history, race too often resulted in economic disadvantages and missed educational opportunities and access. Colorado will continue to prioritize and lead to erase equity gaps and help all students realize their dreams.

Reaction to the court decision was swift, although many also anticipated it.

State House Minority Leader Mike Lynch lauded the court's decision.

No American under our U.S. Constitution should ever be denied opportunity because of the color of their skin or because of their race, Lynch said. Many brave Americans, over the course of several generations have died to ensure these rights and today our highest court has again correctly affirmed this fact to be true.

Todays Supreme Court decision is good news for all of us: Students will now be able to compete based on equal standards and individual merit, he added.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called the ruling misguided and harmful to America's higher education.

Under the Courts ruling, preference for legacy admissions will be permitted, but efforts to open the doors of higher education to previously excluded groups who still face barriers to equal opportunity and to ensure diverse learning environments will not, Weiser said in a statement. Moreover, studies and history tell us that colleges and universities will likely see a sudden drop in Black and Hispanic enrollment because of the Courts ruling. This ruling will cause unneeded disruption and harm to our universities, students, and administrators.

U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat, agreed.

"Today's Supreme Court decision undermines our nation's promise of equal opportunity for all, especially for those citizens who have been historically denied it," Bennet said in a statement.

So did state state Senate President Steve Fenberg: "I am disappointed in todays ruling which will exacerbate racial inequities by closing off pathways for students who otherwise would not be given the opportunity to attend those institutions, a result that will unfortunately harm both those students and higher education institutions in general.

In a joint statement, state House Speaker Julie McCluskie, Majority Leader Monica Duran, and Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon said they, too, are disappointed by the ruling, saying the U.S. Supreme Court has "struck down the decades-old admissions practice that offsets the disparity in opportunities that kids of color face."

"For many, affirmative action was seen as a small, but critical remedy to right centuries of deliberate discrimination that prevented advancement for racial minority groups. Todays ruling creates additional barriers for hopeful college students, limiting their access to quality higher education and impacting future financial stability and socioeconomic mobility," they said.

They added: "Just as we've done in the past with reproductive rights, we will continue to support the work done over decades to further protect the diverse people who are America. We stand with kids across Colorado and the country  we must work to ensure all of our students have the opportunity to thrive in higher education and beyond.

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican, welcomed the ruling.

"I applaud this decision by the Court as a first step to bringing our collegiate institutions back to merit-based admissions," he said on Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, also a Republican, echoed the view.

"Affirmative action is unconstitutional and has always been unconstitutional," she said on Twitter. "This country should only be based on merit, not racism. This ruling will go a long way towards achieving a country where we are judged by the content of our character, rather than the color of our skin."
Several Colorado Springs-area officials on Wednesday reiterated extensive infrastructure damage and a long road to recovery in parts of El Paso County and the city after record-setting storms.

Officials with El Paso County, the city of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management discussed the approved disaster declaration resolution  a response to road and infrastructure damage due to severe weather over the past month.

While we are grateful for the record rainfall that weve had in Colorado Springs and El Paso County this month, it has not been kind to our public infrastructure, Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade said at Wednesdays press conference.

Fifteen roadways  almost entirely in the eastern part of the county  remain closed due to the effects of widespread flooding, including bridge support damage, missing pipes and lingering surface water blocking passage, said Andrew Notbohm, director of the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management.

Areas of southeast Colorado Springs have also been hit hard.

El Paso County Commissioner Cami Bremer said crews with the county Public Works and Facilities Department have been working around the clock to make repairs to county roads and bridges.

Citing the $19 million-plus estimated to make necessary repairs to damaged infrastructure, Bremer highlighted the need for federal funds needed to complete the work and make our community more resilient to natural disaster.

Bremer said date range included in the disaster declaration is between June 8-23, covering damage from multiple weather events in the past month.

Officials with the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct a joint preliminary damage assessment Thursday, working in three teams to tour facilities damaged in recent weather events. The assessment will determine eligibility for public funds to repair critical infrastructure.

Tim Biolchini, a program manager for the stormwater capital project in Colorado Springs, referred to a few major problem areas within the city in Thursdays assessment efforts, including the failure of multiple embankments along Sand Creek south of Airport Road and along Wildflower Park, which saw damage from the June 12 storm that dumped hail and a record 4.02 inches of rain for the date.

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Coupled with the 1.47 inches of rain that fell June 11, an all-time two-day record was set with 5.49 inches in Colorado Springs.

According to Notbohm, in order for the county to receive a disaster declaration for public assistance, the damage assessment must reach a statewide capita  a threshold he's confident of reaching.

Notbolm noted a timeline for completion of these repairs remains murky until preliminary assessments conclude, and funding eligibility is confirmed.

"There's so much damage, and the extent of the damage is so great, we're working to coordinate the big-ticket items," Notbohm said. "For a county the size of Delaware, it's going to be difficult to tour everything in one day."

County Director of Public Works Kevin Mastin cited major damage outside of county municipalities along Falcon Highway, Peyton Highway and JD Johnson Road.

Those areas were the hardest hit, and will take us the longest to recover from, Mastin said.

Although noting damaged areas of focus, Mastin emphasized the importance of every affected roadway, and the impacts on the citizens that use them daily.

Every road is important. Every citizen that is affected by those roads are facing an economic impact because theyre going to have to drive much farther to work, Mastin said.

Mastin said current efforts are mainly going toward reestablishing culverts and bringing in additional material and asphalt that had been washed away in the recent storms. Although initial assessments have painted a picture of damage left behind, Mastin said total damage is still unknown due to areas still facing active flooding, and costs could potentially rise.

As the water recedes, itll reveal what further damage may or may not be, Mastin said.

We are pressing forward with the assets we have available to get every road open," Mastin said, "As far as budgetary restraints, we have had conversations about what the potential impact may be, and we will continue to address that as we press forward.
The Fountain Police Department is asking for the publics help in locating a missing teenage boy, according to a Wednesday morning press release.

Police say that 16-year-old Brandon Rule was last seen on May 29 after packing all of his belongings and leaving home.

He is believed to be in the Fountain area, or possibly around Branson or Joplin, Missouri, Wednesdays press release said.

Rule is described as a white male, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing approximately 97 pounds. He has red hair and brown eyes, officials said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding Rules whereabouts to contact the Fountain Police Department at 719-390-5555, or to leave an anonymous tip with the Pikes Peak area Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1-800-222-8477.
Mountain Metro Transit is building its fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles with a $3.2 million grant that will purchase six hybrid electric buses.

The agency was one of six in Colorado to win a portion of the grant funds dedicated to buses and bus facilities and low- or no-emission vehicles and received the largest allocation in the state, a news release said.

"The Federal Transit Administration said we had a great project and we presented the needs of our community very well," Mountain Metro said in a written statement. The agency made its case based on the need to replace older diesel buses.

Across the nation, 130 grants were announced Monday totaling about $1.7 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to a news release. The investment was expected to more than double the number of zero-emission buses in America. Over the next three years, the federal government expects to invest $5 billion more in public transit, the statement said.

Colorado Springs' can expect to see its portion of the investment in 2024 when the new buses are expected to join the Mountain Metro's fleet of 71.

As an agency, Mountain Metro is moving toward an entirely environmentally friendly fleet, Brian Vitulli, planning supervisor for the city's Transit Services Division said last year. But that will take time because diesel vehicles will be used until the end of their useful lives.

Last year the Mountain Metro Transit unveiled its first four electric buses, an investment paid for in part with settlement money with Volkswagen over claims that the automaker cheated on emissions tests.

The system is seeing investments as it recovers from a major fall in ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mountain Metro's data shows from January through late June, ridership is 73.7% of pre-COVID ridership for the same five months of the year, the agency said in the statement.

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Ridership is expected to see a bump this year because the state is funding free bus fares during June, July and August to help cut ozone emissions. So far in June the agency has seen 238,400 trips, up from 205,352 last June, the agency's data shows.

The new free downtown shuttle is also seeing ridership grow since it started serving riders in late May. During its first full month in June 2022 it provided about 4,200 rides and that grew through the summer. During March and April of this year it provided more than 10,000 rides, the most to date.

Cutting emissions is important to the region because it is at-risk of going into federal nonattainment status for air quality, a status that could come with additional rules to help address the issue.

The federal government measures nonattainment status by averaging the concentration of pollution of the fourth highest readings at two monitors in town, one in Manitou Springs and one at the Air Force Academy, said Andrew Gunning, executive director of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments.

The area's average is 74 parts per billion, which is above the standard of 70 parts per billion, he said. The average could come down if the 2020 wildfires were not factored into the calculation, he said.

Transitioning to electric vehicles can help because cars contribute the most to local air pollution, but its too soon to tell whether they are helping yet, he said.

"Well know more in a few more years as EV acceptance continues to grow," he said.
Four miles west of downtown Evergreen, Colorado, among great views of Mount Evans sits a classic Front Range trail system called Alderfer/Three Sisters Park. Two trailhead options exist  West Trailhead and East Trailhead  and both offer access to several different trails to hike or bike.

On a recent morning ride at Alderfer/Three Sisters, I chose to part at the West Trailhead and climb up Evergreen Mountain via Wild Iris Loop and Evergreen Mountain West trails.

The Wild Iris Loop circles a small meadow on the south side of Buffalo Park Road with views of Mount Evans to the west. The trail is rated easiest, mostly single track and could be lapped several times alone.

Two trails connect to Wild Iris Loop in the trees on the southern edge of the meadow; Evergreen Mountain West and Ranch View.

Climbing up Evergreen Mountain West is steeper than lapping Wild Iris Loop, with rocks and pine tree roots to pedal over or around. But the quicker elevation gain only adds onto the pedaling experience.

Five switchbacks of varying steepness and wideness pock the trail, with a long run up to the junction with Evergreen Mountain East Trail and Summit Trail: A great place to take a break.

Heavy recent rainfall caused some erosion on both Evergreen Mountain West and Summit, but both are still rideable and fluid. One other option at the end of Summit trail is to take the Summit Loop trail around Evergreen Mountain (8,555 feet) before descending back down to the triple-trail junction.

This day's ride was quiet, pleasant and cool due to the majority of the trails in the forest cover. I chose to take Evergreen Mountain West back down.

Another option is to descend Evergreen Mountain East from the triple-trail junction and ride back to the West Trailhead parking lot via Ranch View.

Either ride is fun, but both have different features on them, with Evergreen Mountain East having only four switchbacks and a longer run out to Ranch View trail with a few jumps scattered into the mix.

The West Trailhead offers access to two trail networks from its parking lot  one to the north, one to the south. The East Trailhead mostly accesses the northern trails, but an access trail connects to the southern trails by crossing Buffalo Park Road.

The multi-use trail system at Alderfer/Three Sisters has 18 trails on 1,135 acres with 16.1-trail miles ranging from least difficult to most difficult.

Evergreen Mountain at 8,555 feet is the high point in the park.

Gorp Report:

 Recent heavy rainfall has destroyed all bridge crossings over Cherry Creek in Castlewood Canyon State Park, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said Tuesday in a statement. CPW is warning visitors there is no path to cross the creek in the park currently.

Hikers should consider any loop trails to be out-and-backs and Creek Bottom Trail also suffered significant damage, agency officials said.

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Bridge repair work will take weeks and may not be completed before August. Park staff cannot begin construction until water levels recede.

Castlewood Canyon has received 14.01 inches of rain since January 1, according to the National Weather Service. Creek levels are two feet above normal operating levels. The high level mark was recorded Thursday at 9.5 feet, with normal creek levels considered to be between two to three feet.

Castlewood Canyon State Park has experienced flooding in the past. The state park was the site of a dam failure that sent a wall of water up to 15 feet high down river toward Denver in August 1933. Remnants of the dam can be seen at the park.

Updates on construction and trail conditions will be posted to the parks Facebook page and the CPW Northeast Region Twitter account.

 The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks recently completed a community engagement process allowing community members to ride Class 1 and Class 2 electric bikes on certain open space trails beginning Saturday, city officials said in a statement. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on multi-use paved paths within the City of Boulder now.

"The city encourages community members to visit its web guide to learn more about Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes and where they can ride them on the 39 miles of multi-use Open Space and Mountain Parks trails. City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks reminds community members to recreate responsibly when riding e-bikes on city-managed open space trails where e-biking are allowed, the statement also said.

Spoke N'ews

Mountain bike season mirrors ski season right? Surely significant amounts of skiers and snowboarders are also mountain bikers. Arapahoe Basin held a bike race on snow toward the end of the resort's season this year.

As of Saturday, most of the mountain biking trails at Copper Mountain are open, as is the Woodward Copper summer terrain hike park.

The resort's six mountain bike trails open are:

Upper Gopher It to I Rd

Loose Moose

Upper Fawntastic to Sound Shack/fifth switchback

Lower Red Tail below A Rd at the third switchback

2 Bucks

Center Village Pump Track

Mountain bike haul summer passes are $349 (unlimited all summer), a Lift & Bike Haul 1-day pass is $49 (unlimited 1 day) and Full Day Bike Haul Upgrade is $35 (which can be added to any summer pass or bike rental).

Bikers can jump off their pedals and into bindings, in the same day, as long as the snow lasts, Friday - Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The state's Court of Appeals last month reinstated a woman's lawsuit against Jefferson County for allegedly failing to prevent her slip-and-fall inside a county building.

The decision in Krista Dozier's case comes as the Colorado Supreme Court is preparing to hear another appeal involving Jeffco, where a woman injured herself yards away from Dozier's fall. In both instances, the plaintiffs claim the county neglected to properly maintain its buildings, resulting in a dangerous condition.

Dozier was inside the courts and administration building in March 2019 when she slipped on a puddle of water and injured herself. Although employees in the building were aware of the spill and had requested a cleanup, Dozier's fall happened within minutes of the request.

"A couple of brown napkins were placed upon the puddle by employees of the District Attorneys office. No other markings notified visitors of the dangerous condition," her lawsuit alleged.

To proceed, Dozier needed to overcome the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, which broadly shields government entities from lawsuits with some exceptions. For instance, if a person is injured due to a "dangerous condition of any public building," immunity does not apply.

District Court Judge Tamara S. Russell dismissed Dozier's lawsuit, agreeing with the county that she had no jurisdiction over the case. Because Dozier had not shown Jeffco had a "reasonable" opportunity to clean up the spill, it was not negligent in its maintenance and there was no "dangerous condition." Consequently, the county kept its immunity.

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But a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals concluded Russell had required Dozier to prove more than she had to. Dozier did not yet need to show the county had enough time to respond to the water spill and acted negligently with its delay.

The "reasonableness of the countys response was not relevant to, let alone determinative of, the issue of whether the district court had the power to hear Doziers claims," wrote Chief Judge Gilbert M. Roman on May 25.

Case: Dozier v. Jefferson County Decided: May 25, 2023 Jurisdiction: Jefferson County Ruling: 3-0 Judges: Gilbert M. Roman (author) Rebecca R. Freyre Ted C. Tow III Background: Jeffco parking garage a 'public building', says appeals court in green-lighting lawsuit

Because Dozier alleged the county had an obligation to warn visitors or otherwise clean up dangerous spills, and did not do so in her case, governmental immunity did not apply.

This fall, the state Supreme Court will likely hear oral arguments in another lawsuit against Jefferson County. Beverly Stickle tripped and fell on the upper deck of a parking garage adjacent to the courts and administration building. The painting of the upper deck created an "illusion" of an even surface, which qualified as a dangerous condition resulting from maintenance, the Court of Appeals concluded.

The Supreme Court will evaluate if the parking garage is a "public building" under the governmental immunity law, and whether resurfacing the top lot to create the illusion opened Jeffco up to liability.
A Boulder County judge was wrong to permit an alleged victim of sex assault and three of her friends or coworkers to testify about how she changed after the disputed rape, Colorado's second-highest court ruled last month in reversing the defendant's convictions.

By 2-1, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals concluded the victim's change in demeanor after Edgar Ramirez-Martinez allegedly assaulted her was not clearly relevant to the contested issue at trial: whether the victim, identified as B.M., consented to have sex.

"The evidence here showed the victims demeanor at undetermined points in time after the alleged sexual assault," wrote Judge Ted C. Tow III in the May 25 opinion. "It did not make the existence of B.M.s consent, or lack thereof, at the time of the alleged sexual assault any more or less probable."

Judge Timothy J. Schutz disagreed with that logic, arguing courts in other states have held that a victim's behavioral changes are relevant to analyzing consent as "psychological scars" of an uninvited injury. He also criticized the majority's suggestion that B.M.'s change in demeanor could simply mean she regretted a consensual sexual encounter.

"I do not agree that the psychological reaction, and associated behavioral and personality changes, of someone who has been sexually assaulted through an act committed without their consent is equivalent to the psychological harm that a person might feel for engaging in consensual sexual behavior that they later regret," he wrote.

Case: People v. Ramirez-Martinez Decided: May 25, 2023 Jurisdiction: Boulder County Ruling: 2-1 Judges: Ted C. Tow III (author) Anthony J. Navarro Timothy J. Schutz (dissent) Background: People v. Martinez (2020)

The evidence at Ramirez-Martinez's 2019 trial showed B.M. was among the people who attended a work-related going-away party for Ramirez-Martinez. They went to a restaurant, where B.M. drank alcohol and became sick to the point of vomiting and passing out. She and Ramirez-Martinez went to the group's vehicle. When the others joined them, they saw Ramirez-Martinez having sex with her. B.M. was crying.

"I wasnt doing anything wrong. She wanted it. She wanted it," Ramirez-Martinez said when confronted.

Prosecutors charged him with sexual assault on a victim who was physically helpless and sexual assault on a victim who was incapable of gauging the nature of her conduct. Ramirez-Martinez's defense was that B.M. actually had consented, but did not remember doing so.

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At trial, the prosecution asked several witnesses about how the encounter affected the victim. B.M. said Ramirez-Martinez "took something from me that made me feel different about myself." Friends and coworkers said B.M. used to be "fun, happy." Now, she was "quiet," "cried a lot" and "has a lot of anxiety attacks."

The defense attempted to block the testimony, contending B.M.'s reaction was not relevant to whether she provided consent. Then-District Court Judge Judith L. LaBuda disagreed and allowed the commentary. Jurors convicted Ramirez-Martinez and he received a sentence of six years to life in prison.

On appeal, Ramirez-Martinez argued there was no question B.M. felt bad afterward. Instead, the testimony possibly resulted in jurors convicting him based on sympathy for the victim, rather than evidence about consent.

The Court of Appeals based its decision on a prior case from 2020, People v. Martinez, which established that victim impact evidence is irrelevant when the victim's reaction to a sex assault does not help prove or disprove the consensual nature of the encounter. Two of the judges in that case, Tow and Anthony J. Navarro, ended up on the panel that heard Ramirez-Martinez's appeal.

Tow, writing for himself and Navarro, again found the descriptions of the victim's change in demeanor did not make it any more or less likely that she had consented to sex.

"We do not equate the psychological impact of regretting sexual activity with that of being sexually assaulted," Tow wrote. "We simply observe that the mere existence of B.M.s behavior change does not alone explain which of these reactions (she) was experiencing."

Schutz pointed out in dissent that, even if jurors believed Ramirez-Martinez, he still had sex with a black-out drunk woman, making it reasonable to assume the victim could not consent. Schutz acknowledged that in some cases, prosecutors could go too far in soliciting extensive testimony about a victim's "emotional upheaval" that would improperly sway a jury.

"But these issues are best managed on a case-by-case basis," he wrote, "rather than through a broad suggestion that changes in a victims personality or behavior are not relevant in the first instance."

The court ordered a new trial.
Colorado will conduct next year's presidential party primaries on March 5, known as Super Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis announced on Thursday.

Polis said he expects that national attention on the date will boost participation by presidential candidates and voters.

"Our state will benefit from increased awareness around Super Tuesday which we all hope continues Colorados record of strong voter turnout across the political spectrum and ensures that candidates speak to issues that are important to Coloradans, Polis said in a statement.

Colorado joins at least 14 other states holding presidential contests on the crowded election day, including delegate-rich California and Texas.

The first Tuesday in March has long been known as Super Tuesday because it has traditionally been the largest multiple-state election on the presidential nominating calendar, which stretches from January to June.

According to a still-evolving nominating calendar, only six states will have held presidential primaries or caucuses by the time votes are counted in Colorado and its fellow Super Tuesday states.

The state's 1.8 million unaffiliated voters  nearly 47% of registered voters  can cast ballots in either major party's presidential primary under a ballot measure approved in 2016.

Unlike four years ago, when then-President Donald Trump dominated the sparse Republican field while more than a dozen Democrats were vying for their party's nomination, next year's GOP presidential primary will likely draw the most attention.

Trump is one of 15 declared Republican candidates in a field that has recently been growing by the week. Other GOP hopefuls include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden is so far facing challenges from environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and spiritual guide and author Marianne Williamson.

In 2020, Trump won the state's Republican presidential primary by an overwhelming margin. The same night, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders won Colorado's Democratic primary, though Biden carried 10 other Super Tuesday states and pulled into what turned out to be an insurmountable lead for the nomination.

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"Colorado voters are among the most engaged and active in the nation, and I am confident that will continue to be the case during the presidential primary, said Secretary of State Jena Griswold in a statement.

Leaders of the state's major political parties hailed the decision to hold the primary on the prominent date.

"Coloradans deserve to have their voices heard on the national stage, and having our presidential primary on Super Tuesday will ensure that candidates from both parties invest in earning their trust, said Colorado Democratic Party Chair Shad Murib in a statement.

Dave Williams, his state GOP counterpart, praised the move.

"Colorado Republicans are excited about our presidential primary falling on Super Tuesday, and we thank Governor Jared Polis for making this great decision so all Coloradans can benefit from increased attention and energy as all the major presidential campaigns compete for our state, Williams said in a statement.

Voters approved the move to a presidential primary in 2016 by passing Initiative 107 with 64% of the vote. The law lets the governor to pick a date for the primary from the first three Tuesdays in March.

Colorado held presidential primaries from 1992 to 2000 but scrapped the process in favor of precinct caucuses, largely due to financial reasons.

The state will conduct a separate primary next year on June 25 for all other partisan races on the ballot, including for county, legislative and congressional offices.

In addition to California and Texas, other states holding next year's presidential nominating contests on Super Tuesday are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. Democrats in American Samoa have scheduled caucuses for the same day.
As the Air Force and Army brace to miss recruiting goals this year, both branches are making changes to help address long-term problems of dropping interest and eligibility to serve.

Last year the Army missed its recruiting goal by 25% and doesn't expect to hit it this year, either, although it is doing statistically better than at this same time last year, spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ruth Castro said. The Air Force met its goals last year, but expected to fall 10% short, the Air Force's Assistant Secretary Kristyn Jones said in congressional testimony. The Space Force, a much smaller and highly sought after branch, has not seen the same struggles.

The Pikes Peak region, home to Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force bases and the Air Force Academy, has a significant presence of both soldiers and airmen both active and retired. However, recruiting challenges persist, and both the Army and Air Force are making innovative changes, including a new preparatory program for soldiers who need to lose weight or boost test scores to enlist.

The recruiting shortfalls sweep across most branches and have spurred national calls for action.

Most of the trends that have created the present recruiting crisis will not change anytime soon, and if left unaddressed, they could soon threaten the ability of the all-volunteer force to protect the nation, wrote retired Army Lt. Gen. David Barno and Nora Bensahel, visiting professors of studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

The two wrote the military may find itself continuing to involuntarily shrink and may soon be too small to address the growing security challenges facing the United States, the Washington Examiner reported.

For recruiters, the challenges are numerous because rising obesity and mental health issues are disqualifying more young people from service, while a falling veteran population means that fewer young people are interested in serving.

Military data showed those eligible to serve ages 17 to 24 is down to 23% from 29% in recent years, with 44% ineligible for more than one reason.

In addition to long-term challenges around interest and eligibility, COVID-19 restrictions limited recruiters' access to schools and many knowledgeable counselors left the field, according to a Fountain-based Air Force recruiter and ROTC scholarship officer at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

At the same time, the military is facing larger issues, such as the number of parents who believe their children need to pursue a college degree right out of high school to achieve success, said Katherine Kuzminski, senior fellow and program director with the Center for a New American Security.

"I think (service) used to be almost an exclusive pathway to financial stability and kind of rising through the classes.  Now, there is a variety of ways people can move socioeconomically," she said.

The military will pay for a college degree, but so will Starbucks and other corporations, she noted. The rising awareness around mental health issues also means far more children and teenagers are receiving diagnosis and care.

She also noted that while a military youth survey showed only 10% of those 16 to 21 years old expected to serve, the majority of people in the military said on that survey they were not interested in serving.

"Recruiters are doing a lot of work," she said.

Air Force Recruiter Tech. Sgt. Patrick Sullivan who works in Fountain has seen some of the issues firsthand since arriving in the area in December 2020. At the start of the pandemic, graduating seniors already had a plan in place to enlist or commission if they were interested. But younger students didn't make as many connections with recruiters in schools because they had trouble talking to classes in 2021. Sullivan said he wasn't fully allowed back in schools until 2022.

He also saw lower scores on the test required to enter the military because of the online learning that followed COVID-19 and a rise in anxiety and depression.

For example, he said out of a group of 10 students about four typically show interest in the Air Force and out of those four, one or two are on medication for anxiety or depression. Those students would need to come off their medications for two years to qualify, he said.

The Air Force has made some changes recently to achieve some quick wins, such as loosening its tattoo policy to allow small hand and neck tattoos, which allowed him to sign up two people in the first few months of the policy change. Over the past five years, he probably turned down five people with small neck tattoos, he said.

"Subtle changes can open up doors for people," he said.

Less stringent rules on marijuana use have also helped. Currently, prospective recruits need to be clean for 45 days, but sometimes people miscalculate their dates and end up testing positive, he said. A waiver process allows some of those people to test a second time, Sullivan said.

To tackle big issues such as fitness and test scores, the Army, piloted a preparatory program at Fort Jackson, S.C., to help those who don't have the structure and time needed to meet some military standards around health and academics, said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Downin, with Army Recruiting Battalion based in Denver. During the program, prospective recruits are paid to prepare for basic training and receive professional assistance losing weight or academic help, he said.

"I think its been tremendously successful," he said.

The course accepted 3,206 students by the end of 2022, and 2,965 students continued on to basic training, according to an Army press release.

Lt. Col. Johnny Fornes with the Denver battalion said the Army is expanding the program and other branches are interested in it.

In addition, the battalion is working to expand its relationships with schools and school leaders, such as principals and guidance counselors, about the diverse and technical career options in the Army.

"There is an information gap across the board," he said.

Soldiers are also trying work with many different types of events and clubs. For example, soldiers have worked with students interested in health fields to show them how medical soldiers train, he said.

While its true corporations are paying for college degrees, Downin said, they tend to come with a lot of requirements, while for service members those benefits are an entitlement.

In addition, Fornes said there is work to expand JROTC programs in Douglas County and Alamosa. While those programs promote citizenship and awareness about the military, they are not necessarily a pipeline to service, Downin said.

"The vast majority of students in JROTC do not ever join the military," he said.

On a crisp morning this spring, at the Mesa Ridge High School JROTC program, in response to "Are you ready?" the group of students shouted back "Always ready!" through their workout. JROTC is a citizenship development program, and it does introduce students to the structure and culture of the military, with students taking on military titles and roles within the program.

From among about 100 students in the program, about a third will end up serving, and this year most graduates were headed off to the Army, said Heath Floray, the instructor.

"What we try to do is given as much information as possible so they can make the best informed decision that they can," he said, that includes offering tours and connections to experts in fields of interest.

Mesa Ridge JROTC student Magdaelema Majerrison expected to enlist in the Army this fall after graduating, to serve as her father did and hopefully travel the world. She was excited rather than nervous for basic training, job skills training, her first duty station and all the new people she expects to meet along the way.

I'm ready to start the new chapter of my life, she said.

Her four years in the program also helped her mature and be nicer, said Majerrison, who served as the first lieutenant, in charge of ensuring the classroom was clean and picked up.

It's a lot easier to talk to people, she said.

One of the biggest challenges she sees ahead is running every day early in the morning for basic training, but she said with confidence she expected to get through it and become a military police officer or a armored vehicle driver.

In the long term, she hopes to become an officer, through a program known as Green to Gold that allows enlisted soldiers to earn a college degree and commission as an officer.

I know that I'm going to be told what to do for a long time. But I like telling people what to do, she said.
Iowa ranks sixth in the nation in child well-being, up three spots from the previous year's report, according to the 2023 Kids Count report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting child wellness.

The survey measures 16 factors of child well-being from four categories including economic well-being, health, education and family and community. Iowa ranked behind New Hampshire, Utah, Massachusetts, Vermont and Minnesota in overall child well-being, according to the report.

Child welfare advocates in Iowa and around the country, however, point to the high cost, impact and inaccessibility of child care for middle class families as a key focus for legislators to address in coming years.

Common Good Iowa, a nonprofit that advocates for policy aimed at promoting family and child well-being, helps collect data yearly for the Iowa segment of the Kids Count report. Anne Discher, executive director of Common Good Iowa, told The Gazette that while Iowa ranks well among states, there is work to be done with child care.

"This year's edition of the data book highlights the areas where Iowa continues to do well by our children and their families  and the areas where we simply must do better," Discher said. "Child care is one of those areas where there is much more to do."

According to the report, 14 percent of Iowa children up to age 5 had a family member who quit, changed or refused a job due to issues with child care in 2020 to 2021, compared with 13 percent nationally.

Common Good Iowa found that tuition for child care facilities rivaled state and community college tuition rates. The report found that center-based child care costs Iowa families $10,437 annually, while home-based care costs $6,823 annually, averaging about 10 and 6 percent of married couples' income, respectively.

In comparison, for example, resident undergraduates next academic year will pay $9,016 in tuition at the University of Iowa and $8,982 at Iowa State University.

The report also found that child care workers earn less than 98 percent of professions nationally and the median hourly wage for Iowa child care workers was $10.99, compared with $13.71 nationally.

"You almost can't get a lower paying job than child care, even though of course, they're doing work that's incredibly important," Discher said. "Important to the safety of kids, and important to our economy."

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new law in May that is projected to increase participation by parents in the state's child care assistance program by more than 15 percent. The bill passed the Iowa Legislature with near unanimous approval.

The state has also spent over $500 million on child care since 2020, Reynolds told reporters while signing the law in May at a Fort Dodge child care center in May. That includes grants that were expected to open hundreds of child care spots in the state.

"If we made the choice, say, to invest in affordable, accessible child care, it would help our communities  and ultimately measures of child well-being  across the board," Discher said in a statement. "Kids would receive the positive early experiences they need to develop, parents would have the chance to pursue family-supporting careers and our economy would get the workers it needs to reach its full potential."

Discher and Lisa Hamilton, chief executive officer of the Annie E. Cassie Foundation, emphasized the negative impacts that child care shortages have on the economy. The report found that the U.S. economy loses $122 billion a year as child care challenges cause parents to miss, quit or scale back work.

"A good child care system is essential for kids to thrive and our economy to prosper. But our current approach fails kids, parents and child care workers by every measure," Hamilton said in a statement. "Without safe child care they can afford and get to, working parents face impossible choices, affecting not only their families but their employers as well."

The reports also found that Iowa ranks first in on-time high school graduation rates, but also the share of children living in households with high housing costs.
A Des Moines County jailer who was fired for excessive force earlier this year after using a Taser four times on a female inmate is entitled to jobless benefits, a judge has ruled.

Russell Elliott worked for the eastern Iowa county for 24 years before he was fired in February. According to state records, the incident that led to his dismissal occurred after the jail staff learned that a female inmate had a shower curtain in her cell that she wasnt authorized to have.

County officials would later testify that Elliott, two other officers and the assistant jail administrator entered the inmates cell to retrieve the shower curtain. The assistant jail administrator asked Elliott to draw his Taser and use it if needed. After the four entered the cell, the offender, who allegedly had a history of assaulting corrections officers, refused to surrender the shower curtain and then, according to the county, she rushed toward the officers in an aggressive manner.

State records indicate Elliott successfully deployed the Taser, firing probes into the inmate that delivered an electrical shock. The inmate fell to the ground, injuring Elliotts leg in the process, but continued to resist and refused to put her hands behind her back as instructed.

During the ensuing struggle, Elliott deployed the Taser a second time, which he later testified was done in error, asserting that he had been attempting to use the Taser to drive stun the inmate.

A drive stun involves holding the Taser against an individual, without firing any probes, to deliver a painful electrical shock that typically doesnt incapacitate a person. For the past 12 years, U.S. Department of Justice guidelines have advised against using Tasers to drive stun individuals.

After the Taser was twice deployed, Elliott used the device two more times to deliberately drive stun the inmate  using the Taser a total of four times over the course of five minutes.

According to county officials, Elliotts actions violated jail policy, which calls for officers to revert to the lowest level of force after each use of the Taser. Elliott acknowledged his use of the Taser and the fact that it violated policy, but later testified that he didnt follow policy because he feared the inmate might be armed or might injure one of the staff.

In his 24 years with the county, Elliott testified, he had had no prior warnings for the use of excessive force and had never previously used his Taser.

On Feb. 21, Elliott was fired for the use of excessive force. He subsequently applied for unemployment benefits, which led to a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Adrienne Williamson.

In ruling that Elliott was entitled to jobless benefits, Williamson stated that to the extent that Elliotts use of force was excessive, it was not a deliberate violation or disregard of standards of behavior employer had a right to expect of him. Nor was it a recurring act of carelessness or negligence. (He) acted in the situation to the best of his ability and with a good faith belief that his use of the Taser was necessary to prevent injury to the officers.

Other unemployment cases

Other Iowans whose claims for jobless benefits were recently decided include:

 Kathleen Roland, who was fired in May from the Iowa Department of Corrections where she had worked since January as a full-time corrections officer. According to the state, Roland was expected to complete an inventory of tools and equipment at the end of each shift to document, for security reasons, that all of the items were accounted for. Her supervisors review of security-camera footage allegedly showed she failed to conduct one such inventory and then falsified records to indicate she had performed the task.

An administrative law judge found that while her conduct jeopardized the safety of everyone on the premises, and that she had lied to her employer, the Department of Corrections had asserted she wouldnt have been fired had she not still been in a probationary period as a new hire. Because of that admission, the judge ruled, Roland was entitled to unemployment benefits.

 Jamie Wilson, who was fired in March from Atlantic Bottling, where he worked as a beverage delivery driver, for allegedly stealing Iowa Lottery tickets from a Kwik Star store in Waterloo. According to police records, a Kwik Star employee told officers she had left a package of lottery tickets in a walk-in cooler at the store and later discovered five tickets, priced at $10 each, were missing from the package.

After reviewing security-camera video, she found that a beverage delivery driver, later identified by police as Wilson, had entered the cooler and handled the tickets. An Iowa Lottery investigator later determined Wilson presented one of the missing tickets for payment at a different Kwik Star store. He was arrested and charged with felony theft of lottery tickets. The case is still pending. Wilson was denied unemployment benefits.

 Tess Winter, who was fired in March from the City of Cedar Rapids where she worked as an events specialist. She was accused of working while in a state of intoxication, first in November 2022, and again in March of this year. She was denied unemployment benefits.

 Amanda Haas, who was fired in March from Council Bluffs Title and Escrow, also known as Great Plains Title LLC. Haas worked for the company as a full-time escrow closer, helping the firm handle real estate transactions that required client funds to be held in escrow.

At some point in 2022 or early 2023, the company allegedly uncovered emails suggesting the office manager, Jennifer Nelson, had been increasing Haas compensation based on Haas emailed requests for additional money to handle personal expenses, such as weddings and birthdays.

At one point, Haas allegedly requested additional pay, and Nelson allegedly responded by asking, Like what do you need, so I have an idea. According to the company, Haas allegedly responded, Lets say $300 or $400, somewhere in there, and Nelson replied by indicating she could add to Haas check 10 hours of overtime pay, plus two days of paid time off, for $798 in extra pay.

Nelson was fired and criminally charged with theft, forgery and ongoing criminal conduct. Haas was fired after it was discovered she shared information about the theft with a competitor, placing the companys reputation at risk. Haas then applied for and collected $4,408 in jobless benefits.

Council Bluffs Title and Escrow challenged that decision and at a recent hearing on the matter, Haas denied wrongdoing and indicated she was helping state auditors with an investigation into the office managers conduct. An administrative law judge concluded Haas was not entitled to jobless benefits, but did not have to repay the $4,408 already collected.

Court records indicate Nelson recently pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges. According to police reports, Council Bluffs Title and Escrow lost more than $100,000 due to Nelsons actions, which reportedly included routing company money directly into her bank accounts and awarding herself more than $67,000 in unearned overtime pay.

Nelson is also accused of making unauthorized purchases with the companys debit card, including $4,7131 spent at Hy-Vee Foods, $6,673 spent at Sams Club, and multiple purchases made at restaurants, Pet Smart, Fareway, Menards and a contact lens distributor.

Counties with the worst droughts in Iowa Counties with the worst droughts in Iowa Iowa statistics #25. Webster County #24. Fremont County #23. Shelby County #22. Sioux County #21. Kossuth County #20. Humboldt County #19. Carroll County #18. Mills County #1. Ida County (tie) #1. Pocahontas County (tie) #1. Crawford County (tie) #1. Plymouth County (tie) #1. Clay County (tie) #1. Cherokee County (tie) #1. Palo Alto County (tie) #1. Osceola County (tie) #1. O'Brien County (tie) #1. Harrison County (tie) #1. Dickinson County (tie) #1. Sac County (tie) #1. Monona County (tie) #1. Woodbury County (tie) #1. Emmet County (tie) #1. Calhoun County (tie) #1. Buena Vista County (tie)
DES MOINES  Iowa will receive $35 million in federal infrastructure money for bridge and road improvements across the state, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

The funding will be split between three projects:

$24.8 million to replace nine bridges across the state

$10 million to rebuild Main Street in Cedar Falls between University Avenue and 6th Street

$300,000 to evaluate approaches to improving infrastructure connecting downtown Clear Lake to Interstate 35.

The money is part of the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, which was expanded under the bipartisan federal infrastructure law President Joe Biden signed last year. Nationally, the department awarded $2.2 billion in RAISE grants.

This round of RAISE grants is helping create a new generation of good-paying jobs in rural and urban communities alike, with projects whose benefits will include improving safety, fighting climate change, advancing equity, strengthening our supply chain and more, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.

The bridge replacements will be in Clay, Crawford, Henry, Lee, Lucas, Mitchell, Page, Pottawattamie and Wright counties.

According to a description of the projects from the U.S. DOT, the improvements will improve freight mobility in the counties that connect farms to the supply chain and create options for non-motorized travel.

In Cedar Falls, the grant will go toward a project to rebuild a stretch of Main Street in Cedar Falls, converting the street from a four-lane road to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane.

The street will also include bike lanes and ADA-accessible sidewalks and trails. Certain intersections will be converted to roundabouts.

The $10 million in funds adds to the $5.55 million in pandemic relief funds and Surface Transportation Block Grants the city will dedicate to the project. The whole project is expected to cost $30 million and complete in summer 2025.

Cedar Fall City Administrator Ron Gaines called securing the grant a tremendous achievement.

The entire process is very competitive and there are a lot of deserving projects across the country so to be a recipient is a huge accomplishment, he said in a statement. It is truly a testament to the work of our City staff and their dedication to improving our community. We also appreciate the support of Iowa Senators (Chuck) Grassley and (Joni) Ernst as well as Representative (Ashley) Hinson which helped make this possible.

In Clear Lake, $300,000 was awarded to a planning project to solicit community feedback and conduct a study to evaluate the 4th Avenue South corridor, which connects the lake to Interstate 35.

The evaluation will examine ways to modernize the infrastructure, including developing trails, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and adding electric vehicle charging stations, according to the DOT.
jerrywu wrote:

The first trenches that were cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, have yielded strong evidence for centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East that were arising simultaneously with but independently of the more celebrated city-states of southern Mesopotamia, in what is now southern Iraq.





(A) that were cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, have yielded strong evidence for centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East that were arising simultaneously with but



(B) that were cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, yields strong evidence that centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East were arising simultaneously with but also



(C) having been cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, have yielded strong evidence that centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East were arising simultaneously but



(D) cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, yields strong evidence of centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East arising simultaneously but also



(E) cut into a 500-acre site at Tell Hamoukar, Syria, have yielded strong evidence that centrally administered complex societies in northern regions of the Middle East arose simultaneously with but





Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Tenses + Parallelism + Idioms + Awkwardness/Redundancy

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:

Correct.

Hence, E is the best answer choice.

Dear Friends,Here is a detailed explanation to this question- Any elements linked by a conjunction ("but" in this sentence) must be parallel. The simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past. The present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present. The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. The simple past continuous tense is used to refer to actions that were ongoing over a period of time in the past. Present participles ("verb+ing"  having and arising in this sentence) are used to modify nouns, refer to ongoing events in any time period, and (when preceded by a comma) express cause-effect relationships. In modifying a noun, the past participle implies that the noun took an action that concluded in the past. "evidence of + noun" and "evidence that + clause" are the correct, idiomatic constructions.Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple past continuous tense verb "were arising" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the simple past continuous tense is used to refer to actions that were ongoing over a period of time in the past. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "evidence for"; please remember, "evidence of + noun" and "evidence that + clause" are the correct, idiomatic constructions. Additionally, Option A uses the needlessly wordy phrase "that were cut", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "trenches" with the singular noun "yields". Further, Option B incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb "yields" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present; please remember, the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present, and the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. Additionally, Option B incorrectly uses the simple past continuous tense verb "were arising" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the simple past continuous tense is used to refer to actions that were ongoing over a period of time in the past.This answer choice incorrectly uses the present participle phrase ("verb+ing" - "having" in this sentence) "having been cut" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and present participles ("verb+ing"  having in this sentence) are used to modify nouns, refer to ongoing events in any time period, and (when preceded by a comma) express cause-effect relationships. Further, Option C incorrectly uses the simple past continuous tense verb "were arising" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the simple past continuous tense is used to refer to actions that were ongoing over a period of time in the past. Additionally, Option C fails to maintain parallelism between "arising simultaneously" and "independently of"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ("but" in this sentence) must be parallel.This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "trenches" with the singular noun "yields". Further, Option D incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb "yields" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present; please remember, the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb has/have) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present, and the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. Moreover, Option D incorrectly uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "arising" in this sentence) to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and present participles ("verb+ing"  arising in this sentence) are used to modify nouns, refer to ongoing events in any time period, and (when preceded by a comma) express cause-effect relationships. Additionally, Option D fails to maintain parallelism between "arising simultaneously" and "independently of"; please remember, any elements linked by a conjunction ("but also" in this sentence) must be parallel. Besides, Option D uses the needlessly wordy phrase "but also", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun "trenches" with the plural verb "have yielded". Further, Option E correctly uses the past participle "cut" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, in modifying a noun, the past participle implies that the noun took an action that concluded in the past. Moreover, Option E correctly uses the simple past tense verb "arose" to refer to an event that concluded in the past and uses the present perfect tense verb "have yielded" to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present. Additionally, Option E maintains parallelism between "simultaneously with" and "independently of". Plus, Option E correctly uses the idiomatic construction "evidence that + clause". Besides, Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):To understand the concept of "Simple Continuous Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):All the best!Team_________________
The Danville man who died in Wednesday nights homicide had been arguing with another person  other than the individual who shot him  before being fatally wounded, the Danville Police Department reported.

But police would not release any other details in the incident Thursday morning.

I cant get into any detail on anything else, said department spokesperson Matt Bell. Its all part of the investigation.

Andreiu D. Barley, 27, died after an exchange of gunfire with a 17-year-old Wednesday night in Danville, authorities reported.

It marks the sixth homicide in Danville this year and comes amid a recent rise in gun violence in the city.

It was about 10:30 p.m. when offers were called to the 200 block of Southland Drive for a call of shots fired.

Thats where they found Barley suffering from a gunshot wound, a news release reported.

Barley was taken to Sovah-Health Danville, where he was pronounced dead.

Following an argument with another individual, Barley initiated an exchange of gunfire with a 17-year-old juvenile male, who was located inside a vehicle, police wrote in a news release. Witnesses say Barley and the juvenile knew each other.

After responding to Southland Drive, police were sent to the 1100 block of Franklin Turnpike for a report of a vehicle that had been shot into.

After further investigation, the vehicle was tied to the shooting on Southland Drive, police wrote.

Bell would not say whether the shooting was gang- or drug-related.

The unidentified juvenile has been charged with underage possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within the city limits and reckless handling of a firearm.

No other suspects are sought and police are still investigating.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact the Danville Police Department by calling patrol at 434-799-6510 option 4; investigations at 434-799-6508 option 1, and option 1 again; 911; or Crime Stoppers at 434-793-0000.

In addition, residents may approach any officer they see, use social media, email crimetips@danvilleva.gov, or use the crime tips app CARE.
With changes to the $177 billion state budget on the line, most members of the General Assembly conference committee negotiating a deal did not know what proposals were on the table until they arrived in Richmond this week to engage in talks that ended abruptly on Tuesday, a day after they began.

There was plenty of blame to go around and more than a little anger over the collapse of budget negotiations this week, with most of legislators charged with finding a compromise saying they were kept in the dark and Gov. Glenn Youngkin barely able to contain his frustration.

The communication failure that led to the impasse is a huge concern for local governments, school divisions and other stakeholders who will not know what additional state funding to expect, if any, in the fiscal year that will begin on Saturday morning. The two-year spending plan lawmakers adopted a year ago remains in place, but without an agreement, up to $3.6 billion in excess revenues remain unspent, and no one knows whether they will have additional state funding before the next budget is scheduled to take effect 12 months from now.

The apparent collapse of budget negotiations is beyond disheartening, said former Secretary of Finance Joe Flores, who now is director of fiscal policy at the Virginia Municipal League. This state of affairs means that local governments will have fewer resources to help their communities deal with some of the most pressing issues facing them.

It is devastating for individuals suffering from mental illness and addiction living in our communities that will continue to wait for improvements to the commonwealths behavioral health system that all agree is in critical condition and in dire need of more funding, Flores said.

The delay is equally harmful in our schools, where substantial funding is on the table to address long-simmering needs exacerbated by the pandemic, such as increasing support for at-risk students, adding more reading specialists, eliminating the support cap and boosting teachers salaries. Kicking these funding decisions down the road isnt helpful.

For Youngkin, it was a fairly small, $1 million sum for one of his top priorities  tackling human trafficking  that sparked a blast at Senate Democrats: a theme likely to be echoed as he hopes to flip control of the Senate and hold control of the House this November.

Youngkin, who is making a big push to win Republican control of the legislature in the November election, on Wednesday accused Senate Democrats of sabotaging a budget that includes millions of dollars in additional funding for public schools, behavioral health programs and public safety.

His budget proposal included $1 million to add 10 positions to the statewide human trafficking force, the first ever in Virginia.

You can tell Im angry, the governor said Wednesday, after handing over his 2nd quarter salary  $43,750  to Operation Light Shine, a nonprofit organization that is launching a support effort for Virginia police agencies to tackle human trafficking, which he calls modern day slavery.

Youngkin, a wealthy former private equity executive, has pledged to serve as governor without taking a salary. Each quarter he donates his salary to groups that are helping others.

Im particularly, particularly frustrated by Senate Democrats playing politics over the budget impasse, the governor said, citing his proposals of more than $149 million for mental health, $112 million for law enforcement and $422 million for K-12 schools.

The Senates latest proposal includes $500 million more than the current budget for K-12 schools and higher education, $170 million more for behavioral health and $37 million for community-based violence prevention grants.

Senate Democrats already had rejected the deal that House Republicans had offered on Youngkins proposed tax cuts the day before the assembly adjourned on Feb. 25 with only a skinny budget in place to guide local school divisions and local governments on updated state funding. The stopgap measure included $263 million for K-12 schools.

Key Dems say there was no deal

But Democrats said they did not know about a private offer that House Appropriations Chairman Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, says he made to Senate Finance Co-Chairs Janet Howell and George Barker, both Fairfax County Democrats, at the end of the legislative session, and on which he agreed to sit until after June 20 party primaries. Barker lost his primary election to Fairfax County School Board member Stella Pekarsky, and Howell is retiring at the end of her term in January.

I am not aware of any deal that was made, said Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, who expects to become chair of Senate Finance in January  if she prevails in an election in her heavily Democratic district in Hampton Roads and her party keeps its majority in the Senate.

Some House budget negotiators also were in the dark about the deal that Knight said he cut with Howell and Barker, who denies it. The alleged deal included a proposal to back off a quarter-percentage point cut in the top individual tax rate sought by Youngkin, and instead change the states four tax brackets for individual Virginia taxpayers.

I didnt know until this week, said Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, former vice chairman of the committee and a member of the budget negotiating team.

The proposed tax bracket change, prompted by a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee report on how to make the tax code fairer, would most help people earning between $25,000 and $50,000 in adjusted gross income, although it also would benefit wealthier taxpayers who would pay lower rates on their income up to $30,000 a year.

Months ago Senate Democrats, who hold six of nine Senate seats on the budget conference committee, already had considered and rejected the rest of the proposed deal: a combination of ongoing tax cuts and one-time rebates. It does not include a 1-percentage point reduction in the corporate income tax rate that Youngkin wants and the Senate rejected.

They knew we werent going to agree to permanent tax cuts, said Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, who just survived a strong primary challenge by Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville. They knew that in February.

Money and policy

Instead, the Senate this week initially proposed up to $700 million in one-time tax rebates and then upped the offer to $900 million on Tuesday to match the amount of tax savings that Knight wants in a revised budget agreement in exchange for giving the Senate $900 million to spend on its priorities. Instead of rebates of $100 for individuals and $200 for couples, the Senate doubled those amounts, which taxpayers would receive this fall.

In response, Knight ended negotiations on Tuesday, alleging that Barker had reneged on their private deal with Howell traveling outside of the country. While the Senate proposal would give him the amount of tax cuts he had sought, it would not change tax policy to raise the standard deduction for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions, eliminate an age limit for exemption of military retirement income or change the individual tax brackets.

There is money and there is policy, Knight said Wednesday. What theyre hoping to do is give us money. I want the money and the policy.

With a potential recession looming and state tax revenues declining, Senate Democrats said they are willing to give the tax savings that Knight and House Republicans want, but not with permanent cuts that would continue after the current budget expires on June 30, 2024, and potentially require the state to cut future funding of critical services.

Thats not a viable deal for us, said Lucas, who defeated Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, in a primary election on June 20 and faces Republican Tony Goodwin in November in a strongly Democratic district.

Certified public accountants, and the Virginia taxpayers they represent, are used to the wait and see of state budget politics, said Emily Walker, vice president for advocacy at the Virginia Society of CPAs.

Walker said the larger problem for them is the upheaval in General Assembly leadership, especially on the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee, which is losing 10 of its 15 members to retirement, electoral defeat or higher office under new political maps that the Virginia Supreme Court approved at the end of 2021.

Thats more concerning than the need to get a deal right now, she said. Its incredibly difficult to know what the Senate Finance Committee, in particular, is going to look like. Theres a lot of uncertainty, and that makes it challenging.

PHOTOS: Youngkin's State of the Commonwealth address
RALEIGH Governor Roy Cooper recently announced that 29 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a robust source of support for rural economic development projects in North Carolina.

A total of $8 million will be issued in this third round of grantmaking from the Fund, which helps local governments overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. Reidsville will receive $250,000 in the Resilient Neighborhoods grant category.

The grants category offers funds focused on community development and quality of life improvements, such as eliminating food deserts, creating healthy living initiatives, and increasing access to affordable housing options, among other initiatives.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division administers the fund.

These transformative grants can make a real difference in rural communities by reviving downtowns and strengthening neighborhoods, Cooper said.

These funds, with the support of our rural development team at the Department of Commerce, will bring more economic opportunity to people across the state.

The Rural Transformation Grant Fund, the centerpiece of a broader Rural Engagement and Investment Program from Commerce, addresses a wide variety of needs, from revitalizing downtown districts, building the capacity of local government staffs, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering small business recovery, and generally supporting economic growth initiatives.

The Rural Transformation Grant Fund awarded grants in three other categories:

The Downtown Revitalization category supports downtown development initiatives that help grow and leverage a communitys commercial core into an asset for economic growth and prosperity.

The Community Enhancements for Economic Growth category provides grants to local governments to smooth the way for economic development opportunities, such as the acquisition of land and buildings, the preparation of business sites, and the removal of structural and physical barriers that may be limiting development.

The Rural Community Capacity Building (RC2) category provides educational and professional development opportunities for local government staffs, with the additional ability for local governments to then apply what theyve learned by developing funding proposals for projects in their local areas.

The Rural Transformation Grant Fund, established in March of last year, has now awarded its total available funds of $48 million. In that time, even greater community needs were identified, as local jurisdictions submitted for consideration projects totaling $165 million.

In this third round of grantmaking, Commerce received project applications totaling $44 million, and therefore could not meet the entire demand, given the available funding.

The need in our rural communities is great, but Im pleased weve been able to meet some of these needs with this transformative grant program, said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders.

Im proud of the programs strong track record of success, managed by Commerces experienced rural development team and grounded in tried-and-true best practices that we know work well.

Local governments awarded project grants in the third round of grantmaking from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund include:

Downtown Revitalization Category

City of Albemarle: $270,000

City of Archdale: $180,000

City of Burlington: $425,000

City of Clinton: $350,000

City of Morganton: $450,000

City of Mount Airy: $475,000

City of Whiteville: $400,000

Town of Belhaven: $380,000

Town of Boiling Spring: $195,000

Town of Canton: $390,000

Town of Jefferson: $270,000

Town of Franklinton: $230,000

Resilient Neighborhoods Category

City of Reidsville: $250,000

Town of Bethel: $200,000

Town of Faison: $180,000

Town of Hildebran: $300,000

Town of Hudson: $250,000

Town of Nags Head: $650,000

Town of Star: $200,000

Town of Williamston: $180,000

Community Enhancements Category

City of Hamlet: $400,000

Town of Cameron: $400,000

Town of Cramerton: $400,000

Town of Elizabethtown: $150,000

Town of Wagram: $70,000

Rural Community Capacity (RC2) Category

Town of Carthage: $49,999

Town of China Grove: $49,999

Town of Hildebran: $49,500

Town of Marshville: $49,999

Town of Vass: $49,999

These economic development grants will bring new vitality to many rural communities, said Kenny Flowers, the Commerce Departments Assistant Secretary for Rural Economic Development.

I look forward to working with these communities as we work to transform the economy in rural North Carolina.

A description of each of the awarded projects above is available at the Commerce website. More information about the Rural Transformation Grant Fund is available at commerce.nc.gov/transform.
The first North Carolina-based Buc-ees store could be built in the Piedmont Triad, according to the Alamance News.

The proposed location would be located on 32.49 acres of land near Interstate 85/40 in Mebane on 1447 Trollingwood-Hawfields Road, according to the City of Mebane.

Buc-ees is looking to build on a vacant lot within the North Carolina Commerce Park. The store would be 75,400 square feet and would feature up to 120 gas pumps.

Revenue from the site would be split three ways between Mebane, Graham and Alamance County.

The new store would be about 20 miles away from Greensboro.

Buc-ees has not yet listed a North Carolina store on its official website, which projects five opening dates for locations in states such as Missouri, Colorado, Texas and Kentucky.

The nearest store to North Carolina was opened Monday in Sevierville, Tennessee. The 74,000-square-foot store will hold the title of the worlds largest Buc-ees until an even larger 80,000-square-foot location opens in Florida.

Buc-ees, originally based in Texas, has already expanded to stores in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee. The gas-station chain is known for its huge locations, clean bathrooms, Texas-style brisket sandwiches, branded clothing and a quasi-grocery store appeal.
Lowes Home Improvement opens Friday a new-to-North Carolina outlet concept at Brassfield Shopping Center in Greensboro.

A grand-opening ceremony is set for 10 a.m. at the location at 3729 Battleground Ave. It will feature a board-cutting ceremony, a Lowes tradition for more than 60 years.

Lowes is occupying the former 36,000-square-foot SteinMart retail space.

Lowes said the outlet store will provide savings between 25% and 70% on branded merchandise that typically includes scratch-and-dent, discontinued and slightly used appliances, patio furniture, grills and more.

Lowes said the Greensboro store will contain a unique selection of items that are sold in-store only and are not available online.

The outlet store also will provide delivery, hookup and haul away services as well as Lowes protection plans for purchase.

The store will present a donation to Ignite the Spirit Greensboro, to support families of fallen Greensboro firefighters.

The Lowes Outlet concept debuted in California in 2019. It has fewer than 10 such outlet stores nationwide. The outlets are not separately listed on Lowes website.

When it comes to the Lowes outlet store, a real-estate broker representing the home-improvement chain contacted Deep River Partners, owner and developer of the Brassfield renovation.

At that time, we had not heard about that concept, said Steen Spove, a partner at Deep River. But that turned out to be a growth (opportunity) related to COVID as supply chains made it difficult to get products.

Lowes figured out why not open our own outlets, and so they have about nine now and this will be its first in North Carolina.
If you ever doubted just how coarse and willfully cruel some politicians of the modern political right have become, check out what happened last week when the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee debated a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for young people  even those with parental approval and a physician recommendation.

When State Sen. Sydney Batch rightfully called attention to the medically documented fact that gender-affirming care saves lives by dramatically reducing the chance the young people in question will commit suicide, committee chairman Buck Newton  a Wayne County Republican  did something that was at once shocking and deeply offensive: He laughed out loud.

When called out for his remarkable outburst, Newton doubled down and made the false claim that Batchs statements  which merely reported facts from national medical journals  were specious.

Imagine how you would feel if it was you or your loved one whose life and life-affirming health care was the object of such blatant and cruel ignorance.

That Newton would purport to question the long and well-established science in this area  much less do so in such a public and sophomorically inappropriate way  was a nauseating site to behold. It was not unlike a 1970s tobacco executive dismissively telling a lung cancer sufferer not to blame cigarettes or aggressive and misleading industry advertising that helped cause so much deadly addiction.

As federal District Court Judge James Moody made clear last week in a detailed 80-page ruling striking down an Arkansas statue that mirrors the proposed North Carolina legislation, there is nothing specious in the least about the efficacy and benefits of gender-affirming health care for those struggling with gender dysphoria and gender incongruence.

Indeed, the judges ruling includes 311 findings of fact showing that medical and psychiatric experts have compiled reams of data over a period of several decades confirming the reality of these conditions and the benefits of various types of care.

This is from the judges ruling: The evidence at trial showed that the prohibited medical care improves the health and well-being of many adolescents with gender dysphoria. Three of Plaintiffs experts and two Arkansas doctors detailed the significant mental health benefits of gender-affirming medical care for adolescents with gender dysphoria which they have observed clinically.

After noting that the defendants of the law did nothing to refute the expert testimony, Judge Moody also wrote:Despite the volume and strength of the scientific research, divining the source of the attitudes reflected in the Arkansas statute, the North Carolina legislation, and Sen. Newtons juvenile behavior is not a particularly difficult task.

Even if one sets aside the blatant and cynical misinformation and fear mongering that mark so much of the political rights current anti-trans crusade, it must be conceded that grasping and appreciating the realities of this issue can be difficult for those to whom it is new and unfamiliar.

If you are a cisgender individual who has never seriously contemplated  much less intimately observed  the pain and suffering that has long afflicted millions of people struggling with gender dysphoria and gender incongruence, the first exposure to it can be jarring. Especially in a culture like Americas, in which traditional gender roles and identities have so long been held up as the paragons of all virtue, and gender fluidity and queer identities treated as somehow flawed and unacceptable, the new openness that modern medicine and courageous advocacy have made possible can take some time to process.

As with so many other seemingly rapid changes that are occurring in modern society, the idea that someone a person has long known as being of one gender is transitioning (or has transitioned) to another can be disorienting, and even frightening at first. This is particularly true for many older observers (e.g., Sen. Newton) who may feel important parts of how they understand the world are being upended.

But of course, the same phenomenon has been at play throughout history during countless other societal advances that involved the liberation of groups long consigned to the shadows of repression, and even bondage. We humans have a remarkably stubborn penchant for dividing ourselves up into categories (races, religions, tribes, genders, castes, sexual orientations), developing and maintaining strict pecking orders, and then reacting badly when a disfavored group seeks visibility or to escape its assigned slot.

Indeed, history has shown us repeatedly that with enough exposure and experience, even the most narrow-minded and bigoted of individuals can overcome their fears and hangups  especially when they muster a measure of empathy, open-mindedness and love. Would that Sen. Newton could enjoy such an experience.
Piedmont Triad International Airport is in position to land a fourth major on-campus economic project, this time a company pledging 280 jobs and a $55.7 million capital investment.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners posted a legal notice that sets a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. July 13 at the Old County Courthouse, 301 W. Market St. in Greensboro.

The commissioners listed in the notice its plans to offer up to $712,820 in performance-based incentives to what has been identified as Project Sage.

The notice cites that the company is considering other locations in the United States.

The company is expected to receive incentive package offers from Greensboro City Council and the N.C. Commerce Department.

The vast majority of companies tend to commit to a local project  often within days or weeks  once approved for local and state incentives.

Boom Supersonic

The last two times the commissioners and council reached the public hearing, they offered incentive packages that led to the successful recruitment of two aerospace employers: Boom Supersonic and U.K. manufacturer Marshall Aerospace USA LLC.

Construction has begun on Boom Supersonics $500 million, 400,000-square-foot superfactory that will assemble and test its Overture airliner, along with a customer delivery center.

The current timeline: beginning equipment installation in 2024 with Advanced Integration Technology; assembly in 2025; first rollout in 2026; first test flight in 2027; Federal Aviation Administration certification in 2029; and then first passenger flight later in 2029.

Boom projects having 400 employees by spring 2025, 1,750 by 2030 and more than 2,400 at full production in 2032.

Marshall Aerospace

Marshall confirmed in April for a 240-job, $50 million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at the Greensboro airport with operations beginning in early 2025.

Marshall USAs project will establish a facility to support its current and future U.S. Armed Forces contracts, with Phase 1 comprising capacity to support six bays serving the U.S.-based fleet of Hercules C-130 tactical transport aircraft.

There also will be a paint facility, support shops and office space.

The commitment came shortly after the N.C. Economic Investment committee approved up to $3.8 million in performance-based incentives and other state grant funding. The local piece is a combined $548,879 in local incentives.

Marshall initially looked at more than 30 sites for the project and had four finalists, the others being in Alabama, Kansas and Missouri.

PTI presence

PTI remains the states third largest airport overall and third for commercial service, at $9.3 billion in economic impact in 2021, according to an N.C. Aviation Division report released in January. That is up 7.6% from the 2019 report.

Included in that category for PTI would be the FedEx cargo-sorting hub, the HAECO maintenance facilities, the HondaJet manufacturing operations, and other companies with operations on its campus.

The Marshall project would be the third confirmed for PTI since January 2022.

TAT Piedmont Aviation, an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul company, recently said it would expand its operations near PTI and create 85 jobs. The company said it would make a $12.8 million capital investment.

The expansion would feature new test equipment, production tooling, and new machinery to supplement its current operations. The companys new positions would pay an annual average wage of $51,706.

It has been made eligible for up to $200,000 in incentives from the One North Carolina Fund, which requires matching local incentives.
Elemental (PG)

At the Cinemark

Grade: B

Who would survive an inter-elemental showdown between fire and water?

Would the flame vaporize the water and send it steaming into space?

Or would the water douse the flame?

Or, miracle of miracle, could water and fire extinguish their differences and find love?

Thats the metaphor percolating at the heart of Pixars new film, Elemental.

We enter Element City, a universe of four neighborhoods: earth, air, fire and water.

Painful puns abound as we meet the beautiful flame Ember, daughter of Cinder, who works in the family business, The Fireplace, located in Firetown. (Enough, Pixar!)

Embers fire-y temper makes her a temperamental store manager. During one of her fits, she breaks a water pipe, flooding the place.

Enter our second key element, water, in the person of Wade Ripple, city inspector threating to remove the stores license for code violations.

The tsunami of metaphors gets Elemental off to an uninspiring start.

The story deepens when sparks fly and tears fall between Ember and Wade.

Wade proposes. Ember declines - because fire and water dont mix.

Cue John Lennon moment when we imagine the world will be as one. Fire and Water hold hands and they dance! No steaming, no dousing. So charming. So simplistic.

The Pixar writers spin a simple love story, but the script overflows with allusions to our polarizing cultural wars.

Its a short leap from the tension between fire and water to interracial marriage and to inter-faith marriage. Embers family members are treated as unwelcome immigrants.

The parents resistance to their fiery daughter marrying a lowly water man smacks of discrimination by class and race. Lurking behind all these issues are issues of gender: beauty loves a less attractive beast.

What would mom and dad say if Ember loved another lady flame? The script doesnt directly ask that question, but the open-ended metaphors invite us to consider all stereotypes.

When any minority is marginalized, all minorities are at risk.

The movies director Peter Sohn is the son of Korean immigrants. He lends an Eastern Buddhist ambiance to the script, suggesting a path to spiritual oneness to resolve conflict.

While touching on powerful themes, the story stays light. The happy ending lacks Pixars usual multi-layered nuance.

Elemental simultaneously suggests some of the deepest cultural and religious themes of all Pixar films, but ultimately stays on the surface, without the deep dive young viewers deserve. Sohn admits he started dark, but ultimately chose to focus on the positive. The writers needed sharper pencils.

Pixar settled for pithy puns instead of diving into the intercultural, interracial and intersectional waters where the film was conceived.
As Montanans around the state open their mail to find the new appraisal value for their homes set by the state, and in some cases are met with eye-popping increases, the process has created a lot of questions, confusion and blame.

The state Department of Revenue last November told legislators that residential market values were expected to increase about 43% as part of the two-year reappraisal cycle. That ended up being pretty close to the 45% median increase in values for residential properties statewide determined during reappraisal, according to the department.

The increases are not divided equally around the state, with Granite County seeing the highest spike in median residential value, at 67%, or a jump of $122,561. In total, 27 of the states 56 counties saw the median home value jump more than 40%. Only 11 saw single-digit increases.

A spokesperson for the revenue department said in an email Wednesday the increases in appraised value are driven by the spike in real estate prices Montanans have seen since the pandemic.

The real estate market exploded in 2020 and 2021. Our valuation process is reliant on sales, and the impact of appreciation in the market has a direct impact to our valuation, the spokesperson said.

A real estate report produced by Altos Research for the Helena market found the 90-day average home listing price went up 52% between January 2020 and January 2022, and DOR determined median home values in Helena went up 45% over the two-year appraisal cycle.

Commercial properties were not left untouched, with rates there increasing 26.79%, more than the predicted 16.7%, according to DOR.

The notices sent this month have caused confusion between higher property values and what property taxes might increase by. Thats because as everyones taxable value goes up, the share of tax obligations each home is responsible for will go down. Still, Republican state Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, said people can expect to generally see increases in their tax bills.

The biggest thing in regards to your appraisal notice is that if your property is up 30%, 40%, 50%, your taxes are not going up that much, Hertz said. Unfortunately the letter from the Department of Revenue overstated what peoples taxes are going up because theyre using existing mills, so that has added to the confusion out there.

Mills can be understood as tax rates, and counties may lower the number of mills they assess to keep their revenues the same given higher property values. The revenue department estimated property tax increases in the letters to owners based on 2022 millage rates, which can change in 2023.

Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Sheila Hogan and Democratic State Rep. Jonathan Karlen held a press conference Wednesday laying the blame on any expected property tax increases squarely at the feet of Republicans, who hold a majority in the state Legislature. Democrats argued they brought bills that would have used some of the state's $2.5 billion surplus for property tax relief, but the GOP did not support their policies.

Right now is a period of a lot of uncertainty and people are scared, Karlen said.

Karlen said Republicans voted down several bills from Democrats, such as House Bill 280, a so-called circuit breaker bill that would have created an income tax credit based on the amount of property taxes paid or rent equivalent. The program would have cost $82 million a year and about 87,000 households would have qualified, according to legislative records.

We saw this time and time again, that every structural reform we made that would have provided Montana's homeowners with really a historic level of property tax relief, they shot that down, Karlen said. He also accused the GOP of not heeding the information from DOR foreshadowing the appraised value hike, saying the GOP is now shifting blame onto local governments and the portion of property taxes that come from their budgets and voter-approved levies that fund things like schools, fire departments and more.

Hertz, of course, has a different view on it than Karlen.

The Montana Constitution requires the state to value properties across the state, so theres nothing the Legislature can do to stop those valuation increases. They are what we are, Hertz said.

While lawmakers could reduce how much of the valuation is taxable, Hertz said doing so for one class of property would only mean having to raise rates on a different class or reduce services.

The November 2022 report from DOR estimated that the current taxable value rate for residential property of 1.35% would have to drop to 0.94% to keep a neutral tax bill for residents.

Karlen said he also felt that adjusting those rates was just a "short-term fix to a broken system."

Hertz said lawmakers passed other relief options for Montanans using the surplus, pointing to the income tax rebates that are expected to reach people in the coming months with $1,250 for individuals and $2,500 for married couples. Theres also a $675 property tax rebate, though it will not be available until later in the year. People will also have to apply for it, Hertz said, and that is because the Department of Revenue will require people to show they are full-time residents who have lived in the state seven months or longer, whereas the income tax rebates are sent automatically.

Hertz said where he lives in Lake County, property taxes are expected to rise between 12-15%, and he attributed 7% of that to a $40 million school levy passed recently.

The GOP senator cited legislation that passed this session like a bill he brought to require local governments to tell taxpayers when setting their budgets how much additional spending would make property taxes go up. A bill Hertz tried but was unsuccessful in passing would have required higher turnout in any election to increase property taxes through levies.

Hertz said he thinks solutions to property tax increases should come from both the local and state level. He cited a failed bill from Rep. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings, that would have limited revenue growth from local mill levies to 4.75%. Hertz also pointed to other bills that did things like use marijuana tax revenue to help reduce school taxes, which would lower property tax burdens.

Karlen, however, said voters around the state have not approved any levies adding to the local tax burden since lawmakers gathered in Helena in January. He also took jabs at other tax changes made during the session by Republicans that he said shifts the tax burden onto homeowners and renters. Those include increasing the business equipment tax exemption, a drop in the top income tax rate and cutting the capital gains tax.

Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick also rebutted the notion local jurisdictions are wholly responsible for the jump in tax appraisals.

I think theyre looking at the wrong side of the equation, Slotnick said Wednesday. Our levels of taxation reflect the cost of operating an effective local government, and our economy has changed. Our tax system should match our economy.

While Slotnick advocates for a sales tax on tourist-specific items, like restaurants, bars, gasoline and hotels, he contends the revenue raised on such a theoretical tax would directly offset property taxes, rather than become a new pot of revenues for jurisdictions to allocate to different services.

Local sales tax options are hardly ever taken seriously by state lawmakers, and any suggestion of expanding population caps to the resort tax afforded to smaller municipalities like Whitefish and West Yellowstone have never gained traction in the GOP-led Legislature.

Slotnick said it is highly unlikely Missoula County will levy the same number of mills considering the value of a mill climbed thanks to the increase in home values.

In an effort happening outside the Legislature, Bozeman attorney and former GOP lawmaker Matthew Monforton again tried to bring a ballot initiative that would cap increases to taxable values at 2% unless there's a change in property ownership. Monforton submitted the text of his proposed constitutional initiative for the 2024 ballot to the Secretary of State in April. On June 5, Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen determined the initiative language was legally insufficient. In a petition Monforton filed challenging that determination before the Montana Supreme Court, he said the AG found a "nearly identical" initiative in 2021 passed muster. The court has not yet weighed in.
DECATUR  The "smell of money" has been replaced, at least temporarily, with the smell of smoke from Canadian wildfires that have rendered Soy City's skies a dull gray and reduced its air quality to among the worst the state.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, Decatur's air quality index was 280, or "very unhealthy," which was the highest of any major in the city in the state and, by some measures, the highest in the country.

"This is just shy of the worst category of air quality, 'hazardous,' which begins with an AQI value of 300," said Matt Holiner, chief meteorologist for the Herald & Review. "Older adults, children, and those with heart or lung conditions should avoid outdoor activity. All others should limit outdoor activity and consider wearing a N95 or KN95 mask."

Drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires prompted health advisories and outdoor event cancellations on Wednesday in Central Illinois.

HSHS Medical Group pulmonologist Dr. Brian Reichardt said pollution of 60 micrograms per cubic meter is what would be found while standing surrounded by vehicles in a busy intersection. He said Central Illinois has been experiencing 180 micrograms per cubic meter.

"That is pretty unprecedented, particularly for our neck of the woods," Reichardt. He said these conditions will fortunately be brief and people can take precautions, including minimizing their time outside and keeping their windows closed and using an air purifier if needed indoors.

Dr. Jeremy Topin, who works in critical care pulmonology at Mattoon-based Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, said he and his colleagues were concerned that the drop in air quality that started on Tuesday would exacerbate such pre-existing health conditions.

Topin said he had not seen an uptick in patient traffic as of early afternoon Wednesday. Still, Topin said he encourages those with heart and lung conditions to lower their threshold for managing flare ups at home while air quality is so poor.

"I would encourage them to come in and get evaluated," Topin said.

Dr. Anna Richie, medical director of Memorial Urgent Cares, said they had seen patients on Wednesday, ages from 10-70, with complaints of headache, wheezing, shortness of breath, itchy eyes, hoarseness and congestion "all believed related to the poor air quality the past 24 hours."

"If you have a history of asthma or reactive airway disease, keep your inhaler close to you during this time," Richie said. "Seek medical attention if you become short of breath or have chest pain."

The poor air quality disrupted some daily activities. The Decatur Park District, for example, closed Splash Cove waterpark and Overlook Adventure Park.

I tried to work today but called it quits because its brutal out there, said Jeffrey Lambert, owner of Lambert Cleaning Services.

Decatur Fire Department Deputy Chief Tim Ohl said wildfire smoke fortunately did not result in any calls from community members on Tuesday and Wednesday mistaking the odor for a structure fire.

Ohl said the number of ambulance dispatches remained steady on those days, but they did field inquires from concerned citizens.

"We had a couple of people call and ask about the air quality," Ohl said.

Conditions are expected to improve gradually by the end of the week, with some forecasted rain expected to help, according to Mike Albano, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

"One of the things that will help flush the smoke out is some thunderstorm activity, which is also badly needed across the area," Albano said. "We've been mired in a bit of a drought. But as those disturbances are coming through, it'll, in a sense, settle the dust."

Children, older adults, and those with heart or lung conditions can resume outdoor activities, but should avoid extended amounts of time outside and strenuous activities.

"With additional rain and southerly winds, air quality should finally reach the level 2 'moderate' range on Friday," Holiner said. "Only those with severe lung conditions will need to limit outdoor activity at this point and skies will be noticeably less hazy. We're expected to stay in the "moderate" range though through the weekend. Air quality may not return to level 1 'good' until additional rain falls on the Canadian wildfires, shrinking their size."

These regions see the worst wildfires These regions see the worst wildfires Wildfires are increasing in intensity #10. Northern California area #9. Eastern area #8. Great Basin area #7. Alaska area #6. Rocky Mountain area #5. Southern California area #4. Northern Rockies area #3. Northwest area #2. Southern area #1. Southwest area
DECATUR  The powerful storm system that barreled through Central Illinois Thursday afternoon left a mass of downed trees, downed power lines and families and businesses without electricity.

Macon County ESDA Coordinator Tammy Schneider told the Herald & Review her office was still trying to assess the amount of damage done in the early afternoon onslaught.

Lots of power lines down and a lot of trees down, she said. And I imagine some of it will be attributed to lightning strikes as well as wind but I am not exactly sure at this time; we just havent had time yet to do much of an assessment.

More than 20% of Macon County customers were without power as of 1:30 p.m., according to Ameren Illinois' outage data.

The utility said 11,709 customers were without power as powerful storms swept through Central Illinois on Thursday afternoon. That worked out to roughly 22% of customers.

The region was under a severe thunderstorm watch until 5 p.m. The National Weather Service said a line of severe thunderstorms would bring widespread damaging wind gusts, and the possibility of large hail and tornadoes.

According to National Weather Service local storm reports, 75 mile per hour winds were recorded at the Decatur Airport shortly before 1 p.m. on Thursday. Other Decatur area reports included a downed tree that took out multiple power lines near Enterprise School and large tree limbs down on the west side of town, all of which occurred around 1 p.m.

Widespread power outages shut down multiple stop lights in Decatur, complicating traffic after the storm. Many roads were also littered with branches and debris.

Across the state, there were 88,362 customers affected by outages as of 1:30 p.m.

Schneider said the Decatur Fire Department and the Macon County Sheriffs Office were kept busy answering dozens of calls for service. She said weather reports had indicated the worst of the storms had passed by, at least as far as she could tell, by early afternoon.

But she said rainy weather was set to persist towards the end of the afternoon and urged people to use caution on roads littered with debris and especially downed power lines.

People just really need to be aware of those downed power lines because they are so dangerous, she added. Be cognizant of your surroundings and take extra care.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

Tips for practicing safety during severe weather Receive Alerts Finding Shelter Travel Safety Power Outages
ABINGDON, Va.  Mine rescue teams from across Appalachia convened at the Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center in Abingdon on Wednesday for the inaugural Overmountain Mine Rescue Meet.

During the two-day event, which kicked off Wednesday, they participated in a series of competitive emergency simulations and equipment safety tests.

Nine mine rescue teams from West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky participated in the event.

Chris Whitt, host Virginia Energys emergency manager, explained that the first day of events was focused on equipment tests, hazard training and first aid simulations, during which teams are judged, based on individuals performance.

We are doing foreman hazard training, what we call the bench contest, which is the maintenance and debugging of the air packs. This is first aid going on here where youre at, and on the other end of this hallway in the back is the team tech, and its where they take normal air ratings, normal gas ratings and then some more advanced type of ratings, things with smoke to magnehelic [pressure] gauges, Whitt said.

Whitt highlighted how important it is for the coal mining community to have these well-trained rescue teams, well-equipped and prepared to leap into action whenever and wherever they are needed.

Im also a volunteer firefighter, and theres a few basic things, you know, that are the same but the skill specific to underground with all the roof control issues and the ventilation issues. Its so much more complicated underground. Everything will burn underground, Whitt said. I dont think we would have as many people mining as we do without these guys being ready to come and help.

Each mine rescue team is made up of at least five members, each of which has an assigned role, such as captains, spotters, mappers and medics.

Adam Phillips, who is the captain of the Paramont Contura mine rescue team, explained that such meets can get very competitive, with teams being able to qualify and compete in state, national, and international mine rescue events.

It gets really competitive, Phillips said. There are nine teams at this. The nationals have 65 to 70 teams.

We all get along pretty good, Phillips said as he explained that at the end of the day, when an incident happens, they all work together.

Opie McKinney, a retired coal mining inspector who has been a judge for mine rescue meets since 1986, recalled the Buchanan mine accident as well as the South Mountain explosion.

I was the lead inspector supervisor over South Mountain when it blew up at Norton, McKinney said. It exploded on Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. I got the call and we got them out Saturday night. So, seven days we treated the operation as a rescue. Until we found the bodies, then it became a recovery operation.

Because of these experiences, McKinney is acutely aware of how important it is for rescue teams to always be training.

Hopefully, nothing ever happens, and you never have to use these rescue teams. But the day you have to depend on them, then then you better hope theyre fully trained because one mistake could cost several lives, he said.

For McKinney, who lives in Myrtle Beach and has judged various local, national, and international mine rescue meets, the mentorship and guidance he is able to provide the younger generation throughout these events is everything.

Coming back to these contests is really important to me because I like to see these young men be successful if they ever have to go underground, McKinney said. I read on a bulletin board once, to be successful, you have to have a successor.

On Thursday, mine rescue teams will participate in a simulated mine rescue event, which will start at 8:30 a.m.
The man driving a Chevrolet Equinox that collided with two construction workers, killing one, in Sherrills Ford on Monday has been charged.

Jerry Lee Johnson, 80, of Sherrills Ford, has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and without decreasing speed as necessary to avoid colliding with a person, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.

The flag man who survived the crash remains in the hospital.

Ryan Scott Tanner, 23, of Valdese, died at the scene, N.C. State Highway Patrol Master Trooper Christopher Casey said in a news release on Monday.

Mario Giovanni, 34, of Sherrills Ford, was in stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon, Casey said via email.

The collision happened in a construction zone near the intersection of N.C. Highway 150 and Vinewood Road at around 3:35 p.m. on Monday. Casey said a member of the flag crew was in the road with a stop sign while motioning traffic to move over.

Tanner and Giovanni were moving traffic cones when they were struck by a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. Jerry Lee Johnson, 80, of Sherrills Ford, was identified as the driver of the SUV, Casey said.

Casey said the vehicle was travelling 45 mph when the men were struck.

The crash site sits between Terrell and Denver. The crash happened about a quarter mile from Lineberger's Cattle Company Steakhouse and Saloon restaurant.

This story was updated at 4:36 p.m. on June 28.
NEWTON  Catawba County Schools Superintendent Matt Stover announced a new principal appointment for the upcoming school year. Jenni Frye was named principal of Oxford Elementary School. The school board confirmed the position at Monday nights regular board of education meeting.

Frye returns to Catawba County Schools after serving as principal of Sawmills Elementary in Caldwell County Schools for the past two years. With 24 years of experience in education, Frye began her teaching career as a theater arts teacher. Frye formerly served as an assistant principal at Bunker Hill High School and as the assistant principal at Davenport A+ Elementary.

Frye received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education from East Carolina University and her Masters in School Administration from Appalachian State University.

She is currently participating in the Distinguished Leadership of Practice with North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association.

I am honored to become a member of the Oxford school community, said Frye. As the new principal of Oxford, I am committed to nurturing and inspiring a generation of lifelong learners who will ignite the world with their passion and knowledge. I am grateful to Dr. Stover and the Catawba County School Board for entrusting me to serve the Oxford community.

Frye lives in Catawba County with her husband and three teenagers.

Her oldest is a recent graduate of Bunker Hill High School. In her free time, Frye enjoys swimming on a masters swim team, reading, and hanging out with her family.
Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, Alexander and Iredell counties are under a code orange alert for air quality until midnight.

The alert means conditions are unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as people with asthma. The alert is due to a plume of smoke entering the state from wildfires in Canada, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality said in a news release.

Older adults, children of any age, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors, the release said.

The majority of North Carolina is in code orange, according to the N.C. Department of Environmental Qualitys air quality index map.

Smoke can carry elevated levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which consists of particles smaller than the width of a human hair, the release said. These particles can reach deep in the lungs and aggravate asthma and other lung conditions and have been linked to heart conditions.

The air quality forecasts in Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, Alexander and Iredell counties range from 101 to 107 on Thursday, according to the index map. Pollutant levels less than 51 are considered healthy.

Counties located near the coast are in code yellow, meaning that conditions are moderate.

The forecast predicts that the air quality will improve through Saturday. Saturdays air quality is expected to be moderate in the Catawba Valley.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

The court's conservative majority overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

Read the opinions here:

Justice Clarence Thomas, the nation's second Black justice who had long called for an end to affirmative action, wrote separately that the decision "sees the universities' admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent that the decision "rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."

Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading a summary of their opinions aloud in the courtroom.

In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  the court's first Black female justice  called the decision "truly a tragedy for us all."

Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she had been a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.

President Joe Biden was expected to comment on the decision from the White House later Thursday.

Two former presidents offered starkly different takes on the high-court ruling.

Former President Donald Trump, the current GOP presidential frontrunner, wrote on his social media network that the decision marked "a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded."

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action "allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it's up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve  and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives."

The Supreme Court had twice upheld race-conscious college admissions programs in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.

But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which had been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.

Lower courts also had upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

The college admissions disputes are among several high-profile cases focused on race in America, and were weighed by the conservative-dominated, but most diverse court ever. Among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina.

The justices earlier in June decided a voting rights case in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.

The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.

The group argued that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and called for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.

Roberts' opinion effectively did so, both Thomas and the dissenters wrote.

The only institutions of higher education explicitly left out of the ruling are the nation's military academies, Roberts wrote, suggesting that national security interests could affect the legal analysis.

Blum's group had contended that colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors.

The schools said that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.

At the eight Ivy League universities, the number of nonwhite students increased by 55% from 2010 to 2021, according to federal data. That group, which includes, Native American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and biracial students, accounted for 35% of students on those campuses in 2021, up from 27% in 2010.

The end of affirmative action in higher education in California, Michigan, Washington state and elsewhere led to a steep drop in minority enrollment in the states' leading public universities.

They are among nine states that already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities. The others are: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma.

In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.

A poll last month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed 63% of U.S. adults say the court should allow colleges to consider race as part of the admissions process, yet few believe students' race should ultimately play a major role in decisions. A Pew Research Center survey released last week found that half of Americans disapprove of considerations of applicants' race, while a third approve.

The chief justice and Jackson received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices, Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch, went to law school there, and Kagan was the first woman to serve as the law school's dean.

Every U.S. college and university the justices attended, save one, urged the court to preserve race-conscious admissions.

Those schools  Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Notre Dame and Holy Cross  joined briefs in defense of Harvard's and UNC's admissions plans.

Only Justice Amy Coney Barrett's undergraduate alma mater, Rhodes College, in Memphis, Tennessee, was not involved in the cases.

The 9 current justices of the US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Justice Clarence Thomas Justice Samuel Alito Justice Sonia Sotomayor Justice Elena Kagan Justice Neil Gorsuch Justice Brett Kavanaugh Justice Amy Coney Barrett Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is poised to bring lower air quality and a hazy, gray look to the sky to end the way. It'll blow in from the
Woodbury, Peoria VFDs To Hold Fundraiser The volunteer fire departments in Woodbury and Peoria will hold a brisket fundraiser Saturday, July 1, from 11 a.m. until sold out.



Brisket sandwiches, brisket street tacos and desserts will be served for a minimum donation of $12. The fundraiser will be held at Warehouse Outlets of Texas, located at 4377 State Highway 22 in Hillsboro.



There will be two drawings for a chance to win a basket of fireworks. Drawing tickets are a donation of $5.


The State Senate, the State Assembly, and the State Governor all agreed  Wisconsins rural roads need additional funding. The support was so strong that Senate Bill 247 passed both the Senate and the Assembly via a unanimous vote on June 15. Less than a week later, Governor Tony Evers signed the $150 million funding measure into law and Senate Bill 247 has now become Wisconsin Act 13.

The quality of our local roads, bridges, and highways is critical to the success of our farmers, their families, and our states economy, stated Governor Tony Evers in signing the bill into law at Hamburg Hills Farm in Stoddard, Wis., on June 21. By improving agricultural roads across our state, were helping ensure our agricultural industries can get product to market, keep food on grocery store shelves and on our tables, and support rural communities and economies. This bill is great news for farmers and folks across our state, and Im grateful for the bipartisan work to get this done this session.

In the State Senate, Senator Howard Marklein was a co-sponsor for the bill and did some heavy lifting as did State Senators Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) and Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan). The funding in ARIP is targeted to the first-mile roads and bridges that farmers use very day, Marklein said of the ARIP bill more formally known as Agricultural Roads Improvement Program. These are the small, Class B and weight-restricted roads that connect our farms to county and state highways. Unfortunately, many of these roads are in awful condition and our small towns need financial support to maintain and improve them. This program fills the need, said the Republican state senator who lives near Spring Green, Wis.

This is a wise investment of the one-time funds in our state surplus, Marklein continued. This bill is widely supported by the entire ag industry.

As far as the mechanicals are concerned, the ARIP will be administered under the Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP).

What is a Class B road?

In Wisconsin, Class B roads are rural, country roads on which many farms are located. Farmers, and their suppliers, must navigate these roads to move goods to and from the farm. Unfortunately, for most towns, these are low-traffic, low-priority roads, but they are very important to the farmers who live and work on them. The goal of the program is to repair these roads and small bridges so they will no longer be weight restricted. According to Marklein, the ARIP bill includes prioritization criteria to ensure money is used most efficiently.

A contentious issue in two Wisconsin counties

This roads issue was brought to the forefront by several Hoards Dairyman Intels that garnered over 10,000 views. The issue began to make headlines when Price County threatened to stop milk trucks from moving down its roads. Just days later, cooler heads prevailed as a solution was developed: Milk trucks roll: Price County grants waivers.

However, the situation returned to a boil the very next year when Chippewa County looked to limit milk trucks. While opinions varied on the situation, milk truck haulers firmly objected to the Chippewa County decision.

In the ensuing months, the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors brought the matter back up for discussion at its March County board meeting as a deep debate took place on milk hauling regulations. As a result, the Chippewa County Highway Committee, the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors, and the Chippewa County Highway Commissioner walked back a rather short-lived $100 permit fee for milk haulers.

As these debates were taking place within Chippewa County, Hoards Dairyman asked two larger questions:

Theres an answer!

Now that Senate bill 247 has been signed into law, work can be done on important rural roads. We prioritize projects that increase access to the largest number of farmers, are located on the oldest roads, lead to the largest reduction in deferred or repeated trips, have the greatest economic impact, target roads where the only feasible access to a farm is a single road, and provide funding to towns that cannot otherwise afford to maintain or repair these roads, said Marklein.

This bill will not fix all the road woes in Wisconsin. However, its a major start.

We acknowledge that we are not going to be able to fix all 62,000 miles of town road at once, but there are some roads that make a lot of sense to invest in, and the way we decided to go about identifying those roads are roads that have a significant amount of economic activity, said Travis Tranel, an assembly Republican from Cuba City, Wis., who co-authored the bill with Marklein. Representative Nancy VanderMeer also worked extensively on the measure.

A strong response from agriculture

Well over 20 agricultural organizations from the Wisconsin Ag Coalition supported Senate Bill 247. This went a long way toward gaining the unanimous passage in both the states Assembly and the Senate.

Improvements to agricultural infrastructure are long overdue here in Wisconsin, said Kevin Krentz, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. The historic funding of $150 million will start to modernize rural infrastructure by directing grant funds to roads supporting our global supply chain, said the Wisconsin dairy farmer.

Rural road improvements are essential for the stability and strength of Wisconsins dairy processing businesses and the entire food supply chain  from farm to table, added Rebekah Sweeney, senior director of programs and policy for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2023

June 22, 2023
Broadband connection is no longer a luxury but a necessity to access jobs, education, and healthcare  and that need is true no matter where you live. Rural areas that are often underserved by telecommunications companies providing internet services have been getting more attention in recent years as the need for internet climbed even before the pandemic made it indispensable.

In these typically farming communities, high speed internet is one way to reduce population decline and bolster the economy. With the ability to connect to jobs that may be states away or run a business better, young people are more likely to live in and raise their families in their hometowns or other rural areas. Children have easier access to their schoolwork. And of course, farmers can input their data, watch markets, follow news and education, and do so much more when they have internet access.

One effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the shortfall of rural internet access is the ReConnect Program, and this month, the department announced $714 million in funding to be awarded in the fourth round of the program. The figure includes $421 million in grants and $293 million in loans, said Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Corporations, cooperatives, and local governments were eligible to apply for funding if they would be able to supply broadband service at a certain speed to a rural area where at least half of the households lacked sufficient internet access. This round of funding is being awarded to 33 projects in 19 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Missouri, Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Oregon, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington.

In addition to thousands of people and businesses outlined in the descriptions of the successful projects, the 33 awards will benefit approximately 4,705 farms.

Each of the awarded programs is required to participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides funding that allows companies to cut household electricity bills by roughly $30 per month. After environmental reviews are complete, the goal is to get these projects established and running as soon as possible, said the administration.

As for the entire program so far, Vilsack said, This brings us to a total of 142 projects through the ReConnect Program helping 314,000 residents have access to high-speed broadband.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2023

June 26, 2023
Ryan Triplette: Microsoft has a proven history of leveraging its dominance in one market to gain a foothold and extinguish competition in another."

The North American-based Coalition for Fair Software Licensing has called on the US Federal Trade Commission to investigate Microsoft's licensing practices which it claims are anti-competitive.

The statement was made as part of the Coalition's response to an FTC request for information on cloud computing business practices that could affect competition and data security.

Microsoft has a proven history of leveraging its dominance in one market to gain a foothold and extinguish competition in another," Coalition executive director Ryan Triplette said.

"Today the software giant is using that same playbook to exploit customers dependence on its desktop operating system, server, and productivity software to force customers to use Azure and other products in the Microsoft ecosystem."

In the statement, the Coalition pointed out that nearly 30 years ago, the US Department of Justice had found Microsoft guilty of violating US anti-trust law for tying its Internet Explorer browser to its desktop operating system.

It accused Microsoft of tying numerous products to Windows, Office, and Azure.

In the submission, Triplette detailed how Microsofts software licensing practices  restricting Bring Your Own Licence practices, discriminatory licensing and tying  reduced customer choice, healthy competition, and cyber security in the cloud.

We are asking the FTC to open an investigation into Microsofts anti-competitive restrictive software licensing practices, Triplette added.

Any inquiry into cloud computing in the US would be incomplete without a closer look at Microsofts anti-competitive software licensing and its impacts on customers.

The Coalition pointed out that Microsoft had faced four complaints from European regulators in recent times and these were pending before the European Commission.

Additionally, it said, the German Federal Cartel Office had also begun an investigation, adding that Microsoft had responded with minor policy changes that did not address customer concerns.

A copy of the Coalitions public comment can be found here; a brief overview of the public comment can be found here.
GUEST OPINION: Do you remember when malware was a PC problem, and Apple Macs were considered virus free? Nowadays, its hard to imagine a digital device or service that isnt the relentless target of cyberattacks.

Everything we do online or with a digital device must now be protected, and our governments are expected to lead the way, creating and enforcing ever more stringent cybersecurity regulations, penalties and frameworks, like the Australian Governments Essential Eight.

Organisations have had to increase their cybersecurity efforts as a result. With the average global cost of a breach exceeding US$4 million in 2022, according to IBM, the financial and reputational costs are too big to ignore.

CISOs and security teams are now under enormous pressure from the boardroom and C-level executives to lift their game. Yet budgets, resources and staffing levels remain limited in the face of seemingly endless cyberattacks.

Paradoxically, the measures CISOs and security teams are taking to protect their organisations  creating a security-first culture, implementing staff training, complying with new regulations, and adopting zero-trust frameworks, to name a few  risk stretching them to breaking point.

According to a Promon survey, two thirds of the 300-plus cybersecurity respondents experienced burnout in 2022. Over half reported working more than four hours per week over their contracted hours. That is hardly surprising, with another survey by Gigamon revealing that 88% of global respondents believe there is a blame culture in the cybersecurity industry.

Such work-related stresses carry a high cost for organisations as well. Earlier this year, a Cynet survey found that 94% of CISOs reported being stressed at work, with 65% admitting work-related stress issues are compromising their ability to protect their organisation.

The research tells us that security teams are feeling the strain to meet the increasing demands placed upon them. So, what can we do to break the cycle and reduce the risk of burnout, which could push essential cybersecurity staff out of the profession?

1. Share the responsibility for cyber

In the current environment, it has become impossible for cybersecurity teams to protect their organisations by themselves. With cloud computing now ubiquitous, almost all employees enjoy privileged access to digital assets and are part of the organisations attack surface. Everyone must play their role and be willing to adopt new, more secure access methods and acquire at least a basic level of knowledge and skills to help prevent cyberattacks and reduce critical areas of risk.

2. Reduce cyber burden on staff

Adopting a least-privilege approach and implementing privileged access management (PAM) controls around access can be implemented without introducing additional friction or frustration for users. Doing so can reduce the cyber burden on staff  for example, by no longer having to manage many strong passwords.

Providing another layer of defence around access can also relieve the stress of dealing with risks to the organisation. Even with cyber training, employees can still be fooled into clicking on the wrong links or handing over their passwords and other credentials. Implementing strong authentication, limiting privileges and monitoring access can both limit the initial damage and provide a warning of cyberattacks, allowing security teams to minimise the effect of a data breach.

3. Automate, integrate, and elevate

Most cybersecurity teams must deal with a range of urgent yet routine and repetitive tasks. Many of these can now be automated with modern cybersecurity tools, relieving workloads and allowing security staff to prioritise higher-level functions with the potential to further reduce cyber risks. Many automated solutions offer seamless integration into existing cybersecurity infrastructure or the potential to consolidate a range of tools into a single platform, further reducing management overheads. Ease of use and scalability should also be considerations as organisations continue to evolve the scope and sophistication of their cybersecurity approach.

4. Insurance as a last line of defence

No CISO or security team wants to see a major data breach on their watch. But it does happen  as we have recently seen with some of Australia's largest and most high-profile organisations. In that case, cyber insurance should be considered to offset risk, provide additional resources, and reduce the stress and blame that might otherwise fall on cybersecurity staff. A Delinea US survey conducted late last year found that almost 80% of survey respondents used their cyber insurance policy, and half used it multiple times. Similar policies are available in Australia and New Zealand. And the better your levels of cybersecurity, the lower your premium is likely to be.
Kaustubh Vazalwar has joined RSM as an associate director from Tabcorp.

Professional services outfit RSM Australia has bolstered its cyber security and climate risk capabilities with two new partners.

The company said in a statement that Riaan Bronkhorst [below, right] has been promoted as partner in the Security and Privacy services team based in Perth.

Operational resilience practitioner Kaustubh Vazalwar was the second hire in the cyber security team. He will be based in Melbourne as an associate director and formerly worked as head of Technology  Enterprise Resilience at Tabcorp.

RSMs Perth Office managing partner Alasdair Whyte said: "The risks faced by businesses of all sizes are becoming more granular and complex.

"Governments, consumers, customers and investors are demanding more information, assurances and disclosures than ever before from companies and business suppliers.

"Whether its addressing the growing importance and complexity of ESG considerations in Australia, and globally, or meeting enhanced cyber-security obligations if youre a critical infrastructure owner, or implementing improved systems to protect customer data, no business can operate successfully today without the support of technical business specialists  the risk of not doing so is too great, for everyone."

RSM also said it had appointed Catherine Bell [below, left] as a new partner. She would be part of the national ESG sustainability services team based in Perth.

The statement said Bell had extensive experience as a global sustainability adviser both in Australia and abroad.

Full list of new appointments and promotions:

New partners

Catherine Bell, Perth Risk Advisory Services (lateral hire)

Riaan Bronkhorst, Perth Risk Advisory Services

Peter Xi, Sydney Research & Development

New principals

Aleesha Bailey, Sydney Business Advisory

Kenneth Lai, Melbourne Corporate Finance

Stephanie McAuliffe, Perth Corporate Finance

Derek Xie, Sydney Business Advisory

Associate Directors
Senior Singtel Optus executive and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian engaged in serious corrupt conduct by breaching public trust in 2016 and 2017 the NSW Independent Commission against Corruption has found.

In its judgment, handed down on Thursday, the ICAC said Berejiklian should have disclosed her concerns over the conduct of her boyfriend, Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire, to the commission.

Optus appointed Berejiklian to the post of managing director, Enterprise, Business and Institutional on 11 February last year, a few months after she had resigned as premier of NSW.

In making the announcement, Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said: "To deliver on our vision we need to think and do things differently and we need to attract amazing people who bring diverse experiences and new ways of thinking to our industry.

"So, I am thrilled to announce that Gladys Berejiklian will join our talented and experienced executive team to help transform our approach to business customers.

Berejiklian issued a media statement in which she said: "Serving the people of NSW was an honour and privilege. At all times I have worked my hardest in the public interest. Nothing in this report demonstrates otherwise.

"Thank you to members of the public for their incredible support. This will sustain me always. The report is currently being examined by my legal team."

iTWire contacted Optus to inquire whether Berejiklian would remain in her high-profile post.

A spokesperson responded: "Optus acknowledges the ICAC report published in relation to Gladys Berejiklians time serving as a member of the NSW Parliament. We refer you to Gladys media statement and have no further comment to make."

The ICAC said Berejiklian had breached public trust while premier and treasurer, by backing a grant to the Australian Clay Target Association, for which Maguire had lobbied.

It said Berejiklian has kept mum about her relationship with Maguire while supporting the grant.

She was also found to have incorrectly handled a proposal to build a recital hall for the Riverina Conservatorium of Music; Maguire had lobbied for this as well, but not a word was mentioned about their relationship.

ICAC said Berejiklian had indulged in a partial exercise of her official functions while influenced by the existence of her close personal relationship with Mr Maguire, or by a desire on her part to maintain or advance that relationship.

In a statement, the ICAC said: "The Commission seeks the advice of the director of Public Prosecutions on whether any prosecution should be commenced. The DPP determines whether any criminal charges can be laid and conducts all prosecutions.

"The Commission is of the opinion that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP about the prosecution of Mr Maguire, G8wayInternational director Phillip Elliott and Maggie Wang, an associate of Mr Maguire, for various offences.

"The Commission is not of the opinion that consideration should be given to obtaining the advice of the DPP with respect to the prosecution of Ms Berejiklian for any offence."
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 Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic makes its first passenger flight into space today and carries four adventurers. It's just a week after the doomed deep-sea voyage to the Titanic that killed four adventurers. To keep from getting too excited about today's flight I try to remember that not all sequels work.

 NBC News released devastating poll numbers on Kamala Harris's approval ratings on Monday, which if they stay the same could force her off the Democratic ticket in 2024. Kamala now has the lowest approval ratings of any vice president in U.S. history. She's two points below Titanic sub rides.

 The Coast Guard probed the cause of the sub disaster off the coast of Massachusetts last week. Cape Cod maritime researchers are deploying an underwater robot to examine the ocean floor for debris from the Titan sub. It's the same underwater robot they used to find Teddy Kennedy's old cars.

 Elon Musk spoke on a podcast Tuesday and discussed his fight strategy for when he meets Mark Zuckerberg in Las Vegas. However Elon's mother announced that she's canceled the scheduled August cage match. I guess they'll just have to fight it out in the Comments Section like the rest of us do.

 California's Reparations Task Force will likely demand one million dollars for each descendent of slaves living in California. The only slaves in California were movie studio contract players in the '30s. I fear Al Sharpton may have a stroke when the first million dollar check goes to John Clark Gable.

 House Republicans produced a transcript of Hunter Biden shaking down a China official for millions in 2017. I applaud Hunter's ability to raise millions of dollars from foreigners back when he was high. For most people addicted to crack and meth, their only source of income is the Tooth Fairy. ABC's Women of the View came to Hunter Biden's defense, attributing his legal jeopardy to his cocaine addiction. It first became public in 2015 when he was kicked out of the Navy after testing positive for cocaine. The ship captain got suspicious when he swabbed the deck of the aircraft carrier in six minutes.

 Wagner Brigade commander Yevgeny Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus as part of his agreement not to storm Moscow. I would advise the rebel general to always live on the first floor of any hotel or apartment building. That way when they throw him out the window, the worst he can do is break his arm.

 The White House touted President Biden's economic program Monday with the Press Secretary repeating the word Bidenomics. Joe's combination of giveaways and his progressive agenda works for some. My twenty-year home loan just transitioned to a student loan and today I'm free and clear at last.

 The Wall Street Journal cited a Reuters report on presidential lineage which found that Trump is the only president not descended from slave owners, including Obama. Trump's ancestor came from Germany in the 1880s, too late for the Democrats to call him a slave owner and too early to call him a Nazi. After eight years, you'd think Democrats would have another name for him waiting in the wings.

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On the one hand, events in Russia last weekend were stunning  the leader of a mercenary group, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, declaring against the country's military leadership and, for 24 hours, marching on Moscow.

On the other, they were about what you'd expect in a Russia that, across the long centuries of its existence, has never managed to achieve Western standards of self-government.

Revolutions, attempted rebellions, assassinations and coups dot the Russian historical landscape.

This isn't unusual in old nations.

What makes Russia different is that it is dealing with them to this day.

England had a no-kidding war between the king and parliament  more than 350 years ago.

Boris Yeltsin had a battle with the parliament that resulted in the parliamentary building getting shelled by tanks  in 1993.

"Getting to Denmark" is the phrase social scientists use for achieving modern standard of government.

"For people in developing countries," Francis Fukuyama has written, "Denmark' is a mythical place that is known to have good political and economic institutions: it is stable, democratic, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, and has extremely low levels of political corruption. Everyone would like to figure out how to transform Somalia, Haiti, Nigeria, Iraq or Afghanistan into Denmark.'"

Russia has never gotten to Denmark, either, although if it ever succeeded in taking back the Baltics by force at least it'd be geographically closer.

Russia's distance from the Western standard is why a country that is a member of the UN Security Council and the G20 could have a crisis with a distinct Third World flavor.

Those on left and right who want to appease Putin would make the world worse An ambitious military leader who has a personal following making a bid for power is what we expect in places like Paraguay, Ecuador and Honduras.

Except none of them have nuclear warheads; Russia has 6,000 of them.

Establishing a norm of the peaceful transfer of power is one of the most valuable achievements of the modern West.

Otherwise, history tells us, rival contenders for power will kill one another and cut paths of destruction through their societies.

The most extreme example is the Western Roman Empire that dissipated enormous resources on constant internal battles for power.

Opacity, conspiracy, double-dealing and lies are endemic to human nature, and all politics.

In the West, accountable government, the rule of law and norms around transparency at least limit them.

In Russia, they are so prevalent that it may be a very long time before we know everything that was going on with Prigozhin's revolt, if ever.

In a speech last year, Vladimir Putin railed against the West's "undivided dominance over world affairs" and blamed it for holding down what it regards as "second-class civilizations."

The sense of bristling defensiveness in the sentiment is understandable.

A couple millennia after Athens and a couple hundred years after the modern democratic revolution, Russia still has a de facto Tsar.

Whereas we read about poisonings in history books about medieval Europe, they still happen in Russia.

If he's going to maintain his sense of dominance, Putin isn't ultimately going to defeat Prigozhin in an election or simply fire or reprimand him; he's going to have to kill him.

The West may be naive, feckless, foolhardy or self-destructive, but its model of stable, accountable, democratic government is a stupendous achievement.

Without it, you get a Vladimir Putin reportedly fleeing his capital in fear and a Yevgeny Prigozhin, with probably an unfortunate fall out of a window sometime soon.

Russia has only ever been able "to get to Russia," and it shows.

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"A gaffe," the Washington journalist Michael Kinsley once wrote, "is when a politician tells the truth  some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say."

At a fundraiser last week, President Biden committed such a "Kinsley gaffe" while speaking about his administration's efforts to improve relations with Beijing. The reason why Chinese ruler Xi Jinping "got very upset" when that spy balloon full of electronic equipment was shot down by a US Air Force jet in February, the president said, "is he didn't know it was there." That, he added, is "a great embarrassment for dictators."

The description of Xi as a "dictator"  apparently the first time a sitting US president has used that term about a Chinese ruler  provoked an immediate blast from Beijing. The foreign ministry called Biden's words "extremely absurd," "irresponsible," and "a blatant political provocation." US Ambassador Nicholas Burns was summoned to receive an official reprimand.

At times Biden's aides have rushed to walk back some of his more unexpected remarks, but there was none of that this time. "I don't think that the president's comments need to be clarified any further," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said when asked about Beijing's fuming reaction.

Nor was there any flak from the Republican side of the aisle.

"Biden is right  Xi is a dictator, and we should treat him as such," House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, a Texas Republican, told NBC News. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska agreed. "Despite recent protests from the Chinese Communist Party, President Biden got it right," he tweeted. "Xi is a dictator."

Of course he is, and it is good that Biden says so.

Too often US presidents have been tongue-tied by the villainous reality of China's totalitarian regime. During the vast pro-democracy uprising in China in 1989, President George H.W. Bush refused to speak up for the brave protesters. "I would encourage restraint," he said. "I think this, perhaps, is a time for caution." When a million people surged into Hong Kong's streets in 2019, desperate to save their autonomy from the crackdown ordered by Xi, then-president Donald Trump offered them no support, either. He said only that he was sure China and Hong Kong "will be able to work it out" and emphasized that Xi was "a friend of mine."

It is far better for American presidents to tell the truth about America's adversaries than to engage in such toadying or mealy-mouthed appeasement. And the truth about the regime that has ruled China ever since Mao Zedong seized power in 1949 is that it has murdered, enslaved, and oppressed more human beings than any government in history.

Xi presides over a dictatorship that makes systematic use of slave labor and torture, that mercilessly persecutes religious minorities, that engages in the ghastly practice of harvesting vital organs from Falun Gong practitioners and other dissenters, and that imprisons between 1 million and 3 million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps. Its absolute control is reinforced by an Orwellian system of high-tech surveillance designed to suppress any whisper of thoughtcrime or opposition. It is a literally genocidal regime that constantly threatens to plunge East Asia into war in order to conquer its democratic island neighbor, Taiwan.

China is a dictatorship in every sense of the word. The ultimate goal of US policy should not be to coexist with that dictatorship but to change it. And a key lesson from the defeat of the last totalitarian communist regime  the Soviet Union  is that it is crucial for American leaders to speak frankly about the nature of evil empires.

The thugs who rule in Beijing might find it embarrassing to be described in the West as a "dictatorship." Yet within their own domain they embrace the D-word and always have.

The constitution of the Chinese Communist Party  amended recently to enable Xi to rule for life  explicitly declares that the party's overriding functions are "to uphold the people's democratic dictatorship" and to "oppose bourgeois liberalization." The embrace of dictatorship dates back to Mao, who delivered a landmark speech titled "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship" in 1949, as he was poised for victory in China's Civil War.

The new communist regime, Mao promised, would impose a "dictatorship over the running dogs of imperialism." It would ruthlessly "suppress them"  "if they speak or act in an unruly way, they will be promptly stopped and punished." The government would deploy a "powerful state apparatus," he said, to ensure the "oppression of antagonistic classes."

Mao kept his vow. The dictatorship he launched  the dictatorship headed by Xi today  is the bloodiest in history. As a practical matter, the United States and other free nations have to deal with China's government. But that is no reason for them to avoid labeling it with accuracy. Biden did so last week. He should do so again, soon.

Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for The Boston Globe, from which this is reprinted with permission."
Sting and Shaggy always looked like unlikely collaborators, but its the collaboration that keeps on giving.

When youre with Sting, you cant say never, especially when its him, me  and gin, Shaggy says. Who knows what well come up with?

Shaggy, the Jamaican reggae/dancehall star, and Sting, the British Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, won a Grammy for their 2018 album, 44/876. They also toured with a show that came to the Pageant that year and performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR in 2019.

More recently, they teamed up for Com Fly Wid Mi (2022), an album of Frank Sinatra covers performed by Shaggy and produced by Sting.

Shaggy (aka Orville Richard Burrell) calls Sting (aka Gordon Sumner) the brother he never knew he needed.

Its just an unlikely situation, says Shaggy, 54. You go into it collaborating with someone you see and admire. Its a great opportunity, and in the interim I found my best friend.

Most often, he says, you find yourself surrounded by people who are not really your friends. They work for you  theyre your inner circle. It takes a minute to find someone who doesnt rely on you for anything, whos self-reliant, that person who is into you for you and not what you do and who you are.

I talk to Sting about twice a week no matter what time zone were in.

They met in 1994 when Shaggy jumped onstage while Sting performed Roxanne. They shared an artists and repertoire label representative at the time; they now share a manager.

Shaggy says the idea for Com Fly Wid Mi came while he and Sting were on a boat in Norway. Sting jumped into the water; Shaggy refused. Instead, while Sting waded, Shaggy put on some Sinatra music and sang. Sting popped his head up and said: Dude, you sound like the dude. Wouldnt it be cool if we did this as reggae?

The concept made sense for Shaggy, who says that, though Jamaica is the home of reggae and calypso, you dont often hear those sounds on the radio there.

My house was filled with Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Mahalia Jackson, Patti Page  my grandmothers music, he says. Thats what she loved. I was raised on that type of music.

He credits Sinatra with penning some of the best-written songs in the world  iconic, unforgettable tunes.

A lot of those instrumentals were done by Black people, Shaggy says. Quincy Jones work with Sinatra included producing L.A. Is My Lady (1984) his final solo album.

Though he was familiar with the music, Com Fly Wid Mi was the toughest album Shaggy has recorded. His discography includes Pure Pleasure (1993), Boombastic (1995), Hot Shot (2000), Intoxication (2007) and Summer in Kingston (2011).

Sting recorded Shaggys vocals for the Sinatra project and helped him through the process.

I really studied these songs, Shaggy says. After the first week of songs, I got the hang of it.

I had to train myself to hear them. Sting was very helpful in that. He was very patient. Once I told him I cant hear it, he sat with me. He was patient in teaching my ear to hear that. He has the most amazing ears and one of the most amazing voices.

He says working with a giant like Sting, in producer mode, allowed for creative freedom. Throughout the process, he says Sting was fascinated in what I do and how I do it. Hes fascinated with how I can freestyle a song.

Ultimately, Shaggy says, this is the album hes most proud of.

I didnt know I could do it, he says. The real success is when you step outside of your comfort zone.

Sting told him, You can do so much more with your voice than you are letting yourself do.

While Com Fly Wid Mi has not been a commercial success, Shaggy says it has been good to him.

You would not believe the offers Ive gotten since that record, he says. I had Broadway offers, but it conflicted with a tour I already had. It was based on them hearing that record.

His new album, In the Mood (2023), also brings him back to more familiar territory.

Its a Caribbean project I just did, he says. Its seasonal music, but I enjoy it even when its not in season. Its not just Carnival music. Its feel-good music.

Shaggy is currently on tour with TLC, Sean Kingston and En Vogue for Hot Summer Nights.

Its a fan appreciation tour, he says. If youre a fan and see a lineup like this, why wouldnt you go to that? All of the hits are lined up together. How am I not going to that? Its a string of hits and just a great summer thing to do.
A 22-year-old Greensboro man was jailed Thursday on two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in Forsyth County, according to arrest warrants.

Greensboro police say Thomas Jackson Gillie also is the suspect in the fatal shooting of his father, Douglas Lane Gillie Jr., 62, early Thursday at 5100 Bayberry Lane.

As of late Thursday afternoon, Greensboro detectives have not had the opportunity to interview Gillie, according to a news release from the department.

A Kernersville police officer accused Gillie of killing Kevin Dale Smith and Nathaniel Tyshawn Burt on Thursday, according to the warrant. The officer also accused Gillie of attempting to kill Lori Ann Darby and Thomas Allen Doub on Thursday as well, the warrant said.

Gillie was being held Thursday in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed, court records show. Gillie is scheduled to appear Friday in Forsyth District Court.

Kernersville police say they responded at approximately 12:30 a.m. to 9102 Stafford Country Lane in reference to a shooting and, after arriving, exchanged gunfire with Gillie, who surrendered to police shortly thereafter.

Officers then found two male victims suffering from gunshot wounds, who both died from their injuries. A female victim was found suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Kernersville police alerted the Greensboro Police Department at 1:20 a.m. to a potential victim at 5100 Bayberry Lane, which is where officers found Douglas Lane Gillie Jr., 62, dead with a gunshot wound.

Police believe the shooting on Bayberry preceded the shootings in Kernersville, according to a spokeswoman from the Greensboro Police Department.

 This is a developing story.
Students at Main Street Academy likely will go to school for the next 18 months at St. Peters World Outreach, part of a reshuffling needed as Philo-Hill Middle School goes through an extensive renovation.

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education approved the relocation at Tuesdays board meeting. The school district and church still need to work out a lease agreement before the temporary move is final, Lauren Richards, the districts chief of operations, told the board.

The board is expected to vote on the lease agreement at its meeting in August. It will not meet in July.

Superintendent Tricia McManus and Main Street staff have visited the proposed space on the church campus at 3683 Old Lexington Road.

It had been used as a family enrichment center and was formerly a charter school with 175 students, Richards said.

I think it will be a great space for that group for the next 18 months, she said.

Students at Philo-Hill, 410 Haverhill St., will be going to school at Main Street Academy, 2700 Main St., as their school undergoes a $41.8 million renovation, part of the 2016 bond package that voters approved. Main Street Academy has space for 800 students, more than enough to accommodate Philo-Hills 400 students.

That building was formerly home to Carter High School, which is now next to the Career Center.

The moves will cost about $1 million, which will come from the districts fund balance.
A Republican-sponsored House bill that would place new restrictions on gender-affirming care for youths is headed to a likely veto by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper after clearing the House on Wednesday.

House Bill 808, titled Gender Transition/Minors, was approved by 67-46 in the House after clearing the Senate by a 29-17 vote Tuesday.

Once Cooper receives HB808 from the legislature, he has 10 days to veto or sign it or allow it to become law without his signature.

The House approved several changes made by the Senate.

Among those changes are moving up the effective date of most prohibitions within HB808 from Oct. 1 to Aug. 1.

Senate bill sponsors stressed that children already receiving gender-affirming medical treatment, such as surgical procedures, puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormones would be allowed to complete their process as long as a medical professional deemed the continuation or completion to be medically necessary and the parents and guardians consented. State funds would remain available for them.

However, the bill would prevent minors from starting the treatment process as of Aug. 1.

The bill also includes stiff penalties for medical professionals who provide gender-affirming care.

A legislative analysis said medical professionals would be prohibited from: performing surgical gender transition procedures on minors; and prescribing, providing or dispensing puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors with some exceptions.

The bill defines medical professionals as anyone licensed to practice medicine or licensed to prescribe or dispense drugs.

Medical professionals who did not comply with the provisions (of HB808) would be deemed to have engaged in unprofessional conduct and would have their licenses revoked, according to the legislative analysis.

A minor who received surgical gender transition medical treatment would have up to 25 years  after age 18  to sue a medical professional and the entity employing or contracting with the medical professional who performed the procedure or prescribed or supplied the puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones.

There would be no damage cap on medical malpractice awards.

Democratic support

The House initially approved HB808 by a 74-44 vote on May 3 with the support of two Democrats.

The bills passing comes after a federal judge on June 20 struck down Arkansas 2021 ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and a federal judge on June 21 struck down a similar ban in Florida.

Federal judges also have halted such legislation in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In each case, the judge has ruled that the state law infringes on the 14th Amendment's guarantee to equal protection.

Several medical treatment exceptions were inserted into the North Carolina bill during the Senate Judiciary committee on June 21.

Those include: services for individuals with a medically verifiable disorder of sex development; services provided when a physician has diagnosed abnormal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action; treatment of any infection, injury, disease or disorder caused by previous performance of gender transition procedures; and breast reduction procedures when necessary to remedy a physical disorder in a female patient.

The Senate kept the July 1 effective date for when potential civil penalties begin for violations of the proposed law.

State funds could not be used for surgical gender transition procedures on minors and for prescribing, providing or dispensing puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors.

Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, defended her support of HB808 by saying that gender transitioning is growing at a tremendous pace. This process has doubled between 2017 and 2021.

The Associated Press reports that gender-affirming treatments for gender dysphoria are considered safe and medically necessary by the leading professional health associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society.
An 11th-hour audible has been called to advance the bipartisan and controversial N.C. Senate medical marijuana bill through the House.

An amendment to House Bill 75 was introduced Wednesday on the Senate floor, rather than the typical gut-and-replace strategy in the committee pipeline.

The amendment filer was Sen. Bill Rabon, R-New Hanover, chairman of the Senate Rules and Operations committee and primary sponsor of medical marijuana legislation Senate Bill 3, titled NC Compassionate Care Act.

HB75 retained its legislation on changes to how physician assistants are supervised and licensure procedures.

At the end of the bill was inserted language that HB75 only becomes law if SB3 does as well  and both on the same effective date.

The latest action on SB3 occurred on May 31 when Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, gave his endorsement during a discussion-only hearing in the House Health committee.

According to legislative news outlets, four of the five House Health committee co-chairs approved the amendment and the condition placed on HB75.

The bill cleared the Senate by a 35-8 vote and was returned to the House to accept or reject the changes made to HB75.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported that after the Senate vote House speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said there's still not enough House Republican support for the medical marijuana legislation to bring the bill up for a vote.

Opponents have expressed numerous concerns, including that the legislation would serve as a gateway to legalizing marijuana in North Carolina by 2024, and medical research isnt definitive on benefiting users.

Moore told the News & Observer that for a medical marijuana bill to clear the House, there would need to be reasonable controls, and a balance to have enough distributors to prescribe and avoid a monopoly.

Senate support

SB3 passed the Senate by a 36-10 vote on March 1  the second consecutive year the chamber approved the legislation.

SB3 would permit the use of medical marijuana for individuals with ALS, cancer, epilepsy, Parkinsons disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments, but not for those experiencing chronic pain.

The bill does not allow recreational marijuana usage.

Legislative analysts has said House members were likely to amend SB3 to add language that reflects a more conservative approach.

Although Lambeth has championed many health-care bills, foremost the historic Medicaid expansion bill pending funding in the 2023-24 state budget, he had not expressed an opinion on medical marijuana until May 31.

Lambeth said what changed his mind was a fact-finding visit with 15 other legislators to a marijuana operational center in Mississippi. That state has similar restrictions to the ones SB3 proposes for North Carolina.

Lambeth said he was reassured by how Mississippi handled the growing of the marijuana used for medical purposes.

Lambeth also cited recent conversations with ministers, family people, friends, saying please help us because weve been in such pain and we think this will actually relieve us of that pain.

Meanwhile, Lambeth said most of the voices he hears against SB3 are those expressing concern about medical marijuana being a pathway to legalization of recreational marijuana, or that it only masks pain.

We need to be able to answer that question, Lambeth said.

But, if you go see how well this is actually regulated and controlled and the environment it is grown in, it gives you a different perspective. There was no question about the accountability in this particular plant we were in.

We all need to learn more about it as we decide what were going to do with this bill, Lambeth said.

Lambeth also said he has been influenced by the experiences of primary bill sponsor Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, as he sought relief from intense chemotherapy pain.

Rabon was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2000 at age 48. Rabon has said his oncologist initially told him he had as much as 18 months to live.

Urged to share his story by a House Health committee member, Rabon acknowledged limited use of marijuana  a few puffs  enabled him to withstand the worst of his chemotherapy treatments as he continued to work at his veterinarian practice.
Awesome Thursday. Ready to sweat?

Lets have a quick show of hands.

Who among us, perhaps fueled by a toxic and often intoxicating mix of hubris, short-sightedness and a youthful sense of immortality, hasnt done at least one dumb thing in a car?

(Its no accident that women live longer than men, and that insurance companies in many states charge more to cover teen boys than girls. Teenaged boys pay $328 more per year than girls; the gap narrows with age as the average 32-year-old man pays just $15 more per year. Thats no urban myth, if the fine folks at the ValuePenquin can be trusted. The penguin, if youve never seen it, is a free online tool that helps people make consumer decisions. Besides, you get what you get in 10 minutes worth of Internet research.)

For some of us who grew up near the expansive metropolis of Fern Creek, Ky., that dumb thing involved 70s dad cars the size of aircraft carriers blowing down a section of the Gene Snyder Freeway burying the needle into triple digits.

The Snyder, at the time, didnt fully connect as a fully functional ring road. It was a highway under construction in segments, a lot like the Northern Beltway. More than 35 years after the fact, its pretty clear that was rather stupid. Also, confession is good for the soul mostly because the statute of limitations has long since expired.

The point being that maybe, just maybe, the collective we shouldnt get too bent out of shape by young folks recording themselves turning donuts in literal rings of fire in a grocery store parking lot last weekend in Wallburg.

Blurry cellphone video, which inevitably made the rounds, showed a crowd of bystanders featuring a preponderance of  young men. Go figure.

Law enforcement did what law-enforcement does. Cops showed up, detained a few people and shooed the rest away.

Weve seen these types of stunts since the introduction of the internal combustion engine. Bet cash money that doofuses (doofi?) raced Model Ts on bumpy unpaved roads as soon as more than one appeared on the same block.

In recent years, motorized stunts expanded from simple drag racing to large gatherings of dirt bikes and ATVs on city streets to donuts and so-called rings of fire as seen last weekend.

The difference, of course, is the Internet and a cellphone driven, look-at-me social media culture in which people photograph themselves hundreds of times a day.

No ones saying thats wrong. Its just different and allows pearl-clutchers another opportunity to bemoan these kids today.

Now, Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough of Forsyth County wasnt wrong when he characterized the stunts in Wallburg as reckless.

They are not only endangering themselves but also our entire community  especially innocent drivers and their families. We will deal with it accordingly, he told a colleague Monday.

Sheriff Richie Simmons of Davidson County - a former state trooper whos seen plenty of motorized idiocy and some that ended in tragedy - nailed the explanation when asked for his reaction.

You cant stop people from being stupid, he said. Theres no cure for it.

Setback in court

GREENSBORO - Pro-choice North Carolinians perhaps hoping to draw an activist judge willing to overturn the states revised abortion law suffered a setback.

U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles said at a court hearing Wednesday that she would not temporarily block most of the new law from taking effect Saturday.

The law, approved earlier this year by the General Assembly, includes a near-ban on abortion after 12-weeks of pregnancy.

Republicans who control the General Assembly with a veto-proof majority hailed the decision as a compromise in comparison to other states.

In all likelihood, that compromise was driven by politics as GOP leadership feared a voter backlash.

Anyhow, Eagles told lawyers for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic that setting aside most of the new restrictions would be overbroad.

Eagles, per the Associated Press, said repeatedly Wednesday that she didnt yet know whether she would issue any temporary restraining order.

But if she did, it would likely be a narrower injunction limited to specific provisions being challenged in Planned Parenthoods lawsuit.

And with the new law scheduled to take effect this weekend, the clock is ticking.

Dont be surprised that if Eagles decides on an injunction, her ruling comes late Friday afternoon.

Nor will it be the last court ruling on a contentious issue.
After what has been an unusually cool June in the Triad, a sizzling start to July is on tap.

Heat index readings reaching 100 degrees are expected for the region this weekend, just in time for early Independence Day celebrations, according to the National Weather Service.

And after a weeks-long absence, Canadian wildfire smoke made a return visit to North Carolina Wednesday, prompting a new wave of air-quality alerts in much of the state.

Through Wednesday, temperatures at Piedmont Triad International Airport  the weather services official climate station for the region had not topped 87 degrees this month, and the forecast called for highs of 88 both Thursday and Friday to close out June.

The average high so far this month has been about 80. Thats 5 degrees cooler than normal for June in the Triad.

That trend will flip along with the calendar this weekend as temperatures climb into the 90s Saturday through Monday, the weather service said.

Staying safe

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday advised residents to take precautions to protect themselves, their children and pets from the effects of hot weather.

Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to dehydration, overheating, heat illness and even death, NCDHHS cautioned while offering these protective tips:

Drink plenty of fluids.

Take frequent breaks in cool and shady or air-conditioned places if spending extended time outside.

Reduce normal activity levels.

Speak with your physician about how to stay safe if you take medicines that make you more vulnerable to heat, such as tranquilizers or drugs for high blood pressure, migraines, allergies, muscle spasms and mental illness.

Check on neighbors, and if working outdoors, check on co-workers.

Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even for a few minutes. Temperatures inside a car reach a deadly level quickly.

Symptoms of heat-related illness include muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, fainting, headaches, nausea and vomiting.

Children, adults 65 and older, anyone without access to air conditioning, outdoor workers and people with chronic health conditions are most vulnerable to hot conditions.

If you or someone you know experiences heat-related illness, move to a cool place, drink water, place cold cloths on the body and seek medical attention, NCDHHS advised.

Through June 17, there already had been 361 emergency room visits related to heat in North Carolina this year, according to NCDHHS.

Patients presenting at emergency departments with heat-related illnesses are mostly male, ages 25 to 44, and most have been seen in hospitals in North Carolinas Piedmont and Coastal regions, the agency said.

Return visit

Smoke from more than 400 Canadian wildfires, which led to unhealthy air quality in much of North Carolina early this month, returned to the state Wednesday.

The National Weather Service said a weather pattern is essentially funneling the smoke over much of the central and eastern U.S.

Much of North Carolina was under a Code Orange advisory for unhealthy air quality Wednesday but most of the Triad, including Forsyth and Guilford counties, remained in the moderate range.
Mack Trucks first medium-duty plug-in model is ready to hit the road.

The MD Electric, a zero-emission alternative to Macks diesel-powered MD version, was unveiled in March but now is available through dealerships, the Greensboro-based company said Wednesday.

Sales of the new plug-in version come at a time of growing demand for trucks used in short-haul delivery routes, said Heather Brutz, transportation program manager with the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.

This use case is a good candidate for electrification because the range usually isnt a problem with existing battery technologies, Brutz explained.

The MD Electric typically will cover about 230 miles on a full charge, said Mack spokesperson Kim Pupillo.

This will vary depending on the type of work each customer does per day, she added. The type of route, number of stops and so on determine the trucks operational range.

The new plug-in truck will also employ a technology common in hybrid vehicles. Regenerative brakes function like a generator to feed energy to the battery and add driving range.

Regenerative braking is a good option for these vehicles because short-haul delivery trucks make frequent stops, Brutz explained.

Positive sign

The MD Electric is the second zero-emission vehicle introduced by Mack Trucks following the larger LR Electric, which went into production in December 2021.

The MD Electric will be assembled at Macks Roanoke Valley Operations facility in Roanoke Valley, Virginia, where the company began production of the MD Series in 2020.

I think that it is a positive sign for electrification that we are seeing more and more of these vehicles on the market, both by traditional brands such as Mack and by newer companies, Brutz said of the growing number of available electric truck models.

The transportation sector accounts for 36% of North Carolinas heat-trapping pollution contributing to climate change, so electrifying transport fleets in the state is a priority for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality through its Advanced Clean Trucks Initiative.

The program, created in response to an October 2022 executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, will require manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks over time while establishing incentives for going electric.

Medium- and heavy-duty gas and diesel vehicles make up 3.2% of North Carolinas registered vehicle fleet but emit 26% of smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions, 32% of particulate matter and a significant portion of other hazardous air pollutants from on-road vehicle traffic, according to NCDEQ.
In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has firmly rejected the so-called independent state legislature theory. This bizarre theory would have allowed renegade legislators to violate their state constitutions in setting rules for federal elections  allowing them to hijack elections for U.S. Congress and even the presidency.

The ruling was therefore a vote to protect the democratic process. Thats one of the Supreme Courts most important jobs. Its hard to overstate how important it is that this court is prepared to fulfill that duty.

The decision in the case, Moore v. Harper, was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. It was joined not only by the courts three liberals but also by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. That, too, is significant. By joining the opinion, Kavanaugh and Barrett showed that, notwithstanding their undoubted conservatism, they are not going to be radical revolutionaries when it comes to the basic structure of democratic elections. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the dissenters, Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito.

When the case was argued, I described in some detail the crazy notion that the court was encouraged to consider. Basically, it relied on extreme literalism. The U.S. Constitution says that its up to state legislatures to specify the time, place and manner of congressional elections. (Ditto for presidential elections.) Based on that language, the petitioners in the case asserted that a state supreme court  applying the state constitution and state laws  lacked the authority under the federal Constitution to strike down unlawful action by the state legislature. Their theory was that since the Constitution says that the state legislature is in charge, the state supreme court cant intervene, no matter what.

Roberts opinion made it clear that this argument holds no water under basic principles of U.S. constitutional law. Under the fundamental theory that underlies not only the federal but all the state constitutions, the state legislature is the creature of the state constitution. And under the principle of judicial review, the state supreme court has the authority to interpret the state constitution and state laws, just like the Supreme Court has the last word on the meaning of the U.S. Constitution and federal law. To say otherwise, as the petitioners did, would distort the basic fabric of both state and federal constitutional law.

Its kind of astonishing that anyone would disagree with this. But Thomas did. To give you just a flavor of how arcane his argument was, Thomas insisted that, since congressional elections are a product of the Constitution, not of states rights, then the Constitution must be read as literally requiring the states lawmaking body to set election rules. Thus the state legislature  not the state constitution as applied by the state supreme court  must have the final word in state elections.

The practical question going forward is how the U.S. Supreme Court will review the actions of state supreme courts when they intervene in redistricting or in presidential elections. That issue has its roots in Bush v. Gore, in which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Florida supreme courts application of Florida election law.

Roberts told state supreme courts that the Supreme Court would grant some deference to their interpretation of their own state constitution and state laws. But he also warned that the U.S. Supreme Court would strike down state supreme court rulings if they transgress the ordinary bounds of judicial review such that they arrogate to themselves the power vested in state legislatures to regulate federal elections.

The upshot is that, when the Supreme Court wants to, it will still overrule state supreme courts interpretations of state law when it comes to federal elections. Thats the enduring legacy of Bush v. Gore. But at least for now we know that six justices dont want runaway state legislatures to break electoral democracy. Thats one less thing to worry about.
On a comfortable (for Houston) August night in 1992, Pat Buchanan  TV commentator and syndicated columnist  strode to the lectern on the stage at the Republican National Convention to cast the full weight of his unsuccessful bid for the presidential nomination behind George H.W. Bush.

Though Bush had won all 51 primaries, Buchanan had garnered a respectable share of the popular vote, a greater share than David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and satirist Pat Paulsen, who received 110,000 and 11,000 votes, respectively.

Buchanans speech is not remembered for his support of Bush, which seemed full-throated and sincere. It was something he said midway in the speech.

There is a religious war going on in this country, he said. It is a cultural war ... a war for the soul of America.

Buchanan was not the first to use the term culture war; sociologist James Davison Hunter seems to have originated it in his book, Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America, which was published in 1991.

Buchanan added culture wars to our shared political vocabulary. Casting our political and social differences in an us versus them, zero sum frame, he staked out a conservative position on a cluster of social issues about which Americans disagreed.

He was for right-to-life, school choice and voluntary prayer in public schools, and against radical feminism, environmental extremism, homosexual rights, discrimination against religious schools and the raw sewage of pornography that so terribly pollutes our popular culture.

He pledged his support for George H, W. Bush as a a champion of the Judeo-Christian values and beliefs upon which America was founded.

Buchanans passion was fired by the sense that America was changing and, in his opinion, It is not the kind of change America needs. It is not the kind of change America wants. And it is not the kind of change we can abide in a nation that we still call Gods country.

He was right. America was  and is  changing.

That was made stunningly clear in 2019 when, to observe the 50th anniversary of the iconic music festival that was held on Max Yasgurs farm outside Bethel, N.Y., Gallup published 10 Major Social Changes in the 50 Years since Woodstock.

The changes that Gallup noted were eye-popping, even for one who lived through them.

Consider the following examples from the Gallup study.

In 1969 just 12% of the American people supported legalizing marijuana. On the 50th anniversary of Woodstock that figure was 66%.

By 2022 thirty-seven states and Washington, D.C. had enacted laws legalizing medical marijuana, and 18 states and D.C. had legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Second, in the year of peace and music  1969  same-sex marriage was illegal across America. When Gallup first polled Americans about their attitudes about legalizing same-sex marriage in 1996, just 27% approved.

By the time the Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples, 60% of Americans approved. By 2021 that figure had increased to 71%.

Third, in 1968, a year after Mildred and Richard Loving courageously fought the state of Virginias anti-miscegenation law, just one American in five approved of marriage between Blacks and whites. In a Gallup poll in 2021, 94% of Americans approved.

Fourth, in 1969, four years before Roe v. Wade, 40% of Americans favored making it legal for women to have an abortion at any time during the first three months. Fifty years later that figure had increased to 60%.

A recent survey found that just 36% of Americans approve of the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe, making banning abortion nationally risky. So said Chris Sununu, Republican governor of New Hampshire. Every time a Republican opens his mouth about abortion, he said, an Independent becomes a Democrat.

The point is not that nothing is as constant as change. It is that American culture is changing in a direction that many people who stand where Pat Buchanan stood are not comfortable with. And it is that they are trying to turn the tide of cultural change by passing laws, chiefly, but not exclusively, laws limiting access to abortion and restricting the rights of transgender people.

If, as Buchanan claimed, we are engaged in a religious struggle for the soul of America, wouldnt changing hearts and minds be more appropriate and in the long run more productive?

Wouldnt it be more conducive to a peaceful resolution of our differences if we found a more suitable image for our cultural disagreements than war?
Marcia A. Greve

February 2, 1945 - June 25, 2023

Marcia A. Greve age 78 formerly of Oakland and Lincoln, NE passed away on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at the Parkview Home in Dodge, NE. No services are being planned. Minnick Funeral Home in West Point is assisting the family.

Marcia Ann Greve was born on February 2, 1945 in Lincoln, NE to William R. and Agnes Emily (Tharnish) Sinkule. She was baptized and confirmed at the Trinity Methodist Church in Lincoln, NE. Marcia graduated from Lincoln High School and received her A.A.S in Office Technology from Southeast Community College in Lincoln, NE. Marcia worked as an Administrative Specialist for various companies before retiring.

Marcia had a wonderful voice and loved to sing. She sang at local churches, with several gospel choirs, and at various music festivals in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. She was inducted into the America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame in August of 2013. Marcia was invited to sing monthly at the High Rollers Club in the Horseshoe Casino in Omaha, and honor she enjoyed for several years.

Marcia was member of the National Traditional Country Music Association, FEMA Volunteer for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Citizen Corps Trainer-Volunteer Educator of the Year Award recipient, Nebraska Governor's Point of Light Award Winner for Volunteerism, Census Taker for the Census Bureau, and volunteering for many American Legion events and activities.

Marcia was a funny, loving, caring, and thoughtful person. She was also fiercely independent, very protective, and more than willing to defend what she thinks is right.

Marcia loved to dance, she would say Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while were here we should dance. She loved the outdoors, and was meticulous with her yardwork, ensuring that every weed was pulled, and every twig was picked up. She was fond of feeding the birds, rabbits, squirrels, and the occasional stray cat.

Family and friends were important to Marcia. She stayed in contact with them by writing letters or sending cards. She always included a cartoon, a pretty picture, or a motivational/happy quote she saved from a magazine. She was very detailed and organized. She researched, organized, and helped host several large family reunions. Marcia also planned and organized all of her high school class reunions.

Survivors include: Daughter Shelly Deckard of Newport Beach, CA; Son Darin and wife Kristin Stephens of Ashburn, VA and daughter-Kennedy, Sheridan & Westyn; Daughter Leann Stephens and husband Lee of Tacoma, WA; Brothers-Jim Sinkule, and Gary Sinkule, both live in Texas with their families.

Marcia was preceded in death by her parents-William R. Sinkule, and Agnes Emily Tharnish.
After more than 20 years of operations on the corner of Ninth and G streets, Lincoln Literacy has moved to a new and bigger location, allowing it to serve more than four times the number of on-site students it had in the past.

The new location, a 10,628 square-foot, two-story building at 1023 Lincoln Mall, will have four classrooms  three more than the previous building  and a 4,000-square-foot space for the nonprofit to accommodate more than 40 students.

Lincoln Literacy bought the building and is leasing the space it's not using to two law firms.

"Our previous space at Ninth and G served us well for decades. But thanks to growing services and opportunities in our community, Lincoln Literacy was bursting at the seams," Lincoln Literacy Executive Director Bryan Seck said in a news release.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon, Lincoln Literacy also unveiled a $1.9 million capital campaign to fund the move, which began earlier this year. So far, the nonprofit has raised $1.5 million, including $700,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Though at this time, Lincoln Literacy doesn't plan on offering new classes at its new location, Seck said that if the need arises, classes will be added.

"The cool thing about Lincoln Literacy is we can adapt to the changing needs of our clients," Seck told the Journal Star. "If we see a need for teaching people how to use AI, ChatGPT, or something like that, well have a class for that."

With more than 150 tutors, the volunteer-driven organization  along with its many community partners, including schools, churches and more  will continue offering and teaching its wide array of classes such as English, citizenship, driving, computer literacy, workforce development and others.

Last year, the organization served a record-breaking 1,405 students  1,109 adults and 296 children. This year, it expects to exceed 1,500.

"In order to better meet the needs of Lincolns refugees and immigrants while addressing our citys workforce crisis, the community must come together," said Janet Eskridge, chair of the capital campaign committee.

And at times, some of those very refugees and immigrants, who begin their journeys as students, occasionally advance to become tutors themselves.

"In the last year weve received hundreds of Ukrainians and Afghans, and now we have Ukrainian and Afghan staff members who are able to teach classes, communicate with people, get them to where they need to go," Seck said. "Lincoln Literacy does not exist without our volunteer tutors."

How US K-12 spending compares to other countries How US K-12 spending compares to other countries Education spending
Residents of south Lincoln will have to navigate another South Beltway-related road closure.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation said Wednesday that a section of Saltillo Road from 27th to 38th streets will close July 5 to facilitate construction of a roundabout as part of the South Beltway project.

The projected completion date of the project is sometime in the fall, meaning the road will likely be closed for several months.

Traffic will be detoured onto Rokeby Road between 27th and 40th streets during the project.

The closure is one more that drivers in the area will have to deal with.

Jamaica Avenue is closed south of Saltillo Road due to construction of the 30th Street interchange for the South Beltway.

The intersection of 84th Street and Saltillo Road also has been closed for several months for work on a roundabout thats part of a beltway interchange at 82nd Street thats expected to be completed in August.

Those two interchanges will join one at 68th Street thats been open since the beltway opened in December.

There also is a closure of 40th Street between Rokeby and Yankee Hill roads that is part of a city improvement project. That project is not expected to be completed until next summer.

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WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

The court's conservative majority effectively overturned cases reaching back 45 years in invalidating admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

The decision, like last year's momentous abortion ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, marked the realization of a long-sought conservative legal goal, this time finding that race-conscious admissions plans violate the Constitution and a law that applies to colleges that receive federal funding, as almost all do.

Those schools will be forced to reshape their admissions practices  especially top schools that are more likely to consider the race of applicants.

Chief Justice John Roberts said for too long universities "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."

From the White House, President Joe Biden said he "strongly" disagreed with the court's ruling and urged colleges to seek other routes to diversity rather than let the ruling "be the last word."

Besides the conservative-liberal split, the fight over affirmative action showed the gulf between the three justices of color, each of whom wrote separately and vividly about race in America and where the decision might lead.

Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas  the nation's second Black justice, who had long called for an end to affirmative action  wrote that the decision "sees the universities' admissions policies for what they are: rudderless, race-based preferences designed to ensure a particular racial mix in their entering classes."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Latina, wrote in dissent that the decision "rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress."

Both Thomas and Sotomayor, the two justices who have acknowledged affirmative action played a role in their admissions to college and law school, took the unusual step of reading summaries of their opinions aloud in court.

In a separate dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  the court's first Black female justice  called the decision "truly a tragedy for us all."

Jackson, who sat out the Harvard case because she was a member of an advisory governing board, wrote, "With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces 'colorblindness for all' by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life."

The vote was 6-3 in the North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard case. Justice Elena Kagan was the other dissenter.

Biden said of the nation's colleges: "They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America." He said colleges should evaluate "adversity overcome" by candidates.

An applicant for admission still can write about, and colleges can consider, "how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise," Roberts wrote.

But the institutions "may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today," he wrote.

Presidents of many colleges quickly issued statements affirming their commitment to diversity regardless of the court's decision. Many said they were still assessing the impact but would follow federal law.

"Harvard will continue to be a vibrant community whose members come from all walks of life, all over the world," school President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement.

President Reginald DesRoches of Rice University in Houston said he was "greatly disappointed" by the decision but "more resolute than ever" to pursue diversity.

"The law may change, but Rice's commitment to diversity will not," he said in a campus message.

The Supreme Court twice upheld race-conscious college admissions programs in the past 20 years, including as recently as 2016.

That was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined the court. At arguments in late October, all six conservative justices expressed doubts about the practice, which was upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978.

Lower courts also upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian American applicants.

The college admissions disputes were among several high-profile cases focused on race in America.

The justices decided a voting rights case in June in favor of Black voters in Alabama and rejected a race-based challenge to a Native American child protection law.

The affirmative action cases were brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Landmark Supreme Court cases and Chief Justices of the time Landmark Supreme Court cases and Chief Justices of the time Marbury v. Madison McCulloch v. Maryland Dred Scott v. Sandford Plessy v. Ferguson Korematsu v. United States Brown v. Board of Education Cooper v. Aaron Mapp v. Ohio Engel v. Vitale Gideon v. Wainwright New York Times Company v. Sullivan Miranda v. Arizona Loving v. Virginia Terry v. Ohio Tinker v. Des Moines Roe v. Wade US v. Nixon Goss v. Lopez Regents of the University of California v. Bakke New Jersey v T.L.O. Texas v. Johnson Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health Bush v. Gore Grutter v. Bollinger Lawrence v. Texas Roper v. Simmons District of Columbia v. Heller Citizens United v. FEC National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius Obergefell v. Hodges Department of Commerce v. New York Rucho v. Common Cause Bostock v. Clayton County R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen Kennedy v. Bremerton School District
NEW YORK  Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and touring the war-torn country as it fights Russian aggression.

Pence, who this month launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for president, has been deeply critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

He has called on the U.S. to deliver more military aid to the country and criticized GOP rivals who have questioned the ongoing U.S. involvement, saying there is no room in the party for Putin apologists" and pushing back against those who want the U.S. to take on a more limited role on the world stage.

Pence spent roughly 12 hours in the country Thursday, according to an adviser, with stops in Moshchun, Bucha and Irpin, according to NBC News, which traveled with him.

Im here because its important that the American people understand the progress that weve made and how support for the Ukrainian military has been in our national interest, he told the network. I truly do believe that now, more than ever, we need leaders in our country who will articulate the importance of American leadership in the world.

In addition to his meeting with Zelenskyy, Pence received multiple briefings, including one from Ukrainian officials on the country's current security situation and one on allegations of human rights violations by Russians accused of abducting Ukrainian children in a bid to weaken Ukrainian resolve, the adviser said.

Pence also participated in a commemoration ceremony to honor Ukrainians killed during the defense of Moshchun during Russias offensive and visited the destroyed Romanov Bridge, where he was briefed on the civilian evacuation efforts.

Pence visited St. Andrews Church and Pyervozvannoho All Saints in Bucha, the site of a civilian mass burial site, and laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St. Michaels Cathedral in Kyiv.

The trip was the second by Pence to the region. In March 2022, he made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian border with Poland, where he crossed into Ukraine and helped deliver aid to the flood of refugees who escaping the war's initial invasion.

Both trips were arranged by Samaritans Purse, an international Christian humanitarian aid organization.

Pence's GOP rivals have been far less eager to push for more U.S. involvement in Ukraine, reflecting broader skepticism within the party.

A February poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only about a quarter of Americans  26%  believe the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict, down from as high as 40% in March 2022. Among Republicans that number is even lower, with the number saying the U.S. should have a major role dropping to just 17%.

Both former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who are also seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, have said the defense of Ukraine is not a vital U.S. national security interest. Trump has stressed the humanitarian cost of the war and called for its end. DeSantis once called the Russian invasion a territorial dispute," but later walked back those comments in the face of criticism.
An 8-year-old boy was killed and two people were critically injured after a morning crash on U.S. 34 in Sarpy County.

According to a press release from the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office, the crash occurred during a period of heavy rain shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday. Preliminary investigation shows that a 2009 Hyundai Sonata was traveling west on U.S. 34 near Harlan Lewis Road when the driver lost control and crossed into the eastbound traffic lanes.

After the Hyundai crossed the median, it was struck by an eastbound 2015 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The Hyundai was then struck a second time by an eastbound 2016 Freightliner semitrailer truck.

Sarpy County Sheriff's Capt. Kevin Griger said the 8-year-old boy in the backseat of the Hyundai was declared dead at the scene. Two people from the Hyundai, a 34-year-old female driver and 9-year-old female front seat passenger, were taken to Nebraska Medical Center with critical injuries.

The drivers of the semi and pickup truck were not injured. Identities of those involved have not yet been released.

The investigation into the accident is ongoing.

These are the highways in Nebraska with the most fatalities. These are the highways in Nebraska with the most fatalities.
A former security guard at Pawnee Elementary School in Bellevue was sentenced Tuesday to 15 to 25 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old student on school property.

Carlos Ornelas-Ramirez, 25, was also required to register as a sex offender during his sentencing hearing in front of Sarpy County District Judge Michael Smith. Ornelas-Ramirez pleaded no contest to first-degree sexual assault of a child earlier this year and faced a maximum of 50 years in prison.

According to police, Ornelas-Ramirez entered a portable classroom with a student, who was 12 years old at the time, on Dec. 10, 2021. The assault took place inside the portable on school property.

School staff contacted police on Dec. 14 after receiving information that a security guard may have had sexual contact with a student. Ornelas-Ramirez was fired two days later and arrested on Dec. 23.

Ornelas-Ramirez was initially charged with both first and third-degree sexual assault of a child. The third-degree assault charge was dropped in exchange for his no contest plea to the more serious offense.

In addition to the criminal case, the Omaha Public Schools approved a $150,000 settlement earlier this month to compensate the victims family for emotional and psychological trauma.

On Tuesday, Ornelas-Ramirezs attorney, Chinedu Igbokwe, argued that his client would be a strong candidate for probation. Igbokwe said that Ornelas-Ramirez has no criminal record  not even a traffic ticket  and that the crime stems from one bad decision.

Ornelas-Ramirez also offered a brief statement at his sentencing, saying that he regrets his actions and he is sorry for the trauma the victim experienced.

In handing down the sentence, Smith said probation would depreciate the seriousness of the offense. Ornelas-Ramirez could be eligible for release in about seven years under Nebraskas good-time law.

Top Journal Star photos for June 2023
During the failed August 1991 putsch in Russia, the good guys were reformers Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. The bad guys were an incompetent claque of the military and KGB within the Politburo, and the rebellion fizzled when Yeltsin climbed on that tank in Moscow. The Kremlins nukes were kept secure, and the world caught its breath. The once all-powerful Soviet Union then peacefully flickered out of existence.

Today, the standoff in Russia offers a lot less optimism. There is no white hat promising freedom and liberty, only black hats: Yevgeny Prigozhin of the Wagner Group of mercenaries versus Vladimir Putin and another really bad guy, the dictator of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, being the truce-maker.

Are the nukes secured from rogue elements? It seems the answer is yes. The added question is whether the only good guys around, the invaded Ukrainians, can get some relief from the open quarreling in the Russian camp. We hope so.

Putins horrible war of conquest against Ukraine is what caused all of this. Prigozhins Wagner army for hire has been the only effective force for the Kremlin against Kyiv.

The Americans and our allies have to help Ukraine succeed this summer.

The poor wartime performance of Czar Nicholass Russian Army in 1905 (against Japan) and 1917 (against the Kaiser) both precipitated revolutions in Russia. We will see if the poor wartime performance of Czar Vladimirs Russian Army in Ukraine will do the same. The world watches.
Who was arrested over the past few days? Here are the Kenosha County Jail booking photos for people facing possible felony charges who were bo
WATERFORD  The Waterford Fire Department is dropping out of this years Fourth of July parade, citing a staffing crunch blamed on inadequate funding and a shortage of volunteers.

Fire Chief Kevin Hafemann said he is not playing politics, but only responding to financial issues that have cut available manpower below levels needed to handle public safety emergencies.

My hand is forced, Hafemann said.

For the first time in recent years, the fire department will not send trucks or firefighters to march in the July 4 holiday parade through Downtown Waterford.

Parade Chairman Scott Gunderson said while he understands the departments financial troubles, he feels disappointed that the holiday celebration will not include the communitys firefighters.

Theyve always been in the parade, Gunderson said. Id be lying if I said it wasnt a disappointment.

Sponsored by the Lions Club of Waterford, the parade scheduled for 11 a.m. July 4 starts on Main Street and continues down Milwaukee Avenue to Trailside Elementary School.

More than 100 floats and marching units are expected, including other area fire departments.

The Waterford Fire Department, based at 819 Mohr Ave., provides fire and ambulance service on a budget of more than $1 million a year.

Village records show the budget was reduced almost $150,000 this year from more than $1.4 million to less than $1.3 million, and that property tax support was cut from $829,949 to $758,272.

Village officials, however, contend that when other revenues are included, the fire department is getting a budget increase, up to $1.5 million.

Village President Don Houston said he recognizes that the department is being squeezed by outside forces  including a shortage of volunteers  and he does not fault the chief for pulling out of the parade.

Thats his call, and I will support him in that, Houston said. I think public safety is more important than putting flags in a parade.

The same issues impacting Waterford firefighters have hit other area fire departments, prompting ongoing discussion about combining forces. Racine County officials are studying the issues, too, and encouraging consolidation talks.

Hafemann, a former Milwaukee Fire Department official, took over as Waterford chief last October.

A growing community with inadequate financial support from the village, he said, has exasperated the shortage of volunteer firefighters. At the same time the department is being forced to put more firefighters on the payroll, dwindling revenues are making it increasingly difficult.

The department currently includes four full-time and 35 part-time firefighters. Staffing at the firehouse has been trimmed to three people on weekdays and two on weeknights and weekends.

Those staffing levels are half of what they were last year, Hafemann said. At times, Waterford now must wait for mutual-aid departments to respond before crews can enter a burning building or begin extrication from a traffic crash, he said.

Under those circumstances, the chief said, he cannot justify sending firefighters to march in a Fourth of July parade, knowing they could be needed for an emergency at any moment.

Im not doing it to be mean or to prove a point, he said. I have less people to do more work. Im in a tight spot.

The department will have an ambulance at the parade site, as always, to help with any medical emergency.

Houston said the villages goal is to maintain an around-the-clock fire department, which he said is being accomplished at the current staffing levels. The objective is to keep the community safe, Houston said.

Everybodys definition of that is different, he said. We dont have unlimited money. So theres got to be a balance there.

2021 photo gallery: Fourth of July parade draws spectators ready to celebrate in Union Grove Boy Scout Seth Luxem ready for parade in Union Grove for Fourth of July Lions Club vehicle blares 'God Bless America' during Fourth of July parade Union Grove FFA member wears cow costume during Fourth of July parade Mother and son on Fourth of July parade route in Union Grove Color guard parades in formation for Fourth of July celebration in Union Grove High school varsity dance troupe entertains during Fourth of July parade Marylan Kirby and friend Gladalee Lindstrom enjoy Fourth of July parade in Union Grove Performer on stilts waves to crowd Classic Chevy joins parade for Fourth of July in Union Grove Pierangeli family enjoys Fourth of July parade in Union Grove Dave DeLeon with miniature horse at Fourth of July parade in Union Grove Parade float shoots water on spectators during hot Fourth of July parade Kids line the parade route for Fourth of July celebration in Union Grove Retired firefighters arrive in flashy car for Union Grove Fourth of July parade Greg Hegemann and granddaughter on tractor in Fourth of July parade Payton Tomczak, 5, waves her flag during Fourth of July parade in Union Grove
RACINE  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has extend its air quality advisory for dozens of counties, including Racine, until noon Friday due to ongoing impacts from Canadian wildfire smoke.

The alert was initially a statewide advisory set to expire at noon Thursday.

While air quality is expected to reach levels unhealthy for sensitive groups in many of the counties under the advisory, south central and south eastern parts of Wisconsin are most likely to reach unhealthy levels for all residents.

Earlier this week, Milwaukee County had some of the worst air quality in the country.

The advisory comes as northern parts of Manitoba and Ontario are currently seeing hundreds of wildfires, prompting the Canadian government to send in reinforcements from other counties like Italy and Mexico.

In addition to the fires, Wisconsins air quality is also being impacted by the fact that the state is seeing less rain than usual this time of year.

Paul Collar, a meteorologist for the national weather service, said June is when Wisconsin usually gets more rain, while being more dry in July and August.

While the situation may change rapidly over the next few days, the DNR is recommending Wisconsinites pay attention to air quality alerts in their area and to take action if theyre not feeling well.

The DNR and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends all outdoor activity be kept light and short. Residents should also watch for symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath as a sign to move indoors.

People with heart and lung disease, older adults, children and those who are pregnant and work outdoors should consider moving all activities indoors. The air quality may cause complications for these groups.

Staying indoors is the best way to avoid wildfire smoke. Keeping doors and windows close and running air conditioning and air purifiers is also recommended.

If residents must spend time outside, it is recommended to monitor air quality conditions, limit exertion and consider wearing N-95 masks if outdoors for an extended period of time.

People with health complications could see lingering effects from the smoke once the advisory is lifted.

Craig Czarnecki from the Wisconsin DNR said air quality is expected to be good to moderate in the days leading up to July 4, and that it should not impact firework visibility.

At this time, there have been no impacts to Racine County fireworks schedules.

10-plus photos, video from the fire at 415 Broad St. in Lake Geneva Watch now: Firefighters work to put out the fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire Watch now: Smoke coming from the back 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire 415 Broad St. fire Watch now: Town of Linn Fire Department arrives 415 Broad St. fire Watch now: Town of Delavan Fire Department arrive
1. Yes. Voters across the city filled the seat in the first place. Voters should decide again.

2. Yes. An election is much preferable to back-room decisions among council members.

3. No. The charter calls for the council to fill the vacancy by appointment. Follow the rules.

4. No. An election would be expensive, both for the city and for the potential candidates.

5. Unsure. An election seems more transparent, but its not the perfect answer.

Vote

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KEARNEY  Kearney Public Schools has announced the development of an initiative, the Making Space for Innovative Thinking Resources project.

Spearheaded by elementary school principals and teachers, the MSITR project aims to provide new opportunities for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) exploration to 2,739 Kearney Public School students in grades K-5.

Research has shown that schools that incorporate monthly STEM activities observe increased student engagement in math and science, along with a significant reduction in disciplinary challenges, said Tracy Schall, Glenwood principal. Recognizing this, the KPS elementary principals have initiated the MSITR project to enhance STEM opportunities in classrooms and stimulate student interest in these subjects.

KPS received grants from the Eaton Corp., the Bayer Fund, Kearney KENO and another donor for $43,000. This funding was utilized to purchase sets of mobile STEM carts, with 10 carts allocated to grades K-2 and the remaining 10 carts for grades 3-5.

Each school will receive two STEM carts to facilitate math and science improvement, behavior management, and the exploration and development of STEM skills and interests among students.

The STEM carts are equipped with a wide range of STEM materials and equipment aligned with the seven Nebraska Career Clusters, including Skilled and Technical Trades and Entrepreneurship.

Teachers will have the option to reserve a cart for classroom activities or allow individual students to access the carts for personal projects of interest. At the end of each semester, our schools will rotate the carts among each other, said Schall. "Since the carts contain different activities, they will give our students access to a variety of STEM activities each semester.

Jason Mundorf, KPS superintendent, said the implementation of MSITR Stem Carts will provide valuable enhancements to students' education, enabling them to explore their interests in STEM subjects.

By fostering engagement and curiosity, this project will equip students with essential STEM skills. Business and industry regularly report to educators that they are looking for students who can examine problems, develop and test solutions, and adjust their effort throughout the process in a collaborative effort with colleagues. STEM programs and projects allow for the development of these skills, Mundorf said.

Mundorf invites community members, organizations and businesses to contribute to the MSITR project and join in the KPS mission to improve academic and behavioral outcomes for Kearney's elementary students.

Together, we can inspire the next generation of innovators and problem solvers, Mundorf said.
HOLDREGE  The federal Department of Transportation and the Nebraska Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office has awarded the Phelps County Sheriffs Office a $2,000 grant to participate in the Speeding Prevention High Visibility Enforcement campaign from July 10-31.

This enforcement is to reduce speeding fatal and serious injury crashes in Nebraska.

According to the Phelps County Sheriff's Office press release, speeding catches up with drivers.

Speeding fatalities have continued to increase over the past few years, rising a dramatic 17% from 2019 to 2020 and another 5% from 2020 to 2021. Even advancements in vehicle safety and passenger protection cannot keep people safe from the dangers of speeding.

The Phelps County sheriff said that speeding can reduce the drivers ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway, extends the distance traveled before a vehicle can stop and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard.

Speeding can also increase the risk of crashes and injuries because other vehicles and pedestrians may not be able to judge distance correctly.

Deputies will be taking speeding violations seriously by issuing citations to remind drivers speeding is illegal and endangers you, your loved ones and even strangers.
Community activists held a special LGBT program Wednesday evening outside the Kenosha County Courthouse marking the 54th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

It was organized by Congregations United to Serve Humanity and the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin. Dozens of area residents donning Pride gear turned out for the event.

In 1969, the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City was part of a neighborhood gay scene that was known, yet not open. At the time, showing same-sex affection or dressing in a way deemed gender-inappropriate could get people arrested, and bars had lost liquor licenses for serving such people. A police raid in the early hours of June 28, 1969, stirred a sudden resistance, as patrons and others outside the bar hurled objects at officers. Protests followed over several more days.

The uprising is widely is considered a seminal event that transformed the gay liberation movement and the fight for LGBT rights.

The event marked the awakening of gay rights organizations throughout the United States, said the Rev. Monica Cummings, vice president of CUSH and associate pastor of Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist. Here we are 54 years later still having to fight for respect, freedom and the right to be who we are. Here we are speaking loud and clear to those in power with authority who want to take this country back to a time of Father Knows Best and Leave It to Beaver. We say to them We will not go back!

CUSH President Rabbi Dena Feingold, of Beth Hillel Temple, hoped those in attendance feel empowered to make their voices heard.

Now we call you to action, Feingold said. We appreciate that youre here and we hope to see you at the Kenosha Pride Fest July 8.

Organizers said Kenosha is often ranked low in Wisconsin in the Human Rights Campaigns Municipal Equality Index. The index examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are of LGBT people. CUSH has organized a task force dedicated to increasing that score.

We the People ... means everybody, said Cal Miller, who is helping lead the task force. The Human Rights index score is not to erase society rules but to make it to where everybody sees not just black and white but all spectrums of the rainbow.

Barb Farrar, executive director of the LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, said the nonprofit will work with local activists. Farrar said the center helped improve Racines index score.

It takes work, Farrar said. Its not just an arbitrary score. It has meaning. If I were moving to Kenosha from out of state and I saw a low score I might think about moving elsewhere. Its that important for LGBT people.

Attendees also decried Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkmans decision not to fly the Rainbow Flag on county property during the month of June observance of Pride Month.

Parents Len and Laura Wojciechowicz brought a flag stating We the People Means Everyone. Laura Wojciechowicz said shes disappointed the Rainbow Flag is not being flown on Kenosha County property.

Our son is gay and we are advocates for all. We believe everyone should be treated equally, she said. It feels like were going backwards. Although were still further than we were, we are going backwards.

Len Wojciechowicz said its hurtful to not see the flag.

Cummings told those in attendance we disagree with (Kerkmans) executive order that rescinded a previous executive order that allowed the Pride flag to fly in front of this building.
Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho, left, and Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki shake hands during the 56th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Incheon, May 2. Newsis



Japan and South Korea will hold their first bilateral finance dialogue in seven years on Thursday, with both looking to mend strained ties as they face common geo-strategic risks from an increasingly assertive China and an unpredictable North Korea.



Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and his South Korean counterpart Choo Kyung-ho are expected to agree on the need to restore a lapsed bilateral currency swap arrangement, according to government officials with knowledge of the agenda for the talks in Tokyo.



The swap deal expired in 2015 amid worsening relations over issues related to Japan's wartime occupation of the Korean Peninsula, and its restoration would symbolise the improvement in relations, analysts say.



The ministers will also discuss global economic developments, infrastructure investment in developing countries, and the role both countries could play in multilateral financial cooperation.



"Japan and South Korea are important neighbours that must cooperate to address various challenges surrounding the global economy, as well as the regional and international community," Suzuki said at a brief meeting with Choo early last month.



"We're experiencing incidents like North Korea's nuclear missile development and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Japan sees these as unacceptable, and something the two countries must address together." (Reuters)






After more than a decade of planning and fundraising, the Northern Wisconsin State Fair opened its new agriculture campus Monday in Chippewa Falls.

While fairgrounds staff are still fundraising for last-minute needs such as lighting, signs and repaving, the campus signaled it is ready to receive fairgoers in July with a ribbon cutting Monday.

The new $7 million ag campus will host the 125th fair July 12-16.

Northern Wisconsin State Fair executive director Rusty Volk said as work crews excavated prior to construction of the new campus, they located a cinder block with the date 6-26-23 chiseled onto it. The year referenced was not 2023, as the cinder block was a century old. Volk said he took that as a good sign.

One hundred years to the day from when this was dated we are hosting our ribbon cutting on the new campus, Volk said. Its really amazing that 100 years later we could have a ribbon cutting ceremony at the fairgrounds.

Among other artifacts found during construction were an old horseshoe and a draft horses bones, speaking to the long history of agriculture and animal showmanship associated with the grounds.

The new fairground facilities include five barns, a coliseum expo building, showers, restrooms and a FEMA designed safe room for tornadoes.

While planners sought to have all facilities ready for the 125,000 people expected to attend the fair, some buildings will not be available.

Volk said construction is nearly complete on the facilities, but some work remains.

The cattle barns are operational, he said.

The safe room otherwise known as the farmhouse, or FEMA building, is still a couple months from completion.

Believe me, its going to get done in a couple of months, Volk said.

Volk said the delay could not be helped. Electrical work and supply shortages delayed the launch of the new building. Once completed, it will be able accommodate 311 people during a natural disaster, according to renderings.

Wood paneling is still being installed at the Custer Coliseum, which is both air-conditioned and heated, but otherwise it is on track to be ready for visitors in a couple weeks. The wood paneling comes from trees on the property that were removed to make space for the new campus.

Volk said planners were intentional in trying to repurpose natural materials from the land.

Volk said agriculture is a necessary and meaningful part of young peoples education, particularly in rural America. The longtime farmer and fairground director wants people to know where their food comes from, which includes meat and dairy  two large scale and historic agricultural industries in Wisconsin.

Thats part of his passion and drive in supporting, and fundraising for, the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds agricultural campus.

Exposure to animals, to farmers and what not is just as important as the annual fair. If not more so. Its important for agriculture, Volk said.

The new ag space can accommodate thousands of animals, including cows, pigs, goats and sheep, and tens of thousands of people.

Chippewa Falls Mayor Greg Hoffman said when he was introduced to the project he was attracted to the long-term vision for the campus.

I dont want to do something thats five, 10 years. If were going to do something we need to have it stay; to have it last 50 to 100 (years). Thats whats exciting to me about this project, Hoffman said. Just think of all the youth and the individuals that will be impacted by the opportunity to use these buildings and the show ring.

Hoffman said when he served on the board for the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds a few years ago, for a while we were worried that the buildings were going to fall in on the kids.

Former president of the Northern Wisconsin State Fair board Chuck Frenette said: This is a great addition. This has been a long time coming.

Frenette said significant changes have been made to the campus in the past 15 years.

Where weve come from to where we are today  you wouldnt know it was the same place, he said.

Ken Briggs is in charge of security at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair and said the new additions will attract more visitors to the fairgrounds.

Theres more room here and more buildings and stuff to see. The livestock shows will have a better presentation, Briggs said.

Past Fairest of the Fair Attendant Hannah Tambornino said she used to show horses at the fair.

Some people have reservations because everything new is always super scary. However, Rusty has set out all this stuff about safety, how were going to make it a lot safer for our fairgoers and our exhibitors so I feel like this is a really good change, Tambornino said.

She said as a fairgoer and past exhibitor, her biggest concern was always her animals safety. Her fears have been alleviated by the new set up, which separates animals and visitors.

Animals will enter from the back of the facility while people enter from the front. This not only keeps the animals safe, but also means fairgoers dont have to worry about walking through manure.

Reigning Fairest of the Fair Attendant Ally Lehmann said she exhibited swine, cattle and horses at the fair starting when she was in first grade.

She said the new campus will prioritize safety and cleanliness.

Im just really excited to be here supporting this project and supporting Rusty. I think this is important, Lehmann said.
WEST SALEMRichard M. Frisch, known affectionately as Neat Kid by his family members, passed away on Friday, June 23, 2023. Richard was 80 years old, and a resident of Lakeview Health Center in West Salem, Wisconsin, where he was fondly loved and cared for.

Services will be held at 12:00 noon, Friday, June 30, 2023, at Fredrickson Funeral Home, Woodruff Chapel, 4239 Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse, WI, Officiated by Pastors Joe and Judy Fornara. Burial with military honors will follow at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 11:30 A.M. until the time of service at the funeral home.

More information can be found and online condolences may be offered at www.fredricksonfuneralhomes.com
How the Vernon Economic Development Association (VEDA) has significantly impacted the economy of our area was highlighted at the organizations May 17 annual meeting on Zoom.

Our guest speaker was Tessa Conroy, Associate Professor and Economic Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Extension and the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. She highlighted her work on The Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative that includes research and outreach focusing on regional economic growth and development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship.

Sen. Brad Pfaff gave a summary of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and his role on its advisory panel. He emphasized the need for childcare and affordable housing, and the importance of supporting higher education and entrepreneurship as economic drivers throughout the region.

President Mike Breckel thanked outgoing board members for their service on the board. Kathy Neidert has served for 12 years and contributed monthly VEDA news columns to the media and membership. Dave Maxwell was one of the founding members of VEDA in 2006 and served on the board of directors for 17 years. He was the first President of the board and served as Secretary for 12 years. Mike also recognized the late Jeff Gohlke, who passed away in 2022, and noted Jeffs significant contribution to the successful financial growth of VEDA.

Sue Noble, Executive Director of VEDA, shared these highlights of the organizations accomplishments from the past year:

Assisting more than 75 businesses with one-to-one counseling and access to resources.

Working with Ethos Green Power Cooperative to design and install a 180-panel solar array on the south lawn of the Food Enterprise Center as a key component of our sustainability plan.

Continuing to meet with Coon Valley Industrial and Economic Development Board to revitalize their downtown.

Sponsoring Community Hunger Solutions (CHS), VEDAs Food Recovery Program. CHS uses the Food Enterprise Centers infrastructure of docks, coolers, and warehouse area for storing and sorting excess fresh produce and dairy products from local small farms and distributes this food to pantries, meals sites and food banks where many families who are struggling with hunger, go for help. In 2022, thanks to partnerships with Organic Valley, Hunger Task Force of La Crosse, Hunger Relief Federation in Milwaukee and more than thirty volunteers, CHS was able to distribute more than 180,000 pounds of food to 20 pantries in Vernon, Monroe, Crawford and Grant counties, serving more than 18,300 people in 2022.

Managing the Food Enterprise Center, owned by VEDA, to provide the physical infrastructure for businesses to grow and expand. Today the Center houses 30 tenants. Products from ten of these businesses can be found locally at the Viroqua Food Co-op. In 2022, the total economic impact of the Center included total gross sales of $125,104,725, supporting 351 total jobs with 100 jobs on site. Noble pointed out, None of these businesses would be at the level they are without this facility, which has been serving as a resource for businesses throughout the region for more than 12 years.

The businesses in production in the Food Enterprise Center include: B&E Trees/Embark Maple, Coffee Haven, Community Hunger Solutions, Daves Pizza, Driftless Co-Option, Driftless Provisions, Fifth Season Cooperative, Fizzeology, Garlic eScape Farm, GoMacro, Hemp Science, LuSa Organics, Oppenworks, Pahana Enterprises, River Valley Burgers, Scotchwood Candy Co., Shade Haven, Sky Moon Imports, Soap Sister, Sole Expressions Dance Studio, Wonderstate Coffee, Vernon Economic Development Association, plus tenants who rent storage space in the Center.

Now in our seventeenth year as a non-profit organization, VEDA continues to create the environment for economic development with tools, resources, coordination and infrastructure, thereby improving our quality of life and building wealth in the region, said Noble. The organization also engages the community with opportunities for investors to support businesses at the Food Enterprise Center to grow and expand, in addition to generous community folks who support hunger relief with cash donations and volunteer time for the Community Hunger Solutions program.

In other business, VEDA Board Secretary Dave Maxwell presented the minutes of last years annual meeting, and Board and Finance Committee Member Hetti Brown gave the financial report for fiscal 2022.

Board members re-elected to serve three-year terms were Staci Pieper and Kathy Crittenden. New members elected to the board include Rob Andolsek, Trina Erickson, Eric Nottestad and Karla Yanske.

For more information on VEDA or if you would like to become a supporting member, visit veda-wi.org or contact Sue Noble at 608-638-8332 or snoble@veda-wi.org.
Prosecutors have identified the 16-year-old male accused in the June 14 homicide of a child in La Crosse.

Kamitri Riles was charged as an adult Wednesday in La Crosse County Circuit Court with a single felony count of first-degree intentional homicide. He is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

According to the complaint filed by the La Crosse County District Attorneys Office, police responded to a Winneshiek Road address, where a child, identified in the complaint only by her initials, was found unresponsive. The child sustained numerous injuries to her face, hip and stomach.

Police interviewed Riles shortly after the body was found. He told police he was looking after the child while her mother was gone. He told police that the child had fallen on her face while she was playing outside the previous night but otherwise appeared unharmed. The complaint says he repeatedly denied hitting the child and assumed she was fine. He stood by his denial after police confronted him with alleged inconsistencies in his story.

An autopsy was performed June 15 in Rochester, Minnesota. The pathologist concluded that the child died from blunt force injuries to the head, neck and torso.

Police conducted a second interview with Riles on June 22. The complaint says he initially repeated a similar version of the events before admitting to lying about the child coming downstairs June 14 around 1 p.m. He then admitted that the child never got out of bed June 14.

Later in the interview, Riles reportedly admitted to inflicting the injuries that caused the childs death. The complaint says he told police the child was crying for her mother and that he struck her twice with his hand, causing her head to hit the ground. He said the child got back up and that he pushed her in the chest. He said he wiped blood off her face and put her back to bed.

Riles reportedly told police he found the child dead sometime later. He said he didnt tell anyone right away. The complaint says he told police, Yeah, I went back downstairs. I went to sleep hoping it was a dream.

During Wednesdays initial appearance, Judge Scott Horne ruled the defendant would be referred only by his initials. The Tribune is using Riles full name after obtaining it from open records available to the general public prior to the hearing.

Riles next court date is a July 5 calendar call.
A 34-year-old La Crosse man who taught youth music lessons part-time at the La Crosse YMCA was charged Wednesday in La Crosse County Circuit Court with possession of child pornography and drug offenses.

Parker B. Barnes faces felony counts of possession of child pornography and possession of methamphetamine and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the criminal complaint, La Crosse police received a tip June 20 that a person had uploaded 746 images onto an internet platform related to child pornography.

The complaint says most of the images were anime drawings of children in sexualized positions. However, police identified 17 videos of young children engaged in graphic sexual activity. The complaint says the children were primarily toddlers and children younger than 10 years old.

Police traced the IP address to Barnes and determined he worked at the YMCA in La Crosse. YMCA personnel confirmed that Barnes was scheduled to teach music lessons June 27, and police arrested him before he could enter the facility.

The La Crosse YMCA issued a statement indicating that Barnes had been employed as a part-time music instructor since 2022. The statement said he passed background checks, never had disciplinary issues during his employment and didnt use any YMCA facilities.

We are deeply disturbed and shocked by his alleged actions, the statement reads. As soon as we learned of this allegation, we suspended his employment, banned him from our property and all YMCA programs and events and immediately notified families who received instruction from him.

The statement said the allegations against Barners do not allege any misconduct or inappropriate activity with or on YMCA property or with any YMCA member.

The complaint says a search of Barnes found 0.4 grams of methamphetamine and a smoking device with methamphetamine residue. Police also seized a laptop but found nothing of evidentiary value.

Barnes declined to speak with police. He reportedly told police, Im innocent and Im requesting a lawyer.

Barnes has a preliminary hearing set for July 5.
UW-Madison will remove race as a factor in its admissions process following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday that deemed race-conscious acceptances to public and private colleges illegal.

Thursdays ruling struck down the longstanding use of race in admissions practices, as the Supreme Court considered two cases brought by conservative legal action group Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The lawsuits argued the schools discriminated against applicants of Asian heritage, and UNC additionally discriminated against white applicants, as part of its admissions policy.

The court ruled 6-3 regarding public universities. It ruled 6-2 regarding private universities, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson abstaining because she has close ties to Harvard University, the private university in the case.

The courts conservative bloc all sided with Students for Fair Admissions.

The ruling is expected to have an impact on UW-Madisons campus, but the extent wont immediately be known, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said in a letter to campus Thursday.

The university uses a holistic admissions process, where academic achievements are considered alongside other personality traits, such as leadership, creativity and talent. While the university focuses first on academics, race has been taken into consideration to ensure students are benefitting from a diverse population, Mnookin said.

Though we have seen a roughly 50 percent increase in our underrepresented undergraduate student population in the past five years, our current enrollment percentages of underrepresented students still lag behind many of our peers, she said. The ruling will require some modifications to aspects of our current admissions practices; we will, of course, adapt our practices to comply with the law.

At the same time, I want to reiterate that our commitment to the value of diversity within our community, including racial diversity, remains a bedrock value of the institution.

But the argument of ensuring a diverse population of students is precisely what the court rejected in its opinion Thursday. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the ruling that using race as a consideration violates the Fourteenth Amendment by elevating some races over others in a zero-sum game of admissions and selecting a diverse student body is a form of racial quotas, which are already illegal.

The decision vacates decades of judicial precedent. In 1978, the court ruled 8-1 that higher education universities could use race as one of multiple admissions criteria while prohibiting them from basing decisions on racial quotas; in 2003, the court narrowly upheld the legality of using race but alluded the day would come that affirmative action would not be necessary.

Students for Fair Admissions also has targeted UW-Madison, but has not filed a lawsuit in that instance.

UW-Madisons student population is 60% white. The next largest ethnic group, Hispanic students, make up 7.2% of the population; Black students are just 2.4% of the population despite Black residents being 6.6% of the states population. International students, who are not broken down by race in university statistics, are 14% of UW-Madisons enrollment.

Not all University of Wisconsin System schools use race as a part of their admissions process. UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone said in a statement Thursday the courts ruling will not significantly affect the schools admissions practices.

The System is in the process of reviewing the ruling to see what, if any, impact it will have on its universities, spokesperson Mark Pitsch said.

Local pressure

Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers circulated a bill that would force the System, namely UW-Madison, to change its admission policies to grant direct admission to any students in the top 5% of their class.

The bill, if passed into law, could upend UW-Madisons admissions processes by requiring staff to place a heavier emphasis on academic achievement rather than its current holistic process and potentially reducing access for any applicant not considered to be in the top 5% of their class.

While UW-Madison is required to admit no fewer than 3,600 in-state students as part of its freshman class each fall, just fewer than 70,000 students are expected to graduate from Wisconsin public and private high schools next spring, meaning UW-Madison could be obligated to offer direct admission to about 3,500 students if they all applied.

Republicans justified the legislation by recounting examples of constituents who came to them after either being waitlisted or rejected from UW-Madison, despite feeling their grades or test scores should have been enough to grant them admission.

At the same time, Republicans are seeking to pressure the System to eliminate all of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff and programming by trimming $32 million from its budget, about what Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, estimates the System spends on such efforts over a two-year period. If that proposal becomes law, Republicans would move the $32 million into a discretionary account, and the System could petition the Joint Finance Committee for access to it to bolster workforce development.

The System employs 188 employees whose role in some way focuses on DEI. In addition to traditional DEI staff, those roles include staff in departments such as disability accommodations, Title IX compliance and veterans and non-traditional student support, according to a list provided by the System.

Elsewhere

Other area colleges admissions practices are unlikely to be changed by the ruling. Neither Edgewood College nor Madison Area Technical College (MATC) use race as a consideration in their admissions process, though they do collect information on race for data purposes.

Edgewood College bases its admissions off high school grade point averages or GED completion; if applicants dont meet the requirements, admissions staff then turn to a more holistic approach involving a personal letter and an interview, said Tess Ferzoco, vice president for enrollment management.

From our very first days in 1927, the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa committed to providing educational opportunities for young women. That was considered radical by some at that time, Edgewood College President Andrew Manion said in a statement. Today, we embrace that mission that we inherit, to build a more just and compassionate world through the educational experience we deliver to our students.

All Wisconsin Technical College System schools, including MATC, are considered open access schools, spokesperson Katy Pettersen said. While the technical colleges consider race and gender as an important part of equity, so are other demographics, such as being a single parent, having been incarcerated or learning English as a second language.

That data guides decisions over how the technical colleges can best support those populations to make sure they finish their programs, Pettersen said.

We dont consider much of anything (in admissions), she said. We allow everyone in who wants to come and get more education.

Hundreds of UW-Madison students protest following racist video emerges Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video Student sit-in and protest over racist video More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands More than 500 students and faculty march in protest of UW-Madison's response to demands
Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. June 22, 2023.

Editorial: Alcohol law revisions are example of hard work paying off

About a week ago we backed the state Legislatures efforts to review Wisconsins alcohol laws. Members of the Assembly passed the measure on Wednesday, and it looks like the bill will clear the Senate and receive Gov. Tony Evers signature.

At the heart of the bill is creation of a new division within the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. This new division will oversee and enforce laws on alcohol. That should reduce the viability of claims that the law is being selectively enforced.

The update was also needed because consumers have far more opportunities to access alcohol today than they did when the current laws hit the books. The internet is the major change. There are businesses today that would have quite literally been impossible when the laws were passed, and figuring out how to address those has been a considerable challenge.

The fundamental system in Wisconsin is designed to keep any one company from being able to establish a monopoly. No single company could produce and sell alcohol in both the wholesale and retail markets. But proliferating craft breweries and other entrepreneurial efforts strained the system, which dates to the 1930s.

Rep. Rob Swearingen put it well. He said everybody hates pieces of the bill, but loves others. That isnt, in and of itself, the sign of a good bill. But it does indicate the parties affected by the legislation understood the need for some give and take.

Swearingen was quoted in an Associated Press article as saying alcohol has a rich history in the state of Wisconsin but it does need to be regulated. The need for that regulation is made clear in the Assemblys vote. A 90-4 tally clearly crosses partisan lines.

Why didnt this happen sooner, given that everyone saw the need? Politics. It was too difficult to get legislators of various stripes, brewers, distillers and winemakers all on the same page.

There may well be a losing business model with the legislation. Operators of wedding barns were vocally opposed. The businesses dont often hold liquor licenses themselves, depending instead on the licenses of those they contract with to provide alcohol for events.

Under the new legislation venues can get a permit for six events per year, and no more than one per month, or get a liquor license. Those in the wedding barn business have said the new options are either too cumbersome or too expensive.

But the payoffs for the state strike us as worth that risk. It puts wedding barns on the same footing as rival locations like banquet halls. Bartending licenses will shift from local municipalities to a statewide system.

Wineries will get expanded hours and regulation along the lines of craft breweries and distilleries. Pubs can open retail stores. And some bars in southeastern Wisconsin will be able to stay open longer during the Republican National Convention next summer, which is coming to Milwaukee.

Getting to this point with the legislation was clearly a tough job. It took years in which everyone recognized the need but no one could pull off meaningful reforms. Should politics be this hard? No. But thats the reality of contemporary society.

And thats why this progress is worth commenting on so soon after our last editorial on the subject. Legislators deserve credit for finding a way to get the vast majority of the Assembly, and likely similar percentages of the Senate, on board. The same goes for the work to engage the businesses affected by the legislation and finding was to compromise.

This is an example of government working. Its nice to see.

Wisconsin State Journal. June 25, 2023.

Editorial: Wisconsin needs more Justice Hagedorns, not fewer

Justice Brian Hagedorn definitely should not resign from the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as one of his colleagues, Justice Rebecca Bradley, wildly suggested after failing to get her way on a recent case.

Hagedorn stands out on the sharply divided seven-member court for his judicial independence. He doesnt neatly align with partisan political interests on high-profile cases.

The court needs more Justice Hagedorns, not fewer. It also needs more decorum, something Bradley has violated in personally attacking Hagedorn when he deviates from the rest of the courts conservative majority.

Bradley recently wrote an insulting dissent to a politically charged court decision that Hagedorn concurred in with the courts three liberal-leaning justices. In a fairly routine decision, Hagedorn and the three others denied a motion to bypass the court of appeals in a case involving the Madison School District and how it handles gender identity.

A parent had challenged the Madison districts policy of letting students determine their names and pronouns independently of parents. A Dane County judge dismissed the case without ruling on its merits. Instead, he determined the parent didnt have standing in court because no evidence suggests her child might be transgender. She fails to show why she anticipates that the districts policies will cause even a trifling individual injury, Judge Frank Remington wrote.

The parent asked the Supreme Court to take the case, bypassing the appeals process, which the conservative-leaning Hagedorn and the three liberal-aligned justices denied.

The question before us is whether this case demands our intervention on an expedited basis, Hagedorn wrote. It is my judgment ... that the normal litigation process is the best path forward.

That made good sense. Yet in Bradleys June 14 dissent, she suggested Hagedorn and the others in the majority decision should resign if they cant work in defense of peoples liberty. She also claimed Hagedorn fundamentally misunderstands the judicial role.

Actually, Hagedorn seems to grasp the high courts deliberative and restrained mission far better than Bradley. Based on her voting record in high-profile cases, shes the one who conveniently interprets the law to favor her political supporters, not Hagedorn.

Moreover, Bradley doesnt bolster any claim to judicial independence by kicking off her legal diatribe with an odd and elaborate attack on fake news, regurgitating former President Donald Trumps tired dig on fact-based journalism when it doesnt match his political rhetoric.

Bradley also accused Hagedorn in her dissent of latent sexism. Hagedorn did criticize three conservative women in his court writings. But he sided with the other three women in the majority opinion, undermining Bradleys claim.

The ideological makeup of the court is about to shift. Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz, backed by $9 million in campaign spending by the Democratic Party, easily won her spring election, essentially flipping the court to a liberal majority. The conservative Annette Ziegler is likely to lose her post as chief justice, and Bradley may no longer be able to draft majority opinions.

Bradley and her fellow conservatives will have far less power over cases in the near future, which could explain why they tried to move this one so fast now.

Hagedorns traditional and steady approach to the law is far better for the general public than playing favorites with cases based on personal or political preferences.

Hagedorn highlights a veritable explosion of emergency actions and requests that the normal process be short-circuited in recent years on the high court. Since he joined the court in August 2019, he writes, it has ruled on 39 requests to speed cases in similar situations. It granted 11 of those. In the dozen years before that, he noted, the high court ruled on 56 such petitions, granting only three.

There is simply no precedent, he convincingly contends.

Bradley responds that the uptick is because the world has been in a state of chaos for three years. We hope thats not a veiled political swipe at President Joe Bidens first three years in the White House, given the way Bradley parrots the disruptive Trump at the outset of her dissent.

Hagedorn is a socially conservative guy who approaches each case with some independence, as nonpartisan judges are supposed to. Bradley is an ideologue who grandstands for her political pals.

Wisconsin should happily keep Hagedorn and dismiss Bradleys vindictive suggestion that Hagedorn needs to go.

END
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A two-year spending plan that would cut income taxes across the board, increase funding for K-12 schools and cut the University of Wisconsin's budget in a fight over diversity, equity and inclusion programming was sent to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday.

Republicans who passed the budget in the state Assembly touted it as an investment in the state's priorities by cutting income taxes by $3.5 billion, reducing the number of brackets to move closer to a flat tax, increasing funding for K-12 public and private choice schools, and increasing pay for prison workers, prosecutors and public defenders.

The budget also would raise pay for all state employees by 6% over the next two years.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the budget, some parts of which were reached with bipartisan support, was a victory for taxpayers.

Democrats, who didn't have the votes to stop the Republican-authored plan, said it was a missed opportunity given the state's projected $7 billion budget surplus. They argued that Republicans disregarded the needs of the working class to enact a tax cut that benefits the wealthiest taxpayers.

This budget just does not meet the historic needs of this moment, Democratic Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said before debate began.

The Senate passed the budget on Wednesday on a nearly party-line vote, with no Democrats in support. The Assembly rejected all Democratic amendments before passing the budget Thursday on a 63-34 vote along party lines.

Evers could make changes with his partial veto or even wipe out the entire budget, though that would be unlikely as it would require lawmakers to start over and scrap aspects that Evers helped craft.

Evers hasnt said what he will do. Republicans tried to write the budget in such a way that it would be difficult for him to make substantial changes even with his line-item veto power.

We trust he will use his power to do the right thing by the people of Wisconsin when he gets it," Neubauer said, dodging questions about whether she would support him vetoing the entire budget.

Evers previously threatened to veto the entire budget over the University of Wisconsin's $32 million cut, funding that Republicans identified as going toward diversity, equity, or DEI, programming and staff. But the budget would allow for the university to get the funding later if it could show it would go toward workforce development and not DEI.

Republicans also refused to fund UWs top building project priority, a new engineering facility on the Madison campus. The university, backed by the state's business leaders, urged lawmakers to reconsider, saying the new building would get at the heart of Republicans' goal of workforce development because it would allow for more students to graduate with engineering degrees.

The cut to UW stands out in a $99 billion budget where funding was increased or at least held steady across state government. Public K-12 schools, for example, would see a $1 billion funding increase under a deal Republicans reached with Evers that would also bolster funding for local governments by $1 billion.

Democrats also object to a $3.5 billion income tax cut that would benefit wealthy filers more than lower- income earners. The tax cut shrinks Wisconsin's brackets from four to three, moving it closer to the flat income tax rate in neighboring Illinois.

Evers had proposed an income tax cut more targeted to lower- and middle-income earners.

The goal is to try and keep successful people in Wisconsin no matter what their income," Vos said in defense of the tax cuts for wealthier filers.

Republicans defend their cuts to a child-care program and a state office of school safety, saying they don't want to commit too much of the surplus to areas that require ongoing spending.

The budget covers the two-year period that begins Saturday and runs through June 30, 2025. Current spending levels will continue until Evers signs a new budget.

___

Associated Press writer Harm Venhuizen contributed to this report.
Two weeks before the state Senate took steps to fire Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu privately expressed doubts about whether the chamber could remove her if she wasnt first reappointed by the commission, according to an email the senator sent to a group of conservatives.

Citing a state Supreme Court case that established that political appointees can remain in their posts past the time their terms expire, LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told supporters that if Republicans moved to oust Wolfe it could have the opposite effect and lead to the states top election official staying in her job indefinitely.

But after the elections commission deadlocked on a vote to reappoint Wolfe in a bid by Democrats to block her nomination from reaching the Republican-controlled Senate, LeMahieu and Senate Republicans adopted a resolution Wednesday declaring that the Senate considers Meagan Wolfe to have been nominated, opening the door for the Senate to ultimately remove her.

In an email sent to a group of local Republican leaders and posted on the Telegram messaging app, LeMahieu referenced the 2022 Supreme Court decision that allowed an appointee of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker to serve on the Department of Natural Resources board long after his term had expired until the Senate confirmed his Democratic successor.

The precedent from this case means that if WEC doesnt reappoint Wolfe or a replacement, the senate would have no power to get rid of her through the confirmation process, LeMahieu wrote in the June 15 email.

If I put out a press release tomorrow as the Senate Majority Leader stating that the Senate will vote down Wolfes reappointment, the dem appointments to WEC might fight her reappointment so that she can remain at WEC indefinitely, the email continues. So if you would like Wolfe to be voted down, it is probably in your best interest that I remain silent.

LeMahieu walked away from a reporter inquiring about the email without answering questions Thursday. He also didnt return a text message, phone call or email seeking comment. One of the email recipients, Republican Party of Sheboygan County chair Russ Otten, told the State Journal it was authentic. LeMahieus staff said they couldnt substantiate the email Wednesday morning.

Wolfe has been subject to scrutiny ever since the commission made changes to certain elections procedures in the 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that some conservatives objected to. In a letter to legislators Saturday, Wolfe said allegations regarding the conduct of the 2020 election had been repeatedly mischaracterized and noted that the six commissioners, not Wolfe, make election decisions.

Jeff Mandell, an attorney who co-founded the liberal group Law Forward, said Thursday that LeMahieus email shows that last nights desperate maneuver is nothing more than a cheat in an effort to evade the rules.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission deadlocked Tuesday on reappointing Wolfe, whose term expires July 1. The election bodys three Republican commissioners voted to reappoint her, but all three Democratic commissioners abstained, citing the Wisconsin Supreme Court case allowing appointees to stay in their roles after their terms end.

I dont think we have the ability under the current law to reappoint because there is no vacancy, Democratic commissioner Mark Thomsen said.

Because of the deadlock, Democratic commissioners said Wolfe wasnt reappointed, meaning the Senate couldnt vote on whether to confirm  and likely fire  her.

But the next day, Senate Republicans introduced and passed a resolution, Senate Resolution 3, stating their assumption that the commission had nominated Wolfe and their intent to vote on her confirmation.

The resolution cites a similar dispute the Senate had with the commissions previous administrator  the commissions only leader before Wolfe. The Senate had wanted to fire Michael Haas for nearly two years, citing his work for the states previous Election Board. In 2018 the Senate voted to fire Haas, but the commission then voted 4-2 to retain him. Haas resigned from his post a few weeks later.

Democratic commissioners immediately criticized the Senates actions, saying they were based in legal fiction.

With no appointment, theres no appointee before the (Senate), Democratic commissioner Ann Jacobs said. With no appointee, this is a nonsense attempt to avoid the applicable statutes.

State law requires two-thirds of the six-member commission to nominate an administrator. The commission voted 3-0 on reappointing Wolfe on Tuesday.

Playing a game

Some legal experts doubted the viability of future Senate action.

The Senates attempt to initiate a confirmation hearing for Wolfe does seem to rest on very shaky legal ground, UW-Madison Law School associate professor Robert Yablon said.

When the commission met earlier this week, only three of members voted to re-appoint Wolfe, Yablon said. Notably, after this vote, the commission didnt take the position that it had successfully reappointed her. Its odd for the Senate to claim theres been an appointment that the commission itself didnt purport to make.

Both sides are now playing hardball, and unless they can reach a compromise, this dispute will likely end up in court, Yablon said.

Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, said it isnt certain that the precedent set in the Wisconsin Supreme Court case regarding appointees staying past their term would apply here.

Theres a larger issue here in that this just looks bad, he said. It looks like everybody is playing a game, and I think the decision to abstain may backfire against (Democratic commissioners) because of what it implies. People should understand they have an institutional role to play.

If the Senate does try to remove Wolfe and is challenged in court, any lawsuit would likely end up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will have a liberal majority come August.
The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday approved a $99 billion two-year budget for Wisconsin that includes a $3.5 billion income tax cut, with the highest cuts for the wealthy, and cuts to the University of Wisconsin System's diversity programs.

The Assembly was scheduled to vote on the budget Thursday before sending the document to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers for the final word on it.

The Senate passed the proposal 20-13, with all Democrats along with Republican Sens. Steve Nass of Whitewater and Rob Hutton of Brookfield voting against the proposal.

Evers previously said he would veto a budget that cuts the University of Wisconsin System's diversity programs. He also said he opposes the tax cut for the wealthy that Republicans added to the state's 2023-25 spending plan. But he told WISN-TV this past weekend that he was going to wait to see how the Senate and Assembly modified the document before committing to a veto.

If the governor vetoes the budget in its entirety, it would be up to the Legislature to send the governor another budget for him to sign. Evers can also veto specific provisions in the budget, but he cannot add funding to any programs through that method.

The Senate voted along party lines to modify the document on Wednesday, seeking to prevent Evers from vetoing specific budget provisions.

The current budget proposal, crafted in the Republican-controlled finance committee, includes provisions that Evers proposed, like significantly boosting pay for public defenders, prosecutors and prison guards. It also includes a compromise Evers made with GOP legislative leaders to significantly increase K-12 funding in a deal that also increases per-pupil private voucher funding.

"The budget in front of us today has historic provisions," Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg said. "$1.2 billion in new spendable resources for public schools, the most in state history by a longshot. The largest increase in school choice programs since it was created."

"Overall, our budget invests in core priorities and returns a record amount of money back to the taxpayers," LeMahieu continued.

Ahead of the vote, Democratic Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, criticized Republicans' budget.

"Republicans have chosen to invest $0 in broadband expansion," she said. "(We have a) $7 billion surplus and Republicans have put $0 into paid family leave, something that our neighboring states now offer. So I ask, what are we doing to compete with other Midwestern states who are actually investing in their people?"

Democrats spent several hours late into the afternoon proposing nearly a dozen amendments to the budget proposal, including provisions to legalize marijuana and repeal the 1849 law widely interpreted to ban all abortions. The amendments failed to pass along party lines.

During those hours of debate, Democrats called for Republicans to use part of the state's $7 billion surplus to boost child care funding. Before the budget reached the Senate floor, the GOP-controlled finance committee rejected spending $340 million to maintain a child care assistance program that will run out of federal funding next year.

Tax cuts approved

Perhaps the most significant provision in Wisconsin's 2023-25 budget is a $3.5 billion income tax cut that collapses the state's four income brackets into three. The plan provides tax cuts across the board but benefits the wealthiest taxpayers more than others.

Under the proposal, state income taxes for those making between $40,000 and $50,000 would go down by an average $88 per year. Taxes for those making between $100,000 and $125,000 would go down an average of $678. Income taxes for those making over $1 million would go down by an average of $30,286 per year.

Currently, the state has an income tax rate of 3.54% for individuals earning less than $13,810 per year or married filers earning less than about $18,400. Under the Republicans' plan, that rate would go down to 3.5%.

The 4.65% rate for individuals earning up to $27,630 and joint filers earning $36,840 would go down to 4.4%. The 5.3% rate for individuals earning up to $304,000 and married filers earning up to about $405,000 would also go down to 4.4%.

Finally, the 7.65% tax rate for individuals earning more than $304,000 or married filers earning more than about $405,500 would go down to 6.5%.

DEI cut, voucher expansion

Another contentious spending provision in the budget the Senate approved Wednesday is Republicans' plan to cut the University of Wisconsin System's budget by $32 million in an attempt to force the school officials to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programming.

The plan would require the UW System to eliminate 188.8 positions related to those offices and programs.

Republicans' plan proposes to redirect the $32 million in DEI money toward UW System initiatives to develop the state's workforce. But that money could only be made available if the System requests it and the budget committee signs off on it.

Speaking to WISN-TV, Evers derided the DEI cut but praised the provision allowing the UW System to use the amount cut for programs addressing Wisconsin's workforce.

The budget document approved Wednesday includes increasing K-12 education spending by $1 billion. That amount is $1.6 billion short of what Evers asked for. The boost came after Evers forged a deal with legislative leaders on a bill to increase state aid to local communities. The agreement includes spending $115 million to increase funding to the state's private school voucher programs.

Other provisions

The 2023-25 budget also proposes pay raises for state employees, with extra boosts for prosecutors, public defenders and prison guards. Under the plan, state employees would receive a 4% pay bump on July 1 and another 2% raise in 2024. Additionally, Department of Corrections guards' starting hourly wage would increase from $20.29 to $33 an hour.

Assistant district attorneys and public defenders would receive a $36 starting hourly wage under the current budget, $1 more than what Evers proposed. Their current minimum hourly wage for those positions is $27.24, which advocates said heightened the labor shortage for state-funded attorneys.

The budget also includes $1.5 billion in new funding for the Department of Transportation. The transportation budget motion, which passed along party lines, includes funding mass transit through a different revenue stream, a change that Democrats said could lead to future program cuts.

An additional $6 million would assist former prisoners and people in the criminal justice system to reenter society and the workforce.

The committee also set aside $125 million in the state's two-year spending plan to address "forever chemical" contaminants in Wisconsin's ground and drinking water.

While the proposal calls for almost $20 million more in PFAS-related spending than what was proposed in Evers' budget, Democratic lawmakers criticized the measure for creating a fund with no current plans on how exactly those dollars would be spent.
NEW YORK (AP)  President Joe Biden closed out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz Thursday with a pair of Manhattan fundraisers hosted by Wall Street power brokers, a funding push designed to put Biden on strong financial footing for a 2024 White House contest expected to set spending records.

The pair of evening events are Bidens ninth and 10th fundraising receptions of the past two weeks, numbers matched by Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The Biden campaign has been mum before the July 15 reporting date about how much he has raised at the often freewheeling gatherings but is confident about the size.

The reason Im standing here is in large part because of you all," Biden said to a small crowd gathered in a high rise overlooking Central Park. Im not the essential man, but I represent the essential country.

The president is also marshaling the whole of the Democratic Party to dial for dollars, enlisting help from Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois as well as former President Barack Obama, among others.

Obama is featured in a new campaign video to encourage small-dollar online donations before Friday's donation deadline. Biden allies insist that despite polls showing lagging enthusiasm among the Democratic base for the 80-year-old president, his party is solidly behind him.

Ive been doing this for a really long time for a number of presidents and presidential candidates, said Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul, major Democratic donor and co-chair of Bidens campaign. Ive never seen from top to bottom, the Democratic enterprise kick into gear this way, from President Obama, governors, senators, congressmen, just across the board  hes gotten outstanding support.

Aides say they are trying to motivate donors, especially small-dollar contributors, to dig deeper early on.

The recent blitz was also a function of Bidens official duties, Katzenberg said, adding that his first, second and third job is to run the country. Biden had foreign trips in April and May, and the weekslong showdown over raising the nations debt limit kept him in Washington. He is set to travel to Europe next month, giving the campaign a narrow window before the historically slow summer season to fit in donor events.

While the first quarter is widely viewed as a benchmark of campaign strength, Katzenberg said there is "no urgency right now for Biden to raise or spend vast sums because he lacks a credible primary threat and the election is 16 months away. Still, Biden is aiming to make a statement with the early totals.

Katzenberg said there were very optimistic signals for the Biden campaigns ability to comfortably exceed its 2020 fundraising levels, including strong numbers of first-time Biden donors. Other campaign aides and allies have grown more bullish about the soon-to-be-reported total.

The president's fundraising events, closed to cameras and with limited media access, feature a far less guarded Biden than the public often sees. He sometimes uses them to test a new campaign line or dish out more candid remarks than in formal events.

On Thursday, he started as he often does, behind the lectern then shifting to a preferred handheld microphone. He talked about his climate agenda, leaning on the lectern as he talked about how he's brought both unions and environmentalists together to talk about climate change.

Did you ever think that would happen? he asked.

Other times, he roams the room and speaks more directly to guests. And he makes a personal nod to the hosts. On Thursday, he talked a lot about climate change  his host, Mark Gallogly, is a former hedge fund investor and climate activist.

During a May fundraiser at the New York home of Greek American shipping magnate George Logothetis, Biden noted that the lessons he learned from his family as a child werent any different than if my mom had been Bidenopoulos instead of Finnegan.

Though his aides make it a point not to engage with prospective 2024 opponents, Biden often does not shy away at these events from criticizing the Republican candidates, from Donald Trump on down.

Ive been stunned at the damage done by the last administration to us internationally and globally. I mean, Ive been stunned how deep it goes, Biden said Tuesday evening in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

And this veiled reference to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a fundraiser in Greenwich, Connecticut: "Did you ever think youd go through a time when the No. 2 contender on another team was banning books?

In New York, he criticized Republicans who voted against his spending bills, then tout the projects to constituents. When a baby squealed while Biden was talking about Republicans to Chicago donors Wednesday, the president said, I dont blame you, kiddo.

Biden's sometimes rambling remarks are full of anecdotes about his lengthy time in public office, peppered with references to issues such as tougher gun restrictions and abortion rights that animate Democrats. In more intimate settings, where cameras are barred, the president can open up. For example, he made a rare reference to his personal views on abortion when speaking about the issue at a separate Chevy Chase fundraiser on Tuesday.

Im a practicing Catholic, Biden said. Im not big on abortion, but guess what? Roe vs. Wade got it right. At the same event, he misspoke when talking about the Ukraine war, referring instead to Iraq.

At a fundraiser last week, Biden caused a diplomatic dust-up after calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator  a comment coming hours after Secretary of State Antony Blinken had met Xi as part of a bid to thaw tensions between the countries. Biden insisted his remark would not affect that relationship.

He wants to shake every hand and chat with everyone, Katzenberg said. When theres something that is on his mind, hell say it  and you know, thats what makes him authentic.

Sometimes his fundraisers seem to prove his argument that the U.S. economy has been favoring the wealthy. His second New York venue on Thursday was a swank space called The Pool, where the guests sat on velvet seats and were served specialty donuts with gold leaf. Biden attended events in San Francisco near homes whose Zillow price listings were about four times higher than an average U.S. workers lifetime earnings.

Mr. President, trust me, this is a fancy crowd, Newsom said to polite laughter at one event. I know these folks.

Biden tries to draw connections to a blue-collar past, even as he touches on big-picture issues such as climate change, relations with China and the fate of democracy.

How many of you are from smaller Midwestern towns? he asked. You know what happened when the factory closes. The soul of the community is lost. Not a joke.

Breaking with the level of transparency followed by the Obama campaign when Biden was vice president, Bidens campaign does not share the total amount raised from any individual event.

Those numbers will be shared when the campaign submits its filing to the Federal Election Commission in July, campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said.

We are encouraged by the strong response we are seeing from donors and our grassroots supporters, including a significant number of new donors since 2020," he said in a statement.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  Human remains have likely been recovered from the wreckage of the submersible that imploded during an underwater voyage to view the Titanic, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.

The news came hours after the announcement that debris from the Titan, collected from the seafloor more than 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) below the surface of the North Atlantic, had arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland. Twisted chunks of the submersible were unloaded at a Canadian Coast Guard pier.

Recovering and scrutinizing the wreckage is a key part of the investigation into why the Titan imploded last week, killing all five people on board. The multiday search and eventual recovery of debris from the 22-foot (6.7-meter) vessel captured the world's attention.

"There is still a substantial amount of work to be done to understand the factors that led to the catastrophic loss of the Titan and help ensure a similar tragedy does not occur again, Coast Guard Chief Capt. Jason Neubauer said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon.

The presumed human remains will be brought to the United States, where medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis, Neubauer said. He added that the Coast Guard has convened an investigation of the implosion at the highest level. The Marine Board of Investigation will analyze and test evidence, including pieces of debris, at a port in the U.S. The board will share the evidence at a future public hearing whose date has not been determined, the Coast Guard said.

Neubauer said the evidence will provide critical insights" into the cause of the implosion.

Debris from the Titan, which is believed to have imploded on June 18 as it made its descent, was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater and roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the Titanic on the ocean floor. The Coast Guard is leading the investigation, in conjunction with several other government agencies in the U.S. and Canada.

Authorities have not disclosed details of the debris recovery, which could have followed several approaches, according to Carl Hartsfield, who directs a lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that designs and operates autonomous underwater vehicles and has been serving as a consultant to the Coast Guard.

If the pieces are small, you can collect them together and put them in a basket or some kind of collection device," Hartsfield said Monday. Bigger pieces could be retrieved with a remote-operated vehicle, or ROV, such as the one brought to the wreckage site by the Canadian ship Horizon Arctic to search the ocean floor. For extremely big pieces, a heavy lift could be used to pull them up with a tow line, he said.

Representatives for Horizon Arctic did not respond to requests for comment. The ROV's owner, Pelagic Research Services, a company with offices in Massachusetts and New York, is still on mission and cannot comment on the investigation, company spokesperson Jeff Mahoney said Wednesday.

They have been working around the clock now for 10 days, through the physical and mental challenges of this operation, Mahoney said.

Analyzing the recovered debris could reveal important clues about what happened to the Titan, and there could be electronic data recorded by the submersibles instruments, Hartsfield said.

"So the question is, is there any data available? And I really dont know the answer to that question, he said Monday.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, which is conducting a safety investigation into the Titan's Canadian-flagged mother ship, the Polar Prince, said Wednesday that it has sent that vessels voyage data recorder to a lab for analysis.

Stockton Rush, the Titan's pilot and CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned the submersible, was killed in the implosion along with two members of a prominent Pakistani family, Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood; British adventurer Hamish Harding; and Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

OceanGate is based in the U.S. and OceanGate Expeditions, a related company that led the Titans dives to the Titanic, is registered in the Bahamas.

The company charged passengers $250,000 each to participate in the voyage. The implosion of the Titan has raised questions about the safety of private undersea exploration operations. The Coast Guard wants to use the investigation to improve the safety of submersibles.

This story was first published on June 28, 2023. It was updated on June 29, 2023, to make clear that the company that led the Titans dives to the Titanic was registered in the Bahamas, but the Titan itself was not.
THURSDAY

June 29, 2023

All times Central. Start times can vary based on cable/satellite provider. Confirm times on your on-screen guide.

Lace

ALLBLK  Season Premiere

Season 2 continues to follow the courtroom, boardroom and bedroom chess matches of high-profile lawyer Lacey McCullough (Maryam Basir) as she and her fi rm navigate clients, cases, exclusive escort services and their personal lives.

Hoff the Record

BritBox  New Series

This semi-improvisational comedy shot in a documentary style finds David Hasselhoff playing a fictionalized version of himself  complete with a previously unknown German son and an oddball entourage  as he arrives in the U.K. to try to reignite his career.

The Witcher

Netflix  Season Premiere

The fantasy drama is back for its third season, which will be divided into two parts, with the first part, consisting of Episodes 1 through 5, dropping today. This season, as monarchs, mages and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt (Henry Cavill) takes Ciri (Freya Allan) into hiding, determined to protect his newly reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Volume 2 of The Witcher's third season, containing Episodes 6 through 8, will be released July 27.

Generation Gap

ABC, 7 p.m.  Season Premiere

Kelly Ripa returns for a second season to host this game show that groups family members of different generations who must work together to answer questions about each other's generation.

The Blacklist

NBC, 7 p.m.

In "Room 417," a cryptic tip from Red (James Spader) leads the task force to uncover a security breach within the U.S. government. Meanwhile, Rep. Hudson (Toby Leonard Moore) takes major steps to uncover the inner workings of the force.

The Chase

ABC, 8 p.m.  Season Premiere

Season 4 of this fast-paced trivia game show adapted from the British program of the same name begins tonight.

Christina on the Coast

HGTV, 8 p.m.  Season Premiere

In "Growing Families," Christina Hall helps a couple transform their home to better serve their growing family of five. Also, Christina's best friend, Cassie, and husband, James, have a surprise for Christina leading up to her daughter's first birthday party.

Before We Die

PBS, 8 p.m.

Bianca (Issy Knopfler) is unceremoniously shipped back to the U.K. like a piece of cargo, and as punishment for her desertion, she is imprisoned in the family home. Meanwhile, Nicky (Priyanga Burford) is back on the hunt for Christian (Patrick Gibson), who is one step ahead of her; Hannah (Lesley Sharp) and Billy (Vincent Regan) uncover the leak at police headquarters and strike a deal with them to reveal all; and Dubravka (Kazia Pelka) swears vengeance after Davor's body is found.

Revealed

HGTV, 9 p.m.  Series Premiere

In "Telling Our Story," a couple wants to turn their multilevel home into something that represents more of their culture and ancestry. Veronica Valencia finds inspiration in their African roots and rich family history to redesign their kitchen, den, dining room and living room.

Wild West Chronicles

INSP, 9 p.m.  Season Finale

Season 3 concludes with "The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight." After two Mexican vaqueros cross the border in search of their stolen cattle, they are gunned down by the rustlers. When El Paso's newly appointed marshal arrests local ranch hands for the murders, he sparks one of the West's most infamous gunfights.
The Williams Bay-based Geneva Lake Environmental Agency (GLEA) Board of Directors invites the public to a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the installation of new stationary U.S.-made CD3 Roadside Waterless Cleaning System units at select locations around Geneva Lake.

The dedication of the boat cleaning units will take place on Friday, July 7, 9 a.m., at 41 E. Geneva St. in Williams Bay.

These units were purchased utilizing a grant through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Surface Water Grant Program, said GLEA Executive Director Jake Schmidt. We cordially invite all ... to join us in this momentus occasion. The event aims to celebrate the successful acquisition and installation of the CD3 Roadside Units, which will greatly enhance our efforts in maintaining the pristine condition of Geneva Lake. Please join us on July 7th as we come together to celebrate this milestone. We anticipate a memorable event filled with enthusiasm and a shared dedication to environmental stewardship.

Schmidt said GLEA is very excited to show off the units to the general public and the Geneva Lake boating community.

We want to get the word out about them, he said. Were trying to further the protection of Geneva Lake ... and be proactive and prevent the spread of any new [aquatic invasive] species.

The CD3 Roadside Waterless Cleaning System units from Minneapolis-based CD3 are stationary boat cleaning stations designed to help prevent the further spread of aquatic invasive species and futher the protection of Geneva Lake water resources.

Its exciting that we have these units readily available around the lake in these different municipalities, Schmidt said.

With a clean boat meaning clean waters, boaters are enouraged to clean their boats when entering and exiting Geneva Lake to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

Employing a simple four-step process of clean, drain, dry and dispose, the easy to use self-serve CD3 Roadside Waterless Cleaning System units use behavior science to empower the public to increase compliance with invasive species rules and regulations.

These units will serve as crucial tools in our ongoing efforts to manage Geneva Lake and its overall health, Schmidt said. These are smaller, stationary units, so they will always be there, readily available.Schmidt said useage of the units will be tracked visually through the Clean Boat, Clean Waters Program, in addition to a voluntary survey that users can fill out after using the CD3 Roadside Waterless Cleaning System.

GLEA utilized the DNR Surface Water Grant Program funding to purchase four units to place strategically around Geneva Lake in three communities with public boat launches  two units in Williams Bay off East Geneva Street, one located at the municipal boat launch and the other at the graveled boat launch staging area next to Cafe Calamari; in Fontana on Lake Avenue near the boat launch; and in Lake Geneva across from the Bella Vista Suites on Wrigley Drive, near the boat launch.

A Google Earth aerial map of GLEAs CD3 unit locations is available online at https://earth.google.com/web/@42.56956675,-88.50300373,261.16382842a,13752.5749794d,30.00009782y,0h,0t,0r/data=MikKJwolCiExMVB6TE1iSGQyd3pTNTdrSGVJMEhpd1JoLXdSWnNOUnAgAToDCgEw?authuser=0.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for their invaluable support and funding, making this initiative possible, Schmidt said. We would also like to thank the municipal staff, who assembled these units, the organizations that submitted letters of support for grant applications, and the elected officials in these communities for their continuous commitment to environmental preservation.

Schmidt said the CD3 Roadside Waterless Cleaning System units, approximately $2,800 each as outfitted, were funded by a 75%-25% Wisconsin DNR Surface Water Grant Program grant, with the DNR providing $11,000 in grant funding and GLEA providing an approximately $3,000 cost-share.

Learn more

Founded in 1971, the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency has a mission to maintain Geneva Lakes resources by protecting, preserving and enhancing a desirable lake and watershed quality through monitoring, protection and education.

For more information about GLEA, visit https://www.gleawi.org.

CD3 is a general benefit corporation dedicated to developing technologies to prevent the spread of invasive species.

For information about CD3, visit https://www.cd3systems.com.

Watch now: Lake Geneva Cruise Line conducts annual mailboat jumper tryouts Mailboat jumper candidates prepare to reboard the U.S. Mailboat Walworth after a practice run Mailboat jumper candidates congratulate each other after a successful jump Mailboat jumper candidate Marissa Torres-Raby narrates some information during the mailboat jumper tour tryouts Veteran mailboat jumper Sid Pearl offers some advice to a mailboat jumper candidate Watch now : Mailboat jumper candidate makes a successful jump Erin Hensler does some narration during the mailboat jumper tryouts A group of mailboat jumper candidates prepare to do a practice run during tryouts Watch now: Mailboat jumper candidates get back on the boat after a practice run Marissa Torres-Raby prepares to jump during tryouts A group of children watch a mailboat jumper candidate attempt a practice delivery A mailboat jumper candidate dries off after going in the water Watch now: Another mailboat candidate gets back on the boat after going in the water Another successful practice delivery is made during the mailboat jumper tryouts Celebrity judge actor Thomas Patrick Lennon congratulates the candidates on a job well done Watch now: Celebrity judge Thomas Lennon tries his hand at mailboat jumping
This article appears in the June 30, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this article]

PRESS RELEASE

International Peace Coalition Holds Second Meeting

If you are interested in working with the International Peace Coalition, please contact questions@schillerinstitute.org

June 16The second meeting of the International Peace Coalition, launched on June 2, was held today with 29 participants from peace-oriented organizations from about a dozen countries. The two-and-a-half-hour discussion generated enthusiastic support for the idea of uniting the growing sentiment of the people across the world against the war policy now dominating the Western governments, which is being fed by mainstream media outlets.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche opened the event, emphasizing the successful Schiller Institute event of June 10, The World Needs JFKs Vision of Peace! honoring the famous JFK peace speech of June 10, 1963 at the American University in Washington, D.C., which called for a paradigm of peace for all nations of the world and for all generations, and a treaty to outlaw nuclear [weapons] tests.

Zepp-LaRouche said the world is devolving into two opposing systems, with a greater division and greater danger than the conflict during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, with the push to expand Global NATO, targeting as enemies the BRICS nations and others of the Global South, while most of the world is working toward a final end of the colonial system and a new architecture based on development and security for all nations. She called for investigations into the acts of terror which destroyed the Nord Stream gas pipelines and the Kakhovka Dam and hydroelectric power plant.

Speakers from Argentina, Australia, Germany, Guyana, India, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the United States, the UK and more, offered numerous proposals on how to awaken the conscience of people internationally, on both the extreme danger of global war, perhaps nuclear war, but also the potential to bring the world together in ending the war policy and building a new understanding of cooperation for a better system of human civilization. Zepp-LaRouche took note of the many proposals being made, encouraging everyone to take them up both within their own countries, but also to speak out for them in international fora.

It was agreed that these meetings of the Coalition would continue to be held, and expand, on a weekly basis. It was also agreed to establish a new platform for discussion and reporting on developments among the participants of the Coalition. A new Day of International Activation was proposed, with various dates proposed, including November 22 (the 60th anniversary of the JFK assassination) and August 6 (the 77th anniversary of the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima). Further discussion and deliberation will follow.

Excerpts from Some of the Participants in the Discussion

Helga Zepp-LaRouche (Germany), founder, Schiller Institute

I have from the very beginning, at least since the war in Ukraine broke out, made the point that we have to urgently move to a new paradigm. That is the coincidence of opposites, where you can arrive, through philosophical reflection in the tradition of Nicholas of Cusa, on the idea of the one humanity; that the one has a higher power than the many. Thats a method of thinking that was the basis of the solution of the [1648] Peace of Westphalia, which I think can be the model of arriving at peace today.

We have a number of proposals that we should highlight from the discussion and have an agreement coming out of this discussion on these suggested initiatives.

1. Platform of daily accessibility with new developments, documentaries, initiatives which coordinates all parts of the Peace Movement.

2. Suggest that we have this meeting on a weekly basis.

3. Interventions.

4. Look at the constitution in each country and see if there is a legal basis to forbid weapon sales to war areas.

5. Urgent documentaries. Idea of a mistake leading to nuclear war. Also, exposing the Romanticism of the EU.

6. We need our own media. Like an internet radio or TV station. We actually have a network of correspondence on this discussion.

7. White House demonstration suggested by Martin Schotz.

Sam Pitroda (U.S./India), telecom and IT innovator

At times I feel frustrated. I feel that our voices are not heard, and we need to find a new way to start a conversation. We need to find a new way to have a conversation with power brokers, with the defense lobby. Killing people is not about economy. We spend $2 trillion a year on defense, and we know we only need $200 billion a year to eliminate hunger.

Prof. Enzo Pennetta (Italy)

We have a total detachment between the will of the population and the will of the government, which is the problem. Sixty percent of Italians are against sending weapons to Ukraine, but only 10% know of the referendum we are doing (to stop Italy from sending weapons to Ukraine) because the mainstream media is not reporting on it! We are clashing with the control and manipulation of the population.

George Koo (U.S.), retired international business advisor

Its becoming increasingly obvious to everybody in the world that the prestige, the credibility, of the United States has been going downhill. More and more countries around the world are disillusioned by the leadership of the United States. So if we are really hoping to achieve World Peace, we need to change the attitude in the government in Washington.

Dr. Balkrishna Kurvey (India), President of the Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament and Environmental Protection

Our main aim is to work toward Peace at the grassroots level, get more collaboration of peace-loving people around the world. Peace in one country will not do. Peace should be normal. We must try our best to successfully work on the Mahatma Gandhi Non-Violence principle, the Jesus Christ principle, so there may be Peace in the world. Im optimistic.

Johan Nordquist (Sweden), publisher against nuclear weapons

How can we inspire and get people engaged? Thats the question. Only the heartfelt sincerity of people on the street demanding change from politicians, telling them what to do. Scott Ritter wrote about near incidents that almost escalated into nuclear war. We need to highlight these mistakes into a documentary  so people will understand.

David Macilwain (UK/Australia), peace activist

I would just like to say a little about Peace groups. They are filled with many good people; they take a good stand against NATO, but they dont understand Russia. Also, I see the UK as a major force for evil against the Global South and against Russia. They have been for decades.

Juan Carrero (Spain)

I want to thank you [everyone here] because I feel at home after many struggles and feeling very lonely. We have had in Spain two million people in demonstrations, but they are not listening to the people. This meeting is even more important than the demonstrations in the streets. I think the fundamental part of what we need to do is to show the real face of NATO. Expose everything that is behind the romantic image of the EU. Gandhi would say that the truth will lead us.

Ray McGovern (U.S.), former senior analyst, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); founding member, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)

Im serious folks. Its not just a time for young people, but a time for old people, like me, like many of you, to stand up and speak out at every venue we possibly can. The only way that we are going to change this is if we recruit enough people together with us who see the light and understand whats at stake and will be able to act on it. Gandhi was not only a non-violent idea person, but he was a man of action.

Ruben Dario Guzzetti (Argentina), international affairs analyst, Argentine Institute of Geopolitical Studies (IADEG)

I think we have to consider what each of us has in our countries. Each one of us has a historic point that can be transmitted to society. We have in my country the Malvinas topic, the Human Rights topic, and we can access that to promote this idea to save humanity.

Jimmy Gerum (Germany), LightHouse Media

I think there is one weak spot, and that is the public opinion. In Europe we have a special situation where part of the mainstream media is paid for by the normal citizens because we have quite a good working public broadcasting system. It is quite influenced by international powers. Our strategy is to network with German and international initiatives. We want to work with other independent journalists. Just imagine if we would challenge this hypocrisy by applying this pressure.

Martin Schotz (U.S.), author, History Will Not Absolve Us: Orwellian Control, Public Denial, and the Murder of President Kennedy

I propose a demonstration be held in front of the White House demanding that [President Joe] Biden, [Secretary of State Antony] Blinken and [Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria] Nuland look at President Kennedys American University Speech [of June 10, 1963] and return to the policies President Kennedy was advocating.

Jack Gilroy (U.S.), organizer, Pax Christi, Upstate New York/Pax Christi International; Board Member, New York Veterans for Peace

I wanted to follow up on an appropriate day to bring people together [for the demonstration], this was demonstrated today by a number of speakers about a need for a grassroots movement. I think that November 22nd would be very good, but we probably should be moving much faster on that. August 6th and 9th are momentous days of the beginning of the nuclear age [bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]. August 6th would be a Sunday and a day that people would have an easier chance to get to Washington DC.

Dennis Small (U.S.), Ibero-America Intelligence Director, EIR News Service

I think some of the frustration around getting things going against the war comes from not fully taking into account that the vast majority of humanity, 80-85% of it, is already in a state of advanced, not just rebellion, but rejection of the entire global security and economic architecture which is producing warsthe underlying cause.

Jose Vega (U.S.), interventionist, organizer, Schiller Institute

If you want people naturally manifesting in the streets, you need more people recruited to do interventions. The more people we have doing these interventions, the more the manifestation in the streets will become natural. Here [in the U.S.] we have an idea called take back your government, where we [have] at least one person in each of the 435 Congressional Districts to stand up for truth.

H.E. Donald Ramotar (Guyana), former President of Guyana

I think that when we are talking about world peace, we cannot divorce it from immediately demanding nuclear disarmament. I believe it has to be the center of what we do. The old theory that justified, particularly during the period of [U.S. President Ronald] Reagan and [UK Prime Minister Margaret] Thatcher, that argued nuclear weapons were keeping the peace is something I always had problems with. I believe more with Einsteins position, that you cannot prepare for war and hope to have peace.

Rev. Dr. Terri Strong (U.S.), Senior Pastor, Mt. Sinai AME Church, Arlington, Tennessee

I love the concrete things that you can do that Helga brought up. I came up with The Truth and Peace Network of Independent News while she was speaking, because if you can capture the news, you can herd the news consumers to your truth platform. There should be a partnership with news outlets, if they are independent, to create our own documentaries. And when you put those things together, you have a way of marketing your truth and your network that you will herd the masses of news consumers to your platforms.

Others in Attendance

Nick Brana (U.S.), National Chair, Peoples Party; and Rage Against the War Machine organizer

Angela McArdle (U.S.), Chair, Libertarian Party National Committee; and Rage Against the War Machine organizer

Rev. Robert Smith, Jr. (U.S.), Pastor, New Bethel Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan; Chair, Foreign Mission Board, National Baptist Convention

Diane Sare (U.S.), independent candidate for U.S. Senate, New York

Joyce Hall (U.S.), Pax Christi, Dallas, Texas

Karen Ball (U.S.), President, San Antonio, Texas chapter, Pax Christi

Chris Fogarty (U.S./Ireland), Irish-American leader; and author of Ireland 1845-1850: The Perfect Holocaust and Who Kept it Perfect

NO2NATO, UK representative

Frank T. Kartheiser (U.S.), Catholic Workers

Mari Correggio (Italy), NO2NATO, Italy

Alessia Ruggeri (Italy), trade unionist

Anastasia Battle (U.S.), organizer, interventionist; and Editor-in-Chief, Leonore magazine

Affiliations for identification purposes only.
This editorial appears in the June 30, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this editorial]

EDITORIAL

Now Even Closer to Nuclear War

June 25As of nighttime in Moscow Saturday, June 24, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, a Russian private mercenary army, had given the turn back order to a column of his armed forces and equipment that was heading north from Rostov-on-Don to Moscow, which he called his march for justice. This was, in fact, an armed insurrection; and Prigozhin is reportedly under investigation for possible prosecution for treason.

Prigozhins audio announcement midday June 24, stating that the Wagner forces should turn around, came after negotiations brokered by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who had earlier conferred directly with President Vladimir Putin for joint action. More details are to be learned on the conditions.

This sudden turn of events may mark a pause in the episode, but not a pause in the danger from the Wests continuing idiotic escalation of provocations against a nuclear power, which can trigger a nuclear conflagration. Think of the dangerous irony, as reported by Italys La Reppublica, that leaders of the biggest NATO nations, fearing an incident with nuclear weapons, contacted the Russian Defense Ministry June 24 for reassurance during the crisis, because Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is considered the most reliable interlocutor. This, while the same NATO nations military experts cheered on Prigozhin and his mercenaries who were trying to overthrow Shoigu!

A strong warning on this extreme danger was given by former UN weapons inspection specialist Scott Ritter, who termed the Prigozhin rebellion incident an attempted Maidan in Moscow Moment, contrived by collective Western special forcesespecially the Britishand Ukraine military intelligence. Ritters article on his website today is titled, Prigozhins GambitTreason by Any Other Name, and reviews in more detail the prepping of the mercenary group for insurrectionary action.

The rhetoric of Prigozhin is right out of the playbook for color revolutions. In one audio issuance, he ranted, We dont want the country [Russia] to continue to live in corruption, deceit, and bureaucracy.

Prigozhins name has come up in various ways in past shady domains of known Western intelligence special operations; for example, in the bogus claim of Russian state interference during the 2016 Trump-Clinton election campaign. In recent times, there were reports of Prigozhin having regular Ukraine military intelligence connections, in the classified U.S. intelligence documents leaked by Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, known as the Discord documents, referring to the social media platform Teixeira used to post them.

According to a May 15 write-up in the Washington Post, referring to alleged events in January 2023, and reporting on what it claimed to have seen in the Discord documents:

Prigozhin said that if Ukraines commanders withdrew their soldiers from the area around Bakhmut, he would give Kyiv information on Russian troop positions, which Ukraine could use to attack them. Prigozhin conveyed the proposal to his contacts in Ukraines military intelligence directorate, with whom he has maintained secret communications during the course of the war, according to previously unreported U.S. intelligence documents leaked on the group-chat platform Discord.

An EIR investigative team is preparing an overall strategic assessment for early release.

Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out the stakes very starkly in his televised address to the citizens of Russia the morning of June 24:

Today, Russia is waging a tough struggle for its future, repelling the aggression of neo-Nazis and their patrons. The entire military, economic, and informational machine of the West is directed against us. We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence, for the right to be and remain Russia, a state with a thousand-year history.

A blow like this was dealt to Russia in 1917, when the country was fighting in World War I. But the victory was stolen from it: intrigues, squabbles and politicking behind the backs of the army and the nation turned into the greatest turmoil, the destruction of the army and the collapse of the state, and the loss of vast territories, ultimately leading to the tragedy of the civil war. We will not allow this to happen again.

Even as the details are just being made known of this insurrection, what is dramatically clear is the necessity for citizens, groups, and nations to activate without delay, to stop the dynamic toward nuclear holocaust, and undertake joint actions for national sovereignty, development, and dignity for all. The newly-formed International Peace Coalition has, among other initiatives, set August 6, the 78th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, as a day for coordinated international joint efforts for peace.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR THURSDAY JUNE 29, 2023

Why the Coming Few Months Are So Dangerous

June 28, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)The June 23-24 Wagner mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin in Russia was brought under control in less than 24 hours, but the strategic crisis behind that revolt is not under controland the danger of a full-scale thermonuclear war between the United States and Russia will continue to escalate until it is. The reasons for thatand what to do about itare as follows.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered two short speeches at the Kremlin on June 27, to the military and other service personnel who were instrumental in stopping the short-lived Wagner mutiny with a minimum of bloodshed. He thanked them, and stated bluntly what was at stake: De facto stopping a civil war in its tracks. He added that armed rebellions are usually followed by total chaos and civil war. This is what you have prevented. Had this not been done, chaos in the country would have been inevitable, and the enemy would have surely taken advantage of it. However, nothing is coming out of it, and, I hope, nothing will come out of it, I am even sure of that.

A closer identification of the broader forces involved was left to the chief of the Russian national guard, Viktor Zolotov, who stated yesterday that the reason Western intelligence services knew about the mutiny in advance, is that the mutiny was prearranged, inspired by Western Intelligence services.... Apparently, they instigated Prigozhin himself, or maybe his ambitions took over. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko made a similar point in remarks at a promotion ceremony for general officers in Minsk yesterday: Conclusion: it would have been a war on two fronts. This is not Prigozhin. Prigozhin is the trigger. This turmoil would have spilled all over Russia.

As if to confirm the accuracy of those charges, Chatham House (also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs), the centenarian British think tank, published a set of articles on June 27 retailing the lie that Putin had buckled during the Wagner mutiny, and that therefore what is needed at this point is a massive influx of weapons to Ukraine. Col. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, OBE, former commander of U.K. and NATO Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear forces, took it a long step further in the pages of the Telegraph, asserting that Ukraine Can Now End Putins Crumbling Regime, and that NATO should give them permission to attack Russia itself, and bring down its President, and not worry about any possible Russian nuclear retaliation which, he assured readers, will not happen.

Schiller Institute founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche today sharply warned against this kind of brinkmanship with Armageddon, which threatens to unleash thermonuclear war on a global scale. If people knew that this kind of insanity is not only being openly discussed, but that it is dominating policy-making in London and Washington, they would be out on the street en masse in protest, Zepp-LaRouche stated. That is why the Schiller Institute is coordinating with numerous organizations and individuals around the world to build an International Peace Coalition, which has decided to hold rallies and protests around the world on Aug. 6, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, to stop the headlong rush towards nuclear annihilation.

The current crisis is so acute, Zepp-LaRouche explained in her weekly Live Dialogue webcast today, because an entirely new international system is emerging around the BRICS and associated forces, whose insistence on putting an end to 500 years of colonialism and looting threatens to bury the current City of London and Wall Street system.

If you look at the danger, Zepp-LaRouche stated, the existence of civilization is at stake; we could lose the whole of humanity. If it comes to nuclear war, thats it: there is no life left, not even a journalist or a historian to investigate what went wrong. And thats the danger.

The Western elites have lost the fear of Armageddon, of nuclear weapons, and theyre playing with these things as if it to say: Its okay to just drop a little preemptive bomb on Poland. That wont lead to World War III. Thats foolishness!

I think we need a population who understand that there is nobody who will take care of you, if you dont do it yourself. So, work with us. There are options, and the potential to have a new world economic order is bigger than ever before.
A non-profit environmental group says the amount of tropical forest lost around the world in 2022 was equal to an area the size of Switzerland.

Global Forest Watch is an effort supported by the nonprofit World Resources Institute (WRI), which is based in Washington, D.C. WRI recently released its latest data.

The group found that about 41,000 square kilometers of tropical forest was lost in 2022. The effort used forest data collected by the University of Maryland.

The report considered forest loss caused by mechanical clearing for agriculture and woodcutting, and natural causes such as fire, wind and the movements of rivers.

The report said more than 40 percent of the deforestation took place in Brazil. The year 2022 was the final year of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's four-year term in office.

Last year, losses of Brazilian tropical forest, not including forest fires, reached their recent high point since 2005. Current Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has promised to end deforestation in the Amazon. He also was president from 2003 to 2011.

The University of Maryland data shows that, if fire is included, about 28,000 square kilometers of Brazilian tropical forest were lost in 2016the most in the last 20 years.

In November 2021, world leaders at a United Nations environmental conference in Glasgow, Scotland, pledged to stop deforestation by 2030. But tropical forest loss in 2022 was higher than 2021 levels.

"2022 numbers are particularly disheartening," said Francis Seymour, a WRI official. "We had hoped by now to see a signal in the data that we were turning the corner on forest loss."

Global Forest Watch measured what it called primary forests. That includes mature forests that have not been cleared or regrown recently.

The group says such forests protect against climate change because they absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide. Last year's losses in the tropics released 2.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide. That is equal to India's yearly carbon emissions, the report said.

Indonesia and Malaysia were able to keep the rate of their forest losses near record lows. The two nations have continued for several years to limit deforestation caused by the palm oil industry.

Strict Indonesian policies, like suspending new forestry licenses helped bring about the change.

Other forest-rich nations have struggled to keep up with Asia's progress. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bolivia had the greatest losses of tropical forest after Brazil.

Reuters reports that some experts blame commodity agriculture for deforestation in Bolivia. Bolivia did not promise to reduce deforestation during the 2021 U.N. conference in Scotland. The experts say Bolivias government supports agricultural business expansion.

The Global Forest Watch effort found deforestation in 2022 was more than 10,000 square kilometers greater than the reductions required to prevent the loss of any forests by 2030.

Rod Taylor is WRI's world forests program director. He said deforestation around the world is trending in the wrong direction.

The University of Maryland data showed that the world lost 10 percent less northern forest in 2022 than 2021. That was because fewer big fires burned in Russian forests. But Russia still lost 43,000 square kilometers of tree cover last year. That is more than the total tropical forest loss around the world.

Im Jill Robbins.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.

______________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pledge  n. to formally or publicly promise something

disheartening  adj. something that causes people to lose hope

primary  adj. the main group among things that are similar with small differences between them

absorb  v. to take in

emission  n. something, like a gas, that is released into the air

commodity  n. a valuable good that is widely traded in markets

trend  v. the movement of change from one condition to the next; for example, the movement of public opinion from favorable to unfavorable
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.  A Lexington native has been named among 12 entrepreneurial leaders as winders of the Entrepreneur of the Year Heartland Award.

Eli Maloley is the CEO of Vivacity Tech PBC, based in St. Paul, Minn., which is a national leader in providing one-on-one Chromebook solutions to K-12 schools.

Maloley is a Lexington native, having grown up in the area, first attending a rural school district where he was the only student in his sixth grade class. He would later graduate from Lexington High School in 2004.

Upon graduation, Maloley served several years in the National Guard.

From 2007 to 2010, Maloley spent time in northern California where he cut his teeth with a Silicon Valley startup company.

Silicon Valley, in the southern San Francisco Bay Area of California, is home to many start-up and global technology companies. Apple, Facebook and Google are among the most prominent.

Maloley helped to found a technology company in 2011. After several years he left the company to found Vivacity Tech in April 2018. Maloley noted they started with four employees but now have 140 employees at sites across the country.

The company is based in St. Paul but has a base in Greenville, S.C., where Maloley currently resides. The company just acquired a location in Chicago and is set to start a lease for a space in Denver in August.

In addition to providing Chromebooks to schools nationwide, Maloley said they manufacture their own line of carts, cases and Chromebook accessories and develop their own software. They also develop curriculum related to computers for students.

The company doesnt outsource any pre- or post-sale services, offering everything from laser etching to asset management software.

As the only public benefit corporation in the industry to provide hardware to schools, Vivacity Tech PBC is passionate about giving back a portion of its profits, time and energy to ensure our nations schools succeed, according to Ernst & Young LLP (EY) who distribute the Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

This year alone, theyve donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of technology, volunteered to help Tech Directors set up virtual learning classrooms and sponsored professional development opportunities for black educators in underprivileged districts, per EY

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has been celebrating the ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses for nearly four decades. Founded in 1986, the program has recognized more than 10,000 entrepreneurs throughout the US and has expanded to nearly 60 countries globally, per the EY website.

The Heartland program includes Dakotas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.

This group of ambitious entrepreneurial leaders was selected by an independent judging panel made up of previous award winners, leading CEOs, investors and other regional business leaders. Heartland award winners were unveiled during a special celebration on June 8, 2023 to honor and celebrate these business leaders who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all, per an EY press release.

When asked about the award, Maloley said there is a lengthy application process, accompanied by a deep dive of the company finances. There is then a two hour interview with an independent panel of judges.

Following this, the list of Heartland applicants is then culled to 30 finalists. Maloley and his company made the cut.

The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes, per the EY release.

He then took part in a 15 minute, Shark Tank interview which included rapid fire questions from past winners, and Fortune 500 company representatives. This was the last chance to prove myself, he said.

It was noted this was the second highest year for Heartland applicants and that it is rare for a first time applicant to win the award. However, Maloley was selected as one of the 12 winners.

Every year, we are completely blown away by the accomplishments of our Entrepreneur Of The Year Regional Award winners, and 2023 is no different, said AJ Jordan, EY Americas Entrepreneur Of The Year Program Director. They are change-makers and champions of business and community, and we are so proud to be honoring them. We cant wait to see how these leaders will continue to improve lives and disrupt industries.

The regional winners will next be considered by the National judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November in California.

When asked about his thoughts on earning the award, Maloley noted that his peers who also won represent, a lofty list of excellent founders.

He said it hasnt just been the last five years, the past decade he has spent to get himself to where he was now. To receive this kind of recognition was extremely gratifying and reassuring.

Maloley has not forgotten his roots and said he owes much to the Lexington community for his upbringing and instilling in him a work ethic that has helped carry him to where he is at today.

I am grateful for my upbringing, he said.
American and Russian spacecraft have successfully docked in orbit for the first time in 20 years.

The US shuttle Atlantis delivered a relief crew of two cosmonauts to the Russian Mir space station, signalling a new era of space co-operation between the two former Cold War rivals.

The operation to link the craft was led by the commander of the Atlantis, Robert Gibson. Flying over the Mediterranean at 17,500mph, he lined up the Mir in his sights and with barely a shudder the two craft touched.

We have capture, he said.

After the safety of the spacecraft was confirmed with the pressure between them equalised, Gibson opened the hatch separating them.

Propelling himself through to the Russian craft he stretched out his arm to shake hands with his counterpart.

The symbolic gesture was watched live from Moscow by US Vice President Al Gore, and by the head of NASA Dan Goldin at the Russian control centre.

The crew of the US shuttle moved into the Mir for group photos, before presenting the cosmonauts with gifts of chocolate, fruit and flowers. The Russians gave the Americans gifts of bread and salt, the traditional symbols of welcome.

Mr Gibson said: After all the training and the preparation it seems hard to believe were actually there but indeed we are.

The two spacecraft will remain attached for five days, giving the Mir crew time to stock up on fresh water, oxygen and nitrogen. The crews will carry out a range of scientific experiments.

A further six link-ups between the shuttle and Mir are planned, before work on the assembly of an international space station begins in orbit in two years time.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

After 15 years in space, the Mir space station returned to Earth in March 2001.

Over the years, Mir has circled the Earth about 88,000 times, travelling 3.6bn km (2.2bn miles).

In many ways, the platform has been humankinds first real home in space, as well as being the pride of the Russian space programme.
An activist detained in Hong Kong began his final appeal yesterday seeking recognition for his same-sex marriage registered overseas, in a landmark case for the citys LGBTQ+ community.

Jimmy Sham, a prominent pro-democracy activist during 2019, first asked for a judicial review five years ago seeking a declaration that the citys laws, which do not recognize foreign same-sex marriage, violate his constitutional right to equality. But the lower courts dismissed his legal challenge and a subsequent appeal over the case.

Sham is now in custody after being charged with subversion over an unofficial primary election under a national security law.

The upcoming judgment by the citys top court in his marriage case will have strong implications for the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and the financial hubs reputation as an inclusive place to live and work.

Currently, the city only recognizes same-sex marriage for certain purposes such as taxation, civil service benefits and dependent visas. Many of the governments concessions were won through legal challenges over the last few years.

The court will have to address whether the exclusion of same-sex couples from the institution of marriage and a failure to provide alternative means of legal recognition for same-sex partnerships violate the right to equality. The judges will also have to decide if the citys laws violate that right enshrined in Hong Kongs constitution, as they do not recognize foreign same-sex marriage.

Yesterday, Sham appeared spirited inside the courtroom.

His lawyer Karon Monaghan argued that the absence of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong sent a message that it is less worthy of recognition than heterosexual marriage.

Sham and his husband married in New York in 2013. They wished to marry in Hong Kong but it was not allowed under the law, according to previous judgments.

The ruling in 2020 said his marriage lacks essential validity because the citys law does not permit marriage between same-sex persons. It added that Shams attempt to achieve complete parity of recognition between foreign same-sex marriages and foreign heterosexual marriages is too ambitious.

Shams appeal over the case was also dismissed last August.

Sham is the former convenor of Civil Human Rights Front, which was best known for organizing the annual march on the anniversary of Hong Kongs handover to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, for years. The group also organized some of the bigger political protests in 2019.

The front was disbanded in 2021 as it reportedly faces a police investigation for possible violation of the security law.

In February, the top court ruled that full sex reassignment surgery should not be a prerequisite for transgender people to have their gender changed on their official identity cards. Supporters said it was an important milestone for the transgender community in Hong Kong. MDT/AP
A late-life masterpiece by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt sold Tuesday for 85.3 million pounds ($108.4 million), making it the most expensive artwork ever auctioned in Europe.

Dame mit Facher  Lady with a Fan  sold to a buyer in the room at Sothebys in London after a 10-minute bidding war for a hammer price of 74 million pounds ($94.35 million). The higher final figure includes a charge on top of the sale price known as the buyers premium.

The sale price well exceeded the presale estimate of 65 million pounds, or $80 million.

It also beat the previous European auction record of $104.3 million  65 million pounds at the time  including buyers premium paid for Alberto Giacomettis sculpture Walking Man I at Sothebys in 2010. Previously, the most expensive painting auctioned in Europe was Claude Monets Le basin aux nympheas, which fetched $80.4 million at a Christies sale in 2008.

The piece sold Tuesday was the last portrait Klimt completed before his death in 1918. The painting shows an unidentified woman against a resplendent, China-influenced backdrop of dragons and lotus blossoms.

It was last sold in 1994, going for $11.6 million at an auction in New York.

Sothebys said the buyer was art adviser Patti Wong, acting on behalf of a Hong Kong collector.

Famed for his bold, daring art nouveau paintings, Klimt was a key figure in artistic modernism at the start of the 20th century. His work has fetched some of the highest prices for any artist.

Klimts Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II sold at a New York auction in 2006 for $87.9 million, and his landscape Birch Forest sold at Christies in New York last year for $104.6 million.

Two more of his portraits are reported to have sold privately for more than $100 million.

The world auction record for an artwork is the $450.3 million paid in 2017 for Leonardo da Vincis Salvator Mundi, though some experts dispute whether the panting of Jesus Christ is wholly the work of the Renaissance master. MDT/AP
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins discussed his countrys interest in boosting economic ties with China during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday.

Hipkins said the focus of his meeting with Xi was to reaffirm our close economic relationship by supporting businesses (to) renew their connections with Chinese counterparts and helping grow new ones to support New Zealands economic recovery.

Hipkins is on a five-day visit to China, his first since becoming prime minister in January, along with a business delegation representing areas including tourism and education.

Before starting his visit, he described New Zealands relationship with China as a critical part of our economic recovery.

New Zealand officially entered a recession this month after its economy contracted for two consecutive quarters. Officials say China is key to three of New Zealands engines for post-pandemic economic recovery: exports, tourism and education.

China is New Zealands largest export market, and Wellington over the years has managed to maintain warmer ties to Beijing than some of its Western allies.

Xi praised the great importance of China-New Zealand ties, saying Hipkins visit was very meaningful, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Earlier in the day, Hipkins attended a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Chinese port city of Tianjin alongside other foreign officials and joined a signing ceremony for four New Zealand exporters and their Chinese counterparts, according to a statement from his office.

Yesterday, he met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. MDT/AP
A Russian missile attack that hit a crowded pizza restaurant in an eastern Ukrainian city killed at least nine people, including three children, authorities said yesterday, as rescue workers continued searching in the destroyed buildings rubble.

The Tuesday evening attack on Kramatorsk wounded another 56 people, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said, in the latest bombardment, a tactic Russia has used heavily in the 16-month-old war.

Two sisters, both age 14, died as result of the attack, the educational department of the Kramatorsk city council said. Russian missiles stopped the beating of the hearts of two angels, it said in a Telegram post.

The other dead child was 17, according to Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin.

The attack, using what officials said were S-300 missiles, also damaged 18 multi-story buildings, 65 houses, five schools, two kindergartens, a shopping center, an administrative building and a recreational building, the regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said. The S-300 is a surface-to-air missile that cannot hit ground targets accurately, but Russias forces have repurposed it for loosely targeted strikes on cities.

Kramatorsk is a front-line city that houses the Ukrainian armys regional headquarters. The pizza restaurant was frequented by journalists, aid workers and soldiers, as well as locals.

Its located in Donetsk, one of four Ukrainian provinces that Russia claimed to annex last September but does not fully control. Russia has also occupied Crimea since 2015.

Ukrainian-held parts of the partially occupied provinces have been hit especially hard by Russian bombardment and are a key barrier to resolving the war.

The Kremlin demands that Kyiv recognize the annexations, while Kyiv has ruled out any talks with Russia until its troops pull back from all occupied territories. Kyiv recently launched a much-anticipated counteroffensive to take back occupied territory.

Russia, meanwhile, has stepped up its air campaign in Ukraine while the fighting continues along the front line.

Russian forces on Monday and overnight also shelled 16 settlements in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian presidential office reported.

It said that a 77-year-old civilian was killed in the front-line town of Orikhiv, and that Russian shelling wounded three people in a nearby village recently retaken by Kyiv.

Also, a Russian supersonic cruise missile slammed into a cluster of holiday homes in central Ukraine, sparking a fire which injured a child, the presidential office said.

HANNA ARHIROVA, KYIV, MDT/AP
Japanese regulators began a final inspection yesterday before treated radioactive wastewater is released from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

The inspection began a day after plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings installed the last piece of equipment needed for the release  the outlet of the undersea tunnel dug to discharge the wastewater 1 kilometer offshore.

TEPCO said the Nuclear Regulation Authority inspectors will examine the equipment related to the treated water discharge and its safety systems during three days of inspections through Friday. The permit for releasing the water could be issued about a week later, and TEPCO could start discharging the water soon after, though an exact date has not been decided.

The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing groups concerned about safety and reputational damage. The government and TEPCO promised in 2015 not to release the water without consent from the fishing groups, but many in the fishing community say the plan was pushed regardless. Neighboring South Korea, China and some Pacific Island nations have also raised safety concerns.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Wednesday that the government abides by its policy of not carrying out a release without the understanding of fishing groups in Fukushima. He said the government will continue to communicate closely with them and others involved, while ensuring safety and addressing the issue of reputational damage. Fishing groups fear the wastewater release will cause consumers to stop buying seafood from the area.

Government and utility officials say the wastewater, currently stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant, must be removed to prevent any accidental leaks and to make room for the plants decommissioning. They say the treated but still slightly radioactive water will be diluted to levels safer than international standards and will be released gradually into the ocean over decades, making it harmless to people and marine life.

Some scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides is unknown and the release should be delayed. Others say the release plan is safe but call for more transparency, including allowing outside scientists to join in sampling and monitoring the release.

Japan has sought support from the International Atomic Energy Agency to gain credibility and ensure that safety measures meet international standards. IAEA has dispatched several missions to Japan since early 2022, and its final evaluation report is expected soon, though the organization has no power to stop the plan. IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi is expected to visit Japan in early July to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and visit the plant.

A massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plants cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and their cooling water to be contaminated and leak continuously. The water is collected, treated and stored in the tanks, which will reach their capacity in early 2024.

MARI YAMAGUCHI, TOKYO, MDT/AP
Two sisters told an Australian court yesterday that being sexually abused by their Jewish schools principal broke their ability to trust and was painful to remember.

Malka Leifer was convicted of rape and other crimes in the Victoria state County Court in April after years of fighting her extradition from Israel. She watched intently on a video link from prison but didnt visibly react as the two sisters read victim impact statements at her sentencing hearing.

Dassi Erlich, 35, was positioned in the courtroom specifically so she and Leifer could see other as she spoke about the impact of the abuse, as both Erlich and Leifer had requested.

Erlich said she was 16 when Leifer told her: I love you like a mother.

I trusted her completely, Erlich said. The insidious nature of her sexual abuse has fractured my ability to trust forever.

Elly Sapper, 34, later told the court she had questioned whether she wanted to relive the trauma that has affected more than half her life.

It hurts to remember. It hurts more than Ill ever be able to describe, Sapper said.

Sapper was pregnant when she testified at Leifers six-week trial and said she lost the unborn baby a week before the verdicts. She did not detail the circumstances.

Her heart stopped beating, Sapper said. There were no concrete answers, there were no abnormalities. I will never know if the stress, the worry, the anxiety or the years of trauma played any part in the loss of my little girl.

Leifer was acquitted of nine charges, including five relating to the victims eldest sister, Nicole Meyer. Meyer, 37, sat in court with her sisters Wednesday.

The Associated Press does not usually identify victims and alleged victims of sexual abuse, but the sisters have chosen to identify themselves in the media.

Leifer smiled when Judge Mark Gamble told her she would have to answer questions asked in court rather than nod her head.

Asked by Gambles associate her occupation, Leifer replied: Now Im not working.

Leifer, 56, was convicted of six charges of rape, each carrying up to 25 years in prison. She was convicted of three charges of sexual penetration of a child, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence, and six charges of indecent assault, which also carries a 10-year sentence. She was convicted of three charges of committing an indecent act with a child, which is punishable by 5 years in prison. There are no minimum sentences.

Leifers trial ended an extradition battle that strained relations between the Australian and Israeli governments while antagonizing Australias Jewish community.

Leifer, who was born in Tel Aviv, returned to Israel in 2008 as allegations against her first emerged. The fight she waged in Jerusalem courts since 2014 against being extradited ended in 2021 when she boarded a flight toward Melbourne at Ben Gurion Airport, her ankles and wrists shackled.

Prosecutors claimed Leifer abused the students between 2003 and 2007 at the Adass Israel School, an ultra-Orthodox school in Melbourne where she was head of religion and later principal, as well as at her Melbourne home and at rural school camps. ROD McGUIRK, CANBERRA, MDT/AP
Several people with autism and intellectual disabilities have been legally euthanized in the Netherlands in recent years because they said they could not lead normal lives, researchers have found.

The cases included five people younger than 30 who cited autism as either the only reason or a major contributing factor for euthanasia, setting an uneasy precedent that some experts say stretches the limits of what the law originally intended.

In 2002, the Netherlands became the first country to allow doctors to kill patients at their request if they met strict requirements, including having an incurable illness causing unbearable physical or mental suffering.

Between 2012 and 2021, nearly 60,000 people were killed at their own request, according to the Dutch governments euthanasia review committee. To show how the rules are being applied and interpreted, the committee has released documents related to more than 900 of those people, most of whom were older and had conditions including cancer, Parkinsons and ALS.

Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, a palliative care specialist at Britains Kingston University, and her colleagues reviewed the documents to see how Dutch doctors were dealing with euthanasia requests from people with autism or with lifelong mental impairments. They published their findings in the journal BJPsych Open in May.

Among the 900 people with publicly posted case files, 39 of them were autistic and/or intellectually disabled. A handful were elderly, but 18 of them were younger than 50.

Many of the patients cited different combinations of mental problems, physical ailments, diseases or aging-related difficulties as reasons for seeking euthanasia. Thirty included being lonely as one the causes of their unbearable pain. Eight said the only causes of their suffering were factors linked to their intellectual disability or autism  social isolation, a lack of coping strategies or an inability to adjust their thinking.

Theres no doubt in my mind these people were suffering, Tuffrey-Wijne said. But is society really OK with sending this message, that theres no other way to help them and its just better to be dead?

Other countries, including Belgium, Canada and Colombia, have legal euthanasia, but the Netherlands is the only one that shares detailed information about potentially controversial deaths, providing the best window into emerging trends in assisted dying. Still, its records are limited to what doctors disclose. So there could be other factors that werent released or cases where the patients autism or intellectual disabilities werent noted.

Because the committee releases only select records, its also impossible to know the true number of people with autism or intellectual disabilities killed at their own request.

Among the eight patients cited by researchers were an autistic man in his 20s. His record said the patient had felt unhappy since childhood, was regularly bullied and longed for social contacts but was unable to connect with others. The man, who was not named, chose euthanasia after deciding that having to live on this way for years was an abomination.

The records also included an autistic woman in her 30s who also had borderline personality disorder. She was offered a spot in a supported living center, but her doctors said she could not maintain relationships and deemed contact with others too difficult.

In one-third of cases, Dutch doctors concluded autism and intellectual disabilities were untreatable and that there was no prospect of improvement, the researchers wrote.

Simon Baron-Cohen, director of Cambridge Universitys Autism Research Centre, said it was abhorrent that people with autism were being euthanized without being offered further support. MARIA CHENG, LONDON, MDT/AP
Between 2018 and 2022, 15 patients in Macau have been sent elsewhere for organ transplants, Acting Director Cheang Seng Ip of the Health Bureau (SSM) has told lawmaker Ron Lam.

In his response to Lams earlier inquiry, the health official said the 15 patients were to receive either a liver, heart or kidney transplant. Among them, nine have undergone the operation, two were awaiting the operation, three were evaluated as not having an immediate need, while one patient declined transplant rights.

He also added that in 2016, the bureau administered the citys first live organ transplant. Afterwards, the bureau has sought appropriate matches for these procedures, but in vain.

Besides asking for figures, the lawmaker also suspected the bureau had been playing with words. The bureau has previously told lawmakers that no terminal kidney failure patients in Macau had died due to lack of appropriate treatment. Lam found this evading the key question of patients succumbing to a lack of organ transplants.

To this, Cheang said no patients have so far died because of the lack of organ transplants. He said terminal kidney failure patients have been receiving substitute therapies, such as hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

On the supply of organs, the lawmaker criticized the bureau for not doing enough to promote and educate people about organ donation. He expressly referred to the lack of updates on the bureaus organ donation website since 2018 to support his criticism.

Cheang blamed the Covid-19 pandemic  which started in 2020  as the main reason for halted promotion. He added that the websites main function is to provide information on organ donation to residents, who can also register their intention on the website. The website also provides real-time figures of partial and complete registrants.

As of May 8 this year, 5,738 people have registered their intention for donation with the local database, with 4,086 of them having completed full registration procedures.

Cheang said Macau had not seen a registered organ donor have their intentions dishonored after being identified as brain dead.
The University of Macau (UM) and the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) were again included in the QS World University Rankings 2024, with both universities improving their positions.

UM ranked 254th place, up 50 places from the previous year, while MUST ranked 505th from the 681-590th position.

The rankings also shows that in Greater China, the UM secured the 19th position, being the only higher education institution in Macau to make it to the top 300 in the world rankings.

The biggest edition to date  featuring 1,500 institutions  of the QS World University Rankings 2024 introduces three new indicators to reflect the changing priorities of students and the evolving missions of world-class higher education institutions today: a commitment to sustainability; even greater emphasis on supporting graduate employability; and increased international research collaboration to solve the worlds biggest challenges.

In the Asia Pacific, the National University of Singapore (NUS), Peking University and Tsinghua University ranked first, second and third respectively.

NUS is the only institution from Asia to sit in the top 10.

President, Nunzio Quacquarelli, said: While we have always tried to remain consistent in our methodology, we must also evolve to reflect the changing missions of universities.

We recognize that the global student community we serve understands the significance of the climate crisis and sees a real responsibility among universities in supporting the sustainability agenda, he added.

The QS World University Rankings 2024 top performers are The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. LV
A federal judge on Thursday ordered that a former UW-Madison graduate student charged with making threats against people at the university be hospitalized for mental health treatment until hes deemed competent enough to assist in his own defense.

Arvin Raj Mathur, 32, of Grass Lake, Michigan, currently suffers from Delusional Disorder, Persecutory and Grandiose Types, which would substantially impair his ability to assist counsel in his defense, Judge Stephen Crocker wrote in the order, referencing an evaluation of Mathur conducted by psychologist Cynthia A. Low.

The prosecutor and Mathurs attorney agreed with Lows recommendation for treatment and Mathur waived his right to a competency hearing and did not offer evidence in the matter, Crockers order says.

The facility assigned to treat Mathur is required to submit a report on his condition within four months.

Mathur was indicted by a federal grand jury in March on six counts of transmitting communications containing threats to injure other persons. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted on each count.

Prosecutors have accused Mathur, who was studying anthropology, of using email to threaten graduate students, staff and professors in February. He threatened to personally stalk and kill all of your loved ones in one email and wrote in another that he would kill their children, according to the FBI.
The state Department of Corrections said Wednesday it had issued an apprehension request for a man it was supervising two days before the man entered a Downtown apartment and is alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman as she slept.

The man, David E. Cartagena Molina, 27, had persistently removed a GPS tracking bracelet  four times within three months while under DOC supervision as he served a two-year period of probation, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday  and was not wearing it early on June 16, when he is alleged to have assaulted the woman in an apartment in the 1200 block of Spring Street, near the UW-Madison campus.

DOC spokesperson Kevin Hoffman said Wednesday that Cartagena Molina had been sanctioned twice by DOC for removing his GPS bracelet. The sanctions were served by jail time, but Hoffman did not provide details about when those instances happened or how long the jail stays were.

On Feb. 27, Cartagena Molina was sentenced to probation, part of an overall agreement to wrap up five active criminal cases and one non-criminal matter pending against him. Probation was granted after Reserve Judge Amy Smith initially sentenced Cartagena Molina to jail and prison sentences for his convictions, then ordered those sentences stayed in favor of probation.

Normally, that means that if DOC revokes a convicted persons probation for any reason  failure to follow rules or the commission of a new crime, for example  that person would have to immediately begin serving the prison sentences.

Despite multiple instances of cutting off the bracelet, DOC did not revoke Cartagena Molinas probation and instead ordered short jail terms as sanctions.

Hoffman said he did not know how long before June 14 Cartagena Molina had cut off his GPS device, prompting the apprehension request.

Early on June 16, a woman was asleep in her apartment when she woke up to find a man she did not know, later identified as Cartagena Molina, groping her outside of her clothing, according to a criminal complaint. He asked her to call him a taxi, and the woman instead called 911. Cartagena Molina tried to convince the woman to hang up on the call by putting her in a headlock but ended up leaving the apartment. He was arrested by responding police officers nearby a short time later, the complaint states.

In addition to second-degree sexual assault, Cartagena Molina is charged with burglary, false imprisonment, intimidation of a victim and two misdemeanors.

The incident was the second in which Cartagena Molina was alleged to have entered a strangers home and bedroom. Early on Jan. 9, a 13-year-old girl became frightened when she found him in her bedroom on Madisons South Side. After family members responded to her screams, Cartagena Molina asked to use a phone to call for a ride. He left a short time later.

As part of the Feb. 27 plea agreement, Cartagena Molina pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for the incident. The crimes in four other cases he pleaded guilty to included misdemeanor theft, taking or driving stolen vehicles and bail jumping.

He is currently in custody awaiting a court appearance on July 5.

Photos: Notable Deaths in 2023 Harry Belafonte Raquel Welch David Crosby Lance Reddick Richard Belzer Cindy Williams Lisa Marie Presley Gordon Lightfoot Jeff Beck Bobby Caldwell Gary Rossington Wayne Shorter Jerry Springer Robert Blake Willis Reed Michael Lerner Tom Sizemore Charles Kimbrough Chaim Topol Len Goodman Tim McCarver Billy Packer Barry Humphries Burt Bacharach Stella Stevens Annie Wersching Dave Hollis David Jude Jolicoeur Barrett Strong Lloyd Morrisett Robbie Knievel Gina Lollobrigida Lynette Hardaway ("Diamond") Adam Rich Bobby Hull Charles White Jerry Richardson Sister Andre Tatjana Patitz Russell Banks Cardinal George Pell Ken Block Walter Cunningham Anton Walkes Pat Schroeder Seymour Stein Klaus Teuber Ginnie Newhart Vida Blue Martin Amis Doyle Brunson Hodding Carter III Jacklyn Zeman Jim Brown Tina Turner Ray Stevenson John Beasley Cynthia Weil Astrud Gilberto The Iron Sheik Pat Robertson Tori Bowie Ted Kaczynski Treat Williams Silvio Berlusconi Daniel Ellsberg Sheldon Harnick John Goodenough Christine King Farris Julian Sands Alan Arkin
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes is one of six semifinalists to become Chicagos next top cop, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday.

There were 53 applicants for Chicago police superintendent, and the six semifinalists include five department veterans and Barnes, who spent about a year as director of training and development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA, in Chicago, the paper said.

Barnes, who was sworn in to the Madison job on Feb. 1, 2021, was out of the country Thursday and could not be reached for comment, his assistant, Alyssa Cains, said. He returns to the office July 5.

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, a new civilian oversight body charged with leading the first-of-its-kind search for the Chicago chief job, has a July 14 deadline to pick three finalists for Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Sun-Times said. The mayor then has 30 days to make his pick, and the City Council has 60 days to confirm his choice.

In October 2021, the newspaper Isthmus reported that Barnes family continued to live in the Chicago suburbs, raising questions about how long he intended to stay in Madison. His wife is dean of the College of Science and Health at DePaul University in Chicago. Cains on Thursday declined to say whether Barnes family continues to live in the Chicago suburbs, deferring questions until he returns to the office next week.

Madison is where I am and where I want to be, Barnes told the newspaper in October 2021. Im here for the long haul and you should print that. ... I love Madison. I love this community. Im not going anywhere.

Barnes was deputy chief in Salisbury, North Carolina, before taking the job with COPA in Chicago.

The other five who advanced to the background check phase of the nationwide search for the Chicago chief position are: Counterterrorism Chief Larry Snelling; his now-retired predecessor, Ernest Cato III; Street Deputy Migdalia Bulnes; Constitutional Policing and Reform Chief Angel Novalez; and Labor Relations Commander Donna Rowling, the Sun-Times reported.

The paper said Johnson wants a superintendent from within the current ranks of the Chicago Police Department, or someone with department experience, as he views an insider as a key to boosting rank-and-file morale that hit rock bottom under former Supt. David Brown, who resigned the day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her bid for a second term.

But the paper cited sources who said Johnson is determined to leave Interim Supt. Fred Waller at the helm through the summer, when violent crime traditionally surges.

State Journal reporter Chris Rickert contributed to this report.
A Windsor man who was initially charged with threatening Gov. Tony Evers was sentenced to a year and day in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to threatening a former Dane County official. But he likely will only serve a few months before being released on supervision and required to get mental health treatment.

Michael A. Yaker, 53, pleaded guilty in March to leaving a threatening voicemail message in May 2022 for then-Dane County Highway Commissioner Gerald Mandli. It was one of eight federal counts he had faced for making threats via email, Facebook and other methods to officials including Evers, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett and Madison Police Detective Greg Esser.

Yaker made dozens of threats  many graphically threatening violence to the recipients, some containing racial slurs  to numerous victims for about eight months, the governments June 20 sentencing memorandum says.

In one call to the Dane County Board, according to the memorandum, Yaker says, Im holding an axe in my hand. Ive been sharpening it the whole time Ive been listening, okay? He then ended his comments by repeatedly screaming A bloodbath!

While Yaker only pleaded guilty to making the threat against Mandli, he admitted as part of his plea agreement to committing the acts described in the other counts against him.

Yakers mental health struggles and threatening behavior were sparked by Dane Countys decision more than a decade ago not to award the woodworker and timber-framer a contract to build a park shelter, according to court documents and statements in court Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge James Peterson.

In 2016, he pleaded guilty in Dane County court to making violent threats, including a bomb scare, and was sentenced to probation. But Yaker said Thursday that it was in 2019 as he was coming off probation that his feelings of rage and manic madness returned and he began threatening government officials again.

Psychically, you injure the people you threaten, Peterson told him. This is a kind of terror that youre inflicting on these people.

Still, he and the prosecutor in the case acknowledged that Yaker had never acted on those threats, and Yaker said in court Thursday, I dont want to hurt anybody and I dont want these people to fear me.

Peterson could have sentenced Yaker to a maximum of five years in prison, and federal sentencing guidelines call for more than a year in prison  although because hes been in jail for most of the past year, hes likely to serve only a few more months.

But Peterson agreed to go along with the sentence recommended by both the government and Yakers attorney  and approved by Yakers victims  after Yaker expressed regret for his behavior and said he would work to get the treatment he needs.

Yakers sentence includes three years of supervision following his release. He was charged in federal court because he made the threats while traveling to Oregon and California and after he got stranded in Kansas.

He also faces a 2021 misdemeanor charge in Dane County for disorderly conduct, and Peterson recommended that any sentence handed down in that case run concurrently with Yakers federal sentence.
For one UW-Madison alum, the return of a chair has absolved 31 years of guilt.

Journalism degree nearly in-hand, Gayle Litteral couldnt leave the university without taking a keepsake. So, during graduation weekend in 1992, she set out in the night with friends to steal a sunburst chair from the Union Terrace.

Just trying to hold on to memories of college days, yes, just totally thinking in the moment, Litteral said on Thursday. Taking a memento from the Union seemed like a great idea at that time, but when you project that ahead 30 years, not probably the best decision.

After three decades of U-Haul trips, potluck events and garage storage, though, it was a recent family meeting that inspired Litteral, now a mother of three, to turn over her battered yellow memento.

The chair has definitely traveled around with me like a trophy, she said. I hadnt thought that much about it until a month ago when we were having a family discussion ... it ended up being a question of Why would Mama still have a Union chair when she knew stealing was wrong?

She cited her Christian faith and her goal of being a role model to her children as the determining factors that led her to the UW-Madison Police station Monday, confessing to her crime as her family waited in the car with the chair.

I want to be a good example for (her children) and to have a good testimony, and theres no better way of doing that than through your actions, she said.

Police took the chair to the Union on Tuesday, where it now awaits a full evaluation on potential repairs and restoration.

Litteral is in good company among thieves of the coveted sunburst chairs. According to Union spokesperson Shauna Breneman, the Union budgets to replace about 60 chairs each year at $100 per chair.

Thefts dont account for all replacements, though. Chairs are typically replaced due to wear and tear every 10 years. Those with considerable damage are dismantled, the arms and legs are removed, and the sunburst saved for future projects.

We are so grateful for everyone who keeps our Terrace chairs at Wisconsin Union spaces and those who notify us of green, yellow or orange Terrace chairs that may be stolen, Breneman said.

In 2022, a similar return made headlines, when a tip received by UW-Madison police led to the recovery of a sunburst chair that was stolen in 1978 and was hanging out in a Verona garage.

Red and white sunburst chairs are available for purchase alongside other Union furniture at the Terrace store online  though most models are currently sold out  with proceeds from sales supporting the Union and its many student-led activities and events. The green, yellow and orange chairs cant be obtained legally by members of the public.

Among the Unions chair-retention tactics are surveillance cameras and overnight security staffing. In the past, Breneman says, some members of the full-time security staff employed during Terrace season have caught people in the act and blocked attempted thefts.

But according to UW-Madison Police spokesperson Marc Lovicott, most thefts are clocked by community members who spot the yellow, orange and green sunbursts in the wild. With 2,000 chairs sitting out on the Terrace at any given time, even the keenest observer can fail to note when one has gone missing.

Tip leads to recovery of Union Terrace chair stolen in 1978, UW-Madison police say The UW police investigation revealed the chair was taken from the Terrace in 1978 when the thieves were in college and, The perps turned over the chair and we returned it to our friends at the Union. No citation  just a verbal warning.

Lovicott said his department takes a few calls each year regarding stolen sunbursts, but prosecuting the thieves comes down to officer discretion. When thieves are forthcoming and compassionate, as he says is typically the case, the chairs are usually handed over without citation. However, uncooperative bandits can expect $421 fines.

The statute of limitations, which is three years for misdemeanor thefts totaling less than $2,500, also factors in, with a handful of people like Litteral turning over chairs theyd stolen decades ago. Litteral is walking away from the incident economically unscathed.

Hopefully it wasnt keeping her up late at night since 1992, Lovicott said.

While she hasnt lost any sleep over the matter, Litteral said she hopes the attention the chair story has garnered will inspire others who may have some fessing up to do.

I thought that when I returned (the chair) on Monday, the story would be over, but God has a funny sense of humor, she said. If I can inspire other people to own up to something that theyve done or motivate them to do the hard thing, then its a bigger win.

Anyone with information regarding stolen Union furniture can contact the Union at union@union.wisc.edu, or UW-Madison Police at 608-264-2677 or police@uwpd.wisc.edu.

Madison in 100 objects UW-Madison terrace chairs Paul Soglin's mustache Giant shoe slide Stem cells Alternate-side parking ticket Paul Bunyan Axe Orpheum Theater sign Mt. Zion choir robe The Plazaburger Otis Redding memorial bench Crossing flags Blue fist Carousel at Ella's Deli Heisman trophies Hoofers sailboat Sid Boyum sculptures Tiny houses Southside Raiders helmet Nails' Tales The Wienermobile Whad' Ya Know stage set Babcock Hall ice cream Arboretum lilacs Bucky Badger Snow blower Little Free Libraries Monona Terrace carpet Thai Pavilion B-cycle Mother Fool's mural Mike Leckrone's jacket Rain barrels Guerrilla cookies American Girl dolls Crazylegs race bibs 'Mendota Wall' Life magazine, 1948 Red heart balloon Concert blankets Bascom Hill's Honest Abe Warfarin Paddle & Portage canoe Bumper stickers Eric Heiden's ice skates The MMOCA 'icon' Freedom From Religion sign Clyde Stubblefield's drumsticks Forward statue Farmers' market tomatoes Sterling Hall bombing fragment The Edgewater's celebrity photos Bike elevator 'Sifting and Winnowing' plaque Indoor mini-golf course at Vitense Camp Randall Memorial Arch Capitol tulips Backyard chicken coop Brats Statue of Liberty World Dairy Expo globe Electric car charging stations 'Fighting Bob' La Follette bust Essen Haus boot St. Raphael Cathedral steeple Hippie Christmas pile Tenney Locks Ice shacks Lake Monona art A bottle of Hopalicious Plastic pink flamingos The W crest Community cars Recycling carts Central High School arch Film archive at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research 1941 NCAA men's basketball trophy Halloween costume on State Street Greenbush cookbooks L'Etoile menu Confederate soldier's tombstone Lake weed harvesters U.S. Open trophy The Yost's facade 'Miracle on Ice' Olympic gold medal First same-sex marriage certificate WORT's record collection Centro Hispano mural Nitty Gritty birthday bell Willy Street Co-op Reader Harry Harlow's imitation mother monkeys CSA box Mallards duck cap Rose Bowl ring Epic Systems electronic health records Hmong story cloth Unitarian Meeting House prow 9XM radio equipment Effigy mounds Rennie's soda fountain Capitol dome Objects 101, 102, 103 ...
Nine months ahead of the 2024 Republican primary in Wisconsin, former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are tied in the GOP contest, a Marquette Law School Poll released Wednesday shows.

Trump is the top choice of 31% of GOP voters, while 30% of Wisconsinites prefer DeSantis, putting the contest well within the polls margin of error. No other GOP candidate had more than 6% support, and 21% of respondents havent decided on a favorite.

But given the choice of only DeSantis or Trump, 57% chose the Florida governor and 41% chose the former president.

The Republican nominee next year is highly expected to be going up against President Joe Biden, whose support from Wisconsinites is slightly increasing, though more Wisconsinites disapprove than approve of him.

In the latest poll, 45% approve of Biden, 53% didnt approve of him and 1% didnt know. Last October, 41% approved of Biden, 54% didnt and 4% didnt know.

In head-to-head contests, the poll indicates that Biden would beat DeSantis 49% to 47%, well within the polls margin of error. But Biden beats Trump 52% to 43%, outside the margin.

Ahead of U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwins 2024 U.S. Senate contest, 40% of Wisconsin voters have favorable opinions of her, 37% view her unfavorably and 22% gave no opinion, a slight uptick from the last poll. Last year, 37% of registered voters had a favorable view of her, 37% voters didnt and 26% didnt have an opinion.

There arent any announced Republican U.S. Senate candidates in Wisconsin, but most registered voters are unfamiliar with the potential contenders, the Marquette poll shows.

Among the potential candidates, 12% of Wisconsinites had a favorable view of U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, 13% had an unfavorable view and 73% had no opinion. Businessman Eric Hovde is viewed favorably by 4% of Wisconsinites, unfavorably by 8% and 85% of respondents had no opinion. For former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, 25% had a favorable opinion, 23% had an unfavorable view and 50% had no opinion.

The poll surveyed 913 Wisconsinites registered to vote from June 8 to 13. The poll, which was conducted online and over the phone, has a 4.3% margin of error. The margin of error is 6.5% for questions posed only to Republicans, and 6% to questions posed only to Democrats.

The poll comes as Baldwin appears to be changing her strategy in the U.S. Senate.

Between January 2021 and January 2023, Baldwin voted with Bidens position 95% of the time, a FiveThirtyEight analysis found. Since then, as her election nears and Biden remains unpopular, she has voted with Bidens position 78% of the time.

Tammy Baldwin is out of step with Wisconsin voters on every issue, National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Tate Mitchell said, before seemingly chalking up her recent rightward shift to inconsequential votes.

The issue of abortion is likely to feature heavily on airwaves during both the critical U.S. Senate and presidential contests, and Wisconsinites support for legal abortion is increasing slightly.

In the latest Marquette poll, 32% want abortion legal in all cases, 34% want it legal in most cases, 25% want it illegal in most cases and 6% want it illegal in all cases. Late last year, 27% of respondents wanted abortion legal in all cases, 31% wanted it legal in most cases, 24% wanted it illegal in most cases and 11% wanted it illegal in all cases.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers popularity has grown from last year. Fifty-seven percent of Wisconsinites registered to vote approved of him, 39% disapproved of him and 4% didnt know. Last October, 46% approved of him, 47% didnt and 6% didnt know.

Forty percent of voters think the state is headed in the right direction, with 57% saying its headed in the wrong track.
The Senates top Republicans declared their intent Wednesday to vote on Meagan Wolfes nomination as Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator, just one day after the commission deadlocked on reappointing her in a move that Democratic commissioners thought would keep the Senate from taking action on Wolfe  and likely voting to remove her from office.

The action Senate Republicans prepared to take Wednesday could have massive repercussions for Wisconsins election administration system as it prepares for the 2024 presidential and U.S. Senate elections. The resolution could set the Senate up to take action effectively firing Wolfe, but the Wisconsin Elections Commission could argue  potentially in a lawsuit  that the chamber never had a right to vote on Wolfes appointment since there was no majority vote within the commission to reappoint Wolfe.

The Senate considers Meagan Wolfe to have been nominated by the Wisconsin Elections Commission as administrator, states a resolution introduced just before 9 p.m. Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, and Senate President Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield.

The resolution, which passed along party lines, continues to outline Republicans plan to refer her nomination to a committee for further action.

Democratic Wisconsin Elections commissioner Ann Jacobs derided the resolution on Twitter, calling it basically wishful thinking with a healthy dose of willful blindness of the statutes (Senate Republicans) are entrusted to address.

NOBODY can be appointed as administrator of the WEC without a MAJORITY vote of the commission! she wrote. With no appointment, theres no appointee before the senate. With no appointee, this is a nonsense attempt to avoid the applicable statutes.

She pointed to a Wisconsin law that states, Any action by the commission, except an action relating to procedure of the commission, requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members.

A thread about why the WI Senates resolution about Meagan Wolfes role as administrator of the WI Elections Commission is basically wishful thinking with a healthy dose of willful blindness of the statutes they are entrusted to address:  Ann Jacobs (@AnnJacobsMKE) June 29, 2023

The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Tuesday deadlocked on reappointing Wolfe as state elections administrator just days before her term expires.

The three Republican commissioners voted to reappoint Wolfe, but the three Democratic commissioners abstained from the vote, citing a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court opinion that appointees can stay in their roles after their terms end.

Because of the deadlock, Democratic commissioners thought Wolfes reappointment wouldnt come before the GOP-controlled state Senate for confirmation, which she was unlikely to win, amounting to her being fired.

Wolfe has been subject to scrutiny ever since the commission made changes to certain elections procedures in the 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic  changes that have spurred some conservatives to falsely accuse her of malfeasance.

Elections commission chair Don Millis, a GOP appointee, said the commissions action would likely lead to lawsuits seeking to oust Wolfe from her role.

Her position could be in jeopardy at a moments notice, Millis said about potential legal action Tuesday. And I dont think thats good for the staff. I dont think its good for the administration of elections in Wisconsin.

Spokespeople for the Wisconsin Elections Commission had not responded to a request for comment Wednesday night.

Any lawsuit on the matter would likely end up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will have a liberal majority come August.

As I (alluded) to last night at our WEC meeting, I put my trust in the Courts, not this current Senate leadership, Democratic commissioner Mark Thomsen tweeted Wednesday, suggesting impending legal action on the matter.

Aware of the negative sentiment Republicans have toward her, Wolfe sent a letter to legislators Saturday seeking to rebut allegations regarding the 2020 election, which she said was repeatedly mischaracterized.

The letter came after Kapenga told The Associated Press that the chamber would not confirm her.

Wolfe in her letter sought to make clear that the six commissioners, not Wolfe, made decisions throughout that election. Wolfe said her job was only to implement those decisions.

Wolfe also sent legislators a six-page document to clarify key aspects of her position and the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The lack of clarity around Wolfes future comes as Republicans grapple with handling elections nationwide. One faction of the Republican Party has sought to rework how elections are run ever since former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, falsely blaming it on voter fraud. But other Republicans have sought to separate themselves and their party from the 2020 election, seeking to look forward and prioritize other issues.

A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that President Joe 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 improvement.
Editors note: This feature first ran April 25, 2019, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com.

Longtime Heyburn resident J.A. Handy described in 1959 the area before the Minidoka Project.

The first time I saw the spot where Heyburn now stands, was in 1901, I was employed by a sheep company, and was looking for a good range for the sheep, and wasnt looking for a home, or a place to make one, Handy wrote. If I had I sure would have passed up the place where Heyburn now stands.

But in June 1902, the federal government passed the Reclamation Act, created the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and eventually brought irrigation water to 17 states in the West, including Idaho.

The Bureau began the Minidoka Project at Lake Walcott in 1904 to divert water from the Snake River, creating farms and new towns on both sides of the river.

By 1919, the fertile Mini-Cassia soil supported 2,208 farms and a population of 17,000, according to the Bureaus website.

The first town on the irrigation project was called Riverton. It was later renamed Heyburn for U.S. Sen. Weldon Brinton Heyburn, who died in 1912 just months after collapsing on the floor of the Senate while delivering a speech.

The first activity around Heyburn was when O.S.L. (Oregon Short Line) Railroad Co., started hauling material from Minidoka (train station) to the river to build the railroad bridge across Snake River at Heyburn in the fall of 1904, Handy wrote when asked to tell what he remembered about the areas history.

The town started as a town of 19 tents, home to the bridge workers, he said.

Before the railroad bridge was completed, two men by the names of Smith and Hollen put a ferry across the Snake River to transport building materials to the new town of Burley.

The O.S.L. Railroad was finished from the Minidoka train station to Heyburn and the first engine crossed the Heyburn Bridge on June 10, 1905.

Hidden History: The Blue Lakes Blue Lakes this, and Blue Lakes that. A great-grandson of Twin Falls founder I.B. Perrine wonders why folks in the Magic Valley don't know where the term "Blue Lakes" came from.

Hidden History: Mormons in Mexico Territory Between 1856 and 1860, more than 3,000 Mormons pushed handcarts 1,300 miles on the 85-day trip to reach the Salt Lake Valley.
Sept. 28, 1997June 26, 2023

BURLEY  Ryan Mark Gratzer, a 25-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Monday, June 26, 2023, at Cassia Regional Hospital, with his mom holding his hand. He was surrounded by his dad, mom, brothers and partner. Ryan was born September 28, 1997, in Newport News, Virginia, to Mark and Trudy Gratzer. He became a big brother to Brandon just a year-and-a-half later and shortly thereafter the family moved to Boise, Idaho.

At five years old, he became a big brother again to Devin. They were the three musketeers. The three of them were the light of Mark and Trudys lives. Ryan developed so many friendships while attending school in Boise, and he kept in contact with most of them throughout the years. When Ryan was ten years old, the family moved to Burley, Idaho. Ryan quickly developed new friendships.

Ryan was such a likeable person and seemed to be the life of the party in any circumstance. People were naturally drawn to him. Ryan made a positive impact on many people. Ryan graduated from Burley High School in 2016.

After graduation, he attended BYU- I for a short period. While attending college, he met the love of his life, Shad Geist. The two of them left college and moved to Burley and began their life together.

Ryan decided to go into real estate, so they moved to Boise to begin the next chapter of their lives. Sadly, his real estate career came to a halt due to COVID. Ryan then signed up for and was accepted at BSU for admission into their Nursing Program. He was excited to venture into the medical field.

Sadly, Ryan was diagnosed with cancer in June 2021. The treatments were rough on him, so he had to quit college and his job. Ryan and his mom made many trips to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for surgeries and treatment. Ryan was cancer free for three months before being told the cancer had returned.

Ryan and Shad moved back home with Ryans parents in September 2022. They all did what they could do to take care of him. It was a team effort. In February of this year, he and Shad stayed in Rochester, Minnesota for two months while Ryan received radiation treatments. They came back home late April and two short months later, the cancer and treatments took Ryans young life away from us, way too soon. He fought cancer for two years, and he fought with all he had and then some. His parents, brothers and partner are so proud of him!

Ryan was a fun, loving, caring, kind, strong, and brave man. He will always be known for his infectious laugh, kind heart, and his gorgeous smile.

Ryan is survived by his parents, Mark and Trudy; his brothers, Brandon (Elise), and Devin; his partner, Shad; his doggy daughter, Penny; paternal grandmother, Trish (Carl); maternal grandfather, Dennis; and nieces and a nephew. Ryan was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Elaine; and paternal grandfather, Steven.

We want to thank the Mayo Clinic, specifically his Oncologist and ENT surgeons, Dr. Alluri (his local Oncologist), Dr. Guercio for all that he did to help Ryan, Nydia and Derrik from home health and hospice and all his friends that came and visited him. This is not goodbye, this is til we see you again.

The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023 at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley. Burial will follow at Paul Cemetery. Family and friends will be received from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 30, 2023 and from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday, at the funeral home. A webcast of the funeral service will be available and maintained at rasmussenwilson.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Osteosarcoma Institute in memory of Ryan. https://osinst.org/donate.
Palawan has emerged as the most preferred tourist destination among Filipinos, with Baguio City coming in as a far second, an independent survey on Philippine tourism showed.

The poll, dubbed PAHAYAG 2023 Second Quarter Survey listed the top travel destinations preferred by Filipinos, with Palawan mustering 23 percent of the respondents, followed by Baguio City with 16 percent, the pollster PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. said.

The study provides valuable insights into the travel preferences of Filipinos and highlights the diverse choices among different regions of the country, it added.

Result of the survey, indicated that 23 percent of the respondents expressed their desire to visit Palawan which was known for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and rich marine biodiversity,

Palawan has captured the hearts of many Filipinos, the survey stated.

Baguio City, tagged as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, secured the second position, with 16 percent of respondents selecting it as their preferred destination. Famous for its cool climate, scenic landscapes, and vibrant culture, Baguio City continues to attract travelers seeking a unique experience.

Cebu and Siargao picked up the third and fourth spots, respectively, with identical nine percent rating. Notably,

Cebu stood out as the preferred destination among Visayans, with a significant 21 percent of respondents from the region expressing their interest in visiting the province. Siargao, on the other hand, captivated the attention of Mindanaoans, with 13 percent of respondents from the region selecting it as their preferred destination, the researchers explained.

Aklan, home to the world-renowned Boracay Island, garnered only eight percent of the respondents preference. The stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife of Boracay continue to attract visitors from around the world. Batanes, with its picturesque landscapes and unique culture, secured 6% of the respondents preference, particularly favored by residents of North-Central Luzon, with a significant 10% expressing their desire to visit.

Bohol and Davao brought the tail end of the list, with four percent and three percent, respectively. Davao, popular for its natural wonders and vibrant city life, resonated well with Mindanaoans, with 10 percent of the respondents from the region showing interest in exploring the province.

The survey results underline the diverse preferences and interests of Filipinos when it comes to travel destinations. The enchanting beauty of Palawan, the charm of Baguio City, and the cultural experiences offered by Cebu, Siargao, Aklan, Batanes, Bohol, and Davao have all contributed to their popularity among travelers.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines has reaffirmed its commitment to showcasing the unparalleled beauty and attractions of the country with the launch of its new tagline, LOVE the Philippines. This new tagline encapsulates the spirit of appreciation and admiration for the diverse landscapes, rich culture, and warm hospitality that the Philippines has to offer.

The PAHAYAG 2023 Second Quarter Survey (PQ2) is an independent and non- commissioned survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. between 7-12 June 2023.

It is a nationwide purposive survey with 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos maintained by PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence with respondents, and distributed across five geographical areas: National Capital Region (NCR), North Central Luzon (NCL), South Luzon (SL), Visayas (Vis), and Mindanao (Min). Only registered Filipino voters were included in the sample, ensuring that the results accurately represent the sentiments of the voting population.

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The Philippines would be a target of China if its tensions with the United States spiral out of control following the expanded American military presence in the country, former President Rodrigo Duterte said in a television interview.

In a television interview earlier this week, Duterte said he regularly meets with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to keep an open discussion with the Communist nation and relay that the Philippines does not have a quarrel with China.

However, the former President said Huang stressed that if the Marcos administration provides places where there can be an aggressive action toward China, the Philippines would always be a target.

Duterte, who had a policy of appeasing China despite its incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his term, questioned the governments decision to grant the US government access to more military bases in the Philippines.

In April, the Palace identified four new sites for its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US, all located in the Luzon region  a move that China denounced.

The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reiterated that the EDCA sites are meant to beef up Filipino military capacity.

It would not only be destructive, Duterte said. I believe that the Philippines would be a graveyard if war comes.

These were the things in my mind when I was pondering the entrance of these EDCA into my country, he added.

If we are fighting a war and destroying the allies nearby, the Philippines will surely be hit because of the presence of military forces of the US, Duterte said.

What is really sad is the Philippines granting military bases to the US.

Thinking that the US would not bring nuclear weapons to the Philippines would be too pretty naive or stupidity, the ex-leader added.

I said by granting America several bases, we can be sure, and I am sure as the sun will rise in the east, that these nuclear bases will have nuclear warheads, Duterte said.

Radioactive materials falling on the Philippines would remain in the country for more than 50 years, he warned.

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday guaranteed a super majority vote to elevate to the United Nation General Assembly Chinas aggressive incursion on the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

He stressed that the Senate has one stand on the WPS.

Its not unanimous, but its a super majority vote, he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, said she is striving to get the Senate majoritys support in bringing the WPS issue to the UNGA before session resumes next month.

The senator previously filed Senate Resolution 659, calling on the Philippine government to sponsor a resolution before the UNGA that will call on China to stop its harassment of Filipino vessels in the WPS.

I am positive that the majority of my colleagues in the Senate will support this resolution, said Hontiveros.

I am pleased to hear the support of majority senators and I am striving to get a consensus, she added.

The proposal to raise the WPS issue to the UNGA was first put forward by former Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who said that the Philippines can win should the matter of China complying with the 2016 Arbitral Award be put to a vote.

Hontiveros pointed out that an UNGA win can have meaningful and consequential outcomes not only for the Philippines but for the wider international community whose peace and security is also threatened by Chinas aggression.

The 2016 Hague ruling must be recognized and respected by all UN member-states, particularly China. The UNGA vote is one way to do it and I hope we can truly unite and rally behind this cause, Hontiveros added.

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JEDDAHSaudi authorities were investigating Thursday after an assailant and a security guard were killed in an exchange of gunfire outside the US consulate in Jeddah, the gateway city for the massive hajj pilgrimage taking place in Mecca.

The gunman and a Nepalese security guard both died after the exchange of fire outside the consulate on Wednesday evening, officials said, giving no possible motive for the incident.

At 6:45 pm (1545 GMT), a man stopped in a car in front of the consulate building and got out with a weapon in his hand, the official Saudi Press Agency quoted a police spokesman as saying.

Security forces reacted resulting in an exchange of fire that killed the assailant, it said, adding that the Nepalese guard later died of his wounds.

The shooting coincided with the final day of the hajj at nearby Mecca. More than 1.6 million foreign pilgrims arriving on planes and boats have streamed through coastal Jeddah en route to the rituals.

Security investigations are still underway to ascertain the circumstances of the incident, the police spokesman said.

The gunmans nationality has not been revealed. US officials said no Americans were hurt and that the consulate had been secured.

We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guards member, the State Department said in a statement in Washington.

The consulate was appropriately locked down and no Americans were harmed in the attack, it said.

The United States was in touch with the kingdom as it starts its investigation, the statement added.

The US consulate in the Red Sea city has been the target of previous attacks, including one on July 4, 2016  American Independence Day  when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

In December 2004, the consulate was stormed by suspected Islamist extremists in an attack that left five non-American staff and contractors dead, as well as four gunmen.

That attack, claimed by Al-Qaedas Saudi branch, was the first on a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia but one of a string of bombings and shootings in the kingdom at the time.

In recent times, Jeddah has been a hub of US diplomatic activity as the United States and Saudi Arabia together try to mediate between warring generals in Sudan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the city earlier this month when he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabias de facto ruler.

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PARISViolent protests broke out in France in the early hours of Thursday as anger grows over the police killing of a teenager, with security forces arresting 150 people in the chaos that saw balaclava-clad protesters burning cars and setting off fireworks.

Nahel M., 17, was shot in the chest at point-blank range on Tuesday morning in an incident that has reignited debate in France about police tactics long criticised by rights groups over the treatment of people in low-income suburbs, particularly ethnic minorities.

The teenagers mother called for a march on Thursday afternoon in the Paris suburb of Nanterre where he was killed, in tribute to her only child.

FRENCH RAGE. Firefighters work to put out a burning car on the sidelines of a demonstration in Nanterre, west of Paris, on June 27 after French police killed a teenager who refused to stop for a traffic check in the city. The event has prompted expressions of shock and questions over the readiness of security forces to pull the trigger. AFP

In a sign of the seriousness of the situation, President Emmanuel Macron called an early morning crisis meeting of his ministers, the Elysee announced.

There had already been clashes the previous evening and while Wednesday night began calmly, unrest erupted in other French cities, including Toulouse, Dijon and Lyon before violence after midnight hit the Paris region, where around 2,000 riot police had been deployed.

A night of intolerable violence against symbols of the republic, with town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on Twitter as he announced the 150 arrests figure.

He expressed support for police but added in an apparent swipe at the hard-left: Shame on those who did not call for calm.

Justice for Nahel

In the region around Nanterre, masked demonstrators dressed in black launched fireworks and firecrackers at security forces.

A thick column of smoke billowed above the area where AFP journalists saw more than a dozen cars and garbage cans set ablaze and barriers blocking off roads.

Graffiti sprayed on the walls of one building called for justice for Nahel and said, police kill.

In the working-class 18th and 19th districts of northeastern Paris, police fired flashballs to disperse protesters burning rubbish, but instead of leaving, the crowd responded by throwing bottles.

We are sick of being treated like this. This is for Nahel, we are Nahel, said two young men calling themselves Avengers as they wheeled rubbish bins from a nearby estate to add to a burning barricade.

One said his family had lived in France for three generations but they are never going to accept us.

In the Essonne region south of the capital, a group set a bus on fire after forcing all the passengers off, police said, while in Clamart a tram was set on fire.

In the southern city of Toulouse, several cars were torched and responding police and firefighters pelted with projectiles, a police source said, while authorities reported similar scenes in Dijon and Lyon.

At Frances second-largest prison complex, Fresnes, protesters attacked security at the entrance with fireworks, a police source told AFP.

They did not enter the prison grounds. The police were quickly called in, the source added.

Unforgivable

The victim was pulled over for breaking traffic rules.

Police initially reported that an officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving at him, but this was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP.

The footage shows the two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

A voice is heard saying: You are going to get a bullet in the head.

The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

Hoping to tamp down the spreading violence, authorities have pleaded for calm.

On Wednesday, the Nanterre town hall urged an end to the destructive spiral, while the government issued rare criticism of the security forces.

A teenager was killed. That is inexplicable and unforgivable, President Emmanuel Macron said during an official visit to Marseille, southern France.

France is haunted by the prospect of a repeat of 2005 riots sparked by the death of two black boys during a police chase. Those protests resulted in around 6,000 people arrested.

There are all the ingredients for another explosion potentially, one government adviser told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Last year, 13 people were killed after refusing to stop for police traffic checks, with a law change in 2017 that gave officers greater powers to use their weapons now under scrutiny.

What I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight, said Greens party leader Marine Tondelier said.

But far-right leader Marine Le Pen said the officer was entitled to the presumption of innocence.

The 38-year-old policeman filmed firing the lethal shot was taken into custody and is under investigation for voluntary manslaughter.

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Morocco has strongly condemned the burning of the Holy Quran as an offensive and irresponsible act, has recalled its ambassador to Stockholm for indefinite consultation and has summoned Swedens Charge dAffaires in Rabat to whom it expressed its strong condemnation.

On the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, the Charge dAffaires of Sweden in Rabat was summoned on Wednesday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Moroccos ambassador to Stockholm was recalled for indefinite consultations, after the Swedish government once again authorized a demonstration during which the Holy Quran was burned in front of a mosque in Stockholm, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Swedish Charge dAffaires was summoned to be informed of Moroccos most vigorous condemnation of this offense and rejection of this unacceptable act, the statement said.

This new offensive and irresponsible act disregard the feelings of more than a billion Muslims during this sacred period of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the blessed feast of Eid Al-Adha, the statement stressed.

Regardless of the political positions or differences that may exist between countries, the Kingdom considers it unacceptable that the faith of Muslims should be disrespected in this way, nor can the principles of tolerance and the values of universalism be reduced to accommodating the views of a few, while showing so little regard for the beliefs of more than a billion Muslims, the statement added.
Almost 900 Cape Verdeans are registered to participate in World Youth Day (WYD), from August 1 to 6, in Lisbon, and 70% of them already have all the process completed, a diocesan source told media on Wednesday June 28.

In the diocese of Santiago we have 743 pilgrims registered and some already have a visa number to travel to Portugal], so we are counting on everyone. In the diocese of Mindelo, we already have all the visas obtained, both for the island of Sal, Sao Vicente, only the decision of Boa Vista is still lacking and approximately 130 members, including priests, are registered. They have a delegation of almost 900 young people that are going to the Youth Day in Lisbon this year, said in Praia, the diocesan assistant for Youth in the dioceses of Cape Verde, deacon Jose Manuel Borges.

According to Jose Manuel Borges, it is not yet possible to advance the exact number of people who will go to WYD, which can only be done after all visas have been issued by the Portuguese authorities: At this moment we already have around 70% response in our hands and we are now waiting for the others. We have also started to buy the tickets, we are waiting for the others and this way we will buy the tickets and then organize and go there.

The deacon also said that for WYD in Lisbon, there will be the pre-WYD, from July 26 to 31, and the post-WYD, from August 7 to 10, which will take place in the diocese of Leiria and in Lisbon, so the expectation is great.

We are doing a spiritual preparation from here, in Cape Verde. On June 4th, we started to do the first activities in a more direct way, what we call the pilgrimage. The idea is to walk through various parishes with different activities, but above all with spiritual activities that help the pilgrims in a better way. The day will be a worldwide meeting of young people, with different cultures, different languages, different thoughts, but united in the same faith, the deacon pointed out.
The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV, opposition) accused the Government, led by Ulisses Correia e Silva, of not defending the public interest in the conduct of State business.

In its business, acts, contracts and other decisions, as well as omissions, the Government is bound to the pursuit of the public interest, which should dominate and guide all the activity of public administration, pointed out PAICV MP Demis Almeida.

The MP of the PAICV, in opposition since 2016, was speaking in the monthly debate with the Prime Minister in parliament on the theme State business and the protection of the public interest.

But has this MpD [Movement for Democracy] government and that of Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva conveniently defended the public interest in the conduct of state business? In our understanding, clearly not, he said. The deputy justified the position with the wake of an old school, instituted in the 1990s, of disastrous privatizations, stating that the Government conducts the current privatization processes through a fog of intransparency', of illegitimate favoritism and yielding to non-public interests.

Without the precedence of any evaluation or suitable and independent prior studies, without any public tender, using and abusing direct award, making it the rule, when under the law it is the very last exception. With the contracting of private companies to restructure public companies to be privatized, or to carry out studies leading to their privatization, and then sell the shares of the public company privatized in the meantime to the same private company that restructured it or did the studies leading to privatization, said Demis Almeida.

Looking at this history, we are immensely concerned that the privatization of several other companies is in the pipeline, emphasized Demis Almeida, recalling that the government has identified nine public companies to be concessioned or privatized.
The board of directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC, the U.S. external support agency) on Wednesday June 28 approved a $500 million (458 million) program for Mozambiques Coastal Connectivity and Resilience Pact.

The approval follows the memorandum signed with the Government in January 2023 and reaffirms MCCs commitment to directly address constraints to economic growth through innovative solutions, the MCC announced in a statement.

The program will focus on development in the central province of Zambezia. In Mozambique, we are implementing MCCs most climate-friendly pact, a combination of resilient transportation infrastructure, green economy opportunities, blue economy, and policy and institutional reforms to enable more effective, long-term growth, the agency detailed.

This is MCCs second pact with Mozambique, after another worth $506.9 million (464 million euros), concluded in 2013, and which focused on water supply and sanitation, land ownership issues, transportation, and agriculture. This time, the focus is on improving transport networks in rural areas, encouraging commercial agriculture through policy and tax reforms, and improving coastal livelihoods through climate resilience initiatives.

The MCC is an agency funded by the United States Government that provides time-limited grants to developing countries.
Saudi authorities have detained two Beninese pilgrims for transporting with them banned substances, 24h Au Benin reports, adding a third suspect has been arrested in the West African country following investigation.

The two pilgrims, a man and a woman, have been arrested upon arrival in the kingdom. The media did not provide details about the date they were detained but said Benin authorities also arrested a third person believed to be their accomplice who allegedly gave them the illegal substances.

The third suspect 24h Au Benin notes, appeared Tuesday June 27 before the Court of Economic Crimes and Terrorism Repression (CRIET). The court indicted him for giving luggage to the two arrestees  his brother and wife  containing illegal substances.

The suspect denied any wrongdoing but the prosecution requested five years in prison and a fine of $3,300 against him. The ruling is expected on July 25.
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:

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In forensic science, the identification of deceased or missing individuals is often at the heart of an investigation. Dental records have long been used as a valuable tool in this process given that it is rare that two people will have matching records of their teeth present or absent, caps and crowns, or fillings, and the alignment of teeth seen in an X-ray. One thing that is perhaps not necessarily immediately obvious from dental records is the biological sex of the individual, but this would be very useful information in almost every investigation in the absence of other indicators.

Research in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, has made progress toward the development and training of an algorithm that can determine biological sex from dental X-rays with 94% accuracy. This application of what is referred to as a deep-learning method demonstrates the potential of such an approach to augmenting conventional evidence in an investigation.

B. Vijayakumari, S. Vidhya, and J. Saranya of the Mepco Schlenk Engineering College in Sivakasi, Tamilnadu, India, explain that their algorithm comprises three components: image pre-processing, gradient-based recursive threshold (GBRT) segmentation, and classification. Initially, they use a so-called prime magic square filter during the image pre-processing step to remove unwanted noise. The prime magic square filter uses a special grid of numbers overlaid on the image within the computer and compares pixel values in the image with the corresponding values in the grid to determine what are distortions or compression artifacts, which contribute to image noise and so can be brushed away to give a clean and accurate image for the subsequent analysis.

The GBRT segmentation technique refines the images, enhancing the algorithm's ability to extract relevant information. Finally, the classification stage utilizes a Resnet50 neural network, a widely adopted deep learning architecture. The team trained the algorithm with 3,000 dental X-rays for which the individual's biological sex was known. This allowed the algorithm to discern the biological sex associated with dental X-rays presented to it in which the biological sex of the individual is not known.

For the purposes of testing the team used 1,000 images, a subset of the original collection where sex was known to determine whether the system would correctly assign biological sex. Teeth and jawbones are sexually dimorphic in humans to varying degrees but there are also marked effects of nutrition and socioeconomics on how our jaws and teeth grow. The new system can see through these potential discrepancies based on its training with the X-ray images.

Within the specific context of legal proceedings, there is now a need to assess the algorithm more rigorously so that reliability of the data, potential algorithm biases, and the need for expert interpretation should be taken into account. Ongoing research and validation efforts will contribute to its refinement and development for use in forensic analysis. The team also plans to extend the approach to age determination from dental X-rays.
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In a research letter published online today in JAMA, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimate that a Texas abortion ban that went into effect in September 2021 was associated with 9,799 additional live births in the state between April and December 2022.

The measure, Texas Senate Bill 8, banned abortions as early as five weeks after the start of a patient's last menstrual cycleeffectively banning abortion in the state, with very limited exceptions. Previously, Texas had allowed abortions up to 22 weeks gestation for any indication. Researchers expect the number of abortion procedures to drop and live births to increase when abortion restrictions go into effect within a state, but do not know to what extent for some time. A 2022 study, also published in JAMA, estimated that abortions provided to pregnant Texas residents in facilities in Texas or in one of six adjacent states decreased by 38%2,171 fewer abortionsin the month after the Texas abortion ban went into effect.

The new study is thought to be the first to examine how the Texas abortion ban may have impacted live births in the state.

"There has been a lot of speculation about how restrictive abortion policies will affect the number of babies being born. This research adds valuable information to that discussion," says Alison Gemmill, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health and one of the study's lead authors. "Although our study doesn't detail why these extra births occurred, our findings strongly suggest that a considerable number of pregnant individuals in Texas were unable to overcome barriers to abortion access."

For their analysis, the researchers used statistical modeling to create a "synthetic" Texas based on monthly live birth data from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from 2016 through 2022. The researchers calculated that there would have been 287,289 live births in Texas from April to December 2022 had the abortion ban not gone into effect in September 2021. The number of observed births during this period was 297,088, a difference of 9,799.

"The study's findings highlight how abortion bans have real implications for birthing people, thousands of whom may have had no choice but to continue an unwanted or unsafe pregnancy to term," says Suzanne Bell, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health and one of the study's lead authors. "Notably, the majority of people who seek abortions live below or close to the poverty line. So many of these birthing people and their families were likely struggling financially even before the recent birth."

The findings come one year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its landmark Dobbs decision and as more states move to enact abortion restrictions. Separately, a federal lawsuit likely to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court is challenging the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone, one of two pills used in most medication abortions. Though mifepristone is still available, the case casts uncertainty over the reproductive rights landscape.

The authors note that the results cannot be generalized, as the analysis was restricted to one state.

The researchers will explore how the Texas law may have disproportionately impacted certain demographic groups when detailed birth data become available in the coming months.

More information: Suzanne O. Bell et al, Texas' 2021 Ban on Abortion in Early Pregnancy and Changes in Live Births, JAMA (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.12034 Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association
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Observed occurrence of protophones by age and object type, with loess smooth and 95% confidence intervals. The red line depicts artificial objects and the blue line natural objects. The binary observations are also plotted, here jittered to reduce overplotting. Credit: Scientific Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36734-9

Researchers have found infants are significantly more likely to use "baby talk" during interactions that involve artificial objects compared to natural ones.

Infants often communicate with protophones, which are sounds resembling squeals, growls or short word-like noises such as "da," "aga" and "ba." These are considered the foundations of speech, as they eventually evolve into full language.

Objects play an important role in this process, as the more vocalization an object encourages, the closer a young child is to talking.

A new study, led by the University of Portsmouth, has looked at the relationship between protophones and things typically found at home to assess their importance for developing language skills.

To do this, the team observed how often children aged four to 18 months who live in Zambia vocalized when using toys and household items, and then compared it to how they interacted with natural objects.

They discovered the amount of protophones produced by the younger infants was significantly higher when engaging with man-made objects, compared to sticks, leaves, rocks and bird feathers.

They also found the children were more interested in household itemssuch as mugs, shoes, and penswhen given the choice between them and natural objects.

Lead author, Dr. Violet Gibson from the University of Portsmouth's Department of Psychology, said, "Our findings suggest that object features have an impact on the way in which young children communicate.

"Here, we observed that natural objects were less likely to encourage infants to produce protophones, and as a consequence they may not promote language skill development as much as artificial objects. Preverbal infants seem to favor household items, possibly because their features are designed for specific functional purposes, or in the case of toys, they're designed to get a child's attention and spark their interest.

"This supports existing evidence that the use of complex tools in social interactions may have contributed to establishing the groundwork required for the emergence of human language."

The paper, published in Scientific Reports, says that the ways in which parents engage with children when they interact with objects differs across cultures, but the researchers found no indication that the examined behavior of the mothers' affected the amount of protophones produced.

Co-author, Developmental Psychologist Dr. Eszter Somogyi, added, "It is important to understand to what extent protophones are promoted in a natural environment from an evolutionary perspective, because of their ties to language skills and development.

"Some argue that vocal language about man-made tools may have led to a number of important advancements for our ancestors, including speech evolution and a surge in manufacturing more sophisticated objects."

The study also examined whether children show more social gazing when using natural or artificial objects, as it's one of the first avenues of early communication. The researchers found differences in the infants' looking behaviors between the two object types, suggesting that object features also shape nonvocal communication.

"The infants in this study gazed at the mothers significantly more often when using natural objects compared to the household items, particularly at a young age," explained Dr. Gibson. "It might be because they're far less interested in natural objects, and look to their parents to assess their value."

Co-author, Developmental Psychologist and Linguist Dr. Iris Nomikou, added, "Just like protophones, social gazing supports learning as it gives an infant an opportunity to flag to a parent or carer that they're not sure about something they see."

There is some evidence suggesting that object-based communication is not limited to humans, and that object-based signals may be more significant than first thought.

The University of Portsmouth team also observed similar behaviors in chimpanzees. A new study, published in Animal Cognition, found evidence they use objects in diverse ways to communicate with each other, and this may be shaped by social factors.

Co-author Dr. Marina DavilaRoss, Reader in Comparative Psychology at the University of Portsmouth, said, "There is a lot in common in terms of how individuals, both human and animal, make use of the physical world to communicate.

"Both studies have contributed to the theory that objects have a significant impact in how communication skills are developedbut what is unique about them is the analysis of interactions with natural objects.

"This opens an interesting new door in language evolution research, and hopefully what we learned will contribute to future research on communication across different species and human cultures."

The team recommends a more detailed analysis of facial changes to further explore the relationship between objects and infant behavior, as well as classifying objects based on color, size and shape rather than just natural and artificial.

They also suggest it would be interesting to further compare this behavior with less social species than chimpanzees.

More information: Violet Gibson et al, Preverbal infants produce more protophones with artificial objects compared to natural objects, Scientific Reports (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36734-9 Violet Gibson et al, Object use in communication of semi-wild chimpanzees, Animal Cognition (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01792-z Journal information: Scientific Reports , Animal Cognition
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An MRI with increased signal in the posterior part of the internal capsule which can be tracked to the motor cortex consistent with the diagnosis of ALS. Credit: Frank Gaillard/Wikipedia

The European Union drug watchdog's refusal to approve an ALS drug already authorized in North America has been called "an affront" by angry French patients, who say they "don't have time to wait".

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)also known as Lou Gehrig's diseaseis an incurable neurodegenerative disease that normally claims the lives of patients in three to five years.

One drug, Riluzole, has been around since the 1990s and prolongs patients' lives by around three months. Otherwise, no new treatment has been approved in Europe for decades.

Last year a new drug called AMX0035 developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals was given the green light in the United States and Canada.

The European Medicines Agency said late last week that it had refused to authorize the drug, which has the brand name Albrioza in Europe and Relyvrio in the US.

The EMA said the results of a phase 2 clinical trial "did not show convincingly that Albrioza was effective in slowing down the worsening of the disease.

"Data on survival were also not reliable, given the way the data were collected and analyzed," the agency said in a statement.

The French ALS patient support group ARSLA said the treatment was "the only one to bring us hope in 25 years by showing a slowdown in motor impairment and increasing survival by 10 months".

The US firm has indicated it would apply again for approval in Europe.

But ARSLA said the lengthy process meant that the EMA would likely not issue its next ruling before October 2024.

"Patients with ALS do not have time to wait," the group said.

The phase 2 trial that was the basis of the US approval involved just 137 participants.

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals is conducting larger, more comprehensive phase 3 trials, with results expected in June 2024.

If the EMA is waiting for those results, that means the drug likely could not be approved in Europe until 2025, ARSLA said.

ALS attacks the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, progressively paralyzing muscles until patients cannot walk, eat, speak or breathe.

Around one in 10,000 people have the disease in the European Union, according to the EMA.

 2023 AFP
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Credit: Monash University

Ahead of Deafblind Awareness Week, a global survey from Monash University reveals the challenges and opportunities to supporting deafblind individuals.

In collaboration with Able Australia and the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), researchers from the Faculty of Arts at Monash University have conducted a global survey on the experiences and perspectives of professionals who provide support services to deafblind individuals.

The survey, which received responses from 324 professionals across 36 countries, examined the roles and educational backgrounds of interpreters, support workers, and other professionals engaged in providing support services to deafblind individuals. The results shed light on the challenges faced by these professionals and uncover the need for improved training and recognition in the field.

The researchers, led by Associate professor Louisa Willoughby from the Faculty of Arts at Monash University, found that interpreters and support workers overwhelmingly reported having learned their skills on the job, and that they have a huge appetite for further formal training.

Around half of the participants had less than 15 hours of professional development on deafblind communication across their entire careers.

Availability and cost of training are key barriers to boosting training attendance, with many people employed casually without employer funding to attend training sessions.

Associate Professor Willoughby explains that there is an urgent need for enhanced training and standardized credentialing for professionals in the field.

"The research findings have provided invaluable insights into the experiences of professionals supporting deafblind individuals worldwide. It is crucial that we recognize the importance of training and proper remuneration to maintain a skilled and committed workforce," she said.

"By addressing these challenges, we can ensure that high-quality services are provided to deafblind individuals, while also attracting and retaining skilled professionals in the sector. Through our work, we're urging stakeholders and policymakers to establish structured training programs and improved employment conditions for these professionals," said Associate Professor Willoughby.

Norway is the only country in the world where sign language interpreters are routinely trained to work with deafblind people as part of their initial interpreter education. Norway is also a country where a communication strategy called "haptics" is widely used that teaches interpreters how to convey environmental information about the specific setting to deafblind people.

In America, survey participants often reported using ProTactile with their clients. Advanced by its protagonists as a distinct, tactile-based language, ProTactile features signing on arms, shoulders, upper legs and backs, relying on contact space and reciprocity.

Meredith Prain, National Head of Research and Center of Excellence at Able Australia said the report will highlight the desperate need for a national training program.

"The introduction of a national training program to develop competencies of both communication guides and Auslan interpreters working with Australians with deafblindness is needed urgently," said Ms Prain.

"While there is now more funding to provide communication guides and Auslan interpreting services through individuals' NDIS plans, this report clearly demonstrates the need for adequate and appropriate training of staff providing these services to deafblind Australians."

A lack of training not only affects the quality of communication between deafblind people and the professionals who work with them, but also makes it challenging and frustrating for new people to learn these skills on the job, exacerbating already severe workforce shortages in this area.

NAATI CEO, Mark Painting, says the report will be a welcomed addition to an under-researched area.

"Monash's report on professionals working with deafblind people is a welcome addition to a sorely under-researched area. We look forward to the impact this research will have on deafblind communication training and professional development opportunities for interpreters," said Mr. Painting.

More information: Professionals working with deafblind people: Results of a global survey: bridges.monash.edu/articles/re  t_final_pdf/23536398
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The guy whose naked skull is pale and shinysave that discolored mole shaped like Cuba near his ear, which inexplicably bristles with hairmay harbor an antidote to baldness.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine say they've zeroed in on the molecule responsible for hair strands sprouting from moles like that. Their peer-reviewed study, published June 21 in the respected scientific journal Nature, is being touted as a major baldness breakthrough.

"This is a game changer for hair loss for a couple of reasons," said Maksim Plikus, professor of developmental and cell biology at UCI and study lead.

"Instead of studying only mouse furresearch in this area is usually done with mouse furwe said, 'Enough of that. Let's look at human hair. The solution to human hair loss is in humans.'"

Millions of people have skin growths"nevi," in scientific-speakwith hair growing out of them, "a really cool experiment that nature created itself," he said.

"We looked at these hairy moles and were weird enough to care about them," Plikus said. "Why is hair growing? We totally didn't know. It was one of those medical mysteries. It takes people who look at the weird things and say, 'Why is that?'"

Over some 10 years of work, the researchers identified a chemical released by a mole's pigmented cells that "potently stimulates hair follicle stem cells for robust hair growth." That molecule is osteopontin.

It was super hard to pin down, Plikus said, but reverse-engineering eventually bore fruit. Or hair, if you will.

"Dermatologists, hair biologists and our patients have long recognized that some nevi induce luxurious hair growth, and this article elegantly demonstrates a novel mechanism for this phenomenon," Dr. Luis Garza, professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said by email. He was not involved with the research.

"After careful animal testing and human trialsthat could take yearsthis work could lead to new medications that help patients with hair loss," Garza said.

How it works

A critical difference between a hairy mole and adjacent skin (with short hairs) is that the moles contain those aforementioned pigmented cells. They're older cells, done dividing. The science-speak for them is "senescent."

Now, senescent cells are often viewed as, you know, sort of uselessdetrimental to regeneration, driving the aging process. But this research shows the old dog can do some cool tricks.

These senescent cells don't just sit there taking up space. They "linger around and secrete a bunch of stuff," as Plikus put it. "They use molecular languageyou can't shut them up. They keep talking talking talking, communicating with non-aged cells, including stem cells."

The bit of molecular language that's important here is the aforementioned osteopontin, which apparently tells target stem cells to go full Rapunzel. The secreted osteopontin interacts with a molecule on the stem cells called CD44, apparently flipping the hair-growing switch to "gonzo."

Plikus envisions a next-generation medicine that can trigger massive hair growth delivered via microinjection to scalps, say, once every six months or so. Sort of on a Botox schedule.

The researchers plan to study other molecules to fully understand what's going on, and see if there are other potential pathways to hair regrowth. In addition to the team at UCI, research partners hail from all over the place, including China, France, Germany, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

Commerce

You may recall Plikus and the crew from their research from last year, which likened seemingly-dead hair follicles to a sea of sleeping 3D printers, just waiting for the command to power up. They figured out how to issue that commandby micro-injecting a protein that sounds a bit like "Scooby Doo" into mice.

"Our results identify SCUBE3 as a hair-growth activator," said their paper, published in the journal Developmental Cell. "When microinjected for 4 days  recombinant human SCUBE3 induced significant hair growth in mouse back skin."

To suggest that there's enormous commercial potential here is an obscene understatement. More than 80% of men and nearly half of women will have significant hair loss during their lifetime, according to New York University's Langone Health.

UCI's Plikus is also co-founder of a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company called Amplifica Holdings Group. Amplifica has an exclusive licensing agreement with The Regents of the University of California covering these inventions, and is readying pre-clinical and clinical trials to assess their safety and tolerability.

Amplifica has administered osteopontin to human hair follicles in skin grafts, inducing new growth by human hair follicles, the company's president and CEO Frank Fazio said.

Fazio has spent 30 years in the aesthetics market, including as a core team member for Juvederm, the popular hyaluronic acid dermal filler that plumps up skin, thus reducing wrinkles. He has seen a lot of excitement, but not quite like this, he said.

In the first 24 hours after the Nature paper was published, he got hundreds of phone calls from people wanting to participate in clinical trials, he said. They've been surprisingly candid about their hair loss "journey," what they've been trying to do to correct course, and why they're looking for a solution, he said.

"It's remarkable," Fazio said.

This work was supported in part by grants from the LEO Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, W.M. Keck Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Simons Foundation and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Shared Research Laboratory.

"It's inspired by true human biology," Plikus said. "Not every mole grows hairyet another one of nature's secrets. Even more information will come when we start comparing hairy and hairless moles."

2023 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit ocregister.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Scientists have taken an important step forward in predicting who will develop type 1 diabetes months before symptoms appear.

In a paper published online on June 29 in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and their colleagues identify a set of altered proteins that predict a condition known as islet autoimmunity, a precursor for everyone who will ultimately develop type 1 diabetes.

The scientists caution that the work marks a beginning, not the end, of a search for a way to predict who will develop the disease. More work needs to be done to verify the results and test whether the findings apply to everyone, not just the children who were in the study and were genetically predisposed to developing the disease.

A biomarker that detects pending autoimmunity would help physicians monitor a patient's condition, perhaps to detect worsening health and to prompt faster medical care even before symptoms appear.

The results are the culmination of a nine-year study led by PNNL scientist Thomas Metz that looked at hundreds of proteins in more than 8,000 blood samples from nearly 1,000 children at six study sites in North America and Europe.

TEDDY and clues to islet autoimmunity

The children have been participants in a larger umbrella study known as TEDDYThe Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young. TEDDY includes children who, because of their genetic makeup, are more likely than others to develop type 1 diabetes. The study, nearing its 20th year, seeks to understand why some children develop the disease while others don't. Thomas Metz of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory discusses the laboratory's work with integrative omics to address the science related to human health. Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

In the latest study, PNNL scientists analyzed blood plasma samples of nearly 1,000 children from their birth up to the age of six. Researchers identified a set of 83 proteins whose combination of changes predicted which children went on to develop either islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes.

Right now, there is no way to know if or when either islet autoimmunity or diabetes will occur in people who are genetically predisposed. Doctors do know that when a patient develops at least two islet autoantibodies, they have islet autoimmunity and will develop diabetesbut they don't know what triggers autoimmunity or when diabetes will manifest.

"What's exciting about this work is that it opens the door to detecting autoimmunity earlier than we can right now," said Metz. "This gives us an opportunity to learn more about what causes the immune system to turn on the body. This could help us tease out and understand the mechanisms at play in the development of diabetes better than we do currently and provide potential targets for intervention."

The findings are the result of tens of thousands of hours of work by PNNL scientists and colleagues around the globe. At PNNL, scientists spent more than 16,000 hours just running the samples through instruments known as mass spectrometers to check the levels of hundreds of proteins in each of about 8,000 blood samples. Then there were countless hours planning the study, recruiting participants, monitoring their health and analyzing the data.

PNNL data analyst Lisa Bramer created a machine learning algorithm that analyzed the vast amount of datainformation on hundreds of proteins from nearly 1,000 children, with multiple blood samples from each taken from their birth until they were six years old.

The scientists did the study in two phases. In the discovery phase, the team studied 2,252 blood samples from 184 children. There the team identified 376 proteins that were altered in patients who later developed islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes. Then the team performed a more in-depth validation study, looking at 6,426 blood samples from 990 children.

The 83 blood proteins the team pinpointed in the validation study are key to several important processes in the body, including antigen presentation, complement and blood clotting, inflammatory signaling and metabolism. The list of proteins matches up well with the proteins that the team knows are active in the pancreas of patients who have diabetes. The team identified those proteins previously in work conducted through the Human Islet Research Network.

The PNNL team hopes to continue the study by analyzing additional blood samples that have already been collected from the same children when they were older. Those blood samples were collected through TEDDY until the children turned 15.

"At this stage, we're trying to understand how we might be able to predict diabetes. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent critical insulin-producing cells from dying and to prevent diabetes altogether," said Ernesto Nakayasu, the first author.

In other studies related to diabetes and inflammation, PNNL scientists are studying exactly how our body's insulin-producing cells become vulnerable to an autoimmune attackhow insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are targeted and killed by the body. Researchers are also looking at how omega-3 fatty acids can protect those cells.

Hunt for diabetes biomarker: It takes a village

The study included children whose parents or guardians gave consent for their participation. In the United States, study sites included the University of Colorado, the University of Florida and the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle. Children at hospitals in Germany, Sweden and Finland also participated. The University of South Florida served as the data coordinating center.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Colorado, the University of Turku in Finland, Technical University of Munich, Lund University and Pacific Northwest Diabetes Research Institute also contributed.

More information: Thomas O. Metz, Plasma protein biomarkers predict both the development of persistent autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes 6 months prior to the onset of autoimmunity, Cell Reports Medicine (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101093. www.cell.com/cell-reports-medi  2666-3791(23)00212-4 Journal information: Cell Reports Medicine